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(Chapter 2: Setting up!)


(ORC, Nero's Room, Kuoh Academy)

"Hmm…" I just woke up, after talking with Rias yesterday, she decided that I can sleep in one of the spare rooms in the building.

I never knew that they existed. Most of the action either transpired in the main room and some minors in Gasper's room. The room was decorated in the same style as the ORC. If I recall right it's Victorian, as for the size I would say it's a few square meters bigger than Issei's.

The window is covered, but I can clearly witness the sun rays penetrating some spots, feels nice I have to say. On the other hand, I feel that my left arm is numb, don't tell me!

I took a reluctant peek towards the spot of my numbness. My hand has been caged between glorious oppai! What the fuck I'm thinking?

Yes, before my very eyes laid Rias Gremory in her birthday suit.

The sharpest of blades is entering combat mode…

I may saw many women in my life, but this!

"There's only one course of action in this situation partner. You must follow your instincts!" Inferno spoke in my mindscape, tempting me to proceed into forbidden territory. I decided to further analyze the sample of beauty…

Her form was perfect. Everything a man can wish for, at least by my opinion. The skin white as snow further complimenting the bombshell between my eyes. Long legs, an hourglass figure! Her breasts are so soft… Oh boy!

"Hesitation leads to defeat Nero!" The bastard is pushing me further!

"Listen to me Inferno. I'm not in a relationship with her, she may wander towards my bed, but I'll still feel bad if I abuse it in such a way. I have some shreds of dignity left!" I replied in my mindscape with defiance. I know she likes to sleep naked and not alone so there's that…

It is time to free myself from confinement! I started to move my left hand slowly to snag off the numbness, after a few slow and careful attempts, I was almost successful.

Almost is a rather high estimate!

Just as my hand was to attain freedom.

"Mmm." I heard her voice, she started to stir!

It is time for an aggressive approach!

After making a little more violent sweep, I managed to attain freedom…

Is that regret?!

"Mmm, warm pillow…" She started to sleep talk! Her legs entangled with mine and her hands went towards the back of my head!

You can't be serious now!

She was, my head just went into the ultimate prison against man. I'm melting… Maybe I should just return to sleep? I can either wake her up or let her wake up herself. Point is it will still be a tease fest. Aside from that, I don't know how much time has passed already! I felt like I slept for more than a day… Inferno?

"Ah yes it was 2 days, I had to adjust the body towards the piece. It's an alien material inside it after all. If I didn't force you into a coma, the body would reject it. I had a rough time with this partner. The good side is, I managed to alter its structure to suit us." I wonder why you didn't say this earlier! Issei was already attacked again then if she's here now keeping watch on me… Akeno must be at Issei's house.

"Hah! Booty takes priority. Seriously speaking though, I needed to change the power type inside it. Our body wasn't compatible with it. It's like using diesel fuel inside a petrol engine. It is an interesting sample of technology though! The creator of this is an insanely powerful individual, he left some intended loopholes inside them!" I remember that the creator said something about hidden secrets for the users to reveal themselves…

"What did you do with it?"

"I used the one Rias gave us as a sample. I created one of our own! Afterward, I merged it with the sample to retain our status as her pawn. It couldn't reincarnate us into a devil like they are. It is like forcing your body to demote in our case, so instead at phase one, I painted the Gremory symbol on our wings. I got that data from the piece itself. Future users insert their power inside them after all!" You were always amazing Inferno, the things of power move your gears forward!

"Hah! No need for flattery. Going further on… The pieces are created with a powerful crystal somewhere in this world. I sacrificed some souls in order to replicate one so I could create a piece which stores our type of demonic power. They have a code written in each one, which ascertains their behavior. If you have enough power and control you are able to break that dam which contains it and change it to your liking."

