Italics - Thoughts
Bold underlined - Spells/Sword Skills
[Bold] - Ddraig
[Ddraig] - Ddraig mental speech
[Issei] - Issei mental speech with Ddraig
Underlined - Timeskips/Flashbacks
Disclaimer: I do not own Highchool Dxd, Sword Art Online, or any of its characters. All rights belong to their creators.
Chapter 3:To the Underworld.
"Buchou, we are going to the Underworld?"
"Yes. I return home during the summer holidays every year. And, as you are all servant devils of my family, it is only natural for you to follow your master back to her home." she spared a glance at the other two devils that were with them. "As for Kirito and Asuna…they would have to come to the underworld.
It was a pretty long night.
Rias was told that the two 'stray devils' they found(No one was sure what to call them, seeing as even they did not know their origins) were to be brought to the gathering of the young devils when she spoke about their discovery to her brother. She did not like contacting him, mainly because of his huge sis-con tendencies(Something he shared with their family, only to a greater extent), but she knew this was important. Two devils who were obviously very skilled, yet seemed to have amnesia about their supernatural origins? That was very suspicious.
In the end, she was told to be brought to the underworld, where they would stay for the summer break. And, as they were new to the supernatural side of things(Rias was 90 percent sure they were not faking it, but her brother was reserving judgement until he met them face to face; He was piled with paperwork to do at the moment), she and Akeno decide to give the couple a crash course, only covering the bare basics. The hierarchy system, the current rulers of the underworld, the Great war, as well as a few finer details on questions they had. Including the use of their new abilities.
Who would ask about what wings are normally used for? Rias thought to herself as she watched the black haired devil, Kirito, seemingly tap on empty air. From what the couple had told her and her peerage, they were using something called an 'Augma' to communicate with their friends. Right now, it was the cousin of Kirito. Rias was not too interested in the current technology, so she did not pay much attention to it. Other than the phones, televisions and other things you would use in a regular household.
"Someone would come to get you in a few hours or so."
Rias was currently at the entrance of the huge building. Kirito and Asuna, the two devils she had picked up, where at the door frame. "Since we do not know if you are reincarnated devils or are naturally born ones, we would bring you to the Underworld through a backdoor method."
"Backdoor method? So, there is an official method?" Issei asked the crimson-haired female, massaging his sore muscles. As they were going to leave, Kirito had done a mock fight against him. The results were surprising, and informative.
Issei was defeated by Kirito in a few moves with a demonic sword that Kiba had prepared for Asuna. After all, she did say that she was going to teach Asia how to defend herself. The red dragon emperor was felled by the devil with a few simple sword swings. This result ended the same for a while, as Kirito was fighting against Issei with Boosts. It went along the lines of this: First fight, no Boost. Second fight, One Boost. Third fight, Two Boosts, and so on.
The turning point for Issei was around four Boosts. Instead of being downed without a single scratch against the devil, he managed to stop the demonic sword with his new blade, Ascalon. Of course, the end result was with Issei being hit on the head with the flat of the sword, but it was a change nonetheless. The following results were…
Five Boosts: Issei managed to give Kirito a nick on his sword arm
Six Boosts: Kirito was forced back a little from an attack with the sword(Still in the gauntlet)
Seven Boosts: Kirito had to dodge or parry attacks from Issei. He ended up with a few scratches and winning, but barely.
Eight Boosts: Kirito lost from the sudden holy aura increase. He was also stunned by the appearance of Ascalon from the gauntlet, making it Issei's win.
Nine Boosts: Kirito lost from the overwhelming attack strength behind each hit, combined with him boosting Ascalon's holy properties(The boosts went to the holy aura and his abilities combined.)
Ten Boosts:(Most into his body) Kirito lost, this time unable to land a hit on Issei. He did, however, manage to react to Issei's hits. Something Rias took note of.
Eleven Boosts: Kirito lost again. This time, from Issei temporarily making Kirito get overwhelmed by the holy aura of Ascalon positively exploding.
