~ I have added this Fanfic to my Patreon. If you'd like to read advanced chapters, feel free to check it out!
~ I'm planning to increase the number of advanced chapters to +50 this weekend!
~ I've edited some of the previous chapters to remove anything you might consider "cringe" or "unnecessary." I'll continue reviewing them from time to time!
~ Very soon, we'll return to releasing two chapters daily, including bonus privileges for Power Stone contributions!
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{Kukukuku. Very interesting. You have earned my respect, Issei Hyoudou. I shall lend you my power anytime you wish. You can use it to show those who ridiculed you.}
Issei continued to stare up at the Western Dragon in confusion. Ddraig then gave Issei a serious look as the young man started to fade away.
{However, let me give you a warning. If you wish to control my power, make sure you don't slack off before I come back!}
Issei stared up at the Welsh Dragon silently, and seconds later, he started to disappear from his own mind.
{Humph. Your mother would be proud.}
As Ddraig watched the remaining form of his wielder fade away, a confident smirk formed on his face.
{Albion. Our battle shall come soon. You better hope your host will have what it takes to defeat this one. The one called Issei Hyoudou.}
The Grand Ise Shrine
Issei's eyes fluttered, and then opened completely. Widening his eyes, Issei looked around his surroundings and looked over to see that the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi was no longer in his hands.
"Huh? Where did the sword go?"
Looking around the shrine, Issei narrowed his eyes and got up from his spot.
"Hmm."
Issei's House
Issei opened the door to his house and shook his head.
"Ise-itoko?"
Widening his eyes, Issei looked up to see Leiko sitting next to a moody Ophis.
"Leiko-san! What ae you doing here?"
Leiko sent Issei a smile.
"I just wanted to see how my cousin was doing."
She then looked to Ophis, who had a pout on her face.
"But as Ophis here tells me, it looks like your life is going good so far."
Issei rose an eyebrow at Ophis's facial expression, and then he looked to Leiko, and offered her a smile.
"Y-yeah. I guess you can put it that way."
Next Day at Kuoh Academy
Sitting at his desk, Issei looked out the window of his classroom. He looked up at the Sun, and sighed deeply. As he looked around the classroom, he noticed that Yuuma was once again absent.
'Where has Yuuma-san been?'
He then noticed that Xuelan was absent as well.
'Hmm…'
As he looked back at the Sun, he felt someone walk up to him.
"Issei Hyoudou."
At the call of his name, Issei looked up to see Tsubaki looking down at him, her hands to her side. Staring at Tsubaki blankly, Issei's eyes widened in recognition.
"Oh, it's you."
Getting up from his desk, Issei put his hands in his pockets.
"Is something wrong? And secondly, is it important?"
Tsubaki maintained her stoic expression as she gazed at Issei. Before her stoic gaze could break down, Tsubaki closed her eyes.
"Kaichou's Onee-sama is here. She would like to speak with you, as well as Sirzechs-sama."
Issei narrowed his eyes at the last person Tsubaki had mentioned, but he calmed himself quickly.
"What does Sirzechs want to talk about?"
He didn't particularly mind what Sona's older sister wanted to talk about, but Sirzechs...if Sirzechs wanted to talk to him, the Crimson Maou had better be expecting another Falcon Punch in the face.
Unaware of Issei's passing thoughts, Tsubaki opened her light-brown eyes.
"He didn't say."
"Tch." Issei muttered.
Tsubaki rose an eyebrow at Issei's response, and then her eyes widened considerably as she noticed that Issei had a red stain showing through his white shirt.
"You're bleeding."
Raising an eyebrow, Issei looked down to see that there was blood on his shirt. Lifting the top of his shirt away from him, the young man widened his eyes to see that there was a large cut mark on his stomach.
'How did I get cut just now? This morning, it was just fine... Was it from Ddraig? It definitely couldn't have been from Kokabiel, because I transmitted away from him.'
He tensed when he felt a hand reach down to his stomach. He quickly gripped Tsubaki's hand and held it tightly. Tsubaki widened her eyes slightly as she met Issei's stern gaze.
"I…I was going to heal you."
Issei's stern look dissolved into a look of hesitance and he gently released his grip on Tsubaki's hand.
"It doesn't hurt. If it did, I would have noticed it by now. I'm fine."
"But you need to be healed before the blood flow increases." Tsubaki insisted
"It's all right. Let's just go meet Sona's Onee-sama, and…Sirzechs. I can heal myself afterwards."
"…You're such a strange boy, Issei Hyoudou." Tsubaki said as she rose an eyebrow at Issei.
Issei sent Tsubaki a sad look.
"If I had a nickel for every time that phrase has been said..."
Tsubaki kept her gaze on Issei for awhile, and she stood still in her spot. Issei's eyes softened, and he sighed and looked away.
" I appreciate your offer to heal me. But not now. I just want to get this over with."
Staring at Issei for a moment, Tsubaki's eyes softened.
"Follow me, Issei."
The Student Council Room
Tsubaki opened the door to the Student Council, and she and Issei walked inside to see Sona with a young woman with black hair in pigtails and violet eyes. Next to the siblings was Sirzechs Lucifer himself, and the young women of Riser's peerage.
Issei kept a calm face as he looked at the familiar and unfamiliar people in the room. Sona, Sirzechs, and then the rest of Riser's peerage walked out of the room, with Tsubaki following them and closing the door behind her.
Turning around, Issei then realized that he was alone with Sona's older sister. The girl held up a hand and motioned Issei.
"Issei Hyoudou. If you would please sit down."
Issei complied and sat at the desk across from Serafall Leviathan. Serafall was normally cheerful, with a childlike air about her, but even she knew when to be serious. Which was why she was cautious with the young boy in front of her.
Maintaining a stoic air about her, not unlike her younger sister, Serafall folded her hands on the desk and spoke.
"My name is Serafall. Serafall Leviathan. I've asked for you here today, because I wanted to talk to you, Issei."
Issei remained quiet. He didn't want to say anything yet. If this woman wanted to talk to him, then the least he could do is be respectful.
Serafall gulped as she spoke carefully.
"I wanted to tell you that we Devils…" Serafall began as she hesitated in her words.
The Satan with the title of Leviathan tapped her hands on the desk.
"Not all Devils are the same, Issei. I know from what happened to you, you might not believe me, and I completely understand if you didn't. However, every Devil is different."
"…"
"What Riser Phenex and Sirzechs-chan did to you in the Underworld…it was completely reckless and inexcusable of them. They caused so much psychological damage to you, all because they wanted to see how…powerful you were."
"…"
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