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Mika hadn't yet decided how to address Gasper's situation. He needed time to formulate a plan.
However, he wasn't concerned...
Once he had a strategy, the matter would be resolved quickly—A day or two at most. And Gasper had already waited years; a few more days wouldn't make much of a difference. Besides, with his excess power sealed, his instability was no longer a threat. All that remained was to nurture his growth.
However, that was a challenge for another time. A new thought occurred to Mika:
Rias's peerage.
Rias, having used eight Pawn pieces to reincarnate Issei, currently had eight servants: Akeno, Asia, Gasper, Koneko, Kiba, Xenovia, and himself, along with Issei. While he had trained Issei and was now working with Gasper, he hadn't actively mentored the others.
Previously, his power hadn't been sufficient to ignore the established power structure of this world. He had avoided attracting unwanted attention. Revealing his true nature or sharing his otherworldly knowledge with anyone outside Rias's inner circle hadn't been an option.
But now—he had no such limitations.
And they were his comrades.
Therefore, the idea of training them, of shaping them into a powerful force, appealed to him.
....
That evening, he shared his thoughts with Rias, who readily agreed.
"It's an excellent idea. I have high hopes for their potential," Rias declared, a confident smile on her face.
The Gremory clan possessed a unique talent: the ability to discover and nurture hidden potential. This was why Rias's peerage, despite its relatively small size, was so powerful.
Her Queen, Akeno Himejima, was the daughter of a Fallen Angel Cadre, Barakiel, having inherited his power over lightning.
Her Bishop, Asia Argento, possessed the Sacred Gear, Twilight Healing, capable of healing any injury, regardless of its origin.
Her other Bishop, Gasper Vladi, was a reincarnated fragment of the Celtic God, Balor, and wielded the Sacred Gear, Forbidden Balor View.
Her Rook, Koneko Toujou, possessed an incredibly powerful Yokai bloodline.
Her other Rook, Mika, was practically invincible.
Her Knight, Kiba Yuuto, wielded the unique and incredibly powerful Sacred Gear, Sword Birth, its potential limitless.
Her other Knight, Xenovia Quarta, was the wielder of the Holy Sword, Durandal.
And her Pawn, Issei Hyoudou, was the Red Dragon Emperor, the wielder of the Boosted Gear, and the protagonist of this story.
Rias was incredibly proud of her peerage, each one a testament to her discerning eye for talent—and Mika, the strongest among them, was her greatest source of pride—
"I also have high hopes for them." Mika smiled.
"In that case—before we finalize their individual training plans, I'll bestow Falna upon them. It will help unlock their potential," Mika said.
His modified Falna, while requiring more Divine Blood than the original version, was far more effective at nurturing latent abilities.
And Divine Blood—thanks to Yahweh's generosity—wasn't a concern.
He had more than enough.
The reason he chose to bestow Falna first was because of its supportive properties. With sufficient mastery—it could enhance any power system, regardless of its origin.
It was the perfect foundation.
"Falna?! I've been looking forward to this!" Rias exclaimed, her excitement evident. She had heard about Falna from Mika but hadn't been able to acquire it before.
Due to Mika's need to conceal his identity, and her own sensitive position as a Satan's sister—any unusual changes to her power or her peerage could have attracted unwanted attention from Sirzechs or Grayfia. She hadn't wanted to risk it—But now, with Mika's true nature revealed, and his power undeniable, she had no such reservations.
"If you're ready—I can bestow it upon you right now."
"Really?"
"Of course. Don't forget our relationship," Mika said, gently ruffling her hair.
With a smile, he bestowed Falna upon her. As expected, both Magic and Skills appeared on her status sheet.
"Impressive, Rias. You have quite the talent for magic." He observed the Divine script on her back, pleased.
....
The next day, at the Occult Research Club—
"As I explained earlier, Mika will be bestowing Falna upon you, to unlock your potential. Don't worry, it's incredibly beneficial. I've already experienced its effects firsthand," Rias announced.
"Don't worry, Buchou. We trust you," Issei replied immediately, the others nodding in agreement.
They trusted both Mika and Rias.
