Disclaimer: Obviously, I do not own either Kenji nor Highschool DxD. The only thing that could maybe be called mine is the absolutely asinine idea of mixing those two together.
Chapter 1: Mantis Intercepts
The yellow sun was setting into its orange horizon; the twilight sky now revealing softly the silver light of the full moon. The star-like lights of the streets below were just now being lit on and so Kuoh's plaza started to take shape as the brightly lit and starry-like town center that, though did not rival places like Tokyo in pure scale, certainly had it's own intrinsic charm. Neither too urban, nor too rural; in short, a very pleasant place to live - is what Kenji though as he refreshed his mind and stomach with a hearty bowl of ramen, together with Issei of course.
Just after removing themselves from the source of trouble (namely the guy at the arcade), the two teenagers agreed, or more like Issei insisted, that Kenji be payed back for his troubles. The short martial artist, of course, initially rejected that idea - he did it because he wanted to, not because he wished for any reward, in fact, it would probably just make him feel guilty if he accepted any kind of material reward from Issei. Issei did not relent, he could be quite enthusiastic with these sorts of things.
In the end, both came to an agreement that they'd hang out together for the afternoon and Issei would serve as a guide for the place and pay their lunch. This very much pleased both of them: it pleased Kenji because he'd earn himself a new friend, or at least an acquaintance, that was about his age and familiar with the town, and Issei...
"Hey, hey, what was that cool move you did on the guy? I've never seen anything quite like it except in games and anime!", the taller, brown haired teenager questioned Kenji with excitement in between slurping the hot noodles.
Issei was many things, a pervert, a boobs worshiper, a lustful beast... mostly things related to his perverted nature, but, what he also was, was a red blooded male.
A red blooded teenaged japanese male and also an otaku, in other words, he watched a lot of anime and played a lot of games. It then came as no surprised that he also enjoyed the martial arts and action side of things, in fact, he was a big fan of Dragon Ball.
It was that part of him that couldn't help itself but to excitedly ask Kenji about his martial arts.
"Hm?", Kenji's eyes turned from the ramen bowl in front of him to the sparkling eyes of the younger teenager. Seeing the excitement in Issei's eyes brought a smile to is face - it was always really nice when someone appreciated his most beloved Martial Arts.
"Oh, that! That was a leg sweep from Seven Star Mantis Kung Fu, 'Uprooting Step' is what it's called! It's one of the fundamental leg techniques of the system.", Kenji answered excitedly, maybe he'd have someone he could talk about martial arts with, even if Issei didn't seem to know any himself, just being proactive in asking about it was a good sign in Kenji's book.
"Uprooting Step... that's a cool name! It's almost like a special move!", Issei mumbled aloud while cupping his chin in a exaggerated manner.
"Hahaha, well, if you're impressed by that then wait until you learn what the other moves are called! I believe that there's a technique called 'Black Tiger Steals Heart'.", Kenji replied in a good mood.
"Uooh! Now that sounds like an ultimate move you'd use with a full special bar! It's Mantis Kung Fu, you said? Is that what you practice?", Issei inquired.
"Hmmm, not really. I've learned some of it, along with other types of Kung Fu, but my specialty is Bajiquan.", Kenji replied.
"Bajiquan? I don't think I've heard of it before. Is it another type of Kung Fu?"
"Yes, actually! It's a short range system that focuses on bridging the gap between you and you opponent and finishing them with close range techniques! It's the first martial art I learned when I was a kid, actually."
"Hmmm, so you started learning since you where young? And you still practice it? Man, I kind of envy guys that have that much determination towards these sorts of things. I'd probably have given up not long after starting... By the way, you mentioned you learned several different styles. I didn't know Kuoh town had that many Kung Fu schools in it... Or any for that matter." Issei said in wonder as he slurped the noodles.
"It does't, actually. I've checked online and I haven't seen any Kung Fu schools around as well - I'm actually transferring schools from a different city, you see."
"Oh! So you're new to the town? Hah, I guess that explains why you didn't know where things were around here. It's kinda obvious now that I think about it. So which school are you transferring to?"