And twelve Boosts: Kirito lost to Issei in a barehanded fight. Issei blocked with his dragonified left hand, while dealing damage from his other hand. One hit from his right fist, and a crack appeared on the sword Kiba made. A few more well placed hits, and the battle was over. But the thing that interested the senior members of Rias's peerage(her included) was the fact that Kirito was able to respond to the attacks, and parry them with good timing, while also reducing the damage to the sword he was using as much as possible.
Now, a hit that breaks a sword is a hit that breaks a sword. No way around it.
But that was the thing. The sword should have broken in three hits from a fully boosted Issei. Yet, Kirito had managed to get the sword to stay together under Issei's attacks for a total of 9 hits before it broke, three times the number of hits that would be used to usually break the same blade. This devil…if he is freshly reincarnated, his piece must be a Knight or a Rook. There is no other explanation for the heaviness behind his hits, or the speed at which he moves and reacts. But if he is natural born devil or half devil, then he is very talented. Or he had a good teacher.
Rias was right to be wary of the devil named Kirito. Too bad she would be further forced into events that would shake her world in the coming days, some of them from her Peerage, others from her friends.
"Buchou, how would we be getting there?"
Issei was very curious about this. After all, he had managed to arrive at Rias's wedding party by a magic circle, courtesy of Rias's brother, Sirzechs Lucifer.
"I forgot that this is your first time, Issei." Rias frowned. "This should also be Xenovia's and Asia's first time, seeing as the three of you are my newest servants."
"I'll be joining you as well."
"?!"
A new person had entered the fray! A certain Fallen Angel Governor called Azazel.
All the club members were taken aback by the Fallen Angel's sudden appearance.
As the Governor of the Fallen Angel organisation that opposed the Devils, he had been present at the peace conference the other day between Devils, Angels and Fallen Angels. For some reason, only this person stayed at Kuoh Academy and started as a teacher there. What's more, he's now the advisor of the occult research club. And said person frowned as he approached the house, hand in his pocket. "I am sensing two other devil presences. Are they the devils that would be checked by Ajuka?"
"Y-yes. They would be going in by a backdoor method, so they would not be joining us." Rias confirmed the fallen angel's suspicions. "But, where did you come from?"
"I just dropped by normally though?"
The calm reply gave Issei some chills...
"…I didn't even sense your presence though?" Kiba voiced his thoughts with complete honesty.
Even Kiba, who attained Balance Breaker, did not sense Azazel-sensei… Issei thought to himself. As I thought, I need to increase my abilities! Not only to be the strongest Pawn, but to protect Buchou from bastards like Riser!
"That's just due to your lack of training. I just came by normally. More importantly, you're returning to the underworld, right Then, I'll go too. I'm your sensei, after all."
Azazel took out a notepad from his pocket and read out loud as he opened it.
"The schedule for the Underworld is…first, a visit to Rias's parents, and the introduction of the servant Devils to the current head of the family. After that, there's the annual meeting of new young Devils. And then there's your training over there. I'm mainly going along with you for your training. While you're all at the Gremory house, I'll be meeting with Sirzechs. Geez, so troublesome." Azazel sighed.
Azazel seemed to have taken up the role of a sensei to Issei. As Azazel has an abundance of knowledge on Sacred Gears, it seemed he will be teaching them their battle styles from now on.
Azazel had only taught Issei and his master's peerage a little so far, but it seemed like the Sacred Gear owners in this group, including him, had managed to grasp something thanks to Azazel. More than just using power or leading, this person was certainly good at teaching most of all.
He's amazingly skilled at explaining. I think he's definitely suited to be a teacher or lecturer. But… Issei laughed a little to himself. I think this Governor of the Fallen Angel organisation is so bad at handling formalities is because he has many subordinates.
Issei noticed that every once and a while, a Fallen Angel would arrive at the clubroom looking for the Governor. They would say things like "Please decide on a secretary!", "Look after your personal appearance while in the human world!", or "You absolutely need to have personal bodyguards!" when they visited. They all seemed tremendously worried about Azazel-sensei being in this town. He even heard that there were some top officials among the Fallen Angels who visited as well.
He would always send all those members back with the words, "It's fine, so go back. That's an order." I think that we're lucky to have that kind of Fallen Angel teaching us how to get stronger.
