Chapter 15
DxD Universe-22 - Broken Universe
They had just arrived here a few moments ago, thinking that they had a short reprieve. But...
They were not the only one who had arrived here.
"I told you Issei Hyoudou, many people will die if your don´t acccept my offer," they heard Thenis repeating her words from earlier. "And you didn´t."
Issei and the others had just escaped the new reborn incarnation of Darkseid in the Devil Hunter Vali Lucifer´s body.
But as it turned out Thenis had transported herself to this universe too, following them here.
Standing behind her were the three both genetically and magically enginnered and augmented SHA Warriors who had accompanied her.
"You!" Issei said in quiet cold anger.
He was powering up... like he had not done it in the last two years.
He activated both his Balance Breaker and his Awakening Form beyond that... and got ready to unleash his full power, to his limit.
He knew everyting below that would be pointless against this opponent.
xxx
Their teammate Kuroka from the DxD Universe-06 was frozen in shock at seeing the nightmarish scene of her other self and her sister being cut apart and their bodies then disintigrated into nothing.
For a short moment the scene kept literally replaying in her mind.
Then the shock was quickly followed by sheer rage.
She was turning around and was looking at Thenis with a look of pure hatred on her face and without saying a word she unleashed a powerful barrage of Aura Bullets at her.
Followed by a large energy-sphere covered in black fire that Kuroka conjured in the air between them.
But the Aura Bullets hit an invisible barrier a few meters away from Thenis and the sphere just stopped in mid-air a few moments after Kuroka had send it flying and was thrown back at herself.
Kuroka now had to avoid being hit by her own attack.
But just as she was moving, she was suddenly grabbed by an invisible force and was held in place in the air. She realized it were Thenis telekinetic powers.
Kuroka-06 saw the small smile on her opponent´s face as she was holding her in place.
To her luck Raynare and Rias just jumped in to help her. They send a combination of lightspears and destruction-energy blasts at Thenis to distract her, which again were easily stopped before they even reached her.
While Raynare helped Kuroka to break from Thenis telekinetic hold.
"Thanks," she said.
"Don´t mention it," Raynare replied.
They both turned to look at their enemy, who Rias was stil continuing to attack with Destruction Energy.
Destruction Energy that simply seemed to be disappearing a mid-air between them - it was not even a barrier anymore. Raynare and Kuroka joined in again, but their attacks seemed to just disappear as well.
Rias, Raynare and Kuroka-06 had all grown in power over the last years and the three were now around Satan Level.
Thenis however was still just standing there, smiling at them. It was as if she was telling them that she didn´t even consider them a threat.
They knew that she was probably right about this.
xxx
But Kuroka was not the only one who was being overcome by her anger.
Akeno from DxD-Universe-23 they had just visited, the Demon defector Serena and the female double of Vali from the same world, who had just seen two more of their allies and comrades die, attempted to join Kuroka-06 and the others in their attack.
But to their shock their powers seemed to fail them.
Akeno tried to form two lightspears in her hands, but they broke apart before they were even fully formed.
Serena attempted to concentrate her demonic power and materialize a line of energy-blades in the air. But they too dissolved nearly instantly.
Female Vali did not manage to activate her Balance Breaker and form her Scale Armor.
"What the...?" Akeno-23 called out.
"It is this place here," Rias called out to them. "The collision between the dimensions had changed the structure and of the supernatural energies in this world. To that come the energy turbulences in the atmosphere."
"You mean we are powerless here?" Female Vali exclaimed.
"It is nearly impossible to use your powers here, unless you are especially trained for it," Raynare added. "Like we are."
She materialized all ten of her wings.
Sirzechs and Grayfia were powering up as well.
The others looked in a bit of surprise as Sirzechs body was now literally covered in the Power of Destruction. But at the same time he was not nearly as powerful as he would have been at his full strength, when he would have literally turned into Destruction.
Still it was more than impressive given that he was in an environment that literally disrupted the flow of his energy.
"Sirzechs-dono - did you also had the same kind of training as we did?" Irina asked him misunderstanding.
