Please enjoy.
Pa-atreon: 3sper
"What?" Issei asked the blonde nun, who began standing back up from the ground.
Assistance Mode: Translating Italian into Japanese.
"O-oh, sorry. I asked if you could please return my veil to me. It got blown off," The nun laughed awkwardly. As if suddenly remembering something, her demeanor changed inwardly, looking at him with unease. "You don't understand me, do you?"
"No, I do!" He said all too quickly, scurrying closer and holding the habit out.
"E-eh?" Her innocent green eyes widened with surprise. "You can speak Italian? Oh, that's wonderful!" She smiled up at him, graciously taking the veil and returning it to the top of her head. Counting herself lucky that she had run into a person who could speak her language, her face flushed, poking her fingers together nervously. "If... if you don't mind, could you please assist me? I'm a bit lost..."
"Of cour-"
"Senpai," A voice behind him spoke up. Issei turned around to Koneko staring at them. She was as stoic as ever, but... it was off. Like she was wary of something. She walked closer to him and tugged on the sleeve of his blazer, bowing her head towards the nun. "Pardon us." Dragging him far enough away so that the nun couldn't hear, Koneko huddled closer to Issei, giving him a subtle glare. "...What are you doing?"
"Whaaat? I'm just being nice," He said, though he couldn't help his true intentions leaking out. "It's not because she's a hottie-hottie blondie or anything."
"Idiot."
"Come on, Koneko. She said she needed help. Don't tell me you're too jealo-" The grip on his blazer shifted towards his forearm, squeezing with inhuman force. Barely keeping his squeal of pain from reaching extreme volumes, Issei looked back at the nun in hopes she hadn't overheard him. She stood at the edge of the sidewalk awkwardly, saddened by their retreat. Noticing his gaze, the blonde perked back up and waved. He smiled wryly and waved back, his eyes returning towards Koneko. "Dude, what's your problem?"
"Use your head, moron."
"Just tell me already. And could you please let go before you tear my arm off?" Though her grip had loosened from its initial squeeze, his arm was still firmly in her grasp.
Eventually, Koneko gave a vexing sigh. "I'm a devil, remember? And she's a nun, meaning she's allied with the church."
"...Is that bad?"
"Big time. Devils and angels are enemies. Getting in contact with anyone from the holy side is bad news." Despite those in higher positions trying to ease tensions between one another, nothing was official. One wrong move on either side could be the beginning of another war. Her hazel eyes narrowed, peeking over towards the nun. "If she's here... then she must be with those fallen dick wipes."
"Fallen angels? Seriously?"
"Yeah. Why else would a nun from Italy come all the way into devil territory while there's a crow infestation going on?"
"Good point... shit." Issei took a more cautious peek at the nun, who was oblivious to their conversation. She wore that same hopeful smile, patiently waiting them to return. He couldn't help feeling a sense of doubt.
Could someone like her really be allied with those evil, wicked fallen angels? She looked so... peaceful. Calm and kind. An innocent beauty who anyone could approach and be greeted with a compassionate smile.
Then again... Issei had been fooled by someone like Raynare once. She had also approached him with a loving smile that had him fooled completely. When she asked him out... he'd felt so happy. Thanks to his Gamer powers exposing her true nature and Koneko having his back, her foul intentions never got the chance to make themselves known.
He didn't want to think about what could have happened that day...
Seeking out the truth, Issei used Observe on the woman of the church.
Name: Asia Argento
Race: Human
Gender: Female
Level: 12
Sacred Gear: [Epic] Twilight Healing
Relationship: Acquaintance
That alone had told Issei everything he needed to know.
She wasn't hostile. His Game didn't ping him. In fact, the girl had somehow considered him an acquaintance. Issei wasn't sure whether his Game ability was infallible or not, but it hadn't steered him wrong yet. The fact she held a Sacred Gear was concerning, but she didn't seem like she was going to use it against them. Twilight Healing also didn't sound very ominous. Putting his faith in his system powers, he decided to trust her.
"I don't think she's evil, Koneko. I mean, just look at her."
"You were tricked by them before. This is the same."
"I-" He began, stopping himself. Although he believed that this Argento girl was innocent, it was true that she was still an ally of the church and potentially an ally of the fallen.
Does that mean that she is getting manipulated by them too? An innocent girl like her who had enough trust in a stranger like him would be easy to fool, especially for those bastards. Had it not been for his power, they would've had him in the palm of their hands easily. Embarrassingly enough, he would've believed every word Raynare said.
"I mean, come on. We can't just leave her when she's lost. W-"
"Yes we can."
"Koneko!" Issei whispered sharply, beseeching her. His secretive power prevent him from directly tell her why he believed the nun was innocent, but he still had to convince his junior somehow. "I don't think she's trying to trick us. I think if anything, they would be tricking her into following them."
"...What makes you think that?" She narrowed her eyes.
"...I don't know!" He pitifully excused, unable to think of anything on the fly. Regardless, he continued to pursue adamantly. "Trust me, the last thing I wanna do is run into those fake fuckers again. But if she's an innocent girl who got caught up with them, I can't just let her go. It doesn't sit right with me."
His declaration surprised Koneko, causing her eyebrows to raise slightly. When Issei had run into the fallen the first time, he had cowered away. Now he had the chance to strike at them indirectly. He may have gotten a big head now that he had some backup, but the look on his face told the nekoshou otherwise.
For the sake of this random girl, he was willing to risk danger. From her perspective, the chance the nun is innocent like he believed was incredibly low, yet he didn't seem to care.
It was... admirable, in a way. Although the white haired loli was reluctant to even think that to herself.
"Let's just check things out and see what exactly she needs. If things start getting dicey, we run away." A simple plan, one that could easily backfire if they were outnumbered. "I don't want you getting hurt for my sake, so we'll run as fast as we can."
Another flicker of surprise shot through Koneko and she bit her lip. Ironic, considering the pervert would be ducking behind her ass the second any action happens. Still, the point he raised wasn't entirely illogical and she could understand his plight...
...But Rias wouldn't accept it. No matter what. Their safety would go above everything else. Whether this girl was innocent or not, they couldn't help her. Devils interacting with anyone of their kind was a bad omen. Too dangerous. If the circumstances were completely different, the choice would still be the exact same.
They ignore anyone affiliated with the church.
"No, Senpai. We can't help her," Koneko denied, refusing to budge.
"But-
"Senpai." Her voice turned to steel, hazel eyes sharper than glass. Then, as if guilt had overwhelmed her small frame, Koneko's eyes softened up like fresh dough. The grip she had on his forearm loosened and she grasped his hand tenderly. "Please... understand... You have to understand..."
