Author's note: There will be a bit of action next chapter. I need my sleep.
Also, There will be another update soon. Like, in 24 hours or so. This is mainly because the Rating game was getting too long and I had to cut it in two since I wanted to give everyone a chance to show off, but leaving it like that left a vile taste of my mouth. I will sleep and continue during the day and post in a while the next chapter.
Celestial Ascendancy
Chapter 55: No Rest for the Weary.
Kuoh, Japan.
Elias Black.
"I've keyed you to the wards, Miss Rias. You may teleport in and out at your leisure," Grayfia announced once everyone was paying attention to her.
I took the moment to look around the cabin, nodding in quiet satisfaction. We were high up in the mountains, and even with my enhanced senses, I couldn't hear anything but the rustling of trees and the occasional chirp of birds.
Peaceful. Secluded. Perfect for what we would do.
"Thank you, Grayfia," Rias said with a soft smile. "You have no idea how much this means to me."
Grayfia slowly shook her head, then allowed a rare smile to slip through. "No, Miss Rias. Thank you. Lord Sirzechs is genuinely proud of how much you've grown. If this is the path you truly wish to walk, we will support you."
She took a breath, her expression turning serious. "Know this, Rias. While I may not entirely approve of your methods, you're like a little sister to me. If this is your choice, I want you to succeed. I won't be able to keep this quiet forever, but I should be able to buy you two weeks, at least."
"Thank you, Grayfia," Rias whispered, her eyes glistening before she threw her arms around the older devil.
Grayfia's mask cracked briefly, and I smiled softly at the sight. Rias deserved this. And I would do everything I could to prepare her for what came next.
Once, a long time ago, I might've even considered joining her peerage myself… but that wasn't an option anymore. Not really. And truthfully, I didn't need it. And she wasn't capable enough.
The girls, though? That was different. For them, joining would be a safety net that might boost their potential and offer protection. But it had to be their choice. I would never force something like that on them.
We hadn't discussed it openly, but I knew them well enough to sense they were considering it. Still, they had doubts, enough that even if they did decide to join, it wouldn't be before the Rating Game.
"I'll return in two days to check on your progress, Miss Rias," Grayfia said, gently brushing her hand over Rias's head. "Now, I must return to Lord Sirzechs. Good luck."
Rias's eyes widened. She opened her mouth to protest, but Grayfia vanished in a swirl of silver-blue light before she could speak.
"We agreed she'd check on us in a week… not two days," Rias said slowly, her voice tight.
Akeno giggled and nudged her King's shoulder. "Maybe she just wants to keep Lord Lucifer in the loop."
"No, that's not it," Rias muttered, shaking her head vehemently before letting out a frustrated sigh. "Whatever. Let's get started, Eli."
"We're missing people, Rias," I laughed. "Bring your peerage. All of them."
"All of them? Eli, Gasper doesn't like being outside… and his Sacred Gear can act out of nowhere," Rias said hesitantly. "I know you're strong, but we don't know if you can snap out of it."
"Rias… Gasper is part of your peerage. And you know he needs help," I said gently. "He can't stay like this forever. The girls will probably love him, and I'll do my best to help him too. But honestly, I think Madam Pranitha will be the one who helps him most."
I gave her a look, calm but firm, "From what you've told me, it sounds like he has some kind of PTSD. Pranitha has a lot of experience dealing with that."
Rias looked torn. Her eyes darted to the side before she exhaled and nodded. "Fine… Fine. I hope you're right, Sensei," she added with a teasing smirk.
She pulled out her phone and typed out a message, then walked over to me.
"Come on. We'll get Gasper, just the two of us. Kiba knows where we are; he'll teleport over in a bit. We can start training once everyone's here."
"We'll be back soon," I told the girls. "Can you check out the training grounds? And grab that thing from the Hollow... you know what I'm talking about."
"Sure thing, Eli." Iris grinned and winked at me. Hermione gave a quick nod in agreement.
I took Rias's hand, and a moment later, I felt the tug of her magic.
We reappeared in the Occult Research Club Room. I followed her down toward the basement, where she stopped before a thick steel door and knocked three times before unraveling the wards.
I hadn't noticed before, but the enchantments here were dense. This room was protected at nearly the same level as Hogwarts. As hilarious as that was, it made sense.
"Damn, that's a lot of wards," I whistled.
Rias giggled. "I know, right? I think my brother asked Lord Ajuka for help with them."
