----------------------------------------
A week after starting Kuoh,
Sora twitched as Akeno sat down next to him, "Himejima…" He said warningly.
Akeno, who'd just pushed the boy who'd actually been sitting there aside, smiled at him, "Ara, Sora-kun? I didn't know we would be seatmates!" She tittered.
Sora's eyes slowly turned to the boy who had been unceremoniously pushed aside and was busy shuffling off looking for an empty seat. "Hold that thought." He said with irritation, standing up, grabbing the forgettable boy by the collar, and dragging him back, "Here, have my seat, Himejima won't mind." He said bluntly, before walking off before the devil could say anything else, taking the empty seat previously occupied by Himejima.
Damn Devils… He needed to work on getting rid of his problems vis-a-vis all devils, and they weren't helping by being their incessant curious selves. Prodding and poking and trying to figure him out. His anger issues only made them more interested, which made the issues worse. It was a wonder he hadn't punched Himejima in the face yet.
Bitch would probably enjoy it anyway…
As class was about to start, he realized he'd been had. Fucking Devils. As Rias Gremory walked in, and sat down next to him with an excited smile playing at her lips. The usual seatmate of Himejima of course.
How had he thought taking this seat was going to work out exactly?
Could he just drop out of school?
As the teacher began to drone on about history, Rias leaned over, eyes sparkling, "I did my research on you…" She almost purred, looking two steps away from pouncing on him.
He studiously stared forward, glaring at the teacher, come on, she's clearly ignoring your lesson, say something!
Fucking mind controlled drones, totally useless, he thought bitterly. Not that they were constantly controlled or anything, just whenever a devil decided they wanted to avoid dealing with them.
Rias brought out a copy of the manga he'd 'written' before his mind settled into this body, and he wanted to slam his head into the desk. Just what I need…
"Please sign it after class!" She begged, before immediately continuing on, eyes gleaming with interest, "With how much you seem to dislike Devils, why did you end up writing a manga about a young devil fighting the very heavens themselves to prove that one can't be born evil?" She squirmed in her seat, looking like she had a thousand questions, but forcing herself to play it cool, "It's really popular in the underworld."
Sora sighed, sending an irritated look at her, and then at Akeno, who was obviously hypnotizing the rest of the class, because why else would the teacher and all the students just ignore Rias loudly begging him for an autograph.
And what the hell had his younger self been thinking? Writing a devil story for a manga? What a fucking cosmic joke.
As Rias was unlikely to leave him alone about it, he pulled on his absolute best ability, bullshitting. "Devil's, are in general, shit." He said bluntly, ignoring her sudden frown, "So giving young devils a role model, someone who saw what they were, and rejected that it meant they had to prey on humanity - could only help."
The manga had been written by the him before all his metaknowledge set in, so it wasn't in any way lining up with how devils actually were - or the rest of the mythos of the world, but it was close enough there were many similarities.
And he wasn't surprised it was popular in the underworld, annoyed, but not surprised. A young Devil rising up to spit heaven in the eye for daring to say he was born evil, it would likely resonate. Well, with certain parts of the underworld anyway.
The violent devil civil war the protagonist kicked off in the latest issues probably wasn't fun reading for some of the older devils if they perused manga. He was probably lucky it was more of a younger generation thing…
… The Leviathan better not read his damn manga, he doesn't need to be drafted to write shows for that nutjob.
"We don't prey on humanity…" Rias protested, "Is that why you dislike us so, Sora-kun?" She leaned forward earnestly, "I promise we aren't like that!"
No, it's because I have a system that makes me more and more annoyed the longer you're near me, until I want to punch you in your perfect teeth, he thought with annoyance. Not that he was particularly fond of them even without it. Rias was an outlier, in her species. "I'm not wasting my time on this." He said bluntly, not interested in a debate, "If you're naive enough to think how you act with a peerage is the norm, you're a literal child, Gremory."
While he acknowledged becoming a devil would literally be good for his power… He was neither in a hurry, nor particularly willing to explore that. Not just because of his malus that made him act out against them - but because he didn't agree with almost anything they did.
Setting aside how the peerage was just slavery, and it was - because leaving meant turning into a monster that was hunted down and exterminated… The fact that devils operated still on personal power meant the system would always be unjust.
You could accomplish whatever you wished, and if Ajuka, or Serafall or someone - decided they really didn't like that - and didn't want to play friendly for that moment - you were eradicated. Not to mention what the old devil faction would do if they didn't like something - no friendliness faked there.
So no, stepping into that hot mess was not his idea of a good time. Yet… He knew it was likely inevitable. Something which irritated him and didn't help him keep a polite tone with the devil's even without the malus pitching in.
Before she could retort, he stood up, grabbing his bag, and walked away.
"H-hey, we have class!" She protested, "And my autograph!" She added in a mumble.
Sora looked at the hypnotized teacher, "Good if I go?" He asked, before just walking out when he got no answer.
They wanted to fuck around, they'd find out. They were cool with just mind whammying the whole class, they couldn't say fuck when he took that as an opportunity to just leave.
Casual mind control for funzies… Another reason to dislike them. He could understand when it was necessary to keep up the masquerade, he could.
Like him needing it to hide his… Condition. At least them using their magic and abilities around him was basically feeding him, since just by seeing magic being done - he knew how to do it, and could perform it with ease.
So he could also mind control or confuse weak minded people now. Not that he was going around doing that.
Not like these idiots that just did it whenever they felt like it.
Why did I ever like these people, anyway?
----------------------------------------
Lunchtime,
He took one look at the cafeteria, seeing Rias sitting at an empty table, eyes searching for someone, probably him, with Akeno and Yuuto positioned by the other door and by the line for food respectively.
Nope.
He walked straight back out.
He'd just use a vending machine today. And probably tomorrow. And well, vending machines in Japan had some good shit anyway, it would be like a full meal anyway.
