Disclaimer: I do not own Highschool DxD.
Chapter 5: Devils Eyes Watching
'Thinking'
"Talking"
"Talking"
- Dungeon -
After finishing with school for the day, I wasted no time in getting home before jumping into the Dungeon. I've been fooling around too much and not taking things as seriously as I ought to be.
After finally blowing off some steam with my Servant, my head cleared up enough to realize that I was leveling far too slowly. I should have been putting off sleep and pulling all-nighters to get as many levels grinded out as possible, instead I had been sleeping in and messing around with school.
I nearly had a heart attack on my home when one of my Spirits caught Raynare moving throughout the city; which meant the main story was about to begin, and I was vastly unprepared to take her on.
I had quickly recalled some of my Spirits from Kuoh to watch over my house while I took every single Servant I had into the Dungeon, selecting Skeletons before setting off on a warpath to kill as many of them as I could. There was no time for playing things slow and steady now, not with my life on the line.
And make no mistake, my life is very much on the line. I had foolishly believed that Raynare would only go after Issei like in the anime, but that was before I had a Sacred Gear of my own, which made me a target now too. The only thing that was holding Raynare and the Devils back was my [Humanity] perk, allowing me to appear as just another ordinary human to their eyes, but that perk went away at Level 10.
Something which I had already hit, and gone past with all of the Skeletons that I and my Servants had killed.
Sora Sakai - Level 14 [63%]
Human - Sacred Gear User
Quest Completed!
[Finish the Tutorial]
Reward:
[First Impression] (Perk)
Gain a random amount of Affection the first time you meet someone.
Amount ranges between 1-10.
Perk Removed:
[Humanity] (Perk)
That [First Impression] perk is going to become useful once I begin interacting with more people. Having a small amount of Affection right from the get-go will hopefully keep any outright hostility from being directed my way. But that last textbox leaves me terrified.
My protection is now gone, and the next time I go to school I'll be a massive target for a desperate Rias and a calculating Sona.
Which is why I'm now swarming through the Dungeons with my slowly growing army, killing everything in sight as we cleared out groups of Skeletons. Some of which were different than the ones I've been fighting against previously. '[Observe].'
Skeleton Archer - Level 12
It had been a small surprise to see one of the Skeletons holding a bow instead of a rusted sword, and I had to slightly adjust my strategy to account for their ability to attack from range. Since the number of Skeletons had grown to a whopping 10, with half archers and half regulars, I had my Servants go in first and make a beeline for the Archers. While the risky plan usually led to one or two Servants being killed before my summons could take them out, it also provided me the chance to join in on the fighting.
My Holy Swords made quick work of the Skeletons, the Light properties of the blades allowing for us to carve through their bones like it was nothing. And with each group we killed, my skills leveled up and my small army of summons grew.
Leveled Up - Class:
[Class: Summoner] - Lvl. 15 (Novice)
Leveled Up - Skills:
[Observe] (Active) - Lvl. 23 (Novice)
[Summon: Servant] (Active) - Lvl. 18 (Novice)
[Sacred Gear: Blade Blacksmith] (Common) - Lvl. 18 (Novice)
[Swordsmanship] (Passive) - Lvl. 20 (Novice)
The levels were all still Novice in rank, but Observe is nearly Level 25, which will make it my first Apprentice level skill. [Student] is constantly causing it to level faster than the others, and I'm already guessing that it'll be my first skill to get to Level 100 without having already been MAX'd out by the Game.
I'm also now able to summon a total of 15 Servants to fight alongside me, and quick [Observe] reveals a fact that I'm not too sure how to feel about.
Servant - Level 18
They're officially four levels above me, the skill to summon them is leveling faster now that there are more being used, and each one is carrying a Holy Sword while I've swapped mine out for the iron sword that I made one of them use until now. I can actually summon enough Holy Swords now that I don't have to use the iron blade, but the reason I am is because I finally started working on my Artificer Profession in preparation for my eventual dealings with the Supernatural world.
Leveled Up - Profession:
[Profession: Artificer] - Lvl. 9 (Novice)
I had originally been stumped as to how I'd level it up, before Gaia gave a much-needed hint by pointing out the rusted swords that the Skeletons kept dropping after being defeated.
