Finally. After another piece of time I bring you one of the biggest chapters in my story. Not so much word wise but in my big plot .So I shall say very little and let it go on .But I first like to say to all those who question why I did this, why I brought Issei back here, it is for two importsnt pieces. Ones that will be displayed in this chapter. So enjoy.
Kokabiel was many things. A war monger, a mad man, a bloodthirsty fool, a conniving bottomfeeder, and a guy you couldn't take out into the sun. He was a man of the old ways and a guy who wanted nothing more than to kill off anyone who stood in his way. Even if that meant his own kind.
The dark elf-ish based leader, in his time of planning, had many things on his mind. Taking over the Grigori. Gaining his last pair of wings. Becoming the strongest angel in history. And the biggest of all; starting a war. But not just any war, a Great War. Much like the one he participated in to become a leader of the Grigori.
His despise of angels and devils was massive. Much larger than any other being as he dreamnt of killing off both races each and every day. And he hated his superior, Azazel, because he did not share in the ideal. And, if his plan continued the way he wanted, it would all soon come to fruition.
The crazed fallen was currently in the city known as Kuoh. A quaint little place with not much to offer besides a few good schools and a high job rate. Of course, that was only in the eyes of the humans.
In the supernatural, it was a much different story. This town was of high importance as it held the heirs to both the Gremory and Sitri clans. Both of which attended the prestigious high school that only some of the best attended. It was a devils den, housing those directly associated to the leaders of the Underworld.
And yet, it was unguarded and Kokabiel had the easiest time getting in. And the easiest time finding the heirs.
"Rias Gremory, you remind me much of your older brother," were his first words upon his arrival.
Ones that drew the ire of the redheaded heiress. Unknowing of his reasons behind his invasion Rias gave the order to protect Kuoh from the battle hungry beast that was Kokabiel. Of all people, she hadn't expected the cause of the recent events to be a leader of the fallen.
"You will not harm the civilians of this town, Kokabiel. They are under my protection," was her response.
But it was met only with a wicked cackle from the pale man. One so dry and dark that it sent shivers down the spine of everyone who heard it. Including Sona and her peerage, who erected a barrier around Kuoh Academy, encasing all the devils and the fallen leader inside.
"Do you think that is a promise you can keep? I could destroy this town with ease and kill you in the process. You are nothing!"
His words only angered her more as her insignificance to the angel struck her pride. And boy was she prideful. Too much to the point it blinded her and Akeno had to call Sirzechs for help.
The Gremory heiress ordered her peerage to attack and while they tried their hardest they were utterly defeated.
The one known as Freed Sellzen, an excommunicated exorcist, took care of Kiba, Xenovia, and Irina with three Excalibur fragments combined into one. A gift given by a man known as Valper Galilei, a former priest and accomplice to Kokabiel.
And despite that amount of power, the angel brought one more card to assure the complete defeat of the heirs and their peerages. The guard of the Gates of Hell, the three headed hellhound, Cerberus.
It was an utter defeat from the start. And while Rias tried to hold on, her and her peerage could do nothing against the overwhelming force. Not even with the help of the two exorcists.
Asia had passed out from the fallen angel's exclaim that God was dead. Akeno and Koneko weren't much better, standing on both sides of their King, barely able to stand on their feet. Xenovia and Irina were only on their feet with the help of their swords. Kiba was trying to hold off Freed with the new development of his Sacred Gear. And her two pawns, Murayama and Katase were barely able to hold off the hellhound.
It was a losing battle.
"Hahaha, you have all been amusing! I have actually found myself very entertained!" Kokabiel spoke from his floating throne. He didn't even need to step in. His servants had defeated them with such ease it was laughable. And boy, was he just tickled.
"The sister of a Devil King. Lucifer, for that matter. Defeated by mere humans and the dog Cerberus. My, what a disgrace, hahahaha!"
"You won't get away with this Kokabiel. Another Great War will be the downfall of us all," Rias said, exhausted from using all of her power.
