4 A Monster Exits School So He Can Train (Also To Avoid Trouble)

"...Why do you look so different, Ikki?" Yuuto asked with a frown as I finished eating the first bite of my many sandwiches - My new body took a lot of energy to fuel, I guess. I turned to my friend and sighed before wiping some crumbs from my lips.

"I don't know, Yuuto," I said, shrugging before carrying on, "I woke up different, that's all. Dyed my hair yesterday as well. Is it really that odd?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

This was the best way to get past people asking things. Make them second guess themselves. 'Is it really that odd?' 'Should I just let it go?' 'Maybe I'm being hypersensitive.' is what I wanted to put into Yuuto's head. I'd rather not him know about my strength and abilities. Why? Because he's just like Souna - a Devil. I don't have anything against that but Dungeon Master told me more about Devils during class.

Devils have things called peerages. There's a King, who rules the peerage, they pick a Queen by giving them something called an Evil Piece. An Evil Piece is practically something that either turns another race into a Reincarnated Devil or brings a Pure-Devil into the Peerage. The Queen piece is the most powerful piece under a King, as it gives a boost to the specific person's magical abilities and physical abilities.

This is because it holds all the properties of three other Evil Pieces - The Knight piece, the Rook Piece, and the Bishop piece.

The Knight piece gives the user a massive boost to their movement and attack speed while also raising their reaction speed to even higher levels. Their main weakness is their lack of defense. The Rook piece, however, is the complete opposite as it gives the user an incredible boost to their defense and raw physical strength. Their main weakness is their lack of speed. Finally, the Bishop piece is responsible for heightening someone's magical abilities as a whole, whether it be their offensive potential or mana capacity. Their weakness is the same as any other mages - if a melee-type fighter gets in close, they're screwed.

There is one more piece called a Pawn. It doesn't give a boost to anything but it does have one main ability - Promotion. If a Pawn User is within enemy territory or somewhere considered enemy territory, then they can take on the powers of a Rook piece, a Knight piece, a Bishop, or take all three powers by becoming a Queen piece.

What does this have to do with not telling Yuuto about my powers? Well, he's a Reincarnated Devil, meaning that his 'King' should be nearby and if he sees me and my potential? I'll no doubt get bombarded with invites to that peerage.

Why would I not join a team that could give me power?

Because I've seen how useless it is to surround true power with weaklings. Flashes of memory came to mind - the pack of wolves against that bear.

I want to be strong. You can't get strong if you rely on others. All relying on others does is make you complacent and weak. I wish to become a solo predator, something that can kill anything on it's own and without help.

"...Did something happen to you, Ikki? Something odd and inexplicable?" Yuuto suddenly said, and I instantly knew what he was talking about - he thinks I've unlocked a Sacred Gear. He always was way too sharp at times. Looking to him I just gave him a deadpan look with a raised eyebrow, gesturing for him to continue.

Though I tried to look confused...acting was never my strong point.

"You have, haven't you, Ikki?" his blue eyes dimmed slightly as he sighed, "Can you at least tell me about it?" he asked with a helpless smile. I just kept quiet and went back to eating - if he knows, he knows. I just have to make sure he doesn't know about my potential.

Sighing, Yuuto spoke to himself, "I'm like you, you know? I'm not...normal," he said but just as quickly as he spoke, I replied.

"I know," I said, wanting to at least put him at ease but it did the opposite as he looked at me, wide-eyed.

"You know...?" he repeated, more for himself than anything else.

But hearing I just shrugged, "Not like I care either. You're still my friend, Yuuto," I said before eating the last part of my sandwich and picking up a new one. Before the blond could reply, two girls came onto the roof.

One of them having red-hair and looking like a European beauty, while the other had black hair and looked like a traditional Japanese beauty. These two were known to me already - who didn't know the two Great Beauties of Kuoh Academy? The redhead was Rias Gremory and the girl next to her was Akeno Himejima.

"Buchou...Akeno-senpai," Yuuto had an awkward look on his face as he looked between the new arrivals and me, who was still eating.

Though I was still eating, I'd already sensed that Rias was a Devil, and a pure-one if her pure Demonic Power was anything to go by. Yuuto had a slight impurity to him that neither Souna nor Rias had. Dungeon Master practically told me as much during class as well...though I should come up with a better name for it...or at least a shorter one. DM, maybe?

Anyway, I could see that Akeno was also a Reincarnated Devil...though she had something weird also flowing around inside her. Like...tainted light? It was hard to describe and DM didn't say anything so I guessed I'd have to ask them later.

But from how Yuuto spoke to Rias...she's his 'King'. Meaning Akeno is her Queen. Would it be safe to assume that anyone in the Occult Research Club is a part of the Peerage? Would the same apply to the Student Council?

...If I were a betting man, I'd say 'Yes'.

Getting up, I packed up my leftovers before looking over to Yuuto, "I'll leave you to talk to your club members," as I said this I walked to the door before looking to Rias and Akeno, "Gremory-senpai, Himejima-senpai," I nodded to them before walking through the door and closing it. As I was walking down the stairs, I wondered what I should do...

I don't feel like going to class now. Should I just go home? Yeah...I think I will. I've gotta train that {Beginner Electrokinesis}...DM said something about it being upgradeable if I practice it hard enough.

