Massive thanks to DeathKnightArmory for betaing/editing the story.

Reviews:

Accursius Q: What may be nice is to see the situation from the POV of one of the sisters or the nekomata perhaps?

A: Doing that at the beginning of this chapter.

Zettai Zero Q: Also, is there anyone else from the Bleach universe coming to DxD?

A: I have something planned but I will need to speak with my beta/editor.

Rmarcono321 Q: What is the theme here?

A: Loss.

Also, CrowKrowCrow pointed out that Islam is technically part of the Biblical Faction... I'm honestly not that well versed in Islam, as I do not practice it, and I apologize if I offended anyone with this mistake. For the Buddha part... Yeah, I might've typed all the major religions I know...

Chapter 5

Hour Before Midnight

Zangetsu looked at the sky. His black and yellow eyes observing the darkened sky.

It was pouring.

"Quit slacking, if we even let a sliver of Ichigo's power loose that thing will come for him," Juha, the ever so stuck up Quincy side of Ichigo, reprimanded him.

"Are you sure we should not warn him of the dragon?" Zangetsu asked, an unusual worried tone interlaced with his words.

Juha sighed, his grip on the metaphorical leash on Ichigo's powers tightened. "Warning him now would only make the rain worse."

Asa Kazuki was confident in her looks she gained from her mother. She had that bewitching face and her silky, smooth hair that made her popular with boys outside of her school. She was rated in the top 10 most beautiful women in the school, just behind in some of the more prettier ones.

She was also confident that her natural personality was also a benefit. Sure, she might be a bit arrogant and cold but that was on rare occasions when she got especially mad, which almost never happens. She was usually upfront with her wishes, and yet...

She just felt entranced with the newest male in the temple, Ichigo Kurosaki, the man that was a total mystery even when considering the supernatural world she was all familiar with. She was just shy around him, usually being reduced to a mumbling mess.

It... Frustrated her, whose friends say she's a bit blunt and cold at sometimes.

She wanted to confess her feelings for God's sake! Although... Isn't he like 20? Age was just a number.

She shook her head as she faced the mirror in the bathroom she, Saberu, Ichigo, and the newly arrived Jinsoku shared. Thinking about Jinsoku, a potential love rival-

'What am I thinking?!' she said to herself as she was reduced to a blushing mess. "I'm reading to much romance web novels lately..." she muttered to herself.

She had the whole day to try to get closer to him! She will not let this chance go! A fire lit in her eyes, she will not give up! She will make Ichigo her's!

With her determination lit, she moved to the door and opened it, her mind setting a general-

"Yo."

The single word alone snapped her from her thoughts as Ichigo was exiting from his room and moving towards the bathroom, or her.

"Y-Yo!" she tried to greet back, failing miserably as she was reduced to a stuttering mess.

Ichigo, as per usual, had his kimono on lazily, showing his rather lean and yet heavily defined upper abs and his cool looking tattoos for her to see. He had a towel slung over his shoulders that drew her eyes to his broad and powerful shoulders. His hair was free-flowing, it's long length flowing more loosely than usual.

His face, which was distinctively male, had a bit of femininity to it. Smooth skin with no blemishes whatsoever, a more rounded face than most men his age, and those eyes of his bewitched her with those scarlet eyes.

"Hello? World to Asa." Ichigo snapped her out of her musings.

"Ah sorry!" she yelped as she moved out of the way.

Ichigo gave her a weird glance, his body no longer facing the bathroom, instead, he faced her. "I suppose this is a good time to ask..." he muttered to himself, drawing Asia's attention to him. "Want to head the movie theater? I just got my allowance and I was just thinking of heading over there once I washed up."

Asa's head spun at the request. 'Eh?! He took the initiative?!'

"S-Sure!" she said with as much confidence she could muster.

Ichigo grinned. "I suppose we can leave when I'm done washing up," he said.

Unfortunately for Asa, there was a third wheel that impeded on her plans, her little sister Saberu. Ichigo had invited everyone in the shrine but her mother and father had refused because they were already had plans but had offered to drop them off. Jinsoku was practically bound to the confines of the shrine lest she lost the political immunity she had came to the shrine for in the first place.

She truly felt sorry for the beautiful Nekoshou, who could easily bewitch any man with her appearance alone. Yet felt a bit relieved as Ichigo's attention was ought to be more on her rather than Jinsoku.

That being said, she seriously underestimated how popular Ichigo became with other women when they laid eyes on him. Sure, she instantly fell for him the moment she saw him but for Lady Amaterasu's sake! Shouldn't they all have a different preference than her?!

