The days following Gid's revelation passed in a mix of tense calm and frantic preparations. Daniel had increased the intensity of his training, aware that the time he had left before Lala's suitors began to arrive was a luxury he couldn't afford to waste.
The mansion's backyard had become an improvised battlefield. Every afternoon, after classes, Daniel and his girlfriends gathered there for practice sessions that pushed their bodies to the limit.
Tamamo, with her millenary magic, had created an expanded dimensional space within the garden, a domain where gravity could be multiplied and illusions came to life. There, Daniel faced creatures of pure energy that attacked with the ferocity of real enemies, while his girlfriends watched from the edges, ready to intervene if necessary.
"Faster," Tamamo ordered one day, as Daniel dodged a volley of magical projectiles. "Those suitors won't give you time to think. You must move on instinct."
Daniel nodded, his breathing controlled despite the effort. His Observation Haki, now capable of seeing three full seconds into the future, allowed him to anticipate each attack with a clarity that bordered on the supernatural. But Tamamo was right: speed wasn't everything. He needed endurance. He needed to be able to sustain that level for hours, if necessary.
"BOOST," he whispered, and the power flowed through him.
His next move was so fast that even Tamamo, with all her centuries of experience, could barely follow it with her eyes. The magical projectiles exploded against an Armament Haki barrier he had raised at the last instant, and Daniel emerged from the blast directly in front of the main creature, his fist enveloped in a crimson glow.
The impact dispersed the illusion in a shower of sparks.
"Better," Tamamo conceded, with a feline smile. "Much better."
Rias, who had been watching from a distance, approached with a towel and a bottle of water.
"You're improving faster than I expected," she said, handing him both. "At this rate, by the time the suitors arrive, you'll be more than ready."
Daniel took a long drink of water, feeling the cool liquid run down his throat.
"I hope so," he replied. "But I'm not going to be overconfident. Gid said some of them are incredibly powerful. I can't afford to underestimate anyone."
Rias nodded, her expression serious.
"And you won't. Because you won't be alone." She gestured to the others, who had gathered around. "We'll all be with you."
Hikari and Hibiki nodded vigorously, their blue and pink pigtails bouncing with the movement.
"We're gonna kick their butts!" Hikari exclaimed.
"All of them!" Hibiki added.
Reynare, who had been watching from the shade of a tree, spread her wings with an elegant motion.
"My three pairs of wings are eager to test themselves against worthy enemies," she said, and in her golden eyes shone a fierce determination.
Sakura, as always, said nothing. But her calm presence, her hand resting on Daniel's arm, was more eloquent than any words.
Sona, who had been taking notes on a tablet, adjusted her glasses.
"I've been researching the combat systems of known interstellar races. There are patterns, common weaknesses. When we have more information about the specific suitors, we'll be able to design strategies tailored to each one."
Lala, who had watched the entire training session from a corner with her violet eyes shining with curiosity, finally approached.
"You're incredible," she said, with genuine admiration. "All of you. The way you coordinate, the way you support each other..." She paused, and her expression became thoughtful. "On Deviluke, warriors train alone. It's a matter of pride. But you... you are stronger together."
"That's the idea," Daniel replied, with a tired but genuine smile. "Family protects each other."
Lala looked at him for a moment. Then, without warning, she hugged him.
"Thank you," she murmured against his chest. "Thank you for accepting me. For protecting me. For being... my family."
Daniel hugged her back, feeling the warmth of her body, the absolute trust with which she surrendered herself to him.
"Always, Lala. Always."
The days of training blended with moments of domestic tranquility.
Reynare had perfected her role as a housewife to a level that bordered on obsessive. The mansion was always spotless, the food always ready at the exact time, and every detail—from the arrangement of the cushions on the sofa to the temperature of the tea—carefully calibrated for everyone's maximum comfort.
"It's my way of contributing," she explained one day, when Daniel found her ironing his uniform with an almost religious dedication. "I can't train as much as the others. My wings are still adapting to their new power. But this... this I can do."
