Merry Christmas!

Vol. 1 Front Cover done and posted! I hope you enjoy reading and admiring the Cover as i took time to make it. Relevant Characters to the volume are there; Diodora Erthon Astaroth is sleeping leaning on a Character that will be introduced this chapter and on his lap the egg that his Half-Uncle gave him as a gift in the last chapter (Just edited that section today) and of course protectively is Salah-ad-Din the sentient pet snake of Diodora.
And of course, Ruruko Nimura in her school uniform; subjectively the cover art makes Salah-ad-din coil around the Ruruko (after all, she was bitten by Salah-Ad-Din).
The Japanese Letters on bold are literally the kanji for 'Jigoku Tensei' and added the DxD to not loose the context.
I thank you all for Reading my story and giving it a chance. I'll update two chapters today. I'm getting used to writting on P.O.V.'s specific to each character, for as i feel it is too convoluted to be concentrated in a Character's P.O.V. and then have another character's POV entering into the literal eyes and head of another character. I shall give screen time and thoughts of other characters as i progress through the story. Thank you all for reading :D

Tt: Not exactly; The love story between Cleria Belial and Masaomi Yaegaki was cannon in the DxD World, however I ask myself still today why exactly did they remained in the Human World and not seek any protection. Did love made them blind? Or did they just not cared? I find myself debating on who killed the couple; would it be a church organization like the Holy Office of the Inquisition? Or the dastardly Great King Faction of the Bael? Either way, I find it unbelievable a Belial Child would've survived. An Inquisitorial office would've killed the child for being devil born (worst things have been done in the inquisition in history), after all Masaomi Yaegaki was a 'Natural Born' Holy Sword User. Who would in the upper echelons even allow a devil, half, quarter or even speck-blooded be born that privilege? And the Great King Faction would've also gotten rid of the child; Would they rest easy knowing that a natural-born Holy Sword Using Devil is roaming around with a thirst for Bael Blood? To both, the answer is a No. Therefore there is no justification for the creation of an apt aged OC to participate in the events of this story because, in this "Darker Supernatural World" context, no child of Cleria and Masaomi would've been spared.

Kuoh Town / Japan / July, 2003

Diodora leaned his forehead to the bookshelf in frustration and wanted to cry, scream at the world his frustration, and just die; this being the culmination of years of silence that had eaten his very subconscious to know her name. Only her damned name, he wanted to know who she was. Was she an exorcist? Was she a low-born female devil? Was she a whore? Was she a member of the Old Satan Faction? Was she a monster? Even then would it make a difference, his mother never loved him. ~Why? Why must I be haunted by the dreams of that motherly shadow and yet still so far away?~ He took a breath as he remembered many times when Lady Phenex was polite yet marked the line.

I'm not your mother, nephew.

I'm the Lord of Phenex. You can't be because you aren't family.

Suddenly he wanted to cry, it was worse. Way worse to be treated with polite neutrality, it felt as if the Phenex were doing him a favor and he owed them something for bringing him up. All that love and attention was only a masquerade? Was anything true at all? He'd never let anyone see him cry for years, not after Riser's years bullying him.

~Mother, please, take me away from here.~ He pleaded yet to whom would that plea go, was she alive at all. To whom will hear the plea to get his father and himself away from the toxic Phenex Household? Her name was virtual, her presence inexistent, and the more he pictured it the more he wanted to just leave forever. A tear came, and he hoped that none of his friends would notice.

"This totally ain't fair!" Motohama 's cry of indignation brought him out of his musings. Motohama had a copy of his last term grade sheet, the source of Motohama's indignation was the health inspection which evaluated at least 80% of the total P.E. Grade. Guys who didn't have any after-school exercise club were badly affected by their last grade which will drop the numbers on that graduation certificate. In Kuoh Library, the infamous trio of stooge friends sat down trying to complain as silently as they could. Issei actually looked peppy and he smiled widely. "Hey guys, do you have time to come to mine today? There is someone I want to introduce to you both." Issei could barely hold his anticipation as Matsuda could only shrug.

"I'm not in the mood for Super Sentai Pink…" Motohama trailed off with a sigh, Matsuda however was not with them sitting specifically, the young male seemed to be dancing around the bookshelves of the public library. Of course, Diodora Matsuda had problems, more problems than choosing which ecchi video they would see today or if they would just go through the Star Wars saga once more.

~Where is that damned book?~. Matsuda cursed in his thoughts as he went through the bookshelves of the biggest library in Kuoh, there was no other place where he could go and he wasn't foolish enough to start searching for it on the internet. ~There is only one way to do it…~ Diodora thought as he closed his eyes, leaned the side of his head to the bookshelf, and whispered.

