ATTENTION: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OF HIGH SCHOOL DXD. ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO THE AUTHOR AND HIS CORRESPONDING PARTNERS.

-{IX}-

The sounds of rustling leaves and bushes breaking apart were made clear to turn the heads of the Gremory king and queen. The submissive fallen angel stood up after successfully tossing Koneko off her in a sudden shift of balance. She spread her wings and formed two light spears as she tilted her head with wide rage filled eyes. Her voice wrapped around to chill spines at how calm it was, yet brutal.

"Sister sister, it seems these devils truly do want to die. I think I have held back enough for Jonathan Mercer. I think you have all the same, sister sister." She said twitching in the eyes.

"Seems being under that flat chested brat finally got to you… this perverted freak in front of me seems to be quaking at the sight of me. I love it! I don't want any distractions so do what you must to subjugate them!"

"Yes… but, sister sister…. May do anything… in my efforts?"

The dominant fallen sister cracked an evil smirk as she knew what was on the brink of happening. 'AHA! I love it! Seems she's been pushed past her emotional limits! Oh I enjoy when she finally brings the freak out of her in rage! Yes! Show them what it's like to underestimate us sisters!' After chuckling in her mind she would not. "Bring the freak out… and don't hold back…."

(High School DxD OST - D no Taidou)

"Yes, sister sister." She would turn back to the devils as her eyes twitched more. Her veins pumped harder as her teeth sharpened. The submissive eyes would become one of an apex predator ready to shred apart the meal in front of her. Of course her wings would sharpen and frankly become a more fearless beast beyond.

Koneko emerged from the bushes to stop short behind Kiba as they watched this psychotic transformation occur. Rias would hold her breath, Kiba grinded his teeth, Asia shivered in fear over an unresponsive Jackson. Issei would remain in his block of fear, contrary to Akeno who was smiling innocently as upon waiting the word to strike them down.

The now berserk fallen sub would hiss down at them pointing a sharp black fingernail at the small tsundere loli, "I will scatter all your devil ashes across the ground starting with the no tits wonder!"

At the very proclamation, Koneko herself had a red hue on her cheeks that flushed instantly. She cocked her eyebrows as her fists balled with a shake. "I guess I'll have to pluck you like a chicken, feather freak."

Upon that moment, the berserk fallen sub would flap her wings back throwing two explosive light spears at Koneko. She would stare them down ready. In an instant she propelled herself up into the air past them and spread her own wings after. The berserker angel hissed and screamed as she formed another light spear, plowing into Koneko at unrealistic speeds. The tsundere would feel the blunt force hit her mid air but oddly followed by the sound of clashing metal.

CLANG!

The blund force in Koneko's stomach was the left hand of the Gremory knight, Yuuto Kiba. Kiba was able to blink his way over and knock Koneko out of the way, all while countering the berserk fallen angel. "It's going to take a lot more than that to take us down…" Kiba said, kicking the berserker in the chest.

"Yuuto…" Koneko looked at him as he risked himself to keep the rook safe. She soon snapped out of her trance aiming for the center of mass of their enemy.

"Hsssssraaaah!" The berserker screamed, swinging a light spear back at them.

Kiba would find his moment to combat the blade with one of his Swordbirth swords. He pushed both blades down giving Koneko an open window of attack. With the area of the berserkers breasts open, Koneko rammed her fist like a barreling torpedo. Upon making contact with the berserker's breasts, she sent her down into the treeline, panting a bit. Koneko and Kiba would lower themselves to the ground looking back at their president with a confident nod. A further pursuit of the fallen berserker was underway.

(End OST)

Akeno would look to Rias as she would have her innocent sadistic smile on her face. "Oh my, Oh my. It seems that berserker took a little bit of a beating… I wish I was in Koneko and Kiba's place." she would giggle.

Rias was put at ease by the efficiency of her peerage. "I agree, Akeno. Kiba and Koneko seem to have this underway, but please take the liberty to aid Issei, he seems to be having trouble." Rias kept her eyes carefully on her new pawn. 'Poor Issei, not only did I drag him out here last minute, but I didn't expect Mercer to wail the "Berserker Sisters" on us. He will pay dearly if any of my peerage is seriously injured!'

Asia maintained her hands to keep Jackson's healing consistent. She couldn't help but watch the fight unfold before her. Issei's frozen in fear buffet would only hinder her efforts. "Issei…" she would say softly in pity. She kept a worried look at her hero until a wet liquid would soon catch the nerves of her hand. Asia quickly turned her head to the source where she would widen her eyes in shock. Immediately she seeked a superior. "P...President! Look!"

"What is it Asia…" Rias would widen her eyes a bit and hold her breath as she turned to face Asia. She would follow the gaze of the blonde bishop to find the now disgruntled face of Jackson. The muscles in his neck were straight with a lump in his throat as his eyes were shut tight. But there was something that accompanied this unsettling image to Rias. She wiped the liquid coming from his eyes, before holding his head gently. "Tears…." Rias would say softly. 'These tears… but how…? What state of mind did those fallen angel tramps send him in!'

It was another story regarding the brunette sacred gear wielder. His legs were tense and unmoving, his heart accelerating at the sight of the dominant fallen approach him. Issei bit down on his tongue to snap him out of this trance he found his body in. 'Come on Issei! Snap out of it! Snap out of it! She's not Raynare… you killed that bitch! Snap out of it. But… what if…. I'm not… strong enough…? Fuck it! Come on Issei! Just focus on her honkers… oh what a sweet pair they are…' From there Issei would slowly regain the feelings in his legs. "What… that's it... that rack! But… she… I still can't bring myself…" Issei sank as he would see the glowing ray of a light spear in her hands. The last thing he had seen before he was killed by Yuuma… Raynare.

