The setting occurs just over a week before the rating match between Team Gremory and Team Sairaorg.
Issei upset Rias by calling her president instead of her name, and this caused the whole ORC to turn against him.
Issei tries to chase after Rias after she runs out of the room.
Amid the tension-filled moment, Akeno stepped forward, her voice cutting through the air like ice. "Stop! If you go after her without understanding what you did wrong, you'll only hurt her even more," she declared, her tone commanding and cold.
Issei came to an abrupt halt, his movements freezing in response to Akeno's stern words. He stared at her, realisation dawning upon him.
Tinged with worry and confusion, Ravel questioned Akeno, "Is this my fault? Did my mom say something that upset Rias?"
Akeno reassured Ravel, her tone softening slightly, "Of course not, sweetie. Issei is just a brainless fool." Akeno's reply carried a harsh undertone, a subtle jab at Issei that hung in the air, leaving a palpable tension among them.
Issei looks at the palm of his hands.
"What have I done? How can I apologise when I don't know what I did wrong?." Issei thought to himself
X
1 Day passes, it's now the next morning
Issei goes to the ORC clubhouse to train with his peers against their upcoming rating match. He walks up the stairs on the pathway way toward the main door of the clubhouse. He wants to make it up to Rias and the others by training hard and showing them he can do better, and they'll forgive him.
Before he could get into the clubhouse, he stopped by the peerage from entering. In front of the main door stands Kiba, Xenovia, and Koneko
Issei, wearing a perplexed and anxious expression, approached the group tentatively. "Umm, hey guys, what's up?" he stammered, his voice laced with confusion and concern.
Kiba, his expression serious, replied, "Issei, we need to talk."
"If we're talkin' 'bout yesterday, no need to fret," Issei interjected, attempting to sound nonchalant. "I'll bow down to the Prez the very instant she graces us with her presence!"
His words were met with disgusted looks from everyone present. Koneko, her patience wearing thin, hissed with a sharp edge to her voice, "Ugh, you're so clueless, it's almost laughable. If you're that ignorant, save your breath and spare me your pointless apologies!" Her eyes narrowed in frustration as she spoke.
Upon hearing Koneko's harsh tone, Issei's expression shifted to sadness. Meanwhile, Akeno leaned close and whispered, "Rias, he's here."
Issei turned around and saw Rias approaching the clubhouse, accompanied by Akeno and Asia. Eager to lighten the mood, he chirped in an upbeat voice, "Yo, Prez! Greetings to the elegant Lady Akeno and the lovely Miss Asia!" His attempt at humour fell flat when Asia and Akeno scoffed, and Rias ignored him completely. Disheartened, Issei tried to call out to Rias before Xenovia cut him off.
"Argh! Are you so dense, Issei?!" Xenovia exclaimed, her frustration palpable. "Perhaps if you possessed a trace of maturity, you would grasp your error! Do you not comprehend the pain you inflict upon Lady Rias?! Your mere presence brings her disquiet!" Her voice resonated with passion as she scolded Issei, leaving him silenced and crestfallen in her wake.
Issei looks flabbergasted; he looks at the others as he sees them all looking at him. He can tell they agree with Xenovia's words just from their faces. However, he can't see Rias's face; she hasn't even turned to face him.
Rias addressed her comrades within the clubhouse with a tone of firm resolve, "Everyone, gather inside; it's time to get ready for the rating match." Following her directive, the ORC members entered one after another. Rias maintained the door open for all, yet as Issei approached, she decisively closed it without sparing a glance, leaving him standing alone outside.
A note of concern crept into Asia's voice as she questioned the group, "Aren't we being too harsh on him?"
Akeno's eyes, reflecting a mix of understanding and determination, responded, "Maybe, but he needs to learn. Rias is the main girl in his harem. If he can't reach her, then what hope is there for us?"
Asia nodded reluctantly, realising the truth in Akeno's words. They all moved towards the meeting room with heavy hearts, leaving Issei behind, oblivious to the turmoil within him.
