Obviously, I don't own High School DxD.
[=-CHAPTER 4-=]
(Sona)
Sitting on one of the nice leather couches of the Occult Research Club, she watched her best friend pace back and forth in panic as she calmly sipped on a cup of tea.
Sighing, she placed her cup down as Rias screamed again about her problems. Once again, the time of her engagement had been moved up without reason.
While it was unfair, Sona thought Rias could've handled it better if she actually put in the effort. She'd been informed about the engagement years ago, but she didn't do much at all in preparation.
At first, it made sense, they told her it was supposed to be after she graduated from college. More than enough time for her to train. But she should've noticed how the time seemed to keep getting cut in half every year.
And now, she only had-
"A week! From years to months, and now a week?! I can't believe he would do this!" Rias interrupted her thoughts with her incessant screaming. It was understandable that she had to vent when dealing with her terrible father, but this was getting ridiculous.
"What about Naoki? You still haven't told me what happened there," She said, deciding to change the subject. Maybe she'd calm down if she was thinking about something else. Plus, Sona still hadn't heard the whole story.
Rias was only able to tell her about the beginning of the story, encountering Naoki in the park with the dead body of one of the other students. It was a tragedy that the boy couldn't be revived, apparently a spear to the head, but Rias still hadn't told her exactlywho killed him and what exactly Naoki was doing there.
"Huh? Oh, right. That was a bit of a disaster too. He fled the moment I said he could go because he was scared of Koneko,"
"Of… Koneko? Why would he be scared of her?" She was barely five feet and everyone called her cute and paraded her as the school mascot. Why would he possibly think she's scary?
"In her defense, we did find him maniacally laughing while standing next to a dead body," Rias mumbled.
She squinted at Rias, trying to decide if she was real or not. In defeat, she took off her glasses and rubbed between her eyes. "Alright, start from the beginning and don't leave anything out."
And so she did, telling her about the maniacal laughter, his usage of ki and flaring of magic, his story, and the black feathers they found on the ground to corroborate his side of the story. She briefly wondered if there was a reason Issei specifically was killed by the fallen. A sacred gear, maybe? It'd explain some things.
On the subject of explanations, the pulsing she observed must've been Naoki getting a feel for using magic since he definitely didn't have magic or ki the other day. A bit boring of a discovery, but her curiosity was sated.
"So, how are you going to recruit him?" It was a no-brainer that Rias was going to try, it was only a matter of how. The chances of convincing him seemed slim in Sona's eyes.
"Oh, I'm thinking of giving him a Rook piece. He can probably do Senjutsu just like Koneko, even if she doesn't use it, so he should be pretty strong physically. And they can make up through their similarities,"
"A rook? Wouldn't he fit better as a Knight? With his supposed lack of a presence, he could combine that with his speed and- wait, that's not what I meant. I meant how are you going to convince him to join? If I was him I'd be already running away by now."
"That? Easy. He might not be the most sociable, but he's still a teenage boy. They're not that complicated," Rias proudly stated with a suggestive bounce of her breasts.
"I... see." Sona thought it best not to mention that he seemed to have no interest in people as a whole, much less the opposite sex. Plus, she wanted to annoy him a bit after he decided that skipping school on the second day would be a good idea.
More importantly, the issue with the fallen. While Kuoh Town was her and Rias' territory, this went a bit beyond that. The peace between the three factions was brittle at the moment and getting rid of the fallen with brute force could spark a war.
And Rias probably hasn't even thought about the fallen with how stressed she is. Sigh, she's gonna have to call her dear older sister, isn't she?
(Katsuo)
Fun fact: Although I don't need sleep, I still get tired from exhaustion.
After getting home and laying down for a moment, I slept like a log. Still, that only means I have all of Sunday to play with my magic. But there's something that's been buzzing at me every so often, annoying the hell out of me.
Sitting down in the living room after having breakfast, I open up the screen that keeps flashing and dinging every hour.
[Main Quest 1: Baby Steps] Complete!
