When I woke up, the first thing I saw was an unfamiliar ceiling.
"Where am I..."
Looking around me, I saw that I was lying on a bed. However, I didn't recognize the room I was in.
This isn't my room, so where...?!
As I tried to remember what had happened to me, the visage of an ogre-like monster suddenly flashed before my eyes, making me jerk up from the bed. Looking around, I saw nothing out of the ordinary and I even checked under my bed to see if there was something hiding there, out of fear. And when I saw nothing, I let out a deep sigh out of relief as I plummeted on the bed.
Looks like I'm out of danger, somewhat... But what was that ogre-like monster... A devil? Or maybe a yōkai, an oni? Well, no matter what it was, I sure was lucky to get out of this alive with just my left arm and ribs broken... Wait...
Quickly noticing that I didn't feel any pain coming from my supposed broken left arm and ribs, even after moving around, I checked over them to see that they were swathed in bandages.
Did someone treat me? Who?
"It looks like you woke up."
Suddenly hearing a man's voice, I quickly turned at the direction it came from, only to see a young man who seemed to be in his early twenties. He had long black hair tied into a ponytail akin to a samurai's hairstyle, but the one detail that attracted my attention was his clerical clothes.
A priest... But the local church was locked down ever since the day the Shidou went to England as all the other priests and sisters also left the town, leaving the church empty and soon abandoned, so why? Don't tell me… is he an exorcist?
"Good afternoon. My name is Shinra Kiyotora. Feel free to call me by my first name. Can I ask for yours?"
"Sakuya… Hyoudou Sakuya."
"Sakuya-kun, huh. Is it alright if I call you like that?" I shook my head at his question.
Unlike most Japanese people, I won't feel offended if a stranger used my first name at all. I lived in France in my past life where doing such things is pretty much the norm, so it doesn't bother me at all.
"Then, Sakuya-kun, are you still hurting somewhere? We should have healed all of your injuries, but we may have missed a spot. "
"Not really." As I looked over my left arm and moved it around, I couldn't feel any kind of pain or discomfort. But then, I frowned as I noticed his choice of words.
'We'? Is he implying that he's not alone, that someone else from the church is with him? Given that I'm alone with him right now, that person may be either waiting outside or gone. Well, I don't care, but more importantly...
"Excuse me, but what time is it?"
"Right now, it's now five p.m..." Five p.m! I went out for around one and half hours so I was unconscious for at least three hours. That's not good…
"I'm sorry but I need to head back now, or my parents will be worried."
"Yes, it would be wrong to make them worry about you, but I would like you to grant me a few minutes. I would like to ask you a few questions, it's about the event that happened before you lost consciousness. Of course, as soon as we're done, I'm willing to accompany you so I can explain to your parents that you were helping us with some problems which took us a few hours to accomplish."
Hearing his words, I couldn't help but shiver as I suddenly remembered the ogre-like monster. And while I knew that I needed to hurry and go back home, and hopefully, before my parents started worrying about me, I was more intrigued by what he wanted to ask me.
I nodded to Kiyotora, making him smile, seemingly satisfied with my choice.
"Thank you for your cooperation. Then, can I ask you how much you remember before you passed out." Kiyotora asked me as his expression changed into a serious one, his smile gone from his face.
Why do I feel like this is an interrogation? Well, if he's really an exorcist, I'm pretty sure he could easily capture me if I ran away. Lying... seems to be too difficult. He looks like the type of person who can easily see through them. I guess I'll just tell him a few half-truths for now…
"I remember seeing a monster and it was playing with a dead person… I tried to run but he caught up with me, and then..."
"You tried to fight back with your bokken and nearly got yourself killed, am I correct?" I was shocked, and it took everything I had in me not to show it on my face. I glanced at Kiyotora to see him showing me something I recognized, my broken bokken.
"Honestly, I don't know if I should call you brave or simply foolish for trying to fight against a stray devil. But the very fact that you are still alive right now is nothing short of a miracle… No, I suppose it's better to say that it's because God was watching over you."
So it was really a devil. Well, it doesn't matter what it was, I was really lucky. Just like he said, it was a miracle that I'm still alive right now. I could have easily died if it weren't for the fact that it wanted to play with me. Just thinking about it makes me mad, mostly at myself and my naivety...
Just because Issei was safe and unaware of the supernatural until canon starts doesn't mean it would also apply to me. Maybe even in this timeline, Issei isn't entirely safe either...
"You didn't look surprised when I said it was a devil."
"It looked like an ogre, so I figured it was some kind of monster. Though I didn't know if it was a youkai or the devil himself."
"Are you perhaps knowledgeable… or perhaps familiar about those matters?"
"I wouldn't say familiar but I was once read the Bible by a local priest in the past." Touji would read it when I would come over to his house to play with Irina.
