What's up, everyone! This is GKC here bringing you the next chapter in Fate DxD.

Lots of you commented on the last chapter. Some of you liked it, some of you had some good ideas, and some of you thought I was being a dick. Apparently, some of you don't know what the hell an Avenger-class Servant really is. Others just decided to be pricks and dish out hate comments (all of which were deleted). Regardless, I'm still writing this. People who think otherwise can suck it. Oh, and to those of you who don't like the story, don't fucking read it. If you were expecting someone like a Sorcerer to be a mere Pawn to some Devil, you all have fucked up minds. I'm tired of seeing powerful characters be reduced to servants to supernatural figures that have no business in the human world. Call me racist if you will, but it's only racist if these things actually existed.

There's also the fact that many of you 'constructive' criticizers are beginning to test my damn patience! You're not really informing me of what is wrong, all you are doing is just trying to make a name for yourself. It's pretty pathetic. Grow a pair already and do your own damn stories if you can't handle the fact others like it but you lot don't. All you do is waste space.

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!

Fate/DxD

Chapter 3: Dance of Death

Kuoh Academy

Ren felt like complete shit. Even after a good night's sleep; well, it was technically a complete shocker when Assassin was in the bed with him, eliciting quite an unmanly scream from the Master, his conscious mind drifted back to the events of last night. The battle with Raynare, the death of Issei Hyoudou, and the physical drain he felt after using a Class Card specifically the Saber-class.

He had expected that using a Class Card would exhaust his physical strength but nothing like how he felt before. The burning in his body, it hurt worse than he could ever imagine.

Then there was the fact that Issei had been killed… His friend had been killed- no, murdered! He had been murdered for reasons he had no idea about! And that pissed the Sorcerer off greatly. Just what good did it come from the Fallen Angels to even consider killing an innocent (well, not so innocent) teenage boy?

Regardless, the young man felt terrible. His muscles ached, he suddenly felt nauseous, and a migraine was starting to irritate his head. Overall, if any were to see him, they'd think he had a cause of heavy sleep depravity.

Still, Assassin could have come up with a better excuse rather than 'cuddling with mommy'. He could still remember the burning glare that Archer sent his way despite his protests and misconceptions.

Unaware of his surroundings, a body crashed into him, sending him sprawling to the ground.

"Ite…" Ren groaned, rubbing his sore head. "Alright, who's the wise guy-!" He was cut off when he was met with a head of spiky brown hair…

...A familiar head of spiky brown hair

"Hyoudou!?" The Sorcerer exclaimed in comical shock.

"Sanada-san?!" The pervert exclaimed in confusion then placed his hands firmly on the ravenette's shoulders. "Sanada-san! Please tell me you remember Yuuma!"

The young man couldn't even answer. His mind running circles at the many possibilities on why Issei was alive right now. A dream? Impossible. A homunculus? No, he would be an albino. A clone? Still impossible. High-speed regeneration? A probability.

"Uh, Sanada-san?" Issei spoke, snapping the Master of Savior out of his thoughts.

"Sorry, Hyoudou, how are you here?" Ren asked quietly, bringing his face close to whisper. "I saw you die. Your insides were scorched."

"You do remember! Thank God!" A momentary hiss of pain escaped the brunette's mouth. "But wait, that means last night really did happen."

"So you have no idea on why you are alive?" The Sorcerer questioned with a raised brow before he noticed the presence of other students, mainly girls, who all seemed to be blushing rather brightly.

Wait…

His and Issei's current position must make it seem like…

The ravenette quickly stood up then shouted at the girls. "Get your heads out of the gutters! There is no way I swing like that!" An embarrassed blush burning his cheeks.

However, despite his best efforts, it would seem the image had already been implanted.

Issei looked confused until his eyes widened in realization. "Oh, gross!" He grimaced in disgust.

That's something both Ren and the pervert can agree on.

(Begin Ougon no Kagayaki by Number 201)

(Instruments) The camera opens to a nighttime view of Kuoh, panning as a stream of white light hops across the rooftops. The light stops to reveal Savior, who notices a scarlet red light pass by him then follows after it. The screen cuts to a scene at the Academy to reveal Rias unleashing her Orb of Destruction at a shadowy smirking figure only for it to cast aside the attack then disperse a shockwave at the Gremory princess, who was saved by the untimely arrival of Issei with the Boosted Gear on his right arm. Cuts back to the nighttime scene where the white and scarlet lights clash with each other then land on the side of a building, revealing them to be Savior while his opponent was Avenger. Both Heroic Spirits lunged at one another, Savior with his sword raised while Avenger smirked, producing a set of deadly black claws

(Mune no oku fukaku hisomu kono kizu wa) Cuts to Ren's face, eyes opened, as the camera pans out to reveal him standing on the rooftop of Kuoh Academy, overlooking the town with the sun beginning to rise

(Iyasareru koto wa nai) A brief image of black and white feathers enshrouds the screen before flying away to reveal Savior resting against a tree, sword by his side, as he opens his palm to allow one of the white feathers to land in his hand

(Daraka boku tachi wa kono mi sutesatte) Cuts to Rias in the Occult Research Club room, sitting at her desk, with her Peerage by her side

(Tsuyokunarou to chikatta) Cuts to a shadowy cloaked figure, watching the town from atop of a tall structure, a wicked grin appearing underneath the hood

(Dare mo ga negai) Cuts to reveal Saber lounging on a rather expensive chair, her jagged red sword by her side with Caster leaning on top with her tail swishing about behind her

(Inochi butsuke au) Cuts to Lancer upon a stone bridge, twirling her crimson spear, releasing a breath of cold air from her lungs while Berserker appears from beneath the bridge, his blood red visor glowing in the darkness

(Mayoi wa iranai) Cuts to Rider and Assassin standing on the metal beams of a steel bridge, the lights of Kuoh cascading all around them

(Tatakau to kimeta kara) Cuts to Ruler and Archer back-to-back as the sun shines down upon the two before cutting to brief images of Rias, Issei, Savior, and Ren

(Furikazu ougon no kagayaki) The camera cuts to Ren in his Saber Install blade-locking a black version of Saber, both roaring as they break the lock and slash at each other with their swords, sending sparks flying

(Tozasareta yoru wo hiraku yaiba) Cuts to Rider unleashing a blood red magic circle, Archer firing an arrow from her bow, and Lancer using her Noble Phantasm against an Alter version of Cu Chulainn

(Kotae nado naito shitte ite mo) Cuts to Kokabiel grinning maliciously while an army of Fallen Angels appears behind him, wielding spears of light

(Risou no hate wo motome tsuzukeru) Ren looks back to see three young girls appear in a flash. Two of them revealed to be Illya and Miyu while the other was Kuro. All three wave at him to which he sighs with a sweatdrop

(Ano hi miageta hoshi wa ima mo) Cuts to a pale hand outstretching towards a golden light

(Yakitsuite kieru koto wa nai yo) Cuts to Savior bringing his sword up to bear while twelve glowing white wings appear on his back

(Tatta hitotsu no tashikana mono) The Heroic Spirit raises his weapon, the blade surrounded by holy energy, then slashes down, evoking a massive pillar of light that climbs to the darkened skies

(Hajimari no jibun oikaketeiku) Cuts back to Ren looking up at the starlit night sky, in a field of flowers as his Command Seals glow then fade away

(Instruments) The camera pans away from Ren for a few seconds, dark grey clouds enshrouding him from view as the title materializes in front of the screen

Later On

After recovering from the initial shock, Issei and Ren met outside under the shade since the pervert looked a bit tired when he stood out in the sunlight.

