Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The morning came with a sudden awakening.

That morning, I brushed my teeth, changed my clothes, and went to school.

This is my daily routine, not that I care much. I was already used to it.

Then I almost died.

That was my first thought when I saw the truck crashing into the pole.

Scenes like this had become common in my life.

Yesterday, while returning home with groceries from the supermarket, I helped an old lady cross the street. And the exact moment I left her on the sidewalk, a truck with no one driving it came towards me.

…I survived. How? I jumped over the nearby wall.

I don't remember exactly the day these 'attacks' started, but I know they were becoming more frequent.

I wasn't stupid, I knew the meaning of these trucks trying to hit me. But to be honest, I didn't want to be sent to another world.

Yes. I didn't want to be sent to another world.

It might sound foolish. But my current life, although not the best, is still comfortable. I don't want to abandon this life to hunt demon lords or become an adventurer.

Have you seen how much work an adventurer needs to do?

They risk their lives in exchange for a few coins that barely suffice for their meals. How could such a system work? Even being reincarnated in anime worlds was dangerous.

Imagine. You are sent to a world like Dragon Ball's. How to survive in this world? Be born as a Saiyan? Don't joke. The chances of being born in that race are low, most likely you would be born as a common human with no talent.

And don't start with the talk that hard work beats talent. That's nonsense.

The best example we have is Rock Lee from the world of Naruto. Even his master, both trained to exhaustion every day, and where did they end up? They are still weaker than the main villains and characters of the series.

And again, don't tell me that Guy can fight against Madara. He only managed to fight that man because of his forbidden technique, and even so, he was unable to defeat him. In the end, he was even saved by Naruto.

Naruto… Naruto… many say that you had no talent, but the truth was that there was a damn demon fox inside you. That alone showed how unfair the world was.

Cough! Cough!

I got off track. But I can't help it, I always get irritated thinking about these things.

Anyway, I didn't want to be isekai'd.

That's why I always dodged the truck attacks.

Sometimes I almost got hit.

Like the time I opened my fridge and a damn truck came out of it. This was already defying logic.

Or even that time when I was breaking my record on the incline bench press at the gym, when suddenly… BOOM! A truck flew in through the window, destroying the whole gym.

That day, I was near the gym's exit, so when I saw a truck coming through the window, I just ran out.

I felt like I had offended the pride of the God of Trucks. But who cares?

After the attack failed, I continued my walk towards school.

I must admit, because of the constant attacks, I managed to improve my strength and reaction time, which ensured that I was the top student in physical education classes.

Stepping in front of the school entrance, I felt something was wrong.

Thinking it was just in my head, I didn't care and took another step.

And at that moment…

The space around me distorted.

When I blinked, I found myself in the same place, but the blue sky was now dark.

The other students entering through the school gate had also disappeared.

I was alone.

It seems that I really irritated the Truck God, to the point where he even sends me to another dimension. I wonder if this isn't against the rules?

Sigh.

I hope this ends soon, there's a sale at the supermarket today.

"You won't escape this time…"

I hear a deep voice coming from above the school's roof.

I look up to see who the deep voice belongs to.

Eh… an old man with a long beard… how… generic…

I wonder if there's a rule among the gods that they can only look like old men with long beards or hot girls.

"...You seem disappointed."

I don't seem disappointed, I am disappointed.

I just wanted to live my life.

Make some friends, get a girlfriend, watch anime.

But no… here I am, looking at an old bearded man with some mental issues.

"Won't you talk to me?"

Aren't you a god? Can't you hear what I'm thinking?

This god is really pathetic.

"You know, boy. You are the first to avoid being sent to another world with all your might. Many would kill just to have the chance you are having."

"Why don't you go to those who wish to be sent to another world? Why come to me? Don't you understand that I don't want to be isekai'd?"

I finally couldn't hold back anymore and spoke.

The old man, not expecting this response, widened his eyes.

"Do you realize what you're saying? Are you going to waste this opportunity? You know, if you're sent to another world, you'll have the chance to live a life you never imagined was possible."

"You will live great adventures. You could get rich. Having a harem is also not impossible."

"…Old man… let me ask. Are you… stupid?"

"Huh?!"

The old man's expression only confirmed my suspicions. He was stupid.

Wouldn't it be better to send someone who really wants to go?

If I go to another world, who guarantees that I'll do what he wants?

Initially, I don't even want to be isekai'd, so why would I do what he tells me to?

The opposite would happen if the person was willing, then the old man would just need to say a few words, and that person would do whatever he wanted.

"You are bold in your words… very well."

"I tried to be nice, but you didn't-"

"Fail to recognize Mount Tai? Was that what you were going to say?"

I couldn't help but interrupt the old man.

"Have you been reading too many Chinese things? That phrase… gave me the chills."

Does this old man have that much free time? Damn, he almost used that famous phrase said by Chinese young masters.

"You, you… bastard!"

The old man pointed at me, trembling with anger.

I might have been rude in my speech, but he can't blame me, right? He first sends trucks to get me isekai'd, and even knowing that I didn't want to be isekai'd, he didn't give up. Could it be… this old man likes me?

No, no, no!

Just thinking about it sent shivers down my spine.

This old man can't be that perverted.

Looking back at the old man on the roof, I sighed.

"Just speak, why did you bring me here?"

"You still don't realize? It's your destiny to be sent to another world! I intended to send you to a modern world, but seeing how you act, I'll send you to a Chinese cultivation world, and I'll make sure you have no talent. Hahaha! I'll also make you be born near an evil sect. Yes! That's right! This evil sect will destroy your family and use you as a guinea pig in experiments. You will be tortured for hundreds of years."

I didn't know why, but seeing the way this old man was acting, I was sure he came from a Chinese cultivation world. The way he spoke, the way he acted. Yes… this old man must have been a Chinese cultivator!

To be honest, I was worried about being sent to the world that old man mentioned. But seeing that he hadn't done anything to me until now, I realized something.

This old man can't attack me.

Why would he continue to talk to me when he has the power to bring me to this place? Why not just send me to the other world? If he's so powerful, he can do that, right?

Also, I don't see any trucks.

Is this old man really the God of Trucks?

Despite my doubts, I would have to wait and see.

The old man laughed for a while longer. And realizing that I didn't seem impressed, he pulled out what looked like a cellphone from his pocket.

Rapidly pressing his fingers on the screen, the old man looked at me and said, "Kid, you're screwed."

The moment his voice came out, I felt something happen.

A strong wind arose, making me take a few steps back.

As I put my arms in front of my face to protect it from the strong wind, I didn't see the old man descending from the building.

And when the wind finally stopped, the old man was a few meters away from me, looking at me with a smile.

Why do the eyes of this old man show signs of madness?

Something is wrong…

"You look scared."

"Actually, I'm more concerned about your mental health. If you want a doctor, I know a good one."

Despite the bad situation, I couldn't help but make a joke.

"He, he! Let's see how long you can keep making jokes, boy."

But what the hell?!

I thought the old man would summon trucks that would attack me.

I never expected the old man to run towards me for a physical fight.

What kind of God of Trucks is this?

Getting into a physical fight with the old man, I had to admit.

He… was very… weak?

Looking at the old man lying on the ground, with bruises all over his face.

For a moment, I didn't know how to react.

I thought the old man would only need a single blow to send me to another world. It never crossed my mind that this old man was a complete fake.

I even took the cellphone he had in his pocket. Thus discovering that the cellphone was actually responsible for bringing me to this different dimension.

There were various applications on the cellphone.

Different dimensions, weather, map, etc…

But as much as I searched, I couldn't find the reincarnation function.

How did this old man intend to send me to another world?

Wait… could it be…

A hoax?

But this cellphone was real, I made sure of it by testing the weather app. Making it sunny in this different dimension.

So… if this old man is not a hoax… Could I be stronger than a god?

That's crazy even for me.

Suddenly, the dimension I was in seemed to split in half.

Only to regenerate seconds later.

