Highschool DxD, we finally meet!

So yeah, I decided to start another story for my own fun's-sake, and admittedly with inspiration from Tekken 8, I have a lot of ideas for this story thanks to a friend and co-writer as well in Messiah of authors, another fanfic author who recently came out with a revamped story!

But first off, I wanted to establish what this chapter is supposed to be about. First off, it's going to start off as usual in DxD, although with a fun Tekken-inspired twist to the main character and his lifestyle.

Here's hoping you all enjoy this little story! I will be back soon of course! Enjoy!

Chapter 1: The Transfer Student

There was a lot of noise as the young man blinked his eyes open awake, and he didn't seem too tired or even exhausted as a result. In fact, he woke up as smoothly as a rising tiger is when ready for another day. However, this young man himself sat up from his bed, and took a moment to swing his legs over to the side. However, before he could think of anything else, he turned over to the source of all the noise.

The chirping of a Toucan, the song of a canary, and the cries of a parrot. These sounds reverberated throughout the apartment home, the source coming from the small bedroom. It was almost spartan, in the sense that there were only a small variety of accessories and furniture. A kitchen, a bathing room, and a living room along with a bedroom and a futon if needed. The apartment itself had a closed glass-sliding door that led to a small balcony outside the apartment. In fact, the apartment is small enough for one person, but big enough to hold three birds with enough space for them to fly and be comfortable in.

The canary remained singing gently in her small bird's nest, mounted on the wall where she is trained and obedient waiting for her master to wake up. The canary is surprisingly well-trained as her yellow-feathers and diminutive stature showed elegance. Her name is Xiao.

The parrot, by comparison, cried out its usual sounds with an impressive amount of volume. More hungry than usual, especially in the mornings. The parrot was a red macaw with colored feathers and a surprisingly endearing amount of moxie for the screeching in the morning. His name is Liao.

However, it is the toucan that had by far the most calm and yet colorful chirping. Its long orange beak made it much more flamboyant and colorful compared to the other two birds. However, it's chirping was behind a wide, and big cage, mostly because if not taken care of or fed, would most likely start pecking at and nudging its master awake.

Her name is Kevin.

A clever name, considering the young man's preferences and hobbies. However, he smirked briefly and stood up from his seat, walking over to the cages.

"I am awake, Kevin." A firm, but stoic voice spoke as Kevin's beak was gently petted by his single finger. Strong, and yet firm and lean; the young man had his hair braided into a mid-length ponytail by the back of his head, with the rest of his hair combed backwards. His hair in particular was a deep-black, and yet felt more smooth and flowing than coarse and rough.

His build was certainly lean, and broad-shouldered at the same time, however he wasn't what you would call a man of large-frame or a large musculature. Compared to his father and master, he was more lean and tall than he was big and bursting with muscle. Consider the limitation of his age, but the young man also had sideburns that were faded due to his own request.

He wore a sleeveless white shirt and some shorts for his sleeping wear, showing he recently woke up, and with good sleep as his sharp-eyes showed. His head was roughly triangular in shape, but his eyes were sharp like a lizard's own dilated pupils. Even so, his sharp jade-eyes were a striking color to be difficult to miss.

The young man had a stoic, albeit stern and strong expression with sharp cheekbones. Regardless, he seemed to be slow-moving and affectionate of the birds in his apartment.

He petted Kevin, Xiao, and Liao each individually while also feeding them bird-seeds by hand. Each of them enjoyed the bird seeds, and calmed down their chirping, screeching, and singing.

The young man nodded as he took a step back from the three birds after feeding them, and turned to his bed where his new school uniform was laid out. It seemed to be the right size…well, he hoped it was the right size for him. Despite how tall he was, and not being as big as his Father, the young man worried that it would break at the seams. It already took him money to afford the uniform after measuring it, but he didn't want to lose track of it.

But first, he took a moment to take a deep breath and stretch his arms and body properly in the middle of the room. He squared his hips, and then his stance firm and upright. He stretches his arms first, taking motions and firm Taijiquan breathing techniques, along with a growing awareness of the world around him. The apartment's scarcity makes it the perfect place for such an exercise.

And of course, after 30 minutes, the young man stands back up and goes to grab the uniform. Putting on his pants is simple enough, and in fact fit him perfectly well. However, it's when he had to put on the undershirt, he buttoned it up well, until the collar and the last two buttons. The problem wasn't that he didn't button them up, but rather that…the top two buttons popped out the instant he moved and unintentionally flexed his body.

He sighed, closing his eyes to be patient and yet sorely exasperated from the detail. "And I just got this too."

He decided to leave the undershirt unbuttoned by the collar, and he put the tie back in the closet to hang. If the buttons weren't going to be enough, then the tie isn't going to fare any better. Either way, he put on the blazer over his shirt. The blazer had a blue-gray color to it, with the white undershirt there to complement the colors. The pants were also the same color as the blazer, which meant that at least in the young man's perspective, he looked…decent. Calm, and collected for certain.

