Vash
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Chapter 78
🕑 Added 2025-08-23 13:40:13 +0000 UTCIssei stared out the classroom window, his chin resting on his palm. The math teacher droned on about quadratic equations, but his voice seemed to come from somewhere far away. Issei's thoughts kept drifting back to last night, the supernatural world revelation, and the choice he still had to make.
Become a devil. Stay human. Get involved or walk away.
The weight of it all pressed down on his shoulders like a heavy blanket.
"Hyoudou!"
The sharp call snapped him back to reality. His head jerked up, and he found the teacher glaring at him.
"Yes, sir?" Issei said, trying to look alert.
"Care to solve this problem on the board?"
Issei's eyes darted to the blackboard. Numbers and letters swam together in a confusing mess. After everything that had happened regular math seemed almost silly.
"Uh... x equals... seven?"
A few students snickered. The teacher sighed heavily.
"Pay attention, Hyoudou. This will be on the exam."
"Yes, sir," Issei mumbled, his face burning red.
The bell rang, saving him from further embarrassment. Students began packing their bags, chattering about lunch plans and after-school activities. Issei slumped in his chair, his mind still spinning with everything Leon had told him about the supernatural world.
"Dude, you looked like you were in another dimension," Matsuda said, walking over with Motohama close behind.
"Yeah, what's got you so spaced out?" Motohama adjusted his glasses.
"I was just... thinking about stuff."
"About what? Oppai?" Matsuda grinned.
Before Issei could answer, the classroom door slid open. A figure stepped inside, drawing immediate attention from several girls who suddenly straightened in their seats.
Kiba Yuuto entered the room with his usual graceful stride. His blonde hair caught the afternoon light streaming through the windows, and his gentle smile made a few girls sigh dreamily.
"Excuse me," Kiba said politely to the nearest student. "Is Hyoudou Issei here?"
Every head in the classroom turned toward Issei's desk. The perverted duo's jaws dropped simultaneously.
"Th-that's..." Matsuda stammered, pointing a shaking finger at Kiba.
"Kiba Yuuto!" Motohama finished, his voice cracking. "The school prince!"
Issei blinked in confusion. “Kiba?”
Kiba's smile remained warm and friendly as he approached. "The president would like to speak with you in the Occult Research Club room. Are you free now?"
The silence in the classroom was deafening. You could practically hear the collective thoughts of every student: Why would the most popular guy in school want to talk to Issei?
"WHAT?!" Matsuda and Motohama screamed in unison, their voices echoing off the walls.
Their outburst shattered the silence like glass. Students began whispering frantically among themselves.
"Did Kiba just ask for Issei?"
"What could the Occult Research Club want with him?"
"Maybe he's in trouble?"
Matsuda grabbed Issei's shoulders, shaking him. "Dude! DUDE! The prince of Kuoh Academy knows your name!"
"And he wants to talk to you!" Motohama added, his glasses nearly sliding off his nose from excitement. "This is impossible!"
Issei looked between his two friends, then at Kiba, who waited patiently with that same gentle expression. After last night, nothing really seemed impossible anymore.
"I... uh..." Issei's brain struggled to process what was happening, still overwhelmed by bigger supernatural concerns. "Sure, I guess?"
"Excellent," Kiba said with a slight bow. "Shall we go?"
As Issei stood up, still looking dazed, Matsuda and Motohama continued their shocked commentary.
"This has to be a dream," Matsuda whispered.
"Or we've entered some parallel universe," Motohama added, adjusting his glasses nervously.
Issei followed Kiba through the school hallways, his stomach churning with nerves. Students they passed stared openly—the perverted loser walking alongside the school prince was definitely gossip-worthy material.
They reached the old school building, climbing the stairs to the third floor. Kiba stopped in front of a door marked with an ornate sign: Occult Research Club.
"After you," Kiba said, opening the door with a polite gesture.
Issei stepped inside and immediately felt his jaw drop.