He didn't make it ten steps before someone fell into step with him, someone who hadn't been in the hallway as far as he could tell.
"No." He said succinctly, fighting the urge to do something drastic.
Tsubaki, Sona's queen, smiled at him, as she walked in lockstep with him, "I haven't even asked anything yet, Sora-kun." She chided him gently.
Sora chuckled, a sardonic smile on his lips, "Ah, my mistake then. How do you say no, but even harder?"
Tsubaki wrinkled her nose slightly at his stubbornness, "Sora-kun, this animosity isn't needed, the president just wants a word." She admonished him.
"And the fact I don't, doesn't matter, because I'm only human, right?" He fired back snidely.
Tsubaki reeled back slightly, lips parting in a shocked gasp, "Sora-kun! That's not it at all!"
"Good, then you'll leave me alone and respect my wishes." He said with faked cheerfulness, knowing he'd trapped her. Because there was no way either Sona or Rias was leaving him alone. She was still going to completely ignore his wishes, but at least now she might feel bad about it in the process.
This past week of not being able to turn a corner without one of them, or their peerages, hounding him, proved that they weren't going to leave him alone. The fact they always carried water bottles that tested how quickly his curse would set in hardly helped his temper.
Their damn curiosity about his curse was making school hell, and eventually would attract outside interest if they kept it up. He'd have to do something about that soon.. He did have some quests…
Tsubaki winced at his rebuttal, knowing she couldn't do that, "Ah, is it really such a hardship just to come to the student council room and speak with the president?"
"Completely ignoring what I said, got it." Sora drawled, "Hope you don't mind, but I'm going to pay that back, and just completely ignore what you have to say." Don't punch the devil, they are stronger than you, don't punch the devil…
Of course things don't work out that easy, because a turn of a hallway later and Sona Sitri just happened to be standing there waiting for him.
Sora just kept walking, lengthening his strides, forcing the Sitri heiress to make the choice of looking potentially undignified in front of other students as she rushed along to keep up with him. Or to let him go and try again another time.
She chose to let him go.
He really needed to figure out how to get some workable quests and rewards in this system of his, ASAP!
Too many of the quests he had received so far were entirely unreasonable.
Seduce Serafall Leviathan, like what the hell was he supposed to do with a quest like that?
And that was nothing against the quest to seduce fucking Zekram Bael!
He hated everything.
----------------------------------------
Sora sat cross-legged on the floor of his cramped apartment, the dim light from the single bulb casting shadows along the walls. His breathing was steady, but his mind was anything but calm. He stared at the leaf resting gently on the palm of his hand - a dry, brittle thing he had plucked from the sidewalk on his way back from Kuoh Academy. It was a test subject, a stand-in for the kind of practice he'd need if he wanted to master his time-stop ability.
"Just a leaf," He muttered to himself. "No big deal, easy."
Aeon Balor, his sacred gear, pulsed faintly inside him, a deep, shadowy presence that he could barely control yet. He'd spent the last couple of hours trying to get a handle on its time-stopping powers. Tossing a simple leaf into the air and trying to halt its fall had seemed like a good place to start. He lifted his hand, giving the leaf a flick. It tumbled into the air, spinning lazily, before Sora narrowed his eyes and willed the world to freeze around it.
For a brief, fleeting moment, the leaf slowed, its descent halting midair. But just as quickly, time surged back into place, and the leaf resumed its fall, barely stopping for a second before it hit the floor.
"Damn it." His voice was rough, frustration tinging his words. He retrieved the leaf and tried again, tossing it slightly higher this time. The leaf spun, gliding in slow motion as he focused with all his might.
Once more, the leaf stopped for a heartbeat, suspended in the air as if gravity itself had forgotten it existed. But just as before, it only lasted for a moment - too short to be useful. The leaf fluttered back down to the floor, mocking him with its frailty.
"Okay," Sora muttered, rolling his shoulders to shake off the irritation. "It's just about control and practice, I've got this."
For the next hour, he repeated the exercise. Each attempt, he focused more on the sensation of stopping time. He could feel the pull of the magic in his core, the way it reached out to grasp at reality and bend it to his will. The leaf flicked upward, time slowed, and for a second - sometimes two - it hovered in place. Slowly, with each repetition, Sora began to gain fractions of extra seconds. The leaf now hovered longer, nearly four seconds at its peak.
His brow was slick with sweat, and his breathing had become heavier from the intense focus required. But there was progress. Small, painstaking progress. Useless for anything, but progress.
"Alright, let's step it up," Sora said, his voice strained but determined.
He stood up and picked up the nearest object in his apartment - a small cup from the counter. It was much heavier than the leaf, as it had some decent weight. Something more challenging. He tossed it upward and immediately channeled the power of his sacred gear, trying to force the world around the cup to still.
It barely worked. The cup jerked to a stop for less than a second before crashing to the floor with a loud clatter, spilling a small puddle of water. Sora let out a growl of frustration, his hands curling into fists.
"Why the hell does it get that much harder when it's just a little heavier!?" He snapped, the anger bubbling up as his progress shattered before his eyes. He glared at the cup, as if it had personally insulted him, and kicked it across the floor in irritation.
He sat back down on the floor, rubbing his temples. The rush of frustration subsided, leaving only a cold determination behind. He was going to make this work. Even if he had to sit here all night and practice, he would master this. Even if it took every night for a year. He would do this.
Sora sighed deeply, his fingers massaging his temples as the remnants of his frustration ebbed away. The soft clatter of the cup as it rolled across the floor seemed to mock him, a small but sharp reminder that he still had a long way to go. The fact that he could barely stop a lightweight object for more than a second left him wondering how he was ever going to manage something more complex - like a person or devil.
He exhaled slowly, feeling the pulse of Aeon Balor deep within him, a quiet, unrelenting presence. This ability wasn't going to come easy. And the system, nerfed as it was, wasn't exactly giving him any shortcuts.
