Trials of the God-Harem King [Highschool DxD/Exalted] (CLOSED)

"The weather sure is beautiful today, don't you think so Asia?"

"Yes Ise. It's sunny, but not too hot."

Mittelt, who is walking next to you, snickers at the cliché lines and probably at the big, goofy smiles you and Asia are spotting. But honestly you're too happy to care. Walking to school hand-in-hand with your new lover tends to do this to you.

Yesterday, after the activities in the bath, you and Asia behaved like usual during dinner only to resume them in your room during the night.

Asia is talented. A lot. Seeing her like that one wouldn't believe she was a nun once. Then again, who are you to know what nuns are usually like?

[They sure as hell don't have sex.] Ddraig guffaws. He's doing it since yesterday. [You're become quite the maiden-conqueror partner. You make dragons proud.]

'Thanks Ddraig.' You internally roll your eyes and lament the lack of truly private time. 'Wait, so the thing about dragons kidnapping princesses is true?'

[Dragons can mate with all other races, so it's not unusual for a dragon to have multiple mates. If we like someone, we pursue her. Often, I admit, without regards for the other's feelings. The stories about dragons being slain by knights rescuing a princess are mostly about dragon younglings that chewed more than they could handled. Female dragons are a bit different: while they don't discriminate about race, they accept only the strongest among them. They make all pretenders fight among each other and choose the one who is victorious at the end.]

Uh, dragon society sounds a lot like the barbarians of old. 'Did you kidnapped princesses too?'

[Nah, I had my claws full with earning my title as the Emperor of Dragons. I wasn't born so strong you know? I earned my strength and title through countless battles with other dragons and powerful beings from all over the world.]

'I always wanted to ask: why are you called the Welsh Dragon?'

[That's an interesting story. I was born on the island of Britain, in what humans today call Wales. There was a tribe of Celtic people that, after seeing one of my battles and my victory, started to worship me as a protective spirit. It amused me, so out of a whim I started acting like one and burn their enemies in exchange for offerings of food. By the time the romans invaded they used my image as a battle banner. And when the Roman Empire fell, the remains of those people build what will one day become Camelot. I was mostly a legend at the time, since I stopped intruding on human affairs, but the name struck. "Y Ddraig Goch": in Welsh it means "The Red Dragon". This is my pride.]

Wow, this is one hell of a story. Christians say pride is a sin, but listening to Ddraig's story you can't help but wonder if perhaps the real sin is the abuse of pride.

You think of that as you walk to your classroom, Asia having staying behind to chatter with a group of girls. Then—.

"Iseeeeeeeeee!!"

Matsuda is running towards you with an extremely pissed face from the end of the corridor.

"Dieeeeeeee!!"

From the other direction Motohama is running really fast. Both of them got ready to do a lariat on you.

Ah, they met Mil-tan. Normally you would dodge, but just this time you will take it.

Both of their lariats hit your neck. Even with your Exalted, Dragon-reinforced body it hurts. That's a great achievement.

"That was a magnificent Double Lariat." You raise your thumb-up. "Now you only need sunglasses and an awesome moustache to be a perfect [Lightning Duo]."

"D-Don’t fuck with meeeee!" Matsuda shouts.

"Ise! You bastard!" Motohama grabs you by your collar and glares at you with eyes filled with murderous intent.

"What, you prefer the Chidori? That's for emo boys, it doesn't suit you." You act like you don't know what they are on about, but it doesn't stop them from being pissed at you. This too is part of Ddraig's plan.

"Don't fuck around! Fuck! What the heck was that!? He looked like those really strong guys from a martial arts manga! And why was he wearing Gothic Lolita clothes!? Is that an ultimate weapon!?"

Matsuda complains to you while crying. Looks like the two of them met him yesterday. It seems like the impact of Mil-tan was too much for them.

The heart of a maiden, and a body of a man! Truthfully it's too much even for a Devil like Kiba.

"Not only that! He also brought some friends! He made a gathering of some sorts! There were couple of those who looked like "Mil-tan"! I was so scared! I thought I was going to get killed!"

Yeah, his friends are like carbon-copies of him. Who knew there are so many male martial artists in the world who were born with the heart of a maiden and look up to Magical Girls?

"They were going on about the world of magic! Whaaaaaat the fuck is the [World of Magic Serabenia]!? I don't know any shit like thaaaaaat!"

Matsuda continues to complain to you while shaking your body violently.

"In my case, they were telling me about how to defeat the [Dark Creatures] if I ever encounter one......Apparently you can kill them by using a special item which is made by mixing the salt from the sea of the dead and a flower that only appears at night called [Moonlight Flower], and then burn them to make a powder......No matter how you think about it, a punch from Mil-tan would be enough to kill any living thing in this world......"

Motohama says it to you while holding his head down.

Right, now it's the time for Ddraig's final line. "Don't you think you two also learned another important lesson?"

