(Mizuki)
Closing the door behind her, Mizuki took a deep breath as she saw Akane lying on the sofa, flipping through the channels with a bored look on her face. Mizuki hesitated but gathered what courage she still had and approached her daughter with a weak smile.
Akane spotted her mother, and noticed her downbeat mood, quickly sitting upright and turning off the TV.
"Are you okay, Kaa-san?" She asked. "You look nervous."
"I'm okay, Akane," Mizuki said unconvincingly. "It's just… What I have to say is pretty life-changing. You're right, I'm a little nervous."
"Right." Her daughter nodded awkwardly. "Do you want me to make you anything? Maybe something to eat, or a cup of tea?"
"Oh, no. I'm good." She smiled warmly. "Thank you, though."
"If you say so…"
The two fell into an awkward silence, Akane turning her gaze away as she scratched her cheek while Mizuki merely looked downwards. This wasn't normal, Mizuki thought. Atmospheres like this never happen between the two of them - neither had ever felt tense or uncomfortable around the other, they were as close as a mother and daughter could get.
But who can blame them? Mizuki is about to tell a secret she tried so hard to keep hidden, at the request of her beloved husband, while Akane is being told that her life might completely change because of it. Regardless of how strong their relationship is, that's bound to make her nervous, and her body language was enough to alert Akane that something was up.
Mizuki didn't know what approach she should take. Straight to the point, or be indirect about it. She never had to make this talk before, except the time where she told Akane where babies come from, and even then Akane already knew and lost her shit laughing at her embarrassment.
Enough pussyfooting around. Mizuki said, hardening her resolve. Just tell her already.
With a subtle deep breath through her nose, Mizuki started.
"So… how's your magic going along?"
Akane stilled, admirably keeping her cool as she blinked in fake confusion. "Um, what? Magic?"
"You don't have to hide it Akane." Mizuki smiled. "I already know."
"I'm not sure I know what you're talking about." Akane kept up the facade. "Are you okay?"
With a sigh, Mizuki extended her hand forward, a crystal made of pure ice forming above the palm of her hand. Akane looked a bit shocked, mouth open in an 'O' as her mother dispelled the crystal.
"Convinced?" She smirked.
"I… yeah, okay." Akane sighed. "I was just worried you'd be angry or something. Sorry."
"It's alright. I would've done the same thing." Mizuki grinned. "I guess you were pretty surprised when you realized you can use magic, huh?"
"Ecstatic, more like." Her daughter smirked. "Knowing you can use it too means I can stop hiding it. And here I thought I was special."
"Oh, you still are my special little gremlin, don't worry~" Mizuki cooed, prompting her daughter to frown in annoyance. "More special than you'd think. I've kept an eye on your growth, and it's incredible."
"Eh, really?" Akane blinked. "I dunno. I mean, it does get easier every time I use it."
"That so?" She smiled, whispering under her breath. "You're not even trying, are you? A week for you is enough to rival a decade worth of practice for most."
"Huh?"
"No, it's nothing." Mizuki shook her head. "Tell me, Akane. What exactly do you plan on doing with your magic?"
"So it is magic." She crossed her arms. "I'm not sure, I guess I'll just practice it? I don't know what it's supposed to help out with."
"Do you want me to teach you?" Mizuki offered. "I… may not have much magic in me anymore, but I know all the ins and outs of Ice Magic."
"Well, yeah, if you're offering." She grinned. "Is that what you wanted to tell me? You seemed all nervous. I thought it'd be something big. Well, knowing that you can use it too is big, but you get what I mean."
"That's one part." The mother's smile dropped. "There's still more."
The sudden change in tone made Akane a little taken aback. "...And that is?"
Mizuki hesitated once more but got on with it. She's gotten this far, might as well tell her everything.
"The… supernatural exists." She revealed. "I mean devils, angels, gods - everything."
Akane didn't respond, still listening intently which is something Mizuki did not expect. She thought her daughter would look shocked or outright dismiss her claims, but she kept her mouth shut. The only change is in her expression, as her eyes narrowed further. Mizuki took this as a sign to keep going.
"They always did, some existed before humans too." She continued. "They're hidden from the world, though. Or at least the human world."
"How long have you known this?" Akane asked suddenly, making her flinch. "And… why didn't you tell me until now?"
"I've known everything since the day I was born," Mizuki answered. "A-and I didn't tell you because… I didn't want you to be involved."
Akane took a moment to process before replying. "Why?"
"Because it's dangerous. Way more dangerous than you think." The mother answered quickly. "The supernatural is horrifying, Akane. It's not like the things you see in fairytales or anime - people die constantly."
"And you tell me this now because…?" Her eyes narrowed. "What, you had a change of heart?"
"No, it's because I realized that I can't protect you if I don't help you prepare," Mizuki explained. "I… acknowledged the fact that you were gonna get involved somehow. I realized that I needed to tell you, to help and teach you."
