"Listen I know you're a monster and all," Issei began. "But the way you were eating that guy's arm was absolutely disgusting."
"Bite me." was Alucard's witty comeback.
Issei held up his hands in defense. "I'm just saying."
Alucard snorted in response.
Issei shook his head, as he and his ancestor continued on their way home. The hybrid vampire crossed his arms in thought.
"That guy I fought. He said that he was a some type of creature called a Fallen Angel. Hmm."
Alucard smirked. "Seems like you have quite a predicament."
Issei nodded. "Yeah. Looks like it."
NEXT DAY
Issei walked out of the Kuoh Academy doors, and stopped to see Alucard (in his female form/Girlycard) walking next to him with a smug grin on 'her' face. Issei raised an eyebrow.
"What are you so happy about? You didn't send the guys who were trying to flirt with you to the hospital, did you? Or even worse."
Girlycard smirked.
"Yes, those idiots are so battered and broken that they'll think twice about going near me again. But, aside from that, there is a much different reason."
Issei blinked.
"And what is that exactly?"
Girlycard's smirk widened, and 'she' reverted back to Alucard. Before retiring to Issei's subconscious, he gave Issei a message.
"You'll find out eventually. I'll give you a hint. Sense."
Issei blinked in confusion and raised an eyebrow. He heightened his senses, and walked away from the school. As he almost walked on the bridge, he felt two surges of demonic power. He looked around, and saw no presence at all. He narrowed his eyes. Someone, or somebody was clearly watching him. He could feel them as though they were right next to him.
'Are they following me?' Issei thought. 'So that must have been what Alucard meant.'
Clearing his throat, Issei crossed his arms.
"Hey, there's no point in concealing yourselves. I sensed both of you as soon as I left the school."
As soon as he had said those words, he heard a breezing sound, and Rias Gremory, and a girl with long black hair in a ponytail and violet eyes appeared in front of him. Rias looked at Issei with a puzzled expression.
"You sensed us?"
Issei nodded. "Your powers aren't really that hard to sense. Even if you conceal it, my senses are very perceptive."
Rias's eyes widened in surprise, but then she smiled.
"Issei, I have something I must discuss with you. Would you mind coming with us, so we can talk in private?"
Issei narrowed his eyes, as he pondered his decision. He reached for his and Alucard's mind-link.
'They don't appear to be dangerous.' Issei began. "But I'm still unsure. What do you think?' He got a snort of amusement in response.
'Do what you wish. In any case, if they do appear to be dangerous, I'll just devour them if I get hungry again. They'll make a delicious meal.'
Issei rolled his eyes.
'We've got to talk about this eating habit of yours.'
'Hmph. Worry about yourself. They're still waiting for your answer. Oh, and one more thing. Shut up.' And with that, the vampire closed off the mind-link.
Issei sighed, and turned to look at Rias and her companion. He shrugged in assent.
"Sure, I've got nothing to do anyway." He nodded to the two. "Lead the way."
And so, Issei followed the two women to their location, which led them to a Victorian styled house. His eyes widened in amazement, Issei whistled in appreciation. "Nice house."
Opening the doors, the trio walked into the house. Rias turned to look at Issei.
"Excuse me for a few minutes. I'm going to go take a shower. Just wait here in the living room, and I'll be out soon."
Placing his hands in his blazer pockets, Issei nodded in assent, prompting Rias to get ready.
Issei looked around the room. 'Also, not a bad room.' The room was wood-paneled with Victorian-style coaches and chairs along the walls.
The girl with long black hair and violet eyes turned to Issei and smiled, giggling in amusement. "Ufufu. It's a pleasure to meet you, Issei. I'm Akeno Himejima."
"Hmm. Same to you." His tone was polite yet short. He had no reason to trust these women, but nor did he have any reason to distrust them. He was just a little wary.
Done with the introductions, Issei walked over to sit on the sofa, and got comfortable. As he looked around the room, he gained a serious expression, and closed his eyes as he thought.
