8 A Day to Remember

A year has passed since the incident with the rogue devils and life had gone back to normal for everyone. In the beginning, Ophis, Great-red and Barakiel kept their children as close as possible to ensure their safety in case the devils decided to make another attempt at their children. However, after a few months of no activity, they judged that everything was fine and soon everything went back to normal after everything calmed down. Issei's and Akeno's relationship continued to grow with each passing day. It got to the point where they were practically inseparable. In addition, Issei started to take his training a lot more seriously since the incident taught him that there were a lot of dangerous beings out there and he needed to grow stronger in order to be able to protect Akeno and those he held dear. He understood that his victory was only due to luck, having been able to destroy the barrier containing them thus allowing their parents to rescue them. To make matters worst, according to Akeno, he lost consciousness while there were still many enemies left alive thus endangering her life. Of course, no one blamed him for having lost consciousness. He fought with every once of strength he had and against several enemies while protecting Akeno from harm. The very fact that he managed to do that at such a young age was worthy of praise; but, unfortunately, for Issei it was a strike to his pride. He won the battle but lost the war. If his parents were a tad bit late or he failed to destroy the barrier then both of them would not have been alive today which is why he wished to gain strength in order to avoid such a scenario from happening again.

Even Akeno started to get better at using her holy lighting. She wanted to get stronger so she would not be a burden to Issei. Even though he denied it, she knew that Issei would have had a much easier time had she not been so weak and useless. Most of the time, the devils took advantage of her in order to be able to land hits on Issei. Not only did he have to focus on fighting the enemy, but he also had to split his attention towards protecting her which made him more vulnerable to Valper's assault. The scar across his chest is proof enough of her inadequacy. In order to avoid being placed in such a situation ever again, she started training with her dad whenever he had time to spare.

Today, however was not a time for unpleasant thoughts because today was a special day and both of them were busy getting ready for the occasion. Today was Issei's birthday and both families agreed to spend his birthday at the amusement park which made him very excited. They were supposed to go there last year but the devil incident caused their parents to become paranoid and would not let the kids out of their sights so there was barely any chance to do any activities other than staying at each others place but now that things calmed down and the fact that it was Issei's birthday, they could finally plan a trip to the amusement park. After waking up, he quickly dressed himself up and headed downstairs for breakfast. His parents had already finished eating and were ready to go but it seems they were having a bit of an argument.

"For the last time, we are not going using your sh.. (cough) useless motorcycle. We already agreed to meet Shuri and her family at their shrine and we can simply teleport there." Ophis told Great-red. She had to correct herself there as she did not want to swear in front of Issei as much as possible.

"WHY NOT! This bike is super fast and we can meet them in style" complained Great-red.

"Your bike will just give me and Issei a massive headache with all the noise it creates. That contraption is even noisier than you and that is saying something."

"OYYY Ophis. This bike is a divine creation. A miracle created by the hands of humans and it does not deserve to be called a contraption. This is the God of all machines with speed exceeding.." however before he could continue, he was interrupted by his wife

"Yeah, yeah, yeah I already heard all of that a million times already. If you love it so much, why don't you marry it. I'm sure me and Issei can find another place to stay and leave you two alone." Ophis teased him with a devious smirk on her face. Great-red, caught by surprise by that statement, could only stutter a response

"uhh…I…wha" It seems that after all these years spent together, she finally knows how to deal with him which just left him grumbling

"hmf, I liked you better when you were trying to kill me" he whispered.

"What was that?" she retorted

"Nothing! We will do things your way. Today is Issei's special day and I wouldn't want us to spend it arguing over pointless things" he sighed looking at issei who was finishing his breakfast.

"Yes, it is!" she nodded as she shifted her attention towards Issei

"Issei! Are you done with your breakfast?"

"Yes, mom! I've finished eating! Let's go go go!" said an excited Issei already at the door which caused both parents to laugh at their sons reactions.

"Alright Issei, come here. We will be teleporting to the shrine to save time and meet up with Shuri, Barakiel and Akeno."

"Hai" Issei said making his way towards his parents. When they were all ready, Ophis activated her magic circle which teleported them to their destination. Now located in front of the familiar, the Hyoudou family made its way towards the front entrance where they were greeted with the sight of the family they were going to meet. At the sight of Issei, Akeno quickly ran towards him with a bright smile on her face and enveloped him into a hug.

"Happy birthday Issei!" she cheered.

"Thank you Akeno-chan" he answered as he returned her embrace. In back of Akeno were her parents who were slowly making their way towards them and seeing this display caused Shuri to giggle.

"Ara ara, fufu! The day has barely begun and Akeno has already made our little Issei happy. We have your gifts ready for you at home, but if you prefer, we can always change them and give you Akeno, if it will make you happier." She teased which got the exact reaction she hopped for as they both separated from one another, blushing healingly. Great-red then joined in on the fun.

"You can't do that Shuri! There is no way we can defeat that gift! HAHAHAHA." He said causing the others to also join in on the joke. Although it didn't seem possible, Issei and Akeno's cheek became a brighter sheet of red as they shouted respectively

"DAD" "MOM"

As the laugh settled down, Ophis decided to get everyone back on track albeit with a little tease mixed in.

"If you are done bullying the 'newlyweds', we have an amusement park to get to." Everyone nodded at her statement and Issei's mood went from embarrassed to excited in one moment.

"Yay, let's go."

A few moments later, they all arrived at the amusement park and Issei could hide the awe he felt at the sheer size and number of rides there were. So many people were seen enjoying every sort of ride and he could not wait to get on each of them as this was his first time in such a place. Akeno could not help but share in his excitement; however; unlike Issei, this is not the first time she had been to the amusement park as her parents took her once before. She was also excited because this would be the first time she could come to such a place with not only her friend but with the boy who she held a crush on. Before she could continue on with her thoughts, Issei grabbed her by the hand and dragged her towards the rides, in the process causing her to blush at his assertiveness but went by unnoticed by the culprit.

"Let's go on this one Akeno" Issei pointed towards the roller coaster. Akeno simply nodded as they made their way towards the line. Their parents following closely behind while chatting with one another. Time went by very fast for Issei as he got on different rides. Rollercoaster, merry go round, pirate ship and he even tried bungy jumping although that made him a bit nauseous but nevertheless, he had a lot of fun. They even went into the arcade and this is where things got a bit interesting. He challenged Akeno to many different games from racing games to dancing games but he always ended up losing.

"Akeno-chan, can't you go easy on me please?" pouted Issei causing Akeno to laugh

"Ara ara, can't the big strong dragon handle a little challenge? Are you asking me for some mercy?" teased Akeno.

"Never, let's go again!" shouted Issei, having his pride as a dragon wounded as he continued to play game after game against her but still losing. Amusingly enough, a short distance away, a similar situation was occurring with their fathers. Great-red, having spotted a motorcycle game quickly challenged Barakiel to a match which he accepted.

"Are you ready for a royal beatdown, Barakiel?" challenged Great-red with a smirk.

Barakiel answered with one of his own "Bring it on Red!". Unfortunately for Great-red, a real motorcycle is very different from an arcade one and he kept making mistakes causing him to lose the race.

"I WANT A REMATCH! I just went easy on you OK. That is the only reason I lost but this time I will win." shouted great-red, throwing a temper tantrum like a child. Deciding to humor him, Barakiel accepted his offer. Despite his eagerness, Great-red, like his son, kept losing time and time again. During one game he even resorted to cheating. When he was sure no one was looking at their direction, he spawned his tail and poked at Barakiel's side causing him to lose concentration and allowing Great-red to take the lead in their race.

"Wow, resorting to cheating, now are we? I never pegged you for a sore loser Red!" giggled Barakiel.

"Doesn't matter! All is fair in love and war and I WILL WIN BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY" he said. Yet, despite cheating he still ended up losing causing him to brood even further. Ophis could do nothing but sigh at both her husbands and son's behaviour.

"fufu, Why don't we go and have tea while the 'kids' are having their fun" suggested Shuri who casually even called her husband a kid. Ophis simply nodded as they made their way towards a seated table

"huh, sometimes I really wish he would act proper for once in his life." Stated Ophis about her husband

"He could, but then he wouldn't be the man you fell in love with, right?" Ophis sighed knowing that what Shuri said was true.

"You are right, as always! I just wish issei wouldn't behave to much like his father."

"Children inherit the traits of both their parents. Some are good and some are bad. Yet, despite that, we will never stop loving and cherishing them." Shuri stated looking towards her daughter. Ophis doing the same thing with her son

"Indeed! No matter what he becomes, I will always love my little Issei" she said with a smile on her face. Time went by and eventually they made it out of the arcade although both Issei and great-red could be seen head down brooding over their defeats. With synchronized motion they pointed towards their respective opponents

"Next time, I will not lose." They both said at the same time. Ophis recalling her earlier conversation with Shuri could not help but let out a small smile "like father, like son indeed". All a of a sudden, everyone a loud growl noise coming from both of them.

