Becoming the Dragon of True Domination

by MysticSSJTwin

Issei is the Red Dragon Emperor of Domination. But he's also much more. If he is going to protect the ones he loves he must learn what that means and must deal with his inner demons to become the master of himself. Many twists and turns and hopefully pretty original. IsseixHarem(Duh). Stronger, less perverted, more driven Issei.

3. 3) Subversion, Memories, and a Conflict

Not going to make y'all wait anymore. A/N at the bottom.

I Own Nothing

Undisclosed Location

2 Days ago

Raynare sighed for what must be the umpteenth time since taking this mission. She had literally never been more bored in her life. Playing babysitter for a bunch of two–winged Fallen was not her idea of a fulfilling mission. Why Azazel asked HER of all people to take this mission was beyond her. If Azazel really wanted this much oversight on this mission, he should've just sent her alone. Investigating a teenager to determine if he had a Sacred Gear or not would be relatively easy for her. Convincing said teenager to join the Grigori would be an even easier task given the stories that she's heard about him so far. She may have only been a part of the Grigori for 10 years now, but a 100% mission success rate is still a 100% success rate.

She huffed in annoyance as a flash of blue invaded her vision once again. She lazily flicked her wrist, violet light sword flashing into existence in her hand, and deflected the blow from the tall blue haired woman who she was sparring with. A battle cry from a shorter Fallen Angel alerted her to the girl's presence as the blonde rushed her from behind. She sidestepped gracefully, her form blurring out of focus from the speed, allowing the golden Light Spear in the smaller girl's hand to bypass her by a hairsbreadth. The surprised gasp from the blonde girl as she lost her balance from the thrust was cut off as pain exploded through her body when Raynare dropped her elbow down on the girl's spine, viciously.

"Mitlett, you have all the grace of a water buffalo. It's not much of a surprise attack if your target is able to hear you coming from a mile away." Raynare chastised the short blonde girl absentmindedly.

The blonde grit her teeth angrily at the woman's nonchalance as she struggled to get back to her feet while the busty bluenette charged Raynare again. The dark haired fallen rolled her violet eyes and back stepped, twisting her shoulders to let the spear pass by harmlessly.

Back step. Dodge.

Back step. Dodge.

Back step. Dodge

"GRRRR! Stop dodging and Fi-AAUUGHH!" The bluenette screamed out as Raynare ducked under her sloppy swipe from the bluenette's light spear, eyes blazing with a dark look, before dishing out a devastating punch to the taller woman's spleen.

"You're too sloppy, Kalawarner." Raynare retorted darkly. When the woman doubled over in pain she rose rapidly, using the momentum to add to the power of her uppercut to the Fallen's chin. Her head snapped up with an audible cracking sound as blood flew from her mouth and the force of the blow lifted her several feet off the ground.

A whooshing sound alerted her to a third Fallen's approach, this one male. She quickly snapped her hand out, grabbing Kalawarner by the throat before she hit the ground and whirled her around once before launching the woman across their training grounds at him. Kalawarner's limp body slammed into the man's chest hard enough to send the both of them crashing into a tree, the bark splintering upon impact. He let out an agonized grunt of pain upon impact and his eyes widened in as blood flew from his mouth.

She whipped her other arm out and caught a Golden light spear out of the air just inches from her face. Her eyes darkened as she slowly tilted her head to the side to see the worn out blonde in her shredded Gothic Lolita outfit standing there panting with her arm still outstretched from the throw. With a single clench of her fist the spear shattered into a thousand shards of light.

"…Tch." Her body blurred out of existence and Mitlett's eyes opened wide, frantically searching for the taller Fallen. She choked out a strangled cry as Raynare fazed back into view in front of her with her fist buried in her gut. Her green eyes rolled to the back of her head and she fell to the ground unconscious.

Raynare stood back up and dusted her clothes off, a simple pair of black skin tight jeans and an oversized white shirt with a pair of black sandals on her feet. She turned away from the downed fallen and began walking towards the entrance of the formerly abandoned church they had taken as their temporary headquarters. She flipped her long dark hair over her shoulder before addressing her fellow Fallen as they groaned and began regaining consciousness.

"I suppose we'll call it a day for training you three. You all have a lot of work to do…" she trailed off as she reached the door to the church. 'I should probably boost their morale a bit,' she thought to herself as she glanced at them over her shoulder. "… It was… better… then yesterday though…" she said slowly, then disappeared inside.

The three outside groaned as they slowly began staggering back up to their feet. The male halfheartedly shoved the bluenette off of him angrily who snarled in anger in return. He wiped the blood off his lip s by running his sleeve across his mouth and reached down to pick up his fallen fedora. He knocked it against his knee to get the dust off of it before placing it back on his head.

"I can't believe she trashed us that badly again." He glared at his two comrades before continuing, "You two are fucking useless. Especially you Kalawarner" He growled out in frustration.

"Oh! Well excuse me fer actually fuckin' fightin' her directly on instead o' hidin' in the shadows the ENTIRE fuckin' time like SOMEONE!" She shouted back at the man.

"Fu fu. You peasants are so pathetic, bickering like children over a toy." The blonde remarked haughtily from behind her hand as she used magic to repair her dress. "With skills like that, perhaps you both should just go do everyone a favor and off yourselves already." She absentmindedly chastised the two as she brushed the dust and dirt off her favorite outfit.

The two rolled their eyes before rounding on the blonde Fallen. "Really Mitlett?-"

"Mitlett-sama to you." She interrupted, but was ignored.

"-For someone who supposedly holds the same number of wings than her, you sure managed to get picked apart just as easily." The male fallen retorted.

Mitlett sighed and turned towards him with a dead look in her eyes. "Dohna-kun… At least I didn't get knocked unconscious by having a person thrown at me without even getting within 15 feet of her." She deadpanned at him.

Dohnaseek shrugged and jutted his thumb to the side in Kalawarner's direction and replied, "Yeah? Well, it's not exactly like she's a tiny girl like you Mitlett."

"It's Mitlett-sama, you ingrate!" the small girl fumed, stomping her feet irritated at the lack of respect.

Dohnaseek was suddenly grabbed by the collar and hoisted violently into the air by a furious Kalawarner. "Oi! What the fuck is that suppose ta mean, huh? Are ya tryna say I'm fat or somethin?" she all but screamed at him as she shook him violently.

"Pfffttt! Oh ho ho ho!" Mitlett laughed haughtily and covered her mouth halfway with the back of her hand. "Kala-chan you shouldn't do something so unladylike. You'll never get a man if you act so uncouth… regardless of how much you flaunt that Ecchi body of yours." She finished with a slight grumble as she glared at the taller woman's large bust.

"Haaaa? Who do ya think yer talking to, ya virgin washboard?" the woman retorted, dropping Dohnaseek as she rounded on the blonde.

"V-V-Virgin W-w-w-w-washboard?! What are you referring to Kala-chan?!" the blonde stuttered out as heat rose to her cheeks, dyeing them blood red in embarrassment and anger.

The two taller Fallen both blinked repeatedly at the blonde before staring at the girl's chest… Or lack thereof.

"Jiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii~"

"Jiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii~"

The blonde shrieked and crossed her arms over her chest and turned away from them as she squatted down. "W-w-w-where are you two looking?!" she shrieked in embarrassment over her shoulder.

Clap Clap CLAP CLAP "Bravo! What a wonderful skit you three!"

The three Fallen instantly leapt to their feet and stood at attention for the newcomer. A tall dark haired man walked out of the shadows towards them. The man is tall, easily standing over 6 feet tall and wearing a simple black cloak over an all-black priest's suit, sans the white collar piece. His long dark hair is in a long braid that reaches the center of his back. A large 'X' shaped scar that started above his left eye and trailed down to his chin and from his ear to his nose is the only thing marring his otherwise handsome face.

His lips are twisted into a small smile and amusement shines in his eyes as he looks the three Fallen over. The three Fallen gulped and started sweating profusely at this new Fallen's appearance. They each immediately bow. Even the normally prideful Mitlett decided that it was time to show proper respect, for this was no ordinary Power-Class Fallen (a four winged Fallen).

"C-c-captain Valkor! What is a senior member of the Internal Affairs Agency doing in a place like this?" the wide-eyed Mitlett asks with as much respect as she can muster. And for good reason. The Internal Affairs Agency was merely a political name for what is basically a borderline Interior Inquisitional Force that goes around passing judgement on Fallen who either cause too many problems or the occasional rogue and rebellious elements within the Grigori. As direct subordinates of the Cadre-Class Fallen Kokabiel, there is a general rule when it comes to dealing with the IAA.

DO NOT piss them off. Those who do hardly live more than a few weeks afterwards. Which is the very reason the three Fallen are so on edge.

The Fallen known as Valkor merely gives a friendly smile.

"Oh? Last time I checked the IAA didn't necessarily need a reason to show up unannounced." His smile turns into a wolfish grin. "Catching wrongdoers by surprise is kind of the whole point isn't it?" Mitlett and the others wince at the insinuation. If he was the for one of th-

"Ahh, but don't worry! I'm not here on IAA business." He pauses. "Well not officially at least."

