Morning Routine – A New Day
Sunlight spilled through the curtains as the alarm clock buzzed insistently. Yuuji Hyoudou's hand shot out, silencing it before Issei even stirred in the adjacent room. The familiar soreness in his muscles was gone—replaced with a new tension, like a coiled spring waiting to be unleashed.
Yuuji sat up, stretching until his joints popped lightly. The System Interface glowed softly in his mind:
[HP: 100%]
[Shadow Soldiers: 2 Active]
Wolf (Lv. 1) | Crow (Lv. 1)
His battle against Raynare had left more than a physical scar. It had sharpened his instincts, made him realize that the world he lived in was teetering on a knife's edge. And he needed to be ready.
Downstairs, the scent of grilled fish and miso soup drifted up. Family always came first.
Even if the world was falling apart, Yuuji reminded himself, some things must never change.
Family Breakfast – Bonds Before Battles
At the dining table, the usual chaos reigned.
Issei sat slumped over a steaming bowl of rice, groaning dramatically.
"I swear, school's just a government conspiracy to crush our youth…"
Mrs. Hyoudou playfully bopped him on the head with a ladle. "Eat first, rebel later."
Mr. Hyoudou chuckled behind his newspaper. "If you think school's bad, wait till you start working."
Yuuji smiled quietly, savoring the familiar rhythm. He slipped into his chair, offering a polite, "Itadakimasu."
His mother watched him closely. "You're different lately," she said, frowning slightly. "Not in a bad way. Just… sharper."
Yuuji paused mid-bite. "I'm just trying harder. I want to be someone who can protect the people he loves."
The table fell silent for a heartbeat.
Then Issei whooped dramatically. "Bro's turning into a manga protagonist! Next thing you know, he'll have a harem too!"
Yuuji nearly choked on his rice.
Not if I can help it, he thought dryly.
Still, the warmth filling the kitchen was real—and precious. It anchored him more firmly than any power ever could.
After breakfast, their mother pressed a small charm into Yuuji's palm.
"For protection," she said simply.
He squeezed it gently, tucking it into his blazer pocket before heading to school.
First Period – Whispers and Shadows
Kuoh Academy buzzed with energy as Yuuji made his way through the main gates. Spring air carried the scent of blooming sakura, and chatter filled the corridors.
Yet Yuuji's sharpened Perception caught something beneath the surface—an undercurrent of tension. Students glancing nervously over their shoulders. Whispers that died when teachers passed by.
Rumors.
Of strange sightings. Dark figures on rooftops. Sudden chills. Dreams of wings—both angelic and monstrous.
Even if they didn't know it, the students sensed the truth:
The supernatural world was brushing against theirs.
In Literature class, Mrs. Kondo introduced a new project: Analyzing Heroic Archetypes in Modern Media.
Perfect.
Yuuji's mind raced with ideas—not of spandex-clad comic heroes, but real ones: warriors who fought without glory, who bled for the unseen battles.
He scrawled in his notebook:
"True heroes walk unseen."
Across the aisle, the timid girl he'd noticed before—Yumi Tachibana—offered him a small, encouraging smile.
Maybe, he thought, normal life still had its own kind of magic.
Lunch – Club Invitations
By lunchtime, Yuuji found a neat envelope tucked into his locker.
Elegant red wax sealed it, bearing the insignia of the Demonology Research Club.
Opening it carefully, he read:
"**Mr. Hyoudou,
We cordially invite you to our first off-campus investigation trip. Attendance is voluntary but highly encouraged.
Please meet after classes in the old school building.
Rias Gremory**"
Yuuji raised an eyebrow.
Off-campus?
This was no ordinary afterschool club.
Still, curiosity—and pragmatism—won out. He slipped the letter into his jacket and headed for the cafeteria.
At the lunch table, Matsuda and Motohama argued over the merits of "research clubs" (read: clubs with cute upperclassmen) while Issei daydreamed openly.
"Bro, you HAVE to go!" Issei elbowed Yuuji. "Rias-senpai personally invited you. That's, like, being handpicked by the goddess of Kuoh Academy!"
Yuuji chuckled. "It's just a club meeting."
But deep down, he knew it was something more.
Something dangerous.
And necessary.
After School – The Crimson Queen's Invitation
The old school building stood apart from the main campus—weathered but sturdy, a place forgotten by most students.
Yuuji arrived at the designated time, finding Akeno waiting by the doors, her serene smile masking something mischievous.
