As the sun set, the dusk's afterglow bathed the entire town.
It brought a touch of coolness and filled the air with a comforting, relaxed atmosphere after a long day of work.
At Kuoh Academy, energetic girls in their school uniforms waved their hands, politely bidding each other farewell.
Kuoh Academy had been an exclusive all girls school until just a few years ago.
Recently, the academy changed its policy to become coeducational, opening its doors to male students. Even so, the male to female ratio remained incredibly low, with the girls vastly outnumbering the boys.
Naturally, this made Kuoh Academy a paradise, the absolute dream school for adolescent boys brimming with hormones.
Half an hour later.
As darkness fell, even the dance club, which rehearsed the latest, disbanded to head home.
The campus grew deserted and silent. The stillness under the gloomy night sky created an eerie atmosphere.
Deep in the woods behind the campus stood a building with an mediaeval design, though its windows were completely intact.
Moss and vines entwined the old school building, giving it a heavy sense of antiquity.
Generally speaking, such old buildings are the perfect breeding ground for occult rumors and ghost stories.
In fact, the Seven School Mysteries of Kuoh Academy originated here, so regular students rarely set foot inside.
However, just because it was deserted didn't mean it was empty.
Rather than humans, it would be more accurate to say a group of Devils was entrenched there.
A plaque hung above one of the doors on the second floor: Occult Research Club.
Every corner of the room was covered in mysterious symbols. A strange script stretched across the floor, the walls, and even the ceiling.
The most peculiar feature was the central circle.
This circle aka magic circle occupied most of the room and glowed with a strange eerie light.
The interior decoration and furniture arrangement were simple, featuring only a few sofas and a desk.
This small room housed the most famous and influential figures in the academy.
"Issei, congratulations! You finally got a client of your own."
Sitting at the desk was a girl with bright crimson hair and a curvaceous figure. This was Rias Gremory, the school's number one idol, possessing both beauty and a noble background.
She was the President of the Occult Research Club.
"Congratulations, Issei! You're one step closer to your dream."
Standing beside her was a girl with a black ponytail and a gentle smile, exuding traditional asian charm.
She was second idol of the school, Akeno Himejima.
Along with Rias, she was known as one of Kuoh Academy's two great oneesamas, admired by both boys and girls alike.
"Hmpf."
The one sitting on the sofa eating snacks was Koneko Toujou. With her petite figure, she looked like an elementary school student at first glance, making her the school's unofficial mascot.
Standing nearby was a tall, handsome boy with short blonde hair and a sunny smile that made him instantly likable, Yuuto Kiba.
"Excuse me, President, could I please take the rest of the day off and head home early?"
Issei scratched his head and apologized.
Although he was overjoyed to finally have a dedicated client, freeing him from relying on Koneko for clients and taking him one step closer to his dream of building a harem, he had prior obligations and needed to go home early tonight.
"Oh my, are you going to watch your treasured adult DVDs with your two friends again, Issei?"
"Pervert."
Koneko delivered the finishing blow without hesitation.
Rias looked at Issei with questioning eyes.
"No, that's not it!" Feeling a little uneasy under her gaze, Issei quickly denied it. "President, my brother came back from studying abroad today, so..."
"Brother?!"
Not only Rias, but Akeno and even Koneko were somewhat surprised, looking up at Issei as he hurriedly explained.
"Yeah, I'm not an only child. I have a brother, but he went abroad to study when we were little and only comes home a few times a year. I heard he plans to return to Japan to finish his studies here."
"I see, I understand. I'll have Yuuto handle your client today."
"Thank you, President."
After thanking Rias, Issei turned to Yuuto. "Sorry for the trouble."
Yuuto responded with a hearty smile, and soon Issei left.
Yuuto turned to Rias. "President, regarding Issei's brother, it was mentioned during our background investigation that Issei had a brother.
"His life is just like that of an ordinary human."
"Aside from studying abroad since he was young, he doesn't have any special background, so we didn't pay much attention to him."
Rias nodded, indicating she understood.
An ordinary human was not enough to attract her attention.
Moreover, there were more important matters to attend to. Some time ago in Europe, Satan Ajuka's relative, the heir to the Astaroth Clan, was annihilated by the Church right in front of the Astaroth Clan's elite.
Now the supernatural world was in an uproar, and the once stable political climate had begun to fracture.
This incident served as a catalyst, leading the Three Factions to begin localized preparations for war.
Her family had begun urging her to return to the Underworld as soon as possible to ensure her safety.
However, if she returned out of cowardice and weakness, she would lose her only chance to fight for her freedom.
...
By the time Issei arrived home, darkness had completely fallen. His reincarnated Devil physique gave him exceptionally abundant stamina and energy.
"Mom and Dad, I'm home."
He took off his shoes and placed them in the entryway.
"My foolish brother, you're finally back."
A voice that Issei found extremely irritating entered his ears.
Without thinking, he retorted sarcastically, "You bastard, you're finally back."
"Wow, you've changed quite a bit. You never used to talk to me like this."
A face that bore a striking resemblance to his own came into view.
Before him stood Issei's brother, Yasuhiro Hyoudou. The two shared a striking resemblance.
If one had to distinguish between the two, Yasuhiro's had a slightly mature apperance.
However, his warm and gentle temperament made him look like those sunshine boys.
The most distinctive difference between the brothers was their hair color. Issei had brown hair, while Yasuhiro had black hair.
Looking at Yasuhiro, his smile reminded Issei of Akeno. The two shared a striking resemblance in their cunning, sadistic nature.
The thought of being mocked, teased, and bullied by his brother since childhood sent a chill down his spine.
Has the anime already begun?
Yasuhiro muttered to himself, looking at his brother, who exuded a faint demonic aura.