20 MINUTES LATER
Rias emerged from the bathroom, clad in her Kuoh Academy uniform. She walked over to the sofa opposite Issei, sat down, and smiled at the hybrid vampire. Akeno stood next to Rias, with a smile on her face.
"Ok, Issei. I will cut right to the chase. We are-"
"Devils." Issei cut her off. "Yes. I'm aware."
Rias and Akeno's eyes widened in surprise.
"I could sense the particular type of energy you two had. It's different from that Dohnaseek guy."
The girls' eyes widened even further. Rias was the one to speak.
"Different? How so?"
Issei looked at her for a moment and crossed his arms.
"The energy he possessed, it was..off. Like it was extremely lacking purity. He kept calling himself a Fallen Angel."
Rias blinked, and then her eyes shined with understanding.
"Yes, that does sound like that type. You see Issei. There are 3 factions who have resided since the ancient times. First, are the Angels, then Fallen Angels, and then lastly Devils."
Issei heard Alucard hum in interest. 'Interesting.'
"Ourselves, as Devils have been in battle with the Fallen Angels for many centuries. We've been fighting over the property of the Underworld, or Hell, as it's called in the world of humans. The Underworld is separated into two realms, one for Devils and one for Fallen Angels. A Devil forms a pact with humans, and as a result, they receive their sacrifices, allowing the reborn Devil to increase their strength. The Fallen Angels, as opposed to us, take advantage of humans to destroy the Devils. Then it's the Angels who destroy their other counterparts, on God's orders, creating the three forces."
As he processed the ton of information, Issei clasped his hands together under his chin.
"So, what's the purpose of you guys residing in this building?" Rias smiled.
"This building is where we Devils gather for our activities. It's sort of a disguise for the humans to perceive." Issei nodded in understanding. Rias then crossed her legs.
"Does the name, Yuuma Amano ring a bell?"
At the mention of the name of that accursed woman, Issei's eyes glowed a bright crimson color. In anger, he released a enormous surge of KI, his aura flaring. The ground started to shake in tremors.
The two Devils tried to balance themselves, as they gripped the sofa. Rias's eyes widened with shock.
'What power!'
Akeno had different thoughts.
'Ara, ara. Such an angry little kouhai.'
Gritting his teeth in raw fury, Issei took deep breaths as he tried to calm himself. After a few moments, his aura disappeared, and his glowing crimson eyes dimmed. The hybrid vampire sighed and looked at Rias with calm yet fierce eyes.
Akeno broke the tense silence.
"Ufufu. Well, well it looks like it does ring a bell."
Rias was desperately trying to keep her composure, as she looked at Issei. Issei spoke next with a cold voice, now serious more than ever.
"What... about her?" Rias gulped, but then she regained her composure.
"I assume that now you know what a Fallen Angel is, you can tell that Amano was one."
Issei nodded slowly, both of his eyes glowering darkly.
"This Fallen Angel had come in contact with a certain goal. To kill you."
Issei narrowed his eyes, as a memory remnant came to him.
FLASHBACK
"What a shame. You were a threat to us, so we had to get rid of you early on. If you want to hold a grudge, then despise the God who put the Sacred Gear inside you."
END OF FLASHBACK
Issei's eyes twitched, but he calmed himself.
"Before she flew away, she mentioned something called a Sacred Gear."
Rias nodded.
"A Sacred Gear is an object with immense capabilities that are endowed to special humans. There are some Sacred Gears that are threat to us Devils, and Fallen Angels." She looked Issei in the eye. "Now, Issei. Raise your hand."
Issei rose a cool eyebrow, but he complied and lifted his left arm.
"Now close your eyes and imagine the strongest thing that comes to mind."
Issei already had that subject in his mind. "All right."
"Lower your arm, and then stand up. Then imagine it, and imagine that thing in a pose where it looks the strongest. And then mimic the pose of that thing, okay? Do not hold back."
With the person set in his mind, Issei shot both of his arms forward, with his arms appearing as though they were holding guns.
"Now open your eyes."
