Finally on my break, so expect a few chapters to come out across my stories soon. Sorry for the delay in getting this one out, but they decided to give us a stack of lectures in our last week, so I couldn't even proofread this.
Enjoy!
SSJ3 Kyuubi Gohan.
Disclaimer – I don't own anything from the High School DxD anime/manga/light novel. All I own are my original characters and plot twists.
'Talking'
"Thinking"
'Ddraig talking and Sacred Gear sounds'
"Ddraig thinking"
*expression*
Flashback
Chapter 7 – Split
In a flash of light, three figures appeared on the edge of the devil capital. Issei, Erza and Moka, looked at the buildings in the distance with curiosity.
'Wait, we actually made it. About time you got it right.' Commented Issei.
'What are you talking about?' Asked Moka, narrowing her eyes on the devil.
'Uh…' Stammered Issei, not able to answer the silver haired girl.
'Yes, I noticed you zone out and talk to yourself at times. I didn't mean to pry, but it does seem odd.' Added Erza.
"Guys, what should I do?" Thought Issei nervously.
'Might as well tell them the truth at this point, especially since I will need to take over to get those pieces for us now.' Said Leviathan.
Issei gave a small sigh, before preparing to explain his unique situation.
'Well, you see, I have a voice in my head.' Started Issei, before pausing.
'Actually, I have two, but one is in my hand, actually, the Boosted Gear… okay, let me start over. A few days ago, the soul of a devil slipped into my body. Only thing is, this soul belonged to the original Leviathan that died years ago. The tricky part though, is he took over my body for a bit and made a lot of important people think that the two of us had fused. The truth is, we will fuse in time, but that hasn't happened yet, but if these people were to find out, I could get in serious trouble.' Explained Issei.
'I see. That is quite interesting.' Commented Erza.
'I'm curious, is this other Leviathan strong?' Asked Moka.
'Strong enough to kill hundreds of mages at once with one attack, yeah, he's strong.' Said Issei, with a nod.
'I'm assuming they are training you somehow as well then, correct?' Inquired Moka.
'Yep, him and Umimaru… er, the Nine-Headed Hydra.' Said Issei, causing Moka to raise a brow at this piece of information.
'You mean to tell me the Nine-Headed Hydra is willing to train you and not merely kill you on sight?' Asked Moka.
'Not so much me, but Leviathan.' Said Issei.
'I see… in that case, it seems I made the right choice in deciding to join you. From the sounds of things, your growth rate is commendable and I'm looking forward to a good fight later on down the track.' Said Moka.
'Okay. In any case, he is going to be taking over my body for now while we try to get those Evil Pieces, see you later.' Said Issei, before relinquishing control to Leviathan.
The devil glanced at his two newest recruits, who seemed largely unfazed by his presence, but he noted a slight stiffening of the vampire's shoulders.
'Let's go then.' Said Leviathan, leading the two into the heart of devil-kind.
-line break-
'Serafall, what brings you to my little slice of hell?' Asked Ajuka Beelzebub, a green haired man, who was as infamous as Sirzechs, also attaining the title of Super Devil.
'I just had a feeling I should be here today.' Said Serafall, legs swinging off the edge of the work desk she had sat on, ignoring Ajuka, who was looking over some papers.
'And I suppose that has nothing to do with the fact that the original Leviathan is back and you are simply hoping to run into him?' Questioned Ajuka, never looking up from his work.
'Hmm, I don't know what you mean Ajuka, it isn't like I know for sure who might come to visit you or when.' Teased Serafall.
'Now why don't I believe you, Serafall?' Questioned Ajuka rhetorically.
'So it seems the two of you have been expecting me.' Said Leviathan, as he walked into the study, being led by one of Ajuka's attendants, Moka and Erza to either side of him.
'Oh look Ajuka, it is the other Leviathan, what a coincidence.' Commented Serafall, giving a small giggle.
'I suppose I can guess what you are here for, given those two beside you.' Said Ajuka, swivelling his blue eyes away from his work at last, to gaze at the form of Issei.
