Dean's reputation continued to grow throughout the supernatural community. But instead of seeking power for its own sake, he began to notice something: there were others like him. Humans and supernatural beings who didn't fit into the traditional hierarchy, who had strength but no faction, who were looked down upon by the high-class devils and angels.
He started seeking them out.
The first was a young woman named Akira, a human with latent magical talent who'd been rejected by every faction because she didn't have a Sacred Gear. Dean found her working at a convenience store, hiding her magical abilities because she was afraid of what would happen if the wrong people found out about her.
"I can teach you," Dean said simply. "Not to hide your power, but to embrace it."
"Why would you do that?" Akira asked suspiciously.
"Because I was in your position once," Dean replied. "And because I believe that power shouldn't be determined by what faction claims you or what gift you were born with. It should be determined by your will and your determination."
Akira agreed to train with him. Over the next few months, Dean taught her everything Shizuka and Takeshi had taught him. She progressed quickly, her natural talent combined with her desperation to become strong creating a powerful combination.
Next was a fallen angel named Raynare. Wait, no, that wasn't right. It was a different fallen angel, one who'd been cast out by her faction for refusing to follow orders. Her name was Yuki, and she was bitter about her situation when Dean found her.
"Why should I trust you?" she demanded when Dean approached her.
"Because I'm not asking you to join anything," Dean said. "I'm just offering knowledge. What you do with it is up to you."
Yuki trained with him for a while, learning his techniques. She never fully committed to his vision of independent strength, but she gained enough power to survive on her own, which was all she wanted.
Then there was Kuro, a half-demon who'd been abandoned by both sides of his heritage. He was angry, violent, and on a path toward destruction when Dean found him. But underneath the rage was someone who just wanted to belong.
Dean trained Kuro personally, teaching him not just magic but discipline and control. It took months, but gradually, Kuro learned to channel his anger into strength rather than destruction. He became one of Dean's most loyal allies.
By the time Dean turned nineteen, he had a small but dedicated group of followers. Not a peerage, not a faction, but a community of individuals who'd found strength through his teachings. They called themselves the Unbound, a name that represented their philosophy: power without servitude, strength without subjugation.
Rias noticed the development with interest. "You're building something," she said to Dean one evening. "A rival faction."
"Not a rival," Dean corrected. "An alternative. For people who don't want to be bound to anyone."
"That's a dangerous path," Rias warned. "The established factions won't tolerate competition."
"Then they'll have to learn," Dean said. "Because I'm not going away, and neither are my people."
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