As if summoned by his thoughts, a transparent window blinked into existence before his eyes. He squinted at it, not really wanting to deal with any more of the system's usual shenanigans.
Quest: Stopping Time, The Lewd Way
Challenge: Use your time-stopping ability on a person and perform a… Suggestive action while they are frozen.
Reward: +1 Level, +2 in all stats, and ???
Sora stared blankly at the quest prompt. He blinked once. Twice. The words didn't change.
"What the actual fuck?" He muttered under his breath, his voice dripping with disbelief. "Is this system serious? Why the hell is it asking me to do something perverted?" Fucking DxD world…
He dragged a hand down his face, scowling at the floating text as if glaring at it hard enough might make it disappear. Instead, the quest window remained firmly in place, glowing innocently as though it wasn't prompting him to do something obscene to someone who'd have no idea.
This really was fucking Japan, wasn't it?
He'd better fucking stay away from subways…
"Figures," He muttered darkly, shaking his head in irritation. "Of course, the system would end up being a pervert. It's not bad enough that I got saddled with all these ridiculous disadvantages, but now I have to deal with this too?"
The absurdity of it made his blood boil. Even if he wanted the reward - a whole level and stat boosts that he desperately needed - there was no way in hell he was going to stoop to something that low. The very thought of it made his skin crawl. Except maybe someone like Himejima… No, stop, he shook his head, he wouldn't go that far.
He swiped his hand through the air, dismissing the quest with an irritated grunt. "Buggy, overpowered, and perverted. Just my luck." He grumbled out, sighing deeply.
Still, the system wasn't entirely wrong about one thing. To get stronger, he'd have to push himself further, get out of his comfort zone. He couldn't stop at just leaves and cups. If he ever wanted to freeze a person in time, he had to start small, build his way up. He didn't even know if he had the strength yet to attempt something so large.
He just wouldn't allow the system to entirely dictate things. He could create his own quests eventually, just by doing dangerous tasks.
He looked down at his hand, flexing his fingers as he tried to feel the magic pulsing inside him. The ability was there - raw and potent, but out of his grasp. The only way he would master it was through repetition, training, and possibly increasing his stats.
Standing up, Sora retrieved the cup, setting it back on the counter. His apartment was too small to toss around anything heavier, but he knew he'd need to challenge himself. He grabbed an empty plastic bottle from a nearby shelf and gave it a toss. As the bottle spun in the air, he willed time to stop again.
For a brief second, the bottle froze in midair, the room around him feeling unnaturally still, as if the world had paused just for him. The moment didn't last long. Gravity resumed its pull, and the bottle plummeted to the floor with a soft thud.
"Better," Sora muttered, feeling a slight sense of accomplishment. He was making progress, even if it was slow.
But now, more than ever, he could see just how far he had to go. Stopping time for an object was one thing. Stopping time for a living being? That was going to take far more power and finesse than he had right now. He needed to raise his stats, and maybe with better control, the stops would last longer.
Sora squared his shoulders, determination tightening his jaw. He tossed the bottle again. Time to work.
He didn't sleep much that night.
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The next day,
Sora had just settled into his futon after another exhausting day at Kuoh Academy. His body ached, not just from the day's exertions, but from the constant tension of being surrounded by devils who seemed to think of him as their next plaything. It was one thing to survive in this world - it was another to do it with the constant, looming threat of being dragged into one of their petty games. He'd known it was still likely his best bet to survive, but he resented it, oh did he ever resent the idea of it. He exhaled heavily, hoping for a moment of peace in his tiny apartment.
Then came the knocking.
It was loud, rapid, and persistent, echoing through the thin walls of his shabby living space. Sora clenched his teeth, hoping against hope that whoever was on the other side of that door would just go away. But the knocking only grew more insistent, demanding his attention.
With a groan of resignation, Sora dragged himself off his futon and shuffled toward the door. He knew, knew - that only bad things awaited him on the other side. That was just how his life worked now. Still, he couldn't just ignore it. Whoever was out there clearly wasn't going to leave him alone.
He cracked the door open just enough to peer through, and his stomach sank when he saw who was standing there. The woman on the other side was like something out of a fever dream - a fever dream dressed in a magical girl outfit. Her long black hair cascaded down her back, adorned with tiny stars and moons, and she wore a pink and white dress that looked like it had been ripped straight out of an anime. But it wasn't the absurdity of her outfit that made his blood run cold, it was the sheer power she radiated, a power that seemed to make the very air around her hum with energy.
The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
"Hello~! I'm Serafall Leviathan, but you can call me Levi-tan!" She chirped, her voice as sugary sweet as her appearance. Her eyes sparkled with an unsettling mix of mischief and intensity. "I'm here to talk about my beloved Sona-tan!"
Sora stared at her, mouth slightly agape in disbelief that this was actually happening. This had to be a joke, right? There was no way the Leviathan herself was standing on his doorstep, dressed like she'd just walked off the set of a magical girl show. But the longer he looked, the more he realized that this was all too real. Horrifyingly real.
This is all about the stupid chess game…
The quest popping up didn't make his mood improve any.
Impress and resist Serafall Leviathan:
Reward:
You get to live.
???
???
Of course it was too much to ask to actually know what the rewards would be… Although getting to live was… Fuck this shit, fuck this system, and fuck this bitch!
He was done. He was not going to suck the fuck up to this magical girl crazy girl!
Without a second thought, he slammed the door shut with a loud bang. There was no way he was dealing with this madness today. Not on top of everything else.
For a brief, blissful moment, there was silence. But then, almost immediately, Sora heard a faint whizzing sound, and the overwhelming presence of magic filled the room. He didn't even need to turn around to know what had happened.
