3rd Person POV
While enjoying a peaceful nap on his desk, Kenchie is suddenly woken up by the sound of the school bell signalling lunchtime. As Kenchie wakes from his nap, he looks around the classroom.
(What Kenchie sees)
Kenchie: [yawns] You know, Basara... If you keep making that face, it will get stuck that way.
Basara: That's just a myth, so I doubt it would really happen. Besides, the bigger issue here is how every guy in our class is glaring jealous daggers at us.
Kenchie: Well... We can't really blame them for acting this way. Mio & Yuki are the hottest girls in our class, so it's natural that the guys here would be jealous of how close we are with them. Whether we like it or not, the fact is that we've made enemies out of every guy in our class.
??: Actually, the two of you made enemies out of more than just the guys in this class.
Kenchie & Basara turned around to see where the voice was coming from & found a green-haired boy standing behind them.
Kenchie: Hmm... He's that Demon who was sleeping throughout self-study period. If I remember correctly, his name is Ya-
Basara: You're Yahiro Takigawa, right?
Kenchie: Wow... Third time today that I got interrupted while trying to say someone's name in my head. If I didn't know better, I'd think they're doing it on purpose.
Yahiro: Yeah... Have we met before somewhere or what?
Basara: No, but Mr Sakazaki gave us a copy of the seating chart so that we could memorize our classmates' names as soon as possible.
Yahiro: Heh, Sakasaki is perceptive as ever.
Kenchie: So Yahiro, what did you mean when you said that we've made enemies out of more than just the guys in this class?
Yahiro: [smiles] Before we get into that, how about the three of us go grab a bite together? It's lunchtime after all, so we should be using this time to eat.
Basara: He's got a point, Kenchie. Maybe we should have lunch with him.
Kenchie: Well... I guess it wouldn't hurt to join him for lunch.
Yahiro: [chuckles lightly] Not the best way to say yes, but I'll take it. So, are we going to the school store or the cafeteria?
Basara: I vote for the school store. *After being glared at by so many people today, a crowded cafeteria is the last place that I want to be in right now. I'd rather just buy something at random & eat it at an isolated place.
Kenchie: I second that vote.
Yahiro: Well, if we're going with the school store then we better head out now. The lunches sell out fast, so if we don't hurry then everything will be sold out by the time we get there.
Kenchie, Basara & Yahiro rushed to the school store. They were fortunate enough to arrive just in time to buy some lunches before it was sold out. To avoid being glared at while he ate, Basara asked Yahiro to take them to an isolated place to have their lunch. Yahiro accepted Basara's request & took them to the school's rooftop.
Basara: Is this really the most isolated place you could think of?
Yahiro: Yeah. The rooftop is off-limits to students, so you two won't have to worry about anyone glaring at you here.
Basara: [smiles] That's a relief. Thanks for taking us here, Yahiro.
Yahiro: It's no problem at all. I'm new to the area myself, so I'm glad that I could help out my fellow transfers.
Kenchie: Wait, you're a transfer student too?
Yahiro: Yeah, I moved here just last year.
Kenchie: Hmm... The same year that Demon Lord Wilbert died. It could just be a coincidence, but I shouldn't take any chances. [sighs] I guess Mr Sakazaki isn't the only person that I'll need to keep my eye on.
Yahiro: [smiles] Now then, we better start eating before lunchtime ends.
As Kenchie, Basara & Yahiro began eating, Kenchie suddenly remembered the question that he asked Yahiro earlier.
Kenchie: So Yahiro, now that we've got lunch, will you finally tell us what you meant about us making enemies out of more than just the guys in our class?
Yahiro: Oh yeah, I almost forgot about that. Well, the truth is... You two made enemies out of the whole school.
Basara: [gasp] Huh?
Kenchie: [chuckles lightly] Mio & Yuki must be really popular if just being close to them makes you an enemy of the whole school.
Yahiro: They're more than just popular. Mio is a Princess here & so is Princess Yuki. They're the twin idols of our school. Making points with them upset everyone.
Kenchie: Hmm... So Mio really is a School Princess. I guess she must not know of her title, given the fact that she was genuinely surprised when I called her that.
Basara: For real? You guys call them Princesses?
Yahiro: The envy of a man runs deep. Even deeper than a woman's envy, surprisingly.
Kenchie: You're not wrong there. *It also lasts a lot longer too.
