Kenji was pissed. No, he was beyond furious. His rage was ready to burst at any moment and just lash out at everything around him.
As he sat on the couch facing the overgrown crow in front of him, his anger just kept threatening to explode, held back only by the absolute necessity of not wanting to destroy their house and get Anastasia in the crossfire.
The moment he'd entered the house and saw Azazel, he'd used Observation on him—then, on impulse, he shifted his gaze to his wife.
StatusEffect:Charmed(Mild)
That was all it took. The two words sealed this bastard's fate, because it didn't matter what he was here for, Azazel was forever on his shit list.
This bastard, this relic of ancient times that probably shat out dust, had used mind magic on his wife to gain leverage, invading her mind and twisting her will.
The only reason Anastasia wasn't fully under his control was because of the protective necklace he'd crafted for her, an artifact specifically designed to resist manipulation and shield her from basic magic.
Even still, the effect was there. The fact that the effect was only 'Mild' did not mitigate the offense, that showed how powerful it must have been to bypass his protection. It only served to highlight the chilling intent.
The thought that Azazel saw her as simple prey, easily subdued, made Kenji see red, the gold Nen flaring dangerously beneath his skin was only pushed back by pure will.
Kenji's fists clenched until the leather on the couch creaked loudly. The audacity of this crow was monumental. This filthy crow had dared to use magic on his wife. Dared to look at her with anything other than polite neutrality—had dared to gaze on her with lust and the clinical calculation of a collector examining a prize.
The very notion of Azazel subtly bending Anastasia's will, leading her into the house, and studying her with those cold eyes of his ignited a destructive urge in Kenji. His hands were shaking with the effort of not summoning Yamato and cutting the Fallen Angel into pieces.
The anime had made Azazel look like some easy-going, perverted genius, a friendly uncle figure. But standing here now, Kenji saw him for what he truly was, an ancient being of sin, old as dust, the kind that saw mortals as playthings or disposable tools.
No amount of jokes or charisma could hide that arrogance. He was an being older than humans, and no doubt viewed human society as a glorified ant farm.
He had no doubt that if the man had found Anastasia "to his liking," he would have taken her without hesitation or remorse, treating her like just another object to be acquired and then discarded.
This casual disregard for human life and autonomy was the defining characteristic of nearly all beings of the supernatural factions.
They were not protectors or heroes, they were just more powerful, egotistical beings with a veneer of moral complexity and political necessity.
This, this right here, was exactly why Kenji never went out of his way to interact with the so-called "main characters" of this world.
The show had painted everything in sunshine and rainbows, conveniently skipping the darker truths. Devils, Fallen Angels, they were all beings of arrogance, ego, and sin.
They looked down on humanity, even the "nice" ones like Rias Gremory. Subconsciously, they all did. Kenji recalled episodes where members of Rias's peerage would hypnotize Issei's parents or other humans to cover their tracks, brush off collateral damage, and generally move through the mortal world with a casual disregard for consequence.
Kenji was perfectly content living quietly, away from the factions, using his power only to build and protect his own. As long as they stayed away from his family, he was fine with that.
But now Azazel had crossed the line.
"Ohh, that's one scary face you've got there," Azazel said lightly, that same carefree grin that was always shown in the anime plastered across his face. He made no move to adjust his position, radiating an amused confidence that only further inflamed Kenji.
The man's voice grated on Kenji's nerves like nails on glass. Azazel had been one of his favorite characters back on Earth. But right here and now, Azazel had just made his shit list as number one.
"Why are you here, crow?" Kenji's tone was like frost, laced with suppressed violence.
It wasn't as if he hadn't noticed the Fallen Angels watching him these past few days. His golems and spirit scouts had reported their subtle movements outside his detection range.
He knew he was on their radar, but he had hoped to delay this confrontation. He hadn't expected Azazel himself to come walking into his house, and so immediately at that.
While Azazel spoke, his mind was busy. He casually probed Kenji's aura, and Azazel calculated the power he could perceive, a staggering level for a human, easily reaching into the High-Class range.
'Impressive,' he thought, a flicker of respect crossing his features. 'Few humans ever make it to this level of power, and the ones who do are well known." Azazel was utterly oblivious that Kenji was expertly suppressing the vast majority of his power. Having mana control at that level helps quite a bit.
"Well, I was in the neighborhood," Azazel said, lounging like he owned the place. "Saw something interesting and thought, why the heck not, why don't I just visit my new neighbor?" He added, "I just came over for a simple hello, surely that isn't bad, is it."
Kenji's glare could have melted steel. "You've said your hello. Now get the hell out of my house."
"Oh, come on. Don't be like that," Azazel replied casually, dismissing the growl in Kenji's voice. "Really, I just came over for a simple hello. I like your furniture, by the way. Nice stitching."
