All Rights and reserves of High School DxD is owned by Ichiei Ishibumi, Fujimi Shobo, Yen Press, Dragon Magazine and Licensed by TNK, Sunrise and Madman Entertainment.

All Rights, Ownership and use of Intellectual property belongs to all various forms of entertainment and media including and not exclusive to; Companies of Comics, Manga, Video Games, Movie, Broadcasting and Many Others. All other Intellectual Property that does not belong to any company is considered CC or Creative Common, Mythology, Legends, Folklore and various others.

This is an inspired work of Fiction.

This is a 'Meta aware' Fic.

Chapter 1: Tutorial?!

His origin began ten years ago….

"What's that Grandpa?"

"Ehehehe, wha? Issei!"

An elderly man sat in a dark room of his traditional home, a bright light glowing over his face as a six year old boy opened the door behind him. It was summer, and the cicadas could be heard only if the television volume was lowered.

The boy scrunched up his nose as he covered his ears. "It's noisy grandpa."

"I know, I know." The elderly man nodded with a muffled response. He quickly lowered the volume as he motioned him closer.

"What's this, grandpa?" he asked, his face already halfway to the side. His eyes widened at the images on the screen in front of him.

The old man wiggled himself a bit to let the boy sit beside him, "One of the best things a man could ask for."

Issei practically sparkled at the sight of the moving pixels in his eyes, "Ooooh, a game!"

"Yup, yup. You got that right, Issei my boy." His grandpa grinned, the boy was just like him! "But it's not just a game like pong. It's Phantasy Star, Issei!"

"Phantasy... Star?" Issei tilted his head, confused.

"Yes indeed. I used to know the men that worked on the game."

He looked even more confused.

"Nothing Ise, nothing. Back to games." The old man shook his head, an ear splitting grin emerging as he reminisced. "He and I would spend a lot of time together, drawing and planning what creatures would be used, once and a while I'd meet the ones who worked on Dragon Quest too. Oh, but usually it was just him slacking off and we got to flirt with the office ladies. Some of them had real nice breasts. One of them had the softest thighs."

"...Thighs grandpa?"

"Issei, you've never had a thigh pillow before? Looks like I'm going to have to get your mom to clean your ears." he gasped dramatically when he heard those words.

"I don't wanna! Dad always groaned like it was painful!" Issei complained loudly, already afraid of what would happen to him if he got his ears cleaned.

"Oh Issei." he tsk'd. "Trust your grandpa today. If you do, I'll even let you try out something really interesting. A few friends of mine made some games called Final Fantasy and Megami Tensei. I'll talk to your mom about letting you try them."

"Really? You mean it?!"

Issei watched him nodded firmly, "That's a promise! Games are a man's romance!"

On that day, Issei discovered new loves besides his old flame, breasts… And hips and legs and thighs and butts…

Issei had become a pervert… Oh and he had a hobby too. But that wasn't important to anyone at all, since his perversion dramatically increased as he entered his teenage years.

At least until that one fateful night.

Much like others of his ilk, since childhood Issei was a dreamer who played with other kids about being 'heroes' like Kamen Rider, magicians like Gandalf, Warriors and Adventurers like those they played in Dungeons and Dragons, or martial artists and ninjas from Dragonball and Naruto.

Such stories fueled Japanese youths with ideas and worlds that eventually led to most of them coming down with the famed 'Chunni disease.' Why wouldn't they when they had vast media from Japan and the world over with Final Fantasy and Magic: The Gathering to name a few? Phantasy Star was still his favorite, it was the only thing he had that reminded him of his grandpa.

If one had to look at Issei from any of his schoolmates or the locals of his hometown Issei was assuredly a pervert. He certainly admired the female body in all its aspects. Often he and his two friends would peek at various locker rooms, open baths and the occasional hot spring. Such a life it was. The three were known as the 'Perverted Trio' As a consequence. If one had to ask their parents what they thought of them, their opinions would have been much, much worse. Perverts they were, as well bodied and healthy boys. The perverted phase would go away in a few years they would say. As extreme as the perverts were, they weren't criminal… if only it were that simple.

There was no hope for them.

Indeed, they were the worst kind of perverts. They were Otakus. If one had to be labeled as Perverts or Otakus by society, they would be 'wastes of spaces.' Since perverts at least did something; They worked, maintained jobs, earned income, paid taxes.

Otakus on the other hand? Besides the piles and piles of Eroges, Visual Novels and just straight out porn Issei had in his closet, it paled in comparison to his anime or his games. The boy owned everything from the Atari to the latest and greatest Xbox from overseas as well as building his own 'godlike' PC. Adventure games, Action Games, First Person Shooters, RTS, Civilization, Role Playing Games held his interest, but MMORPGs were something that struck his heart the moment he saw one. Matsuda and Motohama joined him soon after and they used the few beta accounts they obtained from dozens of games to make names for themselves. In the 2D world, they were kings! Hyoudou Issei had it bad.

