"Would you die for me?"

Those were her words. Hers and hers alone.

Normal people would be freaked. Normal people would be afraid.

But then again, Hyoudou Issei was not normal.

"Anytime, as long as you keep that smile on your face."

The only response from Raynare who was currently disguised as Amano Yuuma was a, "What?"

"What's wrong? You want to kill me right, then please do," Issei said with a smile. "It wouldn't be the first time you did that," he muttered lowly. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on the situation, Yuuma didn't hear that.

And then, as fast as anyone can say 'No', the expression on her face changed. The cute façade was gone, replaced by the cruel yet somewhat confused smirk.

"Hah, you really wanted to die?"

Issei just smiled. "If that's what you want."

"Tch, you're annoying," Amano Yuuma decided after seeing the smile on his face. "I'll kill you right now."

As she said that, she created a Light Spear and threw it towards the smiling Issei. Suffice to say, it stabbed him right in the stomach.

His body fell to the ground with a thud, but with all his power, he tried to stand up. The bleeding on his stomach didn't stop. It kept gushing more and more blood, staining his outfit in the process.

After several tries, he managed to stand up and approached the confused Yuuma.

"What are you doing? Dead people should just lay down!"

With his remaining strength, he stroked her cheek. "You're always beautiful…" His hand then moved to her hair, stroking it gently.

Then like a doll whom strings being cut, his body dropped, lifeless.

Hyoudou Issei then woke up on his bed. On autopilot, his hand opened a drawer beside his bed and took a black permanent marker.

'453'

He wrote.

For a normal person, those numbers could mean anything. But then again, Hyoudou Issei was not normal.

"This is the 453rd time huh?"

Again and Again
A High School DxD with All You Need is Kill-esque Time Loop Fanfiction

The first time Hyoudou Issei woke up on his bed, he didn't understand things.

Why did Yuuma-chan kill him? Was she unsatisfied with the date? But he had followed the tips that he found on some magazine! He even became a gentleman for her! So why? He didn't understand. He couldn't understand.

Then he had taken a look at his phone, and rubbed his eyes quite strongly. Haha, it seemed like he was dreaming. There was no way his phone displayed the wrong date. He had checked and re-checked everything from himself to his belongings so his date would be perfect. There was no way for a phone that had been used to take a picture of Yuuma-chan would display the date six days earlier than it was supposed to do.

"Mom! What is today's date? It seems like my phone broke because it displays the wrong date!"

Her reply had shocked him to the core.

His phone was not wrong.

His mind was.

But he remembered it clearly! The feeling of death… the agonizing pain…

Maybe that was why he thought today was the day of his date, when actually today was…

Oh God! Today was the day when Yuuma-chan had asked him to go out with her!

But how could that be?!

Maybe that was all just dream, or maybe some premonition for things that would happen.

Issei nodded to himself, feeling quite content with his conclusion.

Yeah… it was just a dream.

That was not a dream!

Hyoudou Issei woke up again, on his bed once again. He took his phone, and saw the date.

It was still today, but it was also supposed to be evening! Not 6 AM in the morning!

He then tried to remember his dream, or premonition, or whatever that was.

After breakfast with his family, he had gone to Kuoh as usual. Wasting time on his school doing perverted things with his perverted friends, and then he intended to go back home. He was walking on his way when a girl's voice who sounds eerily familiar stopped him and then asked him to go out with her.

He then took a good look at the girl, and screamed 'Murderer! Killer! Stay away from me!'

It had seemed like Yuuma-chan didn't appreciate him calling her a murderer, because she killed him instantly.

And then he woke up here.

His eyes widened in realization.

He hadn't been dreaming. Yuuma-chan had killed him. Twice. So why was he here on his bed?

The answer was simple.

Really, the answer was simple. However his mind refused to accept that. His mind couldn't accept that.

He really did go back in time. Twice.

Two times she killed him, two times he woke up on his bed.

Once his mind began accepting that fact, he ran to the kitchen and grabbed a knife. Without hesitation he cut his neck.

It hurts.

It hurts so much that he really wanted to sleep but he couldn't. He heard his parents screaming. Of course they would be worried. At least, if his theory was right, he could see them again.

And then he woke up on his bed, again.

He spent every loop trying to avoid death if possible. He always accepted Yuuma's offer, and was always killed by her on their first date. He knew he couldn't change that fact, so after a hundred something loops, he just didn't care for her anymore. He always mocked her 'Would you die for me' question, just like his last loop.

Right now was his 453rd loop, and he just sighed.

Even after all this loop, he still couldn't understand why Yuuma-chan was fixated on killing him. Every time he asked why, she just answered with her spear thingy.

With somewhat lazy grunt, Issei stood up and dressed for school. This movement was auto-pilot for him now, after all the time he had done it before. He dressed, eating breakfast, going to school, spending time in library reading book, avoid Motohama and Matsuda if possible.

That was right. He had forgotten since when, but he tried to avoid his friends, not because he hated them or other petty reasons. He was just… he was tired of doing perverted things.

He had forgotten since when, but he had become disillusioned against living. What purpose did someone yearn if in the end, they would just repeat from the beginning? Not to mention his timespan was just six days.

He always died on the sixth day, either killed by Yuuma-chan on their date or ditched the date and be hunted by Yuuma-chan. In the end, his life was in Yuuma-chan's hand. The first one hundred loops he had wasted on trying to change Yuuma-chan's mind, but he failed. Later, or rather now, he realized that he had failed not because his efforts were not enough, but because it was rooted in Yuuma's mind that she needed to kill Hyoudou Issei. Issei didn't understand the reason why, but he had since long ago accepted that one fact. The one fact that maybe, Amano Yuuma was just a crazy psychopath that loves to play with her victim's mind.

"Heya, Ise. I found a peephole at the Archery Club's changing room!" Matsuda excitedly exclaimed when Issei was in his sight. He was at the classroom, waiting for either his buddy Motohama or Issei.

"I'm sorry, Matsuda. Maybe later."

The whole class became silent. Everyone besides Issei was frozen in shock.

"WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT HAPPENED WITH HYOUDOU ISSEI?!"

"Calm down, Matsuda, you're making too much noise."

"B-but Hyoudou Issei would never refuse any attempt at peeping at girls!"

Issei just slumped at his desk, sighing.

"I don't know… I'm just, I'm tired."

"Tired of peeping?" One of the classmates interjected.

Many people began snorting at the thought. The wild beast Hyoudou Issei tired of peeping? There was no way.

"Just tired of life in general I guess… like, you find out that you had no purpose, and suddenly everything you do ends up meaningless, not that I have done anything noteworthy, but you get what I mean right? Whatever you did, it will leads up to the same beginning."

"S-since when Hyoudou become good at philosophy talks?!" Matsuda's horrified face truthfully made Issei smile a bit.

"That's not philosophical at all, rather, you could say that I am having some existential crisis I guess?"

It was ironic since after he had changed his view of the world, Matsuda was always the first one who noticed the change and said that he was having some existential crisis. The former part was true on this loop, but not the latter.

"Ah…" Matsuda nodded in understanding. "Then I'll lend you some of my favorite porn magz."

"No, thanks. I'll pass."

Gasps was heard all around the classroom.

Hyoudou Issei passed the chance to see a porn magazine? One student took a look outside the window.

"It's okay guys, no meteor is coming to destroy the world."

The students in the classroom sighed in relief. No sign of apocalypse.

In the earlier loop, Issei might be wondering why people seemed so surprised when he refused Matsuda's offer. But now, he just smiled at their reaction.

The commotion in the classroom finally calmed after the teacher had come in, starting the class in the process.

Soon, the news that Hyoudou Issei had passed a chance to see a porn magazine spread like a wild fire in the entire Kuoh. Some guys clapped their hands, while others had doubts that he tried to redeem himself. Some girls said that it was a one-time thing, while others response was disgust. The point was, he himself didn't care what others thought about him. In the earlier loop, he might have, but now, he did not.

He passed the lunch break inside the library, reading books that he hadn't had the chance to read. In 453 loops, he still hadn't read all books inside Kuoh Academy's library. That spoke of how big the library was.

He was reading a book about engineering. Not that he had any interest in it, but because he simply needed a book to pass the time. When he was on the middle of the book, someone tapped him on the shoulder.

He turned his head to see the Student Council President, Shitori Souna, staring at him.

"Huh?" he muttered. This was a first. In 453 times he repeated the week, he had never been approached by the Student Council President herself. Interesting.

"Hyoudou Issei-san. I had heard the rumors. It certainly travels fast."

"Yeah… I don't care though. They can say whatever and it still won't affect me in any way. It never does," he muttered the last part quietly and it was true. Whatever people think of him on this loop, it would be reset back when he came back for another loop.

"I see," she nodded. "That is certainly an interesting way to look at the rumors spreading in Kuoh."

She closed her book and brought out a chess set. "Care for a match?"

"I suppose. I warn you though, I suck at strategizing," Issei also closed his book and took a seat opposite of her.

"White moves first," she stated. "Therefore you first."

Issei nodded and moved his rightmost pawn.

Fifteen minutes later and it was clear that he was losing.

In that fifteen minutes, they played quietly. The only sound they heard were when the pieces placed at the board.

It was Issei's move and he moved his knight to take her bishop.

Souna stared at the board, it was clear to Issei that she was thinking her next moves. In contrast, all Issei did was moving his pieces to avoid her relentless charge. He really stood no chance against her.

"Hyoudou Issei-san."

"Yes, Kaichou-san?"

"You are just avoiding my offensive move, aren't you?"

Issei just scratched his cheek and reply with a yes.

"Very well then, by doing that your defeat is sealed." Souna moved his queen to take Issei's rook, which in turn exposed his king directly to the might of her queen. "Check."

Issei moved his king one step forward, as it was the only way to avoid her. The response Souna gave was a smirk. She placed her rook in the same row as his King. "Checkmate."

As she said, Issei's king's path to safety was blocked in all possible way, since Souna had her queen if he moved backwards, and there was another rook if he moved forward.

"Ahaha, I lost huh? Well, you are very smart, Kaichou. Of course you will excel in this game."

Souna nodded. "Although intellect is important, the most important thing you need to have in chess is unpredictability. You claimed that you were avoiding me, yet at the same time I noticed that your move was threatening my strategy should you make a different move. Perhaps, if you were not just avoiding me, you could turn the table on your favor. But that's a story for another time."

The bell rung, signaling the beginning of the next class.

"It seems like the break is over. Well, it's nice playing with you, Hyoudou Issei-san."

She left him pondering upon her words. Sure it was just a harmless game of chess, but now he was really curious about it.

Issei spent the entire week reading books on chess in the library. He thought that he should use his time well. He chuckled at the irony of his own words.

Hyoudou Issei woke up. It was his next loop. His 454th loop. He took a marker from his drawer and wrote 454 on his lower arm below the wrist.

