Chapter 9

The rest of the week went similarly for Junichiro as the one before. Though, he increased the amount of magical power he was leaking a tiny bit every day to make it seem as if his sacred gear was growing closer to awakening, or possibly getting stronger. Aside from that, the perverted trio had spread some rumors about him to the student body in an attempt to discredit him.

It didn't work.

He was constantly polite and helpful when asked and his lunches with Koneko had become something of an event for the school. All the various girls found the sight of Koneko eating the lunch he'd brought for her to be adorable. He could hardly disagree. When asked about it by various girls, he told them the truth. He simply brought her lunch because he knew he couldn't handle the look she would give him if he didn't. Everyone agreed that such a look would be deadly.

The only odd incident had been his one run-in with the only openly perverted girl in the school Aika Kiryuu. He ran into her once in the halls where she'd taken a single look at him, blushed, gotten a small nosebleed of all things, and immediately fled from him. He'd occasionally seen her taking peeks at him since then but nothing overtly bad. So, he let it go and resigned himself to having a benign stalker.

With school being a constant, his only other pursuits at home involved creating more and more magical gems for him to use. It might seem like a waste since he planned to become a devil and would thus have access to imagination-based magic, but his gems amplified the magic they produced. Besides, there were a few things that devil magic couldn't do such as light and holy magic. He, however, made a gem for light magic and a special kind of gem that could enhance other gems and add the holy element to the magic cast through them. This meant he had access to things such as Holy Flames, Holy Lighting, Holy Ice, and so on for whatever kind of magic gems he made.

He also spent several hours each day training with his simulated sensei, practicing with ranged weapons, practicing with his magic gems, and working on improving his boosts with Ddraig. He had managed to push himself up to four boosts improving himself by sixteen times. It was the best he could do with his current body and that was only because of the nanites flowing through him and improving anything and everything they could to the peaks of humanity and efficiency. He doubted he could ever get drunk with how strong his kidneys had become.

Thanks to them he went from relatively in shape to ripped as hell, all without getting bigger. His muscles were denser than most humans giving him higher strength without bigger muscles. Unfortunately, that was as much as he could eek out of his human body. His improved base stats plus his sixteen times boost made him rather powerful for a human. Ddraig even admitted that Junichiro was the strongest pure human wielder he'd had in a while. If Junichiro's magic wasn't so out of balance with his physicality he'd be able to boost significantly more. Ddraig had never had a human partner with so much magical power to unbalance themselves. Junichiro suspected that being born with the Boosted Gear actually stunted the magical ability of its hosts. It would explain why the Boosted Gear sucked him dry of magical power for a week solid and why Issei had been so magically inept and weak at the beginning of his career as the Red Dragon Emperor.

However, neither Junichiro nor Ddraig felt that was a bad thing. Thanks to Junichiro unlocking Ddraigs restricted boost ability to its full potential, he could do some truly terrifying things. Ddraig taught Junichiro how to directly boost his magic spells. They couldn't practice his maximum potential with the ability to do so, but by Ddraig's professional estimates, Junichiro could boost his spells by at least one hundred times, easily, without feeling strain. Junichiro was a walking magical nuke of massive potential.

If he was being honest, Junichiro was actually enjoying his new life. Ddraig was quickly becoming his best friend. Koneko was a cute, if ravenous, little thing that he enjoyed a companionable silence with. He had tangible proof that he was getting stronger all the time. And he could create whatever his heart desires! Like the lightsaber sitting inside of his storage ring. He didn't care who would call him a geek or nerd, anyone who liked sci-fi would kill for a real lightsaber! Not to mention the other dozen or so little things he'd made just because he could.

When the bell for lunch finally rang, he grabbed his large bag holding the two lunches he brought, and made his way toward the classroom door. He spotted Tsubaki, Sona's queen, standing near the doorway and before he could really wonder why she was staying instead of heading for the student council room, she approached him. Tsubaki gave him a small smile as she spoke politely, "Hello again Arai-san. Sona-Kaichou was wondering if you could join her and the rest of the student council for lunch today?"