Serafall had teleported directly into his apartment. Well, luckily he'd already gotten the teleportation spell anyway, so it didn't matter that he hadn't seen this one.
Also, rude. Fucking Devils.
"Now, now! That's not very nice! We can't have a serious talk if you shut the door on me, So-ra-kun!" She admonished, her voice taking on a teasing lilt as she wagged a finger at him like he was a naughty child.
Sora pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to stave off the headache that was already beginning to form. He'd known today was going to be bad, but this was worse than anything he could have anticipated. "What do you want?" He asked, his voice carefully measured, though there was no hiding the irritation that colored his tone.
Serafall's pout deepened, but there was a glint in her eyes that made Sora wary. This wasn't a woman who was easily dismissed. "I heard what happened between you and my sweet Sona-tan, and I'm here to make sure you understand - really understand - that you can't have her! Sona-tan is mine! We're supposed to be together forever in Yuri Yuri harmony, and I won't let you come between us!"
Sora blinked, utterly dumbfounded by the turn of the conversation, even if in retrospect he should have expected this. "Wait, what? I'm not interested in -"
But Serafall wasn't listening. She pressed on, her voice growing more intense, more manic. "I don't care if you're a chess prodigy or a secret prince or something! It doesn't matter how smart you are or how you beat her in that silly bet of hers! You're not good enough for Sona-tan, and I won't allow it! So, you need to leave her alone right this instant! Do you hear me!?" Her voice rose in pitch, and there was something almost dangerous in her tone as she pointed an accusing finger at him.
The flair she used to jump and point at him lost her points on the fact she also flashed her panties at him at the same time. To Sora's disgust he actually received another magical skill from that - Serafall actually used wind magic to ensure she flashed her panties when she pulled that move.
Fucking Devils.
Sora shook his head as he focused on the now, and tried to process what she was saying, but it was like trying to swim through a hurricane. "I'm trying to tell you that I'm not -" He began again with irritation audible in his voice, eyes twitching.
"Don't you even think about denying it!" Serafall interrupted, steam practically blowing from her ears as she stepped closer, her presence both threatening and bizarrely cute in equal measure. "If you leave my Sona-tan alone, I'll give you anything you want! Money, power, fame - just name it! I'll make sure you have everything you could ever dream of!" She wagged her finger in his face, "Just don't let anyone know you beat her."
Sora gaped at her. This was madness, sheer, unadulterated madness. He had faced plenty of strange situations since arriving in this world, but this took the cake. And she wasn't even giving him a chance to explain himself!
"I'm not interested in - " He tried again, sternly, only to get cut off again.
"If you want a position of power, I can make you a noble!" Serafall continued, her tone shifting to something more seductive, her earlier mania replaced with a coy smile that made Sora's skin crawl. "Or I can give you a magical artifact! You could have a whole library of spellbooks, all yours! How about that, hmm? Doesn't that sound nice?"
Sora's patience was wearing thin, and he doubted spell books would work well with his way of acquiring magic, so he tried one last time to get a word in. "Listen, I'm definitely not interested in -"
"Maybe you want your own peerage?" Serafall suggested, her voice dropping to a sultry whisper as she leaned in closer, invading his personal space. "I can arrange that too. Just think, you could have your own group of loyal servants, ready to do your bidding, all yours to command, a harem… All you have to do is stay away from Sona-tan."
Sora's fists clenched at his sides, his irritation finally boiling over. "Will you listen for a second you vapid bitch?" He snapped, his voice cutting through the air like a blade.
I just called the Leviathan a vapid bitch… Well if I'm going to die, I might as well own it.
Serafall blinked, momentarily taken aback by the sharpness in his tone, but she quickly recovered, waving away his outburst as if it were a mere inconvenience, seemingly not taking offense to his language. "There's no need to raise your voice, So-ra-kun!" She said, her voice once again teasing, almost playful. "I'm only trying to help you understand what's at stake here! Sona-tan is my precious little sister, and I can't let some random boy just swoop in and take her away! It's my duty to protect her for the good of Yuri, and that's what I'm going to do, so all I need is for you to be a good boy and agree."
Sora gritted his teeth, trying to hold back the torrent of words that threatened to spill out. "I don't want Sona," He said slowly, deliberately, as if he were explaining something to a particularly dense child.
Serafall's eyes widened in shock, and she did a dramatic twirl, firing glitter and sprays of water in the air. "Whaaaaaat?" She cried out, shocked, "You're saying she's not good eno - " She stopped mid sentence, gaping.
Because of course the sprays of water had hit him, turning him into a girl. Sora huffed angrily, crossing her arms, as Serafall just stared for a moment, before moving closer.
She peered at her curiously, her attitude having done an 180, even as she didn't even ask any questions about what just happened. "You know, you're not that bad-looking, So-ra-kun, or is it chan? Maybe, if you really did marry Sona-tan, it could work out for me… As her husbandwife, you could let me join the relationship too, right? We could be a happy little trio!"
Sora's jaw dropped. Don't just run with it you crazy bitch! "What the hell is wrong with you!? You go from threatening me to bribing me, and now you want to join in some twisted three-way marriage?!" She threw her hands up in exasperation. "I'm telling you, I don't want anything to do with Sona! Or with you, for that matter!"
Fucking Devils!
She'd said it before, but it really needed repeating.
Serafall pouted, but the seductive glint in her eyes didn't waver. "Oh, So-ra-chan, you're just saying that because you're shy. But that's okay! I can be very persuasive when I want to be," she purred, her fingers trailing suggestively along her arm, before she poked her right breast, a glint of something in her eyes.
Sora recoiled from her touch, a shiver of disgust running down her spine - her trait not allowing her to feel anything but, even though she could acknowledge she was attractive… And there was that quest… "No! I'm not interested in Sona! I'm not interested in you! I'm not interested in any of this devil nonsense!" She practically shouted, rejecting falling that far, her voice rising in pitch as her frustration reached its peak.