"Then, Azazel-Sensei, you'll be accompanying us, right? Shall we make the travel reservations for you?"
Azazel-sensei(I think I'll start calling him Sensei unless he tells me to stop. Issei thought to himself) nodded at Buchou's question.
"Yes, please do. It's my first time entering the Underworld through the Devils' route. I'm looking forward to it. Since I usually use the route of the Fallen Angels' side."
"So, Bucchou, how will we be entering the Underworld?"
Issei's question caused the crimson haired girl to smile devilishly. "Its. A. Surprise~"
They are taking a train to the underworld.
Honestly, Issei did not know if he was dreaming a not. After all, the entrance to get to this station was under the train station near his house. Honestly, how far did the Gremory's clan influence extend?
"Akeno-san, how long would it take to get to the underworld?"
"We'll arrive in about an hour. Since it seems that this train passes through the dimensional barrier using official means before it eventually arrives at the underworld."
"Can't we just use a magic circle to get there?"
"The train is for formalities only. After that, you can get into the underworld with a magic circle. If Ise-kun and other new devils do not enter the underworld by official means at least once, they would be treated as illegally entering the underworld."
Eh? Doesn't this mean that I entered the underworld illegally? Was I going to be punished!? There wouldn't be any police who were going to cuff me as soon as I arrived at the Underworld, right!?
Akeno gave a small smile, reducing Issei's worries a little. "It seems that was a special case because you were transported with Sirzechs-sama's back-door magic circle, you know? Of course, doing it twice is impossible."
"I-Is that so…So my instant ticket to jail for going there has been pardoned…"
Issei was relieved, if only slightly. After all, he was ignorant of the rules of devils even though he is a devil himself. Not only was he unskilled, his devil knowledge was even more limited than Asia and Xenovia. That was how he had survived up to now like this.
Akeno spoke as she placed a hand on Issei's face. "Since it was a special case, the matter of the back-door magic circle is fine. However, you may be punished for sexual contact with your master."
Eh?! Issei felt like his heart had suddenly stopped. No no no no! If that's the case, wouldn't I get punished severely?! I touched Buchou's body quite a fair amount you know? I rubbed her oppai, stroked her thighs, even rubbed oil over her bare body at the school pool you know? Forget me being imprisoned for a few hundred years for a single offense! I'll be looked up for life, and then some!
"Fu fu fu~" Akeno giggled as she set herself on Issei's lap, surprising him greatly. "A-akeno-san!?"
"Ara ara, Issei-kun is so cute when he is flustered." She giggled further. "But you know, skinship between servants is not prohibited. Like this~" His hand was brought closer to her thighs, and under her sk–
"Akeno!" "Akeno-san!"
Asia's hand had appeared from the side and stopped Issei's hand from further reaching into Akeno's skirt! And Rias had also appeared from beside the former nun, a red aura enveloping her entire figure!
"Ara ara. Rias, what are you doing here?" Akeno was surprised, despite her tone of voice. Issei was in the same boat. After all, she was supposed to be in the front car.
"I came because Asuna-san came to me and told me to keep an eye on my Issei. She said that some people might try to make a move on him." Rias's statement made Akeno even more surprised. "And Asia. Skinship between masters and servants is quite natural."
"Ara. Asuna-san is a very perceptive woman."
As the two were talking, Asia took this chance to drag Issei away, bringing him to the seats nearer to their sleeping Sensei.
Pouting, Asia faced Issei, her face in a へ ('He' katakana)shape. "Issei-san, please do not be influenced by Akeno-san's influence. Issei-san would become a pervert."
Arere? But, Based on the conversation just now, Aren't I already a pervert? Or rather, if it's Asia-chan, I can't refuse! She is just too cute when she is pouting! Issei patted Asia on the head, comforting her as he smiled a little awkwardly. Ara? Koneko-chan would usually make a sharp retort at this timing, but… When Issei looked over at her, he saw Koneko-chan's form looking out the window. She was completely ignoring both Issei and the ongoing discussion(read as argument) even though they were making so much noise! She doesn't seem to be the usual Koneko-chan… Next to her, Gasper also seemed to have trouble speaking out.
