Reborn as Issei Hyoudou: The Phat to Supremacy

Silence.

The room was still. The only thing left of the Stray Devil was the empty space where it had once stood.

No remains. No blood. Nothing.

I exhaled, letting the last wisps of Hakai energy fade from my fingertips. The sensation of pure erasure still lingered, a quiet hum of power thrumming through my veins.

I turned to face the Occult Research Club.

They were still staring at me.

Kiba, usually composed, had his mouth slightly open.

Akeno's teasing smile was gone, replaced with something far more genuine—interest.

Koneko just muttered, "…Scary."

And Rias…

Rias was watching me like I was a puzzle she couldn't quite figure out.

For a few seconds, no one spoke.

Then—

Akeno broke into a soft laugh.

"Ara~ ara~" she cooed, tilting her head. "Now that was something you don't see every day."

Kiba chuckled, shaking his head. "You didn't just defeat it… you erased it completely."

Rias took a step forward. "Issei," she said slowly, her blue eyes locking onto mine. "That power… where did it come from?"

I smiled. "Trade secret."

She narrowed her eyes slightly. "I revived you myself. I should know what kind of abilities you have."

I shrugged. "Guess I'm full of surprises."

Rias stared at me for a long moment. She wasn't angry. She wasn't suspicious.

She was curious.

She was intrigued.

And that meant I had her attention.

I turned away, stretching my arms casually. "So, does that count as my first mission?"

There was a pause.

Then Rias sighed, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Yes. That counts."

Mission complete.

[Multiversal Chat Group]

The moment I opened the interface, messages were already flooding in.

[Supreme Sorcerer]: That was efficient.

[Demon Lord in Disguise]: Efficient? That was outright terrifying.

[God of Thunder]: Even in Asgard, I have never seen a power like that…

[Tactician from Another World]: You erased an enemy in an instant. No wasted movement. No excess energy. That is the definition of absolute elimination.

[The Caped Baldy]: Eh. Could've been faster.

I snorted. Of course, he'd say that.

[Perverted Dragon Emperor]: It worked, didn't it?

[Demon Lord in Disguise]: Oh, it did. And now I'm even more interested in what else you can do.

[Supreme Sorcerer]: Your control is improving, but you need refinement. If you want, I can send you texts on energy compression techniques.

[Tactician from Another World]: I will analyze your movements and provide optimization strategies.

[God of Thunder]: And I shall teach you how to harness destruction without losing yourself to it!

I grinned.

The strongest beings across different realities were offering to train me.

Yeah. This was exactly what I needed.

[Perverted Dragon Emperor]: I'll take all the help I can get.

[Occult Research Club - The Next Day]

The atmosphere in the clubroom was… different.

I wasn't just the new guy anymore.

The way Rias looked at me had changed. It wasn't just casual acknowledgment—it was interest.

Kiba, Akeno, and even Koneko were paying more attention to me.

They had seen what I did last night. And now?

They were wondering what else I could do.

I leaned back on the couch, arms crossed. "So, what's next?"

Rias tapped her chin, studying me. "We'll continue training you," she said. "But before that, there's something I need to confirm."

She turned toward Akeno.

"Akeno, I want you to spar with Issei."

The room fell silent.

Then—

Akeno smiled.

A slow, delighted smile.

"Oh my," she murmured, placing a hand over her mouth. "You want me to test him already? That's a little cruel, Buchou~"

Rias smirked. "I think he can handle it."

Kiba gave me an amused look. "Good luck, Issei. Akeno-san doesn't hold back."

Koneko just muttered, "Rest in peace."

I raised an eyebrow. Oh? They think I can't handle this?

I smirked. "Alright. Let's do it."

[Training Grounds - That Night]

The moon hung high in the sky as Akeno and I faced each other in the open clearing behind the academy.

A soft breeze drifted through the trees.

Akeno's expression was playful, her violet eyes gleaming. "Ara~ are you sure about this, Issei-kun?"

Lightning crackled around her fingertips.

Her presence was completely different from before. This wasn't the playful Onee-san mode. This was Akeno Himejima, the Priestess of Thunder.

I grinned. "Yeah. I'm sure."

She giggled. "Then… let's begin."

And then—she moved.

Lightning erupted from her hands, arcing toward me with a deafening boom.

I dodged.

The ground where I stood exploded, dirt and rock flying into the air.

Akeno floated mid-air, electricity dancing around her fingertips. "Not bad~ but let's see how you handle this!"

A massive thunderbolt shot toward me.

I raised my hand.

Hakai flared.

The moment the lightning struck my palm, the energy was devoured into nothingness.

Akeno's eyes widened.

I grinned. "My turn."

I flicked my wrist—

A tiny sphere of Hakai formed in my palm, crackling with raw annihilation.

I launched it.

Akeno moved fast, her wings carrying her higher, but the Hakai energy grazed her side.

Her face twisted—

And then her sleeve vanished.

Not burned. Not torn. Just… gone.

She stared at her exposed arm, her violet eyes filled with something I'd never seen before.

"…Ara~" she murmured, touching the spot where the fabric used to be. "That's dangerous, Issei-kun."

I smirked. "I know."

For the first time, Akeno's teasing expression cracked.

And beneath it—

I saw something new.

Excitement.

She licked her lips.

"This is going to be fun~"