Chapter 214: The Occult Research Club

A/N: Sorry in advanced if the content in this chapter is offensive. All of that's written here is merely a joke and not to be taken seriously and if I did offend you readers then I humbly apologize for this insensitive topic... reader has been warned.

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Chapter 214: The Occult Research Club

~Third POV~

[Japan, Kuoh Town, Morning]

Taking stay in Kuoh Town houses provided by the Yokai Faction for their stay the place of residence which happens to be 3 houses down from Issei's home. Mash, Valerie, and Ryuko took the chance to relax while eating breakfast.

*THUD*

They waited a bit finishing up till Mash sighed out loud feeling a foreign magical presence rebounded outside with a loud thud, "Sigh… that would be an annoying redhead escort. Really should've asked to be polite knocking on the door – "

"Ah~"

He paused realizing a moan being rejected clicking his tongue in an annoyed tone, 'Tch. And I just found out who she sent to. Fuck me.'

Sighing he saw Valerie entering her small box in a sleepy tone taking the chance to rest taking a laptop inside, "No worries I'll just stay here. The box and watching Netflix would pass the time. Tell me when you come back."

Entering inside her small box of heaven Ryuko had a deadpan expression as she sighed sitting on the couch, "Sigh… no worries I'm on guard duty. Tell me how the whole meeting goes while I watch Little Miss Sunshine. Careful babe."

Kissing him on the lip Mash returned the favor with gusto. Soon letting go he smiled in an easygoing tone, "No worries it'll be quick hopefully enough. I'll see you later love. Gotta deal with annoying devils."

She nodded her head as he went to the front door. Opening the door revealed is a beautiful young woman with a voluptuous figure, very long black hair, and violet eyes. Her hair is usually tied in a very long ponytail, reaching down to the floor with two strands sticking out from the top and sloping backward, with an orange ribbon keeping it in place. Like most of the girls at Kuoh Academy, she wears the customary Kuoh Academy girls' school uniform, along with black calf-length socks.

[Akeno Himejima Lv.35 Queen of Gremory]

Opening the door seeing Akeno's appearance brushing herself up from the rebound she spoke in a neutral tone, "Ara ara… that wasn't very nice of you mister scaring my Lady like that. She was terrified coming here because of your mean stunts."

He simply rolled his eyes as he sighed explaining himself in a neutral tone a smirk showing on his face, "Sure… but she should move on being scared by a damn camel of all things. But moving on let's get this over with shall we?"

Akeno simply nodded as both left via the magic circle. In a flash, they vanished from his home…

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[Japan, Kuoh Academy, Occult Research Club]

*Shiii*

Soon coming out from the portal Akeno showed Mash asking being punctual and introducing one another in a neutral tone, "Since we're here might as well know each other. I'm Mash Bastion and you miss?"

Akeno briefly stopped before she giggled stopping briefly introducing herself in a respectful tone, "Oh! Where are my manners? Akeno Himejima, 3rd-year student and Vice President of the Occult Research Club."

Mash paused listening to that and questioned the name with a blank expression asking in a curious tone, "… Seriously? The Occult Research Club?"

She laughed lightly mocking her master in a light-hearted manner seeing his reaction, "Our president is not the most creative individual, you understand."

Mash simply hummed seeing it in a disappointed tone, "Mhmm."

He merely huffed as he followed her stride towards another part of the school. Neither of them spoke since they knew they wouldn't be asking some questions about each other gathering information.

They soon arrived at the front of a building behind the main school of Kuoh Academy building. It was surrounded by trees and looked quite antiquated compared to the main one. There was an eerie atmosphere that made Mash give Akeno a smiling look giving a blank stare first saying in a bored tone, "Do you sacrifice things for the devil or something, like a cult?"

Akeno merely laughed at his words as she responded leaving him a bit stunned at the last bits of words, "Oh my, no. We don't do that sort of thing… not anymore, at least."

Seeing his stunned expression made Akeno laugh as she merely kept an eye on him as she led him inside the building he thought examining the building in an intrigued tone, 'The old building was surprisingly pristine, meaning that it had to be cleaned often. There is nothing out of place, despite the eerie atmosphere.'

Soon enough they stopped in front of a door with the sign [Occult Research Club] placed in bold letters. They entered inside as there were odd signs and words in every area of the room, which Mash, being experienced in the field, recognized as magical sigils and circles due to his magical knowledge.

