If one day you're walking through Kuoh on a spring afternoon and spot an absurdly handsome guy with rebellious white hair, bright blue eyes like an A++ rank spell, and the casual aura of someone who just shouted "Itadakimasu!" before summoning a goddess, congratulations, you've probably just crossed paths with Ryougi Kazuya. In reality, he looked like a blasphemous fusion between a blindfold-less Satoru Gojo and Toji Fushiguro's physique after three cycles of training with Baki. In other words: a gigachad so stunning he could charm any woman.
The city of Kuoh, on the other hand, seemed anything but chaotic at that moment.
The streets were calm, the breeze carried the sweet scent of blooming cherry blossoms, and the sky had that pastel orange hue that made you think the episode's ending credits were about to roll. Pigeons flew in formation, old men swept the storefronts, and students in uniforms walked home from school, chatting about exams, clubs, and, occasionally, whether the student council president was really a demon (spoiler: she was).
Kazuya strolled down the main street, hands in the pockets of his open jacket, swaying lazily. The sun reflected in his eyes as if the universe was trying to pull off a dramatic lens flare. It didn't work—he already shone on his own.
His destination? His old apartment. Not out of nostalgia. But because the beautiful and seemingly perfect Rias Gremory, demonic heiress with shampoo-commercial red hair and a "senpai will help you with everything" vibe, had invited him to finish a literature project. She had literally called him earlier.
And it was due tomorrow. Of course, he hadn't written a thing yet. But that didn't worry him.
Why?
Because he had survived something far worse that morning: a fight against Scáthach. Yes, *the* Scáthach. The Queen of Dun Scaith, the hero trainer, the warrior goddess who probably gave anatomy lessons to Hades using her students' bones.
The fight? Intense. Powerful. With so many phases he almost screamed "YOU DIED" in frustration mid-dojo. But he won. Somehow.
Probably because the script was on his side at that moment.
And after that, he deserved a break.
So, naturally, he spent the morning with his Servants. Yes, his Servants. Plural. And yes, he knew it sounded like the start of a questionable doujin, but the reality was… well, not all that different.
First was Ishtar, who dragged him to a local mini-festival because "a victorious warrior deserves fun!" They played at stalls, ate takoyaki, and nearly caused an explosion when she tried to use Maanna as a prize for a ring-toss game. Kazuya had to use EX Charisma and a lot of smooth talking to prevent half the neighborhood from turning into cosmic dust.
Then came Ereshkigal, who took him to an abandoned temple where she sensed a strange spiritual presence. It was just a cat. But the cat now had an altar. And a name. And maybe a cult. Eresh was happy. Kazuya? Still had fur on his clothes.
With Shuten-Douji, he went to a bar… at ten in the morning. Not that it mattered. Shuten had a special talent for turning any hour into a party and any drink into something between nectar and poison. They played cards (she won everything, even when he cheated with Presence Detection) and talked about poetry. Or something that rhymed, at least.
Scáthach, after recovering from their mutual morning beatdown, dragged him for a "light" training session. Which, in Scáthach-speak, meant "let's see if you survive 147 assassination techniques blindfolded with a weight tied to your back." Spoiler: he survived. And even got compliments. And… a kiss. Which was still being processed like a Final Fantasy cutscene.
Finally, Skadi took him for a walk through Kuoh's gardens, where they talked about Lostbelt memories and… feelings. They also had ice cream, which she loved. Skadi didn't talk much, but when she did, it was like a special CG cutscene. And in the end, she kissed him too. Cold and sweet. Like winter bidding a tender farewell. Kazuya also learned more about Asgard's battles than any mythology manual could teach and that green tea ice cream should be illegal for being *that* good.
And the best (or worst) part? Kazuya had given attention to all of them. With perfect balance. Like Thanos with a romantic schedule. No favorites. No preferences. Just… chaos with fair distribution.
Now, back to the present, he finally reached the old building. He stopped on the sidewalk, looked up at the third-floor apartment window, and sighed.
"Okay. A quiet afternoon with Rias. Literature project. That's it. Simple. Normal. Human."
Climbing to the third floor of that old building was almost a mini-event in itself. The stairs creaked in a way that felt straight out of a '90s horror anime, where the protagonist clearly should've turned back and avoided the cursed place. But Kazuya, being the enlightened being he was (according to himself), wasn't fazed by creaks or the feeling that he might trip and become a meme at any moment.
