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The Return of House Tenebris

In a world filled with biblical angels and devils, Leo Tenebris is the last scion of the once-powerful lineage of House Tenebris. Brought low by their enemies because they feared their control of shadows, Leo must navigate a dangerous new world in order to restore his family to their previous glory. Leo must learn to fight off people that want him dead, navigate political rivals, and stay alive all while trying to discover himself.

Jason_Steele · Anime & Comics
Not enough ratings
3 Chs

Chapter 1

Hello! Welcome to Chapter 1 of my Highschool DxD fanficiton! Have you watched or read the anime/manga and thought to yourself, 'Issei should do this' or 'They should have followed this plot point further'? Well in this fanfic I try to steer the story towards what I think could make for far more exciting content! The story will follow my OC's POV as he is catapulted into life as a devil and he hits the ground running. He will attend Kuoh Academy but will not be present for everything that we saw in canon. He will have his own adventure to live filled with all new struggles.

I have aged the main cast up to be 18 and to all be attending their first year in the college division of Kuoh Academy. My OC will have his own harem of OCs, Issei will have his canon harem. But how will my OC affect Issei? Perhaps Issei will be far more assertive in his desires? Or maybe a little less creepy? Or perhaps he will stop hesitating when offered what he wants? Only time will tell.

My story will eventually place far more focus on the Rating Games and, if it goes on long enough, might even feature a certain devils' aspirations of an all devil school in the underworld that allows even low-class devils to participate in rating games. Also, it will eventually involve a much more fleshed out political system for the devils where we will see far more families active.

This story's Genre contains [adventure] [action] [comedy] [romance] [hurt/comfort]

Tags include [anti-hero lead] [harem] [politics] [slice of life]

Content/Trigger Warnings: [Detailed violence/gore] [Suicidal thoughts] [Explicit sex scenes]

As such, this content is meant for a mature audiences. You have been warned

If you are interested in being an alpha reader please PM and we can figure something out. 

This story is cross posted on fanfiction as well

Finally, this story is not used for monetary gain. I do not own the rights to Highschool DxD or anything contained within this story. Enjoy!

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One moment I was drifting blissfully through the darkness, not a worry on my mind, when suddenly everything began to shake violently. Within moments my mind stirred and I awoke to the feeling of someone's hands shaking my shoulders. The cute melodic sound of my caregiver, Akari, filled my ears as my eyes slowly opened and adjusted to the light.

Looming over me was Akari. Her green hair cascaded off of her head and surrounded my vision like a curtain. Her green eyes were filled with mirth as she looked down at me. Akari was kneeling on my bed, one knee on either side of my hips, and both hands on my shoulders. My eyes, of their own volition mind you, drifted lower and found the scandalous amount of cleavage that her red and black kimono revealed. It was so much that I could see down her massive melons to her soft toned abs.

Her breasts dangle loosely below her, swaying hypnotically in front of my eyes as she giggled lightly. The edges of her nipples were just barely noticeable along the neckline of her kimono.

"Wake up, sleepy head," she giggled again at me as I snapped my eyes back to hers, "I swear, you'd sleep through the end of the world if I let you." I gulped audibly and tried my best to not let my mind wander, lest I wake up down there, "Sorry, Akari. I must have been having a nice dream," I replied with a smile.

Akari rolls her eyes and gets off of me, though I entirely miss the dissatisfied look of having to move from her current position. "You better hurry if you want to eat breakfast before your first day," she calls over her shoulder as she saunters out of the room.

I don't even try to resist looking at her impressive backside as her hips sway hypnotically, barely covered by the ends of her kimono that just reach her upper thighs. I quickly moved to my dresser and pulled out my academy uniform, a black blazer with white accents over a white, long-sleeved, button-down shirt with vertical linings, a black ribbon on the collar, matching black pants, and brown dress shoes, and laid it out on my bed.

I slipped down the hall and into the bathroom where I quickly shed my boxers and turned the shower on. Hopping into the cool water, I began to wash myself in preparation of my first day in the college division of Kuoh Academy. As a transfer student from America, this would be my first day stepping on the grounds. In my welcome letter, I was told that a fellow college division student who had attended the school in the high school division would show me around.

I had only been in Japan for a few months by now, but thankfully I had been learning to speak Japanese for most of my life. Apparently, my mother had grown up in Kuoh and even attended Kuoh Academy for both high school and college before she met my father. Apparently, it had been my mother's wish that I attend Kuoh academy at least for college.

I had never met my parents, my father having died in a workplace accident before I was born and my mother died giving birth to me. Akari's mother Sylvia, who apparently had been my mother's handmaiden, took me in and took care of me for quite some time until I turned 13, at which point Akari took over as my caregiver because Sylvia passed away. Luckily, Akari was 18 then and was able to provide for both of us.

My mind drifted back to Akari as I finished rinsing my body off. Even though I grew up with Akari I never truly considered her my sister and didn't see her as a mother figure despite her taking care of me by herself for 5 years now. We were always friendly, growing up with someone will do that I guess, but it wasn't until her mother passed away that she and I grew very close.

