What's up, everyone! This is GKC here bringing you the next chapter in Fate DxD.
Now, I received some interesting questions from many guests, as well as some dislikes, and since I can't respond to some of them, here is what they say.
Why send him to Kuoh Academy?
Well, in most cases, it is a canon thing but it's mainly the saying, 'keep your friends close but keep your enemies closer' type of deal. While Ren could basically go to war with all three Factions, he does not have the charisma or the leadership skills to lead an army. He's sort of like Lelouch vi Britannia, he prefers to plan numerous outcomes until he sees one that benefits himself and his Faction.
Is Ren immortal?
While his soul technically is, the body however is not. He can still die and he's not particularly skilled in Magecraft nor can he create a new physical body for himself quite yet. Theoretically, he could possess a Heroic Spirit but they need to have the right qualities for his soul.
Is Ren gonna be a genocidal bastard the entire story?
No, he's not. He just has a small sick pleasure in seeing his enemies perish. He's more of a cross between a neutral hero and an anti-hero. He knows right from wrong and will occasionally propose an alliance to either Faction so long as an equivalent exchange is made between them. Also, he has a bit of a short temper so it's understandable if some of you don't really like him at the moment.
Does Ren know anything about the DxD universe?
No, he does not.
Does he know about Jeanne Alter and Demon Archer?
He knows about them but it doesn't mean he's foolish enough to summon Servants that were tainted by the corrupted Holy Grail. Would you want a Heroic Spirit blackened by the will of All the World's Evils? That aspect will come at a later date in this story.
Anyways, if you'd like to petition a character along with their Servant to be in the Grail Faction then simply PM me or leave it in the review box but make sure you add in the stats of the Servant as well. Also, should I add an opening and an ending for this story?
Now for the disclaimer: I do not own, except my OC, the Fate series, Highschool DxD, or any material related. All rights go to their respective owners.
Now let's get this party started… BEGIN!
Sorcerer/DxD
Chapter 2: The Class Card System: Include to Install
Ren's Penthouse
Sitting on the recliner in his living room, the Sorcerer of the Third True Magic listened to the sensory Bounded Field that the Witch of Colchis erected back in the Occult Research Club room.
So far, he heard nothing of importance from Rias Gremory or her thrall. It was quite irritating but the Great Wall of China wasn't built in a day. He would have to be patient but such a thing was never his strongest virtue.
"Assassin." Ren called to the young girl who had taken a shine to him. She appeared right in front of him with an innocent yet emotionless look in her eyes. "I need you to do something for 'mommy'."
The Servant listened intently, wondering what her 'mother' would like her to do.
"I need you to scout all of Kuoh for me. You're the only one with the skill parameters that I need to avoid being seen by mundane or supernatural means. Can you do this for me, kiddo?" The crimson-eyed young man asked, rustling the silvery-white locks of the girl.
She nodded vigorously. "Yes, Mother!" Assassin replied with a ghost of a smile on her slightly scarred face.
Ren grinned. "Good girl. When you get back, we'll take a bath together."
"Bubble bath?" She asked with a hidden glint in her grayish eyes.
Chuckling, the young Sorcerer nodded. "Bubble bath." He confirmed.
With a delighted hum, Assassin entered her astral form in a shower of dark grey particles, leaving the Master by himself.
Two days ago, if someone were to ask him that he'd be sent into an alternate universe with a powerful magical artifact bound to his soul that allow him to summon the spirits of legendary heroes back from beyond the grave and lead a faction of said warriors in a three-way standoff with biblical creatures, he'd call them crazy and send their asses off to the nutjob ward.
But here he was, using simple Magecraft thanks in part to the use of the Caster-class skill set he applied to his person. He didn't know if he had any actual magic circuits but it would seem the magical construct within his body was perhaps the only thing capable of supplying mana to his Servants. Half of them were sleeping while the other half were on errands that he sent them out on.
His biggest thoughts however landed on the three Factions.
Angels, he had no problem with at the moment since he didn't really have any bad blood in particular with the species. As long as they didn't show any hostile tendencies towards him then he will in turn ignore their business.
Fallen Angels were another story. He had no idea what they were but from what Ruler told him, Fallen Angels fell from Heaven after they committed actions condemned to be objects of sin. Such actions being lust, gluttony, envy, sloth, wrath, greed, and pride. Their snow white wings would turn a midnight crow black to signify their status as a Fallen. They seemed to be on the border between light and darkness so Ren would have to avoid any confrontations with them for now at least.
Now Devils? Oh, how he despised the word. His grudge against the very creatures of sin would never go away especially after being attacked by one of their rotten kind. The logical part of his mind wanted to see if he could come to a sort of alliance with them or maybe a temporary agreement but the other part of his mind had doubts. They were beings that for all intents and purposes, should never be trusted. It would be like wishing upon the Holy Grail corrupted by Angra Mainyu, an extremely bad idea. True, he shouldn't judge a whole race by the actions of a few but his short temperament said otherwise. For now, they would be considered cautious when encountered.
Now the main topic of the many questions he had came in the form of two words: Sacred Gears.
What were these Sacred Gears that Devils, even the Angels and Fallen Angels seek to recover? Were they some form of Mystic Codes native to this dimension? A term for magecraft? Such thoughts only led to more questions with few answers.
For now, he'll need more information some time at a later date. Perhaps he could petition a form of intelligence gathering from Assassin. It would certainly make things easier for him just in case.
"Excuse me, Master Ren." A voice interrupted the young man's thinking. Drawing his attention, he focused on the one who spoke, Savior. "But shouldn't you be asleep? It is a school night after all."
Rolling his eyes, the crimson-eyed Master glanced at his first Servant. "I'm waiting for Assassin to report back to me. I need to know as much as I can about the lay of the land."
"Planning for future battlefields?" The brown-haired Servant questioned.
"Something like that. I've got to prepare for the worse should anything happen. Like the Holy Grail War, I wanna keep the public eye away from the supernatural as much as I can." Ren replied. "Don't want any unnecessary interruptions just in case."
