It had been about a month since I met Kuroka and officially became a middle school student.
At first, things were a bit awkward among the classmates, but over time, people started forming their own friend groups with those they got along with best.
As for me, I had scored the coveted seat in the back row by the window, an ideal spot.
…Or so I thought.
"Check it out! I just developed these shots from last weekend's haul. This girl's super cute and check out those boobs! Motohama! What's this girl's three sizes?"
"83, 60, 82! Whoooa—what a knockout! Where'd you find her, Matsuda?! Where did this goddess spawn from?!"
"Let me see! Burn it into my memory and put it to use tonight!"
"SHUT UP, YOU DAMN PERVS!!"
To my right sat the original story's protagonist, Hyoudou Issei, also known as the future Oppai Dragon.
In front of me was Motohama, the Perverted Megane, Three-Size Scouter, and Lolicon.
And diagonally in front, Matsuda, the photography club's Pervy Monk and Sexual Harassment Paparazzi.
Truly a seating arrangement crafted by the cruel hand of fate.
Even meeting the original characters wasn't enough to make this situation enjoyable, not in the slightest.
I could feel the pitying stares of my classmates. Worse still, I started imagining the same disgusted looks the girls shot at these three degenerates being directed at me just by association.
"What's your problem, Ikki? You gotta stop holding back. Look at these boobs! This month's issue of THE☆Oppai Range – Beyond the Alps is packed with glorious melons!"
He shoved the magazine toward me while grinning.
I turned my eyes away and yelled, "Quit flashing that in my face! I told you a hundred times, talk dirty all you want, just do it somewhere without girls around!!"
Seriously, what the hell does "boobs bigger than the Alps" even mean? That's just a giantess at that point!
"What are you talking about?! Ecchi is supreme! Ecchi is justice! Humanity has survived thanks to ecchi, there's nothing to be ashamed of!"
God, these guys are hopeless…
Do they ever talk about anything other than boobs?
Well, okay, they do talk about manga and games too... but somehow, they always manage to steer those conversations into pervy territory. Give me a break...
====================
Later that day...
"Your ki bullets are getting unstable again. Focus, will you?"
School was finally over, mentally exhausting, as usual, and I had gone through my daily physical training. Now I was in my room, practicing ki blasts under Kuroka's guidance.
But maybe because I'd been surrounded by the word "boobs" all day, I couldn't stop noticing the beautiful girl in front of me, which totally killed my concentration.
Damn those ecchi morons!
I could easily float a ki bullet above my palm even indoors.
My room had been turned into a near-fortress, with perception wards, soundproofing, anti-intruder traps, just in case someone other than Kuroka or my family came in.
And my bed? Totally claimed by her.
I slept on the floor, wrapped in a blanket.
At first, I worried I'd be too conscious of her presence to sleep well, but thanks to the draining effects of my Ittou Shura meditation before bed, I always passed out instantly.
So no issues there, thankfully.
As for training, it wasn't like she was hovering over me constantly. She'd offer tips here and there or answer questions when I got stuck, that was about it.
Guess she didn't feel the need to babysit me too much.
The ki blasts I was working on weren't particularly destructive, but they could disrupt an enemy's internal energy from a distance.
Kuroka, it turned out, combined senjutsu, youjutsu, and magic in her fighting style.
First, she'd use senjutsu to throw off her opponent's ki, then inject poison or curses via youjutsu, and finally add magic to give it real firepower.
A terrifyingly efficient combo…
No wonder she was top-tier, even among high-ranking devils.
After a break in training, I asked something that had been bugging me.
"Hey, I know it's a bit late to ask, but… why did you make my room your base? I mean, if you can set up perception barriers and all that, wouldn't an abandoned building or empty apartment be better? That's what I'd expect for a secret hideout."
In the original series, stray devils and whatnot usually holed up in ruins or caves.
Just saying "for surveillance" seemed like a weak excuse.
"Nya? That's a fair question. Surveillance isn't the only reason, of course.
Sure, when setting up a hidden base, abandoned places are usually the go-to option… but the local authorities know that too.
That means those places get patrolled sometimes. And if you hide too well, sometimes even other shady folks will wander in without noticing."
Ah, I see.
So when they can't openly flaunt their power, they settle for abandoned buildings as a compromise. Makes sense.
Also, Kuroka had once described herself as a former youkai turned freelance devil.
She didn't come right out and say she was a wanted fugitive, but she did mention she was being chased by some "troublesome people."
Well, if it's her, I doubt she'd be caught that easily.
In any case, right now, what mattered most was gaining the strength to deal with anything that came my way.
With that in mind, I wrapped up the day with Ittou Shura meditation and let exhaustion drag me into sleep.
Right before I completely drifted off, I thought I heard a quiet, lonely voice.
====================
[Kuroka – POV]
"He's finally asleep..."
It had been a little over a month since I met this boy, Ikki.
At first, I didn't have much intention of seriously watching over his senjutsu training, I just needed a secure base.
Sure, I wasn't going to teach him anything dangerous or wrong, but I planned to mostly stay hands-off.
And for someone learning senjutsu, an inherently risky art, I was being more than a bit careless.
But to my surprise, he had an incredible knack for sensing and controlling the flow of ki, especially within himself.
I wondered why…
Then I saw it on our first night:
The moment he muttered "Ittou Shura," his power surged explosively.
If I hadn't already known about that ability, I might've mistaken it for an attack and leveled the whole area out of reflex.
At first, I thought it was the power of the Sacred Gear he was wielding when I found him, but no, it seemed to be something he developed naturally over time.
Apparently, for one minute, he could massively amplify his senses and physical abilities.
As a result, his heightened perception allowed him to feel his body's inner workings in extreme detail, leading to a natural talent for senjutsu.
When he told me the ability couldn't be stopped once activated, and left him completely drained afterward, I was honestly stunned by how risky it was.
He hadn't trained in disrupting or stabilizing others' ki before, but he had a solid foundation in sensing life energy.
With just a few tips from me, his proficiency in senjutsu was already growing at a remarkable pace.
As for Shione, I'd quietly observed her from school hours to her nighttime devil activities, there didn't seem to be any major issues.
Still…
She used to be such a cheerful girl.
Now, she barely shows emotion at all.
Watching that… it's painful.
"Someday... I hope he forgets all about me and can smile like he used to…"
With those quiet, wistful words, she let out a lonely sigh.
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