"Master, who is she…?"
Kazuya instantly looked up.
Standing at the entrance of the room, Jeanne d'Arc was staring at him with a mix of confusion and calm. Her expression wasn't show jealousy or suspicion, but rather a silent protectiveness, like someone assessing a new presence naturally, yet without lowering her guard.
Her eyes were fixed on Gabriel.
Kazuya blinked once, and then… smiled.
"Oh… good morning... Or perhaps the middle of the night?" he said calmly.
Jeanne narrowed her eyes slightly, just enough for Kazuya to notice she understood: something important had happened. She didn't address the other woman immediately, but approached the couch and stood behind Kazuya, placing one hand on the backrest of the armchair where he sat.
"You still haven't answered my question…" she insisted, politely.
Kazuya then gestured toward Gabriel with a slight tilt of his head, as if introducing an old friend who had shown up unannounced.
"Jeanne, this is Gabriel. One of the four Seraphs of Heaven…" he said in a tone that was somewhere between casual and dramatic, as if tossing the truth into the air just to see the reaction.
Jeanne blinked.
For a brief moment, a trace of surprise crossed her face.
Gabriel, meanwhile, stood up, her smile kind, warm, and utterly devoid of ulterior motives. She clasped her hands in front of her chest and bowed slightly, in a gesture of serene respect.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Jeanne…" she said in a gentle, radiant voice, before turning her gaze to Kazuya: "And thank you for taking care of Kazu-kun…"
Kazuya blinked. One eyebrow arched slightly.
"…Kazu-kun?"
Since when were they so close?
He had only just learned that the previous owner of his body had some connection with one of the Seraphs of Heaven, and so far, their conversation had been limited to that—a superficial exchange of information. Nothing that justified the intimate, casual way she addressed him with.
And yet, she spoke to him as if she'd known him for years. As if nothing had changed.
This sudden familiarity bothered him.
What else did the previous owner of my body go through… and forget?
The question rippled through his mind like a stone tossed into a calm lake.
Even though he had inherited the memories of the previous owner of his body, he had never stopped to think about it. It was strange, to say the least. He knew everything—names, places, even personal tastes that weren't exactly his own. But what really bothered him was that deep down, he had this nagging feeling: were those memories truly really complete?
It was like living inside a story already in progress—he hadn't arrived at the beginning, and he couldn't say for sure if his entire past in this world was real or genuine.
When he was reborn in this world, he was aware of the accident, but the details were too hazy. In the end, he dismissed it as something normal. After all, no one usually remembers the details of such a massive trauma clearly, right…? But now, it seemed there had been a meeting with Gabriel back then, and that opened up the possibility of many other events he might not recall.
Perhaps the old "him" had forgotten certain things due to some trauma. Who knew. The day of the accident, for example… why had Gabriel appeared at that exact moment? Coincidence? Or part of something bigger he still didn't understand? He could speculate that it might have been during the accident that he found his Longinus, which chose him, and perhaps Gabriel, who was drawn to such a sacred object relic, had found him. him, but he couldn't say for sure because he didn't remember that day clearly.
All that was missing was someone telling him he had Ophis as a pet…
Putting that aside, he looked at Gabriel with doubt.
Gabriel brought one hand to her mouth, a bit embarrassed, but still smiling with that innocent glow.
"Ehh… sorry. Was I not supposed to call you that? Did you not like it?"
He let out an almost theatrical sigh, resting his chin on his hand as he observed her with a playful glint in his eyes.
"'Kazu-kun,' huh…?" he repeated, as if savoring the sound: "Makes it sound like we're childhood friends… or that you're about to offer me a handmade bento after school…"
He smirked, his tone laced with irony, but without malice.
"But coming from the Most Beautiful Woman in Heaven… I guess I don't have the right to complain, do I?"
Gabriel blinked, confused for a moment, but soon laughed softly, a light, almost melodious laugh.
"So… can I keep calling you that?"
Kazuya pretended to think for a second, as if weighing a tough decision.
