Dye Your Hair Black First 23: Eminence x DxD — Chapter 23 – You Want to Know About the Holy Sword?
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The next morning arrived clear and bright.
Li Ancheng walked onto the Kuoh University campus in a crisp uniform, one hand tucked in his pocket.
Draped across his shoulder was a cat, pitch-black from nose to tail.
Her two soft tails swayed at an easy, unhurried pace.
Every few steps she’d tilt her fluffy head and nuzzle against his neck.
[Master, meow~] Kuroka’s voice drifted through his mind, sweet enough to pull like taffy.
[Even I can’t conjure a disguise this perfect, not a single wisp of demonic aura leaking out…
Master, you’re truly incredible, meow~] Li Ancheng chuckled and reached up to ruffle her fluffy head.
“Of course.
How else would I deserve to be your master?” “Meowoo~” Toujou Kuroka, every inch the real thing, immediately broke into a contented purr.
[Right here, right here~ behind the ears too~ Master, keep rubbing, meow~] Li Ancheng lifted her off his shoulder entirely and settled her into the crook of his arm like a hand warmer, his fingers drifting idly along her back fur, smooth as satin.
He stepped into the building.
A figure was waiting.
The blond youth, Yuuto Kiba, stood perfectly still on the upper steps of the staircase, as though he’d been there a while.
Li Ancheng’s stride slowed, just barely.
His gaze swept upward, flat and cool.
“Is blocking the way from the high ground a habit of yours?” Yuuto Kiba’s heart lurched.
An oppressive weight crashed over him, raising every hair on his body at once.
He came down the steps quickly and stopped one step below Li Ancheng, positioning himself with deliberate humility.
His gaze flicked briefly over the seemingly ordinary black cat in Li Ancheng’s arms, then his face settled back into a faultless, genial smile.
“Ancheng…
junior.” He paused on the address, as if testing how it sat on his tongue, then spoke quietly.
“Sorry to take up a moment of your time.
There’s something I wanted to ask you about, if that’s all right.” “Go ahead.” Li Ancheng kept walking, heading upstairs.
Yuuto Kiba fell into step slightly behind him and to the side, keeping the gap between them, his voice dropped low.
“It’s about your subordinate — that sword he used yesterday.
The one that cut through a Longinus.” “Oh, that.” Li Ancheng sounded mildly uninterested.
“So you’re curious about the Sword of Law?” “Yes!” A swordsman’s candor broke briefly through Yuuto Kiba’s careful smile.
“I won’t pretend otherwise.
My Sacred Gear is Sword Birth.
I understand better than anyone what the way of the sword can become, and I’ve been chasing that limit my whole life.” “So, might I have the privilege of visiting your subordinate?
Some sparring, some guidance.
That’s all I ask.” It was a speech full of honest fire.
Li Ancheng yawned.
He didn’t look back.
His voice stayed flat.
“I’d have thought you were more interested in the Holy Sword Project.” “…!” The easy smile on Yuuto Kiba’s face died the instant those words landed.
His feet stopped.
His head snapped around.
He stared at Li Ancheng’s unhurried profile, and his pupils pulled tight.
“You…
you know about that?!” He bit down hard, drawing several long, slow breaths before his voice came out anywhere close to steady.
“I know a bit.” Li Ancheng nodded without particular interest.
They had reached the classroom floor.
“Right now, though, I’m just an ordinary student here to experience campus life.” “If you want to know more, come to my place tonight.” Yuuto Kiba’s lower lip was nearly bitten through.
A moment passed.
Then he bowed, deep and deliberate.
“Understood.
I will be there tonight without fail.” “One more thing.” Li Ancheng seemed to remember something.
He glanced back, his look settling on Yuuto Kiba’s bright blond hair with mild distaste.
“Before you show up, dye that obnoxious yellow mop black.” “And find a reasonable excuse to bring Koneko with you.
I have a few things to say to her.” “…Dye my hair?” Yuuto Kiba’s hand moved to his hair on reflex.
He stood there, genuinely thrown.
The demand was absurd.
Petty, even.
The kind of thing you’d call a bad joke.
But the words holy sword flashed through his mind like a brand.
“…Fine.
No problem.” He agreed without a beat of hesitation.
He’d throw away his life for this.
His hair was nothing.
Still, he couldn’t stop himself from asking carefully.
“Just, junior, could you tell me…
why you want Koneko there?
What exactly is this about?” Li Ancheng finally stopped, standing at the classroom door.
The hand stroking Kuroka in his arms never paused.
He looked at Yuuto Kiba and smiled, light and unhurried.
“Relax.
It’s something that will do her a world of good.” The Kuroka in his arms let out a well-timed meow.