She turned back to the door and smiled.
"Gaspy, it's Rias. I brought visitors," she called gently, pushing the door open.
I looked around the room and barely held back a chuckle. Pink walls, posters of different idols, a bunch of half-eaten snacks... It looked like a shut-in gamer's lair straight out of my old life.
"Noooo!" came the shout from inside the coffin. "What are you doing here?!"
"My friend wanted to meet you, Gaspy," Rias said softly, nudging me forward. "Say hello to Elias. He's helping me train for the Rating Game against Riser."
"Rating Game?" Gasper echoed in shock. "When did you decide to fight, Rias-buchou?! Why didn't anyone tell me anythiiiiiiing?!"
"Nice to meet you, Gasper." I grinned as I saw a pink eye peeking out from a hole in the coffin. "Rias has told me a lot about you. All good things, I promise."
"H-Hello," he replied timidly.
"And Rias and her peerage didn't tell you because they didn't want to worry you," I continued, keeping my voice soft and my smile warm enough to coax him out. "But from everything Rias has said, you're a very brave boy. And she needs you now."
"Waaaaah!" Gasper wailed and scrambled even deeper into the coffin. "I hate fighting!"
Rias Gremory.
I felt Gasper's magic surge instantly, then rippled through the air and froze time.
I sighed.
I knew it would end like this… but Elias had been right, too. I knew he could make me stronger, no, make us stronger, but I couldn't beat Riser alone. And my peerage… they needed help.
Help I'd neglected for far too long.
Kiba, with his hatred for the holy swords. Akeno drowning in self-loathing because of her fallen blood. Koneko was terrified of the strength that came from her true nature. And Gaspy… sweet, broken Gaspy, haunted by fear and the weight of things he never deserved to carry.
My peerage was a mess. And it was my fault.
It was my duty to guide and lead them, not just in battle but through the pain they carried.
Instead… I'd coddled them. Smiled. Pretended everything was fine.
But I'd done nothing to fix it.
But then… something changed.
The frozen air trembled. Not with Gasper's magic but with something else. Something far more potent. Something that I didn't recognize but feared all the same.
A sound echoed through the still world.
Bells.
I blinked, and time shuddered. Cracks formed in the stillness. The ripple of magic faltered. Gasper's Sacred Gear lost its grip on the world.
And I smiled, giggling lightly.
"You did it…" I whispered. "I had hoped, but you are Amazing, Eli."
But then… the bells grew louder.
And his power didn't stop rising.
I turned toward him, only to recoil as light stabbed through my vision like blades. I cried out, shutting my eyes tightly as pressure slammed down on me like a mountain.
Elias was standing there.
No… not Elias.
His body was the same yet changed. Elongated and ethereal. His hair spilled down his back like liquid sunlight... glowing, golden, endless. His eyes were alight, but not with magic. They burned, light dancing and bleeding from the sockets, casting the world in golden flames.
And atop his head…
A crown.
A wreath of thorns, shining like starlight and spun from concepts my mind couldn't comprehend.
My breath caught, and my knees buckled.
I raised my arms to shield my face, but the light pierced through anyway. My lungs stung, my throat tightened, and suddenly, every part of me screamed with a single, primal instinct.
RUN.
RUN.
RUN.
RUN.
RUN.
I tried to call his name, my voice cracking.
"E… Elias…?"
Nothing.
He didn't hear me. Or maybe he did and chose not to respond.
I tried to move. To scream. To reach Gasper.
But I couldn't.
And then, the door exploded inward.
Sona burst in, her eyes wide with alarm, her peerage flanking her, but three of them collapsed when they crossed the threshold.
Not dead. Not hurt. Just… unconscious. Their minds were unable to comprehend what they saw.
Sona staggered, catching herself on the doorframe, eyes blazing with pure, unadulterated fear.
"Elias!" she shouted, her voice shaking. "Elias! What are you doing?!"
He didn't answer.
He floated. Floated. I didn't know he could even do that.
His feet rose inches off the ground, a golden cape unfurling from his back.
He moved toward Gasper, who lay on the floor, sobbing, curled into himself.
Sona, panicked, launched a spell. A precise beam of water that should have, at the very least, moved him.
The cloak twitched.
And the spell died before it got close. Dissolved in radiant flame.
Flowers bloomed in its place. Pale-white, shimmering petals sprouting in the trail Elias left behind.