Akari was definitely of Japanese descent as her delicate features bore the hallmark traits of Japanese beauty. Her almond-shaped eyes sparkled with a green light and were framed by long, dark green lashes. Her porcelain skin was as smooth as silk and glowed with a natural radiance. High cheekbones and a heart-shaped face only added to her angelic beauty. Her emerald green hair was curly and flowed just past her shoulder blades.

Akari also had, much to my dismay as I hit puberty, a very mature body. Wide hips and a thin waist and a bust size that turned heads out of lust or jealousy everywhere she went. I shook my head and tried to not think of the many times I had caught glimpses of her perfect body.

I put my uniform on as quickly as I could and checked my appearance in the mirror. Once I felt confident in it, I fixed my hair so that it sat right on my head. I definitely wouldn't call myself a vain person, but I thought I was fairly good looking and put a good amount of effort into doing so.

I had pale white skin, thanks to my Japanese heritage, and ivory-black hair that was styled in a side part undercut. I always kept the hair around and below my ears trimmed very short and allowed it to fade into a longer length as it got closer to the top of my head. My hazel eyes were an orange-brown in the center by my pupils and shifted to shades of green on the outside of my iris. My sharp facial features included a clearly defined jawline, cheek bones, and a narrow, sharp nose.

Combing my hair to where I liked it, I finally left the bathroom and made my way down the short hall to the kitchen. Sitting at the table with two plates of food already on it was Akari.

"Hey there, handsome," she teased me with a wink, "Uniform looks great on you."

I blushed slightly but thanked her nonetheless as I took my seat and dove into my eggs, bacon, and toast with relish. It was a simple breakfast, but was definitely a classic. Looking at the time, I noted that I had about 5 minutes to eat and finish getting ready before I needed to head out.

"Remember that I'll meet you at school when it lets out today. We have some errands to run before we can go home," Akari reminded me as she finished her food and downed the rest of her orange juice. I watched a small drop of juice run down her chin, across her neck, and disappear into the crack of her cleavage.

"Leo?" she asked me, causing my eyes to snap up to her eyes. The smirk on her face caused me to blush and drop my head. I nodded quickly and grunted my acknowledgment and then returned to inhaling my food. Swallowing my final bite and finishing my own glass of orange juice, I noticed that the smirk was still on her face and a knowing look in her eyes. Thankfully, she didn't press me on it.

"I remember. Are you sure you'll know when school lets out? I don't even have my schedule yet," I reminded her.

"Oh, don't you worry. I'll be there," she replied with another knowing look.

I ignored her cryptic-ness and grabbed both our plates and brought them to the sink. Washing them quickly, I ran down the hall to brush my teeth and grab my bag out of my room before making my way to the door.

Akari was there waiting for me with a soft smile.

"Have a great first day, okay?" she told me and opened her arms for a hug.

"I'll try," I responded before pulling her in for a hug. Her shorter frame meant that she was able to rest her chin against my chest, the top of her head just meeting the bottom of my jaw.

I held her there tightly for a few moments before I loosened my grip on her shoulders. As usual, she held on just a moment longer than me before sighing and releasing me. Before stepping back she stunned me with a quick peck on my cheek.

"For good luck," she giggled at me before walking past me.

Rolling my eyes at her antics, I opened the front door and shouted a final goodbye to her before I hopped on my bike and made my way towards the school. Thankfully, I had participated in sports all my life and the school wasn't that far away so I barely broke a sweat by the time I arrived.

I swiftly locked my bike up on the bike rack and moved my helmet into my backpack. My welcome letter had said that the school representative would greet me at the gate so I stood nearby and waited patiently. I was only a few minutes early, but already only a few students were trickling past as they entered the academy grounds. I knew that somewhere on the other side of the school was a single dormitory, but that was mostly used by instructors and international students.

Just as a bit of panic and anxiety began to set in that I had missed the school rep, two females who looked my age approached me from inside the academy grounds.

One of them was about my height, 5 foot 8 inches, with long, crimson-red hair that reached down to her thighs. Her blue eyes sparkled with interest, and I couldn't help but notice that her bust was barely constrained by the white button-down shirt she wore under the academy's black shoulder cape that all females wore. As she got closer, I realized with shock that her bust size could possibly rival Akari's.

The other girl had a slender frame and was a few inches shorter than her companion. She had a short bob cut and purple glasses that framed her violet eyes. Her slender legs looked especially good in the magenta short skirt she wore as part of the uniform.

"Leontius?" the shorter one asked as they approached.

I made sure to stop my inspection and keep my eyes on their faces as they got closer, "Please, call me Leo," I responded quickly, offering my hand to the one that spoke.

"Call me Sona," she replied as she took my hand.

"Rias," the other responded as I shook hers too.

"Thank you both for escorting me around school today. I'd be very lost without both of you," I gave a respectful bow as I spoke, trying to demonstrate my respect for their culture.

Rias covered a giggle at my display and Sona seemed appreciative of the gesture as well before she responded, "Please, we thank you for your respect, especially as a foreigner, but on campus we try to keep social interactions much more relaxed."