Akane remained silent.
"I should've realized it sooner, I know." She continued, her heart beating fast. "I-I just was scared that you'd get hurt. I've been there for years, and I hated every second of it. I didn't want you to share the same fate."
Her daughter's frown softened as she listened.
"I-I'm sorry for not telling you earlier. I know I should've." Mizuki clenched her fists, guilt and shame filling her. "You deserve that much, Akane. I'm a horrible person and a bad mother-"
"Stop. Don't say that." Her daughter sighed, cutting off Mizuki as she flinched. "Look, I'm gonna keep it real with you, Kaa-san. You know I hate sugarcoating."
Mizuki felt her throat dry out, heart pounding in her chest as refused to look at her daughter's eyes.
"Do I agree with what you did? No, I don't. I'll go as far as to say that you're an idiot for it." Akane said bluntly as Mizuki felt tears gathering at the corners of her eyes. "I know I say that every day, but I mean it this time. What moron won't tell their kid about the possible danger to them from a world unknown to most? Like, c'mon, even if you didn't want me to get involved, you could've at least warned me about it."
"I'm sorry- I'm so sorry for lying." She choked. "I'm a failure."
"Don't say that, please." Her daughter sighed, "Listen, I say that, but I understand where you're coming from, what you tried to do."
Mizuki paused.
"Kaa-san, look at me," Akane said, her mother hesitantly obeying a few seconds later. "What you did might've been irresponsible, but I understand why. I get it. You wanted to protect me, so you thought keeping me completely separated from the supernatural was the best way to do it, am I right?"
Mizuki nodded slowly.
"Then why would I ever be mad at you?" Akane smiled warmly. "I know I'm rude to you sometimes, insult or yell at you, but you're still my mother. If you're a failure for not telling me earlier, then I'd be a failure of a daughter for not looking at the bigger picture."
Her eyes widened, stuttering a response as her heart skipped a beat. She almost couldn't believe what she was hearing - she expected Akane to be mad or disappointed, not understanding and reasonable.
And she certainly had the right to after being lied to for many years. Seeing her daughter, the girl with anger issues, accept her with an honest smile on her face was far better than anything she hoped for.
She knew her daughter wasn't actually faking this. She'd known her for he whole life and watched her grow up. Her forgiveness gave Mizuki the hope that maybe she can be accepted, regardless of what she's done.
"I..."
"So if you dare call yourself a failure again, I'll kick your ass." Her daughter brought her close for a hug. "Because no failure would be able to make me."
Tears began to roll down Mizuki's cheeks as she laughed in response. She felt relieved, so relieved that she finally had that weight off her chest. There were so many things she wanted to tell her daughter, that much is true, and even then, Mizuki still feels worried about telling Akane what she used to do.
But to hear Akane accept and immediately forgive her for lying, she felt hope. Akane might accept her, no matter what horrible crimes she committed. When she used to shake from merely thinking about it, now Mizuki felt a tiny bit positive that everything will be okay.
They broke off the hug, Mizuki wiping her tears off with a smile. "You have no idea just how happy I am to hear this. Thank you, Akane. I love you so much."
"Yeah, yeah, I love you too." Her daughter shrugged. "So, are there any other surprises or are we done?"
"W-well… one thing," Mizuki said, gathering up all her courage to reveal who she was… only to hesitate.
Her throat felt dry, words stuck as she struggled to speak her next words. She couldn't do it - Mizuki just couldn't say it, no matter how hard she tried. She wanted so much- to lift this damned weight that plagued her for years.
But like the disgusting coward she was, she didn't.
"I… suppose I can tell you how the supernatural works, right?"
"Oh, we're finally getting to the exciting parts, eh?" Akane grinned in anticipation. "I'm definitely interested in this~"
Mizuki faked a chuckle.
She knew that one day, her hesitation will come back to haunt her.
At the very least, her daughter still accepted her for now. Forgiveness for a lie that would have destroyed their relationship in an instant, but to see her daughter so understanding left Mizuki astonished and so proud.
She was so proud to see her and Tatsu's daughter mature so much. It was so fast - yesterday felt like she was ready to blow a fuse over the stupidest things, and now when she had every right to be angry.
Akane may not be a perfect human, but she was the perfect daughter to Mizuki. Anger issues, rudeness, and recklessness be damned because she would not have it any other way.
Mizuki only hoped she was a mother worthy of Akane.
Because a coward like her deserves nothing but to be sent to the deepest parts of hell.
(Akane)
10 Affection with Mizuki Amamiya [95/100]
-10 Obedience with Mizuki Amamiya [50/100]
I blink in confusion at the messages. I expected an increase in affection, but why the decrease in obedience? I don't get it. Isn't it supposed to increase instead?