"Hmph… only if you promise not to show up at four in the morning next time. Then maybe I'll accept the nickname…" he said, leaning back with a lazy air.
"I promise I won't do that again…" Gabriel smiled faintly as she made the promise and shifted her gaze to Jeanne before asking: "But… Kazu-kun, aren't you going to introduce your friend? Who is she?"
Kazuya glanced at Jeanne, who had been silent until now. The Saint looked at him out of the corner of her eye, a silent mental conversation passing between them before he decided to introduce her: "My apologies, I forgot to introduce her. This is Jeanne d'Arc. Yes, the Maiden of Orléans. The heroine of France. The true saint you all venerate up there…"
For a moment, time seemed to freeze for Gabriel.
Her eyes widened.
She looked at Jeanne again, more closely now.
As if she wanted to confirm it with her own eyes.
"W-Wait… what…?" she murmured, her voice almost a whisper, filled with reverent disbelief, still unable to tear her gaze away from the woman before her.
"You're… saying… this is… the true Saint Jeanne d'Arc?" she asked, as if the simple sentence was impossible to form correctly.
Kazuya nodded calmly, as if discussing the weather.
"In flesh, bone, and spirit. Summoned by my own means. And, well… now she lives with me…"
The response was enough to completely shatter Gabriel's composure.
The Seraph took a step back. Her eyes filled with pure astonishment, like a child witnessing a miracle before their own eyes.
She clasped her hands to her chest, as if about to pray instinctively.
"I… I'm standing before the true Saint Jeanne…" she murmured: "But this is… it's impossible! I mean… you… died centuries ago…"
Jeanne, a bit surprised by the intense reaction, stepped forward and tilted her head slightly, maintaining her usual humility.
"This was thanks to Kazuya-san's magic. He can bring back the spirits of those who have died and achieved extraordinary feats back to life…. Now I am his servant, and I walk by his side by my own choice, of course….."
As she spoke, a smile appeared on her lips, though it seemed a bit awkward; she felt strange about the reaction of one of the angels of the false version of her Lord reacting this way to her…
Gabriel brought both hands to her mouth, enchanted.
"It's an honor… a true honor to meet you in person!"
And then she walked toward Jeanne, stopping a few steps away.
"And more…" Gabriel bowed her head and clasped her hands over her heart: "On behalf of all of Heaven, I apologize. For everything that happened. For not doing anything. For not intervening when… when you were betrayed… when you were burned…"
She squeezed her eyes shut, as if holding back a tear, and took a step forward.
"I'm so sorry, Jeanne. Truly. We failed you."
For a brief moment, time seemed to cease to exist between the two.
Jeanne observed Gabriel with firm yet gentle eyes. And then, with a faint smile, she placed a hand on the Seraph's shoulder.
"There is nothing to forgive. I did what was right until the end and believed in my Lord. I don't regret following that path…."
Gabriel bit her lip, moved, and gently held Jeanne's hand with affection.
"You… you are truly strong. My Father chose the right person…"
Jeanne, a bit embarrassed, smiled humbly. She didn't know what to say, actually. After that dream where she saw her master's past in this world, she wanted to have a moment with him and show she was by his side. She hadn't expected things to turn out like this…
Kazuya, seated, watched the scene with a silent glint in his eyes.
And with that, the atmosphere in the room softened, as if the weight of the emotion between Jeanne and Gabriel had dissipated, leaving space for something lighter, yet still charged with curiosity.
Gabriel, with a shy smile and a sparkle in her eyes that mixed reverence and relief, sat back down on the couch after apologizing for her outburst. Jeanne, meanwhile, remained by Kazuya's side, one hand still resting on the backrest of the armchair where he sat.
Kazuya, leaning back with that lazy air that hid a sharp mind, broke the silence. He tilted his head slightly, his eyes fixed on Gabriel, and a smirk appeared on his lips.
"So, Gabriel… now that the introductions are done and you've had your fan moment with Jeanne…" he said, his tone laced with gentle irony: "How about telling me the real reason for your visit?"
