Chapter rewritten 17-Sep-23

hi

nice responses i got

i want more

thx

〖 Chapter 2 〗

⦕ I Am… A Lost Person…? Huh? ⦖

All suited up, I don't need a mirror to know I look dope. Unfortunately black jeans and black pea coat with a custom hood underneath the collars don't make me look that unique — I mean I got these online— so these are just my temporary 'Shadow Outfit'. But for now, these, a black masquerade mask and red colored contact lenses shall suffice. If I had more time, I'd have gelled my hair to style it differently. Maybe once after I mastered how to control this world's Scattered Mana (yet another made up term he made on the spot), I can do all this in a flash.

Until then, I'll make do with what I got.

Huh? Where do I get all the money from?

Heh. I'll always find a way (he got money from buying questionable 18+ things for Hyoudou and the gang)

As for my weapon of choice, while you can't go wrong with a sword, because swords are really versatile — first, you can have sword-users use a different weapon and suddenly become more powerful or badass, or have sword-users flourish their blade before a battle, or have them 'borrow' their companions' weapon and suddenly master them, "Haha, I can handle this weapon too!", immediately multiplying their badassery points. That's just way too cool! Also, swords with black blades! I really like when the blade reflects that ominous looking gleam, and it's amazing how it can look really cool. I really like how it can fulfill all those abstract needs. Being able to switch up the styles on the go is a lot of fun too! It's actually so much fun! You have European styles, various Japanese styles, different methods for different kinds of swords such as claymores or two-handers, and then you can add your own flair to make it seem like you come up with your own swordsmanship. It's a lot more refined and skilled compared to blunt weapons. We really need swords to become a thing in the whole world and start selling them like Americans sell their guns in Walmart. Don't. You. Think. We. Really. Need. To. Officially. Give. Everyone. Swords?

Because I don't have a sword. And more than that, unfortunately, a sword is difficult to conceal and I don't want to get in trouble with the police as a law-abidding Mob. And even if I got through that, I definitely can't fit one in my school backpack unless it's a foldable sword, in which case it's just a toy sword. So I brought with me my most trustworthy tool that isn't really that suspicious unless I carry it at night, and can easily be concealed as an umbrella handle.

A crowbar.

Do you know that crowbars are really versatile as well? First you can actually hold it like a tonfa, and then you can use a different weapon and suddenly become more—(he went on for quite a bit, but basically, you can use it as a tonfa and break people's helmet or skulls) —I have fond memories with crowbars during my time as the Stylish Biker/Gangster Slayer.

And now! The moment this World has been waiting for… my grand entrance.

Approaching the silk-like pink cocoon, I consider my choices, and most importantly; my line. First impressions are important and especially a key moment for characters like me. I can't fuck this up.

…

But before all that, how do I get in there anyway? Do I just tear this thing? Surely you can't expect me to peel it strand by strand, that'll take me forever. I do have a crowbar at hand, but prying it like a crate isn't really that stylish.

Oh well. One quick way to find out!

Placing both my hands on the cocoon, I opened it like I'm opening a huge wrapped present, and then all the colors returned.

Raynare was at first, confused when she saw a pair of floating black gloves, and proceeded to panic when those floating gloves tore apart her barrier, ripping a black tear in her small domain.

Her confusion is immediately replaced by surprise. She freezed the moment she realizes the skies have shifted from its purple hue to standard blue skies. Something had gone horribly wrong when all of the sudden, every lowly human around her was staring at her. At her pair of black wings. At her barely covered body. At her true form. Worse, they were now looking at the boy bleeding on the ground, where her purple lightspear was still firmly implanted in his stomach.

"H-hey… is this real? Are we being punk'd? Has cosplay gone too far?"

"Bruh, check her out—"

"Who're you 'bruh'ing at?! I'm your girlfriend!"

'No! What happened?! How did—'

"Ew, who's that weirdo? All black in this heat? Just looking at him makes me feel stuffy."

"Uh… I-isn't that Hyoudou? Is he… alright?"

"Is… is that… blood?"

Issei weakly raised his hand, a side of his face still lying in the puddle of his own blood, and managed to mutter his last desperate plea; "...H-help…some…one…"

Reynares' eyes widen at the sound of the first scream, and the many screams and the abrupt chaos that follow. No… no no no! She must leave ASAP. Wiping these' humans' memories is child's play, but that doesn't mean she's free from a stern warning from her superiors. Promptly, she starts conjuring another barrier before it gets much worse.

