A month had passed since the Counter Corps was officially formed.
From that time, the group had taken full advantage of Georg's Balance Breaker, Dimension Create.
The Balance Breaker manifested as a dense purple mist that expanded to form its pocket dimensions, which had a variety of effects.
Time flowed differently inside it; seven days inside equaled just one day outside.
It was the perfect training ground
Rght now, within a tundra-themed subdimension, Arthur stood on the snow-covered earth.
A red magic circle pulsed beneath his feet, runes orbiting like spinning rings as he raised his hand, summoning a flaming construct in the shape of an arrow.
"Furnace..."
The spell crackled with raw energy, blazing red and orange.
"... Open."
Arthur muttered under his breath.
The moment the word left his lips, the arrow shot forward.
It screamed through the frozen air like a meteor, and the second it struck a mountainside of ice, the entire pocket dimension trembled violently.
Heat exploded outward in a wave, melting snow, shattering frozen lakes, and sending plumes of steam into the sky.
The landscape, once white and cold, began to drip, avalanche, and fall apart at the seams from the sheer intensity.
Arthur stood calmly in the middle of the chaos, watching it all burn with an impressed smirk.
Behind him, Lavinia sat on a floating ice platform she created, legs crossed, her blue eyes wide.
"Well? How was it?"
He turned toward her, grinning.
She clapped her hands together, her cheeks pink from both admiration and the residual heat.
"I'm impressed! That was a very advanced fire spell, maybe a little too amazing, but I love it."
Arthur chuckled.
"Wanna see the rest of my spells?"
"Absolutely!"
She said, hopping off the ice and walking beside him.
Elsewhere, within a gravity-enhanced dimension, Heracles trained with savage glee.
He was shirtless, drenched in sweat, sprinting around a crater-like track while lifting a massive stone cube across his back.
A glowing purple magic circle was on his back, amplifying both the weight of the rock and the crushing force on his body.
Every step cracked the earth beneath him.
"MAXIMUM EFFORT!!"
Heracles shouted, his voice echoing like thunder.
In another pocket dimension is a pitch-black darkness with no discernible ground or sky, Georg stood floating in place with his arms crossed.
"Focus, Cao Cao. Condense your mana into a single point and release."
Georg called, voice calm.
Cao Cao knelt on one knee, his white magic circle hovering just above his palm, glowing like a light bulb.
Sweat trickled down his forehead as he aimed upward, concentrating every fiber of mana to a single point.
After a full minute, he exhaled slowly and shouted.
"Release!"
A blinding beam of light erupted from the circle, tearing through the darkness.
The blast lit up the entire space, so much that Georg shielded his eyes with his arm.
The dimension trembled under the weight of the spell.
Slowly, the darkness receded.
Georg blinked, then smiled faintly.
"Not bad. That's the most powerful light spell I've seen from you done yet."
Cao Cao, panting, gave him a thumbs-up.
"Told you I could do it."
Eventually, the mist surrounding them began to dissipate as Georg released his Balance Breaker.
The dimensional barriers unraveled, and they returned to the real world.
The group reassembled outside the training field where they'd first entered the barrier.
Lavinia stretched her arms above her head, adjusting her witch hat.
"I'd say you've all made solid progress this month."
Georg nodded, wiping his glasses with a cloth.
"Your magic circle stability, spell incantation, and mana pool have all seen measurable growth. Good job boys."
Arthur and the boys regrouped, sharing a round of high-fives.
Heracles laughed, flexing an arm that bulged like stone.
"Man, I feel like I could wrestle a giant right now."
Cao Cao rolled his eyes but smiled.
"Try it and get eaten."
Arthur turned his head slightly, watching the trio chatter.
Then he looked at Lavinia and gestured toward a nearby tree by the field's edge.
"Hey, Lav... can we talk for a second? Just the two of us."
She blinked but nodded.
"Of course."
They walked together until they reached the shade of a tree.
Lavinia tilted her head.
"What is it you wanna talk about?"
Arthur didn't say anything at first.
Instead, he gently took her hand in his. It was warm and delicate.
He spoke softly.
"There's something that I've been meaning to tell you. It's been a month and... I thought maybe we could do a few things. Like... have dinner, go in an arcade, watch a movie, or something."
Lavinia blinked, surprised.
Her lips parted slightly.
"Arthur… are you asking me out on a date?"
Arthur gave her a small smile.
"Yeah. I guess I am. So, what do you say?"
