The school day passed uneventfully-at least, until gym class.
Ryusei used the time wisely, knocking out 100 squats and her 10km run while everyone else took a more relaxed approach. By the time she finished, her legs were trembling, and she collapsed onto the grass, completely drained.
"Hah...ha... I'm so dead..."
Her classmates, on the other hand, were staring at her like she was an alien.
"Did she really just do all that!?"
"Who the hell runs 10 kilometers in gym!?"
"And still did squats!?"
Even the gym teacher raised an eyebrow. "Huh. You aiming for a sports scholarship or something?"
Ryusei weakly waved him off. No, just trying not to get eaten alive in the penalty zone...
As she caught her breath, the [Daily Quest Completed!] notification popped up in her vision.
———————————————————
[Daily Quest Completed!]
[Choose One Reward:]
[Loot Box]
[Full Recovery]
[+3 Stat Points]
———————————————————
She stared at the options for a moment. 'I should probably take the Full Recovery... but what if I need it later?'
With a groan, she dismissed the screen. 'I'll pick later.'
Lunchtime rolled around, and just as Ryusei was about to find a quiet spot to eat, a young bespectacled woman with long straight black hair that extends all the way down to her knees, with split bangs and heterochromic eyes, with a violet left eye and a light brown right eye approached Ryusei.
Tsubaki Shinra. The Vice President of the Student Council and Queen of Sona Sitri's peerage.
"Okkotsu Ryusei?"
Ryusei blinked up at her. "Uh... yeah?"
"You need to finish signing some paperwork for your enrollment," Tsubaki stated, adjusting her glasses.
"Okay, lead the way."
As she followed behind Tsubaki, she noticed the vice president's gaze flickering toward her chest-specifically, the [Blessed Silver Cross] necklace resting against her hoodie.
Tsubaki's brows furrowed slightly, and for a moment, Ryusei felt a faint, almost instinctive pressure radiating from the older girl.
Ryusei tilted her head. "Something wrong?"
Tsubaki hesitated before shaking her head. "No. Just... curious."
Ryusei shrugged. Weird.
Little did she realize that the small holy aura from her necklace was what caught Tsubaki's attention.
{Student Council Room}
When they arrived at the Student Council Room, Ryusei immediately noticed the calm presence of Sona Sitri, the Student Council President and Heiress to the Sitri Clan of the 72 Pillars.
Sona glanced up from a stack of documents, adjusting her glasses. "Ah, Okkotsu-san. Thank you for coming."
"No problem..." Ryusei muttered, sitting in a chair.
"Yes. Just a few last-minute details."
As Ryusei picked up a pen and started signing, both Sona and Tsubaki subtly observed her.
The faint holy power radiating from the silver cross around her neck hadn't gone unnoticed.
As Ryusei scribbled her signature on the last of the paperwork, she discreetly activated her [Appraisal] skill, letting her gaze sweep over both Sona and Tsubaki.
———————————————————
[Appraisal Activated]
———————————————————
———————————————————
[Name: Sona Sitri]
[Race: Pureblood Devil (72 Pillars - Sitri Clan)]
[Level: 58]
[Bloodline Skill: [Water Magic]
———————————————————
———————————————————
[Name: Tsubaki Shinra]
[Race: Reincarnated Devil (Sitri Queen)]
[Level: 45]
[Sacred Gear: [Mirror Alice]
———————————————————
Ryusei made sure to finish up the last few pages before sliding the documents back across the table. "That should be everything, right?" she asked casually.
Sona nodded, watching her closely. "Yes. Thank you for your time, Okkotsu-san."
With a simple nod, Ryusei stood up and exited the room, but she could feel their eyes lingering on her.
Once Ryusei had left, Sona leaned back in her chair, her fingers interlocking as she rested her chin atop them.
Tsubaki adjusted her glasses. "Did you feel it too, Kaichou?"
