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Mika was taken aback by Issei's response—He's been hit hard, he thought, seeing Issei's dejected expression.
He wanted to offer some words of comfort, but nothing seemed appropriate—In the end, he simply patted Issei on the shoulder, a silent gesture of support.
…
After morning classes—Mika and Issei headed to the Occult Research Club in the old school building.
Rias and her peerage were already there.
"Good afternoon, Buchou," Issei greeted her and sat down beside Yuuto.
Unlike Mika—he was now a member of Rias's peerage, a Devil.
"Good afternoon, Rias-senpai," Mika greeted her, placing the Rook Piece on her desk.
Rias smiled, her gaze fixed on Mika. "Welcome, Mika. I knew you'd come."
"It seems I haven't disappointed you, senpai," he replied with a smile.
"Indeed."
Rias stood up, picked up the Evil Piece, and approached Mika.
"Then let the ceremony begin."
"I'm ready," he replied.
He followed her to a large magic circle inscribed on the floor before her desk.
"Here." She handed him the Rook Piece. Channeling her Magic, she began the reincarnation ritual.
"I, Rias Gremory, command thee, Mika. To become my servant, be reborn as a Devil. Become my Rook!"
As she finished the incantation, the Rook Piece merged with Mika's body.
He felt his blood boil, his body undergoing a transformation.
He was becoming a—Devil.
Soon, the process was complete. He stood silently, his eyes closed.
The others watched, waiting.
After a moment, his eyes snapped open, and a surge of dark Magic Power erupted from him.
A pair of Devil wings unfolded from his back.
The dark energy swirled around him, converging on his hands, then transforming into scorching Flames and chilling Ice—much to the surprise of those present.
"He's—manipulating Magic Power?" Rias was astonished.
Controlling Devil magic—wasn't easy.
It required not only vivid imagination but also precise control—both of which usually took years of practice to develop.
Yet Mika—a newly reincarnated Devil, had seemingly mastered it instantly. He was truly a prodigy.
"As expected of you, Mika." Recalling his exceptional martial arts skills, Rias felt that nothing he did could surprise her anymore.
After all, if he could master martial arts to such an extent, what—couldn't he achieve?
"Thank you—Rias-senpai," Mika chuckled, clenching his fists, feeling the surge of power within him.
Becoming a Devil had significantly enhanced his strength, especially the quality of his Magic Power, now far denser and more potent than before.
"The power of a Devil…truly impressive," he thought.
"There's no need to be so formal. You can address me as 'Buchou', like Issei," she said with a smile.
"Yes, Buchou."
Rias beamed, looking at the demonic aura surrounding Mika.
She hadn't expected to encounter two such promising individuals: Mika and Issei.
Mika's talent was undeniable, while Issei's potential was evident from the eight [Pawn] pieces required for his transformation.
Although Mika's [Rook] piece was only worth five [Pawns], she valued his potential even more than Issei's.
He has not only the talent but also the mindset of a true champion.
Issei—on the other hand, seemed to lack that crucial drive, though she hadn't seen his true potential yet.
"To celebrate your joining our ranks—let's have a party!" Akeno announced, pushing a cart laden with a large cake.
"Indeed! Let the celebration begin!" Rias declared.
The Occult Research Club room was filled with laughter and cheerful chatter.
…
After the party, Mika and Issei had become acquainted with Rias and her peerage.
"By the way, Mika, what does your Sacred Gear do?" Akeno asked curiously.
Unlike Issei and Yuuto's Sacred Gears, Mika's seemed incredibly rare; neither she nor Rias had encountered it before.
"My—Radiant Spear?" He chuckled. "It's nothing special—Just makes it sharper, more durable, able to cut through magic—and prevents wounds from healing."
"Prevents wounds from healing?" Rias's eyes lit up.
"That's right," Mika confirmed.
Rias was practically vibrating with excitement. While it didn't sound particularly impressive, the ability to prevent healing was incredibly valuable to her, exceptionally so.