His body felt only slightly better fit when he let the blazer and undershirt loose. The buttons not-withstanding, the young man firmly grunted with a nod.

He turned to Kevin, Xiao, and Liao, all three birds looking at him with the occasional squawk and chirp. A brief smile played on his lips, as he filled their bird-feeding containers with enough food and water for the day. That way, they would be well-fed and hydrated.

"Be good now you three. I will be back soon." The young man with the braided ponytail spoke calmly with a finger raised up, although he pets Kevin, and Liao, while Xiao sings a song almost to cry for some attention. This made the young man pause, but he smirks softly and nods. "No worries. It won't take all day, Xiao."

The canary seemed to understand his intentions, and so she calmed down. With the birds calmed down, the young man made his way out of the apartment, and locked the door behind him.

The town of Kuoh isn't particularly the biggest town or city in Japan, but it is by far a different sort of town. In fact, one could argue it is home to the most influential children of certain powerful individuals. One could also argue it's a den of sin, lust, and unchecked impulses, purely because of the people that live there and the students of the town's own prestigious Kuoh Academy.

We follow the young man with the braided pony-tail as he walks with a firmness in his steps, his body taller than most of the students here with a whopping 186 centimeters, translating to six feet and one inch. Of course, the trail to Kuoh Academy had many students along the way, however most of them had their eyes on the young man as a result of his height and imposing presence.

Confusion at first, and certainly a thought if he was a rough brute, what with his build and unbuttoned shirt. The students began whispering amongst themselves, confused if this is somehow a new student of Kuoh Academy. While they hadn't made an opinion of him yet, there were many wary eyes and intimidated shuffles from a distance.

Not that the young man was unaware, and neither did he dismiss their suspicions. After all, in his own mind he is more focused on reaching the academy. He is single-minded like that, determined and focused on his goals. No matter how small or weird they may seem.

Of course, as he arrives at Kuoh Academies gates, he notices the main school building, along with the vast campus having a majority of facilities as he read about in the past. A swimming pool, a gymnasium, an old school building, and the grounds itself had the track-field.

The young man found himself curious, and yet eager, to see if there is a spot where he could focus on his meditations between classes. One mustn't neglect their hobbies or daily exercises after all. However, he first needed to arrive at his own classroom first for introductions. Last he remembered, he was supposed to be at class…2-B. Yes, he remembered correctly.

Making his way to the main school building, he had noticed one of the teachers outside the door who had just been waiting for him. It wasn't as if this teacher looked uninterested, but she gathered her bearings at the moment. Soon, she walked inside the classroom, which itself was buzzing with a lot of noise and chatter from inside.

From outside, the young man could hear the teacher settling everyone down, and stating the usual things that they are about to have a new transfer student from outside of Japan. Which isn't particularly incorrect, considering his nationality. However, the young man waited for a while, before finally being told to enter the room.

"You may come in now." The teacher spoke with a calm voice, but she seemed eager to have the young man introduce himself to the class.

With that said, the young man with the braided pony-tail opened the sliding door…and as he walked with heavy steps and a firm countenance, he walked to the front of the class and stood before everyone.

The first thing he noticed, aside from the majority of the class being female and some of the males being spread out across the classroom, is their rapt attention and…a surprisingly amount of curiosity mixed with some jealousy. However, he did not pay too much attention to their mixed looks. For one he knew it had to do with his unbuttoned blazer and slightly open shirt.

He figured that the people in Kuoh Academy were prone to gossip and rumors, but he saw no need to involve himself in that. However, he wouldn't just let it happen if he could. But that is neither here nor there.

The young man took a deep breath and straightened up his posture while his hands were at his sides.

"It's my pleasure to meet you all." The young man spoke with a booming stoic voice for his age of 17, but he immediately had everyone staring at him with full attention. And for a moment he swore he could have seen a flash of smiles along the girls faces, and some jealousy and…competitive senses from the boys.

However, he didn't care much for that. Nor found it as a nuisance.

He simply said his name with pride, and a firmness in his voice that made him leave an impression, along with the fact that despite him being a transfer student, spoke fluent Japanese.

"My name is Feng Li."

For his first day of school in Kuoh Academy, Li found himself wondering if every classmate he met and talked to were either shallow or just too honest about their desires. It showed in the fact that the girls of his class looked as if they were…to be blunt, attracted to him. However, Li merely answered their questions about him with silence and the occasional sentence.

Needless to say, for about half of the day Li focused on his studies for the first time in a while. It isn't hard to concentrate, even if he could feel the jealousy, attraction, and even some of the rumors surrounding him already.

