Chapter 1: Deal with the Devil

It was supposed to be a normal date, I was going to spend the afternoon with my first girlfriend. We had done so much together, from dinner, shopping to playing in the arcade and trying out new outfits.

We were walking in the park as the sun went down, I was holding her hand, I was praying that I would get the chance to kiss her.

She then let go of my hand, running over to the fountain that I was in front of, and turning back around to face me. I thought she was going to kiss me there as a memory for the first time we went out.

Instead… a cold fate fell upon me.

'Will you die for me?' I thought I had heard her wrong, but that wasn't the truth.

I wanted to run, I wanted to get away from here as soon as possible. That night at the fountain, the feeling of shining light pierced my stomach. A pain that I will never forget for as I long as I live. The black feathery wings that sprouted from her back, that was no human.

I was betrayed, I was lured into a trap and had my life snatched away from me. I know that was real, but the hole in my stomach wasn't there nor do my friends have any memory of Yuuma. I didn't even have her contact information in my phone anymore, but I never deleted it.

'What is this?' My breathing was ragged, and my heart was rapidly beating. Maybe it was the confusion or maybe it was the fact I had come back to the place I thought I was killed at. The fountain in the park at sunset, a place I once loved but now I couldn't understand it.

Black feathers, a sight for sore eyes.

'If you want someone to blame, then blame him. He gave you the sacred gear after all.' Her voice was different than our date, it was seductive and cunning. Not the innocent schoolgirl virgin, the way she whispered in my ear, I thought I was going crazy.

'Will you die for me?' Then the flash of light as she transformed into a monster, I clenched my stomach as the phantom pain of being impaled shot through my body.

"That wasn't a dream, I was killed here." Before I could continue the hairs on my neck peaked up, I quickly turned to face what I thought was danger.

"Well, well, well. A devil all alone by himself." Devil? What was this man talking about?

Across the fountain was a tall man in a grey trench coat, he also had black gloves and a black fedora. Every cell in my body was telling me to run now, a familiar feeling to Yuuma before she killed me.

"You seem to be all alone, the fact there's no traces of teleportation magic nearby all I can assume is that you are a stray, am I right?" The man spoke in a deep hostile voice, I know I won't be able to find out what else he had in store for much longer.

"What the hell is a stray?" I blurted out, my legs were shaking, and sweat was pouring from my head.

"I see, then it doesn't matter if I kill you then devil scum." The man then put a handout; I watched in horror as a bright light began to take the shape of a spear in his palm.

I couldn't stay here any longer, I turned to running. Feeling a different sense of adrenaline in my body I dashed away at what felt like blinding speed into the trees.

"Get back here!" I could hear the man shout as I made distance from him, the sound of his voice getting further away as the trees became a blur.

Even though the onset of night was approaching the sky didn't seem to change much, I wasn't blinded by darkness, in fact it felt like it was still daytime with the visibility tinted… red.

Something about me was off, I could feel it. My vision was different, not to mention the way I felt drained all day, I thought it was just because I was tired.

The trees continued on; I continued putting everything I had into running-

THUD

I fell to the ground, tumbling as a pain that was far worse than when I was stabbed the night prior. It was as if I was being burned alive from the inside, excruciating and searing pain.

In fact, I couldn't even move my head, I was stuck looking off to the front of me where a blue spear of light was piercing into the ground, and the slow descent of a black feather landed in front of me.

"I hate it when you disgusting things run away from me, cowardice is repulsive." I could hear the man coming from behind me, he must have caught up.

Despite the burning pain I knew more of my blood was pouring out from such a wound, just like yesterday except I couldn't lift my hand to let the crimson flowing liquid run down my arm.

I knew this was it, I did die yesterday. However, this time I won't be resurrected, I don't want to die. I wanted to live my life; I would become a better person. No, no I wouldn't.

I've taken advantage of my life, I always have. I let my hormones take control of me, if it weren't for that talk with the old man in the park that day, I would have grown up to be a normal child. I would have had it all, I wouldn't have been an outcast with those two perverts!

