[Calm]

After waking up, it became clear to me that I don't function logically when I'm tired. If I thought about it for two seconds, I would've realized I could've just eaten something to get my energy back.

I don't need sleep, therefore sleeping just made me lethargic but mentally refreshed.

Ignoring that, after I ate something I then realized that maybe sleeping while a dead body was in the house wasn't a good idea either.

By now I had taken it apart, but a ton of the parts simply went up in smoke. Mostly because a huge part of the human body didn't have any holdable substance when you stripped it down to the molecules and split all the chemical compounds.

Oxygen, Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Calcium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sulfur, Sodium, Chlorine, Magnesium, and less than 1% of dozens of other trace elements.

That's right, I've been doing my chemistry homework.

Still, I waited too long before doing that so now the house smelled like absolute shit.

So to get out of the nasty-smelling house, I decided to exercise a bit before school. After thinking about it, I used my skill upgrade on physical conditioning and focused on increasing my stamina.

Repeated short bursts of intense workout coupled with running made for a pretty good workout. Combine that with my Shroud that slightly boosts my healing and I was sweating buckets but still going strong.

My stamina was the current weak point in the 'build' I was going for. Although I didn't know any martial arts or have any skills with a weapon, I was clearly a close combat fighter. Without touch, my transmutation magic wouldn't work. Add that I had a Sacred Gear that optimized my current fighting capabilities with Touki to boost my weak body, and it made for a clear picture.

If I managed to get fast enough, I could maybe add my Stealth skill into the mix and be sort of a weird monk assassin hybrid.

Speaking of assassins, I need to get some sort of actual fighting skill. My ability with the knife was clearly subpar and telegraphed if that stupid exorcist could dodge my swings with ease.

But for now, I was walking to school.

It was an odd dichotomy that I don't think I'll get used to anytime soon. One day you're fighting an insane exorcist with light-based weapons and getting invited to devil groups and the next you're just going to school.

And as much as I wanted to just ignore it, I think I need to tell Rias about this. While it isn't her business, the fact that the heaven part of the biblical faction tried to kill me is important information. It is also probably her fault since, well, she's a devil.

That sounds racist, and it probably is, but I don't really care. Her race literally steals the strongest humans they can find just to repopulate their dying race. I doubt they're the most upstanding of people.

Despite not knowing shit about anything, the more I find out the more I want to just leave town. The only reason I hesitated in leaving was because of Rias' lack of hostility and clear ability to just track me down if I ran.

Running is still a risky option, she could just beat me up and mind control me after all, but it's seeming the lesser of two evils more and more every day.

A part of me doesn't want to run. A huge part, in fact. But that part is being smothered by my overwhelming desire not to die. While I know death would just be a vacation for me, I can't get rid of that fear.

It's like knowing no one cares what you look like but still being insecure about your looks. You know it's nothing to worry about, but you can't help but do so anyway.

I was so absorbed in my thoughts I didn't even realize I was already in class until I sat down at my desk and I stopped moving on autopilot. Still, I just zone out and think about ways I can improve myself even while at school.

Yeah, my grades probably will be absolute garbage by the end of the year but who cares? Unlike the rest of society, I can manipulate matter on a whim. I don't really need to worry about getting a decent job.

Well, unless I need a persona to go along with the mass of wealth I'll eventually acquire.

Anyway, while I could do isometrics while in class, I'd look like a weirdo. Not that it matters what most people think but publicly shaking in place just for minimal physical gains isn't worth it.

I could turn on my Shroud and keep it on during classes. It's not a visible Ki technique since it's just me making sure my Ki doesn't go too far from my body. After all, Ki isn't visible. Otherwise, everyone would be able to see the slight amount of Ki that seeps out of their body all day.

The only visible Ki technique I know of is Burst.

So that's what I do, I activate Shroud and try and keep it active and calm throughout my classes. By keeping it on all the time I can practice my Ki control and do other things at the same time. Improving both my control and the autonomy of using the technique.

My current goal is to be able to use it even in my sleep. Gonna need a helper for that.

My thoughts are interrupted by the teacher addressing me for the first time since I came to this school. Well, besides my first day.

"-And Naoki, you're needed in the Student Council room. Take your things with you." She says, apparently finishing off the long droning speech she always does at the beginning of the class.

"How the hell would I know where that is?" Seriously, I didn't even know there was a student council. And what could they possibly want with me?

"Language!" She swiftly admonishes me. Seeing my expression not even budge, she continues annoyed. "Kiryuu, you take him since you like looking at him during class so much."

I usually ignore people watching me in school because it's school. People looking at you is pretty much all the time so I must've just ignored her stares.

"Okay~!" A girl with slightly messy twin braids chirps, getting up out of her seat.