"Ynš Hsshhie." His tongue whispered his hisses, and a pulse almost was emitted and his eyes turned to a specific book which answered with a weak pulse. An emerald green book of scales, akin to the scales of a snake, outstretching his arm to take hold of the book, his hand shaking in anticipation and taking hold of it, its title was written in Latin and the name looked to have been scratched horribly. Either in hate or fear, as if a name could spark so much fear. Cupping the book in his hands, he had found it; a book on the art that Saladin spoke to him about a few days ago. The tongue of the Snakes, the topic which now roused his thoughts and the forefront of his mind, on the corner of his eye he also found a new shelf revealed, Matasuda went back to Motohama and Issei who turned back at him.

"Found something?" Motohama raised an eyebrow at him which he blinked. "Let's go." Issei called out cheerily which they followed, raising an eyebrow.

The secret bookshelf had a drawing of an orb with its top red and the bottom white and on the center a button.

The World of Pokemon

Pokemon Encyclopedia

The Anatomy of Pokemon

The 1001 Journeys of Satoshi Tajiri

Finding his fascination with those topics, he picked the first book and followed them. Going to the librarian, she took the only book she knew had registered The World of Pokemon and once given clearance he went through the sensors. For some reason, the book wasn't detected as being taken out of the library which made him raise his eyebrow, and the librarian who was checking some books on the counter didn't seem to mind them at all. Neither did everyone else. Shrugging, he turned back to the scaled book, and in its prologue started a very academic writing.

The snake tongue arises as a protuberance on the floor of the mouth, which in the course of development acquires a muscular system. The principal muscles are the longitudinal arising from the hyoid bone, morphologically part of the branchial muscles.

What followed were explained drawings of the tongue in snakes and the muscles of the tongue of snakes, the way it moved. The motions for snake hissing, fascinating data if he had to say.

"There is this friend I made during our exam week. He is my neighbor. It is so cool!" Issei called with interest as he continued to be absorbed in his book as always. "Do you want to meet tomorrow early?" He asked, he wanted to do some morning exercise and probably have a gym membership and perhaps build some more to his speed, his fencing could use some good edge as his martial arts.

"Yeah sure, nothing else to do though." Motohama shrugged and even Issei had to nod, they had nothing to do for vacations. As the household got nearer, a girl with chestnut hair and vibrant violet eyes who had a cheerful smile to boot waved eagerly at them. "Issei! You took too much time!" The girl spoke to the boy known as Issei while cracking a confident smile. Wearing a black tank shirt, tan-colored shorts and tennis shoes.

"Irina!" Issei cried out also waving his arms, as he got near to his house. "Guys, this is Irina Shidou. My neighbor." Issei presented his new friend and turned back to Irina.

"Irina-kun, these are Ken Motohama and Daiki Matsuda; they are my friends at school and we'll be the best of friends at Junior High when you come with us." Issei stated eagerly to the girl who lightly bashfully waved her arm.

"Nice to meet you." Irina offered as Issei pushed her lightly.

"Tag, You're it!" Issei lightly shouted with a wide smile on his face, bolting off while Irina just grinned and soon Matsuda ran away also, he enjoyed the times whenever Issei got childish enough, as Irina tagged Motohama who was just about to run away. As the four chased each other around the front lawn and the street of the Hyoudou Household, Matsuda found Issei Hiding behind a tree and ran away. Issei who realized he was at it ran towards Irina who leaped forward and tagged her, and just as he was about to run away Irina leaped forward and tackled Issei to the floor, pinning him to the ground with Irina on top of him. As both exchanged a flurry of blows in which their arms were only used. After a few moments of the flurry of arm blows, the two looked at each other before bursting out in laughter at the stupidity of their moment. Irina got off Issei and rested on her back next to Issei.

"Hey Issei, want to see Star Wars?" Motohama who was heaving looked as Matsuda asked casually out loud as Issei only raised his arm with a thumbs up. "We should do exercise man." Motohama whined and of course, Matsuda snorted and went inside, knocking on the door of the Hyoudou Household as Issei's mother kindly answered.

"Oh my, I didn't know Issei would have visits today." Mrs. Hyoudou was kind enough to rush back inside and prepare some lemonade, as Issei followed after Motohama and Irina naturally after him. Matsuda however had a wary glance on Irina, from the old photo of the anime it seemed as if she were a late middle schooler, from the very height she had in the photos so it matched with the time most probably. Issei's room had a TV and a VCR player therefore taking out the old Star Wars VCRs they played it in order by episodes one and two and four to six. Irina having been the first time she saw the movies was all the time engaged on her place taken by the intricate plot of the Space Opera which was Star Wars, a franchise that sincerely had everyone enthralled and a fan of, even them. They started early at 2pm, and they ended at seven.