A collective sigh of relief passes through the three, but it's quickly replaced by confusion. "Captain Valkor, if you're not here on official IAA business then what is it that we can do for you? We're hardly more than a reconnaissance team as you most likely already know." Mitlett replies slowly, still unsure of what to make of the situation. Dread slowly fills her as rumors about the Fallen and memories of their previous interactions resurface.

The Fallen merely smiles at the blonde and walks closer before petting her head. An action that the mortified blonde struggles to refrain from recoiling away from. Ignoring the other two Fallen he replies with a tone that he must think is charming as he begins to lay it on thick to the smaller Fallen.

"Why, OFFICIALLY I'm here to check up on my favorite blonde!" his eyes narrow ever so slightly and he tilts his head slightly as he asks the Fallen with a light sense of hurt in his voice, "You haven't returned any of my messages… Are you avoiding me or something Mitlett-chan?" the somewhat hurt look making the petite blonde flinch as her two companions visibly stiffened.

Mitlett frantically shook her head in denial and began sputtering out a response, "N-NO! I haven't been avoiding y-you Captain Valkor! I've just been very busy with this assignment!" she finished somewhat timidly, fidgeting slightly under his gaze.

His smile turned more predatory and he cupped Mitlett's cheek and tucked a stray golden lock behind her ear. An act that the poor blonde barely able to repress the shiver that threatened to wrack her body.

"Ah! I should have known that my Mitlett-chan wouldn't ignore me!" His gaze turned a bit more thoughtful. "But when are you going to take me up on my offer, hmm? My proposal of you returning to the Grigori interior and becoming my wife are still open. The field is no place for such a beautiful lady such as yourself." The word 'beautiful' sounded so disgusting coming out of his mouth as he slowly stroked the blonde's cheek. Her cheeks flushing red in discomfort that he mistook for embarrassment.

As he opened his mouth to say more, he felt something on his hand and paused as a frown made its way to his face. His eyes snapped to Mitlett's and the blonde almost squeaked in terror at the ferocity in his eyes. And it was this moment that Kalawarner had mustered up the courage to help her friend.

"Oi! Tha hell is that supposed ta mean? I'm a lady too ya know!" The Fallen snapped his attention to the bluenette and while Mitlett was far more grateful to the bluenette than she'd ever truly admit, the distraction came at a price.

"I don't remember speaking to you." His voice harsh and cut like a blade as he addressed the now wide eyed Kalawarner. "I also distinctly remember saying that the field was no place for a lady. The field is meant for warriors and whores. Of which, you seem to fall into the latter category." Kalawarner looked like she had been physically struck, and was stunned for a few heartbeats before her lips curled into a snarl and her eyes turned steely. But the fallen wasn't done as he stalked towards her, Kalawarner's face twisting into one of fear as the Captain got right in her face, despite her height advantage.

He held up his and Kalawarner's eyes glanced towards it, a small trace of dirt on his hand. "So were you the one that dirtied MY Mitlett-chan?"

Kalawarner's eyes widened in shock, 'What a fuckin leap… and they say women jump to conclusions!' she thought bitterly.

Thankfully she was in turned saved by Dohnaseek, who apparently had decided to stop being such a Beta male and step in for his juniors.

"Actually, Captain Valkor, we had just finished a sparring match with our new Supervisor when you had arrived. That is why we all are still a bit dirty, sir."

Valkor's attention lingered on Kalawarner a few moments longer before turning towards Dohnaseek. "New Supervisor? And Sparring? I was not informed of any new supervisor or have any notion as why you all feel the need to dirty my Mitlett-chan with something as boorish as 'sparring'." The Fallen retorted interrogatively, ending his rant nearly spitting the last word as if it disgusted him.

He seemed to pause and snapped his head back towards Mitlett casing another shiver of unease to wrack the poor blonde. "He hasn't abused his power has he?" His hands clinch into fists and his eyes take on a murderous glint that absolutely terrified Mitlett.

Dohnaseek once again spoke. "No Sir, SHE has so far been very fair and has allowed us to do our job without too much interference barring when there's a mistake made… and the new training regimen."

That seemed to do the job as the Captain turned to look at Dohnaseek inquisitively, all angered seemingly gone as fast as it appeared. "You have a female Supervisor?" he asked quietly.

Dohnaseek merely nodded his head in affirmation.

Valkor suddenly broke out into a wide grin and began laughing loudly for a few minutes, startling the three fallen as they regarded him warily. This mood swing did not bode well.

Valkor finally calmed down and wiped the few tears forming from his eyes as he chuckled out. "I guess the rumors of you being a Beta male are true if you've actually let some Two-wing Fallen female take charge." Another fit of laughter spilled from his throat. "And just who is this Fallen who's supposed to be your, oh so fearless leader?"

"Her name is Raynare, Sir."

That comment made him freeze for a moment. A deep frowned formed on his face in distaste of the name. Oh, he knew exactly who she was. The Hypocritical Angel. He internally sighed. Azazel's whores always seemed to meddle in his affairs, and he had to subsequently quiet each one of them. Always more of a hassle than it was ultimately worth. A barely audible groan of frustration rumbled in his throat. This was going to be an AWFUL headache for him in the future.

But, before he could comment any further, a blue magic circle flared to life next to his ear. The caller apparently was being brief as Valkor barely uttered anything more than a "Yes Sir, I'll take care of it right now." The call only lasting about 4 seconds.

His demeanor changed into an authoritative one for the first time since he arrived and he schooled his features. "Now for the unofficial reason I'm here. You all were charged with reconnaissance of this area and to observe and report on a possible sacred gear user, correct?" As the three nod in affirmation Valkor continues.

"As of this moment, this mission has been elevated to an Alpha priority, need to know only mission." The three collectively gasp at the new information. A group of 2 wing fallen with 1-2 Power-class Fallen would normally never be assigned to an Alpha-priority mission. He continues without allowing them a chance to speak. "As of right now, only you three have been cleared with the mission. I was unaware of a fourth being added to the team, so she will have to be vetted at a later time. As of right now however, she is to remain largely in the dark. Understood?"

A shiver ran down Mitlett's spine. Keep Raynare in the dark? This was not even close to falling within protocol. Something else was going on and the blonde knew it wasn't good. But as things stand, she knew she can't question the Captain as that will just lead to more trouble and interaction with him than she wants.

The three glance at each other and nod at each other before replying with a "Yes Sir," albeit a begrudging one. He nods and continues.

"For the current observation target, his threat level is to be assessed as soon as possible. If he has a Sacred Gear, and this isn't some wild goose chase, you are to report it to me first, and IMMEDIATELY."

He pauses for a moment to wait for their nods of understanding.

"There is going to be a secondary task added to this mission. A Holy Maiden named Asia Argento has been exiled from the church. She is the wielder of Twilight Healing, a very rare and powerful Gear that can heal almost any wound." A collective gasp comes from the three. Twilight Healing? Why in God's name would the Church exile a Hoy Maiden with such a gift?!

"She arrived in Kuoh 3 days ago and is under the 'watchful' eye of one of the IAA's new associates, Ex-priest Selzen. The girl is to remain unharmed during her stay. Your group will take over watching her while Selzen goes on another mission for me. This will last until what to do with her is decided."

He snaps to attention and regards the three, "These are your orders. Carry them out in the name of the Grigori, and bring no shame to its name." The three snap to attention and salute while chorusing "YES SIR!"

He salutes back. "Dismissed." The three turn to walk away-

-And Mitlett lets out a loud 'EEP' as the Captain pinches her ass and winks at her as he backs away from the group slowly. "I'll see you soon Mitlett-chan. I'll finish securing you a position in the interior as soon as I can, so you'll be with me a lot more soon! Isn't that great?!" His sickening smile lights up his face again and he starts to teleport away.

Kalawarner and Dohnaseek turn towards Mitlett and regard the girl with uncertainty. The petite blonde is standing stock still with her fists clenched at her side and her whole body shaking. The blonde takes three steps forward and stops again. Her mind a raging torrent of emotions, but one thought screaming louder than any of the rest.

'Don't cry.'

'Don't cry.'

'dontcrydontcrydontcrydontcryDoNtCrYdOnTcRyDONTCRY'

'DON'T CRY!'

A feral scream tears itself from her throat as the world shakes violently at the release of her power. All of the power held within her tiny frame comes forth, raging around her like a hurricane. The amount of pressure emanating from the petite girl forcing both her companions to their knees and leaves them gasping for breath. Neither of them ever had a clue that she had this much power. The blonde rears her right fist back and slams it with all of her might into the tree trunk.

CRACK

The two Fallen's eyes widen in shock as the tree doesn't just topple over. No, the entire trunk about two feet on either side of where the petite blonde's fist impacted just disintegrated from the force. The rest of the tree is sent flying across the church grounds and slams into one of the far fences. Her left hand shoots out and impales her fingers into the bark of the stump and literally rips it out of the ground and chucks it into the top half of the tree across the yard.

Her aura dies down considerably, enough for her companions to stand, and the blonde stands in place shaking as she pants from the exertion of letting go. The small exertion slightly cathartic to the blonde and helps her calm down slowly. The other two stagger to their feet and begin to approach the blonde, but freeze when she whirls around and faces them with fire in her eyes and her lips are set into an angry scowl.

