Slayers of Kuoh: Slayers of DxD Reboot

by TheJSmooth

Kuoh recently gained new citizens who wielded magic never heard of or seen before. Who are they? Where did they come from? Make no mistake, the worlds of Fairy Tail and DxD will be changed… for better and for worse. This is their adventure... for this is the story of the Slayers of DxD!

11. Chapter 10

A/N: Yo!

So, I should address the obvious… yes this story will go on. Just at a snail's pace.

Will 100YQ be featured? Maybe.

What about Smut/Lemons/Limes?

Look… the site has recently been changing its policies regarding what authors can publish regarding explicit content and explicit acts. The chances of smut/lemons being published as part of the main story and the bonus chapter on this site are slim. That said… I may end up putting the scenes/content on AO3. I won't cross-post the main story. I will most likely publish the bonus content, which features hot and heavy scenes starring our cast.

Honestly, it's a shame but hey. Gotta adapt. (Have mercy on me Admins!)

Naruto should have grown his hair out as he got older.

Ichigo should have grown his hair out like he had after training in the Dangai.

Shoutout to the artist dangerousbride! She makes spectacular art, including pieces featuring Dante, Nero and Lady from the Devil May Cry series. Seriously, I nearly died at how adorable Baby Nero/Little Nero was when he rode his tricycle.

Lastly, we need a proper Deadpool crossover with the entire Anime-verse or at least select series. So far, I've seen Wade in RWBY, Akame ga Kill, DC, Naruto but not a whole lot else. Very few fans and writers can connect and write Deadpool's character well enough to make a good story. Kind of sad he isn't featured more in Anime/Manga stories.

On with the show!

Disclaimer:

The Original Authors of Slayers of DxD were (and still are) Crossover Wizard Master and dude932. All credit for the original intent of the story goes to them.

Hiro Mashima and any related parties own Fairy Tail and any related spin-offs, sequels or products of any kind with regards to the series

Ichiei Ishibumi and Miyama-Zero along with any related parties own High School DxD and any related products of any kind with regards to the series.

Any characters, places and ideas used in this story do not belong to me.

Music, Songs and Soundtracks featured in this story do not belong to me and are used for the readers benefit. However, should you feel the need to have your own selection on hand, feel free to listen while read you read to enhance your own experience.

Use and/or mentions of historical figures, pop culture icons, religion and religious figures in general will be in this story for purely entertainment purposes.

---

Que Opening

"After Dark"

---

April

Wednesday

Kuoh Town, Japan

Kuoh Park

Morning

It was a beautiful day in Kuoh Town. It was a typical day in Kuoh Town.

As always, those who worked conducted their routine or rituals before embarking from their home.

The various students that attended Kuoh Academy found their way to school in a myriad of ways.

Enter the Ninja Girls.

Akari and Enju were best friends since childhood. Both their families were devout to the Shinto religion while also dabbling in martial arts and the way of shinobi. Their ties ultimately led them to growing together, sharing many great memories and even becoming full-fledged ninja.

School life for the two were both sides of the same coin of success. Enju was a scholar at the top of her class, a full-fledged role model for her peers and someone the faculty could depend on. Meanwhile, Akari was often seen as goofy, outgoing, bright and despite not being the scholar Enju was, she was not to be underestimated in the brains department.

As the two walked down the sidewalk, iced coffee in their hands and bag slung on their shoulders, they conversed about everything.

"So, you thinking of coming over this weekend Enju?" Akari prompted.

"Honestly, I'm not sure. I need to see what we have in terms of class work. If the work's light, we can plan something out." Enju replied.

Akari pouted a bit at that. Leave it to Enju to be so diligent. It was one of the reasons why Akari admired her best friend so much. Enju's hard work had gotten her recognition and given her so many opportunities. Not only that, Enju was very kind, as opposed to the near professionalism and properness she displayed at school. Some even spread rumors that she and Sona Shitori were somehow long-lost cousins because of how serious they could be. The only difference, at least Enju smiled more.

The two Kunoichi continued on their path to school, allowing themselves to fall back into casual, comfortable conversation. It stayed like this for several more minutes until Akari spotted something peculiar.

"Hey Enju! Look!"

Enju stopped alongside her companion before looking towards what drew Akari's attention. Issei Hyoudou was apparently on his way to school earlier than usual

"What the devil is that hentai up to this time?" Enju questioned with a suspicious frown.

The pair of Kunoichi watched as Issei daydreamed for a moment before encountering an oddly dressed blonde. The blonde in question seemed to be a year or two younger than them based on appearance. However, what caught Akari's attention was the contents on the poor girl's suitcase, which seemed to contain a certain item necessary for all girls to wear. Unless you were the adventurous type.

"Oh wow! I have the same kind at home!"

Enju sent a questioning glance towards her best friend before looking at what she was looking at. Enju's eye took an irritable twitch as she saw the hentai she disliked holding nun girl's cute panties with a blush.

"Akari…" Enju muttered.

Akari let out a carefree laugh before they both returned their attention to Issei and nun girl. They watched the two interact and both smiled as Issei wasn't showing his perverted side. He was being genuine. It was something the students attending Kuoh often got to see outside of Aika maybe.

"Should we go do something or…" Akari trailed off with a smile.

Adjusting her bag and flipping her hair, Enju hummed.

"It's not really our business Akari. Whatever that boy does that isn't involving the supernatural is none of our concern." Enju replied with a shrug.

Akari tilted her head in slight confusion.

"But she's a nun…" Akari tried to reason.

Both kunoichi were startled by a cry near the playground. Looking to the source, they saw a young boy crying after having scraped his knee. Akari and Enju felt bad for the little boy and were considering helping him. The consideration was put aside when the young nun step forward and called forth a magical power. Issei, as well as Akari and Enju were wide eyed as they came to a stunning realization regarding the young girl's power.

("A Sacred Gear!") they exclaimed mentally.

The boy had stopped crying and thanked the nun before running off to find his mother. His mother, just so happened to be nearby and started a chat. Noticing the nun and the boy's tale, the mother adopted a warm smile and bowed gratefully towards the girl. The young nun in return beamed a smile and waved at the pair as they left the park.

Issei, carrying his bag and the girl's baggage, talked to her some more before leaving themselves. As the pair left, Akari and Enju shared a serious look.

"Follow them?" Akari asked.

"Follow them." Enju replied.

Nodding, both kunoichi rushed off, making sure to stay hidden and at a distance behind Issei and his new friend.

---

Abandoned Church

"Ah! We're here!"

This was the exclamation of Asia Argento, a recently banished/ex-communicated nun from the Catholic Church. During her time serving the lord, Asia had many hobbies and activities that were paired with her daily life of service. Asia loved drawing, singing, was an amateur botanist, talented chef and was a beginning linguist. Before coming to Kuoh, Asia had learned limited Japanese. Asia of course learned English, along with Italian and French during her stay in Italy.

As her and her new friend Issei stood in front of the abandoned church, Issei was getting bad vibes from the place. This was due to Issei's devil nature rejecting all things holy. He had also received bad vibes from Asia's bible as well as the cross she carried. Despite this, Issei felt happy and was very glad he took his time getting to school today. Even if it was his dream to have a harem, if he ever committed to one girl, Asia would be a great candidate on a short list.

"Well Asia, I have to get to school now. It was nice meeting you." Issei said with small smile.

Asia nodded happily before frowning. Though they had just met, Asia was not ready for Issei to leave. He had become her first friend in a very long time. Ever since leaving the church, not many had wanted to show kindness towards her. Still, she showed kindness to them because she could never wish ill on her fellow man.

"Do you have to go?" Asia asked saddened.

Issei adopted an apologetic expression before placing a hand on Asia's shoulder.

"Can't really miss a day of school. But, when I find the time I will come and visit you. That way, I can give you a proper tour of Kuoh." Issei assured.

The idea of exploring her surroundings excited Asia. Her travel had been limited while being in the church, even when visiting other branches and sects.

"Really? Can we do that?" Asia questioned.

Issei chuckled before offering up his pinky. Asia stared at it a moment before hooking her tiny digit with Issei's own. Both had light blushes but beamed large smiles.

"It's a promise!" Issei declared.

A moment later, Issei was waving at Asia, who happily waved back from the entrance to the church. Issei happily hummed a random tune while making his way to school. Nearby, Enju was perched on a tree, watching the interaction go down. She cursed internally as she had not seen it sooner. This nun and the sacred gear's power that was displayed earlier, pointed a clue towards an obvious objective.

That nun was Asia Argento. And if Irene's analysis was anything to go by, the clock was running on Asia's life.

Hopping down, Enju glanced around before looking at a bush. From the bush emerged Akari, who somehow changed into a full combat uniform complemented by face paint, protective head gear, elbow pads and knee pads. Enju sweat dropped at the sight before clearing her throat.