...
After becoming Devils, Mika and Issei's first task was—distributing flyers.
This surprised both of them.
What did handing out flyers have to do with being a Devil?
Rias explained. As times changed, few people bothered summoning Devils through magic circles anymore.
However, that didn't mean people weren't interested in Devil powers.
It was simply because creating a proper magic circle was a complex process, beyond the capabilities of most.
Therefore, to make their services more accessible, Devils now distributed flyers with simplified summoning circles to those with strong desires.
To locate these individuals—Devil scientists had created specialized devices, similar to handheld game consoles, that could detect strong desires.
Devils would then place the flyers in the mailboxes of these potential clients.
Upon receiving the flyer, the simplified magic circle would activate, alerting Rias and her peerage, who would then use the large magic circle in the clubroom to teleport to the summoner's location and form a contract.
Since the flyers were single-use, and those who summoned Devils once tended to become repeat customers, this task was ongoing.
Normally, Rias and Akeno's familiars handled it.
However, new recruits were given this task to familiarize them with the process and their newfound abilities.
After all, a Devil's power was at its peak during the night.
This task wouldn't last long, just two or three days, according to Akeno.
Afterward, Mika and Issei would move on to the next stage of their training.
…
The next morning, on his way to school, Mika encountered Issei.
He was whistling cheerfully, his face beaming.
"Good morning—Issei. You seem to be in a good mood," Mika greeted him.
"Morning, Mika!"
Issei grinned and excitedly shared his newfound ambition. "Did you know, Mika, once we get promoted, we can become Kings ourselves! Then we can create our own peerages! I'm going to build a—massive Harem!"
Mika chuckled. "So, Buchou is making promises again—" Unlike the other members of Rias's peerage, Issei didn't seem particularly driven to become stronger.
This was a problem for Rias—who had invested eight Pawn pieces in his potential.
He had witnessed her attempts to motivate him countless times during the past two days.
However, it seemed she had finally found the right approach.
"A harem, huh? That's—an admirable goal."
"Right?! Building a harem is every man's dream!" Issei exclaimed.
Mika—noticing the stares from passersby, quickly pulled him aside.
"Issei, remember, if you want to attract girls, you need to—present yourself appropriately. Your usual behavior at school won't work."
"But—wouldn't that be fake?" Issei knew his actions weren't exactly socially acceptable, but changing his personality seemed—wrong.
"Issei—" Mika said seriously, "Have you ever considered that there might be girls at school who are actually interested in you?"
"R-Really?" Issei's eyes widened.
"Of course. There are so many girls at our school; there's bound to be someone who likes your—type. But even if there is, she wouldn't confess."
"Why not?"
"Because of your reputation. Let's be honest, Matsuda's and Motohama's reputation at school is—well, it's social suicide."
Issei nodded; he was well aware of their reputation.
"You three might not care, but girls do. If someone who liked you confessed, she'd be ostracized as well."
"Issei, even if you don't care about yourself, you should think about others."
Mika patted him on the shoulder. He didn't dislike Issei; in fact, he found him rather endearing.
However, his blatant disregard for social norms and his open displays of—enthusiasm weren't exactly appealing to most people.
Therefore, compared to his human life, Mika believed being a Devil suited him better.
After their conversation, Mika left, leaving Issei to ponder his words. He had offered his advice; whether Issei chose to heed it was up to him.
…
That evening, when Mika and Issei arrived at the Occult Research Club—Rias greeted them with good news.
"Starting today, you no longer have to distribute flyers. Issei, you'll be starting your real Devil work."
Issei cheered; handing out flyers was hardly glamorous.
Now that he could finally start working as a Devil, he could earn recognition and climb the ranks, getting closer to his dream of becoming a "King."
Mika, however, was puzzled. "What about me, Buchou?"
"You have a more important task, Mika," Rias replied seriously.
Everyone, except Issei—looked at Mika curiously. This was unusual.
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