AN: Hello everyone!!!! How is your week going so far? Hope everything is fine for all of you!
Anyways, as promised here is the 1st update for this week!
Please enjoy~
====W---Break---W====
Astral Express, DxD World orbit..
At the other side of the lounge, not far from Anisphia and the rest, Alice sat comfortably with Lavinia Reni, Sona Sitri, and Sagiri Ameno. The topic of their conversation had naturally turned to the one thing they all shared in common—Hajime.
"So," Alice began with a small smile as she stirred her tea, "how are you three feeling… now that we're all here together?"
"I have to admit, it was strange." Sona stared into her cup as she spoke. "Because of my curiosity, I challenged him to a formal chess match. Which led us here today, where I became his fiancée." She chuckled softly before glancing at Alice. "And now, all I can say is I'm glad I did."
Lavinia giggled. "I know how that feels! Hakkun got me hooked(pun intended)when he fished up and slammed that Sea Serpent on the ground for mocking his fishing skills. At first, I just wanted to see his world for myself. But the more I saw, the more I wanted to understand him. Before I knew it, I wanted to become part of the future he's trying to build."
Sagiri glanced down at her cup. "I'm still figuring it out. I know Amaterasu-sama had her reasons for assigning me as liaison to your group… but even with that, I don't dislike being around him. It feels... natural. Like somehow, I fit in better here than I ever expected."
Alice chuckled, narrowing her eyes as she remembered her own meeting with Hajime. "He has that effect. One day you're arguing with him over which café has the better tea and cakes, and the next… he's holding your hand like it's the most natural thing in the world."
Lavinia leaned forward with a grin. "See? Hakkun has a knack for pulling people in without even trying. Before you know it, you're stuck wondering how you ever lived without the chaos."
Sona gave a small sigh, lips twitching into a smile. "And then you realize… the chaos isn't so bad when he's the one at the center of it."
Alice's smile slowly faded as her tone changed. "But let me ask you seriously. Are you all really prepared for what being with Hajime means?"
The three looked up at her, surprised by the sudden seriousness.
"I don't mean to scare you," Alice continued. "But the life he leads is different. He's faced and will continue to face impossible situations, battles, and expectations. We can't promise you safety or stability. Being with him means standing with him through all of that."
Sona considered it for a moment, then nodded. "I know it won't be easy. And yes, I'm always worrying about how I can keep up with all of you. I'm not as strong or gifted as the rest… but if the path forward means walking beside him, I'd rather take every step than stay behind."
Lavinia smiled, her tone playful yet sincere. "Hehehe, you asked such silly questions, Al-chan! But isn't that what this is all about? Standing together with someone, especially when things get messy. That's what makes us family."
Sagiri lowered her gaze for a moment, then lifted her eyes with conviction. "Maybe this all started as a political arrangement… but my choice is my own. I, Sagiri Ameno, will stand by his side, with all of you, no matter what lies ahead."
Alice's expression softened as she set her cup down. "Then that's all I needed to hear."
For a moment the girls sat in comfortable silence, each lost in thought after laying their hearts bare. Then Lavinia broke it with a mischievous grin, raising her cup. "To Hakkun's chaos… and the ridiculous patience we'll need to survive it."
Sona chuckled and clinked her cup against Lavinia's. "To chaos, then."
Sagiri raised hers as well, smiling faintly. "And to us, for being crazy enough to accept it."
Alice laughed softly as all four cups met with a gentle clink. The tension melted away, replaced with warmth and camaraderie.
—-
With surprises, reunions, and forgiveness unfolding all across the Express, Noah sat at the lounge with Gabriel, Kiana, and Sirin, joined by Tobio, Kouki, Ingvild, and Hajime. Their eyes wandered toward Yuuna, who was slowly getting used to her new body as she laughed and ate beside Yaya, Chitose, Nonko, Sae, Shigune, Natsume and Elysia who gently combed Yuuna's hair while the others teased her.
"Thanks, Noah, for helping me with this," Hajime said, his gaze never leaving the girls enjoying themselves.
Noah lifted his glass, freshly refilled by Villhaze, and replied with his usual smile. "It's fine, really. I didn't do much. Hii's friend was the one who did the real work."
Hajime chuckled softly. "Then I'll have to thank them once I meet both of them again."
"They'd be happier if you gave them a curio to play with or some strange lifeform," Noah answered with a grin.
That earned raised eyebrows from Tobio and the rest from the DxD world, curiosity appearing in their expressions. Before they could ask however, Vali walked up to their table.
"Captain of the Astral Express, did you have your dessert?" Vali asked with his trademark smirk, voice carrying across the lounge.