"We have to tell the others." Enju stated.

Akari nodded and both disappeared, running to campus at high speeds.

---

Kuoh Academy

It was usual business for the students of Kuoh Academy.

The Slayers (minus Natsu) were in attendance, simply explaining Natsu's absence as him being sick.

Anna of course was happily enjoying time with her students. Even if it was a cover, Anna was preparing for her future career as an educator once she returned to Earth Land.

Irene of course was tending to light paperwork. She worked with such efficiency that all the administrative work seemed trivial.

The representatives of the Shinto faction mingled amongst themselves and the students.

As for the Devils and those connected with them, they busied themselves with other matters while pondering recent events.

---

(Scene Change – Issei and Aika)

Second Year Classroom

Issei immediately sat down and slammed his head on the desk. After entering school grounds, Issei was snagged by members of the Student Council as well as the staff in charge of his morning detention. His afternoon detention had been redacted due to being formally inducted in the ORC. That said, his ass was still finely chewed out before he was given a warning and sent on his way.

Aika Kiryuu noticed her longtime friend once again down and decided to lighten up his morning. After approaching his desk, Aika smirked before crossing her arms and cocking her hip.

"Oh stud muffin!~"

Issei groaned before moving so the side of his face was on the desk instead of his now sore nose and forehead.

"What do you want Kiryuu?" Issei asked.

Aika sighed before placing her hands on her hips.

"Honestly Issei, you should be taking care of yourself. I understand you boys have desires and needs to be fulfilled. Which, by the way I can fulfill for you upon request…"

Issei sat up with a look of disbelief, incredulity and a hint of curiosity.

"But you need to take better care of yourself. I want to see you well and successful in life. I mean… we are friends right?"

Issei stared at Aika a few moments before chuckling sheepishly. Despite her antics, Issei liked and trusted Aika. She was one of his longtime friends, even if they didn't hang out as much as the years went on.

"Of course we are. Sorry for worrying you." Issei replied earnestly.

Aika smiled brightly before nodding in satisfaction. She then looked at Issei with an inquisitive stare.

"So…"

Issei quirked a brow.

"So…?"

Aika planted her hands on the desk, making Issei sit straight up. Glancing at her mischievous expression, then her hands and then back again, the newly reincarnated devil of Gremory got a bit nervous.

"Tell me what's on your mind champ. Let sister Kiryuu help you out of that funk of yours." Aika offered.

Drawing out a long-exasperated sigh, Issei sat back and crossed his arms. There was honestly a lot on his mind. His buddies were coming back today but he wasn't really interested in what would happen when they did. Because of the new rules, the Perverted Trio could no longer have free reign on campus to continue their perverted antics. Though saddened a bit, Issei could do without the necessary drama now that he was in a club.

He was also involved in the supernatural world (holy shit nuggets B-man!), which he could not tell Aika about, mainly for her safety.

Then there was the fact he made a friend in Asia, a young nun with a golden heart. She was so pure that if she asked Issei to give up some of his porn collection, he'd be highly tempted to give in to the request.

("Which begs the question, where do I start?")

---

(Scene Change – Rogue, Gajeel, Tengge and Lily)

Kuoh Academy Rooftop Access

Rogue and Gajeel made their way up the stairs before stopping at the door to the roof. Turning to look at his brother, Rogue gave Gajeel a look.

"Be extra aware of our surroundings. We can't have the Devils or unwanted parties learning of important info." Rogue cautioned.

Gajeel rolled his eyes and patted Rogue on his shoulder.

"Relax Lyos, you're too paranoid. You need to learn when to loosen up. In fact…"

Gajeel then smirked after he gripped Rogue's shoulder.

"Maybe that mascot of the school can help with that. Whether as Shirone or Koneko, depending on preference." Gajeel teased.

Rogue narrowed his eyes and brushed off Gajeel's hand off his shoulders. Not bothering to wait on his fellow Slayer, Rogue opened the door and found his footing on the school building's rooftop. With Gajeel following on his right side, Rogue immediately spotted one of the senior most Kunoichi representatives. From the ponytail and ribbon, the Shadow user surmised it to be Lily Fuma. But from what he was told, the meeting was supposed to have an equal number of representatives. So where-

"Hello Handsome!~"

A pair of feminine hands covered Rogue's view, stopping the Shadow user in his tracks. His ears picked up a sigh from Lily and some sniggering from Gajeel. Rogue already figured who the other representative was.

"Can you guess who I am?" the voice queried playfully.

With a pair of bountiful orbs pressed against his back and a familiar scent flooding his senses, it was easy for Rogue to say.

"Greetings Miss Yomoda." He said in a monotone.

"Oh fuu~!"

With a playful pout, Tengge released her hold on Rgoue and now entered his view. With a quirked brow, Rogue looked questioningly at the purple haired vixen.

"You're no fun handsome. Why not play along a bit? Makes things more exciting!~" Tengge suggested with a smile.

Shoving a hand in his pocket, Rogue turned his attention to the matter at hand.

"I'll pass." Rogue bluntly brushed off.

Slightly put out, Tengge made to retort before Lily intervened with an eye roll.

"Enough Tengge. We have a meeting to conduct. Time is of the essence." She lightly chided.

"Ah… you're right." Tengge relented with a sigh.

With the two sides facing each other the meeting began.

"So… what is the news from the Shinto Faction and the Youkai. It's been some time since we've heard from them." Rogue started.

Tengge planted a hand on her hip and traded a glance with Lily, who had her arms crossed. Lily then stepped forward.

"After your debut in Kyoto and the intervention in the incident involving Lady Yasaka's daughter, many in the Youkai faction are leaning towards offering their full support. That is, with the blessing of the Shinto Gods." Lily informed.

"Not only that, you boys and little Wendy did a fine job of exposing some major players in the supernatural." Tengge added with a wink.

"Oh yeah… whatever happened to that Devil Lady Salamander beat? What was her name again?" Gajeel thought aloud.

Rogue glanced Gajeel's direction pointedly.

"You know very well who she is. As to what she's doing, let's just say her allies won't suspect a damn thing. If they do, she'll be put under our protection."

Gajeel nodded and Rogue directed his attention back to the Kunoichi.

"And what do they all think of the mission against the Himejima clan?" Rogue asked.

Tengge for once dropped the playful expression and adopted a more calm, cold look.

"Irene and the Gods did a lot of favors that day helping give that clan a clean slate. The Youkai were more than happy to lend their support." Tengge stated.

Rogue nodded in satisfaction. Though their time in Japan and on this world would be limited, the least the Slayers could do was make significant change in the supernatural world. With the way politics were, they had to play a careful game as to not get caught in the radar of more powerful beings.

"What of your business here though?" Lily queried.

Gajeel scoffed before crossing his arms.

"These Devils ain't as powerful as some of us were hopin' for given past experiences and whatnot. That said, they have potential and their personalities match the scouting reports we got." Gajeel answered.

"We've only tested one group in combat though. We haven't seen the full capabilities of the Sitri group but I should be able to gauge the Gremory peerage tonight." Rogue added.

"You don't say?" Tengge spoke up.

Rogue nodded in affirmation.

"They will be hunting a stray devil. A result of a system that has been abused and somewhat broken. Hopefully one day the issues can be worked out. But that's beyond my worries at the moment."

The group then let the silence settle over them, mulling over information and events.

Rias and Sona lived up to the examples of what Devils could be and should be. They valued humanity not only as equals but also as allies. Their Devil nature also allowed them to see humanity as invaluable resources to replenish their numbers. However, they were a bit naïve, mainly in Rias' case, with regards of the impact of the Evil Pieces and the Peerage system. Certain families and clans within the surviving pillars from the Great War abused both assets to a point where the hammer rarely ever came down on them.

It was also the traditionalist mindset that led to the near extinction of the Nekoshou, a Youkai race that fell under the Shinto Teito's general jurisdiction. Most of the survivors ended up with the Devils while a select few managed to make it back to Kyoto.

Despite the allowance of Devils in Japan, the Yokai and the Shinto Teito faction still had a strained and fragile relationship with all of Devil kind.

Now, with the involvement of Irene, Anna and the Slayers they could unravel mysteries and cases that have plagued the supernatural world for several years. Their debut in Kyoto helped open the door to the Nekoshou incident and who was really involved. If some of the theories that Irene came up with were true, there were traitors within the current faction of Devils.

("But that will come at another time. For now, we continue the curious case as to who this Fallen Cadre is working with and what other connections there are.") Rogue pondered.

The shadow user narrowed his eyes when he remembered something else.

("And just what the hell does Asia Argento have to do with all this?")