I sighed with relief upon hearing that, "I won't lie, that's a huge relief to hear. I've done my best to learn the culture before coming here, but I'd be lying if I said I understood it fully." I answered truthfully.

"Your Japanese sounds quite good, though there is still a hint of an accent," Sona acknowledged.

"I like it. It makes you…special," Rias said with a smile that I returned effortlessly.

"I've been speaking Japanese most of my life. My mother actually grew up here in Kuoh and attended the academy for both high school and college," I replied.

"You've lived in America your whole life?" Rias asked as Sona directed me to follow alongside them.

"Since I was born, yes. I just moved into an apartment complex not far from here with my caregiver just a few months ago," I replied as I let my eyes wander over the campus.

The entrance to the grounds opened up into a large concourse with a fountain in the center. Pathways winded through the grass and a few trees towards the buildings that surrounded it. Four buildings of identical size surrounded us and faced inwards, two on each side, but straight ahead was a building of significantly larger size. Offset by ninety degrees and facing towards the center, it dominated the scene and appeared to be much older than the other buildings.

Sona noticed my gaze and began to point out locations, "Straight ahead is the main building on campus, the school hall, where the college division courses and a few high school courses are. It was the original building of Kuoh Academy before it expanded to allow high school students as well. On the left closest to it is where the faculty offices are. Across from that are where the remainder of the high school courses take place."

"And these other two?" I asked.

"The one on the left closest to us is the library. It also contains small study rooms designed as a quiet place for small groups of up to three to study and classrooms for larger groups to study in," Rias explained, "The one across from it on our right houses the gymnasium and the indoor pool."

"Indoor pool? You have multiple pools here?" I asked, slightly confused.

Rias giggled again as Sona steered us towards the right onto a pathway that would eventually cut between the two main buildings on the right side of the concourse.

"Yes. The indoor pool is for swim classes as well as school sponsored events and competitions. On the other side of these two buildings we are approaching there is an outdoor pool which is used by students for leisure," Rias explained.

"That's pretty cool. Do you often have time between classes to use the pool?" I asked as I noted the benches along the path and the many shaded spots provided by the sparsely placed trees.

"You'll find that the majority of the students live on campus," Sona replied curtly.

"How is that possible," I asked, confusion clear in my voice, "I thought there was only one dormitory on campus and it was meant for instructors and international students?"

"It's mostly meant for the college division students, as there are many more of us on campus than there are high school students. The high school division is rather selective. Anyways, students live in the building meant for their club," Rias explained as we exited out from between the two buildings we had just cut between.

In front of us was a rather large field where many students milled about in small groups. Surrounding the field were many more buildings that I hadn't been able to see from the concourse. These buildings were much smaller and looked more like houses than school buildings. The field had to be at least a few hundred meters in all directions. In the distance I could even make out the outdoor pool surrounded by a chain link fence.

"So you have to join a club if you want to stay on campus?" I asked dumbly.

"If you had read the curriculum requirements that were included in your welcome letter, you'd know that as a college division student joining a club is mandatory," Sona remarked.

"Oh, calm down Sona. You and I both know that that welcome letter is way too long," Rias cut Sona off.

Indeed it was, I thought as I remembered receiving it in the mail. It was a thick package that contained at least a hundred pages of information. It was so thorough that it even had diagrams of the proper and improper ways to wear the academy uniform and what times you were expected to wear it properly. Which mostly just consists of the time from when the first class starts to when your last class ends.

I scratched the back of my head in embarrassment as I noted that many of the students were exiting their club buildings.

"So, what kinds of clubs are there? How long do I have to join one?"

"You have to pick a club by the end of the week," Sona began.

"As far as clubs, there is probably one for any interest. You'll notice some of the clubhouses around us have a sports logo on them. Those are for the sports teams and are only open to students on scholarship. Many of the sports also have a club that are open to join, but most of them are full. There's also academic clubs for every course, as well as for academics not taught as part of the curriculum. There's also what we call the 'hobby clubs' which can range from stamp collection to painting. There are even a few clubs for different card games. Finally, there are research clubs and the student councils," Rias explained as she pointed to various buildings around us.

"Each graduating year has their own student council and their own clubhouse," Sona explained, "My clubhouse is right over there. I am the student council president for our class," Sona said proudly as she pointed out a building not too far from us.

Now that I was closer to a few of the clubhouses, I noticed that they were all built in the same style and layout. In fact, the only differentiator for them was the club's logo atop the front door.

"And mine is way over there on the other side," Rias pointed out another quite a distance from us.

"Will I have a chance to explore all of the clubs eventually?" I asked as my eyes jumped from one clubhouse to another.

"Of course. While your studies will obviously take precedence and I hardly think there's enough time in the week for you to explore every club here on campus, you should have ample time to find one to join," Sona replied as we made our way up the front steps to her clubhouse.

"We have a little paperwork to do inside and then I'd like to make introductions," Sona explained.

The next hour or so was a whirlwind of activity as the two ladies helped me fill out the required paperwork as a brand new student to Kuoh Academy. Other members of the student council came and went, introducing themselves and offering me some advice, but for the most part left us alone.