The happenings was as usual, Matsuda asking his condition, and the class' reaction of his reply. The interesting thing was, on the lunch break, where Issei was reading a book on variation of strategy on chess, he felt someone tapping him on the shoulder, just like his latest loop.

"Hyoudou Issei-san. I heard the rumors, it certainly travels fast." Once again, the Student Council President of Kuoh Academy standing before him.

Issei just nodded. "I didn't ask for their opinion, my life is my own, and I can do anything with it."

Apparently, Souna saw the cover of the book that Issei was reading because she suddenly asked, "You playing chess, Hyoudou Issei-san?"

"I'm just getting into it. I know the rules, but last week my cousin asked me to play and she beat me mercilessly. It just so happens that there was a book on chess strategy in this library. Kuoh Academy's library sure is big."

"Fancy playing with me?" she brought out a set of chess, and Issei nodded, complying with her request.

"White moves first."

"I know."

Issei moved his leftmost pawn.

Twenty minutes later, Souna was just about to say checkmate when the bell rung.

"Well, checkmate. Thank you for playing, Hyoudou Issei-san. Now we should go back to our class."

Issei nodded, following her out of the library and off to his classroom.

"I see you're still reading that book," Souna called the reading Issei. She brought out the chess set and began arranging it. "Care for another match?"

The whole week was spent playing chess with Souna. Issei thought it was worth his time in this infinite loop. Besides, it sharpened his mind, so he had never refused her when she asked him to play against her.

Then came the time when Issei would be killed by Yuuma.

For the first time in his 454th loop, he felt sad. He was sad, since that one week he had spent with the Student Council President was fun. The only fun Issei ever felt in his 454 time repeating the same week.

After Yuuma stabbed him, he woke up on his bed again.

Issei was brooding. He was missing his chess match against Shitori-kaichou. So here he was, on the rooftop, eating his lunch. He really didn't want to meet with Shitori-kaichou again since she would be the same as everyone else.

Suddenly, he could hear the door being opened by someone. When he took a glance, he was a little surprised since the one who opened the rooftop door was none other than Shitori-kaichou.

"Kaichou?" Issei tried to confirm the person.

"Indeed, Hyoudou Issei-san. May I know what are you doing here?"

"You know, just the usual. Eating lunch, etc etc."

"That's not usual for you."

Issei faked a gasp. "Kaichou! Don't tell me you spied on me!"

Souna just glared at him with icy eyes. "People, especially girls are always complaining about you to me. I want to take action against you, but I felt pity towards you and your friends when I saw you being beaten by them."

"Ehehe…" Issei just scratched his cheek in reply. "Anyway, Kaichou. What are you doing here?"

Souna turned her gaze from Issei towards the clear sky.

"I finally finished my paperwork for today and tomorrow." she breathed in relief.

Issei couldn't believe what he had heard and just tilted his head. "Uh?"

"No it's nothing."

But he heard it clearly.

So, the last loop, where he and Shitori-kaichou spent the entire lunch break playing chess against each other, she still had paperwork she hadn't done?

Suddenly Issei felt guilty. Even though the one who asked to play was always her, Issei couldn't help but feel guilty. After all, he was the one who kept her from her task. And, wasn't she the kind of person who was strict and always keep timetable for every little detail? So why did she ask him to play?

Souna then began eating her lunch. Issei saw that it was homemade, he was curious about it and threw a question. "You made it yourself?"

She shook her head. "I bought it in convenience store this morning."

"Ah," Issei nodded. "It must be expensive huh?"

"It's not that expensive actually. But it does taste like homemade cooking my cook made."

So his assumption was right. She was rich as hell, her family even had their own cook.

"That's why you bought it, huh? You're lucky, Kaichou. I probably couldn't buy something like that," Issei brought out his lunch, which was just soba bread and orange juice. "Me, with my pocket money I can only buy this."

"I see, you are saving your money huh?"

"No, really. My mother only gave me enough to buy this," Issei shook his head. "Anyway, Kaichou. I heard you are good at chess."

This. He didn't know if his attempt would be a success or not. But he was trying.

"Yes," she stared at Issei right in the eye. "Why? Do you want to play against me?"

"If you have the time."

"I have free time until lunch ends. Very well. I will entertain you since I am quite curious about you since people said you have changed. Did you?"

"I don't think I changed. Maybe people changed how they view me, but I never changed their view of me."

She took out her chess set.

Seriously, where the hell had she put it? Every time she wanted to play, she always had it on hand. A pocket dimension? Haha, yeah right. Magic wasn't real.

But the magical light spear that Yuuma always used to kill him does.

So magic could be real? Or did magic really exist and normal people are just ignorant about it?

"Something the matter, Hyoudou Issei-san?"

Issei shook his head. "No it's nothing."

"White moves first," both said at the same time. Souna seemed a little taken aback, but her stoic mask quickly came back while Issei was smirking.

"I know the basics, at least. And last week my cousin challenged me every day. So I hope I won't disappoint you," Issei moved his rightmost pawn.

After school, Issei felt so happy that he ended up accepting Yuuma's offer without second thought. His mind was full of strategy to beat Shitori-kaichou, which kept being harder every time they played. He was improving though, their match was getting longer and longer.

Issei went home humming all the way.

The next day, he went to the library on the lunch break. There, Shitori-kaichou was playing against the Vice President of Kuoh Student Council, Shinra Tsubaki. Tsubaki seemed to be losing, and he was right. Souna moved her knight to take Tsubaki's bishop and it was checkmate.

"Good game, Kaichou-san, Fukukaichou-san."

Souna just smiled when she saw Issei, while Tsubaki seemed surprised that Hyoudou Issei was watching their match.

"Ah, Hyoudou Issei-san," she nodded, acknowledging his presence.

Issei moved towards the strategy section in the library. Seriously, Kuoh Academy's library was too big. But his step was stopped when he was being called by Souna.

"Hyoudou Issei-san. I would like you to play against me."

Issei gauge the surprised reaction in Tsubaki's face, and smiled. "Oh well, how could I refuse when you're the one who asked. Besides, I want revenge from yesterday. I will avenge my yesterday self. He was being foolish."

Souna motioned Tsubaki to give her seat for Issei. Tsubaki's face couldn't be more surprised than this. Issei once again just smiled and took the seat.

"White moves first," both said at the same time. "That's why I want to play black this time," continued Issei.

"Very well."

They rotate the chess board and began to play. Souna moved her rightmost pawn.

"Kaichou, the bell rung ten minutes ago. We should go back to our class."

Tsubaki tried telling that to her superior, but clearly she was failing because Souna kept her gaze at the chess board.

Souna moved her pawn, taking Issei's pawn in the process. But her move was responded by Issei's bishop taking it. Souna smiled. That was her plan, to open up the path to victory.

She moved her bishop three boxes forward right.

Issei replied by moving his other bishop to take another of Souna's rook, which was replied by his knight being taken out by her other rook, exposing his king to her rook.

"Checkmate."

What?

Issei took another careful look at the board.

"How could I miss that? You deliberately placed your bishop there, and since I need another two steps to check you using my bishop, you let your one rook as decoy for me since I haven't taken anything besides pawn, leaving you a breathing room for one turn which you use to take my knight, resulting in the checkmate since I can't move the king to anywhere else. Ingenious, very ingenious, Kaichou-san." Issei really wanted to laugh when he saw the expression made by Tsubaki, but he refrained from it because of politeness.

After they cleared up the chess set, Souna who was walking with Tsubaki stopped herself. "Hyoudou Issei-san. Would you like to play again tomorrow?"

"Sure, if you have the time."

Now, that wouldn't be a problem if she hadn't said it in the hallway full of students.

The silence followed could not be described simply as silence. It was more than silence.

"What is the problem?" Souna asked nobody in particular, but everyone knew that the question was thrown for them.

"Er, Kaichou. Perhaps you should have worded your sentence better."

It took Souna several seconds to utter an "Ah," of understanding. "Hyoudou Issei-san. I have free time tomorrow, would you like to play chess again?"

Issei couldn't hold his laugh anymore. He laughed and laughed.

"Are you mocking me?"

"N-no," he said while wiping tears off his face. "It's just seeing everyone's reaction is very funny. I mean, people in my class even shouted 'apocalypse is coming!' while ducking under the desk. And now, after you said it everyone seemed to misunderstand it. Really, I can't hold my laugh anymore."

Souna nodded in understanding. "Your attempt at changing yourself for the better are appreciated by the Student Council." And with that, she ignored the whisper about what had just happened and went back to her class.

The following week was boring, at least, that was what Issei thought since he had experienced it 455 times. The only exciting things was that he and Souna still played every day. Sometimes, they played at the rooftop when it was empty and sometimes, they played at the library and watched by peoples there.

And still, Issei couldn't beat Souna. But at least he was improving.

And then came the fateful date with Yuuma.

As usual, Issei did what he always did with her, until they arrived at the fountain at least.

"Yuuma-chan. Can I tell you something?"

Yuuma made a cute confused expression. Issei would fall for it if he didn't know her true nature.

"What is it, Ise-kun."

"During this week, I experienced something invaluable. I don't want to end it here, but… I guess this is the end between us."

Issei said that with a straight face.

Yuuma made a sad expression before it changed into a cruel smirk. "I won't let you off the hook yet."

Seeing the expression on her face, Issei just sighed.

"Fine then."

"Hahaha!" she stabbed him, for the 456th times.

Hyoudou Issei woke up on his bed.

He sighed and wrote 456 on his arm.

Last loop was over.

There was no chess with Souna anymore.

"Hyoudou-san."

Issei looked up from his book. There was Shitori Souna in front of him. It came as a little surprise to see her here. Had she finished her paperwork for today? In the last loop he recalled her saying that she had finished her paperwork before they met at the rooftop.

Issei turned his gaze from her to his surroundings. There was hardly any people on Kuoh Academy's library.

"What is it, Shitori-kaichou?"

Huh? Was that a smile on her face? Nah. That must be his imagination.

"I was waiting for Rias to come to play with me, but it seems that she has another appointment so we couldn't play. I noticed you're here. You play chess?"

"I'm good, but not that good."

"Would you care for a match?"

Issei closed his book with a dumb smile. "I'm in."

"So, I heard you refused the offer of a porn DVD from your friends. That is quite unlike you," she said while moving her pawn.

"That's an understatement. Point is, I am changing myself," Issei replied while mirroring Souna's move.

"Yesterday you also refused their offers to peep at the Kendo Club," Souna took Issei's pawn with hers.

"Yeah, so?" Issei moved another pawn forward.

"That's reassuring," Souna moved her knight.

"For?" Issei moved his bishop.

"Female students in specific, and society in general," Souna moved her queen. "Check."

Indeed. Issei took a look at the board and decided his move. His other bishop closed Souna queen's path. "That's harsh, Shitori-kaichou."

"Maybe I'm harsh, but that's the truth." Souna recklessly took the bishop that protecting Issei's queen with her rook.

"Anyway, Shitori-kaichou. Shouldn't you go back to the Student Council's room? Isn't Student Council President's job is like, hard and demanding?" Issei moved his pawn.