"Oh, it seems we played until we were both hungry!" rubbing his stomach as Great-red said this. Everyone started laughing making Issei a bit embarrassed but still joined in on the laugh. They made their way towards a restaurant where they could fill their bellies. Great-red ate what seems like an entire buffet while Ophis just had spaghetti Bolognese. Shuri ordered a salad and Barakiel, a steak. Issei, for his part, ate a steak and the same spaghetti his mom took while Akeno simply had the same as her mom. Noticing that evening was fast approaching, they quickly finished eating and headed out to take part in one last ride, the Ferris wheel. Normally, there was enough space for all of them to enter but they wanted to give their kids some private time together. Ophis even went up to the operator and asked if she could allow their sons cart to stop at the top for his birthday. Of course, her request was immediately accepted since it is impossible to say no to a goddess incarnate like Ophis, even if the recipient is a woman. If anything, during their entire trip, so many people have been gawking at Ophis. Both men and women stopping to get even a glimpse of her beauty. Men started in lust while women in awe and jealousy. Yet, this time, Ophis straight up ignored them all, focusing on her son's birthday. Anyways, as the ride was coming to a close, just as per Ophis requests, Issei's and Akeno's cart stopped at the top giving way to a magnificent view of the amusement park as well as the city of Kuoh.

"Wow, what a fantastic view" Akeno pointed out looking outside.

"Yes, it really is" he answered however he was not talking about the scenery when he said that but rather about the beautiful girl standing right in front of him although Akeno did not notice this.

"Akeno" Issei called out to her which made her turn her attention towards him as he continued

"Thank you very much for being here with me today. I cannot express how happy I am at the moment. Today has really been one of the best days of my life and I am glad that you are here to share it with me." Issei said revealing a beautiful smile that caused Akeno to blush heavily as she tried desperately to let out a response

"T Thank you Issei. I feel the same way as you do. I had a wonderful time today." Letting out her own impeccable smile as both of them starred passionately into each other eyes.

"Issei, I " just before Akeno could finish her statement, their attention was redirected towards a loud noise coming from outside their cart. The fireworks display had started and it was a very beautiful display. The grand finale featured a large variety of fireworks of different colors which was awesome; but what surprised them both, was the message displayed in the sky when the largest firework exploded revealing "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ISSEI!". Great-red had used his powers to manipulate the fireworks to give his son one last birthday gift. Issei could not help but let out a few tears expressing how happy he really is.

BOOM

The sound of another firework being launched reached their ears. This was most likely the last one before the end. What appeared out of that firework was something no one even imagined. It was an image of Great-reds motorcycle. He just had to have the last laugh. From inside their cart they could hear

"YOU BLOODY IDIOT" the sound of Ophis screaming at Great-reds idiocy. Looking down, they could actually see her strangling the life out of great-red shouting other curse words with Shuri and Barakiel laughing on the side. Seeing this spectacle caused them to laugh in turn thus bringing the day to an end.

On their way out of the amusement park, everyone could tell that Ophis was in a less pleasant mood over her husband's actions.

"Why the hell did you have to ruin the day with that?"

"Hey! You have to at least give me that! I couldn't bring my motorcycle today so this was to make up for it."

"This was supposed to be Issei's special day. I honestly believed it was very sweet of you to use your powers in such a way with the fireworks display. And yet, you just had to show everyone your RIDICOULOUS FREAKING BIKE." Emphasizing the last part.

"What are you talking about! Many people thought that my motorcycle was cool"

"Yeah and they all look like degenerate delinquents."

"At least they have an appreciation for class."

While his parents were bickering, Issei could not help but be happy about today. Despite what his mother believes, he had a blast today and he appreciates them organizing today and while it did not end positively, he was spending time with the people he cares about the most and he would not trade this for any luxury in the world.

"Well, this is where we part ways. Once again, happy birthday Issei and I hope you had a pleasant time today." Exclaimed Barakiel who patted the boy's head. Turning his attention towards his uncle

"Yeah, I had a blast uncle. Thank you for coming and you as well aunty Shuri." He said as Shuri embraced him in a hug, also wishing him a good birthday.

"ara, we also had fun Issei-kun. It was a pleasure to be part of such a special day and I think I can also for Akeno as well when I say there is no way we were going to miss it for the world. You know it isn't to late to switch your gifts for Akeno, ufufu."

"MOM!" the last part of Shuri's statement caused Akeno become embarrassed as she blushed at the remark which served to cause her mom to laugh some more.

"Sorry honey, but I just can't help but tease the two of you whenever possible." She said looking over her daughter who had a pouting expression. Understanding that this was who her mom was, she let out a small sigh in order to calm herself before turning her attention towards Issei. She moved forward and hugged him wishing him a happy birthday before heading back home

"Once again, happy birthday Issei. I also had a great time today and I hope to do this again some day"

"Thank you Akeno, although next time I will win." He said, still bitter at not being able to claim a single victory over her at the arcade.

"ufufu, one can always dream." Akeno said teasing Issei causing him to pout which she found cute. Before separating, Issei remembered something he wanted to ask her.

"Akeno-chan, at the ferris wheel you were trying to tell me something before we were interrupted by the fireworks display so I was just wondering what you wanted to tell me then?" his curiosity getting the better of him and asking her what she wanted to tell him. What he got in response was a heavy blush by Akeno who could not believe that he recalled such a moment. Taking a moment to recompose herself and to think of something to say, she took a deep breath and answered

"This isn't the right time to tell you Issei-san but, in a few weeks my birthday is coming up. Would you mind waiting until then to hear what I have to say?" she looked to him anticipating his answer.

"Of course, I don't mind Akeno-chan. I promise that on your birthday, I will listen to whatever you wish to tell me." He said lifting his pinky finger. Akeno then hooked her own on his solidifying their little oath as they both smiled towards one another.

"It's a promise" they both said at the same time before separating and returning to their respective families. Both families waved goodbye to each other before heading back home.

On their way home, Barakiel receives a call from none other than Azazel. Normally, this wouldn't be an issue but considering that today was his day off, the fact that he is contacting him now can only mean that there is some time of problem.

"Azazel, is something the matter?" asked Barakiel.

"Hey my friend! As a matter of fact, there is! Sorry for disrupting your day however, Grigori is under siege by various groups of rogue devils. I've already dispatched our forces but the northern section of Grigori has asked for reinforcements. Kokabiel, Penemue and Shemzahai are busy dealing with their own enemies so the only one I can ask for help is you. I know you were supposed to have the entire day off today and I really apologize for the inconvenience but if you can spare a moment of your time to help me resolve the issue, I would greatly appreciate it. With your help, it should not take to long, at most a few hours." Azazel explained in a serious attitude in contrast to his usual upbeat attitude emphasizing how serious the situation is. Barakiel did not want to leave but Azazel would not have contacted him if he could have helped it. With a heavy sigh he nodded to himself

"Alright Azazel, I'll be right there. Send me the coordinates and I'll deal with the situation as quick as possible."

"Thank you Barakiel! To make up for this, I can give you the rest of the week off so you can spend it with your family. Also, say hi to Shuri for me and not to beat you up to badly when you return. hahaha" he said reverting to his usual laid back behaviour when he stated the last sentence resulting in a small laugh from Barakiel. Some things never change.

"haha, that might not be possible Azazel. Anyway, I'll talk to you soon."

"very well! Good luck and stay safe." Azazel said as he hanged up the call. Barakiel then shifted his attention to his wife who had a worried look on her face. Akeno, on the other hand, had no idea what was going on and simply continued walking to her house.

"Is everything alright?" Shuri asked her husband who turned his head side to side.

"No, I just received an emergency summon from Azazel who needs my help taking down rogue devils attacking Grigori. I'm sorry honey, I know that I promised to spend the entire day with you but…" Shuri placed a finger on his mouth thus interrupting what Barakiel was about to say which surprised him.

"You should go. Akeno and I will be just fine. You need to go and help your friends." She said caressing his cheek to show everything was fine. Barakiel embraced his wife in a hug.

"Thank you Shuri." They both shared a kiss before separating as Barakiel prepared to depart.

"I'm off, I won't take too long. Tell Akeno I'll be back soon." smiled Barakiel as his wife smiled back as he teleported to Grigori. After that was done, Shuri made her way towards Akeno who noticed that her father was missing.

"Where did Tou-san go?" she asked her mother who responded

"Your father had to leave for an important meeting with his friends but he will be back soon so let's go home and prepare dinner, shall we." Shuri lied to her daughter due to the fact that she didn't want to rekindle any difficult memories. It has only been a year since the rogue devil's assault against them and she was scared that if she told Akeno about the real reason he left, it might have negative consequences. Besides, today was a day of happiness having celebrated Issei's birthday and her daughter was incredibly happy. No need to ruin the occasion so a small lie is fine.

"alright ka-san." She said as both women headed home.

Unbeknownst to them, they were being followed.

"It seems our source was correct. This is the family of that accursed fallen angel, Barakiel." Said an unknown man.

"Good. Contact the rest of the team and tell them to meet up in Kuoh. We will finally be able to claim our vengeance against that monster." He smirked evilly. The other followed suit before contacting the rest of their group.

Back at the shrine, Shuri finished preparing dinner for her family so all that was left was to wait for Barakiel to come home and eat. She looks over near the entrance to spot Akeno waiting for her father to return through the entrance. Smiling at her daughter, she made her way towards her, lifted her to place her on her lap and decided to brush her hair.

"When will dad get home?" Akeno asked her mother.