Basara: So Yahiro, have there been problems before?
Yahiro: Nope. If anyone tried to get a step ahead, the rest of their fans wouldn't allow it.
Kenchie: [smiles] That's good to know. *Guess I won't have to worry about other students trying to make a move on them.
Basara: So they're all keeping their eyes on each other?
Yahiro: Yep, exactly.
Basara: I guess the people after Mio couldn't infiltrate the school & make any bold moves.
Kenchie: If that's true, wouldn't it be bad for you to associate with us, Yahiro?
Yahiro: [chuckles] Don't worry about it. If it comes down to it, I'll just offer you two up & run.
Kenchie: [chuckles lightly] I see. So much for a dependable classmate.
Basara: Well, beggars can't be choosers. We should be happy that there's at least one guy in our class that doesn't see us as enemies.
Yahiro: Honestly, I just thought that if I hung out with the guys capable of scoring points with Mio & Yuki, then my school life might get more lively.
Basara: We can't promise you a more lively school life, but hanging out with us will probably make it a bit less dull.
Yahiro: [smiles] Well, as you said, beggars can't be choosers. I hope we can all get along from now on.
Basara: [smiles] Same here.
Kenchie: I guess we'll see. *He seems to have some good in him, so I'll keep playing his charade for now, but I'm still not sure if I can trus-
Kenchie lost his train of thought as he suddenly heardl Basara's phone ring.
Basara: Sorry guys, I gotta take this. It's my dad, he probably wants to know how my first day is going.
Yahiro: Okay.
Kenchie: [smiles] Tell him I said "Hi".
Basara: Will do.
As Basara walked away to take his call, Yahiro realized that this is the perfect opportunity to learn more about Kenchie.
Yahiro: [smiles] So Kenchie, just how long have you & Basara known each other?
Kenchie: A very long time. Our Dads were best friends & saw each other as brothers, so when the two of us were born, we were basically raised like cousins. But... After my parents died, we kinda grew apart. This is actually the first time in 5 years that I've seen Basara.
Yahiro: Wow. I'm sorry to hear that, Kenchie... We don't have to talk about this if you don't want to.
Kenchie: No, It's fine. I've had enough time to deal with my grief, so you can ask me anything you want to know.
Yahiro: Alright then. So... Did the two of you grow apart because you moved away to some distant relative or something?
Kenchie: Nope, my parents were my last living relatives. When they passed away, I was gonna live with Basara's Dad since he's my Godfather. However, I just couldn't handle staying in a place where everything reminded me of my parents, so I ran away on the day that I was supposed to go live with them.
Yahiro: I see... It must've been hard living on your own these past 5 years.
Kenchie: [smiles] Not really. I've always been good at taking care of myself & thanks to the small fortune that my parents left me, I've had no problems living on my own so far.
Yahiro: [smiles] I'm glad you haven't had any problems living on your own. So, did they ever try to find you after you ran away?
Kenchie: [chuckles] Funny enough, Basara's Dad found me about a week after I left.
Yahiro: [chuckles] I'm guessing that he wasn't too happy with you when he found you, right?
Kenchie: [smiles] Actually, he was quite calm. We just talked about why I left & then decided to make a deal with each other. He would let me stay on my own, so long as I agreed to meet with him every 4 months to show him that I'm taking care of myself. *Well, it started out like that, but after a while, it just became the 3 days a year that we'd spar with each other.
Yahiro: [smiles] Well, that was nice of him. I bet you've enjoyed every moment of living alone, right?
Kenchie: [smiles] Yeah, definite-
Before Kenchie could finish speaking, he was suddenly signalled by Basara to come to him. When Kenchie reached him, Basara gave his phone to Kenchie & told him that his father wanted to speak with him. Basara then walked back to Yahiro, so that Kenchie could speak in private.
Kenchie: Hey Jin, you wanted to speak with me?
As Kenchie was waiting for him to answer, he could hear Jin lighting a cigarette over the phone.
Jin: Yeah... There's something important that I want to discuss with you.
Kenchie: Are you alright? You sound upset.
Jin: I'm fine, Kenchie. More import-
Kenchie: No, you're not. You may be The World's Strongest Hero, but you're a terrible liar. It's obvious that you're upset about something & trying to relieve some of that stress by smoking. That's not gonna help, but there is something that will.
