Fanfiction by: Echless.
Narrative (Reality) Manipulator in DxD.
Chapter 12
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
***
It happened just as He wanted. Originally, things went in a different direction than expected. And at a point, Issei, no, "they" really believed they'd win.
He didn't know how, or why. One moment, he was pushing forward; the next, Riser surged with inexplicable power and crushed him.
He could do nothing but watch as the woman he loved, the crimson-haired girl, cried out in anguish before the flames engulfed her.
That image burned deeper than any wound.
Now, he found himself in a place he had no business being in the first place.
Dark, empty, deep within his deepest level of subconsciousness where not even Ddraig could reach.
"Where am I?"
Issei looked around, recalling the fragments of the fight a few days before. Or, perhaps, maybe longer—he wasn't sure anymore.
"Yes. I… I was fighting Riser… and… and… I lost?"
The realization landed like a hammer blow. His eyes darted across the empty space, wide with disbelief. But there was nothing.
No light. No exit.
Just… silence.
Still, he fought to claw his way out. He called for Ddraig more than once desperately. But no answer ever came.
"Give it up. This is the deepest world of your subconscious. Not even that crimson dragon can enter here."
A very familiar voice. It was unmistakable. Familiar in a way that made his blood boil.
Despite the brief time they'd known each other, Issei could recognize him instantly.
No doubt, it was him.
"Ren Augustus Luceris!!!!"
He screamed, lunging at the male who appeared from seemingly nowhere, sitting lazily on a throne that spawned in with him.
"Oh~ How passionate. I'd almost be touched… if it wasn't you."
With a casual flick of his finger, Ren reversed Issei's charge. The boy suddenly found himself back where he started, frozen mid-motion.
"...! What the—!"
Staggering back in disbelief, Issei turned a furious glare on the man.
"You bastard! What the hell do you want?!"
"Nothing much. Oh—right. The aftermath report. Let's say that's why I came."
Issei narrowed his eyes, at him before spitting the words through clenched teeth.
"I don't need it! Get out of my head already!"
Ren's expression shifted, his smile vanishing. What replaced it sent a chill down Issei's spine.
"Strange… The you in this layer shouldn't be capable of such intense hate. So why is that emotion leaking through?"
His voice grew even colder.
"I wonder what you're clinging to so desperately. Then again… I don't blame you."
He exhaled softly, drumming his fingers on the throne's armrest.
"Anyway, I'm only here for one thing. Rias is marrying Riser tonight."
"WHA—!? THEN WHAT AM I DOING HERE! GET ME OUT OF HERE!"
"No can do…"
Ren kept his elbow against the armrest of the chair, then his face resting on his hand as he said that.
"YOU BASTARD!!!"
"Then, let me ask a question. Can you promise to convince Rias never to return to Kuoh? Or better yet, can you swear that no matter what happens after tonight… you won't lift a single finger?"
"Huh—?"
"Are you stupid? Fine, I'll iterate. I'll let you go. You can try to save your woman. But after that, no matter what happens, even if the world burns, do not interfere. Your friends will survive. But you must not act."
It was like the devil's whispers—Ren's words, that is. A promise that shouldn't be made. The world doesn't want it. The world denies it.
Yet, at this moment, the world's defense mechanisms couldn't do anything.
In the first place, a world that runs on the logic of desire, all Ren had to do was manipulate that desire.
Take Issei, for example. He's "hard" and has a "drive". That drive is what majorly helps him in everything.
It has been iterated many times: the more the "desire", the more the "power" that will be given in response to that strong desire.
"What… just what is your end goal…?"
"End goal, huh? I don't have one. However, let's just say I can't stand a few things…"
His words were vague. But they truly were like him saying, just because, and Issei wasn't wrong.
But now… he was in a dilemma.
There were many things he believed Ren was talking about, which he too believed were suspicious.
But before he could speak, Ren snapped his fingers with a sly grin.
"...!"
The void twisted. Darkness faded into a dimly lit room, familiar down to the last detail. A bed. A few shelves.
A modest table and a lone chair in the corner.
"My… room?"
It was unmistakably his own room. His body lay on the bed, unmoving. Yet, here he was, floating above it.
His spirit?
Before he could fully process the thought, Ren's voice cut through.
"Look over there."
At the edge of the room stood a figure. A woman. Stoic, silver-haired, and dressed in the Gremory maid uniform.
"Why is she…"
"She's here on Sirzechs's behalf. Rias's dear brother doesn't want to lose his precious little sister. So, he sent her to offer you a permit—an invitation to crash the party."
Revealing that, he snapped his fingers once more.
Again, the surroundings changed. It now shifted to a banquet hall, filled with all sorts of people.
Expensive dresses by human world standards, along with tables lined up, drinks, and even more important-looking people.
Amongst them was no doubt— "RISER!!!!"
"You fool, no matter how much you scream, he can't hear you."
Ren looked at Issei. It didn't look like the boy was ready yet. So, with a sigh, he knew he had to resort to this.