[Rusted Sword] - (Common)
"A barely held together blade."
Now, while I had no plans on ever wielding one of these crappy pieces of metal, they did count as an item I could practice my Artificer on. Through several trial-and-error attempts, I eventually worked out that I could create a golden magic circle on the ground, where I would then place the blade on it before determining what enchantment I wanted added to the weapon. The options were limited, with only your standard Ice, Fire, Lightning, Wind, and Light for now.
[Rusted Sword] - (Enchanted: Fire)
"A barely held together blade, warmed with a spark of Fire."
Deals additional damage to those weak against Fire.
It seemed that I needed to get up to the higher levels before I can start adding truly unique abilities to things beyond just some basic elemental damage. So for now, I spammed every rusted sword I could pick up with all of the enchantments, leveling up the skill several times before I ran out of the shitty blades.
After that, I decided to enchant my [Iron Blade] with Light to make it similar to my [Holy Swords].
[Iron Blade] - (Enchanted: Light)
"A simple sword, blessed with the power of Light."
Deals increased damage to Devils and Undead.
In terms of how strong my new blade is, it's around the same strength as the Holy Swords I can make with [Blade Blacksmith]. The Light properties aren't that amazing, but they're still able to cut through Skeletons with remarkable ease. How well they'll actually hold up against a real Holy Sword? I've got no clue. But I doubt they'll last very long against the real things; my Holy Swords are more like hollow casting than actual blades.
Nonetheless, I now have a weapon I can keep using and store in my Inventory, without having to rely on bringing out my Sacred Gear. It might just give me an edge I need in battle if my opponent is expecting me to use my Sacred Gear, but instead I pull out a weapon from thin air.
Are you monologuing again?
'I was, why?'
Oh no reason, you just do it a lot.
Shrugging, I nod. 'That's true, but it helps keep me motivated to remember how far I've come from being a weak Level 1 with just a plain iron sword.'
Okay!
Just don't forget to grab the chest on your way out.
That would be like, suuuuper~ embarrassing!
She's not wrong, part of grinding out these Dungeons is to pick up the final loot I get at the end.
Perk Unlocked:
[Power's Pull] (Perk)
Increased Affection and Obedience with those lower level than you.
That was the last Dungeon's reward, and while it's not very useful now, it'll be a big reward as I get stronger. I still haven't learned how to get Obedience up yet, but I'm thinking that's just because I haven't had to contest my strength against anyone.
There's no reason for someone to feel any sort of obedience towards me, if I've seemed like nothing more than an ordinary human. Which makes it all the more terrifying that [Humanity] is gone, because I'm just a small fish who's now jumped out of the pond and into the ocean.
As another chest appears, I walk over to open it as my Servants gather into three rows of five and march behind me in perfect sync. They look so badass, and I still look like a dork in my school uniform. Once I finish with grinding out enough levels for Artificer, I'm going to take a stab at enchanting some other clothing to make them at least on part with the uniforms.
Thoughts of better clothing aside, I open up the chest to find a small piece of paper. Taking it out, all there's written on it is a long string of 1's and 0's. Some sort of computer code written in binary?
Item Received:
[Gender-bender Cheat Code] - (System Item)
Allows you to change one person's gender, no matter who they are.
Potentially a very useful item to have, except it's one-time-use and I can't just waste it on someone who I want to mess with. Sure, I could use it on Issei and save myself the trouble of a male protagonist trying to steal all of the attractive women in this Universe, but that feels like such a waste. I can't image he'd be very attractive as a girl, and part of me wants to save this for a rainy day where I can flip a potential enemy into a potential ally/lover.
Do you always think about sex?
'No…not all the time. Sometimes I think about food…'
I can't wait for this body to age up enough that my hormones become less of a problem. It's bad enough that I had to go through it all before, but going through it again while knowing I'm acting like a hormonal teenager is ridiculous.
Whatever, I still have enough time for a few more Dungeon runs before I need to get some sleep; I'll worry about my horniness later.
Taking the time to glance at the scrapes and cuts on my skin that were barely starting to close, I was surprised to find out that the Gamer System came with a very minor form of regeneration. I couldn't exactly heal from anything serious like a missing limb, but small wounds would heal themselves over time.
