Hey guys, thanks so much for your continued support! (Not really alot, but I'm trying to make myself feel better on the inside.)
Anyhow, hope you guys enjoy this chapter! The first real chapter! But unfortunately, there is a timeskip between this chapter and last chapter. Like around a month. Hope you guys don't mind!
P.S. Aren't you glad I updated? Also, happy birthday Mom! November 8th! Also, it is also election day today! Hope you guys voted! (This may be early, late, or on time, but this is just in case if I release late.)
One Month Later
A male with long white hair stared up at the ceiling, before sitting back up. He flicked his hair to the side, before staring at his friend. "How much longer Kiba?"
"5 minutes, give or take. Why Houvdon?"Kiba replied.
Kiba was a handsome young man with short blonde hair, grey eyes and a mole under his left eye. He was wearing the Kuoh Academy boys' school uniform, which consists of a black blazer with white accents over a white, long-sleeved dress shirt with a black ribbon on the collar, matching black pants, and brown dress shoes.
Houvdon on the otherhand, was also a handsome young man, but his long white, almost silver, hair dropped down to the bridge of his nose. He swept his hair to the side once again, covering his right eye. His eyes were a raven-color, almost black. Houvdon's skin was flawless, almost pale. Houvdon had never worn the Kuoh Academy boy's uniform, but he had instead resorted to black, silver, or white V-Necks, never liking the dress shirts. The student council and teachers allowed it, as he was one of the best in school. Not only in basketball and gaming, but also academics and popularity.
He was named "The White Prince of Kuoh", while Kiba was named "The Blonde Prince of Kuoh". Houvdon didn't really care, and Kiba just shrugged off the title of the fangirls.
Anyway, back to why Houvdon asked Kiba on how much longer. "I need to get back onto «Highschool DxD». I have a boss battle to fight with my guild."
"Oh yeah, I forgot you played that game." Kiba scratched the back of his head nervously.
Houvdon narrowed his eyes. "Of all the people, you should know that I play every game that is popular, and I always reach the top the fastest. Well, not the fastest, but rather, eventually I reach the top, well above our age-group."
"Yeah, I just somehow forgot." Kiba smiled nervously.
Houvdon shrugged. "I just hope it won't take long."
Kiba snorted. "You of all people should know that it does take long. I mean, you've been on the team for like, 3 years. The longest out of everyone on the team."
Houvdon sighed. He pulled out his phone, and tapped on the screen, selecting the only contact that he did not exactly know in real life. He quickly typed a message to her. Yes, a her. Not a girlfriend, just one of Houvdon's "acquaintances".
"I won't be there for the boss fight. Sorry Kuroka." He messaged. "I have a meeting with the coach of my basketball team."
Houvdon sighed in disappointment mentally, as he missed a day with one of his not only party member, but also a member of their guild.
Break
At a certain Internet Cafe
"Nya? A text from Houvdon?" said a certain black haired girl. She was wearing a black kimono that showed off her generous cleavage, tied together with a yellow obi. She was wearing pink sandals, as she bit her lip slightly, looking down at her phone. "A meeting?"
This was Kuroka, as she was expecting Houvdon to be at the boss fight with her and the guild, which was why she was at the internet cafe, but for this to be so sudden...
"I did not know that the coach was going to have a meeting with everyone, I thought it was only the captain..." The text continued. "I'm sorry."
Why was she so disappointed? Why was she so sad about him not going on? They were only friends, right? But...why did Kuroka miss every part of his virtual self, when they did not even know each other in real life?
She still remembered, two weeks ago, on that mountain when they joined the guild that had joined. «War Dragons» They called themselves. Houvdon and Kuroka were already top players of «Highschool DxD». They were the main recruiting targets, and since «War Dragons» was the best guild out there, they had agreed to join. The leader, Houvdon had to admit, was one of the more powerful players, and Houvdon dared say that the leader of «War Dragons» was a better player than him. He called himself Ebon, but no one really knew his real name.
Houvdon was currently Level 37, impressive for a game that was only released for a month, and was difficult to level up in. Kuroka herself was only level 29. But Ebon...he could wipe the floor with Houvdon with an inhumane level of 42. Everyone had always wondered how he was so high level, even if he was never seen buying growth packs.
Her phone vibrated again, Houvdon sending yet another message. "Are you going to be okay fighting the boss alone with the guild?"
Kuroka nodded, before realizing that Houvdon could not see her, so she sent a quick message back. "Yeah."
She can already almost imagine Houvdon's nod. "Alright..." was the message back.
Break
Kuoh Academy Gym
Houvdon wanted to say more, but his inner feelings prevented itself from being released. He sighed as he powered his phone off, as Kiba tapped him on the shoulder. "The coach is ready. Everyone else is waiting on us."
Houvdon nodded, as he stood up, his joints extending with a silent pop. He walked toward the door, and when he opened it, he came face to face with the coach.
There was a reason why the basketball team was not very...appealing to the freshman and sophomore, because of the intimidating appearance of the coach. He had red eyes, similar to demons in those ridiculous anime shows. His hair was a short spiky black, with large muscles that can put professional body builders to shame. He also mostly wore black-sleeveless shirts that his shoulders strained against.
"There you are 'Kojiro'." The coach smacked him on the back of the head.
Houvdon grunted. "When will you stop calling me that Hideki?" The coach laughed. "When you stop using the name you gave yourself, and start using your birth name, Kojiro."
