C27:-HSDxD_FanFic_Meliodas

27. Deal with the Devil.

[4 Years Later…]

│3rd Person POV│

[Human World, Japan…]

“Ugh, high school life is such a pain. I should’ve just failed my finals and stayed in middle school forever,” Tobio Ikuse grumbled under his breath, trudging along the familiar path home. His backpack hung loosely from one shoulder, and his disheveled uniform hinted at a long, exhausting day at school.

Kicking a small pebble as he walked, he let out a sigh, his thoughts drifting to the simpler days of middle school when life felt far less complicated.

"Today felt even duller than usual without Sae-chan around," Tobio remarked, a hint of concern crossing his face. "I hope she gets over her cold soon."

Amidst his complaints, Tobio arrived at his apartment building. As he reached his door and fumbled in his bag for his keys, something unusual caught his eye—a small, yellow flyer lying at his feet.

Curious, he bent down to pick it up, wondering what it could be.

The top of the page was completely blank, so he flipped it over and discovered a detailed, intricate diagram etched onto the other side. The diagram was made up of overlapping geometric patterns—circles, runes, and symbols that he had never seen in his life.

At the center, there was a symbol of a horizontal eye, enclosed within a circle formed by intertwining leaves.

At the bottom of the weird-looking magic circle, he noticed a phrase elegantly written in neat calligraphy, “Your wish will be granted!”

He instinctively moved to toss it aside, but his hand wouldn't let go. The faint possibility that it might be true held him back. After all, he did have a wish that he wanted to be fulfilled and he was powerless to complete it on his own.

It had been four years since his grandmother passed away, yet he still couldn’t bring himself to move on. The pain of her absence lingered as if time had stood still in some part of his heart.

If it were at all possible, he would give anything to see her once more, to hear her voice, share stories, and laugh together like they used to.

Gripping the leaflet tightly in one hand, he fumbled for his keys and unlocked the apartment door. Stepping inside, the familiar silence greeted him. He called out, as he always did, "I'm home," the words echoing in the stillness of the empty rooms. The silence felt colder than usual, further reinforcing his decision to give the leaflet a chance.

A few moments later, after dropping his school bag in his room and freshening up, he stood in the middle of the living room. Holding the leaflet in his right hand, he firmly said, “I wish to talk to my grandma again.”

As soon as he spoke, a golden-yellow magic circle materialized on the floor of the living room. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was identical to the one depicted on the leaflet, its intricate patterns glowing softly with an ethereal light.

From the magic circle stepped a tall young man with striking blonde hair and piercing sky-blue eyes. His features were remarkably handsome, and his well-defined muscles were evident, even through the fabric of his turtleneck shirt.

“Hm, it’s been a while since I’ve been in the Human World,” the young man remarked, surveying his surroundings. Then, his gaze shifted to Tobio, and with a curious expression, he asked, “So, why have you summoned me, human? What is it… that you desire?”

…

…

Tobio just kept looking at the blonde young man with wide eyes, struggling to believe what just happened in front of him.

“I have better things to do than being stared at by you, my friend. Who are you and what is your wish?”

Tobio snapped back to reality at the sound of the question, and instinctively took a step back in fear. It wasn’t until his back pressed against the wall, leaving him no room to retreat, that he stopped. He met the young man’s amused gaze, and though his heart raced, he gathered his courage to ask, “What are you? How did you get into my apartment?”

“How rude!” the young man scoffed, putting on an offended expression, “I’ll have you know, I am a living being, and I have feelings too.”

As Tobio was about to quickly bow and apologize, the young man interrupted, continuing, “Anyway, I am Meliodas Valefor-Zagan, a Noble Devil and the sole heir to the Valefor and Zagan Pillar Clans. Now, Human, for the third time, introduce yourself and state your wish.”

Tobio was once again greatly shocked upon hearing that the young man in front of him was a Devil.

However, he quickly pushed his shock aside, feeling a growing sense of fear. He realized that if he didn’t answer, something terrible might happen. “I’m Ikuse Tobio,” he said, his voice wavering slightly, “I wish to speak to my grandmother, who has passed away.”

“Ah, is that so? Just a moment,” the young man replied, pulling out a sleek, glass-like metallic device. He fiddled with it for a few moments before turning his attention back to Tobio. “Well, it’s possible,” he said with a faint smile. “But the main question is—can you afford the price?”

