A New Man

by Barakozu1488

Six months has passed after Hyoudou Issei has finished highschool and had a nasty break up. Aimlessly living on his own, he encounters a certain red-haired girl who's changes his life. !AgedUpIssei !18YearOldIssei !Everyone Else Is The Same Age.

2. Chapter 2 New years eve Omake

Wah gwan. Thank you for all the reviews my Gs, they were the motivation to keep me hustling. Have a happy new year, I wish you all an amazing 2022 and many more years to come. May we all get a harem of cute devil girls, money, health and all that bullshit. In my case, I just need loads of money.

Here's chapter two, so far things have been moving a little slow for my liking, but the plot's gotta be laid down before we get to the real meat - Expect good things next chapter.

Enjoy.

As usual:

"The imposter is sus" = Normal dialogue

"I'm a sigma male." = Thoughts.

"I just farted on my cat LOL!" = Ddraig/boosted gear.

---

Chapter 2.

The sound of birds chirping outside his window woke him up, as Issei got out of bed with a long, hard yawn - He'd only slept for several hours, but he'd been used to it. To most people, they would've gone back to sleep or slogged on with the day, fortunately for him, his body was conditioned on a genetic level to withstand the brutal punishments that was the life of a hunter.

He shuddered at the memories of how hard he had to train, and all the strange concoctions Shamil fed him during his teenage years. It was probably why he was considerably taller and wider than his parents, even when you took his diet into account. While the young man wasn't the same size as an Icelandic strongman, he was considered quite tall for a Japanese man, and his build resembled that of an untrained athlete - Miles of potential, with strong muscle insertions, yet barely trained.

There were plenty who'd kill for his genetics, altered as they were, but if they knew what he had to go through, they would've probably run away at the first wince of pain.

Speaking of which, he'd just remembered the two promises he'd made last night; to meet Rias and to hit the gym. Checking the time, it was just before midday, meaning he had four hours.

"Wait, why am I not in pain?" He pondered, as his hands traversed his torso. His ribs were fully intact, much to his surprise. "Eh, must've healed quickly."

It'd been so long since he'd sustained a real injury that he'd forgotten about how fast Hunters regenerated. He really was blessed. No voices coming from the boosted gear either, meaning today was a good day.

"Wanna talk to me today, Ddraig?" He called out to the slumbering Dragon, met with the usual absent response. "Fucking Lizard."

Moving on from the usual routine, Issei finally took notice of just how messy his apartment was, with unwashed dishes sitting on counters, pornographic books scattered over his floor and the fading posters of fictional girls in bikinis. He'd given them up when he was with Yuuma, but returned to them as a coping mechanism to try and feel something other than a void in his heart. Not that it worked, of course.

He'd always been known as a lecherous pervert in school, though he'd eventually been dubbed the quiet kid in school after no luck in finding any 'comrades' to share his hobbies in, eventually refraining from engaging in his tendencies in public. Not to mention all the beatings he'd been given over the years when he tried to make perverted jokes. A part of him still resented the boys in school who'd laugh at his jokes, before making heel-face turns to put him down in order to look good in front of the girls he'd make fun of.

Brushing the memories to the back of his mind, Issei sighed. He needed change in his life if he were to break out of this rut. Last night's fight, as terrifying as it was, reawakened something that he'd been missing in life - Drive. The way his heart beated, how he truly felt alive and on fire fighting the werewolf to the death gave him something to look forward to. While it wasn't anything long-term, and he certainly didn't want to be a hunter for the rest of his life, it was something he could do other than mope around at home.

That, and having a new girl in his life to be around, even if they were nothing more than acquaintances for now. Having Rias with him for a few hours had done a lot for his mental state, she made him feel like a man again, whatever that meant to him.

"Well, it was nice having you guys around, but it's time for a change." He hummed to himself as he picked up the pornographic books and stripped his posters off the wall, dumping them into a box underneath his bed. After opening the window blinds and letting the sun gleam into his home, he could already feel his mental state begin to ease up.

A clean house was one of the biggest factors in determining someone's mental state - A clean living space meant a clean mind, and a messy one would often lead to a messy mind, for lack of a better phrase.

"Man, Mom would kill me if she saw how filthy this place was." He chuckled to himself, as he began to clean the dishes lying about his counter, wiping down the counters and dusting off the accumulated cobwebs.

Part of him missed speaking to his parents, especially at an age so young. While some cultures emphasize eighteen year olds moving out and slowly becoming their own people, Issei's estranged relationship with his parents was tough on him. He'd had a rebellious phase, combined with poor communication with his father, leading to the agreement that he'd move out after school and be out of their lives. He'd often wanted to call them again, but he couldn't bring himself to after that.

"Whatever, not like I'll see her again." Sighed the brown-haired youth, as he finally managed to make his apartment look somewhat clean. After taking a long look, he was proud of himself - He managed to actually clean it. When he first moved in, it was usually Yuuma cooking and cleaning for him. They were almost like a married couple at times.

It's most men's dream to come back home after a long day of working, or in Issei's case, working out, back to a clean, loving home with their lover preparing dinner and greeting them at the door. He never thought he'd ever have that in his life, but in the several months he'd been dating her, Issei had been lucky enough to have the kind of relationship so many would kill for.

But he needed to stop reminiscing over the past and move on. He'd been given a new focus and drive in life, and squandering it by dwelling on the past would make it for nothing. Hence, he buried his memories for a final time and began to put on a black hoodie and sweatpants, getting ready for the first workout in months.

"God, this is going to hurt." Grunted the young man, ready to leave his house for the first time during daylight in half a year.

---

Issei was annoyed. Annoyed that his strength had fallen drastically compared to his peak, and that it would take him far too long to regain the muscle strength he once had. Sure, he could deadlift two-hundred kilograms, but that wasn't because he was an avid weightlifter or naturally strong. It was because he was injected with a metric ton of compounds as a kid that altered his body on a genetic level. He was almost like a steroid user without the side effects.

Even then, putting on muscle took time, and he didn't want to spend that much time slowly building up and eating clean forever. He wanted more. Sure, working out was a great way to get out stress, and released endorphins that made him feel good, but he needed a shortcut. Especially if he were to fight another monster. He'd gotten lucky with the werewolf solely due to having a silver sword and fire magic, but if it were a vampire or a stray devil, he probably would've been in hospital or worse, dead.

As he exited the gym, panting heavily and coated in sweat, he walked over to his motorcycle and hopped on the seat, aimlessly riding around Kuoh to kill time. It was only two in the afternoon, with nothing to do till he had to meet Rias, so he rode around town while pondering any shortcuts to building strength.

Steroids were the first option, but the side effects were a pain to deal with, and finding anabolic compounds in Japan was difficult, seeing how tightly regulated they were. The only way he could do that would be by making friends in the Yakuza and paying exorbitant amounts. No way he'd do that.

SARMs, also known as diet-steroids, were a second option. They were similar in action to normal steroids, but less potent and lower side effects, harder to find too. He didn't want the police knocking on his door either.

He needed something that was different, something that he had unique access too. The herbs Shamil gave him as a kid could work, but he'd already been given far too many as a child, anymore and it might kill him or turn him into a monster too, but then it finally hit him.

Issei needed something to boost his progress during training - Something that couldn't be traced, or had to be purchased. Something that he had access to that wouldn't draw attention - The boosted gear.

The sacred gear hadn't been used as often as he'd like, more that Ddraig hated him for not following his 'destiny'. He remembered being told about his so-called prophecy for being the wielder of the red dragon emperor and having to fight Ddraig's archnemesis for no apparent reason other than the fact that Ddraig and his cousin, dubbed 'the white guy' had a fight so terrible it lead to both of them being killed and sealed up. Ever since then, the two dragons reincarnated in Humans and convinced each host to murder each other for milennia.

It sounded like a bad anime trope, which offended Ddraig, leading to the red dragon refusing to speak to Issei for the past few years. He still had access to the sacred gear, but couldn't develop or evolve it further without Ddraig's cooperation. However, he still had a trick up his sleeve that could speed up his growth.

Transfer. A boosted gear technique that allowed him to transfer the boosted gear's energy to anything he wanted to. It was normally considered a combat technique, but if he could transfer it to anything, what stopped him from boosting a couple of times and transferring it to his muscles, or to drastically speed up his metabolic rate? In theory, it could give him a physique and strength to rival that of an olympian athlete.

"Holy shit. I'm a fucking genius." Issei whispered to himself, his voice drowned out by the growling engine's speed revving up to it's peak, as he changed course.

This was it, he had to experiment with it tonight. But there's no way he could use it in public, his gym had cameras and too many people. If they saw him, it'd mean leaking the supernatural world to the public - Meaning a hit-squad of supernatural factions would be dispatched to take him out, or worse, they'd try to recruit him.

He'd need to build a gym at home.

---

An hour later, he finally made it home after shopping. Fifty-thousand yen spent on home-gym equipment. Enough for a bench press, a weight rack and a barbell assorted with over five-hundred kilograms of olympic plates. He'd spent the last half-an-hour assembling each piece of equipment in his small apartment.

Issei was fortunate enough to be wealthy. The young man had made an insane amount of money over the last several years from monster-hunting, crypto currency and stock, and dumped it all into an investment fund, so he'd never have to work again. He could've bought a large house in Kuoh with a mortgage and paid it off in under a decade if he wanted to, or put it on rent and collect even more money - If he had the motivation, that was.

Sitting on a chair, it took the brunette a second to take in his major accomplishment. He'd managed to build a home gym in under an hour, and set up a plan to workout consistently. It was a world-away from how he was two days ago, and he was filled with pride.

"We're so fucking back." He beamed with delight, punching the air in pride, before standing up and glancing at the clock - Still an hour left. Kuoh academy was only a ten-minute drive from his place and he had nothing to do.

Walking over to his wardrobe, the boy glanced at himself - Sweaty, disheveled and wearing a tracksuit. He'd never cared about his appearance much, let alone his clothes, he only ever wore his school uniform most days back then, otherwise it was jeans and a hoodie. Kuoh academy was one of the most elite schools in the country, with a strict emphasis on formality. Issei considered applying there after middle school, but it was still a girl's only school years ago, it'd only recently become co-ed. Part of him regretted that he wasn't younger, being one of the only men in a school full of girls would've been a dream for his teenage self.

