As is the case will all pages detailing Heartwarming Moments, Spoilers Off
- Chapter 3 has a skim and you'll miss it moment where Minato remembers how when he first tried to summon his Persona in the new world, rather than calling up Orpheus and Thanatos like he'd intended, Mitsuru's Penthesilea emerged and embraces him in her stead. Even the not-normally-emotional Minato admits to himself that that particular moment was... powerful.
- The middle half of chapter 4 where Minato explains to and consoles Asia on her situation. Likewise, despite his own admittance on his difficulties in expressing himself in social situations, Asia states she considers him a very kind person."Hyoudou-san said you are a very cold person."
He nodded
"But I do not think that is true, I think you are a very kind person, Arisato-san." - When Minato tells Raynare part of his own story at the end of chapter 7 and saying that everyone, even her, is worth something to someone and deserve the chance to know happiness and compassion. Raynare in turn opens up just a little to Minato. It’s really the first step you see towards them slowly coming to an understanding."Everyone is worth something Raynare, even someone like you."
- At the start of chapter 9 when Minato sees Rias among her Peerage and turns to leave and give them privacy. Rias asks him not to go (while blushing) and the rest of her peerage promptly go up and pull him into the celebration. There’s something really heartwarming about the fact that even though Minato doesn’t consider himself to be a part of their group, they’ve obviously come to see him as part of their True Companions.
- Uriel gives the group a description of Minato's vision of heaven in chapter 12. Doubles as a Tear Jerker, given his separation from Mitsuru and the rest of SEES."There is a city. And within that city there is a house. Not a big one, mind you, just a regular-sized one. And in that house there is a boy. A boy who goes down the stairs every morning to see his parents waiting for him. He drinks in their greeting, stays there for as long as he can before the knock on the door. He goes to open it, and there gathered on the outside are a group of people. His friends. And within that group there is a girl. She is special to him, and him to her, and together, the girl and the boy and their friends go on whatever adventures boys and girls their age go on. He is happy there, content, and this repeats, and repeats, and repeats, until the cycle will eventually be broken, not by him, but because time immemorial has ended."
- In Chapter 18, when Issei goes to Minato for advice on how to ask Asia out, he expresses doubts on why Asia and Koneko would like him when there are plenty of guys out that are handsome, cooler and overall more attractive than him. Minato simply sits him down and explains clearly that he’s being too hard on himself, that even though there are people better looking, better at fighting, better than him in every possible parameter, that has no relevance to how they feel towards him. They like Issei for Issei, because they’ve seen his good traits and they wouldn’t like him if they didn’t think he was worthy of them
- Afterwards it's also a very cute moment when Issei and Asia are trying to broach the subject (among their topics of conversation include the weather) when Minato "accidentally" knocks Issei into Asia which, while shocking to them for the first few seconds, they gradually relax into it.
- Minato gives a little girl who he just met enough money and toys to support her family, and then hides so the woman won't give it back.
- After that he summons The Reaper to allow Akeno to communicate with her dead mother. It's more so heartwarming since the dead don't normally remember things in life, but her mother loved her so much that she forcibly recalled things from Death itself, and to make sure she could talk as long as she liked, Minato stayed awake the entire night. Then, he talks to her about her situation with her dad. He tells her that while she saw him as the father who wasn't there to save her mom and almost didn't save her, he saw himself as the husband who could not protect his wife and was almost unable to save his daughter.Minato: "I imagine that any hatred you feel towards him does not compare to the loathing he feels towards himself."
- After that he summons The Reaper to allow Akeno to communicate with her dead mother. It's more so heartwarming since the dead don't normally remember things in life, but her mother loved her so much that she forcibly recalled things from Death itself, and to make sure she could talk as long as she liked, Minato stayed awake the entire night. Then, he talks to her about her situation with her dad. He tells her that while she saw him as the father who wasn't there to save her mom and almost didn't save her, he saw himself as the husband who could not protect his wife and was almost unable to save his daughter.
- The quiet moment in chapter 20 when Minato and Rias have a heart-to-heart on the balcony of his new home. Rias talks Minato into disclosing some of his past to her and he, in turn, lets go of some of the distance he tried to keep from his new friends, during which he also reveals some of the doubts he harbors about his own actions which ends with Rias giving Minato a Cooldown Hug and telling him it was alright for him to be a little selfish while he was wondering whether or not it would have been better if he hadn't been released from the Great Seal. Made better by the fact that Minato relaxes into the hug after seeing how much courage it actually took Rias to make such a bold move onto him and it becomes clear that they’re both starting to enjoying the moment.
- Reciprocated in Chapter 21, when Rias confesses all her doubts and fears about her worth as a leader to Minato, and he assures that she is very much worthy of her peerage's respect and devotion.
- Finally, after several chapters worth of Ship Tease, at the end of the exhibition match between Minato and the Occult Research Club after Minato congratulates Rias for a good battle even if they lost, Rias simply asks Minato for a favor that he acquiesces to and she wordlessly pulls him into a kiss.
- Minato's reaction during the kiss counts in some ways as well, even though he did his best to remain aloof in this new world, despite his adverseness to romantic interactions he enjoys the kiss on an emotional level and when Rias pulls away it's clear that she knows when dares him to deny that he felt anything and when he doesn't she simply kisses him again.
- The final paragraph also shows the rest of the Occult Research Club club quietly watching and expressing approval and satisfaction at the scene as well as all the spectators in the audience.
