Before we begin with this chapter. I would like to grab your attention for a minute or so, because I have a short announcement to make.
I have managed to set up my P.a.t.r.e.o.n for Vampires x Devils after frying my brain to write many additional chapters (while having sinusitis and working full-time) and even now I feel it might be incomplete. Indeed, I am such a dirty capitalistic pig that needs money (seems fair to me) and will turn into one of those thots selling-out their souls for some green bucks.
With no further ado, if you want to read ahead of the free release, we have three tiers you can access.
Tier 1: Grants access to +5 chapters ahead of the free release.
Tier 2: Grants access to +10 chapters ahead of the free release.
Tier 3 (honestly not fully set up yet because I haven't finished writing the remaining chapters for this tier to be proper): This one will have +16 chapters ahead of the free release, along with other benefits such as R18 commissioning. (If you ever want some smut for your favourite Rosario waifu or DxD waifu along with our boy Tsukune, you know where to visit.)
Before I end this note and let you enjoy the chapter, I want to say only one thing…
I am tired, Boss.
The Link is (and if is not obvious enough, remove the dots): (p.a.t.r.e.o.n).com/Morpheus146
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Chapter 51: The Little Witch (II)
The Newspaper Club room was quiet when Yukari arrived the next day.
Sunlight slanted through the windows, painting golden stripes across the worn wooden floor. Stacks of old newspapers that were part of the club's history leaned against the walls like sleeping sentinels, and the bulletin board at the back was covered with article drafts, event posters, and a hand‑drawn map of the Academy that someone had annotated with exclamation marks and question marks.
Yukari clutched her wand in one hand and the strap of her bag in the other. Her witch hat was slightly askew, knocked crooked during her hurried walk from the dormitory.
She had spent an extra ten minutes in front of the mirror, trying to decide if she should wear it at all. In the end, she had decided that the hat was part of who she was, and in fact it made her cuter, and since she had finally closed the distance with Tsukune, she had decided to become cuter for him. If the Newspaper Club did not accept that, then maybe she did not belong.
She made her way to the Newspaper Club with a heavy heart, full of nerves toward the unknown, but also excitement at the prospect of making new friends, such as Tsukune, Moka and Kurumu.
She pushed open the door and stepped inside. Her voice was small, almost a whisper. "G‑Good afternoon. I am here for the club."
Tsukune looked up from behind the president's desk. He waved a hand at the cluttered room. "Welcome to the club. It is a bit disorganized since I have to archive these articles for reference later on when we are doing some journalistic investigation."
He leaned back in his chair, a dry smile tugging at his lips. "Do not get discouraged and think this is a dump. In fact, this is a dump. Our dump."
Yukari's eyes widened. She had expected something more formal, more intimidating. Instead, the room felt lived‑in, comfortable, like a second home. She relaxed, just a fraction.
Kurumu bounced over from her seat near the window, her tail swishing beneath her skirt. "You are lucky Tsukune likes you, chibi. I would have thrown you out the window for that sticky bubble prank."
Yukari flinched. "I am sorry about that, Kurumu‑san. I did not mean to—"
"Water under the bridge." Kurumu waved her hand dismissively. "Just do not do it again, or I will hex you with something worse." She winked, and Yukari realized she was joking.
Outer Moka sat near the window, her pink hair catching the light. She looked up from the notebook she was writing in and offered Yukari a warm smile. Her green eyes were soft, welcoming.
"Welcome, Yukari‑chan. I am glad you decided to join us." She set down her pen. "Do not be nervous. Everyone here is friendly. Mostly."
Yukari's breath caught. She had seen the silver‑haired Moka before, the cold and terrifying Ice Queen. But this version, the pink‑haired one with the kind smile, was completely different. She was beautiful in a way that made Yukari's heart flutter.
"Moka‑san," Yukari whispered, her cheeks flushing. "You are even prettier up close."
Outer blinked, then laughed softly. "Thank you, Yukari‑chan. That is very sweet of you."
"I mean it!" Yukari's voice rose with enthusiasm. "I have always admired you. From afar, I mean. I saw you at the Club Festival, and you were so elegant and graceful, and your hair is like cherry blossoms, and—"
She stopped herself, realizing she was rambling. Her face turned crimson.
