Reincarnated into a Multiverse Anime World, but High School DxD

A secluded private room in a bar.

Colorful ambient lights gave the room a somewhat suggestive atmosphere, while an indecent biology film played on the large screen.

Jeanne's old face flushed red, and she hurriedly covered her eyes.

Although she had already left the Church and had always wanted to find herself a boyfriend, she was still a holy maiden after all. This stuff was far too early for her.

Ren could not even be bothered to complain about why the gaps between her fingers were so wide, or why the eyes peeking through them were opened so round.

He walked over, turned off the television and neon lights, then sat down without a care.

"We can talk here now, right?"

"Mm..."

Jeanne lowered her hands, looking slightly regretful while also letting out a sigh of relief.

What the hell were you regretting?

If you wanted to watch, I could turn it back on for you, okay?

Ren quietly watched Jeanne sit across from him.

"Do you know about the Hero Faction?"

"No."

"It's normal that you don't. We only formed this new organization recently. Every member is either a descendant of heroes from around the world, or an ordinary person who has awakened a Sacred Gear."

After Jeanne finished speaking, she waited to observe Ren's reaction.

Ren felt that Jeanne was like one of those talking pens.

Why not just say it all at once?

"And then? What does this organization do?"

At that, a proud smile appeared on Jeanne's face. "...The Hero Faction aims to gather heroes of the human race from across the world, then work together to achieve great things in this world. We will show those gods, devils, and angels who look down on humans that even if we are merely human, we can still accomplish equally great feats and stand no less than them!"

By the time she said this, Jeanne had already risen excitedly to her feet.

Her hands were tightly clenched, and an unusual flush had appeared on her fair cheeks.

Ren furrowed his brow.

Everything about Jeanne was fine, so how had she ended up in a pyramid scheme?

"Mr. Ren, we have been secretly watching you for a long time!"

Ren was startled when he heard that.

Since when had the Hero Faction been spying on him?

He asked his system, and quickly received an answer. "The host has not been monitored by any entity."

Compared to the Hero Faction, Ren naturally trusted his system's capabilities more.

Thinking it over carefully, perhaps the Hero Faction had merely gathered information about him and made assumptions on paper.

After all, his personal information was not exactly a secret within the Church.

As a saintess, it was normal for Jeanne to access the records.

Though Griselda had probably helped conceal plenty of information about him.

"Although this encounter was a coincidence, it must also be said that it was fate's arrangement. Therefore, I, Jeanne, hereby extend an invitation to you, Mr. Ren. Are you willing to join the Hero Faction and fight for the great cause of humanity's destiny?!"

Jeanne smiled and extended her hand toward Ren.

"With us, you can find companions who share your ideals."

"..."

"I heard that Mr. Ren, you still don't have a girlfriend, right? If you join, perhaps you can find a woman you truly click with!"

Jeanne said with a beaming smile.

"The Hero Faction sounds like a pyramid scheme."

Ren's first instinct was to refuse.

"Huh? Our Hero Faction isn't a pyramid scheme! The people in it are all elites descended from famous heroes in human history!"

Jeanne explained with an awkward, sweaty expression.

Though her behavior just now did indeed make it seem to outsiders as though she had been brainwashed by a pyramid scheme, the Hero Faction's purpose really was exactly that.

"Besides me, there are Cao Cao, Heracles, Siegfried, and Leonardo too!"

"The more you explain, the more it sounds like a pyramid scheme..."

Ren looked troubled.

But soon, a mission panel appeared before him.

[Mission: Join the Hero Faction]

[Objective: Successfully join the Hero Faction. Reward: Random.]

It might be a pyramid scheme, but then again...

"I can join, but I want to retain a high degree of freedom. I have the right not to participate in any missions I don't want to take part in."

Ren made a relatively demanding request.

If joining the Hero Faction meant his personal freedom would be restricted and he had to participate in certain missions, then he could only give up on this mission.

"No problem!"

Jeanne immediately agreed.

"Our Hero Faction is a very open organization. We absolutely won't force members to do this or that."