Jin: [sighs] Let me guess, talking about it?
Kenchie: [smiles] Yes, exactly. So why don't you just tell me now, before I'm forced to teleport to your location & annoy you till you have no choice but to tell me the truth.
Jin: [chuckles lightly] Geez, Kenchie... When you talk like that, I can almost hear Daewi's voice.
Kenchie: [chuckles] I'll take that as a compliment. So, are you gonna tell me or what?
Jin: Yeah, sure. Not like I have a choice or anything.
Kenchie: [smiles] Great, I'm all ears.
Jin: Well, you see... It's about Sapphire.
Kenchie: [smirks] So one of Basara's Mothers is involved, heh? No wonder you're not your usual self today.
Jin: Actually, she's not, that's the problem. I wanted Sapphire's help with something, so I arranged a meeting with her, but she didn't show. I checked Sapphire's place & spent a week searching for her in The Demon Realm, but I can't seem to find any trace of her.
Kenchie: Well, wherever she is, I'm sure she's fine. I may not have met her yet, but from everything you've told me about her, I know she can take care of herself. After all, out of all the Demons you've fought over the years, she's the strongest, right?
Jin: [smiles] Yeah, you're right. I shouldn't be worried. She's probably just hiding herself because of the new Demon Lord or something.
Kenchie: Yeah, that must be it. By the way, what help did you need from Sapphire?
Jin: I wanted her help with stopping The Demon Lord Faction from targeting Mio.
Kenchie: [gasp] Wait, Mio's being targeted by The Demon Lord Faction?
Jin: Yeah. They're targeting Mio because... She's The Daughter Of The Previous Demon Lord, Wilbert.
Kenchie: Wow. The Daughter Of The Strongest Demon Lord... [smiles] Is it weird that knowing that makes me like Mio even more?
Jin: [chuckles] So she's caught your eye, heh? I guess I shouldn't be surprised since you've always had a thing for strong women.
Kenchie: I don't deny that, but not as if you're any different.
Jin: Fair point.
Kenchie: So, why exactly is The Daughter Of The Previous Demon Lord living in The Human World?
Jin: Well, a lot of Demons started hating Wilbert after he called a truce with The Hero Clan. For those Demons, The Daughter of their hated Demon Lord would make a perfect hostage. Wilbert knew that all too well, so to prevent the threat of those Demons from ever coming after his newborn child, Wilbert sent Mio to The Human World to be raised as a human girl, under the protection of two trusted Demons who would act as her parents.
Kenchie: Keeping his daughter out of his life to protect her must've been a hard decision for Wilbert to make. Not to mention, having to convince Mio's Mother to go along with it.
Jin: Actually... Mio's Mother, Ashe, passed away shortly after giving birth to Mio.
Kenchie: I see... No wonder Wilbert went to such lengths to protect Mio, he didn't want to lose another loved one. Speaking of which, how did his plan go?
Jin: Well, Wilbert's plan did work for a time. Mio lived life as a normal human girl, without the knowledge of her lineage, together with her adoptive parents. But when Wilbert died last year, his immense power was somehow transferred to Mio. And since she was raised as a human, Mio had no way of knowing how to handle Wilbert's power & ended up becoming a beacon for hostile Demons.
Kenchie: Wow. So Wilbert's power ended up drawing the very danger that he wanted to protect Mio from... That is such a cruel irony.
Jin: Yeah... And, what's more, The New Demon Lord eventually found out about Mio's existence & sent one of his men to capture her. Mio managed to escape, thanks to the help of a succubus named Maria, who was sent by Wilbert's Faction to protect her. However, Mio's adoptive parents were killed right in front of her, which left Mio somewhat traumatized.
Kenchie: Damn... I was a total wreck from just finding out that my parents died, I can't even imagine what she must've felt from actually witnessing it.
Jin: Ever since that day, Maria has been teaching Mio how to use her powers so that one day Mio can get revenge against The Demon who killed her adoptive parents. However, Mio's power hasn't fully awakened yet & The Moderate Faction is in such rapid decline after Wilbert's death, that they can't send anyone else to protect Mio. So, with just the two of them, there was no way for Mio & Maria to oppose The Demon Lord Faction.
Kenchie: I'm guessing this is the part where you come in, right?
Jin: Yeah. Around that time, I found out that The Village was secretly on the move. I decided to look into it, just in case they were after one of us, but their targets turned out to be Mio & Maria.
