A/N: Hey peeps! Here's the next chapter. This chapter is the official start to the Riser Arc from DxD canon. Before we start, I just want to say I am considering a plan to do some of the lemons as a seperate thing from the fic that I implied from Book 2 onwards. I will post and update that as I get to them. I also intend to post it as a poll on my page until next chapter. As for the reviews, I'll answer those here right now in the Reviewer Review:

1.) To Guest Reviewer #1: Yes, Shirou is STILL a Campione in my fic, he just hasn't had any reason to use his Authorities, or at least not the more flashy ones. He still has them and can use them, but he just hasn't seen any reason to do so yet.

2.) To Guest Reviewer # 2: Who said Anderson was gone for good? *Smirks knowingly at the planned arc in the future timeline for this fic*

3.) To Guest Reviewer #3: No it's not. I deliberately spelt it that way one purpose. I did NOT mispell Tsugumari Muramasa's name.

4.) As fun as writing that scottish thing was, keep in mind that that was literally how Anderson was shown to speak with a thick Scottish accent in the manga from Hellsing. I simply took the same approach in how he spoke in my fic. If it was difficult to read, even for Scottish readers, then I apologize since I'm not Scottish myself.

Now that that is out of the way, time for the disclaimer...

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own any franchises or fanfics referenced in this fic or any of the characters used, aside from my OCs I created. Any other OCs are used with permission from the fanfic authors who created them. Any and all franchises referenced in this fic are the respective properties of their respective owners, publisher, creators, and authors. This fic is a continuation of an AU to Marcus Galen Sands own fic 'God Slaying Blade Works', with a meshing of canon lore in a manner that makes sense, references to other franchises and fanfics credited as used to the best of my abilities, and my own original ideas thrown into the mix every now and then. This is an UNPAID FANFIC of a FANFIC, as in a FAN-MADE FICTION of a FAN-MADE FICTION that I wrote for ABSOLUTELY NUDDIN'. So if you paid to read this, then you got ripped off. And if you do not like it, then you do not have to read it. Nobody is making you.

And now...

STORY START:

King of Wrought Iron Book 2: Guardian of DxD

Eighth Forge: A Firebird Comes A Cawing

Hyoudou Residence

Issei P.O.V.

After hearing Shirou wasn't going to be in town until yesterday morning due to work involving the supernatural, I've been distracted from the training he left for me to complete by noticing something was off with Rias. She's been a bit out of it lately, and it's been showing a bit. Something's bothering her, yet I can't ask her, since I don't know her well enough for that. Yet I feel worried enough to consider actually pushing the issue, but I don't want to alienate her by being a bother or overstepping some boundary I don't know about. But I also can't know what these are unless I-

Aah, this thinking in circles isn't helping anything other than driving me crazy faster! I need to just see what's up, and if she'll tell me what's wrong tomorrow. Sighing as I was getting ready for bed, that was when a Magic Circle appeared in my bedroom, with none other than Rias Gremory herself coming out of it, much to my shock at her intrusion.

"WHA-Rias?! Why are you-"

"Issei, I don't have time to explain. I need you to have sex with me, right now!"

My mind froze at that, and I honestly could not figure out what the hell was going on, but before further words could be spoken, another magic circle, this one the exact same one that Rias used just now, also shone, but out of it came a busty silver-haired beauty dressed as a maid and a stoic disposition that made it clear she meant business.

"Tch, too late..."

"Rias-sama. This is not something you can keep running from." The maid then turned to me and bowed slightly as she introduced herself. "Forgive the intrusion. My name is Grayfia Lucifuge, the head maid of the Gremory household. I apologize for the actions here, but I need to take Rias-sama with me."

I saw Rias take steps with the maid, yet...why does she look miserable? This is not the Rias Gremory I look up to or like so much, so why…

In a flash of crimson light, the two disappear, and I am left to wonder just what is going on here...hopefully Shirou can help me out here tomorrow after school at the ORC club room…

Scene Change

Kuoh Academy Old School Building, ORC Club Room

Shirou P.O.V.

"...so let me see if I get this straight..." I ask to Ise-boyo right in front of me as he explained something unbelievable that happened to him last night… "You say that last night, Gremory just APPEARED in your bedroom right before you were about to go to sleep?"

"That's right."

"And she asked you to have SEX with her right then and there?"

"I know!"

"And before you could even think to answer, a MAID of all things, claiming to serve the Gremory Household teleported into the room, and took her back with her?"

"YES! Can you explain what might be going on with Rias, Shirou?"