"Soon dear. He just needs to finish his bus…" all of a sudden, her senses warned her of incoming danger as she grabbed her daughter and bolted away from her spot. Mere moments later, the front entrance blew up sending debris everywhere. If Shuri had not reacted as soon as she did then both of them might not have survived the impact. However, the room itself is now a huge mess. The tansu has been pushed down on the floor and there is now a huge hole in the tatami floor. The dinner table is now turned upside down with dinner food sprayed all over the ground. After regaining her senses, she quickly looked to see if Akeno was alright and to her relief, she did not have a scratch on her save for her clothes being singed due to the blast's heat. Her attention was soon diverted as many unknown man stormed in the place and surrounded them.

"Who… who are you and what do you want with us?" she screamed at them while keeping her daughter close to her who was very scared at the moment while internally thinking "tou-san, help us! Please tou-san help…. Issei-kun!" as she buried her trembling body into her moms embrace praying that help will come in time.

One of them stepped forward with a smirk on his face and answered

"well since you asked so nicely, we are your enemies or more specifically, we bear a grudge with the fallen angel Barakiel. He has been a thorn in our side for many years so when we received a tip telling us where his family was hidden… well the chance was too good to pass up." Shuri shivered understanding what they were planning to do but she would be damned if she let anything happen to Akeno.

Another one stepped forward, presumably the leader since he carried himself as such.

"I will have you hand that child over. She is the child of the hated and evil black angel" he told her only to get shut down

"I won't hand over this child! This child is my precious daughter! And also an important and precious daughter of that person! Never! I will absolutely not hand her over!"

The leader simply sighed.

"It seems, just like we were told, that you have indeed been defiled by the fallen angel. What a shame that for such a noble lineage to fall in disgrace. It can't be helped then!" Akeno watched as the jutsusha drew out a katana, lifted it up high and slashed down. Akeno's mind slowed down as the katana made contact with on her mother's back. Blood splashing upwards as her mother's body was slowly dropping lifelessly to the ground having protected her daughter.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, KAAAA-SAN" Akeno shrieked as she shacked her mother body trying desperately to wake her up.

"PLEASE WAKE UP… wake up ka-san" pleaded Akeno in tears, completely in denial that her mother has passed away in her arms.

"hmf, that wretched women got what she deserved. To think she would spoil her lineage with a disgusting fallen angel." Spat one of them. Akeno could do nothing but stare at them, clear anger in her eyes but powerless to do anything against them

"Remember this, fallen angels are evil existences that have been cast out of heaven due to their sins and it is our mission to get rid of them for the good of humanity. It is a real shame about your mother but If your mother did not associate with these evil beings, she would still be alive today. Unfortunately, since you are a spawn of that retched angel, your existence is one that we also cannot tolerate. I do not enjoy torturing children so I'll make this as painless as possible". The leader once again made his way forward and lifted his katana to finish what they all came to do.

Before the jutsusha could finish off Akeno, they heard a loud crash behind them

"STAY AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER." An angry Barakiel stood behind them ready to kill them. Having sensed that something was wrong, he quickly dispatched the rogue devils he was assigned to get rid off and quickly teleported his way back home only to find that he was too late. Tears flowing out of his face as he looked upon his wife's dead body which quickly turned into extreme rage as he saw the men responsible trying to finish off his daughter. He quickly shot a bolt of lighting at the jutsusha that was about to strike at Akeno, reducing him to ash. Some of them tried to attack Barakiel but unfortunately none could even come close to reaching him before being vaporized by his lightning.

The rest tried their best to get away, however Barakiel was not having any of that. Using his lightning, he quickly vaporized any of them that stood in his way. This one-sided massacre ended after a few minutes, with all jutsusha lying dead before his feet with Barakiel covered in their blood. Unfortunately, there was no happiness to be had as he looked upon his wife lifeless body embraced by his crying daughter asking her mother to wake up.

Unfortunately, trouble was still lurking. Outside the shrine, hidden by concealment spells, several unknown people were discussing amongst themselves.

"It seems the jutsusha have failed. Despite giving them Barakiel's coordinates, they couldn't even finish off a helpless girl. How Useless, the lot of them. We should have taken care of this situation ourselves." Said one of them.

"Well it wasn't a total loss. It seems they managed to get rid of that disgraceful women, Shuri. I cannot believe she would dare to soil our clans bloodline with a disgusting fallen angel." Spitted another one revealing that these men were part of the Himejima clan.

"Still, do you think it wise to do this without informing the council. Disgrace though she may be, Shuri was still a member of the Himejima clan." Pondered a female of the group receiving a few nods from her compatriots.

"Bah! The moment she copulated with a fallen angel was the day she turned her back on our clan and while they didn't take any direct action against her, the council also wanted nothing more to do with her. She was basically shunned by her family and no one will miss her save for a few ingrates. In addition, you should not worry about the council for it was our superior who ordered this. Many preparations have been made so this would not be traced back to us. If anything, they will most likely believe that the fallen angel himself got tired of them and disposed of them himself." Another answered, most likely the leader of the bunch.

"It is a shame that those useless jutsusha were unable to dispose of that fallen spawn but they did buy us the necessary amount of time to finish our preparations." He said as another member came out from the bushes to confirm what he just said

"Sir, all the seals are in place. We await only your order to begin."

"Very good. Everyone, get into position! Today is the day we rid ourselves of the Himejima disgrace."

"Yes sir" everyone replied as they all moved to their assigned position ready to begin.

Back inside the house, a brooding Barakiel slowly made his way towards his fallen wife while a sobbing Akeno was trying so desperately to wake up her mother.

"Kaa-san! Noooo Kaa-san, please wake up."

Akeno was… shaking the body of her mother who had already passed away ad was crying out

"…. Shuri …."

Barakiel-san tries to touch his wife with his trembling hands…

"Don't touch her!"

Akeno clashed her anger against her father.

"Why!? Why didn't you stay with Mom!? We always, always waited for Tou-san! If Tou-san was here, then Kaa-sama wouldn't have died!"

Barakiel did not say a word as Akeno continued releasing her anger.

"Those people said this! That Tou-san is a black-angel, and that you are evil! They said that black-angels are bad people! They said that I'm a bad child because I also have black-wings! If Tou-san and I didn't have black-wings, then Kaa-san wouldn't have died! Hate! I hate it! I hate these black wings! I hate you! I hate everyone! I hate them!"

Barakiel couldn't do anything but let his daughter release her frustrations on him. His heart shattered to pieces as his daughter shouted her hatred at him. He couldn't blame her for feeling this way not only because she was a child but because he knew she was right. It was his duty to protect them and when they needed him most, he wasn't there to help them. He had failed them. If only he sensed the danger sooner, he could have made it in time to save his wife. Now, he could do nothing but stare helplessly at his wife's body with tears dripping down his face. Before he could continue mourning, he suddenly felt a hostile presence outside putting him on alert. Are these reinforcements the jutsusha had in reserves or someone else entirely? He didn't know but he would be damned if he would allow anymore harm to come to his family. He lost his wife but he was going to make sure he would protect their daughter.

"Stay inside, Akeno!" he told her as he bolted outside his house stopping at the entrance. He carefully scanned his surroundings trying to pinpoint where the enemy is at while slowly moving forward so as not to be caught off guard. Unfortunately, he was too worried about possible sneak attacks that he failed to recognize that he stepped right into their trap. All of a sudden, a multi-layered barrier surrounded Barakiel who recognized the spell. How could he not when it felt like the same type power his wife uses, it carried the Himejima clan symbol when it appeared. He did not understand what was going on but he would think on it later on. His first priority is do destroy the barrier and protect his daughter from harm. Gathering a large amount of holy lightning, he blasted it at the barrier causing many of the inner layers to break. However, the outer layer held strong to Barakiel's surprise and in an instant, the inner layers that were destroyed quickly repaired themselves. This meant that in order to be free, he would have to generate a large amount of power to completely destroy the barrier in one move. Given enough time, Barakiel could easily accomplish such an act. He wasn't a cadre for nothing; unfortunately, life is never that easy.

He looked down towards his feet and noticed another magic circle surrounding him. At first, he thought it was an attempt to strike him. Surround him with a barrier thus trapping him followed by an unavoidable attack. A sound strategy when taking on a powerful opponent. Unfortunately, he realized too little to late what the circle actually was. His expression turned into one of fear when he noticed that the magic circle was in fact a teleportation circle. Normally, it is possible to cancel or negate a teleportation spell but it requires one to do so the moment it spawns into existence for that is when it is the most vulnerable. Unfortunately, Barakiel was so focused on getting rid of the barrier surrounding him that he failed to notice the spell spawning underneath him in time thus missing his window of opportunity to negate it. His enemy's main strategy was never to take him down but, rather, to take him out of the equation, leaving his daughter vulnerable. Realising the severity of the situation, Barakiel desperately unleashed everything he had, praying it would work. Unfortunately, his lightning wasn't condensed and focused enough to completely annihilate the barrier. He needed time to condense his lightning into powerful burst and unfortunately, his enemies took away that option for him.

Seeing that Barakiel was trapped, the leader revealed a smirk.

"It's time" he said as he took out a small talisman from his pocket and launched it upwards. The talisman caught fire causing to burst into flames. The other members, seeing this, understood that it was the signal to begin the operation. Almost in unison, they each took out a similar talisman as their leaders and begun reciting some unknown chant, most likely a Himejima spell. They then released their talismans, each of them taking a separate position surrounding the shrine. From them spawned a magic circle which started to gather power.