"No - I haven´t" he replied. "But believe me, having thousands of years of experience makes a lot of difference," he said.
He and Grayfia had in fact the same kind of problems like the Universe-23 natives. They had just so much experience and skill and control over their powers that they could adjust them to overcome the effects of this dimension and use them anyway... to some level at least.
But it was still taking a great toll on both of them.
With Sirzechs body now bursting with Destruction Energy as he was facing their opponents with Grayfia at his sides, they also realized quickly that their powers were still far from their real level, their use was also far more draining and stressfull to their bodies as it should be.
The three remaining SHA Warriors were approaching them. Each of them - the one they knew named Kara included - was an elite-fighter, around the equivalent of a Ultimate-Class Supernatural Being in power.
While in truth the SHA were only one of many armies serving the Dark Order, they were by far the most prominent and powerful... and the most fanatical. They were genetically designed for the most possibe power, lived and died for their cause.
And yet normally they would never even have been a match for the couple of a Super Devil like Sirzechs and a Satan Level like Grayfia. Under normal circumstances the fight should have been over in mere moments.
But with their powers being hindered like this - while their three opponents could freely use their own - it was another situation.
Yet as it turned out it were still Sirzechs and Grayfia who had the upper hand.
But at the same they were loosing energy several times faster than normally.
They needed to win and end this quickly.
The three SHA were attacking them at the same time. With Kara and one of her comrades firing blasts of electrical and supernatural energy and the third one some kind of highly concentrated and supernaturally augmented microwaves. Something that would normally destroy all living beings in moments on cellular level.
Sirzechs powers and Grayfia´s magic were protecting them from the combined assault.
Then he charged up his Power of Destruction and send a powerful blast at the Sha Warrior who was attacking them with microwaves and completely obliterated him.
This caused Kara and her last remaining comrade to fall back and withdraw towards their Master Thenis.
Sirzechs realized that he was breathing heavily. This cursed place, he thought.
He should normally have been able to keep this up for hours, but here he was already getting tired.
xxx
It was in this moment that Issei made his move as well and was attacking Thenis directly.
`Ddraig,´ he thought.
("Yes Partner,") the Dragon replied.
They formed an upgraded, sleek looking but incredible powerful version of Issei´s crimson Scale Armor around his body and at the same time Issei charged up a powerful Dragon Shot with his hands and fired it at Thenis.
The blast would have been powerful enough to instantly obliterate an half planet. But Thenis just reached out her hand in a seemingly small gesture and manipulated the space-time around herself... and before it hit her, the attack just disappeared, with it´s energy being redirected into a dozen different dimensions.
Just like Issei and Ddraig had expected.
Then, in the same moment, he formed two more equally powerful blasts, this time in the open air hundreds of meters apart from each other, that aimed at Thenis from two opposite directions.
And once again Thenis countered the attacks by opening two small dimensional rifts right at her sides, that the blasts disappeared into before they hit her and just like the last one, were dispersed between the dimensions, harmless for her.
But Issei had actually expected a move like this from her. In the same moment he conjured and fired a third blast, right behind Thenis... and this time she did not react in time and it hit her right in the back.
The resulting clash was exactly what you would expect from such a hit. Had it not been for Raynare, Kuroka, Rias and especially Issei himself errecting a line of barriers around the explosion to protect themselves and everything else, it would have completely destroyed everything in at least 1000 kilometers around them.
xxx
In the distance they saw many of the mutated humanoid creatures who were populating this world rising up into the sky and flying away with their deformed wings, after they saw the contained explosion, trying to bring themselves to safety.
On the ground, many kilometers away, many more `natives´ who were not able to fly were doing the same thing on their bare feet. None of them had any idea what had caused this explosion or even any concept of the existence of beings like Issei or Thenis.
But they all were trying to get as far away from it as they could.
xxx
Issei forced himself to keep standing on his feet for a moment. He felt weakened and tired.