After all, no matter how heartbroken he was, the childhood dream of being a harem king still remained in his heart, even if he pretended he was an adult now. His taste in anime and manga said the same thing, being mostly highschool harems. He never had time for it then anyway, his teenage years had him far too busy training to be a monster hunter, or scraping by in highschool.

"Why the fuck do I only own five pieces of clothing?" He shouted at himself in annoyance, flipping through his wardrobe with disappointment. He had more disposable income than a Chinese international student. "Man, no wonder I don't have a girlfriend, I dress like shit."

Recalling the words of his mentor, and that creepy old man he'd met as a kid, Issei remembered a piece of advice he should've paid more attention to - Girls like men who are well-dressed, mostly because they're rich, and women like money, among other things. Sure, it was vapid and vain advice, but it worked, much to his dismay. He considered getting a makeover, maybe dyeing his hair too and getting a tan, he was working out too, if he put on some muscle, changed his dressing style and how his face looked, he'd pull off the 'Japanese badboy' look that so many girls he grew up with idolized.

Or, it was just his subconscious coping mechanism for trying to move on from Yuuma, but he didn't care at this point, Issei just wanted something new in his life, reinventing himself was a way to keep busy. But the makeover part could wait another time. He needed to shower and buy some clothes now.

---

"Uh, yeah, I kind of need to buy some clothes." Issei asked awkwardly, scratching the back of his head with a confused smile.

He didn't even know what store he walked into. Hell, he'd never even shopped for clothes that weren't motorcycle or gym clothes. The boy who could go toe-to-toe with werewolves, the same boy who pissed off the heavenly dragon of domination and lived, was intimidated of a high-end clothing store. It was ironic, and he could've sworn he heard Ddraig laughing in the back of his head.

"Sure thing, sir." Came the reply of the shop assistant - A teenage boy with glasses, which confused Issei. He felt like he'd known the guy somewhere.

He could feel the stares of people in the store looking at him with judgment in their eyes - They all dressed rich, designer clothes and outfits straight out of a catwalk, while he was comfortable in an oversized department store tracksuit he got on sale from his mom. At least the shop assistant was nice to him.

"Well, I'm supposed to go to some school for a meeting, but I was thinking of just going like this, I guess." Shrugged Issei, glancing around at the clothes and price tags. He didn't even know a hat could cost more than a thousand yen.

"You're going to an interview dressed like that?" The assistant's shocked cry caught him off-guard, Issei flinching in response. He tried to explain that it wasn't an interview to no avail. "You'd need a suit for that! What school by chance are you going to."

"Kuoh Academy, I think. Anyway, it's not an intervi-" Issei attempted to diffuse the situation, as the employee's eyes widened at the mention of Rias's school.

"Kuoh academy?" He roared, beginning to grab the attention of the other customers. "Awh hell no! You are not going to an interview at Kuoh academy dressed like a homeless man!"

"Homeless? What's wrong with my outfit? It looks good." Issei stammered in fear - This man scared him way too much.

"Come here." Came the shop assistant's voice, grabbing a hold of Issei's arm with surprising strength, leading the young man through the store to an area adjourned with a number of suits, ties, shirts and shoes that Issei could already tell were going to clean his wallet thoroughly. "Listen, I'm from the states. We dress like trash compared to Japanese people, so for you to show up to a school like that? it's an insult."

"Is it? I mean, I never thought about it like that." Issei shrugged, taken aback by the sudden overload of clothes, to which the shop assistant nodded back. "Alright, alright. I'll just buy a suit. I'll take the, uh… The black one?"

He gave in, he couldn't argue with this man anymore, and he really didn't want to make a scene. Instantly pointing to the first and cheapest suit he could, Issei was met with a disapproving glance from the four-eyes helping him.

"Why? It looks good!" He disagreed, only to be met with another shaking head of disapproval. "Besides, I'm broke."

"Then why'd you come in he- Actually, what's your price limit?" The assistant asked, as Issei spotted the nametag with the name 'Motohama'.

"Dunno, let me check." Issei shrugged, pulling out his wallet to count the sheer number of yen notes he'd had. He barely ever paid in cash, and had far too much for his own good.

"Holy shit, how much money do you have? What do you mean broke, you're loaded!" Brad replied, glancing over the three-inch thick layer of paper bills stuffed inside his brown wallet. "You Yakuza or something, boy?"

"Would I go to an interview as a teacher if I was Yakuza?" Issei spat back, annoyed at the accusation. He'd just realized he'd gone along with Motohama's perception of him being a teacher.

"That's true, but you never know. You kind of look like a Yakuza though." Motohama replied.

"In what way?"

"Y'know, like Kiryu Kazama or something"

"Dude, you play too many video games." Issei chuckled, slowly breaking away the awkward tension between the two.

"Yeah, I know. By the way, I go to Kuoh academy too, so good luck on your interview." Motohama explained, laughing alongside the young man.

"You're the second person I've met who's said that. I met a girl yesterday who came to Japan to study too." Issei smirked, recalling Rias's closeted Otaku antics.

"A girl too? You really are a player, man." Brad shook his head, beginning to pull out an assortment of sports jackets, shirts and other formal clothing.

"It isn't like that, she's a highschool girl I met yesterday." He explained, putting his hands up and shaking his head in denial. Though he wouldn't mind being with a girl like Rias, Issei was a boob man, after all.

"So you're going to be a teacher, and you're dating a highschool girl." Came Motohama's chuckle, before shrugging. "Man, if you dyed your hair blonde, you'd be the perfect gyaru-oh."

Issei nearly burst out laughing at the thought. Gyaru-oh's were a term for Japanese playboys, or in the west, known as 'Fuckboys'. To be stereotyped as one meant was a back-handed compliment, meaning he was handsome. He smiled at the thought while shaking his head.

"It isn't like that, but thanks, I guess. It's funny you say that, I was thinking of dyeing my hair blonde too." Issei continued, as Motohama handed him a massive assortment of clothes and shoes, ushering him toward a changing room. "Bro, this is way too much."

"Nah, I took a look at your stacks of cash. You can afford it. Now I want to see which outfit fits you." Motohama chuckled, pressing his glasses back up.

"I hate my life." Issei sighed, walking toward the changing room.

"You'll thank me when you get the job. By the way, who's the girl you're meeting? I think I might know her."

"Rias Gremory."

"YOU BASTARD! YOU FILTHY PLAYBOY, DIE A THOUSAND TIMES! YOU FAKECEL DOG!"

"What the fuck is a fakecel?"

---

"Damn, I actually look good." Chuckled Issei, glancing at his new outfit in the mirror.

"I told you to trust me. If I was the school director, I'd hire you on the spot, but I'd probably fire you. Young male teachers are the bane of the Kuoh male student body." Motohama smirked, glancing at Issei with pride - He'd managed to turn the sleazy, tracksuit donned boy into a well-dressed young professional.

He couldn't stop glancing at himself in the mirror - He never thought he'd ever wear a suit, yet here he was - A dark blue jacket, grey shirt, red tie, black vest and cream trousers. It weirded him out, he looked like a younger, better looking version of his father.

"Why would you fire me?" Issei chuckled back, leaving the changing room, his tracksuit folded up inside a leather duffle bag Motohama had given him.

"Because you'd steal all the girls from us."

"Nah. If I was your teacher, I'd do group projects and pair you with any girl of your choice." Issei grinned, shaking his head in laughter as the two walked toward the shop counter.

"Uwaah!" Motohama paused, tears suddenly streaming down his cheeks to his confusion - Was it something he said? "Sensei! Forgive me, I had you pegged for an evil playboy, but you truly are a hero! Please, accept this insolent one's forgiveness!"

"Uh, it's fine man, you don't need to do dogeza." Issei shrugged, looking down on the boy kneeling toward him, causing Motohama to stand back up and regain his composure. "Thanks again for the help. But you know, I'm not actually going to an interview, right?"

"You aren't? So why are you going to our school then? You look too old to be a student." Motohama asked, as the two approached the counter, with Issei pulling out his wallet. "Oh, by the way, I found some shoes for you too. I already know your size."

"How do you know my size?" Issei ignored the insult.

"I have powers bestowed upon me by the great god of eros." Motohama stated, readjusting his glasses, as he pulled up a pair of dark green, crocodile-like shoes, much to Issei's disgust - As nice as they were, they weirded him out.

"I am not wearing that."

"You will, if you want to leave here alive." Motohama spat, as Issei sighed and replaced his trainers with the shoes, which fit quite well to his surprise. "Told you I knew your size.

"Whatever, so how much do I ow-" Issei was cut off by the sudden scream from the entrance of the store.

"Motohama, you bastard!" Roared a voice, as a tall, well-dressed man walked toward the two, sunglasses covering his eyes. "Where is my money!"

"Please protect me, sensei." Motohama whispered, as the teenager ducked behind the counter.

"Oi, you! Have you seen a short boy with glasses anywhere?" The gruff man questioned Issei, pointing a finger toward him.

Taking a better look at this figure, Issei took note of his slicked-back black hair, the black, simple suit, the assortment of rings on his fingers and most importantly, the tattoo on his wrist, resembling that of a Japanese demon.

"Yakuza." He thought to himself, wondering what his new friend could possibly have to do with this gangster. "I have, why?"

"He owes me money."

"What for?" Issei asked, earning the Yakuza's scowl.

"Does it matter? Why do you care, do you know him?" The mobster spat back, beginning to crack his knuckles threateningly.

Issei stayed quiet, his poker face showing no expressions whatsoever. He was taller, stronger and faster than this older man by miles. It didn't matter how tough he was, as he noted the scent of alcohol and cigarettes wafting off his body. While he knew he could easily knock him out, he wanted to avoid a fight, especially in a store like this.

The problem with fighting Yakuza was that you wouldn't just fight one, but their entire family would make your life a nightmare to regain their 'honour' for losing. He'd heard stories about men attempting to play hero and fight one, only for their entire families to lose their homes and suffer violent attacks. It was better to diffuse the situation and move on.

