Notice: Please check out the What to Expect auxiliary chapter if you haven't already.
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An hour – that's how long it takes for thousands of lives to begin, and thousands more to end... It was also how long it took to even begin processing the new reality I had found myself in.
It started off fairly simply — that particular day, that is.
I was walking home from a store, having just purchased a whole bag of groceries. It had been years since I had any form of company, so everything I'd bought was for my personal use.
One might say my life was a sad one. No one to spend time with. No one to confide in. I could claim that was false. That I was doing fine. But that would be a lie.
I hated my life for what it was back then.
Most of my days were spent inside my house — all cooped up as I consumed various forms of media meant as entertainment. It all began back in high school, when a classmate of mine introduced me to gaming and another to anime.
Prior to that, I was a simple nerd. As standard a nerd could get. The whole keeping to oneself, quiet, bookworm - kind of nerd.
But then I got a taste of gaming and anime. That was the rabbit hole that would consume me entirely.
Gone were the days of hours of studying and researching random topics online. Instead, I began consuming a copious amount of content when it came to anime and video games. But I didn't stop there.
Once I had run out of well-known games, I delved into indie and much lesser-known ones. As for anime? At one point I had transitioned to reading manga and other forms of comics without having realized it. In due time, I began reading novels from various countries – though, mostly ones that were of eastern origin.
That was what my life has come to. Hours upon hours of gaming, watching, reading, and such.
I graduated high school, started college — throughout which I continued to keep to myself and focus on my hobbies.
Make no mistake, I did interact with others. However, it was a matter of necessity and politeness. I didn't build any friendships, not because I couldn't, but simply because I saw no point in doing so — a great regret I'd come to realize much later.
Eventually, I graduated from college and managed to attain a job that required me to work from home. That was the final nail in the coffin that was my lack of social activities.
I'm not sure how many years I spent copped up inside, but I know for a fact that any social interactions I had were discussions and arguments on the internet.
Throughout all this, there was no one to encourage me for the better. After all, I had no one. No family – my parents died soon after my graduation in a car accident. That incident only served to make it all worse, as simply the act of going outside gave me nightmares. No friends — I had pushed any potential ones away.
And that was that. I was all by myself, drifting through a slow, monotonous life.
At one point, I realized just how lonely I was. How badly I desired for companionship. But I had none. Not even online, where I even bothered to socialize.
The moonlight illuminated the sidewalk as I walked home. I could hear a variety of noise. Insects, cars driving by, and the gentle wind shifting the dead leaves on the ground.
It was just like any other night — nothing new.
But then I was blinded by a bright light as immense pain coursed through every nook and cranny of my body in what felt like a split-second.
The next moment? I was dead.
---
Insects? Cars driving by? Gentle wind?
I was no longer hearing any of those. It had been an hour since, in fact.
Instead, all I heard was the bustling crowd surrounding me as I sat on a bench.
I did not recognize the place I was at. At least, it wasn't somewhere I had ever been, but I did have an idea: Japan.
My educated guess came from analyzing the myriads of people going on about their day, what they wore, the way they looked, and the language they spoke. That last part was a solid giveaway.
Well, that and some store signs I got to notice later which clearly were Japanese.
By some damn miracle, I had traversed what should've taken hours across the globe in a fleeting moment of pain.
"I am fucked..." I finally uttered the first words in this new place.
While I deeply enjoyed anime, manga, and other forms of Japanese media, I wasn't all that keen about Japan itself. Maybe if someone else was in my shoes, they would have been too excited to realize they were screwed.
But I was not. So, I was fully aware that I was, as I had put it, fucked.
There I was, all by myself, somewhere foreign in every sense of the word. I had nothing on me — I checked.
I was sure of the fact that I had taken my phone with me when I went to the store. If anything, I vividly recall spending longer than usual shopping due to a response I'd received on a forum. I just had to respond.
It wasn't just my phone that was missing. Rather, everything I owned was missing.
The watch I wore almost the entire day, my clothes – which had now changed into ones that I failed to recognize. At least, they were comfortable.
At one point, I considered a possibility: What if I was dreaming?
Simply put, it was the only logical conclusion I could come up with. After all, as I mentioned earlier, it made no sense for me to be somewhere completely foreign – hours away from where I used to be.
"Wait…" I had a sudden realization. What about my face? Had that changed as well? Actually, had my entire body changed?