Either he was a brute who'd kick your ass with nary a single word to the boys, or he was a hunk of a man with a soft spot from the girls. Admittedly, Li never considered himself soft but he did care for his birds. He only wished they didn't get so restless whenever he leaves the house, especially when he hasn't found any proper place for him to bring them and have them be safe.

For now, Li is simply wandering around the school grounds during lunch period. He figured it'd help to get an understanding of the school through his own scouting. That, and he only found himself slightly curious surrounding the clubs. It was recommended to him by his teacher to look for something extracurricular to spend time with other people.

Whether his homeroom teacher meant to help him or took pity on him, Li didn't care or even think much of it.

However, it isn't until he casually passed by the girls locker-room, a place which he made a mental note of to keep himself at a respectful distance…that he heard shouting from behind. The building.

"Mitsuda! We need to get out of here!"

"You think I don't know that Motohama!? If we get caught it will be all for nothing!"

"You brutes! Get back here right now!"

Two perverted, but frantic voices, and a collective female crowd shouting.

He hummed as he turned his head towards two rapidly dashing men that bumped into him and fell down to their backs. Suddenly, Li could see that they were rather…below average in terms of bodily fortitude considering he didn't even budge one bit.

One of them had a shaved head, similar to how many monks had to when learning. However, his eyes were closed and not to mention his expression is what many would consider monkey-like.

The other one had round glasses that covered his eyes, and yet with actual hair that had his hair bangs to the side. They both seemed to be wearing the standard uniform of Kuoh Academy, albeit buttoned up and much more formal despite their surprisingly dirtied and wrinkled clothes. For what reason, Li didn't know…and neither did he have much of a reason to be rude.

"Gah! Shit, what was that for–" The glasses-wearing pervert spoke with indignancy before hitching a breath, and looking up at Li with a sense of dread, soon joined by the other pervert "Oh, crap…it's the transfer student!"

"Hm?" Li hummed, raising a brow as he looked down at the two. "Yes, that is me."

"Wait, wait, crap! We can't stay here for too long, Motohama!" Ah, that must mean the other one is Mitsuda, who spoke with a frantic but also terrified expression. "Otherwise we're going to be–!"

"There you are!" Suddenly, a shiver and a squeal from the two perverts came out. As suddenly standing in front of the three is the entirety of the Kendo Club, with two leading ladies in their Kendo uniforms frowning and staring down at the three of them. However, for Li, he was only confused about the situation. Not that he explained himself. "You two just can't help yourselves, you perverted fiends!"

"Ah, crap!" The two of them yelped out indecently, and they hid behind Li almost trying to push him forward while using him as a shield.

Motohama was the first to speak. "H-Hey, I know we don't know each other or anything, but could you at least try to cover for us!?"

"Y-Yeah, please do this for us Transfer Student!" Mitsuda spoke frantically, the two of them pushing with all their might, but failing to push Li forward who simply had a stoic, deadpan expression as he looked at the Kendo club.

Two girls in particular stood out, and while it could be said they had a good figure under those clothes, Li didn't care to think about that. Instead, he could feel their intense animosity and glares.

"You. Transfer student." One of the two, who had brown hair and a pony-tail, spoke with an accusing tone. "Are you defending these two? Do you even know who you're defending?"

"..." Li remained silent, blinking but not responding with anything else.

"Those two are the biggest perverts around in Kuoh Academy! These brutes call themselves the Perverted Duo, and they were peeking in on us!" The other girl put her bokken on her shoulder, and her glare is even more fearsome. "You better not be defending these two, or else we might assume you're in league with them! Not that it would surprise us."

"So, are you going to explain yourself?" The previous girl spoke with a firm but stern expression.

…

"Have a good day."

"...huh?" Suddenly, the Kendo Club, in particular the two ladies who led the charge, blinked in confusion as Li bowed formally, a perfect 45 degree angle. Of course, even the Perverted Duo found themselves confused…and soon very fearful as Li just decided to walk away from the entire situation.

I do not have time for this. Li closed his eyes as he took steps away from the entire situation and walked away.

Of course, this polite and formal speech from the transfer student was enough to catch the Kendo Club off guard, and made the two girls question themselves for a moment. They looked at each other in confusion, and hummed.

"That's…odd."

"What is Murayama-chan?"

"I did not expect the transfer student to be so polite and…calm about the situation." Murayama spoke as she cupped her chin, looking at Li's retreating form as he walked away. "Maybe we might have misunderstood his intentions, Katase-san."

"So, you don't think he is involved?" Katase tilted her head, and she seemed more in thought as well. "I guess he isn't, he's…pretty polite…and handsome…for a boy at least."

Of course, despite the two Kendo practitioners talking to themselves…they turned to see the Perverted Duo attempting to sneak away, and immediately their ire returned. "HEY!"

