Ghost - IKR, I wanted to make Kuroka sassy but also serious at some times.
Storm Master - I referred to Hanzo and Genji from the game Overwatch, which I modeled Ryusei after. I modeled him after Hanzo Shimada, but also the Green Arrow. I'll also have another OC who I will base after Genji Shimada. It's also where I got the idea for the dragon tattoos. I hope I don't confuse you so please feel free to ask me any questions you may have. Thanks for reading :)
R3hmix - Thanks, and I swear I'll end the Riser Arc next chapter as to not drag this out any longer.
Dragonsayainblue - I will definitely make Issei a lot more independent from the ORC, but I won't make him that cold to them. He will still have his relationships with everyone. I don't see Issei being ever that mad at anyone, and I want to retain that part of his character. As for Rias and Sirzechs, they will definitely be punished for breaking the Accords, but I'm still coming up with a fitting punishment. And I agree with you on the New Satan Faction, the Reincarnated ones are a lot more interesting.
Guest - I'm going to model Jack after The Joker from the Dark Knight. So he'll be batshit crazy, but he'll have reasons for his insanity, not just because he is that insane. Everything he does will be to get to Ryusei, and they'll have their rivalry like Batman has with Joker or Green Arrow has with Merlyn.
9"You look fantastic, Issei-San," Asia fixed his bow tie as Issei blushed, staring at himself through the mirror in his room. Originally he didn't want to get all fancied up just to crash an engagement party, but Asia kept nagging him about looking your best in front of others, and long story short he was wearing a bow tie.
Asia had a knack for finding clothes that fit people just right. Somehow, she was able to comb through everything in his mess of a closet and find him a perfectly fitted white dress shirt and a black, spotted bow tie he didn't even know he owned. She dressed in a pair of washed slacks and dress shoes, even suspenders! What's even more, she even did his hair.
"I look like a monkey," Issei said, sighing. Truth be told, he was more than just nervous. He was about to crash an engagement party for his master, who thinks he hates her, filled with Devils who arrested and tortured his brother. He didn't know if he could do it, let alone look confident in fancy clothes.
"Well you are one good looking monkey," Asia smiled, before backing away and holding Issei's shoulders. "Ryusei-Kun is probably already there. You know what to do, don't you?"
Issei nodded. The plan was simple. He crashes the party and declare that Rias was his, and not Riser's. Luckily, the guy would be too full of pride to call him out and they go home happily, yet somehow he felt Asia's plan was full of so many holes. He didn't want to call her out on it, seeing as it would only make her feel worse, so he decided to wing it. How hard can it be, he thought. Just a room full of powerful, overly arrogant Devils who support this marriage. How badly can it go?
Issei pulled out the envelope he had received from Grayfia. It was the invitation to the party, with the Gremory seal on it. Opening it, Issei found a talisman. Issei sighed. He was using a lot of blood to travel.
He turned back to Asia. She wanted to come with him, but Issei was firm on this point. He couldn't risk Asia getting hurt if anything went wrong. He bit his thumb, and swiped the blood on the talisman, opening a magic circle underneath his feet. He took in a deep breath, and smiled. "I'll see you later, Asia."
She nodded, clapping her hands together. "I pray for your success, Issei-San."
With that, Asia stepped back, as the circle consumed him.
…
Lian-Yu, Five Years Ago
What surprised Ryusei the most about jumping off of a cliff wasn't the coldness of the water, but the impact of the fall. He had read and heard people say that jumping into water from a high height is like jumping into concrete. He didn't realize it was true, until now.
His body felt like it had been smashed against cement. His bones felt like they were shattering with every little movement he made. He didn't realize that Kaito was dragging him onto the shore until the rays of the sun hit him like beams of intense light.
"C'mon, Ryu, wake up. You're okay." Kaito said, ruffling his head as he sat down beside him.
"Everything hurts," Ryusei struggled to get up. His stomach hurt, he must have landed on his front. His arms were okay, but he began to feel his legs falling asleep. "Where's Jin?"
