The first thing Issei noticed when he woke up was how sore his body was. And that the ceiling was completely unfamiliar to him. And so, Issei's first thought was the most logical one of all the thoughts running through his mind.
Where the hell am I? He groaned, sitting up in the hospital bed he had found himself in. He immediately regretted it, feeling the soreness in his body evolve into a sharp pain. He looked down at his chest and noticed a faint bruise that was rapidly fading.
"Wait… sore? I'm not in…" Issei no longer felt the burning pain inside his body nor hear the constant faint whispers at the back of his head. He looked down at his hands.
Ddraig, you still there? Issei asked.
[I'm here, Partner. Something's changed inside of you. I don't know what but… you're different somehow. And, there's something else.] Ddraig said.
Um, you're kind of scaring me, Ddraig, Issei said.
[The Dividing Gear has disappeared. Albion's gem has been completely devoured and rewritten by something inside you.] Ddraig answered.
W- What!? The Dividing Gear is gone! Issei asked.
[What's more is that the lifespan you've shaved off is slowly restoring itself. I can't pinpoint the source of it but… this twisted power inside your body is repairing you from the inside out. Does it have something to do with your Evil Pieces meshing with Ascalon's Holy Power?] Ddraig asked.
"The hell if I know, now, let's go find out where we are," Issei said, hopping off.
Issei stretched for a few seconds, trying to remember everything that happened while he was unconscious. The battle with Anastacius, one of the previous Vanishing Dragons, and the meeting with the mysterious person who had saved him while he was under.
"Like I said, it's too early for us to meet. Let's talk again when you're finally ready, Ise-chan~!"
The words reverberated over and over again inside his skull. Who was she? And Ddraig appeared to not be able to sense her. Issei tried to feel deep within himself and felt nothing either. She had completely vanished. But Issei knew deep within his gut that somewhere inside him, that voice was still there.
[Issei. Issei!] Ddraig said.
"Huh? Oh yeah, let's go find out where everyone was," Issei said, hopping off the bed. He was surprised at himself. He felt lighter than ever. Whatever happened must have fixed him back up to tiptop shape with no problem at all. Issei grinned. Rias wanted them all refreshed for the Young Devil Gathering and now, Issei was better than refreshed. He was amazing.
He opened the door and blinked when he found the entire peerage slumbering in chairs outside the room.
"Guys? What's going on?"
The first to rouse from slumber was Rias. Rias opened her eyes, fighting off the vestiges of sleep. Her mind snapped awake when she saw the person standing in front of her. She jumped up from her chair and rushed towards Issei.
"Ise! Ise!" Rias jumped into his arms, hugging him tightly.
"Buchou! Where are we?" Issei asked, wrapping his arms around her waist.
Rias pushed away and reached up to kiss Issei deeply, not even bothering to respond to his question.
Issei's eyes widened in surprise. After a few seconds, Rias pulled away and laid her head on his chest.
"Uhhh…" Issei stood there in a dazed manner, his mind replaying the heavenly moment over and over again. For a Devil, Rias sure was good at making someone feel as if they were in the highest Heaven.
"We're in Lord Beelzebub's laboratory Issei. You were having an attack and this was the only way we could save you. Not even Asia's Twilight Healing was able to heal you from the damage being dealt," Rias said. "You dummy!" She slapped Issei in the face. "I fucking told you not to bottle it up inside! If you ever have a problem or are feeling off, tell me!" she yelled.
Issei flinched and took a step back.
Rias was radiating massive amounts of demonic power, producing a visible red aura around her. The ground trembled slightly and everyone began waking up from their nap, feeling their King's power suddenly spiking.
"B- Buchou-"
"Don't Buchou me you insufferable dumbass! Do you even know what I had to go through watching you almost die multiple times!" Rias took a step forward, causing Issei to back into a wall. "I watched you have a heart attack in our own house! And this would have never happened if you just came to me and told me about this!"
Issei shrank before her furious gaze.
"Did you know you had Holy Power coursing through you and eating you from the inside out!?" she pressed.