Her hands were clenched into fists, and shaking, as she had to hold herself back from fighting what to her was basically a primordial force of nature. It would be plain suicide, yet she wanted to attack her, her greater power apparently just setting her off worse then anything Rias or Sona had done.
She also wanted to fuck her. Quest derived or not, and the two feelings were really messing with her head.
But Serafall only smiled wider, as if she found her resistance amusing. "You know, So-ra-chan, it would be very easy to make you a devil," She said nonchalantly, her tone as casual as if she were discussing the weather.
She wasn't sure if that was an offer, or a threat. But she hated both. She was pretty sure Serafall was just playing mind games now, but she couldn't not react. This woman is too dangerous, she's trying to see how I work now…
Sora's fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned white as she tried to control herself. "It's really not that easy," She gritted out, her voice laced with barely restrained fury. "I'm not some toy you can just turn into a devil because it's convenient for you!"
Serafall tilted her head, her smile never wavering. "But you wouldn't be just any devil, So-ra-chan. You'd be special. I'd make sure of it. You could have anything you've ever wanted. Imagine the power, the freedom, the ability to shape your own destiny without anyone standing in your way," Serafall cooed, her voice silky smooth as she stepped even closer, her breath warm against her cheek. "And all you have to do is leave Sona-tan to me."
Make up your damn mind! You want to share her or for me to leave her alone!?
Sora's patience snapped like a brittle twig under the weight of Serafall's persistent, relentless advances and mind games. She had been trying to hold back, to keep herself from lashing out, but Serafall's casual dismissal of her autonomy, her complete disregard for her feelings, had pushed her past her breaking point.
She was so damn tired of these devils acting like her feelings and opinions just didn't matter, that if they only pushed her enough she'd just beg to join their peerages.
She took a step back, creating some much-needed distance between them, her eyes narrowing with a fury that she could no longer contain. "I don't want your power. I don't want your freedom. I don't want anything from you!" She shouted, her voice echoing through the cramped space of his apartment. "All I want is for you to leave me the hell alone!"
Serafall's smile faltered for the briefest of moments, but she quickly recovered, her expression turning sly and mischievous. "You're just playing hard to get, So-ra-chan. It's cute, really. But I can see through you. Deep down, you want this. You want the power, the recognition, everyone does. You want to be someone important, someone who matters." She leaned in again, her voice dropping to a seductive whisper. "And I can give that to you. I can give you everything you've ever dreamed of. Just say the word, and it's yours, you just have to do what I say from now on..."
The guess about devils really wanting anything peculiar wasn't a wrong one, it seems, but it pissed Sora the hell off, what gave them the right?
Sora gritted her teeth, her entire body trembling with the effort it took to keep herself from grabbing Serafall and shaking some sense into her. "You're not listening to me!" She snarled, her voice dripping with venom. "I don't want anything to do with devils, or your twisted world, or your ridiculous offers! I'm not interested in power, or fame, or whatever else you think you can bribe me with! All I want is to be left alone! Do you get that? Alone!"
Serafall's eyes sparkled with amusement, as if her outburst was nothing more than a child's tantrum to her. "But, So-ra-chan, you're already involved. You're someone in this world now, whether you like it or not. And you're special. So very, very special. It would be such a waste to let you go to waste as just another human." She paused, "Not that there's anything wrong with being human, you could just be… Better."
"I never asked to be special. I never asked to be part of this. All I want is to survive and get through this mess without being dragged into your crazy, power-hungry schemes!" She snapped, only belatedly realizing that she might be showing too much of what she knew.
Serafall's smile softened into something almost maternal and sympathetic, though the glint in her eyes remained. "Oh, So-ra-chan… You're already in it, with how you are." She gave her a very appreciative once over, before continuing,
"And whether you want to admit it or not, you've already made waves. You beat my Sona-tan in chess. That's no small feat. It brought me here. I promise you, I'm a better choice then some of the others that would come if they knew. I could show you, if you don't believe me…"
Sora's frustration morphed into a cold, simmering anger. "I'm not interested in Sona," She repeated, her voice low and dangerous. "I'm not a devil, and beating her in chess doesn't mean anything. So what if I'm smart? So what if I'm resourceful? That doesn't mean I want to be dragged into your world." I should have lost the damn game, quest be damned!
"I don't need you to show me anything! I'm not interested in your twisted offers, or your attempts to seduce me into joining your ranks. I don't care how powerful you are, or how many tricks you have up your sleeve. I'm not interested!"
Serafall's eyes glinted with a dangerous light as she leaned in even closer, her lips almost brushing against her ear. "Are you sure about that, So-ra-chan? You're telling me you don't find me attractive? Not even a little bit?"
Sora's voice was a low growl as she forced herself to remain calm. "I don't find you attractive at all. In fact, I kind of hate everything about you." Half a lie, hopefully she doesn't notice…
Serafall's eyes widened in surprise, the teasing, seductive veneer slipping away to reveal genuine shock. "You… You hate me?"
Sora's expression hardened as she looked her dead in the eye. "Yeah. I hate everything about devils, especially you peerage-obsessed maniacs. You think you can just show up, throw around your power, and expect everyone to bow down and worship you like some kind of god. Well, I've got news for you - I'm not interested. I don't care about your titles, your wealth, or your stupid magical girl act. You're all the same - manipulative, self-serving, and completely blind to how much you screw up people's lives."
Serafall opened her mouth to protest, but Sora cut her off, her voice rising as she unleashed all the anger and frustration that had been building inside her since she'd started Kuoh.
She might see the devil's like Rias as one of her only possible options, but it didn't mean she liked their system.
