10 The Qliphoth

The Qliphoth...

A tree that grows in the underworld and harnesses the souls of evil. Instead of giving life, it brings forward death. The only life it brings forward is the abominations of other creatures, which are known as magic beasts. When the Qliphoth emerges, it is protected by many demons.

"To think that my body was used as a seed for the Qliphoth."

Kenji looked at the tall sinister tree. It was emitting an ominous aura.

"Kekkekkekkek~"

More laughing. Kenji looked around and he saw an army of the demons earlier heading his way.

"Hmm..."

`They are the Qliphoth's stooges. They are demons, which the only thing they do is laugh at their enemies and crush them with their pillars.`

A distorted voice spoke in his mind.

"That's interesting. Well, I wish I could play more, but I don't have time right now."

The stooges let out a terrifying cackle and began rushing towards Kenji. Kenji then jumped and vanished, reappearing in his apartment. While he got up, one drop of black goo fell from his shoulder.

"Well, now I need to take a shower."

As he took his shirt off, the goo was starting to move. In a few seconds, it slowly became what looked like a mutated ant. Its jaws were wide, measuring about 3 feet in size. It was big, and it was slowly approaching Kenji. It slowly raised its jagged forelimb over Kenji.

"Kiiiiiiiieeeeeeek!!!"

It screeched as it brought its claws down.

CLANG!

The creature tilted its head as it saw a golden demonic-like hand grabbed its arm. Then in an instant, it's head was cut off like the soft part of a watermelon being cut. As its head flew into the air, it slowly burned into ashes.

The large golden reptilian beast stood over the body of the dead monster. It growled as it kicked the body aside.

"So that's what the black goo does. So what are these called?"

Kenji said as he watched the body of the ant start to melt. The beast then faded into his shadow.

`Empousas.`

It said. Kenji nodded and then summoned a few shadow ninjas.

"Clean this thing up. Whew, I can already smell it."

He commanded his soldiers as he waved his hand. They nodded and got to cleaning.

After Kenji took his bath, he sat down and placed the rusted rapier and his insignia on the table. Then he placed his hand over the rapier and said.

"Remodel."

A white magic circle appeared over the rapier, and the rapier started to change shapes. A few seconds later, the rapier had turned into a Katana. The blade had a snake pattern imbued into the edge of the blade. Then he looked at the Insignia, and then he placed both his hands over the insignia and the newly formed Katana.

"Fusion."

The two items began merging with each other, and then all that was left was the insignia. Kenji took the insignia and got up on his feet.

"Unbind."

He said. The insignia began changing shapes, and then eventually it became the shape of the Katana. He unsheathed it and the blade was still in its original state.

"Well now that that's done, I should get to sleep."

Kenji flopped onto his bed and dosed off.

The next day...

Knock-knock-knock~

There was knocking coming from Kenji's apartment door. From that, Kenji woke up and started rubbing his eyes. Then, as he looked around, he began sneezing.

"A-a-acHOO!"

He stumbled and fell onto the ground.

"Kenji?! Are you ok?!"

Arisu yelled from the door.

"Y-yes mother, I'm ok."

Kenji tried to get up, but he collapsed onto the ground.

"Kenji?!"

Arisu broke the door and rushed in to see Kenji down on the ground.

A few minutes later...

"I don't think you should go to school today."

"No, it's just a little cold. It's not like it's going to kill me."

Kenji said as he got up and began putting on his uniform. When he finished putting it on, he realized that it was a bit short.

"Why is it so small?"

The jacket didn't even go past his waist, it was at elbow length.

"I may or may not have added it to be elbow length. But that's the new fashion trend."

"Oh well, whatever."

Kenji attached his insignia to his left wrist and began heading for the door until he was stopped by his mother.

"What?"

"You might have to wear this."

Arisu handed Kenji a black trench coat and a mask.

"What is this for?"

Kenji asked.

"The coat is so that no one recognizes who you are when we reach there. People tend to talk about whoever gets off the aircraft. And the mask is so you don't get anyone sick."

`I see...`

After that, Kenji and Arisu got on the aircraft and headed towards the school. While they were heading over there, Arisu gave Kenji his results.

