Eternal Saṃsāra: The Wanderer of Worlds

Chapter 20: Devil Girlies

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The schoolyard was a very delightful area. It had a garden of flowers, with artificial bushes all over the place, many artificial dolphin fountains and the entire yard was filled with healthy grass. 

Rias Gremory, wearing her bodycon school dress, except the vest this time, walked beside me as we enjoyed the greenery of nature. She looked more attractive than nature, however, with all those curves.

I hadn't bothered hiding my aura, so Rias was sure to know by now that I was not a normal human. Yet, the chat we had was very normal.

"The two episodes were pretty nice," she said while walking beside me. "It reminds me of the first time we met, and when I saw your acting for the first time. How time flies, right?"

She paused for a moment, leaning down a bit to pluck a rose. As she did, she spoke, not turning to me.

"Do you remember…" There was a hint of anxiousness in her voice, scared that I didn't remember. She turned to me, the rose rolling between her fingers. "That day… when we met?"

"KitKat girl."

I said with a finger pointing at her, and to my surprise a massive smile bloomed on her face. She was too happy for such a small thing.

"Yes, so you do remember." She gently walked over to me and tucked the rose in my hair. "I like your hair."

She stood too close to me, her breasts just centimeters away from touching my chest, as she looked up at my eyes.

"How do you like this school so far? This school had another name before, but a family acquaintance bought it a couple of years back, and named it after the town we are in." We were in Kuoh Town. "That acquaintance isn't here anymore, so I and my friend, Sona the Student Council President, basically run the school. So if you have any problem related to the school, you can ask me anytime."

I couldn't help but find this funny, I didn't laugh though, I just smiled. "You sound like those delinquent senior guys who try to hit on freshman girls, you know that? I can take care of myself, no need to worry about that."

Rias returned the smile and stepped back to walk again. "Well, the area is dangerous. Not just the school. The entire Kuoh Town is our territory. I didn't just mean human stifles when I said you can ask for my help; I was talking about the supernatural side of things as well. Independent Mages can get in trouble easily, and it's not good for them if they're against a big group."

So she assumed I'm an Independent Mage? Fair enough, it made sense.

"I don't mind helping you out if you get in such trouble." She paused, turning back to me. "Just yesterday, a Fallen Angel came to hunt a human. He was just a normal human, with no affiliation with any groups, he didn't even know magic existed."

I realized she was talking about Issei, this was the situation that unfolded on his date yesterday.

She added, "Just because he had Sacred Gear, he was attacked. Luckily, our Student President, Sona Shitori, took care of it. That boy is alive, and she kindly took him in."

Huh? That made me frown. Sona? Does that mean Issei is in her peerage now? But- ah, the butterfly flapped its wings. What an interesting change though.

"I really wanted him in my group since he has a strong power, but it was Sona's turn to have someone." Rias sighed a little. "I don't mind it though. I have… someone else in mind, so I am fine with letting this go."

She didn't say it outright, but was she talking about me? How sad. I don't plan to join any of the three main factions, I am making my own. Joining her Peerage was not a choice.

Then, she paused on her feet. She turned to look at me, her gaze a little complicated. "Are you and that Mem-Cho girl dating?"

That was a sudden turn of topic. She must have been dying to ask that if she suddenly changed the topic for it.

I thought about it for a moment. When Ai was out of my room last night, I finally got to peek into the group chat again. Since I wasn't here, Mem-Cho had to handle the pings herself. The explanation she gave was cute, she took all the blame for herself.

[Mem-Cho: Come on, guys. Leave Aqua be, he must be stressed. I am feeling guilty about it. I was just flirting with him, and the situation turned out that way when we were joking about how kissing felt. He said he never kissed anybody, and I flirted with him about it. At one point, I told him to try it on me. We aren't dating, and it's not Aqua who's at fault, so don't pressure him. I will apologize to him in our next meeting.]

She was adorable. I should make it up to her in the future.

I returned my attention to Rias and shook my head. "Nope. It was just a mistake in the heat of the moment, we aren't dating."

"I see." She smiled. "It'd break many hearts if you two started dating."

The wind gently blew over us, and petals of cherry blossoms flew around us. Our eyes stared back at one another as I smiled.

"I might get the wrong idea if you talk like that, Senpai," I said. "We should head to our classes now, people will ask questions if they see the popular Rias Gremory out with a boy."

"The same applies to you too, so I suppose you're right." She said, walking the opposite way now. "You know, I was expecting you to ask for my number by now. I didn't hear the conversation you had with Mem-Cho in the first episode, but you had her number in no time."

"That's a show, this is real life. I am a shy person, in reality. My bad." I walked to her side with my phone in my hand.

"Yet you already have your phone out?"

"Instincts."

"Right."

She took my phone, our hands brushed as she smiled. She typed her number and then sent a text to her from me, it was a kissing emoji she sent. I heard her phone ring, but I was unsure where it was.

"There you go." We were right outside the school building now. "See you later, my old friend and kohai."