I pinched the bridge of my nose as I tried to suppress the headache I knew this was about to become. Gremory told me about the upcoming 'event' she'd have to participate in, and in order for her to get her freedom, she'd need to win, but doing so required her to exploit several methods that she could use as potential options. The one she chose with long-term benefits was recruitment into her peerage, but this one required time she didn't have anymore. So she tried the other option which would ensure the situation was resolved, yet could cause complications in the very immediate future. Still, this brought up a very important point I need to bring up with the current Red Dragon Emperor before me…

"Ise-boyo, let me blunt here…" I say as I sighed out deeply before inhaling to continue. "You are a blooming idiot..."

"HEY!"

"Ise-boyo, Gremory has a certain situation that makes her desperate for more peerage members. She recruited you because she needed more strong members to help her deal with said situation, but she also thought she'd have more time to deal with it, but suffice to say one of the methods to escape the situation she's found herself in is for Gremory to have her virginity taken to escape her current situation with a contract her parents made before she was even born."

"HUH?! Rias has to do WHAT in order to get out of whatever this problem is?!"

"And this is why I called you an idiot Ise-boyo. Gremory could have turned to ANY male she was somewhat close to in order to achieve this. She could have gone to Kiba, approached Tetsu, hell she could have even approached me if she were desperate enough. Though the chances of success were less likely with those last two options, but she didn't. Her first choice was you."

"I don't get it..."

"Think about it Ise-boyo. She had alternatives if she wanted to lose her virginity. It didn't HAVE to be you, but she still went to you instead of anyone else. What do you think that means?" He opens his mouth to answer, but I cut him off before he got a word in. "And if you say you can't figure it out, I am going to smack you. Hard. It shouldn't take a Love Guru like myself to figure this one out, Ise-boyo." I leaned back in my chair, running a tanned hand though my rust-red and ash-white two-tone hair as I sighed deeply at this as I continued.

"It means she trusted you enough to go to you first, before anyone else. She's crying out for help, Ise-boyo. My next question to you is this: Are you man enough to do as she needs of you in the days to come, or aren't you?" I practically saw the gears turning in his head, and could tell he was feeling the urge to smack himself for this one. Good, he can't always be relying on me to fix these things for him or answer his questions for him. By forcing him to think things through for himself, I am forcing him to learn how to do things on his own without needing others to hold his hand while he does it. If he learns to do this, then Ise-boyo could hold his own when he finally gets his own peerage. Besides, this was such an obvious answer he should have figured it out on his own without needing me to even spell it out for him.

Stupid fools and dumb-ass idiots never last long in the Moonlit World. I am a fool, but I am not stupid nor am I a dumb-ass idiot. I know what I can and cannot do, and work to surpass said limits in the only way I can. Ise-boyo needs to learn these things if he's to survive on his own for whatever may come his way in the future. I can't always be there to hold his hand every step of the way, nor can he expect others to do so. It'll be better if he gets it in his head to think things through for himself a little and try to figure things out on his own.

Gremory and Himejima walked into the room not long afterwards, followed shortly by Aika and the rest of the ORC members and the Gremory Peerage while Tetsu came out from the kitchen alongside Arielle as the two made some snacks for the rest of us. I simply eyed Gremory knowingly about what this meeting was most likely about. I leaned back in my seat as the lot of us gathered round. Just as we were getting ready to discuss things though...

"Right...I think I owe explanations for those about what's-" Just then, a magic circle appeared in the corner of the room, with the 'scent' of ash, both physical and magical, coming off of it as the crest of a certain clan of fire-birds appeared on it…

"PHENEX?!" Himejima suddenly shouts in shock, and the audacity of the unannounced or unapproved visitor put me instantly on edge. I wasn't the only one, as practically everyone in the room is prepared to lash out in the event of a threat. This guy apparently doesn't care much for personal boundaries, it would seem. My opinions were confirmed the moment he stepped out.

He was a young man who appeared in his twenties, with blonde hair and dark blue eyes. He was wearing a burgundy blazer with gold embroidery, a white partially open dress shirt revealing his chest slightly, and black dress shoes. The guy exuded confidence and arrogance in equal measure, yet the strong scent of ash emanated from him, though the 'depth' of it wasn't too impressive compared to some of the powerhouses I've met.

