Viktor was roused from sleep by the shrill ringing of his phone, the sound cutting through the silence of the late night like a blade. Groggily, he reached for the device on his nightstand, squinting at the glowing screen. Issei's name flashed across it. With a tired sigh, he accepted the call and brought the phone to his ear.
"Yeah?" His voice was hoarse, laced with exhaustion.
"Boss," came Issei's hurried voice on the other end. He sounded troubled, anxious even. "I—uh, I'm really sorry for calling this late, but I needed to tell you that I won't be able to make it to work tomorrow. Something… something came up. A friend of mine really needs help."
Viktor sat up slightly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he processed Issei's words. The kid was usually punctual and responsible, at least when it came to the bar. If he was calling this late, it had to be serious.
"Don't worry about it," Viktor replied, his voice now steady. "Take care of whatever you need to."
A heavy silence followed. Viktor could almost hear Issei's hesitation through the phone.
"Boss?" Issei finally spoke again, his voice quieter this time. "If you had to kill somebody in order to save someone dear to you… would you do it?"
Viktor felt the last remnants of sleep vanish instantly. His grip on the phone tightened, and for the first time in years, he hesitated. It was a question that cut deep, one that carried the weight of morality, consequence, and the scars of experience.
"Taking a life…" Viktor exhaled slowly, gathering his thoughts. "Changes you. No matter the reason, no matter how justified you think it is, the moment you cross that line, you're not the same person anymore. It stays with you, shapes you in ways you won't understand until it's too late."
Issei remained silent, listening intently.
"You should only take a life if there is no other choice," Viktor continued. "If there is even the smallest chance to resolve things another way, take it. Because once you go down that path, there's no turning back."
Another pause. Then, a quiet sigh from Issei. "I don't know what to do, boss."
"You'll figure it out," Viktor said, his tone softer now. "I have faith in you. You're a good kid, Issei."
A long moment of silence followed before Issei finally spoke. "Thanks, boss."
Then the call ended, leaving Viktor alone with his thoughts.
Sleep never came after that. He lay awake, staring at the ceiling, his mind turning over Issei's words. What had the boy gotten himself into? It was clear that this wasn't just some minor scuffle—it had the weight of something far greater. And knowing Issei, it likely involved Rias Gremory and her peerage.
Viktor let out a slow breath, rolling onto his side. If the devils were involved, then it was only a matter of time before things escalated. He had told himself he would stay out of their affairs, that he wouldn't get dragged into their petty squabbles. But now, with Issei caught in the middle of it, Viktor felt a reluctant sense of responsibility creeping in.
Tomorrow, he decided, he would close the bar. He had some stalking to do.
The morning sun had barely risen when Viktor cloaked himself in a subtle veil of magic, a simple trick that made him nearly imperceptible to the senses of those around him. Not truly invisibility, but close enough that only the most powerful beings would notice him.
He followed Issei the moment the boy left his house, keeping a careful distance as he observed him go about his routine. Viktor expected trouble, some sign of immediate danger, but instead, Issei simply went to school. He sat through classes, chatted with his friends, and left at the usual time. Nothing out of the ordinary.
It wasn't until two hours later that things took a turn.
Issei left his house in a hurry, moving with a sense of urgency that hadn't been there before. Viktor shadowed him through the streets, his interest piqued. The boy soon met up with two of his fellow peerage members in a nearby park.
Koneko and Kiba, Viktor noted. The small, silver-haired girl with an expression of stone and the blond pretty boy with a sword at his hip. He had seen them before at the bar, always keeping a watchful eye over Issei.
The three spoke in hushed voices, but Viktor's enhanced senses picked up every word with ease.
"…the nun Asia," Kiba was saying. "As you say she's been taken by Fallen Angels. If we don't act quickly, there's no telling what will happen to her."
"Let's go and save Asia from Raynare's dirty clutches!" Issei declared, his voice filled with conviction.
Viktor almost gave himself away. He had to suppress a laugh at the sheer absurdity of it all.
Raynare? That weakling? Causing his employee trouble? The idea was so ridiculous that he didn't know whether to be amused or embarrassed on behalf of his own kind.
Still, he followed them as they made their way toward their destination—a decrepit, abandoned church on the outskirts of town.
The sight of devils marching toward a church to do battle with Fallen Angels and exorcists was an irony Viktor couldn't ignore. It almost made him want to grab a drink and enjoy the show. Almost.
