After several weeks of training in the world of Nioh 2, everyone had made tremendous progress. Kiba could now swing a sword weighing around fifteen hundred pounds with surprising precision. Koneko's speed had reached the point where she could consistently dodge submachine gun fire, her movements a blur of white and motion. Issei, meanwhile, had grown strong enough to fight yokai without relying on Boost—though he still needed to use it against bosses.
Akeno had taken to the split staff with an almost alarming rate of mastery, each strike and spin filled with her signature grace and mischievous energy. Rias, on the other hand, had been training alongside Kiba to refine her swordsmanship and was now able to wield her weapon properly. Under Grayfia's guidance, both Rias and Akeno had also made major strides in their magic. Rias had learned to conserve her demonic energy rather than waste it, and Akeno had significantly improved her fallen angel abilities.
However, Grayfia eventually sighed and admitted, her expression calm but regretful, "Unfortunately, I can't help Akeno progress any further in that regard. My knowledge of fallen techniques is limited."
Bill clapped his hands together with a grin. "Alright, I think we've learned all we can from this world for now. So—it's time to move on to the next training world. But i'm bringing in a few extra people this time."
With a casual wave of his hand, multiple shimmering portals appeared in midair, their edges rippling like liquid light. From one portal stepped Sona, Tsubaki, and Saji. From another emerged Weiss, Blake, and Sam. And finally, from the last one came Bianca di Angelo, her dark eyes wide with awe as she took in her surroundings.
Bill turned toward the assembled group and announced, "My boss thought it wasn't fair that only you guys were getting trained. So, for the next world, you'll all be split into groups of four. Sona and Tsubaki, you'll pair up with Rias and Akeno. Saji and Sam, you'll be with Kiba and Issei. Sorry, Sam. Sorry, Kiba."
Sam let out a small groan. "Can't I just do my own thing?"
Bill smirked and shook his head. "Nope. If I let you do that, I'd have to find someone else to fill the spot. And let's face it—Kiba might be smart, but he's neither a leader nor a strategist. So, you'll have to be the brains of the group."
Sam exhaled deeply, muttering under his breath before walking over to join his assigned team.
Bill's attention then shifted to the last group. "Blake, Weiss, Bianca—you'll be with Koneko."
Blake and Weiss exchanged a quick glance before walking over to Koneko, who gave them her usual quiet nod. Bianca hesitated for a moment before following behind them, still looking slightly overwhelmed.
Grayfia approached Bill with her usual composed demeanor, though her eyes held a hint of curiosity. "Sir Strife," she began, "who exactly are these people?"
Bill turned toward her, his tone casual but respectful. "They're people from other worlds that my boss is letting gain strength through his games. Blake, Weiss, and Sam only got weapons in the games they played, so my boss figured it'd only be fair if they got a chance to gain powers too. And the other girl—Bianca—is my sister. I asked the boss to let her come so she could get stronger. She won't reach my level or our brother's anytime soon, but she won't be a pushover after this."
Bianca, who had overheard the conversation, blinked in shock. "Wait—you're my brother?"
Bill chuckled sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck. "Oh, no one told you? Yeah, it's nice to meet you, little sis. I'm your brother, Bill."
For a moment, Bianca just stared at him, her lips parted in disbelief. Then, without warning, she broke into a bright smile and ran forward, throwing her arms around him. "Yay! I'm not the oldest anymore!"
Bill laughed warmly, patting her head affectionately. "Yeah, you can go back to being a kid for a while, little sis. So go have fun—and make some friends, okay? Go introduce yourself to your team."
Bianca beamed and hurried off to join her group.
Bill watched her go, then turned back to Grayfia. "As I was saying… the man over there, Sam Winchester— he's a hunter. Grayfia asked.A hunter of what, exactly?"
Bill folded his arms, his expression turning a bit more serious. "Monsters. Demons. Ghosts. Basically, anything that preys on humans."
Grayfia's eyes narrowed slightly as she glanced in Sam's direction. "He hunts demons?"
Bill nodded. "Yeah—but the demons from his world are nothing like yours. They're basically rats that prey on people and trick them into eternal damnation."
Grayfia's expression softened, her tone becoming approving. "I see. Then what he's doing is a noble thing. If I ever get the opportunity to visit his world, I may lend my aid in that endeavor."
As Bill and Grayfia continued their discussion, the newly formed groups began to mingle. Sam took the initiative to introduce himself to the boys, offering a small, friendly nod. "Hey, I'm Sam Winchester," he said, his tone calm but approachable. "I'm a hunter—mostly of monsters and… other things."