Kaito pointed behind him. Sitting on a rock, sharpening his arrows, was Jin. His clothes were soaked, but it didn't even phase him. He had a stern look in his eyes as he used a combat knife to sharpen the razor edge of the arrowhead. On his back was a quiver, handmade and held up to twenty arrows. The bow was hand carved as well, a hunter's long bow, about the size from one of Jin's hands to the other if he spread them out. Ryusei hadn't paid attention to how Jin looked, but he really did look like a warrior.
"I'm sorry, Ryu." Kaito said, drawing Ryusei's attention back to the fallen angel. "I never meant for you, or Krissy, or Lyon, or even Naomi to get dragged into this. I…I had hoped to do this by myself. To not endanger anyone else."
"Do what?" Ryusei asked, his intuition and instincts finally cleared. He realized that Kaito had been holding back information, information that would tell them more about this island and who was hunting them.
"You know who's hunting us," Jin said in a loud and stern voice, yet it held no fury or anger. "don't you?"
Kaito's eyes twitched. "His name Valper Galilei, a former High Priest of the Church, until his forbidden experiments with Holy Sword wielders got him excommunicated and he was deemed too dangerous, and left for dead on this island."
"What is this island, exactly?" Ryusei asked, ignoring all the stuff about the priest. First, he needed to assess everything he knew, and he had to start with their environment. "What is Lian-Yu?"
"Lian-Yu used to be a small island, fishermen barely knew of this island, until the Archangels came up with an idea," Kaito explained. "During the Great War that pitted all three factions against each other, Lucifer was at his strongest with his seven generals by his side. The seven incarnations of himself, the Seven Deadly Sins. With Lucifer dead, the Archangels made sure his remains were locked away in a place no one could ever get to, Purgatory. It was a dimension separate from our own, the angels used it to lock away monsters or criminals deemed too dangerous for normal security holds. And this island, is where the entrance to Purgatory lies."
Ryusei processed everything as quickly as Kaito explained them. Purgatory, he thought it was always just a story, but apparently everything in the Bible is true, except warped in a way to make it seemed a lot neater and nicer than it really was. "So what does Galilei want with Purgatory? Is he planning on opening the gate?" Jin asked.
Kaito nodded his head. "He wants to unleash the Seven Deadly Sins. If he does, it'll be like unleashing Lucifer back into the world. Lucifer himself may have been a kind and gentle soul at heart, but these incarnations of himself are not. They were the first demons created by Lucifer, before the war. They will ravage this world and plunge it into eternal darkness, and then they'll resurrect Lucifer, himself."
Ryusei narrowed his eyes. "Isn't Lucifer dead? How do you resurrect a dead Archangel?"
"By sacrificing the life of another Archangel, or at least an Angel they think is powerful enough." Kaito got up. "We have to stop them, and rescue Krissy and Lyon."
"Are you sure they're still alive?" Jin asked. "They could be brainwashed like she was."
He was right. What happened to Naomi, it wasn't just brainwashing. It was like they altered her very core, changed and warped her into something else entirely. If they did the same to Krissy or Lyon, Ryusei wasn't sure if they could bring them back.
"Yes," Kaito said firmly. "We can save them. We have to."
Jin and Kaito had a stare down, and Ryusei was caught right in the middle. He sensed hostility, and thought Jin was about to do something stupid as he walked to Kaito, but he, instead, shoved a combat knife at Kaito's chest. "Then it looks like we have work to do."
Kaito, much like Ryusei, was speechless. "What do you mean?"
"We can't go in there blindly," Jin said. "As much as you were an Angel, you're human now. So I'm going to have to train you from scratch, at least until you're competent enough to handle yourself in a fight, both of you."
Ryusei pointed to himself. "M-Me? You want me to fight too?"
Ryusei didn't know what happened next, but his instincts kicked in. Jin had pulled out a knife from his left hand and swung it at Ryusei, but he caught Jin's wrist, twisted it and dropped the knife into his hands.
Speechless, Ryusei stared at Jin. "See? You've got the makings of a warrior already."