A soft squishy feeling made itself known on Issei's right hand. Blinking, he looked down, only to see that his arm was now in the clutches of Akeno, who had placed it between her breasts.
*Bish*
A nosebleed threatened to make its presence known. Or rather, it tried to make its existence known with a big bang. Thankfully for Issei, it was but a small drip down his nose.
""Akeno(-san)!""
Both girls that were currently also in love with Issei shouted out the name of the other girl that had stolen their man's attention.
Looking at the two, more specifically Rias, she smiled, and-
"I love to steal from the master. It gets me so fired up."
Scary! Issei had a sudden urge to run, Akeno-san's gaze is so defiant! So erotic! But also so Scary!
After that, the conductor came in. He introduced himself as Reynaldo-san, and scanned Issei, Xenovia and Asia with a machine, and observed some things on the monitor. After confirming that Issei and his friends were indeed who they said they were, Reynaldo checked on Sensei, who was sleeping soundly, before he left.
Really, Issei thought to himself as they began to play some cards. Sensei is really something. You can call him courageous or just audacious, Azazel-sensei was a Fallen Angel Governor that got agitated by nothing.
40 minutes later...
"We will momentarily be breaking through the dimensional wall. We will momentarily be breaking through the dimensional wall." A voice spoke through the intercoms in the train, causing Issei and the newer devils to look up.
"Try looking outside."
Buchou said this to Issei, Asia and Xenovia. Originally, Buchou seemed to have had to sit in the front train car as a high-class devil, but she seemed to have been lonely by herself and had passed the time in the car Issei and her peerage was instead.
Following Buchou's words, Issei pushed his face against the window along with Asia. And then—.
The scenery changed from the darkness of before, to a landscape. Along with a purple sky, mountains and trees too.
Issei was very excited, but just managed to keep his voice down. Next to him, Asia was also feeling excited with her cries of "Amazing, amazing!".
That said, that did not mean he was not grinning like a fool as he looked out of the window, his forehead pressed against the glass pane. "Amazing" He breathed under his breath.
"You can open the window now, you know." Behind him, Rias was giving a soft smile as she watched Issei's actions.
Buchou has given permission, Issei thought to himself as he opened the window. Wind came in!
Issei had also breathed in the air of the Underworld last time, but it was somehow different from that of the human world! Rather than a slimy kind of feeling, it felt very peculiar. The temperature outside was just right. Neither hot, nor cold.
When Issei took his face away from the window and looked back, it seemed that the train had come out of what appeared to be a black hole.
That's the dimensional wall? The dimensional tunnel? Issei watched as the small black hole became smaller and smaller as they got further away from the tunnel's entrance. At any rate, that seems to be a hole that connects to the human world. We came out from there. And now we've entered the Underworld!
Issei could see the landscape of the Underworld from his seat. The mountains and trees were numerous. In fact, Issei could see some more further into the distance. Among the trees and mountains were small lakes and rivers. Ah! A town! There are houses too! They had a peculiar shape, but devils lived in them, right? Wait! Now that I think about, isn't this my first time in coming in contact with a foreign culture and country? I haven't gone abroad before...I think It's hard to believe that my first cultural exchange is in another world. My life really is strange.
"This area is already within Gremory territory." Rias casually dropped the information, but to Issei, it was akin to a bombshell. After all, he had spent most of his life(Now, a small portion, since he is a devil with a long lifespan) in a small house not bigger than a running track.
"E-eh? Then, is everything including these train tracks we've been running on until now on the land of Buchou's family!?"
Buchou nodded at Issei's shocked question. Seriously!? What a shocking thing! So the mountains, rivers the town we passed before are part of her family's territory? Then, were the people living in that town the vassals of this fiefdom?
Issei once more looked at Buchou with a look of respect and envy. Amazing! My master was really rich! The scale was so different!
"How large is the Gremory's territory?"
"If I remember correctly, it's about the size of Honshu in Japan."
Kiba suddenly popped up from behind Issei's seat, surprising the brown haired teen.