Besides, Motohama was right, Issei was wealthy. What was the point of wealth if you couldn't use it to flex on people, and something in him had taken a liking to the boy, as if he'd known him his entire life, for some reason. Perhaps they knew each other as children, or they were brothers in another life, it was some sort of supernatural feeling Issei felt towards the teenager. He'd felt it with Rias too, as if destiny was pushing them together. He recalled how Ddraig once told him that those with sacred gears often come across people they're destined to befriend, love or kill. Perhaps Motohama was one of them.

"Motohama, stand up, it's alright." Issei gestured over to the boy, helping him stand up, before glancing back to the thug before them.

"Don't hide behind people from me, you coward. Where's my money?" The thug glared daggers at the shaked-up boy, as Issei stood between the two. "Get out of my way."

"How much does he owe you?" He asked calmly, hiding his wallet.

"Thirty thousand yen, plus collection fees - So let's say…" The Yakuza grinned, deciding to take advantage of him. "Fourty thousand yen, if you can pay that."

"Sure." Issei smirked, instantly pulling out a stack of Yen bills and handing it over to the thug, much to his surprise. "That's fourty-five thousand. The extra is for never speaking to him again."

"What makes you think I won't come back? He might come ask me for more money again." Replied the thug, beginning to sift through the bills.

"Because taking advantage of children goes against bushido." He explained, before suddenly bringing out his fist into a sucker-punch, stopping it barely an inch away from the surprised thug's face. "And, I'll beat the shit out of you and tell your boss that you've been preying on children for money."

"You asking for a fight, boy?"

"You're really going to fight me in a clothing shop after I paid his debt? Wouldn't that make you the aggressor?" Issei chuckled, before pulling out his phone. "Besides, I could take you easy."

"You're just lanky, what would you know about fighting?"

"Ever heard of Shamil the Red?" He retorted, causing the Yakuza's face to drop at the sheer mention of his mentor's name - He hated pulling that card, but he wanted to end this without violence.

"Wait, you're Shamil's brat? I thought he went back to Grozny." The thug continued, taking a better look at Issei. "You've really grown up, boy. Should've just told me who you were."

The shorter thug began to chuckle, pulling off his sunglasses to reveal a pair of sharp, brown eyes, a scar trailed across one of them. Issei's memories kicked back in, pausing before shaking his head in shock.

"No fucking way," He shook his head, before placing his hands against the Yakuza's shoulders in familiarity. "Uncle Tatsu?"

"You know it. God, I haven't seen you in so long. It seems like just yesterday I was picking you up from school…" Tatsu's voice lowered, before handing the money back to Issei. "I don't need this, seeing you again was more than enough."

"Nah, keep it. Why are you loan-sharking to little kids, I thought you were a driver?" Issei asked, refusing the money.

"I've been running out of jobs since Shamil left, so I've had no choice. I didn't even hand the money to four-eyes, I just came to collect it." Tatsu explained, bowing his head down to Motohama with an apology. "You're lucky, four-eyes. Don't worry though, I wasn't going to hurt him, just threaten him."

"You sure you're not just saying that because I'm here?" Issei laughed, before turning back to Motohama, Tatsu standing beside him. "Anyways, how much do I owe you, Motohama?"

The glasses-wearing boy was confused, more than anything. He'd gone from nearly wetting himself at the thought of paying off a debt he couldn't, to being saved by the young man he'd initially thought was just some idiot. He had to do something in thanks, even if he had no money.

"I'm sorry, Issei, I don't have any money to pay you back with, but I can give you a staff discount on the clothes…" Motohama continued, typing numbers into the till before continuing. "It's fourty-thousand yen. I'm sorry I couldn't do more."

"It's all good, right, Tatsu?" Issei eased him, turning toward the well-dressed, tattooed elder who stopped him, handing the stack of paper notes to Motohama.

"Let me cover this, consider it a late birthday gift to you, Issei." Tatsu smiled, before giving the change back to Motohama. "And keep this too. You probably need it more than I do."

"Thank you, sir." Motohama bowed with gratitude, to which Tatsu shook his head.

"Don't worry about it. Anyway, Issei. I'll be waiting outside, we need to catch up." The older figure nodded a final time, before walking away.

"Issei, how do you know him?" Motohama asked quietly as the thug left the shop, to which Issei chuckled.

"He used to drive me to and from highschool, he was my mentor's driver. Can't believe I didn't recognize him, it's been years since I saw him." Issei recalled, reminiscing over the good parts of his past.

"Mentor?" Motohama asked, recalling the thug's affiliation. "So you are Yakuza?"

"Nah, I used to uh…" Issei paused, he couldn't tell him he was a monster hunter. "I used to train in MMA fighting, my mentor was a coach from Russia."

"Russian fighter? So you're rich, know Yakuza and you're a fighter…" Motohama exclaimed. "Dude, you're like a sigma male!"

"What the fuck is a sigma male?"

"It's a meme, you wouldn't get it."

"Thanks, I guess. Anyway, I've gotta get going, I'll see you around… Wait." Issei paused, glancing back one last time at the boy. "Why aren't you in school, and why do you owe him money anyway?"

"I'm saving up." Motohama said, receiving Issei's ire. "Fine, fine. I needed to buy a manga from comiket!"

"Mangas aren't that expensive."

"It was a special kind of manga."

"It was hentai, wasn't it?" Issei shook his, shrugging his arms in disappointment.

"Maybe. You wouldn't get it! A playboy like you has no need for doujins when you're surrounded by women! I bet you have a girlfriend too, you monster!"

"Ex-girlfriend, actually." Issei chuckled at Motohama's scowl. "Actually, that reminds me, I'm selling all my old doujins too, interested?"

"I doubt they'd be my taste, I'm cultured." The teenager shook his head, brushing off his offer.

"I'm somewhat of a man of culture myself, you sure?" Issei chuckled.

"What tags?"

"Big boob MILF Impregnation vanilla ahegao." Issei whispered, ensuring no one could possibly overhear his degeneracy.

"You truly are a man of culture. Here, take my number." Motohama whispered back, handing the young man a small piece of paper with a phone number. "Message me when you want to sell them and your price."

"Sounds good, I'll see you around then…"

"You truly are a sigma male, Issei. I wish you were my teacher."

"For the last time, what the fuck is a sigma male?"

---

"I hate Christians so fucking much." Issei spat in rage.

His motorcycle tires were slashed in the pattern of a cross. He had no idea who, how or why, but they were slashed. The cuts went far too deep for him to repair, and he had no back-up tires. Rage filled his heart, hot blood pumping through his veins as his fist was clenched.

"My baby, my poor baby." He cried, falling onto his knees in sadness. "What did they do to you!"

"I'll take care of it." Tatsu's voice interrupted his whaling, placing a hand on Issei's shoulder as he comforted the boy. "It was like that when I came out, I saw a foreign priest looking man run away as I drove in. I'll ask around if anyone knows who he is."

"But my bike, Tatsu… I worked my ass off to buy her." Issei continued, refusing to let go of his bike. "Shit, I'm going to be late too!"

"Late for what?"

"I'm supposed to meet some girl at Kuoh academy." Issei exclaimed, remembering that he'd promised, he knew Rias would murder him if he showed up late.

"Relax, boy. Every man has to see their child go through abuse at least once, it's part of growing up." Tatsu replied, forcing Issei to stand up. "Besides, I know some mechanics. I just sent a message to someone to come pick it up."

"Tatsu… I love you!" Bawled Issei, embracing the older man before finally regaining his composure. "But I'll pay!"

"Don't worry about it, it feels good to take care of the youth now. All my lieutenants and boys are grown up, I need someone to spoil." The older man explained, as they walked toward a black, luxurious car, albeit old. "Get in, we'll be there in around ten minutes."

---

"So, Kuoh's been pretty safe nowadays and no one's really taking out loans because the economy is shit." Tatsu grumbled, on one hand on the steering wheel as the other held a lit cigarette between his fingers, puffing between sentences. "And no one wants a driver anymore, because all the young kids are too poor, or prefer taking public transport."

"Have you tried moving to Tokyo?" Issei raised an eyebrow while looking out the window. It was different to go around the town in a car over his bike, but a welcome change. For one, he didn't need to pay attention to the road.

"Fuck no. I hate the city - I'm old now, Issei."

"You're only in your forties."

"Yeah, I'm old. I haven't got a wife or kids, what am I supposed to do, get drunk? Hell, even this car is rented now. I need money so I can pay off the rest of my mortgage." Tatsu chuckled, shaking his head. "Hey, need a driver?"

"I haven't got a car." Issei shook his head, he toyed with the thought of it, it seemed great, but he had no need. "I'm not that rich either, maybe if I had more money and an actual job."

"Speaking of which, what are you up to nowadays?" Tatsu raised an eyebrow.

"Literally nothing."

"How are you able to afford that suit? It feels strange seeing you wear one, but it suits you." Tatsu shook his head, chuckling at the thought of it.

"Shamil left me a lot of money before he went back to Russia. I put it all into cryptocurrency and investments." He explained happily - It was one of the good things about the old Russian, he took care of his students.

"How much are you making a year then?"

"Five million yen." He shrugged, ignoring Tatsu's guffaw. "What, it's not that much."

"Boy, if I was making five million a year at your age, I'd be retired with four wives." The older, grizzled man shook his head. "The young kids are way too smart nowadays, I don't even know what a coinbit is."

"It's coin, uncle."

"Whatever. I miss the days where you could just work and buy a house at eighteen. Speaking of which, how are your parents doing, you still live at home?" Tatsu waved his hand, scoffing at the idea of having to even use a computer.

"We don't talk much, I live alone now." Issei shook his head quietly, attempting to dodge the topic. "It's a shitty studio apartment, but it's home."

"Uncomfortable topic? Don't worry about it." Tatsu was smart, being an old man in a business of those who die young, he knew when and how to read the scene. "So, any girls in your life?"

"Kinda. I dated a girl after highschool and it went to shit." Issei chuckled alongside Tatsu, beaming with pride.

"My boy." Tatsu smirked, turning left before cursing at the sight of a cyclist blocking his path. "Fucking cyclists, I'd run him over if you weren't in the car. Anyway, first relationship usually never ends well, anyone else, you still hunting too?"

This was a good situation to ask now. Issei recalled yesterday's event with Rias, and with the werewolf. Werewolves were native to Europe, central and west Asia. The supernatural world's borders were fairly hard to navigate through, unless you were part of the Abrahamic faction.