Eventually I was done with the paperwork and the three of us made our way to the first class. As we walked back towards the school hall, Sona explained to me the weird class system the school had.

"Since we are in our first year, our entire class has the same classes this week. They are held in the auditorium in the back of the school hall. After that, students are free to sign up for and take whatever classes you wish. The curriculum demands that you take at least 5 classes, one math, one science, one language, one art, and one more of either of those four. After that, you are free to add any other extracurricular classes you'd like so long as your schedule can fit it. Outside of those 5 mandatory classes, you can add and drop extracurricular classes as you wish. Just keep in mind that if you want to get credit for the course at the end of the year you need to have completed at least 75% of the course work and achieved a passable grade in the course."

"You can also work ahead," Rias interjected, "which most of us do. If you are particularly talented you can work through the majority of the classwork within a few weeks and turn it all in in advance."

"Attendance is not required," Sona added," but is heavily recommended if you don't understand the classwork. Also, there are no tests. Required assignments are usually difficult or even advanced problems related to the coursework that is designed to push you and your understanding of the material."

That… was a lot to digest. I took a moment to absorb all of that information. So after the first week, I'd have at least 5 courses but attendance wasn't mandatory. So in reality, I could study ahead and complete all of the coursework early and then do whatever I wanted for the remainder of the year.

"Just how hard are the classes here?" I asked cautiously, expecting them to be quite challenging.

"It depends, really," Rias said as we began walking between the buildings that housed the gymnasium and the high school courses, "The mandatory classes for our first year shouldn't be too challenging. They are designed to set the baseline knowledge for future years. It isn't until our third and fourth years when we start specializing that the courses will get harder."

So as long as I understand the information, I could very easily skate by in my first two years and enjoy my time here at the academy. I was starting to get very excited as we entered the school hall and wove our way through the throngs of people. As we approached the auditorium's entrance, Sona was waved over by the other members of the student council.

"I trust Rias can keep you company while I join my club," Sona said and left with a dismissive wave.

I watched her go for a second before turning to Rias's smiling face, "Is she always so…dismissive?" I asked carefully.

Rias actually laughed at my question before responding, "Honestly? Yes, she certainly can be."

"Come on, I'll introduce you to my club," she said as we pushed our way into the auditorium.

It looked like every other school's auditorium with rows of chairs facing a rather large stage in a smooth concentric arc. Many students had already begun filling the chairs closer to the stage, but Rias guided us towards the back left of the auditorium. Sitting and chatting quietly was a small group of three. Each stood and greeted us as we approached. Taking a seat on Rias' right in the center of the group I exchanged introductions with each of them.

"Hi, I'm Kiba," a good looking blonde guy shook my hand.

"Koneko," a short, white haired girl greeted me quietly.

"Please, call me Akeno," a busty, black haired girl introduced herself and shook my hand energetically.

"Nice to meet you all. My name is Leo," I smiled at them all.

"So, Leo. What do you think of Kuoh Academy so far?" Kiba asked me from the other side of the group.

Assuming he already knew that Rias had been instructed to show the new guy around, I just rolled with it, "It's pretty amazing so far. I'm excited to find a club to join. And I hope that my courses are easy enough that I can complete the coursework quickly and enjoy my time here fully," I replied easily.

Akeno giggled, "Well as our vice-president, I'd like to formally invite you to join the Occult Research Group," she proudly declared.

"The Occult Research Group," I asked skeptically, looking at each of the members carefully. Was I surrounded by crazy people?

"He doubts our sanity," Koneko said bluntly. I was already getting an idea for her personality.

"Noooo… it's not that! I just… what exactly do you guys do?" I asked, trying to not be rude.

Most of the group laughed at my attempt to not be offensive, but it was Akeno who answered me.

"We study and research youkai and other supernatural creatures around here. Not many people know this, but Kuoh is actually the center for a very supernaturally active region of Japan," Akeno declared with pride once again. I took stock of each of their reactions to that declaration.

Rias grinned at her vice-president's pride and commitment, Kiba just maintained his easy smile and nodded slightly, and Koneko continued to remain pretty neutral faced and blankly stared at me.

"I've never heard of Youkai before. What are they?" I asked but before anyone could respond the stage's curtain opened up and a middle-aged man walked out onto stage.

"I guess class is starting. You should pay attention well and after class we can talk more about the club in our clubhouse," Rias recommended.

I nodded in agreement and turned my attention to the man on the stage as he introduced himself. It's only been a few hours and this academy is already proving to be very interesting.

 

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It was a few hours later that I followed the Occult Research Group to their clubhouse. As we were passing through the field I noticed that a good percentage of the school was filled by the female population. I knew that the school had a history of having been an all girl school and had become co-ed quite some time ago, but I wondered why the school was still heavily favored towards females.

I decided not to ask about it and continued to follow along in silence, taking in the campus and the students. Rias and Akeno talked quietly amongst themselves in front of me while Kiba and Koneko walked in companionable silence behind me.

It didn't take long before we were inside their clubhouse, which I noticed looked vastly different to the pristine clubhouses we had walked past. The Occult Research Group had allowed vines to grow up the sides of the house and even left a few trees standing close by. The sloped stone wall that surrounded the clubhouse looked rather old but otherwise appeared well maintained.

