NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3: The Aura Farmer - 3
-Story Start-
Today, was one of the best days of Issei Hyoudou's life.
No, scratch that!
It was...
'THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE! I'M GOING TO LOSE MY VIRGINITY! YAHOOOO!' He thought with internal glee.
The reason?
His eyes always gravitated towards the buxom girl by his side, and her two... perfect orbs.
Long story short:
The central figure of Kuoh High's Perverted Trio...
Was on a date.
Slapping his own face to compose himself, he rapidly shook his head, 'No! Control yourself! Calm yourself! Be a gentleman to Yuuma-chan!!'
'Just a little more left, you've done so well so far and now you gotta be perfect, man!' He reminded himself as he observed the setting sun, as the sky darkened and the street lights automatically turned on.
'Remember the Ero-novels. Remember the Ero-novels. Remember the Ero-novels.' He repeated in his head like a mantra.
Only for his distracted mind to be brought back by reality.
A giggle caught his attention, as he turned to meet the now-named Yuuma, who looked at Issei with a soft yet amused gaze.
"You're so funny, Issei~" She teased.
A tease that utterly bewitched him and brought more confidence to his stature, a barely subdued goofy smile forming on his face as they walked side by side.
"Heh, didn't have to say anything either." He snorted with a confident wave of his hand.
Indeed, so far, as the first date of his Perverted Life... it has gone absolutely swimmingly.
He was pretty much out of his depth here, but he tried his best and he's honestly surprised he got this far if he were to be honest...
'Yuuma-chan's that amazing and beautiful and... hot' Issei's tenderness quickly transitioned back to his voracious lustful nature.
With a warm and jolly air around them, the two lovebirds headed to Kuoh's Central Park, particularly the Fountain area which is noted as one of the most romantic places in the entire town!
No, he did not Google that information, if anyone were asking.
They strolled at a relaxing pace within the darkening park, as the deeper they went, the fewer passersby they came across.
For a moment, Issei's mind went to the deepest parts of the gutter, but he stopped himself with another resolute shake of the head.
'I won't get... too excited... hehe.' He confirmed to himself, not that he adhered to his own resolve.
Since he was so bewitched he failed to see Yuuma do some strange thing with her hands.
And suddenly, the Central Park had gotten much more lonely.
It appeared that it was just the two of them there.
-------------------------------
The Fountain Area of Kuoh's Central Park was nothing short of breathtaking.
Under the light of the full moon and a few weak lamps that decorated the cobbled ground surrounding the fountain, the gentle trickle of the fountain cut through the blissful silence.
The area was a circle of four entrances, with a bench beside each entrance into the inner section of the circle, and at its center was the fountain itself.
Peace, quiet, and moonlit beauty.
"Thank you, Google-sensei." A single tear fell from Issei's eye.
"What was that~?" Yuuma teased, to which Issei awkwardly chuckled and sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.
He turned to look at one of the outliers of the scene:
In front of one of the four benches, was a sign of - 'Caution, Wet Paint!'
Shrugging uncaringly, he approached Yuuma with a resolved smile, "Yuuma-chan, I-"
A calm palm, stopped his speech short, "Wait, Issei... before we continue." Her cheeks were tinged red and she appeared the most bashful Issei had ever seen here.
Blinking and straightening himself, Issei gulped, "Y-Yes, Yuuma-chan?"
She looked at him with pleading eyes, "Could you do me a favor?"
Without hesitation, he rapidly nodded his head, grabbing Yuuma's hands with a firm and reassuring grip, "Yes! Anything!"
...
"Will you die for me?"
Her cutesy voice was no longer there, replaced by a deeper, more mature, and huskier tone.
A much, much more malevolent and sinister one.
"P-Pardon?" Issei could only blink at the demand, unable to process the request.
He wasn't given much time to process regardless, as Yuuma suddenly shredded her clothes and...
Flew in the air.
A pair of black, raven feathered wings extended from her back, as her shredded clothes were exchanged with a uniform that looked nothing short of one of those S&M Erogames Issei occasionally played.
His eyes couldn't accept the reality that was happening in front of him, only gravitating to those pair of perfect mounds only more emphasized by Yuuma's new clothes.
Shaking his head, "Wait! Yuuma-chan what's going on, what do you mean 'die' for yo-"
She looked unimpressed, "It means I want you dead."
Wordlessly, a magical spear of light formed in her hands as she floated in the air, "If you're going to blame anyone, blame it on the one who placed that Sacred Gear inside of you."
Bending her body, she was about to throw it at the stupefied Issei and put him out of his misery.
The air was tense, as instinctually, Issei's life began to flash before his eyes in the face of the supernatural.
A myriad of questionable images passed through his mind, until...
They suddenly stopped.
Blinking, Issei witnessed the frozen figure of the floating Yuuma.
The spear in her hand, milliseconds away from being launched to sever him from his mortal coil.