He reached the hallway and looked at his old lair.
He turned the key, pushed the door, and entered. The smell of old wood and cheap incense still lingered in the air. The curtains were half-closed, letting the orange sunset light paint warm streaks across the place.
Kazuya dropped his backpack on the floor and flopped onto the big cushion in the middle of the room, fishing his phone from his pocket like he was drawing a Noble Phantasm.
As he passed the time, switching between anime memes and spoilers for novels he'd sworn not to read because they were far inferior to those from his first life, he heard three knocks on the door. He didn't need to ask who it was. Only one person in Kuoh knocked in that specific way: rhythmic, almost delicate, like someone who knows they're too beautiful to be ignored.
He got up slowly, pocketing his phone, and opened the door.
And there she was.
Rias Gremory.
Vivid red hair cascading like a supernatural shampoo commercial. Kuoh's uniform perfectly aligned, though the top buttons of her blouse were casually undone, as if daring to cause heart attacks. Her breasts—and yes, it was impossible not to notice—seemed to compete with her demonic powers for the title of "weapon of mass destruction."
Kazuya, being a heterosexual human and honestly terrible at hiding certain things, let his gaze linger two seconds longer than socially acceptable. Living among Servants who flaunted their stunning bodies had him thinking with his lower head for a moment—don't judge him. Rias noticed. She smiled that mischievous, half-senpai, half-predator smile.
"Are you going to keep staring, or are you going to invite me in, Kazuya-kun?" she teased, tilting her head slightly.
He gave a half-smile.
"Of course, of course. Welcome to my humble castle," he said, stepping aside to let her in.
Rias entered with the grace of a dating sim heroine at the end of a good route, leaving her shoes by the entrance. She sat on the couch with the ease of someone who already owned the place, while Kazuya settled on the cushion on the floor, crossing his legs.
The comfortable silence lasted about two and a half seconds.
"Why didn't you go to school today? Souna's going to be on your case for a while because of that," she asked, resting her chin on her hand, her gaze curious and almost… playful.
Kazuya shrugged, leaning his arms on his knees.
"Personal issues. I'm ready to face the consequences…"
He gave the answer in that lazy tone he used whenever he wanted to seem mysterious. In truth, he just didn't have the energy to explain that he'd spent the morning fighting a warrior goddess and rescuing a cat that became a spiritual idol.
Rias raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"What kind of issues?"
He smirked, that character smile that clearly knows more than it lets on. Like Lelouch before launching into a philosophical speech about the world. But all he did was reply casually.
"Personal matters. No big deal."
Rias stared at him for two seconds longer than usual. Fixed gaze, soft smile, and the glint of someone hopelessly in love but too afraid to admit it.
"You're full of secrets, Kazuya-kun," she said, almost in a whisper.
He shrugged again.
"It's more fun that way."
Rias crossed her legs slowly, with all the grace of someone who knew exactly the effect she caused, and leaned forward, elbows resting on her knees.
"Was… this personal issue also why you didn't reply to my messages for hours and only texted back fifteen minutes ago saying you were free to continue the project, which is why I'm here?" Rias asked, her voice soft but laced with a hint of… hurt? Maybe just concern. Maybe something more.
From her perspective, it was understandable. Rias had spent the last few hours stuck in a meeting with her Peerage, discussing far less romantic and far more apocalyptic matters. The rumor that fallen angels—the Grigori, to be technical—were moving abnormally in Kuoh had left things tense. She wanted to seem professional, the impeccable heiress her family expected… but her phone buzzed three times during the meeting. Each time, it was a notification of Kazuya gloriously ignoring her existence. She nearly snapped the device in half out of pure demonic frustration.
She wanted to see him. Be with him.
She wanted… other things too. But she was holding back with the dignity of a Gremory.
Now, looking at him sprawled there so casually, she couldn't decide if she wanted to punch him, hug him… or rip his clothes off with her teeth and claws.
Kazuya scratched the back of his neck, looking away like he'd been caught cheating at a gacha pull again. Of course, he knew ignoring her could be taken as a grave offense, almost Grail War-level. But in truth? He was too busy with his Servants, lovers from his second life, meticulously programmed to be that way in his first life.
He let out a theatrical sigh, the kind novel protagonists use before explaining they saved the world while no one was looking.
"Well… you could say that," he replied, still lazily, resting his cheek on his hand. "I was dealing with… things that couldn't wait."
