Chapter 01: An Alliance Agreement

A maid put three cups of Japanese tea and three bowls of ramen on the table where Yasaka, Toki (Yasaka's brother), and Chengxue. After the maid politely left the room, Yasaka warmly demanded the others to enjoy the dishes that had been served. Kunou who were tired didn't join the lunch and directly went to her bed.

When they had finished their lunch, Yasaka conversed in order to start a conversation. "Alright, now I will introduce myself and my brother in proper way. My name is Yasaka, the leader of West Youkai Faction. The male youkai that sits besides me is my younger brother. His name is Toki and he is my co-leader."

"My name is Chengxue. Nice to meet you." Chengxue slightly bowed his head to Yasaka and Toki in greeting. The two Youkai kindly replied Chengxue's greeting gesture by doing the same thing.

"Chengxue, you said that you are a foreign wanderer that come to Kyoto to dwell for several days. Where do you come from?" asked Toki.

"I come from China, Toki-san." Chengxue knew a few of Japanese language since he was ever assigned to Japan by his boss. Because of this, he could communicate a little in that language.

"I see. I guess you very tired for travelling from afar, Chengxue-san. Am I right?" said Yasaka as she welcomed Chengxue to stay in Kyoto which was followed with a slight nod from Chengxue. "Because of that, I declare that you are more than welcomed to stay in here anytime you want."

"Thank you for your kindness, Yasaka-san, Toki-san. Then, I will go to look for the cheap nearby hotel," said Chengxue as he bowed his face to Yasaka and Toki. He prepared to leave Yasaka's house.

"Wait, Chengxue-san. You can live in here. There is an empty room that is available for you. You can consider this as my thank you gift to you for saving my daughter," persuaded Yasaka.

"Is that okay, Yasaka-san?"

"Of course, Chengxue-san. It is me that offer to stay here, so you needn't to feel shy."

"Alright then. I accept your offer, Yasaka-san. Thank you very much for your kindness."

"Your welcome, Chengxue-san. Now, please follow me. I'll show you where your room is."

Yasaka led the way to guide Chengxue to his room. It was located on the back of her house. It was a single story house with traditional style. Despite of that, its size was large. It even had a park inside it.

When Yasaka and Chengxue got to the destined room, she gave the key of the room to Chengxue, indicating that she gave the authority of the room towards him.

"Here is the key, Chengxue-san. I hope that this room may become your best dwelling place."

"Of course, this is more than enough for me. Thank you, Yasaka-san."

"Your welcome. Anyway, if you need my help, you can directly look for me, okay?"

Chengxue responded Yasaka's words by slightly nodding his head. The youkai leader who knew the meaning of that gesture then left him to do her other businesses, while our main character laid himself on the bed to take a nap.

Chengxue had taken his nap for an hour. He went to the bathroom who was inside his room, intending to wash his face and hair. However, when he faced to the mirror, he saw the reflection of a man with middle-aged appearance. This obviously made he feeling shocked and being about to punch the mirror. Before Chengxue did that, that reflection instructed him not to do that.

"Don't...don't disturb anyone in this house."

Deciding to follow the reflection's instruction, Chengxue calmed himself and catched his breath little by little. He slowly managed to press the sense of being surprised. He dared himself to look at the reflection right on its eyes.

"Who are you?"

"At last, we can meet face to face, My Successor."

"Successor?"

The reflection revealed his face to make Chengxue being able to see it clearly. It looked like the face of a man in his twenties. He was a tall young man with the slim build who had flaxen medium length hair and violet eyes.

"I am Aharon Bael, the descendant of the Zekram Bael. About your question, yes, you, He Chengxue, are my successor."

Aharon? Bael? Zekram? Chengxue became confused for hearing those strange names. He was already confused with the youkai thing in which he hadn't done research about it yet. Now, the other things came to make him becoming more confused.

"I have no idea about the things that you've said. It's better if you explain them quickly."

"Relax...no need to be in hurry. Let's start from the basic thing. You are now a devil. You are my successor."

Chengxue threw a sharp glare towards Aharon. He obviously didn't believe about what he just said. Indeed, he believed that supranatural creatures, including devil, existed in the world, but it was not him! He was born as a human, not as a supranatural creatures!

"Hmph...The look of your face showed me that you don't believe about what I've just said."

"Of course, I don't. I'm not a type of person who trust something easily."

"Well, you may doubt my words, but can you remain doing that after you see this?"

Aharon expended crimson-colored demonic energy and concentrate it on his right hand. At few seconds, Chengxue did the same thing out of control. His right palm was covered with the same colored energy. He became more surprised when he found that there was a strange symbol that appeared below his feet.

"What is this?" mumbled Chengxue who still insisted not to believe about what he just saw.

"That is the Power of Destruction, the exclusive power that belongs to my clan, Bael and the symbol that appears below your feet is the symbol of Bael clan."

"Power of Destruction? Bael?"

