Crimson Echoes: The Rebellion of Gremory (Highschool dxd)

Sunlight streamed through the high windows of the mansion's front corridor, and Kazuki paused in its glow, letting the golden rays wash over him. Each morning still felt hollow without Rias around, but an extra weight settled on his mind today—a voice lingering from that mysterious visitor who'd arrived only a few nights before.

He remembered the woman's words with haunting clarity: "We'll meet again, Kazuki. In time, everything will be clear. Rias's path is tied to yours." She hadn't explained how or why, only left him to wonder what secrets Rias's family hid. Since then, he had glimpsed no sign of the hooded stranger.

He swallowed his uncertainty and hurried up the corridor, a half-eaten pastry in one hand. He wanted to do something—anything—to shake off the nagging sense that he was waiting for a puzzle piece to fall into place. Writing Rias a letter might be a good start.

He slipped into his room, stashing the pastry on a small side table. The soft gurgle of Sora's goldfish bowl greeted him. "Morning," he mumbled, though his head was swimming with scattered thoughts of the stranger and her cryptic hints about "Rias's world."

"It's bigger than you realize," the woman had said, that evening in the garden. Kazuki still didn't grasp what that entailed. Only that Rias's family was important, connected to something she'd shielded him from. Taking a seat at his desk, he pulled out a piece of pale-blue stationery and steadied his breath.

"All right," he muttered. "Let's try this."

He started writing:

Dear Rias,

He paused, feeling a tug in his chest. The memory of her rebellious smirk and the stranger's words about her "other world" weighed on him. He refused to let confusion stop him, though. If Rias's realm was so different, maybe she needed a reminder that someone here still cared about her.

It's quieter without you here—Sora is doing fine, though. He's like a little companion. We still wander the orchard sometimes, but it's not the same without you daring me to climb higher…

He wrote several more lines, pouring out small updates. The more he wrote, the more he felt a small relief. Even if the letter never reached her, at least he was trying.

Folding it, he sealed it in an envelope: "Rias Gremory". He had no address, but he'd ask the staff to forward it however they could. Maybe that mysterious figure was connected enough to pass it along, if she ever returned?

With renewed determination, he left his bedroom, letter in hand, searching for Mr. Fujiwara, the butler who managed household mail. He found the kindly old man polishing a row of silverware.

"Excuse me," Kazuki said quietly, holding out the envelope. "Could you try to send this?"

Mr. Fujiwara accepted it with a sympathetic nod. "For Miss Rias, correct?" The butler glanced at the lacking address, sighing softly. "I'll do my best, Master Kazuki, but I can't guarantee success."

Kazuki forced a small smile. "Thank you."

He walked away feeling both hopeful and uneasy. That mysterious visitor had promised answers "in time," but he wasn't about to wait around doing nothing. If there was even the faintest chance a letter might reach Rias, it was worth trying.

Later, as he helped his mother in the drawing room, he couldn't stop replaying the stranger's warning in his mind: "Rias's path is tied to yours." She'd spoken as if some grand destiny hovered over them—devil house alliances, Underworld business, and so on. But none of it was crystal clear to him.

He overheard his parents whispering again nearby:

"I'm worried about that visitor," his mother said. "She left abruptly, speaking of Gremory obligations and alliances. It's unsettling."

His father replied in a low tone, "Yes, but what can we do? The Gremorys are gone, and Kazuki shouldn't be burdened with any of their… complexities."

Kazuki's heart pounded. He recalled how that visitor had seemed to sense his bond with Rias was deeper than mere friendship. But he still had no idea what it truly meant or how it tied to a bigger world. He placed some folded linens on a side table, feigning calm.

One day, I'll know, he told himself. For now, all he could do was gather fragments of conversation, store them away, and wait for the puzzle to reveal itself.

That evening, an urge to visit the garden beckoned him again. He stepped out under the stars, the estate's lanterns casting soft circles of light along the paths. The air carried a slight chill, but it soothed his restlessness.

He wandered toward the old oak tree, the site of so many stolen moments with Rias—festivals of whispered jokes, midnight climbs. Now, each branch felt haunted by her memory. The hush weighed on him until he recalled the stranger's vow: "We'll meet again… In time, everything will be clear."

If I see her again, he thought, maybe I can ask how to contact Rias. Or at least learn why they keep calling it the Underworld. Despite the quiet, he felt no presence lurking among the shadows. The stranger hadn't returned.

Still, a sense of calm overcame him. If Rias was forging her own path—whatever that path was—he had to do the same here, step by step. He gazed up at the stars, letting the gentle night wash over him, silently promising Rias (and that unknown visitor) that he wouldn't stay idle forever.

