Fate DxD

Chapter 127

"Senji... Senji, wake up..." I feel Chiyo gently place her hand on my shoulder. "Iruka's here; he came to get you."

"Mmmm, okay, I'm coming..." I mumble something as I wake up.

"Should I wake the girls up too?" Chiyo whispered.

"Hmm..." I open my eyes and see Rias and Asia fast asleep. "No, let them sleep..."

"Okay, I'll tell him you're on your way," Chiyo said with a smile, then slipped quietly out of my room.

I stare at the ceiling for a few seconds, quietly listening to the slow breathing of the two young women beside me, before taking a deep breath and getting up. I grab some clean clothes, change quickly, and head to the dining room. I slide open the door and see Iruka at the table, drinking tea and chatting with Chiyo.

"Oh, good evening, Senji. Sorry to wake you up, but Hiruzen-sama finally has some time for you." Iruka greets me. "You should see how busy he is. At this rate, we're going to have to find a replacement for him soon!" he says with a laugh.

"Hmm... I guess so..." I say, yawning. "I... I'm going to wash my face, and then we can go."

"Aren't you going to eat before Senji?" Chiyo asks. "It's already 9 p.m.; you must be hungry."

"No, I'm fine. I'll eat later," I reply.

I splash water on my face to wake myself up properly before looking in the mirror.

"I really look like crap..." I sigh.

"It has to be said that you really pushed your luck," said Ddraig. "But don't worry, it'll only last a few days."

"...I can still feel that power, but it's fading little by little..." I clench my left fist. "Ddraig... Do you think I'll get that strength back?"

"I'd even go so far as to say, partner, that you'd become much stronger—I'm certain of it," said Ddraig proudly.

"...I see... thanks, Ddraig." I let go of the sink, stand up, take one last look at myself, and walk out of the bathroom.

The road to the Hokage's office is quite long; Iruka drives slowly, avoiding any debris or people cleaning the streets. I look wearily at the spotlights placed here and there to replace the streetlights.

After several long minutes of suffering from motion sickness, which was made worse by fatigue, we finally arrive in front of the building. As I step out, I notice that the office is in good condition, having sustained very little damage. There are also a large number of Shinobi guarding the building and its surroundings. I follow Iruka and enter the office. We are greeted by a secretary, who, after informing him of our visit, guides us to the Hokage's office.

As I approach the door, I can hear Hiruzen and a woman talking inside; it seems the building really has been shaken up, since there's no soundproofing to speak of.

"The Public Safety Demon Hunters are here to help with any monsters still in the city," the woman explains.

"That's very generous of you, but how much is it going to cost us? We can't really afford to spend too much, especially on potential recruits," Hiruzen explains.

"Don't worry about the price; think of it as a long-term investment," said the woman.

"...Why do you say that?" Hiruzen asks, confused.

"This won't be the last time demons attack Fuyuki—or any other city or region in Japan," the woman asserts. "Our help, though free of charge, is really just a way to promote our services; since all eyes are on us, it's the perfect publicity."