…
"I look, like a monkey." Ryusei repeated himself for the thousandth time as he, Dulio, and Griselda entered the ballroom of the Phoenix Mansion. Requested by Lord Micheal so Ryusei had no chance to refuse, he was forced to attend the engagement party wearing a formal suit. But instead, Dulio suggested he go semi formal. Ryusei wore a gray dress shirt with his sleeves rolled up just to his elbows. The shirt was tucked into a pair of fitted black slacks and pinrolled with a pair of clean dress shoes. He wore a shiny black tie, and his hair was tied back in a bun. Griselda had offered to cut his hair, but he decided to think about it later.
"No you don't," Griselda sighed. "and stand up straight. We're here representing the Angels, so show yourself as a professional."
"Tell that to the guy who brought three extra cans of Pringles chips." Ryusei muttered.
"Looks like someone isn't getting any then," Dulio said, eating a chip as he said so. He was wearing a three piece white suit with a silvery gray vest. His hair was slicked back and immaculate, and his smile could steal a woman's heart. If Dulio looked like the world's hottest bachelor, Griselda was the world's most beautiful Victoria Secret's model.
She wore a a silvery gray strapless dress with a floral pattern on the bottom and fitted her waist perfectly, showing off her large breasts yet still maneuverable in a fight. She also wore a silky sash around her neck and tucked in her underarms. Her golden hair was tied up in an elegant messy bun with a chopstick stuck through. Compared to them, Ryusei looked like terrifying normal.
The Phoenix Mansion's ball room was a large, domed chamber with multiple windows viewing the outside Underworld, even though Ryusei hasn't seen the outside. They had teleported just outside the door and walked in, attracting the attention of every Devil inside. It was like they instantly knew the three of them were angels.
There were dozens of people there, but not too crowded. They were probably all high ranking officials from the factions, but Ryusei didn't recognize any of them. "I feel so naked without a weapon in a room with these many glares."
"Well would you have liked to walk into a room with all these glares wearing a quiver on your back and a scary looking bow in your hand?" Dulio asked.
"He's right," Griselda looked like she was having trouble agreeing with him. "Look, strapped to your ankle is a Seraph dagger. Just pull it out and it will extend into a longer blade if you really need it, but don't use it unless you actually have to."
She forgot to mention the other weapon he had. The tattoo on his left arm was visible, with his sleeves rolled up. The tattoo of the two dragons spiraling to his wrist. He remembered the conversation with Ezreal, it was like talking to Lord Micheal or Lady Gabriel. After the talk, he was able to easily manipulate electricity, water, and wind magic. The Dragon of Storms, Ezreal.
"Ah, Dulio. Griselda. Good to see you two here."
Ryusei looked up to see a man in his early thirties, with a wispy goatie and medium blonde hair. He wore a purple dress shirt, unbuttoned at the top and black slacks. He looked like an actor trying to reprise his career after years of not acting, desperate.
"Azazel, pleasure." Griselda held out her hand, for Azazel to kiss it gently. "I am sorry Lord Micheal could not attend today. Things in Heaven are…complicated."
"Yes, so I've heard." Azazel's eyes darted to Ryusei. "I also heard he got his hands on an interesting new prospect. Tell me kid, how's angelic life treating ya? Try to teleport or seen the armory?"
Ryusei kept a mental note of this person. Whoever he was, his attitude towards Ryusei was completely different from Dulio and Griselda. Someone who could so easily shift their personality like this, isn't someone Ryusei wanted to talk to. Manipulation must be easy for him. Dashing smile, smooth talking, the eyes.
"Ryusei-Kun," Ryusei recognized that voice. He turned around to see Kiba Yuuto, Rias Gremory's knight. He was dressed in a suit, black and white with a bow tie. His hair was kept loose and his eyes mesmerizing. Damn pretty boys and their blonde hair, Ryusei thought.
"Kiba-San, you're here." Ryusei said. "Are the others here too?"
Kiba nodded, and pointed to the food table. Himejima Akeno and Toujou Koneko were talking to the two females. One was a girl with short black, bob cut hair and red glasses. The other, taller and with longer black hair, yet similar glasses. Ryusei recognized them. They were there when Dulio teleported him out from the torture chamber, so they were there.
"Where's Issei-Kun? Did he come with you?" Kiba asked.
