NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 2: The Stage
I am Hyoudou Issei, 18 years old, currently very close to being killed by a black-winged Amano Yuuma...
The world was strange. Everything appeared still except for...
Flap
Amano Yuuma landed softly in front of me, her black wings spread wide.
She had an arrogant look on her face, nothing like the innocent girl I turned down a few minutes ago. (No, not some motivational story.)
Is she a god?
I quickly dismissed that thought. If she were, I don't think I'd have survived that hit earlier. Well, unless gods turned out to be far less omnipotent than I imagined.
I felt my senses scream in warning as she raised her hand slightly.
Zwoom
I dived to the right to avoid another light spear.
"Again?" Her cold voice echoed through the still town.
I turned and ran in the opposite direction, inhaling sharply.
Spark
I bent my upper body forward while sprinting and...
Zwooomm
Another light spear flew past me.
"... Thrice in a row, huh?"
Her voice was closer than I expected. I glanced back just in time to see her swooping down, wings spread, her arm outstretched to grab me. I tried to dodge, but...
GRAB
...she was quicker this time.
...
Slap
"So... what's your deal? Do you have eyes on the back of your head or something?"
She taunted as I squirmed in her grasp. She held me off the ground by my neck, and my lungs burned as I struggled for air.
Slap
She slapped my face again, smiling as she said, "'I'm in a relationship,' seriously? A loser like you has a girlfriend? The standard in the human world must be really low~. For all the trouble you gave me just now, I'll give you a slow death."
She giggled.
"Keuk!"
Tap tap tap
I tapped her hand in a desperate attempt, hoping she would let go. Her grip was relentless, and I couldn't breathe. I tried kicking her with all my might, but—
WHAM
...her knee slammed into my stomach, and my limbs went limp.
"Hm~ Your reactions are quite cute~! Maybe I can see the appeal here..."
Her voice sounded distant as my consciousness began to fade. It was all so sudden and unfair that my mind shut down. Random memories surfaced—completely unrelated to what was happening now.
I remember the first time I tried cooking. My goal was to make an omelet, but the result was a jumbled mess, too salty to eat. Still, I forced myself to finish it, despite my throat's protests.
I also remembered timing how long I could hold my breath underwater, using an analog clock to measure it while dipping my head into the bathtub. In the end, I forgot where I started.
What am I even thinking right now...?
"Hyoudou Issei-kun~" Raynare's voice snapped me back. She traced my struggling face with a mockingly gentle expression.
"I know. Killing you won't change anything~ After all, you're just a normal human. Consider this my personal revenge on your brother, okay? He was a bad boy who caused us, fallen angels, a lot of trouble. Despite that... yeah, despite that, do you know what my superiors told me? Even though you're his brother, they ordered me not to waste my time on you."
Her tone grew colder as she continued.
"The brother of the Red Dragon Emperor is a weak human with only a sleeping Sacred Gear. Therefore, I'm supposed to ignore you? I think not."
Then her voice turned cheerful again.
"The entire world seemed to support my cause Issei-chan, so I decided I would ambush you as soon as it was decided that we were moving to the territory of Redheads."
She smiled brightly.
Red...
I vividly recalled a moment, a turning point in my life, when I decided to abandon my talent. That moment felt red, too...
And now, after giving up everything, I was going to meet my end today, at the hands of this absurd existence.
Fear gripped my heart—fear of the unknown.
Streaks of red formed in my mind, shaping into long crimson hair. My thoughts drifted toward the redhead I made a deal with today.
Rias Gremory. What would her reaction be when she learned of my death? Would Matsuda and Motohama mourn for me? Would they even be able to find my body?
************
Far away, in the old school building of Kuoh Academy where the Occult Research Club resided, Rias Gremory swept her long crimson hair back with a graceful motion.
"Buchou, how did the meeting with Hyoudou Issei go?"
The speaker was a beautiful young woman with long black hair tied into a floor-length ponytail. Her violet eyes sparkled with curiosity as she addressed Rias. She was Himejima Akeno, the vice president of the Occult Research Club, and a third year student like Rias.
"He accepted much more easily than I expected," Rias said with a soft chuckle. "It was a fun experience talking with him."
Akeno tilted her head, curious.