What had stopped her... was a voice.
A sharp, calm, and nonchalant tone that sent a shiver down both their spine in this quiet backdrop.
"Oi."
Yumma blinked and turned around in a panic aiming her swing at the...
Boy, who casually sat on the bench with the wet paint sign.
His legs folded calmly, his upper body leaning back as he held what appeared to be a cup of wine.
His sharp brown-honey-colored eyes neutrally settled on her winged figure.
Their gazes met, and Yuuma's bewildered gaze faltered in the face of the boy who came out of nowhere.
He calmly insinuated, "I'd prefer you not stain my sight with unnecessary blood."
Yuuma's eye twitched, "Unnecessary?" She repeated.
"Who are you? How did bypass my barrier?" She barraged him with questions, an uneasy sweat trickling down her face.
She couldn't sense him sitting behind her until he spoke.
Even now...
'I can't feel anything from him... it's as if he's a regular human...' Her analytical battle-hardened mind went overdrive in confusion.
No regular human could have snuck up on her like this, nor gone past her barrier.
Yet, all indicators in terms of power showed that this was...
A regular Human.
'A Sacred Gear that hides capabilities?' She theorized, only for her theories to be cut short by the boy's words.
"Get past your barrier? At your level, you shouldn't have set up such a paltry thing." He calmly sipped his wine as he waved her off dismissively.
'At.. my level?' She repeated.
Rage overtook her figure as she trembled, the spear of light trembling in her grip and being charged with even more Light Power and the eyes of the boy in front of her narrowed dangerously.
Without hesitation, with a disturbing speed, the spear of light in her hand was launched towards the sitting boy.
Whisking through the air with a screeching noise, an explosion rang out.
Issei could only gape in awe, and even further incredibility as the spear exploded and annihilated the bench and the boy who sat there, the ground Issei stood on tremored at the small explosion.
...
A loud sip and gulp cut through the stunned silence.
A sound that made Yuuma's hair stand on end as she immediately turned around with a shocked expression to bear witness...
To that very same cocky boy, standing beside a similarly shocked Issei.
"K-Kobayashi?!" He repeated the widely known name.
There stood Ren, calming sipping the wine in his glass, completely undamaged and with his vulnerable back almost asking for her to utilize the weakness.
But...
Yuuma realized that...
She was outclassed.
'I'm being... toyed with?!'
Instinctually flying up, she screamed with all her might, "WHAT ARE YOU?! ARE YOU WORKING WITH THE DEVILS OF THIS PLACE?!"
...
A moment of silence passed as the boy seemingly considered her words.
Ren scoffed, "Nonsense, I'm on the side of Kuoh's City Management. You've already damaged this park enough..." He pointed his finger at her with unadulterated disdain in his tone.
A sharp glare settled on her figure as he looked at her behind his shoulder, "Scurry along before I change my mind. I'd rather not stain this beautiful place with the crimson stench of your fallen blood."
The floating Yuuma shivered mid-air, a snarl on her face as she barely restrained her emotions.
With how quickly he moved... Yuuma was certain that.
'Whatever that thing is... he'll kill me.'
Taking a deep breath, Yuuma clicked her tongue and flew up into the sky with her wings, becoming a distant dot given the speed of her ascent.
And just like that, with one annihilated bench...
Tranquility had returned to Kuoh's Central Park.
...
"WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED!?" Issei could only express his emotions, understandably, with a loud outburst.
In a way, though?
Ren was in pure agreement.
He smiled internally, his ego-inflating even more, 'As expected of my Deception. I got away with this and saved this pervert's life... score!'
'Though I'd probably have died if my bluff failed, not sure using my Teleports Behind You skill would have let me run very far before getting skewered... I should check for evasive measures or stylish excusable retreats in the purchasable skills to not damage the Aura Farming.'
Nodding to himself, he concluded, 'I understand it now... this was a Central Camera Scene because this serves as my gateway to the supernatural... probably.'
'Could have never guessed my introduction would be saving Hyoudou from his rumored girlfriend.'
'Nothing's too good to be true, I guess.' He shrugged.
...
Then, he lowered his head in deep contemplation.
'But... what the fuck indeed. Devils, Fallen Angels? That was a wild guess based on the free info and context clues she blurted out!'
'Oh well, more research for me! I love research! Sacred Gears, whatever those things are, as well!' Ren excitedly announced his next plans.
The possibilities for Aura Farming through supernatural means made Ren foam at the mouth.
Without regarding Issei with a further look, Ren calmly strode off into the distance with his hands in his pockets and his wine glass pocketed as well.
His job here... was done.
...
"WAIT! KOBAYASHI!" Issei shouted with a panic as he ran to catch up with the calmly strolling Ren.
He was looking for answers...
But jokes on him!
Ren had none.
...
Perhaps the shadowed figure watching from the distance had those answers instead?
To Be Continued!