"So, care to explain to me how you survived?" The Sorcerer questioned. "I seem to remember you dying with a pretty big fucking hole in your chest."

"Hey, I don't know! All I remember was waking up in my bed!" Issei argued.

The ravenette's expression told the pervert that he didn't believe him. "Yeah, you just spontaneously awoke in your bedroom, internal organs replaced and all that shit. Forgive me if I find that highly unlikely."

The brunette grumbled along the lines of 'stupid pretty boy' and useless miniscule arguments such as that.

However, Issei had one question on his mind. "Wait, how did you know I was dying?"

Ren flinched, he had been caught, maybe if he wrote it off as just a coincidence the pervert could actually believe it. "Well, the thing is…" Luckily, he had been saved by the bell, quite literally in fact. "Oh, looks like classes are about to begin. Gotta go!" He quickly stood up and sprinted off, leaving a confused brunette by himself.

"Wait, Sanada-san!" The boy tried to call out but deflated when the ravenette was out of earshot. "Dammit."

Just what could he mean? Was he there that night?

…

Wait…

The self-proclaimed Harem King remembered Ren being there that night and not only that, he fought with Yuuma as well. Weird thing about it all was that he seemed to actually be winning too. So why is he playing it off like it was nothing?

Issei needed answers and he was not gonna get them standing around like an idiot. Besides, like the ravenette mentioned, classes were starting.

Downtown

As many humans were ignorantly passing by each other in their usual day-to-day lives, a pair of cold yellow eyes watches the citizens.

"So many tasty morsels to feast on. But which one to devour?" A mad grin spreading as the yellow eyes landed on many individuals.

"It shouldn't be so hard to choose. Just pick someone and devour their soul already." Another set of eyes, these being a more orangish color glared at the other individual.

A hidden pout. "You just have to ruin everything. Jerk."

"Stop acting like a child."

"Ah, piss off."

"Don't make me have to kick your bony ass again." The second threatened.

"You can try, ya prick!" The first growled.

However, before both could throwdown, they sensed a mana signature. A powerful one…

The first smacked its lips. "You feel that?"

"Yeah, this amount of prana is quite impressive. There's enough for a whole bloody buffet." The second replied. "I suppose we can make ourselves useful and catch their soul."

"First one there gets the first bite." The first smirked, disappearing from its cohort.

"Cheating bastard!" The second snarled, following after to sample a taste of the succulent mana.

Kuoh Academy

Class had started. One that Ren particularly liked, that being history. After reading, watching, and playing the Fate series, he had grown a certain fixation on legendary heroes and famous figures. Though there was a drawback to being in the class…

That being a certain redhead that would send a heated glare his way whenever she thought he didn't notice.

Honestly, he didn't need this right now. Sure, he pretty much did threaten her and all that but he was not really in the mood to be intimidated by a spoiled little girl.

So he did the usual thing most guys would do… Ignored her.

This kept on going for the remainder of the class. It didn't help that Issei was slightly returning to his old ways while at the same time, a bit cautious of everything around him. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the brunette had a faraway look in his eyes, like he had been missing something for once in his life.

So many questions left unanswered. It was beginning to frustrated the young Sorcerer. He needed information. Actually, he needed some goddamn answers.

However, he had been so focused on his thoughts, that he had forgotten that the bell had rung, signalling the end of class. Collecting his books, the ravenette stood up from his seat and was about to walk out until he was met face-to-face with a blonde boy. Instant recognition struck him as he narrowed his eyes at the boy, Kiba Yuuto.

"Excuse me, Sanada-kun. But I have an invitation that Buchou would like to extend to you." The Prince of Kuoh informed the magus-in-training with a friendly grin.

Ren blinked once, twice, then raised a brow. "Who?"

"Gremory-senpai." Yuuto bluntly replied.

The Sorcerer briefly mouthed "oh" then placed a hand on his hip. "Why should I come? Didn't I pretty much threaten her to leave me alone?"

"Yep, but she has a proposition for you." The blonde answered.

A proposition? The ravenette's brow rose in interest. "Hmm, I'll think about it."

Yuuto nodded in understanding then left the classroom, ignoring the many lustful and dreamy-eyed looks he received from the female student body surrounding him.

Ren sighed, briefly wondering if he had made the right choice or not. Regardless, he needed answers so he might as well suck up his pride and just play politician for now.

Occult Research Club - After School

The rest of the school day was pretty uneventful. Well, otherwise the fact that Issei sat by the Sorcerer and Savior during lunch. It wasn't necessarily bad if one looked past his perverted antics. If anything, Ren felt that inside, Issei was scared. He had no clue as to why the girl he liked and dated would want to kill him, the way his eyes would scan the room like a frightened child didn't help his mood either.

As much as he would like to ease the boy's mind, he had neither the time nor the patience to do so. Right now, Ren's attention was focused mainly on the young woman across from him.

Akeno had offered them both a cup of tea. Issei politely refused, intent on staring at the black-haired girl's rather large chest.

Feeling his pervert-killing senses ignite, Ren lightly slapped the back of the brunette's head. "It's rude to stare at a woman's chest, Hyoudou." He scolded the boy, sipping the offered tea. Alright, he'll admit it. For a Devil, she makes some pretty good damn tea.

The resurrected boy gave the Sorcerer a mild glare but reluctantly focused back on the club president of the Occult Research Club.

"Well, I'm glad you both accepted my invitation, Issei-kun, Sanada-san." Rias spoke evenly, obviously she hadn't forgotten the crimson-eyed male's treatment of her but he was civil and noble enough to keep a member of the Perverted Trio quiet.

"Gremory-san, what's this all about anyways?" Issei asked, confusion written all over his face.

A small smirk appeared on the girl's face. "Tell me, Issei-kun. How do you feel?"

"Good, I suppose?" He replied, unsure of what the redhead meant.

"Oh? So you haven't felt weak during the day? Don't get headaches when someone invokes the name of the man above?" Rias gestured up with her finger.

"You mean God?" Ren answered, noticing the occupants, Issei included, flinched in discomfort at the name. That's when the realization struck him. "Issei is a Devil now!?"

"Wow, you actually figured it out on the first try, Sanada-san." She stated in that arrogant, smug tone of hers.

Crimson eyes narrowed as the ravenette bit back a harsh remark. He needed to know how Issei had been brought back.

"Gremory-san, what did Ren-san mean when he said I was a Devil?" Issei asked, confused at the statement.

Rias giggled softly, it sounded so beautiful to the resident pervert, bringing a small blush to his cheeks. "To answer your question, Issei-kun, it would be more prudent to show you instead." She replied.

All of a sudden, black bat-like wings sprouted from her back. Not just her but also Akeno, Yuuto, and even Koneko.

"Holy shit!" The brunette exclaimed in surprise.

Ren didn't react much. He had already deduced that Rias and her group along with the student council members were all Devils. However, despite the malevolent od levels in the room, he found some comfort when Assassin and Rider appeared behind him in their astral forms, ready to engage without a moment's notice in defense of their Master.

"Yes, it is quite surprising, Issei-kun. Although, Sanada-san here had already met our kind before." Rias gestured to the raven-haired young man. "While I'm not sure how or when, he seems to be quite an interesting human."

"Flattery won't get you anywhere, Gremory-san." Ren stated, folding his arms.

"Hold on, hold on!" Issei interjected. "Just what the hell is going on?!"

"There are many things that you do not know about me, Hyoudou." The young man started. "One of those is the fact that I am a magus."