"I'd taken a break till yesterday," Issei paused. "Tatsu, I fought a werewolf yesterday."

"Don't fuck with me." He shook his head, chuckling at Issei before stopping, noting his deadpan expression. "Seriously? Where?"

"In the forest outside of Kuoh. I was going on a night ride and saw a girl fighting it, she nearly died because her magic didn't work on it, so I took care of it but… I don't know, it doesn't seem right." The brown-haired youth explained, recalling the events of the night prior.

"Werewolves in Japan don't just appear overnight, either someone came here on vacation and went wild, or…" Tatsu pondered.

"Or, someone purposely put it there, with malicious intent."

"Do the Devils know?" Tatsu asked, as Issei nodded.

"It was a Devil I saved yesterday - Some girl called Rias Gremory." He noted, before grunting as the car stopped suddenly, Tatsu glaring at him.

"You met a Gremory yesterday?" He roared at Issei with fear. "Did she ask you to join her peerage?"

"I said no." He shrugged.

"Good. Be careful around Devils, they run this whole fucking town." Tatsu shook his head, before restarting the car and returning to driving. "I dated a Devil years ago, before the Gremory's ran this town. They almost killed me for it."

"How'd you live?" Issei asked.

"It's how I met Shamil." He replied, the two chuckling at the mention of their mentor. "Anyway, I guess you're going to meet her, be careful."

"You know I will." Issei grinned, as the two began to pull up to a massive, old building, it's architecture reminiscent of Victorian England. "This Kuoh academy?"

"Yep, it seems like our journey ends here. Shall I wait for you?" Tatsu asked, as Issei shook his head.

"Don't worry about it, I'll walk home after. Thanks for driving me, Tatsu. We should meet more often." Issei smiled, giving the old man an awkward hug. "

"Wa- Ah, it's alright. I have your phone number, I'll call you tomorrow when your motorcycles is fixed, okay? Stay safe, Issei." Tatsu grinned with a final goodbye, as the boy exited the car.

---

Walking into the courtyard of the academy, he was greeted to the sights of students leaving, some looking at him or whispering about how he looked - The girls gleamed at him with fluttering eyes, while the boys envied him or thought he was a new teacher, yet he paid them no mind.

As he walked through the courtyard, noting the greenery and beauty of the entire building, he smiled - Part of him wished he were a teacher here, it seemed like a nice place to work. Approaching the entrance, he found himself stopped by a dark-haired girl, glaring at him with suspicion.

"Can I help you?" She coldly remarked, glaring at him up and down, her glasses hiding her eyes.

"Uh, yeah. I'm here to meet someone." Issei shrugged at the girl, surprised that someone so small could be so intimidated.

"I'm the student council president, as far as I'm aware, there were no interviews or meetings today with faculty… Are you picking a student up or…" The girl shook her head in disapproval - She was not having it.

"At least they take security seriously." He sighed.

"He's with me, student council president." Came the soft voice of a blonde-haired youth approaching them. Issei glanced at him with curiosity.

He was met with an incredibly handsome young man, while Issei wasn't into men personally, this boy was remarkably attractive, with his face belonging to something out of a fashion magazine - His hair, eyes and fair skin would've been the fantasy for almost any girl. Judging by how a number of girls stared at him, he wasn't wrong either.

The dark haired girl stopping Issei paused and sighed, beginning to walk away from the two, shaking her head.

"Next time, tell Rias to let me know if she's inviting anyone to the campus, he could've been a potential security risk." The girl said, as she walked back into the main building.

"I will, have a good day, miss Shitori." The blonde waved, as he turned back to Issei. "You must be Hyoudou, right? I'm Kiba Yuuto, my president sent me to fetch you."

"Just call me Issei, nice to meet you." Issei smiled, shaking his hand as Yuuto led the two toward an older building, still reminiscent of Kuoh's architecture. "Where are we going, by the way?"

"The president's peerage uses the old school building to meet up, under the guise of the Occult research club, so we don't disturb anyone else here." Yuuto explained, as Issei looked up at the window of the building to spot a trace of familiar red hair and smiled. "I'd like to thank you for saving my master last night. I wish I was there with her, but unfortunately, I failed at my duty."

The formality of Yuuto disturbed Issei. He could tell the boy was ashamed, and hurting, yet kept a close-guard to his emotions. Part of him wanted to break the ice, to try and engage in casual conversation, but it was as if he were locked off to him.

"It could've happened to anyone, she's fine, and that's all that matters." Issei explained, shrugging in memory. It hadn't been the first time he'd had to save someone from a monster, and it probably wouldn't be the last. "Regardless, thanks for showing me the way, this place is way too big for me to navigate solo."

"Tell me about it, it was overwhelming for me on my first day too." Yuuto chuckled, to Issei's surprise. He was able to finally break the ice. "My master tells me that you're a swordsman too, I haven't met one in Kuoh yet."

"Ah, yeah. I wouldn't say I'm a swordsman, my skills are alright." Issei chucked, humbling himself. "It's just that a lot of supernatural creatures are weak to a silver sword, so it comes with the part."

"So you kill a lot of supernatural creatures, is what you're saying… Are you with the church, Hyoudou?" Kiba paused for a split-second, and Issei could've sworn the boy's fist was clenched for a moment

"Only the ones that hurt humans, and if I was, why would I meet up with devils? I'm just a monster hunter for hire, I guess." Issei shook his head, diffusing the situation successfully.

"I apologize, I don't get along well with exorcists. Forgive me for assuming you were one." Yuuto sighed, giving Issei a friendly smile as the two approached the main door to the old building. "After you, just up the stairs to the top floor, and it's the only door there."

"It's fine, I'm not exactly a fan of Christians either after today," He chuckled, as the two walked alongside each other up the stairs. "Had one slash my tires."

"What? Was there a reason why?"

"Nah, I literally just walked out of a store and he tore it up. If I see him… He's a dead man." Issei grunted at the memory of his precious bike's damage.

"If you do, let me know. I'd be more than happy to help you avenge your bike." Yuuto chuckled, as the two shared another laugh. "And we're here, just open the door."

Issei nodded, before following Yuuto's directions and being greeted to a well-lit, well-furnished room. It was far too fancy for his taste, especially compared to his apartment. Hell, even the uniforms were too fancy. Mothama was right, his clothes let him feel at ease, if not overdressed.

Yuuto led him into the center of the room, where two ornate sofas sat across each other with a table in the middle, as a short, slender, white-haired girl sat eating snacks quietly. While he knew she was a devil, something about her, perhaps Issei's supernatural sense said more, as if she was a monster too, albeit an innocent one.

The girl felt the same way toward Issei, as her eyes instantly glared at him, piercing daggers up against his soul before taking a few seconds to determine he wasn't a threat, returning to eating her snacks, yet her nose shifted for a minute, glancing back at him with disgust.

"Koneko, this is Hyoudou Issei, he's the man that saved the president yesterday." Kiba awkwardly mentioned, chuckling as the girl ignored him to his disappointment. "Sorry Issei, when she's snacking, she tends to ignore nearly everyone."

"She reminds me of a cat." He blurted out loud by accident, before shaking his head in embarrassment, earning a curious glance from the white haired lolita.

"You really are a hunter, aren't you?" Yuuto chuckled, before Issei heard the sound of water spraying from behind him.

Turning around, he spotted the entrance to what appeared to be a bathroom, as someone was in the shower. The curtains hid her body, but the silhouette of the voluptuous, long-haired devil was unmistakable. He could see every curve on her body, and how she hummed to herself in the shower. It was adorable, if not erotic, judging by the blood rushing to his face.

"Akeno, a towel, if you would." Rias paused, as the shower turned off.

"Of course, president." Came the giggling voice of another, presumably older girl, as Issei turned away.

The sound of footsteps followed, as another, tall, voluptuous girl wearing the tight, elegant Kuoh uniform walked up to him, her black ponytail swaying with every movement in her hips, her deep, purple eyes gazing up. She was practically eyeing him up like a piece of meat, while Issei stood his ground.

"Yeah, I'd bang her." He chuckled to himself.

"Oh my, who's this that you've bought here, Yuuto?" She cooed, eyes taking in the sight of Issei, hips swaying with every movement, as Issei stood there, frozen by her looks. "And why is he so well-dressed and handsome?"

"I… Uh…" He stammered, taken aback by the compliment. "Handsome?"

"Oh, you must be Issei, right? I'm Akeno Himejima, Rias's queen and the vice-president of the Occult Research Club." She grinned, before placing a hand around his bicep to his shock.

"Bro?"

"Such strong hands too, I knew you'd be strong, being able to take care of a werewolf with ease." Akeno continued, as her lips trailed toward his ear, making him blush, as the hairs at the back of his neck stood up. "Maybe you can take care of something else for me, hm?"

Taken aback, Issei glanced at Yuuto, pleading for help with his eyes to no avail, as the blonde boy shrugged and looked away, chuckling at the sight of his helplessness. As Akeno's borderline sexual-assault continued, getting closer toward him.

"Holy shit, I think she's bigger than Rias too." Indecent thoughts scattered his brain, as her chest pressed up against his own, making Issei's brain turn to mush.

"So, you done groping me, or do you want five more minutes?" He whispered back into Akeno's ear, finally regaining his composure, earning her own blush.

"Maybe ten more minutes, you're too cute to let go." Akeno hummed back, before wrapping her arms around his back. "Firm too, I like it."

"Are you two done flirting?" Came Rias's annoyed voice, as she stood in front of them with a scowl on her face, before Issei blushed and the two separated.

"She came onto me, not my fault!" Issei shook his head frantically, Akeno giggling at his reaction. "Don't laugh, you started it!"

"Akeno, please stop harassing my guest." The redhead sighed, before walking over to the desk adjacent to the sofa, with Issei following and taking a seat opposite Koneko, earning her scowl.

"Fine, fine. I thought you brought me a present with him. I'll get the tea ready then." Akeno replied, as she left the room.

Resting against the comfortable sofa, Issei lay back, adjusting his coat and sighing. He still wasn't used to how these clothes fit, having mostly worn loose-fitting, comfortable clothes, as opposed to 'fashionable' suits that fit around his form. Part of it made him self-conscious, especially with Akeno ogling him earlier.

