After a few minutes passed, Yuuma's voice drifted from the changing room.
"Takeyo-san? Are you okay? My hands are getting sore holding this pose~~"
"Almost done... just a moment more," Takeyo replied, carefully adjusting the straps.
He'd selected a particular style for Yuuma, a back-clasp design that required assistance to put on properly. Since she couldn't manage it alone, Takeyo had naturally entered the changing room to help.
"Ahem... there we go," he said, stepping back.
"So... what do you think, Takeyo-san?" Yuuma asked carefully, her voice uncharacteristically hesitant.
She didn't quite understand what had come over her today. Perhaps it was Takeyo's natural charisma, that quality she found impossible to refuse.
They'd only just met a few hours ago, yet here she was acting completely out of character.
Yuuma Amano, how did you become such a shameless girl? she thought, a genuine flush of embarrassment coloring her cheeks as she questioned her own behavior.
Perhaps she didn't realize how powerfully Takeyo's incarnations affected those around him.
[Buddha Shakyamuni]
The power of Buddha Shakyamuni naturally drew the weak to believe in and follow him. Under the influence of this divine authority, the relationship between Yuuma and Takeyo had warmed to a level that Yuuma herself couldn't have imagined possible.
This man... he's actually not bad, she thought, surprising herself with the admission. Maybe I shouldn't kill him after all. If I get the chance, perhaps I could convince him to become a Fallen Angel instead.
"It looks excellent," Takeyo said truthfully. "We'll take this one. I'll ask the clerk to pack it up for you."
Half an hour later, Takeyo carried several shopping bags and had the clerk deliver them to Yuuma's current residence.
The situation felt increasingly surreal. He'd originally intended to make this quick, but Yuuma had somehow managed to keep him engaged far longer than he'd anticipated.
In Japan, school typically ended between three and four o'clock. Yuuma's chosen nameー"Yuuma"ーcarried the kanji for "evening" because she'd planned to kill Issei at dusk, when the setting sun painted the world in shades of red and gold.
But now it was seven o'clock, and the sky had fully darkened.
"Thank you, Takeyo-san~~~" Yuuma said warmly, naturally linking her arm through his as they exited the lingerie boutique.
However, fate proved unpredictable.
Shortly after leaving the shop, they came face-to-face with a blonde girl.
Takeyo immediately sensed the powerful sacred energy radiating from her, at least at the level of a High-Class Devil.
Her blue eyes, visible beneath golden hair, radiated an aura of righteous determination and martial discipline.
She wore an orange dress that, despite its color, couldn't conceal the strong heroic spirit that seemed to emanate from her very being. The combination created a unique charm, feminine yet fierce.
"A Fallen Angel~~~ Ah, I've encountered another Fallen Angel today~~" The girl pressed her hand to her forehead with theatrical exasperation.
"There seem to be quite a few Fallen Angels in this small town lately," she continued, her tone mixing annoyance with genuine concern.
Takeyo's expression shifted as he looked at the girl, the same transformation that had occurred when he'd first met Yuuma.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations to the host for triggering a plot sign-in! Sign-in rank: Silver!]
[Sign-in plot: Negotiate with Jeanne D'Arc!]
[Sign-in plot: Convince Jeanne, the warrior maiden from another world who inherited the soul of Jeanne D'Arc.]
[Time limit: 1 hour.]
Jeanne D'Arc... Takeyo thought, immediately recognizing the name from High School DxD lore. A member of the Hero Faction who wields Blade Blacksmith. She doesn't seem particularly valuable for my purposes, though.
The moment Jeanne noticed them, the crowd around them quickly thinned. People unconsciously avoided the area, their attention drawn elsewhere as if by invisible hands.
Jeanne had employed a technique to disperse ordinary humans from the vicinity.
Yuuma also noticed the girl blocking their path, and she immediately felt an overwhelming threat emanating from her.
"This little Fallen Angel?" Jeanne grinned, though her smile held no warmth. "How unfortunate for you to encounter me."
She released her sacred power deliberately, the holy energy washing over Yuuma like a tidal wave meant to intimidate.
After arriving in Kuoh to complete her mission, Jeanne had already encountered several Fallen Angels throughout the day.
