Chapter 02: Kuoh (Year One)

The daylight began to fade, welcoming the night and leaving the room illuminated by the dim lights of the COMPs in the hands of both boys.

Kazuya was sitting on the floor, with one finger playfully wrestling with Pixie, his gaze fixed on Issei, who was trying to assimilate all the information he had just received.

"So, to summarize," Kazuya said, closing his COMP and directing a somewhat complicated look at Issei as he spoke seriously, "Demons are supernatural entities that can be summoned and controlled through these devices, called COMPs. The COMPs allow us to establish contracts with these beings, giving them orders and using their abilities in combat."

Issei nodded slowly, his face still reflecting a mix of confusion, amazement, and... was that joy?

"And that explains Pixie," he murmured, glancing at the little fairy sitting on Kazuya's shoulder. "She was real!"

"Issei?" Kazuya asked in confusion as he watched Issei burst into joyful laughter.

"I... you know, my life, even if it can't be considered bad, wasn't the best either," he murmured as he calmed down. "Maybe it's a bit pathetic to admit, but I've always dreamed of having great adventures."

His face showed a bit of nostalgia, seeming somewhat lost in his thoughts.

"It's nothing special, I know. But there was a time when I wanted to be a hero," he commented. "The typical stuff, you know, saving others, having a great group of companions to trust with my back."

Kazuya sighed as he nodded; he understood the sentiment.

Perhaps sensing this, a more serene smile spread across Issei's face.

"I thought, maybe this is the opportunity I've always wanted? Reviving that old dream and finally having a real adventure outside of DnD," then the smile disappeared, giving way to a somewhat more serious expression. "But it also made me think of one thing. In most animes, mangas, and games, powers like these come with great consequences, so tell me, Kazuya... what have you done?"

Kazuya blinked in confusion before realization hit him like a boxer hitting his opponent.

"Ahhh, about that..."

A sigh of relief escaped Issei as he heard that using the COMP required no kind of sacrifice, letting him sink into his chair.

"Could you have said that from the beginning, you know?" he commented, giving a slightly annoyed look. "No price! I was really starting to panic there, you know? I thought Pixie would try to claim your soul there and then mine."

Pixie gave him an angry look while puffing out her cheeks.

"How rude!"

"Right," Kazuya continued, letting out a fake cough, trying to prevent Issei from getting electrocuted by an angry fairy. "Pixie is a low-level demon, but her healing magic and offensive abilities can be very useful."

Now that left Issei with his mouth agape.

Pixie... a low-level demon?! And she was already that powerful?!

As if sensing his shocked gaze, the fairy, with an arrogant look on her face, puffed out her chest with a haughty air around her.

The blue-haired boy ignored his companions' antics as he continued with his explanation.

"Now, about the Sacred Gears... I don't have much information about them beyond that they are divine artifacts found within certain people, as long as they have human blood running through their veins, granting them unique powers. From what I saw last night, you possess one, although I'm not yet sure which one it is." After debating internally, he decided it wasn't the right time to tell him about the Boosted Gear and what he knew about it. He had already hit the boy hard with the information about demons, and no matter how relaxed he seemed...

Who knew how much of that was real and how much was just him trying to put up a strong front; he hadn't missed the fear in the boy's eyes when he looked at Pixie. It was better to let him assimilate things better before dropping more surprises on him.

Hearing the explanation, Issei frowned, trying to remember the sensation he had experienced during the battle.

"It was like... something inside me awakened. I felt immense strength, in a way it felt liberating," he explained while opening and closing his fist with a thoughtful look.

Kazuya nodded, understanding the situation.

"Sacred Gears can be incredibly powerful, but also dangerous if not properly controlled. You'll need to train and learn to use that power effectively... believe me, if you don't, you'll regret it."

A moment of silence settled between them as Kazuya's words sank deep into Issei. Finally, the blue-haired boy stood up and stretched.

"Well, I think that covers the essentials for now. Let's get ready for our first day at Kuoh Academy. It will be a long day and I don't think you want to get scolded for sleeping in class, right?" said Kazuya before heading to the guest room without waiting for an answer from the other boy.

Issei smiled ironically, still looking a bit overwhelmed. He stood up and headed to his room.

"Yeah, let's go."

""""""""""""""""""

Kuoh Academy was truly a lively place.

Kazuya thought, although for some reason everyone looked at him strangely for arriving with Issei.

Students of all grades and classes moved from one side to the other, some (especially girls) looking at them suspiciously, others completely ignoring the newcomers. Kazuya, with his uniform well-pressed and his COMP discreetly tucked in his pocket in case of emergencies, felt a mix of nerves and anticipation.

How different is the Japanese educational system compared to the American one?