"Welcome, Yuuji-kun," she said, voice lilting. "Please, follow me."
Inside, the Demonology Clubroom was lavish: Victorian furniture, velvet curtains, ancient tomes lining polished mahogany shelves.
Rias Gremory sat behind a large desk, sipping tea like royalty at court.
Beside her stood Kiba Yuuto, the club's "prince," and Koneko Toujou, the silent, catlike underclassman.
"Thank you for coming," Rias said, setting her teacup down with a soft clink. "We have an important task tonight. Something… unusual."
She rose, the room's air seeming to bend around her.
"We believe a rift is forming. A tear between dimensions. Likely caused by the instability of… visitors from another world."
Yuuji's blood ran cold.
Multiverse instability?
Was this related to his own System?
Rias continued, unaware of his internal turmoil. "Our investigation site is near the abandoned church you know of. If left unchecked, such tears could allow… unwanted things to slip through."
Monsters. Otherworlders. Worse.
Yuuji nodded. "I'm in."
He had to be.
Because if there was even a chance this tear was related to him…
He needed to find it first.
The Investigation Begins – Beneath Crimson Skies
Night fell swiftly.
Yuuji, along with the club members, made their way to the outskirts of town. The old church loomed ahead—silent, broken, yet somehow watching.
The moon hung low, stained crimson by thin clouds.
They moved in formation: Kiba scouting ahead, Koneko guarding the rear, Akeno watching the skies. Yuuji stayed close to Rias, who murmured low instructions.
Their footsteps crunched over broken glass and gravel.
Inside the shattered nave, shadows stretched like skeletal fingers.
Suddenly—
[Alert: Spatial Distortion Detected.]
The System flared in Yuuji's mind.
At the altar, a swirling rift shimmered into existence—barely visible to the naked eye, but humming with energy.
Rias raised a hand. "Prepare yourselves."
The air grew heavy. The scent of ozone thickened.
Then—
They came.
Creatures with twisted wings and razor claws, born from no natural world, slithered forth from the rift.
Yuuji barely had time to summon his wolf and crow before the battle began.
Battle Under Blood Moon
Kiba charged first, a sword of holy light forming in his hands. He danced through the enemy ranks like a whirlwind, blades flashing.
Koneko smashed through a lumbering brute with bare fists, her strength monstrous despite her size.
Akeno unleashed arcs of black lightning, each strike precise and deadly.
Yuuji found himself facing two smaller creatures alone—lithe, spined horrors that clicked and hissed.
He stood firm.
[Skill Activation: Shadow Wolf – Howl of Fear]
His summoned wolf let out a piercing howl. One creature faltered, giving Yuuji an opening.
He lunged, driving a sharpened piece of shadow into its heart.
The other monster leapt—
—only for the crow to slam into its face, clawing and blinding it momentarily.
Yuuji finished it with a decisive thrust.
Panting, he stood victorious.
[EXP Gained: +100]
[Level Up! Level 3 → Level 4]
+2 Strength | +1 Agility | +1 Intelligence
Yet the rift pulsed, growing larger, more unstable.
Rias frowned, her crimson hair billowing.
"We must seal it—now!"
She began chanting in a language Yuuji didn't recognize—harsh, musical, ancient.
The rift shuddered violently.
From its depths, a single hand emerged—silver-skinned, clawed.
Something bigger was trying to force its way through.
Without hesitation, Yuuji dove forward, slamming both palms against the rift, channeling his own shadow energy into it.
The world blurred.
Pain lanced through him—but he held firm.
Rias finished the chant.
With a deafening crack, the rift imploded, sucking the clawed hand back into nothingness.
Silence fell.
The battle was over.
For now.
Aftermath – Trust Forged in Battle
Back at the clubroom, Rias poured him tea with her own hands—a rare honor.
"You fought well," she said simply.
Kiba clapped his shoulder. "You have natural instincts."
Koneko offered a rare nod of approval.
Akeno leaned closer, whispering, "You're quite the mystery, Yuuji-kun."
Yuuji smiled faintly. "Just doing what needs to be done."
Inwardly, though, he knew it was more than that.
The multiverse was stirring.
And he—reborn, armed with the Solo Leveling System—was at its center.
He sipped his tea, savoring the warmth.
For tonight, at least, they had won.
But crimson skies still loomed over Kuoh Academy.
And the true storm had yet to break.
End of Chapter 4