Arthur and Vasco crept through the mansion's back garden.
The place was peaceful, birds sang softly on the branches, and the garden itself was beautifully kept, a mix of tulips, roses, and sunflowers swaying lightly in the breeze.
The centerpiece was a tall, old apple tree with thick branches that looked like it had been there for decades.
Arthur's eyes lingered on it, his expression softening.
His hand instinctively reached out to brush over the rough bark, noticing several faint sword marks scattered around the trunk and roots.
He could still picture himself as a boy, swinging a wooden sword under the guidance of his mother, Artoria, who corrected his stance every time he made a mistake.
(Hmmm... Maybe I should visit the estate when I have the chance.)
Vasco, who was walking beside him, noticed Arthur's quiet look.
"What do you think of the garden, lad?"
Arthur blinked, snapping out of his nostalgia and looking at the older man.
"Huh? Oh, the garden…"
Vasco smiled faintly, scratching his beard.
"When I first got here, it felt too empty, and I got bored one afternoon, so I figured this place needed some color. Besides, I thought the tree should stay. It feels like it belongs here. I left it standing if you don't mind."
Arthur let out a small laugh and shook his head.
"I don't mind. Actually… I like it. Especially the sunflowers."
He said, staring at the bright yellow flowers that seemed to face the sun no matter where it was.
Vasco nodded slowly, a quiet understanding passing between the two.
They eventually reached the white gazebo that sat at the center of the garden and took a seat on the wooden bench.
The silence stretched for a few moments, broken only by the faint chirping of crickets and rustling leaves.
Arthur leaned back against the bench, turning his head slightly toward Vasco.
"So, you wanted to talk to me about something? I'm guessing this is about last night's talk about the Holy Sword Project?"
He began, his tone shifting to something more serious.
Vasco exhaled, his expression hardening slightly.
"Yes. We never got to finish that conversation."
He rested his hands on his knees and leaned forward.
"As you know, after you left on your one-year journey, the Church finally discovered the full extent of Valper Galilei's actions. We tried to arrest him, but by the time we arrived, he had already vanished. We only found his colleagues and some of his research. As for the children… all of them were already dead by the time we got there."
Arthur's hands curled into fists, his jaw tightening.
Arthur's eyes narrowed, his teeth gritting as he looked down at the floor of the gazebo.
(Those kids didn't deserve that. Why is it that fuckers like Valper find it convenient to toy with the lives of innocent children and still manage to get away with it scot-free?)
"But not all hope was lost."
Vasco continued, his tone softening slightly.
"Among the records, we found traces that there were survivors. At first, we thought there might only be one child who managed to escape. But Isaiah's existence proved otherwise."
Arthur looked up sharply, his green eyes wide.
"Wait, what? You're telling me there's more?"
Vasco nodded gravely.
"Yes. Isaiah was one, clearly. But there was something else. We found faint traces of demonic power at the site as well. Our researchers believed there might have been a second survivor, a child who was taken, not killed. We couldn't identify who they were, and we lost the trail soon after."
Arthur went completely still, his mind racing.
His eyes drifted toward the garden again, focusing on nothing in particular as his thoughts spiraled.
(Could it really be Tosca? If she's alive, maybe… maybe Rias found her. Maybe that's why she was never found by the Church.)
Vasco broke the silence, watching Arthur take a slow breath, and finally turned to the old exorcist.
"Is there anything else? Anything I should know about?"
Vasco gave a single, solemn nod.
"Yes. And this part is important."
He reached into his coat and pulled out a small file, handing it to Arthur.
"There have been rumors that he's working with remnants of the Grigori's rogue agents, and possibly other… dangerous people. It is unclear who and what they are, but we've been working on it. That's why I wanted you to hear this from me, before anyone else."
Arthur accepted the file; his eyes hardened as he flipped through the papers quickly, scanning the contents.
"Looks like I won't be resting anytime soon, huh?"
Arthur said quietly, more to himself than to Vasco.
Vasco gave him a pat on the shoulder.
"Nope. But I have faith you and the other kids could handle what goes in your way."
Arthur chuckled.
"Heh... Thanks, Gramps."
Arthur leaned back against the gazebo's bench, his posture finally easing after the heavy conversation with Vasco as they shifted into casual topics.
Stories of their travels, odd encounters, and even mundane things like food.
Vasco recounted a humorous memory about a younger Dulio sneaking into a kitchen and cooking pancakes for an entire orphanage, only to nearly burn the building down.
Arthur chuckled, shaking his head as he imagined the scene.