"There's the student council office. We need to go there first so you can register and be assigned to a class," said Issei, pointing to a building on the other side of the courtyard. "Before you ask, the principal went on a trip and left the vice-principal in charge, who, like a real jerk, dumped most of his workload on the student council president."

Kazuya, by this point, was no longer surprised by the irresponsibility of the adults in this world (especially since those in his world were the same). He nodded, and they walked towards the office, passing groups of students who murmured and observed the new student with curiosity and a bit of concern.

.....

Inside the student council office, Souna Shitori, the student council president, greeted them with a professional smile. After a brief introduction and some formalities, Kazuya received his schedule and was assigned to the same class as Issei.

"Welcome to Kuoh Academy, Minegishi Kazuya. I hope you enjoy your time here and make the most of the opportunities we offer," said Souna with a bored look; the dark circles under her eyes suggested that the workload was already taking its toll.

Kazuya bowed his head in gratitude and left the office, followed by Issei.

Silently offering a prayer for the poor devil girl, the boy continued on his way.

"AGH"

Oops, he had forgotten that praying or worshipping near them caused them pain.

"Well, that was easier than I expected," commented Kazuya as they headed to their first class of the day.

Issei laughed and nodded.

"Yeah, Souna is pretty nice. Although, a word of advice, don't get into trouble. She can be quite terrifying if provoked," he warned with a shiver. "Believe me, even the teachers are afraid of her."

Kazuya gave him an amused look as they entered the classroom.

How difficult could the curriculum at a Japanese high school be?

...

He took the empty seat next to Issei, which, surprisingly, was vacant, allowing them to have a quiet conversation without raising suspicions.

"Will the perverted trio expand?"

"How terrifying."

The murmurs and curious glances from his new classmates didn't go unnoticed, but he decided to ignore them for the moment.

The teacher entered the classroom and called for silence. She turned to the blackboard and wrote her name before turning to the class.

"Good morning, students. Today we have a new classmate. Please give a warm welcome to Minegishi Kazuya," she announced, looking at Kazuya with a kind smile. "Minegishi-kun, please introduce yourself."

Kazuya stood up, feeling everyone's gaze on him. Although it wasn't the first time he had introduced himself to a new class, for some strange reason he felt a bit nervous.

'Stupid Japanese body, why do you react like this at times like these?'

"Hello everyone, I'm Minegishi Kazuya. I transferred here from Tokyo. I hope to get along with all of you," he said, giving a slight bow.

The students murmured among themselves, some nodding and others simply observing with curiosity. The teacher thanked Kazuya and indicated for him to take his seat.

...

The first classes of the day were more complicated than Kazuya had expected. The Japanese educational system was different and more rigorous compared to what he was used to. Additionally, he had never been a good student in the first place, so even though he tried to keep up as best he could, he couldn't help but feel a bit overwhelmed as he took notes.

""""""""""""""""

It was lunchtime, and Kazuya and Issei headed to the cafeteria. The atmosphere was noisy, with students chatting animatedly at the tables.

The two sat down with their lunch trays and were soon joined by two boys who Issei introduced as Matsuda and Motohama.

"Hey, Issei! Who's your new friend?" asked Matsuda, a bald boy with a somewhat lecherous smile that somehow made one want to punch him in the face.

"This is Kazuya, the new transfer student," said Issei. "Kazuya, these are Matsuda and Motohama, two idiots I have the displeasure of calling my best friends."

"Nice to meet you," the blue-haired boy greeted, trying to be as polite as possible, cursing once again the instincts of his new body.

"Hey, don't be like that! Are you still mad about what happened during your campaign where your character had a sad ending?" said Motohama, adjusting his glasses. "Can't you see the beauty of a somewhat sad ending that could lead to a new adventure?"

"Link shouldn't have ended up alone without Navi at the end! Damn monsters, and to top it off, he didn't even get to conquer Zelda!"

Kazuya forced a smile, remembering what Issei had told him about his previous campaign. He had already found it strange that The Legend of Zelda didn't exist in this world.

But what they showed him was even more surprising.

Who would have thought that this trio of perverts created it as a role-playing game and documented it that way? For a moment, he even wondered if he could convince them to try turning it into a video game to make a good amount of money.

From what Issei had told him, Motohama had quite a talent for programming, and Matsuda for art.

"Putting that aside, Issei, did you tell them about our idea?" At Kazuya's words, the three of them stopped before moving from conversation to fistfight.

Matsuda raised an eyebrow, and Motohama looked on with curiosity. They didn't say anything, but the look they gave Issei implied the question, "What are you talking about?"

"Well, we thought about starting our own club for DnD," said Issei, scratching the back of his neck with a slightly forced smile. He and Kazuya had planned to create the club as a cover for their activities with demons. And what better cover than a DnD club? A club of occultism? Pfft, what nonsense.

