High School D×D is billed as a "school romance comedy battle fantasy." It features intense battles, countless cute heroines, and a story overflowing with eroticism that makes you wonder if it's really okay to push boundaries that far. From the very beginning, the fact that the story opens with the protagonist's death establishes a worldview where the law of the jungle—the strong preying on the weak—feels almost too extreme.
The protagonist is an ordinary high school student named Issei Hyoudou, a man loyal to his desires. He's the host of the God-Destroying Weapon Boosted Gear, racing through the world powered by dragon strength, lust, and surprising kindness. His goal is to "create a harem"—an incredibly shallow reason on the surface, yet the fact that he's willing to risk his life for it is simply amazing. As the story progresses, his interactions with an ever-growing cast of heroines are genuinely funny, and their unique dynamics make it easy to root for both him and them. Apparently, my past self loved this series too.
His enemies span a wide spectrum: the fallen angel who initially appears as his killer, reincarnated demons he faces in Rating Games, encounters with Church forces and his arch-rival the White Dragon Emperor, plus a terrorist organization that emerges after peace agreements are reached.
The Old Satan faction—the group I least want to encounter—is part of that terrorist organization. These people are a bunch of insecure losers, so if they spotted my Sacred Gear, they'd probably start whining about it: "Something about that thing just rubs me the wrong way." I hate that I can't even deny that assessment. And it doesn't end there—somehow he ends up fighting Norse gods, the son of an Old Satan goes completely insane and pulls even crazier stunts, and even "Evil Dragons" show up.
I truly think it's fortunate that my Sacred Gear doesn't have a dragon sealed inside it. Dragon energy apparently attracts chaos and romantic complications. The protagonist was casually surrounded by women, but cute girls are always welcome. However, with this parade of death flags, it's hardly a fair trade. Anyway, I doubt multiple girls would ever fall for someone like me. I don't even have that kind of charm. I just want whoever becomes my lover to be happy.
I'm getting off track, but to conclude: this world operates purely on survival of the fittest. There's a clear divide between those with power and those without. If you're weak, you either die quickly or become a disposable pawn. Without something like the protagonist's Sacred Gear, racially-granted power, noble bloodline like the heroines possess, or an unwavering resolve worth dying for, survival becomes impossible.
If I push myself to the absolute limit, maybe I could one day stand on equal footing with the protagonists.
"But I don't have that kind of resolve," I muttered.
Flipping through a notebook filled with analysis based on my memories of the original story, I found myself once again contemplating this world. I wouldn't say I have zero desire to get involved with the main plot.
I'd love to meet those characters, and I'd definitely want to see Rias Gremory—the Switch Princess whose proportions could literally shake the world—with my own eyes. The official setting lists her measurements at 99cm, and I doubt I'll ever get a chance to witness that in real life. I'm a guy, so of course I'm curious.
Still, that's the extent of what I feel. I could just be a spectator from afar, but my nerves are too fragile for even that. They could snap at any moment. I don't have the masochistic tendencies that would let me enjoy the original story while constantly worrying about getting dragged in.
Above all, I made a promise—to live until the end without giving up, to live with a smile. I can still feel the sensation of piercing through someone, as if it's permanently etched into my hands. I remember her face, struggling to endure the pain, on the verge of screaming. I treated her immediately after she lost consciousness from blood loss, the wound on her arm still bleeding. I wish I could have erased her pain along with the memory, but I only had time to set the memory wipe.
After that, I tried taking her to the hospital, but bringing her in like that would've been too suspicious. So once again, I had no choice but to resort to my "forceful Sacred Gear operation." To be honest, I staged an accident to make her injuries look natural. The explosions and ground tremors from yesterday's port incident had caused widespread damage—perfect cover to blend her injuries into that chaos.
I hurried to a secluded spot, used my Sacred Gear to create a scene suggesting earthquake-induced injuries, then called an ambulance to take her to the hospital. She has no memory of the night she was attacked. Both she and everyone around her will likely believe her scrambled, erased memories are due to trauma from the accident. Kei-san no longer remembers anything. And she never will again.
"...I probably shouldn't get involved with the main story. I plan to visit Kuoh Town once to scout the situation, but actually entering Kuoh Academy grounds might be dangerous. I know I shouldn't get too deeply involved with the background plot either. But..."
"Thank you," she had said with that smile, and I felt saved myself. I'm glad she didn't die. I'm glad she survived. If I hadn't been there, she probably wouldn't be alive today. My presence changed her fate. That thought has taken root deep inside me.
