Sam Barnes
Basic Information
Full Name: Sam Barnes
Age: 17–18
Race: Human (currently Bound Soul to CGS)
Affiliation: None (independent, recently awakened to the supernatural world)
Role: Main Protagonist
Physical Description
Peak Human Progress: Approximately 15% of the way to peak human conditioning (based on two weeks of training with Gym Nut, Enhanced Vitality, Hero Candidate, and tutelage under Tiche—out of a projected four-month accelerated timeline).
Height: Approximately 6'0"
Build: Athletic, muscular (consistent with someone who trains regularly)
Hair: Dark charcoal-black, slightly spiky/messy
Eyes: Warm brown with a quiet intensity
Skin Tone: Light-medium with a healthy complexion
Style: Tactical black shirt, form-fitting pants, sturdy black belt, and a fur-lined hooded jacket with red scale-texture lining. Wears dog tags—Gift from his CO during bootcamp. (When he is not in Academy Uniform)
Vibe: Brooding but approachable. Has the presence of someone who's endured pain but never given up his humanity.
Personality
Core Traits: Quietly strong, emotionally resilient, kind-hearted, loyal
Notable Flaws: Hesitant to trust, emotionally repressed due to trauma
Emotional Arc: A journey of reclaiming his light, healing from betrayal.
Core Conflict: Balancing the power of the Contract of Chaos with his inner morality and trauma-induced self-doubt
Backstory
Once a bright and beloved boy, Sam's magnetic personality made others shine around him. But jealousy from a childhood 'friend' slowly destroyed his confidence through manipulation. Framed for predatory behavior in high school, he was sent to juvenile detention based on false evidence and forced confessions. After being cleared, he left everything behind — including his name and past — and sought a fresh start in a new city.
Unbeknownst to him, his soul was chosen by an ancient entity and bound to a Contract of Chaos due to its remarkable purity and endurance. His supernatural journey begins from this moment.
Abilities
[Reactive Activation] (Chapter 9):
Effect: Sam can assign conditional triggers to activate one of his abilities automatically in response to a specific situation (e.g., when struck, falling below a threshold, or detecting an incoming threat).
Mastery Gauge: Not yet shown.
Notes: Only one condition may be set per ability. This allows for a degree of tactical automation but requires clear intent and setup beforehand.
[Exoskeleton] (Chapter 9):
Effect: Sam can generate a protective armor-like exoskeleton around his body. The armor's durability and effectiveness scale with his current physical stats, ensuring it remains relevant as he grows stronger.
Mastery Gauge: Not yet shown.
Notes: A passive-activation ability—Sam can will the exoskeleton into existence when needed, gaining enhanced protection with only a small energy cost to maintain it.
[Lightning Breath] (Chapter 9):
Effect: Sam can charge and release a blast of electrical breath from his mouth. The longer he charges the breath or the more energy he pours into it, the more powerful and far-reaching the attack becomes.
Mastery Gauge: Not yet shown.
Notes: A scalable ability—short bursts are quick and light, while prolonged charges result in devastating discharges. Effective at various ranges depending on charge time and energy investment.
[Lightning Claws] (Chapter 3):
Effect: Summon claws made of lightning on your hands. These inflict electrical and slashing damage.
Mastery Gauge: 14%
Notes: This ability is no longer dormant. It will grow in strength with usage and feedback, allowing for potential upgrades like increased electrical damage, longer reach, or faster activation.
[Energy Regeneration] (Chapter 7):
Effect: An active ability that allows Sam to convert his physical stamina into internal energy/mana. This trade-off helps replenish his supernatural reserves in combat or recovery situations.
Mastery Gauge: Not yet shown.
Notes: The better Sam's physical conditioning, the more efficient the conversion becomes—allowing greater energy recovery for less stamina spent.
Note on Ability Energy Use:
All active abilities draw from Sam's internal energy—his personal mana pool. This mana is not granted by the system; it is innate to Sam himself. It is separate from physical stamina and cannot be tracked via any system bar or interface. Sam must rely on instinct and body awareness to gauge remaining energy. All energy-consuming abilities—such as Exoskeleton and Lightning Claws—pull from this shared mana pool.
Energy Regeneration, when active, allows Sam to convert physical stamina into mana over time. This regeneration interacts naturally with Enhanced Stamina, making the ability more sustainable during prolonged engagements.
Traits
[Perfumer] (Chapter 9): Sam's natural scent seems to universally appeal to others—it subtly aligns with whatever someone personally finds pleasant or comforting. He's not wearing cologne... but somehow, everyone thinks he is.
[Lethal Charm+] (Chapter 9): Sam exerts a passive, unavoidable allure toward individuals with evil or malicious tendencies. No matter what he does, those of a darker nature are instinctively drawn to him—often finding him oddly compelling or fascinating, even without intention or effort on his part.