There were a couple of Victorian-styled sofas and desks, with the main one sitting at the end of the room. However, they weren't alone as Mash noticed a white-haired girl with a small build sitting on a sofa, munching on a treat without a sound.

[Koneko Toujou Lv.30 Rook of Gremory]

The silence was soon broken as Mash bluntly spoke with a raised eyebrow, "Alright, I'll bite. Who's this?"

Akeno soon introduced the other member of their club in a neutral tone extending an arm in Koneko's direction, "This is Koneko Toujou, a 1st year. She's not much of a talker, but she's also not as cold as she presents herself to be."

Koneko took a moment to stare at him speaking briefly before returning to her food, "Ah. Nice to meet you."

Mash simply nodded as he took a seat down. Soon he heard water flowing from the back of the room. He then realized there was a shower curtain in the back of the room, with a figure behind it.

*Sshhh*

Someone was showering while he waited snorting lightly as he spoke in an annoyed tone crossing his arms, "Tch. Your Club Leader has the gull to make me wait for this important meeting. I wonder if summoning a couple of camels in there might change her mind?"

*Kreee*

Already bringing the threats Akeno quickly raised her hand as the showers halted immediately after hearing his threat in a calm tone, "Now, now, let's not do that. President is a tad silly when it comes to things like this, you see."

"I HEARD THAT!"

Yelling in a pissed-off tone Akeno wiped her forehead as she spoke taking a jab at her friend in the process in a stoic tone, "She also has remarkably good hearing and a breathtaking instinct to go berserk seeing one. Ah… such a traumatic childhood – "

Soon the angry tone of Rias could be heard as she spoke annoyed by her friend's mischief telling her traumatic backstory, "Oh, don't even start! Can you just quiet down and get me the towel?!"

The Vice-President merely grinned mockingly before obeying the command. Mash sat on the opposite couch with a grunt, ignoring Koneko's wary look. But soon a new voice entered the room.

"Buchou, I've brought him."

Turning his attention to the newcomer Mash gazed at a handsome young man with short blond hair, blue eyes, and a mole underneath his left eye. He wears the Kuoh Academy boys' school uniform, which consists of a black blazer with white accents over a white, long-sleeved dress shirt with a black ribbon on the collar, matching black pants, and brown dress shoes.

[Yuuto Kiba Lv.33 Knight of Gremory]

Mash simply raised an eyebrow as he brought Issei over Rias smiled making Kiba's identity known in a calm tone, "Thank you, Yuuto."

Issei soon saw the members as his eyes landed on Mash overreacting seeing him in a surprised tone, "Ugh man! You are here as well!"

He greeted Issei without much care about his attitude reminding the poor boy flinching at his stoic tone, "Is that how you speak to someone who helped heal you back from the dead boy?"

He flinched recalling he did help him heal soon apologizing in a sheepish tone, "Argh… right. Sorry and thanks for saving me. It's just… a lot happened man."

Mash closed his eyes merely nodding as he followed up in a neutral tone being sympathetic to Issei's cause, "It's fine. I suppose I should have been calm after your sudden revival and learning about what happened."

Issei soon took a seat. Rias decided to take control she spoke in a clear tone gathering everyone's attention, "Well, it looks like everyone's here. Issei, the Occult Research Club would like to welcome you. To keep it simple, we're all Devils."

Issei and Mash's reactions were opposites. The former's jaw dropped seeing their bat wings. The latter merely rolled his eyes, unimpressed with the revelation as Rias went on to explain in a neutral tone, "Your face says that you don't believe me, but that's understandable. Last night, you came upon a woman with black wings named Yuuma, no? That's a fallen angel. Originally, they were angels who served God, but they turned to wicked thoughts and consequently fell to hell. We devils rule over hell, so we've fought against the fallen angels since ancient times. Devils gain power by making pacts with humans… for a price. Fallen Angels on the other hand, manipulate humans into rejecting devils. On top of that, there are the Angels who receive orders from god and attempt to eradicate both devils and their fallen brethren. This three-way deadlock has continued for ages. Are you with us so far?"

Mash simply nodded understanding the history as Issei took a few moments to take in the information shattering his worldviews in a nervous tone, "Errr… this is just an academic lecture about the occult or something, right? Angels and Devils… as an ordinary high school boy, I think this conversation is a bit over my head…"

Kiba came a bit closer to Issei as he friendly lectured him about the supernatural in an easygoing tone, "The Research Club is merely a front, this is just a gathering place for us Devils."

