So... Fear not, for I have returned! Yes indeed, this lazy author with time management issue has actually returned with the newest chapter of Phantasm Dragon Emperor! Like usual, firstly I thank all of you that have followed and favorited this story, although it has such a very random schedule, and hasn't been updated in 6 months. Anyway, I'm sure none of you care about this author note and just want to go directly to the story, so, without further ado, here comes PDE's 2nd season 1st chapter! Happy Reading!

P.S. I own nothing except the plot, and OCs. I mean, really, if I actually own Highschool DxD, a new volume would probably be released once a decade.

Chapter XIV

"Mou... Why do these piles of paperwork keep increasing no matter how fast I work...," a silver haired girl could be seen sitting on a desk while her blue eyes looking over the report in her hands. This girl was none other than the Princess of Hell, Valiana Lucifer, or as her close friends like to call her, Ana. Right now, she was working on the paperwork that had piled up in her office due to her escapade in the human world for a week.

"Next time, you should at least do all of your jobs properly in advance if you want to go off to the human world for a week, Ana," Yukjerian Satan, one of the Satan twin heirs, admonished her as he helped her in her work while working on his own.

"Well, I was too excited to see him as fast as I could when Azazel finally said it's fine for me to meet him again. After all, we hadn't seen each other for a decade. Still, why would they give this much work to us now, anyways? Sirzechs won't step down from his position as the interim Lucifer anytime soon, after all," Ana complained.

"Well, you know what they say, better sooner than later, right? Better learn what your responsibility as an heir now rather than later when you will have too much on your plate to divide your time properly," Lindow Satan, Yukjerian's older brother, said.

"And yet you will only do your work if either Mother or I remind you, Nii-san," Yukjerian remarked.

"Ugh..., stop bringing that up every damn time, will you, Yukio," Lindow complained.

"Still, it's quite a surprise to not see your peerage here helping you with work these last few days, Ana. Especially with the addition of Ise to your peerage," Yukio said to Ana.

"Today Kuroka is spending her time with her younger sister again, Le Fay and Bikou are still in the progress of decorating our new clubroom, and Arthur is sparring with Kiba as Ise is not here," Ana answered.

"Where is that King of yours anyway?" Lindow asked.

Frowning, Ana answered, "Well, he said to me a few days ago that his grandparents were calling his family for a sudden family reunion, and that his uncles also wanted to do the same."

"Grandparents? Uncles? I presume they are from his mother's side as his father is... like that," Yukjerian said, unsure.

"I'm not sure myself. Ise and his family suddenly just started to pack things up and then told me and the others to watch over the house for a few days until they returned. It's been a few days, so I'm sure he will return soon."

"By the way, how is the school life so far for you, Ana?" Lindow asked.

Hearing the question, Ana remembered the first day when she and her peerage transferred to Kuoh Academy.

"My name is Arthur Pendragon. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," Arthur introduced himself politely, charming quite the number of girls with his foreign looks and noble demeanor.

"The name is Bikou, Sun Bikou. Nice to meet ya!" Bikou said energetically, drawing some welcoming shouts from the male members of the class.

"My name is Toujou Kuroka. Hope we can get along splendidly, nyaa...," Kuroka purred seductively, drawing a different kind of welcoming shouts from the male students than Bikou's.

It's been a few days since the battle with Riser's peerage. Now that everything had settled into a relative peace once again, Ana and her peerage finally decided it's time to transfer to Kuoh Academy, since Issei went to school there, with Ana, Arthur, Bikou, and Kuroka transferred to the Second Year while Le Fay transferred to the First Year, same as Asia. It's only proper if the whole peerage could be together as much as possible, after all. It's not helped by the fact that both Chrome and Tomoe, primarily the latter, had finally succeeded in convincing the peerage to move in permanently to the Hyoudou-Dubh residence. If they're going to attend the same school as Issei and be in the human world most of the time, why not just live with them instead of searching for other accommodations?

"My name is Valiana Cifer. You can call me Ana. Nice to meet you," Ana said politely, not unlike Arthur. And just like Arthur, many boys managed to get charmed by Ana.

"Alright, alright, stay calm, everyone. Now if anyone has any question for our transfer students. Yes, Kiryuu?" the homeroom teacher pointed to a girl that lifted her hand.

The girl wore spectacles, with golden eyes and messy brown hair tied into braids on each side. Her name was Kiryuu Aika, infamously known for her perverseness, not unlike Matsuda and Motohama.

"Well, I have heard some rumors, but is it true that you're dating Hyoudou-kun, Ana-san?" Aika asked, having accidentally heard the discussion Motohama and the others had a few weeks ago. The question threw the whole class into an uproar, with all of the students besides Motohama, Matsuda, Murayama, and Katase looking at Issei and Ana.

"So that's the so called 'childhood friend'? Wow, she's even prettier than I imagined," Murayama whispered.

"That's Issei for you, even I'm impressed," Motohama whispered back.

"Still, knowing Issei, he will probably deny it."

"Uh..., well, I'm not..., Ana and I, we are not...," Issei stammered in surprise against the sudden question. Yet right when he's going to deny that he and Ana were not dating at all, his eyes caught Ana's for but a moment before the latter turned her face while heavily blushing.