---

(Scene Change – Rias and Sona)

Student Council Office

"I'm glad you were able to make time for this meeting."

Their queens had been dismissed for the time being, encouraged to take a walk and converse amongst themselves.

In the meantime, Rias and Sona would play chess together like they usually did. Although Sona dabbled in other games, in which most of the time she beat Rias in, chess was the go-to.

"I would have come yesterday I assure you Sona. But my newly minted pawn's situation took precedence."

Sona froze up mid move before slowly moving a piece. She then narrowed her eyes before looking up at Rias.

"Issei Hyoudou?"

Rias glanced up for a moment before looking back down. Though she was in thought, she already knew that her childhood friend would piece everything together without verbal confirmation. Leaning back with an audible sigh, Sona crossed her legs before continuing to eye Rias.

"So… you actually did it." Sona stated with a nod.

Rias looked up. Given Sona's tone and the look she was giving, Rias puffed her cheeks.

"You don't have to be a sourpuss about it Sona!" Rias exclaimed with a pout.

Sona continued to look at Rias with a mixture of slight disappointment along with unimpressed. Though she sensed Issei Hyoudou's power, it wasn't really anything impressive. She was honestly worried if Issei didn't turn out to be as powerful as Rias was making him.

"How many pieces did he take anyways?" Sona queried.

"All of my pawn pieces."

Sona's eyes widened slightly and she hummed in surprise. To take a single pawn piece was normal among most peerages. Depending on the clan and family, some peerages had members where they took multiple pawn pieces, never going higher than 2 or 3. But all 8 pieces? Saji only received half that number.

"Immense potential. Potential that even surpasses Saji's. I'm quite curious to see how successful Issei will be under your leadership Rias."

Rias made another move and sent Sona a smile.

"So am I."

The two continued their chess game in silence. For several moments, Rias' strategy had worked in her favor for a time. Then, Sona gained the advantage putting her friend in a tight spot.

"By the way…" Sona began.

Rias hummed in response.

"We had an… encounter the other night. Saji was severely injured as a result and the assignment was a bust."

Rias stopped then sighed. She leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms.

"My peerage actually had an encounter of our own. A Fallen Angel and an unknown." Rias admitted.

Reports had been exchanged regarding both incidents.

Three unknown magic users, all armed and powerful. And they were right here in their territory with an unknown agenda.

One had utilized powerful ice magic, powerful enough to simply redirect Sona's spell with a wave of his hand.

The second had injured Saji in hand-to-hand before effortlessly fending off Ruruko and Tomoe with ease.

"They're connected. The unknowns seen in Kyoto, these new players in town, they are connected in some way, shape or form. And as far as I am concerned, they need to be brought in or dealt with." Sona declared.

With that, Sona put Rias right where she wanted, the crimson haired princess having only three pieces left on the board. Knowing she had very options and other obligations at the moment, Rias conceded defeat and tipped over her King piece. She then stood up and adjusted her skirt.

"In due time Sona. Unfortunately, I can't attend to that matter tonight."

Sona quirked a brow. Her mind immediately went to one conclusion.

"Is there a request to deal with a stray?"

"Yes. Tonight, Issei will learn more of the supernatural world. I hope to slowly acclimate him before we start his training. If he is to achieve his full potential, I want him to have proper experience." Rias replied.

Sona hummed thoughtfully. Rias' approach would be helpful in the long term. Issei had massive amounts of potential and could one day be the King of a peerage should he choose so. Even though her overall combat ability left much to be desired, Issei over time would become a seasoned and skilled fighter through a trial by fire.

"Experience is a good teacher. Good thinking Rias." Sona agreed with an approving nod.

Rias nodded before turning on her heel and heading towards the exit of the room.

"If I'm to be free of my fate, I must learn from those who defied fate's intentions. Inspirations in my life that make me want to be a better representative of my race and improve relations between us and humanity as a whole. You are one of these people Sona…"

When she reached the door, Rias looked over her shoulder to her friend.

"And for that I couldn't be more grateful. I will always value your wisdom and kindness." Rias admitted with a smile.

Sona herself sent a smile Rias' way before the redhead left the room. Sona dropped her smile and sighed audibly. She then went to her desk and brought out some paperwork from one of the drawers.

Sona loved and adored her childhood friend. They were like yin and yang when compared in conversation. That said, part of Rias' situation was her own fault. Though spirited and a better example of what devils could and should be, she still had her faults. One of those faults was not properly facing situations head on or with proper strategy. The prime examples being Koneko's connection to the Nekoshou incident, Akeno's ties with the Himejima clan and the Grigori, Kiba's tragic background with the church, and the dhampir who was shunned by his own race, having very few family stand up for him.

("Oh well… if Rias doesn't get her act together, her peerage will join her in her suffering. Her brother will also be to blame and I for one don't feel bad for saying so.")

Sighing again, Sona went about her duties and started on some paperwork.

---

Abandoned House

Night

The rest of the school day had passed without incident. Rogue had his lunch with Koneko at their now designated spot. Sting kept up with his rockstar persona and ran crowd control with the majority of the female population at the academy. Wendy of course was the light of the middle school division, diffusing fights and making friends. Gajeel maintained the image of a thug and delinquent, often intimidating underclassmen with his presence alone, earning a scolding from the VP of the student council. As for Gray, he had a few mishaps losing clothes a time or two due to his stripping habit but luckily got a slap on the wrist courtesy of Sona.

Now, Rogue and Wendy were on their way to deal with a stray devil by the name of Viser. Of course, that was the first part of the mission. The second part was that Rogue test the combat ability of Rias' peerage who still had a relatively green Issei Hyoudou.

("Hence why we do their work for them so they can show their skills against a real opponent.")

As Rogue took lead and walked to the abandoned home, he took a glance at his fellow Dragon Slayer and little sister.

("Really going to have to apologize in advance Wendy… but the mission takes priority.")

Wendy wore a blue and green hooded mini dress with black accents. Underneath she wore a white halter top. Around her waist was a black belt with a silver buckle. And for footwear she wore black hi-top sneakers with blue accents.

Rogue himself wore a variation of the outfit he wore during the Grand Magic Games. He had on a tattered, red cloak with a hood. For his upper body he wore a black ¾ sleeve shirt, armored bracers covering forearms and black fingerless gloves that left the back of his hand exposed. For his lower body he wore black cargo pants like his brothers, a black cloth wrapped around his waist going down to the top of his knees in length. To top it off, Rogue sported combat boots with grey straps.

On Rogue's left hip were a pair of blades that had been gifted to him during the Slayers time in Kyoto. They were among the Top 10 swords ever made in the supernatural world, not just due to their significance but their overall potential for power when used.

The first blade was Black Salvation, a black blade katana with a silver edge (Sori), golden circle cross guard (Handle) and a beautifully designed black and red hilt (Tsuka). Wrapped around the sheathe (Saya), were a series of red and black strings. Dangling from the strings were charms representing the various factions in the supernatural world. A silver cross, the golden star of David, a crimson Torii gate, Yggdrasil carved into a Norse Rune, a Red zi symbol, the number 12 in roman numerals, a jade triple spiral, a blue and gold colored eye of Horus and a seafoam green colored Buddha.

The second blade was White Oblivion, a silver blade wakizashi with no cross guard and a white and red hilt.

Rogue had gotten familiar with using the blades for practice at home. Now he would get a chance to test them out against live opponents. Though, he had to keep in mind that due to their aura he could not openly use them against Rias' peerage. He would need to compensate accordingly.

"I smell something awful…" Wendy whispered with a grimace.

Rogue stopped and so did Wendy. He narrowed his eyes as he smelt it too.

The scent of blood and death.

"From what intelligence was gathered, Viser was a human from the area near Shinjuku. In her former life she was a studious accountant, quickly earning a great reputation as a hard worker and someone who dedicated herself to friends and family. Only known relatives are several cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, her mother…"

Wendy looked down for a moment before looking to Rogue's back with a saddened expression.

"Did… did she have a family of her own?" Wendy inquired.

Rogue stopped in his tracks for a moment. Glancing over his shoulder he gave the youngest Dragon Slayer a sympathetic gaze.

"Only a fiancé to pick up the pieces." He answered.

Wendy looked down and nodded in understanding. Rogue let Wendy have a moment to herself before moving on.

"Come on. Let's complete the mission and go home."

Wendy took a deep breath before setting her face in determination.

"Right."

After a taking a light jog to catch up to Rogue, the pair continued their trek until they came upon the abandoned house's entrance. Using his shadows, Rogue effortlessly pried the doors wide open, allowing himself and Wendy to walk in.

Once inside, the pair of Dragon Slayers looked around until Rogue's sight settled forward and Wendy paled at the sight of a few bodies. Holding her hands over her mouth, Wendy trembled.

