Serafall's Breakthrough

Human World, Japan, Kuoh.

Another week passed after the meeting and formation of the DxD team. Since then, however, they have not met again. In fact, they have not even started searching for Rizevim Livan Lucifer. The reason? Because they don't have a base of operations yet. Although they could use either of the Alaverus Estates, James thought that would put his family in danger.

So, instead of using an already existing location, James asked Ajuka to create a place for them in the dimensional gap. A place similar to the [Rating Game Boards]. Naturally, Ajuka agreed to this proposal. However, it would take some time to complete, and he would require Scathach and Evangeline's help to strengthen it to a point that James would not destroy it by accident.

So, while Ajuka, Scathach, and Evangeline were working on the new base of operations/training area for Team DxD, all the third year high school students in Japan were taking a test that could determine the path of their futures. Today was the day of the College Entrance Exams. Like all other students, James, Rias, Sona, Akeno, Tsubaki, Reya, and Flora were also sitting in their exam venues with their No. 2 pencils.

Little did they know; however, a disaster was waiting for James' return at the Alaverus Estate. So, after the exams were over, James and the girls walked back home with smiles on their faces.

"Ahh, I'm so glad that's over." Reya said while stretching as the group entered their neighborhood.

"It wasn't that hard, though." James said with a shrug.

"Maybe not for you." Reya retorted. "Not all of us went through Lady Venelana's demonic education... No pun intended."

As Venelana's name was mentioned, James and Rias both grimaced. Then, they could not help but think back to the conversation they had with Venelana and Sirzechs after the members of Team DxD left the mansion.

===Flashback===

For the second time that day, James and Sirzechs had returned to the art studio to discuss something of great importance. This time, however, they were accompanied by Rias and Venelana.

When they were all seated, Venelana was the first to speak.

"Sirzechs, Rias, I know this makes you uncomfortable." Venelana said with a gentle smile on her face.

"They're not the only ones." James said with awry smile. "I mean, you're my fiancé's mom. ON top of that, I've always seen you like an aunt..."

"It still feels like you are trying to steal my fiancé." Rias said in an agitated tone.

"Actually, you'll find it more common than you think for mother and daughter to share the same man." Venelana said with a smile. "You just have to give it a chance. You'll see that it's not as bad as you think. Besides, don't men love mother-daughter play? What do they call it in this country? Oyakodon?"

"Oh, my Satan! Mother, please stop. That's not even the point." Rias said in exasperation. "Well, maybe it is... I mean, the thought of sharing my fiancé with my mom is so weird, though."

"Not only that." Sirzechs said with a frown. "What is Rias supposed to call James in the future? Should she call him husband or stepfather?"

"Well, she already calls me Daddy." James said off-handedly.

"Now is not the time, James!" Rias shouted with a bright red face.

"Sorry, couldn't help myself." James replied with a wry smile.

*Cough!* *Cough!*

While Venelana smiled with interest swirling in her eyes at that little exchange, Sirzechs, for the second time today, coughed up blood. Then, he looked at James as if he were ready to start another duel.

"Anyway, like I said earlier." Venelana said, stopping Sirzechs from doing something everyone knew he would regret. "I know this makes the two of you uncomfortable."

Once again, James was about to mention that he was also uncomfortable. However, before he could speak, Venelana raised her right hand, signaling him to stop.

"But, Rias, Sirzechs, I was not asking for your permission." Venelana said, not losing her smile. "I was simply informing you of my decision."

Neither Rias nor Sirzechs knew how to respond to that declaration. Even James, who almost always had something to say, fell silent.

"And as for you, James." Venelana turned her attention to the thoroughly confused new Satan. "I know that you only see me as an auntie. And to be honest, I expected that. But I will make you change the way you see me; in that you can believe."

===Flashback End===

"Ix-Nay on the enelana-Vay." Akeno said as she pulled on Reya's arm.

"Oops." Reya said as she noticed the expressions on James and Rias' faces.

"Anyway, I'm sure you'll be fine, Reya." Sona said while adjusting her glasses. "You stayed in the top six of our grade for all three years of high school. If you can't get into your target school, then I don't' know what to tell you."

"*Sigh* I know you're right, Sona." Reya said with a nervous expression. "But I just can't help it. I'm always nervous after a test. Until I see my results, that won't change."

