Dean was discharged from the hospital two weeks later. His body had healed with an almost supernatural speed, which he suspected had something to do with the accident itself. Being reborn into a new world apparently came with some benefits, even if he didn't have a Sacred Gear.
The walk home from the hospital gave him his first real look at the city beyond the white walls of his room. Everything was familiar from the memories, yet strange. He'd never actually walked these streets before, even though he remembered doing so a hundred times.
"You're being weird," Issei said, walking beside him. "Weirder than usual, I mean."
"Just taking it in," Dean replied. The afternoon sun was warm on his face, and the streets were crowded with people going about their lives, completely unaware of the supernatural world hidden beneath their own. "So when do I meet these people? Your friends?"
"Tonight, actually," Issei said with a grin. "There's a gathering at the old school building. It's kind of a safe place for supernatural activity. Rias wanted to meet you anyway, and now that you're awake, I figured it was time."
"Just like that? No preparation?"
"What's there to prepare for?" Issei shrugged. "You're my brother. You're part of the family now, whether you have a Sacred Gear or not."
The casual acceptance in his voice was both comforting and infuriating. Comforting because it meant Issei wouldn't treat him differently. Infuriating because it meant Issei didn't fully understand the position Dean was in. Without a Sacred Gear, without innate magical talent, Dean would be at a fundamental disadvantage in any confrontation with supernatural beings.
But that was fine. He'd always preferred a challenge.
That evening, Dean followed Issei to the old school building. It was abandoned, the kind of place that would normally be off-limits to students. But as they approached, Dean could feel something in the air, a subtle distortion that reminded him of the memories he'd inherited. Magic. The building was protected by magical wards that kept humans from wandering in by accident.
"Just walk straight through," Issei instructed. "The wards won't bother you. You're with me."
The moment Dean crossed the threshold, the world shifted. The building was no longer abandoned. Instead, it was filled with an otherworldly light, and the interior had expanded far beyond what should have been physically possible. A training ground, Dean realized. A space between spaces, hidden from human perception.
And there, waiting for them, was Rias Gremory.
She was beautiful in a way that seemed almost unreal, with long crimson hair and eyes that held the weight of nobility. She wore a school uniform, but the way she carried herself made it clear that was merely a disguise. She was a demon, one of the high-class variety, and the power radiating from her was immense.
"Dean," she said, her voice warm and welcoming. "Issei has told me much about you. I'm glad to see you've recovered."
Dean bowed slightly, following the instincts provided by his inherited memories. "Thank you for your concern, Gremory-sama."
A flicker of amusement crossed her face. "You can call me Rias. We're going to be seeing quite a bit of each other, after all." She gestured to the others in the room. "These are the members of my peerage. You've already met Issei, of course. This is Akeno, my queen. Yuuto, my knight. And Koneko, my rook."
Dean acknowledged each of them in turn. Akeno was a stunning woman with dark hair and a mysterious smile. Yuuto was a handsome young man with blonde hair and the bearing of a swordsman. Koneko was a small girl with white hair and cat-like features that suggested she wasn't entirely human.
"So," Rias continued, "Issei mentioned that you're interested in learning about our world. I wanted to meet you personally to understand what that means."
"It means I want to survive in it," Dean said plainly. "I'm not going to pretend I don't know what's at stake. Without power, I'm a liability to myself and to Issei. I need to change that."
"And how do you plan to do that?" Yuuto asked, his tone skeptical. "Sacred Gears are determined at birth. You can't simply acquire one."
"Then I'll find another way," Dean said. He met each of their eyes in turn, holding their gazes. "There has to be a path to power that doesn't require a Sacred Gear. Otherwise, you wouldn't have survived this long as a species."
Koneko tilted her head, studying him with an intensity that suggested she was seeing something the others weren't. "He's serious."
"Of course he's serious," Akeno said with a smile. "Look at him. He's already decided he's going to be strong, whether we help him or not. That kind of determination is rare."
Rias nodded slowly. "Very well. I can't give you a Sacred Gear, and I won't force you into my peerage if you don't want to join. But I can offer you access to our resources, our knowledge. If you're determined to find your own path, the least I can do is make sure you don't walk it completely blind."
Relief flooded through Dean, though he kept it from showing on his face. This was exactly what he needed. Access to the supernatural world, to the knowledge that existed within it. Everything else he could figure out on his own.
"Thank you," he said.
"Don't thank me yet," Rias said with a knowing smile. "Learning about our world is one thing. Surviving in it is another entirely."
As if on cue, the temperature in the room dropped. The wards around the building flared with energy, and Rias's expression shifted to one of alert readiness.
"We have visitors," she said quietly. "Fallen Angels, by the feel of it. Stay behind me."
Dean moved back with the others as Rias stood, her power blooming around her like a crimson aura. But even as he retreated, his mind was already working. This was his first real encounter with the supernatural world, and he had no power to defend himself with.
He filed away every detail, every technique, every display of magic. It was all information, and information was a weapon all its own.
The game had begun.