Rebirth

A/N: Welcome everyone to my rewritten version of Gottheit Retold. I'd been thinking about doing this for a while but never did and finally got around to doing it. Couple things.

I do not own High School DxD or any of its characters.

This story comes from one written by icantstanddroppedstories here on FF and this is a rewritten version with permission.

Description: Issei receives a Sacred Gear that contains the spirit of the Biblical God and is tasked by her to help bring the world to peace, but he'll have to deal with many problems along the way before he can do that.

With that out of the way let's get on with the story.

"Howdy"- normal talking

'what in the world'- normal thinking

"Sacred Penance"- name of moves

(A/N: test)- personal notes if something might need more explaining.

It was a calm and normal night for most people in the world but at one house in the town of Kuoh a raging fire had for the most part finally died down though this was no ordinary reason for a fire to be set. Issei Hyoudou laid there in what once was his home shivering as the cold wind blew across his naked body; his layers of muscle, adipose and viscera laid bare from the Angels attack and no matter how much he wished it weren't so, death was no longer a far-off scenario like he had hoped.

He could just barely smell burnt flesh but that was fading to the back of his mind as he looked back at what happened and wished he had noticed the signs before it was too late. He just prayed his parents would forgive him on what happened tonight as he realized now that he should have never trusted the two that always had to promise their 'harmlessness', and in hindsight should have sent danger signals to his brain but never did. Now his carelessness cost both his parents' lives, his own, and possibly his girlfriends.

He considered himself a failure due to his tendencies; he had grown up hoping to help others but had instead wasted them peeping on video game girls. While he was friends with the perverted duo Matsuda and Motohoma, he wasn't as bad as them but did consider himself a "self-admitted pervert."

He did think though that some of that possibly came from his insecurities around women and companionship plus an excuse for his lack of charity but he could be wrong. He prayed to anyone willing to listen for another chance to help others out and he would make sure he did it right this time and help those that had been trapped not by the allure of Sin itself but the allure of the companionship in partaking of it. As he was thinking this his vision started fading to the blackness of nothingness and he figured he was finally passing on.

What he wasn't expecting to happen though was soon as his vision faded to black it seemed like a door opened in front of him and he fell towards a bright light in the distance. As he reached the light, he realized he was now in a sea of light that looked somewhere between finite and the infinite as he landed on a marble walkway that he happily noticed stayed firm underneath him as he took a step.

He had the feeling somehow of being in an elevator that was in a building with a trillion stories and a billion basements and he was stuck on the ride as he looked around and noticed it seemed to also fall into nothingness below him and he realized there was someone else in the area not that far from him.

Having nothing else to do in this situation, he started moving towards her Issei got a better look at her the closer he got before she turned around. She had long clear blonde hair blowing in a nonexistent breeze, the strands of it like reflections of sunlight on a lakes surface glimmering in white brilliance. She was wearing modest white robes made of cotton that were tied into an ancient European style and swayed along with her hair.

"So, you finally awakened me. It's so good to finally get to meet you." She said as she turned around. She had well-worn hands and a soft wrinkled face, while her voice Issei noted had a soft tone that remind him of his grandmothers. "It's been so long since I had to leave this world, so long since I was killed by my son and his allies… so long since my heart shattered as I pierced my firstborn's chest." She said as she turned towards him noticing the confused look in his eyes.

"I imagine you have many questions, one of them being where exactly we are. We are in your soul, your purified soul to be exact."

Issei was now more confused than ever and a little scared. "what do you mean by my soul? Who are you?" He asked his voice getting higher with the questions not sure what to think about what he had just heard.

Not surprised by his reaction, she replied. "Why my dear child, I am the Biblical God written about in the bible. You have what is one of my creations known as a Sacred Gear within you that holds my soul named Gottheit. Sacred Gears were created to help humans fight the supernatural world and are given to random human beings, and are passed on when the wielder dies, but only one contains my soul. We are in your soul Issei Hyoudou because you have been chosen as my successor. You will need to unite Heaven and also guide humanity away from the coming age of annihilation which I believe fully you can do. You did hope for a chance to help others did you not if given a second chance?" She asked her new successor.

Issei wasn't sure what to think, partially at least since she was right; this was his dream to be able to help others if given a second chance in life literally answered he just didn't know how to respond to it. He figured most people would be in the exact same shoes as he was if they were face to face with the literal Biblical God and she lets you know you're her successor and literal second coming of Christ. He may not know how to answer but he sure as heaven would try his best to do her proud.

