Rise of the Immortal Black Dragon King

Omniscient POV

Kouske is currently in the Naberius territory. It took him some time, but he was able to locate the hidden laboratory by searching the entire territory with his familiars.

Using Dark Curtain, he was virtually unnoticeable and invisible to the weaklings around. The laboratory was concealed within a mountain, its entrance hidden expertly.

The door blended seamlessly with the mountainside, masked by an illusion that would prevent any ordinary observer from suspecting its presence.

Kouske quickly opened the door, which was protected by a magic formula. However, figuring out and hacking the flimsy spell was no challenge for him at this point.

"Who?! How did this open?" exclaimed one of the guards.

Hearing the guard's words, everyone tensed up, ready to fight the foolish intruder who dared to enter Naberius's hidden laboratory. But even after waiting for a while, no one entered.

"Maybe the door malfunctioned? It is quite old, to be honest," one of the guards said casually.

"Maybe. Who would even dare to intrude upon this place? Ha ha ha," another guard laughed.

They quickly closed the door again, failing to notice Kouske, who casually strolled inside the place, hidden by his Dark Curtain.

Kouske stepped into the dimly lit corridor, the stench of antiseptic mingling with the unmistakable scent of decay, assaulting his senses.

The oppressive, gloomy atmosphere weighed heavily on him, amplifying his sense of dread with each step.

Flickering fluorescent lights cast eerie shadows along the walls, adding to the facility's menacing aura.

As he ventured deeper, the muffled sounds of despair became more pronounced. Moans of agony, the clinking of chains, and the occasional, haunting scream echoed through the narrow passageways.

Kouske's eyes narrowed in disgust as he passed by rows of reinforced steel doors, each concealing untold horrors within.

He peered through a small, grimy window set into one of the doors. Inside, he saw emaciated humans, youkai, and even devils huddled in the corners of cramped, filthy cells.

Their eyes, hollow and lifeless, seemed to plead for mercy, though their spirits were clearly broken.

The room reeked of unwashed bodies and hopelessness, a potent combination that churned Kouske's stomach.

In another room, grotesque experiments on youkai were laid bare. Creatures twisted beyond recognition by cruel hands lay in cages, some barely alive, others long dead.

The air was thick with the metallic scent of blood and the unmistakable odor of suffering. Kouske felt a surge of anger and sorrow, his fists clenching involuntarily.

Further along, he found a chamber filled with large test tubes and glass cylinders, each containing a youkai or hybrid suspended in a sickly green fluid.

Tubes and wires protruded from their bodies, connecting them to humming machines that monitored their vital signs. The sight was both surreal and horrifying, a testament to the facility's utter disregard for life.

Kouske's senses were overwhelmed by the constant hum of machinery, the droning of ventilation systems, and the faint, pervasive smell of chemicals.

He could feel the despair embedded in the very walls of the facility, a place devoid of humanity or compassion.

As he moved through the facility, his disgust grew. Every corner revealed a new atrocity, a fresh hell crafted by the hands of those who saw living beings as mere tools for their perverse experiments.

Kouske's resolve hardened with each horrific sight, his determination to dismantle this operation and free the tormented souls within solidifying into an unbreakable vow.

Kouske witnessed all this. He quickly cast an illusion on all the researchers and other people present in the facility. Fortunately, even the head researcher, one of the branch heads of the Naberius house, was also there.

Kouske put them all under the illusion that they would feel immense pain and suffer every bit of agony they had inflicted on others.

He ensured their minds wouldn't break, forcing them to endure this unending torment without the relief of a shattered psyche.

He then immediately gathered all the evidence, including documents and research specimens, to prove the heinous activities of the Naberius devils.

After making copies of the documents, Kouske teleported all the trapped people to Akatsuki for treatment.

He made sure no one was left behind and erected a barrier around the laboratory to prevent any escapes.

While Kouske would have liked to kill everyone there himself, he knew he couldn't act so brazenly.

Even if his identity remained hidden, the Old Satan Faction, which funded the project, might retaliate against the Youkai and annihilate the Nekoshous in the Underworld, as they did in the canon timeline.

Unfortunately, Kouske didn't find any evidence linking the project directly to the Old Satan Faction.

He decided to share all this information with the Nekomatas, Yasaka, and Sirzechs. Yasaka and the Nekomatas would likely pressure the Devil Faction for some form of apology and compensation.

Though their power to demand significant concessions was limited, the devils might comply to avoid further public disgrace and worsening relations with other supernatural factions, to keep this incident hidden.