But then, I saw someone in the distance, walking towards me.

"What the hell is this?"

Walking towards me.

A muscular man with clothes that seemed smaller than necessary to make him look more muscular.

That wasn't the problem.

The problem was that the man's head was a damn truck!

Holy shit! I must have used drugs without knowing.

I knew I shouldn't have trusted that kid who sold me chocolates.

"It seems you managed to deal with that troublemaker."

"Eh? Eh?"

This guy with a truck head, can he talk?

"Yes, why couldn't I? I am the God of Trucks."

Even reading thoughts? Ok, he is really a god.

The God of Trucks walked up to me and pointed at the old man on the ground.

"This guy is an old acquaintance of mine. Once he was the God responsible for sending people destined to reincarnate in Chinese cultivation worlds."

I knew it! This old man never fooled me!

"This former God committed a grave error and was deposed from his position, thus losing his powers. But who could have imagined that at the moment he was deposed, he went mad? He even stole the divine cellphone."

Ignoring my thoughts, the God of Trucks spoke.

Divine cellphone? Despite being able to change the weather and go to other dimensions, I didn't find anything 'divine' about the cellphone.

Wait…

If what this 'God of Trucks' is saying is true. Then who was sending trucks to isekai me?

"I didn't target you... although you were destined to be sent to another world, I never targeted you. In fact, every time I sent a truck, I was actually warning you to get out of the area because the old man was approaching."

"If you can send trucks like that, then why didn't you deal with this old man? You know, you are the God of Trucks? Can't you do that?"

After these events, it was impossible for me to fully trust this 'God of Trucks'.

"Things don't work like that, boy. This world is more complicated than you imagine. We Gods cannot directly interfere in this world, I only appeared here because this man brought you to a different dimension."

Despite feeling that something was wrong with this explanation, I nodded my head, just wanting to get back to my home.

The God of Trucks seemed to understand my thoughts.

"I can see that you're tired, how about this? I'll stop trying to get you isekai'd. I'll even give you a bit of luck."

"Whatever, I just want to go back."

"Yes, yes."

Understanding my wish, the God of Trucks touched the old man lying on the ground with his left hand, making him disappear to who knows where.

"Alright, I'll handle things here. I will bring you back to your dimension."

Saying this, the God of Trucks snapped his fingers.

In the blink of an eye, I was back at the entrance of the school.

Sounds of laughter and conversations echoed all around.

Students were entering the school.

Yes! I'm back!

I did a little fist pump in the air as a celebration of being back.

Finally, I could sleep without worrying about being isekai'd.

And if that God of Trucks didn't lie, my luck has increased.

Getting a girlfriend and some friends won't be a problem. I can't wait!

As I took my first step into the school.

I felt my vision darken.

I had let my guard down.

I trusted the word of that damn God of Trucks.

I knew there was something strange with those two.

That old man… They must have planned this together.

They must be laughing at me now.

A truck collided with me.

After avoiding being isekai'd for years…

I finally lost.

I admit my defeat.

You won.

Truck-kun, or rather…

Truck-san.

Chapter Text

The sunlight shone brightly in the middle of the blue sky. Under this bright light, people walked cheerfully through the streets, some apparently drunk and others simply laughing as they talked.

And in a luxurious house, a bit away from the center, suddenly, I woke up.

My eyes roamed around the place, trying to identify where I was.

A slip-up… because of a slip-up, I was isekai'd.

Knowing that complaining wouldn't change things, I decided to accept this new life.

Yes. Was I upset? Yes.

Would I keep complaining like a fool? No.

Maybe, deep down in my heart, I had the desire to be isekai'd. Just maybe…

I got out of bed and went towards the mirror hanging on the wall.

I want to know if I kept my appearance from the other world.

As soon as I stood in front of the mirror, I could see my appearance.

V-shaped face, long dark green hair with a small fringe at the front and other strands on the side. Sharp emerald-colored eyes. Pale skin accompanied by various tattoos forming flower petals, at a certain point these designs join together to form a blue dragon on my right arm.

Yes. I have the appearance of Yan Qing from Fate/GO.

I was surprised.

Yan Qing is a character I like, and his appearance is handsome. At least it's much better than from my past life.

It's a pity that I only inherited his appearance.

I tried to use the powers I knew of Yan Qing, but failed.

It seems I'm just an ordinary human.

Sighing, I looked at the clothes on my body.

They are the same as Yan Qing wore.

I can't walk on the streets with these clothes, it's too eye-catching.

I went to the wardrobe in the room.

Opening it, I could see various clothes hanging.

Some were clothes that Yan Qing at some point in his life wore.

"If you want me to become Yan Qing. Then at least give me the same powers."

I murmured, picking up the uniform that was hanging on one of the wardrobe hangers.

I took off the clothes I was wearing. And put on the uniform.

"I am… handsome."

I couldn't resist, I had to say it.

I realized the uniform I was wearing was from Kuoh Academy.

So… High School DxD.

I can't say I dislike this world.

I just find it dangerous.

Since I didn't inherit Yan Qing's powers, I could only be a regular human.

But… just a regular human?

How could I accept that?

After the events that led to me being isekai'd, I wanted to be anything but ordinary.

Being ordinary would make me suffer the same fate that brought me here.

"I need to think of a way to become stronger."

I started to come up with some ideas.

The first one was the most obvious. To be reincarnated as a devil.

Unfortunately, that seemed unrealistic at the moment.

I didn't have any visible Sacred Gear. Why would a devil waste an Evil Piece on me?

I tried to do like Issei, imagining myself using unimaginable power to see if I could get a Sacred Gear, but I ended up failing.

So, onto the second option.

Join the church! Wait… maybe not.

I could only join the church after the peace treaty between the three factions was signed. Otherwise, I would be a target for devils. Also, the churches in this city are taken over by fallen angels, I doubt they would let me join them.

Flee to another country? It was an option. But I quickly discarded it.

This world has infinite mythologies.

Many unknown to me.

Moreover, this is a real world, not the anime.

If I go to an unknown country, I won't know how to deal with the situations that might occur.

If I go to China, I might become the target of some Chinese god with a young master syndrome.

Europe? Pft! That place is infested with vampires.

I may not know at what point in the timeline I am.

But I have read many stories, and every time the characters were sent close to the beginning of the timeline.

Dressed in the Kuoh Academy uniform, I was sure that the original plot was not far from starting.

Maybe days? Months?

Despite the most dangerous place still being Japan, I at least knew the plot of this place and could avoid certain death situations.

Suddenly, I felt a slight headache.

A few memories began to flow into my brain.

I thought I was receiving the so-called 'golden finger'.

But it was just some memories about this house and basic information about where I was.

It seems I really won't receive any cheats.

I picked up the backpack that was under my bed and put it on my back.

I went to the drawer where I kept my underwear, and took out my leather wallet.

Opening the wallet, I took out the student ID and discovered the name I had.

Yan Qing…

I even inherited his name. I hope I also inherited his talent for martial arts.

Knowing everything I needed, I left the mansion.

Maybe the God of Trucks felt bad for deceiving me. He allowed me to live in this luxurious mansion and have a passive income.

Yes. I opened my phone and discovered that I had a huge amount of money invested.

Well… maybe money is my superpower. Just like Batman.

Even dressed in the school uniform, my appearance attracted attention.

Women on the street looked at me with thirsty eyes, and men seemed envious of me.

Truly a perverted world…

Looking at the structure of the gigantic school in this city, I must admit I was impressed. The schools in my past life weren't even close. Even comparing them seemed like blasphemy.

As a transfer student, I needed to go to the student council room, which is funny, right? What does the student council have to do with my transfer? Shouldn't I be going to the school's main office?

Despite these questions, I knew that the devils controlled not only this school but also the entire city.

Having no powers, I wasn't afraid to meet the devils of this school.

They would just think I was a regular student. Maybe a bit more handsome than average. Ok, I wasn't just a bit more handsome than average.

