Before we begin…

"Talking."

'Thinking.'

"Flashback quotes. Text from paper. Speech from intercom."

Disclaimer: I do not own High School DXD, nor any of the elements from Boruto, or any other anime/manga series. Please support the official release. Thank you.

In outer space, a being with pale white skin with matching colored short hair, wearing a white karigiru robe, baggy pants, and a black ribbon tied around his waist, keeping his pants pulled up, can be seen floating around Earth with his legs folded like a pretzel. His eyes appear to be closed as he was staring at the planet in thought and worry. And on each side of his head, he has small pure white horns that are curved forwards.

This man is known as an Otsutsuki God; a being whose legends were told like a fairy tale.

According to the folklore, Otsutsuki Gods were said to be the strongest beings to exist among the Supernatural. They were even rumored to be stronger than any other god: a Norse God, an Egyptian God, even the Biblical God himself.

Otsutsuki Gods were also said to have many powers. Not just your usual "See through walls" or "teleport here and there" powers, but powers that could even put the three Factions: The Devils, Angels, and Fallen Angels, to shame. They have different unique eye abilities depending on what kind of eyes an Otsutsuki God has, and they are able to pass down their power to another person they find worthy of using.

That was exactly what this particular Otsutsuki God, who has his closed eyes looking at Earth, was doing. He had been searching the planet for a potential warrior to pass down his power to.

"The big threat has yet to arrive," the Otsutsuki God says to himself. "And I fear that I alone, and no ordinary warrior will be strong enough to face the many dangers that await within this planet."

Crossing his arms in front of his chest, the Otsutsuki God began to slowly open his eyes. As they opened, his eyes were revealed to have a grayish-black sclera, blue irises, and matching colored pupils. Although, his pupils were a slightly lighter shade of blue than his irises.

"It is imperative that I find a suitable warrior," he continued. "Whether he or she bares a Sacred Gear or not, I must find this person who is good in heart and make him or her a proper warrior, unlike those vessels who have been corrupted by their gifted powers and the other Otsutsuki Gods who branded them."

The Otsutsuki God scans his eyes around the Earth, searching for his potential warrior. After five minutes of searching, his eyes widen as he felt a surge of power from the Earth.

"This feeling… It's coming from a Sacred Gear! And it's a Dragon-type too!" Using the powers that his eyes have, he searched deeper in that specific area of the planet with widened eyes and furrowed brows. "However, the gear itself doesn't seem to have awoken."

Interested in his discovery, The Otsutsuki God teleported his way towards the area where he felt the Sacred Gear. Once he made it, he found himself floating above a school in Japan. Upon further inspection, he saw a sign that identified the school as Kuoh Academy, a school that was once a female-only school that turned co-ed. Seeing that the school was populated, the Otsutsuki God hid his power, and his visible presence so he can avoid unwanted attention.

The Otsutsuki God shifted his eyes around his surroundings, floating above the building. He saw boys and girls chatting with one another and walking together towards the entrance of the building. He kept a neutral expression as he watched them enter the school, seeing them as simple humans.

However, the Otsutsuki God did note that this school also has Devils attending Kuoh Academy as well. Which people among the humans are Devils? He didn't care. He was more concerned with finding the person who has the Dragon-type Sacred Gear sealed within him or her. His blue eyes kept scanning the humans who were entering the building as he searched for that exact Sacred Gear bearer.

Suddenly, his eyes came to a halt when they came across one of the second-year students. His eyes widened as he felt his power signature.

"It's him… The one who bears the Dragon-type Sacred Gear."

The boy in question appeared to be a gentle and handsome boy to the eyes of the girls who looked at him as he walked his way into the building. He has short brown spiky hair with two locks behind his head, matching colored eyes, and a face that made him look like a very cute boy.

"Hello, Hyoudou-kun!" one of the girls greeted him with a smile and a wave, getting the young man's attention.

Wanting to be nice, Issei Hyoudou said hello back and gave the girl a smile of his own, making the girl blush and quietly squeal at how cute he looked when he smiled.

That was one of Issei's aspects that made some of the girls form a fan club about him. Issei had a reputation at the school for being the most friendly, kind-hearted man at Kuoh Academy. Some of the girls even liked him because of the fact that he had a very cute face.

"He seems to be friendly," The Otsutsuki God notes to himself. "I shall keep my eyes on the boy who goes by this 'Hyoudou' name and see where this will go."

With that said, he continued to watch the boy as he entered the building.

As Issei got in the building of Kuoh Academy, he took a breath and began to make his way towards his classroom, not wanting to be late.

"Yo! Hyoudou!"

Issei stops walking when he heard a familiar voice call out to him. Turning around, he makes a happy expression to see one of his friends, who had short blonde hair and gray eyes, walk towards him with a toothy grin.

"Ah! Genshiro! Good morning."

Once he got close enough, the man he knows as Genshiro Saji reached out his hand to shake Issei's, who kindly accepted the offer.

"Morning to you too, Hyoudou," Saji replies happily as they shook hands. After they've done so, the two began walking together, since both of their classrooms are in the same direction Issei was heading. "So, Hyoudou, you think you'll do well on the test that's coming up next week?"

Issei chuckles while scratching the back of his head.

"Well, I have studied as hard as I could, so I think it should pay off when I get to work on the test."

"Ha ha ha! I'll bet. With the many aspects of Biology, you'd never know what'll trip you up."

Issei nods his head in agreement and faces forward to continue his path to his classroom. Along the way, Issei and Saji noticed that some of the girls were giggling in their direction.

"Huh. What do you think they're so happy and giggly about?"

Saji snorts as his lips curl up into a teasing smirk.

"Oh come on, Hyoudou, I think it should be obvious why they're giggling at you."

Issei's eyes widen as his cheeks start to turn red.

"Wh-Wh-What do you mean me?! Their eyes were on both of us!"

"I don't think so, bud," Saji argues gently, his smile still intact. "Knowing the reputation you've earned yourself during your first four days here, that face of yours will always be killing the ladies. Heh heh heh!"

Issei's face turns a darker shade of red and acts shy around Saji, earning a quiet round of coos from some of the girls who managed to get a look at his face.

"Come on, man. Why do you always tease me about my face?"

Saji chuckles lightly and pats Issei on the back.

"I don't mean to make fun of you, bud. I'm actually complimenting you on it. In fact, you should feel blessed that your face is as cute as some of the girls say it is. I think even Kusaka-san, and probably some of the other girls who I work with at the Student Council are attracted to it too."

Issei makes a confused expression when Saji mentioned the Kusaka girl at the Student Council.

"Speaking of Kusaka-san, I'm quite surprised you were able to get her to open up," Saji continues. "Before you transferred here four days ago, and before you two first met, she was a quiet, soft-spoken girl who barely talked. But when you entered the picture, she started opening up more to us and smiled more than usual." Saji then turns his head to Issei and smiles at him. "In fact, I couldn't help but notice that she's happier when you're around her."

Issei laughs slightly while scratching his cheek.

"Well… Um…"

"Hyoudou-kun!"

Issei and Saji pause their walking when they hear a female voice from behind them. Upon turning around, they make welcoming expressions when they saw a girl they knew run towards them, or more specifically, at Issei's direction.

"Oh! Good morning, Reya-san," Issei greets her with a smile and a wave.

"Morning, Kusaka-san," Saji greets her with a nod.

The second-year girl, Reya Kusaka, bows to the two while smiling. The girl had a slim and cute appearance, with her long brown hair ending in two short braids with matching colored eyes and a blue headband on top of her head.

After getting up from the bow, Reya approaches Issei and widens her smile with kind eyes.

"Hello, Hyoudou-kun. Are you doing well?"

Issei smiles back and nods.

"Indeed, I am, thank you. And please, Issei is fine. I'm not into formalities."

Reya's eyes slightly widen as her cheeks turn a little red, earning a quiet chuckle from Saji when he watched the scene.

"So… Hyoudou-er, I mean… Issei-kun… Are we still eating lunch together on the rooftop?"

Issei made a confused expression when Reya was being shy around him while poking her two index fingers together.

"Well, that is the plan. We have eaten together a few times."

Reya sighs a breath while holding her hands together.

"Okay, that's good to hear. I'll be waiting for you there when the lunch bell rings."

Issei nods his head in agreement and then smiled at her.

Reya couldn't help but blush again when she saw his smiling face. Like some of the girls in Kuoh Academy, Reya found Issei's face to be the most cutest thing she's ever seen.

"Well well, ain't you the player, Hyoudou."

Issei and Reya jump and shoot their heads towards Saji with bright blushes when they heard him say that.

"What on Earth do you mean by that, Genshiro?!"

"Oh, come on, don't play dumb with me, bud," Saji continued with a teasing smirk. "I know that you're trying to score a date with Kusaka-san."

Issei does a spit take while Reya looked away from him with a darker blush.

"N-N-No! You've got it wrong! Reya-san and I are simply friends, and we only wish to talk to each other more, that's all!"

Saji let's out a laugh. Not a harsh laugh, but a kind one.

"Hey, I'm not judging you, Hyoudou. I think you're perfect boyfriend material for my fellow council member."

Reya and Issei's faces are now an equally dark shade of red. While Reya made an embarrassed face while covering it, Issei stared at Saji with wide, annoyed eyes.

"Reya-san and I are just friends, Genshiro! Stop saying stuff like that!"

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the three second-years, two third-year girls stopped their walking when they heard Issei say what he said to Saji. The first was a beautiful buxom woman who has blue-green eyes, and long crimson hair that fell down to her butt, and the second girl, who giggled at the scene between the second years, has a voluptuous figure, violet eyes, long black hair tied into a ponytail by an orange ribbon, and a bust that rivaled the redhead's.

"Ufufufu. Ara ara, it looks like Kuoh's cutest boy is looking flustered today~"

"Oh?" The red-haired third year raised an eyebrow and faced her friend. "Do you know this boy, Akeno?"

Akeno giggles into her hand before setting her eyes on her friend with a hint of pink in her cheeks.