"Hmm, maybe for you. But as the future leader of the fallen angels, I'll be sure there's no one who stands in our way. For we are the superior race to you disgusting devils."
"You're a madman..." Akeno muttered, dropping to one knee as she clutched her left arm with the other.
"Silence, daughter of Baraqiel. Perhaps I'll take you on as a concubine and use you before your father before I slit his throat, mwuhaha." The evil cackle reigned throughout the entire schoolground, sending a chill down all of the devils spines.
"Today is a new day! The age of the-"
Suddenly, there was a flicker of lights, silencing the leader's proclamation. The entire space inside of the barrier seemed to have dimmed momentarily, as if the light in the area was a broken lightbulb. It brought forth everyone's attention as they looked around, confused as to what could have caused such a disturbance.
Then a portal appeared between both sides. It seemed like more of a slit in the very space before it expanded, wide enough for multiple people at once. Its deep spacial violet entranced those who saw it and their breath were momentarily caught in their throats.
"What is this? Valper, is this your doing?" Kokabiel asked the husky ex-priest.
"No, Kokabiel-sama! I have no idea what it is!" He replied. Kokabiel narrowed his eyes, curious as to who or what it could be opening such a thing. He hadn't seen such a rift before, no traces of holy or demonic energy coming from it. And it didn't seem like reinforcements for the devils because they looked equally confused.
"Rias..." Akeno called to her King. The redhead stood silent, watching just as everyone else. All with batted breaths as the newcomers slowly stepped out.
"Kui-chi, can you back up Kiba and take out that psycho?" Issei asked as he touched the school ground for the first time in, what seemed like, a long time, maybe a month or so. He had lost track seeing as devils had a different time was different from humans.
"He's not a problem at all," the blonde queen replied.
"Ladora, eliminate that mutt and make sure no one else gets hurt," the brunette further order.
"Not a problem," he replied.
"Good. And I'll take care of bird brains here who thinks he's all that."
"Oho, a new challenger?" Kokabiel questioned with a smirk. He could feel the power from the new arrivals, and they were much more of a match than the others. He was even more excited.
Issei rose his fist at the Cadre level angel. "You're damn right! And I'm gonna kick your ass!" Issei announced loud enough for everyone.
[Boost!] The red gauntlet appeared, the green gem shining from the usual call. It brimmed with power as it felt Issei's emotions. Gold letters, not in any human or devil language, appeared across it, shining brightly as it powered up.
"Ah, the famed Boosted Gear. One of the thirteen Longinus," Kokabiel marveled. He could feel the energy radiating and, had to admit, it was large. He felt adrenaline pulsing at the chance to fight the dragon of domination. The inevitability of his fight with the brunette made him slightly twitchy.
[Boost!]
As this was happening, the devils all around were shocked by the trios arrival. Who had sent them, Sirzechs, Serafall, or possibly Sairaorg? No, there was still time before Sirzechs and Serafall. So was it her cousin? Had he somehow known?
Issei took the moment to glance back. Surveying the area, he saw utter defeat. How his former peerage had failed miserably at defeating the enemy. And how the two exorcists were unable to tip the battle in their favor.
It was all a complete loss. They looked beaten, worn, and out of time. That was something he couldn't afford.
The pawn's eyes landed on Asia's unconscious form and the severely weakened state of Irina's. The latter catching his gaze.
[Boost!]
For that moment, he saw hope in her eyes. Relief that he was there, albeit slight confusion on how. But more so he was glad she was relatively okay at the moment. And he couldn't help the fuel that she and Asia had given him. He wanted to do nothing more than protect the them. More than ever before.
Then his eyes landed on Rias. She wasn't the same as when he left. She wasn't the prestigious woman he knew in that moment. She was battered, beaten, and just about broken as the pride and confidence she usually exerted was nowhere to be seen. She wasn't the same woman he strived to stand beside. No, she seemed like a different person upon the battlefield.
Not like the fights with Raiser or against Raynare. This was an act of war, something no sane person wished upon another.
