Gasper was so startled by the sudden roar that his crying stopped instantly. He looked up at Rhode with wide, fearful eyes.
"Everyone else is fighting, yet you're the only one hiding here. Not only are you useless, but you're constantly causing trouble. Do you feel no shame?!"
It wasn't just Gasper; even Walburga jumped, nearly losing her soul from the sheer volume of Rhode's shout. Why are you suddenly screaming so loud?!
"Akeno and Koneko have already accepted their pasts. Are you, a man, really incapable of doing the same?"
At those words, faces of the two girls flickered in Gasper's mind. Though he didn't know the specifics of their histories, he had heard bits and pieces from Rias when she came to check on him.
Still, Gasper lowered his head. "I... I can't do it. I'm scared the moment I see people... I can't..."
He began to sob intermittently again.
"Will your tears help you control your Sacred Gear?! Will they defeat the people who want to use you?!"
"Fine. If you want to keep repeating history, then stay depraved like this. Next time your Sacred Gear goes out of control, your Master Rias, your friends, and everyone connected to you will die because of you."
"I... I don't want that! I definitely don't want that!"
Gasper trembled violently at the future Rhode described. He had always accepted the kindness of others as a given, never once thinking about changing himself. For a long time, he thought that since Rias was a princess of the Underworld, he could just be a shut-in for the rest of his life. With the Gremory wealth, they could support a "useless person" like him forever.
But his delusions had been shattered today. He knew exactly what his power was. It wasn't something he could control, nor was it something the President or Akeno-senpai could easily resist.
Gasper clenched his small fists.
Noticing the change in Gasper's gaze, Rhode softened his tone. "If you want to change, then train hard. Train until no one can make you lose control again. Train until you can protect everyone."
"I... I understand. I will..."
Though Gasper's voice still carried a trace of fear, his heart had undergone a transformation. When he looked up again, Rhode had already left the room.
Gasper forced himself to stand, wiping the tears from his face.
"I will definitely change. Don't worry, Master... I've decided to fight on! Like a real man!"
Having been "encouraged" by Rhode, Gasper's resolve was set.
A short while later, Rias, Akeno, and the rest arrived at the old building. Before they could even speak, Gasper spoke in a voice that was slightly shaky with fear, yet incredibly firm.
"President... I want to change."
"Huh?"
Rias blinked, her brain failing to process the sudden shift. What happened all of a sudden?
"President, after today, I've realized one thing: If you don't fight, you can't survive."
"President, I want to learn how to fight!"
"Huh?"
Akeno, Koneko, and Kiba Yuto all shared Rias's bewildered expression. It hadn't been that long—how did Gasper undergo such a massive personality shift? If Rias hadn't sensed the Devil Piece within him, she would have suspected her servant had been swapped out for an impostor.
Akeno quickly whispered to her, "Rias, Mr. Rhode was likely here just now. Did he say something to Gasper?"
"...Maybe." Rias calmed down. She remembered Rhode's sharp critiques of them before. At the time, they felt like daggers to the heart, but in hindsight, every word had been true. She had actually considered asking Rhode to talk to Gasper before, but feared the boy would have a mental breakdown.
She hadn't expected this terrorist incident to yield such a result. Regardless of what was said, she was relieved to see him change. A talent like Gasper's was far too valuable to waste on being a shut-in.
"In that case, let's start training together this weekend." Rias reached out to pat Gasper's head.
The next second, Gasper let out a high-pitched shriek: "P-P-President! Don't touch me...!"
Everyone: "..."
Maybe skip the combat training for now and focus on learning how to talk to people normally.
On the other side, Walburga was still confused by Rhode's behavior.
"Honestly, we didn't even do anything to that trap. I just found him, and his Sacred Gear went out of control on its own. He's cute, sure, but I don't see the point in trying to 'change' someone like that..."
Rhode ignored her. His "critique" of Gasper was purely because he had always wanted to say those iconic lines from his favorite shows. Roleplaying a mentor figure while no one was around was a victimless crime.
He had said his piece, and he felt great. Whether Gasper actually changed didn't really matter to him. He wasn't exactly a fan of "sword fighting," after all.
"Just stay here. Don't wander around. If you get killed, don't blame me."
The time-stop effect had ended, and the academy was crawling with soldiers from the Three Factions cleaning up the mess. They were all fuming; being frozen by a terrorist before they could even draw their weapons was a massive humiliation for elite soldiers.
"U-Understood," Walburga whispered fearfully. If she revealed her identity now, she'd be turned into a pincushion in seconds.
Rhode stepped into the conference room.
The occupants were divided into four distinct groups. Aside from the leaders of the Three Factions, Katerea stood alone. Facing the gazes of the high-ranking officials, she maintained a calm facade, though she was internally quite anxious.
"Those are my terms. I can let bygones be bygones, but I must be allowed to return to the capital, Lilith, and I must have the right to participate in the next election for the Leviathan Devil King."
Seeing Rhode enter, her heart finally settled. She just had to follow the plan step by step.
Hearing her demands, Michael and Gabriel remained neutral observers. Azazel, however, couldn't help but stir the pot.
"My, my. To think I'd see the day. Hey, Sirzechs! Why not just agree? I can already imagine how 'exciting' the political infighting in the Underworld will become once she returns to Lilith!"
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High School DxD: Reincarnated into the Multiverse, but it's High School DxD (320 Chapters – Ongoing)
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