It was a few days before the match and a party was being held by the devil nobility to celebrate the young devils the day before. The ORC had wrapped up their training and were resting so that they would be at full power for the match as well as refreshed for the party. Issei was called back to Chaldea to discuss something with Da Vinci and was due to return later that day. It was nighttime as the girls of the ORC as well as many female Servants were enjoying the large bath in the Gremory manor. The girls were talking about how their training went as well as the usual gossip. Some of the Servants were also sharing stories about their time with Issei before he came back from Chaldea and how he got caught up in many of their antics. As the conversation died down, Scàthach decided to muse about her Master. "Master has been through a lot, in more ways than one. Considering both his actions in our world as well as here, I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up in the Throne of Heros when he dies."

"That would be wonderful!" said Nero ecstatically. "Then we would never have to be away from darling ever again."

The members of the ORC were curious about Scàthach's statement, although they weren't fond of the idea of Issei dying. "What is the Throne of Heros?" asked Xenovia.

"Ahh, right. You're new so you haven't been informed about us. Basically, the Throne of Heros is a record of beings who had made great accomplishments in life. As the name implies, it usually refers to great heroes or kings, but that's not always the case. Basically, it's for people who have made a great mark on the world. While it would have been questionable with just the Grand Order before, since only a select few know what actually happened, his actions in this world are doing well to fulfill the requirements needed to be part of the throne," explained Scàthach.

"So does that mean that Issei will become a Servant?" asked Rias curiously. Her question interested the other members of the ORC as well.

"Yes, if he chooses to accept it. It is possible to deny or remove a hero from the throne as well. The King of Mages, Solomon erased himself from the throne in order for Master to defeat Goetia. There are also cases of heroes denying the throne simply because they were fulfilled with their lives and wished to rest. I don't think there is any worry about these two options though. Master is the type of person who would want to keep fighting to protect others even after death."

"Yes, Issei-kun is that type of man after all," said Akeno with a smile and a small blush.

"So even if he were to die, it would be possible to reunite with him as a Servant?" asked Rias, a bit of hope to reunite with her lover after death.

"If he becomes a Servant. It would be difficult to know for sure. Even so it would be difficult to summon him unless you had an artifact connected to him," said Raikou, joining the conversation.

"Well, it's not like that would be hard to find," said Akeno playfully.

"There's also the factor of whether or not you have the aptitude to be a Master," said Circe as she was using her magic to spin some bubbles in the air playfully.

"I lead my own peerage. Doesn't that stand for anything?" asked Rias.

"Sorry, having leadership skills doesn't mean you have the aptitude to be a Master. There is a high chance that you could be a Master if our Master is anything to go by, but it's not always guaranteed. The previous Director, Olga Marie Animusphere, had an abundance of skill and aptitude in Magecraft, but she didn't have the aptitude to be a Master, which greatly vexed her, according to Da Vinci," said Scàthach.

"I think it's not a huge worry for you in terms of becoming a Master, but it's a two-way street. A Servant can refuse a summons if they do not wish to serve you for whatever reason," said Circe.

"Do you think Ise would refuse me?" she asked, a bit hurt by the thought.

"That all depends on how things end," said Berserker of El Dorado.

That sentence gave the girls a chilling thought of what could happen if they screwed up with Issei. Scàthach saw the mood going down and decided to change the subject. "That aside, I'm more interested in what class Master would be in."

That topic caught everyone's attention. "Umu! Too true. I also wonder what Darling would be summoned as. Since he wields a holy-sword that makes him a candidate for the Saber-class," said Nero.

"He is technically a Magus, so he could be summoned as a Caster as well," said Circe.

"He has a wild fighting style and likes to fight with his fists. I could see him being summoned as a Berserker," said Raikou.

"He has been training under myself and Emiya, so that also makes him a candidate for Lancer and Archer classes as well," said Scàthach.

"It's possible that he could manifest as a Shielder," said Salter, surprising everyone, especially Mash. "He absorbed Mash's shield during his battle with Goetia, right? So it's possible that he could manifest in the class as well.