Kenji's hand tightened on the armrest until the wood inside cracked audibly. The couch groaned beneath his grip, the sound a clear warning of the power contained within.
Just as he was about to stand and crush the smug look off the man's face, Anastasia entered the room with a tray of refreshments. He watched her set the tray down, looking ready to join them when he spoke, forcing his Nen to stabilize the tremor in his voice.
"Sorry, Ana," he said quickly, forcing his tone to soften. "But could you give us a few minutes alone? This is… an old matter that needs to be settled quickly."
She hesitated, her gaze flicking toward Azazel for a quick instant before she nodded and quietly left. Even after the dispel, she could sense the residual danger and the intensity radiating off her husband. Kenji could only imagine the anxiety she felt, having been only half under control, and the fresh wave of protective fury surged through him.
"She seems like a wonderful wife," Azazel said with a smirk, his eyes lingering on the doorway she exited.
Kenji's head snapped toward the Fallen leader. "Don't look at her. Don't speak her name. I'm restraining myself not to kill you, crow, right here." His voice was a guttural command, stripped of any politeness. The only thing preventing immediate action was the proximity to his living room.
He'd used Observation again, confirming what he already knew, Azazel was in the high Tier 5 (20s) range, a true monster whose power dwarfed the power Kenji was currently displaying.
Kenji's true Tier 6 power, the one capable of annihilating large islands, was miles ahead, Azazel thought, was a Tier 5.
That would have terrified Kenji once. But not now.
He relaxed back slightly, "I'll ask again, why are you here, Azazel?"
Azazel raised an eyebrow, genuinely intrigued. "Oh, why do you keep asking the same thing even after my answer.."
"And you have said your hello, so why are you still on my couch."
Normally, he wouldn't dare to mess with someone like Azazel, but he was no longer weak, he may not measure up in power, but he was full of hax.
His nen abilities could even out the odds a little for him to match up
"WHY ARE YOU HERE," Kenji repeated, his tone freezing.
Azazel was silent for a full ten seconds, the casual smile finally slipping away, replaced by an expression of intense, sharp calculation. This man wasn't just strong, he was dangerous, threatening the stability of the supernatural world itself.
"I'm here because you fascinate me," Azazel admitted, dropping his usual act. "A human who achieves this level of power just after a few months of learning his scared gear."
?
Is that what Azazel thought that he had? a scared gear.
"It's not easily done," Azazel wrapped his fingers together, staring at Kenji."That type of talent is rare, very rare, you're here."
Kenji tilted his head a bit as he continued staring at the crow.
"So I want you to join my group and help me by lending your strength. We could use someone like you and think of all we could learn from you and how you got so strong, think of the knowledge!" Azazel pressed, trying a different bait. His eyes shone with the genuine enthusiasm of a mad scientist. "And we could provide you with protection against others."
Kenji scoffed, leaning back fully into the cracked couch. "I'm not interested in your structure, your protection, or your knowledge. Your offer is declined."
He stared at Azazel, golden eyes glinting dangerously.
For a long moment, Azazel simply stared at him, expression unreadable, his calculating gaze searching for any weakness.
Then he stood, brushing off his coat. "I see," he said quietly, the lightness gone from his voice, replaced by a deep, ancient warning. "A shame. You'd have made an interesting ally. But if you stand against the currents of the world, they will eventually break you. You're smart enough to realize that standing alone in this world is suicide. You cannot win, all alone."
He turned toward the door but paused just before leaving, the threat now fully unveiled. "You're strong, Takahashi. But tell me… what about your family? Will you always be there for them"
Kenji's jaw clenched. His gold-ringed eyes flared, the temperature in the room dropping perceptibly.
"I wonder," Azazel said softly, "will your strength be enough to protect them when the world finally notices you? You cannot be everywhere at once."
The door slammed shut behind him before Kenji could respond.
He stood there, breathing heavily, knuckles white. The crow's words burned in his mind. He hated that there was truth to them. Azazel wasn't wrong. The higher Kenji climbed, the more attention he drew, and the more exposed his family became.
Even now, his name was everywhere.
He wasn't invincible. He couldn't watch his family every second of every day. And the world they lived in was full of gods, devils, and beings who saw them as leverage.
But if Azazel, or anyone else, ever touched them again…
He exhaled slowly, forcing the fury down. He waited, his senses were straining until Azazel's aura had completely vanished from the boundaries of his ward, confirming the Fallen leader had genuinely left the area and wasn't lurking nearby.
Not forgiven.
Sure, Azazel was right, but that didn't mean he had to like it.
Now he had to go and comfort his wife. And then change the necklace and make her something more powerful, her and the kids as well. Isn't this why he spent a long time raising his crafting skills?
And once he had gotten everything done, he was going to make Azazel pay. That man had no idea what he had brought upon himself.
"You just made a mistake, Azazel…... No one touches my wife and gets away with it."
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