"You think I'm after Sona because I beat her in a game of chess? You don't get it, do you? I don't want anything to do with devils or their petty power struggles! I've had enough of this bullshit! You don't care about anything but your own twisted goals, and you'll stop at nothing to get what you want! Well, guess what? I'm not playing your games! I've been thrown into this mess against my will, and I'm doing everything I can to survive without getting tangled up in your ridiculous schemes! But no, you just keep dragging me deeper into this shit, and I'm sick of it!"
Part of it was entirely her own system, but she'd had no one to vent at since arriving, so the storm that had brewed inside her came out all at once, unfiltered. To a person fully capable of killing her with her pinky.
Serafall's playful demeanor had been replaced by something darker, more calculating, but Sora wasn't finished.
"Maybe you should take a good look in the mirror and ask yourself why people don't want anything to do with devils! You ruin lives, tear families apart, and treat people like pawns in some cosmic chess game! And for what? Just so you can stay on top and keep pretending you're doing something worthwhile? Well, I'm not buying it! I don't care how cute or powerful you think you are - I'm not interested in any of it!"
The 'nice' devils don't make up for all the ones who aren't so nice. There wouldn't be so many crazed devils to hunt if the 'owners' were all nice to their slaves.
Serafall tried to speak, but Sora wasn't going to let her get a word in edgewise. She was on a roll now, her anger giving her the momentum to say everything she had been holding back at Kuoh.
"And another thing - what's with this obsession with peerages as some sort of reward? You act like it's some kind of honor to be part of your little club, but all it really is, is slavery with a fancy name! I'm not going to be a pawn in your games, and I'm not going to let you or anyone else drag me into that mess! I don't need your bribes, your offers, or your threats! So why don't you take all that and shove it where the sun doesn't shine?!"
Serafall's expression was a mixture of shock, disbelief, and something else - something that almost looked like admiration. But Sora was too angry to care about what she thought. She was done. She had said her piece, and now all she wanted was for Serafall to leave her alone.
"I'm done with this conversation," She said, her voice low and final. "Get out of my apartment, and leave me the hell alone."
For a moment, Serafall said nothing. She just stood there, staring at him with an expression that was impossible to read. Then, slowly, a smile began to creep across her face, but this time it was different - softer, almost genuine if she had to guess.
"You're really something, So-ra-chan," She said quietly, her voice lacking the teasing edge it had held earlier. "I can see why Sona-tan took an interest in you. You're strong-willed, determined… Stubborn." She chuckled softly, shaking her head. "But you're wrong about one thing."
Sora frowned, her anger beginning to ebb as confusion took its place. "What do you mean?"
Serafall's smile grew wider, and there was a hint of something almost predatory in her gaze. "You say you don't want anything to do with devils, but the truth is, you're already in too deep. You may not want to play the game, but you're already a part of it. And like it or not, that means you're going to have to deal with us sooner or later." She smirked, "My Sona-tan already wants you in her peerage, and from what I've seen… She has my approval." She wagged a finger, "No marriage though!"
Sora's fists clenched at her sides, but before she could respond, Serafall's body shimmered, and she leaned in even closer, her face just inches from his. The playful, teasing demeanor she'd shown before was now replaced with something far more serious, almost unnervingly so. Her voice dropped to a low, sultry whisper, each word laced with an undercurrent of power that made his skin crawl.
"You think you can just walk away from this, from us?" She purred, her breath warm against his ear. "You've already made your mark, So-ra-chan. And whether you like it or not, that means you're involved. Some of us devils know about you now, and that's not something you can just ignore. You have potential - real potential. You're not just some random human caught in the crossfire. You're someone important now, someone special, someone who could be great."
"Leave. Now." Sora said flatly, utterly done.
Serafall tilted her head slightly, as if considering her words, before giving her a small, almost condescending smile. "Very well, So-ra-chan," She said sweetly. "I'll leave you to your little apartment and your boring, ordinary life. But don't think for a second that this is over. We'll meet again. And next time, things will be… Different." She winked exaggeratedly, doing a twirl, "Yuri Yuri different, sweetie!" She promised.
With that, she turned on her heel and walked toward the door, her movements fluid and graceful. But just as she reached for the handle, she paused and glanced over her shoulder, her eyes locking onto hers. "Oh, and So-ra-chan? You should really be more careful. You never know who might be watching."
Before Sora could respond, Serafall vanished in a flash of light, leaving her standing alone in the middle of her tiny apartment, the oppressive weight of her presence lingering in the air like a bad dream.
For a long moment, she just stood there, her body tense, her mind racing. She had faced down one of the most powerful beings in the underworld and somehow come out the other side unscathed. But she knew better than to think that was the end of it. Serafall had made it clear that she wasn't done with her - not by a long shot. And the thought of what she might do next sent a shiver of dread through her entire being.
She let out a slow, shaky breath, forcing herself to relax. She couldn't afford to panic. Not now. Not when she needed to think clearly, to figure out her next move. She had known from the beginning that this world was dangerous, but now she truly understood just how far she has to go to make up the difference to the true monsters in the setting.
She went into the small kitchenette, pouring hot water over her hands, sighing with relief as he returned to himself. The system or whatever magic was in play might make him perfectly comfortable in his skin even as a woman, but it was still not ideal.
Sora's thoughts raced as he replayed the encounter in his mind, analyzing every word, every gesture, every subtle shift in Serafall's tone. She was more than just a powerful devil - she was cunning, manipulative, and relentless. And despite all his efforts to push her away, she wasn't going to leave him alone. Not until she got what she wanted.
And what she wanted, it seemed, was him. Whether for Sona or herself was yet to be determined fully, she'd sent plenty of mixed signals, seemingly delighting in being really hard to understand.
He shook his head, trying to clear the fog of fear and uncertainty that had settled over his mind. He couldn't let himself get caught up in her games. He had to stay focused, stay sharp. He had to survive long enough that he could fix all his disadvantages and really become the god a gamer system should allow for.