"Oh Issei… today was such a good day… but… may I ask you something, as your new girlfriend…?"

Pain. 1 word, 4 letters, 6 meanings. The body, mind, and soul can only take so much of it before a phenomenon happens. Everything just seems to shut… down.

"Everything on planet Earth breaks. No matter who you are, what you are, or how strong to claim to be, everything on this planet… will break… including you… so be careful…"

Those words were cloudy danglers just floating around in the back of the poor boy's mind. Trapped in a state of mind in his own mind. Trapped in a dream state that brings all past memories to physicality. Pathetic, weak, Jackson couldn't do anything against the assailant. The amount of infliction killing his 3 components of body, mind and soul was tyrannical. All he could do was just feel the cold floor of the bathroom stall and endure. Endure a fate no one deserves, a fate no one should ever have to encounter in their lives, a fate that would permanently stain the marks and mindscape of Jackson Hart. All he could do was endure and retreat into his mind. Give into the pain in his chest and die. Die as the woman in his mind so desires.

Jackson found himself sinking into the last layer of darkness. Peace, quiet, tranquility, would be found in this space. The average person would rejoice to find such a void of a dimension, but all Jackson found, was pain. In this layer of his mind, he was able to move around as the 17 year old boy he was. His clothes were on and his morning do was still present. In this corner, he felt all his memories inflating his heart, giving it a slight blue glow.

"Why…. must I be… so… weak…. So fucking weak!" Jackson whispered to himself as his throat closed in an effort to suppress his crying. His tear ducts would swell and guide the salty water straight to his face. He fell to a kneel feeling everything. "Those girls…! That man…. Those pricks from school…. Those cocks from Summer Camp! Why must I be outed constantly to be wailed on?! Come On?! Can someone answer me?! Someone! Is all I do for nothing?!"

Jackson's cries would inflame the pain in his heart, but cause an odd reaction. His heart would glow brighter as he channeled the pain into his frustration. When Jackson vented his weakness and fueled his pain, his heart would illuminate the void of a room. Power. He wouldn't notice as his eyes remained shut, giving up on all… just as Gaia wanted. But the more he dwelled on it in an effort to give up, the more his pain fueled his heart's flames.

"All my life I've been chosen last for sports teams, unable to do a single push or pull up! How ridiculous?! No Jackson listen to me, how fucking worthless do you have to be to not even do one. ONE!"

(High School DxD OST - Ketsui wo Mune Ni Kakageru)

As he whispered, the glowing got brighter and a surge started to take over. Jackson's skin would slowly glow and illuminate from his heart.

"But No… No… I can't be weak…. I hate it… the abuse… the inferiority; watching everyone find someone better… I won't stand for it! I WON'T! THIS HAS GONE ON FOR FAR TOO LONG!"

Jackson instantly began to glow bright blue as his power surged! His heart glowed blindingly blue bright as it fired out a shockwave all around him.

BOOM!

The energy release cracked and shattered the walls of the eternal pit. The power kept continuing its surging as the pain was pushing Jackson forward. He found himself one dream plain ahead. Back to the poor young boy he was. But with a grip. He felt all the pain worse as the glowing resumed.

"Rrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!" His yell would further skyrocket his heart's power and surge beyond what the boy ever would think he's capable of! The memory plain bathroom would grow brighter and brighter as it would start to crack along the wall. Lesions and lacerations were becoming present as Jackson was acting similar to a "Super Saiyan" from the Dragon Ball franchise. A hand aiming to cover his mouth would soon disintegrate as the touch of Jackson's energy fusion skin. He had gone berserk from the pain, losing all touch reality. Anguish and anger pent up from all the years alone, all the years taking people's shit, all the years being used and tossed to the side coursed through his veins. His will to move forward and overcome shattered the dreamplain of this horrible nightmare.

Jackson would return to the same starting point restaurant. But this time there was nothing. Nothing was holding Jackson back anymore. Nothing was to stop him

"I'm back from hell Gaia"

(End OST)

He would appear on his hands and knees breathing heavily ending his fit of rage before the shadow of the dark skinned woman. Breathless panting came from Jackson as he raised a weak head to look up at the woman. Her face… her beautifully angering face. Jackson attempted to control his breathing as he hissed at her. A mark of his efforts was due as the restaurant began to fall apart. The only thing left in this dream plain was the hardwood floor and the surrounding environment of Jersey City.

Gaia herself would study Jackson. He was now weak. Out of energy. Able to be kicked around. That was proven when Jackson found himself lying on the ground to rest, cursing under his breath and utterly out of gas. The World herself took a few steps to the boy looking down on him.

"It seems you still have a lot of fight left in you, human. You seem to have depleted yourself in a berserk like state. And now you fall before me once again. I fail to understand… how you have not fallen under my grasp. Can you stand?" she asked the unmoving boy.

The jet black curls would grunt and simply roll over on his back to look up at her. Her white dress to her feet, her ocean blue eyes casting down at him. They got more intricate and detailed as he noticed the goddess kneeling down to look at him. But then she raised her hand bringing it to his forehead. Jackson didn't flinch or cry out. He huffed and puffed with his blood boiling at the very prospect of this. Gaia and Jackson both looked into each other's eyes. The crashing waves of the ocean on one side would see the fiery brown eyes of the teen. They spoke to her like an angel in her ear. Jackson was ready if he were to be sent to another memory. If he was going to lose and fall to Gaia, he wouldn't do it without a fight. Resistance and will would result the goddess into removing her finger from his forehead and opening her eyes a bit more. She stood back up noticing the curly calm himself as well. There was a 6 foot distance between the two as the world of a woman would just look down at Jackson neutrally. Her face lacked pity but it held one of a newfound respect. A surprise almost that she was concealing.