"Issei, I like your outfit, you look completely different now." Rias complimented him, as he nodded and thanked her silently.

"In a good way or a bad way?"

"Good, of course!" She exclaimed, sitting down on her own chair as Kiba sat beside him, smiling.

Akeno interrupted them as she returned with a cart of assorted snacks, a teapot and cups, before filling each cup with tea and handing them to everyone who sat down with a smile, before finally going to Issei.

"Any sugar in your tea, Issei?" She chirped, to which he shook his head, being handed a cup of fragrant tea.

"This is good, did you make this?" He hummed in delight, happily sipping away, Akeno nodding back. "You've got to tell me how you made it.

"I can come over and make it for you in person, if you like." She winked at him, as Rias placed a hand against her face in disappointment. "Just kidding, president."

"Why do you always go after the boys I bring here…" Rias murmured to herself, before shaking her head and looking back. "Okay, now that everyone's here, I wanted to introduce you to all my peerage personally. Everyone, this is Hyoudou Issei, he's the man that saved me last night!"

"Nice to meet you, Issei!"

"Hi."

"Hello there, please take care of me."

The occult research club members all greeted him with a smile, aside from the white-haired lolita, who continued to stuff herself with sweets, to Issei's confusion - How could someone so small eat so much?

"It's nice to meet you all. I'm assuming you're all devi-" He was cut off by the sudden emergence of bat wings from each member, making him jump in his seat, earning the laughter of everyone else in the room. "Don't scare me like that, it's like you want me to get a heart attack."

"Sorry, sorry. I just wanted to be on equal terms. So you know that my peerage and I are all devils, and you're a monster hunter, right?" Rias cheerily said, placing her elbows on the desk, hand in head.

"Yeah, I am." Issei nodded, he didn't want to be defensive, but had a feeling he was about to be asked questions that he wouldn't be comfortable with. "If a monster, beast, or a supernatural creature breaks the laws in the Human world, I get paid to take care of it, though I haven't been doing it much nowadays."

"How long have you been doing it for, then?" Kiba raised an eyebrow at him.

"Since I was thirteen." He nodded, memories of his childhood kicking in. "I was training back then, because some hunter saved me from a monster trying to kill me for my sacred gear."

"Sacred gear? I didn't know you had one, what is i-" Kiba continued, before being stopped by Rias's glare. Issei silently thanked her.

"It's cool, Rias. You're all friendly, so I have no reason to hide it. I've got a twice critical sacred gear, nothing special." Issei explained, though he wasn't exactly lying. The boosted gear was originally a twice critical.

"It's still impressive, I've heard some sacred gears house legendary beasts inside theirs, do you happen to have one?" Kiba asked, making Issei contemplate whether to tell them the truth.

"Nah, it'd be cool as hell though. Though, I probably would've been killed by now if I did have one of those. I've heard people with those kinds of sacred gears could kill gods." Issei remembered the lessons about the Longinus gears Ddraig told him about years ago.

"They can, they're called Longinus - Thirteen sacred gears with the power to potentially kill gods, if they're given enough time to develop and grow. It's unfortunate that most sacred gear users die early, due to the tragic fate of having one." Akeno sighed, shaking her head at the thought.

"Indeed. I've heard that there happened to be a longinus user in Kuoh too!" Rias chimed in. "Years ago, there was a rumor that one of the heavenly dragons incarnated into a man in Kuoh."

"No way." Issei replied, attempting to hide his stress - He was done for now. Rias had to have known his secret. "We're so fucked, then."

"Why's that?" Rias noted, raising an eyebrow in confusion. "It means this town is safer, since we'd potentially have a sekiyuutei guarding it."

"My mentor told me that people who wield the heavenly dragon sacred gears are prone to going insane and murdering random people, if not each other, in their pursuit of strength, if left unchecked." Issei groaned, part of it was true. If he ever came across the 'white dragon', he'd be a dead man - Dragons had no specific weakness, after all. "And I don't even know if I could take on a dragon."

"I'm sure it won't happen. Kuoh's a safe place, there's plenty of devils here guarding it too, after all." The redhead replied in a calming manner. "Anyway, that's a grim topic, let's talk about something else - I wanted to ask, Issei. We're all students here during the day, and do devil work at night, what do you do?"

"Nothing." Issei shook his head, as Akeno looked at him with concern.

"Nothing at all, Issei?"

"Nope."

"Then how do you make money? Or pay your bills? Do you live with your parents or something?" Akeno continued inquiring.

"I have money flowing in, I guess. Investments and stuff, so I'm comfortable for a while. I live alone now, and never really cared about university." Issei shrugged, happy to be out of school again. "I mean, I speak a bunch of languages other than Japanese, but that's about it."

"We don't even need to do that, Devils have a built-in translator." Rias reminded him.

"You're joking."

"I'm serious." Rias smirked smugly, ready to have him fall into her trap.

"I would kill to have that power, learning a language is a pain in the ass." He chuckled, shaking his head in remembrance of all the tests and courses he had to pass as a child. Sure, he got some qualifications from it, but it wasn't like he was doing anything with it. "You have no idea how much easier that would make life."

"Well, if you wanted that power, there is a way…" She played him, setting him up for the Devil question

"I'm not becoming a Devil." He cut her off, having anticipated it a mile way. "You really need to set it up better, dude. I saw that coming."

"Why not? There's tons of perks." Akeno whispered from above him, standing right behind him against the sofa.

Looking up, he saw a long, round shadow cast over him from Akeno's chest. The view was great, as much as it was embarrassing. He felt so small compared to those two. Part of him wanted to just grab them and see how soft they were, to hear her reactions. Curiosity overwhelmed him.

"I've got money."

"Perks like being with me all the time?" She hummed into his ear.

"Akeno." Rias chordled, causing the dark-haired girl to nod and move away from her with an innocent giggle.

"Are you jealous, president?" Akeno winked, sticking her tongue out at Rias in a playful manner.

"Maybe, I want to ask Issei more questions, but you keep distracting him!" The redhead whined, almost like a spoiled child.

"How about you two just sit next to me, there's space here." He interrupted the two, shifting his body till there was an empty space on either side of him.

To his surprise, the two girls called his bluff, both huffing and sitting by either side of him, beginning to make him nervous. Dealing with one girl at a time was hard enough for the young man, both up there and down below, but two? It could easily lead to trouble for a man in his prime like Issei. Not to mention that his hormonal profile was vastly stronger than the average man from all drugs he'd taken as a kid. The brunette exuded testosterone.

"Give me a little bit of space, you two are crushing me." He chuckled while being sandwiched between the two girl's chests.

"You're double our size, though, if anything, you're squishing us." Rias corrected him.

"I don't mean width." Issei shook his head, as Akeno caught his meaning, beginning grab a hold of his arm and press it between her two breasts, whether intentional or not, he nearly jumped out of his chair, yet her grip was far too strong. "Akeno, chill."

"What's wrong, Issei? Your arms are so big after all, I just can't seem to move, it's almost like you're purposely trying to squish me." She teased, as his brain overloaded for a split-second.

"That's not what's being squished right now, woman." He hissed back.

"She's right too, what do you mean being squished? Your thighs are thicker than ours, you're the biggest person here." The redhead agreed, as she leaned in toward him, her own breasts pressing up against his other hand.

"How the hell are you two so dense?" He sighed, shaking his head to the pair's dismay.

"Eh? Did the werewolf punch you on your head or something?"

"I MEAN YOUR FUCKING TITS, OKAY? THEY'RE SQUISHING ME!" He gave up, roaring at them with a thick, red blush on either cheeks, standing up and exhaling slowly. "YOU SHE-DEVILS ARE EVIL!"

"That's not an insult, we are devils." Akeno corrected him.

"I hate you people so much." He whined, as the entire clubroom began to laugh alongside him.

---

The afternoon was the most fun he'd had in a while. He was able to joke around, make new friends and share moments with a group of people who were friendly, and welcoming. Sure, it was probably under the guise of Rias making him comfortable enough to recruit him into her peerage, but he accepted it regardless.

Part of him wanted to join, but being a Devil would've made him weak to silver - A crucial metal in the life of a hunter. He'd committed to his current lifestyle, and his responsibilities as a hunter were more important than being another Devil. Kuoh had plenty of devils, but there was only one Hyoudou Issei. And there seemed to be no shortage of monsters, judging by how the werewolf suspiciously dropped into the town. He could only imagine what other parts of Japan were plagued by, if his quiet town had problems.

But right here, right now, he wasn't the monster hunter, he was just a young man spending time with his new friends, drinking tea and talking about life. That's all that mattered, he was allowed time off.

"Hey, Issei." Rias called out to him, a pair of reading glasses sat on her ears as she skimmed through a book while the rest of the occult research club began to tend to their usual chores.

"What's up?" He called back, while he helped Akeno move away the remaining teacups. It was the least he could do for offering him hospitality, he needed to be polite. He'd also grown fond of the girl, part of him enjoying her forward flirtatiousness.

"You said you speak English, right?" She asked, to which he nodded. "My father owns the school, so vacancies would be easy to get… And since you're not really doing much, would you like a job?"

"Nah." He shook his head, he liked the NEET lifestyle.

"Come on! It'll give you something to do other than kill things, it'll also keep us closer! Plus, you'll get paid quite generously, Kuoh academy staff have lots of benefits." Rias pleased, attempting to convince him.

"What kind of benefits?" He paused.

"Free car, healthcare, tuition fees, housing fees, a bunch of other stuff too…" The redhead went on.

The idea of salary and a free car piqued his interest - He'd always wanted a car, though he wouldn't know what to do with it, but it sounded good. Housing fees covered meant he wouldn't have to pay rent, meaning more money. While he was comfortable, having more income seemed great, and it gave him a career he could rely on if his investments were to go to shit, as unlikely as they were.

More importantly, a car and salary meant he could help out Tatsu. While he'd only just met the old man again, he meant a great deal to Issei growing up and being supportive. Having the opportunity to reunite and stop him from working for the Yakuza by employing him as a driver seemed beneficial to both of them. After all, Tatsu was a man that could get things done, and Issei needed more connections if he were to live in Kuoh.

He could even get a mortgage for a big house and retire early, though technically, he was already retired.

