Author's Preface, 2023 Edition:
Hello. So glad you could be here. This crossover was first written nearly 10 years ago, from the mind of a 13 year old that sought to experiment with two vastly different works of fiction in terms of tone and presentation, but which both contained similar concepts of specialised items that hold untapped wells of power.

This story is actively being updated.
I had abandoned it seven years ago, but have returned to rectify various issues with my writing, dialogue, and characterisation. It is an interesting challenge to use almost seven years worth of accretion of literature knowledge and writing skills to see this strange collision of worlds, genres, and characters a bit further along its path.

Be forewarned, though! As of 14/02/2023, Chapters 2 through 11 are written between 2014 and 2016, so when it comes to the quality, they are mind-boggling at best, and hilariously clichéd and cringe at worst. It does not reflect the standards of writing that I aim to employ currently. You can choose to either suffer through them, or skip straight ahead to Chapter 11 where the meat of the story really begins, albeit you will miss out on some interactions and details that will be utilised later on.

To guide you into this experiment in a far more cohesive way, I have re-written this prologue chapter, to be much more indicative of my far improved writing since I last contributed, and to be far more inviting and enjoyable such that you may give this story a fairer shot.

I'm currently undertaking the effort to also re-write chapters 1 through 11 whilst also adding to the story. Any changes within the re-written chapters will be reflected in the new chapters also through iterative updates. As of 14/02/2023, Chapter 1 has been re-written.

I aim to make this a diamond in the rough of DxD and AC fics alike, as much as a diamond can be made in the midst of an ecchi-harem power-creep light novel/manga/anime and a bloated Ubisoft videogame franchise.

Please, do join me in this journey, and leave your thoughts in the reviews.

Ad altiora altitudines, ad altiora profunda.

- Your friend, InGen.

The cold, harsh air embittered his lungs. He held the coffee in his hands in an attempt to warm them, his fingers felt like ice, cracked and stiff. An unrelenting deep winter chill had gripped Genoa at this time of year, and William felt as if he had made a mistake in taking refuge here for the time being. 'Here I thought it would be nice staying somewhere warm…'

"The weather's bloody awful, isn't it?" William was taken aback, as he was focused on warming his hands, did not hear the soft ambling sounds of a pair of sneakers making its way closer to him. He looked to his side, and there stood a boy, nearly a man, skin an impossible snow white, eyes a shade of an ever-so-slight lavender. "It's good for my albinism. The older I get, the more the sun hurts." He took a seat in front of William, unwrapping his scarf, a deep shade of burgundy, and placed it on the table. He smiled at William, as warm as he could make it in this bitter cold.

"Kane, it's been almost two years. It's good to see you." William spoke, a casted breath in mist drawing out in front of him. The sky painted a shade of brilliant crimson, and yet the sun, even as it rose, felt cold and distant. It had been almost two years since the infamous coronal mass ejection that threatened the world over, and since then, William never felt easy about sunlight, a trait that both he and Kane shared now.

"You as well, old friend. How are you, Mr. Miles?" Kane replied. He felt jovial, uplifted even, yet he could not see the same reflected in William. His weathered eyes and cheeks had seen and felt too much.

"I'm doing as best as I can. Please, Kane, I've known you since you were just a toddler. You can call me William." William took a sip of his coffee in an effort to revitalise his body's warmth.

"It's become a habit, I apologise. I haven't seen you in so long, either." Kane replied. The waiter at that moment arrived, and asked Kane what he had wanted. "I'll have what he's having, sir." Kane spoke a few languages, but Italian was not one of his strong suites, and it came out a little hard to comprehend, having also accidentally called the male waiter a 'miss'. The waiter winced, and looked at him inquisitively, almost begging for him to just request it in English. "I... I will have what he is having, mate." The waiter nodded and walked away out of sight.

"You still need to practice that." William broke into a wry smile. Kane beamed back at him, appreciating his warmth.

"It's a little hard to take language lessons for people like you and me." Kane meant it in jest, and in jest William did take it.

"'People like you and me...' as if you've got back problems and gastrointestinal issues. Come off it, Kane. You're a healthy, young man. What have you been up to?" Kane took a brief look around, making sure that no one was around him. Indeed, at seven in the morning on such a cold day in the heart of winter, there was only William and Kane at the café. He leaned in to whisper in a hushed tone to William:

"The brothers stateside have been busy investigating a possible assassination. Garneau was taken out when Abstergo and Blume were having a conference meeting, but it wasn't one of us." Miles raised his eyebrow at this predicament. He had left behind mentorship of the Order, but he had relied on Kane every once in a while to provide timely updates, and only the important ones. "Details are fuzzy. I've been operating here in mainland Europe, but I've been connecting with some of our reconnaissance cells in Montréal. It seems that Dedsec, you know, that one anarchist group that had a scuffle with Blume in Chicago recently? They're taking responsibility for this." Kane deflated a little after this, though, "No doubt Abstergo will point their fingers towards us for the commotion. The Canadian branches are going to have a tough time going forward."

"We've always had tough times, Kane. I can't think of a single moment in the last thousand years where we have not had a tough time." William remarked. Kane leaned back into his chair, dropping his whisper, returning to speaking at a normal volume and posture.

"We'll make it. We always do, somehow." Kane replied. His smile was now gone, but his face held a distinct kindness that William picked up.