Gabriel blinked, surprised by the direct approach, and then pouted slightly, crossing her arms with an almost childish air. Her eyes sparkled with a mix of playful indignation and exasperation.
"Kazu-kun, you weren't paying attention, were you?" she said, puffing out her cheeks. "I already mentioned before! It was because of that video! The one where you defeated Sirzechs! All of Heaven is talking about it, and I… well, I needed to come here to confirm with my own eyes if it was really you. That's all…"
Kazuya raised an eyebrow. Gabriel was incapable of lying as an angel; she risked becoming a Fallen if she did.
"Really…?" he asked, closing his eyes for a moment.
"Yes…" Gabriel smiled softly and let out a gentle sigh before continuing:
"And also… something curious happened with your Sacred Gear. During the fight against Sirzechs, it seems that when you activated your Balance Breaker, there was an abnormal reaction in Heaven's Sacred Gear System. It caused such an intense disturbance that, for a moment, everything seemed to freeze."
She paused briefly, her blue eyes shining with genuine concern.
"Officially, we can say your Sacred Gear has become a high-tier Longinus. However, the problem goes beyond that… It was classified at the same level as the four originals—those known for literally breaking the system. Even so… that alone wouldn't explain such an extreme reaction."
Gabriel crossed her arms, thoughtful, as if still processing the information.
"My brother said he had never seen anything like it. Knowing about my… past with you, he asked me to personally go to your house to arrange a formal meeting in Heaven."
She averted her gaze for a moment, a hint of embarrassment slipping into her gentle expression.
"I was supposed to come only in the morning. But… I couldn't contain my anxiety."
Kazuya narrowed his eyes slightly at Gabriel's words, which subtly told him: "Your Longinus is dangerous, and Heaven wants to investigate, as it reaches the same level as the four strongest…"
And indeed, Longinus are extremely dangerous—weapons capable of killing Gods, beings beloved and revered by humanity since ancient times, entities said to be unmatched. But the four high-tier Longinus are even more dangerous.
The Spear of Destiny, True Longinus.
The Prison of the Shining Heavenly Thunder, Zenith Tempest.
The Demonic Beast Creator, Annihilation Maker.
And the Mist of Extinction, Dimension Lost.
There's a reason these weapons are capable of inspiring such fear and even destroying the world.
The reason why Boosted Gear, Regulus Nemea, and Divine Dividing are only classified as mid-tier, despite their absurd power, is because their power is focused on the individual, on the user themselves, and depends on the user's strength. However, a high-tier Longinus like Zenith Tempest doesn't just affect one person—it impacts the entire world. It holds power that can cause imbalance in the world and lead to its destruction.
The True Longinus is simply one of the most powerful sacred objects in existence, a spear used to pierce Christ, blessed with his blood.
It was truly a weapon that gained fame, created to combat anything, whether profane or not.
It's said that the true weakness of every being in the universe was present in that spear.
For example, give Boosted Gear to an ordinary person, and they'd likely only be able to boost five times before reaching their limit, becoming only five times stronger than a normal person. But give Zenith Tempest to them, and destroying a city the size of Kuoh wouldn't be difficult…
Zenith Tempest grants the user control over elements and weather. It's recorded that one of the most talented wielders could drown an entire continent in the sea, creating endless rain and storms. This Longinus gives the user control over elements and weather—creating endless rain in the middle of a scorching desert is an easy feat. Heck! Turning an entire desert into a winter landscape isn't even difficult! It holds such dangerous power that it could produce flames rivaling the temperature of the sun and ice that could freeze even a dragon's flame like it was a mere candle. The user is also capable of creating endless storms that can sweep across a field and destroy an island without a trace.
Dimension Lost, also known as the Mist of Extinction. Simply put, calling the mist a black hole would be understandable. It doesn't block, it doesn't attack—it devours. Everything it touches is absorbed, swallowed whole, and sent to the Dimensional Rift, a place that exists because there's a gap between realms. There, nothing exists but nothingness (no pun intended, of course). It's an empty, void place, filled with untamed essences and remnants of unknown energy that crush anything and try to digest it the moment something enters. One could destroy an entire island by enveloping it in this mist and sending it to that place.