I must admit, except for the characters who appear in the anime and novel, everyone else is ordinary. Even Issei's friends had common appearances.

Running my hand through my fringe, I sighed. I hope I don't get into trouble.

I felt many eyes on me as I passed through the school gate.

I was afraid that the moment I crossed the school gate, I would be teleported somewhere else. I guess I have a bit of trauma due to past events.

Walking through the school, I noticed the campus was much larger than I had imagined.

"Kyaah!"

I looked in the direction of the scream and saw three guys dressed in the same uniform as mine running desperately.

Behind the trio, a group of girls ran with wooden swords in their hand.

"So it's the legendary trio…"

I had no intention of getting involved, but seeing the perverted faces of the trio, something in me made me interfere.

When the trio was close enough, I lightly stretched my right leg forward, causing the glasses-wearing boy to trip, which consequently made the other two fall on top of him, as they didn't expect their friend to fall.

The trio did not expect someone to attack them in such a distinct manner.

Not wanting to get into trouble, I left that place as quickly as possible.

"Aaaaahhhh! Sorry, forgive us!"

"Aaaaaahhhh!"

"Issei, you told us this way was clear! Aaahh!"

Even from a distance, the cries of pain from the trio were still audible.

I didn't expect to encounter them so quickly, but this is also good.

I was able to confirm at what point in the timeline we are.

He hasn't been reincarnated as a devil yet. I just need to observe him from time to time.

Wait… does this make me look like a stalker?

Forget it! Let's go to the Student Council.

While I was heading to the Student Council, I felt a hand grab my left shoulder.

Turning around, I saw a beautiful girl smiling.

The girl is slender with long brown hair ending in two short braids, and matching eyes. She also wears a blue headband.

"Eh… can I help you?"

I asked, confused about being stopped so abruptly.

"I'm Reya Kusaka from the Student Council. I saw what you did back there."

Reya explained that she saw me put my foot out to make a boy fall.

"Oh. It's about that…"

Not wanting any trouble, I ended up explaining why I did that. She agreed and said that the trio got what they deserved.

But even though she thought I was right, she still had to make a report, which I agreed to.

This spared me the trouble of looking for the Student Council, as I now had a beautiful girl taking me there.

"So, Yan Qing, right? Your name is Chinese, so I suppose you are Chinese?"

That question… isn't it a bit silly? Looking at the slightly flushed face of the girl beside me, I realized why she was acting this way.

Sigh! It's hard being handsome.

"Yes. I moved to Japan recently."

"Your Japanese is very good, if it wasn't for your Chinese name, I'd never know you were actually born in China."

"Really?"

"Yes."

We talked a lot and only stopped when we arrived in front of the Student Council room.

Reya's expression turned serious, befitting a member of the Student Council.

"You look great with that expression."

Unfortunately, it only took that phrase to make her serious expression break into pieces.

I didn't use the word 'beautiful' because that might be invasive for someone I just met. While women like compliments, I couldn't be so direct, otherwise, it would have the opposite effect. And they would start to dislike me.

"Silly…"

She blushed in embarrassment.

Knock! Knock!

I knocked twice on the Student Council door.

I heard footsteps coming from inside the room.

Reya, standing beside me, managed to calm herself and returned to her serious expression. She didn't forget to give me a look that said not to say that again.

Nodding my head, I kept silent.

I must say, Yan Qing's appearance matches my personality.

The door opened.

The first thing I saw when the door opened was a beautiful woman with glasses, long straight black hair extending to her knees, with a split fringe and heterochromatic eyes.

Tsubaki Shinra.

Looking at her more closely, I must admit. She is a beauty.

I haven't met Rias or Akeno yet. So at the moment, Tsubaki was the most beautiful woman I've seen since I arrived in this world.

Reya, standing beside me, took a step forward and bowed slightly to Tsubaki.

"Vice-President. I've brought a transfer student."

Tsubaki first nodded to Reya and then turned her gaze to me.

We stared at each other for a few moments before she broke the silence and said, "Alright, come in."

"Did you bring your documents?"

As soon as I entered the student council room, Tsubaki asked me.

"Yes. They are in my backpack."

"Okay. You can sit in that chair there."

Tsubaki pointed to the chair in front of the desk that seemed to belong to the president of the student council.

"The president went out to talk to the director, so you need to wait a few moments until she returns."

"Yes."

I nodded my head to show I understood.

I couldn't help but look around the student council room.

It was huge.

From the outside, it seemed like just another ordinary school room. But once I entered, I realized this place was enormous.

Are they using magic to make this room bigger?

It was a shame that only me, Reya, and Tsubaki were in the student council room.

I would have liked to meet the other members.

Why? Well… if I can't become strong, then how about becoming friends with some strong people? That should work, right?

I'm not arrogant enough to think I can solve everything alone.

Currently, I have no strength or contacts, so I need to start everything from scratch.

Starting by making friendships and connections with people from the supernatural world.

Indeed, before reincarnating, I had said that effort does not beat talent.

I still don't know if I have a talent that compares to the powerful ones in this world.

But if I don't, I will use what I have at my disposal to become like those politicians from my past life.

With just a few words, those politicians controlled the lives of millions.

If I make the right connections, I can do that too.

Chapter Text

"You must be the transfer student. My name is Souna Shitori. It's a pleasure to meet you."

A young lady with glasses and a slender figure introduced herself. The young woman had black hair styled in a short cut and violet eyes.

"It's a pleasure, Souna. My name is Yan Qing."

The young woman sitting in front of me is the heiress of the Sitri clan, her real name being Sona Sitri.

I introduce myself and hand over the documents I brought in my backpack.

Sona takes the documents and quickly checks them.

"Second year? Let me see which class you will be in this year…"

"It seems we are in the same class. Once we finish here, I will take you to it."

Sona's comment made me realize at what point in the timeline I am.

I'm a second-year high school student, so for Sona to say that we are in the same class means that the plot of this world will only start in a year.

I have one year.

I thought I only had a few days until the plot began, never imagined I'd have a whole year to prepare.

One year seems like a lot of time. But it isn't.

With this time, I can only slightly increase my strength. Just enough to deal with the small fries of this world, but far from enough to be on the safe side.

"Then I'll thank you in advance."

"There's no need, it's my duty as the president of the student council. Speaking of which…"

Sona noticed something on my right hand and frowned.

"That on your right hand… is that a tattoo?"

Damn! I forgot about that!

I'm in Japan.

Tattoos in Japan are not well-received.

Besides, this is the body of a sixteen-year-old teenager.

This is bad!

I look at the tattoo on my right hand.

It's the Yin Yang symbol, with a red circle covering the symbol, and a green circle covering the red circle.

"That…"

"Sigh! It's alright. Just don't show it off too much, okay?"

I was about to try to explain myself, but Sona was quicker in speaking.

It seems that I wouldn't suffer any kind of punishment. I just couldn't show it off too much.

I guess as a devil, she really didn't care about my tattoo.

Or maybe she thought I only had that one tattoo.

I wonder what expression she would have if I showed my body covered in tattoos?

I think being expelled would be the least of my problems. She would probably call my parents.

Wait… I don't have parents.

"Thank you. I'll try to use some makeup to hide this tattoo."

I just said that off the cuff. I wasn't going to hide my tattoos.

"Alright, here are your documents back. I've confirmed your data."

"Ah! Thank you."

"Now, I welcome you to Kuoh Academy."

I nodded my head.

Now I am a true student of this school.

Reya, who was sitting at a distance, smiled.

She had a good impression of me, so she was happy that I could join the school.

When she learned I had tattoos, she feared Sona would be against my staying, but it seems an exception had been made.

"Alright, class is about to start. I will show you to your room."

Sona stood up from her chair and signaled for me to follow her.

Tsubaki and Reya also followed.

Apparently, we are all in the same class. At least that's what I thought.

But I soon discovered that Reya was a first-year student.

She went towards the corridor of the first-year students, leaving me, Sona, and Tsubaki behind.