Hearing her plea, Issei was rendered speechless. He wanted to help the nun. His instincts told him to... but if Koneko was begging him to stand down in such a way, he couldn't ignore her. Devil stuff was serious and he was probably trying to bite off more than he could chew.
Uncertainty was fatal to the both of them. As much as his soul screamed at him to give the blonde a hand... he just couldn't put that on Koneko. She was obligated to protect him and that's exactly what she was doing. He couldn't complain. He was the one who'd wanted their protection in the first place.
"...Okay." Issei relented, unconsciously squeezing her hand back. Strangely, it had been hard to say that. "We won't help her... but we should still be nice enough to tell her we can't..."
Looking up at him, Koneko mulled it over before nodding. Randomly bailing without a word would be weird under any context. Hand in hand, the two walked back over to the awkward nun. Noticing their return, her slumped shoulders straightened and she smiled at them anxiously.
"Sorry 'bout that." Issei scratched at his head with his free hand. "The two of us are... going through relationship problems?" He threw out, immediately regretting it. His eyes darted to his junior beside him nervously. Her face had remained stoic as ever, but the death-lock grip she had on his hand told him exactly how she felt about such a claim.
"G-Goodness!" The blonde stifled a gasp, immediately bowing her head apologetically. "Forgive me! I had no idea! I hope everything works out between you two!" She did her best to apologize, in case she had offended them for intruding upon their lover's quarrel.
Sweet girl, really. But it was best to end this conversation as soon as possible before Koneko's grip mangled the boy's hand forever.
"N-No worries," Issei said through a pained smile. "Though we may be busy, if you just tell us where you need to go, we'll be happy to point you in the right dire-CTION!" His voice cracked after her grip tightened yet again. Guess she didn't even want to give the nun directions. Too late now.
"O-Okay!" The nun nodded gratefully, still concerned about unintentionally intruding on their spat. "I-If you would be so kind as to point me to where the church is, I would be forever grateful!"
Another tight squeeze on his hand and Issei could barely fight back the tears. Nevertheless, he shakily pointed in the direction. "T-that way... at the edge of town... up the hill," He croaked in-between painful groans.
The nun thanked him vigorously before grabbing her luggage and speeding off. The devil and contractor watched her leave down the road until she was out of sight. As soon as she was, the cat girl finally let the older teen go. Issei instantly cradled his red, thumping hand, jumping up and down and biting back swears cathartically.
"Bad move." Her voice was monotone, but it was clear Koneko wasn't happy. "You shouldn't have told her where the church was. Now she's going to meet up with them."
"S-sorry! But what else was I supposed to do in that situation?!"
"You could've said you didn't know where the church was."
"...Damn," Issei sighed flicking his hand a bit more, the pain beginning to fade. "But that doesn't necessarily mean she'll meet up with them. We don't know where they are, right? They could be somewhere else."
The girl deadpanned at him, obviously not buying that explanation at all. That church had been relatively abandoned for awhile now. If they weren't there, where else could they be? Randomly stowed away in the forest?
"Okay, you're right. I messed up. I should've just blew her off." He agreed after her intense gaze cracked him. That's what he said and meant, but Issei still would have felt bad to leave a girl like that all alone. Still, now she was headed straight into the wolves' den.
"...No, I should have been the one to do the talking. It's my responsibility to look after you as your guardian," Koneko confessed to her own mistake. Like she stated, she was contracted to protect him. Protection comes in many different forms and stepping in to speak with the nun should have been her duty. At least, that's how the first-year saw it. "With enough time, she would have found the church anyway. I'll make a report to Buchou. Let's go." She began walking in the direction of his house, remembering where it is.
"Good call. Report to Grem-err, Rias and tell her everything," Issei agreed, following after her. Having that extra bit of security would make him feel a little better about the situation. There was still a gaping hole inside that kept telling him that he should do or should've done something else. He couldn't make a proper decision on what his next move should be.
After allying himself with the devils at school, Issei wanted to put the whole fallen angel thing behind him. He was hoping they would do most, if not all the heavy-lifting that concerned those manipulative freaks. Now that other, likely innocent people were getting involved, he couldn't help feeling the need to do more. Had he been alone, the boy would have guided the nun to the church himself at the very least. But Koneko, a devil, had stopped him.
It was like a battle of light and darkness. Yin and Yang. Koneko and the other devils wouldn't step in to help a girl like Argento, regardless if she was being manipulated or abused because she was still affiliated with the opposite side. Had she been like him; an innocent bystander who wasn't allied to anyone, they may have extended a helping hand to her as well, offering her a contract or something similar.
That wasn't going to happen now. She was all alone and no one was coming to rescue her. If things ever get bad, which they certainly would, she wouldn't have anyone to turn to.
'What do I do?' Issei thought, his inner-turmoil vexing him greatly.
Quest Alert!
Quest: The Nun's Savior
Save Asia Argento from the stray exorcist and the fallen angels
Rewards:
5,000 Experience Points
Cupid's Arrow
1x Rare Gacha Token
Time Limit: 7 Days
Thankfully, Issei managed to avoid jumping out of his skin upon receiving a quest. It had been awhile since his last one, but he was thankful for another. This way, he didn't have to decide for himself what he should do. His Game system made the decision for him.
Some way, somehow, he had to save Asia Argento. A tall order, but he had the devils on his side. They may not decide to help the girl themselves, but they would indirectly if it meant protecting him. If he went to help her, then they would more than likely follow.
That being the case, Issei didn't want to throw himself or Koneko head on into danger. But at this point, did he have a choice? It was the first time he had got a timed quest and thinking over the potential consequences horrified him. In a game, failing a quest usually meant the player or other characters dying. Like those games, he didn't think he would get to retry, either.
His loli was basically strapped to his side like a pistol for now and Issei doubted he could shake her. For his safety, he didn't want to. If he somehow did, it would only make Rias upset with her, therefore making her upset with him.
However he planned to tackle this, one thing was certain. This would be a lot tougher than anything else he'd done since awakening his powers. It would only get more difficult from here the more involved with the supernatural he would inevitably get into, if his Quests had anything to say about it. Questing wasn't always going to be as simple as going to school, it seemed.
"You good, senpai?"
"Y-yeah, fine." He hid a grimace. He had a week. Unfortunately, it was much less time he'd would feel comfortable with trying to save the nun.