And then, Annihilation Maker.
The ability to create creatures based on the user's imagination, the ability to create any creature solely based on their imagination. The thought of such power existing is truly terrifying. If careless, one could create a mountain-sized monster rampaging through a city.
A good example of this power can be seen in the novel. Leonardo, the wielder in canon, was capable of creating creatures with the power of mid-class demons, but upon achieving Balance Breaker, he could create creatures that devastated the Underworld and were capable of defeating even Satan-class beings, and the boy hadn't even fully mastered his Balance Breaker.
If he had mastered it, it would be terrifying. It's been said that his Balance Breaker has the power to destroy the world.
Honestly, the God of the Bible was a terrifying genius for being able to create such weapons.
But this entire conversation with Gabriel made him think of a possibility. The idea of sending her, someone who knew him, to invite him directly to Heaven, along with the fact that they already knew he was on the side of humans, their Father's most valued creations…
"I see… so you came here to recruit me for your faction?" Kazuya asked, his voice calm but with a slight provocative tone.
"What? No! My brother just wanted to talk to you…" Gabriel replied, her eyes wide, surprised by the insinuation. She had only been given the task of a messenger…
"Of course you did…" Kazuya insisted, crossing his arms with a sharp look. "After all, if a great war breaks out, Heaven will be the first to fall."
The words made Gabriel's eyes widen even further. She remained silent as he continued, relentless.
"Think about it. The demons have the largest population among all factions. Not to mention their powerful bloodlines and, above all, those damned Evil Pieces, which allow them to reincarnate powerful beings as servants. And we're not talking about just anyone—they choose Sacred Gear users, skilled warriors. And above all, there are the Maous themselves, like Sirzechs Lucifer and Ajuka Beelzebub, Super Devils, among the ten strongest beings in existence. Although I have Sirzechs in my hands right now, they still have another Maou just as strong as him…"
"The Fallen Angels are also well-armed. They have their leaders, of course, but also numerous Sacred Gear users gathered under Azazel's wings. There are Longinus like Divine Dividing, wielded by the Hakuryuukou, and Canis Lykaon, wielded by Slash Dog. Not to mention the Ice Princess with her Absolute Demise. And that's without mentioning Azazel's unpredictable tactics and Kokabiel's fanaticism."
"As for the Angels… you have light as an advantage, and yes, there are heavy hitters like the Four Seraphs, Vasco Strada, and Griselda Quarta. But in terms of numbers? In military power? You're the weakest faction. And you still have to deal with possible internal betrayals."
Gabriel lowered her eyes, thoughtful. As much as it hurt to admit, Kazuya was right. Among all the factions, hers was the most vulnerable, both in numbers and in strength.
But something bothered Gabriel. There was a cutting coldness in his words. A bitterness that went beyond logic.
"Kazu-kun, what happened to you since the last time I saw you? Do you hate supernatural beings?" she asked softly, sensing a bitter weight in his words.
Kazuya merely scoffed, his gaze fixed on some distant point.
"I just learned a lot about this world. And as for hating supernatural beings, well… most of them treat humans like trash."
The blunt, direct tone made Gabriel flinch.
"Let's be honest here. You, Gabriel, are an angel. To you, humans still have some value. But most of the other races… see humanity as tools, toys, food, or shields."
His eyes narrowed.
"Vampires see humans as nothing but cattle. The Greek gods? They've destroyed entire generations on a whim. Aphrodite cursed a princess because of a man she preferred. Poseidon… raped Medusa. And when it was all over, he still turned her into a monster."
Gabriel remained silent. She couldn't argue. Not about that.
Even the Sacred Gears, created by her Father to protect humanity, had become tools of war. Reasons for hunts. Burdens for their own wielders.
And before her stood a human who knew that burden all too well.
Kazuya ran his fingers through his hair, as if brushing away bad thoughts, and let out a faint sigh.