I shot to my feet and began looking around for any reflective surface. Fortunately, I spotted a store with glass panes on its front quite quickly.
Wasting no time, I hurried over, making quick maneuvers around the crowd to navigate as efficiently as possible.
Once I was in front of the glass pane, I immediately focused on what little reflection that could be seen. What I expected to see was either my face or a new one. But instead… all I saw was a black cloud.
"What…" I muttered, feeling a lump in my throat as I did so.
Could I truly be dreaming after all? Why wasn't I just… normal?
The thought crossed my mind at that moment, and that very same moment, it occurred.
As if a gust of strong wind burst me apart, the black cloud scattered, revealing a face I was all too familiar with.
My eyes widened as I lifted my hands to touch my face, confirming that what I was seeing was real. But then, what was real anymore?
I turned to look around me, wondering if anyone noticed the bizarre occurrence – only to realize that not a single individual had batted an eye.
Was I dreaming? Was I hallucinating? It was all so confusing. Why wasn't anyone noticing me?
'Ever since I found myself here, not a single person has glanced at me…'
Did I not exist to them? Was I… a spirit or something?
I wanted to be noticed, to be seen. The moment I willed it… all of a sudden, I felt something change within me, and then my wish was granted.
In unison, every single head in the area turned to face me. Dozens of eyes, all boring into my soul.
A chill ran down my spine at the sight. My hands began to tremble, and I felt a little weak in the legs.
"No…" I voiced, hoping for them to stop. And they did.
Everyone turned their heads and went back to whatever they were doing.
The lump in my throat was now much more noticeable. I was slowly beginning to feel the onset of hyperventilation.
And then I ran.
It didn't matter where, it didn't matter why, and it didn't matter how. I just ran to get away from where I was. To escape from this nightmare that I had found myself in.
My lungs wailed in agony, my legs felt like they were being split apart, my heart promised to burst, and by throat felt like I had swallowed a handful of glass. But I continued to run. I had to.
---
Blue – such a calming, beautiful colour.
I gazed at the clear sky, ignoring the immense pain in my body as I contemplated.
A park – that's where I was, lying on the ground.
Around me, I could hear the sound of children playing, families walking, and the general noises you'd hear in a city in the distance.
'This is not a dream.'
It was a valid conclusion. Not only had every attempt of mine to "wake up" failed, but everything felt too real… too vivid.
'This my reality now.'
I knew I had to adapt. Figure out what was going on, one way or another. For a moment, I wondered if I was… in another world.
'How absurd…'
It had been years since I watched or read something with "going to another world" as the theme. Still, I remembered a few things it usually entailed.
Taking in a deep breathe, I closed my eyes for a moment before opening them. "System?"
Seconds passed by, and there was not a single response.
I could feel my cheeks heat up out of sheer embarrassment. I felt like I was insane.
Now self-conscious, I felt the pain in my body much clearer. But one part of my body felt particularly painful.
With great difficulty, I raised my body from the ground and turned to look at where I was lying.
"A rock…" I voiced, my throat feeling dry.
I was in pain all over my body. It felt unpleasant. I wanted the pain to be gone – and so, it was.
"What?" I immediately noticed the oddity.
While the pain in my body was gone, I still felt drained. In fact, I felt even more drained now.
'Just what's going on?'
I thought back to what occurred earlier in the crowd. And then focused on what had just occurred.
"Could it be… I have some kind of ability?"
Surely that was the case, right?
"But what is it?"
Both times, I simply willed for something to happen, and it did.
'No way… can I bend reality?'
The notion excited me. I'd always wanted to have the power to do whatever I wanted. Have whatever I desired. Eat whatever I craved.
So, I tried something: I imagined a sandwich to appear in my mind.
…
…
Nothing.
"Hm… maybe there is some kind of limitation?" I muttered to myself.
I wasn't even sure it was reality bending, but there was no harm in trying.
Turning my head, I noticed two kids in the distance – one girl and one boy. The girl was chasing after the boy, an insect of some sort in her hand.
'Notice me.'
Both kids immediately came to a halt and turned to look in my direction.
'Ignore me.'
The next moment, the little girl moved quickly and pulled on the boy's shirt before throwing the insect inside.
Screams of terror invaded the air, but I was too preoccupied with my mind to care.
'So, it IS some form of reality bending.'
Thinking back to all the times I'd succeeded in using it, someone was involved. Either I or those around me.