"And my grandmother is quite superstitious, she thinks that youkais really exists. And I think I inherited that superstitious nature from her since I always believed that God, angels, the devil and youkai all exist somewhere, even though I never expected to see one in reality." At least, not that early.
"It is just as you say, those supernatural beings you just mentioned do exist in our world along with many others…" Kiyotora said before he closed his eyes, seemingly deep in his thoughts, and it was only after a few minutes that he opened them again, staring at me straight into my eyes.
"Sakuya-kun, what I am going to tell you may sound ridiculous but I have faith that you will believe in my words. Will you… No, please listen to my story."
And then, Kiyotora started to tell me about many things. About the three biblical factions, God and the angels, the fallen, the devils, and the Great War which happened between the three biblical factions. He also informed me a bit about the church and the exorcists, him being one.
Apparently, he was chasing a stray devil who had taken refuge in Kuoh and was surprised to see me, a young child killing his target with my newly awakened Sacred Gear, a subject he also touched on.
The Sacred Gears, also known as God's artifacts, are items with powerful abilities that are bestowed upon humans by God and that one of them is in my possession.
Blade Blacksmith, a Sacred Gear which allows me to create any kind of holy sword I desire.
If I remember correctly, one of Issei's friends had a similar Sacred Gear. I don't know if I should be happy that I have one, or disappointed that it's not a Longinus. Well, it's better than nothing. And while I do remember a few things about the supernatural from the show, it helped me refresh my memories and even remember some details I'd forgotten. However...
"Is it really fine for you to tell me this?" I'm pretty sure that those aren't the kind of things you can just tell anybody, unless there is some kind of purpose behind it.
"Not really. But I decided to do it because I have an offer to propose to you." I knew it.
"Sakuya-kun, would you like to come with me to the Vatican and become an exorcist?"
"...Before I give you my answer, can I ask why first?"
"Well, there are many reasons why I'm asking you this. For one, it's for your own protection and that of your family." I couldn't help but to frown at his statement.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Now that you have awakened your Sacred Gear, the power that resides in you can now be felt by those who belong to the supernatural, myself included. I am sure that from now on, your life will be closely tied up to the other side, and if left alone, I'm sure that you would be eventually targeted by the other two factions, or even, from other pantheons. I don't know what plans they'll have for you, but I do know that most of them aren't afraid to lower themselves and get their hands dirty to get a hold of individuals like you."
"So you think they may use my family as leverage over me?"
"It is possible, so I would like to take you away from your family before this kind of scenario happens. You may think that's cruel of me, but I want you to understand that now that you have awakened the Sacred Gear that was dormant within you until now, you will eventually draw in all kinds of attention which may put you and those close to you in danger. Power, no matter the form, will always attract the attention of others, be it good or bad."
"..." I couldn't refute what Kiyotora said as I could see some truth in his words since, in the light novel, Gorou and Miki ended up getting involved with the supernatural because they were Issei's parents, and they got kidnapped by Rizevim for that.
And I do remember a few things about how some factions were recruiting people who possess supernatural powers. The devils and their chess pieces, the fallen... I don't think they have anything like that but I do know that they also have some humans in their ranks, one of them being Tobio Ikuse, a character I somewhat remember for not wanting a harem and solely pursuing the childhood friend route, despite being a protagonist of an ecchi light novel.
And it doesn't have to be a biblical faction since I also remember about that terrorist group, the Chaos Army or something. If my memories aren't wrong, a certain group among them was solely made of humans, all special in their own ways. Who knows what they'll do in order to get a hold on me.
"Of course, joining us also has some benefits for you. If you join us and become an exorcist, you'll be trained in both swordsmanship, the use of your Sacred Gear, or anything which will help you get a better chance of survival in the future. On the other hand, you will be affiliated to the church for the rest of your life as the term 'quitting' or 'retiring from the church' doesn't exist in our vocabulary. Even if you decide to stop working as an exorcist, you will still have to work for the church in some way. After all, just by working with us, you will be aware of many of our inner secrets which we cannot allow to be divulged so should you leave, we will be forced to take you down."
"That's… awfully honest of you." I thought he was going to coax me with some sugar-coated words or simply lie so I would see joining the church as my only solution, but I didn't expect for him to even tell me the disadvantages of such acts.
"Lying is a sin so I won't. It would be against the vows I took when I became an exorcist. But in the end, the choice is yours to make. I am simply here to present you with the choices and respect your free will, no matter your decision."
My decision, huh… Leaving or staying, but which choice is the better one?
"...Can you give me some time to think about it? One day is enough."
"Of course, I didn't expect you to give me an answer right away." Kiyotora said with a nod before he glanced towards the window, apparently looking at the sky which slowly turned orange.
The sun is already going down. I'm definitely going to be scolded, aren't I…
"It took more time than expected. I'll take you back to your home now, but can you walk?"