"You up there think you're protecting humanity… but how many humans have you actually saved in the last few centuries? How many were heard? How many were spared from the wars you caused among yourselves, out of pride, out of dogma?"
He looked back at her, the coldness in his eyes now mixed with something harder to define.
"You treat us like pawns on a board… That's the closest definition to the real situation I could come up with."
Gabriel clenched her fists lightly, not responding immediately. Not because she disagreed, but because she knew he had a point.
"That wasn't what my Father wanted…" she said, lowering her head, her voice faint. "The Sacred Gear Gears were created to defend humanity. So that you could fight against fate, protect yourselves. But… everything spiraled out of control after he died…"
Kazuya shook his head.
"I know about the death of the Biblical God… but Heaven may have lost its creator, Gabriel, but your responsibility didn't die didn't with him."
Gabriel raised her eyes, surprised by the serious, almost… compassionate tone.
"You still have a chance to do things differently…" Kazuya began, then continued calmly after a pause: "But don't misunderstand me, Gabriel. I have no intention of watching Heaven fall."
Gabriel looked up at him, startled by the shift in his tone.
"If there's one faction that still preserves something close to the original… justice—or at least tries to—it's the angels. You don't use humans as grotesquely as the other supernatural beings do. I'm not blind to that. And that's exactly why I'd be willing to be your ally to you."
Gabriel stared at him in silence, absorbing every word.
"Kazu-kun…"
"But…" Kazuya continued, raising a finger, "…if we're going to do this, it'll be on my terms. But let's settle the details in a formal meeting… You came for that, didn't you?"
"Yes…" She smiled beautifully.
Kazuya sighed and glanced at Jeanne by his side, finding her silence unusual until then. Normally, she wasn't like this.
Even so, the conversation with the naive Archangel continued, with the Saint remaining quieter than usual, though she soon began to engage in the dialogue as well. Kazuya asked several questions about the accident that took the lives of his body's former owner's parents in this world, and Gabriel recounted everything she remembered.
He learned that the incident occurred near the Vatican village and that, apparently, it was caused by natural factors, as there had been a landslide at the time…
Jeanne seemed even stranger when this was mentioned, her expression showing some concern for him.
When the first rays of dawn appeared on the horizon, Gabriel decided it was time to return to Heaven…
__________________
If you've been following the stories I write, enjoy the characters, the style, and the entire universe we've been building together, I'd like to ask for just a few minutes of your attention.
Every week, I receive tons of messages with feedback, ideas, praise (and constructive criticism too, of course), and that's exactly what motivates me to keep creating — with even more dedication, consistency, and care for everything I'm doing.
And that's why I want to extend a special invitation:
👉 Even if you can't support financially right now, consider joining my Patreon as a free member.
Yes, you read that right: you don't need to pay anything to sign up and start taking part in polls, discussions about new ideas, and even key decisions about which stories will come to life first.
A lot of people don't realize this, but just by following as a free member, you're already helping a lot.
It tells Patreon's algorithm that the project has an audience, helps build the community, and most importantly, makes you part of the core group of readers shaping the future of these stories.
Now, if you're interested in taking the next step and becoming a paying member, here's a heads-up:
The High School DxD story, which is the main project, already has nearly 15 chapters written in advance — exclusively on Patreon.
So if you love binge reading, enjoy being ahead of the curve, or want to follow the process more closely, there's plenty of extra content waiting for you.
Plus, we're currently deciding which new exclusive stories will be published next, with original ideas involving reincarnation in worlds like Blue Lock, Tales of Demons and Gods, Against the Gods, World Defying Dan God, and even Emperor's Domination.
Whether you vote, comment, or just read the previews — you're already part of it all.
Any kind of support — whether financial or just by following as a free member — means a lot to me.
That's what gives me the motivation to stay consistent, improve the quality, and keep pushing these stories even further.
Here's the Patreon link: patreon.com/Adam_Kadmon
Click it, follow, and make sure you're there for the next round of voting!
Relax, the DxD story will not be left aside or will end, it is still the focus! For more information read the announcement on Patreon!