"Does it only work on people?"
I was up for testing the theory – starting with myself as the guinea pig.
'Pain in the left leg.'
Immediately, I felt like my leg was being crushed from all sides and burning from the inside.
'Fuck!'
'Pain gone.'
And so, it was. I was not doing that again anytime soon.
Heaving a sigh, I looked around me and spotted a man in the distance.
"For science…" I muttered before intoning the command internally: 'Pain in the left leg.'
…
…
Nothing once again.
"Why!?" I voiced in frustration. Just what part of the puzzle was I missing?
I thought about it… and then an odd thought occurred to me: If my power worked on me… What if I just made myself understand?
Using the power itself to grant me proper understanding… was it even possible? I didn't know, but I was willing to try.
'Understand the power.'
The next thing I knew, I felt hollow as my entire body froze up. Something dripped from my nose, and my vision began to churn.
All of a sudden, the world went dark.
---
Dark, yet comforting. I felt one with the world. It felt great, like this was meant to be. No need to think, no need to care.
'No.'
'This is wrong.'
My eyes shot wide open as I gasped for air.
I was lying on the ground, gazing at the sky once again. Except, the sky was no longer blue, but a mix of orange and red instead.
I didn't feel pain, sore, or tired. In fact, I felt great.
"I see…" I muttered, my voice neutral.
My power… I had figured it out. At least, the very basics of it.
"Attribution…"
In simple terms, I had the power to assign a "rule" or "attribute" to anything either myself or anything I touched.
It worked in technicalities, so the way I worded what I wanted could completely change how it would be implemented. Not only that, but it also affected how much "energy" it consumed from me – something which I was now actively aware of.
There was an odd sensation in my abdominal area. Something that I had never felt before in my life.
Whenever I assigned an attribute, the energy inside me would shift.
This was the gist of what I understood for now. The specifics of how the energy would shift, how much, and what conditions there were – those were still unfamiliar to me.
From what I could tell, my attempt to understand my power through my power was… too much. It pretty much sapped away all my energy, rendering me unconscious.
As bad as that was, on the bright side, I was now aware it wouldn't occur again. Something about it being a one-time thing for whatever reason I couldn't even begin to understand.
The fainting part, I mean.
'Hm…' I felt uncomfortable around my mouth.
'Right, I bled from my nose.'
Well, it was either that or some very runny snot. And to say I preferred it being the former would be an understatement.
"Better actual damage than more embarrassment," I muttered, internally acknowledging how illogical it was.
At that moment, my stomach growled.
"Fuck…"
I was hungry and had no food. Not only that, but I had no money on me either.
The idea of starving to death wasn't exactly a pleasant one, so I quickly began to think of solutions. At first, I thought normally – ways to make money, ways to obtain food, ask for help, resort to… illegal means.
But then… 'Why bother with any of that?'
I thought for a moment, focusing on the energy within me, before granting myself an attribute: 'Satiated.'
Hunger? What's that? Can it be- okay, stupid joke.
Still, now I didn't need to worry about hunger anymore. For how long? That would be something I had to figure out – possibly, the hard way.
The next immediate issue was the fact that I had no shelter. Or… at least I thought I didn't.
'What if I do have a home here? What if I have lost memories?'
It wasn't a notion I could dismiss easily.
'Restore memories.'
The very moment I assigned myself the attribute, I felt like my head was being crushed under a boulder as images flashed through my mind.
Nothing new, all memories I've had, just much clearer and vivid than I could ever recall.
After what felt like an eternity, my memories arrived at the current time. Unfortunately, there was nothing new.
However, I noticed a very obvious difference. Not only was my memory strengthened, but I even felt like I had a grasp over some languages now. Heck, I felt like I could speak and understand Japanese at a basic level now.
That reminded me…
Looking around, I noticed that the park was empty. Given the size of it, that felt unusual. Maybe it was a different culture thing, but I doubted it.
'Now that I think about it, did anyone notice me fainting? Could it be that something happened during that time?'
The possibility was always there. Still, there was no point in thinking about it too deeply, for it would change nothing. Instead, I focused on what to do.
'Finding shelter won't be easy. But then again, why do I need a shelter?'
Sleep, right? Rest?
'Well-rested.'
Just like that, any bit of sleepiness I had been feeling was gone.