[Enhanced Stamina] (Chapter 8): Boosts Sam's natural stamina and stamina recovery across the board—including long-distance running, extended battles, and, let's say... prolonged extracurricular activities. Whatever he's doing, he can probably keep doing it longer than most.
[Gym Nut+++] (Chapter 7): This trait allows Sam to train and build muscle with exceptional efficiency. He recovers from workouts much faster than average and experiences accelerated strength and endurance gains. With consistent, focused effort, Sam can potentially reach peak human condition within just a few months.
[Enhanced Vitality] (Chapter 1): Grants Sam an accelerated healing factor, increased stamina, and superior physical durability. He recovers from injuries, fatigue, and disease faster than normal. His life force has been strengthened, allowing him to live longer and remain more resilient.
[Hero Candidate] (Chapter 3): Sam is a hero in training. This trait slightly enhances light and holy-attribute abilities. He can generate holy energy—subtle and limited. Additionally, the durability of blessings affecting him is increased.
Skills
[Intimidation] (Chapter 18): You are skilled at intimidating others, invoking fear with your presence alone. Instinctively, you know how to stand, speak, and move in ways that inspire dread.
Familiars
Tiche (Chapter 1): A black-clad spirit assassin known for her lethal speed, grace, and spectral knife imbued with Rune-infused death magic. Tiche serves as a silent protector and enforcer, capable of devastating strikes and phasing movement. Though seemingly cold, she displays an eerie loyalty to Sam. Originating from another world, her presence defies the normal bounds of familiar contracts.
Inventory
Familiar Contract (Unused) (Chapter 1): A magical scroll that allows Sam to bind a companion as a familiar. He has not used it yet.
Vial of Lifeblood (Used) (Chapter 1): A crimson elixir that permanently granted Sam the Enhanced Vitality trait upon consumption.
Synergy
Irresistible Drift (Lethal Charm + The Taker) (Not yet Shown): Supernatural women affected by both traits emotionally attune to Sam at an accelerated rate. Attraction becomes anchored and identity-affecting. Targets may unconsciously justify, rationalize, or even restructure their emotional priorities around him.
>Increased affection gain
>Reduced emotional resistance
>Effects are longer-lasting and harder to reverse
Sacred Seduction (The Taker + Perfumer) (Not yet shown): Perfumer adapts to match the emotional frequency of holy, infernal, or divine women, making Sam feel like someone "within their world." Encourages unnatural affinity and acceptance, bypassing typical trust thresholds.
>Holy/infernal/fallen targets feel a supernatural kinship
>Accelerates emotional bonding
>Reduces suspicion or hostility in early interactions
Unholy Resonance (Lethal Charm + The Taker + Perfumer) (Not yet shown):When all three traits are active in range, Sam becomes a passive emotional catalyst to supernatural women. His presence resonates across divine, infernal, and holy frequencies, overriding traditional alignment instincts. The result is intense, often conflicted emotional fixation.
>May cause targets to question loyalties or identities
>Emotional reactions (attraction, awe, fear, protectiveness) intensify
>Can trigger involuntary bond formations or oaths
>High risk of drawing attention from powerful beings
Scent of Vice (Perfumer + Lethal Charm) (Chapter 9):In close proximity—especially indoors—the Perfumer trait enhances Lethal Charm's effects by tailoring Sam's scent to each target's subconscious desires. Presence becomes intoxicating, with emotional responses ranging from romantic to submissive to conflicted.
>Increased emotional vulnerability
>Subtle atmospheric tension
>Trust and fixation escalate quickly in enclosed spaces
Gym Nut + Enhanced Stamina (Chapter 8): These two traits reinforce each other to create a foundation of deep physical endurance. Gym Nut allows Sam to train harder and more often, while Enhanced Stamina ensures he can keep going longer both in and out of combat. The result is an ever-growing reservoir of physical staying power that few can match.
Gym Nut + Enhanced Vitality (Chapter 7): Sam's rapid recovery from training is amplified by Enhanced Vitality, allowing him to push himself harder and bounce back faster. The two together create a compounding loop of physical growth and resilience.
Gym Nut + Hero Candidate (Chapter 7): Hero Candidate passively boosts Sam's natural potential, and when combined with Gym Nut's accelerated gains, it raises his possible physical peak into low superhuman levels—far beyond what a normal human could achieve alone. While Sam is not superhuman yet, consistent and intense training could allow him to reach that level in time.
Relationships (Most recently updated from Chapter 20)
Raynare (Chapter 8): Affection — Unquantifiable. Led the attack against Sam in Chapter 8, but was distracted by Tiche long enough for Sam to kill Donaseek. She plans to use her charm abilities to manipulate Sam—particularly after he gains the Lethal Charm trait, which seems to affect her even more strongly than others. Most likely still an enemy of Sam.
