The night's gentle hush blanketed the room, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves outside the window. Moonlight spilled through the curtains, casting a soft silver glow over the modest yet cozy bedroom. The faint scent of lavender lingered in the air, a calming remnant of incense burned earlier.
Himejima Akeno stirred in her sleep, her brows furrowing as a faint, mechanical voice echoed in her ears.
[Initializing... System activation is in progress... Synchronization with host complete.]
Her eyes fluttered open, disoriented by the strange sound. She squinted at the dim glow of her bedside clock. 03:45 AM. Confusion clouded her mind as the mysterious voice continued, calm yet otherworldly, as though it existed beyond the boundaries of her reality.
"What... was that?" Akeno whispered, sitting up in her bed. The room was dark except for the moonlight spilling through the curtains, but her attention was drawn to something far stranger—a glowing, semi-transparent screen floating in front of her.
[Congratulations, Himejima Akeno! You have been chosen as the Gamer! Your journey begins now.]
Her lips parted in surprise as she stared at the glowing text. "The Gamer?" she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. She reached out instinctively, only for her hand to pass through the screen like it wasn't there. "Is this... a Sacred Gear?"
[Incorrect.]
The voice returned, startling her. Unlike a typical Sacred Gear, this voice didn't emanate from within her, nor did it feel like an external force. It was simply... present.
[The Gamer ability is not a Sacred Gear. It is a unique power bonded to your soul. It cannot be stolen, copied, or transferred. This ability is yours alone.]
Akeno blinked, her confusion only slightly abated. While the explanation clarified that this wasn't related to the Fallen Angel or Devil magic she knew, the concept of a "game-like" system was foreign to her. She was out of her depth as someone who spent more time mastering her powers than indulging in video games.
"So... what am I supposed to do with it?" she whispered, her voice uncertain.
[Step one: Open your [Status]. To access your information, simply say or think the word [Status]. For your first time, please say it aloud.]
Akeno hesitated, feeling a bit silly. "...[Status]."
Another screen appeared before her at her words, startling her enough to make her jolt back slightly. But curiosity soon overtook her apprehension, and she leaned closer to examine the glowing text.
Name: Himejima Akeno
Level: 1
Race: Half-Human/Half-Fallen Angel/Reincarnated Devil
Title: Priestess of Thunder
HP: 3,500/3,500
MP: 5,000/5,000
STR: 30
VIT: 38
DEX: 35
INT: 50
WIS: 43
LUK: 65
CHA: 55
Magic Resistance: +2% (based on Wisdom)
Mana Regeneration: +2% (based on Wisdom)
Initially, the numbers didn't mean much to her, but the descriptions next to each stat piqued her interest. She focused on the ones tied to her magic, realizing her intelligence and wisdom were likely her strongest attributes. "So, this is like an evaluation of my abilities? Interesting..."
Before she could ponder further, the system chimed again.
[Quest Alert!]
Title: See the truth of your world!
Objective: Open the package sent to you to learn the truth about your world.
Rewards:
- [Observe] Skill (Lv. 1)
- [Gamer's Body] (Lv. MAX)
- [Gamer's Mind] (Lv. MAX)
- ¥20,000
Penalty: None
[Accept] / [Decline]
Akeno narrowed her eyes as she read the notification. "The truth of my world?" she murmured, a hint of unease creeping into her voice. Yet, the rewards intrigued her, particularly those labeled "MAX." "If there's no penalty for failure... then I suppose I'll see what this is about."
Taking a steadying breath, she said, "Yes."
A chime echoed, and before she could react, a small, ornate box materialized out of thin air on the bed before her. She reached out hesitantly, her fingers brushing against its smooth surface.
"Well, here goes nothing..."
She opened the box.
The moment she did, a flood of information surged into her mind. It was overwhelming—a torrent of images, words, and concepts she couldn't begin to comprehend at first. She clutched her head, her body trembling as her brain struggled to process the onslaught.
And then, clarity.
Her breathing slowed as the chaos settled into order, the fragments of knowledge slotting into place as though they had always been there. Akeno's eyes widened as she stared ahead, her hands falling limply to her sides. "No... that can't be..."
She now understood everything. Not just about her world, but about everything. The secrets of her reality, the existence of other worlds, and even her own role within a fictional story.
Her lips twisted into a bitter smile. "So, I'm nothing more than a character in someone's fantasy? A pawn for others to ogle at and fantasize about?"
Disgust bubbled in her chest as she thought about the countless eyes that had likely lingered on her figure, imagining her in ways that made her skin crawl. While she had always taken pride in her teasing nature, the idea of being objectified by strangers from beyond her reality filled her with revulsion.
"Well," she muttered darkly, "if they think they can control me, they're in for a surprise."
She shook her head, dismissing the thought for now. There were more pressing matters to consider. Recalling the timeline of events from her meta-knowledge, she realized that the story's events were just beginning. Today marked the start of a pivotal moment: Rias's fateful encounter with Hyoudou Issei.
If things unfolded as they did in her meta-knowledge, Rias would save Issei after his death at the hands of a Fallen Angel and reincarnate him as her Pawn. Akeno grimaced slightly. While Issei's addition to the peerage was crucial to Rias's future, the thought of working alongside him—knowing his perverted nature—was already grating on her nerves.
"I'll have to observe him," she muttered. "If he's going to be part of our peerage, I won't tolerate him dragging us down. But that also means I don't have much time," she murmured. "Rias and the others need to be stronger if we're going to win the Rating Game."
Akeno's mind raced as she considered her next steps. She had the advantage of foresight, and with the system's help, she could ensure that Rias's peerage reached their full potential. But first, she needed to understand her own abilities fully.
The system chimed again, pulling her from her thoughts.
[Quest Complete!]
Rewards Received:
- [Observe] Skill (Lv. 1)
- [Gamer's Body] (Lv. MAX)
- [Gamer's Mind] (Lv. MAX)
- ¥20,000
Akeno glanced at the rewards, her lips curving into a small smirk. "[Gamer's Body] and [Gamer's Mind]... let's see what those do."
As if responding to her thoughts, the system explained.
[Gamer's Body]: Your body now functions like a game character's. You recover fully from non-lethal injuries by resting. Status effects (e.g., poison, paralysis) have defined durations and can be mitigated.
[Gamer's Mind]: Your mind is protected from external influences. Mental attacks are nullified, and you remain calm in all situations.
"Interesting..." she mused. These abilities would make her nearly invincible in day-to-day life, provided she didn't allow herself to be overwhelmed in combat.
Akeno stood from her bed, the faintest flicker of determination in her eyes. "If this world is a game, then I'll be the one to control it. Rias... everyone... we're going to rewrite this story together."