"Senpai…" said Mash, picturing Issei in a similar attire to hers and them standing side-by-side.

"There are two other possibilities as well," said Jeanne. "Considering the number of people and Servants that follow him, he could possibly be a candidate for the Ruler-class, although that class is particular about who can be a Ruler. But the one I think is the most likely, is Master being summoned in the Foreigner-class."

The Servants were still for a moment before a look of understanding appeared on all of their faces. "I see… That definitely would be the most fitting. Master is technically a foreigner to our world, so that class would be the most fitting for him," said Scàthach.

"Sorry if this sounds like a silly question, but does class really matter?" asked Xenovia.

"Yes, it does. Most Heroic Spirits are summoned into a class to limit their abilities. Letting a Servant run around at full power is dangerous for the stability of the world."

"God, imagine if someone like Gilgamesh was allowed to roam around at full power. He would take over the world just because he thinks he deserves to," said Jealter. The ORC were disturbed by this statement as they saw the other Servants nodding in agreement.

"Anyway, a Servant's class is determined by certain aspects of their legends. Master has already told most of you about how some Servants could manifest into the various classes, but imagine a being who had all of those abilities together," said Scàthach.

"If you thought we were too strong before, then you haven't seen anything yet," said Circe with a wicked smile.

"Being a Servant in of itself is a considerable boost to our abilities, when before most of us were balanced out by the simple fact that we were mortal. Now, even if we're "killed" there is a possibility of us being brought back again. Not only that but there are more options for us to recover than when we were alive as well," said Jeanne.

"The Servant system is meticulously balanced by the Counter Force in order to protect the world. While giving us amazing power and survivability it also realizes that too much power could have the opposite effect in trying to protect the world," said Martha.

"What's the Counter Force?" asked Asia.

"Basically, it's the will of the planet. It interferes in events if there is a danger to the planet or humanity. Originally, the Servant summoning system was exclusively for the Counter Force's use to protect the world, but Mages learned how to access it, which as you could imagine led to more troublesome disasters happening," said Scàthach.

"So there weren't even supposed to be Masters in the first place?" asked Xenovia.

"Correct. We were only supposed to be summoned by the Counter Force in case of emergencies. But that rule has long since been broken, so now it's normal, or rather expected that a Servant will be summoned by a Master at some point," said Atalanta.

"Do you think, our world has a Counter Force too?" asked Asia. The other members of the ORC sat in thought, not having considered that possibility.

"I wouldn't think so. We would have known by now if that were the case, considering how many conflicts and disasters have happened over the millennia," said Rias.

"I wouldn't count on that," said Scàthach. "The Counter Force is specifically for "Human" and "Planetary" survival. It wouldn't act for your supernatural conflicts because, as the word states, you're not natural to the planet. On top of that, the situation would have to be extreme for it to act, like "wipe out all of humanity" extreme. It wouldn't react to war or if a single continent was destroyed. It would have to endanger the entire species or the planet's survival."

"So simply put, we haven't done anything to warrant the planet reacting?" stated Akeno.

""If" your planet does have a Counter Force," said Circe. "We don't know the rules of your world yet, so that's yet to be determined."

They all began to wonder just how much they all didn't know about their own world, and what could be happening unbeknownst to them. Eventually Tamamo got bored and decided to change the topic. "Well, you all can think about it later. What I wanna know is, what's going on with this party tomorrow?"

"It's just a gathering for the families of the young devils and others associated with them. While it's framed as celebrating us it's more for strengthening ties between families and creating opportunities to benefit from each other. The heads of the families will have arrived far ahead of when we're supposed to be there to chat about their own private dealings and such. There will no doubt be families trying to set up the future heirs to create family ties to each other like with me and Raiser before," explained Rias.

"Do you think your family will try to set you up with another noble?" asked Circe.

"No. My mother was clear about announcing my relationship with Issei to make sure that others know I'm no longer available. Although I'm not sure how well that will go over with the Council."

