Hello there, Skylinemaster here with another chapter of He's Only Human

Note: It seems that FF has been having some bugs lately. If you have been following the story, but have not read chapter 6 yet, please do.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from High School DxD


Six years ago

The clattering of keys echoed throughout the dark room. Issei typed away on his keyboard, scrolling up and down the webpage. Numerous tabs were seen on the screen, some of which had titles in esoteric languages.

Every night since the fire, and everything that entailed afterwards was exactly like this night.

Being soulless had some perks that Issei didn't even realize. There was really no need to sleep, no need to eat, and no feeling. The last part he didn't really have when he had his soul, so not really a new occurrence.

But no sleep. That is another eight hours of time to himself, time to perfect himself. So he did what any other soulless psychopathic child would do.

Surf the web and the dark web looking for magical books and artifacts.

And did he find some things unrelated to the task. Snuff films, pornographic films, terrorism films.

But when he wasn't doing that, he was actively looking for materials to enhance himself and his skills.

Whatever basic spellcasting abilities the Devil had given him were not to his satisfaction, so he trained. Norse, Hindu, Greek, Nature, Mayan magic. Even no magics like Senjutsu and the use of Ki were searched for.

Didn't matter what it was. If Issei could find it, he would practice it. Over, and over again in his head until it was perfect. Because that is what magic is, just the manipulation of energy within or around you. Whether it be through with words, rituals, or pictures, all magic was fundamentally the same, with everyone putting a different spin on things.

Magic was just formulae designed to bend the world to your whims, to do what should be physically impossible. Combine that with science, and you have the root of all knowledge.

Issei wanted it all. Magic. Science. Knowledge. All of it.

You know what they say, practice makes perfect. And with an extra eight hours of nothing, there is plenty of practice.


Issei Hyoudou left the library. The librarian was really surprised at the books that he left on the table.

After all, seeing a ten year old boy take out Advanced Organic Chemistry, Introduction to Calculus, and Nietzsche would be something to say the least.

Masako Fujiwara knew little of the boy who frequented her library consistently for the better part of three years. She never held an extended conversation with him, only brief interactions when he was returning or checking out a book. His face, so young, was never seen smiling during his time in her library. He was quiet, reserved, and polite in the few instances of staff interaction.

After school let out, she would see him at her library, picking out three or so books before sitting down at the exact same table, every single time. No noise would come from the table except the flipping of pages.

These books would not have been out of place for a college student or a CEO, yet a ten year old was reading them from cover to cover.

Her heart warmed as she saw the books left on the table as he got up and left the library.

"What a smart boy."


It dawned on Issei at that particular moment in Kendo class. The words of his instructor rang in his ears, and then, everything clicked. Time slowed down, the gears in his head working in overdrive.

He figured it out.

The meaning of life.

Fudoshin, the immovable mind. Nietzsche, the Ubermensch. Mein Kampf by Hitler.

It all made sense to him. He knew his purpose in life.


"Mother, I'm home."

Issei said, opening the door to his house. He rested his Kendo gear against the wall as he locked the door.

Four, three, two, one.

"Demon BOY!"

His mother shrieked, charging at Issei with a butcher's knife in her hand. Issei simply looked on with bored eyes, dodging his mother's hysterical slashes at his face by narrowly sliding his body out of the way. He wasn't fazed by this anymore, if at all.

Ever since, the incident as Issei called it, his mother was delusional. She really thought that a demon killed her husband and corrupted her son. The police and child services thought she was insane, as did many of her close friends and co-workers.

She tried to attacking Issei every time he got back home from Kendo practice. The key word being tried as she failed miserably every single time.

He dodged underneath one swing, and punched his mother in the stomach. He pulled his punches, not wanting to permanently damage his mother's internal organs.

Falling to her knees in pain, she didn't realize that Issei had somehow got a set of pills in his hand. Kicking the knife away, he brought her to her feet.