"You did the same as someone else in the future." That's the same what happened with Illegal Move Triaina! I can promote on my own will at any time…

"Precisely. I can try to create more pieces in order to raise our power, but for that, we would either need the crystal which the creator used or a really powerful soul for a sacrifice. Also, those pieces are taxing on the body… The more you have the more tax you receive by promoting. You can describe them in 2 phases: Phase One would be the body change, while Phase Two makes it an amplifier." That's understandable. The amplifying is controlled by the different options in promoting into other pieces, as described the Pawn is the most flexible piece. Other pieces have static states and they don't change. On the other hand, they give more power from the get-go, but they can't evolve so it makes them stale.

"That's just a theory Inferno, but in my opinion, all pieces except one are created with pawns for each permanent amplifying state some pawns need to be sacrificed in order to make it stable. There is a possibility that you can create other pieces than pawns, but we would need intel from the source itself…" That feels as the most legitimate view at the moment, the sacrificial stage is one, but the method of merging them into completely different pieces is another.

"Who's the creator?" Inferno replied with interest, and it is time to deliver.

"One of the current 4 Satans in the underworld, he's a genius and a person that ascended into a Super Devil. He can fight gods on equal ground, to a degree of course… His name is Ajuka Astaroth or Beelzebub by his Satan standing."

"We could ask Rias if she has contacts to reach him?" Inferno just threw a valid point.

"But we don't know how we would react that you managed to alter the pieces. I didn't mention the one most likely made in a different way." I had to estimate that possibility, right now we're playing with fire. The question is when it will start to burn us?

"Oh?"

"The King Piece. Its behavior is outside the ones we knew, it's an unstable amplifier that increases your current power between ten times up to a hundred. Every time you use it, you are making a gamble. If our power was increased by that random amount it's either a temporary status of godhood or death. Most of its users were unaware of that fact, but once they started using it… Some scored insane success, but once the government realized it they were banned and confiscated, it is obvious why."

"Someone could use them for their means and create chaos."

"Exactly. Right now we need to keep your discovery until tabs… If we blurt it out now it will create problems and unwanted attention. I don't believe you want to be a lab rat don't you?"

"True. We can fight to a degree, but once someone above us decides to move we are screwed. Don't forget to not promote if Rias doesn't mark a territory and if we're outside her jurisdiction it will prove beneficial towards dangerous contracts or stray hunts in the future."

"Agreed. She's about to wake up so it's time for some laughs partner!" It was time to end our discussion, I could feel Rias starting to wake up.

The moment of death is at hand!

"Roger and good luck~" Fuck you, you're ditching me again!

Okay, it's time to pretend I'm asleep and then I'll go for a spook, she's slowly waking up!

"Mmm… My hands?" Pfft, this will be hilarious.

"Oh, so I used Nero-san as a pillow… Did I just squeeze him into my breasts?!" I can feel her hands slowly removing from the back of my head. She's quiet, doesn't want to wake me up probably. It is nice that even in such a situation she cares for my wellbeing, but it is time for spooks!

"Oof!" Just as she removed herself from me, I shouted my spook and she almost fell from the bed, I managed to catch her hands and dragged her onto the bed safely.

"Did I serve well as a bed pillow my dear mistress?~" I casually started our conversation with a tease, but she started to cry out of the sudden…

Fuck did I overdid it? Or perhaps it's her concern that I didn't wake up for 2 days?!

"You dummy!" She yelled at me and then face slapped me hard.

"Oof! I felt it!" You didn't you dirty liar. Why didn't you tell her?

"..." I see I can't blame you since I'm as twisted as you are, but still!

"Do you know how much I worried about you?!" She told me between her cries, shit I feel like an asshole now. "You didn't tell me this could happen?! I thought you would never wake up…" She's sulking now. Time for countermeasures!

I hugged her gently. "I'm sorry Rias. Inferno just explained it to me, it's okay now." I let her head rest on my shoulders, I ignored the fact that her breasts pressed on me hard, I had to be serious now, I could still feel her tears running down on my back.

I didn't expect that she would react like that. She only spent a few hours with me, maybe I'm her servant now, but still. I never had a situation like this!

I started to gently caress her hair. "It's okay please don't cry. Don't sully that pretty face with tears." It sounded corny. On the other hand, I could feel her slowly calm down.

