NOVEL NEXT Chapter 9: CH 9
"1 hour 14 minutes huh…. not bad" said Rei noticing the time it took to complete the Level 43. The same monster that he fought yesterday appeared once again with a bit harder skin and added strength, this time. At first, he was expecting to get a new monster to fight this time, but seeing the patterns lately and now with this, he was sure that it's going to be appear a bit more time, ever since he appeared at Lvl 40.
He checked the scars that he had around his arms, and worn out palms from holding the sword in his hands. Checking himself in the mirror, he admired the progress that he made till now and thought about the training that he still need to do, to awaken Touki.
"It feels great to see myself getting stronger everyday!"
With his training done, he went through his usual morning routine and headed to the school. On his way, he listened to some music and when he was about to enter the main building of the school, but saw Tsubaki standing up in the way to his classroom.
'Did they found out about yesterday night's incident already? No it can't be. I made sure that no one was around, when I got into scuffle inside the church... There must be a different reason for her standing here so early in the morning'
"Good morning, Tsubaki. For whom are you waiting for?" asked Rei, after greeting queen of Sona.
"It's you" replied Tsubaki."President asked me to bring you to her"
"What's the matter? Is everything alright?" asked Rei, walking beside her to the Student council room. He wanted to make sure that it wasn't related to the yesterday night's incident, but when he heard her response, he was disappointed.
"You will know once you get there" was the reply that he got from her. With a sigh, he continued to walk ahead of her, surprising her and thinking what Sona had to talk with him so early in the morning.
...…
The door of student council was opened all of a sudden, while everyone busy doing their work. Their heads turned to the individual which they were very familiar, aside from Saji and Sona, everyone looked at him with gleeful smile on their faces, but quickly changed into normal, when they turned their heads to Sona, who had an annoyed expression on her face.
"Goood Morning Everyone! How are you guys doing!" asked Rei in full energy to make the cemetry vibe to livelier one. He noticed that everyone greeted him with a low good morning, with close to no smile on their faces. He asked with hand on his chin, "Why all of you so serious all the time?"
"I told you to knock when you come in" said Sona shooting an icy glare at the intruder who sat down on the couch without her permission. He picked up the potato chip and ate it, turning his head to Sona, he shrugged his shoulders in defeat.
"So what's the matter? Why did you send Tsubaki to bring me here?"
"You asked me to have a familiar few days back, right?"
"Are you letting me get a familiar from that forest you told me about?"
"Hear me out first and don't try to interrupt, otherwise I'll change my mind" said Sona which caused Rei to be silent and listen to what she had to say. "If you win in a match with my peerage, I'll ask my sister for the permission to let you get a familiar from the forest. Are you up for it? As you know about her, she will most likely agree with my request"
Rei nodded at her knowing very well, how great opportunity this was for him. Not only a battle to test his potential with her peerage, but also a chance to get his own familiar, that he was wishing for all this time.
"Alright, let's battle" said Rei summoning the sword in his right, which crackled with the roar of thunder and lightning crackling all around it. In mere presence of it, everyone aside from Sona and Rias, shuddered in fear from the murderous intent that it was exuding. Rei turned to Sona with a serious gaze and asked, "So where do I have to fight your peerage, Sona?"
Saji gulped in fear when he heard about fighting against Rei, meanwhile rest of Sona's peerage were thinking how will they win against someone like him? They've heard about his nature and strength while slaying the stray devils, and with the sword, it was more of a reason to be frightened of him.
Sona noticed her peerage expressions and sighed inside her head. 'It's just as I expected. They are scared of him and I can't let that fear engraved in their minds, if I want them to make them stronger' She caught their hesitation and fear which was written all over their faces, and decided to extend the date of battle for later.
"Hold your horses, Rei. As much I want you to see in battle with my peerage, but let's not hurry the process and take it a bit slow" She stood up from her chair and then walked upto her peerage and then looked at them while adjusting her glasses,"I think it would be best if both parties get some time to make strategy to fight with each other. Rushing this battle will not be a good idea, don't you agree?"
