High School DxD Light Novel - Volume 24

[DragonOsman]

When even Tsubaki thinks she'll have to get past Ise to win Kiba's heart, you just know something's up. It's a running gag, yes, but the normal human girls at the school actually believe that Kiba and Ise are in a gay relationship, too, and the Manga Club even made a manga on it (now discontinued).

And Lucidrago, we have no reason to believe that Ise is gay because he loves Rias and the other girls and he even proposed to them. He can't have sex with them only because the editor isn't allowing it. In the case of Kiba, though, there's nothing like that. He himself has no interest in any of the girls fawning over him and he even ignores Tsubaki's advances. When Ise tries to hook him up with Tsubaki, he even asks why he keeps trying to do that. Why would people not wonder if Kiba is actually gay? Not saying that he is. Just asking.

@Norn: Given the words, "Kiba isn't gay, he's just crazy about Ise", how will you interpret it? Really, what's the difference? You tell me.

[B214]

Originally Posted by DragonOsman

When even Tsubaki thinks she'll have to get past Ise to win Kiba's heart, you just know something's up. It's a running gag, yes, but the normal human girls at the school actually believe that Kiba and Ise are in a gay relationship, too, and the Manga Club even made a manga on it (now discontinued).

And Lucidrago, we have no reason to believe that Ise is gay because he loves Rias and the other girls and he even proposed to them. He can't have sex with them only because the editor isn't allowing it. In the case of Kiba, though, there's nothing like that. He himself has no interest in any of the girls fawning over him and he even ignores Tsubaki's advances. When Ise tries to hook him up with Tsubaki, he even asks why he keeps trying to do that. Why would people not wonder if Kiba is actually gay? Not saying that he is. Just asking.

@Norn: Given the words, "Kiba isn't gay, he's just crazy about Ise", how will you interpret it? Really, what's the difference? You tell me.

Does Kiba even know if Tsubaki likes him? Cause he seems too focus on his role as Rias' knight and Ise's "best friend".

[Norn]

Originally Posted by DragonOsman

When even Tsubaki thinks she'll have to get past Ise to win Kiba's heart, you just know something's up. It's a running gag, yes, but the normal human girls at the school actually believe that Kiba and Ise are in a gay relationship, too, and the Manga Club even made a manga on it (now discontinued).

And Lucidrago, we have no reason to believe that Ise is gay because he loves Rias and the other girls and he even proposed to them. He can't have sex with them only because the editor isn't allowing it. In the case of Kiba, though, there's nothing like that. He himself has no interest in any of the girls fawning over him and he even ignores Tsubaki's advances. When Ise tries to hook him up with Tsubaki, he even asks why he keeps trying to do that. Why would people not wonder if Kiba is actually gay? Not saying that he is. Just asking.

@Norn: Given the words, "Kiba isn't gay, he's just crazy about Ise", how will you interpret it? Really, what's the difference? You tell me.

That's because foremost, they're close friends. It's safe to say that after Rias, the person Kiba cares the most about is Ise. Kiba was bound to self destruct with the deep grudge he held towards the Vatican. The one who saved him from that, was Ise. And thanks to Ise, he's been able to (re)connect with his old friends from the orphanage and move past his vengeance. He's finally able to enjoy life somewhat. It wouldn't be strange if he saw that as Ise not only saving his life, but also giving him a reason to live. This might be me, but Kiba feels very indebted to Ise. They're close to the point where they seriously discussed what the other should do in the case one of them dies.

That's a lot for Tsubaki to live up to.

Normal girls believing that Ise and Kiba are in a gay relationship is not really a telling sign. It's a shipping trope. And several of those girls might as well be fujoshi's.

Kiba not having any interest in the girls around him even after he can finally live for himself is not strange. He's used to girls fawning over him. And ignoring Tsubaki's advances means that he's not interested in her like that, plain and simple.

Would you not ask a friend why they keep trying to hook you up with a girl? Try fervently hooking up someone who isn't into the person you're trying to hook them up with and see if they're not going to ask you why you keep doing that.


I don't deny that Kiba is a bit odd, but I genuinely believe that he's not gay. Not because he hasn't made a clear move on Issei, but more because Kiba has yet to actually fall in love with someone.