But this weakness was not so much physical, but it was like the energy was literally drained from his body. Which was actually the case. He had never used his powers to the same extend as how. Except for the short time that he had lost control two years ago of course... and that had send him into a coma and nearly killed him back then.
xxxx
While Ddraig´s Boosting could technically draw an practically unlimited amount of raw power, it was another question how much Issei´s body could channel. Even with the immortality, massive regeneration, supernatural augmentations and psychic control over his own body, there was still a limit.
And as Issei admitted, he needed to go to this limit to even be able to deal damage to Thenis.
xxxx
As the light of the explosion and the dust died down however, just like Issei had expected, Thenis was still standing there.
The ceremonical black cloak of the Dark Order Lords she had been clad in had been burned away. Instead she was standing in the cothic looking black dress she had been wearing beneath it.
With that, the high-heeled black boots she was wearing and the two nearly playful red strands in her black hair, she was looking nearly like a normal young woman in her early to mid-twenties.
He even admitted that she was actually quite hot, maybe even on par with Raynare or Rias with her looks.
"Not bad Hyoudou," she told him. "I see why both Faust and Darien showed interest in you. My offer is still standing. But if you insist on refusing, then it is probably better for us if you, your comrades and your, well - girlfriends, died right here," she stated.
"Now then. let us get serious," she said.
Suddenly with a short bright flash of light, a pair of bat-like wings appeared on her back - wings very similar like the ones of an Erebos Demon or a Devil´s. And at the same time her power seemed to have grown even more.
The ground beneath them was shaking under them.
She made a small gesture and Irina and the three Universe-23 natives were simply blown off their feet by an invisible push, while Rias, Raynare and Kuroka just managed to keep themselves on their feet.
The two still living SHA Warriors had now taken position beside Thenis, while Sirzechs and Grayfia were stading next to Issei and the others again.
"What?" Irina, who had just pushed herself back up, called out in surprise as she saw the wings.
"Who the hell are you?" Akeno-23 exclaimed.
"What are you?" her comrade the female version or clone of Vali added. They were still not able to use their power and had more or less just been standing around during the entire fight, as much as they hated that fact.
It was a good question however. Thenis wings looked very similar, but didn´t exactly match either the Devils or the Demons.
"Who the hell I am?" she repeated. "I guess that is a fitting way to ask this question. Maybe you are already suspecting the answer. Some of you probably already know that I used to be called Liliam, until I shed that name."
"You..." Rias said, starting to understand.
"Yes - I am the daughter of my world´s Lilith. My father was, as she told me, an alien god who I had never actually met.
But don´t expect me to be proud to be related to that ancient wretch of a woman. She had born and raised me as a tool for her own power. Until a killed her a few hundred years before your time.
Well - I guess that makes me and your race cousins. With you being the weak and pathetic cousin of course. People who need to place magical artifacts into people of other races to turn them into cheap knock-offs of themselves for theirs to stay relevant," she summarized.
"Maybe a few of you have some redeeming qualities," she said looking at Sirzechs and Grayfia. "I admit I had not expect you to be able to use your powers to this extend in this environment. If all so called Devils were like you, your race would possibly not be on our list for potential extermination.
But I can sense you all getting weaker every second you are here. So why do you not do the logical thing and surrender? Hyoudou - I can sense your insecurity... and your despair," she said. "How about it? If you, The Fallen Angel Raynare and Rias Gremory come with me and join me, I am willing to let the rest of your compatriots go."
"You are only saying that because, no matter how powerful you are, you are unsure that you can defeat all of us," Sirzechs replied in Issei´s place. "Rias will go nowhere and especially not with beings like you."
"That is true," she said. She smiled at them once again.
"I admit under my peers I am known to be one of the youngest and the weakest. And your group here is full of formidable people after all. So you could say that you are lucky that you are dealing with a `nice girl´ like me instead of some of the others." Her smile even deepened.
"But even if I am unsure about defeating you all at once, I can guaranty you one thing. Some of your group will die... and I promise you, it will be people you care about." Her voice turned from the playful light undertone and turned cold as ice as she said this.