"Himejima Sacred arts – Lightning Release : Raiton" they all shouted at the same time as a massive lightning dragon came crashing down on the shrine enveloping it completely and reducing it to ashes.

"NOOO AAKKKEEENNNOOOOOOOOOOOO" Barakiel could do nothing but scream helplessly for his daughter as the shrine was reduced to rubble before the teleportation took him someplace else. It was Issei.

Just as Barakiel disappeared, another figure made his appearance and that person was Issei, who sadly witnessed the entire scene. On his way home, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine feeling that something is wrong. It was then followed by, what he could have sworn was Akeno's voice calling out to him "Issei!". Wanting to figure out what was happening, he told his parents that he accidently left something back at Akeno's place and that he was going to get it. Getting their permission, he spawned his wings hoping to make it faster by air rather than by land. No matter how much time passed or how closer he got to the shrine, that sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach would not go away causing unimaginable worry to sprite from Issei as he picked up the pace. After a few minutes, he could see his destination coming to view. From a far, the shrine looked fine and he was able to sense Akeno's presence causing him to let out a small sigh of relief. All of sudden, a massive pillar of lightning formed above the shrine and the next moment the shrine was gone along with any presence of Akeno.

He could not comprehend what just happened. One moment, he was making his way towards the shrine and the next, when he got in sight of it, an immense pillar if lightning suddenly came into being and enveloped the entire shrine. Then, a moment later, everything in sight was gone, the shrine, the surrounding trees, everything. All that was left was a huge crater where everything once stood. He was so out of it that he couldn't even hear Barakiel's cry just before he disappeared.

In the background, one could hear small cracking noises coming from Issei.

The inevitable conclusion that he could no longer deny, Akeno had DIED, right in front of him. His breathing slowly became erratic as his mind slowly shut down, feeling as though a world filled with nothing but darkness surrounded him. In this seemingly empty void, images began to flash in front of them and all of them were images of Akeno

"Issei-san!"

Another crack was heard.

Her smile.

Her expressions.

Her smell.

Her touch.

More cracks were heard.

Everything about of her started springing forth from his memories as he heard a voice similar to his own yelling out the very outcome, he feared with all his soul

"YOU FAILED HER."

In that very same moment, the last crack was heard as all the seals placed on him suddenly disappeared as he let out a deafening cry, his voice sounding even deeper then usual

"AAKKEEEEEENNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"

A massive explosion of dark crimson aura burst forth from Issei after his sorrowful cry reaching all the way to the sky as if piercing the heavens and causing a massive shockwave around him. The exorcists responsible for this mess did not even have time to understand what was happening when the aura enveloped them incinerating them from existence. Within the aura, a massive 25-foot-tall crimson dragon emerged. The majority of his body was covered with dark, red scales. Issei's lower body, specifically his stomach, the inner portions of his long tail, and legs, are beige in color. Issei also possessed a large scar, located around the center of his body, that he got years ago when fighting the 8-winged devil Valper.

(A/N : I forgot to include this little bit of info in the previous chapter but he did get a large scar on his chest curtesy of Valper)

His back has numerous black spikes, reaching down from the back to the end of his tail. Issei has a triangular head with horns, a pair of large, round red eyes with black sclera and a sharp horn pointing upwards just above his nose. Issei also sports very sharp canine teeth, and has claws with long, sharp, red nails. Growing in his back, Issei possessed four large bony wings with dark outlines and rippled tips.

(Can anyone guess who I modeled him after. If you do, leave it on the review and next chapter I will reveal the answer)

"RRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!"

The very earth quaked beneath his rage as the citizens of Kuoh, or even the entirety of Japan, become scared at the sudden earthquake. The sky above Issei seemed to part in two as if even the Heavens above cowers before the chaos caused by Issei's unrivalled power as lighting and thunder came striking down the earth. Strangely enough, the only area unaffected by his massive power was the ruins of the shrine. It seems that, subconsciously, Issei is still trying to protect Akeno's home even in his frenzied state.

The first beings who came unto the scene were, fortunately, Ophis and Great-Red having sensed that something was wrong the moment Issei's seals begun to break and quickly made their way towards him. They were greeted by the sight of a very enraged Issei in his dragon form with a ruined environment all around them, most likely due to Issei's power going out of control. The first to say anything was Ophis who worried out of her mind for her son.

"What the hell happened here? What happened to Issei?" she shouted at Great-red hoping he would have some answer. Unfortunately, Great-red had none to give her as even he had no idea of the events that transpired here. All he knew was that they had to do something about their son before the situation escalates even further and all hell breaks loose, literally.

"I don't know but there are more pressing matters at the moment to tend to! Right now, we need to get Issei out of here! No doubt many supernatural beings felt his power and are most likely on their way here to see what is going on and, right now we need to help Issei calm down rather than dealing with the nuisances. Open a gate to the dimensional gap and I'll send Issei in there. We will figure out what happened when we finished dealing with this mess" Ophis nodded as she did exactly what he asked before going in herself. Great-red quickly took position in front of Issei as he launched himself towards his son

"Sorry about this Issei" he thought as he smashed himself into Issei causing him to roar in pain as he was propelled into the portal leading into the dimensional gap, which closed as soon as they entered.

Moments later, Great-reds predictions came true as multiple magical signatures came into view and, one by one, multiple beings from different religion popped out from the circles.

The first was a handsome man who seems to be in his early 20's. He possesses shoulder length crimson red hair and blue-green eyes. He is Sirzechs Lucifer, one of the devil kings in charge of the underworld and potentially the strongest devil alive.

Alongside him was another man who is Sirzechs childhood friend and is considered to rival Sirzech in strength and is known as a Super devil alongside him. The man also appeared to be in his early 20's but possessed short green hair that was slicked back with light blue eyes. His name was Ajuka Beelzebub, formely belonging to the Astaroth family and the creator of the Evil pieces system that saved their race from extinction.

The third person who accompanied them was none other than Serafall Leviathan or as she liked to call herself "Magical Levia-tan" as she could be seen wearing her magical girl outfit. She is a beautiful woman looking in her late teens with black hair and possesses an incredible figure despite her child-like body.

These 3 people are 3 of the 4 Maou's of the Underworld tasked with leading the Devil Faction. The last one, Falbium Asmodius stayed behind in case something happened and also because he found it to bothersome to leave. Out of all the Maou's, he had a more laid-back attitude.

The next person to show up was a tall man appearing to be in his twenties with an average build, black hair, golden bangs and black goatee. He also possesses twelve jet-black feathered wings that grow out from his back. This was Azazel, the fallen angel leader of Grigori and inventor of many artificial sacred gears.

The next man was similarly one of the leaders of his faction after the death of his father. It was the Seraph Michael, who alongside his siblings Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel took over leadership when their father fell in battle, although this was a very tight secret known only to the upper echelons of the three great factions. He has the appearance of a handsome-looking man with long blond hair and green eyes. Like Azazel, he has twelve wings growing from his back, and unlike other Angels whose wings are white, his wings are colored gold, further symbolizing his position as the former leader. He wears a red robe with a gold cross on the front of his white alb. He has golden shoulder plates with a white sash and a golden halo set above his head. Usually he would be sporting a graceful smile but this time, it was not present on his face illustrating how urgent the situation is.

Alongside him came the aforementioned Gabriel. Gabriel has the appearance of an extremely beautiful woman with curly blonde hair and a voluptuous figure, and is known as the most beautiful woman in Heaven. Like other Seraphs, Gabriel has 12 wings growing from her back. Unlike her brother, she still possessed her beautiful smile embodying her great kindness and innocence. There have been many angels who have fallen from grace from lusting after her. Even in the underworld, she is seen as a true beauty and many devils would trade most of their fortunes to spend a single night with her.

The rest of the Seraphim decided to stay behind in Heaven to fortify their defenses while Michael and Gabriel tried to uncover who was behind that unfathomable power.

Unfortunately, it was not only the leaders of the three factions who felt this unknown power and came to investigate. Many other supernatural factions felt this overwhelming strength and came to investigate regardless of the fact that they would be encroaching on another faction's territory which could initiate war. This showed the importance they placed in figuring out what this potential threat could be. One of these leaders that appeared was Odin who is the chief deity of Norse mythology, Odin has the appearance of an elderly man with long, grey hair, and a matching beard. He wears a gold and white monocle over his left eye, without the addition of the chain. Odin wears a robe, which is short and blue with a gold lining on the top and bottom of the collar, the sleeves of the robe and at the front of his robes all the way down to the bottom of the robe. The rest of his robe is white with matching shoes. Odin also wears a golden and black hat, which is sectioned off into five mini sections that sport either the color black or gold, the top, middle, and bottom is gold and the sections in black are below and above the middle one. Despite being a God, he is extremely perverted and has found companionship with Azazel in that regard, although the rest of his faction including his wife and children are embarrassed at his perverted antics.

The next being to show was a beautiful young woman with a voluptuous figure and very blond hair with matching eyes. She possesses delicate facial features and her eyebrows are cut very short and round a symbol of nobility. Her hair is tied in a loose ponytail, reaching all the way down to her legs that ends in a spiral, with taut bandages to keep it in place. She can be seen wearing a traditional shrine maiden attire, and over that she wore a white coat held closed by a red ribbon and a golden crown. Her defining feature however were the nine tails growing from her tailbone. This was Yasaka, a nine tailed fox and leader of the Youkai.