"Magus?" The pervert looked even more confused. "What the heck is that?"

Rias however seemed to interject into the conversation. "He means he is a practitioner of magic. A wizard or a mage if you will."

"Hmm, excellent deduction. I would've thought it would take you longer to figure out what I am." The Sorcerer offered out that small bit of praise.

"It would have had I not discovered that neat little trick of yours last night." The redhead smirked.

Ren raised a brow. "What do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb. I'm talking about the fact you used card magic to transform into a knight." The Gremory heiress stated as if she had solved a murder mystery. "Care to explain that little detail, Sanada-kun?" The way she said his name seemed to be a front to get him to slip up his tongue but he'd seen better from Caster.

"In what way or higher power do you think I'm going to explain that to someone like you?" The Sorcerer smirked deviously. "The way I see it, you're desperate. I don't know what though but you require power and you don't care how you obtain it."

"That's not-" Rias was cut off by Ren once more.

"Get this through that pretty little head of yours, Gremory. As a magus, what I do with my business is mine and no one else's." His crimson glare emphasized his point while the Command Mantras hidden under his jacket glowed softly; he could feel Rider and Assassin tense up for a fight but a mental command settled them down.

"Whoa, Ren-san, that's going a bit too far, don't you think?" Issei spoke his piece, obviously conflicted. He had no idea if he should believe anything like this but this was starting to hurt his head.

"Apologies, I let my temper get the better of me." Ren grinned with closed eyes in an almost innocent fashion.

Rias inwardly seethed at the audacity of the man before him but kept her cool. If she could get him to slip up then she'll have the Magician right where she wants him. She might even learn some form of secret.

"Now, you were saying…?" Ren asked with a wicked smirk.

One Hour Later

After their little 'chat', the young sorcerer bid Gremory and her peerage a farewell.

From what he gathered, Issei was revived by what Rias called the Evil Piece system. Basically, magic chess pieces. Eight pawn pieces was the price to resurrect the boy meaning whatever Sacred Gear he possessed was undeniably powerful. Rider told him that she detected the faint scent of a dragon. Speaking of Sacred Gears, they were essentially a form of Mystic Code created by the biblical God to be used as miracles for humanity but the Three Factions saw them as weapons and fought tooth and nail to acquire such power. The strongest of the Sacred Gears were the Longinus-types; they possessed the power to effectively kill God himself.

If that were true then that power could be quite handy to him.

A weapon powerful enough to kill gods should be used against his enemies rather than against him. Still, if it came down to an actual battle then Devils were severely outmatched. Pawns could change their rank to Rook, Knight, Bishop, and Queen but never a King. While Pawns gain a stat increase depending on the class, they also gain their weaknesses. Knights are supposed to be the fastest pieces in a Peerage but they're also glass cannons; one lucky hit and they'll die. Rooks have increased strength and defense but their speed and agility is effectively E Rank at best so even if he did get into a battle with them, they have a certain amount of stamina before their guard is broken. Bishops are strictly magic-based pieces and are generally the healers of a Peerage in which case, it would be best to take them out first since they are the Casters of the group. The Queen is theoretically the most powerful piece but it is only one fighter; overwhelming numbers is best used to take the Queen down. The King, despite being a powerful piece itself, is still susceptible to being attacked from assassins so if Rias tried to fight him then Ren will sic his own Assassin right on her to end the battle. Kill the king, lower moral and the enemy's fighting spirit.

From what he gathered, Issei had something that was related to a dragon. If the brunette ever tried to fight the magus then a simple introduction to the Slayer of Fafnir would remedy that situation. Any dragon, no matter what they are will always remember the blade wielded by the legendary Siegfried. Balmung, a sword that strikes fear in the core of every Phantasmal Beast.

Anyways, after Ren left, Assassin reported that they were being tailed by a familiar. A quick order to Rider had silenced the lonesome little watchdog. He didn't need any unsavory eyes tracking his every move.

It was also at this moment that Ren felt a presence that was much like a Heroic Spirit. It seemed Assassin and even Rider felt it as well; their stances in astral form were guarded, ready to protect their Master should any threat try to attack him.

The presence was close. A little too close judging by the distance between the young man and the mysterious feeling.

Strange how there seemed to be no one in sight as well. No civilians walking the streets or bustling around in the stores. That's when the realization struck…

...A Boundary Field.

"I know you're there. It's useless to hide from me." Ren declared openly, attempting to draw out this new pursuer and dissuade them from trying anything foolish.

Stepping out of the shadows, a man dressed in black with black hair to boot along with blood red eyes. There was also a distinct presence of both light and darkness surrounding the figure. Almost like a cloak.

"For a human, you're quite perceptive." The man smirked. Seeing such a smile was enough to send an involuntary shiver down his spine. "But where are my manners," The man bowed politely like any English gentleman in the Victorian-era of Great Britain. "You may call me Kokabiel."

"I don't particularly care what your name is. I want to know why you were following me." Ren stated coldly with hands in his pockets. The same pockets that had his deck of Class Cards ready to use just in case. "And don't even think about lying to me."

"Yes, well, I suppose you could say that my subordinate spoke highly of your abilities from your encounter with each other." Kokabiel replied with his smirk still present.

The Sorcerer briefly thought about what this man meant then remembered that Fallen Angel he fought against. The one that tried to kill Issei Hyoudou. "So you're that woman's boss." He frowned; sending a heated glare into the other Fallen's skull.

"You'll have to forgive my subordinate. She's a bit of a wild child." Kokabiel stated with a friendly grin but the cold glare he received didn't deter him.

"Is there a point to why you're wasting my time or do I have to remove your head?" Ren threatened as Assassin and Rider materialized with their daggers/nails at the ready for a battle.

Kokabiel raised his hands in surrender. "Relax, I'm merely here to chat with you."

"And what business would I want to converse with the Star of God?" The magus questioned, holding his Servants back until he felt his time being wasted.

The only response he got from the Fallen was rather pathetic, "Do you like sweets?"

A twitch of the young man's eyebrow was all that revealed his irritation...but the offer was somewhat peaceful so he might as well hear this man out. "To a degree."

"Wonderful! I know this excellent little cafe that serves wonderful cakes." Kokabiel grinned.

At this point, Ren had to ask himself if this was the correct choice even Assassin and Rider looked at him as if he were insane. Maybe he was and he just didn't show it quite yet. Regardless, he tailed the Fallen with his two Servants returning to astral form to guard their Master.

Later On

Well, he'll give Kokabiel credit. The cake is pretty good along with their tea. Ren had at first figured that Fallen Angels had a low tolerance for humans after his encounter with Raynare but that suspicion was slowly starting to give away. However, he still didn't trust the pointy-eared man in front of him enjoying a delicately rich chocolate cake.

During the entirety of the conversation, Kokabiel had repeated the same speech that Rias had given him but with a few more added details such as the fact that some noteworthy legendary weapons such as Excalibur, Balmung, and even Ea were said to be powerful Sacred Gears in the realm of the Supernatural. They'd be right about that but it's not like they would ever know.

"So how'd you do it?" The Fallen asked out of the blue.

"Pardon?" Ren raised a brow.

"From what Raynare had explained to me, you were able to summon an invisible weapon and managed to combat her blow for blow. Not only that but you also manifested into the form of a knight wielding power beyond that of a normal human." Kokabiel leaned closer with an almost predatory gaze. "So what sort of Sacred Gear is it?"

"For one, it isn't a Sacred Gear." Truthfully, it wasn't. It was a mere transfer of a legendary hero's soul into a card as a sort of catalyst to become the essence of transforming into the Heroic Spirit or at least taking their power and abilities as one's own. "It's a power meant only for humans."