Some might say he was cursed from the start.

0000

Issei was hyperventilating the moment the monster in the disguise of a woman tempted him into a dark warehouse. Under no such circumstances would Issei have been easily lulled into a false sense of security. He didn't fall for those boobs! Definitely not!

[Wherever Lamb went]

[WOLF WAS SURE TO FOLLOW]

Now a perfect copy of Kindred from League of Legends had come to life right before his eyes… in the 3D world no less! But he was getting ahead of himself. His mind wandered in how he got into this craziness in the first place.

It was the last day of middle school, and Issei was ready to completely lock himself in his room for the following weeks until his freshman year at Kuoh Academy. He was so excited in fact he had a good amount of pocket money saved up, ready to run to an arcade to wipe the floor with some scrubs, before heading back home and greeting the newly installed pre-ordered games he had on his online accounts. He waited months, perhaps years when they were first announced and he was HYPED.

It wasn't his fault he got the attention of some foreign gamers from the Fighting Game Community exploring Kuoh before heading off to their convention in Tokyo. It wasn't his fault that he was good enough to give them a challenge, it WASN'T his fault that they wanted him to join them for the convention! By the time they all fought enough to reach a near standstill it was already late at night and the arcade was closing up shop.

Okay, it was Issei's fault for refusing the nice foreigners from getting him a taxi, but they were gonna leave for Tokyo in the morning! He didn't want to delay them or anything, and besides; Issei knew Kuoh like the back of his hand.

Just when he was a few blocks away from his house, cutting through a shortcut in the more abandoned part of town a weird voice pulled him to the warehouse. He was greeted with an incredibly beautiful woman with a smokin hot body. That was until he found out about the monster underneath, literally.

[Gamer's Mind Activated!]

And that's where everything caught up.

[Gamer's Body Activated!]

Somehow, someway Issei felt a rush of cold water soothing his nerves and jolting his senses awake. His eyes widened at the sight of the monstrous woman who was certainly NOT a monster girl made by Kenkou, completely frozen as if time stopped. His mouth hung low when he finally noticed the weird blueish-black tint that made everything monochrome like it was one of those bullet-time effects in some games he played.

[Congratulations O' Challenger]

"Wait, wha. How…." Issei stuttered. He swallowed, looking at the two beings around him. "Kindred?"

[We have obtained his appearance as it is one that you would be used to, Challenger]

"Challenger?"

The spectral image of Wolf floated around him. Wisps of black nothingness chilled Issei to the core as they spoke.

[For the desires of fate and destiny is a whimsical one.] Lamb spoke wistfully. Like the Yin to her Yang, Wolf prodded him with a condescending tone.

[Or is it Luck that has cursed your soul forevermore?]

[We are the avatars of your tutorial.] Lamb spoke once more as the other continued without pause.

[Until the time that it is over, you are forbidden from leaving this place.]

[You can only leave when it is over and you defeat the enemy before you.] Lamb nodded, jumping to a support beam over his head.

Wolf grinned a maniacal grin, its tongue dangling from its maw as it followed her. [Or until you perish into obscurity.]

"Me? Defeat?" Issei's brain caught up with him as he connected the dots. They couldn't be saying what he was thinking… were they? "How can I do that?! I'm just a normal regular human! This… this shouldn't be real!"

[It is real, boy. Always has been.]

[You can as you have been blessed with the powers by Gaia.]

[Or cursed by them.]

"Alright… alright…." Issei said airly, completely not alright at all. He took a deep breath as cold fear shook his whole body. He slapped himself a few times before he asked, a look of determination set in stone. "What do I do?"

[Our duties are simple.] Lamb answered.

[We will disappear once you complete your objective. Complete the objective and the system will activate your blessing.] The facsimile of Wolf finished.

"Okay…" He waved his arm around him for some sort of answer that he could understand. "What's this?"

[This is the system. The system of which has existed since time immemorial. Mortals like you have likened it to The Game.]

[The game of Life, Gamer.]

"Game!?" Issei shouted in distress. This wasn't some cosmic joke or a giant epiphany someone would get when they were crazy about the 'world is fake', 'God is dead', 'we're all in a simulation'! This couldn't be anything like that. He could feel, he could think, he could have opinions and make choices! This wasn't- "This isn't a game!"

The thing that looked like Wolf laughed at his face. [It is! For life is nothing but a game with one try.]

[Lest you sell your freedom!] Lamb chimed with a giggle. [For a mortal can only embrace life,]

[Long as they accept death.]