The Heroic Spirit seemed to take this into account, nodding in acceptance. "I can see the logic in that, Master."
The Sorcerer released a sigh. "Savior, I told you not to call me Master, it's just Ren."
"My apologies, I'm still not used to it yet." Savior released an embarrassed chuckle.
Ren was about to comment until he felt something land on his lap. Looking down, he noticed that it was Kuro, who meowed up at him cutely. "Hello, little one." He smiled, stroking the black cat's fur. His petting rewarded him with a satisfied purr from the feline. "Did you want some attention?"
The cat responded with a simple meow.
The young man chuckled. "Right, my bad." He lightly scratches behind the ears of the feline.
Kuro purred in content at the feeling of its master's magical fingers.
Ren smiled down at his feline companion. He always had a fondness for animals, while humans would consider the wildlife to be less than intelligent, he didn't see that. All he saw were creatures who could think, feel, and experience emotions similar to human beings. Just the mere fact that such a small critter would take to him so easily had surprised him at first but he had no problems with that.
A temporal shift drew his attention. A prana signature. He recognized it as Assassin, who appeared before her 'mother' from out of her astral form.
"Do you have something to report, Assassin?" Ren asked the girl.
She nodded. "We have discovered several unknown prana signatures at an abandoned church out by a park. Several humans in black clothes were seen going in and out."
The young Master narrowed his eyes in thought. The unknown prana signatures couldn't be Heroic Spirits, he would've known since his soul is, quite literally, tied to them due to the Heaven's Feel. Were they magi? Enforcers? Or were they members of one of the three Factions?
Actually, he could rule out Devils. A church, abandoned or not, is still a holy domain so it is most likely either Angels or their Fallen counterparts.
It wouldn't exactly be so difficult to have Assassin sneak inside and discover the mysterious mana signals. However, the girl had already completed her task and he did promise her a bath. He figured he might as well hold off on the investigations until tomorrow, for now, he needed to run the bath water.
The Next Day
Ren yawned loudly as he marched towards Kuoh Academy, Savior following close behind. The young Master never liked waking up in the morning, it always felt as if every bone in his body had frozen up. After a small breakfast, surprisingly cooked by Caster once more, the Master of Savior along with said Heroic Spirit left for the school.
"Ren, pardon me, but what are we going to do? I mean, you did basically just threaten a Devil in their own territory." Savior whispered to the young Sorcerer, who narrowed his eyes in remembrance of Rias Gremory.
"I don't care if the whole damn world belongs to them. I'm not gonna be bullied or converse with a Devil especially when their own kin tried to kill me." Ren spat out. "Besides, they have no idea about my capabilities or yours. They'll remain cautious but so will we. We've got no idea if Rias and her friend are the only Devils in Kuoh."
"So we try to play it smart, right?" The brown-haired Servant asked with his brow raised.
Nodding, the Master of Savior glanced at the Heroic Spirit. "That's right. Can't be too careful if they're able to match with a Servant."
"If that is what you believe is best then I shall accept it." Savior responded.
For the rest of the walk, the duo remained silent as they passed the gates of the school and entered their homeroom. However, they were met with many looks from their fellow students. Males glared harshly at them, females wouldn't stop having lovestruck expressions on their faces, and a certain Devil princess glanced at them cautiously.
A few minutes later, the teacher entered the classroom and thus the school day began.
Free Period
Once half of the school day passed, Savior and Ren split up to report to their other classes. It wasn't necessarily difficult to find one another since they were a Master-Servant pair. They were bound to each other due to the contract of the Command Seals. And if push came to shove, the young Sorcerer had seven other sets of Command Seals from his other Heroic Spirits that awaited his word to battle his enemies. He took a small comfort knowing that Assassin, still in her astral form, was still by his side.
As free period came along, Ren sat outside under a tree, laying against its large trunk with shade covering him from the warm rays of the sun. A notebook in hand with a pencil in the other. The ravenette had been using his spare time to come up with a way to bolster his forces in the Grail Faction by constructing something similar to the Class Card system from the parallel world where Illya von Einzbern, her sister, Kuro, and Miya resided. It would prove quite useful in the coming battles ahead. Plus, if he needed extra help, he makes a contract with a human, gives them a Class Card, they become one of his new Servants, and he gains a new soldier in his ranks. The problem was how to construct such a system. Would he have to implant a part of a Heroic Spirit's soul into the cards? A piece of his own soul? Or would he need some form of catalyst for such a process to work?
Releasing a sigh, Ren laid his head against the trunk. "Who knew being a magus would be this hard…" He muttered under his breath. He probably should have asked Zelretch how he could acquire Class Cards in this world.
The bearer of the Third True Magic may have to solve that problem once it reared its ugly head at him. For now, he'll have to rely on the support and strength of his Servants. His magecraft still wasn't even up to Emiya Shirou's level quite yet.
Closing his notebook, the young Master placed it down by his side, content with his current position. His eyes grew heavy. The scenery around him would be cliche in a romantic comedy but it just felt so peaceful. His mind drifting between consciousness, breaths becoming slow but calm. In seconds the young Sorcerer drifted off to slumber.
Dreamscape
Fire encroached the entirety of the burning city all around him. The smell of charred flesh and brimstone assaulted his nostrils. Screams of agony and terror deafened his eardrums.
The Sorcerer didn't know why but the sight felt all too real. Was it one of his Servants' memories? A proclamation of the future? Or is it just a nightmare?
A hand grasped his ankle. Looking down, the Master's eyes widened in utter horror.
Clenching onto his foot was none other than Savior, his brown hair matted with dirt, armor physically dented and destroyed, many Noble Phantasms including his own sword were embedded in his back. Blood pooled around him but he also seemed to be missing his left leg and right arm. The Heroic Spirit looked up at his Master, his silver-grey eyes were sunken in but the sclera were blood red, the red liquid that pumped in mortal veins nearly covered his face.