'At least the Beelzebub of this time seems to have a brain. You would be correct in assuming I am here for a set of these Evil Pieces. It seems my line has been reduced to nothing and I intend to build it back up.' Said Leviathan.
'I hope that you don't intend to build up your forces and try to take over the Underworld.' Commented Ajuka.
'Hardly, I merely want to achieve my goal and these two will be a big help.' Said Leviathan.
Ajuka looked Erza and Moka over critically, before giving a nod.
'Your judgement is quite astute. Very well then, I will require some of your blood to attune the pieces to you. If you would be so kind of course.' Said Ajuka, walking over to one of the desks around him and grasping a test tube.
Leviathan sighed, before a small stream of blood came out of his nose, which quickly flew into the test tube.
Ajuka capped the tube and walked off, while Leviathan gave a small snort.
'I know.' Said Serafall, once Ajuka had left.
'Know what?' Asked Leviathan.
'That you didn't really fuse with Issei Hyoudou yet.' Said Serafall cheekily, enjoying the way his lips tightened.
'And you just confirmed it again, hehe.' Giggled Serafall with a wink, sticking her tongue out.
'How, just out of curiosity?' Asked Leviathan, realising that he had been found out.
'I didn't get to become the Satan in charge of diplomatic relations because of my good looks. I can read all of your subtle tells, so I knew you were telling a half-truth the whole time at the end of the meeting. What I want to know, is why?' Said Serafall.
'Issei needs training and I can't do that when he is going to school.' Said Leviathan.
'Hmm… one week. You have one week to train Issei as much as you want before you need to let him come back to Kuoh. He has to finish school, after all, my dear Sona works so hard to look after that school for everyone and it would be a shame if that effort was wasted. I might just slip up and reveal the truth to the whole world.' Said Serafall, with a grin.
'Even though that means revealing Issei Hyoudou is still separate from my soul?' Queried Leviathan.
'Mhmm.' Nodded Serafall happily.
'I see. You are a powerful devil after all.' Commented Serafall, causing the bubbly girl to beam.
'Although, I'm more interested in those two behind you right now. Why are you two with him?' Asked Serafall.
'Issei saved me from a group of fallen angels that were torturing me. After that, I joined him to help him build his harem. I beat Moka here as my first task.' Said Erza.
'Hmm, and you don't mind following Issei Hyoudou, knowing he is not the actual Leviathan?' Asked Serafall.
'I am following him because he wants a harem and big breasts, I did not even know of Leviathan before today.' Admitted Erza.
'I am more curious to see what Issei can grow to become.' Commented Moka.
'Hmm, now I'm curious too… okay then, once Issei goes back to school, every Saturday, I want to spend one hour with him and one hour with you, like a double date.' Said Serafall.
'And I assume saying no, means you will tell the rest of the truth?' Questioned Leviathan rhetorically, only for Serafall to wink.
'Fine then, I should get to know you better as well then, considering you will end up joining this harem of his.' Said Leviathan, causing Serafall to tilt her head to the side.
'Hmm? I don't know about that.' Said Serafall.
'You are powerful and have big breasts, meeting both of our primary criteria, the fact that you call yourself Leviathan merely makes it an inevitability.' Said Leviathan.
'We'll see then I guess.' Sang Serafall in amusement, just before Ajuka returned.
'Here you are, a full set of Evil Pieces.' Said Ajuka, handing Leviathan a small ornate box, carved out of marble, containing fifteen chess pieces.
'Now how exactly do I use these to turn a person into a devil?' Asked Leviathan.
'You just put the piece on their chest and say a little line like "I, Serafall Leviathan, command you to rise again and live as my faithful knight".' Supplied Serafall.
'I see… seems simple enough. We will be leaving now.' Said Leviathan, before he, Moka, and Erza, left the two satans.