"Is that it?" Irina asked in surprise turning to Issei blinked.

"What do you mean?"

"It makes no sense. How did he turn to the dark side, he was good in the second episode."

Issei scratched his back. "It is because there has been no episode three as of yet, episode two was released a year ago. Right now we only watched one and two and the originals from four to seven. The gap in the story is episode three which has yet to hit theatres."

"We have to see it Issei." Irina turned back to Issei who lightly chuckled. "Yeah, sure." He rolled his shoulders.

"So, how did you come around Irina?" Motohama asked with curiosity and the girl turned back to Motohama and just shrugged. "My parents moved here to Japan. My house is near to Issei's, we're neighbors. We met and since then it's been fun." She called casually which caused Motohama to glare with envy at Issei with narrowed eyes. "It's getting late." Diodora stared through the window at the setting sun on its last stage, getting up and Issei this time shook his head. "Nawh dawg, you stay here until I beat you in Smash Bros!" Issei called him out which made him chuckle and nod, he had time for some Smash with his friends, without any care in the world Issei took out two controls and Matsuda and Motohama took out theirs that they kept inside their backpacks and Irina who was just around was invited to join and play. The journey back home was peaceful, and to the bed was, extremely peaceful.

Chapter 2

The Othering in the Heart

Shivering from the cold, he used the bedsheet to cover his face from the rays of the sun peeking from the window. Ugh, his mother once again indirectly woke him early even in summer vacations by opening his window, yet realizing he had no bedsheet he opened his eyes, under the noticeable glare of the sun he raised his chest and in a sitting position, turning around to see only the grassy plains, grass all around him and rocks in between it. He immediately rose to his feet in suspicion this wasn't his home at all. ~If this is a sick game, I don't get it.~ He thought with a frown and turned around.

Saladin the venomous snake's head peeped from atop the grass and turned behind it and back to him. "At least I'll have you both this time." He will need to defend himself someway, therefore he'll have to depend on Saladin to defend him. Walking northward at first, lost from his path usually, everything around him was the same. The grassy plain continued for long, yet as his eyes looked to his left, he found taller grass; approaching the spot with Saladin following him, he found a clear water river, his hand passed atop it as he leaned lightly forward, the water was fresh and looked clean. Not so usual.

~This isn't home.~ Diodora's eyes narrowed as he followed the river and continued, it was until he found a wooden sign of an urban settlement's name. It read 'Dolomites; The Adamantium Heart of the Underworld.'. ~Adamantium, interesting.~ He scratched his chin in wonder, he believed adamantium as he turned to the city he saw a column of smoke rising not so far away, as he got inside the city, most of its buildings were closed and there was not a single soul in the streets. Which made him raise his eyebrow; Saladin was although wary, just as he was. A loud cry got him to turn to one of the ceilings as a red-skinned demonic being, tall at least 6'7 holding a gigantic broad mace made of bone and stone with a loud cry jumped. He wore nothing but a right shoulder pad made of bone and stone and a loincloth, that was all. With a loud cry, the red-skinned tribal warrior slammed his mace on the ground floor just as he managed to jump away.

"Hheshahsk." Hissing towards Saladin, the snake immediately went into battle stance just as the red-skinned orc-like demon tried to slam his massive mace at the snake, only for the snake to flexibly evade and go in for the kill and sink its fangs on the creature as he rushed forward and took a hold of the Mace and taking a hold of it. Before the Orc could use its fang dagger he swung the heavy massive mace on the Creature's head. A sickening crunch sound went to his ears.

"What the hell?" Matsuda called out as he turned around to hear a loud battle cry of righteous anger he turned to meet a reddish brown-skinned woman wearing a loincloth, wielding a staff-like mace on both of her hands formed mostly of horns. Atop her head, she wore a helmet made of a creature's skull, her shins and forearms covered in grayish brown pelts with white sheep-fur interior. Her silvery-purple hair long and wild, untamed and greasy billowed by the wind as her eyes madly glared at his with fury. From afar three arrows pierced her abdomen, her right shoulder, and her left leg.

"Rrrraaaagh!" With a loud battle cry, the woman with righteous fury attempted to slam her staff mace on him, but he parried with his acquired mace. "Hyeagh!" From behind him, a man took advantage to use his double-edged hand-and-half sword to slash the woman's midsection which caused her to seethe as he moved the mace back and slammed the top end of the mace on her chin which caused her to fall back on her ass.

"Damned Red Dhaedars." He turned to the man, he had a darkened clear skin tone with glowering golden eyes and long triangle-like elf ears, wearing plate armor which shone brightly and, on his hand, his double-edged sword. His long eyebrows determined his elven ancestry. "It's always them and the Imps follow." The man shrugged and turned back to the source of the flames.