The young man tried to speak to his Servant but no words escaped his throat. It was like his tongue had been removed.
"Why…"
Savior's hoarse voice echoed all around him. The Heroic Spirit sounded as if his own voice had been stripped from hours of screaming.
"Why didn't you help us…?!"
Immediately, the Sorcerer was met with a large collection of bodies coveting the ground all around him. Each of them barely recognizable. Body parts torn and scattered, blood splattering the ashen earth, blades resting upon the ground or laid broken. These bodies were all Heroic Spirits. Most of them were ones he could make out faintly.
Saber laid upon the bloodied earth, a spear of light piercing directly through her heart.
Lancer, bound by chains from her wrists to her ankles, her throat slashed while her scarlet eyes were glazed over.
Archer had been savagely torn to pieces. The Master could tell it was her since only the Servant's head remained with her three-colored hair.
Rider's neck was twisted in a sickening angle that no human should be able to do.
Caster, he almost threw up his breakfast, she seemed to have been slowly tortured to death. Her stomach was cut open, revealing many of her entrails and internal organs, some of which were spilled out. Her tail and ears were roughly torn off, leaving nothing but bleeding stumps.
Assassin seemed to be covered from head to toe in deep gashes, each wound done by a small knife. The young Heroic Spirit had bled to death.
Ruler had her war flag sticking out of her chest all the way from her back.
Overall, the young Master tried to step away from the carnage but found that his body would not move. Looking down, he noticed that Savior still held onto his leg.
"You abandoned us…!" He groaned.
Soon enough, another hand grabbed his leg then another and another. All around him, the bodies of every Heroic Spirit were grasping onto him like a lifeline.
"Master…"
"Help us…"
"Don't abandon me…"
"Save me…"
"Kill me…"
"Make the pain stop…"
The crowd of bodies began to bury him. He couldn't breath, it was too dark, the smell was rancid. He needed to wake up!
"W… up… Wa… u… Wake up!" A female voice shouted at him.
Real World
Ren shot up with a gasp. Sweat drenching his skin and clothing. His crimson eyes looking upon his clammy hands. "Jesus Christ…" He panted.
A small hiss of discomfort drew his attention. Looking up, his eyes landed on a short girl dressed in the female version of his current school outfit. She had black hair in a bobcut, violet eyes that possessed a sort of cold yet warm stare, and a pair of thin magenta-rimmed glasses.
"Can I help you?" The young Master asked with one of his brows raised.
The girl smiled. "That depends on the nature of your assistance. Would you come with me please?" She asked, an aura of dominance radiating around her.
"Why should I?" Ren narrowed his eyes at the strange girl. "I don't know you so why the hell would I do anything for you." He shot back, his temper starting to act up.
Frowning, the girl released a sigh. "My apologies. I had forgotten my manners." She bowed politely to the young man. "My name is Sona Shitori, third year and president of this school's student council. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Sanada-san."
The magus-in-training seemed to be surprised. "How do you know my name?"
"You're the talk of the academy. Girls tend to gossip a bit too loudly." The girl, Sona, grinned at the boy. It seemed she was teasing him about his popularity among the masses of the student body.
Said boy grumbled. "I never was a fan of being in the spotlight. Never get any peace and quiet when that happens."
Sona looked amused. "Oh? Prefer the lone wolf style as the Americans would say?" She joked.
"I suppose you could say that." The Master of Saber shrugged.
"Well, regardless, please follow me to the student council room. I have something to discuss with you and your friend." The girl stated, her expression blank but serious.
This caught the Sorcerer's attention. Could she be talking about Savior? If so, then why would she need to see the both of them? Can she sense his mana? He didn't have the answers but it wouldn't hurt to at least delve into her offering. Recovering his notebook, the young man glanced at the girl. "I don't see the problem in that. Lead on then, Shitori-san."
Nodding, Sona led Ren back into the academy, passing by many onlooking students, who whispered amongst each other about the prospect that the two were dating or knew each other.
Once they reached the council room, Ren found that Savior was crowded by a group of seven people, six of which were cute or beautiful girls while the sole male seemed to be the only one that was out of place. It was strange to see his Servant become a source of attention.
The brown-haired Heroic Spirit noticed out of the corner of his eye that his Master had arrived. "Oh, Ren-san, you're here." He smiled at the boy.
Nodding in response to play along, the raven-haired teen sat down on a rather comfortable couch while Sona took a seat at a desk. "So what was it that you needed to discuss with us, Sona-san?" His question calm and cool. He had nothing to fear in case they turned out to be Devils in disguise. After all, he had Savior right next to him and Assassin, in her astral form, who has not left his side at all and remained undetected due to her Presence Concealment.
"Alright, I'll get straight to the point." Sona's friendly demeanor vanished, replaced by a cold mask that seemed to have lowered the temperature in the room. "Who are you really? Actually, what are you?"
"What do you mean?" Savior asked innocently, trying to avoid the question.
The lone male of the student council slammed his hand down on the desk. "Don't play games with Kaicho! She asked you a question so you better answer."
"That depends on the nature of the question." Ren pointed out, his emotions masked by an expressionless face.
"What I mean is, why are two unknown boys seemingly appearing into Kuoh from out of nowhere. I tried to look up your files but I can't seem to find them in the registry. It's almost like someone didn't want me to find out about their real identity." Sona stated, her tone possessing a hidden edge. "Now who are you two? Are you members of the Church?"
The young Master scoffed. "Even if I were religious, I wouldn't be caught dead in a church. I prefer to see things from a scientific point of view rather than rely upon a fictional deity calling himself God." The student council members, Sona included, winced as if they had a momentary migraine, something that both Master and Servant noticed. "Ah, I see now."
"See what?" The girl with vibrant blue hair asked cautiously.
Closing his eyes, the Sorcerer could feel the dark auras surrounding each member of the student council. "You're all like Rias Gremory." Opening his eyelids, Ren glanced all around him. "You're all Devils."
