7

Chapter: 6

Of Gods and Damsels

Hell

Underworld

Gremory Residence

Sirzechs was an impeccable man of calm nature. Despite his fooling around on several occasions and his general, jovial light hearted nature, Sirzechs was a leader, he was a powerful warrior, an older brother, a son and soon to be a father. There were very few things that made his skin crawl, and even less things that made him uncomfortable, and almost nothing that made him scared. Yet, as he sat down comfortably in his office, he faced a man that managed to be all those three things at once.

The man's outfit comprised a a charcoal suit, leather riding boots, and an intricately knotted red cravat, covered by a full-length, red frock overcoat (similar to the duster coats often associated with cowboys) with cape. His skin was as pale as moonlight, his eyes were the color of blood and his grin was as fierce as the very underworld itself. It was especially uncomfortable for Sirzechs, because the man felt soulless, as empty and dark as the void itself.

Sirzechs did not fear him because the man could not be beaten, quite the contrary. Sirzechs feared him because the man could be beat. The man could absorb the souls of beings he fought and make himself even more powerful, and to kill him would mean attempting to kill the thousands of souls he had consumed. If Sirzechs had to fight him, it would mean he would have to kill him thousands and thousands of times – which he doubted he could – in which he would run out of energy, and the man would be as fresh as ever, ready and capable of devouring his soul. He was a man who could truly not be underestimated. Well, that is if he could be called a man.

He was known as the Ultimate Vampire, the Son of the Dragon, the Bird of Hermes, the Impaler and the No-Life King. He was Lord Alucard Van Helsing, the sole Leader of the Vampire Faction of the Underworld. He had literally ended the fighting and segregation in the Vampire Faction single-handedly, Krul Tepes of the Tepes faction had surrendered to him, and it was only a matter of time before he took down the Carmilla faction as well, before unifying the factions together under a single banner and kingdom. He had created a Vampire utopia, and though there were some who were angry at him, they followed him either out of fear or respect. He had surprisingly ended the discrimination against Dhampires, and insisted that they be treated equally as other Vampires, and though it earned him some ire, it also garnered the affection of his people.

Lord Alucard so far ranked amongst one of the most powerful beings in the Underworld, being classified amongst the S-Rank Super Devils. What most individuals failed to realize, is that the Underworld was broadly divided into several areas, and was in fact, at least twice the surface area as the earth itself. In this scenario, there were several factions that lived in the underworld. They were; The Fallen Angel Faction, the Devil Faction, Demon Faction, Vampire Faction, Yokai Faction and Fairy Faction. There was also the Realm of the Dead in which Hades resided with his Grim Reapers, there was Purgatory where souls awaiting judgement resided, Limbo, where souls who were condemned suffered for eternity, and finally Cocytus, the deepest part of the Underworld that acted as a prison for the strongest and foulest beings in existence.

Alucard, the mysterious new leader of the Yokai faction, the leader of the Demon Faction, and the leader of the Fairy Faction were collectively called the "Four Emperors of the Underworld." Even though technically, the Fairy Faction did not reside in the underworld but a separate realm very close to it.

Thus, there were several individuals – most especially devils who still believed in the old ways – that found the title demeaning and insulting to their race, and they felt that the other factions were slowly beginning to overshadow the devil faction. What they did not realize though, was that the reason the devils had no representative in this title was because the four main leaders of the devil faction were called the Four Great Satans, and they did not have a single leader. Myopic prejudices had however increased the issues out of proportions, tensions had been rising, and with the leader of the Yokai Faction gathering his people, fear was abundant in the air that it was only a matter of time before the factions all ganged up together to overthrow the Devils as the leaders of hell.

The Four Great Satans had their hands full, they risked a civil war in the underworld, a holy war between the devil-angel factions and a divine war, between all the gods and religions. It was a nightmare just waiting to happen, waiting for the slightest of nudges, before the entire universe was once more thrown into chaos. The likes of which had never been before seen.

Sirzechs knew that most of the fears were baseless, the Devil Faction and the Demon Faction were allies and had several contracts with each other. Also, the Demon Faction had been at war with the Fairy Faction for decades, so the chances of them joining forces were slim. The only wild cards in the scenario, were the Yokai faction and the Vampire faction who were allies. Thus, when Lord Alucard himself appeared to Sirzechs, at his home no less, it was a rather important and tense day.

"Lord Alucard, to what do I owe this honor?" Sirzechs sat at his table, his wife and Queen calmly located at his side, his hands clasped calmly on his lap as he maintained the most neutral expression imaginable.

"You know why I'm here Sirzechs. Or is it Lord Lucifer now?" Alucard smirked as he calmly crossed his legs, his dark rimmed glasses reflecting the light in the room.

Sirzechs had in fact known Alucard, several years back when he was still much younger, but that was a story for another time "You know I cannot make a decision on my own without first contacting the other Satans. And even then, the process required will take some time."

Alucard's smirk lost its humor "You devils amuse me so much."

Sirzechs calmly steeled his expression, unable to stop himself from letting out a quip "Marvelous, and I wasn't even trying."

The tension in the room thickened as light slowly flickered "A large number of your species complain and whine about being overshadowed, about your 'rights' as the rulers of the underworld. Yet, now that the fruit is ripe for the plucking, now that the drums of war have echoed, your people are content with sitting at the sidelines and watching events unfold, only to later pitifully moan as the other factions gain power and glory."

Sirzechs placed a finger in objection "If, and I mean if, the Devil Faction supports the Vampires in a war against the Greek Gods, it would no longer be 'just' a war. They will take it as an assault made by the entire Judeo-Christian faction and siege not only us, but the Angels and Fallen Angels. And once they do, the other religions will see it as an invitation to plunder and attack. It will result in a Divine War."

Alucard calmly leaned back into his chair "Now, since that little red-head of yours is good at hypothetical scenarios, imagine what would happen if you don't ally with us, and we win."

Sirzechs frowned, the outcome of that would be obvious. "If the Vampire and Yokai factions manage to eliminate the Greek Gods, it would pose a massive threat to all other religions, but not as a deterrent. They would all combine forces to see to it that you are eliminated, in which case the outcome would still be a Divine War." And even if that didn't happen, Sirzechs noted to himself, the devil faction would see it as a massive threat to their position and would command them to be instantly sieged and killed.

Alucard grinned and continued "Now, what would happen if we lose?"

Sirzechs exhaled as he palmed his hands into place. "The defeat and/or elimination of two factions from the Underworld would create a power vacuum. The remaining factions would either scramble for that power… or, once more, the gods of other religions would interpret it as the Underworld having being weakened, and would clearly attempt a siege to take it for themselves. In which case, the Devil Faction fights back and it once more leads to…"

"A Divine War." The massive grin on Alucard's face clearly told Sirzechs were he had been going with this. "Regardless of the choice you make, the aftermath will still be a divine war. From what my spies gather, Artemis has allied with Hades and they are seeking alliances with the patron gods of several religions, and now, even the Demon Faction seems to be making moves we cannot predict. Why not side with the Vampire Faction now and make things easier on yourself by increasing your chances of victory?"