The look on Kokabiel's face was enough to confirm the young man's suspicion. He wanted something from him.

"Interesting," That was all the Fallen spoke as he took another bite of his cake.

Ren begged to differ. It was a bit of a pain in the ass having to deal with Heroic Spirits of varying personalities such as Saber, Caster, Assassin, Rider, Archer, and Lancer. Ruler and Savior were at least more professional and respectful but the others cause him slight problems at times such as buying clothes without his permission with the money he had. (More like pilfered)

In any case, the boy was getting off track. "Really. Glad you believe so."

"Well, tell me something, what do you intend to do next?" Kokabiel questioned.

Ren's brow rose in slight confusion.

"What I mean by that is that not only do you possess an obvious power to change your appearance. You also have some rather interesting servants even the air about you is almost beyond anything related to humans." The Fallen Angel pushed the question. "You're obviously not a normal one. Your aura is almost related to a Messiah. Rather humorous I might add."

"I don't believe so. I've got nothing against religion. I just don't like the fact that beings such as yourself walk amongst mankind like you own the place or for that matter, them." The Sorcerer stated fiercely.

"Still, back to my earlier question; what do you intend to do next?" Kokabiel repeated.

As the one who now holds practically the entirety of the Throne of Heroes within his very soul, Ren was as lost as any on what his task should be. Naturally, he assumed that with this power he was protecting mankind from the dangers of the supernatural like the Angels and Devils but that quest felt...hollow.

He shrugged. "I don't know."

"I see…" Kokabiel nodded. "If that's the case then I shall tell you mine; out of respect of your status as a potential Messiah."

The young man frowned. Hearing that didn't so much as relate to him. The only one that should have that title is the Servant he had created, Savior. There was a reason he created him. It was to be the antithesis for god-like Servants that would prove to be overpowering for countless Grail Wars. Savior would in turn be the demigod killer or slayer of Phantasmal Beasts. His Noble Phantasm could definitely attest to his true name and divinity even if he was given a human form. Ren noticed the Fallen's features began to darken as a chill from before ran up his spine.

"I am going to destroy the world."

…

…

…

Say what now?

Ren stared blankly at Kokabiel, whose cheerful demeanor had returned as he took another bite of his cake.

"Sorry but I must've heard wrong. Did you say you were going to-" The boy was cut off when the Fallen finished his sentence.

"-destroy the world, yes."

Right… So he didn't imagine it or drop acid. If had been the latter, it was in some seriously poor quality. That, and he never had any reason to take drugs unless they were for migraines or common colds. The Fallen didn't even seem fazed at all that he just told someone with literally the power to command legions of ancient heroes and supernatural warriors that he was going to destroy the world.

So that begged the question…

"Why?" Ren asked, wanting to understand the reason behind it all.

The dark-haired Fallen laughed. "It's a long story. I suggest you get comfortable because it will be long."

That he had no doubt about. His half-eaten cake forgotten, Ren kept his facial expressions neutral as he listened to what Kokabiel had to say.

"Tell me," He spoke after finishing up his treat. "What do you know of your kind, humans?"

"From what's been told in schools or documentaries," The young man admitted. "Scientifically, we evolved from monkeys millions of years ago but that's difficult to prove. Biblically, God created us by molding two figures in his image. The First Man named Adam and the First Woman named Eve."

It didn't come as a surprise when Kokabiel nodded. Ren thought the Fallen Angel would argue otherwise but he didn't.

"Exactly. Because in some ways, you did, and in some ways, you didn't."

It was confusing but then again so was magecraft. The Sorcerer remained silent and continued to listen.

"As seen from your own history, many of the world's greatest inventions and discoveries originated from accidents. Microwaves, plastic, radioactivity, etcetera etcetera. The same could be said for God. At least when it came to humans."

Suddenly, Ren's crimson orbs started to realize just how old Kokabiel was. He could see it in his eyes, how deep they looked with eons of history swimming in a sea of scarlet. Then those same eyes met the magician's own and his brain was assaulted by scenes and images he should have no knowledge of.

Great empty basins of earth that began to fill with water. The world's first oceans, and crustaceans, corals and fish rising from its depths to form the world's first lifeforms.

Trees, grass and flowers sprouting upon barren lands, turning the once yellow and parched Earth into the lush, green planet it was today.

And from those forests came animals that soared the skies, ran and crawled on the ground. And the once quiet world had suddenly descended into a cacophony or squawks, roars and chitter.

"He created this world on a whim, you know? God, I mean. He didn't really have a fixed plan when He turned this planet from the lifeless sphere it was into the teeming-with-life Earth it is today. Of course, that's what He told us, but I am sure many of us thought otherwise. How else would someone create something beautiful? But when I witnessed His reaction when He first saw the start of your kind, that's when I started to believe Him."

Ren saw them. They were swinging from branch to branch before landing on the ground and beginning to walk.

On two legs.

"That face of surprise you are wearing. He wore it too, except he looked a thousand times more shocked than you," Kokabiel laughed. He didn't like it when others laughed on his account. "When He first saw you strike rocks to form fire, and used that fire to cook meat from hares you caught in primitive traps, he was dumbfounded."

There was a look of nostalgia on the Star of God's face as he recalled the memory. "He was almost dancing in joy before he returned to watching you with rapt attention. I remembered Lucifer asking, 'What? We could do that too, easily, in fact.' And I remembered agreeing. Then God said, 'Yes, but I made you to be able to. But not them.' Then everyone shut up after that and we watched you humans grow together in silence.'

Strange. Seeing this man almost happy and passionate as he regaled his tale was like listening to someone speak about their childhood. The Sorcerer for the life of him couldn't understand why Kokabiel would be so joyful at the memory. He continued to listen.

"It was when you humans skinned the beasts you killed and donned them as your own that we truly began to see something within your kind. That was when He confirmed it, giving your species its current name, and naming the first of them Adam. You must realize how groundbreaking this development was. Nothing, and I mean nothing, was created with the idea of clothing in their minds except for us Angels. Everything else went buck naked or had the idea of 'protection' in their mind. But not you humans. You wore it as garments, spoils of war, objects of vanity. That's when the idea of modesty developed in your mind. A few decades later, pretty much every human had a wolf, tiger or whatever-skin to call their own."

The light of wonder in those blood red eyes was enough for Ren to discern that God and the Angels had acted like curious children. "We were shocked. Clothes were one thing, but modesty? Some Angels were beginning to see Him and us within you. How could we not when ideas and concepts known only to us began to sprout in your minds? And if things couldn't get worse, God suddenly up and decided one day that we were to bow to you. 'These humans,' he said, 'one day, they will surpass everything else. Including Angels. Including Me. This...thing they have. I call it Free Will. From today onwards, they no longer are my Creations. Nothing I have created can truly think for its own like they can. They are their own creations and you will not tamper with their development. From this moment onwards, no Angel is to interfere in their growth. Even I will not. We will only taint their potential, hindering them from what they can truly achieve with their own two hands. I want to see how far they can go.'"

For a moment, the Fallen Angel kep silent. Ren understood that at that moment, Angels were surprised that Humans could surpass them as well as God. Even though he wasn't a religious man, hearing that God believed that man could surpass Him was actually a surprise.

"Yes. The same silence we just enjoyed permeated in the air after he said that too. Surpass us? Surpass God? Preposterous! At least, that's what many felt. Even I leaned towards that direction for a while...but not as much as the others. Not as much as the Satans."

