Back to School

Underworld, Gremory Territory, Alaverus Estate.

After leaving the meeting with the faction leaders, James wasted no time in teleporting back to his home in the Underworld. When he did, he found the rest of his peerage discussing the [Rating Game] between Rias and Sona. At the same time, when they noticed he and Scathach had arrived, they asked for their opinions on the [Rating Game]. Like he did with the faction leaders, James gave his analysis of the [Rating Game], which was almost identical to the analysis Cu Chulainn gave.

"it's clear to see that they trained under the same master." Lady said after hearing James' analysis.

"Yeah, their analyses of the [Rating Game] were nearly identical." Shuna replied.

"Alright, enough of that." James said with a serious expression on his face.

"James, what's wrong?" Flora asked with concern in her tone. "Are the higher ups going to put us to work again?""

"Could there be anything else?" James asked with a wry smile.

Then, James explained what happened in the Satans' meeting room after the negotiations with Odin concluded.

"As of now, it's just my speculation." James said, bringing his retelling of the events to an end. "Even still, you should all be ready to go at a moment's notice."

Mizore, Cu Chulainn, Moka, Flora, Ayame, Shuna, and Shion nodded in understanding.

"As long as we get paid, we'll be ready." Dante said proudly.

Lady looked at Dante strangely, however, she nodded as well.

"So, Dante... About that." James said.

From James' tone, everyone in the room could tell that Dante was not about to hear any good news.

"What's wrong?" Dante asked nervously.

"You're not gonna receive any pay from me for a while." James said with a stern expression. "It's been two years since your shop was destroyed. And you have yet to pay off the loan to have it fixed. And it's not like I don't pay you well, right?"

Dante began to shudder after hearing that.

"You can't do that!" Dante shouted in irritation.

"Yes, I can." James said without changing his expression. "You owe me money and have for a long time. So, instead of paying you for your jobs, I'll be using that money to pay off your debt."

"Haha." Lady began to chuckle. "I told you this would happen sooner or later."

"Why is this such a problem, Dante?" James asked with a frown. "It's not like I'm the only one you accept jobs from, right?"

Dante, with an expression of despair, did not answer James' question. Instead, it was Lady who answered in his place.

"He still hasn't fixed his habit of causing collateral damage." Lady said, explaining Dante's despair ridden expression. "So, all the money he receives from you goes to paying for the property damage he causes on his jobs."

With that, silence fell over the room. Then, after a few moments of that uncomfortable silence, James turned toward Scathach.

"Master, if you wouldn't mind, could you help Dante with his problem of causing collateral damage?" James asked Scathach with a smile.

"Of course." Scathach said with a smile. Then she grabbed Dante and dragged him toward the Estate's training grounds.

"No~~~~~~! James, don't do this to me~~~~!" Dante shouted as he struggled to free himself from Scathach's grasp.

After Scathach finished 'training' Dante, James and his peerage returned to the Human World. Rias and Sona also brought their peerages back to the human world after they were healed later that evening. And like that, their summer break came to an end.

Human World, Japan, Kuoh.

The next morning, James, Mizore, Moka, Flora, and Shuna were on their way to Kuoh Academy like they would be any other school day. And like any other day, they chatted about anything they found interesting during their walk.

"So, is Master Scathach really going to teach P.E.?" Mizore asked nervously.

"Yeah." James replied simply. "So, you'll have to call her Scathach-Sensei from now on."

"I feel sorry for all those unsuspecting humans." Shuna said with a faraway look in her eyes. "I wonder how many of them will file to transfer schools after one of her classes."

"I don't think it will be that bad." James said with a wry smile. "I doubt she'll cause trauma... Probably."

"You don't believe that, and you know it." Moka said while staring at James from the corner of her eye.

"Seriously, James." Flora said with a smile. "Giving someone the benefit of the doubt is one thing. But you've seen Master Scathach's track record."

Instead of trying to defend himself, James simply shrugged his shoulders. He knew what they were saying was right. So, he let them have their victory. Eventually, James and his group of five reached the front gates of Kuoh Academy. When they did, they found Mio and Maria just arriving, like they always do.

"Mio, Maria, good morning." Mizore shouted while waving her hand toward her underclassmen.

Turning back after hearing their names called, Mio and Maria saw James' group of five.

"Good morning." Maria shouted back as she ran toward the group.

"You know, we were coming toward you, Maria." James said with a wry smile.

"Yeah, you could have waited there for us, like Mio." Moka said.

Then, Maria looked at James and the rest of the group. After that, she turned her head to Mio, who was still standing where she was when she heard Mizore call them. A moment later, she knocked herself on the head and stuck out her tongue cutely.

"Haha, I guess you're right." Maria said with a slight blush on her face.

Then, with Maria, James and the girls caught up to Mio and they all walked through the school gates.

"So, how are you two after yesterday's [Rating Game]?" James asked with concern in his tone.

"*Sigh* We all realized that we need to work harder." Mio said.

"Yeah, we were all complacent after growing stronger." Maria said with resolute eyes. "But we'll never let that happen again."

Hearing that, James and the girls looked at each other. Then, they smiled at Mio and Maria warmly.

"That's good." James said. "It's good you learned that now. It would have been too late if you realized that on a real battlefield."

Mio blushed and looked away after seeing James warm smile. Maria, on the other hand, maintained her expression. However, a slight tint of pink colored her cheeks.