At first, Tobio was overwhelmed with disbelief that his wish could actually be granted, followed by a surge of joy at the thought of speaking with his grandmother again.

But the Devil's final question sent a wave of dread crashing over him, extinguishing his happiness like a splash of icy water.

“What price do I have to pay?” Tobio asked cautiously, bracing himself for the worst.

The young man’s lips curled into an amused smile as he replied, “You’ll need to be my Gaming Buddy for the next 10 years.”

“Huh?!” Tobio blurted, his eyes widening in disbelief. Of all the things he had expected—a soul, servitude, or some ominous curse—this was nowhere near his list of possibilities.

The young man chuckled at Tobio's reaction, casually crossing his arms, “What? Did you really think I’d ask for something sinister? Come on, you don’t need to worry so much. We Devils stopped demanding souls and other extreme payments ages ago—terrible for customer retention, you know.”

He smirked a hint of mischief in his eyes, “Besides, I don’t have many male friends in the Underworld. It can get pretty dull down there sometimes. Honestly, I’m glad my summoning contract landed with you.”

His tone shifted, becoming more thoughtful, “You’re interesting, and I can sense you have the potential to become one of the strongest beings in the Supernatural World. That kind of potential makes things exciting.

“So, yeah, I want you to be my Gaming Buddy for the next ten years and in exchange, I will fulfill your wish.”

Tobio blinked, still trying to process what he’d just heard. “So… you’re serious? That’s it? Just gaming for 10 years?”

“Precisely,” Meliodas said with a playful grin.

For a few moments, silence filled the room as Tobio tried to process what he had just heard, his mind racing to reconcile the absurdity of the situation.

“So,” Meliodas prompted, breaking the silence, “are you going to take the deal or not?”

Tobio took a deep breath, his hands tightening into fists at his sides. After a moment of hesitation, he gave a firm nod. “Yes,” he said, his voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions within him.

A satisfied grin spread across Meliodas’s face. “Good choice. Let’s get started then.”

Meliodas tapped a few times on the surface of the sleek, glass-like metallic device before holding it out to Tobio. “Here,” he said, his tone casual but expectant. “Read through this carefully, and when you’re ready, press your thumb on the red line at the bottom.”

Tobio hesitated, eyeing the device suspiciously before taking it. The text on the screen shimmered faintly, written in an elegant, flowing script that somehow felt both ancient and futuristic. As his eyes scanned the words, he realized it was a detailed contract outlining the terms of their agreement—10 years as Meliodas’s gaming partner in exchange for the chance to speak with his grandmother.

The language was Japanese and oddly straightforward, with no hidden clauses or ominous loopholes that he could see. Still, Tobio couldn’t shake the feeling that this was too surreal to be true. “This… this really doesn’t seem like what I’d expect from a Devil contract,” he muttered.

Meliodas smirked, leaning back slightly. “What, were you expecting blood oaths and eternal damnation? We’re not in the Dark Ages anymore. Go on, it’s legit. We Devils don’t do shady deals—well, not anymore.”

Taking a deep breath, Tobio read the final line one more time before pressing his thumb against the glowing red line. As soon as he did, the device emitted a soft chime, signaling the finalizing of the contract.

“Congratulations!” Meliodas declared with a broad grin. “You’re officially my gaming buddy. Now, it’s time for me to fulfill my end of the deal.”

With a casual snap of his fingers, a golden-yellow magic circle materialized beside him, its intricate patterns pulsing with energy.

As the magic circle’s radiant light bathed the living room, the air seemed to shimmer, and a translucent, glowing figure began to take form above it. Slowly but surely, the figure became more defined, revealing the familiar outline of a beautiful elderly woman.

Tobio’s breath hitched as the shimmering figure grew more defined. There was no mistaking it—his grandmother stood before him, just as he remembered, her warm red eyes radiating kindness and a gentle smile gracing her lips.

“T-Tobio?” her voice trembled slightly, but it carried the same soothing tone that had comforted him countless times before.

Tears welled up in Tobio’s eyes as he took a step forward, his voice breaking. “Grandma… it’s really you.”

At that moment, the old woman’s gaze shifted to the blonde young man standing nearby. Her eyes narrowed as she instantly recognized him for what he was—a Devil.

