DxD: DO System Chapter 41

Chapter 41: The Black Cat

What would you do if you saw a black cat? Probably nothing.

Maybe scrunch your nose if it crossed your path, but beyond that? Nothing.

However, in this case, Issei couldn’t do anything even if he wanted to.

<Race: Nekoshou-Devil Hybrid>

<Rank: Foundation-Ultimate Class>

“How did you find me, meow?” the cat asked, swinging her two tails — yes, she had two.

Issei didn’t answer her directly. Instead, he materialized his Boosted Gear around his arm, letting his partner do the talking.

“Your smell is stronger than you think, cat,” Ddraig’s voice reverberated around the area.

The cat tilted her head in confusion. “What do you mean, meow? Do I smell bad, meow?”

She turned her head at an angle that baffled Issei, sniffing around her body.

“That’s not what he means,” Issei sighed. “Your presence was leaking.”

Not for him, but definitely for Ddraig.

The previously puzzled cat now looked bright-eyed. “Ah, got it, meow! But I made sure to hide my presence. How did you find me, meow?”

Before Ddraig could say something outrageous, Issei decided to handle the conversation, still genuinely confused about the situation.

“A Heavenly Dragon, even if sealed, possesses the same sharp senses as when they were free,” Issei explained, believing the nonsense he was spouting. “So, he could sense you.”

Her twin tails fluttered with interest. “Makes sense, makes sense! Vali can do it too, meow!”

‘Vali?’ Ddraig asked Issei, curious. ‘Why do I feel like I know him?’

‘You’ve seen him in my memories,’ Issei responded, amused that Ddraig didn’t remember Vali. ‘The current White Dragon Emperor.’

‘That bastard!’ Ddraig nearly growled, but Issei was forced to ask to avoid appearing suspicious.

“Who… exactly is Vali?” he asked the cat, while also asking the dragon in his mind, ‘Don’t you recall the things you saw in my memories?’

‘It was like a series of darn episodes playing in my head back then, kid. Do you remember everything from a movie marathon? That, too, spanning countless days?’

‘Fair enough.’

“A friend, meow!” she answered, although not sounding fully certain. “I think, meow!”

Issei took a deep breath, wondering why the black cat was here.

‘For Koneko?’ he speculated. Before Ddraig could ask, Issei explained, ‘She’s Koneko’s sister, separated quite a long time ago.’

As if the memories suddenly clicked, Ddraig responded with an, ‘Oh.’

“And Vali was right, meow!” she stated. “You are growing at a rapid rate, meow!”

‘Does she add ‘meow’ after every sentence?’ Ddraig asked, and Issei couldn’t answer. It certainly seemed that way, though he wasn’t sure if every sentence ended with it.

“Considering you haven’t killed me yet, despite being stronger than me,” Issei said, while Ddraig didn’t seem too pleased with the admission, “I’d like to believe that you aren’t here to attack me. Or at least, I hope so?”

He showed her a smile, hoping she wouldn’t do anything suspicious. Kuroka was a known prankster, a seductress, and also a really, really troubled individual.

Almost bordering on insanity.

“Vali asked me to check on you, make sure that you were growing stronger and were safe, meow,” she answered. “He wants you to grow strong fast, meow!”

At this point, Issei crossed his arms and stared at the cat, genuinely wondering if she was playing around with him.

“You’re messing with me, aren’t you?” he asked.

The cat didn’t answer immediately, but after a second, she put on a smile — something Issei wasn’t aware cats could do.

And Issei knew she talked funny, but right now, she was knowingly making herself sound bubbly.

“Okay, you caught me, meow~”

As she said that, her body shone in a sort of yellowish light, and he was amused to see her changing from a cat to a human.

It was like those Pokémon evolutions he used to watch on television, but instead of white, it was yellow.

And soon, a girl — no, a woman — stood before him.

Black hair, cat ears, amber eyes, and a figure—

‘Damn.’

Issei made a mental note that Kuroka was the complete opposite of Koneko.

Personality, hair color, and, well, even figure.

Koneko was a petite but cute girl.

But Kuroka? She was what everyone thought of when one said ‘catgirls,’ but with the seduction knob turned to the extreme. Because not only was her figure capable of making men and women drool, but the way she dressed in a loosely tied kimono that was inches away from falling off, and the way she talked and carried herself — it all showed that she knew exactly what she was doing and was fully aware of her gifts.

“You’re different from what I expected you to be like, Issei.” She turned her head, acting cute. “Nya~”

“Did you change from ‘meow’ to ‘nya’ with your transformation?” Issei asked with a raised eyebrow, amused by the sudden shift.

“That’s just how it works for me, nya~” she smiled and walked closer. Ddraig warned Issei to be careful, but the boy was confident about the cat devil.

And he wasn’t wrong. Despite being close, she didn’t harm him. Although she did do something weird.

