Chapter 4 Awakening

The moment that Issei's thoughts had become slightly optimistic—

SLICE!

—The monster had slashed his back open.

"AH!"

Issei tumbled over, while still maintaining his grip on the girl that was latched onto his chest. He rolled over multiple times, sliding against the hard ground to a stop, smearing a blood trail across the street.

Despite that, he couldn't feel the pain due to adrenaline.

But as a result of the attack, Issei was left discombobulated.

. .

. Where was he? Issei didn't even know.

He was totally confused. He had to be in some neighborhood near his house.

. .

Yes, he recognized this neighborhood. His house wasn't too far from here.

Ah, that's right, wasn't he running from something just now. .

? Why does he have this strange girl with him?

KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!

[—?!]

—The monster's harrowing screech dragged Issei back to reality.

Issei sprung himself up and realized that he was on sitting on the floor, with a searing pain and wetness arising from his back. Soon, those senses left him and his mind went back to full survival mode.

His eyes darted everywhere around him.

'T-The monster! I can't see it! Where did it—?!'

DON!

Out of nowhere, the monster landed on the ground ahead of Issei, cracking the floor beneath it. Gradually, it stood, 3 meters tall and with an unnatural, elongated form.

The creature appeared as it was made from leathery, black skin and bone only. And slowly, it approached him.

"—NO!"

Issei tried to scurry back, but. .

Clang!

His back was met with the fence of another person's residence.

"S-SOMEBODY. .

! H-HEELP!"

Issei cried out in terror, hoping that someone, anyone would hear him.

Were there even any people around? Did this thing kill everyone? No, something like that couldn't be possible. Yet there was no one around.

Did they just not hear him? Do they not hear the monster's screams?

For all of what was happening, only one thing was certain to Issei.

—No help was coming.

"S-S-Stay back!"

Issei mustered up the last of his courage and extended his left arm, hoping to halt the monster somehow.

Of course, he knew that was futile, but it was the only thing he could think of. For reasons he couldn't understand, this was the best, final act of desperation that his childish mind could come up with.

All the while, the monster continued approaching them slowly, while clicking its fingers and its head in an inhuman manner.

"I-I S-S-S-SAID STAY BACK!"

Was this it? Was this how Issei was going to die? Without even saying goodbye to his parents? Or the pervy old man? Or Rin?

Is this how he was going to meet his grandfather again?

. .

He didn't even at least get to help this girl. .

?

. .

.

(No. )

—Something stirred within him.

'I don't want to d-die! Not here! Please! At least if I die here. .

! At least. .

! Not this girl. .

! Don't let her. .

!'

As the monster approached, clicking its body, stepping closer and closer - something moved. From inside of Issei, something stirred itself awake.

. .

'PLEASE! Just. .

! Just. .

!'

In one instant, something inside of Issei truly. .

"STAAAAAAY BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCKKKK!"

—Awakened.

SHIIIIN!

KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

A green light blinded the monster and forced it away from the two children.

KIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeee. .

. !

The light was so bright and powerful, that it caused the monster to flee, its screams dying down just as the light did. Finally, once Issei could finally see…

. .

. There was nothing…

The monster was nowhere to be seen.

". .

. I did it…?"

. .

.

. .

.

"I-I did it!"

Issei felt a modicum of hope return to his heart after realizing that the monster was gone, though he didn't understand it.

'I-I-I don't know what I did, but I did it! It ran! I actually made it run away! I scared it off! Yes, yes!'

"Ah. .

. Hahaha… I did it.

. "

Issei laughed tiredly. For some reason, he felt exhausted.

His childish body couldn't keep up with the extraneous physical activity he forced upon himself. Not to mention, he felt even more exhausted after he had stopped screaming.

And his left arm felt heavy for some reason as well…

Issei looked down to his left arm, curious about this bizarre feeling of weight.

". .

. Eh?"

—His arm was encased within a red gauntlet…

". .

. Eh?.

. .

What is…?"

Issei lifted the gauntlet. The green jewel set in the middle of the gauntlet reflected the moonlight.

The entire gauntlet itself gleamed against the backdrop of the night's sky. .

.

'This is… W-What is this?. .

This thing. .

. I'm wearing it.

. ?'

Issei didn't understand what he was looking at. He wasn't even at the age where he could identify an item like a "gauntlet" yet.

However, his immediate thought was to compare it to something out of a Tokusatsu that he watches in the mornings before going to school.

And despite his general naivete and ignorance, he was a clever enough boy to put two and two together.

'. .

. Is this thing why that monster was chasing me? B-But then why did it run? Was it scared.

. ? Is this some sort of "super power" that I have? A-Am I like Son Goku? And what even was that monster in the first place.

. ?'

[That beast was known as a "Nightwalker. " Those creatures stalked the woods in northern Europe during what you would refer to as the "middle ages.

" They happen to be quite cowardly when properly threatened by an unfamiliar power. Though, regular humans will most usually fall prey to them very easily.

]

.

.

.

.

.

[—?!]

"Wha. .

?!"

Issei's head and eyes darted around in every direction, hoping to find the mysterious voice that spoke to him.

[Do not search for me, child. You will not find me out there.