42 Future Plans

"Any plans or goals on your horizon?" Brynhildr inquired, leaning back in her chair with a curious glint in her eyes. She found Otto's ability to acquire other people's powers fascinating, especially when done so boldly in broad daylight.

"Well, I think I'll take it easy for a while," Otto replied thoughtfully, tapping his fingers on the table as he considered his next steps.

"Maybe I'll swing by Yukime's bar. It's been a while since I've been there."

"That sounds like a good idea. It could be a nice change of pace." Brynhildr nodded, her interest piqued. 

"Definitely," Otto agreed, a faint smile playing on his lips. "And it gives me some time to focus on other things too, like working on your synthetic body."

Brynhildr's eyes lit up at the mention of her synthetic body. "I appreciate that. It's been a long time coming, and I know you've been putting a lot of effort into it."

"It's my pleasure," Otto replied warmly. "I want to make sure it's perfect. Without any defective abnormalities."

Their conversation shifted slightly as Otto mentioned his ongoing classes at the Academy. "Just a reminder, I still have classes at the Academy," he said with a chuckle. "I'm not some anime character who can skip them."

"True, true. We can't all have off-screen classes like in those shows." Brynhildr laughed. 

As they continued chatting, Brynhildr couldn't help but bring up another topic. "What about Nene?" She asked with a teasing grin.

Otto's expression shifted slightly, a hint of uncertainty crossing his features.

"Oh, her? I'm not sure yet," He replied, choosing his words carefully. "She's been persistent ever since our last encounter."

Brynhildr raised an eyebrow playfully. "Seems like she's interested in more than just your fighting skills."

Otto chuckled nervously. "Yeah, well, I haven't quite figured out what to do about that yet."

Brynhildr leaned forward, a mischievous tone in her voice. "Just be careful not to make me jealous," She teased, though there was a hint of seriousness in her tone.

"Don't worry, Brynhildr. You're the only one stealing my powers for now." Otto grinned. 

"Good answer," Brynhildr smirked, satisfied with his response. 

Their conversation continued, filled with laughter and playful banter, as they discussed their plans, goals, and the unpredictable twists and turns of their lives.

On the other hand, Nene wasn't really his type, since she looked like a lewd middle schooler. Although she covers most of her body from others now, wearing the kimono properly.

"I'm perfectly fine with the idea of you having a harem," Brynhildr remarked with a teasing glint in her eyes, "after all, strong individuals like yourself naturally draw the attention of many admirers. Just remember, I expect to hold the honored position of your main partner," she added, her tone playful yet assertive, hinting at the allure of a bit of competition.

"Mmmm," Otto responded absentmindedly, his mind engrossed in contemplating the intricate process of crafting Brynhildr's synthetic body. He nodded along to her words, though his focus remained fixed on the technical details swirling in his thoughts.

"Should I abandon the synthetic body in favor of creating a homunculus instead?" Otto contemplated, weighing the pros and cons of each method. He found the synthetic approach considerably more intricate, requiring extensive time and research to achieve the desired perfection.

'Perhaps I'll wait until Edelweiss completes her part of the deal before making a decision.' Otto reasoned with himself, acknowledging the importance of patience in such a crucial endeavor. 'Yes, patience is virtue... There's no need to rush into a choice that could impact Brynhildr's future body.'

"Hey, are you paying attention?" Brynhildr queried, circling around Otto as he absently focused on a particular area of the naked synthetic body.

"Hey, are your hormones finally kicking in?" she teased, her tone mischievous.

"What? No, not at all," Otto quickly denied, a hint of embarrassment creeping into his expression.

"Don't lie, you know I can tell just from your eyes. The intention to breed." She joked.

"What are you even talking about? No, I wasn't."

"Hey, if you wanna fuck that doll so bad, then just do it. It's going to be my future body either way." She stated nonchalantly.

"Nah, I wouldn't," Otto replied, shaking his head.

"Why not listen to your natural instincts for once?" she suggested, noting Otto's adeptness at controlling his primal urges.

"I don't know. Maybe I value loyalty, or perhaps it's just uncomfortable since it feels cold, almost like a lifeless body," Otto admitted, reflecting on the complexities of his feelings.

"If you're loyal to me then, go ahead and please yourself with the doll for me."

"Are you somehow sexually frustrated to see someone copulate that badly?" He calmly asked her out, since she's been with this topic a lot recently.

"Uhhh—no?"

"Then what's the deal with you and your perverted thoughts?"

"I just want to have you feel happy without having to feel guilt."

"... It's my choice whether I want to do it or not. In the meantime, I don't want to indulge in that kind of thing just yet."

The atmosphere of the room turned awkward for the two of them, as they both felt bad for the other person for arguing over something so stupid.

...

Several days had drifted by, each marked by Otto's diligent attendance at the academy as he steadily approached the threshold of his second-year graduation. With a month left until this milestone, the atmosphere crackled with a blend of anticipation and routine.

One afternoon, during their customary lunch break, Yuudai approached Otto with a spark of determination in his eyes. "Let's spar, Otto," he proposed, his eagerness to test himself against Otto's prowess evident.

"Are you ever weary from facing defeat?" Otto quipped with a teasing smile, knowing well the competitive spirit that fueled Yuudai.

"Not at all," Yuudai responded with unwavering resolve. "Every loss is a step toward improvement."

"Then why not seek training with Byakuya?" Otto suggested nonchalantly, aware of Byakuya's formidable skills and availability for sparring sessions.

"He's preoccupied—"

"And so am I," Otto interjected, gesturing towards his own demanding schedule.

Yuudai, undeterred, persisted in his request until Otto relented, agreeing to a mock battle using their device's phantom form. However, Otto faced a disadvantage as none of his weapons were authentic devices; instead, he had accidentally crafted the illusion to the public that his Bokken was his primary device—a blunt weapon that, despite its non-lethal looks, could cut, kill, and swiftly incapacitate opponents whenever he liked to.

