The days blurred into a tense routine as I navigated the delicate dance with Raynare, disguised as Yuuma Amano. She was always there—lingering after school, "accidentally" crossing paths during my walks home, her violet eyes probing for weaknesses. Thanks to Gamer's Mind, I stayed composed, treating our interactions like a high-stakes game of chess. My Observe skill revealed her growing intrigue: her thoughts evolved from suspicion to a twisted fascination. "This human is more than he seems. Teasing him could be entertaining before I end him." Her relationship score had climbed to 35/100—still Neutral, but teetering on the edge of something more.
I trained relentlessly in secret, pushing my body to its limits. With Gamer's Body, I could spar against imaginary foes in abandoned lots, my 40 Agility letting me dodge like a shadow, my 40 Strength shattering bricks with ease. But I knew raw power wasn't enough; Raynare's stats outpaced mine in key areas. Her Level 20, 60 Agility, and 65 Intelligence made her a slippery opponent. I needed an edge, something to exploit her fallen angel nature without crossing the quest's "no killing" line.
One evening, as I reviewed my status in my room, the system chimed with an unexpected update. The blue screen materialized, glowing brighter than usual.
System Update: Enhanced Leveling Mechanics
Change: Upon every level up, all stats (Strength, Endurance, Agility, Intelligence, Luck) automatically increase by +2, in addition to any allocated stat points.
Note: This update applies retroactively to future level ups. Your growth potential has been amplified. Prepare for greater challenges.
I blinked, processing the implications. Originally, leveling up gave me 10 stat points to allocate freely. Now, each level would bump every stat by 2 automatically? That was huge. For multi-level jumps, it'd compound quickly. My heart raced—combined with quests, I could snowball my power exponentially. Gamer's Mind kept me analytical: this was the system evolving with me, adapting to the escalating threats of High School DxD.
No sooner had I dismissed the update than another notification appeared, this one tied to my ongoing quest.
Quest Update: Taming the Fallen
Updated Objective: Defeat Raynare in combat without killing her.
Optional Advice: Kiss her exposed navel deeply for 10 minutes in her true form to subdue her (exploits a fallen angel's vulnerability to intimate, prolonged contact, weakening their resolve and magical defenses).
Rewards:
Raynare becomes your girlfriend (Relationship System score set to 90/100, Lover status).
+20 Levels
+30 Intelligence
Sacred Gear: Boosted Gear Awakens
Sacred Gear: Twilight Healing (Balance Breaker) (Copy)
Note: Twilight Healing (Balance Breaker) is a copied version; the original belongs to Asia Argento (unawakened).
Failure Penalty: -20 to all stats, Social Outcast Status (Reputation permanently damaged).
Time Limit: 1 Month (20 days remaining)
I stared at the screen, my cheeks flushing despite Gamer's Mind's calming influence. Kiss her navel for 10 minutes? In her true form? That sounded absurdly specific—and borderline ridiculous—but the system's advice was always spot-on. Fallen angels like Raynare had weaknesses tied to their corrupted purity; maybe this exploited some angelic sensitivity point. It wasn't lethal, fitting the "defeat without killing" clause. Subduing her that way could break her will, forcing submission without death. The rewards were god-tier: 20 levels with the new auto-stat boosts, a massive Intelligence spike, and two Sacred Gears? Boosted Gear was Issei's canon one, the Red Dragon Emperor's power. Twilight Healing as a Balance Breaker copy? That'd give me healing abilities on steroids, even if it was a duplicate.
I dismissed the screen, steeling myself. Time to force a confrontation. Raynare had been toying with me long enough; I'd lure her out, reveal I knew her game, and turn the tables.
The next day, I skipped my usual after-school routine with Matsuda and Motohama, texting them I had "errands." Instead, I wandered to the park where Raynare often appeared. Sure enough, she materialized, her disguise flawless—school uniform hugging her curves, black hair cascading like night. "Issei! Fancy meeting you here again," she said, her voice honeyed.