Her eyes shimmered.
Then she smiled and flung her arms around him.
"I would love to, you dummy. Why didn't you say so earlier?"
Arthur froze, a little stunned by the sudden hug, but he recovered quickly and wrapped his arms around her waist, smelling her hair.
They slowly pulled back, their eyes meeting.
"So… at the fountain in seven?"
Arthur asked.
"Seven it is."
She leaned in, placed a soft kiss on his lips, then with a swirl of magic, she vanished.
Arthur blinked, still a little dazed, and then laughed softly to himself.
"Arthur, you smooth motherfucker."
He turned around and immediately spotted Cao Cao, Heracles, and Georg standing about thirty feet away, watching him with various expressions.
Heracles wore the biggest shit-eating grin known to man.
Cao Cao gave him a thumbs-up.
Georg simply nodded approvingly.
Arthur groaned and rolled his eyes.
"You three have nothing better to do?"
Heracles barked out a laugh.
"Nope. But you do, Romeo."
Cao Cao smirked.
"So, Arthur, you free for a few hours?"
Arthur shrugged.
"Yeah, I got time before the date."
Georg raised an eyebrow.
"Shall we continue with our… boys' stuff?"
Arthur grinned.
"Sure. Let's go to the cafeteria."
With that, the four walked off toward the castle, bantering and laughing as they continued where they left off.
...
"Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!"
Heracles, Cao Cao, and Arthur chanted in unison, slamming their fists on the table with each word.
Georg, seated in the center, held the massive gallon of milk with both hands, eyes narrowed in focus as he tilted it back, gulping down the last drop.
He finished with a loud groan, then let out a thunderous burp that echoed across the room.
Raising the empty gallon above his head like a trophy, Georg declared.
"I fucking hate all of you!"
The boys exploded in cheers, patting him on the back and shoulder.
"He did it!"
Heracles laughed.
"Welcome to the boys, Georg."
Arthur grinned.
Cao Cao smirked.
"And have fun not puking your stomach."
DxD
The clock struck 7:00 PM.
Arthur stood patiently near the fountain at the entrance to the Grauzauberer, the streetlights reflecting off the rippling surface of the water.
He wore a sleek but casual outfit, black slacks, a red button-up, and a black blazer.
His hands were in his pockets as he leaned slightly over the fountain's edge, looking down at his reflection in the water.
Hanging loosely from his neck, just visible over his collar, was his golden locket.
He gently touched it with his fingers, staring at it for a few seconds before sighing and sitting down on the nearby bench.
As he reached for his phone to check the time or distract himself with a casual scroll, he suddenly heard a voice call out.
"Arthur!"
He looked up and he was frozen.
From his perspective, time slowed down.
Lavinia was walking toward him with a bright smile from excitement.
She wore a flowing blue dress that hugged her body just enough to be elegant, paired with simple but stylish heels.
A small matching purse dangled from her shoulder, and her blonde hair was down and glowing, the ends curling slightly.
As she reached the fountain, she gave him a playful twirl in place, holding her arms out slightly like a child showing off a new outfit.
"How do I look?"
She asked with a shy smile.
Arthur stared at her for a full second too long before blinking and smiling softly.
"Beautiful, as always."
Lavinia's smile brightened, and her cheeks turned a light shade of pink.
"You clean up pretty well too, I'm impressed."
She giggled, looking him over with appreciation.
Arthur offered his left hand.
"Shall we, milady?"
She stepped forward without hesitation, interlocking her fingers with his.
"We shall, good sir."
A flash of light, and they teleported from the estate, arriving just outside the teahouse.
The streets were calm, the buzz of nighttime life present but not overwhelming.
Arthur stepped to the curb and raised his hand, catching a taxi within moments.
As they settled into the back seat, Lavinia leaned into his side slightly, eyes curious.
"So, where are we headed, Arthur?"
"You'll see."
Arthur replied with a smirk.
The taxi ride was smooth, and soon they arrived at a movie theater.
They walked in together, Arthur letting Lavinia choose the movie.
She picked a romance, of course, and Arthur raised an eyebrow but didn't object.
Inside the dim theater, Arthur sat with a full bucket of popcorn while Lavinia leaned into him halfway through the movie, resting her head gently on his shoulder.
His arm instinctively wrapped around her, holding her close.
He stole glances at her more often than he paid attention to the screen.
Her presence, the warmth between them, made everything else feel right.