Objective: Reach 10 Battle Power
Reward: [Skill: Unique Formula]
Bonus Objective: Achieve a supernatural feat before the Protagonist is killed.
Bonus Reward: [Innate Affinity], [Custom Spell]
[Skill Unlocked: Unique Formula]
You have discovered your unique magical formula, increasing your [Mana Manipulation] by one stage while using your unique magic circle.
That's... interesting. What does it mean by stage though? And what Mana Manipulation skill?
Although it probably wasn't the intention, that skill just inadvertently taught me how to use the magic that typical magicians use. A calculation system based on the demonic power that devils use for their imagination magic.
Considering the last names of people I've encountered, I'm going to assume those girls were devils. I've never heard of the term devils in place for demons but maybe it's just a result of some history I don't know about.
After all, that girl definitely wasn't the Gremory I'm familiar with, and that Sitri girl definitely isn't a man with a leopard face. And if they are the same ones I'm thinking about? This world is weird as fuck.
On magic, that does beg the question: Could I create my own version of using magic? Human magic is inferior to devil magic in every way, and I'm not much of a calculation guy. I can do it, sure, but I'd rather not.
Finally.
Oh, Sin. I was just about to choose my affinity and custom spell, what's up?
I know. I've come to inform you that the Prologue phase is complete.
Prologue phase? So the anime has started?
Indeed. Now it's time to take off the training wheels.
[Certain skills have been changed!]
[Skill levels have been replaced by expertise levels!]
I know how obsessed you are with numbers, so I'll do you a favor to compensate
[Congratulations, your Sacred Gear has been unlocked!]
The thing he said with the numbers scared me a bit, so I hastily opened up the skills page without replying. My eyes instantly locked onto the skill I'd been working on since I came into this world.
[Meditation (Apprentice)] (Active)
I raised an eyebrow at that. I don't know what it means so I don't know if it's bad or not.
All of the skills changed into a similar look, missing the levels to see how far along I was. And Meditation is the only skill that's above Novice level so it probably means it's good?
This change was necessary so your goal of becoming the strongest isn't obscured by obsession.
I looked into the near future, and when I continued to allow you to see levels, you spent days trying to level up a skill once. Just. One. Level.
That... sounds about right. I hated seeing skill levels that weren't multiples of five when I played RPGs back in the day. Seeing a random assortment of numbers splotched onto my skill page would annoy the hell out of me.
So what are the expertise levels, then? And how do I upgrade my skills, in the same way as before?
It goes Novice, Apprentice, Adept, Expert, Master. They get closer to upgrading just by using them, and upgrade fully once you make a breakthrough of some kind.
It's why Meditation Lv.10 felt over the top. The skill is about understanding yourself and the world you live in, so of course, a breakthrough would make you re-evaluate existence itself.
You can jump levels without much work if you make a huge breakthrough. Like suddenly learning how to freeze time when using Novice level Ice magic.
That's...cool. Heh, get it?
...
Ignoring me again, are we? I get it, it wasn't very punny. Okay, that one was just bad.
Anyway, I think I'll choose my custom spell now, I don't-
One more thing, your ability Ki Proficiency has been changed to Touki Manipulation and Touki the technique cannot be upgraded. Magic Proficiency has been changed to Mana Manipulation.
You can look over those in your own time. This will be our last conversation until your death. Goodbye.
Er, uh, bye? I can't tell if I just got nerfed or buffed. Well, he did unlock my sacred gear so I can check that out, I guess.
I activate Touki just to see if I can still do it, and... nothing much has changed. I guess it was a logistical change rather than one that mattered?
Oh, my Stealth changed into a passive. Instead of just erasing my presence, I have instinctive knowledge about how to not be seen. It achieves the same result as before but it's now less about fading away and more about using certain techniques that trick the mind of others into ignoring me.
Time to get my bonus reward. After all, I did unlock my magic and ki before that guy died.