"I've finished my tasks since yesterday. That's why I have free time now," Souna said while moving her queen.

"Why are you always asking me to play? Not that I'm not grateful…"

Souna moved her knight, but then realized that Issei hadn't moved. "Because it's fun." Souna then raised her knight into eye level and stared at it. "You see, the other at Student Council are novices except Tsubaki. But I already know Tsubaki's pattern so playing against her is boring. Then there is Rias, but playing against her… I could not enjoy it. When it's involving her, I always want to outdo her. However, when I play against you, I always have fun. You said you are not that good, but your skill says the opposite. Honestly, if you play with Tsubaki now, you could wipe the floor with her. It's because of my tactical capabilities that you haven't beaten me yet."

Issei blushed.

The bell rang.

"Ah, look at that, Shitori-kaichou. Seems like the bell has rung, anyway, I need to go back to the class, okay. I'm sorry, let's continue this later."

Issei ran out of the library towards the men's toilet. Inside, he washed his face on the sink.

"Alright, Issei. Let's hope she did not notice that. I need to forget her words, or I won't be able to face her tomorrow. But how can I be sure I will face her tomorrow? Of course, she will approach me and asking me to play, she had just said it… Dammit, I can't forget those words. Should I just reset the time?"

Issei punched his own face. "What am I saying? I was sad and brooding about not playing chess with her again, and a miracle happens, she asked me to play, and then just because she said something nice I want to reset the time? Stupid Issei. Who knows I wouldn't be able to play against her again in the next loop? I should feel grateful that the situation for this loop allows me to play chess against her."

With that conviction in mind, he went to his class.

"Hyoudou-san, I can see something bothering you," Souna said to him after she moved her rook to take his pawn. "Care to share it?"

"No it's nothing." Issei moved his bishop.

"But it affects your mind, I can tell. You just made a sloppy move," Souna moved her queen. "Checkmate."

Souna put aside the chess board, and stared directly at Issei's eyes. "Now, care to share it?"

"No, it's nothing. Thank you for the concern though, Shitori-kaichou."

"It seems that I need to rephrase my word. Please tell me what's bothering you, Hyoudou-san. That's an order."

Issei decided to lie, if only to mask the truth. "Tomorrow, I have a date with this cute girl. We have been going out since earlier this week. It's just, I am nervous. That's all."

Souna nodded at his words. "I should have been surprised that you got a date, but I suppose you are trying to change yourself because of her?"

"You could say that."

"Well, I think you worry too much. Women loves confidence. You should be confident and I think tomorrow will be alright for you."

Issei took a deep breath. "Yeah… thank you for your advice, Shitori-kaichou." Not that he would follow the advice since Yuuma would end up killing him. He thanked her nonetheless. He couldn't say that the one distracting him was her.

"Hey, Yuuma-chan. Can I tell you something?"

"What is it, Ise-kun?" Yuuma tilted her head.

"I don't want this day to be the end," Issei said with a sad mysterious smile. "I want to continue the day, I want to see what tomorrow's offer for me and you."

"Hm~" she nodded. "In exchange," she transformed, something that Issei had seen numerous time but still couldn't comprehend. "I want you to die for me!"

Issei just sighed. He took a knife from his pocket.

"What? You want to fight? With just that knife? Don't joke around, you won't even scratch me!"

Issei raised his knife, and plunge it towards his neck.

He woke up on his bed, again.

Then, he did something he had never done before in any loop.

He shed a tear.

He truly meant what he said to Yuuma. He wanted to see the day after their date. First because he had never passed the date, and second, because somehow, he himself didn't know why, he had become comfortable enough with Souna. He liked playing chess with Souna. He liked how she always had times for their match. Even if he was always losing, and probably never had the slightest chance of winning, but he liked playing chess against her.

The tears hadn't stopped, and soon it became full blown cries.

All the pain he suppressed since he experienced all those loops, all the fear he hide since he went through it time again and again. It all smashed the wall he used to isolate his emotion inside his heart.

"Ise?"

He heard his mother opened his room's door. He tried to wipe the tears, but it seemed that he was a little bit late.

"Why are you crying?! Is there any problems on school?!"

"N-no, it's nothing."

"Ise. Don't lie to your mother."

The way she said it was normal, but Issei felt the pressure she emitted when she say those words.

"It's a… it's just a nightmare."

"A nightmare? Care to tell me?"

Issei felt the stare she was giving him, and as usual, decided to twist the truth.

"It was a nightmare… I kept repeating a week, again and again and there was no stop. The worst thing is, each time I looped, it was because I was dead."

He still felt her stare, and then she put her hands on his shoulders.

"Ise. Forget school for today. We need to see doctors."

"Eh, what?!"

Turned out the doctor said there was nothing wrong with him. His parents seemed unconvinced, but the doctor's examination and Issei himself had stated that it was just a nightmare. The doctor said that if the nightmare occurred again, then there was something wrong with him.

The next day Issei went to school, as usual he ignored Motohama and Matsuda's offer to peep. They were a little concerned though, that he had missed school yesterday, that little bit managed to put a smile on Issei's face. It was nice to see that his friends no matter what loop he was in, still being their usual selves.

Now he was resting on the rooftop, staring at nothing in particular. His mind was still full of chess' strategy, and how to beat Souna. Thinking about the chess game that he could never have again actually hurt. Had repeated the week 457 times, he had felt many physical pains. This was the first time he experienced a mental pain, and it hurt so much.

He heard the door being opened. His heart jumped. Could it be Souna? Two loops ago Souna approached him here. There was a slight chance that it was Souna who was opening the door.

"Good morning," an unfamiliar voice called him.

"Morning."

Surprised couldn't describe what Issei felt right now. Instead of Shitori Souna, the third most beautiful girl in Kuoh, he was faced with Rias Gremory, the most beautiful girl in Kuoh.

"I believe we have not meet before. You might know me as Rias Gremory, I think you might know me by my reputation."

"Nice to meet you. I think you already know me by my reputation."

"Hyoudou Issei, right?"

Issei nodded, and continued to stare at nothing. His mind didn't even register the fact that there was Rias Gremory on the rooftop. He was still thinking about chess. Chess was something that light his days before he repeated the week. By pure luck, he was always there when Souna had a match. But no, this time there was no luck.

"If I may ask," Rias started. "You seemed different from what I heard. You're not ogling me."

Issei just passed his glance to her and replied. "It's just aftereffect of a nightmare I guess."

"I am here to relax, but I found something interesting instead."

"Say, Gremory-senpai," said Issei after he remembered something that Souna had said to him. "You play chess?"

He saw Rias blinked, obviously startled by what he asked.

"Yes," she replied. "Yes I do. Do you?"

"Just a beginner."

"Do you want to play?"

Issei snapped his head towards her. "What?" there was already a complete chess set ready to play in front of Rias.

That was… That was Shitori Souna's technique, the legendary magical chess board! It was a high level technique that uses her willpower to summon her chess set from a pocket dimension!

At least that was what he thought, until he saw Rias with a chess board. Maybe she shared that technique with her before.

Or maybe that was only because he didn't focus on her.

Well, whatever.

"I was a little miffed, actually. Souna, my biggest rival yesterday just said that she was bored playing chess with me. The nerve of her! Our scores are still even! What's wrong with her? One day we're tied, and the next day she came close to defeat me, and said that she was bored?! So she had never use all her power to beat me before, had she? She was always underestimating me, wasn't she?!"

"Er, Senpai. Let's just get started, okay?"

"Grrrr! How could you?!"

It was after their match ended, Issei barely beat Rias by a small margin. The cause was a small error on Rias' part, which she still regretted.

"We're playing against each other, of course I was trying to beat you."

"But you said you were just a beginner! Were you lying?!"

Issei just sighed. "Gremory-senpai, have you ever heard of Beginner's Luck? And besides, you said it yourself that you lost because of your mistake. Now you're blaming me?"

Rias took a deep breath.

"Fine, okay. I lose. Because of my mistake. Not because of you lying or something." Her head turned downward. "I lose… against Hyoudou-kun… Souna said she was bored… maybe I do suck at chess…"

Then she collapsed to the ground in tears. "Were they always losing because they took pity on me?!"

Seeing her situation, Issei just sweat dropped. "Here, Senpai. Let me help you get up." He lent his hand for her. She mumbled a thank you before there was a glint in her eyes.

"I know!"

"What?"

She stared at him seriously. "Since you managed to beat me, then I'll use you to defeat Souna!"

"Ha?"

"I will pit you against Souna in chess. You will play as my representative. That way, I can finally beat her! Hahaha!"

Issei's mind froze when he heard 'playing against Souna'. He… he could play against her again?

"How is it, Ise-kun. Would you play as my representative?"

Issei took a deep breath to calm his excitement.

"Sure, just contact me when you need."

"Tomorrow I will send someone to fetch you. Remember, you have to defeat Souna," she said while walking towards the door.

Issei just replied with a "Yes." While trying to hide his face.

He couldn't suppress the grin he had on his face.

The next day, when the bell signaling lunch break had just rung, there was a commotion outside of his class. Issei naturally overlooked that, but seeing as he couldn't exit the class and go to the rooftop until the crowd disperse, he decided to wait in the class while also refusing Motohama and Matsuda's offer to 'bring him back to the true path of heaven'. Seriously, those two.

"Hyoudou Issei-kun," Issei snapped his head, hearing his name being called. In front of him stood Kiba Yuuto, the Prince of Kuoh Academy, and the dream of every girl in the school.

"Yes, you're Kiba-san, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"What business do you have with me?" Issei asked. He ignored his classmates whispers of why did Kiba Yuuto approached him and the wild guess' accompanying it.

"Buchou asked for your help."

"I'm sorry? What?"

"Ah," Kiba realized his mistake. "My Buchou is Rias. She said you'd know what I'm talking about."

Issei had the biggest grin everyone could see. They just assumed that it was because Rias Gremory asked him something. But that was not the case.

Issei had a grin on his face because he would be facing Souna on chess.

"I see, yes. I understand. Where will it be held?"

"I don't know, but Buchou said to bring you to my clubroom."

"Very well then, lead the way, Kiba-san."

When he entered the Occult Research Clubroom after Kiba, he was instantly greeted by the sight of Occult Research Club members and Student Council members on the opposite of each other. Being their leader, Souna and Rias was face to face sitting on the sofa with a chessboard ready between them.

"Oh, Hyoudou-kun, finally you arrived."

He felt Souna's glance, before she said, "What is this, Rias? You said you will beat me today."

"Yes. I will beat you, using him." Rias pointed at him. All the other beside those two stared at him. Frankly, it made him feel uncomfortable.

"You didn't even deny using him, huh? Anyway, if he managed to beat me, then wouldn't that mean he was the one who beat me, not you? I can't see the logic in your decision."

"That's… That doesn't matter! You're the one who complained that playing with me is boring even if you hadn't beaten me! Just shut up and lose! Hyoudou-kun, go beat her!"