How can I feel this oppressive sense of guilt? I discarded it! Buried it deep!

She separated from me, as she looked me in the eyes with these blue glassy orbs…

Stop it!

Don't make me remember!

"You just joined my peerage, my family and I thought that I lost you…" Her voice was laced with so much sorrow!

How can I feel this?!

"I know. It is okay now, I beg you to calm down!" I was close to losing it myself. I can't understand it! I started to plead her to stop!

She stopped but hugged me again. My heart pounds like a jackhammer. I shouldn't do this!

I'll lose her like anyone else!

"Calm down Nero, even I started to feel bad. It is genuine…" Did you? "This world, it's affecting both of us, our former one was devoid of such moments, feelings! My understanding of this is also getting thinner each second of experiencing it." He's serious! Both of us never felt affection on that level. We're outcasts, the worst, the evilest and damned. This can't be happening… Is this a relapse of karma?

"That feels impossible, but I'm feeling that our definition of impossible is out-of-place Nero." Okay, time to calm down Partner.

"I'm okay Nero-san, I'm sorry for breaking down so badly." Why is she apologizing to me? It is my fault, all the same, considering her character. Ah, she saw my inner conflict or perhaps could sense it…

"That's a relief then Rias, also you did nothing wrong, I'm just shocked at the amount of affection you're giving to me." I spoke looking at her pretty face, my weight has been lifted?

Am I being weaker for her? The questions keep assaulting my self-conscious.

It turned out into a tough ride.

She had a puzzled look for a second. "What do you mean Nero-san?" Then baffled. "You're a member of my household, my peerage you're family to me. What's shocking here?" That's a tough combo here girl.

I gazed at her for a minute. "I never experienced it in that manner, neither did Inferno. It is an alien concept to me." Her eyes widened in realization. "There wasn't anything like that in my former world, enough of that though. Let's fix ourselves and drop this sour mood since we're both tired of it." She nodded and stood up from the bed after me, I was searching for my clothes and I couldn't seem to find them.

"Ah, Nero-san?" Rias poked me in the back to gain my attention, so I turned to her. "I took your clothes to the laundry when you were asleep. I managed to get you a set of academy clothes, it's on the chair near the desk." I nodded and smiled. "Thank you, Rias." She had a genuine smile now. "It's good to see you smile, a sad look doesn't suit you," I replied with a happier tone and went towards the clothes. I still had my boxers on, so it wasn't that bad for me.

She was watching me getting dressed, with a longing gaze towards my scarred chest. It wasn't eye candy in my opinion. I may have a trained body, but it is painted in scars. Some say that the scars are just another type of memory and they were right. I can feel a vague recollection of memories when I gaze at the scarred spots.

"You should get dressed as well Rias, or do you intend to stay here stark naked?" I asked her with a playful smile, watching her flush like a tomato. She went towards her clothes a second later.

Priceless!

"Nero~" What the hell? Where's the honorific out of the sudden? I turned to her and saw her trying to pin her bra while she eyed me with a teasing look.

That's what you want to play huh?

"What is it my mistress?~ I see you need a hand with your garments!" I replied with a smug face and strolled towards her catching the pins by surprise and setting them in place.

She flushed slightly but kept her demeanor in check. "Thank you, darling, ~" What?

When did she gain Akeno's backbone in this? I just flushed…

"Once you show weakness, you became the prey!" It hurts, but he's right! I won't lose! Time for a full counter…

As she finished dressing, I caught her by surprise into a bridal carry. "Should I escort you to your quarters?~" Her face. That's a sign of victory gentleman! She couldn't form a sentence and her face was almost the same color as her hair!

"Wicked Sick!" Inferno just made a reference to a certain game out loud and I proceeded to carry her to the ORC room. She relaxed in my grip and that was starting to grow embarrassing for me. Don't just relax with me! Give some resistance! I started to blush with each step and she took notice of that.