Choose a School of Magic
[Illusion] [Duplication] [Hypnosis] [Sealing] [Healing] [Enhancement] [Defensive] [Fire] [Ice] [Water] [Earth] [Shadow]
The list goes on and on for a very long time, but there's a search bar at the top of it.
Although I was joking about Sun Tzu earlier, I still did read a few lines of the Art of War. And the situation I'm in definitely requires it. I don't have enough information to trust anyone fully, so I need something to bypass my weakness and kill anyone who might try and take advantage of my ignorance.
Thus,
[Skill Unlocked: Transmutation Magic (Apprentice)]
You are a natural transmuter, a practitioner of an art that modifies matter and energy. You are the blacksmith and reality is your forge. Grants instinctual knowledge about Transmutation Magic, and makes all Transmutation and Alchemy spells 20% stronger and quicker.
Perfect.
Transmutation magic, in any setting, has the potential to be insane in application. It literally just lets the user trade substances for other substances as long as the user understands how they work on an atomic or molecular scale.
In fact, it works by three simple rules. Comprehension of the substance, Deconstruction of the substance into a more malleable state, and then Reconstruction into a more desirable state. It sounds simple and is very overpowered but there's a major problem with this.
I'm not a complete dumbass, but I'm definitely not genius level. And if calculation magic would be annoying, transmutation would be near impossible.
But I have a solution. I have a custom spell ready to be created. Having a custom spell might sound like it would be easy to just make a spell like 'God Mode' and then have infinite BP. And technically I could create a spell like that.
But I don't exactly have a great deal of mana to cast the spell in the first place. It'd be a complete waste.
So the solution? I'll just force myself to comprehend.
[Custom Spell Created: Download]
Based on the 'Trace On' ability of Shirou Emiya, the user flows their magic through the target before copying information found. Unlike the famous projection magic, however, they do not attempt to recreate it.
With this, I can just scan the information about a target and instantly comprehend it. Well, maybe not instantly. It still should take a bit to completely get all the information if the thing is too complex.
Plus, it doesn't even use a lot of magic. The only real drawback of this ability is information overload. But I should be able to tell or not if the target is too complicated for me to Download from before I attempt it.
And speaking of Shirou Emiya, I have an idea for an ability I can create. The only problem is that I don't know how to complete it, nor do I know if it'd be possible.
And I need the devil people's consent to do it. Either that or I can kill them and do it anyway.
There's just one tiny problem I just realized when I thought about creating a spell using transmutation magic. I don't actually understand any of the information I get from using my Download spell. It's like someone telling you that a person is made up of a bunch of different elements... but you've never even seen the periodic table.
I can't exactly deconstruct things into the elements when I can't even recognize which elements are which.
Ugh, I guess it's finally time to do my chemistry homework.
I've come to another startling conclusion. Something that people have been saying for years but I never truly thought about until now. An epiphany that could rocket mankind centuries in the future just by the sheer amount of profound wisdom in it.
School fucking blows.
The classes are boring and the teachers just give me extra work if I happen to complete it early so I've just been staring at my work and zoning out. I can't even spend the time playing with the two new spells I made last night.
After trying out my Download spell, I realized a critical flaw. I don't actually know much chemistry, to begin with. Even if my spell could tell me what elements something broke down into, I don't even know what they do or how they react.
So I spent hours memorizing the most common of elements known to man. Oxygen, Hydrogen, Helium, etc. I can't memorize the whole periodic table in a single night, after all. But while doing that, I managed to turn my wooden table into a chair with this.
[Transmutation: Reconstruction]
Using magic as a catalyst, you reform a previously broken down material into a new or previous structure. Requires the material to be damaged/broken down and knowledge of how to reform it.
[Transmutation: Deconstruction]
Using magic as a catalyst, you break down any material you know of into a more malleable state. Requires knowledge of the material and its components.
It was a frustrating night but I think those two spells make up for it. They're the absolute basics of transmutation but they're powerful in their own right.