"Did you sense anything unusual about him?"
Rias' expression turned serious.
"No, I didn't feel anything. Perhaps that's why he isn't part of the supernatural world, unlike the rest of his family."
Akeno frowned slightly.
"Then why did Kiba-kun ask us to check him out? It's not that I doubt his intuition, but do you think he was wrong this time?"
"He said he felt something special from Hyoudou Issei," Rias replied.
"Even if he was mistaken, it doesn't matter. Hyoudou Issei can still help me deal with Hiro Satoru. That alone is enough."
At the nearby table, chess pieces glistened in the warm candlelight.
-----------------------
Shake Shake Shake
"Hey, hey don't go dying on me right now."
Raynare slightly tossed me up into the air and switched her grip from my neck to my collar
... Oxygen flooded in.
INHALE
COUGH COUGH COUGH
"UGH! YOU GOT YOUR SPIT ON ME, YOU FILTHY BASTARD!"
She slapped my face with her free hand. After a brief moment, she switched to a sweet expression.
"Now beg for your life, let me hear those last words, consider this a mercy from the fallen angel, Raynare," she said proudly.
...
"Coward..."
Her smile vanished. I barely steadied my head and looked her in the eye.
"How cowardly of you all to cough gang up on a single human..." I said looking behind her.
"What?" She looked behind her in panic. But there was no one there. She turned her head back in anger.
"What are you-"
*****************
"Ohhh~ So This is what a fallen angel looks like!"
8-year-old Issei looked over a book his best friend, Rin showed him. They were looking over picture books in Rin's living room.
"All of them are beautiful and really strong," Rin said amusedly.
"Heh~ If they come across me, I will show them!" Issei said with his childish arrogance.
Rin burst out laughing.
"Sure, as if- pfft HAHAHA!"
Issei's face was flushed with anger and embarrassment but wasn't ready to give up.
"I can beat them! Look, they are just humans with wings!"
Rin laughed harder at this.
"Hahaha! They aren't as easy as you think, dummy! And they are not like us humans, they will be super fast and strong! How are you even gonna reach them stupid Ise?"
"Ugh, look!"
Issei grabbed a pencil nearby and brought it over to the image.
"I will do it like this! First, make them have their guard down! And then-"
Issei stabbed the image with his pencil.
"Attack them in their eye!"
STAB
Raynare's scream echoed through the silent world.
**********************
In the student council room in Kuoh Academy, Sona Sitiri, the student council president learned the details about Rias Gremory's move on Hyoudou Issei, the older brother of the student council member Hyoudou Izo.
Sona Sitiri, a bespectacled young woman with a slim figure, black hair styled into a short bob cut, and violet eyes, always seen with a serious expression. She was the third most popular girl in the school after Rias Gremory and Akeno Himejima. She was also a third year student.
"Interesting," she said with a small smile, "The rumors turned out to be true. Rias is always up to something unpredictable... Tsubaki, pass me Hyoudou Issei's profile."
Tsubaki Shinra handed Sona the papers. She is the vice-student council president and the fourth most popular girl in Kuoh Academy, a young bespectacled woman with long straight black hair, split bangs, and heterochromatic eyes; a violet left eye and a light brown right eye. Like Sona, she was also a third year student with a quiet and serious personality.
Sona Sitiri quickly scanned through the files, pausing at some areas.
"Other than his middle school grades, nothing stands out," she said, "His involvement in the MMA field seemed interesting, but he was disqualified in the preliminaries at his debut tournament due to displaying unnecessary violence."
She looked over to her side at the boy standing near the window.
"What do you think about this situation Izo?"
Hyoudou Izo, the boy who looked robust for his age, was looking outside the window at the sky. One of the most popular boys in the school, Izo has medium-length brown hair, styled into a middle part, that meshed really well with his sharp facial features. His hands were clasped confidently behind his back and he excluded a dominating aura.
"I do not have a definite answer, Kaichou," he said, "It could be simply to gain info on me or my clan as you assumed last time."
"Any other reasons that come to your mind?" she asked.
Izo remained silent for a moment.
"No," he said with a slight hint of hesitation. Sona decided not to pry any further.