"Yes, yes."

Issei took a seat directly opposite her.

"White moves first, "Souna said to him. Issei's mind was hit with memories of the first time they play. "That's why I want to play black."

Déjà vu. Or was it? Issei still remembered the words he said to Souna. Was it just a coincidence that she repeated the same words he said to her?

He examined her more carefully. She seemed like she knew Issei was examining her. "Something the matter, Hyoudou Issei-san?"

Issei shook his head. Maybe that was just coincidences. Coincidences did happen.

He saw her smiling a little.

His eyes went wide in surprise. There was no way!

He turned his face downwards. His bangs shadowing his eyes.

"No, nothing."

Issei moved his leftmost pawn.

Fifteen minutes later and it was clear that he was losing.

In that fifteen minutes, they played quietly. The only sound they heard were when the pieces placed at the board. Even the spectators didn't dare to say anything.

It was Issei's move and he moved his knight to take her bishop.

"Hyoudou Issei-san."

"Yes, Kaichou-san?"

"You are just avoiding my offensive move, aren't you?"

This was it.

"Yes," Issei's eyes were watery now.

"Very well then, by doing that your defeat is sealed." Souna moved his queen to take Issei's rook, which in turn exposed his king directly to the might of her queen. "Check."

Issei wiped his teary eyes as he moved his king one step forward, since it was the only way to avoid her. The response Souna gave was a soft smile. She placed her rook in the same row as his King. "Checkmate."

Issei bowed his head, his bangs covered his teary eyes.

"Ahaha, I lost huh? Well, you are very smart, Kaichou. Of course you will excel in this game."

Souna nodded. "Al–

She couldn't complete her sentence because Issei cut her off.

"'Although intellect is important, the most important thing you need to have in chess is unpredictability. You claimed that you were avoiding me, yet at the same time I noticed that your move was threatening my strategy should you make a different move. Perhaps, if you were not just avoiding me, you could turn the table on your favor. But that's a story for another time.' Is that what you wanted to say?"

Issei lift his head, staring at Souna directly now.

"Very spot on, Issei-kun, I couldn't worded it better. Or would you rather be called Issei without any honorifics? We certainly have spent enough time to do that, haven't we? Please call me Souna as well, I think if I was right, you deserved that, at least. And judging by your reaction, my assumption is right."

The others in the clubroom each has different expression of being confused. They didn't understand what their school's Student Council President had just said.

"Issei?"

Issei did not say anything. He just lifted his sleeve where he had wrote the numbers of loop he had passed.

Souna just smiled, and also lifted her sleeve.

They had a matching numbers.

It couldn't be! She was with him the entire time?!

Nonononono! This must be a dream! Yes, this must be a dream. If he killed himself then maybe he'd be back to yesterday morning and Shitori-kaichou's statement was just a prank.

Issei took out a small knife from his pocket. There was no days where he didn't pocketed his knife.

"Wait, Issei! Don't do that!"

Too late.

Issei had already plunged his knife to his neck.

And then he woke up on his bed.

Unlike before, he rushed things this time. He even skipped breakfast so he could arrive at the school earlier. He wanted to see if Souna was just bluffing or not. There was no way for her to have also experienced 457 loops.

He ran towards the school gate, ignoring the cry of other students that he bumped. His goal was clear, the student council's room. He just hoped that Souna was already there when he arrived.

BAM

He slammed the student council's room door.

"Huh? You're… Hyoudou aren't you? What business do you have this early? And don't slam the door! Kaichou will be angry with me!"

"Wh-where's Souna?!" He asked between his panting.

"Huh? Kaichou? Oh, she's in the next room, sorting paperwork. Why are you searching for her? And please call her with her rightful title! That's Shitori-kaichou for you!"

"Saji, leave us alone."

From behind the door, Souna's figure could be seen. There was a mysterious glint on her eyes that Saji couldn't understand. But when he saw how serious Hyoudou's expression was, he couldn't help but nod at Kaichou's order.

"Shitori-kaichou…"

"Issei."

Issei's eyes widened in surprise.

"And didn't I tell you to call me Souna?"

"You're real…"

"Yes. I am as real as yourself in this deceitful world."

Issei failed to hold back his tears. "You're real…"

Souna didn't reply. She just smiled softly at him. Slowly, she took a step until she was in front of him. She embraced him gently, patting his back while whispering words of comfort towards Issei's ear.

"It's okay… I'm here… you're not alone anymore… or to be exact, you're not alone since the first time you repeated your life. I was always here. I'm sorry it took me so long to approach you…"

Issei didn't reply, he just cried harder and harder, making Souna's uniform wet with his tears.

They didn't move. Their position felt really comfortable that they didn't want to release their embrace.

Until it was interrupted by the insensitive Momo.

"I'm telling you, Momo. Kaichou told me to leave her alone and you can't enter unless she called."

"Did she say all that, Gen-chan?"

"No, but there was this gaze in her eyes!"

Apparently, Momo ignored Saji's warning and opened the door.

"See, it was okay to open the do–Oh…"

Momo was greeted by the angry gaze of Souna who was still embracing Issei.

"Like I said–Oh…"

Both just stared at their King dumbly.

"Wait! Damn you Hyoudou! How the hell did you get Kaichou to hug you!"

"Saji," Souna said slowly but there was an edge on her voice. "Shut up."

Souna then stroked Issei's head softly, making Saji's heart break even further.

"Kaichooooouuuuuuu!"

He ran from the scene.

"So, uh…" Issei didn't know how he should approach the subject. In front of him was someone who had experienced the same things as he was. Shitori Souna, the Student Council President of Kuoh Academy, was the same as him.

Both were lost souls in the repeated worlds.

"Issei. I hope this won't change our relationship as chess rivals."

Apparently that was the right thing to say because Issei smiled. "Yeah, let's discuss things between chess, I'm more comfortable like that."

Issei focused his vision around Souna. He wanted to know from where she pulled the chess set.

"Hm? Something the matter, Issei?"

Issei blinked. The chessboard was already in Souna's hand.

"What the hell! Where did that chess set come from?! Ever since the first time we played, I'm always curious. I mean, there's no way you pulled it from a pocket dimension right?"

Souna had a blank look on her face.

"Right?" Issei assured himself.

Souna turned her head to face the opposite direction.

"No way! Magic isn't real!"

"Actually, magic is real, Issei," Souna fixed her glasses. "This world has supernatural side that no normal people cross," she said while she arranged the chess pieces.

Issei put his hand on his chin, "I see, I see. This is where you explain that there was a secret society of magic isn't it?"

"Well, yes. There's the magician faction, but we won't get into that. Let's play, Issei," she moved the pawn in front of her King.

"So you're saying that every time you're dead, you went back into this morning?" Issei nodded, Souna moved her gaze downwards to the boards, before making a random move she didn't calculate. The topics of their conversation was more important than any chess match she could have.

"Yeah, I don't understand it myself. But you saw it with your own eyes, right? I killed myself and we went back in time."

Souna exhaled a large breath. "I see. I always wondered how could I repeat this week, so it's because you died huh? Wait! Does this mean that you have died 458 times?!"

Issei had a dark smile on his face. "Yes."

Souna immediately jumped to hug Issei. "I'm sorry, I should have approached you earlier. I didn't understand how I went back, I was working on this room and then suddenly I woke up on my bed."

"It's okay. This 458 lives has taught me, that life is fragile. It could easily be taken by anyone, anytime. Living had no meanings if you had no goals."

"…what do you mean by your last statements?"

"I mean, why strives for something, if in the end, you'd be back to square one. Instant fail if you ask me."

"I don't mean to ask this, but why are you so sure you'd fail? How did you die, anyway? Seeing that you have died 458 times, and in the span of this week, does that mean in the end of this week you'd also die?"

"Yeah… maybe… I… don't know?"

"You haven't answered my earlier question, Issei. Why are you so sure you'd fail?"

Issei snorted. "I don't know why, but I have this stalker who kills me. In fact, she has managed to do it 458 times."

"So… you died because you're being stalked?"

Issei shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, she always approached me and asked me out before she killed me in the end."

"She… asked you out?"

Issei nodded. "Maybe that's her cover to get close to me, or maybe not, since even if I rejected her, she'd hunt me and I'll be dead even before the week ended."

"And you just accept that?"

"Of course not, but I guess I just… I'm tired of trying." Issei had a hollow smile on his face, something that made Souna cringed.

"Again, I'm sorry I did not approach you earlier."

"Eh, don't be. I mean, you bet everything on that chess match didn't you? If somehow your theory was incorrect, then you'd have lost on this loop right? Just because you did it, I'm grateful."

Issei saw her smiling at his words.

"Well then, Issei. Let's get to know each other more!"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"We have eternity to do anything, but the only one we could rely on is ourselves. It would be a good thing to know each other first, wouldn't it?"

"Ah… yeah… probably."

Souna smiled. "Let's get along, Issei."

Issei turned her face downwards, hiding his red face. "Yeah… let's get along."

After a particular long explanation about various supernatural sides, which was focused on the Three Biblical Factions, Issei still couldn't beat Souna at chess.

"How are you so good at this game, Souna?"

"Sharpen your skill by playing constantly against a stronger opponent. My father had always managed to beat me in chess."

"I see. I do play constantly every day, against you of all people."

"If you want to, I could arrange you a match against Tsubaki. You'd easily defeat her, I'm sure. Tsubaki!" Souna called her. Seconds later, she appeared.

"You called, Kaichou?"

"I want you to play chess against Issei right now. Oh, bring all the student council members as spectators please."

Tsubaki hurriedly called the other members to gathers.

"What is it, Kaichou?"

"Is there something you need of us?"

Souna just glanced at Tsubaki. She understood her message, and motioned the others to sit. "I will play chess against Hyoudou Issei."

The others just shared a confused glance to each other before shrugging.

"Do you even know the rules, Hyoudou?" said Saji, obviously annoyed by Hyoudou's sudden closeness to Souna.

Issei just smiled.

Tsubaki sat in front of Issei. On her side was the white pieces, and Issei command the black pieces.

"White moves first," said Issei.

"I know the rules, Hyoudou-san," Tsubaki replied while moving her pawn, signaling the start of the match.

Five minutes later, Tsubaki was on the corner of the room, sulking while Issei was talking with Souna. The other members couldn't say anything because of how ridiculous the match was. Tsubaki was the second best chess player in their peerage, and Hyoudou Issei, one of the Perverted Trio managed to beat her easily.

"Er, Souna. Why are we waiting here?"

They were in the Student Council's room after Souna called Issei in the second period.

"Yesterday after your match with Tsubaki, I asked Rias to ask her brother if Beelzebub-sama is free since I have something that might interest him," Souna then sigh. "Unfortunately Lucifer-sama called my sister, the Leviathan and she said she could escort us to Beelzebub-sama's place."

"Beelzebub, Lucifer, Leviathan, it's your devil's leaders right?"

