Chereads / Living as I Please (LAP) / Chapter 25 - Chapter 25

Chapter 25 - Chapter 25

"___" Text speech

'___' Internal thoughts

[___] status

(___) skills

(Great Sage:___)

{Author:___} author notes

Some things are subject to change depending on how I develop this story

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The sight in the alley was troubling, but it also piqued Meelis' interest. The girl, though clearly outmatched, displayed a fierce determination that caught his eye. Her blonde hair was matted with dirt, but her resolve was unmistakable. She stood defiantly in front of the group of beaten kids, her fists clenched despite the clear disadvantage she faced. The men attacking her seemed like low-level thugs, not particularly powerful, but their numbers gave them the upper hand.

'So, that's her, then, Jeanne.' Meelis pondered as he observed her and used (Discerning Eye) on her to verify just in case.

[Name: Jeanne D'Arc]

[Age: 11]

[Occupation: none]

[Skills; none]

[Sacred Gears: Blade Blacksmith]

{Author: Ik her last name wasn't stated and technically she isn't supposed to be here since shes French not Italian but wtv consider it AU screw ups}

Rias' eyes narrowed in concern; her compassionate side emerging. "We need to stop this," she said softly, stepping forward, but Meelis raised a hand to halt her.

"Wait," Meelis said, his eyes sharp as he observed the girl. "This one has potential. She's fighting like her life depends on it, and there's something about her aura... she might have a Sacred Gear. Let's see how far she can go."

Grayfia gave Meelis a sidelong glance but didn't argue. She felt that Meelis knew more than he let on but as a top tier maid she wasn't one to question her master's order, especially Meelis' orders as she felt like she shouldn't displease him. Rias, however, was visibly torn between helping immediately and letting the girl prove herself.

The girl took another hit, falling to the ground, but she quickly scrambled back to her feet. Her eyes were fierce, full of defiance, even as her body struggled to keep up.

"You're not going to win," one of the thugs sneered, advancing on her. "Why don't you just give up, little girl? No one's coming to save you."

The girl spat her blood at his feet, her voice raspy but unyielding. "I don't need saving. I can handle scum like you."

The thug's face twisted in anger, and he raised his hand to strike her again. That was when something within the girl finally moved.

As the thugs advanced on the blonde girl, her body began to radiate a faint, golden glow. The air around her grew heavy with a sudden surge of holy energy, and Meelis, Rias, and Grayfia paused in their tracks, sensing the unmistakable holy power.

The leader of the thugs sneered, not noticing the change and mocked Jeanne, "You're still going to lose, girl. Just give up!"

But Jeanne's eyes had changed. They were no longer filled with fear or exhaustion but something far more dangerous and impressive, resolve.

Without warning, the glowing aura around her intensified, and in a flash of blinding light, a sword materialized in her hand. It was a simple, holy attribute sword, not one of the famed Excalibur fragments, but it crackled with Holy power. The thugs froze, suddenly aware they were no longer dealing with an average little girl anymore.

"You shouldn't have pushed me, you shouldn't have attacked innocent kids." Jeanne muttered, gripping the sword tightly. "Now you'll pay for it."

The thugs hesitated, but the leader, either too blinded by arrogance or stupidity, maybe both, charged at her. Jeanne moved with newfound grace and speed, the holy sword slicing through the air in a swift arc. With a clean strike, she literally disarmed the thug, sending his arm clattering to the ground.

The other men faltered, fear creeping into their expressions as they watched Jeanne not only materialize a sword out of nowhere like some magician, but also handle the sword with skill far beyond what they'd expected from a little girl holding a sword longer than her height. One of the thugs tried to attack her from behind, but Jeanne effortlessly spun around, deflecting his blow and knocking him to the ground with a well-placed kick.

Meelis, watching from the shadows, couldn't help but smile, impressed by her sudden transformation, if he didn't know any better, he'd have thought that she was a reincarnated master swordsman as her movements despite some clumsiness were filled with finesse. The holy aura around her was strong, and the sword she summoned, though not legendary, was proof enough that she possessed latent potential, likely tied to her Sacred Gear.

