Disclaimer: Just in case nobody realized I don't own nor do I claim ownership of Highschool DxD, all characters and worlds belong to their real world respective owners. I'm just having some fun, that's all.
Highschool DxD: The Cursed King of Kuoh
S1 Ch 2: Not in Kansas Anymore
The silence was broken by a gasp. In an unfamiliar house just outside the town of Kuoh, a young man was jolted violently from a peaceful sleep."Ahh!" He screamed, shooting bolt upright in the massive bed.
A ragged, desperate laugh caught in his throat.*Ha* *Ha* *Ha*
Zach clutched his chest, dragging ragged breaths into his lungs. He waited for his frantic pulse to subside, forcing the lingering terror away until he could finally address the elephant that had just stormed his sanity.
"What the fuck was that?!" His voice, now clearer and stronger, boomed through the otherwise quiet house.
Was all of that just inside my head? he wondered, flexing his fingers and reveling in the simple, overwhelming sensation of being able to feel again. "Okay, that's it. I seriously need to lower the dosage on my edibles."
A relieved, though shaky, smile stretched across his face as the vivid memories of the Abyss and the ravenous, soul-deep hunger finally began to subside.
Seriously, it felt so real, he thought. But as his eyes tracked around the lavish room, his smile dissolved. There was a serious problem with the picture: This wasn't his room.
The bedroom was monumental, far larger than anything he'd ever stepped into, much less lived in. The bed itself was an extra-large king size that could comfortably sleep five people. Looking to his right, Zach spotted a sprawling window that opened onto a dense backyard, naturally barricaded by towering, thick bamboo stalks.
Throwing the plush quilt off, he slowly stretched out his limbs, relishing the satisfying pop of his joints as he walked toward the immense window. Peering out, he studied the serene, green barrier.
"Yeah, Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore," he mused, the thought chilling him more than the sudden awareness of the house's size. "So… all of that was real?"
He quickly tried to organize the horrifying sequence of events: First, he went out to buy a manga. Then, he and everyone around him were likely killed by an out-of-control truck. Next, he awoke in a terrifying void, where he made a questionable deal with some frightening masked entity. And now, he was inside a house he didn't recognize.
"So, I've really been reincarnated into another world."
He spoke the phrase aloud, testing the sound of the unbelievable reality. He'd devoured plenty of Isekai stories, but he never thought in a million years it would happen to him. He pinched his cheek—one final test—to ensure he wasn't high in a hospital bed somewhere.
"Ow!" he complained, his fingers digging uncomfortably into his flesh.
Looking down at his hands, Zach's eyes widened in stunned surprise. Instead of pale, ordinary fingernails, he found razor-sharp black claws, coupled with strange, dense markings coiling around his wrists.
Mild panic accelerating his heartbeat, he rushed out one of the bedroom doors and quickly found a large, Japanese-style bathroom, complete with a massive soaking tub that could, like the mattress, fit multiple people. Pushing aside thoughts of bathtubs, he immediately found the large mirror.
And he didn't like what he saw.
He was noticeably younger, perhaps sixteen or seventeen. His former "Pillsbury Doughboy" body was replaced by a lean, muscular physique, and he was significantly taller. On a scale where ten was Brad Pitt's Achilles, he generously put his new appearance at an eight or eight-and-a-half. His brown hair was now a vibrant light pink, styled as a slick undercut.
But the most distinguishable changes were the various black tribal tattoos covering most of his upper body and face, and the fact that he now had two sets of eyes with glowing red irises.
As a true anime fan, Zach knew immediately who he'd been reborn as.
"Why the fuck am I Sukuna?!" His scream echoed once again across the silent, empty house
*Huff* *Huff* *Huff*
As he began to hyperventilate, Zach clutched his tattooed head, his thoughts spinning wildly.
"How? How is this possible? Was I actually reborn inside Jujutsu Kaisen instead? If so, at what point of the plot am I at?"
Questions cascaded through his mind, one after the other, ringing like a runaway train derailment.
"Somebody better tell me what the fuck is going on!"
"I can tell you, Master," an androgynous voice replied, clear and unnerving.
"Who's there?!" Zach scanned the massive bathroom frantically, claws instinctively raised. "Show yourself!"
"I'm afraid I can't," the voice answered slowly. "You see, I have yet to materialize. Would you like me to?"