"How awful… those poor people…" she murmured.

Rogue hummed in agreement before his eyes narrowed. His enhanced eyesight picked up a large body in the darkness.

("Ambush style tactics hm?")

"Get ready. She's here." Rogue notified.

"Oh my~!"

Wendy gasped and stepped a bit closer to Rogue's side.

Out of the darkness, was the illuminated top half of the Stray known as Viser. She had a voluptuous figure complimented with long black hair and light grey eyes. From the reports Rogue and Wendy read, her lower half had evolved into a centaur with fur. Four legs reminiscent of a lion and snake for a tail which also acted as another mouth.

However, Rogue and Wendy were caught off guard. Not because of her overall appearance as a beauty with a monster's body…

"Waah! Why is she like this?!"

She was topless, hence Wendy's distress.

With a twitching brow and slight blush, Rogue growled before pulling Wendy close and covering her eyes.

"Just what in the hell is wrong with you?! Cover yourself up!" Rogue barked out.

A giggle spilled from the lips of the rogue devil in front of them. Rogue idly noticed the fact her nails were long and red, either from paint or the demonic energy in her veins. She then started fondling her breast in a way that almost had him openly gaping in shock.

("Oh great… she's not just an exhibitionist but a voyeur too? It's a good thing we're taking her on instead of Issei. He would have likely gotten himself or someone else killed for boobs.")

A gleam entered the stray's eyes and Rogue's senses kicked in.

"Woah!"

Rogue kept a good hold of Wendy as he juked to the side to avoid acid like laser beams that came from the woman's breasts. Setting Wendy down, Rogue threw his cloak open to expose his arms and swords.

"Interesting ability…" Rogue commented.

Slapping her cheeks, Wendy got to her feet and then summoned her Keyblade Gull Wing.

"I can handle this one." Wendy stated resolutely.

Rogue gave the younger Slayer a glance.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

Wendy gave a firm nod before gripping her Keyblade with two hands. Rogue stepped back and crossed his arms.

"Then go for it."

"Right."

Huffing, Wendy then darted forward at high speed, taking Viser by surprise. Another surprise waiting for the stray was the lightning-fast attacks by the young Slayer that had stung pretty badly.

Rolling after a blitz attack, Wendy looked up in time to watch Viser pull out a lance from the floor. Letting out a cry, Viser's weapon met the floor again, Wendy dodging the slow attack by strafing to the side.

The Sky Maiden threw her weapon at Viser's wrist, disarming the stray. Gull Wing returned to Wendy's hand after defying all logic and Wendy dashed forward performing a series of rapid slashes against Viser's legs and torso. Viser herself screamed in pain and frustration as she did her best to shield herself from the onslaught.

Rogue stood off pleased and very much content with his role. Wendy had come a long way in her training. Despite being the least aggressive of all the Slayers, she was still a Dragon Slayer through and through.

("That said, her technique needs a bit improvement. Then she would be a worthy sparring partner so her skills could be elevated even higher.")

"Sky Dragon's Wing Attack!"

Viser's scream drew Rogue's attention, as the Stray was flung high into the air. Wendy then reversed her grip on her Keyblade before bending her legs and altering her stance. The Sky Maiden's feet and arms glowed as she gave herself an enchantment.

"Vernier…"

Letting out a cry, Wendy soared into the air before dealing out a series of slashes in the matter of mere seconds. Viser's form stilled in the air before those slashes took effect, causing the stray to cry out in pain as she fell to the ground hard.

Wendy landed next to Rogue and the Shadow user gave the Maiden a pat of approval and encouragement before both approached the Stray. As they got closer, they saw that Viser was severely weakened by all the blows from a weapon comprised of light and the power of the heart. Not only that, a move from Wendy's skills as a Dragon Slayer did more damage than both anticipated.

Lying on her side and breathing heavily, Viser sat up and glared defiantly at her foes and executors.

"What are you waiting for… huh?" She spat.

Rogue had an indifferent expression while Wendy's was one of somberness and sympathy.

"Come on… finish me." Viser goaded.

The stray bowed her head, trying to catch her breath as tears gathered in her eyes. Wendy looked over to Rogue who still kept his gaze on Viser.

"What. are. you. waiting. for. FINISH ME!"

No one did anything for a few moments and that's when Viser finally broke.

"DAMMIT! I DIDN'T ASK FOR ANY OF THIS! PUT ME OUT OF MY MISERY! END ME! JUST DO IT!" Viser screamed.

Rogue's countenance softened and even Wendy couldn't help but look a little sad at the state of Viser. Tears were streaming down the stray's face and she choked back a sob as she bowed her head.

"Please…" Viser begged quiety.

Wendy would have spoken up but a tug from her Keyblade and the whispers of Grandeeney surprised her. Rogue looked over to Wendy as the Maiden took on a thoughtful look. Rogue narrowed his eyes as Wendy's face passed through several expressions before settling on a hopeful smile.

"I got it!" Wendy exclaimed.

Stepping forward and leveling her Keyblade at Viser's heart, the Maiden gave a gentle smile.

"I will help you. Don't worry." Wendy assured.

Viser let out a cross between a sob and a laugh before settling on a sad smile. She closed her eyes and awaited her inevitable end.

"Thank you…" Viser whispered.

Rogue was about to step in until a beam of light shot from the tip of Wendy's keyblade, going straight into the heart of Viser. Rogue's brows furrowed for a moment. Then the confusion turned to absolute surprise as he couldn't help but allow a soft smile.

"Well I'll be damned…"

Light encompassed all of Viser's being for a few moments before dissipating. The evil piece that had tied Viser to her Devil master was now lying on the floor inert. Viser herself was no longer stuck in the abomination she called her body. The beast legs had separated, now starting to decay. And the woman herself, had taken a phantom form, body glowing white. Her hair had returned to it's ebony shine when it was human and her eyes had shifted back to normal greys.

But the biggest change in her appearance were her clothes, a white long sleeve gown and a pair of small angel wings.

Gasping, Viser opened her eyes and openly gaped as she started to hover in the air.

"But… how?" she whispered.

It was a miracle. She was finally free of her enslavement. And it was thanks to that strange yet powerful girl and her blade of light. Euphoric joy came onto Viser's face as tears of joy streaked down it. The Slayers smiled her way with Wendy happening to wipe a stray tear of joy mixed with somber relief.

"May all the gods bless you both. Thank you for this." She told them sincerely.

Both Slayers nodded, allowing the woman to take in the sight of her saviors one final time before closing her eyes. Her form glowed once more before transforming into a small, rainbow colored heart with white wings. The heart then shot through the open doorway and soared into the sky, seeking the respective afterlife that Viser belonged to.

Wendy stared out the doorway with a smile, feeling Rogue bring her in with one arm. Leaning into his form she hummed feeling fully content.

"That was incredible Wendy. But how did you know you could do that?" Rogue queried.

Wendy suddenly lost her smile and tilted her head thoughtfully. She then looked up at Rogue and shrugged.

"Grandeeney told me that the Keyblade was the key to unlocking someone's heart. Viser's light was trapped in darkness so I figured I could use Gull Wing to help free her light. I didn't think it would work like that on an evil piece though." She answered.

"Huh."

To be honest, Rogue thought of the ability as useful. In a sense, Wendy could utilize a low amount of magic to help free someone from the Evil Piece System instituted by the Devils. Resurrected members would end up in whatever afterlife they were destined for and non-Resurrected members could potentially return to being normal… well whatever race they were designated.

"Let's tell Irene and Anna this when we get home. I think they'll be very interested in your Keyblade's use for the future." Rogue suggested.

Wendy's face morphed into surprise before settling into determination.

"Right! I will do my best!"

"I know you will." Rogue chuckled in agreement.

Just as he was about to suggest their next move, Rogue's senses prickled with the arrival of several magic energies. Five to be exact.

Eyes narrowing underneath his hood, Rogue let go of Wendy before taking a step forward, blocking her view of the doorway.

("They're here… At last.")

"Rogue?" Wendy prompted.

Glancing over his shoulder, Rogue had to put together a quick strategy in order for his half of the mission to succeed. Turning towards his little sister with a disarming smile, Rogue summoned a portal right behind her.

"Hey Wendy…"

Wendy cutely tilted her head as Rogue came over and knelt in front of her. Placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, Rogue looked her in the eye.

"Huh?"

Rogue then got a mischievous gleam in his eye. If he learned anything from Natsu and Sting it was how to be a bit of a joker and a prankster when the situation called for it. He just hoped Wendy wouldn't be mad with him when he did this.

"Think fast!"

Wendy let out a startled cry as she was shoved into the portal. The portal closed and Rogue sighed before standing up.