[Strength: S]

[Agility: S]

[Intelligence: S]

[Mana: S]

[Potential: S]

[Overall: S]

Kenji scratched his chin for a second, then he looked at Arisu.

"Mother, you got something wrong."

"What is it?"

"My strength and agility aren't this hi-"

"You can't lie to me. No one can't say that you're not athletic with that body of yours. How many exercises have you done in prison? You weren't like this before you went there."

Kenji looked at his well-toned arms and then his chest and shrugged. Then he looked at the paper again.

[Class: 3-A]

A few minutes later, they landed on top of the school. Kenji followed Arisu out of the aircraft and took a look at the surrounding buildings.

`Tokyo, it's been too long.`

Then he looked down at the students who were all looking at him. That's when he spotted Kimiko. He looked at her hands and could see that she still had the ring on. Then he noticed her Insignia, which was the shape of a butterfly.

A person's insignia will be in the shape of one's favorite creature. Kenji's favorite creatures are snakes, so that's why his insignia was a snake.

"Kenji."

Kenji turned his attention at Arisu and nodded, following her into the building.

As they walked down the hallway, everybody was staring at him as he walked past them. A few seconds later they walked into Arisu's office. Kenji sat down and took his coat off.

"Whew, too many stares."

Kenji said as he took his mask off.

"Aye, keep your mask on, I don't want to get sick."

"Sorry. So, why am I here and not in class?"

He said as he crossed his arms.

"I need to explain to you a few things. One, in this school, everybody has a different uniform. First years have navy blue, second years are red, and the third years are black."

"Hmm? So why do I have a white uniform?"

"That because you're a misfit."

"...a misfit?"

"Yes, you are a misfit due to your new criminal record."

"So, you're telling me that I'm going to stand out?"

"Yes, you are."

Kenji bit on his fingernails.

"Well, that's not good."

"What's not good?"

"Imagine this, a misfit getting perfect grades on his results?"

"I don't see any problems in that. There was another misfit who had almost perfect grades."

Kenji shook his head and paced around the room.

"So, is that all you're going to tell me?"

"Well, since misfits will have white uniforms, their ties will represent what year they are in."

Kenji looked at his tie, which was navy blue, then he threw it over his shoulder.

"I see, anyway, can I go to class now?"

"Hmm, fine. But first, drink this."

Arisu said as she placed a cup of water and a pill on the table. Kenji tilted his head and looked at the pill.

"What's this?"

He said suspiciously.

"Medicine."

"What medicine?"

"Something that will help you get better."

`Get better, huh? Well then, don't mind if I do.`

Kenji took the pill and gulped down the cup of water. Then when a few seconds passed, he began to feel much better.

`Hmm, looks like modern medicine has become more advanced. If only I had this 800 years ago.`

He said in his mind.

Creak!

Suddenly, the door opened behind them. Kenji turned around and saw a woman wearing a white uniform just like him, but her tie was red.

"What does the student council president want with me this time?"

Arisu questioned as the woman approached her.

"We might have to close the art club soon."

The woman said. She didn't realize but there was another presence in the room, except Arisu's assistant.

"I see. Oh, Kenji, this is the student council president, Chitose Quinn. She's a second year."

Kenji inspected her from top to bottom.

"I didn't know that misfits could become a president."

"Fufu, we may be called misfits, but that doesn't affect what we can do. All it does is divide us from other students."

"So what did you do to become a misfit?"

"It's not what I did, it's what I am. I am the daughter of the Quinn family, famous for manufacturing all the vehicles that exist now."

Chitose said as she placed some papers on the table. Arisu looked through the documents and started scanning them. Later, she looked at Kenji who was pacing around the room.

"Kenji."

Arisu called.

"Yes?"

"How about you join the art club? Don't you like... art?"

Kenji rubbed his chin and thought for a moment. Then he nodded.

"Maybe you can save the art club. Who knows?"

"How many members are currently in the art club?"

Kenji asked. Arisu and Chitose looked at each other. Chitose then answered.

"Someone just joined it yesterday because it was empty."

Kenji looked out the window and nodded his head.

"I see now, so only one member is in the art club?"

"Yes."

"Well then, it's going to be two now."

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