Even if Sirzechs were to find all this evidence and the rescued people, the devil council would probably only imprison the noble devil culprits for a lifetime or a few hundred years at most.

However, with pressure from Akatsuki and the Youkai faction, they might agree to execute the primary perpetrators from the Naberius branch family.

Sadly, the main family was not involved in this project; the branch family head had initiated it independently to surpass the main family and gain favor with Rizevim.

The main family was likely conducting other unspeakable experiments elsewhere.

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Kuroka's POV

I wake up to find myself in the personal cabin provided to me. My whole body aches and I can barely muster the strength to move. How long have I been unconscious?

Glancing at the clock, I realize it's been more than 48 hours since they began experimenting on me. I was roughly conscious for about 8 hours, so does that mean I've been out for the last 40 hours?

*sigh*

Shirone's going to be worried if I don't go meet her soon. I only told her I'd be gone for two days at most. They must have increased the dosage on me.

It all began with the death of my mother, Fujimai, a nekomata. She died consumed by grief over our human father, a researcher in this facility who never fulfilled his responsibilities as a parent.

My mother was deeply in love with that man, and now I understand why he ensnared her in his deceitful web of affection—likely to acquire more nekomatas. But what they got were even rarer, nekoshous.

Shirone still believes he loved us, like my naive mother. She passed away from the sorrow of his death in a research accident, leaving us alone.

Afterward, with nowhere else to turn, the Naberius devil approached us. He feigned kindness and offered help, and we, desperate and vulnerable, believed him.

But it was all a lie. He sought to experiment on us. Thankfully, I convinced him to spare Shirone from his twisted schemes.

However, she still sees him as a benevolent figure. Now, I'm trapped as his bishop, unable to escape his clutches.

Shirone is even eager to join his peerage. I must find a way to rescue her from this nightmare before it's too late.

My official debut as his bishop is approaching in a few months. While his experiments may have rapidly advanced my powers to an intermediate Ultimate Class, I fear they're causing more harm than good.

[A/N: Kuroka is now 16 and Shirone/Koneko is 11. This is kind of AU, as Kuroka was supposed to have debuted in the Rating Games long ago and helped the Naberius Branch Head win several matches, making her face known at the time.]

Ignoring my scattered thoughts, I stride toward Shirone's room and enter briskly.

"Shironya! Nee-chan is back!" I announce loudly, sporting a cheerful expression.

*Nom* *Nom*

"Nnn..." she responds absentmindedly, her mouth full of sweets. I quickly approach her and envelop her in a tight hug.

"N-nee-chan... I can't... breathe... You're... suffocating me..." Shirone gasps for air, so I release her promptly.

"Sorry, Shirone... Ha ha ha. But look, I brought you sweets nyaa!" I exclaim, presenting the treats I had already prepared two days ago.

"Hmph! You're late. Don't think you can bribe me with just sweets..." Shirone retorts, though I notice saliva pooling at the corner of her mouth. I suppress a snicker.

"So you don't want them? Well, I guess Nee-chan will have to eat them all herself nya," I tease, raising a sweet to my mouth.

Shirone swiftly snatches them from my hands, cutely murmuring, "They're mine..."

I embrace her once more, though the pain in my body is still present. Shirone might have noticed my strained expression, for she asked with concern, "Are you hurt?"

"Ha ha ha... No, silly. Hey, listen, I managed to snag tickets to a new theme park nearby. Want to go nya?" I suggest, trying to change the topic.

Shirone doesn't seem entirely convinced by my response, but she knows me well enough not to press further.

"Would Lord Naberius allow us to leave so suddenly?" she inquires meekly.

"Don't worry. I'll talk to him," I assure her.

"Okay, then," she replies with a smile that warms my heart.

Suddenly, the room's door opens. I'm on high alert, as no one aside from me or Naberius is supposed to come here. Initially, I assumed it might be Naberius, sparking concern.

However, upon using Senjutsu to check, I realize it's someone entirely different, yet their life energy is almost infinite, and I sense a dense, dark, tainted dragon aura.

"An evil dragon!" I mutter under my breath.

Quickly, I become alert and position myself in front of Shirone, shielding her.

"Shirone! Stay behind me!" I command.

"Nee-chan... Why..." Shirone begins, but she's cut off by the intruder.

"You know, it's rude to label someone an evil dragon upon first meeting," says the tall man with jet-black hair and blood-red eyes.

He exudes strength far beyond my own. But I'd still have to fight if he intended to harm Shirone.

