The chandelier above me looked expensive enough to pay off national debt. The room was way too damn shiny. Everyone was dressed like they were auditioning for a royal wedding or some rich people's opera.
And me?
I was standing in a sleek-ass suit that cost more than my soul. Uncomfortable as hell. I tugged at the collar.
MC: "Bruh... I feel like a penguin going to a funeral."
At least the food slapped. Shrimp the size of my hand, desserts that made me question my loyalty to rice, and drinks in glasses so fancy they made my soda at home look like a war crime.
The past few days had been packed. I'd been training Sona's peerage from dawn till dusk, kicking ass, giving pep talks, and handing out Ls like they were flyers.
They were stronger now. Better. Sharper. I actually felt a little proud... until someone's hands crept onto my shoulders from behind.
A voice whispered directly into my ear:
Akeno: "Heeey there, cutie~"
I jumped like someone had tased my soul.
MC: "GAH—"
I spun around, red as a tomato in a microwave.
It was Akeno. Of course it was Akeno.
She looked at me like she was about to eat me, and not in a metaphorical way. This woman had horny energy radiating off her like WiFi.
MC: "H-Hey there, Akeno…"
She stepped closer. I stepped back.
Akeno: "We've not seen each other for a while, Levi-kun~ What've you been up to?"
I tried so hard not to look down at her cleavage, which was absolutely breaking several laws of physics tonight. But my eyes were traitors.
MC: "J-Just training. Stuff. Y'know. Normal devil stuff. Lifting people. Punching weights. Uh... water."
She giggled, covering her mouth with that classic "I'm plotting your corruption" smile.
Akeno(Smirking): "You give the most adorable reactions."
MC: "Th-thanks, I guess…"
She winked, spun on her heel, and walked off—leaving behind perfume, chaos, and trauma.
Akeno: "See you soon… very soon, Levi-kun~"
MC(Thinking): "What the hell does that even mean?!"
I stood there blinking, trying to process the full mental whiplash. Then I felt a tap on my shoulder. Again.
I turned, bracing for another flirtation ambush.
It was Ravel.
Ravel(Shy): "U-Um, hello there… Levi."
I blinked. Oh. It was Ravel. My inner anime nerd screamed.
MC(Smiling): "What's good, Ravel?"
She looked genuinely surprised.
Ravel(Shocked): "Y-You remember my name?"
MC: "Of course I do. How could I forget someone as cute as you?"
She turned red faster than a microwave burrito.
Internally, I high-fived myself. In the manga, she'd always been one of my favorites—classy, smart, and just the right level of tsundere. We talked for a few minutes about random stuff—weather, tea, noble drama, Issei being Issei.
Eventually she had to go.
Ravel: "Thank you for the lovely chat…"
She bowed politely like a damn princess.
MC(Thinking): "Polite and adorable. What a combo."
As she left, I looked to the side and spotted Kiba and Xenovia. They were talking by the fruit table, probably fighting over the last strawberry like it was the Holy Grail.
MC: "Yo! Guys!"
Kiba: "Hey there, Levi."
Xenovia: "Hello."
We made small talk for a bit. Kiba being the chill sword bro as always, and Xenovia asking me random questions like she was prepping for something.
Then she suddenly stared at me. Hard.
MC: "...Something on my face?"
She shook her head.
Xenovia: "No. I was just thinking… you'd do."
MC: "Huh? Do for what?!"
She didn't answer. Just walked away, swaying slightly, and smirking.
MC(Thinking): "Okay. What the ACTUAL hell is going on today?!"
Was something wrong with me today, do I have something on me or something.
Kiba chuckled.
Kiba: "Don't worry. You'll get used to it."
MC: "That's not comforting, bro."
After a bit more awkward mingling, I finally found a balcony to escape to. Inside was just too chaotic. The music, the lights, the hormones—it was like a high-class fever dream.
Outside, I breathed.
The air was cool. Stars above. A little peace.
Until—
I saw movement in the distance.
Three familiar figures—Rias, Issei, and Koneko—were running toward something. Their energy flared. Something was wrong.
A giant wall of frost towered ahead of them.
MC(Thinking): "Welp… there goes the peace."
I stepped onto the balcony railing, suit and all.
MC: "Time for action."
And with zero hesitation, I jumped.
Mid-air, tie flapping like a superhero cape, I smirked.