"Can you stand on your own, Jackson…?" Her voice soon turned from one of anger and vendetta, to a concerned mother almost.

(Re:Zero OST - Fantasy Lied)

Jackson gritted his teeth as his head was throbbing. He brought himself to a knee, slowly regaining his energy. He stood for a moment before falling to a knee. His breathing was short, preventing him from speaking, but gasping as he hit the ground again. But soon, he planted his foot back on the ground and used his muscles to raise himself up again. From there, those same conquering eyes would meet Gaia's as Jackson held himself up before her.

"You can still stand… It seems I'm repeating myself, but you do have fight left in you, Jackson." Gaia's voice was endeavoring the unexpected phenomenon of this mere human boy breaking her grasp not once, not twice, but 3 times! She took a step towards him to see him recoil. "Be at ease. There's no reason for that anymore. I can hold my word to that…"

Jackson would keep his guard raised as he didn't answer Gaia. His mind was still clouded from his rage as he wanted to lash out. But something in his mind was suppressing the anger.

"Tell me… Jackson… all of my life I have seen your trouble and tribulation. I have remained dormant but watching these memories of my own. But you… there is much worse what you have endured then what I forced you to relive." Gaia's voice was stern like a commanding officer now. It was gentle but blunt. "So answer this question for me boy, tell me… why do you fight? Why do you live and constantly fight such horrors which plague your mind…? Why are you humans so stubborn…?"

Jackson was silent… his heavy breathing forcing him to bend forward and back a little bit with each repetition. He just focused on the face of Gaia. So beautiful. So perfect, so enchanting. Her eyes were the crashing waves of the sea to calm his nerves, her skin looked smooth for comfort. Her lips are welcoming and most likely soft. Jackson took a step towards her shaking with a bit of fear as he spoke up in an angered tremble.

"No matter….. What…. Happens…. I need to be strong. I… I can't be weak again…. Never again… It….. it's a will to survive…. No matter what happens….. We want to live… we want to move forward…. I want to live….. I won't back down." Jackson said to her in a shaking but straightforward voice. "You can line me up at the gates of hell….. I'll be terrified…. I'll cry and wail for a savior…. But I won't… back…. Down…"

Gaia would look at Jackson with a bit wider eyes. She would then eye him up and down one last time, meeting his eyes. But they changed. They were eyes of death, eyes of a victim, a soldier who had seen countless wars. No matter how broken they were inside, they were solid. Strong. Struggling eternally, but growing stronger…

"..." For once Gaia found herself speechless. An exhale left her mouth as she listened to the next wave of words.

"You see… us humans…. Want to live…. It's why…. We fight. It's why…. I fight…. I'm stubborn…. You'll need to send me back if you want to break me…"

From there Gaia would take a deep breath and give the boy a look of approval. While she was neutral in expression, her posture was more easygoing and she seemed less tense. Her cockiness faded as she gave a single nod to Jackson. The goddess soon closed her eyes glowing bright before the curly. With a flash of royal blue light, the space solely belonged to Jackson. Gaia had departed.

(End OST)

Jackson looked around as he felt himself able to move around more. His chest pain faded and his headache healed. That's when he noticed the glowing in his heart. The small light projection moved from his left peck into the area right between his chest. The blue glowing flashed briefly, blindsiding the teen for a second. Once he looked back, there was a diamond protruding from in between his chest. It was the color of Gaia's eyes and shined like the sun. The outline had a gold plate around it to highlight its royalty. Now… was the time… to AWAKEN.

"Issei!"

BOOF!

Issei would then feel himself get hit across the side and roll into the bushes behind the trees. He felt the weight of another person on him as he snapped out of his trance. When he cleared his mind of his leg weight, the brunette looked up to see the blonde knight kneeling and panting. Kiba rubbed his arm and looked to Issei with a serious face.

"Issei, I don't know what the hell you were doing but It nearly got you killed. What's happening with you?"

Issei would shake his head like nothing was wrong. Kiba was such a high noted person, the last thing Issei wanted to do was show weakness or look weak. "Relax Kiba, jeez no need to be so pretentious." Issei took a deep breath thinking to himself. 'That's right. Fallen Angels. Kiba always puts it petal to the metal when it comes to fighting them.' Issei stood up behind the tree for cover. "It's nothing, just was thinking of all the ways I was gonna take her to the pavement!"

Kiba may have been a bit dense to environmental situations, but in battle he seemed to be alternatively Agile. "Issei I need you to be honest with me here. What's wrong?"

Issei would fall silent as he took a deep breath and remained silent from Kiba. He just peeked from behind the tree trying to think of some proper way to attack.

Meanwhile, the fallen dominant Fallen Angel just hissed at her prey being saved. She would ready herself to pursue until she felt a small tap on her shoulder.

"WHAT IS IT SIS- ter…"

"Oh fufu~ . That's no real way to treat a lady" The fake innocent voice of Akeno Himejima would strike fear into the heart of her opponent. The priestess of thunder grabbed the wrist of the Dominant fallen and started to freeze her blood. The very process would turn her skin to ice.

"W-WHAT?! AAAAAAAAGH! GAAAAAAH!" The Fallen Angel screamed as her blood was freezing and gut wrenching pain projected from head to toe. The smile coming from Akeno's face would only project more pain to the Fallen Angel.

