Standing on the balcony, Damian caught another glimpse of Kuoh Academy in the distance before stepping back into the apartment.
"But before I can even think about saving Issei, I need to get a handle on at least my Magic Nullification and Abyssal Magic," Damian muttered.
Walking back into the center of the living room, Damian slowly sat down cross-legged on the floor and closed his eyes.
"If this is anything like mana in fantasy stories, then the first step should be feeling it."
Starting with deep breaths, Damian calmed himself, thinking of nothing but his body. With each breath, he focuses on the slight shifts he made, the beating of his heart.
As minutes blended together into hours, Damian reached a level of awareness he never believed possible. Now he could hear the blood pumping through his veins.
Could feel his brain firing off millions of signals at lightning speed.
Soon enough, he felt what he was looking for. Something out of place yet belonged. Deep in his chest a orb of cooling dark energy that seemed like a drop of water in a vast ocean.
Focusing only on the orb damain tried to make it move. Difficult at first, but soon enough, it moved the orb and released small strands of energy. Each stands like a tentacle of pure darkness, reaching out to his arm.
"...!"
Finally, he felt something break.
Opening his eyes, Damian looked at the fingers on his right hand, how they were covered in a thin layer of a dark, dense substance that felt like a liquid and gas at the same time.
"So this is Abyssal magic... It's cold...like ice," Damian said as he examined his hand.
Not losing focus, Damian concentrated on the substance that had formed an orb in his palm.
Looking at the newly formed orb, Damian felt as if he were looking at a small, lifeless universe. He was also surprised that it took on the same design as his body. With pitch-blackness as the base and streaks of white and small sparkles of light that looked like distant stars.
Finally able to feel it, Damian continued to train with it, changing the shape, making it larger or smaller, into an arrow, a sword, and finally a spear.
After an hour, Damian lay on his back, completely out of breath, and with all his mana depleted
[Warning: Mana Reserve has been depleted!]
"Damn it really takes alot to manage it...but I'm still making progress," Damian said in between deep breaths
[Skill proficiency has increased]
[Abyssal Control Lv.1 -> Lv.2]
Sitting up in the lotus position again, Damian focused on restoring his mana. Now able to sense the mana within his body, sensing the mana outside his body came much easier.
Pulling in the mana like a starving beast, Damian quickly filled his mana reserves and resumed his practice.
Trying different shapes to see how the abyssal ecensse acts with different substances, if he can change it to fully liquid or fully gas.
And with that, three more hours quickly passed until Damian stopped his training and stood from the floor. After taking a shower, Damian changed into clothes that were now covered in sweat.
"Hopefully this will be enough for what I'm planning,"
[Abyssal Control Lv.2 -> Lv.5]
Changing into a black hoodie and pants he found in the closet, Damian grabbed his phone and checked the bank app. Even though he had the blessing of the abyss, he would still need money to eat and provide for himself.
But to his surprise, it also seemed he received another blessing from the abyss.
[Bank Account: XXX-XXX-XXXX]
[Balance: ¥2,000,000]
"This will be enough to sustain myself for a while, but I will need much more if I expect my plan to work," Damian said as he closed the app.
Checking the time and seeing that it was nearing three and the school day might be over soon, Damian stood up and left his apartment in an attempt to set his trap.
Thinking back to his memories of watching the show, Damian made his way to the park were issei and Raynare would end thier date.
Finding the park rather easily, Damian walked up to the fountain. As the sun began to set in the distance and the streets became empty, Damian placed his hand into the water and poured his Abyssal essence into it until he depleted his mana twice over.
Taking a step back, Damian moved away from the fountain, hid up in a tree, and waited for the pair on thier date to arrive.
....
The night air was cool as Issei walked through the park with Yuuma by his side.
The soft glow of the street lamps lit the stone path ahead of them, while the fountain in the center of the park shimmered under the moonlight.
For Issei, everything about tonight felt unreal.
His very first date.
And not just that—
his very first girlfriend.
His face was red from excitement as he walked beside her, stealing glances every few seconds.
Yuuma looked as beautiful as ever, her black hair swaying gently in the night breeze.
Even now, Issei still couldn't believe this was actually happening.
A cute girl had confessed to him.
Him.
Out of all people.
"So, Yuuma-chan… did you have fun today?" Issei asked, scratching the back of his head nervously.
Yuuma turned toward him with a soft smile.
"Yes, I did."
Her gentle voice made Issei's heart race even faster.
"R-Really?" he asked, his grin widening.
"Yeah! I mean, this was amazing! Going out shopping, walking around town, and then ending the day here in the park…"
He laughed awkwardly.
"This is like something out of a dream."
Yuuma stopped walking.
The sudden pause made Issei stop as well.
He turned toward her, confused.
"Yuuma-chan?"
The moonlight reflected in her dark eyes as she looked directly at him.
For a moment, the atmosphere changed.
The playful warmth from before was gone.
In its place was something calm.
Something unreadable.
"Hyoudou-kun," she said softly.
"Y-Yeah?"
"There's something I want to ask you."
Issei's heart skipped a beat.
His face somehow turned even redder.
"S-Sure! Anything!"
Yuuma's expression remained gentle.
Then, with the same soft smile she had worn all night, she asked:
"Will you die for me?"
"…Huh?"
For a moment, Issei thought he had misheard her.
The smile on his face froze.
"W-What kind of joke is that?" he asked with a nervous laugh.
But Yuuma didn't laugh.
Instead, she took a slow step back.
Then another.
And suddenly, black wings spread from behind her. Large and dark but undeniably real
Issei's eyes widened in pure shock.
"W-What the hell?!"
The girl standing before him was no longer the same sweet Yuuma he had spent the day with.
Her expression twisted into something cold.
Almost amused.
"My name isn't Yuuma Amano."
Her voice no longer held the same warmth.
"It's Raynare."
Issei stumbled backward, panic flooding his chest.
"W-Wings?! Are you… an angel?!"
Raynare let out a cruel laugh.
"Close."
She raised one hand.
Golden light began to gather above her palm.
The energy condensed into a long spear of light.
The sight alone made Issei's body freeze.
"A-A spear…?"
Raynare's smile widened.
"You should be honored, Hyoudou Issei."
The spear of light gleamed brighter.
"To die at my hands."
Issei's breathing turned ragged as fear finally overtook him.
Finally, Raynare released the spear, letting it fly towards Issei, who was frozen with fear. But then, suddenly, like a miracle, the spear was shattered as a small arrow made from darkness and starlight appeared before Issei like a guardian.
"Sorry, but I can't let you kill him," Damian said with a small smile as he appeared next to Issei with three more arrows floating around him.