After the fire was extinguished, the little kitten was nowhere to be found. Although its main features did not change much, it was now much larger than before and also grew a pair of sharp fangs like those of saber-toothed tigers.
Kirara: "GRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!"
Even the cute sound it was making changed; it was now quite similar to the roar a tiger would make. Both its paws and tails were producing flames. Although his normal appearance is adorable, I have to admit that in this form he looks pretty cool.
Kenichi: (So... This is what a real Youkai looks like. Up until now, the only ones I'd seen were the ones that swooped down to attack me at Touga's tomb, but those were lower level Youkai. At most, they were a little stronger than wild animals. On the other hand, I can feel that Kirara is much stronger than them...)
Of that I have no doubt; I can safely say that Kirara could easily kill any Stray Devil. Although, apart from the ability to fly, she doesn't have any other powerful ability, her fangs and claws are much sharper than any common sword. Also, thanks to the system, it now has the ability to become stronger. Although I don't know how effective the Pokémon's attacks can be in this world.
After contemplating her appearance for a few minutes and taking some pictures with my cell phone, I approached her and started petting her. Although she may look a bit intimidating in this aspect, she really hasn't changed inside. The moment I petted her, she started to cuddle while asking me to pet her more with her head.
Kenichi: "It's okay... Listen, Kirara, it is very likely that we will now encounter beings called Stray Devils. They are a race from this world that is a little different from the youkai of the world you came from."
Kirara: "Grgrgrgrgrgr... Grgrgrgrgrgr..."
Kirara grunted and began to nod her head.
Kenichi: "These Stray Devils come from a race called Devils. Although, like the Youkai, they also have a somewhat dark presence, they are not all beings with evil intentions. Just like the Youkai of your world, not all of them are evil... But among them there are some who live only to kill humans."
At the time Kirara was summoned, the system granted her a certain level of basic knowledge about this world, but that did not include details about the supernatural world.
Kenichi: "This city is special to me... I have many memories of the time when I lived together with my parents. I also have several friends and people I care about living here... Will you help me protect them?"
Kirara: "Grgrgrgrgrgr... Grgrgrgrgrgr... Grgrgrgrgrgr..."
Hearing my words, Kirara began to let out several pleased roars, a clear sign that she supported me.
Kenichi: "Thank you, Kirara."
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*Kirara's confidence has increased*
+100 points of ATK.
+100 points of HP.
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Kenichi: (It seems that our bonds became stronger again).
I couldn't help but look appreciatively at Kirara while stroking her fur. From what I learned from checking the system description, it seems that this is a version of Kirara who is done having her adventures with Inuyasha's group.
Kenichi: (That must be why she's so used to interacting with a hanyou like me; after all, Kirara was part of the Youkai Taijiya).
The "Youkai Taijiya" (Apparition Exterminators or Demon Slayers) were a human clan whose members made their living as Youkais hunters for generations. They were often paid to chase away and/or kill troublesome Youkai. Although they made a living by killing them, they did not see them all as a threat. In fact, they coexisted peacefully with Youkai who were friendly or posed no threat to humans.
In her clan's village, Kirara lived peacefully for several human generations and helped them in the fights they had against the evil Youkai; that was until the clan was destroyed by Naraku, the main antagonist of the story. After that, Kirara accompanied Sango, one of the only survivors of the Taijiya Youkai, until they both joined Inuyasha's group.
That's why Kirara is used to fighting to protect humans. That, coupled with her personality, which isn't much different from that of an ordinary cat, makes her perfectly aligned with my intentions.
Kenichi: (Come to think of it... Despite having Inu no Daiyoukai blood, for some strange reason, I've always had a good relationship with cats. Even Himari, who is a Bakeneko, would cuddle around me all the time while hugging me).
After explaining a bit more to Kirara about the different types of supernatural beings that inhabit this world, I carefully climbed onto her back and asked her to start flying. I won't deny it, I was pretty excited. Although, thanks to my Daiyoukai heritage, I can easily fly using my Youki, for some reason, flying together with Kirara excited me.
Kirara: "GRRRRRRRRRRRR!!"