A ring in Issei's head made him jump. A clear screen appeared in front of him, and as he read it as the creatures surrounding him spoke in tandem. His eyes widened as he understood his situation. Interestingly enough there was an option to turn on a voice actor but he decided not to, he could read prompts fast enough to not need it. It was an MMO player after all.

[Emergency! Tutorial Quest has activated!]
[To embrace Life, one must accept Death]
-The Cruel Pains of Reality

[Your tutorial is as follows]
[The Game is skill based, complete the objectives stated in the tutorial alone.]
[Post quest rewards are affected by your performance and adherence to the objectives]
[Defeating your enemy before the completion of the objectives will end the tutorial immediately and your rewards will be subsequently affected.]
[Your blessing of the Gamer will continue to change and install new content as the game continues.]
[Complete the tutorial with a 100% completion rate and you will receive a bonus reward.]

His hands shook violently as he raised him in front of his face. "Throwing me with From Software difficulty right from the get go?"

[Gamer's Mind Activated!]

[There is no easy mode.]

"Figured." Issei complained, sniffing at the scene that he was thrown into. His attitude immediately changed into something more nonchalant as he continued. "Life sucks."

[Reality is often disappointing]

This 'game' was having fun wasn't it? He made a face when he recognized the line. "Don't quote Thanos on me now."

[Thanos was the creation of man, and thus the creation of the world.]

Immediately a sword dwarfing Issei's body appeared in one of his hands before he could refute. Contrary to its size, it wasn't all that heavy. Another screen appeared in front of him and he quickly read it.

[The Beginnings of Melee Combat, Basic Two-Handed Swordsmanship]
[Slash your target a total of ten times without being damaged.]

[The gamer allows the user to begin giving you the freedom of choice for your perspective fighting style. The tutorial begins with teaching you the minimum basics of every combat and non-combat mechanic relevant to the quest at hand.]

"Alright…" Issei said to himself to calm his nerves more than anything else. The bullet-time overlay all around him quickly regained their color as he spoke. "Let's do this."

Viser
Stray Devil LV25

"What?! No level scaling?!" He did a double take, staring at the icons and letters above his enemy's head. "Damn it!"

Fumbling over his own two feet, Issei jumped to the side, dodging a massive paw that easily could have smashed him into a smear of censored material. The claws gleamed an eerie light that would've made him shiver if his heart wasn't pumping ten times the normal speed.

Issei dodged again, this time with a bit more grace as he rolled away from another attack. The boy quickly picked himself up as he breathed. "Okay, just like a Dark Souls boss."

That was the plan. Viser sure moved slowly compared to what he thought what was going to happen, and the attacks she used were very 'gamey' if he could put it. The further he stayed away, Viser would get closer and try to smack him with those giant paws as he rolled out of the way. To be honest, Issei was just trying to understand how to move instead of going straight for it.

Viser really did move like a Dark Souls boss. Her (if he could call his enemy that) left a lot wide open to counterattack and attack he did. Every time Viser would try to smack him again with a paw, Issei would run close to the side of her animal parts and swung his weapon. Once, twice, three times and he'd jump away when Viser tried to swing at him again. Sometimes he was able to keep going and do some sort of multi-hit combo, not that the 'game' would give him a combo meter.

Things were going so smoothly that he was able to even cut through one of Viser's human-like arms from the elbow down, by timing one of the paw attacks correctly and ran up the limb to get closer. Honestly, Issei was running on autopilot. There was no way this kind of move was normal.

[The Beginnings of Melee Combat, Basic Two-Handed Swordsmanship] [Complete-Perfect!]

As Viser the so called stray devil monster was clutching to her lost limb, Issei's weapon disappeared only to be replaced by a longsword.

[The Beginnings of Melee Combat, Basic One-Handed Swordsmanship]
[Slash your target in a three move combo without being damaged.]
[Slash your target intermittently as you dodge two times without being damaged.]

"You're gonna teach me everything aren't you?" Issei asked no one in particular. The images of Lamb and Wolf were silent as they watched him as he sighed, and raised his blade up into something he was comfortable with and continued just like before. "Sorry Viser. I don't want to die and if I was a normal guy, I'd defeat you as fast as possible but it looks like you're my guinea pig."

"Your words and actions don't match, human! Admit it, You would love to kill!" Viser roared, shaking the windows and steel beams of the warehouse. The monster raised one of her claws to make a sweeping slash at Issei, only for him to dodge forward and start with a downward slash followed by a horizontal and diagonal slash. Viser attacked again only for Issei to jump and with a spin he left a dent on the creature's gem-like patch at the human part of her waist.

It was actually kinda easy, Issei admitted. Was he getting used to it already or was there something else… Another ping sounded off again.

