The chaos that had reigned in the men's locker room subsided as suddenly as it had begun, leaving behind only thick steam and a ringing awkwardness. Issei, realizing the absurdity of his heroic impulse to "save" Gasper, awkwardly backed away, muttering something incoherent about a "misunderstanding." Gasper, red as a boiled lobster, finally managed to tear himself away from Jin's "training" grip and, covering himself with a towel, darted into the far corner to change as quickly as possible. Kiba, who had been tactfully studying the pattern on the wooden ceiling the entire time, merely let out a heavy sigh. Jin, however, completely unbothered as if nothing had happened, finished his business and was the first to head for the exit.
When they finally stepped out to the hot springs, the cool night mountain air pleasantly chilled their flushed skin. A breathtaking view opened up before them. A cascade of natural stone pools, filled with turquoise water glowing from within, descended down the mountainside. Thick steam rising from the hot surface mingled with the fog, enveloping everything in a soft, ghostly haze. Through it, like distant diamonds, stars shimmered in the bottomless purple sky of the Underworld. From their vantage point, a panoramic view unfolded of the Gremory lands stretching out below, glowing with a myriad of lights.
"Ohhh..." a collective sigh of relief escaped them as they sank into the warm, enveloping water of the upper pool. The tension that had built up over the past few days—from battles, intrigues, and even their own training—began to slowly melt away. The magical energy permeating the water seeped into every cell of their bodies, washing away fatigue and healing minor scrapes. Even Jin, whose body knew no fatigue, felt his mental strain ebb away, replaced by a pleasant relaxation.
They settled by the stone edge, enjoying the silence and warmth. Issei almost immediately started nodding off; Kiba threw his head back, letting the light breeze wash over his face; and Gasper, already having forgotten the recent incident, curiously watched the glowing fish that occasionally swam by in the depths. For a while, they sat in silence, lost in their own thoughts.
Gradually, a gust of wind scattered the thick steam, revealing the opposite side of the pool. And then they realized they weren't alone. There, casually leaning back against a stone ledge, sat a man. Beside him, bobbing on the water, floated a small wooden barrel from which he periodically scooped sake with an elegant little cup.
"Azazel-sensei!" Issei was the first to exclaim, his drowsiness vanishing in an instant.
The Governor General of the Fallen Angels lazily cracked open one eye.
"Oh, if it isn't the heroes of the day. Decided to wash off the dust of the road? Good call. The water here is just right."
Kiba and Gasper nodded politely, surprised by his presence. Jin, however, chuckled inwardly. What luck. The target of his visit to the Underworld had come right to him, and in the most informal setting possible. He didn't even have to search.
"What are you doing here, Sensei?" asked Kiba. "We thought you were busy preparing for the Summit?"
"Relaxing and observing," Azazel took a sip of sake. "Sirzechs asked me to keep an eye on your training. Speaking of which..." he cast an appraising glance over them. "I must say, I'm impressed."
He turned to Kiba. "You, Knight. Your stamina has noticeably increased. According to my data, you can now maintain your Holy-Demonic Sword in its active state for almost twice as long as before. Excellent result. Keep it up, and soon you'll be able to go toe-to-toe with the veterans."
Kiba nodded reservedly, but a flash of pride gleamed in his eyes. Praise from a being like Azazel was worth a lot.
Then the fallen angel's gaze shifted to Gasper.
"And you, little vampire, completely exceeded all my expectations. I set up a little test for you while you were walking here. Sent illusions of crowds, screams, and noise onto the path... You didn't even flinch. It seems you no longer need my program for reducing ochlophobia. What happened? Found some backbone?"
Gasper blushed deeply and, shooting an adoring look at Jin, stammered:
"I-it's all thanks to Aniki! He... he showed me how it's done!"
Azazel followed his gaze and scoffed, looking at Jin. "Aniki, huh? Interesting, interesting... It seems you've awakened a talent for teaching, Izayoi Jin. Or did you just find yourself an amusing toy?"
