Highschool DXD : Gacha Life

The clearing behind the old school building was larger than I'd expected, surrounded by tall trees that would provide natural cover from any curious onlookers. The late afternoon sun filtered through the canopy, casting dancing shadows across the grass as we took our positions.

Rias stood at the edge of the clearing, her crimson hair catching the light as she surveyed the makeshift arena. "Remember" she called out, her voice carrying the authority of someone used to being obeyed "This ends the moment I say it does"

It's not going to be a deadly match, after all my goal was to engage her in a spar, and for that, my newly acquired powers were enough to hold me for that.

I nodded, rolling my shoulders to loosen the tension that had been building since we'd left the clubroom. Across from me, Akeno stood with that same serene smile, but there was something predatory in her violet eyes now. The polite facade was still there, but underneath it, I could sense the fallen angel's true nature stirring.

"Ara ara, Akira-kun" she said, her voice carrying that musical quality that could make grown men weep "Are you certain about this? It's not too late to reconsider."

"I'm sure" I replied, raising my hands as moisture began to gather around my fingers. "Besides, I have a feeling you're going to enjoy this."

Her smile widened, revealing just a hint of something dangerous. "Oh my, you do know how to read people, don't you?"

Without warning, a crackling sound filled the air. Lightning danced between Akeno's fingers, arcing from one hand to the other in brilliant displays of barely controlled power. The hair on my arms stood on end as the electrical energy built, and I could taste ozone in the air.

"Begin!" Rias called out.

Akeno moved first, her hand extending toward me as a bolt of lightning shot across the clearing. I threw myself to the side, feeling the heat of the electrical discharge as it passed inches from my shoulder. The bolt struck a tree behind me, leaving a charred mark in the bark.

I rolled to my feet, already drawing water from the air around me. The moisture responded to my will, forming a protective barrier that rotated slowly around my body. It wouldn't stop a direct hit, but it might be enough to deflect some of the electrical energy.

"Impressive reflexes" Akeno noted, her voice carrying genuine approval. "But can you do more than just dodge?"

She raised both hands this time, and I could see the power building between her palms. Multiple bolts of lightning shot toward me in rapid succession, forcing me to abandon any thoughts of a purely defensive strategy.

I thrust my right hand forward, sending a pressurized stream of water toward her position. Akeno sidestepped gracefully, the water missing her by mere inches, but the distraction gave me the opening I needed. I pulled moisture from the nearby trees, the grass, even the air itself, forming three separate water projectiles that I launched from different angles.

Akeno's eyes widened slightly as she realized the complexity of the attack. Lightning crackled from her fingertips, intercepting two of the water streams, but the third caught her shoulder and sent her stumbling backward.

"Ara ara" she murmured, touching the damp spot on her uniform. "You're full of surprises, aren't you?"

"I'm just getting started," I replied, though I was already breathing harder than I'd expected. Controlling multiple water streams simultaneously was more taxing than I'd anticipated.

Akeno's expression shifted, becoming more focused. "In that case, I suppose I should stop holding back quite so much"

The air around her began to shimmer with electrical energy. This wasn't the controlled lightning she'd been using before – this was more serious power, though still restrained for a sparring match. Her fallen angel heritage was beginning to show through, and I could feel the weight of her presence pressing down on me.

Suddenly, the clearing was filled with brilliant cracking lightning.

I barely had time to reinforce my water barrier before the attack hit. The lightning struck my defenses like a sledgehammer, and I felt the shock travel through my body despite the protection. My barrier held, but just barely, and I could feel my control wavering.

The electrical energy coursed through the water, and while I managed to redirect some of it, the sheer power was overwhelming. I gritted my teeth, trying to maintain my footing as the attack dissipated.

Akeno murmured something, watching as I struggled to maintain my defenses "But let's see how long you can keep this up"

She rose into the air, her black fallen angel wings manifesting as she gained altitude. From above, she began raining down lightning bolts with methodical precision, each one aimed at a different part of the clearing. I found myself constantly moving, using my water manipulation to create temporary shields and barriers while looking for an opening.

But I was beginning to tire rapidly. The constant use of my abilities was draining, and Akeno showed no signs of slowing down. My movements were becoming sluggish, my water constructs less precise.

In desperation, I reached out to the stream running along the edge of the clearing. The water rose in a massive spiral, climbing toward where Akeno hovered. She saw it coming and easily dodged, but the effort of controlling that much water left me staggering.

"That's enough" Rias called out, her voice cutting through the sound of crackling electricity "The match is over"

Akeno descended gracefully, her wings folding back as she touched down. Despite the intensity of the fight, she looked barely winded, while I was breathing heavily and struggling to stay upright.

"Well fought, Akira-kun" she said, her voice carrying genuine respect despite my obvious defeat. "You lasted much longer than most humans would have"

I let the remaining water flow back toward the stream, my hands shaking slightly from exhaustion. "Thank you" I managed, though I couldn't help but feel frustrated by how quickly I'd been overwhelmed.

"Both of you fought well" Rias said, approaching us with a towel "Akira-kun, your control over water is remarkable for someone who's only been practicing for a few days. But Akeno is right – you showed impressive endurance."

"Though I have to admit" I said, accepting the towel gratefully "I'm not sure I could have kept that up much longer."

"Stamina comes with practice" Akeno said, smoothing down her uniform. "But your technique is already quite versatile. The way you managed multiple water constructs simultaneously was impressive"

"Thank you" I replied, though internally I was analyzing everything that had gone wrong. I'd relied too heavily on my water abilities and hadn't even considered using my leopard transformation. The enhanced speed and reflexes might have given me an edge, but I'd been so focused on testing my new power that I'd ignored my original abilities entirely.

