Opening the door, I found Rias Gremory and her peerage standing on the doorstep. I didn't have to look twice to know this wasn't going to be some casual visit. Rias was all business, her eyes sharp, assessing me from head to toe as if trying to figure me out in an instant. Her peerage stood behind her, quiet but alert, as always.
Don't tell me they are here to kill me?
Rias didn't waste any time and asked "Kazuya, we need to talk about last night."
I already knew what she was talking about. The abandoned building, the ice, the mess I'd made. I'd been hoping it would blow up but not this soon, she could have waited till the next day, I wonder what made her act so fast.
"What about last night?" I asked.
She stepped closer with an unwavering gaze "The building behind Kuoh Mall was covered in ice. Care to explain?"
I blinked, my mind racing. She was getting straight to the point, and damn, I wasn't prepared for this. I didn't want to admit what happened, but there was no way I could talk my way out of it. She wasn't buying my act. I wasn't sure if it was because she was too smart, or if I was just terrible at hiding things. It's probably the later one.
"I don't know what you mean," I said, feigning ignorance to her words.
"Kazuya, don't lie to me. The level of destruction was far beyond anything normal. It wasn't just some random magician causing a little trouble" She said, arms crossed over her chest "The only one using ice powers lately in this town is you"
Okay, so I wasn't getting out of this one. I could feel my options getting slim. Deny it, and they'd probably dig deeper. Lie further, and I'd only make it worse. It wasn't like I wanted to keep this a secret.
I sighed heavily, my shoulders slumping as the weight of the situation pressed down on me. There was no point in dragging it out anymore. "Fine," I muttered, running a hand through my hair. "You're right. I went to train there. The building's abandoned, and I thought it'd be a good spot to practice without causing any problems. But I didn't expect a stray devil to show up out of nowhere. It escalated faster than I anticipated."
Rias still looked at me like she was analysing every word, but she didn't interrupt, which meant I hadn't completely lost her trust… yet. Not that I cared.
"Just training, huh?" Rias asked, her voice softer now, but there was still a flicker of doubt in her eyes. "And you didn't think to inform about it to us? What if you have gotten into more trouble after that fight?"
I shifted uncomfortably, as I tried to form a response "I was just trying to keep a low profile"
Rias stayed quiet for a moment, considering my words. I could tell she wasn't completely satisfied, but she wasn't pressing me for more details either. Yet.
She finally sighed and shook her head. "That's not why I'm here, though."
I blinked, a little confused. "Then… why?"
She stepped closer, lowering her voice. "Fallen angels are in town."
I know.
"Fallen angels…" I asked "How many?"
"I don't know yet," she said, her voice calm but laced with concern. "But they're dangerous, Kazuya. If they catch wind of you, you'll either end up caught in their schemes or worse, in their crossfire. You need to be careful."
I nodded, trying to keep my composure, but inside I was on high alert. Fallen angels weren't just another group to deal with. They were cunning, manipulative, and relentless. If they found out I was in town, it wouldn't be long before I become their target—whether I wanted it or not. That was the last thing I needed right now.
"Thanks for the concern, I appreciate that. I would stay away from them" I lied.
Rias seemed to relax a little, though I could tell she wasn't entirely convinced. She probably thought I wasn't taking this seriously enough, but what else could I do? The last thing I needed was to act paranoid and tip my hand.
There was another pause. Then Rias gave me an awkward smile. "By the way, if you would have refused my warning, I was planning on asking you to spar with one of my peerage members. It'd help you understand just how dangerous things could get."
I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. Spar with one of her peerage members? Really? "You were gonna make me fight just to prove a point?"
She chuckled awkwardly. "Well, it's not like that. I thought you'd outright refuse… so I wanted you to understand the level of danger you're dealing with."
I crossed my arms, feeling a smirk tug at my lips despite the situation. "I appreciate the concern, but I don't fight unless someone gives me a reason to. I'm not exactly looking for more trouble."