"Sorry sis…"

The Shadow user then turned around to face the doors. Feeling the approaching energy signatures, Rogue stepped back before allowing the shadows and darkness to overtake him. Time for the real fun to start.

"But orders are orders…"

---

Sometime Earlier

Rias Gremory was having a so-so day. School had been good (perks of being socially elevated on a pedestal), homework was easy and her club was in the midst of wrapping up its business for the day. Even the newest addition to her family had been awfully chipper, which served to make her mood even better.

Until he had admitted he had met a nun.

Rias' good mood crashed and plummeted harder than a 787 with two blown engines.

She berated and chastised Issei left, right, up and down across the club room. This was done all while the other peerage members stood by and watched. Akeno and Kiba sent sympathetic gazes towards the pawn while Koneko gave a her typical blank look. Yet if one looked closely, her eyes practically spat in Issei's face and said he deserved to be berated.

Once she had calmed down, Rias apologized for her outburst before explaining her some things to Issei with regards to supernatural politics and more on the supernatural world.

Given Asia was associated with the Church and Heaven itself, it naturally made her an enemy, no matter how kind she seemed. Issei had his doubts but did not voice them. Instead he just listened, complying vocally while disagreeing internally.

Rias was happy she nipped that issue in the bud before giving out the next set of orders for her family. Tonight was the night that Issei would get properly acquainted on how peerages worked.

Leading the group out of a nearby forest to an abandoned house was Koneko and Kiba. Behind them was Akeno, who smiled and hummed a tune. And lastly was the pair of Rias and Issei, with the pervert acting as Rias' escort while she explained things.

"So a Peerage works like chess pieces?" Issei queried.

Rias hummed an affirmative while nodding.

"In each peerage there is a leader, the King Piece. Their power is only minutely enhanced since King pieces are typically strategists and the last resort in a battle when things go wrong."

Issei nodded, urging Rias to continue.

"Queens though encompass the traits of Knights, Rooks and Bishops. They excellent magic prowess and control, high speed and a great amount of durability. It is similar to a way in which Queen pieces work in chess with regards to movement."

Issei's brows furrowed before jumping straight into his hairline.

"Wait a minute! Then that would mean…!"

Rias giggled before patting Issei's arm.

"Exactly. Akeno's my Queen piece for a reason. Besides myself, she is the strongest amongst our little group. Hence why she is my second in command in battle." Rias said in confirmation.

Akeno took a chance to send a wink to the duo before going about her business. Issei scratched his head, left in somewhat numb awe. Rias giggled before going back to the topic.

"Rooks are powerhouses. They are literally meant to tank attacks while also being able to dish some of their own. There are even some Rooks that can break mountains with their bare knuckles if they went all out."

"Meaning if you perv on me you can kiss those jewels of yours goodbye." Koneko interjected.

Issei gulped and shivered at that. He very much valued his manhood. If Koneko was the Peerage's Rook, he needed to be on her good side at all times. Issei loved sex and he needed to experience it with all pieces intact so he could no longer be a virgin.

"Be nice Koneko." Rias amusedly chided.

Koneko shrugged noncommittally. Rias sighed at this. Even though she and Akeno warmed up to Issei, she knew Koneko would need some time and effort.

"Anyways, Knights are speed personified. A majority of Knights in peerage groups will take up a blade of some sort. Knives, Swords, maybe even polearms…"

The group was on final approach to the abandoned house.

"And lastly we have Bishops, masters of wizardry and sorcery. In a peerage, Bishops are highly valued, highly skilled magic users. Though they are capable of attack they are best suited for support roles. If they know healing arts, then that is an immediate boon for a peerage." She finished.

Stepping forward, Rias dramatically flipped her hair before adopting a serious expression. She pointed towards their objective, ready to give a rallying cry until…

"Prez something's wrong."

Rias froze a moment, brow twitching as she was interrupted so suddenly. Akeno frowned and approached Koneko from behind.

"What do you mean Koneko?" Akeno asked.

Koneko's nose twitched and her brows creased in unease.

"There's… something in there. It smells weird." She replied.

Issei looked to Kiba for clarification only to get a shrug and a shake of the head. Clearing her throat, Rias took point.

"I trust your senses Koneko. It appears someone is meddling in our business. Let's investigate then be on our way."

Dramatically pointing her finger towards the house again, Rias' face was set in determination.

"Onward my cute servants!"

"Yes President!"

It didn't take long for the group to reach the house. They were quite shocked and surprised at what they saw inside. The dead bodies and blood, along with traces of waste and fluids, were everywhere but that's not what caught the Gremory group off guard. No, it was strange set of beastly legs that just sat in the damaged floor.

Issei for his part was horrified, confused and a bit on edge. Being a part of the supernatural world was definitely not all fun as being smothered by oppai.

"Um… is that what you guys were supposed to fight?" Issei asked looking at Rias.

Rias for her part just sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Akeno… would you?"

Akeno giggled and readied a blast of lightning.

"Of course dear." The ravenette replied.

Before her arm completed its motion, a wave of magic energy swept through the area.

("?!")

Akeno canceled her blast, wide-eyed as she quickly changed into her priestess outfit. Koneko quickly fixed her gloves, letting out a low growl as the scent she smelled was getting to her. Kiba, utilizing his Sacred Gear Sword Birth, summoned a blade and kept vigilance by scanning the darkness.

With the trio in front of them, Rias stayed by Issei's side while said pervert started freaking out. The Peerage's King narrowed her eyes and scanned throughout the house like her Knight, only to find nothing. It was like…

("We Devils are creatures of darkness. We are practically family with how attuned we are to it. Which begs the question… why would the darkness deny us now? Unless…")

"U-um… Rias?" Issei stammered.

Looking towards her pawn in concern, she saw the frightened teen point down shakingly. Taking a peek…

("What?!")

She saw the collective shadows of her entire Peerage getting pulled in direction of the suspected Stray Devil corpse. The Gremory Peerage's collective shadows all merged with the shadow of the stray corpse. After the merger, the shadows then started to expand before the forming a pool of darkness and shadows around the stray's corpse.

The group took an unconscious step back at the sight, shivers running down their spine.

The group tensed when a pillar rose from the pool. The pillar then crumbled, revealing a figure in a red cloak. In the moment of reveal, shadows and darkness encroached from every corner of the house behind the figure.

Koneko sniffed a few times out of habit and curiosity to get the stranger's scent. Her eyes widened in alarm and shock as to what scent was and who it belonged to.

("But that's impossible! That's the scent of a dragon. Almost like that pervy loser Hyoudou. But how can he have it? That's not possible!")

Ignoring their comrade's distress, Rias, Akeno and Kiba put their collective glares on their opponent.

"You! Were you the one who beat the Stray Devil weren't you? Don't you know you're in my territory interfering in my business? Huh?!" Rias yelled.

[Start "13th Struggle"]

Rogue raised a single hand and urged them to engage him with just two fingers. Clicking her tongue, Rias glanced towards Kiba.

"Take him."

"Yes." The knight readily complied.

Assuming a good stance, Kiba tensed before taking off at high speed. To the well trained eye he was moving at superhuman speeds. To Issei though, a complete amateur in the supernatural, Kiba just vanished.

"Woah! He's gone like that!" Issei exclaimed.

"No Issei. He's moving at a speed that's hard to comprehend for some." Rias clarified with a quick glance.

Kiba was already attacking with vigor but his attacks weren't doing any harm to their perceived enemy. Skinny, flimsy shadow pillars erected itself around Rogue, as the pillars deflected every single attack Kiba threw at the mage. Kiba didn't dare attack from above unless he wanted to be skewed by shadows. Kiba slashed several times against one pillar before dashing off and doing the same against another one on the other side. Kiba seesawed back and forth between pillars before finally making progress on the mage's right side.

Blade embedded in the shadow pillar, Kiba gave himself a mental cheer before drawing his blade back for another strike. His stamina was not the best even though he was one of the best swordsmen in Kuoh Academy. Even with his powers as a Devil and his previous… 'experience', Kiba did not have it in him to be involved in a prolonged battle.

Rogue, disappointed in what he was seeing from Kiba, decided to kick it up a notch. Reaching into the pillar, Rogue grasped the shadow, reforming it into a shield that deflected Kiba's attack with ease. Kiba staggered back, managing to catch himself before settling into a stance.

Rogue held the shield up for a moment before allowing it to reform into a crescent blade similar to that found on a scythe. The blade attached itself to Rogue's arm and he swung it experimentally a few times before giving Kiba a hard gaze.