Inside, I noticed that while they kept most windows open and had a few interior lights, the majority of their light was from candles. It certainly fit the aesthetic, that's for sure.

"Please Leo, join us in here," Rias said as she directed me into a rather large sitting room. The room was wood-paneled like the rest of what I'd seen so far. There were four Victorian style couches facing each other in the center of the room with a few matching chairs along the walls. Facing the four couches was a rather large wooden desk with an ornate chair behind it.

I took a seat on one of the couches with Rias and Akeno across from me. Kiba and Koneko relaxed on the couch to my left.

"What do you think of your first day?" Akeno asked me.

I took a moment to think about everything I'd seen and heard today before responding, "I think I am going to enjoy my time here very much. I am excited to join a club and make some friends," I replied honestly.

Akeno giggled at my response but it was Rias who spoke up next, "Leo, before you decide if you want to join our club, there are some things that you should know."

"Yeah? Like what?" I asked.

"Well, for starters, the youkai and supernatural creatures that we research. They are real," Rias answered as she gauged my reaction.

"What do you mean by real? Like you have found historical evidence of their existence?"

"More like present day evidence," Koneko remarked from my left.

My head snapped to her quickly before Rias gained my attention again, "Koneko is correct. We run into different youkai often."

"Leo, what do you know about angels and devils?" Akeno asked me.

My mind spun at the sudden change in topic, but I ran with it anyway and determined myself to return to youkai eventually, "Well, I know that there are many angels in the biblical sense. That Lucifer fell and became the devil and that he and his wife eventually gave birth to more devils. Also, that the angels and devils were at war. But those are all stories, aren't they?" I asked the room. Nobody seemed willing to answer my question, but Rias' patient smile told me that I was wrong.

My mind whirled with this information. How could devils and angels have been real and I never noticed? Is it possible that their populations are small? Or perhaps they have ways of remaining hidden from humans. Oh man, if angels and devils are real then that must mean God is real. Does that mean other gods are real, too?

"You have questions," Rias said rather than asked.

"Umm, yeah. I just don't know where to start," I scratched the back of my head and smiled.

"Start with the immediate, smaller questions. We will work our way up from there," Rias gave me another patient smile.

"Okay. If devils and angels exist, that must mean that God is real, right?"

"Yes, he is real."

"So, are other gods real too?"

"There are other pantheons, yes. Those gods tend to be gods over specific phenomena, like how Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love and beauty."

"Right. So if angels and devils and gods and supernatural creatures all exist, why don't humans know about them? How have I not seen or heard about this before? Are there not a lot of devils and angels or are they good at hiding?"

"Well, to put it simply it's because we keep ourselves hidden. Humanity isn't ready for all of that to be dropped on them. There would be riots in the streets." Akeno giggled again, likely imagining humans losing their collective minds over the idea that devils truly were real.

"I can understand that, but how has no one ever noticed anything supernatural?"

"Well for one, we are good at hiding. But mostly, humans are very good at not seeing what they don't want to see. And even when they do see it they explain it away rather quickly."

"It also doesn't help that the population of devils and angels is quite low, unfortunately."

That… was a good point. People spreading stories about their experiences with ghosts and the like were pretty common, but most people were quick to dismiss those claims as false.

"Wait. You said unfortunately, like it's unfortunate that devils and angels have low populations. Why?"

Rias gave Kiba the stink eye for that one before answering my question, "This is actually very complicated. To make it easier, I will only explain for devils. You see, pure-blooded devils have very low fertility rates, so it takes a lot of time and effort for two pure-blooded devils to have a child. Then, there are reincarnated devils. These devils are created by High-class devils, a different ranking system, by using evil pieces, I'll explain that later, to reincarnate other species into devils. The one chosen for reincarnation does not have to be dying or dead, but must accept the contract to serve their master."

"Reincarnated devils have much higher fertility rates than pure-blooded devils but since pure-blooded devils look down on all devils that aren't pure-blooded due to political reasons, very few devils are willing to marry and have children with non pure-blooded devils."

So it sounds like devils were pretty racist and even looked down on their own kind if they weren't pure-blooded. Sounds like a great way to slowly kill off your own species, but I guess that makes sense if their population numbers are low.

"You mentioned high-class devils are a different ranking system? What does that mean?" I asked.

"Well, despite where your blood comes from, once you are a devil you are a devil. With that comes a ranking system of one's power. At the bottom are low-class devils, devils that have just been reincarnated or who are commoners and are usually part of a high-class devils peerage. Middle-class devils either live in a high-class devil's territory or are a devil who is a member of a peerage who has completed their middle-class devil promotion test."

"High-class devils are mostly made up of younger pure-blooded devils who have yet to master their powers or reincarnated devils who have ranked up enough to earn the rank. When a devil reaches this rank they are given their evil pieces which allows them to start their own peerage. Ultimate-class devils is the ultimate rank a devil can achieve through training or growth of power. There are only 4 devils officially recognized as ultimate-class devils, though I'm sure there are other devils who have the power to hold one of the 4 positions. These 4 devils we refer to as the 4 Satans and they hold the 4 most powerful political positions in our society."