Souna nodded. "I'm glad you remembered that."

Not long after that, the room's floor glowed. Issei couldn't take the light so he closed his eyes. When the glow died down, there was a woman… girl… there was a female devil stood wearing a cosplay outfit.

"So-tan! I'm so happy to see you!"

So this was Leviathan, one of the Four Satans, leader of the Devil Faction.

"Onee-sama… please release your hold of me. There's someone watching."

Souna's sister just tilted her head. "Oh! Hello! I'm Serafall Leviathan! Please call me Levia-tan! It's nice to meet you~!"

TOO SPARKLY!

"Ah… yeah… nice to meet you too," Issei replied.

"Now, Sirzech-chan said you need to meet Ajuka, right? Your onee-san has kindly made an appointment with him beforehand, so I'll escort you two there."

"How?" Issei asked.

"Do you even have to ask?" Serafall winked at Issei before she grabbed him.

"Wha–"

He couldn't complete his words because he had been dragged by her into the magic circle. He reflexively closed his eyes.

When Issei opened his eyes, he was standing in some sort of lab.

"Ah, Serafall. So this is the ones who wants to meet me, huh?" A handsome tall men who was tinkering with some of his things looked up and greeted Serafall.

"That's right, Ajuka-chan! This is as you have known my little So-tan, and this is Hyoudou Issei. So, I have to go, bye! Ajuka-chan, help them, okay?!" She used her magic again to teleport from the lab. Once again Issei shielded his eyes. After the glow died down, Issei bowed to Ajuka. "It's nice to meet you."

"So what can I help you two?"

Issei glanced at Souna, who nodded at him. Issei took a deep breath.

"This might sounds ridiculous but… I am looping in time, and I don't know how to stop or control it."

Issei expected laughter, or a raised eyebrow, or a blank stare. But what he got was not all that. He got a serious stare from the one titled Beelzebub himself.

"Tell me everything."

Issei told him everything, but Ajuka didn't show any reaction to his stories. After he finished his explanation, Ajuka lift his face upwards.

"I think it's the power of a Sacred Gear… but I have never heard of Sacred Gear with similar power like yours. The closest thing to time loop is time stop, something that Forbidden Balor View can achieve. And yet even though that was the closest, it's still fundamentally different."

Ajuka faced Issei. "Boya, I think you should approach Azazel instead. Last I heard he was gathering Sacred Gear users for his organization."

"Azazel?"

"The founder of Grigori and leader of Fallen Angel faction," Souna provided the answer. "I don't know how we could approach him, we are enemies."

"Enemies or not, 'scientist' always love mystery. I'm sure he won't act hostile if you have something that could interest him."

Meanwhile, Issei face-palmed.

"What's the matter, Issei? Is there something wrong?"

Issei stared at Souna. "Everything."

"Pardon?"

"The one who killed me, she had a black wings in some loops. I didn't realize it yesterday, but I'm sure from the description you gave about Fallen Angels, she is a Fallen Angel."

Hearing that, Souna had a long suffering sigh while putting her hands on her temple.

"It's so like you to miss the little details. Maybe we should polish that the next time we play chess."

"Ise-kun, before we end this date, I have something to ask you."

"Me too, Yuuma-chan."

"Then let's hear yours first," Yuuma smiled.

Issei stared right at her. "Can I meet your leader? That Azazel person."

Instantly Yuuma glared at him. "Tch, our cover has been found huh? No matter. I will accomplish my mission."

Issei just sighed while scratching his head, waiting for the next time he would wake up on his bed.

"How many times I have to say it, Issei. You need to follow the plan! It's been 45 loops already!"

A frustrated Souna could be seen angry at Issei on the rooftop of Kuoh Academy. She was angry. No, scratch that. She was furious.

"Well…"

"What?! You don't think the plan would work?!"

Issei scratched his cheek, he stared at everything except the Student Council president in front of him. "It's just… I think we should do the crazily easy way first, just because maybe it could lead to a result we never expect."

"Then why were we spending an entire week planning the moves you need to do to gather the information! Honestly, you would make a bad spy, Issei."

Issei threw his face away, "It's not like we can't try again and again."

Souna sighed. "Well, you are right. But what if the Sacred Gear or whatever it could be was malfunctioning? What if you died and never come back? You need to consider my feelings." Despite the fact that she was saying it with a cold tone, Issei could feel the emotions behind her words. "I don't like seeing you suffer…"

It was there and then that Issei realized something that he maybe had overlooked before.

What Souna said was true, whatever the thing that caused his loop is, there was a slim chance for it to malfunction, so in theory Issei should have tried harder to solve the problem as fast as possible.

But.

Issei didn't know why, but there was something in his heart that ache when he thought about knowing the cause of his loop. It might be because there was a chance to end it, or it might be something entirely, however there was something that Issei understood fully.

He loved being with Souna, spending time together, playing chess against each other, or just conversing about anything with her.

Saying that he didn't want the loop to end might be too far, he did want to end it. But when he still had the time, he wanted to spend more time with Souna.

That was why he did not want the loop to end yet.

That was also why he never went with the plan.

"You're right, I'm sorry."

"Sigh… let's leave the problem for later alright. Let's play chess."

Instantly, Issei's face brightened. "Yeah, let's play."

After setting the chessboard, they began to play.

Five minutes into the game, Souna started a conversation.

"Hey, Issei."

"Yeah?"

She moved her pawn. "If, by any chance, you find the answer, and eventually you can end the loop, would you… would you like to join my peerage?"

Issei who was moving his knight froze up.

"Um… why are you asking this?"

"Just answer me please."

"No offense to you or Devils in general, but no. Thank you for the offer though, it's nice knowing you care."

"Why…?"

"Because I don't deserve it. I don't have any skills, or any strong points to help you and your peerage."

Issei saw Souna lowered her head.

"If hypothetically I say that I don't care about power, and or strength, what would your answer be?"

"Eh?" Issei tilted his head. "I will ask you why you even consider it."

Souna muttered something that Issei couldn't quite catch, but it sounded suspiciously like 'You idiot'.

"Okay then, what if hypothetically I said that I want you to join my peerage. What would your answer be?"

"It would be 'I'm flattered, but you should consider other options than me.' I mean, like I said I don't have any power or strength, I would be useless in Rating Game. The only power I have is this looping things, and I couldn't even control it."

"What if you can control it?"

"It's hard to say…" Issei started. The chess game was forgotten in the heat of the conversation. "You want to be recognized by Devil's society or something like that right? So you can build a school for other Devils. That's a nice goal to have. Contrary to you, who still keeps that goal even after knowing you are stuck with me, I don't have any goals, not anymore. The only thing close to a goal right now is controlling my loop. If I can I want to use it to my advantage."

"…If I may ask, what were your goals?"

Issei threw his face to his sides, he didn't want Souna to see his red face when he was answering the question.

"I wanted to be a Harem King."

Slowly, he heard a giggle. The giggle then turned into a full blown laugh.

"Seriously? What you always boasted back then was really your goal?"

"Don't blame me! Blame that old man in the park that turned me into a pervert!"

"I know, you've told me that story before right?" she asked still smiling.

"Yeah yeah… laugh at me…" he heard Souna's soft laugh again. Truthfully it was soothing, hearing Souna's laugh. "Still, I'm glad I could cheer you up. You seemed sad before."

It was thirty loops later when Issei finally managed to get an answer from Yuuma, even if it was at the cost of another loop.

This brought Issei and Souna into their 533rd loops.

"So, how is the last time? Did you get the location?"

Issei nodded. "Tomorrow, I will infiltrate the Grigori's base," he said with a serious tone.

"Issei, I don't think–

"Let's do our best, Souna."

Souna just nodded at his words. She then arranges her chess board, and they played against each other, while Issei still couldn't beat Souna in the end. When the bell signaling the start of the next period rang, they went back to their respective class.

There were many Grigori bases around the world. The nearest one was located in Kanto, in Chiba to be exact. Supposedly, it was an abandoned building, but after going around Chiba all day, Issei still couldn't find the lab.

"Sigh… it's hard, finding something that I don't even know…"

He decided to continue the search tomorrow, since it was already evening and he still hadn't found it.

"Eh? Where's the train station again?"

He turned his head left and right, searching for a sign pointing towards the train station. Unfortunately he couldn't find it. He decided to bother some passerby by asking for direction.

"Just take a bus on a nearby shelter, there's one that heads towards the station. Honestly, young men nowadays."

Issei scratch his head while laughing sheepishly. "Thank you so much," he bowed and then ran towards the shelter not far from where he asked the middle-aged man.

Issei exhaled his breath in relief. Finally, all he needed was just took the bus and then he'd arrive at the station. He checked all his belongings several minutes before the bus arrived.

"Eh? Where's my wallet? Shit! That's where I put all my money!"

Issei frantically retrace his steps, his eyes was onto the ground, scanning around for any trace of his wallet. All thought about going back home was forgotten for the moment.

After nearly an hour of searching, he finally found his wallet in an alley. Just as he was picking up the wallet, he heard a female cry.

He instantly put his wallet in his pocket and sought the cry. Not far from the place where he dropped his wallet, a woman was cornered by some thugs. The woman's mouth was covered by a thugs' big hand. It seemed that she managed to cry for a second before her mouth was covered. Her blouse was unbuttoned, showing the world her white bra, and the lab coat she wore over her blouse was torn. There were tears on her eyes.

It was clear to Issei what would happen to this woman if he didn't save her.

It didn't matter if things would go back to normal if he died and went back to this morning every time. It didn't matter if he stabbed his neck right now.

By seeing this, a thought was planted in Issei's mind.

This woman had been raped in every loop he underwent.

It was… it was wrong.

That was why, equipping himself with the knife he carried, he ran straight to the nearest thug. He had read some books on anatomy, so he knew exactly where the heart was, and stabbed him there from the back.

The stabbed thug let out a startled cry before his body collapsed to the ground.

Shocked that his comrade was suddenly unconscious, the other thug couldn't move his body. Issei capitalize this moment to slash at his right leg, hindering him from mobility since it was a deep slash.

"Damn it, who are you!"

Issei's attention was too focused on the second thug that he forgot there was two other thugs. Instantly and without warning, his body was thrown sideways.

"You're stupid, facing us, the Four Devas alone. You clearly was not from this area, wasn't you? This is our tur–

The thug couldn't complete his sentence because a knife stabbed his stomach. His mouth opened slightly, but no words come out.

A stab wound on the stomach won't kill someone instantly, it will drain the blood from the body until the oxygen supply to the head was cut off. Coupled with the pain felt, it was not so effective, but a painful way to die.

"Why you!"

The remaining thug immediately ran towards Issei, but the wounded one didn't manage to do it and can only cry in pain each time he took a step. The fully healthy one managed and punched Issei in the stomach.

"Guh!"

Weaponless, Issei relied on his untrained physical body to block the punches coming from the enraged thug. His tempered mind was working on searching for a slight opening that he could use.

