Chapter 8 : (Devil) hunter
"Ow! Ow! Ow! That hurts, doctor!"
I said, resisting the sharp pain coming from my body. And here I am inside the school's infirmary together with the others being treated by Dr. Bradley.
"Hold still Ichika-kun, this is going to be over in instant."
Hisdeep but soft angelic voice washed away my pain like a clean water, his eyes which sit behind a pair of crystal clear aluminum spectacles-so clear that they reflect the light above are in emerlard green radiating warmth to run all over my body. As if drawn by an unconscious force, I nodded reluctantly, believing what he said.
How I wrong I was.
I groaned in agony as the pain keeps getting sharper and sharper. It feels like my head is being split opened into half while each of my body part is twisting into unbent angle and detaching themselves one by one.
"There. We are done."
Finally. Hmm? Strange, the pain, they are gone, disappeared like a magic! Poof! Just like that.
"My suggestion to you Ichika-kun, is better not to involve in any physical activities for 5 days, 8 tops, especially the extreme ones like bungee jumping, skateboarding. And forget your kendo club or piloting an I.S. I'll write the MC letter to Orimura-sensei so you don't need to worry about that."
Doctor Bradley Hagel was just transferred into our school's infirmary replacing Nana-sensei, our previous infirmary doctor who resigned from the seat due to marriage ceremony. Doctor Bradley made his appearance on the public recently. His reputation preceeds him as the 'Miracle Hand', whom has saved countless people in their verge of death despite the impossible odds. But that's not all. Behind that stoic look, I heard from the news that he mastered medicinal knowledge both from East and West in a very short time and broke the world record by scooping numerous Nobel prizes in a very short time.
How he is transferred into our academy is still unknown. But the fact that he's someone recommended by Nephilim-san, co-partner of I.S Academy whose company is excelling in weapon developments, including I.S-es, the reason is better not to be known by someone like me, who is out of their league.
While I am pondering how come a magnificent person such as -san is doing in ISA, the man in white cloth is working on the girls.
"The same also goes to all of you kids here."
He has a bandage in one hand, then skillfully wrapping it around Rin's arm and making a simple-but elegant cast in a short time. Next, he moves onto Cecilia, who is complaining the pain that came all over her body. The doctor nodded in understanding as he produced a box of ice packs plasters from a nearby cupboard and presented it to her.
"Just some minor blunt traumas. You are totally fine along with Houki-chan in comparison with this one." He said tonelessly examining Laura. "Moderate blunt force traumas back and forth, sign of falling from a height…*Sigh* possible signs of internal fractures. If it's not for the I.S' Absolute Barrier, you'd be dead already from within. I'll set you a room in the nearby hospital, ja?"
Laura nodded in pain.
"Good! Everything's fine and you kids are free to rest here until you see yourselves fit to go. Except you, Bodewig. You have to wait for the ambulance and don't worry about Orimura-sensei going after you, 'coz I have dealt with her." Bradley-san said with a smile. "You guys surely are lucky ones. Guess what? I just got this from my hospital!"
Bradley-san happily presenting a box of cake on his drawer. Looking at the store name printed onto the box, isn't it the newly opened cake shop near the academy, whose confectionaries are known for it's unique particular taste?
"Anyway, Dunois, go help Bodewig with her cake, and Alcott, do Fang Yin a favor too will you?"
The thought stimulated my saliva and kidnapped me from my thought as I am becoming impatient to taste the slice of a blueberry cheesecake that stood on a small plating handed by the good doctor.
"Itadakimasu!"
With that being said, all of us took a bite in unison. Mmm?! The juicy sweet and sour blueberry was the first thing that is recognized by my tongue. Then, the edible creamy cheese produced from the layers of the cake immediately neutralized the sourness of the blueberry, yet did not totally replace the first flavor as if they are complementing each other. As a result?
Houki nudged me asserting my clean plate.
"Tasted that good, huh?" Bradley-san asked.
"Yes. It's perfect. Arigatou dozaimasu for the treat, Doctor-san." We thanked him.
"Naw…You are making me blush, kids. Just drop the san and call me Bradley. Yeah? Sides, makes me feel old if you kids hook the san behind my name."
"Haik, Bradley." We replied in unison.
"Glad to know that we came into an understanding here. So now, to speed past the time while waiting for the ambulance to pick Bodewig up, I heard that there's a 'special' transfer student rolling into the academy beside you, Ichika-kun. Mind filling me the details?"