"Guy's a walking natural disaster, but it's like he has the mentality of a toddler."
Arthur said, sipping the tea Vasco had in his thermos.
Vasco laughed heartily, his deep voice carrying across the flower garden.
"He means well. But yes, even till this day, being responsible isn't his forte."
Arthur smirked, glancing back toward the apple tree.
(Funny… no matter how much things change, some parts of the past always follow you.)
It was then that Vasco shifted in his seat, pulling a small pocketwatch from his coat.
He flipped it open, checking the time before muttering under his breath.
"They should be here soon."
Arthur turned his head to face Vasco fully, raising a brow.
"Who should be here soon?"
The old man closed the watch with a snap, slipping it back into his coat.
"Well, the thing is-"
But before he could finish, a brilliant holy light suddenly filled the garden.
Arthur instinctively stood up, his eyes widening at the sight that unfolded before him.
Two figures emerged from the light, one a tall man with an aura of calm authority, golden hair, and gentle blue eyes, clad in gleaming white robes adorned in golden armor.
The other was a breathtakingly beautiful woman with a halo on her long golden hair, emerald eyes, and dressed in white robes with feathered wings spread behind her.
Arthur muttered under his breath, half in awe and half in shock.
"…What the-"
But before he could even finish, the woman suddenly vanished from where she stood and instantly appeared directly in front of him.
"Arthur!"
Gabriel exclaimed joyfully, throwing her arms around him.
Arthur's face was immediately smothered against her bosom in a tight embrace.
His muffled protest was drowned out as Gabriel spoke rapidly, her voice filled with genuine concern.
"It's been so long! How are you doing? Are you eating properly? You didn't push yourself too much during Romania, did you? I heard about everything you went through with your friends. You must've been so tired! Are the rest of the children alright?"
As the blond Seraph kept talking of her worry for him, the redhead Cambion could barely hear her words.
His world had shrunk to the suffocating softness pressing against his face, his oxygen cut off as his arms flailed weakly.
(Holy Bazookas. Am I really going out like this? Suffocated by… well, let's be honest, not the worst way to go. But damn it, if I'm going to die, I wanna die like a real man! Specifically on a battlefield fighting hordes of monsters, not like this!)
He had a short internal dilemma as the seconds ticked by.
Michael, standing a few paces behind, sighed and tapped his sister's shoulder.
"Gabriel, perhaps you should release him. I believe the young man is suffocating."
Gabriel blinked, looking down at Arthur's red face pressed against her chest.
His eyes were rolling slightly, his muffled voice somewhere between a protest and a prayer.
"Oh my! I'm so sorry, Arthur! Are you alright?"
She quickly let go, stepping back with her hands raised in apology.
Arthur staggered back, clutching his knees as he gasped for air.
"I think I saw my life flash before my eyes!"
He wheezed dramatically.
That earned a chuckle of amusement from Michael.
"I doubt your friends would approve of you passing in such a manner. She would most likely tell you it's not your time yet."
Vasco, who had stayed respectfully silent through the entire exchange, finally stepped forward. He bowed his head with reverence.
"Lord Michael, Lady Gabriel. It is an honor to meet you both."
He patted Arthur's back once, helping the younger man steady himself.
"I'll leave you in their care for now, my boy. I should go check on the others."
With that, Vasco excused himself, walking back toward the mansion.
Arthur straightened, still a little breathless, but managed a strained smile.
"Gabby… good to see you too. And… uh, hello, Sir Michael. The name's Arthur."
He gave a polite nod.
Michael's smile was warm, his presence soothing yet commanding.
"There's no need for formality with me, Arthur. Please, simply call me Michael."
Arthur blinked, taken aback by the casualness, then slowly nodded.
"Right… Michael."
He ran a hand through his hair, trying to collect himself before adding.
"So what brings the two of you here exactly? I'm guessing this isn't just a social visit."
Arthur slowly lowered himself back onto the bench, his posture still slightly tense from Gabriel's earlier ambush.
He sat across from Michael and Gabriel, his sharp green eyes flicking between them as they both took a seat opposite him.
Michael rested his hands neatly on his lap, his expression calm but carrying the weight of a man about to deliver something important.
"Arthur Pendragon, our visit is not simply one of pleasantries. Heaven is currently facing a situation that threatens the balance of one of the most delicate systems we oversee, the Sacred Gear System."
Arthur tilted his head slightly, brows furrowing.
"The Sacred Gear System? What happened?"
Gabriel nodded, her wings shifting slightly behind her as she spoke.
