"Oh, Professor! Welcome back. I'm, uh... glad to see you're still alive."
"Good evening, Governor General," Lavinia added. "I am truly relieved you survived."
"Faced with the wrath of a Dragon King, I honestly thought my time was up for a second," Azazel groaned. His gold-and-black hair was a charred mess, and he radiated a faint smell of ozone. Beside him, Tannin—now in his small dragon form—was casually pouring himself a drink, looking remarkably refreshed despite his minor injuries.
Clearly, the stress-relief session had been a success. They had been at it for over half a day, but as expected of final-boss-class entities, their endurance was on another level.
The night in the Underworld deepened to the background music of distant destruction. Rin had already fallen asleep with the other hatchlings. Professor Azazel gave me a sharp flick to the forehead as he listened to the explanation of the "Reverse Scale" incident. It hurt like hell, but I took it. I was, after all, the catalyst that had nearly sent the head of a major organization to an early grave. That gender-swap gun was just too convenient.
"Dousing a God-Slayer in Holy Water to create a nightmare field for Devils, and then incorporating a gender-swap gun into guerrilla tactics..." Azazel sighed, looking haggard. "I'm an inventor who builds things on a whim, but even I have to say: you are a genius-level idiot, Kanata."
"Idiot? You're the one who told us to use our weapons and strengths to their maximum potential!" I retorted. "Tannin is a man of logic and reason—a regal, noble King who possesses strength and grace. That's exactly why a psychological attack like the gender-swap gun was so effective!"
"So you weaponized his common sense against him," Azazel muttered.
"I can hardly discard my own common sense just to develop a counter-strategy for that," Tannin grumbled, downing his wine.
The two adults sighed in unison. Dealing with the gun was technically simple: you either needed a nullification ability like mine, or you had to simply not care about having your gender swapped. The tactic only works on "sensible" people because it targets their mental barriers to create a physical opening.
It wouldn't work on Azazel. Not because he's the creator, but because he's the type who would probably just laugh, turn into a woman, and enjoy the experience until it wore off. Lavinia was similar; she was pragmatic enough to prioritize the fight over her gender status. I was just lucky Tannin had a sense of dignity.
"Azazel," Tannin said, "do you have any excuse for the fact that your student is becoming a specialist in 'common-sense assassinations'?"
"Don't pin this all on me. Mephisto saw it the moment he met Kanata—he said the boy had the potential to be 'the kind of person you never want as an enemy because he's a pain in the ass.' Dragging an opponent onto a field they can't handle before crushing them? That's a classic human-eccentric strategy."
"I certainly wouldn't want to fight someone who keeps psychological trauma on standby," Tannin admitted.
Hey, don't talk about me like I'm a freak. I didn't want to fight a Dragon King head-on either! Besides, it would be a waste to leave a tool like that gun gathering dust. In the original series, it was just a gag item, but in a real fight, it was a game-changer.
Imagine Issei with that gun. He'd be unstoppable. He could turn every male enemy into a girl and then finish them with Dress Break and Bilingual. Siegfried of the Hero Faction once said that surviving Issei's techniques required a "heart of steel to endure the shame." If you turn everyone into a girl first, you remove the restriction on his powers.
Wait... this is the dawn of the 'Lecherous Unparalleled Issei' era!
"Alright, this is it! Professor Azazel! I have a favor! Can you improve the gender-swap gun for me?!"
"Hmph!"
Tannin swatted me with his tail, sending me tumbling.
"Are you trying to stray even further from the path of righteousness?" the Dragon King growled.
"Ow... I think I saw stars for a second. Look, I'm a weak human! It's only natural for me to want effective weapons! And Tannin just proved how useful it is!"
"Only you would classify that as a 'weapon'," Azazel said. "Besides, if rumors spread that the Association is harboring a magician who shoots 'Gender-Swap Beams,' Mephisto will actually cry."
I felt a bit slighted that even the creator of the gun was looking at me with disapproval. Lavinia offered me a dry smile. I guess I understood—most people wouldn't want to be associated with such a "devious" method. I can use it because I can nullify the effect on myself, but convincing others of its tactical merit was a losing battle.
But I had a real reason for the upgrade, weaponized or not.