"You too, my KitKat-loving devil princess," I said, and although she smiled at first, shock soon perpetuated her face, but I was gone before she could ask me anything.

  I don't know, this Rias was much more likable than the one I remembered in the anime. Perhaps it was because we met as kids, or maybe it was something else. 

I kind of like her.

* * *

Back in my class, I wasn't surprised to find the seat to my left empty. Shoko wasn't in school today, and I knew the reason. It's not a guess, it's the real reason since Yuzuru had DMed me yesterday from Shoko's phone to talk about this.

Shizuka Sensei came from homeroom, and before she left she left an announcement on this exact situation.

"Some of you may have noticed that our special student, Shoko Nishimiya, isn't present today. She has gone to see a doctor, she's going to get an operation on her ears. Please, everybody, pray for her safety so that she can return soon." Shizuka sensei said before leaving.

Last night, Yuzuru contacted me to ask me what excuse they should use if people asked how Shoko was cured so suddenly. He told them to keep her in their house for a week and pretend that she was getting an operation. This situation was nothing short of a miracle, so Shoko's family didn't want to get attention towards them by presenting their lifelong deaf daughter to be suddenly fine. That's why they were willing to go through this, I suppose.

Classes until lunch break were as usual, albeit a bit boring since Shoko wasn't here. So I decided to cultivate instead while classes went on. It's optimal to close one's eyes and sit in a lotus position to cultivate, but it's not as if one can't do it while sitting either. It's a bit risky, but I have done this enough times before to get used to it.

Soon, lunch break came. I was a bit unsure about what to do for the next 40 minutes since I was sure neither Ruby nor Tsubasa would come looking for me today. I wondered for a moment if I should go and see Tsubasa myself, but decided against it, she would get the wrong signal that way. Though I was a bit tempted since she is in the same class as Issei Hyuudo, the main character, whom I saw yesterday.

Still, I chose to spend the lunch break alone. At least, that was my plan. When I decided to visit the rooftop of the school for the first time, things changed. I did sense that the roof was already occupied, but I still went in anyway, because the presence there was interesting.

When I stepped through the door into the opening of the sky, the two girls standing there turned to me; one in surprise and another in scowl.

Shiranui Frill was who looked at me in familiar surprise. The older girl beside her, whom I recognized as the Vice Student Council President, Tsubaki Shinra, the Queen of Sona Sitri's Peerage, scowled at me instead.

"The rooftop is restricted to entry by normal students," 

Said the glasses-wearing serious-looking woman, who reminded me a little of Boa Hancock from One Piece by her looks and a bit by her attitude too.

[Image Here]

She said in a serious tone. "It's better if you leave now, I'll pretend I didn't see."

I ignored her as I sipped grape juice that I have chosen as my lunch today. I looked at Shiranui instead; she didn't seem to be in an uncomfortable situation here, so there was no need for me to say anything. As for why I should even bother to say anything in any case, that's because I like cat girls. Cats in general. Tigers, more. It's related to my 6th Life, but that's not important now. I walked over to the other side of the roof away from them, sipping juice and looking down at the schoolyard below.

"That student…" I heard Tsubaki mutter in irritation, she turned to Shiranui quickly. "Anyhow, about what we were talking about, don't worry about it. Your family has a good relationship with the Sitri family, so you are fine here. Now, wait here for a bit, I will deal with that delinquent."

"Senpai, he is-" Shiranui tried to say something, from her tone she was trying to cover for me, but the Vice Pres didn't hear her out.

"I know, I can sense his Touki aura, he appears to be an independent mage from what I know, a battle mage if I am not wrong, I am aware. That doesn't mean he can do what he pleases, however." Tsubaki said, and she didn't bother keeping her voice low, intending for me to hear her.

What's the issue with this girl? I am just enjoying the view. I wondered if she had done a background check of me, or just heard me from Rias. I'd be a little annoyed if it's the first.

Shiranui sighed, but her expression retained her usual indifference. Tsubaki, however, stormed towards me with a deep frown and walked in front of me.

"You can and will be punished for this, student Aquamarine. The school has rules, and-" She started, but I interrupted her by flicking a finger on her nose, watching her flinch before her face went red in rage. "You. What do you think you're doing?"

"The exact thing you are," I said. "You aren't allowed to be here, either, according to school rules. Don't say you're part of the student council, they aren't allowed to be on the roof either unless it's due to school work. The reason you're here with Miss Frill seems entirely because of personal reasons. How can you tell others not to come here, when you're encouraging it with your own actions? How disappointing."

The Devil appeared surprised before only again looking enraged, she didn't like a rule breaker like me to lecture her on how rules worked. With a frown, she took in a deep breath and said in a calm voice.

"You independent mages, especially humans, really act like you own the world. Why make things harder for yourself? Even if not under the school's rules, I can still punish you personally. I usually don't condemn such things, but I'll be doing you a favor if I beat you up right now, you'll survive long after getting humbled once." There was a dangerous glint in her heterochromatic eyes, one violet and another brown.