Gasper cried out, his Sacred Gear trying to activate but failing. The time-freeze lens blinked and faltered, unable to function in Elias's presence.
And Elias?
He didn't stop.
He reached the Gaspy. Reached down. And, with impossible gentleness, scooped him up.
Cradled him in his arms like a child.
Gasper kicked, sobbing harder, trying to crawl away.
"No… no… please… don't…"
But Elias held him close.
Not like I feared, no… He held him protectively, lovingly. Like a Father to their son. A Father that would love you unconditionally, no matter what happened.
Elias held Gasper as if the boy weighed nothing.
The light pouring from him softened. No less bright but gentler now, like the warmth of a hearth instead of the sun's fury.
He looked down at the crying boy in his arms, then leaned forward and kissed his hair.
A soft glow bloomed around them, bathing Gaspy under its radiance. Gasper closed his eyes and whimpered.
"Valerie would love to see you happy," The being whispered, "To see you live your life, Gasper."
The words weren't loud. They weren't dramatic. They were simply true.
And they broke something inside Gasper.
He let out a sound between a sob and a scream, his hands clutching Elias's cloak as he wept harder than he ever had.
Relief. Pain. Love. Loss.
It all poured out.
And then, something changed.
The pressure that I knew had clung to him… lifted. The tension in his shoulders and the weight in his heart were gone. His Sacred Gear, always active, finally felt silent.
Like a burden had passed. For the first time in years… he could breathe.
And just like that, the light vanished.
The flowers curled and faded. The cloak evaporated. The air fell still. The warmth receded.
Elias blinked.
His hair dimmed, returning to its usual dark shade. The crown was gone.
He looked around, confused.
"...Rias?" he asked, voice soft. "What happened?"
He looked down. "Wait, how'd you get in my arms, Gasper?"
Gaspy stared at him with red eyes, sniffing, "D-Do you mean it…?" he whispered brokenly. "About Valerie?"
Elias tilted his head, "Who?"
A beat of silence.
"Who's Valerie?" he asked, genuinely puzzled.
Sona's sharp intake of breath was audible. I just stared, stunned.
Gasper opened his mouth, then closed it, more confused than anyone.
"I… you… you said her name," he whispered.
Elias looked genuinely concerned now. "What are you talking about, Gasper?"
He shook his head. Then, like nothing had happened, he turned toward the door and smiled at Sona.
"Hey, Sona. You must have felt Gasper's sacred gear activating, right?" he said casually, in the same warm tone he always used, "Rias, I think you've got some things to settle here."
He gently adjusted Gasper in his arms. He didn't resist this time. He just leaned into him, breathing softly. He closed his eyes peacefully.
"I'll take him to the cabin. You come back when you're ready to start the training, yeah?"
And then, in a burst of phoenix flame, Ash appeared with a cute thrill.
The fire took them.
Sona didn't speak for a long time. Her hands trembled slightly as she stared at where Elias had stood.
Then, finally, in a voice just above a whisper, she asked the only question that mattered.
"...What the hell was that?"
I sank onto the floor, "I have no idea, Sona."
Sona looked as perturbed as I. She looked around her peerage members and sighed, relieved they were breathing peacefully. The ones unconscious had tear tracks on their faces but accompanied by a smile.
I took a shuddering breath.
"It was like… I had to run, Sona. But I couldn't move. And after he kissed Gasper? I felt like I wanted to weep."
"It looked like he didn't realize what he was doing, Rias," Sona said absentmindedly, her eyes scanning the room. "Look, there's nothing here that proves what we saw… I don't like this, Rias."
I laughed weakly, wiping the tears that had started to flow.
"I think that's what terrifies me the most, Sona."
There was a moment of silence before I spoke again, slowly standing up now that I could feel my legs.
"Do you think he's dangerous?"
Sona didn't respond right away. Her eyes were still fixed on the spot Elias had stood.
"I think," she said at last, "that you need to have a serious conversation with Hermione and Iris. We must be careful with what we've brought into the supernatural world."
Elias Black.
"Get up, everyone!" I smirked. "No time to rest. Do you want to be ready in a month? Then put in the effort!"
Their groans were music to my ears.
I felt a bit bad once I started, but knowing I could heal them completely later helped. Iris and Hermione had joined the training, too, because we all knew we'd need every ounce of strength once we returned to Britain.
Kiba was the first to move, groaning as he tried to crawl to his knees. Pieces of his shattered swords were scattered all over the training ground. He was good. Much better than before, but so was I, and this time, I wasn't holding back.