Everyone was unique right? Or was that just American propaganda?

Luckily, when they saw her, a relatively more beautiful person than most of them, they simply just looked at him with interest or lust and didn't try to make a move.

She looked at Ichigo, whose hair was done in a long smooth ponytail that was tied by her mother was a bit of a turn off to some women and actually attracted some of the creepier men that mistaken him a girl.

He forwent the loose kimono he wore almost all the time in the shrine and had garbed the most simple tuxedo her father had in his closet.

Honestly, she would never know why her father never wore modern or more casual clothes.

"Three tickets for Fate... Er..." Ichigo looked for her to help, but before she could answer, the cashier interjected.

"Fate Stay Night Heaven's Feel: Lost Butterfly?" the cashier asked.

"Ah yes."

Actually, she shouldn't have picked a sequel movie, and instead, she should've picked something like the Broly movie.

But she watched it like 2 times with her friends. She sighed.

For the most part, Ichigo was lost when the movie started up. Sure, the animation, especially the fights, were amazing but... What was the plot?

Seeing his confusion, the more "cultured" Asa gave him a basic rundown on what had happened in the previous movie and the Fate universe as a whole.

Confusion was still plainly evident on his face after the movie despite the explanation.

"So where are we going next, big brother Ichigo~?!" Saberu asked, her personality mildly resembling Nel when she was in her child form.

Another heartache, which had become common as he stayed longer with this family. Reminders of his failure.

Ichigo strained a smile. "Well, I wanted to get some food before calling your parents."

"Do you have a place in mind?" Asa asked.

In recent days, she had been recovering her dignity when in the presence of Ichigo. She fortified walls that were crumbling; she erected new ones to hide her embarrassment; yet, she couldn't help but feel a bit hot whenever she looked at him.

"I was planning walking around a bit and to look for a place to eat," Ichigo admitted, a bit sheepishly.

Asa, as a native to Kuoh Town, felt a weird excitement. Perhaps it was the responsibilities of being a guide that excited her? She would never know.

A fire lit up in her eyes.

She will show once and for all that she was not naturally shy! She will show Ichigo that she wasn't an average girl that would swoon at the tiniest display of hotness!

"Hm, it must be nice being young... Although it must be hard for them being a young couple..."

"Look at them! They are the perfect couple."

Those same walls that were erected or fixed briefly broken down.

"That was fun," Ichigo commented as they walked down the street back to the movie theater. "What time do they pick us up?"

"Six, I believe," Asa replied, her composure straighter and more polite than usual.

Saberu, who was leading them, turned around and faced Asa. Her cute little eyes looking dead center to her sister's. "Why are you so proper and polite, big sister?" she asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, when you're around Ichigo you are all shy and when you are at school you're so ab-nocks-tious."

"Eh?! W-Where did you hear that from?!"

"Hikan and Muzu told me that."

"D-Don't believe everything they say!"

"Why?"

"B-Because..." By this point, Asa looked to Ichigo for help but he just gave her a blank stare.

"You have a triple sided personality," he said blankly.

"Idiot!"

There was something extremely wrong, Souichiro and Medeia hadn't picked them up by six o'clock.

It was already seven.

Ichigo was anxious as they continued to wait for their drive home. An impatient atmosphere was brewed between them.

Asa was now contacting her friends if they could pick her up. If they couldn't get here then they would call for a taxi.

Saberu was clutching onto Asa, already fast asleep from the exhaustion and the extended wait.

Ichigo was studying the town's Reiraku, something he should've done a while ago, and what he found was just short of baffling. There was about a dozen unique Reiraku: Red-black, grey-white, red-green-white, etc.

Now, he tried to extend his range to Karakura Village. His concentration was similar to that when he was learning the Final Getsuga Tenshou. Unbreakable.

He was finally able to and new white Reiraku appeared in his view, as well as a dozen red-black ones. 'What?!' His concentration broke as he became alerted at the sudden supernatural presence.

He stood up.

Now, he utilized a more complex spiritual energy finding technique.

Asa, who was coincidentally just ended her call turned her attention to him. "I-Is something wrong?"

Ichigo didn't pay any mind to her, instead, searching for Souichiro or Medeia's energy. It was weak.

Jinsoku's was struggling.

"Stay here, I'll go ahead of you," he said solemnly, already heading to an alleyway so he may utilize his rather fast shunpo to get there as fast as possible.

"H-Hey wait!" Asa called, accidentally awakening Saberu.