Kalawarner (Chapter 8): Affection 4 – (Undeclared). Though she had no direct interaction with Sam during the encounter, Kalawarner caught glimpses of his battle with Donaseek while engaged with Tiche. Since then, she has begun to feel a faint, growing attraction toward Sam—likely due to the passive influence of his Lethal Charm trait.
Mittelt (Chapter 8): Affection 6 – (Undeclared). Of the three Fallen Angels, Mittelt exhibits the highest quantifiable interest in Sam. Though he killed one of her allies, she admitted to not hating the way he looked at her like prey—whether intentional or not. She's quietly impressed by his power and increasingly affected by his Lethal Charm, which seems to be nurturing a faint but growing attraction.
Sona Shitori (Chapter 5): Affection 13 – Friends. After a direct encounter following Sam's ambush by Fallen Angels, Sona engaged him in a brief interrogation and has since become a cautious but consistent ally. She continues to observe his actions with interest and has begun noting strange dynamics forming between Sam and members of her peerage—particularly Momo, who seems to be developing a crush, and Yura, who appears physically intrigued and interested in training with him.
Koneko Toujou (Chapter 5): Affection 28 – Crush. Initially wary of Sam due to the presence of holy energy in his aura—even though it wasn't harmful—Koneko kept her distance. However, after discovering that his scent was unusually pleasant to her, her instincts began to relax. As time passed, she subconsciously lowered her guard. Sam's calm and respectful demeanor helped build a quiet rapport between them, and the two get along well—so long as she isn't being weird.
Tsubasa Yura (Chapter 5): Affection 19 – Friend/Crush?. Tsubasa had minimal interaction with Sam prior to his battle with a Fallen Angel, aside from the early interrogation led by Sona. After witnessing Sam survive and defeat the angel in close combat, she became one of his assigned guards—and developed genuine respect for his strength. She now views him as a promising sparring partner and future training companion.
Tsubaki Shinra (Chapter 5): Affection 11 – Acquaintance. Tsubaki has had limited direct interaction with Sam, most notably during the initial interrogation conducted alongside Sona. While she was cautious at first, witnessing his actions during and after the Fallen Angel incident has caused her to relax slightly. Nonetheless, a formal distance remains between them, and their relationship has yet to deepen beyond surface-level politeness.
Yuuto Kiba (Chapter 6): Affection 11 – Acquaintance. Sam and Yuuto have had almost no direct interaction. Their only encounters have been brief and formal, typically tied to Rias. Despite the lack of personal connection, Kiba appears tolerant of Sam, likely influenced by the friendliness of those around him. A polite and skilled swordsman associated with Rias.
Tiche (Chapter 1): Affection 39 – Love (Complicated). Tiche has been with Sam from the very beginning of his journey in this new world. Acting as his protector, trainer, and steady support system, she has remained by his side throughout every challenge. Though often quiet, she's grown deeply attached to Sam's incorruptible nature—his soul a light she can't help but admire. In private moments, she even refers to him as her little star.
Rias Gremory (Chapter 2): Affection 18 – Friend. Rias has had only a few official interactions with Sam, mostly within formal or investigative settings. Most of their casual proximity has come from Akeno initiating conversations with Sam while Rias is nearby. Although their direct communication is minimal, she considers him a potential ally—and someone worth protecting, given his apparent targeting by the Fallen Angel faction.
Akeno Himejima (Chapter 2): Affection 28 – Crush. Akeno has had the most casual interaction with Sam outside of Momo, often teasing him and finding amusement in his ability to match her energy. There's a faint resonance between their lightning auras—subtle but noticeable when they're near each other. Since Sam gained the Lethal Charm trait, Akeno has felt a soft, subconscious attraction to him, different then she initially had—not overwhelming, but enough to make her take a second look.
Momo Hanakai (Chapter 2): Affection 23 – Crush. Momo has had the most casual interactions with Sam, initially using friendly conversation to probe for supernatural insight on behalf of the Student Council. Over time, it evolved into a genuine friendship. Lately, she's caught herself watching Sam more than usual, noticing and appreciating the way he moves and acts. After his acquisition of the Perfumer trait, Momo found herself unusually fond of his scent—though she simply chalks it up to liking him. She's quietly looking forward to their next meeting.
Awareness of Canon Characters
Sam has no conscious memory of the High School DxD world or its characters upon arriving in Kuoh. He never watched the anime or engaged with its story in his past life. Any recognition of individuals like Rias, Akeno, or Sona is based only on vague visual familiarity—possibly from fleeting online images or general pop culture noise. These individuals may strike him as unique or oddly familiar, but he does not recognize them in any meaningful way. As of now, he treats them as strangers.