Accompanying Yasaka, is one of the three Shinto deity, Amaterasu. She is a very beautiful women, comparable to Gabriel and even possesses a certain innocence much like her. She came along to ensure Yasaka's safety in case something went awry. Don't get her wrong, it is not that she does not think Yasaka can't take care of herself. She believes in her strength and she knows that she could most likely take on Serafall head on and most likely come out on top. However, against the likes of Sirzechs and Ajuka who are seen as abnormalities amongst devils as their strength rivals that of even Gods. They aren't called super devils for nothing and against them, Yasaka wouldn't even stand a chance especially if they unleash their true forms. Although the true loss wouldn't just be Yasaka but her unborn child that she is carrying at the moment. Even though it cannot be seen, Yasaka is a few weeks pregnant and is carrying the heir of the Youkai which is why Amaterasu came personally to guard her.

Finally, the last being to appear was someone none of them would have thought would even venture outside his territory. It was Zeus, the god of lightning and the leader of the Greek Pantheon. Zeus is tall, handsome man with blonde hair and bronze eyes. He looks young despite his actual age. He always seems to have a hard expression on his face. His hair is long and he has a goatee that covers most of his face. Zeus was wearing a red and white robe with accents of gold in it. Although, he mostly dresses like to this to show off his wealth and power. Out of all the Gods currently present, he was the strongest, although Sirzechs and Ajuka might be able to take him on in their true forms but only together. Normally, he would never venture outside Olympus, but like the other Gods, he too felt the primal energy radiate even from his domain which illustrates how powerful it really was and deemed it necessary to investigate as a potential threat to Olympus, even going as far as stepping inside devil territory unannounced which could be seen as an act of war. This only serves to prove how seriously he is taking this mysterious entity.

After everyone appeared, Azazel decided to try and break the ice amongst the group.

"I take it, you all came for the same reason as I?"

"It would seem so!" replied Ajuka

"Hey you old geezer, how have you been?" Azazel asked waving enthusiastically at Odin.

"hohoho, I've been doing as good as I could be. Let me tell you, it isn't easy being the chief Norse leader when my own brats keep causing me headaches, except for Baldur he at least is quite considerate." sighed Odin, clearly tired at his sons antics. Between Thor's thrill for battle and Loki's mischief, he had no time to relax.

"hahaha, I feel you! How about I take you to an Oppai-pub. Young girls from my organisation recently opened up a shop in this town for the VIP's recently. It took me forever to get the approval of Sirzechs. I will invite you there then!"" Azazel said trying to cheer the old man up which of course worked.

"Uhohoho! To be expected from Azazel-boy! You sure know your things! Prepare me a big breasted one right away! I'm going to grope many of them!" he said with a perverted grin on his face.

"Follow my lead shitty-geezer! Welcome to Japan! Do you want to untie their kimono obi? That is something you must do at least once when you come to Japan! I will show you the Japanese-style!"

"hoho I can't wait for it indeed." Odin replied. Sirzechs, Ajuka and Michael could do nothing but sigh at their interaction knowing that this is who they were despite the fact that both their factions aren't really allies, their leaders got along well. Amaterasu however started to get a bit annoyed at their antics. This was made clear by the small tick on her forehead.

"Gentleman, I do not believe this is the time nor place to be having such conversation!" she said, her smile ever so present yet her tone was anything but pleasant causing a small chill down Azazel and Odin's spine.

"Buzzkill" they both muttered yet they understood that she was right. Moving his attention to another, Azazel decided to address the elephant in room.

"my my, you are honestly one of the last people I would have ever guessed to come here, Zeus. I can understand Amaterasu and Yasaka's presence here considering that Kuoh is part of japan, thus involved with the Shinto pantheon. Odin is in the process of peaceful negotiations with our factions so his presence here is justifiable. You, however, never really set foot outside of Olympus choosing to let your children deal with outside problems."

"hahaha, you are correct Azazel! That alone speaks volume on how dangerous this unknown entity is. I felt its power all the way from Olympus. It startled even which is why… " he turned towards the devils, specifically Sirzechs "I hope you will forgive my intrusion on your lands, coming by unannounced" bowing his head humbly.

"oya, never thought I'd see modesty coming out of you!" giggled Odin

"watch it you old perv." Zeus stared at Odin. However, before they got at each others throats, Sirzechs intervened.

"It is no trouble at all Zeus-san. I understand that the situation at hand is very troubling and I can understand from your point of view why you would want to investigate." Sirzechs said.

"I have to admit that I'm surprised that you were able to sense the power all the way from Olympus. That would also mean that the other pantheons must have sensed it as well" stated Serafall.

"Hm. I'm pretty sure they did however the Celtics and Egyptian pantheon have always been secretive and elusive. They most likely felt the energy but did not care since it did not occur in their territory. In terms of the Hindu faction, we all know that indra is not interested in anything but taking Shiva. The aforementioned God probably found this turn of events amusing and will most likely not intervene until he wants to." Explained Azazel to which everyone nodded agreeing with it.

"At least it means no one else will suddenly pop up here. We already have a lot to deal with and we do not need anymore distractions." Sirzechs added

"Agreed! Do any of you have any idea what was that enormous power spike and who could have caused it?" asked Michael bringing everyone back to the situation at hand.

No one had an answer to that question, they looked around to see if there was any traces of the person or if there was any possible witnesses or bystanders. However, the area was completely desolate.

"Based on the level of destruction that occurred here, I originally assumed that it was done by a God. However, based on the readings I'm currently scanning, the energy that was released doesn't feel like that of any God. It felt more primal and destructive, like that of a dragon's" remarked Ajuka

Everyone gasped at that remark. Dragons have always been beings of pure power and despite being relatively low in numbers are still beings that instill fear even to Gods. In fact, if you looked at the top 5 strongest beings at the time before the heavenly dragons were sealed, the top 4 would be assigned to Great Red, Ophis, Ddraig and Albion with Shiva taking the last spot as number 5. Yet, even he would fall at the heavenly dragons ultimate breath.

"Although based on the level of destruction caused here, the dragon in question would have to be at least Dragon king level, if not at a heavenly dragon class" remarked Sirzechs.

"hmm, I can guarantee you that it wasn't Midgardsomr. That fellow is still lying at the bottom of the ocean asleep and will not move until Ragnarok begins. I doubt anything would make him move." Odin stated as he stroked his beard.

Ajuka followed after him saying "The same can be said for Tiamat. She is still dwelling within the familiar forest and does not seem to care much for anything else other than any information regarding Ddraig host. As for Tannin…" Ajuka looked towards Sirzechs who simply shacked his head.

"Tannin is very busy taking care of his pack and raising dragon apples. I do not believe he would cause such an incident that would further antagonize people against dragons. Hell, he discarded his pride and became a devil with the sole purpose of saving his kind from extinction so I highly doubt he would cause such devastation knowing the repercussions it would cause to his kind." Everyone nodded accepting his reasoning.

"I can vouch for Fafnir's innocence at this. He is working with me on a special project of mine and hasn't gone missing. Although he is very strong, he is not one to cause such meaningless destruction unless someone went after his treasures. In addition, if he was responsible for the devastation here, we would see a variety of different weapons and sacred treasures left behind; therefore I can definitely conclude that it wasn't him." Azazel further stated his opinion.

"How about Yu-long?" Everyone took a moment to think about but they all came to the same conclusion which was 'No way". Yu-long is the youngest of the dragon kings so his strength is not in question but rather his personality. He is a lazy dragon who retired after his biggest battle. He might be even lazier than Midargsomr. At least he said he would do something when the end of the world comes but yu-long would most likely complain.

"Hm, it is a miracle that sun wukong is still able to tolerate that guy. I would have lost my temper ages ago" stated Zeus.

"Hohoho, it does not take much to make you lose your temper." Odin told Zeus which caused Zeus to glare at him but before he could start anything Azazel quickly intervened by moving forth with the conversation.

"The last one, Vritra has been sealed a long ago after his defeat to Indra so it definitely wasn't him however, I highly doubt even a dragon king could have caused this. The land and its surrounding have been reduced to ash. The level of power needed to accomplish this must have been great, at least God class or I even dare say, this being holds power equivalent to a heavenly dragon." Explained Ajuka.

"WHAT, a heavenly dragon? Have Ddraig and Albion been released from their sacred gears?" shouted Zeus. As strong as Zeus is, even he knows his limits and how outmatched he would be against either Ddraig or Albion. Everyone, except Azazel who already knew the answer to this question, turned their attention to Michael as if asking him the very same question but he simply shacked his head.

"No, according to the sacred gear system, Ddraig and Albion are still locked within the Boosted Gear and Divide Dividing gear respectively so I can assure you it was not them." He stated with his traditional smile relieving everyone's worry. Although this brought forth an entire new possibility that sent chills down their spine. Sirzechs voiced it himself

"If it is not them then we have to assume that it another dragon that possesses at the very least strength equivalent to that of Ddraig and Albion! Any ideas?" he worriedly stated. This was not a pleasant theory should it be true. He alongside his fellow faction leaders could still recall the battle they had against the fearsome beasts of destruction. It took the combined might of all three great factions alongside the God of the Bible and the original 4 devil kings to take on the two dragons. Even though they won in the end, sealing the 2 two dragons in sacred gears, the casualties suffered were astronomical. Millions of angels, fallen angels and devils died in this conflict alone and many more were injured, including God and the four original devil kings, and could not fight anymore. The mere thought of having to fight another dragon at that level terrified every leader present. Odin put forth his own thoughts while stroking his beard

"How about the Evil Dragons then? They certainly have the audacity and strength to cause this amount of destruction."