The student council looked quite surprised that the young man discovered who they really are. Sona, however, was indifferent. "I'm surprised a human like you is so perceptive." She complimented.
"It wasn't really that difficult since you can't even handle the name of the biblical God." Ren replied, ignoring the winces from the Devils once more.
"Please don't say that." Sona requested, nursing the migraine growing in her brain.
"Very well." The Master of Savior frowned. "Now, what do you really want from me? Because just knowing my identity is not enough, is that it?"
"That still doesn't answer my question." Sona frowned in annoyance.
A playful smirk graced the young man's lips. If he's gonna be getting regular occurrences like this then he might as well have some fun. "I am everyone, yet I am nothing. I am a human yet I am not. I am here yet nowhere. I'm eternal yet mortal." His smirk widened a tiny bit. "Can you guess what I am?" He asked cryptically.
"I'm not in the mood for games, Sanada-san." The Student Council president softly growled in irritation.
"Well, I'm not in the mood for being interrogated." Ren retorted, his playful smirk gone now replaced by a cold stare. "You can either end this farce right now or things are going to get… violent."
Sona raised a brow. "You are but a human. How exactly can you face a Devil?"
"You mean you haven't noticed?" A sly grin etching across the ravenette's face. "You really think that me and Elliot are the only ones in here?"
Before the Student Council president could question on what the boy meant, she felt cold steel against her throat. Her violet eyes widened in surprise.
"Leave mommy alone." A raspy little girl's voice growled in the Devil's ears.
"Kaicho!" The other Devils exclaimed in shock.
"So what's it gonna be, Sona-chan?" Ren teased, crossing his legs. "Are you gonna be stubborn and try to attack me or will you wise up and let me go? Either way is a win for me. You pick the wrong choice, the consequences will be unwavering in your decision such as I have you watch as I slaughter your compatriots. Don't think I won't either, I've done it before to the last Devil that crossed me and I'll do it again only I'll make it hurt."
"You bastard!" The blonde male yelled, running at the smirking Master with his fist ready to beat the Sorcerer's head in. However, he didn't make it very far when Savior appeared in front of him then buried his own fist in the Devil's abdomen, knocking him right into unconsciousness.
"Any more foolish objections?" The crimson-eyed teen asked innocently as if what happened to the boy never even happened. Silence was all he received from the rest of Sona's Peerage, but he could see the looks of hatred in their eyes. "Good, at least the rest of the attack dogs know when to heel."
Sona glared at the young Master before her. Reluctantly, she agreed to let them go. The pressure of the blade at her throat didn't leave until both Ren and Savior had left the student council room. The dark-haired Devil released a short breath then glanced at the Queen of her Peerage. "Get me in contact with Rias. We need to have a talk."
Meanwhile…
"That was a really risky move, Master." Savior whispered next to the Sorcerer.
"Relax, although I did say I was gonna kill them, it was merely a bluff." Ren grinned playfully. "Sure, Assassin could have slayed them easily without them noticing but until they attack me first, I will not fight."
Speaking of Assassin, the young girl grasped her 'mother's' hand like any child would when they wanted to feel the comfort of their parent's presence. "Mommy?" She said innocently, garnering the young man's attention.
"Yes, Assassin?" The Master responded.
"Why do the girls here have big chests?" She asked, despite being in astral form, both Savior and his Master could feel the innocence radiating around her.
"Um," Ren lightly blushed, scratching his head. "Why don't you ask me that when you're older."
He couldn't see it but the Sorcerer felt the pout from Assassin. Like any child that doesn't like the answer at all…
Right, that was stupid answer. They are technically already dead so they can't really get older. Although, the young Master hadn't really known any form of Heroic Spirit that aged.
Regardless, he was not gonna tell a little girl about the growth of female breasts. The thought alone was still a bit embarrassing.
"Tell me." Assassin insisted, tugging on the young man's pant's leg.
"No." Ren said firmly.
"Tell me!" The white-haired girl persisted, her grip on the Sorcerer's hand tightening a bit, much to his mild discomfort.
"I said, no!" The crimson-eyed teen hissed quietly. Savior grinned in amusement at the bickering Master and Servant.
Left with no other choice, Assassin pulled out the ultimate weapon. One that no one, not even a heartless god, could ever resist…
…The puppy-dog eyes
She even added tears for a more devastating effect… It worked…
Ren's heart strings were pulled. His hand comically grasped his chest. "Why!? Why those eyes?!" He groaned pathetically then sighed. "Alright, fine, I'll tell you…" He grumbled.
Assassin cheered mentally, the feedback entering her Master's consciousness.
This was gonna take some getting used to…
Later On
As school came to a near end, Ren found himself by the entrance of Kuoh Academy. He kept his presence to a bare minimum with Rias, Sona, and anyone who followed them. However, no matter where he would go there was always that one person who seemed to find him regardless.
That person being one of the Perverted Trio, Hyoudou Issei.
It was like the bastard was making it his personal mission to annoy the utter living hell out of him. So many times, he had been sorely tempted to allow Assassin to permanently silence him. The Sorcerer had enough of being reminded of breasts, butts, and harems. Then there were his two friends, Matsuda and Motohama, some bald punk and a glasses-wearing freak, both of whom were closet perverts who had no shame in announcing how much they liked the finer points of the female anatomy.
Had any other female Heroic Spirit been with him besides Assassin, they personally would have massacred the trio a thousand times over until nothing remained of their disgusting existence.
"Sanada-san!" Said pervert shouted for his attention.
And speak of the devil, here comes the very person he had been trying to avoid all day.
With a reluctant sigh, Ren glanced at Issei, who seemed to be grinning perversely. "What do you want now, Hyoudou." He growled under his breath. Whether the boy noticed or not, his goofy grin was still present.
"Take a look at this!" Immediately, a picture had been thrusted in front of the young Master's face.
The picture contained a girl, though quite pretty, was far younger than the ones in the school and she was surprisingly fully clothed. Even Ren would admit that the girl's luscious black hair and adorable purple eyes were quite a treat but what reason did Hyoudou have to show him this?