Ryusei shook his head. "I don't know. Maybe he will, but right now I think he's still at home with Asia-Chan."
Kiba had a worried look. "I see."
"You're worried?" Ryusei asked.
Ignoring his question, Kiba replied with a question of his own. "Ryusei-Kun, do you hate Rias, for what she did to you?"
Again with this. Ryusei smirked. "Well, hate is a strong word that I keep for people who I really do hate. As much as I dislike how she handled it, I think her motives were good. She was worried about something that could have threatened her people, and only wanted to protect them. I can understand that."
"Than maybe you can-"
"My brother is a stubborn man, Kiba-San," Ryusei laughed. "When we were little, he got mad at me for weeks because I ate the last piece of strawberry cake left from his birthday party. He wouldn't even talk to me until our childhood friend told him that he could have my whole birthday cake when it was my birthday. My point is, Issei get's angry sometimes and holds grudges, but he isn't one to hold them for long. His trust, however, if you break that, I don't know how you'll ever fix that."
Suddenly, behind him, Ryusei heard a loud burst of fire on top of the main stage. The curtains parted, and emerging from a ball of swirling flame, was Riser Phoenix. Ryusei had never met Riser Phoenix, but he knew it was him at first sight. Medium blonde hair, slicked back with a part down the middle. Beady golden eyes, with a scar in an "X". He wore a glamorous white suit with a low cut that showed off his chest, how muscular they were Ryusei supposed.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming to celebrate this momentous occasion." Riser said, as the crowd clapped. "Today, two great devil families shall join their households. Today, I, Riser Phoenix of the glorious House of Phoenix, shall declare my engagement to Rias Gremory, of the House of Gremory, to usher in a new era to the devil faction.
"And now, I present my bride to be, Rias Gremory!"
A ball of flame burst into life beside Riser. Rias Gremory emerged, wearing a beautifully sewn white strapless dress and gown over her head. She looked up at the crowd, her eyes red. She was crying? The crowd cheered and clapped, but Ryusei kept his composure. If he had his bow, he would've sunk an arrow into Riser's eye socket. So this is why Issei hated him. He was a douchebag, plain and simple.
Ryusei saw Kiba, who was trembling with rage. It hit him. Issei wasn't the only one who didn't approve this marriage. Did the whole peerage feel this way? If so, why didn't they speak up? Why did they remain silent?
Ryusei heard it, the sound of conflict coming from outside the main door. He smirked, as he walked to Dulio and Griselda, who were sipping their drinks. "It's starting." He said.
"Yes, yes it is." Dulio closed his Pringle's can and stowed it away in his suit. From his sleeve, an Angel blade fell out and he caught it in his hand.
"No weapons huh?" Ryusei asked, as Griselda did the same, an Angel blade hidden in the folds of her floral dress.
She smiled, as the main doors burst open. One of the guards assigned on protective detail outside was flung across the room and smashed into the stage, cracking the wood. Standing by the door, breathing heavily and his Sacred Gear active.
"What the hell?" Riser shouted. "Who are you!"
"My name is Hyoudou Issei, and this marriage is hereby shut down you arrogant chicken!" Issei declared in a confident voice.
Ryusei smirked. He looked to Kiba, who was starstruck and in awe. Ryusei nodded, before he, Dulio, and Griselda, jumped into action. As the guards spilled into the ballroom from the outside, Dulio channeled light into his hand and shot a barrage of light spears into the hallway, blocking them off and buying the four of them time.
"Ryusei," Issei said. "I'm glad you're here."
"Yeah, me too." Ryusei patted his older brother on the back. "Now go, we'll hold these guys off for you."
Dulio clapped his hands. "I can't, in good conscience, send you into battle, new Angel, without proper equipment." He snapped his fingers, and Ryusei was equipped with his quiver, stocked with trick and piercing arrows. His bow unfolded in his hand, Ryusei sighed. "You piss me off sometimes Dulio."
"Just being me," Dulio smirked. "Now go," A light spear formed in his hand, and in the other an Angel blade.