I scoffed with a laugh. "What is this situation? You are pretty arrogant yourself, are you aware? Then again, if independent mages are arrogant, those from big magical clans such as yourself, Lady Shinra, ought to be more than that."

I am aware of the Shinra Clan, it's not that hard to find. The internet in this world wasn't just filled with baseless conspiracy, if one looked deep enough one could find its magical side. Though I've not yet managed to enter the rumored Super-Net used by most supernaturals.

"I-" When she began with an arrogant frown, I interrupted her.

I didn't exactly like how sanctimonious she was trying to present herself as, while choosing to turn herself into a devil from a human. Let me mess with her a little. I didn't have prejudice against devils, as I said, but it's true that devils are generally evil. She's not pure and all laws.

"I know you've left them because they didn't treat you right. Funny though, to join the devils while being born in a family of exorcists. They must be so disappointed." I said with a dramatic shake of my head, and knew that was the final nail.

"That's it. You need discipline." She said as I smiled, as she jumped further from me, creating a distance. "Shiranui, back off. Give us space, I don't want to injure you."

"Senpai, is this necessary?" Shiranui sighed but followed her words, going to stand at one corner and observing us.

"You're not going to put your juice down?" the Devil asked as she eyed my juice. Did she want a sip? Seeing that I didn't reply, she scoffed. "As a last form of esteem, since you're my junior and I don't want to seriously hurt you, I am not going to summon my weapon."

She said and then raised her palm towards me. A spell was cast in no time, as bullets of water shot toward me, no slower than actual bullets. I didn't move, I didn't even try to dodge. I managed to take a peek at Shiranui's worried expression, seeing me as if unable to react to the attack, as the attack reached the radius of my gold sign.

"Watch out!" Shiranui Frill yelled, and as if summoned by her call, my passive aura went active.

A defensive aura of storm blazed around me, as the water vaporized the instant it touched me. I have been waiting to test this out, and it was one of the reasons why I was even picking on this girl, to begin with. Though the main reason was still that I didn't like how righteous she pretended to be while being a Devil.

The exchange ended in just a second, the aura of Storm Qi having vanished right away. The girls blinked, and Tsubaki looked at me with a frown.

"I…impressive." Tsubaki managed to say, frowning, as she went for another attack.

Sadly for her, I didn't plan to sit like a lamb all the time. Before she could cook the spell, I channeled the Qi in my body in a precise pattern and formed one of the four attack techniques I can learn in this rank. I haven't used this before, and just called the details from my Soul Reflection, but it's good enough.

[Vapor Cloud's Bombardment: The martial artist condenses Cloud Qi into a concentrated orb that resembles a small, floating cloud. When launched at the enemy, the orb explodes upon impact, releasing a powerful burst of heated wind and energy that can knock opponents back or disrupt their movements, burning them too if intended.]

Usually, practitioners of Raging Sky Path spend months mastering one technique, and while I can do that much faster, I still spend one week at least for each technique. That helps keep things entertaining and not too fast, otherwise, life gets boring. Oh, and, it's also optimal for my foundation. But I can make exceptions every now and then, and since this uses Cloud Qi, the same as the Nimbus Stride that I learned a few days ago, there is not any issue with my foundation either.

Unlike how Tsubaki cast the spell with her palm raised, I cast this by raising my hand at the high sky and yanking it down, as if I were pulling at the sky itself. Sizzling cloud orbs formed around Tsubaki who was in the middle of casting a stronger spell, as the dozens of orbs went off all at once.

"Augh?!"

Tsubaki's spell was dispersed midway, as the bursts of wind cut through her clothes and the upper layer of her skin, in continuous explosions. She moaned in pain as the explosions burned her clothes in various spots, most spots until they ended and she fell on her knees with countless cuts and slightly burned skin.

I didn't want to give her any strong burns, so I only made her clothes go. Now she was kneeling, her arms wrapped around her chest where clothes were missing, as she kept her legs tightly closed, where her small skirt used to be a moment ago. This wasn't a perverted technique though, that wasn't my intention, it was supposed to harm her, but since she had covered her skin with defensive mana, her clothes took most of the heat. I just wanted to humiliate her, and so she was physically hurt too. Countless cuts from the wind blades existed in her skin, though they weren't so deep.

She could continue fighting, but that'd mean she'd have to move her hands away from her chest. Which I didn't think she'd do as she grumbled, looking down at the ground in shame.

"Remember, you said this is a personal trifle between you and me. No school rules are involved. So I will be disappointed if I face any consequences for ruining a female student's clothes." I said as I finished my juice, throwing it near her feet; she can put it in the garbage can herself. "See you later, Miss Shinra."

I walked away, waving at Shiranui one last time before I walked past her and back to my class. I was happy that I could spend the break time in a little interesting way.

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Master4thWall Note: We reached 2070/2150. That was close. I'll lower it a bit again, let's do 700 stones this time. So goal is 2770 this time. For reference, we got 670 today. Vote!

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