"Rias, my dear. You really should return my calls. I wouldn't have had to come personally to this insufferable world to speak with you if you hadn't ignored my attempts to contact you." The tone he speaks with instantly sours my mood. Yep, he acts just like Shinji, but with that Golden Bastard's level arrogance. He's is so smug in both his actions and manner of speech, that I honestly felt the urge to punch him, and THAT is saying something for our first meeting…

"I've been busy." Gremory snapped back, clearly irritated as all hell, no pun intended, by his chauvinistic attitude and his playboy appearance, and I do not feel any less irritable. And did he just insult the human world? Oh, this guy is like all the worst traits of both my former friend and natural enemy combined, yet none of their good points to balance it out. I think I see why she was so against this arrangement now…

"You've been busy for four whole days? Perhaps it is best to leave this place then, if it is so stressful? We wouldn't want you to suffer a loss of beauty from it. That would truly be a crime." He spoke almost off-handily, yet the sleazy way he leered at Gremory made me realize just how bad this guy was. "You do realize the situation is out of our hands? We are bound by a contract our parents both agreed to, besides the Gremory family's position isn't the best right now without an heir should anything happen to you."

"If that happens, then Millicas will become the next head of the Gremory house." Gremory shot back with a lot of barely restrained anger. Huh, guess she has a bit of a sore spot when the matter is involving family. Looks like she and I may have that in common.

"Do you really think that is wise? Your brother is one of the Satans. It would stink of favoritism. Which is why you becoming the heir is less messy of a situation." This fire-bird simply smirks arrogantly, as though he thought this out very well, yet all he's doing is making himself out to be even lower in all of our opinions of the bastard.

"Don't you DARE speak to Rias like that! Just who the hell do you think you are?!"

"I can speak with my fiance however I please, mongrel!" Oh uh-uh. He did NOT just say that. I was barely being able to hold back the urge to murder me a fire-bird right here and now from the memories of a certain golden bastard that one word brought back.

"FIANCE?!" Ise-boyo is completely caught off-guard by that, before the gears in his head finally click what was bothering her so badly, he glances over at me, but I simply give him a look that says 'later'. We need to deal with this first before we do get to that topic.

"I don't care what our parents say or what the contract says. I am NOT marrying you Riser!" Gremory is adamant on this, and I can tell the atmosphere is getting tense. Even I am tempted to step in soon if this keeps up.

"What makes you think either of us have a choice? I honestly don't care about the contract either, yet I have no choice but to go through with it, as do you as is your duty as the Heir of one of the original Houses of the 72 Demon Pillars." He speaks, and for a brief instant, I could see actual disdain in his voice at the topic of this arrangement. Guess he doesn't like it anymore than Gremory does, so why would he-

"And besides, making children is so very difficult for our race. It's best to get started early, and keep trying as many times as it takes." He says with a leer that suddenly raises the hackles of everyone in the room at this very blunt and unsubtle statement. My thoughts froze at that as I felt my anger rise at that one statement nearly exploding right that moment the thought finished processing. This bastard…

*CRACK* I glance over and saw both Tetsu and Aika both barely restraining themselves from shattering a glass in their grips from how tightly their hands were gripping them. Seems even Arielle was wanting to murder this guy. If even Tetsu was feeling the urge to throttle someone, then you know he was not a very good person to somehow piss off the otherwise stoic construct. I then realized something...forget what Gremory or anyone else told me, hell forget what I thought before. This guy was actually WORSE than Gilgamesh and Shinji both put together! I honestly did not even think that was possible…

"As if you will! Don't you lie to me! Who the hell would want to marry a douche-bag like you, Grilled Chicken!"

"WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME!?" The fire-bird screamed out in anger at the blatant insult while I barely suppressed the smirk at that one.

Normally, under any other circumstances I would have called Ise-boyo out on such a blatantly idiotic move, but in this case, I don't stop him, because I was literally right behind him on this one. This guy was just begging to receive a very sharp, serrated blade from a jagged sword right up his-

"THAT'S ENOUGH!"

An icy tone was spoken with authority to match the frigid antarctic cold unleashed as another magic circle appeared, this time with...huh, looks like Ise-boyo was not lying about the maid. So that's Grayfia Lucifuge. From my sources, she's the Gremory Houseshold's head maid as well as the wife of Gremory's older brother, the Crimson Satan Sirzechs Lucifer himself, and the Strongest Queen. Her siler hair was down in a double-braid with blue ribbons and had red lipstick, while dressed in a maid uniform...and she did NOT look too pleased as she arrived. As she appeared, she noticed how Tetsu, Arielle, Aika, and myself were among the gathering, and her eyes widened marginally at my presence, but collected herself quickly enough.