They arrived at his home without anymore words exchanged. As the boy thought, introducing Koneko to his curious, bigmouthed parents had been awkward. That interaction didn't last long, much to his relief, after the girl used her devil Hypnosis Magic to manipulate their subconscious into accepting her stay without issue. That said, the spell hadn't avoided them cooking him in front of the her, such as openly admitting he was a pervert who didn't even bother hiding the mountain of porn in his room. Nor had it avoided them also cooking her when they called her a grade schooler.
If looks could kill, then Issei would've been an orphan.
Heading up to his bedroom, Issei's footsteps became heavy as he tried to delay the inevitable. Koneko already knew he was a pervert, but the cat was definitively out of the bag. If she walked into his room, she'd see the shameless display of pornography scattered in literally every corner. Wall, closet, table, drawer; the list went on. The reluctant look on her face as she trailed after him told the deviant exactly how she felt about it. She already knew she'd have to bleach her eyes afterwards.
"Do you mind if I... clean up a bit?" Issei asked her, emphasizing the word 'clean.' It didn't take a genius to know what he was referring to.
"You do that," Koneko replied, stopping near the top of the staircase and grabbing her phone from her skirt pocket. "I'm gonna go talk to Rias. Make sure you use lots of fire."
"F-fire?" A bead of sweat dripped off his head as he watched her walk back down the stairs and out the front door. He questioned why she didn't just call her immediately after they split away from the nun. Maybe she just wanted to secure their safety first, or something along those lines.
Not knowing how much time he had, Issei bolted into his room and got to work. Everything was getting crammed into the closet. Everything was getting crammed into drawers. Everything was getting crammed under the bed. When he ran out of room and couldn't store anymore of his "books" without damaging them, he proceeded to run over to his parents room and hide them under their bed as well.
With the front door closing, Issei swiftly darted towards his room to double check everything. Hearing the soft pitter-patter begin making their way up the steps, he sighed in relief and waited for her at his door.
Safe.
"Feel free to make yourself at home." Issei smiled with flushed cheeks, holding his bedroom door open for her. Immediately, Koneko shriveled up at that. Words such as those sounded more vile than welcoming when they came from a perv like him.
Hesitantly and with a generous frown, the cat-devil stepped into his room. "Gross."
"W-wha? W-what is?" Issei panicked. Her finger pointed around his room at the walls where numerous posters of both scantily clad and nude women hitting dirty poses were still taped to. He immediately recoiled, frustrated and embarrassed. They were right in his face and he still missed it. "I-I'll take 'em down..." His head hung low, ashamed at his own ineptitude.
"Just leave it," Koneko sighed. "I expected worse and it would be a hassle to put back up."
"Y-yeah, haha..." He emptily agreed.
"But if you try to show me any of the stuff you were hiding, I'll kill you."
"W-wouldn't even dream of it," He laughed dryly, his hand discreetly letting go of his top drawer. There goes that idea. Soon as she accepted the posters, his mind immediately pushed for more.
Maybe he had a problem...
"It doesn't stink in here, so I'll give you that," Koneko muttered, sitting down on the floor and making herself comfortable in between his computer desk and his dresser as he sat on his bed.
"Of course it doesn't. Like I could ever let my collection of Triple Nipple Double Troubl-" His mouth snapped shut upon the weight of her glare. Looking at her small frame huddle in-between his furniture was really cute, but it made him feel bad. "Are you really fine sitting there? You can sit on the bed if y-"
"No."
"It won't kill you, ya know."
"But it'll kill you..." Her words were icy.
"Okay... maybe the chair then?" Issei pointed towards his blue computer chair.
"It's cool," She answered straightforwardly. She may have not minded the floor, but Issei believed she just didn't want to directly touch any specific object he owned. He wanted to feel offended, but he couldn't. At the very least, he hoped he could keep trying to up his affection with her. Not in a sexual way, however nice that would be, but in a friendly way. Koneko considered him a friend and he double-checked that. He was hoping the two of them could grow closer...
...But the view he had on her underwear was nice. Yellow linen with a cyan trim. If he strained his eyes, mayb-
"Oughfff-fuck!" Issei grunted hoarsely, the air swiftly leaving him after he was gutted with the girl's school bag.
"Set that down somewhere, away from all your garbage," The nekoshou said, holding out her palm and generating a red magic circle with a symbol in its center. "Peek between my legs again and you'll peek these hands," She added, casting her spell as a bunch of bagged snacks appeared with a blue luminescent light.
Rubbing his aching midsection, Issei awkwardly placed her bag next to his, resting on the wall near his bed. The girl popped open a small box of chocolates and began delicately feasting on them at a moderate pace. Though discontent that her panties were now being concealed by her giant bag of treats, it was for the best if he wanted to avoid another object flying at him.
"So... how was the call?" He asked hesitantly. His curiosity was aching to know what the leader of the devils had thought about the situation.
"Fine," Koneko said simply. That prompted the pervert to deadpan at her, feeling disbelief despite the response totally expected from her. His brown-eyed gaze eventually weighed on her enough to let out an exasperated sigh. "Buchou is looking into things. It's more than likely that the nun is with the fallen angels. If they're involving humans with their plan, then there are probably stray exorcists lurking in the shadows."
"Are stray exorcists like that nun? Are they good people getting taken advantage of?"
"No. They're treacherous snakes the church threw out due to some bad behavior or crime. More than likely, they are the ones taking advantage of others," She said with a light frown. She still wasn't convinced the nun girl was as innocent as her upperclassman continuously proclaimed. It was too early to judge accurately, yet he already seemingly made up his mind about it. Depending on whether or not that was the case, that could end of being problematic.
"Does that mean they might also try attacking me?" He asked, the news of having even more enemies around unsettling him.
"Yep. Unlike a fallen, they're a bunch of big pussies to try attacking on their own. But we should still watch our backs."
"Great..."
Knowing she hadn't done his confidence any favors, Koneko tried putting him at ease, "If a stray exorcists pulls up, I'll swat them away like a fly. It's light work."
"You can do that? Are they really that weak?"
"Most of them only have a light sword and light gun. You're a sorry ass devil if you can't knock their lights out."
"They got guns? Holy shit, isn't that dangerous?"
"What's a gun to my cannon?" Koneko suddenly flexed one of her arms. Though her thin, squishy flesh wasn't all that impressive, Issei knew firsthand there was more behind those tiny arms than what they let on.
Issei smirked. "If you're that confident, then I'm sure I got nothing to worry about. Maybe I might be able to beat them?" He suggested with a laugh.