Outer's smile widened. "You are very kind. I am happy to have you in the club. If you ever need help with anything, or just want to talk, I am here." She glanced at the calendar on the wall. "Well, I am here on my schedule days. But when I am not, Inner can also help. She is not as scary as she looks."
Yukari nodded vigorously. "I would like that. Very much."
Kurumu watched the exchange with a raised eyebrow. "Careful, chibi. She is already taken."
Yukari pouted. "I know. Tsukune‑san is worthy of Moka‑san. He is handsome, smart, and of course a powerful vampire." She glanced at Tsukune, then back at Outer. "But I can still admire her from a distance. That is not illegal."
Tsukune snorted. "You are something else, little witch." He leaned forward, a teasing glint in his eyes. "Calling me handsome? I might get a big head. Are you sure you are not trying to butter me up for extra credit?"
Yukari beamed. "I only speak the truth, Tsukune‑san!"
Tsukune pointed to a desk near the corner. "You can set up there. Plenty of space. We are a small club, so… no crowds. I will hand you some of the materials newly introduced to this journalistic, publishing side of the Newspaper Club. Take your time to familiarize yourself with our work, and if you have any questions, I will try to answer, at least as much as I know."
He gestured to the main table where Kurumu and Outer were seated. "You can also listen to our discussion, since we are working on a new release for this week."
Yukari nodded and walked toward the desk. As she passed a bookshelf, she noticed a figure sitting in the corner, half‑hidden in the shadows. A young man with shaggy hair and tired eyes. He was reading a book, his posture hunched, his presence almost invisible.
She paused. "Who is that?"
Tsukune's voice was calm, matter‑of‑fact. "Him? The subject of our new release. The Panty‑Obsessed Ghost, Gin Morioka. Our former president. But because of certain events that you will get filled in on by Kurumu or Moka, he has stepped down as president to allow a fresher perspective to the club."
Tsukune's eyes narrowed slightly. "He is still sulking about it. Do not poke him too much. Ah, and if he shows any pervertness to you, do not be afraid to tell me. I will get him straight immediately."
Gin shuddered. He did not look up from his book, but his shoulders hunched further. His voice was quiet, almost a whisper. "I am sorry. For everything. I will not be a problem. I just want to… read."
Yukari stared at Gin. He did not look up at her. His expression was hollow, his energy subdued. She had heard about this senpai of hers, one of the "popular" guys from the second year that she had made up her mind to avoid, since she was a maiden and could not allow herself to fall for such dirty guys.
Outer Moka glanced up from her notebook, her voice soft but firm. "You should not be too harsh on Gin‑senpai. He made a mistake, but he is already paying the price for it."
Gin looked up at Outer Moka as if seeing an angel. His lips parted, as if he wanted to say something, but then he heard Kurumu's disdainful scoff.
He flinched and got quiet again, not wanting to ever relive the humiliating job that Kurumu had given him, to wipe clean the bathroom next to the Newspaper Club with his tongue before sterilizing everything with chlorine.
Yukari nodded, not fully understanding but accepting. She turned away and set her bag on the empty desk.
She listened to the three talk about the new article they were planning to release. It involved Gin's sins. It was an article centered around revealing all of his perverted misdeeds that had caused a stir amongst the girls of the Academy.
Gin's expression told everything. He was bitter, but because of the bug inside his heart, there was no way he could object and refuse to cooperate. Still, he tried to paint himself in a lighter light. "I am just a misunderstood young man in love with a fair flower. Flowers should be admired, not… not used."
Tsukune nodded, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Of course. A misunderstood young man who took hundreds of upskirt photos. We will not omit any of that from your confession, senpai."
Gin opened his mouth to protest, then closed it. He slumped further into his chair.
Kurumu snorted. "Eat shit, Gin. Do not try to get my forgiveness. I still remember everything you have done to me. Heck, imagine my reaction when I found you got photos of me while I was changing in my PE clothing. There are even underwear shots. You are lucky Tsukune is merciful."