The furious man was punching him with all his emotion. As long as he kept punching him, there would always be a slight millisecond gap for each punch. It was so fast that nobody thought there was a gap, but for Issei's honed mind, the gap was there.

The question was, how long his body could endure until he could exploit said opening?

Apparently not for long because he felt so much pain.

He couldn't endure it any longer. And besides, if he waited for the opening, then the wounded one would arrive and potentially destroy his only chance to win.

The next time there was a gap between the thug's punch, Issei ducked and rolled between the thug's legs. Freed from the attack, Issei quickly ran towards the wounded thug who was still clutching his legs. Gathering all his power, Issei punched the man hard in the gut, making him faint instantly.

"Gah!"

Issei felt pain on his right shoulder.

"Gehahahaha! Can't use your right arm eh?"

The last thug was still standing.

This was bad, Issei thought. He dislocated his shoulder, and there was one thug still remaining.

"Take this!" the thug threw a jab towards Issei, which he managed to sidestep since his right hand was unavailable. Then, Issei kicked the man hard in that place.

The thug screamed hysterically before he fainted.

Issei took another look at the scene. Two dead, two fainted. He scratched his head. "Well… whatever. Are you alright miss?"

The near-rape victim was staring at him with widened eyes. Now that Issei took a better look at her, she was apparently in her early twenties. Her brown hair was shaped into a ponytail, and a red-framed glasses covering her beautiful onyx eyes. In conclusion, she was quite breathtaking.

"Thank you, young men," she finally said after a moment of hesitation.

"Er, if you call me that, I felt as if you're older than you're supposed to be. Just call me by my name, Hyoudou Issei."

Was that her appearance? Issei didn't know. He was seeing a blur.

"Right, thank you, Hyoudou-san. The question is, are you okay?" she asked back while gazing at the scene in front of her.

"Well, I am quite oook-"

He couldn't complete his words because all he saw was black.

Hyoudou Issei woke up.

As if he was programmed to do so, he instantly opened his drawer to find a marker. The marker then used to write a number, specifically, the number of loops Issei had went through.

But it was quite strange this time.

Was his drawer's color always white? The last time, he remembered its color was clearly brown. What was happening here?

Issei scratched his head in confusion, but his gaze fell into his lower arm, specifically the place where he was supposed to write the number of loops. There was still a number there.

'533' was written on his lower arm.

"That's an interesting tattoo you have there."

Issei turned his head, and saw the woman he had saved at the door. So he did not die, huh?

"This is…"

"This is my infirmary research lab. I thought bringing you to the nearest hospital would be a pain, with you murdering people like that. So I brought you here. Are you really okay? After doing that…"

"Research lab?"

"Answer my question first."

Issei just smiled at her. She seemed unnerved by his smile.

"I'm okay."

"Was that your first time murdering someone?"

Issei nodded.

"You should have felt something. I don't buy your 'I'm okay' act. I know you're not a cold blooded murderer since you asked my condition back there. Please be honest with me, I just want to help you."

Once again, Issei smiled. "I'm okay, you don't have to worry. That was the first time I bloodied my hand, but don't worry because eventually everything will be okay."

The woman stared at him, but Issei keep the smile on his face.

"Okay then, if you say so. My name is Nina, and I am the head researcher here. Once again I thank you for saving me. I always use that shortcut to go here, and I suspect those people had observed me before they acted."

Issei tilted his head. "Huh, that's funny. This is the first time I heard a research lab in Chiba. What are you researching?"

Issei felt Nina staring at him seriously. And then, she uttered two words that made Issei jump in joy in his head. "Sacred Gears. And I suspect you have one."

Issei feigned ignorance. "What's that?"

"Don't lie. I have worked with and researched people with Sacred Gear before, and they exude a certain oppressive aura that people without Sacred Gear don't have. Your aura was really oppressive, just be honest. Do you have a Sacred Gear? Because my experience with it says so."

Issei and Souna were playing chess on the Student Council room in Kuoh. As usual, Issei was at disadvantage against Souna. Even though they had played countless time, Souna had no fixed strategy so it was hard for Issei to beat her while Souna could be very well crushed his adapting strategy. Nevertheless, Issei still found it fun to play with Souna.

"So, did yesterday bare any fruit?"

"I got an appointment with Azazel this weekend. The nice but scary researcher also said that I can bring you," Issei said while moving his king to avoid being checked.

"Wait-wait, start over from the beginning please… Check."

"Damn, oh right, so it was started when I realized I forgot my wallet…" Issei started telling what happened yesterday while they kept playing. As Issei continued telling his story, he observed Souna's expression. The change on her expression was quite cute, but Issei would never said that out loud.

"I see," she nodded after Issei finished telling yesterday's event. "Checkmate."

"…Damn it, you beat me again. So, uh. Do you want me to bring you or not?"

Issei saw that Souna adopted a thinking expression (something that he rarely saw coming from her in their chess match) for a while before she nodded and smile. "I would very much like that."

"Are you not worried? It's the Fallen Angels' base, and while it has quite a bit of other races, there's no Devil and you said that they can smell your scent."

Souna shook her head. "Because you will be there with me, Issei."

"…"

Issei opened his mouth but no words came out.

"Huh? What's the matter, Issei?"

Normally, in anime or manga, this was the time when Issei became a stuttering mess. But this was not anime nor manga! Moreover, for Souna to say some airheaded things like that was unbelievable! There must be another meaning behind her words! Yeah!

Think, Issei. Read between the lines, Issei!

"I mean, they won't do anything to agitate you, their subject of interest. You are the one who decided to bring me, and they have to deal with that since they are taking an interest in you. And besides, if my presence there was unwelcomed, you could just leave them, but since they haven't seen your Sacred Gear's value, I don't think your decision of ditching their help would benefit us, the ones who seek Azazel's help, at all. However, that was just an assumption, let's just wait for Saturday to come."

Haha.

So that was what Souna meant.

Forget reading between the lines! Even if he zoomed the sentence, broke it into small pieces and rearranged it, he wouldn't catch what she meant at all!

"Ah… yeah… let's just wait for weekend."

Both then parted to their own class once the bell had rung.

Finally it was Saturday. Issei and Souna had decided to meet on the school's gate before they head to the station, since they actually don't know any place to meet.

When Issei had arrived at the school's gate, Souna was already there.

"Issei," she greeted him. She was strangely wearing Kuoh Academy's outfit.

Issei cursed in his mind. And he thought he could see Souna in casual outfit for today. He himself was wearing a simple white shirt and jeans and sneakers, nothing too fancy.

"Souna. I guess we should go now."

She nodded at him. "Let's go."

They went to the station and took a train to Chiba. Nina had said that she would wait for Issei there and would take him directly to the Grigori's research institute.

On the train, Souna asked Issei a question.

"Issei… are you excited? You will finally have a chance to know the reason for those," she pointed at Issei's arm, indicating the numbers Issei wrote there.

"Honestly…" he sighed. "I'm tired. But I do want to know, so I will know how to stop it, or at least control it," he said while looking at the scenery outside the train.

"Issei…"

"Hyoudou-san."

After getting out of the train, Issei immediately greeted by the sight of the female researcher, Nina.

"Ah, Nina-san. Good afternoon."

"Afternoon. And this is?" her eyes narrowed as she observed Souna.

"Good afternoon. My name is Sona Sitri, and yes. As you suspect I am a Devil. I am here because Issei asked me to come."

Nina then asked Issei. "As I thought there was something strange about you. To think you already knows about the supernatural… Ah, pardon. Let us go to the research institute, we will escort you there."

They were directed to a black car which Issei didn't know the model, he was not a car enthusiast, but he did read several books on cars in his free time.

Twenty minutes later, they found themselves in front of Azazel in his lab.

Azazel definitely had the 'mad scientist' vibe, and that was coming from someone who had never met one like Issei. His black hair with a streak of blonde combined with his sharp eye unconsciously made Issei wary of him, regardless of his nature. It was not his name or titles or his presence alone, it was the invisible aura he generated, giving him and to an extent Souna pressure. He and Souna was sitting on a sofa in front of Azazel himself.

"So what's your name?"

Issei stared at Azazel's intense eyes. "Hyoudou Issei."

"What is a Devil doing here? Not that I don't welcome them, but I don't see any connection between you and her. You are a human, right?"

"I brought her here for a reason you'll know later. Now, can you answer me? What is my Sacred Gear."

Nina who had took a curiosity towards Issei let out a surprised sound. "Eh? But you seemed to at least have control over it."

Issei shook his head. "I don't even know what it is, how can I control it?"

"Hmm, it's certainly interesting," said Azazel who was observing Issei.

"What Nina-kun said is certainly true. From your aura alone, you should at least have a grasp of what it is. And yet you don't know… could it be the case where you know the power but can't control it."

Issei nodded at Azazel's assumption. "I know the basic principle, but I don't know what kind of Sacred Gear can do that."

"Well then, boya. Tell me your Sacred Gear power from your observation. Can you demonstrate it here?"

"No I can't, because my Sacred Gear power involves time looping."

Instead of confused reaction that Issei was expecting, what Azazel did was the opposite.

His face was showing fear.

"Impossible. How could the Mobius Road fall into your hands?!"

"Mobius Road?" Issei muttered.

He heard Souna's response. "You seemed to recognize Issei's Sacred Gear."

Sharp as always. That was Souna for you.

"Nina-kun, please get me the small notebook on the drawer there," Azazel pointed for Nina. "As for your question, Sitri-jouchan, no. I don't only recognize it, I am familiar with it."

Nina after taking some times searching finally found it, and handed it to Azazel.

"Mobius Road. Power: Resetting time for the wielder. Essentially, the wielder goes through a time loop, experiencing a set of time again and again every time he/she was dies. It is unknown how to set the time for reset and or the way to stop it. There was only one known wielder: a nameless man from the land who would be known as China. Observation result: None. Threat Level: ? Level. Countermeasure for opposition: Not found."

There was a silence in the room.

"That's it? That's what you know?" Issei demanded to Azazel.

"That's what I want everyone to know. Mobius Road is too dangerous, the only way to reduce its danger was to conceal it from everybody in existence. I don't know how you got your hands on Mobius Road, but I do know more about it than anybody in existence right now."

"Even the creator of said Sacred Gears itself?" Souna asked. That was certainly true, Issei thought.

"I said anybody in existence. More importantly, what I will tell you is a story. Nina-kun, I trust you will keep this a secret from anyone else… or not. Boya, what I will ask is probably too much, but after hearing this story, please reset the time. Nobody on existence should know it except its wielder because of how dangerous it is. Can you do it, boya?"

"I can't promise you," said Issei while averting his eyes by glancing at Souna. He found her deeply thinking about something. Huh, maybe it was what Azazel said.

"Very well, but please consider it," Azazel said while nodding at him.

