"...." - A character's dialogue

(....) - A character's thoughts

{....} - Ddraig speaking in Issei's mind

[....] - Ddraig speaking openly to his surrounding

------

"Yuuma-san, can you accompany me a bit more?"

".....Sure."

"Thank you."

Giving a relieved grin to the still-saddened girl, Issei grabs her hand to lead her in a certain direction slowly. The girl only gives a smile with no strength behind it but follows the boy silently. 

After exiting the aquarium, the pair walked to Kuoh Park they met in the late morning. The dark blue sky blankets the world with countless stars shining on them.

After walking for a while, they reach another bench near the fountain and sit on it. The sound pouring of the waters recedes the awkward air after Yuuma's outburst.

For a while, both of them didn't speak anything. The difference is that Yuuma looks down to the ground while Issei looks up to the sky.

In a way, their actions represent their basic nature. One yearns for the sky while the other stares below.

After a few minutes, Issei is the one who broke this silence.

"Yuuma-san. Tonight, the stars are beautiful. It's a waste to not gaze on it."

"....Hehe. Not saying the famous line? There's a big moon too, you know?"

Chuckling quietly, Issei didn't respond back to her. While that kind of confession is romantic, it won't bear any meaning if both sides don't have actual emotions in it.

"...I don't think you are in a state for accepting any kind of confession."

"That's....true."

Sighing hopelessly from the absolute fact given, Yuuma could only let out a dry laugh. She, who was the first to propose couldn't accept the positive answer from the receptor.

How ridiculous is that?

Perhaps noticing her thoughts, Issei didn't speak anything. Besides, with this date, he was able to confirm his lingering suspicions too.

"Yuuma-san, you didn't fall in love with me at first sight."

It was not a question, but a straight statement. The certainty behind his words will repel any kind of flimsy excuse coming from her.

"....."

She didn't speak anything. Perhaps, that's the loudest answer given ironically. After all, silence is another form of affirmation.

Releasing a long breath, Issei bitterly smiles at her response. In the end, it's another relationship that won't flourish anymore.

(I guess that's to be expected.)

In the beginning, he was over the moon like his parents. Which straight man wouldn't be happy receiving a goodwill and honest confession from an attractive girl? Issei wasn't an exception to it.

Only, in this case, the honest part was not really true from the beginning.

"....I don't know why you spoke that lie to get close to me."

But the more he hung out with her, the more time passed: Suspicions began to linger in the back of his mind. Why does a girl that's WAY out of his league suddenly proclaim her 'love' to a plain teenager out of the blue without any kind of buildup?

That's the start. The rest, he just filled the gap while watching her expression throughout the date.

His conclusion? She was forced to.

The reason and purpose? He couldn't even know about it in the slightest. Issei knew too little about her to draw any kind of specific answer.

Initially, he thinks rudely that she's a two-faced bitch that takes satisfaction from deceiving and breaking a guy like him for a sense of superiority. But, her reaction doesn't really support this argument. Issei is naive, he could admit that readily. Still, one of his limited skills was perceiving people's expressions a bit better than others. With that, he learned one crucial thing.

She didn't enjoy it, not even one bit.

At that time, she cried because---

"....You were guilty about it, aren't you?"

Another silence, but this time it was a bit heavier than usual. Yuuma's head was lowered even more. Some may see her being in a curled-up position too. She didn't answer him verbally again, but Issei took it as another confirmation.

"I see."

"...Aren't you mad at me?"

From her question voiced quietly, Issei released another long, long forlorn sigh. 

"It would be a lie if I'm not. Figuratively, you played with my emotion for your goals."

And wasn't that the kicker of this situation? All of this was a sham from the very start until the end.

There was never any romance. Nor, would it ever bloom to one.

A relationship starting from a lie will never bloom successfully. 

So Yuuma's question was natural. In fact, she even silently wondered, "How could he still be this calm knowing the truth?"

Noticing the unspoken question from watching her expression, Issei only chuckles. For a supposed 'scammer', she could be a bit silly.

Perhaps that's one of her true charms.

"It's because of you, Yuuma-san."