"Well, to start, he's a guy as you might be aware of Bradley."
"That's good. Meaning that all of you got another hot guy to chase beside Ichika, huh?"
The cheerful relaxed atmosphere suddenly turned into a heavy irritating gloom.
"I take it as a no, then?"
"Yes. Actually, he's a jerk."
"Well, how?"
"He does not have any respect for a lady."
"Not to mention that he dared to cross the Instructor. I will not forgive him!"
"Really? I gotta admit his guts." Bradley-san sits reversely on a chair. "How bad is he?"
"Worst man I ever seen."
"This is the first time I saw such a barbaric man in my life."
"A truly pinnacle Western barbarian."
"I hope he got kicked by a horse and die."
"Better yet, I wish he got rammed by a car afterward."
Bradley-san's eyebrows rise in unison.
"Hmmmm…judging by the way you are talking about him, don't tell me that he…Ahem. Not wanting to offend any of you girls but did he touch any of you?"
"No. Not at all, Bradley. He's only being rude."
"I see. And the fact that every single of you winded up in here despite his attitude means that whoever he is, bested all of you in a combat, didn't he?"
"No. Not yet, proof is, Ichika just won the fight against him!"
"Well isn't that a surprise? Congratz Ichika-kun."
Somehow, I feel my victory upon Dante-san does not satisfy me. instead, I can't shake the feeling of loss in the fight itself. Dante-san did outmatch me in every aspect both in piloting and combat skills. Tactic is also not an exception, as though he's somehow had been in warzones in ages. I think of the blade used by Chifuyu-nee, whose blade given to me is broken now.
But still, I took Bradley's cold broad hand as he congratulates me upon my victory.
"Arigatou, Bradley." I said, forcing a smile.
"Hey," Bradley speaking softly "Don't cry over a spilt milk, Ichika-kun."
I am surprised with Bradley's response as though he is seeing me through my problem. I nodded reluctantly and he gave me some friendly pats on my shoulder. Maybe the doctor's got the point. It's not the time to get depressed over a broken object. I smiled, knowing what I have to do later.
"So, just out of curiousity." Bradley said, collecting the silverwares from the girls. "The rumor said that he has a personal I.S, what's his type? Close quarter? A long range perhaps?"
"That's hard to tell Bradley. His one is like a combination of both. Throughout the battle, he occasionally switching from close to far range as though turning his palm upside-down."
"Nah, judging from the bulky armor he possesses, there's no doubt that he's a close combatant type. That I am certain of."
"A close rounder? Rin-chan, I think that the blow on your head damaged your perception as I am, Cecilia Alcott certain that Dante's I.S is a long range type!"
"Well…Excuse my stupidity mistress Cecilia…"
CRASH!
The conversation suddenly hit a dead end when Bradley-san accidentally dropped the silverwares he collected. His expression stiffened and he freezes like a statue. I, along with Houki and Charlotte, the three of us together helping him to pick the fallen items and tidy them.
"Devil Hunter…" Bradley-san softly whispered.
"Bradley-san, daijoubu desuka?" I worriedly asked him.
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry kids. I am a klutz sometimes."
"You said Devil Hunter just now, what does it mean?" Charlotte asked, aware of the words that came out from his mouth as she is putting the eating utensils on the doctor's working table.
"Its…nothing."
"Ano…doctor, by any chance, you are not related to Dante-san, are you?" Houki asked.
"No. Not really. Well, *Sigh* Yes. We happen to cross our path back then."
The shocking confession left us speechless.
"WHAT?!"
"Sssht! Pipe down guys!" Bradley-san put his finger on his lips. "Not that loud, please!"
"How?!" Cecilia asked. "How come a respectable upstanding citizen like you affiliated with a brute like Dante?!"
Bradley let out another sigh. This time, it is something more like a relief instead of disappointment and his face is beaming joyfully as though he is taking out the sweetest memory he ever had and proudly presenting to us like his most treasured possession ever in his life. I am sure- that whatever comes from his mouth are indeed a shocking truth for all of us.
"Long before I become what I am now, I used to be a mob working in underworld for my boss. I did drugs, arms, small hits, you name it, and consider it done. Hell, it wouldn't be a surprise that I also ran a human trafficking as well." He heavily emphasized the last part. "Telling you what kids, living in the shadow isn't something that you can be proud of- and not like the fictions that you read in mangas, games, TV dramas, or Hollywood. I say no. That, to be ascertain of. You can't live a single day without thinking when you'll be iced out of the blue and sleeping with an eye out in open in the night."