I met her gaze evenly, Observe confirming her thoughts: "He's walking right into my trap. Tonight, I'll test his limits." Her score: 38/100.
"Yuuma," I said, dropping the pretense. "Or should I say… Raynare?"
Her eyes widened, the facade cracking. Black wings erupted from her back as her uniform shifted into a revealing black outfit—leather straps and exposed midriff, her true fallen angel form. "How do you know that name, human?" she snarled, a spear of light materializing in her hand. "You're no ordinary boy. What are you?"
I activated Gamer's Mind fully, my thoughts crystal clear. "I know what you are—a fallen angel scouting for threats. But I'm not your enemy. Not yet."
She laughed, a cold, melodic sound. "Bold words. If you know so much, then you know I can't let you live." She lunged, her 60 Agility making her a blur.
Combat erupted. I dodged with my 40 Agility, her light spear grazing my arm—Gamer's Body converting it to a mere 200 HP loss. My HP dipped to 3800/4000. I countered with a punch fueled by 40 Strength, clipping her wing and sending her staggering. She hissed, HP dropping to 5800/6000.
"You're strong for a human!" she spat, firing light bolts. I weaved through them, my high Luck making one miss by inches. I closed in, grabbing her arm and twisting, forcing her to drop the spear. We grappled, her superior Agility letting her slip free and kick me in the chest—another 300 HP gone, down to 3500/4000.
But I was adapting. Observe during the fight revealed her weakening resolve: "He's matching me? Impossible. But… exciting." I used my Intelligence to predict her moves, feinting left and striking right. A solid hit to her side dropped her HP to 5200/6000.
Raynare retreated mid-air, wings flapping. "Enough games!" She summoned a barrage of light spears, raining them down. I rolled and dodged, but one pierced my shoulder—500 HP loss, 3000/4000. Pain flared briefly before Gamer's Body dulled it.
I leaped, my Agility propelling me higher than humanly possible, tackling her mid-flight. We crashed to the ground, rolling in the grass. She pinned me momentarily, her face inches from mine, breath hot. "You fight well, but you'll die here."
Her thoughts via Observe: "His power… it's intoxicating. If I could harness it…"
That was my opening. Remembering the optional advice, I flipped us over with a surge of Strength, pinning her arms. Her outfit left her navel exposed—a pale, vulnerable spot amid the black leather. "This ends now," I said, leaning down.
"What are you—?" Her words cut off as I pressed my lips to her navel, kissing deeply, as the advice suggested. She gasped, body arching. "S-Stop! What sorcery is this?"
I didn't relent, timing it mentally: 1 minute… 2 minutes… Her struggles weakened, magical energy flickering. Fallen angels, corrupted from purity, had hypersensitive points—intimate contact like this disrupted their essence, subduing without harm. Her HP stabilized, but her will crumbled. Thoughts flooded via Observe: "This feeling… overwhelming. I can't… fight it."
By minute 5, she was trembling, wings folding involuntarily. "Please… enough…" But the quest demanded 10 minutes. I continued, her resistance fading to moans. At the 10-minute mark, she went limp, eyes glazed. "I… yield."
The system chimed triumphantly.
Quest Complete: Taming the Fallen
Rewards:
Raynare becomes your girlfriend (Relationship System score set to 90/100, Lover status).
+20 Levels
+30 Intelligence
Sacred Gear: Boosted Gear Awakens
Sacred Gear: Twilight Healing (Balance Breaker) (Copy)
Level Up! You are now Level 31.
Automatic Stat Increases (New Mechanic): +40 to all stats ( +2 per level × 20).
Additional Reward: +30 Intelligence.
Updated Stats:
Strength: 80 (40 + 40)
Endurance: 80 (40 + 40)
Agility: 80 (40 + 40)
Intelligence: 150 (40 + 40 + 30)
Luck: 90 (50 + 40)
HP: 8000/8000 ( [80 Strength + 80 Endurance] × 50 )
MP: 7500/7500 (150 Intelligence × 50)
Stat Points Gained: 200 (10 per level × 20) – Unallocated for now.