Eh? Issei took a minute to process the unexpected answer Kiba gave him. But he soon returned, shock in full force once more. "EHHHHHHHHHHH! H-Honshuuuuuuu!?"
Both Buchou and Kiba nodded.
"The Underworld has the same amount of surface area as the human world, but the population here isn't the same as the human world. Even with Devils, Fallen Angels, and other races, it isn't that high. And since there are no oceans, the land is also very spacious." Buchou explained the reasoning for the large amount of land. "But, even if you say that the entire land is about the size of Honshu, its mostly unused space though?"
Buchou…Even if you say that…I do not know how to react anymore...
Asia, who was beside Issei, had '?' marks all around her head. Xenovia had started to talk to Kiba about the demonic swords in the underworld, not even considering the surroundings anymore.
Buchou clapped her hands together as she remembered something.
"That's right. Ise, Asia, Xenovia. Since part of my territory will be given to you all later, please tell me what places you want."
"W-We can have our own territory!?"
"You're all the servant devils of the next family head. Living in my territory as part of the Gremory group is permitted. Akeno, Yuuto, Koneko, and even Gasper possess land within my territory."
With a *pon* sound, Buchou made a map appear in the air with magic and then expanded it and showed it to the three new devils.
It's geography that I don't know, but it seems to be a map of Gremory territory. Issei thought as he observed the hologram map in a daze. Xenovia and Asia had started to observe the map with interest.
"The red areas are places that have already been taken, so they're no good, but anywhere else is okay. Now then, please point at the land you like. I'll give it to you." Buchou spoke with a pleasant smile, but Issei hardly noticed that. He was still too shocked by the idea of having his own plot of land.
Father, mother, I'm having an amazing time in this strange new land…
20 minutes later...
In the end, Issei chose an area which was mostly abundant with nature, like mountains and rivers.
"We will soon be arriving at the Gremory main residence. We will soon be arriving at the Gremory main residence. Everyone, thank you for riding this train." The female voice rang out from the intercom.
Ooh, its the last stop!
Issei stuck his body out from the window and turned my gazed ahead of them. Then…for some reason, there was a huge crowd of people there! What's with that!? When he strained my eyes, he saw that they were soldiers dressed in soldier clothing. Could these people be the Gremory family's troops!?
"Ise, we're almost there. Close the window."
"Y-Yes, Buchou."
As suggested by Buchou, they began to prepare to disembark. The train's speed gradually slowed down and eventually stopped. With a *gakun* sound, the train came to a stop. Rias led the way. Issei would have followed as well, but he noticed Azazel-sensei's still lying form. "Sensei, are you coming with us?"
"Not on this stop, no." Azazel-sensei stretched his body, having been snoozing almost the entire time. "I plan to keep going through Gremory territory like this and go to the Maou's territory. I have a meeting with Sirzechs and the others there. A so-called "invitation". Since it faces the main residence of the Gremory's, I'll come after I go see them and finish my greetings."
"Then, see you later, sensei."
"Say hi to my brother for me, Azazel."
Sensei waved his hand in response to Issei's and Buchou's words.
The instant that they once again came down to the station's home with the other club members minus sensei—.
"""Welcome home, Rias-ojou-sama!"""
The bellowing voices! Issei was shocked surprised, and a little afraid at the sudden spectacle. The soldiers had saluted simultaneously, what seemed to be a band started to play, and fireworks were fired, making it look as if a celebrity had come back.
Well, considering that Buchou is the heiress of the Gremory clan, this is to be expected, I suppose. Issei thought as he and Asia huddled together at the sudden attack of sounds and lights.
A few hours later...
Issei was still numb with shock.
First, he was told that his master, Rias Gremory, had multiple places of residences, most of them large castles. Secondly, he was given a shock when he realized that the person he thought was the sister of his Buchou was actually her mother. After which, while eating, he and Rias-buchou had to work together to prevent their current residence from becoming an even bigger monstrosity, and also cause his family to stand out even further.
Then, there was some teasing from the parents to their daughter. But, him being his dense and clueless self, had no clue on what was going on.
But the thing that was making him worry the most was Koneko.
