Kaito stood by the school's back gate, shadows clinging to him like a cloak of mystery. A faint smile played on his lips, yet it held a profound spark, flickering with visions only he could perceive.
Just hours before, a text message from Rias Gremory had popped up on the new phone the System had provided him:
[Yamada-kun, meet at the school's back gate at 9 PM. Be prepared.]
Dressed in clothes as dark as night, he carried a light bag and strode forward with confident steps. Under a star-studded sky, he spotted Rias, Akeno, Kiba, Koneko, and the overly enthusiastic Issei.
"Welcome, Yamada-kun," Rias greeted him, her voice a blend of calm and resolve, her eyes seemingly piercing his very depths. "Are you ready to witness the other side of our world?"
He replied with a tone holding a carefully measured hint of tension: "I am ready."
Rias smiled, then turned to her companions: "Koneko, Kiba, Issei—tonight, we're on a mission to hunt a stray devil. Issei-kun, this is your chance to show us your strength as a devil."
"Oppai!" Issei cried out, his eyes gleaming with excessive excitement.
Rias sighed, as if accustomed to his eccentricities. "Forward."
With a fleeting crimson glow, everyone vanished in a flash, leaving behind an eerie silence. Kaito felt a strange pull, and suddenly found himself standing in the yard of an abandoned factory. The scent of rust and dust permeated the air, and the dilapidated walls whispered tales of ruin and oblivion.
[Fate Mission: Test of Courage.]
[Objective: Observe Issei Hyoudou's battle against the stray devil from a safe location.]
[Reward: 250 XP, Skill (Combat Intuition), Strength +2.]
Kaito smirked to himself. This is Issei's true starting stage, he thought.
The club members spread out in calculated silence. Rias and Akeno stood in shadowy corners, their auras radiating power and majesty. Kiba and Koneko moved with the agility of hunters, their bodies weaving through piles of scrap metal like shadows.
Rias had asked Kaito to remain hidden—at first.
"The stray devil is near," she whispered, her voice echoing between the metallic walls. "Find it."
Kaito activated his (Aura Detection) skill, and a world of vibrant colors appeared before him:
Rias and Akeno—auras as pure as mountains, solid and unyielding.
Kiba and Koneko—auras dancing like flames, radiating power and speed.
Issei—a turbulent yet glowing aura, like a volcano waiting to erupt.
Then, the air suddenly trembled. Issei screamed, his voice a mix of terror and excitement: "I found it!"
The team rushed towards the sound. Kaito followed nimbly, his body disappearing and reappearing between the crumbling pillars, like a phantom cutting a path through the shadows.
They reached a vast area inside the factory where moonlight streamed through a shattered roof, revealing a terrifying creature: a colossal stray devil, its claws glinting in the darkness, its eyes burning like two embers from hell.
It was attacking Issei, who looked flustered and bloodied.
"You pervert, defend yourself!" Koneko yelled, charging at the devil like a storm of power, punching it with such force that rust flew off its body.
"Koneko-chan, awesome!" Issei exclaimed, stunned by her blow.
Then—what Kaito had been waiting for—happened.
"Oppai... Oppai...!" Issei shouted, and a green aura gathered around his right arm, glowing like a beacon in the darkness. Kaito's eyes widened, astonishment piercing his chest.
Now... the Boosted Gear!
The gleaming red gauntlet appeared, wrapping around Issei's arm, and a deep voice reverberated in the void: "Boost!"
"What is this?!" the stray devil shrieked, its pupils widening in terror.
"Boost! Boost! Boost!" The voice echoed, synchronizing with the surge of Issei's aura as if his body was transforming into an energy reactor.
Kaito held his breath, a shiver running through his soul. Witnessing this moment with his own eyes... it surpassed all expectations.
Issei lunged, striking the devil with explosive punches, the impact shaking the entire factory. Rias and Akeno watched in solemn silence, their eyes gleaming, ready to intervene at a critical moment. Kiba moved like a ghost, his sword glinting in the darkness, creating small gashes on the devil's body, paving the way for the decisive blow.
A battle between flames and shadows.
The stray devil roared, unleashing a wave of black energy, a scorching surge that tried to engulf Issei, but he evaded it at the last second, as if his power had reached its peak.
Kiba darted forward—faster than the wind—leaping through shadows, his sword slicing through the air, leaving a trail of blood and darkness.
In that moment, Kaito felt his heart pound wildly.
Here he sees Issei's beginning—and his own, too.
That moment... was the spark of the coming explosion.