"Excellent. Then let's begin," Mika said. "I'm rather curious to see what kind of Magic and Skills you'll awaken."
....
Because the Falna ritual required the recipient to remove their shirt—exposing their back, Mika conducted the ceremony in a separate room adjacent to the clubroom, calling them in one by one.
However, his first summons was for Issei and Asia.
Unlike the others—they were a couple. Mika, despite his occasional teasing, still respected their privacy.
"You're here." Mika, leaning back in his chair, greeted them with a smile.
"We're here, Mika," Issei replied. "But I thought you were going to do this one at a time. Why are we both here?"
"There's a reason for that. Falna has to be inscribed on your back. Therefore, you'll both have to lie down on this bed," Mika explained, gesturing towards the bed in the corner.
As the Occult Research Club's meeting room, the old school building was also their—hangout spot.
They often gathered there, even on weekends, to study or simply relax. Therefore, they had furnished several rooms with beds and other amenities. This room, besides the bed, also had a sofa, a desk, and a bookshelf filled with various books and manga, mostly Issei's collection.
"Besides, some of you might be uncomfortable exposing your backs. Therefore, I thought it best to have Issei here to reassure Asia. After all, you two are close—I've even overheard some…interesting stories about your…shared experiences," Mika said, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Issei and Asia blushed, remembering the incident Mika was referring to, an embarrassing story they had hoped he would forget.
It was Asia, in her usual—overly enthusiastic manner, who had shared the details. During their first few weeks of living together, while bathing, she had accidentally seen Issei. This, naturally, had mortified him.
However, since they were practically a couple by then, such minor incidents were inevitable.
Mika, knowing Issei's tendencies, and thanks to Asia's convenient oversharing, had been teasing him relentlessly ever since.
"So... do you understand?"
"Yes," They murmured, their voices barely audible.
"Good. Then let's begin. Issei, you first."
Issei immediately removed his shirt, revealing his bare back.
He felt no embarrassment in front of Mika and Asia—They were, after all, his closest companions.
"Alright, go lie down on the bed."
"Yes."
Mika stood up and retrieved the vial containing the Divine Blood and a brush for the inscription.
He wasn't going to use his fingers—While he wasn't concerned about physical contact, it still seemed—inappropriate. Especially since some of the girls weren't that close to him yet.
It would be disrespectful.
"I'm starting now."
"Alright," Issei replied nervously, his earlier confidence fading slightly.
....
Mika began the inscription, his movements swift and practiced.
He had performed this ritual countless times—enhancing his Skill through repetition.
The Divine script flowed from his brush, glowing faintly as it came into contact with Issei's skin.
As the final character materialized, Issei's body began to glow, his Cosmo resonating with the Falna—unlocking his hidden potential.
The transformation complete, Mika could see Issei's newly awakened Magic and Skills.
'Two Magics... three Skills… Impressive. As expected of a protagonist.'
He quickly copied Issei's status onto a sheet of paper, using a technique similar to the one he had developed for transferring knowledge between worlds—a simple but effective method for preserving information.
"You're done. You can get up now."
"Already? But I didn't feel anything—" Issei sat up, putting his shirt back on, and flexed his muscles. He didn't feel any different.
"Potential isn't something you can instantly access. It takes time—and effort, to develop. As for your Skills and Magic, you'll have to master those yourself. There are no shortcuts," Mika explained, returning to his chair and studying the paper, analyzing Issei's new abilities to determine his future training regimen.
Issei—remembering Rias's earlier explanation, realized that the paper contained his status, and eager to see his new abilities—tried to peer over Mika's shoulder.
However, Mika raised his hand, blocking his view. "I know you're curious, but you can see it later. Your priority now is helping Asia prepare. Once her Falna is inscribed, you can both look at your statuses together."
"O-Okay." Issei, slightly embarrassed, nodded. When it came to Asia—he was always attentive, always respectful.
Issei helped Asia lie down on the bed—carefully arranging her so that her back was exposed.
"Relax, Asia. It won't hurt," he said softly, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face.
"Thank you, Issei," she replied with a smile.
"We're ready, Mika."
"Then let's begin—" Mika stood and walked over to Asia.
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