"I'm off then."
I yawn, slipping on my shoes as I step out the front door. The warmth of the morning sun greets me like always, but lately, it feels... harsher.
As I walk down the street toward school, I squint against the brightness. The rays feel too strong, almost like they're drilling into my skin. I raise a hand to shield my face, blinking rapidly.
"Aaah... it's so bothersome..."
I've never been this sensitive before. It's not just discomfort—it's pain, like my skin is being lightly seared. At first, I thought it was just a flu, or maybe I was staying up too late. But now, I know the truth.
It's because I've become a devil.
Ever since Rias Gremory made me her servant, my body's been changing in subtle, eerie ways. I can feel the difference. At night, I come alive. My senses sharpen. My thoughts race. It's like I'm more me when the sun is gone, like the darkness fuels me.
I've completely become a night person, not by choice, but by nature.
Still, the sunlight isn't the only strange thing. As I cross the familiar streets, something else happens. Women pass by—middle-aged, students, joggers—and I start to notice it. They glance at me. Their eyes linger a bit too long. Some take a deep breath as they walk by, their cheeks faintly pink.
Do I smell?
I discreetly sniff my shirt. Deodorant's fine. I even used the nice one this morning. I lean closer to my arm and—
Wait.
There's a faint... scent. Like sulfur and something deeper. It's not unpleasant, but it's *not me* either.
Whatever Rias did when she brought me back, it changed more than just my lifestyle. Something inside me is leaking out—an aura? Pheromones? Devil musk?
The worst part? A tiny part of me enjoys it.
"Ugh... I really *have* become Issei..."
I groan, pulling my bag higher on my shoulder and quickening my pace. I just want to get to school before anything weirder happens.
•••
I walk through the gates of Kuou Academy, feeling the weight of my situation as I enter the private school. It's a coed institution now, but it wasn't always this way. Only a few years ago, this school was all girls, and as a result, the number of females still far outweighs the number of males, especially in my grade.
In my second year, the ratio is 7 girls to 3 boys. In the third year, it's 8 to 2. The girls hold a strong influence over the school—just check out the Student Council, where the president is also a girl.
The school has its problems, sure. As a guy, you feel outnumbered and unimportant sometimes. Still, it's also a wonderful thing. More girls, more opportunities, right? That was the appeal for Issei, and now, me.
Sure, he didn't have the best luck with women, but the sheer presence of all those girls made it feel like paradise.
So here I am, a 2nd-year student in a school that's practically built for guys like Issei—guys who want to study, sure, but more importantly, be surrounded by a harem of beautiful girls. Issei's goal? To build that harem.
For now, it's my mission too, though it's hard not to feel a bit... *depressed* as I remember how badly he failed. How many rejections did he face? The more I think about it, the more I realize how hard it is for anyone, let alone a perverted guy like Issei, to get any traction in a school this... girl-dominated.
I let out a heavy sigh as I walk into the classroom. The chatter of my classmates fills the air, but the overwhelming presence of the girls makes the place feel more like a jungle. I drag my feet over to my seat and drop into the chair, trying to shake off the gloom that's been creeping in.
"Hey, buddy. How was the DVD I lent you? It was some good stuff, wasn't it?"
Matsuda's voice breaks my thoughts. I glance up to see him grinning from ear to ear. The guy is as bald as an egg, but his energy is enough to fill the room. He's one of my closest—well, *only*—friends here. His reputation as the "Perverted Baldy" and the "Sexual Harassing Paparazzi" is hard to miss.
Matsuda is the kind of guy who doesn't hide his ambitions—he's open about it. In junior high, he was an athletic star, breaking records left and right, but now he's in the photo club. The only thing he's trying to break these days is the personal space of every girl who crosses his path. He's obsessed with getting... well, *everything* on camera.
I don't even know why I bother with him sometimes. Maybe it's because, despite his perverted tendencies, he's a decent guy. Or maybe I just need someone to talk to in this weird, new life.
"Fu... the wind sure was strong this morning," Matsuda continues with a glint in his eye. "Thanks to that, I was able to get a good view of the girls' panties."
I can't help but feel a little uncomfortable at his words, but I just sigh. "Really? Again?"
"Of course! When you have the right kind of 'vision,' no breeze can hide what's right in front of you."
I shake my head, trying to ignore his comments as I drop my head onto the desk, half-listening to his ongoing rant about his *latest catch*. I'm starting to wonder if I've just inherited his perversion too, or if this body came with its own set of problems. Either way, I really wish I could just focus on something other than... *this*.
~~~
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