Highschool DXD : Gacha Life

The familiar scent of old books and magical reagents greeted me as I knocked on Chysis's door. It opened almost immediately, and before I could say a word, I found myself enveloped in a warm hug that lifted me slightly off my feet.

"Akira! What a pleasant surprise," Chysis said, her maternal warmth evident in both her voice and her crushing embrace. "What brings you by today? And how are those two lovely girls settling in?"

I returned the hug gratefully before she set me down. "Asia and Valerie are doing well. They started at Kuoh Academy today, actually. Asia was nervous but excited this morning."

"That's wonderful to hear. Education is so important for young people, especially those who've had their childhoods stolen from them." Her expression grew more serious. "And Valerie? How is she adjusting?"

"Better than I expected, honestly. She's still cautious about everything, but she's opening up more each day. Having Asia around seems to help—they understand each other's experiences."

Chysis nodded approvingly. "Trauma shared is often trauma halved. They're lucky to have found each other, and you." She gestured for me to follow her into the study. "Now then, what brings you here today? You have that look that suggests this isn't just a social visit."

I settled into my usual chair, organizing my thoughts carefully. "I need your help with something very important. There are four specific ingredients I need to acquire, and I was hoping you could arrange to get them for me."

Her eyebrows rose with curiosity. "Oh? What kind of ingredients are we talking about?"

I pulled out a piece of paper where I'd written down the recipe requirements. 

Chysis went very still, her eyes scanning as she read the list.

"I know it's a lot to ask," I said carefully. "But it will be worth it. More importantly, if this works the way I think it will, you're going to be beyond surprised by what comes of it."

She leaned back in her chair, studying my face with sharp intelligence. "What exactly are you planning to create with these ingredients? This combination... it's not for any potion or spell I'm familiar with."

I grinned, unable to help myself. "Let's just say it's going to be a very special surprise. Trust me on this one."

"A surprise," she repeated flatly. "Akira, you're asking me to acquire ingredients worth more than most people see in a lifetime, and you want me to do it based on 'trust me, it's a surprise'?"

"Pretty much, yes."

Chysis stared at me for a long moment, then burst out laughing. "You are an impossible boy. You know I can't resist a good mystery." She looked at the list again, her expression turning calculating. "These ingredients... they're difficult to acquire, but not impossible. I have contacts in various circles who owe me favors."

"How long would it take?"

"Give me until tomorrow evening. I should be able to have everything ready by then." She folded the paper carefully. "But I'm warning you now—if this 'surprise' of yours doesn't live up to the buildup, I'm going to be very disappointed."

"Trust me, Chysis. This will be worth it." I stood to leave, then paused. "Oh, and when I come to collect them tomorrow, make sure you're free for the rest of the evening. You're going to want to see this."

Her curiosity was practically radiating off her in waves now. "You're really not going to give me any more hints?"

"Nope. It's a secret." I headed toward the door with a wave. "See you tomorrow evening!"

Behind me, I could hear her muttering about impossible, secretive boys and their mysterious projects.

. . .

The next afternoon found me deep in the woods outside Kuoh with Asia and Valerie. I'd chosen this location specifically because it was isolated enough for us to train without being observed, but close enough to town that we could get back quickly if needed.

"Alright," I said, turning to face both girls. "Before we start any combat training, I want to get a better understanding of your Sacred Gears. We've talked about what they do, but I haven't seen them in action properly."

Asia nodded, though I could see the familiar hesitation in her eyes. "I... I'll try my best, Akira-san."

"Let's start with the basics. Can you show me your healing in action? Nothing dramatic—just a small cut or bruise."

I deliberately scraped my palm against a rough tree branch, drawing a thin line of blood. Asia immediately stepped forward, her expression growing focused as green rings of light began to form around her hands.

"Twilight Healing," she said softly, extending her hands over my injury.

The warm green light enveloped my hand, and I felt the familiar soothing sensation as the cut began to close. The healing wasn't instantaneous like some Sacred Gears—instead, it worked steadily, accelerating my natural healing process to repair the damage over the course of several seconds.

"That's remarkable," I said, watching the last traces of the cut disappear. "How does it feel when you use it? Any strain?"

"It... it feels warm," Asia said quietly, her hands still glowing faintly. "Like I'm sharing some of my life force to help the injury heal faster. Small wounds like this don't tire me at all, but more serious injuries..." She looked down. "I'm sorry, I know it's not as powerful as it could be."

