[Brain Storage Area]
...
The night was dark, and the wind was high.
Inside a derelict, abandoned apartment complex.
The long-neglected wooden door creaked with a spine-chilling groan as it was pushed open, allowing the damp, rot-filled stench of mildew to permeate the air.
A figure strolled inside, walking with an air of nonchalant confidence.
He wore a silver trench coat over a pair of black trousers, finished off with a pair of sneakers. At a glance, it seemed like a relatively normal outfit, but upon closer inspection, the combination was somewhat eccentric.
Of course, in a godforsaken place like this, no one was interested in Rhode's fashion choices.
Compared to his clothes, the creatures lurking in the shadows cared far more about the delicious scent of flesh and blood radiating from his body. However, as excellent hunters, they remained remarkably patient.
As Rhode stepped onto the stairs of the first-floor lobby, the rusted front door slowly swung shut behind him.
Rhode glanced back.
Immediately, several eerie sounds echoed from the shadowed corners of the dilapidated hall. Then, he saw it—pairs of glowing eyes, bright as lanterns, emerging from the darkness in every direction.
One by one, silhouettes approached Rhode, slowly encircling him.
"Hehe, I never imagined a mere exorcist would have the guts to come here alone."
"At first, I thought there was an ambush waiting outside, but it turns out it's really just you."
"You've got a handsome face, too. What a waste. Hey, you lot—when it's time to eat him later, how about you let big sister play with him first?"
"Fine, Big Sis, you call the shots. But after you're done playing, it's my turn."
The last to speak was a man with a buzz cut. He was rotund with pale skin, wearing a dress shirt and white ankle socks. As he spoke, his thick beard twitched rhythmically.
"Holy crap!"
Originally, when Rhode heard the "amply gifted" big sister speaking, he had considered whether he should briefly pretend to give up resistance. But the moment he saw that leering man grinning at him, his skin crawled. He instantly whipped out a Desert Eagle and aimed it straight at the man's forehead.
Bang—!
A tongue of flame flickered in the darkness, accompanied by a thunderous crack.
The bullet spiraled out of the barrel and bored into the man's forehead. His body jerked back several steps as a bloody hole erupted in his skull. From the wound, a wet, gurgling sound continued to bubble forth.
Rhode let out a sigh of relief; he had absolutely no intention of participating in whatever "performance" that guy had in mind.
However, that single gunshot was like poking a hornet's nest.
"Damn you! How dare you sneak attack us!"
"I'm going to gouge your eyes out and have them with my wine!"
Seeing their companion fall instantly, the other three barely had time to react.
In a fit of humiliated rage, their voices became raspy and distorted. Their eyes erupted with a terrifying red light, and their bodies and maws twisted into inhuman shapes. Their once-orderly white teeth transformed into a mouthful of jagged, razor-sharp fangs.
The previously "well-endowed" big sister now looked hideous, charging at Rhode like a necromorph straight out of Dead Space.
Rhode, however, was well-prepared.
Agilely dodging the three-pronged pincer attack, he leaped onto the second-floor corridor.
"Lousy little insect! Where do you think you can run?"
Missing their strike didn't deter them. They had already sealed the entire apartment; unless he defeated them and left through the front door, there was no other exit.
"When did I ever say I was running?"
Rhode looked down at them expressionlessly. He casually pulled out a rocket launcher, aimed it at the three monsters huddled together, and pulled the trigger.
Vwoom—!
The rocket, trailing a tail of fire, streaked toward the monsters. In the flickering light of the flames, Rhode could even clearly see the look of utter disbelief in their eyes.
Ref, someone's using cheats!
Boom—!
Orange-red flames soared toward the ceiling. The explosion churned the air, sending out a powerful shockwave. Rhode flared his trench coat to block the gust.
As the dust settled, the acrid scent of gunpowder filled the area.
Stepping over the scorched ruins, Rhode walked up to a monster that hadn't been killed by the blast and tore her head open with a bullet bathed in holy light.
The next moment, a cold, mechanical system notification rang in his mind.
[Mission "Eliminate Stray Devil Squad" Completed][Rewards Obtained: Church Reputation +10, Nichirin Sword x1][Equipment: Nichirin Sword (Effective against all creatures that fear sunlight).]
"A Nichirin Sword? Fine, I guess."
While it wasn't a particularly legendary piece of gear, it was better than nothing.
Taking one last look at the three mangled monster corpses on the ground, Rhode turned and left without looking back.
In truth, he was a transmigrator.
After his body had been de-aged to sixteen, he had crossed over into this "Comprehensive Manga" world. As for how he knew it was a multiverse world, it was because the System had explicitly told him so.
Furthermore, after two years of struggling and finding his way, he had come to understand some of the world's secrets.
For instance, this world didn't just have zombies, vampires, ghouls, and beings like Muzan; the gods of Shura, Buddhas, Angels, and Devil Kings were all very real.
Normally, a transmigrator would find it difficult to live a life of ease—he couldn't even get a job as an illegal laborer.
Fortunately, Rhode had been accompanied by a System when he crossed over.
The System functioned much like an RPG interface. Beyond standard quest guidance, it featured teleportation waypoints, a mission log, and a gacha function. Of course, several functions were still grayed out, indicating they had yet to be unlocked.
Through the rewards earned from completing missions, Rhode had gradually established a foothold in this world. Currently, he was a freelance mercenary.
The monsters he had just killed were known as Stray Devils.
These were beings who had betrayed the contracts with their high-ranking masters and fled. Typically, Stray Devils were cruel and unable to easily control their demonic power, making it difficult for them to maintain a human form or their sanity for long.
This "Stray Devil" setting originated from the Underworld of the DxD universe. Rhode had come here today because he had accepted a purge mission from the Church.
"Time to clock out."
He let out a yawn.
He had driven to the destination without a moment's rest after receiving the mission. Now that it was done, it was time to go back and collect his pay.
Without a second thought, Rhode pulled up the System map and selected the coordinates for his currently unlocked teleportation waypoint: "The First Heaven."
Click. Teleport!
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High School DxD : Reincarnated into the Multiverse, but it's High School DxD
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