The Defiled

Cold!

Hot!

Bright!

Loud!

Dane's brain felt like a radio tuned to static.

His limbs flailed, but they were tiny as they were useless. A blur of colors swam above him; candles, maybe? Faces? Everything was smeared like the world had been tossed in oil.

[Notice! A New Soul Has Been… Reborn… Subject: Human… ERROR]

The voice boomed again, sharp and sourceless. Dane tried to scream, but what came out was a gurgle.

A weak, wet sound.

'What the hell? Why can't I...

[Rebirth Protocol Corrupted]

'....move?!

Dane said, trying to move but could not.

[Anthem Awakening… ???… Error… Error]

Pain....White-hot!! Dane's tiny body arched, fists clenching. He wailed, but the sound was muffled, drowned out by coos and hushed voices.

"Shh, shh… my sweet boy...

A woman's voice, soft and warm. Hands lifted him, cradled him. Dane's vision swam...a face, round and glowing, framed by hair like fire.

[Attempting to Purge the Outlier]

'No... STOP!!...

At that moment, he could feel a wildfire spread in his veins again, as if someone was burning him from the inside out. Dane thrashed, but his limbs were pinned by swaddling cloth. The woman gasped.

"Oh! He is so… spirited!"

[Attempt 1: Fail…

'Make it STOP!!!...

[Attempt 2: Fail…

The pain vanished as suddenly as it came. Exhaustion dragged at Dane like a lead blanket. He whimpered, drooling.

[Unable to Purge... Subject Classified as Outlier… Lore Core Generated]

'Lore… core… Ahhhh, so I finally reach.'

[Class: "Divine" Quality: "Defiled"]

Dane's foggy brain latched onto the words. Divine? Defiled? They meant nothing. He was hungry.

Tired even as his tiny mouth opened in a yawn.

"Look at those eyes! So… strange…

The woman's voice again.

Fingers brushed his cheek.

Dane squinted.

And the woman said.

"His eyes... they are glowing blue?"

[Warning: Outlier's Presence is Disrupting Universe Reality]

"Hmmm, did I really pick up a human... or are you something else?"

[Compensation Issued]

A warmth bloomed in Dane's chest.

The woman, however, was still confused.

"Hmmm... Maybe Minerva can shed some light on the topic when she comes back."

Dane stared up at her, brain churning.

[Suggestion: Perform a Feat to Stabilize Lore Core]

'Feat?...

Dane's stomach growled. He screwed up his face and let out a howl.

"Oh! Someone's hungry!"

The woman fiddled with her robes. Dane's thoughts screeched to a halt.

"WOOOW!! Those things are massive."

Dane said out loudly, baby sounds coming out of his mouth in place of actual words because before him a pair of massive boobs was swaying side by side in front of him. 

Or should he say a pair of heavenly orbs?

However, he did not have time to admire them because, in the next instant, the woman pushed her dark-colored nipple right into his small mouth.

As milk started to pour down his throat.

'Hmmm... a little bitter... Ah, this isn't how I imagine it to be... but I feel suddenly refreshed.'

But it's what happened next that truly shocked him.

[Feat Achieved: First Meal of the Defiled]

[First Meal of the Defiled: It is said that when the Defiled One eats anything, his rate and quality of healing are boosted depending on either the quantity or quality of food, allowing for simple to complex healing over time]

'Hmmm... really, is an ability really that easy to get?' 

'Wait, I can heal by... eating?'

He blinked, a bit surprised at how ridiculously easy it was to gain a skill. But just as quickly, a gut feeling told him he probably wasn't getting another one anytime soon. That voice in his head?

Yeah… it definitely wasn't a fan of him.

Still, putting that aside, he had already pieced together what was going on; he had reincarnated as a human baby. And the System Spirit managing this universe? That was new. It wasn't part of the original Harem, Dragons, and Deities, but considering this was a fanfiction version of the world, he really should've expected some weird deviations.

However, when he opened his eyes, his vision was still blurry; expected, given he was just a baby. Exactly how young he was remained a mystery, but judging by his tiny body and sluggish movements, he figured he was probably a newborn.

Still, that wasn't the most pressing thing on his mind.

As Dane suckled on the warm milk, nibbling absentmindedly on his caretaker's breast, a thought crossed his infant mind: Was this his mother? Or was he in the arms of some stranger? After all, he did hear her murmur.

"Did I not pick up a human?"

That alone set off alarms in his head.

His blurry vision struggled to focus, but he could make out the general shape of a woman dressed in a dark, flowing robe, simple in design yet strangely elegant. But her eyes… bright orange and nocturnal, their pupils slit like a cat's. Or maybe a snake.

Her skin was a deep, rich chocolate, smooth yet carrying a presence that felt almost otherworldly. Her figure? Voluptuous, curvy in all the right ways, though, admittedly, his baby brain didn't care about that right now.

What did catch his attention, however, were the massive, jet-black yak-like horns jutting from her head, thick and imposing. And then there was the long, powerful draconic tail, lazily curled around her, its black scales gleaming under the dim light of the room.

If that wasn't enough proof she wasn't human, the glowing orange flame-like tattoos snaking up her arms and across her face certainly sealed the deal.

All of this made Dane come to one single conclusion.

'Yep, this woman ain't my mother... If I'm human, then there's no way a human in DXD or any other game I've played would have such a fantasy-like appearance.'

It was simple math. Human plus dragon girl just didn't add up. The bigger question, however, was why a non-human was holding him and how the hell he ended up in this situation.

That was the real mystery, but he had no answers.

Still, the woman didn't seem hostile. In fact, she seemed almost too affectionate.

Before he could dwell on it any further, the sound of a door opening echoed in the distance. A woman stepped inside, her voice breaking the silence as she spoke.

She has a British-like accent to her tone.

"Hahh... Rakasha, you haven't the faintest idea how utterly insufferable today has been. Those wretched little human brats; when they gather en masse, it's as if they conspire to erode my very sanity! Honestly, if I must endure one more shrieking voice, I will freeze the lot of them where they stand and personally ensure they never thaw!"

The woman who entered was completely different from the one currently holding Dane. She had flawless, pale skin and looked mostly human, if not for the fact that Dane instantly recognized her.

'Wait… what… why… why is this monster here?'

Dane's mind reeled, confusion and shock gripping him. This woman was the complete opposite of Rakasha. Her skin was unnaturally pale, deathly pale even. She wore an elegant dress, seemingly woven from her own blood, and her eyes glowed an eerie, menacing red. Long, thick giant golden drill-like curls framed her delicate face, and her petite frame gave her the appearance of either a little girl or a small-framed woman.

She looked young, but Dane knew better.

He knew exactly who she was.

And encountering her this early on? It was nothing short of a death sentence.

Because she wasn't from the original Harem, Dragon, and Deities at all... No, she came from a completely different visual novel.

As such, Dane could not help but think.

'No way... what are the chances I run into III Priscilla Heartbreak?"