"I had originally thought about it but the only evil dragons that I could think of that could cause this would be Apophis the Eclipse Dragon, Azi Dahaka, the Diabolism Thousand Dragon or Crom Cruach, the Crescent Circle Dragon, the strongest evil dragons known to exist. However, Apophis had been defeated centuries ago. Aži Dahāka fought against the army of the Gods of the Zoroastrianism then was defeated by the hero, Θraētaona, and later sealed. Finally, Crom Cruach disappeared after the Evil God Balor was defeated by Lugh. Since no one has heard of him, it is presumed that he is either dead or sealed like the others." explained Ajuka as he expressed his opinion on the matter.

Gabriel added her own two cents on the matter "In addition, even though the surrounding environments were destroyed, there have no reports of any casualties in Kuoh. It seems as though whoever did this made sure not to harm the citizens. This is not the typical actions of an evil dragon who do not care about innocent lives."

"very true, although that still does not eliminate the possibility that it could have been some other evil dragon." Added Amaterasu who was looking at Yasaka when she said it. Yasaka lowered her head in sadness, understanding who she was talking about although the rest of them didn't notice.

Ajuka could see Azazel contemplating something and decided to ask him about it.

"Do you have some other guess as to who might be responsible for this, Azazel?". Everyone turned their attention to Azazel who sighed.

"I do, but I'm hoping to be wrong in this case as it would be the absolute worst-case scenario." He stated causing his peers to raise an eyebrow in worry, wondering who he could be talking about. The only one who seemed to divine who Azazel was thinking about was Ajuka.

"You don't think it's…" he shuddered as he received a nod confirming his fear.

"Aye, there is a possibility that it could have been Ophis!" stated Azazel surprising everyone leaving an air of fear in the atmosphere

"OPHIS! Have you gone mad Azazel! Why in Hell would Ophis even bother attacking such a remote location as this. If I am not mistaken, Ophis has not been seen for the past nine years or so, so why would she suddenly reappear and attack a random location owned by the devils. Unless, of course, they did something to stir her ire." Zeus shouted.

"I can assure all of you that we did no such thing and would not even dream to cause such a conflict" responded Sirzechs to Zeus accusation

"Let's calm down! There is no point in fighting amongst one another when all of this is simply speculations on Azazel's part." Michael said getting in between the two leaders, succeeding in calming them down

"In other words, we are no closer to figuring out who did this" Zeus commented.

It was Serafall who decided to answer his query. "Unfortunately, not, however we will begin issuing a full investigation to figure out who or what caused this. After all, we cannot let little Rias-chan occupy a dangerous territory" she winked at Sirzechs when she said that and he answered with a thankful smile as she continued on "also my little Sona-tan is interested in coming to school here so her big sister Magical Levia-tan will sparkle and make all dangers go away" waving her wand for extra emphasis, she went from serious to playful in one go which at least relaxed the tense atmosphere going on.

"I can provide you some aid with your investigation. This being could pose a potential threat to not only the devil's faction but to ours as well so I would like to assist in any way I can." Azazel told the Maous.

"We, the Seraphs, would also like to help you as well. We currently have a ceasefire amongst our factions but this could be the first step to achieve peace between us." Michael added.

"Thank you, Azazel and Michael. We will accept your aid." Sirzechs thanked them with a small bow.

This time, Yasaka stepped forward to ask "Forgive me for imposing lord Sirzechs but would it be troublesome to ask you to keep me and Lady Amaterasu informed of any progress in your investigation? I would be very grateful for this favor and if you wish, we can also provide a bit of assistance." She said bowing towards the Maous which was then followed by Amaterasu doing the same thing

"I ask the very same from you. If you would be so kind as to keep us informed, we would be grateful."

"It is no problem whatsoever Yasaka, Amaterasu-san. We understand that this being may be a potential threat to not only our three factions but to the rest as well, therefore; it is only naturel that you would wish to know who did this. Serafall will be in charge of the investigation and will relay any progress we have made. We will also keep the Norse Faction and Olympus informed as a show of good will. Azazel, can you please keep Odin informed of any progress and may I ask you Michael and Gabriel to do the same with Olympus." Sirzechs asked his fellow leaders.

"Sure no problem. I'll keep this old geezer informed." Azazel answered pointing at Odin.

"It would be my pleasure" said Michael.

"Same here. It has been a while since I last talked to Hera-san, Artemis and Athena. I cannot wait to see them again." Gabriel followed up after Michael, excited at the prospect of seeing her friends again although her remark caught Zeus by surprise.

"You met with my wife and daughters? What did you talk about" Zeus was a bit unnerved at the fact that his wife and daughter may have spilled some unnecessary information about Olympus or even worse talking about him so he tried to divine some information out of Gabriel. However, Gabriel simply giggled and place a single finger on her lips

"Sorry, it's a se-cr-et!"

Zeus, understanding he will get nothing decided it was time to go back home as matters were settled.

"Very well, I guess I will go back home and explain to my faction what has occurred here. I will wait for your report Seraph Michael and Gabriel." They both nodded and Zeus disappeared after that. Odin, Yasaka and Amaterasu left soon afterwards leaving only the three faction leaders by themselves

"I will start coordinating our forces to begin an investigation as soon as possible. I will also let them know that they will be working alongside fallen angels and angels and not cause any unnecessary conflicts. Although, it will take some time to get used to it." Serafall stated.

"very well, I will notify my group and let them know of our collaborated effort. The leader of the investigation group will be Penemue-san and since this is devil territory, I will let her know that she has to abide by your instructions, Serafall but she is exemplary worker and I have no doubt you two will work fine together." Azazel told her. Michael followed soon after

"And I will send my brother Raphael to aid you. He is a very smart and a meticulous individual so he might pick on things that others may have missed."

"very well, once more I wish to thank you all for the aid you are providing and hope this is a start for the peace, we all desire. Hopefully, this unknown individual isn't a threat. I would much rather have him as an ally but all we can do is hope the investigation bares fruit and reveals the information we require." Finished Sirzechs as everyone nodded and teleported back to their homes, all of them ignorant of what transpired during their conversation.

(In the Dimensional Gap, 30 minutes ago)

While the leaders of each factions were busy talking to one another, a portal opened up in the dimensional gap where a large crimson dragon was sent spiraling through. Regaining his bearing Issei used his wings to re-balance himself and from his expression, you could tell that he was enraged at being tossed aside. With an enormous burst of speed, unbefitting his size, he slashed at his father with his claw. Great-red, not expecting this speed from his son, could do nothing but raise his arms to guard. Unfortunately, his human form did not provide as much defense as his dragon form as blood spurted out of his arms from Issei's slash. Luckily it was a minor wound, for Great-red at least, and his regenerative abilities healed him up very fast leaving only a few scars in its place. Having gained distance from his enemy, Issei began to charge up a roar and fired it towards great red who immediately retaliated with his own. Both attacks collided with each other, causing a massive explosion blocking each other view of one another. However, Issei took advantage of this as he appeared through the smoke rearing his fist backwards engulfing it in crimson flames swinging it towards his father. This time however, Great-red had enough time to harden his entire body in scales and crossed his arms ready to take the attack. Yet, when Issei's attack struck him, he felt an incredible amount of pain in his stomach as he was blasted backwards a great deal. It appears as though his sons attack not only pierced through his guard but the fire even managed to cause damage to his stomach. Regaining his bearings, he looked over himself to check the damage and he saw his arms were scorched leaking a lot of blood and his stomach was also charred by Issei's crimson flame. He was incredibly surprised. It seems those flames of his were a manifestation of his son's limitless potential and strength. Even though this was not the time or place, he could not help but feel overwhelming pride at how powerful his son really is. "that's my boy!" he thought to himself. Not even the feared ultimate attacks of Ddraig and Albion, said to be able to reduce even a God to ash, was able to even scratch him and yet here was his son, barely even 10 years old, displaying strength that far surpasses that of the heavenly dragons despite being a youngling himself. Unfortunately, his son did not give him time to relax as he dived forward towards him once more. They started trading blows with one another with Great-red taking the major bulk of the damage between them. This was due to two reasons. The first is, as stated previously, his flames are able to penetrate through his defenses and cause him severe damage so he has no choice but to evade or dodge Issei's strikes completely since even a mere graze causes moderate pain. The second reason is that Great-red is holding back as he does not wish to kill his son, simply incapacitate him but Issei is not holding back one bit. Great-red understood that his options were very limited to defeat his son in the state he is. He considered at one point to transform into his dragon form to overpower Issei but his son's flames rendered that idea useless. All it would do was give Issei a bigger target to hit and he would not be able to deal with his son's speed so he remained in human form. This left only one option and that is to get Ophis help to stop their son but he knew it would be difficult

"Ophis, I know this is going to sound impossible, but I need your help to stop our son."