Koneko would be on her toes with sweat down her face. She was left alone with the berserker sister who was swinging a light spear like a sword. Koneko wasn't fast in her Rook class, resulting in her near injury. Near Injury or not she did have a plan in mind which would need careful execution. 'Come on. Just a little closer. I'll use her feathers to make a blanket when this is over.' Once Koneko brought the berserker sister into the open, she leaped in the air yelling. "NOW!"

BZOOK!

BZOOK!

The sounds of small energy blasts being fired and detonating on the berserker filled the battlefield. Rias narrowed her eyes with her hand out, as two of her suppression destructive blasts worked. The same blasts were used to suppress Melduce. The same blasts will suppress this berserk fallen. Rias sighed as multiple things were crashing her mind, but one of them regarded the relationship these fallen sisters had. 'I should be shooting to kill. Why am I holding back like I did against Medinirou… Why… am I holding back… for Mercer…?' Rias shook her head yelling back out. "Good Job Koneko! Now should be your open opportunity to attack!"

Back in the treeline, Kiba pressed Issei a bit to attempt to find out what was handicapping his field performance. Issei had refused to open up and Kiba soon came to the conclusion that wasting this time was going to do them no good. Even though their friends had the battle so far in the bag, it was unwise to ride on such an assumption.

"Kiba, I'm fine. Let's just. Let's just get these… scumbags and call it a day alright? Please." Issei sighed about to leave the treeline.

Kiba nodded, "I see. But Issei, can I tell you something?"

"What is it, Prince Charming?" The brunette snarked.

"We are your friends. I believe myself to have become your friend, Issei. So remember, you can tell us anything, and we will be there for you. Always. Whatever is clouding your mind, you don't have to go through it alone. Invest in us, invest in me, Issei, and we can beat whatever is holding you back."

Issei was silent. Silent, but smiling. He chuckled to the blonde as he turned to face him. "Go through it alone, eh? You know what. I'll take you up on your offer this once, But all you need to know is I got sidetracked. That's all that is wrong, like come on Kiba… Kiba my man."

Kiba looked at Issei with an unimpressed face, "..."

"Ok… I… just… needed to think of a plan on how to deal with this enemy…. But I got it now. Let's run her down!" Issei tried to cheer.

"Issei… Just know something. I understand… and you're not alone."

"... I…"

"I have your back and I always will, now, are we going to let these Fallen Angel shits run a muck of us? Or are we going to do something about it….?" Kiba said, increasing in aggression.

"Kiba… I… I'm willing to do something about it." Issei nodded

"Because if you don't, you won't grow and you won't move forward. Block out the thoughts in your mind and let go!"

Issei was a bit dumbfounded. Kiba was more of a coach and mentor when he was in the zone. This was only around fallen angels. Stray devils he was focused but never this pressing. Issei would feel the weight on his shoulders slowly fade as he held his gauntlet ready. "I… I'm gonna kick that fallen bitches ass inward!"

Kiba would give a chuckle, following Issei out of the woods. 'Seems he's a little too prideful. But I understand. I've seen that look before Issei, everyone has, and It's nothing to be ashamed about. You're not in this alone. And neither is our American friend over there.'

Issei and Kiba both emerged from the forest line with smiles on their faces and weapons drawn.

CRASH!

The frozen ice body of the Dominant fallen angel would hit the ground and shatter everywhere. Her head would be the only thing not attached to the rest of the shards of her shattered body. It would slide right to Issei as she hissed at him in her final breath.

"Y-you…. Red….. Dragon….. Emperor… will… be gutted… and made… into…. A meal. I… will… assure….. You're scattered….. And….. Peel you….. Bit… by bit…" her head smiled.

Issei would freeze up at that as she laughed. This was beyond disturbing to see, but Issei had been put through a rather worse hell than this. To shake the earth beneath them, Koneko arrived shortly before the berserker sister faced them in anguish. All this stress, the sister, the fear, the berserker, Jackson, Mercer, Rias. All fell back onto Issei's shoulders. He would feel a lump in his throat from the fear as a voice spoke.

"Oh Issei… thank you for dying for me… and if you want someone blame him, he gave you the sacred gear"

"You're nothing….. But… devil filth…" The head coughed and smiled watching Issei fall. She chuckled in dying breath as her berserk sister approached them. "And now…. Fall!"

"I'm not... scared of you…!"

…

…

…

The world fell silent at Issei's voice. The boy looked around at Koneko, Akeno, and Kiba. He took a deep breath. "I… am not alone in this. No matter what you say… no matter what you try, you'll never scare me…!"

"BOOST!"

"I have my friends… and they have my back… till the end… I'm not alone!"

"BOOST!"

"And no matter who you resemble, who you try to make me think of to stop me… I'll never stop… I'll keep going until I conquer what lays before me!"

"BOOOOST!"

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The final power up from the Boosted Gear would echo a shockwave throughout the area. The gear had grown and changed with Issei's emotions. For the first time something other than breasts powered him forward. Friends. While it was pleasure, this was the pleasure of acceptance: the pleasure of confidence. Issei felt a tingling in his Boosted Gear as he radiated and awakened a new milestone. But he felt something radiate back to him. Kiba felt the same tingling in Swordbirth. Asia felt it in her Twilight healing. Upon looking down, Asia gasped again.

"P-President!" she exclaimed.

Rias turned around, "What is it Asia." A gasp followed her as well as a sight was to be seen by all as well.