[Bonus Quest activated! The Stray Devil Viser]
[Defeat your enemy without killing them]

"It's just like a character action game," Issei muttered before narrowing his eyes, "And an RPG... Choices Matter."

Viser's gem at her chest glowed a dark miasma and a shockwave impacted Issei back a few meters away. He grunted, wind flinging his jacket around him as the gale made dents on the walls. Issei grunted, "Let me guess, Phase two."

[The Beginnings of Melee Combat, Basic One-Handed Swordsmanship] [Complete-Perfect!]

His longsword was immediately replaced by a spear but before he could look at it, a dark cloud embraced Viser's lost arm before disappearing. The arm regenerated into tip top shape and Viser instantly pulled out two dark spears for herself out of nowhere.

[The Beginnings of Melee Combat, Basic Spearmanship]
[Dodge and weave through enemy attacks]
[Impale a limb to immobilize the enemy]

"Yep, Stage two. This really is some Final Fantasy Shin Megami Tensei Dark Souls stuff." Issei huffed, somehow oddly at peace with how things were going. Then again he had to chock it up to the passive [Gamer's Mind] even though he didn't read the description, he could guess what it did or the fact that it was the tutorial and like any game with a tutorial; No one was expected to act 'out of character' aside from the cardboard box that was the player... even if it was reality.

Thinking about it made his head hurt, questioning his existence, so he ignored it for now.

"Look Viser, I don't know who you are or why you're here. But I can guess it's some crappy meta knowledge thing about Devils or Stray Devils. You're like Jorōgumo, Yokai, Legend or just game lore or not, you're doing this to get stronger or something right?"

Viser didn't respond as the tips of the spears glowed an awful black wind and she hurled energy slices in the form of wind blades in his direction. With quick thinking Issei ran as fast he could against the gale as he did exactly as the Tutorial told him to do. Issei hid behind a crate and somehow he offhandedly (He didn't know how to do that. How did he know how to do that?) twirled his spear every time he moved. He failed multiple times when trying to get closer and despite the pain and small amounts of bleeding, Issei was able to keep standing up and running back into the fray.

"I'm not an idiot. There are people out there gaining power for power's sake but you're not like that at all!"

"Shut up!"

"The game said you were a Stray Devil. Emphasis on Stray. You ran away!"

"Shut up!"

"I don't know what devils are like but I know one thing. Devils or Demons in Diablo one hundred percent says BAD NEWS." He yelled. Issei jumped on a couple of crates to gain some height before pulling himself back into a picturesque hurling form.

"Who are you running away from?!"

At the end of his cry, Issei threw the spear with all the strength that he could muster. Viser's attempts at stopping it failed as the weapon flew past a small grouping of energy slashs and it pierced through one of her shoulders. Black, ichor-ish blood spewed out of the wound with pulsating squirts that would have normally made Issei gag. A small crater marked behind Viser. She stared unblinkingly at him while he landed.

"Devil May Cry, Bayonetta, Shin Megami Tensei, even the Elder Scrolls franchise says it." Issei concluded his point as he took breath, watching her freeze stock still. "What kind of bigwig is after you?"

[The Beginnings of Melee Combat, Basic Spearmanship] [Complete-Perfect!]

"N-n-no. I d-don't want it..." Before he could continue talking, Viser's body moved in jagged unnatural ways as if she was having a seizure. Issei gulped as Viser wailed with heaving breaths. "NONONONONONONONONO PLEASE DON'T GIVE IT TO ME, MASTER!"

"Guh" Issei gasped, air left his lungs as a strong blast of wind hit him square in the chest. His back hit a nearby crate and he hacked out some spit. As quick as he could he got up to look at his fists, wondering where the new weapon was.

[The Beginnings of Melee Combat, Basic Hand to Hand]
[The situation has gotten out of control! Give Viser a good hit on the face to regain her senses!]

"If this wasn't real, I'd laugh at how cliche this is. A broken bird character straight out of TV-Tropes." Issei lamented, already running halfway towards his opponent again. It was starting to become second nature to him and maybe the tutorial was on to something about teaching him something that was intrinsic to his ability. A weird thought came to Issei followed by a wry grin that spoke the illogicality of it all. "So, can I heel-face turn her?"

The unintelligible scream coming from Viser didn't phase Issei for some unexplained or probably explainable reason. A spike of earth formed to skewer him once he made it three quarters to her main body. The teen sidestepped in haste and felt his shoulder impact another spike that missed his torso. The spikes began to come out with more and more speed as time went on. It took all of his effort to not become a shishkebab.

Issei was so focused with all the dodging and weaving he couldn't pick up the shouts and screams coming from Viser as she twisted around the spear in her shoulder. She hugged herself too tightly, her claws piercing flesh.