"...What?"

Snickering at her dumbfounded look, Issei slowly but gently spoke to this suffering girl more than him.

"At that time, that moment, your tears were undoubtedly more real than anything I remember."

"....Just that? I could be faking it, you know?"

From that possibility, Issei didn't deny it. He slowly nods as if it could be highly true.

Usually.

"I won't deny that. A skilled actor not only fools the audience but they themselves. ...However..."

Trailing off, he looks at her sadly.

"You couldn't keep up the act anymore."

Hearing that, a bitter chuckle comes out from her mouth inadvertently. His analysis was perfectly accurate. For someone who 'seems' normal, his eyes were undoubtedly sharper than average.

"...Don't you want to shout at me for being a scheming bitch? You definitely think of it if you reach that conclusion."

Folding his hands, Issei nods his head slightly again. She was right, he thought that too.

"...Hmm. Again, it would be a lie if I didn't think of it at all. But that's just like kicking a hurting puppy, looking at your current state. I'm not THAT heartless, much less to my very first date."

"Even though it's all fake?"

"Even then."

Breathing out, Yuuma smiles wryly at this boy answering her in a de-facto tone.

"Issei-kun, you are an idiot."

"Ouch, how harsh. ...Still, bringing a smile on your beautiful face, I guess it's worth it being called an idiot."

Shooking her head helplessly at his compliments, she could only let out another hopeless sigh at this stupid boy still trying to comfort her. What could she say to that, other than calling him an idiot when the trick is all out in the open?

(Such a fool.)

...And yet, she was also one too, who willingly played this charade even knowing how it would all end.

"I'm sorry, Issei-kun. ....I have my reason for doing so, but it's just a meaningless excuse after reaching this point. So I won't say it. Instead, this is the finale."

Saying so, she stood up from the bench. Then, she slowly steps up standing in front of Issei looking up at her confusedly.

"...Yuuma-san?"

"This is goodbye."

"What do you---...Ahh, I see."

He couldn't comprehend the sudden word of separation, but he could understand that her goals had been 'achieved' from this date. It bothered him a bit that he was given no explanation, but some things are better left unsaid. 

With a tender smile, Issei says his piece to this 'trial' girlfriend.

"Goodbye, Yuuma-san. It was only two days, but I was happy to have you as my partner."

...Until the end, he was stupidly foolish and overly sweet for a person like her.

With a sad smile, "Yuuma" parts ways with this innocent boy who's involved with old 'relics'. If she talked more with this person, it would greatly shake her resolve. She already risked so much doing this blatantly in front of her enemies.

But---

(I guess it's worth it.)

His smile offset any heavy cost for her.

"...Goodbye, Hyoudou Issei-kun. Later, when you forget me, find a better girl alright? You deserved that much."

"I...don't think I could forget a lady like you, though?"

"How sweet, but you WILL forget me."

"What---"

Before he could continue, Yuuma raised her right hand and touched Issei's forehead slowly. Then, her hand 'glowed'. Subsequently, Issei's consciousness began to blur. He couldn't muster strength in his body at all either.

"!?...Yuu..ma...san."

Facing him with a tearful smile, "Yuuma" says her 'supposed' last final piece.

"....In exchange, I'll remember you fondly. The date was really fun. I'm glad---"

---I met you.

Before she continued her last word, a 'glitch' happened to her. Consequently, her unfinished spell was canceled before it was completed. Therefore, Issei won't forget the next moment anymore.

....Nor will he enjoy it.

"!? UGggHHh!? What the he---"

*Brr!*

Retracting the stretched hand from the shock, A symbol glowed from Yuuma's forehead. Except, this one is much more complicated and ominous than the one used on Issei.

*KIIIIINNNNG!!!*

For it will FORCE her.

"KYAAAAAAAAA!!!!"

"Yuuma-san!? Wh-- *Snap* Ouch!! The hell!?"

Standing up from the bench, the confused, worried boy tried to touch Yuuma but his hand got repelled by the dark lightning surrounding her. If he focused on his hand a bit more, it released a bit of smoke due to extreme heat from it.