Zach paused, the sheer absurdity of the situation demanding caution. "...Yes," he finally conceded.
As if his permission was a trigger, Zach suddenly felt a horrifying biological shift. It was as though a bowling ball had violently swapped places with his internal organs. Dropping to his knees, he doubled over, clutching his stomach in blinding agony. The 'bowling ball' began to ascend, forcing its way up his neck, lodging itself in his throat. Tears streamed from all four of his red eyes before his mouth was violently pried open, and a sleek, black crow writhed and crawled out of his gullet.
Cough!
Gasping for air, Zach watched the bird take to the air, circling once before descending to land lightly on the bathroom counter. From its perch, it looked down at the panting young man.
"Greetings, Master. I welcome you to your new world," it stated with a smooth, even tone.
Zach finally wrestled his breathing back under control. He looked up at the talking bird with a mix of revulsion and rising curiosity. It appeared to be an ordinary crow, save for its sulfur-red, glowing eyes.
"Okay, chicken, you'd better start talking," he snapped aggressively, pushing himself back onto his feet. "Who and what the hell are you?!"
"I apologize for not introducing myself sooner, but worry not. I am here only to assist you on your journey, Master."
"That's the third time you've called me that. What do you mean by 'Master'?"
"Exactly what it sounds like. You are my master, and I am your contracted spirit or guide. I am here to answer any questions, to assist you with acclimating to your new world, to serve you to the best of my abilities, and also to work as the liaison between you and Upper Management."
"Upper Management, huh?" Suddenly, Zach's curiosity vanished, replaced by deadly instinct. He lunged forward, his sharp claws slicing through the air, aiming to bisect the black bird.
But his attack stopped an inch short of the crow's head. A searing, white-hot fire erupted in every cell of his body. Fire crawled through every vein, covered every inch of skin, and chewed into the very marrow of his bones. Every nerve ending was screaming with pure, unimaginable agony.
"Oh, my apologies, Master, for not warning you. But you'll find it quite impossible to kill me during our time together," the crow said, its tone dripping with false sincerity.
Collapsing onto his hands and knees, Zach couldn't hear the bird's words over the loud ringing in his ears. His vision clouded, and his body grew so tired it teetered on the edge of passing out from the sheer pain.
Then, as fast as it had come, the pain vanished.
"Huh?" Zach looked up, confused, to see the crow still calmly staring down at him.
"I think I've proved my point," it stated, answering his unspoken question. "So keep in mind that while I am here to assist you, I'm also here to keep you in check in case you attempt to violate the rules of the tournament."
He didn't respond immediately, slowly picking himself up and dusting off his hands. A heavy silence settled between the two as they stared each other down.
"What are these rules, exactly?"
"Glad you decided to join the conversation, Master. Now, as to the rules, there are only three, and they are very simple:
Rule 1: You may not reveal the truth of your existence or the origins of your otherworldly power and knowledge to anyone.
Rule 2: The player must remain within the world/universe that they have chosen.
Rule 3: The player must fulfill any missions or assignments given to them by Upper Management in the time frame of their choosing."
After hearing the rules, Zach didn't feel particularly concerned. The first one was simple enough; he certainly wasn't going to run around telling people he was an Isekai protagonist. The second was hardly an issue, considering the world of DXD was vast with no danger of running out of things to explore. Plus, he definitely didn't want to run into any other "players" until he had a solid handle on his new abilities. The third rule was going to be the most annoying, and he'd already been warned by the masked freak about the penalty for saying no.
As if on cue, the bird reminded him.
"Failure to comply with any of these rules will result in the player's immediate deletion. Now, do you have any questions, Master?"
"Yeah, a bunch," he replied, rubbing the back of his head and inadvertently scratching it with a claw. "For starters, why do I look like Sukuna?"
"That's likely just how your Celestial System manifested during the transfer process."
Seeing the confusion etched across Zach's face, the crow decided to clarify.
"Every lower worlder's System is unique and tailored specifically for them; no two are exactly alike. Some manifest as what your kind refers to as a 'Gacha' system, granting them powers and abilities from multiple realities. Others, like yours, can manifest as a specific character, where the user gains access to all of the being's original powers and skills, which are usually altered depending on the player's world."