"That…That's.."
"Horrible? Unbelievable? Save anything you got until the end of the story, Dunois. Now where was I? Ah yes, one day I got a job from my boss to put a hit on the mayor. Just as I thought it'd be another simple hit and run, turning into something that I didn't expect of." Bradley smiles. "I fell in love with the mayor's daughter instead."
I can't believe every single word came out from the respected man's mouth. Neither do the girls. Every single of it seems like a story, more like a fiction to me. Still, I shut every question that is ready to storm out from my mouth.
"So, I was trapped in between my feelings and the boss' order. I dragged my boss' leg to buy some time until his patience ran thin on one night. That night, telling you what kids, was a fateful night for me
to meet Dante. It appeared that he was hired by the mayor who suspected me as a mob for getting close to his daughter," Bradley made a gun point onto his head. "And paid him to do this to me."
Bang! The word calmly escaped from Bradley's mouth as together with finger gun that he cocked upward performing an imaginary gunshot.
"I met Dante first time in a bar while I was reading a book. We shared a drink and I went out as the deadline suggested while he's having his dinner. I had a heated argument with the men in an alley about the hit on the mayor's residence with me once again pulling their legs down and they had enough." Bradley paused. "Thought myself wouldn't meet my love again until Dante came and took out every single of my boss' men easily. And the moment I came into my senses, I felt his icy thick blade resting on my neck, waiting to sever my head off. So, I closed my eyes as my life was at his mercy."
Bradley-san paused again. He sighed, yet his smile does not wear off even after a while. All of us are drawn into his story as if Chifuyu-nee was teaching us here-without us being hit of course.
"But no. Instead, he let me off the hook and walked away. That encounter had mustered my courage- enough to drive me to turn against my leash holder for her sake, and mine as well. By the moment I came to my boss, he's already laid on the cold floor in the mayor's house. Body stoned with bullets, Dante's work."
"Wait! How did you know that Dante pulled the trigger?"
"The mayor is a lousy shooter, no way he'd shoot in deathly accuracy and precision like that. My wife…." Bradley kindly explained to Cecilia. "She detests guns, and the guards in the mayor's house were killed by my boss and his henchmen. So, the only one who could pull the shot was Dante who stood next to the mayor. Apparently the mayor's caught in the firefight and mortally injured. And that's the first time I answered my savior call. Best part is, several months later I was married to my wife. See?"
Bradley proudly showing off the glittering gold ring on his finger. I nodded satisfactory with the happy ending, so do the girls.
"Look, maybe Dante is being harsh with you or someone that you are looking high onto, despite his rudeness like what you said, this One that told you his past…won't be present here today as Bradley Hagel, the 'Miracle Hand' who saved countless of people in the verge of death regarding the odds and became one with Angelina Hagel. So please, I beg all of you, don't take him too personally, alright?"
"The doctor's a good man, isn't he?" I asked.
"Yeah, glad to have him transferred into our school." Houki replied. "It's hard to believe that he used to be a bad guy in the past."
"People do change, don't they?"
"Right."
Both Houki and I are now inside our room. Our school also functions as a dorm. It is compulsory for students of ISA to stay in the academy during the study in order to be easily contacted by the government high ups. Here, we have a very strict rules. Students have to be inside their assigned room by 8.30 PM, lights off at 9.30 PM, and roll call begins at 5.30 at the arena. Should be one of the rules are broken, do expect Chifuyu-nee, I mean Orimura-sensei carries out her authentic punishment of 10 laps in the morning before breakfast.
The clock proudly strikes at 9 PM sharp. I laid on my bed, then gazing onto the silvery clouds up above the ceiling on our room trying to wash today's fatigue off, waiting my eyes to become heavy on its own.
.
..
…
It did not work. Instead, my eyes are now wide open like window. I lifted one of my leg and bent my body forward to look at Houki, my childhood friend but also my roommate. Houki wears a dark pink colored yukata as her nightwear whereas I am fine with a comfortable blue colored shirt and my pants.
"Say, Houki."
"Yep?" She rose her eyebrow.
"I know its stupid, but…"
I muster up my courage, knowing what reaction she'll make based on this topic. But still, I have to bring up this subject or else this night will never let me off from it's grasp.
"What do you know about a devil hunter?"