A member of the student council, Genshirou Saji, a second year student with short blond hair and grey eyes spoke,
"Still," Saji said, with a worried expression, "He is going to have a hard time at school. Almost every single guy in this school wants to beat the crap out of him. I heard even some college students are getting involved, due to Hiro Satoru's influence. But the sole reason they are not acting is because..."
Saji looked at Izo. The other council member's expressions soured upon hearing Hiro's name.
Izo's popularity throughout the academy was not only due to his looks and grades but also because of his ridiculous strength. Soon after entering the Kuoh Academy as a freshman, he beat up many third-year and second-year members of Hiro's gang. Hiro Satoru, the top dog of Kuoh Academy however ignored him which led to rumors spreading that Izo was, in fact, the true number-one of Kuoh Academy. The other council members nodded at Saji's words.
"Kaichou," Hyoudou Izo asked Sona, "Can you please try to make sure he doesn't get unnecessarily beaten up in school?"
He turned his head to the side and added quickly. "I don't want him to embarrass me. That's all."
... The council members' mouths hung open. Hyoudou Izo's character was an overall indifferent one. He didn't seem interested in anything except for himself. The student council members were under the impression that Izo and Issei had a rather sour relationship.
"...Looks like someone has a sweet spot for his brother," Sona said with a chuckle, "I will see what I can do. But since this is Hiro Satoru, I think Hyoudou Issei may be able to get away by playing the brother card."
Izo said nothing but turned his back again on them.
'I thought at least his involvement in the MMA field would be interesting...'
He gripped his hand tightly.
'Display of unnecessary violence...'
***************************
Issei landed on his feet. His right hand was drenched in blood; the blood from the fallen angel's left eye.
Due to the extreme pain, Raynare kept her distance from the ground, far away from Issei. She was writhing in pain.
Issei flicked the Swiss Army Knife in his hand while rubbing his neck which was now bluish-purple due to her grip.
*Pause*
'Whoa, whoa there. Why are you carrying around a knife in your pocket, dude?'
That must be what you are thinking. But let me explain. This is a tool. Not a weapon. I use this as a bottle opener and... uh it can also come in handy in situations like these. Now don't go assuming that I am carrying this around so that I can stab-
The point is: I am not a suspicious quiet kid character.
*Resume*
"YOU DAMN FILTH!" The enraged Raynare charged at Issei at terrifying speed but he dodged to the right side, taking advantage of her blind spot which he created. She crashed into the road making a web-like crack on it.
Issei's eyes glowed blue.
I was born with an innate talent. Or should I say, a multitude of talents, forming what one would call a god-given talent... One such talent is-
Duck
A light spear zipped past Issei's head from behind as soon as he ducked.
My talent of awareness. I can feel things even from my blind spot...
ZOOM
Issei side-flipped to the left, avoiding Raynare's charge. She was burning with rage.
A blessed physique that is capable of keeping up with my imagination...
Raynare spun with deadly precision, her spear slicing through the air as she aimed straight for Issei. He ducked, narrowly avoiding it again, but before he could react further, she lunged at him with blinding speed.
He tried to leap out of her trajectory, but the distance between them was too short.
GRAB
"I've got you!" she screamed, her hands locking onto him like iron claws.
But unlike last time... Issei didn't falter. His hand shot out, gripping her shoulder, while his other hand clamped onto her wrist with equal ferocity. Her momentum pulled them both off their feet.
My third and greatest talent...
WHIRL
Using her momentum, Issei launched into a backflip, twisting her arm along the shoulder's axis as he rotated.
But she was strong—too strong. Issei wasn't able to complete his motion, but he adjusted his grip and wrenched her arm into an unnatural angle.
CLICK
POP
A piercing scream tore through the air.
Raynare howled and writhed, flinging Issei off with her brute strength. She lost control of her momentum and crashed through the glass pane of a nearby store.
My talent for violence—an innate clarity in moments that require violence. While fear or doubt held others back, I acted.
WHAM
Issei was flung stomach-first onto a pole and lay there, coughing up saliva and blood.
Somehow, he managed to scramble onto all fours and escape from the area.
From the debris of the store's front, Raynare emerged. Her face was contorted with anger. Her hair was disheveled, and her left arm hung unnaturally straight. Scanning the area with her single eye, she realized Hyoudou Issei was gone. She gritted her teeth, lightly touching her face and dislocated arm.