"Look, Professor. Regardless of whether I use it in combat... can you improve it? It's a prototype, right? There's room for growth."
"Sure, I built it, I can fix it. But why the obsession with gender swapping?"
"Because when I tried to use the beam to help a friend, a mysterious phenomenon caused it to reflect back at me."
"You... you did what!?" Azazel stared at me, actually stunned.
"Remember 'Milky Yellow' from the Kuoh incident? The one who helped you dismantle the Exorcists? That's my friend. His dream is to 'become a magical girl.' I figured if I could swap his gender, I might find a breakthrough for his dream!"
"Oh, right. That mysterious giant creature," Azazel mused.
"Who on earth are you befriending, boy?" Tannin asked, his eyes wide as Lavinia projected a magical image of Milky Yellow. Even the Dragon King looked shaken by Miltan's sheer presence.
"I helped Miltan learn Magical Girl Magic, but he's still struggling. I owe him for his help six months ago, and I want to support him. I thought changing his gender might be the key!"
"Kanata... you're thinking so much about Miltan," Lavinia said warmly. "Governor General, please. I want to help our friend's dream come true as well!"
"Calm down, both of you," Azazel sighed. "I understand the sentiment, but please remember that the gender-swap gun is a weapon of mass confusion."
"I have realized once again," Tannin added, "that the most terrifying thing about these two is that they commit their atrocities out of pure good intentions."
As a researcher, Azazel was actually curious about why the beam had reflected off a "human" like Miltan, so he agreed to look into the upgrades. Tannin gave a silent, weary nod of consent. "Just try to have some self-restraint," he added, nursing a headache. I thanked them both for their kindness. It was a long shot, but it paid to ask.
***
"Now then," Azazel said, his tone shifting from casual to serious. "Let's put Kanata's absurd antics aside. It's time for the real business."
I straightened my posture. Tannin stopped drinking and narrowed his eyes. The playful atmosphere evaporated, replaced by the weight of a discussion between leaders. I realized I needed to listen as a magician of the Grau Zauberer.
"Communication via magic circle is fine for training," Azazel began, "but I came here in person because this needs to be said face-to-face."
"Is it for me?" I asked.
"And for your partner, Lavinia. ...Lavinia, regardless of which path you choose in the future, Kanata's personality makes it impossible to separate you from him. This is the boundary. As a magician of the Association and as Kanata's partner... are you prepared to hear the truth?"
I looked at Lavinia. She had clenched her fists, her gaze meeting Azazel's without flinching. She knew something I didn't. I didn't know what to say, so I just watched her.
After a moment, she relaxed her grip and offered the Professor a firm nod. Then, she turned to me and smiled.
"I took responsibility for bringing Kanata into this world," Lavinia said. "I chose to protect him as his partner. He was the first friend to accept me—and my Sacred Gear—as if we were completely normal. I made my resolve a year ago."
"So you have no intention of returning to the 'other side'?" Azazel asked.
"…I will never discard my status as her disciple. That place is my second home. But a year ago, she told me to choose my own path. She told me that even if we can't walk together, we can still exist together. She encouraged me, saying she'd be happy just knowing I'm well and hearing about the progress of my research. She pushed me forward."
I was completely out of the loop. I didn't know who this "she" was. My guardians had clearly kept Lavinia's past a secret from me. But I realized one thing: by joining the Association and becoming her partner, I had inadvertently shifted the "path" she was on.
My presence—someone who didn't exist in the original books—was influencing her. I didn't know if it was a good change, but I realized that for Lavinia, our partnership carried more weight than I had imagined.
"…I'm sorry, Kanata," Lavinia whispered, looking at me with regret. "For keeping secrets, for not being able to tell you anything."
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious," I replied, "but I never intended to blame you. Everyone has things they can't say. I'm confused, sure, but I understand that important things require caution."
I stepped toward her, making it clear I wasn't angry. I have my own secrets, after all—reincarnation and meta-knowledge aren't things I can just blurt out. I have no right to demand total transparency from her.
"When you're ready to talk, I'll listen. If you can't tell me, that's fine too."
"But..."