It was pandemonium, there wasn't any forethought in the attacks. The weird new earth spike attacks weren't even aiming at Issei directly. Every eight out of ten spikes were random, hitting the walls or the rooftops, completely ignoring him when he jumped on the monster part of Viser's body to get closer.

"WAKE UP!"

Cocking his fist back for a wind up, Issei hit Viser square in the jaw. A sick crack rang in his ears when he stepped back to see the response and hopefully not get shot back away across the room with those wind powers again. Viser had become near catatonic after his attack but it was quickly changing over again.

"Please don't be a phase 3, please don't be a phase 3, please don't-" Issei's plea fell on deaf ears. An earth pillar the size of his torso shot at his side, clocking him despite a hasty block from his arm and leg. The teen could have broken most of his bones since the start of his encounter but it was puzzling how it didn't. He only felt pain.

[The Beginnings of Melee Combat, Basic Hand to Hand] [Complete-Perfect!]

A solid layer of darkened earth surrounded Viser, folding, overlapping her body from head to tail into a suit of armor. A beastial roar broke. The entire building vibrated as Issei could even see the distortions in the air. He muttered, "Phase 3…"

A new weapon was in his possession. A nondescript bow had formed in his dominant hand and the sudden weight on his back revealed to be a quiver full of arrows.

[The Beginnings of Ranged Combat, Bowmanship]
[Shoot your enemy in their weak-spots to lower their defenses.]
[The command ability [Scan] is now available for use]

"Some Final Fantasy in this. You even use the name!" Issei shouted to the system. Unlike before where Viser would normally attack at a distance and swung whenever he ever got close, this time she was the one on the offensive. Viser with incredible speed leapt towards him and crashed into the floor before using her claws for a swing. Concrete rippled into claw marks. The walls shook with each bound and he was not happy.

"What's up with you?!"

Viser's only response was a growl before swinging at him again, this time with her jaggedly spiked tail. Thankfully, Issei was able to duck before dodging away. A pillar at the center of the room that held the support of the roof completely disintegrated.

"[Scan]"

Viser
Stray Devil
Level 25
Classification: Devil

HP: ?/?
MP: ?/?

STR: ?
DEX: ?
CON: ?
INT: ?
SP: ?
CHA: ?

Resistances:
Water: ?
Fire: ?
Ice: ?
Earth: ?
Thunder: ?
Wind: ?
Poison: ?
Light: ?
Darkness: ?
Ether: ?

Status Effects:
Stray Devil Regulation System Major [Debuff]
Power Instability Major [Debuff]
Confusion Major [Debuff]
Berserk Major [Debuff]
Brainwash Moderate [Debuff]
Cursed Moderate [Debuff]
Decover Moderate [Debuff]
Slow Moderate [Debuff]
Forget Minor [Debuff]

"Oh no."

At first he didn't expect much from the [Scan] ability since it swiped right from any RPGs he was familiar with so he thought it wouldn't be much. Instead it was very tsun if he could call it that. He loved these types of systems. It was just this was REAL LIFE!

Issei already knew this was going to be one of the most complex, stupid, bloated and complicated RPG systems he would EVER experience. Before he could think about it further, glowing red highlights started to form around parts of Viser's body. Most of them at joints or interlocking armor pieces.

"So that's the 'logical' reason why she's rampaging." Issei mused. He twisted and twirled his body, lining up his shots. A quick burst of three almost magically hit their marks despite being an absolute beginner at archery. He was sure this was the first time he used a bow.

"Must be the Tutorial carrying me." Issei admitted. That was the only explanation! Sure things were difficult; He couldn't tell how much HP he had or if there was even a Stamina or Mana Bar, but they 'certainly probably' existed in the background. Damage modifiers were likely nerfed so he'd get a 'fighting chance'. Was he ment to win? Or was he supposed to lose here?

Either that or those debuffs Viser had really nerfed her to kingdom come. He counted nine, NINE debuffs on her. Whatever happened beforehand must've been permanent status effects or lasted a really long time. Issei wasn't sure if he was ok with any of that.

Issei continued to draw back his bow and shot arrow after arrow at the designated targets shown to him by his [Scan]. He did it pretty well if he had a thing to say about it, then again it wasn't like there was any trouble in the first place.

He saw black when something smacked him with the force of a truck-kun, flinging him through the air. Issei shook his head getting the stars out of his vision as his body hit a wall with a fleshy devastating smack. He groaned, fingers twitching. His bow collapsed into sparkles and disappeared.

[The Beginnings of Ranged Combat, Bowmanship] [Complete-Perfect!]

"No b-broken bones… Must be that [Gamer's Body] perk." Issei grunted, pushing away the rubble that barely helped him breathe….. If that was how it worked... because [Gamer's Body] apparently still let him breathe even with all the rocks on top of him.