Which reminds me that I need to level up [Artificer] as quickly as possible, so that I can pick [Potioneer] and start making Healing Potions. My Servants have been working hard to keep me from taking too much damage in the Dungeon, but out in the world I doubt I'm going to be so lucky.
Sora Sakai - Level 18 [2%]
Human - Sacred Gear User
After running through the Dungeon for the fourth and final time, I had to reluctantly call it quits as my entire body protested the thought of picking up my enchanted sword and using it again. Now that I'm nearing the maximum level for Skeletons, the experience I'm getting has dropped down to just 2% for each Skeleton I kill, meaning I have to kill more of them to keep the same leveling pace.
Granted the number of Skeletons in each group has increased, but it's still a slight drop in the time that it's taking to level up.
Taking one last look over my stats, it's a marked improvement from what they were like yesterday.
Leveled Up - Class:
[Class: Summoner] - Lvl. 20 (Novice)
Leveled Up - Skills:
[Observe] (Active) - Lvl. 28 (Apprentice)
[Summon: Servant] (Active) - Lvl. 22 (Novice)
[Sacred Gear: Blade Blacksmith] (Common) - Lvl. 22 (Novice)
[Swordsmanship] (Passive) - Lvl. 26 (Apprentice)
I finally started getting a little more experience in Swordsmanship by taking on two enemies at a time with at least one Servant watching my back in case I screwed up. With it at Apprentice, I can definitely see a marked improvement in my movements with a blade. It's like the Gamer System is downloading muscle memory into my body, improving my natural reactions and motions.
It's tempting to push through my exhaustion for one or two more Dungeon runs, just to see what happens when my Class hits Apprentice. But that'll have to wait for tomorrow when I'm well rested. Besides, I haven't just been slaying Skeletons the whole time either, I've also been working on my Profession too.
Leveled Up - Profession:
[Profession: Artificer] - Lvl. 18 (Novice)
The sheer number of Rusted Swords that I was picking up with each run-through of a Dungeon was ridiculous. Even with Skeleton Archers intermixing with the regular Skeletons, I was still pulling in almost 8 blades with each group. Allowing me to double my Artificer level in just a few hours. At the rate it's leveling up, it will easily pass my Class's level, and put me one step closer to making some truly awesome enchanted weapons and items.
But enough about Dungeons and leveling for tonight, what I need right now is a warm shower and a soft bed. "[Dungeon: Close]."
The massive golden magic circle is a welcome sight, teleporting me and my small force of Servants to the garden of my home, having been reminded by Gaia not to do it inside any more or else I'd track in more dirt.
You're welcome! :)
With nary a thought, I send my Servants off to complete the chores around the house while the rest of them take up guard positions throughout the courtyard and garden. There's a certain feeling of safety I get whenever I see them keeping an ever-watchful vigil over my home, their lack of needing to eat or sleep makes them perfect for the role.
Which is what makes the last two Dungeon chests' rewards so interesting.
Item Received:
[Golden Mask] - (Common)
"A golden mask that hides the wearer's face."
Offers minimal identity protection.
Skill Received:
[Promotion] (Active) - Lvl. MAX
Promotes a Summon of each type to Guardian.
Able to promote +1 Summon per 10 Class levels.
The mask is similar to the ones my Servants' wear, only it's gold and has eyeholes for me to look through. It's more of a statement piece to go with my 20 Servants than an actual item that hides my identity.
Also, isn't that number unbelievable?
Just staring at my Servants as they stand in the larger group nearly made me cackle at how many I have now. But the mask is not nearly as amazing as the fact that I actually got a new skill as a reward. The perks and items have been good, but this is potentially game changing. It means that I can farm skills through the Dungeons instead of just relying on my Class.
Now what it actually does, I have no idea. The skill's description doesn't tell me much beyond a Summon becoming something called a 'Guardian'? That really could mean anything, but based on how few Summons it can be used on, I can guess that it'll be worth it.
Mentally commanding for one of my Servants to come back, I watch as a female Servant stands in front of me with her Holy Sword planted into the ground. A quick glance at her pale neck and the small bruises littering it, I realize that those are the same hickeys I left on the Servant I spent the night with.