"Not on a personal level, but he's become quite popular when he first transferred here, Rias; almost as popular as Yuuto-kun. He goes by the name Issei Hyoudou, and he's mostly known by most of the girls to have the most cutest face they've seen on a boy yet." As she looks back at Issei, Akeno's cheeks started changing from pink to red. "And I have to admit, even I'm starting to be hypnotized by his cuteness, especially with the reactions I just saw earlier~"

Akeno lets out another giggle as she continued to watch Issei converse with Saji and Reya. Rias, however, began to observe the brown-haired boy with an unreadable expression.

'What the… I didn't notice until now, but… I think this boy has a Sacred Gear.' Rias narrows her eyes at Issei as she attempts to feel out the power from the gear. 'And it seems to be a very powerful one, too. Hmm… Maybe…'

"Ara ara, don't tell me you're already attracted to him, too, Rias."

Rias snaps out of her thoughts when she heard Akeno speak to her, making the former snap her head at the black-haired girl.

"Wh-Wh-What?! Of course not! I wasn't staring at him for that at all!"

"Oh? Then why were you looking at the cutie then?"

Rias' eyes narrow as she kept her stare on Akeno.

"Because I think he has a Sacred Gear."

Akeno makes a surprised expression at her friend's answer.

"You think so?"

Rias nods.

"It feels that way. But let's discuss this another time. We don't want to be late for our classes, after all."

Akeno nods her head in affirmative, and the two third-year women set off to their classes, with Rias in thought about Issei's Sacred Gear.

However, unbeknownst to the girls, the Otsutsuki god overheard their conversation, his expression neutral.

"I see. The next heiress of the Gremory clan plans to make young Hyoudou her servant. Well… After I study the young boy further, I'm afraid that this won't be the case."

After watching the two third-years walk out of his sight, the Otsutsuki god floats off to where Issei's classroom is, seeing that he too is no longer in his sights.

"Good mornin-"

[KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH! It's Ise-kun/chan!]

Issei is taken aback with a gasp when most of the girls in his class suddenly cried out his name in happiness. The boy's cheeks dusted red when the girls were all waving hello to him and constantly yapping all sorts of greetings and compliments to him.

"Hello, Ise-kun~!"

"You're looking as adorable as always, Ise-chan~!"

"He beats the lost prince just on his cute face alone~!"

Issei chuckles awkwardly at the many kind words to him. He was flattered, but sometimes, it can be too much for the young man to take, especially when it came to his face.

'I wonder if I should blame my mother's side of the family for cuteness, or my father's side in handsomeness… probably both.'

Wanting to be nice, Issei waves hello back to them with a forced smile, mostly due to how nervous he's being with all of the attention he's getting from the female population in his classroom.

"Y-Y-Yes… Hello… Um…"

Before he could say any more, Issei was forced to cover his ears due to how loud their next round of squeals and cheers were.

[Oh my gosh! His face is so sweet that I might die in ecstasy!]

Issei couldn't help but feel even more worried than ever when he saw how red some of their faces were. Was his face really that cute? Personally, he didn't think so, but his mother always told him that he was blessed with her, and his father's genes combined to be the way he is.

But sometimes, he thinks that having a face as cute as his own can be a curse. Because of his popularity, not only do girls follow him most of the time while throwing out dating requests, but pretty much every boy who also attends the academy with him glares daggers at him in ultimate jealousy, as the boys in the classroom are doing right now.

"Damn Hyoudou bastard!"

"First the blonde prince charming, and now him?!"

"Curse him! Why can't I have a face like his?! Then I can get me a hot chick!"

Issei gave the boys who complained a sympathetic look. He really wanted the other boys to get a girlfriend, he really did, but because of how cute his face was, nearly all of the girls in the school only pay attention to him, making this another reason why he sometimes calls his face a curse.

As Issei finally made it to his desk, he failed to notice the Otsutsuki god watching him outside from the window the young man sat next to because of his presence being hidden.

Breathing a sigh, Issei looks left at said window to look outside. A smile creeps up his lips, enjoying how beautiful the outdoors looked, with leaves blowing in the wind, and a rare set of clouds with unique shapes and forms hovering up the sky. Issei really enjoyed it and was happy to see such a beautiful blue sky. With the many rainy days that occurred throughout the month, he found it refreshing to finally see a colorful atmosphere.

However, his sightseeing was interrupted when he heard someone slam his hands onto his desk, causing Issei to jump and turn his head towards who did it.

As he did so, Issei's eyes widen slightly as he recognizes the two boys standing in front of him to be the infamous Perverted Duo. One had a gray buzz cut, and the other had short brown hair with glasses. The two were glaring daggers at Issei, causing a sweat drop to appear on his head.

"O-Oh! Matsuda! Motohama! Um… Is there something I can-"

"Cut the spare talk, pal!" Matsuda interrupts, causing Issei to flinch a little. "Cough it up, Hyoudou!"

"Eh?" Issei was confused at the buzz-cut man's choice of words. "Cough up what?"

"Don't you all act innocent, Mr. Cutesy boy!" Motohama barks. "We want to know your secret!"

"What secret? I don't understand. I'm not one to keep any kind of secret."

The two boys facepalm themselves. Matsuda then shot Issei a look.

"For God's sake, he's talking about the chicks! How are you getting them to like you so much?!"

Issei developed a shocked, yet embarrassed face as he placed his hands in front of himself in defense.

"Whoa now! I didn't ask for them to like me! It was their free will-" 'and my "Cute" face apparently' "-that's doing the work. For some reason, they just find me that attractive!"

Issei lets out a cute "Eep!" when the two boys leaned closer to Issei with their jealous looks intact.

"Spare us the bullshit, bishounen! We know good and well that it's your face that's the chick magnet! Hell, even some of the third years are targeting you!"

"That's right," Motohama agrees while pushing up his glasses. "We all know that you're able to attract this many girls because of how 'adorable' they find your face to be. If you keep this up, you might as well have your own harem; a dream we hope to accomplish!"

"I didn't ask for my face to be so cute!" Issei complains with red cheeks. "And besides, if you two say what you say, then what is this 'secret' you claim that I'm hiding?"

"Most of the time, the girls like you for just being cute!" Matsuda explains with anime tears. "That's why we need you to tell us! Just what exactly is your-"

BONK! BONK!

"Back off, bastards!"

"Yeah! Leave him alone, you good-for-nothing perverts! You're making him uncomfortable!"

Issei makes a sound of surprise when he saw the Perverted Duo down on the ground with expressions of pain. Looking upwards to see who did it, his eyes open up in surprise to see a pink-haired girl and a brown-haired girl behind them, giving the perverts an angry stare.

"K-Katase-san! Murayama-san!"

Upon hearing their names, the two girls look up at Issei and smile in sync.

"Don't worry, Issei-kun, we won't let them bother you anymore."

Issei scratches the back of his head at Katase's words with a shy smile. He then saw Murayama walking towards him with her hands behind her back.

"She's right, Ise-kun. We can't allow them to corrupt someone as pure as you~"

Issei couldn't help but blush when Murayama winked at him.

"Um… Sure… Thanks, I guess…"

"Well well well, someone's continuing to be popular with the ladies~"

Issei turned around when he heard another female classmate speak to him.

The girl who teased him was Aika Kiryuu. She has brown hair tied in two pigtails and wore pink glasses on her hazel eyes.

"Oh come on, Aika-san. Don't start saying things like that now."

Aika giggled at the pout he gave her.

"Oh come now, Issei-kun, I'm just commenting on what I'm witnessing~" Aika's eyes scan his crotch while adjusting her glasses and grins perversely. "Though, if you ask me, those ladies are leaving out another good part of you, if you catch my drift~"

Issei's face turns a darker red and covers his crotch, understanding exactly what she's talking about.

"Oi oi oi! Don't look there, pervert!"

Aika lets out a chortle while her cheeks turned red.

"Too late, bud. My eyes can calculate the size of any man's 'thing' in a matter of seconds. And oh boy~, whoever becomes your girlfriend, she's gonna be in for a treat~"

Issei's face turns as red as Rias' hair, earning a round of coos from some of the girls who got to see it.

Before anyone could say anything else, the students heard the bell ring, signaling for class to begin, making the young brown-haired boy sigh in relief as he saw his teacher walk in the room.

As class was in session, the Otsutsuki God paid attention to Issei and his every single action and interaction.

"Issei Hyoudou… That's the boy's full name."

As the god watched on in thought, he took note of the boy's previous interactions and how he behaved.

"The young man was very kind to the humans as he interacted with them, even towards those two Devils he conversed with earlier. Not that I expected him to know that they're Devils."

He then remembered how Issei acted when the two perverts confronted him about something the god didn't quite understand. He saw that the boy never took ill will against them, and has tried to have a civil talk with them.

After learning enough about the boy, the Otsutsuki God nods his head.

"It is decided. This boy is indeed worthy to inherit my power." His blue eyes then narrow at Issei. "However, I have to make sure I choose the appropriate time to converse with him and make sure that he understands what's really going on in the world."

With another nod, the god continues to watch Issei do his schoolwork, seeing that he was paying attention to both the instructor and his school-related papers.

The school bell has finally rung for lunch break to begin. As he was making his way towards the rooftop, Issei checked his school bag to see if the bento his mother made for him was in there, and it was. After closing his bag, Issei continued his walk.

"Ah! Issei, hello."

Issei blinks twice when he heard another familiar male voice greet him. Turning his head towards the source, he smiles when he sees a blonde-haired man with blue eyes and a mole underneath his left eye.

"Oh, Kiba. How are you?"

"I'm doing well, thank you," the second-year student, Yuuto Kiba replies. "Mind if I join you on the walk? Where I'm heading appears to be the same direction to where you're walking."

Issei shakes his head, inviting Yuuto to walk with him.

While most boys would despise Yuuto since he was seen as a prince like he was himself, Issei didn't see anything wrong with the second year blonde. Personally, he thinks that he's a great guy to talk to and that the other boys were just simply being jealous for the same reasons they were jealous of Issei. The two second-year boys would often converse while walking to their own destinations whenever they were on the same path.

As the two started walking together, the girls of Kuoh noticed them and started blushing like mad.

"Oh my god! The Cutest Prince and the Lost Prince walking together?!"

"Oh, dear! You don't think they're secretly dating, are they?!"

"Oh, My~! That would be a twist!"