Walking alongside these two, I noticed many students looking at me with envy, most of them being male students.

I can't blame them.

I am alongside two beauties, and I don't seem nervous.

It was a shame neither of the girls seemed interested in talking.

We arrived in front of a classroom.

Looking at the sign in front of the room, I noticed that I was now a student of 2-B.

"We've arrived. You must have seen the sign. You now belong to class 2-B. You can enter and sit in any free desk. The bell will ring soon."

"Yes. Thank you for showing me to the classroom."

I thanked Sona for her help and entered the classroom.

As it was the beginning of the classes, no student had claimed their own desks yet. So I was free to choose any.

Knowing what the best place inside a classroom is.

I walked to a desk next to the window.

Yes...

I sat in the legendary protagonist's chair.

There was no one else in the classroom but me.

Sona and Tsubaki were outside the classroom, at the door.

Perhaps they were waiting for someone.

As I am in the same class as Sona, I can assume that all the devils of the school are in class 2-B.

I'm not worried about being targeted because I have no trace of magic or power in my body. Which is a shame, but also keeps me safe.

I still don't know if I inherited the martial arts talents of the original Yan Qing. If I do, then I will follow the path of Martial Arts.

I think I can use some of the money I have to buy some training equipment.

Maybe I should enroll in a boxing gym? I think that would work.

This school has various clubs, I can take a look after classes end. There's a kendo club, but I don't know if the girls would let me participate.

As I thought about things to do, I noticed some students entering the room.

Everyone who entered seemed impressed with my appearance, but seeing my serious face, the boys snorted and sat at a distance. Meanwhile, some girls waved in my direction and sat closer to me.

And that's exactly what I thought.

All the devils of the second year were concentrated in class 2-B.

I noticed Sona entering the classroom followed by Tsubaki.

But my gaze wasn't on these two, but rather on the other two girls who entered right after.

The one who came in right after Tsubaki was a redhead with huge breasts, followed by a woman with straight black hair and even bigger breasts than the redhead.

Rias and Akeno…

The two biggest beauties of the school.

I must admit, they deserve that title.

Maybe because they knew there was a new student in the room, the two girls glanced at me before sitting at their desks.

It was amusing to note Rias's resentful look towards me.

Is she resentful because I stole the protagonist's chair?

Despite this, I just ignored her.

Soon the room was full, and the bell indicating the start of classes rang.

"I can't wait for classes to end…"

…

The bell rang, signaling the end of the day's classes.

The students, initially quiet, began to chat cheerfully.

Looking at this scene, I sighed and left the room.

Some girls in the room seemed to want to approach me for a chat, but I really didn't have time for them.

Maybe in the future, I could befriend these ordinary girls, but at the moment? I have more important things.

As I left the room, I noticed Reya at a distance. She seemed to be looking for something.

The moment she spotted me, she smiled and came in my direction.

"Hey, I was looking for you."

"Looking for me?"

"Yes. I wanted to tell you that I made the report about this morning's incident. Don't worry, you won't be implicated."

"Ah! Thank you?"

I wasn't sure if I should thank her.

Anyway, since she was here, I decided to ask.

"Do you know if there is any martial arts club at this school?"

"Martial Arts?"

Reya looked at me, puzzled.

"Yes. I'm interested in joining a club. And I feel that I would fit in best in a Martial Arts club."

Nodding her head, Reya seemed to be seriously considering if there was a martial arts club at the school.

"There isn't a club specifically for martial arts, but if it's any consolation, we do have a kendo club…"

"Ah! Right! I almost forgot. Last year, some boys seemed to have created a club, the name was… fight club! Yes, fight club. I don't know if that fits into martial arts, but I guess it doesn't hurt to try."

As the treasurer of the student council, she remembers allocating a large territory to this newly formed club by some boys.

"Fight club?"

This time it was my turn to be confused.

In the original story, such a club was never mentioned, perhaps it had been disbanded before the plot started, or it just wasn't mentioned. After all, this was a perverted world, and fights were secondary.

"If you want, I can take you to where the club is located. Of course, if you want, I can also show you other clubs. Kuoh Academy prides itself on having various fun clubs, like the swimming club, kendo club, basketball club, soccer…"

"I think I'll first see the fight club, if I don't like it, I wouldn't mind trying another club."

I decided to interrupt Reya's speech. Despite her gentle tone, Reya seemed to enjoy talking.

"Alright. I'll take you there."

Reya and I walked side by side towards the fight club.

I must say, I'm curious to check out this fight club.

Chapter Text

Looking at the huge building of the fight club, I was surprised.

How could such a large club never be mentioned in the anime? Assuming it was disbanded before the series started, there should still be traces of it.

Reya saw me looking at the building in awe, and smiled.

She remembered that when she allocated this building to the members of the fight club, she never imagined it would be this large.

Anyway, there were many buildings like this in Kuoh Academy, and she knew the reason. All the school buildings were constructed using the power of devils.

She wanted to accompany me inside the club, but unfortunately, she received a message from the president of the student council asking her to return to the council room.

With an apologetic smile, she said goodbye to me, leaving me alone.

Before leaving, I thanked her and said I would invite her to lunch as a thank you for helping me, to which she agreed.

It's just a lunch, why wouldn't she agree?

Back to the topic.

I looked at the enormous structure and walked towards the entrance.

As I arrived at the door, I heard sounds coming from inside.

It seems they are training.

I opened the door and entered.

Despite someone entering the club unannounced, the people inside did not seem to care and continued doing their own things.

I noticed that inside this building, there were several octagons, training equipment, fighting gear, a food area.

Am I in a fight lover's paradise?

There were even sofas where you could sit and watch the training. And that's what I did.

Since there was no reception, I just sat on a sofa to wait for someone to come and talk to me.

Normally, you would go to someone and ask for information.

Yes. Normally.

But this is not a normal club or a normal place.

People are here to train or fight.

Interrupting someone's training or fight is unacceptable.

This is a basic rule.

Despite the huge structure they have, there seemed to be less than ten people in the club.

Which is not surprising, in a world like this, who would be willing to learn martial arts?

Devils could use demonic power, and the same was true for other beings.

Even humans belonging to the supernatural used other types of powers.

Martial arts in this world seemed to be the weakest path.

Not that I care. If I indeed inherited the talents of Yan Qing, then reaching a good level of strength with martial arts alone won't be a problem.

At that moment, a man appeared in front of me with a smile on his face.

"Hello, are you new here?"

"Yes. I transferred to the school today and am checking out the clubs."

"I see. Well, feel free to look around. By the way, my name is Machio Naruzo, I'm a physical education teacher and also one of the people in charge of this club."

The delicately featured man introduced himself to me.

Hearing his gentle voice made people feel comfortable.

I was surprised that someone so young could be a teacher, but then again, this is a perverted world, so it's not strange.

Looking at him again, I noticed he was taller than me, his hair is black and short and messy from training. His eyes are blue, and he was dressed in a blue and white jumpsuit.

I don't like to judge people by their looks, but he seemed a bit… weak?

Machio didn't seem to mind me looking him up and down.

"Hey, since you're here, why don't we do a workout? This is the best way to find out if you fit in this club, what do you say?"

"Why not? Let's go!"

I had no reason to refuse, so I agreed.

"In this club, I'm responsible for the physical preparation and also meals of the members. To become a member of the club, you need to dedicate a part of your time to physical training, as a well-trained physique gives you various benefits in fights."

"Have you ever trained before? By the way, I almost forgot, what's your name?"

In my past life, I was a daily gym goer. But in this life, I had never set foot in one, at least not yet.

"Yes. I have some knowledge and have trained a few times. Ah! Right. My mistake for not introducing myself. My name is Yan Qing."

"Yan Qing? Good name. Since that's the case, let's do a workout focused on chest and triceps, men usually like to train them. But remember, we need to train all parts of the body equally, otherwise… well, you know."

I nod my head. In my past life, there were many men who had sculpted upper bodies, but when you looked at their legs… they looked like chickens, or rather broilers.