Without a word, I gather my things and follow behind her as she walks down the hall. It's a silent endeavor. Not exactly awkward, just a calm silence. Sadly, I can't help but wonder why she was looking at me during classes.

Devils are one thing, they're probably just cautious. But this random person? Odd.

"...Looking at me?" I question.

My eyes are closed and my hands are behind my head as we walk, but I can hear her stop moving when I ask. Curious why she stopped but didn't answer, I open one of my eyes.

Instead of a response like I'm expecting, she looks me up and down before locking onto my crotch area. A slight blush appears on her face before she keeps walking.

"Nice," is all she says to explain herself.

Did she just…? Was that what 'Size Scouter' means? How would you even get that ability? Did she cultivate it from looking at the crotches of thousands of men? What the fuck just happened?

I have so many questions.

My questions go unanswered as we keep walking down the hall, and I shrug off any confusion from that interaction. I have to constantly remind myself this is an anime world. That doesn't excuse it but it makes me feel better about my current weird life.

The silence is still just as calm, but she's the one who interrupts it this time.

"...You really don't care about what other people think, do you?" She mutters.

"Hm?" I crack open a single eye and look at her.

She looks back at me now that she has my attention, "It's only been a little bit since you came here, but everyone's been avoiding you. Your looks, size, and attitude made for some nasty rumors."

"Is that so?" I remark, closing my eye again. I don't care what some regular ol' teenagers think about me.

Her voice picks up in… excitement? "And that's what I mean, right there! You didn't even know about it. Some people are even calling you the Delinquent King."

The what? No one's even attempted to speak to me until now, why do I have a nickname?

"Why delinquent?" I can't help but ask. The king part is cool, but that's the part that confuses me. I don't think I've done anything particularly violent or thuggish.

She lifts up one finger in response, "Well for one, you're huge. Like, bigger than anyone in the school." A second finger, "Two, you don't even act like you're paying attention in class and you ignore everyone." And finally a third finger, "Three, you have scary eyes."

I guess I can get the first and second ones since they are true. But the scary eyes one is just my natural look, it's not like I'm glaring at anyone.

It's probably not my eye-based ability. I only recently acquired that and she's saying it like this has been a constant since I got here.

"My... eyes?"

She nods sagely as she takes in my confusion.

"Most of the time you look like you're looking through people as if they were air. And when you do look at them, it makes people feel like your sizing them up. There was a guy the other day who pissed his pants because you looked at him too harshly." she explains dramatically.

That's concerning. I know some people don't have the strongest of wills but peeing yourself because someone looks at you, menacingly or not, is ridiculous. And I don't even remember that.

"And what do you think?" I ask, curious about her answer. While I am just mildly indulging her conversation, she must think differently if she decided to speak with me of her own volition.

And blatantly ogle at me.

"I think it's hot," She blurts out without missing a beat.

I stop walking and just stare at her as she stops too. She looks back at me with a cheeky smile and eagerly awaits my response. I don't know if this is flirting or if she's just naturally like this. Probably both. At the very least, it wasn't a lie.

I don't give her the light of day and just roll my eyes before closing them again and continuing to walk. I'm not even gonna acknowledge that one. Though, there is a smirk on my face.

"Aw, cmon. Not even a reaction?" She pouts, that glint in her eye leaving as she too starts walking again.

While it wasn't a lie, I can tell she only said it to mess with me. She's an interesting girl, honestly. Ignoring her very perverted personality, she's genuine. Not once did I sense she was lying to me or saying things just to fill the air.

I don't know how much time passed as we idly chatted. We talked about things that didn't matter for quite a while as we walked to the Student Council room. I'm pretty sure we already passed it and just looped around to keep talking, but I don't mind.

I haven't been in this world for very long, but I already am tired of all the mind games when people talked to me and the supernatural nuisances that pester me are incorrigible. A boring, genuine conversation with someone about nothing in particular is refreshing every once in a while.

By the time we've looped around the third time, the student council door opens up and a slightly annoyed white-haired girl drags me inside. I can only get out a quick 'see ya' to Aika before I'm standing in a room with... a bunch of devils.

Fucking fantastic.

"Finally making friends?" Sona begins, sitting at a small table with two seats. The white-haired one, a girl named Momo shuts the door and stands in front of it.

<Momo Hanakai – Battle Rating: C>

"She's interesting," I shrug, taking the seat opposite of her and crossing my arms.

"Now, what do you want?" I quickly say, wanting to get straight to the point. While I have no doubt they actually do their student council duties, I have a feeling that's not what this is about.

Calmly, she pushes up her glasses like a classic anime character before speaking, "Allow me to formally introduce myself. My name is Sona Sitri, and I'm the second devil king here in Kuoh."