Yuuto saw Issei cringe at the gossip these girls were talking about.

"Seriously?" Issei says in annoyance. "Are they still on about us being a possible couple?"

Yuuto feels his pain but was much better at ignoring the gossip than Issei was.

"And they say men are the most perverted gender," Yuuto says in agreement while glancing at the girls, making the ones who noticed his stare blush and quietly squeal. He then sets his stare back to Issei. "So, where are you planning on eating your lunch, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Oh, I'm heading towards the rooftop. I'm meeting a friend up there." Issei looks at Yuuto. "How about you?"

"For me, I'm going to find the Buchou and eat with her, as she plans to talk about future club activities during lunch."

Issei's brows raise slightly when his friend say "Buchou".

"Do you mean Gremory-senpai?" He asks him. "I have heard that she's the Buchou of the Occult Research Club, and I saw you walk over to her and the Fuku-Buchou, Himejima-senpai sometimes after school."

"Yup, that's her," Yuuto answers, his smile never breaking.

The two continued walking until Issei noticed a flight of stairs leading upwards.

"Well, I guess this where we part ways, Kiba. It was good talking with you, even though it was for a short while."

Kiba nods with a smile.

"You too, Issei. Have a good lunch."

"You too."

After nodding at each other, the second year boys part ways. Issei to the rooftop, and Yuuto to meet up with his Buchou. As the two parted, Kiba was in thought about Issei, and what Rias said about him and his Sacred Gear.

On the rooftop of Kuoh Academy, Reya Kusaka waited patiently for Issei to arrive. As she waited, she shifted her gaze towards two objects on each hand. On her left hand, she carried a bento that she made for herself to eat, and on her right hand, she held a cobalt-blue cloth that carried a small square-shaped box.

As she looks at the cobalt cloth, Reya's eyes soften and blushes a light red.

'I hope Ise likes them…'

Reya then heard the door that served as the entrance and exit of the rooftop open and close. As she turned her head towards said door, her eyes widen to see Issei walking towards her with his usual gentle smile.

"Hey, Reya-san. I made it."

Reya smiles at Issei.

"I'm glad you did, Issei-kun."

Issei nods his head and takes his seat next to Reya. The two then open their bentos and began to eat their lunch.

As they were, the two brown haired students talked about what they would usually talk about whenever they got together. They discussed how the school day was going so far, any upcoming tests and assignments that may prove to be difficult, and, most of the time, any good music they listened to or any of the good shows they've watched either on TV or online.

Issei always enjoyed his time with Reya. In his honest opinion, he finds himself more comfortable when he hangs out with her rather than to hang out with random girls. Not just because she doesn't obsess over how cute his face is, but rather just how sweet and gentle he found her to be when he talked to her more and more as his time at Kuoh went on. Every time he was with her, he always feels calm and relaxed to the point where he wants to be around her more often.

Reya feels the same way. She didn't like Issei just because she found Issei's face to be delightful. She liked him because of who he really is; a sweet man who just wants to make friends and live life peacefully. She also found him to be her personal source of confidence. After all, he was the reason Reya was able to open up a lot more to her fellow student council members.

When the two finished their lunches, Issei's eyes hovered right and saw the cobalt cloth-wrapped box next to Reya's left leg.

"Oh? You have another bento, Reya-san?"

Reya gasps when she saw Issei look at the box she had and starts to get a little nervous.

"Oh! W-Well, you see… I made some cookies yesterday because I want to become a good cook one day, and… I was wondering if you would like to… give one a try and see how you think I did…"

Issei kept his stare on the box for a moment before setting his eyes back on Reya and smiles.

"Sure. I don't see why not."

Reya nods with her cheeks still red as she began to unwrap the cloth. With it out of the way, Reya removed the top of the box, revealing the cookies that made Issei look at them in awe.

"Whoa… Are those gingerbread?" Issei asks as he takes a whiff at the cookies. "Wow! Those are my favorite kind. I also like how you got them into different shapes instead of them being all circles."

Reya's cheeks turn redder at the praise she was already receiving from Issei and slowly smiles.

"Th… Thank you. Please, help yourself."

Issei nods and took out a star-shaped cookie from the box. He then takes a bite out of it.

"They taste amazing!" Issei says after swallowing the piece he's eaten. "You did well on them, Reya-san."

Reya gasps in surprise before her lips formed a heartwarming smile.

"I'm glad." She then pokes her two index fingers together while shifting her eyes towards the cookie box. "Although… I probably put in too much sugar."

"No, you didn't," Issei assures her before taking another bite of his cookie. "They're great gingerbread cookies, Reya-san. You'll make a fine baker one day."

Reya's eyes widen with another blush in reaction to his compliment while her hand was on her chest. As she watched Issei finish up his cookie, her eyes soften and her smile returns.

'He likes them… I didn't mess them up.'

"Hey, you know, Reya-san," Reya's eyes broaden a little when she heard Issei talk to her again. "You should give the rest of these to your fellow members of the Student Council. I'll bet they'll love what you've batched up from the oven."

"Eh?!" Reya was taken back at Issei's suggestion. "B-But… These cookies are for you, Issei-kun."

"And I'm flattered you've made them for me, Reya-san. But I think the Student Council should get a taste of them as well. Your first start as a baker can't be ignored here." Issei then blinks when he saw Reya's unsure face. "Hey, don't get me wrong. I really do like your cookies. I just thought that you should share them with your other friends too, you know?"

"I understand what you're saying, Issei-kun," Reya replies. "But… I still…"

Before she could say more, Reya looks to see Issei grabbing four more cookies from the box; a square, a triangle, a circle, and another star cookie, and looks back up at his face.

"Okay then, I'll just have myself four more of your delicious cookies," Issei concludes with a smile. "The rest can be for the Council. There should be enough in the box for them, yes?"

Reya looks at the four cookies in Issei's hand before looking down into the box, seeing that there indeed were enough to serve her fellow Student Council members.

"Y-Yes, there is," Reya confirms before looking back at Issei with her torn expression returning. "But are you sure you're fine with just having five, with one of them you've already eaten?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. Besides, I don't think I have the stomach to eat them all today. In fact…" After setting three of his cookies carefully on his lap, Issei breaks a square-shaped cookie in half and gives one half to Reya. "Here. To celebrate your first baked goods."

Reya gasps and shakes her head.

"Oh, no. That's fine. I've taste-tested one before bringing them here today, so there's no need."

"That doesn't mean you can't have another," Issei counters nicely. "Please, I insist."

Reya's eyes shift from Issei to the half of the cookie three times before slowly taking the half from Issei. After taking a bite and swallowing, she smiles at him.

"You're too nice, you know that, Issei-kun?"

Issei laughs softly while picking up the rest of his cookies from his lap while smiling back.

"I'm told that a lot, Reya-san."

Reya giggles with Issei before resuming her half of the cookie she was given. While doing so, she continued to watch Issei savor the delightful taste of gingerbread. With every bite he took, the warm feeling of being around Issei continued to rise within her. With closed eyes, she finishes her half of the square cookie, continuing to be happy that she did well with her cookies.

Now all that's left to do for her is to see what her fellow council members will think of her cookies. And with Issei's critique and his insistence that she shares the treats with them, it gave her the necessary confidence to do so after school.

After the school day is over, Issei was walking across a bridge while looking up at the afternoon sky with a smile that never left his lips.

"Oh man, my taste buds can still feel the gingerbread," Issei says in a good way. "I almost regret not telling Reya-san to share the cookies with the rest of the Student Council."

With a sweet laugh and closed eyes, Issei continued to walk his way home. But unbeknownst to the boy, a young girl that appears to be his age with long black hair, violet eyes, and a school uniform that didn't belong to Kuoh, was walking towards him from behind.

"Um… Excuse me…" Issei stopped walking when he heard the girl speak to him. Turning around, he saw her walking to him and stopping her pace as soon as he laid eyes on her. "Are you Issei Hyoudou from Kuoh Academy?"

Issei blinked at the black-haired girl, who appeared to be shy while holding her hands together.

"Um… Yes," Issei answers slowly with a brow raised in wonder of how she knew his name. "Is there something I can help you with?"

With her cheeks turning light-red, the girl began to respond.

"Yeah…" Issei watches her shuffle her feet nervously with her blush turning darker. "My name's Yuuma Amano, and… I just moved into this town a day ago. And… I was wondering… If it's possible, would you please show me around the town so I won't get lost in the future?"

Issei took a step back in surprise with Yuuma's request. He didn't expect this girl who claims to be new to the town to ask such a favor.

"R… Really? I-I mean… Why me? No offense, but surely, there's someone else you can ask who knows the place better than I do."

"Yeah, I did try and ask them," Yuuma explains with a frown and her eyes on the ground of the bridge. "But every person I've asked so far is either busy with work, or are just straight up jerks; some of whom expecting a date out of it. And when I saw you, I figured… you were a nice enough guy to help… So…" She looks back at Issei with her face as nervous as ever. "Will you please show me around the town?"

Issei was once again left dazed by the Yuuma girl's plea. As he thought about it, he was reminded of how his mother would teach him to be helpful to those in need, especially when he got older.

With his mom's lesson in mind, Issei shrugged his shoulders and nodded.

"Okay. I can show you around. But only to areas where I remember the most and that I'm familiar with. Will that be alright with you, Amano-san?"

Smiling at the response, Yuuma nodded twice.

"Yes! That's perfectly fine, Issei-kun. After all, I'm not planning a large tour or anything like that."

Issei nods back in agreement.

"So, when do you want me to help you get acquainted with the town?"

"Well, I can't do it today," Yuuma replies. "One reason being how late it is, and that I'm still unpacking and getting used to my new apartment." She places a hand on her chin in thought for a few seconds before snapping her fingers. "I know! Does Sunday sound good to you? I'm free on that day."

"Y-Yeah," Issei answers politely with closed eyes. 'Guess I'll have to double my studies for next week's test tonight and tomorrow.'

"Great! Thank you so much, Issei-kun!" Yuuma skips towards him and hands him a small piece of paper. "Meet me at that location on Sunday."

Issei takes a look at what Yuuma wrote down and it said to meet her in the middle of a nearby mall.

