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The following is a fan-based

FICTION

High School DxD, New, BorN, Hero and other products related to the DxD Series are all owned by Ichiei Ishibumi, Miyama-Zero, Fujimi Shobo and TNK.

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Chapter 60: Eternal Bond

It's been three days since the sudden diplomatic meeting between the Omega Initiative, Qlippoth and Grigori.

While I had eagerly expected some early action, I was only granted with some minor assurance of something interesting happening… in a few weeks from now.

It was odd, not unexpected, but still unnerving as I found myself dealing with the implications of having shattered the Khaos Brigade… again.

Differently from the first time, where Ophis' decision to resign from the formal leadership and the destruction of the Old Satan Faction did cut in half the entire group, the Hero Faction didn't need Qlippoth to survive.

Actually, it made them even more appealing to the Gods of the various pantheons that wanted a big war as without a connection with the very reason why the Christian Pantheon truly hunted them down, Cao Cao had the chances of getting people endeared to his charismatic speeches without putting those interested in his words at odds with Heaven and the Underworld.

Things were still as complicated as before because, even with both Julius and Alucard recruited to strike Hades and rescue the original Lilith, if this attack was broadcasted in any possible form of media, the devastating impact it would have to the relationships between the other pantheons, even the more peaceful ones, and the Christian one.

People were mostly unaware that the dangerous threats of the Khaos Brigade had yet to be defeated, the fact that the official 'defeat' was set to have happened during the attack on Tokyo, there was still a lingering sense of patriotism in all factions.

A small incident, even the most insignificant of those, could bring some heavy predicaments that… none of the leaders of the Three Factions wanted to have anything to do about.

Of course, knowing that there were Gods that would still give it a try to have a War happening via indirect intervention, those were heavily monitored. Loki was the most worrisome, his displeasure regarding an opening between the Norse and the Christian Pantheons being a major reason to destabilize the latter group.

I was lying on my couch, yawning as Kunou was sprawled on my chest, the girl enjoying some minor rest after making sure that Lilith was asleep and also having Ophis promising to keep company to her 'copy'. Surprisingly enough, the scene I found moments later to check on them was… two chibis sleeping near each other. I can only assume the 'older sibling' wanted to see if sleeping cuddled with her 'younger sister' would actually work as it does with me.

If so, the results were perfectly clear.

It was a working day, people that would be usually at home were either at school or doing some private projects.

I was aware that Kuroka and Koneko were going to be experimenting some improving step for their current Senjutsu forms while sharpening what they currently had.

Xenovia had decided to spend some of her free time trying to get Mathias and Valerie accustomed to their new flat with the active support of Gasper. The little Vladi had all good reasons to be going for this activity, citing how it was only respectful to help his first friend and Xenovia in doing this much.

He did reveal to the blue-haired girl about… being 'skeptical' about Mathias, something I was quick to label childish jealousy created by the fact this very individual, this stranger, managed to get this close to Valerie.

So… the house was pretty much empty right now and I found myself in… some strange silence.

Is it wrong that I found the quiet walls of my house… oppressive?

'You have spent some time now dealing with a never-ending series of events that got you dragged in quite the dangerous situations. I think you are...'

Suffering from the lack of action.

...Say what?

As much as you are really interested in living a peaceful life, the need of battling is deeply ingrained in your body now. A physical reaction to so many fights happening this closely.

B-But I've been enjoying quite well the previous break-

'Because you had other maddening predicaments to face. You might be capable of living with this crave, but you will have to endure through the need of… beating someone.'

This is… rather worrisome.

And you think that is the worst bit. Do you even realize that yesterday you skipped your usual self-study session?

I think I had- yes, I was help with Sapphire-san. She needed some help moving some boxes to where Mio and Maria were staying in Kuoh.

But you still plenty of time to recover from that tardiness.

You mean that-

'Your mind is slowly accepting the fact that fighting and practice are better than intellect and theoretical study.'

A completely unacceptable outcome that we WILL make sure it doesn't come to pass.

So… do I spend the day studying and skipping the practice section?

You could spend some time with Kunou. It's been a while since you have enjoyed some time alone and… I think she will not have any issue in going around for a walk around Kuoh.

I blinked at that notion, my sight still fixed at the ceiling.

It could be a good idea… but what about the two girls sleeping in Kunou's room?

I could get out and… babysit them?

...You just wanted to spend some time with Lilith, don't you?