Zach paused, taking in the asshole bird's words while it continued.
"You desired power, the system simply provided you with a template that matched your desire and your potential. Your appearance is merely a reflection of the power you wanted and received."
"...Okay. And how does that work, exactly?"
"Don't know," it said immediately, the bluntness nearly causing Zach to fall onto the floor again. "We Guides are not privy to such sacred knowledge of how or why the System runs the way it does. Only the members of Upper Management know the secrets behind the Celestial System."
Zach seemed to ponder this new information.
"Could it have been my desire for power?"
As Zach mused on his System's specifications, the crow continued.
"That reminds me, Master," it said, drawing his attention. "It's time to receive your new world backstory. Are you ready?"
"Huh? What? Oh, sure, sure," he waved off the process dismissively.
"One moment, please." Suddenly, the bird's sulfuric red eyes began to glow, the intensity increasing rapidly.
A bad feeling coiled in Zach's gut. "This isn't going to hurt, is it?" he asked, a hint of uncertainty creeping into his voice.
"It may sting a tinge," it replied, utterly devoid of sympathy.
"Oh, good, I was worried that I—"
He was cut off abruptly as his mind was bombarded. A new set of detailed, intense memories flooded his consciousness. The sudden, intense pain drove Zach back down to his knees as a scream tore from his throat.
"YOU LYING MOTHERFUCKER!"
As he screamed, the memories continued to flood his mind.
He received memories of growing up inside one of the Five Principal Clans and ascending to become one of its most powerful members. He remembered being feared and hated within the clan for his unnatural abilities and violently volatile temper.
This history culminated in him challenging one of the Clan's Elders—who had publicly insulted him—to a duel. He ended up shredding the Elder to pieces, even after the man had surrendered. The subsequent punishment was banishment rather than execution, a mercy shown only because the fight was a sanctioned duel and he was still a member of the head family. Shortly after being exiled from his clan, he received an intriguing offer: to join Kuoh Academy, one of the country's most prestigious schools, an offer personally extended by the head of the school board.
"So Lucifer himself pulled some strings to get me into that school," Zach thought, quickly inferring the Devil King's likely motivations. "He's probably trying to help out his little sister by putting a potential recruit in her path."
His implanted memories revealed that he was at the very beginning of the canon story. This meant Rias Gremory was still engaged to the "bird boy," Riser Phoenix, and she hadn't yet recruited Hyoudou Issei. This also meant he likely had peerage offers to look forward to if he agreed to enroll at Kuoh Academy.
"Although, maybe I could use this," he mused, considering how desperate the Gremory heiress would be for a powerful pawn like him. After considering a few strategic scenarios, he turned his attention back to the crow. "So, do you have a name or what?"
The bird just tilted its head to the side in apparent confusion.
"It seems a little redundant to keep referring to you as just 'bird' or 'it'," he clarified, frustration edging his voice.
"No, I don't," it shook its head. "Why don't you give me one? The Master is allowed to do that."
"A name, huh?" Zach rubbed his chin, trying to conjure a fitting title for his new companion. "Are you a male or a female?"
"I do not possess any genitalia, at least not the type you're thinking of," it remarked coolly. "But according to your species' standards, I suppose I'd be considered female."
"A name, huh?" Zach continued to rub his chin. "So I'm basically Sukuna now, and he always had a servant by his side."
"How about Ura?" he asked.
"Ura? Does Ura have some kind of special meaning in your homeworld's culture?" the crow asked.
"No," Zach shook his head, deciding to be honest. "It's short, catchy, and easy to say."
"Oh," the bird's androgynous voice carried a distinct, if subtle, hint of disappointment.
"Hey, don't whine now," Zach snapped. "I could've named you Spot if you'd prefer."
"No, no, Ura is quite alright," the crow was quick to assure him.
"Good. Now, are you going to remain a crow? Because according to my new memories, you're meant to be my attendant or guardian while I'm attending school. I can't see how that's going to work."
"Oh, just a moment, Master."
Suddenly, the bird flapped its wings, and a brilliant, blinding light erupted, forcing Zach to squeeze his eyes shut. After a moment, the light subsided. When Zach slowly opened his eyes, he was greeted by the sight of a beautiful young girl in a black kimono.