"See you Sunday, Issei-kun," Yuuma says before walking off while waving a hand at him. "And thank you again~!"

Issei blinks twice at Yuuma as she continued to walk her way home. By the time she was no longer in her sight, he gently stuffs the paper in his and begins to head back home. As he did, he thought about Yuuma's sudden request to show her around Kuoh town. He knows perfectly that it wasn't a date, but was just him helping her to be nice. And at the end of the day, all that mattered to Issei was that she understands the town and directions more after the weekend.

"Looks like I'm going to have a busy Sunday."

However, as he continued his walk home, Issei wasn't aware that a small, petite white-haired girl with hazel eyes was watching him carefully while eating a Bomb-Pop.

"Better notify Buchou."

After finishing her Popsicle, the white-haired loli began to walk her way back to her Buchou.

But as soon as she turned around, she froze in place when her eyes were now laid onto what she saw as a god-like being with white hair and small horns floating in front of her with crossed legs. Despite his eyes being closed, the girl could tell that he was staring right at her with a frown on his lips.

The girl's irises were contracted, and her breathing was very rough because of the amount of power she felt from the being. And what terrified her the most? The power she was perceiving right now was on the level of a God.

"Wh-Who..? Who are..?"

"Apologies, Koneko Toujou; servant of Rias Gremory, but I have other plans for the boy."

Before she could respond to the God's sudden words, Koneko releases a quiet squeak when his eyes snap open, revealing to her his gray scleras and blue irises and pupils.

He then places a hand in front of Koneko, who still couldn't move because of how powerful he felt to her.

"Sleep now, and forget that you've encountered Issei and the Fallen Angel here."

"H… Huh..?"

Koneko blinked in confusion before her eyes suddenly started to feel heavy. Her body then started to lose her balance as she could feel a trance in herself and began to fall.

The Otsutsuki God caught the now-dozing Koneko in his arms before she could crash onto the ground. He then looked at her.

"Even though I stopped her from informing her master about Issei's encounter with the Fallen Angel, I know that he will still receive a leaflet from the Gremory Heiress. The only affect my actions will have is that one of the Devils won't keep watch of the boy on Sunday because of what she's up to." He then looks towards the bridge and narrows his eyes. "And with that Fallen Angel's true intentions on what she wants to do with him, I'll have to stick closer to Issei more than usual." The God breaths a sigh and softens his face towards the ground. "And as much as I hate to wait, I'll have to until Sunday to brand him my power. If I do so now, and the Fallen Angel kills him without the boy gaining any experience in the supernatural world, all hope will be lost."

With a nod, the Otsutsuki God makes plans to shadow over Issei on Sunday.

But first, he had to take Koneko back to the old school building, as that was the building he saw her walk out of after overhearing her mission to watch Issei. It was also the place where he learned that a Fallen Angel was suspiciously hanging around the town of Kuoh.

"I'm home!"

After removing his shoes at the door, Issei walked over to the kitchen to greet his parents, both of whom smiled in his direction.

"Welcome home, dear," Issei's mom, Miki Hyoudou, greets in the kitchen. "How was school today?"

"Oh, it was okay," Issei answered.

"Hello there, son!" Issei's father, Gorou Hyoudou, says with a grin, making Issei wave hello to him.

"Hey, dad," Issei greets back.

"Nyan! Nyan!"

The Hyoudous all turn their heads towards the stairs that lead to their bedrooms when they heard meowing from upstairs. Issei's lips turn into a smile when he saw a black cat running downstairs and towards him.

"Aww, hey there, Midnight. How are you?"

Issei knelt down towards the cat when she got close enough to him and began to pet her head. His parents smile with happy stares when they watch Midnight nuzzle her face against his fingers while purring up a storm, earning a giggle from Issei as his own smile grew bigger.

With a trill, Midnight propped her front paws onto his knee and pressed her face against his cheek, making Issei laugh at the wet feeling of her nose as she nuzzled his cheek.

"Fueeeeeeeeeeeee, she's such a sweet girl, isn't she, Gorou?" Miki asks her husband with a hand on her cheek.

"Indeed," Gorou agrees with a nod. "I still can't believe how quickly she got attached to you, you know, Issei?"

Issei looks at his father with a smile and softened eyes.

"Well, it's thanks to you and mom that I'm able to properly take care of her." He looks back at Hyoudous' house cat before scratching her belly, seeing that she was on her back now. "And look at her now. She's become a very happy kitty."

Both of Issei's parents share a laugh with their son before Miki spoke up again.

"Well, anyway, I got dinner ready for you three, so you better come and get it while it's still hot."

Gorou laughs joyfully with his wife.

"Oh boy! You're cooking is always the best, Miki-chan!"

"Oh, hush up~"

Issei nods at his mother with his smile not leaving his face.

"Thanks, mom." He then looks at Midnight. "What do you think mom's made for you, girl?"

"Nyan!"

"Ha ha ha, guess we'll have to find out, eh?"

Getting up from his spot, Issei went over to the kitchen with his father to get a bite to eat, with Midnight following from behind as her tail swished around in excitement.

Meanwhile, a pair of hazel eyes were slowly opening from what felt to the girl to be a deep slumber. Then, her eyes open wider and shot her head up from the couch in the room of Kuoh Academy's old school building.

'I'm… still here?' Koneko questions mentally while clutching her head due to the slight headache she was feeling, confused on why she was still in the old building.

"Koneko! You're awake!"

Hearing a familiar voice, Koneko turned her head right and saw her friends sitting on the couch that was on the opposite side of the couch the white-haired girl was apparently lying down on.

In front of her, she saw Akeno and Yuuto looking at her with worried stares, with Rias, who was the most concerned of the three, walking towards her and knelt down to her.

"Koneko! What happened to you?" Rias questions while hugging her. "After Akeno and I got back from important business, we found you unconscious on the couch. You've been out for twenty minutes!"

After Rias released her from the hug, Koneko blinks with the same bewilderment as her master's.

"I… I don't know, Buchou. I know you've sent me to watch over Issei-senpai, but after that… I somehow woke up here…"

Everyone made a confused expression, but they could see Koneko attempting to remember something as she kept scratching her head while wincing.

"Well, what about Issei Hyoudou," Rias asks next. "Have you found out anything else? And what about that Fallen Angel? Have you found him or her?"

Koneko tried to produce an answer for Rias, but as she thought about it, she felt her head hurt and forced her hands on it, making her friends look on in surprise.

"I… I'm sorry Buchou… All I can remember was walking in search of Issei-senpai. After that, I can't think of anything. No matter how hard I try, it's a blank, and my head hurts from trying to figure it out. Heck, I don't even know how I got back here in the state I was in just now."

Rias offered Koneko a sympathetic look and pats her on her head.

"It's alright, Koneko. Just relax for the rest of the night and don't push yourself."

After Koneko nodded, Yuuto walked up to Rias with a stern expression.

"Maybe the Fallen Angel in question is responsible for what happened to her?" Rias looks towards him with cocked brows. "I might be wrong, but whoever that Fallen Angel is, she might've hit Koneko-chan with some kind of memory-erasing magic that made her forget about finding Issei, assuming that Koneko-chan had come into contact with him."

The girls took in Yuuto's assumption and had mixed reactions. While Rias and Akeno had serious faces, Koneko looked down with slightly broadened eyes, wondering if the Fallen Angel did make her forget finding Issei and the Fallen Angel.

"If what you say is true, Yuuto, then this Fallen Angel must have some ulterior motive involving Issei."

"What kind of motive do you think it is?" Akeno asks Rias.

"I'm not sure. But whatever it is, it feels like the Fallen Angel is preventing us from getting involved."

"Maybe the Fallen Angel wants Issei's Sacred Gear for his or herself?" Yuuto chimes in.

"That's one guess…" After pondering about it for five seconds, Rias shakes her head. "We'll have to figure it out another time. For now, you should all get some rest.

"Yes, Buchou," Yuuto nods. "But what about Issei?"

"My Familiar will still be handing out fliers on the weekend," Rias explains. "I made sure that as soon as she saw Issei, she would give him a flier immediately."

"And after he gets his flier, should we tail Issei-kun and make sure nothing bad happens."

"I'm afraid not, Akeno. If what Yuuto assumed is correct, then that Fallen Angel will definitely be ready for us, even if he or she does plan something for Issei."

After the three Devils not to Rias in understanding, the group fails to notice the Otsutsuki God listening in to them from behind a window.

"The Devils are under the assumption that the Fallen Angel is too powerful for them, and are agreeing not to follow him during the weekend. Good. Now, when Sunday arrives, it'll be between me, and Issei."

The Otsutsuki God then teleports back to the Hyoudou residence, where he'll be watching over Issei for the rest of Friday and Saturday.

Later that night, back in his bedroom, Issei is currently studying intently for his upcoming Biology test that will happen on Monday with his cat Midnight resting on his lap.

As he was reading his notes, Issei breathes an irritated sigh after remembering what he talked about with his parents.

~Flashback~

""You're doing what now?!""

Issei cringes at the dinner table after telling his parents what he's going to do on Sunday while Midnight lifted her head from her food bowl with perked up ears.

"It… It's not a date, mind you," Issei clarifies while attempting to calm his parents down. "I'm just going to show her around the town. That's it." He then scratches the back of his head while looking away shyly. "I'm just being nice, since she asked me, and she looked like she really needed help."

After listening to what he had to say, Miki's eyes soften at her sun with a hand on her cheek.

"Oh, sweetie. You're doing a good thing this Sunday. I'm sure you'll do fine."

"Y-Yeah," Issei agrees. "Besides, you taught me to be helpful, so that's what I'm doing."

"Well, good on you, my boy," Gorou interjects with a smile of his own. After eating another piece of his meat, his eyes start to gleam with a teasing expression. "So, after you show her around, do you plan to tie the knot~?"

Issei, and surprisingly Midnight, nearly choke on their food when his father asked such a question.

"Gorou-kun!" Miki scolds. "Why would you ask him such a question?!"

"What? You want grandchildren just as much as I do, Miki-chan. Aren't you curious?"

"Of course not! In fact, if there's one girl I want my baby boy to get together with, it's that Reya Kusaka girl Issei talks positively about with me whenever we talk."

"Oh, right."