I could feel the energy in me had shifted. Earlier, when I gave myself the "satiated" attribute, part of the energy converged in my stomach and various parts of my body. As for the "well-rested" attribute, that one had part of the energy converge in my head and spread over the body as well.
"For now, better keep these active to see how long they'll last…"
Now, with the need to eat and sleep dealt with, even if temporarily, I began to ponder upon my situation.
For some reason, I was in Japan and had obtained a rather versatile supernatural power. It screamed "isekai" to me, but that was still unconfirmed.
Whether I was still in my original world or another one mattered little to me at the moment, after all, regardless of which, I was in a tough spot.
Why was I in Japan? Why had I obtained the power? Were they connected?
I thought back to the last moment before I found myself in Japan – the light that shone briefly. With my memories now enhanced thanks to the "restore memories" attribute, I now had a clearer picture of what happened.
Something had struck me. Something very bright. Whether it was lightning or some kind of divine manifestation, I wasn't sure.
For a moment, I considered using my ability to look into the truth of the matter, but then I immediately felt a chill run down my spine. I could instinctively tell that it would not go well.
"Damn it…"
But then what now? What should I do? I had no idea where to go. So, I began considering what would be the course of action to take. Eventually, I arrived at a conclusion: Use my power to figure out its specifics and go along with whatever happens along the way.
Whether this was an "isekai" or otherwise would be revealed in due time – or so I thought, but then an idea struck my mind.
"What if I just…" I muttered as I looked around me for a stick. Thankfully, in the park, they can be found in abundance if you look in the right place.
Upon grabbing one, I held it up and observed. It was a completely normal stick. Nothing stood out about it. Well, apart from it being pretty small, perhaps around ten centimeters or so.
"Actually…"
I thought about testing how precise my attribute-granting could get.
'Instant Measuring.'
The energy within my shifted once again and began to converge mostly in parts of my head – specifically, my eyes and mind.
Focusing back on the stick, this time, I felt an instantaneous process happen as my eyes darted around to various objects around me, seemingly using them as reference before locking on to the stick. Following this, a number appeared in my mind: 8.5449…
The decimals seemingly went on forever if I let it be. So, I stopped it, and at the same time, revoked the attribute.
My mind immediately began to settle. At the same time, I noticed a change in my energy reserves.
"It has grown…" I muttered as I pressed my one empty hand against my abdomen. The change was negligible at best, but there was no denying it.
I thought about it for a moment before cancelling all previously assigned attributes.
All of a sudden, I felt whatever energy that had spread through my body converge back in my abdomen. Not only that, but I could feel like I was observing some from the air too.
Once more, my reserve had grown, but this time much more than earlier. It could either be due to the number of them, the type of attributes, or for how long it was… Heck, it could be all three for all I knew.
I also noticed something: Despite the satiated and well-rested attributes being gone, I didn't feel the difference. So, rather than abruptly going back to how it used to be, I supposed that the attribute had changed my state such that I would get hungry again normally after a couple of hours.
"This is great."
Looking at the stick in my hand again, I willed for an attribute: 'Lucky'
As expected, energy within me moved and began to pour into the stick. Except, this time, the amount of energy that was drawn from my reserve was far beyond everything else so far – amounting to almost half of it.
Whether this was a case of the attribute itself being special or the fact that I was using the power on an external object, I had to test further.
I shifted my gaze down to the ground and spotted a small rock.
'Float.'
As expected, nothing happened.
"Then…"
This time, I visualized a path for the energy to go through: Down my legs then through the ground until it reached the rock.
'Float.'
To my pleasant surprise, that worked as the energy flowed exactly the way I wanted it to and reached the rock in a second or two.
The next moment, the rock began to gradually rise into the air.
I grinned at the successful attempt before cancelling the attribute, which caused the rock to simply drop back on the ground.
Interestingly enough, rather than the energy from the rock make its way back to me, it dissipated into the air, following which I found myself absorbing something from the air – the same amount I had given to the rock, if increased marginally.
"Okay… Good, good," I muttered with a nod before clenching the stick in my hand. This thing had the 'lucky' attribute, which consumed a vast amount of energy. From my little test on the rock, I confirmed it was a matter of the attribute itself not the power being used on an external object. There was also the possibility of the nature of the items being a factor as well, such as the rock being made out of minerals, while a stick is made out of cells and such.
"Whatever, time to see if this will work."
Breathing in, I had my hopes high as I threw the stick into the air.