She looked young, perhaps fifteen or sixteen years old. Her raven-black hair flowed seamlessly past her shoulders, reaching down to the middle of her back. Her skin was fair and smooth, without a sign of any imperfections, making her virtually glisten in the bathroom's bright light. She was dressed in a luxurious black kimono finished with a delicate golden trim.
Zach was left entirely star-struck by the young girl's unnatural and frankly unattainable beauty. Of course, there was only one problem with the picture.
"Um, so this is the form you're going with?" he asked, a heavy hint of concern weighing down his voice
"Yes master," she said, her voice now outside of his head. "With this form I shall guide you on your journey, cook for you when you're hungry, wash you when you become filthy, and even warm your bed should the need arise."
"Yeah let me go ahead and stop you right there cause there's no way in hell I'm screwing a kid. That's just disgusting."
"You don't like it?" She asked with clear confusion. "I picked the form I thought you'd find the most appealing."
"I don't find anything appealing about young kids in that way!" He denied only confusing the being further.
"Really but according to your computer's browser history you seemed to frequent loli-"
But Zach quickly rushed forward covering her mouth with his hands to keep her from finishing her sentence.
"Come on now are you trying to get us canceled before our journey even begins?" he hissed, looking around as if to make sure no one else heard.
The girl just stood there, letting him cover her mouth with his clawed fingers, unflinching.
"You take orders, right?"
The girl nodded her head slowly.
"Good, here's your first order: Don't ever bring that up again. Not to me or anyone else, not for as long as you exist. Understood?"
Again, the girl nodded. Zach slowly let go of her face.
"Well, if you don't like this form, then what would you prefer?" she asked.
"I don't know, something older," he said flippantly. "I would prefer something more mature."
The girl pondered this for a moment before looking up. She began to glow again. Once the light died down, where an adorable young girl once stood, there was now a mature woman who didn't look a day past thirty, with a physique optimized for temptation. Her curves had reached true DXD proportions, straining heavily against the luxurious fabric of her kimono, which now featured a rather dramatic 'boob window.' Her hips had filled out, accentuated by the robe that seemed almost painted onto her frame.
"How about this, Master?" she asked in a much more mature and elegant voice.
Zach couldn't help himself; his gaze immediately sank into the woman's deep valley. Seeing where the young man was staring, a sly, knowing smirk grew on Ura's face as she took a confident step forward.
"I'll take that as a yes," she purred, stepping completely into his personal space. "What do you say, Master, would you like to take this body for a spin?" She pressed her full breasts against his chest. The soft, yielding feeling made him gulp.
"You got over me trying to kill you pretty quick."
"Oh, it's of no concern," she waved off the threat. "That's actually the most common response when we Guides introduce ourselves to our Players."
Zach raised an eyebrow at her words.
"Helped a lot of Players, have you?"
"No. Each Guide is only given form once a Player has been chosen," she shook her head. "But our memories are accessible to each other, so that we can share information to better serve our masters."
"So it's like a hive mind kind of deal?"
Ura just nodded.
"Interesting. I wonder if that applies to other Players as well?" Zach asked himself. "Well, first things first, I need to do something about my appearance."
He gestured to his four eyes, his tribal tattoos, and his razor-sharp claws.
"Oh, that shouldn't be a problem," she said, stepping forward and taking his hands into hers. "First, just pull up your ability screen. I believe you received one that can help you."
"Okay, but how do I do that?"
"Open your mind and then think of the command: Open."
Zach did as she instructed. He cleared his mind of any other thoughts, and once his mental space was as blank as unoccupied space, he concentrated on the command.
"Open," he thought, and instantly, a video game-like screen, just like the one from the void, appeared in his mind.
[Basic Player bundle]
~Language Comprehension: This passive skill allows the user to speak and understand any language they come into contact with. Both written or verbal.
~Combat Intuition: This passive skill grants excellent hand-to-hand combat capabilities and enhanced reflexes. This skill also grants the user's body access to hundreds of techniques from various martial arts.
~Limitless Growth: Allows users to break their race's natural limitations, specifically their magical energy reserves capacity.This skill also grants the user the ability to recover from harm in a short amount of time during which the user will imprint the injuries and experiences and learn from them.
After reviewing his passive abilities, he scrolled down to his other powers.