-line break-
Inside his own mind, Issei wandered through his hall of mirrors, each depicting a memory of his life. It was one thing to recall a fond or bad memory, it was another to relive them though, as Issei soon found out. Having dived into some of his earlier, happier memories, such as him playing hero with Irina, he felt a familiar joy blossom in his chest. In a similar way, when he decided to try and relieve a memory of him peeping on the Kendo Club, he felt every blow just as he had then we he was only a human. An involuntary wince escaped Issei as he recalled this, before he focused on a new memory. He had just received his acceptance letter to Kuoh Academy. Strangely enough, the joy he felt was genuine, just as it had been at the time, but this time, a strong sense of foreboding was at the back of his mind.
As Issei exited the memory, he decided to make his way to the centre of his memories and confront his first girlfriend and a murderer, sadly for him though, these two weren't mutually exclusive.
'I'm honestly surprised you are back here so soon. By yourself no less.' Commented Raynare in boredom, cheek resting on her fist, as she stared at the devil.
Issei looked up at her with a conflicted expression. The most prominent emotion on his visage was anger, but there was a great deal of curiosity in there as well.
'Why did you do it?' Asked Issei.
'Kill you? I felt like it, happy?' Drawled Raynare sarcastically, causing Issei to growl.
'I don't care about that! Why are you here?' Roared Issei.
'Really? You don't care that I killed you?' Asked Raynare, raising a delicate eyebrow in amusement.
'I already accepted that you killed me, after all, even though I became a devil, I was happy with it. I want to know why you are here in my mind. Why can't you just disappear already?' Asked Issei in annoyance.
'You're asking the wrong person.' Crooned Raynare.
'After all, you and I both know how I got here, but, we also both know why I am still here.' Continued Raynare.
'Why can't you just leave me alone?' Said a deflated Issei, his shoulders sagging and head dropping slightly.
'Do you know how hard it has been to try and open myself up to people again? Do you even care how badly you messed me up?' Asked Issei softly.
'Nope.' Said Raynare cheerfully.
'Of course you don't. I don't understand how you and Azazel are the same species. He was a leader, a teacher, helpful, useful. You… you are just petty, selfish and a pathetic weakling. A supposed mighty fallen angel, who lived for years, defeated by a breast loving pervert, who had only been a devil for a few days. You… you're a joke, Raynare.' Said Issei, turning his back on the fuming fallen angel.
'Who the hell do you think you are to talk to me like that? I'm your superior in every way!' Raged Raynare.
'But you're dead, barely hanging on from vanishing from existence, while I can match people ten times stronger than you. Face it, you're a joke. You've got great oppai, sure, but so did that freaky stray devil Viser. You're just a pretty face with nothing else going for you, even someone like Raiser wouldn't care for you.' Said Issei, before walking away from Raynare.
'Oh, you think you are so fucking great, you filthy devil! You are nothing but a weak, snivelling loser, who would die just for a hentai mag!' Screeched Raynare, even as Issei kept walking.
'I know, so what does that make you, considering I beat you into the ground?' Said Issei, just before he left Raynare's view.
Issei kept walking, ignoring Raynare's rantings and ravings, until they faded into the distance.
'I'm genuinely surprised you just did that.' Commented Leviathan, appearing in front of Issei and causing him to stop walking.
'Well, what do you think?' Asked Issei.
'I think you are making a big leap forward, all things considered, but, you clearly aren't there yet.' Said Leviathan, pointing off to the side.
Issei followed the direction Leviathan's finger was pointing in and saw the familiar cracked and blackened mirror, looking somewhat less damaged.
'Progress is better than nothing though.' Said Leviathan.
'Thanks I guess.' Said Issei.
'Take over for now.' Said Leviathan, before Issei faded from view.
'One step at a time.' Muttered Leviathan.
'Why does it have to be one step at a time?' Asked a voice, which Leviathan didn't recognise.
Similar to before, a fluid apparition appeared in front of Leviathan, causing the devil to feel uneasy.
'And who might you be? You are not the same person who appeared the past few times.' Asked Leviathan.
'Oh? So he's been here too, how curious. I wonder what brought him to this reality? In any case, I've gotten off topic.' Said the blurry figure.
'What was the topic in the first place?' Asked Leviathan.