"Thank you for the updates, Kane. You're reliable as ever."

"Thank you, William. I aim to please... though, I have a second update, regarding myself."

"Oh?" It wasn't odd for Kane to have multiple updates from the fold for William, but it had been a while since something had come up directly with Kane.

"It seems that I've been assigned to a different target, one located in the Far East as opposed to anywhere here." Kane clasped his hands together; he, too, was now feeling the icy air.

"That's strange, we haven't had too much activity over there from us. The Order's suffered too many losses in China alone. Where are they thinking of putting you?"

"'Becks is a little busy elsewhere at the moment, but some of our other technical operatives have managed to track some energy signatures that piqued Abstergo's interest. A junior researcher by the name of Hassan was assigned by Abstergo to locate and investigate archaeological artefacts, and her team seems to have found many possible locales." At this time, the waiter had finally arrived with his coffee. Kane thanked him, and took a sip of it. "Wow, that is... bitter."

"Sugar's bad for my health." William said endearingly. Kane chuckled.

"Mine too, we're both humans, you know." Kane took another sip before continuing onwards: "Some of our European operatives in Milan have been tracking these possible leads. Abstergo seems keen on a few in the Middle East and Northern Africa at the moment, so we've taken to focusing on those that may be possible leads on the other side of the world. Shaun, as busy as he is, gave some input, and with his help, we managed to locate a distinct energy signature in one of Tokyo's suburbs." William nodded, trying to follow Kane's almost giddy explanation. He spoke a little too quickly for Miles, but he tried his best to follow along.

"The Japanese branch has been quiet for a long time... I believe we were trying to reignite a branch somewhere, but I don't remember the exact location. Are you going to be assigned there?" William inquired, a little concerned. Indeed, the Assassins had a hard time establishing themselves in Japan for decades now.

"Yes, unfortunately, it'll be just me for now." Kane gulped a little, his voice already hoarse and tired. "This piece might be a sword, rather than the pieces of staves and shrouds we've been looking for. It's mobile... and its main movement patterns seems to centre around an education facility in the area."

"A school?" A suggestion incredulous as it was confusing to Williams.

"A school." Kane was just as in disbelief as William.

"What kind?"

"It seems to be a private school, with a high school and a college division."

"And you must go there undercover?"

"I do."

"You're going to call a little attention to yourself, Kane." William gazed at Kane's skin and hair, a lack of melanin basking in the lights of the café. It was difficult to train Kane to hone his vision to the 'Eagle' standard that most Assassins employ now because of his albinism, his mentor had lamented to William many a time that the front was not a place for a boy like him.

"I might... it was recently an all-girls academy. It turned co-education last year." Kane gave a smile, but his eyes held some anxiety.

"You're asking for trouble. That's not what I meant either." William shook his head.

"There's not many Assassins available at this time that are in the same age bracket as I. Our numbers are thin, we're relying on new entrants instead of fostering them from childhood like was done with me. Our brothers are relying on me, William. Instil some confidence in me, won't you?" Kane took another sip of his coffee, staring at it as if it held his hopes and dreams. William exhaled, deflating a little in his chair. A single cloud passed by in the horizon, shading the sun out behind a waning silhouette, freezing the café further.

"You're going to be spending an extended amount of time there. Keep yourself secure and safe. You know as well as I do what will happen if you call attention to yourself. Don't act like a fool, Kane." Miles finally spoke, breaking the icy silence. Kane broke into a grin.

"Me? A fool? In whose world?" said Kane in a playful manner. "The academy, Kuoh, needs a fee that's a little too steep for me to be sustainable. Would it be okay if I were to ask you to pay for admittance at least, whilst I take care of living lodges?"

"It would be more than okay, but with those fees, I am not certain for how long I will be able to keep you enrolled. Use your time wisely, we already running a little thin, Kane."

"I'll do my best."

"I know you will. Though... Kane, I know you're young and brash and presumptuous. I was once too. Don't let it be your downfall."

"I'll... try not to let it. I still miss Daniel. I'll strive not to follow down the same path."

"I do, too, Kane. I do, too." William trailed off, and Kane took this as the most opportune moment to leave. Too much time huddled in one place for both of them wouldn't be wise. The morning sun rose further, the sky brightened, and the people of the city began to awaken.

"Good bye, William. I... I'm sorry for your loss. I never knew Desmond that well. I can only thank him for his sacrifice from a distance. I wish the whole world knew the truth. I'll be reporting back to you soon."

"I didn't know him as well as I should have as a father... I'll be okay, Kane. It's best if we stay no-contact for a little while again. We will meet some day, but until then, Kane, good bye." Kane nodded, a frown creeping on his face. He sat up, throwing his empty cup into the recycling bin as he ambled away from William. He looked back one last time, giving a wave, which William returned.

'I sure hope I know what I'm getting myself into.' Kane had thought. Though he showed a positive outlook for William, he was unsure if he was really fit for infiltrating a school out of all things, not least a school that's nearly entirely composed of girls, where he would be a fish out of water. He gazed towards the morning light peering through the clouds away in the distance, rising above the mountains on the horizon, the sea calm and still next to him.

Perhaps, ignorance really is bliss. He had no idea what lay ahead of him, but if he did, Kane might never have taken this first step that would change his place on this planet, between heaven and hell, for better, and for worse.