Nodding to myself, my eyes then get a deadly glint to them as I look over the city.
'But I still have some garbage to remove from her worlds. After all, that one human had the right of it. You don't turn your back on family, and nothing is more important than family.'
Stepping off the side of the building, I plummet down to the side walk where I smoothly enter the shadow of a passerby. Seconds later I step out of a shadow on the roof of a school. As I ripped the door of the hinges to get into the school, I couldn't help but grumble a little bit.
'I can see the systems just fine, but I can never sense them. Such a pain that I need to actually get visual confirmation first. I can sense some rather "powerful" souls in the school at least.'
Making it to the floor that had the first several strong feeling souls, I started to make my way towards them. I was rather unimpressed with the school itself as I made my way down the empty halls.
'Well, it would go against the entire point now that I think about it if the school kind of screamed "supernatural things happen here!" by just looking at it.'
Soon enough, I came up to my destination. Beside the door there was a plaque that simply said "Student council" letting me know who was most likely behind the door. Without wasting any time, I simply opened the double doors.
As the doors opening drew the attention of the few people inside, I was quickly able to tell they couldn't see me, not even Sona Sitri. Currently, she was behind her desk, working diligently while the queen of her peerage, Tsubaki Shinra, was in the midst of serving her some tea.
(Source: https://highschooldxd.fandom.com/wiki/Sona_Sitri)
(Source: https://highschooldxd.fandom.com/wiki/Tsubaki_Shinra)
One the couch that was facing inwards to the room, was a few other members of her peerage. That being Genshirou Saji and Momo Hanakai.
(Source: https://highschooldxd.fandom.com/wiki/Genshirou_Saji)
(Source: https://highschooldxd.fandom.com/wiki/Momo_Hanakai)
They were all looking at the, to them, empty doorway with confusion.
Genshirou: "Uhhh…?"
Tsubaki: "That startled me. Who opened the doors?"
As they were all just looking on, I confirmed that none of them had a system or appeared to be corrupted by the Light like how Lilly did to the Blue Roses. As I was about to leave, something caught my attention. I noticed that Sona was indeed looking towards my person.
'Can she see me after all?'
Having my interest piqued, I walked into the room proper and made my way to her desk. As I was walking up to her, she was indeed tracking my movements. She looked more confused than anything however.
Sona: "Who… what?"
She managed to ask a question when I was right in front of her desk.
Tsubaki: "Sona?"
I lean slightly forward over Sona's desk and ask. "Can you see me, child?"
Sona ended up frowning and tilting her head in confusion.
Sona: "I can't hear you. What are you? Never mind hear, I can almost not even see you. Are you a spirit, or a lost ghost?"
'So that's the way of it then. Her soul is just barely strong enough to even register me it seems. And not strong enough to actually hear me.'
I shake my head in a little disappointment. Looking across her desk, I reached over and grabbed her little pile of sticky notes and a pen.
Tsubaki: "Oh my!"
Genshirou: "Ghosts are real?!"
Ignoring them, I wrote a singular word on the sticky note, and then tossed both the notes and pen back down on her desk. As I turn to leave, she reaches for the sticky note and reads it out loud when I am nearly back at the doors.
Sona: "Hunter?"
Leaving Sona and her peerage, I left the room and turned towards the next soul with some strength to it. Reaching the ground floor, I frowned as I got closer to the classroom that had the soul I was tracking in it.
'That is a very powerful soul next to the one I am heading towards. And it feels almost familiar to me. Is this Ddraig?'
Turning to my left, I open the classroom door. The act had caused the teacher to stop, and look towards me. Ignoring everyone, I stepped into the classroom and peered over everyone.
'Again, no system or Light corruption. And there he is, the wannabe harem king himself: Issei Hyoudou, and even Asia Argento next to him. And I am super impressed with how pure Asia's soul is. If I didn't know she was a resident of this world, I would have thought she was an agent of the Light with how pure she is.'
(Source: https://highschooldxd.fandom.com/wiki/)
I started to make my way over to Issei, and much to my expectations, neither he nor Asia were tracking my movements. Though Issei was looking around in my general direction as if searching for something, leading me to believe that Ddraig can sense me and is trying to point me out to his current host.
Speaking of the welsh dragon, as I got close to Issei, I was able to see a faint red aura over his left hand. It felt distinctly familiar and draconic.
Artoria: "I know you can sense me, Red Dragon. We will need to have a talk later, when your useless host isn't in the middle of a bunch of Mundanes. Though, I don't know if I should be disgusted, humiliated, or laugh that a dragon that feels so familiar to me, is trapped in a thing connected to a human."
Taking another glance at Asai's impressively pure soul, I confirmed that no-one in the class is corrupted by the light. Satisfied for now, I sink into a shadow and leave the classroom. Stepping out of the shadows near the back exit of the school, I look beyond to where the Occult Research Club Room should be at.