Had you forced her to talk about her past, it would've increased.
Huh, how so?
It does not increase from acting nice or polite to individuals. Instead, you'll need to act harsh, stern, and at other times, intimidating.
Respect also increases Obedience, but does not go over a certain threshold. It is the trickiest one to increase out of the four, especially if you want to fully max out all of them.
Sooo acting nice and reasonable was pretty useless, then?
You'd have gotten an increase in Loyalty instead, but it's already at 100
Damn, really screwed up there, didn't I? I mean, well, I guess forcing her to spill everything might've decreased my Affection, and it's so close to being maxed out. Yeah, I suppose both choices were correct in a way, so everything is okay?
You seem satisfied with your choice.
Again, it's beneficial. I know she loves me, making sure she loves me most is what I want to get here.
...Is that truly what you think?
Huh?
It just seemed to me that you… well, looked quite honest.
My brows furrowed in confusion, still not sure what the Game is trying to say. What exactly are you insinuating?
...Forgive me, I meant nothing by it. Please forget what I said.
I blink and shake my head quickly. Weird, but whatever. Not exactly my concern here.
"So what you're saying is that my school has those devils in it? And heiresses no less?" I fake ignorance, which my mother oddly believes. "And that I'm apparently as important as they are?"
"Well, yes." She nods. "Which is why you must be very careful in school. Thankfully, they're not aware of your powers - you know how to hide it well and must've thrown them off."
"So I guess it was good that I practiced."
"Yep." Mizuki giggled, then lost her smile. "Remember though, don't get too close to them. Whatever they say-"
"Devils are never to be trusted, got it." I nod. I agree with her wholeheartedly. "I won't - I'll keep them at arm's length, maybe spy on them if you'd like."
"That's-!" Her face morphs into one of shock. "That's- I, well, really respect your courage, but that's extremely dangerous. Please don't."
"If you say so." I shrug. "So, you said there's one last thing you wanted to tell me?"
"Yeah." Mizuki yawned. "It's about me, er, us to be more accurate."
"You look tired," I remark. "Are you alright?"
"Mhm, I suppose this whole thing drained me a lot more than I thought it would." She chuckles weakly. "C-can we continue this later? Sorry, love, but I don't feel well."
I try to hide my disappointment, but I'm pretty sure she caught it. Her tiny wince and grimace told me as much. Forcing her would probably mean an increase in Obedience, but a possible decrease in affection and affection is almost filled up.
...Oh well, no rush I guess? She doesn't seem anywhere near as hesitant about this other secret. She'll probably tell me tomorrow or something, hopefully.
"Sure, we can do this tomorrow." I nod. "Go and get some sleep. I'll wake you up real early tomorrow for some magic practice, alright?"
"Sure, that sounds fun~" She waves at me, yawning tiredly as she walks up the stairs. "Love you, Akane."
"I love you too."
As she disappears from view, I blink and look at the time. 8 PM, more than enough time to maybe finish the dungeon. I have the skills, items, and perks needed. Not sure what I'm facing in the last wave, but if I can kill the Paladin in less than a second, I can probably handle it with ease.
I think. Maybe.
I only spent around 30 minutes the first time today, so I have a bit under ninety minutes to finish four waves. I haven't used any of the items I got from wave 6, which were two standard crystals - both for CHA - and five uncommon tokens.
I leave the house and walk for a distance, before entering the dungeon and quickly snapping them all. Nothing truly noteworthy, except for Toxic Throwing Knives, five of them. Won't work on Zombies I don't think, but it's better to keep them as a backup weapon, or for a quick debuff when I have to.
With that, I start my routine, putting on my gear, making a tower, and actually making more than one repeater. I made six all around the little castle, all of them taking a lot out of me. I was about to start the wave, but then I remembered. I have enough MP for that wing spell.
It wasn't difficult to cast the spell, it felt as if it was something I've been doing for a while. Crystal clear ice wings form behind my back, and I look at them in awe as every flap releases a gust of cold wind. Of course, seeing how low my MP is I had to wait for a couple of minutes before I was able to continue.
Once my MP has recovered and my headache clears, I get off the tower and try to fly, instinctively knowing how to use those wings and adapting with only a tiny bit of difficulty.
My flight speed wasn't fast, but I was honest-to-god flying. I'm looking down right now, a little anxious from how high I am, but equally excited that I'm actually flying. No planes or hang gliders needed.
"This is gonna need some time to get used to…" I mumble, my face contorting into a worried but happy smile. "At least it can be used as a shield for now."
I descend slowly, landing safely on the castle. Alright, time to actually start the seventh wave.
