Asia couldn't wait to spend more time with him, and that was exactly how the rest of the day played out. Koneko came along, of course, and so it was the three of them taking on the whole town. It wasn't anything new for the two veteran residents, but the bright-eyed Asia twirled around in wonder at every corner.
They went to the mall where both Issei and Koneko took her to the arcade. It was a must on their little adventure where they each got to show off their skills to the newbie. Well, Koneko got to show off her mastery at each game, meanwhile Issei was making subversions away from all the perverted usernames he'd left on the high score screens, subtly pleading with the stoic girl not to rat him out to the ex-nun.
They walked out of the arcade in new wealth; Koneko with her comically large yellow sunglasses and glowstick bracelets, and Asia with a bunch of scented stickers which she had shyly, and cutely stuck to each of their cheeks. She also carried out a big teddy bear plushie that Issei had won for her from a claw machine, or so she believed. The truth was he had secretly pulled it out from his inventory when neither of them were looking.
Finally got a use for that thing.
They had eaten at a fast food place afterwards, where Asia had gotten to try her first burger and french-fries. Issei had to prod her and show her how to do it before she finally became brave enough to eat directly with her hands. It helped to have another girl alongside her also being equally uncivilized by eating without proper silverware, and she eventually eased into it with a flush.
After their meal, they took her for a light walk in the park, making sure to avoid the side with all the playgrounds and the kids. Last thing Issei needed during a pleasant evening was kids recognizing him and running up to rain on their parade. Little shits would probably ask why he was out on a date with two different girls and spoil the whole thing.
A fact he didn't need pointed out. Of course he knew that, which was why he played it cool and wisely kept his mouth shut. Perhaps the pervert was sharpening up his game and learning when to open his mouth or not.
As they walked, Asia told them about the rest of her day at school. She told him about girls like Murayama and Katase who were incredibly kind and supportive, which inwardly set his soul on fire.
Those two girls were anything but kind. The fuck?
She prattled on about the rest of their classmates, teachers, and the courses they were taking. Asia visibly brightened as she talked, excited she was getting to experience these things. When she had realized how forward she was being, she retreated inwards with a blush, apologizing for being improper.
Gosh, she was always so adorable. Even Koneko seemed to think so, with her lips turning upwards slightly as she watched the blonde bow her head elegantly.
Issei told her not to worry, and that she should express herself more. He was glad she was being treated so kindly, and promised not to leave without saying anything to her again. The smile he received in return was more beautiful than a field of sunflowers, and the small glint from Koneko was the cherry on top.
When they left, Asia made a small comment about how she would like to return with the two of them again. Next time, they could maybe have a picnic, and bring seed for the birds that had made the park their home. The other human and devil agreed to the idea, finding quaint solace in it.
It had only been a little over a week since they had bumped into her on the road as she was cluelessly wandering through the town in search of the abandoned church. So much had changed in that amount of time - the nun's life being taken off its destined course for demise. She had separated herself from both sides of the church factions, and was feeling a joy she never believed she could experience.
Thanks to Issei Hyoudou. Because of him, and his companions, Asia could look forward to tomorrow.
Near the beginning of their day, Issei had kept an eye out for a moment he could speak clearly with Koneko. He had given up on that quickly, as it had become Asia's day, and he didn't want to detract from that. There was never a good opportunity, and he had already hampered himself earlier.
Once they got home, he still couldn't find a good time. Koneko appeared to be in good spirits, and he believed asking her any personal questions would not only ruin that, but get him put in a headlock. Today just wasn't the day.
Things wound down, and after eating dinner and cleaning up, Issei bid them both goodnight. Asia went to her own room, and Koneko would choose to stay in there any day over his own, naturally.
It was around a couple hours after the boy had fallen asleep when he had been jolted awake.
Warning: High level Entity
Startled and delirious from his sleep, Issei fumbled around furiously rubbing at his eyes to properly see the alert. As his senses pulsed warning him and his eyes read over the message, it had disappeared.
Frantically searching around his room using Assistance Mode's ability to see outlines of people through walls, the boy was unable to detect anything.
Gone. As if he had merely dreamed it.
But that obviously wasn't true. His system had woken him up out of his sleep to warn him. There had to have been something there, something that was now gone.
"I sensed it too."
"D-Ddraig?" The boy jumped slightly, spooked by the dragon's voice. That warning had set him on edge. Though the dragon couldn't see his menu, he knew exactly what caused his panic.
"Didn't feel like the same energy signature the devils give off. It was akin to those of the fallen angels."
"Great, so you're saying the two that got away are back?" Issei recalled the four fallen who were at that abandoned church. Two of them should be dead - the man and the big-boobed lady - while the short gothic girl and Raynare got away.
Had the two of them found out where he lived and tried ambushing them all while they were asleep?