I internally smirked at that. Good, at least someone could tell outside of Gremory and Sona-kaichou that I was NOT someone to dismiss so easily as the fire-bird present did. This is why I like working with smart people who are professionals in their respective trades. Devil she may be, but Grayfia Lucifuge is a top-tier maid when it comes to fulfilling her duties to the House of Gremory. That, and she is not so stupid to dismiss me, given the rep I've been building up for myself lately, regardless whether I wish to or not. Even in another world where no other of my kind exists, my presence alone makes waves as a result of being a God-slayer...

"Grayfia! What are you doing here?" Gremory asks in surprise that she came at all.

"Lord Phenex-sama and Lord Zeoticus-sama were worried that this meeting could result in an argument, thus Sirzechs-sama recommended sending me and was decided I was to serve as a neutral third-party." Her eyes glanced over at me, with the rest of her message 'yet that doesn't seem necessary' left unspoken, since she wasn't sure why I was here. My respect for Lucifuge-san grew at that. She was certainly good at her job.

"Onii-sama did..." Gremory said in a barely audible whisper, yet could still be heard while she smiled and a hand went over her heart in appreciation.

"Tch, and this is why no one wants Millicas to become the next heir..."

The room temperature suddenly dropped very rapidly at that as Lucifuge-san unleashed a wave of pressure that chilled or cowed everyone but me and Tetsu from the sudden glacial rage the woman spoke with her next words as fire-bird there got himself cowed in terror of incurring her wrath for insulting her son again in Lucifuge-san's presence once again. Oh look, guess the fire-bird does have some self-preservation instincts in that empty skull of his after all. Who'd a thunk it?

"As a neutral third-party, I am here to inform you that since an accord cannot be met and that Rias-sama is unwilling to go through with the engagement, then it is decided that a Rating Game will be used to settle the issue of whether the marriage contract goes through or not." She put heavy emphasis on the 'neutral' part, but the implied meaning was not lost on me. She said 'a neutral third-party, not 'the neutral third-party'. I might not like playing politics, but I know someone being politically subtle for some reason when I see it. This is suspicious. My eyes narrow slightly at her choice of wording, especially when fried chicken and Gremory speak up about their acceptances.

Riser then summons his peerage right to his side, but I notice something that made my eyes narrow even further by the appearance, and I noticed a pattern. Devils form their peerages based on specific criteria for their recruitment that varies from Devil to Devil. Some use their Evil Pieces to from Harems, and it would seem that the third son of the House of Phenex did just that. His peerage members are all beautiful young women who fit different types and fetishes in how they are dressed. I also noticed his Bishop was also a pure-blooded devil with the same 'scent' he had...oh hell no...that was his own sister for Root's sake! There is a limit to just how sick you could be and how low one can go before going too far!

Ise-boyo then goes into a tirade about how unfair it is that he had a harem, and then fried chicken was flaunting it right in front of him by groping one of his peerage members blatantly in front of everyone present without any shame at all after Gremory told him that Ise-boyo's dream was to become a Harem King. I felt my brow twitch in annoyance at that, both Ise-boyo's antics and Fried Chicken's response. I noticed Lucifuge-san was no better and had a twitch of her own brow at the obvious provocation...and a certain Dragon fell right for it. Suddenly Ise-boyo shouts a challenge at the fire-bird while manifesting his Boosted Gear, and he responds in kind.

"Mira." He sighed out, and one of his peerage members, a young blue-haired woman with six pony-tails and light brown eyes stepped forth. She was dressed in what looked to be a traditional Japanese styled attire of a white haori with a red obi and happi coat, and a pair of zori. Pulling a bo staff, she takes a swing at Ise-boyo, yet the blow never connects. Surprising everyone, Ise-boyo and Mira are both frozen in place, their faces shocked as their shadows are pierced by one sword in particular that gives them a very unnerving feeling.

"I think that is quite enough, don't you agree Lucifuge-san?" I speak up for the first time this whole meeting, and everyone that can looks to me. The fire-bird seems to only just now realize that was even here, along with Tetsu, Arielle, and Aika. While he leered at the girls, when he saw my glare, he suddenly froze under my piercing gaze of gold and silver.

"Agreed, Emiya-dono. Though would you please remove these blades." Lucifuge-san asked me politely and respectfully, though I could tell she was somewhat nervous. Not surprising, considering just what these swords were to them. Black Keys were sanctified swords meant for eliminating their kind, after all.