Although I probably shouldn't do that so often. Even if I don't necessarily need sleep, it's there for a reason. Even if I ignored the negative health implications that came with lack of sleep, I'm pretty sure constantly working impairs logical and creative thinking. I read somewhere that's the reason shower thoughts are so profound.
Because it's a form of rest time for your mind. Without sleep, I'd just be working 24/7.
Meh. I'll sleep more when magic becomes less fascinating. Like eating the same food every day for every meal. It's gotta get stale at some point.
But for now...
I wonder if I could do something to make the giant magic circles my spells create more subtle. The knowledge I got from my Unique Formula lightly hinted at the fact that some species could use magic without magic circles, after all. It'd be sick to convince people I could just touch things and make them disintegrate.
Maybe I could achieve something like that with another custom spel- Wait! I totally forgot, my main quest probably updated after last night!
[Main Quest 2: Prove your Superiority]
Objective: Kill someone with a Battle Power of 0.
Reward: +1 Skill Upgrade: Novice to Apprentice
Damn. I was really hoping for another custom spell opportunity. I could probably create my own spells but that'd be harder than just inputting an idea and getting the spell instantly.
But prove my superiority? Is my Pride ability trying to make me more prideful than I already am? That honestly sounds sad, why would I need to flex on people to know I'm better than them? If I really was better than everyone, I wouldn't need to prove it.
It would simply be a fact of life.
But I like rewards so I'll do it. The only issue is who do I kill?
I notice a commotion at the door as someone walks in, but I disregard whatever the students are fussing about and instead focus on scoping out all the background characters. Maybe I'll go for one of those two perverted idiots. I think one of the devils put a spell on the people here because they don't seem too hung up about their other perverted friend being dead.
If a zero BP person's death could be swept under the rug that easily, why shouldn't I kill someone for my own benefit? I can just get the devils to cover it up later, just like this time.
Yeah... they won't be missed.
A hand clasps my shoulder, interrupting my planning on how to subtly kill one of them without alerting anyone. I damn near activated Touki because I wasn't expecting anyone to grab my shoulder while I'm in the back of the classroom.
Now, who's the jackass that decided to sneak up on me?
Isaiah "Yuuto" Kiba – Battle Power: 145
Unique Ability: [Sacred Gear: Sword Birth]
An absurdly handsome boy with blonde hair and blue eyes. I don't really like men in that way but anyone who said he isn't a typical pretty boy is just lying to themselves. I wonder if all devils have some sort of ability that makes them look better. It'd fit the whole demon stereotype of being charming and convincing but deadly in the long run.
It's ridiculous that she called this guy an errand boy, but I guess when you're that strong this guy is just a pushover at best. But if he's a pushover, what does that make me?
"You should reconsider whatever you were thinking about. If you try anything, I'll send you straight to hell." is the first thing he says to me, looking me straight into my eyes.
His smile is a bit strained, and I can feel him squeezing my shoulder a bit tighter. I can't tell if this is a power move or if he's just that protective over the students but I don't care either way. I don't like being threatened. Unflinching, I glare at him and pry his hand off my shoulder
"Touch me again and I'll disassemble you for parts," I promise. Now that I know a bit of magic can hide things away, I really won't hesitate to turn him into dust. Or at least fuck up his organs, I don't have enough knowledge to truly disintegrate someone.
Kiba chooses not to say anything for a moment, just raising an eyebrow at me. He probably caught on to my choice of words. No one says they're gonna disassemble someone as a threat unless they really can do so.
I can't use Download without alerting the people around me. But if he touches me again I'll just do it despite them and then follow up with Deconstruction. It's how Scar from Fullmetal Alchemist's right arm work. He just used the first two steps of transmutation, Comprehension, and Deconstruction. After that, he just ignored the third part and his enemy was destroyed. Easy.
Actually, could I do the same? It's not like magic circles and transmutation circles are any different in this world. I could get a few tattoos on my body so I won't have to summon an obnoxious glowing magic circle every time I want to use magic.