"Crap! They found us!" Motohama and Matsuda both yelped and began running away again from the club, their fates easily predicted, and unfortunately grave.

Finally, some peace and quiet. Li thought to himself as he had been walking away from the scene enough to arrive outside of an old schoolhouse building. If Li recall's correctly, it was of European architecture and build, almost looking like an odd chapel of sorts, only betrayed by the fact that it looked more like a normal building than anything religious.

Still, Li found the idea humorous despite his expression not showing it. With the amount of lustful and impulsive student's here, it would be ironic if a chapel indeed was here, sanctioned with religious imagery while the students were the most sinful and weak of mind.

Either way, Li didn't let his mind wander too much as stood in front of the building. He needed some time off to himself, and admittedly he had not needed to explain himself to the Kendo club about the misunderstanding.

Why would there be any need for that to begin with? If he did attempt to explain, they wouldn't be willing to listen, and Li just didn't have a reason to stay and explain himself.

However, soon enough he felt a pair of eyes on him. However, as opposed to the usual sensation of being looked at for something to be envious of or to be admired, Li directed his gaze to meet with another set of eyes that held curiosity.

The girl looked at him from one of the open windows, with the curtains sweeping in the air from the window.

As opposed to his deep jade, which struck as the shade of color of the mineral; the girl's eyes were a bright green-blue turquoise. And of course, she wore the standard uniform of Kuoh Academy. A white long-sleeved, button down shirt with a black ribbon on the collar, a black shoulder cape and matching button-down corset, and a magenta skirt with white accents.

Aside from her uniform being tight and appealing to the eyes, her figure did not leave much to the eye. She did seem to be about the same age as Li, and it showed in her figure and beautiful face. Her skin in particular looked well cared for, cream-colored, and softer than silk. Her expression looked calm, and yet curious about the young man with jade eyes.

However, the one thing that drew Li's attention to being the most striking part of appearance, is her crimson hair. Crimson red hair that looked smooth and well-kept flowed down, reaching all the way to her thighs with a single strand sticking out from the top. Her hair is sharp and red, and yet to Li it reminded him of blood.

Either way, Li kept staring at her with a curious expression, however he felt a sense of foreboding from her. Soon after, she simply smiled softly with a mysterious vibe.

Hmmm… Li closed his eyes, and simply walked away as she stared at his retreating back. "What a strange girl."

Her presence and eyes felt different than most of the students here, so Li would keep his eye on her in the future. However, for now, he saw no reason to stay. After all, the bell had just rung, and so he needed to get back to his actual studies.

…hmm, I hope Kevin, Xiao, and Liao aren't too lonely…

Rias Gremory considered herself an opportunist when she could, and admittedly she also found herself only ever more curious about the transfer student who had guessed her location and stared into her eyes. For one, she could notice that his eyes were honest, and sincere, albeit guarded at the same time.

Nothing she didn't understand, as she herself had some guarded secrets of her own. However, she spoke as she turned to Akeno. "Akeno, do you know who that was?"

The room itself seemed wide and to the point, like a club-room with Victorian pleasantries and accessories. However, the woman she referred to in question simply gave a dutiful smile. She wore the same uniform, but her figure and body were arguably a tad bit more voluptuous. However, her striking feature was a long, raven-haired pony-tail that reached down to her legs, with an orange ribbon keeping it in place. Her violet eyes are soft, and yet mature despite her countenance.

She was Himejima Akeno, and Rias's best friend from childhood.

"Ara…" She cupped her cheek with one hand, as she looked out the window to see Li's retreating form go back into the main campus. "The new transfer student? I believe his name is Feng Li. He's in class 2-B, much like Kiba-kun."

"I see." Rias Gremory smirked as she looked curiously. "...and are you sure he's the one?"

"Well, it's only been a day, President." Akeno gave a lighthearted but teasing smile. "I'm sure if you want to confirm your suspicions about him, we need simply take some time to examine him in the future."

"Then I suppose it'd do some good to have Koneko watch him from afar. Just to confirm." Rias nods, but she seemed to be calmer than usual, along with a sense of opportunity striking her fancy.

She need only wait for the right time, for now. There was no rush after all.

She could take the entire week if needed.

The last bell had rung, meaning that school had finally ended and gave Li the rest of the day off from school. Which wasn't a whole lot considering he had his birds to take care of, as well as in general his exercises.

Not to mention the sun is about to set in the horizon, as Li walks along the bridge over a freeway. The road is calm, and there aren't a lot of students here, so Li had not much of a reason to consider looking over at everybody. After all, what he could tell is that no-one but him is near.

Or at least, for the most part he thought it was only him. Until suddenly he felt an approaching individual from behind.