"Bael is one of the remaining clans of 72 pillars. It held the highest rank among the others, making us being called as the 'Great King.'"

"72 pillars?"

"Simply, 72 pillars are the devil clans that existed in the underworld, the place where the devils live."

"Alright. Then, tell me how can I become the devil?"

"I revive you and put my demonic energy into you."

"Why do you choose me? I mean why don't you revive the other people as your successor?"

"I want to make you as a test subject of the project that I initiate along with my partner, Lynna."

"What kind of project is that?"

"Human-to-devil adoption project. It is our plan to adopt human into devil by fusing their souls."

"Alright. I understand now. You adopt me to be a devil, but for what reason?"

"It's simple. We do this to restore the devil's population. We've been fighting the Angels and Fallen Angels at the Great War. There are many devils that get destroyed because of the conflict. Being added with the low rate of birth that we had, our population significantly decreased. So, in order to prevent mass extinction, many devils begin to formulate how to restore their population, including us who make the Human-to-devil adoption project to adopt human into devil."

"Us? So, you have some kind of partner or something?"

"Yes, she is Lynna, the member of Sitri clan. In fact, she is the one who finds the formula of the project."

"Where is she then?"

"I don't know. She said that she didn't want to show herself to you now. Maybe she will meet you next time."

From having conversation with Aharon, Chengxue knew that he was no longer a human. Being able to produce demonic energy and being able to expend the symbol of certain devil clan were enough to prove that he already turned to devil. The next thing that he needed to know was the job that devil had. It was neccessary for him to determine his action in the future.

"Alright then. Anyway, I want to ask something. What do the devil do?"

"The devils are actually same with the other creatures that live in this world. We want to advance our faction and make it being respected with the other factions by any means. Some of the devils won't think twice to combat the other factions with the intention to conquer them. The rest of devils, like me, decided to enjoy the Post-Great War state and restore our population."

"I see. Then, what should I do? Now, I still live on the city that is ruled by a Youkai."

"I suggest you to train yourself, at least until you can perform the power of destruction properly. Meet me regularly through meditation. Look for me and I will teach you the tact to be a powerful devil."

Without waiting for Chengxue's response, Aharon disappeared from the mirror. At the same time, Chengxue's condition turned back to normal. His power of destruction no longer covered his right hand and the Bael clan symbol that was below his feet also vanished.

He brought his face closer to the mirror and look into it. He looked into the reflection of his face. He could clearly see that he still looked like a human. A little distrust about the fact that he was a devil grew in his heart.

'If I am a devil, why do I look like human?'

Chengxue thought that devil's appearance must be terrible like the visualizations in the popular culture. Because of that, he thought that it was strange that his appearance didn't change even though he already turned into devil.

When he contemplated about himself, he heard knocking sound on the door. He opened the door and saw that it was Yasaka. She wore a traditional shrine maiden attire that was covered by a white coat and closed by a red ribbon.

"Am I bothering you, Chengxue-san?"

"No, you don't, Yasaka-san. What's the matter?"

"I want to invite you to hang out with me. I need to talk with you. Do you have free time this evening?"

"Yes, I do. But, please give me several minutes to clean myself. I just wake up from my nap."

"Yes please. I'll be waiting for you."

Chengxue washed his body, while Yasaka waited for him at the living room. Within fifteen minutes, he was already ready for hanging out with her. He was brought to the Kyoto Festival. It was an annual event that was held in that city. At that festival, both of human and youkai that dwell in that city might enjoy every performance that was shown together.

"Chengxue-san, let's enjoy this festival together."

"How about your plan to talk to me, Yasaka-san? I thought that the plan should be more important than this."

"Relax, Chengxue-san. I heard that enjoying some moments together may ease the talk. So, let's try to prove it."

As a former assassin, Chengxue honestly felt a bit uncomfortable with Yasaka's deeds. On his previous life, he was always taught by his boss to do everything quickly. He didn't knew the 'relax' word. Doing the mission and training his skills were the only two things that he repeatedly did.

Chengxue looked at Yasaka. Finding no sign that she would relent, he decided to follow what she wanted to do. He remembered the advice of his mother that relenting didn't mean losing. After all, he didn't find something wrong from what Yasaka wanted to do.

Together with Yasaka, Chengxue enjoyed many things ranging from watching Japanese cultural shows and tasting some Japanese street foods. She looked so happy for enjoying the festival along with him, however she kept acting polite and didn't show her reaction excessively.

The sun went down as the sky turned into dark, indicating that it was night already. Chengxue and Yasaka came to a traditional Japanese tea shop. They ordered a Japanese tea set with two cups and relished it.

"How is the festival, Chengxue-san? Do you like it?" Yasaka brightly smiled to Chengxue.

"It's good, Yasaka-san. I like the festival. It reminds me of my childhood in which my parents always brought me to the Chinese New Year festival annually." At a glance, Chengxue remembered his past memory because of attending Kyoto Festival with Yasaka.

