A collaboration between myself and Code-Emperor07, the author of many fantastic words, such as Fractured Existence and Tokyo Ghoul: The One-Eyed Swordsman, yada yada yada... Might be rude, but I am not one for foreplay.

As you might have guessed, this arc, the Demiurge Arc as I like to call it, will act as pre-canon before the start of DxD's official storyline. Also, today we have a special guest appearing today! Any true fan of Shin Megami Tensei shall recognize his brilliance! I truly do hope you will enjoy for what is to come... especially when we reach the endgame. XD

With that in mind, let me welcome you to the next chapter of Shattered Destiny!

Episode 3: The Odd-Eyed Stranger

Rias blinked, staring at her peerage members in confusion. "I'm sorry, but I don't think I heard you correctly." she apologized. "But, did you just say that you signed up for a site that shows you your friends' deaths before they happen, and monsters that called themselves DEMONS appeared out of them?"

"Yes. That's right." Kiba and Koneko nodded.

"And you two saw this death clip of an off-track subway pinning and killing not just you two, but Issei-kun as well?"

"Yeah." the blonde Knight answered, nodding again as he took out his phone. "I even have the demon here on the cell, if you want to see him." He handed his phone over to Rias, who inspected the screen. Printed on it was Rakshasa, apparently in the middle of attacking, as his blades were being drawn behind him, and his legs tucked in, as if leaping into battle. "He called himself Rakshasa, a demon of war."

"...And this is mine..." Koneko held out her own phone for her King to see. "...A Nekomata..."

"Nekomata?" Akeno giggled. "That's actually surprising fitting for you, Koneko-chan."

Koneko nodded, but then grew apprehensive. "Buchou, am I... sexually frustrated?"

"E-eh...Huh?" If Rias had been drinking something, she would be doing a spit take right about now. "Wh-what makes you say that Koneko?"

"...The Nekomata said I was sexually frustrated, and told me to find a good mate." the white-haired girl blushed heavily, her thoughts going back to Issei. She had already marked him, meaning that if anyone tried to steal him from her, they would get a special surprise. Of course, the only ones she was willing to share with were Rias, Akeno, Asia, Xenovia, and Rossweiss.

"Fufufu~" the Thunder Priestess giggled, a hand at her cheek. "Does our lovable kitten have a crush on someone?"

Koneko's blush deepened, her thoughts drifting back to the reformed pervert. "...maybe..."

"Oh? Who is it, Koneko?"

"...I-Ise-kun."

The caused both girls to pause. Issei Hyoudou? Their petite friend has a crush on Issei, the boy who used to be a part of the perverted trio?

"...Koneko-chan, how long have you had that crush on him?" Rias asked, still trying to process her thoughts. This was nothing at all like her previous demeanor. At first, she was indifferent and hardly ever showed emotion, considering Issei to be a target of interest. It was strange how she only now expressed these feelings.

"...A while."

"Fufufu~" Akeno giggled again. "From pervert to ladies man! Our adorable kouhai is growing more interesting by the minute."

'Indeed.' Rias nodded in agreement. 'First that dream, and now this?' "Kiba, did Issei also receive a demon?"

"Hai, Buchou." Kiba nodded. "Ise received a demon called Lugh, the Divine Dragon."

Rias nearly dropped Kiba's phone. Nearly being Kiba managed to catch before it hit the ground. A second passed. Two. Three.

"...Did you just say...The Divine Dragon...?"

"Y-yes..." he replied back, sighing in relief. He rather liked his cell, thank you very much. Also, he didn't even want to know what would happen if his cell was destroyed, with Rakshasa still inside it. "He also mentioned the Heavenly Dragon, Ddraig. I do recall him calling him 'master'." He smiled a second later, recalling how Ddraig became annoyed with his friend calling him by such a title, and even more amusing with Lugh swearing absolute loyalty to Issei, despite wanting to kill him only moments earlier.

"But, that is..." Akeno gaped. "That is NOT possible. The Divine Dragon was killed during the Great War."

"Yeah...He told us that as well..." Kiba clarified. "However, he also stated that the magnetite in his body was absorbed in this place called the Expanse. He also said that the only reason his body was reconstructed was because his body was strong enough to begin with. That was why he had a different form."