Once it landed, I observed where it pointed and then repeated the action.
The stick pointed in the same direction.
"No shot," I found myself grinning.
To fully confirm it, I revoked the attribute from the stick before taking off my shoe and applying to it instead.
Then, I threw the shoe into the air and once it fell, it ended up pointing in the same direction the stick had pointed.
"It fucking works!"
I now had some sort of guide. Where did it guide me? I had no clue. But the truth of the matter was that there was some place for me to be at – much better than nowhere to be.
The sky was gradually turning dark, so I knew I had to hurry up to make it in time to wherever "luck" would guide me.
Upon stepping out of the park, I quickly noticed that the streets were brimming with activity. So, the park being empty was unusual after all...
Still, I focused on the objective at hand, which was to get to the destination.
On the way, I would come to a brief stop every now and then to throw the stick into the air to make sure I was going in the right direction.
Naturally, I avoided going into any alleys I came across. It was simply too risky. For all I knew, this world was one that is filled to the brim with monsters hiding in the dark.
It was also that consideration that made me think about means of protection.
'Invulnerable.'
Essentially, almost the entirety of the energy in my reserve was consumed to grant me the attribute. But it was worth it to me. Being impervious to damage was perfect for me at that moment.
Of course, I made sure to test out the effects of the attribute – and what better way to do that than attempting to stab myself in the arm with a random sharp, metallic object I came across?
Naturally, I approached it gradually, beginning with very little force. Upon confirming that it didn't hurt me, I increased the force. Little by little, I continued this until I put every ounce of strength I had into stabbing my arm.
No pain, no injuries, nothing.
I am fully aware that what I did was a risk, but it was a calculated one. At most, even if I did manage to break through the attribute, I could grant myself something to heal me (and fight any possible infections).
At one point, the sky turned fully dark, with the only thing lighting up the streets being store lights and streetlamps.
"Just where is this taking me?" I muttered as I stared at the stick on the ground after my latest throw.
After what felt like an hour, I finally appeared to have arrived at my destination. The stick was pointing at a warehouse.
This wasn't the first time the stick had a pointed at a building. At such times, I would simply find a way around the building and realize it was just pointing beyond it. But this time, after I made my way around the warehouse, the stick pointed at the opposite direction of where I expected it to.
"My luck is in there?" I asked myself incredulously.
Just what was in the warehouse for this stick to have guided me to it? I was more than a little curious. Thanks to the attribute I gave myself earlier, I felt confident in venturing inside.
After walking around a bit, I found an open entrance leading inside.
Dark. Very dark. That was the first thing I noticed. Next, I smelled something in the air. A scent that felt both familiar and foreign. Something like… rusty metal?
It made sense to me for there to be such a scent in a warehouse. Despite not being able to see around me, I could imagine various old, rusty machinery being stored in one side – and I did enter from a side, so the stuff was probably close to me.
I continued walking, hoping to find a switch to turn on the lights. Though, after a few more steps, I considered something.
While my energy reserves were now low, I still had a bit left.
'Night vision.'
Upon successfully granting myself the attribute, everything around me abruptly lit up like a Christmas tree.
"Huh?"
My head almost robotically moved as I looked down. Next to my foot was an object. Something I was all too familiar with, though never in the state it was in at that moment.
My eyes widened as goosebumps formed on my arms. Along with that, I suddenly had the urge to throw up.
'An arm. That's a fucking arm!' I screamed internally.
'What the fuck!?'
"Human," a voice suddenly spoke. Utter terror is all I felt as I slowly moved my face to look at the source of the voice.
Then I saw it – a being that was definitely not human, hanging from the ceiling. It had numerous eyes, a wide mouth with monstrous teeth. Its body was that of an abomination.
That was about as much detail I could notice in that moment before my mind felt like it was going to shut down and let my instincts take over.
'Don't panic. Don't panic. Don't panic. I am invulnerable right now. Whatever this thing is, it can't hurt me. Do. Not. Panic.'
I quickly breathed in and out, trying to stay as calm as possible. Panicking would be the worst thing to do.
"Well, hello there!" I donned a cheerful look as I greeted the monster.
Seemingly caught off guard, the monster's face somehow showed that it was bewildered by my response.
"You. Human. Brave. Foolish," it spoke, its voice raspy and cold.
"Second… meal," it continued to say before it trembled slightly.
'Fuck my life.'
