Power X Progressive [DXD/CSM AU]

Important Note: I feel like I did fine making Aleks and Reze's relationship develop better, even though I know its fast paced. If you like the chapter then please consider voting!

Previously I had "New Steps" chapter at 3.6k words but I split it into two chapters now. Next chapter will be New Steps 2 but with more content than before! If you read the original chapter before, please re-read the next one when I publish it!

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(1st POV)

We pulled apart, just slightly, our eyes still locked into each other.

I found myself lost in her beautiful emerald-green eyes.

That same iconic smile was on her face now, the same ones that she had when she was in danger during our first mission.

"…There's a Ryokan about two hours from here," she said, cheeks flushed red. "I heard it has the best view in all of Hokkaido. Would you… spend the night with me there?"

I knew exactly what she meant.

I didn't want to hesitate this time.

I had said I wanted to save it for a special day, and now felt like the right time.

"I want to experience all the things I missed out on in life," she murmured, voice soft but certain. "I want to do them with you, Aleks-kun…"

She looked straight at me.

"So even if it's just for now… can you fulfill all my wishes?"

Her tone was steady. No hesitation or ulterior motives.

"I'd be happy to," I replied. "I want to make all your dreams come true, too."

For the first time in a long while, I felt glad.

She didn't betray me.

Later that night

The Ryokan overlooked the sea, located in a quiet corner of Hakodate.

Steam swirled around us under the beautiful night sky. 

I leaned my head against the stone at the edge of the private hot spring, arms stretched out, my body finally relaxed.

Reze let out a satisfied sigh beside me. "It feels so refreshing~"

"Yeah," I replied. "After the week we've had, this feels like heaven."

I closed my eyes, letting the heat drain all the stress and tension from my body.

"You know…" she began, her voice calmer now, "when I heard I'd be getting a partner… I was prepared for the worst.

If they'd stuck me with someone weak, I would've tolerated it, but I wouldn't have liked it."

I glanced at her. She wasn't teasing.

Her tone was honest.

"I'm glad it was you."

That actually meant a lot.

Coming from a Russian bomb devil hybrid assassin? If she wasn't cautious about her teammate, I'd have been worried.

"You really think so?" I asked with a faint smile. "Then I guess I owe Miss Makima for pairing us up."

At the mention of Makima's name, I saw it, just a flicker, but it was there.

She flinched.

Her smile didn't change, but her body tensed slightly.

I feel like I hit a nerve.

"You really hate her, huh?" I asked, the words slipping out before I could stop myself.

She said nothing.

The silence between us continued, until I broke it again.

"…Sorry. I won't bring her up again."

I exhaled, I talk too much sometimes. 

But then, Reze reached for my hand and pulled me closer.

Our bodies touched under the water, and even with the heat from the hot spring, her touch felt very stimulating.

She held my face gently and made me look at her.

"When you're with me," she said quietly, "forget about that bitch. Not a word. Got it?"

Her voice was calm—but there was nothing casual about it.

She meant it. Almost like a threat.

"…Yes ma'am," I replied without thinking, not wanting to test her further.

She smiled again. This time it was softer.

Then gave me a quick kiss on the lips.

"I like obedient boys like you, Aleks-kun~" she teased. "You're so adorable when you listen."

I smiled wryly. What is it with these girls and their obsession with making me obedient?

I understand Makima. But now even Reze?

"Don't make a habit out of it, you know," I muttered. "Who knows, maybe one day I'll snap and…"

I trailed off, letting the words hang in the air.

"And…?" she asked, that playful smirk still on her face.

"…eat you whole." I didn't mean it literally.

Judging by the way her cheeks darkened, she understood the implication.

Her blush deepened, but she didn't say anything back.

The teasing moment passed, and I leaned in abut closer.

"Reze… can I ask you something?"

This time I still kept my tone calm, but serious.

Before entering the hot spring, I had checked the entire perimeter, and made it clear. I knew for certain:

Makima couldn't hear us.

Reze picked up on the change in my tone instantly. Her smile faded, and her demeanor changed.

"What is it?" she asked, now fully focused.

I didn't know if I should tell her this now. But I was willing to trust her. Not like I was going to reveal my origins… not completely.

"I know you and Makima… are from another world. A world vastly different from this one. One where devils are born from the concepts humanity fears…" I revealed, dropping a truth bomb on her.

Her eyes momentarily widened in shock. She was not expecting this from me… at least not in this moment.

Would this change our relationship? I doubted it. If things would change just from her knowing I knew about her from the beginning, then we weren't compatible to begin with.

"…How?" she asked, the words stuck in her throat. Even when she let the word devil hunter slip from her mouth earlier, she had made sure it didn't raise suspicion.

"Please don't ask how I know this… it's complicated. I couldn't hide this from you forever. If we want to continue being near Makima and survive, we have to learn how to deal with her properly…"

"…how to deal with the Control Devil." I finished.

The mention of Control Devil made her stagger, as if it brought back bad memories.

She lunged forward and held my face.

"Are you also like me? From that world? Answer me, Aleks-kun!! I have to know… please don't hide anything from me!" She asked desperately.

