Aki's footsteps echoed hollowly through the corridor as he made his way to the old schoolhouse. The Occult Research Club's building stood apart from the rest of Kuoh Academy: aged brickwork, creeping ivy, and windows that seemed heavier than normal. He paused beneath one of them, watching the fogged glass, faint whispers of movement inside.
He wasn't sure why he'd come here. The system hadn't demanded he join or investigate the club — but something in his instincts, honed from another life, urged him forward. The last thing he wanted was to draw attention, yet this building felt… important.
His system hummed softly: Entity Detection: Multiple. Unknown affiliation.
Inside, the club was already gathering. A few figures stood around, talking quietly — not human-naïve chatter, but something more measured. Aki recognized one silhouette immediately: a girl with long crimson hair, regal posture. Rias Gremory. According to the system's faint knowledge-tag, she was associated with the Occult Research Club.
System Note: Rias Gremory – High-Class Devil, influential in this academy. Proceed with caution.
Aki's throat tightened, but he pushed open the door gently and slipped inside. The interior was dim, musty with ancient books, occult paraphernalia, and a large, worn table scattered with scrolls and sigils. The wood panels creaked with age, and the air felt thick — as though the room itself held power.
"New face?" Rias's voice cut through the quiet. She sat at the head of the table, crimson hair cascading over her shoulders, eyes sharp and curious. Others in the room turned to look: a cat-eared girl (Koneko), a tall blonde boy (Kiba), and a few more whose auras felt less ordinary.
Aki nodded, trying to steady his pulse. "I'm Aki Hayakawa. I… transferred here."
Rias smiled — small, polite, but her eyes didn't soften. "Welcome to Kuoh Academy. And to the Occult Research Club, if you like."
He hesitated. "I don't… I'm not exactly here to join." He kept his voice steady, but the system whispered warnings: Be careful. These people are not harmless.
Kiba, Vice-President of the Club according to the system, leaned forward. He was tall and composed, with a faint edge in his expression, like he was evaluating Aki. "Not join? Then what brings you here?"
Aki wiped his palms on his trousers. "Curiosity. The… supernatural. Things I've detected." He let his tone drop, just low enough. "I want to learn."
Rias watched him thoughtfully. "Learning requires trust, and this club is more than just research. We deal with real supernatural threats." She glanced at Koneko, who sat quietly, ears slightly twitching, her golden eyes fixed on Aki with innocent suspicion.
Koneko's voice was soft: "Why do you feel things so strongly?" Her question was direct, but her posture was defensive, as though she expected him to lie.
Aki considered the system's input — his resonance, his hunter affinities. He decided to lean into honesty. "Because I… I sense more than just devils. I sense power. I've activated something — a system. It tells me about lifeforms, threats." He paused, unsure how much to reveal. But Koneko's eyes flicked with genuine interest, and Rias's expression didn't harden.
Rias stood and walked over, stopping a few feet from him. "A system?" she repeated. "Curious." She reached into a cabinet behind her and pulled out a small, old-looking notebook. She opened it carefully, flipping through pages until she found a sigil. "We research all kinds of systems," she said softly. "Magic circles, demonic contracts, supernatural artifacts. I would welcome that you… observe for now."
Aki nodded. Observation sounded safe, and the system told him the risk was manageable. He exhaled, tension easing slightly. "I'll observe."
For a moment, the room fell quiet. Then Kiba cleared his throat. "We meet here every Tuesday and Friday. Tonight's session is about trace demons — how to detect them and form contracts safely." He nodded to Aki. "You're welcome to stay."
Koneko, still awkwardly perched at the edge of the table, shoved her chair back and stood. She approached Aki slowly, eyes flicking between him and the notebook in Rias's hand. "If you're going to observe," she said quietly, "you should probably sit next to me. It's easier to see things from there."
Aki glanced at her, then nodded, moving a few chairs over. She sat, stiff-backed, tail flicking just a little — probably angry she had to make the offer. He offered a small, tight-lipped smile. The system registered it as a subtle Trust +1.
Rias returned to her desk, placing the notebook down. "Alright. Let's begin." Her voice carried the weight of authority, but not tyranny. "First, we'll draw a detection circle. Koneko, assist me."
Koneko nodded without speaking, setting out chalk, papers, and salt. Aki watched, eyes sharp: runes, glyphs, a complex pattern forming beneath Rias's precise fingers. The system's vision flickered, overlaying its own grid over her sigils, confirming magical resonance and demonic potential.
System Scan: Magic Circle Active — High demon detection accuracy.
Aki's heart thudded. He knew what circles like this could do. His fingers brushed the handle of his knife, just in case.
Koneko muttered softly as they worked, chalk scraping on the floor. Aki couldn't help but admire her focus — she was tiny, but moved with purpose. Rias's voice grew quieter as she directed the spell, and soon a soft hum filled the room, like distant thunder.
Then, a shimmer in the air. A faint silhouette flickered within the circle: a small, vaporous shape, dark and slight. Rias nodded, eyes narrowed, and the shape solidified into a minor demon: humanoid but unnatural, with ragged limbs and low, resonant pulses of energy.
The students leaned in; Koneko's eyes glowed slightly, and Aki felt the system pulse urgently in his mind. Entity detected — minor demon.
Rias spoke: "This is a trace demon. Normally harmless if handled carefully, but unpredictable if provoked." Her tone was clinical, but firm. She directed Koneko to place a ward of salt, and the runes stabilized the demon in place. Koneko followed her instructions with precision.
Aki swallowed. Everything had slowed down now — the hum, the patterns, the tension. He realized that being in this club wasn't about flashy fights. It was groundwork, research, careful preparation.
Rias shifted her gaze to him. "Aki Hayakawa, can you feel its presence?" she asked quietly.
He closed his eyes for a moment, letting his sensations sharpen. The system blinked: Presence Intensity: Moderate. He nodded. "Yes. It's… uneasy. Like it wants to run."
Rias smiled just a fraction. "Good. That kind of sensitivity is rare in students. Very useful." She paused, her gaze lingering. "You may stay for rituals, if you wish. But don't expect full membership yet."
Aki nodded again, the weight of her words not lost on him. He was in—but only just.
When the meeting ended, the students filed out quietly. Koneko remained behind, packing up the chalk and salt. Aki moved to help. The system whispered softly in his head: Bond forming. Potential ally.
Koneko didn't speak at first. When she did, her voice was low: "You're not like other transfers." She looked him in the eye. "You're… something else."
Aki tilted his head, watching her. "Maybe," he replied softly. "But what are you? I don't think you're just a normal student."
She stiffened slightly, but her eyes softened for a moment. "I'm not. But I'm with them … with this club … to learn how to deal with things like you." She gestured vaguely around the room. Magic, demons, contracts. "I don't trust easily."
He nodded, quietly impressed by her honesty. "Neither do I."
She seemed to consider him for a moment, tail flicking. Then she gave a small, curt nod. "Alright. We'll learn together. Just… don't think I'll go easy on you."
Aki couldn't help the ghost of a smile. "I don't expect you to."
He left the clubroom afterwards, footsteps soft against the old floor, magic residue lingering in the air like static. Outside, the rain had picked up again, pattering on the roof. The system pulsed in his mind, content. Observation established. Potential allies discovered.
Aki exhaled into the night sky, collar pulled tight. He had made a decision tonight. The Occult Research Club would watch him — but he would watch back. He would learn everything he could, protect what needed protecting, and keep hunting.
The hunt was far from over.