Hello, everyone. ThunderReborn from 2025. This chapter has originally been edited by TM11 when this chapter was originally released. On April 1st, 2020, this chapter was edited again by Darklord331. Finally, in April 2025, this chapter was edited again by my current beta reader, Waroyer123. Thank you and I hope you enjoy the story.
The following is a fan-based parody.
Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo, TV Tokyo, Viz Media, Studio Pierrot... and other people.
Highschool DXD is owned by Ichiei Ishibumi, Miyama-Zero, Fuhumishobo, Funimation, ATX, and TNK.
All other references of characters or abilities are not mine.
Please support the official release.
"Hello." –Normal talking
'Hello.' –Ichigo's thoughts.
"Hello." – Zanpakutō speaking
"Hello." – Zanpakutō thoughts.
Kon'nichiwa [Translation of Hello]
Chapter 6: Devilish Business
Opening Scene: Kuoh Park, Kuoh Town
We see what appears to be a couple just finishing a date. The boy seems to be a 17-year-old high school student of average height with short brown hair and light brown eyes. He is wearing a red T-shirt underneath an open dress shirt and a black blazer, matching black pants, and blue and white sneakers. The girl is wearing a dark red jacket with the letter "P" embroidered in gold, a white undershirt, a red bow, and a green skirt with a thin white stripe around the lower edge.
"Hey, Issei-kun?" the girl asked the boy.
"What is it, Yuma-chan?" Issei replied.
"Can you do something for me?" Yuma asked.
"Finally, the moment has arrived! The goodbye kiss in the park after sunset on the first date!" Issei thought. "Wha-what's your request?" he asked nervously.
"Would you mind dying right now?" she asked with a smile.
"Eh...? Could you repeat that?" Issei asked, still nervous.
"Can you please die right now?" she repeated. Suddenly, black wings burst out of Yuma's back. "The past couple of days I spent with you... I had a lot of fun." Yuma then jumped back and began to form a black lance of energy in her hand.
"What's going on...?" Issei thought. "Is that a spear?" he asked aloud. Once the spear fully formed, Yuma threw it at him. "WHAT!?" he yelled before the spear pierced his stomach and then disappeared. Blood immediately began to drip from the new hole in his body.
"Sorry, but since you're a potential risk, I had to take care of you sooner or later," she said, still smiling.
"What is she talking about?" Issei thought.
"If you want to place blame on someone, curse God, who put a Sacred Gear within your body," she said as she walked away.
"What's going on?" Issei questioned. "I don't understand." He then noticed the blood. "Red, is this my blood? Am I... going to die? If I'm going to die, I'd rather die in the arms of that beautiful girl…" Issei said as he remembered the red-haired girl he saw at school.
As Issei lay there dying, a red magic circle formed out of nowhere. From it emerged a beautiful young woman in her late teens with fair skin, blue-green eyes, and a buxom figure. Her most distinctive feature was her long, beautiful crimson hair that reached down to her thighs, with a single hair strand sticking out from the top. Her hair also had loose bangs covering her forehead and side bangs framing her face.
"Heh, things have become interesting. Fufufu... So it's you. Fine, I'll bring you back to life. From now on, you must live for my sake," the girl said as she crouched beside the dying Issei. She formed a magic circle in her palm, from which emerged one red pawn piece. She placed it on the boy's chest and started to chant.
"I, Rias Gremory, hereby order you: Heed me, Issei Hyoudou. Bring your soul back to this world and become my servant. You shall become my pawn and rejoice in your newfound life!" Soon, a red glow began to form around the boy. However, the pawn piece she placed on him did not sink into his body but instead glowed red. Rias immediately noticed that her seven other pawn pieces appeared on the boy, forming an octagon shape. Unbeknownst to Rias, while this was happening, Ichigo appeared behind a tree. Ichigo looked around and quickly noticed the girl, who he was pretty sure was not a Sinner.
"Hōgyoku, are you sure this is the right place?" Ichigo asked.
"Yes, Ichigo, this is the right place. Stop doubting my abilities," Hōgyoku said, pouting.
"Ok, calm down," Ichigo thought and decided to continue observing the ritual. Back with Rias, she realized that this boy required all of her pawn pieces, four of which were Mutated pieces. Before she could stop the ritual, all eight pawn pieces sank into his body.
"Well, it looks like I got myself a cute and strong pawn," she said. A magic circle appeared below them, and they teleported away.
"Well, that was something," Ichigo commented, surprised at what he had just witnessed.
"The energy she used was the one I sensed," Hōgyoku said.
"But clearly, she's not a Sinner," Yhwach added.
"Well, what should we do then?" Ichigo asked.
"Why don't we do some recon to see what we can gather about this community?" Kyōka suggested.