"Oi, Vali, just what are you up to now?" Tobio groaned, rubbing his forehead.
Noah chuckled, clearly amused. "Well, I did have Lumi's special chocolate cake. So in a sense… Yes, I've had my dessert."
"Perfect," Vali replied without missing a beat. "Now I can challenge you to a duel."
The entire lounge fell silent. All conversations died instantly as dozens of eyes turned toward the two. Faces froze in shock at Vali's declaration.
"You said it yourself, anyone can challenge someone to a duel after dessert. So I'll take you at your word," Vali said, his smirk sharpening into a serious glare.
"Leader of the Trailblazers. The man who burned the Beast of Apocalypse to oblivion. The very same beast that even this world's strongest, never dared to face." He narrowed his eyes, locking onto Noah's calm smile. "You won't back down from your own words, will you?"
The warm atmosphere of the party turned tense. Kiana and Sirin's eyes narrowed, Elysia's smile sharpened, and Lumine lifted her brows as she calmly accepted a glass of juice from Belfast. Gabriel fidgeted nervously.
Hajime crossed his arms while Ingvild stiffened at his side, both sensing the sudden change in the atmosphere.
Azazel, who is with the other leaders of the Three Factions and Shinto-Youkai faction, cheek twitched. "...This brat."
"Va-kun?! Just what are you saying?!" Lavinia hurried to his side, ready to scold him like she always did.
Vali's brows furrowed before he glanced at her. "Stay out of this, Lavinia."
The sharp tone stunned her into silence. Alice, Sagiri, Sona, Anisphia, and Euphyllia quickly moved toward her in support, while the Slash/Dog team and Yuuragi-sou residents instinctively went close around her as well.
"Vali, I understand you want to challenge Noah-san, but that tone you used toward Lavi is something we can't ignore." Tobio's eyes hardened, jaw tight as Sae squeezed his hand to calm him. Shigune and Natsume held Kouki back by the arms, keeping him in place as his anger flared.
"And here I thought my image of you was improving… then you go and spout something like this." Anisphia narrowed her eyes, while she and Alice gently patted Lavinia's back. "How about this? Come and defeat me first, the weakest among the Astral Express crew, before you start aiming that high."
"Alright, everyone, let's calm down for a second." Noah stood up and clapped his hands once. A wave of Force rippled out, washing over the room with a calming presence that eased the tension.
Once the mood lightened, Noah smiled and turned his attention back to Vali. "Vali, was it?"
Vali gave a firm nod. "Vali Lucifer. That is my name."
Noah inclined his head. "Then, Vali, for your duel request—sure, I don't mind."
His answer shocked not only the guests but the crew as well.
"Noah, you…" Hajime stared at him in disbelief.
"Captain?" Even Kiana's eyes widened at his acceptance.
"I will duel you, sure. And I'm also willing to use a Divine Key but only under one condition," Noah added calmly. His words, however, broke the crew's composure.
"Wait! Wait a moment, Captain!!" Anisphia turned sharply to Noah, panic clear in her voice. "I can still understand you accepting his challenge, but to use a Divine Key against him? That's a bit too much, don't you think?"
"That's right, Captain." Alice frowned, her tone tense with slight panic. "It's not like I look down on Vali-san's strength, but… using your main weapons against him is like exposing an ant directly at the center of the Sun."
Vali's eyes narrowed at Alice's description. The seriousness from her words hung heavily, making the atmosphere tense once more.
"Excuse me but…" Lavinia raised her voice carefully, glancing at Noah before looking at the others. "Hearing Al-chan and An-chan so firmly against Captain-san using these 'Divine Keys,' I can't help but ask… just what makes everyone want to stop him from using it against Va-kun?"
"Divine Keys are Noah's most powerful weapons. In his hands, each is capable of destroying a planet with ease." Lumine's calm voice carried through the room, casually twirling her cup.
"Hmm~ He usually only brings them out against enemies strong enough to actually threaten him… or when the fate of a world is on the line," Elysia added, standing beside Lumine.
"If you are curious about how strong a Divine Key is, just remember the weapon Noah used to erase that pesky beast a few weeks back," Sirin added casually, resting her chin on her hand.
A cold sweat slid down Vali's back. The DxD team who had seen Noah unleash that attack, even with Trihexa far on the other side of reality, trembled as they remembered the searing heat and crushing energy pouring from that sword.
"Can you all please not act like I'm about to commit murder here?" Noah groaned, facepalming. "I do know my own limits, okay? It's not like I'm going to drop a black hole like Hajime always does."