"The two of you will forget what you saw and heard today from the Captain, barring the mission, do you understand me?" she all but growls out at the duo. The two blink and quickly nod their heads in affirmation. "If I find out that you told ANYONE about what happened today, I will do to you what I did to that tree."

The two paled considerably. Mitlett scoffed in annoyance, turned around and marched inside the church. Kalawarner and Dohnaseek shared a quick look and shook their heads, sighing in trepidation. This mission had just gotten a lot more complicated. They followed the distressed Fallen inside the church, albeit while keeping their distance. She obviously needed the space.

As they passed the trio passed through the door, none of them noticed the figure leaning against the wall behind the doors. With her back against the wall, her left foot planted against the wall under her ass, and arms crossed under her moderate sized bust, the Raven haired fallen had suppressed her presence to nothing to eavesdrop on the conversation between the three and the IAA Captain. And it would be quite the understatement to say that Raynare was NOT pleased in the slightest. Keeping your superior out of the loop is the fastest way to get everyone involved killed, but she can't blame them for following orders. Especially since she had her own.

A golden magic circle flared to life next to her ear as soon as the three had gotten out of earshot.

"Hello Penemue. Let Azazel know that I'm on my way."

"Is everything ok Raynare?"

The Raven haired woman let out a sigh. "No. No its not. Kokabiel is finally moving and I don't have a clue what he's planning."

"Kokabiel is *sigh*- Very well, one moment."

…

..

.

"HEY YOU USELESS, GOOD FOR NOTHING GOVERNOR!" There is a slight pause before Raynare jerks her head away from the circle, nearly going deaf as the sound of crashing and two grown adults start having a shouting match that lasts about 2 minutes. Finally the male voice seemed to relent, and Penemue's sweet voice comes back normally over the line. "Azazel will be ready for you in a few minutes, feel free to come by in the next 5-10 and we girls can catch up, ok? See you in a few Raynare!" and the Cadre-Class Fallen cut the line.

Raynare rolled her eyes and struggled to bite back a giggle, despite the situation. Things like that would never happen in Heav-

She shakes her head and reminds herself not to live in the past. She has to live for the now. Just like he made her promise to do all those years ago. She smiles sadly and unconsciously pulls a small locket out from beneath her shirt and takes comfort in its warmth. The makeshift leather made from a dragon's wing and the locket a pure gold metal, more pure than any found on earth (The feeling the metal gave off felt suspiciously close to that of the Golden Gate located in First Heaven), still made her feel a connection to the little boy who was far more charming and adorable than any his age were ever meant to be. 'I wonder what kind of man he would've turned into if he were still alive…?' she though bitter-sweetly to herself.

She gingerly opened the little locket, its size no bigger than a Greek Drachma, and a single tear fell down her cheek before she forced down the rest. The locket contains a picture of a small brown-haired boy wearing a huge cheesy grin resting his chin on a blonde Raynare's shoulder, who also was sporting a huge grin, as she gave the small boy a piggy back ride. Someone had taken the photo with a recording crystal while the two were flying. Her 4 pure white angel wings a stark contract to the boy's green and black Drag-

A feral grown escaped her lips as another, far less pleasant memory tears through her mind. The night of her so called 'Fall'. She still remembered the boy's scream as that 'Monster with the Wings of an Angel' dismembered the child and cast him from Heaven. The cruelest of fates offered to only the worst offenders, enacted on child whose only crime was his parentage.

Or rather, his apparent lack thereof.

She bit back her anger long enough to calm down, wiping away the single golden tear that fell down her cheek with the back of her hand. 'I think that's enough time wasted…' she thinks sarcastically to herself. She stands up and closes her eyes and concentrates on Azazel's office. A flashing gold cross consumes her form as she teleports back to the Grigori.

Present Day

ORC Room- Kuoh Academy

"So Issei-san… Can I call you Issei-san?" Before the battered teen could grumble a response back, the redheaded girl continued as if his opinion hadn't really mattered in the first place. "Do you know why I asked for you to come to the Occult Research Club today?"

All 4 sets of eyes turned to the white-haired teen as they waited for his answer. Well three sets of eyes at least. Koneko still refused to even acknowledge that the boy existed from her spot on the other side of the couch from him… But she was listening very closely for his answer as she nibbled on the sweets Issei had given her to sate her bloodlust from when she accused him of trying to escape using dubious means.

Issei looked around the room slowly, taking in the rustic atmosphere the room gave off with a subtle hint of the supernatural. The open space beyond the couches was taken up by a massive drawing of a magic circle. 'Probably a teleportation circle.' Issei thought to himself. Candles of various sizes were scattered around the room with the entire back side of the room taken up by a large bookcase filled with old books. 'Most likely a bunch of Magic tomes and Grimoires hiding in plain sight.' His eyes trailed off of the various magical tools and non-magical fakes to hide the real ones that were scattered throughout the room and gradually made eye contact with each person in the room.

"Pretty Boy Yuuto" sat across from him. The blonde sits straight backed and tensed as a fake sincere smile is plastered on his face. It was clear to Issei that the blonde disliked him almost as much as he disliked him. Though, it was probably for different reasons. Everything about the blonde just screamed 'Fake' to Issei. Then there is the faint sense of déjà vu every time he looks at Kiba. The teen feels incredibly familiar to Issei, but he just can't place it. And whatever memory the blonde is tied to… Issei knew it wasn't a pleasant one. After all, just having that shade of blonde hair was enough to bring a violent reaction from him alone.

A painful memory lanced through the snow-haired teens mind. Two faceless individuals with glowing blonde hair that made his green eye twitch and the muscles in his back spasms momentarily. Whether that twitch came from the sudden pang of sadness or the flash of phantom pain from his back he wasn't sure.

Sitting beside Yuuto is Himejima Akeno. One of the two "Great Ladies" of the school, and an Onee-san type that made Issei feel a little uncomfortable under her… 'Interested' gaze. The raven haired sat with her legs crossed which made the impossibly short school uniform skirt ride up further on her long legs. She leaned back into the couch with her arms crossed under her chest, which only further accented her large bust and the strain they put on her poor school blouse. She wore a single orange ribbon in her hair, tied to keep her incredibly long silky hair from hiding any of her delicate facial features. Violet eyes, small pouty lips, and a perfectly proportioned nose all formed the face of one of the most beautiful women he had ever lain eyes on.

But there is something completely off about her that he couldn't quite place. But before he could dwell on that thought any further, a low growl and an impending sense of doom invaded his senses. He slowly turned towards the sound, and gulped in slight fear at the small teens glare. His blush deepened as he realized that he may have been staring at Akeno a bit too long. Heterochromatic met amber eyes for few seconds before they both quickly looked away, cheeks flushing red in embarrassment. Which did not go unnoticed by the two older girls, who shared a quick mischievous glance before turning back to the white haired boy.

Issei finally turned his attention back to Rias, taking in her appearance. He had initially expected her to be wearing the same school uniform as the rest of the people present in this meeting, but she wasn't. Instead she wore a simple pair of jeans and a low cut top. Her hair was slightly damp from a recent shower. Her blue-green eyes bore into him as she waited for his answer, and he sighed in lamentation. 'Might as well get this over with. Time to do what I came to do.'

"Well Rias-Senpai… May I call you Rias-Senpai?" Issei started. A small tinge of surprised flashed in the Crimson haired girls eyes before she schooled her features and just smiled in response, the irony of his response not lost on her. "If I had to take a guess, I'd have to say that you want me to join your 'club'." Issei used quotation marks with his fingers as he stressed the word 'Club'.

Rias's smile widened. 'Good, that makes this much easier.' "So I take it you know of the supernatural then, Issei-kun?"

Issei smirked at the vague question. "Of course I do. I may not get out much, but I do know about the Supernatural. Spirits, Oni, Dragons… The Devil." Issei's eyes narrowed slightly as he stressed the last two words, giving Rias a pointed look.

"Oh? So you do have some knowledge about the supernatural then. And where did you learn of it?" She asked with a coy smile.

"Why books mostly. The occasional fairytale. The usual. But I never really had that much interest in it, certainly not enough to catch the Occult Research Club's attention." Issei's grin settled into a smirk as he leaned back into the couch as he crossed one of his ankles above his knee and folded his arms, his eyes never leaving the red headed devil.

Rias smiled knowingly. "So I take it that you mean to tell me that you know nothing more about the supernatural outside of myth and stories?" she asked politely.

Issei shrugged nonchalantly.

Rias frowned lightly, then opened up one of her desk drawers and pulled out a thick manila folder from within. She got up and walked around her desk and sat down in front of him and between Kiba and Akeno. She smiled brightly at him and it caused the teen to start to itch uncomfortably. Issei did NOT like the way she was smiling at him. It was like she knew she had something irrefutable on him.

She pulls out a small stack of photos and starts placing them one by one in front of him and regards him thoughtfully after every one, trying to gauge his reaction. Issei scans the photos slowly and he has to resist the urge to frown. This is getting worse and worse for him and he's not sure how to get out of this one.

Rias looks up at him with a bright smile that made Issei's eye twitch. "So Issei-kun-

"OI! Isn't that too familiar?"