[Boost!]
"Issei..." He heard her mutter. It was low but was loud enough for him to hear clearly. It was desperate, hopeful, and dare he say, dull.
He longed for her to say his name, happy to have him back. But now, it was lost and void. He felt nothing from it, no fulfilment, no satisfaction. All he felt was this dryness that didn't make his hard work feel like it was worth it.
No, wait, it was definitely worth it. So why did he feel so empty?
Now that he looked at her, finding her in such a state, why did he feel unfulfilled? As if his goal hasn't mattered?
[Boost!]
Why?
Issei couldn't dwell on it. He had stalled and was lucky that the leader had given him all this time to power up and take note of the situation. For now, he needed to focus on defeating Kokabiel. Then he would deal with these new thoughts later.
So, with a clear head he rose his gauntlet above his head. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before exhaling slowly.
"Alright. Lets do this!"
[Flash!]
Kokabiel shielded his eyes just before the bright light was able to momentarily blind him.
-XOXOXOXOX-
Sairaorg sat at his desk. He was doing some paperwork before he put his pen down and sat back in his seat. He had been feeling strange these past few hours. There wasn't an emotion to really describe it but he had this nagging feeling of future events. As if something was warning him.
But what could it be?
The heir wanted to figure out what but it was hard with no basis to work off of. All he could tell was that the connection to Kuisha, Ladora, and Issei were the source of it.
The connection would give signs of their emotions and of their presence. There were times that he couldn't sense them through the connection, which was normal as barriers could block such things. So, now that it has faded once more he was to assume they had re-entered a barrier or had entered a new one.
With little to go by, Sairaorg would simply have to wait until they returned to get more information. Hopefully positivity and growth in the bonds of his family.
The heir returned the pen to his hand and continued his report. With the latest news spreading of the Red Dragon Emperor being traded from the house where servants were treated as family, many devils thought he was on the market.
News had spread fast of Rias's blunder and her parents, nor her brother, were all too thrilled about that. Especially since they saw Issei as a future son/brother-in-law.
-XOXOXOXOX-
"We had no idea. How long has he been apart of your peerage?"
"It has been over a month, Lord Gremory. I'm sorry you had to find out about the situation this way. I expected Rias would have told you much sooner," Sairaorg replied, bowing his head in respect.
"No, thank you Sairaorg. If it has been this long, who knows when Rias would have told us, Venelana spoke.
"I'm to assume Issei left an impression?"
"Yes. The fight with Raiser showed us how much Rias meant to Issei. Not as a servant to his master, but as a boy to a girl. And we thought Rias felt the same," Zeoticus explained.
"Yes, I had thought so too. But it seems she had only been using him to get out of her marriage. A dark ending to such a bright boy."
"How is Issei doing?" Sirzechs asked.
Sairaorg smiled for the first time.
"Issei is doing very well. The one you saw before is only a small fraction of what he has become."
The trio of devils looked at the heir with curiosity. Just the thought of Issei growing stronger tugged at the tendencies they were given as devils. Curiosity made them lean in slightly, wanting to hear of the red dragon's progress.
"'A small fraction' after only such a short time?"
Sairaorg nodded. "That is correct. Under my training, Issei has made tremendous progress. The former boy from the engagement party, the one who claimed your daughter's virginity and sacrificed his arm, has been replaced by a man."
"What does that mean Sairaorg? ...Is it possible? Are you saying Issei has achieved Balance Breaker?" Sirzechs asked with a slightly tightened grip.
The heir chuckled. "As much as I'd like to say yes, no, he hasn't. But he is very close."
This made the trio edge closer. And as Sairaorg returned to his thoughts, his smile faded.
"The strife, the anguish, the sadness, and the betrayal, all have pushed Issei to this point. And I know that he won't stop here, not while the weight is on his shoulders and the pressure is surrounding him," the Bael said softly.
The others looked at him confused. "What do you mean, Sairaorg?"