"You can if you master your Sacred Gear." The girl finished off her first box of candy, setting it to the side. Looking at the rest of her candy, she sat still as her thoughts carried her elsewhere. "And... you're other power..."
"My other power... you mean flight?"
She nodded, her eyes scrutinizing him. "If it's cool... could I see you do it again?"
"Uh, sure. Check it." Issei stood up and pulled on the sensation deep inside him. In the core of his being, the ability of Flight came to life and lifted him off the ground. He stayed in midair for around five seconds before gently tugging himself back down. Using the power was still weird. He could tug in any direction he wanted, but if he tugged too hard, he would slam into his walls again. Practice was the only way he could learn how hard he should tug and when.
It was kind of like beating his meat. He'd get the hang of it it no time.
Watching him use his ability seemed to confirm something for the girl as her suspicion grew. "You're not using magic..."
"I-I'm not?" Finally noticing that he was under interrogation, albeit in a nonchalant, inoffensive way, Issei began to grow worried. His face tensed up and his cordial disposition wavered, something the young devil easily discerned.
"No... you're not," She confirmed slowly, unable to sense any of the energy. Having been around Issei for a couple days and taking his reputation into account, it was fair to assess that the boy generally wore his heart on his sleeve. He was, even to a fault, typically unashamed of who he was. The fact he openly had porn displayed in his room before she could walk in and his parent's blatant acknowledgement of their son's behavior showcased his extroverted nature. When they talked, as long as he didn't become embarrassed by humiliating himself, he was always direct and straightforward, even blurting out his feelings without thinking about them.
Yet, as she had now noticed a few times, the boy clammed up or hesitated when the topic involved his power.
Koneko wasn't a nosy person. Though curiosity often affected cats, she didn't have any interest in other people's affairs. She just wanted to do her own thing in her own way with her own people. However, something inside the girl urged her to dig for more information. Loathed as she was to admit it, she knew why.
Power.
The topic of power was sensitive for the feline. Her past involved denying herself power from her lineage with disgust at how cursed it was and what it had done to her sister. She denied great power, yet somewhere inside her heart yearned for more. That's what made her interested in this boy, who not only held a powerful Longinus, but yet another ability seemingly unrelated.
That's why she had to ask.
"Do you... have another Sacred Gear?"
Surprised by the specific question, Issei took a second to answer. That wasn't the particular conclusion he expected her to arrive to, but a fair one nonetheless. "N-no, I don't."
She stared at him with imperceptible hazel eyes that further set him on edge. Though her gaze was strong, it didn't seem like she was searching for deceit. Rather, she believed what he said and was considering another possibility. "Is it another ability from the dragon?"
"Maybe..." Issei lied, guilt striking him internally. Fighting against it, he continued to sell it. "W-well, I did learn how to do it after my Boosted Gear grew in power, so that's probably why...?"
The short-haired girl grabbed another snack; a lime bag filled with fluffy marshmallows and pulled it open. Carefully, she held it up to her mouth and made a small noise of dissatisfaction before inserting it through her glossy pink lips.
Never had Issei ever wanted to be a marshmallow until then.
"Issei..." Koneko spoke after swallowing her food item, snapping his attention back. He thought she was going to rebuke him, but she looked more gloomy than angry. "You're... strong." Her statement was low, like the words were a confirmation to herself than anything.
"Me? Strong? Of course I'm not... I'm nowhere near as strong as someone like you," Issei spoke truthfully. He had no idea what brought that on or why she thought so. Their conversation had turned in a way he hadn't expected. The normal dry and blunt girl looked insecure, something which confounded him to no end.
Hearing his response, she shook her head in denial. "You will be... At your rate, you'll be much stronger than me..."
"But you're incredibly strong. I don't know how strong I can be, but I'll be lucky if I'm anything like you."
Koneko shook her head again, knowing he was speaking out of sheer ignorance. She didn't want to keep pushing it. The feeling of jealousy was awful and she didn't want to show that to someone she was meant to protect. "When you are stronger... Rias's door will still be open..."
"Hm? What do you mean?"
Contemplating how she should respond, Koneko's frown deepened. One of her duties was to make allusions to the peerage and indirectly catch his interest so he would be more inclined to join. It was something Rias informed her and Kiba before Issei was brought to the club. It was a sudden and more urgent ask, which was unusual for the occult leader. She hadn't explicitly mentioned anything beyond that, but Koneko could tell the busty red-head would permit anything if it enabled the boy to join.
Had Rias and Akeno been in her place, they would be all over him, flattering the perv with all of their filthy tactics. Getting close and rubbing up on him, letting their oversized balloons squish against him. Once nighttime rolled around, Rias and her propensity to sleep in the nude would've put the breast lover on death's doors.
That... wasn't something she could do. She didn't want to and she wasn't that type of person. Luring Issei in with something so obscene and unchaste may have been a surefire way to get him to accept, but Koneko wasn't like her big-boobed seniors. The truth was that she didn't even want to convince him at all. She wanted him to make his own decision.
So, she told him the truth.
"Rias wants you to join her peerage," She said plainly.
Now this was more along the lines of what Issei expected to be brought up. He thought maybe Koneko would be more subtle about it, but true to how she was, the loli wasn't the type to beat around the bush. Feeling her intent, he understood what she was trying to say. Still, he wasn't exactly pleased to hear it. "Why... does she want me so much?" His lips curled into a frown.
"It isn't my place to say." Koneko gently placed another puffy marshmallow in her mouth, carefully deciding which words she should use to satisfy him and avoid the subject directly. "Rias won't screw you. None of us will. It's up to you."
Her words were comforting. At the very least, he knew he could trust them. But in typical perverted fashion, Issei had to ask, "If I join, does that mean we'll be together forever?" He asked dreamily, drooling over the idea.
Koneko blanched. "I'd rather die."
"But Koneko! We'll be together forever!" Issei stressed with joy, as if her rejection continued to spur him on. "That means we have to get to know each other better, so lets get to it! Let's watch parts 1-9 of Teetering Titties!"
Her face became green as the unfortunate scenario entered her mind. "Puke-fest. Another word and it'll be a punch-fest."
"I'm just kidding!" Issei waved frantically, seeing her hands ball up. "You don't gotta be so serious!"
"You don't gotta be so gross."
They bantered for a little longer, mainly Issei getting hit with one-liners that bordered on aggravated assault. He felt glad he could banter with her somewhat without getting kicked into next week. Though the occasional shot would come, it wasn't something he didn't deserve and a part of him understood that.