"Good idea," Ichigo thought to his spirits. He then went on a walk around town, asking around for information. He learned that up the road was Kuoh Academy, a prestigious private school that recently became co-ed. The redhead he saw was a girl named Rias Gremory, and she was one of the most popular girls at the school. He also learned that the other boy he saw was a guy named Issei Hyoudou, one of three boys who were major perverts at the school. This made Ichigo angry since he hated perverts. Not finding anything else, he decided to see if Yasaka knew anything about the girl and what happened to the boy.
Scene change: Yasaka's Shrine/Home
Back at Yasaka's shrine/home, Ichigo walked to the gates and greeted the guards in front of the shrine. As he walked through the gates, he ended up crashing into Kunou.
"Sorry, Kunou. I didn't see you," Ichigo apologized.
"Papa, you came back!" she exclaimed, ignoring Ichigo's apology in her overjoyed state.
"Kunou-sama, where are you!?" shouted a maid behind Kunou before spotting her in front of Ichigo. "Kunou! There you are." She then noticed Ichigo's presence. "Oh, hello, Ichigo-sama."
"Hello, Maid-san. Sorry, I didn't catch your name," Ichigo said.
"My name is Sakura, Ichigo-sama," the maid replied.
"Sakura-san, do you know where Yasaka is?" Ichigo asked.
"I know where Mama is. Let's go, Papa!" Kunou said excitedly before speeding ahead.
"Ok, Kunou-chan," Ichigo agreed before following the young girl. Sakura sighed, knowing that her mistress would likely be mad at her, but followed behind Ichigo and Kunou. Eventually, they reached a door guarded by four guards.
"Hello, Darius! Heinkel! Jerso! Zampano!" Kunou greeted.
"Kunou-sama!" they yelled in surprise. "What are you doing here? You are not supposed to be here," Darius questioned. A few seconds later, Ichigo caught up with Kunou. "WHO ARE YOU!?" the four yelled and got into their battle stances, ready for anything.
"I'm Ichigo, a friend of Kunou and Yasaka," Ichigo introduced himself.
"LIES!" Darius yelled before he and the other three transformed. Darius transformed into a bipedal gorilla, Heinkel transformed into a humanoid lion, Jerso transformed into a creature resembling a bipedal frogfish, and Zampano transformed into a creature resembling a hedgehog or a boar. Ichigo, seeing this, pushed Kunou behind him and drew both Tsuki no Hansha and Yorugetsu . Right before they attacked each other, they heard the door open.
"What is going on?" Yasaka yelled.
"Yasaka-sama, we have an intruder trying to kidnap both you and Kunou-sama!" Darius reported as he pointed at Ichigo.
"Ichigo? What are you doing here?" she asked in confusion.
"I was just looking for you. There's something I want to talk about with you," Ichigo explained.
"Guards, he is not trying to kidnap me. He is a friend. Return to your human forms and resume your positions," Yasaka ordered the guards before focusing on Ichigo and her daughter. "Ichigo, Kunou, you can come inside."
"Hai, Yasaka-sama." The guards replied before turning back into their human forms. Ichigo put away both of his blades and entered the room with Kunou. Upon entering the room, Ichigo noticed another person already inside. The guest was a male in his early twenties with shoulder-length crimson-red hair and blue-green eyes. Ichigo immediately noticed the man's similarities to the girl he saw at the park, Rias Gremory if he recalled correctly.
"Apologies, Lucifer-dono. What were we talking about before being interrupted?" Yasaka asked.
"We were discussing using your shrine or another private location in Kyoto to host our Three Faction meeting, Yasaka-dono," Sirzechs replied.
"Right…" Yasaka hummed in thought, her eyes flicking to Ichigo as an idea came to her. "Well, I believe that, if Ichigo-kun is willing to be here for security, then right here at the shrine would be a viable location to hold your meeting," Yasaka said.
"Wait, Yasaka—" Ichigo began but was interrupted by Sirzechs.
"Ichigo? Would his full name be Ichigo Kurosaki? Is he the gentleman right next to you?" Sirzechs asked, his attention focusing on the young man.
"Yes, and yes," Yasaka confirmed.
"I see. Then, Kurosaki-san, may I speak with you after I meet with Yasaka-dono?" Sirzechs asked.
"Sure… Lucifer-sama," Ichigo replied. "Also, why would I be included in this meeting?"
"Everyone here knows what happened during your fight with Aizen. We all felt your power at that time. It was stronger than my full power," Sirzechs admitted. "And we all know that you didn't lose your powers like you told the Shinigami."
Ichigo sighed and said, "I do not want to get involved in another war that I have little connection with."
"Ichigo, you will not be involved in politics. You will only be a paid mercenary that we hired to supervise the meeting in three weeks," Yasaka said.
"Well, I guess that is fine. Please tell me more about this meeting, including who will be attending and what they are," Ichigo requested, and both leaders quickly told him about the Devils, Fallen Angels, and Angels.