"The system designed by our Father to distribute miracles among humans has been… unstable since His passing. There are now multiple scenarios where Sacred Gears have been forcibly removed from their hosts."
Arthur's frown deepened as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
"Removed? As in, stolen?"
"Precisely."
Michael replied, his calm voice carrying a trace of anger beneath it.
"Not transferred naturally through death. Stolen. This act not only causes suffering to the hosts but also disrupts the already fragile balance of the system. It was never meant to operate in this way."
Arthur exhaled slowly through his nose, his mind already turning over the implications.
"So, which ones are being targeted? I doubt someone's going through this much trouble for low-tier gears."
Gabriel's lips curved into a small, sad frown.
"Mostly common types such as Twice Critical, Sword Birth, and Blade Blacksmith. But on occasion, rarer Sacred Gears have been stolen, including Twilight Healing and Variant Detonation."
Arthur's eyes narrowed, and he leaned back slightly, crossing his arms.
"What about Longinus-class Sacred Gears? Please tell me whoever's doing this isn't stupid enough to try to pick a fight with one of those users."
Michael's calm expression wavered slightly as a faint frown crossed his face.
"Fortunately, there have been no confirmed Longinus extractions. However…"
Arthur raised an eyebrow.
"However, what?"
Michael's gaze hardened, his blue eyes meeting Arthur's directly.
"There is a high possibility that one of the Church's former own may be involved. The efficiency of these thefts, the precision, it is the work of someone highly trained and intimately familiar with our systems."
Arthur straightened, curiosity piqued.
"So, you're telling me this could be one of your own exorcists?"
Michael nodded solemnly.
"Yes. Some time ago, we had among us two war orphans who rose through the ranks together. They were the pride of Heaven, best friends who were more like brothers, and together they became Heaven's strongest exorcists. One of them, as you know, is Dulio Gesualdo, the current bearer of Zenith Tempest."
Gabriel's voice softened as she added, her emerald eyes glinting with sorrow.
"But the other… after an incident five years ago, he turned his back on us. Before leaving, he wiped out an entire human village overnight."
Arthur blinked slowly, trying to process that.
"...A human village?"
"Yes."
Michael confirmed, his expression grim.
"The massacre left only corpses. We do not know if it was revenge, madness, or something else entirely. But we cannot forget that night, and neither can Dulio."
Arthur's thoughts spun as he leaned back in the bench, his arms crossed.
(Okay… a powerful exorcist who turned rogue, massacred a village full of normal humans, and might be behind Sacred Gear thefts? This is starting to sound eerily familiar. Like I've seen this plot in an anime I've watched before…)
He looks back at Michael and asks.
"Alright… so who is this guy exactly?"
The Archangel's blue eyes locked onto his.
"He is the reincarnation of the King of Uruk, bearer of the Longinus Innovate Clear, and now known as the most dangerous and most evil human being to ever live... Gilgamesh."
Arthur stared at him blankly, then at Gabriel, who nodded solemnly to confirm it.
The young man slowly turned his head back to Michael, processing the information.
"Hold on. Hold on. So you're telling me there's a reincarnation of the original Gilgamesh running around, with a Longinus that is basically the ideal version of Annihilation Maker and Dimension Lost, who also happens to be a mass-murdering ex-exorcist?"
Michael nods.
"Huh... okay..."
Arthur's expression remained neutral, but inside, he was screaming.
(WHAT THE FU-)
DxD
At the very top floor of a towering skyscraper in the heart of Tokyo, the night city stretched endlessly, glowing with neon lights and moving headlights like veins of a living creature.
A young man stood in front of a massive glass window, the glittering skyline reflected perfectly in his piercing crimson eyes.
He wore only a crimson bathrobe, slightly undone at the chest, and in his right hand was a half-filled glass of red wine.
His fiery blond hair caught the faint moonlight, giving him an almost divine glow as he silently surveyed the bustling metropolis below.
The room behind him was spacious, decadent, and almost kingly.
Crimson drapes, golden ornaments, and expensive furniture decorated the space, making it more a throne room than a penthouse.
"Gilgamesh."
A soft, melodic voice called from behind him.
Gilgamesh turned his head slightly, his crimson eyes glinting in the reflection before he fully turned around.
Standing near the doorway was a long, green-haired figure with an androgynous appearance and delicate frame, which made them seem almost inhuman.
They were dressed in pristine white robes with subtle gold patterns, carrying an aura of calmness.
"Enkidu. What is it?"
Gilgamesh's deep, commanding voice rang through the room as he swirled the wine in his glass lazily.