What Koneko said, or at least implied hadn't been lost on him. He was well aware of both Rias's and Sona's interest with him and joining their respective peerages. It was the fact that the white haired girl had spelled it out for him gave the impression that it was at least more important to Rias than he thought. Feeling grateful for her honesty, he reevaluated his circumstances and her offer.
Excusing himself for a moment, Issei headed towards the bathroom thinking it over. Becoming a devil wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. Forget about everything else he could have, he'd get to spend a lot more of his time around hot babes and that was enough.
But it shouldn't be, which is why he continued to hesitate. He was fine as he was now as a human and his Gamer power guaranteed he could become strong enough. On top of the variety of abilities he could obtain, he also had his Boosted Gear.
How long would that last? Even if they fended off the fallen angels, would there be more people coming after him? Would they be stronger? And if they were, could the devils continue to protect him?
"You seem to be thinking awfully hard."
"Gah!" Issei looked down at his left hand, as the circular green light on the back began talking to him. "Couldn't you at least warn me before you do that?"
"Are you expecting me to knock? I can't exactly do that, you know."
"No, just- you know what I mean. Just try not to spook me anymore."
"Grow a pair and there won't be any issues."
Getting mocked by a dragon inside a bathroom he was about to use sounded ridiculous, yet it would now be something he'd have to get used to in life. Issei couldn't help but sigh at the beast's words. "Is there a reason you showed up now? I'm trying to take a piss and it's a little weird with you being here."
"You better hold it in until we're done. Your dreams are bad enough and reality is where I can escape. I won't have you tarnishing that," The dragon scolded, admonishing Issei for his wild dreams.
"Chill out. I don't have any interest showing my wang to some dragon, especially if he's a dude."
"Fool. Not 'some dragon.' The Welsh Dragon." Ddraig tried sounding threatening, but the fact he was trying to remain secretive meant he couldn't raise his voice in the booming way he wished.
"I know, Welsh Dragon. Dude dragon is the problem." He emphasized.
"You have an all-powerful dragon in your arm and your problem is that I'm male?" Ddraig asked with incredulity.
"No, I meant- never mind, just forget it."
"How can I forget? I live knowing what you do with your hand at night."
"Will you just tell me what you want?!" Issei seethed.
"It's not what I want, but what you want." Ddraig informed him.
"What do you mean?"
"You were thinking about joining the devils."
Issei stared at his hand with surprise. Clearly Ddraig had been listening in on his earlier conversation with Koneko. Apparently, he could always do that. "Yeah, I was... what do you think I should do?"
"Do whatever you want. That's what a dragon would do."
"But I'm not a dragon. I'm a human way over his head and I don't know what choice to make. There's so much about all of this and it's all so confusing. I don't want to make a choice I might regret. Not just my life, but others could be on the line if I choose wrong." Issei confessed, his mind in a race against itself.
Every choice he'd made up to now hadn't been difficult. His system had pulled more than its fair share of weight, even outright telling him what to do so that he wouldn't need to think about it. But when he asked whether or not he should join the devils, it didn't respond. Though that likely meant that whatever he chose wouldn't directly cause him harm, the choice was still his.
Maybe he was overthinking it, but it felt important. He felt like he shouldn't make the choice willy-nilly, regardless of what he was offered.
"Then the choice is clear. Don't become one." The dragon stated, already coming to his own conclusion.
"But what if I should?"
"It doesn't matter if you should or not. If the decision is the very thing making you that indecisive, then decline. You won't have gained anything, but you won't lose anything, either." The red dragon spoke matter-of-factly. His words were wise, but not enough to fully sway the boy.
"You're right, but I can't help but worry. It's more than just me that I'm worried about. My decision could indirectly effect my parents as well. And if I don't join, it could cause problems for Koneko." Back when they were talking to the blonde nun, Koneko had been very reluctant to approach the girl, much less speak to her. She was contracted to him, but if he kept poking his nose where it didn't belong, it would only spell trouble.
"Quit prattling on over inconsequential creatures. You're a dragon, so hold your head high. The angels, fallen, and devils won't be a big nuisance for you. All of my hosts have always had bigger issues than them."
"Wait, you're saying there's gonna be a bigger threat to me?"
Ddraig sighed, getting fed up with having to console the teen. "Don't worry about it for now. Just focus on gaining some power. Whether by joining the devil's ranks, or by training."
"I gotta train? You mean like how they do in anime?" Issei asked, feeling both excited and dubious. If he had to train, didn't that mean he'd be getting tossed through trees and stuff?
"I don't know what that is, but it won't be like anything you're imagining. If it's just that white-haired devil girl helping you then you'll be lucky to only get tossed through trees."
"So it's exactly what I'm imagining!"
The dragon made a strange sound, as if Issei's response threw him off. "...Prepare yourself. Training with magical beings won't be like anything you've experienced... probably." Ddraig forewarned, now doubting himself.
Psyching himself up, Issei wondered if he could really ask Koneko to help him train. It would be tough, sure, but he was more concerned with the questions that would follow up after he asked. "So ask Koneko for training... she's the only person I can really go for this. It'll be hard to convince her." Now resolved, he prepared himself to ask her.
"Before you try, there's something else we need to discuss."
"What now? Can't ya see I'm trying to think here? You're a really old dragon, so don't you got any sage advice on how to ask girls for favors?"
"I've been stuck inside a gauntlet for many millennia. The only woman I've spoken to were a few of my hosts."
"So you have experience with women?" To Issei, a little experience was better than none.
"No. A dragon such as I has no interest in creatures of flesh." Hearing the boy whine to himself, Ddraig felt a headache growing. His host had a lot of shaping up if something this trivial bothered him. "Just tell her you wish to become strong. That should be enough."
Remembering what he and Koneko talked about earlier, Ddraig's suggestion wasn't unfounded. "You might be onto something..."
"Focus. We must discuss you're other power." Ddraig reminded him of what they discussed earlier that morning. "Now that you've contracted with a devil, these instances are the only times we can speak during the day. Troublesome as it may be."
"You really wanna talk about that now?" Issei questioned. He didn't believe the topic was as urgent as him preparing to rescue an innocent nun from a gang full of priests who were packing heat and flying monsters in the guise of angels.
"It's important, Issei." The red dragon was serious, much more than he had been about his problems. "Tell me everything you know about it."
Understanding Ddraig meant business, Issei told him everything he could. About the leveling systems, the rewards and gacha, quests, and even the tutorial he went through that explained the basics. In total, it didn't seem like a lot. The brown haired boy felt bad he couldn't explain much more to his reptilian ally.