Issei quietly moans in embarrassment while hiding his face with his hair as he was now prepared for his parents to drop question after question about how far he got in his relationship with Reya.

~End of Flashback~

'Maybe I shouldn't have brought that up to my parents,' Issei thought while stroking Midnight's tail.

Lifting his head up from his studies, Issei looked at the time and saw that it was getting late and looks down at Midnight.

"Alright, girl, I'm gonna hit the hay for tonight."

With a meow, Midnight jumped off of Issei's lap, allowing him to stand up from his chair. After doing so, he began to strip off his clothes, leaving his black boxers on. When he uncovered the blanket off his bead, he then noticed Midnight looking him up and down repeatedly while her tail fluttered faster than normal.

This was something Issei often found off about the cat. Whenever he would remove everything but his boxers when he goes to bed with Midnight in the room, she would always stare at him like that.

He didn't know why Midnight kept doing that every time he stripped, but she did.

"I'm guessing you want to sleep with me again, Midnight?" Issei asked while climbing in bed.

Issei got his answer when she immediately ran up to his bed and jumped in just as he covered himself up with his blanket.

As soon as he got himself comfortable, Issei felt mild pain coming from his pelvic region.

"Ow, ow, ow! Careful down there, Midnight!" Issei says as he peeks under the covers to see the cat pawing his crotch for a moment before resting her head on his stomach, another thing that Midnight would do whenever she slept on his stomach or lies on his lap in general.

"You're a weird cat sometimes, you know that?"

Issei didn't get an answer as Midnight was already asleep, making him sigh a breath and cover himself back up before drifting to sleep along with his cat.

Two days later, Sunday rolls in, and Issei was currently waiting for Yuuma Amano at the exact place her piece of paper told him to wait. For his attire, he wore a white Elder Futhark T-shirt with short black caches and red tennis shoes.

"Excuse me!"

"Hmm?"

Issei turns around when he heard a woman call out to him. As soon as he made eye contact with her, his eyes widen and his cheeks turn pink when he saw that the woman, who was speed-walking towards him, is quite gorgeous. She has short brown hair, matching colored eyes, and was wearing a red dress with black shoulder fabrics that look like bat wings while carrying a darker red purse in her left hand.

Before he could ask her anything, the woman quickly presented him a leaflet. Upon further inspection, Issei saw that a red circle was decorated on it.

"Please take one," the woman requests Issei, making the young man blink at her and the leaflet.

Regardless, Issei went ahead and slowly took it out of the woman's hand, but only to see what it's about. If the flier was advertising some kind of event, he'd most likely not be interested in it.

The brown-haired woman bows her head to Issei in thanks and takes her leave. As she kept walking, she turns her head around and gives Issei a wink, taking him back a bit.

Issei then takes another look at the flier in his hand as he found some text at the bottom of the circle in the corner of his eye.

The text read: "Your wish will be granted."

Issei rose a brow at that and was given the impression that it was some kind of ad for something related to the supernatural.

Since he found no trash cans to dispose of the flier, Issei decides to store it in his pocket for now and toss it out at a later time.

"Issei-kun!" Issei turns his head right and sees Yuuma running towards him, wearing a purple shirt, a short teal skirt, and a pair of red flip-flops. "Sorry if I kept you waiting. I got a little lost before finding this place again."

"Oh no, it's fine," Issei assures him with a wave of his hand. "I'm just glad you could find me."

Brushing some strands of her hair, Yuuma laughs it off with him and puts her hands behind her back.

"So, where to, Issei-kun? I can't wait to properly explore what else this town has to offer."

After putting some thought in it, Issei figured out where to take her to first and went towards there, with Yuuma in tow.

"I see, so the Fallen Angel did make contact with Ise. And she's a woman." Rias Gremory took in the information her Familiar gave her and nodded to herself repeatedly. "I see. So that's how it is."

"What now, Buchou?" Yuuto asks as he takes a sip of the tea Akeno has prepared for everyone.

"We wait," Rias answers with a cautious expression. "Now that my Familiar's given him a flier, whenever he's mortally in danger, I will give him a choice."

Everyone nods to Rias in agreement.

With a sip of her tea, Rias looks down at her desk with the thought of what happened to Koneko two days ago. While she was doing okay now, she still can't get the thought it out of her head.

'Does that Fallen Angel know what we intend to do for Ise? I keep thinking about Yuuto's theory on what happened to Koneko.' Rias' eyes narrow at her desk. 'Just what is going on here?'

Back with Issei and Yuuma, as the sun was almost setting, the two stopped by an ice cream parlor to take a break from all of the walking they've done.

Before the two went to get some cones; Issei's vanilla with sprinkles and Yuuma's with chocolate, Issei took her to look at the usual places he would go to himself whenever he went out on his own. He toured her through the mall first, since that was the place the two met, showing her the many shops it has and where she can find them.

He then guided her to the restaurants that were the closest to his homes, the same for manga shops, game shops, music shops, etc.

After showing where these places were at, that was when they got themselves the ice cream they are eating right now.

"Haaaaah~ Thanks again for touring me through this town, Issei-kun," Yuuma expresses her gratitude before taking a lick of her chocolate ice cream cone. "I'll be sure to keep those locations locked up in my memory."

"No problem, Amano-san," Issei replies with a smile before taking a bite out of his own frozen treat. "I'm glad to be of help."

The two were silent for a while due to them eating their ice cream, with Issei enjoying his the most because of the large number of sprinkles he was able to get loaded up on his ice cream.

After she was able to finish to the point where she can now eat the cone itself, Yuuma turns her head towards Issei.

"So, Issei-kun, I have a question, if you don't mind."

"What is it?" Issei asks with a tilted head.

"Well, I'm curious," she began while dangling her shoe. "Do you… by any chance believe in the supernatural?"

"The supernatural?" Issei repeats with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah. Sorry if it's a weird question, but I thought I'd get your input on it."

Issei blinks at Yuuma twice before looking forwards in thought. After taking another lick of his ice cream, he gives her his answer.

"To be honest, I'm not that much of a religious man, but I do like to think that there is some kind of godly force in our universe." Issei turns his head back to Yuuma. "But why do you ask that, Amano-san? Do you believe in the supernatural?"

"Eh, to some extent," Yuuma replies with a slight wave of her hand. "But honestly, I asked mostly because of the shirt you're wearing." Issei looks down at where she was pointing and saw that her finger was at the symbols on his shirt. "Elder Futhark. Are you into that kind of Mythology?"

Issei stares at the symbols on his shirt for a few more seconds before looking back up at Yuuma.

"More or less. Truth be told, I only bought the shirt because of how fascinating the meaning of the symbols are to me. I've never fully invested my time into Norse mythology, but Elder Futhark might've got me interested in looking more into it whenever I get the free time for it."

"I see…" Yuuma mumbles before she and Issei began to eat their cones. After they finished them, she looks towards Issei after getting up from her seat. "It's getting late, Issei-kun, but I think we have time for one more place I want you to take me to."

"Oh? What is it, Amano-san?"

"Well, can you take me to a nearby park? Whenever I take a break from some busy stuff, I'd like to relax somewhere where it's peaceful, and I personally think that a park will do the job."

Issei tilts his head at Yuuma but nods after checking the time on his phone, seeing that he has plenty of time before he has to head home and sleep early for his upcoming test tomorrow.

"Well, here we are, Amano-san."

After walking her to her requested destination, Yuuma takes a look at the park and sees that it's filled with healthy trees, fresh ponds, and appealing grass fields. In the middle of the park, a water fountain could be seen in the middle, with benches set up around it far enough from the fountain so people won't get wet.

"Wow! It's more beautiful than I've anticipated!" Issei watches Yuuma run towards the water fountain with a wide smile on her face. "And the way the water flows from the water fountain, it's such a pretty sight!"

Issei chuckles with her while scratching the back of his head as he watched Yuuma circle around the fountain two more times before she got in front of Issei while still being near the fountain.

"Well, if that's all you want to see, Amano-san, I better head back home. It's 9:30, and I need to get home so I can sleep early for school tomorrow."

"Okay, Issei-kun," Yuuma replies with a nod, and her hands folded in front of her skirt. "But before you go, there's one last favor I need to ask of you. Can you perform that favor for me?"

Issei looks at Yuuma with curiosity.

"Well, that depends on what it is. What do you want me to do, Amano-san?"

Yuuma giggles in the palm of her hand while her bangs were hiding her eyes. As she slowly removes her hand from her lips, a wide grin could be seen.

"Will you die for me?"

Issei blinks once at Yuuma's request.

Then twice.

Then a third time.

"Um… can you repeat that, please..? I don't think I've heard you right."

"Okay~," she says with a sing-song voice before lifting her head up, revealing a sinister look in her eyes as her grin turned more ominous. "I asked if you could die for me."

Issei gasped at the malevolent tone she used in her voice. The way he heard it, it sounded like she really did want himself killed.

But before he could question her further, a pair of black feathered wings sprouted from her back in the speed of a bullet. Once she grew those, her clothes began to tear themselves apart, exposing her bare breasts to a shell shocked Issei, who quickly looked away as soon as she caught the sight of her pink nipples.

While his gaze was averted, Yuuma's appearance became more mature, and black leather straps wrapped itself around her body, creating an outfit that belongs to someone who's into S&M.

When Issei turned his head back to Yuuma, he releases another gasp when he saw not only how much her appearance has changed, but when he saw that she was now flying in the air with the help of her wings.

"I must admit, Issei Hyoudou, it's almost sad that I need to kill you. You do have a very pretty face with quite the pinchable cheeks."

Issei couldn't think of anything to say. He couldn't say anything period, as he was still having a tough time comprehending what was happening right now.

With a giggle, Yuuma lifts her right hand up and a pink light can be seen taking a shape above the palm. After the light grew long enough, it became what appeared to be a throwing spear, but was made entirely out of that light.

"But that's not to say I didn't have fun. On the contrary, it was a pleasant day you've given me. You have my gratitude." With an evil grin, Yuuma takes aim with her spear and locks her eyes right onto Issei. "Now then, please die for me, Issei Hyoudou~"

Just as he blinked, Yuuma threw her light spear straight at Issei and landed a direct hit on his stomach. Blood spurted from behind his back as he got impaled, and because of the force of the spear, he was forced to fall to the ground on his back, making him spit up blood and bile from the impact.