"It is not every day I see a kid like you holding a big-ass Dhaedar mace. More less going almost toe-to-toe with a fiery Red Dhaedar Woman."

Marcher that was the name they knew him with nowadays; with a fate worse than death itself he walked the realm as a ghost a mere memory of what it used to be, of greater times. Before tragedies; when the Red Dhaedars attacked the Dolomites he saw the Imp waves coming with the Gremlins; he knew that the Night Elf Guards wouldn't be able to tolerate the onslaught of the tribes, even with the buildings closed off they wouldn't be able to resist. The attack was a dull affair, sure his Night Elf brethren had their sublime fighting techniques and survived in droves. Sure modern underworld natives had different traditions and ways of drinking, feasting, and swinging at each other in petty wars. Amid the battle he saw from atop a Building's ceiling, he saw a dark-haired boy without a weapon claim the big-ass mace of a Red Dhaedar Chieftain and whack the bastard out. His form was terrible but his strength was surprising before he realized the boy was ticked off and took it out on the nearest enemies, helping the boy against a female Red Dhaedar who looked mad, finally, the boy seemed to be resting.

"Keep your chin up, boy." The boy looked at him for a second, he thought he saw flecks of indigo in those common brown orbs of his. As the honey-brown-eyed boy looked at him. Lightly bowing. "I'm sorry Ser, I didn't mean any offense."

The boy dropped the mace and sloped off towards the nearest place he could take a seat. "Don't worry lad, none given." The boy's look of seriousness roused something deep inside him. 'Where have I seen that look? Who is this boy?' He thought as he decided to look closer, but before he could a loud explosion got him out of his musings. Without any mercy, he made sure to kill the chieftain; it was already halfway through it anyway. As the battle wrapped up fast the Night Elf authorities finally made sure things were well within Dolomites. The boy disappeared since then.

The Marcher took a hold of his pipe and exhaled tobacco from his pipe, as he made sure to listen to the whispers of the folk.

Can you believe it? The damned red-haired loser we have as king is giving outsiders noble devil privileges just for playing with the masses. Since when the damned Belial has been relevant?

He grunted and hung his head deeper into his coat's hood. Years have passed since this realm had hoped; he and many others used to serve a powerful devil but when such turned on its own blood for the sake of a friend; to maintain pretenses some stayed but they all were gone; Nyarlathotep, Rhadamanthys, Trisha, Allairo, Strawbeard and Acnologia, they all abandoned ship the moment their King did nothing in retribution to Cassygnus's death at the hands of the Gremory Family. Of course the first one that jumped at the advantage was Saeron Bael and his family of thieves; may they all be cursed. Shaking his head, his curiosity got the better of him; it was better than inebriating himself in a past that would never come back anyway. The boy was at the back of the Inn he was at, the Sunny Falcon. The boy held a sword in hand this time and beat the hell out of a straw dummy.

"Your form is terrible." The boy turned to him. "Ser…I…"

He smiled trying to put the boy at ease. "Ser Ellyldor Barassard." The boy frowned as he heard his name.

"Would you like some pointers?" The boy smiled and nodded.

"Yes sir."

And for the next couple of hours, Ser Ellyldor Barassard went through stances, footwork, and forms and the boy proved to be a quick learner and study. Quicker than most devil boys he has seen in those Rating Games he has seen. As the boy went through the notions, he leaned to a nearby wooden post in the open backyard of the Sunny Falcon -Inn. "What's your name lad?" The boy's face lightly bleached before getting back its color.

"Diodora, Diodora Astaroth, Ser."

Ah, a human boy so far away from planet Earth and instead in the Underworld. So this must be a boy who wanted adventure. "Well, you've got talent, young man. If you keep it up you'll be an excellent swordsman one day." The smile he gave him was blinding, blinding, and familiar. His face bleached at the thought. 'No, it couldn't be.' He thought in shock. Shaking his head out of those thoughts Ellyldor aided the boy in getting a fair deal out of the old man in charge of the Sunny to give him a damned room in the Inn and a fair plate of their famous stewed mango, the warm goodness mixed with a substitute of the usual light rum they usually use. The boy was out like a light by the time sunset had already stricken, and that pet seemed to follow the boy almost wherever he went. A snake, not the usual company but he didn't doubt the boy must've gone through heavy things if he was here. The night came too fast by the time he paid for his room and had a delicious plate of his favorite jugged bison with bitter liquor on the plate with some spaghetti as a side, he smirked as he ate. He remembered his own days teaching youngsters to be part of the Army back in the war, it brought a smile to his worn-out face. The plate even reminded him of home, in Gnaardor. Even Ol' Jolly Ruger was very lively lately. It was so easy to afterward just fall into the bed, yet at night the dreams came to him again.