Kiba's smile changes into a more pleasant one, but it still looks forced. "I'm here on the behalf of Rias Gremory, would you follow me?"
Ah. That's why I immediately didn't like this guy. He's one of those people who act one way but think another. Ugh, just like receptionists. Those fake smiles and chipper tones always creep me out when I notice how dead inside they really are.
Standing up without a word, I follow him out of the school and towards a certain club building. The Occult Research Club, eh? That's rich.
We didn't say a word to each other on the way there. I had nothing to say to him and I think he doesn't like me for planning to hurt people. There's probably some blood lust thing in this world, but I don't know why a devil would care about what human I want to kill. They didn't give a shit about Issei when they erased him from memory.
Heading inside, the atmosphere is completely different. It's a relatively dark room with a Victorian-style design and an abundance of candles spread about.
I can hear water running in the back. There's a bathroom area behind a curtain where someone is taking a shower. Personally, I would've just made a door for the bathroom but maybe I'm the weird one.
The moment I walk in, Kiba walks straight back out and closes the door behind him. I guess that's 2 out of the 5 strong people who dislike me along with that loli.
Since there's no one else I just take a seat on one of the couches and wait for whoever is in the shower to come out. It takes a good thirty seconds of me just staring at the ceiling before I hear voices and the shower cutting off.
"Here, President, Take this,"
"Thanks, Akeno"
A few more seconds pass of this, and it makes me wonder if not being able to see through walls is a weakness of my Appraise skill. Just a simple curtain and I don't know who's in there.
Finally, the curtain opens and Rias steps out in the school uniform, followed by Akeno. I'm not supposed to know their names, but it's not as if people don't talk about them. I've heard people whisper their names over and over.
I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing such bizarre hair colors on people. I even saw someone with pink and brown hair casually walking down the street. I thought it was Neopolitan from RWBY for a second but it was just some nobody.
"Sorry about that, I didn't think Kiba would be bringing you so soon," She says. I can't tell if it's a lie, but it feels like one.
I simply raise an eyebrow in response and look at Akeno instead who has a smile on her face that doesn't quite reach her eyes. Odd.
Noticing me looking at her, she introduces herself.
"Ara ara. My name is Himejima Akeno. Pleased to meet you," she says, a light giggle following her statement.
Am I the weird one here? I can already tell she's putting on a mask to appease me, just like that Kiba guy. And now that I think about it, Toujou had a mask of indifference too. She still acted on her anger, but it never really showed up on her face unlike these two.
Out of the weaker ones, I think I like Toujou the most so far.
"Katsuo. Katsuo Naoki," I keep it short. It's weird having to introduce myself with my first and last name. Plus I don't really know what these guys want from me.
Rias dries herself before making her way to the couch opposite of me. Taking a seat, she crosses her leg and puts and interlocks her fingers before deciding to just break all pretenses.
"I'll be frank. We... are devils."
So… Issei is dead for good. And Koneko and Kiba don't trust the MC, for good reason tbh. He is not trustworthy unless you do something for him.
There's probably a better school of magic he could've chosen but I like transmutation. And I can do some crazy shit later. I was considering barrier magic and then making the custom spell be instant dungeons but honestly?
Not worth it. He can't get levels so it'll only be useful for battle experience against low intelligence monsters and a way to get items. That's it.
ZeroSpearow: Yup. The only reason I came up with this idea was because I was trying to find a way to make a story where I can drop it at any moment and still have a way to continue it. Plus I can just skip to the end and write [The Gamer 2.0] if I get realllly bored.
Lq840i: Idk what that first one is but he will be getting some blood abilities eventually.
I move weight: He's a weird blend of Vegeta and Luffy imo. Like… The only thing that matters is freedom. But the only way to obtain true freedom is to become strong. Strength is therefore the only thing that matters, everything else is a delusion for the weak.So yeah, he's a little prideful. Just not very boastful.
I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter. This week has been a little too hectic to be writing so it might be a bit rough. Ciao!