Chapter 53: Meet and Greet
"Ugh, fucking hell." With a cotton bud in hand, I tried to clear the water stuck in my right ear. Accidentally got it when I was showering and I can feel the vibrations in my ear canal when I walk, nothing bad but it's really annoying. I've been digging in but can't afford to go too deep or else the wax will get stuck around the eardrum.
Irritation accumulated as I repeatedly failed to suck out the damn moisture, usually it'll come out by itself over time though it's still annoying as fuck. Groaning at my latest failure, I threw the bud into the dust bin and stared despondently at the mirror in my room.
"Wonder if there's an ear cleaning spell." Speaking more to myself than anything, a light bulb flickered into my mind, "Hey wait a second."
A tiny whirlwind formed on the tip of my finger, generating a vacuum to absorb with negative air pressure. The suction was placed next to my ear, almost tickling me until I was finally normal again, "Ah, should've done this five minutes ago."
Miho had to get cleaned first since she still had a bit of homework to do. With how Rias and the others sleeping with us in our room every night, we had to plan our private activities and sneak into our secret love nest without anyone noticing. It scares me to face reality but... maybe Azazel was right about my mate being a hardcore sex addict...
"Oh well, nobody's perfect, I still love her to death though."
*knock**knock**knock*
"Daisuke you got a minute? I need your help with something."
"Issei? Sure, come in."
The door quickly opened, revealing an uncomfortable Pawn with his Boosted Gear out, the gems glowing in an erratic pattern. The Pawn surveyed my room before awkwardly addressing to his gauntlet, "Alright Ddraig, we're alone."
"WAAAHHHHH!"
A loud wailing sound echoed as I pieced the puzzle together, gently giving the legendary Sekiryuutei a soft look, "Bothered by the 'Oppai Dragon' title?"
"AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"
I nearly winced from the oozing despair from his voice, probably best to not say those taboo words or anything related. A quick glance of Issei's face said he's troubled and at a lost as to how to handle this as well.
"What have I done to suffer this fate that has fallen upon me!? My renowned pride and strength! My feared reputation as a Heavenly Dragon! All gone in an instaaaaaanntt!"
Wow, he really has it bad.
"Ah come on Ddraig." Issei tried to console his partner, "Don't cry, it's not that bad."
"Not that bad!? NOT THAT BAD!? The entirety of the Underworld has called us the gentlemanly fiend of women! Worshipper of breasts! What semblance of my legacy has been forgotten in favor of a villainous dragon who can think nothing but poking the female mammary glands!"
"What's wrong with oppai? Don't you want to do those kinds of things when you were at that age?"
"Beings born from large masses of energy have the primal instincts to seek powerful foes, not to indulge ourselves in what is primarily meant to preserve our species! Chichiryuutei!? Oppai Dragon!? This is the worst shame I have been forced to burden in my entire liiiiiiiffee!"
Issei wasn't sure what to say next so he turned to me, "So... yeah, you know the future right? Any way to help Ddraig out?"
"I shall never ignore your warnings again, you are my one and only ray of shining hope! I beseech you, bestow me with your infinite wisdom in order to escape from my cruel unjust fate!"
Bringing my hands together, I got a grip and spoke in all seriousness, "There isn't a way out. Sorry Ddraig, but you got to deal with it."
"Surely you jest as revenge for not heeding your warning! There must be something! Anything!?"
...
Silence continued as the Heavenly Dragon lost his last hope, there was only me looking at him with pity.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Grabbing two chairs, I sat on one and gestured the dragon's host to do the same. We waited for him to empty his feelings, it took a while and he's got really big lungs with how loud he is. Fortunately he can choose who can hear him or else nobody would be getting any sleep.
Once he calmed down a bit, "Listen Ddraig, you're not alone in this. I understand what you're going through."
"*snivel* Y-you do?"
"Yeah." I nodded in empathy, recalling my own disturbing moments, "Back during the peace talks, when I helped to dispelled that barrier, I had no choice other than to grope an enemy's boob. Because of that, they branded me as a lecherous groper. The shock and emotional trauma pushed onto me for something out of my control was utterly humiliating."
"That's right! That's right! You truly do comprehend this wretched fate!"
"We were only minding our own business, doing what we please until it was pushed onto us."
"To think - *snivel* - I would find a kindred soul. Is this the feeling of being surrounded by comrades? To not feel alone in hardships?"
"Feels warm and comforting, doesn't it? That's why Ddraig, the next time you are called by those demeaning titles, keep in mind that they are referring to the human-sized dragon armor, not the actual proud and gargantuan dragon you were famous for in your prime."
"Am I... am I strong enough to do that?"
"Do not falter comrade, I am enduring this humiliation together with you. Pour out your sadness and frustration today, there is no disgrace in fearing what is unknown to you. Then become who you are tomorrow, stronger and prouder than ever." I nodded sagely, patting the gauntlet despite me not knowing if he can really feel it, "Though if you still can't handle it, ask Azazel for a physician. He can find one who is able to treat dragons with depression."
"Your advice brings a small light of hope to me. You have my gratitude."
"Nice therapy Daisuke, I knew I came to the right place."
"You do know part of this is your fault right? Make sure to console Ddraig when he needs it."
Issei sweatdropped, chuckling uncomfortably before leaving with a slightly better dragon. Now that I think about it, how would Albion react to Oppai Dragon? Would he break ties with the red dragon because of Azazel's crazy scheme which can end the cycle of their hosts trying to kill each other? Meh, knowing the DxD rules, it'll most probably involve big tits again.