With his see all magic - know all magic - ability, he was destined to be powerful. Add in control over time to that…
He just had to get there
With a heavy sigh, Sora walked over to the door and locked it, as if that would somehow keep out the threats that loomed over him. But he knew it was a futile gesture. Serafall had already shown that she could come and go as she pleased, regardless of whether he wanted her there or not.
He glanced around his small apartment, taking in the cluttered mess of books, papers, and other odds and ends that had accumulated over the past week or two. It was a far cry from the life he had known before, but it was his. And for now, that was enough.
Sora sank back down onto his futon, running a hand through his hair as he tried to gather his thoughts. He needed to come up with a plan, something that would allow him to navigate the treacherous waters of the underworld without getting dragged down into the depths. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized that he didn't have many options. He was in over his head, and he knew it.
But he wasn't about to give up. Not yet.
He would find a way to deal with Serafall and the other devils. He would find a way to survive in this world, no matter what it took. But for now, he needed to rest, to regain his strength. Tomorrow was another day, and he had no doubt that it would bring its own set of challenges.
As he lay back on his futon, staring up at the cracked ceiling, Sora couldn't help but wonder what his life would have been like if he hadn't been dragged into this mess. If he hadn't been cursed with this ridiculous gamer system, if he hadn't been thrust into the world of devils and angels and everything in between. Would he have been happier? Would he have been free?
Or would it ultimately have been boring. Or perhaps no life at all…
Deep down, he knew it didn't matter. This was his reality now, and he had to deal with it. There was no point in dwelling on what could have been. He needed to man up and control his destiny.
He remembered his quest suddenly, sitting right back up, calling his quest rewards into being. Two question mark rewards must be good! Last time he'd received a malus point to start working on his disabilities.
His first quest reward popped out from the ether, and he lost the will to live immediately.
It was a magical girl outfit, which he was entirely sure fit his female self perfectly. To his despair, it was apparently a high quality item, showing magic resistance, mind defense and even a boost for time magic!
Only he'd have to be a girl, and dress in a sexy skimpy outfit to get any of the benefits.
Of course this was a reward from a quest involving Serafall… Why not?
The other reward turned out to be low class Phenex regeneration, which he couldn't even muster up the will to be excited about at the moment.
I'm just going to sleep and forget Serafall and magical girls exist.
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The next morning,
Sora trudged along the sidewalk on his way to Kuoh Academy, his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his school uniform. He hated mornings like this - dull, overcast, with the kind of bitter wind that could cut through even the thickest layers of clothing. His thoughts drifted between his annoying system and the fact that his day was likely going to be yet another disaster waiting to happen. The devils would undoubtedly make everything worse.
They just wouldn't leave him alone, and now with Serafall aware of his peculiarity, it would only escalate surely? I should have never played that game of chess, no matter the reward, he lamented again.
He could already feel the nagging headache forming at the back of his skull. At least he'd hidden the magical girl outfit away, he'd seriously commit suicide if Serafall returned and saw him with it.
With his head down, Sora didn't notice the gentle sloshing sound coming from the street until it was too late. A sudden splash of cold water hit him square in the chest. His clothes were soaked instantly, and before he even had the chance to react, he felt the all-too-familiar sensation of his body shifting.
"...You're kidding me," She muttered as her body shrank, hips widening, and a certain uncomfortable weight settled onto his chest. Just great. I wonder who it could be, she thought sarcastically.
She glanced up, her eyes narrowing in irritation as she spotted the culprit - Akeno Himejima, standing a few feet away, a bucket in hand and a wicked smile plastered across her face. The morning sun glinted off her long black hair, which fluttered gently in the breeze as if mocking his predicament. She wasn't even trying to be suble now for fucks sake!
"Ara, ara... So sorry, Sora-chan," Akeno's voice was soft, sweet, and insufferably pleased. She placed a hand to her cheek in mock surprise, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "I didn't see you there. It must have slipped right out of my hand."
Sora glared at her, now fully in his girl form. She could feel her cheeks burning as she tried to pull her drenched shirt away from her skin. "Yeah, sure. An accident. Totally believable, Himejima."
This girl… Although at least one devil alone he could usually stand far easier - unless they were as powerful as Serafall.
Akeno stepped closer, her tone taking on a demure tilt, though the playful malice beneath it was unmistakable. "Oh? You don't believe me? That really hurts, Sora-chan. I'm a gentle soul, you know."
"You're as gentle as a tiger with its prey," Sora grumbled, her voice now a few octaves higher in her female form. Her glare intensified as she wrung out the ends of her soaked uniform shirt. "What do you want, Himejima?"
Akeno's smile widened as she leaned in slightly, her eyes scanning her transformed body with unhidden amusement. "Nothing at all, really. I just wanted to see how you'd look as a girl up close and personal. And I have to say... It suits you so well." Her voice dipped lower, becoming almost sultry. "Maybe even better than your usual self. Don't you think, Sora-chan?"
She tittered, hiding her mouth behind a hand, "Sora-chan can now change in the girls locker room, oh my, whatever shall I ~do!"
Sora rolled her eyes, trying to ignore the way her heart pounded in annoyance - or perhaps embarrassment. It was hard to tell any given time how she'd react with Akeno sometimes, especially when she was like this. She always had a way of getting under her skin, and the worst part was that she knew it. The demure tone, the teasing smile, the subtle hint of sadism - it was all part of her game. And she was the unfortunate target today.
Fucking Devils.
"Glad you're entertained," Sora muttered, shaking her head irritably. "Now, can you stop messing with me and let me get to school in peace?"
Akeno tilted her head, pretending to think about it. "Hmm, I could… But where's the fun in that?"
Sora opened her mouth to retort, but before she could get a word out, another familiar window popped up in her vision, nearly making her stumble as the text scrolled in front of her eyes.
Quest: The Girly Date
Challenge: Go on a date while in your female form.