Feeling my excitement, Kirara began to soar quite high as she flew; it was quite a liberating feeling. It felt completely different from the feeling I had when I flew in my Youkai form. We even rose to the height where we could touch the clouds. In a matter of a few seconds, we reached the forest where I felt the presence of the Stray Devils.
Kenichi: (How fortunate that it's night; if it had been daytime, we definitely would have attracted attention... In the future, I'm going to have to be more careful when we fly).
By the time we reached the forest, it wasn't hard to find the Stray Devils; they were in a fairly secluded area at the entrance to what was apparently a cave. When I could see them, I asked Kirara to quietly descend so I could hear what they were saying.
Stray Devil #1: "What the hell is going on with this town?"
Stray Devil #2: "Ah... I see what you mean. It took me quite a while to get here; while escaping from a group of exorcists, I was lost for several days until, finally, they lost sight of me... Before I knew it, I was already in this place."
Stray Devil #3: "It's almost as if a mysterious force is protecting this city from supernatural beings like us... But the strange thing is that I don't sense any kind of magic or powerful presence here; it's just a normal city full of humans."
Stray Devil #1: "Well, who cares? In the end, it's just more food for us. It's almost a miracle to find a human city that isn't under the supervision of some faction."
Stray Devil #3: "Hey, you shouldn't take it so easy either. Remember, we're in Japan."
Stray Devil #2: "That's true... Although the Devil's presence is scarce in this country, let's not forget that it's one of the places with the most supernatural factions. The last thing I want is to run into an Amakawa or a Yatahagane."
Stray Devil #3: "Don't forget 'Shiroi Kiba (White Fang).' That guy is practically a hero in this country. It's best if we stay on the sidelines in this place for some time and kill humans in small numbers. We don't want to attract the attention of any of those monsters."
Stray Devil #1: "You guys are real pussies... Those clans are practically extinct, and even if they weren't, they're just humans, what are you afraid of?"
After hearing that, the other two Stray Devil's let out sighs of exasperation.
Stray Devil #2: "Are you stupid? While it's true that the Amakawa and Yatahagane clan are extinct, that doesn't mean that their legacy is gone. Besides, aside from them, there are many other factions that are in charge of eradicating threats to humanity."
Stray Devil #3: "That's right, the same goes for Shiroi Kiba. Although rumors say he died several years ago, he hasn't been the only one to inherit Tessaiga over the centuries. Everyone who has carried that sword is a damn monster; I'd even rather fight Lucifer himself than them."
Stray Devil #2: "You young Devil's are really quite ignorant. That's the reason we're hiding in this country. Not even the high and supreme class Devil's would dare to recklessly enter this place."
Stray Devil #1: "S-Sorry."
Kenichi: (It's convenient for these minor DxD villains to reveal all the information on their own, without the need to interrogate them. Also, they said several interesting things... Apparently, there is a mysterious force that makes it difficult for supernatural beings to find this city).
As for the other thing they mentioned, I wasn't too surprised; after all, I am a descendant of both the Amakawa clan and the Yatahagane clan, so it's no surprise to me to learn that they are extinct.
What did surprise me was...
Kenichi: (That Shiroi Kiba they mentioned... I guess they were referring to my father; after all, they did mention that he was the possessor of Tessaiga).
I wanted to hear more in case they said any other information, but after they said that, they just started saying the same kind of perverted stuff that all the other Stray Devils were talking about.
Kenichi: "Alright... Kirara, I'll take care of the one on the right, you take care of the one on the left; then we'll finish the last one together."
Kirara: "Grgrgrgrgrgr"
It wasn't necessary to come up with a great strategy; I can tell just by looking at them that these three are wimps. Besides, I don't have any barrier technique to minimize the damage, so it's better to finish them off quickly.
As I listen to my words, Kirara jumped down from the top of the tree we were standing on and, with incredible speed, charged at one of the Stray Devils.
Stray Devil #1: "I can't wait to defile the little girls in this town~ This is going to be so much fun~ GHA!!!"
Kenichi: (Wow, that was amazing; she just ripped his neck open with her fangs like it was the easiest thing in the world).
Stray Devil #2: "W-What the fuck-"
Kenichi: "Fire Make: Fire Demon Hand!!"