"Of course I'm interested! If you're hurting, I'll ask what's wrong. I can't help that; it's just who I am. And I'm sure I'll feel a bit frustrated that I can't help."
I looked her in the eye. "But for you, Lavinia, I can wait forever. It doesn't matter if I never know."
"…Even though we're friends?"
"It's because we're friends. Nothing you tell me is going to change the fact that I'm on your side. If you decide it's better for me not to know, I'll trust that judgment. And I know you—if it's something you can say, you'll tell me eventually. So don't beat yourself up."
I had a feeling she would tell me soon. She looked far more guilty than I did. My job was to lighten my friend's burden. Besides, as Tannin said, I'm a bit of an airhead; I don't hold grudges.
Unless it was a life-or-death secret, I could wait. Reincarnating into this world taught me that "backstories" are usually trauma-filled nightmare fuel. Almost everyone in the original series had a history that could induce depression. I didn't want to poke at those wounds unless necessary.
Look at the Gremory peerage—it's a miracle they functioned as well as they did given their histories. I think Rias has a secret talent for counseling. Issei's optimism helped, but Rias was the one who waited for them. She didn't blame them for their limits; she scolded them when they needed it and cried with joy when they succeeded. I respected that.
I don't have a tragic past. I've had a peaceful life, despite the supernatural craziness. I don't have the "right" words to heal a broken person. Rias, who grew up loved, probably felt the same way. That's why she chose to wait. To accept them. It might seem passive, but if you can't truly empathize with a wound you haven't felt, the best you can do is stand by them until they recover.
"Hehe... Lavinia, it looks like you'll have to give in," Azazel chuckled. "The boy means every word."
"That's just like Kanata," Tannin added. "Don't overthink it, you two. History is complicated, but you're both heading in the same direction. You can figure it out as you walk."
Azazel stood up and reached out, his large hands ruffling both of our heads. I was used to his rough affection from training, but Lavinia froze in surprise. I realized it might be the first time she'd seen the Governor General treat her like a child in public.
Lavinia's face turned bright red as she ducked her head, her shoulders shrinking. She clearly didn't know how to react to such a blunt display of "adult care." I batted Azazel's hand away, laughing.
"That actually hurts a bit, Professor!"
Azazel was trying to break the tension, and I appreciated it. I smoothed my messy hair, looking at Lavinia's equally ruffled locks. We shared a small laugh. I whispered to her that we should come up with a plan to get back at him later. She looked at me, her eyes widening before she offered a truly relieved, happy smile.
***
"Now, back to business," Azazel said, his expression hardening. "The reason I came here is to tell you the truth about your Sacred Gear, Kanata: Ruin Lorn Scarlet."
"My Partner?"
"Governor General..." Lavinia whispered.
"So Mephisto has finally decided to pull the trigger," Tannin noted, his tone solemn.
I felt a surge of anxiety. I'd had my Gear analyzed by Azazel and Ajuka multiple times, but they'd always been vague.
"Kanata. I'll be blunt: how much do you actually understand about your Gear?"
"How much? I mean... I know it's a Gear that allows for 'Erasure'."
"Right. For a year, we've focused entirely on expanding the scope of that ability. That was Mephisto's wish—a measure to ensure you didn't notice the fundamental abnormality of your own power."
"Abnormality? I know 'Erasure' is rare, but..."
Mephisto had been overprotective from the start. Only a handful of people in the entire world knew the full extent of my powers. He'd warned me that if abilities like 'Pseudo-Healing' or 'Rewrite' became public, I'd be hunted like Asia Argento. I'd accepted that.
But "Rare" and "Abnormal" were two different things. If the truth was hidden not just for my safety, but to mask a systemic error... I reached out to my Partner internally. Silence. The lack of a response felt like an affirmation of Azazel's words. I clutched my chest.
'The original power of the Gear has warped... No, it's influencing the boundary with the System itself. A mutation caused by an Irregularity... a bug in the code.'
Those were the words Ajuka had used when we first met. He'd glossed over them then, and I'd tried to ignore it. I figured since I didn't have the world-shattering power of a Longinus, my "Rare Gear" was just a high-tier support tool.
But Azazel was an expert who had researched Gears for millennia. Hearing him use the word "Abnormal" carried a weight I couldn't ignore.