Sona hummed in thought. "The faint holy aura? Yes. It was coming from that necklace she was wearing."
"A relic from the Church?"
"Possibly." Sona tapped her fingers against the desk. "But what intrigues me more... is her surname. Okkotsu."
Tsubaki frowned. "It does sound familiar."
Sona closed her eyes for a moment, then smirked slightly. "I have a feeling we should keep an eye on her."
{Later}
Ryusei was happy when the school day had finally ended. She slung her bag over her shoulder and stretched, grateful that tomorrow was Saturday.
I can finally relax...
But as she walked home, her thoughts kept drifting to Issei.
Sunday... that's the day.
The day Issei would go on his date with Yuuma-no, with Raynare. The day he would die... only to be resurrected by Rias Gremory and reborn as a devil.
Ryusei sighed. "Should I interfere...?"
She wasn't exactly sure yet.
As soon as she entered the house, the smell of freshly cooked food greeted her.
She walked into the kitchen and saw her older sister, Haruka Okkotsu, packing herself a bento.
Haruka glanced up, smiling softly. "Welcome home, Ryusei."
"Hey, Nee-san," Ryusei said, setting her bag down. "Night shift again?"
Haruka nodded. "Yeah. I probably won't be back until morning. Make sure you eat properly, okay?"
Ryusei rolled her eyes. "I'm not a kid, you know."
Haruka smirked. "You say that, but you still look like a lost puppy when you wake up in the morning."
Ryusei pouted but didn't argue. Instead, she sat down at the table, watching as her sister carefully arranged her bento.
Haruka glanced at her. "You okay? You look deep in thought."
Ryusei forced a small smile. "Just tired. Long day."
Haruka didn't pry. Instead, she gave Ryusei a quick hug before grabbing her things. "Alright, I'm heading out. Don't stay up too late."
"I won't."
As soon as the door closed behind her, Ryusei pulled up her system screen.
———————————————————
[Daily Quest Completed Rewards:]
[Loot Box]
[Full Recovery]
[+3 Stat Points]
———————————————————
After a moment of consideration, she selected the Loot Box.
A small, glowing chest appeared in front of her.
———————————————————
[You have received: E-rank Dungeon Key]
———————————————————
Ryusei's eyes widened.
———————————————————
[Dungeon Key (E-Rank)]
A key that can create an Instant Dungeon at a designated location. Use it at a train station.
———————————————————
Her heart started pounding.
This could be her chance to train.
Her grip tightened around the key as she made a decision.
"I need to get stronger before Sunday."
Ryusei reached into her inventory and pulled out the D-Rank Skill Book she had received earlier.
The cover had strange markings, and just touching it sent a weird pulse of energy through her fingertips.
"Alright, let's see what this does."
She took a deep breath and activated it.
The book glowed brightly, then burst into particles of pink light, surrounding her body.
A strange warmth flooded her veins, followed by a sudden wave of cold.
———————————————————
[You have learned a new skill: Basic Curse Energy Manipulation (D-Rank)]
———————————————————
Ryusei's eyes widened. Curse Energy...?
She could feel something within her now, like a swirling dark aura coiling in her chest, waiting to be used.
When she raised her hand, faint pink-black wisps of energy flickered between her fingers before quickly fading.
"This... is going to take some getting used to."
Now that she has a new skill, she needs to prepare for tomorrow.
She pulled out a backpack and started packing the essentials:
-Water bottles
-A flashlight
-A first-aid kit
-Her new C-Rank Katana
She also made sure to wear her silver cross necklace. Even if it didn't do much, it gave her some passive protection against devils and demonic energy.
By the time she was finished, it was late at night.
Ryusei sat on her bed, staring at the green dungeon key in her palm.
"An E-Rank Dungeon... I should be fine, right?"
Her grip tightened.
"No. I can't be weak anymore. If I want to survive in this world, I have to grow stronger-fast."
She tucked the key into her pocket, lay down, and closed her eyes.