What? Holy Power? But I'm not an angel, Issei thought.
"I'm sorry, Rias," Issei said, looking down in shame.
Rias's gaze softened and she sighed. She took a step back and reigned in her demonic power, causing the pressure surrounding the area to fade away.
"Next time, tell us," Rias said, cupping his cheek. "We're here for you. I'm here for you. We're not going to abandon you Issei no matter what."
Issei teared up at her words and allowed a few to escape from his eyes. Her words touched him deeply. "Y- Yeah," Issei said. "I'll keep that in mind."
"Are you? Are you really?" Rias crossed her arms and leaned in, scaring Issei into submission once more. Her demonic aura flared again, increasing the atmospheric pressure around her.
"R- Rias-sama! Please calm down! Issei's awake now and he's fine, see!" Akeno said, trying to placate her king. "You're fine right, Ise? Right?" Akeno ground out, glaring at the pawn.
"Y- Yeah! I'm in tiptop shape! I'm going to tell you even if I have a stomach ache, Buchou!" Issei said, saluting.
"Good. Now, get down on your hands and knees. You deserve 10,000 spankings for keeping such a dangerous secret from me," Rias said.
"While that would be fun to watch, that will have to wait for later," a voice said.
Issei looked up and saw a bewitchingly handsome man walk into the room. He felt Ddraig go silent inside the gear upon laying eyes on him.
"Lord Beelzebub, you're back," Rias said.
"Issei Hyoudou is needed right now. Sirzechs wants to see him," Ajuka said.
"E- Eh? Onii-sama? But why?" Rias asked.
"Sirzechs wouldn't say. It's kind of strange. He's not one to keep secrets from me. I asked Serafall but even she doesn't know," Ajuka said, shrugging. "Whatever it is, it's something he can only say in front of Issei. Can I borrow your pawn for a few hours, give or take depending on how long Sirzechs wants to talk to him?"
"S- Sure," Rias said.
Issei gazed at his master/girlfriend's face and saw the concern etched all over it. He smiled and patted her head comfortingly.
Rias blinked and glanced at Issei. "Did you just…?"
"Er…" Issei rapidly took his hand off and looked away in embarrassment. He squirmed uncomfortably in his spot.
Rias smiled. "It's fine. You should do that more often. We've never had small moments like this before. It's always competing for your affection by attempting to seduce you but maybe… we should do these small acts of affection more often," Rias said, leaning in once more. She gave him a cheeky smile before letting him off. "Come home soon, okay?"
Issei just nodded mutely, attempting to process what just happened.
Rias slyly glanced over to see the girls' reactions. Asia was pouting and puffing her cheeks. A smug smirk appeared on her face before she rushed into Issei's personal space and left a chaste kiss on his cheek.
Issei's face erupted in a nuclear blush and steam flew out of his ears.
[You claim to want a harem yet when a woman shows you an iota of affection that isn't attempting to get into your pants, you break down like this.] Ddraig teased.
S- Shut up! You act like you've never acted like a regular teenager before when the girl you liked just kissed you… TWICE! Issei hissed.
"Alright you two. You can make out later. Issei, are you ready?" Ajuka asked.
Issei nodded and walked over to the green-haired Satan. Ajuka placed his hand on his shoulder and magic circle appeared underneath them, whisking them away in a flash of blinding green light.
"Wow, Buchou. I didn't know you were so bold like that," Akeno said.
"Shut up, Akeno," Rias said.
The office of Sirzechs Lucifer was located in the capital city of the Underworld. Well, at least the Abrahamic Underworld. The city of Lilith was a massive metropolis that spanned a vast area. It was the economic and cultural center of the Underworld. The place became the new capital city after the victory of the Anti-Satan Faction and their aces during the Devil Civil War.
The office of Sirzechs Lucifer was located in a complex of buildings. His office was located in the central building. A structure that towered over the other six other buildings that surrounded the central tower.
Issei gulped. What did Sirzechs want with him? Was it for his behavior during the Three Factions Summit? He had to admit he did behave in a rather unbecoming way during the meeting. Issei closed his eyes. It was probably because of that.