Never in a million years did Raynare think the situation would turn out like this. After all, she was Raynare—one of the most promising young fallen angels of her generation. She had managed to join Dohnaseek's squad at a young age. And now? Now she was being humiliated by a human—no, by a sleeping Sacred Gear user...
If word got out, she'd be the laughingstock of the entire supernatural world.
WHAM
SHATTER
Raynare struck the remaining part of the store's front with her fist.
"COME OUT RIGHT NOW, YOU FILTHY RAT!" she roared. "I'LL RIP YOUR LIMBS APART! YOU CAN FORGET ABOUT DYING PAINLESSLY!"
**********************
Huff... Huff...
I panted as I made my way toward Kuoh's department store. Crashing sounds echoed in the distance.
That inhuman freak...
I was covered in wounds and overwhelmed by fatigue. The adrenaline coursing through me barely kept me standing in the face of something so bizarre and dangerous.
The results so far were clear: she won the first round. I won the second.
The last round would decide the victor.
Zoom
I entered the department store. The automatic doors were still functional.
What greeted me was yet another unsettling sight. The department store was completely empty. Not a single soul in sight.
...Just where did all the people go?
I removed my shoes, holding them in my hands, and made my way to the convenience store section. Taking some coins from the counter, I bought three bottles of 'Pocari Sweat' from the vending machine.
I gulped down an entire bottle in one go. Then, I scavenged the shelves for Balance Power energy bars. Ripping open a packet, I sat on the floor and ate them hungrily. After finishing another bottle of Pocari Sweat, I headed to the drugstore on the first floor.
Jumping over the counter, I found a bottle of iodine, some cotton, and bandages. With the help of my knife to cut the bandages, I began treating my wounds.
Shuffle, shuffle...
The surroundings were eerily quiet as I tended to my injuries.
I was the only one in the entire building. Once again, the absurdity of my situation struck me.
Raynare had mentioned something about my brother... something about a dragon. I also remember her saying something about 'sacred gear'. I couldn't catch the details while being choked. Wouldn't it be a plot twist if I turned out to be a dragon and my powers awakened at this very moment? It'd completely turn the tide of this horror story.
If only it were that simple...
Leaning my head against the counter, I caught my breath.
My God-given talent is my fighting ability. Combined with my other strengths, it's a talent I'd call unfair if it had been given to anyone else. True to this talent, I've been in countless fights and have never lost—not even once.
But a time came when I realized just how dangerous and destructive this talent could be.
*********************************
1.5 years ago
At a martial arts tournament in Japan
"HEY! HEY! The match is over! Stop it, kid!"
The referee held back a young boy mounted on his opponent. This was the under-18 category, and the 16-year-old had knocked out his opponent in just two hits.
"DON'T screw with me! After all that trash talk, you went down in just two hits?!"
Hyoudou Issei, 16 years old.
The opponent lay motionless, eyes wide, head lolling to the side as he barely breathed. Blood dripped from his nose where my first hit landed.
He had mocked me for participating without a coach, claiming I didn't belong in the competition. He even said participants like me ruined its integrity.
When we were matched in the preliminaries, I didn't hold back. A quick one-two, and he was down. My vision went red, fueled by anger, I climbed on top of him, slapping his face and shouting for him to get up until others pulled me off.
...
"Contestant number 100, Hyoudou Issei, is disqualified for violent conduct and lack of sportsmanship."
Whisper, whisper...
"Isn't that him?"
"So scary..."
"Did you see what he did to that guy?"
"He doesn't belong here..."
The venue, which was supposed to witness my talent shine, turned into a stage of humiliation.
That was meant to be the day I left street fighting behind and showcased my potential in a professional stage. The day I earned a contract with a famous school. The day I became the pride of Japan.
Instead, I saw medics treating the opponent I'd knocked out. He lay trembling, his bulging eyes fixed on the ceiling as saliva dribbled from his cheek.
That day, I realized my talent wasn't meant for this stage. It was a talent capable of destroying lives.
Leaving the venue, I vowed never to use this talent unless absolutely necessary. I led a peaceful life in Kuoh, hoping to uncover a different potential.
