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"Ahaha, so this is how it ends after all..."
A black-haired boy sat on a lone chair in a pure white space, wearing a rotten smile. Yes, he had just been hit by a truck and died. On the night before the college entrance exam, no less—he had gone out to buy a late-night snack and, through sheer bad luck, ended up in an accident.
"I never even got to hold a girl's hand..."
He had studied hard so he could get into a good university, get a good job, and then, once he had a good job, maybe date a girl like Suji. And yet what had come back to him was only death.
"Ah. I should at least have touched the school nurse's chest before dying..."
"You're awfully honest about your instincts..."
"Huh!?"
Startled by the voice answering his supposedly private mutterings, the boy's face and ears turned bright red. He spun toward the source, only to find a blue-haired girl staring at him with a look of utter disgust.
"Ah... um... that was... I mean... just a thought out loud? Or maybe something I said because I was so out of it after dying..."
He scrambled to make excuses, but the more he talked, the more the girl's expression soured.
"Whatever. I'll get straight to the point. I'm the god who manages the world, the Earth. And you just died because of our mistake. Got it?"
"Ah, yes. But... mistake?"
"Ahem! I'm sorry about that part! So I've prepared proper compensation, so let's just pretend that never happened!"
"Ah... yes."
At the word "compensation," he answered before he had even thought it through, and now he regretted it—but it was too late. The sooner he gave up, the better it was for his mental health.
"Mm, I like how obedient you are. Usually there are guys who try to turn the tables and threaten me for a bit, though of course I sent them straight to hell."
"Ah, yes. They sound like people who had it coming..."
As if thinking about something irritating, she made a cross-shaped vein mark appear on her forehead, then coughed and continued.
"Well, since I like that part of you, I'll give you special treatment. Normally, if someone dies in an accident, I'd just reincarnate them as compensation, but for you I'll give you a power you want."
"A power? You mean..."
"Yeah. In your world, something like a superpower, I guess?"
At her explanation, the boy's eyes lit up. Stories from novels, powers that only existed in manga, adventures in a fantasy world with ideal companions—he had always loved that kind of thing, using them to relieve stress between study sessions. He had always longed for superpowers.
"T-Then! Can I get something from manga too!?"
"Mm, well, as long as it's not too excessive."
"Then can I get something like the [Sharingan]!?"
"The [Sharingan]? Wait a second."
She suddenly tapped away at something like a keyboard that had appeared in midair, read the letters that popped up before her eyes, and then said,
"Possible. So, this one?"
"Ah, n—"
'Wait, I need to choose carefully! If I just ask for the [Sharingan], I'll end up with a tadpole and that'll be a pain! Better yet, the completed version! Yeah, and someone as an example!'
The boy, who had read Naruto often, had always admired the [Sharingan]. It was the kind of cheat eye that every boy his age would at least think about once. So—
"Then please give me the power itself of Uchiha Madara, the [Rinnegan] and the [Mangekyō Sharingan]!"
After hearing the boy's words, she tapped the keyboard again, twirled a finger around her hair, and after a brief "Hmm..." of thought, said,
"Well, that's within the safe line. Fine, I'll give it to you."
"Oh, and I have one more question. If I get the [Rinnegan] and the [Sharingan], does that mean I'll automatically be able to use chakra too?"
"The [Sharingan] itself activates through chakra, so of course. On top of that, you'll naturally learn how to use it, so don't worry."
He wanted to shout "Nice!" inside his head and explode with joy, but he held it in. If he somehow offended the world's mood, who knew what would happen to him? And because he wanted to try them out as soon as possible, he forced a smile and watched as the world continued tapping at the keyboard.
"That should do it. The place you reincarnate to will be random, and you won't start with your memories intact. They'll come back as you grow older, so keep that in mind."
"Then will I be able to use the powers at that time too?"
"Yeah. You're pretty quick on the uptake, and you listen nicely too. Since I'm at it, should I give you one more thing? I've sent so many people to hell that I've got a lot of points left over."
"Is that okay!? Thank you! You're not just beautiful on the outside, but on the inside too!?"
"Yes! You know it! Hmm, let's go with this. The [Sharingan] and [Rinnegan] seem to consume a huge amount of chakra, so I'll let you use chakra freely... hmm... I'm not totally sure, but I'll also throw in the Ten-Tails. That should do it, right?"
"Wha—!?"
He nearly shouted, "The Ten-Tails!?" but held it back, afraid it might sound like a curse.
"Thank you!"
"Then I've finished inputting the extra data. I hope you have a happy life."
He had the thought that usually, when sending someone off, they'd add a bunch of lines and dramatic farewells—but the world seemed a little lazy too, because it wrapped things up in a flash and sent the boy away with a magic circle. Then—
"Ah, done! That should keep me free of work for a while! Time to sleep~~"
Completely unaware that she had just sent off something monstrous, she hummed happily and headed for her bedroom...
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- Kuoh Academy, Private
Hyoudou Issei, a typical Japanese high school student, was burning with passion alongside his friends once again today.
"Ah, nice boobs. Yamada from Class 7."
"Ah, Tachibana from Class 5 isn't bad either."
"No, if you're talking boobs, it's the academy's number one beauty, Senior Rias!"
Hyoudou Issei and his friend Matsuda Motohama were watching gym class from the grass beyond the bench, voicing their impressions one after another. Then—
"Kyaa, Kiba-kun!"
"Are you free after school?"
"Let's go to karaoke right now!"
"Ahaha, sorry, I've got club activities from now on. Thanks for asking me, though. I'm really sorry."