The term stuck between a rock and a hard place had never been more accurate in such a scenario. Sirzechs sighed as he realized that he needed to get back into optimum fighting shape, as well as possibly train Rias for the chaos that was coming their way. He also needed to call a meeting between the leaders of the angel-devil factions, because irrespective of whatever happened, it would be the entire Judeo-Christian faction that would take the heat.

"There is another way." Sirzechs glanced over to Grayfia, his wife and Queen who had been suspiciously silent throughout the entire meeting.

Sirzechs' eyes widened as he realized what she was talking about "You mean the Summit of Transcendence?"

Alucard chortled, before he burst out in full blown laughter "Do you really think, that this issue can be solved by calling in a Peace Summit?" he immediately became serious once more.

"I was alive during the last summit several thousand years ago. I was but a mere low-level vampire then, and I thought it would be fun to watch the Summit of Transcendence. So, I snuck in with an idiotic blond moron." He paused as he grinned as though recalling fond memories.

"A summit held on neutral ground, usually the Dimensional Gap and chaperoned by the most powerful creatures in existence; The Great Red, The Dragon of Infinity and the Fourth Horseman, The Pale Rider, the Master of Hades, Death. Those three rarely concern themselves with the affairs of gods or mortals, and usually, the summit is held either to offer peace treaties or to make alliances and end wars." Alucard wolfishly grinned.

"Or at least, that was supposed to be the intention. The gods got too rowdy and too angry at each other to try and come to a reasonable conclusion. And as a result, either Ophis or the Great Red would disintegrate them, taking them thousands of years to respawn, or Death would simply cease their immortality and kill them for real. If you truly intend on invoking the summit as your solution, you risk earning the ire of the Dragon of Apocalypse, the Dragon of Infinity and the Natural Phenomenon."

The room was pin-drop silent "In such a case, you need not worry about the Divine War ending the world. Those three are capable of doing it without even trying."

Sirzechs let out a sigh and realized that he had been doing that far too often "Irrespective of the decision made, the outcome would still be the same. As such, I would rather go for the scenario that possesses even the slightest chance of success or difference."

Alucard dispassionately shook his head as he rose "Those are the words of a desperate man. It seems I misjudged you Lucifer."

Sirzechs smiled sadly "Is it such a bad thing to want peace?"

"Peace? It's an illusion. It is only the moment of reprieve that one possesses before the next war. Someone I know has experienced that harsh reality too well."

Sirzechs frowned "Do you not tire of war? You already lost someone close to you, what would you do if you lose someone you care about once more?"

Alucard scowled "What happened to Serah was an exception. She died facing against an elite warrior of a Goddess. Everyone else I care about in this hollow planet is fully capable of handling themselves."

The Lucifer decided to play his hand "Even your daughter?"

Silence flooded the room like a burst dam, enveloping its occupants and swallowing them within its tranquil fluid form. It was a rumor which existed that had no real basis, but there were certain individuals who did know that a 'Vampire Princess' existed, the daughter of Alucard. Some said that they weren't related by blood, or that she was half-demon while others said they were, and that she was half-devil. Surrounded by secrecy and speculation, the answer to the question of whether or not there was a 'Vampire Princess' remained known only the select individuals of the Vampire faction, and of course, the Maou Lucifer.

"It seems I underestimated the efficiency of your spies." Alucard grinned "But rather than focus on my daughter, shouldn't you be more concerned with your younger sister?"

Sirzechs lost all form of mirth in his face as his expression became stony cold. "What are you implying?"

Like a wavy mist that did not possess form, the image of Alucard began to distort. "That is something that you'll find in due time."