Daniel kissed her forehead.
"And you do it perfectly."
Reynare smiled, a slight blush tinging her cheeks.
Asia, for her part, had found her place as the group's healer. After every training session, she was there with her healing abilities, repairing bruises, sprains, and general exhaustion with an efficiency that everyone appreciated.
"I can't fight like you all," she said one day, as her hands glowed with golden light over Hibiki's bruised arm. "But I can make sure you're ready for the next battle. That's... that's what I can do."
"And it's invaluable," Daniel replied, stroking her hair. "You don't know how much."
Asia smiled, that radiant smile that lit up everything around her.
Alya, on the other hand, didn't show much interest in training. As a human without special abilities, she felt she couldn't contribute in that aspect. But her presence was an anchor of normalcy amidst the supernatural chaos, and Daniel appreciated her more than words could express.
"As long as you're okay, I'm okay," she told him one day, when he asked if she wanted to join the sessions. "I don't need to be strong. I just need to be with you."
Daniel kissed her, and it was enough.
A week after the meeting with Gid, Daniel decided it was time to visit Kyoto.
Yasaka had been calling him regularly, her voice tinged with a worry that even her pride as Yōkai leader couldn't hide. She knew about Lala—Daniel had told her everything during one of those calls—and although she accepted the new addition to the harem with the wisdom of someone who has lived for centuries, she couldn't help wanting to see him, touch him, make sure he was truly alright.
The trip was short. A teleportation circle from Tamamo took him directly to Yasaka's shrine in Kyoto, where the Yōkai leader waited for him with open arms.
"Daniel," she whispered, hugging him with a force that would have broken a normal human's bones. "You've been worrying me."
"I know," he replied, returning the hug with equal intensity. "I'm sorry. It's been... complicated."
Yasaka pulled back enough to look into his eyes. Her golden eyes, so similar to Tamamo's but with their own shine, scrutinized his face for signs of exhaustion or stress.
"It's always complicated with you," she said, but her tone was more affectionate than accusatory. "Are you okay? Truly?"
"I'm fine," Daniel replied. "Tired, but fine. And happy to see you."
Yasaka smiled, a smile that lit up her entire face.
"Come. Kunou has been waiting for you."
Little Kunou, Yasaka's daughter and now officially Daniel's adopted daughter according to Yōkai tradition, greeted him with a cry of joy and a hug that left him breathless.
"Daddy! Daddy!" she exclaimed, jumping into his arms. "Did you come to stay? Are you going to stay a long time? Can we play?"
Daniel laughed, lifting her into the air.
"Just one day, little one. But the whole day. I promise."
Kunou squealed with excitement, and Daniel spent the next few hours playing with her, taking her for walks through the shrine gardens, listening to her stories about Yōkai school and the mischief she got up to with her friends.
It was a simple day. A human day. A day he needed more than he had imagined.
At night, after Kunou fell asleep, Daniel and Yasaka sat together on the shrine's balcony, looking at the stars.
"Lala," Yasaka said, breaking the silence. "Tell me more about her."
Daniel did. He told her about Lala's arrival, her overwhelming personality, her brilliant intelligence and disarming innocence. He told her about Zastin, about Gid, about the suitors who would come. He told her everything.
Yasaka listened in silence, her expression serene, her fingers intertwined with his.
"Another princess," she said finally, with an ironic smile. "First Rias, then Sona, now Lala. Seems you have a weakness for royalty."
"It wasn't planned," Daniel replied, with a tired laugh.
"I know." Yasaka rested her head on his shoulder. "But that doesn't make it any less real. And it doesn't make it any less terrifying." She paused. "Gid... I've heard of him. Even in the Yōkai world, his name is known. He is a being of immeasurable power. If he decides you have failed..."
"I know," Daniel interrupted her gently. "But I'm not going to fail. I can't."