"No. I'm not from that world… I've just heard about it, that's all. I read the memories of someone I killed before meeting Makima. She was also from that world. That's how I know about it." I lied.

No way in hell I'd ever reveal that I knew this because she was just part of a fictional work made by Tatsuki Fujimoto.

It would break her… make her question her entire existence.

"Who was the person you killed, Aleks-kun?" she asked, suspicion in her tone. 

The information I gave her, at least the part about Makima being the Control Devil, only a few people would ever know.

"Her name was… Quanxi or something, I don't remember that well."

If she existed in this world too, then I'm fucked. Reze would catch onto the lie.

Let's leave it at that for now. I'll worry about it later. If it comes to that, if we ever mete Quanxi here, then I will just manipulate her memories.

"So you know about me, huh? The things I did back then…"

Her voice trailed off, expression darkening. There wasn't anger, but something heavier, maybe regret?.

She clearly wasn't ready to open up about it. My reveal must've hit her harder than I expected.

I gently pulled her into a hug, my arms wrapping around her. She didn't resist. Her face rested on my shoulder, warm and close.

And then, slowly… she hugged me back.

"So what if I know?" I whispered. "I don't care what you did before. All I care about… is that you're here now. With me."

I pulled back just enough to meet her eyes. I wanted her to see it—there wasn't a single trace of a lie in what I said. Only sincerity.

"So don't run away from me," I said softly. "You're not alone anymore."

We kept hugging for a while before finally pulling apart.

"…What are you trying to get at, Aleks-kun?" Reze asked, her tone curious. "You wouldn't bring this up unless you had a plan."

"I do," I said calmly, confidently. "A theory, really. Perhaps a way to weaken Makima."

Her eyes narrowed. She was listening.

"You know how devils from your world get stronger the more humans fear the concept they represent, right?"

She nodded slowly.

"Well, it probably also applies to not just the fear of that concept but also the devil in genral. What if we made Makima a sort of like a saviour in the eyes of normal people?"

Reze blinked. "You want to praise Makima?"

"It's not about praise. It's about positive attention. The more humans sees her with positive emotions, the weaker she might become. That's how devil power work, right? Fear fuels them, but adoration weakens them."

I paused for amoment, making sure she is following me.

And then I added, "It worked back in your world. In the fight against Chainsaw Man, Pochita, Makima spread rumors that he was a hero. Civilians started loving him. Seeing him as their hero. And the moment that fascination spread… he got weaker."

If the same rules applied here, then Makima, despite everything, could be weakened. If I could paint her image positively among normal humans, then maybe one day, I could corner her without having to rely on higher tier characters.

I wanted to make her submit to me. For someone like her, the concept of submission went against everything she represented. So perhaps this could be the only way?…At least for now.

Reze's expression changed. She was surprised. She did not remember much when she was under Makima's control. After being freed, her memories of being under Makima's control were wiped. An effect of Makima's control.

"…That could work," she admitted. "But it'll be hard. Makima already has public influence, her image is carefully curated. Most civilians don't even known her. You'd have to beat her at her own game."

"And I plan to," I replied.

She exhaled, fidgeting her fingers as if trying to shake off the weight of what I'd said. "Still it would be difficult. It would take too much time and its not like Makima would not do anything? The easier approach would be to reveal her true nature.… " Reze answered.

"We can't just reveal her true nature to everyone. If word gets out that devils like her exist, the supernatural world will panic. You will be in dnager too Reze." I said while trying to keep my tone calm.

I met her eyes again. "That's why we do it subtly instead. We don't expose Makima. We build her image as something positive? Slowly and quietly."

Reze stared at me for a long moment… then smirked.

"…You're insane."

"Maybe so," I said. "But this might be our only shot."

There were no guarantees this plan would work. Makima was the kind of woman who could see through schemes before they were even set in motion.

I'd have to extra careful. 

A while later,I was in bed.

Today felt like a lifetime.

Makima sending us on a trip.

The Eternity Devil trapping us on the eighth floor.

The fireworks, the cherry blossoms, her confession…

And now, this.

"I had a lot of fun today," I said, watching her. "What about you?"

She stood across from me, wearing only a loose kimono, barely tied. She wasnt even trying to hide anything.

Reze climbed onto the bed and straddled me, her weight pressing me down on the bed.. she didn't waste time and took my lips. Deepening our kiss in no time. This time, she was also using her tongue…

She separated and then her lips brushed my ear.

"I had a lot of fun too. So…" she whispered, her voice husky, "why don't you finish what you promised?"

"…What did I promise?" I teased, already knowing.

She grabbed my face, eyes gleaming.

"Eat me whole." Her words hit hard.

"Show me how much of a man you really are, Aleks-kun~"

Then the kimono slipped off her shoulders , and finally, off completely. I could see her in her naked glory.

I didn't say anything.

I just stared at her curves, her skin, hr beautiful breasts.

So this was really happening.

Guess we weren't taking it slow anymore.

And just like that, the hours passed.

The only thing that escaped this room were her moans 

(Insert few hours worth of sex scene here.)

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