But he couldn't split his attention to his injured hand. All he could see was a hurting Yuuma kneeling on the ground holding her head, shocked by some kind of weird symbol on her forehead.

(Just, what the hell is actually going on!?)

One moment, Yuuma wanted to say farewell then how could the next moment change this abruptly!? Moreover, he couldn't even get near to her physically either. His burned hand is the biggest proof of what will happen to him if he does so. All he could do was anxiously wait for the situation to get better.

For a few seconds, her scream covered the area.

Then, a bright light filled his view completely.

.

.

.

.

.

".....What happened?"

Blinking his eyes repeatedly, Issei looks around at his surroundings after recovering his eye vision. He was still in the same park. Contrary to his expectation, there was absolutely no destruction from the ferocious impact of the lightning itself.

Only one thing changed.

Rather, 'she' transformed.

With a huge amount of disbelief, Hyoudou Issei couldn't even articulate proper words to describe the changes that happened in front of him.

Amano Yuuma, the girl who screamed in pain while kneeling down was no more.

Instead, a woman replaced her.

Yes, not a girl but a full-blown mature lady if Yuuma was 5 to 10 years older than her previous appearance.

If Yuuma was pretty and youth personified with a touch of innocence, this woman in front of him was the exact opposite of it.

Her face was sharp from the lack of baby fat. Her long jet-black hair stretches more to her lower ankle. Her body is in perfect hourglass shape with absolutely no excess fat. Her clothes, which were supposed to be a white one-piece dress replaced with a combination of dress and armour design of ancient times. While it only leaves a minimal amount of skin exposure from head to toe, It complements the image of the woman as a battle Valkyrie.

All in all, she looks like a deadly woman exuding dangerous allure with no less attractiveness to it. Some people may even prefer her current looks more depending on preference.

And then, her biggest change.

"...Black...wings?"

On her back, there are three pairs of black-colored feather wings stretching organizedly. Rather than a human, the current her is more like---

*Badum*

"Fallen...Angel."

Just like the ones depicted in his constant dream haunting his nights. Only, it just got very real and materialized in front of him.

*Twitch*

As if hearing him, the adult "Yuuma" slowly raised her lowered head. The symbol was there but not glowing anymore. However, that's not the only thing worrying him. No, the biggest worry was,

"Yuuma...san?"

Her beautiful amethyst eyes are dull and unfocused.

"Yuuma-san."

He calls her out one more time, but there's still no response. It makes him feel eerie from the utter silence combining the oppressive aura rolling out from her.

Finally, there was a reaction from the adult "Yuuma".

One second, she was standing blankly in front of him.

The next moment--

*Fwish*

She immediately appears in front of him in less than a centimeter.

"----Eh?"

*BAK!*

For an instant, Issei couldn't understand anything. This Yuuma only stared at him flatly as if he was just a rock pebble in sideway. Immediately, In his ears, a stabbing sound was heard near him.

Not really near him but---

"....Ah?"

Previously, he was bathed with bright light. This time though,

*SPLASH!*

Everything was filled with crimson.

-----

.

.

.

"Amano Yuuma" doesn't understand the situation at all.

From what she remembered, she decided to seal Issei's memories and her power so he wouldn't be a target to people like them anymore. He might resent her for stealing a possible future from him, but she will bear that cross for the rest of her life. 

Better that, than to be exploited tirelessly by those shitty bats.

Resolving that, she touched his forehead to let the spell enter his body, sealing the memory and power at the same time.

And then---

(And then...what happened?)

Groaning from the lack of memories, she touched her forehead in confusion while closing her eyes with furrowed brows. To her surprise, instead of smooth skin, she could feel a faint mark on it. 

Frowning, she traced its mark carefully with her fingertips. The more she traced it though, the more horrified and pale she became.

(A fucking SLAVE COMMAND mark!?)

Righteous anger burned through for this unforgivable transgression. A terrifying growl unconsciously came out from her stretched mouth. Just as she tries to think of the possible fucker who did this to her---

(Hold on a sec. This is the left of it. After the command input is gone, it leaves traces of it. So what did I...just...)