"Expanse?" Rias frowned. "Magnetite?"

Koneko shrugged. "...We really don't know all the answers."

The red-haired Princess of Ruin creased her brow, deep in thought as she placed a hand at her chin. 'A site that allows you to view the deaths of your closest friends before it happens... demons that were once mythological figures in new bodies... and a boy who shows up in our dreams, wielding a Longinus. And the demon he just happens to summon is a subordinate to the Red Dragon Emperor, who is residing within Boosted Gear, the same Longinus Sacred Gear Issei possesses...'

'That is far too much to be called a coincidence.'

She was probably over thinking this...but it all seems that everything happening so far was the result of a higher power's actions. No...it wasn't the cause of any of the faction leaders, but a being on a higher level than them...Just what could this mean...?

"By the way, Kiba-kun." Akeno noted, a curious expression on her face. "You seem to be... cheerful. Did something happen?"

That snapped Rias out of her thoughts. Indeed, Kiba had a more light-hearted presence, as if a great burden had been lifted off of his shoulders. She could no longer see the dark embers of anger, of resentment burning within those piercing blue eyes of his.

"Hm...I guess you could say that..." Kiba smiled enigmatically. Rias saw nothing but honesty, kindness, and brightness within his orbs of sight.

"Well, Buchou..." Akeno said, turning to her King. "What should we do? The incident regarding Issei-kun proved to be quite interesting now."

"Indeed it has..." the red-headed Devil nodded. "Did you two ask him about... the dream?"

At this...both Kiba and Koneko fell into grim expressions. They recalled what Issei had said and more, as their dream made complete sense now. "...We did...From what he told us, the culprit of our supposed deaths was a being named...Arcturus..."

Rias' face grew tense at the name. "So, he had the dream as well..." she muttered. "Did he die as well?"

Kiba nodded. "Yes. He was the last to fall. He also said that Arcturus is also the name of a star in a constellation: The Spring Triangle. Besides it, there are two other stars: Spica, and Denebola."

"Two others...You mean to say that there could be two more beings just as powerful?"

"No." Kiba shook his head, surprising them. "...He told us that the beings Spica and Denebola are more like the subordinates of Arcturus. But nevertheless, they are each as powerful." He recalled the two other beings that he and his friends faced before Arcturus landed.

"Ara, looks like he knows quite a bit about these beings." Akeno stated, tilting her head. "It makes me wonder if we led a sort of past life before all of this."

'More like going back to the past if you ask me.' Kiba thought, still confused as to how time suddenly seemed to reverse, especially back before Issei became a member of Rias' peerage. It was then that he recalled something important. "By the way, Buchou... Do you recall ever meeting someone called the Anguished One before?"

"The...Anguished One...?" Rias tilted her head in thought. She scoured deep within her memories, but nothing seemed to register anything like that. "...I don't think so...why do you ask?"

Kiba frowned deeply. "...It's nothing." he told her, though he of all people knew she wouldn't buy it. Still, even his King didn't know where that mystery man was. "Anyway, what do you propose we do now?"

"Continue observing Issei. Chances are, he's more than connected to whatever's going on."

"Understood."

With that, the two left the room. Once the room was only with the Queen and King, the Lightning Priestess looked at her lifelong friend. "So... what do you think?" she asked. "Koneko-chan and Kiba-kun have changed considerably."

"I think that there is more than what theyve been letting on..." Rias spoke. "it was as if that incident caused the two of them to change completely. They didn't seem as...withdrawn as they once were..."

"Maybe Issei kun had something to do with it?"

"Perhaps... Also, did you notice the way they referred to him?"

"I did..." Rias nodded, having detected the familiar tone they used with the boy. Before, they didn't know him personally...but now, they treat him like an old friend.

"It's strange." Akeno nodded in agreement. "Although, given that dream... maybe the idea of a past life might not be farfetched."

"Or time travel." rias giggled. "It almost seems like something out of a manga or an anime."

"Man, never thought I'd ever come back here again." Issei chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck as he stood in front of an old abandoned church, the doors slightly cracked open like they always had been. Even though it was three months before he would meet Asia, the church still looked the same, cracked and beaten up, with shattered stained glass windows and broken furniture. "Come to think of it, this is probably when everything started, don't you think so? Ddraig?"