Reward: +1 Level, +5 in all stats, and ???
Sora stopped dead in her tracks, staring at the prompt in disbelief. Her eye twitched. Of course. Of course the damn system would pull something like this. She had half a mind to find a way to curse whatever entity had saddled her with this perverted, buggy mess. First, the disadvantages fiasco, and now this?
Another question mark reward too… The damn system won't even let me know what my fucking rewards are half the time!
Right now it was a date. What would the next one be… She would have to fight the system, find dangerous quests to conquer. Because she was not turning this into a fucking dating sim!
She closed his eyes, letting out a slow, controlled breath, trying to calm the rising tide of frustration. "The system's a damn trap," She muttered under her breath, glancing sideways at Akeno, who was watching him with barely restrained curiosity.
"What was that, Sora-chan?" Akeno asked, batting her eyelashes at her innocently. "Talking to yourself now? That's a sign of insanity, you know?"
Sora shook her head, pinching the bridge of her nose. The quest didn't specify a guy, at least. That was something. It could have been worse. She could have been asked to go on a date with some random guy, and that would have made her seriously reconsider every life choice that led her here. But still, a date was a date, and she e needed the levels. The system wasn't going to cut her any slack, that much was clear.
She turned her gaze back to Akeno, who was now looking at her with a mixture of curiosity and expectation. Her lips curled into a teasing smile as she waited for whatever she was about to say.
Sora cleared her throat, her voice firm despite the growing sense of dread in her gut. "Hey, Himejima." Might as well make her useful if she's going to be annoying me anyway.
Although it might get Rias on his back, but frankly he was going to do his best to avoid her at all times anyway. He did not need a fan girl.
"Hmm?" She tilted her head, leaning closer, her expression softening just enough to seem almost genuine. "Yes, Sora-chan?"
She could already feel the regret building, but there was no going back now. She needed the rewards, no matter how much this made her want to punch something. "Do you... Wanna go on a date?"
Akeno's eyes widened for a brief second, genuine surprise flitting across her usually calm and mischievous features. Her mouth parted slightly as if she hadn't quite expected her to say that. But the surprise quickly melted into something more amused, something far more dangerous.
"Ara, ara..." Akeno's voice was a low purr now, and her gaze sharpened with intrigue. "Sora-chan, I didn't know you were so forward. You're full of surprises today… Trying to take advantage of a young maiden such as I."
Sora grit her teeth, her patience already running thin. "It's not - look, just answer the question, Himejima."
Akeno's lips curved into a slow, seductive smile as she stepped closer, so close that Sora could feel the warmth of her body despite the cool morning air. "A date, hmm?" Her eyes flickered over her current form again, lingering on the curves of his female body. "With you like this? How could I say no?"
Sora forced herself not to roll her eyes again. Of course, she'd agree. It wasn't like Sora was giving her a real chance to say no anyway. The devils wanted their claws in him, Akeno would say yes just to poke at her more. She needed the quest though, and this was the easiest way to complete it. If she could stomach getting through this without losing her temper, the rewards would be worth it.
"Great," Sora muttered. "Let's get this over with." She glanced down at her wet clothes, scrunching up her nose, preferably somewhere warm…
Akeno chuckled, clearly entertained by her irritation instead of put off. "Such enthusiasm, Sora-chan. You'll sweep me off my feet at this rate." She cooed, eyes twinkling. "The disinterested type is absolutely delish!"
Sora ignored her comment and resumed walking in the general direction of Kuoh Academy, her pace brisk. Akeno fell into step beside her, the amused smile never leaving her face.
Sora wasn't pushing her quest rewards off, they would have a breakfast date, she'd skip school, it would piss off Sona, so… Bonus.
"So," Akeno began, her voice still laced with amusement, "Where are you taking me on this little date of ours? It's only fair that the one asking pays, don't you think?" Says the crazy girl living off Gremory largesse to the orphan…
Sora shot her a sideways glance, her lips pressing into a thin line. She hadn't thought that far ahead anyway. Hell, she hadn't thought about anything beyond getting the quest done and hoping to survive the day without throttling anyone. "I don't know. Where do you want to go?" She asked reluctantly.
If she said some hyper expensive bullshit place she was going to dine and dash on the bitch.
Akeno's eyes sparkled with that same dangerous glint as she hummed thoughtfully. "Hmm, somewhere fun, I think. Maybe a café? We could sit close together, share a little dessert... Doesn't that sound romantic, Sora-chan?"
Sora's eye twitched again, but she managed to keep her voice calm. "Yeah, sure. Whatever."
Akeno's laughter was soft, but there was an underlying thrill in it, as if she was enjoying this far too much. "You're really not used to this, are you? Poor Sora-chan, so awkward." She gasped, "Am I your first?"
"I'm not awkward," Sora shot back defensively, glaring at her. "You're just making this weird." Don't say things so weirdly!
Akeno's smile widened, her gaze sliding over her like she was enjoying every second of her discomfort. "Maybe a little. But you make it so easy, you know? I can't help myself." She leaned in closer, her lips barely an inch from her ear. "I wonder… What else are you bad at? Dates, conversation... Other things?" Her voice dripped with teasing suggestion, and Sora could feel the heat rising in her face despite herself.
She clenched her fists at her sides, resisting the urge to shove her away or say something she'd regret, don't forget the quest… "Himejima," She warned, her voice low. "Just... Stop, please."
Akeno straightened, her smile as serene as ever, though there was a hint of satisfaction in her eyes. "Ara, ara... So serious. Don't worry, Sora-chan. I'll behave. For now."
They continued walking in silence, though the tension between them was palpable. Sora could feel the weight of Akeno's gaze on her, her amusement and curiosity radiating off her in waves.
To her utter disgust…
Even if she got her level and upgrade to her stats after the date…
The question mark reward was a full dominatrix suit in her size…
Goddamnit Himejima
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