Looking at her attire and to her back, she was surprised by her true form showing up because of it. Grimacing from the possible trouble upcoming after being seen, she looks more downward.

There was a pool of crimson liquids surrounding the floor.

"...Blood?"

From who though?

Checking her body quickly, it looked like she was uninjured. If not her, then there's only---

"!! ISSEI!!?"

Gazing more up from the pool of blood (Just how much is it!?),

*Drip*

The teenager who has a huge hole lies in the middle of the floor.

Widening her eyes in disbelief, she immediately came to his side and kneeled beside him. Immediately, she touched his injured stomach with her hand, a glowing light came out from her palm. After she did so, the injured boy regained his faint consciousness and restored his vision, limited as it was.

In his blurred view, "Yuuma" was frantically pressing his stomach with her glowing hand like before, tears in her eyes. 

"Come on. come on! COME ON! DON'T DIE ON ME!! YOU HEAR ME, ISSEI!? YOU.CANNOT.DIE!!"

"...Y..u.u.."

"SHUT UP! Just!...*tch*!? don't talk and conserve your energy! This kind of wound, a little bit mo...!?"

...A little bit more?

She's already pouring all of her mastery in healing and magic power to close the hole in his stomach. So why is he not---

(....No.)

A terrible realization started in her brain, while still healing him to the fullest of her ability. She desperately hoped it was just her stupid paranoia and nothing more.

Which is not. Really is often disappointing. This is no different than usual.

"Damn it, damn it! FUCKING DAMN IT!! WHY IS IT NOT HEALING!! Even initial Twilight Healing wouldn't be able to compare!! SO WHY!?"

"...Yuu..ma-san."

Gritting her teeth until she felt her moles drilled, she poured more of her magic power to offset the terrifying loss of blood coming from him.

"Listen to me, Issei! You must not fall asleep! You hear me!? YOU ABSOLUTELY CAN'T FUCKING LOSE CONSCIOUSNESS NO MATTER WHAT!!"

Looking at her panicking more than him who is the one dying, Issei smiles weakly at the mature 'girl'. She stabbed him decisively and now trying to cure him relentlessly. The polarity of her action was staggering.

He couldn't understand anything. One moment he was fine, then he was lying with his blood soaking every pore of his body with a gigantic hole in his stomach. 

But he understood one thing.

"*TCH* HEAL, DAMN IT!"

He is going to die. There is no changing that.

(...Mom....Dad....)

What would they think if their only son died before them? He couldn't imagine the grief it would bring to his parents.

"YOU ARE GOING TO LIVE, ISSEI! THERE'S STILL THE REST OF YOUR LONG LIFE!"

(Matsuda...Motohama...Hanakai-san.)

Their friends. Would they be sad leaving them early? ....Maybe. Imagining them participating in his funeral, he couldn't bear to imagine their tear-filled faces.

"...Please...Live...Don't do this to me..."

But there's nothing he could do. From the complexion of "Yuuma" getting more and more despairing, there's no changing the end of it. She could only slow down the process.

(...Yuuma...san.)

Amano Yuuma.

The girl who was the first to confess to him. The one who gave him his first date experience. The first girlfriend of his. The first who makes his world brighter in his monotone high school days.

She was truly the first of many things to him.

He was supposed to feel resentful of his killer. The one who robbed of his future without warning. The one who soiled his many firsts with this kind of ending.

But---

"....Heal...please..."

All of it dissipates looking at her current state. She's still trying to heal judging from her glowing hand. However, her eyes which are filled with despair reflect her current thoughts.

"....Fuck!...why is this happening---...!? That signal..!!"

Suddenly, as if she reached a terrible epiphany, she widened her eyes to the extreme, gazing through Issei's pants. Specifically, the pockets where he stored the 'scam' magical circle flier. Then, she glared hatefully at the bushes where the stalker watching this entire scene without lifting a finger.

To him at that time, it truly was just a nonsensical magic mumbo jumbo he didn't believe in. If he was still clear-headed and sane though, he'd have doubts after experiencing all of the strange things he experienced just now. However, he couldn't properly think about it, nor about why Yuuma looked like she wanted to kill her most hated enemy in the entire world.

