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Waking up with killer back pain I open my eyes to see a dimly lit room and bindings on my hands and feet. confused at first then fear sets in thinking someone broke into my house to take me to an S&M dungeon. even scarier is I seem to be only wearing some boxers and damn when did I get so in shape?! trying to move I then notice that even though my body is uncomfortable and I have a bit of back pain I feel oddly good. better than I have ever felt almost like I'm full of energy and motivation.

The large wooden door that's the only way in and out of the room is slowly opened and what I see makes me do a double take. skulking in is at first glance an amazing cosplay of some kind of goblin and striding in behind is a dark elf of some sort. but on closer inspection, the body structure, jaw, teeth, and everything about this " goblin " cosplay is too good, almost as if it's real. on another note, I realize that my vision is too good for being in a poorly lit room with a few torches. also, my back is really itchy.

"Slee give the prisoner the truth potion." the dark elf commanded

"Yes, master Aldas." the now named creature responds as he approaches the cell with keys and a vial filled with what looks like mountain dew.

I am going to assume that this isn't some kind of fever dream and, that whatever is in that bottle I don't want in my body. getting a bit worried as I shift myself a bit to sit up against the wall.

Slee seeing the captive is awake turns to Aldas. "oh honorable master it seems that he is awake."

Aldas waves a hand over his shoulder in acknowledgment. "good feed him the potion so we can begin with the test."

"Yes master Aldas." as he unlocks the door and swings it open he pops the cork and brandishes his claws in a threatening way. "drink this or don't blame me for getting rough with you."

Slowly reaching for the vial I think a million miles an hour of ways to get out of this situation when all of a sudden a prompt pop-up appears in the middle of my vision.

[ Welcome Nova to the DxD Devil system - booting 0% ]

With the appearance of this prompt hope appears as I begin to feel for something and also even swipe my hand through the screen but nothing happens. but it was enough of a show to piss the short creature as he swipes at me with his claws to put some light cuts along my waving palm.

"Take it!" Slee pushes it into my bleeding hand. "drink it all and don't spill a drop this potion was crafted by the great alchemy master Aldas and it's your privilege to be able to test its effects." Slee backs up and stands Infront of the door frame with small ugly eyes locked onto me.

Well, I don't think I'm getting much of a choice might as well get this over with. unamused with having this happen to me and not fully able to wrap my head around the situation I just down the whole thing hoping if it kills me it's a quick death.

[ Welcome Nova to the DxD Devil system - booting 5% ]

Huh, kind of tasted a little like dish soap. I wait for some horrible pain but nothing comes. "what was that supposed to do?" I ask my captors.

"It will compel you to answer my questions with what you believe to be the truth," Aldas says as he approaches and stares down at me. "I will ask questions you will answer them and if you prove to be an annoyance I can always give you to Slee or feed you potions with unclear effects." the mentioned goblin nods vigorously at the thought of being given me.

Nodding at that I wonder why this seems a bit familiar almost like I have seen this happen before. but as things stand there's not much I can do but focus on survival. depending on the questions I may be able to find out more about my current situation.

"What's your name human," he says human almost like it's some kind of illness.

I wonder if it will cause me problems down the line if I lie here, I'm curious if I even can after drinking a " truth potion ".

"My name is Nova zero." I tell a half-truth testing the limits of my current drugged state and it seems I can at least half lie.

"Hmm... what is a human with no spirit power doing in the demon world?" Aldas seems unable to discern anything from my test and just presses on.

Now I'm even more confused demon world and spirit power sounds like the setting for some novel... oh that's because it is a novel. I guess now that I am thinking about it Slee is a pretty iconic name for an ugly red imp-like character I should have noticed it sooner. if that's the case based on the current state of this imp he doesn't seem to have learned alchemy or he just likes wearing cheap-looking clothes. but with how prideful I know he is if this was later into the story he would be wearing some kind of alchemist identification to show off his status. so it's probably safe to assume I have taken the spot of the original main character or am before he arrives. well, I guess it's time to try and bullshit a story worthy enough to get some liberties so I can explore my system some more.

"I was on a quest given by my teacher to search for some items that he has left in the demon world and temper myself in a harsh environment. but I can't seem to recall anything after he sent me through the warp gate... all I remember is feeling a little woozy and waking up here." just enough bullshit to grab his attention but not enough to be seen as a threat hopefully.

"Warp gate? what is a warp gate is that some kind of passage?" he asks with a look of mild interest.

"It's exactly a passage it can send someone or something to any point my teacher has set as the destination."

Looking a bit skeptical Aldas stands "where is this warp gate and who is your teacher that possesses such a treasure."

"My master is Houdini and you probably have a better idea than I do as I don't even know where I am or how I got here. originally I was supposed to be deposited in the general area where the items I am seeking where located."

"Slee grab the report that is on the desk." the imp runs off to grab the report and then hands it over to the dark elf. " it says here you where found unconscious in the middle of the street after " falling from the sky " does that jog your memory? "

Acting like I am in deep thought while still trying to mentally interact with this system window it seems I can only minimize it or enlarge it as of now. " no I do not remember falling from the sky. " I reply dryly.