Nodding my head, I dismissed the swords and freed both Ise-boyo and Mira, though all eyes were now on me as I spoke up. "I think both parties here need to cool it off a bit, as both were in the wrong here to varying extents." Turning to Gremory, I decided to address her first. "Gremory, you are the host here. As such, no matter how much you may be provoked, you must not lose your temper, lest you insult your position as the host of this meeting." While she was upset I would say such, the fried chicken simply smirked, to which I then addressed him next.

"As for you, fire-bird." He frowned and his brow twitched at my tone and choice of wording, but I didn't give a shit right now. "You are a guest here, therefore you have certain courtesies you must abide by which you have not. Blatantly insulting your host as such and deliberately trying to pick a fight with said host's servants is NOT appropriate actions to take as the guest in this situation." I then get up out of my chair to grab a little something, and Tetsu simply notices what I had planned as he helps me with getting some of the snacks to go with it.

"As such, and to prevent any further outbursts that for all intents and purposes should not even have occurred had both parties been following simple courtesy..." At this I pointedly glare at the fire-bird to get the point across. "...we shall try this again and I shall provide some refreshments to try and get the ball rolling on this."

Handing each of the Phenex Peerage's members a teacup filled with refreshment, I give the fire-bird one as well, and they all take a sip. While the women seemed to enjoy it, fried chicken on the other hand suddenly choked, and spat out fire instead of the tea as he coughed, much to most of those present's surprise.

"Wha-*coughs*what was*hacks* this!?"

"Oops, so sorry. My bad. Looks like I accidentally gave you a bit of Tetsu's personal stock by mistake. So sorry about that." I said completely unapologetic in such a blatant manner as I internally smirked at the expected result he gave me. Not that I didn't understand his reaction. I needed two whole days to regenerate my entire digestive tract after I drank that same liquid fire, and I have total immunity to fire. He'd need a few days to rest and heal that up, which will give us the time we need for my little plan.

"You! No one could drink such a vile concoction as this swill!" He shouted in a raspy voice as his throat was healing. His anger flared, and the temperature seemed to raise a bit. Lucifuge-san looked at me in interested confusion, until Tetsu picked up the big jug of the very drink I poured fried chicken, popped the top off of it, then chugged the whole thing down right in front of everyone with a very audible glug-glug-glugging right as he drained the whole four-gallon jug dry. Tetsu then set the thing on the coffee table before the Phenex, exhaled a large amount of smoky wisps with embers of still-hot ash with it, and uttered a single word response in his trademark stoic tone and demeanor to everyone's surprise.

"Wuss."

"WHY YOU! I am going to burn you to-"

Fried chicken rose from his seat, fully intent on attacking Tetsu. The room temperature suddenly rose another few degrees as the fire-bird decided to try and lash out personally at the living construct, who he perceived as weaker and below his notice until now alongside myself. Lucifuge-san never got the chance to intervene when fried chicken decided to try and roast Tetsu, nor did she ever move to do so. The reason? She didn't even need to and she knew this, unlike the Fried Chicken here.

His anger was very quickly replaced with shock when I began to leak my presence out after his flames got snuffed out...with my bare hand drawing his fire into it before crushing the flames out of existence via my Wrought Iron Claw used in conjunction with [Flames of Creation], yet the temperature never dropped from where it was, making it clear that I was the one generating the sudden heat in the room, not him.

"You will not finish that sentence, fried chicken. You are not going to pull any further insults here in my presence. And you will most certainly NOT be throwing any more insults and baiting us into attacking you just so you can claim self-defense, only to get pissed just because we turned the tactic back unto you. Have some shame. Am I clear?"

I did not yell. I did not raise my voice. I did not even bat an eye. Yet the sheer power and authority behind my tone made it painfully clear to him that he was the one who didn't know his place, nor just whom he insulted so blatantly. The sudden overwhelming pressure I exuded was fairly intense, and with the exception of Tetsu and Lucifuge-san, all present could barely move under it. I noticed how Asia-chan was struggling a bit, so I decided to get the point across.

"I said am I clear?!"

"Crystal!"

"Good." I reigned in my presence, eliminating the pressure being exerted as those being crushed under it began to breathe easy again. "I may choose to live as a human, I may choose to count myself among humanity, but never did I say I was one, and whether I am human or not is an open debate that will never be settled. Mine is an overbearing presence within existence, fire-bird. I am not kind and gentle due to inability to be any different; I am so by choice. Do. Not. Mistake me for otherwise."

They all looked at me in surprise, with the exceptions of Tetsu, Lucifuge-san(though personally I believe she was better at hiding her shock), Arielle, and Gremory, though that last one was still a bit shocked just how much power I had at my disposal. I then looked at fried chicken, and told him what we'd do to settle this issue once and for all.