I don't know what to say. This i-i…" he started before choking and having to take a breath and quieting for a moment. "This is too much to process. This is an honor for me to be given this second chance in life. I will be sure to take this unexpected mantle with all my strength. Though I'm more worried about the fact I don't know how to guide both Heaven and Earth forward but you can bet I'll try! I'll do everything I can to help people; I will love and support those who reside within this world and also treat them with compassion and kindness and help lead those that are astray like I was back- well I don't know what I'll do! What are your thoughts? How was it even that someone like me EVEN GOT SELECTED-" he got going and seemed like he wasn't going to stop anytime so she stepped in stopping him midsentence.

"Whoa-ho-ho! You don't need to worry about the confirmation of my choice in you being my successor and is incapable of being changed as it is. I cannot tell you how to do this as you will need to learn how to do that on your own but I support you completely with my whole power, literally." She said hugging him as he cried into her wiping his nose and eyes on her ever-clean robe.

"I have and always will love you Issei, you don't have to worry about that. Take my knowledge and abilities and use them to change the world for the better! You will know how to use them thanks to my ability you will receive called [The Mind], as well as having full knowledge of the supernatural world." Getting a confused look from him.

"The Mind? What's that ability?" He asked confused and still trying to catch up with everything that has happened.

"Oops, I got too far ahead of myself… oh well. My power you will have access to is split into three fragments so you won't be overwhelmed by the sheer power of the, and I'm proud to admit this, strongest person of her time." She said before she laughed and corrected herself. "Well, tied with Great Red, Ophis, and Trihexa. However, while you will have most of [The Minds] power unlocked from the get-go, [The Body], and [The Soul] will be unlocked with time and when that happens, I will fade to memory, though that time is long away." She said calming him down with the last bit.

"I hate to do this to you, but I must go now. Do no worry we can talk in your dreams my sweet child where I will teach you things that I have locked away to only be learned by that method, but for now this is goodbye. So long Issei my successor. Goodbye my child." she said as Issei felt like he was falling once again down the elevator towards the real realm.

God though couldn't stop a tear from falling as she saw him fully fade. "I have and will always love you as I did all my children."

Scene Skip

As the world around Issei slowly came back to full focus, he realized he wasn't in his house anymore as he could feel gravel underneath him and the biting wind. He also couldn't smell the burning wood anymore. As he fully came to his senses, he knew he had reached the bottom of the elevator; the floor called reality.

As he got up from the ground, he realized that he was at the park by his house, or he figured his old home now since it burned. He knew that it had burned, just as how he knew the full history of the three factions and the supernatural. He also knew the truth behind the Biblical figures and fables, though he had no idea what the current state of affairs was in the supernatural world or how to get the information. He also wasn't sure on how to get that information without unfolding his wings and flying to Heaven which could also be risky.

He also couldn't stop himself from being amazed at all the new knowledge going around in his head. 'How do I know all this- OH right this would be [The Mind] ability I was told about. This is so weird but so cool at the same time.' Issei thought as he got his bearings and tried to decide what to do next. 'And with this knowledge it should help me save others and realize my dreams! I should probly start by powering up Heavens system of miracles then… I don't actually know how to do that but I'm sure I can get some help from one of the Seraphs.' He thought as he made a plan for the immediate future.

He decided to make his way to Heaven and take the plunge from there as most likely a race and religion without there leader would be happy to see their Gods successor return was one of the better choices for now but when he spread his fourteen wings out to go to Heaven, he couldn't help but stop and check them out which is when he heard a voice nearby cry out in shock.

"OH MERCY!"

Whirling around to find who had come across him, he was glad to see a woman wearing a white, green, and gold nuns' habit with pure golden hair and blue eyes, and a lot of Holy Energy.

'Thank me it's an Angel, and likely a Seraph from the power level I can feel from her.' Issei thought sighing in relief. He was still too new to his powers and knowledge to realize he could use it to gain the name for the Seraph in front of him but that was a minor issue here.

When asked about it later, Gabriel couldn't answer with what led her to go to Kuoh that night past that she had suddenly felt the strongest urge to head to Kuoh while out on her travels and what she saw there surprised her to no end. "Those wings! That power! Mother is that you?!" She asked the all-important question, knowing that what she had seen made it all but assured that she was right. While one would think that her calling him mother would be weird in most situations, she knew in this one that it wouldn't be any more than a simple thought in the back of either of their minds.

