Monday, on the way to school.
Jinrang was heading to school, on the way there he bumped into Issei and Asia.
"Good morning you two." He greeted as he waved his hand.
"G-good morning to you too, Jinrang." Asia responded nervously, to be honest even after the party they had, she was still a bit intimidated by him.
"Hey, Jinrang." Issei greeted him as well.
"Asia, how do you feel? About school and the whole devil thing." He asked.
"I-I'm happy I get to go to school! And everyone has been treating me well, I'm really thankful!" She responded happily, her previous nervousness disappearing for a moment.
"I wouldn't be too happy about school, it's mind numbing and boring."
"Don't listen to him Asia, he mostly sleeps and spaces out at school." Issei whispered to her.
"Yeah, due to boredoom." He explained.
"Maybe try walking around school sometime, try coming to our class."
Jinrang thought about his words, for a but before giving an answer. "Fine, I'll come."
"But right now I'm gonna speed up, I don't want Sona to bother me."
"Alright, see ya later."
"Bye Jinrang."
The boy sped up and swiftly walked through the school, down the hallway and finally into his classroom.
'She's not here yet.' Jinrang thought as he glanced at Akeno's seat.
He sighed and laid his head down on the desk, he didn't even get a chance to close his eyes before someone shook him awake.
"Rise and shine." The voice belonged to Akeno.
"When did you get here?" Jinrang questioned.
"Just now, Rias sent me to get you." She explained.
He sighed and got up to follow behind her.
The two arrived quickly, inside the clubroom Sona and her group were there too.
"Hello, Jinrang." Sona greeted as she stared at the person who irritated her the most, probably as much as Issei's perverted friends.
"Hi." He greeted back shortly before sitting on the couch.
"Jinrang, tonight is the full moon and we were planning on going to the familiar forest to see if Issei and Asia can find partners, but apparently Sona's group was planning the same, so we're at an impasse, and we decided to settle it in s friendly competition. If we win I want to invite you to join us, you may not be a part of my peerage but you're a close friend, you should try to get a familiar as well."
"A familiar? Sure, I'll come I admit I'm quite curious about both familiars and the forest itself." He spoke.
'They think of me as a close friend, how nice.' He thought to himself.
"Alright then, let's not waste any time." Sona cut in as she fixed her glasses.
The two groups settled on a dodgeball game, it was a pretty close match Rias and her peerage ended up winning, Issei's nuts were the cost of victory though
Back At the club, the group was celebrating their victory over the Student council.
Jinrang didn't really understand why he was there, but he just went with it.
"Cheers!" They all clicked their cups, sadly it was filled with juice, not alcohol.
"It was thanks to you guys that we won!"
Rias spoke.
"Even though I got benched…" Issei said as he scratched his cheeks.
"Don't worry, it was your… sacrifice that gave them the motivation to win." Jinrang cut in as he placed a hand on Issei's shoulder.
"That was a low blow." Kiba said, while he chuckled.
Jinrang laughed as he slapped Issei's back, Kiba joined him as they both laughed at Issei.
"So you can laugh!" Rias joked along.
"Indeed, it's quite refreshing." Akeno added her thoughts.
"You two aren't good friends!" Issei yelled at them, but that only made the two laugh more.
They gradually calmed down but still chuckled every now and then, even Issei who was the subject of their jokes laughed along.
"Now, then we can't just loaf around here, we have to go get your familiars." Rias said.
Akeno got up and slowly prepared a teleportation circle, it gradually extended in size so it could teleport the whole group.
They disappeared from the room and appeared in the middle of a dense forest, the trees didn't have any leaves.
"So this is the familiar forest?" Jinrang asked Akeno who was standing next to him.
"Indeed, the familiar master should be vi-" she didn't get to finish as voice came from the trees.
"I'm the familiar master Zatouji!"
"Familiar master?" Issei and Asia questioned simultaneously.