Kiba only had a second to brace himself as Rogue came forward with a slash and locked blades with Rias' knight. While Kiba pushed, Rogue barely budged. Wanting to test his fellow swordsmen even further, Rogue ended the blade lock before performing some slashes while probing Kiba's defense. Kiba parried and waited for an opening but never got it. Just when Kiba thought he could mount a proper counter, he was stuck on defense.

Rogue initiated another blade lock before hopping back. Taking the lowered guard of his opponent as an invitation, Kiba dashed forward and performed a jumping overhead slash. That too was blocked with ease. Rogue pushed and Kiba jumped back to get some distance. Rogue would have made a move but he ended up sidestepping a punch from Koneko.

He dodged several more punches before placing a foot on her back and pushing her off to the side. Rogue was then reengaged by Kiba who had turned up the aggressiveness and intensity in his attack.

Standing in the entryway were the trio of Akeno, Rias and Issei. While the girls were focused and mildly irritated, Issei was a nervous wreck.

"Oh my… he's good." Akeno commented airily.

"Yes, he is putting on quite the show. But I will not stand for this. Be ready to engage on my signal." Rias informed.

"Certainly."

Rogue blocked several slashes with his shadow blade before initiating another blade lock with Kiba. Honed instincts warned him of an attack from his rear, most likely coming from the Peerage group's Rook. Rogue held up a hand and easily caught Koneko's fist.

The move surprised the Gremory group, no more so than Koneko. But since she smelled what she smelled, her suspicions were confirmed and she knew then and there that the Peerage was in trouble.

Her attention slipping for an instant cost her. Rogue gripped Koneko's hand hard and threw her into Kiba who was thrown back into a nearby wall. Rogue looked at them for a moment before leaning back to avoid a lightning strike.

The Shadow Dragon Slayer looked over to see a smiling Akeno. But Rogue knew from first glance that the smile she wore was not full of warmth.

("If what Irene said about her is true… sheesh.")

"Naughty, naughty!~" Akeno playfully exclaimed.

She fired off more Lightning blasts, none of them hitting the mark due to how quick Rogue was. Koneko and Kiba had recovered but decided to wait until Akeno stopped her barrage to take down this formidable foe.

Rogue blurred as Akeno continued to enjoy trying to hit her target.

"Oh I want you to scream for me! Let me hear those lungs of yours baby!~"

Issei blushed and although creeped out a bit, this sadist side of Akeno was getting him a bit hard. Rias for her part sighed in fondness and exasperation. When Akeno got into BDSM or really S&M, she was into it in force. Battles or sexual experimentation it didn't matter.

Rogue for his part deadpanned before flipping back to avoid another lightning blast. He would have pressed the group some more but a sudden surge of magic energy drew his attention. The Shadow user looked at Rias, who was about to fire off an orb that looked a lot like…

("The Gremory Pillar's patented Power of Destruction. She wants to end the fight huh?")

Dismissing his shadow blade, Rogue stood tall, cloak covering his arms and blades. Rias smirked and charged her magic some more.

"This has gone long enough. Although I commend you for putting up such a worthy challenge…"

Her eyes then took a much colder look.

"You have crossed the line with harming my family and entering my territory. A shame really. Your talents would have been better suited with us under better circumstances. Goodbye." Rias finished.

Rias launched an orb based on her family's P.O.D and it was gunning for Rogue in a hot way. His hands however were unseen to everyone, with the group thinking an opponent so good would accept his demise so easily. Little did they know, Rogue already rested a hand on the sheathe of Black Salvation with the other ready to draw once Rias' attack got close.

When the attack got close, Rogue smirked underneath his hood as his thumb flicked, free hand gripping the hilt.

[End Playback]

It was almost like he never moved at all. No one caught it. Not Rias. Not Akeno. Not Kiba. Not Koneko with her heightened senses either. And for sure not even Issei caught it.

The orb that contained the Gremory's feared and potent power simply split in half and went in different directions behind Rogue. While the Shadow user stood amused and quite satisfied, the entire Peerage was gawking in shock, including the ever so indifferent Koneko.

Blinking owlishly, Rias could only stammer a response or two before falling to her knees.

Rogue sighed internally. Having found what he was looking for, it was time to make a quick exit. Given he was situated between the corpse, the now charred Evil Piece and the entire Gremory Peerage, Rogue opened a portal and quickly turned on his heel.

As the Shadow Dragon walked in, Issei snapped out of his shock and decided to take action.

"Oi! Get your sorry ass back here! President ain't done with you yet!" He yelled.

The noob of Gremory took off, hoping to catch the guy that had beaten his new friends. Rias snapped out of her funk and immediately got to her feet.

"Issei wait!"

Ignoring her command, Issei ran hard hoping to catch what he thought was a bad guy. Rogue entered the portal and said portal immediately closed. Just as it did, Issei performed a last-minute leap or to fail spectacularly, landing in a pathetic heap.

The entire group approached, with Rias kneeling down to check on Issei and Akeno standing over him with a curious look.

"Issei are you okay?" Rias asked softly.

The response she got was a groan and a twitch of limbs.

Meanwhile, Kiba and Koneko inspected the Stray Devil corpse and aspects of the house for clues.

"That man… he was strong." Kiba commented quietly.

Koneko hummed absentmindedly, still looking around. Kiba shrugged and moved towards the corpse with Koneko following, her mind occupied with other things. But just as she took a step forward, something was caught beneath her shoe.

"Hm?"

Looking down, Koneko saw a hard object that was shaped rather oddly. Reaching down to grab it, Koneko held it in her hands and narrowed her eyes in observation. The object had a round base, had grooves and a nub. If anything it reminded Koneko of…

("Wait… this a chess piece!")

Surprise evident, Koneko looked to Rias, who had helped the pervert of the group off the ground.

"Prez I found something."

Akeno and Rias walked over with Issei hanging back to nurse his pride. Koneko handed the chess piece to Rias who had the same look of surprise as Koneko did before. Akeno was also quite shocked, placing a hand on her cheek.

"Oh my! Rias, I think that's an Evil Piece!"

Rias nodded numbly while Issei got a good look over her shoulder.

"Really?" Issei prompted.

Rias glanced at Issei before looking at the piece more closely.

"Yes… the demonic power that is present within all devils, natural or reincarnated, sits within this piece. Plus, the energy is nearly similar if not the exact same as the corpse of the stray." Rias answered.

Issei took a step back and scratched his head. He was dumbfounded, overwhelmed and a bit confused at so much going on. Rias, Akeno and Koneko were all thinking, leaving Kiba to continue the investigation to wrap up their activities for the night.

As it sat right now, the night's events left the entire group with more questions than answers.

Along with an omen of even greater danger.

---

The Next Day (Thursday)

Hyoudou Residence (Or House… or domicile)

Morning

Issei managed to maneuver to cut his alarm off. It was yet another day of school to be had and another day of being in the supernatural.

Last night, following the mess made with regards to the Stray Devil elimination, Rias explained his role in the group. While she was the King, Akeno was the Queen, Koneko was the Rook piece and Kiba was the Knight…

("The Universe must hate me or something…")

Issei was the group's lone pawn. According to Rias, this was a good thing because he had taken all her pawn pieces upon being resurrected. It meant not only was potential damn near to the moon, he could probably get stronger in a shorter amount of time as compared to other pawns in Devil peerages.

("That and she said that pawns can promote when the time comes in a fight. Whatever that means…")

Issei yawned and smacked his lips before looking over. Next to him were the spooning forms of Rias and Akeno, sleeping with the most serene smiles he had seen outside of school. Of course, more importantly to Issei and his peter wood, the bust beauties were naked as the day they were born. Issei on his part, didn't mind it last night when they asked to stay over. His question on their motives as to why was pretty simple… they liked cuddling with him and with each other.

A pretty satisfied smile made its way to Issei's face as he nodded. Taking a quick glance at the time, the pawn of Gremory figured a few more minutes of cuddling was worth the risk of morning breath. So Issei got back to cuddling Rias while she was being cuddled by Akeno.

Not a bad start to the day if you asked Issei.

---

The Estate

The Pit

Sting was using one of his Glock's for morning practice. Dressed in his training gear, with ear protection and ballistic shades, Sting maintained his firearms training to the finest standard. Good trigger squeeze, proper grip and good breathing allowed for Sting to be deadly accurate.

Lector stood by in his transformed state, smiling as his best friend continued to hit the target dead center. From where the Exceed could see, his grouping was tighter than tight.

Gray and Gajeel were on assignment the previous night and returned a bit late, allowing for a bit more sleep at the cost of a late breakfast. Wendy went to bed not long after being forced back home by Rogue, who she was peeved at once she woke up. Rogue for his part had reported straight to Irene following the end of his assignment before heading off to bed himself.