Outer Moka sighed. "Kurumu, please. He is trying." She turned to Gin and offered a small, forgiving smile. "I forgive you, Gin‑senpai. What you did was wrong, but I believe people can change. Just… do not make us regret it."
Gin stared at her, his eyes glistening. He nodded, not trusting his voice.
Kurumu rolled her eyes. "Saintess Moka, as always. Fine, fine. I will not kick him while he is down. For now."
Tsukune tossed a stack of old articles toward Yukari as he noticed that she had finished reading the introductory material. "Organize these by date. Oldest on the bottom, newest on top. Think you can handle that?"
Yukari caught the stack, fumbling slightly. "Yes, Tsukune‑san. I can do it."
She sat down and began to work, her fingers tracing the dates on each page, sorting them into piles. The work was simple, almost meditative. It gave her time to watch the others, to learn the rhythm of the club.
Kurumu leaned over to Tsukune, lowering her voice. "Trouble in Paradise? I heard that snake lady tried something on you again."
Tsukune shrugged, a dry laugh escaping him. "She licked my jaw during the math exam. In front of the whole class. Inner almost turned her into a handbag."
Kurumu's eyes widened. "She did what? And you are still alive? How did Inner not murder her on the spot?"
"Because Ririko‑sensei is a teacher, and because Inner knows that killing a faculty member would cause more problems than it would solve. You can imagine it that I am on a tight leash. She's watching things closely, right, Outer?"
"No comment," added Moka as she was writing something on a notebook.
Kurumu grinned. "Good. That snake deserves to be put in her place. What is it with older women and their obsession with you? First Ririko, now Chisato‑sensei. Are you secretly a MILF Hunter?"
Tsukune gave her a flat look. "I have no control over who finds me attractive. Blame the vampire transformation. Or my charming personality."
"Your ego, more like."
"Same thing."
Kurumu stretched, her tail curling. "Speaking of work, have you heard anything from the Swimming Club? Are the mermaids still causing trouble? Or has the Disciplinary Committee backed off?"
Tsukune leaned back, folding his arms. "Tamao‑senpai told me that the Disciplinary Committee has made some moves, but nothing that would lead to a clash with them. Just an 'investigation' related to their Club Festival event. Some of the idiots who had their life essence drained got too weak, and it led to his collapse."
Kurumu frowned. "That sounds serious."
"It could be. But Tamao is handling it. She is not as helpless as she looks."
Outer Moka looked up from her notebook. "What about Ririko‑sensei? Do you think she will try something again?"
Tsukune sighed. "She is like a snake, patient and persistent. She will wait for the right moment. The question is not if she will strike, but when. And what I will do when she does."
Kurumu leaned closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Maybe we should ask Gin. He has been here longer. He might know something about her."
She turned toward the corner where Gin sat, still hunched over his book, pretending not to listen. "Hey, Gin. You have been at this Academy for years. What do you know about Ririko‑sensei? Are the rumors true? Does she really eat the students she takes a liking to?"
Gin flinched. He looked up slowly, his eyes darting between Kurumu and Tsukune. His voice was quiet, almost reluctant. "I… I have heard things. Rumors spread quite fast. She is a Lamia, so feeding on humans is in her nature. But she is careful. She does not kill. She just… takes a little. Enough to satisfy her hunger, not enough to cause permanent harm."
Tsukune's eyes narrowed. "Takes a little? What does that mean exactly?"
Gin swallowed. "She drains life force. Yoki, mana, whatever you want to call it. The students she tutors privately, they always look tired afterward. Pale. But they recover in a day or two. No one has ever gone missing. No one has ever filed a complaint." He paused, then added, "But there is something else. Some say she can… influence minds. Make students more suggestible. Obedient."
Kurumu's tail bristled. "So she is a mind‑controlling, life‑draining snake? And she is still employed here?"
"She is good at her job," Gin said. "Her students perform well. The Academy looks the other way."
Tsukune nodded slowly. "That is useful to know. See, this is why I kept you alive Gin. You can be useful at times."
Gin looked surprised by the thanks. He nodded once and returned to his book.
Yukari finished her task and looked up. "Is there anything else I can do?"
Tsukune checked the clock on the wall. The hands were creeping toward the evening. "No, I think we are about to wrap things up for today. If you do not mind, could you leave ahead? We still have to discuss something between us."