New Sacred Gears:
Boosted Gear: Awakens. (Doubles power every 10 seconds in combat; houses Ddraig, the Red Dragon Emperor.)
Twilight Healing (Balance Breaker) (Copy): Awakens in Balance Breaker form. (Heals self/allies rapidly; creates healing fields; note: copy of Asia Argento's original, which remains unawakened.)
Power surged through me like a tidal wave. My muscles bulged, senses sharpened—80 across physical stats made me superhuman. Intelligence at 150 boosted my MP to 7500, mind racing with strategies. Luck at 90? Fortune itself bowed to me.
But the Sacred Gears stole the show. My left arm glowed crimson as Boosted Gear materialized—a red gauntlet with a green jewel. A deep voice echoed in my mind: "Partner? You've awakened me early. Impressive." Ddraig, the Welsh Dragon. I flexed, feeling the doubling potential.
On my right hand, a soft blue glow formed rings—Twilight Healing's Balance Breaker copy. It pulsed with healing energy, mending my remaining wounds instantly. HP back to 8000/8000. A copy, yes—Asia's original was out there, dormant—but this gave me unparalleled recovery.
Raynare stirred, her eyes softening as she looked up. The system had rewritten her loyalties; her thoughts: "He defeated me… and claimed me. I'm his now." She sat up, wings folding, a blush on her cheeks. "Issei… what have you done to me?"
I helped her up, Gamer's Mind keeping me steady. "I subdued you. You're with me now."
She hesitated, then nodded, leaning into me. "I… can't fight it. You're my master—my boyfriend." Her relationship score: Lover (90/100). The quest had worked; she was mine, a powerful ally instead of an enemy.
We talked as dusk fell. Raynare explained her mission—scouting for Sacred Gear users under Azazel's orders. She'd targeted me suspecting power, but now, bound by the system's magic, she pledged loyalty. "I'll protect you, Issei. No more betrayals."
I nodded, mind whirling. With Raynare as girlfriend, Boosted Gear and Twilight Healing awakened, and my stats skyrocketed, I was ready for bigger threats. Rias Gremory's peerage, other fallen angels, devils—High School DxD's chaos was just beginning.
But for now, as Raynare walked me home, her hand in mine, I felt unstoppable. The Gamer System had turned a deadly encounter into triumph. Whatever came next, I'd conquer it.
______________
The following days were a whirlwind of adjustment. Raynare, still disguised as Yuuma at school, became my shadow—affectionate, protective. Her presence boosted my reputation; classmates whispered about "Issei's hot girlfriend," pushing female relationship scores to 20-25/100. Matsuda and Motohama were jealous but supportive, their scores hitting 65/100.
I tested my new powers discreetly. Boosted Gear's [Boost!] doubled my stats temporarily—Strength to 160, then 320 with repeated use. Ddraig coached me: "Don't overuse it, partner; it drains stamina." Twilight Healing healed cuts in seconds, even creating barriers for allies.
My Intelligence at 150 made planning effortless. I allocated the 200 stat points strategically: 50 to Strength (now 130), 50 to Endurance (130), 50 to Agility (130), 50 to Luck (140). HP soared to 13,000/13,000, MP to 7500/7500.
Raynare shared intel on the supernatural world—devils in Kuoh, Asia's arrival soon. "She has Twilight Healing," Raynare said. "But your copy is stronger, already in Balance Breaker."
I nodded, plotting. With Raynare tamed, the timeline shifted. No death, no resurrection by Rias. I was free to forge my path.
One night, as we sat in the park—site of our battle—Raynare kissed me, her wings hidden. "You changed everything, Issei. I was lost; now, I'm yours."
I smiled, the system's power humming within. The game was far from over, but I was winning.