Sadly, he couldn't reach the answer as his time was ticking closer. Even though Yuuma is still pressing her glowing hand to him, his consciousness is getting blurry and fainter.

"...Co...ld..."

Not 'hurt' but cold. Issei feeling cold means only one thing in this situation. Yuuma, who has witnessed lots of corpses and near living bodes grimaced sadly from hearing his muttering.

(....I couldn't save him.)

it was piercing but very rational judgment.

She doesn't understand the situation during her panic moments. However, she doesn't earn her high spot in the organization by dilly-dallying like flailing rookies. Considering that fucking bat's magic signature and the slave command just now, she reaches one terrible conclusion.

She was played.

On what, she couldn't know. She doesn't have the capacity for leisure thinking in this situation either. Meeting the ruler of this territory after making this much of a mess is just asking for disaster. The signal makes her next decision swifter and more decisive than ever, regardless of her emotion disagreeing with it.

There's truly nothing she could do anymore. Either to herself...or to the dying boy beside her.

"...I'm sorry Issei."

One holding his holed stomach while her other gently rubs his bloodied cheek with tender movement. The norm of fallen angels was to spit at 'dirtying' their bodies with lowly human blood, but she's not in that category. She's not morally bankrupt to the point of spitting her own mistake, unwilling or not.

Her eyes which are touched with darker colors but still beautiful in her true forms, let out tears of regret and grief for involving him in this world.

...There's no turning back anymore.

Issei couldn't understand her apologies. He's too far gone in mental mind to properly analyze her words or her confusing actions.

Still, he realizes one thing. The most crucial fact to this confusing situation.

(.....She's innocent.)

Slowly, he raised his bloodied right hand up. It was a small miracle even able to move his body, but he took what he could get in his diminishing life. "Yuuma" twitched a bit by the sticky sensation suddenly on her cheek but she didn't push it away. She's too much in shock looking at his last face as a proper human.

He was still smiling. At her. Her, who murdered him.

"...Why? Why are you still---"

---Looking at me like that?

Noticing the unspoken question from her disbelieved tone, Issei released a short, erratic choked breath. Then, he mustered all of his minuscule strength to put a final curtain on this situation.

No, to their 'date'.

"...Not...fau...lt...you..."

It was slow and whisper-level, but "Yuuma" clearly heard it. Her eyelid began to open wide comprehending it. Her tears, which had just stopped a moment ago began to pour out again. 

(...How? How could he still!?---)

It was forgiveness and closure. Not to himself only, but to the perpetrator too.

Witnessing her face smeared with his blood and own tears, Issei stretched his smile wider. To him, it was one of the most beautiful images in his entire lifetime. His eyes opened to the fullest he could to burn this final scene before going to the other side.

"....Da..te....fun..."

"!?...You...Heh...hehehehe....you really are an idiot, Issei."

"....Yea...ah....wor...th...it..."

Grabbing his hand that's holding her cheek soft but strongly, "Yuuma" releases a choked sobbing laughter expressing her entire incredulity toward this boy. Only he could still flirt with his killer genuinely. Not only that, each of his words is filled with care and understanding for her.

...That it's not her fault. That he will forgive her.

That's just----

Biting her lip until blood poured out, she lowered his face, colliding with his chest gently to not hurt him more than ever. She couldn't know what kind of terrible expression she was currently making, but it was definitely not nice for him to watch it in his final moment as a mortal.

That's why,

She raised her head, facing him properly by mustering her biggest smile. 

"....Ray. Raynare. That's my real name."

Blinking once, Issei looks at her in sluggish surprise. Then, understanding it, Issei smiled gently at her.

"Pre..ty....like....you...."

"Hah! Of course! I'm an angel, you know?... Well, already fallen though."

On confirming her real nature, a breath of awe released from his mouth. It was surreal the beings from the myth he dreamt of for months materialized in this way. 

"...Guar...dian..."

On the mention of that word whispered by him, a jolt ran through her entire body. Even though she had fallen a millennium years ago, she couldn't mistake THAT ever.