Once the presence of the man vanished, Sirzechs instantly spun on his wife. "I need you to do something for me… and I have a feeling you're not going to like it."

~~~~~~ DxD: Game of the Year Edition ~~~~~~~

Unknown Location

Valper Galilei whistled a jaunty tune to himself as he witnessed his test subject scream in mind-numbing agony. The priest was also a scientist, a feat which very few had ever managed to accomplish, or rather, he claimed to have possessed a Ph.D. in Genetic Engineering. While the claim was rather boisterous, the truth was in fact no were near as glamorous. The church had originally forbidden him from wasting time studying science in the university, but he had still gone ahead to accomplish the feat, using the excuse of trying to 'modernize' the ways of the church and saying that science and religion didn't have to be enemies. He'd succeeded, attained a basic degree, and further gained a Masters as well. However, the Church had felt that he had not yet provided any proof of his benefit to the cause, despite his claims. He wanted to go ahead and gain the epitome of education, a Ph.D. if not for the knowledge, then at the very least to satisfy his own pride and ego. Alas, thus he had begun the holy sword projects.

Needless to say, the outcome was a disaster. Once he was exiled though, he had embezzled enough of the church's funds to actually acquire a Ph.D. However, it wasn't in Genetic Engineering. A simple forgery and lie here and there, and Kokabiel had chosen him for this job, granting him importance and status he could not have previously attained. Even if the lie was exposed, he had become too deeply rooted into the operation to be terminated or replaced, and as such, he'd stand as the mad genius behind the rebirth of the fallen angels, and the extinction of the devils. Valper might have been several touches insane, but he was in no way or form stupid. The mad priest stared at his test subject, the silver-haired man who was frothing at the mouth with intensity, and shooting him a glower that meant death.

"Come now, you should understand that it's all for a good purpose."

The term 'good' would be highly ambiguous as used in his sentence. True, he was trying to find a way to increase the vast population of Fallen Angels, a way to instantly convert humans to Fallen Angels that would rival the Evil Piece system used by the Devil Faction. Admittedly, Fallen Angels had a biology and physiology highly similar to that of humans, so they could, in fact, simply reproduce normally and increase their population. However, this system was extremely slow, factoring in the timing, as before they could produce a single Fallen Angel warrior, it would take several years for the child to mature from his or her young age to reach adulthood, before the process was continued.

Devils however could simply use an evil piece, and turn at least fifteen humans per one high-class devil, and in turn, those humans could still mate and produce more devils. Their system was highly efficient and much quicker, with the extra bonus of the Evil Piece adding more power to the new reincarnated converts. Thus, the simple 'sleep with women' approach the Fallen Angels used to increase their numbers was somewhat obsolete. However, the silver-haired test subject neither knew, nor did he care about any of that. He simply gave Valper a ferocious gaze that would have sent Lucifer himself running to the heavens.

"Well, at least I do suppose this should be an upgrade from being a severed head stuck in the ground for centuries passed." Valper added glibly, noting that the man's expression had calmed down somewhat.

"Who put you in there anyway? Clearly they knew you were immortal. Your head was severed and you still spoke, even though you had no connection to your lungs. They should have clearly realized that you wouldn't die from something as meager as lack of oxygen." Valper noted as he continued to examine the new data on his computer.

The silver-haired man grumbled out something unintelligible that Valper could not make out.

He paused and mused "Or perhaps they assumed that you'd starve to death? That would be also pointless. Your head is severed from the rest of your body; the starvation process would barely affect you if you have no stomach to begin with."

This time around, the man stayed quiet, and that intrigued the slightly insane priest/scientist.

Valper grinned "Or perhaps, whoever tried to kill you was clearly aware that you'd be trapped, as nothing but a detached head, unable to die and stuck in the earth, for eternity."

The look in the man's eyes clearly told Valper that he had guessed right, as well as the fact that his test subject was incredibly unstable, after having being buried alive, in total solitude for several thousand years.

"I truly wonder what you did to have deserved such a rather cruel and unusual punishment." Valper stated to himself as he stared at his subject, partially curious and partially appalled.

Valper was distracted from his musing when he heard the crunching of footsteps from behind him, turning around to find another notable priest present, the exorcist clearly not possessing any of the life and vigor that Valper had known him for.

"Oi, shitty priest, I heard from the boss man that you've got a fucking job or something for me."

Valper simply chuckled "Me? The 'shitty priest?' if I recall, you're the one who had diarrhea due to getting beaten by a teenage brat."

Freed growled in anger "Screw fucking you. The brat caught me by surprise. No one fucking just throws shit into your eye like that, or tosses poison into your mouth and I could have sworn he was empty-handed when I saw him."

"Keep your excuses to yourself Selzen, it sounds all the more pitiful when it's said out loud." Valper mocked.

"You asshole-" Valper sharply interrupted him before Freed could get far in his cursing.

"The only reason Kokabiel-sama believes your excuses and hasn't killed you yet is because somehow, Dohnaseek was defeated and critically wounded in combat, and he isn't exactly easy to beat." The man pondered silently as he stared at the exorcist.

"Well, Raynare's group has been sent to capture a nun, and if possible, find and capture the boy who had beaten you and Dohnaseek."

Freed tsked "Those idiots can't capture shit, that fucking brat took me by surprise, the chances of them capturing him is impossible, he'll be kicking and screaming all the way if he doesn't find some way to escape."

"Possibly true; however, I never stated that they had to capture him alive."

Freed simply rose an eyebrow in contemplation "And why the fuck am I not in on this? I owe that brat a fucking beat-down damn it!"

"That's because I need you to requisition certain items from our liaison at Kuoh General, this is something that's so easy, even you wouldn't be able to mess it up." Valper handed the rogue exorcist a list which the man collected silently.

"Oh and take this, it's the new prototype of the X-Serum with Test Subject J's blood." Valper also handed him a bag of needles and syringes with sickly purple fluid within it.

"What the fuck is the X-Serum?"

"Kokabiel-sama felt that 'Chemical X' was already trademarked and forced me to re-name it, that man truly has no sense of aesthetics." Valper shrugged "Well use it on whoever you feel you want to kill. It has a one in ten chance of survival though, and if, by some chance an individual you do inject with it survives, I'll be able to track them down which is a win-win scenario."

Selzen grumbled as he reluctantly collected the bag from the priest. He cursed under his breath as he gazed at the room. "Gah… telling me who to kill, fucking stupid experiments…Why the fuck do I do this shit anyway?"

Valper merely glanced at him with annoyance "What is it now?"

The rogue exorcise cursed as he took in a deep breath "We're the fucking good guys right Valper?"

Galilei paused as he stared at Freed. The man had never addressed him personally by name before, he mostly used derogatory insults. "What brought this on?"

Freed shook his head "I mean, devils are fucking scum, they're like the fucking goddamn opposites of the prissy white-winged angels. So that means they're supposed to be bad."

"Yes, technically devils are evil by nature." Valper added.

"Well, we're fighting devils, we want to completely erase those motherfuckers out of this goddamn world, kill them all and make sure not even a single fucking last one of their species survives." Freed growled. "We even take out those traitorous bastard humans who sign deals with them. But, we're treated as the fucking bad guys, exiled from the church, called insane, called all sorts of names because we want to kill devils, because we want to slay evil!"

Valper smirked "Perhaps they wouldn't be against you if you swore less and possessed even a hint of decorum."

Freed flipped Valper the bird "Well fuck that. I joined up with the church to kill devils, to watch as their thick blood paints the soil red, to hear the sweet cracking of their bones and tearing of their flesh. I didn't sign up to read morning mass or run errand boy for a fallen angel with a stake up his ass or lead a convent in fucking prayer and shit. Especially since we both know who's really running the show up there."

Valper frowned "Be sure to keep that little tidbit of information silent. The disaster that would be caused once people realize that Michael is the one running heaven would be catastrophic."

Freed waved him off "Like I care about that. What the hell has Michael ever done for me anyway? What the fuck have any of you assholes done for me anyway? I should be out there killing some fucking devils damn it!"

Valper had a quizzical expression on his face as he observed the exorcist. "Why do you want to kill devils so badly? You were considered a natural genius, one of the youngest and greatest exorcists ever created. Honestly, if you were a bit more… stable, you'd be one of the best exorcists in the entire world."

Freed snarled "Well boo-fucking-hoo, I'm sorry we can't all have a fucking cheerful life that allows us to keep our 'sanity' in check."

Valper's curiosity was piqued, though not entirely "What was your childhood like anyway? What sort of upbringing could make anyone as insane as you?"

The room became pin-drop quiet, as though a god had landed and seized all form of sound as his property. Only the beeping of heart-monitors and the bubbling of chemicals echoed across the room as though they had emerged into a physical entity. It was in this state of calm, that Freed Selzen, the exorcist known for his vulgar mouth, said nothing. The silence, however, existed as a more damning form of evidence, than any single thing the Exorcist could possibly have said.

Freed slowly walked towards the door with his new exorcist gun and blade, due to how his previous one was stolen by the brat who had poisoned him.

"I'm off. The sooner I get done with the items on this list, the sooner I get to meet that fucking brat that beat me." He let out a small smirk.

"And this time around… He's dead."

~~~~~~ DxD: Game of the Year Edition ~~~~~~~

PING!

PING!

PING!

You have arrived at your set destination.

Location Discovered – Kuoh Shopping District! Gained 25 EXP!

Sprint has gone up by 1!

Sprint has gone up by 1!

Sprint has gone up by 1!

Sprint has gone up by 1!

Sprint has gone up by 1!

Sprint has gone up by 1!

Observe has gone up by 1!

Observe has gone up by 1!

Observe has gone up by 1!

Issei skid to a harsh stop as he found himself in the shopping district of Kuoh, gathering weird looks as he patted off the dust from his trousers. He didn't look the least bit exhausted and sharply noted with some slight disappointment that his shoes had worn out from sprinting so long.