"Ten days."

"What?"

"Ten days. In ten days, I can train Gremory and her peerage to beat you in a Rating Game. Because aside from yourself, your sister right there, and whom I assume is your Queen, the rest of your peerage do not even come close to the level of power needed to match the supposed feats you've accomplished, and that's just barely even then. Since Gremory's peerage is composed of two newly turned members who haven't been Devils for more than a few weeks at the most, that's how long I intend to train them to be up to snuff...that is unless you'd like to fight them when they don't even have a chance to provide a challenge to you."

I smirk as his rage burns, yet he knows if he tries anything with me, I'd beat him senseless. I left the rather unsubtle jab at his pride go unspoken, just to get him pissed with me. So instead he growls in irritation before consenting to the agreement.

"Fine! In ten days, we'll meet again for a Rating Game." Fried Chicken turns to Gremory to finish his statement. "Enjoy your freedom while you can, Rias." after which, his peerage and himself teleport themselves out via the teleportation circle in the corner of the room. Instead of leaving right away, Lucifuge-san simply remains and looks at me with a curious glint in her eyes.

"Emiya...what was that?"

"That, Gremory, was me buying you time. Pissing him off was a deliberate move on my part. Angry people typically don't make sound choices in the heat of the moment, plus, giving him Tetsu's private stock was intentional for another reason than me just pissing him off." I turn to Lucifuge-san as I nodded respectfully. "Lucifuge-san. That little sip he took will be enough to keep him from doing anything for the next two days while his regeneration works overtime to heal it. Trust me, I know this from first-hand experience. We got two days to prepare for training, you all better get ready, 'cuz Daemon-Sensei here is about to put you all through training camp hell."

"I shall make the preparations, then." Lucifuge-san says while bowing respectfully as she makes her exit to fulfill her duties to the utmost degree of professionalism. The others began making preparations as well. We need time to get ready, and I bought us all the time we'll need to get everything done.

They looked shocked by my proclamation, but also nervous by how I phrased it, none more so than Ise-boyo. After all, aside from Asia-chan, he's the only one here who knows just how serious my training methods are. I smirked at their reactions to my proclamations. Time to prepare for how to deal with a fire-bird…

Scene Change-One Hour Later

Kuoh Student Council Room

Third-person P.O.V.

"EMIYA-KUN, ARE YOU AN IDIOT?!"

Sona all but yelled at Shirou as he entered to deliver the second of the pendants which would have given both Kiyome and her father the means to safely enter and exit the hatchery for the Arachne young after finding out about what happened with Riser and Rias. And she was NOT happy at all…

"Calm down Kaichou!" Genshirou all but begged from Sona at her outburst. He and Sona were the only ones currently in the Student Council Room as the rest were out and about dealing with the various clubs and school functions while preparing for the Rating Game that Rias will need to undergo to determine her future. When they heard about what happened, he honestly felt glad Shirou did what he did, even if the woman he loved didn't quite understand or get why Shirou would as a man…

"Calm down? Calm DOWN?! You're opponent is a Phenex! A PHENEX! Do you even understand just what that means?!" Sona glared at Shirou as she said this, while Genshirou simply sighed in resignation, the unspoken message of 'you're on your own' written all over his face and received loud and clear. The Sword Forger on the other hand was neither bothered by the issue in the slightest. He simply gave a response that gave them pause by his nonchalance.

"By Phenex do you mean as in the supposedly immortal fire-bird of a similar name that is said to rise from the ashes of its own fiery demise?"

"YES!"

"...meh."

Shirou's rather flippant response to her confirmation did not help her current stress levels.

"Meh? MEH?! Don't you 'meh' me! This is serious!" Sona shouted her rant, before Shirou simply raised a single hand with four fingers extended to halt her.

"Huh?" Genshirou said in response with his confusion evident upon his face.

"What's that?" Sona asked why Shirou is stopping her tirade with her confusion equally apparent to Genshirou's own.

"Four." Shirou simply said in succinct response.

"Pardon?"

"That is the number of supposedly immortal fire-birds I've faced now, including this one fight to come. The only difference is this time I won't be the one fighting them nor will it be to the death. Though the first two of which in that count I killed personally."

"SAY WHAT?!" the Saji scion shouted as he spoke for himself and Sona, the disbelief written on both of their faces. He wasn't lying either. Shirou really had killed two supposed phoenixes prior to coming to Kuoh as a result of some jobs he did for Zelretch in the past. Granted one had been severely weakened after being trapped in a bounded field for who knows how many centuries while the other was resurrected by a mad magus in a desperate attempt to gain immortality by literally devouring and fusing it with himself, but again, those were simply mere technicalities. Either way, this isn't the first time he's fought one. Though Shirou understood why they were so surprised by this, hearing he'd technically killed a supposedly mythical beast they thought didn't exist anymore, if ever at all, and they were literal devils.