Obviously, I didn't use Aetherium. That would've been too much. Kiba and Koneko were solid mid-class after all their training over the past months. Rias and Akeno were high-class now. Rias was slightly ahead, but Akeno was closing the gap fast, mostly because she wasn't afraid of pain.
Gasper, on the other hand, was still the weakest by far.
But the adorable little dhampir was perhaps the most talented of them all in the traditional sense.
What a scary and adorable little creature.
Iris and Hermione absolutely doted on him. I had to threaten "fun time consequences" just to get them to give the poor kid space after arriving.
Still… he was calm. Way more than I expected, especially after his actions in the ORC.
It had thrown me off. Rias had been visibly rattled when they returned, confused, maybe even a little afraid, but she didn't say anything. Just walked in like she hadn't been missing for twenty minutes.
Didn't stop the looks she kept throwing my way, though.
Something was going on, and I had no clue what.
Once they were all at least upright, I finally healed them the best I could. They groaned in relief, a few of them even laughing. I just grinned and bared my teeth.
"I don't know why you're all so happy," I smirked. "I'm healing you so we can keep going."
"Ugh, you are so not cool, Eli," Iris pouted, rubbing her stomach.
"Sorry, love." I blew her a kiss. "You signed up for it."
"Rias," I said, once everyone had more or less recovered and stood before me, "there's something I forgot to ask. Do you have any candidates left to fill your peerage?"
Rias's face fell.
Hell, even Akeno and Kiba looked grim, and I felt a knot form in my gut.
"There was one," Rias said slowly. "A student at Kuoh Academy. His name was Issei Hyoudou."
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
I sighed. Mostly for show.
"You know what? I think Pranitha can take the lead for now… you've earned a break from my beatings."
Pranitha stood up from the sidelines and nodded toward the group.
"What should I focus on first, dear?" she asked, tilting her head. Her eyes were bright... she'd been watching. The kind of magic the devils had used clearly excited her.
"Tactics," I replied. "Rating Games are basically small-scale wars. They need coordination, adaptability, and fast thinking. Think you can handle it? Hermione can help you come up with some scenarios."
"I think I can manage," Pranitha nodded with a small smile. "And Hermione's help will be appreciated."
The girls nodded, and I smiled softly at them. My gaze drifted to the orb sitting near the cabin's entrance, an object I'd gotten from the Grimoire months ago.
Revealing it to the devils was risky, but I trusted them. Now, they finally understood why they were getting stronger so quickly.
"Good," I said with a nod. "I've got a few errands to run. I know Grayfia stocked up on food, but I don't think she accounted for your increased appetites. I'll take care of it."
I waved a hand and gave a sharp whistle, grinning as Ash flamed into view and perched on my head.
"Can you take me back to Kuoh?" I asked, ruffling her feathers. "I'll buy you some berries."
Ash gave a thrilled cry, and we disappeared in a puff of fire.
-Scene change -
This was a mess I didn't know how to deal with.
Issei was gone. And I had nothing. Absolutely no clue, on how to figure out what really happened.
I asked around. I was charismatic as fuck, and after a couple of white lies, something about being the son of an old family friend, people were more than happy to talk.
Turns out, every Hyoudou just… vanished. One day, they were there; the next, they weren't. And weirdly, people, including those at the parents' workplaces, had fuzzy memories. Altered, clearly.
I didn't know if the devils here were behind it or if some other power was in play. But I couldn't exactly ask Rias or Sona. Not without raising questions about why I cared so much about someone I supposedly didn't know.
And this was complicated.
I didn't like Issei. Hell, I was glad he wasn't part of Rias's peerage. But the fact that I knew nothing about what happened to him? That made me nervous.
He was the wielder of the Boosted Gear, after all. And, you know, the damn protagonist of DxD.
No one knew anything. And I was getting sick of their non-answers.
So, I did what I said I came out here to do. I went to the market and bought food.
Rias had been generous enough to give us more than enough cash for the stay.
Meat, meat, and more meat. A bunch of spices, fresh vegetables, and everything Dobby might need for meals. The little house-elf had been thrilled about learning a new cuisine.
After stealthily stuffing everything into my Hollow, I continued my walk across town.
Kuoh was calm. And beautiful, in a way London never was.
I liked it here, even though I knew the city was in for a rough time, considering the timeline.