There was a flash, and when Issei opened his eyes, the light took a form and covered his left arm. The light dimmed, and there laid upon Issei's arm was a blood-red gauntlet. The part of the gauntlet that covered the back of his hand had a jewel like object enclosed in it.
Issei's eyes widened in shock, and he heard a chuckle of amusement from his subconscious.
'Well done! Bravo, my descendant!'
Issei blinked in shock.
'What? Wait, did you know about this?' He got another chuckle in response.
'There is so much power within you, Issei. There is another soul that resides inside you. He and I will both converse with you in due time.' And then the mind-link was cut off. Rias smiled.
"That is your Sacred Gear. And it's yours. Once it appears, you can use it with your own will."
Issei continued to stare in astonishment, and his thoughts was cut off by Rias.
"Issei. How did you survive?"
Issei narrowed his eyes, and he was about to speak until a voice cut him off.
"His survival was caused by me."
The trio turned around to see a tall man with black hair and blood red eyes. He was clad in a charcoal suit, white gloves with seal like symbols on them, leather riding boots, and a full-length, red frock overcoat, with a cape. He wore a red hat with a wide, floppy brim and a pair of circular, heavily tinted, wire-framed orange sunglasses with goggle sidings. Rias and Akeno jumped up in surprise.
'Such monstrous energy!'
'A-ara, ara. What a suffocating feeling!'
Alucard smirked at the two devil's reaction, and turned to Issei, who raised an eyebrow.
"Wasn't expecting you to emerge just like that, Alucard." The vampire's smirk widened.
"What can I say. Expect the unexpected."
Issei shook his head, and turned to Rias and Akeno, who stared in shock at the No-Life King. Alucard explained Issei's survival to the two Devils.
"When the boy was impaled by that despicable Fallen Angel's light spear, the blood that was released from his body allowed me to emerge. While he was at the brink of death, I merged my essence with him, changing him into a vampire."
The two Devils's eyes bugged out in absolute shock.
"A vampire?!" they said simultaneously.
Alucard chuckled. Rias gulped. The vampire's power was absolutely enormous. It far surpassed her brother's power, and it was most likely, dare she think it, near The Infinite Dragon God's power. And the fact that he had merged his essence and power with Issei's blood, that meant Issei was immensely powerful as well.
"F-for a vampire, you look really powerful."
Alucard smirked.
"You would be correct, however, I am no mere vampire."
Rias felt inclined to believe him, and turned to the (thankfully) saner Issei. Then, she had an idea. With someone as powerful as Issei on her side, he would be a great ally.
"Issei. Do you know what a peerage is?"
Issei rose an eyebrow, and shook his head.
Rias peered down to her table. On the table laid 15 chess pieces. Rias picked one up and showed it to the hybrid vampire.
"Issei. This is called an Evil Piece. The Evil Pieces were created by Ajuka Beelzebub in order to help repopulate the Devil population after the Great War. During that war, numerous Devils have been extinct. There are 15 pieces in all, and top-tier Devils receive them in order to increase their ranks, by which beings are reborn as Devils."
Issei listened with great seriousness, as did Alucard, though his expression seemed to appear as amusement more than anything. Rias continued.
"As I mentioned earlier, there are 15 pieces in all."
Issei narrowed his eyes.
"If it's similar to chess, the same rules apply. That means there can only be 1 Queen, 2 Rooks, 2 Bishops, 2 Knights, and 8 pawns."
Rias nodded to his answer.
"That's correct. For myself, I have a Queen, one Knight, and one Rook."
Issei looked Rias in the eye.
"Why are you telling me all this?"
Rias smiled with a cryptic air about her.
"I would you like for you to join my peerage."
Issei's eyes widened.
'What? Join her peerage?' His eyes narrowed.
"Why would you want me on your peerage?"
Rias blinked in confusion, expecting a different reaction from the hybrid vampire, but she regained her composure.
"I believe you will be a great ally to be on my side, and a good friend. A vampire that possesses so much power, and along with an elder vampire, would give me a great advantage for my peerage."