But Ichigo knew that he could not delay any further, he needed to get there now.

Asa, who had just called her friend to pick her up, was left alone with a just awakening Saberu. Her hand tried to grasp him, yet he was already too far.

She was helpless.

Bam. Bam.

Jinsoku used her senjutsu to drive off the Devil that was about to finish of Souichiro, who laid bleeding and dying, his legs and arms were broken. Medeia was in a similar state.

When the Devils first attacked, they had utilized their advanced teamwork born from experience to kill off three of the enemy.

Yet, these were mid-class and high-class Devils. They had quickly defeated Souichiro, their vanguard, with heavy and quick hitting spells.

Medeia, a high-class magician herself, had taken out two more Devils before being taken out by the concentrated efforts of the whole raiding party. She only survived and was in a relatively better state than Souichiro because of a barrier she hastily conjured.

Now, she was left to fend for herself, as she was taking a nap when the attack started.

"Come with us, little kitty and we'll spare your human friends," a relatively old Devil stated arrogantly, a victorious grin on his face.

Oh, how she wanted to wipe off that grin off that Devil's face.

She clenched her teeth in anger, she had brought this upon them. The shrine family did not deserve this. The death of those two was imminent and if they will not get treated they would die within the next minute.

The faces of Asa, Ichigo, and Saberu appeared in her mind. If Ichigo had family or had the capacity to support the three of them, then she could see them surviving.

Yet... A disgusted feeling tore into her stomach.

Despite not making many memories here, she felt indebted to the Kazuki's for their acceptance of her despite the danger she would bring.

She will defend them, and she highly doubted these Devils would keep to their promises. She could see the lust in their eyes as they eyed her and Medeia.

A bright blue flame erupted from her fists. She may not be a fighter but she will be damned if she didn't pay back the kindness the Kazuki's gave to her and the happiness they will lose because of her!

The arrogant grin was still there.

An overwhelming amount of anger came overcame her. Her mind reverting to its primal mind.

This was the cost of Senjutsu, the absorption of the world's malice.

She charged at the leader, her arm poised to break off his teeth that were still arrogantly showing.

She will bash those teeth!

Pillars of magic bound her to the floor. Restraining her to the ground.

It only restrained her and it did nothing to take care of her increasing energy. "Fuck you!"

Suddenly, the blue energy that surrounded her turned crimson. The restraints struggled to hold her before breaking.

Crack.

Yet, it only served to make the leader frown. "I think more force is necessary," he said. "I doubt I will go unpunished..."

Suddenly, his energy levels skyrocketed before settling at a comfortable High-class level.

He met her senjutsu-enhanced strike with a magic circle that surrounded his first and coated it in solid energy.

"Solid strike!"

His single strike broke apart Jinsoku's energy-coated fist. She was sent flying through the shrine, destroying the holy place that was dedicated to Amaterasu.

Spittle flew as she crashed into the wall that surrounded the shrine.

The Devil smirked and moved towards the downed Nekoshou. "Do as you please with the magician but kill her afterward. Kill the Kannushi," he said to his men.

As he made his way to the dying Nekoshou he frowned a little. "Can't have you dying now, can we?"

"L-Lady A-Amatera-asu w-will kil-l y-you..."

"That old hag? She won't dare leave her paradise to save a lowly Nekoshou as yourself," the Devil said haughtily. He was about to apply healing magic but was stopped when he heard screams.

And they were not of a woman.

His head swiveled around.

A fight was occurring between a man with long black hair and his men. His men were taken by surprise, having given in to their lust, but were quick to reorganize themselves and attacked.

Ichigo drew on his limited karate knowledge and blocked a strike to his abdomen. He drew back his fist and striked the person with his enhanced strength, accidentally breaking all of the bones in the person's body.

He was surprised in his strength and was... Surprisingly calm for the fact he just killed someone.

Dozens of spells hit him simultaneously once the others regained their bearing. Their experience makes them unfazed in their comrade's death.

Despite the Hierro that nullified most attacks, his body hurt as if thousands of needles had pierced his skin. Quickly picking up the sword that belonged to the person he killed, his body preserved.

He fully well knew what those men were going to do to Medeia and Souichiro. He was going to stop that. He will kill all of them if he had to.

Using shunpo to appear suddenly in front of the closest one, he killed. He then repeated.

But the enemy quickly adapted to his tactic and prepared themselves.

As he appeared before his third victim, a grin appeared on the man's face. Before Ichigo could strike the man down, the man committed suicide by grabbing onto him.

