"To know sorrow is not terrifying. What is terrifying is to know you can't go back to happiness you could have." — Matsumoto Rangiku, Bleach
~ Very long Chapters After Ch +60!
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The Underworld
The Fabled realm of Devils, Fallen Angels, and a host of supernatural beings. Within a magnificent castle, a young man diligently practiced his swordsmanship in the courtyard.
"Nine thousand, nine hundred ninety-seven… ninety-eight… ninety-nine… ten thousand!"
He lowered his sword, panting, and wiped the sweat from his brow. The sixteen-year-old had silver-white hair and sharp, intelligent glowing orange eyes.
Though his handsome features still held a trace of boyish charm, his demeanor possessed an unusual maturity and resolve.
"No slacking, Roy! You have one hundred thousand swings to complete today!" a cool, authoritative voice called from behind.
"Yes, Sister," Roy replied with a resigned sigh. "She's always so serious during training," he muttered under his breath. "Not a shred of cuteness." He resumed his practice.
Roy was a transmigrator, the how and why lost to the mists of time. His current name: Roy Lucifuge.
At first, he'd been doubtful, but after several years in this world, the reality was undeniable. He was living in the world of High School DxD.
Devils, Fallen Angels, Youkai, Spirits, Angels... even Dragons and Gods—beings of myth and legend were real here.
The woman who'd just spoken was his older sister, Grayfia Lucifuge. In the original story, she was Sirzechs Lucifer's Queen, renowned as the strongest of his peerage, the Silver-Haired Annihilation Queen.
However, in this reality, things were different.
Born into the prestigious extra-demon House of Lucifuge, Grayfia's family had served the Old Satan Lucifer for generations.
During the Devil civil war, she'd fought for the Old Satan Faction, eventually clashing with Serafall Leviathan for the title of strongest female Devil.
Though she didn't win, her power rivaled that of a Satan.
This elevated House Lucifuge to a position of power within the Underworld, independent of the Lucifers. However, the war had decimated their ranks, leaving only Grayfia and Roy, the last male heir.
Roy had initially believed that being born into a powerful Devil family, with such a strong sister, guaranteed him a life of easy power and a harem of beautiful girls.
Riser Phenex, in that regard, was the embodiment of every Devil's dream. Reality, however, proved harsher. Despite his lineage, Roy lacked any significant talent for demonic power.
After years of relentless training, he was only a Low-Class Devil. His peers, Rias and Sona, had already reached High-Class.
He'd been tempted to give up, but Grayfia's unwavering belief in him pushed him forward. Her strict training regime was a constant in his life.
Unfortunately, this also earned him a reputation as a talentless failure within the Underworld. He didn't let it bother him.
"Ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred ninety-seven… ninety-eight… ninety-nine… one hundred thousand!"
He finished his sword swings, his arms shaking, sweat pouring down his face. He was too exhausted to even wipe it away. And this was just the beginning of his daily training.
"Take a break, Roy. We'll start magic practice soon," Grayfia said, a rare smile softening her usually stern features.
"Alright, Sister," Roy gasped, collapsing onto the ground.
After a short rest, it was time for magic. Years of practice, hampered by his lack of aptitude, had yielded only a handful of basic spells:
teleportation, memory manipulation, magic bullets, healing, and, most importantly, the contract magic necessary for forming pacts with familiars and prospective servants.
Of course, forming a peerage required Evil Pieces, something he didn't yet possess.
The world of High School DxD was a fascinating place. While humans were the majority, true power resided with the Devils and Gods.
Above even them were beings like Ophis, the Infinite Dragon God, and Great Red, the True Red Dragon God Emperor—entities at the very apex of power.
In such a world, Roy refused to be ordinary.
He wouldn't stand idly by while the girls he admired ended up with someone else.
If he couldn't be ordinary, he would be extraordinary. Lacking magical talent, he'd dedicated himself to the sword. While others played, he trained. While others rested, he trained.
His relentless dedication had honed his swordsmanship to an exceptional level. He was confident that no one in this world could match his skill with a blade.
In his past life, he'd been Regular Joe. But now, reborn into this dangerous and exciting world, he would achieve his dreams. And to do that..
He needed power!
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To be Continued...