Cliché Background

[AUTHOR'S POV]

The streets of the town were drenched in the relentless midnight rain.

Cobblestones glistened under dim streetlights as a cloaked figure dashed through shadowy alleys, water splashing under her boots.

Her breaths came in ragged gasps, her chest heaving from exertion.

She clutched her soaked cloak tightly around her, shielding something, or someone, against her bosom. 

Pausing at the corner of a building, she pressed herself against the wall, her wide eyes scanning her surroundings.

Her gaze darted upward toward the rooftops, where faint outlines of shadowy silhouettes with bat-like wings soared, their forms barely discernible through the sheets of rain. 

"Spread out! She couldn't have gone far. Search every alley, every shadow, even the fucking trash if you have to. Just find her!" 

A voice from above, sharp and commanding.

The figure trembled but quickly suppressed her fear.

She adjusted the bundle in her arms, her grip tightening.

The bundle inside let out a soft whimper, but she whispered soothingly.

"Shh, shh, little one. Not yet. We're almost there." 

One of the winged silhouettes swooped low, its leathery wings slicing through the rain, scanning the alley she was hiding in.

The woman ducked behind a pile of trash, holding her breath as the creature hovered nearby.

She heard its claws scrape against the rooftop, its voice low and impatient.

"Nothing here. Keep moving!" 

The moment it flew off, the woman darted from her hiding spot, slipping slightly on the slick stones.

She cursed under her breath, pulling the hood of her cloak lower to shield her face from the cold rain. 

Her heart pounded as she ran, weaving through the labyrinth of buildings, always listening for the faint flapping of wings.

After what felt like an eternity, the silhouettes became distant specks against the stormy sky.

She finally stopped, leaning against a wall, her legs trembling beneath her.

The woman's breath came in heavy gasps as her eyes landed on a large building ahead, its worn sign barely visible through the downpour. 

"Grey Haven Orphanage."

She stared at the sign, her lips trembling, before glancing down at the bundle in her arms.

Carefully, she peeled back a corner of the cloak, revealing a sleeping baby with soft tufts of blond hair. 

The baby stirred, his tiny face scrunching as he let out a faint whimper.

"No, no, my darling, it's okay."

She whispered, her voice shaky but tender.

She gently rocked him in her arms, her fingers brushing his damp hair.

"Shh… it's alright. Mama's here. Just for a little longer."

The baby calmed, his breathing steadying as his tiny hand reached out and gripped the edge of her cloak.

The woman's chest tightened, tears threatening to spill. 

"I'm so sorry."

She whispered, pressing her forehead against his.

"I have no choice… I can't keep you safe. Not from them. But here… maybe someone will. Someone who can give you a chance at a life I never could." 

She took a shaky breath and stepped toward the orphanage door.

Her fingers trembled as she reached into her cloak and pulled out a folded letter, placing it carefully next to the bundle.

Her other hand gently caressed the baby's cheek. 

"Please, forgive me. I pray someone will love you, care for you, and give you the life you deserve. Promise me you'll be strong, my little one. Stronger than I'll ever be."

She whispered, her voice breaking.

Tears mixed with the rain as she kissed the baby's forehead, her lips lingering as if to memorize the warmth.

"I love you, Arthur. Mama loves you so much."

She said, her voice barely audible over the rain.

Steeling herself, she placed the baby carefully in front of the door.

She straightened, rang the doorbell with a firm press, and turned away before her resolve could falter. 

Behind her, the baby began to cry, a soft, heartbreaking sound that pierced through the rain.

She flinched but didn't turn back, her fists clenched tightly at her sides.

Her tears fell freely now, hidden by the rain as she ran into the dark alleys once more, her figure vanishing into the shadows. 

The sound of the doorbell echoed faintly through the quiet halls of the orphanage.

An elderly woman, her silver hair tied back in a loose bun, shuffled toward the door with a curious frown.

She wrapped her shawl tighter around her shoulders as the cold seeped through the cracks of the old building. 

"Who could that be at this hour?"

She muttered to herself, unlocking the door. 

The door creaked open, and her eyes swept the empty, rain-soaked street.

She was about to close the door when a soft, pitiful cry reached her ears.

Looking down, her breath caught. 

"Oh, my heavens…"

There, at her feet, was a tiny baby, wrapped snugly in a damp cloak, with a letter resting beside him.

His tiny fists waved weakly, and his cries were no louder than a kitten's mewl.

The woman knelt, her joints creaking, and gently lifted the baby into her arms.

"You poor thing. Who would leave you out here in this weather?"

She murmured, rocking him instinctively.

The baby whimpered but soon quieted, snuggling into the warmth of her shawl.

She looked at the letter but decided against opening it just yet.

"We'll see to that in the morning. But first, let's get you in some dry clothes." 

She said softly.

Humming a lullaby under her breath, she carried the baby inside, closing the door against the storm.

