It had been four days since the incident where Aki was nearly eaten alive by a wild devil and the sudden appearance of the mysterious system. Now, Aki was seen sprinting down the street in a hurry toward Kuoh Academy.
The sun was already high in the sky, a clear sign that the school bell might have already rung. With his bag swinging from his shoulder and his uniform slightly messy, he kept running along the sidewalk.
"Damn it! How could I forget to set my alarm?!" he muttered in frustration.
Aki kept running, his breath ragged. Sweat began to trickle down his forehead, but he didn't care. There was only one thing on his mind: get to Kuoh Academy before the gates completely closed.
The last thing he wanted was to be late—again—and have to deal with Souna Shitori, the notoriously strict student council president. Aki was already on her list of habitual latecomers due to his many close calls.
As the school building finally came into view, his eyes widened in shock. The school gate was slowly beginning to close.
"N-No! Wait!!" Aki shouted in panic, pushing his body to run faster.
A few students who had just entered turned their heads toward Aki. Some chuckled, while others looked on with sympathy.
Realizing the urgency of the situation, Aki had no other choice but to activate his active skill.
[Active Skill - Dash Activated]
In an instant, his body felt lighter, and his speed drastically increased. Wind rushed past his face as he darted toward the nearly closed gate of Kuoh Academy.
The students watching were stunned by Aki's sudden burst of speed—some even stopped in their tracks to watch. The security guard who was closing the gate stood frozen in surprise as Aki approached at an incredible pace.
"Wait! Don't close it yet!" Aki yelled, his breath labored.
With the last ounce of speed and energy he had, Aki slipped through the narrow gap just before the gate fully shut. He came to a halt inside the school grounds, bent over, hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath.
But before he could feel any relief, a familiar voice called from behind him.
"Hayashi-san, this is the 15th time you've almost been late."
Aki straightened up slowly and turned around. In front of him stood Souna, arms crossed and eyes sharp behind her glasses.
Aki scratched his head awkwardly, letting out a small laugh to ease the tension.
"Ha-ha... Kaichou, I can explain. I got lost… on the road called life," he said.
Souna sighed deeply, clearly running out of patience with Aki's constant excuses. She stared at him with a flat expression and said,
"Yesterday, you said you were late because you helped an old lady cross the street." She adjusted her glasses, eyes narrowing. "And today, you were lost on the road called life?"
Aki shrugged with a sheepish smile. "Well… life is full of mysteries, Kaichou."
Souna massaged her temples, as if trying to soothe a headache caused by Aki's increasingly ridiculous excuses.
"Hayashi-san," she said flatly, "do you know what's more mysterious?"
Aki blinked. "What?"
"How you always manage to arrive on time despite constantly being on the brink of being late," she replied. "I can't tell if it's luck or some strange talent only you possess."
Aki chuckled. "Maybe a mix of both?"
Souna sighed again, the fatigue clear in her eyes. "Just go to class, Hayashi-san. I don't want to see your face any longer than necessary." Her tone made it sound more like an order than a suggestion.
Aki quickly nodded, hurrying away. "Yes, Kaichou! I'm going now!" he said with a wide smile, pretending everything was fine.
But after a few steps, Souna's firm voice called him again, making Aki stop. He turned around to see Souna giving him a sweet smile—a smile that made Aki feel a deep sense of dread.
"What is it now, Kaichou?" Aki asked, a bit nervous.
"I can't wait for the day you're finally late, Hayashi-san," she said with a meaningful tone. "I've been preparing a special punishment just for that moment."
Aki felt a chill run down his spine. Even though Souna might have been joking, her words felt way too serious to dismiss.
"Uh… y-yes, Kaichou," he replied quickly, trying to hide the anxiety on his face. "I'll be heading to class now. Thank you for your concern, Kaichou!" he added, then hurried off.
Souna's smile faded, and her face returned to its usual calm expression. She adjusted her glasses once more and let out a soft sigh, as if the whole incident was just a minor inconvenience in her day.
