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Private Kuoh Academy.
The sunset clouds rolled like fire across the sky, painting everything in shades of red.
Right now, the academy's library was bathed in that golden light, quiet and peaceful—almost unreal.
Minato lay slumped over a desk, glancing around in a daze. After a brief moment of confusion, everything came rushing back to him.
He'd cracked the mystery of the womb and awakened the memories of his past life.
In this life, he was a half-blood demon, adopted from a young age by the Gremory family. And yep—he had a childhood friend named Rias.
Yes, that Rias. From High School DxD.
"What kind of crazy crossover world is this?"
Rubbing his temples, Minato muttered to himself.
This world didn't just have High School DxD—it was like someone mashed up a bunch of anime universes into one.
He could already tell the cities included places like Fuyuki, Chiba, Kyoto, and the town he currently lived in—Kuoh.
The names might sound ordinary, but every one of them was a hotspot for supernatural chaos.
Beneath the peaceful surface, all kinds of strange beings lurked: youkai, exorcists, sorcerers, heroic spirits, demons, angels—you name it, they were hiding somewhere.
And the craziest part? As a demon himself, Minato knew this world even had Gods of Rebellion.
Those beings who had broken free from myth and legend always caused a scene whenever they appeared in the human world.
Just thinking about it made Minato's mouth twitch.
"Seriously? With this many monsters crammed into one world, it's a miracle reality hasn't collapsed yet."
But then he grinned.
"Still, at least I'm not just some regular guy."
Feeling the power flowing through him, Minato couldn't help but smile.
Even though he was only a half-blood demon, with Rias's help, he had just recently managed to ascend to a High-Class Demon.
That might not mean much in this insane world, but hey—it was enough to protect himself, for now.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, Minato's eyes flickered. A translucent, golden panel had popped up in front of him.
[Minato][Class: Primal Mage][Magic: Lightning Magic LV30 (+)][Origin Energy: 191 points]
Called it.
No way someone like him wouldn't get a cheat system.
Staring at the floating text, Minato's eyes lit up.
If he remembered correctly, this was the exact class interface from a browser game he'd played in his past life.
And "Primal Mage" was the class he'd picked.
As for Lightning Magic, that was the power he'd used to reach the level of a High-Class Demon.
"Alright, let's see... how do I allocate points?"
He focused for a second, willing a command into the system.
In a flash, the panel glowed—and the level changed.
[Minato][Class: Primal Mage][Magic: Lightning Magic LV31 (+)][Origin Energy: 188 points]
Almost instantly, Minato felt a surge of mana rushing through him. His understanding of lightning magic deepened noticeably.
"Three points per level up... is it always like this?"
He frowned thoughtfully, but without hesitation, he kept adding points.
In a world this dangerous, he needed to power up—fast.
Buzz!
Light flashed over and over as the upgrades stacked up.
[Magic: Lightning Magic LV41 (+)][Origin Energy: 111 points]
Minato narrowed his eyes, taking in the data.
He noticed that the cost per level-up wasn't fixed, but there was one clear pattern: the higher the level, the more it cost.
Buzz!
He raised his hand slightly. A dark red magic circle appeared beneath his feet. The air crackled, and a bolt of lightning flashed overhead, pulsing with life like a living creature.
His control was insane.
Even among other High-Class Demons, this kind of magical finesse was rare.
In just a short time...
Minato had gone from bottom-tier to one of the top High-Class Demons.
For the first time, he felt like lightning truly obeyed him—like an extension of his own body.
For a while, he completely lost himself in this feeling of power, casting spell after spell.
Countless blue lightning bolts danced around him like electric snakes, crackling and flashing in every direction—but not a single spark harmed the surroundings.
He didn't know how much time had passed.
Eventually, the strain caught up to him. Exhaustion hit hard, and he slumped back in his chair.
"Minato, don't push yourself too hard."
A gentle voice rang out.
The library had just welcomed its second visitor.
A stunning girl walked in.
Her long, fiery red hair shimmered in the sunset, adding a dreamy hue to the quiet scene.
Her features were flawless, like a sculpture hand-crafted by the gods.
Her whole presence exuded elegance and nobility—like a proper highborn lady from an ancient house.
It was none other than Rias Gremory.
"Relax, I just used up too much mana."
Minato chuckled and tried to push himself up using the chair.
But before he could even move, Rias was already behind him.
He suddenly felt something soft against his back.
"Come on, you're already a High-Class Demon. You don't need to train like your life depends on it."
Rias didn't even blink at how close they were. She helped him sit properly, her voice full of gentle scolding.
"Besides, this is the library—not exactly the best place for casting magic."
"I got inspired, okay? Won't happen again."
Minato grinned as he held her soft, delicate hands.
"You're being extra bold today."
Rias's cheeks turned a light pink, but she gave him a teasing look.
They'd grown up together. At this point, the only thing left between them was to take that final step.
"Heh."
Minato looked at her, his gaze full of warmth.
Two lifetimes of memories had taught him how to treasure what he had.
Before he could pull her into a hug...
Rias leaned in first, her finger gently tracing his lips.
"If you used up so much mana... how about I help you recharge?"
"Sounds good to me!"
Rias had only meant it as a joke. She knew her childhood friend—he always thought about being bold but never followed through.
But this time... Minato's face kept getting closer.
"Wait, what?"
Did he hit his head or something?
Before she could think too hard—
Their lips met.
Soft. Warm. Real.
And then...
Rias closed her eyes.
"....."