"-would you like me to tell you what these photos are?" she asked sweetly, completely ignoring his attempt to interrupt him. Issei rolls his eyes and just gestures for Rias to continue, much to the two older females' amusement.

Rias points to the first one. "This was taken by the school janitor on your first day. It seems someone tanked a considerable amount of force and the concrete paid the price." Rias pretended to appear thoughtful for a moment and then pretended to have a lightbulb go off. "Oh I know! Say someone stopped a juggernaut of a Rook and another female with supernatural speed and strength simultaneously without so much as flinching?" She finished with a coy smile on her lips.

Issei shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck. "Gah, the concrete was probably just weak in that spot. Structural integrity all out of whack and all of that. You know?"

The four Devils in the room just deadpanned at him as if to say, "Is that really the best you can come up with?"

Issei just laughs nervously and sweat drops. Undercover Operations really aren't his thing. Rias decides to cut him a break though… well in a manner of speaking at least, as she moves on to the next few photos. Each one of them show a similar scene that Issei is all too familiar with. Each one showed a large pile of ash surrounded by a myriad of colorful slips of paper. Each slip appearing as if they were left too long in the sun and had dried out considerably. Small craters littered the area around where the photos were taken showing obvious signs of a small battle.

Rias taps the last photo in the line and looked up at him with a sincere smile. "This is the one I have the most to thank you for." At Issei's rather unconvincing raised eyebrow, she let out another small giggle and continued. "You see, this particular Stray Devil-" she rolled her eyes as Issei tried to look questioning at her mention of a Stray. Who did he think he was fooling at this point? "- got the drop on me. She was a particularly nasty one with the ability to control her appendages even after they were removed from her body. And just as I sense the appendage and whirl around too deal with it…" she trails off momentarily to appraise the teen a bit further. Her eyes trailing down to his left arm where she could feel the phantom pulsing of energy. Maybe a Sacred Gear? "An 8 foot steel pole suddenly impaled it with enough force to skewer it to the ground and sink another 2 feet into the concrete."

"Ok, I still fail to see how any of this has to do with me, Rias-san." Issei replied, his features hardened as he regarded the girl with a sense of caution. Rias merely turned toward the white haired teen sitting next to him and asked, "Koneko-chan, why don't you enlighten the group as to what you found when I had you examine the makeshift spear?"

A small, imperceptible frown makes its way onto Koneko's face, and she mutters quietly, "…It was Hyoudou-Senpai's energy… and his scent." Rias's snaps her eyes back towards Issei with a victorious grin, while Issei raises an eyebrow. "Even if what you say is true, how would White Cat-chan even know what my energy feels like?" he asks with a small smirk making its way to his face.

Rias and Koneko deadpan at him (well Rias Deadpans, Koneko just stares at him with her normal expressionless face). "… Senpai… because your energy and scent is unique. It would be impossible to miss or replicate." Koneko says slowly before turning away to hide the faint pink hue creeping into her cheeks.

Issei's eye twitches and he slowly turns his head to his Kouhai. "And you would know this how…?" he asked slowly with dead fish eyes. Koneko glanced at Rias before looking away fidgeting quietly while trying to ignore the teen. He slowly draws closer to her until his face is just a foot away from her and deadpans.

"H-have you been stalking me too, White Cat-chan?"-I

"T-t-too?"-K

"Since you know my scent so well, does that mean you've been sniffing me weirdly?"-I

"N-N-NO! Buchou made me!"-K

"EEEHHH?! So Koneko-chan betrays me for her lover?! The world is too cruel!"-R

"Buchou NO! I would never!"-K

"So the Redhead has corrupted my White Cat-chan and made her do weird things like sniff me. What a perverted Master you have."-I

"Y-y-your W-white Cat-chan?"-K

"Ara Ara Buchou! So Koneko-chan has finally started becoming a Woman!"-A

"A-A-AKENO S-SENPAI!"-K

"Fu fu fu, Akeno, it seems our little Koneko is growing up… To think she's gone so far already. Ise-kun, make sure to take responsibility!"-R

"R-R-R-RIAS-SENPAI!"-K

"Hai, it is something I must do. White Cat-chan is a very important person to me after all."-I

"I-I-ISSEI-SENPAI!"-K

The three look at Koneko grinning at her, who is currently bright red and pouting adorably with tears starting to form in her eyes as she looks back and forth between her three mean seniors. Meanwhile, Yuuto just ignored everything and kept himself busy with examining his fingernails.

"Ara Ara Koneko-chan… Already on first name basis?" Koneko's eyes widened at her slip up. "To think you've moved so fast!"

And then Issei put the final nail on the poor girl's coffin. "Oh? White Cat-chan is ready for that type of relationship?" He slowly leaned closer and closer to a stock still, and wide eyed Koneko as he continued, putting as much charm as he could into every word. "In that case I'll start calling you… Ne~ko~Chan!" he accented the last three syllables as he leaned right next to her ear and whispered them for her alone. And finished by blowing softly into her ears.

"EEP!"

Koneko stiffened considerably as if she was struck by lightning as her mind seemed to break at the name. But when he breathed softly into her ear, she squeaked adorably and steamed poured from her ears as her face reddened considerably. It was just simply too much for the poor girl.

She stood rapidly and started shaking her head quickly, trying to forget the feeling of his breath on her ear. She started yelling out, "B-B-B-BAKA BAKA BAKA BAKA HENTAI SENPAIS!" and with her eyes closed she decked Issei right in the face, knocking him off the couch with a loud "OOF!"

She froze as if realizing what she had done and ran from the room, crashing through the door in her haste to escape the room. Crying dramatically all the way.

Issei slowly pulled himself back onto the couch with a groan while his seniors didn't even attempt to contain their laughter. He waved them away annoyed and winced as he felt the bruise swelling on his cheek. He rubbed is gently to try and work out the sting as Akeno and Rias slowly reigned in their laughter to small giggles.

"That happen often?" Issei asks gruffly. To which Rias giggled and smiled at him. "Only since you came along."

"Fan-friggin-tastic." Issei deadpanned, but quickly broke out into a bright smile and sighed. "She's just so cute when she's flustered."

Akeno and Rias quickly agreed before Rias turned serious once more. "Shall we continue?" Rias asked, to which Issei just shrugged and leaned back into the couch.

The next thing she pulled out of the stack was a series of forms and laid them out in front of him. "Do you know what these are Issei-san?" She asked.

Issei glanced over them quickly before looking back up at the redhead. "Of course I do. Those are my school forms and transcripts. They're supposed to be confidential though," the teen sighs dramatically, "So I guess I'll need to report the student council president to the Principal for releasing them without cause." He replied exasperatedly, to which she let out a small giggle.

"Well, the leaking of the documents isn't what's important here." She said softly with another coy smile, to which Issei raised an eyebrow in confusion. "You see, I KNOW these are all falsified." She finished matter-of-factly.

Issei gave her a confused look, and leaned forward and looking them over, "And why would you think that? They all look fairly legit to me, but then again what would I know? I only attended the schools." Of course, Issei knew they were real and had come from the places where the paperwork said they came from. But, Issei also knew that Lady Yasaka had also apparently pulled some strings (read blackmailed and bullied) with some officials in the Kyoto School District to falsify these records. In other words, there is no way Rias could tell that these 100% real documents were in fact falsified.

"How? Oh that was easy!" the redhead exclaimed with a grin.

-Silence-

The two just stared back at each other. Rias smiling smugly and Issei frowning back unamused.

-Silence-

…

..

.

..

…

"Would you like to know how I know?"

"YES, tell me already woman!" Issei groaned exasperatedly. To which Akeno failed to suppress her giggle behind her hand and Rias's smug grin became almost unbearable. The junior member of Rias's peerage however, wasn't very pleased. Yuuto visibly stiffened and he frowned at Issei's tone, "Please mind how you speak to Buchou, Hyoudou-san.

Rias's smile faded slightly while looking between the two before answering. "You see Issei-san, we called your previous high, middle, and elementary school and asked about you." Issei's mentally groaned 'Of course I end up with yet ANOTHER supernatural stalker.' "And they all said the same thing, 'Hyoudou-san was a wonderful student who never caused any problems,'. As in EVERY. Single. One. All 49 teachers. From your first teacher in elementary school, to your most recent homeroom teacher in Kyoto High." She pauses to let her words register to the poor snow haired teen who is currently mentally face palming at Lady Yasaka's oversight. She must have 'Compelled' them all to say good things about him and gave them all the same statement to say. Both he and Yasaka had underestimate the Gremory heiress's curiosity (read Stalker tendencies).

But Issei recovered quickly. "I understand that it's a little far-fetched, but it's probably just coincidence. Sometimes when teachers are trying to be honest and polite about a student, they tend to say something good and generic like that."

"But 49 different teachers spanning 12 years?"

"Stranger things have happened."

"Well, maybe so… but it would also be a complete lie, so unless you mean to tell me 49 teachers lied for your sake…" she trailed off shrugging her shoulders as Issei's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"The hell is that supposed to mean? I'm a great student and I don't cause any problems."

-Silence-

The entire ORC just stared at Issei with a blank look as if to say, "Really?"

"What? Is there something on my face?" he asked as he started wiping the bridge of his nose.