"I believe I've said it before, did I not? We of the Emiya clan are a family that specializes in killing the unkillable. I personally have even taken on beings of Divine origin and come out on top. Just because they are touted as immortal or unkillable, does not mean they cannot be killed so long as you have the right tools for the job under the right circumstances. Nothing lives forever, and anything can die. Nothing truly lives forever, not even the supposed phoenix this fried chicken claims himself to be. I simply plan to help Gremory out by teaching humility to a chicken that's begun to think itself too big for its coop."

"...that's a surprisingly ruthless attitude you are taking here Shirou. What's up?" Genshirou asked the Sword Forger in concern. He may not have known him for more than a few months, but Saji Genshirou is rather good buddies with him, even if the two might not see quite eye to eye on certain things in regards to a certain perverted dragon among the Gremory Peerage.

"...the fact you guys kind of undersold JUST how bad the Fried Chicken was. Forget what you and Gremory told me about him, hell forget what anyone said about him, Riser Phenex is far WORSE in person than what anyone said to prepare me for this meeting with him. He's like someone took all the worst traits of Matou Shinji and a certain Golden Bastard, while giving him none of their good traits, and combining them together!"

"...who are you talking about?"

"...Golden Bastard is what I called him, because I refused to call him anything else with how arrogant he was and conceited, yet he at least had to power to back up said prideful arrogance. As for Shinji...he's a former friend of mine, may his soul rot in whatever hell he found himself in for what he did."

"What happened." Genshirou did not ask. He knew something must have been bad for Shirou of all people to have such ill-words spoken of a person in such a blatant manner.

"He was the son of a magi family that fell from grace after they slowly lost the ability to wield magic, becoming a mage family in name only. I often had his little sister who was a year younger than me come over to my house for ten years, only to find out the reason she did so was because said 'big brother' had been beating her for years when I found the bruises that the little shit put on her himself."

"WHAT?! He beat his own sister?! Why did he do that?!"

"Because he 'felt like it'." Shirou answered while rolling his eyes at those last three words. Sona gasped at that, anger obvious in indignant fury, yet the words to come out of her Pawn's mouth shocked her a bit.

"He said WHAT!? Please tell me you punched the bastard in the jaw." Genshirou asked, only to get a gasp of disbelief from Sona, but he ignored her. There are some things she could not understand, as only men know the unspoken rules of the bro code's unwritten laws.

"SAJI!"

"Broke it in one punch and I haven't regretted it since."

Sona was surprised by this as she saw the Sword Forger and the Sitri Pawn nod in mutual understanding. Sona didn't get why they were approving of the action, and she never would. It was one of the unspoken rules of the Bro Code that Shinji broke: A man never hits his own younger siblings he's supposed to protect.

"Anyway, Sona-kaichou, since you know about what transpired between fried chicken and Gremory, the ORC and myself will need to take some time off for the training camp I intend to put them through. Tetsu and I got the clear from our boss to tell him we got another job we needed to deal with, and that we'd need to deal with this one, as it's a family business. Which honestly isn't entirely untrue, given the Emiya's were notorious as a family of freelance mercenaries with ties to the supernatural. My Old Man in particular was so infamous in mercenary circles that to this day, mercenaries flat-out refuse any job that had the name Emiya listed anywhere among the names of potential enemies to face. He just left that much of an impression of sheer terror upon them."

With that, Shirou left in order to test the ORC and decide how to move from their for their training. He had a couple days of leeway in order to test their mettle and decide how to train them before he could officially start, as per the agreement he made with Riser. Time for him to get started and fulfill part of his contract with Rias and Sona as their ally…

First Holiday Omake: April's Fools Day Special

Emiya Residence

Third-person P.O.V.

Raynare was simply waiting for Shirou to return as she did her new daily routine as part of her contract that forced her to become his slave for lack of a better word thanks to Azazel's contract of servitude and final order to her right before he gave her the boot from the Grigori.

*Ding-Dong*

She went to answer the doorbell, only to find herself faced with two people she truly didn't want to see.

"...welcome. Master isn't here, so I'm afraid you'll need to wait for him for whatever it is you wanted from him."