A long time ago, in a land that would be known as China, there lived a man. The man was a Buddhist, believing that reincarnation existed to cleanse himself to reach Nirvana. One day, he died and was reborn as himself. He believed that he had been reincarnated, and sought for atonement. Each and every time he died, he had been reborn again and again, thus he started atoning himself more and more, choosing the life of a monk. But, no matter what good deeds he did in his life, he was still reincarnated again and again.

He then began to think. If whatever good deeds he had done in his life were not going to be appreciated, if no matter what he does he would never reach Nirvana, then it was no use doing those deeds in the first place. He then lived his life fully, finding love, getting family, had children, he found happiness in life… until he reincarnated again.

He sought the happiness again, failing many times while succeeding other times. And yet, he still couldn't reach Nirvana itself. Eventually, he gave up on it. He just lived, fulfilling his life, trying to find the meaning of his existence.

One day, the man met a Fallen Angel. A curious Fallen Angel who was interested by his view on life in general. The Fallen Angel after spending enough time with him, theorized that the man had a Sacred Gear that let him reincarnate through death. When the Fallen Angel proposed that, the man just laughed and confirmed what the Fallen Angel said, saying that it was also the conclusion of the other version of the Fallen Angel, and his power was actually looping through a set of time. The man then said that the other version of the Fallen Angel no matter what he did never found a way to stop the Sacred Gear. The Fallen Angel then decided to take the challenges that the other version of him couldn't beat.

After several years, finally the Fallen Angel did it. He found a way to stop the Sacred Gear. He finally had done what the other version of him couldn't finish. So he sought the man and said that he had found it.

The man could never be any happier. So they decided to use the tools that the Fallen Angel built to stop the Sacred Gear.

Azazel finished his tale there with a sip of wine.

The room was in silence, until Souna broke it with a question.

"The Fallen Angel was you, wasn't it?"

Azazel replied with a nostalgic smile.

"I could never forget the last words he said to me. 'Don't let it fall into anyone's hand. I had ruined many people's lives in my past loops. I finally managed to avoid any mistakes since several loops ago. One last thing, I lied to you. This is not my thousandth loops. I actually counted it, and truthfully, this is my 10032nd loops.' And then he died. That was the second time I let my tears fall."

Meanwhile, Issei was thinking another thing altogether. There was a wielder of this particular Sacred Gear before him, and he looped through 10032nd times. He could not imagine the suffering that man went in his 10032 times living alone… wait, alone? That was certainly right. It was his Sacred Gear, so the man was alone in his life.

So why was Souna looping together with him, the wielder?

"Er, Azazel-san, I don't think whatever this Mobius Road is, is my Sacred Gear."

"What? But you're looping through a set of time, right?"

"Yes, that's certainly true I woke up on my bed on this week's Monday morning, but… in your story, there was no mention of taking someone along for a loop right?"

Azazel nodded. "That man was always alone, looping through the time again and again. Wait! Does this mean you have someone looping with you?" his eyes went from Issei to Souna. "Don't tell me Sitri-jouchan here is the one looping with you."

"You are correct." It was Souna who answered his question.

"This doesn't make any sense at all!"

"At any rate, can you help me stopping this Sacred Gear?" Issei asked.

"I can stop it. But the cost is your life."

"Wait!" this time it was Nina who interjected. "Azazel-sama, you can't mean that right?"

"Oho, as expected of Nina-kun. You caught on quick huh?"

"What are you talking about?" Souna demanded with a sharp glare.

"Sacred Gear Extraction device. A tools that I built upon taking the challenges that my other selves lose. How about it, Boya? Do you want to use it or not?"

Issei was about to open his mouth when Souna interjected.

"Hold on! What will you do with it if Issei agreed to use that?"

Azazel's eyes gotten serious. "If possible, I would secretly study it and after finding some weakness, I would try to destroy it. However, if you agreed, please do that after you reset the time. Just say Mobius Road to me in the next loop and I will gladly assist you in any way I can considering how dangerous it is."

But Issei shook his head. "I don't want to reset the time. Too much risk. Instead, please give me one week to decide. Next Saturday, I will be here again to tell you the answer."

And besides, he also didn't want to risk Nina being raped. He didn't know if he could save her again. He didn't want to take that risk.

"Also The chance that this research institute will accept my demand to meet you face to face is kinda slim, I don't have any evidence that I have Sacred Gear to be accepted immediately here." he finished.

"I see… well then, I think your answer is reasonable. I will wait for you here next week, Boy- no Hyoudou Issei-kun."

On the train back, Issei asked Souna something important.

"Souna, can you arrange for me a week long absence from school? I want to spend the time thinking without other's interference."

"Issei…" he felt her staring at him. "I see. Very well then, I will pull some strings to let us absent for a week."

He smiled. "Thank you, Souna. Wait, did you just say 'us'?"

Souna just smiled mischievously, "The Sitri family has a villa not far from Gremory's. We can stay there for a week. I promise you no outside interference."

Issei's mind was thinking another matter entirely. A week together with Souna… a week together with Souna… a week together with Souna… a week together with Souna…

"Issei?" Souna moved her hand in front of Issei's face.

"Ah, nothing. I'm glad you could arrange that."

"It's nothing. I want to make you feel at ease, since I can't imagine the suffering you went through," Souna placed a hand on Issei's chest and rubbed it softly. "It must be painful, doesn't it?"

For the rest of the trip, they basked in silence. Feeling comfort on each other's presence.

As Souna said, they spent the entire week in Sitri's villa together. At first, things were awkward for Issei, but after two days there, he was finally used to being together with Souna. Of course, they talked, they played chess, they took turns in shower and slept in different room. All in all, Issei enjoyed the day he spent with Souna there.

But one week was short.

Tomorrow, he had to go to Azazel and decide what he would do. That was the point of leaving school for one week. He wanted to think without interference, and Souna did give him time to think before they went to sleep.

Currently, they were playing chess. Issei using black and Souna using white. As usual, Issei was losing.

"Hey, Issei. Have you decide what would you do?"

Issei moved his knight while replying, "What about it?"

Souna moved her rook, and continued their conversation. "No, nothing."

That was not usual for Souna, Issei thought. He then moved his knight to take Souna's pawn. "Okay then."

Forty five minutes later, a miracle had just occurred.

He finally beat Souna.

He finally beat Souna!

He did a victory dance in his mind.

He took a look at a surprised Souna, before he saw a smile on her face. "Congratulations, Issei. I knew you could do it."

"Thank you, are you sure you weren't just giving the match to me?"

She shook her head, before standing up. "Well then, Issei. It's already late, let us go to our own room and take a rest. Tomorrow was the deadline for your one week after all."

Issei nodded and they went back to their separate room.

It was at midnight that Issei woke up.

He woke up because he felt something weird when he slept.

He didn't expect to find something weirder when he woke up.

"Souna?"

For he found Souna embracing him tightly.

"-on't go," she muttered something under her breath.

"Don't go away, please. I knew what your answer would be. Don't leave me please!"

Souna was wearing her nightgown and without her glasses, embracing him tightly. He felt something wet on his shoulder.

Souna was crying.

Souna was crying because of him.

"I knew you long enough to deduce your answer. Please don't go!"

"Souna…"

"Issei, please…"

"I have to do it, Souna," he declared while stroking Souna's hair.

"You don't have to."

"I know I have to. I am not a hero who can shoulder big burden like it was nothing. I am not a protagonist of some story where in the end everything would be alright. There's no end to this, Souna. I have to do it right now, or the chance will slip from my grasp. It's also not only for me and my selfish satisfaction. It's for you. You have a life, you have future. You have to lead your peerage members to be the best Devils. And besides, didn't you say you want to build a school where devils were treated without any discriminations? You have to achieve that. I don't have any other goals besides ending this, not just for me but also for your sake."

"… I know I won't be able to change your mind… you're too stubborn to do it," she wiped her tears. "Let me tell you something important then," she put her hands on Issei's shoulders. "Hyoudou Issei, I love you."

Issei couldn't speak.

He opened his mouth but no words came out.

"I love you so much that I don't want to lose you. I know I'm selfish, all Devils are selfish, but this time, let me be selfish please."

She then kissed him passionately.

"Issei, please be gentle with me."

"So what is your answer, Hyoudou?"

Right now, Issei and Souna was at Grigori's Research Institute. It was the time for Issei to give his answer to Azazel.

"Yes. I will do it, Azazel-san."

"Very well then. What makes you choose that?"

Issei just smiled sadly. "I choose that long time ago."

That was right. If he could end it here, he want to do it. It might seemed like a cowardly move, but he really did tired, of living with no purpose.

He then turned towards Souna. "Souna, I'm sorry I can't give you anything more than just a burden of knowing me."

Souna was another thing he had to throw away. It was not that he didn't like Souna. He loved her, he really loved her. He realized that one fact just yesterday night. But things had to be done. It had to be done, for Souna's sake.

He admitted that he was weaker than Souna. Even after this many loops, she was still be able to smile, and still had a goal she wanted to achieve. For him? He didn't have any goal. He might have had it long ago, but his goal right now was to end it all.

She shook her head. "You silly. That is not a burden. I'm glad I met you."

"Lead the way, Azazel-san."

Azazel nodded and led them towards a room. Inside the room, Issei found a cross.

"This is it. Are you ready?"

Issei took a deep breath and nodded.

He was chained onto the cross by Azazel and Nina.

"Issei…"

"Souna… once again, I'm sorry."

"Issei… Do know that you will be the only one I love."

Issei nodded to her with a smile.

"Are you ready, Hyoudou?"

"Yes. I'm ready, Azazel-san."

The Sacred Gear Extraction device glowed for a few minutes, before it was his body's turn to glow.

Ithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsithurts.

"Arrrrrrrrrrggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

And then he couldn't felt anything else as his body went limp.

"Sitri-jouchan, you know you can resurrect him as your servant right? Now that his Sacred Gear is gone, the loop comes to an end," said Azazel after they moved Issei's body to a nearby hospital and hypnotized the entire staff to believe that Issei had died from a car crash. Azazel had even sacrificed his car to perfect it. It was Issei's last request to Souna.

"I know, but I respect his decision. And besides, he deserved rest."

"And you don't? You also went through 533 loop with him right?"

Souna just smiled. "I still have something to strive, something I want to achieve in this world. He ended the loop, not just for himself but also for me. Issei… Rest in peace, I won't let your sacrifice go to waste."

Both of Issei's parents were notified about their son's unfortunate circumstance in Chiba. They were very devastated. They demanded the police to investigate the culprit who was still missing. Issei's mother was even crying non-stop for nine hours according to her husband.

Kuoh Academy was also grieving. While many people and especially girls were glad that the people perving on them decreased by one, they also felt that Issei did not deserved to die. At least, people thought, let him be expelled and or transferred. There was nobody more shocked by the news than the two in the Perverted Trio itself. But instead of crying or feeling depressed or sad, they made a vow, to never replace Issei as the third member and requested to the entire school to still be called the Perverted Trio even with a member gone.