"Sheesh, that's actually good. What's the job?" Issei's interest was piqued now, he wanted to learn more.

"How would you like to be an English teacher?" She smiled.

"Are you joking? Don't I need a degree?" He raised an eyebrow, far too pessimistic to take this for granted. "And I've never had experience as a teacher."

"You'll just start off as a trainee teacher, but I think you'll be fine!" Rias went on. "Plus, all clubs need a teacher to supervise them, and none of the faculty are aware of the supernatural, so you'd be doing me a favor too - We both win."

"Sheesh, that sounds too good to be true. I don't have to join your peerage if I get employed, right?" He chuckled, shaking the back of head with a smirk.

"No, though the offer is always on the table." Rias nodded, before returning to her book.

"Thanks, Rias. I appreciate it, you're too nice." Issei thanked her, sitting by her.

"Of course, I just think it's a waste for you to do nothing, you have so much potential." She gleaned at him. "You could do so much, seeing you fight, and seeing you here talk to everyone and treat them well, it's so rare to find someone who's kind and strong, it's a trait that a king needs to find in their servants."

"I used to hear that a lot growing up." Issei looked up at the ceiling, his voice dropping to a softer tone, fist clenched in anger. "Being told I'm wasting my potential, when I was doing my best and living life how I wanted. It's partially why my parents and I cut contact."

Rather than say anything, Rias placed her hand over his own comfortingly, before looking at him with a reassuring smile. It made him feel something he hadn't felt in a long time - Something stirred up within, he couldn't tell if it was passion or happiness, but he liked it.

"You're doing amazing. I'm considered an adult in the underworld, raised in a noble household and I'm often told I'm wasting my potential." She quietly confided in him. "I've got a reputation to uphold because of my family name, so the stress and talk of potential can be overwhelming for me too. You came from a Human family, and you're one of the strongest people I've met, especially for someone at our age. I don't think most devils I know could take on a werewolf like that… Except for him."

"Thank you, Rias. It means a lot." He replied softly, wanting to do nothing more than hug this girl, to cradle her in his arms. Issei hated how intimacy-starved he was, where every thought in his brain told him to kiss and cuddle this girl for showing him a simple display of friendship. "And him? Who are you talking about?"

"My cousin, he lives in the underworld. You remind me of him in a few ways." Rias explained. Sairaorg was one of her closest friends and family members, always supporting her in her endeavors. "He's insanely strong and a gym freak, which is looked down upon, because most Devils don't believe in training or improving themselves."

"Sounds like a cool guy. I want to meet him one day." He smiled, he'd barely met anyone his age who worked out, with most Japanese people avoiding the gym, and the ones that did being foreigners twice his age.

"You might, though he rarely comes to the Human world. I feel like you two might get along too well." Rias rolled her eyes at his enthusiasm.

"Worried I might get along with him better than you?" He smirked, chuckling at Rias's scowl. "I'm joking, you're my favorite red-haired devil."

"I'm the only red haired devil you know." She reminded him, playfully poking him.

"Okay, and? Doesn't change the fact you're my favorite." He reminded her, as the two shared another laugh, before Issei glanced over the book she was reading. "What are you reading?"

"A book about romance, I don't think you'd be into it." She explained.

"What makes you think I'm not into romance novels? What's it about?" Issei shrugged, reading alongside her, with no idea what was going on.

"It's about a boy and a girl living on an island, the girl being from a noble family, and the boy a fisherman. They love each other, but they can't get married due to the difference in their status, but the boy goes out of his way and goes away on a trip to get money and status so he can go back to the village and marry her." Rias passionately explained, going into detail over the novel.

"Do they get together in the end?"

"Yes, they do. It's why I love it so much, it's so simple. The girl promises to wait for him and they do, and they end up happy. It's the kind of romance I like." She smiled at the thought, before closing the book and placing it to the side.

"Sounds like you've read it a lot."

"This is my seventh time reading it."

"Nerd." Issei laughed at Rias's scowl, as she delivered another playful slap to his face. "I'm kidding, I read books like that too. I guess it'd make sense you like it, the girl being from a noble family and getting to choose the one she loves, rather than having an arranged marriage."

The redhead paused over his last words, her blue eyes dizzily staring into space for a few moments, before she shook her head and returned to him. He said something he shouldn't have.

"Did I say something close to home? My bad." He remarked, as she shook her head.

"No, it's not that. You're right, I do believe that people should be allowed to be with who they love, rather than have it forced upon them. I just wish other devils thought the same way." She sighed, reminded of her parent's decision.

"Humans practice it too, sadly. But a relationship based on love isn't exactly a cakewalk. It has its own problems too." Issei replied, mimicking a sigh with his own. His relationship with Yuuma had it's own share of struggles, especially toward the end.

"Ah, yeah…" Rias said, recalling what he said about his relationship yesterday, and the cold despair in those sharp, hazel eyes she'd grown fond of. "Do you mind if I ask what happened with you and your former lover?"

"We were having fights over some couple problems, she needed to move back home from work, being a foreigner and all." He remained quiet, sadness in his eyes. "She said that I was making her life harder, and decided to choose her career over me."

It wasn't a lie, Yuuma did have to go back for work, he just left out the key fact that she was part of the Grigori.

"I'm sorry to hear that, I've never had a relationship or anything at all, so I'm not sure what to say… Still, I'm here for you, if you ever need to talk, Issei." Rias said sympathetically, wrapping her soft, pale hand against his thick, calloused palms.

"Don't worry about it, I'm glad to have you guys in my life. I haven't had any friends in my life for the past few months, so it's a welcome change." He smiled back at her, squeezing her hand. He was no stranger to intimacy, despite being starved of it. Being with Yuuma had taught him a lot about women, especially how to make moves. "It's only been a day, but I like being with you guys, especially you, Rias."

"I-Issei," She stammered, checking to see if any of her peerage were watching them, before continuing. "Not here, at least…"

"I like it here, though." He smirked.

"I… I can't." She shook her head, shifting away from him. "It's too soon, we should get to know each other first… As friends, at least. You can't just jump onto a girl as soon as you meet her."

She didn't know what she wanted. On one hand, she was happy that this handsome, strong man was getting intimate with her, yet… It seemed too good to be true - She barely knew him, and all he'd ever mentioned was her ex and his life. By trade, Issei was a monster hunter, for all she knew, he could kill her if she acted out of bounds with him, even if she doubted he was capable of it. Still, he was kind and treated her well.

She needed time to think about it, the way he held her hand made her too comfortable. Her parents would lose it if they saw this, and only Satan knew what her brother was capable of.

Issei grasped the situation rather quickly, nodding and standing up, beginning to keep his distance from the girl - He didn't even intend to hold her hand like that, it's as if something took over. Perhaps it was his natural instinct as a man, or the fact he was far too lonely for his own good.

"My bad, I didn't mean it like that, I apologize." He murmured, shaking his head at her reaction.

"No, no. It's not your fault, it's just… I've just never had experience with a man before in any way, so this is new to me too. I think we both just got caught up in the moment." Rias apologized, nodding in agreement with him, as the two awkwardly shuffled their feet in embarrassment.

"Yeah, you're right. It's still my bad, I should probably get going now anyway, it's late." Issei nodded back, waving her goodbye. "Have a good evening, thanks again for inviting me over."

"Wait, Issei!" She called out to him, rushing toward the brunette, as he headed for the door.

"Yea-" To his surprise, he was silenced with a final hug from the girl, resting her head against his chest, as he returned the hug and patted her back.

"Come back tomorrow, okay? Same time. I like having you around too." Whispered the redhead into his ear, before moving away from him. "You smell nice, by the way. I'll have Akeno walk you out."

"I'll be here, don't worry."

---

"I saw what you did with the president, Issei." Akeno giggled as the two walked down the dark courtyard of the academy, Issei admiring how different the building looked at night, how the stars and street lights illuminated and contrasted with the greenery - It was a pleasant sight, it would've been nice to teach here. "It was bold, I have to admit. You're quite manly, you know."

"Am I? It just happened out of the blue." He chuckled, attempting to dodge the topic. Akeno seemed far more experienced when it came to romance and dealing with the opposite sex compared to her master, especially with the way she carried herself. "We're friends, it just got a little awkward."

"Mm, sure. I'll let it slide, but still," The dark-haired girl continued, Issei struggling not to stare at the sway of her body with every step she took. "You know, if it doesn't work out with her, I wouldn't mind getting to know you better. You're a great guy."

He stopped in his tracks for a second, confused at what she meant. Did this girl get the wrong idea? Did she think he was some kind of playboy that just went after the first girl in his way? Part of him began to think he was, with the way he confidently toyed with Rias, but to him, it was just second nature.

"What do you mean by that, are you asking me out?" He inquired, his sharp eyes gazing into her amethyst orbs.

"I didn't say anything of the sort, I just said that I'd like to get to know you better - Maybe as friends, maybe as lovers." Akeno stuck her tongue out at him, placing a hand against his shoulder. "The choice is yours."

"You're trying to wind me up, aren't you?" He chuckled, dismissing her advances, before continuing. "But I appreciate it. I wouldn't mind it though, we should go out sometime, maybe get a coffee or whatever people do nowadays. I'm pretty inexperienced when it comes to this stuff."

"Inexperienced? But you used to be in a relationship, and the way you talked to president Rias seemed like a man who knew what he wanted - I like that in a guy, being confident." Akeno admitted she did find him attractive, and they both knew the feeling was mutual.

"Eh, even if that were the case, I might be too busy or out of your life. What if I'm out fighting monsters, or with another girl? I'd be a shit boyfriend and husband, letalone a father. Probably worse than my dad." He sighed, chuckling when he remembered how his own father used to treat him.

"Forgive me if I'm prying too much, but do you not speak to your father often?" Akeno asked, tone switching from her usual bubbly self to concerned, and almost… Sympathetic? Issei couldn't tell.

"Yeah, we stopped talking after I finished highschool, we had some arguments over typical father-son stuff, and I moved out. I probably sound like a loser, it's not really a good look for a man to have a bad relationship with his parents anyway." He shrugged, dismissing the past as the past, he'd dwelt too long on it anyway.

"Oh no, I don't think that's always the case. I mean, I completely understand where you're coming from…" Akeno murmured, as her own eyes glanced up in the sky as the two walked together, her voice trailing off. "My father and I don't really speak often either, in fact, I'm torn between whether I simply dislike him or outright hate him."