Jin merely shrugged, not dignifying him with an answer.
Finally, Azazel looked at Issei. His smirk widened, but a shadow of seriousness appeared in his eyes.
"Now you, Red Dragon... you're a bit more complicated. The power inside you is growing exponentially, that's a fact. Your training with Tannin is bearing fruit. You've practically hit the ceiling of your current development. You're on the verge of mastering the Balance Breaker, I can feel it. But... you're missing something. Some final push. A catalyst that will allow you to break through this wall."
Issei tensed up. "A catalyst? What kind? Do I need to get stronger?"
"Stronger goes without saying," Azazel waved him off. "But it's not just about physical or magical power. It's about motivation. Purpose. You need to understand what you're fighting for. Truly understand. Not on the level of childishly shouting 'I'll protect Buchou!', but on an instinctual level, down to your very soul."
He fell silent, letting Issei mull over his words. And at that moment, the silence was shattered by a cheerful woman's laugh drifting down from somewhere above.
"Ara-ara, Issei-kun, so there you are?!"
Issei's head snapped up. From behind the stone ledge separating their pool from the one above it, Akeno's head popped out. Her long black hair was wet and clinging to her shoulders, and a seductive smile played on her lips.
"Akeno-san!" Issei immediately perked up.
Rias appeared right behind her. Her crimson hair was gathered in a high bun, and water droplets glistened on her skin like precious gems. She cast a mildly reproachful look at Akeno before her gaze found Issei.
"Don't get distracted, Issei. You need to rest."
But Issei was no longer listening to her. His brain had switched into its usual mode. "Girls! They're up there in the upper spring! All together! Buchou, Akeno-san, Asia-chan, Xenovia, Koneko-chan! Their breasts! Buchou's huge, soft breasts, swaying in the water! Akeno-san's seductive, bouncy breasts! Asia-chan's tender, growing breasts! Xenovia's powerful, athletic breasts! And even Koneko-chan's compact but oh-so-cute breasts! This is paradise! Paradise on earth... I mean, in the Underworld!"
The thoughts swirled like a hurricane in his head, and his body reacted before his mind could stop it. He leapt up, intending to scramble up the slippery rocks and join the girls.
"Hahaha!" Azazel roared with laughter, watching his outburst. "There it is, the true nature of the Red Dragon! Tell me, Hyoudou Issei," he stopped him, his voice sounding unexpectedly serious, "what are you willing to do for your master? For Rias Gremory?"
Issei froze. The question was too... massive. He blinked in confusion.
"I... I'm ready to... fight for her! To protect her! I... I'll get stronger! I'll become the Harem King so she can be proud... no, that's not it... I..."
He rummaged through his head for bombastic, heroic phrases, but none seemed right. He felt that Azazel was waiting for something else, something deeper. He could see his own resolve crumbling under the weight of this simple question.
Azazel, seeing his torment, burst into laughter once again.
"Ahahaha! Alright, I see this is too complicated for you. Let's simplify it. In that case, Red Dragon..." he leaned forward, a predatory glint in his eyes, "...what are you willing to do for your master's breasts?"
The question, rephrased with cynical precision, hit the bullseye. It stripped away all the husks of heroism, duty, and grandiosity, getting right to the core, to the absolute foundation of Issei's motivation. His mind instantly cleared. All doubts vanished. He straightened up, his face turned dead serious, and the fire of fanatical determination ignited in his eyes.
"I'll do anything!" his voice rang out as firm as steel, without a hint of a joke. "Even lay down my life!"
From above, from the women's hot spring, an explosion of laughter erupted. Akeno laughed the hardest. And through the laughter came the muffled, utterly embarrassed, yet tender voice of a blushing Rias:
"Jeez, Issei..."
Gasper, who had been watching this scene in bewilderment, turned to Jin, who had been sitting silently by the edge the entire time.
"Aniki... what... what exactly just happened?"
Jin didn't even turn his head, his gaze fixed on the stars.
"Don't listen to them," his voice was absolutely calm. "They're just idiots."