When the movie ended and they exited into the night air, Arthur stretched his arms and groaned.
"That movie sucked ass."
He muttered with a snort.
Lavinia bumped her shoulder into his with a faux pout.
"I thought it was beautiful."
"Everything could've been solved if they just tried talking to each other, but nooooo. They just let others make their simple misunderstanding even worse."
"They still end up being together in the end."
"Please, a monkey can write a better plot than that garbage."
She laughed as they bantered and walked down the street, and soon they reached their next destination: a fine German restaurant.
They sat at a cozy table by the window, the view showing the town's softly lit river.
They ordered several classic dishes, and Lavinia tried everything with delight, humming as she savored the flavors.
Arthur, between bites, shared lighthearted stories of his past.
He told her about the time he and Jeanne had a cooking contest for the first time, which ended in disaster because Jeanne accidentally set the water on fire.
"And I swear, Lav, she still thinks she won that contest. She made scrambled eggs that tasted like cardboard."
Lavinia laughed, covering her mouth with her hand.
"I want to meet her someday."
He went on, chuckling.
"Then there's my cousin Kay. One time his crush talked to another guy and he freaked out so badly he ran off and decimated the training grounds."
Lavinia nearly choked on her drink, and Arthur gave her a handkerchief.
After dinner, he guided her to a nearby arcade a few blocks away.
They played a dozen different games, but the highlight was, embarrassingly, the claw machine.
Arthur spent nearly twenty minutes trying to grab a stuffed teddy bear.
"One more try."
He muttered as Lavinia giggled behind him.
He missed again.
"Fuck!"
"Arthur, move aside. Let the master show you how its done."
She said, cracking her knuckles.
With only a single try, she hooked the bear and pulled it out.
Arthur stared at her in stunned silence.
"Are you serious?"
She handed him the bear.
"Here, for your bravery."
They laughed and eventually made their way to the riverside park nearby, where they found an empty bench.
The moonlight shimmered on the calm water.
Lavinia sat beside him, her head gently resting on his shoulder, the teddy bear in her lap.
They said nothing for a while, simply watching the water and listening to the soft chirping of night insects.
Arthur glanced at her, the way her hair shimmered under the moon, the contented smile on her face, the way her fingers subtly toyed with his.
He smiled softly, then looked up at the sky.
For the first time in a long while, his heart felt at peace.
Sone time later, they began talking about personal topics.
"So... you already know that my dad is Sirzechs Lucifer?"
Lavinia nodded, lifting her head slightly.
"It's kind of hard not to know once someone like Georg starts piecing things together."
She said gently.
"But I wanna ask... is it true?"
Arthur nodded slowly.
"Yeah. My mom told me when I was old enough to understand."
He stared ahead, eyes following the rippling water but not really seeing it.
"She said that Sirzechs watched over us from afar. That he had his reasons for staying away. But…"
He trailed off.
"But?"
Lavinia asked softly.
Arthur exhaled.
"But I'm starting to have doubts. He never showed up. Not even once. Not when it was my birthday. Not when we were in danger. Not when she..."
He paused again, jaw tightening.
"...Not even when she died."
Lavinia's hand slid over his.
She didn't say anything at first, just let the silence stretch between them as her fingers gently wrapped over his.
"I'm so sorry..."
She finally said.
Arthur shook his head.
"Don't be, Lav. You didn't do anything wrong."
Lavinia gave his hand a small squeeze before asking.
"What was your mother like?"
Arthur's lips pressed together. The wind picked up a little, brushing against his face and rustling the leaves above them.
He sat in silence for a long moment, then allowed a faint smile to form on his lips.
"She was... everything to me."
Se said quietly.
"She made the best cookies ever. Every time I had a bad day, she'd bake a batch and tell me it was gonna be alright."
He chuckled softly.
"She was gentle and kind, strict but loving. The kind of woman you don't wanna earn her disappointment."
Lavinia listened in silence, her eyes watching him intently, the gentleness in his voice and the subtle ache hidden behind his smile.
Arthur's voice softened to a whisper.
"She was the best mom I could have asked for."
Another quiet moment passed.
"Sorry... I got lost in the moment."
Arthur muttered.
Lavinia shook her head.
"It's okay. I like hearing about her."
Arthur glanced at her, then reached into his shirt and unclasped the golden locket hanging from his neck.
"Wanna see her, Lav?"
Lavinia nodded curiously.
He opened it slowly, revealing a small photo.