Wave start
Defeat 80 Zombie Archers, Zombie Knights 20, and 50 Zombie Soldiers [0/150]
Rewards: Magic Gloves, 5 Standard Crystals, 150 Credits
I quickly cast Ice Skin, noticing the difficulty spike when I compare this to the previous wave. From 80 to 150? Almost double the number of mobs, and most are archers. Thankfully, all of them are pathetically easy to kill - literally dying from one hit even to my weakest of spells.
The repeaters have been doing a… Well, terrible job. Problem is that they shoot way too slow, and their HP isn't all that high. Thankfully, the traps were doing a bang-up job, killing most of the soldiers and knights as I hurled arrows at the archers, the Magic Zone perk making it really easy to shoot more than two at the same time.
I can shoot around five arrows per second, and I personally focused on the archers while making extra sure to hide behind walls whenever they start shooting. It wasn't hard per se, it just took a bit more time than usual.
There were many close calls, though. They did manage to damage my wings a bit.
Level up x5
Wave complete
Rewards added to inventory
Proceed to next wave?
I take out the items, smiling as I see two of the crystals are CHA, while the rest are STR. This means my CHA should increase to 250, meaning my first perk from this stat should be imminent. Glad I got STR crystals, even if END is more important. Physical strength is always welcome
Perk gained
I'll check the perk once I'm done with today's run. As for the item, the gloves were black with multiple white runes stitched around them, a bit bigger than my own hand but it's alright I think.
[Magic Gloves] - Item
Enchanted leather gloves are used by most common mages. Their purpose is to help refine spells, making them cheaper and more effective. Are useless when used by a master as it merely ruins their focus instead.
When worn, evolving spells is 10% easier.
Evolving spells? There's some kind of spell evolution system? I do remember the skill upgrade quest saying to evolve one spell to complete it, so I assume this is related. That's good enough, I guess.
I'm surprised I didn't get any Gacha Tokens for this wave though. Whatever, I'm close to finishing the dungeon anyway. Only three more waves.
Wave start
Defeat 100 Zombie Archers, 30 Zombie Mages, 50 Zombie Knights, and 1 Zombie Paladin [0/181]
Rewards: 3 Rare Gacha Tokens, 2 Greater Stat Crystal, 250 Credits
Ah shit, mages.
Almost immediately, fireballs come flying at me as the mages cast from all directions. Thinking quickly, I fly high and away from the tower that got destroyed almost instantly. The traps remained unharmed and managed to take out most of the knights and some of the archers, but now I have no protection.
Shit, I need to act fast.
I manage to dodge the arrows with relative ease, my high DEX gives me great reflexes and thankfully they translate to flying. I bombard the mobs with as many spiky bombs as I can, actually doing amazing as most of them fall like flies. A few fireballs were too fast for me to completely dodge, but I shield myself with my wings, taking the full brunt of the attack.
Those were explosive though, so I still got hurt as waves of intense heat washed over me burning the skin on my arms. Glaring at the remaining zombie mages I quickly fly to a rooftop of a nearby building, kneeling down and taking my time to heal as I recast Ice Skin.
I take a peek down, sniping them from where I am. Unfortunately, my wings finally dispel on their own, making me scowl. I don't know if I can cast them again if they dispel instead of shattering, and that's annoying.
Maybe I can somehow evolve that spell. It's great, but I really need a better version of it. Lasting for only five minutes isn't great at all.
Thankfully, I managed to get rid of the zombies around me without any of them getting closer. Wave finished, and the level up filled my MP, which I try to use for my Crystal Wings spell… but nothing happens.
Goddamn it.
I groan in frustration. Great, so I can only cast it once every 30 minutes, and it lasts for 5. I really need to upgrade it. Hopefully, my mother can help me out with that, her control was immense. She managed to form a crystal with only five MP. It's insane just how good she is.
Level up x8
Wave complete
Rewards added to inventory
Proceed to next wave?
I shake my head and take out the rewards. 3 Rare tokens and 2 Greater crystals. Very good in my opinion. Greater crystals give 20, so that means 40 each because of my Rising Star perk.
Let's start with them. One DEX and one END. Fuck yes.
Name - Akane Amamiya
Level - 65
Title - None
Primary Class - Cryomancer - LVL 65/100 [46%]
Secondary Class - Engineer - LVL 0/100 [0%]
Race - Human
Rank - Mortal
Alignment - Neutral Evil
HP - 1500 [150 per minute]
MP - 6500 [3900 per minute]
SP - 1500 [150 per minute]
STR - 150
END - 150
DEX - 140
INT - 650
WIS - 650
CHA - 250
LUK – 70
[Charming Persuader] - CHA 250
Some people are born with great beauty that they're capable of swaying opinions to their side with a wink, others are born with the admirable ability to convince even the most stubborn of people to listen with mere words alone, and then there's you, who is both of those people.
You're x2 as attractive, and Reputation and Affection gain
Convincing others is 50% easier.
Heh, nice. This is definitely gonna help out a lot. On top of my Friendly Face perk, it'll be easier to make and actually keep friends. Important friends.