Rias watched with wide eyes. "She's… incredible," she whispered. "That power… it's holy power."

Grayfia's expression remained calm, but she was clearly intrigued. "Indeed. She's a Sacred Gear user, though there are many similar sacred gears, the most common for Holy attribute Sacred Gears is the Blade Blacksmith, though it's hard to tell whether that is her Sacred Gear or another type, we have not seen the full extent of her abilities just yet."

As a 600+ year old devil, Grayfia has seen her fair share of Sacred Gear users and many of the different variety of Sacred Gears, so she has some experience deducting which Sacred Gears the blonde girl could have unlocked.

Jeanne, now fully in control of the fight, faced the last of the thugs. He dropped his body to the ground, his hands trembling as he scooted away. "P-Please, I don't want any trouble! We won't bother you anymore!"

Jeanne glared at him, but her glowing sword flickered and began to fade as the holy energy subsided. She lowered her weapon, the light in her eyes dimming slightly. "Get out of here. And don't ever come near these kids again."

The thug didn't need to be told twice. He scrambled to his feet and ran off, leaving Jeanne standing alone in the alley, panting from the exertion. Her body was still recovering from the sudden burst of holy power, and the sword she summoned had vanished.

For her, despite how amazingly she handled her awakening like some shonen protagonist during his first fight, she was in awe of the sword she summoned, and the strength she gained when using said sword, however as soon as she ended the fight, her stamina and adrenaline wore off and now she was feeling the effects of fatigue.

As she caught her breath, Jeanne turned to see Meelis, Rias, and Grayfia approaching her. Her guard went up immediately, her eyes narrowing. "Who are you?" she asked, still holding a defensive stance despite her exhaustion.

Meelis stepped forward, his gaze calm and appraising. "We're not your enemies. In fact, we might be able to help you."

Jeanne didn't lower her guard, but she listened, still wary of potential attacks. "Help me? I've never needed anyone's help before."

Rias smiled kindly, stepping up beside Meelis. "You have a great power inside you, Jeanne, but without guidance, that power could be dangerous, not just to others, but to yourself. We can help you control it, harness it. You could become something far more than you are now."

Meelis couldn't help but take a second look towards Rias, 'It seems I might've underestimated her a bit, she's a devil alright.' He always took Rias as a bit naïve even if unintentionally or subconsciously, but the way Rias is talking to Jeanne made him reevaluate his opinion of her just a bit.

Jeanne hesitated, the words sinking in. She had always felt she was different, that there was something inside her that made her stronger, but she had never understood it. Just like how she could fight with a sword despite never having fought using one before, or how she brutally crippled some low level thugs without a shred of remorse.

 Now, standing in front of these strangers, she stupidly felt like they might have the answers she had been searching for, despite not having any logical reason to back up that feeling.

"You summoned a holy sword," Grayfia added, her voice smooth but stern. "That's no ordinary feat for a human. You're tied to something greater, something supernatural."

Jeanne glanced at where the sword had vanished, then back at the group. Her heart was racing, torn between her instincts to survive alone and the temptation of understanding the power she had just unleashed.

"I… I don't know if I can trust you," Jeanne said quietly, though she sounded more uncertain than hostile now.

Meelis smiled at her, "You don't have to decide right now. But if you want to learn more about your power, if you want to become something greater, then come with us. We can help you, and you won't have to face this world alone anymore."

Jeanne looked at them all, her mind racing. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she nodded slowly. "Alright… I'm listening."

The group exchanged glances, knowing they had found someone special. Jeanne had potential, and under proper guidance, she could become a powerful ally in the future for battles to come.

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LP: 500

Devil Nobility Class: Low, Mid, High, Ultimate, Special (these are the actual cannon rankings of DxD)

Devil Strength Rank: Low(F), Mid(E), High(D), Ultimate(C), Satan(B-), Maxed Longinus(B), Dragon Kings(B+), Heavenly Dragons/Super Devils(A), Indra/Shiva(A+), Ophis/Red(S+ to EX)