My parents must have hated that man, cursing him for teaching their only child about breast and the female body. Having to deal with me for all these years, putting up a front until I'm old enough to move out.

'What is this feeling.' This wasn't anything like I've felt before, not at those two or at the people I've been hurt by.

It was hatred, pure hatred towards me. I must have always felt this way, making false promises to be a better person if I was given another chance, but how many of those chances did I have?

'If you want someone to blame, then blame him. He gave you the sacred gear after all.' I don't know who he is, but the only one to blame was me!

My parents told me my name was always fitting because I was always honest, but I was never honest to myself. I've lied for as long as I can remember, and now I was going to die without ever changing.

Even if I was given a second chance, I'd still live my life for myself and let the greed of my being dictate my actions. I was going to die here, but I will not apologize for what I did.

'I'd give anything to not die again, I want to live my way!' I wanted to scream my lungs out if they hadn't been clipped by the spear of light.

"Normally a light spear through the stomach was an instant death, but you're quite the tough one. Don't worry, this next one will put you out of your misery." His footsteps were approaching as the daunting sound of another light spear before formed sparked.

It wasn't long before he was standing above me, one of his feet were planted onto my back. Executed like an animal, he was going to finish me off. I couldn't have done anything, not with how I was reacting at that fountain.

Then it happened.

I felt the spear drive through my chest, the sound of my heart shattering was deafening. I was dying quickly now, only moments before I would fade out of existence.

(Scene Break)

As soon as my vision faded away it came back, however I wasn't waking up in my room like last time. In fact, I was in a place I've never seen before, A frozen lake that stretched on endlessly, however I could see the shape of a massive figure in the distance which looked burned and hollowed out. Lying limp in chains as the charred remains continued to release embers.

This place felt creepy, that dreadful feeling that I was being watched from all directions, a pressure against me crushing.

In the distance I could hear the screams of agony, if I was able to, I would have done the same.

"What is this?" I asked myself, looking down there were still two large holes in my chest. My mind started racing, this new environment, the screams, me dying.

"Calm yourself, only humans who've committed sins against 'Him' are subjected to torment. For a devil we are simply bound here by fate, unlike our creator devils whose soul have not been purged have a chance of being sent here." An unfamiliar voice called out to me; however, this one was far more intimidating than the guy in the trench coat.

I turned to face the owner, I hadn't realized nor seen it earlier but there was a large throne in the center of the ice, sitting in it was a man who looked like he was in his mid to late teens, his silvery-white hair was down to his chin and his sharp piercing eyes were hazel in color. He was wearing what seemed like gray noble attire from medieval Europe, resting his head on his knuckles as he sat in the chair.

"What is this place?" I asked, despite being scared I wasn't feeling the same feeling I was with that guy who killed me. Instead, I couldn't feel anything at all, it was if my shoulders had become as light as a… feather.

The guy in the chair then stood up, he then began to walk down the large black stone staircase to which his throne stood on.

"A devil who doesn't know where he is, this home my boy. The birthplace of your progenitor and the place you are destined to return to, this is Hell." I froze, did I hear what I just thought I heard?

'Hell? I've been sent to HELL! My life was worthless, the gods looked down on me, it was too late to beg for salvation.' I couldn't believe it; my sins outweighed the good I've done.

I fell to my knees, all that my mind could think of was that I was going to spend the rest of eternity here. Another endless cycle of torment, all that I was worth hasn't changed.

As I contemplated and cursed the gods the man stopped in front of me, I looked up to meet his gaze.

"A pitiful soul yours is, however, you cannot pass on just yet not as long as those remain attached." The man then reached into the gaping hole in my chest, it was then I could feel something being torn from me on a level that couldn't be described. No amount of screaming was able to rectify what I felt.

A white and red light was pouring from my chest, it intensified as he began to retract his arm.

I then collapsed to the ice; it was as if my soul had been torn from my body leaving me an empty husk. I felt like I died for a third time, waiting to be put out of my misery.