"HUUUH?!"
Yep. I said that. And just like what I predicted, Houki's mouth is agape, her eyes whose owned by a maiden of Yamato are widely opened in surprise as she's giving me an 'are you idiot?' look. She tried to make a few words, until she left her bed. She placed her slender white arms each on my shoulder, grasping it tightly.
"Hey! Hey! Houki, what's the deal?"
"Are you serious?"
"Serious? What do you mean?"
"You heard me."
"…"
"Then forget it." She said, dropping her arms and showing her back.
"Wait! Houki, chotto mande!"
I said, grabbing her arms and made her to face me. Before she could react, I immediately joined my arms together and presenting them in a praying manner to her as if she's a goddess whom I am praying onto.
"Houki, please! I beg you! I mean, I know a devil hunter is a character like we see in animes, movies, games, or mangas but there is something else hidden in it. Since you are the one I know who runs a shrine, you might know something else about it! Please, Houki. You are the one who I can run into!"
"Alright! Alright! Cut it out already, geez!" She sighs. "One thing, what's gotten into you for asking that?"
"That's…well, um…you see…"
"*Sigh!* I reckon that you are gathering materials for your stupid book again, aren't you? Guess it can't be helped."
Hey Houki, calling my book is stupid somehow hurts me you know. I put my heart, tears, and sweat into every single blank page and turned them into an art that sold more than a million copies domestically. I wanted to object her statement but I feel that it's best to let it slipped from her mouth for now.
"Another thing, whatever I am saying, do not laugh and keep this between us or else. Got it?"
I reluctantly nodded in agreement with Houki's term.
" So where should I start? Right, we begin with the term itself first. As you are aware of, a devil hunter stands for the one who exorcising demons back to hell, obviously as the name suggested. Now, since this profession…"
"Wait! So a devil hunter, is a job?"
"Surprising, isn't it? Yes. However, because this job is quite…'gritty' due to its nature, you never find it in public. So, they keep it in tab under shrine keeper, monk, or priest's profession. Now, there are two types of devil hunter based on their origin. The East, are more into building relationship with the astral beings and training their spiritual power." Houki sighed, there is a change in her tone. "While the West, are the worst ones. Their training are solely focusing into physical strength with excessive training to meet the requirements of wielding Animas, a spiritual object such as charms, magical objects, or silvers to aid them in their work. Put it simple, they view astral beings as tools. This is where they got the wrong idea. To become an Onmyouji, you have to train your spiritual energy as well. Not only your body. Well, but mostly spiritual energy. Thus, it's not rare that the body count of potential Onmouyji candidates in the West during their training are sky rocket in comparison with the East. Also, in terms of approaching violent astral beings, we Eastern Onmyoujis usually communicate with the astral first to negotiate with them before. Force cleansing if they are beyond help. On the other hand, the Devil Hunter…the term we Onmyoujis use to call the West, they immediately jump straight into cleansing without any peace approach at all."
"Speaking of which Houki, you mentioned about cleansing. Is it you know, spirit cleansing? It should be a good thing right? Isn't the method used by Devil Hunters are the same iike Onmyoujis?"
Houki shook her head. "Not really, you are missing the point here, Ichika. We cleanse violent astral spirits by the grace of Kanon Goddess, Amaterasu-sama, Bodhisatvas, and other holy spirits' compassion for their sufferings hoping that they could be reborn in better life while praying for Yama, the King Of Hell to reduce their end life sentence in underworld."
"So, Onmyoujis are like some sort of lawyers for the astral beings or something?"
"You can say that. The cleansing process that we are using is painless, however the method used by Devil Hunters are just…too cruel."
"Cruel? You don't mean that they…"
"Yes."
"Using their…"
"God, Ichika! I always thought you are an idiot for sure and I am right! Which part that you don't understand about 'negotiation is over as always' and 'astral beings are merely just a disposal'?"
'Oh."
Houki sighs again. There is a long plausible pause between us until I finally understand what she means. I groggily swallowed my saliva.
"Either way…"
The lights are already gradually dimmed. By the time I looked at the clock, it finally reached at 9.30 PM sharp and lights in every rooms are turned off automatically. This time however, I forgot to turn on the desk lamp on where I charged my phone and my vision is not that well in the dark. I tripped over my feet and I hit a chair hiding in a shadow.
"Ichika, daijoubu-desuka?"