Without giving him time to even process what was happening, I quickly attacked the other Stray Devil with my newly learned Fire Make. This is a fairly simple spell; I just created a huge fist made of fire that burns everything it touches. However, because my magic has the Devil Slayer attribute, it is much more powerful and destructive.
Stray Devil #2: "GHAAAAAAAAAAA!!"
The Stray Devil had no time to do anything; by the time he realized it, the huge fist made of fire had already reduced him to ashes, while leaving a large crater on the ground. The only thing he could do was to let out a scream full of pain and suffering.
Kenichi: (I'm still amazed at how easily the Devils die with a simple Fire Devil Slayer Magic attack).
Stray Devil #3: "W-Who are you? I-I'm sure that when we arrived in this city we didn't sense the presence of any supernatural beings."
Kenichi: "..."
In my personal experience, after fighting several Stray Devils these past few days, I came to the conclusion that there is no point in talking to them, so I ignored his question.
The Stray Devil, perhaps noticing my indifference, said nothing more. Instead of attacking us, it spread its wings with absurd speed and began to escape at high speed.
Kenichi: (You have to give him some credit; he knew instantly that he wasn't going to be able to defeat us. Usually, these guys are so arrogant that they don't usually acknowledge their weakness even when they're about to die).
Kenichi: "Kirara! Use Flamethrower!"
Hearing my words, Kirara quickly opened her mouth and a powerful flame shot out with an incredibly long range. The Stray Devil was hit by the attack and could only scream in pain as it burned.
*¡BOOOOM!*
Stray Devil #3: "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"
Kenichi: "!"
Kenichi: (Ok... What was that?)
I was just going to ask Kirara to attack it normally, but for some strange reason, before I knew it, I told it to attack like a Pokémon trainer would.
Kenichi: (Also, what's with that power? That Stray Devil just died with that simple attack without offering any resistance!)
Although it didn't die that quickly, the mere fact that it died after receiving that attack surprised me.
I know the story of Pokémon, both the anime and the game... That's why I'm completely sure that Flamethrower isn't powerful enough to kill; at most, it can only cause some damage. I wonder if this has to do with the fact that the rules of this world are different from those of the Pokémon world.
Kenichi: (It's hard to know the reason... For one thing, the logic of the Pokémon world is as strange as that of One Piece or Fairy Tail; it may also be because Kirara's Flamethrower was influenced by her Youki.)
Kirara: "Grgrgrgrgrgr"
Kenichi: "Well done, Kirara. You're amazing; you easily defeated those Stray Devils, but you don't have to be careless. Those three were relatively weak, but there are some of them who have troublesome abilities."
Kirara: "Grgrgrgrgrgr... Grgrgrgrgrgr..."
I stroked Kirara's shiny fur as she started to move happily.
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*Kirara's confidence has increased*
Kirara receives: Flame Charge
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Description: A signature move of fire-type Pokémon that consists of concentrating igneous power around the body. The user charges forward in the chosen direction, enveloped in flames, causing damage to all enemies it reaches.
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Kenichi: (At this rate, I'm really going to become a Pokémon trainer. I wonder what was that feeling I had when I asked Kirara to use Flamethrower? For a moment, it felt like the connection we have was intensified even more? It felt like I was the one who launched that attack).
Now that I remember, in DxD there was also a Pokémon parody of sorts. If I'm not mistaken, it happened in the first few chapters when the main characters went to look for their relatives. There was even a Devil named Zatouji from Madara Town, which was a clear reference to Ash Ketchum (Satoshi) from Pallet Town.
I was about to get back on Kirara to go home when I felt another presence a little further away from here.
Kenichi: "Kirara, a few miles from here I sense another rather disturbing presence."
Kirara: "Grgrgrgrgrgrgrgrgr."
With nothing more to say, I climbed back on Kirara's back and together we headed in that direction. When we arrived, I could see the strange appearance of another Stray Devil. This one, unlike the others, had the appearance of a spider; it walked with eight hairy legs, its torso was deformed and only the upper part of its body looked like that of a human, except for its face, which was quite hideous. Like its lower part, it was also like a spider's face.