Issei still has his reservations holding his annoyed expression as he spoke in a restrained tone, "Ptooey! That isn't exactly the issue here. Who asked you anyway pretty boy?"

Rias sighed as she handed him the photo of Yuuma startling him and explaining how she erased her existence yesterday shocking him as he spoke in a startled tone, "You said she killed me… but I'm still alive and kicking!!! And why would she kill me in the first place…?"

Hearing this Rias eyes gazed at him with an unreadable expression before she bluntly said getting his attention, "Because of the Sacred Gear you possess."

Listening to that key term Issei spoke in a confused tone having a hard time recalling where he heard the name, "Sacred Gear…? I feel like I've heard that before…"

In a mischievous tone, Akeno soon explained what a Sacred Gear is, causing him to blush but Mash remained unimpressed, "Put simply… Sacred Gears are special powers that reside in the bodies of certain humans. Most of these powers are only used within the scope of human society, but some can become threats to fallen angels and us devils."

Hearing this Mash paused as he spoke up interrupting with a raised eyebrow, "What kind of names?"

Listening to his words Akeno blinked but was obliged to answer a few names to satisfy Mash's curiosity in a clear tone, "Genghis Khan, Alexander the Great, Charlemagne, the list goes on really."

Gaining his interest he quickly thought out of morbid curiosity's sake with a raised eyebrow in a curious tone, "Okay, and I know I'm gonna sound like a dick for this one. But I MUST know out of sick morbid curiosity's sake…. Did Hitler have one?"

Issei coughed out loud that being his question as the Devils remained silent and a bit stunned Rias cleared her voice replying in a disturbed tone, "… It bothers me that he was the FIRST one to come to your mind when asking that question."

Mash simply shrugged being genuinely curious learning about Sacred Gears following powerful figures asking in a serious tone, "Pf, no. My first thought was Gilgamesh having a dimensional space-based one. But this one was FAR more interesting. Now Devil… DID Hitler have one?"

All eyes were on Rias even Issei genuinely curious because if he did then he now knows in history who to blame. Rias stood a few silent seconds before muttering, "… Yes."

Mash nodded his head as he asked in a blunt tone the following question, "Okay. Now did he have a fire or gas-based one?"

Rias eyes twitched as she took in a deep breath clasping her hands together and responding in a neutral tone, "… I can neither confirm nor deny those assumptions. Ask more then I'll bring my Devil's Attorney into this matter."

Issei scratched his head responding in a confused tone learning more about Sacred Gears having a headache, "Ah… History makes more sense now… and less sense at the same time. I think I'm taking a moment to process that God allowed that to happen."

The Devils flinched with his name being called as Mash smirked amused by this development in a neutral tone, "Wow… you guys can't even stand without flinching without mentioning the G-Man. Sucks to be you Devils can't say his name."

Issei blinked realizing that saying God was a key term that harmed Devils as he quickly apologized for not being aware. Rias sighed as she explained to him in a neutral tone returning to the topic at hand, "Sigh… it's fine you didn't know. We are Devils so be careful taking that name in our presence or else we will be in pain. Even Reincarnated Devils can't take that name either."

Issei blinked confused as Akeno gestured towards Koneko, and Kiba laughed lightly explaining to him, "Technically we are all reincarnated devils with the exception for you, Mash, and Rias being a pure-blood Devil."

Rias nodded as she turned her attention to Mash frowning addressing another issue in a neutral tone, "Which brings me back to the question. What are you? Light-based abilities and summoning creatures but no traces of magic? Not a magician, neither a devil, fallen or angel."

Soon Koneko chimed in a stoic tone eliminating more choices of race options, "Not a Yokai either. Human for sure though."

This even made Rias eye him with a cautious glint in her eyes staring at the anomaly in front of her in a stern tone, "But that makes no sense. A human does not possess such abilities without the use of magic or contracts."

Mash simply shrugged his shoulders with a smirk across his face as he spoke in a neutral tone at the confused devils, "Well you already got your answer did you not? The real question would be what do you have in plan for Issei's purpose here?"

Issei voiced his agreement in a nervous tone agreeing what's his plan now knowing the Supernatural World, "Y-Yeah, I would like to know as well."

That was when another third party intervened by saying in a stern tone, "That's enough Rias."