"Oh, hello again. I didn't even realize who you were with how alike you and all your sisters look." I apologize. Even if she's my Servant and can't speak, it's still rude that I didn't notice who she was. While we hadn't gone so far as to have sex, we still had quite a few intimate moments last night and this morning. "Are you willing to let me test out one of my skills on you?"
The only response she gives is a single, firm nod as she stands just the tiniest bit straighter, prepared for anything and everything that could happen.
Taking comfort in how utterly fearless she is in the face of being used a test-dummy, I cast my new skill before I change my mind, praying that it doesn't cause her any pain. "[Promotion]!"
A small golden magic circle appears beneath her feet, quickly rising up to the top of her head as a golden light covers her form. When it dies down, I notice that her all-black suit now has small accents of gold in the cuffs and tie, and her long, silky black hair has golden tips. But the most noticeable change, and one that I'm very pleased with, is her featureless white mask has changed to a smaller one that covers only the area around her eyes and ends at the tip of her nose.
For the first time, I witness the face of one of my Servants. The black eye's staring back at me practically sparkle with devotion, and the full, black-painted lips draw my gaze as I watch them move for the first time. "How may I serve you, Master?"
Her voice is soft, and filled with nothing but the desire to see to my every need; and it causes a stirring in my pants. But I need to push aside my arousal and focus on what exactly has changed beyond her appearance. '[Observe].'
Servant (Guardian) - Level 22
Choosing not to make a big deal about the fact that my Servants are now six levels above me, there isn't much to gleam from her status beyond the new title. "Do you feel any differently than you did before?" I ask.
"I feel…more aware, Master." She replies hesitantly, obviously not having fully acclimated to the changes yet. "Like I now see what is going on around me, and can think beyond the simplicity of just following your orders. I can now offer you my opinion, and provide more assistance to you beyond what you've asked of us so far."
So she's essentially become self-aware? If it wasn't for the obvious devotion in her eyes and tone, I'd be worried that she might turn on me like Skynet had in the Terminator movies. Instead, all I can think about is just how useful it'll be to have someone as an assistant, providing a different perspective on things which I might never have even considered before.
"Is there anything you need? I imagine this must seem like a shock for you to suddenly change so much. If you need to take some time to get used to your new situation, I'd completely understand." I offer, only to get a firm shake of her head, momentarily distracting me with the way her black hair with gold tips catches the moonlight. She really is beautiful. "Are you sure? You can tell me if something is wrong."
"I'm sure, Master. I thank you for your kindness, but I am more than able to handle my new changes." She states firmly, not giving an inch as she stares at me with determination. "All I want is to help you achieve your goals to the best of my ability. Though…"
Hearing her pause mid-sentence, I worriedly ask, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, Master. It's just that…" She pauses once again, her eyes stare into mine with a hint of nervousness before she asks, "Could you give me a name? While I don't mind continuing to be called your Servant, it would be nice to have a name of my own…" Her voice trails off as her head drops slightly, as if afraid that she was asking too much of me and had upset me.
Silly girl, as if I would be upset by such a simple request.
Bringing my hand up to cup her chin and raise her head, her eyes widen as they stare at me surprised. "If you would like a new name, then I'll happily give you one." I smile, the action and my words drawing a small blush on her pale cheeks. "From now on, your name will be…"
Fuck, I'm terrible with names. I really should have thought this through first, but since I'm already in it I might as well come up with something. Seeing as she's the first Servant I've been able to speak to, and she's the first one I've really made any sort of connection with, I ultimately go with an easy to remember name. "Ichi (One)."
"Ichi…" She repeats, testing the name out on her tongue before giving a pleased nod, her black lips spreading into a bright smile. "I love it. Thank you, Master."
"You're welcome, Ichi. Welcome to the family." And really, that's what I plan on making this, a family. One where I'm at the head, and one that will help me on the path to becoming the strongest there is, so that no one can harm us. '[Observe].'
Ichi (Guardian) - Level 22
It looks like her status has changed once again to reflect her new name. If all of this is what came from using [Promotion], I can't wait to see what happens when I have more Summons that can act as advisors and assistants.
As I turn to head into the house, she immediately draws my attention back to her as she speaks up.