Kenchie: The Hero Clan is after them too, heh? I guess I shouldn't be surprised since they monitor all potential threats. So, what Rank did The Elders give them?
Jin: Mio has The Surveillance Rank S-, while Maria is only under watch as someone by her side.
Kenchie: The Elders must really be worried about Wilbert's power if they gave Mio the fourth-highest threat Rank. Knowing them, they're just waiting for an excuse to upgrade Mio to an elimination target, aren't they?
Jin: Yeah... So, once I realized that Mio & Maria would eventually have to fight both The Demon Lord Faction & Hero Clan, I decided to help them. I took Mio & Maria in and they've been staying at my place for about two weeks now. Our cover story is that their mother is currently overseas on business, so Mio & Maria are staying with me, their mother's fiancé, until she returns.
Kenchie: [smiles] Well, I'm glad that they're with you. No Hero or Demon, except maybe low-class stray Demons, would dare go after Mio & Maria while The War God, Jin Toujou, is by their side.
Jin: Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. I won't be returning to The Human World anytime soon, so I was wondering If you could protect Mio in my stead, alongside Basara & Maria.
Kenchie: Hmm... If I say yes, you'll probably want me to move in with them, right?
Jin: Well, yeah... It would make protecting Mio easier after all. [smirks] Not to mention, give you a chance to get to know Mio better.
Kenchie: [chuckles] You do make great points.
Jin. So you'll do it?
Kenchie: [smiles] Yeah, sure. I'll ask Basara to show me your place after school & then have my clones move all my stuff there. It shouldn't take long.
Jin: You have no idea how happy I am to hear that, Kenchie. I'll be sleeping soundly knowing that you'll be there to help them with any threat that comes their way.
Kenchie: [smiles] I'll make sure nothing bad happens to them.
Jin: [smiles] I don't doubt that. By the way, I was wondering if you could also toughen those three up a bit. They could really use some training, especially Basara. His skills have dulled from not training these past five years.
Kenchie: Sure. It'll be fun training The Son Of The Strongest Hero & The Daughter Of The Strongest Demon.
Jin: [smiles] Great.
Kenchie: Speaking of which... [smiles] I just realized something about Mio & Basara. Since Sapphire is Wilbert's younger sister, that would make them cousins, right?
Jin: Yeah... To be honest, I secretly hoped you'd never realize that.
Kenchie: [sighs] They don't know, do they?
Jin: Of course not. Mio aside, I can't tell Basara that without revealing the truth about his mothers... And as I've told you before, I don't want to tell him that just yet.
Kenchie: Look Jin, I don't wanna sound like a broken record, but It's long past time for you to tell Basara the truth. He's almost 16, he can handle it. I was 14 when I came across the story of you, Sapphire & Raphaeline in my Dad's journals, but I was fine. I might've shed a few tears because of it, but I was still able to handle the story.
Jin: Yeah, but you've always been more mature for your age. Despite his calm demeanor most of the time, Basara tends to follow emotion over logic whenever his friends & family are involved. I'm worried that he'd try to do something reckless once he finds out the truth.
Kenchie: I can't deny the possibility of that happening, but still... I don't want to hide this from him anymore.
Jin: I understand that, Kenchie... If you want to tell Basara the truth, then I won't stop you. But if possible, could you only tell him half the story? I want to be the one to tell him what happened after his birth.
Kenchie: Sure... I get why you'd wanna tell him that yourself.
Jin: Thanks for understanding, Kenchie.
Kenchie: No problem.
Jin: [smiles] I really am lucky to have such a dependable & understanding godson.
Kenchie: So Jin, what's your plan for dealing with The Hero Clan & Demon Lord Faction?
Jin: I have a plan for The Demon Lord Faction, but... I'm still unsure what to do about The Hero Clan. I'd like to find a peaceful way that would ensure that Mio never gets upgraded to an elimination target, but I haven't come up with anything so far.
Kenchie: [smiles] Well, it's a good thing I've already thought of a plan that can do just that.
Jin: [gasp] Wait, seriously?
Kenchie: Yeah. I just need to know one thing. Do you have a way to contact The Elders?
Jin: Of course, but why do you want to contact them?
Kenchie: [smiles] Because I want those three to know that I'll be visiting them later today.
To Be Continued...