"Okay, you've said peerage a few times now and something about evil pieces? What's that all about?"

"Rias sighed before diving into the new topic, "Evil pieces were originally made to help raise the population of devils by allowing a high-class devil to reincarnate other species into devils. These devils make up the king's peerage. A pure-blooded devil can also accept a piece and become a member of a high-class devil's peerage. The pieces resemble the pieces of a chess board. The king is the high-class devil who is the master of the peerage."

"There are 8 pawn pieces. Pawns do not innately become more powerful, however they do have the ability to promote themselves temporarily to the other pieces by either getting permission from their king or by being in enemy territory. Next, there are 2 knight pieces and are worth 3 pawns each. Knights gain increased speed and mobility but have low defense. Next, there are 2 bishops worth 3 pawns each as well. Bishops gain enhanced demonic power and magical abilities which they use to conjure different kinds of spells. The more powerful the spell, the more power is used and the longer it takes to recover that power."

"Then, there are 2 rooks worth 5 pawns each. Rooks gain super enhanced strength, making them powerful for both offense and defense, but are very vulnerable to knights due to their low speed. A king can also perform a move called castling which allows the king and another of their servants to teleport and swap locations with one of their rooks. Finally, there is only 1 queen. The queen is worth 9 pawns and is largely considered the strongest piece of all. Queen's receive the same characteristics of rooks, knights, and bishops and also act as the king's second in command."

I silently praised Akari for having taught me how to play chess when I was younger. Had I not known chess very well, I would have likely not understood any of that. As it was, it largely made sense, except for the fact that I didn't fully understand the context behind what you did with your peerage. Also, if a pawn could be promoted to a different piece at your command, why wouldn't you try and trade your queen for 9 pawns and then promote them all to queens? Before I could ask that question, my mind ground to a halt.

In my eagerness to ask about evil pieces and what a peerage was, I almost overlooked a very crucial detail. In fact, it was so jarring that I'm surprised I hadn't noticed it straight away. When Akeno mentioned the 4 Satans, she had said 'our society'.

I looked up at Rias and Akeno across from me and narrowed my eyes slightly at them, "Akeno, earlier you said that the 4 Satans hold the 4 most powerful political positions in 'our society'. What did you mean by our?"

Rias held a hand up to stop Akeno from responding and regarded me with a calculating look, "I was hoping you wouldn't pick up on that, to be honest. But, I suppose it makes sense for one of your lineage to have detected it. I wasn't supposed to tell you yet, in fact I was under direct orders not to reveal this to you just yet. But honestly, I am very excited that you have given me an excuse to do this," Rias got up from the couch and began to close the curtains over the windows.

"Akeno, fetch her," Rias commanded as she continued.

I sat up straighter on the couch and gripped the arm of the couch harder, "Do what? Get who?" I demanded, my voice rising slightly.

"Do not fear. I wish you no harm. I will explain as soon as Akeno returns," Rias informed me as the room was suddenly aglow with only candlelight. Akeno approached the far side of the room with no furniture. Suddenly, she thrust her arms out to the side and a red, eerie glow exploded upward from the floor around her. From my spot on the floor I could see that the red glow was being caused by some sort of glowing circle that rotated around her.

With a sudden flash of light Akeno disappeared.

"What the fuck?" I screamed and shot out of my seat.

"Leo, please relax. Akeno will be back shortly," Rias tried to calm me.

"Yeah, seriously man. Relax," Kiba added with a grin.

I growled in frustration but ultimately sat back down and fumed silently. I was annoyed over being told to wait like some child, but ultimately it didn't matter. I wouldn't be leaving here without answers to my questions.

After a short while, which was honestly close to maybe 30 minutes but I couldn't be sure, Akeno returned with a very familiar buxom green-haired woman.

"Leo!" Akari shouted as she barreled her way over to me and pulled my face down in between her boobs, her arm wrapping around me to pull me close. I was too stunned by her sudden appearance, but after a few moments I heard a giggle from either Akeno or Rias and finally pulled myself away from Akari.

"Akari? What are you doing here?" I asked, inspecting her to make sure she was unhurt.

"I am here to help Rias explain, of course," Akari laughed and pulled me down onto the couch next to her. She practically climbed into my lap with how close she was sitting to me with my left arm pulled tight into the confines of her cleavage.

"You know who Rias is?" I asked, dumbfounded. It was a true testament to how confused I was that I barely registered where my arm was.

"Well of course! I've known Rias' family since I was a child," she declared, causing my brain to once again short circuit.

"Slow down, Akari. You are just going to confuse him," Rias groaned, "Leo, Akeno referred to devil society as our society because every single person in this room is a devil."

Every. Single. Person? But that meant… but how? Why? When? How? My face must have betrayed my inner thoughts because Akari gently grabbed the side of my face and forced me to look into her beautiful green eyes.

"Leo. Breathe. I'll explain, okay? But you need to calm down and listen," she spoke softly and gently, her eyes filled with worry and concern.