"Oh, hello!" The figure seemed to have a friendly voice, her expression bright and unbelievably sincere, causing Li to turn around and glance at her. At least, as far as Li could tell, the girl was showing a sincere smile. The girl in this case wore a different school uniform, with a button-up black blazer, red tie and a white shirt underneath. She had raven hair, although it swept down behind her to her back, and she had her hands nestled behind her with a carefree step in her posture. "So, this might sound rude of me to ask but…you're the new neighbor, right?"

"..." Li raised a brow, tilting his head as he stood tall and approached curiously, stopping at a safe and comfortable distance. "That is me, yes."

"Oh, good! For a second there I thought I might have gotten the wrong person! I saw you going out of your house this morning and I was wondering who you were." The raven-haired girl chuckled in a sweet voice, rubbing the back of her head. "Still, it's a pleasure to meet you! I'm Amano Yuuma!"

"..." Li remained silent for a moment, his expression stoic and yet calm as he glanced at her up and down, a gesture that didn't go unnoticed, as Yuuma simply giggled. "It's also my pleasure to meet you. I'm Feng Li."

"Ah, I figured you were new around here! You came from China, I presume?" Yuuma proceeded to make light conversation, tilting her head.

"That is my home continent, yes, but I was raised in Hong-Kong." Li spoke with a calm countenance to his speech pattern, which only elicited a chuckle from Yuuma.

"Of course, Of course, my bad." She sheepishly gave a smirk, but then asked a sudden question. "Have you gotten used to Kuoh, so far?"

"..." Li looked up in thought, and remembered the events of school, the looks on everyone's faces, and the misunderstanding he simply walked away from. "Not as of yet no. It's confusing."

"Well, it is a big place for a foreigner…" She hummed as she cupped her chin and glanced to the side. "And you're in Kuoh Academy too, so I can only tell the amount of perverts you have to deal with."

"What makes you think that?" Now it was Li's turn to ask a question.

"Well, that school just recently turned co-ed, right? I heard the boys and girls there are extremely shallow and perverted to some extent…but you seem like an exception, if I'll be honest." Yuuma finished that statement with a sincere smile, flashing considerably bright.

Li could tell this young girl felt extremely different from the others, and that showed in her eyes. Her dull-red eyes were faintly honest, and it's not as if Li could tell whether or not she was his actual neighbor from across the street, or right next door, or even across the city. Even so, Li didn't consider himself rude, and it would be a disgrace if he acted rude towards somebody who looked to be strong of will.

But what she proposed next surprised him for a moment.

"So, seeing as how you're new here and you haven't been downtown yet, I was wondering if you'd like for me to show you around Kuoh, that way you aren't too lost! Hopefully you find other places to be at after school as well." Yuuma proposed with a smile on her face, although she looked surprisingly eager to get to know Li.

Or at least, Li could tell that she had been attempting to look so.

Even so, Li did understand one thing she got right. He hasn't really gotten to know Kuoh, or Japan for quite a while so his knowledge of the routes only consisted of the route from his house to the school and back. And by now, he needs to go back home and make sure Kevin, Liao, and Xiao don't get too lonely.

Still, with a proposal like this from a relatively random but seemingly well-intentioned stranger, Li found no reason to deny it.

"Very well. However, I need to go home to take care of my birds." Li didn't deny her offer, but explained himself.

"Oh, I wasn't aware you had pets. No worries, we can always schedule it for tomorrow! It'll be Sunday tomorrow, so we'll both be free." Yuuma waved her hands apologetically with a smile.

"..." Li remained silent, humming in thought before nodding and bowing. Again, at a 45 degree angle, it looked perfectly angular. "Very well. Have a nice day, and I'll see you then."

"Oh, uhm, alright! See you soon, Li-kun!" Yuuma nodded with a smile, surprised by his politeness.

Afterwards, Li began walking away from the scene, taking the stairs down the bridge that would help lead him to his home. Yuuma's presence slowly drifted away across the bridge, and yet very faintly he could tell there soon came another presence. However, Li didn't really seem to pay much attention to this presence.

After all, he already spent precious time on talking with Yuuma, and now he has to spend more time taking care of his birds.

Kevin's going to feel needy after today. Li's thoughts turned humorous, having a smirk that spoke of his fondness for birds.

(The Next Day.)

The city of Kuoh is brimming with people, cars, and even buildings with a variety of offers for sale. An arcade, some restaurants and cafes, and even some accessory shops. However, the more interesting aspect of it for Li was the bird shop he heard would be around there.

Which begged the question to many people, about how did he get to the meeting spot without being lost? Well, Li didn't know much about the place, but Yuuma had told him to meet her up at the city square, to which he decided to go there with nothing but a simple red khaki pants, and a jean-jacket with the Chinese characters for 'strength' and 'wisdom' seamed into the fabric in the back. Underneath the jacket, he wore a simple red under-shirt, along with a simple necklace he had out of a tiger's fang. And not the kind you'd find in the souvenir shops.