Shit. I didn't mean to do that. Now's everyone's running and screaming. That Mob was right though, this outfit is stuffy. I'm sweating already.

Gotta say, I didn't expect to see my classmate would fall victim to… whatever that light-weapon-thing is... which is a TOP CLASS MOB LEVEL OF MOBBERY! Killed by the first supernatural we see? This girl has to be a main character in this grand stage called Life. I salute you, Hyoudou Issei. From one Mob to another. Your sacrifice will not go in vain.

And I know one other thing; that blitzy thing sticking out his back is most definitely magical. It's cool as heck and I want it. And I swear the girl is much younger looking and not as curvy as the woman flying over here, but eh. Why bother with the specifics.

I didn't get to see how she manipulates her Mana, though. Damn it. (So Cid ruefully thought, completely unaware that he had only partially obliterated her magical barrier and therefore preventing her to create another as one still stood, and completely apathetic that his classmate was dying. Alas, Mobs tend to not care about what happens to their fellow Mobs).

But that's a problem easily remedied… And I have to say, that look in her eyes, the confusion, her dramatic reaction at my dramatic entrance… YES! YES YES YES— THIS IS WHAT I LIVE FOR BABY! It feels a thousand times more satisfying getting the 'stare of disbelief' when it comes from a different creature than humans. I can barely contain myself from grinning because an Eminence in Shadow's first entry must look as deadpan and mysterious as possible. If I grin, then I will fall to the 'potentially a villain' category.

Hah… And to think this is only the beginning of everything… I'm gonna have some sweet time as Shadow.

The standoff unfolded in the dwindling twilight, as the sun's last rays cast long shadows across the desolate landscape. Raynare's furious outburst cut through the gathering darkness, her eyes honing in on the enigmatic figure before her, quickly pinpointing that this masked weirdo is the cause of it all.

"You! Who in the hell are you!? Are you hired by the Devils?!"

'Oooh— there's Devils in the mix too? Well, that's a spicy revelation! So, does that make you the Fallen Angel in this play?'' Thought Cid, excitedly, despite his 3C: calm, cool, composed, Shadow persona.

Raynare stared at him, waiting.

But then his voice, unnaturally deep and emanating a low metallic rumble, was a stark contrast to his former mundane existence as a Mob.

"Syli…" ahshitfuckImessedup "Shadow…"

Raynare narrowed her eyes but her glare persisted. "Styli Shadow?"

"I am Shadow," he said, inwardly cursing himself. "He who lurks in the shadow, to hunt the shadows."

"Styli Shadow…" she included the wrong name, much to Cid's dismay. "...Heh, whatever. Wiping their memories are just minor setbacks—" But his grin cut Raynare's monologue, leaving her baffled. 'Is… is he grinning? Is he that confident or is he just stupid? …Why do I get the shivers right now…?''

Meanwhile in Cid's mind; 'You've gotta be kidding me— memory manipulation? Write that down. Write that down.'

"Tch… I've done what I needed to do. Dealing with you is a welcome bonus!" Raynare declared, her voice dripping with arrogance as she unleashed a dazzling lightspear aimed straight at the weirdo's eye.

'Oh. She's kinda slow.' With a casual, almost bored step to the side, he effortlessly evaded her buzzing light javelin as it crashed into the brick-laid ground. He purposefully made it look so casual. It had to look casual. After all, eminence like him always made the extraordinary look effortlessly ordinary.

Raynare's eyes widened, doubt creeping in as she recognized the true extent of his prowess, and the deep muck she might have gotten herself into.

That aside, he didn't forget his observations as well. 'Got a good aim. Maybe a standard for her kind?'

"What's the matter?" Shadow hums, craning his neck a little to one side at the perfect degree to adopt the 'underestimating look', fueling Raynare's ire and burning away her doubts.

"Oh you've done it now, bastard!"

Cid resisted an urge to smile. 'Hook, line, and—.'

Her earlier doubt and worry washed away by torrents of rage. Foolishly, she abandoned the one thing she had that he (currently) didn't possess; reach. With a beat of her wings, she rushed down, determined to chop this cocky bastard's head off his shoulders, her violet eyes glaring at his grin and his smug expression. She thrust her lightspear at his heart and—

'SINKER!'

Clang!

"...H-huh…?" Where did her lightspear go? Where did he go?

Cid was this close from saying 'behind you', but he reconsidered it.

Instead, he offered a nonchalant murmur in his low, melodramatic voice, "Disappointing, so far."