"... Never mind," Issei said uncharacteristically before looking elsewhere with his face becoming a bit red as well.

"Or maybe not," Motohama remarked in surprise for the sudden development.

Issei's indecisive answer sent the whole class into a greater uproar, one that wouldn't abate until the second break.

"Ana? Ana?! Valiana?! Can you hear me?!" Yukjerian tried to snap Ana out of her stupor.

"It's no use, Yukio. She's off in her own world. Look she is even unconsciously playing with the scarf that the boy gave her. Tsk, girls in love, typical," Lindow sighed.

The scarf in question was a blue colored scarf Issei gifted to Ana the day after the Rating Game with Riser. It was, in Issei's words, a "welcome home" gift to her, and also because Hell could be surprisingly cold at times although it was called Hell.

"... Like you're one to talk, Nii-san," Yukjerian deadpanned while staring at his elder with judging eyes.

"Oi, what the hell is that supposed to mean?!" Lindow snapped.

Before any arguments could break out between the two brothers, a white and black colored magic circle appeared on the floor of the office. The only one that could instantly teleport to the place was either Ana's own peerage or special people that had permission like Lindow and Yukjerian, but Arthur's and the others' magic circle was like those of the Lucifer Clan's, and Lindow and others like him used their own clan's magic circle, therefore there could only be one person the magic circle belonged to.

"When I got to the clubroom, Le Fay said that you're here working on the paperwork so I got here as fast as I could. I'm really sorry that I couldn't help you these few days, Ana. Eh? Oh, I see Rin and Yukio are here as well today. Good afternoon," the Lucifer King, Hyoudou-Dubh Issei, greeted the twin heirs.

Looking at the oblivious Issei and Ana who was still off in her own world, Lindow thought it was time to get out of the place and leave the two lovebirds.

"Hey, Ise! Oh yeah, I just remembered, Yukio and I have an urgent business, so we will take our leave now that you are here. See you later, Ise, Ana! Let's go, Yukio!" Lindow promptly grabbed Yukjerian and then teleported them out of the place before the latter could even protest.

"... What's getting them in such a hurry?" Issei asked in confusion while scratching his head.

[Maybe something to do with the Satan Clan?] Albion said helpfully.

"Maybe... But now isn't the time to think about that. Hey, Ana. Ana? Ana?! Hey, snap out of it!" Issei shouted near Ana's ear to snap her out of whatever she was in.

"Hah?! Uh, where are- *gasp* Issei?! When did you return?!" Ana asked, only now realizing Issei's presence in the room.

"*sigh* That's it, you clearly have been working for too long. I'm going to bring you back to the clubroom whether you're willing or not. You totally need to rest," Issei pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation before grabbing Ana's hand.

"Eh? Ah? Uh, maybe you're right...," Ana replied.

"... If you can just accept it like that, then you must be totally exhausted. Normally you will at least fight a bit. Now c'mon, I will teleport us out of here," Issei said before teleporting the two of them through his magic circle.

Issei and Ana arrived in a room located just under the ORC clubroom which belonged to Rias' peerage. Publicly, the room was the clubroom of the MRC, or the Mythology Research Club, a similar but different in study subject to the club upstairs in which Issei, Ana, her peerage, and surprisingly, Asia, were the members of. In truth, the club was the front that the Student Council President, one Sona Sitri, prepared for Ana's peerage in case they had to be absent from school because of supernatural matters or something similar. That way they could use club activity as a smokescreen. Still, Issei couldn't believe all of the student body believed it when the members were all made of the new transfer students with the exception of him and to an extent, Asia.

"I still can't believe Sitri-senpai made a new club out of thin air and then gave this clubroom to us just like that," Issei said upon arriving.

"Well, like I said, I'm pretty sure it's easier and more convenient for Sona-senpai as the Student Council President this way. She takes her role seriously, after all. But still, where is everyone? Last I remembered, Le Fay and Bikou still should be here decorating the room," Ana frowned.

Right at that moment, Le Fay came into the room in panic, "Uwaa! Ana, Ise, help! It's a really big mess right now upstairs!"

Grabbing Le Fay's shoulders, Ana tried to calm her down, "Calm down, Le Fay. Now tell me slowly, what happened?"

After composing herself, Le Fay answered, "A few minutes ago, three members of the Church came here, saying that some of the Excalibur fragments under the Church's supervision was stolen and that the thief was traced to here. Now they're asking us for our assistance in the matter."

"Let me guess, they're passive aggressively saying that we somehow are behind the thief's action?" Ana asked patiently.

"Y-yeah, but not only that. They're also subtly insulting the Devils in general. Big Brother already has a hard time in holding back Bikou and Kuroka, yet Yuuto-senpai also somehow doesn't help in calming them down and instead becomes really aggressive all of a sudden," Le Fay said in worry.

