The morning light streamed through the window of Arthur's small apartment, a sharp contrast to the endless void he'd traveled through just a day prior.
A note from the Biblical God had confirmed his enrollment at Kuoh Academy, complete with a student ID and a pristine uniform neatly folded on his bed.
The thought made him smirk. The entity was one step ahead, almost as if he were a chess master moving pieces on a board.
"Is he Sosuke Aizen?"
Arthur wondered, a fleeting thought of the cunning villain from an old anime.
He shook his head, focusing on the task at hand. His purpose was clear: to fix this world.
As he walked towards the academy, the mundane sights and sounds of a typical school day enveloped him.
Students in crisp uniforms laughed and chatted, a stark image of normalcy that belied the hidden supernatural world beneath.
The grand clock tower of Kuoh Academy rose into the sky, its elegant design a testament to its long history.
Arthur knew this place wasn't just a school; it was the hub of the supernatural forces that governed Kuoh Town.
He entered the school grounds, his presence going unnoticed by most. He was just another new student, a handsome, well-built third-year with an aura of quiet confidence.
The silver bands on his wrists, a subtle cloak for his immense power, were a comfort.
He walked with a quiet purpose, his steps sure and steady. A quick glance at the school map, courtesy of the Biblical God's preparations, led him to the main office.
A few forms, a brief meeting with a kind but confused administrator, and he was officially a student.
"Your class is 3-A, Arthur-kun,"
The administrator said with a smile, handing him his schedule.
"Your homeroom teacher will be waiting."
As he walked down the hallway, he could feel the threads of power humming around him.
He felt the presence of Rias Gremory, a powerful, refined energy, and her peerage.
He could sense their agitation, their surprise.
They were likely still reeling from the unexpected change in events from the night before.
This was it.
He was entering the lion's den. He was a third-year student, but in a different class.
So he wouldn't be in the same classroom as Rias or the others, but he knew they were nearby.
He walked into his new classroom, and all eyes turned to him.
The chatter died down, replaced by a low hum of whispers. He quickly took his seat, his gaze sweeping over the students.
Later, during the lunch break, he walked through the crowded hallways, observing the different groups of students.
He could feel the powerful aura of the Occult Research Club coming from their building on the school grounds.
He saw them there, gathered in a circle—Rias Gremory, Akeno Himejima, Koneko Toujou, Kiba Yuuto—all of them looking serious and focused, their energy agitated.
They were still trying to figure out what happened last night.
As he was about to head to the cafeteria, he saw a familiar figure slumped alone on a bench under a cherry blossom tree.
It was the boy from the night before, Issei Hyoudou. Issei was a first-year, and he was sitting alone, his head in his hands, not the loud and perverted boy from the stories. He was quiet, withdrawn.
The air around him was heavy with a feeling of trauma, a shell of his former self.
The encounter with Raynare had left him with deep psychological scars.
He was no longer the boisterous hero waiting to be reborn; he was a terrified victim.
Arthur approached him silently. He sat down on the bench next to him, his presence radiating a calming energy.
"Hey,"
He said softly.
Issei's head shot up. His eyes, once full of goofy energy, were now wide with fear and confusion.
But as he looked at Arthur, a flicker of recognition, a spark of hope, lit up within them.
"You..."
He breathed out, his voice a shaky whisper.
"You're the one... from last night."
The moment Arthur had laid his hands on Issei, the boy felt a warmth course through him, a feeling of safety and security he hadn't experienced since the terrible encounter.
Arthur's presence was a shield against the fear that had been gnawing at him.
He didn't feel the phantom pains of the light spears, only a sense of profound peace.
"Yeah, it's me,"
Arthur replied with a gentle smile. He sat down, his presence like a grounding anchor for the boy's frayed nerves.
"You're safe now, Issei."
Issei looked at him, his eyes welling up with tears of relief.
He reached out and grabbed Arthur's hand, holding it tightly as if it were a lifeline.
"You... you saved me,"
He stammered.
"Thank you. Thank you so much, Aniki."
(Aniki= Big bro in a manly way)
Arthur's heart ached for the boy. The title "big brother" was a simple, innocent expression of gratitude, yet it spoke volumes about Issei's desperate need for a protector, a guide in this confusing new world.
Across the courtyard, Rias Gremory watched the interaction, her eyes narrowed in suspicion.
Issei Hyoudou, the boy she was supposed to have saved, was alive.
How? She had gone to the park, but all she had found was a lingering scent of fallen angel energy and a faint, foreign power.
It was like nothing she had ever felt before.
Now, here was Issei, alive and well, clinging to a new third-year student. A new student with a power signature she couldn't quite place.
She discreetly sent a message to her peerage.
"Koneko, I need you to find out everything you can about him. And be careful."
Koneko Toujou, the stoic and quiet Rook of Rias's peerage, nodded imperceptibly.
Her cat-like senses had already picked up on Arthur's presence.
She had felt the immense power radiating from him, even with his attempts to conceal it.
She could sense it was a dragon's power, but not just any dragon. It was the power of two dragons, one an immense, vast force, the other a silent, endless void.
The power was so great, it made her instincts scream in a way she had never experienced.
It was a power that dwarfed Issei's, even the power of the Great Red Dragon itself. It terrified her.
The moment the break ended,
Koneko approached Arthur. She was quiet, her movements silent as a shadow.
He felt her presence, a subtle shift in the air, a faint scent of cat and magic.
He turned to face her, a warm, reassuring smile on his face. He knew who she was, a powerful devil with a gentle heart.
He also knew she was on a mission to investigate him.
"You're Rias Gremory's Rook, Koneko Toujou, right?"
He said calmly, his voice low. It wasn't a question, but a simple statement of fact.
Koneko's eyes widened. He knew who she was.
Her guard went up instantly, her body tensing as if ready for a fight.
"Who are you?"
She asked, her voice barely a whisper.
"What did you do to Issei-sempai?"
Arthur didn't answer right away. He simply reached out and gently patted her head.
His touch was warm and kind, not threatening in the slightest.
"There's no need to be scared, Neko-chan,"
He said, his voice soft and soothing, a gentle hum of the Lifestream calming her agitated senses.
"I can't tell you who I am for now. And Issei is fine. I just... helped him a bit."
Koneko was taken aback.
The feeling from his touch was so comforting, so reassuring, it was like a balm to her agitated spirit.
He felt so powerful, yet he was being so gentle.
It was a stark contrast to the immense power she had sensed.
Her fear began to melt away, replaced by a deep curiosity.
"You... have a dragon's power,"
She said, her voice filled with a sense of awe.
"A power far greater than Issei-sempai."
"I do,"
Arthur replied, a faint smile on his lips.
"But I promise you I am a harmless dragon."
He looked at her, his eyes serious but kind.
"I'm not your enemy, Neko-chan. I'm here to help. You can tell your President that."
Koneko stared at him for a long moment, processing his words. His sincerity was palpable, his power undeniable.
She felt a strange sense of trust forming, an unspoken promise that this new student was a force for good.
She gave a small nod, a sign of her acceptance, and turned to leave.
[email protected]/phelio 100+ more chapters (50% discount)