Rias raised an eyebrow, amused and curious. She clearly wanted more details, but part of her also knew this mystery was part of his charm. She let out a low chuckle, almost like a soft bell ringing at dusk.
"I see. As long as you're free now… to make it up to me."
The emphasis on "make it up" carried intentions that would make any anime censor snap their pen in despair.
Kazuya smiled, that "oh God, this is going to be a mess, but it'll be worth it" smile he mastered with finesse.
"Of course. I'll do my best, dear Gremory." He even gave a mock little bow, like an RPG knight in irony mode.
Rias laughed for real this time, and adjusted herself on the couch, grabbing her bag from the side and pulling out a pile of papers that looked like chaotic character sheets.
"So let's get started… before I forget the real reason I came here," she said, but her eyes made it clear the literature project was only 10% of the mission.
Kazuya grabbed a random pen from the floor—probably dropped the last time he studied there (meaning never)—and flopped back onto the cushion.
As Rias began organizing the papers, talking about literary themes and character analysis, Kazuya was just thinking about how his life had basically turned into a wild fusion of *High School DxD*, *Fate/Grand Order*, *Grand Blue*, and *Konosuba*, all at once.
And he wasn't complaining.
I mean, surviving a beatdown with Scáthach in the morning, getting kissed by her and her goddess version, being pampered by an underworld princess, going drinking with a killer oni, and now having the demonic (in the best way) Rias Gremory trying to hide that she wanted to pounce on him at any moment?
If this was an isekai, the author was clearly using hacks.
Kazuya leaned back on the cushion again, looking at Rias with a smile that said, "I'm definitely planning to be an exemplary student now," which was such a blatant lie it would probably break a lie detector on the first beep.
Rias was still staring at him with that half-amused, half "I'm trying to be professional, but you're too handsome for this" expression. She crossed her legs, slowly and casually, like someone who knows they're playing with fire and still pours gasoline just to see the spark.
Kazuya tried to ignore the black panties he glimpsed and focused on their project. He started, "Alright, where did we leave off last time? Genji and Werther…"
"Okay, let's do this," he continued, switching to anime cool-professor mode.
"If we take Genji, from *The Tale of Genji*…" he said, "he's handsome, skilled, full of romantic conquests… but deep down? The guy was a pit of insecurities, trapped by social expectations, and completely incapable of being truly happy."
Rias laughed softly. "Interesting analogy. So his charm was more… an armor?"
Kazuya pointed at her like he was handing out *Genshin Impact* EXP points.
"Exactly. A +10 armor against emotional frustration. His appearance was what everyone saw, the shining prince, but his essence was a lonely guy, screwed over by his own choices."
He paused dramatically, because it was impossible not to dramatize when the sun was lighting the room like that.
"Now Werther, from *The Sorrows of Young Werther*… well, that's basically a depression isekai without the fun part." Kazuya shrugged. "He was pure raw emotion. Didn't try to mask anything. He was handsome, charming, but behind the charm? An emotional abyss worthy of a philosophical seinen anime protagonist."
Rias leaned back on the couch, crossing her arms in a way that highlighted her curves completely by accident (not). Her gaze was fixed on Kazuya, but now it was different. More… proud? Like she was seeing something beyond the hot classmate.
"So," she said, lightly biting the tip of her pen (which made Kazuya's soul practically leave his body for three seconds), "we can put this in our project: that appearance is used as both a shield and a trap. Both Genji and Werther enchant, but what they hide is the real drama."
Kazuya smirked, grabbing his own notebook. Finally, he was feeling like he was in a decent school slice-of-life anime, the kind that ends with a fireworks festival and love confessions in the final scene.
"Perfect. You write, I… provide moral support."
He winked at her, in a tone so casual that if this were a game, it would've leveled up Charisma to EX++.
Rias laughed, shaking her head. "You're impossible."
"I prefer the term 'irresistible.'"
Rias let out a light laugh, still playing with the pen's tip between her teeth (which, frankly, should be considered a war crime against male sanity). She leaned forward again, her eyes gleaming with a mix of amusement and something reminiscent of an elegant predator preparing to pounce.
"You should say more things like that," she said, half-joking, half-serious. "Those sarcastic, half-genius comments of yours… they make everything more interesting."
Kazuya shrugged, as if being simultaneously handsome, smart, and a walking source of internal memes was the most natural thing in the world.