X
Back outside, Issei felt his heart shatter as tears welled up, stung by the treatment from those he had considered his friends and family. His mind echoed with self-doubt, "What did I do wrong? Am I that dense? Everyone, I'm sorry. Rias, I'm sorry."
As he began to walk away, his eyes clouded with tears, and a sudden jolt surged through his left arm, drawing his attention. He glanced down, horror flooding him as he saw his arm severed and his partner, Ddraig, torn away from him.
"Ddraig? ARRGGHHHHH!" Issei's anguished cry pierced the air as pain engulfed him. Before he could react, he was ambushed by three Devils wielding dragon-slaying weapons, severing his Boosted Gear and rendering him defenceless.
One of the assailants targeted his hamstring, causing Issei to collapse onto the ground. Another drove three swords into his back, pinning him to the concrete beneath him. Issei's vision blurred, the world fading away.
In a desperate, feeble whisper, he pleaded, "Someone, please save me. Rias, please save me; I'm sorry, please, I'm begging you, save me, please." His voice trailed off, lost in the darkness that enveloped him.
Although it was a whisper, he did expect Rias and the others to hear his words due to the Devil's supernatural senses. He doesn't realise that the Devils had already planned for this and set up a soundproof barrier around the area. However, in Issei's perspective, he thinks that he's been set up by the ORC to die a horrible death.
Issei tries to call out again, but one of the Devils stabs him through the back of the neck and out through his throat.
The female Devil of the trio sneered triumphantly, taunting Issei, "Go ahead, try and make a sound now!" Their mocking laughter echoed around him as Issei struggled for his last breath, his strength waning. Yet, amid his desperate struggle, Issei's mind raced with tumultuous thoughts.
"How could they pull this crap on me? Over some tiny incident from yesterday? After all I've done for those jerks!" Issei's mind roared with indignation. Memories of risking his life for the people who had betrayed him flooded his thoughts. "All those times I almost kicked the bucket savin' their sorry butts, this is how they repay me? Castin' me aside and leavin' me to rot like some diseased mutt?"
His mind churned with betrayal, his thoughts darkening further. "Rias and Raynare, two women I fell head over heels for, put my trust in, and in the end, they both stabbed me in the back; what a sick joke! Was this their grand plan all along? The whole ORC, just usin' and abusin' me like some tool? Was I just a worthless pawn to 'em? To Rias? I thought she loved me, dammit! I loved her with all I had; how could she do this to me? Did she ever truly love me?"
Issei's gaze turned toward the clubhouse, his last hope for salvation. He extended his right hand toward it with a final surge of strength. But before he could even cry for help, a sword made from demonic energy from one of the Devils pierced his hand, driving it into the ground and pinning him further.
Bloodied and weakened, Issei's thoughts darkened as he remembered Raynare's betrayal. "This crimson hue brings her to mind, Rias," he mused, the irony not lost on him. "The one who holds my heart, how twisted, in both my passings, this red shade is all that lingers. But this time, Rias isn't here to rescue me."
Desperation clawed at him as he felt the total weight of his loneliness and betrayal. "No! I cannot succumb once more! Not in this manner! I must persevere until my very last breath! But how? My Boosted Gear has been rendered useless; I am incapable of launching an offensive or defending myself against any threat; I need strength! Power! More power! MORE POWER!"
In his darkest moment, a glimmer of hope emerged before him. A prompt appeared, words illuminating his vision, offering a sliver of possibility in the face of his impending demise.
[2nd Chance]
[Yes] [No]
Issei's mind raced with confusion and disbelief. "What in the world is this?" he pondered, a whirlwind of uncertainty. "It appears to be a notification, but how? It doesn't make any sense; could it be some kind of illusion?" His baffled thoughts echoed in the depths of his mind, grappling with the inexplicable situation before him.
Issei looks closer at a prompt, and it says " 2nd Chance," along with the two buttons being "Yes" and "No."
