High School DxD - Volume SS - Chapter 4.2

Part 2 

……the town during the morning. 

……Morning? No, it was still supposed to be night. There’s still time left until the morning. 

And the location I was supposed to teleport to is Kuou Academy’s Occult Research Clubroom. 

……It’s basically near impossible for even a Maou to teleport along with speeding time, and even if it was possible for pureblood Devils to accomplish it, only Mephisto Pheles-sama who is researching about the further possibility of demonic-power and Ajuka Beelzebub are the only ones capable of doing it. 

I don’t think it’s something I can accomplish by luck. If that’s the case……then what is going on here……? 

When I look around, I don’t sense or see anyone. 

……Have I been attacked? Have I been teleported while the time changed by force? Did Gasper’s power go out of control? No, I didn’t have the mysterious feeling I get when the time stopped. 

While being cautious, I activated the magic-circle once again, and went inside the light. 

The scenery within the light is—a forest. 

……Even if I take a look around, the only scenery appearing to my eyes is the forest. 

I was supposed to be in the place which is within my memory, but there is no sign of the old school building, and even if I went to the location where the new school building is built, there wasn’t even a sign of a building being built there. 

……This is town where I live in, right? If that’s the case, Kuou academy should be here…… 

I activated the communication-type magic-circle to call Sona and my comrades. 

However, no one answered my call, and the magic-circle is just being activated within the air without doing anything. 

“……Akeno! Sona! Grayfia! Okaa-sama! Otou-sama! Please answer me! Please!” 

There’s no sign that the magic-circle will connect to those close to me, no matter I call out to them——. 

I draw a magic-circle in order to teleport to the Underworld, but when I went inside it——. 

The magic-circle didn’t respond, and the teleportation didn’t succeed. 

……What does this mean? Is this place……different to the town I know? 

I got even more suspicious, and I went towards this certain place. 

——The Hyoudou residence. 

My home in Japan. The place I love that I live with those important to me. 

When I arrived there, I was in for a shock. 

The Hyoudou residence is there. But what’s there is——. 

The Hyoudou residence became a luxury six storey house before summer holiday. However, what’s in front of me is……a two storey house. 

I looked at the name plate. There is a sign, “Hyoudou”, so it means that someone who carries the Hyoudou name lives here. Then the entrance door opened. The ones who appear from there is—Ise and Asia! 

They do exist. But I feel they are a bit different—. 

“Sorry, I over slept. I’m sorry to have you always coming to get me.” 

“Geez, Ise-kun, you played games till late at night, didn’t you?” 

“Yeah, I was in the stage where you fight the boss in the RPG game I brought the other day, so I didn’t find the right time to stop playing it.” 

While having such conversation, they bow towards me, and tried to leave without being concerned about me. ……Did they ignore me? No, it’s more like they don’t know me. 

“Ise!” 

I called out his name like how I always do. He turned around, and look right at me. 

I approached him, and put on a shocked expression at their appearance. 

“Those clothes…..what happened? Even Asia is wearing the same clothes…… Is it a request from your client?” 

Yes, both of them aren’t in Kuou academy’s uniform. They are wearing the specific uniform of a school located at the next town. 

Hearing my words, both of them got puzzled. 

“…………?” 

“?” 

……It seems like they don’t know me at all. 

Ise says it while scratching his cheek with a troubled expression. 

“U-Umm, who may you be? Umm, even I would be shocked if a red hair beauty suddenly talked to me……” 

——! ……I got speechless. He doesn’t know me? It doesn’t seem like he’s acting either. It really seems like this Ise doesn’t know me. 

Asia then says it to Ise. 

“……Ise-kun, I think you have met her somewhere. Please try to remember her. I don’t think she’s lying.” 

“What are you saying, Asia? I also know you——” 

Even though I said that to her, her reaction is—. 

“…………?” 

—that of someone who can’t remember me. The way she talks is different to the Asia that I know of. 

Ise crossed his arm, and started to think while tilting his head. 

Yes, I can’t sense the aura of those with special powers coming from him. The wave of a Devil, and the wave of a Dragon. I can’t sense any of those coming from him. 

My suspicions got even stronger inside me. 

Then a new person came running to talk to them. 

“Ah! Ise-kun! You are so mean to leave me, your childhood friend, behind and go to school with Asia-san since morning!” 

It’s Irina-san. It’s Shidou Irina-san who is wearing the same uniform as Ise who is in front of me. She came from the house next door. 

Irina-san appeared, but Ise puts on an annoyed face. 

“Looks like I got caught by the noisy one from morning!” 

“What was that!? You are so mean to leave me behind, just because you became Asia-san’s lover! You meanie!” 

Irina spoke with dissatisfaction. ……Lovers? Ise and……Asia? 

They leave me behind and continue their conversation. 

“Who cares!? I was finally able to date Asia! Simply walking to school in the morning with her should be allowed! Actually, walking to school with her is something we always do!” 

“Boo Boo! Oh, who is this person with red hair? She’s super beautiful! Don’t tell me it’s someone Ise-kun is having affair with!?” 

Irina-san moves her gaze at me. Her expression is that of someone who doesn’t know me. 

Ise panics after Irina-san says that. 

“W-What are you talking about!? Don’t say things like that! Asia is pure, so she would belie—” 

“……Are you having an affair?” 

Asia’s eyes gets filled with tears. Ise continues while panicking. 

“As if! I-I just confessed to you recently that I always liked you since middle school!” 

Hearing that, Irina-san puts on a lewd face and Asia blushes. 

“Woah. Thank you for that.” 

“……What on earth am I saying since morning……! Damn you, Irina!” 

It seems like Ise can’t endure the embarrassment so his face go red. 

Asia says it timidly. 

“Y-Yeah. I also liked you since middle school as well, Ise-kun.” 