Guilty as charged, chief. I just want to see how much similar to Ophis she is and… I dunno.

I sighed softly, stroking Kunou's hair a little more and gaining a purr-like reply from the sleeping girl.

I know you will be responsible but… make sure Lilith doesn't go berserk when she doesn't found me there when she wakes up.

I will do that, boss!

I nodded to myself and cautiously shook the blonde a little, getting her to stir and… open a tired golden eye. "Mhhh~?"

"Ne, Ku-chan, do you want to go for a walk-"

"Nyo." She replied flatly, snuggling onto my chest. "I… I want to sleep."

Oh. That was… new.

She is usually very keen to those proposition… why she seemed that much tired?

'Did you two seriously forget how much training the girl has done very recently?'

Oh- Oh right and-

I should have remembered.

I patted her head softly, eyes glimmering as realization about the girl's tiredness revealed. She did look weary, and she was seriously enjoying the moment of relief by sleeping… with me.

It's not your fa-

I'm her brother. As much as I try to ignore it, I still have to be mindful of Kunou's willingness to go far with her training. She can still get tired and I should be careful to not have her this… over-extended.

"N-Niichan?"

I blinked, my attention returned to the girl, her lone eye once more glancing at me.

"Yes sweetie?" I asked softly, trying to mind the fact she was still sleepy.

"Do you think… we could visit Mama?" She muttered quietly.

I… was taken by surprise by that question. It's been a while since I've heard her ask about Yasaka and… while I know she had been calling her on a daily basis, I can see that after a month she could get nostalgic.

I smiled, trying to hide the inner embarrassment of having completely forgotten about… that.

"I will see if we can plan two days for Kyoto." I promised, ready to maintain at least this. "I think we will go there for a week or more once we got this Lucifer situation dealt with."

A tiny smile appeared on her face and she nodded. "Thank you… Niichan."

I nodded back and, expecting her to fall asleep once more, closed my eyes, trying to enjoy the silence that was expected to come back.

"By the way… Niichan." She mused softly, causing me to look once more at her.

"Thank you for… everything." The blonde said happily, my wide eyes barely deterring the girl from continuing. "A-As much I didn't like the fact I wasn't with you when… T-Tokyo's happened, I think I should thank you for-"

"Sweetie-"

"N-No." She interjected my interruption, her full attention now on me as both her eyes were completely glancing back at mine. "I-I have to say this."

"I… I don't want to be disrespectful but… I want to be the one to protect you, Niichan." The blonde admitted with a sad hint in her voice. "I… I want to be the one that keep you safe and away from harm's way."

There was a few moments of silence. Silence that I used to reflect upon her words and properly formulate some reply.

"Do you have… a reason why you need to be the 'one' that protects me, Ku-chan?" My question was clear, but Kunou willingly took some time to answer to it.

"M-Mama told me that… I will..." She paused, her face pressed on my chest. "I-I will live longer than you."

Oh.

Oh shit.

"I-I thought Mama was l-lying at first but- but Kitsunes do live longer than humans and… and with that special technique I've managed to accomplish, I will live e-even longer than expected." She continued to explain. "I-I don't want to- I don't want to give you up like this and- and-"

I hugged her, I was starting to feel… sad myself about this situation. It was just that-

I know that Kunou cares for me. A lot. Hearing about this care in a daily predicament proves it the best but-

But with this little opening I was being bestowed with? I was concerned about her and how she felt about life itself. I could… remember having some negative thoughts about death.

It was nothing about suicide, nor anything remotely close to it. It was a slight fear that… life moves too quickly. It is the cruel exaggeration of 'time passes fast when you are having fun.'

The 'Fun' in life is the happy moments and… time is the years, the decades. It was a humongous but terrible thought that happens to everyone at least once in a lifetime and… Kunou was dealing with it.

As much as she was accustomed to pain and death, having to come to terms about the fact that her precious people had a limit that reached way before hers? I could imagine the worry, I could imagine the fear.

But in that moment of gloom, there was a small thought that I know would give her some hope.

"Ku-chan… you know that you are wrong about something?" I softly questioned, causing the girl to tense up and frown at my words.

"Do you think that I am truly human… anymore?" I continued to ask. "Did you forget how many 'inhuman' feats I pulled until very recently?"