Yasaka looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because I have too much to lose." He looked into her eyes, and in his was a determination she hadn't seen before. "I have Rias, Sona, Reynare, the twins, Sakura, Tamamo, Asia, Alya, Lala. I have you. I have Kunou. I have a family. And I'm not going to let anyone take that from me."
Yasaka smiled. A smile full of tears and pride.
"That's my husband."
She kissed him, and that night, for the first time in weeks, Daniel slept deeply, without dreams, without nightmares, just the warm embrace of a woman who loved him.
The return to Kuoh was quiet. Yasaka saw him off with a kiss and the promise to visit him soon, perhaps with Kunou, if the situation allowed.
Daniel returned to the mansion just in time for dinner, and the routine continued.
But something had changed.
His Observation Haki, always active on a low level, began to sense something. It wasn't a concrete threat, not yet. It was more of a feeling, a tingle at the edges of his perception, as if something was about to happen.
"Are you sensing anything?" he asked Ddraig one night, as he lay in bed surrounded by his sleeping girlfriends.
"Yes," the dragon replied, his voice grave. "There's something... or someone... approaching. Sacred energy. Pure. Intense."
"Angels?"
"Possibly. Or something related."
Daniel nodded in the darkness.
"The Holy Sword arc," he murmured. "It's beginning."
The next day, at school, the routine was broken in the most unexpected way possible.
Lala, who had finally been enrolled in Kuoh Academy thanks to Sona's efforts, appeared at the door of Daniel's classroom during the first break.
The silence that followed her entrance was so absolute you could hear the hum of the fluorescent lights.
Lala, dressed in the Kuoh uniform that surprisingly suited her well—although she had added some accessories of her own, including a brooch with the Deviluke symbol—looked around curiously.
"Daniel?" she asked, completely ignoring the stunned looks from the other students. "There you are. I wanted to see you before classes started."
Daniel, who had been talking with Asia, stood up with a resigned smile.
"Lala, what are you doing here? I thought you had orientation with Sona."
"It's already over." Lala approached him with the naturalness of someone who has done this their whole life. "Sona is very efficient. She explained everything to me in twenty minutes. Then she told me I could come say hi to you before my first class started."
"And your first class is...?"
"With you all, obviously." Lala smiled, radiant. "Sona said it would be better if I was in the same class as you. To adapt faster."
Daniel didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Sona, in her infinite strategic wisdom, had decided that the best way to keep Lala close was... to keep her close to him.
"Welcome, then," he said, pointing to the empty seat beside him. "Sit down."
Lala did so, and that's when the other students reacted.
"W-who is that?" someone asked.
"She's new. Very pretty."
"And she sat next to the playboy. Another one for his collection."
"How does he do it? How can he have so many girlfriends?"
The murmurs grew into a constant hum. Lala, however, seemed completely unaware of being the center of attention. Her violet eyes scanned the classroom with curiosity, taking note of every detail with the meticulousness of a scientist.
"It's fascinating," she said, quietly but audibly to Daniel. "The terrestrial educational structure is so... rudimentary. But at the same time, so welcoming. There's a human warmth here that doesn't exist in interstellar academies."
"There are no schools on Deviluke?" Daniel asked.
"There are, but they're different. Colder. More efficient. Less..." She paused, searching for the right word. "Less human, I suppose."
Daniel nodded, understanding.
The morning passed with surprising normalcy. The teachers, after the initial shock of seeing a new student sitting next to the "Kuoh playboy," simply continued with their lessons as if nothing had happened. Lala took notes with a dedication that would have made any educator proud, though occasionally she looked up to glance at Daniel with a radiant smile.
It was during lunch that it happened.
Lala, Daniel, and his girlfriends had gathered on the rooftop, as was their custom. The group was large—Rias, Sona, the twins, Asia, Sakura, and now Lala—but they had managed to accommodate everyone.
That's when a group of girls, led by a third-year student with an expression of barely contained indignation, burst onto the rooftop.