Spider Stray Devil: "But look what we have here... It's just two more prey that decided to enter the hunter's nest on their own... Looks like I'm going to have a nice snack today."
Unlike the other Stray Devils, this one spotted us right away even though we were still quite far away. I could tell by its presence that it wasn't the same as the others I've faced so far, and with my eyesight I could see that everything around it was riddled with incredibly fine webs.
Fortunately, I still have enough magic power left to launch another long range attack. I'm going to take it down with a single attack.
Kirara: "Grgrgrgrgrgr!"
Kenichi: "Hmm... What's wrong, Kirara?"
I could see Kirara was looking at me with determined eyes; I didn't even need to hear an answer to know what he wanted.
Kenichi: "Do you want to fight that Stray Devil alone?"
Kirara: "Grgrgrgrgrgr.... Grgrgrgrgrgr.... Grgrgrgrgrgr..."
Kenichi: (I see, this might be a good opportunity to see how he fares against opponents with rare abilities. Also, if I go by Pokémon logic, this Stray Devil is an insect-type; Kirara, being a fire-type, has a big advantage).
Kenichi: "Okay... But if I see that you're in danger, I'll go in and fight you. Remember that we're family now and we have to support each other."
Kirara: "Grgrgrgrgrgr"
After saying that, I got off Kirara's back; for now, I was just going to remain an observer from a distance.
When the spider-like Stray Devil saw that we were ignoring him, he immediately started shouting hysterically.
Spider Stray Devil: "You're mocking me! YOU REALLY THINK THAT PATHETIC CAT IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO DEFEAT ME?! I AM NOT A STRAY DEVIL ANYONE!!! I AM SPIROS, THE STRONGEST OF MY SPECIES!!! I HAVE ALREADY DEVORED THE SOUL OF OVER A HUNDRED HUMANS!!! I CANNOT POSSIBLY LOSE TO SUCH AN INFERIOR CREATURE!!!"
He seemed to be quite offended when he saw me casually standing in the corner with my arms crossed, while Kirara flew in front of him, ready to fight.
Ignoring his shouts, Kirara rushed at him at high speed. The Stray Devil named Spiros was so distracted screaming that he could barely react to the attack. As Kirara passed by him, a deep gash suddenly appeared on his body.
Purple blood began to spurt with great intensity everywhere.
Spiros: "AAAAAAAAGHHH!!! YOU SON OF A BITCH!!! HOW DARE YOU!!!"
Kenichi: (Although he is stronger than other Stray Devils, he is overconfident; anyone with some battle experience would instantly realize that Kirara is not an enemy to be taken lightly).
Despite the cut, Spiros kept moving as if nothing had happened. I have to admit that his mobility was terrifying; he was much faster than any other Stray Devil I had ever faced. Despite his large size, he swung through the trees with incredible speed.
As it moved, it attacked Kirara with a barrage of webs from different directions, but Kirara dodged them all with far superior accuracy and speed.
The sky was her domain.
Spiros, frustrated, began to spit venom out of his mouth, but despite that, Kirara dodged everything without any problem.
Spiros: "YOU SON OF A BITCH!!! STOP MOVING!!!"
This time, Kirara went on the offensive again, but when she was only inches away from the Stray Devil, her whole body suddenly became enveloped in cobwebs. With just a glance, I could tell that they weren't like the previous ones; I didn't even notice them to begin with, they just appeared out of nowhere.
Spiros: "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! YOU'RE SURPRISED!!! THIS IS ONE OF MY ABILITIES!!! I CAN MAKE MY THREADS INVISIBLE AND I CAN ALSO CONTROL HOW HARD I WANT THEM TO BE!!! NOW I'M GOING TO KILL YOU, YOU IMPURE BEING!!!"
After shouting that, Spiros launched himself at high speed at Kirara's body; it was obvious that he was trying to pierce her with one of his spidery legs.
Kirara: "GRGRGRGRGRGR!!"
In response, Kirara let out a great roar that made the whole place shudder, and at the same time, her whole body was surrounded by fire; this was her new ability "Flame Charge".
Spiros: "!"
The Stray Devil shuddered as he felt the intensity of the fire produced by Kirara and even more so when he saw his webs burn like nothing else.