The orphanage's warm light enveloped them, the sound of the rain fading as the door clicked shut.

The baby slept peacefully, safe in the arms of someone who would care for him for the foreseeable future.

[5 YEARS LATER]

Children's laughter echoed through the halls of Grey Haven, a warm and welcoming building nestled on the outskirts of a small European town.

Among the orphans was Arthur, a blond-haired, dark-eyed boy with a heartwarming smile that seemed to brighten even the dreariest of days. 

Arthur was known for his cheerful demeanor and his eagerness to help.

Whether it was organizing games for the other children or assisting with daily chores, he was always in the thick of things, brimming with energy.

Everyone adored him, but none more so than the elderly caretaker, fondly called Granny. 

This morning, like many others, Arthur had volunteered to help Granny with the chores.

He stood in the common room, his small hands gripping a broom, dutifully sweeping the floor while Granny dusted nearby. 

"You're such a good boy, Arthur. You're going to grow up into a fine young man." 

Granny said, her voice warm as she wiped down a shelf.

Arthur smiled at her, his cheeks dimpling.

"I just like spending time with you, Granny. And I want to help keep our home clean for everyone." 

Granny chuckled, her weathered face softening with affection.

"You're a gentleman, my dear. A real gentleman." 

The other orphans ran past, giggling and chasing one another, and Arthur waved at them before returning to his sweeping.

Suddenly, his broom slipped from his hands, clattering loudly to the floor. 

"Arthur?"

Granny turned, concern etching her features. 

The boy's legs wobbled, and he swayed unsteadily.

His eyes fluttered shut as he crumpled to the ground. 

"Arthur!"

Granny cried, rushing to his side. 

The other children froze, their laughter replaced by worried whispers.

They quickly gathered around as Granny cradled Arthur's small frame.

"Go fetch some water, and someone carry him to his bed!" 

She instructed one of the older kids.

Two older orphans carefully lifted Arthur and carried him to the dormitory, placing him gently on his bed.

His face was pale, and his breathing was shallow but steady.

Granny sat by his side, stroking his hair, her heart heavy with worry. 

[AN HOUR LATER]

The room was quiet, save for the soft patter of rain against the window.

Granny dozed lightly in a chair by Arthur's bed, her wrinkled hands clasped in her lap.

The other orphans had been sent to play, though their glances frequently strayed toward the dormitory door.

Arthur's eyelids fluttered open.

For a moment, he stared at the ceiling, his dark eyes calm and strangely sharp, as if seeing the world for the first time.

He sat up slowly, his movements deliberate, and glanced around. 

Granny stirred, her eyes snapping open as she noticed him.

"Arthur!"

She exclaimed, relief flooding her voice.

"Oh, thank goodness you're awake, my dear. You gave us such a scare!" 

Arthur turned to her, a small smile on his lips.

"It's alright, Granny. I just got a bit of a headache. I'm fine now."

He said softly, his voice unusually composed for a child his age. 

Granny blinked, taken aback by his tone.

"Are you sure, my dear? Perhaps we should call a doctor-" 

Arthur shook his head, raising a hand gently to stop her.

"There's no need. Sorry for making you worry, but… everything's fine now." 

Granny frowned, worry mingling in her expression.

"Are you sure, Arthur? Do you really feel alright?" 

Arthur looked down at his hands, flexing his small fingers as if testing them.

His gaze was distant, almost contemplative, but then he turned to her, his smile returning.

"I mean I'm okay, Granny. Really." 

Despite his reassurances, something about him felt… different.

His eyes seemed older, more knowing, as though he lived through a traumatic event. 

Granny reached out and touched his cheek.

"Alright, but you'll stay in bed for the rest of the day, just to be safe. No chores, no running around. Promise me." 

Arthur nodded, his smile softening.

"I promise." 

Granny sighed with relief, her instincts still tugging at her.

"Good. Now rest, my dear. I'll bring you some soup later." 

As she left the room, Arthur leaned back against his pillow, his expression thoughtful.

He glanced out the rain-speckled window, the smile on his lips disappeared. 

"Fuck. That took longer than I expected."

He murmured under his breath, so softly that no one could hear.

He looks at the door for the last time before taking a deep breath to prepare himself.

*Inhale and Exhale*

"Innovate Clear."

All of a sudden, his right eye glowed a vibrant blue color.

[ARTHUR'S POV]

"Innovate Clear."

*Ding!*

A ding echoed in my head, startling me.

In an instant, my right eye flickered, and a translucent display materialized in my right vision that appeared to be a game-like HUD.

"W-What the hell?"

I muttered, blinking rapidly, but the display remained.