The bodies were placed before the throne, one a child. I see no child, I see a rapespawn. Ser Ellyldor, have you seen Nagi, a pregnant Lady Astaroth asked. Look after my children Ser Ellyldor, things will change when I return. The smiles both had, the smile on their faces was blinding as they showed the room they had prepared for their child.

He woke up in cold sweat, it was the same smile, it was Lady Astaroth's smile. The same damned smile she used to bear in happier days.

Ellyldor got out of bed. 'It had to be.' His thoughts brought a sense of logic into his mind. He went to the nearest bathroom with a sink and threw some water onto his face, the coldness a welcome respite from the thoughts in his head. 'But how?' He thought glaring at the mirror itself. As he began to play the events of the Coup D'grace against Regulus Bael in his head. There were many unanswered questions, Zekram Bael left the room arguing with Sirzechs Gremory, he had stood up for Regulus and the child and called it out for what it truly was, murder. Then he left to lift the siege at Castle Bael, then what; damn why couldn't he remember. He quickly got dressed, it was early but perhaps breaking his fast would clear the thoughts from his head.

Walking down the stairs, he managed to get some of the early serving of Honey Covered Porridge from a female Imp who carried on her nimble tiny form the big plate and went back to serve others. As savages as Imps and Red Dhaedars may be, this was the only dignified way to start a day in the fresh land. Each bite made him feel better than the last, and once he finished up and went outside the training area, a part of him hoped to find that boy once again, but it was too early and he was alone.

He smirked, picking up one of those blunted wooden swords they had around for anyone to take for training. He began going through the motions, feeling the calmness he always did when he did this. After a few minutes, Ellyldor turned to put the sword back down. He would've gone back when he heard grunts and he turned to notice the boy, he'd been watching and mimicking his movements as best as he could; it made his lips naturally curl up to see how close he was coming to copying them.

"What brings you out so early lad?"

The boy shot him a surprised look at the sound of his voice. "Nothing…ser." The boy straightened up. "I was just watching."

And Ellyldor smirked at him. "You were doin' more than watching, you were copying me and doing a damn good job at it." A guilty look settled on the boy before it morphed into one of Pride, it was, good. He was right to feel pride, Twelve and he was doing already much more than children his age. "Ser, those moves. Why do you do them?" The question caught him off guard for a moment.

"Why do you think?" He raised an eyebrow cleverly as the boy pondered.

"Because the more you do them the easier they become, then doing them feels easy and calms you down." The boy surprised him, he looked at the lad, closer than he had before, he could clearly see it then. The shape of the nose, the cheekbones, it all became clear. He is Cassygnus's son. "Yes lad, well done, that's exactly why, would you like to practice some more with me." And there it was, that blinding smile once again. They both practiced for a couple more hours, before having a mock spar.

Diodora's eyes were fixed on the man as he told him the story. "Do you have a way I could go back to Planet Earth, sir?" He asked earning the man's snort, Ellyldor had no fond memories of the planet. It was the place where most supernatural did their black deals, Ellyldor stared at the boy who remained looking at the straw dummy, the boy had a firm stance, from someone with years trained in the sword. "How did you manage to come here, lad? One doesn't just get a ticket to the underworld from your street vendor." The man mused with a light chap smirk on his lips which the boy could only frown.

"I slept on my bed and woke up here." Astaroth frowned at the prospect of not being back home as the night elf knight nodded and mused. "I know someone that can help you in your predicament kid. Pack your things."

With those words, they took a pair of Pale Horses from the stables; the Knight seemed to be bleeding gold easily to buy them the accommodations for the journey, on the outskirts of the town he looked at the bustling activity now; many different races sharing their day, living their day trying to bring bread to their table.

"Come on Diodora, we have a long way ahead of us."

He smiled at the warrior before they began to ride away, he was excited; for the first time since he had a new life, he would have an adventure. For new places he could see, he never ever left his parent's home or school and now not only was he traveling into a fantasy world but also traveling it. What he believed would've taken longer, took mostly a day, a day full of grassy planes and forests. By sunset Ser Ellyldor stopped the horses and gave him another lesson in swordsmanship, it was hard to realize how much he actually was progressing but he enjoyed it nonetheless. On the second day, it only took perhaps a pair of hours before the grass fields and the farmlands turned into thick forests and no road anymore but the dense lush grass, and trees; for green colors with other lively beautiful shiny colors to fill his vision and horizon, with the foreboding dense and humidity of the forest to reach him. The sound of bug buzz could be heard in the surroundings, three pairs of wings on the air constantly beating at it to maintain stability in the air, wings regardless of the being, a single flick of them, a single movement, a single heartbeat, a single blink, can cause a hurricane on the other side of the world, disaster and chaos, such is the frailty of existence and reality itself, of life regardless of its origin; after all, if life were any easier would it have been perhaps something out of a fictional book or a fantastical story, a majestic dance of blue and green colors around the thick foliage and the mossy smell of the forest, the air fresh thick humid air reaching to the nose was a weight and yet also a relief to the nose and the lugs. Hard to believe one can get used to it after coming and going so many years around it.