I'm weak. But even in my weakness, I have strength. I'm not completely powerless. Even someone like me might have the strength to save people who would otherwise die anonymously in this vast world. Saving the world or becoming a hero—that's something I could never do. That's for the protagonists and those with real power.
So I want to eliminate the threats that accidentally spill over into the surface world, to work in the shadows while the protagonists shine so brilliantly in the spotlight. I want to reduce the number of people who get suddenly swept into the supernatural and brutally killed. I want them to live in the surface world, not the shadows—laughing with friends, doing silly things, getting chased by work deadlines, building families. Walking the path of an ordinary life.
I want to protect that ordinary life—the ordinary life that I myself desire.
"But I don't want to die. So even if I say I'll protect people, all I can really do is gather information using my Sacred Gear, look for openings to escape or defeat threats, and if they seem too strong, immediately contact professionals to handle them."
I slammed my analysis notebook shut and tucked it into a handmade hiding spot in the back of my desk drawer.
Just in case someone saw it, I wrote everything in a way that would look like "edgy middle-schooler fanfiction" to ordinary people, even though it causes me mental damage to read. If someone from a supernatural organization entered my room, that would be a different story entirely, but if that happened, it would already be checkmate. No point worrying about it.
After watching her get taken away in the ambulance from a distance, I went home and slept like a log. As a result, I missed lunch and nearly missed dinner too, but my sister managed to wake me up, so everything worked out. Sorry for making everyone worry. Thanks to that rest, I've recovered quite a bit, but my family told me to take another day off just to be safe, so I'm spending today at home.
If I used my Sacred Gear, I could wander around the city, but there are still plenty of underworld-connected people in the neighboring city. It wouldn't be wise to roam around aimlessly. So I've been using this time to review the original story and think about my next moves.
After thinking it through slowly, I finally decided what I want to do. I've been pondering what kind of life I want to live in this world for so long. I've been afraid of this world because I couldn't see a future, running away from anything supernatural. I'm still scared, but... I've made up my mind to get involved.
It'll probably be a half-hearted existence, walking the line between the surface world and the supernatural, but that suits a cowardly, half-hearted guy like me. So at the very least, if I'm going to do this, I'll give it everything I've got. Even if I can't keep up with this inflated world, even if I can't save everyone and bask in the spotlight, I thought I could at least try to protect small, individual lives.
Maybe it's just the naive rambling of an ordinary person who can't even handle life-or-death situations properly. I know it's foolish to throw myself into danger for such a goal. But I don't want to keep looking away and living in fear every single day.
"So from now on, I'll step into the supernatural world."
Gripping my tiny companion tighter than my palm could hold, I felt courage surge through me and opened my bedroom door, determined to eat the lunch I'd prepared for today.
"Well, here's the first problem: how do I safely enter the supernatural world?"
This "safely" part is my absolute prerequisite. I really am a contradictory mess. Alright, let me recall the original protagonists from the light novels—who are technically my seniors in this world. Maybe there's a hint there!
First option: Get caught up in the situation when Issei Hyoudou gets reincarnated as a devil.
I immediately discarded this idea. The reason is the same as I mentioned earlier—it's an approach that assumes I'll interfere with the main plot. Even if I explained my situation to Rias and the others, while they probably wouldn't refuse to turn me into a reincarnated devil or hide me, this really should only be an option when there's absolutely no alternative. For now, let's avoid any flags involving main characters.
Second option: Get recruited by one of the Three Factions.
Getting recruited by a terrorist organization would be like throwing myself a curveball. The ones I've observed most often are protagonists from the Devil and Fallen Angel factions. Especially Azazel, the Governor-General—he loves researching Sacred Gears and is understanding, so many people end up getting involved with him. He also has kindness and a sense of humor. However, his true nature is that of a troublemaker with mad scientist tendencies, so there's a real possibility he might choose the "artificial host" route (like Vali with Albion) as part of his research, which is a major drawback. I don't want to give up being human.
Above all, I don't know what time period this is, but the Fallen Angel faction has also been killing Sacred Gear users. I don't know if I'd survive first contact. If I could somehow make direct contact with Azazel, I'd love to have a loose relationship where he protects me, I do occasional work for him, and maybe offer advice about the main story from a distance. Even I think that's way too convenient. I'm genuinely scared of the jinx that comes with wielding a spear and having high luck stats. After careful consideration, I'd still prefer not to get involved with him.