"They don't have a say in the matter," said Scàthach. "Master has already staked his claim. If they want to go against that they will do so over his dead body." Scàthach gave off a dangerous smile. "Of course, they would have to go through us to get to him though." The other Servants shared the same smile, with expressions just daring anyone to try and oppose their Master.

"I suddenly feel like I'm the most guarded person in the world," said Rias, sweating a bit at the Servants' intense auras.

"And that goes for anyone else Issei claims," said Akeno with a lustful smile.

"I have a feeling the party will be more hectic than we'll expect," said Mash.

The others nodded in agreement. As they were all calming down Circe gained a playful smile and decided to stir the pot again. "So girls, how has Master been with taking care of you?"

This caused Rias, Mash, and Asia to stiffen slightly, while Nero, Tamamo, and Raikou blushed happily. The other Servants leaned in with interest as did the rest of the ORC girls. "H-he's been good. We haven't really had any time together this past month because of training and other things, but we have been able to spend some time together, as well as patch up a rough spot," said Rias.

"A rough spot?" asked Circe, interested.

"Because the two of us have been busy with things we had both been a bit neglectful of each other. Issei with his job at Chaldea, and me handling my family, have been stressful for each of us." Rias turned to Mash and bowed apologetically. "I should also apologize to you Mashu, for my mother's actions. She's determined to make sure I'm the "Head Wife" so that my position with Issei is secure, which is why she has been probing you about your relationship."

"Please raise your head Rias. There's no need for you to apologize. Your mother is just worried about her daughter's future," said Mash, understandingly.

"I know, but we've already set up how we were going to handle Issei's harem, and I don't want her meddling with it. Considering she managed to just make amends with Issei as well, it would be a problem if he found out what she was doing to you."

"Thank you Rias. Just knowing you care is enough. I'll make sure to take care of Senpai if he finds out. So please don't worry about it," Mash reassured Rias.

Rias nodded. "Back to the main point, when Issei started helping in my training, we managed to talk without something else distracting us and managed to sort it out."

"And how was the training? I'm sure you've gotten stronger, especially if you've been sleeping with him," said Tamamo mischievously.

"W-what does sleeping with him have to do with it?" asked Rias, embarrassed.

"Hmmm? You didn't know? You can absorb mana from another person's bodily fluids. It's most potent in the blood and semen," explained Circe.

"W-w-w-what?!" stammered Asia as her face went red. The other girls of the ORC were blushing too, although Akeno looked like she was enjoying this situation.

"Umu, it's true. That's what all of us Servants who sleep with Master have been doing. I believe the mages call it Mana Transfer, right Mash?" said Nero.

"R-right," responded Mash, a bit embarrassed to be put in the spotlight.

"You too Mashu?" asked Rias.

"Yes. It's how I've been maintaining my power here when I'm not at Chaldea. I assumed you all were doing the same. Wait…. That means you've been doing it with Senpai unprotected the entire time! What if you get pregnant?!" asked Mash in realization.

Rias blushed. "Well, I wouldn't mind if it's with Ise, but remember, devils have low birth rates. It's not uncommon for devils to go at it for years or even decades before having even one child. That's why we made the evil piece system."

"Oh right. I forgot about that."

As the two were talking Asia looked at them with a bit of jealousy while still blushing. Akeno noticed this and addressed her. "What about you, Asia? Has Issei been keeping you company as well?" she said a bit mischievously.

"Well…. Issei-san still hasn't done it with me," said Asia with a mix of embarrassment and disappointment.

This shocked the group, except for Rias and Mash. "What?! You're one of his women and he hasn't touched you yet?!" said Circe, shocked.

Asia just looked down a bit sad while Rias sighed. "Ise still treats Asia preciously, so he has been slower to progress their relationship than he has with the rest of us," explained Rias.

"Geez, that boy. Maybe I should have a stern conversation with him," said Scàthach, exasperated.

"Please Shishou, let us handle it. We should be the ones to talk him into it," said Rias.

"Very well. If you insist."

"So, what about you Mash? Although I probably don't have to ask since we see how you two are all the time when you're together," said Irisveil.

Mash blushed at being asked. "Things are fine like always. There's nothing wrong with our relationship."