“T-Thanks.” 

“Oh my! You guys sure are being lovely-dovely since morning! I have to inform this to Kiryuu-san as well!” 

Irina-san starts to tease them. If I remember correctly, Kiryuu-san is Asia’s friend, isn’t she? I see, so Kiryuu-san is also here. 

When I was observing the three of them having their conversation, Ise puts his hand together and apologises. 

“Ah, umm……I can’t remember about you after all, so I think you got the wrong person. I’m sorry, we have school now, so we will be taking our leave.” 

Ise goes while taking Asia’s hand. Irina-san also follows them. 

Irina-san puts on a lewd face again and questions Ise. 

“……Are you really really sure that you are not having an affair?” 

“You are being persistent, Irina!” 

“By the way, I still haven’t given up yet, Asia-san. So I might steal him away, you know?” 

“Hau! ……So I still can’t let my guard down! But, I won’t lose!” 

“Hey, hey, what are you two talking about—” 

……The three of them left me while having such conversation. 

……Their reaction. My comrades whom I can’t get in contact with. And the Kuou academy that doesn’t exist. 

“……This isn’t the place that I’m familiar with……?” 

It happens when I said that. 

[To be expected from Rias Gremory. You didn’t panic like I thought you would.] 

“—!” 

Suddenly, a voice belonging to a mysterious man echoes within my head. The man continues. 

[Hyoudou Issei and others of this world doesn’t know a thing about you.] 

“……What do you mean?” 

[The Three Great Powers—. This is a world where God, Angels, Fallen-Angels, and Devils don’t exist.] 

The world where Devils don’t exist. 

The man introduces himself to me who am is in shock. 

[How do you do, Rias Gremory. I’m a man who was affiliated in the Hero faction. Right now I’m a remnant.] 

……A remnant from the Hero faction. The Hero-faction of Khaos Brigade has stopped operating due to having their leader, Cao Cao, and the core members’ fall. Though there are cases where the remnants are causing small destruction in various areas…… 

“……Is this your doing?” 

The man makes a lively laugh at my question. 

[My Sacred Gear [Dreamlike Curse]’s Balance Breaker’s ability, [Palaselene Utopia]—. I have sent you to a parallel world.] 

Sacred Gear’s Balance Breaker—. 

He……sent me to the parallel world? I never thought a Sacred Gear with such powerful ability existed…… No, Balance Breaker is said to be capable of collapsing the balance of the world. And if it’s a sub-species, then the ability will differ, so it will become a totally different story. 

After all, the Sacred Gear will use the feeling of the possessor to go through any sort of change and evolution. 

The man speaks happily. 

[I can’t take on all of you, the Gremory group, by myself. However, if it’s a single person, then I can send that person to the parallel world. Then, if I were to do that, which one of you among your group should I send to the parallel world to be effected and give the feeling of despair.] 

After the hunt for the Stray Devil, I was the only one who used the teleportation magic-circle. He must have targeted me then. It looks like this man was hiding near the crime scene and was waiting for the chance. 

No, the hunt for the Stray Devil may also be this man’s doing. Looks like we were outwitted by him. ……If Koneko’s and Akeno’s searching ability wasn’t able to capture him, then it means he is a either an experienced fighter who can shut down his presence or someone who knows how far we can notice enemy’s presence. It’s certain that he’s quite experienced since he has reached Balance Breaker. 

The man continues on and then says it. 

[The most effective target. ——The answer for that would be you, the leader of the group.] 

“So it isn’t Ise.” 

[I’ve thought about it, but that man’s existence itself is abnormal. He won’t die with Samael’s poison, and I also have heard that he returned from the dimensional gap by himself. Even if I were to use this ability on someone like that who’s existence is abnormal, then he might return by his own power again. After all, Hyoudou Issei is a man who defeated Shalba who was the leader of Old-Maou faction, and Cao Cao who was the leader of our Hero-faction.] 

It’s frustrating, but he’s right. If it’s him, then he won’t back down no matter what and overcome it. 

“You are right, he does indeed create many miracles. For you and your people, you can say there is no one more frightening than him.” 

[For that reason, you were chosen. Among the Gremory group, the one who has equal important role is you, Rias Gremory. If I send you to this world, the Gremory group in the other world will collapse.] 

“Why did you decide on doing this? Well, that’s obvious. To all of you, we are like your arch enemy.” 

[That’s right. I continue to live in order to give despair to you and the Gremory group. Revenge for my comrades—that is part of it, but more than that, I wanted to continue with our ambition even further.] 

The members of the Hero-faction that gathered under Cao Cao, in other words the Sacred Gear possessors mainly consists of those who were persecuted and exiled due to the powers within them. Cao Cao taught the actual ways of those powers and the way to use it to them. And he also made them embrace a dream and ambition. 

——To challenge the supreme existence with their Sacred Gears. 

For the possessors that were despised and alienated, it must have been sweet and sounded good to them. 

Having a special power and becoming an existence that surpasses human has a bewitching sound for the humans. 

……Even for Devils, if they are capable of becoming something special compared to others, then they will also be fascinated by such things, just like humans. 

This man also embraced such ambition within him due to Cao Cao’s words, and is one of the people who followed behind him——. 

Their dream and ambition is still remaining within them strongly, so it must still be swirling inside them. 

The man called Cao Cao. The organisation called Hero-faction. The things they sprouted inside the Sacred Gear possessors is strong. 

The man laughs, and then leaves his last words to me. 

[In this world, the only Devil here is you. For a while, I will have you enjoy this slowly.] 

“——! Hold on! There’s still things I need to ask—.” 

I can’t hear the man’s words after that. 

……The world I know, but don’t know. 

The world without Devils and Angels. However, it’s also the world where those I know of live. 

For a short while, I end up wandering in this world——.