"Gah… so I sprinted for at least an hour straight and managed to gain six extra levels in the sprint skill, and using Observe while sprinting made it gain three extra levels. Good thing I have the Mr. Renaissance perk that increases the EXP gains of non-combat skills." He mused to himself. He had been using the Observe skill to calculate distances as he ran as well as to notice and Dodge obstacles. He wondered if he would allocate his perk points yet, but decided to hold on to them, especially if he would receive an entirely new set of perks that would vary greatly from the originals. There were certain perks he was regretting nor choosing, but ultimately, he knew that it was for the best. The Gutsy Pervert perk was still epic, no regrets there.

A part of him shuddered at the chaos that would unfold if he ever got stuck on a 'Pervert Mode', it would be both the most beautiful and the most horrific experience of his life. He did not however, ever want to use a Perverted Response while near either Tsubasa or Koneko. With the former, things might go a little bit too far, and with the latter, the outcome would be horrendous, irrespective of whether or not the perverted response is successful. If it fails, it would end up with him getting pulverized, if it succeeds, it would end up with him feeling as though he had taken the most beautiful of flowers in the world, layered it with honey and eaten it.

Issei frowned as he realized that he needed to meet with Tsubasa. He wasn't really sure about what they were now. Hell, they'd kissed, but did that make them something more? What were they to begin with? Other than their mutual interest in the Icha Icha series, he knew next to nothing about her. Then there was the fact that she was a devil as well as the fact that she had originally been trying to seduce him. He wanted to find out more about her, not just her, but her and Koneko. He enjoyed their company, their presence. They made him feel emotions that he didn't understand.

Issei let out a sigh, he still had perk points left to allocate, but didn't feel like using them up yet. Perks were extremely useful, so he supposed that he'd just scroll through the available options for the mean time.

Available Perks:

Lord of the Gambit

King of Jokers

Embracer of Shadows

Monarch of Eden

Winchester's Descendant

Seeker of Truth

Herald of the Dragonborn

"These sound so juicy..." As tempted as he was to allocate his new perk points, he decided to wait for a while. If he was correct, the available perk list changed after he had selected his perks and moved up five levels. But, he wanted to know if it would remain the same if he didn't select any perks and gained more perk points. Closing his list, he stretched and focused his mind back to the blue-haired girl he had become somewhat obsessed with.

He supposed that once he was done grinding and performing quests for the day, he'd try to track down where Tsubasa lived. Or was that too creepy? Would it be wrong to show up on her doorstep unannounced? Would he come off as too desperate? Would she say that their kiss had been a spurn of the moment thing? Issei slightly dreaded his meeting with Tsubasa, but he knew that he couldn't put it off forever. With a calm lull, he felt his Gamer's Mind suppress his slight anxiety and refocus his mind.

Observe has reached level 15! You can now view more information about targets!

Issei's mind returned to the present as he noted the notification "More information? Let's try this on my shoes… Observe."

Average School Shoes

Defense: - 0.5

State – Bad [4/10]

Ordinary School Shoes belonging to Hyoudou Issei, these lucky shoes have been with him for a while, helping his sorry self to flee from the wrath of half-naked women he peeked on. Sadly, much unlike the wearer, they seem to have reached the end of their rope. No attachments exist on this item, no modifications have been done on this item.

Issei's left eye twitched in annoyance at the description "The mockery continues…"

The Gamer sighed as he realized that he might need a change of wardrobe. "I still haven't found a place to craft yet… and now I need new shoes."

Issei walked down the pathway in search of a shop selling shoes, but he slowly found himself wandering as though he was being pulled by an invisible force. For some weird reason, he kept walking, ignoring almost all other shops. He wasn't really sure as to why he did it, but stopped in front of a particular shop. Though, the term 'shop' would be a rather vague description for it.

It looked as large as an entire school block in Kuoh Academy, painted a vivid royal gold, several stories high and possessing tinted windows. What struck Issei as odd was the fact that everyone seemed to ignore the store, like it wasn't there. People went around it and didn't even bother to glance up to stare at the magnificent building as though there was nothing but an empty alleyway in its place.

"It's like only I can see the place." Calmly, the gamer stared at the building to make sure he wasn't hallucinating, and used Observe.

You have found a mega-store!

The Midas Complex

An illustrious shopping complex rumored to have existed for centuries. A refined, delicate store made for only the most exquisite of customers, possessing items beyond mere plebian comprehension. As such, someone of your caliber even thinking of entering this store is a sin against man and god.

"…" Issei's grumbled to himself as he decided to prove the game system wrong; he pushed the revolving door and headed straight into the shop.

The now black-haired boy was forced to close his eyes as a blast of chilled air hit him from the air-conditioning that felt like actual chilled air from a snowy country. He managed to let his eyes open to witness the splendor of the store. The complex was huge, colored with a brilliant royal gold; it possessed smooth animal skin rugs decorating the spotlessly tiled floors, animal heads of all forms and types decorating the gold painted walls. There was a chandelier with bright golden lights was located in the middle of the complex just above the receptionist table which was made of smooth looking wood that Issei assumed was mahogany and had smartly dressed cashiers manning the stations. Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata played calmly in the background, and the entire building had the wonderful scent of lavender. Issei blinked as he walked around the shopping complex which was more of a giant mall, his Observe ability telling him that the building was several times larger on the inside than it appeared on the outside.

He was however unable to shake off the feeling of being watched. He spotted a girl with blonde hair wearing a smart business suit with an elderly man with long, grey hair, a matching beard, and an eye-patch over his left eye enter into an elevator. Issei's dark eyes caught the girl's blue eyes, and though she carried herself with slight esteem and regard, Issei could have sworn that she was more of a bodyguard than a companion to the man, even though the man seemed to be capable of taking care of himself. Issei threw that believe out of the window once he caught the man sport a perverted grin and spank the girl on the butt while grinning at him with a thumbs up, and mouthing "She doesn't have a boyfriend". The elevator's doors closed before he could observe the outcome of that exchange, but from the noise, Issei assumed it wasn't going to be funny.

A cold shiver ran down his spine as he tried to ignore it, but he felt it triple especially when he bumped into someone accidently and actually felt a portion of his HP drain from the impact alone. Ignoring the -125HP notification he gained, he shook his head in disbelief, because he could have sworn that the person he had bumped into was a lich dressed in high priests attire. Issei got away from the creepy skeleton-like being and the young woman beside him dressed in a greek-like transparent white gown and equipped with a bow and arrow tied behind her back as quickly as he possibly could. The entire complex was weird, he noted silently as he prepared to use Observe on the person he bumped into, but noticed that he had vanished.

'I'm getting some seriously creepy vibes here… maybe it wasn't such a good idea to enter.' He darted around and headed into what appeared to be a clothing store. Wandering slightly, Issei cared slightly about the weird looks and gazes he was receiving as though he was a monkey, and headed towards a rack of clothes. His eyes almost bulged out once he spotted the items available.