Spiros: "AAAAAGHH!!! GET AWAY!!!"
Sensing the imminent danger of Kirara's attack, he immediately tried to flee. But it was useless; in a matter of a few seconds, her whole arrogant act crumbled. He was now nothing more than a pathetic little spider who was desperate to survive.
But that didn't matter to Kirara. She charged forward at a speed many times faster than before, while leaving fire all around her, until her body collided with the Stray Devil's.
*BOOOOM!*
Spiros: "KHEEEEEEEE!!!"
The impact of the crash was enormous and, like the previous Stray Devil, only its scream of pain could be heard before it turned to ashes.
Seeing the damage from Kirara's attack, I immediately began to devour the fire before it spread through the forest.
Kenichi: "Kirara, are you okay? didn't he hurt you when he caught you with his webs?"
Kirara: "Grgrgrgrgrgr... Grgrgrgrgrgr..."
It seems she was underestimating Kirara quite a bit. Most likely, even without fire attacks, she would have been able to defeat that Stray Devil, although it's quite possible that she would have been somewhat injured in the process.
Still, what the hell is going on here? While these Stray Devils aren't a problem for me or Kirara, it's obvious that they're much stronger than the ones that appeared in DxD in the first few chapters. From what I remember, even Hyoudou Issei, at the beginning of the story when he was just a weakling, could deal with them somehow. But these are on another level.
I wonder if these sudden appearances of Stray Devils have something to do with the will of the world. I haven't forgotten that even the system told me that the will of the world was going to try to get rid of my existence.
Kenichi: "You did a good job, Kirara. I think it's time for us to go home; besides, I have to go to school tomorrow."
Kirara: "Grgrgrgrgrgr"
After that, I climbed back on Kirara's back and we both flew back home. I have to admit that this is quite comfortable; I might get used to traveling this way from now on.
The first thing I did upon returning with Kirara was to take a refreshing bath. Kirara, despite behaving like a cat, apparently had no problem bathing with water. When we were done, her fur was incredibly shiny; she even let me dry her off without complaining.
Since there was nothing else to do, I went straight to sleep in bed while holding Kirara in my arms.
Kenichi: "What do you want to do, Kirara? From what I understand, you can rest inside my soul to replenish your energy."
Kirara: "Kyuu... Kyuu... Kyuu..."
Kenichi: "I see, so you want to sleep with me. Okay, let's sleep together. Tomorrow, when I go to school, we can see how that thing about entering my soul works."
When he heard my words, he snuggled next to my head. It reminded me a little of when I was a kid; I remember back then Himari used to curl up the same way around me when we slept.
Kenichi: "Good night, Kirara."
Kirara: "Kyuu..."
And so...
I slowly started to fall asleep along with Kirara.
Kenichi: (I don't know what the future holds for me, but from now on I will face difficulties with Kirara).
After that last thought, my vision dimmed as I felt Kirara's comforting warmth.
*Azazel's POV*
Azazel: "So, you're saying that most of the signs of the high-ranking Stray Devils we were tracking disappeared."
A few months ago, a large number of Stray Devils had been spotted, though generally those guys are weak and easy to kill. The ones that have been causing trouble lately have power close to that of middle-class Devils and are also very good at hiding; if it were just that, it wouldn't be a problem.
Azazel: (The problem is that they've been killing humans... Although, usually, if they don't have some Sacred Gear, I could care less about the lives of humans. The problem is where they've been doing it).
Thinking that, I couldn't help but notice on the monitor a map of Japan.
Azazel: (Those fools have been launching attacks in the worst possible place.)
It's no secret that Japan has a lot of rather powerful factions; among them are:
-Japan's 12 Demon-Slayers Families (Tsuchimikado, Kamizakura, Kagamimori, Kogetsukyou, Houjou, Amakawa, Karasu, Jibashiri, Homura, Hiiragi, Yakouin and Jinguji)
-Three Big Families (Yatahagane, Yoinozaka and Tenko)
-Hero Clan
-Five Principal Clans (Kushihashi, Doumon, Shinra, Himejima and Nakiri)
-West Youkai Faction
-East Youkai Faction
-Keikain House
-Demon Slaying Ninja Army (Chuuma Ninja)
-Ryuuga Clan
-Saruyama Clan (Heirs of Tessaiga)
Azazel: (And those are just the most powerful factions; from what I understand, there are many more. Besides the recent increase of awakened Sacred Gear users and the recent discovery of Ability Users, if we're just talking about quantity, Japan definitely has the most factions nowadays).