'I agree, Partner...' The Crimson Dragon voiced. 'I remember that it was here where I awoke, and heard your resolve. Even though you were beaten and bleeding, you managed to pull through and defeat an opponent stronger than you.'

"Yeah, though I got the shit kicked out of me." the boy laughed. "those light spears really do hurt like hell."

Issei pushed the doors open, stepping on inside. The interior was just as much of a mess as the outside, with hardly any benches, pillars, or statues of maidens or angels still left standing. It was a miracle how this place was even still standing, given it's condition. "Then again, it made the perfect hiding place, with it being holy ground and all." he muttered aloud as he stepped on further in before noticing a presence. "What the...?"

'Issei, do you feel that?'

"Yeah... I can't tell what it is though. Demon? Devil? Angel? It's hard to make out..."

"Why hello there?" A voice resounded. Issei immediately grew on edge. His body tense, preparing to summon his Sacred gear if necessary. "Now now...no need to be alarmed..." The suave voice continued.

Issei turned to see someone strolling toward him, his posture completely slack as if he didn't sense any danger at all, and the smile on his face left him completely disarmed. He looked fairly young, not too much older than Issei. His blonde hair was tucked away inside a black worker's cap, dressed in a simple black suit with a buttoned shirt underneath a formal jacket with black gloves, and dress slacks. At his neck was a black tie. What really made the man interesting were his eyes.

One eye was blue, while the other was red.

"...Who the hell are you?!" Issei demanded. However, he did not drop his guard. Whoever this person was...he was anything but human. And he was very powerful.

"Ara...You know there are more polite ways of asking, correct kind sir?" The heterochromic man smirked.

"Answer my question...!"

"Hai, hai." the man smiled, lifting his hands in the air, as if asking for a parley. "My name is Louise Cypher, a foreigner if you can already tell. It's a pleasure to meet you." he bowed his head. "Although, I do appreciate it if you didn't glare at me, or try to summon your Booosted Gear. I don't like violence all that much." His face softened as he looked around the church, a smile of reminiscence on his face. "At least... not here."

"...?!" Isse's eyes widened in shock. Just how did this man know who he was?! How did he even know that he possessed the Boosted Gear?! He never told anyone that, and neither did his friends!

"What-who?!"

Louise chuckled at his confusion. "You may relax, Hyoudou-dono. I am not your enemy... at least, not yet."

Issei frowned, growing tense. "What do you mean by that?"

"Perhaps I should rephrase that... What I mean is, depending on your actions, I will either be an ally, an enemy, or an interested third party." the mysterious man replied, smiling ever so slightly. "Also, as I said... I would not like to fight, at least not here of all places. I hope you understand, Hyoudou-dono."

Issei just looked at him, unsure if he should trust his words. Then again, if he desired any hostile action, he would've done so right when he confronted him. So reluctantly, Issei settled down. But he was still suspicious.

"...What are you doing here?"

"Why, I am here to see you, of course..."

Issei blinked, surprise crossing over his features. "E-eh?"

"I mean, who wouldn't want to meet the Sekiriyuutei?" Louise shrugged. "Given their long history with the Hakuryuukou..."

"Wait, you know about Vali?!" Issei's eyes widened. Yes! Finally, a lead on his friend slash rival! "Do you know where he is?!"

"Sadly, no." the blonde sighed, palming his head in his hand. "A shame, too. I actually wanted to meet him as well."

"Wait...you never met him?...Then why did you said you know him?"

"Ah, I believe you misunderstood." Louise clarified. "I said I know about the Hakuryuukou, I never said I met the one of this generation...Only his predecessors."

'What is up with this guy?' Issei thought, still weary of him. 'Ddraig, what is he?'

'I don't know, partner... But he doesn't seem to harbor any intent on harming you. Even still, we had best tread carefully... His power is masked, that is for sure, but is far beyond anything I've ever felt.'

His partner nodded, and looked back at Louise, his smile still there. "By the way, Hyoudou-dono, I'm curious to know something." The strange being strolled past him, his stride perfect and calm. He casually took a seat on one of the remaining benches, his hands folded over his lap. "Do you know the story of those who defied Divine Providence?"

"Divine...Providence...?" Issei repeated. His face was furrowed in confusion. he never heard of such a thing.

