Of course, Rias wasn’t the only one who decided to go to the next level. This was the case for the other three.

But unlike her, the three found themselves a little lost about what to do.

For Akeno, ever since a few days ago, she had felt a familiar aura in the town. The reason she was hesitating was that it was clearly a bait. She should have never been able to spot someone on that level if it wasn’t intentional.

She hesitated quite a bit, wondering if she should go or not.

Koneko was in much the same situation. She wanted to become stronger and she knew how. But the fact was…Did she dare?

The power sealed in her that she feared more than anything else. The power that brought her sister to madness. Could she push herself to use it? 

She did not know. But she knew that her decision was essential and she could not continue running.

For Kiba…The situation was completely different.

“A holy sword…”

Kiba remembered the sword in the hand of Basara. He wasn’t able to pay attention during the fight but after watching the replay of the match. He could say without a doubt that the sword in Basara’s hand was indeed a holy sword.

‘How could I have forgotten?’

He bit his lips strongly until blood gushed. His eyes filled with hatred as his rationality fought against his trauma.

Even though Basara was holding a holy sword. Even though Basara was an exorcist. Basara had nothing to do with that man. 

He should not, could not, hate him just because of his circumstances.

But even so, the fire that had died down in his heart was revived.

His eyes blazed, 

‘No, I have never forgotten.’

He was just getting senile because of the lifestyle at school.

Even as he closed his eyes, he could remember the scream of his dear friends telling him to flee so that at least one of them could survive.

“Ugh.”

Tears gathered in the corner of his eyes as he crouched down but in the end, those tears did not fall.

After all, he did not have the right to cry. 

He had made comrades, obtained a lifestyle, and received a name. He also received a purpose in life from his master, Rias Gremory.

Asking for more happiness than this was a bad thing. After all, it was more than anything his friends would ever receive.

But now that he woke up, he knew that this could not continue. He had to wake up from the beautiful dream and step once again into the grim reality.

His mind made, Kiba stood up with determination filling his eyes.

He needed to become stronger. Much stronger.

But not because of his master. Not in order to further her goal. But for one and only reason.

For revenge.

Only by killing the perpetrator of this horrible incident could he let the souls of his friends rest in peace.

‘My only hint, for now, is Basara.’

Since Basara was an exorcist and had a Sacred Gear as well as a Holy sword, the chance that he had some information about his target was high. He could not miss it. 

Of course, Kiba, Akeno, and Koneko were not the only ones affected.

Deep in the underground of the school, a blonde young man with a girly appearance and red eyes clad in the girl uniform of Kuoh academy was busy watching the replay of the fight.

He was what could be described as NEET or hikikomori. But more than anything, he was a Damphir, a half-vampire before being reincarnated with the Bishop piece of Rias.

When one spoke of vampires, they would imagine handsome and strong adult men with an air of confidence from the weight of the centuries their appearance did not show.

At least, for Gasper, this is what a true vampire should be. One should be strong, brave, and full of confidence, and sadly of all those qualities, he possessed none.

Gasper was a coward.

He at least had enough courage to recognize this simple truth. He was a great coward who would cry rather than fight and choose to hide in this bunker even though his master needed his help.

But…He did not want to be a coward.

He hated that he could not even control his own power.

But now….After seeing this fight…Gasper now had hope again.

The hope to become a true man and the key of his hope was none other than Basara Toujou.

‘I need to meet him.’

For the first time in his entire life, Gasper took a decision truly on his own.

—--

[Kuoh Academy]

While the members of the Gremory peerage were all going through their own internal struggles and making decisions that would change their whole lives, the culprit of those changes was sitting calmly with two beautiful girls and sharing his lunch.

Taking a little of Basara’s food, Maria ate it and marveled,  “Oh my! I understand now why Koneko is so crazy about your food.”

On the side, she could see that Mio was curious, so she smiled mischievously, “Say, Mio-sama, why don’t you just ask him? Call him onii-san at the same time. I am sure it will help.”

“Maria!”

“Hahaha!”

Maria laughed as she dodged the hit she knew would come at her. After all, she knew how easily embarrassed her master could be.

“Hehe, Mio-sama no need to be shy. I am sure Basara-san would be happy to give you some food, right?”

Basara could only give a strained smile. It was hard to believe that a girl with so much spring in her was the sister of the generally cold-faced and serious Lucia.

Though lately, Lucia had eased off quite a bit.

Sighing he turned toward the awkward Mio and showed her his lunch, “Take some, I initially prepared two lunches anyway.”

“I…Humph!”

Mio blushed and was seriously embarrassed. In the end, she simply let a humph and took a bite. She was ready to nitpick at the slightest problem. But, once the food entered her mouth, the meat melted on her tongue.

But, seeing the expression on both Maria and Basara’s faces, she was too embarrassed to admit it.

“I-it wasn’t th-that good.…”

Her words were a little incoherent and even as she spoke, she couldn’t help but try to take another bite when Maria swooshed in and took the lunch box.

“Tch tch tch. Mio-sama was acting like such a Tsundere a few moments ago. I am sure it must not be good right? Why not simply continue eating your?”

A grin could be seen on her face as she teased relentlessly Mio and in the end, Mio could only cave in.

“I am sorry okay? It was delicious! Now, give it before I make you suffer a hundred deaths!”

Basara chuckled when looking at the two running around on the roof.

Like with Rias and her peerage, he could see that Mio did not treat Maria as a servant but as someone truly dear to her and while Maria used the suffix -sama for Mio, he could feel that she also truly loved and respected Mio.

This was why he was curious.

‘What is this scheming little succubus planning?’

He did not know Maria deeply but he knew her enough to understand that she did not move without a purpose. Compared to her, Mio was just a pure and innocent girl.

As he thought, once Mio and Maria finished eating and the time for the lunch to end was incoming, Maria finally threw her bomb, 

“Let’s us live with you, please.”

“Maria!?”

“Hum…Why suddenly?”

Even though he knew it was coming, he was still a little surprised by what she was demanding.

Maria gave a simple smile, “Once Rias-sama becomes your slave, she will most likely come live with you. This means that our two big sisters and you who is also our cousin, will all live in the same house, wouldn’t it be a discrimination against little sisters if we couldn’t join?”

—-

In the end, Basara could only push back his decision. He truly had nothing against them living with him since he did wish to become closer to his family. After all, for Basara, family was something sacred.

But he still wanted to discuss it with Lucia and Asia before making any such decision. After all, the new additions would disturb their daily lives.

In the end, this was a decision for later. Now though, since he knew he would go home with Asia later on, he decided to fake sickness and visit the infirmary.

In the first place, school was not the priority for people like them. The only reason he had even joined school was that he wished to live a “normal life” and because his father never accepted bringing him to a dangerous places because of his past mental state. Something he couldn’t blame his father for.

Now though, his so-called normal life was more and more illusory, Basara even wondered if he should continue coming. 

Once again this was a decision for another time. It wasn’t like he had any big adventure waiting for him currently.

When he finally reached the door, he knocked and, 

“Basara, you may enter.”

‘How did she know it was me?’

It was with curiosity that he finally entered the infirmary and closed the door behind him.

(AN: Man, there are so many characters and so many development arcs for all of them and I didn’t even really enter in the lore of DxD and Shinmai. Lol, this cross-over is really a big project. I hope I am not failing and that you guys like the chapters. 

This volume should have been with Koneko and Kuroka as main stars only but it would be hard. Hum…I need to close some narratives and accelerate the pace with some others.)

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