Though this was her first time visiting the town, there wouldn't be many Fallen Angels remaining here by the time she finished her work.
Yuuma didn't yet realize she'd unknowingly skirted death multiple times already today.
"Excuse me, who might you be?" Takeyo asked with a polite smile, stepping slightly forward to position himself between Jeanne and Yuuma.
Interesting, he thought. A maiden with exceptional potential. Those qualifications... they'd make her perfect training material. Perhaps I should see if I can recruit her for culinary lessons.
His mind worked quickly, formulating an approach.
In just a second, an interesting idea formed in his mind, one that made him suppress an amused smile.
"I am Jeanne!" she declared, standing tall with obvious pride. "Inheritor of the heroic name Jeanne D'Arc!"
Her posture radiated confidence and self-assurance.
I am Jeanne! Heir to a legendary hero's legacy! Impressive, right? Understand now?
However, Jeanne didn't pay much attention to Takeyo himself. Though she considered herself a defender of humanity, she wasn't naive. At most, she might leave her contact information with an attractive human man if the circumstances were right.
But that was the extent of it. The type of man who truly interested her had to possess both devastating good looks AND extraordinary strength with unlimited future potential.
Unfortunately for her theoretical standards, while Cao Cao was undeniably powerful, his appearance didn't meet her exacting aesthetic requirements. Moreover, his character had significant flaws.
How could anyone who sends a beautiful girl on solo reconnaissance missions thousands of miles away be considered boyfriend material? she'd thought more than once.
Worth noting: this Jeanne was the canonical character from High School DxD, not the version from the Fate series. She was a beautiful blonde woman who'd inherited Jeanne D'Arc's soul and called her predecessor "ancestor."
She wielded the Sacred Gear [Blade Blacksmith], also known as [Holy Sword Creation]. Her Balance Breaker form was [Stake Victim Dragoon], the [Judgment Holy Dragon], which covered her body in numerous holy swords and granted tremendous destructive power.
After the monster crisis incident, she'd been sentenced to work as a cook in the Vatican Warrior Training Institution's cafeteria. Later, she even participated in international Rating Game competitions.
Such tournaments required teams with at least one high-class fighter, and most had multiple. Though Jeanne served primarily as support, her mere participation demonstrated her considerable talent.
At this stage, however, she hadn't yet seen through Takeyo's true power, so she regarded him as an ordinary human.
"Oh, hello, Jeanne," Takeyo said, extending his hand with practiced ease. "My name is Takeyo Kagutsuchi, successor to the legacy of Rama."
He stated his identity directly and confidently.
"Oh, hello, hello..." Jeanne responded automatically, extending her own hand.
As someone with proper manners and training, she reflexively accepted the handshake.
"Huh? ...Wait, what?" Her mind suddenly caught up with her actions.
She'd shaken hands a few times before realizing something was wrong.
Recognizing this, she quickly pulled her hand back, a trace of indignation coloring her cheeks.
That hint of shame wasn't embarrassment exactly, more that her instincts screamed she'd just been subtly mocked somehow.
"You know I'm the successor of Jeanne D'Arc," Takeyo continued smoothly, "but you claim to be the successor of Rama? Where's your proof?"
Yuuma also turned to look at Takeyo with vigilant, curious eyes.
He awakened a heroic bloodline? she wondered. But recent intelligence reports showed no such indication. Even if he'd awakened that bloodline just last night, could he possibly have defeated a High-Class Devil overnight?
The very thought made Yuuma tremble internally.
This is the man standing before me!
"Proof?" Takeyo smiled slightly. "How about this?"
A golden divine bow materialized in his hand, the legendary weapon that could pierce through three thousand worlds with a single arrow.
[Kodanda], the golden divine bow of Rama!
According to Hindu legend, this celestial weapon was created by the divine architect Vishwakarma. Also known as Sharanga, it was the bow of Lord Vishnu, primarily associated with his avatar Rama. In South India, it was simply called Kodanda, meaning "bow."
Rama was often praised as Kodandapani, the holder of Kodanda.
The bow had been wielded by multiple avatars of Vishnu: Parashurama, Rama, and Krishna. When Parashurama discovered that Rama had broken the Pinaka bow (Shiva's legendary weapon) during Sita's swayamvara, he challenged Rama to string the Sharanga. Rama succeeded, demonstrating his worthiness as Vishnu's incarnation.
