Toko Sakuramochi was deeply unhappy, but she couldn't argue.
Tsubaki Shinra was not only the Student Council Vice President, but her power level completely overwhelmed Toko's. As a minor Succubus, Toko had neither the confidence nor the strength to go against the first Pawn of a High-Class Devil.
Her date with Caleb was indefinitely postponed.
Caleb shrugged at Toko Sakuramochi's reluctant expression—he couldn't help her. He was equally bewildered at the moment.
Caleb recognized the long-haired black beauty before him but knew little about her. Tsubaki Shinra was Sona Shitori's Queen piece. That was it. Given the sheer number of female characters in High School DxD, Tsubaki Shinra was essentially a background character among background characters. Remembering even that much was a feat.
After Toko Sakuramochi left, Caleb was once again alone with a beautiful girl. However, instead of the vague flirtation he had with Toko, there was only awkwardness now.
"Vice President, what can I do for you?"
Caleb offered a polite smile, half-jokingly saying, "The Academy doesn't forbid dating, does it?"
Tsubaki Shinra glanced at Caleb. Dating? "Messing around with women" was an understatement for him.
With a mission to accomplish, she got straight to the point. "No one cares what you do with that Succubus, but there are some things we need to confirm first."
Caleb responded, "Please ask away, Vice President. I'll tell you everything I know."
The unspoken caveat being: If I don't say it, it means I don't know it.
"Caleb Uesugi, sixteen years old, 170cm tall, 55kg weight, entered Kuoh Academy High School in April, lodging at the Takamine residence, parents working overseas…"
Tsubaki Shinra recited a long list of Caleb's basic information before finally getting to the crucial part.
"Three weeks ago, you awakened your latent Succubus bloodline after having sexual relations with Reina Hamasaki, Yukina Sasaki, and Ruri Kurumizaka…"
Tsubaki Shinra put down the file and looked at Caleb. "Is the information above accurate?"
Combining this with the previous conversation with Toko, Caleb finally got a handle on the situation and calmed down.
"Yes, it's correct. But I should clarify one thing: I only think I might have Succubus blood. I don't know for sure what I am."
Caleb preemptively added a safety clause.
Tsubaki Shinra nodded. "It doesn't matter whether it's Succubus bloodline or not. All that matters is that you possess power that ordinary humans do not."
Caleb nodded. "Should I demonstrate it?"
"You may."
Caleb channeled all his strength, lifted his right foot, and stomped down hard.
With a tremor, the ground cracked, and his right foot sank directly into the dirt, only his ankle remaining visible.
The counter-force made Caleb wince. His right foot felt bruised... Attacking Mother Earth with full force was too reckless. If he hadn't quickly engaged his full-body muscles to diffuse the shock, his right foot wouldn't just be bruised—it would be broken.
"Not bad."
Caleb's full-power display was merely adequate to Tsubaki Shinra. She could cast a random magic spell with greater destructive force.
With that, Tsubaki Shinra raised her pale hand, and a small magic circle instantly formed. A flash of earthy yellow light later, the cracked ground returned to its original state, leaving no trace of damage.
Only Caleb was left with an injured foot.
Caleb: "..."
"Vice President, could you heal me too?"
"I apologize, I don't know healing magic," Tsubaki Shinra said helplessly. "I also didn't expect you to be so impulsive. I was planning to personally test your strength…"
Caleb looked at his swollen right foot, on the verge of tears.
Relying on others is worse than relying on myself. He felt it was necessary to quickly acquire a healing-type talent. Being able to restore health and become more resistant to damage was also a way to increase combat power.
"This is the method for Magic Extraction. If you can successfully extract magic, regardless of whether you have the Succubus bloodline, you can join the Underworld Academy."
Tsubaki Shinra handed him a small booklet titled Beginner Magic Extraction.
Caleb limped over, took the booklet, and quickly scanned it. Well, the book quality is good, but the content is completely incomprehensible.
"Although it's the most basic method, it's quite difficult to start without guidance," Tsubaki Shinra, noticing the glazed look of confusion in Caleb's eyes, comforted him. "I'll explain it to you next. Pay attention."
Caleb inwardly thought, Not understanding the text doesn't mean I can't use it. Beginner Magic Extraction? I can do it without this book.
Tsubaki Shinra was unaware of Caleb's inner monologue, patiently explaining the specialized terms and techniques in the book: magic perception, mental strength, meditation time, circulation routes, and so on.
As Tsubaki Shinra explained, the obscure terms in the book matched up one by one with the situation Caleb experienced during his previous magic extraction.
Caleb mentally relaxed. That's right, it's the Beginner Magic Extraction skill I experimented with before.
When Tsubaki Shinra finished, Caleb spoke with a compliant expression, "Vice President, I already get it."
"Hm?" Tsubaki Shinra paused. "You got it?"
"Yes, I got it," Caleb said with an innocent smile. "The Vice President explained it so well, it made perfect sense."
Tsubaki Shinra: I like hearing that. He can say more.
"Understanding is one thing; successfully extracting magic is the true entry."
Caleb nodded obediently, looking like a good student who had just been introduced to a new world.
"Should I try it now?"
"Meditation requires a quiet place. For your first attempt at magic extraction, it's best to be in an area rich in elemental…"
Before Tsubaki Shinra could finish, she perceived the magic elements in the air beginning to converge on Caleb.
Successful on the first try? Meditating while standing?
There was no rule against standing while meditating, but this was too casual. One moment he was talking, the next he had successfully extracted magic… Excluding those with powerful bloodlines who were born with magic, Caleb was the fastest beginner Tsubaki Shinra had ever seen.
Tsubaki Shinra felt something was wrong but couldn't quite pinpoint it. It's just the basic stage. Maybe Caleb truly has a gift.
Caleb wasn't deliberately standing to meditate; his foot was swollen, and he didn't want to sit down. He tried it just to see, and it worked instantly. After acquiring the Beginner Magic Extraction skill, Caleb had only tested it once, but once such a thing is mastered, it becomes instinctive, like no one forgetting how to eat or drink.
Caleb's excessively high aptitude disrupted Tsubaki Shinra's plan. She had intended to first inquire about his ability to boost female power, then wait for him to successfully extract magic and join the Underworld Academy before verifying it…
"Ahem... Since you've extracted magic, report to the Student Council tomorrow."
"What for?"
"The Underworld Academy is managed by the Student Council. You will officially become a member of the Underworld Academy after registration."
Caleb scratched his cheek, asking cautiously, "Are there any benefits to joining the Underworld Academy?"
Tsubaki Shinra said flatly, "Firstly, whether you join or not, you are registered on our end, and you must abide by the rules of the Underworld Academy."