"What exactly am I looking at?" The young man raised a raven-colored brow in suspicion.
Issei seemed lost in some form of dreamland that he spoke foolishly. "Her name is Amano Yuuma, and she's my girlfriend." He declared proudly.
Girlfriend? Someone wanted to date this pervert? Well, he was rather honest if at all a bit naive. He was kind of like Emiya Shirou, if he was a super mega pervert. He had some redeeming qualities but they were next to nothing due to his lecherous nature. Ren once caught him drawing a picture of their female science teacher in the nude. It was like everything in the boy's head was filled with nothing but with how to touch a woman's chest.
Deciding to humor the pervert, the bearer of the Heaven's Feel gave him an indifferent look. "So? Why exactly should I care if some girl wants to date you?"
"Well, I wanted to let you know because I think of you as a friend." Issei admitted, rubbing the back of his head.
That… was not something he had been expecting. Hyoudou Issei considered him, the type of guy he hates the most, to be his friend? Ren actually felt a grin try to etch its way to his face but it was gone in a matter of seconds. By his guess, the relationship between the boy and this Yuuma girl would probably only last for about a few days.
Yes… If Issei's heart was broken then the Sorcerer could finally get at least a few days of peace. The boy would be in a state of depression but his mouth would be quiet. It was a necessary sacrifice but it was better than having to cut out his tongue.
"Um, Sanada-san," Ren's attention had been drawn back to the brown-haired teen, who seemed quite nervous and awkward if his body language was anything to go by. "W-what would you recommend for a romantic evening?"
Despite his perverted nature, Issei was a good kid. The Master might as well give him some pointers. "Well, I would start with a movie. The decision would have to be acceptable for the both of you. After that, a small walk through the town. If she spots something that she likes, buy it for her. Then a stroll at the park. It makes for a perfect romantic evening."
Issei had written all of it down on a notepad and pencil (where did he get those?), a big smile running across his facial features. "Thanks Sanada-san! I knew you were a nice guy!" He complimented the ravenette.
"Glad I could be of help, Hyoudou." Ren nodded at the brunette.
"Oh, by the way, Sanada-san, do you think I have a chance of… you know… getting laid?"
… Highly doubt that.
Ren's Apartment - Evening
The young man had returned home with Savior and Assassin in tow. Today had been rather eventful. Imagine his surprise when he came back only to be greeted by a chorus of 'Welcome home, Master' from all of his other six Servants. Despite their duty to serve and protect him, it felt rather nice to at least have company.
When he returned the greeting, he collapsed on the couch where the others were watching some film from America about giant robots fighting monsters from another dimension.
Kuro hopped onto his lap, laying her head upon his belly while his hands stroked her soft black fur. A purr of delight coming from the feline.
"Praetor," Saber spoke, drawing the young man's attention. "Savior informed us that you were antagonizing another group of Devils. For what reason did you have for this?"
"In all honesty, I did it merely to poke fun and to stave off a warning." Ren stated. After all, he did pretty much just drop a big fat 'go fuck yourselves' to Rias and Sona. He'd probably do it again just to see their reactions.
"That doesn't sound like an intelligent plan." Archer pointed out with a grumble.
The young Master waved off his Servants' concerns. "Oh relax. I'm not gonna do anything stupid. I'm just having some fun."
"Your idea of fun is rather… strange." Ruler remarked.
Ren continued stroking his feline friend's fur. "Well, it's not like I can find any other good entertainment in this world. There's also the fact that I need some way to mold my Class Card system and make it a reality."
Tamamo appeared above the boy, looking down at him with a giddy grin. "Have you tried using your mana to create it?"
"I've thought about it but that might not work." The ravenette pointed out. "Maybe if I had the tarot cards that revealed images of the Classes then it could make my experiment that much easier."
Savior entered the living room holding a deck of cards. "You mean like these?" He hands the deck over to his Master, who takes it eagerly.
"Excellent. This is but the first part of my plan. The next phase will be a bit difficult though." Ren scanned through each card. They were all there: Saber, Archer, Lancer, Rider, Berserker, Caster, Assassin, Avenger, Ruler, and Shielder plus three cards he had never seen before.
One card depicted a blacksmith at a forge. Another of a beautiful woman in a white dress surrounded by life. The last card was rather frightening, it depicted of a shadowy figure enshrouded in flames. By his guess, they may be the cards for Forger, Healer, and Destroyer.
If he were looking at his face from a third-person point-of-view, he would have been disturbed by the rather wide ear-to-ear grin he wore on his face.
Meanwhile…
While Ren was being a mad genius at the moment, another figure filled with a malicious aura watched the city below.
Kuoh…
A practical breeding ground for humans and the supernatural that hide in plain sight.
… It was disgusting.
But it mattered not, for all would kneel before its feet. However, the vessel within its body sensed a great power. A power unimaginable but so much like the one it held within.
A mixture of holy and divine energy not much like the strength of the Seraphim and their bastard Father. If anything, it felt like the antithesis to its own power.
"What do you make of this?" A throaty voice rasped from the figure.
"If I had to guess, it could very well be a Sacred Gear but this amount of divinity and holy energy is beyond anything I've ever felt." From out of the shadows, a gorgeous woman with ghostly pale skin, silver hair, and malevolent yellow eyes appeared dressed in scandalous black robes. "But we both know that it is not a Sacred Gear. Nothing short of a Longinus is even this powerful but even those pieces fail to compare to this amount of strength."
"Then it seems that the prophecy has finally began. My eternal rival has been chosen and now our war shall commence."
"War?" The woman raised a delicate brow in mock confusion as a dark grin appeared on her face.
"Yes, our Holy Grail War. The very war in which our army of legendary heroes shall clash with each other until only one is left standing." A sick smirk was seen on the figure's hidden face. "After all, when there is light, there must also be darkness." An ethereal violet-red glow came from the figure's body as mad laughter echoed in the night.