With another laugh, Yuuma flew down towards the mortally wounded Issei and flashes him a smile.

"I really am sorry for this," Yuuma says with a tone that almost sounded regretful, but it didn't. "But since you were a big threat to us, I was left with no other choice."

'What..? What is she talking about..?' Issei wondered mentally as his eyes grew heavy, being on the verge of losing consciousness while his blood began to pool on the ground beneath him.

With a wider grin, Yuuma reaches a hand towards one of Issei's cheeks and gave it a hard pinch, making the young man flinch.

"If you want to blame someone, dear, then blame God for 'blessing' you with a Sacred Gear."

'Sacred… Gear..?' Issei's mind was getting more and more drowsy after she lets go of his cheek.

"Well, that's how it is then," Yuuma says with a shrug. "Farewell, Issei Hyoudou. See you in the next life."

Issei watches Yuuma take off into the air, leaving behind a trail of black feathers. After she left, he weakly lifts his right hand up and sees that more of his blood got on it.

'So… This is how I die…' Issei mused as a tear rolls down his cheek. 'And I had so much to do, too… I could've played guitar… traveled… or maybe see if dad can take me and mom out fishing again…' more tears were now leaking from both of his eyes. 'and to make matters worse… I never got to tell Reya-san how I felt about her… All because I was betrayed by someone I helped get around…'

With his breathing getting weaker, Issei's eyes slowly begin to close further. No matter how much strength he summons up, no matter how hard he tries to stop his stomach from bleeding, he knows that he's not going to make it.

'I'm sorry… Mom… Dad… Midnight… Reya-san… I love you all…'

Issei then waits for his bleeding to take its toll, having accepted his faith, while the black feathers continue to fall near him.

But then…

Time stopped.

The feathers Yuuma left behind stopped falling and froze into the air, with only a couple landing on the ground next to Issei, who's mortal time was also paused.

And then, the Otsutsuki God appears before Issei, staring at him with sympathy in his bright blue eyes and a frown.

"You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?" the Otsutsuki God questions the boy as he floats towards him. "I deeply apologize for not intervening and taking care of the Fallen Angel sooner, but doing so requires a much more heavy amount of power; power that will set off the Devils who live in this town. To make up for my foolishness, I shall rewrite your fate."

With his expression now stern, the Otsutsuki God gently takes Issei's right hand into both of his own hands and squeezes it firmly.

"Now then… Let's begin."

"What the..? Where am I?"

With an expression of complete awe, Issei finds himself floating in what appeared to be a pitch-black void. He can see his own hands, feet, and torso in front of himself, and he can think and speak as clear as day.

So that brings to question: Is Issei in some kind of afterlife waiting to be judged? Was this also the place where other people go when they die? Could he find anyone else in this void, that oddly enough doesn't feel like one to him?

Issei didn't know. All he could do was wait for what he assumed would be a very long time, leaving him in the dark on what's going on.

"Can you hear my voice, Issei Hyoudou?"

"Huh?!"

Issei jumps in surprise as he heard a young man who sounded to be the age of his father talk to him. Upon turning around, his eyes got as wide as they could when he saw what looked to him to be a God-like being slowly floating towards him with closed eyes, crossed legs, and crossed arms.

"Are you… the keeper of this afterlife?" Issei questions the Otsutsuki God as he got closer and closer to the young boy.

"My name is Dainichi Otsutsuki, and I'm here to give you a second chance in life."

"Wh… What..?"

Issei was shocked by the God's introduction, but before he could question him on what he meant, Dainichi grabs onto his left arm and observes it with his closed eyes. After taking his time, the God nods to himself while humming.

"Now I see," the Otsutsuki God says. "This particular Dragon-type Sacred Gear carries the soul of the Red Dragon Emperor. Yes… The Longinus, Boosted Gear, will be powerful enough."

Issei didn't quite understand what Dainichi was talking about, other than that he mentioned this "Sacred Gear" thing and something about a dragon.

Issei then shivers a little when the Otsutsuki God sets his closed-eyed stare back onto him while he floated away from him.

"H-H-Hold on, Otsutsuki-sama!" Issei finally speaks while being as respectful as he can to the godly being. "I still don't understand! Are you really giving me another chance in life? Why did Yuuma kill me and grow wings?! And what do you mean by my Sacred Gear, especially since Yuuma mentioned it, too?! And-And-And-"

"Calm yourself, son of man." Issei did as he was told and took multiple breaths to calm himself down, allowing Dainichi to speak next. "That person who murdered you is a creature called a Fallen Angel."

Issei's brows rise at the information.

"A… Fallen Angel?"

"Yes, that's right. And she wanted to kill you because your Sacred Gear is very powerful. Sacred Gears are artifacts that have been bestowed upon certain humans by the Biblical God. And you, Issei Hyoudou, are one of these humans. There are multiple Sacred Gears, and a rare few of them, one of which you carry, can even be strong enough to take on Devils, Angels, Fallen Angels, and other supernatural beings from many mythologies. You can even kill a God since your Sacred Gear is a Longinus."

Issei clutches his head with one hand while processing the knowledge the Otsutsuki God gave him with an appalled face.

"Okay… So there is such thing as a Christian God, and other beings based on that religion… and other beings from different mythologies exist too…" Issei looks back up at Dainichi. "But what does that have to do with you saying that you're giving me a second chance?"

If there was ground in this void, Issei would've taken a step back as he watches the Otsutsuki God float closer to him again.

"Issei Hyoudou, for the past two days, I have been watching over you ever since I've discovered that you have an extraordinarily powerful Longinus. And because of your kind heart, I've decided that you are worthy of your fate being rewritten from being wrongfully slain by the Fallen Angel."

"R-Really?"

Issei was going to say more, but he cut himself off when he saw that Dainichi was now opening his eyes. As he got a look at them, his irises contract when he saw the gray scleras and light blue irises and pupils that belonged to the God. He expected him to have such eyes, but because of how compelling they were, he was more shocked then he should be.

"But, in return for your resurrection, you must be prepared for the supernatural and those who wish to hunt you, and defend yourself whenever you need to." Issei blinked in confusion, but before he could respond, Dainichi was now much closer to him to where he could reach his arms towards him. "Pay close attention. Starting tonight, you must get accustomed to the supernatural world that has existed long under your nose until now. And as you get used to it, one day, there will be a great evil that only you can stop."

Issei was stunned with what the Otsutsuki God just said. He couldn't think of anything to say. All he could do was think about what this godly entity was telling him.

"And remember this," Dainichi continued while grabbing onto Issei's right hand with his hand while his other hand was on Issei's arm. "Once I've branded you with my power, you will cease to be an ordinary human being."

Issei was now more puzzled than ever.

"What exactly do you mean by that? And… And how do you expect me to take on this 'great evil'?! What even is it, anyway?!"

"I'm afraid we've run out of time to continue our talk, Issei Hyoudou," Dainichi says regretfully as Issei begins to see him slowly fade away like steam. While he was, the Otsutsuki God sets his eyes on Issei's right hand real quick and smiles to see that the process was a success before looking back at the still bewildered Issei. "Until then, reflect well on thy fate. Bite down firmly onto it as you begin to live your new life…"

Remaining speechless and awestruck, Issei watches as Dainichi Otsutsuki continued to fade away from the void. Before the last part of him became steam that passed through him, the brown-haired man heard his last words:

"…O, son of man."

Back at the park, with stars among the night sky, Issei is still seen on the ground unconscious with his blood still pooled below him. As he still lied there with closed eyes, the wound caused by Yuuma's spear of light was slowly closing with no sign of a scar developing as his stomach was healing itself. Now, the only proof there is of him being stabbed before was the hole in his shirt.

While his stomach was healing, a blue aura can be seen leaking from the wounds before ceasing as they closed up.

Then, Issei's fingers slowly curled as his eyes were fluttering awake. As soon as he made eye contact with the full moon, his eyes shot open with contracted irises and pupils.

"*GASP!*"

Issei shoots his head off the ground as he finally regains consciousness. Hyperventilating, he then looks around himself to see if there was anyone else, and sure enough, he was the only one here.

"I'm… Alive…" Issei says to himself as he now understands that he was in the same place as where he was stabbed by Yuuma. "So… the God actually did it..?"

Wanting to check, Issei looks down at his stomach, and much to his surprise, he saw that his stomach was as good as new. It looked as if he was never even stabbed.

Although, his blood was still on his now ruined shirt.

When he looked down on the ground he was laying on, he immediately leaped away from it and landed on his feet when he saw how much of his own blood was dried up. And there was a lot of it.

"My God…" Issei shuttered as he placed his right hand in front of his mouth. "It's a miracle that I'm still standing… Huh?"

Issei pauses his out-loud musing when he notices something on the palm of his right hand. Removing it from his mouth, he puts the palm in front of himself to get a better look at it.

"Oh," Issei realizes. "More of my dried up blood."

After sucking on two of his fingers to get them wet, Issei drags them across his hand to clean the blood off of it.

As soon as he got it off, Issei's brows raise when he saw something else.

On his hand, Issei saw a small black four-sided diamond tattooed on the middle of his palm.

"What the… When did that get here?"

Issei continued to stare at his newly acquired mark. He may have remembered all the other crazy stuff that happened, like Yuuma 'killing' him because of his Sacred Gear and when he met a godly being named Dainichi Otsutsuki in a void-like afterlife, but he never recalled in any of those events where and when he got a tattoo on his palm.

Wanting to check if it's real or fake, Issei wets his two fingers again and scrubs them onto the mark as hard as he could. Seconds later, he saw that the four-point diamond didn't lose its shape or form. This made Issei squint his eyes at the mark for another moment, making him more curious about where it came from.

But before he could think about it more, Issei's eyes widen when he realizes how dark it is at night.

"Wait! What time is it now?!"

Issei quickly stuffs his hand into the pocket where he carried his phone and takes it out. With a press of a button, the screen turns on and reveals that the time was now 10:00 PM, a time where he should be in bed for school tomorrow.

"Oh no! Mom! Dad!"