[XFire]

KIBA IS NOT GAY

It's a running gag that he seems like he is because of how he acts, but he's not actually romantically interested in Ise.

[The 48th Ronin]

The fact that the girls got jealous of Fem!Kiba only emphasize the fact of just how good looking Kiba is.

[Lucidrago]

So what abilities do you guys think that Balberith and Verrine have. Besides an endless amount of demonic power. Although I feel like Ishibumi might go the 'Crom Cruach' route for Balberith with him being incredibly powerful with only the basic abilities of a devil.

[DragonOsman]

Do they have endless Demonic Power, though? Their aura seems bottomless, especially Balberith's, but I don't they have infinite power (Hey, Ophis, I think someone's trying to steal your shtick). Balberith being like Crom sounds good, though.

Look at the myth for what abilities they might have, though. That could help.

@XFire: Yeah, it's a running gag and Kiba isn't really gay. But the way the joke is done isn't helping much. I just hope Kiba would hurry up and find a woman so we (and Ise) can rest easy ().

[Lucidrago]

I meant in the sense that it seems endless.

[Norn]

I don't think that guessing their abilities will be easy, despite their names having myths.

[DragonOsman]

They're named after demons among the 72 Pillars of Solomon, just like all of the other Devil Houses. We might be able to glean something from that.

[Lucidrago]

What devil from the 72 Pillars is Verrine named after exactly?

[DragonOsman]

Well, yeah, Verrine isn't there, but Balberith seems to be a mix of Baal and Beleth. Does seem like a bit of a stretch, though.

[Norn]

• Soneillon was the fourth prince of Thrones, who tempts men to hate and is opposed by St. Stephen.
• Gressil was the third prince of Thrones, who tempts men with impurity and is opposed by St. Bernard.
• Verrine was also prince of Thrones, just below Astaroth. He tempts men with impatience and is opposed by St. Dominic.
• Berith was a prince of the Cherubim. He tempts men to commit homicide, and to be quarrelsome, contentious, and blasphemous. He is opposed by St. Barnabas.

It's not easy to guess their powers. For example, Balberith comes indeed from Baal. Who also is called Ba'al, Ba'al Zebub and Ba'alberith. All of which are associated with flies and are the origin of Beelzebub (lord of the flies). I'm sceptical toward the idea of Balberith using something related to flies, but it's still possible.

Since we don't know about Berith much, we could look at Ba'al/Baal and Beelzebub:

Spoiler for Ba'al/Baal & Beelzebub:

• Baal is a God of Fertility, Weather, Rain, Wind, Lightning, Seasons, War ( And the patron of sailors and sea-going merchants, leader of the Rephaim (ancestral spirits) and later known as the King of the gods).
• Baal's symbols are bulls and sheep.
• Baal was particularly associated with the storm and fertility god Hadad and his local manifestations. In the Hebrew bible, Hadad has been decried as a false god. This was later taken over by Christianity and Islam, often under the name Beelzebub.
• In several (old) languages, Baal means "owner", "master", "lord", "husband"
• Supposedly he's comparable to the Celtic God Belenus.
• In a specific region, Baal was noted to have a special hatred towards snakes. He fought the Tannin (a sea monster that in the bible was interpreted as a dragon associated with the sea), a "twisted serpent", "Litan the fugitive serpent" (aka the Bible's Leviathan) and a seven headed serpent.
• He's also mentioned as winged Baal, Baal of the Lebanon, Baal of the arrows and Baal of the heavens, amongst other names and epithets.
• In one region he was associated with Rams rather than Bulls, and named Lord of the Two Horns.
• Baʿal Berith ("Lord of the Covenant") was a god worshipped by the Israelites during a period when they strayed away from GoB.
• May or may not be associated to Set/Seth the Egyptian god of the desert, storms, disorder, violence, and foreigners.
• Sidenote: this might give us a bit of an understanding into Ishibumi's way of coming up with traits, but the term Belial (בְלִיַּעַל bĕli-yaal) is a Hebrew adjective meaning "worthless".
• According to some 17th Century stuff, Baal is a demon who is one of the seven princes of hell. A Duke with 66 legions under his command, he is supposedly compared to Satan or his main assistant. Is believed to have the power to make those who invoke him, invisible.