Issei had a mind to both thank and ask just 'why' if he ever met the creator of this thing.

[The Beginnings of a Mage]
[Use every spell in your repertoire at least once to defeat your enemy]
[Tutorial Quest Updated!] [To embrace Life, one must accept Death]
-The Cruel Pains of Reality

[Defeat The Stray Devil Viser]
Reward: Tutorial Completion, Tutorial Bonus Reward

[Bonus Quest Updated! The Stray Devil Viser]
[Defeat your enemy without killing them]

-Spare your Enemy
-Mutually Accept a Familiar/Summoning/Shikigami/Pet/Servant Contract with your Enemy
-Forcefully Create a Familiar/Summoning/Shikigami/Pet/Servant Contract with your Enemy

Bonus Reward Option 1: Tutorial Completion, Tutorial Bonus Reward
Bonus Reward Option 2: The Stray Devil Viser becomes your Familiar, Relationship set to [Neutral], Tutorial Completion, Tutorial Bonus Reward, Contract Bonus +++
Bonus Reward Option 3: The Stray Devil Viser becomes your Familiar, Relationship set to [Hate][Subservient], Tutorial Completion, Tutorial Bonus Reward, Contract Reward

Setting Temporary MP Levels… ?/?

Facilitating Temporary Spells
[Beginner Fire Magic] [Flare-Up]
[Beginner Water Magic] [Water Shot]
[Beginner Earth Magic] [Earth Spike]
[Beginner Ice Magic] [Glacial Cone]
[Beginner Thunder Magic] [Paralyzing Spark]
[Beginner Wind Magic] [Wind Blade]
[Beginner Aether Magic] [Mana Barrier]
[Simple Magics] [Bind]
[The Way of Magic] [True] [Contract Creation]

"Isn't it obvious as to what I'm gonna do?!"

Finally! There were spells! The interesting shit was here! Issei grinned as he prepared his two hands towards Viser like some Sorcerers in the RPGs he played. He would have liked a staff-spear or something but beggers couldn't be choosers.

"[Earth Spike]" Issei shouted with glee and the earth beneath his feet. A spiky flat platform shot up in a slanted direction. The kinetic force smashed Issei's feet, flinging him across the room at a quick but not overpowered speed.

[Secret Objective Completed!]
[Congratulations! A new spell has been created via modification of [Earth Spike]
[Earthen Launch] has been created!]

"I knew it!" Issei yelled happily and turned to see the avatar of Wolf laugh aloud at his actions. He couldn't help it. He suspected this Gamer power was more than it seemed and he was right. Games had a system, but it had to specify what system it worked on. Action games, Adventure Games, Role Playing, Strategy…. Life wasn't exactly cut and dry, so if the system of 'altering reality to make into a game' or 'the system of the game was a hidden section of life' or 'Life was an altered reality form of the system' or whatever existed... It had to choose; Systematic self-restriction as a single genre with hints of other genres or it was universal and fully adaptable.

"This is a table-top!" Issei was in love. Wait it wasn't exactly a tabletop, no rolling of the die or anything... A fusion of Video and Tabletop games then. He couldn't wait! This meant depending if it either gonna be controlled by menus like an RPG or by manual tools like an Crafting Survival… Spell Customization, Spell Creation, Blacksmithing, Enchanting, Alchemy… It was all possible!

"Wait does this make karaoke and dancing turn into Rhythm Games?" Issei's pondering aloud midair went a little too long when a giant paw from Viser's chimera form went to bat him out of the way. He actually smirked when he saw it crashing towards him with anticipation.

"If I can do that on the fly, then…!" With a raise of his palm, Issei directed it facing the attack and continued, "[Mana Barrier] plus feet equals platform!"

Just as he suspected, the barrier stayed true like a wall and didn't move when he twisted himself in the air to use the barrier as a stepping stone, launching himself out of the way as the paw made a thud followed by an esoteric jingle. Exactly like Dante from Devil May Cry. The possibilities were endless!

"Bow!" Issei commanded, hoping for it to do exactly as he said. He actually laughed when the system followed his commands.

"Which spell has homing effects?" Issei muttered, eying various parts of Viser's monstrous body, eyes shining. There!

Issei fisted a pile of arrows haphazardly pulling the bow string like he really was some god-like archer in those movies and animes. He shouted jubilantly, "Bow with arrows plus [Water Shot] and [Bind] equals homing arrows with tethering features!"

He mentally 'locked' onto various joints of Viser, pointing the ends of those arrows at sturdy metal struts and concrete flooring and let loose.