She playfully poked my forehead, and when I looked at her, she had a bewitching smile. "Looks like I win dear~" The tone of that sentence. It's starting to grow into something that's too much for me!

Not like this…


(ORC, Main Room, Kuoh Academy)

Rias clearly enjoyed her victory. She's sitting at her desk with a beaming smile, while my pride has been shattered and then ground into little pieces! Once Akeno finds out… I'm afraid now!

"A lot happened while you were asleep Nero." That broke me out of my stupor, so she decided to treat me like Issei with the name. Not bad, but here comes the missing part of the puzzle.

I nodded. "I can imagine, could you please fill me in?"

She dropped the smile and continued. "Issei has been attacked again, by a fallen named Dohnaseek yesterday, while today he came into contact with a church nun and had the gall to escort her right into the church's doorstep…" She's still pissed, well her over the top worry for family seems to emanate now. She's right in that regard though, for a newborn devil stepping into the church grounds with no experience looks like a suicidal attempt at best.

"What is he doing now?" I need to ascertain the time we're at.

"He's soon to come for the meeting along with the rest of our family." She replied extensively.

"I see," I replied and relaxed on the couch, on the other hand, I thought that we should go on a stray hunt soon.

"There's one matter left Nero!~" That tone! "I pulled some strings and you have been accepted as a 3rd-year student in our prestigious academy!" She replied with a smile that held intentions… Bad ones!

I stood up in defiance. "I'm 20 years old! I have been in school so many times, that the mere thought of it makes me puke!" I started to flail my hands around like a kid. "If it comes to this, I'll just skip lessons and hang around town instead!"

She threw me a serious look. "You're a member of my household and I need you close to me, also you won't skip lessons, because it will impact me badly, not to mention yourself!" I gave her an angry stare, but she kept on. "You can pretend and if you already passed that time in your former world, it should be easier for you here, also I want you to experience some better moments in your life instead of carnage and death!"

Wait?! How the fuck does she know about that! "How?" I questioned her feeling uneasy. Did she rummage through my memories?

"Inferno told me about you, he spoke to me yesterday when I was keeping an eye for you." She replied keeping a steady gaze on me.

"I see, a shame you couldn't blurt out something about the coma partner!" I was pissed, it didn't even matter that he spilled the beans about us, I still don't know the degree, the idiot could at least enlighten her about my state to spare us such a raw start.

"I'm sorry Partner, at that moment I didn't even think of it. It was tough all ready to share some of our histories with her. I focused myself on that aspect alone." Tunnel vision huh? I experience it to a degree myself, so at the very least I understood him.

"Sorry for lashing out on you Partner." I apologized him, while Rias still kept watching me. Apparently, she took notice of me mentioning the coma and that could look like my attempts to think about her. Her eyes widened in realization and I could sense the rest of our band coming towards the room. The crew entered the room and it was obvious who was their point of focus.

I looked at Issei and his shocked face. "Well, well look who's alive and kicking in this world!"

He literally broke for a second and then. "Reaper-san?" Ah, he recalled my voice.

The honorific still makes me cringe!

"The one and only," I replied with a smirk watching him collect himself.

"Thanks for saving me." He fucking bowed! I let you die, idiot! On the other hand, I did try to save him and it somehow worked out in the end.

"Don't bow it makes me uncomfortable. It's good to see you alive, not to mention Buchou is the one who saved you in the end." I swapped to Buchou in order to not create some unintended surprises for the group, Rias seemed to agree in that factor. My problems started to appear seconds after that…

"Hello my fellow classmate~" Akeno went behind me and whispered into my ear. "It is good to see that you're okay now!"

I flushed slightly, while Kiba joined in. "True that we were all worried about you Nero-san." Shit…

"Senpai is problematic." That was Koneko or rather Shirone and senpai?

I feel my sanity slipping further into the abyss.

I covered my face in shame. I've been had, on the bright side, it feels good to have so many people care for you. They laughed at me for a good time, I joined them soon after it is contagious! Issei sat near me and nudged me to talk.