"Mother, you haven't taken your medicine today and are delirious."

He said calmly, shoving the pills in her mouth and punching her in the stomach with the other arm. She swallowed the pills as Issei muttered a quick chant.

"There, you'll feel better."

She collapsed to the ground. Issei simply stepped over her and walked up the stairs. At the top of the stairs, he called out.

"I'll be in my room if you need me."


Issei know exactly why he did it. He wanted to see how it felt. It felt exactly the way that he thought it would be.

Nothing. He felt nothing at the sight of the dead body in front of him. He felt nothing as he strangled the life out of the unfortunate twenty something year old woman who crossed his path that night in the park.

He planned it out for a day, taking the necessary precautions of wearing gloves and making sure that there were no cameras in the immediate area.

It just happened that Misaka Kishi, a student at the nearby university on her way home from class, crossed when no one else but him were there.

Sucks for her.


The Butcher of Kuoh. A blood thirsty killer that haunted Kuoh for almost two years. Twenty seven bodies found. No pattern or motive for any of them.

Strangulation, blunt force trauma, stabbing, burning alive. Young, old, man, woman, rich, poor. The twenty seven were found in different places. Some brazenly left in the park, others in a dumpster, and one found hanging from a lamppost.

Issei smirked as he read the headline. He learned well, taking note from serial killers such as Richard Ramirez, Ted Bundy, and Wayne Williams among others.

Twenty seventh victim found headless!

And those were the ones that they found.

There were plenty of others that didn't see the light of a morgue. Mostly non-humans, but there were the few humans that Issei wanted to keep for further experimentation. There was no way that he would willingly pass up a chance at a biopsy of a non-human organism.

First it was a foolish Kitsune that decided to wander into Kuoh, then it was a Vampire. Soon, many more followed, several being bagged up and brought to the laboratory. Kitsune, Vampire, Werewolf, Ghoul, Angel, Fallen Angel, Devil, Grim Reaper.

They all proved valuable in one way or another. Confirming existing weaknesses and resistances to certain items, testing new hypotheses on them, or just seeing what the inside of their bodies looked like.

It was enlightening, getting information from their screams or their bodies. Issei learned a lot, more than any book on the supernatural could have ever taught him.


Four years ago

Issei knew it the first time he laid eyes on him. He realized that they were the alike, same in power and stature.

A small part of Issei, the irrational part that he hadn't fully mastered at the time, became annoyed at Cao Cao's offer to join his Hero Faction. The extremely idealistic notions of justice, sense of duty towards humanity, made Issei roll his eyes.

The atmosphere was tense, with Cao Cao pointing his True Longinus at the soulless boy. Issei on the other pointed a heavily modified black handgun at the Chinese youth.

"We are all inherently bound by the bonds of human worthlessness. The weakness that subjugates the masses, and only the strongest break. Once we've broken the bonds of what makes us human, what are we? I'd say we are God in man, the creator trapped in his best, or worst depending on who you ask, creation. You and I Cao Cao, we're different than the rest of them."

Cao Cao pondered Issei's words, a frown on his face.

"And what are we? We are simply just blessed humans, born with the power to help our fellow man against the supernatural."

Issei looked at him, a blank look on his face. He shook his head, a small smile appearing on his face. It was a twisted smile, one devoid of any kindness or humanity in it.

"Once you've discarded the crutch called morality, you unlock who you truly are. Most are wild beasts, tamed only by the arbitrary constructs of modern society which prevents their primal instincts from acting out. But people like us, we're the tamers those to rule over all of them. Why do you subscribe yourself to an antiquated notion of justice Cao Cao? Why not simply accept what you are? What we are?"

"And what am I then Issei?"

"We are the Ubermensch. An evolved, better humanity. Now, I'm not an idealist like you Cao Cao, great powers and great responsibilities bullshit. I fully intend on living my life as a superior to all with all the benefits that entail. Man, Devil, Angel, Monster, Gods. I've surpassed them, all."