Of course he was behind her all of a sudden, having struck her weapon using his mundane crowbar. It didn't come unscathed, however. Half of it had melted from contact with the deadly corrupted light-imbued weapon. A pity, Cid thought. But it served him well.

Raynare turned around, and fear flashed both in her face and voice. "What?!"

Shadow's smirk remained infuriatingly intact.

'Perfect!' Sid was hyped. Her reaction hadn't let him down thus far. Truly living in the moment, this guy.

"Th…this is ridiculous," she stammered. Raynare was not stupid like most of her men. It might take her a moment or a display of power, but people with high self-preservation knew when she was outmatched. And right now, she was hopelessly outmatched. "Who are you?! Wh-where did you come from?! What do you want!?"

"I am Shadow," Cid reiterated, finally getting his introduction right. "...I lurk in the shadows, to hunt the shadows."

"Not riddles, damn it— just tell me what you want!"

Shadow fell silent, Cid went into thinking, and Raynare froze, mistakenly interpreting his silence as a harbinger of her impending doom. In truth, Cid hadn't thought this far ahead. He was here for some fun, a crash course in magic, and a hearty dose of entertainment, which, so far, he'd found in abundance.

He learned that when she conjured her weapon, she didn't use the magic around her. There were no changes to it. Her magic came from inside her.

Now that he spared some time to think, he could use some knowledge about this 'supernatural' part of the world.

"Everything," he finally replied with a menacing undertone. "Everything you know about this world."

"...Wh…what?"

He tipped his chin up ever so slightly, crimson contact-lensed eyes glaring at her with an air of melodramatic intensity.

"I-I-I'll tell you everything I know! J-just don't kill me!" she pleaded, terror overtaking her.

Cid tilted his head, savoring the fear he'd instilled. Raynare had never felt such intense dread, and she couldn't help but feel a pang of envy for the deceased boy she'd so unceremoniously disposed of.

"Kill you…?" Shadow chuckled darkly. "...That depends on you."

Raynare bristled. Every fiber in her body was screaming at her; RUN. Yet her legs refused to move, deciding to collapse under the sheer pressure he emitted instead.

Break

Dang, that was a blast! Seriously, it was like mega-fun. No, scratch that, it was super-mega-ultra-fun. Larping, folks, it's where the real action's at.

I haven't had this much fun since that time I played Whack-a-Gang with those motorcycle hooligans in the neighborhood. It's just a darn shame about my crowbar. Sure, I can replace it easily enough, and they aren't exactly high-end, but I learned the hard way that regular ol' mundane items are about as useful as a rubber sword at a sword fight when you're up against magical weaponry. Unless I coat 'em in magic, which is a whole other can of worms. No, what I want is a magical crowbar that's as unbreakable as a diamond and twice as cool.

But enough about my mythical weapon fantasies. Right now, I'm holed up in what looks like an old abandoned church. Apparently, it's the go-to hideout for "her kin" in this town, who are on the outs with the Devil. And from what I gather, the Devils pretty much run this town like it's their personal playground, with a monopoly on three-quarters of it. The Fallen Angels, who call themselves the Grigori Institute, aren't exactly thrilled about that.

As for this church, well, cozy ain't the word. The sermon spot is a disaster zone, more wrecked than a demolition derby. Statues of holy figures lie in heaps of rubble or are scattered all over the place. And that giant cross on the front wall? It's seen better days; it looks more like a lowercase 'r' than a 't.'

Raynare, the Fallen Angel who dragged me here, gestures for me to take a seat on one of the few unbroken pews, where she starts spewing information like a fountain, but here's the kicker—she still thinks I might off her any second. While I'm not exactly weighed down by a ton of moral dilemmas, I'm not here to send her to fallen angel heaven, or wherever they end up. She's my golden ticket to this otherworldly knowledge, and you don't find that stuff at your local public library. Trust me, I've read all their books.

But the real bombshell is this; she believes that I hailed from another World.

"A Lost Realm…" I mutter, sounding all serious, with one hand propping up my chin, and my index finger striking a pose against my chin as if I'm lost in some profound thought.

"Y-yeah," she stammers. She still looks like she's one foot in the grave.

"Elaborate," I prod, trying to keep the suspense up.

"There are multitudes of Realms in this Universe… Earth, Hell, Heaven, Olympus— these are just to name a few. These known Realms are what make up the Core Worlds."

Multiverses. Rad. "I see."