"I do my best to keep the audience awake," he replied, scribbling in his notebook with the energy of someone who had clearly given up on writing anything legible. His notebook probably looked more like a cursed scroll from *Made in Abyss* than academic notes.
Rias was watching him. Not just listening to his words, but… studying. Like a chess player about to make the decisive move.
Every smile of his, every carefree glance, was like gasoline poured on a fire she could barely control. And the worst part? Kazuya didn't even seem to notice the effect he had on her. Or, worse, maybe he did and was having fun with it.
"Well…" Rias began, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear in a dangerously seductive way, "since you're so good at analyzing hidden feelings… how about a little practical analysis?"
Kazuya raised an eyebrow, amused, like he'd just received an interesting side quest in an RPG.
"Like a case study?" he asked, tossing the pen up and catching it without looking. Kakashi cool-mode style, obviously.
"Exactly," she replied, leaning a bit closer, shrinking the distance between them even more. "Analyze, for example… what do you think a girl would think of a classmate who's smart, funny… and absurdly handsome?"
The question was so blatantly obvious that even the narrator of *Kaguya-sama: Love is War* would've blushed.
Kazuya, of course, didn't lose his composure. He smirked, that lazy smile that said, "I see your plan, but I'll pretend I don't to see where this goes."
"Depends," he replied, resting his chin on his hand, casual. "If it's an anime, she'd probably fall in love at first sight. If it's a manga, she'd deny it for a hundred chapters. If it's a visual novel… well, depends on the route."
Rias bit her lower lip for a second, almost unconsciously, and laughed softly.
"You're insufferable…" she said, but her tone was so full of affection it sounded more like "keep making me fall for you, please."
Kazuya just winked.
"I prefer the term 'adaptable.'"
Meanwhile, in the back of her mind, the plan—the secret plan—was moving forward: conquer Kazuya. Make him her Servant. And, if possible, something far beyond that.
Suddenly, Rias reached out and grabbed his notebook—or tried to.
With the reflexes of someone who's played enough FPS to have *Danganronpa* ninja skills, Kazuya quickly pulled the notebook out of her reach, holding it high.
"Hey, academic plagiarism isn't allowed, Miss Gremory…" he teased.
Rias stood up from the couch in a fluid motion and sat next to him on the cushion, so close that her sleeve brushed against his. Her perfume—something floral and dangerously addictive—invaded his senses like a Noble Phantasm activating a Charm buff.
She leaned even closer, her voice dropping on purpose, in full seduction mode.
"Then teach me…" she whispered. "Show me what you wrote… Kazuya-kun."
The use of "-kun" in that tone was almost a low blow.
Kazuya closed the notebook, set it on the floor, and looked straight into her eyes, which were gleaming as if invoking a *Fate* Passive Skill like Seduction A+++.
"I think you're trying to seduce me to get answers," he said, his voice as low as hers.
Rias smiled—a smile of pure provocation.
"Maybe," she said, lightly resting her chin on his shoulder. "Is it working?"
Kazuya let out a husky laugh, the kind that would make even shoujo heroines melt.
"Wrong question…" he murmured. "The real question is: can you handle the consequences?"
The silence between them grew heavy, charged with electricity.
Rias blinked, surprised—not by what he said, but by the audacity behind it. She kept her smile, but inside, a small civil war broke out: part of her wanted to laugh, part wanted to kiss him until he forgot his own name.
Before she could decide which faction would win, Kazuya stood up, grabbed the notebook, and walked calmly to the coffee table. He tossed the notebook there like he was throwing down a challenging flag.
"If you want to see my notes so badly, Rias," he said, fixing his hair in a casually charming way that seemed trained by every shoujo anime protagonist in history, "you'll have to work for it."
Rias raised an eyebrow.
"Work?" she repeated, a dangerous smile on her lips.
"Yup." Kazuya crossed his arms, pretending to be serious. "For every correct answer about what I wrote, you get access to one page."
Rias let out a light laugh, the kind that could convince anyone to sign a Faustian pact without reading the fine print.
"That's absolutely ridiculous…" she said, standing up too, her red hair gleaming in the soft afternoon light.
"Yup…" Kazuya agreed with all the naturalness in the world. "But it's fun, and deep down, you know you'll win. Don't you, Miss Gremory?"
Rias narrowed her eyes at him, her smile growing sharper. Her blue eyes sparkled with a promise of mischief and… something more.
"Then let's play, Kazuya-kun…" she said, her voice caressing the words like silk. "But know one thing."