The two boys exchanged wide smiles before nodding for them to continue.

"The Forum of Adventures and Exploration or F.A.E. for short," Kazuya explained. "It would be a club where we could meet, play role-playing games, and share strategies and tactics. Plus, to test something I discussed with Issei even before coming here."

He commented while pulling a notebook from his pocket with the words "Shin Megami Tensei" written on it and a drawing of a magic circle beneath the letters.

"I like the idea. How do we start?" asked Motohama, genuinely interested in seeing how the plan developed.

"There are a few setbacks," Issei added, less than excited. "Counting me, Kazuya, and you guys, we're only four, and I'm sure you all know we need at least five members..."

Suddenly, both boys' faces paled, not liking where the conversation was going.

"You don't mean inviting you-know-who?"

"Are you insane, Ise?!"

Issei smiled with sadness and resignation.

"With our reputation as the perverted trio, do you honestly think anyone other than her would join our club?" Both boys wrinkled their faces as if they had sucked a lemon but didn't dare deny his words.

The three were very aware that they weren't exactly the most popular guys at Kuoh Academy.

Kazuya looked at them curiously, wondering who they were referring to. To be honest, he didn't remember much about DxD simply because it wasn't an anime he particularly liked.

.....

"Hmm," a sly smile adorned the face of the bespectacled girl as she pretended to fix her nails, giving them a sidelong glance. "What does the infamous and unpopular perverted trio need from me?"

She seemed surprised for a moment to see Kazuya.

"Have you expanded? Incredible, and I thought the new guy would be someone more decent."

Kazuya's eyebrows twitched as he resisted the urge to curse, coming to a new realization.

Aika Kiryuu.

It seemed that the natural enemy of the perverted trio could also be his.

""""""""""""""

After lunch, classes continued without major incidents. With Aika (after an extensive negotiation) agreeing to join F.A.E., Kazuya focused on his studies, while feeling the urge to cry.

However, he had to make an effort; the mere thought of getting lower grades than even Issei in future exams was enough to ignite the need to catch up.

Finally, the bell for the last class of the day rang, marking the end of his first day at Kuoh Academy. Kazuya and Issei gathered their things and left the classroom together, discussing what they would do once they could start the club.

At the school entrance, they met up with Matsuda and Motohama, and together they decided to head to Issei's house.

"Speaking of which, how do you two know each other?" asked Matsuda, quite curious.

"Our parents are friends," commented Issei. "We met a couple of days ago when my parents arranged for him to stay at our house until they had a place prepared for him."

Both boys nodded in understanding before changing the subject.

"Speaking of which, when will we start meeting?"

"First, we need to sign the registration form," responded Issei. "Once we do that, we'll officially be ready to start our activities."

As they walked through the streets, the conversation turned to role-playing games and the possible campaigns they could organize, as well as a few questions to Kazuya about what he had written in that notebook he had shown them during lunch. However, Kazuya soon noticed something strange.

A presence that felt familiar, too familiar for his liking.

"Issei," murmured Kazuya, suddenly stopping.

The other three also stopped, looking at each other in confusion.

"What's wrong?" asked Motohama.

Kazuya closed his eyes, focusing on the energy he felt. A sigh escaped his lips, there was no doubt.

'There are Stray Devils nearby.'

"There are demons nearby, Issei. Stray Devils, to be exact," he said in a low voice, opening his eyes with a serious expression. "We need to be ready for a fight."

The expression on Issei's face froze for a moment before he quickly pulled out his COMP with a serious expression.

Matsuda and Motohama exchanged looks of disbelief and incomprehension, but the seriousness on Kazuya's face made them realize he wasn't joking.

Besides... what is a Stray Devil?

Unfortunately for them, their question was soon to be answered.

Suddenly, a roar echoed in the air.

Both boys paled as they hugged each other, a chill running down their spines.

Kazuya and Issei tensed as they looked around before glancing at each other and nodding with grave expressions.

Two monstrous figures emerged from a nearby alley. The Stray Devils were horrible creatures, with deformed bodies and hungry looks. One appeared to be a mix between a voluptuous woman and a scorpion, while the other was a middle-aged man with parts of a praying mantis.

Consulting their COMPs, both boys saw that they had at least 50 HP each.

The mantis man licked his lips with a hungry expression before launching himself at the terrified duo of boys.

"Watch out!" shouted Kazuya, jumping forward and activating his COMP.

A blue light emanated from the device, and soon, a small winged figure appeared at his side, Pixie.

"Zio!" Kazuya ordered, while activating the Cracking function.

A somewhat malicious smile appeared on his face as he selected the Zan he saw as an option on the Stray Devil.