The HUD provided an overwhelming amount of information, all conveniently laid out: 

XxX

Name: Arthur

Titles: Reincarnator, The Man Who Impersonates God

Age: 5 

Race: Human 

Gender: Male 

Health: 100/100 

Mana: 100/100 [Locked] 

Level: 1 

Stats:

- Strength: 5 

- Dexterity: 5 

- Constitution: 5 

- Intelligence: 5 

- Wisdom: 5 

- Charisma: 5 

- Luck: 5 

Skills: ??? [Locked] 

Items: Innovate Clear, ??? [Locked]

XxX

"Okay."

I said aloud, trying to make sense out of this.

"This is the Longinus, Innovate Clear, right? The one that lets you create a miniature world you can customize. But why is it a Gamer System?"

As I was wondering how this was possible, I finally recalled something important.

In the DxD lore, Sacred Gears and Longinus have this thing called Subspecies, which take unique forms and often gain new abilities or characteristics different from the original.

'If this was true, then mine must be a Subspecies Innovate Clear.'

*Ding*

XxX

Wisdom: 5 - 6

XxX

...

"Did that just-"

I rubbed my temples.

"Alright, focus, Arthur, focus. I'll deal with that later. But first things first, check my stats." 

I skimmed the stats.

"Strength, dexterity, constitution... yeah, basic RPG stuff. All of them are at 5, except for my wisdom which is now on 6."

I couldn't help but snort.

"Level 1 with shitty stats. Great fucking start. But I guess I have to go somewhere." 

As I stared at my wisdom stat, an idea clicked.

"Wait a minute… what if…" 

I stood up and went to one of the shelves to reach for something.

"Well, I hope this works."

I got a book about gardening and read its contents while thinking about the conditions required to make my stats increase.

'If this works...'

After a couple of minutes reading this book.

*Ding*

A soft ding interrupted my reading. 

XxX

Intelligence: 5 - 6

Skills: ??? [Locked], Gardening [New]

XxX

I looked at the notification.

"Holy shit, it actually worked!"

I smiled happily.

Excitement bubbled in my chest, but then my attention went to the parts of the HUD marked with question marks.

"Both skills and items have something locked. But the question is how exactly can I unlock them?" 

But after a solid minute, no amount of glaring or focusing made them budge.

I sighed.

"Hopefully, I'll figure this out in the near future." 

I glanced at my titles.

"Reincarnator made sense, I got isekai'd thanks to Truck-kun after all. Thanks for the traumatic experience, by the way."

I muttered sarcastically.

But the second title caught my attention.

"The Man Who Impersonates God. I guess I earned this by acquiring Innovate Clear, huh? Seems fitting, I guess. Wait, does that mean Mitsuya Kanzaki doesn't exist anymore?" 

Then another question hit me.

Does Innovate Clear have a spirit like the other Longinus Sacred Gears?

"Welp, only one way to find out."

I closed my eyes and called out in my mind.

'Hello? Is anyone in there? Would you show up, please? Preferably in the form of a hot MILF.'

Silence. 

After a full minute of nothing, I opened my eyes, sighing.

"So much for that. Guess I'm on my own." 

Still, there was one more thing I wanted to test.

Does Innovate Clear still have its original abilities?

I closed my eyes again, this time focusing on the ability to create a miniature world. 

The atmosphere shifted. 

When I opened my eyes, I wasn't in my room anymore. 

"What the?"

I stood in what seemed to be an endless expanse of crystal-clear water.

The sky above was a pure, cloudless blue with the sun shining bright.

I looked down and realized I was standing on the water, my feet barely making ripples.

I start looking around, only to spot a couple of islands and what looks like a small patch of land with a big tree at the center.

"Okay. This is starting to weird me out by the second."

I muttered. 

"That makes two of us, little boy."

A feminine voice chimed in. 

I spun around, nearly losing my balance on the water's surface.

Hovering a few feet away was a breathtakingly beautiful woman with long blue hair that cascaded like a waterfall and vivid green eyes that seemed to pierce into my soul.

She wore a flowing white stola dress that radiated elegance, and an air of calm power surrounded her.

"... Mommy- I mean... Ma'am, w-who are you?"

I stammered, trying to not sound weird. 

The woman smiled, her voice smooth and serene.

"I could ask you the same, but I suppose introductions are in order. I shall begin first. Ahem, I have been called many names. But for you, you may refer to me as... Mother." 

Her alluring words hung in the air as I tried to process what I'd just stepped into.

...

Heh, why am I feeling like I'm in danger?

I didn't even realize that my legs moved back on its own.

"Oh my. What is the matter, little boy? Worry not, I do not bite."

She smiled as she leaned down to my level, but ends up showing more of her 'Heavenly Bodies'.

...

Fuck.

[AUTHOR'S NOTE]

Hello readers!

First of all, I'm feeling a bit generous today, so I decided to make another chapter in advance.

And second... *points revolver at my head*

Cough off the Power Stones or I'll shoot myself.

Thank you everyone and see you later!