"That makes sense." Tsubaki said. "But it's definitely useless."

"Yeah, being nervous is useless after the test." Flora said with a nod. "It's not like being nervous will change your results."

"Anyway, so you all plan to go to Kuoh's university division, right." James asked, finally snapping out of his daze.

"That's the plan." Sona replied with a nod.

"I will follow Sona." Tsubaki said, adjusting her glasses in a way that they caught the light of the sun.

"I'll be going to Kuoh, too." Rias replied.

"So will I." Akeno said with an elegant smile.

"Me, too." Reya replied with a nod.

"From the way you asked, it sounds like you're planning to do something different." Flora said inquisitively.

"I was thinking about studying abroad." James admitted. "Or, simply not continuing my schooling."

"Why?" Rias asked, a bit unhappy with James decision.

"Because, I need to spread the net to find Rizevim." James explained. "Rizevim's threat is much more important than getting a degree from a university. But If I'm going to do it, I'm going to get one where I can also search for Rizevim."

"But Rizevim could be anywhere." Sona countered. "There's no guarantee that you'll be able to find him."

"I know." James replied with a shrug. "But it's better than doing nothing."

Although Rias, Sona, Akeno, and Flora agreed, they weren't happy with the thought that they would be separated from James. And the expressions they wore made that fact quite clear.

"Don't pout." James said with a chuckle.

"This isn't a laughing matter." Rias said angrily.

"You all make it seem as if all of us can't teleport whenever we want." James said, looking at the four girls with an odd gaze.

Seeing James' gaze, Rias, Sona, Akeno, and Flora looked away awkwardly.

"You all forgot, huh?" James asked with a cheeky smile.

"Of course not!" x 4

While the group of third years continued to chat and bicker, they finally arrived outside the Alaverus Estate. When they did, James wasted no time opening the front door and stepping inside.

"I'm home!" James shouted as soon as he crossed the threshold.

At that moment, they all could feel a change in the atmosphere. Then, the air in and around the mansion began to tremble.

"What's going on?" Reya asked with concern.

"Are we under attack?" Tsubaki asked, materializing her naginata.

"Jay-Kun~~~~~~~~~!" Screamed a female voice that everyone was familiar with.

"I guess it's about that time, huh?" James said with a smile after hearing that voice.

"Is that... My sister?" Sona asked in a confused tone.

A moment later, an ice blue silhouette appeared in the hallway. When everyone looked closely, they could see the face of this ice blue figure. Surprisingly, it was Serafall.

"What happened to Lady Leviathan?" Akeno asked with her eyes wide open.

Serafall, with her skin and hair colored in an icy blue, was slightly transparent, just like actual ice. Other than her color pallet, she looked basically the same as she always does. Her hair was tied in twin tails, and she wore a frilly magical girl uniform. The only other difference that could be observed was that she had four, short horns poking out of her forehead and temples.

After Serafall appeared in the hallway bbetween the mansion's entrance and living room, she paused for a moment. Then, when her eyes zeroed in on James, she shot forward like a bullet. An instant later, her legs were wrapped around James' waist while she pounded on his chest with her icy hands.

Naturally, James was also surprised to see Serafall like this. However, he was almost certain he knew the cause. And he was pretty sure that it was his fault. Though, in the long run, this was a good thing.

'I hope Issa is okay.' James thought to himself while he watched Serafall cry and hammer his chest.

Underworld, Satan Territory, Leviathan Estate.

About an hour before James and the girls returned to the Alaverus Estate in the human world, Serafall was sitting in her office in her own Estate in the Underworld. For the past forty minutes or so, she had been working on some paperwork she let pile up because she was recording the first few episodes of her magical girl series.

*Knock!* *Knock!*

Lady Leviathan, I've returned with the thing you asked me to buy." Issa's voice rang out from the other side of her office door.

Issa, who had just returned, had been running an errand for Serafall while she worked. And this errand superseded all others in importance. At least in Serafall's opinion. Because Issa was asked to buy this week's issue of the monthly manga magazine that James' works always appeared in.

"Oh, it's here" Serafall shouted with child-like excitement. "Hurry up, bring it in here!"

