PROLOGUE — THE GODDESS AND THE BOY WHO WOULDN'T BREAK
Chris Green didn't expect to die on a quiet night.
One moment he was walking home, hoodie pulled tight against the cold, replaying the day in his head. The next, headlights cut through the darkness—too fast, too close—and instinct only gave him time to turn his head before everything went white.
No pain.
No fear.
Just… nothing.
Then he opened his eyes.
He wasn't on the street anymore. He wasn't anywhere he recognized. He stood in a vast, star‑filled space, like the night sky had swallowed him whole. Galaxies drifted lazily in the distance. Light shimmered under his feet like water.
And someone was waiting for him.
A woman sat on a throne of light, her presence warm and overwhelming at the same time. She looked young and ancient all at once—golden eyes, hair like starlight, a calm smile that felt like it could unravel every fear he'd ever had.
"Chris Green," she said softly, as if she'd known him forever. "You died."
He swallowed. "…Yeah. I figured."
"You are remarkably calm."
"I'm dead. Freaking out won't change that."
Her smile widened, pleased. "That is exactly why I chose you."
Chris blinked. "Chose me for what?"
"For a second life," she said. "A better one. A dangerous one. A world where gods walk, dragons roar, and devils rule from the shadows. A world you already know."
His heart skipped. "High School DxD…?"
"Yes." She rose from her throne, light swirling around her. "You will be reborn there. As yourself. With your memories. With your heart unchanged."
"Why me?"
"Because you are kind," she said simply. "Because you refuse to harm the innocent. Because you carry pain without letting it turn you cruel. Because you have the strength to love deeply… and be loved in return."
Heat rose to his face. "That's… a lot of faith to put in someone like me."
"It is not faith," she said. "It is certainty."
A small sphere of light floated toward him, pulsing gently.
"This is my gift to you. A system that will grow with you. It will not make you a god overnight. It will not hand you power without effort. But it will give you the chance to survive… and to change the fate of many."
Chris reached out. The light touched his palm and sank into his chest, warm and steady like a heartbeat.
He exhaled shakily. "So I'm really going to DxD."
"You are," she said. "And you will not walk alone. Many hearts will be drawn to yours. Many souls will choose you. Not because of destiny… but because of who you are."
He didn't understand what she meant—not yet.
But he would.
"Live well, Chris Green," the goddess whispered. "Love fiercely. Protect those who choose you. And when the time comes… build a world worthy of your heart."
The light around him flared.
His vision blurred.
And the last thing he heard before everything faded was her gentle voice:
"Your new life begins now."