"I'm just curious what you think. How is Master in bed?" asked Tamamo mischievously.

Mash blushed a shade of red to match Rias' hair. "H-he's gentle yet firm with me… Oh, I can't say anymore than that!" she said while covering her face. The other Servants chuckled at the girl's embarrassment but were happy she was being treated well. Cheerful gossip continued like this through the night.

(Chaldea Control Room)

Issei was currently meeting with Da Vinci at Chaldea. She had called him to discuss new developments that had occurred over the past few weeks. "So, what's happening that you needed to see me right away?" asked Issei.

"Well, a few things have happened while you all were training. First, I'd like to inform you that your Origin has awakened even more." This surprised Issei, but when he thought about it, he did find himself being distracted by the girls more than usual. Even now he found his gaze wandering around Da Vinci's body, specifically her breasts. Da Vinci noticed this and had a wry smile. "Like something you see?" she asked playfully.

"How could I not? I always acknowledged your beauty, but clearly I didn't appreciate it enough. Now I understand why you wanted to look like the Mona Lisa," said Issei unabashedly.

Da Vinci was surprised by how brazen he was all of a sudden. It seemed like his Origin awakening more had altered his personality a bit more. "While I always appreciate being, appreciated, you do remember that I'm a man on the inside, right?"

"Da Vinci. I've had to handle all kinds of girls among the Servants, including but not limited to, tomboys, genderbends, women pretending to be men, men who appear like women (Astolfo), and many more, but you already know all that. So my tolerance for accepting strange circumstances is very high. Besides, it's not like you've acted like a man at all while in that body," said Issei with a wry smile.

Da Vinci couldn't help but chuckle at the Master's comments. "Well, that's certainly true. Clearly your Origin is affecting more of your personality. Is this how you used to be?"

"No, but it's closer. I can at least keep eye contact with you without my eyes constantly drifting to your breasts, although it's definitely more distracting than it used to be."

"Now I'm curious just how much more it will take to make you go back to normal. What did you even do to awaken your Origin more?"

Issei looked away with a tired look. "Shishou had me go through some, special training with Medb, and I'll leave it at that," he said tiredly. A look of realization appeared on Da Vinci's face. "Naturally, I expect you not to mention that to anyone, especially the girls.

"Of course, but if you were training with Medb, I have to ask how you're alive?"

"Pure determination and stubbornness. By the way, I think I accidentally developed a new technique due to my Origin awakening."

This caught Da Vinci's interest. "Oh? What kind of technique?" Issei got closer to her and whispered it to her. Once he was done it took a moment for her to process what she was told before a wry smile appeared on her face. "Well, that's certainly, a unique technique."

"Yeah, despite why I ended up creating it, once I had a moment to think clearly it actually has many useful applications."

"Only to women though," said Da Vinci.

"Yeah. Why would I ever use it on dudes? I don't swing that way," said Issei like it was the obvious answer.

Da Vinci just chuckled to herself while changing the subject. "Well anyways, the second reason I called you here is because we finished the first batch of Class Cards," she said, handing over a small box with the cards in them.

Issei looked a bit excited about that. "Cool! Which ones?"

"We made Archer, Assassin, Berserker, and Lancer cards."

"So how do they work?"

"According to the girls, aside from the compatibility aspect which we've covered for, using the cards will give you a watered-down version of the Servant's power. The Servants in question are Kuro/Emiya, Mysterious Heroine X, Lancelot, and Cu."

"Why was the power watered down?"

"Because in order to use a Servant's power in this way, you need to be influenced by their ego as well. Basically, the more power the card has, the more your personality will be affected by the Heroic Spirit you're borrowing power from. The strongest of these cards is the Archer and Lancer cards since their personalities were considered negligible for you to handle. After that is the Assassin card which we watered down so that you wouldn't get messed up by too many of her, "quirks"." Issei nodded in agreement. He liked MHX but her personality was a bit too random for his liking. "Finally, we had the Berserker card as the weakest since we didn't want you going mad in the middle of battle. It's unfortunately inevitable when you use a Berserker card but we tried to mitigate the effect so you can still control it."