With Serafall's permission, Issa pushed the door open. Then, with the manga magazine in hand, he approached Serafall's desk.

As soon as Issa was close enough, the magazine disappeared from his hands without a trace. However, he did not panic. This was a common occurrence, after all. And just as he expected, the magazine he was holding just an instant ago was now in Serafall's hands.

"Good job, Issa-Chan." Serafall said as she carefully opened the magazine's plastic wrapper. "You can have the rest of the day off."

"Thank you, Lady Leviathan..."

"No, call me Levia-Tan." Serafall said without looking up from the cover of the magazine.

Ignoring Serafall's request, Issa bowed politely. Then, he turned on his heels and left the office, closing the door behind him.

Meanwhile, Serafall had completely forgotten about Issa's existence in that short time. Instead, she was turning the magazine's pages until she stopped at the first page of this week's chapter of Puella Magi Madoka Magica.

"This chapter is the climax with the witch." Serafall said with a bright smile on her face. "I know you can do it Mami-Chan!"

Without another word, Serafall began reading the chapter. And as time went on, you could see that the tension was rising due to Serafall's expression. However, at a certain point, Serafall's expression froze along with all her movements. On the page she was reading, there was a panel that depicted something Serafall never expected to see.

The character Serafall adored, Mami, had her head bitten off.

As Serafall processed what she was seeing, the temperature in her office started to drop drastically. First, it was the chair she was sitting in. Then, the desk in front of her. Following that was the floor. Then, the walls, the ceiling, and eventually the entire Estate. In just a matter of moments, Serafall's entire estate was frozen in a layer of ice.

Luckily, when Issa noticed the way that the temperature was dropping, he did not hesitate to teleport out of the mansion. When he reappeared, he was over a hundred feet (approx. 30.5 m) high in the air. So, he was able to see the estate freeze over in real time.

"What the hell was that?" Issa asked with fear and curiosity in his tone.

The next moment, Issa saw a silhouette grow from the roof of the frozen estate. When he looked closely, he noticed that it resembled Serafall greatly. The only difference was that the figure was completely ice blue in color, and it had four horns on its forehead and temples. However, when the figure looked up and he noticed he was in its line of sight, Issa felt that his life was about to end. Then, the figure opened its mouth and howled.

"Jay-Kun~~~~~~! Give my Mami-Chan back!" The figure howled with great lament.

A moment later, the figure disappeared with a teleportation circle.

"James, what did you do?" Issa asked with his body shaking in terror.

Human World, Japan, Kuoh.

A moment later, Serafall's teleportation circle appeared in the Alaverus Estate's living room.

"Jay-Kun~~~~~! Where are you?" Serafall shouted with great anger.

"Calm down, Serafall." Leona said calmly, having expected to see Serafall today.

Like Serafall, Leona also read today's chapter of Puella Magi Madoka Magica. And although she was surprised, she enjoyed the twist on the magical girl genre. However, she knew that Serafall would be livid and feel betrayed. So, she asked Grayfia to make a pot of tea that would help calm Serafall down when she inevitably arrived.

"Where is he?" Serafall growled.

"He's taking his College Entrance Exam." Venelana said with a gentle smile. "He and the girls should be back soon. Why don't you have a cup of tea and wait for them."

At that moment, Grayfia appeared next to Serafall with a cup of tea in hand. Then, she presented it to the highly pissed off Satan.

Since Serafall's anger was directed at James' alone, she did not lash out at the other ladies. Instead, she accepted the cup of tea and sipped it. Then, as she drank more, her ice blue body began taking on its natural color and her horns retracted into her head. Once she was back to normal, Serafall sat at the table with Leona and Venelana to enjoy some more tea.

When James announced his return, Serafall's anger grew once again, and she returned to her ice blue form. Luckily, Scathach and Evangeline had returned and decided to joined the ladies for tea. So, with Scathach's runes, she was able to keep the Alaverus Estate from freezing over like Serafall's estate had. Then, in a burst of speed, Serafall left the living room.

"Jay-Kun~~~~~~~~~!"

"To think, such raw emotion could push someone into their Super devil form." Venelana said with quite a bit of interest in her tone. "I don't know if James is a genius or just an irredeemable prankster."

"Both." Leona, Scathach, Evengeline, and Grayfia replied in unison.