"Interesting, your soul will not pass on. Desire fueled by hatred being enough to keep the corpse above alive on the absolute minimum. Not even the scorching light that eats away at our kind has turned it to dust." The man was talking, but I couldn't hear him well.

"Issei Hyoudou, you're not a normal devil, are you? No, I already knew that, but you are special. This interests me, yes. Perhaps we can come to an agreement." I then felt a hand on my back, slowly the numbing faded away.

My body felt different, losing the hollow feeling I knew something was changing.

"What did you do?" I asked as I started to force myself back up, I felt different now as if the life that was snatched away had been poured back into my veins. Rejuvenated and full of energy, in fact it felt as if it were flowing from me.

"I used my power to stabilize your dying body, if not for the sacred gear in your left hand your body would have been turned into light particles. Only a devil of my class can do such a thing with such little to work with." I turned to face the man, immediately my attention was drawn to the eight small chess pieces that were in his hand.

'This is what he must've pulled out of me, but how would that be possible?' I then looked down at my chest, to my surprise the holes were no longer there aside from my school uniform.

"What the?" I said alone as I frantically began to feel around myself.

"Tell me, what is it that you most desire in this life? Is it women, revenge, wealth or anything that you feel you could not have gotten with your current strength?" asked the man, I stopped and thought about it.

His question kind of… angered me. Women, it was my own naïve nature and desire to get laid that got me into this mess in the first place! What does he mean by current strength? I would have died anyway to that guy; I didn't know what I was going to do except run in that situation.

"No, that used to be it. I've never been one to care about money, I was satisfied with what I had. What I wanted most was to take that hatred I had in those few moments I was still alive out on those two bastards." It was then the man had gotten so close to me our chest were inches apart.

"Let's make a deal then." I could feel him smiling with an ulterior motive, I was good at noticing it with other guys.

"I'm listening." All I could do was hear him out.

"I'll give you enough of my power to resurrect and deal with that filthy creature who chose to take your life, in return you will live your new life for you, let no one else tell you what to do. They will come for you, hunting you, they are afraid, but you will persevere and take revenge against those who wanted you dead." The man then stepped back; his eyes were glowing their hazel color. Around us the area was starting to become disformed and started to shake.

He was going to give me a chance. Could that even be plausible?

I was already in Hell, I had nothing more to lose and I will not anyone else take anymore from me. Would I even be human anymore if I agreed to this? Would I ever see my family again in the afterlife if I agreed?

'It's this hesitation that got me killed, unable to react under pressure.' The image of a light spear piercing through me flashed.

'Will you die for me?' I should have run at that moment! I could feel it, hatred pouring through my body like the blood flowing through my veins.

"Deal." The area around now exploded in the colors of white and red, its origin was the man who stood before me, his irises now replaced with fiery red pentagrams. His face a distorted smile with sharp piercing fangs as his head was starting to tilt sideways.

All at once a fear of something primordial was rushing through me at a level that I couldn't comprehend.

I was frozen as he put a finger on my chest and started to drive it in, it was then my chest began to throb violently and my left-hand cramping and twisting.

"AAAAAAAH!" I screamed out, I could feel something pouring into me, it was foreign and felt as if it was tearing me apart.

"The sacrifice must be equivalent for the power you desire, when the time comes you will unleash it against those who have come for it. Let them meet Death in his realm before eternal damnation." His voice became distorted and demonic in nature.

It was then my chest felt as if it exploded.

(Scene Break)

My eyes shot open, it felt as if the power of the sun was trying to explode from my body. The air swarmed through my lungs like a vacuum nearly making me cough if not for my body still lying face down on the ground.

I moved my arms and pushed myself up from the ground, however I nearly sent myself flying as the strength I used was inhuman. Luckily, I managed to stay on my feet, I wasn't shaking, I was solid as stone.