********************************
But right now, I have no choice but to rely on it.
Pull
The bandages were tight enough.
I grabbed some Loxonin S tablets (pain killers) and swallowed them with my energy drink.
It wasn't wise to stay here. Time to move.
If my opponent were human, I'd target their weak points to win. But against a supernatural being from the Bible? I had to improvise.
After careful thought, I identified a possible weakness—her wings.
Her wings gave her terrifying mobility and the ability to fly. They complemented her deadly light spears, making her nearly impossible to dodge, without predicting its trajectory beforehand with my senses.
If I could disable them, my odds of victory might rise to 30%.
Pausing in my tracks, an idea formed in my head.
This was a department store. If I picked the right location...
... I got to work.
****************
zoom
The department store was quiet and eerie. Raynare made her way through the automatic door, her sharp, predatory gaze scanning her surroundings. She headed to the drugstore on the first floor, inspecting the area carefully. A creepy smile spread across her face as her suspicions were confirmed.
He was here... Hyoudou Issei was definitely here.
The faint scent of medicine lingered in the air, and discarded bandage scraps confirmed her thoughts.
Raynare extended her sensing ability. It was quite taxing, but now that she was certain he was here, she pushed through the discomfort.
!!!
Her senses locked onto him. A room at the far end of the floor—it was there. He was hiding in that room!
With deliberate steps, she approached the storage room. Without hesitation, she hurled a light spear at the door, blasting it open.
It was dark inside. The ceiling was low, with thick shelves full of goods lining the walls. She knew her prey was somewhere in this confined space.
"Well, well... isn't it dark in there, you rat?" she taunted in an icy cold tone.
She threw another light spear at the outer wall of the storage room, creating a massive opening and allowing sunlight to filter in.
"COME OUT, YOU BASTARD!" she roared, her eye gleaming with rage.
************************
BOOM!
The room trembled as her spear struck, debris raining down around me. Adjusting the motorcycle helmet on my head, I kept my eyes locked on her from the shadows.
Just what is this freak made of...?
Her earlier reaction to my taunt, "gang up on a single human," hinted at the possibility of more creatures like her. She'd also mentioned "superios."
But...
I tightened the nylon strings I'd prepared around my wrist for quick access.
I will think about it later.
This was the best plan I could come up with. My body had sufficiently recovered, making it easier to move.
The goal was simple: disable her wings. The narrow confines of this room gave me the upper hand, limiting her ability to fly.
She found that I was hiding in the storage room, way faster than expected, but my preparations were almost complete.
I double-checked my gear.
I was wearing a motorcycle helmet—not the black-tinted visor one for style, as much as I wanted to—but something light enough to protect my head while allowing decent mobility. From the sports section, I'd looted a chest protector, knee and elbow pads, ditching shin guards for better movement. I considered switching helmet with martial arts head gear, but decided not to since my opponent was an inhumane freak.
For weapons, I had pepper spray from the camping section and my trusty old Swiss Army knife. The knives in the store hadn't been to my liking, but this one had never let me down.
The fishing section provided me with nylon threads, which I wound together together to make a thicker thread, and I'd grabbed a lighter to navigate the dim room.
Inhale. Exhale.
Ready? Be brave, Issei... be brave.
FLASH!
A spear of light tore through the room, another followed, though the distance between us spared me from immediate harm.
WHAM!
She kicked a shelf over like it was a toy, the crash raising a cloud of dust. I wiped my helmet's visor with my sleeve.
Damn it... She's not searching the room—she's tearing it apart! At this rate, she'll create enough space to fly!
Raynare continued her rampage, kicking down shelves in frustration. Fortunately, the room was large, so she was still far from my position.
Worst case scenario, she will just blow up the ceiling and... No! Focus! I need to re-adjust my strategy to the current situation.
*********
Raynare's frustration grew with every passing second. Her injuries were slowing her down, and she was running low on energy due to summoning a huge number of spears.
She hesitated, debating whether to use her sensing ability again, when—
Shuffle.
Movement. She reacted instantly, throwing a light spear.
BOOM!
...
...
...
Groan.
A muffled sound emerged from the rubble. Grinning, she approached the spot.