The unconscious body of Jackson Hart was glowing. But not like it was under Sona's scan spell, it was glowing in a certain place. His balls. Kidding. His heart. The light ocean blue glow formed the shape of a diamond in the middle of his chest. Energy radiated from it as all heads were turned. The glowing would then release a shockwave of its own.

BWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Issei didn't hesitate. As the berserker was distracted, he lunged to her with a cocked fist. "And if you think you'll get away with hurting innocent people, I got news for you, you're already dead."

Issei cracked the berserker sister hard in the face with a heavy power punch, sending her into the dirt. All his anger and all his pent up fear and aggression were all transferred into his punch. The pure power rendered the berserker enemy suppressed from the force of the hit. Akeno would use a small flurry of icicles to pin her body down. Koneko reinforced the hits. Kiba finished off with a clean cut through the berserker's chest. A cheer came from Rias and Asia as they took their attention to the successful heroes.

"Some 'Berserker Sisters', what else do they got? Come on? Throw it on me!" Issei cockily called out.

"Well done Issei" Kiba commented

A sly smile was on Akeno's face as she looked at the dead Fallen Angel sisters. "Oh my, Oh my…. That was quite the brutality… yes… but poor things never got to feel my lighting. Now that doesn't make it very fun…."

"It's ok Akeno" Koneko narrated. "Lets just make sure sleeping beauty doesn't have his mental panties in a bunch."

"Issei!" The voice of Asia would overtake the area as she leaped forward to meet Issei with her gaze. She began her Twilight Healing while inspecting him all over. "Issei are you ok? Are you hurt? Where did the mean Fallen Angel hit you? You did so good out there! Does it hurt when I touch you there-?"

Issei placed his hands on the bishop's shoulders to calm her down. "A-A-Asia! I'm ok, I'm ok! Nothing serious you can relax."

Rias could only giggle as she was caught up in all the fun of her peerage's victory. She couldn't have been more proud as she stood undefeated and well feared in the supernatural plain. Keeping it that way was imperative. "All's well that ends well. You all did a good job today. I noticed your team work was very coordinated-"

"Uh… President…?" Issei spoke up with narrowed eyes.

Rias continued, "-each one of you demonstrated great potential in an ambush situation-"

"Excuse me, President."

"-and as your master, I can proudly say that I-"

"President!"

"Am proud of you all… Now… Yes. Issei?" Rias' tone was calm and cooled.

"Look…"

Rias would notice Issei point in her direction. But there was a bit of a navigational flaw in his pointing that would mark Rias. No. Wasn't pointing at her, but rather… behind her. From there the red haired devil turned her head to see Jackson booking it maybe a of a mile away from them. His running pace was distancing himself further and further from the Gremorys. A Gasp left Asia as she was supposed to be healing and monitoring him. Rias narrowed her eyes as she took a step in his direction.

'I… I can't think… I…. I can't see… I can't hear…. I can't feel! I need to get out of here!' Panic had its grip on the american boy as he ran like an Olympic medalist. What was he gonna do? Become the typical fanfiction OP main character and somehow use his gear to defeat the Berserker sisters? Become an icon in the ORC? No! A human who passed out at seeing Fallen Angels, is not gonna want to be around Fallen Angels. Jackson saw an Open window when the peerage was distracted and ran. He ran as fast as he could panting at his endurance. The boy ignored the sweat brewing on his forehead and ignored his leg pain. He wasn't in the right mind right now. He re-lived a nightmare. He re-lived death and reincarnation of the soul, but he was still human, naive, big headed and cocky. None of his mental jokes could calm him.

"No…! Fuck this shit I'm out! No! I don't know what the fuck just happened. I don't really care! I'm going to get the fuck up out of here! Nope! Fuck this shit im out!" He panically yelled to himself. "I want to be home. Dad. Please. Be somewhere. Help me….!"

BOOF!

Jackson tripped over a simple tree root and landed face first into the ground. He would immediately push himself up to run again, but slip. Once Reunited with the ground, his last attempt of fleeing had him go head first into the shins of a certain Gremory heiress.

"Jackson! Please! I need you to calm down, you don't need to run!" Rias said putting her hand out.

The curly flinched scooting back and darting his head around. His heart was beating rapidly for once as he held himself and exhaled in a slow agoned groan. He gave up and used up all his strength. He groaned more with tears in his eyes looking at Rias' stockings feeling hurt all over. Emptiness and pure heavyweight would yank down his heartstrings and the pain from the fall was a cherry on top.

Rias looked down on the human boy with pity. First Melduce, next the Berserker Sisters with John Mercer, and now whatever had happened in his state of sleep. 'The poor boy is terrified. Is he truly cut out to be a Prospect Of Avalon? How was he chosen? This seems… almost….a bit…. Sad…. for a boy like him' When the others approached, she would hold out her hand. "Stop, don't crowd him, he's in a state of shock right now. I don't know how to address him…."

Asia covered her mouth. "This is all my fault! If I didn't look away, I could have kept him in my hands!"

"No Asia" Issei commented. "It's not your fault. Big man here would have ended up like this no matter what." Issei sighed, 'What the hell happened to him all this time. For someone proclaiming they would kick my ass and act so laid back, he sure seems to be acting like a big baby…'

"Home… n-need… home. No more….. Past….. No more…. I can't….. I can't guys….. I…. I was…. R…. I was sent….. Sent to it… it…. Past…. My… mistakes…. Weakness… look at me…. I'm weak…" Cries did emerge in small rhythm as the confident laid back American was now cowering like a baby fawn in search of its mother.