One Week Later
Ren had marched on back home. In his hands were bags of groceries.
It was a cold, Sunday evening. School was about to begin tomorrow plus there was Issei's date that the ravenette had taken into account when the brunette was showboating his girlfriend off like some trophy wife. It was annoying but strangely amusing.
Regardless, having to feed eight Servants was starting to cost a bit too much. He might have to liberate some more money from a few unsavory people.
Well, that's what he would do if it weren't for the fact that when he trudged on through the park to his apartment, he came across a rather interesting scene.
Standing by a fountain was none other than Issei Hyoudou and his girlfriend, Yuuma Amano.
Guess his advice really did work out… Who'd have thought? He never even had a girlfriend before. He just made the whole thing up by some romantic comedy movies that he had seen.
Curiosity got the better of the young Master as he hid within the bushes. It actually seemed like tonight's events might actually be worthwhile.
"I have one last favor, Issei, can you hear me out?" Yuuma asked with a sweet smile.
"Sure." Issei answered with a perverted smile.
"Will you die for me?" Yuuma asked causing Issei to freeze while Ren rose a delicate eyebrow in surprise.
That was not something that he was expecting to hear. A feeling of dread began to rise from within the Sorcerer's chest. Unconsciously preparing his Command Seals in case what he believed what was going to happen happened.
"What was that last part?" Issei asked with a nervous grin, beads of sweat dripping down his forehead as he subconsciously took a step back.
"I said will you die for me." Yuuna before her entire form transformed.
Her body filled out more, looking like a full grown woman with large breasts and shapely curves. Her outfit changed to some kind of revealing leather bondage suit, showing a bit too much skin. The coup de grace were the black bird wings on her back.
Crimson eyes widened in surprise. From what he had studied on the three Factions, there was only one race of beings that possessed wings like that.
… Fallen.
Angels who once possessed snow white wings full of purity only for them to be blackened by sin. Now one seemed ready to kill the brunette for reasons he had no idea about.
Not on his watch.
"Hey!" Ren shouted, emerging from his hiding place while simultaneously drawing attention from the two.
The woman's grin seemed to widen almost predatorily. "Well, well, another human to ground beneath my heel. Just how I like it."
"Sanada-san!?" Issei exclaimed in surprise and shock.
"Step away from the boy." The ravenette demanded, eyes narrowed into a cold stare as he strolled towards the duo with an aura of confidence. "Do so now and you'll live. Failure to comply will be the end of you."
"You stupid vermin! You think a mere human can intimidate me? One of His children?" The Fallen Angel sneered at the red-eyed Master. "You must be either brave or incredibly foolish."
Ren's left brow rose ever so slightly before realization struck him. "Ah, you mean God? The very same one that died like a pitiful mongrel?" He mocked, smirking at the winged woman's expression. Rage did many things, it granted people a hidden strength but it also made them sloppy in a fight.
"How dare you mock Him!" A red spear of light appeared in the Fallen's hand. "I, Raynare, will skewer you like the parasitic pig you are for disrespecting my Father!"
"You can try." The young man taunted, slipping his hands into his pockets, one of which containing the deck of class cards he carried on his person.
Raynare hefted her spear then threw it at the young man. Instinct took over, causing Ren to dive away from the projectile that struck the ground he once stood upon.
"Wow, that looks like total copyright material." The magus-in-training muttered under his breath. Somewhere within the Throne of Heroes, he could feel a certain ultramarine bodysuit-wearing man ranting about a quote-unquote, 'chicken-winged bitch'.
"Hmm, at least you're good at running like the insect you are." The Fallen smirked savagely. "Now die for me so I can get back to my job."
"Issei, leave now!" Ren shouted at the brunette, but he didn't seem to either listen or was just frozen in shock. Cursing under his breath, the crimson-eyed teen pulled a card from his pocket. A quick glance at the image and a cocky grin graced his face. "Good a time as any to try it out." Igniting the Heaven's Feel from within his soul, the young man channeled mana into the card as well as the essence of a powerful Heroic Spirit.
Raynare lunged at the Sorcerer, another light spear appearing in her palms, a raging satisfaction gracing her beautiful yet twisted features. "Now die!" She yelled, the weapon of light inching towards Ren's heart.
That is if it wasn't for an invisible force that casted aside the spear in the Fallen's hand.
"What!?" She exclaimed in surprise.
"Include: Saber!" The young Master declared. The card in his hand glowed with mana then vanished as magic coursed through Ren's veins. Violent winds swirled around the human as Raynare and Issei were systematically blown away by the sheer power behind it all. The bearer of the Third True Magic stalked towards the Fallen Angel, now holding an object in his right hand that seemed completely invisible save for a cloudy wind that enshrouded the blade.
The Fallen Angel woman didn't know why but she felt considerably smaller now. As if she were a gnat standing before a dragon. It was as if the boy in front of her was wielding a powerful Sacred Gear but she had never heard of one that could command wind. No, it is merely a fluke! A hoax! No human has this amount of power!
"Nice party trick." Raynare sneered, another spear of light materializing into existence in her left hand. "But fancy magic won't save you from your fate!"
"Fate?" A light chuckle, bordering along the lines of mockery echoed in the night. "Fate is such a fickle thing. It sets forth a destiny that none can escape but I'm different," The young man directed his invisible weapon at the Fallen Angel. "You see, I don't believe in fate. My destiny is my own and no one else's. Now are you gonna keep talking or are you ready to fight?"
Snarling, the being of sin glared at the human. "Don't think you're better than me, you arrogant pig!" She screeched, a simple step and she appeared in front of Ren, thrusting both her spears to pierce his flesh only for the invisible weapon to deflect them as if they were mere toys.
A small smirk appeared on the Sorcerer's face. His choice in Heroic Spirits was quite fortuitous. The parameters of this particular Saber-class worked quite well in his favor as well.