"The meeting will consist of me and Serafall Leviathan representing the Devils. Azazel and Baraqiel will represent the Fallen Angels. Finally, Michael and Gabriel will represent the Angels," Sirzechs said. "We may have some additional people attending, but they won't be involved in the actual meeting."
"Okay then. I agree to provide security for this meeting," Ichigo agreed. The meeting ended after that, and Yasaka left the room to allow the two to have some privacy.
"So, Lucifer-sama—" Ichigo began.
"Call me Sirzechs, Kurosaki-san. Lucifer-sama is for formal settings," Sirzechs corrected Ichigo, who nodded.
"Call me Ichigo then. So, do you have a relative named Rias Gremory?" Ichigo asked.
"Yes. That is my sister," Sirzechs answered. "Are you interested in her?" he asked with a glare.
"No. I just sensed reiatsu similar to that of a Sinner, and when I teleported to the location of it, I noticed her with a boy," Ichigo said.
"How can you feel a Sinner's reiatsu?" Sirzechs asked. He was aware that no Sinner had left Hell since, due to his title, he acted as a watchman over Hell. Ichigo proceeded to tell the redhead what happened two years ago and how he went to Hell to save his sisters. When he mentioned meeting with the former Jigoku no Kōtei, Sirzechs was shocked. Not even he had been honored with meeting the Jigoku no Kōtei. When Ichigo told him he received the title of Jigoku no Kōtei and the golden armor, Sirzechs almost bowed to Ichigo right there. By having that title and armor, Ichigo is effectively the ruler of Hell. Since the Underworld is one of the many pocket dimensions in Hell, all Devils and Fallen Angels are technically servants under Ichigo now.
"I see. Well, getting back on track, I have something to ask of you, Ichigo," Sirzechs began. "I am willing to pay you until the day of the meeting to protect Rias as well as train her and her peerage," Sirzechs stated.
"What's a peerage?" Ichigo asked.
"Well, due to the Great War, the Devils suffered massive losses. We needed more Devils, but it is difficult for us to reproduce. This issue led one of my friends to invent the Evil Pieces. There are a total of 16 pieces, each set having one King, one Queen, two Knights, two Bishops, two Rooks, and eight Pawns, and we use them to convert other beings into Devils. These newly reincarnated Devils are similar to servants, friends, and/or family."
"Okay. Not to be rude, Sirzechs, but what will be the payment for my services?" Ichigo asked.
"Well, I can arrange for you to have a familiar," Sirzechs offered.
"What will my familiar be?" Ichigo asked.
"Who knows? If you agree, then I will arrange for you to meet with the Familiar Master, and he will help you from there," Sirzechs answered.
"How will I justify my presence when I'm not a student or staff member of Kuoh Academy?" Ichigo asked.
"Well, I'm also the Headmaster of the school, so I can hire you. If you agree, you will be an assistant teacher assigned as the Club Advisor to the Occult Research Club. That is the cover my sister uses for her peerage. Also, Sona Sitri is another Devil frequenting the school. She is the Student Council President, and her peerage use the Student Council as a cover as well. Serafall Leviathan, her older sister, might come by and request your services too. My offer, however, is for my sister and her peerage and no one else. Do you accept my offer, then?"
"Yes, I do," Ichigo accepted. He would be helping someone and getting paid—a win-win in Ichigo's mind.
"Excellent! Just go to Kuoh Academy in the morning, and you can start then," Sirzechs said. After that, he left the room, and Yasaka reentered.
"So, Ichigo, why did you come here?" Yasaka asked, and Ichigo told her what had happened. "So you came here just to ask if I knew anything about that girl who feels like she's from Hell. Did I get that correct?"
"Correct," Ichigo said.
"Then you got lost, found Kunou, and she took you here. And now you've ended up accepting to be Sirzechs' sister's teacher until the day of the meeting," Yasaka finished.
"Yep, that about sums it up," Ichigo confirmed before standing up and stretching out his soreness. "Well, I better get going."
"Wait," Yasaka said. "It's getting late. Why don't you eat and sleep here for the night?"
"Well, I don—" Ichigo started to say before Yasaka gave him an angry look that could kill a lesser man. "Fine," he relented, causing Yasaka to smile.
Time Skip: Morning
The next day, Ichigo showed up at Kuoh Academy wearing a white dress shirt with an unbuttoned collar, tucked into black dress pants and black shoes. He walked around the building, grumbling about the lack of directions.
"Um, excuse me. Do you need help?" asked a female voice. Ichigo turned around and saw none other than Rias Gremory herself behind him. "It looks like you're lost. Are you a new student?" she asked with a slight smile.
"No. I have a job opening, and I was told to go to the office to get it sorted out," Ichigo replied.
"Job opening?" she questioned, not remembering her brother mentioning any job openings.
"Yes. Can you show me where the office is?" Ichigo asked.
"Sure. Just go down the hall and take a right. It will be the last door on the left," she instructed.