"Well I am her successor since she put her soul into its own Sacred Gear, so sort of? I'm Issei Hyoudou just so you know what to call me but I would prefer just Issei." He said rubbing the back of his head not sure really what to say in this situation and also hoping he wouldn't offend the Seraph.

"Oh my! Then introductions are in order I would believe. I'm Gabriel, one of the Seraphs of Heaven and the one who used to be in charge of miracles before… your predecessor died. I'm sure by now you have met her spirit within your soul and been informed about everything about the supernatural and your miraculous abilities, but I'm going to make an innocent guess that she didn't help you in learning how to run Heaven or how to do anything past 'help people.'" She said giggling at the end as she knew how her mother was, and getting an awkward laugh from Issei.

"You hit the nail right on the head I'm afraid, ha ha." he said, chuckling awkwardly. "I was thinking of heading to Heaven to announce my… return?" Getting a thoughtful nod from Gabriel.

"Don't worry I don't blame you on your poorly informed state as Mother was known for her 'follow your heart' philosophies but that plan of yours does have some flaws in it." She said, glad she had come across him before he did it.

"It wouldn't go over well until you called out your wings and triangular magic 'circle' to prove you are the Biblical Gods reincarnation, then I'm sure all of Heaven would be up in celebration, and you would likely be up all night having to forgive everyone who fell just trying to kiss you. I do have a better idea though. How about we do go on up to Heaven with you in your regular Angelic form until I send away all but the most trustworthy of Angels that should know of your return and I will claim I have taken you as my Joker card before the majority to explain your power, so it doesn't possibly leak out that you have returned as it could have bad repercussions if it gets out and explain who you really are to the other Seraphs. Even though it isn't much of a change it should be better this way because who knows what might happen if the Devils and Fallen Angels-" Was all she got out before Issei screamed and shot off towards the church not far from them.

"OH NO! Raynare!" Issei said screaming while also kicking himself for forgetting his girlfriend during all the chaos. "I have to go save her. Can't believe I forgot about her companions taking her away, what with me getting killed and meeting the Biblical God and all." Gabriel following behind him in hot pursuit.

"Who is this Raynare?" She asked not sure what to think about this sudden shift in the boy.

"She's my girlfriend of about three months and supposedly the one that was supposed to kill me but something happened and now she's the light of my life. Whatever happened caused her comrades to come acting like they were friends of my parents and feign their innocence towards us which seemed to work on my parents but they had to keep reapplying it to the two of us, before they killed me and my parents and took her with them earlier tonight." He said as they landed outside the dilapidated church on the hill.

"I love her Gabriel and will do anything to protect her. She was born a fallen angel and I have every intention on [forgiving] her as she deserves that to become a true angel, a bastion of hope."

While she could understand where he was coming from, she knew if this wasn't handled right it could end in disaster. "Issei, please wait we can't rush-"

"We can't let them realize who I am, I know and that's why I plan on killing everyone and making sure no one escapes. They'll die and face judgement long before they realize who I am." He said with conviction getting a resigned nod from the Seraph as they rushed the church.

With that conviction in mind, Issei crashed the door in and killed the crazed exorcist that was standing guard in the room, distantly hearing Gabriel comment something about 'Freed Sell-sun' or something, as he found what he was looking for and blew away the defiled cross that was blocking the stairway underground and made his way down the stairs following the energy signatures he had sensed when he first entered the church. He waltzed down into the den like he was a god amongst puny mortals who had pissed him off, which after thinking about it a minute he had to laugh as he was.

Once he reached the bottom level of the church, he realized that there was only two of the original three Fallen that had taken his life and his girlfriend away from him and he realized that Raynare likely killed one of them before they knocked her out as he could see her on the ground near a metal cross that had a young girl that looked around his age hanging from it that he had never seen before.

The fallen were surprised to see him alive knowing they had killed him but tried to play it off since they were so close to finishing their goal. "So, Gabby-baby went and revived the little twerp. It doesn't matter anymore as within twenty seconds I will finish the ritual of pulling this abandoned nuns Sacred Gear out of her as well as pulling the power out of your-"

The fallen never finished his sentence as both of the fallen and all one hundred exorcists with them didn't even last five seconds under the combined wrath of a Seraph and God incarnate combined as they called upon two hundred spears of light to turn them all into pin cushions (or fallen pin cushions) and nothing was left of the group as Issei walked up to the girls to check on their state.