Junichiro was actually a little surprised that the invite he'd been expecting in the future came so soon. The magical power he was leaking was still weak by most standards, he expected more observation until it was stronger. It seemed Sona was getting a jump on Rias for some reason. He thought through the situation in an instant while offering Tsubaki a small smile, "Is it related to my performance in class or anything else school-related Shinra-san?"

Tsubaki continued to smile and speak politely, "Not at all Arai-san. Sona-kaichou just wished to speak with you for a bit and believed lunchtime would be the most convenient."

"I see. Well, I'm afraid I will have to decline at this time Shinra-san. I have a cute kohai who will be expecting me and the food I have for her. Perhaps another time."

With that said, he gave her an appropriate bow for the situation and continued on his way to the courtyard where Koneko was most likely waiting for him already. Sure enough, when he arrived she was sitting on a bench under a tree waiting with a look of expectation on her face as she looked around for him. As he got close he addressed her while she smiled softly at him, "Sorry for being late Koneko-chan. I was waylaid by Shinra-san asking me to join the student council for lunch on behalf of Shitori-kaichou."

Did he have to say so much while handing over the lunch he brought for her? Of course not! But he knew the news would get back to Rias before long and that was his goal. Koneko looked slightly annoyed at his news but it didn't stop her from taking the offered lunch and digging it without a word. Junichiro just smiled at her antics and sat next to her so he could enjoy his lunch in peace.

As he munched on his lunch, Junichiro was contemplating all the things he could finally do once he was a devil. He had major plans to add abilities to himself with some genetic modifications. He'd long ago gotten multiple genetic samples from Koneko and isolated the bits and pieces that would give him the same sort of easy access to touki and senjutsu that nekoshou enjoyed without having to turn himself fully into one.

He could, theoretically, learn how to wield touki as a human or devil if he put in enough effort. But he was a cheater! Besides, yokai, in general, had a much easier time using touki and seemed much more proficient in it than other races. Besides, who wouldn't want a genetic level advantage in any ability?

The only reason he hadn't incorporated them into himself yet was simple, he was far too strong for Rias to turn into a devil already. He already knew he was going to have to seal off almost all of his power and hide it as it if wasn't there at all to trick the evil piece system. Having to hide even more abilities, powers, or attributes would just make it that much harder. That's why he was honestly glad Sona had jumped to talk with him. It would push Rias forward as well.

After yet another amazing lunch provided by Arai-sempai, Koneko made her way to the Occult Research Club. She needed to speak with Rias about what Arai-sempai said during their usual lunch. When she stepped inside the main room she found Rias and her queen Akeno enjoying lunch together. Akeno was the perfect representation of the Japanese Yamato Nadeshiko, a Japanese beauty. Well, almost perfect. Average Japanese women didn't have such massive chests, Akeno's being even larger than Rias's own impressive bust.

Rias looked up from her own lunch and gave Koneko a bright smile, "Finished eating lunch with Arai-san already Koneko?"

Koneko had eaten a little faster than normal to get back to the ORC clubhouse before lunch finished so she nodded before saying what she came to say, "Sona-kaichou sent Tsubakli-fuku-kaichou to invite Arai-sempai to have lunch with the student council."

Rias frowned a little at that, "So, Sona is interested in his constantly increasing magical power as well." She focused on Koneko, "Any hint if he has a sacred gear or is just a natural mage?"

Koneko wrinkled her nose cutely, "He smells like dragon."

Rias looked excited now, "So the scent is coming from him?"

At Koneko's nod, Rias had a full-blown grin on her face, "So it's a sacred gear awakening. The only question is which one? No dragon-based sacred gear can be considered weak. Though, I personally hope it's better than a Twice Critical." she sighed wistfully, "If only it was the Boosted Gear. If I could have this generation's Red Dragon Emperor in my peerage..."

Left unsaid was how such a powerful peerage member could, hopefully, help her crush Riser Phenex into the ground, "Thank you for letting me know Koneko."

Junichiro let out a sigh of contentment as the bell rang to announce the end of school for the day. He was looking forward to going home and getting some more work done. As much as he was actually enjoying being in school as a teenager again, he got more fulfillment out of making things with The Workshop and practicing with Ddraig.