Issei and his comrades entered the church, wasting no time in cutting through the human exorcists stationed at the entrance. They moved efficiently, Kiba's sword slicing through opposition like paper, while Koneko dismantled her foes with raw, unrelenting strength.
Viktor barely spared the exorcists a glance. He had little interest in weaklings.
Instead, his focus was on the trio of Fallen Angels waiting deeper inside.
As soon as he laid eyes on them, he felt his stomach churn with disgust.
They were pathetic. Weak. The fact that they bore the same wings as him was almost insulting. Even Raynare, as much of a failure as she was, at least had some level of cunning. But these three? They were fodder, nothing more.
He didn't bother interfering. Kiba and Koneko would handle them easily enough.
His interest lay deeper within the church.
Raynare was there. And with her, a single human presence—undoubtedly the nun, Asia.
But… the human presence had just winked out, the life snuffed.
Viktor had a feeling Issei wouldn't like what he saw ahead.
As he followed Issei's path deeper inside, Viktor found himself strangely invested. Would Issei stick to his ideals? Would he be forced to cross that line he had asked Viktor about the night before?
One way or another, Viktor would find out soon enough.
And if things got truly out of hand… well, he had never been one to sit idly by and watch a story unfold without adding his own chapter to it.
As Viktor followed Issei into the depths of the abandoned church, he found himself watching the young devil's every step with keen interest. The dim candlelight flickered against the cold stone walls, casting eerie shadows that danced like specters of the past. The scent of blood and old parchment hung heavy in the air, mingling with the unmistakable presence of lingering holy energy—an uncomfortable mixture for any devil.
At the far end of the chamber, Viktor saw her—Raynare. The fallen angel stood over a kneeling figure, a frail-looking blonde girl clad in the robes of a nun, chains wrapped around her wrists, held by a machine Viktor recognized.
Hells, he helped his dead brother build it, a Sacred Gear extractor, although a failed prototype.
Oh it worked, doing it's sole function fine, that is extracting a sacred gear. But it had the side effect of leaving the target dead after the extraction.
Where had Raynare gotten her hands on the thing, Viktor mused to himself.
Raynare turned at Issei's arrival, her lips curling into a smirk. Dressed in her usual revealing attire, the fallen angel's dark wings stretched behind her as she tilted her head in amusement.
"Well, well," she purred, her voice laced with mockery. "I was wondering when you'd show up, Issei Hyoudou. You sure took your time."
Issei clenched his fists, his whole body trembling—not with fear, but with rage. "Let Asia go," he demanded, his voice raw with emotion.
Raynare let out a soft chuckle, placing a finger to her lips in feigned thought. "Hmm… sure," She smiled widely, stepping aside, letting Issei run towards Asia.
"Asia! Hey, Asia?! Wake up!"
Viktor cringed at the panic in Issei's voice, all the while Raynare began cackling.
"What a knight in shining armor you are, barging straight into the enemy's territory to save a damsel in distress," Raynare taunted, "But guess what? You're too late!"
Issel looked up at Raynare with rage filled eyes.
Taking a step forward, his teeth bared. "You tricked me. You pretended to care about me. You even kissed me… and the whole time, it was just a joke to you, wasn't it?" His voice cracked, betraying the pain buried beneath his anger.
Raynare's smirk widened, her eyes gleaming with cruel satisfaction. "Oh, Issei, you really are stupid, aren't you?" she taunted. "You were just a stepping stone, a means to an end. Do you really think I would ever fall for a perverted, weak little boy like you?"
Issei flinched.
Viktor, watching from the shadows, could almost feel the weight of the words crashing down on the boy. It was a cold, calculated cruelty—the kind that cut deeper than any blade.
Raynare continued, enjoying the way Issei's expression twisted. "That kiss? That date? It was all part of the plan. I needed to get close to you, to see if you had a Sacred Gear. And guess what? You did." She leaned in, her voice dropping to a whisper. "But even with that, you're still nothing. You were supposed to die that night, Hyoudou. If Rias Gremory hadn't saved you, you'd be rotting in the dirt right now."
Issei's breathing grew heavy. His fists tightened until his nails dug into his palms, blood welling up from the pressure.
Issei looked at Asia, still bound, "You did this to her," he murmured.
Raynare ignored him, stepping forward. "I have to admit, though, you've been quite the annoyance," she said. "But now that you're here, I think it's time we finish what we started."
With a flick of her wrist, a spear of light materialized in her hand. The weapon pulsed with deadly energy, illuminating the chamber in a golden glow. She twirled it once before pointing it directly at Issei.
"Now, be a good little boy and die for me."
For a moment, the air stood still.