That wasn't what Ddraig thought. What Issei explained sounded asinine and illogical. The way the power was described made the dragon immediately think a child had dreamed it up. Yet, he had seen proof of its existence. If everything his partner had told him was factual, then just how far did the possibilities go? How many rewards could the boy receive? How far would his level grow?
Desiring to see it once more, Ddraig ordered, "Test it again. Use another one of those tokens if you can."
"I think I can." Issei pulled up his menu screen, looking at his inventory. "I got one Rare Token and two Random ones. Should I use them all?"
The dragon contemplated which one should be used. Issei had informed him that his Flight ability had come from a Rare Token. Apparently, he'd also pulled a fountain pen from the Random Token. Ridiculous as it may be, that one was more curious. "Use a Random Token."
"Gotcha," Issei replied with a pun as he pulled a rainbow colored coin the size of his hand out from nowhere. As its name stated, the coin should function like the roll of a dice and was colored in a way to match that. Squeezing on the colorful disc, it broke into several fragments and lit up an array of colors. They spiraled around in front of him, attaching to each other and forming an object. The majority of the colors had changed into a light brown.
Reward:
[Common] Teddy Bear
An intricately designed plush toy. It's made of high quality textiles and stitching.
...
"Are you freakin' serious? Again with this shit?" Issei gripped the plush animal in a stranglehold. It was like Random Tokens only gave household items. "See what I mean? That shit's lame."
"A disappointing reward, but a fascinating ability. It was able to create something out of nothing." The winged-beast appeared to give genuine praise.
"What do you mean out of nothing? I had to break the token to get it in the first place."
"That token held no magic within it." Ddraig pointed out. "I hadn't paid attention when you broke the Rare Token last time. But even now, I couldn't sense any form of power coming from it."
That fact had left Issei floored. This was the second time he was told his ability could do something without using magic. "Is that special in some way? Can people or dragons do magical shit without using magic?"
The living Sacred Gear snorted. "Of course not. Magic is the basis of where all powers originate. While there are variants, such as holy and demonic power, they all require a form of supernatural energy. The token you summoned didn't appear to have any at all."
"Then... I'm doing something that shouldn't be possible by anyone?"
"To my knowledge, yes."
Realizing how abnormal that was, Issei began to feel creeped out. He knew The Game was special, but not to that extent. Ddraig was interested in it, which had made the power feel less dorky and something he could feel prideful about. Now, he couldn't help but wonder just what exactly it was, where it came from, and why he of all people had it.
Despite feeling annoyed by the teddy bear, what it was able to accomplish was no small feat. The random tokens may be a bust and the common ones didn't look very promising, but everything above that could give him something important. He could have a stockpile of items and powers of various rankings that could aid him in his oncoming battles.
It was then he realized that awhile back, The Game had put a ranking on his Sacred Gear. It had referred to the Boosted Gear as Legendary. Ddraig was an all-powerful dragon whose Boosted Gear immediately attracted the attention of the fallen and devils the moment Issei had obtained any power.
All that strength other supernatural forces desired, yet it was rated into the fourth highest slot. Was that because the Boosted Gear had still yet to awaken its full power, or had that already been taken into account and still ranked it into Legendary?
If it were the ladder and the Boosted Gear, along with Ddraig at his absolute peak could only get that high... just how powerful could it go?
"Don't just stand there. Open another one," Ddraig spoke through the light on his hand, knocking him out of his stupor.
"Uh, right." Issei pulled open his menu again to retreive another token, contemplating whether or not he should tell Ddraig the truth. If he did, it would surely piss him off. His pride was easily the most defining trait Issei knew about him and getting ranked fairly low in the grand scheme of things would be a direct attack against him. But if he chose not to tell him, then it would seem like he couldn't trust the dragon.
They weren't really close and maybe that was fine, but if he was gonna be living in his arm, then Issei wanted to be upfront. It was hard to keep secrets from a guy who could see into your dreams. "Sorry, it's just... I kinda learned something."
"A new notification?" His dragon companion asked, having learned how The Game functioned.
"No... I guess I kinda already knew, but I didn't pay much attention to it before. It's... about your own rank," Issei hesitated, dreading the incoming response.
"Hmm... if all items and powers have ranks, then that would indeed put one onto the Boosted Gear," The beast hummed, as if now coming to this realization himself. "I fail to see why that has you bothered. You're already aware of my reputation and might. Of course I'd rank in the highest category."
'Oh no...' Issei mentally groaned. He hadn't said anything about it and the dragon automatically believed he would be ranked in the strongest. If his hubris hadn't blinded him, he would have been able to deduce that Issei wasn't hesitating out of awe, but fretting over the result.
Mustering up his courage, the boy decided to just come out with it. "You didn't rank in the highest."
"..."
The lack of response was palpable. Issei looked at the back of his hand like he were looking at Ddraig directly. "Uh, Ddra-"
'-What?" The Welsh Dragon's voice was monotone, immediately cutting him off.
"Err... you didn't rank in the highest category. Actually, you-"
"WHAT?!" And there it was.
"Ddraig! Shhh!" Issei firmly gripped the back of his hand, cupping around the green light and somehow muffling the dragon's rampaging voice. The teen didn't wanna know what kind of insults or slurs were coming out of the Legendary dragon's mouth, but he figured he'd let him cool off and get it out, so long as he could continue muting him like this.
Weirdly enough, he could feel the vibrations of his voice on the back of his hand. Odd, but neat.
After a good minute, the green flickering behind his hand began blinking less as Ddraig's rant died down. Grumbling, the dragon begrudgingly accepted a second place ranking, before instantly popping off again after hearing he was ranked even lower in rarity.
"Isn't this a good thing? If something as strong as the Boosted Gear is ranked fourth from the highest, then that means I could pull something totally busted. I'll be stronger than ever." Issei tried to console the Red Dragon Emperor, detailing why such a thing was actually a positive.
"No, it isn't. You're power's shit and you shouldn't rely on it." Ddraig's original assessment had done a complete one-eighty. Gone were the short-lived minutes of the beast praising the unknown ability. Now, only hatred and disgust spewed out of his makeshift mouth.
Though, it sounded more pouty than anything.
It was Issei's turn to make him feel better. Cooking up some decent food for thought, he said, "If the possibilities are limitless like it presents, then couldn't you yourself also get stronger, just like me? I mean, you are apart of me in a way."