"Kouh Academy, High School Branch. Ever heard of it?", Kenji asked while he gesticulated with a hand.
"Ohhh! Nice, that's the school I go to as well! What year are you in? Second, third?"
"First, actually."
"Huh? Hmmmmm...", Issei cupped his chin with a hand as he analysed Kenji from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet.
"You don't look like a first year... In fact, you look older than me! What's your age?"
"18...", Kenji said as sweat formed on his brow. Damn, looks like Issei is figuring out that something's fishy, better he be careful about what he says, Kenji doesn't want to jeopardize the first friendship he had formed in this town because he was mistaken for a violent delinquent... Even if he was indeed one, even if only technically.
"So you're older than me! Shouldn't you be a third year?"
"Well...", Kenji mutters slowly. "I kinda had some problems in my previous school and ended up being held back a few years, I even had to convince some people to write a few recommendation letters just so I could get into Kuoh Academy. It's... not something I like to talk about. Sorry."
Kenji prays to Buddha that whatever else Issei asks, he doesn't push it much further, nor takes it the wrong way.
"Ah... sorry! I'm not trying to interrogate you you know! If you don't want to talk about it then that's that.", Issei waves his hands desperately. This was an obvious landmine, and Issei did not want to step on it any further if he could help it.
Kenji sighed a sigh of relief.
"Thanks, I appreciate it."
"No problem!", Issei smiled widely while giving a thumbs up. "But first year huh?", he continued.
"What about first year?"
"Ah, nothing... ehehehe... You know... do you like youthful girls, Kenji? First year has some pretty exquisite ladies in it, you know?"
"Huh?", Kenji blinked slowly.
"Kenji, there's no need to hide it from me! The reason every young man has enrolled into Kuoh Academy is because it just recently went co-ed, which means most of the student body is made up of girls! Now tell me, which is size your favorite? Boob-wise I mean."
"Ah... uh...", Kenji couldn't help but reel back in shock at the sudden turn Issei had taken. Gone was Kenji impression of Issei being a normal, if a bit excitable, teenager and now, instead of that, in it's full glory stood the image of a perverted beast that had no shame in discussing perverted topics in public with someone he had barely met.
Regardless, this sudden shattering of his previous impressions left Kenji a bit dumbfounded. He didn't really know how to respond.
"Ah... um... uh... Normal, I guess?"
"So, you're the 'medium is premium' sort of guy? Some would call that boring, but I say it's daring to be so against the grain!", Issei encouraged what he perceived to be his new friend's particular taste.
"Regardless, there are many that match your preferences in the first year classrooms, so there's no need to worry! Also, if you're like Matsuda and also like them on the smaller size, the first years have plenty of that as well! I might prefer them on the bigger size but I can also appreciate the beauty and shape of..." Issei rambles on about boobs with a passion that matches Kenji's on martial arts.
'Have I made a mistake?', Kenji wonders as he listens to Issei's endless boobs and sex rambling, thinking that maybe he really was guilty of whatever that guy at the arcade had accused him of.
Still, one friend is better than none, even if he is kind of a pervert, right?
At Kenji's apartment, that same day at night.
Kenji opened the door to the apartment quietly, he didn't want to bother Su in case he was still resting after all. After finishing his meal with Issei, the two had exchanged numbers and gone their separate ways. Although Issei's perversion had come as a surprise to Kenji, he still hoped to keep contact with the guy. He still seemed decent to Kenji, if a little bit more awkward now. Regardless, a few minutes later and the short martial artist was back in his apartment.
As soon as he entered the living room he saw Su looking at the the TV, remote controller in his hand. It read in bold red letters 'Young boy disappears in Kuoh town!' below a duo of newscast officers rambling on about the possible causes of the event.
Then, the television was suddenly turned off.
Su turned to look at Kenji with a cheerful smile on his face.
"Ah, Kenji! You're back! Took yer sweet time, eh? What do you think of the city?"
"Well... it's pretty nice actually! It's a very pretty and spacious place and it even has a big park where we can practice our martial arts!", Kenji, not expecting such a question out of the blue answered with the first thing is his mind.