"Thanks," Ichigo said. Following her directions, he found the office easily.
"Hello. How can I help you?" the office secretary asked.
"Hello. I'm supposed to meet the headmaster here," Ichigo said.
"Okay, what's your name?" she asked.
"Ichigo Kurosaki," Ichigo answered.
"Headmaster, a man named Ichigo Kurosaki is here, claiming that you requested to see him?" the secretary asked through the phone on her desk.
"Ah, please let him in, Reika-san," Sirzechs answered.
"Hai," Reika said. She then put down the phone and looked at Ichigo. "The headmaster will see you now, Kurosaki-san. Take a right and walk down the hall until you see a red door. That's where the headmaster will meet you."
"Thank you," Ichigo said and left. A few minutes later, he arrived at the door and knocked.
"Come in!" Sirzechs' voice came from the other side, and Ichigo walked in. Once inside, he saw Sirzechs sitting behind a desk and wearing a suit. Behind him and to his right was a woman appearing to be in her early twenties with silver hair and matching eyes. Her hair featured a long braid on each side with small blue bows at the ends, while the rest was let down, ending in twin braids. She was wearing a blue and white French maid outfit with long sleeves a white maid headband over her head, and red lipstick.
"Welcome to Kuoh Academy, Kurosaki-sama. My name is Grayfia Lucifuge. I am Lucifer-sama's queen and in charge of all the maids in the service of the Gremory," Grayfia greeted and introduced herself.
"Ah, you forgot the most important role of yours, my dear," Sirzechs said with a smile. "You are also my wife, which I would prefer to have at the moment over my maid!" he complained with a fit of faux anger.
"Uh, can we just finish whatever needs to be done?" Ichigo asked, breaking the argument.
"Here you go, Ichigo," Sirzechs said, handing Ichigo the necessary information and school administration ID. Once Ichigo checked all the needed information, he left the office and went to the English classroom. Reaching the classroom, Ichigo talked to the teacher and presented the paperwork to them. After going over it, the teacher was satisfied and pointed at a chair in the back of the classroom.
At 8:30 AM, the bell rang, and the students began to enter the classroom. Ichigo looked over the students and immediately recognized Rias. He noted which class she belonged to, and once the students calmed down, he was told to introduce himself.
"Hello, everyone. My name is Kurosaki Ichigo. I am an assistant teacher currently going through training. The headmaster allowed me to observe your class, among others, to gain some experience. And before you ask, no, my hair is not dyed. Thank you," Ichigo said before walking to the back of the classroom.
Eventually, the school day was over, and the students left. Ichigo looked at the map given to him by Sirzechs and found the old school building. Entering the building, he went to the room that the redhead had told him was being used by the Occult Research Club. Finding the room, he knocked on the door politely.
"Come in," a voice said. Hearing that, Ichigo opened the door and walked in. Inside the room, he saw Rias sitting behind a desk and Issei sitting by a beautiful young woman who looked about the same age as Rias. She had very long black hair and violet eyes. Her hair was tied in a long ponytail with two strands sticking out from the top, the rest sloping backward and tied with an orange ribbon. She wore the customary Kuoh Academy girls' school uniform along with black knee-high socks. Next, Ichigo saw a young man with short blonde hair, gray eyes, and a mole under his left eye, wearing the Kuoh Academy boys' school uniform. Finally, he laid eyes on a little girl with white hair and hazel eyes. The front of her hair had two long bangs going past her shoulders and several loose bangs hanging over her forehead, while the back was in a short bob cut. She also wore a black cat-shaped hair clip on both sides of her hair. Like the older girls, she wore the Kuoh Academy girls' school uniform but without the shoulder cape.
"Hello, Kurosaki-sensei. Why are you here?" Rias asked in confusion.
"Go and ask your brother," Ichigo replied.
"Nii-sama?" Rias asked in confusion. Suddenly, a red seal appeared, and everyone except Ichigo and Issei recognized it as the Gremory family's teleportation seal. The seal glowed a bright red, and once the light faded, Sirzechs and Grayfia stood where the seal had been.
"Hello, my Rias-chan!" Sirzechs said with exaggerated excitement. He attempted to hug his dear sister, but Ichigo and Grayfia both punched him in the gut, causing him to fall to his knees. Ichigo and Grayfia subtly smirked at each other.
"That idiot called my dad," Ichigo commented.
"This idiot," Grayfia replied before turning to Rias and her peerage. "Since Sirzechs-sama is unable to deliver the news, I will do so. From this point forward, Kurosaki-sama will be your class advisor until the day of the meeting with the three factions. During that time, he will also train all five of you."
"Really?" Rias asked with growing hope. Training from Ichigo might be just what she needed to gain an advantage over her fiancé.
"Yep," Ichigo confirmed. Grayfia then grabbed her King, and both of them disappeared in a glow of red.