As for the Devils, I'd probably be recommended for the servant route. The Church side with the Angels seems safe, but I can't carelessly get involved due to lack of information. In the original story, the Church faction also has less screen time than the other two factions.
I don't have the confidence to survive in a place where thinking like the early heroines Xenovia and Irina is considered normal. There's also the toxic environment created by people like Freed Sellzen and Siegfried. In every faction, the higher-ups are good people, but please—I understand you're busy, but make more effort to educate your subordinates!
For these reasons, given both the danger and lack of information, I think I'll pass on joining one of the Three Factions. At least, there's no need for me to take action yet. I might get involved eventually, but I should wait until I have more intel or can ensure my safety before diving in too deep. Above all, after leaving the aftermath of that stray devil incident entirely in someone else's hands, I'm a bit worried about what might happen if I'm exposed.
Third option: Get involved through back channels.
The lack of prior intel is a drawback, but my Sacred Gear is quite capable for information gathering alone. I can infiltrate a stray devil's barrier undetected and escape by leaping into the sky. I can also erase my presence, so once I lose pursuit, they won't be able to catch me. If someone does notice me, I'd rather not do it, but I could use my Sacred Gear to erase their memories. What kind of assassin have I become?
As far as I can recall, there were several original characters who worked as freelance bounty hunters, operating independently. They hunted stray devils and rogue exorcists to make a living. There were also characters who tried to form a fourth faction, but I don't think I'm active enough to create something that ambitious.
However, starting as a freelancer isn't a bad idea. I'll end up investigating the supernatural world anyway, and I want to observe the Three Factions from a distance while thinking about my future. Above all, the best way to achieve my goal of "protecting the surface world" is to work as a freelancer, even if it means losing organizational backing. At least I'll have the freedom to move around without being tied down.
By gathering intel, I might be able to find someone like a freelance bounty hunter. I think one of the heroines spent her childhood as a freelance exorcist with lightning powers. If that's the case, I should be able to find other freelancers like her and ask for their help.
I could sell the information I gather using my Sacred Gear and legwork, starting as an information broker. I'll seek out threats to the surface world, sell intel about them, and entrust their elimination to someone stronger than me. It's relying on others, but I think it's the right approach—right job for the right person.
Then, over time, I'll build trust and find someone in the supernatural world I can rely on, learning how to fight from them. Going solo or relying purely on my own methods will inevitably hit a wall. I need to learn techniques that can actually be used in real combat. I'll absorb as much knowledge as possible, then think about future plans.
That was my current course of action.
"So here I am—I've come to the warehouse district near the port where I screwed up!"
Having finalized my plan, I immediately sprang into action. First, I needed to find someone who was unaffiliated but had connections to the supernatural world. There was a place where I had good odds of success.
Currently, many supernatural figures are likely engaged in cleanup or cover-up work. That's right—the port in the neighboring city where I caused that huge commotion and created massive headaches for both the surface and supernatural worlds.
Of course, only those with strong connections to the Three Factions would dare enter the warehouse district inside the actual port area. Therefore, the people I'm looking for are those who lack the power or influence to get inside—people without organizational backing who are gathering nearby to investigate the recent incident. If they're information dealers, they could be valuable contacts. They might even guide me toward my goal in exchange for whatever intel they can get.
Those without the power to enter the port wouldn't be able to detect me anyway, since I've erased my presence and made myself invisible.
With that in mind, I spent the day preparing, had dinner, and immediately set off for the neighboring city. As expected, it's nearly deserted at night. Since only a few days have passed since the incident, I occasionally spot police or security patrols.
I don't have any cool abilities like presence detection, so I'll just have to search around the port area manually. If I can't find what I'm looking for today, I'll try again tomorrow. There's no need to rush. If I come up empty after a week or so, I'll change strategies.
"Alright, let's get to work!"
After doing some light stretches to loosen up my muscles, I stared straight ahead at the nighttime port and spoke those words of determination. I was reborn into this world, and until now, I hadn't even been able to take the first step—just standing still. But now I have a new goal I want to achieve. So I'll start from here. I'll aim for my own way of living.
The boundary line I had only ever dipped one toe into. Gripping a red spear in one hand, I slowly stepped forward.
***
10 Advanced Chapters Available on my Patreon!
https://patreon.com/Well_being