"...I see."

"Let me change the subject then." the blonde spoke again after a short period of silence. "Do you recall anything as to how suddenly, without explanation, the world suddenly become torn apart? How chunks of land suddenly went missing? How irreversible damage came into being?"

"Uh...I don't know...the power of higher beings?"

"Hm, close." Louise smiled wider. "It was an act of defiance against a being of power, one who's absolute authority trumps even that of Yehowah, who you humans later came to call 'God'. Thirteen children of men fought against Divine Providence, and the world, that which was deemed worthless with humans trying to prove that they were capable of evolving, of growing, was left in this state. Had they not rebelled, the world you know would cease to exist."

Issei's eyes narrowed. Why hadn't he heard of this before? And a world that would cease to exist unless they improved or growed? "When you talk about the world ceasing to exist..." he said, a slow conclusion beginning to form. "Are you talking about The Void?"

"Exactly." The blonde smiled. "The one holding the Authority brought judgement upon the world by allowing ti to be consumed by the Void. Everything it becomes reduced to nothingness. At the end of judgement, the thirteen humans won, however, the world was damaged beyond repair. So, without anyother choice, the world was reset."

"Reset?"

Something in Issei's mind clicked. That scenario... it was just like...

"The one behind the judgement..." Louise continued with a neutral tone. "The one who sits atop the Heavenly Throne, dictating the lives of humans, Devils, Angels, and Fallens as a whole... All is within that being. Those thirteen humans triumphed, and slew her. With irreversible damage done to the world, the only recourse was to reverse the clock."

Louise looked at Issei with a knowing smile. "Quite similar to what happened to you and your friends with the Triangulum, isn't it?"

"how...How the hell do you know about that?!" issei demanded. Jut who was this man? How could he possibly know all that?!

"let's just say...your actions have more observers than you realize..."

"W-what?"

"Do you understand the full weight of your actions, Hyoudou-dono?" Louise asked, his eyes bearing a suddenly cold, frosty edge that nearly made Issei take a step back. "Like those before you, you have chosen to defy Divine Providence, but unlike them, you fell... And now, here you stand, once again, at the very beginning of everything. The only difference is..." he bared a dark, unsettling grin. "You're trials will be even harder. The False God has seen you, and he will try to erase your existence."

"Even the Eternal Youth has discovered your presence, of the dragon that sleeps within you, and he shall continue to watch until you have grown, until you have become powerful."

"Eternal Youth...?...Just who the hell are you, Louise Cypher?!" issei shouted, but paused as he said the letters name. Louise Cypher...if you said them quickly, it sounds almost like...

"As I said, depending on your actions, I am either an enemy, an ally, or a neutral party." the blonde answered, a playful smile on his face. "I have no intention of bringing you harm, Hyoudou-dono. If at all anything... I wish to see how far you will go."

Issei frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"I've always had an interest in humans... After all, look how far you've come and grown. In the past, you were unintelligent, only just learning how to walk. Now, look at where you stand... In the midst of a war unlike anything you have ever seen, wielding power beyond your wildest imagination, and once again defying Divine Providence."

What took Issei by surprise was the giant, bright smile on Louise's face, a face that did not befit someone with such power. It was... almost warming to see it, as if he were in a state of cloud nine. "I truly do admire you humans... Children of unlimited potential. I understand Alcor's desire to see you continue to thrive and shine brilliantly."

This man...he was unlike anything he had encountered. Even the Gods like Loki had nothing on him. "wait...Alcor...? Who's that?"

"Ah, pardon. You know him as the Anguished One, yes?"

At this, Issei froze. The Anguished One...the white haired guy they met back in the previous world?! His desire was similar to this man's...? But there was a thought that plagued Issei.

"...Tell me...is this Alcor...one of them? The Triangulum, or part of whatever this authority thing is?"

"He is similar to them, but not quite." Louise shook his head. "He was among the servants of the being who began the first trial set upon humanity... A Sword to the Administrator, Polaris."

"Administrator...? Polaris...?"

"The Administrator is the one being that is possession of the Authority. And Polaris was the administrator that was defeated by the Thirteen Humans. However, because of her absence, a new Administrator was needed. Thus, the Triangulum."

Issei's eyes widened in shock. There had been another Administrator before Arcturus?!