"Okay, okay. I promise, I'm okay. Please, explain this to me. I don't understand."

"Leo, you are the last living member of House Tenebris. You were hidden away from devil society after being born for your protection," Akari began, our eyes never separating as I searched hers for understanding.

Akari explained that prior to my death, my grandfather's brother allied with a terrorist group that consisted of devils, fallen angels, and angels called the Khaos Brigade. The group supported my great-uncle because my grandfather openly supported pure-blooded devils having children with reincarnated and half-devils as a way to boost their population numbers. Upon the death of my grandfather, my great-uncle banished my father from the family. My father and great-uncle didn't get along because my great-uncle believed my father was besmirching the Tenebris name by marrying a human, my mother. Shortly after my father was banished from the house, the Khaos Brigade turned on my great-uncle and launched a surprise attack on our ancestral home. My father was killed alongside my great-uncle in his efforts to buy time so my mother could flee from the attack. Unfortunately, she was wounded and due to her injury went into an early labor with me. After she failed to survive giving birth to me, Rias' father, Zeoticus Gremory worked with my mother's handmaiden Sylvia to hide me in the human world until the Khaos Brigade managed to catch up to us and killed Sylvia, causing Akari and I to move again.

Apparently, Akari's family was a branch family to mine. They apparently worked very hard to ensure that there was a suitable queen for every descendant of House Tenebris. When my House had been destroyed, Akari's House, House Ankokusha, was destroyed as well.

"But why? Why my family?" I pleaded for an answer, tears flowing freely down my face.

"I'm so sorry, Leo," Akari held me tightly, her own tears falling as well, "Many Houses of devils were jealous of your family's abilities. You see, some families have abilities that are innate only to them. Your family holds complete mastery of shadows themselves, a power that not even Lucifer himself was able to learn. As such, many houses were jealous and feared your family for such a powerful ability. Your father was rapidly rising in the rankings and political scene and enemies of your family's faction looked to further cripple them. Your family did nothing wrong," Akari cried into my arms. The members of the Occult Research Group appeared to be shaken by my history as well, only Rias having known the full story.

"Leo, our families have been aligned since the dawn of devils by Lucifer himself. Our families are members of a faction called the 72 Pillars, though only 32 of us still remain. With your reintegration back into devil society, we will be 33 families and officially the largest faction. My father tried to help save your father but he failed. To try and make up for his failure, he worked tirelessly to ensure your safety until you were old enough to reintegrate back into our society," Rias spoke gently.

"Your fathers were best friends," Akari explained, "And at one point your father saved Rias'."

I looked at Rias again, not truly knowing what to feel. I felt incredibly distraught at finally learning the truth of what happened to my family. Knowing that we had been undone from within and then betrayed by a group of terrorists who only wanted to reignite the war between angels, devils, and fallen angels infuriated me.

Also, knowing that I at least had allies in this world and people I could hopefully count on reassured me that I wasn't alone. And then, my eyes returned to Akari. She was still holding onto me tightly, her head tilted back and her watery eyes expressed worry and concern for me.

"Akari, this whole time you've been protecting me and unable to tell me the truth of what happened. I can't even begin to understand how difficult that must have been for you or how to properly thank you," I trailed off, searching her eyes.

"I had you, and that was all that mattered. My whole life, I've spent training and protecting you so that you could return to devil society and reclaim the power and influence your family rightly deserves. I'd do it all again if I had to," Akari affirmed her resolve and dedication to me, causing fresh tears to fall from my eyes. She quickly wiped them from my face and snuggled her head onto my shoulder.

I brought my left arm up to wrap around her shoulders and to play with her hair, knowing that it would help calm her down. "So, what happens now? I swear I will have my revenge on those who brought the downfall of my family. But I have no training, and while I have allies how many are actually able to fight with me openly?"

"Well, fortunately you are considered a high-class devil due to your birth and my father made sure that you completed the promotion ceremony in secret. My father has been holding onto your evil pieces since that day," Rias said with a small smile, her eyes tearing up as well.

I looked around the room and noticed that while the others in the room were trying not to look directly at me, they were all affected by my story in some way. Akeno was openly weeping next to Rias, her left hand firmly grasping Rias's right for support. Koneko was quietly crying and staring out the window, apparently lost in her own world. Kiba attempted the 'guys don't cry mentality' but I could see the soft sheen of tear tracks on his cheeks.

Before I could ask my next question, a red flash filled the room and over on the floor where Akeno had teleported earlier was a small wooden box with a letter resting atop it. Rias quickly got to her feet and collected the box and letter. She gently handed both over to me before returning to her seat next to Akeno, sliding their hands back together as she did so.

I placed the small box next to me on the couch and quickly opened the letter to read it.

Dear Leontius,

Words cannot properly describe my sorrow over having lost your father and mother all those years ago. They were truly great people, your father especially. He was charismatic, confident, and a true leader. He inspired many devils through his actions and his moving speeches. The world would be a vastly different place with him still in it.

And your mother, oh what a woman she was. Kind, gentle, and loving. She was everything a mother and wife should be. She also had a knack for taming your fathers wilder tendencies. Wherever in the afterlife they are, know that they are proud of you and love you dearly.