Life is a beautiful thing even after all the efforts lived after all the things done. The little things and the fact that one can be alive are what give a full feeling. And perhaps, is the special things that happen that break our routine. Our dull world of commodities, because, in the end, the brain itself is highly adequate to go around routines as a method of self-preservation, after all, not all days are adventures.

A halt of the creature´s wings and the buzz allowed him to take the colors vividly, a filled pouch, a beetle-sized creature. Mildly bigger perhaps occupying a portion of his hand, the creature with an ovoid-like pouch of blue with a green mark. Its eyes like any bug were still, unmoving, as with its feet two pairs in the front and a pair in the back. Its antennae are straight as always, perceiving, sensing; active. And Diodora Astaroth felt it on his fingers, a tingling sense…as if something tapped into his very being as if the creature tried to connect with him. All under the gaze of the knight which shared his company.

"You came from a long way, don´t you?" He trailed off as he sat near a rock the bug's wings once again spread and buzz started to fill what was once white noise in his ears. He felt the buzzing in his chest, his arms, his feet, his heart and even on his head, his mind, everywhere. "What is this?"

"Welcome to the Beelzebub Forest." The outstretched arms of Ser Ellyldor indicated as he nodded, going back to the bug. A secret thing Diodora Astaroth liked more than studying and reading was perhaps biology and nature, he felt a close affinity to its sciences. Perhaps that was one of the main reasons why he studied medicine when it was presented to him. He enjoyed life science and everywhere around him now is, where he would wish to be forever. Living beings all interact in a complex connection which creates a Biome. He felt a pinch on his gut, on his abdomen yet he couldn't understand it, feeling it travel his solar plexus, chest, pubis, all over his body. A funny feeling. Closing his eyes and focusing the energy on his arm and hand, he opened his eyes and stared as a dark-purple energy surrounded his palm and the flying bug was surrounded by it. To all action there was a reaction, his answer was bug buzz and it flew away from his waiting hand, a sigh of relief reached him, a mark of progress. As he trudged through the forest, moving foliage as he moved, an orange-skinned big mantis beast with insectoid gray-like eyes passed by, as it turned towards him, he gasped as his shoulder was grasped, as the creature jumped very high and at blinding speeds, and once more adhered to another tree before climbing it. And on a tree back, where the bug he met was perched, had a big gap in its bark. Approaching steadily, he saw through the gap as an oily substance with a light-yellowish transparent color dripped. Astaroth widened his eyes and glanced at the combination of colors. Red and green-blue all around the tree, their natural bio-luminescence in the depths of three caused a unique mystical appearance. A red jug bug with its pouch filled arrived, before it could though empty its pouch buzzes were heard. Soon the buzz turned louder and louder, a Red Jug Bug with its filled pouch emerged from the gap formed in the tree and rested on the boy's right arm.

"You are not the type to reminisce on the past, Ellyldor." He turned first to meet a gigantic robot of a man if it could be said that. The robot was at least 9'8 taking a step back all while the knight seemed to chuckle.

"Monsieur Allairo, I didn't expect to meet you here." He offered to the House's butler who acknowledged him with a light bow.

"Allairo, you haven't aged a thing." The man mustered with confidence which caused the gargantuan giant to turn back to the boy. "You know him!?" The man cried out yet before anything else could be said he gasped. "What the-!"

And atop the boy's head and that of his animals energy of a foul nature settled and all he saw was black once again.

Gasping once more Diodora Astaroth could only close his eyes and shake his head. Turning around, his room was the same as he left it. As if perhaps nothing he went through happened. Yet he checked his lap, feeling weight he turned to meet four different books.

Supremacy of the Esoteric Master by Augusta

Juyoken: The Sea Serpent's Fist

The first books were moderate but not that long in content from what he could see; the third and last book was a hardcover book, massive in content and almost could feign as an encyclopedia. He didn't remember having ever acquired such books during any of his visits to the library and, the underworld; is not exactly on the list of things he wishes to be aware of. The other Matsuda would've just thrown the books away and searched for a porno on the web, and this Matsuda, he was still skeptical of the occult, he preferred the harshness and cold facts of science than the superstitions attributed to something as blind and senseless as magic.