"Master. Before you head inside, you should summon the other Spirits you've gained to add more eyes on Kuoh. With the Fallen now active, it won't be long before they try something. And we'll need all the eyes we can get to come up with a counter for them." Ichi says, taking to her new role as my assistant flawlessly as she reminds me of my new increase in summons.
Thanking her, I cast [Summon: Spirit] and watch as 20 gold circles light up the garden before 100 animal Spirits fill the clearing. The numbers are starting to get crazy now, and by the time the Summer Class maxes out, I'll be able to summon five times this amount in just Spirits alone.
Still trying to wrap my head around how many summons I'll have under my control, I quickly send them off to scour the town and keep an eye out for the Fallen and Devils, their golden bodies fading from sight as they sprint through the walls and off into the bamboo forest. Hopefully, they'll be able to provide me some information as to what each groups' plans are.
"Master, don't forget to use [Promotion] on one of your Spirits." Ichi adds.
…I must be really exhausted if I keep forgetting things like this. Giving her a thankful nod, and chuckling at the pleased look on her face, I call back one of the spirits. Waiting for the ethereal gold deer to fade back into sight. "[Promotion]."
Watching the gold magic circle do the same thing it did to Ichi, I'm almost disappointed to see that there isn't as big of a change to the Spirit as there was with her. The deer's antlers have grown larger, and its body seems to be less translucent as it had been before, appearing close to solid. '[Observe].'
Spirit (Guardian) - Level 0
The Spirit is still just as weak as it had been before, and besides a slight cosmetic appearance there isn't anything noticeably different about it. Deciding to figure out what's changed later, I send the Spirit off to rejoin the others in watching over Kuoh.
"I think that's it for me tonight, Ichi. I'm about ready to fall asleep, and I still haven't even taken a shower yet." I inform her, moving into the house as she follows behind me. Pausing as my hand rests against the door to my bedroom, I glance back at her over my shoulder, weighing the pros and cons in my head before deciding to risk it. "Will you join me again tonight?"
The beautiful smile she gives me is all the answer I need.
- Kuoh Academy -
Walking back to school the next morning, I'm actually able to keep most of my smile from showing.
[Sexual Intercourse] (Passive) - Lvl. 6 (Novice)
After having enjoyed another night of shower fun with Ichi, I woke up to my first ever blowjob by an enthusiastic -if inexperienced- woman who was obviously thrilled to take me into her now-freed mouth and shallow every spurt of cum that I gave her.
If it wasn't for school, I'd probably have done more than just return the favor with my mouth. Her sweet cries of pleasure were like music to my ears as she came loudly for the whole house to hear. Watching her lithe body glisten with sweat as she panted, her black eyes staring up at me adoringly, I was ready to lose my virginity right then and there before Ichi called an end to things.
It seems that just because she was willing to follow my every order, she also took her new status very seriously as she quickly rushed me into the bathroom and helped me wash up before we both got dressed.
After a final kiss goodbye, and chuckling at the blushingly pleased expression on her face, I left before my hormones could convince me to skip school and finish what we started. It wasn't until I was almost at the gates of school when I started paying attention to what was going on around me. And as I crossed the threshold into school, I could immediately feel a pair of eyes on me.
Uh-oh! I think someone's watching you~!
'I think so, too. And I know just who it is…' Glancing up at the Occult Research Clubhouse, I spot a head of long, crimson-red hair in the same second-floor window as last time. Only this time, instead of her eyes passing over disinterestedly, they're now fixed on me as I continue walking towards the school building.
'That didn't take long.' I know that I just had [Humanity] removed last night, but for her to realize the difference in my power so soon was a surprise, if unwelcome.
-Rias Gremory -
Watching as the white-haired transfer student walked into the school, Rias was baffled for the first time in by the strangeness of it all.
She was certain that he was an unremarkable, normal human; no different from the many other students attending Kuoh Academy. Not only had she and her fellow King, Sona, scouted out every known mage and Sacred Gear user in the school, but the walls and entrances surrounding the grounds were covered in wards that scanned everyone who entered for anything abnormal.
And those very same wards were now registering this 'Sora' as abnormal, when they hadn't done so mere days ago.
That's what was baffling her so much, because the wards were working perfectly -she'd checked them herself- and yet they were still registering him as different than before. Something big must have changed, because he was now giving off enough power to rival her Knight, Kiba.