"Bridging these Realms is the Dimensional Gap," she goes on. I continue to nod, like I'm the wise guru of nodding. "But there have been several occasions where Realms beyond the Core Worlds, the Realms we didn't even know existed, pop into the Gap for a moment. But a moment is long enough to mess with the already chaotic energies and create Rifts or Chasms."

I deploy another tactical nod, pretending I'm following along like I'm in on the cosmic secrets and learning new lingo.

"Anything tiny; a person or a group of people, an item, occasionally a strange animal; pops up in any of the Core Worlds, we call it Rifts," she explains, her voice barely above a whisper. If she's making this stuff up on the spot, then I am one thoroughly impressed Eminence in Shadow. "Anything bigger than that is a Chasm. In this case, that makes you a Lost Person. Most of them rarely ever remember their past...though..."

"...I see."

His eyes reflected a profound intensity, narrowing slightly as he lowered his gaze in deep thought. His sleek black eyebrows are usually furrowed, showing their determination to unravel a complex issue or delve into their memories. His crimson eyes were redder than Hell's infernal flames.

Raynare gulped. When she didn't have to fear for her life and actually paid some attention to this unknown attacker of hers; he was actually rather striking. Strong too. Enigmatic? Definitely. Now, if she could manipulate him into doing her bidding…

What the fuck. I'm a 'Lost Person'?

That actually stunned me. Hit me like a ton of mystical bricks.

The thing is, I remember most of my past life, so does that still make me a 'Lost Person'? Or just Half Lost? Partially Lost? This is getting more tangled than a plate of spaghetti at a kid's birthday party. Listening to her, it's like she's tossing ideas around like spaghetti on the wall, but it's so elaborate that I can't tell if she's a master bullshitter or if she's genuinely onto something.

"...What kind of World was yours?" she suddenly asks, snapping me back to the conversation.

Oh, you want to see who's better at spitballing? Well, hold my metaphysical beer.

"...A World better left unknown," I begin with all the dramatic flair I can muster, which is both dramatic and flair-ish, acting like I'm recalling a painful, tragic memory that all those anime characters annoyingly do. "It was a cold, dark World where the Age of Fire had ended. The First Flame had long since faded, yet all of its residents cling desperately to their dying embers, seeking refuge against the terrors that lurk in the prominent darkness. It was a place where embers were your only company, whether it was day or night… A World where we yearned to see the First Flame again, a... 'Sun,' if you will..."

She's silent for a moment. I'm sweating just a bit. Please, oh please, buy my well-crafted baloney.

"That's… wow that's depressing as Hell," she stammers, clearing her throat. "Yeah I think I'll be a little bit more grateful I'm here."

Alright! She bought it! A testament to my impeccable bullshittery!

"You said your name is Styli Shadow?"

Oh, come on! Why'd you have to bring that up again? Way to burst my bubble, Ms. Inquisitive.

"You lurk in the shadows… to hunt the shadows… By that, do you mean you hunt down those 'terrors' you mentioned?"

Uhhhhhh… sure, yeah, let's roll with that. It sounds way more noble than 'I thought it sounded cool.'

So, I give her a teensy nod.

"O...oh... Is a crowbar your world's weapon of choice?"

"...We simply make do with what we have," I say, making it sound all deep and philosophical when in truth, I have a tight budget.

"Ah... I see... Resourceful man," she remarks, partly teasing. "Well, I can't promise to whisk you back to your gloomy place, but I'm more than happy to offer you a place to crash."

"No need. I'll adapt," I reply, mentally calculating that I have school tomorrow.

"I see… A pity, but you know… if you ever need some help, I'm around. We're Watchers of Humanity and to me you look pretty human."

"Is that why you killed that boy?"

"...Erk—"

What do you think I am? An idiot?

"...He's… he was a threat to us." Here comes the reasons. Try to reason your way out of murder, bozo. "In the Core World, there are Sacred Gears, an artificial weapon or tool created by a God of this World for humans to protect themselves. But with great power comes great responsibilities, that sort of thing, and you don't give responsibilities that big to just anyone."

Huh? I swear I've heard that phrase before.

"We can't let some reckless goofball play around with a weapon of mass destruction. It's like giving a toddler a dynamite. So, I eliminated him. At least this way, the Sacred Gear will search for a more... reasonable host."

Holy moly, she reasoned her way out of a murder charge, and I'm sitting here nodding like a bobblehead. If it's that risky, then why take chances, right? Better safe than sorry. And she delivered that explanation with a look of utter disdain on her face. I may have nothing against a fellow Mob member, but seriously, Hyoudou, how did you go from a date to a homicide case in under twenty minutes?