As for the tokens…
I got a skill, an item, and more stats.
[Double Jump] - Skill
A classic skill in video game history, the Double Jump lets you do exactly as the name suggests. You can jump once more in the air, whether to break your fall or simply go higher up.
Adds a second jump
[Refilling Mana Potion] - Item
An enchanted bottle given to special mages. Whenever injected with mana, this potion will fill up for later use. A good item for extra mana when needed.
Costs 1000 MP to fill up
Restores 1000 MP
+25 STR
Well, that's 175 STR right there. I guess today has been good for grinding, I think I'll stop for now even when I really wanted to finish it today. I don't feel like it anymore seeing that I have to wait for the wing cooldown.
Guess I'll just take a walk outside or something. Haven't had a chance to look around the town.
(Rias)
"Someone managed to sneak up on you?" The Gremory Heiress parroted in shock. "But how? You're one of, if not the best Sneaks of our generation!"
Koneko looked away, fidgeting uncomfortably, clearly ashamed of the fact. Rias sighed and patted her head to comfort her, Akeno putting a tray on the table in front of the redhead.
This wasn't how Rias thought the first day of school would go. With the news of two new students who were close to the Yakuza attending Kuoh Academy, the redhead thought it was the perfect opportunity to better the relationship between their factions. She was quick to realize that they didn't know about the supernatural, at least, one of them didn't.
She tried to hide it, that Haruka girl, but she and Sona easily noticed the nervous glances she had given them. She's either intimidated by them seeing how famous they are in the school, which Rias doubted, or she genuinely knew what they were.
As for the Amamiya girl. Well, she didn't show any reaction to them. Sona was quick to point it out seeing that they've interacted more than once, and Akane didn't quite care about immediately causing trouble. She sent two students to the hospital on her first day for Lucifer's Sake!
Rias managed to see the entire thing unfold from the window, grimacing when Akane didn't stop even after knocking them out. There is a good chance that they'll be bedridden for years. The redhead thought that the girl went a bit too far. It was just a little peeping, nothing serious.
It was safe to say that the girl didn't know about the truth of this town, and if she did, she's either incredibly brave to pull that stunt or just doesn't care at all. Or maybe, it's an act? Do that to trick them into thinking she's ignorant?
Her sudden disappearance on lunch break that not even Koneko found her was fairly suspicious. Something was obviously amiss here - you don't hide from Koneko when you're just a regular human.
Unlikely that she's unaware, but a possibility nonetheless.
But if she was being honest, there was another student that caught her attention. Ichiban Kasuga.
Something was… odd, about him. She felt subtle energy within him, fiery and primal. Draconic, almost. It wasn't common to sense this, but if her assumption is correct, then he might be a Longinus Wielder. dragon type. Sacred Gears don't give off a lot of energy when they're locked, not unless it's a Longinus of course.
A quick look into his background didn't tell a lot, unfortunately. He was uninteresting and normal, a young orphan boy who got raised in a brothel. His grades were excellent and his guardian had enough money to send him to Kuoh Academy…
...Which sounds a little weird. Something was odd about this and Rias wasn't sure why. Everything about him looked legit, too legit. Sona thought he was a spy but he's very clearly unaware of the supernatural. The only thing that truly got them on guard when connecting the dots was the aura he had, but if he was a spy, why wouldn't he hide it fully? It didn't make a lot of sense to them.
However, they decided to keep an eye on him regardless. If they're overthinking, then Rias can invite him to her peerage. A possible Longinus Wielder would be Lucifersent, especially with the marriage approaching fast.
"And…" Koneko spoke up once more. "There was a cold presence."
"A cold presence?" Rias raised a brow. "How so?"
"It felt cold, freezing." Her Rook said. "...I could see my own breath."
Rias only furrowed her brows.
"Some sort of a supernatural creature, or one skilled in magic, then." Kiba quipped. "Well, that was obvious enough as they managed to sneak up on Koneko, but if they're able to release such presence…"
"Someone powerful." Akeno sighed. "Ara ara~ should we call Lucifer-sama, Buchou?"
"Hmm… no, not yet." Rias shook her head. "We should observe, for now, gauge the threat, then act accordingly. If it's something we can't handle, then we'll inform my brother."
"Are you sure this is wise?" Her Queen tilted her head.
"It could be a Tojo Agent." Her Knight added.
"Doubt it, they won't do something drastic like this." The redhead frowned. "Throwing around threats like these isn't something the Tojo would do. Most likely a third party."
"Could it be Shun Akiyama?" Kiba questioned.
"Had it been Shun, Koneko would've felt a hot presence, not a freezing one," Akeno said. "And if I recall correctly, it was a woman's voice?"
Koneko nodded.