Zatouji continued his speech, "Stick with me, and any familiar you want is yours for the getting!"
"He is a professional when it comes to familiars." Akeno explained, as Jinrang hummed.
"Somehow… I don't doubt it." He answered.
"So then! What kind of a familiar do you desire? A strong one? A fast one? Perhaps a poisonous one?"
"Yes indeed… do you have any cute familiars? Like a girl?" Issei asked with a lecherous face.
"Issei, that's morally wrong man." Jinrang shook his head in disappointment.
"Indeed, indeed! Listen to your friend." Zatouji advised.
"Ummm… I'd like a cute familiar please." Asia spoke softly.
"Oh!! A cute familiar for a cute lady!"
'This jerk.' Issei thought in his head before turning to Jinrang.
"What would you recommend? Jinrang?"
Jinrang thought about Issei for a second, he observed Issei's build, and thought for a few moments.
"A familiar that's good at fighting, with balanced attributes, strength, speed and endurance. You're a pawn, which is something like an all rounder, so a familiar most similar to yourself would be the best choice."
"Good! Looks like one of you knows what's up." The familiar master praised as he jumped down.
"And what about you boy? What kind if a familar are you looking for?"
"Raw power, something that hits hard and can take hits as well." Jinrang explained, already having an idea on how to use said familar for something more.
Zatouji brought rubbed his chin with a finger as he thought for a bit before smiling.
"Alright! I've got one in mind, come with me!"
Zatouji said as he turned north, everyone followed behind him.
They quickly came to a clearing which was at first glance inhabited by gorillas.
"Behold! Giant gorilla." Zatouji said.
"That's it?" Jinrang questioned, "How is it different from any other gorilla?"
His friends were also curious,"Yes, aside from being bigger do they possess any special qualities?" Kiba asked.
"Of course! They are much bigger and much stronger than the gorillas you find on earth, but that's not all these guys CAN grow much stronger with proper training, and they are all very talented in combat, also they can make a fist and punch unlike regular gorillas because their fingers aren't as long, and as you can see they have no trouble walking upright."
"I see, how does one make a contract with it?"
Akeno questioned.
"Simple, fight it and prove yourself superior beware though, they are high-class beasts, but beware once a fight starts between you and one of them, we won't be able to interfere, because if we do… the other gorilla's will attack, and we won't be able to repel them to save you. Oh, and don't worry, if only you go in then only one of them will come to fight you."
"I'm gonna go make a contract with it." Jinrang made a decision as he quickly took of his shirt, he didn't want to it to rip apart.
"Sorry about this, but can you hold it for me?" He asked Akeno who nodded, and took it from his hands.
The group of friends exchanged looks at their interaction.
Somehow… the two seemed much closer.
Zatouji whistled, "I've got high hopes for you kiddo."
"Be careful, Jinrang." Akeno advised placing a hand on his back.
"Don't worry." He eased her worries, before he advanced into the field.
The gorillas noticed him, and one of them approached him and started beating his chest, the challenge was issued.
Jinrang mimicked the action with a small smile, before the gorilla roared in his face as it swung it's fist, for an animal it's technique was astonishing, it was putting it's weight behind the punch.
Jinrang barely avoided that attack as, it grazed his cheek and drew blood, he immediately went into action and using his signature attack, smashed his elbow right in the gorilla's stomach before striking once more at its face.
The creature wasn't expecting such strength from his opponent as it took a step back.
"He can do it, He can win." Akeno said more to herself than others, as she clutched his shirt.
"Akeno, stop worrying Jinrang is the strongest hand-to-hand fighter among us, if anyone can beat that, it's him." Rias spoke.
"If it's Jinrang, he can win right?" Asia asked.
"Of course." Issei answered her question
Koneko also nodded.
"I know, I just… can't help but worry, for some reason." She let out a deep sigh as she continued to watch the fight.
