I stood there in the dusty remains of the abandoned church, the moonlight sneaking through the broken windows and painting pale lines across the cracked floorboards. Raynare, Kalawarna, and Mittelt stood awkwardly in front of me, their wings twitching nervously. Dohnaseek had already been dealt with earlier, and I could still feel the faint traces of his energy lingering in the stale air.
The three of them shifted uncomfortably, their gazes darting anywhere but directly at me. I let the silence hang a little too long, because honestly? I enjoyed watching them squirm. The so-called terrifying Fallen Angels, reduced to biting their lips and shuffling like guilty schoolchildren caught passing notes in class.
"Well," I finally said, my voice deliberately calm. "What are you waiting for? You've got work to do."
Raynare's eyes widened. "W-work?"
"Yes," I replied, folding my arms across my chest as the emerald glow from the Boosted Gear on my hand pulsed faintly. "Your mission hasn't changed. You're still going to track down Sacred Gear wielders in this town. Pretend nothing's different. Pretend I don't exist."
Mittelt frowned, pigtails bouncing. "You're… not going to kill us?"
I tilted my head, feigning surprise. "Kill you? Why would I waste good manpower and onaholes?" I smirked, letting the gauntlet catch the dim light. "No, I prefer efficiency. You'll continue as you were. But now, you're doing it for me."
I need strong follower for my ambitions.
A visible shiver passed through Kalawarna's body. She glanced at the others, then gave a slow nod. Raynare clenched her fists like she wanted to object, but the weight of my gaze—and perhaps the memory of how easily I'd handled them—kept her mouth shut.
"Good," I said softly, almost to myself. "Then go."
They didn't need to be told twice. The three of them shot nervous glances at one another before disappearing into the night sky, their black wings slicing against the moonlight. I watched until they vanished into the horizon, the silence of the church returning to wrap around me like an old cloak.
Alone again, I exhaled and muttered, "That should keep them busy."
Slipping back to the Gremory mansion was trickier than I thought it would be. Kuoh at night had this eerie stillness to it, like the whole town was holding its breath. Each streetlamp buzzed faintly as I passed, the faint hum of electricity somehow louder in my ears than footsteps.
By the time I reached the mansion gates, the enormity of what I was doing actually hit me. I was sneaking into my own residence like some kind of burglar. Imagine that—me, Gasper Vladi, the terrifying dhampir who could bend time and space, reduced to crawling across hedges like a stray cat.
"Careful, careful," I whispered to myself, dangling over the outer wall. "One creak on these iron bars and Koneko will know. She always knows because of her sharp senses."
I landed silently on the grass. For a moment, I crouched there, half expecting an alarm bell or Grayfia herself to descend upon me with a frying pan of justice. Nothing. Good. I straightened my jacket, brushed dirt off my knees, and tiptoed toward the servant's entrance.
The hallway lights inside were dim, casting long shadows across the floor. I pressed my back against the wall, sliding carefully. Every time I thought I heard a creak, my body froze. Was that Kiba's footsteps? Was Akeno prowling around for midnight tea? Was Rias—oh Satan, if Rias saw me sneaking around like this, I'd never hear the end of it.
By the time I reached my room, I was sweating like I'd just fought another battle. I shut the door behind me with a sigh of relief, collapsing onto the bed.
"Mission: Success," I whispered dramatically, throwing an arm across my forehead.
But of course, my mind refused to rest. The quiet of the room, the soft glow of the moonlight through the curtains… it all left me alone with my thoughts.
And my thoughts, lately, had been turning toward something dangerous.
I rolled onto my side, staring at the faint shimmer of the Boosted Gear's emerald jewel on my hand. Two Sacred Gears, synchronized inside me, humming with power I'd barely scratched the surface of. Forbidden Balor View pulsed like a heartbeat somewhere in my chest, a constant reminder of what I could already do. Stop time.
And yet… I knew that wasn't enough.
"It's about time," I muttered to myself, "to put that ability to real use."
My transmigration ability. The one blessing that set me apart from anyone else in this world. I could leap between worlds, dive into stories, live and alter the very threads of fate. The idea alone made my stomach flip with excitement—and maybe a little bit of fear.
But the question was… where?
There were countless possibilities. Worlds I'd glimpsed in fragments of memory, universes filled with endless opportunity and danger. Naruto? Too many loud orange-clad ninjas screaming about friendship. One Piece? Tempting, but the sea and I had never gotten along. Dragon Ball? Forget it—I'd be turned into dust by the time I blinked.
I drummed my fingers on the bedside table, muttering half-crazed to myself. "Think, Gasper, think. Where could your talents shine? Where could you truly… take control?"
My mind, traitorously, landed on one answer.
A world defined by blood, tragedy, and towering horrors that shattered human pride.
The world of Attack on Titan.
I sat up, heart pounding now with something sharper than excitement—anticipation. That world… oh, that world was perfect. A stage of despair waiting for a puppeteer to step in. Titans devouring humans, walls crumbling, betrayal hidden in plain sight. The characters there, the tragedies that defined them…
I could rewrite it all.
"Titans…" I whispered. The word alone carried weight. Those towering monstrosities, symbols of mankind's fragility. But what if I had their power? What if I didn't just enter the story… what if I entered it as its central figure?
My mind flickered instantly to Eren Yeager. The boy whose anger ignited a revolution. The boy who carried not one, but two of the mightiest Titan powers within him—the Attack Titan, the Founding Titan. The boy cursed with tragedy and yet destined to shake the world.
I pictured him clearly. His fierce eyes, his clenched fists as he swore to wipe out every last Titan. The fire in his chest, burning brighter than any hesitation.
Yes. That was the vessel. That was the life I would take.
I leaned back, grinning despite the cold sweat on my forehead. "Eren Yeager, huh? Fine. Let's see if you're ready for a new puppeteer."
Of course, there was danger. That world was brutal, merciless. I could die horribly if I wasn't careful. But that was exactly what made it appealing. Challenge. Struggle. Triumph. And if I succeeded? I wouldn't just change fate—I'd own it.
"Attack Titan. Founding Titan," I whispered like a prayer, the words rolling off my tongue as if savoring them. "With both of those, and my own power, the world of Titans would kneel. I'll rewrite its tragedies. I'll conquer its despair. And maybe… I'll even conquer the world itself."
My reflection in the glass window looked back at me, the boy with the red gauntlet and glowing eyes, a figure no longer shy or uncertain but burning with ambition.
I chuckled softly, the sound sharp in the stillness of my room. "The stage is set. The curtain will rise soon. Let's see how humanity fares when Gasper Vladi walks among them… as Eren Yeager."
I closed my eyes, already feeling the threads of fate tugging me toward that cruel, magnificent world.
The time to transmigrate was coming.
And this time, I wouldn't just play along.
This time, I would rule.
End of Chapter 25