The evening sky above Kuoh City was painted in shades of golden orange. The sun slowly descended behind rows of buildings, bathing the streets in warm light.
Minato walked leisurely along the sidewalk, his bag slung over his shoulder, while in his left hand he held a small note that read, "Buy two cakes at La Crème for Koneko."
"Two cakes…" he muttered softly, his face gloomy."Koneko-chan really knows how to torture the wallet of a poor man…"
Minato let out a long sigh, kicking a small pebble along the road as he headed toward the city center. The evening air felt fresh, a gentle breeze brushing against his face.
However, his steps came to a halt when he reached a pedestrian bridge. His eyes narrowed as his gaze locked onto two figures standing in the middle of the bridge.
A young man with light brown hair slicked back, wearing the Kuoh Academy uniform—his expression cheerful and slightly naive. Beside him walked a beautiful girl with long black hair, wearing the uniform of another school. Her smile was gentle, yet somehow… unsettling.
Minato froze in place.
"…Issei?" he whispered softly, lowering his body slightly behind a tree.
He tilted his head, making sure his eyes weren't deceiving him. Yes—it was indeed Hyoudou Issei, a second-year student and one of the infamous perverted trio of Kuoh Academy. And the girl beside him… Minato knew that face all too well.
"…Amano Yuma," Minato murmured, his gaze turning serious."Or should I say… Raynare."
The evening breeze suddenly felt cold.
Minato placed a hand over his chest, his heartbeat quickening slightly."Damn it… the story of High School DxD has already begun."
He peeked again from behind the tree. Issei laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his head, his face flushed as Yuma spoke gently to him.
Several minutes passed.
Minato remained hidden near the sidewalk, his eyes never leaving the two of them. He watched the way Yuma looked at Issei with a sweet smile—far too sweet to feel natural.
Before long, Yuma leaned forward slightly, speaking in a soft voice that Minato could barely hear from where he stood. After a few seconds, she smiled once more, then turned and walked away in the opposite direction, her steps light and graceful, like an angel.
Minato stared at her retreating figure, his expression grim.
She's already started approaching Issei… he thought, his eyes narrowing in vigilance.
Once Yuma's figure disappeared at the end of the bridge, the atmosphere fell quiet for a moment.
Then—
"FINALLYYY!!!"
A loud shout shattered the peaceful evening. Minato looked on flatly as Issei stood with his arms raised toward the sky, his face shining like someone who had just won the lottery.
"I've got a girlfriend!!" Issei shouted again.
Issei then rushed down the stairs to head home, continuing to yell about having a girlfriend. Minato could only shake his head at Issei's ridiculous behavior.
"…Good grief. He doesn't even realize he's just been marked for death…" Minato muttered.
He let out another long sigh and lightly slapped his cheeks."Alright… enough drama for today," he said quietly, pushing aside the unease in his mind. He glanced up at the sky, now shifting into shades of purplish red, before walking once more toward the city center.
Night quickly fell over Kuoh City. The sky that had once been golden orange was now wrapped in deep darkness, illuminated only by a lone crescent moon hanging overhead. Streetlights flickered dimly as the night wind blew, carrying a bone-chilling cold.
On the outskirts of the city, far from the bustle of central Kuoh, stood an old warehouse on the verge of collapse. Its paint had peeled away, shattered windows were coated in dust, and its metal door creaked whenever the wind passed.
Yet within the silence of the night, another sound echoed—wet sounds, accompanied by the cracking of bones.
Crack…
Slurp…
Inside the dark warehouse, a Stray Devil was indulging in a blood-soaked feast. Its body resembled a massive wolf, with pitch-black fur and eyes glowing crimson like embers. Its long, sharp fangs were buried in the corpse of a man—only torn flesh and blood remained.
The demon slowly lifted its head, blood dripping from its muzzle onto the cracked concrete floor. Its breathing was heavy, its eyes wild with hunger.
Grrrrr…
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed from the darkness—soft, yet firm.
The footsteps stopped several meters from the warehouse entrance. The night wind blew, carrying the faint creak of the metal door.
"Looks like I arrived just in time," a calm voice echoed as a figure stepped inside.
Moonlight illuminated the face of Satoru Minato, now standing at the entrance of the old warehouse. In his right hand, he firmly gripped the katana Yamato.
The Stray Devil looked up, blood still dripping from its muzzle. Its breathing was ragged, its gaze filled with greed.
"Heh… human… no—half-devil."
"What are you doing here? Do you… wish to die?"
The demon's voice was deep and hoarse, accompanied by a rough laugh. Its body tensed, muscles swelling as its claws scraped against the concrete floor.
Minato stared at it expressionlessly and slowly drew Yamato from its sheath."I'm just here to clean up trash like you."
"GRRRRAAAAAH!!"
The black wolf roared and lunged forward, its speed tearing through the air. In an instant, it was upon Minato, its sharp claws swinging down.
The claws struck with brutal force, and the clash of metal echoed loudly throughout the warehouse.
CLANG!
Minato blocked the attack with Yamato, but his feet slid back slightly. The pressure was immense—nearly breaking through his guard. The muscles in his arm tensed as his breathing grew heavier.
"Tch… fast and strong…" Minato muttered.
The wolf glared at him with blazing red eyes, hot breath spilling from its maw, blood dripping steadily."Grrr…" it growled low, like a warning.
Minato pushed the blade aside and leapt back, creating distance. He steadied his breathing, his sharp eyes locked onto the creature. His movements were still somewhat stiff—he wasn't fully accustomed to his power yet.
Damn it… my reflexes are still lacking, he thought, tightening his grip on Yamato.
The wolf roared again and lunged. Its claws tore through empty air as Minato dodged to the side. But the follow-up attack came faster, forcing Minato to block once more.
CLANG! CLANG!
Metal and claws clashed repeatedly. Minato spun swiftly, blocking and evading with near-perfect calculation. Even so, several times the claws narrowly missed his body.
Sparks flew with every impact.
Minato breathed heavily, staring at the wolf, which still stood tall, its black fur bristling with rage."You're really not easy to take down…"
He closed his eyes briefly, calming himself. His breathing slowly steadied.
When he opened them again, his aura had changed—calmer, sharper, more focused. He began to adapt to the rhythm, reading the enemy's movements.
As the wolf lunged once more, Minato shifted to the left, twisting his body.
SHING!
A single, lightning-fast slash flashed through the air. In an instant, one of the wolf's front legs was severed, black blood spraying violently.
The wolf screamed in agony, snarling wildly as it slammed into the warehouse wall, cracks spreading across it.
Minato stared coldly, blood dripping from the tip of his blade."Looks like… I'm starting to get used to this."
He raised Yamato high, then in one swift motion, slashed straight forward.
Slash!
The black wolf's head separated cleanly from its body, falling to the floor with a dull thud.
Minato let out a long breath and flicked his blade, shaking off the black blood.
"Congratulations, Master. You have gained 2% Synchronization for defeating a mid-level Stray Devil."
"Huff… not bad, even if it's only 2%," Minato muttered, watching as the wolf's body crumbled into ash.
He sheathed Yamato with a soft click and stepped out of the warehouse.Minato would continue hunting down other Stray Devils throughout Kuoh City.
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