I haven't looked into beleth, but I'm guessing that Balberith's powers are related to weather (specifically lightning, storms, rain, wind) and the sea. I don't know if flies will be part of his powers but maybe he transforms into a bull, goat looking creature. Basically Minotaur on steroids. And there's a high chance that Balberith is a dragon slayer.

[Parry999]

Shalba already pulled the Lord of flies thing. So that's must likely Baelzebubs family trait.

[Lucidrago]

Another god associated with lightning who defeated an evil serpent or reptilian-like creature who is the king of the gods in his own mythology. Like that hasn't been done before(sarcasm).

[DragonOsman]

@Parry: Yes, and Ba'al/Baal is the origin of Beelzebub. At least in the original myth.

You can probably think of it as Baal getting filled with impurities and being demonified to become Beelzebub. "Flies" are also associated with evil and filth, right? It could be Baal had a power other than something related to flies before he became Beelzebub.

That said, though, we already have the Sitri as a House whose trait has to do with water and oceans. I wonder if Balberith will really turn out to have power over weather and seas with that. What other possible traits could there be?

But if Balberith is a Dragon Slayer, has seemingly bottomless aura, and is said to have the potential to be able to fight a Dragon God..... Hm. Interesting. What if Hades took something from Samael to create him? And perhaps also from Trihexa and/or from Ise's original body. Of course Ise having Dragon aura and that being mixed with Samael would be kind of counterproductive. Unless it could somehow have made Balberith all the more powerful.

[Lucidrago]

If he did that then he wouldn't be so surprised that Balberith was created. It looks like he simply used Lilith's power.

If he was a dragon slayer, Issei and Vali would have felt the intense pressure.

Most likely he just has an intense amount of demonic powers. No special abilities. Just demonic power. And being a hand-to-hand fighter.

[Sauron12561]

it might be possible that Lilith's power takes the power from other mythological creatures and adds them as traits to her spawn. thus creating the devils with different kinds of powers and them finding their origin in other mythologies

[Lucidrago]

The only one that really applies to is Phenex.

[Norn]

Originally Posted by Lucidrago

Another god associated with lightning who defeated an evil serpent or reptilian-like creature who is the king of the gods in his own mythology. Like that hasn't been done before(sarcasm).

Yeah it's almost like it's a recurring theme

Originally Posted by DragonOsman

@Parry: Yes, and Ba'al/Baal is the origin of Beelzebub. At least in the original myth.

You can probably think of it as Baal getting filled with impurities and being demonified to become Beelzebub. "Flies" are also associated with evil and filth, right? It could be Baal had a power other than something related to flies before he became Beelzebub.

That said, though, we already have the Sitri as a House whose trait has to do with water and oceans. I wonder if Balberith will really turn out to have power over weather and seas with that. What other possible traits could there be?

But if Balberith is a Dragon Slayer, has seemingly bottomless aura, and is said to have the potential to be able to fight a Dragon God..... Hm. Interesting. What if Hades took something from Samael to create him? And perhaps also from Trihexa and/or from Ise's original body. Of course Ise having Dragon aura and that being mixed with Samael would be kind of counterproductive. Unless it could somehow have made Balberith all the more powerful.

I mean, Sitri's power seems to be governing a specific form of water, so Balberith could just be a demonic Poseidon. Weather and seas, sounds more like Susano'o, which in turn would mean Balberith throwing around thunderstorms, hurricanes, whirlpools and tsunami's.

I don't think he took Ise's body, unless he wanted to make a "perfected sekiryuutei". But this would be noticed instantly and we would've seen characters react to it. Trihexa is unlikely, as it would basically be a get out of jail card for the core. Not even Hades is that stupid, that reckless. Although... Also isn't Samael a paradoxical being? Dragon yet destroys dragons. Highly lethal dragon slayer, yet the first dragon that seemingly drew God's ire.


I can't help but think he's either similar to Ise like Lucidrago seems to hint at, or has a really unfair trait that takes advantage of his demonic powers.