She lifted her head, puffy red eyes stared back and I smiled a tiny smile. "Did you forget that I, as your Niichan, will be there to the very end? To help you when you need-"

"D-Don't lie-"

"There is no lie, Ku-chan." I continued, determination flaring and stirring within my core. "There is only the simplest of truths."

My hands slowly cupped her cheeks and I smiled a little more.

"Your Niichan is certainly not going to accept death if this means leaving you alone. I will refute it in all instances, in all questions and all inane demands. I will always there when my Imouto needs help."

I pressed on, the girl crying again and nuzzling my chest aggressively as she sought some reprieve from that strong promise.

"I've… come to the conclusion that I'm not… common. I'm not a human being… to the fullest at least." I admitted with a sigh. "I've gone through great lengths and that ended up… making me into something… better than human."

She sniffled and blinked. "T-That means-"

"I'm close to a divine state. Like… many others that we know about are at this point." I continued to explain about… my current predicament. "I'm not a Yokai, nor I'm a Devil… or an Angel or a Fallen one to boot. I'm just… beyond human."

"T-That means-!" She straddled on my chest, eyes going wide open as she looked hopeful and needy of that answer.

"I… I will live for an extremely long time. Maybe even catch up with your limit if these situations continue to happen, if my power grows at this pace." I brought her head down and planted a kiss on her forehead. "So yes, that means I will be around for as long as you need me, sweetie."

She hugged me intensely, the dams breaking as she cried and sobbed, a mix of sad and happy wetting my shirt as she thoroughly let out all the frustration, all of that fear and that worry that had been an unhealthy part of her drive.

Protect people is alright, but to do it because you are always afraid they would die if you aren't ready? That kind of paranoia was the worst thing ever to deal with, especially if it's someone Kunou's age to face it like this.

I felt ashamed that I didn't catch up the signs early on, this situation just being a lucky predicament that, if it hadn't happened, would have had a major impact over everything.

You shouldn't-

It's my fault-

You don't know that-

I FEEL THAT IT IS! I DON'T NEED TO KNOW IF IT ISN'T OR NOT, I FEEL THAT I DID SOMETHING TERRIBLE BY MISSING ANY CLUES OF THIS BEHAVIOR.

...Sorry.

N-No, I… I'm just-

"N-Niichan- y-you are crying too?" Her shorter arms wrapped around my neck and I felt her head press on my chin. "D-Don't cry?"

Yet she was crying too and… I felt even more driven to cry.

Goddammit, I- I blame the fucking dust for this-

We cleaned yesterday-

W-Well, some has to have remained for me to-

"Niichan!" A battle cry preceded quick footsteps as I soon realized that Lilith was awake.

Oh God.

Kunou managed to turn her head in time as a dark blur slammed against the two of us. The younger girl decided to put herself between me and the blonde, hugging both as she enjoyed the sudden wave of warmth.

Ophis took a slower approach, staring at the scene with a curious glint in her blank eyes. "Why are you two crying?" She took as step closer. "You need… more cuddles." The Infinity Dragon stated with utter certainty.

...What?

I think she read something about… hugs making people happy so… yeah, she is going to do that.

What is tha-Ah!

Without warning, Ophis jumped in the fray and proceeded to turn what was once a cuddle-box in a pure dog-pile situation. There were giggles, someone started to tickle around and… everyone started to move all over my chest much to my initial discomfort.

Said discomfort started to disappear the moment I felt the tickles starting to reach out for me and… I commenced to laugh.

Gone were the ill thoughts and gone was the guilt as a new clarity washed over me.

I might have failed to see this situation with Kunou, but maybe, just maybe, I shouldn't be beating myself too much over it. The case was… solved, or at least lessened as things were hardly going to get easier from now on.

People were still going to come and harm us, cause us to doubt ourselves over our preparations and then we will deal with our own fears.

In the end, I was still managing through this endless dread while keeping everyone alive and safe. This was something that wasn't never going to change as it was my final and life-bound promise to everyone I cared for.

And thus, another small step was made… but in which direction exactly?

I was bound to a bed and my eyes were deprived by sight because of a soft cloth pressed on them.

I wanted to groan in pain as the leather belts holding me to the surgical bed were pressing painfully onto the bandages covering my entire body. I was sore, I felt my nerves burning as my magical core felt… abstract.

I blinked slowly, fending off the pain from the minuscule action as I tried to understand… where was I.

I didn't need any moment to properly recollect my thoughts and my memories, my mind surprisingly granting me a full array of clarity over my stillness.