"Mmm?" Ajuka raised an eyebrow. "Grayfia?"
Grayfia Lucifuge was commonly known as the Strongest Queen and the second most powerful woman in the Underworld. The latter title was only because she passed out before Serafall did in their bid for the position of Satan Leviathan. However, being the Queen of the Underworld was a position she didn't mind even if she didn't consider herself one. The other devils certainly did. She brushed her luscious gray hair aside and walked towards them.
Issei noticed that she was still in her maid uniform and was still as terrifying as ever. Her red eyes pierced through his soul.
"I'll take it from here, Lord Beelzebub," Grayfia said.
"How many times have I told you to just call me Ajuka?" he asked.
"This is hardly the time or place to refer to each other by our first names. We're in a professional setting right now," Grayfia replied.
"Sirzechs… I don't know what you saw in her." Ajuka sighed.
"What was that?" she asked. Grayfia crossed her arms and Ajuka's face went five shades paler.
"I'll have Grayfia bring you home," Ajuka said, hastily leaving via teleportation.
"Um." Issei just stood there blinking, looking between the empty spot and Grayfia.
Grayfia eyed him, giving him a silent command to follow her. Her sheer presence and authority forced Issei's muscles to jerk forward and carry him in the direction that she was walking. And Issei felt the pit in his stomach growing even deeper with every step. The fact that Grayfia was the one escorting him only served to make him more and more nervous. This was definitely most likely about how he acted during the Three Factions Meeting.
"Is… Is this about how I acted during the Three Factions Meeting?" Issei asked.
"No, this is something else. I don't even know the full details and neither does Sirzechs. The Former Prince of the Underworld just dropped this on us at the last minute like he always does," Grayfia said, sighing in frustration. "Just promise me that whatever goes down, you will act with an iota of dignity."
Issei nodded and kept his head down. This was going to be intense given Grayfia's current demeanor.
She stopped outside a large pair of french doors and knocked.
He could immediately hear Sirzechs' voice coming from behind it.
"Please, come in."
They entered the room and Issei immediately saw three people. He recognized the red-haired man dressed in a formal suit as Sirzechs Lucifer, the older brother of his King, Rias Gremory. The girl standing in front of his desk was none other than…
"Mii-chan!" Issei stepped back in surprise.
Mitsuki just smiled and waved.
His eyes drifted to the third guest. The man had an unhinged aura about him and his aura was nearly on par with Sirzechs. Despite not being able to gauge the depths of people as accurately as Rias or Koneko, Issei still had the ability to feel out the general intensity of it and this man was nearly on par with Sirzechs. He gulped upon locking eyes with the silver-haired man. He looked familiar.
"So this the Red Dragon Emperor of this generation? The one who defeated my grandson?" Rizevim asked.
"G- Grandson? W- Wait! You're Vali's Grandpa!" Issei pointed at Rizevim, who looked at him in surprise.
"Pfft! Ahahahaha! What a little troll! Sirzechs, where'd your kid sister find this guy?" Rizevim said, laughing and pointing at Issei.
"Er, at school. Anyway, Issei-kun, this is Rizevim Livan Lucifer, the former heir to the position of Lucifer. He is… Vali's Grandpa if you can even call him that," Sirzechs said.
"Hey! That's a bit mean! I think I'm a great Grandpa to little old Valium!" Rizevim said.
"If you had even shown an iota of care for your grandson, you'd have given better advice to your son that didn't result in Vali's abuse," Sirzechs replied.
"Okay, even if you say that he was an idiot for taking my advice so literally," Rizevim said.
Issei just stood there, watching the back and forth between the Satan Descendant and the current Lucifer. How could a man so callous and uncaring exist? From his tone, Issei could get the feel that this man did not care about his descendants in the slightest. He merely lived for the thrill of the next moment. Issei fought to control his anger towards him.
"Ahem," Grayfia coughed.
"Right, Dragon-kun. I'm here to watch and entertain myself and maybe engage in a little bit of politics. Sirzechs here will explain everything," he said.
