Motohama: Side character life

I still remember the moment everything changed—the moment I woke up in a world I had only ever encountered through anime, light novels, and manga. This was the world of High School DxD, brimming with Devils, Angels, and Fallen Angels. In the blink of an eye, I found myself in the body of Motohama, one of Issei Hyoudou's so-called "Perverted Trio" buddies. Only, I wasn't the clueless side character from the original story anymore. My soul, memories, and knowledge carried over from my real life on Earth, and with it, I possessed an extraordinary tool: a system that could create just about anything, from Doraemon-inspired gadgets to powerful supernatural abilities.

On that first day, I could hardly believe my surroundings. Kuoh Academy, in all its classic architecture—a little old-fashioned for a high school, yet strangely picturesque—looked exactly like in the anime. The grand clock tower soared overhead, flanked by students in black blazers and green skirts. My mind buzzed. This was no dream; I was Motohama, a side character in the High School DxD universe, and it was time to navigate my new reality.

I glanced down at my uniform. I looked just like the typical student—framed glasses, short-cropped hair, and a scrawny build. But behind the unassuming exterior, I held a massive secret: the knowledge of future events in this world, and a system that could conjure anything my imagination desired.

"Oi! Motohama!" a familiar voice called out.

There he was—Issei Hyoudou, sporting an enthusiastic grin plastered on his face, accompanied by our other friend, Matsuda. They strode across the courtyard with that boisterous energy that so defined them, referencing the rumor about a new girl with a supermodel figure.

I exhaled and smiled. If there was one person I knew I could trust (despite our questionable shared reputation), it was Issei. Though in the original timeline, we had a comedic, often humiliating role as the school's "Perverted Trio," my new goal was to do more than peep on changing rooms. I wanted to protect my friends. I wanted to help Rias Gremory's Peerage. And I sure as heck wasn't planning on letting supernatural threats catch me off guard.

"Morning," I said to them, adjusting my glasses. "What's the scoop?"

Matsuda rubbed his hands together. "Word on the street is there's a new teacher who's rumored to be unbelievably hot!"

Issei's eyes twinkled. "We gotta check it out—today! I've got a plan, see…we'll sneak into the faculty lounge…"

I rolled my eyes and did my best to give a half-hearted nod. This—unfortunately—was the norm for these two. My memories of Earth told me that things wouldn't remain so normal for long. At some point soon, Issei would meet a certain red-haired Devil princess named Rias Gremory, get a Boosted Gear, and plunge headfirst into a world of supernatural chaos.

But first, daily life continued. Class started as usual—a lecture on world history I could practically recite backward. My mind wandered toward the system I had discovered only that morning, when I first awoke in Motohama's body.

A Flashback to My Revelation

I had stared into the mirror, noticing how my expression looked. My reflection wore an expression of wild disbelief. Suddenly, a little voice in my head said:

"System activated. Hello, dear host. State your desire, and I will do my best to manifest it."

All right, I had thought, let's give it a test. "System, can you create a…uh…cat that can talk?"

"Request accepted. Initiating creation: 3…2…1…"

And a plush cat sprang into existence on my desk! It could talk, though it sounded tinny and robotic. It introduced itself as a caretaker that would vanish in an hour. It was absolutely bizarre, yet also exhilarating.

I realized the system functioned similarly to a combination of Doraemon's gadgets and an all-powerful wish-granting tool. There had to be rules or hidden constraints, though. Nothing this powerful would come without a catch. But in that moment, I allowed the excitement to fill me—this was pure, unadulterated possibility.

Back to Kuoh Academy

As the history teacher droned on, I fiddled with my pen, testing my "System screen" within my mind. A translucent blue panel flickered into existence, invisible to everyone else.

Name: Motohama (Reincarnated Earthling)** System Level: 1 **Abilities: Basic Item Creation

Apparently, the more I used the system, or the more challenges I faced, the more powerful it would become. Fascinating. But I had to be discreet. I had to remain the unremarkable Motohama, at least until the time was right.

I noticed Issei, a few seats away, staring at the teacher with half-lidded eyes, not listening so much as daydreaming. Knowing him, those daydreams were probably lecherous. In the front row sat Kiba Yuuto, the "Prince" of Kuoh Academy and a member of Rias Gremory's Peerage. Kiba's presence reminded me that the supernatural world was mere steps away. Rias herself was a third-year student, revered by nearly everyone in school for her beauty, intelligence, and grace. Little did they know she was the next head of the House of Gremory.