The atmosphere in the room seemed almost somber after Kokabiel spoke the name of the Devils' leaders. It was like they were to blame for everything. "Did you know...that the first few Devils were actually Angels? Yes, they were. The first four Devil Satans: Lucifer, Leviathan, Asmodeus, Beelzebub. What if I told you they were once amongst the ranks of Archangels? They were supposed to be the best of the best, the pinnacles of virtue - that's what being an Archangel meant. But oh, how mankind changed them. At first, they were skeptical. Skeptical of what He saw in you, and thus that doubt spread to what they saw in Him. Their faith began to waver and His declaration was the final straw. The very notion that they were inferior to humans? It sent them into darkness. It sent them into Sin: Sloth, Greed, Pride, Wrath, Gluttony, Lust, and Envy. They hated you. Hated you for seducing Him with you 'infinite potential', your 'Free Will'. They saw mankind as evil and themselves as the vanquishers of that evil. So they Fell. They were the first to Fall. And not just the four of them. All the Angels under their command and whatever sympathizers they could sway with honeyed words Fell. One third of Heaven's Legions Fell that day. Because. Of. You.

The pointed look that Kokabiel shot at the Sorcerer did little to deter him. "I fail to see how that's my problem since it was those foolish Archangels' that allowed their jealousy to corrupt them." Ren stated coldly. This only further cemented his distaste for Devils if their original leaders believed them to be evil when they themselves were in fact the hypocrites.

"True. Mind you, I didn't fall back then. I still had faith in humanity. But when the others fell to the Earth to wipe out your kind, God panicked, and immediately rallied the rest of Heaven to stop them. Thus began the first of many Great Wars, Heaven's Civil War. But it would be difficult; Angel fighting Angel, and it would have been impossible to tell who was on whose side. So he stained them. He stained every Angel who Fell black; dying their wings obsidian to tell friend from foe. That's the story of how Devils and Fallen were born."

Ren raised a brow. How were Devils born if the Fallen were the first to be created?

Kokabiel smiled. "Naturally, Heaven won the war. But what did you think happened to the Fallen survivors after the war? Obviously, they did not return to Heaven though God gave them the option to. He couldn't bear to kill them either, so instead he banished them. He created an entire dimension to seal them. He created the Underworld. And with time, just as you humans evolved, the harshness of Hell forced them to adapt, and their forms evolved into what they are today. Devils."

"I see...but what about the current Fallen?" The magus inquired. "Like Raynare and the rest?"

A grim expression replaced the Fallen's smile. He breathed deeply then said, "Why do Angels Fall? We certainly weren't created to do that. Devils aside, after the Civil War, tens of thousands still Fell, myself included. Some willingly, others...not so much. But there was a small common thread that runs through all of us. Can you guess what it is?"

"Humans." Ren stated bluntly. Seeing Kokabiel nod, the Fallen continued.

"It is shocking when you think about it; the sheer amount of chaos that the arrival of your species brought. Assumptions were shattered, Heaven was divided, and two whole new Factions were created. But despite all that, God loved you with all his heart and thus so did the Angels as well. He sent us to watch over you, to keep you out of the clutches of the Devils, the only time we were allowed to interfere. In other times of trouble, we were only allowed to present to you your choices but could never sway which option you chose. It was difficult; very difficult to do such a simple task."

Kokabiel's lips curled and a forlorn look began to set in.

"The problem was that we loved you too much. At least, at the beginning. After all, we did fight and win a civil war for your kind and what remnants of Angels who did not like your existence were cast down into Hell. Angels are pure beings; what they do, they do with all their heart. It was too easy to become attached to those we were tasked to watch. We cried when they made mistakes, beamed with joy when they made the right choice, and our hearts broke when they betrayed our trust. We forgot that despite what similarities we held, we were very different from your kind. Your 'Free Will', while it mean an infinite ability to learn and do good, it also meant an infinite potential to do harm."

He could feel Rider and Assassin tense. It was a mutual feeling. The Sorcerer felt a sense of dread well up in his chest.

"You weren't created like us with a firm moral compass set in our hearts. And thus, when humans walked the path of Sin, some of us couldn't take it, not when we held you in such high regards. The disappointment and heartbreak we got was too much to bear, and unlike God, we weren't capable of eternal love or patience. Some, in their desperation, would try to force humans to walk the path of Virtue, and they were cast down for interfering. Azazel is a prime example of that, and Fallen like him still fell the same fondness for humans as they did millennia ago. I didn't find it to be very fair, but to them, it didn't matter. They saw it as an opportunity. They weren't affiliated with Heaven anymore and saw their Fall as a chance to meddle some more human lives. Thus Azazel created the Grigori and taught mankind to make weapons and cosmetics. This, of course, irked God, who would send Angels to stop their former comrades. But in the end, what conflict that erupted never got out of hand because both sides always had humanity's interest at heart in the end."

"Really? Because Raynare seemed to have made it very clear that she despises humanity." Ren spat.

"Ah yes. Raynare." Kokabiel frowned. "She is...the other type of Fallen, who handled Mankind's sins the other way. The human she was tasked to watch...he represented humanity at its finest, at least in his early years. He was kind, diligent, intelligent, and he was a joy to watch for Raynare, who loved him deeply. She really loved him, you know, in a romantic sense, and it took every bit of her willpower not to Fall into the temptation of Lust. She was a strong Angel, at least in mind, and many other Angels who could not resist Fell because they crossed the line. But even she had her limits when one day the human she was tasked to watch changed. And not for the better. He became, in lack of a better word, a monster. A tyrant, who killed innocents, raped women and destroyed villages on a whim. She was shattered. She had placed all her faith and trust in humanity on that one man, who grinded it into find dust and forced it down her throat as she watched him commit atrocity after atrocity."

So that's why the female Fallen Angel was so bitter towards humans. Ren furrowed his brow when he mentioned a time where humans were at their finest. Was it something related to the Age of Gods?

"She was never the same after that. She became disheartened and what high regards she held for humanity sank into the sewer afterwards. Her story is one of many tragic betrayals and it what ultimately led to her Fall. It is not my story to tell, and I believe I have told you enough. If you wish to know more, you should ask her yourself when you get the chance. But the fact of the matter remains that there are many, many Fallen, who see you as, and I quote, 'scum'."

It was understandable. If you put so much trust, so much love into one individual that you had high hopes for only for that all to be shattered instantly in the blink of an eye would turn anyone's views into a pile of crap.

But that begged the question, "Which one are you then? Why did you Fall?" The Master questioned.

For a moment, Kokabiel seemed to be deep in thought. "Me? I suppose I'm a mix of both. I truly believe that humanity has the potential to do great things, but they must be alone to do so. The Devils and Fallen have done little to allow that to happen. When I found out the human I was watching had sold his soul to a Devil, I was livid. I slaughtered him in my rage, which should have been directed at the Devil. But it was too late, and by the time I realized what I had done, my wings had already turned black. Still, I believe in humanity, and I saw how they grew with time. One day they will do truly remarkable and unfathomable things."

Ren frowned. The Fallen says that but it contradicts with his desire to destroy the world. Just what is his reason?

"Then God died. The damned Devils had discovered a way to return to Earth other than human summoning. Thus the Great War started which would claim God's life. Like so many other Angels, Fallen or not, that was a huge blow to our faith. He is, after all, our Father, and even if he cast us down, many of us still loved him. But when he passed, realization sunk in. There was no God. And with him gone, we felt weak, powerless, empty. They say the Great War ended in a stalemate. Wrong. The Devils won it, just not on paper. With God gone, who could stop them from tainting humanity? We Angels certainly tried, and even an unspoken alliance was formed between a few Fallen and Heaven. We would defend humanity from the Devils, even if our approaches were different. But their numbers and cunning proved too much for us. Despite our efforts, humanity was becoming tainted, and there was nothing we could do about it."