Sirzechs only responded by firing another very powerful blast of Destruction Power at Thenis. Rias joined him with an attack of her own. The two united into one incredible powerful wave of Destruction.
And once again she simply removed the Destruction Power from this reality they were standing in before it even reached her. Letting it´s destructive energy divide itself into many empty and lifeless parallel- and sub-dimensions.
This however was exactly what Issei had been waiting for. And he unleashed another attack. But this one was quite different than the ones before.
It was a far more subtle attack than simply a blast or magical spell. Issei activated the Cronus Sword without actually drawing it. While he technically did not longer need it to use time-manipulation, for something like this he preferred to use it as an aid.
It was also an attack that was incredible hard to defend against. Of course a super-entity like Thenis was certainly capable of it.
But right now she was distracted. So it had a chance to work.
Issei formed several different time spheres around Thenis... and inside her body. Then he set the time-flow inside them off by only a split-second.
As a result the insides and organs of the target´s body were torn apart on a cellular level as the time inside them was moving in different ways.
It was one of the most gruesome techniques Issei had learned from the Senior Guardians.
Thenis suddenly froze and her mouth opened in a silent scream as the insides of her humanoid form were literally torn to shreds.
Another split-second later the remaining Destruction Power that she now no longer managed to stop hit her at the side of her upper body and practically burned her right arm, parts shoulder and one of her wings from existence.
Issei joined in with another Dragon Shot - it was the last he was able to do - and completely obliterated what was left of her physical body.
But that, Issei knew, was not enough. The physical form he had been thought many times, as it came to the Lords or the most powerful Guardians, were just the metaphorical top of the iceberg.
He needed to target her energy, her spirit, her soul and remove them from this world. Otherwise her physical form would just reform and regenerate itself.
He concentrated, trying to concentrate all his psychic power.
And then Issei´s Scale Armor suddenly disappeared. He had lost too much energy to keep up his Crimson Awakening or even his normal Ballance Breaker.
Issei broke down and sank to his knees, feeling completely exhausted.
("Sorry Issei,") Ddraig said inside his mind.
Next to him Sirzechs and Grayfia were looking not much better than Issei himself.
Just as predicted a black looking incorporal mass, made from pure energy, had started to gather itself in front of them.
It formed itself into a humanoid shape, like a living shadow, with blood red eyes.
The earth beneath was shaking once again.
Rias, Raynare, Irina and Kuroka were the only ones of them still able to fight. And they were also not longer in their best stated.
"It seems I should not have wasted so much time with you." A voice halled through the air. It was Thenis, only now her voice sounded distorted and inhuman.
"Since you are so determined to resist, you will be destroyed here."
This was it, Issei thought in desperation. Maybe... maybe he should have accepted Thenis offer. He could have pretended to join her and then escaped later, he said to himself. Maybe he could have done this - maybe.
Suddenly however another presence appeared. One that overshadowed everything else.
And one figure they know all too well appeared next to them, having suddenly appeared in her small girl-form in a gothic-like dress.
"I am sorry, but I can not allow this," Ophis said flatly. "Because I am already planning to give Hyoudou a similar offer. myself"
For a short moment Ophis small gothic-lolita form seemed to disappear and instead being replaced with a large obsidian colored snake-like Dragon.
At the same time she unleashed some kind of energy on Thenis in her incorporal state, that caused even her shadow-like form to draw back in obvious pain and they heard a distorted shriek halling through the air.
"I have no great interest in destroying you, but I will if you insist on causing trouble, I will," Ophis stated stoically.
Thenis seemed to give in and the shadow-being disappeared through a small portal in the dimensions one moment later. Followed by the two surviving SHA Warriors who stepped through it just opened before it closed.
It was over.
"Shit," Irina said as she was struggling not to fall over. Raynare supported her, but she wasn´t in the best state herself either.
"We are still alive," Fem Vali said.
She and her two peers from Universe-23 had just been standing around helplessly since they had arrived here, unable to use their powers.
"Yes - but only because of her," Akeno-23 pointed to Ophis.