Maybe he wasn't as strong as herself and her Queen, but there was enough power in him to make it all very confusing.
As she watched him disappear into the building, Rias felt her bestfriend and Queen move to stand next to her. "Are you thinking about recruiting him?"
"Possibly." Rias hummed, the thought had obviously crossed her mind, and with her upcoming engagement to Riser she would need all the help she could get. "But let's focus on Hyoudou for the moment. Koneko has already determined that the smell coming off him was a Dragon's, and we've already determined that the Fallen have been scouting him just as much as we have."
At the word Fallen, Akeno's beautifully seductive face was marred by an ugly frown as she glared into the distance. "Then we should just get rid of them and be done with it."
Sighing, Rias replied. "You know that we can't do that, Akeno. We've already been warned that actions made against the other Biblical Factions could break the long-standing ceasefire that's been going on, and it could very well spark a resurgence of the Biblical War."
As much as she agreed with Akeno's desire to get rid of the Fallen, there was very little they could do after receiving their orders from the Underworld. She didn't doubt for a second that her older brother had ways of keeping an eye on her while she was in the Human World, and if he felt that she was being threatened by the Fallen's presence, he might do something dramatic which would risk restarting the war.
"For now, have your Familiars keep an eye on this 'Sora'. See if there's anything we can use to entice him while we work on getting ready for Hyoudou." She added, getting a nod from Akeno before she turned away from the window. Even if she was one of the two Kings in charge of Kuoh, she still wanted to attend classes and enjoy what time she had left before returning to the Underworld.
Whether that was as a free woman, or bound in an eternal marriage to someone she loathed, Rias couldn't know. 'Sora Sakai, could you be what I'm looking for?'
-Sora Sakai -
Was I worried about Rias's newly invested interest in myself? Absolutely. There was obviously going to be some desperation in our eventual dealings with each other, and desperate people can do dangerous things if they're pushed far enough. How I might be able to work that desperation to my advantage will take some brainstorming with Ichi.
"Hey, Sora!" Aika loudly spoke, waving her hand in front of my face. "Are you listening?"
"What?" I blink, having been so focused on my thoughts that I completely missed whatever she was saying. Staring at her brown eyes behind her glasses, the sudden intensity of my focus caught her off guard as she blushed.
[First Impression]
+9 Affection with Aika Kiryuu … Affection: 44 | Obedience: 0
"I-I was asking if you'd noticed anything strange going on around town lately." She stutters out, her eyes struggling not to stray down to my crotch as her cheeks warm. "There's been several disappearances lately, and no one seems to know what's going on."
"Oh! No, I haven't seen anything strange happening, but then again I live outside of town so it's not like I'm around long enough to notice anything different." That wasn't actually true, I knew exactly what was going on, I just didn't want to get her involved.
The Fallen were beginning to make their move, killing off Sacred Gear users and Low-Class Devils that had been allowed to stay within the city.
Apparently, there were more Sacred Gear wielders than I had originally thought there'd be. The reason I hadn't heard anything about them in the anime was because the wielders either had no potential to unlock them, or the Sacred Gears in question were so insignificant that it wasn't even worth trying to awaken them.
And even with Sona and Rias trying to use their magic to calm the town, there were too many people dying for them to get to each one's family before questions started being raised. While the numbers they missed were few, it was enough to get the local news' attention. By that point, there was little the Devils could do to stop spread of information from making its way around town.
"Well at least try to stay safe when you're walking home. There's no telling what's going on right now, and I'd hate to see something happen to you because you weren't paying attention." Aika pleads. Though she tried to play it off as a scolding, her eyes gave away just how worried she was.
Gently taking her hand, I smile warmly at the girl I was genuinely coming to care for. "Don't worry Aika, I'll be fine. But if you're so worried about what's going on, maybe you'd feel better if I walked you home from now on?"
Even if I was teasing her back, the offer was completely genuine. I don't know what I'd do if my friend suddenly was taken or killed by the Fallen due to our relationship. And I'm worried that once they notice me, that the first thing they'll do is go after my only real connection to this town.
"I'd like that." Aika replies warmly, interlocking our fingers and giving my hand a squeeze as we continued walking to her classroom. Neither of us caring what the other students thought as they pointed and whispered at our holding hands.