"They're both weak. I'll go ahead and [Forgive] Raynare so she can be reincarnated as an Angel if you will handle the pure-hearted nun as I remember you said something about using cards to revive someone? I remember there was a project under way at the time of my predecessor to make reincarnation cards before she died? You had also mentioned something about me acting as your Joker when we head to Heaven." He said trying not to rush his words as he leaned over Raynare placing his glowing hands onto her before starting to speak rapidly Babel, missing Gabriel's nod of acceptance.

Once she got closer to the nun, Gabriel recognized her to her shock. She had heard about the healing capabilities of Asia and what she had done for the church as well as her excommunication but it had never felt right as they only knew she was excommunicated, not what caused it. While not normally a big deal for someone of her ranking, something in the back of her mind told her there was more to the story than even the Seraphs knew.

"I can but this is Asia Argento… she was-" she began before stopping in shock once more after reading Asia's soul. "Oh my! What a pure soul this poor child has. What could have possibly happened to cause her to be excommunicated… not someone this pure. If this is another scandal like the 'Holy Sword Program'… I will make sure Raziel looks deeply into this. No one this pure of heart should have had what happened to her happen, so I will most definitely make her my two card." Before pulling out her card deck and the two of hearts and putting it onto Asia watching it sink into her chest.

After about five minutes both girls had woken up and had asked where they were, and both shocked at what they learned that Raynare was forgiven and Asia reincarnated. Asia for her part was shocked into tears as she hugged Gabriel, who didn't mind these kind of showing of affection, while Raynare went to talk to her boyfriend.

"Oh, thank you Lady Gabriel. This is an honor for me and you have no idea how grateful I am to be able to serve God as one of his Angels. T-truly a girl like me isn't worthy of such a gift and honor but I promise to do my best to honor this position." She said having to stop for breath as she had been speaking nonstop and causing Gabriel to chuckle internally at the nun.

Asia had one question she hoped she would get a positive response with. "I hope this isn't rude, b-but is it possible for me to meet God? I mean if it isn't, I completely understand but it has always been a hope of mine." She said before catching Gabriel looking down at her feet with a solemn look on her face.

Gabriel for her part decided to pull a little prank, hoping to lighten the mood, and had to look down to keep her face from showing she was joking. "I'm sorry Asia but it saddens me to say that God passed away back during the Great War along with the four Satan's. She has been gone for centuries." She said shocking Asia.

'What?! How can this be! I can't take this in… the one I've always looked up to is passed away, what am I to…' She thought before catching the smile that Gabriel had on her face. 'What in the world…'

Gabriel couldn't help but laugh at what had happened. "While God may have died, her successor and the second coming of Christ is right over there. He is the savior you seek as he is the one that led me here and told me to reincarnate you. Though he has a massive lack of understanding on how to act within a church he will learn eventually. Also don't overwhelm him with worship just yet as he is new to this whole thing and isn't used to it." Gabriel replied giggling, and also making both Asia and Raynare look at Issei in shock before Asia ran up to him crying and thanking him profusely. Raynare was most shocked of all though.

"Y-you were the o-one that forgave me and saved my life?! YOU SAVED MY LIFE!" She said running up and taking Asia's place hugging and crying into his shoulder. "You risked a war starting out if they learned who you were, and there are Fallen out there that would love to start the war back up, just to save little old me. Ohhh…."

Issei wasn't too sure what to think or do with the two girls hugging and crying all over him but did hug them back and let them cry knowing the shock of what they had just learned and been through had to be hitting them hard. "Heh heh. Of course I did dummy. You wouldn't have gone as long as you did if you didn't have feelings for me and also disobey your orders to kill me and I also love you and trust you so much. I may be the second coming of Christ but that doesn't change our lives that much… well it does in some ways but not that one my ray of light." He said laughing as he hugged her and kissed her forehead.

"Oh please stop being such a sappy sap. You'll get me stuck on you with just that much." She said starting to laugh, thankful for the second chance in life, and making Issei look at her questioningly before starting to laugh awkwardly himself before turning to look at Gabriel.

"Well now that that's handled how about we head to Heaven Gabriel? I think it's time to let the other Seraphs and 'trust worthies' know that I have returned… or arrived or… whatever. You guys know!" He said making everyone laugh as they made the jump to get to Heaven.

A/N: and that's a wrap on the Rewrite of Gottheit Retold. Not much has changed and it'll be the same for the rest of the chapters but I had like I said been planning on doing this for some time, just never did.

Next chapter will see a change in scenery as well as bring in other characters from DxD and see how they will fit into a story that is based off of a Godly Issei.

Feel free to join my personal discord if you want to: use the code zwJu3MZ to get in.

Until next time.