They look up at you.

You smile. "If you want to go out with a girl, ask her yourself."

After you say that, Matsuda and Motohama do a double brain buster on you.

Inside Boosted Gear Ddraig is laughing so hard he is starting to choke. Bright massages her temples to ward off a migraine.

----

During lunch break you call the number Azazel gave you.

"Moshi Moshi? It's you Veronica? Last night wasn't enough, uh? You minx, you."

You stare into space. "No. It's me Hyodo Issei."

"Ack! Oh, it's you Hyodo-kun. When I heard a male voice for a moment I thought it was Veronica's husband."

He has a relationship with a married woman?!

[Fallen Angel, remember?]

It doesn't mean you have to like it damnit!

"So, since you called me does this mean you accept my offer?"

"Yes. Through I am sure you already received an answer from Gremory-san." You roll your eyes. "I'm coming to your facility today. With Beowulf-dono."

"Sure, sure. Nothing to hid there: I keep all shady things back at the headquarter. I'm joking, I'm joking. You know you will stay there for a while, right?"

"Yes, I already received the permit to take a few days off. Listen Azazel-san, do you mind if I bring some people with me? They are interested in your help: one is Mittelt, and another is Asia Argento."

"Sure, sure. I am interested into Twilight Healing myself. Anyone else?"

"Two others, Sacred Gear users that I met by accident. They..." You scratch your head. "They have two of the Magnus."

"..." Silence.

"Azazel-dono?"

"Magnus, you say?" His tone is now a mix of disbelief and gleeful anticipation. "Are you sure?"

"Ddraig recognized them himself. They're [Death's Scythe] and [War's Gauntlets]."

"..." Silence again. The Azazel speaks, his voice like a child in a candy store. "Hyodo Issei. I think I love you."

You make a disgusted face and quickly pull away the phone.

"In a platonic way of course. I wouldn't touch a guy even if paid. Bring them. Bring them all! Uahahaha!!!"

You were right. He is a mad scientist!

----

"You know, there's something I've been thinking for a while." Kala comments.

"About what?" You ask.

She points with her chin at the rest of the group: Ruby is fangasming over Kiba's numerous Demonic Swords and Beowulf's Hrunting, while the Knight and Pawn are actually embarrassed at the attention; Yang is describing something to Rias and Akeno while punching the air, and from Rias' scandalized face and Akeno's sadistic smile you can tell it's something not quite lurid but close; Koneko is showing Asia and Mittelt some martial arts kata she recently learned while the girls try, clumsily, to imitate her; Dohna is manipulating his Light powers into various forms and teaching Raynare how to do the same.

"You like blondes, do you?" She nonchalantly says.

You open your mouth to deny, then close it as you realize that you can't deny her claim. "I-I suppose? For a Japanese like me blond hair are exotic and so have a certain appeal, but I don't like girls just based on their hair's color."

"Oh, I don't doubt that." She takes a sip of tea, her posture like a queen looking down on her subjects. You try to ignore how her low-cut dress shows a lot of her long, long legs. "I'm just saying that's oh-so-very like a dragon to collect gold and precious jewels."

You stare at her with your mouth open. "I don't collect anything! And what's this about precious jewels?!"

"Ruby." Is her curt answer.

You blink in confusion. "What about Ruby-chan?"

She stares at you. Then turn and look at Ruby: after a few seconds of observation she smiles in a strange manner, as if laughing at a private joke. "Maybe Fate isn't the total ball of assholishness I thought it was. It also has a sense of humor."

"...I don't understand you."

"That's my appeal as a mysterious woman." She smiles smugly and takes a sip of tea.

"Kala." Rias suddenly call for her.

"Yes Mistress!" And just like that she stands up, a sickening sweet smile on her face, and tip-toes towards Rias.

Appeal. Yeah, maybe when she isn't all bipolar.

----

Under Bright's prompting you skipped a couple of lessons and used the time to learn the new Charm she taught you.

----

You take the train to reach Azazel's facility. Your group is composed of: yourself, Beowulf, Asia, Mittelt, Ruby and Yang.

The journey is mostly uneventful, save for when Beowulf needed to explain to an officer why the rest of you wasn't at school and a street blocked because of a fight that forced you to take a detour. You swore you saw a panda jumping on streetlights, but that was obviously impossible.

At least you reached your destination. Azazel's facility...doesn't look like a facility at all. In fact it's just a warehouse with no special features.

"Are you sure this is the place?" You ask Beowulf as your group stand before the closed entrance.

"The address coincides." He answers. "Maybe-"

You will never know what he wanted to say as, suddenly, the ground below your feet disappears and you start falling. Your eyes widen as you realize you fell into a trap-door like a old spy film.

"""AAAAHHH!!"""

The girls scream as you all roll down a tortuous slide before you end roughly landing on a old mattress.