"Rias..." He stated. It only confused them more so he elaborated. "Issei still pushes himself for her. All of you know he sacrificed his arm because he loved her and would do anything for her. So, when she traded him it must have felt like the worst pain possible. Much worse than when that fallen had seduced and attacked him." He took a breath, calming himself and feeling his clenched fist unwind slowly. "Now, he trains to prove himself to her. To show he wasn't a one and done and that he can still protect her. That once he's powerful enough, she'll finally recognize him."
Sairaorg closed his eyes and took a slow breath. "And I've seen the look in his eyes. The fire that drives him to become 'enough'."
The family leaned in closer. They were on the edge of their seats, raptured by the Bael's words. Their curiosity was at its peak.
"It is only a matter of time before he unlocks Balance Breaker. And, I dare say, that the reason for it will involve Rias."
-XOXOXOXOX-
"Yes! Now this is more like it!"
Kokabiel hadn't felt such a rush in quite some time. His heart was racing, the adrenaline was pumping, and he felt alive again. He couldn't contain himself as he practically exploded in bloodthirsty ecstasy as he traded blows with Issei.
The leader had lost track of how many boosts the boy had but the more the word echoed the more excited he became. Each punch grew stronger, each kick felt more devastating, and when they headbutted, the feeling of his own blood pouring down his face made him that much more enthralled.
"Boy, you have proven yourself greatly to me! You are much more of an asset than that excommunicated priest and exorcist! You must join me and together we shall conquer the world," he said as he dodged a punch and returned one of his own.
Issei parried the blow before throwing a kick to the fallen's head. It was blocked and they pushed away. "Fat chance you gothic creep. My friends mean more than anything you have to offer!"
Issei charged again and cocked his fist for a superman punch. Kokabiel sidestepped the attack and called forth a lightspear. As Issei flew past him, the angel jabbed the spear for the boy's legs but was met with the gauntlet grabbing the tip. Kokabiel looked up to see the brunette had twisted his body backwards to block the spear.
As he did this, Issei continued to his momentum and brought his leg down for a powerful axe kick. He shattered the light spear in his grip and threw a fragment at the fallen leader forcing him to dodge one or the other.
Shifting his weight, Kokabiel leaned back from the shard but also had to catch the axe kick before it could land. It was simple for him but he hadnt left the sequence unscathed. He learned that when more of his blood leaked down his cheek and dripped off his chin.
The Cadre didn't lose his shit eating grin as he used his free hand to wipe the blood. "Oh please, everyone has a price. The real question is what is yours... Is it money, women, and endless line of sacrifices? They are all merely a taste of what our future can be if we team up Red Dragon."
[Boost!]
Issei clenched his fists. He looked back at his friends to still see them recovering. Ladora had easily defeated Cerberus and sent the beast back to hell. Kuisha had also disposed of Freed, now helping in the recovery of the others.
The others were disarrayed due to the shockwaves of his fight. But none of them looked any worse than when he first arrived.
The boy's eyes then landed on Irina and Asia. They were being helped by the blonde queen and Issei took a moment to really think about how much they meant to him.
His childhood friend, who he was thankful to be reunited with. The girl he couldn't save but was happy to have by his side once again. And the woman who had helped him feel like he finally belonged and that he could call family.
He closed his eyes and felt a burning fire within. Something he felt only once when he had realized his loss to Raiser. The same feeling when he crashed the engagement party to save Rias. The same feeling when he claimed her virginity. The same feeling when he sworn to protect her no matter what. The same feeling when...he let go.
Issei turned to the one he use to call his King. The one who gave him a second chance. The one who was his savior and love of his short life. The one who kissed him before trading him and breaking his heart. The one who he swore he would make them regret.
There was a dull feeling there. The awe on her face didn't give him what he wanted. But when he looked back at the others, the sight of Asia alive and safe, the sight of Irina well and hopeful for him, the sight of Kuisha confident and supportive of him. It filled him with power. It filled him with satisfaction. It made him feel stronger. It made him feel whole. And it drove him to want to protect them at all costs.
