Akira set down the grocery bags with a measured calmness that belied the tension coiling in his shoulders. Asia and Valerie flanked him, their earlier cheerfulness dimming as they sensed the shift in atmosphere.
"Yo, Akira," Azazel greeted with a casual wave, looking completely at ease despite showing up unannounced. "Hope you don't mind the surprise visit. I brought someone along."
The silver-haired teen beside him remained silent, blue eyes studying Akira with an intensity that made him feel like he was being measured for a coffin. There was something dangerous about this guy—an aura that screamed 'powerful' in capital letters.
"And you are?" Akira asked, directing the question at the mysterious teen.
"Vali," the teen replied curtly, offering nothing more.
Azazel shrugged nonchalantly. "That's Vali. He doesn't talk much, but he's... not troublesome to be around."
"Right..." Akira said slowly. "Please, come in"
. . .
Inside, Akira moved through the familiar ritual of hospitality, setting water to boil and arranging cups on a tray. The domestic normalcy felt surreal with Azazel sprawled in his living room chair like he owned the place and the mysterious Vali standing by the window like a statue.
"Tea?" Akira offered, pouring steaming liquid into delicate porcelain cups.
"Tea's fine," Azazel said, accepting the cup. "Thanks."
Vali glanced at the offered cup and shook his head curtly. "I'm fine."
Akira shrugged and settled into his own chair, cradling his tea. "So what brings you here? And who exactly is your quiet friend?"
"Vali" Azazel answered simply. "As for why we're here..." He reached into his coat, producing a thick stack of papers bound with string. "Got those sacred gear research papers you wanted. Classification systems, activation theories, the works."
Akira accepted the hefty stack, feeling its weight. Months of research condensed into these pages. "This is exactly what I needed. Thank you."
He stood and moved to a cabinet, retrieving two bottles filled with the luminescent liquid that had caused such a stir in the Underworld. The Holy Water of Life caught the light, seeming to pulse with inner radiance.
"As promised," Akira said, placing the bottles on the coffee table between them.
Azazel leaned back in his chair, studying the bottles with mild curiosity. "You know, I have to ask—this stuff isn't poison, right? Because that would be one hell of a way to eliminate supernatural leaders."
Akira raised a brow "If you doubt me, I would feel free to drink it right now. Though that would waste one bottle, and honestly, I'd have to be pretty stupid to try poisoning someone when I have no backing that could protect me from the consequences."
"True enough," Azazel said with a slight smirk, carefully collecting the bottles. "Your word's been good so far."
Azazel reached into his coat again, producing a simple silver ring that radiated subtle energy. "Got something else for you. Well, for her actually," he nodded toward Asia with a smile.
"What is it?" Akira asked.
"Payment for the bottles, plus an apology for the Raynare situation," Azazel said matter-of-factly. "My people caused you trouble, so this makes us even."
Akira took the ring, feeling its weight—heavier than it appeared, with a warmth that seemed to pulse in rhythm with his heartbeat. "What does it do?"
"Asia," he called her, motioning for her to join them.
As she approached, Azazel explained, "This sacred gear allows the wearer to convert their magic or mana into tangible light constructs. Watch."
Akira slipped the ring onto his finger, and immediately felt the connection—his mana flowing through the artifact like water through a channel. With a thought, he extended his hand, and golden light coalesced into a solid blade, its edges sharp and gleaming.
"Impressive," he murmured, testing the weight and balance. The light sword felt real, substantial—not just an illusion but a genuine weapon, which was rather easy to handle and control, for someone like him who had no expertise in magic.
"It's an artificial sacred gear," Azazel explained as Akira tested the light blade. "Converts mana into solid light constructs. Not as powerful as natural light spears, but more versatile. Good for close combat and ranged attacks."
Akira dismissed the blade and passed the ring to Asia. "This is generous of you, Azazel. Thank you."
Asia accepted the ring carefully, putting into one of her fingers. "Thank you, Azazel-san. I don't know what to say..."
"Don't mention it," Azazel waved dismissively before turning his gaze to Akira "Though I do have a request, if you're interested."
Akira settled back into his chair, wariness creeping into his voice. "What kind of request?"
Azazel gestured vaguely as if it was nothing purposeful "Nothing too absurd, but it is... a little unconventional."
"Continue."
Azazel's gaze flicked to Vali, who had remained silently observant throughout their exchange "The boy over there wants to have a fight with you."
"A fight?" Akira's brow furrowed in confusion.