Raynare says with a strained smile as Sona Sitri, Kiryuu Aika, and Arielle Chibana were at the door. Coming in, yet being wary after hearing about it from Shirou, Sona was still rather distrusting of Raynare after what she pulled, and Aika and Arielle were both equally wary for different reasons.

As they went to wait for Shirou to arrive, the doorbell rang again. Raynare went to see who it was again, only this time there wasn't anyone there, just a box addressed to Shirou on the doorstep with no one around who could have dropped it off. Shrugging, Raynare simply picked up the package and brought it inside.

"Who was it?" Aika asked the former Grigori Assassin as the Fallen simply shrugged her shoulders.

"Don't know. Someone just dropped it off with only a label saying it was for Master. I didn't see who dropped it off or where they went."

"A suspicious package wasjust simply dropped off on your master's doorstep, and you brought it inside without knowing who dropped it off or what was inside it?" Sona asked her incredulously at the actions.

"Hey! He's a wizard. For all I know, this could be something from a fellow wizard sending him something he paid for and is now receiving." Raynare defended herself.

"Well, what could be in it?" Aika asked as she put her hand on the box, right before the package suddenly began to burst open as a surprisingly monotonously robotic voice spoke out.

"Subject compatibility: Exemplary. Beginning User registration..."

"WHAT?!" They all shouted, right before Sona ran up to Aika and tried to remove the box from her hands, only to find herself getting stuck holding it along with Aika and couldn't pull her hands off of it.

"KIRYUU! WHAT is going ON!" Sona shouted in sudden panic.

"I don't know!"

Suddenly a flash of light appeared, and Raynare and Arielle were being scared shitless by the display of power unleashed, cowering in the corner as the next shouts were released…

"NOOOO!"

Scene Change

With Shirou

Shirou had just gotten back from work with Tetsu as they cleared up the schedule with Kaho and Kawako as they prepared their schedule for training Rias and the Gremory peerage, but a sudden disturbance in the air put them on guard. Running towards their home, they say as an army of Konekos were chasing the Perverted Trio of Kuoh Academy, the air filled with bubbles, and reality itself seemingly being disrupted for whatever reason.

"EMIYA! What is going on!?" Rias shouted as they ran to the source of the disturbance with the members of the Student Council and the Gremory Peerage members who weren't affected by whatever the hell this was.

"I don't know, but I have I bad feeling about-!?"

Shirou's reason for being cut off was made clear as everyone looked and saw, much to their disbelief, Sona Sitri, dressed in a magic girl outfit of all things, and it was a pure blue and purple one, with frills and ribbons, next to Kiryuu Aika, in a similar but pink and white colored one, and glaring at Shirou as his mind practically halted.

"What is going on here?!"

"Probably whatever was in that box someone sent you Master."

They all looked at Raynare, only for the men present to suddenly choke on the very air itself as she walked up, blushing madly as she was wearing nothing but fishnet over her entire body and dominatrix leather, yet her form had been revealed even more so than she was comfortable with.

"Wait...what box..." Shirou asked in growing dread as he knew he felt this mystic presence before, but hoped to the Root he was wrong…

"That would be us, Shirou!"

"What Nee-san said."

Shirou turned to look at the two objects floating right in front of Aika and Sona, with a pit forming in his stomach by what he saw. He really did not need this right now, Root-dammit! But right before things could get any better, a magic circle appeared and out of it came Serafell Leviathan, and She began to start squealing like a kid at Christmas getting the best present of all time.

"So-tan! So you've finally embraced the glory that is Mahou Shoujo! Levi-tan is so proud of you!" She rushes forth and hugs her little sister, and Sona just glares at Shirou and sniffles as she barely holds back tears.

"I*sniff*hate you*sniff*so much..."

Shirou's mind is about to break from this utter insanity, before Arielle walks up to him, with a happy, almost euphoric way of acting as she hands him a scrap of paper and hangs off of him, her outfit a literal match to Raynare's current one, only she in her magically induced lust-addled state of mind was practically throwing herself at Shirou as she gave the reason for the utter insanity that was occurring now in the form of a note…

'Shirou,

I am currently going on a quick break and need someone to watch Ruby and Sapphire for me. Please make sure to keep an eye on them until I get them back in about a week.

Zelretch'

"Who is Zelretch?" Genshirou asks before going back to ogling Sona and discretely taking her picture, but Shirou simply falls to his knees, throws his head back, and yells to the very heavens themselves just one thing as sanity itself is thrown out the window…

"Root-damn you Zelretch!"

Then Aika dog-piles him with Arielle in an attempt to get in his pants right then and there...