[So you've finally realized it partner...]
'Ddraig, what do you mean?'
[Your goal to show off to that girl and make her feel regret, that wasn't the goal you should have sought after. It was the same goal that you've had all along since the day that blonde nun died in your arms.]
Issei took the moment to think. And it clicked just seconds later. To which Ddraig felt and responded to.
[Exactly. You still hold some piece of the old you that wanted to be strong enough to protect those you cared about. The nun, the exorcist, Kuisha, doesn't matter. They mean something to you.]
Issei lowered his head, his hair shadowing his eyes. He felt stupid. Very stupid.
[Boost!]
'You're right...' All this time, his goal was to show off to Rias. Make her feel some type of guilt or regret for trading him.
[Boost!]
'I shouldn't have had such a selfish goal...' That wasn't who he was. It wasn't what made him Issei Hyoudou.
[Boost!] [Boost!]
'All this time I worked my ass of just to prove one person wrong.' His dream was to be a Harem King and protect his loved ones.
[Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!]
'Seems I still have growing to do. Thanks Ddraig, I think I finally got what you've been trying to tell me this entire time.'
[Finally, you moron. Now show this Cadre what its like to face the Dragon of Domination!]
"Right!"
[Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost!]
Kokabiel felt himself back away just an inch from the sudden surge of new power. His eyes widened in shock as he realised what was happening.
Issei's eyes shot open, now a solid green. The gem on the Boosted Gear glowed brightly, the yellow insignias gleaming brighter than before. Inside of the green gem the symbol of a dragon appeared within it before a burst of energy exploded from it, surrounding Issei in a tornado of raw power. The wind whipped about and the ground was carved and lifted up from the energy, the school grounds shaking from the large exertion of power.
[Welsh Dragon Overbooster! Balance Breaker!]
The call sounded throughout the entire courtyard. The raw cylinder of draconic energy continued to tear up the ground and, if it continued, could possibly destroy the schoolyard. But before that could happen, a whisp of wind from the torrent of energy expelled the blast, leaving the boy, clad in his new armor.
Red armor plates, shaped as dragon scales, covered the boy from head to toe. Guantlets clad his hands and boots shaped as dragom claws covered his feet. A green gem sat on the back of his hands, as it did on the Boosted Gear, and another large green gem sat at the center of his chestplate. Finally, was the red helm. With bright green eyes, the scale mail was that of makeshift dragon armor. And the power radiating off it made it all the more dangerous looking.
Issei then expanded the draconic wings, flexing his new armor. He took in every detail and noticed how it was much more sharper and badass than his forced transformation over a month ago. He felt much stronger too.
[You've done it partner! You've achieved Balance Breaker!] Ddraig praised.
"Y-You're right... I did!" He shouted with triumph. But he remembered where he was and turned back to Kokabiel. The Cadre was exerting more power of his own. And he looked to have a mix of emotions. It was clear though as the leader displayed shock, excitement, and, above all, bloodthirst.
"Ahahaha, this is what I've been waiting for! You boy, you have exceeded every one of my expectations! You are truly one who must join me! What is your name!"
"Names Issei Hyoudou! And you can forget it Kokabiel. If anything, nows when I'm really gonna kick your ass!" Issei clashed his fists together and placed himself in his fighting stance. "So lets cut the chitchat and get back to beating the shit out of each other."
Kokabiel's grin grew. "Yes. Lets!"
Aalright, done and done. I leave it in another cliffhanger mwuhaha
Issei's Harem: Kuisha, Alice Nakiri, Rindō Kobayashi, Asia, Ravel, Irina Shidou, and Roygun Belphagor
Alright, small change in the harem. I replaced Rossweisse with Irina .Reason being that Rossweisse won't appear to later and I probably won't have her start to develop feelings for him for quite some time. Irina, however, I can start to build towards and have happen much sooner. Simple as that.
Leave a review and I'll see you all next time.