-Hagun Academy's Director's Office-
"Director, an A-Rank has finally enrolled in our school." Yuuri Oreki, a C-Rank blazer and a teacher with a weak constitution who regularly coughed up blood, delivered surprising news to Director Kurono.
Kurono's surprise was palpable. "There is?"
'Only Stella Vermillion and Shizuku Kurogane were the only A-Rank students in Hagun... So who is this person?' Kurono wondered, feeling a hint of worry.
"Do you have that student's documents?" She calmly asked Yuuri.
"Yes, Student Touka was the one who enrolled him while you were away. I also assessed his combat abilities to verify if his statistics were genuine." Yuuri handed over Aizen's profile, deepening Kurono's confusion as she had never heard of any A-Rank blazer with that name before.
"And let me tell you one thing. He was strong, alright."
'A-Rank, A-rating in all departments except Luck. A recommendation from the Union!?' Kurono read through Aizen's profile with a shocked expression.
"Oh, and he's apparently recommended by the Union," Yuuri added, realizing she had forgotten to mention that crucial detail.
'Is he one of the United States' secret weapons?' Kurono pondered, aware that the Union had been preparing for war with other countries once Rebellion let their guard down.
(A/N: Not sure if I mentioned this during Fatty's introduction, but Baldy holds a high position in the Union.)
'If that's the case... Why would they voluntarily send him here?' The recommendation letter didn't provide a compelling reason for Aizen's presence.
Sending him away after he had already enrolled would be unreasonable, especially since most teachers were eagerly anticipating the arrival of an A-Rank blazer after years of losing streaks in the past Seven Sword Art Festivals.
"So how was his profile? Was it good?" Yuuri cheerfully asked Kurono, who was still lost in thought.
'I can see a lot of expectation in her since the boy is a high-ranking blazer from abroad,' Kurono observed, looking at Yuuri, who genuinely looked forward to teaching him.
"Yes, it was good," Kurono lightly nodded as she decided to wait to see what Aizen's purpose at their academy might be.
'Things are getting messy... First, Otto Apocalypse has early contact with Nene, and now this Sosuke Aizen kid. Oddly enough, they both share the same statistics... Could their fates somehow be connected?' Kurono wondered if there was finally someone who had a chance of beating Otto, should that be the case.
Kurono knew she could easily kill Otto with her device, but doing so would allow him to ascend to a plane beyond the boundaries of humanity, as her time ability was to him what the formula for reaching the territory of God would be.
"I only hope this Aizen guy is on the side of humanity, rather than pursuing personal goals like Otto..." Kurono muttered to herself after Yuuri left the room, glancing over at Ikki, who was engrossed in his daily training. She couldn't help but wonder about the role each of these individuals would play in the unfolding events.
Meanwhile, Aizen observed Kurono and Ikki from a distance, his gaze fixed on them as he waved once their eyes met.
"That's him..." Kurono muttered to herself, shaking her head in mild disbelief as she realized Otto waved at her while sitting on one of the nearby benches before swiftly leaving.
Aizen's keen perception didn't escape her notice either.
"He also noticed me from that far of a distance," she remarked, intrigued by the newcomer's observational skills. It hinted at a level of awareness and acuity that piqued her curiosity further. She wondered what other abilities or insights Aizen might possess, beyond what was evident on paper. His arrival might be a foreshadowing of something within the academy, adding another layer of complexity to an already intricate web of relationships and rivalries.
...
Back with Otto, Brynhildr questioned his decision to wave at Kurono in such a conspicuous manner as they left the academy grounds.
"Was it really necessary to wave at her like that?" she asked, her tone carrying a hint of amusement.
Otto shrugged. "Not particularly. And didn't you suggest I should try to charm her?"
Brynhildr chuckled softly. "That wasn't exactly what I had in mind... You just made yourself look suspicious to her. You seemed more like a creepy stalker than someone trying to charm her," she teased, unable to contain her amusement.
Otto remained silent, contemplating her words.
"I'm not a lover boy either way." He pouted.
"Anyway, where are you headed now?" she inquired, curious about his plans. Their conversation had shifted from playful banter to more practical matters.
"To find another Sacred Gear user," Otto declared as he embarked on yet another hunt for a Longinus Gear.
"Who are you aiming for this time?" Brynhildr questioned, her curiosity piqued. She wasn't entirely certain how Otto managed to pinpoint the whereabouts of individuals who possessed specific Sacred Gears, but she was convinced it was not merely a coincidence.
'Maybe my husband is just incredibly lucky,' Brynhildr mused, choosing to set aside the myriad of mysterious questions surrounding Otto and accepting things as they were.
"Annihilation Maker, or—" Otto began, only to be interrupted by a sudden noise.
*KLNK*
"There she goes again," Otto remarked with a wry smile, his Dharmachakra turning as he surmised that Kurono had once again tampered with the world's time.
"Regardless, I'm gradually adapting to time-based abilities now," Otto continued a note of relief in his voice. His encounters with Kurono and her temporal manipulations had gave him the chance to adapt to time, soon he'll be immune to time.
"As I was saying, I'm aiming to acquire either the Annihilation Maker or the Forbidden Balor View," Otto elaborated. Despite not knowing the current wielder of the Annihilation Maker, he was certain about the whereabouts of the user of the Forbidden Balor View.
"And where are you planning to acquire these Sacred Gears?" Brynhildr inquired, her interest piqued by the mention of such powerful artifacts.
"I intend to obtain them from Kuoh Academy," Otto paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts as Brynhildr's eyes widened in recognition.
"The school in Kuoh town where you visited before?" She asked, surprised by the connection. It struck her as more than a mere coincidence that two Longinus were located in the same place, namely the Boosted Gear and now the Forbidden Balor View.