It went exactly the way he imagined it would be. Not willing to stop and admire the full on carrying the system was doing for him, Issei didn't mind going the extra distance by continuing the 'rotation' as some Boss raiders would say. Viser struggled against the magically created rope binding her from the human waist down. She wouldn't be able to move for quite some time, and he was going to capitalize on it.

"Spear plus [Flare-Up] equals artillery cannon!"

An explosion burst from Viser's lower beast body sent a small shockwave out, staggering her for a split second. It gave Issei plenty of time to get close enough using the same [Mana Barrier] platform before Viser could respond. Issei cocked his fist back, grinning all the way. "Fist plus [Paralyzing Spark] and [Water Shot] probably equals pokemon Thunder Punch!"

Static raced along Viser's body and Issei didn't want to waste anymore time. A one-handed sword quickly appeared in his hands and he willed a combination of wind and ice to swirl along the blade's edge. Without much wind-up Issei slashed, taking away Viser's left arm from the shoulder down and quickly transitioned from one-handed to a two-handed sword.

The same thing happened only this time fire had replaced the ice on his weapon as he kneeled on another Mana platform. With a great effort, Issei swung to bisect Viser from the waist as he spoke, "Buster sword plus [Flare-up] and [Wind Blade] for the final blow!"

Issei couldn't help but do a little dance as he imagined the victory sound effects in any RPG sounding off in his head. The moment was lost however when instead of normally how an enemy would despawn or turn into pixelated goop before disappearing, Viser did none of that. The shock of reality made Issei gingerly put his weapon away. He watched with a grim fascination of the event.

It was a train wreck, totally uncomfortable but Issei couldn't help but stare at it to the end. Viser teetered, she used her remaining arm to keep her steady but failed. She fell onto the ground with a loud thud. Viser groaned, clawing her way back up only to stop at the edge of one of her massive paws. He winced as burns from both the fire and frost started to grow at the edges of her injuries, cobwebs running to the fro. Viser had some sort of regeneration ability so aside from the pain, Issei wasn't as concerned which made him slightly (just a bit) more comfortable with the whole thing.

"Alright Viser." Issei started, walking closer to the stray devil but keeping his guard up. Viser was definitely struggling to stay alive and if things turned out differently, he would've been in the position without those Avatars showing up.

Viser was a wreck; Issei wasn't sure what her HP was but he could tell it was life threatening with all the damage he did to her. The Stray looked desperate as she watched him with those cold dead eyes. He rubbed the back of his neck and cleared his throat.

"I'm not going to walk up and bullshit some speech level 100 or max roll persuade anything so I'm just going to put this out there." Issei tried his best to keep an attentive gaze at the Stray Devil speaking quickly. It was weird to say he wasn't going to do something when it looked like for all intents and purposes, he was doing exactly that. Honesty was the best policy so he had to put it out there. He couldn't lie out of a wet paper bag and he knew it.

Viser didn't say a thing, only glaring him as if it could kill him right then and there.

"I don't want to die. You don't want to die. I don't want to kill you even if you wanted to kill me since this is all crazy and I honestly think I got hit by a truck-kun and I'm in a coma right now…" Issei sighed before he continued. "You're mentally damaged, basically running on instinct and all those debuffs are having you act as a wild animal."

A weak growl rumbled under Viser's throat.

"It might be because I'm just a human and I'm not some sociopath or a guy with absolute determination to rationalize and validate everything I do. I'm not a Kojima character that points at everyone that they're a foil or a hypocrite or whatever." Issei groaned.

He really was rambling on with some monologue... but at least Viser wasn't interrupting or attacking him. At least he wasn't being hammy... right?

"I just don't want to suddenly kill you like some dog in the streets. I'm completely new to all this, I have no idea what's going on and I really think I'm going to be in deep shit. I'm not some overlord with absolute power... yet, maybe, I don't know. I'm not some evil supervillain with zero morals and you're a stray devil that ran away from their own master... most likely."

He started to pace a bit with his hand on his chin as he continued.

"So how about this; I can leave right now, leave you alone, alive, and let you be. But that means whatever's chasing you is gonna catch up or the police do. Do supernaturals have a police? Bounty Hunters maybe... You're gonna get hunted, captured, or most likely killed. For whatever reason, I don't know. I'm gonna be a fish out of water when I leave; I'm gonna get found, captured, persuaded, or killed. Or I end up being a servant to some master just like you and I won't be able to do anything. I might not mind that, but I really wanna explore this whole new interesting power I'm getting on my own time without some ball and chain or collar hanging me down. So why don't you make a contract with me?"

Viser groaned. Her blood leaked on the floor in black waves, "And have me become one of your own servants? Power is what rules our world, why don't you take what you want, human?"

"Yeah, I'm not down with that." Issei shook his head continuing, "I'm not gonna force you to do it. I'm not going to force you to do things you don't want to. I'm a pervert and you... were hot, I admit it. But I'm not a bastard."