She had not done anything to him at all, even when he was being his perverted self, first on the train, second at the entrance of the castle he was staying in now, and third when he was having a shower. Something h would now wish that he could forget, as it was very uncomfortable and mildly traumatic.
Koneko-chan…are you okay?
The next day...
Issei was given tutoring lessons along with Milcas, Sirzechs son. After that, they had to leave for Maou territory for the gathering of young devils. From what Rias's mom had told him, the young devils of about Buchou's age seemed to be assembling in one place. They were all devils who had yet to debut in official Rating Games. And that the high-class devil heirs from old and noble families were gathered by the leaders to come to know one another as they greet each other.
Rias and the student council president, Sona Sitri also had to go. As their servants, they would be accompanying her as well.
And right now, they were in the urban area.
"This is the city of Luciferd within the Maou's territory. It's the old capital of the Underworld where the previous Lucifer-sama lived." Kiba explained to , they were dressed in their summer uniforms.
So this was the town where the old Lucifer-sama lived. Issei was looking around. Both the station and the homes are so modern! There are even vending machines here! The design is a little different from the world I lived in, but the houses I'd seen so far looked very cutting-edge!
"We're going to change over to the subway from here, since there will be an uproar if we do so on the surface." Kiba further explained, before a high-pitched scream echoed in the subway station.
"Princess Rias-samaaaaaaa!"
Looking for the source of the scream, Issei saw a small group of devils gathered on the subway station platform. Seeing his confused look, Akeno started to explain.
"Buchou is the Maou's younger sister. What's more, she's also beautiful, so she's a yearned-after target among low- and middle-class devils, you know?"
So, Buchou is a super-celebrity here too? Issei continued to look at the group of devils. It seemed to be a mix of males and females. …Forget being locked up. If these devils are anything like the fan clubs in Kuoh, they would tear me the shreds for sexually touching my master…
Bodyguards arrived not too long after, and the Gremory peerage and their master entered the private subway car to get to their destination.
..
..
In the end they managed to get to get to their destination with not too much hassle or trouble. Right now, they were in the basement of the largest building within the city. And the meeting place for the gathering of young devils, old families, and high-class big-shots was in this building. The bodyguards accompanied us until we reached the elevator, and then stood waiting on standby.
"Everyone, I'll say it one more time. No matter what happens, stay in a calm state of mind. No matter what is said, don't start a fight. —The people above are our future rivals. We mustn't show an unsightly form."
Rias's words had more fighting spirit than usual, and were very intense. That was the tone of voice of someone who is prepared for battle and doesn't intend to lose to anyone.
Issei and Asia swallowed and calmed down our feelings. Alright! Even though I'm tense and nervous, there are other Pawns here besides me, so I can't show an unsightly form!
After traveling up to the top floor pretty quickly, the elevator then stopped at last and the door opened.
When they took a step outside, they found ourselves in a wide hall. When they got out from the elevator, a person who seemed to be an employee was there and bowed slightly to Rias and her peerage.
"Welcome, Gremory-sama. Please come this way."
AN
So far, few reviews. But, that more or less evens out with the number of followers and favourites to this story. It is barely a month old, after all.
I must say, the two reviews about the latest chapters are pretty interesting thoughts. Especially the one about Issei rejoining ALO. Should? I should I not? Should I? Or should I not?
As I am writing this AN, I am listening to the Chika dance, full version, so I am feeling a little peppy. As such, I will drop a hint.
This story would NOT get the Alicization Arc. The main reason being it too long. Its taken 4 cours to animate that Arc ALONE. That equates to a YEAR. And, if people have noticed, this story starts off not too long after the meeting with the three factions. So, LN's vol. 5. And, as the anime stopped at around Vol. 10 or 11, I have a lot of ground to cover. So, if you guys are lucky, the Alicization arc will be posted near the start of next year at the earliest, probably an exact year from when I started this fic. It all depends on when this series's last chapter is.
Be patient though! We will see some key things in this story series. One of them being a major change compared to the other two fic I enjoy, (Devils Arts Online, and Devils of Aincard).
Anime is Life!