Then, something inside Issei snapped.
His rage boiled over, drowning out every thought except one—he would not let her win. He would not let her take Asia away.
A crimson light flared to life, engulfing his right arm. The Boosted Gear materialized, the sacred gauntlet pulsing with raw power.
Raynare took a step back, her smirk faltering for the first time. "What?"
Issei growled, his voice low and filled with fury. "I'm done listening to you."
A surge of power erupted from him as the Boosted Gear activated, and in that moment, Viktor, still hidden, smiled to himself.
Now, things were getting interesting.
The crimson glow of Issei's Boosted Gear cast sharp shadows across the stone walls. His breath came in ragged gasps, his mind drowning in fury. He had been tricked, humiliated, used like a disposable pawn—but none of that mattered now. The only thing that did was saving Asia.
Raynare's momentary surprise vanished, replaced by a sneer. "Oh? You think you stand a chance against me, boy?" Her grip tightened around her spear of light. "Just because you have that toy on your arm doesn't mean you can—"
"Boost!"
The gauntlet pulsed with energy, red sigils flashing along its surface as power surged through Issei's body. He didn't know how to wield it properly, didn't even fully understand its capabilities, but he could feel its strength coursing through him, setting his blood on fire.
Raynare's expression darkened. "Tch. Annoying brat."
With a flap of her dark wings, she propelled herself forward, the tip of her spear aimed straight for Issei's heart.
He barely had time to react. His body moved on instinct, twisting to the side just enough for the spear to graze his shoulder rather than impale him. Pain seared through his flesh, but he clenched his teeth, refusing to cry out.
Raynare smirked. "Pathetic."
She swung her weapon in a deadly arc. Issei raised his arm to block, the gauntlet meeting the spear's edge in a shower of sparks. The impact sent him skidding backward, but he dug his heels in, refusing to fall.
Raynare clicked her tongue. "Honestly, I don't know why you're trying so hard." She tilted her head, eyes gleaming with sadistic amusement. "It's not like you and this girl were close. She's just another pawn in this little game. A weak, useless nun who—"
"Shut up!" Issei roared.
His rage exploded, his body moving before he could think. He charged, his fist cocked back, the Boosted Gear surging with power. Raynare's eyes widened slightly in surprise before she raised her spear to meet him.
The two clashed in a violent burst of energy. Sparks flew as light met raw force, the stone floor cracking beneath them from the sheer pressure.
Raynare gritted her teeth. "Damn brat!"
Issei pushed harder, forcing her backward. "I don't care if we just met! Asia's my friend! And I won't let you hurt her anymore!"
His words struck a nerve. Raynare's smirk wavered, her grip tightening around her weapon. "Friend? Don't make me laugh."
With a sudden beat of her wings, she vaulted over him, twisting midair to drive her spear downward. Issei barely managed to roll out of the way, the weapon slamming into the floor where he had stood, sending stone shards flying.
Raynare landed gracefully, already preparing her next attack. "This is getting annoying. Let's just end this."
She raised her free hand, a second spear of light forming in her palm. Issei's eyes narrowed. He could feel his strength growing, but he wasn't sure how long he could keep up with her speed.
"Boost!"
Another surge of power flooded his veins. His vision sharpened, his movements feeling just a bit faster, his strikes a bit stronger. He had to keep going.
Raynare lunged. Issei ducked low, twisting his body to dodge her first strike before retaliating with a wild punch. She barely avoided it, the force of his swing cutting through the air like a blade.
He could see it now—she wasn't invincible. She was fast, yes, but he was catching up.
Raynare hissed in frustration. "Damn it, just die already!"
She launched another spear. Issei dodged, closing the distance between them in a single heartbeat.
And then he saw his opening.
Raynare's balance faltered for the briefest second. Issei didn't hesitate. He drove his fist forward, the Boosted Gear flaring bright red as it slammed into her stomach.
The impact sent her flying backward, crashing into the stone pillars lining the church. Dust and debris rained down, obscuring her form.
Issei stood panting, his gauntlet humming with raw power.
For a moment, there was only silence.
Then, from the rubble, a weak chuckle.
Raynare staggered to her feet, blood trailing from the corner of her lips. "Not bad," she admitted, her voice weaker than before. "But you're still… just a weakling."
Issei clenched his fists, readying himself for another attack.
A green light shined over Raynare, "With this useless Nun's sacred hear, I'm invincible"
Then, before either of them could move…
A wave of pressure filled the church, heavy and suffocating.