The room was nothing like what he'd expected from a school club. Rich mahogany furniture, elegant curtains, and bookshelves lined the walls. It looked more like some fancy Victorian study than a classroom.
And sitting behind an enormous desk was Rias Gremory herself.
"Welcome back, Issei-kun," Rias said warmly, rising from her chair with graceful elegance. Her crimson hair fell like silk over her shoulders, and when she smiled, Issei felt his heart skip several beats.
"Holy oppai..." Issei whispered under his breath, his eyes automatically drawn to her figure before he caught himself. "I mean! Uh, hello, Rias-senpai!"
She gestured to the plush chair across from her desk with movements that seemed almost choreographed in their elegance. "Please, have a seat."
Akeno appeared beside him with a tea service, her approach silent and graceful. "Would you like some tea, Issei-kun?" she asked, her voice carrying that characteristic gentle warmth with just a hint of something playful underneath.
"Y-yes! Please!" Issei stammered, trying not to stare as she leaned forward to pour. His eyes wandered before he forced himself to look at the ceiling. "This is like a dream... beautiful onee-sans serving me tea..."
Koneko sat quietly in the corner, reading a book and occasionally glancing his way with those sharp golden eyes.
"I hope you slept well after last night's... excitement," Rias said, settling into her chair with fluid grace. She crossed her legs slowly, the motion deliberate and attention-grabbing.
"Not really," Issei admitted, accepting the teacup from Akeno with shaking hands. "Kind of hard to sleep after finding out, you know, devils and angels and stuff are real."
Akeno giggled softly, the sound like silver bells. "I imagine it would be quite overwhelming for someone new to our world."
"It's a lot to process," Kiba agreed from his position near the window. "But you handled it remarkably well."
Issei nearly choked on his tea. "Admirably? I was screaming and panicking most of the time! And I kept thinking about how Leon was so cool and you guys are all so..." He gestured vaguely at Rias and Akeno. "...gorgeous! Like, seriously, are all devils this attractive?"
Rias smiled at his directness, finding his honesty refreshing compared to the usual fear most humans showed.
“I'm curious about something."
"Y-yeah?"
She tilted her head, studying him.
"How are you feeling about everything? It's not every day someone discovers that devils and angels walk among us."
Issei set down his teacup, his hands trembling slightly. "Honestly? It's terrifying. But also... kind of exciting? Like, my whole life I've been dreaming about supernatural stuff and harems and adventures, and it turns out it's all real!"
His eyes lit up with typical perverted enthusiasm. "I mean, there's actual devil girls! Beautiful devil girls! This is like every anime I've ever watched!"
"The supernatural world is certainly full of... interesting experiences," Akeno agreed with a knowing smile.
"Speaking of which," Issei said, a thought suddenly occurring to him. "Wait. How were you guys there last night?"
"You summoned us, Issei-kun," Rias said gently, her voice taking on a more patient tone.
"I summoned you? How?" Issei blinked in confusion.
"Do you remember the leaflet you picked up earlier that day?" Rias asked, her smile becoming more knowing. "The one advertising devil services?"
Issei's eyes widened as the memory came flooding back. "That weird flyer? I thought it was some kind of prank!”
"When you called for help after the fallen angel attacked, the summoning circle activated," Rias explained. "We responded immediately."
"Though we didn't expect to find Leon-kun already there," Kiba added. "Or that you possessed a Sacred Gear."
"Sacred Gear wielders are incredibly rare," Rias continued, rising and walking around her desk. "And incredibly valuable to our kind."
She perched on the edge of her desk, close enough that Issei could smell her perfume—something that made his head spin. "Which brings us to why we wanted to speak with you today."
"Leon-kun explained your options last night," she said, her voice taking on a warmer, more intimate tone. "But I'd like to tell you more about what becoming a devil would truly mean."
Akeno moved closer, her hand resting lightly on the back of his chair. "Devils gain incredible power," she said softly. "Your Sacred Gear would become stronger than you could ever imagine."