Not long after Aki left, a girl with long black hair approached Souna. Shinra Tsubaki, the vice president of the student council, gave Souna a curious glance.
"Kaichou, that was… Hayashi-san just now. He ran really fast. That's not normal for an average human," Tsubaki said, arms crossed.
"Yes, I noticed that too, Tsubaki," Souna replied, her tone more serious. "The speed he just showed... it's not something ordinary people can pull off. He might be hiding something."
Tsubaki looked at her with the same seriousness. "You're right, Kaichou. If Hayashi-san were a devil, he'd be perfect for the Knight role."
Souna nodded slowly, eyes narrowing in thought. "Exactly, Tsubaki. But we can't be sure if he's truly just a human or not."
"If he is just human, then he has extraordinary potential," Tsubaki added.
Souna gave a faint smile. "We'll be keeping a closer eye on him from now on."
Tsubaki nodded in agreement. "Understood, Kaichou."
With that, the two walked back toward the school building, leaving the now-closed gate behind them.
---
Aki awoke from his nap as the lunch bell rang loudly throughout the classroom. He yawned widely and stretched his stiff body after sleeping on his desk. Sunlight streamed through the window, lighting up his still-drowsy face.
Before Aki could fully wake up, three familiar figures approached with wide grins. Issei Hyoudou, Matsuda, and Motohama—the infamous "Perverted Trio" of Kuoh Academy—stood beside his desk.
Issei enthusiastically patted Aki's shoulder. "Come on, Aki! It's lunchtime," he said eagerly. "My stomach's been growling for ages."
"And of course, this is our chance to see all the beautiful girls in the cafeteria," Matsuda added.
Motohama adjusted his glasses. "Indeed. Statistics show a 30% increase in eye-catching sights during lunch break."
Aki gave a small smile at their antics, shaking his head as he stood and straightened his slightly wrinkled uniform.
"All right, all right. Let's go to the cafeteria," Aki said, stuffing his notebook into his bag.
The four of them walked down the hallway together, passing other students who were also heading toward the cafeteria.
On the way, Issei, Matsuda, and Motohama couldn't stop staring at the girls they passed.
Several girls who noticed their gazes responded sharply:
"Perverts!"
"Gross! Go away!"
"Why are they always like this?!"
The harsh comments didn't deter the trio. They just whispered to each other and chuckled as if they didn't care.
Aki sighed deeply, irritated by his friends' behavior. He quickened his pace and, in one swift motion—
Whack!
Whack!
Whack!
He smacked Issei, Matsuda, and Motohama on the head, one after another.
"Ow!" the three cried out almost in unison, each holding their head.
"Stop acting like that," Aki said in a flat yet sharp tone. "You're making all of us look like hopeless idiots with no manners."
Issei winced. "That really hurt."
"But he's got a point," Motohama admitted while rubbing his head. "Our reputation's basically a horror story to the girls."
Matsuda nodded quickly. "Okay, okay. We'll behave. But if we glance at a cute girl just once, don't smack us again, yeah?"
Aki sighed, but a faint smile appeared. "As long as you act normal, your heads are safe."
The three exchanged glances and gave quick nods like kids being scolded by their homeroom teacher.
"Aye aye, captain!" Issei said with a playful salute.
Aki just shook his head with a smile. "Sometimes I wonder how you guys even survive in this school…"
With that, the four walked more calmly toward the cafeteria.
Aki scratched the back of his head. He often wondered how he ended up friends with Issei, Matsuda, and Motohama.
Though their behavior often frustrated him, there was another side to them that made him stick around.
They'd been through a lot together since their first year. Issei, despite his obsession with all things lewd, had a kind heart and was always ready to help his friends.
Matsuda and Motohama, even though they often came up with creepy plans to peek at girls, were loyal and dependable in tough times.
Aki didn't always agree with their actions, but he appreciated the loyalty and camaraderie they shared. Because, at the end of the day, it was better to have goofy friends like them than no friends at all.