Jinrang and the beast were trading blows, using his elbows, Jinrang blocked most of the attacks and countered some, however his opponent was cleverly utilizing feints so some attacks still managed to get through him.
'It's stronger than me.' Jinrang came to a conclusion, for the first time he felt very excited.
The fight continued on and on, Jinrang's body was getting bruised, some parts were blue.
The group was getting more and more worried, even Zatouji started sweating. 'Was I… wrong?' He was starting to have doubts about his decision.
But something interesting started happening, the gorilla's attacks started slowing down and Jinrang took full advantage of it as he landed a flurry of strikes.
"He's doing it!" Kiba spoke, hope began to fill
Gorilla's guard was broken, and just as Jinrang was about to deal the finishing blow, he was the one struck with the full force of the punch.
That blow released a large shockwave, it rattled branches near the spectating group.
'Damn it! It tricked me.'
Jinrang got up slowly as his body swayed from side to side, before he fell to his knees.
'I can't get up, that blow just now was too strong, I got too impatient.' He chastised himself as he took deep breaths.
"Jinrang!" Akeno shouted his name and was about to charge in but Kiba stopped her.
"Stop! Don't interfere, have some faith in him."
Truth be told, Kiba also wanted to charge in to assist, but he knew that their assistance could make things worse.
"He's tired! He can't move, we have to help!" She cried out as she shook of Kiba's arm.
"She's right Kiba! We have to help him." Issei agreed with Akeno as he summoned his sacred gear.
Rias was also getting increasingly worried, the ones who didn't seem to be worried at all were Koneko and the familiar master.
"Look ahead." Koneko spoke suddenly, while pointing ahead.
Jinrang was raising his hand towards them, motioning them to stop, to not interfere.
'This is it… The wall.' He thought as he slowly managed to get up, with newfound [Strength].
With a red gleam in his eye, he charged once more, and so did the gorilla.
It was the final clash that would decide the result.
The gorilla swung its fist aiming at Jinrang's face, but he ducked to avoid it and smashed his own fist at its face, knocking it down and embedding its head into the ground below.
Jinrang breathed heavily, he was exhausted but happy.
'I did it, I reached it… The Mastery.' He glanced down at his hands, feeling even more powerful.
Zatouji laughed loudly and the group breathed a a sigh of relief.
"Go on kid! Make a contract." Zatouji urged him.
Jinrang sat next to his defeated opponent, who woke up and looked at him.
It outstretched a hand, Jinrang grabbed it without hesitation and a connection was formed with no words spoken.
The other gorillas all started beating their chest, recognizing Jinrang as strong fighter.
After he did that, he walked back to his friends as Zatouji patted his back, even though he didn't know the human boy, he respected strength and the boy had it in spades.
Akeno walked up and hugged him tightly.
Rias and others were surprised by her action, but a knowing smirk crawled up their faces.
"Akeno I don't mind, but I'm filthy right now."
He tried to play it off but, his nervousness showed, as he scratched the back of his head.
"…I was worried." She muttered.
Jinrang sighed and hugged her and rubbed her back trying to comfort her.
(Man i fucking hate writing this kind of scenes, if i write another fanfiction i'll make sure it's NO ROMANCE.)
Akeno released him, Jinrang sat and leaned on a tree.
"Awesome punch back there man." Issei complimented.
"Teach me." Koneko spoke her thoughts as well.
"Indeed, it looked as if you got stronger all of a sudden, what happened?" Rias got into the conversation as well.
"I'll explain later, let me rest a bit for now." Jinrang said tiredly.
Asia quickly approached and healed his injuries, but of course it couldn't recover his stamina.
"Thank you Asia."
The group waited for Jinrang to rest, after a couple of minutes he got up to stretch, and lut on his shirt.
"Alright then, let's get you two a familiar now."
Zatouji led the way once more and the group followed, Akeno stayed with Jinrang in case he needed help walking.
This kind of attention from her did warm Jinrang's heart.