I was in the training room.
"FUCK!!"
My hands felt like they were on fire.
It was as if it was changing me, trying to make me truly worthy of the Sparda name.
I was used to pain, but this felt like it was affecting my soul.
It was like my arms were being torn off over and over again, only to be replaced with new ones.
Finally, the pain ended.
When it did, I was on my knees.
I wanted power.
Because I didn't have enough power, my family died.
If I had been stronger, it wouldn't have happened.
I looked at my hands.
It wasn't like Nero's Devil Bringer.
Both of my arms had changed — black scales, and instead of blue light, they were radiating red light.
The energy inside me had reacted to this evolution and pushed me straight into peak ultimate class.
I needed to intensify my training even more.
I have to be ready to change canon.
When I decided to move fast, time seemed to freeze — just like Quicksilver in the X-Men movies.
Then I teleported around the room.
Instant effect.
Thanks to Trickster.
Everything finished, and time returned to normal.
That wasn't a reason to stop training.
I had covered every inch of these walls with runes — whatever happened here stayed here.
The space felt like an enormous void.
It was a perfect underground bunker.
After training, I took another shower, closed my eyes, and went to sleep knowing peaceful rest wasn't coming.
The next day.
Issei's eyes looked like they were about to drill holes through me: "Arthur-kun, do you remember someone named Yuuma?"
"Arthur-san, Issei-kun, could you come with me? There's something we need to talk about." Kiba is apperead like from nowhere.
I could hear the girls shouting, and some lunatics were shipping me with Kiba.
Blond, handsome guy — but I'm not gay and never will be.
I followed Kiba.
We entered a huge building, and I have to say, it surprised me.
Because this damn building was massive.
Has no one ever questioned why a club with so few members has such a gigantic place?
Power of money? Or brainwashing?
I don't know, and it doesn't really matter.
We went inside.
Koneko was sitting on the couch.
A bath sound was coming from one of the rooms.
Kiba leaned against the wall.
I sat next to Koneko, and Issei sat next to Akeno.
Rias came out of the bath, wrapped in a towel: "Welcome, I am Rias Gremory. Issei-kun, do you believe in God?"
"Nice to meet you too. About the god... no i dont believe in god."
I stayed quiet.
Rias sat on a single couch and… damn.
The view from below was perfect; I saw everything.
"Ahem, so you're saying I died from a heart attack, even though Arthur-san protected me from danger… And on top of that, there's a power inside me. Did I understand correctly?"
Rias nodded: "All of it is correct."
Issei looked at me: "Thank you, Arthur. You're a real friend…"
"No big deal. You're one step closer to your dream," I said.
Issei looked like he was about to cry: "You're such a crybaby, Issei-kun. Your death scene was honestly hilarious," Akeno said.
She looked like the perfect ideal Japanese girl.
"Uh…"
I stood up: "Rias, fix your towel. I could see everything, and while I appreciate the view, my heart belongs to someone else."
"What?" Rias didn't understand at first, but then she looked where I was looking and quickly closed her legs.
Her face turned bright red.
Koneko looked at Rias with disgust: "Pervert…"
"Koneko!!"
"Koneko's right. You're having a bad influence on my little kitten," I said, ruffling her hair.
Akeno giggled: "Fu fu fu, I knew you were friends with Koneko, but I didn't know you were this close. Koneko, you should open up to me a bit more."
"Hmm," Koneko said.
She lowered her head, looking embarrassed.
I raised my hand: "That's it for me. Take care of yourselves — and Issei…"
"HAI, ARTHUR-SAN!"
"If you're going to become the harem king, at least do it right," I said, giving him a thumbs-up.
Issei started crying.
Right now, I feel like All Might from MHA, at least in Issei's eyes.
And with that, I left.