Irene and Anna, being Kuoh Academy staff, got some quality rest before heading off for work. The tension from Irene's treatment of Raynare was still present but they had been cordial with each other at the very least. Any and all issues would be resolved once the crisis at hand ended. Then they could has their problems out properly.

The Exceeds of course went about daily life at the Estate as usual. They either trained their magic or enjoyed the amenities of the Estate.

Natsu on the other hand was doing one arm push-ups with relative ease while Happy utilized the Elliptical. Raynare, being the guest and somewhat prisoner, wore jeans and a different t-shirt from the previous day. She just sat and watched the Hybrid Slayer work out with hidden lust and glee.

"So Ray-Ray…"

"Hm?"

Natsu went down again before coming back up.

"That nun finally arrived. You think your friends will really help us when we crash that party you had planned?" He asked.

Raynare smiled and nodded.

"Absolutely. Although they are loyal to the Grigori, they are loyal to me. They're practically like my sisters." She answered confidently.

Natsu huffed as he hopped back to his feet. He then stretched his arms and popped his neck. Looking over, the son of Igneel gave her a grin.

"Good! Means this whole thing will be easy to deal with then."

Raynare hummed and nodded, eyes freely roaming Natsu's shirtless form. He wiped himself off with a towel before taking a greedy sip from his water bottle. Almost as if someone heard the Fallen's desires, some of that water spilled down Natsu's already sweaty torso.

Gaining a blush, Raynare shifted in her seat as she felt her loins heat up. But that action kind of made things worse.

Natsu finished drinking before wiping his mouth off.

"Nothing like some good training to stay ready." Natsu remarked.

Looking back at Raynare, the Hybrid Slayer was then confused as to why Raynare was staring at him so weirdly.

("The heck?")

He would have called her out on her weird behavior before he caught a whiff of something. Blinking for a few moments, Natsu sniffed a few times before looking back at Raynare with narrowed eyes.

("Is… is she turned on right now?")

Natsu then blinked in surprise before looking down at his body. He then chuckled a bit sheepishly.

("Damn stripper… looks like that bastard's habits rubbed off on me. Oh well.")

Natsu got close and gently flicked Raynare in the head.

"Ah!"

Rubbing her forehead with an irritated pout, Natsu snickered before looking to his partner.

"Happy, let's hit the bags next! I'm feeling like we might see some action real soon."

"Aye sir!"

The Exceed energetically followed his best friend while Raynare glared at Natsu's retreating form.

The two had become fast friends, thanks in part to Natsu's more forgiving nature. He had seen, heard and experienced so much in life, maintaining his positivity was trying at times. But to Raynare, Natsu's resiliency made him someone she admired even in such a short time. Plus it helped the way his sculpted muscles would move every time he just breathed.

("Mama Raynare would like to grind some cheese on those abs of his…")

She sighed dramatically before deciding to follow the duo.

("Man I got it bad and I've barely known him for a few days… oh well.")

Raynare then giggled before smiling. Things were honestly better this way. She had eye candy, someone who listened to her and a chance to save her friends from being fodder to a mad insane cadre. All in all, things were looking up for the ambitious Fallen.

---

Kuoh Academy

The Ninja girls went about their business as usual, having to deal with each other's very lively personalities and quirks before going off for class.

Minus their leader in Natsu, the Slayers all went their separate ways after some light conversation.

And the Devils had to deal with recent events with lingering tension. Despite seemingly acting normal, both the Gremory and Sitri were feeling the pressure of all that had gone on in Kuoh in recent weeks.

But no one felt it more than the Gremory Rook, who was due for a very long talk with someone she felt was a new friend.

---

(Scene Change – Rogue and Koneko)

School Courtyard

Rogue ate from his box sitting beneath the tree. Classes in the early go of the day were nothing to worry about. The Ninja Girls had dealt with unsavory monsters and a few rowdy agents of different pantheons, making the previous night go smoothly.

But with Asia Argento in the mix and the machinations of Devils and Fallen coming to fruition, the Slayers were likely leaning on the Ninja Girls to take up the slack for a time as the Slayers dealt with things.

The Shadow user's ruby orbs caught sight of his lunchtime companion. She was walking towards him with her own lunch in hand.

"Ah."

He smiled and then moved over some to leave some room for her to sit. She stopped a few feet away, eyeing the space for her seat before looking at him.

"I've been expecting you Koneko. Saved your seat even." Rogue offered.

"Why were you at that house last night?"

Rogue blinked in surprise before tilting his head.

"I beg your pardon?"

Koneko, decided for herself to take a leap of faith. She sat down next to him, setting her lunch aside before offering a narrowed gaze.

"There's no point in hiding it. The scent was the same." The devil-neko stated.

The two entered an intense battle of wills via a staring contest. During this impromptu competition, Rogue needed to weigh the pros and cons of how much to reveal and why he would need to do it so soon.

Their mission was to maintain the balance in the town, keeping innocent people safe from the normal joe schmos and the not so friendly supernatural entities. They were also tasked by both the Youkai and the Greek Pantheon to make sure the territory that the Devils asked for was properly taken care of. If not, there would be a heap of issues that could be literal hell for the Devil Faction politically.

The Slayers weren't opposed to making friends. Natsu was a social magnet and so were Sting and Wendy. Gray, along with Rogue himself, weren't opposed to meeting people but they kept a respectful distance from others in order to keep their social circles small. It was the same to a greater extent with Gajeel given how rough he had it. Sure, the Phantom Dragon didn't have as bad a past as say Natsu or Gray, but it was still pretty rough.

In the end, after several moments, Rogue smiled before chuckling. His mind was made up.

"I see. This is going to be… tricky to explain." He said.

Getting comfortable, Rogue crossed his arms and leaned against the tree.

"I can give you some information but be mindful of the time. We are on lunch after all." Rogue cautioned.

Koneko relaxed a bit and nodded.

"I guess I can start off by saying that Lyos was my birth name. Of course, once I grew older I took on the name Rogue. So I go by either Lyos Cheney or Rogue Cheney." Rogue started.

He then closed his eyes while Koneko tilted her head curiously.

"What are you though? Back in the house you smelled like dragon." Koneko mentioned.

Huffing a laugh, Rogue opened his eyes and looked to Koneko.

"That's because of my past. Sometime after my human parents had… passed, I was found by a kind caretaker and several dragons she had befriended. One of those dragons ended up becoming my adoptive father, the Shadow Dragon Skiadrum."

Koneko hummed and took her box into her lap before starting to eat. Rogue then took a normal sitting posture before resuming his meal.

"That still doesn't explain the scent. Your friends are like that too minus the stripper." Koneko pointed out.

"That's because we're Dragon Slayers."

"Dragon… Slayers?" Koneko queried with a raised brow.

Rogue hummed before taking sip of tea. He set his tea down before going back into his meal.

"Like myself, Natsu, Gajeel, Wendy and Sting all had adoptive dragon parents. They each taught us magic, magic powerful enough to slay dragons. It was a way for us to defend the normal, everyday citizen from dragons who did not see humans in a good light." Rogue further explained.

Koneko ate a bit more of her meal before pausing. That helped explain some things about Rogue and his group. But it still lacked crucial information. She would tell Rias at one point but this was something her gut was telling her to keep to herself.

"And the reason we smell like dragon is because once we took up the magic art of Dragon Slaying, we became part dragon ourselves."

"Ah."

The two continued on eating, getting to the last bits of their respective lunches.

"So what about Gray then? He doesn't smell like a normal human."

"Gray is an Ice Mage, a powerful one at that. It was only recently that he gained new abilities and skills that made him a Slayer like us. But while we slay Dragons, he slays Devils." Rogue answered with a shrug.

Koneko stiffened before looking at Rogue with wide eyes.

"But his magic was meant to deal with the enemies of our world, not yours. At least not really." Rogue clarified with placation.

Koneko only calmed down slightly, closing her box before setting it off to the side. She stared at her lunch friend hard.

"What do you mean by your world? You said you were human." She once again pointed out.

Rogue finished his lunch before setting it to the side.

"My friends and I were in a battle. One that had some very high stakes and left some scars after. It was by accident we left our world, ended up in the Dimensional Gap before coming to Earth." Rogue once again answered.

Koneko's hard stare softened before she looked away.

"Sorry."

"It's alright. We're going to go back eventually. Until then, a new change of scenery is doing us some right now." Rogue said with a smile.

Koneko nodded, still not looking Rogue. Seeing this, Rogue nodded before fetching something out of his bag. Koneko then noticed a treat in her field of view, held out by Rogue's hand. Her eyes widened and looked to Rogue who nodded encouragingly. Koneko took the treat, took off the wrappings and started to enjoy her treat.

Rogue chuckled before crossing his arms, leaning back and looking up.

"I think we have some time for questions before lunch ends. What else is on your mind?" Rogue offered.