The magus had already been told that God was dead but hearing the story behind it all was starting to open his eyes even more. The Devils during that time were a threat to humanity that needed to be purged. Fallen Angels, no matter how misguided, were just children that were lost and afraid without their Father. Angels were few in number and had relatively no chance in another war.

It was then that Kokabiel gestured to both their surroundings. "Can you not see it in the world around us? Sinning is the new norm! Consumerism is Greed, Wars are fought over pride and wrath, Infidelity is at an all time high due to Lust, and you expect me to believe that these humans are capable of amazing feats? To even reach their current point was no small feat but there was so much more that they could have achieved, that is until all these supernatural factions, not just the Devils, intervened. Many of them are afraid of what humanity was becoming, and that their technology would surpass their power in a matter of centuries- No, decades, and they took steps to ensure this did not happen. It is a fear that is not unfounded. They were so obsessed with preserving their power that they hindered mankind's, and in this regard, I must really praise the Devils. Their ability to adapt with humanity...astonishing, and unseen in any other faction. They built their cities after yours and implemented the same technology that you use in their society. My opinion of the current devils is far better than those that I fought millennia ago. They are not evil but neither are all of them good. Still, it is a lost cause because humanity's growth is slowly grinding to a halt by unseen forces."

So that's why Zelretch brought him into this dimension. The old vampire must've overheard this tale and wanted someone to continue the growth for mankind while eliminating any form of supernatural force that threatened to hamper that growth. Who would've guessed the bloodsucker would actually have a heart of gold instead of a perverse mind of jokes and pranks.

Kokabiel raised both of his hands outwards as if he were preparing to embrace the magus, his face set in grim determination. "That is why I want to destroy this world. I will start a war between all factions, starting with of course, my own. For too long, we have impeded your progress, and it is clear to me that even Heaven is holding you back, with the Church's dirty affairs and Michael's inability to do anything but watch. Your kind will no doubt survive, you are a tenacious species, and though many of you will perish in the crossfire, mankind will still limp away from this grand conflict. You will rebuild your civilization on the ashes of your old one and this time," The Star of God smiled, reaching for the evening sky that was starting to become visible. "There will be no one to stop you from reaching the stars."

So, that's why this Fallen Angel wanted to destroy the world. He blamed his race, his pure winged cousins, the Devils, anything related to the supernatural that hampered humanity. His intentions sounded good but the outcome of it all would get many innocent people killed. That was something he couldn't allow…

"As the saying goes, 'The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.'" Ren stated to the Fallen.

"Of course, but I fully intend to go to Hell, and I don't mean the Underworld. I deserve to do so but I will die in battle with a smile on my face because I know that I am doing the right thing for humanity."

Crimson eyes narrowed at blood red. "Then why are you telling me all this? Aren't you afraid I will tell the world of your actions? Or for that matter, stop you?"

The smile on the Fallen's face told the magus that he had been waiting for that very question.

"You are free to do what you wish. You are, after all, a potential Messiah. And it is because of that that I tell you this beforehand and that I will respect your subsequent choice of action even if it is to disrupt my plan. I did not foresee the coming of another Savior when I planned this and your arrival is causing me great distress. I was planning to go to such drastic actions because I saw it as humanity's last hope and that there was no other choice. Then you showed up, a Savior, a miracle maker, a Messiah. If anyone can save humanity without so much bloodshed, it is you, and if you are able to do so, all the better."

Being repeatedly called the Messiah or even a Savior just never felt right. Ren wasn't a hero; he knew that. He wasn't naive enough to believe that he could ever be a hero. He was just an individual with the power of miracles; to bring long thought dead heroes back to life as Heroic Spirits.

"Of course, you can claim not to be a Messiah even though you do possess a power related to miracles. And I will respect that as well. The weight of the world is very heavy on one's shoulders and even I find myself having trouble bearing this burden. But still, just because you are not what I wish you are does not mean you are incapable of helping. When the next Great War comes, and it certainly will if you do not stop me, I ask for your help in my endeavor."

"That's the thing that's set us apart. You claim to want to destroy the world for mankind; I can respect that. But what if you're wrong? What if your so-called Great War leads to humans being wiped out? We're not so foolish as to stand idly by while hostile forces battle upon the planet we live on." Ren stated. Seeing the hesitant look in the Fallen's eyes meant the magus had caught onto him. "You don't know. Which is why I will stop you if you so much as try to enact World War III. Even if the Three Factions or the whole world becomes my enemy, I will fight for the innocent. No matter who they are. Be they human or otherwise."

Kokabiel nodded understandingly. "Obviously, I will not ask you to take lives. This is the supernatural's war and I would like to leave humans out of it. But still, no doubt humans will die, many of them. That is why I need your help. You hold power, a great amount of it, power which can be used not just to destroy but to protect. I want you to help me in that. Everybody will be too busy fighting each other to care about collateral damage which is why I need you to help me care for them. Find those humans worth saving, protect them, and make sure they live to inspire the next generation to strive for greatness."

"You're asking me to be a judge of humanity?" The Fallen nodded. "I can't do that. All life is precious, you can't ask me to only save those good and leave those of evil to perish. Without darkness there can be no light. Without evil there can be no good. Without sin there can be no faith. I am not a judge, jury, or executioner. I'm merely someone that leads ancient warriors into battle. If there is someone threatening those that wish to live a peaceful existence then I will be there with sword and shield in hand to stand against them."

"If that is your answer then I won't stop you but…" Kokabiel looked at the young man with a slight frown. "Think about my offer; really think about it. The day of reckoning does not start for another few weeks. I shall inform you and ask you for your answer before it does happen."

With that said, the Fallen placed down a couple yen bills then left the cafe. Ren tried to see where he was but there was no sign of him anywhere. There wasn't any people either so that didn't help.

"Master, do you believe him?" Rider questioned, still in astral form.

"Don't know. It's a long time to process all this information. Still, I want to know why Issei was specifically targeted by the Fallen Angels and why these Sacred Gears were truly important." Ren replied. "However, I suppose I could-"

A sudden surge of mana had cut him off. Even his Servants reacted almost with surprise.

This large amount of energy being released was like the equivalent of a Noble Phantasm. Whoever it was, they were in trouble.

"Assassin, Rider!" The Sorcerer mentally called his Servants to follow him. He relayed a mental message to the rest of his Servants to regroup with him.

"Master, it's coming from the docks." The beautiful blindfold-wearing woman stated. "Three prana signatures and two sources of dark energy."

Well, a perfect time to work off some stress. Who knows, it could be fun.

Meanwhile…

"Kuro-chan, are you sure you felt a mana signature here?" Said a ten year old girl with long snow white hair and scarlet red eyes while wearing an elementary schoolgirl's uniform.

A second ten year old girl with pinkish-white hair, yellowish-orange eyes, and tan skin who wore a provocative outfit of red and black, clicked her teeth in irritation. "Illya, you're being stupid again."

The white-haired girl, Illya, pouted childishly. "Don't call me stupid!" She yelled.

"Illya-chan, Kuro-chan, let's not fight now. Luvia-san and Rin-san sent us to this Parallel World in the first place to find the anomaly." A third girl with black hair in pigtails and brown eyes tried to calm her two friends down. Like Illya, she wore an elementary schoolgirl uniform as well.