Getting ready to hit the hay, I sat on my bed only to realize someone was under the blanket. The sheets ruffled and out emerged slowly was Koneko, except the nekoshou wasn't wearing her usual pajamas. Instead, she was wearing some sort of pure white fur outfit moderately covering her body while showing off plenty of skin, a bell collar, and a pink ribbon on her tail.
She yawed cutely, shaping her hand into paws to rub her sleepy eyes. Once she spotted me, Koneko crawled on all fours, rubbing her body against me as with real cats.
Her antics made me smile, "Koneko, what are you doing?"
"ლ(╹◡╹ლ) Nyaaa~"
And that made me scratch the underside of her chin, "Going full cat mode?"
Sitting on my lap with her tail swishing, she continued, "Nya!"
"What's the occasion?"
A tongue licked my cheek, "Nya."
"Just because Miho said it's okay for the girls to seduce me now, that doesn't mean I don't mind."
Ear flattened, Koneko mewled in a sad tone with pleading eyes, "Mew..."
'Control yourself soldier! The cuteness is a trap!'
After Koneko realized I was resisting her charms for once, she went a step above. With a low and soft purr, her pretty eyes widened ever so large, pupils dilating into large black orbs too adorable to not give in. Anyone who doesn't have their instinct to protect the precious little kitten is a cold soulless demon.
My body automatically hugged her, patting her more. Although my body screamed desire, my face was flatter than a board, "Goddammit Koneko, that's not fair."
"Meeoow~" The comment flew over her head as she relished my warm touch. Purrs came out non-stop as she rubbed her head against my hand, completely making herself home against my body.
Her tail moved closer to my face, waving left and right before falling into the hand where her head once rested. I didn't get what she wanted until she gently glided it against my palm, "Giving me incentives so you can keep coming to me?"
"Nya." Koneko had a smug expression, nodding lightly with a faint smirk.
Got to admit, her tail was fluffier than it looks. Making sure I was gentle, I patted and hugged the tail, experiencing the softness only a human-sized cat can give. A calm of relief nearly overcame me until I noticed her smirk broadening.
Fucking hell, she has me fully under her spell.
"I want to get laid too."
That abrupt sentence threw me off guard, "Come on Koneko, you know I can't do that."
"Is it because I have no boobs?"
"Because I'm married to Miho. It just doesn't sit well with me to have more girls."
"Only my privates are covered yet you didn't even sneak a glance."
"Okay, I'll admit. I may have gotten too used to overly well-developed teenage girls around me but you still have your own allure. You shouldn't rush into things, I've only done it with Miho."
"The smell of sex from you two didn't make it easy for me to ignore."
"... Thought we cleaned ourselves thoroughly..."
"It was faint, though it isn't hard to start noticing when you're doing it everyday." Her brows narrowed, "Pervert."
I tried very hard not to break eye contact, "N-not everyday."
"Everyday."
"Like I said, not-"
"Every. Day."
"W-we-"
"Every. Damn. Day. And you smell like you did it again about an hour ago."
Although I wanted to say Miho started it 90% of the time, I didn't want to potentially damage her reputation as a dignified maid, "I-it's hard to stop once I had a taste of it."
Two small buds pressed onto me, "Why can't you be perverted to me?"
'Don't say that with a cute pout! You can't be endearing and lewd at the same time! Pick one!'
Despite Koneko's insecurity about her size, the perfect harmony between solidity and softness was a new sensation compared to the bottomless supersize mounds. Compared to having cleavage huge enough to house my arm, I can sense the peaks of her buds much easier on my torso. And the softness isn't something to sneeze at either.
Koneko flushed red, her breathing starting to quicken, "Cats can get in heat too you know."
Saved by the experience of having my mate seducing me everyday, I gulped and steeled my nerves, "This is out of character of you. I know you're really bothered by it but Miho and I are married, it's something all married couples do right?"
"Buchou and Akeno-senpai are getting close to you too, I don't want to get left behind."
"To be honest, you're actually ahead of them by abusing your cuteness."
"I don't want you to think I'm just a cute junior. You treated me like a real woman by giving me that bouquet, I want to be real woman."
"You're still young, give some time and you'll become a busty onee-san in the future."
"Too long, I want to grow up now." Her tail curled around my waist as the nekoshou continued pressing herself onto me, "Senpai, rub them with your strong hands to make me bigger."
This is getting too dangerous in more ways than one, "... Rub what?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Her face flushed, her features becoming more hazy not unlike how my mate goes in heat, "You're so mean to make a girl keep holding back nya."
Now I was officially panicking, "Woah woah Koneko, let's be rational-"
"AH!"
Our heads turned to find the other girls already here. Rias gaped, pointing at the little Rook, "Koneko!? I did not think you of all people would make such a bold move."
"Ara ara, a naughty kitty should be disciplined. Does that not apply to me as well, Daisuke-sama?"
Miho had a strict yet soft gaze, "Koneko, I hope you did not agitate danna-sama too much."
"He enjoyed patting me."
"Is that so?" Her strict aura vanished, boldly smooching me in front of the others, "Please remember, danna-sama's pleasure comes first."
The three heard the underlying challenge in her tone, tick marks appearing on their foreheads. They proceeded to remove articles of their clothing and cuddled me to sleep buck naked, the pinkette included.
One of the advantages of having a sexually aggressive mate is that I won't get hard in awkward situations such as this, with her constantly sucking me bone dry and all. I'm wondering if this whole multiple-girls-going-after-me scenario will ever end. The weight of the harem problem is really beginning to sink into my mind and the worst part is that I'm already accustomed to having breasts surrounding me...
The ORC was strolling through the mall, buying the necessary supplies for the school trip and festival. It also served as a double purpose to buy Alicia some new clothes, all she wears are maid uniforms since she got here. Sure she has other attire, though they seem a bit out of place in modern Japan.
