Chapter 1: The Reincarnated Hunter
In the infinite darkness between worlds, something stirred.
A soul drifted aimlessly, stripped of its memories, its attachments, its very identity. Only a faint awareness remained—a desperate yearning to live.
And then, in that endless void, a voice spoke.
> [You have died.]
[A new life awaits.]
[Initializing unique system: Solo Leveling.]
[Rebirth commencing…]
There was no time to question. The soul was swallowed by light.
---
When Yuuji Hyoudou opened his eyes, the first thing he felt was the sunlight.
Warm, heavy, real.
He gasped for breath, coughing as his lungs tried to remember how to work. His heart thundered in his chest, and it took him several seconds to realize he was lying in a bed—not the sterile white void he last remembered, but a normal bedroom filled with posters, a cluttered desk, and the faint smell of laundry soap.
"Where… am I?" he whispered, voice cracking.
The room was unfamiliar, but somehow comforting. A large mirror on the wall reflected a boy with messy black hair and piercing silver-gray eyes. His body felt... lighter, younger. Stronger. Not his, and yet now it was.
Before he could even attempt to get up, a transparent blue screen blinked into existence before his eyes.
> [Welcome, Yuuji Hyoudou.]
[You have been successfully reincarnated.]
[World: High School DxD.]
[System Installed: Solo Leveling.]
[Starter Class: Reawakened Hunter (F-Rank).]
High School DxD?
The name rang a distant bell. Memories flickered—images of devils, angels, dragons, battles for sacred treasures.
He remembered now: a story where supernatural forces roamed behind the façade of an ordinary high school life.
"I've been dropped into a world filled with devils and gods... with a system that wants me to fight?" he thought bitterly.
Almost as if hearing his complaint, another screen popped up.
> [Mission: Grow Stronger. Survive. Ascend.]
[Failing the mission will result in Death.]
[Note: You may eventually cross into other worlds beyond this one.]
Other worlds?
The thought was thrilling—and terrifying.
He heard footsteps approaching.
The door slammed open.
"Yuuji! You're going to be late for your entrance ceremony!" a woman's voice called out.
Yuuji jolted, instinctively tensing, before forcing himself to relax. He turned toward the door and saw a kindly middle-aged woman smiling fondly at him.
His mind quickly pieced it together.
If this was High School DxD… and he was "Yuuji Hyoudou"...
> [Relation to Issei Hyoudou: Cousin.]
Of course.
Issei—the original protagonist—was still here. Probably still the perverted idiot dreaming of building a harem.
That was fine.
Yuuji had his own goals now.
"Coming!" he shouted back.
Slowly, he got up from the bed. His body felt healthy, but there was an unfamiliar tension beneath his skin—as if it was bursting with untapped energy.
He couldn't afford to waste time.
This world, beautiful as it seemed, was a battlefield in disguise.
---
Kuoh Academy — Later That Morning
Yuuji stood at the gates of Kuoh Academy, clutching his school bag nervously. The grand gothic-style buildings towered above him, the newly-coed school bustling with students.
Smiles, laughter, casual conversations floated through the air.
But to Yuuji, everything seemed tinted with another layer. His senses, enhanced by the system, painted a different picture.
Small flares of energy clung to certain students like unseen auras.
His silver eyes narrowed.
Over by the courtyard, a girl with vivid crimson hair walked gracefully, exuding a regal presence that drew everyone's eyes.
Rias Gremory.
And beside her, a tall, elegant girl with dark hair and a playful smile.
Akeno Himejima.
"High-class devils, right here in the open..." Yuuji thought grimly.
The sheer density of their aura compared to the normal students was overwhelming.
And they weren't the only ones.
Several other students glowed faintly, as if power pulsed under their skin—fallen angels, low-class devils, maybe even humans blessed (or cursed) with supernatural traits.
A small beep sounded in his mind.
> [Quest Alert!]
Survive Your First Week at Kuoh Academy.
Condition: Do not die.
Reward: Level Up + Random Skill Book.
Penalty: Death.
"Not subtle at all, huh," Yuuji muttered under his breath.
Still, he couldn't deny the excitement that bubbled up inside him.
He had been granted a second life.
A chance to become something greater.
And if he wanted to survive in a world of gods and monsters, he needed to get stronger.
Much, much stronger.
---
That Night — Hyoudou Residence
The house was quiet. Issei was out with his friends (probably doing something perverted, Yuuji guessed).
Yuuji sat cross-legged on the floor of his room, staring at the glowing blue window that hovered before him.
> [Daily Quest: Prepare to Become Stronger.]
100 Push-ups: 0/100
100 Sit-ups: 0/100
100 Squats: 0/100
Run 10 kilometers: 0/10
> Warning: Failure to complete will result in 50% HP Reduction for 24 hours.
Yuuji sighed.
No mercy, even on Day 1.
"Guess I better start," he muttered.
He dropped to the floor and started doing push-ups.
At first, it was easy.
But by 30, his arms started to shake.
By 70, his breath came in ragged gasps.
And by 100, he collapsed face-first onto the floor, sweat pouring down his face.
"Still better than dying," he gasped, rolling over.
He pushed through the sit-ups, then the squats. His muscles burned with every movement, but he didn't stop. Couldn't stop.
By the time he finished the last kilometer of his run around the deserted streets, he was staggering, every part of his body screaming in protest.
But as he collapsed onto his bed, the system chimed sweetly.
> [Daily Quest Completed!]
[Strength +1, Agility +1, Vitality +1.]
A slow grin spread across Yuuji's face despite the pain.
"This... this is real."
In this world, strength wasn't inherited.
It wasn't about bloodlines or destiny.
He could grind, fight, and claw his way to the top.
No gods, no devils, no dragons would stand in his way.
He would forge a power that surpassed them all.
And then — he would conquer this world.
And the next.
And the next after that.
---
Far beyond the mortal plane, unseen by him, eyes watched.
Some were curious.
Some were wary.
And some... were already plotting.
The game had begun.
And the Reawakened Hunter had taken his first step into an infinite multiverse.
---
[End of Chapter 1]