Along with this letter is your box of evil pieces. All 15 are still in there, waiting for you to use them. Take your time and spend them wisely, as you only have so many of them. There is no rush to join us down here in the Underworld. Gather your strength, build your peerage, and return to us with all the power and confidence a son of House Tenebris commands.

On a more personal note, might I recommend that you start with Akari? Historically her family has always been a queen to House Tenebris, but ultimately it is your decision. I wish you all the best in the future and know that if you ever need anything the full might of House Gremory stands with you.

- Zeoticus Gremory

I didn't realize until now that my tears once again began to flow from my eyes as I read, a few tears falling and staining the parchment in my hands. Wiping my eyes dry once again, I carefully folded the letter and placed it next to the box on the couch. Grabbing the box, I reverently opened the box to reveal 15 polished, crimson red chess pieces placed neatly in the velvet interior of the box. Running my fingers across them, I stopped at the queen piece and removed it from the box.

"Akari," I began, holding the queen piece up to her, "I might not fully understand all of this. I might not fully understand what these pieces really mean or what our future holds, but I can't imagine anyone else being my queen more than you. You have protected me from evils I didn't even know about and have sacrificed so much for me. Let me make that up to you by making you my queen," I pleaded, searching her eyes.

"Yes, yes, yes, a thousand times yes!" Akari smiled so bright that it made my heart soar. I might not fully understand my feelings for her, but I knew that she meant a lot to me and I'd do anything to see her happy.

Grinning at her response, I turned to Rias to see her and Akeno smiling broadly, "How exactly do I do this?" I asked.

"Simply place the piece against her chest. Your intent and her will will do the rest," Rias answered simply.

Shrugging, I did as she instructed. Moving the queen piece to Akari's chest, I hesitated slightly as I neared her with it. Seeing me falter, Akari gently placed her hand on the back of mine and brought the piece to the crest of her cleavage. A flash of light originated from the piece before it slowly sank into Akari's skin. Akari cried out momentarily but calmed once it was fully absorbed into her.

"Finally, we are one. Master," Akari smiled sweetly to me as she leaned in and kissed me. Her soft lips met mine and the rest of the world faded. There was only me and her as our lips melded together. Akari pulled herself up into my lap as her tongue snaked out in search of mine. Opening my mouth slightly, I allowed her tongue entry and our tongues entwined as we deepened the kiss.

I dropped my hands to her lower back and pulled her closer to me, causing Akari to elicit a small moan into my mouth. Emotions rushed through my body that I realized I had been suppressing without even meaning to. My feelings for Akari were so much deeper than I had anticipated that all it took was a kiss and now I fully understood the deepness of our connection.

Finally, a soft cough pulled us both back to reality and Akari spun around in my lap, facing sideways with her right arm wrapped around my shoulders for support.

"Sorry," I apologized with embarrassment at having gotten caught up in my emotions. I let my left hand rest on Akari's hip as I avoided eye contact with the others in the room.

"You two are so adorable," Akeno squealed in delight. In her excitement, she had pulled both of her hands to her chest, which had the unintended side effect of hugging Rias' forearm and hand to her bountiful chest.

Rias cleared her throat, "Well, now that that is done. There are a few things we need to go over before we can finish here," her face was flushed a deep red but she did nothing to remove her arm from where it was.

"What else do we need to talk about?"

"Well, for starters I recommend that you start your own club," Rias began, "I started this club as a cover for my peerage so that we could all be together. By starting your own club, you will be able to do the same."

"How do I do that?"

"It's simple. You just file the necessary paperwork with the student council for our year and if it gets approved you can pick one of the currently unoccupied clubhouses on campus," Rias said nonchalantly.

"Is it hard to get a new club approved?"

"Usually, yes. However, Sona and her peerage are close friends, you see?" Rias grinned at me.

Wait, Sona and her peerage? That meant that, "Sona is a devil? And her peerage are the members of the student council?" I asked incredulously.

"You catch on quick," Rias praised me, "But yes, they are. And since you are also a devil and will be starting your own peerage she will make sure you get a clubhouse."

"It also helps that Rias' father is the school administrator," Akeno added smugly.

Heh, that sure is nice to know. It seems my time here is going to be quite exciting indeed.

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I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. This story has been a ton of fun to write and plan out. I have so many ideas for this story that I kind of feel like Charlie from Always Sunny when he starts freaking out over Pepe Sylvia and Carol. Anyways, This is just the first ~9k words of my story and I currently have ~24k words written. I wanted to post this first chapter to see how much interest there was in this story as I begin to flesh out the beginnings. If this chapter gets a lot of attention over the next few days I will post chapter 2, but I will always try to maintain at least a 2 chapter lead on what has been posted.

So if you'd like to see more, favorite, follow, and comment your thoughts on the setup! And don't forget to PM me if you're interested in being an alpha reader for me.

Coming up next:

Leo and Akari start their own club, get their own clubhouse, and move in. Leo and Akari walk in on Rias/Akeno shower scene and things get a little bit spicy. Leo meets Zeoticus for the first time.