"Th-thank you for coming with me, were you not busy with school activities?"
"There is no need to be reserved Alicia-san, we are more than happy to find what would look good on you." Rias replied cheerfully, checking out the products displayed behind the glass windows, "We also needed to procure our own goods, you would look great with that figure."
"Ufufu, won't it be better if Daisuke-kun thinks you are beautiful with a new dress." Despite whispering into the silverette's ear, the Queen deliberately sneaked a peek at me since she knew I can hear her. Briefly making eye contact with me, Alicia went red and swiftly avoided gazes.
I nearly sighed, talking more to myself than anyone while carrying bags, "Girls like their shopping huh?"
"Buchou and Akeno-senpai like to dress someone up too." Next to me was Koneko, "They tend to get excited watching cute people."
"Happened to you before?"
"Not more than seven times a week when we were younger. You should have seen the time when a little Yuuto-senpai was in a dress."
"Koneko-chan! You said you wouldn't tell!"
"Oh ho." Issei had a shit eating grin, much to the Knight's chagrin, "So the pretty boy was once a pretty girl."
"Wh-what about m-me senpai?"
"You don't count Gya-suke, you're born too girly."
"[]~(￣▽￣)~* Ehehe, thank you senpai."
"That wasn't a compliment!"
A part of Yuuto's wiki did say something about him being a girl. My vision zeroed in on his face, definitely more androgynous than the dhampir's. Put on a little makeup and stuff some pads into his chest and nobody could tell the difference. He could join the Trap Faction with Gasper.
"U-um Hanwei-kun, you are staring at me quite intensely."
"Sorry, just remembering something."
"Is there anything we're missing?" Xenovia checked the list of stuff to buy, "Snacks, toothbrush- Oh, maybe we should also buy a new board game to play?"
"Or we can just talk about how our trip went?" Irina replied, tilting her head, "What time was curfew again? Early bedtime would mean we can have scary ghost stories."
"Torchlight it is." The bluenette went to search for the hundred yen shop.
"Is it not a bit too early to shop for the School Festival?" Asia asked innocently, carrying her own small bag of groceries, "We may have a change of mind later on."
"Ufufu, that is true. However, more students would crowd the mall if we waited. We might as well buy what we can to avoid rushing."
"I suppose this is where we need to separate into different groups." Rias playfully said as we split up based on gender, "Us girls need to buy specific clothes."
"Like wha-"
With a hand covering Issei's mouth, I whispered, "Dude, don't question what girls need to buy, especially if it's something for every 28 days."
He blinked, confused before the clue hit him hard, "O- ah right- sure- You girls have fun."
Anxious, Miho shuffled until I smiled softly at her, "I can wait for you outside."
"No." That came out a little too hasty, reddening the pinkette, "No, it would take fairly long. Please prioritize your own errands."
"Alright. Go enjoy yourself, I'll see you back at home."
For the first time since our big date, we would be away from each other for more than a few hours. Miho can be adorable with her attachment towards me, yet staying together like this forever would limit her mindset. We've always been together for a long time, it's not like a whole day of parting ways can render her unbearably lonely and needy.
... Huh? What's this cold empty feeling in my heart?
A hand fell onto of my shoulders each, Issei and Yuuto nodded at me in pity.
"Do-don't worry senpai, you still have me."
"(-_-) I'm fucking straight you crossdressing vampire."
We went for some essentials at the men's section. I only purchased some new socks and bug repellent before heading to buy some groceries at the nearest convenience shop by myself. Milk, eggs, spices, etc.
When I turned around a corner, there were some guys nervously talking to a lone girl. Problem is that the girl was very confused as the guys were pointing at some place on her map. They eventually apologized for something and went somewhere else, leaving the girl inspecting her map with '?' marks above her head.
Sighing, I walked over to her, stashing the ingredients into my magic storage, "Excuse me, are you lost?"
The moment she set her sights on me, she was stunned before clumsily showing me her map, "A-um yes, do you know where this is?"
"You mean Grand Wing Hotel? Are you here on a vacation? You definitely don't look japanese."
"Yes, I'm actually here to meet someone."
Said the brown haired girl. She's older than me by a few years while wearing round spectacles with a yellow hairband. Although she's barely taller than me, her face was mostly covered by those heavy bangs. And of course since it's DxD, her figure is very voluptuous and she has extremely large breasts, even bigger than Akeno's in fact. Her simple white buttoned blouse and long dark brown skirt showed her business woman appeal.
"I'm actually on my way to Grand Wing, I can guide you there."
"Really? That would be great... except... Would you be so kind as to guide me around Kuoh Town? I would like to sightsee more before going." She tensely shifted her pupils back and forth, "O-of course, I am no one suspicious, travelling is a past time of mine, yes! I simply wanted to wonder around without causing too much trouble."
Does she seriously think I'm totally unaware of who she is?
My silence made her panic, her wet eyes upturned cutely, "Are you preoccupied? I apologize for my rudeness."
Meh, it's not as if she's harboring ill intent. Besides, Miho and the others won't be back for a while, "No, I can show you around town."
"Thank you so much. Yay!" Her frown turned upside down, widening to the point it could rival an overexcited kid's, "Please call me... Gabi-chan."
Weird, "I'm Tan Han Wei, my friends call me Daisuke."
"Then Daisuke-san, are there any fun destinations to visit?"
"There's an arcade not too far from here. Do you play video games?"
"Video games? I love them, though my elder brother prohibits me from playing too much."
"We can start there." Not five steps walking forward, I saw her hesitate, "What's wrong?"
"Can you..." She stared down, fidgeting, "Can you say my name?"