All I could do at that moment was curse inwardly. I began wondering if the stick's attribute was "unlucky" somehow. Or maybe, the luck bit was for the stick itself, saving it from the tyranny of me, a human that continued to throw it.
Many such bizarre thoughts crossed my mind, but that was simply how I coped. I needed a plan, and quick. I had no idea if my invulnerability would handle the monster, or if it would last long enough.
Momentarily, I considered revoking the attribute for one that gave me speed, but then I realized I had no idea how fast that monster above me was. For all I knew, it could be much faster than whatever speed I could grant myself.
"Food!!!" the monster then bellowed, and the next thing I knew, it was right in my face.
'Fu-'
I couldn't even finish the thought before something collided with my side, sending me flying.
A loud noise reverberated as I struck against one side of the warehouse hard enough to dent it before falling to the ground.
…
'That… didn't hurt.'
I took that chance to quickly examine myself. No injuries, no pain, just my clothes were now a bit ripped on the side that was struck.
'Maybe… I didn't need to worry after all?'
With newfound confidence, I slowly got up from the ground and stood still. Then I turned my head in the direction of the monster, which was now observing me with great interest. At least, that's what it seemed like to me at that moment.
"Human…" it growled, "Weird."
'Should I run?' I thought. Why had the lucky stick guided me here. What was there to gain? Find out the truth about this world having monsters?
At this point, I was fully convinced that I was in another world. Back on the Earth I had grown up in, we didn't exactly have monsters eating humans in warehouses. At least, not in the literal sense.
'Should I… fight it?' an insane idea popped up in my mind. But then my logical side quickly shot it down.
What would be the point? What would I gain? HOW would I even approach fighting the monster? I had barely had any proper fights with ordinary humans, let alone a goddamned monster.
But then I began to wonder why had the stick guided me to the monster. What was it that I was supposed to do?
As much as I wanted to continue contemplating what to do, the monster appearing right in front of me prevented it.
The next thing I knew, I was on the ground this time as the monster slammed into me from above hard enough to crack the floor.
Once it stopped, I simply turned my head to look up at it.
"What" the monster growled out, incredulity apparent in its voice.
"Stop right there!" a boisterous voice suddenly resounded around the area.
'A woman?' I wondered internally, wondering just who had arrived.
The next moment, I notice a white blur, accompanied by the sound of something being hit hard.
'No shot…' I voiced internally upon looking at the new figure that was on top of me now instead of the monster.
'No… this can't be happening…'
I turned my head to look at where the monster had been punched to, only to see several figures attack it. Blonde hair, jet black hair, and… a crimson red that all but confirmed my suspicions.
"Rias…" I muttered subconsciously, still lost in the moment. My mind fixating on the fact that I was in a freaking anime world.
'Maybe… just maybe… I am dreaming after all?'
But then I noticed the small figure next to me flinch.
'Ah…'
I turn my head to look at the figure that had kicked the monster off of me – Koneko Toujou. She was staring at me squinted eyes, suspicion apparent in her expression.
For a moment, my breathe hitched. After all, I was in the presence of a rather adorable girl that was a real version of an anime character I was familiar with. She felt surreal to me.
But then I focused on the issue that had arisen – I had just uttered her Master's name. Something an ordinary human should have no knowledge of. It's only to be expected she'd be wary of me.
I racked my mind to find the right Japanese words but then recalled that she was a Devil, so I just spoke normally, "I will explain later. First, that."
With that said, I pointed at the monster the three others were keeping at bay through a barrage of attacks. They sure sounded excited as they dealt with it.
The monster – or rather, Stray Devil – growled as it tried its best to fight back, but it was for naught. It was futile in face of the combined force of Rias and her peerage members.
In the end, the one to finish it off was Rias herself who made use of the power of her bloodline: Power of Destruction.
With the Stray Devil dealt with, Rias celebrated the win with Akeno Himejima – a half Devil, half Fallen Angel – who was closest to her at that moment as the two hovered in the air.
Soon enough, the two turned their attention to me, slowly flying over and landing right in front of me.
"How fortunate we got here in time," Rias remarked, "let's erase his memory and leave."
Before I could say anything, Koneko was the one to speak up, "President, he spoke your name."
Upon hearing that, both Rias and Akeno frowned as they fixed their gaze on me piercingly. The blonde guy – Kiba Yuto – opted to stand further back.