Oh snap, I should respond. Um...what did she say again? Ah, whatever. I'll just use the universal response to everything: "I see…"

"I'm glad you understand," she says, her smile returning. Now that I really look at her, she's actually quite the looker. Long hair, fair skin, and piercing eyes that could probably pierce concrete. She's not the type of beauty that floats gracefully; she's more of the femme-fatale, deadly kind of gorgeous. It matches her choice of clothing, which isn't exactly abundant. She'd be perfect for that mysterious, sultry character archetype.

As long as she doesn't go digging into my Mob past, I couldn't care less. Plus, I've got a backpack to retrieve.

"W-wait, you're leaving? Where will you go?"

You bet your celestial wings I'm outta here. I've bitten off more than I can chew, and my brain feels like it's been run through a blender.

"There are things I must ascertain for myself in this World." Yep. My backpack.

"W-what?"

You heard me, corrupted angelic lady with a penchant for exhibitionism. This place isn't my scene. It doesn't fit my Shadow aesthetic, thanks but no thanks.

"Thank you for your information. Until we meet again."

"W-wait! You can-"

Clearing my mind, as I suspected, is a swift ticket back to the Shadow Dimension. I promptly jog back to the park, praying no one's swiped my bag.

"-stay... a while... How did he… where did he…?"

Raynare watched in astonishment as the enigmatic figure disappeared into thin air. There were no traces left behind, no subtle flicker to indicate his departure. Not even Vali, with his otherworldly devilish speed, could vanish so seamlessly. Even Lord Azazel, in all his flamboyance, had left behind a collection of black feathers, most of which now resided in her jar of peculiar trophies.

He simply disappeared… true to his name.

"Shadow, huh..." Raynare muttered, her arms crossing as she unceremoniously lifted her breasts, revealing a hint of frustration. He hadn't even spared her a single glance. It stung her pride as a woman. "...Weird guy… No Lost is ever not strange, I guess…"

All in all, it had been a surprisingly successful day. She had rid herself of that unfortunate runt, avoiding her own demise in the process. Raynare had been patting herself on the back mentally, even contemplating treating her associates to a well-deserved pizza night. Yet, like a dark specter materializing out of the shadows, a disturbing realization hit her—there were dozens, potentially hundreds, of individuals whose memories she needed to tamper with before the break of dawn.

Just as her thoughts teetered toward the daunting task ahead, Shadow materialized before her once more, causing her to jump in fright.

"JESus— fuck! You scared me!"

"One last thing," he began mysteriously.

Raynare gulped nervously. "...Y-yeah...?"

"My name is simply Shadow."

And with that cryptic statement, he vanished once more, leaving her bewildered and shaken in his wake.

.

.

.

In an undercover facility meticulously crafted and operated by the Grigori Institute, within the confines of a sterile hospital room purposefully designed to serve as the current holding cell for a recently discovered Lost Person, a pair of eyes slowly flickered open in the dimly lit space. These eyes bore a striking violet hue and a beastly glint that seemed to defy rationality.

A single word echoed within her thoughts, a single name that carried immense weight: "...Boss…man…"

Her eyes snapped wide open, revealing the contracted violet pupils that now resembled menacing slits. A manic thirst for flesh surged within her, awakening her primal instincts and flooding her veins with adrenaline. With an explosive burst of inhuman speed, she lunged from her bed, shattering the feeble straps that had been meant to hold her in place and obliterating the supposedly impenetrable steel door as though it were mere paper.

A manic, unhinged roar erupted from her, filling the corridor with terror and chaos. She sprinted forward, her body still clad in the bloodied patient garb, her movements a frenzied blur of aggression and violence. Red warning lights bathed the corridor in a sinister hue as screams reverberated through the facility.

"Subject Delta has breached containment! Begin containment measures! This is not a drill! I repeat, this is not a drill!"

To be continued…

Sorry Cid, you're Styli Shadow now. I have that kind of power here.

What you think I'll just jam in Cid in a standard DxD storyline and call it a day without adding my own twists? Well sorry to disappoint you, but no. I'm abusing the multiverse theory to add in all the people I want to see to interract with and be mesmereized by Shadow.

And yes, I'm bringing Delta because the best girl needs more screen time and more headpats

So basically, this is DxD but a lot more chaotic

So chaotic that I switch from first person POV to 3rd person POV with different grammatical tenses that I've probably butchered enough times this is no longer a fic, but the slaughtering of a grammar, and I don't care