"Asia, use your healing to warm him up" Rias commanded

Asia nodded as she slowly went to Jackson's side and brought her hands closer to his-

BVVT

Like a flash of light, a small buzz of grinding gears for a millisecond the Gremory peerage found themselves blinking in confusion. Kiba looked across to Koneko and Issei who had the same puzzled look on their faces. Rias raised a brown and lowered her jaw to gaze upon the same sight that stood before them. Emptiness. Jackson was gone. Everyone immediately started darting their heads in all directions. Until-

"There! Behind you, Rias!" Akeno pointed.

Behind her was Jackson on his but and panting. He seemed to be more in a returned state but panting more. He looked at his own hands and at the peerage a bit more. 'What… What just happened… did I… really just… do it…?' His first eye contact was Rias Gremory.

Rias was looking at Jackson more skeptical on how to approach the situation here. 'He just moved all the way from one spot to the other in a blink of an eye…. And that's not all. I don't know how I didn't see it, but the tracks he made. They are sloppy. Simple teleportation magic or gears can't do this to their environment… he must have…'

"Woah, holy shitbricks man how did you do that?!" Issei asked dumbfounded at the sudden change in location for the tired American, "Can I do that?"

"Rias… there's only one other person I've seen like this…" Akeno approached the startled boy with a sway of the hips and her Akeno aura. "I think… our cute little curly here is special for more than a few reasons~" A smile krept her face.

Kiba would agree and address his fellow peerage. "Interesting… this is quite the odd predicament."

Issei added on, "Maybe the rush from battle made us think he possibly teleported. Maybe he rolled out of the way too quickly?"

"No. I watched. He definitely is up to some serious bad juju" Koneko scoffed

"Koneko is correct, Issei, my Knight piece allows for me to see and comprehend intense speeds. Jackson didn't move a muscle to get to where he is. Nor did I hear him… or feel his vibrations…" Kiba narrowed his eyes as he was now onto Jackson. 'How could he have possibly done it? It's incredible'

"R-R… Reeces?" Jackson asked the Crimson-Haired Ruin Princess. "Please…. Please…. Help me…. I feel like I'm going insane… I don't know what's happening to me? I don't want to remember…. Reapass, help me…."

Rias kneeled from where she was and slowly put out her hand. "If you feel it is necessary to hold my hand to calm your nerves then so be it. Is there anything else you could possibly tell me? You are in an irked state…"

"Yes…. I…. I want to go home…. I want to be alone… to cry alone….. To fear alone…" he held her hand

"..." Rias began to feel some of the trauma through the contact and widened her eyes. While it was only a smither, she was stunned.

"Please….."

"...Yes… you may return home. We will not pursue you or hound you any longer. You have gone through incredible stress today. I am sorry you were subjected to it. I can assume while you were asleep you were subjected to more stress. Stress I may not be able to understand… but… I have a proposition…"

"P-Prop… what…. What is it…?" He said slowly shaking on his knees holding Rias' hand.

Rias nodded, "I can erase your trauma… and your memory. That is an ability of mine. If you consent, I will take your experience away from your hurting mind"

Silence filled the pathway. Jackson took his deep breaths and shook at every exhale. He looked up to Rias as she presented the perfect solution to her. He was about to speak when a small pinch was felt in his heart. The pinch of attention and alertness. The pain of the pinch hurt, but from his experience, the curly learned what it meant. Shakily, he uttered out.

"No…."

"No?" Rias widened her eyes.

Issei was shocked, "Eh?! So let me get this straight. You are shaking in your boots right now when you could be possibly healed of all your trouble. You were practical begging for a solution. And now once you have it, you reject it? What kind of decision is that?"

"The Issei kind…" Koneko mocks. "Reference future chapters"

"Wait, Koneko, Huh?"

"Relax dimwit" she recoiled

Jackson would take a deep breath as he realized slowly how pathetic he looked. His heart hurt and felt shallow. Empty. Alone. Struggled. But the only thing a struggler could do was move forward. But in this case, it was retreating… the boy slowly backed away from the peerage as he wiped his face… and walked away.

"Jeez, what was that all about?" Issei asked.

Asia would frown tilting her head, "Poor boy, he seemed really in pain."

"He was. And he is. Koneko… see to it that the boy makes it to his home. I'll have to file another request to the Student Council that Jackson Hart will be absent for an excused amount of time. But it's my fault I wasn't careful with the boy." Rias stated crossing her arms.

"On it, President" Koneko would jump onto the treeline and disappear.

Rias could only sigh as she looked at the dusk sunset, drifting into a daydream state of mind. She would fall into a stare until her name was called.

"Prez… yo… prez?" Issei tilted his head and called

Rias snapped back with a surprised expression, "Oh! Issei, I'm sorry, I was just thinking… about something…"

"I can Imagine… todays been a weird day. But hey! I kicked a fallen angel butt and conquered that harlot! And I did it… because I had some kick-ass devils by my side." The Brunette chanted happily giving a thumbs up to Rias.

Rias couldn't help but smile and giggle. Her mind taken away from the issues of today and the issues of an upcoming event. "I'm very glad for your success today Issei. You have a lot of potential my pawn, please… don't fail me…" she stated softly. 'The both of you…'

That night the Hart household was silent. Dante Hart was out on an offshore oil rig where he was the President / CEO of a petroleum engineering cooperation, Hart Petrol Co. Thus allowed for the boy to live a wealthy and carefree life. But such came at a price. Silence. Silence of the home, silence of the land. The key to the Hart home / villa would turn to open a door to darkness. A hopeful light died out as Jackson remembered his father was away for a bit.