"Lady Gremory! Lady Sitri!" the leader exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at Daniel. "We've come to demand an explanation!"
Rias raised an eyebrow.
"An explanation? About what?"
"About him!" The girl pointed at Daniel with such fury that her fingers seemed about to smoke. "This... this playboy! He has too many girlfriends! It's a disrespect to all the women in this school! We demand that you leave him!"
The girls behind her nodded vigorously, their expressions ranging from genuine indignation to barely disguised envy.
Rias and Sona exchanged a glance.
"Interesting," Sona murmured.
"Very interesting," Rias added.
Before they could respond, however, Lala stood up.
"Excuse me?" she said, in that cheerful voice she had even in the most tense situations. "Were you saying something about Daniel?"
The leader of the girls looked at her, appraising her.
"You must be the new girl. The one who sat with him this morning." She paused, and her expression softened slightly. "Look, it's nothing personal against you. But this guy is a playboy. He has too many girlfriends. It's not fair to us, the single women, for him to hog all the available candidates. You should stay away from him before it's too late."
Lala tilted her head, processing the information.
"'Stay away from him'?" she repeated. "Why would I do that?"
"Because... because he's a playboy. Because he has many girlfriends. Because..."
"I know," Lala interrupted her, with a radiant smile. "And it's wonderful."
The silence that followed was so absolute you could hear the wind moving the leaves on the nearby trees.
"...Wonderful?" the leader repeated weakly.
"Of course." Lala nodded, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Daniel is strong, kind, protective. He has a huge heart, capable of loving many people at once. And all of us—" she pointed to Rias, Sona, the twins, Asia, and Sakura—"love him for that. Not despite it, but because of it."
She approached Daniel and, to everyone's surprise, sat on his lap with the naturalness of someone who had done that their whole life.
"Besides," she added, with a mischievous smile, "I'm his official fiancée. And I have no problem sharing him. On the contrary. I think the more women who love him, the happier he'll be. Isn't that what matters?"
The girls stared at her, dumbfounded.
"You... you're his fiancée?" the leader managed to articulate.
"Yes." Lala nodded. "According to the laws of my planet. And I assure you, on Deviluke, harems are perfectly normal. My father has one, in fact."
"Your... your planet?"
"Oh, didn't I mention it?" Lala smiled, radiant. "I am Lala Satalin Deviluke, princess of the planet Deviluke. I came to Earth to escape boring suitors and found Daniel. He's the best discovery I've made in my life."
The silence that followed was of a different quality. It was no longer astonishment, it was... absolute disbelief.
"Princess?" someone whispered.
"Alien?"
"From another planet?"
Lala nodded happily.
"Correct on all counts. And don't worry, I'm not going to invade Earth or anything. I just want to study, learn, and spend time with my fiancé." She paused, and her violet eyes fixed on the leader of the girls. "So, if you don't mind, I'd like to continue enjoying my lunch with him. Is that okay with you?"
The leader opened her mouth. She closed it. She opened it again.
No sound came out.
Finally, with an expression of total defeat, she nodded weakly and retreated, followed by her group of followers, all wearing expressions ranging from shock to barely disguised fascination.
When they left, Rias burst out laughing.
"Lala, you're incredible," she said, between laughs. "You've left them speechless."
"Did I do something wrong?" Lala asked, confused.
"No, dear. Quite the opposite." Sona smiled, a rare smile for her. "You handled the situation perfectly."
Lala smiled, radiant.
"I'm glad. I didn't want to cause trouble."
Daniel, with Lala still on his lap, hugged her.
"You didn't cause trouble. You were perfect."
Lala snuggled against him, satisfied.
Meanwhile, in another corner of the school, three people reacted in very different ways to the news that spread like wildfire.
Mitsuru Kirijo heard the rumor with a smile.
"So the new girl is also his fiancée," she murmured, while organizing some documents on her desk. "And an alien princess on top of that. Interesting." She paused, and her smile widened. "But that won't stop me. A Kirijo doesn't give up so easily."