A sigh came out of Issei's lips as he rubbed his brow. Slowly the teen kneeled by Viser and willed a esoteric magic circle. A generic kind that he honestly wouldn't have looked twice if it was in a video game or an anime. There was nothing special about it from just visuals. Viser stared at him with a weird look on her face that he couldn't recognise, even as her cheekbones twisted and lengthened into a very bad elf in a character customizer. He motioned with the magic circle to hover between the two, making sure not to touch Viser.

"I don't know what's gonna happen when I leave this building, and I can't promise anything. You might be better off alone. Or you might get so incredibly strong when you're with me that it isn't even going to be a joke. You might get in more danger, or less. I don't know. But at least... At least you get a choice this time now. Partners, so we survive together?"

He waited, and waited. Viser looked like she was contemplating, maybe it was the lighting but the monster woman devil creature was certainly not dying just because he bisected her the wrong way. She obviously had the regeneration abilities every cliche supernatural should have… right?

Without a word, Viser raised her sole intact arm and grasped the magic circle in her hands. Issei didn't get the time to respond or even react as the magic shone with an eye blinding luminescence. Issei looked away from the light behind his hand until it faded enough for it to be safe, and out of the darkness was a shining crystal floating where the magic circle was. Viser was nowhere to be seen. Only the evidence of a battle was left.

[The Raw Essense of Viser] [Untradable] [Undroppable] [Soul-Bound]
This Essense is the token of the pledge, ancient and indissoluble, for now and forever until our souls dissolve into the Aether. As your souls converge and bond, through great strife and battle, through peace and prosperity may the both of you continue onwards side by side.

[Please allow a night's rest for the contract to complete.]

Issei blinked multiple times, taking the crystal into his hands. "T-that worked?"

[Welcome o' Challenger]

The voice of the system startled Issei and as he turned to see where those tutorial avatars from before were resting were empty.

[Welcome to your first trial]

"W-what?" A screen appeared before Issei in a tarnished gold and platinum. His hands shook and eyes widened as he read the log.

[Emergency Quest! To be part of the System]
[Flee to home]

[Upon finishing the tutorial the condensed energies within the field will intensify and disperse. Any and all supernaturals within range will take notice of the discharge and come to investigate. Energy readings vary upon each field and are not guaranteed for every event within the world.]
-If our lives are already written, it would take a courageous man to change the script.

"An Alan Wake quote!?" Issei shouted in reaction, not even registering the first part of the quest. That was until he looked around to see the walls and roof of the warehouse gave off a weird sheen before they spider-cracked like glass panels. With a look of horror Issei backed away and felt a strong wind willed with only what he could guess as 'mana', a blue energy field, growing and folding into itself as the cracks in the energy walls grew further and further until everything was damaged.

Issei wailed, "You're serious?! Come on!"

The moment the energy field broke into thousands of tiny pieces, Issei ran straight out of the warehouse. In great fear for his newly acquired life and knowing full well the fictional possibilities that might happen to him, Issei booked it out of there.

He wasn't the smartest person in Kuoh but he certainly wasn't the dumbest either. There was no way he'd run a straight line to his house unless he wanted someone to catch him, let alone play the long game of 'follow and wait.' So Issei did the next best thing. He ran through the local forest around Kuoh, passed the park that he played around when he was a kid and loitered outside a 7-Eleven for a few minutes before eventually opening the door to his house.

Staring at the clock, Issei sighed when it read five til midnight. He ignored the sight of a covered dinner not feeling hungry despite everything from earlier and went straight to his room. His parents knew him enough not to worry if he ever got home late long as it wasn't overnight unless he called, so there wasn't much commotion when he passed by their room. Dark and silent. They'd already gone to bed, Issei thought.

With the opening of a door, Issei was greeted with the sight of his room filled with a giant L-table with his computer on it. A bright window of 'Download Complete' glared at his eyes and he sighed. He was stoked for playing his games hours before, but now…

With a quick press of a few buttons, Issei set his computer to sleep mode before changing his clothes. He laid on top of his sheets with only his underwear, not bothering to take a shower or anything because of how utterly tired he was. His body didn't feel tired miraculously, his brain was.

Issei took out the crystal that the system claimed was [The Raw Essense of Viser]. He stared at it, thinking about everything that happened and wondered if this was just a very vivid dream.

Issei sighed, not willing to say a word as he drifted off to sleep.

System Acknowledges Issei Hyoudou completing the Tutorial

Sacred Gear: Boosted Gear is now temporarily disabled
Status as Red Dragon Emperor is now put into question

Updating System...Complete

System Reset...Complete
System Updating...

Word Count: 7,722