Guardian Angel.

In the golden age of heaven, each of them was assigned to the humans born into the world. Not common in the present, but that role still exists. However, Fallen Angel is obviously out of that.

And yet, this boy mentioned that in front of him. The meaning behind it was plainly evident, ridiculous as it sounded.

"...You really think I am? Even after---"

The words were not mentioned but Issei still perceived it, fatally injured or not. In response, he only gives a small, weathered nod with the same plastered bloodied grin.

"...Ye..ah..."

"....Hah...Meeting you was my greatest and worst luck ever."

Releasing a long sigh of resignation, Yuuma smiles bitterly. Indeed, meeting with him was truly the luckiest and unluckiest moment in her entire life. Not only did she murder this kind of person unwillingly, but he also reminded her of the sacred role assigned by every angel given by their holy Father.

She knows. He never meant to insult him. It's just a kind symbolic gesture from his ignorant state. No one sane---No, not even the crazies would even say be their Guardian Angel right to their face, unless to mock them to the highest degree.

In any other scenario, she'll go mad in rage even from someone like him. Touching the most sore spot of Fallen Angel is just asking for a gruesome death sentence.

....But in this situation. Precisely because it's him---

"....Yeah. Yeah, I'm your guardian angel. No one else, but yours. Consider it a privilege, alright? Not just anybody could take me as their own glorified bodyguard, you know?"

--She'll take it as the biggest badge of honor.

Finally, seeing her genuine smile, Issei released a long breath of relief. Although he still has lots of worries and regrets, he can't resolve them in this state anymore. He could only take comfort in the gir---lady in front of him wouldn't take this situation as heavily as previously anymore.

Such relief is only for a moment.

(....I can't...see her...)

Just now, he could still view her silhouette, vague as it may be. Now, most of his organ is not in a critical state anymore but stopped working. In a few minutes less,

He'll die.

Recognizing his dulling eyes, Yuu---Raynare the Fallen Angel slowly closed his eyes. Both of them want to have a more proper closure, but the world won't allow that. The reality will never give her that chance.

But just one more. Even if it's one-sided.

"...Just let me do this for the final touch."

She closed her eyes, and slowly drew near to his peaceful blood-smeared face. The distance of hers with him slowly closed--

*Chu*

The sound of lips contacting with one another resonates softly. 

His first kiss. If he could savor this, he'd comment on it as a sign of love, cheesy as it sounds. Raynare could imagine it easily on her mind, him smiling droopily.

In a way, she wanted to finalize the date with this stupidly kind boy in a good manner too.

Only,

(A shame...)

They couldn't enjoy it anymore.

Raising her head from his face, Raynare released another regretful sigh. Then, she narrowed her eyes toward the direction where the damned stalker watching them from.

His/her presence was already gone. For what, Raynare couldn't be clearer about it. In a few seconds, the master will come to reap the benefit easily without doing any of the work.

Raynare has never felt so much anger and disgust with herself, helping her nemesis in this way. Gnashing her teeth, she looked downward at the comatose state of the boy sadly.

She wanted to end him once and for all. Hyoudou Issei could be called so: Because of his identity as human and the right to freely choose the way of his life.

If he loses both of them...

"...*sigh*....Sorry Issei. I'm probably the worst guardian angel you could find."

Releasing another breath she couldn't even count, Raynare could only wryly smile at her wishy-washy attitude. Either in a relationship or in her career, she couldn't put a good end to it.

She couldn't finish the job.

Spreading her 6 wings widely, Raynare mentally changed gears to prepare for the upcoming mess. The meeting between Issei the human and "Yuuma" has completely finished. Regrouping with her colleagues to decide their next moves is her priority now. 

As for both of them,

If there's a next life---

"....See you later, Issei."

They will meet with both of their masks and secrets exposed fully.

*Fwoosh*

Flying in the direction of her temporary bases, Raynare melancholically thought to herself.

"I hope we can meet in a better situation than now."

....What a wishful thinking.

Perhaps she was influenced by him too, unbelievable as it sounds. Strangely...she doesn't hate it.

