Start in DxD as Motohama: Leveling Up in Another World-Chapter 28: Identity

The sun had begun to filter through when Shinji felt his body heavy.

"Ugh?... Why do I feel so heavy?... Huh?"

Opening his eyes, he noticed that one of the girls he had saved last night was actually on top of him.

Shinji's face turned a bit red when he realized that the girl's kimono was open at the chest, revealing the outline of her breasts.

"... 88... Huh?"

Shinji's eyes widened in surprise when that number slipped from his lips. After all, it was the skill the original Motohama was known for.

His surprise grew when he realized his morning wood was pressing against the girl.

Shoving her aside, he quickly got out of bed. The movement woke the girl.

"Uh? What's going on?"

"That's what I want to ask! I remember giving you and your companion a room."

"Oh, that. It's been so long since I was with my master, I didn't want to leave your side. You looked so cute while you were sleeping that I ended up staying in the room."

The girl smiled as she crawled across the bed toward Shinji. She hugged him, her expression shifting to that of a little puppy.

"Was I bad?"

Shinji knew it was a trick, but he couldn't deny that the girl was just too cute.

"Just... don't let it happen again..."

Shinji replied, turning his gaze away.

However, Shinji's mind clicked when he realized something, and he turned his gaze back to the girl.

"Now that I think about it, you never told me your name."

The girl seemed surprised before letting out an ironic smile.

"Actually, I didn't."

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She answered, pulling away from Shinji.

"My name is Himari. I'm the spirit of a cute little kitten ~ ♥"

She smiled as a pair of cat ears appeared on her head.

Shinji, seeing this, was momentarily stunned. In fact, Himari was a beauty in her own right, and those ears gave her an even greater charm.

Realizing his thoughts had begun to wander, Shinji calmed himself as he turned his attention back to Himari.

"About what you were telling me earlier... I'd like to know more."

Shinji's expression became serious. After all, this was about his own past and his family in this world.

Himari's expression also became serious. She nodded and began to speak.

"As I mentioned before, you, my master, belong to one of the twelve exorcist families of Japan."

"There are low-level or subordinate families, above them are the four noble families, and after those is the family that once ruled over all, the Yatahagane family."

"These families exist because the ancient government, many years ago, showed no mercy to the spirits that attacked humans. Many hunters and spirits died in the war that took place back then."

"However, with the rise of the three great powers, things changed, and a period of relative peace began."

"Ah, the three great powers are the ones I mentioned earlier."

"But, this era ended abruptly a few years ago with the death of the Yatahagane clan members at the hands of the Tenko clan, who proclaimed themselves the new ruling family and declared war on the youkai."

Himari paused, waiting for Shinji to process all the information she had given him up to that point.

Shinji, who had listened attentively to everything, couldn't help but frown. This whole story certainly felt like the plot of a well-crafted anime, but he knew it didn't fit into the High School DxD plot he knew.

Considering that there was also a gateway to another world, things became even more confusing.

This led him to think that this world was completely different from the High School DxD he was familiar with.

His attention returned to Himari. He had some doubts.

"I understand most of what you've said. But there are some things that bother me. First: How does all this relate to me? Second: You said earlier that Japan is currently controlled by these three great powers. What about Kuoh and the biblical faction?"

The last question felt like a thorn. It was as if some being had twisted the story he once knew to create something completely different... something chaotic.

Himari nodded.

"Let me clarify your doubts. You, master, are the last member of the Yatahagane family."

Shinji's eyes widened in surprise. He never would have imagined he was connected to such a strange plot. No, this was a mistake. Since Himari's appearance, he had assumed he was involved in something deeper, but he hadn't expected it to be to this extent.

"How is that possible? I've never heard of exorcists before. I don't even have the Yatahagane surname. My family name is Motohama."

"I understand your confusion, master. Let me explain. Your ancestor, your great-grandfather, was Yatahagane Ginji. This man was despised by his family due to the condition he was born with. His spiritual power was greater than any high-ranking member of the family, but this led him to attract bad energies and curses that affected those around him. His birth even caused the death of his own mother. For this reason, they expelled him and erased his existence from the records."

"That was the beginning of Master Ginji's journey to learn how to control his powers. Several years later, he saved my ancestor from being eliminated, earning the loyalty of my entire family. Then he met his wife, from whom he took his surname. That's how the Motohama family began."

Himari replied with a nostalgic smile before continuing.

"Your grandfather, Motohama Shounosuke, was lucky not to inherit the condition. Though the reason for this is that he turned out to be someone more special than anyone could have imagined, or at least that's what they say. I didn't have the honor of meeting him in person."

"Your mother was also not born with this condition. Because of this, your grandfather decided that the Motohama family tradition would end with him. But everything changed when you were born."

"Me?"

Himari nodded.

"You inherited your great-grandfather's condition. By that time, there were various methods to repress the condition, so your mother didn't die. However, something was different about your condition. Fearing for your safety, your grandfather began traveling the world, researching different ways to pacify it somehow. That's how the amulet seal was created."

"This seal feeds off your runaway spiritual energy, creating a barrier that protects you from evil spirits while keeping your powers in check. Though sometimes, they would leak out, causing bad luck or accidents. People around you hating or feeling disgust toward you without reason could also be a result of this."

"It was then established that when you came of age, you would begin training to control your power."

Motohama remembered many of the bad situations he had been involved in.

His family situation...

The accidents that occurred in places he had been...

The school incident where a girl was hurt, and he was blamed even though he had nothing to do with it.

In fact, now that he thought about it, many of these situations had been too unnatural.

The only times things seemed controlled were when he was near Issei or in Kuoh.

But everything calmed down after he obtained the door.

"Answering your second question. Kuoh's situation is special, so to speak. I'm not fully informed on the matter, but I understand that the demons of the biblical faction have some sort of deal with the youkai to occupy this territory."

Shinji nodded in understanding. His mind, however, was a sea of emotions.

Everything he had experienced before awakening his memories was caused by a power he was born with.

His family had a more important and mysterious background than he had imagined.

The world he knew was no longer as he remembered, and even his own life had become more dangerous than it already was.

It was too much information to digest all at once.

"Do you have any idea about the disappearance of my spiritual power?"

Himari shook her head.

"It's strange. It's simply as if it was never there. All I can feel is a great magical power."

Shinji nodded. He had a theory regarding this.

"For now, let's go have breakfast. Everything you've told me has turned my world upside down. I need time to process it."

Himari nodded.