'Come on dad… when I need you now more than ever…' he mentally whined. 'No. Shut up Jack. Be strong… just move on and go to the shower… it's over just… move on and cut it out. Dad would laugh at me. Ma… she'd scold me that I was a Debbie Downer the second I felt sad…' The inner conflict of mind broke out as Jackson took off his shirt and threw it on the ground with a shout.

(Guts - Susumi Hirasawa)

Eventually he retrieved it, throwing it into his room where the jet black curls would look in his mirror. Red face, red watery eyes. Some bloated body areas from stress fat or bruises. "Pathetic…" Jackson hissed at himself.

Across the street, on a tree branch stayed Koneko Toujou. While following home Jackson was not on her list of things she wanted to do, she would serve Rias with utmost discipline. She waited for the boy to get in and close the door behind him. "Hmn. Seem's dweeb got home in one piece… lucky him." Koneko would yawn and briefly text Rias that her job was complete. A moment passed, Koneko was cleared to go home. But for some reason, she stopped. She had the perfect view into Jackson's room from an S tier hiding spot. Her curiosity grew as she watched the boy grab his hair while looking into the mirror. She watched him throw his shirt, punch a pillow, and overall shout a few swear words her ears twitched at. The whole time, he wasn't crying. A glimpse of the boy's eyes were seen, eyes Koneko immediately burned into her memory. The look of death. Someone who has seen death. Felt death, touched death. The death of an emotion, the death of a construct, the death of a dream. The death of love. She remained hidden watching as the boy went into his bathroom.

Jackson scoffed at himself, turning on the shower and letting it get cold. Arctic cold. Crold as Ice. Once he stepped into the shower, he suppressed pain ridded yells into groans. His muscles and body tightening up, his mind running. "Rrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Dammit. Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr" Jackson was releasing and channeling his pain into withstanding the shower cold and moving forward. His mind wanted to turn the water warm, but his voice of heart raged into endurance.

Koneko moved to a spot where she could see him in the shower but not his junk or a picture perfect frame of his ass. Her covered hands gripped onto the side of the balcony protruding from the second floor of his home. Instantly she pulled herself up but made sure her body was out of view.. 'Great… Now I look like a pervert. Curiosity really did kill the cat…' The tsundere loli criticized herself.

When Jackson finished, Koneko would press herself up against the outside wall holding her breath to be caught. When Koneko slowly moved her head to peer back into the room, she froze. What caught her eyes wasn't the emergence of Jackson from the shower or him changing into only his underwear, it was his face. It looked numb. Numb but trembling. "This kid. He looks like he's died inside…"

Jackson took a deep breath before turning off the lights. The beautiful Kuoh sky and moonlight guided him straight to his bed sheets. With a phone on the charger and his 5am alarm set, Jackson just uttered. "Pain". Struggler. The struggler Hart didn't sleep under his covers. Rather on top of them. "Tomorrow is a new day Jackson. Just. Take a deep breath. Hold it in. Be… strong… It wasn't real… It will all be over. Just sleep"

Koneko lightened her expression, hearing those words, until the prayer began.

"Thank you Lord Jesus for mommy, daddy, and all the boys, girls, men, women, and animals on this earth. Lord may you forgive me of my sins today. If I were to die, may my soul be carried into heaven in your grasp. Lord I thank you for your guidance, protection, and love that you have given me today. I love you Lord Jesus. In your name, we pray, amen."

Koneko immediately slid off the balcony of the Hart home, darting away. A sigh left her mouth as she had witnessed something that the students nor even the ORC members knew of. She witnessed the purest form of that boy. Not a pervert or someone meaning to spy on girls and maybe grope them, as she prejudiced. But a boy who had gone through hell and back. She saw the same eyes she used to wear in her childhood years ago. Her own pained eyes. Eyes that weren't afraid and eyes that carried the pieces of a broken soul. Behind that confident, outgoing, carefree facade, was a boy who was alone. A normal teenage boy who felt alone…

(End OST)

Back to the abyss it was. The darkness of Jackson's mind was oddly comforting. No monsters or evil thoughts and forces. Just, silence. Jackson would feel himself floating like a weightless leaf in the fall breeze. The empty abyss was what everyone feels when they sleep, that tranquility and safety. The soul unguarded. Eventually, Jackson would float past a small glowing dot in the abyss of darkness. Then another followed. More glowing dots like stars in the universe would begin to cluster and form the solar system itself. Jackson was floating through space! He saw the sun in the distance with stars all around him like a painted canvas of art. Before him was the Earth. The world. A planet so beautiful and peaceful. The view from above was astounding, The ocean blue and grove green of the earth. Glacier white clouds in shleek patterns. The silence… the silence as all was beautiful.

"Jackson… Hart…" A female voice boomed all over the area.

Jackson Immediately tensed up for a moment as this was a familiar state of mind he had been in. A familiar grasp of a certain spirit. He would start turning his head everywhere, unable to fully move from being in zero gravity. But he felt the presence of a heavy mass behind him. He attempted to turn "Come one! Dammit! One moment ma'am! Come on! D-Dang!"

A soft pair of hands would touch his shoulders and slowly turn him around. In front of him was the woman who tormented him so. The ocean blue eyes, dark earth skin, lime green nails, aquamarine hair. Her eyes were beautiful. Crystals of fortune gazing upon Jackson. The woman was in a lighter mood as she had a bit of a sadistic smile on her face.

"Hello there, my partner… It seems I chose just the right time to see you again…" The familiar woman slyly spoke.