His funeral was held with not many people came despite the invitation. But perhaps the most surprising was the arrival of Shitori Souna the Student Council President of Kuoh Academy, with the entire student council body of Kuoh Academy.

She gave a short speech and then bowed towards Issei's parents, before leaving for her family matters.

All in all, the funeral was full of grief.

Two year later, on one morning, Hyoudou Sakurako found a baby on her doorstep with a letter attached.

She was curious about who would leave a baby there, maybe she could find it out by reading the letter.

So she read the letter, and immediately shouted. "Otou-san! Come here!"

"What is it, dear?"

"Letter! Baby! Issei! Baby!"

"What do you mean?"

"Just read this! Quick!"

So Hyoudou Noboru read the letter her wife gave him.

To Hyoudou Otou-sama and Okaa-sama.

Good day to you two, my name is Shitori Souna. You might know me as the Student Council President of Kuoh Academy where Issei once attended. This might be a surprise for you but I knew Issei very well, not that my knowledge about him is greater than yours, you both are still his parents after all. But I do know him very well.

Through chess we met and knew each other, through chess we shared laughter, knowledge, and suffering. This might be a surprise but Issei did know and love playing chess. Though at first he was not good at it, slowly but surely, he managed to get better and eventually he managed to beat me, the person who taught him chess.

As I stated above, I managed to know Issei through chess. Not the 'Perverted I-love-breast' Issei that he boasted to everyone, but the kind, fun, brave, strong, and caring Issei that you are proud of. Truthfully, knowing another side of him truly makes me feel special since nobody in the school ever knew him as deep as I am.

Otou-sama and Okaa-sama, I will be blunt here. You might think that I am ridiculous, or you could be dreaming right now or anything that sort. But no. I am saying the truth here, and you are not dreaming. I am in love with Hyoudou Issei, and still in love with him even after he is gone, and will always love him for eternity. The baby that came with this letter is the proof of my love with him, and his love with me.

Now that might be unbelievable, and as I have stated above you might be thinking that you are dreaming right now. But it is the truth. Originally I would love to raise her, shower her with all my love, and teach her everything I know to grow up as a fine woman. But sadly, there are circumstances in my family that prevents me from raising her. Thus, I beg you, as her grandparents to raise her properly.

The circumstances that prevents me from raising her is that I came from a high-class family, and yes, the classical high-class family that you see in television dramas and such. I am the heiress of my family, so originally I was supposed to have a fiancé in an arranged marriage. But I managed to annul it with a proposal to my family, "I refuse to marry someone who is not smarter than me." And chess is a game of intelligence. Thus, in eighteen years of my life, I was safe from any arranged marriage.

Before you think that we have this baby illegally, no you are wrong. Technically, Issei did beat me once in chess, so he fit the criteria of marrying me. Actually my family even had once said that I should abort the baby. But I rebelled and said that Issei is technically fit for the criteria, and they backed down. It was really sad that such tragedy occurs not long after we proclaimed our love to each other.

Otou-sama and Okaa-sama. I am truly grateful to you two. I hope this baby could grow into a fine woman. Oh, one last thing. The baby hasn't had a name yet. I leave the naming to you since I felt ashamed of having to leave her to you. I don't have any right to name her after my decision. I am both regretting and not regretting my decision. I regret it because I will never be able to see her grow into a fine young woman, but I don't regret it because I believe you two will take care of her and help her grow into a fine young woman.

P.S. Issei had once said that if he married a foreigner, he wanted to name his baby with foreign name. I have a foreign blood within me, just for your information.

With regards, Shitori Souna. Eternal lover of Hyoudou Issei.

Fifteen years later, a letter came towards the Hyoudou Residence.

"Grandma, here's today's mail."

A fifteen years old Hyoudou Valiciera brought the mail from the mailbox towards her grandmother's room.

She had a long black hair that reached her hip, a pair of beautiful violet eyes that covered with a glasses, and quite bountiful in the chest area.

After she left her grandmother to read checked the mails, she heard her grandmother call her.

"Yes, Grandma?"

"Vali-chan, have you considered where you are going to attend high school?"

She thought for a while.

"I have considered Kuoh Academy, that was the school you said my parents both meet and fell in love right?"

"Yes, you are right. However, here, read this. You are invited to attend the new prestigious Tokisaki Academy."

"Whoa, what the- you're right. How do I got noticed by the school?"

She was too occupied by the letter of invitation that she didn't notice her grandmother opened her mouth for a second as if she wanted to say something before she closed it without letting out any words.

"My friends said that Tokisaki Academy only invite their students! No normal people could get in there! Is it addressed right? It's not supposed to be addressed for our neighbor isn't it?"

Her grandmother shook her head. "No, it's for you. Look, they even got your name there."

"Whoa you're right!"

"So what will you do? Would you like to attend this Tokisaki Academy?"

But instead of eager nod, Valiciera did the opposite. She lowered her head. "Grandma, you look really happy when I said I want to go to Kuoh when I was little. I don't think I should go to Tokisaki Academy, I mean I had promised you."

Her grandmother then stroke her head, something that Valiciera secretly loves. "Vali-chan, I am not angry at you for having a second thought going to Kuoh Academy. Sure, Kuoh is also prestigious and has been established long before Tokisaki Academy was founded. But, as you said, Tokisaki Academy never held any entrance exam, they sent invitations for potential students they thought have potentials. Just follow your heart. Do you want Kuoh Academy, or Tokisaki Academy? For your information, both schools are actually rivals."

"…Give me one week to decide, Grandma."

In the end, Hyoudou Valiciera decided to go into Tokisaki Academy. Getting education there, meeting friends, and forging bonds.

Until in her second year, she was moved into the special class, S-Class. It was said that the S-Class was full of rich people, and that it had different curriculum than the normal class.

She was nervous, when she entered her class. Luckily, she quickly become friends with a handsome friendly boy with a bright red hair. He said his name was Millicas Gremory.

Finding out the fact that the S in S-Class stood for Supernatural, that she was not a normal human but a half-human half-devil, awakening her Sacred Gear the Boosted Gear, one of the thirteen Longinus-tier Sacred Gear, meeting her supposed rival that surprisingly had a same name as her nickname, and the fact that she is the daughter of this school's headmistress was a bonus.

Really, she should have chosen Kuoh Academy rather than Tokisaki Academy. At least in there, she wouldn't have to deal with all of this… would she?

Afterwords

Surprise! You must be thinking, 'The hell! This guy was supposed to update his other stories! Why did he write a new one?!' Well, I was thinking that too the entire time I wrote this. But I really couldn't get this story out of my head. This story began writing itself when I re-read All You Need is Kill when I realized I had the Novel in my laptop. After that, I re-read the manga for feels and then the storyline was born!

Would you believe me if I say that I intended this as IsseixRaynare fanfic? You wouldn't, would you? Well, just see the earlier paragraph. But towards the middle, I changed the direction. I was thinking who could be the heroine and love interest that looped with Issei? Admittedly Souna was the first one who came to my mind, and after some thought, I decided to pair her with Issei. Unusual pair huh? So then began my journey to write a believable story of IsseixSouna. I used chess as medium for them for several reasons, but in truth, I just want to write a chess scene. I'm sorry for all of the chess expert out there who couldn't understand the chess scene, I just feel like it. Chess is awesome like that.

Then came the actual problem. How did Issei looped? How did Souna get looped with him? Well, the first I can twist easily into a Sacred Gear. For the second? Well… even after finishing the fic I still can't thought of that. Balance Breaker maybe? But Souna was also looped since the first time Issei looped. Well, chalked it as divine interference then. Did you see what I did there? My answer for that loophole is, do not think about it. Just enjoy this fic, thank you.

You know what is more difficult to write than the actual problem? Yes! It's naming the Sacred Gear. Mobius Road, a fitting name that I would never think of. Thank you Feng Lengshun on SB forum for recommending it for me. He also give several pointers to this fic, so once again thank you very much. As for why Mobius Road fit, just google Mobius or Moebius, you'd understand. For your information, I named it Reset Gear in the beginning. It sucks. Naming Souna' school is also difficult. But once again Feng Lenghsun saved me by recommending some names and the use of Toki on its name. For the record, Tokisaki Gakuen use the kanji for Time and 先 (saki) which had several meanings: before, ahead, previous, future, precedence (Source: jisho since I don't understand why before and future had one Kanji, is it some kind of pronoun for time?)

And then we arrived at the conflict itself. Issei chose to die. Maybe it seemed like a cowards move, especially after he said he loved being with Souna. But if you read closely I have dropped hints about his choice, and he also said it in front of her too. He even said that Souna was stronger than him, because she still can smile despite experiencing what Issei experienced. The only difference is that Souna hadn't tasted death yet while Issei had. This is also what pushed him to choose to die.

Another interesting thing about this fic I think is the first wielder of Mobius Road himself. I chose Buddha since it has the belief of reincarnation, after that, why not make it happens on middle/possibly early AD? It'd be more ancient and cool and badass. The thing you should notice is the parallel and or opposite between Issei and the first wielder. Between the first wielder who is alone, managed to find love and happiness, but had to lose it, destined to never has it for a long time, and Issei, who has Souna, managed to find understanding, happiness, something genuine (maybe), and eventually love, but had to leave it for the sake of Souna's future, which is more tragic? I admit, I gave the first wielder more sympathy, and as Feng Lengshun said, 'To me, it felt like the guy had everything life has to offer, he has gained the ultimate enlightenment over life… and then choose to embrace death like a long lost friend'.

And so we are at the ending. While I have choose the ending for Issei since the beginning, what would make it interesting enough so it won't be a bad ending? (Sad maybe, but bad? No) So 'it' happens and Souna gave birth to her child. I know it seems ridiculous since she was an 'upstanding member of society' and having child would reflect bad on her image, but yeah… let's just say she pregnant after they graduated or something. That's why I put two years after Issei's funeral in the story.

And then we have the epilogue! It's an open ending epilogue, but do not expect anything more from me. It would be too hard to make a future fic of DxD, especially when canon itself is wrecked without Issei. And since this is a DxD fanfic, of course the OC has to be a half-devil half-human or other kind of hybrid while having an OP Sacred Gear like Boosted Gear, and stole the show as the main character while (sometimes) stealing Issei's harem. No, really. I made her like that because… why the fuck not?! If a blessed character like Vali exist, why couldn't I make a character to stand equally with him on the top? And yes, I made her name Valiciera just for the Vali-chan nickname.

Thank you for all the readers out there, and thank you for Bigreader in the Omniverse himself for beta-ing this story. Without you, this story would be a big convoluted mess of a grammar mistake. If by chance somebody is interested to write this into a full multi-chaptered story or inspired by this story, then please go ahead, write it! the DxD section needs more story-oriented fics and not power-oriented fics!

As Kazuma Kamachi would say, It is time to close the pages for now while praying that the pages of the next story would be opened.

And I shut my laptop down for now.

Stay tuned to my story, don't forget to leave reviews.

-KurobaraIto