"I don't mean to pry, but if you're not comfortable telling me about it, I understand." He smiled at her sympathetically, as she nodded back. "I get it though, I'm glad I found someone who gets it too. Do you live alone as well, then?"

"Mhm, my mother was a shrine priestess, so I live by the shrine too. When I'm not busy with my Devil duties, I'm usually there, though it does get lonely sometimes." She confided in him, as he listened silently and attentively.

"My place is a shitty studio apartment, though I might move out soon, the landlady's driving my rent up like crazy. God, I hate landladys so much." He chuckled, he disliked them, yet he wanted to be one himself.

"I'm fortunate enough that Rias pays all my bills, or I'd be there too. I thought you were rich though." Akeno giggled with him.

"Rich? I'm comfortable."

"That's something rich people say." Akeno chided.

"Sure, sure. If I was rich, I would be driving a nice car, instead of a cheap bike." He shook his head, before remembering what happened to his bike. "Shit, I just realized that my bike's in repair too."

"Do you want me to walk you home, I don't mind!" She reassured him, staying by his side. "I do have a contract with a client to fulfill, but I can delay it if it means walking you home safely."

"I kill monsters for a living, I'm sure I'm the most dangerous thing walking down the street, Akeno. But thank you for the offer, I'll be fine." He laughed, shaking his head to dissuade her. "Besides, you should focus on your contract, I'd hate to delay you and make your life that much harder."

"Look at you, being so considerate and acting so tough! The big bad hunter's going to keep the streets of Kuoh safe. What happens if I act like a naughty devil, are you gonna hunt me down too?" She laughed with him, poking fun at his act.

"I might do, though you'd be pretty different to the things I normally fight."

"How so?"

"Most monsters I fight aren't cute girls." He smirked.

"I bet you use that line on all the girls," She giggled, shaking her head. It didn't work. "I bet it worked on Rias though, didn't it?"

"How'd you know?"

"Woman's intuition."

"That's bullshit." He shook his head at her smug grin. "She told you, didn't she?"

"Yep," Akeno nodded in agreement. "She also said some other things about you."

"Like?"

"It's girl talk, I can't say it out loud." She stopped him with a shush. "Besides, Rias means a lot to me too, so I have to make sure the men she invites over aren't bad people."

"Am I a bad person?"

"Maybe."

"Really?"

"No."

"Thanks, Akeno, that really makes me feel at ease." The brown-haired man sarcastically remarked. "Hey, I want to ask something personal, if that's alright."

"Go ahead, I might not answer it though."

"It's fine. Do you like… Like Rias, in that way?"

"That's a tough question, but yes and no. I find her attractive as a woman, but romantically, no. I prefer men." Akeno explained, a finger on her lip as her eyes looked up to ponder the question.

"So basically, you'd do her, but you wouldn't date her." He nodded.

"Crude, but yes. Why do you ask?" She inquired.

"Dunno, just felt like something I needed to get off my chest." He shrugged,

"Do you like her that way?" Akeno noted, as he shook his head.

"Same as you, I wouldn't date her because there's a lot to unravel there." Issei shook his head, he didn't want to go there, at least not yet.

"What about me?" Akeno winked.

"What about you?"

"Would you date me?"

"If I say yes, you'll tease me, if I say no, I'd be lying. Besides, I'm still kind of getting over my last relationship." He explained, earning Akeno's nod.

"I understand. Heartbreak's tough, isn't it? We've both been through a lot, it seems." She sighed, shaking her head. "Perhaps we could comfort each other one day? Just as two friends?"

"I'd like that, yeah. I'll be there for you anytime, Akeno." He hummed, giving the girl a farewell hug, before beginning to set off home.

"And I for you, Issei. Will you come back tomorrow? I want to see you again, though it might make Rias jealous." Akeno whispered back, her arms refusing to let go of him until she had an answer.

"Of course. You guys are all my friends now, I can't leave you be so quickly, can I?"

"And when your motorcycle's fixed, give me a ride on it too like you gave the president, it's only fair." She continued.

"You're making a lot of demands to a man you just met." He groaned.

"And you're hugging a girl you just met. Maybe you really are a playboy." She hummed back, slowly breaking away from him.

"Touche, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Don't die on your way home, or I'll kill you."

"I'll be dead anyway."

---

This day was too good to be true, aside from the incident with his bike. He walked home with hands in pockets gleaming with happiness. Perhaps life was smiling on him again, getting to walk alone and be his own man. He pondered to himself about life, about his fate and what he should be doing.

The job as a teacher seemed fruitful and lucrative, he could build a career and make more money, potentially buy a house and have a car. It meant he could get some stability and make something of himself, contrary to what his parents said to him for so long. He never wanted to work, he wanted to be free, but sometimes a man has to compromise to meet his goals.

That, and experimenting with the boosted gear in the morning to see how far he could push his hypertrophic growth, he wanted to be as strong as he could get for the future. Judging by that one werewolf encounter, more monsters were to come, and he needed to be as ready as possible. Issei realized he'd probably need more weapons too, but Tatsu could help him with that, the old man knew nearly everyone in Kuoh and some shady folks in Tokyo. If he was lucky, he could even get a gun or two.

As he walked through a dark alleyway, dirty and sleazy, his supernatural senses tingled, yet he knew he shouldn't look behind him - When being followed by someone, or something, never give away that you're aware of them, or they'll instantly get the jump on you. He needed to continue at his regular pace and get somewhere where he had even ground with them.

Looking through the windows past him, Issei spotted the reflection of white-robed figures, with hoods covering their faces, all armed with swords. It was at least five or six. White robes probably meant church fellows, exorcists, if anything. Though he wasn't a devil, which made no sense.

Unless they'd been watching him for a while. He thought earlier of the motorcycle, but it had no connection to the devils. Except for the fact that Rias had been on it. Meaning he'd been seen with her by them, perhaps they thought he was a devil too, or a devil's accomplice?

But the abrahamic factions had a peace treaty, meaning they couldn't attack non-stray Devils or their accomplices. Regardless, he continued on, trekking through till he reached a park. He knew this park well, having gone there to train often as a child, any advantage he could gain against people would be a welcome one. As he sped up his walking pace, the Exorcists followed, the sounds of their boots stamping against the ground as if marching, their hands on their swords.

They were preparing for a fight.

"Fuck." He cursed, he had no weapons, they were all in his motorcycle or at home.

As he approached the center of the park, he spotted his approaching attackers through the reflections in the puddles - They were ready, yet he was unarmed, and he really didn't want to use the boosted gear. Despite the difference in their strength, Issei wasn't proficient nor confident enough to try unarmed combat - The thought of learning a grappling or striking art in the future crossed his mind, in case he ever had to deal with this again, but he needed to improvise something for the moment. Fortunately, luck hadn't abandoned him, as the boy spotted a steel pipe resting in the nearby fountain.

Grasping the handle of the pipe, he was pleased - Only three feet long, lightweight and tough, a fair bit of rust, but strong enough that it could take out a man if he struck them on the head with it. It was all he needed - He was ready.

Turning around, he faced his attackers as they all began unsheathing their blades, their faces glaring at him with stoic, emotionless faces. It's as if they were under the influence of drugs, or just very well trained, but well-trained exorcists were usually kept within Europe, rather than coming to Japan.

"Alright, before we fight, at least tell me why I'm being hunted." He sighed, scratching his head in irritation.

"You consorted with Devils, we've seen you twice now, once escorting one home, the second time meeting with their at their base of operations." Grunted the nearest exorcist of the bunch, presumably the leader.

"They were devils? Dude, you should've warned me, I just wanted to get with hot highschool girls. Is that a crime?" Issei chuckled, waving the pipe around carelessly.

"Do you find consorting with God's enemies a laughing matter?" He spat back.

"I find following an unarmed man a laughing matter, especially when you need more than several armed exorcists to kill one man." The brown-haired hunter shrugged back.

"Take it as a compliment, we've seen what you did to the dog." Shrugged the exorcist, slowly approaching him.

"So you were the ones who bought it here? That goes against the supernatural laws." Issei shook his head in disapproval. "And you fucks were the ones that took out my tyres too, weren't you?"

"Perhaps." The exorcist chuckled. "Now shut up and die."

"Fuck." He spat, beginning to hyperventilate, as adrenaline began to course through his blood, Issei prepared himself to fight.

The first exorcist instantly rushed toward him with a steel blade brought overhead. As fast as he was, Issei was faster, slamming the steel pipe against the exorcist's temple with a loud thud, wincing as a cracking sound escaped the man's skull upon the strike, causing the first attacker to fall on the floor.

Without a second thought, he grabbed the steel sword and rushed at the second one approaching him, this man far faster and more prepared than the first, blocking Issei's first strike and slashing his blade against the hunter's chest, cutting into his new jacket, before Issei lunged with the sword and pierced him through the heart, blood splattering over both his blade and his clothes to his dismay. The last breath escaping him was a grunt, as Issei turned behind him, aware of the third man sneaking up to deliver a backstab.

But if these men were like wolves, Issei was a tiger. He roared back before bringing his sword up to his black, deflecting the next strike and grabbing ahold of his fallen comrade's sword, spinning his body around as the blade connected with this man's throat, slicing a two-inch deep cut in, causing him to collapse and clutch his neck in pain.

"That's half of them done." He thought, looking up to see the other three standing by each other, inviting him to strike them down.

Yet, he knew it was a trap, he was familiar with group fighting strategies to take down a stronger opponent. Going in would just lead to an injury or two he didn't want. With all his might, he held one sword back and flung it at the group of men, who deflected it with ease.

"That's it?" Roared one of three with laughter. "You need to learn to throw better."

"It's called a distraction." Issei hissed, as he snapped his fingers to summon a small fireball, hurling it at them as the three men separated to avoid the blast, letting the fire dissipate against the stone brick flooring.

It was all he needed, as the hunter rushed toward the closest man and bought his blade up against the man's thigh. Issei's cuts were precise and efficient, wasting no energy on heavy attacks or strikes - He'd been taught Human anatomy, and he knew exactly where to cut to disable his opponents quickly. After all, in some cases, the most dangerous monster wasn't a werewolf or a vampire, but a human.