"Who are you, mister? Perhaps we should discuss this somewhere a bit more private, nyaa," I say flirtatiously, exposing a bit of my plump bosom through the kimono.

I'm aware of my beauty's effect, and not many can maintain composure in its presence.

If he lets his guard down, I'll strike. After all, no evil dragon is benevolent; they're known for mindless destruction.

"We definitely should, but I think you should first stop what you're doing with your hands. That's Kasha, right? Exclusive to your kind," says the man, inspecting it.

I immediately halted my attack, realizing he was already onto me. Perhaps he has reasons for being here. If we're not his target, I can attempt to persuade him to leave peacefully. After all, Naberius has no shortage of enemies.

"Nyahaha... Who are you, mister? Are you looking for someone?" I ask, showing him both my hands.

"I am Akatsuki," he replies, stunning me momentarily. I've heard of him. So, he's not an evil dragon but the host of one, huh?

"I am Kuroka, nyaa. And what brings you here to this facility?" I inquire.

"Well, I have come to take all of you away from here," he replies, making me tense again.

Does he work for Naberius? No, perhaps he collaborates with him to acquire the powers of a Super Devil? Is Naberius relocating his base? Countless thoughts race through my mind simultaneously, my gaze fixed on his without wavering.

"Do... you work with Lord Naberius?" I ask nervously.

"No! You don't have to worry. I am just here to liberate you from this facility. I will inform the Satans about his crimes. He will be punished soon enough," he retorts, visibly disgusted by the notion of association with Naberius.

But is he telling the truth? But does he even have any reason to deceive us when he can easily overpower us?

"Crimes? What are you talking about? Are you going to harm Lord Naberius?" Shirone suddenly interjects.

She still regards him as our benefactor and remains unaware of the abominable experiments. Despite living here, she's never allowed near where he keeps his subjects.

Upon hearing Shirone's question, Akatsuki looks at me for a moment. Then...

"Hello there, miss. What's your name?" he asks.

"Shirone..." Shirone mumbles, staying behind me.

Afterward, Akatsuki begins conversing freely about various topics, offering Shirone chocolates and becoming unusually friendly with her.

Shironya! You shouldn't be swayed so easily! I'll have to scold her to be more cautious around strangers, and she shouldn't be bribed by food or sweets!

But what's with the heavenly scent of this fruit? It's the kind they sell on their website. Shirone and I have only tried them a few times.

Suddenly, my stomach grumbles loudly, causing my face to flush with embarrassment as I realize I haven't eaten in two days!

"Do you want some too?" asks Akatsuki as he pats Shirone's head. When did he move so close to her?!

"No, thank you. Please tell me what you were saying be—" Before I can finish, he places a fruit in my mouth.

"Mmmhnm...mhhnm!" I'm rendered speechless by the fruit.

"Eat first. You seem hungry and in pain," says Akatsuki, making Shirone turn toward me. Thankfully, the food is not poisoned.

Afterward, I converse with him and learn that he has mostly evacuated all of the captives. He mentions bringing us to the Nekomata village in the Underworld to inform them, as devils are inherently evil and might try to harm them.

Upon arriving at the Nekomata village, I feel relief wash over me. Shirone is not held captive in their hands anymore! I disclose everything to the village chief and Shirone.

The Nekomata chief contacts the leader in Kyoto, Yasaka-sama, a Daiyoukai.

Even though the Nekomata village had gone independent previously to stay in the Underworld, which provides the best place for the Nekomatas to stay, and wasn't under her rule anymore, Yasaka-sama wasn't mad or anything. Instead, she was very helpful and was very worried about the safety of everyone.

They converse for a while, examine the evidence Akatsuki brought, and then contact the Satans.

Prior to this, Akatsuki relocates the entire Nekomata village to a subspace similar to the one in Kyoto, Urakyoto. Everyone is astonished by his ability to teleport an entire village so easily!

Surprisingly, the atmosphere there is even better than the one in the Underworld for the Nekomatas. The air feels fresher, and there's a palpable sense of peace and security.

A dragon as powerful as the leaders of various factions, with a faction of his own, and from what I could gather from Senjutsu sensing, he isn't a bad person.

How strong would his children be? Suddenly, the thought crosses my mind. For some reason, my chest feels heavy and my lower core feels warm and wet as I softly rub my legs!

I shake my head, trying to dispel these intrusive thoughts. Now is not the time to be thinking about such things! I have to focus on ensuring Shirone's safety and figuring out what our next steps are.

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