The last snap.
The world shifted again. This time, a private dressing room. Lavishly furnished. Before a mirror stood a woman in a white dress, her long crimson hair cascading down her back.
That shade of red was unmistakable. Especially that crimson. He wouldn't mistake this.
This was a low point for Ren, but it didn't matter. He never expected to be praised in the first place.
And at this…
"What will be your answer now…?"
Issei had nothing more to say anymore. Then slowly, he turned to Ren.
Ren's eyes slowly widened as he saw Issei with the most serious expression. This wasn't one of anger.
It was resolution.
He was throwing it all away for her.
"Very well then. I'm not a demon too. So, don't worry. As long as you stay put, harm wouldn't befall neither you nor your friends. Just leave this world to me."
Issei nodded.
This was more than him accepting defeat. This was him throwing his privileges away.
And with this. After this. Balance Breaker will be lost to him, unless he became human again.
Even the proud Vali will lose the ability to use Balance Breaker.
The administrator of the Sacred Gear system, with extra powers from Ren, could not do this.
Unless they were purely human. Or unless they truly align with humanity, the Sacred Gear will always remain far from them.
"Humans."
"Everywhere I go, I see humans being put down a lot. Weakest. Against supernaturals, there's nothing we can do."
Ren muttered that, seated on his chair in the backdrop of nothingness. Pitch-black one.
"Well, they're right. However, that is why we are the most valued."
Devils and Angels.
Because of the fact that they can't bring in more generations, what do they resort to…
Making the most out of humans and their potentials.
Fine and good, the ratio might be small, but it's undeniable those people who had been reincarnated had that much potential.
"In another world, humans fought gods. Although assisted, they still managed to win against gods which are superlatively superior."
"Are we humans not strong?"
"From primate lives to throwing intercontinental missiles during war. I admit it may have been far too long, but what can we do?"
"I believe if we had more time. Centuries, nay, maybe a millennia, then we can conquer the stars."
"All I'm doing is this. Let us give humans a chance too, shouldn't we? Then we'll see which side is truly insane.."
In the first place, messing with Issei had just been a means to an end.
There was nothing better than greed fighting greed. And all he had to do was play 'god' behind it all.
"Elly. Begin Operation Humanity."
SNAP
With a snap of his finger that echoed the boundless dark, he disappeared in place.
On this same day,
It had been a glorious day for Heaven and its church. By herself, she had walked back to the Vatican.
Before any personnel could stop her, due to the time being nighttime, archangels with a multitude of angels had surrounded the entire Vatican.
People from around the grand cathedral noticed lots of light converge at one spot, but it only lasted for a moment.
They disappeared.
The archangels bowed before her throne, and the seventy-two elders praised her.
Below this Heaven, angels on the lower ones all praised the return of their Father.
"Welcome back, Father!"
It was only normal their joys couldn't be contained. After all, the person who they had thought to have lost was really back.
Sitting on the throne, their leading figure now gazed down on them, especially the one at the foremost—being him.
The one who had led this place after their eventual passing. Her memories of the world told her that much.
Hence,
"Michael, I thank thee for holding this place during my absence."
"No. It's what I should do."
Michael shook his head happily. The constant weary-like expression that had frozen on his face lightened up.
"However, I want you to continue to hold this place."
"...Eh?"
What came next was shocking news, safe to say they never expected it.
Every archangel looked at each other in shock, their expressions varying from astounded to sadness.
"B-but Father, why?"
Finally, Gabriel spoke up. They didn't seem to mind the body she now incarnated. More so the current her.
Well, it also didn't matter.
"I have someone I want to help. It will also help you in understanding that this person was the one who brought me back to life."
Silence. Silence befell the entire room; none of them could say anything to that. Instead, they wondered who was powerful enough to do what they did?
"Father, if I may, who are 'they'?"
"I won't disclose that. However, just refer to him as 'Lord'."
Gabriel glanced at Michael, who in turn glanced back at her. It wasn't only them; they all glanced at each other, but finally back to her.
"I've been entrusted with 'this'."
Saying that, she outstretched her right hand forward, opening her palm. There, a single object lay.
It was a tear-shaped object, radiating seven different colors from it.
"Additionally, I would be making small changes to the Sacred Gear system. As for Azazel and the rest who are researching my system, let them be."
"Let theirs be the reward of their effort."
Saying that, she disappeared from the throne she sat on, appearing somewhere else.
Where the main throne lies next to where the system is. It was a throne room designed with white and gold.
Pillars stretched up to unimaginable heights, and the system? It was nothing more than a horizontal system-like panel.
She, rather, the previous "her," was the creator as well as the administrator of the system.
Hence, it was a no-brainer she would have control over Sacred Gears themselves.
"...Haah."
She sighed, opening her palm once more, looking at the tear-shaped crystal in her hand.
"Why go about this roundabout method? Confusing order with destruction... What a handful person you are… Brother."