Hyoudou Residence – Morning
The morning sun peeked through the curtains of Issei's room, brushing against his eyelids until he groaned awake. He blinked, yawned, then froze.
Something was missing.
The warmth. The constant burn in his chest that had haunted him for as long as he could remember—it was gone. Not suppressed. Not dulled. Simply… gone.
Issei sat upright, hand clutching his chest. "Yuuma…" he muttered, rage flashing in his eyes before fading into confusion.
It had felt so real—the date, the confession, her wings, the spear. The burning hole in his chest. The blood.
But now there was nothing. Not a scratch, not a scar.
He stumbled to the mirror in the corner of his room. His reflection looked back at him: messy brown hair, tired eyes, an ordinary teenage boy. He tugged his shirt off and stared at his bare chest.
No wound. No mark. No heat.
It was as if none of it had ever happened.
"Was it… just a dream?" he whispered, though even saying the words felt like a lie.
"Issei! Time for breakfast!" his mom called from downstairs.
"Coming!" Issei replied, his voice cracking. He threw on his uniform and hurried down.
At the table, his mother, Miki Hyoudou, beamed as she set down plates of rice, miso soup, and fish. "There you are. So? When did you get back last night? And more importantly—how was your date with…" She paused, frowning. "…That's odd. I don't remember her name."
Issei nearly dropped his chopsticks.
*(What? No—she knew her name. She was teasing me about it all week. Why doesn't she remember?)*
Miki tilted her head. "Issei? What's wrong? Did it not go well?"
He stared at her, panic rising.
*(The date happened. I know it did. She killed me. She *killed me.* So why doesn't Mom remember? Why do I look fine?)*
His silence worried her further. She softened her voice. "Sweetie… if it didn't work out, that's okay. You'll meet someone else."
Issei abruptly stood, chair scraping back. "I'm going to school!"
Before Miki could respond, he was already out the door.
But the moment sunlight touched his skin, he staggered. His knees nearly buckled as strength drained out of him like water from a cracked bucket. He grit his teeth, forcing himself to move, ignoring the strange weakness.
*(What the hell is happening to me…?)*
---
Kouh Academy – Homeroom
Issei slipped through the gates, ignoring the familiar disgusted stares and whispered insults.
"Gross, the pervert's here."
"Bet he spent all night peeping again."
He kept his head down, sliding into his seat. Normally, the comments would sting, but today… today he felt different. Lighter. Freed from the constant burn.
For the first time in years, he wasn't fighting the fire in his chest.
A faint smile tugged at his lips. *Maybe this is my chance. If the heat is really gone, I can change. I can fix my image. I can—*
But halfway through that thought, a strange warmth stirred in his chest again. Faint, but unmistakable. Like an ember reigniting.
*(No… no, it can't be back…)*
He clenched his fists under the desk, but forced his expression neutral.
The school day slipped by in a haze. He heard little of what teachers said, ignored his classmates, and sat lost in thought.
By the time the final bell rang, he barely realized the day had ended.
At the gates, the sensation struck again: the distinct feeling of being watched.
He looked up.
A crimson-haired beauty stood at the far end of the courtyard, her teal eyes fixed on him. The sight left him breathless. His chest warmed—no, burned—pulling him toward her like a moth to flame.
He stumbled back, breaking eye contact, then quickly hurried through the gates, heart pounding.
From a distance, Akeno walked up beside her King. "Is it wise to leave him in the dark?"
Rias crossed her arms, gaze lingering on Issei's retreating figure. "He's not ready. Not yet. He needs time to adjust to what's inside him."
Akeno sighed softly, but followed as Rias turned away.
---
Kouh Town – Nature Park
Issei wandered aimlessly, his thoughts spinning. Somehow, his feet carried him to the same park where everything had gone wrong.
He scanned the area desperately. *There has to be something. A sign. Anything that proves I'm not crazy.*
That's when he saw him.
A man floated several feet above the ground, clad in a pale gray trench coat over a white shirt and ascot, black pants, and polished shoes. Black gloves covered his hands, a fedora tilted over his sharp features.
But it was the wings that froze Issei in place.
Two pairs of black wings stretched wide from his back, beating slowly.
The same kind of wings Yuuma had revealed before killing him.
Rage surged like wildfire.
The man's eyes snapped to him, narrowing. A cruel grin spread across his face. "Oh? A devil. Perhaps a stray. Doesn't matter. A devil is a devil—foul creatures that deserve to die."
"Devil…?" Issei muttered, confused.
The man's smile widened. "Ah. So you're the boy Raynare toyed with. I see. She must've been too weak to finish the job." His expression twisted with sadistic glee. "Don't worry. I won't make the same mistake."
Light flared in his hand, forming a glowing yellow spear.
Dohnaseek.
He pulled his arm back like a coiled spring.
Instinct screamed at Issei. He dove aside, the spear whistling past and scorching the earth. He scrambled to his feet, chest heaving.
Fear, confusion, fury—they all collided inside him until only one thing remained. Wrath.
The warmth in his chest erupted. Flames burst from his skin, engulfing his body. His shirt incinerated instantly. The air shimmered with heat, choking and unbearable.
Yet the fire did not harm him.
It flowed with him.
Two vast wings of fire spread from his back, entwined with leathery bat-like wings. Molten cracks traced across his skin, glowing with every heartbeat. On his left arm, fire condensed into solid form, forging a gauntlet of magma-like metal. Glowing fissures ran along its surface, releasing bursts of flame like vents from a furnace. At its core pulsed a blazing orb, radiant as a miniature sun.
A deep, resonant voice boomed inside his mind:
**BOOST!**
The orb pulsed brighter, feeding the inferno. Flames gathered into his palm, compacting tighter and tighter until he held a sphere of impossible heat—a newborn star.
Issei's eyes blazed with fury. His voice cracked into a scream.
"JUST DIE, YOU WINGED FREAK! DIE! DIE!"
He hurled the sun.
The searing orb roared forward. Dohnaseek's eyes widened as its heat blistered his skin before it even touched him. He tried to flee, wings beating frantically, but the attack was faster.
The miniature sun slammed into his back.
Light exploded. Three of his four wings vaporized in an instant. His scream tore through the night as his body was hurled down, only to vanish into a magic circle before impact.
From behind a bush, a small white-haired girl crouched low, her golden eyes wide. She had seen the whole thing—the fire, the wings, the star. She shivered slightly, fingers tightening around her phone as she whispered into it.
"…Buchou. It's worse than we thought. He awakened."
By the time she looked up again, the flames had died. The gauntlet vanished.
Issei collapsed, body limp, like a puppet with its strings cut. His consciousness faded into darkness.