"Are you out of your mind! There is no way I can hurt my little boy. I… I can't do this" Ophis told him trying so desperately not to cry at the situation they are in. Knowing that time was of the essence, he could not afford to start arguing with her so he shouted to get his point across.

"OPHIS, IF WE DO NOT DO SOMETHING SOON, THEN ISSEI WILL DIE." Seeing that this caught her attention he decided to continue albeit in a less violent tone "Issei's body is not yet strong enough to hold the massive power he holds within him. That is the reason why we placed many layers of seals on him. You know this. But now, with the seals removed his body is slowly breaking apart. Even now, our son's body is slowly taking damage from his own power." She shifted her attention from her husband to her son and could immediately tell that he was right. There were small fractures all across his body and more were appearing by the second. His body could still not withstand the overwhelming power he possesses. "If we do not do something soon, then Issei's body will implode upon itself and he will die. I know very well how painful the mere idea of hurting him is. DO you think I want to do this to my own son? Every single hit I inflict on him causes my heart to break in pieces and through our scuffle, I can tell that, for whatever reason, Issei is suffering greatly. However, at this moment, this is the only means of saving him so please Ophis, help me save our son."

Seeing Issei's state and knowing that her husband's claim was right, she tried to muster as much courage as possible to do the unthinkable. She would most likely be devastated but at the very least, their son would be alive and, at this very moment, that is all that she wants.

"Very well, for the sake of our son, I will help you but we need to make this quick. I simply cannot bare to inflict to much harm to Issei." She told him and he simply nodded agreeing with her statement. It isn't easy for him as well and finishing this as soon as possible is the most viable plan. All of a sudden

"RRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!"

They turned their attention towards Issei who was responsible for the roar and they saw him began to gather massive amount of energy towards his mouth. It seems he was preparing to unleash a devastating roar; nevertheless, Great-red could tell that he was aiming to finish things as the amount of power is far larger in this attack than it was in the previous breath. However, this also means that time is running out for Issei.

"Looks like Issei is planning to finish this with one massive attack. We will need to combine our powers together in order to counter his. We need to finish this quickly as Issei's body will no longer be able to sustain the massive power building within himself and eventually self-destruct." Great-red stated to Ophis who simply nodded as both dragons gathered massive amount of energy into their hands for the final assault. Having finished gathering his power, Issei unleashed his most devastating roar up to date towards his parents who unleashed their own attack simultaneously as both their power melded together to form one massive wave. Both attacks collided with one another causing multiple shockwaves reverberating throughout the dimensional gap as both attacks struggled to gain dominance over the other. For a moment, both sides were at a deadlock until one side was slowly giving way. Issei could feel his attack slowly being overpowered so he tried to gush out even more power from his being despite the fact that his body was literally shredding itself apart the more he did so; however, his rage clouded his rationality. Seeing his body near its limits both Great-red and Ophis knew they had to finish this now, so with one final push they unleashed everything they had. With the added force from both dragon gods, Issei's attack started getting slowly overpowered as their combined might was making its way towards him until, finally Issei's breath attack dissipated and he was enveloped by his parent's assault.

"AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

He let out one final painful scream before a massive explosion erupted which could be felt throughout the dimensional gap. Ophis and Great-red were seen breathing heavily. This was the first time in their life that they ever had to fight seriously. Add on the fact that they had to fight against their own son, their mental exhaustion was beyond normal. They were praying that the fight was over as they could not bear to hurt their son any longer and that was especially true for Ophis who couldn't bear this any longer. As the dust settled, they could see the shadow of a small figure through the smoke. Eventually, it cleared out and revealed an unconscious Issei drifting aimlessly.

"ISSEI" "ISSEI"

Both of them shouted at the same time and dashed towards him. After reaching him, Ophis quickly scooped him up in her arms to check if he was even alive. Luckily, she could feel him breathing however, one good look was able to determine that his body was anything but OK. He had many bleeding cuts all over his body, a few bruises courtesy of his fight with her husband and the worst part were both his arms that were completely broken. He must have used them at the last second to protect himself against their combined assault. Ophis quickly began to use her powers to heal him as much as possible but she could not stop the tears from falling off her beautiful face over the sad state her son was presently in. Great-red voiced her inner thoughts out loud.

"Thank the heavens he is alive." breathing out a huge sight of relief that his son made it out alive however looking over Issei current state was anything but pleasant as he continued speaking "and not a moment too soon. If the fight had lasted any longer, his body would not have survived the influx of power within himself and Issei would no longer be with us. "And not a moment too soon" he thought to himself. However, now that the current crisis has been dealt with, Great-red tried to process how all of this came about. He started recalling every single detail since the moment of Issei departure till now. Eventually, he came upon a realization about the location they found their son in. At the time, he was too preoccupied to get his son out of there to even think about where they were, but, now that he is in a calmer state of mind, he recognized that the place they teleported too was Barakiel's shrine which only gave way to very grim thoughts.

The only way to figure out the truth was to contact Barakiel and find out. He conjured a telepathic link towards Barakiel and waited for him to pick up. A few moments later, the signal connected

"Barakiel, do you have a moment?"

"… Red-san…" he answered back albeit in a sad state

His voice sounded incredibly distraught which was already a very bad sign.

"What's going on Barakiel, you sound distraught?" worried Great-red.

"They're gone Red…" wailed Barakiel.

"What do you mean? Who is gone?" he asked however fearing he already knew the answer given everything that he understood but still praying for the slim chance that he was wrong. Once again, reality proves to be a cruel mistress.

"Shuri… and Akeno. Somehow, jutsusha figured out our location and… while I was gone, they… killed my wife. I was able to kill them before they moved on to my daughter before I felt an ominous presence outside which turned out to be a trap from Himejima clan. Trapped in a barrier, I could do nothing but watch as… lighting came down and decimated my home along with… Akeno." Cried Barakiel.

"No… it can't be."

"I failed them Red… I couldn't protect them…"

"I can't believe this… but this does explain what happened with Issei" Great-red said.

"Issei?" at the mention of him, Barakiel quickly showed concern "What happened? Is he OK?" Despite having recently lost his family, he was still able to show concern over Issei's well being which honestly touched Great-reds heart.

"Unfortunately, not! On our way home, Issei said that he left something at your place and left to get it. Moments later, Ophis and I felt Issei's power spiral out of control. We quickly teleported to his location only find him, in his dragon form, rampaging with intense rage. Knowing that other supernatural beings would come by, we forced Issei into the dimensional gap where we had no choice but to knock him unconscious which we managed to do. I didn't understand what led to this which is why I called you but with what you just told me, it stands to reason that Issei witnessed Akeno's demise which sent him over the edge… Damn it, how could this have happened?" he said barely able to contain his sadness which Barakiel could sense.

"So that colossal energy I felt was from Issei!" Barakiel was surprised at the revelation before reverting back to sadness as he understood that Issei went through a terrible ordeal.

"Take care of Issei Red. He needs you now more than ever. A young man like him should have never gone through what he just did."

"Yeah… I know. Take care of yourself Barakiel." Great-red said to him

"You too Red!" responded Barakiel before he ended his call.

After finishing his conversation with Barakiel, he hung up his telepathic connection thinking about everything he just heard. He still could not believe all that has transpired and that Akeno and Shuri were gone. His son's rage suddenly made a lot of sense. He felt extreme rage over what happened to his friend's family which then gave way to sadness as he felt extremely bad for Barakiel and can't even begin to imagine his sadness at losing his entire family in one day. He then remembers a promise he made some years ago to help his family in their time of need and yet now it seems he failed to keep that promise. He clenched his fists so hard that a few drops of blood could be seen dripping out his hand. He was not only angry at the situation but also towards himself for being so useless when they needed him most.

For the first time since his existence, the most powerful being in existence felt… powerless. A thought that was most likely shared by his wife as she holds on to the unconscious Issei for dear life. He needed to unleash his frustrations in the dimensional gap, for he knew that if he did it in the human world, japan would most likely have perished with his outburst. So, he transformed back into his dragon form and unleashed his emotions in the form of a mighty roar

"RRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!"

His roar reverberated across the dimensional gap expressing his anger and his sorrow as tears started leaking from his eyes. After a few moments, his roar stopped as he regained his human form and moved towards his wife. Seeing him come forward, she looked towards him, eyes all red from all the crying she did and asked him

"Wha… What happened?". Ophis needed to know and understand what had happened that led her son into the state he was currently in. She knew it was really bad considering the outburst Great-red went through and he is usually the more calm one of the two. With great anguish, he recounted everything he heard from Barakiel from the time he returned to the present moment. To say she was shocked was an understatement. She moved her hand to cover her face as fresh tears started dripping from her face again

"No… Shuri… and even Akeno. H How…can this… be?." she doesn't want to believe that such a thing has occurred.

"How could we have let this happen to Issei not once, but twice. We are supposed to be his parents and protect him from shit like this and yet, we failed him when he needed us most. What kind of a horrible mother am I to allow such a thing? I'm so sorry Issei" she sobbed looking at Issei. Seeing this, Great-red quickly embraced her and rubbed her back to try and comfort her.

"No, don't blame yourself for any of this. It is not your fault! If anything, the blame is mine to bear, for it is the responsibility of the father to ensure his family's well being and safety and I failed at both it seems" He grimly said causing Ophis to look up and see her husband's sorrow at his own uselessness, slowly raising her hand towards his face and giving him a gentle rub, silently trying to console him which allowed Great-red to form a smile. He then turned his attention towards Issei

"The problem now is how are we going to comfort our son."

