Point of View: Kuroka
Morning light filtered through the windows of the large mansion, softly touching the smooth sheets of the bed where Kuroka was still stretching. Her golden eyes opened lazily as she felt the familiar warmth beside her: Hajime.
She watched him silently for a few seconds, his face peaceful even in sleep. It wasn't common for him to relax like that. Since she had met him, Hajime carried a constant aura of vigilance, like a warrior who never laid down his sword. But there, beside her, he seemed... human.
Kuroka smiled and snuggled closer. "Nyaa~ You're even prettier when you sleep, you know that?" she murmured, knowing he wouldn't answer.
When Hajime finally opened his eyes, his expression barely changed, but there was a glint of recognition."You're still here?"
"I slept so well… didn't feel like leaving." She purred, running her fingers across his chest. "It was a quiet night. After so long, nyaa~... that's rare."
He simply nodded. Few words, as always. But she knew her presence was welcome. That was enough. They already shared more than a bed: a quiet routine, built on mutual trust and shared survival.
After getting dressed, Hajime prepared a simple breakfast. Kuroka, wearing an oversized shirt with her tail swaying gently, watched him while stretching across the kitchen counter.
"Taking Issei to school again?" she asked, nibbling on toast.
"Yeah. He needs to adjust to the new reality."
"Hmm... nyaa~ maybe I should enroll too. Could be fun." She winked. "Bet the school uniform would look great on me."
Hajime sighed but didn't answer. With Kuroka, the best approach was not to feed the teasing — even if sometimes, it was welcome.
Point of View: Issei
On the way to school, Issei's head still spun from everything he'd learned. Hajime had spent most of the night explaining the basics of the supernatural world. Factions, creatures, powers, alliances, enemies. It was like waking up inside a living RPG — except death was permanent.
"So angels, demons, vampires, dragons, gods... and they all have some kind of agenda?"
"More or less. Most want balance. Others want to blow everything up. And some just want power."
"And you, Hajime? Where do you fit into all this?"
Hajime paused a moment.
"I survive. And I help the ones I care about survive too."
Issei glanced sideways. It still sounded too mysterious. But there was something solid in that resolve. Hajime didn't lie. And Issei could tell every word carried weight.
Along the way, Hajime also explained the systems of power. He spoke about the Sacred Gears — relics gifted by the heavens to certain humans. Items of unimaginable power that, in the right — or wrong — hands, could change the world.
"You think I've got one of those... Sacred Gears?"
"I'm almost sure. That's why that attack happened. Your body's beginning to awaken. You have a spark that draws attention."
Issei swallowed hard. "Does that mean I can... become strong?"
"If you survive the process, yes. But don't expect it to be easy. Power demands a price."
Hajime briefly mentioned his own experience. The pain that had forged him. He didn't give details, but it was enough for Issei to understand Hajime didn't see strength as a gift — but as raw survival.
At school, students moved as if the world weren't on the brink of collapsing. Issei tried to slip back into routine, but now every face could hide a secret. Every smile could conceal fangs or magic.
And then, he saw her.
Akeno Himejima. Tall, graceful, with long obsidian-black hair. She walked with elegance, but her eyes met his for the briefest moment. And Issei shivered.
She knew.
Point of View: Rias
At the top of the school building, Rias Gremory observed Hajime from afar. There was something about him that went beyond power. It was control. The way he never reacted too much, nor too little. As if he were always five steps ahead.
"He doesn't belong to any known faction. No contracts, no seals, no divine signatures," Akeno commented, appearing at her side.
"Then what is he?"
"A survivor," Akeno replied, repeating the word Hajime himself had used.
Rias was equally intrigued by Kuroka. A high-level nekoshou, a fugitive wanted by several organizations, now living freely with Hajime. That didn't make sense... unless Hajime was far more dangerous than he appeared.
She sighed. The pieces were shifting across the board. And she had to move ahead of the curve. She made a decision: she would speak to him directly. Not for politics, but out of curiosity — and a nagging sense that if she didn't understand him soon, she'd lose something vital.
Point of View: Hajime
Classes passed without incident. But Hajime noticed the eyes. Rias. Akeno. Even Kiba, Rias's knight, was watching him more closely. It didn't bother him. He expected it. He always did.
At the end of the school day, walking home with Issei, he spoke.
"Starting today, your training begins for real," he said as they crossed the gates.
"Training? Like... real training? Martial arts? Magic? Swords?"
"Control. Focus. Endurance. Then combat. But first, you need to awaken your Sacred Gear."
They arrived at the mansion, where Kuroka awaited them in the living room. She smiled as she saw the two.
"Brought the cub back, nyaa~? Going to teach him to hunt now?"
"He needs to survive," Hajime replied, removing his coat. "We'll start with meditation."
Issei's first day of training was frustrating. Seated inside a magic circle drawn by Hajime, he sat sweating in silence, trying to "feel his energy."
"This isn't working! All I feel is... the urge to pee!"
Kuroka laughed from the couch, flipping through a magazine.
"The kid needs to relax. He's more tense than a tripwire."
Hajime simply observed.
"It'll work. He just needs time," he said quietly.
The chapter didn't close with a battle, but with the planting of something greater. Issei's world would never be the same again. And Hajime, with Kuroka by his side, knew the real war was still to come.
To be continued...