"Each Administrator possesses a blade to command." Louise clarified for him. "For Arcturus, it is the Triangulum. For Polaris, it was the Septentriones. Dubhe, Merak, Phecda, Megrez, Alioth, Mizar, Benetnasch, and finally Alcor... They were Polaris' Swords of Divine Providence. And yet, Alcor was the only one to possess a fondness for humans as a whole. He granted them fire, knowledge, and culture alongside the Grigori. He helped them build villages, cities, empires, nations... truly, it was a marvelous sight."

Issei was still trying to take all of this in...so the reason why humanity was able to evolve and forge great covilizations was because of alcor?

"...Wait, hold on!" he shouted, suddenly recalling something. "Are you telling me that Alcor's Prometheus or something?!"

"Well, technically speaking, that was how humans perceived him." Louise shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "And if you want to get even more technical, Prometheus is still keeping the world up on his shoulders. He often gripes about it sometimes to whoever he talks with."

'Ain't that the truth...' Ddraig sweat dropped. 'Had the pleasure if meeting him before. He practically invented the term "chatterbox" today!'

"By the way, Hyoudou-dono."

"E-eh?"

Louise Cypher's voice turned serious once more. "You should realize that there will be several divergences present in resetting the world. And a lot more beings like myself have been keeping an eye on you in all the previous worlds."

"Eh? What do you mean?"

"You'll know in time...Also...I would be wary of the Blue Dragon if I were you..."

"Blue Dragon?" Issei frowned. "Do you... mean Miyako-chan?"

"Got it in one, Hyoudou-dono!" Louise congratulated, clapping his hands. "Hai, hai! She'll be quite the character to look out for."

"wait...what do you mean I need to watch out for Miyako-chan? How does she play in all of this...?!"

"Ah, ah, ah...that would be telling. I can't give you all the answers, now can I?" he wagged a finger. "although, I would also be worried about your crimson partner, as he will be going through a lot as well soon enough."

'What the hell does that mean?!' Issei thought, his teeth gnashing together. Honestly, how does this bastard go to charismatic, mysterious, and charming one moment, and then cryptic, synical, and annoying the next?!'

"Also, one more thing."

Issei's frustration and confusion vanished when he heard the sudden seriousness in Louise's voice, his tone deadly and sharp, almost like a blade.

"If you come across the incarnations of death, do not take them lightly." he said, turning to face Issei. His face looked cold and menacing, especially with the way his eyes were positioned. The cap had been lowered slightly, leaving the eyes to possess a near deadly glare. "Otherwise... You will die."

Issei was now trembling. While it was barely noticeable, it was still present. There was something within that mans words that sparked a sense of fear and dread within him. Incarnations of death...? What the hell did he mean? Finally calming himself, he asked. "Wh-what...what do you mean by that...?"

"You will know soon enough." Louise cryptically as he stood up, flashing a dark smile of amusement. "After all... The Musician of Death will arrive to play the tune of despair, and following him shall be the False God."

He dipped his hat to the boy, his coldness and dark menace vanishing, with a kind smile appearing in it's place. "Well, until we meet again, Hyoudou-dono." he said cheerfully, patting the boy on the shoulder and taking his leave. Issei was left there, stunned with dread creeping up behind him.

'A Musician... of death...? False God...?' he thought, unable to decipher behind the meaning of those words before whirling around. "W-wait!"

Louise Cypher was gone, as if he were never there in the first place.

Miyako bit her lip, her back against the church. "That man clearly knows too much."

"Indeed..." Tiamat voiced her opinion. "Not only about the Triangulum, but he possessed knowledge about Polaris, the Administrative Authority, and Alcor. In addition, while his power was masked, it was definitely tremendous. He is definitely not an average being..."

"What I wish to know is... Who was he referring to when he mentioned these 'spectators'?"

"Who knows...?" Tiamat shrugged. "But from the sound of things...probably beings that are similar to him."

"Either way, he knows entirely too much." Miyako said bitterly, feeling as if everything she had been planning for the last year was starting to be for nothing. She didn't know anything about this Louise Cypher character, and even more than that, he was aware of the previous Administrator, the Fiends... and possibly her own true nature. "We need to keep an eye on him."