"What do you mean?" questioned Ophis although she probably knew the answer to her question but Great red answered it anyways

"You know, as well as I do, how much he cared about Akeno. She is his first love and they would most likely have become mates in the future. Even though it isn't his fault, knowing him, he will probably blame himself for failing to protect her" He looked at his unconscious son solemnlyand continued

"hmf, this situation is laughable! Barakiel-san has just lost his family, and is most likely suffering by himself. Issei is probably just as devastated as him having lost the love of his life and I cannot think or do a single thing to help him." Tears slowly started dripping from his face as he continued speaking "Many beings fear me for the strength I possess and even proclaim me as the strongest being and yet what good is all this power when it fails to be of use whenever it matters most. My friends and family are suffering and I CANT DO ANYTHING!." He shouted the last part as the dam broke again and started crying once more. Seeing her husband cry broke her heart so she did the only thing she could think of to console him. She brought his face forward and kissed him tenderly square on the lips surprising Great-red greatly returning the kiss as his emotions slowly calmed down having the desired effect Ophis wanted. As their lips parted. Ophis looked straight into his eyes with a few tears visible on her face as well and said

"The only thing we can do for Issei right now is support him with everything we have. We cannot change the past and despite how devastated we feel for failing our son not once but twice, there is nothing we can do but move forward. What we can do, and should do, is ensure that something like this never happens again on our watch."

Great-red smiled at her, thankful for her support as he grabbed her hand and squeezed it a bit.

"Thanks, Ophis. I really appreciate this. You really are the best mate a dragon could ever hope for" he said causing Ophis to display a light blush but grateful that he was cheering up a bit. As much as she hated to admit it, she loved his obnoxious attitude full of life and energy so seeing him in sorrow felt wrong.

Suddenly, Ophis felt Issei rustle in her hands meaning that he was about to wake up. His eyes slowly began to open and held his head as if he had the biggest migraine ever. Not surprising considering that he had to be taken down by his parents. He scanned his surroundings and saw that he was with his parents but, instead of Kuoh, they were back in their original home, the dimensional gap and he had no idea how they ended up there.

"mom… dad, what is this? What happened?" he started to ask when all of a sudden, his memories began to resurface on the tragedy he saw occur right before his eyes. Akeno and Aunty Shuri were gone and he was powerless to do anything. His emotions shifted from confusion to sadness as he began crying in his mothers arms.

"n n no no no no, this cannot be. Aunty Shuri and Akeno can't be gone" Ophis was simply devastated seeing the state her son was in and could do nothing but embrace him as much as she could even though it would not take the pain away as Issei continued sobbing in her chest. He then went from self-denial to self-loathing.

"I failed them. I failed Akeno. I promised… promised to protect her from harm and yet when she needed me the most, I was powerless to do anything." He slowly recalled the times he promised himself he would grow up to become a splendid dragon like his parents and how he had promised Akeno to always protect her, "ughh I'm a failure of a dragon, I'm a failure as a friend. Akeno-chan, I'm so so sorry" he kept repeating the same apologises over and over.

"Look at me Issei!" Ophis said as she lifted her sons chin so he could look at her in the eyes.

"You should not feel guilty over events that were beyond your control. What happened today was not your fault, nor Barakiel's nor anybody. It is the actions of very bad man that caused this tragedy and all blame lies with them, not you. Plus from what your father told me, it would seem that in your rage, you wiped out the assailants responsible for killing Akeno so, although this will not bring them back, you did manage to avenge them so please… stop blaming yourself for something that is clearly not your fault. You know that Shuri and Akeno would want you to live your life moving forward." Saying the last part with tears dripping down her face.

"Your mother is right son. This tragedy is in no ways your fault but we must all move on. We will always cherish the precious memories we built together with them and as along as that exists, they will always be with us, in our dreams and in our hearts." Added Great-red looking at his son who in turn listened, knowing deep in his heart that they were right so he released everything.

"ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" he unleashed all his suffering, crying loudly clutching at his mother's chest. She in turn embraced him with as much tenderness and love as she could, while also letting out tears of sadness. Great-red moved forward and embraced both his wife and his son as they all mourned the loss of their closest friends and family.

Minutes passed by and eventually, the crying and sobbing calmed down as Issei separated from his mother's and father's embrace.

" 'sniff'… I… I want to get stronger." He said looking at his parents who were taken by surprise by his sudden declaration. Nevertheless, he continued

"I want to gain the strength to be able to protect those I care for… so that something like this never happens again… so that I never have to feel… so useless ever again." he told them with clear grief in his voice yet his eyes were filled with absolute determination to get stronger.

"That's my boy!" smirked his father as he rubbed his son's head while his mother finally let out a smile, happy at the interaction between father and son.

"Alright, I guess it is time to return home" Ophis said as she was starting to get ready to go back only to be stopped by Great-red who shacked his head.

"Unfortunately, that is not the best idea at the present moment." He said. Ophis tilted her head a bit not understanding why they could not go back, causing Great-red to chuckle at the adorable gesture his wife did before explaining his reason

"Before we entered the dimensional gap, I sensed the presence of multiple signatures heading towards the shrine. As a result of Issei's outburst, the factions must have sent people to investigate the commotion and from what I sensed, I can safely deduce that they were in fact leaders of their respective faction. They will most likely put Kuoh under tight supervision which is why that, at the present moment, it is not a good idea to return there. Right now, they are in a state of high alert so any form of magic, no matter how small, will alert them to our presence and at the moment, I do wish to enter an unnecessary conflict with them. So, for now, we will be moving to another location." Explained Great-red

"I understand but then where will we live? Are we going to remain here in the dimensional gap?" she asked her husband who grabbed his chin thinking about her question. After a few moments of thinking, he came up with an answer.

"After some thought, I believe we should head to Tannin's territory."

"Tannin's territory? Didn't we previously agree that it might be too risky to live there due to the possibility of exposure? Although Issei has grown up, I do not want him in any more danger." She asked Great-red who answered

"After what happened today, neither do I and make no mistake, I will make sure that it never happens again but that is beside the point. Back then, our primary concern was the development of Issei's social skills which was why we selected a human city. Granted, it did not turn out the way we hoped but thanks to his interactions with Akeno, everything turned out well."

"The second reason coincides with recent events. Issei's little rampage might have brought us an unexpected benefit" Ophis had question marks on top of her head, not understand how it is possible as Great-red continued "Due to the amount of devastation caused by Issei, the devils will most likely issue an investigation to figure out what caused such destruction. They, most likely, have figured out that only a being of great power was responsible for this and thus is a threat to their faction. This will cause them to employ much of their resources and attention into the city giving us a better chance to remain hidden in Tannin's territory. In addition, from what Barakiel told me years ago, the fallen angels, devil and angels have been vying for peace together so, there is a big chance that they will send additional resources and manpower to aid the devils meaning we do not have to worry about them either." Explained Great-red to Ophis who now understood his point of view and had to acknowledge the validity of his statement.

"The final reason is for Issei's sake. As much as it embarrasses me to admit it, Tannin is a far better trainer than either you or I. He has spent most of his time training other younglings to be the best they can be and therefore is the most qualified to train Issei since, let's face it, neither you nor I ever trained a single day in our lives. We were born powerful, two of the most powerful beings in existence without doing a single thing. As a result, we would not be able to train Issei in an efficient manner compared to Tannin. Furthermore, being introduced to the dragon community, Issei will be able to make tons of new friends who will not shun him for his power. Right now, after everything that has happened, I believe that he will need this now more than ever" He told his wife who simply nodded.

"However, will he allow us to reside in his territory. It is my understanding that he was reincarnated into a devil. Won't he alert the devils of our presence?" Ophis asked her husband who immediately answered

"No, I don't think so. Tannin's primary objection is, and always has been, the survival of the dragon's race. In fact, the only reason he even discarded his pride, which is something extremely difficult for any dragon to do, and turned into a devil was so that he could claim the underworld territory that contained the last known batch of Dragon Apples and ensure the survival of our species that depended on those fruits to survive. So no, he would not turn us over to the devils and if we explain the current circumstances, I'm pretty sure he will accommodate us. He is one of the more reasonable dragons that exist today." Great-red said with absolute certainty so Ophis decided to trust in her husband judgement just as she had done over the years.

"alright, then it is settled. Are you ready Issei?" she said shifting her attention to her son who remained quiet during that entire conversation, nodded vigorously at her question.

"Yes mom. I will train myself to the bone and I will definitely become stronger. Strong enough to protect my loved ones including the both of you. Just watch me." Issei stated revealing a bright smile that his parents missed so so much and were not sure they would ever see again causing both of them to beam with happiness.

"That's the spirit son. Let us go then. It is the start of a brand-new journey." His father said as he started applying his magic to teleport them to their destination.

With renewed determination and a new goal in mind, Issei took the first step towards the future as he looked up to the sky with a passing thought

'Please watch over me aunty Shuri and Akeno. I vow to you that I will become stronger so that such tragedy will never fall to anyone else I care about. I will always remember the treasured moments we have had together as I move forward so you don't need to worry about me. I hope you may both rest in peace, wherever you are.'