Enkidu walked closer, their bare feet making no sound against the marble floor, and presented him with a sleek tablet.
"We've compiled what you requested, everything that the spies could acquire without getting caught so far."
Gilgamesh took the tablet with a casual flick of his wrist and began scrolling through the data with his thumb.
Picture after picture appeared, faces, names, detailed descriptions.
"Arthur Pendragon. Son of Sirzechs Lucifer and Artoria Pendragon. Wielder of a sub-species Boosted Gear."
He muttered as the first profile appeared, reading the text with a faint smirk.
"What kind of luck do you have for being born with such god-like potential?"
His crimson eyes narrowed with interest before he scrolled further.
"Siegfried… Lavinia Reni… Valerie Tepes… Cao Cao…"
He stopped when the profile of Dulio Gesualdo appeared, the tablet glowing faintly in the dim light.
His smile faded slightly, replaced with something softer, almost nostalgic.
"Dulio."
He muttered under his breath, his tone carrying a trace of something between frustration and annoyance.
(How long are you going to keep playing Heaven's lapdog before you realize I was right all along?)
Enkidu tilted their head slightly, watching him silently until Gilgamesh handed the tablet back.
"What do you plan to do with them?"
They asked, their calm eyes never leaving his face.
Gilgamesh set the tablet aside on the table, took another sip of wine, and answered with a smirk that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Nothing. Not yet. They are not a threat to me, nor to our cause."
He turned back to face the city, the lights dancing in his gaze.
"In fact, they are proof that what we're doing is necessary. They simply aren't ready to see the truth yet. One day, I will approach them myself… and when that day comes, they will see the world as it truly is."
Enkidu watched him for a moment before nodding slightly.
"As you wish. Wanna hear about the latest Sacred Gears we've secured?"
Gilgamesh's expression sharpened.
"Report."
"There are now over 142 Sacred Gears under our possession."
Enkidu explained smoothly.
"Several rare types, and we've already begun redistributing some to the faithful who have pledged themselves to your cause. More recruits have arrived this week. Our strength grows by the day."
"Good."
Gilgamesh said, nodding in satisfaction as he took another slow sip of his wine, savoring the taste as if savoring the victory to come.
"Continue the process. And keep searching for non-affiliated Longinus users. If they will not join me willingly…"
His crimson eyes gleamed dangerously.
"…then I will take them."
Enkidu bowed slightly.
"Understood."
With that, they turned and left the room, their presence fading into silence.
Gilgamesh stood there for a moment longer, looking down at the glowing Tokyo skyline with an expression that was both regal and predatory.
He finished the last of his wine in one gulp and set the empty glass aside on a gold-plated tray before loosening the sash of his bathrobe.
He turned from the window and walked toward the massive king-sized bed at the center of the room, where a pale-skinned woman lay under red silk sheets.
Her raven-black hair cascaded across the pillows, her eyes half-lidded in drowsy amusement as she watched him approach.
She giggled softly, her voice sultry and smooth.
"Welcome back, my King."
She purred, her tone teasing.
Gilgamesh smirked as he shrugged off his robe, revealing his chiseled, well-built physique.
He climbed into the bed and gripped her chin gently, making her turn to face him.
"Who permitted you to sleep, Semiramis? We are just getting started."
He asked, his voice low and commanding.
Semiramis smiled seductively, her fingers tracing the side of his neck as she whispered,
"Then finish what you started, my King."
Gilgamesh chuckled darkly and pressed his lips against her lips, kissing her deeply while her muffled moans filled the room.
Her hands slid up to his shoulders, pulling him closer, but Gilgamesh's crimson eyes stared past her for a moment, his thoughts elsewhere.
"Soon…"
He spoke as his lips trailed down her skin.
"Soon, we will finally cleanse this world of the virus that poisons it."
He muttered under his breath, his voice like a growl as Semiramis smiled and wrapped her arms tighter around him.
(Those damn mongrels.)
DxD
Hello readers!
I'M BACK, BABY!
Sorry for being inactive as I was busy with exams and other personal shit.
This will be the end of Volume 2.
I have an important announcement to make.
It is with great pride that I am here to announce... drumroll, please.
*DRUMROLL!!!*
We have reached the 69TH CHAPTER!
*APPLAUSE!!!*
Additionally, we have reached 1.2 million views, but nobody seems to care about that.
Let's celebrate by throwing all your Power Stones in this general direction!
And I will also be uploading two bonus chapters later, so... yeah.
...
Thank you, everyone, and see you later!