Without hesitation, Issei broke into a sprint and headed straight for home.

While he was, Issei wasn't aware of two things.

One, Issei's speed when running was faster than when he would normally run.

And two, while he was running, the leaflet that the brown-haired woman from earlier gave him has fallen from his pocket during the time he pulled out his phone.

Next to the dried-up pool of blood, the circle on the leaflet started to glow bright red and create a much larger red circle on the ground.

The circle glowed a brighter red on the ground, and as it did, a matching colored silhouette of a woman appears from the circle. Once the light started to vanish, a familiar redheaded third-year student from Kuoh Academy can be seen at the park with the circle disappearing from below her feet.

"So, you're the one that called out to… me?"

Rias Gremory spoke while being under the impression that she was addressing to Issei, only to discover that while she was talking, Issei was nowhere to be found. Muddled, she searched around the park to try and find where her kouhai is.

As she was, she gasps with widened eyes when she spots a large plash of dried up blood next to her on the ground. Wanting to investigate, she knelt down towards the blood and observes it closely.

'The flier my Familiar gave to Ise should have opened a transportation circle to him when he was injured very badly…' As she kept pondering, her irises slowly contract as another thought popped into her head. 'Unless the blood belongs to…' Slowly getting up, Rias' hands shake as she puts the pieces together, with the bangs of her hair blocking her eyes, but her frown being very visible. 'To think that she'd go this far..!'

Under the belief that Issei Hyoudou has been brutally killed, Rias sighs a breath of disappointment; disappointment in herself that she didn't do better with keeping a watchful eye on him. She was even disappointed that she allowed the possibility of the Fallen Angel, who hunted Issei, being very strong because of what happened to Koneko last time.

"Well, I better call Sona and tell her what happened, and get help on cleaning this up."

With that said, a red transportation appears beneath Rias' feet in a rotating motion and glows red, teleporting her back her base.

Back with Issei, he finally made it back home while being slightly out of breath. Quickly, he speed-walked towards the front door and knocked on it twice, not bothering to remember that he still had his house key with him because of the flood of questions on what happened back at the park still being in his head.

While he was waiting for his mom or dad to answer the door, a thought came across his mind that made him froze in place with a look of cognizance before slowly tilting his head downwards at his own torso.

'Wait… How am I going to explain how I got my blood on my torn up shirt?'

With that in mind, Issei moves his hands to the bottom of his shirt. But before he could take it off, Issei's movements were halted again when he heard the door open faster than he nor his parents would usually open it for a guest or when one of them enters or leaves home.

"I… Issei..?"

"Huh?" Issei blinks once when he heard his mother squeak out his name and sets his stare back up, only for his eyes to widen at the sight of a worried Miki, whose eyes have tears threatening to leak from them. "M… Mom?" His eyes then turn white as he looks from his mom to his shirt three times before sticking his hands up in defense. "H-H-Hold on! I can explain-"

"OH, ISSEI!" Issei was suddenly trapped in a tight hug by a crying Miki with his head slamming into her bosom, making him go "MMF!" as soon as her hand shoved his head there. "MY BABY! YOUR DAD AND I WERE SO WORRIED ABOUT YOU! WHERE WERE YOU, ISSEI?! WE WERE ABOUT TO CALL THE POLICE TO SEARCH FOR YOU!"

"MMF! MMF!"

With tears rolling down her cheeks, Miki looks down at her son to see that he was tapping her shoulder while pointing at his own head, making her realize how she was hugging him and immediately releases him, allowing Issei to recover his air supply.

"S-Sorry, sweetie," Miki says before releasing a hiccup and wiping away her tears while letting Issei in the house. "You've been gone for hours, and…" She pauses when she notices the tear on Issei's shirt. When she saw that along with some of the blood that stained it, her face turned pale. "Issei… Did you..?"

Issei pales up too, afraid that his mother's got the wrong idea.

"NO! No, mom! I swear, I didn't do what you think I-"

"Did you get attacked, Issei?!"

Issei blinks in surprise when she finished her question. He thought for sure that she was going to think that he got into a fight that ended terribly, but instead, she was under the impression that her son was attacked by someone with a bladed weapon.

Well, she wasn't wrong that he was attacked, but the thing is, Issei was supposed to die by the wound he suffered, which was nowhere to be found after he was resurrected by the Otsutsuki God, something that Issei was still puzzled on.

"I… well…" Issei was hesitant on answering her, but before he could say anything, Miki immediately got closer to get a better look at where Issei was 'stabbed'.

"Oh god! Are you alright?! Is the cut fatal?! Did you get a good look at who it was that hurt you?! Did you call the police?!"

Issei was bombarded with question after question relating to the blood and tear on his shirt. He still wasn't sure if he should tell the whole story or not, because he knew that if he told them that the woman he helped get around town grew a pair of wings and killed him with a spear made of light from thin air, he didn't think she'd believe him.

Heck, he wasn't sure if she'd believe anything else that has happened to him that followed the stabbing.

"Honey, what's wrong?! I heard you shouting and…" Issei and Miki turn their heads to see that Gorou was in the room with them. As soon as his eyes were set on Issei, his reaction was just about the same as Miki's, starting with him hugging his son tighter than Miki did. "Issei! Where the hell were you?! Your mother and I were worried sick!"

"D-Dad… you're gonna impale my lungs with my own ribs!"

Gorou didn't listen. He was too busy asking him the exact same questions Issei's mom asked him before.

"Gorou-kun, stop!" Miki shouts while placing her hands on her husband's shoulders. "Issei's been attacked by a hooligan!"

Gorou's expression turns to shock and immediately releases Issei, who rubbed a hand onto his ribs due to how tight his father's hug was.

"Holy crap," Gorou exclaims as he looks at the bloodstained shirt's tear. "It's a miracle you survived and came all the way back home to us while you're still standing! Who did this to you, son?!"

Issei turns his eyes to the left while he poked his index fingers together.

"I… I didn't get attacked… I just got into an accident that cut me through the shirt… The wound would've been fatal if I wasn't more careful… So… Yeah."

Issei hated to lie to his parents, he really did, but how would they believe him if he told them that a woman with black wings, who was able to fly, was the one responsible for the stabbing. It would sound like crazy talk to them.

"Oh, sweetheart, I'm so sorry," Miki says with a sorrow face, surprising Issei a little that she accepted it just like that.

But then, the sound of the Hyoudous' home phone ringing got him and his parents to snap towards it.

"I'll go answer it," Gorou announces to the two before heading towards the phone to do just that.

As he was, Issei sighs a breath to himself while placing his right hand on his forehead.

'Man… this whole thing even got my parents worried,' he thought before he slowly brought the palm of his hand in front of himself to get another look at his new diamond mark. 'And now I have the Supernatural to worry about, according to that God I met said…'

"So Issei, did you eat while you were out?"

Issei blinked rapidly while quickly balling his right hand into a fist when he heard his mother and turned his head towards her to answer.

"Yes, I have. So you don't need to make me anything tonight. It's too late for that. I'm just going to take a shower and sleep it off for the rest of the night."

"Okay… If you're sure. Just make sure to hand me your shirt when you're done. I might be able to patch it up."

Issei gives his mom a grateful smile.

"Thank you."

After she smiled back, Issei walked his way towards the stairs while beginning to remove his shirt. As he almost got on top, he heard his father, Gorou, raise his voice in what sounded to Issei like confusion.

"What?! What are you talking about? My son is alive and well. He's even in our house as we speak."

Issei froze with contracted irises when he heard those words.

'Wait… What?!'

"Yes, that's correct," Gorou continued. "You see, before Issei came back home, my wife discovered that he was cut in the stomach from an accident. Thankfully, it wasn't too deep when we got a look at it." Issei heard his father's voice get more audible as he listened to his phone call, revealing that Gorou was walking towards Issei while he was talking. Once he got to the stairs, Gorou looks up at Issei. "Here, one moment. Issei, talk in the phone right quick so the school board can hear you."

Issei's brows raise when Gorou presents the phone to him. Swallowing a lump, Issei walked to his father and did as requested.

"U-Uh… Hello."

Gorou nods to his son before turning around and returning to where he came from.

"See? My son is alive. I don't know who told you that he's died, but you oughta do something about that."

As Gorou continued talking to the school board on the phone, Issei was appalled by the new discovery on what the phone call was about.

"Kuoh Academy thought I died..? What the hell..?"

Blinking rapidly, Issei slowly turns back around and heads toward the bathroom while his mind was stuck in what's going on.

As Issei was washing himself and his hair in the shower, Issei continued to think about his father's phone call.

"Just what is happening right now?" he wondered allowed. "First, Amano-san stabs me with a magic spear, then a godly being rescues me from death, and now this?"

Issei frowned in remembrance of those events. Every second he thought about them, he became more frustrated than ever.

In fact, he didn't know which was crazier anymore, the fact that the supernatural exists and he survived a stabbing from what the Otsutsuki God called a Fallen Angel or the fact that the school board thought that he died for some odd reason.

While he thought it was insane that religious beings of Christianity, and possibly other mythologies exist, the fact that the school thought that he was killed was what surprisingly chilled him the most. Just where exactly did they get such an idea that he was murdered?

The only reasonable solution to that question was if someone from his school witnessed the stabbing, and that was unlikely, because not only does anyone rarely come to the park at night, but if anyone did see it, they would have a hard time explaining it for the same reasons Issei couldn't tell his parents on what's really going on.

And despite that, none of it was more confusing than the Otsutsuki God's final message to him when he was in that void-like afterlife.

"You must get accustomed to the supernatural world that has existed long under your nose until now. And as you get used to it, one day, there will be a great evil that only you can stop."

Issei looked down on the shower floor while rinsing his hair from the shampoo and the soap from his body.

'A great evil that only I can stop… Just what was that godly being talking about?'

That was another thing Issei didn't quite understand. From how he remembered it, Dainichi Otsutsuki was speaking as if he was some kind of chosen one; a person who is strong enough to face this danger he spoke of when the time comes.

And that was a position the young man was unsure about taking, especially since he still has yet to see what other kinds of supernatural and mythologies exist.

"Issei?"

The young man's eyes broaden when he heard his mother from the other side of the shower door.