Issei stared at the crimson-haired devil with an unreadable expression on his face. Numerous thoughts were going through his head.
"I don't know," the young man said quietly. He looked back up. "I need time to think."
Rias blinked again in surprise, but then she nodded. 'Perhaps, I was a bit too fast. After all, he just found out about his Sacred Gear.'
"All right, Issei." she said. "Well, please let us know of your decision."
Issei nodded, and got ready to walk out of the door, with Alucard walking behind him. He turned around to look at the two Devils.
"...Thank you both. It was good meeting you." And with that, he walked out.
Rias sighed softly, and put her hand under her chin.
"I hope he makes his decision." Akeno smiled.
"I'm sure he'll consider, Rias."
AT THE STREET NEAR ISSEI'S HOUSE
Issei with his Sacred Gear deactivated, had his hands in his pockets, with a musing expression. As Alucard walked beside him, the vampire looked down at him his descendant.
"Something troubling you?"
Issei looked up at his ancestor, and then he sighed.
"It's just so weird. First I find out about Devils, Fallen Angels, and Angels, then I find out the reason I was almost killed was because possessed a Sacred Gear, and now a Devil wants me to join her peerage."
Alucard chuckled in great amusement.
"Seems once again, you have quite a predicament to handle."
Issei sighed and rubbed his forehead.
"Yeah, yeah." Finished with their conversation, Alucard retired into Issei's subconscious.
Suddenly, there was sharp wind-like sound of a spear, and Issei, with his senses going overboard, side-stepped, just in time to avoid a golden Light Spear.
Balancing himself on his new standing spot, Issei narrowed his eyes as the light speark disintegrated into the ground.
"Damn, I hate those things." he said with disgust. He looked up and saw a female figure.
A tall, buxom woman with navy blue hair and brown eyes appeared from the sky. She was clad in a violet trench-coat like top, a matching miniskirt, and black heeled shoes. A gold necklace was placed around her neck. Issei's eyes darkened.
"Another Fallen Angel." The woman smirked.
"Well, well, well. I'm quite impressed. My name is Kalawarner. You escaped from my attack just by moving to the side." Her voice was arrogant, but it had a enticing air about it.
"Reynalle was supposed to kill you, but it seemed that even she failed to do so." Her gaze darkened. "And you are also the one that destroyed Dohnaseek."
Issei's eyes twitched in irritation. This was really not his night.
"You Fallen Angels are really annoying."
Scoffing at the hybrid vampire's words, Kalawarner created another light spear, unfurled her black wings and charged towards Issei, with the intention of puncturing him with her light spear. Issei narrowed his eyes, and he held out his hand.
The Fallen Angel's eyes widened, but before she could react, Issei grabbed the light spear, halting it from piercing him. Kalawarner gasped in shock, as the light spear immediately disintegrated in Issei's hand. The Fallen Angel's expression showed fear when she looked into Issei's eyes. His eyes were glowing crimson-red.
Issei gripped the Fallen Angel's arm, and he slowly, very slowly, began to twist it. Gasping at the immense pain, Kalawarner screamed until she heard a snap. Shuddering at the pain, she looked to see Issei had dislocated her arm.
Her eyes wide with shock and new-found fear, Kalawarner fluttered her wings, trying to fly away. She would have succeeded, had Issei not grabbed both of her wings. The Fallen Angel shrieked in pain, and she looked behind him with pleading brown eyes.
"P-please, d-don't do this." Issei glared coldly at her.
His eyes glowed crimson again, but then suddenly Kalawarner's brown eyes morphed to a crimson color. She appeared to be in a trance, her face now expressionless.
Issei narrowed his eyes, and he said only one word.
"Collapse."
Kalawarner's eyes glowed brighter, and then she fainted on the ground, with Issei still holding her wings tightly. The hybrid vampire scowled in suppressed irritation, and he carried the Fallen Angel on his back. Sighing in annoyance, he continued on his pathway to his house.
"Well, this is going to be an interesting night."