"Ah - you... your Holiness Ophis," Serena addressed her, "I am sorry, I am usually not a member of your worshippers, but I am thankful that you saved us and..."
"That is good. It is actually quite annoying that your kind always wants to worship me," Ophis replied. "That is also the reason why I didn´t follow them to your world. Plainly, your people are annoying me.
So I am quite glad if you simply leave me alone. Excuse me, I have something to discuss with Issei Hyoudou," the Infinity Dragon said.
The Demon Serena was just starring at her with an open mouth. Whatever she had expected, this was not it.
Ophis then just ignored her and turned to Issei, who had by now sat down on he ground between them and was sitting completely motionless.
"Issei Hyoudou," she addressed him, "I hope you remember our last meeting."
"You said something about an offer," Rias said instead of Issei himself, who was at the moment still starring silently into the air.
"Yes," Ophis replied. "I have been watching you for a while now. And I have made up my mind. I want you to be my Partner Issei. I have seen how powerful you have already become in just a short time. And you can still grow much more."
`How powerful you have already become in just a short time,´ it repeated in Issei´s mind. `Yes - but how much did it actually help here?´ he thought.
"Ah - what do you mean - Partner?" Irina asked with one somewhat suspicious undertone.
"I want to work together to force Great Red out of the Dimensional Gap," she said the obvious thing. Everyone knew about her agenda.
"And for other things." That one was new. "For example dealing with these foreign beings who keep interferring with our universes."
xxxx
Of course that was the reason for her `interest´. It was the same why Thenis was interested in him in the first place, to use his powers for their own agenda. And why Thenis had not just aimed to kill them from the beginning.
It was a fact that might have possibly saved their lives. But on the other side Ophis had possibly been observing them for a while and would have just interferred earlier.
xxxx
"We have already been doing this on our own," Raynare commented.
"With great success so far," Ophis responded. While the Dragon´s voice sounded emotionless as usual, the sarcasm in her words was not to overlook.
"If you want to include something sexual in our agreement, I will also do the best I can," she added matter of factly.
Her body suddenly grew by several inches as she turned into an adult version of her human form.
Raynare, Rias and Irina noticed somewhere in the back of their minds and with some annoyance that the breasts the Infinity Dragon had given itself actually rivalled Rias in size.
"I admit I am not completely sure how much of such desires I even possess," Ophis stated. "But I have thousands of years of knowledge on the subject to make up for it."
To everyone´s surprise however Issei did not even seem to react to her bizarre advances. He just kept starring at nothing.
"Hyoudou?" Ophis asked him curiously about his silence.
"Ahm - Issei is not feeling well," Rias said, trying to calm the situation. "He is completely exhausted and what happened had gotten to him mentally." She and the others were looking at him worried as she said this. "Maybe you should ask him another time."
"I see," Ophis replied. "But I am sure he has heard everything what I said. He just don´t react."
"Maybe we should return home first," Raynare offered. "We all need to recover."
"Maybe," Ophis agreed.
With this she was opening another portal that was leading them home.
xxxxxxx
Erebos Capital - DxD Universe 23
In the Erebos Emperor´s palace, sitting on his throne, was the being that came to be when Vali Lucifer, the leader of the Devil Hunters was possessed by the presence of the being named Darkseid.
Standing right beside `his´ throne were Vali´s two lovers Kuroka and Shirone, as well as in a bit greater distance the other two remaining members of theteam known as the Devil Hunters, Nero - a.k.a an alternate version of the former Stray Devil Ehron - and Raynare-17.
They all however were inside quite insecure and unsettled about the course of events.
Vali/Darkseid had instantly offered them a place by his side, just like... before? Was this really the Vali they knew who was still alive as half of this creature? Or was Darkseid simply stringing them along to use them for his own purposes? Or maybe a mixture of both?
How much of him was actually still left in this being? Whatever, as long as there was anything left of him, at least both Kuroka and Koneko would stay at his side, they both had decided. But at the same time they were afraid, deeply afraid, that their lover had actually disappeared and they were in truth standing at the side of someone else now.