Issei's mind whirred with disbelief and uncertainty, his thoughts racing, "A second chance? I am unfamiliar with its nature but left with no alternative. Even if this is a joke, I must seize the opportunity."
His determination flickered amidst the confusion, a resolve taking root within him despite the strangeness of the situation.
Issei tries to reach for the" Yes" button but realises he can't; his left arm is cut off, and his right hand is impaled through the centre and pinned onto the ground.
Inside Issei's mind, frustration boiled over as he grappled with an unreachable goal. "Argh, I can't reach it! I need to reach it," he thought, his inner voice blending determination and desperation.
Issei starts to reach with his right hand, and the energy sword cuts through his hand as he reaches for the button; the pain is excruciating. Still, he pushed forward; he moved even further and even harder. The light spear was now in the midsection of his forearm, but he still couldn't reach it. He needed to push further; the blades impaled in his back started to move down as he moved forward, cutting him open even more. Some major organs start getting ripped and torn from the inside due to the blades. Issei starts to cough out blood, but he keeps moving. He cuts past his ribs as he makes his way to the button. The devils don't notice since they can't see the prompt, so they have no idea what Issei is reaching for. They assume Issei is stupid and wants to die a much more painful death than intended, so they laugh even harder. The blades in his back are now in his middle back section, and the sword in his forearm is near his elbow, but he can now press the button. Issei pushes the button, the prompt then changes and says something different:
[Congratulations!]
[You have been chosen to accept my blessing!]
[Make the most of it!]
Issei's mind raced with confusion, his thoughts jumbled in disbelief. "What? Blessing? Chosen? Gift? What on earth is happening?" he pondered, his thoughts overwhelmed by bewilderment.
A sudden tingling sensation rippled through Issei's body, jolting him. "What?! What is this?!" he exclaimed, his voice laden with shock.
His body began to radiate a blood-red glow, catching the attention of the Devils nearby.
"The fuck?!" the taller male Devil blurted out.
"He should've died from the dragon slayer swords! How is he powering up?!" one of the Devil exclaimed, his disbelief mirroring his companions.
"But I don't feel anything coming off him; it's just a light show!" the female Devil observed, her confusion evident.
The sword in Issei's hand disintegrated, and the blades embedded in his back were forcefully expelled, soaring into the air before clattering to the ground beside him.
Desperation and determination flickered in Issei's eyes as he murmured, "Power, power, power. I need more power. Give me more power!" His words, laced with a terrifying intensity, sent shivers down the spines of the Devils.
Despite his extensive injuries, Issei hunched over and stood tall, his body still leaking blood from multiple wounds. His resolve, however, remained unbroken, fueling his determination to face his adversaries head-on.
"GET HIM! WE NEED TO FOLLOW OUR ORDERS! ELIMINATE THE RED DRAGON EMPEROR!" the female Devil shouted, rallying her companions to charge at Issei.
In response, Issei extended his hand, summoning one of the dragon slayer swords. It flew from the ground into his grasp. His hand seared and sizzled as his fingers closed around the hilt, but he ignored the pain. He sliced through the female devils swiftly, determinedly, cutting her down through the centre. The others watched in horror, paralysed by the shocking display of power before them.
[Task1: Kill the Pursuers]
[1/3]
Issei sees the notification prompt and knows what must be done.
Amidst the chaos, the taller male Devil bellowed, "RED DRAGON EMPEROR, YOU BASTARD!!!" His anger fueled his charge as he lunged at Issei once more. Yet, in a twist of fate, Issei's wounds began to emit steam, a miraculous transformation washing over him. Every injury, every cut, and every hole in his body miraculously healed, leaving no trace of the previous damage. His left arm, though regrown, lacked his sacred gear's presence.
Issei swiftly reacted, pulling his left shoulder back, rotating slightly, and seizing the approaching Devil by the throat with his newly restored left hand, lifting him effortlessly into the air.