Raynare's eyes widened in horror. "No…"
A crimson glow bathed the chamber as two figures appeared in the doorway.
Rias Gremory stepped forward, her long red hair flowing behind her like a river of fire. Beside her, Akeno Himejima smiled sweetly, though the amusement never quite reached her eyes.
Raynare took a step back. "This… this isn't fair…"
Rias regarded her with a cold, unreadable expression. "You hurt one of mine," she said simply. "That's a mistake you won't live to make again."
Akeno chuckled softly, lightning crackling at her fingertips. "Ara, ara… I do hope you're ready to take responsibility for your actions."
Raynare trembled. Issei, still catching his breath, could only watch as the full force of the Gremory heiress and her Queen bore down upon the fallen.
It started with Akeno raining Holy Lightning down on the Fallen, a sadistic smile plastered on her face, the woman was clearly enjoying herself far too much.
Even Viktor, hidden in the shadows, shuddered at the sight.
Raynare was charred black, writhing in agony, yet with the help of Asia's sacred gear, she healed her form back to pristine condition.
"Please, no, spare me!" The fallen began pleading, only to be met with a bolt ot lightning once more.
The Fallen continued with her pleading every chance she got, even bowing and asking for forgiveness.
Once Akeno got bored, Rias stepped in.
The church trembled under the weight of Rias Gremory's power, the swirling mass of her Power of Destruction glowing like a miniature sun in her palm. Raynare, battered and broken, could do nothing but stare, frozen in terror.
This was it.
The end.
But before Rias could release the attack, a shadow flickered between them—fast, effortless. The crimson energy surged forward—only to halt as if striking an invisible wall.
No, not a wall. A hand.
A single, gloved hand, fingers curled ever so slightly as if snuffing out a candle flame. The sheer contrast was almost comical—Rias' destructive might, capable of erasing anything it touched, caught effortlessly by a seemingly unremarkable man in a black coat.
Viktor exhaled slowly, a thin wisp of smoke escaping his lips as he tilted his head, the embers of his cigarette glowing in the dim light.
"I'm sorry to ruin your fun, but I have to interfere."
A brief silence fell over the ruined chapel. The scent of charred stone lingered in the air.
Akeno's lips curled into a teasing smile, her violet eyes dancing with amusement as she raised a hand to her mouth. "Oh my… what a surprise."
Rias, however, was less amused. Her crimson locks swayed as she took a step forward, eyes locked onto Viktor with a mixture of confusion and something else—something she couldn't quite name.
"Viktor?! What are you doing here? Explain yourself!"
She struggled to grasp what had just happened. How? How had this man, who she had assumed was a simple bartender, just stopped her attack? With his bare hands?
Viktor rolled his shoulders, lazily flicking the remnants of destruction energy from his palm before folding his hands behind his back. His smirk never wavered.
"You see, I'm in dire need of more staff at the bar," he began, his voice calm, almost casual.
Rias' brow twitched.
"So, when my one and only employee told me last night that he wouldn't be coming in, I got worried. Decided to check in on what was keeping him so busy."
He took a slow drag of his cigarette, exhaling the smoke in thin, curling wisps. His sharp blue eyes flicked toward Issei, who was still wide-eyed, barely processing what was happening.
"And, in the process of protecting my sole employee… I happened to find another potential employee."
A cold silence followed.
Rias' eyes narrowed. "You couldn't mean…"
Viktor smirked, tilting his head toward the fallen angel still crumpled on the ground. "Raynare, of course."
Raynare's head jerked up, her breath hitching in her throat. What?!
Rias' shock quickly turned to anger. She clenched her fists, the glow of destruction flickering back into existence. "Viktor, move. Now. While I still have some respect left for you."
A ball of crackling crimson energy formed in her hand, the sheer force of it distorting the air around them.
Viktor, unfazed, simply raised a hand as if to calm a restless child.
"Now, now, Ruin Princess—let's not get too excited." His smirk widened. "Think about it this way. Ray-Ray over here will work at my bar—with no pay—forced to serve hormonal teenagers who will ogle and harass her every second of the day. Think of it as a punishment."
Raynare's face twisted in horror. "What?!"
Viktor continued as if he hadn't heard her.
"And as for the nun… well, you can revive her right now, can't you? She'd make a fine addition to your peerage."
The energy in Rias' palm wavered, her expression shifting into something uncertain.
"As to the matter od her Sacred Gear, I'll have it returned to her, I have the means to do so."
Akeno chuckled, her arms crossed as she eyed Viktor with newfound interest. "Ara, ara… you certainly know how to bargain, don't you?"
