Point of View: Issei
The next morning came like an emotional hangover.
Issei woke up staring at the high ceiling of Hajime's mansion, sunlight streaming through the large windows. The events of the previous night felt like a vivid nightmare — and yet, far too real to be dismissed.
"I almost died…" he muttered to himself, sitting up on the couch where he had slept. "And Yuma... never existed."
His heart ached. The mix of fear and confusion still lingered, but something new had begun to stir inside him: curiosity. About Raynare. About the world he never imagined existed. About Hajime.
A short while later, he found his friend in the kitchen, already dressed in the Kuoh Academy uniform. Hajime was preparing a simple breakfast: toast, eggs, and tea.
"Did you sleep well?" Hajime asked, not lifting his eyes from the frying pan.
"You're asking if I slept well after almost getting killed?" Issei replied, crossing his arms.
"Fair enough." Hajime served the plates and sat down at the table. "Eat. You'll need the energy."
"Energy for what?" Issei also sat. "I don't have... wings or light spears! I'm just a normal guy!"
Hajime looked at him for a moment before responding:
"Not anymore."
Issei choked on his tea.
"What?"
Hajime leaned back in the chair. His gaze was serious, yet unhurried.
"You saw what she was. A Fallen Angel. And if she tried to kill you, it's because there's something inside you she wanted. Something even you don't know about yet."
"That's ridiculous! I'm just... Issei! A regular dude!"
"Not all power awakens early. Some need a trigger."
Issei fell silent. The words echoed in his mind. A trigger… could that attempted murder have been the spark?
"So… the world is full of this stuff? Fallen angels, magic, all this... craziness?"
Hajime nodded.
"Demons, angels, dragons, sacred and profane beings. Some live among humans. Others watch from afar. They all have their own agendas. And now, you're on the board."
Issei rested his elbows on the table and buried his face in his hands.
"This is way too much for me, man..."
"I know," Hajime said calmly. "But you're not alone. I'll protect you. And I'll train you."
Issei looked up, confused.
"Train? Are you turning me into a warrior or something?"
Hajime smiled — just barely.
"If you want to stay alive... yes."
Point of View: Rias
In the Occult Research Club room, Rias Gremory stared at her chessboard. The pieces were arranged as usual, but today... something was off. A new piece had appeared — one that didn't belong to either side.
"Hajime Nagumo..." she murmured, touching a white pawn.
"Still thinking about him?" Akeno asked, entering with a tray of tea.
"He intrigues me. The energy I felt... it wasn't familiar. Not demonic, not celestial. It was something... primordial."
Akeno served the tea with her usual elegance and sat on the arm of Rias's sofa.
"Maybe he's a half-breed with a rare lineage. Or something even older."
Rias shook her head.
"Whatever he is, he protected Issei Hyoudou. And made Raynare retreat."
"Are you still planning to recruit Issei?"
"Yes. But now… I want to know what Hajime is. He's hidden this power for a long time. I want to know why. And what made him reveal it now."
The blue fire flickered in the fireplace as Rias pondered. She knew the chess match was shifting. And she wanted to understand exactly who had just joined the game.
Point of View: Hajime
On the way to school, Hajime watched Issei closely. The boy was clearly shaken but was making an effort to appear normal. Maybe he was even trying to convince himself that everything had been a delusion.
"Issei, I need you to keep what happened a secret. For now."
"Even if someone asked me... who would believe it?"
Hajime nodded. But he knew that soon, someone would ask. Someone who already knew more than they should.
At the school gate, the figure of Rias Gremory awaited them.
She stood alone, leaning against a tree, as if she'd been waiting for hours.
"Hajime. Issei," she said with a courteous smile. "May I speak with you for a moment?"
Issei froze.
"M-me? With the president of the most popular club in school?!"
Rias ignored his nervousness. Her eyes were fixed on Hajime.
"I have some questions. About last night."
Hajime remained steady, his expression calm.
"Then let's talk."
"In private," she added.
Hajime cast a glance at Issei, who simply nodded, still in shock from being so close to someone like Rias.
Rias led Hajime to an empty room at the back of the school building. Inside, she closed the door and conjured a magical isolation seal.
"Just as a precaution," she explained.
"Understandable," Hajime replied.
She turned to face him.
"What are you, Hajime Nagumo?"
Hajime was silent for a few seconds.
"Someone who no longer belongs to this world," he finally said.
Rias narrowed her eyes.
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only one you'll get for now."
She took a deep breath, trying to maintain her composure. It was clear Hajime was no ordinary person. And not someone easy to read.
"Very well. But know that you've drawn attention. Including mine. I don't like mysteries in my school."
"I don't like being watched either," Hajime shot back.
They stared at each other for a few moments. Neither flinched.
"You saved Issei. So I'll assume, for now, that you're on our side. But if that changes..."
"I don't need veiled threats, Gremory," he said, turning to leave. "I protect those who are mine. That's all that matters."
Rias watched him go, her mind racing.
"Who are you, really, Hajime...?" she whispered to herself before deactivating the seal and exiting the room.
To be continued...