"We're in heaven Nero-san! Do you see the oppai?!" What the fuck man! Rias and Akeno giggled at us, Kiba just smiled, while Koneko looked at us with killing intent. I was starting to calculate my options…

"Issei it is fine to admire female beauty, but you need to limit yourself a little." I replied to him and pointed his face towards Koneko, he seemed to realize my intent.

"Yes, you're correct comrade of mine!" That playful tone which hidden his fear towards being clobbered. I wonder if he pulls me for the shenanigans later… I want to somehow help him develop faster, so he doesn't suffer due to his powerless state.

I enjoyed some tea from Akeno and afterward, she whispered to Rias. Time to kill… Finally!

"Everyone prepare to leave. We're heading out!" Rias announced towards us all. It may be Viser, but considering the changes I already noticed, it could be a different scenario.


(Abandoned Building, Outskirts of Kuoh Town)

We're close towards the Abandoned Building, but it didn't feel right. She's not alone…

Issei was receiving a lecture about Evil Pieces, and what is a stray. My hunch was right, there's someone else besides her here, but it masks its presence well, an accomplice or a spy. I decided to keep quiet, it's unknown what revealing it would bring. That would also set certain things in motion, especially the unwanted attention towards myself.

"She's here." Koneko announced, her instincts are sharp, but not as mine.

"I feel something disgusting… and something tasty." A distorted female voice announced and Viser revealed herself. "I wonder how you taste?" Disgusting form. "Good or bad?"

"Oppai!" Issei announced with glee, just wait till you see her lower regions idiot.

"Stray Devil Viser, in the name of the Gremory Household I sentence you to death!" Rias said with pride. Was that a smile I saw? I was getting bored though. Should I just kill her now?

She started to play with her breasts, the nipple beam? Looking by the others dashing away, I just stood in place. Stupid whore couldn't even aim it properly.

"At least try to actually hit me." I taunted her and she looked at me with hatred in her eyes. "What is it, you disgusting whore? Are you perhaps blind in your stupidity?" I trashed her further and she finally lashed at me, as I was close to dashing myself Kiba went first and sliced her arms off.

"He's so fast!" Issei commented in awe. I can see him just fine though!

"Nero…" Rias called me out. "Language!" and proceeded to pull my cheek while explaining Issei about the traits of evil pieces.

"You're not my mom for fuck sake!" that worked the different way and she pulled harder. "I have a limit Buchou. You're close to breaking it!" I was starting to get pissed off by this...

"Ara, ara Nero-san is a bad-boy~!" Akeno stood next to me flexing her hand as electricity danced on it. Do you really want me to snap?

Viser opened her maws and charged upon us, screaming that we should die. Koneko took the hit and got caged inside her belly. "Koneko-chan!" Issei screamed in worry, but Rias reassured him that she'll be fine, moreover, she smashed her maws and launched her into the air. Nice!

I noticed her hand launching itself towards us. "Watch out Rias!" I took my deagle and smashed it to pieces with 1 round. She didn't flinch at the gunshot! "Thank you, Nero." She replied with a smile and slight amazement. "Akeno finish her off!" Someone is getting roasted tonight! As she was closing in, Viser second hand launched and this time Issei smashed it.

"Nice one, Issei." I replied to him and he grinned at his accomplishment, later was well… A hardcore SM Show with our generous host Akeno Himejima!

"She's a sadist." Rias commented with a smirk, no shit! This is getting good!

"ROAST HER MORE!" Inferno screamed towards Akeno in glee while Issei jumped away in fear.

"Ufufu… With pleasure!" She looked at me with a horny gaze and increased the output.

I could already smell her burnt skin and Rias motioned her to stop. Rias approached her and after being called a bitch she finished her off with a swipe, intoning checkmate while at it. I'm mad now… After she spat that word against her, I feel like I could resurrect her and slaughter her fifteen times more. My aura started to seep violently, and I felt killing intent from the ceiling.

"Get away!" I shouted and pushed Rias back, while I summoned my blade and blocked the strike. It was a scorpion-like tail, and it's heavy!