"Since it's regarding Excalibur, no wonder Yuuto is pissed," Issei added. Being near Arthur's Excalibur Ruler for most of the day, it was only a matter of time until Yuuto finally snapped and challenged Arthur to a duel. Yuuto lost, but Ana's peerage finally knew about Yuuto's history with Holy Swords, especially with Excalibur. Since Excalibur was the Pendragon's family heirloom, Arthur would never let it be destroyed, so he and Yuuto then decided to make a compromise.

"I see... I think I get the picture. Let's go before the situation escalates any further, Ise," Ana said decisively before going to the ORC clubroom upstairs.

"Well, this might be a good opportunity to finally return Excalibur to its rightful owner," Issei replied as he followed his Queen.

"Let's just hope that the situation isn't bad enough that it can't be salvaged. With the ceasefire between the Three Factions being as fragile as it is, we can't afford to incur the Church's enmity and risk the relative peace we have right now," Ana said as they neared the ORC clubroom.

"Don't worry, Ana. Even I'm not that impulsive. By the way, Le Fay, Asia was told by my mother to drop something off in the clubroom. I assume she's with the others then?" Issei asked Le Fay.

"Huh? Oh, yes, Asia-chan arrived just moments before the Church members came, and so unfortunately was dragged into this. We tried to hide her as much as we can, knowing her past with the Church, but with Bikou and Kuroka losing their temper and Big Brother holding them off, only I was left to hide her. Uuuu, I hope nothing happened to her while I was gone...," Le Fay bit her lip in worry.

"Don't worry, Le Fay, I'm sure those Church members wouldn't dare to do anything to her..., or else," Issei said with narrowed eyes. Right as Issei said that though...

"To think that you really are associating with the Devils to the point of changing your appearance. Your past as 'Holy Maiden' must be weeping right now with how far you have fallen, 'Witch'," a female voice could be heard.

"That's enough, Xenovia, no need to make her suffer more. Instead, shouldn't we as followers of God be merciful and exorcise her? Isn't that also what you want, Sister Asia? Surely if you're a true follower of Our Lord, then you would rather die rather than continue to live in sin, aren't you?" another female voice said to Asia.

"H-hey, i-isn't that too far...?" a third voice weakly said.

"T-that is... I...," Issei then heard Asia's voice full of fear and terror, during which Issei finally decided that enough was enough.

Sweeping his left arm, Issei burned down the whole wall where to door into the ORC clubroom was. In an instant, there was no trace left of the wall. In the room, Issei could see the rest of Ana's peerage, Rias' peerage, the crying Asia, and three persons he never saw before, obviously the Church members. Yet all of his attention was on his crying little sister who was now being hugged by both Le Fay and Ana.

Turning to the three Church members, that Issei just realised were girls, not that he cared as none of them would be left soon, Issei sneered, "If you want someone to die that badly, why don't you just kill yourselves? Isn't that what you do best? Dying uselessly like insects, all in the name of your so-called Son of God?!With how fanatically loyal you are, I bet you'd all commit suicide without question if you asked to do so and think of it as martyrdom! But that isn't even the worst of it, because if you can't even think for yourselves, I'm certain that if you were to be tested about a request to kill your beloved God to save the world with a hidden message behind it, you'd probably kill him without any further thought and fail that test, dooming many people that rely on him to survive! That's the extent of the idiocy of your kind!"

"Y-you dare?!" the girl whose voice Issei heard the first time said in wrath.

"Xenovia, stop," the second girl put her arm in front of the first girl. "And just who do you think you are, sinner, to talk to the servants of God with such uncouth manners?"

Hearing the question, Issei just grinned maniacally while unfolding his dragon wings, Flame of Phantasm licking his frame.

"Glad you ask. My name is Hyoudou-Dubh Issei. The Phantasm Dragon Emperor."

So, how is that for the season premier? Anyway, for this closing author note, I'm gonna address some thing that I just can't find the right timing to slip into the chapter.

Firstly, Ana's alias. If you guys pay any attention, Ana introduced herself as "Valiana L. Cifer" back during the prologue. The reason for this is simple, humans tend to think too much and often won't just accept something that might be too obvious for them, hence the "L. Cifer". But as my friend pointed out, what worked for a 7 years old might not work for high school student, hence Ana changed her alias into just "Valiana Cifer". Subtler, but still obvious enough that people will think it mustn't be that simple. And for additional reason, the "L." middle name can also be read as "Livan", Rizevim's middle name, and thus brings up too many trauma for our Princess.

And lastly, Issei's outburst. I will say right now that I don't have any dislike whatsoever to Catholic or any other religions, Abrahamic or not, and so the reason for the outburst is purely personal for Issei's character. What pissed Issei so much is the fact that the Church never really changed from the one that excommunicated Asia all those years ago in all of their self-righteousness, and also that Xenovia and Irina, if you still haven't gotten who the Church members are, basically threatened to kill his little sister and beautify it as sin absolution. By now I guess it's obvious Issei will give them the Riser treatment, though whether or not they will survive like Riser is up to them. Huh? Who is the third member? Just wait until the next chapter. It will be spoiler if I tell it now.

Anyway, that's it for this closing author note. If you have any questions, feel free to ask either via review or PM, and I will try to answer them as best as I can if they don't contain spoilers.

May We Meet Again.