Rias's expression softened, and she nodded, her smile returning, a little more thoughtful now "Fair enough. Just… stay safe, okay? You don't want to end up on the wrong side of this."
I gave a quick nod. "Thanks, Rias. I'll keep it in mind."
Before they could turn to leave, Rias paused and looked back at me. I could see the concern still lingering in her eyes.
"Kazuya," she said, her tone more serious than before. "I just… I want you to understand that I'm concerned for you" She paused "Last week, one of the students here in Kuoh… was murdered by fallen angels."
I blinked, the words hitting me like a cold splash of water. My heart skipped a beat before my mind caught up with the revelation. One of the students? That could only mean one person.
Issei Hyoudou. The protagonist.
A part of me wanted to react—to show some surprise or disbelief—but I kept my expression carefully neutral. I couldn't let her see my thoughts. There was no reason for her to suspect that I already knew the full extent of what was going on. So, I just nodded, keeping my face calm, controlled. It's not like we were close.
"Really?" I asked, my voice steady.
Rias's eyes darkened slightly, a faint hint of pain flickering there. "Yeah. The fallen angels… They killed him. He was second year student, Issei. I didn't want to make you worry, but I figured you should know…so you can understand they are not weak"
Well Issei is weak in his case, I doubt that I would have same fate if I fought Raynare one on one.
I took a deep breath, calming down the strange sense of unease rising inside me.
Issei Hyoudou is dead. The guy who was supposed to save the day, the one who kept everything from falling apart is gone.
Wait a minute. The entire plot just got balls punched with that piece of information. Without Issei, without him being around to carry out whatever ridiculous fate had been set for him, everything would change. The connections with the church, the Rating Game, the battle with Riser Phenex… everything that came afterward would likely be scrambled. How much of the future would mess up from what I'd seen?
But I didn't voice any of those thoughts aloud. I'd learned a long time ago that no matter what I thought, things weren't going to go my way all the time. As for Rias, she wasn't looking for answers—she was just giving me a warning so I must reply it like that.
"I appreciate the concern, Rias," I said, forcing the words out with sincerity "I'll be careful"
Issei's death changes everything. The future's going to be messed up, and the world will likely be in chaos soon enough without its savior. But I can't worry about that. What's done is done. Life keeps moving, and I have to move with it. World will take care of itself and I should too.
I sighed. It was strange to think that the one guy who had been central to everything was no longer part of it. But at the end of the day, it wasn't my problem. The plot would adapt to its new circumstances, whether I wanted it to or not. I had my own path to follow. He died so what? If I died, would he have worried for me? Absolutely not.
"Thanks for the info," I said, keeping it simple "I'll keep an eye out, but I'm not looking for any unnecessary fights."
Rias nodded, her expression a mixture of concern and resolve "Just be careful, Kazuya" She said "I'm serious. If you change your mind about joining me, then please do tell"
She is unreasonably kind but I can't tell if it's genuine or manipulative one. Peerage scheme sounds scam closer you look at it, but if you like it then so be it because I don't.
I waved them off, the words already fading in my mind. Issei's death was a surprise but I couldn't let it shake me. I wasn't going to dwell on a problem that wasn't mine to fix.
As I closed the door behind them, I exhaled deeply, leaning against it for a moment.
And then, as a wave of relief washed over me, I remembered something: Freed. I had ended him last night—quietly, without anyone else knowing. The fact that Rias hadn't even mentioned him made me sigh with relief. My secret was still safe, at least for now. I didn't want anyone—especially Rias—knowing I'd killed him. It would have made things more complicated.
But the danger was still there and I couldn't ignore it. The fallen angels were in town, and if they found out I'd already taken one of their own out, that could complicate things even more. But it all comes down to if they find about it.
If all witnesses are dead, then who is gonna tell?
And for now, I wasn't going to waste any more time thinking about how it would all unfold. My focus needed to be on the present—not the distant, uncertain future. The world would change with or without me. All I had to do was walk forward carefully.
I gave one last glance to where they were, then walked into the living room, leaving behind the weight of the revelations and face whatever came next.
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