"Interesting." This one is male. "You detected me earlier, but you didn't know my intent so you choose to watch me instead. How can you see through my camouflage?" He asked me with interest heavily laced in anticipation. Finally, someone to reap!

"I felt your aura a lot earlier. You masked yourself physically, but sometimes your aura seeped. Thanks to Viser it went undetected due to the viral nature of it granting you an additional cover aside your invisibility, as for it… Let's just say I have a keen eye!" I replied with anticipation and glee towards my first real opponent in this world.

I can't stop the bloodlust!

He revealed himself to us. His head was all that would classify him as human… Rest of his body was fully clad in a chrysalis, while his pincers and tail excluded a corrosive acid. 8 legs all armored to the package.

"S Class Stray… Vindam!" Rias identified my foe with fear in her voice. This is getting interesting! "A mutation rook who went astray and butchered his master and rest of his peerage, later he decided to run away and spread chaos. His kill count is in the hundreds…"

Rias finished and backed away further. "He's MINE!" I looked at her with my eyes already undergoing change due to my power radiating, voice demonically warping, while my anticipation reached nirvana. The rest of our crew felt my intent and backed away in fear, this time of myself…

"Your eyes. You are not like them! I can feel that refined bloodlust! You slaughtered thousands, no… a lot more than that! What in the world are you?" Vindam questioned me in amazement.

"I stopped counting that value a long time ago, as for what I'm? I'm the pawn of Rias Gremory, nothing more and nothing less." I replied with a bloodthirsty smirk towards my adversary, Rias was shocked by my statement. Is that a proud smile, I see?

"Hah! There's more to that and I'll reveal it on my own!" Vindam exclaimed and launched his massive frame at me, his right pincer went for the main point of collision! I awoke my blade by twisting the handle, the dear infernal queen started her song. Aside from being a large blade on her own, she has gimmicks inside, for an example: Built-in atomic core designed to heat her up and holes for releasing infernal flames. Our attacks connected!

The resulting clash obliterated the hall in which we fought. The windows covering the hall shattered in the aftermath, my demonic power against his mutated rook trait! The ceiling and the supports were untouched. I either take this outside or make them leave! I can't risk them being collateral damage after all.

"Buchou, please leave the building with everyone else~." I asked her with a mischievous smile pointing towards the damage which just a clash brought.

"Fine, but I'll stay and watch. I need to witness what my newest adorable servant can do~" She replied with her own darker smile, motioning the rest to step back while she found herself a spectator's spot near the entrance.

Vindam was getting ready for his next strike, but now it is my turn to shine!

Before he could react, I launched myself towards him in extreme speed aiming towards his head to kill him on spot. He tried to counter me with sweeping both of his pincers towards my way, but I was too fast.

"What?" He screamed as I was right in front of him, launching a thrust towards his only human appendage, his weak spot. "Not so fast!" He replied towards my attempt by launching the tail towards my head, I leaned towards my left then twisted myself into position and with an overhand swing, I sliced off his right pincer. "Arghhh!" He screamed in pain while backing of his head and leaving the second pincer wide on the platter, wasting not a second I changed my trajectory towards it.

I had to watch out for his wounds, the caustic acid spilling from them was already melting the floor.

"DIE!" Vindam cursed at me launching his tail towards my chest, while his front maws opened and tried to bite me. I stabbed the maws with the blade forcing it to stay, then used it to lift myself upwards to evade the tail. It was heavy, so once he sets the target and strains the muscle he can't change the trajectory. It smashed into the ground and got stuck in it!

"Now!" I exclaimed removing the blade from his maw giving him another wound and tried to slice off the tail. "Do not underestimate me!" He moved his head closer and started to gurgle… Is that acid?

You caught the bait boy!

I took out my Deagle and shot him just as he spat acid on me, the bullet soared towards it and blasted an inch before his face. The acid forced the detonation earlier while the explosion scattered it away from me.

