A ceiling.
Renji blinked at the white tiles above him, his eyes sluggishly adjusting to the light. The faint hum of air conditioning reached his ears. He wasn't in his bedroom. He wasn't anywhere he recognized.
He sat up sharply, heart hammering. A quick pat of his chest revealed no wound, no blood. But memory hit him like a truck. The claws, the demon, the pain—
"I died," he whispered, trembling. "I actually died…"
"Not quite."
Renji's head snapped toward the voice. A girl sat at a desk across the room, violet hair cut short, glasses perched neatly on her nose. Her Kuoh Academy uniform was pristine, and her expression calm—too calm for the words she'd just spoken.
And she wasn't alone. Five other girls were present, each beautiful in their own way. Some watched him with curiosity, some with amusement.
Renji's jaw went slack. "…If this is heaven, I approve."
A giggle came from one of the girls, a voluptuous beauty with her hair tied in a bun. "He's funny, President."
"Or delusional," said another, a tall girl with a ponytail and a smirk.
Renji swallowed, trying to gather his wits. "Where am I? Who… who are you people?"
The violet-haired girl stood, walking toward him with the steady confidence of someone who was always in control. She stopped just in front of him, her gaze piercing.
"My name is Souna Shitori. In truth—Sona Sitri, heir to the Sitri Clan of Devils. You, Renji Kurose, died at the hands of a stray demon. I brought you back."
Renji stared at her, lips parting. Then he laughed nervously. "R-right. Of course. Totally normal. Pretty girls in cosplay drag me back to life and call themselves devils. Makes perfect sense. Yep. Definitely not a psychotic break."
Sona's gaze didn't waver. "I assure you, this is no delusion. Allow me to demonstrate."
She extended her hand. A glowing circle of blue lines and symbols formed in her palm, intricate and radiant. With a flick of her wrist, ice shimmered into being, forming a delicate snowflake that hovered in the air before dissolving into mist.
Renji's eyes bulged. "…Magic…?"
"Devil magic," Sona confirmed. She turned slightly, her back to him. With a faint sound, two sleek, bat-like wings unfurled from her shoulder blades, stretching out gracefully.
Renji stumbled back, nearly tripping over the couch. "Ohhh, hell no! Nope! I'm not buying this—!"
"Then explain your survival," Sona said evenly. Her wings folded back, vanishing into her body. "Your chest was torn open. You should have ceased to exist. And yet, here you are. Alive. Because I reincarnated you as part of my peerage. My Pawn."
Renji froze, words failing him. His heart pounded as he remembered the agony of claws ripping through flesh. The darkness. The terror. The nothingness.
And then—this.
His legs gave out, and he slumped onto the couch. "…So I'm really… a devil now?"
Sona nodded. "Correct. You belong to me, as my Pawn."
Renji groaned, burying his face in his hands. "I died and got stuck as a chess piece. My life is a bad joke."
The ponytailed girl smirked. "Could be worse. You could've been left for dead."
"Not helping," Renji muttered.
The voluptuous girl leaned in close, her playful smile making him sweat. "Don't worry. Being in President's peerage isn't so bad. We'll take good care of you."
Renji jerked back, face burning. Why do they all look like they're about to eat me alive?!
Sona pushed her glasses up her nose, ignoring the teasing. "You must also understand something else. When I reincarnated you, I felt it. A resonance unlike any I've encountered. You possess a Sacred Gear."
Renji blinked. "…A what?"
"A Sacred Gear," Sona explained patiently, "is a power bestowed upon certain humans. Weapons, abilities, miracles—many take form. Some are legendary, capable of slaying even gods. They are called Longinus."
Renji swallowed. "…And you're saying I have one?"
"Something of equal—or perhaps greater—potential," Sona said. "It reacted when I revived you. And it is stirring even now."
Renji opened his mouth to argue—then froze. A pulse throbbed in his chest. Warmth spread down his arm, faint symbols glowing briefly before fading.
He clutched at his sleeve, trembling. "…What the hell…?"
The room grew silent. Sona's eyes narrowed. "As I thought. Even in its dormant state, it answers to you instinctively."
Renji shook his head, panicking. "I-I don't want this! I didn't ask to be dragged into—into magic chess games and demon fights!"
Sona's expression softened, just slightly. "I know. No one asks for this. But you were chosen by circumstance. If I hadn't acted, you would have been consumed, body and soul."
Her words sank in slowly. Renji's breathing steadied, though his hands still shook. "…So… this is really my life now."
"Yes." Sona adjusted her glasses, her composure returning. "But you will not be alone. You will learn, adapt, and grow stronger—under my guidance. You are my Pawn, Renji Kurose. And perhaps… much more than that."
Renji slumped back into the couch, eyes glazed. "…I just wanted a part-time job and maybe a girlfriend. Now I'm a devil with a glowing tattoo and a boss who talks like a chessmaster. My life sucks."
The voluptuous girl giggled. "Cheer up. You might get that girlfriend part."
Renji flushed. "…This is hell, isn't it?"
Sona's lips curved into the faintest smile. "No, Renji. This… is only the beginning."