Issei yelled, delivering another punch. The devil wasn't easy. It unleashed a wave of dark energy towards Issei, like a black tide, forcing him to retreat. At that moment, Kiba Yuuto darted forward with lightning speed, his body vanishing into shadows and reappearing. He moved like a phantom, dancing around the devil, using his sword to create swift gashes on the stray devil's body, provoking its rage and a growl from its throat. His movements were precise, targeting the devil's weak points, paving the way for more powerful attacks, leaving trails of vanishing darkness in his wake. Koneko followed with a powerful charge, taking advantage of the devil's distraction. "You filth!" she cried in her calm but infuriated voice, her eyes glaring with disdain. Then she delivered a direct punch to the devil's head. Her punch carried immense force, producing a bone-cracking sound, and sent the stray devil crashing into a massive steel pillar, causing it to shake and emit a painful metallic clang. "That's what you get for being a pervert!" Koneko muttered, retracting her arm, her expressionless features hardening.
"Akeno!" Rias called calmly, her voice carrying a regal tone of command.
Akeno smiled sadistically, her eyes gleaming with a purplish electric glow. "Yes, President." She slowly raised her hand, and balls of purple lightning gathered in her palm, dancing as if awaiting her commands. "Let me show you some fun, devil!" Akeno unleashed a barrage of lightning bolts onto the devil, raining down on it, causing its screams and violent convulsions, its body writhing in agony. Her attacks were powerful and painful, leaving glowing burn marks on its twisted body, and the smell of ozone filled the air.
The stray devil, enraged, let out a thunderous roar and began to gather even greater dark energy in its swollen arm, a focused wicked aura, targeting Rias this time, who was preoccupied observing Issei.
As the battle raged on, and Kaito's eyes followed every movement, he noticed, using his (Aura Detection) skill, that the stray devil's aura began to gather strangely in one of its arms, with intense concentration, targeting Rias. The aura pulsed with lethal intent.
Kaito sensed an unexpected movement. [Danger!] A warning flashed in his mind. "Rias-san! Watch out!" Kaito shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice tearing through the din of battle.
Rias turned at the last moment, but she was a step too late, her blue eyes widening. But before the attack could hit Rias, Kaito moved. His quick reaction, combined with the physical ability enhancement granted by the System, led to him rushing forward at incredible speed, leaving a resounding explosion in the ground where he had previously stood. He managed to block the claw that was about to inflict a severe injury on her, using the bag he brought with him as a shield. Rias was stunned by the sudden change, her crimson hair fluttering with the air's movement.
Rias, Akeno, and Kiba looked at Kaito with slight shock. They hadn't expected a mere human to notice something like this, especially amidst such chaos and darkness, let alone his inhuman burst of speed and incredible swiftness.
"How, Yamada-kun?" Rias asked, her eyes gleaming with sharp curiosity and hidden astonishment.
"I don't know!" Kaito said, feigning confusion, rubbing his head. "Just... a strange feeling and a surge of energy and adrenaline." Well, she noticed that. I need to be more careful next time.
Rias seized the moment, regaining her focus. With her hand extended, she formed a sphere of condensed crimson energy, her power of destruction, glowing with terrifying might. "Goodbye, stray devil!" Rias unleashed the sphere towards the devil. The sphere struck the devil's body, causing a massive explosion that shook the foundations of the factory. The stray devil's aura completely vanished, leaving behind a charred crater and scattered ash.
Kaito felt a sense of relief. The mission was successfully completed, and he had showcased a glimpse of his abilities without revealing too much.
[Fate Mission: Test of Courage completed!][Reward: 250 XP, Skill unlocked: (Combat Intuition), Strength +2.]
Kaito felt a new power flowing through his body. Combat Intuition... this will be very useful.
After Rias confirmed the battle was over, she looked at Kaito. "Yamada-kun, you acted very well. That strange feeling you mentioned and your previous movements... intriguing." There was a glint of appreciation in her eyes, as if she saw something in him she hadn't before.
The club members returned to their building, with Kaito among them. He felt tired, but his mind was buzzing with thoughts. He had seen the power of the Boosted Gear up close and witnessed how demonic powers interacted with each other. And he had seen how dangerous this world was.
Kaito sat in front of the System screen and opened his status panel.
[Status Panel]
[Name: Kaito Yamada]
[Gender: Male]
[Race: Human (Enhanced)]
[Experience Points: 550 (50 + 150 + 250 + 100)]
[Strength: 12 (10 + 2)]
[Speed: 12]
[Magic: 5]
[Charisma: 15]
[Skills: Aura Detection, Physical Enhancement, Combat Intuition.][Abilities: None]
Kaito smiled. His strength was growing, but he realized that mere observation was no longer enough. He looked at the status panel, then recalled the dark atmosphere of the factory where the stray devil had vanished. This world was filled with power and threats, and if he wanted to climb to the top, build his own harem, and achieve his dream of "Babylon's Gate," he needed to become much stronger.
Observation is good for information, but true power comes from fighting, from facing risks, and from pushing boundaries, Kaito thought with determination. I need to speed things up. No time for contemplation anymore. His eyes gleamed with renewed resolve, a determination that nothing would stop him from achieving his goals.