Viktor exhaled, watching the ember of his cigarette burn to its end.
"Tell you what—why don't you hit up your brother? Ask him about The Midnight Raven. See what he has to say."
At the mention of her brother, Rias stiffened.
Viktor smirked knowingly. "I promise you, you won't be disappointed."
His gaze swept over the group one last time before he turned away, his form beginning to blur with the telltale glow of teleportation magic.
"If you still want her dead, come by the bar tomorrow. You're free to kill this disgusting bird then."
And with that, he was gone.
Later that same night, Rias was sat over her desk at the Occult Research Club, reading a thick document in front of her, a deep frown on her face.
Doing as Victor had told her, even if she didn't want to ask her brother for any help, any info on Viktor would be precious, because they knew so little about him, except that he owned the bar next to school.
As she read the documents her brother had prepared for her, Rias felt fear, shock, amazement, and too many more emotions to count.
In the celestial age, before the Great War shattered Heaven, Hell, and Earth alike, The Midnight Raven, also known as Viktor was once an angel of great renown. Unlike the traditional seraphs who basked in the light, Viktor was a guardian of the shadowed edges—the unseen protector of the unknown. He existed where Heaven's radiance did not reach, operating in secrecy, ensuring that the darker forces of the cosmos never threatened the celestial balance.
But when the Great Rebellion ignited, Viktor did not fall out of hubris, nor out of anger against God's will. He chose to fall. Not out of hatred, but out of pragmatism.
He saw the brewing war, the schism forming between Lucifer and Michael, and understood that no amount of divine faith or holy light would change the inevitable. He saw angels who knew nothing of battle cast into the front lines, slaughtered like lambs. He saw the foolish pride of Lucifer rallying the rebellious angels into a doomed cause.
And so, Viktor made a choice.
He cast off his wings—not in defiance, but in freedom. The war was pointless, Heaven's rules suffocating, and the Devils too self-serving. He walked away from the conflict and into the vast unknown, neither aligning with Hell nor swearing vengeance on Heaven.
He became a rogue.
For thousands of years, Viktor wandered across dimensions, realms, and warzones, carving his legend into the annals of history. He is known by many names:
• The Midnight Raven – A name whispered by both angels and devils alike, denoting his presence in the shadows of history.
• The Black Prophet – Among humans, he was a figure who appeared before great disasters, speaking cryptic warnings to those who dared listen.
• The Monster Hunter – In eras where supernatural creatures roamed unchecked, Viktor became their predator. He hunted dragons, ancient vampires, eldritch horrors, and beings forgotten by time.
His feats are countless:
• Slaying an Elder Dragon of the Void – A creature that devoured celestial bodies, long thought to be unkillable. Viktor hunted it for ten years, learning its patterns, exploiting its weaknesses, and finally delivering a fatal blow using a cursed lance forged from the bones of a fallen archangel.
• The Vanishing of Solomon's Temple – When a faction of rogue devils attempted to harness the lingering power of Solomon's seventy-two pillars, Viktor single-handedly infiltrated their stronghold and erased them from existence, sealing their knowledge away forever.
• Walking the Abyss and Returning – The Abyss is a place where even gods do not tread—a void of absolute entropy. Viktor not only walked its depths, but he returned, bringing with him knowledge that no mortal or immortal should possess.
• The Battle of the Forsaken City – A war that pitted ancient beings against each other. It is said Viktor fought an army of ten thousand undead knights alone and won. His blade sang through the battlefield like a scythe through wheat.
Level of Strength: Beyond Cadre, A Twelve-Winged Fallen
Viktor stands apart even among the highest-ranked Fallen. Like Azazel, he possesses twelve jet-black wings, a mark of his immense power. However, where Azazel specializes in sacred gear research and strategy, Viktor has honed himself into a pure combatant, an apex predator of the supernatural world.
The Legend of The Midnight Raven
Among the supernatural, Viktor is a ghost—a myth, a rumor that few believe. The Midnight Raven is a name that has drifted through time, whispered by warriors who claim to have seen him on battlefields where no man should have walked away.
• The Angels consider him an anomaly—a being who should not exist yet does.
• The Devils see him as a threat, a wildcard too powerful to control.
• The Fallen… fear him. Because in the presence of Viktor, they are reminded of what they could have been—of power beyond limitations.
It was a good thing that she hadn't told her brother that The Midnight Raven of legend was in her town, running a bar of all things - thought Rias.
Even if her brother did claim to be good friends with him…