"Professor... you're saying Mephisto intentionally kept me in the dark?"
"He intended to tell you eventually," Azazel explained. "He wanted you to grow, to understand the Under-world and the nature of Gears first. But after everything that's happened... he decided that leaving you oblivious to the nature of your Partner was a greater risk. He trusted you could handle it."
I understood. Mephisto had hidden the truth because he was afraid I'd break mentally. I am weak, after all. I didn't blame them; they were acting as guardians.
"So why now? Why does he think I'm ready?"
"At first, there was a risk you'd develop a fear or a psychological resistance to the Gear. Your power is a miracle built on a razor-thin balance of dependency. We feared that if you realized what was happening, you'd pull back, causing the power to rampage."
A razor-thin balance? I'd been using it like I was flipping a light switch.
"Is it really safe to tell me now? What if I rampage?"
"Normally, yes. But after watching you for a year, we've decided you're a lost cause anyway," Azazel smirked. "And if things go south, we're in the best place to contain it."
He leveled his gaze at me. "Kanata, tell me the truth. Regardless of what this power actually is... can you keep accepting and trusting your Partner exactly as you have until now?"
"Trust him? If he wasn't here, I'd be dead a dozen times over! We're linked until the end!"
"Your Gear," Azazel said slowly, "is capable of performing Concept Nullification independently of your will. There is a possibility that one day, it could erase your will and take over your body entirely."
"——Wait! Stop!" Lavinia shouted, stepping between us. "Governor General, what are you saying!?"
Azazel ignored her, his eyes fixed on mine, waiting for an answer.
I thought about it. My Partner did erase my stomach pain without me asking. He did knock me unconscious when I stayed up too late playing games. He healed my wounds instantly, cleaned my sweat after training, and even erased the heartburn and extra fat when I ate too many of Cleria's sweets. He even cleared my sunburn.
Wait... has he been managing my entire biological existence? Looking back, I haven't been sick a single day since my Gear manifested. I was a picture of perfect health. Is he... micromanaging my lifestyle? I couldn't deny it.
"Professor... I just realized. My Partner might be forcing me into a healthy routine against my will...!"
"Your Gear is basically a hovering 'Mother,' you ungrateful brat," Azazel laughed. "And yet, knowing he's tinkering with your life, you aren't afraid?"
"Afraid? No... He's saved me every single time. If anything, I'm afraid he'll decide I'm not worth the effort. You're always calling me an idiot, and I know I can be a mess."
If my Partner abandoned me, I was finished. I realized I was incredibly dependent on him. If I stayed up too late, he'd just "Delete: Fatigue" and wake me up so I wouldn't be late for school. He was better than any childhood friend in a rom-com.
"I can't put it into technical terms," I said, meeting Azazel's gaze. "But my Partner has fulfilled every wish I've ever had. He says no to the impossible, but for everything else, he's always there. I'm standing here today—I'm moving forward as myself—because he's been supporting me from the start."
It was a bit embarrassing to say out loud, but it was the truth.
"If there's one thing I can give him back, it's my trust. If a Gear answers its host's heart, then I'm going to believe in him more than anyone. My goal is to be a Master worthy of him—to be the only person in the world who can truly wield Ruin Lorn Scarlet."
I had set that goal right here, a year ago. Azazel had thrown me to the dragons, and I'd realized I didn't have the grand ambitions of Issei or Vali. So I'd made a promise to myself and my Partner. I was going to see it through.
"I'm weak," I whispered. "So all I can do is believe. My Partner won't betray me. And I won't betray him."
For a split second, a brilliant crimson light pulsed through my body.
"…You're a complete disaster of a human," Azazel mused, "but your synchronization and resonance with your Gear are beyond talent—it's genius. Among all the users I've seen, you might be the closest to the path that leads to the Abyss of the System."
"The Abyss?"
"The 'Black Box' of the Sacred Gear System—the realm of True Logic that only the God of the Bible was supposed to know. In all my centuries of research, I've never seen a user reach that deep."
The Abyss, huh? I wondered if that was the power Issei and Vali reached when they purified or dominated the lingering wills of the past possessors. Or maybe when they unlocked the powers the God of the Bible had hidden in the Two Heavenly Dragons. Ddraig had mentioned something about altered memories.