. . .

POV Change - Yuuto Kiba

As I watched Ikki leave I could only sigh as I wondered what had happened to my best friend. He usually never kept things from me but now...? He barely even spoke. What could have happened for him to become like this? Such a thing can't just happen overnight.

...If anyone of the supernatural world have messed with him...I'll eradicate them. No one has the right to disturb my friends.

A slender, yet reassuring hand brought my attention back to Buchou as I looked at her worried blue eyes. Her face looked flooded with worry as she spoke, "Who was that, Yuuto? Did he do anything to you?" she asked and I quickly shook my head - this Buchou of mine always assumed people were at fault if any of her peerage were upset. It was heart-warming but the misunderstanding that stem from it are too many to count...

"No, Buchou, that was my friend, Ikki Nagumo. He's...changed a little. I believe he's awakened a Sacred Gear and from the dangerous feel I get from him, it's definitely not a weak one," I said, sighing for the umpteenth time today. I felt helpless that I couldn't help Ikki, and it brought up many bad memories of me not being able to help other friends...

Buchou put a hand on her chin while Akeno stood near her, looking around with a scrunched up face. After a few seconds she finally spoke with a confused smile, "His mana is...odd. It feels like Human mana but there's something else that makes up the other half. Something much more volatile and violent. Though we can see that he hasn't had his improved mana capacity for long - he's leaking out his full amount all the time - it doesn't help us test his strength. Could he be a threat to the peerage, Yuuto-kun?" she asked and I quickly shook my head.

"I have the feeling he'll stay out of our way as long as we stay out of his. Even though he's different and knows I'm different...he still says he's my friend, so I trust him," I said my determination to help Ikki overflowing.

Finally Buchou spoke up, "If you say that, Yuuto, should we try and recruit him for the peerage? I still have a Knight and Rook piece as well as 8 Pawn pieces. If you felt danger while looking at him, he should be strong, right?" she smiled, her eyes sparkling like a child on christmas which made me smile in turn before shaking my head.

"If I know anything about Ikki, he'd turn it down. Even more so now that he seems so closed off," I helplessly smiled, "Though I would recommend a meeting with him, to see what he wants to do in Kuoh Town. Student Council President Sitri should be there as well," I said, feeling that Ikki needed to know who not to mess with if he wanted to join the supernatural world, or if he'd been forced into it like I suspected.

Buchou and Akeno nodded at this and with a flash of red, Akeno teleported us over to the old school building. All the while I was thinking about how to convince Ikki to attend the meeting.

. . .

POV Change - Ikki Nagumo

Sitting on my bed I sent an arc of electricity from one finger to another as I tried to snake it around my fingers like an Ouroboros. DM told me that I could level up my ability through a few ways; upping it's power output by letting out as much electricity as possible, trying to fire it as a projectile, or controlling electricity. These are called the Power-Type, the Range-Type, and the Control-Type ways of developing a power.

Right now I have no interest in the ranged route. But right now I'm trying to develop my control, but at the same time I'm keeping the output to the upper limit of what I can do now. So I'm training the Control-Type and Power-Type route, I guess.

But with more focus on the control. Why? Because I have my body for power, my skill should be used to make myself more versatile.

Just as I was about to try and break my power limits, DM spoke up, [Ikki, there is a Fallen Angel on the way to your location. They've picked up on your Monster Mana.]

Hearing what it said, I sighed before closing my eyes, "Could you have not told me everyone could sense my Monster Mana? I must have looked much too shameless when I was lying..." I shook my head before opening my eyes again, "Can you hide my Mana for now?"

[Yes, I can, Ikki,] DM said and I instantly felt the energy in my body slow down to the point where it barely even moved. It didn't do anything to my body but I felt...stealthy, I guess is how I'd describe it.

"Good. Keep it up until after this battle. Is there any way you can give me a weapon?" I asked, getting up and beginning to stretch my legs and arms. Stretching is useful for many things, you know?

DM was silent for a few seconds before it spoke up, [I can give you a weapon in exchange for you not getting anything for killing the Minotaur of the floor you're on. This has to be equivalent exchange for me to be able to do this.]

"What?" I asked, pausing my stretching, "Why do I need to give up the reward I'd get for clearing the floor?"

[Because this weapons is what you'd get as a reward. Now I will begin to summon and link the weapon to you. It take the appearance of whatever fits you the best.]

And with that, motes of light started to appear before coming together into two separate things. Both of them were made up of two different motes of light; electric blue and black. They quickly began to take shape and I quickly realized what was being made for me. Daggers. Both about 18 inches, with about 6 inches being the handle and 12 inches being the blade. Finally the light dispersed and showed the clear image of the daggers.

The handle and the flat of the blade were black and the edge was a dark electric blue that seemed to pulse. Upon closer inspection, I could see thin dark blue veins traveling across the blade and handle.

I reached out and grabbed the two daggers and felt them slip into my hands.

So these were made with me in mind, huh?

Before I could properly look over the weapons, the window to my room was completely kicked inward, with a slender leg poking through my curtains. Then someone came into the room wearing a red dress and blazer. Though the first thing I really realized was the massive amount of cleavage she was showing off.

...Is she really dense about that sort of stuff or does she really just not care if people see her tits?

Whatever. She's gonna die now anyway.