As he approached the door to his classroom, he couldn't help arching an eyebrow as he spotted not only Tusbaki waiting for him but Kiba Yuuto as well. Kiba was a member of Rias's peerage and for some reason, she seemed to like using him as a messenger. Kiba was a year younger than him and was known as the prince of Kuoh due to his European looks. Natural blonde hair and blue eyes with a beauty mark beneath his left eye made him a stereotypical bishonen and thus the target of many hateful rumors from a certain trio of pervs.

Junichiro was sure both of them were there for him at the behest of their kings but chose to ignore them and try to make his way out of the classroom unmolested. While he very much wished to join Rias's peerage, no need to make it super obvious and possibly draw suspicion. He was going to have enough trouble with suspicion once his full power was revealed after his race change. But as expected, the pair of devils moved to intercept him. Tsubaki got to him first, "Hello once again Arai-san. Sona-kaichou was hoping you would be able to join the student council for a bit now that school has ended for the day?"

Kiba, only slightly off-put to come in second behind Tsubaki, spoke up next, "Rias-buchou was also hoping to have a word with you Arai-sempai, perhaps after you're finished with the student council?"

The two devils shared a confrontational look at each other, briefly, though Junichiro caught it. Sona and Rias may be friends, but they were also rivals, and both clearly gunning for the same prize, himself. Junichiro decided to address Tsubaki first, "I suppose I can do so Shinra-san. As long as it doesn't take too long." He turned to look at Kiba, "Unfortunately, I will have to decline your invitation. I'm not the least bit interested in the occult, so I see no reason to meet with the president of the Occult Research Club. Thank you for the invitation though."

Junichiro had to fight to keep a smile off of his face at the look Kiba was sporting. Is this how women felt when playing hard to get? No wonder they did it so much! It was pretty fun and exciting to wonder what Rias would try to do to get his attention next. But that would have to wait, with Kiba politely blown off, he turned to follow Tsubaki through the school to the offices of the student council.

When he entered the student council room after Tsubaki, he spotted other members of Sona's peerage. He honestly couldn't put a name to any of the faces. Sona was a second-tier side character, her peerage was even lower than that in the show. It wasn't his fault they never got enough screen time for him to remember them on sight. Still, they didn't matter so he placed his attention on Sona. She had her attention on him as well and he could tell she was measuring him up.

When he got close to her desk, Sona gestured to the chair in front of it, "Thank you for coming Arai-san. Please, have a seat."

Junichiro gave her a polite bow of his head and took the seat while Tusbaki went to stand behind and to the side of Sona. There was complete silence in the room as Junichiro and Sona stared at each other silently. It was a cheap tactic to try and get him to speak first as if that somehow gave her the initiative. He wasn't going to give her the satisfaction. Actually, he wouldn't be surprised if she hated his guts after this meeting was over.

The silence slowly became awkward for Sona and her peerage while Junichiro looked perfectly content to stay silent for the rest of the day. Sona finally broke the silence with a slight blush on her cheeks. She'd prepared to speak after Junichiro asked why he was there. His silence made it so much more awkward for her to start a conversation, "Myself and other members of the student council have noticed the way you conduct yourself in the day-to-day life of a student here at Kuoh Academy. We like what we've seen so far. You're kind to your kohai, even bringing Tojou-san lunch every day without having to. You've even amicably interacted with many of the clubs here."

Junichiro held back the instinct to snort at Sona. She sounded so off balance due to his silence. As for what she was saying, his interactions with the various clubs usually came after he saw the perverted trio either running for their lives or getting a well-deserved beat down. He always politely spoke to them to get more information. His only outward response to Sona was a small smile.

Sona cleared her throat, "As such, we were hoping you would join the student council and become one of us."

"I refuse."

Everyone looked shocked at the instant refusal. Sona, most of all, looked confused and tried to recover the situation, "I haven't even had a chance to explain the benefits of membership."

"With all due respect, I don't care. I'm not interested in being a member of a useless school organization," was his brutal interruption.

Everyone in the room looked highly offended at his comment, as would be expected. Sona pushed her glasses up and addressed him coldly, "Would you care to explain what you mean by that?"

He could hear a slight undertone of threat in her voice. He didn't care and went for her throat instantly, "What else would you call a student organization that not only does nothing to punish criminals but seems to actively condone their crimes?"