"Huh," I muttered, realizing where my feet had taken me. "Well… I've got time to kill."
A quick glance at my phone confirmed it, barely an hour had passed.
Then, my stomach growled as a wave of something savory hit me. I turned toward a small vendor by the park, the smell dragging me forward like a spell. I pulled out my phone.
Smiling at the vendor, I raised the phone so he'd see I was using a translator.
His eyes lit up in recognition, and I jumped into the weird little dance of cross-language conversation.
"Hello! What are you selling? It smells amazing," I said, waiting for the app to do its job.
The vendor grinned as it played the translation. "Takoyaki," he replied slowly. "It's octopus, inside a ball of batter. Delicious."
My translator whispered it back, and I nodded, smiling as I held up two fingers.
He gave me a thumbs-up and began preparing two servings. I paid, waved gratefully, and headed over to a bench with the warm, fragrant tray in hand.
"Damn, this is good," I murmured after my first bite. And it really was.
I smiled as I watched the kids playing in the nearby playground, their parents keeping a relaxed eye on them from a distance.
There was a lot of noise, but it was nice. Peaceful.
I winced when one of the kids tripped and scraped his knee near my bench. I was about to stand up and help him, but someone beat me to it.
A girl in a nun's habit knelt beside the crying boy, and my eyes widened at the scene.
Something stirred in my mind, a memory. This was what happened in canon.
Asia Argento. I think that was her name.
Her hands began to glow softly as she healed the boy, who looked up at her with awe and thanked her with innocent sincerity. Asia smiled brightly at the praise, shining more than her magic.
I couldn't understand a word, and judging by her expression, neither could she.
She stood just as the boy's mother rushed over. The child tried to say something else, but the woman hushed him and gently patted Asia's head before taking him away.
"Hello," I said in English, hoping she'd know at least a little.
Asia jumped slightly, turning to me with wide eyes. She blushed and quickly averted her gaze.
"Hello," she replied softly in fluent English.
Thank God.
Asia's stomach growled... loudly.
I blinked, then chuckled. She immediately clutched her abdomen and turned even redder.
"Hungry?" I asked, lifting the untouched second tray of takoyaki and offering it to her.
She shook her head quickly. "No, I... I couldn't possibly..."
Grrrrrrr.
Her stomach betrayed her again, louder this time. She whimpered, face flushed to her ears, then gave a slight, guilty nod.
"I just… I need to get my bag," she mumbled.
"Let me help," I said before she could protest.
She led me a few steps to where she'd left her worn bag beneath a tree, and I picked it up easily. It was heavier than it looked, but nothing I couldn't handle. Probably everything she owned.
Asia blinked in surprise but didn't say anything as I gestured toward the bench I'd been sitting on. She followed me quietly.
We sat down, and I handed her the tray. She hesitated, bowing her head slightly before picking up a toothpick and trying one of the balls. Her eyes lit up at the taste.
"It's delicious," she said softly. "Thank you. Really. For the food… and for the company."
I smiled at her. "Anytime."
A few minutes passed in silence. The sounds of children playing carried on in the background. She ate slowly, politely, but fast. I felt bad. She was as thin as a branch. Probably weighted less than 100 pounds.
Then she shifted, suddenly more reserved.
"I should go," she said quietly. "I need to find the church before the sun goes down."
I looked at her for a moment before smiling gently. "Of course, let me help you."
I reached over and patted her head gently.
Her eyes fluttered shut at the touch, relaxing under my hand like a kitten basking in the sun. She reminded me of Luna.
"Actually," I said as I stood, "if you don't mind, I can walk you there. I doubt many people speak fluent English, and I passed by the church earlier while asking around for something else."
She looked up, startled. "You'd come with me?"
I nodded. "Of course. Can't let you walk around alone after sharing takoyaki, can I?"
Asia smiled shyly but genuinely.
"Thank you, mister," She nodded and stood up. "I was worried. I don't know any Japanese yet."
"We're in the same boat," I grinned, "And my name is Elias Black, at your service, miss."
"Like the prophet?" she murmured low enough that I had to strain my senses, and then she smiled beautifully. "My name is Asia Argento. Nice to meet you, Mister Elias."
"Please, just Elias is fine," I waved my hand and grabbed her bag.
"Let's go. I was looking for some answers. Maybe the people in the church can help."
I doubted that the fallen were responsible for Issei's disappearance, but asking wouldn't hurt. At least, hurt me.
........
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