"... Okay? Gabi-chan."
Her smile stretched even further, face blushed and she laughed in childish glee, "Again?"
"Gabi-chan."
"Again."
"Gabi-chan."
"Again, while petting my head."
My hand went to stroke her soft brown locks, "Yosh yosh, Gabi-chan. You're a good girl."
"Ehehehehe~"
Huh, reminds me of my dog. Wonder if big bro is taking care of him properly.
"Shall we go to the arcade?"
"Yes!"
Gabi-chan trotted behind me merrily. Astonishment hit her when she saw how many people and how noisy it could be. After exchanging some tokens, I caught her staring at the racing game. Her vision went spinning from watching the high speed and tight turns.
"Wanna try that first? There's a two player mode so we can race each other."
"How nice, to be able to play with friends." Gabi-chan seated herself without knowing the pedal by her feet, "Do I push this button to start?"
Chuckling, I gave her instructions and took a seat of my own. Obviously, she was struggling and found the controls much harder than expected so I went easy for her to enjoy, crushing a newbie would be too cruel after all. The brunette shrieked and yelped whenever she crashed onto something, trembling from the adrenaline of going through a fast paced game. Eventually, she made it to the finish line, eliciting joyful cheers and almost jumping off her seat.
Though maybe I should keep quiet about the fact that she was at rock bottom of the scoreboard.
"What should we play next?"
"This one gathered a lot of attention from what I heard." I pointed at a shooting game, "You'll need to have good aim and be mindful of the amount of your ammunition."
"Eh, but is that cruel to kill them?" Gabi-chan said with sadness despite the fact that bloodthirsty zombies were eating their victims alive while causing terror in human society.
"It's just a game. Besides, the targets are meant for shooting since they're already dead."
"However, I can't help feeling sorry for them. They eat humans because they are hungry right?" Her warmth and compassion spread to the man-eating corpses on the screen, regardless of whether the victims were screaming their heads off for help, "Starvation is a cruel torture no one should ever experience."
Yeesh, she's more naive than our resident blonde healer, "In that case, what about this?"
We went for the drum game next, Gabi-chan was getting used to the speed quickly and was gradually scoring higher after each match. Next up was air hockey, the brunette was improving until her huge breasts were unintentionally resting on the game arena, completely blocking the goal I'm aiming and garnering attention from the crowd. Whispers were exchanged and another stupid rumor of me having a girlfriend better not spring up again.
Once Gabi-chan got mentally tired from the arcade, we headed to a small peaceful stall selling ice cream. She darted over the selection of flavors, deciding to order strawberry with rainbow sprinkles on top based on the seller's recommendation. I ordered vanilla.
Sitting on a bench, the brunette licked her treat and hummed jubilantly, "So heavenly."
"Glad you like it. Is this your first time exploring Japan?"
She shook her head, "I have come several times in the past during the war between-" Gabi-chan panicked, coughing, "- between sumo wrestlers! Yes, I wanted to see who would win and receive the right to hug the judge!"
...
...
"They must have really liked the judge."
A sigh of relief escaped from her lips, "It w-was from an anime I watched, I was curious to see when I passed by. Although the games here are much different from where I'm from."
"I get what you mean. Japan has produced some of the best I've ever played, the music and gameplay are impressive even though some don't have the graphics to keep up."
"That's right! Graphics give the visual which showed me what I normally do not have the chance to witness. My favorites are RPGs and mysteries."
"Fast paced action for me, though Mokepon is also one of my favorites since childhood."
"Yes! Mokepon!" Gabi-chan exploded, talking with such enthusiasm, "So many to choose from, especially the cute ones. You can collect them and help them grow stronger. Lately the Mokepon games allow interactions for the player to bond with their Mokepon."
"Not to the point where you can absolutely have free interactions with them, but it's still a good improvement."
"It is still adorable nonetheless, if only elder brother would let me play more." Gabi-chan did a cute pout before some gloominess overtook her, "Daisuke-san, do you ever feel that some situations could've turn out for the better had you not make that decision?"
"Sometimes. There were times I doubted whether I've made the right choice, but it was the choice I've made. Might as well do our best during the present and the future."
"What if... what if you see many people fighting and you wanted to stop them yet there was no method? What if the path to peace has been closed off because of the differences we had."
"Peace is a subjective term from many people's perspective. It could mean no fighting, or it could be no more conflict, or may be something as trivial as waking up and going to work without interruptions. There's no easy way to find an answer, and the answer we found may not be even the correct choice. This world is so vast and no matter what we try, it's impossible to get everyone to agree with your way of thinking."
I watched her melancholic visage, my hand went to pat her head, "However, you are not alone in this world, there's bound to be other people who think the same as you. When you can't think of a way alone, don't hesitate to ask for help. And even if that doesn't work, pass on those ideals to the next generation in hopes that they can find the answer."
Gabi-chan was entranced, staring at me longingly.
"We are who we are because of people from the past, and people from the future will become who they are because of the people in the present. Our hopes and dreams are connected one way or another. If there are no paths to stop the fighting, then make a miracle yourself to create a new path."
She gripped where her heart is, eyes wet and face red, "Father, I missed you so much."
"Wait what?" I haven't been caught this off guard since I found out I got isekai'd, "What did you just call me?"
Before I knew it, she crashed into my chest and hugged me tight, nearly making me spill my ice cream.
"Father."
The brunette sobbed onto my shirt, her body shaking from nostalgia and relief. My mind and heart went into a frenzy, millions of thoughts whirled in my brain until I reached one conclusion. She thinks I'm the God of the Bible.
"Gabriel enough, you are causing trouble for Hanwei-kun."