It was an image of a woman with shining golden hair sitting under a tree, smiling gently with one hand resting on the head of a young boy who sat beside her, beaming with joy.
Lavinia's eyes widened.
"She's beautiful."
Arthur smiled faintly.
"Yeah. She really was... Come to think of it, you kinda remind me of her."
Her smile slowly faded as she asked.
"What happened to her?"
Arthur's expression darkened.
His fingers clenched around the locket tightly.
"She was murdered in front of me."
Lavinia's breath caught in her throat.
"On the night of my birthday, she was killed by her own sword by that albino son of a bitch... Euclid Lucifuge."
His teeth grit together, and his pupils shifted, elongating into vertical slits as his claws subtly extended from his fingers, and his canines peeked just slightly past his lips.
A low, almost growling breath escaped his throat.
"Just thinking about his smug face makes my blood boil. I swear... if I ever find him, I'll make him feel every bit of pain I felt that night, a thousand times over."
"Arthur!"
Lavinia's hand gently cupped his cheek, turning his face toward her.
His eyes locked with hers, and the fury began to melt.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."
He said quickly, the venom in his voice fading.
"Arthur, it's okay. You have every right to be angry. You just lost the person you love, I understand."
Lavinia whispered.
"I know that pain too well."
Arthur blinked.
"...You do?"
She nodded, and her voice lowered into a sad, distant tone.
"When I was nine, I lost both of my parents in a car accident. After that... nobody wanted me."
He remained quiet, letting her continue.
"I had no living relatives who would take me in. They said I was 'too strange.' Said I kept talking about things that weren't real, Ymir, My ice doll."
Arthur's expression softened.
"I lived in a poor orphanage. Due to the shortage of food and too many orphans, I honestly thought I wouldn't make it."
She looked down.
"But then Glenda found me. She was a wandering magician who took me in. Treated me like I was worth something."
"And she taught you magic?"
Arthur asked.
"Yeah. She said I had talent for magic. She trained me, gave me books, lessons, good food, and a home."
Lavinia smiled gently.
Arthur listened carefully, each word made his heart burn in anger.
"When I turned thirteen, she told me to go to Grauzauberer. She said it would help me connect with others like me. That I could find my place."
Her voice grew faint.
"...And then she disappeared. No word. No letter. Nothing."
Arthur lowered his gaze.
"She must've meant a lot to you, huh."
"She did. Without her... I wouldn't be me."
Lavinia whispered, her smile was genuine and hurting.
But Arthur knew something she didn't.
He knew who Glenda really was, knew the truth about the Wizard of Oz, and how Glenda had used Lavinia for her own purposes.
He clenched his fist slowly beneath the locket in his lap, his gaze darkening without showing it.
"...Lavinia?"
He asked softly.
"Hmm?"
"Let me ask you something."
She tilted her head.
"Go ahead."
He paused, then said.
"Let's say someone kept a cat. Loved it. Fed it. Gave it warmth for years. Then one day... the cat found out it was only being fattened up. That the person loved eating cats. If you were that cat... how would you feel?"
Lavinia blinked.
"That's... a really weird question, Arthur."
"I know. Just humor me."
She hesitated.
"I guess... betrayed. Heartbroken. Confused. I mean... I wouldn't even know what to think."
Arthur looked her in the eyes.
"Listen to me, Lavinia. Someday... we might be betrayed. Not by our enemies. But by someone close to us. If-no... when that day comes, I need you to promise me something."
Lavinia stared at him, concern flickering in her eyes.
"Arthur, what are you talking about?"
"Promise me you'll endure it. That no matter how much it hurts, you'll move forward."
He said again, firmer this time.
Her expression turned into one of uncertainty.
She was quiet for a long moment, then finally gave a hesitant nod.
"Okay... I promise."
Arthur sighed, some tension leaving his shoulders.
"Sorry. I'm... being too emotional today."
"It's alright. You don't have to apologize."
She said softly.
He gently wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a warm embrace.
She leaned into him, her hands resting gently against his back.
They said nothing else for a while.
Just sat there, in each other's arms, listening to the flow of the river.
But in the depths of Arthur's mind, he promised himself.
When the truth is revealed, and Lavinia's heart is broken, he would be there.
And Glenda, along with every last member of the Wizard of Oz, would pay for it.
DxD
Hello readers!
Does anybody know where I can find a complete, or at least somewhat complete, High School DxD manga website?
Thank you everyone and see you later!