"Hey, Issei. Do you believe in the supernatural?"

"Huh…? The supernatural?"

Azrael saw the expression of confusion but simply went at it with his rhythm.

"What would you think if I told you that one day you might enter such a world?"

Hyoudou Issei looked at the onii-san in front of him. During this week of training, he came to like and respect him very much.

He was like the big brother he never had but always dreamed of.

For him, at his young age, things such as impossible, unrealistic, and daydream didn't really matter.

As such, he simply answered with a cheerful smile,

"Yes. I would!"

Azrael looked at Issei's answer full of enthusiasm. Frankly, how could he not see how this little boy didn't truly understand the situation?

Still, it didn't matter. From what he could feel, this boy's sacred gear was rather powerful even though it might be a [CRITICAL TWICE].

'Perhaps it's a subspecies one?'

Well, it didn't really matter. Sooner or later, it will awaken or attract a troublesome bunch of people to him. Either way, while it's possible for him to never meet any accident, with the power he could feel from him, it would be really difficult for him to have a normal peaceful life until his death.

He took a deep breath and began,

"Issei you are special. Very special."

Issei tilted his head in wonder. He didn't see what he had special. He was just a little boy like anyone else.

Azrael smiled before looking toward the sky. Frankly, it wasn't easy to explain something like that to someone who never lived in that world. Even more so if it was a child.

He began to choose carefully his words,

"Issei. You see. The world is way vaster than everything you were ever taught in school or by your parents. Firstly you must understand this. In this world every myth, every story, you ever heard. They all exist. As real as you and me."

Issei was very surprised. Even though he said yes not long ago, and even though he was a child it didn't mean he was naive.

"What? So, gods and all that exist in reality? Even magic?"

"Exactly. Look."

He pointed his fingers and light began to gather around it. Then, the light slowly detached from his fingers and took the form of a butterfly flapping its wings.

"Waoo!!!"

Issei's eyes opened as wide as a saucer. It was the first time he saw something like that. The butterfly began to fly in circles but then it slowly began to disappear until nothing remained.

Issei turned his eyes full of excitement and stars toward Azrael.

"Is this magic? So!!! Cool!! Will I also be able to do something like that?"

"Ahahah! Yeah, it's really cool. As for it being magic. Hum… Not really. It's simply light manipulation. Something only people like me can use. Magic is something different. I never learned it. Otherwise, I would have taught you."

Issei nodded as if he understood everything. Of course, he didn't. But Azrael didn't care.

"In this world. The supernatural and the natural live in coexistence. Still, this isn't a peaceful world. No. It is a really dangerous world. Entering in it without being prepared is nothing more than a curse."

He stopped before saying,

"Issei. I will repeat myself. You're someone special. This might be a curse or a blessing. Everything will depend on you."

"What do you mean? Also what makes me special?"

"Hum… How to explain it simply. Let's just say that you were born with superpower but that power is sealed in you."

"Ohhh...like those with chuunibyou?"

"Chuuni… Byou?"

Azrael tilted his head in wonder. While he had some knowledge about Japan. He was never really that interested in their culture.

Issei was happy to explain,

"Hum… Chuunibyou are guys who are Otaku who think that they have superpower or that they have past life or things like that."

He entered in deep thought. He didn't really understand the term Otaku but following the context, it should be some sort of geek?

'Hum, seem like I need to do some research'

Discarding those thoughts he faced the boy,

"Anyway. You aren't pretending to have superpower. You do have them. More precisely you have the potential to awaken superpower. I don't know when it will happen. But it could happen anytime and it could be very ugly."

Azrael was telling the truth. Being born with sacred gear doesn't necessarily mean you will awaken it. Generally one could live until the day they die without either awakening it.

Those who managed to do so rarely did it in normal situations. Either they were born with it already awakened, or they met someone from the other side. That meeting generally ended with death or being treated as a lab rat.

"Issei. If I could, I would help you awaken it, but I am unable to do so. No, perhaps even if I could I wouldn't. Since it would mean you'd enter a world you aren't ready for."

He sighed as he said that. The supernatural world was truly full of hidden darkness. Until now, he never had to dirty his hands, but, he knew that this would happen one day.

Issei, on the other hand, was just a child. He might be as old as Xenovia, but he had a life. He had parents. He had a family. All of them were normal people.

"*Sigh* Let's continue…"

----

Azrael talked about everything of note. It didn't matter if the boy could understand or not, he simply talked. Finally, after explaining everything he thought was important, he turned and asked,

"Did you hear everything I said?"

Issei, who at this time was already a little sleepy, but greatly engrossed in the story nodded and said,

"Of course!!!"

"I see. Listen to me Issei. One day, you'll most likely be in a situation where you need this power more than anything else. Only then will it awaken."

"What...What do you mean?"

"Nothing. Now…The most important part."

As he said that, he put his index against his head. The moment he did so, a soft golden light appeared on his fingertips and slowly began to flow into Issei's head. Then,

"...Sleep."

Issei immediately lost consciousness.