"Hey! You know more than I do! Don't dump this on me-"
"I'll do it. It's clear that Prince Rizevim is only here for his own entertainment and Sirzechs looks like he's completely out of his element here. I'll explain what's going on," Mitsuki said. "At least from what I read in the documents so… feel free to jump in and add your own two yen whenever you feel like it."
"Alright, I can do that. I did commission this case after all," Rizevim said, crossing his arms.
Issei blinked. How could one man change from nonchalant to serious in one go? Was he bipolar or was this how he normally was? He couldn't make heads or tails of what he was even thinking. Issei turned his gaze back to his sister.
What secrets was she hiding? Was she even going to tell him? He felt like he was becoming a devil all over again.
"Where should I start?" Mitsuki asked.
"From the beginning would be really nice. I'm so lost right now," Issei said.
"Well, I guess that's only fair. You know who I am. Nothing about that's changed. However, there is more to my family than you know. There is more out there than what you see and there are more terrifying enemies out there than the Khaos Brigade. I'm sure Lord Rizevim here knows all too well who I'm referring to," Mitsuki said.
Rizevim shifted uncomfortably in his spot, feeling shivers run down his spine as memories he'd rather bury came to light.
"But let's not focus on that for now and focus on me. I'm still me, Aniki. There's just some stuff I wasn't allowed to tell you when I was a kid," she continued.
Issei remained silent and breathed. "It's… alright, I guess. Just tell me one thing. Was our relationship a lie?" Issei asked.
"No, what? Why would you even think that? I just started too, you know. Mom and Dad may have made me keep everything about the rest of our family a secret but our friendship was real. At least, it was to me. I am and always will be the little sister you never wanted," Mitsuki said.
"Wait, you just started?" Issei asked.
"Yeah. The months leading up to us choosing our schools, Mom and Dad told me that it was time to join the family business. That's the reason I had to move away," Mitsuki said. "I've only been in this line of work for a couple of months longer than you!"
Issei looked at her with wide eyes and nodded. He felt better than he did earlier. "So… you're a devil? Ddraig told me that you were," he said.
"I am. A Half-Devil. My Mom is a Devil and my Dad is a Human. I'm a member of House Dantalion," she said.
"Dantalion? That clan of nerds moved out of the Underworld centuries ago," Rizevim said.
"Yeah, they moved to Earth," she replied. "Anyway, growing up, Mom and Dad always had to go back and forth between Kyoto and Kuoh in order to work-"
"Wait, Uncle Katsuki and Aunt Elaina aren't… brewers?" Issei asked.
"No… well, it's complicated. The family business to the general public is a chain of highly popular beer distilleries located across the world," Mitsuki said.
"And this family business is?" Issei said.
"The family business is the business of hunting down monsters… be it human or not," Mitsuki said. "We are known as the Blacklight Organization and our job is to monitor and protect the world from threats within the shadows. It was an organization found a long time ago at the height of the Great War… when the Great War displaced and caused wars amongst the Monster Factions in Europe. Our founder was the Catholic Saint, Jeanne D'Arc. She's actually pretty metal and not this pure virgin that lead people into battle."
"Hold up. A Saint is your founder?" Issei asked.
"Yeah, after her death, each member scattered across the globe while maintaining utmost secrecy, gaining allies and contacts in different factions," she explained.
"And you're part of this?" he asked.
"I am now. I wasn't back then. Remember how I was in middle school? Did you think that twig could ever join an organization dedicated to hunting people down?" Mitsuki asked.
"Mii-chan, you were part of the kendo club in middle school. Murayama and Katase still ask me if you're going to move back to Kuoh and join their kendo club to help them win the championship," Issei asked.
"Aniki, I only won because I cheated," she said.
"Don't be so modest. Look at you now, a secret agent," Issei said.
"That's… putting it bluntly," she replied. "Ahem. Where was I?"
"You were telling me what the organization was about," Issei said.