"Alright, since I don't know your training level, we'll start light and progressively increase loads, okay? Besides, we need to warm up first."

"Fine by me, it's been some time since I trained, so this works for me."

With that, we went to the bench press.

I lay down on the bench press and waited for Machio to pick up some weights to put on the bar.

Even though I don't know the strength of this body, bench pressing with 10kg on each side shouldn't be a problem.

I was surprised to see Machio putting 5kg weights, but then I remembered we were just warming up.

"Alright, I think you can warm up with 5kg. Let's do two sets of ten repetitions, just to warm up."

With that, Machio stood by, ready to help in case anything went wrong.

Even though it was just a warm-up, I didn't want to look bad, so I gave my best.

I firmly planted my feet on the ground, slightly turned to the side for better stabilization.

Many may think that bench pressing is just about pushing as much weight as possible and that only the arms are important, but the truth is that you need a good foot base to perform the bench press perfectly.

I leveled the bar and then used the palm of my hand to guide me to the perfect grip.

Machio nodded his head, knowing how important what I was doing was.

I closed my shoulder blades, pressed my glutes, and took the bar off the rack.

Feeling the weight, I realized that I could do it easily.

So, without much delay, I lowered the bar to my chest and then extended my arm again. I made sure to keep my scapula closed to not strain my shoulder.

Machio's eyes seemed to shine as he saw me perform the bench press with such care.

Only he knew how hard it was to get young people to exercise correctly.

Many just wanted to lift high loads without worrying about execution.

I finished the first set easily. After all, it was just a warm-up.

"I'm surprised, I didn't think you had such a good base."

"He, he! Thanks for the compliment. But I think I can improve."

Since this was just a warm-up, I rested for about thirty seconds before doing the second set.

This time I finished the second set more quickly, but still maintaining the quality of the movement.

"Very good, now that you are warmed up, let's progress the loads."

Machio removed the 5kg weights and put a 10kg plate on each side.

I wanted to ask him to keep the 5kg plates. But I opted to do it with the 10kg first. I didn't want to embarrass myself in front of him.

"Alright, as we will be progressing the loads, let's go with one-minute rests, okay?"

"Yes, no problem."

Agreeing on the rest time, I lay down again on the bench press.

"There will be three sets, the first set will be fifteen repetitions and as we progress the loads, we will reduce the repetitions, okay?"

"No problem."

I don't know why, but I was getting excited. I think my blood started to boil.

The feeling of training is simply the best!

All my problems and bad thoughts seemed to disappear when I trained, it was incredible.

Machio noticed my excitement and was even happier.

"I think the club is going to get another member. I just hope he passes the ritual…"

Machio thought.

Ignoring everything around me, I focused on the weight and did the fifteen repetitions.

In the last two repetitions, I felt a bit of fatigue.

This body, despite looking athletic, seemed to have received no proper training.

"Do you think you can progress the load?"

Machio noticed my fatigue in the last two repetitions.

"Yes, but let's progress with 2kg plates."

I had no shame in admitting that I was weak at the moment.

Everyone has to start somewhere.

Machio nodded and picked up 2kg plates.

I managed to do the barbell bench press with 14kg on each side.

For someone who was starting, I think it's good enough.

After the bench press, we moved on to other machines that trained the chest and finished training the triceps.

I have to admit, even in this world, triceps were my weak point, I barely managed to do the rope with 5kg.

"It was a good workout, don't you think?"

Machio seemed satisfied with my training.

I leaned on the counter while Machio served me a post-workout drink.

Sweat was running all over my body.

"Yes… it's been a long time since I trained."

"Hey! Machio, who is this?"

At that moment, I hear a voice and turn to see who had arrived.

"This is Yan Qing. A transfer student. He came to visit us, I think he wants to join the club, right?"

"Yes."

I respond.

I must admit, I came here just to take a look and see if I could learn martial arts. But after training with Machio, I realized that even if they didn't teach martial arts, I still wanted to be part of the club.

"Really? Do you really want to join the fight club?"

"Yes."

"As that's the case, you'll have to go through a ritual, and only then will you be worthy of entering the club."

The man who spoke came to my side and when I saw his appearance, my eyes widened in surprise.

This guy is...

Chapter Text

This guy is…

Ippo Makunouchi

But how?

What is this guy doing in this world? Doesn't he belong to the Hajime no Ippo anime? How could he be here?

So many questions…

And what the heck is this ritual they are talking about? Don't tell me it's like those macabre church rituals where you have to make a sacrifice to join. If that's the case, then… I'll just sacrifice someone else.

"You are Yan Qing? Don't worry. The ritual is quite simple. If it weren't for the club rules, I would have recruited you immediately. But… rules are rules. By the way, my name is Ippo Makunouchi, you can just call me Ippo."

"Yes. It's a pleasure to meet you, Ippo."

I extend my hand to greet him.

The man in front of me, though young, has the potential to reach the top of the world in boxing. Respecting him is the least I can do.

"You seem a bit tired from the training. If you want, you can come another day for the ritual."

"It's alright, I'm not that tired."

I was indeed tired, but my curiosity was greater than my fatigue. I wanted to find out what this ritual was.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Alright then, let's go. I'll explain on the way."

Saying that, Ippo waved for me to follow him.

Machio, who was preparing some post-workout drinks, also accompanied us. He wanted to find out if I could join the club.

"So I'll explain how things are going to work. The ritual is basically a test to see if you're fit to join our club. Once you pass the ritual, then you can join us. Of course, after joining us, there will be some rules that you'll need to follow, but they're not really that hard to follow."

"No problem. I'm just curious about this test."

"The test? That's simple. You just need to fight with all your strength against a member of our club."

Fight against a club member? Isn't that the same as asking to be beaten up?

I had no problem with getting beaten. After all, only by getting beaten can I learn. But on my first day? Isn't that a bit too quick?

"Do I need to win the fight?"

That was my question. I wasn't confident that I could beat someone who spends their day training in martial arts.

"No. Just fight with all your strength."

"I see…"

I murmur.

I couldn't help but look at Machio who was accompanying us.

This guy seemed very delicate, but appearances can be deceiving. Perhaps he's a master of some martial art.

Machio, sensing my gaze on him, smiled.

"I'm not a fighter."

He said, seemingly understanding what I was thinking.

Not a fighter? But isn't this the fight club? Of course, he is a school teacher, so maybe he can't fight against the students.

Ippo, who was leading me to another room, had a strange smile on his face looking at Machio. This man was not a fighter, but rather a… Forget it.

"We're here. Please wait a moment, I'll call the members who came today."

Ippo pointed to a sofa where I could sit and left the room with Machio following him.

The members who came? I see… it seems there are more members than those I saw training when I arrived.

Curious, I looked around the room I was brought into. I was surprised that inside this room there weren't many things besides this sofa, and a tatami mat that was in the center of the room. The tatami even occupied half the room.

Am I going to fight here? Without gloves or anything? I guess that's best, but I'm concerned about injuries…

I was feeling a bit of burning in my chest and triceps due to the training, but didn't feel that it would affect me. I don't know who I would have to fight, but I don't think being in my peak condition would make me win.

In my past life, I never considered training in martial arts, so it would be impossible to beat someone who fights frequently. I was not like those protagonists who are transmigrated to another world and a day later can fight on par with those sons of great families who spent their childhood training.

Thinking about this, I realize how unrealistic those animes were.

Speaking of unrealistic, what's the deal with this world? Shouldn't it be the world of the anime High School DxD? Why is Ippo here? And if he is here, does it mean other characters could appear? So… other villains could appear too?

Isn't that just making this world even more chaotic? That damn God of Trucks… is this the continuation of his revenge? If I meet him again…

At that moment, I heard the sound of the door opening. And when I looked to see who had arrived, I saw Ippo followed by Machio.

Soon after, some unfamiliar faces also entered the room I was in.