"Regardless, I think we should pull back and observe from afar," Rias said. "Koneko, Akeno, pause the tailing for now. We'll listen to this… Mysterious Bodyguard and stop. We don't have enough information about her to do anything."
The two nodded in affirmation.
"I'll try to befriend them here at Kuoh, it's the safer way." She added. "All of you try to do so as well - I'll inform Sona about this. We should avoid provoking the Tojo or this woman. War is the last thing we want."
Rias can admit that she can be pushy sometimes, but even she knows when to stop. This might be a sign or a message telling her that she's pushing a little too much. They're not exactly in the position to assume that this woman was a Tojo - if they came to the chairman with false accusations it'll only make them look bad.
The peace is already shaky enough. If they can hold on until an official contract is formed, then they can at least breathe again. Rias isn't about to ruin years of her brother's work and is definitely not about to be the one to blame for a war they're not sure they can win.
"How would you get close to Amamiya-san?" Akeno asked with a head tilt.
"Heh, you can leave this to me," Rias smirked arrogantly. "I'm the most popular girl in school. Who wouldn't want to be friends with the Queen of Kuoh Academy?"
"Are you sure?" Her Queen questioned worriedly. "We know she has a short fuse, and we saw how she acted earlier today. What if you say the wrong thing?"
"You worry too much. I got this." She waved off her worries. "I've already made plenty of friends here. How's this gonna be any different?"
So their best bet is getting close to her the old-fashioned way: Be friends. A foolproof plan if Rias had to say, worked every time. Unless she's talking to an individual who wants nothing but to rip her apart, then that'll be a piece of cake.
She just hoped she wouldn't get on her bad side. Seeing that boy get his face dragged across the pavement made her shiver.
...Maybe they should start taking the complaints about perverts seriously before anything truly horrible happens.
(Haruka)
She wasn't sure if coming over to Kuoh was even a good idea - she was practically stuck in a school filled with supernatural creatures, and only noticed when it was too late. Haruka had assumed that she was attending a regular high school until the moment she set foot inside.
Now, Haruka had a rough life prior, almost always getting dragged into Yakuza conflicts along with her adoptive father, and was fairly familiar with the Supernatural. Her father figure had his fair share of tussles with devils and fallen, and seeing how close she was to him, they usually dragged her into their messes.
So seeing that she's practically stuck in this school for the next year at least was terrifying if she's being honest. She likes devils as much as she likes Yakuza, and that means 'not very much'. She went through so much to finally achieve the peace she dreamed of - her father died for it, so the possibility of being pulled into all of it again…
Haruka sighed deeply, taking the ice cream cone off the vendor's hand with a grateful smile. At the very least, Kuoh was a quiet town, a lot less loud than Kamurocho and nowhere near as crowded. It reminded her of Okinawa a bit, just without the humidity or the smell of the sea.
She wondered what the other kids at the orphanage were doing. Without her or Uncle Kaz there, they might be having some difficulties. Thankfully, Haruka still had more than enough money from her career as an Idol, so they can take care of themselves for a while.
Even then, she knew Taichi and Ayako were old enough to hold down the fort while she is gone. The reason she's even going to a school as prestigious as this is to up her chances of going to a good college, then get a good job to support the orphanage by herself, or at least until everyone else can go to a good college themselves.
But of course, the universe had to somehow beat her down a little more and send her to a devil-infested school. She should've researched a little more.
Now, that's not to say that Haruka has any significant problems with devils. She's been taught to not judge people by their appearance, ethnicity, or race. To not categorize people into certain stereotypes. After all, her adoptive father was literally the Fourth Chairman of the Tojo Clan.
But she was worried. She hated dealing with Supernatural or the Yakuza, she wanted to live her life in peace. She didn't know what to do now seeing that two heiresses were in the school, along with what Haruka assumes is their own peerages. It worried her if she's being honest.
And to make it worse, she felt someone following her earlier today. She wasn't sure if she was being paranoid or there was something following her, but it didn't make it any better.
With another tired sigh, Haruka walked across the streets, heading towards her apartment with her cold treat in hand. At the very least, she could take care of herself for a bit - Akiyama taught her a few moves, specifically how to use her legs for some deadly techniques.
Her physique and the constant dancing lessons she took a while ago made it a lot easier for her to learn some of his moves. Even after quitting, Haruka kept exercising more and more, because aside from her being very happy with how her body turned out, she still loved dancing.
It was, and still is, her hobby. Same with singing.
Her expression fell as her thoughts traced back to the school, then brightened up a little when she remembered the new girl she met. This Akane Amamiya felt a little familiar - more specifically, her last name. There was this Yakuza patriarch she knew that had that last name too, right?
It didn't matter though - while the girl was a little strange, wearing a male uniform and all that, she was very nice. She talked a little casually, yet was still fairly polite. Haruka also admired how confident she looked. Even with the weird looks she got, she never gave it any mind.