Azazel glanced toward Vali before continuing "I watched that Rating Game between Rias Gremory and Phenex devil. Seeing your sacred gear in action through Rias's queen was quite a surprise for me. I'm curious about seeing it in action with my eyes ever since" He paused, his expression becoming more aloof "Vali here is always looking for strong opponents. How about a non lethal fight? Nothing fatal, just a display of your sacred gear once again"
Akira's mind raced, weighing the implications. Azazel was the leader of the Fallen Angels, his interest wasn't casual curiosity or maybe it was a casual curiosity, as Azazel was hard to predict for Akira.
*This is a big gamble for me* he thought. *On one hand, I will be revealing my cards to them, But refusing might create more problems than accepting. And honestly... I need to know where I stand compared to other powerhouses in this world, and above all a gacha ticket is what I have been looking for, lately*
His sacred gear, Incursio, was his ace in the hole—an armor-type Teigu from another world entirely that none of these supernatural beings would recognize or understand. The advantage of the unknown could work in his favor, or it could backfire spectacularly if they decided he was too much of a threat, but with the backing of Satans he wouldn't get into big enough trouble. Besides, Incursio, wasn't the only trick that Mc had under his sleeve.
*But I have to test myself against the strong opponents* he reasoned. *And if I'm going to protect Asia and Valerie in this world, I need to understand exactly what I'm capable of against opponents of this caliber.*
"Alright," Akira said finally, meeting Vali's intense stare "I'll fight with you. But this isn't a fight to the death, just a spar to test our abilities. Are we clear on that?"
For the first time since arriving, Vali's expression shifted into something resembling interest "Fine by me. I'm not interested in killing you, just seeing if you're worth the talk"
Azazel clapped his hands together, clearly pleased as he raised from his spot "Excellent! Let's have this fight tomorrow, is it fine by you both boys?" Getting nods from both of them, Azazel continued " Alright then, Akira. I will escort you tomorrow to a spot far from here, where two of you could fight without any outside interruptions"
With that, a magic circle gleamed beneath Azazel as Vali walked up to him as he said to Akira before both of them teleported away "Don't make me waste my time on a easy fight"
. . .
The silence that followed Azazel and Vali's departure felt deafening. Akira remained seated in his chair, staring at the spot where the magic circle had flickered out of existence, his mind racing with the implications of what had just transpired.
*A fight with the White Dragon Emperor.*
The name alone carried weight that made his stomach churn. From the research papers he'd studied, Dragon Emperors were beings of immense power—legendary figures who could reshape battlefields with their presence alone. And now one of them wanted to test his strength.
"Akira-kun?" Asia's voice was soft, concerned. "Are you alright? You look troubled."
He glanced up to find both Asia and Valerie watching him with worried expressions. They'd remained quiet during the entire exchange, but he could see the questions burning in their eyes.
"I'm fine," he said automatically, then caught himself. These two deserved better than empty reassurances. "Actually, no. I'm not fine. That was... complicated."
Valerie moved closer, her usual cheerful demeanor replaced by something more serious. "That silver-haired boy felt dangerous. Really dangerous."
"He is," Akira confirmed grimly. "Vali—he's apparently the White Dragon Emperor. That's not just a title, it's a position of incredible power in the supernatural world."
Asia's hands clasped together nervously. "And he wants to fight you? Why?"
Akira ran a hand through his hair, feeling the weight of responsibility settling on his shoulders like a lead blanket. "Because Azazel showed him footage of my sacred gear during the Rating Game. Now he's curious about my abilities."
*But that's not the whole truth,* he thought. *This isn't just curiosity. Azazel is testing me, evaluating me for something. The question is what.*
He stood abruptly, beginning to pace the length of the living room. The domestic space suddenly felt too small, too confining for the magnitude of what he was facing.
"This is exactly what I was trying to avoid," he muttered. "Drawing attention from the major players. Getting pulled into their games."
"But you agreed to fight him," Valerie pointed out quietly.
Akira stopped pacing, his jaw tightening. "Because refusing would have been worse. Azazel isn't the type to take 'no' for an answer gracefully, and showing weakness to someone like Vali could mark us as easy targets."
The truth was more complex than that, though. Part of him—a part he wasn't entirely comfortable acknowledging—was genuinely curious about how he'd measure up against someone of Vali's caliber. In his previous world, he'd been strong but not exceptional. Here, with his sacred gear and the strange abilities he'd somehow retained, he might actually be able to compete at a higher level.
But at what cost?
