Haru sat in silence, the room dimly lit by the flicker of candles and a red-glowing magic circle underfoot. Ornate furniture and gothic décor gave the space an elegant, if not intimidating, ambiance. He could still feel the weight of the earlier battle in his bones—his muscles ached, and his core felt hollow, drained.
Across from him sat Rias Gremory.
Her presence was magnetic—not just her beauty, which was undeniable—but the raw pressure of her aura. Refined. Commanding. But not cruel. She studied him with the focus of a scholar and the curiosity of someone who'd just uncovered an ancient artifact.
"So," Rias began, folding her hands, "you manipulated gravity and survived a Fallen Angel ambush with no formal training. Your aura is... unlike anything I've encountered."
Haru scratched the back of his head, awkwardly. "I don't even know how I did any of that. I just… reacted. I thought I was going to die."
Rias nodded thoughtfully. "That wasn't instinct. That was bloodline. Old blood. Dangerous blood."
A door creaked open behind them, and in stepped Akeno Himejima, the club's vice-president. She walked with grace and a teasing smile.
"Fufu~ He's cute when he's confused," she said, setting down a cup of tea in front of Haru. "Poor thing looked like he was about to cry when he collapsed in the park."
"I'm still processing the fact that magic is real," Haru muttered.
"More than real," Rias said. "It's been part of the world far longer than humans have known. Devils, Angels, Fallen Angels… and beings older still. You, Haru Tsukihara, are a thread from that old tapestry."
Rias leaned forward slightly, her blue eyes piercing. "Tell me, do you know anything about your family?"
Haru hesitated.
"My parents died when I was a kid. All I was told was that there was some kind of 'accident.' I've been on my own since. No records. No relatives."
Akeno's smile faded a little. "That would explain the spiritual seal. You had a suppression ward on you."
Rias raised a hand and conjured a floating sigil. "It wasn't just a seal—it was a cloak. A powerful one. Someone intentionally buried your presence. Your mana signature is… ancient. Dense. Like the pressure at the bottom of the ocean."
"I don't feel powerful," Haru said. "Back there... it almost killed me just to move gravity."
"That's the thing about power," Rias said softly. "Raw potential means nothing if the vessel can't contain it."
She stood, walking to the stained-glass window at the back of the room. "Your eyes—those golden irises. They saw through my concealment magic like it was nothing. You shouldn't have been able to see me watching you."
Haru blinked. "Wait... you were spying on me?"
"I was observing," Rias corrected, turning with a smirk. "You've been drawing attention for weeks. Girls gravitate to you. Sacred gear detectors flare when you pass. I suspected something supernatural, but I didn't expect… this."
Haru sighed and leaned back on the couch. "So now what? Are you going to experiment on me?"
Akeno chuckled. "Only if you ask nicely."
Rias rolled her eyes. "No. I want to offer you protection—and guidance. You've walked blindly into a war you didn't even know existed. If Raynare had succeeded, your body would've been dissected and your power stolen by now."
"Raynare?"
"The Fallen Angel that attacked you. She's been targeting sacred gear users, but you're something else entirely. Your lineage isn't recorded in any devil archives—which means it predates the War."
"The War… the one between Heaven, Hell, and the Fallen?"
"Yes. Your clan name, Tsukihara, it rings only faint bells. But the older devils speak of a family tied to both lunar divinity and solar fire. Said to manipulate celestial forces themselves—gravity, perception, destiny."
Akeno's eyes lit up. "You're descended from the Children of Heaven."
Haru blinked. "That sounds… melodramatic."
"And yet accurate," Rias said. "Your mother's side would explain your unnatural charm. You don't realize it, but girls aren't just attracted to you. They're drawn to you. Magnetized, in a literal sense. And your father's lineage… explains your magical density and appearance."
"So I'm some kind of... celestial playboy?" Haru deadpanned.
Akeno snorted. "Oh, he is funny."
Rias grinned. "Don't let it get to your head. The truth is, you're currently more liability than asset. If you try to use that gravity magic again without control, you could collapse a building—or worse, yourself."
Haru frowned. "So what do I do?"
Rias stepped forward, a magic circle forming beneath her palm. "Join my peerage. Let me reincarnate you as a Devil. You'll gain the support, training, and protection you need to survive. You'll still be Haru Tsukihara… but with a new path."
He stared at her, uncertain.
"Becoming a Devil… would that erase who I am?"
"No," Rias said firmly. "But it would add to it. You'd be my servant, yes, but also my responsibility. And my ally."
He paused.
Something inside him stirred—an instinct older than fear. The dream, the voice whispering in that void: Remember the sky and flame. If he did nothing, he'd die. Or worse, others would die because of him.
He met Rias's gaze. "Fine. Let's do it."
The reincarnation ritual was brief but intense. The moment the Pawn piece sunk into his chest, Haru's body ignited in a golden blaze, his mana violently reacting to the foreign magic. The room trembled.
Rias flinched. "His body's rejecting the piece—no, wait… it's adapting."
The glow died down, and Haru collapsed again, unconscious.
He awoke the next morning in a dorm room on campus.
Kiba Yuuto, the school's "prince," greeted him with a polite smile and a tray of food. "Welcome to the Occult Research Club, Haru. Officially, I mean."
"Did I die again?"
"Technically… yes," Kiba said, setting the tray down. "But you're much harder to kill now."
Haru sat up slowly. The pain was gone. In its place was something new—energy. Subtle, but steady. Like a second heart beating beside his own.
He looked down at his hand, forming a small orb of gravitational distortion. It floated above his palm like a marble of glass and dark.
"It's easier now…"
"You'll still need training," Kiba said. "We all did. But you'll catch up."
Just then, the door burst open.
Issei, wearing a wide grin, charged in. "DUDE! You're a devil now?! Why didn't you tell me?!"
"I just became one yesterday," Haru said, still adjusting to his new reality.
Issei flopped on the bed beside him. "Man, you're lucky. I bet Rias-senpai has her eyes on you big time. And Akeno-senpai? She only flirts with people she likes! I give it a week before you start your harem."
Haru groaned. "I don't want a harem."
Issei grinned wider. "Famous last words, bro. You've got the looks, the aura, and now... the Devil card. It's destiny."
As the two argued, Rias watched through a small magical mirror in her office.
"He's adapting faster than expected," Akeno said beside her.
Rias nodded. "He's the last Tsukihara. The bloodline of moonlight and flame. The question isn't if he'll be strong enough…"
She turned, eyes narrowing.
"It's what the other factions will do once they find out he's still alive."