Aki stood on the edge of Kuoh's darkened rooftops, his coat flaring in the cold wind. His breath made little clouds in the night — every exhale sharp, deliberate. Below, the streets seemed calm, but he could feel the stirrings beneath: residues of demonic power, whispers of stray devils drifting through alleyways like hungry shadows.
His Devil Hunter System hummed softly in his mind, active, alert:
Hunter Mode: ActiveNearby Entities: Three detected — low to moderate threat (stray devils)Ambient Threat Level: Elevated
He let the system's overlay settle in his vision: faint red traces glowed on the map of aura beneath him, pulsing like dying embers. Three dots, spread out in different alleys. Stray devils, his system identified. In the lore of devils, these were reincarnated devils who had abandoned their masters, drifting without guidance. According to devil hierarchy, stray devils were dangerous precisely because they didn't answer to anyone. highschooldxd.fandom.com+1
Aki's jaw clenched. This would be the start of his training arc: real hunts, real danger, real blood. Not just "observe occult club stuff," but hunt. He flexed his fingers — knife in hand, senses sharpened.
He descended from the rooftop with controlled speed, landing silently in a narrow alley. The smell of damp concrete, refuse, and something darker — foul, corrupted energy — filled his nostrils. He moved like a predator, whisper-quiet, system guiding his steps.
System Prompt: Engage first target – recommendedAlternative: Track and observe
He chose to engage. For a hunter, hesitation was weakness; action was practice.
Ahead, in the dim shadows, he saw a figure slump against a wall. The aura was weak but erratic — unstable. A devil, but not powerful. Low-class. Probably a stray.
He stepped forward, and the devil's head lolled up, yellowish eyes glowing. Its body was thinner than most devils he'd seen in lore, limbs too long and shadowy, skin almost translucent in places. The system lit up with analysis:
Entity Class: Stray DevilThreat Level: LowStamina: ModerateAggressiveness: Defensive
Aki's heart struck a steady pace. He raised his knife, gripping the hilt tightly, and activated a low flicker of his aura. The system responded:
Skill Activated: Keen Reflexes — +20% dodge/spatial awarenessBuff: Enhanced Awareness — can track shifts in demonic energy
He lunged forward, silent. The devil reacted, claws scraping the concrete as it stood, snarling. The fight was quick: Aki dodged a slash, parried another, and then struck — clean, precise, controlled. The blade sank, and the devil dissolved into a swirl of dark mist, leaving behind only a small wisp of residue.
XP Gained: 45Hunter Points: +20Loot: Stray Devil Essence ×1
He sheathed his knife, absorbing the residue into his system. It glowed faintly in his mind, webbed into his Hunter Module. Each piece of essence gave him more data — more knowledge of what stray devils were capable of, their energy signatures, and more importantly, how to fight them efficiently.
He didn't stop there. The system had marked two more locations. He pressed on, crossing rooftops and jumping gutters, his senses razor-sharp. The second devil was farther away, cloaked in the shadow of a closed storefront. He crept in, silent, system pulsing faster.
When he struck, the second devil was more aggressive. It hissed, lunged, and Aki felt its claws tear at his coat. But the system's Tactical Coordination kicked in, giving him predictive movements — subtle nudges in his perception, like a whisper in his mind: dodge here, strike there. He weaved, ducked, and landed a blow that staggered the creature enough for him to press the advantage.
XP Gained: 60Hunter Points: +30Skill Progress: Hand-to-Hand Combat +15%
The devil, injured, tried to retreat, but Aki didn't give it space. With another strike, he dispatched it. The mist left behind was thicker this time — more essence, more residue, more potential learning. He collected it silently, letting his system filter and store.
His third target was the hardest. He felt its aura shifting like a living thing, wary and cunning. This devil had survived long, perhaps hunted before, or at least wary of devils hunters. As he approached, the system flashed a warning:
Threat Level: ModerateAggressiveness: HighRecommendation: Observational approach first
Aki nodded to himself. He backed off, perching on a fire escape ladder, watching. The devil paced below, its body twisted, limbs strange, eyes glowing a deep crimson. It sniffed the air, as though tasting danger.
He activated his Enhanced Awareness with full focus. The system overlaid its aura network around the devil. Then, he watched its pattern: it would sprint between shadow patches, avoid lit areas, and occasionally press its hand to a wall like it was wounded or listening. This devil didn't just survive — it waited, it adapted.