"Like I said, I would explain," I voiced exasperatedly as I gave Koneko a pointed look.
She didn't react.
"All right, where do I begin…" I began.
"By telling us who you are," Akeno spoke up in a firm voice.
"Right… So, my name is Mercury."
I did not say that. Or, rather, that had not what I had been intending to say. That wasn't my name.
'That's not my name. My name is…'
My mind blanked. I couldn't remember my name.
'But my parents named me… Huh… parents? What were their names?'
Something was seriously wrong, I had come to realize. My memory, which should've been boosted with the attribute I bestowed myself earlier, was failing to remember crucial things.
And then it all clicked.
'I was right, after all… It had been in the back of my mind since earlier, but I couldn't be sure. Now… it's confirmed. My arrival here is no coincidence. In hindsight, it should've been obvious…'
"And?" Rias spoke up, obviously not satisfied with just my name.
'Fuck, what do I do? For now, I should focus on the present. This is obviously what 'luck' led me to, meaning that fortune lies with my meeting with them. Do I just spill the beans about everything I know? No… that would be a horrible idea.'
Just my presence had already ruined the flow of things already, so I could only imagine what would happen if I told them about what the future held in store for them.
Besides… it's not like I knew much.
"Okay, so… I know this is going to sound absurd, but I'm not from here."
At that, the buxom duo rose their brows while Koneko squinted harder.
"I'm… from another world. And the reason I know of your name is due to my power."
"Not from this world, you say?" Rias spoke, her voice laced with suspicion, "Fine, let's say you're telling the truth. But then, what is your power?"
"That's… kind of hard to explain," I said, "but I can demonstrate."
For a moment, none of them speak a word.
Eventually, Rias sighed and gestured to me to go ahead.
"Take a look at that shelf," I said as I pointed to one side of the warehouse, "can you tell how long it is?"
Rias did as I instructed, looking at the shelf. After a second, she turned back to face me. "Not exactly, no."
"Okay, now try again," I voiced as I removed the invulnerable attribute before granting Rias the "Instant Calculation" attribute I had used on myself earlier by guiding the energy through the floor.
Still skeptical, Rias turned her head once again, this time, her eyes widening. "What!?"
"President? What happened?" Akeno said, alarmed. To the side, Koneko tensed.
"I can tell exactly how long it is," Rias explained, "down to the smallest decimal!"
"Huh?" Akeno looked a bit confused.
"You… Mercury, you said was your name?" Rias turned to face me with clear intrigue, "This isn't all that there is to your power, right? For you to know my name, this power… does it give you information about what you're looking at? Also, for you to transfer the information to me – no, it's not just that. I can tell everything about you… your height, the length of your hair, your…"
Before she could go on, I quickly removed the attribute from her, causing her to pout.
"It's certainly an interesting power…" Rias muttered, mostly to herself as she pressed a finger to her chin, "Can it be used to find the weakness of a target?"
"Well, it could, yes," I responded, glad that I'd gotten her intrigued, "You're all Devils, right?"
None of them were surprised by my words.
"What gave it away? The wings?" Akeno sounded amused.
"Can you tell what I am?" I ignored her.
"A human…?" Koneko spoke up, sounding unsure.
"Right? But… now?"
With that said, I gave myself an attribute: Devilish Aura.
'Please work. This will be so embarrassing if it doesn't.'
"What!?" Both Akeno and Rias spoke at the same time, clearly surprised.
"Devil?" Koneko said, both surprised and confused.
"And… now?"
This time, I removed the Devilish Aura attribute and replaced it with Angelic Aura.
Their already widened eyes somehow opened even further as they stepped back.
"You… What are you?" Akeno spoke, sounding a bit nervous.
"A being that can switch races… no… are we even sure that's what is happening?"
"Pretty interesting, I know," I spoke, "I am all for answering all your questions and such… but I've got a favor to ask."
"What favor?" Rias questioned with interest.
"Like I said, I'm not from this world… Here, I don't exist. So, I'd appreciate a bit of help dealing with the problems that come with not existing."
"Ah… you have no identity or home here," Akeno said in realization.
"Exactly. I promise that doing me this favor would be greatly beneficial to you," I grinned, "after all, there is much more to what I can do beyond the little parlor tricks I showed earlier. Including…"
I deliberately paused.
"Making you all stronger. Far stronger than you are now."
Given the expression Rias had upon hearing those words, I knew that I had succeeded.