Kuro, the dark skinned girl, huffed. "Whatever."

"Sorry, Miyu-chan." Illya apologized.

"When can something show up? I want to get some action already!" A pink star wand jumped up and down in Illya's hand.

"Nee-sama, refrain from interrupting and speaking aloud." A blue star wand wiggled in Miyu's hand.

These two respectively were the kaleido sticks known as Magical Ruby and Sapphire. They are 'Second Magic' Mystic Codes forged by the Wizard Marshal Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg. Both of which that grant their users/wielders unlimited magical energy.

So focused on their task they were that they failed to notice the two dark figures watching them from afar.

"So these are the tasty morsels?" The first hissed.

"Looks like it. The black haired one is mine." The second growled.

"Fine, the last two can be mine." The first cackled darkly.

Kuro stopped. She detected the presence of two unknown hostile both of which emerged from the shadows all around them. One of them was a rather beautiful woman with burning yellow eyes and long violet hair while dressed in a skimpy Chinese dress. The other was a handsome man with glowing orange eyes with spiky dark green hair while dressed in a set of dark grey robes.

"Who the hell are you two?" The dark-skinned girl questioned, narrowing her eyes at the two newcomers.

"Look at that, the meal speaks." The woman smirked coldly then started to morph into a gorgon-like monster with her arms morphing into snake heads, her legs transformed into the tail of a cobra, and her mouth opened up wide to reveal two sets of venomous fangs. Her pupils took on a reptilian appearance.

"Hmm, maybe they'll put up a fight. That'll make it all the more sweeter." The man huffed as his own body started to morph. He grew bulky arms with large tufts of fur that grew razor sharp claws, canine-like legs that snapped into place with a sickening crack, and a wolf-like muzzle appearing on his face. A set of wolf ears morphed on his head and a tail emerged from his backside.

Illya shrinked back a bit terrified. "Monsters!?" She exclaimed. Magical Ruby activated in the frightened ten year old's hand, transforming her into a magical girl once more.

Miyu quickly activated Magical Sapphire, gaining her magical girl outfit as the flow of mana from the kaleido stick filled her body.

Kuro outstretched her hands with a dangerous grin as two dao swords colored like the yin yang taoism symbol. "Monsters? This should be fun." She recklessly charged head first towards the monster woman to unleash a barrage of slashes that the snake woman weaved through like...a snake. "Hold still!"

"Why don't you make me, little girl?" The gorgon-like beast teased.

This angered and irritated Kuro as her attacks became more reckless. She tried to cut off the woman's head only for Kanshou to be caught in the jaws of the monster's fangs. "What?!" Before she knew it, the monster woman's tail wrapped around her in a crushing grip.

"Kuro-chan!" Miyu and Illya exclaimed in horror until the wolfman appeared in front of them.

"Worry about yourselves, brats." His orange eyes glared down at the two girls as he raised his right claw then swung it at Miyu, who raised Sapphire to defend herself but she hadn't count on the strength behind the blow which sent her sprawling across the asphalt and into a storage container with a yelp of pain.

"Miyu-chan!" Illya called out then flinched as the monstrous wolf growled low with claws itching to draw her blood.

"Illya, don't just stand around! Fight!" Ruby exclaimed at her wielder.

But the girl was terrified beyond anything she had ever experienced in her life. The most she could resemble such frightening strength was facing off against the spirits of the class cards.

"Die!" The wolfman growled then slashed down at the frightened girl.

Illya closed her eyes waiting for the blow… Any second now…

The girl opened an eye to peek and found a pretty blonde lady in a red and white military dress with gold sabatons and held a crimson jagged designed sword. The woman was holding back the wolfman effortlessly with just her sword.

"What the…?!" The monster exclaimed in surprise.

"Saber, remove the Devil's arms." A young man spoke being followed by several other figures.

"Yes, Praetor!" The blonde woman known as Saber grinned, kicking the wolf then sliced off both his left and right arms as he howled in pain.

"Archer, pin him down!" The man ordered as a triple-colored haired girl in a green dress with animal ears brought up a black bow then fired two arrows right into the legs of the Devil.

"AGH! You bastard!" The wolfman snarled.

"Lancer, deal with the snake." The man's crimson eyes glowed slightly as a woman with red wine colored hair in snug black-purple bodysuit lunged at the snake woman with a red barbed spear. Said snake woman tried to slither away from the inhuman speed the Servant had but didn't count on the spearhead piercing her hip, shedding blood across the asphalt.

The man stopped in front of Illya, glancing down at her with his own scarlet gaze. His raven black hair flowing slightly against the light breeze. "What's your name?"

"Uh, i-it's Illya," The ten year old blushed slightly. She'd never met another boy that wasn't as handsome as her brother Shirou but this man before her was like a male super model. Like one of those half-naked men that Luvia tried to keep hidden under her bed.

The man gave her a critical eye. "I see. So you're one of those magical girls that Zelretch seems to have a fetish for. By my guess, the other two kids are with you." He sighed. "Great, just my luck. As if one kid wasn't enough, now I have to deal with three more."

A young preteen girl with short white hair, scars, and dressed in a provocative outfit appeared next to him with a cute pout on her face. "Mother…"

"Don't fuss. You act like a brat sometimes as well, Assassin." The man pats Assassin's head.

"Goshujin-sama, what do we do with these little abominations?" A beautiful fox-eared girl, dressed in a kimono, has her arms wrapped around the man's left arm, snuggling it between her breasts. "Can I burn them alive?" She purred the words like she wasn't about to commit arson.

"Yes, Caster, you may. After I get some answers from these freaks." The ravenette stated just as Saber and Lancer brought the two injured monsters before him. "Now, care to tell me what you are, Devils?"

The snake woman snarled at him. "You think a human like you can scare me? Please! I'm not easily intimidated." She hissed.

"Caster." The order came in a split second, the fox-lady produced a talisman then placed it on the snake, who screamed in utter agony from a thousand volts of lightning shocking her nervous system. "Wanna talk now or do I have to get physical?"

"Alright, alright! What do you want to know?" The amount of pain she was in was enough to make her subservient.

"You're not like the traditional Devils I've met before. What are you really?" He questioned.

"We're Strays. Devils who betrayed or killed their peerage and kings." She admitted.

Saber narrowed her eyes. "Praetor, from my experience, those who betray their lords are nothing but traitors and monsters. Such things are rather unpleasant in my eyes."

"I see." The red-eyed man glanced at the three girls that were gathered together. "Shield your eyes. This is not something for children to see."

"Better listen to him!" Ruby told its master, who covered her eyes with her hands along with Miyu but Kuro didn't really do such things.

"Caster, burn them." Said woman smirked almost deviously as she produced more talismans then slapped it onto the Stray Devils' faces, igniting their bodies in a blaze of agonizing flames. Their screams of pain was enough to make Illya and Miyu cringe while Kuro had a smirk of satisfaction.

After the strays were reduced to ashes, Miyu looked at the man with a strange look of contempt. "Why did you kill them? There was no need to do that!"

"Actually, there is. Stray Devils are nothing more than uncontrollable beasts that have their power unchained. Without a King as the Devils put it, Strays go out of their way to indulge in their urges such as devouring humans or other supernatural beings. Had I let them live, they would've continued to devour innocent people. That's something I can't condone." The man stated. "Ah, where are my manners. The name's Ren Sanada. I am a Sorcerer and a Master. These are my Servants; Saber, Archer, Lancer, Rider, Assassin, Caster, Ruler, and Savior."