Sona's look of offense was pretty extreme, "We most certainly do not allow criminals or condone crimes of any kind!"

He cut her off before she could get going, "The perverted trio."

"I fail to see..."

He cut her off once more, "Yes, you definitely fail..."

This time Sona cut him off, "Stop that! I fail to see how those three are criminals. No one even complains about them anymore."

Junichiro stared at her while his face contorted into a look of absolute disgust, "Just that statement alone makes you disgusting to me. Peeping is a crime, one that was reported to you literally hundreds of times within the first few months of school last year. Every club I've spoken to has told me how the second and third years used to file complaints almost daily. They told me how nothing was ever done to punish them. That's why they stopped complaining, because they knew it was pointless. You taught them that their right to privacy meant nothing, that those three were above the law and could break it to peep on them whenever they wished to."

Sona grimaced, "We did give them detention several times but it didn't curb their actions at all. We couldn't suspend or expel them or it would reflect badly on the school's reputation..."

She trailed off as she saw Junichiro's look of disgust morph into one of pure contempt. That look made her feel like a worthless insect before him. When he spoke his voice was like ice, "That's the single most pathetic excuse I have ever heard. Not to mention so utterly short-sighted that it's beyond me how someone reportedly as intelligent as you could do something so stupid. Expelling those pieces of garbage and reporting their crimes to the police might generate some bad press in the short term, but it's not nearly as damaging as you allowing them to stay has, no doubt, been."

There was an invisible pressure in the room as Junichiro spoke with such conviction and authority that the girls couldn't even open their mouths to speak anymore. They all felt like they were being talked down to by an adult with decades more experience than them. Junichiro sat forward to glare at Sona, "By letting those three criminals run around here for a full three years you are poisoning five years' worth of students against the school. In ten to twenty years most of those girls, the victims, are going to be mothers with a decision to make. Do they send their kids here where they know that their daughters can be peeped on with impunity? Or do they send them to a school where they know criminals are justly punished? You might be keeping the current public image of Kuoh Academy positive, but the longer those scumbags are here, the lower that opinion will be with the current generation."

He leaned back in his chair and studied Sona's now pale face, "You've already let four years' worth of women know their privacy means less than nothing before Kuoh Academy's reputation. The girls who were third years last year and graduated, the current third years, the second years, and the first years. All of them know that they cannot count on you to support their rights. If you don't stand for them, then who do you stand for? Clearly you stand for the criminals who constantly violate them with their perverted eyes."

It was time for the coup-de-gras, "I just pray you don't intend to get a real job that puts you in charge of students in the future. I'd fear for any students if you were a teacher, or worse the principal, of any school since you clearly don't care about the welfare of students more than the perceived reputation of the school."

Seeing the look of absolute heartbreak on Sona's face as he spat on her dream was a little painful. He didn't hate Sona, not at all. However, he did hate her attitude and the cavalier way she ignored the crimes of Issei, Matsuda, and Motohama. Peeping was a crime, pure and simple. It might even be a worse crime since they're peeping on underage girls. He wasn't one hundred percent sure about that, but it seemed plausible.

Sona slowly pulled off her glasses and covered her eyes with her hand, "Thank you for your time Arai-san, you can go now."

Junichiro climbed to his feet and left. He had things to do at home and harassment from Rias to expect. He was definitely going to make her work for it.

AN

So, I totally meant to have this chapter out about three days ago, but then something happened. I kind of got inspired and wrote another ten chapters after this. They won't be coming out soon though, they're all still pretty rough and I need to go over them and polish them up to make sure they're no issues.

I've also been contemplating writing a second story in a different fandom that would give me a solid framework to work with without a canon story to follow. A nice big empty playground, so to speak. Though, it does seem to be tradition that the main character of any story told in the fandom dies at the end. Love or hate the video game as you like, but the world of Cyberpunk 2077 is full of interesting stuff. I could write it as a bunch of short stories where the character does gigs, makes friends, and pisses off one group or other then fights for his life. Though, if I do write a story in that fandom, I'd have to give the main character a system based on the Cyberpunk 2077 game.

What do you guys think? Any 2077 fans?