Her peerage members breathed a sigh of relief when they heard their king's request to Rei. Fighting with him was already one heck of a challenge and above all, fighting him right now without preparation will only lead to their defeat.
"I'm fine with whatever condition you want to add" replied Rei retracting back the sword and disappearing it, in front of everyone. All he cared about is fight, so it didn't matter, when he had to fight, as long as he had something to gain in the end.
"I think we should schedule this battle to next Sunday, is that fine with you?" asked Sona , to which Rei nodded and also her peerage members, although a bit reluctantly.
"Then it's decided, the match will happen on next Sunday at this time" announced Sona, followed by nods of approval from her peerage and Rei, the later one was enjoying the chips that were placed in front of him. To others, it was an important Sunday, but to him it was another Sunday.
'We're going to the hospital beds with this one. Why is President putting through this hell with this demon in human skin?' thought Saji looking at Rei in fear, while getting flashbacks of seeing Rei covered up in blood with a maniacal grin on his face. Putting aside that image from his head, he prayed for strength to survive this match.
...…
After the school was over, Rei hanged out with the girl's group from his class at arcade. On his way, he was approached by Sona and Rias to to talk about something, but he refused and apologized that he can't ditch his female friends for a second time. Sona was annoyed by his blatant refusal which showed in her tone but thanks to Rias, he was able to convince her and was able to find his way out from that.
"I didn't knew that hanging out with girls could be so much fun" Rei took out his phone and went through his music playlist to listen songs on his way back to home. Placing the earbuds in his both ears, he continued to walk towards his home while enjoying the beautiful evening with some Taylor Swift songs. "I should do this once in a while, it feels great to spend time with them after the school"
On his way, he was stopped by the old man standing all alone with a box. At first, he ignored him since he was on a different planet, while listening to the songs but then a tap on his shoulder made him halt in his steps, and listen to what old man had to say to him.
"Excuse me, young man" requested old man looking in the eyes of Rei for help. "Can you help me carry this box to my home up there. I called my son half an hour ago, but he is not picking up the call anymore and I have been stuck with this box here"
"Sure" replied Rei with a smile, taking off the earbuds and walking towards the box. He lifted the box and noticed it was really heavy, he was thinking of asking about it, but didn't think of prying about it. Walking behind the old man to stairs, he carefully went up in stairs and finally stopped in front of old man's flat.
Opening the door, old man gave directions to Rei for bringing the box inside and after reaching the living room, he put down the box, where old man asked him to. He was about to leave, but was stopped by old man who tried to offer him a juice can for his labour. Rei thought it would be rude to refuse his kindness, so he agreed with the old man and waited there, while old man went towards the refrigerator.
"You're from Kuoh Academy right?" asked old man while going through his refrigerator, with his back turned to Rei.
"Yeah. You are familiar with the uniform of our school, old man?" asked Rei looking around the house, thinking it was quite a nice appartment from inside. Not only it was spacious, but the antiques and accessories were looking expensive as well.
"Yes, I'm quite familiar with that uniform" said old man scratching his forehead still trying to find the juice can, he was looking for. "My acquaintances's daughters attend the school that you're in. They are pretty popular among the students, you must have heard of them"
When Rei heard that, he was slightly confused about who he was talking about since, there were no popular girls, other than the devil heiress and their queens, but then he was getting little vary of him, since it wasn't a coincidence that the old man was talking about the same individuals he had in his mind.
"Can you tell me what are their names?" questioned Rei glaring at the individual in front of him.
"If I am not wrong, their names are-" said old man in an unusual tone. This time his voice wasn't like a low inaudible voice, but rather of a man in his thirties "Rias Gremory and Sona Sitri"
"Who are you?" asked Rei summoning the sword in his hand. The old man in front of him turned around and just smiled at him without giving any reply. He picked out the bear can from the refrigerator. Opening it, he chugged down all of it in one go, while not being threatened from the sword, that Rei was holding.
He was ready to strike the individual any moment, but when the old man started to change his appearance with a bright light. Rei's eyes widened in surprise to see the individual standing in front of him. The man had an average build, black hair, golden bangs and black goatee, with which Rei was very familiar.
"The one & only charismatic leader of Grigori, Azazel"