Leather Jacket of Divine Intervention

Defense: + 1500

Enchanted

State – Exquisite [100/100]

Issei's eyes shone with glee, his mouth almost watering.

Fingerless Gloves of the Archangel

Defense: + 1200

Enchanted

State – Exquisite [100/100]

The black-haired teen giggled like a five year old locked in a candy store.

Blessed Boots of Hermes

Defense: + 950

Enchanted

State – Exquisite [100/100]

Issei couldn't help himself as he burst out into triumphant laughter. He was going to be unstoppable! With the aid of this shop, he would be strong enough to stop all who dared oppose him. Nothing could stop him!

"Sorry sir, I have to ask you to leave."

Issei froze as he stared at two, tall and rather calm looking men dressed in golden suits, with clearly notable swords at their sides. Issei cast a quick Observe on the duo and realized that fighting them was clearly out of the option.

Midas Guard Lv. 55

Race: Spirit Warrior

Alignment: Lawful Good

HP: 5500/5500

MP: 1000/1000

Current Status Effects: None.

Emotions: Annoyed, Curious.

Basic Bio: A Summoned Guardsman of the Midas Complex.

He cursed when he spotted the stats of the second guard.

Elite Midas Guard Lv. 65

Race: Spirit Warrior

Alignment: Lawful Neutral

HP: 6500/6500

MP: 1500/1500

Current Status Effects: None.

Emotions: Bored.

Basic Bio: An elite soul of a warrior trapped to become a guard for the Midas Complex.

"Sorry, you need to leave. Now."

PING!

PING!

You do not have a high enough Prestige to use this store.

Prestige Required – 10,000

Prestige Available – 315

"What?" Issei could do nothing as he let himself get hoisted over the shoulder effortlessly, was carried out to front door and tossed out like an empty bag of potatoes onto the sidewalk.

-10 HP!

"Prestige?" he muttered out as he rubbed his sore back from his harsh landing.

Codex Entry – Prestige

The Game of the Year Edition has included the feature titled, Prestige. Prestige is, as the name implies, the certain respect or esteem an individual has gathered to become well known and respected as someone notable or of value. Prestige grants certain bonuses to social interactions, unlocks locations, and is required for use of certain items. It is not universal however, and if you are respected in one realm, you might not be respected in others.

There are multiple ways to increase Prestige such as gaining an Honored Reputation with either an individual or faction, possessing an extra-ordinarily high Charisma score, or completing feats and quests that will increase your fame or infamy.

"So I'm not famous enough…" Issei groaned as he picked himself up and dusted his uniform, noting with an annoyed expression that his uniform now spotted several tears in it.

Walking forward, he pondered silently to himself 'Just one store in that mall-like complex had items with exquisite ratings which should be really high level, not to mention the gold everywhere, the creepy people and then the name of the store. Hell even the guards weren't human… there's no way that it's all just a coincidence…'

The dark-haired teen brought up a menu and selected an option from it.

Communications with Sentient Life in Sacred Gear has been enabled.

"So you finally realized how hopelessly lost you are without my guidance?" Ddraig boomed in Issei's head, and the teen could almost see the dragon swelling in pride.

"I'd probably be lost with your guidance." Issei fired back "I just kept getting a weird feeling from the mall I was in. I wanted to know if there was anything off about it."

"And why should I help you do anything ningen?"

"Because whether or not you like it, you're trapped in with me for who knows how long. And I'm pretty sure you have nothing else going on for excitement in your life."

"Despite my enormous boredom, I still don't have any other reason to help you."

Issei raised his hands up in frustration, gathering even more strange looks from people around him "Alright! What do you want?"

"You'll owe me a favor after this. A certain task I need to have completed."

"What task?"

"It's nothing much and it's nothing you'll have to do any time soon."

"I thought you've been trapped in the Sacred Gear for years, what could you possibly want done that hasn't died of old age?" Issei quipped dryly.

"It's something you don't need to know right now. Look, I have lived for generations and have knowledge on creatures and beings from all over the world. I can teach you how to use your demonic and holy powers better than some angels or devils ever can. And all I ask in return is a single favor, are you really going to let your paranoia turn this offer down?"

Issei pondered the wisdom over making such a risky bet with the Welsh Dragon, but decided to go with his gut on it. At the very least, nothing the Welsh Dragon would throw at him would be bad enough to kill him.

"Fine, you have a deal."

There was a moment of patient silence in which Issei waited for a response.

"Ningen, you need to leave this area. Now."

Issei furrowed his eyebrows in annoyance "Now you sound like those jerks that threw me out. What's the big deal?"

"I could detect the presence of divine beings, inside that store you just left."

"What would a god be doing in a mall?"

"Not 'a god' you idiot, 'gods' there is more than one god in that building, and I don't know the exact number, but they are certainly more than three, can't you tell just how serious that is?."

"I must have slept through 'Divinity 101' in kindergarten." Issei bluntly spat "In case you've forgotten, I didn't even know gods were real until yesterday. So I take it as the gathering of gods isn't a normal occasion?"

"No. They all have separate realms they govern, and rarely ever meet for anything. Whatever is going on in there is something secret that they don't want anyone knowing."

"So I guess it's up to me to find out!" Issei grinned as he smacked his fist into his palm.

"Listen gaki, the Boosted Gear might be a sacred gear capable of slaying gods, but you are nowhere near that level, literally. If you enter into that place again, you WILL die."

Issei couldn't help but notice, that despite Ddraig's sarcasm and harsh tones, he still didn't want any harm to befall him. "I was only kidding. I almost got my ass handed to me by a fallen angel, I'm not stupid enough to go charging into a fight with a god." Issei appeased slowly, almost cringing at the memory of his fight with Dohnaseek before he got his Boosted Gear. "So do I just ignore the whole thing or what?"

"Well the devils in charge of this town seem to be happy doing just that- unless…" Ddraig paused as an idea struck him.

"Now what?"

"Use your powers and channel demonic energy into your eyes before gazing at the store."

"Alright." Issei took in a deep breath as he made use of Energy Manipulation. Commanding the dark magic of devil's in his body, he moved it upwards in his body and thrust it into his eyes.

PING!

Through the manipulation of energy to suit your needs, you have gained a skill that allows you to perceive the world like a devil! You have gained, Devil's Sight [Active] Lv. 1.

Issei's eyes opened as he let out a small gasp of awe, suddenly finding himself able to see much farther than before, and areas that were dark or shaded with shadows became as visible as though it was under direct sunlight. He grinned slightly as he realized that his advanced vision would let him view and probably see through the clothes of girls if the material caught light and was even the least bit transparent. However, he'd need to level it up for it to be even minutely clear or accurate.

However, there was a rather noticeable difference.