Ichigo's eyes widened as dozens of pre-charged spells fired at him and the man. A massive explosion rocked the village.

An inferno roared towards the sky as if Hell itself broke from the Earth.

Ichigo roared in pain as the explosions burnt his rather underdeveloped Hierro. The Devils took the screams with victorious grins.

Yet, the leader immediately called for his men. "Charge your spells you idiots!" he roared as he himself charged a spell.

The men were initially confused but immediately charged their spells.

As the inferno subsided, a heavily charred Ichigo walked towards them, his Instant Regeneration healing the burns instantaneously.

The leader clicked his tongue. "Are you part of the Hero Faction?" he asked with a deadly tone.

Instead of answering - as he knew every second he wasted was another second Souichiro and Medeia's life ticked away - he simply shunpo'd at the leader with sword raised.

"Solid Strike!" And the sword simply broke and smashed into Ichigo's face. "You thought I was charging a long-range spell? You humans from the Hero Faction are so arrogant."

Ichigo skidded to a halt, his eyes burning with anger. He knew he had to flee now or else Medeia and Souichiro would die.

So he made a beeline to them. Only, to be intercepted with dozens of spells detonating his path, causing him to break shunpo midway and adjusted his course.

He quickly picked the two up and got them to safety near Jinsoku, who was healed a bit due to the enemy and her own spells. As he put them down gently, he turned around to block the numerous spells aimed at them.

"Don't target the Nekoshou you fools!" the leader said angrily. "Lord Rizevim wants the specimen alive!"

The Devils all muttered theirs apologizes.

"I shall deal with the human myself, go apprehend the Nekoshou."

Ichigo, who had heard what the man said, started to get subconsciously anxious. "Could you heal them?" he asked Jinsoku.

Jinsoku just nodded weakly before applying healing magic on them.

Ichigo rose from his crouched position and slowly made his way to counter the attackers.

He disappeared and reappeared in front of the leader. Fist reared back, he striked.

The leader responded with a block and activated his magic. "Solid strike!"

Ichigo pulled back his arm and ducked underneath the strike. Quickly doing an uppercut, he was countered with an arm lock.

The leader reared his left arm back and struck Ichigo. This time it wasn't magic-enhanced but his sheer strength that was granted to him as High-class Devil broke Ichigo's jaw.

Instead of spittle, Ichigo spat out blood.

The leader quickly followed up with an uppercut which made Ichigo cough up more blood.

A kick was next.

Ichigo flew and tumbled until he came to a stop, unmoving. His instant regeneration trying to heal his internal bleeding only to stop as energy bore down on his body.

"You are certainly stronger and durable than most humans. Hell, your speed surpasses mine. But you are a mere human, a species are insignificant insects that just happened to populate this world," the leader sneered at him. "What is your name human?"

Ichigo said nothing.

"Hmph. Very well, I shall end your meaningless existence."

He was weak. He couldn't protect his family and friends.

Power.

He needed power!

Run wild! Let the energy of a monster course through his-

"Ichigo!" Ichigo strained his neck to his right, his fear rising as he dreaded the voice.

Asa.

The leader looked to her before looking at Ichigo with a sadistic grin. "My noble name is Petram. Now, I suppose I should enjoy myself with your woman..."

No!

Ichigo strained himself to move his arms, but the power pushed him to the ground and prevented him from healing.

He watched as Petram slowly made his way to Asa.

He was useless.

Asa raised her arms and fired a spell. The spell hit Petram, causing him to wince at the unexpected pain before an angry look crossed his face.

In the background, he heard the screaming of Jinsoku and in the corner of his vision, he saw Souichiro being thrown to the wall, dead.

He knew what is to happen to Medeia.

He knew what became of Souichiro.

He knew that Jinsoku was going to be captured and possibly tortured.

He hoped that Asa got Saberu to a safe place before coming here.

He watched as Asa was stabbed through the chest.

'Fucking Hell, king! Now isn't the-'

Ichigo roared into the sky, not as a human but as a hollow.

Third Heaven quaked. The souls of the damned cowered. Dragons roared in the challenge. Devils shook.

A little girl that was clad in skeptical clothing, with her chest bare, perked her head up. A tint of curiosity flashing in her eyes.

"So, that's where you vanished."

Chapter 5 End

... Yes, I've intended this to happen from the very beginning. It was a good thing you guys were already shipping Asa and Ichigo because this wouldn't have made much of an impact if it didn't.

Trust me, when a review rolls in with a clear tone of shock on how I treated the OC's... I will do the evil laugh.