Who's Kenji?

Ace grabbed his bag and departed the school grounds. In Ace's mind, was a thought of walking alone. For some reason, he felt he would treasure the long journey home.

He went out of the gates, stood, and looked aimlessly at the school environment. Once again, Ace admired the scenery from outside the school. He could see the highest floor of the house, due to the road which seemingly went uphill.

As he felt his admiration had come to a close, he set on back to his home. Seeing as his parents told him about their work that day, he decided to go home rather than wait for their arrival.

His heavy backpack weighed him down as he struggled to keep his balance. As the weight started to overcome Ace's strength and endurance, a helpful fellow came and held him.

"Hi, I'm Kenji." The young fellow said as he slowly removed his hand, ensuring Ace's wellbeing.

Ace took a look at him and asked him the reason why he had given him a hand. The young la looked back at Ace, smiled, and spoke rhetorically,

"Can't a man help his fellow man?"

Ace, still wondering on who he was, kept silent as he knew the boy wouldn't answer the question.

Few seconds later, Ace's inquisitiveness got the best of him. He looked back at Kenji and said,

"Kenji, is it? Who exactly are you."

Kenji told him calmly in a single sentence,

"Your classmate."

Ace knew what had to be done, he said to Kenji,

"But..."

"Yes. Yes. I know you didn't see me in your class." Kenji interjected.

"I'm in a different division. I'm in class 2-E. You're 2-A, right? You should have known that by now."

"Well, I guess you're just a new comer. Anyways, that's not the reason I came here." Kenji said completing his previous comment.

"I'm here to tell what you weren't told."

Ace, given that Kenji finally answered his first question, felt satisfied.

"Haha. You idiot, you finally told me your reason for helping me." Ace said with confidence and joy.

Kenji felt disturbed by that comment. On the edge to retaliate, he held his emotions and answered,

"Oh. I didn't notice."

Ace noticed his mistake and was about to apologize, but Kenji cut him off.

"Yes. I know you're sorry, but I don't have time for that." Kenji said in an attempt to tell him the information quickly.

"You're a new comer so you wouldn't know."

"Every country has a system."

"A system of deception and confidentiality."

Upon this comment, Ace gave silence, giving room for Kenji to speak freely.

"I shall make no interruptions," Ace vowed in his heart as Kenji spoke on.

"All countries let people know there are demons, but their numbers are purely confidential."

"No county shares their demon status because of the fear of wars."

"If any country has an exceptional amount of demons, other countries come to vanquish the demons and the country as well."

"Meaning that, it is likely that there will be only a a few survivors in the country after the war."

"But the important factor is that, Japan's demon count is constantly increasing, leaving it prone to future wars."

"Only Japanese descents and members of Japanese Slay Forces have this knowledge. All non-Japanese with that knowledge will be executed on sight."

That single comment left Ace in shock. Poor Ace felt an unusual feeling - the fear of losing his loved ones. His facial expression gave away his thoughts to Kenji.

Kenji, seeing his face, felt bad to go on, but it had to be done.

"That's not all." Kenji said with a hint of anticipation for Ace's response.

"Japan isn't only going to face war from other countries, the Innate Century won't fail to make its presence known either."

At this point, Ace couldn't handle the information anymore. His state of fear and sadness escalated further, dipping Ace into a cold-blooded state.

The shock mesmerized Ace as he turned his face away from Kenji. He took a leap forward, and Kenji began to wonder. Ace wasted little to no time at all before he started sprinting home.

The sadness implanted into Ace's heart had started to alter his personality. Ace just wanted a break from the horrors of the open world. He was enveloped by sadness and wanted nothing more than to take a break with his family.

As he ran faster, Kenji attempted to chase after him. A second of thoughts flooded into Kenji's mind and he stopped the chase.

"I've enlightened him. There's no need to chase after him."

"He now understands the world around him." Kenji thought as he slowly returned to the school premises.

"A world of void and emptiness. There is no use." Ace muttered as he ran, till he reached his home.

As no one was around, he grabbed the keys from the usual spot, opened the door, ran to his room, and sat on his bed.

He made a few iterations before showering and going to bed.

"There is no use. No use in this world." Ace spoke those words before he slept.

Soon after, his parents arrived home with Emma. They opened the door and entered Ace's room, as the door was open.

They were baffled to see that Ace was sound asleep. They wondered why Ace had decided to go to bed so early. The family sat alongside him, for a while before going to sleep awaiting the new day.