So, these are the club members? I looked at all who entered, luckily I didn't recognize any of these members as people from other animes. This relieved me. I didn't know how I would react if there were more anime characters in the club.

But that doesn't mean they aren't in other places. If Ippo is here, then other characters might be wandering around the world…

Everyone who entered the room also looked at me before forming a circle around the center of the tatami.

"Are you ready? You know, you can come another day."

Ippo came to my side and spoke. He had a look of concern. It seemed he knew that this test was not easy.

"It's alright. I have no knowledge of martial arts and have never fought before. But I'll give it my best!"

I didn't lie when I said that. Indeed, I didn't know how to fight. But I wouldn't run away.

I had decided. I wouldn't allow myself to be weak again.

Ippo's eyes seemed to shine with emotion for a few moments when he heard me saying I didn't know how to fight. He might have been reminded of when he started.

I forgot to mention. Ippo is a third-year student.

This would be his last year at Kuoh Academy. He told me this while we were walking to this room.

"Alright, I won't try to persuade you otherwise. Just do your best."

"Ah! Almost forgot, do you want to fight someone of the same weight as you? Or can it be random?"

"I have no preference. It can be someone random."

Ippo seemed surprised by my response. Maybe he thought I would choose someone of a similar weight. He knew how difficult it was to face people much heavier than oneself.

I had analyzed the club members and noticed that all seemed to be heavier than me. So it wouldn't make a difference.

"Step into the circle, the one who steps forward will be your opponent."

Ippo led me to the center of the tatami, and after that, he joined the other members around the circle.

It was strange. I was alone in the center, with fighters forming a circle around me.

I was sure that anyone in my place would be apprehensive or even afraid. And that would be normal.

But me…

I felt my heartbeat increase, my blood seemed to boil. I don't know why, but I was getting excited. I couldn't wait to start fighting.

The club members forming the circle seemed to notice my condition and all had understanding smiles.

At that moment, a young man slightly larger than me stepped forward and entered the circle.

So… this is the guy I'm going to fight?

He was also wearing the school uniform and appeared to be a third-year student.

"My name is Seta Kenshin. I will be responsible for your ritual. Please be careful."

"I am Yan Qing. Please take care of me."

We both greeted each other and took some distance.

We both knew what was about to happen. Seta seemed calm while I was excited, eager to begin.

No one had said anything about the rules of the fight. Ippo just told me to fight with all my strength.

Although I had no experience in fighting, I had watched many fighting movies and documentaries. Fighters always emphasized breathing.

Thinking about this, I started to breathe smoothly and steadily. This could calm me down and also allow me to think more rationally.

Seta assumed a combat stance with a three-quarters face guard.

Could he be a boxer? This is going to be difficult…

I noticed that since Seta took a combat stance, he was slowly moving his feet. I didn't know when, but it seemed I had entered his rhythm even before we began fighting.

That's because, unconsciously, my body started to move to the side, albeit slowly.

I quickly assumed a combat stance similar to Seta's. I didn't know if I was doing it right, but since I had no martial arts base, I decided to just fight with everything I had.

If even I don't know what I'm doing, then how would my opponent know?

Chapter Text

I couldn't wait any longer and moved towards Seta.

Seta's eyes quickly shifted between my feet and torso, as if trying to predict my next steps.

I swayed my body slightly, like the boxers I had seen in my past life.

Unfortunately, I wasn't a boxer, and as I got close enough to Seta, I felt a sharp pain in the right side of my thigh.

What was that? When did he?

Then I looked down and noticed that Seta had kicked my right thigh.

He's not a boxer? Damn it! Why did I think he was one?

Wait…

I finally realized, from the beginning, Seta entered a stance typically used by boxers just to confuse me. That's... terrifying.

From the moment he entered the circle, he was completely in control of our fight. And this was within just thirty seconds since we started.

An expert!

We circled each other, looking for an opportunity to strike.

Seta didn't seem to have intentions of attacking. Breathing deeply, I decided to take the initiative.

Attack first!

I moved quickly forward and threw a left punch towards Seta's face.

As my fist was about to connect with Seta's face, the man simply slid his body to the right, grabbed my left arm, and in a spin, hit my face with the back of his left leg.

In that moment, I saw the world in slow motion.

When Seta's kick connected with my face, I felt blood not only from my nose but also from my mouth.

One kick…

Just one kick made me stumble backward, hand on my face.

I noticed that Seta seemed to have held back in his kick, otherwise, it wouldn't be blood on my hands but my teeth.

Even with blood running down my face, I wasn't afraid. In fact, it was as if the blood running gave me more courage. My body seemed to heat up, and my adrenaline levels seemed to rise to their peak. The pain I felt seemed to have disappeared.

"Let's continue."

I spoke as I advanced again.

I raised my right fist and tried to punch Seta again.

Seta just raised his guard and blocked my punch, and before I could react, I felt my stomach being hit. Due to my adrenaline levels rising to their maximum, the pain I felt from being hit was reduced to just a mild burning sensation.

With that, I didn't lose my momentum and continued to send a flurry of punches towards Seta. As this was a fight, I didn't forget to try to kick his thigh in the same way he did to me.

Unfortunately, Seta seemed to have noticed my intention. When my leg was about to hit his thigh, he slightly lifted his leg, making a block with the side of his leg, thus reducing the damage.

Seta completely controlled the fight.

Since we weren't using gloves to fight, I felt like the bones in my hand wanted to tear through my skin, and when I quickly looked, I noticed blood dripping from my fist.

"It's just been a few moves, and I'm already in this state?"

I couldn't help but think this.

This is completely different from the fights I saw in animes.

Suddenly, I was sent backward due to Seta landing a front kick in my stomach.

Had it not been for a club member who caught me, I would have fallen to the ground a few meters away.

"You seem to be holding back, you need to use all your strength."

Seta spoke, his expression showing that he wasn't satisfied with the level I was showing.

He wasn't wrong. Ever since we started our fight, I felt something restraining my body.

Thinking about what it could be, I finally realized…

Damn! I'm an idiot.

"Please, wait a moment."

I bowed slightly to Seta.

"?"

Seta was confused but nodded his head and decided to wait.

Quickly, I turned around and started to remove the clothes I was wearing. Don't get me wrong, I just removed the top part, I wasn't planning to fight in my underwear.

First, I removed the coat I was wearing and threw it on the ground. Next, I pulled off the white shirt I was wearing, revealing my body full of tattoos to everyone.

The club members seemed impressed with my tattoos, as it was uncommon for young people this age to have tattoos. In fact, in the whole school, I might be the only one with tattoos on the body.

"Amazing…"

Ippo murmured looking at my tattoos.

I turned back to face Seta, who was now looking at me with an impressed gaze.

"I'm ready, let's restart."

"Alright. I won't hold back anymore. Attack me with everything you have."

Without a shirt, I didn't have to worry about my movements being restricted. Not that it would make me win this fight. But I felt much better now that there was nothing restricting me.

It was as if I was born to fight without the upper part of my clothes.

I felt my blood boiling even more, my pupils slightly dilated.

This time I would not back down.

Breathing deeply, I advanced.

Seta seemed motivated as well and removed the upper part of his clothing. His body was well-defined, and there were some scars scattered across it.

Both of us forgot our surroundings and focused entirely on the fight.

This time Seta wouldn't just be defensive. He also advanced towards me.

"Fast! He's so fast!"

That was the only thing I could think. Seta appeared in front of me in an instant.

And the moment he was about to hit my face with his left fist, I felt something burning inside me. I didn't know how, but I felt my body lighter.

And in a burst of speed, I disappeared from where I was and reappeared behind Seta.

Seta blinked in confusion, not expecting me to move so fast that he wasn't prepared to follow.

I did it!

When Seta turned to face me.

He was greeted with a quick and powerful kick to the left side of his face, making him stumble back a few steps. I noticed that a bit of blood seemed to have come out of his mouth.

That was the first time I managed to hit him. And it was a powerful blow.