Then Li Ancheng said the thing that left Yuuto Kiba with absolutely nothing to say.
“Besides — if I actually wanted to do something to her…” “Do you really think that pitiful strength of yours could stop me?” “Meow~” Kuroka lifted her head and licked Li Ancheng’s chin, affectionate and unhurried.
“Off you go, little Kiba.” Li Ancheng left that address hanging in the air like a door swinging shut, and walked into the classroom with his cat.
“Little…
Kiba?” Yuuto Kiba stood frozen.
It took a full 2 seconds before the world came back into focus.
His hand drifted up to the blond hair at his forehead.
A bitter smile pulled at the corner of his mouth, quiet and deep.
Being spoken to like an ant someone hadn’t quite decided whether to bother crushing.
He’d never heard anything like it.
Not once in his life.
But he had no room to sit with that feeling right now.
Right now he wanted to reach out and wrench the hands of every clock on campus straight to nightfall.
Etiquette?
Pleasantries?
Against those two words, holy sword, none of it meant a thing.
That was the endpoint every obsession in him had ever pointed toward.
Every nightmare.
Every sleepless hour.
To avenge his fallen comrades.
That thought was seared into the deepest part of his soul.
Colder than any Sacred Gear.
Hotter than any hell’s fire.
He turned and walked away fast, his steps urgent and absolutely sure.
First order of business.
Go dye his hair black.
…
Li Ancheng had barely sat down.
Hyoudou Issei, who had been in the front row, launched himself over like a golden retriever that had just spotted a bone.
Ninety-degree bow, no hesitation, voice at full volume.
“Ancheng, bro!
Good morning!” “Morning.” Li Ancheng couldn’t help smiling at that.
He set Kuroka, still mid-cuddle, onto the desk and glanced around the room.
“Came too early, looks like.
Still missing a few people.” “Tell me about it, bro!” Hyoudou Issei shot a glance at the black cat on the desk, then dropped himself into Kiyoura Setsuna’s chair like he owned it.
He dropped his voice and jerked his chin toward the corner by the wall, toward Itou Makoto’s seat.
“Bro, look!
That scumbag Itou brought gifts again today!” “Oh?” Li Ancheng’s eyebrow went up.
“I sneaked a look earlier.
He’s got two of them.” Hyoudou Issei held up two fingers, radiating righteous indignation.
“I’m calling it right now, this guy is playing both sides.
One for Saionji, one for Katsura.
Trying to keep them both sweet at the same time!” “Bro, leave it to me!
I’ll go trash his gifts and make sure he—” “No need.” Li Ancheng cut him off.
“Huh?” Hyoudou Issei blinked.
“Let him give them.” A spectator’s amusement settled in Li Ancheng’s eyes.
“I want to see what he comes up with.” Hyoudou Issei scratched his head.
He didn’t really get his big bro’s taste for watching disasters unfold, but he nodded without a shred of doubt.
“Got it!
Big bro’s orders!
I stay put!” The words had barely left his mouth.
Soft footsteps came from the front door of the classroom.
Kiyoura Setsuna walked in, schoolbag in her arms.
She saw Hyoudou Issei spread out in her seat and her steps faltered.
“Ah!
Morning, class rep!
I’m gone, I’m gone right now!” Hyoudou Issei shot to his feet like a spring uncoiling and vanished back to his own desk.
“Ancheng-kun.
Morning.” Kiyoura Setsuna greeted him softly.
A second later, her calm gaze caught on the twin-tailed black cat settled on his desk.
“Is this…
your cat?
She’s adorable.” She reached out instinctively, pale fingers extended, wanting to touch.
“Meow!” Kuroka turned her nose up and pulled back, dodging the hand cleanly.
One light leap and she was back in Li Ancheng’s arms.
A mere mortal wanted to touch this meow?
No one but Master gets that privilege.
Kiyoura Setsuna’s hand hung in the air.
The silence that followed had a slight edge to it.
“Sorry.
She’s not great with strangers.” Li Ancheng chuckled, his gaze settling onto Kiyoura Setsuna’s face with complete ease.
“Kiyoura-san, you’re even cuter today than you were yesterday.” “!” Kiyoura Setsuna’s whole body gave a sharp, visible tremor.
Those usually calm and composed pale cheeks flooded scarlet in an instant.
She whipped her head toward the window and fixed her eyes on a view that held absolutely nothing of interest.
Her voice came out unsteady, with a flutter she couldn’t quite hide.
“A-Ancheng-kun…” “P-please don’t say things like that first thing in the morning…!” ➤ Next: A Gentle Touch Under the Desk and the Losing Dog in the Classroom — .—— .—— .—— .—— .—— Enjoying the story?