"Use the Cracking function!" shouted the blue-haired boy to his companion, who only nodded with a perplexed expression.

The small fairy raised her hands and fired an electric bolt at one of the Stray Devils, reducing its HP to 40 with a single shot.

[Critical hit!]

...

Issei, although momentarily surprised by the appearance of the demons, remembered what Kazuya had explained to him before.

'Concentrate, concentrate' he chanted in his mind as he watched the voluptuous scorpion woman getting closer. 'Yes!'

His expression couldn't help but brighten as he felt that familiar sensation of power.

He activated his Sacred Gear, and a red gauntlet with a bright green gem appeared on his left arm.

"Let's do this, Kobold!" shouted Issei, summoning his own demon.

A sturdy demon with canine and humanoid features appeared at his side, ready to fight.

With a discontented growl, it moved in front of the boy, its tone making it clear that it had a few complaints about working for Issei; but it's not like losers had the right to complain.

"Kobold, attack!" he ordered.

The Kobold lunged at the second Stray Devil, biting and clawing with ferocity, trying to vent its anger on the female demon, reducing her HP to 45. Although small, its attack distracted the demon enough for Kazuya and Pixie to focus on the first enemy.

"Pixie, keep attacking with Zio," Kazuya said, keeping his gaze fixed on the Stray Devil as he began to move closer, looking for an opportunity to land a good hit.

Pixie fired another electric bolt, further weakening the demon, leaving its HP at 30. However, the Stray Devil, furious, counterattacked with a fireball that forced Pixie to retreat.

Issei, seeing that his Kobold was having trouble, decided to intervene. He felt the energy of his Sacred Gear accumulating, but he knew that using it excessively could seriously hurt him. Even so, it wasn't like he had any other option, plus Kazuya would heal him with Dia.

[BOOST]

"ORA!" shouted Issei, feeling a surge of power in his arm.

With all his strength, he punched the Stray Devil that was attacking Kobold, aiming right at its face, hoping that, with a bit of luck, he could cause a minor concussion.

The impact was strong enough to make the demon stagger, leaving it stunned and reducing its HP by 20.

[Critical hit!]

"Kazuya, what are you waiting for, an invitation?!" Issei shouted, panting from the effort as he held his now limp arm.

He was having serious déjà vu at that moment.

Kazuya nodded, taking advantage of the opportunity, he moved closer and kicked the demon in the crotch with all his might.

"Pixie, finish him," he ordered.

Pixie launched one last Zio bolt, striking the Stray Devil and disintegrating it in a flash of light.

[+100 Exp]

The second Stray Devil, seeing its companion's defeat, tried to flee, but Kobold didn't give it a chance. With an agile leap, it pounced on the demon, sinking its claws deeply, causing it to let out a piercing scream and leaving its HP at 20.

"Pixie," Kazuya ordered, "One last Zio."

The fairy's bolt struck the demon again, reducing its HP to 10. Kobold finished the job with a final bite, disintegrating the Stray Devil in the process.

[+100 Exp]

[Kazuya has leveled up to 02]

[Remaining Exp: 140/180]

[Issei has leveled up to 02]

[Remaining Exp: 140/180]

[Both receive 2 stat points to assign!]

The battle was over. Kazuya put away his COMP and turned to Issei, who was visibly exhausted but with a much calmer expression.

"Use Dia on Issei," he said as he limped towards his companion, feeling his toes begin to swell. He needed to improve his stats quickly; if he had to make Pixie use Dia on both of them after every battle, it would be terrible.

"Good job, Issei," Kazuya said, patting him on the shoulder. "But you need to be careful. You can't overuse your Sacred Gear."

Issei nodded, still breathing heavily.

"I know... but, you know, it's either that or become their dinner," he replied, trying to catch his breath. "Putting it that way, isn't it just a minor sacrifice?" he commented while moving his now healed arm.

Matsuda and Motohama, who had been watching the battle in awe, finally approached.

"That was... incredible," said Matsuda, with a mix of excitement and fear in his trembling voice.

"Yes, but it was also dangerous," added Motohama, still shaking. If he could move, it was mainly because he was still clinging tightly to Matsuda. "What the heck were those things? And more importantly, who are they?" he asked cautiously, looking at Pixie and Kobold.

Kazuya smiled ironically while Issei averted his gaze, exhausted.

Were there really that many demons in this city?

Hadn't Kazuya said there were two types of supernatural beings regularly in charge of exterminating them?

**********************************************************************************

Well, here we are again. There are only two chapters left to finish Kuoh Year One and move directly to what I left off in the prologue. What do you think of the story so far? Your opinion and suggestions are always something I'd be happy to hear (or in this case, read, haha).