"The Red Dragon Emperor's Gauntlet, Boosted Gear... Is that what it's called? I thought it was called the Dragon's Hand Twice Critical? And wasn't it supposed to be one of the Longinus, the God-Slaying Tools?"
Issei looked genuinely confused, overwhelmed by the unfamiliar terms being thrown at him.
"Ah, sorry, it's just that this was all so shocking... You see, there are thirteen sacred gears in the world known as Longinus. They're unique artifacts that, if fully mastered, are said to possess enough power to defeat even gods and Maous."
"God-Slaying Tools... Longinus..."
"When the gauntlet activated, it mentioned the Welsh Dragon. That refers to one of the legendary Two Heavenly Dragons, the mightiest beings to walk the earth. Specifically, the Red Dragon Emperor, Ddraig. The gauntlet you're wearing contains both his power and his soul. That's what makes it a Longinus, the Red Dragon Emperor's Gauntlet, Boosted Gear. Honestly, even I was surprised to see it."
Hearing this, Issei stared intensely at the red gauntlet on his left arm.
"So, if this isn't the Twice Critical, then what exactly does this thing do?"
"Hmm... I could explain it, but, "
Rias looked over at me and asked, "Ikki, would you mind explaining instead?"
"Huh!? Why me!?"
Why'd she suddenly throw this on me!?
"One of the reasons I brought you here was to gauge how much you really know about the hidden side of this world. If I just explain everything to Issei and you claim later that you 'already knew,' it defeats the purpose."
...Okay, fair point.
"Of course, it wouldn't be unusual if you didn't know all the specifics of the Longinus. If that's the case, just share whatever information you do know about the supernatural. I'm not expecting a lecture, just the gist."
"Alright, fair enough. Issei, listen up. The Boosted Gear has two main abilities. First, it doubles its wielder's power every ten seconds, 2x, 4x, 8x, 16x, and so on. The second ability is that it can transfer that multiplied power to something else."
"Something else? Like what?"
"All kinds of things. It could be a person, a weapon... That sort of stuff. I haven't heard the exact details in this world, so if you want to know more, you'd probably have to ask the dragon sealed in that gauntlet."
"...Wait, it can talk!?"
He's seriously shocked.
"Rias-senpai mentioned it earlier, didn't she? That the gauntlet houses the power and soul of the Red Dragon Emperor. Some Sacred Gears contain magical beasts or mythical creatures, and some of them can talk."
"Heh... Alright then! Hey, Red Dragon Emperor, tell me what you know!"
Excited, Issei eagerly tried talking to the Boosted Gear. He looked genuinely thrilled at the thought of talking to a dragon.
"Uh... Hellooo? Can you hear me?"
"...Yoo-hoo?"
"Hey, Ikki! You said it could talk, right!? It's totally ignoring me!"
Yeah... I figured that part wouldn't be so easy.
"Most likely, the soul of the Red Dragon is still dormant. Once you grow stronger, or learn how to properly use the Boosted Gear, I think it'll awaken on its own."
"...So, you're saying it's because I'm too weak?"
"To put it bluntly, yes."
"...Are you serious?"
Yeah, he looks even more down than when he thought it was just the Twice Critical.
"Rias-senpai, that's the end of my explanation on the Boosted Gear. Was that good enough?"
"Yes, that was fine. Actually, I think you explained it better than I could have. Mind if I ask where you learned all that?"
Well, I figured that was coming... But there's nothing worth hiding.
"I'm not officially affiliated with any group, but I do have some connections to the Youkai. I was taught the basics by someone who trained me in senjutsu."
Magari-sama had said, 'Even if you're my student, I won't forgive you for being completely clueless,' and gave me some valuable lessons, even during training.
"So, you have ties to the Youkai."
"Yes, though we met purely by chance... I was just an ordinary person before that."
"I see. That gives me a better picture of who you are. Now, let's move on to the final topic."
"'Final topic?'" Issei and I said in unison.
"Issei, do you remember what was written on the card with the magic circle you used to summon me?"
"Uh... It said something like, 'I will grant your wish,' I think."
"Exactly. We devils exist to grant the wishes of humans. But of course, we don't do it for free. Every wish comes with a price."
Issei's face paled.
"A-Are we talking about... my soul or something?"
"If I saved your life and then demanded your soul in return, that would be rather pointless, wouldn't it?"
Rias gave a little chuckle. Issei looked relieved for a moment, until his expression turned panicked again, as though he just realized something worse.
"Uh, well, the thing is... I don't have much allowance saved up, and even then, I doubt something like pocket money is worth a life! But, please! I'll work hard to pay it back! Just... don't saddle my parents with the debt!"
He even bowed deeply, forehead to the ground. But Rias simply shook her head.
"I never intended to ask for anything like that."
"Huh?"
"That said... it's still not a small thing. Issei, have you ever thought about becoming a devil?"
As she spoke, she pulled a red chess piece from her pocket, a pawn.
"What do you mean? Wait, can someone just become a devil like that!?"
"Yes. This chess piece is known as an Evil Piece, used by high-class devils like myself. With it, we can reincarnate other beings into devils."
"Reincarnate?"
"That's right. You'd be reborn as a devil under me, Rias Gremory. A member of my household. Just like Akeno, Yuuto, and Koneko, they're all my servants."
"Wait, they are!?"
Issei looked around at the three of them in shock. Rias made it sound casual, but changing species is no small thing.
"Of course, becoming a devil means you'll be expected to fight in battles like today's from time to time. But you possess a Sacred Gear, there's no telling when someone might come for you again. If you become my servant, I can protect you directly. Also... devils live much longer. We can live over ten thousand years. So, what do you say?"
"Ten thousand years!? Uh... What happens if I say no?"
"Don't worry. If you refuse, I'll help find you a good job with decent conditions. As long as you work diligently, you won't have a terrible life."
She smiled sweetly as she said that, but for some reason, that smile was a little scary... This was supposed to be a great offer, but...
"...Ikki, what do you think of all this? I'd like to hear a third-party opinion."
Huh. Honestly, I thought Issei would jump at the chance to work under Rias-senpai. But I guess, unlike the original story where he became a devil without knowing, the idea of "giving up his humanity" isn't something he can decide on so easily.
"Let me be clear, I think you should accept."
"Why?"
"Two reasons. First, there's the backing of the Gremory family. They're one of the most prestigious noble houses among devils. Even if people find out you possess a Longinus-class Sacred Gear, no one would dare mess with you so easily."
"That makes sense... What's the second reason?"
"Simple. You've been talking with Rias-senpai and her servants for a while now, how do you feel? Does Rias-senpai seem like some cruel, heartless devil out to use you? Do her servants seem like they're being oppressed or mistreated?"
"No, not at all!!"
"Then that's the reason."
With that, Issei looked up slightly, exhaled, and fixed his gaze directly on Rias-senpai.
"Rias-senpai! I... I'll become your devil!"
"Yes, I'm looking forward to working with you, Issei."
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