"You're mistaken," Ddraig quickly corrected. "Your level is high enough that neither of those two fallen angels would be considered a High Level Entity anymore. With just the Boosted Gear, you could defeat them both at once."
"I've gotten that strong? Woah..." Issei wondered at his own power and how quickly he could grow again, before realizing what that meant. "So wait, you're saying it was someone else? Someone stronger?"
"Much stronger."
A chill crept down his spine. "Shit... how many of them were there?"
"Only one."
"Any idea who it could be?"
"The first and most likely conclusion is the one who was in charge of those fallen angels."
Issei appeared stunned by that revelation. He looked down at his glowing hand. "You're telling me they were being ordered to hoe me and Asia?"
"Not exactly educated in your word choice, but yes."
"Now's not the time to be a critic, Ddraig." Issei went over to his window and looked outside of it, looking across the sky in case his Gamer vision somehow wasn't picking the individual up. "If this buttwipe is trying to get revenge, then we gotta get ready to fight, don't we?"
"You're failing to comprehend the power you are up against." The way it was spoken straightforward, but the eerie nature made it sound cryptic. "By the time you awoken, you would have only had a second to react if this being chose to launch an attack down upon you."
Issei gulped. "S-so then-"
"You would be dead. The only way you could currently defend against this level of power is with The Flaming Sword. Lacking alert experience and in your lethargic state, you wouldn't have been able to draw it in time had they intended to strike you down."
That wouldn't have been fair at all, and Issei shuddered at that glaring weakness. They anticipated forces would come, and they had. He had lucked out with them choosing not to attack and instead leave, but that might not be the case next time.
He was strong with the sword, but weak overall. Being met with that flaw directly rattled him.
Turning to glance at the other side of his room through the wall, Issei could see Asia and Koneko still sleeping in her room, as well as his parents a bit further down inside theirs. None of them had been woken up. The unknown nature of his system, and Ddraig's ancient prowess were the only things that had truly perceived the hidden individual before they left.
"I suppose you were not alerted that this fallen angel was hostile?" Ddraig suddenly asked.
"Huh?" Issei thought over the question, thinking back to the red, virtual screen that awoke him. "No... now that I think about it, there was only a warning that they were a high level. There wasn't that second alert that would beep really loudly." Being jolted awake by the system had been a first, but it hadn't incessantly beeped a dangerous warning at him when something hostile appears. Whoever found him hadn't come with malice. "If only I could've used Observe on them."
"Without a direct line of sight, you wouldn't have been able to," Ddraig replied before continuing, "Perhaps this was in fact not the fallen angel in charge of that group of failures."
"You don't think so? Why not?"
"You said it earlier. Those connected with that group would likely seek revenge if they could. However, this one did not have that intention."
"I see... so it was just some random strong fallen angel passing by, and we were just unlucky enough to catch their interest?"
"Highly unlikely. This is devil territory. Fallen angels without specific orders wouldn't dare trespass, not even those of higher ranks." This had always remained true through each time the dragon had been reincarnated into a new host. Unless it was war time, these international laws were obeyed by outsiders. "Unless... this fallen angel is one at, or near the top of their food chain."
The perverted boy was taken back by the idea, urgently staring holes through his left hand. "You're telling me we got the leader of the fallen angels on our asses?"
"It's just a thought. I wouldn't entirely rule it out," Ddraig didn't bother reassuring the boy. Though the possibility was small, it was still there.
"What could... whoever this person is, possibly want with me?" Issei had managed to keep his voice down. He was starting to adjust to these covert meetings with his partner.
"They either sensed, or had been made aware of your power by the two fallen angels who escaped. Recruitment, or some other use similar will be their objective." Supernatural beings had almost no use or interest in regular humans. Only those with hidden powers or talents sparked enough intrigue and investment for a being of high stature to go out of their way to spy on them.
Of course they were only interested in his power. That was obvious, as there was nothing else about Issei that appeared special.
This was all getting annoying. While Sona had shown him a hell of a time in the student council room - something his soul would treasure forever - it was Ddraig who helped him recognize what was happening; he was being sought out for power.
This was no different than that.
Well, there weren't any secret sexy times in the backrooms like before. He gravely preferred that than some meat-muncher creeping on him outside his house in the dead of night. Regardless, this couldn't go on like this forever.
Being a human unaligned directly with a faction was going to keep causing these issues. Powerful beings were going to keep sniffing him out for whatever purpose and eventually force him to confront them, be it passive or aggressive. His contract with Koneko was only temporary, and it would not, nor could not be a permanent arrangement. While Rias and Sona had stated they would look out for him, they wouldn't be able to stand up against the higher ups of other factions. Even he knew that.
There were not any true protections for people like him. An unaligned human was almost certainly a dead one. Unless he pulled some crazy ability that let him ignore everything or hide himself, he couldn't escape this inevitability.
Issei had to decide who to join. Putting it off much longer might earn him an early tombstone.