Issei, who had been ignored the entire time, watched as his 'girlfriend' battled against the bishonen he once disliked only to consider a friend. It was like something out of a manga or an anime. To the human eye, their attacks would be too fast but the brunette, for some reason, could see it all clearly. 'Yuuma' fought with such ferocity that it was frightening while Ren remained calm and cool, parrying and striking with the skill of a master swordsman. But the worst part of it, he could see their eyes. Crimson and violet clashed with sparks, the intent to hurt- no, the intent to kill labeled in their sight. They were both ready to kill the other, regardless if they were harmed or not. This made the boy wonder if the two fighting were even human to begin with.
Ren would never admit it publically, but he found that fighting with a blade was quite exhilarating. The Saber Class Card he used granted him the skills of one of the greatest kings in all of medieval Europe. He could feel the strength, speed, and finesse of a swordsman coursing in his body. His eyes could see every move his opponent performed before she even did it.
"Why won't you die!?" Raynare growled, swiping her spears to cleave the human in half only to hit nothing but air as the young man had leaped into the air with unparalleled agility.
"Maybe you're just a weakling." Ren smirked mockingly at the Fallen Angel, who turned red in embarrassment and anger.
"Bastard!" This time her attacks were faster and harder, a few of those times they would scratch the Sorcerer's body.
'Not good. If this keeps up, not even the abilities of a Saber will help me.' He thought bitterly as he locked blades with Raynare, sparks erupting from their weapons. 'I've got one last trick. Don't know if it will stabilize all that well in this but now is as good a time as any.'
"What? No witting remark? Has my power finally silenced your heathen tongue?" The black-haired Fallen sneered coldly, pushing against Ren's defenses.
Narrowing his eyes, the young Master kicked Raynare straight into the chest, sending her stumbling back a few feet while the Saber Class Card he used appeared right in front of him. Grasping its edge, he whispered one word of power.
"Install"
A powerful whirlwind surrounds the young man, shielding him from view of his opponent, who had taken to the air to avoid the wind currents. "This power…" Raynare's eyes widened in shock, her body suddenly trembling either from fear or excitement, she did not know.
Once the whirlwind dispersed, gone was the crimson-eyed boy, in his place was a knight wielding a magnificent gold and blue sword. Raven hair turned into a golden blonde, crimson shifting into jade green, and pale skin now looking as if the very sun had kissed upon it. His attire consisted of a blue battle long coat with three separate tails for maximum versatility, dark grey trousers, silvery white magical woven armor on his torso, shoulders, waist, legs, feet, and arms. One of his gauntlets was hidden in his right sleeve while the other was placed onto the left sleeve. Attached from his chestplate was a dark grey-white hood.
The warrior exhibited an aura of demanding respect and loyalty like that of a king while at the same time it radiated with a fierce resolve for chivalry and justice which reflected in his jade green eyes…
…That were being directed at Raynare.
"You think some fancy armor and a sword is gonna keep you alive, human!?" The Fallen Angel snarled, throwing a volley of light spears at the transformed warrior.
"Strike Air!" Saber Ren called out, his voice sounding as if it were velvet silk. For some reason, Raynare wanted that voice to be whispered into her ear repeatedly. However, her attention was focused more on the fact that when the knight swung his sword, a large arc of biting wind struck her, dropping the Fallen Angel straight into the earth.
Whatever technique or Sacred Gear he possessed, it hurt a lot.
Painfully, Raynare climbed out of the crater she made. Her violet eyes caught sight of a brief flash of steel, forcing her to duck the blow save for a few strands of hair. Once she stood up to her feet, she faced the knight once more with her twin red spears of light, a hard look in her eyes. Her mind raced with the possibilities in which she could win or lose against the young man.
The warrior brought his sword up to bear. "Still think you have what it takes to beat a 'lowly human'?" A wry smirk appearing on his face.
Violet eyes narrowed in absolute hatred at the boy in front of her. Raynare however noticed something or rather, 'someone' behind the knight. A small grin appeared on her lovely face. "True, I admit that you surprised me," Conjuring another set of light spears into her hands, she takes careful aim at her target. "But we'll have to save this dance for another time." Throwing both weapons at the same time, the Fallen quickly took to the sky using her blackened wings.
Ren avoided the first spear with a simple sidestep while using his sword to deflect the second to the earth. "Hmph, who would have thought that you beings would be such cowards!" He mocked.
"Oh, but you weren't the one I was aiming for." Raynare's grin turned sinister.
A brow raised, the knight's eyes suddenly widen in realization and shock. Turning on his heel, he was met with the gruesome sight of Issei, on his knees with the spear that Ren had avoided piercing his chest. "Hyoudou!" He called out as he sprinted towards the dying boy, ignoring the malicious laughter of Raynare as she left behind the two. The transformed Sorcerer caught the brunette in his arms and pried the light spear out of his chest. The wound was quite severe. His heart was destroyed, insides burned to a crisp, and his spine had been separated. There was no guarantee that Issei Hyoudou would survive.
The boy coughed a few times, blood splattering onto his paling skin. He tried to speak but no words could be formed. It was a miracle he was still conscious with the wound he now possessed. However, like all good things, it must come to an end. The light in Issei's eyes began to snuff out, his breathing labored, and his warmth now reduced to cold. In a few short seconds, the brunette's chest had stopped rising. No movement, not even a twitch of a finger. Issei Hyoudou had passed away.
"I'm sorry." Ren lowered his head dejectedly. The brown-haired boy didn't deserve this fate. Sure, he was a shameless pervert that never shuts up about harems and tits but he was an honest, kind-hearted young man. He was the first person in this world that actually considered the Master a friend. And he had failed to save him…
Laying the boy's body down on the earth gently, the young Sorcerer made a silent vow. The Fallen Angel and any who followed her would pay for this transgression. He will make her suffer for killing his friend. Her blood shall be payment for the innocent soul taken away so unjustly.
Taking one last look at Issei's body, the transformed human turned away. His blonde hair shielding his eyes. "May you rest in peace, Hyoudou Issei." He prayed quietly then with a single step, he leaped into the air, soaring through the sky like a blue stream of light.
