Chapter 15. From Shadow to Innovation

As Satria wandered through the academy, searching for his class, he couldn't ignore the sound of footsteps trailing behind him. He groaned internally.

"I really hope this doesn't become an everyday thing. Where's the culture of minding your own business? Damn it, this isn't Japan!"

Finally finding his classroom, he knocked on the door.

"Enter," a calm voice called from inside.

When Satria stepped in, the reaction was immediate. The girls in the room blushed and whispered excitedly, while most of the boys glared daggers at him.

Satria smirked as his gaze landed on three particular boys. Their perverse, awe-struck expressions told him everything.

"Wow… just WOW!" he thought, staring at the infamous Perverted Trio.

[Fatalis: Brother, is that the Oppai Dragon?]

Satria glanced at the average-looking boy with brown hair who was glaring at him.

"Yep, that's him."

The teacher cleared her throat, snapping Satria out of his thoughts. "We have a transfer student today. Please introduce yourself."

Before he could speak, a chorus of squeals erupted from the girls.

"Kyaaa! So handsome and cute!"

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

"Can I have your number?"

"Look at his hair—so exotic!"

"How about a date after class?"

Satria sweatdropped. "Seriously? Women in this world must have a screw loose."

"Ehem!" The teacher's voice cut through the noise. "Let him speak."

Satria took a deep breath, his expression deadpan. "My name is Shidou Matsumi, but you can call me Shin. I'm 16. My hobbies are none of your business. My dreams are none of your business either. Oh, and I have a girlfriend. Thanks."

The room fell silent for a moment. Then:

"Aww, what a shame!"

"But if there's no ring, it's not official!"

"His mysterious vibe is even hotter!"

Satria sighed. "What the heck? These women seriously don't care about boundaries, do they?"

[Fatalis: Brother, are you secretly aiming to become a harem king? It is the DxD world, after all]

"Absolutely not," Satria snapped. "My mom and Kiyohime would kill me if I tried."

[Fatalis: If you change your mind, let me know]

"Wait, what?"

[Fatalis: Nothing!]

The teacher pointed to an empty seat. "Shin-kun, you can sit beside Issei."

As Satria moved to his seat, a bespectacled girl called out, "Careful, Shin-kun! Don't let him infect you with his pervertedness!"

"Yeah, he's bad news!" another girl added.

Satria couldn't help but smirk. "Poor guy. Hang in there, Issei."

When he reached the desk, Issei smiled nervously. "Hey, I'm Hyoudou Issei. Nice to meet you."

Satria extended his hand. "Just call me Shin. Nice to meet you too."

The handshake was firm, and Satria nodded to himself. "He's not a bad guy. Sure, he's perverted, but he's got heart. Reminds me of a certain sage."

[Fatalis: True. He's leagues better than those who force themselves on others. I'll make sure you don't turn into an emo bore, either]

The teacher's voice brought everyone back to reality. "Alright, back to work!"

"Back to torture, you mean," Satria thought wryly.

•

After School in Kuoh Town

Satria strolled into a small electronics supply store, his basket already heavy with various components—capacitors, circuit boards, lithium cells, wiring, and other advanced materials. The faint scent of solder and metal filled the air as the shop owner, Mr. Yamamoto, a grizzled old man with sharp eyes, watched curiously from behind the counter.

As Satria set his items down, the older man raised an eyebrow. "Well, well. That's quite the haul you've got there, kid. Don't see many young folks interested in this kind of stuff. What's all this for? A school project, maybe?"

Satria shook his head, his voice steady. "Not exactly. Just working on something for myself."

"For yourself, huh?" Mr. Yamamoto began scanning the items, pausing occasionally to inspect the high-quality components. "These parts aren't cheap, and some of this stuff is pretty advanced. What are you making, if you don't mind me asking?"

"A better energy storage system—a more efficient battery," Satria replied casually, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

The shopkeeper paused, staring at the boy. "A better battery? Ambitious. Most kids your age are too busy with phones, porn, and games to even think about this sort of thing." He smirked. "What got you into it?"