At the opposite side of the throne was the Seraph Gabriel, who in this world was a Fallen Angel and the leader of it´s version of the Grigori.
A fact that both Kuroka and Koneko were all but happy about. Now that the Erebos Emperor had been, well - replaced, she clearly wanted to keep her position as the Emperor´s closest ally and as his mistress.
The way she was practically posing laying seductively against the wall close by, in her skin-tight black top, that she could have borrowed from a human domina and high-cut skirt that showed up her long legs, on which she was walking around in her high-heels, this was even more obvious.
This woman was practically the exact opposite from the saint-like Seraph they knew from their homeworlds.
They were not sure if the new being that Vali became would accept Gabriel. Hell - they were not even sure if this being was even still interested in sex. Which they of course hoped, for obvious reason, even if it meant he would be fucking Gabriel as well.
Kuroka and Koneko had no problem sharing their man with each other. No - they actually wanted it in this way, because it gave them a twisted sense of familiarity.
But with this Gabriel of all people? But they knew it would be better that way. Gabriel was the leader of this world´s Fallen Angel Faction. Turning her against them would not be a good idea. Especially with them not being sure how much of Vali was still himself.
If Vali/Darkseid woud accept Gabriel, so would they. But still: `Bitch´, `Slut´, `Degenerated Ancient Whore,`Perverted Old Fallen´, Kuroka and Koneko thought in tandem.
xxx
But they were not the only ones present.
Standing in a line closely before the throne were the three Highlords of the Demon Empire - Pazuzu, Ninlil and Meloch. And behind them several lines of lower Ranked Demon Nobles and Military Commanders.
Their `new´ ruler had by now announced the start of his reign. It was kind of ironic that the being now in charge of the Demon Empire that pathologically hated and looked down on Devils, had now the body of a human with one quarter Devil Ancestery.
Not that this had been the plan in the first place. The body he was supposed to take over was the one of the Erebos Emperor himself. But Vali had turned the tables on him and became the entity named Darkseid´s vessel instead.
For a line of reasons however, his new rule was not openly resisted.
- The first one was that the power of the new monstrous reborn entity was simply so immense that nobody dared to go against him, in fear of simply being wiped off the universe.
- There was also the fact that Vali had not simply killed the Emperor, he had absorbed his life-energy and even his soul. They all could sense it. And by the ancient customs of their race, this would give him a right to become his inheritor and successor... (and the Emperor had no other direct heirs. Since he had planned to live forever, Dagon had never bothered to have any. Not that any of them would have any chance if they challenged the Darkseid-entity for the throne anyway.)
Normally this would clash with their strict policies against mixed-bloods, especially the so-called Devils, but this power... it was just too frightening and alluring at the same time.
- The three Highlords and also the Fallen Angel Leader Gabriel had accepted him quickly, before all others had even the chance to make a decision. So short of starting a rebellion and civil-war, none of the lower ranks had truly any other choice but fall in line.
In their case not only out of fear. The reason they and their Emperor had agreed to help Darkseid to regain a new body in the first place was to use them as a weapon against their enemies the Devils.
That had been the pact their old Emperor had made with Darkseid. To provide him with life-energy to restore himself and with a new body - the Erebos Emperor himself - and rule this new Empire as one nearly all-powerful being. Only that in the end it had not been the Emperor who Darkseid has merged with.
But it was a purpose that he could still fulfill.
The Highlords imagined how with this being on their side they could crush the Devil Civilization of dozens, even hundreds of, worlds and build up an Empire their ancestors could not even have imagined.
But their exitement was mixed with doubt. While they, in first line the usually level-headed Pazuzu, sometimes questioned their ruler´s judgement at agreeing to such a pact, at least they had been sure that Dagon ultimately shared their ambitions.
But how much of their goals did this creature here still share? If it did any at all.
Pazuzu and Ninlil exchanged a short look.
Under the three Highlords they were the one who were the greatest rivals. Partly, like they admitted, because their mindset was quite similar, in opposite to the hedonistic and decadent Meloch.