When the bell finally signaled the end of class, I packed up slowly, lost in thoughts of the near future. According to the timeline, Issei would soon be approached by a mysterious girl named Yuuma Amano—really a Fallen Angel named Raynare. She would set him on a path of heartbreak and resurrection, courtesy of Rias. After that, the real story would begin.

But how could I change things for the better? Should I reveal my knowledge to Issei or Rias? That risked messing with canonical events. Then again, my presence already changed the timeline. Perhaps I could lessen the danger or save a few more innocents. Or at the very least, keep my friend from dying. My system might be strong enough to do it.

After lunch, I decided to head to the library for some quiet time. That's when the day took a fateful turn. As I walked, I passed by the old school building that the Occult Research Club used as its base—a place I knew was secretly Rias Gremory's domain.

I spotted a flash of crimson hair behind a window. Probably Rias or Akeno.

Curiosity pulled me closer. I glanced around, making sure I was alone, then I quietly stepped up to the window and took a quick peek. Inside was Rias, discussing something with Akeno Himejima and Koneko Toujou. Koneko was munching on some snack as usual, and Akeno wore a serene smile on her face. I couldn't hear their conversation through the glass, but the tension was clear. They were talking about something significant—likely the presence of Fallen Angels scoping out Kuoh.

I was so fixated that I didn't notice the figure standing behind me.

"Young man…this area is off-limits for outsiders."

I nearly jumped out of my skin, whirling around to come face-to-face with Yuuto Kiba. He looked polite as ever, not a single hair out of place.

"S-sorry," I stammered. "Just, uh, lost my way."

He gave a slight bow. "Then please allow me to guide you back."

There was a hint of steel behind his courteous tone. I forced a laugh, nodded, and retreated, my heart thumping. It was too early to risk discovery. But as I walked away, I felt a strange surge of determination. If I truly intended to help Rias, then maybe I should find a way to subtly become an ally. No matter what, I wanted to protect Issei, Rias, and the others from the tragedies on the horizon.

By the time classes ended, I was itching to try out the system again. I headed home—Motohama's home, a small one-bedroom apartment that was considerably modest for a high school kid, but in anime logic, parents were rarely around.

"System," I whispered, once I made sure the door was locked. "Open."

The blue panel shimmered before me. "What would you like to do, Host?"

"I want an item that can temporarily grant me the ability to sense supernatural entities—like devils, angels, or fallen angels. Think of it as a magic lens or a scanning device."

**The system glitched for a moment. **"Processing… Item creation successful: 'Spectral Glasses.'"

A small swirl of light appeared, coalescing into a pair of sleek, black-framed glasses on my desk. I picked them up, excitement surging through me. Adjusting them on my nose, I felt an odd wave of energy course through my eyes. The world looked about the same, except faint outlines now clung to objects and people. A cat that strolled on a fence outside glowed faintly in my peripheral vision. Supernatural indeed. My new ability likely identified the cat as a stray with some magical residue—or maybe it was just the system messing with me.

Either way, the glasses were my first real step toward active involvement in the supernatural plot. If a Fallen Angel walked near me, I'd see a flicker of black wings. If a devil from Rias's Peerage was around, I might catch a glimpse of their demonic aura.

Early the following morning, as I walked onto campus, my new glasses hidden in my bag, I spotted Issei speaking with a girl I didn't recognize—slender, with short black hair, wearing the Kuoh Academy uniform. My heart skipped a beat. That must be Yuuma Amano. The fateful meeting had begun.

I approached, trying not to appear suspicious. My gut clenched. If events played out like the original story, she'd ask Issei to be her boyfriend, lure him somewhere private, and then attempt to kill him.

She giggled sweetly, hooking an arm around Issei's. "So, we'll meet this weekend at the park, okay?"

Issei, red-faced, only nodded. I could practically see hearts swirling in his eyes.

Matsuda nudged me and whispered, "Dang, Ise actually scored a date! Lucky guy. Didn't see that coming, huh, Motohama?"

I forced a grin. "Yeah… Good for him." But inside, I was churning. Should I interfere? Should I warn him? That might unravel the future. Then again, letting him walk into a dangerous trap might get him killed. Sure, he'd be resurrected by Rias, but that was a gamble.