I looked at Azazel, who was wearing a serious, almost philosophical expression. I'm sorry, Professor, but the word 'Abyss' just makes me think of Oyakodon and golden-haired girls' underwear because of my meta-knowledge. I'd really prefer a 'healthy' power-up, thanks.
"…Kanata?"
"Lavinia? ...What's wrong? You're pale."
Lavinia was gripping the hem of my robe, her hand trembling. She looked anxious, fearful in a way I'd never seen.
When Azazel mentioned the Gear might have an independent will, her entire aura had shifted. Lavinia possessed an Independent-Manifestation Gear. Azazel had taught us that the true power of such a Gear is realized when the user "unifies" with their construct—their own shadow. They often possess a will of their own. I didn't understand the feeling of being "One" with a Gear.
"Lavinia," Azazel said softly. "Kanata's Gear is a riddle, but it is fundamentally different from your Longinus. Don't measure him by your standards. There is no precedent for this. But don't worry—Mephisto and I will continue to research the 'Will' within his weapon."
"Professor," I interjected. "You just confirmed it. Is it 100% certain my Partner has a will? You and the Satan told me it was hollow."
"That is one of the truths I came to tell you. First: it is hollow. It does not contain a sealed soul, nor has it developed a sentient ego like an Independent-Manifestation type. …The 'Will' you feel is the result of direct interference from the other side of the Sacred Gear System's wall."
"…Huh?"
I was lost. The System was created by God, managed by Heaven, and connected to every Gear in the world. But only God could operate it. Not even Azazel, a former Archangel, could touch that Black Box. And my Gear was being manipulated from inside it?
"Is it... is it God's power?" I asked.
"The Creator... for reasons I can't disclose, I doubt it's him."
Right. The God of the Bible is dead. That secret was the foundation of the series.
"I'll be honest: I don't fully understand it either," Azazel admitted. "I have no idea how or why this is happening. All I know is that there is a Will capable of bypassing the System to touch your Gear. And whether through that interference or some other mutation, your Gear has exceeded its original design to the point where it's mimicking a Longinus."
"Professor... my head is starting to hurt. Also, aren't there only thirteen Longinus?"
"Thirteen confirmed types. Did you really think you could interfere with the concepts of the world, mimic a Transcendental, and rewrite your Gear's abilities on a whim and still call it a 'Normal' Gear? In my mind, you're already at the Sub-Longinus class."
Azazel let out a weary sigh. I knew I'd done some crazy things with my Partner, but I couldn't kill a god! Sub-Longinus? That was the level of Gasper Vladi's Forbidden Balor View after it fused with the darkness of a primordial god. I was nowhere near that level of "monster."
"Don't give me that face. There is another Gear that can influence concepts just like yours: Canis Lykaon, the Dog-God of the Black Blade. It can cut through rituals, magic, and concepts itself. While your power is 'Nullification' and his is 'Severance,' you're effectively two sides of the same coin."
"…The Black Dog-God."
Something flickered in my memory. Crimson eyes... a black dog. Why did that feel familiar? It wasn't just meta-knowledge; it was a physical sensation of déjà vu. I couldn't place it.
Azazel tossed a notebook onto the table. It was titled A Collection of Interesting/Gag Sacred Gears. I looked at him suspiciously, but he gestured for me to read. It was actually a very dense research report. I saw many Gears I'd never heard of, most of them leaning toward the "high-romance/low-utility" side of the spectrum.
Then, I hit a page that made me stop. I finally understood what Azazel meant by "exceeding original design." I remembered Ajuka treating my Gear like a "joke" item when he first saw it. A common-category, mass-produced tool that anyone could have. That was the original Ruin Lorn Scarlet.
The truth was finally laid bare. My Gear was an anomaly.
"Concept Nullification... wasn't part of the original design," I whispered.
"And so far, you're the only one who has manifested it," Azazel added. "I have another host of the same Gear in my organization right now; he can only use material destruction. He has no concept of how to touch a 'Concept' and says he doesn't feel like he ever will. That's the host's instinct. A Gear communicates its performance limits to the user."