So which one of them would take the risk to directly as this creature?
Finally both of them took a step forward.
"My Lord," Pazuzu addressed Darkseid/Vali, "may I ask a question about your plans?"
"Yes?" the creature questioned casually. "Ask whatever you want."
"You and Emperor Dagon had an agreement," the Demon Ninlil pointed out. "But since it is not him who had become your vessel, we are not sure if this agreement still stands."
"Do not worry," Darkseid/Vali replied. "The plan will be realized just like it was supposed to. Together we will crush your enemies and conquer their worlds."
`Yes,´ Darkseid thought from inside his vessel, like it was supposed to. With himself in absolute control. He would use this foolish creatures as a tool to rebuild his own Empire from inside theirs.
If only his attempt to use the Anti-Life-Equation on this planet had not been foiled. It would have been so much easier. Then he would not even have to deal with their issues. But there were always other ways to take control.
Free will had after all always been both the greatest hindrance and ironically often also a opportunity in his own designs. Because free will´s fundamental flaw lied in itself.
At the same time, from somewhere inside their now shared mind, what was left of the man who had once been Vali Lucifer only wanted to scream in desperation.
xxxxxxx
DxD Universe 1
They had finally returned. What should have been only a complex scouting-mission turned into nothing if not a complete disaster.
Issei and several of the other literall fell out of the portal that Ophis had formed to bring them back.
Most of them were now sinking down and either sitting or kneeling on the ground.
"This - this entire day has been a complete nightmare," Rias said.
Kuroka was only looking downwards as she heard this. A nightmare - yes.
But at least they were back in a normal reality where their powers and energies were flowing properly. They would recover at least somewhat very quickly.
Ophis on her part was only looking at them neutraly.
What they sensed in a short distance however surprised them as well. Aside from themselves and Ophis, there were also seven or eight other very powerful beings in the town area - and powerful meant powerful in the sense of Faction Leaders and Gods.
And these six visitors were all gathered close to Kuoh Academy.
Ophis however seemed barely interested in these beings presence. The Infinity Dragon just send a short look into that direction before she turned back around to them.
"Until the next time Issei Hyoudou," she said to him in her stoic tone. "I hope you will think about my offer. If you become my partner, I promise something like this will never happen to you again."
`Something like this,´ he replied bitterly in his mind.
"I will think about it," he said in an empty tone.
And then the Infinity Dragon teleported herself away without another word.
A few moments later their own worlds Akeno and Koneko had sensed their arrival and came to get them.
Kuroka-06 once again saw the scene of their doubbles death flicker before her mind as she saw this other counterpart of her sister.
Akeno-01 gave a short look to her own counterpart who was a normal Fallen-human hybrid instead of a reincarnated Devil. But she said nothing. This was hardly the first double of herself she met.
A young woman who was looking very similar to the White Dragon Emperor Vali Lucifer and a female Demon who were with them however were another issue.
"What has happened?" she asked Rias and Issei. "Who are they?" she pointed at their three guests.
"What has happened?" Rias responded. "I would say about everyhing, everything that could go wrong at least. And these three are the only survivors from the Resistance movement we encountered."
"This is true," Akeno-23 said. "They are all gone. This being named Darkseid, he has taken a physical form."
"And not just any," Fem Vali said, "the Leader of the Devil Hunters - my, well - double."
"Yes - that is about what happened," Raynare stated. "Except that this Thenis had followed us and we had to deal with her as well"
"Just like us," Koneko-01 responded. "She was here too."
"Yes - she already told us that," Rias said. "Tell me what exactly happened in detail."
xxxxxxx
When they teleported back to Kuoh Academy a short time later, they were greeted by the sight of Sona´s assembled Peerage... and the other people who were currently in Kuoh.
The visitors were at one side the Maou Serafall Leviathan, the Archangel Michael and his sister Gabriel and the Fallen Angel Leaders Azazel and Akeno´s father Baraquiel. But standing with them were also the Hindu God Shiva, the Shinto Sun Goddess Amaterasu and their universes version of Odin.