"Akira-kun" Rias said carefully "I have to ask – have you experienced any other new abilities ? Any other powers manifesting?"

I met her gaze steadily, keeping my expression neutral. "No, just the water manipulation. Though I'm still learning its limits, as you can see."

"I see" she said, though something in her tone suggested she wasn't entirely convinced. "Well, regardless, what you've shown today is impressive. The offer to join my peerage remains open, especially now that we've seen what you're capable of"

"I appreciate that" I said "but my answer hasn't changed. I'm still not interested in becoming anyone's servant"

Akeno tilted her head, studying me with those violet eyes. "Even after experiencing how outmatched you were? Surely you can see the benefits of having allies in this world."

"I can see the benefits" I admitted. "But I can also see the costs. I'd rather face the dangers as myself than surrender my freedom for protection"

"Even if that choice might get you killed?" Rias asked, her voice carrying genuine concern.

I was quiet for a moment, considering my words. "Maybe. But at least it would be my choice to make."

As we walked back toward the school building, I couldn't shake the feeling that this sparring match had revealed more than just my limitations. It had shown me exactly how much I still had to learn, and how dangerous it was to rely on a single ability.

The blue screen materialized in my vision as we reached the building, confirming what I'd hoped despite my defeat.

[Task Complete: Engage in combat with a supernatural opponent] [Reward: 1x Rank 2 Gacha Ticket]

I dismissed the notification quickly, making sure neither Rias nor Akeno noticed my momentary distraction. The system had rewarded me for the attempt, not the victory – which was good, because victory hadn't been an option today.

But next time would be different. I'd learned valuable lessons about pacing, about using all my abilities instead of just the flashy new ones, and about the importance of strategy over raw power.

The path forward was becoming clearer, but so were the challenges that lay ahead. In this world of devils and angels, power was everything – and I was quickly learning that I had a long way to go before I could truly stand on equal footing with beings like Akeno.

The question was: would the next gacha pull give me the tools I needed to bridge that gap?

Later that evening - Akira's Room

I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the blue screen that hovered in front of me. The gacha ticket icon pulsed gently, waiting for my selection. My body still ached from the sparring match with Akeno, a constant reminder of how thoroughly I'd been outclassed.

"Alright" I muttered, flexing my sore fingers. "Let's see what you've got for me this time"

I mentally selected the ticket, and the system responded with the now-familiar elaborate animation. Golden light spiraled across the screen, mystical symbols spinning in complex patterns. The ceremony felt more significant this time, perhaps because I understood better what I was lacking.

The light faded, revealing my reward in bold text:

[REWARD OBTAINED: Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist - One Punch Man]

I blinked, reading the notification again. Then a slow smile spread across my face.

"Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist" I whispered, the name rolling off my tongue like a mantra. "Bang's martial arts style"

The knowledge flowed into me like water finding its course. Not just the techniques, but the philosophy behind them. The way to read an opponent's movements, to redirect their force, to turn their own strength against them. It was more than just a fighting style – it was a complete combat system designed around fluid motion and perfect technique.

I stood up, my body moving almost on its own as muscle memory that wasn't mine began to assert itself. My stance shifted, feet positioning themselves at precise angles, hands moving in graceful arcs that seemed to follow invisible currents in the air.

"This is..." I paused, throwing a slow-motion punch that felt impossibly smooth and controlled. "This is exactly what I needed"

The sparring match with Akeno played through my mind again, but this time I could see all the openings I'd missed, all the wasted movements, all the times I'd used brute force when technique would have been more effective. With this martial arts style, I wouldn't just be throwing water around randomly – I'd be weaponizing it with centuries of refined combat knowledge.

More importantly, Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist was designed to let a weaker fighter defeat a stronger opponent through superior technique. It was the perfect complement to my current abilities, especially if I was going to keep refusing offers of supernatural power-ups.

I moved through a basic kata, my movements becoming more confident with each repetition. The style felt natural, as if my body had been designed for it. Every motion flowed seamlessly into the next, creating a continuous stream of potential attacks and defenses.

"Next time" I said to myself, practicing a deflection technique that could redirect lightning just as easily as a physical blow, "Next time, it will be different"

The blue screen flickered, displaying additional information:

[Technique Integration Complete] [Synergy Detected: Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist + Haetae Water Manipulation] [New Combination Techniques Available]

I raised an eyebrow at that. "Combination techniques?"

Images flashed through my mind – ways to integrate my water manipulation with the martial arts style. Water whips that followed the flowing movements of the fist techniques. Defensive barriers that moved like liquid kata. Redirection techniques that could turn an opponent's elemental attack back on them with devastating precision.

"Oh" I breathed, understanding dawning. "This isn't just about fighting better. This is about fighting smarter"

I spent the next hour practicing in my room, moving through forms that felt both ancient and perfectly natural. By the time I finally collapsed back onto my bed, I was exhausted but exhilarated.

For the first time since arriving in this world, I felt like I had a real chance. Not just to survive, but to thrive. The devils might have raw power, but now I had something they couldn't easily counter – perfect technique backed by supernatural ability.

"Akeno" I murmured, staring up at the ceiling with a determined smile. "I think I owe you a rematch"

. . .

You can now read advanced chapters at : patre-on.com/Opeler

If not, the chapters will still be updated as usual.

Enjoy!