"Slee go grab the frost-bitting potion, let's see if that can help him remember something." the imp runs off to grab a huge bottle of powder blue potion and brings it straight to me, and starts sloshing it all over my person.

"Huh!? what are you doing that's cold!" other than a little chill and burn I don't feel much kind of like icyhot. but might as well play along as best I can.

[ Welcome Nova to the DxD Devil system - booting 15% ]

"Obviously if you can't remember anything useful then we have to help you remember" the wicked grin on the elf's face is a bit creepy to look at. "but why are your limbs not turning blue what is going on?" the elf approaches to get a better look and his eyes go wide at the sight of my body being dry. "Slee you idiot you missed him!"

The imp jumps in fear and runs over to get a look himself and goes slack jaw "oh wonderful master Slee did not miss Slee saw it hit him!"

"Then why is there nothing there?! you telling me a human with no spirit power has managed to get rid of one of my potions with no effect?!?" Aldas at this point had sparks crackling around his hands

Slee dropping his dead bowing yells "I did not master Aldas I must have made a mistake please show mercy oh great evil master!" the sparks stop at "great evil master", honestly this dynamic is throwing me more for a loop than seeing magic for the first time.

"Quickly grab the burning potion I will watch you administrate it personally so there are no mistakes!" the imp runs to the same shelf and brings a similar potion only neon orange this time. he then begins to pour said fluid directly onto the center of my chest and I feel like my body is drinking it all in and the little icyhot feeling being long gone is replaced with a nice breeze feeling.

[ Welcome Nova to the DxD Devil system - booting 25% ]

Aldas eyes are about pop out of his head with what he is seeing happen before his eyes. "What is this? how are you making the potion disappear like that?!" not knowing how to answer I plead the fifth to the obvious annoyance of the ruffled alchemist. "Don't want to answer? fine I have something perfect for you."

The next few minutes are Aldas running back and forth with Slee hot on his heels grabbing all the verified and unverified concoctions in his lab to try and find something that works.

[ Welcome Nova to the DxD Devil system - booting 80% ]

"You know, I think I might have felt that last one it almost was like when you try to drink water too fast and it goes down into your lungs." Aldas snaps onto me with hands sparking and zaps me with what feels like the worst pain I have ever felt. In hindsight pissing him off was very dumb but I wanted to give some feedback he looked pretty dispirited after the 26 potions.

"Ha Magic still works on you! huh... I wonder if you also negate the effect of healing potions." with a look of conflict on his face as if debating the worth of wasting healing potions on me after all the stress I have caused him. he then looks at Slee who jumps with a start. "go grab the healing potion a little one thought I don't care to fully heal this pest."

After Slee returns and pours the healing potion on my face I feel immediately the charred skin fall off and an itchy feeling of new flesh mending and growing.

"So your body can discern if something will have a negative effect on you or not how vexing, good thing your just a weak human. after I study your body and have as good of an understanding I can of it you can be disposed of."

I'm guessing my whole story went out the window with being immune to potions and poisons. kind of annoying I am still 20% from the system booting.

"Slee follow me we need to go and buy some things and you can carry them." the elf walks out and Slee locks the cell behind them.

I am going to assume he needs some materials to " study " my condition and after that, I will lose my value so I need to pull a rabbit out of my hat and find how I am going to get out of this cell. looking around there is nothing in reach and these chains are too sturdy even with this buffed-up body I now have ... damn I look pretty good not going to lie. " *sigh* this is such bull wouldn't it be nice if I had unlocked this system before they left so I could use it to make a grand escape. " leaning my head back and closing my eyes I can still see the screen inside of my mind taunting me with the possibility it represents. mentally minimizing it I then notice small balls of light floating around.

opening my eyes the little lights disappear, then closing them they reappear. I try to focus on them and can see there are 7 different colors. focusing on the biggest red one it slowly gets dragged toward me. no clue what this is or what it does but no harm in trying in my current predicament. the red ball of light then enters me and I feel an abundance of frustration and anger that I wasn't expecting.

[ Welcome Nova to the DxD Devil system - booting 87% ]

well... isn't that just convenient? I then repeat the process with the other lights starting with the biggest ones.

[ Welcome Nova to the DxD Devil system - booting 89% ]

[ Welcome Nova to the DxD Devil system - booting 92% ]

[ Welcome Nova to the DxD Devil system - booting 95% ]

[ Welcome Nova to the DxD Devil system - booting 96% ]

[ Welcome Nova to the DxD Devil system - booting 97% ]

[ Welcome Nova to the DxD Devil system - booting 98% ]

It is taking more than a few of the small ones to even get 1% at this point but there is a lot of them.

[ Welcome Nova to the DxD Devil system - booting 99% ]

[ Welcome Nova to the DxD Devil system - booting 100% ]

[ Welcome Nova to the DxD Devil system ]

[ Congratulations on promoting to intermediate demon - rolling ability wheel! ]

[ Ability drawn - Agares - time ]

"Huh. well isn't that just perfect."