"Is this the part where I get fucked in the ass again?" He said with a straight face, and nervous voice.

The woman raised a brow in confusion and let go of him. A sigh would leave her mouth as she shook her head. "No such thing. I made the decision that I should greet you more… peaceful terms… and in a place of sanctuary…"

Jackson nodded slowly, sweating a bit. "Ah…. makes sense… uh…. Are… are we in space?"

"We are inside the very structure that houses my soul. Your heart. Your sacred gear…"

"Whoa Whoa Whoa Whoa Whoa…? Sacred… Gear…? What…? Your home? What is going on, who exactly in specifics are you?"

The woman would float away from Jackson with that same Sadistic smile a good few hundred yards. Jackson watched her with a dumbfounded expression before being blinded by a bright light. A bright timely blue would outshine all the stars, including the sun itself. Darkness from a shadow cast itself over him as he was now belittled in size to a giant silver-

"D...DRAGON?!" he shrieked in the moment trying to run away in zero gravity, to look like a fool.

The dragon stood massive in height and sheer size. It's eyes were the same ocean blue, glowing intensely. The scales were silver like titanium, covered in a starry space gloss. Each scale fits perfectly into one another like glass plates on a full glass skyscraper. The dragon had 4 legs with feet shaped to be able to duel as hands. But the wings. The wings were the most odd shape. Similar to a dragon, but had square like edges, similar to gundam armor wings. They twinkled and blinked blue lights on some areas of the. But they spanned larger the dragon itself. The dragon's head had 4 horns. Two of them resemble a hammerhead shark, following parallel to its head. The last two formed a "U" shape at the top of its head, looking like a gateway or royal empress crown. In between the crown horns was a blue orb. Not ocean blue, but turquoise. A shade different from aquamarine. Jackson notices the fragments of space and time seeming to enter one side of that orb, and come out of the other.

"What the…."

The cherry on top to this whole situation was the chains. The dragon was restrained by glowing transparent chains. It's wings, legs, arms, neck and head were all wrapped around by a chain that lead only to infinity. The chains rattled as it was the only barrier between the beast and boy.

"Fuck! Cock! Shit! Dammit! Ass! Fag! Fucking Prick!" Jackson was trying to distance himself from the dragon. To no avail, he remained floating. He curled up instantly. "No please don't eat meeeeeeeeeeee! I've been a good boy! I didn't jerk off to that monster girl hentai tonight! Pleaaaaase don't hurt me! I lived 17 years and I want to keep on going. Please your grace dragon! Pleaaaaaaaase, I'm a good noodle!"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"That's not why you transformed was it?"

"No… no it was not…" the female dragon hissed.

"Oh… my bad… can we start over-"

"JACKSON HART! I am Gaia, The Worlding Dragon. Mother of this world and the current spirit dwelling in this sacred gear! I summoned you here before me on accounts of addressing my final regards. I have been silenced all these years, but recently you have done something that rather caught my attention. You have begun to free me of my chains. My voice never reached you for my jaws were bound shut, silencing me from you. Your arrival and first trial had grown not only yourself, but my presence in strength. I was able to break the chains on my jaws. To be fair I always could have but you gave me a reason." Gaia would begin to address Jackson as she was a mere queen, and him a feeble peasant.

"I… wow… well… how did you end up like this, Gi? This seems quite intense…" Jackson started calming down with his humor and even… a pet name.

"I was once a powerful dragon with-What did you just call me, human? I am a mere God and I shall not stand to have my name soiled by the very relatability of a pet! I am Gaia! The World! Do I make myself clear?!"

"Y-Y-Yes Gaia! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Won't happen again!" Jackson was quick to soil himself at the hands of Gaia.

"I was once a powerful dragon who had reign over protecting your earth. Then one day, I was killed by an unholy beast. Those who grabbed my soul buried me in this tomb, and restrained me to never return to full strength. I yearned for my gift of voice, and it has been gifted."

"W-Wait… b-but your human form or whatnot… I didn't see any chains…?" Jackson recalled. Gaia had no chains on her restricting her when she was tormenting him in his past.

"My familiar form is beyond weak compared to my true state. Since none of my source power is capable in my familiar form, I am able to project only so much of my abilities." She followed.

"Sounds like lazy writing on the author's end"

"Pardon?"

"But… Why did you do all that to me?! Why was I acting like such a wuss. I was so pathetic. Why are you with me now?!"

"Because of what you told me. Those words. I never thought I would hear from a human. You humans want to live. It's why you are stubborn. You, mere Jackson, are stubborn in strength. You have the potential… to free me from my chains… and that will be our existence. The more chains you break, the more powerful you become. The more powerful I become. I want my power back, and I am trusting you in that task in your path of strength. You were not special. You were not different than my past wielders I found unjust. A mere human. But a human… with the will and potential of The World…

To

Be

Continued...

Well we did It! Wrapped up maybe a less of an exciting arc but I made sure to throw in some nice and key moments. Now it's time for the arc we have all been waiting for RISER PHENEX. I'm trying to adjust to the new story setting and pick up the pacing a bit since spending 3 chapters on a 20 minute fight turns people off. But there's so much I want to write. But hell here we are. We Witnessed the rise and fall of the Berserker sisters. Thanks to the help of a fellow author I was able to establish a power system. That will be shown in the next chapter which will immediately follow into Riser Phenex. Hopefully my OST choices are good for the mood. As we get down the line, I'll be incorporating more at a good pace. I thank you all for your patience. Leave a review on what you think, what you want, because I listen to my reviews, also I will respond to DM's all in due time. I thank you all, I'll see you on the next one!