"Don't apologize," I said firmly. "Twilight Healing is one of the most valuable Sacred Gears in existence. The fact that it can heal without exhausting you for minor injuries makes it incredibly practical." I examined my unmarked palm. "What's the most serious injury you've successfully healed?"

"I once healed a deep sword wound that had pierced someone's abdomen," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. 

That gave me a good baseline for her limits. Twilight Healing was powerful, but it wasn't unlimited—Asia's own stamina and her control over it seemed to be the limiting factors. That can be fixed with enough training.

"What about you, Valerie?" I turned to the dhampir girl. "I know your Sacred Gear is incredibly powerful, but I'd like to see how it manifests."

Valerie looked nervous but determined. She closed her eyes and concentrated, and that familiar golden chalice began to form in the air before her. The Sephiroth Graal materialized slowly, its surface gleaming with divine light and covered in shifting sacred symbols.

"The Holy Grail can heal although not on her level" she said quietly, her voice filled with awe even though she'd summoned it many times before.

"And the enhancement abilities you mentioned?"

"I think I can temporarily bless someone with increased physical capabilities or resistance to supernatural effects. I've never tried it on another person, but I can feel the potential within the Grail." She looked uncertain. "It's just... using it drains me considerably"

That was incredibly valuable information. Both girls had powerful support abilities, but they came with significant costs and limitations.

"We'll experiment with that later," I decided. "For now, I want to focus on something else entirely."

Both girls looked at me curiously.

"Your Sacred Gears are incredibly powerful, but they're also support abilities. In a direct confrontation, you'll need to be able to defend yourselves long enough to use those abilities effectively." I moved to a clearer area of the forest floor. "I'm going to teach you a martial arts technique called the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist."

"Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist?" Asia repeated, looking genuinely curious despite her usual timidity.

"It's a defensive martial art that focuses on redirecting an opponent's force rather than meeting it head-on. Perfect for situations where you're outmatched in terms of raw strength." I demonstrated a basic stance. "The core principle is to flow like water around attacks, then strike back when your opponent is off-balance."

I showed them the fundamental movements—how to shift their weight, how to redirect incoming strikes, how to use an attacker's momentum against them. Both girls were attentive students, though their progress varied significantly.

Asia approached the training with quiet determination, her natural gentleness translating surprisingly well to the flowing, non-aggressive techniques. She seemed to understand instinctively that this style was about protection rather than aggression.

"I... I think I understand," she said softly after successfully redirecting one of my slow practice strikes. "It's not about hurting someone, is it? It's about making them unable to hurt you or others."

"Exactly," I confirmed, pleased by her insight. "This style is perfect for someone like you—it allows you to defend yourself without compromising your principles."

Valerie, on the other hand, struggled initially. Her movements were too rigid, too controlled—a result of her noble upbringing and formal training.

"You're thinking too much," I told her after she failed to properly redirect one of my attacks. "This isn't about perfect form or textbook execution—it's about instinct and adaptation. Feel the movement, don't calculate it."

"That's... more difficult than it sounds," she admitted, wiping sweat from her forehead. "I was trained to be precise and measured in everything I do. This flowing style goes against my entire education."

"I understand, but in real combat, overthinking can get you killed. Trust your body to react naturally." I demonstrated the movement again, this time even slower. "Watch how I don't resist the force—I guide it where I want it to go."

After another hour of practice, both girls were showing genuine improvement. Asia had developed a natural grace with the defensive techniques, while Valerie was beginning to loosen up and trust her instincts more.

"That's enough for today," I decided, seeing the exhaustion in their faces. "This is just the beginning. Martial arts mastery takes years of practice, but even basic competency can save your life."

"Thank you for teaching us, Akira-san," Asia said with a small bow, despite her obvious fatigue. "I feel... stronger somehow. Not just physically, but mentally too."

Valerie nodded in agreement. "It's strange, learning to move without overthinking every action. But I can see how valuable these skills could be."

As we walked back toward town, I found myself pleased with their progress. Both girls had shown determination and willingness to push beyond their comfort zones. With time and practice, they could become formidable in their own right.

Tomorrow, I would collect those ingredients from Chysis and hopefully create something that could change everything. But there was something else I needed to consider as well—if I was going to make Asia and Valerie truly strong, I might need additional resources.

Perhaps it was time to pay a visit to Rias and her peerage. A few more gacha tickets could provide exactly the kind of power-ups or equipment the girls would need to reach their full potential.

The thought of showing my abilities to devils still made me cautious, but the potential benefits were becoming harder to ignore. If I wanted to protect Asia and Valerie properly, I needed every advantage I could get.

. . .

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