Azazel had been searching for other hosts to see if the mutation was widespread. If "Concept Nullification" was a fundamental change to the Gear itself, there would be an army of users as dangerous as me. But the bug was unique to me.
"I've watched your Gear for a year," Azazel continued. "It has no precedent. Most God-Slayers are born with the power to cross the boundary. Yours is an average tool that simply walked out of its cage and became something else. That's what Mephisto was worried about. A new Longinus appearing is one thing; an average Gear evolving into one is an entirely different nightmare."
"I see... so my Gear is 'evolving'?"
"From a researcher's perspective, Kanata, you are a walking bomb. You are a research subject I would give anything to analyze. Depending on the results, you could literally rewrite the world's power balance. If Satanel knew about you, he'd be drooling..."
"Azazel," Tannin warned.
"Relax. I'm an obsessive researcher, but I'm not so far gone that I'd turn a friend's ward into a lab rat. But we can't do nothing. Knowing the truth of your Gear is dangerous, but it's also the only way to protect you."
Lavinia and I could only listen in silence. My Partner was far more dangerous than I had imagined. If Mephisto hadn't found me, I might have spent my life in a cage.
In the original timeline, anomalous Gears became more common as the war with the Khaos Brigade intensified. Issei's Boosted Gear and Kiba's Sword Birth both broke their existing frameworks to reach new heights. But that was under the pressure of world-ending threats.
We were years away from that timeline. Research was still primitive. I was a "bug" that had manifested too early. In the original series, everyone was breaking the rules, so a new anomaly was just another Tuesday. I realized now why Mephisto, Azazel, and Ajuka had been so careful with me.
***
"Hey, Kanata."
"Yes?"
"You've had a lot of info dumped on you. I don't expect you to process it all now. But remember: this is the power you were born with. You'll have to carry it for the rest of your life. We'll handle the politics; you just focus on yourself."
He was right. I couldn't run away. And I realized I was incredibly lucky—I had a group of the world's most powerful people working to protect me and give me the time to understand my own nature. My duty hadn't changed.
"You're going to become a Master worthy of that Gear, right?"
"Yes! I promised!"
The truth didn't change my goal. I was going to walk my path with my Partner until the end. I'd have to think more deeply about what "He" was, but for now, I needed to organize what I'd learned and use it to get stronger.
I struck a determined pose, only to feel Azazel's hand drop onto my shoulder with a wide, terrifyingly toothy grin.
"Which brings us to my next point. You realize you need to understand your Gear, right? And you owe me for my help six months ago. So, Kanata... Uncle Azazel has a little favor to ask."
"…Professor. Your eyes are bloodshot and your smile is terrifying. Please stop."
"To really analyze your Partner, I need you to come to Grigori headquarters with me! I guarantee your safety, of course! We can record the specifics of your Erasure, gather data on the System interference... oh, and I have some experiments I've been dying to try! I'll even throw in a free Grigori-standard body modification! We can make that Rocket Punch dream a reality!!"
"LAVINIA! TANNIN! HELP ME! A MAD SCIENTIST IS DRAGGING ME INTO THE ABYSS!!"
Tannin swatted the Governor General's head with his tail while Lavinia pulled me away from his reach. Thank you, both of you. I'd forgotten that Azazel was just as "mad" as any other researcher. He was the leader of an organization where "body modification" was the default setting. This was the man who turned his own missing arm into a rocket punch while laughing.
I knew I needed to learn more, but the prospect of going to Grigori was terrifying. I could already see myself being "accidentally" upgraded like Gasper or Saji. I'd be dodging iron balls "for training" in no time. I demand human rights!
Fortunately, Tannin intervened, reminding everyone that our Underworld training came first. That gave me a few days of reprieve. Azazel made it clear that my trip to the Fallen Angel headquarters was non-negotiable, but I was relieved to have a little time to prepare mentally.
Training with Tannin would be brutal, I knew. But as I looked out at the Underworld sky, I realized that a "peaceful summer vacation" was a concept I'd have to give up for good. I felt like crying, but I forced myself to look forward.
A year had passed since I entered the Under-world. I realized just how hard it was going to be to reach my goal, but I wasn't going to stop.
***
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