"Just be careful, Miyako." the Chaos Karma Dragon advised. "Even with the power you have, along with mine, it would hardly be a match against something like him."

"I know..."

That much was evident. Louise Cypher hid his power well, but the sheer amount of it completely trumped hers. It was almost as if he possessed the strength that surpasses Arcturus...

And that truly terrified her. And if there were more beings like him, beings with power surpassing even Divine Providence...

She shook her head to clear such thoughts. Even though she should be cautious, she couldn't let such matters cloud her mind with fear. SHe needed to be level headed and focused in order to complete her agenda. Humanity depends on it.

'So far, I've found three of those with the Administrative Authority.' she thought. 'Issei Hyoudou, Kiba Yuuto, and Koneko Toujou. Chances are likely that those within the Occult Research Club also possess it. Still... why only Devils?'

"Who knows? You can never really understand what goes through the head of a being that isn't human anyway, like Alcor. Although, he does have the best interest of humans in mind."

"I know he does..." Miyako nodded in agreement before a frown came across his features. "Even still, I can't fathom why he wouldn't go along with my plan. It has the least sacrifices, so there shouldn't be a problem."

"Miyako." Tiamat said, her tone quiet and serious, her voice speaking volumes of wisdom. "Sometimes, what one perceives as a perfect ideology is also a false one."

Issei wasn't sure whether to feel happy, amused... or nervous.

"Um, K-Koneko-chan?"

"Yes, Ise-kun?"

"...You do realize everyone is staring at us, right?"

"...Yes."

"...Could you maybe... l-let go of my arm?"

"...No" the Nekomata replied, nuzzling against his arm with a faint blush against her cheeks. This action caused many of the students to gape, unsure whether they were dreaming, hallucinating, or perhaps both. Of course, the two having the biggest reaction were...

"ISSSSSSSEEEEEEEEIIIIIIiII!"

The cry came from the now Perveted Duo, who were running up the teen in question with fury burning in there eyes. Issei sighed as he knew what they were planning.

They were trying to jump him and attack him again.

He didn't even look them in the eye as he lifted up his foot, and slammed it forward.

The Duo smashed up against his shoe, their feet literally flying up in their before they came crashing down to the ground. Kiba chuckled. "They're as amusing as always." he said with a grin.

"I-I-Issei!" Motohama shot up, his face bruised. Matsuda was still in the process of getting up, his nose crunched up with blood rolling down the nostrils. "W-what the hell is going on?! Why are you hanging out with Koneko-chan and that damned Bishounen!"

"S-spill you traitorous bastard!"

Kiba smiled brightly, which caused the girls to nearly faint, though what he said shocked everyone. "We're friends, of course."

Koneko only added fuel to the fire. "...He's my boyfriend. Duh."

Cue the screams of disbelief in 3...2...1...

"EEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...?!" the outburst from all students within listening range seemed to shake the school. Yet none of it seemed to perturb Issei, Kiba, or Koneko.

"Wh-Wh-Wh-wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-what the hell you mean, boyfriend?!"

"D-don't tell me that the person you were committed to was...!"

"yeah...Koneko-chan. Why do you ask?"

"DAMMIT!"

Suddenly, the two perverts were on all fours, anime-style tears flowing down their faces. Everyone that saw this sweat-dropped, including the three friends. "This is unfair!"

"Why does HE get the mascot of Kuoh?!"

"Well, maybe, if you actually stopped peaking at girls everyday, you'd get a girlfriend." Issei replied as the they moved past the Perverted Duo and made their way to the school.

Unfortunately, while they were reaching their classes, they could hear the whispers that were being muttered by all the students.

"so his girlfriend is Koneko-chan?"

"I thought he stopped being a pervert."

"he did...and from the looks of things, I think Koneko chan was the one who confessed to him."

"eh...? Really?"

"I don't believe this! The guy's friends with the prince?!"

"Was Kiba-sama the one who purified him of his perverted ways?!"

"That lucky bastard...!"

Issei sighed once more. Really, what is with people and gossip? He was really starting to get tired of this...

"Looks like you've become quite popular now, Ise." Kiba chuckled. "Still, what made you stop being a pervert? Did you give up your dream of becoming a Harem King?