"Um, I'm Illya von Einzbern." The albino girl introduced herself shyly.

"Miyu Edelfelt." The magical girl in blue and periwinkle greeted.

The third girl however narrowed her eyes at Ren. Almost predatorily.

"Something on my face, kid?" The young man raised an elegant brow curiously.

"I can smell it. Your magical energy…" Kuro produced Kanshou and Bakuya then lunged at Ren faster than one could blink. "Give it to me!"

The magus's eyes went wide for a split second before he leaned back to avoid the black blade of Kanshou from nearly taking off his head.

"Master/Praetor/Goshujin-sama!" His Servants called out, ready to assist him but he held up his hand.

"No! This is my fight! Don't interfere!" Ren ordered them to which each of them reluctantl and silently stopped in their tracks. The magus cartwheeled onto his feet then stood in front of the reckless dark-skinned girl, who menacingly brought her yin and yang swords up to bear.

He reached into his pocket then pulled out a familiar card with an image of Lancer. From within his soul, he could feel the Throne of Heroes activating to his call. Out of thousands, he answered the call. The child of the Indian Sun God, Surya. The Heroic Spirit who was known in life as the Hero of Charity.

Ren accepted the request allowing the soul to be transferred into the card. He spoke one word that the three girls had taken notice of. "Install"

"Oh no!" Ruby and Sapphire exclaimed in shock as a massive burst of prana ignited all around the young man.

"Did he just…?" Miyu looked at the swirling vortex of fire enveloping Ren.

"Use a class card?" Illya finished, obviously shocked and surprised by the newcomer.

Once the flames died down, Ren was revealed in a new form. He was outfitted in a black bodysuit with the chest area opened to reveal a scarlet red stone buried in the center of his chest. A set of golden armor was attached to his body almost like it was fused to it. It was beautiful yet at the same time ferocious; like the divine radiance of a god. His shoulder-length black hair had now been colored white and grew longer and unkempt that almost appeared transparent except for a lone black bang that dangled over his new ice blue eyes that looked sharp as a steel blade.

In his right hand was an intricate gold spear that possessed an exquisite appearance both beautiful and deadly. It had an almost inhuman sized spearhead black as obsidian with an unearthly pinkish-violet light running along the blade and a purple eye that sparkled with lightning.

"Come now," The transformed Ren spun the spear in his hand with expertise befitting a Lancer-class. "Let us see how strong you are, little girl." He challenged Kuro.

"Don't blame me if you get hurt!" She grinned viciously as she charged at the magus and barraged him with her black and white dao swords. However, with his newly enhanced speed, he was able to avoid each strike with no amount of effort.

The Personal Skill of the Heroic Spirit inhabiting his current Class Card allowed him to see into his opponent's character. Discernment of the Poor. A rather impressive skill to get a feel for the enemy's personality. Right now, he saw a reckless child that would do anything to win and has a rather volatile attitude problem. She also seems to have a habit of kissing people with high magical energy which must be the reason why she tried to attack him because she wanted his own magical energy. For once, he blamed the Third Magic for granting him such high reserves of mana.

He parries away another blow to his head by using his forearm. Throughout the whole skirmish, not once did he raise his hand to strike her. Whether because of the spirit or the fact that his opponent was a child seemed to be holding him back. Despite this, he could go on the defense forever otherwise the Luck of a Lancer would catch up to him and get him killed.

Kuro did something that surprised even him. She projected three sets of the same yin-yang swords then threw four of them at Ren. Everything seemed to stop in slow motion, the four blades circled around him just as the girl materialized behind him with another set of blades in her hand, ready to cut him down. The magus had enough time to raise his guard just as Kuro slashed his back and appeared in front of him. The blades in her hand shattered away then she turned on her heel and blew a kiss at him. Suddenly, he was barraged by three sets of attacks that struck him from all around his body. The golden armor known as Kavacha and Kundala managed to endure the brunt of the attack but the damage still left cracks and scratches all over his body.

"Wow, I'm surprised you're still alive." Kuro smirked a bit too smugly. "I thought you'd be swiss cheese by now."

"I'm not so easily crushed." Ren replied coldly then unleashed a burst of burning mana as he appeared in front of the girl with a single step. "You on the other hand…" He slammed the pole of his spear directly into the tan skinned girl's stomach, causing her to cough up saliva.

Kuro dropped to her knees holding her stomach in pain. This was unlike anything she had ever experienced. Even when she fought her 'sister' and Miyu, their attacks still hurt but this on the other hand felt like someone tore their way into her gut and ripped out her stomach.

"Now are you gonna try and fight me again or do I have to discipline you?" The young Master warned the girl.

She snarled at him and was about to make a snark comment until Illya stopped her by standing in front of Ren. "Please, no more fighting!" She pleaded.

The spearman raised a brow. "She's the one who attacked me first. I'm merely protecting myself."

"She didn't mean to…" The albino looked unsure about her answer. "Okay, maybe she did but it's just her personality is all."

"So I've seen." With a roll of his ice blue eyes, the magus dispersed the Class Card, reverting him to his original appearance. He nearly buckled over if it wasn't for Saber and Caster, who managed to lift their Master up into their arms.

"Praetor/Goshujin-sama!" The two women exclaimed with concern.

"I'm alright. The Heroic Spirit I used was really strong even if I didn't use his Noble Phantasm." Ren panted as beads of sweat dripped down his forehead. His crimson gaze landed down on Kuro. "Speaking of which, it's too dangerous for you three to stand around here. Come with me, I have a safe house."

Kuro grumbled, obviously not really trusting the young man. Illya and Miyu had no choice but to do what he said since he was the only one that actually helped them.

"I guess we can go along." Miyu replied.

"Hmph, not like I give a damn." Kuro huffed.

"If you come along, I'll feed you some mana." Ren deadpanned seeing as he had no choice but to bribe them. "I'll even let you stay in the master bedroom and eat anything that I or my Servants can cook."

"Deal!" Illya and Kuro agreed simultaneously. Miyu sighed at the 'twins' usual behavior.

The bearer of the Heaven's Feel had no idea whether to be amused or annoyed. For now, he needed a bloody nap to work off the exhaustion in his body.

Grigori Territory

Azazel, the leader of the Fallen Angel Faction, was experimenting on another possibility on Sacred Gears. He always had a fascination for the tools created by God. When humans were implanted with Sacred Gears, the Fallen wanted to discover the secret on what makes them tick.

Kokabiel was supposed to bring him more data on other potential Sacred Gears but Azazel hadn't heard back from him in days. It was strange but then again, it was Kokabiel. He knew how many times the guy couldn't sit still for a second.

Which is why he had a few spies in Kuoh watching over his progress. Imagine his surprise when they came back reporting something new…

That something being the fact that a human transformed into a knight using a simple card. True, it looked like a Sacred Gear but the miracles produced by God had a certain energy signature to them. This was unlike anything he had ever heard about. The power behind it all matched that of both nature and magic from the Earth itself or even that of the Beyond. Azazel had his spies keep an eye on the human but whoever he was there seemed to be no info and he kept his tracks covered as well.

Things were starting to get interesting over in Devil territory. Maybe he should make a personal visit to find this young man?

A/N: That's it for this chapter. Finally, I apologize if I made you all wait so long. Writer's block and all that shit was a real bitch to deal with especially college.

Also, sorry if the fight seems rather stupid or anything, been having a terrible week. Won't bore you with details or anything of the like because I know for a fact none of ya'll even care.

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.

A special thank you to all my followers, who've been with me since I started. You are my inspiration.

Peace out, everyone!