The bow Takeyo now held wasn't the original divine artifact, of course, that would exist only in its proper mythology. This was the conceptualized version from the Little Garden world, the Hakoniwa realm where gods and myths took physical form.
But even as a conceptual manifestation, Kodanda retained tremendous power and authenticity.
Jeanne's eyes widened as she stared at the golden bow.
As someone who'd inherited Jeanne's soul and wielded a Sacred Gear related to holy swords, she possessed keen sensitivity to divine weapons and sacred artifacts.
The bow in Takeyo's hands radiated unmistakable divine authority.
"That's..." Her voice trailed off, genuine surprise replacing her earlier bravado.
This wasn't some cheap trick or Sacred Gear disguised to look impressive. The sacred power emanating from that bow was authentic, the real manifestation of a legendary divine weapon.
"As you can see," Takeyo said calmly, "I'm not just making empty claims."
Yuuma's face had gone pale. Her mind raced through the implications.
If he truly inherited Rama's legacy... if he can wield a divine weapon of that caliber... then everything I thought I knew about him is wrong.
The power gap between them suddenly seemed insurmountable.
Jeanne recovered from her shock first, her expression shifting from surprise to intense interest.
"The successor of Rama..." she murmured, studying Takeyo with new eyes. "Here in Kuoh, of all places."
She'd come to this town investigating rumors of increased supernatural activity. Finding a Fallen Angel had been expected. But encountering someone who'd inherited the legacy of a legendary Hindu hero?
That was unexpected.
"Since we've established my credentials," Takeyo continued, dismissing the bow with a thought, "perhaps we could discuss this situation more reasonably? There's no need for conflict here."
He smiled disarmingly, channeling Buddha Shakyamuni's influence to project an aura of peaceful authority.
Jeanne found herself nodding before she'd consciously decided to agree.
Wait, why am I nodding? she thought, confused by her own compliance. Since when do I just... agree with people like this?
"I suppose we could talk," she said slowly, still trying to understand her own reaction. "But I'm still concerned about the Fallen Angel situation in Kuoh. My mission, "
"Involves investigating supernatural disturbances in the area," Takeyo finished for her. "I'm aware. But perhaps your intelligence is incomplete."
He glanced at Yuuma, who stood very still, clearly uncertain whether to run or stay.
"Not all Fallen Angels in Kuoh are here for malicious purposes," he continued. "Some are merely... observing. Others are caught up in circumstances beyond their control."
Like Yuuma, who's supposed to kill Issei but has become genuinely interested in me instead, he thought. The situation is already diverging from the original timeline.
Jeanne frowned, her heroic instincts warring with the strange compulsion to trust this man.
"You're asking me to just... ignore my mission?"
"I'm suggesting," Takeyo replied carefully, "that you consider the bigger picture. Kuoh is under the jurisdiction of two Devil heiresses, Rias Gremory and Sona Sitri. Any major disturbance here would draw their attention immediately. The Fallen Angels present are being monitored."
That was partially true. Rias's peerage was certainly aware of Fallen Angel activity, even if they hadn't acted yet.
"The Gremory and Sitri families..." Jeanne murmured, recognition flashing in her eyes. "That does complicate things."
She looked between Takeyo and Yuuma, clearly torn.
"How about this," Takeyo suggested. "Give me one hour. If I can't convince you that the situation is under control, you can proceed with your original mission. Fair?"
The sign-in system had given him exactly one hour to negotiate with Jeanne. He might as well use the full time.
Jeanne studied him for a long moment, then sighed.
"Fine," she agreed. "One hour. But we're doing this at a café where I can keep an eye on both of you."
She gestured toward a nearby establishment. "After you."
Takeyo smiled, offering his arm to Yuuma, who took it gratefully, still looking shaken.
"Thank you for being reasonable," he said to Jeanne.
As they walked toward the café, Jeanne followed behind, watching Takeyo with newfound wariness and curiosity.
Just who are you, Takeyo Kagutsuchi? she wondered. And why do I feel like I just made either the best or worst decision of the day?