Chapter 1: Prologue
[Augustus' Point of View]
Did you know that boredom can take a toll on a person? Not literally killing them, but being bored for an extended period of time can make someone consider ending their own life. That's what I'm getting at.
And why is this on my mind right now?
Well, those were my last thoughts before my mind suddenly decided to take a jump through a higher dimension, and I found myself in the body of an unfamiliar teenager. Or I OD'ed on weed. Though that would be really embarrassing.
It has been four months since I started to get familiar with this still-adolescent body of mine. Atleast I don't have to get through puberty again; it sucked! And no, while it seems like I am taking the matter really well and calmly like a mature person who has the experience of overly done tropes of transmigration, you would have begged to differ if you saw me in the first few days.
Let's go back to the beginning. My name is Augustus Ashford, and I was born in England in my previous life. I grew up in a well-off family with both of my parents working, leaving little time for me. Despite their busy schedules, they always made sure to be there for important moments in my life - like birthdays, school events, and graduation. I never held any grudges towards them because I knew their sacrifices were what provided me with everything I had.
Affected me mentally, it did. The isolation and lack of companionship. Being alone for long periods of time, without the filter or safety net of others' perspectives, allowed me to see the harsh reality and cruel society for what it truly was.
As a child, curiosity towards the great unknown and optimism for the future are usually inherent traits. I was no exception, although my curiosity was often satisfied thanks to unrestricted internet access and my optimism slowly faded as I grew out of my naive nature.
Freedom? Choice? The power to change? These are all illusions created by society and partly our minds to delude ourselves that we matter. Our voice has power. Our choices can change the course of history and the world. Those who think that are either fools or the top 0.0001% who have the power to do exactly that. Middle-class commoners won't cut it, the less said of those below them, the better.
But I wanted to be a fool. I wanted to believe. I tried to change.
But I failed.
As I should have.
And failures have no place in the world. I knew that better than anyone.
So I moved on, secluded myself, and tried to live a quiet life.
Emphasis on tried.
Cause, when I tried to convince myself that giving up wasn't the best solution, that my pride and ego hurt a lot to accept defeat, fate-chan suddenly decided to put me through the complete Isekai package, because why not?
If I am not trapped in some super-high-secret-illegal-experiment, then I believe I have been transmigrated to the world of HighSchool DXD, atleast my soul and consciousness are in the body of a 19-year-old devil.
Oh, and I was reincarnated as a Low-Class Devil, did I mention that? I did'nt? Well now you know.
A fking useless LOW-CLASS DEVIL!!!
Really? WHY ME???
Despite following all the cliched tropes of a genius yet outcast protagonist being suddenly transported to the world of DxD as a Devil, someone forgot to complete the package with the mandatory gold-finger or cheat to ensure survival and domination in this savage devil-eat-god world. But Lo and behold I, the transmigrator-extraordinaire of this realm, received nothing! No silver lining, no powers to save me from this merciless reality. Only raw determination and sheer willpower will see me through this unforgiving new hellscape.
With a strange coincidence keeping my name same in this world, I, Augustus, am a bonafide Low-Class Devil, meaning my parents were also one. As far as I know, my grandparents were also one; on BOTH sides. Meaning no surprise discovery of ancestry linking me to be an heir to the 72 Pillar house bullshit and no peacocking around as a young master shouting 'You Dare?!?' to random passersby on the street.
With the fusion of the soul with the body, came the fusion of memories. Headache refreshed all 19 years worth of original Augustus' memory in my mind like someone copied and pasted it hastily. An ordinary life, typically what can be expected of a commoner devil, except that we are alike. A lot alike in ways that I wouldn't like to admit.
My parents- Alexander and Emma, both pureblooded but commoner devils worked as Hunters. The realm of Devils, the Underworld, unlike the hometown of little humans, was located in a secondary dimension; connected to Earth and the primary dimension by a space-time link the Devils refer to as the 'Iunctio'.
The Underworld looms in sinister grandeur, a vast expanse of shadowy realms that seem to stretch on endlessly, estimated to be atleast three times the size of the pale blue planet.
Divided into three main factions: the Devils, the Fallen Angels, and the Gods of Hell; The Devils hold the largest territory, making up about 55% of the total land, followed by the Fallen Angels at 23% and the powerful Gods of Hell claiming a mere 10%. It's a dangerous and volatile power struggle, each group vying for control over this dark and treacherous land.
Such a disparity in terms of area compared to humans, with a far lower population to boot resulted in over 80% of it being unpopulated and unexplored.
Perched on the edge of the Belial Territory, my hometown 'Ameing' lies under the rule of Clan Belial, ranked 'Prince' among the 72 pillars. Surrounded by dense forests on three sides and guarded by the towering Losngel hills just a short flight away, Ameing is a small haven in an otherwise dangerous territory.
The vast expanse of these lands was plagued by dangerous Hell-beasts. Despite their territorial nature, some Hell-beasts dare to venture close to our Devil settlement from time to time, reminding us of the constant threat we live under.
While security is in great need all over the Underworld, it is rarely available, with the number of Devils dying of crime and Hell-beast attacks very high. My parents worked as Hunters, who were officially tasked by the town hall to hunt any beast who got too close for our safety.
A treacherous task for even the most skilled Devils, especially for those of Low-Class rank. But in this world, danger and opportunity often go hand in hand. By selling the skins, fur, tusks, and various body parts of their prey, our family was able to amass a decent fortune. And with the Belial Clan's lenient tax laws, life was nothing short of good for the previous Augustus. Until everything came crashing down...
As I was forcibly thrust into this cruel world, Augustus' life lay in ruins. His-MY own parents had perished just one week prior, brutally taken by a raging horde of Hell-Beasts that intended to ravage our town; fortunately, the outbreak was contained in time, but unfortunately, Augustus was left emotionally shattered and struggling to pick up the pieces.
The news of his parents' passing hit him like a freight train, shattering the deep bond he had with them. As a shy and meek boy, he already struggled with bullies, but now their attacks seemed to intensify in the wake of his loss, which left him lonely and desperate.
The two-story house stood at the edge of town, surrounded by fields and trees. In a corner of the first floor, next to his father's study, was a small library filled with books from floor to ceiling. Augustus would often retreat to the medium-sized library adjacent to his father's study, sinking into a plush armchair and getting lost in the words and worlds within the pages. He had been an avid reader since he first learned how to turn letters into stories, and his family often found him curled up among the bookshelves, lost in his own imagination.
The library had a forbidden section, off-limits to him. Inside were all the perilous items his parents had gathered on their daring expeditions. And with their combined lifespan of over 120 years, the collection was far from small.
Despite his natural curiosity, Augustus being the obedient child that he was, never dared to venture into that section, despite his immense curiosity about all the magical and mysterious objects hidden inside.
But desperation drove him to it.
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Author-san here!!!
It's my first story so I would appreciate it if ya'll can be patient with me. And would love some feedback :)))
And please don't be too harsh okay? *insert puppy-chan eyes*
And this chapter is a rare First Person Perspective. The story would continue on a Third Person Perspective as a whole, with a few rare first-person perspectives sprinkled on top.
And if you haven't already guessed it, It is a DxD multicross story, with LoTM(my favourite webnovel by far) playing a major part.
And the third major world will be Jujutsu Kaisen. Tho that would not be until chapter 20 or so.
Thank You, See Yaa :))))