"Supernatural strength, speed, magical abilities," Rias continued, her eyes locked on his. "You'd be capable of feats that would make ordinary humans seem like children."
"That sounds amazing!" Issei said, his perverted mind already racing. "But what about the other stuff? Like... devil society?"
Rias's smile became more predatory, though still warm. "Devils have very different customs than humans, Issei-kun. We're far more... open about our desires."
Akeno giggled. "We don't restrict ourselves to human concepts of monogamy. Devils embrace their passions freely."
"You mean..." Issei's voice was barely a whisper, his ultimate fantasy dancing before his eyes.
"Harems are not only accepted among devils," Rias said simply, watching his reaction carefully, "they're often expected for those with power."
Issei's face turned bright red, steam practically coming from his ears. "H-HAREM?! Multiple beautiful devil girls?! This is... this is..."
"Everything you've ever dreamed of?" Akeno suggested with a knowing smile.
"And as part of my peerage," Rias continued, reaching out to gently touch his face, "you'd be surrounded by companions who understand this world. Who would fight alongside you, grow stronger with you..."
"Who would be very close to you," Akeno added, her breath warm against his ear.
Issei was practically vibrating with excitement and nervousness. "This is... this is like every perverted fantasy I've ever had come true!"
"The bonds between peerage members are incredibly intimate," Rias said, her hand still touching his cheek. "We share everything together."
The room fell silent except for Issei's rapid breathing as his perverted imagination ran wild with possibilities. Beautiful devils, power beyond measure, and the harem he'd always dreamed of—all laid out before him like the ultimate temptation.
Issei's mind was spinning with images of harem with beautiful devil girls, his heart racing as he imagined all his perverted dreams coming true. But then, like a splash of cold water, Leon's words from the night before echoed in his head.
"Whatever you decide, it needs to be your decision. No pressure, no coercion."
The excitement faded slightly as reality began to creep back in. This wasn't some anime or manga—this was his actual life. His actual humanity they were talking about giving up.
"I..." Issei started, then stopped, his voice catching.
"Take your time," Rias said gently, though her eyes held a hopeful gleam. "I know it's a lot to consider."
But Issei's thoughts were already drifting elsewhere. To his parents. To his normal, boring, human life that suddenly didn't seem so bad. To Leon, who had protected him without asking for anything in return.
"Everything you're offering... it's like every dream I've ever had."
"And I can't decide right now," he said, his voice shaking slightly. "This is too big. Too important. I need time to think."
From the corner, Koneko spoke up quietly. "Leon said no pressure. You're pressuring him."
Rias had the grace to look slightly ashamed. "I... perhaps I was a bit enthusiastic in my presentation."
"I want to talk to Leon first," Issei said firmly. "He's the only one who's been straight with me about everything. No offense, but you guys are obviously trying to recruit me. Leon just wants me to make the right choice for me."
Koneko nodded approvingly. "Good choice."
Akeno's expression flickered with something that might have been annoyance, but she quickly covered it with a smile. "Leon-kun does care about you."
"Very well," Rias said, her tone carefully neutral. "Take the time you need. But remember—the supernatural world has a way of forcing choices upon people. Sometimes waiting too long means the choice gets made for you."
Issei felt a chill at her words, but he stood his ground. "I understand. But this has to be my decision."
As he headed toward the door, Kiba spoke up. "For what it's worth, Issei, I think you're being wise. Rushing into something this important rarely ends well."
"Thanks, Kiba," Issei said with genuine gratitude.
As he reached the door, he turned back one more time. "And thank you all for being honest with me. Even if you were trying to convince me."
"And Koneko-chan," he added with a grin, "tell Leon I said he's got good taste in girlfriends!"
Koneko's face turned red. "Pervert."
Rias smiled, and this time it seemed more genuine. "We'll be here when you're ready to decide."
Issei nodded and left.