"I..Iitai, daijou…WHOA HOUKI, YOUR HAND IS ON FIRE?!"
"Heh! It's nothing to be worry about." She chuckled. "This is a spiritual flame. The fundamental training of every Onmyoujis to go through in their training."
I am utterly speechless gazing at the small yet beautiful orange flame dancing calmly on Houki's palm radiating adequate amount of lighting into this room as though it is a candle. Thanks to the fire, that I can make images of Houki's wooden sword, my laptop bag, and the rest of the items sitting in this room based on their silhouette. I am reaching the fire on her hand answering my curiosity, as well as being captivated into the harmful untouchable living jewelry. My hand gently brushed against Houki's palm.
It's warm.
Has a woman's hand, her palm always this warm?
I am captivated into the flame, then looking at her face which is now becoming rosy red.
"Houki…"
"Ha…haik?"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"A…anyway, turn on the table lamp, will you? I can't always keep this on since it consumes my energy."
"Ha..haik! Right!"
I complied, then carefully navigating through the hazards below my feet. Click! The desk lamp instantly shot lights out from the light bulb aiding our vision better than Houki's spiritual flame. Houki forms a fist. POOF! The flame instantly disappeared like a lighter.
"Well, this talk makes me sleepy. I am hitting the sack now." Houki yawns and drops her body on her bed.
"Yeah. Me too." I climbed onto my bed.
"Hey Ichika."
"Yeah?"
"One more thing."
"What is it?"
"That Dante-san, don't get near with him."
"Yeah, I know. He's a jerk."
"No. Not that he's a jerk, Ichika. But something else."
"Something else?" I rolled myself over facing Houki's bed. "Are you talking about that spiritual and astral being stuffs again?"
"Hardly, yes." She faced over me. "Look! I know you won't believe me or whatsoever after I explained between Onmyouji and Devil Hunter just like what you asked or even my spiritual flame that I showed you just now."
"No. No. I do believe you, Houki."
"Glad to know that. But still Ichika, I want you to stay away from Dante as far as possible. Again, it's not because that he is a jerk to all of us including Orimura-sensei but it's about his origin."
"Origin? What are you saying?"
"He's not human."
"What?"
"You heard me. He's not a normal human, nor a human to begin with."
"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! How did you know?"
"Did you forget that I am a shrine maiden? I can 'see' 'things' Ichika. You may think that I am crazy since we are in elementary but that's what I am, alright?"
"Okay, okay. I trust you. Look! I never think that you are crazy or weird since we were kids, Houki. It's just like you are tomboy to me that's all. That's what makes who you are today and it never changed. Really Houki, what's wrong with Dante?"
"He's a demon. A devil, ayakashi, yokai, you name it." She venomously stated. "I can feel it, Ichika. That he's not a lesser or middle class devil that my family generations or any Onmyoujis ever encountered all over Japan, Taiwan, or China that I known, but a high end devil. Even I know the West'sdevils from A to Z, they are nothing in comparison with Dante's presence." She stated. "But don't worry. I'll protect you. It's a promise."
"Sheesh, you make me feel bad, Houki. Getting protected by a girl? Oh come on! I can do better than that!" I said. "I am going to protect you instead. That's my promise."
"B…Baka! Geez! Just shut up and sleep already! We still have a class tomorrow! Oyasuminasai!"
With that being said, Houki rolled over sideway and falls into a slumber.
"Yeah, oyasuminasai, Houki."
Devil Hunter and demon, huh? I muttering to myself.
Just what are you, Dante-san?
That's all folks! Hope y'all enjoy that. Trying my best to keep between two universe's story in balance. Stay tuned for the next chapters. Oh by the way, Bradley made his appearance in DMC animation series in any of those episodes. He's a lesser devil whose ability is to heal injuries. As for the characters in DMC animation, I decided to include Patty Lowell, Morrison, and Bradley for now. The rests came from the game, manhuas, and novels but just the main characters only. As for the I.S universe, I am trying to avoid pairing Ichika with a specific character but since the story turns out to be this one, well…I pity Dunois and Bodewig fans as well as others. For Dante's pairings however, I got buzzed to pair him with Chifuyu just like the stuff in Infinite Cry. Nor that I can say I am disagree with that however, let's see how this story goes as Lady and Patty make their appearance in the story. Did I also say that Trish, or more likely Eva will jump into action too? I can't sure myself neither but I am quite optimists with how this goes. This is Qin W.X, and Zai Jian!