Lifting the debris effortlessly with one hand, her eyes fell on the familiar fabric of Kuoh Academy's blazer.
Her face twisted into a creepy grin... but it faltered.
The blazer was empty.
Panic washed over her as she looked up—just in time to see a small canister hit the floor.
BOOM!
An explosion of gas engulfed her.
Her head snapped back in recoil, and she let out a guttural howl as the burning liquid seeped into her already mangled eye.
******
"AHHHHHHH! Wha-what is this?!" she howled, clutching her already mangled eye as the irritant seared her skin.
I emerged from behind a nearby shelf, unwinding the nylon thread from my arm.
It worked! Holy crap, it worked!
I had baited her with my school blazer, then taken a gamble by lightly heating the pepper spray can with my lighter to weaken its shell. There was a good chance it would have exploded in my hand, but luck was on my side.
Since I was wearing a helmet, the gas didn't affect me much. But for her... well, injured tissue is a lot more sensitive to irritants.
Yeah, I don't ever want to experience that.
Taking advantage of her disorientation, I threw the nylon thread over her right arm and wing. She swung wildly at me, but I slid beneath her arm, ending up behind her.
Pulling the thread taut, I bound her arm and wing together.
This is it! Now for the last step...
In one swift motion, I climbed onto her back, gripping my Swiss Army knife.
My plan was straightforward: disable her wings. Rather than puncture them directly, I aimed to target the muscle group her wings were attached to, her lats (also called wings). It was riskier but more efficient.
Up close, she was immensely strong. From a distance, her spears posed an even greater threat.
I had no choice but to take the risk.
Raise...
I raised my knife and, without hesitation, stabbed into her back. The impact was much shallower than I expected.
Raynare grew even more violent and rammed me into a shelf with her back.
"Keuk!"
A sharp pain shot through my spine, but thankfully, the helmet protected my head. The chest protector, being light, did little to help, though it reduced the impact slightly.
I tried to widen the wound with my blade when—
SHATTER CLINK
The blade dislocated from the base.
... Eh?
SNAP
Raynare tore apart the multiple layers of nylon thread.
She recovered from the pepper spray's effects in less than twenty seconds...
I felt my heart sink.
This felt like an utterly vulnerable position...
... No! Not yet!
I attempted to strangle her from behind, but she rammed me into the shelf again, causing it to topple over.
CRASH
A sharp pain shot through my back once more.
WHAM
She rammed me into the shelf again.
GRIT
I clenched my teeth, enduring the pain. It was my mistake not to anticipate how quickly this creature could recover. But... that doesn't mean it ends here!
Raynare grabbed my arm, the one strangling her neck, and squeezed it with monstrous strength.
"GAH!"
A cry escaped my mouth. I switched tactics, grabbing her injured shoulder with as much force as I could muster.
Her scream echoed through the room as she writhed, shaking her body like a mad bull trying to throw me off. She flapped her wings in desperation.
In the struggle, I freed my right arm from her grasp and focused my grip on her injured shoulder.
If nothing else, I'd make her pass out from the pain!
I gripped her dislocated shoulder with all my might.
Raynare, unable to bear it any longer, took off from the ground, trying to ram me into the ceiling. But I twisted her shoulder at an awkward angle, causing her to tilt mid-flight and scream again. She became unsteady.
She tried elbowing me, but I shifted my weight toward her injured left side and used her wings as a shield.
In a last-ditch effort, she flew forward at full speed, bursting through the hole in the building and out onto the main road.
I clung to her back.
I knew this situation was bad. There was a high chance I would lose.
She crashed to the ground with such force that I was flung off her back.
...
..
.
My helmet protected me from the worst, but it was cracked in multiple places.
Slowly, I removed it as I rose to my feet.
Raynare, despite her numerous injuries, got up.
She took most of the fall's impact, but even that wasn't enough to kill her...
She conjured another light spear in her hand and threw it at me. But—
SHATTER
I predicted the spear's trajectory and threw my helmet at it. The helmet shattered upon contact, but the spear was deflected.
That was more than enough.
I closed the distance with my fist aimed at her head.
...
WOBBLE
Eh...?
The world tilted sideways. My body became unresponsive mid-motion. I finally realized my condition. After being rammed against the shelves and the impact from the crash... My body was riddled with wounds. I had lost too much blood...
