DxD: DO System Chapter 32

Chapter 32: Findings of the Forest

Issei couldn’t help but feel a bit uneasy about all the bugs around. They weren’t huge or anything, but small enough to crawl into places they shouldn’t—like his ears or nose. Just the thought of it made his skin crawl.

And with how many bugs were flying around, he couldn’t shake the fear that it might actually happen. He’d already swatted away more than he cared to count.

“I told you to wear one of these,” Rias said, smirking as she pointed at the netted helmet she had on.

“Wait.” Issei blinked, looking around in confusion. “When did all of you put those on?”

He was baffled. At first, he’d only noticed Rias wearing one, but now Akeno, Koneko, and even Kiba had them too.

“When we saw you walk face-first into that spider web,” Akeno teased with a chuckle. “We’ve got an extra if you want it.”

Issei considered it for a moment, but the thought of how ridiculous he’d look made him shake his head. “No, thanks.”

He had barely kept himself from laughing when he first saw Rias wearing the helmet.

‘I can’t be seen wearing that,’ he thought.

‘That’s why I keep telling you to train,’ Ddraig’s voice rumbled in his head. ‘If you could manifest your helmet on command, bugs wouldn’t even bother you.’

‘Hilarious,’ Issei shot back.

It wasn’t like he didn’t train. The problem was that forming his full armor still took a ton of effort, and rushing it would only make things worse.

“It’s fine,” Zatouji chimed in, trying to reassure him. “Even if they get inside your ears or mouth, I’ve got magic to get them out.”

“Painful?” Issei asked warily.

“Unfortunately, yes.”

“Should’ve worn a helmet,” Rias teased, whistling innocently.

“Yeah?” Issei muttered, annoyed as he walked beside Zatouji. “Well, helmets don’t stop bugs from crawling into your clothes, do they?”

“No,” Rias admitted, “but I used enough bug spray to—”

“About that…” Zatouji interrupted, glancing at her. “The bugs have adapted to the spray since your last visit, Lady Rias.”

Rias froze, her confidence shaken as she quickly glanced around.

“Around your collar, Rias,” Issei said with a smirk.

She instantly paled. “D-Don’t joke, Issei.”

But he just pointed at her collar, grinning.

Sure enough, a tiny spider sat there.

The scream that followed was loud enough to echo. “Eeeeek!”

‘Why are humans so afraid of bugs?’ Ddraig grumbled.

‘We just are, Ddraig. We just are.’

The playful banter continued as they made their way past the bug-infested area. Before long, they reached a clearing where actual familiars started appearing—most of them low-class, with a few standing out above the rest.

“Look over there.” Zatouji pointed to a group of bats flying above. “I still remember when Lady Rias found a certain unique bat.”

Issei raised an eyebrow. “You have a familiar, Rias?”

She nodded. “It’s customary for every High-Class devil to have one. I got mine when I was really young.”

Seeing his curious expression, she decided to elaborate. “It’s a rare type of bat that can communicate over long distances, scout areas, and even heal minor injuries if it bites you.”

“So it’s mostly a search-and-support type familiar?” Issei asked.

“Exactly.” Rias smiled. “It’s been incredibly helpful, especially when I need to find people.”

Issei was genuinely impressed. A scout-type familiar was a solid choice.

“Does anyone else have a familiar?” he asked, glancing at the other three members of the peerage.

“I have a little lightning elemental dragon named Raikou,” Akeno said, walking alongside Rias. “He’s playful but very efficient.”

“Oh? What kind of abilities does he have?”

‘Lightning dragons are energetic,’ Ddraig explained. ‘But they make excellent offense-based partners.’

“He’s mostly an offensive familiar,” Akeno explained, echoing Ddraig’s words. “Since I use lightning magic, he also works as an augmenter. When he’s with me, my lightning power gets a boost.”

‘Augmenters are great,’ Ddraig added. ‘Perfect for offense-heavy fighters.’

Issei nodded, and it made sense—Akeno was one of the strongest offensive members in Rias’ peerage.

“My familiar is Shirone,” Koneko said softly. “It’s a… nekomata.”

She didn’t say much else, so Rias stepped in to elaborate.

“Shirone is also a scout-type familiar,” Rias explained. “But while mine works best in high altitudes or caves, Koneko’s is specialized for scouting deep underground, like in tunnels.”

Issei had to admit, the combination of offensive power and scouting capabilities was pretty clever.

“What about you, Kiba?”

Kiba shrugged. “I don’t have one yet. I’m hoping to find one here.”

That caught Issei off guard. After hearing the others talk about their familiars, he had assumed Kiba already had one too.

The group continued deeper into the forest, and the further they went, the more curious Issei became.

“You said there are dragons in this forest, right?” Issei asked Zatouji, who nodded. “But aren’t dragons super picky? I thought they hated the idea of serving anyone.”

Before Zatouji could answer, Ddraig spoke up.