Morning arrived bright and crisp, and Kazuki found the house in mild commotion. A carriage had arrived again. His heart lurched—was it the same woman from before, returning with news of Rias?

He hurriedly finished his breakfast and peered from behind the foyer's large potted plant. But no, it was a different visitor: an older gentleman dressed in formal attire. He spoke briefly to Kazuki's father, who nodded politely, looking relieved when the man left.

Kazuki later asked, "Who was he?"

His father sighed. "Just another acquaintance hoping to meet the Gremory family or discuss alliances. Nothing for you to worry about."

Kazuki frowned, stepping away. It seemed everyone wanted to talk to the Gremorys. Why was her family so important—and so many references to odd alliances? He tried to recall the stranger's exact phrasing: 'Rias's path is intertwined with yours… the time will come when you face what she couldn't protect you from…'

That afternoon, Kazuki found himself in the library—a place Rias had once visited, flipping through dusty tomes. He tried to replicate her curiosity, pulling out random books on geography or local folklore. Maybe I'll find a clue about her family, he told himself. But each page yielded mundane details—no mention of "Underworld alliances" or ancient devils.

He pressed his hand against a thick spine, frustration building. The stranger's words teased him like a puzzle piece just out of reach. She said 'We'll meet again.' But when?

He sighed, shoving the book back onto the shelf. Trying to chase the visitor's cryptic hints felt pointless. He was only nine, stuck in a normal human routine. He couldn't just go searching for a woman who vanished into the night. He needed to be patient—like she'd said—until the pieces aligned.

That night, Kazuki tossed in bed, haunted by faint nightmares of swirling shadows. Each time he awoke, the memory of the visitor's warning flickered in his mind, merging with images of Rias's face. He forced himself to calm down by focusing on the present: the hush of his room, the soft glow of moonlight across his desk.

Eventually, restlessness won. He slipped out of bed, stepping into the corridor. No footsteps echoed here—everyone slept but the occasional guard or staff finishing late tasks. Tiptoeing to the guest wing, he stood at Rias's old door, open and empty. He recalled the visitor stepping through a corridor just like this, eyes keen and knowing.

He wandered inside once more—dust motes dancing in his flashlight beam. The bed was stripped to its basic linens, dressers mostly cleared. A faint perfume lingered, reminiscent of the sweet lavender Rias liked. Kazuki breathed in, letting nostalgia and a touch of comfort envelop him.

That woman from the other night… what if she's the only lead I have left? he wondered. If she'd told him more about Rias's "bigger world," maybe he'd understand the meaning behind these "devil alliances" his father mentioned. But the visitor was gone. He had no clue how to summon her back.

He knelt near the floor, where a stray hairpin (likely Rias's) had once been found. It was gone now—probably picked up by the maids. His heart tightened. Everything was slipping away. But the memory of the visitor's vow—"We'll meet again"—reminded him that perhaps fate had more in store.

Morning light returned, as it always did, chasing away the gloom. The hush of the mansion still lingered, but Kazuki found himself oddly more at peace. If the mysterious figure was correct, he'd eventually learn the truth. If Rias truly had a bigger destiny, he'd find her again—or she'd find him. He just had to keep living.

He got dressed, fed Sora, and decided to help the staff sweep the front porch again. Another day, another small step. As he swept leaves away, he let his mind drift to simpler hopes: maybe his letter would reach Rias, maybe not. Maybe the visitor would appear soon, or maybe it would be months. He couldn't control that.

What he could do was hold on to the spirit Rias encouraged in him: Never settle for the safe, ordinary path. Be bold, question boundaries. One day, he'd be older, capable of traveling on his own, bridging whatever realms separated them.

Yes—one day.

He paused, resting the broom handle on his shoulder, gazing out at the estate gates. A faint breeze stirred, carrying hints of the orchard's sweet scent. In that moment, he felt a flicker of resolve. If Rias could forge her own path—whatever that "Underworld" business truly was—he'd do the same here, step by step, until destiny (or that mysterious figure's promise) led them back to each other.

"See you soon," he whispered under his breath, whether to Rias, to the vanished stranger, or to the hush itself. The gentle sway of trees answered him, silent but comforting, reminding him that for every goodbye, there might be a future hello waiting down the road.

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Have been doing collage work and need to work on my life...Sorry for not updating for a while will try to update when I can even if it is one chapter...

If there are any mistake it is because remaking the chapters to fit around 10-11 chapters to only the first arc is difficult but also time consuming.

Suprise I agree that 30 chapters is too long so I am just making it around 10-11 chapters then in chapter 12 we move to the next one if everything comes out right.

Also watched dogman...It was a fun movie...6/10 maybe 7...