"IT HURTS! IT HURTS!" He screamed in absolute agony as half of his jaw got blown off by the explosion, looks like my bullet tinkering gave fruit! Using the moment of his pain, I dismembered his tail with a clean swipe and blasted myself upwards into a somersault heating the blade mid-air so I can bisect him through his head and into the carcass.

"YES! DESTROY HIM!" Inferno screamed in glee for a new soul, reinforcing me with more power as I started to gain speed in my leap twisting like a saw blade towards Vindam.

"Not like this!" He hopelessly screamed towards me and a second later my sword bisected his head in half and went further and further below into the carcass. I started to lose momentum and his blood was corrosive.

"Resonating Blade!" I reinforced my blade further with the demonic power which on the impact of my overhead slash sent a shockwave of power completing the bisection. His body started to dissipate into eldritch particles.

He's dead!

"I feel alive!" I screamed out of nowhere feasting on my own adrenaline induced state of euphoria.

"Well done Partner! You managed to limit yourself so Rias didn't see your full potential earlier. I was pissed off at first, to be honest. You could just disintegrate him with one infernal swipe of the blade, but on the other hand, it was an exhilarating experience to fight like that!" Agreed. I finally woke up, the body was so stiff thanks to the coma! I also felt that Vindam's soul entered the pool of the gear.

I went to the entrance seeing Rias standing in shock towards my rather brutal ending.

I still overdid it!

Looks like the rest was watching me too… "Amazing Nero-san! It was badass!" Issei came to me cheering like a hyperactive kid.

"Nero-san your skills with the blade are praiseworthy." Kiba complimented me and I may feel that I'll have to spar with him in the future… It is hard to hold back already!

"Ara, ara…" Akeno gazed at me with a horny look, was she fucking wet?!

"Nero-senpai is scary." Koneko is already afraid of me… I wouldn't do this to you!

"Well done for your first stray hunt Nero!~" Rias strolled closer to me with a smile, which started to affect me. In a good way though…

If she was afraid of him, then what I basically did, was showcasing that I'm stronger than them… I'm screwed. Royally screwed! I literally withheld all my power except the Resonating Blade and that was enough to gain so much attention. Time to stick with the flow and await the consequences.

"We're both at fault Partner. We sought stronger adversaries our whole life to strengthen ourselves, it is an instinctual behavior at this point. We had to act or Vindam would slaughter them all." He's right, what is done is done, but at the very least I did my duty as her piece.

"Thank you, everyone. It was a good experience for me!" I replied with a smile towards my new team from now on. I need to help Issei at this point… I don't want to replace him. Rias cares for us all, but he needs to get stronger for the sake of them. I don't know what I will pull off in the future and I don't want to ruin his dreams. At the very end, I'm a lone wolf.

"Let's head out home my adorable servants!" Rias announced our departure and we were on our way back to the ORC

Issei will be most likely asked out to take one of Koneko's contracts. I already witnessed a change in the factors around me, I'll need to go with him!


(ORC, Main Room, Kuoh Academy)

We were back at the club, Akeno went to make some tea in celebration of the first stray hunt for me and Issei.

I sat on my beloved couch and relaxed as usual. "Nero, why didn't you inform me of Vindam's presence out there?" Rias asked me with a serious face, she's pissed!

"I didn't know what he was back then, if I would reveal that fact earlier it would prove dangerous towards you all. Imagine that colossus engage combat with us alongside Viser earlier?" I described my decision in that factor, I didn't spill my other guess with a spy belonging to a different faction or a watcher.

"What if he attacked earlier?" She countered me and she had a good point, that was my selflessness towards gaining a victim to prey on.

"Then I would act accordingly and focus my efforts on him. You already saw me fight, didn't you? If that happened, I would blast him outside so you could focus on Viser while I take him down." She still gazed at me, but now with worry.

"Please tell me such findings in the future okay? I'm worried about your way of doing things, Nero." Oh. So she's already spotting the lone wolf factor? She continued "You head towards battle like a maniac, are you so willing to throw your life on the line for more power?"