Su laughed heartily.
"Thinking about martial arts already?! Man, you really are obsessed! Ahahahahaha!"
"Hehehehe, what can I say? It's pretty much my only hobby ever since I was a child.", Kenji responded sheepishly.
"Ha! Well, I would be lying if I said I'm not on the same boat. You must have heard this already, but it's always very refreshing to have a young student as talented and dedicated as yourself."
Kenji blushed slightly at that, but didn't deny it. He might not admit it openly in order to not seem arrogant, but he was indeed very proud of his progress so far.
After all, who could blame him after the experiences he had so far? Even hardened professional fighters, security officers and military personnel would raise their eyebrows at the thought of going through what Kenji did.
"Ah! Su, actually, I met a student from Kuoh academy while I was exploring the city.", Kenji said, trying to shift the theme of the conversation back to his impressions of the place.
For a brief moment, Su's gaze widened in surprise and wonder. Then, his eyes quickly returned to normal.
"Really, what was their name?", the short master asked calmly, or at least tried to. Kenji had interacted closely with Su for a long time, heck, they where practically brothers by this point! As much as he tried to, he couldn't hide a little bit of strain and annoyance from seeping into his tone. Most wouldn't notice such a thing, but again, Kenji's history with the Mantis master made him very keen to these shifts and subtle details.
"Um... Something wrong, Su? You seem a bit tense."
Su widened his eyes a little bit and sighed though his nose in what Kenji knew was frustration.
"You've really gotten good at reading me, you know?", the short man sighed before continuing. He ponders his answer for a bit before speaking.
"The thing is, the Union had to pull quite a few favors with a few important families in order to get you into Kuoh academy, moreover, said families' daughters are also studying there. For as much power as the Union has, they'd rather maintain amicable relationships with these two families and the families they return said wishes, however, that might change if there's any incident involving you and their daughters."
"... You make it sound like I'm some random thug! Do you have that little faith in me?!", Kenji shouted in indignation. What the hell kind of impression did Su have of him?! Yeah, he might have gotten into unnecessary fights often, but harassing girls? He had never, ever...
"That's not what I mean. But you have to admit that you are a natural when it comes to attracting problems and unwanted attention... specially from girls, I hear."
"Wha-?! What is that supposed to mean?!", now he was confused.
Su Yu-Chang forms a shit eating grin and cups his chin in an exaggerated motion.
"Well, well, Kenji, you gigolo, you! I've heard from your grandfather that you've caught the attention of at least three girls without even trying! So how can I not be worried that you'll woo someone you shouldn't? I mean, did you see how Akira reacted when we were leaving in the train station?"
"...What?", Kenji says unemotionally.
"...What what?"
"What girls are you talking about? And what do you mean Akira? We're just friends."
"... You granddad also said you were as dense as a black hole, but I didn't think it was that bad." Su sighed again.
"She likes you romantically, you idiot. I saw her for like 5 minutes and I could already notice it.", the master declared as he poked the young man on the forehead.
"Oh...", Kenji says with a deadpan expression
"Yeah, 'Oh...' is a nice way to look at it.", Su imitates Kenji's deadpan expression.
"Uhhhh, well... damn. I guess I'll have to talk to her about it next time we meet?", he sheepishly says. In reality, his mind was racing a thousand miles per hour.
'What... the... hell...! Akira likes me that way? Why have I never-?! No... It made sense now that I think about it, the family meetings, the pinky promise...! Agrh! How could I not seen it up until-'
"Yeah, you damn better!", Su expressed with annoyance in his voice, cutting off Kenji's internal panicking.
"But anyway... who was the person you met?"
"Huh? Oh... Yeah...", Kenji breathed slowly. Inhale, exhale.
'Now's not the time for this. I'll think more about this later. But damn, Akira'll probably be super mad at me for ignoring her for this long.'
After a few moments, he had regained his center.
After calming down, he said:
"Well, it was a guy for one. His name was Hyoudou Issei, a second year."