“The dragons here are lesser dragons,” he explained. Knowing Issei would have more questions, he added, “Lesser dragons are like distant cousins to true dragons. They’re smaller, often lack the ability to speak, and don’t reach the same power level. Think of them as the chimpanzees of the dragon world.”

Zatouji nodded. “There are a few full-sized dragons here, though,” he said, catching everyone’s attention. “But they’re not meant to be familiars. The first Lady Gremory brought them here long ago—dragons that were injured, missing limbs, or otherwise unable to survive on their own. She nursed them back to health, and ever since, their descendants have acted as guardians of this forest.”

“That’s… actually kind of cool,” Issei admitted. “Any other special creatures here?”

“There are a few,” Zatouji replied. “For example, there are wolves with Fenrir bloodlines, brought here by the ancestors of the current Lord Gremory.” 

This made most of the group members want to find them —but they knew it wouldn't be possible. 

As they ventured further, Issei found himself fascinated by the history and the place itself. But his excitement dimmed when Zatouji spoke again.

“We’re approaching the edge of the forest,” Zatouji said, his tone serious. “Beyond this point are creatures that cannot—and should not—be tamed. Some are too dangerous, and others are vital to the balance of the forest. Think of them as the guardians and overseers of this place.”

“And what if we don’t find a familiar here?” Issei asked, feeling a bit disheartened.

“Then you’ll either have to search somewhere else or wait a few years for new familiars to be born and brought here,” Zatouji said with a light shrug.

Issei’s face immediately fell into a frown.

“Better hope you find something soon, kid,” Ddraig said, surprisingly without teasing him this time.

“Don’t let it get to you, Issei,” Kiba said with a reassuring smile. “I didn’t find a familiar on my first try either. But with the Boosted Gear, you might have better luck. Some familiars could be drawn to your aura.”

“I hope you’re right.” Issei forced a small smile and kept following the group into the deepest allowed part of the forest.

“Stay sharp around here,” Zatouji warned. “Most familiars here are Low or Middle Class, but every now and then, you might run into a High-Class one.”

Issei kept his hopes up, scanning every creature they passed.

<Race: Direwolf>

<Class: Foundation-Middle Class>

<Race: Irish Elk>

<Class: Peak-Low Class>

<Race: Sabertooth>

<Class: Foundation-Middle Class>

The creatures were fascinating, but none of them showed the slightest interest in him—or anyone else, for that matter.

Minutes turned into what felt like hours, and Issei was starting to lose hope.

Then something unusual happened.

“Wait… is that thing heading toward Kiba?” Akeno asked, her voice filled with surprise.

Everyone turned to see what she was talking about. Slowly but surely, a massive, rock-like creature was lumbering toward Kiba.

“That’s not a rock,” Koneko said with a rare hint of amusement. “It’s a tortoise.”

<Race: Galápagos Tortoise>

<Class: Foundation-Middle Class>

Issei watched as the tortoise fixed its gaze on Kiba, almost as if it were inviting him to come closer.

“Hahaha!” Zatouji’s laughter echoed, startling everyone. “Looks like this big guy has taken a liking to you, Yuuto Kiba!”

Kiba seemed just as surprised as the rest, but he quickly warmed up to the idea. He walked over to the massive tortoise—easily five feet tall and probably weighing over 400 kilos—and gently placed a hand on its head.

“It wants to bond with him,” Zatouji explained, standing next to Issei.

Kiba smiled softly. “I don’t mind forming a bond with you. I like you.”

Rias, however, raised an eyebrow. “Is this… a good idea? Kiba’s a Knight. His strength is speed, and a tortoise doesn’t exactly scream agility.”

“Familiars aren’t just about combat or scouting,” Zatouji replied. “Sometimes, it’s about companionship.”

“Don’t worry,” Ddraig added. “Tortoises like these grant defensive boosts to their partners. They don’t need to keep up physically. As long as they’re nearby, their magic enhances your defenses significantly.”

Issei couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy as he watched Kiba kneel beside the tortoise, a genuine smile on his face.

‘Why can’t I find something like that?’

Kiba placed his hand over the tortoise’s head and began chanting softly. A glowing crimson circle formed beneath them, and moments later, a shell-shaped mark appeared on Kiba’s hand before vanishing.

“Congratulations!” Zatouji clapped, clearly pleased. “You’ve got yourself a familiar—and a strong one at that.”

Kiba hugged the tortoise’s long neck, and the tortoise responded by nuzzling its head against Kiba’s chest.

‘Damn it,’ Issei thought bitterly.

But before he could wallow too much, Rias spoke up. “Oh? Issei, I think something’s near you...”

“What?” He turned around but saw nothing.

“Look down,” Ddraig and Rias said simultaneously.

Issei glanced down and froze, his eyes widening as something unexpected caught his attention.

<Congratulations! You have completed a hidden quest!>