"Could've fooled me." Matsuda thought with interest and took the first book, History was a science in itself. Part of Social Studies but a science nonetheless therefore he found it so easy to pick up such a book first; just by opening it an artistic view of Renaissance art was portrayed on the page. On the skies, angels were on the right with golden white wings and their swords, on the left dark-winged angels with their spears and all were pointed at those below, those underneath; red-skinned winged beings who had three-pronged spears and tried to defend themselves from both sides. The book was quite short, it only had four chapters; the first chapter was however the Conquest.

Being on vacation before starting Junior, would give him a good excuse to read something for once outside things focused on school. Turning towards the old alarm clock he had, to his surprise it was still 8 O'Clock in the morning; perhaps doing exercise wouldn't hurt. Going to his closet and finding the necessary sports gear, he took the Underworld History book and got prepared to run some laps around the neighborhood; yet he chose to take a detour to Motohama's and Issei's house for a morning exercise. And to his not surprise Irina also joined them since Issei did. As they jogged the first pair of laps, Issei lightly complained.

"I can't believe you convinced me to join in this." Issei wheezed as he jogged, all while Irina cheered him up.

"It's not a big deal Issei, we can build some stamina before the first Health inspection in P.E." Irina mused to Issei's sagged shoulders as he yawned.

Diodora Matsuda of course lightly chuckled as his eyes danced through his read, the book would certainly pass as a bible for the Church of Satan or something along those lines. Jogging slightly faster, a voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Hey guys." Issei wandered out loud. "What if we make a rock band?"

Motohama raised his eyebrow at Issei's idea. "A band?"

"Yes, I want to be a Harem King and you guys want girls too. Why not do it the easy way and have a rock band. You can rock with us too Irina." Issei offered which earned Motohama's shrug. "Who will teach us music?"

"Matsuda, of course. He is part of the Orchestra…isn't he?" Issei scratched the back of his head as he jogged. He mildly paid attention to Issei's wanderings, he wasn't wrong to say that he was part of the Orchestra and his notions of music theory weren't that lost. But there was one thing to be part of a Wind Band or an Orchestra and an entirely different idea to be part of a rock band. Those were different theories and different contexts in music, although Issei must've heard about groupies and fame for him to be seeking such a dream.

"I won't dissuade your wishes for fame." Matsuda rolled his eyes nonetheless a light smile curved up in his lips. Constantly maintaining his jogging pace all while Irina could only wander back. In his past life, he held too much stress from his job and resentment against his father. He lived most of his life for his nephew and niece; after all he chose to never believe in love. The few chances he had passed by his eye so directly he just chose to diss it completely and build himself a life.

"So, which clubs will you be joining this time?" Irina addressed the elephant in the room; Issei wasn't the sporting type and even his frown said it all. "If we join sporting clubs, it would be easier for us to get a good check on P.E's Health Inspections. I plan to join Gymnastics."

Motohama shrugged and continued. "I'll choose Athleticism though my parents perhaps might sign me to the Karate club to bring to school what I do in my after-hours." Motohama complimented the talk, as he thought about it deeply. Fencing Club was a good thing but the school will have its focus on Kendo which was an art that he was alien to. So used to European Sword Styles was he that Japanese ones were foreign to him; and while self-defense was good there wasn't going to be a Bagua-Zhang Club in the school, therefore his only leftover choice would be either Athleticism or Swimming. Athleticism improved stamina but only wormed a few muscles. Swimming was a more wholly activity that exercised the entirety of his muscles, and he felt a good affinity to water. In his past life, he learned the basics of swimming and whenever he was on the water, he was acquainted with it, so natural was he that he didn't need to relearn anything.

This time he would do competitive swimming and be an ace of the club.

"Swimming." Matsuda found it, his call; and the sheer thought of water got him to feel giddy and anxious. He smirked, of course, he was going to attend the Summer Swimming Classes. The Fencing Club went to a competition, so for this summer won't be available and his self-defense of course continued as always yet the Juyoken book sounded interesting. Perhaps the book would be able to compliment his fighting style even further, he hoped it did.

~All in efforts to improve this second chance I have in life.~ Matsuda's eyes held a certain bitter remembrance of his past life; at ten years old he will make sure he improves everything there is to improve in this new life. For his sake, he will do so. Their jog led them to a street that divided into two paths, while the others jogged forward, he took a moment to stare at the other path. As the air billowed against his face, he looked at the lonely path and then at his friends slowly retreating away. Something called to him, and yet Matsuda felt himself shivering at the prospect of following that path. There was a feeling in his gut whenever he thought of such a place. ~Why am I thinking about this?~. He asked himself in his chaotic thoughts, he felt the nervousness, hesitance, and fearfulness that such a place evoked in his memory. Saladin's voice echoed in his thoughts.