+6 Affection with Aika Kiryuu … Affection: 50 | Obedience: 0
Perk Unlocked:
[Dirty Minded] (Perk)
Increased Affection and Obedience with perverts.
Huh, so there are rewards for getting people's Affection to level 50. Nice!
And I noticed that there is an addition +1 to the Affection gain thanks to [Power's Pull], which gives me an increase with anyone a lower level than me; and that's even without the other +1 that I'll gain from the new perk. I now have a very good reason to try and get as many people to higher Affection ratings as possible, in the hopes of farming more Perks like this one.
I had been questioning if it was entirely possible for me to reach Level 999, with now low a level I am and how far I have to go. But between this and the Dungeon rewards, I feel like I actually can reach my dream of becoming the strongest.
Normally I spend my time in class zoned out while thinking over my plans for the future, but I barely had any time to do that with my Spirits around town warning me of several attacks by the Fallen. Had I been in one of the classes with Devils in it, I would have likely seen several empty desks as my Spirits caught both Rias and Sona's Peerages moving about the city trying to erase people's memories.
It almost felt like the Fallen were taking pleasure in killing people based on some of the mangled corpses, before they'd leave the bodies somewhere noticeable for others to find. But the oddest thing was that the short blonde one who I think was called "Mill-something" and the fedora-wearing douchebag "Donut-seek?" were far more into their killings than Raynare and the busty bluenette.
While the other two were quite ruthless in their killings, Raynare and Kalawarner (whose name I barely recall) seem to be almost upset at having to do it. 'Which is nothing like how Raynare seemed in the anime.'
Do you think something happened?
'I don't know, so far things have played out like what little was shown in the anime. But it's possible that this may not be exactly the same as what I remember.' And suddenly I don't feel so comfortable about my knowledge of the future.
I knew that there would be changes happening because of my presence, but for it to be happening so quickly is worrying.
I'll worry about that later. For now, I'm more focused on the approaching apartment building that Aika was leading me to; having decided to take up my offer of walking her home and quickly interlacing our hands. After that first time, she enjoyed holding my hand whenever possible and as long as we could get away with it.
'Does this make us a couple?' I hadn't exactly given it much thought, but her Affection score would suggest that she certainly feels something for me. But we haven't actually talked about it, and I don't know how I feel about getting into a commitment with someone who can't defend themselves from my future enemies.
Before I can voice my question, Aika speaks up as we reach the door to one of the apartments. "Well, this is mine. Thanks again for walking me home Sora, it made me feel a lot safer to have you with me." Leaning up to my cheek, she places a small kiss on it before leaning back with a smile.
Always willing to take a chance to tease her, I copy her action by leaning in to place a kiss on her cheek. The sudden action drawing a blush as she stared at me wide-eyed. "What?" I chuckle, "You can kiss me but I can't do the same to you?"
"N-No, you totally can!" She frantically waves her hands, trying not to sound hopeful or show just how much she enjoyed it. "Y-You can totally kiss me whenever you feel like it!" As her eyes widen even further at what she just admitted, I laugh loudly at the full blush that's covering her face.
"Well if you insist…" Deciding to take the risk, I lean in to her for another kiss. Only this time, instead of her cheek, I plant one directly on her lips.
"Mmph!" Aika moans, half shocked and half excited as her hands quickly come up to wrap around my neck as I place mine of her thin waist, pulling her body close as our tongues start to swirl together.
+7 Affection with Aika Kiryuu … Affection: 57 | Obedience: 0
When lack of oxygen became too great, we both reluctantly broke the kiss, panting as Aika fumbled out, "W-Would you like to come inside?" Seeing the lustful look on her face, I knew that if I accepted we'd be taking our relationship a step further than we already had. And while I wasn't overly prepared to get into a committed relationship, I was more than happy to take this step.
"Sure."
- END -
Author Notes:
And that's Chapter 5!
Things are starting to pick up a little bit now that the main story is finally starting. The struggle is in keeping Sora's growth at a reasonable level without making him seem too OP or too under-leveled.
Probably the biggest change you'll see going forward is the Affection and Obedience points as he interacts with more people and takes a bigger role in the supernatural world.
Hope you all are still liking it so far! Thanks for checking out my story.