Her demeanor changed in an instant, her protective instincts taking over. Stepping in front of her grandson, she fixed Meliodas with a piercing stare and demanded in a firm, no-nonsense tone, “What are you doing here, Devil? What do you want with my grandson?”

Meliodas raised his hands in mock surrender, a playful smirk tugging at his lips, “Whoa, calm down, Grandma. I’m not here to stir up trouble. Actually, your grandson is the one who stumbled upon my Summoning Contract and decided to use it to make his wish come true.

“He wanted to talk to you, so we struck a deal, and now here you are,” he added, “The least you could do is thank me for reuniting you with your grandson, even if it’s just for a few minutes—maybe even a couple of hours if I am in a good mood.”

Her expression didn’t soften. “And what did it cost him?” she asked sharply, her voice laced with suspicion.

Meliodas chuckled, clearly amused by her fierce protectiveness, “Relax, I didn’t ask for anything outrageous. Here, give this a read.”

With that, Meliodas waved his hand, causing the sleek device to float in front of the old woman. The contract he had just signed with Tobio appeared on the screen, fully visible for her to read.

Despite her skepticism, the old woman studied the contract with a sharp eye, her gaze flicking between the glowing text and Meliodas. She didn’t speak immediately, but her posture remained tense, her protective instincts still very much in place.

“So, this is the deal?” she asked, her voice cool but measured as she turned her attention to Tobio. “You’re really willing to spend ten years as his gaming buddy for a chance to speak with me?”

Tobio, still overwhelmed by the surrealness of the situation, nodded slowly. “I... I had no choice. I wanted to see you again, Grandma.”

The old woman’s expression softened, though concern still flickered in her eyes. “I understand, Tobio. But remember, nothing comes without a cost, even if it seems harmless now.”

Meliodas chuckled lightly, not paying much heed to the old woman’s suspicion, “Oh, don’t worry, Grandma. I promise I won’t do anything nefarious to your grandson. We’re just going to play some games together. Nothing dangerous. But I do expect him to be a worthy opponent,” he added with a playful glint in his eye.

The old woman didn’t respond right away, but her gaze never left Tobio, her love for him clear in her expression. After a long pause, she sighed, her shoulders relaxing.

She turned her focus to Meliodas and asked, “I’m aware that Devils have ways of assessing someone’s potential. I’m sure you’ve evaluated Tobio’s. So, did you come up with the ten-year gaming buddy idea as a way to befriend him first, before attempting to recruit him into your Peerage?”

Meliodas looked taken aback, his eyes widening in surprise as he held his head in mock distress. “How did you figure out my plan? I thought I had come up with a clever scheme no one could see through. Great, once Mother finds out about this, I’m going to get an earful!”

The old woman looked at his antics with a deadpan stare.

Even Tobio had a weirded-out look on his face at the moment.

Meliodas stopped his playful demeanor, his expression shifting to something far more serious. “Listen, Grandma, your grandson might already have the Longinus, Canis Lykaon, with its Balance Breaker unlocked.”

The old woman’s eyes widened in shock. She hadn’t expected the Devil to be able to see past the seal she had placed on Tobio during his childhood. It made her wonder if the seal had weakened over time.

Ignoring her astonishment, Meliodas carried on. “But let me make one thing clear: I have no interest in recruiting him into my Peerage. There are a few reasons for that.”

He paused for a moment before continuing, his voice steady. “First off, aside from five Pawn Pieces, the rest of my Pieces are either already used or reserved for people I actually want in my Peerage. Tobio isn’t one of them. As for the remaining five Pawn Pieces, I’m keeping them for emergencies.

“So, you can trust me when I say that I’m not trying to add Tobio to my Peerage.”

The old woman studied him carefully, trying to gauge the sincerity in his words. After a few moments of silence, she nodded slowly, seeming to accept his explanation—for now.

“Good!” Meliodas exclaimed with a grin. He casually placed his hands behind his head and began walking toward the door, “Now, I’ll give you two some space. Enjoy your reunion.”

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A/N: Hey, I am back with another Chapter for this Fic.

Here's the promised Time Skip, introducing the Main Character of Slash Dog.

The next few chapters will be one big incident after another. Look forward to it.

Also, the two Second Tier Chapters for this Fic will posted sometime this week. Just a heads up.

Anyway, Good day. See ya guys later.