Had he stayed longer however, he would have caught the familiar color of vibrant red hair appearing out of a magic circle.
Ren's Apartment
It wasn't quite difficult to return to the penthouse. The Master of Savior followed the prana signatures of his eight Servants, especially after he recovered his groceries. From what he could guess about the Installation, it boosted his abilities already to that of a Heroic Spirit and depending on that legendary hero, he could be powerful enough to take on a whole army without any trouble.
So imagine his surprise that when he returned home, the transformation had cancelled and he collapsed onto his knees. It was like every nerve in his body had been set on fire then pulled out one at a time. It hurt like a bitch.
Naturally, his Servants were by his side, assisting him to the couch where he explained tonight's events.
"So that's what's happening in this town?" Savior questioned.
"I don't know." Ren shook his head. Kuro resting upon his lap while he stroked her fur. "I honestly have no idea what's happening to this place. Zelretch only explained about the Great War, the Three Factions, Sacred Gears, and the fact that God is dead in this world. The cryptic vampire wasn't really fortuitous in explaining what the fuck was happening right now."
"Language, Master." Ruler chastised the young man.
The Sorcerer rolled his eyes. "Alright, mom." He sarcastically replied. Ruler being none the wiser in knowing what sarcasm really is.
"So what's the plan, Goshujin-sama?" Caster bounced on her heels, she looked ready to kick anyone's butt, no matter who it was. Secretly, she wanted to hurt the Fallen Angel Raynare for trying to steal her hubby.
"After what happened tonight, I need a whole lot of food and a day's worth of sleep." The ravenette yawned.
"Then allow me to cook for you, Praetor!" Saber declared proudly, flaunting her chest out once more with no sense of shame.
Caster pouted. "Mou! He's my husband! So I'm the one who should be cooking for Goshujin-sama." She whined childishly.
Thus began one of the many arguments between Saber and Caster. Savior, unsuccessfully, trying to play mediator and getting the two women to calm down.
...It only ended with him getting a verbal beatdown.
Rider believed it wise that Ren would need at least two Servants in his bedroom to guard him in case any enemies tried to attack. That plan was shot down but Rider, Lancer, and even Archer persisted. Eventually convincing him that it would be a good idea.
He had chosen Assassin and Rider for the job. The former because she possessed Presence Concealment and wouldn't try anything lewd while the latter was much too stoic to even consider such an act.
Saber and Caster came to an agreement (more like a challenge) to cook for their Master at the same time. Enough food for everyone in the penthouse had been spread about for nine occupants. Eventually, they sat down and dug into the rather delicious meal (Ren helping himself to more servings than he even realized).
After dinner, Ren took a quick shower, got dressed in his pajamas, and landed on the soft comforts of his bed. Kuro leaping up and resting beside her master's stomach. Rider stood by the windows that overlooked Kuoh while Assassin climbed into the bed to feel her mother's warmth.
Just another crazy ass day in this mad town…
A/N: That's it for this chapter. Finally, I apologize if I made you all wait so long. College is getting to be a bitch now.
Also, to those of you who petitioned characters in this story, I am sorry but I wasn't quite explanatory. You see to explain about the Class Card system in this fic, it works the same way as an Evil Piece system only it doesn't require a lot of pieces if a Sacred Gear user is powerful or not. There are four modes to this. The first is being a Master. The second is being a Servant. The third is to use the Include function which grants the user a small portion of power from a Heroic Spirit. The fourth and final being Installation allows one to take on the properties, traits, and abilities of a Heroic Spirit.
Now, many of you are probably confused but if you want to be a Master in the Grail Faction then you must provide the basic information for your OC especially their Magecraft or Sacred Gear (which is totally optional) along with their Backstories and on how they should meet Ren in the story. If you choose to be a Servant then you must provide the parameters, class skills, personal skills, and Noble Phantasms of that character.
Speaking of Servants, the three new classes: Destroyer, Forger, and Healer are special Servant classes. Destroyers, the Heroic Spirit of Destruction, are more like Berserkers but don't possess Mad Enchantment instead they have a Class Skill known as Destructive Power which means depending on the rank, Destroyer's strength parameters can increase in rank but it will either lower or raise their agility rank. Plus, Destroyer's have terrible endurance meaning they hit hard but they can die if not careful effectively making them glass cannons. Also, their morality is always Chaotic, no matter if they are good or evil.
Forgers, the Heroic Spirit of the Forge, aren't necessarily combat-type Servants. They're more like Shielders, support-types. They possess the class skill known as Tinkering, a skill that is used in forging many different tools and weapons, and Blacksmith, which as you can guess means that they are quite profound in smithing their craft. In a sense they are a lot like Casters only they have a low Mana rank. Plus, depending on their Luck parameter, they can create powerful tools or Noble Phantasms for their allies.
Healer, the Heroic Spirit of Life, is another support-type. They are much like Casters in which they possess high Mana rank and aren't very good in confrontational combat. Their class skills are Blessing of Life, which is a skill that enhances healing magic, and Barrier, a skill that can project a shield around another to protect at the cost of a Healer's prana reserves. Also to note, Healers are always considered to be True Good.
Do you think any additions should be made for these three classes and if you have any opinions then feel free to leave them in the review box or PM it to me.
Please review and comment on this chapter but no flames or rude criticisms, I will not tolerate them at all.
If you ignore the warning then I'll write you up.
Thank you to all who have been my loyal followers since Day One. You are all what keeps me going.
Gilgamesh: Why didn't you pick me as the Install! I demand retribution, mongrel!
GKC: Get the fuck out of here! I'm busy!
*The King of Heroes growled at the author, the Gate of Babylon opening behind him*
Gilgamesh: Care to repeat that, mongrel?
GKC: Yeah, get the fuck out of here, Goldie. *With a snap of his fingers, the author sends Gil away in a cursing fit*
*Cough, cough* Where was I?... Oh yes!
Peace out, everyone!