"I'm glad if you like it, Chengxue-san. Now, I think it's the right time to talk."

"I know it. What thing that you want to talk with me?" Chengxue directly ruled out his memory as he prepared to have a talk with Yasaka.

"I need your help for helping me countering Boryoku."

"Boryoku? What's that?"

"Boryoku is an organization that want to target me with the intention to extract my power and use it to make a weapon of mass destruction named Red Hare. They planned to destroy every creature of darkness, including us, the youkai."

Chengxue felt silence when he heard Yasaka's words. He couldn't think that the situation on his current life just like his previous life in which he was ordered to fight the opposite people. Suspicion towards Yasaka began to grow in his heart as he thought that she was just like his former boss, Shang Jiao who wanted to use him as a tool.

"They have kidnapped many children both from human and youkai race to be used as forced labors to make the planned weapon. We have tried our best to combat them. However, they are too strong to us since they are supported by a group named Hero Faction."

"Hero Faction? What is that?"

"I don't know. I haven't had any information about the Hero Faction yet. Even though, they haven't taken any direct action yet, they can't be understimated."

He directly erased the suspicion about Yasaka from his heart after he heard the reason why she needed his help. After all, she just wanted to protect and free the citizens of Kyoto from her opponents. He was steady to help her, believing that Boryoku and Hero Faction weren't good guys.

"All right. I'll help you, Yasaka-san. However, why do you approach me?"

"It's because I know that you aren't an ordinary man, Chengxue-san. You are a devil, especially the successor of Aharon Bael."

"How do you know about that?"

"Aharon-san is my friend. During his lifetime, he often came to here along with his partner, Lynna-san to visit me annually. Besides that, I also eavesdrop your conversation with him inside your room. So, I obviously know about your true identity."

That was a checkmate for Chengxue. Whereas, he intended to keep on low profile until he managed to control his demonic power well. But, it seemed that he couldn't hide his true identity from Yasaka. He didn't expect that Yasaka was a friend of his predecessor.

[I'm sorry for not telling to you before, but yes, the thing that she said is true. She is my friend and my ally]

Chengxue could hear a guttural and deep voice in his head. He recognized that voice very well. It was Aharon's voice. Thus, he closed his eyes and tried to comunicate with him within his mind.

'Can you explain to me what kind of alliance that you and Yasaka make?'

[The alliance to drive away the Fallen Angels from Kuoh Town and Kyoto. Previously, those two places are under the control of the Fallen Angels. I, along with my two siblings, the Gremory clan, and Sitri clan try to defeat them, but we can't. We then persuaded West Youkai Faction to help us and they are willing to assist us. As the result, we managed to win the battle and then we divided the two places, Kuoh Town for the devil and Kyoto for West Youkai Faction]

'Why are Yasaka and the other youkai willing to help you?'

[You can ask that by yourself. Let's talk another time. Otherwise, you are better to talk to Yasaka. Bye]

Chengxue could only sigh since Aharon cut off their communication unilaterally. He opened his eyes and found that Yasaka's face was already close to his. He could feel that he currently blushed and felt flustered. So, he kept his face away from hers and backed a few centimeters. Meanwhile, Yasaka couldn't help but giggle when she watched Chengxue's response. For her, his response was kinda funny.

"Why do you fluster like that?"

"Your face…it's so close with mine."

"Next time, I will do the thing that is further than that."

Of course, Chengxue knew what Yasaka meant. However, he decided not to give further response about that since he assumed that such conversation might become longer if he responded her words.

"Whatever, Yasaka-san. Anyway, I will join on your side. I will do all that I can to help you. Maybe I'm not a overpowered-hero since I haven't trained my demonic power yet, but at least, I've declared that I'll be your ally."

Yasaka felt happy when she heard Chengxue's response. She bowed herself in front of Chengxue to thank him.

"Thank you, Chengxue-san. I believe that your assistance would be worthy for us."

"Your welcome, Yasaka-san. Anyway, let's we go back to your mansion. It's seven o'clock already. You should go back and cook some food for Kunou. She might be hungry."

"Actually, I have cooked some foods for her dinner when you took your nap. But, I agree with you. We should go home now because I feel hungry already."

Yasaka paid the fee of the Japanese tea that she and Chengxue ordered. Chengxue hadn't had money yet, so he couldn't pay the fee. After that, they walked back to the Yasaka mansion to have their dinner.

On the way back to there, Chengxue thought that his journey was about to begin. He had agreed to help Yasaka and her youkai faction to face Boryoku and possibly, Hero Faction. Even though he was a top-rated assassin in his previous life, he realized that he was still a cub in this life.

Boryoku and Hero Faction were definitely not ordinary group. From the story that he heard from Yasaka, they managed to get her faction into difficulty in facing them. Therefore, he needed to grow quickly, so he could help her and the other youkai properly.

'Please take care of me, Aharon-san, Lynna-san. I need your guidance to be the good successor of yours.'

[Of course, I will make you as the strongest successor of mine!]