The world of Kuoh was loud, but to Kaelen Vane, it was nothing but static.
He sat on the rusted railing of the Kuoh Academy rooftop, the wind tugging at his messy black hair. In his previous life, he had sat on a throne of obsidian, ruling over a realm that bowed to his every whim. Here? He was a transfer student with a "blank" file and a bank account that barely covered his caffeine addiction.
But he wasn't looking at the scenery. He was looking at the strings.
To the average eye, the girl walking across the courtyard below was Rias Gremory—the school's idol, a vision of crimson hair and refined grace. But to Kaelen's eyes, sharpened by the [Origin Spark], she was a walking nuclear reactor of unrefined demonic energy.
"Messy," Kaelen whispered, his voice like the slide of a blade against silk. "Too much output, not enough control. A princess playing with matches."
[Origin Spark] didn't just give him power; it gave him the "Source Code." He saw the world in layers. He saw the way the mana hummed in the air, the way the wards around the school were fraying at the edges, and most importantly, he saw the shadows that didn't belong.
"Kaelen-kun? Are you daydreaming again?"
The voice was sweet, dripping with artificial honey. Kaelen didn't turn around. He already knew who it was. The "code" behind him was dark, smelling of ozone and rotting feathers.
Amano Yuuma. Or as the history books of this world would eventually call her: The Fallen Angel, Raynare.
"The sky is interesting today," Kaelen said calmly, finally turning to look at her.
She stood there in her shy, "innocent" schoolgirl persona, blushing and fidgeting with her skirt. To anyone else, she was a 10/10. To Kaelen, she was a glitch he was about to fix.
"I... I was wondering," Yuuma stammered, stepping closer, her scent—a mix of lavender and something metallic—filling his space. "Would you like to go on a date with me this Sunday?"
The "Script" of this world demanded a "Yes." It demanded a weak-willed boy to be lured to a park and skewered by a light spear. That was how the story of a "Hero" usually started.
Kaelen leaned back, his eyes narrowing. For a split second, the blue in his pupils flickered with a gold spark.
"A date?" he repeated. He reached out, his fingers brushing a stray strand of hair away from her face. Yuuma froze. She expected him to be flustered. She didn't expect the sudden, suffocating pressure that filled the rooftop.
For a heartbeat, the wind stopped. The birds went silent.
"Tell me, Yuuma-chan," Kaelen leaned in, his lips inches from her ear, his voice dropping to a predatory growl. "Does your boss know you're hunting in Gremory territory? Or are you just that eager to die?"
Yuuma's breath hitched. Her mask didn't just crack; it shattered. Her eyes widened, the pupils dilating in genuine, primal fear. She tried to jump back, to summon her light, but she found she couldn't move.
The air around Kaelen wasn't just heavy—it was empty. He was absorbing the very concept of her power before she could even manifest it.
"Who... what are you?" she hissed, her voice losing its sweetness, replaced by the grating tone of a crow.
Kaelen let go of her hair and stood up. He was a head taller than her, and in that moment, he looked like he was carved out of shadows and cold intent.
"I'm the variable you didn't account for," Kaelen said, walking past her toward the door. "Go back to your park, little bird. On Sunday, I'll show up. But not for a date."
He paused at the doorway, looking back over his shoulder.
"I'm going to show you what happens when a King decides to play God."
As Kaelen walked down the stairs, he felt a sharp, burning gaze from the main building's window. He didn't need to look to know it was Rias Gremory.
He smiled—a small, dangerous curve of the lips.
The game hadn't even started, and he already owned the board.
Author's Note: If you liked the first chapter, don't forget to drop your Powerstones! The real heat starts in Chapter 2: The First Contract. Who do you want to see Kaelen 'Dismantle' next? Let me know in the comments!