"So, introductions are in order!" Rias said with a clap of her hands. "On my right, we have Issei Hyoudou, my newest member and only Pawn. By his side is Akeno Himejima, my Queen. Yuuto Kiba is my Knight, and Koneko Toujou is my Rook."
"If you didn't already know, my name is Ichigo Kurosaki," Ichigo said.
"Who?" Issei asked.
"Wait," Rias interrupted. "You mean the Ichigo Kurosaki who killed Aizen? That Ichigo Kurosaki?" she asked, wide-eyed.
"Yes, that was me about three years ago," Ichigo answered. Immediately, Rias, Akeno, and Yuuto fainted, while Koneko and Issei simply gave him questioning looks. "Koneko, Issei, get those three off the floor while I find something to drink. Do either of you want anything?" Ichigo asked.
"Milk tea, please," Koneko requested.
"Any tea is fine," Issei shrugged.
"Okay," Ichigo replied and went to find the kitchen. Seven minutes later, Rias, Akeno, and Yuuto began to wake up.
"Ow, my head," Rias winced. "Akeno, Yuuto, are you two all right?"
"Fine, Buchou," they replied in unison. All three then realized they were sitting on a couch. "How did we get on the couch?" they wondered together.
"I asked Issei and Koneko to move you three while I made everyone some tea. I do apologize for exploring the clubhouse," Ichigo said, pushing a tea cart. The room was immediately filled with the sweet smell of fresh milk tea.
"Akeno, did he use the same milk tea from the kitchen?" Rias asked quietly.
"He shouldn't have, Buchou," Akeno replied. Soon, the drinks were passed out, and everyone took a sip, amazed by the flavor.
"So, down to business. As you were just told, I'm here to help train you," Ichigo started. "To fully assess each of your capabilities, we'll have one-on-one sparring matches. Rias, do you know of a place where we can go that's safe for all of you to go all out?" he asked.
"Well, we can go to a clearing in the forest near my family's estate," Rias suggested.
"Great! Let's go," Ichigo said as he stood up.
"Wait, Ichigo-sensei, how are you going to get there? I can take my peerage through my family's teleportation circle, but I can't take you using that," Rias asked.
"Don't worry about it. I'll be able to find it. Just give me a mental image of the clearing," Ichigo assured her.
"Okay," Rias said, standing up and placing her hands near Ichigo's eyes, sending the mental image to him. "Do you have it?"
"Is it the one in the mountains?" Ichigo asked.
"Yes, that's the one," Rias confirmed.
"Okay, see you there." With that, Ichigo opened a normal Garganta and jumped inside.
"Did Ichigo-sensei just rip a hole in space and jump inside?" Yuuto asked with an incredulous expression. The others wore similar expressions.
"Yes. Yes, he did," Rias confirmed. Regaining her composure, she instructed everyone to gather around her to teleport them. Soon, her family's seal appeared and took them away.
Scene Change: Forest Clearing
Ichigo arrived at the clearing a few minutes later and looked around. "This should work. It will allow them to go all out without harming anyone, and there's no need to worry too much about collateral damage," Ichigo said to himself. He then saw a red teleportation seal appear a few feet away, from which Rias and the others emerged.
"Ichigo-sensei, are you here?" Rias called out, looking for their teacher as the seal faded.
"Yes, I'm here," Ichigo replied, waiting for everyone to gather around him. "All right, when we spar, I want you to go all out and use every trick you can think of. I'll set up a barrier so there's no danger for those not participating in the battle. The barrier will also block the others' views, so there's no need to worry about showing your secret techniques," Ichigo explained. "We'll start with the youngest peerage member and go to the oldest. It will be Koneko, then Yuuto, followed by Akeno, and finally Rias. Issei, since you just became a Devil yesterday, I want Rias to talk to you while I spar with the others. I've already figured out what your training will consist of." With that, Ichigo turned his back to the group and began setting up a few Kido Barriers.
"Hachigyō Sōgai," Ichigo called out, and eight orange pillars of energy rose about 40 feet from the ground. Once the pillars stopped growing, orange walls began to form between them. Soon, the walls completely enclosed the area, and once it was done, it vanished as if it was never there.
"All right, the barrier is in place," Ichigo said, nodding at his work. The group of Devils was surprised by how simplistic the barrier looked, and some questioned its strength. "The special thing about this barrier is that it erases whatever is inside it from existence and removes the space it occupies from an outsider's consciousness, making it so no one can even perceive its presence. If any secrets are revealed inside, only those within will know about them," Ichigo explained. "Come, Koneko, let's start," Ichigo called out, and Koneko followed him into the barrier, which Ichigo willed to open a door for them to enter. Once the Kido barrier closed, those outside forgot about Ichigo and Koneko but didn't panic because they remembered the effects of the Kido barrier. With nothing better to do, everyone sat down and waited for their turn, answering any questions Issei had.