Haruka wanted to approach her on lunch break but was beaten to the punch by that other guy with the afro. They seemed to know each other, and she backed down, only to be hounded by a lot of girls telling her how cute she looked and whatnot.
She was… a little surprised that nobody recognized her. She made a pretty big name for herself, after all. However, she was sure that Akane knew who she was, the little shock on her face when she said her name told her that much.
Haruka felt very glad that Akane didn't start hounding her with questions and whatever. She respected her privacy, which meant a lot. Heck, she even acted like she didn't know at all.
She appreciated it.
Her… reaction to what she did to those perverts felt a little overboard, but Haruka isn't exactly new to violence. She used to see it almost every day with how many delinquents and thugs swarm her adoptive father.
The only thing that surprised her was that it was a girl doing it this time. She was used to middle-aged men beating the crap out of teens who thought they were hot stuff. She won't lie, it was funny to see sometimes.
And Haruka wasn't exactly sympathetic to perverts. They played with too much fire and got burned.
Severely.
Like, a flamethrower to the face.
As Haruka passed by an alleyway, someone cleared their throat, prompting her to stop in her tracks. She turned her head towards the dark alley as soon as she put the tiny plastic spoon in her mouth, blinking a little when she spotted a man.
Short white hair, red eyes, and a smirk on his face. He wore a simple black shirt, black pants and a cross necklace. "Hey there, girlie. Mind if we have a minute?"
Haruka flinched, her intuition quickly telling her that this man is bad news. She tried to ignore him, quickening her pace, but he stopped her by firmly grabbing her shoulder. Haruka was quick to deduce that this was no normal man.
"Now, isn't it a little rude to walk away like this?" He asked with a knowing look. "I just want a little talk."
She subtly looked around, finding it very suspicious that there was no one around, then turned to look at him slowly with a hardened look.
"Please let go of me." She said politely, but firmly. "I'm busy."
"Aw, c'mon, what's a minute gonna do?" He shook his head. "I just want to talk about our lord and savior~"
"I'm not interested." Haruka pushed his arm away. "Now please leave me be."
As she walked away, almost jogging at this point, the man clicked his tongue audibly, obviously very annoyed at her being dismissive. "Oi, you bitch. I'm being polite here, so you better listen right now."
She ignored him, almost rolling her eyes at his 'threat'. He might look dangerous, but Haruka has seen and stood up against people who can turn this town into ashes in mere seconds. She's not really afraid of him.
The man grabbed her roughly this time, slamming her against the wall nearby as he stared at her with a scowl, her ice cream, unfortunately, falling on the ground. "Don't you fucking ignore me, you slut."
Haruka only narrowed her eyes in defiance. Even when he showed her superior strength, she didn't even flinch. She's seen this scene play out far too many times and by people hundreds of times scarier than him.
She was ready for a fight, though she was hoping she wouldn't have to - she didn't exactly like fighting. Haruka hated hurting people after all, but sometimes, she had to.
She clenched her fists as he growled. "The fuck is up with that look, huh? You looking down on me, you dumb bitch-?!"
It was then when an arm grabbed his, and without even giving the two a chance to react, a fist made contact with the creep's face, sending him stumbling back as he held his nose in pain. He hissed and sneered at the assailant, who to Haruka's surprise, was her classmate.
Akane retracted her arm back, glaring at him as her visible eye glowed crimson in the dark. "Girl isn't interested. Fuck off already."
"You…" He growled. "You stupid bitch…"
"At least I'm not the dude with a broken nose." She shot back with a smug smirk. "Want me to fix it for you? Cuz I can do that, free of charge~"
The man clenched his fists as a growl left his throat.
"A-Akane-chan?" Haruka mumbled. "What are you doing here?"
"Nothing. Was taking a walk, saw this cunt harassing a classmate, and my fists began to itch." She shrugged. "Besides, let's be honest, he has a really punchable face."
The man was looking as if he was gonna pop a vessel, and the smirk on her classmate's face only angered him further. Haruka realized that this man most likely had contact with the supernatural, so Akane possibly has no idea what she's getting herself into.
Haruka needed to protect her, even if that punch was fairly impressive.
"You dumb whores…" He snarled. "You'll pay for this!"
"Speaking like a shitty anime villain doesn't make you intimidating, it makes you look like a chuuni." Akane scoffed as she crossed her arms. "C'mon, people don't say that shit in real life. Do better."
Haruka stifled a giggle, quietly agreeing with her. He did sound like one just now.
Another growl left his throat, and Akane took it upon herself to humiliate him some more.
"And now he's growling like some fucking animal." She said. "C'mon boy, bark! Show a trick or two!"
That almost did it- he almost charged at her but stopped completely as his eyes darted back and forth, narrowing before he backed away. He looked at Akane with a scornful glare as he slowly walked to the alley he came from.