His next victim howled in pain as one of his legs began to spray blood all over, as the next one rushed at him, nearly striking Issei, as the hunter used his free hand to grab the man by the shoulder and used his brute force to throw him onto the ground, stabbing his sword into the man's chest, silencing any shouting or whining he could muster.

However, this flurry of rage Issei displayed gave enough time for the final exorcist to be prepared - Far bigger and taller than the rest, the man stood taller than the already-impressive build of the hunter, easily dwarfing him in both height and build, wielding two massive blades, as Issei pulled out a steel sword from his previous victim's chest and growled a primal, animalistic roar, running up to the final man with a lunge, yet the exorcist blocked it with ease using only one sword.

"Shit." Issei spat. He'd miscalculated, he wasn't expecting this one to be stronger than his comrades, but he'd pay the price for it.

The exorcist grinning, bringing his other blade back and attempting to stab the brown-haired hunter right through the heart, causing Issei to narrowly dodge, using his arm to block the strike, causing a deep gash to form on his right arm. He was lucky, yet again, the blade not striking any vitals. He was thankful for what muscle mass he had left protecting him, before jumping back and preparing himself for a second attack.

"You're strong, but I will avenge my comrades, hunter." The exorcist spat, shaking his head. "I was trained by Vasco Strada himself, remember that when you wake up in Hades."

"Why would I engage you in a swordfight when I can do this?" Issei shook his head. He preferred to save magic for the beasts, but he refused to risk any further injury to his body, as he snapped his fingers to summon a spark of electricity, channeling it through the metal of his sword.

"Cute." The exorcist chuckled. "But your magic is weak."

"It's not about how big someone's mana pool is," Issei grinned, before delivering another strike against the exorcist, only for it to be parried by his blade yet again. "It's about how you use it."

"What does that me-" The exorcist howled in pain before finishing his sentence, as sparks of electricity channeled through Issei's blade traveled through his to his assailant's blade, all the way to his body, shocking him thoroughly, till fumes escaped his body.

"It means shut the fuck up and die." The hunter whispered, as his opponent fell onto his knees. Issei held his blade up high, before slamming it against his neck, decapitating him in one fell, clean sweep.

He made it, but with a wound too. He'd gotten rusty at fighting humans. He really did need to start training again, but no idea where to start. He took a look at the scene, and the mess of limbs, blood and swords stained the park. Issei sighed, he loved this park, it was a shame it'd be closed off as a crime scene. Beginning to pick up each sword, he channeled flames through the hilts to dispatch of any fingerprints, before beginning to walk on home, one hand pressed up against his wound to reduce the bleeding.

---

"You what?" Rias shouted at him, causing him to wince. Even if it was over the phone, her shrillness made him put the phone away for a moment.

"A few exorcists followed me home, presumably strays and attacked me, I took care of them, but you should be careful." He explained, as he began to douse his wound and wrap it in bandages.

An assortment of herbs, ointments and bandages lay across his counter. He'd been trained in first-aid and the use of certain herbs to speed up healing. Hunters healed far faster than normal Humans, so he knew that he'd been fine after a night of sleep, but he still needed to avoid any infections and compress it to ensure he was back in full condition tomorrow.

"That's… Unheard of." Rias sighed, she'd had a long day of devil contract work and paperwork - All the girl wanted was to finish her night off with a bath. "I'll need to inform my brother about what's going on, this isn't right."

"They're also the ones who bought the werewolf here. Something's up." Issei agreed, sighing as he finally finished patching up his wounds. The young man scavenged for a cigarette, alighting it with magic and huffing away, nicotine numbing his brain slowly.

"Are you smoking, Issei?" The redhead scowled. "You know that isn't healthy, right?"

"Hunters don't get cancer." He ignored her, she wouldn't get it. "I'll be fine."

"It's still bad! Do you want me to come over? I can help you heal up."

"Like I said, I'll be fine. It takes a lot to kill a hunter. I'll be fine after I sleep." He continued, refusing her offer - He didn't want to take any more of her time, and he wanted to be alone, it'd been a long day for both of them.

"Alright, but if anything happens, just call me, okay?" She continued, worried. "I still want to see you tomorrow."

"You will, I'll be good." He grunted, too entranced by his cigarette to muster a worthwhile reply. "Goodnight Rias, it's better if you stay at home and tell your peerage to stay indoors."

"Good night Issei, take care." Rias said, as he hung up the phone.

Things were far too unordinary for his liking. First the werewolf, now the exorcists, and Yuuma's arrival coming soon - It smelt like Grigori. Though he couldn't do much about it, he was still just a monster hunter for hire. Fallen angels were out of his jurisdiction, laws dictated he take payment for killing a monster. Killing an abrahamic creature could lead to war, or at the very least, questioning from people who could have him killed without a second thought.

Whatever was coming to Kuoh, Issei had to be ready. He needed to train harder, he needed better weapons and potentially, magic. Perhaps it was time to reawaken Ddraig.

New years eve Omake:

He stood on the balcony of his apartment, clothed in nothing but a pair of boxers. It'd been a long day for him, as he felt a pair of soft arms run up against his back, before turning around to plant a kiss against her cheek.

"It feels so nice to be here, just us." Akeno whispered into his ear, her hands wrapped around him, breasts pressed up against his arm. He returned her embrace with one of his own, as she reciprocated a kiss against his neck.

"It is, I've been wanting to get away for a while." He nodded, agreeing with his lover, her long, black hair no longer in its usual ponytail, flowing with the wind. "You look better with your hair out, but you should only do this around me, I like the privilege of having you all to myself."

"You're too much sometimes, Issei." She murmured, blushing at his compliment.

Gone was the awkward, stammering Issei, or the cold, violent hunter. Here was a different side of him, one she'd grown to like the most - The passionate, strong man she'd grown to love. When he invited her on a date for new years eve, she didn't realize he meant taking her to a hotel away from Kuoh, to see the mountains in Hokkaido. The girl didn't even mind the cold breeze, standing in nothing but her lingerie. The way he held her in his strong arms made it all the better.

"Hey, Issei." Pouted Akeno, as the two gazed into one another's orbs. "Why did you ask me of all the girls to come with you, even over Rias?"

"You know why." He chuckled, dismissing the idea of how the red-head would react if she found out.

"No, seriously." Akeno pressed on, shaking her head at his poor excuse.

"Because you mean a lot to me, Akeno." Issei hummed, bringing his lips just inches away from her ears.

She blushed harder, as he tightened her in their warm embrace, sliding his hands down her back. It felt nice to do this, not to be disrupted by the other girl's jealousy. It was as if no matter how much affection he showed any of them, it was never enough, they'd always conspire to one-up another. Akeno knew this too, yet she still wanted validation from him, to be reminded why she was so important to him.

"What about me stands out?" She whimpered for a moment, she was no different to the other girls when it came to competing for his affection. "Sometimes, I just.."

"You can tell me anything, you know that."

"Sometimes, I just feel like a girl with daddy issues that uses you to make me feel better, don't you ever see that, Issei?" A hushed whisper escaped her lips, as she buried herself back in his chest with embarrassment - She never thought she'd be able to say that to him. "I try to be the caring one, as her queen, but I feel like I'm always second to Rias, no matter what I do."

"You know that's just your insecurities talking." He shrugged. "To me, you're the strong, beautiful, caring girl that's always there for all of us, no matter what happens. But even you need to remember that we're all there for you - That I'm there for you. Your troubles, your pain, it's mine, Akeno. I'll never leave you. You're not second place to anyone."

"And you always know what to say! It's as if no matter what I say or do to annoy you or get you angry, or riled up, you always come up with ways to one-up me. I don't like it." She pouted childishly.

The Akeno he saw here was a different one, the face behind the mask, where she didn't have to keep being the older, flirtatious girl most people saw. Here was the insecure, young girl that wanted to be loved, no matter how independent and womanly she acted.

"Don't like being comforted, or don't like the fact that you could never annoy me?"

"The second, no, the first… I mean both! I just don't know anymore, Issei. I get so confused around you, whenever I'm around you, I feel strange." Akeno's voice lowered down to a hushed whisper, before breaking their embrace.

"That's called love, you know I feel the same way about you." He comforted her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"But you love all your girls, especially Rias… I want to be more than just another girl."

"You do realize I'm going to marry you all when you finish university, if not highschool, right?" He sighed, as Akeno's jaw dropped momentarily, eyes widening as she looked at him.

"What? Why didn't you tell me sooner?" She stammered. "It would've been nice to know that sooner, I wouldn't be so worried about my position in your harem then."

"Because I wanted to keep it a surprise, and I don't have the rings. Akeno, I love you. When it comes to that feeling of love, it was you and Rias I love the most, you're not second to anyone, you two are both the girls I cherish the most. I don't care about your 'flaws', 'daddy issues' or any of the things you complain about. To me, all of that is part of the Akeno I love. I love everything about you." Issei explained, staring out into the mountains, admiring the night sky.

"I… I don't know what to say."

"Well, I told you that I love you, if you don't feel the same way, or if you don't want to get married, just say so." He shook his head, playing her like a fiddle. He didn't like being manipulative, but he'd learned that when it came to the girls talking like this, he had to adopt that persona.

"Of course I love you, Issei! You're my Issei, I wouldn't act this way around you if I didn't love you. You're the only person I could ever be with. I'd rather die than be with anyone else!" Akeno exclaimed, her profession of love sending shivers throughout his body, causing the young man to smile gleefully. "And yes, I'll marry you. I want to live with you, be your wife and have children. I want to grow old with you, however long that takes…"

"Yeah, we're going to be young for a long time, which means plenty of time to have kids, among other things." He chuckled, before wiping a tear away from the girl's cheek with her thumb. "Doesn't matter what happens, I won't die, and I'll never leave you, okay? So don't even think like that."

"I'm such an idiot, but I guess that's what love does to you. I don't mind being like this forever. Oh, and Issei?" Akeno chimed.

"Yes?"

"Happy new years, I love you."

"Happy new years, I love you too." He smiled back, fireworks exploding into the sky, while the two shared a kiss under the moonlight.

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Sheesh, hope you guys enjoyed. Have an amazing new year, and leave a review - Shit keeps me writing. Love you all.