I DO NOT OWN HIGHSCHOOL DXD OR ANY OTHER ELEMENTS/CHARACTERS FROM OTHER ANIMES/MANGAS.

"… …" – Speaking

'… …' – Thoughts

"… …" – Spoke Mentally/Telepathically

{… …} – Ddraig speaking

(In A Certain House – In A Certain Room)

*Bzz! Bzz! Bzz! Bzz! Bzz! Bz–*

"Ughh…"

*Bam!*

The sound of the alarm clock went off, a person who sounded annoyed and the bang towards the clock in order to stop it from buzzing any further could be heard. The sun was rising up and light slowly shined into the dark room through the window.

"…I hate morning."

The person living in the room said that as he pulled his blanket over his head to block the sunlight.

*Thm! Thm! Thm! Cla!*

"Ah! You're still sleeping?! Unbelievable! Come on, get up or we'll be late!"

An extremely beautiful young woman with a voluptuous figure and green eyes and she seemed to be wearing a school uniform. She came into the room like she was in a rush and was shocked to discover the person in the room was still sleeping.

"Please get up! Or we'll be late!"

The young woman was forcefully trying to pull the person's blanket off him.

"…Five more minutes please."

"We don't have five min– Kyaaah!"

*Thumm!*

The young woman suddenly stumbled and fell backwards when the person released the blanket that he was holding tightly onto.

"Haihh…Why do you have to wake me up? It's not like it's the end of the world or something."

The person sat up from his bed and he appeared to be a young man with a short brown hair and light brown eyes.

"It is important! This is the first day of our school!"

The young woman finally got up and yelled angrily at the young man.

"School…Why does someone like me even have to go to such boring place?"

"If my memory serves me well, you're the one who wanted to attend it!"

"Eh? Really? Then I change my mind now, night~"

The young man picked up his blanket and tried to go back to sleep.

*Prack!*

At that time, something inside the young woman snapped. She started to shiver in anger.

"Y-You…You selfish baka Maou! Do you know how much trouble I have to go through to get both of us into that school?!"

She raised her hands high up into the air and suddenly created hammer…a Hammer of Light?! The young man who failed to notice was about to retort only to see a hammer of light swinging down towards him.

"Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

*Bamm!*

The young man cried before the hammer hit him on his head. And…did the young woman just called him a…Maou?

(In The Kitchen)

"Teh, teh, teh…Do you have to hit me that hard?"

The young man rubbed his head while eating his breakfast that was prepared for him by the young woman.

"Hmph! You left me no choice. You just wouldn't get up. Anyway, today will be our first day on going to school like regular humans…"

"Mm, but I sensed Devils and Fallen Angels in this area. You should remain cautious."

"I think I should be the one saying that. After all, you're Maou–"

"I told you not to call me that."

The young man looked at her with a serious expression when he cut her off, causing her to make a twitch.

"…Sorry about that. That was rude of me."

"N-No…I should be the one apologizing…I called your past name without thinking through…I'm sorry."

"Anyway, my name from now on will be Hyoudou Issei, just call me Ise."

"Yes, I-Ise…"

The young woman blushed a little when she called his new name.

"What about me?"

"Eh?"

"Don't you think I need to change my name as well?"

"Nah. I think you'll just stick with your true name…Gabriel."

"Mou, that's so unfair! I want a name as well!"

"Quit acting like a baby, it's annoying."

"Y-You're asking for a fight?!"

"Like you can beat me. You're not even in the same league with me. The only person that can go toe to toe with me is…your father…"

The young man, Maou or…his current name, Issei made a pause when he said the last part and showed a sorrowful eyes like he remembered some bad memories. Even Gabriel showed a sad expression when she heard that, but at the same time, she was worried about Mao– Issei.

"…It's not your fault you know?"

Gabriel mad a small sad smile as she tried to comfort Issei.

*Bam!*

"But it is my fault! If I hadn't passed out that time…I could've helped him in sealing that accursed Beast away…and ended that Great War between the Three Factions…If I hadn't passed out that time…he wouldn't ended up dead. He…He was my best friend…"

Issei was shivering in anger and guilt as he smashed the table (in a human strength). He blamed himself for the death of his friend. The young man widened his eyes when he felt a sensation of someone hugging from behind.

It's Gabriel.

"I am sure that he's in a better place now, Ise. Before he left…my father asked me to take care of you. We'll be alright, we'll have to live for him."

"Gabriel…Thank you for looking after me all this time."

Issei spoke her name weakly when he heard her soft and gentle tone.

{Seriously, you're sulking again? Did you forget that he left you in my care as well?}

""!?""

Both Issei and Gabriel widened their eyes when they heard another voice.

"Ddraig?!"

Issei looked at his left palm when he called out that name.

{Good morning to you as well, partner.}

A green light glowed on the back of his hand.

{That guy trapped me in you and asked me to look after you as well remember? Talk about being selfish…He even decided to break his own rules because of you. Just how close were you two back then?}

Hearing that, Issei looked into a distance.

{Hey, come one. Don't leave me hanging. We never talked about this before. You might as well spill it all out now. Who knows it might make you feel better?}

"He was my greatest enemy…but as time passed, he became my rival and even my best friend. That's how close we were, Ddraig."

{Now that you've said it, how did Gabriel find out about you being friends with her father?}

"About that…"

Issei scratched his cheek embarrassingly as he didn't know whether or not he should answer that.

"I discovered it when I entered father's chamber and saw the two of them drinking like there's no tomorrow."

Gabriel said it in an embarrassed tone while placing her hand on her forehead.

{… …You must've been shocked.}

"You have no idea…"

"Ahahaha…There you go. That's how she found out."

{Did your followers know that you're still alive?}

Issei just shrugged his shoulders when he heard that question.

"Meh. I believe that they all thought that I'm dead during my last fight against him."

{And you never thought about going back to the Underworld?}

"I will never go back to that place."

{Why not? You are the rightful Ruler of the Underworld after all.}

"I have no rights to call myself the Ruler of the Underworld…In a way, I am the reason why the Great War between the Three Factions happened."

{Huh?}

"…In past, I gave Lucifer, Beelzebub, Leviathan and Asmodeus the title because I thought that they would lead the people into a better future…but I never would've thought that they will use the power I had given them to wage a war against him, the Angels and the Fallen Angels. I was too naïve and look what had happened, my people are facing extinction."

Issei showed a regrettable expression when he said that.

"The previous Yondai-Maou were nothing but a big disgrace. But…at least the current Yondai-Maou are much better than the previous ones."

Gabriel nodded her head when she heard that.

"Which is why, I've decided to never return to the Underworld and stay in the Human World. It's peaceful here, and I have Gabriel and you accompanying me."

Gabriel blushed a little when she saw Issei smiling at her.

"A-Anyway, we should get going. It's almost time."

Gabriel quickly stood up and placed her plates and cup into the sink. The young man just chuckled a little and did the same thing.

(At The Town Street)

When Issei walking behind Gabriel, he suddenly stopped and looked up into the clear blue sky.

'God, my dear friend. I could only wonder what you are doing on the other side…Both Gabriel and I are fine. And also, thank you for placing Ddraig into my body. Both Gabriel and he really took their time to comfort me when I found out about your death…I swear to you that if any danger falls upon your daughter, I will do everything I can to protect her.'

"Oiiiiii! Mao– Ise! Hurry up or we'll really be late!"

Issei looked down saw Gabriel waving at him from a distance.

"Heh. A new era has begun…Yoosh. Let's go, Ddraig!"

{That's the spirit, partner!}

Issei started running towards Gabriel.

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