[Active Powers/Skills]
~Metamorphosis Level 1: Allows users to adjust and alter their body, its aspects, and processes are capable of being enhanced, diminished, altered, and removed according to the user's needs and desires.
~Cursed Energy Manipulation Level 1: Users can create, shape, and manipulate curse/cursed energy. The user can use this energy form to project energy bolts, blasts, force fields, and weaponry.
~Cursed Energy Output Level 1: Allows users to increase the amount of cursed energy they put into their techniques, vastly increasing their effectiveness.
~Magic Eye of Perception Level 1: Grants the user unparalleled perception allowing the user to deconstruct and "learn" techniques along with other objects they are presented with. While at the same time enhancing their thought processes and enhancing their fields of vision.
~Cursed Energy Battle Arts Technique 1 Level 1 Reinforcement: Allows the user to strengthen their body, while enhancing both their physical abilities as well as their body's durability against attacks.
~Innate Technique Shrine Technique 1 Level 1 Dismantle: Grants the wielder the ability to launch invisible slashes at various ranges to cut through objects and space.
~Reverse Cursed Arts Technique 1 Level 1 Restoration: Takes cursed energy and allows the user to turn it into positive energy to regenerate their flesh and heal injuries.
Reading over the list, Zach immediately noticed some glaring omissions.
"Where's my Domain Expansion? What about Malevolent Shrine?"
"As you progress with your abilities and gain experience, more of your character's powers will become available to you once you are ready," Ura explained calmly.
Zach was immediately filled with excitement at the prospect of wielding all the King of Curses' powers. He felt as giddy as a child inside a toy store with their parent's stolen credit card.
"For now, why don't you focus on your current issue," Ura reminded him.
"Oh, right." He turned his attention back to the mirror and his frightening appearance. Seeing him concentrate, Ura slowly approached from behind, her voice a soothing murmur.
"Let the power flow through your body. You know its name, you know the effect, and you know what you want. Now, use it."
Activating [Metamorphosis], he watched in disbelief as the two smaller eyes beneath his main ones closed and vanished. He concentrated on his hands, making the razor-sharp claws retract. Next, he focused on his upper body's tribal tattoos, watching them fade away as if they had never existed.
"Wow!" he said, excited. "I can look like anyone I want!"
He watched with glee, cycling through eye colors—red to blue, purple to gold. He manipulated his hair, making it grow long and then short, changing the color from pink to black, then red, then silver. He even morphed his whole body until he looked exactly as he had back on Earth: short, stocky, with a slight round belly.
"Are you planning on resuming your old appearance, Master?" Ura asked curiously.
Zach took one last look at his old self in the mirror before his appearance shifted again.
"No," he denied, shaking his head. "Whatever was left of Zach McCole died in that wretched pit." His hair settled back into a pink, spiky undercut styled backward. "According to my new memories, I'm the banished member of the Clan Doumon. I am Sukuna Doumon from this point onward." He established this as his default appearance using the Metamorphosis skill.
"Yes, Master Sukuna." Ura bowed her head, making her large, supple breasts jiggle.
"Y-yes, well," he stuttered, wrestling his hormones back under control. "Let's see what else I can do."
Going through his skill list, he picked the one he'd always fantasized about using.
"Dismantle," he muttered, waving his hand experimentally.
"Wait!" Ura shouted, but she was too late. An arcing, invisible blade shot through the air, cutting the built-in shower stall clean in half.
Cough! Cough! Cough!
Sukuna coughed uncontrollably from the dust caused by the debris. Tiles and stone rained down onto the once-spotless bathroom floor as a giant, vertical slash hole opened in the wall. Both master and servant stared at the damage with surprise before Ura turned, looking at him with utter disbelief.
"My bad," he said, rubbing the back of his head almost sheepishly.
"Ha," Ura let out a tired sigh, returning her gaze to her destructive master.
"Worry not, Master Sukuna, for this base was built with a repair array."
"What do you—"
Before he could finish, he watched the wall slowly put itself back together, as if time was rewinding. Seamlessly, the masonry and tiles knit together until the wall stood tall and proud, as if nothing had ever happened.
"Well, that's handy," he remarked.
"Indeed," Ura concurred. "Begging your pardon, Master."
"Yes, what is it?"
"I was hoping to put this off until you'd had more time to settle in, but with such destructive abilities, I don't think we should wait in teaching you how to control them."