Hajime's cheek twitched. "Yeah, because what you do isn't much better. You burn everything around you just by standing there."
Noah waved him off. "Anyway, Vali—like I said, I don't mind fighting you, I will even use my Divine Key, but only under one condition."
Vali took a deep breath, licking his dry lips. ".....What is your condition?"
Noah smirked. "I want you and the Red Dragon to cooperate and fight me together."
Issei Hyoudou who was innocently standing at the side, suddenly stiffened. "Eh?!"
—--
'How did it turn out like this?!' Issei thought, trembling in the middle of the training arena inside the Express. Beside him, Vali stood tall, staring straight at their opponent the leader of the Trailblazers, Captain Noah Alden, still wearing his homely hoodie with that calm smile never leaving his face. Between them, Hajime waited, arms crossed, ready to act as referee for the match.
'I haven't even achieved my dream to become a harem king, and yet today I'm going to die!' Issei whimpered to himself, tears welling in his eyes.
"Your host is truly a menace, White One," Draig muttered as the Boosted Gear manifested on Issei's arm, startling him.
"...I have no words to counter that," Albion replied as the Divine Dividing spread its wings at Vali's back.
Around the arena, the guests from the party had gathered to watch. Excitement mixed with unease painted their faces. They wanted to see firsthand how Noah would fight, this was the man who had burned the Trihexa to nothing, against Vali, the descendant of the Original Lucifer and wielder of Divine Dividing, and Issei Hyoudou, host of the Boosted Gear. But nervousness outweighed the thrill. Noah was not just any opponent; he was the one who led the Nameless, a group of powerful individuals who can safely travel and face the dangers across the vast universe. The Heavenly Dragons might give their hosts some advantage, but compared to Trihexa, this was an entirely different scale.
At one side, Lavinia sat surrounded by Alice, Anisphia, Euphyllia, Sona, Sagiri, Ingvild, the maid team, the Yuuragi-sou residents, the Slash/Dog team, and the girls of Noah, who couldn't help but worry about Vali.
"I still can't wrap my head around this," Anisphia muttered with arms crossed, brows furrowed. "Accepting his challenge is one thing, but for Captain to actually use his Divine Key against them… it just feels wrong."
"Here, Anis, want some cookies?" Kiana offered with a grin. Anisphia gave her a deadpan look before huffing and taking a piece anyway.
Seeing her munch on the cookie, Kiana laughed. "Relax, okay? Captain has his reasons. And just like what we always do, trust him."
Anisphia pouted, snatching another cookie. Alice gave her a wry smile and rubbed her back in comfort. "Still whatever that reason is… it also involves Hyoudou-kun."
Back to the trio in the middle of the arena, Hajime turned to Vali.
"Vali, are you sure about this? This is your last chance to back down."
"Hmph! What nonsense. There's no way I'd miss this chance to test myself against your leader." Vali's eyes gleamed with excitement and conviction.
Issei raised his hand shakily. "Uh… then can I leave? My stomach hurts, actually…"
Hajime sighed, patting Issei's shoulder before glancing at Noah, who was calmly smiling, hand in his hoodie's pocket, maybe even too relaxed "Honestly…" he muttered under his breath, then spoke louder. "Alright, this duel will follow a First Strike Wins rule."
Vali crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes, while Issei gulped nervously, both waiting for Hajime to continue. "As the name says, whoever lands a direct decisive hit on their opponent first wins. You can also win if your opponent loses consciousness or can't continue to fight. Magical attacks are permitted as long as they won't kill or leave permanent damage. Sadly, mental trauma can't be considered."
Kiana, Elysia, Sirin, Lumine, Alice, and Anisphia all snorted at that last part, drawing confused looks from Ingvild, Lavinia, and the rest of the guests.
Noah deadpanned at Hajime, who returned the same flat look. The two locked eyes in silence until Noah finally turned away with a tiny pout, making a few of the onlookers stifle a laugh.
"If there are no more questions or objections, all three of you, take your positions," Hajime announced firmly.
Vali stepped forward, his body glowing as he entered the Balance Breaker of Divine Dividing, the Scale Mail armor snapping into place with a magical hum. Issei, meanwhile, took in a deep breath, settling into his stance as the Boosted Gear flared to life on his arm.
"Noah, don't go too far," Hajime muttered under his breath, the corners of his lips hinted at a helpless smile.
"VA, mimic Solgratia," Noah said in his usual calm tone as the golden cube, Void Archives, appeared before him.
[Order Received: Mimicking Key of Radiance: Solgratia,] Void Archives intoned, as the cube unfolded into the radiant form of Solgratia—Noah's ultimate Divine Key, entrusted to him by her.
