chapter 4

The visionary was still active so I created the outfit that she wore in the anime and threw it to her. Ignoring the shivering of my skin at being called master.

"put it on. Then we'll talk." I ran my fingers through my hair. 'With all the things going on, it's difficult to stay calm.' Ophis looked into my eyes.

"do you intend to have her join you? She would make for an effective sternritter." I moved her off of my shoulders and looked her in the eyes.

"you'd be correct. But, I'm not too sure about making someone I just met a sternritter. Possibly a familiar, but not yet a sternritter." Mitsuri hit me on the head but hurt her hand.

"ow! What is your head made of?!"

"scales?" Ophis stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I should've known that. But that's not why I hit you! It's rude to talk about someone when they're right here!" Mitsuri pointed to melascula who was now clothed and wearing her leotard with pink thigh-high socks.

"done~! How do I look, master~?" I looked her up and down, suppressing the shiver.

"you look presentable now." A pout made its way onto her face which confused me.

"I had hoped for a better reaction than that." Hadn't we only just met?

I turned the visionary off before any other stray thoughts appeared.

"Right... Well, since we've only just met, I'm currently only willing to make you my familiar. Is that acceptable?" She nodded her head as a seductive smile made its way onto her face.

"of course~ demons follow strength after all~! I'll gladly follow someone much stronger than myself~!" I... wasn't surprised. That's a lie, I know nothing about demons.

A philosophy like this is expected in this world. Honestly, from what I briefly saw, it seems to just be kill or be killed.

Right now at least.

I opened a portal to my dimension which I have dubbed...

The frozen forest.

But before that, I decided I would take a risk. Casually walking over to Melascula I stood face to face with her.

"hmm? Do you need something?" She seemed truly curious, I placed a hand on her head and activated the visionary.

I imagined her to have knowledge of a wide variety of magic, i didn't need physical contact... but, I...

I wanted to look cool.

She started to pant from all the knowledge and I let go of her head. maybe that wasn't a good idea.

A rainbow-coloured mark of an eye appeared on her hand as did it on mitsuri.

"Well, I simply made that reality but I didn't expect it to appear on you as well. That mark signifies you recognise me as your leader. If that is true, with the knowledge I just gave you, I want you to create a habitat filled with various familiars for future generations to choose from. Then, I want you to use this." I held a purple key in my hand and placed it into hers. I had just made that eye symbol on the spot, I... really didn't expect it to appear so quickly.

"once you have completed that task try to funnel your magic into the key. Then, you will be taken into the frozen forest. If you still wish to join me by then, I will allow it." The flustered woman slowly nodded her head in awe at the... gift, she received.

"alright. Hopefully, I'll see you soon." I turned around and deactivated the visionary. "Farewell." With that parting word, I entered the portal with mitsuri and ophis.

Arriving back within the frozen forest, I let out a sigh of relief.

"man... acting is hard. Trying to stay calm in a situation like that is difficult." Mitsuri stood on her tiptoes and patted my head.

It was... quite odd, but I didn't mind.

"you did well." I honestly didn't know what to say.

So I hugged her.

The swordswoman yelped as she was enveloped by my embrace. However, mitsuri slowly reciprocated.

"am I... interrupting a moment?" Mitsuri buried her head into the crook of my neck.

"somewhat." Ophis went silent before disappearing. That... may have not been the best thing to say.

I let go of mitsuri and she looked me in the eyes.

"that was very nice. Thank you." There was a wonderful smile on her face.

"very cute." Surprisingly, she didn't become very flustered but pulled my head close to hers...

And she kissed me.

My eyes widened. I wasn't expecting this. Hell, I expected to be alone for the rest of my life. I was just an average guy until a few days ago. This is all so fast.

Had a heart attack, met God, and got Reincarnated. Now I'm here kissing a girl that was once in an anime but now completely real.

It's honestly a bit unreal.

"I want to say. From now on, I am your sword. Regardless of the order, I will follow it. But, I trust you won't become a tyrant!" I smiled and patted her head.

"thank you, mitsuri. It means a lot." I closed my eyes and readied myself.

With a deep sigh, I said something that I would come to regret.

"the almighty!" Immediately my mind was flooded with numerous different images.

Imagine a film reel, it's like I'm looking at every single picture at the exact same time. It was so surreal.

I could see so many different futures.

Ones where I killed mitsuri.

Ones where I killed ophis.

Ones where I killed great red.

It didn't surprise me now that ywach didn't care for his subordinates lives. He must've seen them die countless times before even fighting Yamamoto.

But me, I'm compassionate.

And I hate it.

But that doesn't mean that I'll stop caring. Despite that I hate my compassion, it's also something that I can't let go of. If I just let go of my compassion, am I even myself anymore?