With the appearance of Kiba Yuuto, the academy's most popular boy, the girls all rushed over at once, and the three idiots burned with jealousy! Genuine jealousy, rising from the depths of their hearts!
"Damn it! Just because he's a little taller and handsome, this is way too unfair!"
"Don't say it! It just makes me sad..."
"Then should we do that again today?"
"I'm in."
"I'm in too."
At Issei's suggestion, Matsuda objected, and the three of them had no choice but to settle for peeping at the girls' changing room instead. Huh? They moved to the changing room window and peeked in bit by bit, but even that got them caught, and the three of them scattered and ran until they reached the shabby old school building.
"Haa... we survived."
After barely shaking off the girls' pursuit, they were catching their breath under the shade of a tree when a flash of long red hair swayed into his field of vision. He fixed his gaze there, and there stood a beauty by the window, looking off into the distance. It was Rias Gremory—the academy's greatest beauty and idol, the object of admiration for every student, male and female alike.
"Beautiful..."
He could only stare at her as the wind played with her hair, and when their eyes met, his heart went wild and his face burned hot. Then Rias Gremory quietly disappeared from the window, and Issei could only keep staring at the empty frame for a long while.
"Ah... she really was incredibly beautiful."
Walking home alone, Issei leaned on the railing and sighed as he recalled Rias Gremory's vivid red hair. Then—
"Ah, I want to date someone that beautiful."
He muttered the wish blooming in his heart, but soon shook his head at the reality that could never be.
"Haa... is my school life going to end like this, without ever dating or even touching a girl's chest..."
He began lamenting his lot in life while watching the sunset. Maybe someone would suddenly confess to him? He thought about it, but that was absolutely impossible. More than anyone, he knew that himself. Something like a sudden confession from a girl to someone as unappealing as him was impossible. That was what he had thought just moments ago.
"U-Um... you're Hyoudou Issei from Kuoh Academy, right?.."
"Ah, yes... did you need something from me?"
"Th-that is... um... do you have someone you're dating right now?"
"Ah, no, not really..."
Suddenly, a cute black-haired girl appeared and spoke to him shyly. Issei's mind filled with only one thought: No way! No way! Then—
"I-I've seen you passing by here before... so... um, p-please go out with me!"
"I-Is this for real!!"
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"Ufufufufu, ufufufufu, uufufufu, la-la-la, yay, yay~"
For once, Hyoudou Issei had woken up early on a Sunday morning, and he was humming cheerfully to himself. The reason he was so excited was because he had a date with Amano Yuuma, who had become his girlfriend a few days ago. It was his first date in his life, and to make sure he didn't fail, he had thoroughly researched the course, prepared a gift, and even planned events.
"All right, this is perfect!"
At last, Issei had a chance to wear the stylish clothes he had bought but never had the occasion to use. Clenching his fist, he left the house. And in the park, the long-awaited moment finally came.
"Issei-kun~ Did I keep you waiting?"
"No, I just got here!"
He had arrived an hour early from sheer anticipation and ended up waiting that long, but Issei greeted Yuuma-chan with a flushed face. She wore a short black skirt, black knee-high socks, and a revealing pink blouse—an outfit perfectly designed to destroy the minds of virgin boys. Naturally, the desire-honest Issei snorted happily, then took Yuuma's hand and strolled through the streets. They enjoyed a normal date, but one happier than anyone else's: a movie, a restaurant, a crane game at the arcade, street snacks, and more.
"Thanks, Issei-kun!"
"Ah, it's okay? Issei-kun?"
"This is tasty, isn't it? Issei-kun."
"Issei-kun..."
With a cute voice, flustered and happy in turns, Yuuma kept calling out to Issei. Then, at the final stop—the park fountain—she put her hands behind her back cutely and spun around.
"Issei-kun, I have a wish."
"What wish?"
She pouted and stepped up close to him, then whispered lovingly into his ear.
"Would you die for me?"
"Huh?.. Wait... my ears are weird... did something get in th—"
Issei doubted his own ears at words so utterly opposite from her voice.
"Would you die for me?"
Yuuma repeated it clearly, and Issei froze with a stupid look on his face. Then light burst from Yuuma's body, her clothes vanished, and she was left in a bondage-like outfit that barely covered her private parts, with black wings spreading from her back. And that form radiated the scent of death—something no human could ever emit.
"I had fun. Truly, even if it was only for a very short time, this leisurely little relationship with you."
At this moment, Issei doubted his own eyes. His brain could not keep up with the impossible reality before him.
"I'll treasure this thing you bought me, so..."
As if bidding farewell, she made a one-sided declaration and raised the hand wearing the bracelet she had received from Issei.
"Yu, Yuuma-chan?.."
"Die."
Along with a flash of light, a red spear appeared, and in the next instant it pierced straight through Issei's chest. Flesh split, bone was pierced, and blood gushed out before his eyes. Things he could never have imagined, things that were utterly unreal, the events unfolding right in front of him—none of it felt like reality.
"I'm sorry. You're a dangerous person to us, so I eliminated you quickly. If you want to resent someone, resent the god who implanted a Sacred Gear in that body."
Without the slightest hesitation, without a shred of mercy or delay, Yuuma—no, the Fallen Angel Raynare, who had delivered death to Issei in the form of a Fallen Angel—completed her mission and simply looked down at the slowly dying Issei as though he were a bug.
And Issei, staring at Raynare, could only feel his consciousness drifting away helplessly. And at the same time...
'Ah... so this is how it ends again?.. Like this... again?'
The moment he repeated those words, memories began to rush past him like a flood.
"Ah, right. I reincarnated, didn't I..."