DxD: Hero x Gacha

Sam slipped into the classroom just as the bell rang, his steps quiet but deliberate. The subtle scent of chalk and freshly cleaned floors lingered in the air, mixing with the faint buzz of morning chatter. He paused for a second near the entrance, scanning the room.

That's when he saw them.

Two girls seated near the windows drew his attention instantly. He didn't know their names, had never seen them before—at least, not in person. But something about them felt familiar. They were striking, not just in appearance but in presence. His gut twisted slightly, the same way it had when he first noticed the oddities in his world after awakening in this strange version of Japan.

The one with black hair caught his eye first. Her hair flowed down her back like a waterfall of night, tied loosely with orange ribbons that framed her graceful face. Her purple eyes, calm and observant, scanned the room without urgency. She wore her Kuoh Academy uniform like royalty wore a cloak—effortlessly, with quiet dominance. There was a gentleness to her smile, but Sam felt a prickling in the back of his neck, an instinct screaming that this girl could be dangerous if she wanted to be.

Beside her sat a girl who was even harder to ignore. Her crimson-red hair spilled over her shoulders like living flame, gleaming against the natural light. The girl radiated power. Her posture was regal, her expression unreadable, her piercing blue eyes sharp and cold—like she saw more than anyone else in the room. Her beauty was unreal, almost divine. Sam swallowed hard. Just looking at her made his skin crawl—not from fear, but from some primal recognition that she wasn't someone you trifled with.

He took his seat a few rows behind them, trying not to let his eyes linger.

"Alright, class, settle down," the teacher called as she entered. Sam barely registered her voice.

The black-haired girl—he guessed she might be student council material—glanced toward him. For just a second, their eyes met. Her lips curled upward into a knowing smile.

Caught staring, Sam looked away quickly, focusing on the board and trying to pretend like he hadn't just locked eyes with one of the most unnervingly beautiful women he'd ever seen. He tapped his pen against his notebook.

Get a grip.

Behind his stoic appearance, though, his mind was racing.

I know them… or at least, I've seen them before. I just don't remember where.

Tiche had faded into the shadows earlier as they entered the school building, and once he stepped into class, she had disappeared entirely—returned to whatever strange system she was bound to. The Chaos Gacha System hadn't made another appearance since this morning, but Sam could still feel the lingering effects of the Vial of Lifeblood. His skin felt clearer. His muscles slightly more defined. Even the dull ache in his lower back from sleeping on a futon last night had vanished.

Whatever world he was in, he wasn't normal anymore. And neither were they.

Akeno—the name finally surfaced—turned back toward the board, her smirk still ghosting on her lips. Rias. That was the redhead. The names came unbidden, dredged up from buried memory. Not exact, but close enough.

He couldn't remember the anime or source, just the undeniable sense that these girls were important.

The rest of the class passed in a blur of routine instruction. Sam jotted notes when necessary but kept a low profile. He noticed subtle things, like how no one sat too close to Rias or Akeno, as though an invisible barrier kept the rest of the students at a respectful distance.

When the bell finally rang, Sam packed his things slowly. As the room emptied, he cast one last glance in their direction. Rias whispered something to Akeno, who nodded, then both of them glanced his way again.

---

Akeno watched him go with a faint, thoughtful smile. "He's interesting," she said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

Rias didn't answer at first. Her eyes were still on Sam's retreating form. "There's something off about him."

"Off in a good way or a bad way?" Akeno teased.

Rias gave her a sidelong look. "I'm not sure yet. But he doesn't feel like a normal human. I couldn't sense any sacred gear, but there's… potential."

Akeno leaned closer, her voice lower but tinged with amusement. "You think he might be something special?"

"Possibly," Rias murmured. "Either way, he's caught my attention."

"So we're putting him on the list?" Akeno asked.

Rias nodded slowly. "Yes. Add him. We'll observe for now. If he is what I think he is… we'll make our move."

Akeno's smile deepened. "I was hoping you'd say that. He's cute."

"This isn't about attraction."

"No," Akeno replied softly. "But it never hurts."

---

Lunch was quieter than he expected.

Sam found a bench under a shady tree near the edge of campus. He unwrapped a convenience store sandwich and stared at the courtyard. The hum of student conversation formed a pleasant background buzz.

He'd barely taken two bites when someone approached.

"Excuse me."

He looked up.

The girl had silver-white hair that shimmered under the sun, her curls falling neatly past her shoulders. Her uniform was immaculate. She had an air of elegance that reminded him of private schools or noble houses from fantasy stories.

Her expression was unreadable—calm, but measured. Her pale blue eyes locked onto his.

"You're Sam Barnes, correct? The third-year transfer?"

"…Yeah." He swallowed. "That's me."

She nodded, as if confirming data in her head. "I'm Momo Hanakai. I work with the Student Council."

He raised an eyebrow. "That sounds official."

Momo didn't smile. "We like to be aware of new students. Particularly… unusual ones."

That word again.

Sam set his sandwich down carefully. "Unusual how?"

She tilted her head, her silver hair shifting like a silk curtain. "You drew attention your first day. That's not easy to do here."

"You mean by being a transfer student?"

"No," she said plainly. "I mean by being noticed by them."

She didn't clarify who they were, but Sam didn't need her to. His mind flashed back to the intense gazes of the two girls in class.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You don't need to lie. But you do need to be careful." Her tone didn't change, but her words came with weight. "Not everyone here is what they seem."

"Right," he said slowly. "Thanks for the warning."

Momo bowed slightly, as if the conversation were over. "Enjoy the rest of your lunch, Barnes-san."

She turned and left, disappearing around a corner.

Sam exhaled deeply and leaned back.

"So much for a quiet start."

His eyes flicked toward the school building. Somewhere up there, Rias and her trusted companion Akeno were likely discussing him. Maybe even planning something. And now the Student Council was aware of him, too.

He took another bite of his sandwich, chewing slowly.

This wasn't just a high school.

This was a powder keg—and he was sitting on it.

---

Later that evening, Sam sat on the floor of his small apartment, the quiet hum of the fridge the only sound besides the soft ticking of a cheap wall clock. The shadows of the setting sun danced across his walls.

"Tiche," he called aloud, sitting upright.

Tiche materialized beside him instantly, silent as ever, her hood drawn and eyes sharp.

"You saw them," Sam said, resting his back against the wall.

Tiche nodded once.

"What's your take?"

"They are not threats yet," she replied coolly. "But they are watching. Cautiously."

"Felt like that," he muttered. "They're strong. I don't even know how I know that. But I do."

"Instinct," Tiche said. "Or perhaps the system has subtly informed your awareness."

"Great." He rubbed his face. "So now I'm interesting to both sides of whatever weird supernatural turf war is going on here. Lucky me."

He paused, then looked up again. "You'd tell me if one of them tried something, right?"

Tiche's voice was calm. "If your life was at risk, I would act. That is part of my contract."

Just then, the room shimmered faintly.

DING!

The Chaos Gacha System interface sprang into view.

[Emergency Quest Activated!]

Objective: Survive for 10 minutes against a Low-Class Devil. Optional Objective: Defeat the Low-Class Devil within 10 minutes.

Rewards:

Main Objective: 1x Silver Ability Ticket

Optional Objective: 1x Advantage Silver Ability Ticket

Warning: Emergency Quests will now trigger automatically when your life is in danger until sufficient power has been accumulated.

The message pulsed once, then vanished.

Sam stared at the space where it had appeared, his jaw slack.

He slowly stood up, ran a hand through his hair, and blinked.

Then, with escalating volume and disbelief, he shouted:

"What. The. Shit?!"