That is obvious?

"Buchou, that's an obvious factor. Without life-threatening situations, you can't evolve properly. You can play and train all the time, but if you're not willing to engage battle with your life at stake you won't get anything. It's either you or the enemy, there is no hesitation. If they want to kill you, then you butcher them first without remorse." I watched the shocked faces they gave me. Sadly for you, this is the reality, now you have peaceful days, but soon enough that will change, I didn't see them complain so I continued

"Survival of the fittest to be more exact… Power is a necessity to protect your close ones and being able to complete your own goals, especially in a supernatural world consumed by wars and held in the slightest tint of peace." It turned out into a lecture… They are focused on me.

"If you want power you also need experience for it. The moment when you realize that your life is at stake, you perform at your best. A primal survival instinct. You learn faster and better that way. " I ended my lecture and saw Issei raise his hand. It's not a fucking classroom!

"What if we hesitate to… kill our enemy?" Oh. That's to be expected from him, after all 2 days ago he was a human student that lived outside the limbo of war.

"That would depend on the foe, but most likely the foe would abuse your act of mercy and kill you. I'm not saying you can't be merciful, but you need to learn how to judge people by their psyche, muscle movement etc." Issei nodded grimly, he's self-aware of his current state. Good, he's not lying to himself so it will be easier to aid him.

"Ending my little speech, you need experience for that. That's why I fight with no hesitation, hesitation leads to defeat and that leads to death." I ended my lecture with a sigh and saw my tea tray, looks like Akeno was listening too, I created a grim mood. It was time to drink it, my throat is sour from all the talking. "Delicious as always Akeno-san!" I replied with a smile seeing her cheer up.

"Nero. Thank you for explaining it to us, after all, I'm still not a mature devil so my experience is lacking in that regard." Rias surmised my speech with a smile. It took her some time to digest the raw truth.

"No worries, Buchou. If my bloody past can help you in the future, then I have no qualms towards it." I replied with sincerity.

Afterward, the mood swapped into talks and Rias recalled that Koneko has 2 contracts today.

"Issei could you take one of Koneko's clients? She's double booked today." Rias asked him about it. "Can I go with him?" I asked out curious about the answer.

"Okay, but why Nero?" Rias replied with a question of her own

Hah!

"I'm curious how it goes and we can kill 2 birds with one stone thanks to that."

She nodded "Fine, but you're just a spectator, you can help him to a degree. Remember that he needs to learn it and so do you!" Rias replied intoning the spectator's part.

"Understandable." I replied and stood up from my seat. Issei can't jump yet so we'll have to go on foot, or did he have a bike? Rias seemed to forget that I know their world, either the shock from the mere fact made her bury that thought deep, or there's some force at work here…

"That theory is getting more and more real as our time passes here." Inferno confirmed my suspicion, after all my knowledge if released early could very well break the flow of the world.

I always had a suspicion that some definitive aspects of one's life are set in stone. Thanks to Inferno, I managed to break free from that in our old world. The world itself could interfere with me revealing the truth… I'm outside the flow here so it can't affect me. On the other hand, it forced changes so my knowledge won't break it immediately, the pieces Rias held and Vindam's appearance are viable pointers for that.

I felt a nudge. "Nero-san are we going?" Oh, I was lost in thought. "Sorry, I got lost in my thoughts. Let's go!"

We went outside the ORC.


And we end it here, the pairings may be obvious to a degree, but I'll set myself further once the story goes. Nero and Inferno discussed a theory I thought on, based on the Evil Pieces and the unrevealed ground around them. I based my theory on Issei's Illegal Move Triaina and the fact that other pieces except pawns and King Piece are measured in pawns worth. He tries to hold himself so he doesn't generate trouble and unwanted attention to the peerage right from the bat. At least he tries to ;) Once the story goes Nero's attachment to the peerage will grow, so different events and shenanigans are likely to happen. As for the World and it's self defense… It's a mention towards a certain VN and show that described a battle between two individuals that wished to paint it in their colors ^^