Except Odin, Issei and his friends had not met them in person before, but they had seen pictures. It would have been emberassing not to recognize some of the most important gods of their Supernatural World.
Standing right next to Odin however was someone else they had never seen before but recognized. A silvery white haired woman in a Valkyrie outfit. They knew who she was. They had seen pictures of her too.
Who was also present were the three former Stray Devils Ehron, Maya and Rei. It was kind of bizarre, seeing these three standing completely peacefull right beside a group of Devils, that even included a Maou. It was a sign how much times had changed.
xxxx
The remaining members of Issei´s own team - Asia, Kiba, Xenovia and Murayama however were not here. This was not really suprising since Akeno-01 had told them that Thenis had somehow blocked their powers and that they were currently under observation in the Underworld.
Irina´s reaction when they had heard about this part had been quite blunt.
"That bitch is really starting to get on my nerves," she had said.
xxxx
"Serafall, Azazel, Michael, Gabriel... Lord Shiva, Odin and Lady Amaterasu," Sirzechs greeted them. "I think I can guess why you are here. We have already heard what happened. By the one who had claimed that she caused it."
He looked upwards into the sky. Like the others he could sense it vaquely somewhere out there, the black hole that Thenis had formed.
"Sirzechs," Serafall, Michael, Azazel and Odin greeted him back. "Lord Sirzechs," the two Gods who were less familiar with him said.
"Nice disguises by the way," Shiva commented as he looked at them.
In opposite to Issei, Sirzechs, Rias, Irina and Grayfia were still in their guise as Demons. But they would get themselves changed back as quickly as possible, so much was sure.
They all had clearly enough of being Demons... beside many other things.
"Father," Akeno-23 greeted Baraquiel. "Lord Azazel - you are actually a Fallen in this world?"
"Azazel is the Leader of the Grigori," Baraquel stated.
"Who else would it be" Azazel asked.
Akeno-23´s, Fem Vali´s and Serena´s eyes nearly automatically turned to Gabriel, who was standing next to Michael.
"What?" she asked surprised.
"You can not be serious," Azazel said.
"How am I in your world?" Gabriel finally asked.
"To be honest - ahm, well..." Vali said.
"Many humans, especilly members of the Church actually consider you the embodiment of Sin and Immorality," Akeno-23 stated.
"My sister is certainly not like that," Michael replied.
"And what about her." Serafall looked at Serena.
"Serena is a defector who had joined the Resistance against her leaders," Rias explained.
After this short exchange they returned back to topic.
"Someone has actually created an actual black hole right in our star system," Michael said. "Who would have expected this?"
"At least some of us might have been able to do this as well powerwise," Azazel pointed out. "It had just nobody considered doing it."
"And who would?" Odin exclaimed. "This is just insane."
"I have to agree with him here," Amaterasu stated, "even if they were powerful enough, I can barely think of anyone who would consider unballancing the entire world like that."
"Well - I could think of a few," Azazel commented. "Rivezim Lucifer, Loki, Hades..."
But they all had already been taken care of before they could cause real damage, at least in this reality.
xxx
"Rossweisse," Issei said absendmindedly as he stepped closer to the white haired woman.
"Do we know each other?" she asked him.
"No," Issei said, "not in this world at least."
Rossweise looked confused at his last statement.
She was a woman who was part of his harem in several other universes. Including his other self who had come from an alternate-future universe who he had first met two years ago. But his future-self´s Rossweisse had been killed before they travelled in time into this universe.
Maybe he shouldn´t have said this.
"This is Issei Hyoudou," Raynare stated. "We are part of the group called the Guardians."
"When Issei-kun says you and he knew each other in another world," Irina added, "he means it quite literally."
Understanding dawned on the Valkyrie´s face. Working directly for Odin, of course she had heard about the interdimensional organization.
"I see," she said.
I finally managed to finish the next chapter. Through to much extra-shifts at work, it has taken me much longer than expected.