He still had his braided hair-style as usual, although everybody stared at him with a sense of confusion, slight awe, and mostly sheepishness. Considering his height, and outlandish hairstyle as well as his overall intimidating figure, Li didn't really find it too odd that most people looked off-put by him being there.

"Ah, Li-kun!" Suddenly, he heard Yuma coming from along the sidewalk, and her outfit itself had been much more casual, and yet it seemed clear she dressed for the occasion. Modestly, with a long-skirt and a blue-dress that was short-sleeved. She wore thigh-highs too, although that was more a minor detail to Li as opposed to her usual friendly attitude. "There you are! I was looking for you for a while now!"

"Hm." Li nods with a firm expression, although he looks around the city and then turns to Yuuma. "It's surprisingly loud and…lively here."

"Well, it is Sunday…everybody's pretty much free for today, so a lot of people are trying to relax and have fun." Yuuma chuckled, seemingly amused by Li's own curiosity of the place. "Which is actually the whole point of this trip! We have a lot to go through, and I have a lot to show you!"

"First," Li interjected with a suddenly stern voice, which startled Yuuma a bit, although the young man then spoke in a serious tone. "Where's the bird shop?"

"...e-excuse me?" Yuuma tilted her head with a confused smile.

"The bird shop." Li clarified, although his eyes intensified. "I need to know where the bird shop is. There is one, isn't there?"

Yuuma, by now, blinked and actually was only slightly sheepish about his intense look in his eyes. However, she could see…a tinge of excitement and eagerness despite how intimidating he looked. "U-Uhm, well, there is a bird shop yes, but don't you want to go to the–"

"The bird shop first." Li'seyes turned serious and intense, showing the amount of stubbornness he has regarding wanting to see the birds first.

Yuuma, sheepishly chuckling, tilted her head nervously. "Well, alrighty then."

This is going to be a long day.

At least, it turned out to be a fun long day.

The day went by with Li getting to meet and even look stoically in awe at the birds within the bird shop. Surprisingly, he even gave some advice to a new worker in that shop, which was appreciated. Li and Yuuma proceeded to take the rest of the day to get to know the city and the various facilities it had.

The arcade had Yuuma playing with the claw machines, and with Li playing the skee-ball machine as well. In the arcade, Li demonstrated immense focus, and even enjoyed it a bit.

While Li looked stoic and out of place when placed next to Yuuma, Yuuma seemed to not care and just simply showed the young man around more of the city. There was a clothing shop, to which she wanted to try out the dresses there and even the new clothes that Li figured she wanted.

Even so, while she wore various dresses that made her more resplendent, Li simply changed into a sleeveless shirt at one point. However, since it hugged his shoulders tightly and left little to the imagination, Li found it somewhat curious how Yuuma sputtered and told him to change back into his previous clothes.

Afterwards, the two of them went to try out an ice-cream cafe that had baked desserts as much as ice cream. Li never knew about this one in passing, even when he looked it up. Partially because he had been so focused on finding a bird shop from earlier. While he politely remarked he wasn't in the mood for dessert, he did pay for Yuuma's to which she simply smiled and took the dessert with grace.

Which is where Li finds himself currently right now in thought, as he wore his undershirt and the jacket. Today he had learned a lot about Kuoh as a city and town. He enjoyed the arcade, as brief as that had been, and the clothing shop is at least a life-saver for him, considering his tendency to break the buttons of his shirts. That sleeveless shirt had been the first time in a while where clothing didn't tear at the seams the instant he flexed or stretched his muscles and body.

However, that all didn't take much precedence over the thought that stuck with his head.

She's observing me. Throughout the entire day, while Li had enjoyed himself, he hadn't lost sight of his surroundings or even his awareness. His master had instilled that to him after all, to never leave yourself wide-open, and to not let your guard down whenever you can. The entire day, Li didn't let his guard down, partially because he noticed that the way Yuuma was observing her felt more analytical than just passing. In fact, for a seemingly normal girl across the street who wanted to help a foreigner get used to Kuoh, Li found himself noticing her gaze on him being much more like someone assessing an individual if they had value.

Or if they were a potential danger.

Li, of course, didn't entirely discount the idea, but he didn't want to immediately dismiss the possibility that Yuuma had other intentions that aren't inherently malicious.

Even so… Li remained in thought, thinking that this Yuuma isn't entirely as she seems. Not quite a normal girl, and certainly not as helpless as she seems.

However, it's still too early to jump to a conclusion, so Li wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt without letting his guard down.

Looking up from his table, he notices Yuuma just enjoying her parfait with a smile on her face, briefly forgetting the fact that she wore a surprisingly tight shirt. One which did hug her chest area a bit tightly.

Li wouldn't linger for too much, despite being a healthy young man, so he moved his gaze to her eyes.