At the side, not only Hajime, Alice, and Anisphia were shocked at the key he had chosen to use, but Kiana, Elysia, Lumine, and Sirin all sat wide-eyed, jaws slack. Everyone present could feel the tremendous power radiating from the weapon Noah had called upon. Yet instead of a destructive pressure, the aura felt warm, like sunlight after winter. Even the devils felt no pain basking in its glow; instead, the light of Solgratia embraced them, gentle and welcoming.
"It's so…" Beautiful, Ingvild thought, the word trembling on her lips. But to call the blade in Noah's hands anything less than sacred felt wrong, so she held her tongue.
"It feels… divine," Gabriel murmured, earning solemn nods from Michael, Uriel, and Raphael beside her.
"I feel unworthy to even call myself a god under this light," Amaterasu admitted with a sigh.
Ophis, expression unreadable, slowly raised her tiny palms toward Noah, as though reaching for the glow spilling from both man and sword.
Noah gave Solgratia a light swing. The simple motion sent a wave that woke everyone in the training room from their trance, a reminder of the blade's weight. He then glanced at Hajime, who took a slow breath before raising his hand and bringing it downward to signal the start of the fight.
—-
Vali didn't waste time. In a blur he shot toward Noah, fist cocked for a heavy punch. Noah only twisted his wrist, catching the strike with ease before tossing Vali past him like he weighed nothing. The white-haired devil twisted himself midair, spreading wings to get his balance back before he turned sharply. His eyes narrowed when he saw Noah calmly raise a finger, summoning a flock of bird-like constructs that flew toward him.
As they closed in, the constructs twisted, bodies spinning at frightening speed until they resembled spinning blade‑disks. Vali immediately flew at the side, dodging the first wave, but they pursued him relentlessly. The moment they reached a certain distance they spun tighter, morphing into cutting saws of light. He fired a volley of demonic blasts to shatter them, destroying several, but too many slipped through. Sparks flew as a few struck his armor, the impact jarring him.
"Kuh!" he groaned, surprised by the impact even through his Balance Breaker. His pride flared, and with a snarl he conjured dozens of his own blades, launching them down toward Noah.
Noah didn't budge. He let his shield take the hit, absorbing the storm of mana blades without a crack. Watching the futile display, he exhaled through his nose, almost bored.
"You'll have to do better than that," he said lightly.
Grinding his teeth, Vali dove again at breakneck speed, determined to force Noah into close quarters where skill and power would matter more than tricks.
"That's not good, you know," Noah said evenly as he caught and held Vali's fist once more. His grip didn't move an inch. "I told you already, didn't I? If you want to fight me seriously, you'll have to do it with Red Dragon."
Vali gritted his teeth, straining to pull back his hand, but Noah's hold was unyielding. Taking advantage of the deadlock, Issei finally acted—forming a dense sphere of demonic and draconic energy. With a loud shout he punched it forward, sending the blast hurtling straight at Noah.
"Dragon Shot!"
The crimson beam tore through the air, powerful enough to erase a mountain. Noah, however, simply swung his sword once, cutting the attack cleanly in half. The resulting explosion roared across the arena, filling it with smoke and shockwaves. Using the cover, Vali pulled free and shot upward into the air.
When the smoke cleared, Noah stood untouched. The Crowned Clown manifested around his body, protecting him by absorbing the blast without a scratch.
"Hmm, not bad for a first attempt at cooperation," Noah remarked, his tone carrying a hint of approval. "You actually managed to trigger CC to shield me."
"Oi, Vali!! Since you dragged me into this fight, at least try to cooperate with me!!" Issei shouted as the Boosted Gear announced another Boost. "You already know we're no match against him anyway, so let's at least give him a little challenge by fighting two‑on‑one!"
Amused by Issei's words, Noah tilted his head. "You should listen to him, you know. Because if you want to win against that person in the future, you'll need his help."
Vali went silent. Inside his helmet, Noah's words struck deeper than he cared to admit. How did this man know about his grandfather—the one he swore to defeat? He pushed the thought aside, chalking it up to the Trailblazer's endless absurdities.
"Hyoudo Issei," Vali called sharply. "Do you think you can keep up with me against this man?"
"I don't know." Issei clenched his fist as another Boost! rang out. "I'm stupid, after all, so I don't think about that stuff. I just do what I can do. And that is to fight! Fight as long as I can stand and still raise my fist!"
Vali let out a snort that almost sounded like a laugh. "Then let's go! We'll show this man from the stars the might of the Heavenly Dragons!!"
"Ohhh!!!" Issei roared back as another Boost! rang through the arena