"Toraou!" Yuudai declared, summoning his device, like he had been waiting for.

"Toyako Bokken," Otto responded in kind, adopting a defensive stance as the mock battle commenced.

With a calculated swiftness, Otto maneuvered to conclude the spar swiftly, aiming for the possibility of achieving the fastest mock battle victory in the academy's history.

Yuudai, taken aback by Otto's rapid movements, attempted a counterattack, only to find his efforts effortlessly parried by Otto's wooden weapon.

*Thud*

"Four seconds... too long," Otto remarked calmly, his strategic approach evident in the controlled precision of his movements as he deftly immobilized Yuudai, securing his first mock battle triumph.

"Ouch, that sting rivals even our clash during the festival," Yuudai remarked, acknowledging Otto's skill despite the playful banter.

"Indeed. A solid hit with a sturdy wooden stick tends to leave a lasting impression," Otto replied with a hint of amusement, emphasizing the practicality and impact of their simulated combat.

As Yuudai processed the outcome, Otto reflected on the sobering reality that raw talent often held an advantage over sheer effort alone. "Hard work alone seldom surpasses natural talent unless the talented individual remains complacent," Otto observed, recognizing the nuanced dynamics of skill development.

'Bah, expecting mere perseverance to eclipse innate talent is akin to expecting cannon fodder characters to overshadow the established heroes,' Otto mused internally, his self-assurance tempered with a pragmatic understanding of the competitive landscape.

...

After a week filled with mundane activities, Otto found himself immersed in a dilemma while awaiting Edelweiss's anticipated arrival at his doorstep. His mind was preoccupied with finding a way to circumvent Edelweiss's Rule of Grace, a annoying noble art that had been weighing on him ever since he had accidentally made a promise with her. As His focus now shifted to mastering the reverse curse technique, inspired by its potential to regenerate organs—a phenomenon he had seen with Sukuna's heart-pulling moment.

"How difficult can this cursed technique be?" Otto muttered in frustration, reflecting on the six years he had invested in attempting to grasp its intricacies, yet yielding little to no tangible results.

"You've been struggling with it for quite some time now," Brynhildr remarked, noting his persistent efforts.

For Otto, the concept of converting negative energy into positive energy to heal injuries seemed straightforward. However, the real hurdle lay in understanding how ordinary sorcerers could accomplish such a feat. Unlike the mental strain of executing domain expansion, which Otto could manage effortlessly multiple times in a row, the reverse curse technique still posed a perplexing challenge.

Even with his exceptional ability to repeatedly activate his domain expansion without taxing his mind, averaging an impressive 2.5 seconds per full activation, Otto found himself unable to harness the reverse curse technique's potential fully. This contradiction puzzled him, especially considering his abundance of curse energy, which had inadvertently heightened his physical prowess and defensive capabilities over time.

"You once mentioned that this technique is incredibly complex and elusive, requiring decades of dedicated practice for someone to grasp," Brynhildr reminded him, attempting to reassure him.

In reality, Otto harbored a mixture of genuine frustration and self-constructed excuses to shield his pride. He appreciated Brynhildr's encouragement, even if part of it served as a balm for his wounded ego.

"Yeah..." Otto sighed, feeling the weight of his struggle with mastering the reverse curse technique. Perhaps, he considered, it was time to explore alternative avenues such as creating a new power or crafting an artifact. OR... He could just steal a Sacred Gear that specializes in healing.

Then, an intriguing thought crossed his mind—he could acquire Asia Argento's sacred gear, Twilight Healing. Not only would this save him from expending his own authority, but it would also serve as a form of repayment for saving her life from Raynare and her nefarious cohorts.

However, there was another matter to address—the troubling situation involving Diodora's perverted obsession with Asia.

"I'll deal with him later, perhaps once I venture into the Underworld," Otto resolved, his tone carrying a hint of determination tinged with apprehension at the task ahead.

Otto couldn't help but shake his head in disdain at Diodora's disturbing fixation on Asia. "His obsession is utterly disgusting," he muttered to himself, his expression reflecting a mixture of incredulity and revulsion.

"???" Brynhildr had question marks on her head, not knowing what was going on, inside his mind.

'I mean, sure, nuns can be quite attractive in their own way, but to harbor such an extreme and unhealthy obsession? He really is the devil.' Otto remarked, unable to fathom the depths of Diodora's depravity.

The idea of someone being so consumed by their desires, to the point of it becoming destructive and potentially harmful, left a bitter taste in Otto's mouth.

'It's one thing to appreciate beauty, but it's another entirely to let it consume you to such a degree.' he mused, his thoughts drifting to the consequences of Diodora's unchecked obsession.

'This isn't just about him being a pervert.' Otto's thought continued, as his mind tinged with a mix of concern and disdain.

'It's about the potential harm he could cause, obsessions like that have a way of backfiring spectacularly.' he concluded, a note of warning underlying his words as he foresaw the inevitable repercussions of Diodora's future actions.

As Otto's thoughts wandered to the topic of Highschool DxD, he mentally calculated that the plot would likely commence in about two to three months. The same timeline applied to Ikki Kurogane's story as well. Reflecting on their ages, Otto remembered that Issei Hyoudou and Ikki Kurogane were younger than him, a fact that crossed his mind as he considered the passage of time since he first encountered these characters in their respective narratives.

Little did Otto know, Issei had lost the ability to wield the Boosted Gear, which had transformed into the Twice Critical following Otto's absorption of Ddraig's soul. This development meant that Issei wouldn't be as much of an asset in assisting Rias with her predicament concerning her engagement to Riser.

...

-Chapter End-