Ichigo vs. Koneko
Inside the barrier, Ichigo and Koneko did some light stretching while maintaining constant eye contact.
"Koneko, are you ready?" Ichigo asked as Koneko got into a fighting stance. Unlike her, however, Ichigo remained in a more casual stance.
"Yes," she said and quickly used her natural Nekomata speed to go in for a quick punch to the gut. Ichigo immediately saw it coming and caught her punch with his left hand. Koneko was slightly surprised; as a Rook, her specialty was strength, and until now, no one had ever managed to catch one of her hits. Ichigo quickly took advantage of her surprise and used his right hand to punch her in the face. Koneko tried to dodge, but her left hand was still being held by Ichigo. She got hit by the punch and was sent sliding back a few feet away from her opponent.
"So, it looks like you were reborn as a Rook," Ichigo deduced, noticing that his punch didn't leave any bruise. He had held back, but she still should have had some bruising. "What else do you know? I know you have more abilities to use. Show them." Koneko sighed at that and transformed into her Nekomata form. She then began to use Senjutsu to gain an edge on Ichigo. However, she suddenly gasped, having accidentally sensed how much Reiryoku Ichigo possessed with her enhanced senses. Even when Ichigo was using only 1% of his Reiryoku, it was still immense, flowing around him like flames (1). Ichigo quickly used her state of shock to his advantage and punched her in the gut, snapping her out of her shock and slamming her into the ground.
"Koneko, we're done here. I can see that you're still young and untrained with your powers. You're scared of them, but I can help you with that," Ichigo stated, causing Koneko to get slightly nervous and reminding Ichigo of when he used to fear his Hollow powers. Ichigo then decided to use some healing Kido to heal her injuries before carrying her out of the barrier.
Outside of the barrier
Once Ichigo and Koneko entered the barrier, Rias asked Yuuto to cut down a few trees so everyone could sit and talk. "Since we were interrupted by Ichigo-sensei and Onii-sama, I'll explain everything to you now," Rias began. "Except for Ichigo-sensei, we are all Devils. You remember the girl from last night with black wings, right? She is a Fallen Angel. Fallen Angels were originally Angels from heaven who served God but were cast out and sent to Hell due to their wicked nature. We Devils want to retain control of Hell, so we've been battling the Fallen Angels ever since. We make pacts with humans for power, whereas the Fallen Angels control humans and use them to destroy us. Moreover, God tasked many Angels with destroying both the Fallen Angels and us Devils, making the situation a three-way standoff. Do you understand what I've said so far?" Rias asked. Issei nodded until he remembered when Yuma-Chan attacked him and told him to blame God.
"Wait. Why would she want to kill me?" Issei asked.
"That's because you possess a Sacred Gear," Rias replied.
"A what?" Issei asked.
"A Sacred Gear resides in special humans, giving them abilities far beyond the norm. Although most of them only take effect within human society, some possess enough power to harm Devils and Fallen Angels alike," Akeno said, adding her input.
"Issei, you have that kind of power within your body," Rias said.
"Eh? But I am a—" Issei tried to say before the barrier opened, revealing Ichigo carrying an exhausted and bruised Koneko.
"Koneko!?" Rias screamed when she saw the state of her Rook. "Are you all right!?"
"She'll be fine. I healed most of the major injuries. The bruising and scratches will be better by morning," Ichigo said. "Now then, Yuuto, you're next. Are you ready?"
"Yes, Ichigo-sensei," Yuuto nodded.
"Yuuto-kun," Rias called out before her blonde Knight could follow Ichigo.
"Yes, Buchou?" Yuuto asked.
"Be careful. Ichigo-sensei is very strong," Rias warned.
"Don't worry, Buchou. I will," Yuuto assured her before following Ichigo into the barrier. As Yuuto passed through, the barrier closed once more.
Ichigo vs. Yuuto
As Yuuto walked in, he noticed a small crater in a certain area, realizing that Koneko must have been slammed or punched that hard.
"Yuuto, are you ready?" Ichigo asked, getting into the same position he started from earlier.
"Yes, Ichigo-sensei," Yuuto replied.
"Before we start, I recommend activating whatever ability you have," Ichigo said.
"Very well, sensei," Yuuto said. "SWORD BIRTH!" he yelled, and swords of all different sizes and shapes emerged straight out of the ground. "My Sacred Gear is Sword Birth. It allows me to create an infinite number of demonic swords, all with different abilities," Yuuto explained.
"I see. Interesting," Ichigo remarked.
"Aren't you going to draw a blade, Ichigo-sensei?" Yuuto questioned as he armed himself.
"No point. You don't have enough power to force me to draw any of my blades," Ichigo said with a shrug.