The Devil, now gripped by fear, stammered, "What? How? I tried to attack him from behind; how did he know I'd be here?!"
Inside Issei's mind, a whirlwind of thoughts churned. "This power, it's amazing. What is this? I feel... I feel good." The newfound strength coursed through him, empowering his every move and filling him with exhilaration and awe.
Issei tightens his grip on the Devil, completely snaps his neck, and crushes his throat, killing him instantly.
[Task 1: Kill the Pursuers]
[2/3]
The last Devil drops to his knees with a look of horror as he stares at the ground, crying.
The other male Devil's voice cracked with despair, "This wasn't how it was supposed to go; this was supposed to be a simple task! We were given an item that would take us off the radar; how did this happen?" He sobbed, his tears mingling with the dirt beneath him.
Silent and determined, Issei advanced toward him, his eyes ablaze with a blood-red intensity. The Devil's gaze met Issei's, and instantly, terror consumed him; he instinctively lowered his head, unable to bear the weight of those merciless eyes.
"Please, have mercy," the Devil pleaded, his voice desperate.
Issei's gaze bore into him, unyielding and unrelenting. And then, in an instant, the Devil erupted into nothingness, vanishing without a trace, leaving only echoes of his plea hanging in the air.
[Task 1: Kill the Pursuers]
[3/3]
Multiple notifications pop up one after the other.
[Task Complete]
[Claim your rewards]
[Pocket Dimension Creation]
[3 Stat Points]
[5 Ability Points]
Issei's mind buzzed with confusion and curiosity, thoughts whirling in his head. "Claim? Rewards? What is this weird System?" he wondered aloud, his voice a mere whisper against the mysteries before him. The concept seemed oddly familiar, reminiscent of a video game system, yet shrouded in an enigmatic aura.
His brow furrowed as he pondered further, a new revelation catching his attention. "And what's this Pocket Dimension Creation?" The words hung in the air, laden with intrigue and a tinge of trepidation. The unknown loomed before him, a puzzle waiting to be unravelled.
Issei presses the claim button.
[New Ability Unlocked!]
[Pocket Dimension Creation]
[Spend Stat Points in the Stats Menu]
[Stats Involve your: Vitality, Strength, Agility, Intelligence, Senses, Dexterity and Luck]
[You can use Stat Points (SP) to level up your Stats]
[Spend Ability Points in the Ability Menu]
[Ability Points involve your individual powers and abilities.]
[You can use Ability Points (AP) to upgrade already existing abilities or unlock new ones.]
Confusion gnawed at Issei's mind as he grappled with the sudden influx of information. "What? Stat Points? Ability Points? Upgrades? Just what in Satan is going on?!" Issei's thoughts raced, his inner voice echoing his bewilderment. The situation's complexities overwhelmed him, leaving him utterly baffled and desperate for answers.
[Tutorial: Creating a Pocket Dimension]
[Instructions]
[1. Extend your Arm Perpendicular to your Body.]
[2. Think about creating a Pocket Dimension]
Issei, although confused, does as the notification says; suddenly, the space in front of Issei starts to crack and morph. A black hole appears in front of him, in sucks in everything around him, such as the two dragon-slaying swords, the two lifeless Devils, and Issei's severed left arm (his sacred gear). Before the sacred gear can fly into the hole, Issei grabs it with his new left arm and holds onto it.
[Tutorial Complete]
[Walk into the pocket dimension; it will close as soon as you enter.]
Before Issei walks into the dimension, he looks back at the clubhouse; he realises he is no longer needed and wanted by his peerage; they have abandoned him to die a cruel fate, and there's no need for him to be here anymore, he will do one last thing for them, in the new dimension, he will train and train until he is strong enough. Then he will come out and help them in their rating match against Sairaorg; that'll be the last thing he'll ever do to them. Their betrayal and treatment towards him have told him everything he needs to know. Issei walks into the portal, and the portal closes behind him, leaving behind the person he once was and approaching the person he is about to become