Following the pathway to the "Club Room" I was able to confirm three souls within it. I arrived in front of the Club after a few minutes of walking, and could only whistle at the looks of it.
'Devil princess really got a good place for her base of operations.'
(Source: https://highschooldxd.fandom.com/wiki/Occult_Research_Club)
Not feeling like going through the front doors, I sink into my shadow and step out of one along the wall inside.
Looking around, I see Rias Gremory and her queen Akeno Himejima talking to each other at her desk. Much to my expectation, neither of them reacted to my presence at all. I took a look around, and let out another whistle.
(Source: Random screenshot from the anime)
(Source: https://highschooldxd.fandom.com/wiki/Rias_Gremory)
(Source: https://highschooldxd.fandom.com/wiki/Akeno_Himejima)
'She's got good taste, I'll give her that.'
As I was starting to ponder exactly what I should do, I suddenly felt two familiar souls making their way towards the ORC.
'I guess he or Ddraig, or both really, really couldn't wait till after school.'
I was able to sense Issei and Asai making their way over to our location, at a relatively fast pace. Few minutes later, Issei came bursting through the doors yelling.
Issei: "President! Ddraig said-"
He startled the two girls who were working moments ago, but before anyone else could say anything else, Ddraig appeared on Issei's left hand.
Ddraig: "What are you? You're not my child, even though you feel so much like me that it crossed my mind for a split second."
Issei looked down at his arm and tilted his head in confusion.
Issei: "Ddraig?"
Artoria: "Really impatient, aren't you Hatchling?"
'Hehe, I'll tease a bit and take a page from Great Red. After all, I think I am far older than Ddraig.'
Ddraig: "Hatchling? No, never mind that, that is not important. What. Are. You."
Artoria: "I'll give you an easy hint. 'The once and future king.'"
Ddraig: "The once and future… you mean to tell me you are King Arthur?"
Artoria: "I am."
Ddraig: "Bullshit. For one, King Arthur was male. And two, you feel much more ancient than it would be possible for King Arthur. Not to mention, while you feel exactly like a dragon, the Darkness in you is staggering. King Arthur was pure, or at least, way more pure than you."
Artoria: "I said I was King Arthur. When did I say I was your King Arthur?"
Ddraig was silent again at that retort, while Issei was trying to get him to talk and tell them what was going on.
Issei: "Damn it, Ddraig! Answer me. What is going on, and who the hell are you talking too??"
Ddraig: "No need to yell, Partner. Standing before you, as she claims, is King Arthur Pendragon. And while she feels nearly identical to myself, she also has a maddening deep Darkness to her…"
Issei: "She? Wait, King Arthur was a girl?"
Ddraig: "No, King Arthur was a man."
While Issei and Ddraig started to talk to everyone else in the room, I took notice of several souls approaching the ORC.
'Sona and her peerage. And a few I don't recognize.'
It didn't take Sona long to arrive, and she entered when Issei was still getting confused by what Ddraig was trying to say.
Rias: "Ah, Sona. Welcome. What brings you here today? And welcome back Yuuto."
Kiba: "President."
(Source: https://highschooldxd.fandom.com/wiki/Yuuto_Kiba)
Sona: "Rias, hello. I am here because I had an… oh."
As she was about to explain her reason for being here, her eyes passed over me. Giving her a small smile, I nod my head and point at Issei's left hand.
Sona: "What is going on? It seems the subject of the topic I wanted to talk to you about is already here?"
Rias: "Huh? Uhh, The Red Dragon Emperor was talking to someone. We think? He said she is Arthur Pendragon?"
Sona's eyes widened at that, and she turned to me.
Sona: "You're King Arthur?"
I simply nodded my head, while her eyes seemed to sparkle a tad as she adjusted her glasses.
Sona: "How interesting. To think King Arthur was a woman, and not a man."
Ddraig: "Stop saying that damn it. King Arthur was a man. I would know, I was around when he was."
Sona: "Wait, you were lying?"
I shook my head and said, "I am not. I am King Arthur. Real name is Artoria though."
Sona sighed and said, "I still can't hear you."
Ddraig: "But you can at least see her?"
Sona then walked into the room along with the rest of her peerage and sat down on one of the couches.
Sona: "I can, however she is horribly transparent. I would easily never notice her if I didn't pay attention."
Issei: "Wait, someone is actually standing near me? Ghosts… ghosts are real?"
With my voice laced with exasperation I say, "I am not a ghost fool, I am a Heroic Spirit. Corrupted Heroic Spirit, but still."
'Actually, to be fair, I no longer know what I exactly am. I think I am well beyond being a Heroic Spirit at this point, corrupted or not.'
Ddraig: "Heroic spirit, is it?"
Issei: "Spirit?! So she is a ghost!"