I looked around me, I was back in the forest. I had been resurrected from the depths of Hell, I was given that second chance, that man did have that power. He gave me a part of that power, now I was able to use it to take revenge. That however will not be enough, I would need… more.

'If it is more power you desire, then I shall grant it' Spoke a deep voice that wasn't mine or that man's, it was in my head.

"Who are you?" I asked aloud, all the information from my surroundings were flooding my senses. Overwhelming my body, my head felt like it was going to shatter.

'I reside within the sacred gear in your left hand; however, you haven't even managed to manifest it in a twice-critical form. Interesting, perhaps the power within you is greater than I can tell.' The voice said something about a sacred gear.

'He gave you the sacred gear.' Yuuma said something too, and that man. What is the sacred gear? How do I manifest it?

I could the hear groggy sound of the deep voice murmur.

'Focus all the power you feel into your left hand, think about what you feel when you call out for strength and let it flow.' I did as the voice told me, I was overflowing with power, thinking about it I needed to force it out of my left hand.

I could try to do a dragon blast like I used to when I watched Dragon Boy Z, I was going to try and use a dragon blast.

I lifted my arm and opened my palm, I could feel it tingling, I could feel the power beginning to surge into my arm. It was then a red glow began to form around my lower arm and a green gem began to manifest on the back of my hand.

"Sacred Gear!" I shouted out, in response a red scale like gauntlet formed around my hand and forearm. Sharp red claws took the place around my fingers, red spikes ran up my arm into a final pair of golden spikes that reached further out.

I lifted the sacred gear closer to me, examining it I found it fascinating at the very least.

The hairs on my neck stood up again, I quickly turned towards the source of the hostile feeling. That guy was coming back, he must have heard me shout out a moment ago.

'You can either run or fight here, get ready.' The voice spoke to me, I was given this power to fight so that is what I will do. I was going to wait for him, I was going to blow him away with one fatal shot.

My heart began to race, beating with a thunderous pattern. My chest had been a jumble of pain, agony and injury but now it was weightless. I wasn't nervous anymore, no I was ready for whatever I would come across again, this time was going to be different.

It wasn't long before the man who drove a light spear through my heart was in front of me again. He was floating in the air, a pair of black wings sprouting from his back… just like Yuumas.

I could feel the anger in me start to build once again, it was those damned black feathers. A symbol of all that I will hate from now on.

"How the hell are you still alive, I drove that spear through your heart." Spoke the man as he looked down at me with a disgusted expression. I returned it in kind, he was going to die here by me.

I took a fighting stance; I didn't know much about fighting but I did know from what I watched on T.V. it shouldn't be that hard.

[Boost]

I was caught off guard by the announcement that I quickly located came from the gem on the sacred gear which let off a green glow.

"The Boosted Gear, that's why she brought us here. She killed you already! Who the hell are you!" shouted the man as he looked afraid, instead of being in question myself I was feeling hungry to go after him.

"My name is Issei Hyoudou! And I will not let you get away for what you did." I then jumped towards him at what I felt like blinding speed catching the man off guard as I drove the sacred gear into his face sending him flying into the ground with a thunderous boom.

I couldn't believe it, I somehow managed to summon such power with that one attack. I couldn't let this opportunity go to waste. As I started falling to the ground, I quickly rushed towards the man who was pulling himself up from the ground.

Before he could turn his head, I delivered another powerful punch to his face, sending him back into the ground, but this time he managed to make a little distance and recover to his feet.

"What is this? This power is not from your sacred gear, what the hell did you do?" the man then summoned another light spear and rushed towards me. I had to be cautious, maneuvering out of the way from being impaled again.

I then took the gauntlet and smashed it across his face, sending him back again.

[Boost]

The sound rang out once again, the flash of green light illuminated the dark forest around us, however from the man's perspective it must have been a terrible sight.

This anger, this desire to kill him was all I could think about. I wanted to blow him away completely, using all my strength to turn this bastard to ashes.

I dashed towards him, at the same time he tried to thrust his light spear into me. I put my hand up and blocked the attack with the gauntlet, pushing past it and closing the distance again.