After all, most Hero Faction members were descendants of historical heroes, or had directly inherited their ancestors' souls. They were inevitably proud and arrogant. To prevent the organization from disbanding just days after its formation, this unwritten rule had been established.

Still, most people willing to join the organization were quite cooperative. Otherwise, the Hero Faction's ranks would not have continued growing.

"Then there's no problem."

Ren nodded.

[Mission "Join the Hero Faction" settled. Reward obtained: Hand soap x10.]

That Isn't a Pyramid Scheme?

The mission was simple, so the reward was simple too.

Ren collected the hand soap and stored it in his inventory.

"Does the Hero Faction have something like a headquarters?"

"It's currently under construction..."

"So that means you don't have one."

"Uh..."

Jeanne gave an embarrassed smile.

"After all, the Hero Faction has only just started, so we haven't settled on a headquarters yet."

"What about wages?"

"?"

"I mean, after joining the Hero Faction, do we get paid, or can we only receive commissions after completing missions issued by the organization?"

"..."

Jeanne felt a little guilty under his questioning. She turned her head aside and began whistling, pretending she had not heard him.

"If the Hero Faction has group missions in the future, how will the activity funds be handled?"

"Th-There aren't any. Basically, we all pay out of pocket ourselves. But the Hero Faction is still being built up. There will be bread, and there will be milk!"

Afraid that the member she had finally recruited would run away, Jeanne hurriedly painted Ren a rosy picture.

"Paying to go to work is really something."

Ren pulled a rather ugly expression.

He had worked for Griselda before for two reasons: mission rewards and money.

Now that the Hero Faction had actively recruited him, he actually had to pay out of pocket instead.

"Don't tell me we'll have to pay membership fees regularly in the future too?"

"Th-That... depends on your means. Just contribute according to your means."

Jeanne was practically breaking out in a waterfall of sweat.

She had thought the Hero Faction was quite an impressive organization before, but after hearing Ren put it that way, why did it sound so miserable?

"Then how am I supposed to identify someone from the Hero Faction? Like a special magic emblem, or even just an ID card. Don't tell me you don't even have those?"

"W-We'll have them in the future."

Jeanne's voice had become very quiet.

She was clearly the senior, yet in front of Ren, she seemed as timid and humble as a shy child.

"Fine. If there's nothing else, I'll be going."

Ren had no mood to care about how Jeanne felt.

His own mood was not particularly wonderful anyway.

Back when he had watched the anime, the Hero Faction had seemed incredibly impressive upon its first appearance. Not only were they all descendants of heroes, they were all Sacred Gear wielders, and they even possessed several Longinus.

Even the strongest Longinus, the Twilight Spear, was in the hands of Cao Cao, the Hero Faction's leader.

Now, though, it looked like nothing more than a ramshackle outfit, relying entirely on their wealthy family backgrounds and brute force.

And the thing Ren most wanted to complain about was how much Japanese people really loved the Three Kingdoms.

But just as Ren stood up and reached the door, he quickly turned back.

"Let's exchange contact information?"

"Huh?"

"Don't tell me you don't even have a phone? Oh, I get it. Jeanne apparently can't read."

After saying that, Ren turned around again.

But as he turned, Jeanne finally reacted. With a panicked expression, she grabbed his sleeve.

"I can read! I really can read! The rumor that Jeanne is illiterate is false! I'll give you my phone number right now!"

In the end.

Jeanne not only gave Ren her phone number, but also sent him her account on social media.

Ren did not receive any welcome party after joining the Hero Faction.

After the two left the bar, Jeanne parted ways with him.

As one of the Hero Faction's officers, she still had many things to do.

If she had not happened to run into vampires while wandering around at night, then followed the trail to find this place, her meeting with Ren would have been delayed for quite some time.

After leaving the bar, Ren found a proper restaurant in Chinatown called Authentic Hebei Anzheng Beef Noodles.

Although Ren found it hard to keep a straight face when he saw the name, he still went inside and ate a taste of home.

Honestly, the flavor was indeed authentic.

Afterward, Ren got a room at a hotel and went straight to sleep.

When he woke up, it was already noon the next day.

As he habitually glanced at his phone, Ren discovered that someone had sent him a message.