"Mother?"

"I came to check on you. Are you doing okay in there?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, mom," Issei answers while turning off the water. He then grabs onto a towel and starts to dry himself off.

"Are you sure? What happened to you before had to have kept you unsettled, hasn't it?"

"I'm okay, mom. Really," Issei assures her, not wanting Miki to worry more than she already is.

After drying himself off, Issei wraps his towel around his waist and began to make his way out of the bathroom. When he got out, he handed his mother his ruined shirt as she told him too.

Issei nods to Miki in thanks before beginning to go towards his room. But before he could take another step, his mother embraced him from behind, catching him off guard.

"M-M-Mother?"

"I'm glad you're okay, Issei," Miki says bluntly. "I just want you to know that, okay? I really did expect the worst when you were gone for so long."

Issei's eyes soften towards his mom as she releases him.

"Of course, mom," he replies with a smile. "And thanks again for taking your time into fixing my shirt."

"You're welcome, dear. Now go ahead and get some rest."

After nodding, Issei continues to walk towards his room with his mother watching him. After seeing him enter his room, Miki looks down at the hole in his shirt, continuing to be thankful that her son is still alive.

As he closed his bedroom door behind him, Issei looked around and saw that his cat, Midnight, was nowhere to be found, which was rare because she'd always wait for him to return home on top of his bed.

"I guess she went to sleep somewhere else."

Brushing some bangs of his hair, Issei dropped his towel and collected a black pair of boxer shorts. As he was getting them on, Issei looked at the mirror with the corner of his eye and noticed something.

Turning his head towards it so he can get a better look, Issei's eyes broaden when he saw that his body looked… different.

Wanting a closer look, Issei walked closer to his mirror and made a pose to make out some differences. Looking at his reflection up and down, his eyes widen in shock when he saw that his body was a little bit more muscular than he thought it was.

He would usually exercise once in a while, especially since he also has gym classes, but he knew that the number of classes he took there, as well as those home exercises that help him do better at gym, wouldn't result in him into having his body this well toned.

His body magically improved everywhere. His biceps and abdominal muscles became greatly developed, and he even has a six-pack. It wasn't the most amazing six-pack ever, but it was there, and it has a reasonable tone as well.

"Well, at least I don't look like a muscle freak."

Issei continued to observe himself for a little longer, his expression still in awe at how strong his body has suddenly become. As he was, his eyes stop at his right hand, which has its palm facing the mirror. And on that palm, the black diamond mark can still be seen there, the very mark that made Issei stop and stare at it from the mirror.

"And remember this: Once I've branded you with my power, you will cease to be an ordinary human being."

Issei blinked in surprise when he suddenly remembered what Dainichi told him in the dark void. He didn't know why looking at his mark triggered that memory, but it did.

He then gets his right hand's palm to face himself so he can get take another look at the mark. As he did, the questions he had about it return.

Just where exactly did it come from? He knew for sure that he never bothered to get a tattoo while escorting his "killer" around the town. The only time it appeared was after he was brought back by the Otsutsuki God. So maybe… that was what Dainichi meant by branding him his "power"? Maybe the God gave him that mark to revive him?

Issei could feel his mind hurting a little as he puzzled on the mark further and shook his head.

"I'll worry about it later," he says as he picks up his towel to store in the hamper. "Right now, I got a Biology test tomorrow. That's more important for now."

Minutes later, Issei is now asleep in his bed. After he put his towel in the hamper, he went to sleep right away so his mind can be the best it could after a long stressful day. His thoughts on the supernatural and the other crazy scenarios can wait. It's his biology test in the morning that's important to him right now.

But as he was sleeping, his bedroom's window made a clicking noise and began to open slowly. Whoever was opening it, they were doing their very best to be as quiet as possible.

Once the window was opened wide enough, a head slowly popped out from there and turned their head left and right twice, checking the room to see if the coast was clear. After nodding, the figure began to climb through the window and carefully landed on the floor with their bare feet while carrying their pair of black flip flops in their hand.

After closing the window behind them and locking it, the figure is revealed to be a silhouette of a woman with a voluptuous figure. The only visible parts of her body right now in the dark are her hazel-gold eyes, which went over to Issei as she hid her shoes in the deepest area of Issei's closet.

The female figure's eyes softened towards the boy as she tip-toed her way towards his bed. From behind the silhouette, two tail-like appendages are slowly swaying as she stealthily climbed into bed from behind Issei. Once she got comfortable, the woman scooted closer to him and presses her large bust against the back of his head, spooning Issei in the process.

As she was cuddling him tenderly, the woman looks over to Issei's right hand's palm and squints them at the four-point diamond mark.

She has witnessed everything that has happened to Issei that night. From him touring a Fallen Angel without him realizing it, to being slain by the Fallen Angel, and then, to the woman's shock, Issei coming back unscathed.

While his sudden recovery took her aback, what surprised the silhouette the most was how much more power she was now feeling from the boy, now that she's gotten closer to him. This wasn't just the source of his Sacred Gear, something she discovered very earlier on, but there was something else within him.

And for some reason, that power she was now feeling was coming from the mark on Issei's palm.

The silhouette shakes her head a few times, deciding to worry about it later and rested her head onto Issei's.

All that mattered to her now was that he was safe.

As the next day began, Issei's eyes slowly open as he awakens from his slumber. After lifting his head from his pillow, he stretches his arms upwards as he released an audible yawn.

While he was doing so, he noticed something from the left corner of his eye. Turning his head in that direction for a better look, his eyes brows raise when he saw that it was his cat, Midnight, sleeping right beside him with her front paws touching him.

"Huh, that's rare of her to sleep beside me. She mostly sleeps on my lap."

Issei removes the covers off of himself without disturbing Midnight and sits up on the side of his bed, thinking that his door was cracked, which allowed the cat to enter his room while he was sleeping.

Once he stood up, Issei blinks in confusion when he noticed that he hadn't felt tired at all. Despite all that has happened, and that he came home a little late last night, he still felt well-rested.

Issei then brings his arms in front of himself. As he did, he began to slowly move his hands around in a circular motion.

"Crazy," he whispers with wide eyes of shock. "Even if I went to bed in time, I would always still be a little tired. But today… I feel great; wide awake. Heck… I even feel more awake than I normally would…"

"Issei! Breakfast is ready!"

Issei turns his head towards his bedroom door when he heard his mother call out to him.

"I'll be right there, mom!"

Deciding to keep this phenomenon in the back burner, Issei gets dressed in his school uniform and walks out of the room to brush his teeth in the bathroom.

After performing his dental care, Issei is now seated with his parents having eggs and bacon for breakfast. At first, the young man was thinking about what's happened, but he then sets his thoughts on his studies. His Biology test is today. That comes first before he can fully focus on last night.

"So, Issei, were you able to sleep okay?"

Issei nods at his mother, who sat across from him next to his father.

"I have. Surprisingly enough, despite coming home late, I was able to sleep properly."

"That's good to hear, Issei," Miki smiles at her son before getting up from the table, having finished her breakfast before Issei and Gorou.

As she was going to discard her dish in the sink, her foot got caught on the table's leg and tripped over it.

"KYAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

"Miki-chan!" Gorou shouts to his wife as she was about to fall to the ground with the plate breaking to pieces.

But before either of those could happen, Miki gasps when she felt someone quickly swing an arm around her waist while using his other arm to catch the plate before it could break.

After gasping a few breaths, Miki, followed by Gorou, look to see that it was Issei that saved her from hurting herself.

"Whoa! Nice reflexes, son!" Gorou compliments his son while sighing a breath, relieved that his wife is okay.

Issei, however, wore a face of surprise while looking down at his arms. While he was glad that he was able to keep her from falling, it's how he got there that bewildered him.

'What..? Was I always this fast..?'

"Issei?"

The brown-haired man blinks when he heard his mother say his name and looked at her.

"You okay, mom? That would've been bad if the plate got destroyed first before you fell."

Miki nods with a small smile while her son released her from his one-armed grasp.

"Yes, thank you, Issei." Miki then giggles while gently punching his left shoulder before taking the plate back. "Looks like those gym classes are finally paying off, huh? You got here quick."

"Uh… Sure."

Issei scratches the back of his head before continuing to finish his breakfast. After finishing, he went ahead to take his dish to the sink. As he was, he continued to think about how quick he was to catch his mom from getting in an accident.

'I know the gym classes are helping me get in shape, but… there's no way that it would make me this fast, especially since Mom was at the opposite end of the table.'

With a sigh, Issei shakes his head at the thought and walked towards the front door.

"Well, I'm off," he notifies his parents while getting his shoes on.

"Have a good day, Issei," Gorou says with a smile and a wave.

"And be careful out there," Miki adds with a hand over her heart.

Issei nods at his parents while smile before turning back around to the front door to open it. As he got his hand on the knob, he frowned while looking downwards.

'Man… heading back to school after dad cleared up the misunderstandings with the staff is going to be very awkward.'

Quietly breathing through his nose, Issei opens the door and walks out of the house. After closing it behind himself, he begins to walk his way to school, hoping that he's studied enough to get at least a good score on his Biology test.

But little did he know, his new life after being revived by Dainichi Otsutsuki has just begun.

To be continued in the next chapter: "New Discoveries."

Author's note: Now here is an OOC Issei fic I've wanted to work on for a long time now. In fact. I've had a lot more things planned out in this story than I did in Masked Dragon Emperor, from what powers of Dainichi's Issei will have, to the forms he will take in the future.

Now, of course, there are reasons Dainichi chose Issei, but other than that, this fic is where Issei is no one's servant. He'll be his own man that will learn more about the supernatural and how he will handle it with both the Boosted Gear and the mark of the Otsutsuki.

I also made a DXD fanon page for this story's Issei. I Don't know if I'll update it since I'm terrible at editing that, but we'll see.

Anyway, I hope y'all enjoyed the first chapter, and I hope to continue work on this one soon.

Issei's current harem: Reya (main girl), Kuroka, Tiamat, Kalawarner, Akeno, Asia, Rias, Koneko, Irina, Xenovia, Ravel, Serafall, Gabriel, Tsubasa, Tsubaki

Genshiro: Momo, Ruruko

Until next time, folks~!