A weird sensation waved through his hand as the dragon went to reject his words, before sharply cutting himself off. Ddraig was silent for a few moments and Issei could almost feel him thinking it over. Eventually, he began, "You may be right. The Boosted Gear acts best as a modifier. Any other ability is greatly enhanced. Few too many are, as my host are or at one point were human, never using any other power but my own. If the Boosted Gear obtains another power, that same power would extend to others as well, just like the power modifier."
"You really think so? That sounds sick!"
"I don't think so, I know so. I created it, after all," Ddraig answered confidently. It seemed he was coming back around to appreciating The Game and its overwhelming advantages. His pride was still there, despite the blow it had taken.
"Now I really hope I pull something good," Issei said, gripping the blue Rare Token in his hand. He didn't feel like bothering with the useless Random Token. He didn't feel like owning a stuffed animal collection.
"Do you need to materialize them into your hand before breaking them? If another gets their hands on one, it could be troublesome." Bringing up an interesting point, Ddraig felt curious just what could happen if another person used a token and not Issei.
Issei recoiled upon hearing the possibility. "I never even thought of that. You're right, that's real bad. Things could bounce back harder than a girl's boobs."
"Never a time where you fail to bring up a woman's chest, is there?"
"Of course not!"
"In any case, it's possible that nothing would happen and they can only be activated by you. Best to prepare for the worst and try finding a different method. Hiding inside bathrooms and leaving with more power is bound to catch the attention of friend and foe alike. They may be weak, but not all of them are stupid."
"Damn. I'm already trying to be careful and it's still not enough." His go to move up to now was heading towards a bathroom to mess with his Gamer power anytime he needed to. That wouldn't work forever, as someone like Koneko could already deduce the fact he was growing in power. The more power he gained, the tougher it would be to hide it. Eventually, the supernatural would figure out he is far beyond just the Boosted Gear. That is, if he ever lived up to the full potential of The Game. "What am I suppose to do if I get a dozen different powers from yours? How am I supposed to explain it?"
"Dunno."
His hand nearly snapped the token unconsciously. "That's not very helpful, Ddraig! Give me an actual suggestion!"
"Pull an ability that lets you hide your power... or something," The dragon hesitantly threw out.
"...That's actually a decent idea, but I'd have to rely on luck and mine is ass."
"If you join the devils, then they would act as insurance for you. Regardless of how powerful you become, they would only rejoice."
"But wouldn't they get suspicious of me?"
"Who cares? It'll happen eventually. Hide it for as long as possible and in that time, gain as much power you can. The strongest are able to do anything they want." A dragon's logic was simple at times, but remarkably shrewd. Just because they'd get suspicious didn't mean they would do anything bad to him. Outsiders might, but they would back him up.
Still, that was another reason that pointed him in the direction of joining the devils; something he hadn't been sold on yet. So many benefits at the cost of his life permanently changing. Deep down, he knew it already had, but it was the principle of it.
"...I'll hold off on that for now. Not in a rush to sell my soul just yet, you know?"
"Of course. They're the ones waiting on you, not the other way around. Remember that." Once again, Ddraig reminded him of his draconic heritage. It was a big deal and not something those thought of lightly, which made it crazy to consider the Heavenly Dragon was only ranked Legendary.
The pervert thought it was arrogant, but it did instill a bit of confidence inside him. Though, if the devils had just offered him some tits to suck and fuck, or maybe a lap dance, then he would've already joined them. Maybe that could be arranged?
Thinking degenerate thoughts, Issei crushed the Rare Token in his hand.
Several depictions of a gloved fist making its way closer to his face flashed through the system user's eyes, as he barely managed to tilt his head out of the way. The girl who threw the punch twisted around to throw a backfist towards his jaw. Having placed himself off balance from the first dodge, her second attack managed to clip him, sending him rolling across the ground.
"Ouch!" Issei grumbled, holding his jaw with both hands. It felt like only a single knuckle on her finger had connected and yet it hurt more than a strike from a kendo practitioner's shinai, which he was very familiar with.
"Enough? Or you thirsty for more?" Koneko rested her hands on her hips, looking down at him. For a girl with such a dry personality, she was being fairly kind. She was barely using a fraction of her strength to spar with him. An act of goodwill for the boy who'd asked her for training.
Just like he talked about with Ddraig, Issei asked his contracted cat-girl if she could help him get stronger, or at least teach him how to fight. There was a bit of hesitation at first. Not out of suspicion, but because she thought he may have been a masochist along with his usual perversions.
When he'd gotten back from the bathroom, she had already finished off her bag of treats. The fact she was able to finish off a bag half her size in what was maybe ten minutes of him leaving and returning left him floored. He should've expected as much from the gluttonous girl, but he didn't think he could ever get used to that level of absurdity.
Unfortunately, she hadn't accepted that easily. Sniffing the air, Koneko had given him a slight pass for not having masturbated after leaving for so long. Even without trying, she could roast and hurt his feelings. After pleading enough and seeing the sincerity to learn from her, she accepted without fuss. Maybe it was because she wanted to pass the time, but it felt encouraging to know she would help him out with something like this. She really was a good friend.
However, that didn't stop his face from hurting any less.
"Can't you pull your punches before you make contact?!" Issei whined at the white haired loli.
"I can," She answered, her face void of emotion.
"Then why don't you?!"
"Too boring."
"Urgh-!" He groaned, rubbing his face. At least she would give him a few seconds to recuperate before laying into him again. His new power had been helpful avoiding some of the blows, despite its complicated use.
From the ground, he looked at her tiny form lord over him. By all accounts, she was just standing there, but he would argue it was menacing. As she yawned into her palm, he activated his power, watching her arm blur as her body became distorted, showing him a glimpse of the future.
Level Up!
Foresight
1 Second - 2 Seconds
'That was fast.' He thought, watching Koneko's arm fall back down in the future before coming down for real. Progress of any kind was still progress, even if it was just a second.
Foresight, like Flight, had been the ability he'd received from the Rare Token he opened. It was sweet that he obtained another new power from a rare; one that he could likely disguise. Unlike Flight, Foresight wasn't visible by any means and needed to level up on its own, maxing out at a minute into the future.
Unfortunately, he couldn't see infinitely into the future like he hoped. That was the downside of powers that came from Rare Tokens; they very clearly had limits. It was still a useful ability, but with what he was planning to do soon, getting a weapon of some kind would have made him feel more comfortable.
Although, a weapon wouldn't let him react to a loli speeding towards his face like a bullet.
"Gwah!" Managing to roll away at the last moment, Koneko's double kick planted firmly into the soil where he once sat. "Hey, man! Trying to sucker me like that's not cool!" He said, a mix between rage and excitement. Thanks to Foresight, he got another clear view of her panties again.