"Anyway." Maria said in an attempt to change the subject. "It's unfair that your win was invalidated, Senpai."

"It's not really unfair if you think about it." James replied. "Everyone is supposed to have the same number of matches by the end of this league for young devils, right?"

In response to James' question, Mio and Maria nodded while they focused on what he would say next.

"So, if they left that win on our record, we would have an unfair advantage when they chose which of the young devils for this year was the most outstanding." James said as he concluded his explanation.

"That makes sense when you put it like that." Mio said.

Maria nodded in agreement.

"I know Issei-Senpai didn't think that far ahead when he laughed at you like that." Maria said with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Well, he's too dumb to think that far ahead." Mio said with a small frown on her face.

"Oh, did Ise do that?" James asked with an amused smile on his face. "Maybe I should have a talk with him after school."

Hearing that, Mio and Maria exchanged glances and smiled. Of course, James noticed.

'These girls are cute.' James thought to himself. 'I guess they're still quite put off by Issei's... idiosyncrasies.'

A few moments later, James led the girls to the entrance of the MMA Club. However, unlike usual days, the door was unlocked.

"Is there someone inside?" Shuna asked after finding the door to the MMA Club unlocked.

"Did you forget, Shuna?" Moka asked as she stepped forward and pushed the door open. "James gave a key to Master Scathach since she is going to become the Advisor/Coach for the MMA Club."

"Oh, now that you mention it." Shuna said as she followed Moka into the training hall.

However, not even three steps into the training hall, Shuna bumped into Moka who was in front of her. Moka was frozen in front of her. She could not see her expression from behind, though. So, she did not know why Moka stopped just inside the training hall.

"Moka, what's wrong?" Shuna asked curiously.

*Boom!* *Boom!* *Boom!*

Before Moka could answer, though, Shuna heard a heavy bag being struck from the other side of the training hall. Then, she looked to the source of the sound and opened her eyes wide. There she saw Scathach striking the heavy bag with a style of martial arts that she had never seen before.

"Oh, is that pankration?" James asked as he walked in behind Moka and Shuna. "I thought Master would be using Dornalaiocht or Speacholreacht."

"I'm not even gonna try and butcher those words. Flora said with a smile. "But what are those?"

"They're the ancient Celtic versions of Boxing and Kicking." James said as he watched Scathach hitting the heavy bag.

"Is it that time already?" Scathach asked as she stopped hitting the heavy bag when she realized there were some new arrivals. "It really is much more difficult to move with a normal human's speed and power than I had anticipated."

"Says the woman who was hitting the heavy bag at the pinnacle of a normal human's capabilities with no problem." Mizore said with jealousy.

She could not help but be a little jealous after seeing how easily Scathach adapted her power to that of a normal human. After training with James in the underworld Mizore had more trouble than most regulating her strength so that she would not stand out among the Humans.

Remembering how tough it was for Mizore to adapt to the Human World; James patted her head softly while he smiled at her gently. Then, after a few moments, he turned his attention toward Scathach and spoke.

"Master... No, Scathach-Sensei, don't you think it's about time that you reported to the faculty office?" James asked with a smile.

"I suppose you are correct." Scathach said as she looked up at the clock on the training hall's wall. "Oh, and I don't think it would be a problem for you to call me Master, James."

"Really?" James asked with confusion in his tone.

"All we need to do is explain that I was the one who taught you your hand-to-hand martial arts." Scathach explained.

"But do you know Muay Thai or modern wrestling?" James asked curiously.

"I know enough to pass off as an expert after seeing you practice in the Land of Shadows." Scathach said nonchalantly.

'What the hell, I only shadow boxed a handful of times with her watching.' James thought to himself. 'How did she pick up enough to call herself an expert that fast'

"Not to mention, Moka uses your fighting style, right?" Scathach asked as she glanced at Moka.

"Oh yeah, there's that." James said with a nod. "I guess it wouldn't take you very long to learn a style after fighting with a practitioner a few times, huh?"

"Correct." Scathach replied. "Now, if you would excuse me. I need to go to the faculty office. I will see you again at the ceremony to introduce me."

And with that, Scathach, who did not sweat in the least, made her way out of the MMA Club's training hall.

"So, James." Flora said while looking at James with a mischievous smile.

"What's up, Flora?" James replied with a smile.

"What do you think the chances are that Issei will manage to piss off Scathach-Sensei within the week?" Flora asked.

"There is a zero percent chance that Ise would piss off Master." James said confidently.

That statement left the rest of the girls flabbergasted. However, James was not done.

"But he will definitely get himself punished for something on his first day of one of her classes." James continued from where he left off.

"I guess those two perverts, what were their names again?" Mizore said with disdain. "Hyoudou's friends from the beginning of last year... You all know who I'm talking about."

Shuna, Mio, and Maria looked confused. However, James, Moka, and Flora knew exactly who she was talking about.

"Yeah, I don't remember their names either." Flora said. "Not that they're important enough to be remembered, anyway."

"Yeah, you're right." Mizore said. I'm sure those two would get themselves killed by Scathach-Sensei before too long."

Hearing that, James, Moka, and Flora nodded in agreement.

"Anyway, let's get in a light warm up." James said. "Then, we should finish early, we can't be late for Master's introduction to the school."

And with that, James and the girls did what they usually do in the MMA Club before school.