At the voice of a newcomer, Gabi-chan immediately released me to find her elder brother looking at her in worry, "Michael...-sama."
The Seraph had a tired face, "Is there not something you should confess?"
Guilty of her stunt, the spectacled brunette was enveloped in light before revealing an unbelievably beautiful blonde with curly hair as well as six pairs of white feathery wings. She's wearing robes similar to Michael's yet more fitting for women and a golden halo above her head. Her long eyelashes highlighted with a flower shape ornament on her head, soft features that can sweep away the stress from your body. I heard from Xenovia that she's known as the most beautiful women in Heaven and I can see why. Most women I've seen are the erotic kind of sexy, yet Gabriel's nature and well-endowed body appeared the beautiful kind of sexy.
"Please forgive me for deceiving you Daisuke-san, my true identity is Gabriel, one of the Four Great Seraphs of Heaven." She did a bow as an apology, "You must be in shock but please do not worry, I only disguised myself quite well with no intention of hurting you."
While the blonde was still bowing, I peeked at Michael who awkwardly mouthed to play along for her sake. Guess they don't have the heart to tell her that she sucked.
"Uh... yeah, I never suspected anything. It was as if you are an entirely different person."
"Tee hee, thank you."
Michael cleared his throat, gaining back his little sister's attention, "Gabriel, I am disappointed in you for sneaking out of Heaven to seek out Hanwei-kun. I have already informed you, he is not Father's reincarnate."
"But Michael-sama, you should realize this as well. The way he carries himself and their ideals are alike, his New Longinus also showed such striking resemblance."
"And that is where the semblance ends. I have seen and interacted with Hanwei-kun myself, he is only a child who was unfortunately caught up in the supernatural." He sighed, "Hanwei-kun, would you please enter your Balance Breaker and show her? I am afraid that she would not concede until she sees it for herself."
Nodding, I wordlessly and soundlessly activated Supra Burst. Gabriel thrilled at the sight until her grin froze, expression becoming stiff and slowly wavering, "Eh, the gold is Father's yet... I do not feel his aura... not a single sign of it."
"Do you understand now?" A strict yet sad visage was shown, "I would want nothing more than Father to return as well, but he died during the war after doing his best to protect us. We cannot continue to rely on Him and must mature ourselves. Furthermore, it is very rude to treat Hanwei-kun as Father and not acknowledging his own existence."
"No! I did not mean..." Gabriel briefly glance at me, eyes showing fear of rejection before lowering her head in shame, "I... did not... mean that."
I tried smiling nonchalantly, "It's okay, I don't blame you for your actions. Losing your family isn't easy for anyone."
Michael also bowed, "I offer my gratitude for looking after Gabriel, as well as my sincerest apologies Hanwei-kun. She was the closest to Father and have spent much time together, He even gave her a nickname. Though it was partially my fault for not properly instructing her when your New Longinus reached her eyes."
The moment he raised, Michael whispered, "I called for reinforcements. Will you be fine alone?"
"No problem." I whispered back as our secret conversation lasted less than a second.
He turned to his little sister, "Gabriel, if Father was here, I am certain that he would not want us to cling onto false hope like this and look forward to the future. Heaven is now our duty to maintain. Whether it may be different from what Father wanted, we must always think what's best for everyone."
"... Yes Michael-sama, Father would want what is best for us as well." Gabriel faced towards me, "Daisuke-san, please believe me when I say that I never meant to treat you as a different person. You showed me the arcade and ice cream in Japan, and tolerated my selfishness. Although it was short, I had much fun spending time with you. I wish you well."
Guh! Why does she have to show such a sorrowful expression? It's gonna be a pain to enjoy my next meal after seeing this.
As they were about to leave via teleportation, I sighed and hoped this won't bite me in the ass later, "Hey, Gabi-chan!"
She was rattled, head up and openly stupefied like she wasn't expecting me to be so friendly again.
"Let's play together again some time."
A beam spread over her face, silently pleading to her elder brother for permission. Michael sighed in response, yet smiled regardless, "Be sure to not cause too much trouble."
Her beam spread even further, reaching all the way to her eyes. The naive little girl disguised as a charming woman waved at me wholeheartedly, "Yes!"
I waved back, watching them disappear in the angel type teleportation magic. The barrier erected by Michael was also dismissed as ordinary civilians continued walking by without a care. Seeing the ice cream almost completely melted in my hand, I shook off the liquid and licked the remaining sweetness.
Welp, a proper welcoming party is in order. Walking casually, I resumed making my way back to the hotel, except I took a turn opposite to where I'm supposed to go. As the wind blew past me, the number of civilians quickly decreased when I stepped into a more desolate area. I'm almost surprised that they're still following me.
Entering a torn abandoned building triggered the atmosphere, they're not even trying to hide their malice anymore.
"Alright, let's make this quick. It's pizza night for the boys and one of my friends is gonna show me Gundam." Echoes travelled through the room, I placed my hands into my pockets, unimpressed, "I know you've already surrounded me, come on out."
Out from a shadow, three figures emerged and they were not happy. The guy with a black coat glared at me, "How and when did you notice us?"
"Sensing isn't my specialty yet not horrible enough to not notice you. And to answer the second half of your question, halfway back from the convenience shop before I made a new brown haired friend." I narrowed my gaze, "Was it me or Gabi-chan you were aftering?"
"Tch!" Their scowls told me that I sensed them shortly after they started stalking me, "Don't get so full of yourself devil. We can let that woman go for now, you're our primary target. Once we deal with your kind, those so called angels are next."
"Are you part of Khaos Brigade? I thought Ophis promised not to invade Kuoh at least."