"What the- it's gone!" Truly, Issei stared back to what was once a giant elegant store, and found nothing but a series of alleyways.

"I thought as much. But just to be sure, turn off your Devil's Sight and try again with Light Magic."

Issei rapidly turned off his ability, and channeled Light Magic into his body.

PING!

Through the manipulation of energy to suit your needs, you have gained a skill that allows you to perceive the world like an Angel! You have gained, Angel Vision [Active] Lv. 1.

Once more, Issei opened his eyes and he could swear that he heard the chanting of a choir singing 'Hallelujah' as his gaze fell upon the world. The difference between Angel Vision and Devil's Sight was as clear as day and night. Issei could see much farther and much clearer, but he could also see the hearts of people, he could see their souls and their alignments, he could see they're real faces, the ones they kept hidden to themselves. He could faintly see the faults and weak-points of certain objects and people; however, he realized that he would need to level it up to view it clearly.

Alas, the only thing Issei couldn't see, was the shopping complex.

"It's as I thought." Ddraig muttered slowly.

"There's something preventing both devils and angels from seeing this shop?" Issei added, finally seeing where the Welsh Dragon was heading.

"Yes. Apparently only gods can enter or see this place. It seems however that your Exodus Switch is powerful enough to be considered a Divine entity, which is why only you can see the building."

"Interesting… but not really useful, I can't enter because I don't have enough prestige. So what am I supposed to do with this information?"

PING!

New Side Quest!

Issei groaned "I just had to ask."

The Enemy of My Enemy

There is a mysterious shop housing godly presence and it is invisible to Devils and Angels. Its origin and purpose are unknown, but certainly important.

Main Objective: Infiltrate the shopping complex to find out what secret it holds and to discover its purpose.

Secondary Objective: Do not get caught, and do not let your true identity be discovered.

Bonus Objectives:

?

?

?

?

?

Rewards: ? ? ? ? ? ?

Bonus Rewards: 2500 EXP per Bonus Objective, ? ? ?

Failure: Possible Death, gained status effect: Cursed.

[Y/N]

"This is way too mysterious for a simple side-quest. It's most likely this is one of those Butterfly quests in disguise… especially since I can decline it if I want to."

"Do you want to?"

"Well, I really need the experience, plus I could probably get to see an actual Goddess… there was a blonde girl in there… I wonder if she was a Goddess…" Issei pondered with a grin and hit the yes button.

"Of course… You've been displaying so much maturity I almost forgot that you were a pervert." Ddraig sighed "Now that you've guaranteed our demise, what is your plan to infiltrate the building? Charging through the doors would be suicidal, attempting to enter from the roof would also be futile, and the air ventilation system is almost too cliché, assuming there is one."

Issei paused as he spoke to the dragon, his mind rapidly going over the entire building to find an entrance spot "Hmm… How am I going to find a way into the building?"

Intelligence Check Required!

'Huh, I almost forgot about stat checks.'

Required Intelligence Multiplier - 30

Total Intelligence Multiplier – 33.5

Check Passed! EXP Gained!

"Below!" Issei grinned as the idea popped into his mind.

"Below?" Ddraig asked inquisitively.

"You see, during the last World War, Kuoh was used as a base of operations for the army. As such, the town has several hidden bunkers and encampments, but the most predominant one, would be the presence of tunnels that run underneath the city." Issei dictated almost automatically, the random knowledge of trivia he had gotten from certain books and from History class finally being useful.

"Most of them were converted into Subway tunnels, but once the jet train caught on, most subway tunnels were abandoned. The governing council probably has something planned for them later down the line, but as of now…"

Issei rapidly opened his Map and traced a line on it "…there's a tunnel that runs straight from the Shopping District to an abandoned mansion at the edge of the town."

"Where are you going with this?"

Issei continued slowly, walking into an empty alleyway and ensuring that no one could spot him "What I'm saying is that there should be a tunnel directly under the building. If I can get into that tunnel, I'll be able to get into the building."

"This building isn't on any maps and is most likely a construct of supernatural power. You are highly certain, that you'll find an entrance linked to the tunnels?"

"The chance is rather slim but… I saw that girl and man enter an elevator, descending downwards. Unless the elevator leads to another world or realm, the chance of finding an entrance under the building through the tunnels is the best I've got."

"And how will you get into the tunnels?"