"If you say so, Sensei. I hope you're not that arrogant," Yuuto said and quickly lunged at Ichigo with two different swords. Ichigo dodged the first swing and easily avoided the following ones. After a minute of dodging all of the blonde Knight's sword swings, Ichigo grew bored and decided to see what else Yuuto could do. The blonde Devil noticed that Ichigo wasn't paying attention and decided to use this as his chance to finally land a hit. Feinting with his left sword, Yuuto aimed for a downward swing at Ichigo's head with his right sword.
"Finally got you now, Sensei!" Yuuto yelled as he struck. The sword hit its mark, making Yuuto think he had drawn the first blood. However, he was quite surprised to see that Ichigo had received no damage. Even worse, Yuuto noticed cracks appearing on the blade. He jumped away from his teacher, discarded the cracked blade, grabbed another one, and went in for the attack again.
Deciding to end the spar here and now, Ichigo grabbed both of the blades. Immediately, he noticed Yuuto's true emotions: abandonment, being experimented on, survivor's grief, revenge, a desire for closure, and most importantly, a desire to protect the person who raised him.
"I see," Ichigo whispered.
"What do you see, Sensei?" Yuuto asked. Ichigo didn't reply and used Shunpō to move behind Yuuto, knocking him out. With the blonde knocked out, the swords created by Sword Birth disappeared.
"For this one, I'll have to teach him how to properly swing his swords, help him figure out what his motive for fighting truly is, and most importantly, help him get over his past. Yuuto will, at some point, encounter Angels using or affiliated with holy swords and will have to keep his cool if he doesn't want to lose his head or endanger the others." Ichigo then picked up the blonde and carried him out of the barrier.
Outside of the barrier
Once Yuuto disappeared, Rias decided to resume their discussion while Akeno tended to some of Koneko's wounds. "Issei-kun, what were we talking about before Ichigo-sensei came out?" Rias asked.
"Um… You were talking about Sacred Gears and that I have one," Issei said.
"Right. Now then, we need to get yours to manifest," Rias said.
"Uh, how?" Issei asked.
"Close your eyes and strike a pose that makes you feel like you could draw out a strong power from within you," Rias instructed.
"Like... like this?" Issei questioned, cupping his hands together.
"Why am I doing something so embarrassing?" Issei thought.
"Strange. Why would he choose that pose? Is he a fan of Dragon Ball?" Rias thought.
"It doesn't look like you have any powers..." Rias said.
"Let's try this method instead. Try using your feelings to release all of your power at once," Rias instructed.
"Eh..?" Issei replied. "Th-then I'll Kamehameha!" Issei yelled. Suddenly, there was a red light, and on Issei's left hand, a green gem began to form, followed by a red armored glove. "What is this?" he asked.
"That's your Sacred Gear," Rias replied. At that moment, the orange barrier appeared once more, and the door opened, allowing Rias to see Yuuto being carried out by Ichigo. "Yuuto!" she yelled.
"This time, I only knocked him out with a blow behind the head," Ichigo said. "Now then. Akeno, it's your turn."
"Okay, Ichigo-sensei," Akeno obliged, walking toward Ichigo, who handed the unconscious Yuuto to Rias. He then guided Akeno to the orange barrier, which closed as they walked in.
Ichigo vs. Akeno
Once Akeno walked inside the barrier, she immediately noticed where Ichigo had tested both Koneko and Yuuto. The hybrid guided her to an undisturbed area and told her to get ready. Using her magic, Akeno changed out of her school uniform into a traditional miko outfit that Ichigo recognized. It consisted of a white haori with red accents, a pair of red hakama, and a pair of zōri with white tabi.
"You ready?" Ichigo asked.
"Yes, Ichigo-sensei," she replied before shooting a barrage of lightning bolts at Ichigo. The hybrid quickly dodged them and decided to fight fire with fire—or, in this case, lightning with lightning.
"Hadō #4: Byakurai!" Ichigo called out, shooting lightning of his own at Akeno.
"Eh. So, Sensei can do magic too," Akeno commented, then began using other elemental spells. Ichigo matched her spell for a spell, firing off Shakkahō, Sōkatsui, Haien, and Sōren Sōkatsui, forcing Akeno to fly away and hover in the sky.
"Is this all you can do, Akeno?" Ichigo questioned as he blasted a Gaki Rekkō at the she-Devil, forcing Akeno to dodge the green energy beams. Akeno realized that Ichigo was too strong to fight head-on and started using hit-and-run tactics. She used her wings to kick up dust for cover before bombarding her opponent with spells.
Ichigo remained calm, casting Bakudō #39: Enkōsen to block Akeno's attacks while trying to sense her Reiryoku. Once he found her, Ichigo yelled, "Carriage of thunder. Bridge of a spinning wheel. With light, divide this into six. Bakudō #61: Rikujōkōrō!"
Akeno was casting spells when six rods of yellow light suddenly came out of nowhere and struck her midsection, immobilizing her.
"Sensei, stop going easy on me," Akeno complained as Ichigo approached her. The hybrid sighed and, against his better judgment, decided to use a more powerful Kido. Raising his right index finger, Ichigo began to chant.