Kiba crossed his arms, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "You can say you kill demons—it's fine. We take down stray devils all the time."
Sam blinked, a little surprised by how casually Kiba said it. "I just didn't want to make things awkward," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.
Issei grinned, giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Dude, you're fine. Just chill."
Saji chimed in with a grin of his own. "Yeah, man. We're devils, not jerks."
Sam chuckled under his breath, relaxing a little. "Cool. Alright then… so you guys know where we're going?"
Kiba sighed, his expression thoughtful but mildly frustrated. "Unfortunately, no. Which makes planning ahead… difficult."
Sam exhaled sharply, muttering under his breath as he ran a hand through his hair. "Damnit."
Meanwhile, in Weiss's group, the girls were getting acquainted with one another. Weiss gave a polite smile, hands folded neatly in front of her. "I'm Weiss Schnee. Nice to meet you, girls."
Blake nodded, offering a calm smile of her own. "I'm Blake Belladonna. Good to meet you."
As introductions went around, Blake noticed Koneko staring at her—specifically at her ears. Her expression softened slightly, though curiosity flickered in her golden eyes. "Something wrong, kid?" she asked gently.
Koneko tilted her head, her gaze unblinking. "Are you a nekomata?"
Blake blinked, caught off guard. "No," she replied slowly. "I'm a cat Faunus. Why?"
After a brief pause, Koneko made up her mind. With a calm breath, she let her white cat ears and tail appear.
Weiss gasped loudly, her eyes sparkling as she rushed forward with unrestrained delight. "You're so cute! Blake, can we keep her?!"
Blake's composure cracked for a moment as she grabbed Weiss by the collar of her shirt, pulling her back firmly. "No, bad Weiss. Down, girl."
Weiss pouted, crossing her arms with a soft whine. "But Blake, she's so cute…"
"Yes," Blake said with a sigh, giving her friend a pointed look, "but we don't violate personal space." Turning back to Koneko, her tone softened again. "Sorry about that. I never got your name."
Koneko blinked up at her, calm and collected. "I'm Koneko Toujou," she said evenly. "And I'm a Nekousha."
Blake's lips curved into a small, approving smile. "Nice to meet you."
All three girls then turned to the last member of their group. Bianca shifted nervously under their attention, giving a small, awkward laugh. "Hi, my name's Bianca… daughter of Hades."
Koneko's eyes widened slightly. "Like the Lord of the Dead, that Hades?"
Bianca rubbed the back of her neck with a sheepish grin. "Yeah… I only just found out about that myself, so I'm still kind of processing it."
Bill clapped his hands together sharply, the sound echoing through the clearing. "Alright, everyone, gather 'round! It's time for key number two!"
The others quickly grouped up around him, curiosity and anticipation written across their faces. As they formed a circle, Bill raised his hand, the golden key glowing brilliantly between his fingers. In an instant, a radiant flash of golden light enveloped the area—forcing several of them to shield their eyes. When the light faded, the lands of Nioh 2 were gone, replaced by the sight of towering stone walls, narrow cobblestone streets, and a sprawling castle perched high in the distance.
The air smelled of earth and woodsmoke, the bustle of merchants faintly audible from the marketplace ahead.
Bill spread his arms wide with a grin. "From what I understand, this place is called Gran Soren, and the game is Dragon's Dogma. The only people in this world aside from us are shopkeepers and bandits. Other than that…" He gave a knowing smirk. "It's all monsters, all the time."
A low murmur ran through the group—excitement mixed with nerves.
Reaching into his coat, Bill pulled out several small leather-bound notebooks and began passing them around. "Here—these are enchanted. They'll keep track of your level, vocation, and current quests. I was told your level doesn't come with stat increases—whatever that means. All it really does is that it makes you able to take on tougher quests and monster hunts as you go."
He flipped open one of the notebooks and tapped the first page for emphasis. "You'll only be able to take on easy quests until level ten. After that, you can move on to intermediate ones. At level twenty, hard quests unlock, then very hard at thirty—and finally, once you hit level forty, you can take on the really tough monsters."
Several of them exchanged impressed looks, a few already flipping through their notebooks curiously.
Bill pointed toward a large wooden building at the end of the street—the inn, its warm light spilling out into the night. "Go get some rest. Tomorrow, we'll pick your vocations, and after that…" His grin widened, eyes glinting with anticipation. "You'll all be heading off on your adventures."
The group cheered softly among themselves, their earlier exhaustion forgotten. One by one, they made their way toward the inn, laughter and conversation trailing behind them—ready to face whatever challenges awaited in this new world.