'Progress. Yes, why wait for it, when you can make it happen instantly. As it so happens, I'm quite familiar with the… charge… you have locked up inside this boy's mind. Oh yes, in most realities she seems to be very adamant on surviving, quite curious. Someone as weak as her managing to cheat death in nearly every iteration… it really makes you wonder, just how she could have been so stupid and arrogant to keep falling into this scenario over and over.' Said the figure, before giving a small chuckle.
'What do you mean by progress?' Asked Leviathan curiously.
'Do you want her to submit to you? It can be done in a matter of minutes if you wanted to. Want to reclaim this body as your own? An hour or two is all it would take. Power beyond your imagining? Within days you could be the strongest being in this realm.' Tempted the apparition.
'There is always a catch with offers that sound too good to be true, I would know, since devils specialised in making them.' Commented Leviathan, narrowing his eyes on the figure in front of him.
'Ah, but I didn't even intend to meet with you, I was merely following the fallen angel you have here. Meeting you was pure coincidence and I've not met you in any reality before. Surely this is not a fluke, no, there must be a reason for it, and I merely want to know why. Everything happens for a reason and since he came to see you as well, you must be quite a valuable asset.' Explained the figure.
'I'm flattered.' Said Leviathan, as he crossed his arms over his chest.
'Well, just think about it. Your deepest desires at the tips of your fingertips, you just have to decide if you want them badly enough.' Said the figure, before moving past Leviathan and heading towards Raynare.
'Where do you think you are going?' Said Leviathan, uncrossing his arms and tensing up in anticipation.
'Don't get so worked up, I want you on my side, I don't want to upset you. I just want to have a quick look at the fallen angel of this world. You have my word; I won't touch her.' Said the figure, before continuing on.
'It's odd though… I would have expected a devil of standing such as yourself to have dealt with her already, I wonder why you haven't yet?' Said the figure, before disappearing from Leviathan's view.
-line break-
Issei blinked as he found himself staring at Moka and Erza.
'I see you are back to being yourself.' Commented Moka.
'Yeah, I'm guessing everything worked then?' Inquired Issei.
'Of course. Just look at what you are holding.' Said Erza, only for Issei to gaze down and spot the chess pieces he now held.
'Alright, I think it is time we go back then.' Said Issei.
'Back where exactly?' Asked Moka.
'The house… of Leviathan.' Said Issei.
'Your house or his house?' Asked Moka.
'His, for now.' Said Issei.
'Is that wise? We know the situation, but will the others also understand?' Asked Erza.
'Err… probably not… what do you two think we should do then?' Asked Issei.
'Expand the harem more first.' Said Erza instantly.
'I'm all for expansion, but I was thinking of recruiting more people to fight with, not wrestle in the bedroom.' Said Moka.
'The two don't have to be mutually exclusive.' Pointed out Erza.
'Any suggestions then?' Asked Issei.
'You could always go back to the Forest of Familiars. While many of the creatures there are quite unremarkable and commonplace, there are some that are exceedingly rare and powerful, just like the Nine-Headed Hydra you mentioned earlier.' Said Moka.
'Okay then, we've got a plan, let's go.' Said Issei, pumping his fist, only for it to start speaking.
'Partner, that may not be the best idea. There are some things in the familiar forest that should be left undisturbed, the less said about it the better.' Said Ddraig.
'Why though? With the four of us, I'm sure we can beat anything in there.' Said Issei.
'Just don't say I didn't warn you… especially if you run into her.' Said Ddraig ominously, before going silent.
'So are the rest of us in agreement?' Asked Erza.
'Yeah, sure, I suppose… I just wonder what Ddraig was talking about.' Mumbled Issei.
"Leviathan, take us away." Thought Issei, placing his hands on the shoulders of his allies, only for nothing to happen.
"Leviathan? You in there?" Asked Issei.
'Yes, I was just dealing with another guest… nothing to worry about. Where do you plan to go now?' Said Leviathan, after a moment.
"The Forest of Familiars." Replied Issei.
'I see… in that case, be sure to meet up with Umimaru, he will help guide you all and ensure no one tries to attack you in there.' Advised Leviathan, before the three warped away.