She leaned in, so close their noses almost touched.
"I don't enter games I don't intend to win."
Kazuya smiled, feeling his blood rush faster than was probably healthy.
"Great," he murmured. "I love unpredictable endings."
For a moment, they stood there, trapped in that bubble of heat, provocation, and something so tense that any shikigami at school would've fled just to avoid being a romantic altar candle.
Then, in a sudden and graceful move, Rias stepped back, grabbed one of the loose sheets from her pile, and started speaking with the calm of someone pretending nothing had just happened.
"First question…" she announced, crossing her legs on the couch again, like the queen she clearly was. "What was Werther's relationship with nature in his emotional downfall?"
Kazuya smirked. Oh, so it was war, he thought.
He sat down too, grabbing another sheet at random, just to pretend he was as studious as he was handsome.
"Simple…" he said, as if it were obvious. "Nature, for Werther, was a mirror. In happy moments, he saw beauty in everything; in painful moments, he saw nature as a kind of open-air funeral. Everything around him amplified what he felt inside."
Rias stared at him in silence for a second, then raised the sheet like a talent show judge.
"Correct answer," she said, feigning a formal tone. "You've earned access to one page."
Kazuya struck a dramatic pose, clutching his chest as if he'd received a medal of honor.
"It's a great honor, Miss Gremory," he said with an exaggerated bow.
Rias laughed, a genuine laugh that warmed Kazuya's chest in a way no battle against gods or crazy Servants could replicate.
As they continued, the questions and answers became mere background. The real game was something else—made of lingering glances, disguised smiles, and a growing tension that not even the most epic anime battles could dispel. It's in moments like these that Rias remembers she's also an otaku.
After nearly two hours of studying, which felt more like emotional torture for Rias, she finally closed the notebook with a decisive snap.
"Done!" she announced, her voice too sweet to hide the anxiety pulsing behind her intense blue eyes. "We're finished for today…"
Kazuya, completely oblivious to the hurricane of desires she hid beneath that polite smile, just nodded, half-distracted, thinking he'd survived the afternoon without major issues.
"Kazuya-kun… if you only knew what I'm thinking…" Rias thought, discreetly licking her dry lips.
With slow, calculated movements, she stood up from the chair. Her uniform skirt, already short by design, rode up even higher as she bent to pick up her bag from the floor. In a cruelly perfect moment, she "accidentally" revealed white panties adorned with a blue bow… exactly as she'd planned when getting dressed that morning.
Kazuya froze.
"Got you…"
Rias smiled inwardly.
She slung the bag over her shoulder, still facing away from him, lingering on purpose, feeling the heat rise through her body.
"I'm heading out, Kazuya… I'm looking forward to our presentation tomorrow," she said, her voice coming out huskier than intended. "Thanks… for today."
When she turned, her eyes gleamed for a brief second—a hungry, carnal glint that only didn't give everything away because Kazuya was too busy fighting to breathe.
"See you soon, okay?" she added, winking subtly before leaving, leaving behind not just the scent of her sweet perfume… but a sexual tension dense enough to suffocate an archangel.
Kazuya stood still, feeling he might urgently need a cold shower.
______________________
Hello, readers!
First of all, thank you so much to everyone who has been following the story so far. I know the last 20 chapters had a more introductory pace — focusing on the characters, their relationships, and the world around them — but I can assure you: everything was planned with purpose.
Starting from the next chapters, the supernatural side will begin to emerge strongly. The main plot will finally take shape, and the story will enter a new phase, more intense, filled with twists and surprising revelations. Everything that seemed subtle or "just a detail"... will start to fall into place.
Get ready for some jaw-dropping plot twists. Nothing is as it seems, and you'll realize that everything has been carefully built up to this point. The game is about to change — and the true heart of the story will be revealed.
Oh, and if you're eager and want to get ahead...
Consider supporting the project on my [Patreon]! There, you can read up to 5 chapters in advance, as well as gain access to exclusive content, drafts, spoilers, polls, and behind-the-scenes material.
In addition, your support makes a huge difference in my life. I'm dealing with some personal difficulties (such as partial hearing loss and other challenges), so every contribution helps me keep writing with dedication and keep this dream alive.
If you'd like to help and dive even deeper into this universe, here's the link:
patreon.com/Adam_Kadmon
Thank you for being with me on this journey. Now, at last... the real story begins.