"Yes, I believe I can." I said as I got out of the bed before I nodded, sensing nothing wrong with my body nor having trouble walking on my own. And then, I followed Kiyotora as we left the room, bracing myself for what awaited me at home.
Once I got home, just like I expected, I was quickly approached by my parents who both yelled at me, demanding me an explanation for what I have been doing for the last four hours.
"I understand that you tried to help Shinra-san, but you should know better than following strangers like that!"
"What would you have done if he wasn't decent and kidnapped you?"
"I'm sorry…"
But thanks to Kiyotora's intervention, they only scolded me for about a half an hour before letting me go. Although they yelled at me and looked angry, it was clear to me that they were worried about me as I noticed Miki's eyes being red and swollen, showing the sign that she'd been crying and how I felt Gorou's hands that were grabbing my shoulders shaking. Seeing all this just hurts my heart...
Shit, I made it a goal to not burden them and I messed up like a pro...
Trying to stop the thoughts from clouding my mind, I shook my head and went to the bathroom to take a bath and refresh my mind. But as I was on the way, I passed in front of Issei's room and saw it was open, albeit it was only a crack. I looked througt it and saw Ise inside it, reading something on his bed.
Looks like he's fine, but where was he? Guess I'll just ask him.
"Hey, Ise. Can I talk to you a few seconds?" I said as I opened the door, making Ise jump from his bed and placed what he was reading behind his back.
"Ha! Ah, it's just you, Sakuya... You should knock before you enter my room, you surprised me!"
That reaction... Don't tell me...
"Ise, what are you hiding behind your back?"
"No-nothing..."
"Ise, tell me what it is or I'll tell Tou-san and Kaa-san that you are hidi-" "No! Don't tell them anything!" With a shout, Issei tried to rush at me but he slipped on his cover, making him fall off from his bed face first on the floor.
"Eh, are you alright, Ise..." I started to say until I noticed the book that Issei was holding was a porn mag.
"Ise, where did you find that? And don't lie to me, or else, I'll tell our parents." I asked Issei who
"Alright, I'll say it so don't tell them, promise?" When I nodded, Issei let out a breath before he clutched the porn mag into his arms, as if he was either trying to protect it from me or simply hugging it like it was some kind of precious object.
"When I was playing with my friends, I went hiding under the bridge near the riverbank and I found this magazine with many others over there. They were so interesting that I spent my whole afternoon reading them, and before I knew it, it was already late. Ah, don't tell them any of this, you promised!" To say I was shocked by what I just heard would be an understatement.
So you're telling me that I risked my life searching for Issei... while he was busy reading some porn? Goddamnit…
Feeling a headache coming, I simply left the room annoyed and walked to the bathroom, ignoring Issei's cries to keep his discovery a secret and even wondering why I tried to help his friends search for him.
Once I took off my clothes and bandages, I was surprised when I didn't see even a bruise on my body.
I wonder how they managed to heal me... Magic? Or maybe a Sacred Gear? Well, no matter what it is, I'm grateful that they did it.
After washing my body, I sat in the bathtub and started relaxing in it, with the hot water reaching up to my shoulders.
But what should I do from now on…
If I leave and join the church, sure, I'll be able to train more efficiently than on my own, given they are training humans to a supernatural level. I could even gain more information about the supernatural as well if I go to the Vatican, but there are some disadvantages to this.
For one, I'm not pious at all so I don't think I'll be warmly welcomed over there unless I start acting like I was and, just like Kiyotora said, I won't be able to leave the biblical faction, or else, I'll be considered a stray and hunted down. And also, I'm sure that they will be upset, if not furious, if I leave...
But if I don't, I'll be able to stay in the town, stay with my family and continue living the seemingly peaceful life I had until now. But at the same time, I'll be something akin to a beacon for supernatural entities that might get me and the others in trouble one way or another in the near future…
No matter what I choose, I feel like I'm losing. Damn it, why didn't I get to be reincarnated in a world more peaceful…
The next morning, I sneaked out of the house and made my way to the local church where Kiyotora was waiting for me. It was also the place where I was being healed and slept in yesterday afternoon, a fact I only discovered once I left the room I was sleeping in and recognized the corridors of the church's dormitory.
I never went inside a room in the past, so no wonder I didn't recognize I was inside one of them, not knowing what the inside was like.
Once I reached the abandoned church and opened the doors, I went inside and walked towards the altar where I saw Kiyotora and another priest praying, both kneeling before it.
"It seems that you have made your decision."
"Yes, I decided to join the church and become an exorcist, so please take me with you to the Vatican."
"Are you sure about this? It's not too late for you to reconsider your decision." Kiyotora asked as he stood up from his spot before he turned to face me, looking at me with a grave expression while I simply nodded.
After thinking long and hard the whole night yesterday, I decided to be selfish.