Rias and Akeno shared a pointed look. "Ara Ara ssei-san… No teacher would lie to cover for a hopeless pervert such as yourself…" the tall raven haired woman pretended to scold the teen while his face paled considerably as he froze in shock at what she had said.

Rias giggled at his reaction and added to the boy's misery. "You know, our 'Kind' aren't exactly adverse to people such as yourself I-se-kun." she said seductively while exaggerating each syllable of his name.

Issei's eyes began to twitch. "Oi! Stop being so familiar you damn vixen… And I think you have some kind of misunderstanding about who I am." He finished while crossing his arms and huffing angrily as he looked to the side.

Rias leaned back and crossed her arms under her bust and smiled coyly, "Oh? I'm sure the Kendo club would disagree, Ise-kun."

Issei whipped his head back around in indignation. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Fu fu fu, by now the whole school knows you were peaking on the whole club while they were changing."

Issei's eyes seem to glaze over and his skin pales. Almost like the cogs in his brain broke and he lost the ability to function.

"Ara Ara, Buchou… I think you broke him." The raven haired beauty giggled softly as she looked at the younger teen sympathetically. Rias joined her in giggling at the poor teen's misfortune.

He finally shook his head and said in a low voice. "I did not peek on them. I am not some pervert."

"Ara Ara Issei-san, but the rumor says you did. They even took you inside for punishment for your crimes!" Akeno teases him.

"That is not what happened! I'm not some kind of Voyeur! If I wanted to see them naked I would have just walked in the front door, not peek through some wall like a coward." Issei declares pride fully.

"Oh? So Ise-kun isn't a Voyeur… He didn't peel on them after all Akeno-san…" Rias said in muck surprise to Akeno, which of course caused Issei's eye to twitch again.

Akeno pretended to be ashamed and bowed her head. "Ara Ara… Youre right Buchou… It seems we've misjudged Issei-san…" she trails off as she looks at Rias, the action causing Issei to narrow his eyes. 'That was way too easy to convince them…'

""Instead, he's and unashamed Pervert!"" They both exclaimed at the same time.

"I AM NOT!"

"Oh? But you said you'd just walk in the front door if you wanted to see them naked!"

"BUT I DIDN'T SAY THAT I WOULD!"

"Ara Ara Issei-san… Only those who have something to hide would get this defensive you know?"

"I AM NOT GETTING DEFENSIVE!" HE exclaimed while jumping to his feet.

-Silence-

The duo stared at him with amusement in their eyes with a look that says "Really?"

Issei groans and clinches his fists in frustration. "We're done here. You're way off base on both parts. I don't know anything about what you're talking about and I am most definitely NOT some pervert." He turned towards the door and stalked towards it. "I am leaving." And reached out for the door handle-

-When a gold and red magic circle flares to life next to his ear.

"SON OF A BITCH!"

""I KNEW IT!"" The duo high-fived with huge grins on their faces. Yuuto just continued to ignore things and stay out of it, wondering if he could ask to go home like Koneko did.

"WHAT DO YOU WAN- oh no please don't cry Fox-chan! I promise I wasn't talking to you!" –Pause- "NO! I would never call her that!" –Pause- "I'm really sorry Fox-chan… I'll make it up to you I promise!" –Pause- "Sure thing Fox-chan, I'll take you and She-Devil out for ice cream when I get back, I promise." –Pause- "You have who with-NO! PLEASE DON'T PUT THAT WOMAN ON THE CIRCLE RIGHT NOOOOoowHeeeeyyyy! How's my…" He trails off as he glances back at the two Devils in Hysterics and sighs as he takes on a pathetic and pitiful look, "Onee-chan…"

Rias and Akeno are trying very hard to contain their laughter, but lose it at the defeated look he takes on. The poor teen staggers over to the couch and collapses back into it. The squealing woman on the other side of the magic circle squealed even louder at his greeting and started rapidly talking to the teen in a very cutesy and high-pitched voice… that sounded very familiar to Rias even though she couldn't understand what she was saying, but she couldn't quite place who it is.

"Yes. Im sitting right in front of them." Issei suddenly says in a serious tone as he snaps his eyes up to them. That particular statement stops the duo in their tracks. ''What is that supposed to mean?''

More chatter from the other person.

"Are you sure? Last thing I want to do is get erased for doing things that way." –Pause- "Well, I suppose her pride wouldn't allow that."

…

..

.

..

…

"I see. Very well, thank you for giving me the greenlight."

Issei smiled softly after rolling his eyes. "Yeah yeah, love you too... talk to you later." And the magic circle disappeared.

Issei sighed as he regarded the teens. "I suppose my cover is completely blown now." HE closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. And when his eyes open, his entire demeanor change. He sits up straight and his eyes take on a more hardened visage. His typical smile is replaced by a serious and neutral face. He took one more deep breath before he began speaking.

"I suppose that it would only be fair to tell you what I know of you in return." Seeing Rias gesture him to continue with a small smile on her face he continued. "You a Rias Gremory, Heiress to the Gremory Devil clan, who holds the Rank of Archduke. As the Heiress, you hold the title of Marquis until you take over as the Head of the Clan for your Father. You are currently Co-Governing the city of Kuoh and the surrounding area with the Student Council President, Sona Sitri. You hold the title of 'Crimson Princess of Ruin'. You are also a part of the Strongest 6 Young up-and-coming Devils, of which you would probably rank fourth or fifth. "

Rias's eyes widened. 'Not only has he done his research on me, but he did some on Sona as well? What is his game?' She then frowned as his last comment finally caught her attention. 'Fourth or fifth? I should at least be second or third'

He turns to Akeno and continues. "Himejima-Senpai is the daughter of a shrine maiden." He pauses as if contemplating something, but continues almost immediately. "Holding the title of 'Priestess of Thunder', she is considered one of the strongest Queens among the Strongest 6."

HE frowns and turns towards Yuuto. "Then we have Yuuto. A 'Pretty Boy' who has a mid-tier sacred gear call Sword-Birth. A petulant and angry child who's face pisses me off."

"The feeling is mutual Hyoudou-san." Yuuto replied without hesitation, smiling all the while.

Issei rolls his eyes and turns back to Rias with a frown. "You also wanted me brought here so you could offer me a place in your peerage. I'm sure you've already sensed that I have a sacred gear, but unfortunately for you it's almost useless." He feels a presence touch his in indignation, but soothes it away with a small reassurance.

Rias regards Issei carefully before replying. "Impossible. Both Akeno and I have rated your Sacred Gear at a rank of AT LEAST a high tier or higher. You mean to tell us that it's not?"

Issei shakes his head slowly. "You misunderstand. I do have a high ranked Sacred Gear," 'Yeah that's underselling it a bit' he thinks sarcastically to himself, "It is just useless right now, as I am unable to use it almost at all without it tearing me apart as I currently am."

"As you currently are… Your Gear is currently killing you isn't it?" realization dawns on Rias. "The reason you came here… you wanted to be reincarnated as a Devil?!" Rias asked excitedly.

"Yes… I had hoped that having you reincarnate me and change my being into that of a strengthened Devil would lessen the strain of using my Sacred Gear. As it is, the entity within my gear has sealed off most of it's functions and power in order to help me stay alive. A desperate measure that would extend my life for probably another 10-15 years if I never used my gear again."

"Ise-kun-"

*sigh* "Youre not going to stop are you?"

"- It's very saddening to hear your plight. I don't say that to pity you, but because I understand what its like to have your life spiraling out of control and feel powerless to stop it." Her eyes darken with sadness and pain a bit before she shakes the feeling a way, a sign that Issei did not miss."

Rias forces herself to smile brightly and begins to cast a magic circle to summon her pieces forth. "This is fantastic news, however! I should definitely have enough pieces to reincarnate you and help you out! I think you're too strong to be reincarnated as my second rook… so maybe 6-8 pawns?" She pondered out loud as the mall case appeared in her laugh and she began to open it-

-but lost the joyous mood at his next words.

"Unfortunately, I have determined that it would be impossible for you to reincarnate me." Rias flinched and looked up at him in confusion. "I thought about Sitri-san as well, but she too is unable to Reincarnate me in her current state." He sighed and rubbed his face in frustration. "I came to this area because I thought I would find two High-class Devils and hoped that maybe one of them would be strong enough... heh… that hope was dashed pretty quickly." He finished exasperated and with a tired expression as he looked into Rias's wide eyes.

"What do you mean? There are two High-class Devil Masters in this area, of which I am one."

"Gremory-san. You confuse nobility with power and capability. You may be a High-class Devil in rank, but you are barely a mid-tier Devil in power, if not lower."

'Good. Now take the bait.'

The tension in the room grew palpable and silence reigned. Everyone's eyes were wide and on the snow-haired teen. Issei looked bored and unperturbed as he held the Crimson-haired teen's eyes. The shock on her face from the bold statement quickly turned to annoyance and anger at the affront to her pride as a Devil. To suggest such a thing…

"Please forgive me Hyoudou-san, it seems I've misinterpreted your statement." She paused as her glare intensified. "Are you implying that I wouldn't be able to reincarnate you because I'm too weak?" She asked sweetly with a hidden edge in her voice.