Yukari Takeba, for her part, received the news with a mix of frustration and relief.
"Another one," she grumbled, walking through the hallways. "How many is that now? Eight? Nine?" She sighed. "But at least she didn't rule out the possibility of me also..." She blushed and shook her head. "No, no, no. Focus, Yukari. You can't keep this up."
Tohsaka Rin, however, had a completely different reaction.
When she heard the rumor—that the new student, an alien princess, was Daniel's official fiancée and not only didn't mind him having other girlfriends, but encouraged it—something inside her broke.
"Another?" she whispered, her hands gripping the edge of her desk so tightly her knuckles turned white. "Another one?"
Her mind, always so analytical, so controlled, began to race.
She had been waiting. Waiting for the right moment. Waiting for Daniel to "mature." Waiting for the circumstances to be perfect.
But the perfect moment never came. And while she waited, other women—beautiful, powerful, incredible women—beat her to it. Rias, the demon princess. Sona, the strategist. The twins, inseparable and devoted. Reynare, the redeemed fallen angel. Sakura, the sweet and silent one. Asia, the pure and innocent. Tamamo, the millenary fox. Yasaka, the Yōkai leader. And now Lala, an interstellar princess.
All of them. All faster than her.
"No," she said aloud, rising from her seat with a determination she hadn't felt in a long time. "I'm not going to be left behind. I'm not going to let my love slip away just because I'm too cowardly to act."
She left the classroom with firm steps, ignoring the curious looks from her classmates.
She needed a plan. She needed to think. She needed to find a way to confess to Daniel what she felt before it was too late.
As she walked, her mind was already beginning to sketch strategies.
Daniel, of course, had no idea of the thoughts occupying Tohsaka Rin's mind. At that moment, his attention was completely focused on something else.
His Observation Haki, which he had been expanding over a large part of Kuoh as part of his daily training, had just detected something.
Two presences.
New.
Human, apparently, but charged with something his perception immediately identified as sacred energy. Pure, intense energy, like what he had felt in the blessed objects Azazel had once shown him.
"Holy Swords," he murmured, almost without realizing it.
"What?" asked Rias, who was beside him.
Daniel blinked, returning to the present.
"I just felt two presences entering Kuoh. Human, but with sacred energy. A lot of sacred energy."
Rias frowned.
"The Church? Here?"
"It seems so." Daniel stood up, his expression serious. "The Holy Sword arc is beginning."
"The what?" Lala asked, confused.
"A plotline," Daniel explained, though he knew he couldn't give too many details. "Something I expected to happen. Two exorcists from the Church are coming to Kuoh. Probably looking for something. Or someone."
Sona adjusted her glasses.
"And what does that mean for us?"
"It means Kokabiel is about to make his move." Daniel looked at them all. "And it means that, finally, we're going to be able to face him."
The group fell silent, processing the information.
Kokabiel. The fallen angel who had been manipulating events in the shadows for months. The one responsible, directly or indirectly, for so many tragedies. The threat that had been lurking at the edges of their consciousness from the beginning.
"Are you sure?" Reynare asked, her voice tense. "That this will lead to Kokabiel?"
"As sure as I can be," Daniel replied. "The pieces are moving. And when they do, we'll be there to stop him."
Rias nodded, her expression fierce.
"Then let's prepare. Because this time, Kokabiel won't escape."
That afternoon, after classes, Daniel didn't go straight home.
Instead, he headed to the outskirts of Kuoh, to the place where his Observation Haki had detected the two presences.
He found them in a small park near the train station.
Two girls, about his age, sitting on a bench. One with short blonde hair, with a serious expression that contrasted with her youthful features. The other with long, dark blue hair, tied in a ponytail, with an intense gaze that seemed to evaluate everything around her.
Irina Shidou and Xenovia Quarta.
The Church exorcists.