"Nope." the brunette replied. "Hey, I may not be a pervert anymore, but I still like more than one girl." As he said this, he ruffled Koneko's head and scratched her behind the ears, which blended well with her hair. As a result, the small girl released a delighted purr. "So I still got a dream to aim for."

"I see... by the way, how did your parents react to finding out your no longer a pervert?"

Issei let out a nervous chuckle. "Funny story behind that..."

(Flashback)

"Issei?" his mother called out from the living room, holding a pot of stew in her hands. "Dinner's ready!"

"One sec!" he called back. "Oh, by the way, Ma?"

"Yes, dear?"

"Do you have a lighter or a blowtorch I can borrow?"

"Eh? Why? You're not planning on burning something are you?"

"yeah, I am..."

His mother frowned deeply, setting the pot of stew down on the table and going up to her son's room. "And just what are you planning on... burn..." she trailed off when she saw the state of his room.

Issei's room was practically a heaven for perverts, considering he was one himself. Ranging from ecchi to hentai to actual honest-to-god PORN, his room was nothing less than a den of lust and impurity and indecency.

However... there was none of it anywhere. No videos, no games, no posters, not a trace of them left. The owner of this room was kneeling on the floor, currently packing away something in a box.

Scratch that, ten boxes. All of them were marked: BURN TO ASHES

"...Issei?"

"Yeah, mom?"

"...why is everything have in your room gone? And why are you burning those boxes...?"

"it's like I said...I'm going to be burning my ero stuff. I don't really need them, now do I?"

His mother blinked. Once, twice, three times.

Then, she shouted over her shoulder, "Honey! Do we have a blowtorch?!"

(End of Flashback)

"And after that, instead of stew, we went out for sushi."

"wow...sounds like it was pretty interesting." Kiba commented. "but are you sure you don't regret burning them...? I mean...you had them for years."

"yeah, but it doesn't matter anymore..."

"...Non-perverted Ise is the best kind of Ise." Koneko commented.

"haha! Isnt that the truth?"

"Gee, thanks..." Issei said sarcastically before laughing as well, scratching the back of his neck.

Unbeknownst to the three, two familiar figures were watching them, one being none other than Rias Gremory, while the other had short black hair, glasses sitting atop the bridge of her nose.

"You were not kidding when you mentioned they had changed since that event." Sona Sitri said, pushing up her glasses. "It's as if they've known him for nearly all of their life."

"indeed. And while I'm glad for them to be happy like this...this sudden change is quite curious..." Rias voiced.

"Yes, indeed." Sona nodded her head. "Perhaps it has to do with that strange dream of us all being killed?" she offered. "Nearly all of us, including Saji, who was only just reincarnated, had that dream, but it was three months ago."

"The same time as the rest of us." Rias noted. "And it all centers around this Arcturus being..."

"You said that Kiba said it was part of the Spring Triangle, along with Denebola and Spica. Do you think those beings were not of this Earth if that were to be the case?"

"To be honest, I don't know what to think." the red-haired Devil answered. "What I wish to know is... Why does it all center around that boy?"

"Your guess is as good as mine." Sona shrugged. "But...it seems to be worth keeping an eye on him. We may be able to discover more about the matter if we do."

"Well, given Yuuto's and Koneko's closeness to him, it shouldnt be too difficult."

"Perhaps..." Sona nodded before she asked the billion dollar question that had been plaguing both her mind, and her friend's. "Also, when exactly did those two suddenly become an item? Moreover, why is Toujou dating a member of the Perverted Trio?"

"A former member of the Trio you mean..." Rias corrected. "He declared himself to be a reformed pervert over three months ago. He even did something better with his time and joined the martial arts club."

"E-eh?" the student council president blinked, clearly not expecting that. "And why didn't I hear of this sooner?"

"Given recent events, you were probably busy." she teased. "And in regards to Koneko's sudden newfound affection to him... I'm not sure how to explain it. In fact, I'm not sure how it happened."

"It must have been during that train accident." Sona guessed. "They were very lucky. More than thirty people were killed when the train collided with the station."

"What exactly caused it in the first place?"

"We're currently looking into it... but what I can tell you is that it was definitely not the work of humans."

"You mean..." Her expression grew tense. "...That it was the work of one of them?!"