"Akira-kun," Asia said hesitantly, "you don't have to do this for us. If it's dangerous—"
"It's not about you," he cut her off, then immediately regretted the harshness in his tone. "I mean, it's not *just* about protecting you two. This is about establishing where I stand in this world's hierarchy."
He moved to the window, looking out at the peaceful suburban street. Normal humans going about their normal lives, completely unaware of the supernatural forces that moved around them like shadows.
"In this world, strength determines everything," he continued, his voice quieter now. "Devils, angels, fallen angels—they all respect power above all else. If I want to protect what matters to me, I need to be strong enough that others think twice before threatening it."
Valerie joined him at the window. "But what if you lose? What if this Vali person is too strong?"
That was the crux of his dilemma. He'd studied his own abilities extensively, tested the limits of his sacred gear in private training sessions. He was strong—stronger than most humans, certainly, and probably stronger than many low-ranking supernatural beings. But Dragon Emperors operated on a completely different level.
*If I lose decisively, it shows weakness,* he reasoned. *But if I win or even just put up a good fight, it establishes me as someone worth respecting. The risk might be worth the potential reward.*
"I might lose," he admitted. "But I don't think Vali actually wants to kill me. This feels more like... a test. A way to measure my potential."
"And if you pass this test?" Asia asked.
Akira considered that. "Then maybe I gain allies instead of just avoiding enemies. Azazel has been helpful so far, but he's also been evaluating me. This fight might determine whether that evaluation is positive or negative."
He thought about the artificial sacred gear Azazel had given Asia, the research papers, the generally cooperative attitude despite the Raynare incident. The fallen angel leader was investing in him, but investments came with expectations.
"There's something else," he said slowly, the realization forming as he spoke. "This isn't random. Azazel could have asked me to demonstrate my abilities in a dozen different ways, but he specifically arranged a fight with Vali. That means he wants to see how I handle pressure, how I adapt to facing superior opponents."
Valerie frowned. "That sounds manipulative."
"It is," Akira agreed. "But it's also practical. If Azazel is considering involving me in larger supernatural politics, he needs to know I won't fold under pressure."
The more he thought about it, the clearer the situation became. This wasn't just about satisfying Vali's curiosity or even about establishing his strength. This was an audition—a chance to prove he could be useful to someone as powerful as Azazel.
The question was whether he wanted that kind of involvement.
"I need to make a decision," he said finally. "Do I play it safe, hold back my true abilities, and hope to avoid drawing more attention? Or do I show what I'm really capable of and accept the consequences?"
"What are the consequences of each choice?" Asia asked.
Akira enumerated them in his mind. "If I hold back and lose convincingly, I'm marked as weak but relatively harmless. That might protect us in the short term, but it also means we'll always be vulnerable to anyone who decides we're worth bothering."
He paused, staring at his reflection in the window glass.
"If I fight seriously and lose, I'm marked as dangerous but manageable. That brings its own risks—people might decide I'm a threat that needs to be eliminated before I get stronger."
"And if you win?" Valerie prompted.
"If I win..." Akira's reflection smiled grimly. "Then everything changes. I become someone who can't be ignored or dismissed. That brings opportunities, but also expectations and obligations I might not want."
The room fell silent as he wrestled with the decision. Both paths carried risks, but one led toward greater agency while the other led toward relative safety at the cost of potential.
*What kind of person do I want to be in this world?* he asked himself. *Someone who hides and hopes to avoid trouble, or someone who stands up and faces challenges directly?*
The answer, when it came, felt inevitable.
"I'm going to fight him seriously," he announced, turning away from the window. "Not holding back, not playing it safe. If I'm going to live in this world, I need to establish my place in it properly."
Asia looked worried but nodded. "If that's what you think is best."
"It is," Akira said with more confidence than he felt. "Besides, I've been curious about how strong I really am compared to the supernatural elite. This is a chance to find out under controlled conditions."
Valerie grinned suddenly. "Well, when you put it that way, it sounds kind of exciting."
Akira laughed despite his anxiety. "That's one way to look at it."
As the evening wore on and they settled into their normal routines, Akira found his mind repeatedly returning to the upcoming fight. He ran through scenarios, considered strategies, and tried to prepare himself mentally for facing an opponent who could potentially end him without breaking a sweat.
But beneath the anxiety was something else—anticipation. For the first time since arriving in this world, he was going to find out exactly what he was capable of when pushed to his absolute limit.
*Tomorrow,* he thought as he prepared for bed, *everything changes one way or another.*
. . .
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