"Hm? What's wrong?" Yuuma notices his gaze on her face, tilting her head.

"Nothing's wrong." Li shook his head, stoic as always, and unreadable.

"Hehehe…" Yuuma, all things considered, played it off with a giggle. Although she kept eating her dessert.

Li simply hummed, and let her keep eating as usual. However, his mind was somewhere else for now. Whatever happens or who she is will be revealed soon.

By now, the rest of the day had passed with Li having made a mental map of the city. Thanks to Yuuma for sure, although Li would have eventually figured it out. Needless to say, the two of them now walked across the park, where Yuuma got comfortable walking next to Li by now. Li, remaining with his guard up but still willing to give Yuuma some doubt, walked with her with heavy steps, and a pace to his step as he stopped in front of the fountain.

Yuuma, of course, chuckled as she spoke. "You know, today was a lot more fun than I thought it would be just for sightseeing."

"Hm…I agree." Li would be dishonest to say otherwise, to which he looked at her with jade eyes of acknowledgement and some level of agreement. "I must offer you my thanks for the guide."

Yuuma looked surprised when Li bowed at the same 45 degree angle, his extreme respect and honorable attitude endearing to her. To which her eyes became calm, and a smile played her lips. Although…it was a different kind of smile. Something that Li took a moment to notice, and immediately noticed her shift.

Yuuma gave a small chuckle, more rueful than anything else. She walked in front of Li, her back turned to him as she looked up to the fountain. "You really are an honest young man, aren't you? Different too, from the rest of the people in your school, or in this city. You give off the humility I never expected and, despite your intensity, are surprisingly respectful."

Li didn't seem fazed, and while the complements were honest, he narrowed his eyes to her as she turned to face him.

"It's almost a shame." Yuuma's eyes turned to something different. They were sharper, and yet laced with killing intent along with a wry smirk. "That you are such a danger to us."

Of course, Li's eye sharpened to a more dangerous expression. Not quite a frown or a glare, but simply a confirmation of his suspicions. However, what happened next is what revealed everything.

Yuuma's clothing suddenly burst into tears. For a brief moment her body was in bare display, although that soon was replaced with a slightly more revealing…albeit bonded outfit. Her wicked beauty is on full display, and yet despite her outfit bearing resemblance to bondage, essentially being a bikini with none of the modesty she showed before, they weren't what gave her involvement away.

It was the two dark wings of black feathers that sprouted from her back, feathers fell from the sky, and the entire park was tinted with a dark purple hue. A barrier, perhaps, but Li had been proven right to suspect and even keep his guard up around 'Yuuma'.

If that was even her real name.

After the transformation had been completed, 'Yuuma' stood there in her outfit and wings on proud display, and a body that spoke of her true age. She wasn't a young teenager anymore, but a full-fledged adult in appearance.

And her next words had all but lost the playfulness, replaced with a mature, more coy expression. "I must admit, you were a pleasant distraction this entire day. I enjoyed myself more than I thought I would, even with your cute attempts at intensity."

She seemed confident, coy, and yet much different than before. The killing intent was clear as day now. The day today had been nothing but an attempt to assess Li as a threat. And yet, Li seemed to have an understanding.

Li didn't seem surprised, or even betrayed. After all, he knew this could have been a possibility. He'd been told about them before. In fact, he had been taught this as early as 10 years old.

His intense eyes were laced with a sense of disappointment though, and yet Yuuma gave a wry giggle all the same.

"What's wrong? Don't tell me I hurt your feelings? You're not the kind of man to be so easily hurt like that, I know." Yuuma's smirk turned to be more coy.

"What are you wearing…?"

…

"...excuse me?" 'Yuuma' blinked for a moment, although her eyes looked unamused.

"I asked what you are wearing." Li remarked again, with a deadpan expression. The disappointment was there yes, but it seemed more…confused itself by her choice of outfit. "It's…revealing. More revealing than what I thought would be appropriate for an assassination attempt."

"...that's, seriously, your question?" 'Yuuma' narrowed her eyes, slightly annoyed if not a little bit miffed. "What does it matter what I wear?"

"It doesn't at all, but I simply must comment that your outfit…is as some people might say, classless, and tasteless." Li simply remarked with a firm stoic expression, not shaking or wavering. "I expected you to take yourself more seriously."

"I am taking this seriously, and I'm sure that you're not idiotic enough to consider this a joke." Yuuma deadpanned as well, but she sighs regardless. It seemed like she composed herself back pretty well, putting a hand in front of her.

"I know. You intend to kill me, don't you?" Li narrowed his eyes in preparation.

"See, being smart like that is a lot more endearing of you." She gave off a playful smirk, albeit a surprisingly sinister one too. As suddenly, a bright red light formed in her hands, taking shape to be long and yet sharp with a point. A spear, a light spear. 'Yuuma' held the light spear as if it was tangible with one hand…and held it to the side of her hand. "For what it's worth…today was the most fun I had in a while, Li-kun."