If it weren't for the fact that most of these factions are in constant disagreements, they could give combat to several of the most powerful factions in the world. The Yatahagane family, in particular, is known for being able to defeat even the gods, a difficult feat even for Longinus users.
That is why it does not pay to cause trouble in this country, especially when most of its factions are composed of humans who hate supernatural beings.
Azazel: (Although Sirzechs is a good ally and our interests coincide, sometimes it is so frustrating. I've been telling him for ages to take care of the problem with the Stray Devils, but he always does whatever those senile old men order him to do.)
For some time now, Sirzechs, Michael and I have been planning to form an alliance to stop the conflict between our races. The last thing we need is for a whole country full of monsters to become our enemy.
Azazel: (What the hell is going on in Japan? First there was the accident of Tobio and his classmates a few years ago; then there was the appearance of a large number of Sacred Gear users. Furthermore, recent reports suggest that even the "Longinus: Boosted Gear" user is there as well. Then, the younger sisters of Sirzechs and Serafall decided to live in Kuoh, not to mention the appearance of several dangerous criminal groups... It's as if Japan is becoming the epicenter of all conflicts).
Shemhazai: "That's right, their life signatures simply disappeared in the vicinity of Tokyo. At first, by looking at our data, we could deduce that they were wandering around without any direction, as if they were lost, until, after a few minutes, their life signatures simply vanished. If it had been a teleportation, there would have been some magical signature left, but since there was none, the conclusion we came to is that someone killed them."
Azazel: "Well... That's not a strange thing to say. Someone from some clan must have wiped them out... If I'm not mistaken, it's not around those places where the Saruyama clan was."
The Saruyama clan, compared to the other factions, is not that old, but it has nothing to lose in power. Unlike other clans that have many branches, the Saruyama clan is known for always being commanded by a single person.
Azazel: "The wielder of Tessaiga, also known as 'the sword of destruction', a sword so powerful that it is capable of killing a hundred demons with a single attack."
Shemhazai: "Hmm, though you're not wrong... But, from what I understand, the Saruyama clan has been extinct since White Fang died a few years ago. Nothing has been heard about that clan since then."
Azazel: "Over the centuries, that clan has made countless enemies, and yet they have never been able to eliminate it. Even if it takes a few years, a new Tessaiga user always appears; it's not for nothing that they are descendants of that damn demon dog."
Although I have my personal issues with the ancestor of that clan, it is a fact that they are the closest to being called heroes in Japan. They help anyone regardless of race or affiliation and are a clear sign of coexistence between humans and yōkais.
Azazel: (Personally, it's in our best interest for this clan to continue to exist. White Fang was a great deterrent; in fact, I bet no Stray Devil would be roaming Japan if he were still active).
Shemhazai: "Even though these Stray Devils have been eliminated, that doesn't solve the root of the problem."
Azazel: "That's right, the problem is still those Evil Pieces."
This is one of the worst flaws of the Evil Pieces that Ajuka created. Although he is a genius who surpasses me in several aspects, his only flaw is that when one research ceases to interest him, he simply moves on to another. He never solved this problem of the Evil Pieces corrupting Devils who went against their masters' orders.
Azazel: "There is something that intrigues me about this whole situation. I want you to send some Fallen Angels to investigate those areas; maybe the one who killed them is a Sacred Gear user we don't know about."
Shemhazai: "Haa... As usual, you only take this whole leader thing seriously when it has something to do with Sacred Gears."
Azazel: "Hahaha~ You know me pretty well~ So, if it's not your bother, there are some ladies waiting for me outside~ I'll leave the complicated matters to you; after all, you don't have anything more important to do~ Right?"
Shemhazai: "Tch."
Although it's not such an important matter, something about all this catches my attention. I hope this won't bring us trouble; we already have enough with that group of misfits who started forming their own faction under Ophis's leadership.