"Right, as it stands right now, Blacklight has ten chapters located in ten different countries across the world with jurisdiction over ten different regions that they carved out from the world map. I belong to the Japanese Chapter, which has jurisdiction over East Asia including the SEA region," Mitsuki said. "And I am here as a liaison? A babysitter? Anyway, I'm here to feed information back to Blacklight and act as a correspondent. And I've been giving full reign on this case. This is my first independent case without a contact acting as a handler or Aunt Sae breathing down my neck. You remember Aunt Sae, right?"
Issei felt a chill run down his spine. Mitsuki's drill sergeant aunt. He remembered visiting their house once and seeing his sister practicing kendo with her aunt barking orders at the same time.
"Anyway, since I have complete control, I asked my contact if it was alright for me to pick a partner amongst the native peoples!" she said brightly.
"Wait… me!?" Issei said in shock.
"Wait what?" Sirzechs stared at the teenage girl who kept smiling. "Wait, hold on. Issei is a member of Rias's peerage. If he joins, do they all have to?" he asked.
"No, just Issei. Though, this does mean more sneaking away from Rias and the others. I hope you don't mind. You'll be gone most of the day the first couple of days so I can get you registered and stuff," Mitsuki said.
"It's not that I don't mind. We have tests! Finals! And I'm still bound to her peerage! What if she thinks I abandoned her and I get labeled as a stray devil?" Issei asked.
"I never thought of that," she said, placing her hand on her chin.
"I mean… what if they think we're also dating? Rias is the super jealous type you know!" Issei said.
Mitsuki turned green when she heard the words exit his mouth. She covered her mouth and held her hand out. "Ew! Ew! Ew! You're so gross! How can you even suggest such a scenario!?" she yelled.
"These girls all share the same brain cell! I never thought getting a harem would lower their IQ into the negatives!" Issei said.
"Okay okay! Let's just say we're hanging out right? Rias lets you have girl friends, right? Right?" she asked.
"Y- Yeah but you kind of have to show it to her that you're not competition-"
"Oh my god! Shut up with the harem ideas! Dude, we're siblings! We made a blood pact! We literally did outpatient blood transfusions!" she said.
"Okay okay," he said.
"Look. Outside of getting a job and we just so happen to work in the same place, there's no other way and I'm not going to do this with anyone else because I don't trust anyone else," she said, crossing her arms. "So you with me or what?"
"Umm…"
"If you join, you can get stronger so you can protect the boobs you love and boobs you'll love in the future," Mitsuki added. "On the added bonus that we can keep you safe. Plus, you and I get to be secret agents. Wouldn't that be fun?"
"It would be nice to do something together again. And you're sure I can become stronger? I'm pretty sure you know more than I do but I have to fight the White Dragon Emperor gain in the future," Issei said.
"I know. Joining the organization will give you access and knowledge to stuff that even Sirzechs doesn't know. And I can give you better training than what Rias currently has planned out for you, no offense to her of course. But it's all in the matter that I know you better so I know just how to motivate you to train," she said, clapping her hands together.
"Er… yeah," Issei said.
"So can I count on your continued cooperation from here on out, Aniki?" Mitsuki asked. She held out her hand for Issei to shake.
Issei looked down at her hand then back at her. "Why are you here?" he asked.
Mitsuki smiled. Issei was smarter than people gave him credit for. "Didn't you pay attention? There is a force out there far older and far more dangerous than Khaos Brigade and it's set its sights on this town. I'm here to monitor the town for any sign of them and I need you to help me do so, considering that Rias Gremory's peerage is at the epicenter of all these events. So… that good enough for you?" she asked.
Issei furrowed his brow before sighing in resignation.
"Hey, why'd you sigh like that?" Mitsuki said.
"Sigh like what?" he replied.
"The 'okay, let's get this over with' sigh!" she exclaimed.
"That was not the 'let's get this over with' sigh! That was the 'let's do this' sigh," Issei said.
Mitsuki raised an eyebrow before jutting her hand out for Issei to grab once more.
Issei grabbed her hand and the two shook on it.
"Well then, welcome to the family business, Aniki," Mitsuki said.
"I guess I needed to join considering you're here. After all, what would you do without me?" Issei asked.