She moved her head toward his neck and started sniffing him.

“You smell different, nya,” she said, equal parts amused and confused. “You have the scent of a devil and a dragon, but you also smell like something else.”

‘What is she talking about?’ Issei asked, hoping his dragon companion might know.

‘Probably something to do with your system. You do have a unique presence about you, and since Nekoshou have a sharper sense of smell than everyone else, she might have smelled it instead of sensing it.’

“But you smell nice too, nya~!” she stated. “You smell like coffee, nya~!”

That was Issei's go-to perfume. He preferred woody and coffee-type smells over citrusy or floral ones.

“So, what do you mean by ‘I am different from what you expected’?”

His arms were still crossed, and he still appeared apprehensive, which made her giggle.

“Don’t worry, nya~! It’s a good thing you’re different!” she said. “I looked into you when Vali told me he could sense the awakening of the Red Dragon Emperor, nya!”

‘He can do that?’

If Albion awakened after me, I would have been able to do the same. Which is an issue since Albion had much longer time with his host, hence must have also reached a higher level of strength.

Issei didn’t deny that. Vali was Ultimate Class, even by birth, so he wasn’t really hung up on him being stronger at the moment.

“The White Dragon Emperor,” Issei sighed. “Vali is the White Dragon Emperor, right?”

Kuroka nodded excitedly. “He is, nya! And he wants to fight you soon, nya!”

Issei was well aware that Vali was going to be a real pain in the ass. Even if the boy was really helpful later on, at the start, he was just another emo kid who was after his ass.

“But you need to grow stronger to fight him, nya! You’re currently too weak, so he isn’t coming for you yet!" she said, and that remark clearly annoyed Ddraig.

Though they were conversing, Kurouka was standing uncomfortably close to him, and Issei couldn't help but wonder if it was intentional.

"What did you think of me earlier?" he asked. "And might I ask why you’re standing so close?"

"Because you smell nice, nya!" she answered honestly. "And I thought you were a pervert before!"

‘Glad to know my image is improving, but it still stings when someone brings up the past.’

‘Makes me glad too,’ Ddraig mumbled, recalling a certain nickname Issei had earned in the past—one that made him want to dig a hole and bury himself in it.

"But you’re not a pervert. You’re smart and perceptive, nya~," she grinned. "And it’s good to see you growing stronger!"

Issei raised an eyebrow but decided not to question her further.

"Anyhow, as you might’ve guessed, I’m not just here because of Vali. I was also curious about you, nya," she said. "It’s not every day you get to talk to the sworn enemy and rival of your leader~."

Issei had already suspected as much, and he also figured she was here to sneak a few glances at Koneko.

"I’m glad we met," Issei said sarcastically, "but I think it’s time for me to go. It’s getting late."

The cat girl pouted. "So soon, nya?" But then she remembered something. "Oh, but I have to go too. Vali would be angry otherwise, nya!"

Issei was genuinely looking for an excuse to leave and was relieved to hear she needed to go as well.

"But before I go, nya~," she smirked mischievously, making Issei nervous, "let me give you something, nya~."

Without missing a beat, she pounced at him.

‘Kid!’ the dragon yelled in surprise, ready to intervene if the cat tried to harm him.

But she didn’t—at least, not exactly.

"Ugh!"

Before Issei could react, she pressed her canines against his neck, drawing blood.

Issei immediately strengthened his gauntlet, prepared to attack, thinking she wanted to fight.

But she didn’t.

Noticing his reaction, she quickly leaped backward.

"Don’t worry, nya~," she laughed, reverting to her cat form in a flash. "It’s a gift~."

"What do—"

She didn’t even wait for him to finish his question. Leaping onto a nearby wall, she disappeared from his sight in an instant.

"What did she do?" he asked, shocked, feeling blood trickle down his neck and a faint burning sensation.

"She… marked you," Ddraig groaned.

<Host has been marked with the Nekoshou Mark>

"It means that damned cat marked you as her mate!" the dragon yelled, clearly displeased, leaving Issei utterly stunned.

What he didn’t see was the small paw-shaped mark briefly appearing on his neck before vanishing, signifying the mark’s establishment.

"That damned cat!" Ddraig groaned again, his voice filled with both anger and helplessness.

As for Issei? He stood frozen in a daze.

‘So… by gift, she meant herself…’

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[[A/N: These talking chapters are more like character introductions, so I can understand if it's boring. I just don't want to throw them all at once during a random clash and have to change ten different perspectives to establish base. It might ruin the flow during fights. It definitely is possible and can be done well, but not WN format. WN format is higher chapter count (else the fic doesn't even get noticed, unless written by an already popular guy). 

But don't worry, things will pick pace soon once the Riser fight starts. After that we will have a lot of fights, discoveries and romance development.  ]]