Ryusei looked to Griselda, who had already been twirling her angel blade on the tip of her finger. "Oh this is going to be quite fun. You and me, in a battle. When was the last time this happened?"
"It was during that battle with Abbadon, wasn't it?" Dulio asked. "Oh man that poor city, those buildings."
Ryusei didn't know what he meant, and he really didn't want to. He was just thankful for them. He turned to Issei, "Go."
He watched as Issei ran past the officials, who did nothing to stop him. Finally, guards spilled out from the side doors. One of them neared Issei, but Ryusei was quick to act. He shot three arrows, all hitting three guards who were about to approach Issei at lightning speeds. "Not today boys." Ryusei pulled a smoke bomb arrow, and shot it at the ground, exploding a cloud of smoke. He jumped forward, wrapping his arm around one of the guards to break their necks, and pulling an arrow to shoot it at another running to Issei.
"Issei!" Rias looked just as shocked as Riser was, yet still had a bright smile on her face.
"Insolent scum!" Riser growled. "How dare you think you can crash this party? Know your place!"
"Shut up!" Issei's Sacred Gear began to glow a bright crimson as he punched Riser in the face. However, the Phoenix recoiled and blocked the attack with his hand, flames erupting from his elbow to cushion the strength of Issei's blow.
"You think you can fight me?" Riser asked with an arrogant smirk on his face. "I am Riser Phoenix, of the Immortal Phoenix Clan. You are nothing but a human who thinks he can play God."
Ryusei heard enough. With Dulio and Griselda backing them up, he didn't need to worry too much about the guards. He twirled to get free from one of the guards, using his momentum to jump and pull and arrow from his quiver, and knocking it on the bow. It took him less than a second to aim, and launch an arrow into Riser's shoulder.
Riser flinched back, giving Issei the distraction he needed to gather up his strength and punched Riser in the face, flinging him back and smashing into the wall. Just when Ryusei thought they had won, a figure emerged from the darkness. Ryusei's hands twitched, so tempted to put an arrow in him.
Clad in a gold and silver chest piece, over a gown of purple and and gold, gracefully walking into the stage with a beautiful maid by his side, was Sirzechs Lucifer. Ryusei wasn't one t hold a grudge, but there was a small part of him that wanted to at least inflict a small bit of the pain he received onto them, revenge.
"Well, well," Sirzechs smirked. "I think that's enough of that, don't you say Issei-Kun? Ryusei-Kun."
Ryusei calmed down, and stowed away his bow. He walked up the stage, beside his brother, and stared at Sirzechs. "What are you going to do, Sirzechs? I think we both know your sister doesn't want this marriage to go through."
"I can see that," Sirzechs replied. "seeing as one of her servants have barged into an engagement party for the sole purpose of rescuing her, I think I should at least give you a fair chance."
"Meaning what?" Issei asked, in a confident voice that shocked even Ryusei. Speakng of which, it was his first time seeing Issei's Sacred Gear. A red, almost dragon like, gauntlet that became his entire left forearm. At the center of the back of his hand glowed a brilliant emerald orb. It was practically calling to Ryusei. A Dragon.
"You, fighting against Riser Phoenix." Sirzechs smirked. "If you win, you can have Rias and the marriage will be annulled. However, if Riser were to win…well, he can whatever he wants I suppose."
Issei's fist balled up, Ryusei could practically feel the rage coming from his brother. His lips curved into a smile, before facing Sirzechs with wide eyes and a smile that screamed he was crazy. "You're on, Devil King."
…
On a rather large cliff, just outside the territorial domains of the House of Phoenix, Kuroka lay on her side, her hand keeping her head up as she watched the festivities unfold at the Phoenix Mansion, with the rest of her "friends".
Vali and Bikou stood by the edge of the cliff, as quiet as Vali usually was, he was scary and powerful. Bikou was the opposite. He talked a lot and it just boasted his power even more, getting into people's heads and making them go nuts with every word he says. Of course, they had their uses. Vali was a prime candidate for breeding. If she were to mate with either of them, her children would be more than powerful.