I resolved to keep a close eye on them during the weekend. Maybe I could prevent the worst outcome without revealing my power. For the rest of the school day, I was oddly quiet. Even Issei noticed. He patted my shoulder in concern.

"You good, man?" he asked at lunchtime.

I nodded, swallowing my worries. "Yeah, just got a lot on my mind. Studying, you know."

He made a face. "Studying? You?"

I gave him an exasperated shrug. I had to maintain the Motohama façade, so I just joked around about some nonsensical reason for being preoccupied.

Classes ended, and as I walked out of the building, still weighed down by the day's events, I heard a shriek echo across the courtyard.

"Help! Someone, please!"

Reacting on instinct, I sprinted toward the source of the cry. A second-year girl had collapsed near the track field, trembling and pointing at something overhead. Looking up, my stomach churned.

A floating figure hovered in the sky, black wings extended. There was no mistaking it—a Fallen Angel, wearing a twisted grin as he gazed down at the terrified student.

This was earlier than I expected. Weren't the Fallen Angels supposed to focus on Issei first? Why attack a random student?

But I had no time to second-guess. The girl was in danger. My system flared within me. I reached out mentally, commanding it to conjure something to help: a small handheld device reminiscent of a futuristic toy pistol. In a flash of light, it materialized in my hand, carefully concealed behind my back so no onlookers could see.

"Who's there?" the Fallen Angel barked, noticing my movement. "And how are you able to see me?"

I grimaced. Without a second thought, I fired the device. A swirling net of luminescent energy erupted from the barrel. The Fallen Angel's eyes widened as the net tangled around him, momentarily pinning his wings.

The girl scurried away, tears in her eyes, but safe.

"Damn you, human!" hissed the Fallen Angel, struggling in midair. The device wouldn't hold him for long. My heart pounded. Could I fight this being head-on? Even with my system, I lacked direct combat experience.

Out of nowhere, a wave of devilish energy burst onto the scene, crashing into the Fallen Angel and slamming him into the ground with a loud thud.

I spun around. Rias Gremory stood a short distance away, her crimson hair flowing behind her. Beside her were Akeno and Kiba, their eyes locked on the pinned Fallen Angel.

"Rias Gremory…" the Fallen Angel rasped, panting. "You—"

"Leave," Rias commanded, her voice cold. "Kuoh Academy is under my protection."

For a split second, the Fallen Angel glared at me. Then, with a flap of his wings, he tore free of the net and vanished into the sky. The tension evaporated, leaving the few stunned students unsure what they had just witnessed. The girl the Fallen Angel attacked looked dazed, and soon fainted.

That left me facing Rias and her Peerage, my little pistol still in hand.

Kiba frowned at me warily, Akeno's eyes narrowed in curiosity, and Koneko had just arrived, looking me up and down with quiet intensity.

Rias approached. "Motohama, isn't it?"

My throat went dry as I tucked the strange device behind my back. "Yes, President Gremory." The entire school recognized her as the president of the Occult Research Club.

She studied me with a mixture of suspicion and intrigue. "That was quite the gadget you used."

I struggled for a coherent answer, but nothing came out. My mind was a whirlwind of possibilities—should I come clean, or play dumb?

In the end, I bowed my head. "I—I just wanted to help."

Rias's expression softened. "You did help. Thank you. But do be careful. Things beyond human understanding roam these grounds."

"Yes, President," I managed, stepping back.

Before they could ask more questions, I made a hasty retreat, my heart hammering. This was it—I'd officially interfered. There was no turning back. The chain of events in the original storyline was shifting. I had revealed a fragment of my power, enough to catch Rias's attention.

I glanced around to check if Issei or Matsuda had witnessed that bizarre confrontation. It appeared that only a few students were around, and they likely wouldn't remember the details after Rias or Akeno used devil magic to manipulate memories.

Alone in a deserted hallway, I pressed my hand to my chest, feeling the adrenaline subside.

"So that's the power of the system," I murmured. "I saved someone today."

It felt good. I'd done something meaningful in this new life. But I also knew it came with massive responsibility. The world of Devils and Angels was about to get a lot more complicated—and I, Motohama, the side character from Earth, would need to be ready. Because once Rias Gremory sets her sights on something, she rarely lets go.