Issei regarded her for a moment longer before leaning back into the couch. He waved his hand dismissively and maintained the eye contact without a trace of fear showing. "No. I'm not implying that at all."

The room relaxed slightly just for a moment and Rias's pleasant smile began to return.

"Ah I see I jus-"

"I'm just stating that as fact. I apologize if I wasn't clear. You ARE too weak to reincarnate me as a Devil, even if you still had a Queen piece." He stressed the word 'Weak' a little too much for Rias's taste, and if he noticed her displeasure he didn't show it.

"After all… When was the last time you, or any of you had to train or actually fight someone who wasn't a mindless stray? Something that, as you said, I had to step in and help you with on several occasions. You amateurs need to seriously wake up before you get yourselves or each other killed." The entire peerage's eyes widened and they collectively gasped, taken aback by his words. But Issei apparently wasn't done.

"Not only that, but you're doing a piss poor job of defending your territory. I understand that you and Sitri-san share responsibility of this town, but she's the only one that can be remotely seen as competent. You and your peerage are hardly more than a glorified hit squad and do some contracts. You leave the day to day dealings to Sitri-san, who by the way does a fantastic job of cleaning up your messes and covering your ass, and instead spend your time spoiling your peerage instead of training them so you can defend the subjects over which you govern. I've killed over 20 Strays since I've gotten here that WEREN'T in those pictures you showed me. And over half of them had already victimized several humans before I got to them. Some had been here under your nose for MONTHS."

Rias did something that Issei was not expecting. She bowed her head in shame. Issei's eyes widened imperceptibly as he looked around at the other two, who were both showing their own signs of shame and regret. Issei had never expected Rias to actually feel ashamed for this. Enraged at his rude tirade about her failings? Sure. But remorse? He needed to fix this. His plan would never work if she wasn't furious at him.

"You're right. I am a failure as a King. What would you have me do Hyoudou-san?" Rias asked softly, and with genuine sincerity. It seemed she really wanted to change things. But a mere desire to change things without motivation will just have them slacking off in a few weeks.

People, especially Devils, needed a reason to change. A desire to be better is never enough to keep them going. So Issei swallowed and closed his eyes. A small sigh escaped his lips as he prepared to play his part. Something that for all the rumors and such about him… he truly didn't like doing.

"Go back to the Underworld and resume your role as Heiress until you learn to be responsible enough to govern again. Until you're strong enough to stop hiding in HIS shadow." Rias's eyes widened and her eyes snapped up to his, her mouth going slack-jawed as she hoped against hope that he wasn't going where she thought he was.

"After all… You're only here to shirk your other 'Responsibility'." And with that statement, it was like lightning shot through Rias and Akeno. Yuuto didn't understand the underlining meaning of the statement, but he knew it wasn't something pleasant from his King and Queen's reaction.

Rias bristled in rage at the blatant disrespect. She could begrudgingly agree with his assessment of their battle experience, but to be so disrespectful about it? And to say what he said? UNFORGIVEABLE! Akeno tensed and the smile on her face became more strained, a faint trace of lightning began to spark between her fingertips. Kiba's face contorted into a furious snarl and his hand went for his belt again, and stayed there with that same swirl of energy forming around the hand.

Rias's red aura began to leak out around her as she slowly stood from her seat and began to lean over her the table between them, hands planted firmly onto the mahogany. The table began to sizzle as the wood began to slowly disintegrate under her touch. Her crimson hair slowly began to rise slightly under the pressure of her power, and her eyes gleamed under the shadows of her bangs.

"You come into my territory uninvited, you begin hunting Strays WITHOUT authorization, and then you just show up to my school and cause a scene your first day. I was willing to overlook all of this, so I invite you into my HQ and show you the best hospitality I can offer, and how do you repay me? You refuse to answer my questions honestly about your intentions and then disrespect me and my Servants by looking down on us and calling us weak. And finally you have the gall to insult me and my family directly to my face?!" She finally looked up at him with eyes blazing in fury.

"My family and I…"

Issei just gazed back at her. His lips set in a frown and eyes unreadable. But still, he showed no fear of the heiress. His unfazed look just served to piss the heiress off even more.

Rias finally stood up and crossed her arms under chest. Silence reigned in the room once again as the two stared each other down, waiting for the other to show even a moment of weakness. Finally Rias was the one to break the silence.

"I will not allow this affront to the Gremory Household go unpunished. You have until midnight to leave my territory. You are allowed to gather your things, but come midnight, if you are still within my territory, I will declare you as an enemy of the house of Gremory for trespassing and ensure that you are hunted down." Rias declared, waving her hand dismissively. "Now get out of my sight."

"No."

A collective gasp rang throughout the room. No one could believe Issei's audacity. To blatantly disregard a Pillar Family in their own territory was akin to signing your own Death Warrant.

"Very well." Rias walked over to her desk and stood behind it, Issei merely following her movements with his eyes. "Akeno. You know what to do." Then she formed a crimson magic circle on her desk and a barrier formed around the old school building and the field just next to it. If Issei was surprised he didn't show it. The dark haired teen let smiled sadistically as her lightning grew larger around her fingertips.

"Fu fu fu! I had hoped for better from you Ise-kun. But now you get to play with Onee-san! Don't die too quickly ok?" With that a yellow magic circle formed in front of her outstretched arm and lightning began to crackle around her. Issei just looked at her blankly, and for just a moment she hesitated. He didn't even attempt to put up any type of defense, but he was a problem that needed to be dealt with.

"RESOUND THUNDER" She cried out and a torrent of lightning spewed from the magic circle. Issei muttered something under his breath and Rias saw something green and red flash on his hand, but whatever it was she couldn't make out, because the moment she noticed the small flash, Akeno's spell slammed into Issei's chest. The force from the lightning sent him through the couch and slammed him into the opposite wall. She sent out a second pulse in her spell and the wall exploded behind him from the sheer power behind her spell.

Issei flew into the small field next to the ORC building and slammed into the ground, leaving a large crater from the impact. Pieces of the broken wall clattered to the ground around him, still smoking from the intense heat of her spell. The teen lay there motionless.

Rias shook her head as she sat back down. "Foolish boy, your arrogance was your undoing." She sighed as she put her head down on her arms on her desk. 'So much potential wasted…'

"Akeno, go check up on him. If he survived, then heal him to the best of your abilities without waking him. Then take Kiba with you and take him to the city limits and set him in the forest outside the boundary. Hopefully he won't do anything else fooli-"

She felt her whole peerage tense around her and a sound that made her blood freeze in her veins stopping her mid-sentence.

PAT PAT PAT

"So?" The snow haired teen's voice cut across the room like a whip, stunning the 4 Devils. Rias's head snapped up and wide eyed stared at him in shock. Issei had taken the full might of Akeno's thunder spell and other than a few charred marks in his clothes, he looked relatively unharmed. He was dusting off his clothes before looking up at the 3. His eyes had become more slit like, especially his green one which now looked disturbingly like a snake's. Every inch of his skin had taken on a red tinge as if he had a light sunburn. A devilish smirk slowly crept up onto his lips, his enlarged canines showing through, as he continued.

"Was that the full might of the famed Half-Fallen Miko, the Priestess of Thunder? I hope that was you holding back." He grinned more savagely after all but spitting out the word 'Miko'. He waves at them dismissively, a red metal glove visible on his hand now. As the back of the glove turns towards her Rias saw the symbol [X] wrapped in chains glowing on the emerald gem imbedded there. "If that's the best you can do then there's nothing stopping me from taking this place over."

Akeno growled, all traces of amusement gone as cold-fury replaced it. No one should have known about her lineage. It was a close kept secret within the Gremory family. How could he have found out?! Lightning surged around her in greater intensity. She began levitating into the air and with a brilliant flash of light, her school uniform was replaced with a Miko's outfit. Her Devil wings unfurled behind her and she glared down at Rias.

"Buchou, please allow me to remove this filth from your presence." It was more of a statement rather than a request, but Rias acquiesced immediately and waved her hand at Kiba. "Help her put him down." Rias had barely gotten to finish her sentence before Kiba disappeared from beside her, reappearing directly in front of Issei, a sword formed in his hand, and swinging violently fast at the teen's head, trying to separate it from his shoulders.

But his strike hit nothing but air, the blonde teen's widening in shock as his sword tip missed Issei's throat by millimeters. Issei had leaned back just enough for it to miss. His arm shot out and grabbed the boy by his face. The boy let out a surprised yelp, and with a single twist, Issei stepped backwards and rotated his whole body, throwing the hapless teen straight into the crater he had come from. The teen crashed hard and tumbled roughly before coming to stop a few feet from the crater, his body aching all over as he struggled back to his feet. 'What power!' he thought as he struggled to catch his breath.

Akeno screeched in fury and formed another magic circle and shot another thunder spell at him. Issei dodged backwards into the courtyard, barely dodging the spell. Rias slowly approached the hole in the wall as the true battle began.

Yuuto had gotten back up had rushed straight for Issei as fast as he could, the knight wasted no time before barraging him with slashes and stabs as hard and as fast as he could. Issei didn't miss a beat and just dodged or parried every blow with his gauntlet, seemingly with ease. This continued for a few seconds until Kiba finally backed off to catch his breath and reevaluate how to fight the teen. He glanced at Akeno who nodded her head.