MC(Smirking): "Let's do this."
I ran through the woods, leaves crunching under my feet as I pushed myself faster. My instincts screamed at me that something was wrong. And after a few minutes, I saw it.
There was Issei... but he looked like he'd been through a washing machine on demon cycle. I slowed down, making sure no one noticed me, and slipped behind a tree.
What I saw next made my blood boil.
Koneko, Issei, and Rias were all on the ground, bruised and clearly beaten. Standing over them were two individuals. One was Bikou—dollar-store Sun Wukong knockoff with a tail and attitude. And next to him?
Kuroka. A catgirl with curves and chaos in her smile. And damn was she hot. Also she is Koneko's big sister.
MC(Thinking):"Wow pretty face but bitchy personality."
Kuroka: "Now then, Koneko... come here."
Koneko looked scared, trembling. She glanced at Rias for guidance.
Rias: "I won't let you have her."
Kuroka's eyes narrowed.
Kuroka: "You're starting to piss me off, red. I should kill you right here and now."
Koneko: "No! I-I'll go with you!"
Issei: "Koneko, no! You can't!"
Rias: "Don't do it, Koneko!"
Kuroka(Smirking):"Good girl. Come to big sis."
Issei gritted his teeth and forced himself to his feet.
Issei: "Over my dead body."
Kuroka: "Okay. Time for you to fuck off."
MC: "Nah... the one who's going to fuck off is you."
She spun to her left just in time to see my fist collide with her face. Her cat ears barely twitched before the impact sent her flying into a tree with enough force to shake the leaves loose. Everyone's jaw dropped.
Koneko: "Levi!!"
Issei: "Holy crap!"
Rias: "Where did you even come from?!"
Bikou: "Wait, what the—"
MC: "Night-night, Goku ripoff."
I backhanded him before he could finish his sentence. His body twisted mid-air like a ragdoll before slamming into the ground with a satisfying thud. I brushed the dust off my shoulder.
Then I walked over to Koneko. Her small body was shivering, so I took off my jacket and draped it over her. She looked up at me, wide-eyed.
MC: "You guys good?"
Issei: "Y-yeah, I'm fine. Just a bit drained..."
Koneko just nodded, holding the jacket close.
Kuroka and Bikou, battered and ticked off, reappeared from the treeline. Kuroka's eye twitched. Bikou looked like someone stole his lunch money and ego in one go.
Kuroka: "Tsk. Who the hell is this guy?!"
Bikou: "Wait a sec... that's him, That's the guy who fought Vali."
I ignored them for now, choosing instead to gently pat Koneko's head. Her ears twitched under my hand.
MC: "Just wait a little longer, okay? You'll go home with your Rias soon."
Koneko:"..."
I stood up slowly, dusting off my slacks. My expression shifted.
MC: "Alright. You two got options."
Bikou: "What?"
MC: "Option one—You walk away right now with your tails between your legs and you don't get a one-way ticket to the Shadow Realm."
Kuroka: "You got some ner-"
MC(Cut her of): "Option two—I beat your asses so hard, they'll need archaeologists to dig what's left of you out of the ground."
Kuroka's smile turned venomous.
Kuroka(Pissed): "Or maybe a third option... you die here and now."
I sighed and stretched my neck with a satisfying crack.
MC: "Whew. And here I was trying to be reasonable."
I could feel the energy shift. The air grew dense. Kuroka's aura flared, the scent of magic and aggression thick in the atmosphere. Bikou was twitching, probably thinking whether running was a better idea.
Rias: "Levi, be careful. She's dangerous."
MC: "She's not the only one."
I looked at them with a bored experience.
MC(Thinking):"Would rather not beat up a beauty...well you gotta do what you gotta do.
The second Kuroka snarled and summoned her clones, I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
MC(Thinking): "Wow… Naruto called. He wants his shadow clones back."
Dozens of them dashed at me—identical cat-like smirks, identical murder in their eyes. I didn't move. Instead, I slowly wrapped my arm in glistening black.
MC: "Alright… let's see how many of you can take a hit."
Armament Haki flared to life around my fists as I stood my ground. The first clone leapt at me. Bad move. My fist met her face mid-air—CRACK—she vanished in a puff. Another came from the side, I elbowed her into the ground. Another from behind—I spun, delivering a devastating roundhouse kick. Clones came from every direction, but they couldn't touch me.