"I'll have you know that I'm your senpai now," Mitsuki retorted.
"Yeah, but I'm the older one. Aunt Elaina and Mom said I was," he bit back.
"Yeah by like 3 minutes!" she said.
The two continued arguing as they walked out of Sirzechs' office, leaving a stupefied Demon Lord and his wife behind with a former Devil Prince with Eighth Grade Syndrome.
A blonde woman entered an abandoned warehouse. It was the dead of night in Kuoh. The stars were at their apeiron and the moon was beginning the final leg of its journey across the sky. People slept and Devils performed their nightly contracts. The town of Kuoh was fast asleep and anything that happened would go unnoticed if done correctly.
The blonde woman's sulfuric yellow eyes scanned her surroundings before continuing with her duties. Morax was off keeping an eye on their little toy, making sure she would remain submissive as long as they had leverage against her. A wicked smile twisted her graceful features into a malicious one.
The woman knelt and began drawing a magic circle with fire, sketching a small circle of unknown origin. After that, she pulled out a dead dog and slit its entire torso open, allowing the blood to flow onto the circle.
The circle crackled and glowed, radiating power and sending lightning into the sky.
A shadowy figure appeared before her. The figure was male and stared down at her with sulfuric yellow eyes. He radiated demonic power far greater than the denizens of this town put together yet he hid most of it beneath the surface. The pressure he radiated kept her pinned to her spot and she couldn't move even if she wanted to. His aura was just too heavy. His own demonic power far eclipsed hers by a large margin and if she had to guess, this man was only a tier or two under the current Super Devils.
"Lord Beelzebub, the toy has failed to drive the Red Dragon Emperor into insanity," the woman said. "Should I dispose of her for her failure?"
"No, Phenex. She's done her job properly. Our sensors have detected that he's woken up and now that one's awake, it'll start a cascade of awakenings across the world," Beelzebub said, yellow eyes glinting in glee. "It's been a long time coming."
Beelzebub stretched his senses through the entire world and sensed what he wanted. When he felt a brief flash of it enter Kuoh, he sighed in satisfaction.
"I guess it's time to move into the second phase. Dispose of Natalia. She and her brother are no longer needed," Beelzebub said.
"It will be done," Phenex said.
"Then you should do it. You and I both know that Big Sis Lil isn't the most merciful person alive," Beelzebub said.
Phenex watched as he faded away into dust and stood from her spot. A malicious demented grin spread across her face. A searing flame engulfed her entire body as she felt the exciting desire to hunt overcome her. Her demonic power shook her surroundings violently but she made sure to keep it subdued enough for the other Devils not to sense.
"Hehehe… I guess I have full reign of what's about to happen, eh? Don't blame us if we overcook your little brother, Natalia!" Phenex said, cackling into the night.
To Megar007: Let's keep it a surprise. Also, yes the Archangels still exist. The Seven Prime Demons still exist. Beelzebub still exists. However, there are some things I changed from the previous 2 such as which one of the Prime Demons are still kicking. Who's on the Three Factions' side and who's on the bad guys' side? Well, you can already tell which one is an antagonist purely from this chapter alone. As I said, the basic plotline of the previous two incarnations exists overall. I just rewrote the whole thing.
To King0fP0wers: Thank you! Your review is giving me a bit more confidence to continue writing this. I hope you keep reading as long as possible with this story. I have a lot of stuff that I never got to in the previous incarnations of the story that I plan to get through over a period of time.
And here we have arrived to kick off the overarching plotline of the first 2 arcs which make up Volume 1: The Special Children. Arcs 1 and 2 will loosely follow the timeline of Volume 5 to 6 with... zero regard for what actually happened in Volume 5 and 6. I mean they'll train, the Youth Devil Meeting will happen, Kuroka will try to kidnap Koneko and all that. There are things I still need to happen buuut... well, hehehehehe, let's just say Diodora and Shalba's plans will be derailed because they're just being used.
The regimen's still the same. Review and I'll try to reply in the next... gaggle of chapters that'll come. And remember to follow!