That is something that scares me. To lose myself... it terrifies me.

I glanced at the futures and I noticed some characters that don't belong to dxd nor bleach.

Could it be that upon restarting the world, it was influenced by my subconscious thoughts?

It's very possible.

I looked to see several characters who would make ideal sternritter. For now, I'm headed to the soul society.

I deactivated the almighty and let out a sigh.

"Walter? Are you alright? Your pupils looked odd and you were unresponsive." I realise now that it wasn't wise to just become unresponsive by using the almighty.

'change of plans. With who I have in mind on recruiting, the almighty will be absolutely necessary.'

"I was using an ability that allows me to manipulate the future and see it. But, I remembered someone I wanted to recruit. And attempting to recruit them without effective use of the almighty will be nigh impossible if I don't use the visionary and that is an even riskier move because I might imagine my own death." She snapped her fingers with a look of realisation on her face.

"I see! You want to train with this ability in case of a fight breaking out." I nodded my head because she was partially right.

"yes but a fight is guaranteed." I activated the visionary and made a 50ft by 50ft square for us to fight on. We both stepped onto it and moved onto opposing ends.

I activated the almighty and the future became clear to me, I could also see mitsuri in front of me. Every possible move she could make was clear to me. As I watched, I realised that i held the choice. I was the one who decided what move she made.

it's like puppetry.

I manipulated the reishi in the ground so that once she stepped on the exact position I made her, she would be restrained.

I watched as she moved and upon stepping on the trap, rope made of reishi shot out and wrapped her up like a cocoon.

I tore the reishi apart to free her and she looked incredibly shocked.

'right, it feels so familiar to use the almighty. But that's not exactly what I wanted to train. Ywach once rewrote his own death after Ichigo killed him. Granted, he did have the Soul King's power but he stated very casually he could Rewrite his own death, as if he'd done it before... Well, this is gonna be one hell of a gamble.' I made a greatsword of reishi in front of me, identical to the one used to kill Yamamoto.

I turned the blade around on myself with shaky hands.

'it's no surprise I'm scared to die. But, I can just heal myself with the visionary... right? Ah, fuck it! There's no time like the present!' I steeled my mind and plunged the sword into my gut.

Immediately I felt the harsh cold as the blade plunged through. My warm blood ran down my gut.

"Walter!" Ah, I forgot mitsuri would be worried. I activated the almighty and I looked towards my own death and I tried to do something about it.

Then, a thought came to mind. Rewrite... could I just alter the future to one where I was alive but this event still happened? Probably, the almighty is pure bullshit.

I attempted it and found myself standing up next to my corpse. Alongside a crying mitsuri. I hugged her from behind, well aware of my mistake.

"my apologies mitsuri. I should've warned you. It was cruel of me to attempt such a risky move right in front of you. I will accept any punishment you may want to give." The young lady began to wipe her tears before looking me in the eyes, my hands were shaking. why did I do that?

"i-i want you to promise me you'll never do something like that again! A-and... I-I want to stay by your side... at all times!" I smiled at how she made no attempt to punish me, instead, both her orders have the intent to keep me safe.

"that's fine. I'm perfectly fine with that, my dear." I was quite happy. Both with the concern she's shown towards me and with the correct usage of the almighty.

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Why does my chest feel like this? His magical energy was dwindling and my heart raced. Once it returned to normal, so did my heartbeat.

Tears appeared within my eyes. How strange. I recall humans being sad whenever they cried. But I am not sad... am I?

These emotions are truly foreign to me. But... I don't dislike them. I wish to experience more of them...

I want to stay with that man.

He soothes me... and I don't know why.

He doesn't fear me... and I don't know why.

Should he not? I am an existence that could possibly threaten his own. Is it not logical to fear me?

That man... is truly an enigma.

Absurdly powerful, yet humble.

Fights like a savage beast, but is incredibly kind.

What else could he be like? I was so curious.

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I helped mitsuri to her feet and she buried her head into my chest. I could hear muffled words and felt the vibrations through my clothes.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you said." The love-breathing user moved her head away and locked eyes with me.

"thank you, Walter. I... I don't want you doing something like that ever again!" The tears still brimmed despite my earlier promises of not impaling myself again.

Well... intentionally that is.

I can make no promises of someone else doing it.

"I've already told you, my dear hashira, I won't do something like that again." I used my right hand to wipe away the tears and then used both hands to force a smile. "It doesn't suit you being sad. Try to smile, the ones who smile through it all... the hardship, the misery, the injustice. They're the strongest. Now, let's go." Kanroji smiled at my words, a beautiful smile.

"that reminds me, who are we going to recruit?" There was a curious look on her face which was buried to be expected.

"a woman... by the name of yachiru unohana."

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