Knowing I couldn't give him a chance to recover, I advanced again, ready to kick him on the other side of the face. It was a shame that…

Seta, who seemed disoriented, snapped back to reality.

He quickly ducked, avoiding my kick.

And the moment my kick passed over him, he surged under me, grabbing and throwing me to the ground.

Above me, Seta delivered a rapid and powerful succession of punches.

I raised my arms in a guard to block the punches, but this only lasted for a few moments, as my guard was broken. Seta mercilessly punched not only my face but also my chest and neck.

I felt my world turn black for a few moments.

I no longer felt pain; in fact, my whole body seemed to have lost strength due to the rapid blows I was receiving to the head.

Again, if Seta hadn't held back, I would have been gone from this world.

For ordinary humans, martial arts are lethal.

Although I noticed that Seta seemed different from ordinary humans. In fact, all the people of this world were different from ordinary humans from my past life. It was as if the humans of this world didn't have as many limiters.

Ippo, who was part of the circle around the tatami, was about to stop the fight. He felt it had been enough.

But just as he was about to step forward, he stopped.

Seta, who had been punching non-stop, was thrown to the side.

"Aaaaah!"

I let out a slight cry of pain. I didn't think I could push Seta away, but somehow I felt my strength returning.

And since Seta also didn't expect me to be able to get back into the fight, he had loosened his grip.

I started to control my breathing, knowing that if I didn't, I might lose consciousness.

That had been close…

Seta looked at me, impressed. He knew I had no fighting experience, so from the beginning, he decided to control the fight. But he never expected that I could break free from his control. Yes! He thought the fight was already over when he threw me to the ground.

Blood was flowing all over my face, in fact, it could hardly be called a face anymore.

My eyebrow had been split open. My left eye was closed due to the injuries. Once the adrenaline in my body subsided, I would suffer devastating consequences.

Was it the right choice to try to join this club?

Yes, it was!

I couldn't falter. This must be their test. If I falter now…

Thinking about this, I calmed my mind.

My right eye was the only one working at the moment, so I used it to focus entirely on Seta.

"Let's go for the second round!"

Chapter Text

Seta, with a look of acknowledgment, smiled slightly. It was a smile that mixed respect and challenge. He assumed a combat stance, keeping himself light and alert.

"You're really surprising, Yan Qing. Let's see how far you can go."

I knew I had no chance of beating Seta, but this fight was no longer about winning. It was about enduring.

The second round began with Seta advancing more aggressively. He was no longer holding back, each of his movements was precise and loaded with strength. I dodged and blocked as best as I could, but every blow I avoided or stopped left a new mark of pain on my body.

My adrenaline seemed to be reaching its limit, and I would soon fall.

Despite the blood running down my face and the pain that grew every second, a smile formed on my lips. I was really enjoying this feeling, fighting with everything I had, against a formidable opponent.

Seta launched a high kick, which I managed to block with my arms. The force of the impact nearly made me stagger, but I stood firm. I counterattacked with a straight punch, which Seta skillfully dodged.

"You have an incredible spirit, Yan Qing. That's rare." Seta spoke, his eyes shining with a mix of joy and seriousness. The fight club would gain another member. And this one seemed interesting.

Our movements became a brutal dance on the tatami, a ballet of strikes and dodges. I knew I wouldn't last much longer; each movement required tremendous effort, but I continued, driven by the remaining adrenaline and the desire not to give up.

Finally, Seta found an opening. He delivered a series of rapid blows, ending with a right kick to my chest. The impact threw me backward, and I fell, gasping and exhausted.

I lost…

Seta approached, extending a hand to help me up. "You fought well, Yan Qing. Better than many who have passed through here."

I accepted his hand and got up, feeling every muscle in my body scream in pain. I looked around with my right eye and saw the club members watching us, expressions of respect and admiration on their faces.

They weren't admiring my fighting skills since I had none. They were admiring my determination.

"You may not have won the fight." Seta said. "But you've earned our respect. Welcome to the club."

I smiled, leaning on Seta for balance. I had lost the fight, but somehow, I felt as if I had achieved much more.

As I leaned on Seta, trying to catch my breath and regain my composure, I noticed Ippo approaching. He had a mischievous smile on his face, a contrast to his usual serious look.

"Impressive, Yan Qing," said Ippo, clapping slowly. "You showed more than courage today. You showed tenacity and an indomitable spirit. I believe you deserve a place among us."

There was a murmur of approval from the other members. I looked at Ippo, still panting and tired, but proud.

"First and foremost," Ippo continued, with a mischievous glint in his eyes, "let's talk about the club rules. The first rule of the club is… you do not talk about the fight club."

There was a moment of silence before everyone in the club started to laugh. Ippo's usual seriousness dissolved into a wide smile. "Just kidding, just kidding. We are not that clandestine. But seriously, we do have some important rules here."

Ippo began to list the actual club rules, each focusing on mutual respect, safety, and personal growth through combat. But the way he introduced the first rule helped break the ice and made me feel more welcomed.

The pain in my body was still intense, but the warmth of acceptance and respect from the club members enveloped me. I knew my journey in this new world was just beginning.

At first, I didn't want to be isekai'd, but after just one day, I felt that it was the best thing that had happened to me.

Thinking about this, a rare smile appeared on my face. Since coming to this world, I had only managed to smile when fighting against Seta. Maybe I'm a battle addict…

As the adrenaline started to subside, an intense and overwhelming pain took over me. Every bruise, cut, and hematoma seemed to scream, reminding me of the harsh lessons from the fight.

My knees were trembling, and I could barely stand, even with Seta's help.

That's when Machio, one of the club's managers and also a teacher at the school, stepped forward.

"Let me help you, Yan Qing," said Machio with a calm and concerned voice. "I'll carry you to the infirmary. You need medical attention."

I looked at him, surprised and somewhat skeptical. Machio, with his modest stature and slender body, seemed hardly fit to carry someone of my size, even though I only weighed 62kg, it still seemed too much for Machio.

But before I could protest or question his ability, something astonishing happened.

The moment Machio approached and lifted me, his body transformed in an almost magical way. Beneath the simple clothes he wore, his muscles expanded, tearing his clothing and revealing a sculpted and imposing physique that rivaled that of an elite bodybuilder. It was as if he had hidden his true strength under a facade of frailty.

I barely had time to be astounded by the transformation before being gently lifted from the ground.

Machio carried me with surprising ease.

As I was being carried, I looked at the other club members, who just smiled, as if they had gone through the same situation in the past.

Machio, with his unexpected revelation, carried me through the school corridors with ease. I thanked God that most students had gone to their respective clubs, otherwise, I wouldn't know where to put my face.

We arrived at the infirmary. Upon entering, the school nurse, a middle-aged woman with a maternal but firm look, lifted her eyes from her papers and widened her eyes upon seeing me in such a state.

"Oh, heavens! Another one?" she exclaimed, hurrying to help Machio place me carefully on one of the beds. "Are you a new member of the fight club?"

I just nodded, still panting and feeling every fiber of my body protest. The nurse sighed, shaking her head as she began to examine my injuries.

She then turned to Machio, her expression mixing concern and a slight reprimand.

"Machio, you really need to reconsider the intensity level of these fights. If students keep showing up here in this state, parents are going to start asking difficult questions. And, honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if the club gets disbanded because of this."

Machio, now back to his usual appearance.

Yes, he had put his clothing back on, which concealed his muscular body.

He nodded respectfully.

"I understand your concerns, nurse. I assure you we will discuss this in the club. The safety of the students is our priority."

Me, lying on the bed, didn't know what to say at that moment. The safety of the students? This is a damn fight club, how could anyone be safe? Moreover, by the way Machio spoke, it wasn't the first time he brought someone to the infirmary.

It's likely that every day, students from the club come to the infirmary to treat their wounds.

Machio, after seeing that I wasn't in any life-threatening condition, seemed relieved.