Yukari packed her bag and stood. "Thank you, Tsukune‑san. Everyone." She bowed, then hurried to the door.
But before she left, she paused at the threshold and looked back at Outer Moka. "Moka‑san, I hope we can talk more tomorrow. I have so many questions. About the club. And about you."
Outer smiled. "I would like that, Yukari‑chan. Be careful on your way back."
Yukari nodded and disappeared into the hallway.
---
Tsukune waited for a beat, then pulled out his phone. Another notification glowed on the screen, a message from Chizuru, the nine‑tailed Kitsune.
[Chizuru: Tsukune‑kun~ I am free this weekend. Let me know when our date is~ 💋]
He closed it without much reaction, keeping his expression neutral while in the presence of the girls. The last thing he needed was Kurumu or Moka asking questions about a yandere kitsune who had already started preparing her territory to claim his sorry ass.
Still, he did not forget to send his creations. Two Vampire Familiars and two Vampire Retainers melted from his shadow, their crimson eyes gleaming. They slipped through the door without a sound, following the new addition to the Newspaper Club. It was something he had done for both Kurumu and Moka.
As his mastery over his Sacred Gear increased, so had the number of monsters he could create and summon from the dimension of the Yu‑Gi‑Oh world and other worlds as his imagination and idea of those creations settled on a 'concept'.
His shadow now contained a decent‑sized army of monsters with a large variety, inspired by various Yu‑Gi‑Oh archetypes. But the ones he held dearest were the Vampire archetype, the Skull Servant archetype, and of course the Dark Magician archetype.
He had sent his monsters to follow Yukari after the ranking incident, just in case. He did not mind letting her go by herself alone, since the discussion he wanted to have was related to her, and to see what the others thought of her.
On the other hand, he sent those monsters to follow Yukari because the lizardmen had slunk away with murder in their eyes, and he did not trust them to stay gone.
Gin, who had been silent throughout, finally spoke. His voice was small, almost pleading. "Tsukune‑kun… about the article. Please. Do not release it. I will be destroyed. My reputation, my future, everything."
Tsukune turned to look at him. His expression was cold, unreadable. "You should have thought about that before you took those pictures. Before you harassed the girls. Before you kidnapped Moka."
Gin flinched. "I know. I know I was wrong. But I am trying to change. Does that not count for something?"
"It does. That is why you are still alive." Tsukune's voice was flat. "But actions have consequences, Gin. You do not get to erase the past just because you feel sorry now."
Gin's shoulders slumped. "Then… when? How long do I have to suffer?"
Tsukune shrugged. "Until I am bored or satisfied. Either one of those. Make sure you do not die on me. Oh, and can you please stop resisting my Vampire Familiars from biting you to collect your blood? It is for your own good."
Gin shuddered but did not argue. He had learned that arguing with Tsukune was futile.
Kurumu stretched, her tail curling. "Speaking of the kid, what are we actually going to do with her? I mean, she is clearly a genius. She organized all that paperwork without a single mistake. Not even a stray page out of order. That is impressive for anyone, let alone a twelve‑year‑old."
Outer Moka nodded. "She is very capable. I think she will be a great addition to the club. And she seems sweet, just… lonely."
Kurumu tilted her head. "Lonely, sure. But she also looks at Tsukune like he hung the moon. Are we sure that is not going to become a problem?"
Tsukune sighed. "She is twelve. She will grow out of it. And if she does not, we will deal with it then. For now, she needs a place to belong. We can give her that."
Kurumu huffed. "Fine. But if she tries to steal you away, I am not responsible for my actions."
"You are hopeless."
"I prefer 'passionate'."
Then Tsukune raised a hand, his expression shifting. Through the connection to one of his Vampire Familiars, a vision bloomed in his mind. Yukari walking through the Dark Forest, her wand clutched in her hand. Like any kid, she was nervous but not terrified in this twisted forest. Then the shadows shifted. Three figures emerged.
He raised a hand and pressed it gently against Kurumu's lips, cutting her off mid‑sentence. "Keep that idea for later. Tell me in a bit."
He was already moving.