Because she is reborn too, just like he will be.

------

.

.

.

.

He couldn't feel anything.

He couldn't touch anything.

He couldn't smell anything.

He couldn't move either.

He just....is.

He doesn't know how long has passed already. After seeing Yuuma---Ah, no. Raynare's her real name, wasn't it?

After that, he couldn't recognize anything. All he could feel was cold darkness covering his entire senses.

But, he could vaguely see his surroundings just like seeing a broken diorama from a third point of view.

In that scene, his body lay down in the pool of his own blood underneath. Then---

A light of crimson appeared beside him.

"Oh! Looks like she really did try to kill him. ....Well, not that I expect anything from a dirty fallen angel."

A person suddenly materialized after the light dissipated. He couldn't see the person's features clearly, but it was clearly a young woman's voice. The rest, he couldn't figure out much except her having long red hair.

"...Poor boy. It must have been hurt, mutilated you mercilessly like this."

(Is she...)

---Speaking to him? Not only that, she must have been related to this in a certain kind of form, judging from her tone.

On what kind, he couldn't know. Everything that happened today is entirely new and too rapid to him.

....But, just like the unusual state of Raynare who killed him,

"....Don't worry. I'll help you with your wish. After all, that's why I'm called by you."

He sensed a bad omen coming from this woman.

"----Rejoice, Hyoudou Issei! You will be rebirth as my servant!"

With that, his consciousness completely sinks into the abyss.

.

.

.

The next time he wakes up, he will not be a human anymore. His right to be called that has been eternally closed. Tomorrow, he'll not be a mediocre man---

----But as a 'special' being of the other side.

-----

He doesn't remember much about what the woman did to her. However, strangely he remembered one thing clearly.

[Hoohh....I wonder why I wake up suddenly. It looks like my current partner is in a unique situation.]

Before everything was mute, a voice radiated around him.

He never heard that kind of deep rumble voice spoken to him in his life. But, he feels he knew the person intimately as if he knew his existence for a long time. 

[Heh, 'we' truly are a being of attracting trouble, aren't we? ]

---Yes, just like that dream.

[Hmm...looks like you are not fully lucid. That's fine. We have plenty of time in the future. Greetings should be done properly.]

When the crimson dragon spoke to him---

[But, I guess parting words won't hurt.]

Their voice was exactly the same. Before he completely passed out, Its final words rang to him more clearly than ever.

It was...

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

[Welcome to your new world, Hyoudou Issei.]

------

The stage has been set.

All of the pieces have finally been gathered.

This moment has finally come.

The time of peace and stagnancy has ended. The world will greet a time of chaos and conflict.

Welcome, Hyoudou Issei. Your wish to be 'special' has been granted. As for the price...

.

.....Everything you have.

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Author's Note: ~~~And done. Whew. DAMMMMN, that's 5k words for this chapter only. I must be high writing this. How was it everyone? Like it? Hate it? Either way, please leave a comment or review for your opinion. Personally, I did my best work and poured out all my passion into this work.

After watching the anime, you could realize the difference immediately. In OG, Raynare is just a low grunt with an inferiority complex trying to get close pervert general. Here though, she's a jaded soldier who was mercilessly robbed of her tiny happiness by someone. On who, I can't say yet. That'll be a spoiler. Just know this all leads to one big buildup in the peace conference.

Also, about Rias Gremory. Personally, I think I'm a bit biased toward her in a bad light. I know she's innocent because her character is supposed to be a legitimate princess. Moreover, I heard that the light novels depict her as more clearly and morally sound. Well, I don't know about that. I could only analyze her actions from anime, resulting in a poor view of her. Her worth of heroine....is low, really. I try to make her as believable as possible but forgive me if there's bashing. There's a limit to what could a rookie author do.

Remember, similar actions, different mindsets, and new results.

The next chapter will be the awaited conversation between the boy and the dragon. On what, wait for the next update~~

P.S. This is an AU. So, some nonsense logic may not be applicable to the OG story. I only take liberty by taking references and opening a what-if from them.

That's all from me, Ciao~~~