In the deep reaches of space…
Darkness. Silence. Then—light.
My eyes snapped open, greeted by the dim blue glow of the pod's interior. A low hum surrounded me, the soft pinging of data on the scouter pressed to my ear cutting through the silence. I blinked, the visor adjusting as numbers and readings scrolled by.
Azuku (thinking):
Where…am I?
For a moment, I was lost. Then, like a crashing wave, the memories surged back.
My name is Azuku. This version of me… it's different.
I wasn't just some guy anymore. This body… this life… I was a Saiyan. And not just that — I remembered growing up with Issei Hyoudou, one of my closest childhood friends. Before everything changed. Before I left Earth to chase power, explore the stars, and uncover what it truly meant to be strong.
The pod had been my tomb, and my training ground.
Years passed as I trained alone in the void of space, exploring planets, pushing past my limits again and again. And now…
I was back.
Azuku (checking himself):
"Hmph. A scouter, Saiyan armor, tail intact… yeah, no doubt about it. I'm a full-blooded Saiyan now."
I brought my fingers to the side of the scouter, activating it. The device blinked to life, scanning my current status.
[Power Level: 300,000]
I let out a low whistle. "Not bad. That puts me around Namek Saga Goku level. Strong, but not broken. I can work with this."
BOOM.
A loud roar shook the pod. Alarms flashed red — we were entering Earth's atmosphere.
Earth — Somewhere Between Kuoh and the Coastline
A streak of light pierced the evening sky.
To anyone watching, it would have looked like a meteor — but it wasn't. It was me.
The space pod smashed into the ocean with a thunderous crash, vanishing beneath the waves. But I had planned this. No one would easily find where I landed.
The pod hissed as the hatch began to open. Water rushed in, but I was already moving. I took a deep breath, gathered my energy, and launched myself upward with a burst of ki.
WHOOSH.
I shot out of the ocean like a missile, flying high into the sky and hovering there with a smirk. The ocean churned beneath me, but I had already pulled out the small remote strapped to my belt.
Azuku (smirking):
"Landing it deep in the ocean keeps it hidden… and this baby makes sure it comes back to me whenever I need it."
I looked toward the land in the distance — toward Kuoh Town.
A name surfaced in my mind.
Issei.
Azuku (softly):
"I promised… if I ever came back, I'd go see him first."
I tapped my scouter, inputting a search.
[Scanning for Power Levels…]
Ping.
[Power Level Detected: 2,500]
"Bingo," I grinned. "That's him. Unusually high for the Issei I remember, though… Guess he really did get turned into a devil. Makes sense, if this is mid-season one."
With a trail of ki behind me, I shot off toward Kuoh. The wind rushed past me, but my heart beat faster for a different reason. I needed to know what timeline I was in. I needed to see how far things had progressed. And more than anything…
I just wanted to see my old friend again.
Meanwhile — Kuoh Academy
Issei Hyoudou's POV
"Man, another boring day of class," I muttered, slumped in my seat. The teacher's voice droned on in the background. "I don't even think I'll get a single peek today… not with Matsuda and Motohama around."
Still, I couldn't shake the feeling in my gut. Ever since I became a devil, things had changed. The contracts. The training. The battles. But none of it felt like enough.
Issei (thinking):
Asia… I couldn't protect her last time. And that… that's not okay. I won't let something like that happen again.
I clenched my fist beneath the desk.
"Time to stop slacking. Rias-senpai gave me a second chance at life. I owe her, and the rest of the peerage, more than this. Even Azuku would probably scold me if he saw how lazy I've been."
I smiled faintly at the memory of him — my childhood best friend, the one who always pushed me to be better. Then one day, he just disappeared. Like he was called away by the stars themselves.
Issei (quietly):
"If you're still out there, Azuku… I hope you're proud of me."