Most universes have low-level monsters, such as goblins or kobolds, for protagonists to test their new powers at the beginning of their journey. In the universe of High School DxD, however, there were no creatures even remotely resembling goblins.
The closest thing to unintelligent monsters were the Lower-Rank Youkai. Even so, most of them were not aggressive unless provoked in extreme situations.
In that case, I had no options to test what I initially thought was my most promising ability — a skill that seemed even more advantageous than the divine enhancement of my body.
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[Stygian Flame - Level 1]
Description: A manifestation of inherent infernal power, channeling the cold, dark energy of the Styx River in the form of flames.
Effect:
Enables the user to summon and manipulate the flames of the River Styx (See more details).
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When I clicked on "more details" at the bottom of the skill window, a new window popped up with a description of what the skill was capable of.
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[Stygian Flame - Level 1] - Additional details
History: The fire of the River Styx is a primordial force that consumes sins and sinners. Its flames are both divine punishment and hellish purification for mortals and deities alike. These flames are so powerful that they burned the God of Fire himself, Hephaestus, who dared to try to infiltrate Hades' domain and plunged into the River Styx.
This fire rejects any being that challenges its authority without the proper right.
Restrictions: The flame grows in strength proportional to the sins consumed. Lack of control can lead to indiscriminate destruction, even of the user themselves.
Related abilities: Essence Purification, Sin Consumption, Inherent Defense.
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"So, the best way for me to evolve this skill and become stronger even while I'm not leveling up is to burn sins... But without low-level monsters like goblins, how am I supposed to do that?"
I didn't know if I should be extreme and go to a prison to burn criminals, or if I should be patient and wait until an enemy confronted me. Either way, standing still was the last thing I wanted to do.
So, I grabbed my cell phone and looked for the only other contact in my phonebook that wasn't my aunt: Yuuma Amano.
I quickly wrote a message to her asking her to go on a date with me because I was bored.
Going out with her again was risky for my neck, but it was also the best thing I could do right now. Wanting to test the Stygian Flame, Yuuma Amano had many sins for me to burn if she attacked me. If she didn't, that would be even better, as I could still keep her as a frequent source of Fusion Points.
It didn't take more than five minutes for her to see my message and reply.
Yuuma Amano replied to my message with a quick, "Sure, why not? Where should we meet?"
This surprised me a little, but it shouldn't have. After all, Yuuma seemed ready to go out with me ever since I confessed my feelings to her at that café. The way she looked at me was like a child gazing at a shiny new toy.
The only problem was that children — especially spoiled ones like her — tend to tire of their toys quickly and easily.
Anyway, my reply was simple: "8 p.m. at the central square."
I arrived at the agreed location and didn't have to wait long.
Yuuma Amano appeared, wearing a casual black dress paired with a leather jacket that added a bolder touch to her appearance. She smiled when she saw me, and her smile seemed as natural as it was dangerous.
"You were quicker to ask me out than I expected. Did you miss me already? Any special reason, or am I your only friend in this city?"
I scratched the back of my neck as if I were shy. "Let's say it's a little bit of both."
She smiled slightly, clearly liking my answer. "So, where are we going? I doubt you called me here just to sit around in the town square."
"There's a place, but I think the process of finding out what it is will be better than ruining the surprise now," I said and held out my right hand to her. "How about it?"
Yuuma looked at my hand for a few moments and held it tightly. "All right. I can handle it."
[Ding! The Master has initiated a "Start Date" with Yuuma Amano. Reward: 5 fusion points!]
I was closer than ever to level 2! With 85 fusion points, I was only 15 away.
After exchanging a few words, Yuuma and I started walking. It was a calm Monday night, and before long, we reached the town pier.
The sound of waves crashing against the concrete walls was the only constant noise. The air smelled slightly of salt and boat oil, as the sea at Kuoh was not very suitable for swimming like most beaches.
In the distance, it was possible to see fishing boats anchored at different points a few kilometers from the coast, and there weren't many other people passing through this area at night, especially on a weekday.
Suddenly, Yuuma looked around, frowning slightly, before asking with mock innocence:
"A place as empty as this... You're not going to tell me you have sinister plans for me, are you?" Her eyes narrowed, and a mischievous smile appeared on her lips as she hugged herself as if she were defenseless. "Or are you planning to drag me into a fishy-smelling alley to do... little things?"
I laughed, genuinely amused by the provocation. With me, she was playing a different character than she had with Issei, for example. She was cynical and sounded sincere at times like this.
"Definitely not," I replied, shaking my head. "Actually, I wanted to show you a place that's special to me. Since you took me to the city lookout yesterday, I thought it would be fair to return the favor."
Yuuma raised an eyebrow, apparently surprised, but said nothing. Instead, she just followed me as I guided her through the dimly lit streets near the harbor. Before long, we arrived at the only establishment in the area that was still open.
Through the window, it was easy to see that it was a modest but well-kept bookstore lit with a warm, yellow glow. The sign was so old that it no longer carried the name of the bookstore, but it was still illuminated.
"A bookstore?" Yuuma asked, looking genuinely intrigued.
"It's one of the few quiet places I've found since I arrived in town. I'm not a big fan of arcades or shopping malls, so when I found this place, it was like finding a refuge," I said, opening the door for her and allowing her to enter first.
[Ding! The Master has managed to 'Truly Surprise' Yuuma Amano. Reward: 1 fusion point!]