"Hm, so it wasn't any of those two, huh.", Su wondered aloud.
"You seem very hesitant to the idea of me meeting them. Should I be avoiding them while in Kuoh? What are their names anyway?"
"No, not really, you'll be meeting them sooner or later, so there's no point in avoiding them. Their names are Rias Gremory, club president of Kuoh Academy's Occult club and Sona Shitori, student council president. I heard they are a very striking lot, you won't have much difficulty recognizing them."
Kuoh Town outskirts, that same night.
Far away from Kouh Academy, the main plaza or any other places of dense gathering stood several abandoned warehouses. Decrepit and broken concrete and glass littered the floor all the way to the dirty walls surrounding the place. The silver moonlight shone on it's black and grey walls... and that's how it should have been.
However, as one got closer to one of the particular warehouses, strange thing could be heard...
CRUNCH CRUNCH
Seen...
A thick red liquid flowed abundantly in the ground.
And smelled.
The thick stench of death, unmistakable for someone such as him.
Su Yu-Chang walked confidently toward said warehouse, his sharp and anger filled eyes pinpointing the place with ease.
Step Step Step
As soon as the Mantis master took another step forward, he felt he had passed through a strong magical barrier.
'Interesting. Instead of damaging the intruder, cursing them or any other offensive effect, this barrier seems to the completely dedicated to wholly hiding whomever's inside it from the outside world... An improved version of dimensional manipulation perhaps? Regardless, it's potent. No wonder Gremory and Sitri had trouble finding this one.'
Step Step Step
It did not take him very long to find the perpetrator.
In the middle of the dark warehouse stood a gigantic scorpion-like creature, with a black, distorted lower body and an upper, human-like naked female torso. But even the seemingly human part betrayed it's monstrosity as it's unhinged jaw munched on the leftover pieces and limbs of a young boy.
'Damn it. I didn't get here quick enough!', Su Yu-Chang clicked his tongue.
"Huh?"
The female stray devil turned to look behind itself, searching for the source of the previous noise.
It then smiled when it saw the short man.
"Oh my... What have we here? Another meal seems to have stumbled upon my lair all on it's own!"
"So you're the stray devil that has been kidnapping the people around here, I suppose?", Su questioned in a cold, dead voice.
"Oho! And it shows no fear as well! I don't sense any particular demonic or holy energy fro within you, so you must be a human, someone from the church maybe?"
"...", Su keeps silent.
"Giving me the silent treatment? No matter, I don't really care where you come from anyway. Still, I'm curious, how did you find me? I though I had made sure my magic would be able to hide me for quite a few weeks more."
"I have my ways.", Su answered as he assumed a fighting stance.
'Still, seems it wasn't really their fault that they haven't ended it yet (if they have even tracked it down yet, that it), not only is it's barrier strong, but the stray devil itself seems to be quite above average. Look's like I can put a little bit more into it.'
"Hah, hilarious! If you think you can beat me, they why don't you-"
Suddenly, Su stomps the ground, deep cracks form on the concrete and a sound like lightning resounds through the warehouse. The master uses this as propulsion and flies forward like a meteorite.
The stray devil does not have time to react before Su's fist connects to it's torso.
Zhenjiaoquan
(Thundering Step Punch)
A festival of blood and guts greets Su as his punch makes the stay devil's torso explode.
"Ara?" Su mutters dumbfounded as he sees the monsters leftover's fly all over the place... and on him as well.
"Ewwww! Damn it you! Weren't you supposed to be stronger than this? Don't tell me you were one of those glass cannon things?! I didn't even use Touki!", he complained to the thing's corpse as he despaired at his clothes current state.
"Fuck! I'll have to buy new ones! This sucks!"
Su sighs.
'Welp, so much for doing with this in a clean manner... Let's hope my little intrusion doesn't infuriate the devils nor the Union...'
He says as he walks towards a nearby river to bathe and rid himself of any stank before heading bath to the apartment.
Author's Notes:
Here I am, KungFuNerd3334. Sorry for the delay, I might write slowly but not that slowly. Next chapter probably won't take that long to come out.