"Seeping crest of turbidity. Arrogant vessel of lunacy. Boil forth and deny. Grow numb and flicker. Disrupt sleep." As Ichigo chanted, blackish-purple energy started to wrap around Akeno. "Crawling queen of iron. Eternally self-destructing doll of mud. Unite. Repulse." As the chant continued, the blackish-purple energy began to form walls, trapping Akeno in a large tower. "Fill with soil and know your own powerlessness. Hadō #90: Kurohitsugi!" Ichigo yelled, and several spear-like protrusions pierced the tower. Ichigo let her remain trapped for five seconds before breaking Kurohitsugi. Upon releasing Akeno, Ichigo saw that her Miko clothing was scratched up, as were many parts of her body. She was unconscious, but strangely, her face was blushing red. Ichigo then noticed a small wet spot on the ground and realized something about Akeno: she was a masochist.
"Damn it. She's not going to stop hounding me after this. Damn it all!" Ichigo complained. He then proceeded to carry Akeno, bridal style, out of the barrier.
Outside of the barrier
"So, Rias, what else do you wish to talk about before your turn?" Issei asked.
"Well, what do you want?" Rias asked.
"What do I want?" Issei questioned, confusion clearly on his face.
"Let me rephrase that. What is your dream?" Rias asked.
"I want to become a Harem King!" Issei declared without a hint of shame. "Is that possible now that I'm a Devil?" he asked, his eyes filled with hope.
"Of course it is. First, you must accumulate achievements. The price paid for signing a contract with a human is one of the routes that Devils take to gain power. If your achievements are acknowledged, you will be promoted to the ranks of Devil Society. Once you become a High-Class Devil like me, you will be allowed to become a King of your Peerage," Rias told her Pawn.
"So, if I become a King, having a harem will no longer be a mere dream?!" Issei asked.
"Yes, your dream will no longer be just a dream. And the first step to achieving it is to pass out these fliers," Rias said, handing him a flier. "We have simplified pentagram fliers because humans who can draw this kind of pentagram have become almost nonexistent. We distribute these fliers to people who have strong desires, as they are the ones more inclined to summon us," Rias explained.
"Okay. When will I get my fliers?" Issei asked.
"I will likely be exhausted after my test with Ichigo-sensei, so my familiar will bring the boxes of fliers to your house tonight."
"Okay then," Issei nodded. "Uh, Rias, how do I make my Sacred Gear disappear? Also, when am I going to get a familiar?" Issei asked.
"To make your Sacred Gear disappear, just will it to vanish. As for a familiar, I need to make arrangements with the Familiar Master. Give me a few days to make it happen," Rias replied.
"Okay," Issei nodded as the barrier reappeared and the door opened. Rias and Issei were not surprised to see Ichigo mostly unharmed while Akeno looked much worse compared to Koneko. The hybrid walked to the two unconscious bodies and gently placed Akeno down next to Yuuto.
"All right, Rias, you're the last one to be tested," Ichigo said.
"Okay, Ichigo-sensei," Rias responded, getting up and following Ichigo back into the barrier.
Ichigo vs. Rias
Rias walked in and noticed that the clearing was almost destroyed, with only the central area remaining intact from all the fighting.
"You ready, Rias?" Ichigo asked.
"Yes, Ichigo-sensei," Rias confirmed before firing black and red bullets of demonic energy at Ichigo, who quickly dodged them. Ichigo noticed that when the bullets hit the ground, they immediately disintegrated.
Ichigo fired back with a few Byakurai, which the redhead either blocked or dodged before countering with more of her Bullets of Destruction. Ichigo mentally questioned if this was all that Rias knew how to do. Deciding to end this, Ichigo cast a Rikujōkōrō and soon saw Rias trapped in it.
"Checkmate, Rias," Ichigo said as he walked toward her.
"Indeed, Sensei," Rias sighed as Ichigo broke the Rikujōkōrō.
"I will discuss your training schedule with you and your brother. For now, let's go get the others," Ichigo said.
"Okay, Ichigo-sensei," Rias agreed, and the two walked out of the barrier. Once outside, Ichigo and Rias saw that the other three had finally woken up.
"All right. I've finished evaluating you all and will be talking with Sirzechs about your training schedule. After school tomorrow, I will meet you all in the club room to discuss it. Are there any questions?" Ichigo asked.
"I have one," Akeno said. "Will we be able to learn any of the spells you used?"
"No, you will likely not be able to perform any of the spells I used. My type of magic is different from the one you use," Ichigo explained, bringing Akeno's hopes down. "Anything else?" Ichigo asked again, and the group remained silent. "All right then. See you all tomorrow." Ichigo then opened a red Garganta and jumped into it, while the Devils returned to their room using Rias' teleportation circle.
Author's note:
Bleach Chap. 673 pg. 9