Koneko felt some of the tension leave her and much warmer feeling settle in her. If anything, this lunch on this day was the start of something new. Something better.

And that thought, made Koneko smile a bit.

---

(Scene Change – Rias, Sona, Akeno and Tsubaki)

Student Council Office

"This is unsettling."

The Office held the entire Student Council, including Saji who was now back near perfect health. Momo and Ruruko sported smiles as they flanked the sulking pawn, who had a band-aid on his forehead. Tomoe, Reya and Tsubasa were multi-tasking on homework and SC assignments while occupying the loveseats/sofas.

Akeno and Tsubaki had taken off for their own chat, as well as to learn anything interesting from the students.

Rias and Sona on the other hand had taken their conversation to the window behind Sona's desk.

"You're telling me. The portals… the gear… by Lucifer, even their magic is all connected somehow." Rias whispered back.

Sona hugged herself a bit tighter, eyes narrowed in thought.

"So far we've accounted for four different individuals. One has unique Ice Magic and was partnered with another who has unknown magic while also being a swordsman."

"While the other two were a gunman and a swordsman. They both left using a portal, likely how that duo you faced suddenly vanished." Rias added on.

There was no doubt they were connected. It was just a matter of motive. While this mysterious third party in the town had dealt with a Fallen Angel and a pair of strays, they had also engaged both the Gremory and Sitri peerages for whatever reason. It stung the pride of both Kings, knowing that even at their best they were easily defeated. Even if the fight wasn't drawn out to where everyone received some sort of damage, the general result was clear if everyone went all out.

Utter decimation.

"Even so… we have to continue life as normal as possible. At best we put together contingencies for these individuals and whatever support they have. They will not get away with slight Rias, that I promise you." Sona stated strongly.

Rias smiled and nodded in agreement.

Both fell into a comfortable silence as the Student Council continued to work. Between the Fallen and the unknown faction, while confident they could overcome this road bump there was still tension that they could fall.

And deep down they hoped not to involve their overly powerful siblings.

Because then they were screwed.

---

Principal's Office

Wearing a dark sports jacket, white tee, jeans and sandals, Anna regarded Irene seriously.

"You sure about this Irene?" Anna prompted.

Hair once again in a bun, wearing a short-sleeve white blouse, dark pencil skirt, stockings and dark heels, Irene continued to type away on some mundane paperwork. She was relaxed but she rolled her eyes before returning to her work.

"Relax Anna. These pieces that are moving right now are playing into my hands. Even though the unknowns are unaccounted for to an extent, we have counters and defenses ready." Irene answered.

Anna hummed placing a hand on her hip.

"Who do you have shadowing Issei though?"

"Rogue. His stealth skills make him perfect for the time being until we help Raynare clean house."

"And Asia?"

Irene stopped typing to save a document before shuffling through some paperwork on her desk.

"We convince her to help us and I use our connections to give her proper protection." Irene replied absentmindedly.

Anna nodded before shifting her weight to the opposite side.

"Be honest with me Irene… how long do we have before the show starts?" Anna queried with a smile and a raised brow.

Irene released a chuckle, glasses gleaming as she adjusted them.

"Oh I assure you my dear Anna, not long."

---

Random House

Night

Issei was riding his new bike in hopes of delivering more contracts (presented as flyers).

The walk to school was nice, given he had the potential to be a ridiculously strong Devil one day with gaggle of ass waiting in his room with his porn stash. With the previous night, it had been a wakeup call for young Hyoudou and his dreams of a harem.

Now being involved in the supernatural world, Issei's somewhat young and dumb mind picked up on the fact that he could very well die a violent death or live a long life (sadly outliving his parents) while enjoying Devil benefits. He needed to get stronger and pursue his dream the right way. How he would do it? One step at a time.

He had already completed a few contracts but they were few compared to the many requests completed by the others. Rias didn't need to too many contracts because she was the King, plain and simple. Akeno excelled within her first year so well she was put on limited request duty. The raven-haired seductress had proven to be too good in taking requests from clients, even better than Rias. Meanwhile, Koneko and Kiba continued to take requests from different clients, their popularity spurring from their looks and personality.

Issei… didn't have any qualities that stood out for clients to request him.

Sighing, Issei arrived at one of his last stops for the night. Rias had suggested to do a light run because she wanted him back early. It may or may not have something to do with the incident and that strange guy with the freaky magic.

Huffing a bit angrily, Issei got off his bike and walked up to the house.

("If I see that guy again I'm decking his ass in the face. No one gets away with disrespecting Rias.")

Issei knocked on the door to the house, hoping to get this request out of the way.

"Yo! This is Issei! I'm here for a delivery! Anyone home?" Issei called out.

A few moments passed before Issei hummed to himself. He decided to knock again, this time somehow jarring the door open. Blinking in surprise, Issei then became confused before peeking inside.

"Hello? Anyone at home?" Issei called out again.

Issei glanced around before deciding to venture inside. He warily looked around, finding that the place was lacking people. A few lights were on, some food had been half eaten and there was a certain smell in the air. Issei tensed up as he continued to walk through the house.

"Where is everyone?" Issei whispered to himself.

Unbeknownst to Issei, there was crazed maniac with a demented grin, watching him with wide eyes from the shadows.

---

Que Ending

"Kaze wa Mirai ni Fuku"

---

A/N: Done!

[1] – After Dark by Asian Kung-Fu Generation featured in Bleach

[2] – Kaze wa Mirai ni Fuku by Akima & Neos featured in Trigun

[3] – 13th Struggle featured in Kingdom Hearts II/ KHII Final Mix

For Today's Lesson… the 72 pillars!

Before we begin with the 72 we begin with Devils. Devils origins come from a place called the Underworld where Lucifer (who adopted the name Satan) fell to after he rebelled against God. With him no longer being an angel and an agent of the Lord, Lucifer sought to remake the world order as he saw fit. With the help of his wife Lilith, Lucifer used her body and power to help create the original denizens of the Underworld, the 72 Pillars. Each pillar housed the original Demons who would be romanticized in folklore and myth by the human populace.

With the 72 Pillars at his back, Lucifer sat upon a fiery throne as he planned to wage war with God (and Heaven itself) and Lucifer's former brothers and sisters within the Fallen Angel faction.

As a result of the Great War between the Demons, Heaven and the Fallen Angels, God had been a casualty, the Fallen had a greatly diminished population and the Four Great Satans (including Lucifer himself) had fallen. Originally there had been Seven Great Satans instead of four, the structure of the group that mirrored the Seven Deadly Sins of man. Satan became a title that represented the group, Lucifer was the crown given to the true king of all Devils, and Mammon along with Belphegor became absorbed by the remaining groups. As such only Lucifer, Asmodeus, Beelzebub and Leviathan remained.

With their power not what it once was and their society in need of change, the Demons were now titled Devils. As a result of the Great War, the landscape of Devil society changed. As a part of the political process, Devil Nobles and the people that make up Devil society pick four representatives to take up the mantles of Satan.

Listed below are all the 72 pillars, with the extinct pillars being marked for future reference:

Kings: Baal/Bael, Paimon, Beleth, Purson/Pursan, Asmodeus, Vine/Vinea (E), Balam, Zagan/Zagam (E), Belial

Dukes: Amdusias/Amduscias (E), Agares, Valefar/Valefor (E), Barbatos, Gusion (E), Eligos (E), Zepar, Bathin (E), Saleos, Aim (E), Bune (E), Berith, Astaroth, Focalor (E), Vepar (E), Vual, Crocell (E), Allocer/Alocer (E), Murmur (E), Gremory, Vapula, Flauros (E), Dantalion

Princes: Vassago, Sitri, Ipos (E), Gaap (E), Stolas, Orobas (E), Seir/Seere (E)

Marquises: Gamigin, Amon, Leraje (E), Naberius, Ronove (E), Forneus, Marchosias (E), Phenex, Sabnock (E), Shax, Orias, Andras (E), Andrealphus, Kimaris/Cimerius (E), Decarabia (E)

Earls: Furfur, Malthus/Halphas (E), Raum/Raim (E), Biforns (E), Andromalius (E)

Knights: Furcas/Forcas

Presidents: Barbas/Marbas (E), Buer (E), Botis (E), Morax (E), Glasya-Labolas, Foras (E), Malphas (E), Haagenti/Hage (E), Camio/Caim (E), Ose (E), Amy/Avnas (E), Valac

I am happy to say another chapter was published.

That said, life throws twists and turns. Had a lot of ups and downs last couple of years both professionally and personally. I still dedicate time to brainstorming new projects both for this site and AO3 in the near future.

I appreciate your patience and the fact that people still follow this story in force. Peace and love be with all of you in these often odd times.

Until next time!