Aki moved down from the ladder, knife at the ready, but with no rush. He let the shadows help him. He decided to strike when the devil was between two pools of darkness. The system buzzed:
Action Prompt: Use Tactical Coordination + Keen Reflexes for ambush.
He lunged. The devil turned sharply, surprised, claws flashing — but Aki was faster, his strike delivered with precision. The devil howled, a deep, guttural sound, and retaliated fiercely. They clashed: devil's claws against Aki's knife, shadows rippling around them. The fight was brutal, raw.
Aki felt his heart pounding, his aura flaring. The system mapped every strike, every dodge, every opening, predicting the devil's next move like a chess engine. He waited for a moment, then unleashed a combination — a swift strike to the thigh, followed by a controlled stab to the shoulder, and a final slash that severed the devil's base energy core.
The creature dissolved slowly, its mist fading in spirals. Aki knelt, letting the residue drift into his system.
XP Gained: 120Hunter Points: +60Skill Unlocked: Shadow Strike — A swift, low-profile attack that harnesses ambient dark energy for extra damage
He straightened, breathing hard, aura settling. The night around him felt… changed. The system's overlay showed his stats increasing, his Hunter Points climbing, his skills refining. He was improving. Not just a student observing demons — a hunter in training.
As dawn crept over Kuoh, Aki made his way back to the Clubhouse. The city below glowed softly, still wet with dew and the traces of the night's rain. In his mind, the system gave a soft appraisal:
Training Arc, Phase 1 CompleteActive Skills:– Keen Reflexes (Passive)– Enhanced Awareness (Passive)– Shadow Strike (Active)
Hunter Points Available: 110Recommended: Visit Multiverse Store for equipment or skill upgrades
Aki kept silent as he entered the back room of the Occult Research Club. Inside, he found Koneko and Rias already there, discussing something quietly over arcane diagrams. His eyes flicked to them, his body still humming with energy from the hunt.
Koneko looked up, her expression slightly surprised. "You're back early," she said.
He nodded, tucking his knife back into his coat. "Hunted tonight. Three stray devils."
Her ears twitched. "Three? Alone?"
He shrugged, tone neutral but firm. "Part of training."
Rias raised an eyebrow, crimson hair catching the early sun. "Training? Are you suggesting you will fight without the club's guidance?" There was a hint of challenge in her voice, but also curiosity. She knew power when she saw it — and Aki's aura tonight was different: colder, sharper, more refined.
"Yes," he answered quietly. "But I didn't just strike. I observed, learned, adapted." He paused, letting the weight of his words settle. "I want to be ready for the bigger threats — not just stray devils, but the devils that matter."
Koneko's eyes softened a little. "And you think you're ready for that?"
He met her gaze, dark eyes unflinching. "I will be." His system pulsed: Determination field active. Bond with Koneko increasing.
Rias leaned forward, clasping her hands. "If you continue like this… you may become more than a hunter. You could become a true asset — or a danger." She studied him, her expression thoughtful. "Very well. Continue your training. But report your hunts to me. I won't have reckless power going unchecked."
He nodded. "Understood."
Later that evening, Aki returned to his rooftop perch, looking out at the city again. The sky was painted in deep blues, and the lights of Kuoh glittered like stars fallen to earth. He closed his eyes, letting the system replay the night's events, mapping his progress, his weaknesses, his victories.
He spoke softly into the wind, in a voice heavy with promise:
"The world beneath the surface pulses with devils, hidden in every shadow, every alley. I will not let them roam unchecked. I will not be a silent observer. I will hunt. I will learn. And I will rise — stronger, sharper, more lethal than ever."
His aura flared outward gently, a field of quiet power that rippled in the system's sensors. It was not yet apex — but every hunt, every drop of devil residue, every fight brought him closer.
System Status: Level Up Imminent. XP Threshold: Approaching.Next Objective: Continue Stray Devil Hunting. Unlock Mid‑Tier Skills at 200 HP of XP.
He exhaled, watching the city lights shimmer. The training arc had begun in earnest. Aki Hayakawa, the Devil Hunter with a system, was carving his path in a world of devils, danger, and hidden power.
And with every step, he wasn't just preparing for what might come — he was becoming someone who could shape what would come.
The hunt was just beginning.