"Why should we listen to that reptilian monster?" Another guy in a chinese outfit snarled, "A beast like that doesn't have the intelligence to command the Hero Faction."
Hero Faction? If I remember correctly, they're the guys wreaking havoc in Kyoto in Season 4, so why are they here now? Not to mention they are going against Ophis' orders. A pile of treats was prepared in case she comes by for another offering but I haven't heard of her since our last meeting. Nonetheless, whatever affairs happening within the organization are more complex than we assumed.
"You guys really don't like non-humans do you? Why even join Khaos Bridgade full of different species in the first place?"
"What good does telling you when you're gonna die?" The guy with the sunglasses waved his hand, summoning roughly a hundred black humanoid entities from his shadow, "If there is anyone to blame, blame the Gremory heiress for turning you into a devil!"
Dream Sword instantly materialized in my hand, slicing one of those black humanoids jumping behind me before doing a rising slash across one in front me. They faded away into air once receiving critical damage. I can barely pick up any ki from these things, they must be created by one of the heroes' Longinus. Not that they are a threat, High-class power is more than enough to take them down.
Seven more leaped at me from directly above. Focusing Shunpo upwards, I reversed our positions by making me on top, kicking one of them in the head to get away and dived into another group of monsters. They didn't have time to move before I slashed straight through four at once before cleaving my way through gracefully, my blade whirling through with the momentum.
Once I pinpointed where one of the humans were positioned, I fired a Getsuga which cleanly cut through the monsters easily to reach its intended target. Millimeters before it could make contact, a shadow swallowed my attack before another shadow rose up to my left, redirecting the Getsuga back to me. Without looking, I armored my fist with Buso and punched the wave of energy to pieces.
From the wall on my right, white flames came out from the shadow to engulf me. I hacked it off while side stepping away from the blue light arrow which came from the shadow beneath my feet. It redirected to strike my nape until I punched it away. Needless to say, I also blocked a green light arrow from sniping my head off.
So their formation is three out front with an extra guy hiding outside from the distance. The fire and light arrows aren't a problem, Issei and Raynare are better than what they can dish out, though the real problem is the guy with the sunglasses. His Sacred Gear is capable of warping inorganic objects, and possibly people, to wherever he wants.
A shadow attempted to steal my weapon, only to miss as I accelerated, my gloves out with speed and strength amplified.
'And he can use those shadows from long range too.'
The entities stationed into a new formation whereas the terrorists gritted their teeth, incensed that none of their attacks landed on me. The shadow user yelled, "Stop looking down on us you filthy devil!"
"Someone has issues." I stated dryly, cutting another incoming light arrow, "What do have against us? Did some devils leave a bad impression on you in the past?"
"What would you know!? We humans are always the weakest, you were born with magic and used them for whatever you want, but now we have Sacred Gears. The ones who will stand above you will be us."
"Haven't you heard of Vasco Strada? He's a beast on the battlefield according to what rumors say about him."
"That senile old fool aligned himself with the angels. Unlike him, we chase after true independence, to prove that humans can surpass the supernatural existences!"
"You do realize that the Sacred Gears you're using were created by the angels' top leader right?"
"Yet it falls into our hands, not those pretentious birds with false justice."
He's got a point though, why did the God of the Bible invent Sacred Gears for humans and not for his own subordinates? There shouldn't be a problem in compatibility considering how Azazel was able to make artificial ones for fallen angels.
"Those Seraph may take the form of humans, but those appearance and beauty are unnatural. They make as if we cannot hope to reach their level. To flaunt their power and looks, that is not something humans can do, they are the real monsters."
"I'll admit, I suppose from an outsider's point of view, that level of perfection may seem scary and daunting. However, the way they live and act is no different from humans'." Demonic magic coursed, my sword sheathed since both my hands are needed for my next move, "Don't go judging before actually talking to them."
Wind shurikens zipped through the air, piercing through the mindless army and charging to the Khaos Brigade members.
"Arrogant brat." Their frowns twisted into patronizing smirks, "You have learned nothing."
Shadows gobbled them up and spat them towards me.
A lopsided smile crossed my features, "You sure about that?"
Senpu circulated around me, swirling in a way to readjust the wind to reflect back the reflected shurikens, all the while I added more. Again they were swallowed, and again I would respond to add more. At halfway, I caught sight of their trajectory with Tenkugan and threw a single shuriken to cause a chain of deflecting projectiles in midair.
A couple of them almost hit the guy in the chinese outfit, oh so close until the shadow barely took it in time. The shadow user was sweating from multitasking between so many blades of wind soaring everywhere. Senpu expanded as well to permeate through the building. By the time they realized my little scheme, they were officially panicking.
"Stop! What are you-" A shriek of pain was produced from the glasses guy, the multiple shurikens clashed each other within his shadow and lacerated his body from the explosion. He can redirect where attacks go, but he'll sustain injuries when damage occurs within his gear. His comrades were taking blows now that their support is weakened.
"You may have an amazing support type gear, yet it won't help much if the wielder's specs aren't that high. I'd estimate that you can handle about one hundred." Four clones were conjured and scattered into a square formation with me in the middle, grinning evilly similar to that of a hulking Norse fire giant, "But what about one thousand?"
The five of us activated Double Burst, focusing on quantity instead of quality and let loose a flurry of sharp wind. Despair etched onto their faces, making half ass defense in panic only to still get shredded. In an enclosed building and the flow of the atmosphere under my control, shurikens whizzed through in the shape of a rending tornado.
Soon, every last one of those monsters were annihilated. They were at my mercy, helpless to retaliate in any way and blindly flailing around for whatever hope they could find, "Shit! Connla do something!"