Daniel approached calmly, without hiding his presence. When he was a few meters away, both turned towards him, their bodies tensing in alert.
"Can I help you with something?" Daniel asked, in a kind but firm voice.
The blonde one—Irina—looked at him curiously.
"Are you...?" she began, but the other—Xenovia—interrupted her.
"Wielder of the Boosted Gear," she said, her blue eyes fixed on his left arm. "The human who defeated Riser Phenex and knocked out four hundred demons. The fiancé of Rias Gremory and Sona Sitri." She paused. "And now, according to rumors, also fiancé of an alien princess."
Daniel smiled.
"I see you've done your homework."
"It's our job," Xenovia replied, unfazed. "We are exorcists of the Church. We have come to Kuoh in search of something. Something that, according to our investigations, is related to the fallen angels."
"The Holy Swords," said Daniel.
Irina and Xenovia exchanged a glance.
"How do you know that?" Irina asked, her voice tinged with suspicion.
"Because I know many things," Daniel replied. "And because Kokabiel, the fallen angel you're looking for, has been manipulating events in this city for months." He paused. "If you'll allow me, I can help you."
The silence that followed was tense.
Finally, Xenovia spoke:
"Why would you want to help us? You're human, but you're linked to devils. To fallen angels. To creatures the Church considers enemies."
Daniel looked her directly in the eyes.
"Because Kokabiel is a threat to everyone. To humans, to devils, to angels, to Yōkai. He has caused death and destruction wherever he has gone. And I..." He paused. "I have many people to protect. People who could be his next victims if we don't stop him."
Xenovia studied him for a long moment.
Then, slowly, she nodded.
"Very well. We will accept your help. But if you betray us..."
"I won't," Daniel interrupted her. "You have my word."
Irina, who had been watching everything in silence, finally spoke:
"There's something else you should know," she said, and her voice was strangely tense. "We know someone from this city. A boy named Issei Hyoudou. He was... he was my childhood friend."
Daniel nodded, understanding.
"Issei. Yes, I know him."
"How is he?" Irina asked, and for the first time, her serious expression softened. "I haven't seen him in years. Since I left to train with the Church."
"He's fine," Daniel replied. "He's still the same adorable pervert as always. Though now he's a little... traumatized, after finding out that the girl he liked—Rias—is dating me."
Irina let out a nervous laugh.
"Yeah... that... that must have been hard on him."
"It was," Daniel confirmed. "But he's recovering. His friends support him."
Irina nodded, and Daniel noticed something in her eyes. Relief? Sadness? Both?
"Well," said Xenovia, regaining control of the conversation. "We have a lot to do. We need to find the Holy Swords before Kokabiel does. And we need to do it quickly."
Daniel nodded.
"Then let's begin."
Meanwhile, in the shadows of Kuoh, an ancient presence watched the meeting with a cruel smile.
Kokabiel.
The fallen angel had been waiting for this moment for a long time. The pieces were finally in place. The exorcists had arrived. The wielder of the Boosted Gear was involved. The devils of Kuoh, confident in their recent victory, were letting their guard down.
All according to plan.
"Soon," he murmured, his black wings spreading behind him. "Soon, everyone will pay for their sins."
The war was about to begin.
And Kokabiel had no intention of losing.
That night, Daniel gathered all his girlfriends in the mansion's living room.
"It has begun," he said, without preamble. "The exorcists have arrived. Kokabiel will make his move soon."
The group fell silent, processing the information.
Rias was the first to speak.
"Are we ready?"
Daniel looked at her. Looked at Sona, at Reynare, at the twins, at Sakura, at Tamamo, at Asia, at Alya, at Lala. He saw the determination in their eyes, the willingness to fight, to protect, to win.
And he knew the answer.
"Yes," he said. "We are ready."
Night fell over Kuoh, silent and calm.
But in the shadows, the storm was brewing.
And Daniel Hernandez, the human who had become something more, was ready to face it.