He circled him before sprinting towards him from behind and strikes out with Holy Eraser, a short sword. Issei ducks at the last second and Kiba hastily creates another sword in his free hand and attempts to stab the snow-haired teen. Issei adapts however and merely steps lightly to the side and uses the back of his gauntlet to redirect the blade away from himself, forcing the blade to travel in an awkward direction for Yuuto. Yuuto skids to a halt as the redirection throws him off balance. Issei moves in to attack the off-balance knight, but jumps back at the last second to avoid a blast of lightning that slams into the ground where he had just been standing. A small crater forms and rock and dirt fly everywhere from the explosion.

Issei growls in frustration when he notices Rias prepare to join the fight, so he makes a hasty decision.

He quickly reengages the Knight and makes sure to keep him between his King and himself. Rias, who had begun to form an orb of Destruction to assist her Knight, huffs in frustration. 'I can't get a clear shot at Hyoudou without putting Kiba in the crossfire.' One more appraising look and she realizes that Issei isn't even watching Kiba, he's glaring at her and making sure her Knight is stuck between them. A smirk forms on his face as he holds her gaze tauntingly as if to say, "Well? What are you going to do now?"

However, him focusing purely on Rias sends Yuuto into a frenzy. Sick of being ignored Yuuto back steps away from Issei, before charging into his blind spot with all of the speed he can muster. Issei's eyes widen momentarily as Yuuto vanishes from his sight, only to appear behind his right shoulder.

Gritting his teeth, the teen swings himself around and his hand flashes out, catching Yuuto's left wrist and halting the first blade inches from his face. Yuuto growls and swings with his right, and Issei catches the blade in his Gauntlet.

The snow haired teen grins sadistically at the blonde haired 'Pretty Boy'. But his smirk is returned in kind by Yuuto who rears back and thrusts his head forward to head-butt him. His smirk falters quickly and he leans his head to the left, dodging the head-butt, but Yuuto wasn't finished.

In a sudden burst of genius Yuuto swings his head to the opposite side of Issei as far as it will go with his mouth open wide. Issei only has a moment to panic as a small Kodachi forms in front of Yuuto's face. The blonde rapidly sinks his teeth into the soft leather of the hilt and swings his head as fast as he can towards Issei's neck, blade tip first.

Issei's eyes widen rapidly and he leans back as far as he can go, blade grinding against the front of his throat as it passes by. The action catching even Issei by surprise that he managed to dodge such a sudden surprise attack from such a close range.

Momentary panic vanishes and Issei's lips twist into a snarl as a low grumbling is released from his throat. He forces Yuuto back by reflex and head-butts the teen viciously. Blood spatters from the teens forehead from the brutal impact. The blonde instantly drops hid weapons and staggers backward. Finally, to finish Yuuto, Issei Spartan kicks the teen viciously in the chest, sending him careening across the field.

Issei's senses alert him to a large buildup of magic, and he barely has enough time to launch himself the side to avoid being charred to a crisp from the thunder spell that slams into where he had been standing moments before. He combat rolls and lands on his feet facing Akeno as he slides back a few feet from his momentum. Akeno glares at him and begins charging another spell, and he casts his senses out to his fullest, heightening them all to beyond human levels. Yuuto staggers to his feet and wipes the blood out of his eyes, a feat that Issei begrudgingly had to give Yuuto credit for. Rias, finally able to engage him begins forming a massive orb of destruction. A small trace of sweat evident on her brow from the exertion to keep the orb stable and formed. Something Issei immediately notices.

DUN-DUN

Issei pauses and huffs a few time to catch his breath. He senses Kiba re-summoning his weapons. Kiba circles around him before dashing straight at him. The buildup of Akeno and Rias's spells finish and time seems to slow down for Issei.

DUN-DUN

He sighs and summons up his power. He slowly outstretches his left arm to the side as he reaches behind his back with his back and grabs what looked like playing cards only slightly wider in dimensions. His eyes close and he feels his power screaming to be let loose within his veins. His heart beats loudly in his chest, pumping so hard it almost hurt as the familiar burn spreads through his veins.

DUN-DUN

"RESOUND THUNDER!"

"TAKE THIS AND BEGONE!"

"AAAUUURRGH"

A shouted spell, and passionate order, and a feral roar rang across the field as the three attacked him sequentially.

But…

It was all drowned out by three muttered words from their target.

"Release level 5."

A brilliant green flash is released from Issei's left hand and his gauntlet grows a little farther up his arm adding another green gem and 2 extra golden spikes. The [X] in the glove gem from before had become a [V] in his new gauntlet. His skin took on a darker red tinge and cracks began to form all along his skin. Almost like he is growing scales. His nails sharpen into inch long claws and his canines grow long enough that they were visible every time his mouth opens. Rias quickly began to get an understanding of who they were dealing with as flashes of a page she had read on a sacred gear flooded her mind, and while she wouldn't admit it out loud, fear lanced through her body.

"NO! GET AWAY FROM HIM!" she screamed out but it was too late. Her peerage were too committed to their attacks and couldn't hear her over their own cries. She moved to race towards them, but it was over in a moment.

Issei's hand whipped out in front of him, throwing 2 cards in Akeno's direction, "Gaía! Ífaistos! KALÓ TIs ARCHÉs TIs KYRIARCHÍAs SAs!" He calls out calmly with a voice brimming with power that clashed with his lack of any aura. The Greek chant caused Rias to freeze in her tracks. 'H-He's with the Greek Faction too?!' she mentally berated herself for her rashness. She may have just caused another Pantheon to become hostile with the Devils. 'How could I let this happen?!' Rias internally screamed at herself. Her head drooped as an unfamiliar feeling creeps into her heart, gripping it tightly and making her unable to take any action except watch.

Just before Akeno's Thunder spell hit him the two cards stopped in midair, crossing over one another and spewed a black grainy substance out that met the spell head on. The black substance seemed to absorb her spell and the small gains of black sand seem to magnetize to each other using the lightning and a magical magnetizer. The grains continued until they morphed into a straight black bar. Akeno taken aback from the sudden neutralization of her spell using unknown means was too stunned to warn the blonde rushing Issei.

As Yuuto got within striking distance he lashes out violently, aiming to take Issei's head off at the neck. He rushed in on Issei's unprotected side, but wasn't prepared for Issei to whip the black bar over his shoulder as fast as he did. He speed seemingly much greater than before the green flash. As Kiba's blade met the bar, Issei angled it so that his blade glanced off the bar.

Kiba grits his teeth in frustration and unleashes a flurry of strikes that Issei parries or dodges with ease. Kiba slashes horizontally at Issei and he leans back far, allowing the blade to pass a hairsbreadth above his chest. Issei plants one hand on the ground to support himself and kicks upwards, hitting the pommel of Kiba's sword and launching it out of his grasp and high into the air. Yuuto's eyes lost focus and followed the blade and this distraction allows Issei to spin his body around and take Yuuto's legs out from under him.

A surprised look crosses Yuuto's face as he feels his equilibrium go haywire. Issei, now back on his feet, slams the heel of his foot into Yuuto's sternum. A loud cracking sound emits from the boys chest and the impact causes him to slam into the ground hard. Blood erupts from his mouth and the force of hitting the ground bounces him back into the air. His momentum causes him to twist in the air until he's facing Issei, who's standing in a fighting stance with his fist a few inches away from the teen's stomach. Yuuto's eyes widen in horror and he lets out a silent scream as a white aura surrounds Issei fist. Issei slams his fist into Yuuto and the force sends him flying across the courtyard where he slams into a tree. A loud crunching sound rings out and the boy slumps to the ground motionless.

"KIBA!"

And that was the moment Rias saw it. There is a sheen of sweat covering Issei and he pants subtly from the exertion of casting that last spell. He is winning, but he is one slip up away from being defeated. Rias knew that they need to end this quickly and launches her Orb at the teen, and for the first time she sees a hesitation in Issei. Just a small moment of uncertainty, before he seems to shake himself out of it. His face contorts into one of concentration before thrusting his hand forward at an impossible speed.

A fierce concentration of air shoots forward from the motion ad impacts the Orb. Instead of the orb eating through the pressurized air, Rias gasps in shock as the wind penetrates the center of the orb. The penetration is slight, but it's enough to cause the orb to destabilize and fracture into wisps of magic.

Rias meets Issei's eyes with her own. She expected the eyes of murderous fury, but instead she finds reluctant acceptance and maybe… guilt? Issei is sweating heavily now, but seems steady and determined to continue. His ferocity surprises her, but confusion flashes in her mind. 'Why isn't he attacking?' she wonders as the teen merely stares back at her, making no attempt at hostile actions. 'He should be trying to finish this quickly, because it's obvious that he's almost at his limit, so why…?'

"BUCHOU!" Akeno cries out, "He's mine! Ill avenge our Kouhai! You need to call for help!" and begins launching spell after spell at the powerful teen. Rias taken aback from being broken out of her thoughts nods in agreement. She then brings up a magic circle to contact Sona for backup. The Crimson magic circle sparks to life beside her ear before immediately sizzling out. Confusion and panic races through her mind. She glances out at the magical barrier she had put up earlier and what she sees makes her blood run cold.