As Kuroka twirled purple flames on her fingers, she looked back at the Pendragon siblings. Arthur was a tall, blonde haired and blue eyes gentleman, wearing a black and white suit with a tie, and had incredibly rigid posture. He fixed his glasses as Kuroka eyed him. She sighed, he wouldn't be a good candidate, too formal.
His sister, Le Fay, was somewhat tolerable, Kuroka thought. She was a child, maybe in middle school if she attended a mundane school. A childish smile, in a kid sized body, wearing a witch's hat and even had a broom which she flew around on. She looked like Shirone, to an extent, although no one, in Kuroka's eyes, were as adorable as Shirone.
The flames on her fingers fluttered, when she began to think about him. It's been almost an entire day since their encounter, yet Kuroka still couldn't stop the fear. Every time she thought about him, thought about his blood thirsty golden eyes that matched hers, his crazy, maniacal smile, his demonic shifting body, it made the hairs on her body stand, like a cold breath breathing down her back.
Kuroka was never one that fear liked to play with. She was rarely ever scared of anything. Hell, she killed her last master easily if it meant protecting Shirone, but this wasn't just simple fear. Fear she could deal with, though she rarely ever felt it. This…This was utter terror.
The original Jack the Ripper. Kuroka wasn't born during his time, but Vali has told her about him. The infamous mundane serial killer who killed out of the Whitechapel district of London in the 19th century. Infamous, in that he was never caught. To this day, the Jack the Ripper case remains one of the most infamous legends of the mundane world. However, even to the Shadow World, he remains a legend. Many believe him to be a phantom, a dream, an illusion, but after seeing his copycat in person, Kuroka believed otherwise.
"What's wrong kitty? Jack got your tongue?" Bikou asked, sticking his tongue out and teasing her.
Kuroka sighed. "Better watch your mouth or I'll have your tongue, you damn monkey."
"Ohhhh, kitty's got claws." Bikou meowed and scratched the air.
"I cannot imagine anything could scare you, Kuroka." Arthur said.
Kuroka bit her tongue. "He was something else. I've never seen anything like it before."
"Whatever the case," Vali finally spoke. "Jack is a factor that we cannot ignore."
"What do you want us to do?" Bikou asked.
Vali narrowed his eyes, and turned his attention back to the Phoenix Mansion. Kuroka knew as well, she could feel the power even from this far out. They had at least a few hundred miles between them and the Mansion, and yet she could feel the Dragon's power. "The Twin Dragons of the Ice Barrier," Le Fay said, holding her hat as a furious wind blew towards them. "So they're real."
"Of course they are, little sister." Arthur said. "They are as real as the gods in the heavens, or the devils here."
Kuroka had raided the library of her last master, and found all the books about ancient mythologies. The Dragons of the Ice Barriers were keepers of the storm. Prayed to as gods, they were responsible for major storms and hurricanes that destroyed cities. An example, she found, was in 2011. A major earthquake hit Japan and nearly devastated all of Tohoku. That was caused by the re-emergence of the Twins. If that was them waking up from a nap, she couldn't wait what their real power would be like.
"We have Jack the Ripper reincarnated," Bikou said. "And now we have the host of the Twin Dragons of the Ice Barriers, as well as his brother, the Red Dragon Emperor."
"Things should definitely be more entertaining soon." Vali had a smirk on his lips, as he watched with amazement.
Kuroka narrowed her eyes. Things were getting interesting, she had to admit. But one thing she knew was for certain. She never wanted to meet Jack the Ripper ever again.
Author's Notes - I am sorry for the late update guys, but I hope you enjoy this chapter. I'll be wrapping up the Riser Arc next chapter, so I'll make sure to make the fight awesome. After the Riser Arc, Ryusei will go back to his vigilante activities so don't worry, he is still a superhero lol. I'll be inserting an OC pretty soon to replace Xenovia in Rias's peerage, but they'll have a personal connection to Kiba and maybe Ryusei, when he was on the island. They'll also have the other dragon tattoo. So Ryusei has Ezreal and Akiva, and they will have Amathis, their mother. I hope you guys like how I handle the interactions with Ryusei and Jack soon, and let me know what you guys think or if you have any questions. Thanks for reading everyone :)