I smell your fear…

He slowly took the first few steps as he realized this road ran behind most of the suburban homes on the outskirts of Kuoh. He could only glare at what followed into the road, as he walked through the sidewalk; slowly the white noise of the air washing through was the only noise he could hear. Saladin's hissing at his fear could only make him feel more unnerved since he acknowledged the snake was right.

"Can I be blamed?" He snapped back to the snake who remained silent, as he found a set of stairs that climbed up a hill which otherwise aside from the stone stairs, was only grass and earth. Staring at the first step, he felt his stomach clenching, tossing, and turning inside his gut. He took a breath once again, raised his head, and sighed. When his right foot was on the first step, his fate was already decided. The stairway was long, so long that the surface of the sidewalk was turning blurry and the hill above seemed eternal. ~Why am I afraid?~ He asked not knowing why, as he continued upstairs; being his path the consequence of his own choosing. Shouldn't I be? His own feelings of nervousness, hesitation, and fear were brought up alongside his own subconscious insecurities.

~I should. It means I'm alive.~ He thought firmly and continued through the steps, as the blur of something red could be seen far away. I am alone. ~And I shouldn't be afraid because of it. Because it is the only moment a man can be brave.~ He answered to his own insecurities of his subconscious with order and seriousness, his own mind an accumulation of his own self-growth of two lifetimes. One as a mortal human and this one as a devil in disguise.

I smell…blood.

Saladin's voice in his head made him go through the stairs faster, faster as much as he could. As if taking the challenge faster would give him an incentive, it wasn't until he saw that the red blur cleared and turned out to be a gigantic red arch of the Shinto Pantheon of Japan. He widened his eyes as he stared at a figure in black hooded robes pinning a dark-haired man near one of the arch's pillars. Saladin slithered through the dark bushes and he crawled following it, as he stared at both figures arguing.

The man in hooded robes turned his orange irises with black sclerae analyzing his back for any enemies before turning back to the dark-haired man.

"Do you fear death?" The man held a big scythe, the scythe as big as most representations of skeletal death that are done in many cultures and are in the popular culture of the mortal world. The man though, instead snorted. Spitting on the face of the man in hooded robes.

"Curse you forever you dirty winged bein-."

The scythe's blade was already dripping in blood before the man could even end the sentence, the head perfectly cleaved from the body, rolling out morbidly leaving a headless corpse behind. He closed his eyes and gulped, trying to maintain composure. As a silver-haired man in plate armor and holding a spear called out. "Have you found the girl?" The silver-haired man hissed at the one in black robes.

"Why should we care?" The one in black robes asked in defiance as he kicked the man's head away and spitted on the headless corpse afterward. That was until a harsh slap on his back got him to straighten, a pink-haired woman with irises, green sclerae, and red pupils glared at him. Her hands were bigger than what normal hands should be, they were mechanical glove-like extensions, only they looked mechanized and from the forearm to the arm there were many hydraulic components.

"Look up." She hissed in reprimand and all looked up. He looked up to find a black dot and a light that slowly grew bigger and bigger, as he felt a tingling on his head and a tightness in his chest.

I found this…

Saladin faced him and as it opened its maw wide and outstretched its forked tongue, he took it. ~Black crow wings.~ He realized what was happening right now.

Fallen Angels.

"-Kokabiel treats this as a game? The Himejima Clan's death has a motive, and that dirty-blooded being cannot be allowed to run away? Did you kill the whore priestess?" The pink-haired female hissed in question to the black-robbed male who turned to a white-haired female with blue eyes without an iris or pupil. She wore a plated armor with the difference that she also hid her face with a dense white hood and only slipping through the dies were strands of white hair and the glowering blue eyes could be seen from the depths of the hood.

"There was a trail of blood to the forest." A monotone feminine voice replied earning the pink-haired female's ire.

"Then, what are you waiting for Tabris? Go after her! Go with her too Turiel, We need them dead. DEAD!" The pink-haired woman screamed right into their faces as followed the direction of the trail of blood.

His heart was now beating fast, as he turned around, and of the fear he now felt nauseous. Kokabiel? This was too early for Kokabiel. Kokabiel wasn't supposed to act on his own until very much later, and right now he was in this temple and attacking Shinto Priests of the Himejima Clan. There can only be one motive.

~Akeno!~ He cried out in his thoughts.

Just as a gigantic glowering spear turned into a common big Damascus steel spear descended from the heavens itself to pierce through the main temple like a knife through butter, causing the earth to quake and him to fall to his knees as the dust was kicked.