Remembering the destruction the real Sukuna had caused and the awesome animated fights, he couldn't help but agree.
"I see your point," he conceded. "What do you propose?"
"Follow me," she said, leading him out of the giant bathroom and down the hallway.
Now outside the Japanese bath, he could finally take in the rest of the building. It was a large, one-story house with an open courtyard in the back and a nice, traditional Japanese garden. A massive fifteen-foot stone wall surrounded the perimeter of the property—a sensible feature for a safe house belonging to one of the Five Principal Clans. Outside the wall, a large forest of bamboo trees obscured the house even further, making it nearly impossible to see from the road.
"So, what's with the base?" he asked as he continued to follow her. "Do all Players get one?"
"No," she denied without turning around. "It's something only afforded to Players sent to particularly dangerous worlds."
"Oh, and DxD is one of the dangerous ones?" He almost wanted to laugh, remembering all the fanservice.
"Well, according to the data, this universe has enemies that have world-destroying capabilities," she reminded him. "So, yes, I would say this reality counts as one of the more dangerous ones."
Sukuna's eyes widened slightly. He'd forgotten how many powerful, world-ending adversaries actually existed in this supernatural universe. That thought filled him with a surge of utter excitement, and a crooked smile spread across his face.
"That's why," Ura continued, interrupting his inner thoughts. "Upper Management created bases for certain Players. As long as you remain inside the barrier, you're completely safe."
At her words, Sukuna activated his Eyes of Perception and immediately examined the dome-like barrier covering the entire house. Though he didn't understand how, he instantly discerned that the barrier was constructed to protect against unwanted guests, physical attacks, and even teleportation, utilizing some strange energy he couldn't identify.
"So this is what the description meant when it said 'learn,' " he thought, continuing to walk behind Ura. "Well, at least I'll have a safe base of operations."
As if reading his mind, Ura spoke up.
"Indeed, this is the one place in all of existence where your safety is guaranteed, Master." She said, finally looking back over her shoulder.
He just nodded, trailing behind her until she led him outside into the courtyard. After walking a few paces away from him, Ura turned and faced him.
"So, as far as I can see, since we have a few days before you have to start attending Kuoh Academy—"
She started, but he cut her off.
"Wait, I still have to enroll there? Can't we just resend the invitation or something?"
"No," she shook her head, denying his request. "It's going to be required that you join Kuoh Academy since that's where most of the plot takes place in this world."
"There's no way to refuse, huh?" he asked, making her shake her head again.
"Consider it your first assignment from Upper Management." She then resumed her speech. "Now, as I was saying, we have a few days before you enroll. So, during that time, we need to get you at least proficient in using your powers."
"Okay... How do we do that?"
"Each of us Guides has our own individual ways of helping our masters." She started to roll up her kimono sleeves. "Some prefer study, others theoretical work. As for me, I prefer a more practical approach."
She opened her hands, and in a flash of purple light, a pair of matching black and gold metal folding fans appeared.
"So, let's start with some no-holds-barred sparring," she said, her ruby-red lips curling into a wicked smirk.
"What happened to me not being able to kill or harm you? I'm not interested in feeling that burning again." he barked.
"Not to worry. The protocols are lifted when it comes to training, and neither one of us can truly harm the other during these sessions."
"Fine then," he said, dropping into a fighting stance that felt surprisingly natural.
"The match ends in only three ways: You are rendered unconscious, you are unable to continue, or you manage to land a single blow on me," she added, unfolding her twin metal fans with a snap.
Sukuna stared at the woman, annoyed.
"You're really underestimating me, huh."
Ura just giggled lightly.
"Oh, I'm not underestimating anything," she said confidently.
At her words, veins bulged on Sukuna's neck and face, clearly angered by the crow woman's confidence. With a roar, he activated his Innate Shrine and sent a slash at her, which she blocked with her right fan.
"Come," She smiled as Sukuna charged forward.
A.N: So there's chapter 2 if you like my story and would like to read ahead or just support me and my work please check out my Patreon RouguePrince69.
The current stories available are:
The Young Lion Act 2 Ch 9
Highschool DxD: The Cursed King of Kuoh S1 Ch 11
Percy Jackson The Ashes of Olympus Arc 1 Ch 1