I moved like a blur, fists flying faster than their eyes could track. They were persistent, sure, but predictable. I shouted:
MC: "GUM-GUM GATLING!!!"
My arms became a blur, punches raining like a storm. Clones popped left and right like overfilled balloons.
Then—zip!
Knives cut through the air toward me.
But I saw every single one of them.
I tilted my head. Shifted my feet. Spun in place. Dodged them all like I was dancing.
MC(Thinking): "Observation Haki, baby. Gonna have to try harder than that."
I kept ripping through the clones like paper.
The last clone faded as I blitzed forward. My fist just inches from Kuroka's terrified face. She muttered:
Kuroka: "Shit—!"
But then—
CLANG!
A staff came swinging at me from the side. I ducked just in time. My eyes narrowed.
MC(Thinking): "Oh look, the Shitty version of 2 badass characters joined in."
Bikou stood beside her, spinning his staff with that cocky smirk. I cracked my neck.
Smoke started to pour from my shoulders. My skin heated up, steam rising. Gear Second activated.
Their expressions shifted from smug to stunned.
MC: "Let's get this started."
They lunged in together. Kuroka tried to slash, Bikou swung with speed. But I was faster.
MC: "GUM-GUM… JET PISTOL!"
My arm shot forward like a bullet, slamming into Bikou's face. Blood sprayed. He flew backward like a ragdoll.
Kuroka screamed and came at me from behind, but I twisted mid-air and—
MC: "Don't sneak up on me!"
CRACK!
My foot connected with her jaw, sending her spiraling upward. I wasn't done. I blitzed above her mid-air, my body glowing with pressure.
MC: "Take a nap."
My Haki-coated fist slammed into her gut, and she crashed into the ground, creating a crater.
Bikou started to recover—bad call.
I landed a few meters away and my arm inflated.
MC: "GUM-GUM… GIGANT PISTOL!!"
I brought the massive fist down on him like a meteor. The impact sent shockwaves, the ground beneath us shattered.
He hit the ground hard—bloodied and out cold.
As the dust settled, Kuroka crawled to her feet, shaking. She raised her hand to summon something—but I had enough.
The air thickened.
A wave of pressure exploded from me.
Conqueror's Haki.
She froze. Her body trembled. Her knees buckled. Sweat poured down her forehead.
I casually walked up to her. Her eyes wide with terror.
Our faces inches apart.
MC: "You will never lay your hands on Koneko…ever again."
Her eyes filled with fear, but then...
Just as I was catching my breath, the air split.
Not metaphorically.
Literally.
A sword sliced through space and time like it was nothing but cloth. A portal tore open in front of me, the air crackling and bending with raw divine energy. From it stepped a man—blond hair flowing.
He looked around, eyes sharp but calm.
???: "Well… this was unexpected."
Then his eyes locked onto me.
He raised his sword.
In an instant—SWOOSH!
Before I could react, Kuroka and Bikou were yanked through a swirling portal behind him, their bodies flung like rag dolls. They vanished into the void with not even a scream.
The man sheathed his blade and bowed.
???: "We'll take our leave."
And just like that, the portal closed behind him, like it had never been there.
I stood there, steam still rising from my shoulders as Gear Second faded. My fists lowered. My heart, still racing… slowed.
MC (thinking): "Was that… Arthur Pendragon."
A sword that could cut through time and space. A calm, divine presence. I could only sigh as the steam trailed off my skin, vanishing into the wind.
Then—
THUD!
A weight slammed into my side. Then another. I was tackled.
MC: "Ah—shit."
I was sent flying a few feet and hit the ground with a groan. I opened one eye.
Issei… and Koneko.
They were hugging me tight.
Issei was grinning like a dork, full of energy.
Issei: "Dude! You're so badass!"
Koneko didn't speak at first. Her tiny arms clung to me tighter. I felt something wet on my chest. Her voice was barely a whisper.
Koneko: "...Thank you."
I just smiled softly. Reached up and gently patted her head.
MC: "No problem, Koneko. I got you."
She buried her face into me again, letting the tears fall. I looked at Issei, who gave me a thumbs up through teary eyes.
I let the moment sink in.
No enemies. No chaos. Just this quiet, warm moment after the storm.
I leaned back, eyes turning to the sky.
The clouds were parting.
MC (thinking): "Yeah… this doesn't feel bad at all."