"With the state you're in, it will be hard to participate in the club for the next few days. Please rest. Once you recover, I'll introduce you to the places only club members can enter."

After saying this, Machio left the room, mentioning that he needed to inform the other club members that I would be fine.

As soon as he left, I was alone with the nurse, who seemed to be preparing to take care of me.

I noticed that when the nurse started treating my injuries, she seemed to use magic, yes, magic.

It was almost imperceptible, but somehow I noticed.

I knew the extent of my injuries. It would be difficult to recover quickly. But somehow, as she applied some ointments and wrapped the bandages, I felt my injuries healing faster and faster.

If I had to say, the healing speed of my wounds seemed to have tripled.

Could she be someone from the supernatural? Well, it wouldn't be surprising, this is a school controlled by devils.

Since she didn't say anything, I pretended not to notice.

Sometimes, the best thing to do was to keep silent. I didn't know how she would react if I asked if she knew how to use magic. She might just confirm and everything would be fine, or she might suspect that I belong to the supernatural and report me to the devils controlling the city.

That would be the worst-case scenario. Since I didn't want to get involved with the devils until I had enough strength to at least run away if necessary.

Even the bones in my left eye, which was closed, showed signs of opening.

"That's also good… if my face continued to be swollen, I would have to postpone my lunch with Reya… speaking of which, what reaction will she have when she sees me in this state? Will she try to close the club? Or will she just ignore it?"

Sighing, I closed my eyes to rest for a while.

The school would be open until evening, so when I woke up, I would go home.

There were many things I wanted to test and do.

Chapter Text

After receiving treatment in the infirmary, I rested for a few hours and then went home. The nurse told me not to take painkillers as they might hinder the healing process.

Since she seemed to use magic, I agreed without much problem.

Back at my house, I sat on my bed, lost in thought.

On my first day of school, I met some interesting people and also joined the fight club.

Thinking about it, one single day here was more exciting than my entire past life, if you disregard the time I spent resisting being isekai'd.

Looking at my body wrapped in bandages, I sighed.

"One week…"

That was the time it would take for my body to fully heal. In my past life, even several months would have been insufficient.

After my fight with Seta, I noticed some interesting things.

Although we are humans, I noticed that Seta's strength was much greater than the fighters from my past life. He also seemed to have better control over his body.

Fighters from my past life definitely couldn't defeat him.

If Seta is already that strong, what about Ippo? Or even the other members of the club?

I knew this world was different from the one I lived in. But I didn't expect that even the humans would be more powerful.

"The human body of this world may not have the limiters like those of my past life? If that's the case…"

This could be the case.

Humans are the only race capable of reincarnating as devils without losing their high reproduction genetics. The same must happen with humans who reincarnate as angels. There's also that group of heroes who are no weaker than the leaders of these great factions.

I remembered that as a human I could also become a Mage.

But after thinking a bit about this option, I decided to discard it.

With my body, being a mage wouldn't be a problem. But it seemed like this body was more suited to be a martial artist. At least that's what I noticed while fighting.

I have inherited Yan Qing's talent for martial arts!

This was the best news I could have had.

I don't know if I will be able to replicate his powers, but with his talent alone, it wouldn't be a problem for me to reach the level of Sairaorg Bael.

Of course, reaching Sairaorg is still a distant dream.

I have one year until the plot actually starts, and I don't believe I can reach him in just one year. At least not with conventional methods.

Machio told me that when I recovered, he would show me the areas that only club members can access.

I hope there are some books on martial arts in that place, or even training methods. I wouldn't mind asking Seta or Ippo to teach me.

But I noticed that both seemed well-versed in a single style.

Although I haven't seen Ippo fight or train, I knew he was a boxer.

And Seta seemed to be a mix of boxing and Muay Thai.

Using boxing as a base would be good. But that's just it.

If I encountered an opponent who immobilized my hands, how would I fight against them? If I lost my arms, how would I fight?

I needed to be versatile.

"I almost forgot about that…"

While thinking about martial arts styles that would be interesting to learn, I remembered something important.

Breathing!

Yes! Breathing.

I noticed that breathing in this world seems to be of extreme importance, and it gave me some ideas.

This is a magical world with many possibilities.

And after the death of God… things became even more chaotic not only for other races but also for humans.

Issei showed that he was capable of doing the impossible.

And if he could, so could I.

I would bring to this world a breathing technique.

More specifically, Total Concentration Breathing!

With the death of God, many things became possible, so I should be able to use this technique from another world. There was nothing stopping me from using it.

Total Concentration Breathing is an esoteric breathing technique used by Demon Slayers.

This breathing technique involves expanding the lungs to take in as much air as possible, accelerating blood flow and heartbeat while increasing the body's internal temperature, resulting in more excited bones and muscles.

A simple technique, but with various benefits.

If I mastered this technique, I could match the best descendants of heroes.

Not to mention the cardiovascular improvement.

This technique would allow me to have superhuman strength, speed, endurance, durability, resistance, and the mental abilities necessary to keep up with my body that would become superhuman. Even my thought process would become faster, allowing my reaction time to improve.

This is also a technique whose only limiter is its user, as it continuously strengthens them.

Thinking about all the benefits of this technique, I decided to practice it.

Despite the difficulty, it seemed to fit me perfectly. And the way to train it was not complex.

The first thing I needed to do was to improve my lung capacity.

"Tomorrow I will wake up early and run with all my might."

Even with my injuries, I couldn't just stay at home relaxing. There were many things I wanted to do, and learning this technique would be my first step.

"I remember Tanjiro also practiced holding his breath. As well as meditating to help with concentration. Alright, I'll do all of that."

Having decided my next steps, I lay down in bed and fell into a deep sleep.

Today had been a tiring day, and I needed to rest.

…

After a long and painful night of sleep, I woke up.

Well…

Not as I expected.

I tried to get up from bed and the moment I put my feet on the ground, I felt an unprecedented pain.

"Is this the post-training soreness they talk about?"

My muscles were all tight as I dragged myself to brush my teeth and change clothes.

After spending half an hour to change clothes and brush my teeth, I had my breakfast and went for a run.

Yes… my body was sore, but that wouldn't stop me from training.

On the empty street, I took a deep breath and started to run at a slow pace, accelerating as my body warmed up. Due to my injuries, I decided to alternate running.

I would run intensely for three minutes and then walk for one minute.

I decided to follow this method for a full hour.

I remember that this running method was used by professional runners in my past life to improve lung capacity. As I was in a magical world, this method should be even more effective.

While running, I stopped at a pawn shop.

The reason?

I was looking for gourds that could help me in training.

The training process for the breathing technique wasn't just about improving lung capacity. It required blowing into a special type of super-durable dried gourd. The goal is to blow the gourd with enough force to make the gourd split.

And as I progressed, I would switch the gourd for a larger and more resistant one.

Unfortunately, the gourds they had at the pawn shop were just normal gourds.

At least their sizes were decent, so I ended up buying them.

I made sure to ask the shopkeeper if he could order some durable gourds for me. Initially, he seemed hesitant, but after I gave him a stack of money, he promptly accepted.

"Money really is a superpower…"

Except for the pains in my body, I had no trouble maintaining speed while running. I noticed that I would need to run with more intensity if I wanted to train my lungs.

"I'll buy some weights to tie around my legs, that should make it more difficult."

I returned home and went to the computer to do some shopping.

There were a few hours left until the start of classes, so I could freely browse the internet.

Besides making some purchases, I checked the day's news.

Upon checking the news, I noticed an article reporting the disappearance of some children. Seeing the location where the children disappeared, I realized that the likely culprits were the Fallen Angels.

"…Are they already making their moves?"

"Either way, I have nothing to do with this."

If I had enough strength, I wouldn't mind helping to find the missing children… no! At this point, those children must already be dead.

The Fallen Angels are after people with Sacred Gear to extract and use them for their own people. Even if I had enough strength, I couldn't bring those children back alive. At most, some corpses.

I was reminded that this world is far more dangerous than the one seen in the anime.