The moment I delivered another punch to the man I could feel a burning pain in my shoulder. I looked down only to see a hint of light and smoke burning from a cut.

'Bastard cut me; I'll have to end this quickly.' I backed up and raised my palm at the man who was trying to stand back up.

'If you want to end this then focus all the power into your palm and unleash a Dragon Shot.' Spoke the voice, giving me an idea it would be like the Dragon Boy Z show.

[Boost] [Explosion]

I then felt the power begin to surge within me as the sacred gear began to glow brightly, I focused all the power I had left into my palm. A red glowing orb began to manifest in front, I was going to unleash it all.

I looked at the man, his face was now one of fear. He put a hand up to protect himself, but it wouldn't save him.

"Dragon Shot!" I yelled as I reeled my arm back and brought it forward as hard as I could. I stood amazed as the red orb grew as it traveled toward the man, immediately I knew that it was going to explode with the power I wouldn't be able to tell.

"NO!" the man shouted before he ended up caught in the orb.

KABOOM

The explosion sent me flying through the woods, I tried to cover myself however I wasn't able to stop the trees snapping in half as my back was forced through them.

One by one I was forced through until the last tree stopped me. I fell to the ground, my body now losing the energy that was given to me.

'Your body needs to recover the energy that you used, is so the price for the power you desired. I will watch over you until you awaken again, for now rest partner. More will come, until then you will prepare until that day is here.' The voice then faded as my vision started to fade with it.

Epilogue

"Are you sure this was the place that explosion occurred Koneko, it was sudden and unexpected." Spoke a red-haired woman as she walked with two more females through the woods in the park. She was wearing a school uniform deep into the night by that point, someone would have guessed that she had finally finished with an afterschool club or activity.

The one she was speaking to was a girl you looked as if she was in middle-school, small and petite. White hair and hazel-eyes concentrated as she investigated the woods, suddenly her nose peaked up as if she could pick up the scent like an animal.

"There's blood, devil and fallen." The one known as Koneko started to run into the woods quickly being followed by the red-haired girl and a black-haired girl that was standing beside her.

"I hope we weren't too late; it would be a shame if he died so soon Rias." Spoke the black-haired girl. The one known as Rias scoffed, having something else within her that she didn't let be known.

"I hope not, his pieces weren't responding to my signal. It's unusual for something like that to happen." Rias looked puzzled as this kind of issue wasn't common.

The trio continued into the woods until Koneko stopped in her tracks, the sight before her causing her eyes to widen. It wasn't long until the others would arrive, each of them looking on as the sight was disturbing.

The black-haired girl put a hand over her mouth.

"It seems like our newest recruit is a lot more vicious than we expected." They all continued to look down at the scene.

The mangled body of a man with tattered clothing with a massive chunk of his abdomen missing and his internal organs spread amongst the dirt, disemboweled. His face left a mark of fear in his final moments that stared off into the distance.

Whilst they continued to look on Koneko's nose perked up once again, and her head turned to the direction from which she could sense something. Before she could disappear again, she froze on her first step, instead she began to tremble as sweat started pouring down her head.

The other two took notice as they could not sense the presence that was lurking within the shadows.

"What is it, Koneko?" asked Rias as she readied herself for confrontation, even with enhanced senses she wasn't able to see what Koneko saw.

"Dragon." From her perspective the form of a massive and terrifying red dragon was lying just beyond the tree line, stalking the trio as they inspected the corpse it had left behind.

Rias looking worried stepped in front of Koneko, putting distance between whatever was there and her.

"Rias, you might want to see this." Spoke the black-haired girl in a concerning voice, Rias turned around to see what was going on, following the direction the girl was pointing in her eyes widened.

On the ground not too fare from the corpse of the man were eight small chess pieces, however they weren't in any normal condition.

"Shattered." All eight of the chess pieces had been broken into small pieces, Rias's face turned to one of fear.

"We need to leave."