Li narrowed his eyes further, not taking a stance but certainly not helpless. In fact, he remained standing still with a convincingly open guard. Li never considered himself much of the kind of person to beat on someone so weak.

But I suppose I need to stop this before she attempts anything. Li's thoughts were soft, and yet firm in wisdom. This 'Yuuma', whoever she is, may have helped him…but here she was trying to kill him.

It's only best to respond with his own self-defense after all.

Now, die, if you will. Raynare's thoughts were simple, and she willed herself to rear the light-spear for a forward thrust. The motion would have been simple, and the outcome, if all was well, could have left her with some more time to go back to her colleagues. After all, she hadn't met many humans who could fight her on equal groundings, even if combat isn't her specialty.

That had been the reason why Raynare even approached Li with the disguise. Because she knew she needed to let his guard down by playing the cute, somewhat helpful young girl his age across the street. Her main specialty was subterfuge, seduction, and overall charming people. Which, while helpful and useful in its own way, left her wanting more roles to fulfill all the same.

Feng Li, from what she learned, holds a Sacred Gear. A powerful one too, although she only heard that information from her superiors in the Grigori. She half-expected this young man to have been a pervert, partially because of her own colored experiences in this wretched town of Kuoh.

The men here were shameless about their desires, and the women were self-made hypocrites of their own. Nobody had some modesty, or even a level of restraint when it came down to it. However, Li seemed different from the rest, and so she had to adopt the name 'Yuuma' for a while…something which filled her with a sense of nostalgia.

The name certainly meant a lot to her, but she didn't need to delve deep into the memory. And neither did she have too much time to explain. After all, the orders were clear, and Raynare barely questioned orders…especially from Azazel.

Kill the Sacred Gear user before he becomes a problem…and Raynare and her company can be safe.

It really is a shame. She couldn't blame him for being her target. Raynare simply had to blame God for this.

Even so, no matter how good a time may be…all good things must come to an–

Suddenly, the sound of a whipping chop resounded throughout the park, and Raynare felt her vision going dark?

"Gaha…!?" Raynare didn't know what happened, but all she heard before fading to unconsciousness was Li's voice growing distant.

"My apologies, but I am not ready to die just yet."

Li stood behind the unconscious form of 'Yuuma', with his hand formed into a chopping motion. The attack she had made was going to be simple and to the point, but Li reacted fast enough to actually knock her out with minimal effort.

Even so, Li didn't look at Yuuma with any animosity or anger, but simply confusion and concern. For one, she sincerely seemed to be enjoying herself during the trip all day, so he knew that wasn't a total lie. Two, she seemed weak…and yet in that regard its almost pitiful how quick he ended the fight.

Li didn't have any reason to hate her yet, and nothing about her struck him as detestable or hate-filled. Which is why, despite his instinct telling him to leave her like this…

Damn it. He sighs reluctantly, and picks her up bridal-style. He found a nearby bench to let her rest on, and set her down gently. Surprisingly, when unconscious she had an expression that looked…sleepy. It almost would have been okay.

If not for the fact she still wore that revealing outfit. How did she not get cold in that?

Li sighs, but removes his jacket with the characters Strength and Wisdom on it. He placed it over Yuuma like a blanket, covering her up but also warming her from the cold night.

His actions to many others may have seemed confusing, if not outright naive, but Li did not act based on naivety. He simply acted out of courtesy and respect to the woman. After all, she may have tried to kill him, and the day may have been an act for him to let his guard down…but he isn't so loathsome to leave a woman in a revealing outfit without some cover.

Either way, the night is silent, and there's not that many people around here.

…it's too late, isn't it? Li sighs, although more so concerned and dreadfully. He turned to leave Yuuma and the park.

It's definitely late, and he hoped that Kevin wasn't causing a ruckus.

Hopefully.

Probably…

Maybe…

…

Yeah, I think it's best to head back home… Li suddenly began dashing all the way back home with an intense expression of worry.

End scene! Feng Li has made his first appearance, and even left an impact on the first chapter. Now, for those who are very familiar with Tekken lore, you might be smart enough to figure out who he is. Of course, I will leave it ambiguous for now.

Either way, you might be wondering what kind of story this will be in the future. It's going to be admittedly a crossover, as well as a connection with DxD and Tekken stuff. However, I do want to also connect some Tekken characters into this story.

Now, mind you, this is not the first Tekken crossover I plan on making! I'd love to try and make more Tekken stories in the future.

Also, huge thank you to my co-editor Messiah of authors!

If you enjoyed, please leave a review, favorite and follow! This was the Maelstrom, and I look forward to seeing you on the horizon!