"Fuhaha! Welcome to my lair!" Smoke goes out, and from it Azazel steps out, wearing a costume fitting for the boss of an evil organization from a tokusatsu show. He has twelve black fallen-angel wings growing out from his back. "Who are the foolish heroes that dare to confront the great Azazel?"

And then Yang's fireball explodes in his face.

----

"Chi. You guys can't take a joke." Azazel says. There are many bandages on his face.

"Ah ah...Sorry, but you looked very convincing." Yang apologizes.

"Yeah." Ruby nods. "You totally looked like the evil boss of an evil organization, even if Hyodo-san said you're not and I believe him."

"You deserved it." Beowulf facepalms.

"But this feeling...I recognize it. There is no doubt about it." Azazel looks with intense eyes at Yang's gauntlets. "[War's Gauntlets] that smash any defense. This is a genuine Magnus." He turns to Ruby. "This means you have the other one?"

Ruby materializes Crescent Rose.

"[Death's Scythe] that reap any soul. They are the real thing!" He rubs his hands in glee. "You want to reach their full potential? Sure thing, I will teach you how. But before that is Hyodo-kun. Come with me."

You follow Azazel to another room of the subterranean facility, which is full of machineries. He picks up something that looks like a Sonic Screwdriver and a portable screen and points them at you. "Materialize your Sacred Gear."

You hold our your hands and allow Boosted Gear to form around them.

"So Shariel was right." You hear him murmur. "What strange readings. This is similar to Divine Dividing, but...Eh? Impossible, is this thing broken? No, it's right! What does this mean..."

He performs many more tests, and keep repeating the same things for all the time.

"If I wasn't absolutely sure this is Boosted Gear I would swear this is a completely different and unknown Sacred Gear." He muses. "Sacred Gears are highly responsive to feelings. If the [bug] grows big enough a new Longinus may be formed from a normal Sacred Gear, but could the same happen to a Longinus?" Despite the situation, instead of frustrated he looks excited. "Hyodo-kun, do you know why Boosted Gear is so different?"

"No." Technically it's the truth: you know that it was the Exaltation and Bright who did it, but don't how they did it. "Only that since the time I awoke it has mutated multiple times, and always during or after a battle."

"So likely a response to danger...Let's try asking Ddraig directly." He connects some cables on the two gauntlets. He types on a computer and taps a mike. "Test: 1, 2, 3. Are you hearing me?"

"Loud and clear." Ddraig's voice suddenly comes both from your mind and the speakers. You hope Bright will stay quiet. "It's been a while Azazel."

"It is. How are you doing Ddraig?"

"Same as always: imprisoned inside this thing by you assholes. When I get out I am going to kill you all."

Silence. You and Azazel stare at Boosted Gear.

"I'm joking." The dragon snickers. "I will just rough you up a bit. This place isn't so bad, and the last centuries were interesting. Plus life with my current host is funny. How is Albion doing?"

"He's doing good." Azazel says with mirth. "He too at the moment is showing more interest in other things than fighting you. Are you two going to fight?"

"We will, we will. But maybe this time our feelings will be different. Maybe this time we will just enjoy a good fight and have fun. Who know? Let's not talk about that. You want to know about Boosted Gear."

"Yeah. Why it's so different?"

"Who know?" You can picture Ddraig rolling his eyes in a funny way. "Maybe there is a secret I don't want to reveal. Maybe this is a trick I kept in reserve until today. There is more to the Heavenly Dragons that Boost and Divide, Transfer and Steal. But let me say this."

You can feel Ddraig's smile. "My host has already reached the strength of a Low-Class Devil and is steadily approaching that of a Middle-Class Devil."

"Seriously?" You shout.

"Yeah. So rough him up all you want, he can take it."

With that last line he leaves the conversation, his laugh slowly fading in the background.

"...He's having too much fun." You say in a defeated tone.

"He's in high spirit. And he has great expectations for you." Azazel nods approvingly. "Let's begin with the field test. Enter that." He indicates a door.

After the door closes behind you find yourself into a white corridor.

BEEP!

"Eh-!"

BOOM!

The pavement below you explodes, sending your body flying. If it wasn't for Durability of Oak Meditation you would be seriously injured. "Oooi! What the-!"

BEEP!

This time you are prepared and jump before the explosion.

"The test's objective is: surviving." Azazel's voices comes from a hidden speaker. "Let's begin."

"You are late with the warning you asshole!" You scream as you dodge explosion after explosion. The crazy bastard mined the whole place!

Click!

A passage opens on the ceiling ahead of you, and from it falls a giant stone ball that starts rolling toward you a great speed. It fits the corridor completely, so you can't dodge it.

"THIS ISN'T A INDIANA JONES FILM!!!"

In response you hear Azazel's creepy laugh.

[] Write-in.
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This was long. As always, enjoy.