"You." He pointed at her classmate. "I'll remember you."
"I'm honored, though I can't say the same." She said, continuing her mockery. "You dumbass thugs are starting to blend in together. Can't tell if you're real or some robots made by the government at this point."
He clicked his tongue and disappeared in the darkness, Akane chuckling a second later. "Yeah, that's what I thought, bitch."
"Um, Akane-chan?" Haruka called out to her, who turned back to look at her. "Thank you so much for the help."
"Don't mention it. I was bored anyway." Akane shrugged. "Should've kicked him in the balls, though."
"I was gonna do that." Haruka smiled. "But you handled it before I could."
"Heh." She grinned. "Say, you have anything important to do?"
"Um, not really." Haruka felt a little surprised at the question but answered truthfully. "Why do you ask?"
"I was thinking we can go check out this place together?" Akane offered. "You're new here too, right? So why not explore this town for a bit? Still have a few hours before midnight."
Haruka blinked then smiled softly. "That sounds nice."
"Cool." Her classmate led the way as Haruka began walking next to her. "Heard the arcade was this way. Let's go there first."
Haruka wasn't quite sure what happened, or why that strange man retreated so suddenly, but she felt admittedly safe around her new friend. Maybe it's how charismatic she was, or how very brave she'd been to stand up against that man.
Haruka wasn't exactly the most… intimidating of individuals - she preferred persuading and simply ignoring instead, so seeing a girl her age who looks like one of the friendliest people she's seen act that way was a little weird, though admirable.
She could do without the dirty language, even if it was funny...
(Akane)
Alright, dealing with that moron was a lot less scary than I thought it'd be. Don't know what this dumbass was thinking, walking around like that and threatening someone like Haruka. He looked familiar when I first saw him, and a check with Observe told me what I needed to know.
Freed, one of the first villains from DxD. The insane stray exorcist that's a pain in the ass since he doesn't fucking die for some reason, always coming back for more. It's the fault of Rias and her dumb peerage for not killing him as soon as they could, or telling Sirzechs or anyone about him, but I'll say that he's persistent.
He was… surprisingly easy to piss off. I threw half-hearted trash talk his way and he almost went mental on me. I can't tell if I'm really good even without trying or he's never dealt with people who like talking shit before.
I was half-expecting that I was gonna have to reveal my magic. I knew I couldn't beat him without magic since his physical stats dwarf mine, and while interfering was risky, I knew it was the right choice.
He fucked off because he noticed the Yakuza watching him. I noticed them too while walking around, and I also noticed that they're watching me more than Haruka for reasons I don't know yet.
I wanted to increase my REP with Haruka because anyone this close to the Tojo like I am must have or know something important, something I can use. This Kiryu guy must've left her with good stuff I can take, maybe.
Yes, I know, a lot of assumptions, but doesn't it make sense?
If she doesn't have anything, then I got a moderately powerful friend who is probably able to improve by doing practically nothing. I'm sure being Kiryu's kid left her with a bunch of surprises. I don't think the devils were watching, so the risk I took would only lead to Haruka learning about my magic, and I'm 90% sure she already knows about the supernatural.
Besides, I knew the Yakuza were gonna scare him off anyway. They were following me intently.
Basically worth the "risk" in my opinion.
Also, Freed did have a punchable face. It felt so damn satisfying to break his nose.
Though, this is a little concerning. Is canon gonna start earlier? I remember it starting at least one month from now. Freed being here now isn't exactly reassuring, and him being so damn bold is even less so. Why did he target Haruka specifically?
Empty streets, no one here, and a pre-made encounter for him to grab her for a reason. He must know who she is and must've recognized me as well. What is he trying to accomplish by kidnapping Haruka? What's the purpose?
And does that mean the fallen are here too? So early? Asia? I barely have any knowledge to go off of.
There are multiple possibilities, but I lack evidence and clues.
"Thank you so much for inviting me, Akane-chan." Haruka bows with a smile. "I've had a lot of fun today, but I think it's getting a little late."
"Yeah, it's almost midnight." I nod. "I had fun too. We should do this again sometime."
Unfortunately, no quests popped up when we went through the arcade games.
"I agree." She says. "I'll be going now."
"Want me to walk you home?"
"No thanks. I think I'll be fine." She waves. "See you tomorrow!"
20 Reputation with Haruka Sawamura [25/100]
I watch her until she leaves my sight, my eyes narrowing as I walk home.
I need to investigate a little more. I know where their base is, though it's a little dangerous for me to go observe it alone. Maybe once I level up some more or something, get Ichi to walk with me there to 'explore the abandoned church'. Dumbass will eat it up and think of it as a dungeon or something.
I should really deal with the fallen before they become too much trouble...
Slowly catching up. Four more chapters.
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