While the energy that I received from both Trihexas was enough to achieve the final step of my plan, I had failed to recognize the energy's toxicity and the effect it would have to my body.

Being that I was still… somehow a human when I completed the spell, the energy poisoned my body and possibly burned most of my skin. I should be in agony right now, wriggling like a dying worm trying to flee from the incoming death.

My effort to come to this new dimension were close to be rendered in vain by the idiocy of having not planned the 'aftermath' of the spell.

Yet it wasn't the right time to chide myself as I was in unknown territory right now.

I could feel some seals applied to the bandages. Some were beneficial ones, trying to preserve and stabilize my conditions, while others were actually slowing down my… regeneration?

I could recognize a minority actually de-powering my Core but… why?

I still felt human and… some bits of my skin felt for some reason cold.

Could it be- No. If that was the case, if the energy did end up corrupting my core-

Things were not going to be easy for anyone if I turned in a half-dragon.

The Soul, somehow a corruption could have happened during the spell. The radiation has to have permanently seeped in my skin, in my coils, in my core.

Only my breathing showed that something had changed from the previous calm I had over my unknown situation and… soon I was given more clues.

I felt someone shifting nearby. A guard?

I felt a soft hand press on part of the seals, magic carefully flowing inside and outside of the detection runes as barely-heard whispers sent me finding the identity of the very individual I was dealing with.

Relief washed over me, my mind realizing quickly from Azrael's insane memory over everyone's identity that I was dealing with a particular woman.

Suzaku Himejima sighed tiredly and took rest on the chair she had used until now. My perception of the small room was enough to broaden my capacity to deduce where I was.

The room was small, but the floor… it was warm too. We were in floor above ground and, from the lack of windows and the non-existing sensation of the outdoors nearby, I knew that we weren't in any of the corners of the building, nowhere near the extremities of it.

I tried to find anything more, something that could further reduce the possible guesses to throw about my whereabouts and then… I felt silence.

It's strange. Silence shouldn't be 'felt' and yet… I did. It was a chilling spot that suddenly sniffed around the room.

Suzaku tensed momentarily, before relaxing just a bit, not enough to return fully calm as she was… staring at the 'spot'.

It wasn't human, I was sure of that and… then I felt something wet pressing onto my chest. I would have blinked as confusion was now directing my full attention to the strange 'spot'. I waited for a moment and then… the revealing clue arrived.

A pair of paws pressed on my chest and in that moment I knew the identity of the creature AND where I was.

Jin, Tobio Ikuse's familiar, had obviously perceived my little sensor ability in action, the animal having heightened senses compared to simple humans. And while the small shadow familiar studied 'what happened in the room', I found myself contemplating what I should do now that…

I was somehow recovered by the SLASH DOG group and I was in the Black Dog BAR.

Once I was healed and questions were going to be given… hopefully, I will be given the chance of telling my tale. Maybe an abridged one to avoid… any dangerous and unwanted attention on me.

It wasn't the right time to repay for my sins as the world needed a 'true Anomaly' to finally end the madness caused by Lucifer.

AN

Wholesome chapter with a hint over what happened to BT!Hoitsu. He will not appear until much later. He will have his special sidestory and… more details about it next chapter.

Yesterday, there was a massive storm that screwed up the local electrical grid and… I spent more than ten hours without electricity whatsoever. The first four-five hours I was left alone, the heat system shutting down because of lack of energy and I was forced to stay in bed until stuff turned up to normal.

Everything is fine now and… the updates will continue as usual from now on.

Future milestone 1: 900 Followers and Favorites.

P a treon . com (slash) socialistbukharin

REVIEW Q&A!

Illusion of Time: I will take your words to Heart. Thank you!

IdioticHypocriticalNEET: YES!

Scrumblenut: Is more that I go to sleep early and wake up very early. The Broken Trickster timeline is now interconnected with the Magical Trickster one. If by 'Happens at Kuoh' yu mean why BT!Hoitsu went nuts, the explanation was given in 'Intermezzo'. If not, I suggest giving me some more details about it 'cause I might have not caught up with what is being mentioned here.

TheBlindSalmon: It's kind of sad since there is no Rias Bashing and she is literally getting an Arc very soon. I'm kindly annoyed by the fact you didn't read any of the ANs or you would have understood why some changes were applied. Still, if you don't wish to read the story, I will not hold you hostage so… go free, ye blind salmon!