Satria shrugged, his tone neutral but resolute. "I like solving problems. There's a lot of room for improvement in how we store and use energy. If I can make something that lasts longer, charges faster, and costs less, it could help a lot of people."

The old man chuckled, shaking his head. "Big dreams for a kid. But you're biting off more than you can chew, aren't you? Building a working prototype isn't as simple as snapping parts together, you know."

For a moment, Satria didn't reply. Instead, he glanced at the rows of components, his mind drifting. "Unlike my previous world, I'm in a relatively safe environment here. But even so, I don't have anyone to rely on but myself, Fatalis, and Kiyohime. If I'm going to make a life here, I need to work for it—no shortcuts, no excuses. At least the skills I learned before are useful now. And Japan… it's the perfect place to innovate."

He returned his gaze to Mr. Yamamoto, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Watch me. I'll surprise you someday."

The shopkeeper let out a hearty laugh. "Alright, kid. I'll hold you to that. Just don't blow anything up in the meantime, alright?"

"No promises," Satria quipped, paying for the items and gathering his haul.

As he left the shop, the sunlight glinting off the glass storefront, Satria felt a surge of determination. "Every great project starts small. Let's see how far I can push myself this time."

Next, he is walking past a music store, Satria paused. "Maybe I'll pick up a guitar. It'll give me something to do in my free time."

Inside, the shopkeeper greeted him warmly. "Welcome! What can I help you with?"

"Do you have a Gibson J200?"

"Of course! Give me a moment."

While waiting, Satria sat down and scanned the shop. "Maybe I should start a YouTube channel for cooking. Or sell Jiraiya's books. These perverts would eat that up."

The shopkeeper returned, holding the guitar. "Here you go! Try it out."

Satria strummed a few chords, playing a nostalgic tune from his world.

[Fatalis: Damn! You're good at this, brother. Play more often and I want to request a song]

After making the purchase, Satria left the store, carrying the guitar on his back. He spotted Rias Gremory walking by, her face twisted in frustration.

"She looks pissed. Must be KFC-related drama," he thought with a smirk, avoiding any unnecessary interaction.

•

When Satria finally returned home, he opened the door to find Kiyohime waiting for him in a naked apron.

"Welcome home, Danna-sama! Do you want dinner, a bath, or… "What is all this, Danna-sama?" she asked, her tone a mix of concern and curiosity.

Satria smirked and pulled a small box from one of the bags. "Before I explain, here." He handed her the box, which contained a neatly wrapped matcha cake.

Kiyohime blinked, momentarily distracted by the thoughtful gesture. "You brought this… for me?" she asked softly, her cheeks tinged with pink.

"Of course. I figured you'd like it," Satria said with a grin.

Her lips curved into a small smile, but she quickly composed herself, shaking her head as she glanced back at the array of items he'd purchased. "But, Danna-sama, you spent too much money. We should be using our funds wisely. What if we run out?"

Satria leaned back against the wall, arms crossed, his smirk unwavering. "Don't worry about it. I'll make sure we're more than comfortable soon."

Kiyohime frowned slightly, still unconvinced. "How? These things," she gestured to the pile of components, "look expensive. What are you planning to do with them?"

Satria's expression turned confident as he picked up a small circuit board from the table. "I'm going to build something. Something that can help us earn more money and maybe even change the game a little in this world."

Kiyohime raised an eyebrow. "Change the game? You're always so mysterious, Danna-sama. Are you sure this isn't just another one of your odd hobbies?"

Satria chuckled. "Odd hobbies, huh? Trust me on this one. I've got a plan, and it's not just about survival. It's about thriving. Besides," he added with a teasing glint in his eye, "you'll thank me when we can afford all the matcha cakes you want."

Kiyohime sighed, shaking her head again, though the corners of her lips twitched upward. "Fine. But I'll hold you to your word, Danna-sama. And don't think cake will distract me every time you make reckless decisions."

"Noted," Satria said, giving her a playful salute before setting the bags down.

As Kiyohime unwrapped her matcha cake and watched Satria sort through his materials, she felt a quiet confidence in his words. He's unpredictable and frustrating sometimes… but I trust him.

To be continued.