"Have a good rest tonight," Xi Ye said to Asia.
It was taboo to reveal his powers to outsiders, especially for the first time. But looking at the innocent Asia, it was hard to maintain that secrecy...
After sending her to her room to rest, Xi Ye lay on his bed. With his arms behind his head, he began to think about tomorrow.
If Koneko was inviting them... he couldn't refuse.
He hadn't expected things to develop like this. Telling Asia about God's demise had simply been to complete a system task. That alone wasn't enough to support him in facing the underworld forces in this region.
Xi Ye wasn't stupid. Even a loser had dreams. He was a man who wanted to become a devil.
Sigh... It was hard to choose.
Thinking about tomorrow's meeting between Asia and Rias, Xi Ye opened his exchange shop.
He had 500 points.
The only items available were: Absolute Defense (Transcendence Version) and the World Round-Trip Card.
He had never properly examined the card before. Now, he clicked to open its details.
World Round-Trip Card: Allows the host to travel to any world as needed, with the ability to return at any time. The chosen world will be redefined. Time in the current world will be frozen for up to one month.
"Really?" Xi Ye's eyes widened.
Time in this world...! That meant the world of High School DxD would pause. He could go to another world to grow stronger, and nothing here would change in his absence.
Ding! Side quest opened: "Partner of the Demon King – Irene Kannazuki." Reward: Demon King Factor.
"Huh? A side quest? Irene Kannazuki, isn't she from the world of Trinity Seven"
It had been a while since his DxD adventure began.
What lay ahead was no joke: Riser Phoenix, Kokabiel, the White Dragon Emperor, Cao Cao, Rizevim, 666...
The Demon King Factor...
It sounded like a crucial power, similar to Sacred Gears or Dragon Arms.
Xi Ye took a deep breath.
"Exchange the World Round-Trip Card."
"Select: Ttinity seven!"
The moment he had the thought, the world around him shifted—
Ding! World Round-Trip Card successfully used. Current world: Trinity Seven.
Ding! World redefinition complete.
The mechanical voice faded.
Xi Ye opened his eyes.
He was in a bathhouse.
A men's bathhouse, thankfully.
He breathed a sigh of relief—it would've been awkward to appear in the women's bath.
Oh...
Though the voice was faint, the silence around him made it audible.
He looked toward the source of the sound.
There, amid the steam, was a fair-skinned figure, her features delicate like a kitten's.
"Kannazuki Irene!?"
Ding! Congratulations, host. Task complete: Irene Kannazuki, Partner of the Demon King.
Reward: Demon King Factor.
"Completed!?" Xi Ye was still stunned when a glowing mark appeared on the back of his hand.
The Mark of the Demon King.
"You know me..." Irene stared at him, seemingly unaware that her body was still partially exposed. Her eyes drifted from Xi Ye's face to the mark on his hand, a suspicious look forming.
"The Mark of the Demon King."
She stepped forward slowly.
The scene before Xi Ye sharpened.
No, it was getting closer...
He could've seen clearly from a distance, but now...
"It's hard to resist..." he muttered, turning away to suppress any inappropriate thoughts. She was still young, and he wasn't planning to stay long.
Behind him, two small hands grabbed his and wrapped around him from behind.
She didn't speak.
Meanwhile, outside—
A woman wearing the uniform of the Royal Biblia Academy approached. She had long red hair, a braid falling along the right side, and a beret on her head. Stunning—no less beautiful than Rias.
"Irene, where did you run off to? Ugh, this is giving me a headache," she muttered.
Looking toward the men's bath, she hesitated.
Irene wouldn't be hiding in there, right?
But recalling Irene's track record, she did have such tendencies.
Still, this was the Seven Magicians' residence. There shouldn't be any men here...
She stepped forward, lifting the blue cloth that marked the entrance.
And saw—
Irene, hugging a strange man. His clothes didn't match any student uniform.
"Irene! … Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!"
The woman screamed, face flushing crimson. Eyes shut tightly, she suddenly seemed to remember something, then bolted forward and pulled the two apart.
"Irene, what are you doing!?"
This woman was Lilith Asami—one of the Seven Magicians, a teacher at the Royal Biblia Academy, and someone who worried endlessly about Irene.
Because the girl was always causing trouble.
Irene pointed to the mark on Xi Ye's hand.
"Oh..." Lilith stared at it, stunned. "The Mark of the Demon King."
She remembered how Irene always claimed to be the Demon King's partner. Now, it made sense.
As for Xi Ye, he didn't even try to make excuses. He raised his hands.
"I honestly don't know what just happened."
Lilith narrowed her eyes, studying him.
"Which school are you from? I've never seen you before."
As she spoke, she moved to cover Irene with a towel.
"Can I say I got here by accident?" Xi Ye replied, uncertain. He couldn't exactly say, I'm from another world.
"Hmph! Who do you think you're fooling?"
After helping Irene dress, Lilith spoke cautiously, "You're coming with me to see the headmaster."
She didn't know who he was, and although he hadn't done anything inappropriate, it was better to let the headmaster decide.
"Headmaster!?" Xi Ye's mind conjured the image of a long-haired, powerful headmaster...