The once crimson barrier now had sickly blue and green veins running all along it. Hundreds of those cards were scattered around the inside of the dome. Issei had taken control of the Barrier without her noticing. He must have scattered them when he was launched into the field the first time. 'He must have taken Akeno's attack on purpose so he could set this all up while we thought he was down!' And that was the moment she realized.

He isn't locked in here with them.

They are locked in with him.

Her eyes widen as she looks back at the two fighting and gasps in horror as a blood curling scream rings out across the field.

Moments earlier

Without her allies to get caught in the crossfire, Akeno knows she doesn't have to hold back any more and the spells begin to ramp up in higher and higher intensity and strength. Issei speeds up until he's rapidly circling Akeno, barely staying ahead and dodging her spells. "YOU WILL PAY FOR HURTING KIBA-KUN!" Akeno screamed while launching one final spell, her most powerful yet. The Magic Circle shines brightly in the sky and seems to envelop the whole field.

Issei, drenched in sweat from the exertion stumbled over a bit of loose ground from a crater created earlier. He grit his teeth and slams a green and black card into his chest and there is another flash of green as he cries out "DRAGON SKIN!!"The appearance of a large dragon who has the mixed appearance of a both a western and eastern dragon erupts out of his back, roaring into the heavens before diving back onto him. His skin rapidly forms into red and black scales. Issei twirls himself around and takes the attack head on. He thrusts his left hand up, fingers pointed skyward as the surge of lightning slams into his fingertips from the sky. His scales burns slightly as the lightning spell courses crosses his skin and coils around him. Akeno hesitates slightly in shock, "H-HOW ARE YOU DOING THAT?!" she screams out at him.

But this moment of hesitation costs her as growls out. "MAGIC, WHAT ELSE?!" and swings the right side of his body forward and thrusts his right hand out like a knife in Akeno's direction. Her eyes widen in terror and she tries to put up a barrier, but the redirected lightning shatters the barrier instantly. The lightning branches into 6 directions quickly and Akeno gets hit with one of the branches and lets out a bloodcurdling scream. Her body spasms violently and she passes out, freefalling towards the ground.

Rias gasps, and lunges forward to try and catch her but stops abruptly-

-as Issei leaps into the air and catches the raven haired beauty in a bridal carry. He lands as gently as he can and sets her in a sitting position on the ground, resting against his legs. He removes his blazer and rolls it up, placing it behind her head as he gently lowers her to the ground.

He stands slowly and turns to face Rias, his lips set into a small wry smile. Rias notices that his body is covered in small electrical burns and it looks like his skin is peeling everywhere, except his face. He slowly closes the distance between them and stops about 10 feet away from her and silence reigns between them.

Issei is the first to break the silence. "Do you admit your defeat Gremory Heiress?" he asks quietly, a flash of an unfamiliar emotion catches Rias's attention. The glint vanishes almost as quickly as it appeared however.

"I think not. You have attacked my peerage and insulted my family name. You also seem to be on your last leg, while I am still fresh and ready to fight." She replies coolly, her eyes hardening as she prepares a magic circle.

"HA! HAHAHA!" Issei's barking laughter cut across the field and surprised Rias. "I attacked you? If I remember correctly, YOU were the first to order your Queen to strike first." Rias froze as his lips twisted into a smirk. "I didn't even have a chance to defend myself either! And then when I try to brush it off you proceed to order your other servant to attack me, and later join in yourself." The crimson haired girl's eyes narrowed, not liking where this was going. "To any faction I might be a part of, you might as well of attacked a diplomat that was merely trying to broker peace without cause."

Rias finally snarled as things started clicking into place. His barely contained abnormal feats. His cleaning up Strays. His riling her up to force her hand into attacking him.

"You're a conniving bastard, you know that?"

Issei just shrugs. "I have my reasons."

"Care to share them with the group?"

"Only if you surrender now."

"I'll die before I submit to you!" Rias growls.

Issei sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose exasperatedly. "Is violence the only thing that will make you see reason? You know I was holding back right" he asks softly.

"The only thing I want to see is your body disintegrate to ash for what you did to my family!" Rias yells out as she channels another large Orb of Destruction.

Issei let out a forlorn sigh. "I didn't want things to go this far, but apparently you need a demonstration..." he trails off and brings his gauntlet up to eye level, the gem facing Rias. It is showing a red [III] wrapped in chains, but begins to flash rapidly. And with a deep breath Issei mutters out "Release restraint Alpha." Rias clenches her teeth ad braces herself for his burst in power-

-and nothing happens.

Rias looks at him mockingly and opens her mouth to say something scathing back. "I knew you were-"

She's cut off as a violent shockwave emits from him, shattering the ground in 4 meter circle around him. Rias swaps her attack for a barrier to shield herself from the shrapnel from the explosion. When it dies down and the dust clears, she's rendered speechless from the change.

His pupils have both become slits and his eyes shine brightly. Both a bright Emerald color. His skin is becomes covered in a patchwork of green, black, and red scales. His fangs sharpen and elongate until they're visible even with his mouth closed.

Rias took a step back in shock and her fear multiplied exponentially by his next words.

"If it's a demonstration of how outclassed you are you need to accept reality... then I'll give you one."

What followed is one of the most painful experiences that Rias had ever experienced in her life.

Before she could ever blink, Issei had crossed the distance between them, fist drawn back. Rias panics and lunges backwards as she throws up a hastily crafted barrier-

-Which is immediately shattered like glass as Issei's fists crashes through it and slams into her stomach.

Pain like Rias has never experienced before erupts throughout her body. She flew backwards and tumbled across the ground before slamming against the ORC building. Her eyes widen considerably in shock as blood cascades from her mouth.

"AAEEUUGGHH!" Rias gasps as the impact against the tree knocks the wind out of her violently. She clutches her chest and tries to catch her breath, but Issei doesn't give her any chance to do so. Panic fills her as she launches herself to the side-

-Just in time to avoid the roundhouse kick Issei delivers aimed at her head. His kick slams into the side of the building and rips the whole wall apart violently. Wood, stone, and metal flies in every direction like shrapnel and she feels several pieces cut into her skin. She then has to leap to her feet and jump out of the way as Issei's foot slams into the ground where she had just been laying, his foot creating a small crater around a foot in diameter.

'That would have killed me if it had hit!' she thinks in horror. Her eyes snap up to Issei from the ground she is kneeling. The teen just regards her appraisingly. She grunts in pain as she forces herself to her feet, staggering slightly as her muscles scream from the effort. She glares at her attacker in anger.

"So. Are you ready to concede? Or are you still denying your own existence." Issei asked quietly with a sad frown on his face.

Rias growls as she clenches her fists. She lowers her head slightly and her bangs shroud her eyes in darkness. Her dark crimson energy begins to seep out slowly, but ramps u until it forms a torrential hurricane of energy around her. Matter slowly begins to disintegrate around her body where her aura touches it. She slowly tilts her head up until her eyes meet Issei's, whose sad smile slowly morphs into a large grin at the change.

Her eyes are now as crimson as her aura.

"HA HAHA! It seems I finally have your attention. Show me what kind of existence you are RUIN PRINCESS!" Issei finishes with an excited roar as he charges the Gremory heiress.

To be continued

A/N: So yeah… I know it's been a while, but it's been pretty tough for me to write this chapter. Not only is this chapter the longest chapter I've ever written, but it was SUPPOSED to be twice as long and encompass the entirety of their fight, him meeting a lucky/unlucky fallen angel and eventually Asia. BUT, I decided to cut it here. Half because it seems like a good place to end the chapter (*Evil Laughter*), and because it's killing me to write something so long. Not everyone can write 50k word chapters in 2 days *coughNosferatucough*.

Unfortunately I can't promise a release date on the next chapter. I do most of my writing in one to two sittings, whereas the other times I try to work on it, I'll spend 3 hours and get a line or two. So I just ask that you all please be patient with me and continue to support me as much as you all have.

P.s: I also want to give a big shout out to 'Nosferatu869' and 'Classic Mecraphone'. I've been really inspired by these two writers especially. "A Fool's Heart", "Red Dragon of Golden Light" and "The Lone Dragon Emperor" that Nosferatu wrote are absolute masterpieces and reading his stories really helped me find out what type of writer I want to be. Meanwhile reading "King of Thieves and Shadows" by Classic has really helped me improve on my character interactions and helped me find how I want said character to be.

I by no means intend to plagiarize their work, but you will most definitely find my writing style heavily influenced by them. Not cookie cutter, as I lack both the ability and motivation to write works such as theirs, but definitely inspired by.

OH! And:

Gaía! Ífaistos! KALÓ TIs ARCHÉs TIs KYRIARCHÍAs SAs!

Translates to: "GAIA! HEPHAESTUS! I CALL FORTH THE PRINCIPALS OF YOUR DOMINION!"

Lame I know, but building your own magic system and chants is kind of difficult lol.

Also, on the note of Harems…

Issei's Harem will NOT include the following:

Grayfia, Penemue, Gabriel, Yasaka, Lady Venelana, and finally (and most definitely NOT) Asia. I know I know I know. But Asia CANNOT be a part of his Harem for various reasons that you all will find out later. (And I kind of despise her character slightly)