Two Days Later, Kuoh Town.
Time: 6:42 AM.
The first rays of sunlight quietly filtered through the thin clouds, reflecting off the rooftops in a warm golden glow. The scent of morning dew clinging to the earth drifted into his nose as Ren stood firmly in front of the residential building, silently observing its details. The structure itself was unremarkable, yet clean, neat, and designed with a modern style blended seamlessly with simple Japanese aesthetics.
The small trees lined along both sides of the street swayed gently in the dawn breeze, and the birds had begun their first songs of the day, as though the town was waking slowly, unhurriedly, without noise. Yet, to him, the air wasn't "quiet."
For Ren, everything was clear—exposed. Spiritual energy, the flow of aura, the impurities shifting beneath the ground… everything invisible to others appeared to him as a transparent canvas pulsing with information.
"But I didn't expect my new home to be right next to the Hyoudou Residence…" he muttered in a low voice, shifting his gaze from the apartment to the neighboring house, a traditional two-story Japanese home surrounded by a small, unkempt garden where weeds grew freely, as though no one cared much for it.
That name echoed in his mind—Hyoudou Issei. A student recorded in the archives of the Onmitsukidō, known as Rias Gremory's Pawn and the wielder of the Boosted Gear—a weapon with the power to slay Gods.
Gods who were at least of Maou-class. And yet, just a human possessed the potential to reach such power thanks to the God of the Bible, who created the Sacred Gear system, granting humans the strength to oppose other supernatural beings.
"What a strange and enchanting aura…" Ren murmured as he analyzed Issei's presence in his home. He sensed two unusual energies: one dark, similar to a Hollow but far more intense, and the other, a proud and overwhelming presence brimming with dominance—the aura of the dragon dwelling within the Boosted Gear.
"Though it's intriguing, I'm content with what I already have." With that, Ren adjusted his school uniform and began walking toward Kuoh Academy.
Ren was here as an exchange student, which meant he didn't have to wear Kuoh Academy's uniform—something he was glad for, since he preferred Karakura High School's uniform, which better suited his taste.
"This town really does hold far too many supernatural beings…" Ren muttered with some irritation as he slid the blindfold back over his eyes to dull his senses. Unlike Karakura Town, where only humans, Souls, and the occasional Hollow—and at present, Shinigami—existed, Kuoh Town radiated countless strange, discomforting auras that overwhelmed his perception.
And the moment the blindfold covered his eyes, it was as if the world's noise had suddenly lessened. Overlapping frequencies, layered visions, pulsating dissonant auras—all of it—was suppressed to a tolerable degree, leaving only what he could see and hear within an acceptable range.
Ren walked along the road toward Kuoh Academy, where he was scheduled to meet representatives of the other factions in about fifteen minutes. It was merely a routine introduction—to inform them of what he could and could not do—since Kuoh Town was under the Devils' jurisdiction, and it wasn't wise to stir trouble, especially when the goal for now was peace, however temporary.
He strolled over sidewalks still damp with morning dew slowly drying away, taking in the scenery as he blended in with the students dressed in Kuoh Academy's uniforms, until he soon arrived at the academy's main gate.
Ren paused for a moment before the gate, taking in the calm tones of the white walls and the architectural arches blending European and Japanese styles.
"Are you the transfer student from Karakura High School? Kurosaki Ren?" A beautiful, stern voice rang in his ears. Despite him suppressing his presence to avoid attracting attention, the other party had noticed him. That alone meant she belonged to the supernatural world.
Ren didn't need to look to know who had spoken—his senses had already picked her out. The speaker was a stunning girl with long black hair and light brown eyes, wearing glasses. She was strikingly beautiful, with long, shapely legs, a generous bust that would make even a shrine maiden blush, and a firm, toned figure.
"Yeah. And you are?" Ren smiled faintly, turning to face her.
"Shinra Tsubaki. I'm the Student Council's Vice President," Tsubaki replied, adjusting her glasses slightly. "Would you accompany me to the President? There are some papers that need your signature to complete the transfer process."
"Of course." Ren nodded with a wry smile. He knew that finishing transfer papers was merely an excuse. He could already sense distinct auras from a certain building—surely the Student Council's office, where the faction representatives' meeting was to be held, to discuss rules and matters regarding the town.
'Unfortunately, though, the strongest person here is only Middle-Class,' Ren thought. Before coming, Suì-Fēng had stuffed a vast amount of supernatural-world knowledge into his head. For comparison, Middle-Class was equivalent to merely a 7th Seat or lower.
The supernatural world used a unified class system, though each faction had its own terms; they were nearly identical. The Soul Society's classifications, for instance, were:
Captain → Ultimate-Class or Peak High-Class.
Lieutenant → High-Class.
5th Seat to 3rd Seat → High-Class.
10th Seat to 6th Seat → Middle-Class.
The rest → Low-Class.
As for the Captain-Commander—that old man—he was Peak Maou-Class, very close to Super Maou level, and with his Bankai, his power reached Super Maou-Class.
The Soul King, however, had no records available, for reasons Ren couldn't find.
Of course, there were exceptions. Ritsu, whose power was undeniably Maou-Class. And Zaraki, whose strength matched—or even surpassed—hers, though he unconsciously suppressed it.
Ren continued walking beside Tsubaki in silence, his steps calm and steady, though his thoughts churned like layered streams of spiritual energy beneath the blindfold.
'A faction meeting, huh…' he mused inwardly, analyzing the spiritual energy radiating from the building they approached.
It wasn't difficult to notice the carefully crafted spiritual boundaries around the meeting hall. There were three layers of barriers: the first to ward off human interference, the second to block unstable auras, and the third—the most complex—to repel external magical surveillance.
Their construction resembled the Kidō Corps' methods… only more "demonic," so to speak.
"Please, go ahead." Tsubaki spoke respectfully as she opened the door for Ren, allowing him entry. The three factions all held a measure of fear toward the Shinigami, nicknaming them "war maniacs," and so they tried their utmost to avoid provoking them. This was the reason for Tsubaki's respect toward him.
But that wasn't all. Though Tsubaki's power was only Middle-Class, she wasn't weak by any means—her strength was close to High-Class. Yet even she felt like a mere insect before Ren, despite him suppressing his aura. That alone was proof of his terrifying power.
"…" Ren scanned the room. A round table stood at its center, with five chairs. Four were already occupied. Only one seat remained empty—clearly reserved for him.
Without hesitation, Ren entered, walking with slow, confident steps, unfazed by the stares directed his way. To him, their gazes were nothing compared to standing before Captains far stronger and infinitely more terrifying—or meeting even Amaterasu herself, whose very presence was so overwhelming it could never be mimicked or reproduced.
His shoes echoed softly against the concrete floor as he drew back his chair and sat. His posture was neither tense, overly respectful, nor dismissive—just proper enough to avoid insulting anyone.
...
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