The Gamer grinned as he stared at a manhole cover "Through the sewers."

~~~~~~ DxD: Game of the Year Edition ~~~~~~~

Clink!

The familiar echo of a canned drink dropping from a vending machine echoed quietly amongst the hustle and bustle of the streets of Kuoh. A soft hand reached into the machine, grabbed the orange-soda, and flicked it open with a soft hiss. The blue-haired girl with her hair tied up neatly into a ponytail, wearing a casual black tank-top and an open grey jacket over a pair of blue jeans and sneakers swirled the can in her grasp. Watching as the fizz increased, she brought the drink to her lips and drowned more than half of it in one gulp.

She stared at the can and mused "Half-empty." She muttered quietly as she tossed the half-finished can into a trash with a silent sigh. Turning down the street, she let both her mind and body wander.

Tsubasa Yura was generally a contented girl. She was satisfied with what she usually had, she was also satisfied with what she had gained. While most devils had a strong motivator pushing them forward, Tsubasa only motivation was to repay the 'debt' she had to Sona. Arguably, becoming a devil was something that had never crossed her mind several years back, but it didn't really come as a shock to her. She wasn't overly religious, nor was she overly paranoid. When her parents had died several years back, she was left in the custody of her older sister. Clearly, they fell into financial crisis not long after, and there was always the possible threat of her being taken away from her sister. Back then, Tsubasa admired her sister. Her older sister had actually been nice, cheery, and could be considered as her perfect antithesis. Whereas Tsubasa was cynical, her sister was open-minded. Where Tsubasa was sarcastic and blunt, her sister was more subtle and caring. She radiated wonderful warmth that made it pleasurable to be around her. She cared deeply about other individuals, helped them when they were in need, showed them compassion and had a generous heart even though she herself was poor. Tsubasa wanted to be like her sister when she grew up. She wanted to be nice, to try and solve everyone's problems, to be radiant and beautiful, to be cheerful and honest.

Tsubasa scoffed to herself, drawing looks from passing pedestrians which she expertly ignored. If only she had known that caring so much about other people, and doing everything in your power to make them whole came at the debilitating cost of tearing yourself apart.

The mask shattered and her sister broke under pressure. The rate at which she collapsed was alarming to everyone who knew her; parties non-stop, smoking, drinking, and gambling. She had partied too hard and too fast, she gambled away and though she sometimes won, she eventually lost big, throwing both Tsubasa and herself into a deeper debt than they previously had before. The debtors knocking on their door each and every day, the constant threats she received, Tsubasa couldn't count how many times a knife had been placed on her neck as they threatened to kill her if her sister couldn't pay off her debts. One thing led to the next, she joined a gang consisted of delinquents and a certain guy whose father was in the pockets of the Yakuza. Finally, her sister and her small gang of friends had decided to try their hand in robbery.

Tsubasa was pretty sure that her sister and her crew did not expect that the old lady in the jewelry store they broke into was a war veteran. Or maybe at the very least, they didn't expect the woman to fight back. Well at least they definitely didn't expect her to possess a gun. It was Japan after all; firearm regulations were as tight as possible.

Perhaps if they had expected all of that, her sister might still be alive.

Tsubasa asked herself day after day, was it her fault that her sister had died? If she had never been born would her sister have had things easier for herself?

It didn't take long to become the new target of the debtors. They didn't care about her sister's death and only wanted their money. Desperation sunk in and she began running jobs for the Yakuza. Stealing, cheating, lying, extortion and fraud became her bread and butter, she lived a double life of attending classes by day and luring unsuspecting folks into alleyways by night. Until finally, she had saved up what she needed to buy her freedom, to get her life back.

Her dreams had crashed around her like waves of despair. The group didn't want to let her go, they were content with using her as their agent. She tried to leave, but they couldn't have that happen. Tsubasa remembered her death, tossed off a cliff, her body tumbling as though she'd been backhanded by a titan, her bones cracked like steel hammer against glass, her organs ruptured like water balloons in a vice-grip. She collapsed a bloody, broken smear on the floor.

Tsubasa chuckled bitterly. Her entire life story was probably as pathetic as the sermons given to little children in churches. All she had ever wanted, was to not be a burden. All she wanted was to not be some damsel in distress needed to be saved. Had that been too much to ask?

It was only as she lay on the ground, bleeding and in pain, finally ready to meet with sweet, comfortable death, that she had met the devil called Sitri Sona. She could faintly remember the bespectacled girl, and it struck her, she was one of the few people that Tsubasa had stolen from. Sona had revived her and Tsubasa did nothing but stand in awe as she watched the girl, who seemed to be her age, and who seemed to be less athletic than she was, wipe out the Yakuza like an exterminator would a nest of hornets. It was a sight that filled her with utter hope and adulation. Sona was not a devil, no, she was an angel. Sitri Sona was an angel who had descended from the heavens themselves to deliver her from her plight.

Tsubasa's awe had died once she realized what being a devil entailed, once she came to face with the harsh reality that was nowhere near as tempting as the advertisement. Originally, Tsubasa didn't have any purpose for living besides self-sufficiency. So, she had then decided to set a new goal for herself, to find a new reason for living. And finally, she had settled on her goal.

She wanted to explore the world. She wanted to cruise the seas, to feel beneath her feet the sands of the deserts and the snow of the ice caps. She wanted to laugh as she pointed at people's awe-struck faces as she took pictures on top of the pyramids of Egypt and sunbathed in the nude on the head of the Sphinx. She wanted to mischievously throw pies at couples from the peak of the Eiffel Tower and plant the flag from the Tree Village in the Icha Icha series on the top of Mount Everest. She wanted to skydive out of a plane into the Niagara falls or simply watch people's expression as she bungee-jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge. She wanted to do crazy things that no one had ever done before, and she wanted to stop merely existing, she wanted to live.

But she couldn't.

She couldn't because she was bound to Sona as her servant, forced to obey the girl's orders, fight her battles, protect her, and become her sword and shield until she advanced in rank and could be freed from her servitude. Refusal meant being cast out as a stray devil which was the equivalent of basically painting a giant sign in neon orange on her back saying 'Kill me now!'

Tsubasa wasn't born yesterday. She didn't have rose-colored glasses on like most other members of the Sitri's peerage, and no matter how they tried to paint it, no matter how they voiced it, her options were still obey or die. When she had been brought back to life, she had not been expecting to face such an ultimatum, again. The bitter truth of the scenario haunted her as she put up a satisfied smile and went along with the rest of Sona's peerage who did not have her experience. The truth left a disgusted taste in her mouth that made her sick.

All she had done was trade one master for another.

But things had changed. Now, she had somehow found freedom from Sona's peerage. Her Rook piece was no longer within her, she was free. She had no real reason to be bound back to the devil, and she could truly actualize her dream. Yet, they actually wanted her to go back? They wanted her to return to Sona's servitude? It was utterly and absolutely ridiculous.

Despite her defiance, Tsubasa knew that she couldn't actualize her dreams without the funds or necessities she needed. She couldn't teleport around the world freely and she didn't have enough money to board a plane much less own one. She was still a devil, and now, she was much weaker than before with the lack of the Rook piece augmenting her body. She grimaced as the realized that a devil without the backing of a Clan or Family was almost as good as stray, and as such, it seemed that she would have to be fighting off threats from the Angels and Exorcists every day of her life.

It seemed that she was once more left with an ultimatum, re-join Sona as her servant to gain her protection, or don't rejoin and she would have to face the enemies of devils alone, as she was, weakened and without allies. If only she had been resurrected back to life as a human, she wouldn't have to worry about Exorcist's or fallen angels killing her.

Tsubasa bit her lip in frustration. Once more it seemed that all the problems in her life occurred from a lack of ability. If only she wasn't so weak, if she wasn't so poor, if she wasn't so useless.

"I'm expendable… I can easily be replaced. I don't have any Sacred Gears or special talents, I can't do most things other pieces can. I'm just the tank who draws a bulk of attention away from the rest."

Tsubasa cringed as she stopped and rapidly held her hand against her head. It felt as though her mind was being squeezed by an invisible force. 'What was that?'

The former Rook of the Sitri peerage shook her head as she decided to get an actual meal instead of just orange soda. She spotted a small fast-food stand besides a grocery store not far away from her position, and a thought came to her head. 'Didn't I… didn't I meet Hyoudou at a grocery store?'

The girl walked forward toward the stand and blinked as another image flashed across her mind with agonizing pain. "Even you… a pervert who everybody thinks of as worthless, found the most insane way to defeat an exorcist, while I couldn't do anything but be a weak damsel in distress."

Tsubasa blinked away the stinging tears in her eyes as she moved towards the stand 'An exorcist? Hyoudou-san beat an exorcist? That impossible, he's just a normal human, right? Gah, why are my memories so jumbled up?'

Tsubasa regained her breath as she approached the stand; her eyes squinted as she developed a massive headache. She honestly couldn't remember what had happened that had led to her second death and resurrection. It was all a blur of memories, all she did remember were voices, a large battle and finally, her waking up on Sona's front door in the morning. All she could remember was that it had something to do with Hyoudou Issei. The troublesome teen who had literally gone from most hated to most scandalous in the time-span of a single day. Somehow beating and sending Murayama, the captain of the kendo club, to the hospital with a single strike.

Sona clearly knew about her past, and she also knew that Tsubasa had more of a penchant for deception than anyone else in her peerage. So, she had sent her to woo the Hyoudou enough to make him part of her peerage. Tsubasa could faintly remember begrudgingly accepting the task and then stalking the teen to a Supermarket. However, everything else from there was mostly blank.

"Here you go miss, have your… Taiyaki with red bean soup, best to eat it while it's hot I guess."

Tsubasa glanced down at the extremely unusual combination of meals that had even the chef strangely looking at her, and rose her eyebrows in confusion. "I just came in. I haven't ordered anything yet."

"Your cute little friend ordered this for you." The man behind the counter stated as he pointed over to another seat. Tsubasa set her gaze in the direction of his fingers with slight intrigue as she saw someone she was not expecting to meet.

"Hello Tsubasa-sempai" the girl stated in her usual bland monotone, as she gently nibbled on her taiyaki.

With a sigh, Tsubasa knew that their incoming conversation was one of those ones she wished she didn't have to sit through while sober "Hello Koneko-chan."