"You think it's easy to- AAH!" The shadow user screeched in pain when he had a shuriken to the face, slitting his sunglasses clean off and the bridge of his nose gnashed.
Weakened, I terminated my barrage and ordered the clones to flash to their side and knock them unconscious, including the sniper outside. My clones kept the collateral damage to the minimum while the terrorists took numerous cuts, nothing lethal of course. After slapping paralysis seals on them, I got a good look of this Connla guy and finally recognized him. He was the one with the semi-intangibility power who fought Issei in Season 4. At least we won't have to worry about him anymore.
It wasn't long until reinforcements approached, "Michael-sama called you right? I already apprehended the Khaos Brigade infiltrators, they're from the Hero Faction apparently."
"Good work Aoi Arashi-sama." A fallen angel stood stiff, addressing me with respect. It's still odd receiving this kind of treatment.
Devils and, for a change, a few angels went to tie them up. I gave a brief rundown before an angel gave me a formal bow of gratitude, "Aoi Arashi-sama, I thank you for guarding Gabriel-sama, she can be adventurous at times."
"I just happened to see her at that time, I'm glad she was unharmed." Hope they don't view me as their deceased leader too, "Does she always think that her disguises work on everyone."
The angel coughed into his hand nervously, sweatdropping, "Gabriel-sama is a magnificent woman with many talents, though acting is not one of them."
"Uggh." Waking up groggily was Connla, he struggled futilely until we made eye contact, "Dammit! How did you become so strong so fast?"
"Daily training." I shrugged off his feeble killing intent, "Not all supernatural existences are as bad as you think. Desiring fame and acknowledgement isn't bad, but the way you're doing things are wrong. Try to-"
"Keep your pity to yourself!" Connla squeezed his eyes shut in rage, "Dammit! Dammit! Our combined efforts didn't even force you to use Balance Breaker! Why did a devil of all things achieved a New Longinus!? Why do we have to be mocked and ostracized when everything was handed down to you!?"
If it wasn't the fact that he's a terrorists who committed crimes, I would have tried to console him, though me doing that would only rub salt into his wounds. I'm not the right person who can snap him out of his impression on others. Maybe some alone time behind bars would clear his mind... Yeah, stupidly low chance of that.
He faced his head towards the sky, screaming his heart out, "DAAMMMIIITTTTT!"
My senses went off, picking up some kind of secondary magic circle triggered by something. His power was skyrocketing and his Sacred Gear going into overdrive. I Shunpo and carried five of my allies who were too close to him on top of me before they could get hurt from the shadows. By the time the light died down, Connla was gone.
Great, he got away and he got Balance Breaker now. He didn't put up much of a fight in canon yet my gut says this might alter the timeline. I set down my passengers, "Is everyone okay?"
"Y-yes." A devil stuttered out, quivering from what just transpired, "My deepest apologies Aoi Arashi-sama, he escaped because you saved us."
"What matters the most is that no one is hurt, we can secure him next time. At least the other three are still here."
The Three Faction members dispersed, opening a path for the ORC to walk through. And Rias was not happy.
I unconsciously straightened my back, "Sorry about going off on my own again, they were too close to let them wander."
Arms crossed, my King was still not happy until she enveloped me in a tight hug, "Baka... You always make me worry..."
"Khaos Brigade has a group composed of only humans with Sacred Gears called the Hero Faction. They are descendants of the legendary heroes in history, one of them is Arthur Pendragon in Vali's group." Azazel announced seriously. The ORC was having a meeting to discuss the current status, "We had reports of the Hero Faction going around over the world and it's giving headaches to a lot of factions."
"They said I was their objective but I highly doubt it was to take me down. Their forces were too little."
"Same for everywhere else. Instead of conquering areas, I'm thinking they're more likely trying to know more about Sacred Gears. For instance, pushing them against the wall by fighting strong opponents to force a Balance Breaker. I'm more surprised that they haven't come to Kuoh which is filled with strong gears and subspecies sooner."
"How did they slip past Kuoh's barrier?" Yuuto asked, uneasy, "As an important location to the Three Factions, security in our town has improved better than ever."
"For now we can only assumed that Night Reflection - the gear from the guy who got away - helped them snuck in. We'll have to tighten our surveillance as the first step."
Frowning, Xenovia was agitated by our lack of info, "So we can only hope that our countermeasures can prevent this from happening again?"
"What about the ones Daisuke defeated? Did you manage to obtain any information from them."
"Zilch." The Governor General's answer rendered Rias' suggestion invalid, "They have a spell to wipe out their minds clean to prevent us from getting anything. It's the same for the other heroes we captured. Whoever sent them considered their usefulness over once they got caught."
"So cruel."
"There are lots of assholes in this world Akeno. I'm more worried about their methods which managed to get that Connla guy to Balance Break. In other words, their research is bearing fruit and upping their firepower."
"Speaking from experience?" Azazel threw me a cheeky smile, "The method is brutal but the results are just as effective."
"What do we do now?" Asia timidly asked, "Should we be worried that they might come here again?"
"No, not yet at least. Leave this part to the adults, you guys got other stuff to do."
"School and training?"
"As if! Don't be such a bore Daisuke, I'm talking about these." The fallen magically summoned figurines and T-shirts, all the while with that annoying grin, "Majestica of Devil is booming in the Underworld and we'll be selling various merchandise to promote the show."
"You had the time to make all of this instead of focusing on Khaos- Are those my Supra Burst shades?"
"Heck yeah it is. We got replicas so the fans can get the feeling that they're becoming closer to their hero." Donning on his face was a pair of crimson gold visor sunglasses. He threw a pair to me, "Try it on and tell me what do you think."