Even if they decided to hate me for this, I think it's a better alternative than putting them in danger when I'm weak and nearly powerless, even with that Sacred Gear in my possession.
So, for now, I'll just leave and go to the Vatican where I will be able to train and improve myself in a way I wouldn't be able to do if I were to stay in this town. Yes, it may not be the right decision, but right now, I think it's better for everybody that way.
"It looks like you've made up your mind… Very well, we'll take you with us. And before we go, this is Waldseemüller Diethelm, he's the one who healed you yesterday." Kiyotora said as he gestured to the priest next to him.
He was a tall, bearded black-haired man who seemed to be around his mid-twenties, a bit older than Kiyotora.
"Good morning. My name is... Diethelm Waldseemüller. It's nice to… meet you, boy." Diethelm said with broken Japanese, seemingly bad with the language. Kiyotora must have taught him how to introduce himself, I suppose.
"Can you speak English?"
As soon as he nodded to my question, I bowed my head to him and gave him my thanks.
"Thank you very much for taking care of me yesterday, I appreciate it."
"Don't worry, I only did my job." I heard him say before I felt a hand patting my head, making me look up to see him smile kindly at me.
"Alright, now you are acquainted, Sakuya-kun, we'll go to your house now."
"Do I need to bring my passport or something?" I don't even know if my parents had one made for me.
"There is no need, I'll take care of that. But the problem is that, from what I saw yesterday, I don't think your parents will accept you coming with us, so we'll have to change their memories so they'll more easily accept your absence in the house."
"You're going to erase me from their memories?"
"Not at all, we are just going to implant into their memories the idea that you will be going abroad on a scholarship. Erasing someone from a person's memories can lead to major consequences, especially when records of you exist everywhere, be it from photos, videos or even other people's memories." I let out a breath I didn't know I held in before I nodded.
It may be immoral to do such things, but it's better than nothing... No, I shouldn't think about morality and such since I will be doing much worse things from now on. But still... just at the thoughts of meeting my parents one last time before leaving, it gives me butterflies in my stomach. Let's just get over with quickly...
After we went to my house together, Kiyotora and Diethelm went to face my family and talked to... no, hypnotized them. When I observed him telling his 'suggestion' to my family who were in a trance, I couldn't help but to feel guilty for their treatment that I closed my eyes, not wanting to see more of it.
"Alright, I'm done. Sakuya-kun, is there something you want to say to them before we go?" I heard Kiyotora say and I simply nodded, then I slowly opened my eyes before I looked at Gorou, Miki and Issei who were all staring at me with empty eyes.
"I... I'm really sorry for being an unworthy son and brother..." I slowly said, managing to force out the words from my throat as I bowed my head to them.
With this, it's done. I've reached the point of no return. I can't go back anymore.
"Good job." I heard Kiyotora say before I felt a hand on my shoulder, patting it a few times. "We should go now."
"Alright." Hearing Kiyotora and Diethelm's chairs being moved, I followed their lead and went after them as they headed for the front door. But just before I left the house, I glanced back to look one last time at my family and I winced when I saw my parents crying, despite still being in a trance.
"I'm really sorry..." This was the last thing I said as I closed the door to the house I spent my new life living until now.
A/N: And that was the 4th chapter of High School DxD - Hallowed Blade.
I wanna say thank you all for the reviews, and thank you Darklord331 for beta reading my chapter.
Sorry for the wait, I've been busy because I've been playing a JRPG in my free time. I wasn't procrastinating, I swear, I was searching for ideas to use.
Well, in any case, I managed to get this chapter out, even if it's kind of short compared to the others. I hope you guys don't mind it. But still, I wonder what would happen if the person who showed up wasn't those two but someone else, it would have certainly changed the direction of this story.
And now, I shall answer your reviews.
MollyPollyRolly: Glad to be back.
expertspiderman: Deleted it as soon as I saw the review. Thanks.
OfficialDavidDough: There aren't many characters who are both blonde-haired, affiliated to the church, and have large boobs... Maybe it was a gender-bended Michael, Michelle?
Green223: Now that he's in Italy, time for Sakuya to create his harem starts his Bizarre Adventure.
Alucard05: It's true that most of the swords in DxD kind of suck. And honestly, while Fate!Balmung is quite interesting for its gimmick, it's not a sword that appeals to me very much to be included in my story. Never watched the Nebelung saga so I don't know what you're feeling.
BiswasNPgameR: Thanks for the review. And yes, Sakuya does have Blade Blacksmith.
Mpower0438: Thanks, I'll do my best.
Pachu72lee: This is nice that you posted a review.
DarkDrawerJ: When a normal person ends up discovering about the supernatural , they often end up with either being brainwashed to forget, or simply killed. So, I don't think most people on the other side really cares about being discovered, I think.