"Alright, so how should I use these?"

[Partner, just absorb them into your Sacred Gear like Ascalon,] said Ddraig.

"R-right, I should have assumed that." Issei took out the cards and focused on them. The four cards turned into golden orbs of light and entered the jewel of the Boosted Gear. Issei felt something in him stir when the power acclimated to him. "So do I just say class change or something?"

[It should work by you just focusing on what power you want.]

Issei nodded and focused on trying to bring out the Archer card's power.

[Class Change! Archer!] said Ddraig, his voice ringing out of the Boosted Gear.

After a moment Issei was wrapped in light as his outfit changed. He donned the same clothes that Emiya wore but surprisingly the Boosted Gear adapted to the change as well. His gauntlets were thinner, and he had his armored greaves from his Scale Mail as well. His face was covered by an armored mask instead of a full helmet like in Balance Breaker. All the armored parts of the outfit were remodeled to represent his Sacred Gear's armor. After the transformation was complete Issei and Da Vinci took a moment to observe the changes. "I didn't expect your Sacred Gear to adapt to the Class Cards. Maybe it's because you absorbed them instead of just using the card normally?" Da Vinci hypothesized. "How do you feel?"

"Calm. I feel a bit like I was a few weeks ago. It's probably Emiya's personality balancing out my own. I also feel a strange desire to kiss someone," said Issei.

Da Vinci blushed but smiled. "Haha, that's probably Kuro's personality coming through, since I hear she recharges her mana by kissing people for the mana in their saliva."

"Right, mana is in all the human bodily fluids, including saliva."

"And your power?"

Issei flexed his hand before holding it out in front of him and manifesting a bow. "All of Emiya's and Kuro's experiences are intact. I can feel the power from them in me and can use their techniques, no problem. Not just that-"

[Boost!]

"It seems like I can still use my Sacred Gear just fine with my Class Change."

"That's good. Then that means you're now above other users of the Class Cards, at least according to what the girls told me."

"Do you think the others could use Class Cards?"

"It's not impossible. The only way to know would be to test it out."

"Hmmm… Maybe after their match with Sona."

"Anyways, that was all I wanted to talk to you about. You should practice with the Class Cards to get used to them. As for your Origin…"

"I'll work on keeping it under control. It should be easy as long as I let loose when it's just me and the girls."

"Yeah well, take it easy around the Servants. You don't wanna offend them with your newfound brazenness and end up getting killed," warned Da Vinci.

"Yeah, I know. There are more than a few people that would be dangerous for me if I got too careless."

"Oh yeah. By the way, those two girls are making good progress in their studies."

"Are they now?"

"Yeah, they seemed really determined about learning all they can. Honestly, they put in more work than a regular magus, although that's more because they have a desire to catch up to you as opposed to a selfish one like other magus."

"Maybe that was the difference between us and them. We were just normal people thrown into an abnormal situation as opposed to magus' who have been in this abnormal world their entire lives."

"Maybe you're right. Being able to adapt is an important skill for any mage and someone who stagnates can easily fall behind someone who was weaker than them from the start."

"Well, once we're back from Rias' place, I'll be sure to go see their progress myself. I'm sure they'll have improved a lot." With that Issei left to go meet back up with the others at the Gremory Manor.

Bit of a filler chapter before we get to the party, but now we have some progress on somethings in the plot. In terms of Issei's Origin I've been trying to find ways to progress it in the background. I think it will be easier for me to go into more detail about how in the side stories but it still effects the main story. I'm also sure you all can guess what skill he got based on the conversation. Also, I introduced Class Cards earlier than I originally planned because I came up with what I think is a better idea for when I get to where I was gonna introduce them originally. So look forward to that. As for the girls talk at the beginning of the chapter, I'm trying to work on their relationship dynamic more but it's not my area of expertise. I'm trying to avoid making it too corny but also not make it a non-entity either. So it's kinda hit or miss when it comes to writing that for me. Well either way, how well it's recieved is up to you guys. As always I look forward to the comments. : )