Getting annoyed, I accidentally let out a tiny bit of killing intent at being called a ghost again. Everyone in the room stiffened like a deer caught in the headlights of a car. Quickly realising my mistake, I get my killing intent back under control.
Artoria: "Little whelp. Tell your host to stop calling me a ghost, or I am going to send him through a wall."
Ddraig: "R-right. Partner, she really does not like you calling her a ghost. Don't, or she said she'll send us through a wall."
Issei gulped and nodded his head vigorously while saying, "Right! Sorry King Arthur!"
Sighing I say, "Ddraig, tell them my name is actually Artoria. Just Artoria is fine."
Ddraig: "She says her name is Artoria, and to simply use that instead of calling her King Arthur."
Issei: "C-can d-do, A-Artoria!"
Artoria: "Such children indeed, to be shaking so much by such a paltry amount of killing intent."
Releasing a sigh, I just shake my head.
Artoria: "Whatever, not important. I came by to make sure the target of my hunt wasn't among these children, or if they had infected them. As both seem to not be the case, I have other things to do. I am going to go check on the other soul I feel in this building. While I do that, Ddraig, tell the Master of your host to contact her brother for an immediate meeting."
Stepping backwards into a shadow on the wall before Ddraig could respond, I slipped on over to who I assume to be Gasper. Stepping out in the middle of the room, since it was pitch black, I take note that he is indeed like the rest, and free of Light's corruption.
(Source: https://highschooldxd.fandom.com/wiki/Gasper_Vladi)
'Well, it's good that they are not getting changed, but where the hell is the Reincarnator? Don't tell me I have to deal with another pigeon?'
With a sigh at the thought of having to deal with another angel, I sensed some magic going off back in the main room of the ORC. Without wasting any more time, I sunk back into the shadows and returned there.
Grayfia: "And who am I taking to Sirzechs-sama, Ria-"
She stopped talking and spun around the moment I stepped out of the shadows.
Artoria: "That would be me. Good sign that the 'strongest queen' can at least sense me, unlike the other children here."
She narrowed her eyes at me, and looked me over for a few seconds before speaking up.
Grayfia: "And who exactly are you? Rias-sama was sparse on the details of the personage who wanted an immediate meeting with Sirzechs-sama."
Artoria: "You may call me Artoria. And that will have to do for now. I grow tired of repeating myself, so I will expand on who I am in the meeting with Sirzechs."
Peering at me again for several seconds she says, "Fine. But I should warn you, if you try anything-"
Artoria: "There would be absolutely nothing you could do about it, Grayfia. I care not for your less than idle threats and warnings. Let's go."
She released a small huff, and then nodded her head while motioning me to stand near here.
'Trusting in the strength of your husband and yourself a little too much there, wonder maid. Oh well, it works for me.'
She then turned to the children and gave a small bow.
Grayfia: "Until next time, Rias-sama, Sona-sama."
Rias: "Uh, right! It was nice seeing you, even if it was for so short of a time, Grayfia!"
Sona: "Good day, Grayfia."
And with that, the Gremory magic crest appeared under us and lit up. The feeling of their teleportation magic was actually rather pleasant, and practically unnoticeable.
'Always appreciate teleportation methods that don't make you want to puke.'
Grayfia: "This way, Artoria-dono."
'"Dono" is it? Heh.'
We had appeared in what seemed to be the lounging room of their main house. Or I guess I should say, mansion. As she led me down the fancy halls of their home, I could appreciate their taste in decorating. A lot of dark colours with even more purple. Most of it gave off the style of a classic "royalty" feeling that the old kings and queens used.
We eventually ended up in front of a pair of double doors, which Grayfia knocked on.
Grayfia: "Sirzechs-sama. I have brought the guest."
Soon, we heard him giving her permission to enter. As she opened the door and led me into his office, it took a quick glance around. Was a pretty standard looking office, with his main desk at the back of the room with a window behind it. In the middle of the room was a coffee table, with two couches flanking it. Most of the walls were covered in books.
Sirzechs looked up from his paperwork, and looked me over, while I did the same to him.
(Sirzechs and Grayfia. Source: https://highschooldxd.fandom.com/wiki/Sirzechs_Lucifer)
Sirzechs: "Welcome, Miss. My name is Sirzechs Lucifer, the Satan in charge of Domestic affairs."
I narrowed my eyes at him, and after a few seconds I introduced myself as Grayfia made her way to stand behind him.
Artoria: "I am Artoria Alter, Champion of the Dark Goddess Tearwyn. And you…"
I then summon Excalibur Morgan, causing both Sirzechs and Grayfia to snap at attention with a very noticeable grimace and get ready for combat.
Artoria: "Have been corrupted by the Light."
[author] Here's chapter 32 for everyone~. A moment of silence for my graphics card, as the fan header in it died. I can no longer game, and don't have the money to replace my card~! Damn it! *sigh* Oh well. Anyway, I'll see you all in the next chapter~.[/author]