"Yes, precisely," Otto confirmed with a nod. With that decision made, he shifted his focus, changing from his attire reminiscent of Aizen to his Obito Uchiha attire as night fell. The transformation symbolized his trademark for stealing sacred gears in securing those broken longinuses.
...
Perched atop the highest point in Kuoh Town, an abandoned church nestled in the mountains, Otto surveyed the town below, taking in the eerily quiet atmosphere.
"It's strangely empty..." he remarked, his eyes scanning the surroundings. It had been five years since his last visit to this place, and the stark difference did not escape his notice.
"It's abandoned for a reason, you know," Brynhildr interjected bluntly, her tone carrying a hint of indifference.
Otto's expression darkened slightly. "Those church believers used to swarm this place like moths," he recalled, his disdain evident. Memories of the exorcists who once conspired against him surged to the forefront of his mind, fueling his lingering resentment.
"They even sent a noble devil after you," Brynhildr added, prompting Otto to shake his head.
"No... That kind donor(Rizevim) wasn't associated with them, but he likely orchestrated the downfall of the previous owner of this territory," Otto clarified, his voice tinged with a mix of bitterness and determination.
"How did you know?" Brynhildr inquired, intrigued by Otto's insight.
Otto turned to face her apparition, his expression unreadable behind his mask. "Just guessing," he replied cryptically, choosing not to divulge further details.
"Right..." Brynhildr's response was tinged with skepticism, but she refrained from pressing the matter further.
With purposeful strides, Otto leaped from rooftop to rooftop, his arms folded behind his back like a seasoned ninja, as he made his way towards Kuoh Academy, his destination clear in his mind.
In a nearby shrine, a busty black-haired shrine maiden observed the masked intruder with a mixture of curiosity and caution, her sharp eyes following his agile movements across the rooftops.
"Finally, an intruder has shown itself in our territory," she remarked to herself, a hint of sadistic amusement tugging at the corners of her lips. Seeing Otto engage in a Naruto run, she assumed he would be an easy target.
However, her amusement quickly turned to surprise as the figure abruptly changed course, heading straight towards Kuoh Academy.
"!?" The sudden shift in direction caught the shrine maiden off guard, her eyes widening in disbelief.
Determined to investigate further, the woman decided to teleport directly to the school where her master was currently staying. The mysterious intruder had piqued her interest, and she was eager to play with him.
...
"The innermost territory of devils, and yet they don't seem to put up any strong barriers," Brynhildr commented, noting the lack of surveillance around the devil's territory.
"They do have a barrier, but it's rather weak," Otto responded, his tone indicating a hint of amusement. He knew that his acrobatics across the rooftops had likely been noticed, and it was intentional on his part to announce his presence.
Upon reaching the old-looking school building that housed the devil's innermost territory, Otto approached respectfully and knocked on the sealed door. He awaited acknowledgment, ready to engage in whatever awaited him beyond those barriers.
Knock knock
"..."
Otto could sense the presence of someone inside the room through his curse energy, but there was no response to his knocks.
*Knock knock*
"There's definitely someone in there," Brynhildr remarked, her tone tinged with curiosity.
Still receiving no reply, Otto decided to take matters into his own hands before Rias and her servants arrived. He could feel the tension rising as Gasper Vladi, who was inside the room, grew increasingly nervous at the persistent knocking.
*KNOCK* *THUD* *THUD*
"Open up, kiddo," Otto's voice rang out, a creepy giggle adding an unsettling undertone. His intent was clear: he wanted the person inside to know he wasn't going to leave without an answer.
BANG BANG
The sound of the door being forcefully pushed echoed through the hallway, signaling Otto's persistence to gain an answer. The anticipation built as the door strained against his efforts, the tension palpable in the air.
"Wuuuuuu— I don't wanna!" Gasper's cries echoed through the sealed room as Otto relentlessly knocked on the door, each thud increasing the child's fear.
"LADY RIAS!!! THERE'S A MONSTER BEHIND THE DOOR!!!" Gasper's panicked screams rang out, desperate for his master's intervention.
Unbeknownst to Gasper, Otto had already activated a noise-canceling rune, effectively blocking any sound from escaping the room.
"Muhuehuehuehu," Otto chuckled darkly, relishing in the chaos he was causing.
*BANG*
The final forceful knock shattered the seal and the fragile barrier they had placed.
With a creak, Otto pushed open the now unsealed door and stepped into the darkened room, dust swirling in the air.
"Who are you!?" Gasper's terrified voice quivered as he cowered inside a box in the corner, his eyes wide with fear.
Just as Gasper's voice trailed off, the dim light in the room flickered, casting eerie shadows across the walls. In the blink of an eye, the masked intruder had vanished, leaving Gasper bewildered and confused.
"???" Gasper muttered in disbelief, his heart racing as he tried to make sense of what had just happened.
"Hey?" Gasper's voice trembled with fear as he shrank back, feeling an overwhelming sense of unease in the darkened room.
After a moment of cautious hesitation, Gasper summoned the courage to peek outside from the safety of the box, finding the room eerily clear and devoid of any immediate threat.
"That was strange..." Gasper muttered to himself, intending to contact his master about the unsettling encounter. However, before he could reach for his communication device, he felt a gentle tap on his shoulder.
Instinctively, Gasper jerked his head backwards, his eyes widening in terror as he came face to face with the masked man, his red irises gleaming in the dim light.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAA—!!!" Gasper's scream pierced the silence, echoing through the darkened room as fear consumed him, his mind racing with questions and uncertainties about the mysterious masked man.
...
-Chapter End-