Never mind. This power ruled.
Koneko shrugged, before getting into a boxer's stance and pulling up on him. Issei yelped at her swift approach and backed away, his backyard feeling like a fighter's ring trapping him inside with the tiny titan.
To his credit, he managed to dodge two punches this time before getting clipped, a new record. If he had a better grasp on Foresight, he would've been able to dodge her combo. That and if he wasn't such a-
"Wimp," Koneko's voice echoed into his fading mind as he struggled to retain his vision.
Yeah, that.
"I'm trying my best!" Issei wailed as he lay prone, sulking at her derogatory comment. She sat on the back of her heels, kneeling down next to him. His perverted face lit up in an instant, barely able to see the thin line of her womanhood hidden behind a veil of cloth before getting his face pushed to look the other way.
"You got decent reaction time, but you can't fight. At all."
Another crippling blow to his ego. She may have complimented him, but his reactions were only thanks to the bit of help from his new ability. That small piece of leverage was the only thing keeping him from being complete ass.
"I'll get better..." Issei grunted, shaking to pull himself up from the ground. "Just wait... Soon enough, I'll be walking you down like a dog!"
"You haven't thrown a single punch at me."
He flinched. "Y-yeah? Well get ready, 'cuz I'll surprise you!"
"Do you even know how?"
"How what?"
"To throw a punch."
He flinched again. "O-Of course! Just watch!" The pervert got into a stance, just like his favorite action heroes. "Kee-yah!"
Watching his lanky arm sail overhead, Koneko's eyes trailed from the jangled mess he called a fist, down his crooked elbow, and back to his face. "You'll break your hand like that."
Embarrassed, Issei allowed her to correct his posture. She went through the entire process; beginning with how he should fold his hand, how he should hit with the full brunt of his arm, and carrying the momentum by twisting his hips. When he managed to do it right just half the time, she ended up standing side by side with him and throwing punches in tandem. That way, he could follow along and copy her.
They went through multiple drills after that, including stretching and basic kicking. Needless to say, his ego couldn't fall any further, but that was inevitable when a guy like him spent any finite amount of time with a girl way out of his league.
"Let's go again." Now that she believed they were properly warmed up, Koneko stood across from the older teen. He was panting a bit from the exertion, but readied himself on command. If it were the old him from a couple days ago, he would've been gassed.
Within a second, the girl charged him. Activating Foresight, Issei prepared himself for her onslaught. This time, he was aiming for a counter attack. He didn't believe hitting girls was cool, but he could get behind the idea of beating the dick outta someone like Raynare. Koneko is a tank, so he trusted she would be fine.
'Sorry in advance!' Issei thought with growing confidence, seeing into the future and predicting her movement. She threw a calculated punch.
One. Two. Th-
Bink!
-And down the boy went. His head had already turned before he could see the spinning back fist coming, too late to see it with Foresight. Head hitting the dirt harshly, he felt numb all the way down to his toes.
"That was weak." Kneeling down next to his floored body again, Koneko poked what looked to be her senpai's lifeless form, watching him twitch in pain. He couldn't even muster the energy to steal another glimpse at her unmentionables. "...Senpai?"
...
...
...
"...What?"
Good. He wasn't dead.
"Had enough?"
Frustration built up inside him as he heard her words. Had enough? Didn't he ask her to help him train? He wasn't even close to having enough!
With a growl, Issei forced himself back up, turning to the loli with dark intentions. "Bear hug!"
Arms extended and hands gnarled, he leaped at the surprised girl with a nasty smirk, casting a shadow over her tiny frame. Unfortunately, Issei got to experience what leather tasted like, as her foot made itself friendly with his mouth.
Not only strong, but she was flexible, too.
Thankfully, Koneko didn't feel like knocking all his teeth out and held back her front kick. It was more like he ran into it than anything, though her small body felt like a brick wall. In any case, Issei found himself reeling on the ground, holding his face and fighting back tears.
"Hey! You kids finished playing cops n' robbers? It's almost dinnertime!" From the backdoor was Issei's father poking his head out to them, watching with a curious, but comedic grin.
"We're not playing cops n' robbers! I'm sixteen!" Issei's sudden fury managed to kick through the biting pain in his teeth, yelling back at the man. Koneko gave a small nod of agreement from behind him.
"Well, that's what it looks like to me! Why else would ya let a little girl beat the stuffing outta ya?"
"Dad!"
Hearing him chuckle as he shut the door, seemingly intent on telling his mom about them, Issei got the brief idea to use his dad as target practice. Koneko's thoughts didn't seem far behind his, a frown painted across her face. She didn't appreciate getting called little.
Using his backyard hadn't been his best idea. Even with Koneko's hypnosis magic, unless he wanted his parents to continue back seating him getting his ass kicked, they could use a change of location. The park or some other spot where they wouldn't be bothered. Anywhere would work as long as they didn't get interrupted, particularly by the enemy.
Issei sighed, feeling as if his bones were grinding as he peeled himself off the ground, hoping it wouldn't become routine. "I guess that's it for now. Would you please help me again tomorrow?" He asked his friend, hoping she would still be up for it. Just about every spot on his body ached and he hoped a good nights sleep would help, but it would likely just make him more sore.
"...Mn," Koneko quietly agreed, nodding her head. His heart couldn't help fluttering at her cuteness.
Wisely keeping those thoughts to himself, Issei turned to walk back inside his home. "Guess now you'll get to try mom's brownies. One bite and you'll be craving for more!"
She salivated at his words, anticipation rising in her small chest. Tailing him like a hawk, she quickly followed him inside.
'I gotta get stronger. She took it easy on me and still slapped me around. I don't have much time. Gotta improve fast.' Issei told himself, his hands clenching by his sides. He didn't know how fast he could improve fighting this way, but he would take anything he could. It was the only viable option he had available at the moment.
He just hoped it would be enough.
I wanted Issei to really think about becoming a devil or not. In canon, he simply gets reincarnated after his death without any input of his own. While it would be fair to assume he would accept the very moment the idea of female servants is proposed, I like to believe his decision would be more nuanced than that. He is an idiot, but not such a massive one that he wouldn't at least think about it before deciding.
Some of you may have noticed that Issei values Koneko fairly high. This is because she has sort of replaced how he originally viewed Raynare in canon. Though they aren't dating, he views her as his savior and friend, caring about her greatly like he would have Raynare.
Thank you for reading. Have a good day.
Pa-atreon: 3sper