[700 PS = +1 Bonus Chapter.]
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I had noticed that Tsubaki Shinra had been watching me since I left home. For that reason, I avoided doing anything that might seem suspicious throughout the day.
Her attention, along with that of the other devils at Kuoh Academy, didn't bother me negatively. However, how they would discover that I was also a supernatural creature mattered most, as it would determine how they perceived me. First impressions are crucial.
Furthermore, Raynare was very close to me, and she was a Fallen Angel. Although she wasn't powerful enough to be easily identified, if my relationship with her were exposed, Tsubaki and the others would assume I was on her side, and they would never trust me.
So, before talking to Raynare to prevent her from killing Issei Hyoudou and awakening the Boosted Gear and the Welsh Dragon, I needed to shape Tsubaki's opinion of me.
[Ding! The system proposes the mission "Appearances!"]
1 - Don't let Tsubaki Shinra find out about you. (Reward: 1 Fusion Point)
2 - Reveal your powers to Tsubaki Shinra through conversation. (Reward: 15 Fusion Points)
3 - Reveal your powers to Tsubaki Shinra in practice. (Reward: 100 Fusion Points)
As soon as we left the café, I glanced back and, as I expected, Tsubaki Shinra was still following us. She was at a safe distance, making herself easy to spot, which I wanted to change.
Raynare, walking beside me, had already dropped her mask of a kind and sweet girl entirely.
"So, it's her?" asked Raynare, glancing surreptitiously over her shoulder. "That girl you told me about? The devil who's following us?"
I nodded. "Yes. Tsubaki Shinra. She's loyal to Souna Sitri, Serafall Leviathan's sister, and as far as I know, she's exceptional at what she does."
Raynare raised an eyebrow, her expression unimpressed. "If she's a problem, we can take care of it together. She's a devil, but she's just a student. I bet it wouldn't be that hard for the two of us."
I shook my head immediately. "Didn't you hear the part where I said she's directly related to Serafall Leviathan? Attacking her is out of the question."
Raynare narrowed her eyes, visibly irritated by my refusal. "You talk as if you have some authority over me. Why should I listen to you?"
"Because if you follow me, you'll get what you want."
"And what do you think I want?"
I smiled slightly, already anticipating that question. "To make the Leader of the Fallen Angels, Azazel, proud."
At that moment, Raynare's eyes widened, looking at me in surprise, and her jaw dropped before she turned to look in another direction.
"If you're so confident that you can handle her without using violence, what's your plan?" asked Raynare.
"Let's start with something simple." I looked around and spotted an ice cream vendor on the sidewalk nearby. "We'll stop at that ice cream stand, and I'll order two cones for us. While we wait for the ice cream, you'll run across the street, pretending to be interested in the animals in the pet shop window. Just make sure you wait for a car to approach first."
Raynare looked at me with a frightened expression, as if I had lost my mind. "You want me to get run over? Are you crazy?"
I looked at her, meeting her gaze with confidence. "Trust me?"
Raynare was clearly skeptical. "No. The only reason I'm still here is because I want to find out what you are... and because you might be useful to me. But I trust the strength you've shown so far."
Her brutal sincerity almost made me laugh, but I held back.
"Then that's enough. Just do as I say."
I approached the ice cream cart and asked, "Good afternoon. Two cones, please. One vanilla and one chocolate."
The man nodded, picking up the cones while I stole a discreet glance at Raynare.
Getting the ice cream served as a good excuse for my distraction, and suddenly, Raynare did what we had agreed.
"Look, Nishihara-kun! Those puppies are so cute!" she said, running toward the intersection.
When I saw her running at the exact moment a vehicle was approaching, I prepared to act, waiting until the car was nearly upon her. But to my surprise, she run in front of a truck instead of a car, and the truck was already dangerously close.
The sequence of events happened in the blink of an eye.
The truck driver honked its horn, the shrill sound piercing the avenue. It didn't look like he would have time to brake, so there was no room for error.
I activated a fraction of my divine power and lunged forward. In an instant, I reached Raynare and grabbed her, placing one of my hands on her back and the other behind her knees.
We rolled onto the sidewalk, my body shielding hers from the impact with the ground.
The truck roared past us, its horn still blaring.
When we finally came to a stop, Raynare was leaning over me, looking at me with an incredulous expression before a smile appeared.
"N-now I have to admit that you're the fastest creature I've ever met."
"And you threw yourself in front of a truck without being sure of that?" I whispered, a little annoyed.
Suddenly, some people around us started clapping. Clap! Clap... The applause started timidly, but soon the people on both sidewalks who had witnessed the situation joined in. Clap! Clap! Clap!
Raynare was still on top of me, but she quickly scrambled to her feet.
"My hero," she said sarcastically.
"Are you okay?" asked a middle-aged woman, approaching with several other people who quickly surrounded us.
"Yes, we're fine. Thank you," I said, scratching the back of my neck awkwardly.
"Look at that guy! He saved his girlfriend like a real hero!" exclaimed an older man, clapping his hands enthusiastically.
"It's like in a movie!" shouted a little girl.
Then the ice cream man approached, holding two cones. "Here are your ice creams, kids. On the house. Anyone who risks their life for love deserves a little treat."
I accepted the cones. "Thank you."
The crowd around us showed no signs of dispersing anytime soon.
"Let's get out of here before this makes headlines," I whispered to Raynare, grabbing her arm gently.
With a quick wave to the crowd, we both walked away, leaving the applause and comments behind.
We walked to the nearest park, where we finally found a quiet place to breathe.
Raynare's beauty was accentuated by the soft light of a water fountain behind her.
"So? What's the next step in your plan?"
"Now, we say goodbye. Tsubaki is still following us. She won't come near you while you're here because she thinks you're just a human."
Raynare approached me and took one of my hands. "When will I see you again?"
"It will be a while. I have other things to take care of this week, but I'll contact you at the number I left in your bag."
She raised an eyebrow and put her hand inside the bag. When she touched the paper inside, she sighed and smiled sweetly as she held onto it.
"Okay, but don't take too long. I need to reward you for saving my life." She winked and leaned forward slightly. "See you later, Nishihara-kun," she said before turning on her heels and walking away.
As soon as she was gone, I heard a voice behind me.
"You're really impressive, Nishihara-san," said Tsubaki Shinra.
Hearing that, I kept my back to Tsubaki and let a small smile escape.
[Ding! The Master has chosen option 3! Reward: 100 Fusion Points!]
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