"It's still uncertain if any of the Fallen had a hand in this, or any of the other factions. For what we know, it was not caused by normal methods." Sona explained.

"Also, there are no signs of Fallen activity." she also added. "Nor the workings of a Devil. For now, we're under the assumption of it being caused by a party outside the Three Factions."

"I see..."

"Rias, what do you intend do to about that boy?"

"Huh?"

"If that dream was any indication, Issei Hyoudou obviously possesses a Sacred Gear. No, even more than that, he wields a Longinus. Saji required me to use only four pawns, but that boy... I think it would take all the ones you have to reincarnate him."

Rias sighed. "To be honest... I don't know what to do." she confessed to her friend. "Akeno has teased me quite a bit about it, but... In the dream, he tried to protect me... Even more than that, he tried to protect all of us."

"Yes...I noticed that as well..." Sona nodded. "It's strange, we don't know him...but in that dream, he seemed to have cherished all of us."

"Hai." the girl smiled. "It's strange... whenever I look at him, I have this strange feeling, almost like a warmth spreading all across my chest."

"Really now?" the Sitri heiress mused, a smile on her face as she pushed up her glasses again. "Don't tell me your actually falling in love with him?"

"Who can say?"

"Master, did you truly think it wise to make contact with the Red Dragon Emperor?"

Louise sat on a bench in a nearby park, not far away from the church, his legs crossed over one another while his hands laid folded on the lap. He smiled slightly, looking at his companion. To ordinary humans, he appeared to be a roguish looking man with wild black hair and dark red eyes, wearing a black leather jacket with a spiked collar around his neck. Underneath the jacket was a tiger-stripped shirt, and a pair of worn slacks.

"Do you disagree with my actions, Beelzebub?"

"I do not." The being shook his head. "I was merely voicing my opinion about this course of action...revealing so much so soon. If he were to learn much of this information right now...It may lead to implications in the future."

"Maybe...but that's what makes it interesting..."

"I fail to understand, Master."

"Hyoudou-dono is just like Hibiki Kuze, don't you see?" the blonde haired man chuckled, amusement flickering in his eyes. "He defies Divine Providence... No, he defies the divine order of the universe itself. Sometimes, it just scares me to see how far humanity has come, in such a short time. If God were still alive, he would be trembling with rage to see his so-called 'precious' children being able to make their destinies for themselves."

"Are you sad that you can no longer face God, Master?" Beelzebub asked curiously. "You wished to defeat him, back before all of this began."

"I did indeed wish to destroy him..." Louise sighed. "Sadly, Kokabiel stole my prize when he made the first actual respectable move by sealing 'it' away."

"That action surprised me. I did not think the Great Will would actually attempt such a thing, simply to protect all living creatures... Devils included."

"I know...And because of that feat...he was killed so easily..." Louise frowned. "Really...Sealing away the Apocalypse Beast...What a fool...If it were simply sealed, there will exist the possibility of it being unsealed...even if milennia have past, a foolish being would step up to the task."

"You mean your descendent?"

"That fool is no child of mine." Louise harumphed. "He is simply a hound that seeks glory." He sighed. "A change of subjects, Beelzebub. What is the current status of the False God?"

"He is on the move even as we speak." Beelzebub stated. "Slowly, he is gathering his forces."

"I see..." the being said, his tone cold. "When God had fallen from this world, the false spirit tried to assume control of Heaven, and was thus ousted, cast away into the realm between worlds. Even now, he still foolishly believes that he controls all of creation, and that it should follow his so-called 'will'..." Louise shook his head. "Truly, he is an abomination. Even still, I can't help but wonder if he will serve as the one who awakens him."

"Awaken who, Master?" Beelzebun inquired.

The demon gave a fiendish grin, and his odd-colored eyes glowed. "The dragon who's scales are seeped in blood."

19h ago"Wait, you mean...?!"

The grin only increased. "If there is one thing that can truly rival that of the Divine Providence... it is the Crimson Emperor who stole His principles of domination." Louise threw his head back, laughing. "I am truly looking forward to it..."

He pressed a hand to his face in sheer amusement. Truly...the events unfolding would be even more exciting than the 7 days of Judgement with Polaris.

He feels fortunate to witness all of this action.

"I look forward to the day when this world is drowned in the depths of Crimson Purgatory!"