~~~~~~ DxD: Game of the Year Edition ~~~~~~~

Kuoh General Hospital

Murayama had been thinking. She lay on her bed in her hospital robes which were torn and tattered, her eyes were vacant and lifeless as she stared into the ceiling, surrounded by several nurses who gave her pitying looks, and a female doctor who was barking orders left and right. The heart monitor gave weak, slow beeps, before it rapidly increased, giving sharp, fast beeps that multiplied the tension in the room.

She was told that the Operation would be done in two days. It was fine, she didn't mind. She was told that there was a fifty percent chance of success. That was also fine, and she could deal with those odds. She was then told that even if the operation was successful, she would never be able to compete in most sport activities ever again. That, however, had taken the cake.

"She's gone into cardiac arrest! Get me the defibrillator!"

Yes, it was her fault for wanting to humiliate Hyoudou. Yes, she made the bet, yes, she made the wager. She would have beaten and humiliated him, and it was wrong of her. She had been using him as an outlet, to channel through all her rage and emotion, all her sorrow and confliction. She had wanted a punching bag, and the teen had looked like a good one. However, she had learned her lesson not to take underestimate people in the worst way possible. Yet, to be told that one mistake would end her entire career and life, it was too much to handle.

"Clear!"

She wouldn't have permanently injured him. She wouldn't have done any lasting damage. He wouldn't have had to go through surgery. It was all supposed to be a joke, just some fun. Honestly, he was right somewhat. A part of her liked him, she liked his freedom and honesty, his openness and sincerity. He didn't have a clan of swordsmen behind him pressuring him to be the best at everything he did, nor did he find himself buried by responsibility, nor was he trying to live up to someone's expectations. Everything about him was as he wished it to be. He was someone who enjoyed his life to the fullest and did whatever he wished without care of the consequences. She admired that about him.

Yet, he came and made her feel like it was all her fault. She simply wanted to shift the blame to him, she wanted to use him as an outlet for everything that was wrong with her life. She wanted him to be her excuse. Ultimately however, it was her fault. It remained her fault. It was her mistake. But to realize that while she would be facing the risk of death or permanent injury, the Hyoudou would go scot free with nothing more than a wounded reputation was infuriating. It was absolutely enraging. Why did she have to suffer more? Why did she have to be the one to bear the brunt of everything? Why was she the one who had to face the disappointed gazes of her father and the dispassionate gaze of her step-mother as they considered her a disappointment? Why was she the one who would be disowned if she was no longer capable of performing kendo?

She had thought a lot about what he had said. And she had finally reached a resolution. No matter how wrong it seemed, the truth remained certain.

She was angry at him.

"It's not working!"

"Try again! Clear!"

It was her fault. It was all her fault. It was her fault. Her mind repeated the phrase over and over, and it got her nowhere. Blaming herself did nothing. Hyoudou didn't face possible death. He didn't face possibility of being paralyzed. He was probably off somewhere without a care in the world. He didn't have the burdens she had on her shoulder, he didn't have any responsibilities to uphold, he didn't have anyone to impress.

He didn't experience true, unspeakable horror.

It was easier to place the blame on him. Everything would be better if she blamed him. If only he didn't exist, or perhaps, if only he hadn't caused such a distraction in class, she would have never had the need to speak to him. She would have never have challenged him to a duel. She would have been content with simply beating him whenever she caught him peeking.

"We're losing her!"

"Keep trying! Clear!"

So it was his fault. Her irrational mind told her. Blame Hyoudou.

Blame Hyoudou.

Blame Hyoudou.

Blame Hyoudou.

Blame Hyoudou for her misery. Blame Hyoudou for the pain she went through.

If not for him, she would have never been in this hospital. If not for him, she would have never had cause to be injured and to wait for surgery. If not for him, she would have never met an insane silver haired priest that seemingly knew and had a vendetta against her father.

"Come on! Come on! Don't die on me! Clear!"

If not for Hyoudou, she would have never known the man called Freed Selzen who entered her hospital room. If not for Hyoudou, she would have not possessed a broken neck and she would have been able to fight back. If not for Hyoudou, she would have had the strength to scream for help as the mad man tore away at her gown.

"Don't die damn it! Fight it! Fight! Clear!"

If not for Hyoudou, she would not have suffered the most sickening experience of her entire lifetime. If not for Hyoudou, she would not have been poisoned by an unknown substance that the priest had.

"Doctor… the heart monitor…" the room became deadly silent as a flat, monotone beep echoed and descended on the occupants like a phantom menace.

The doctor said nothing as she glanced at her report. "Inform the police… they might want to begin their investigations now."

Blame Hyoudou.

"September third, ten twenty-six A.M. patient Busujima Murayama; cause of death: cardiac arrest sustained as a result of poison with an unknown chemical… and sexual assault."

If not for Hyoudou, she would not be dead.

…

Snap!

The temperature of the room dropped several thousand degrees. The doctor and nurses had goosebumps running down their skin as they stared at the body of the girl with slight trepidation, after hearing the snap occur from her neck.

Their minds calmed when they noticed nothing out of the ordinary, except for one, tiny fact that they all seemed to miss. The medical experts realized the horrific truth of the one fact they had seemed to miss.

Corpses don't blink.

~~~~~~ DxD: Game of the Year Edition ~~~~~~~

A/N: Yeah... you guys are going to so kill me for this one.

I'll display Issei's updated stats next chapter.

So who is the mysterious Vampire Princess? What will Sirzechs order Grayfia to do? Who are the remaining two leaders of the Four Emperors of the Underworld? Will Issei be able to complete his side quest? What does Koneko want with Tsubasa? Where is Naruto right now? What will happen to poor ol' Murayama? Will Freed pay for his heinous crime? Will Hidan ever escape his bondage? Random rhetorical question! Random rhetorical question! RANDOM RHETORICAL QUESTION!

Find out the answers to these and more on the next edition of Dragon of Dragons - Game Of The Year Edition!