Issei moved one eye at the Stray Devil corpse, the other eye firmly trained on the other human.

"Make no mistake Cao Cao, I will never believe you and your ideals. That being said, we do not need to be enemies. I won't join your little hero club or whatever you call it, but maybe we can help each other out."

Issei crouched down, dragging one finger on the corpse. Looking at Cao Cao, he sighed.

"Our goals intersect, temporarily at the moment now. You want to rid the world of the supernatural, I kill supernatural among many other things. I know you know of what I've done, the twenty seven of those humans."

Issei stood up and extended out his arms to the side as if he was crucified.

"Go ahead, strike me down right now. Kill me right now, avenge them if you so wish or makes you feel any better."

He closed his eyes.

Several moments passed, Issei smiled, putting the pistol into his waistband. He then opened his eyes and stared at the Chinese youth, who pointed his spear at the ground.

"See, I knew you were pragmatic. Call it a vice that murder is funny to me, but I am effective at killing the supernatural. A little revenge here isn't worth knocking me out of the game now."

"You're insane."

Cao Cao said calmly, glaring at the boy. Issei shook his head.

"I detest that, Cao Cao. Insanity implies a lack of control over actions. I'm perfectly lucid and in control of my facilities. You can call me evil all you want, but you can be as wrong as you'd like as well. Good, bad, kind, evil, all constructs of the world we live in. They hold no greater meaning other than as a cross to bear."

Issei simply looked at Cao Cao with pitying eyes.

"Are you going to say that you are going to change me, Cao Cao? I am what I am, and I've accepted that." Issei paused, this conversation going nowhere. "..I'll see you around I guess."

A magic circle appeared under Issei, illuminating the otherwise dark forest.

"Wait! How will I find you?" Cao Cao called out. Within the gold circle, Issei simply threw him a sideways glance. "..I should congratulate you on figuring the murders and finding out it was me when Japan's top detectives couldn't."

He looked down as the circle's light started to shine.

"You've found me once, you'll be able to do it again."

Issei mockingly bowed as the circle became complete.

"I know that our paths will cross again, oh ally of justice Cao Cao. We'll see each other soon, I'm sure of it."


Issei pondered on the decision, the pen in his hand. The piece of paper in front of him, all he needed was a signature.

It would be simply easier to just kill her, frame it as an accidental overdose or a suicide.

He wondered was it a small part of him, an ever so small piece of his ever shrinking humanity that prevented him from doing the easy thing.

His mind offered reasons to keep her alive as the two conflicting thoughts battled in his head. There are spells that require a living relative to perform. She could be used against him with such a spell. Her death could attract attention. It'd be a one time thing with the attention subsiding. She gave birth to him. Not worthy of praise, she did what all biologically healthy women are capable of.

He looked at the pen in his hand and at the title of the paper.

Self commitment to voluntary confinement at Tsugamo Mental Health Facility.

He made his decision as he signed the paper.

Signature: Sachiko Hyoudou


Cao Cao found him and knows of what he did. Issei wasn't completely sure of the Chinese boy's intentions, but he didn't trust him.

And he was compromised as the Butcher of Kuoh.

It was time for him to leave.

But this was just the straw that broke the camel's back. Issei pondered leaving Japan for some time, feeling stagnant there. It was too crowded, too limited in what he could do and learn. There were only so many things that could be sent through the mail or over the web to him. It was time for a change of scenery, one that would allow him to get all the knowledge. But where would one get as much knowledge as possible?

Issei smiled as he heard the captain's voice on the intercom.

"All passengers welcome aboard Japan Airlines Flight 0412, direct from Tokyo to New York City."

Thus began the start of a new chapter in Issei Hyoudou's life.


I hope you enjoyed that. You are seeing more of Issei's past and the way he thinks the way he does.

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Until next time, Skylinemaster out.