Time seemed to slow down. Raynare's lips curled into a victorious smile as realization dawned on her. She conjured another spear in her hand, ready to deliver the finishing blow.
No, not now... After all this... I...
My mind went blank.
******************
A vast hall resembling a traditional dojo came into view. Hundreds of teenagers in black dojo uniforms were standing quietly.
An old man sat on a stage, facing a ofuda that read, Kiseki Shinsei no Sentosha (Miracle Rebirth of Warriors). A few incense sticks burned nearby, filling the air with an eerie tranquility.
The old man spoke, his voice commanding:
"Humans are complex creatures—
Creatures with limits. Deep within you lies a force far greater than you dare to imagine. A force locked away by your own design."
I was among the students, wearing the same black uniform. Next to me stood—
My eyes went wide.
It was my younger brother, Izo. He looked younger, intently listening to the old man.
Now that I thought about it, my perspective seemed lower than usual...
The old man continued.
"Everyone here comes from different backgrounds. But all of you must have experienced it—at moments of desperation. That rush of strength, that clarity in chaos. It wasn't luck. It wasn't a miracle. It was encoded into your very being. You mind locks it away to protect you, afraid that you might burn yourself out, that you might break."
The old man paused, letting his words sink in.
"But what if you could take control? What if you could break free of your limits—not just in moments of desperation, but at will? What if... you could claim mastery over your body, your energy, and even your sacred gear?
Sacred gear...? That term again...
The old man let the words hang before continuing.
"Intent—the ability to harness your will, your emotions, and everything you are, to command power. It is not a gift, but a choice. A choice to break the chains of fear and hesitation."
The students stood riveted, their breaths held as if his words alone had seized their lungs.
"Now," the old man said, his tone sharper, "repeat after me: The will to save my own life is enough."
A thunderous chant erupted across the hall:
"THE WILL TO SAVE MY OWN LIFE IS ENOUGH!"
"For the awakening of Intent."
"FOR THE AWAKENING OF INTENT!"
"Again."
"THE WILL TO SAVE MY OWN LIFE IS ENOUGH!"
The chants grew louder.
"FOR THE AWAKENING OF INTENT!"
"Again."
What in the....
I glanced at Izo, who was shouting as well.
After repeating the chant numerous times, the class finally calmed down.
"... Hyoudou Issei."
His voice cut through the silence like a blade.
"Why didn't you repeat?"
?!!
His question caught me off guard...
Everyone turned to look at me.
He noticed I didn't repeat the phrase, in this uproar..?
The old man faced me, his eyes piercing mine.
"Could it be that you have forgotten them?"
——
Issei parted his lips to open his mouth and-
*BITE*
—Bit down hard on his lips. Blood trickled down, and his eyes flew open, his iris burning red. His face contorted into an animalistic expression.
Raynare's eyes went wide as a red aura suddenly burst out from Issei. She faltered for a moment... In that instant—
Issei's hands hit the ground. His leg arced from behind like a whip—a scorpion kick—
.
WHAM!
.
—smashing into Raynare's head with sickening force.
Her spear flew from her hand as she collapsed onto her back. Before she could react, Issei caught the spear mid-air and—
*STAB*
Stabbed it deep into her heart.
Silence.
Raynare squirmed, her face twisted in a mix of disbelief and anger, as if unable to accept her current position—fear flickering in her eyes as she dissolved into black feathers.
.......
Huff... Huff...
I exhaled heavily, struggling to stay upright.
I gazed at the light spear in my hand, now coated with blood.
THUMP THUMP
Streaks of red, and streaks of light...
My heart raced as the spear disintegrated.
Together they shall paint...
The world shattered like glass, and I found myself back in the busy streets of Kuoh, standing before two terrified girls.
The stage for my flight.
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"
Their screams jolted me back to reality.
People began to notice me—covered head to toe in blood.
"H-hey, that kid is—"
"Somebody catch him!"
"Is that blood?!"
I covered my face with my arm and ran.
I am Hyoudou Issei, 18 years old.
Behind my sleeve, my face naturally split into a grin...
My life was a total bore...
...Until I discovered the supernatural world.
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Chapter 2: The Stage - END
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