That was right. Houvdon's birth name was Kojiro, but since he was named after the famous samurai that had died in the fatal duel against Miyamoto Musashi, he had decided to change his name, as he did not value being named after an honorable man that was killed in a so-called "friendly duel". He did like his current life after all. He didn't want to lose it.
Hideki shrugged. "Eh whatever. You're probably wondering why I called you guys here, right?"
They all nodded. Saji, Kiba, Houvdon, and a few others. Some just remained silent.
"Well...I have bad news. Do you want me to be blunt?" Hideki asked.
"Yes." said a blonde male, who Houvdon recognized as Ethan Trent.
"Well...there will be no more basketball team after this last season."
All silence.
"What?" Houvdon spoke for all of them.
"As I said. Kuoh Academy no longer finds a need to have a boy's basketball team."
"Why? Because this school is turning coed now?" Houvdon said bitterly. That was right. Kuoh Academy was a former all-boys school, and was turning coed after summer, when the new school year starts.
"Yeah...they think that the girl's kendo, basketball, and tennis teams would do better than ours." Hideki winced. "Ah, that sounded sexist. No offense to your girlfriend Ethan and Saji."
""None taken."" said Ethan and Saji, whose girlfriends were Momo Hanakai and Ruruko Nimura, one a snow-white haired like Houvdon, and the second a brown-haired girl.
Houvdon shrugged. "Well...even if they remove the boy's team, we'll still come to practice everyday!"
Hideki smiled. "I'm glad to have students like you with me. So dedicated to being together...it's almost as if we were all brothers, instead of friends."
They all smiled at one another. Houvdon rose from his seat and shook hands with Hideki. "We'll miss you. If you do leave, make sure to drop by every so often."
Hideki smiled at him. "Got it Houvdon."
They hugged, before Houvdon took a couple of steps back to allow the others to do their farewells with Hideki. Though intimidating, he was a good man on the inside, that much the whole team can agree on.
Break
The minute Houvdon got home, he went on his computer. He immediately opened up «Highschool DxD». He sighed as he spotted a bunch of notifications about where he was. He quickly sent a mail to the «War Dragons», and he was immediately bombarded with more notifications. He ran his hand through his hair (in real life), as he saw what Ebon told him.
"Just try to be there next time."
For such a powerful player, he was surprisingly kind.
Houvdon heard a teleportation, and a single look at his status bar told him that Kuroka had just teleported next to him.
Houvdon noticed that she looked mad at him, as Houvdon rose his hands up in surrender. "I didn't know that Hideki would call us today. I thought that he was just going to cancel practice."
Kuroka widened her eyes. Why? Houvdon did not know, but before he can ask, he was interrupted by a flash of light, signaling the guild had just teleported to him.
Ebon stepped forward. His character's long red hair reached down to his shoulders. His armor was traced by gold, his shoulder-pads gray. His kind sea-green eyes looked at both Houvdon and Kuroka.
"I understand why you couldn't come." Ebon nodded at Houvdon. "Real-life sometimes hits you like a truck when you don't see it."
"More like I hit the truck when I don't see it." Everyone chuckled.
"Well, since the whole guild is on, let's go do some leveling up at the mini-boss!" Everyone cheered, but Houvdon frowned.
"What level is the mini-boss?"
Ebon turned serious. "With us on the flank to guard everyone, the «Immortal Phenex» will most likely not be able to damage any of the guild. You, Kuroka, and I are more than enough to guard."
Houvdon narrowed his eyes. "That was not what I asked. I asked, what level is the «Immortal Phenex»?"
Everyone was silent, looking at the silent battle between their inhumane guild-leader, Ebon, and the strongest beta-tester, Houvdon.
"30." Was his simple answer.
Houvdon was stunned, and so was everyone else.
Mumbles of protest were muttered, as even if «War Dragons» was the top guild, the average level of everyone was 25, not 30. Most, if not all, members of «War Dragons» were less than level 30, even through a month.
Before a cry of outrage was heard. "Impossible! You are trying to get us killed huh?" A man stepped forward, his armor bright and shining in the light.
Houvdon shot a look at him. "Quiet Raiser. It may be because of Ebon's overconfidence, but still. His reasoning does make sense. With me, Ebon, and Kuroka guarding, it will be no problem. Even if we land no hits, we'll still get the EXP alike, as we are all in the same party, as well as same guild. All guild members get the same amount of EXP in a boss raid."
Raiser quickly became silent.
"Besides...We would have been able to deal with it if my coach hadn't called us all suddenly." Houvdon said. "We will deal with the «Immortal Phenex»."
More muttering as the members of «War Dragons» shifted nervously. They didn't know which side to take. Houvdon, who was the second most powerful member of «War Dragons», or Raiser, the most-known tactical person in all of «Highschool DxD».
Raiser and Houvdon stood glaring at each other. Before Raiser conceded. "Fine...but if any one of us dies and loses a level, you are to be responsible."
Houvdon nodded, his eyes serious. "I understand."
With that pleasant note, the strongest guild prepared for battle against the «Immortal Phenex».
Yeah, extremely short and boring, but I decided to end it here, because I wanted to work on my next chapter of DxD: Love or Despair. Enjoy your day as well as the excitement for the upcoming battle, where I will elaborate about classes (Look at the first chapter. I think.), key figures of «War Dragons», and «Highschool DxD» itself.
So yeah, enjoy the thought that I hadn't abandoned this story!
~Houvdon Lucifer