"They feel nothing like the original. The vision isn't filled with this much crimson gold and mine weighs literally nothing."
"It's really cool though." Gasper tried on one of replicas, "I got the superhero sensation, it makes me more confident already."
"Ufufu, I agree to that." Tilting towards me, Akeno pushed her shades slightly downwards so I can see her purple eyes, "You like, Daisuke-kun?"
"It does turn you into a cool beauty."
Yuuto held a figurine of me holding Dream Sword, "Most impressive, they even have real sword stances correct."
"Feels pretty real too." Within Issei's grasp was a figurine of him in Calamity Mail. He knocked on it to check the durability, "I can see myself getting one of these if I'm a kid."
"And here's the top prize." Darkness enveloped the room until a spotlight shone on a glass panel, "Tada! A pre-released copy of the Supra Burst full outfit, tailored to be a perfect fit for the protagonist."
"Wait a fucking second Azazel, why do you know my exact size measurements?"
"Don't sweat the small details. You guys will be having a hand shaking and autograph signing event soon so dress nicely." His next words cut off what I wanted to rant out, "Also, we got an important guest coming tomorrow morning, you better wake up early to meet and greet."
My mouth clamped shut which did not go unnoticed by everyone else. Rias asked worriedly, "Another big fight soon?"
"Unfortunately yes, we'll need some extra training time." My gaze anxiously went to Akeno, "This will bring back a lot of bad memories, are you ready?"
She held my hand tight, smiling fearfully yet bravely, "Yes."
We lined up in a row right before the front door of Grand Wing, waiting for a certain old geezer and a fallen angel. Akeno didn't want to leave my side and clung on to my right arm.
However, the weirdest sight in the morning was Azazel adorned in a fancy suit, fancier than usual to be exact. It's honestly creeping us out, "Azazel, what's with the five-star getup?"
"To welcome our esteemed guest of course, got to look the part." He responded casually before popping some mouth spray.
Again, weirdest sight in the morning.
"Who are we welcoming again?"
"The chief god of the Norse, the old guy who helped us during the Diodora incident." I answered Issei's question, "Though to my knowledge, Azazel doesn't have this good of a relation to prep up this much."
"While Azazel-sama may be frivolous, he is still our Governor General. It is quite refreshing to see him taking his business more seriously."
Raynare peered at her other fallen angel comrades who weren't sharing the same sentiment before shifting back Forcuis, "Do you truly believe that Azazel-sama would behave this easily?"
"Should he not, I will report back to Shemhazai-sama."
"I cannot believe we will welcome an actual god. It is one surprise after another since I joined here."
"Don't get your hopes up Alicia, his personality is the opposite of what his title suggests." Giving the silverette a heads up, I grasped Akeno's hand into my own to provide moral support.
"Alright everyone, be on your best behavior and get ready."
"Okay seriously Azazel, what's gotten you so prim and proper?"
"Daisuke." The fallen uttered my name slowly, emanating his leadership while staring dead straight into my eyes. I almost got chills from the centuries-old warrior, already knowing the weight of his next words before he could state them, "There are times when even a jokester like me has to take some things seriously, and I implore you to do the same. Out there, appearance could mean everything, one wrong step will ruin your reputation and you'll lose whatever chance to earn their approval."
His ki really meant business, "... Yes, Azazel-sensei."
"Thank you." Azazel then commanded us with utmost authority, making everyone stiffen their backs. The ones less familiar with the Norse God are gulping in anticipation.
We gave our most professional attitude we could muster. After another minute, the doors opened to reveal our guest of honor who was... holding up game consoles?
"\^o^/ I came to play."
...
...
...
...
"... Gabi-chan?" Veins throbbed visibly on my face as I stiffly turned my head to the still serious Governor General. My smile frozen icily, "Azazel, is the guest you were talking about Gabi-chan?"
"Of course, she wanted to visit more after enjoying herself yesterday."
"Where is Odin?"
"The old geezer? Who cares about him?"
"One final question." I was only one step away from shoving mountains of laxatives down his throat, "What did you mean by taking things seriously regarding Gabi-chan?"
"To give her so much pleasure and hospitality until she falls, what else could it be? Do you really understand how much this will change? I've been waiting my whole life for the most beautiful breasts in the world to-"
Ignoring the repercussions of my gear, I used Time Burst and executed the Boston crab wrestling technique on the fallen, "You perverted old crow! I was an idiot for listening to you!"
"Gaaahh!" Azazel flailed his arms in pain, "My back! I'm reporting you for bullying an old man!"
"And I'm reporting to Shemhazai-san and Michael-san that you trolled us and tried to corrupt Gabi-chan!"
The brunette with the bangs clapped her hands in fascination, "Daisuke-san, are you playing a game with Azazel-san?"
"I'll get back to you later on that."
"Heh, you youngsters sure have a lot of energy. The brat getting creamed by a younger brat is a sight to see. And who is this beautiful brown haired lady?"
"Odin-dono, please refrain from walking off on your-"
The moment more newcomers, everyone stopped what they were doing. Baraqiel was paralyzed from shock, unable to peel his gaze away from a certain girl, "Akeno?"
Said girl paled, pupils shrinking and body slackening. The queen nearly hyperventilated before speaking the one word that left most people in the lobby bewildered.
"Tou...-sama?"
SparkyGaming: Here you go.
Nehef: You'll find out about that when we get there.
AN: Hello everyone. I'm really sorry about the super late update but school's become really busy and it'll be that way for a very long time. That and I've been hooked on Pokemon Legends: Arceus. I'll try to write faster next time but no promises, I get really tired after school. Hope you all like it. Please leave a review and tell me what you think.
Ja Ne
PS: Happy belated Valentines!