41 Back To School Walk

[Word Count: 1586]

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Walking in the early morning, Leo made his way to school, feeling the crisp cold air nipping at his skin while the sun slowly approached the horizon. The delicate balance between freezing and just being cold kept his body alert.

For weeks now, Leo's uniform had been reduced to wearing only the pants, with a hoodie serving as a substitute for the usual white button-up shirt.

In the distance, an alarm blared, accompanied by occasional ground-shaking thuds. Despite the nearby chaos, Leo stopped by a vending machine to grab a hot coffee, preparing himself for the day ahead.

Detecting Leo having a normal day seemed to set something off as the thuds got progressively closer and closer to his location and Leo couldn't help but let out a sigh.

Continuing his walk, Leo's attention was drawn to a murder of crows perched on an electrical cable, observing him and gazing towards the direction of the approaching thuds.

Giving his drink a shake, the warmth emanating from the can helped to reinvigorate his hands, granting him a renewed sense of dexterity.

Surveying his surroundings, Leo searched for something sharp, only to witness a building collapsing before him, revealing a horrifying entity. The Wire Devil emerged, its body composed of a tangled network of razor-sharp wires, writhing and intertwining with sinister intent.

Clearly injured and undoubtedly seeking its next meal, the Wire Devil locked its gaze on Leo. Bereft of a weapon, Leo absorbed the meager heat radiating from the coffee can, contemplating the easiest way out.

As the Wire Devil charged, its thunderous footsteps reverberated through the ground. Leo raised his hand and...

SNAP!

The devil emitted a smoky cough, stumbling and crashing onto the pavement, just missing Leo. Its wire-like appendages spasmed, striking the surrounding buildings and the vending machine from which Leo had obtained his coffee.

Attempting to roar, the Wire Devil spewed smoke from its mouth, its insides burning as Leo unleashed flames upon it. Steam billowed from its writhing body, intensifying the inferno within.

Gradually, the fire consumed the Wire Devil, leaving it motionless on the ground, its wriggling appendages stilled.

Leo shook the coffee can, hoping to salvage any remaining heat, observing the Wire Devil's lifeless form as the flames continued to consume the remains, clearing the path forward.

Yet, as content, as he was watching the fire gradually consume the defeated Wire Devil, a cough from behind, interrupted his reverie. Turning around, the sun revealed a trio of individuals standing just behind Leo. Its warm glow provided a perfect contrast, highlighting the figure of the woman in the middle, whose fiery red hair practically glowed in its radiance.

She, along with the people flanking her, donned long black coats that extended just below their knees, concealing suits underneath.

Glancing to her left, Leo instantly recognized that resting bitch face anywhere, with the scar on his mouth serving as a distinguishing feature.

However, the person to her right remained unfamiliar to Leo, lacking any notable features aside from the absence of their left eye.

Now, the woman in the middle appeared to be in her early twenties, boasting long, light red hair that shimmered against the backdrop of the sun. Her hair was loosely braided, with bangs gently grazing her eyebrows and two longer side bangs framing her face. From a distance, her figure almost appeared holy, almost.

Securing the chilled drink in his pocket, Leo and the woman in the middle found themselves locked in a classic standoff. Her unnaturally perfect smile contrasted with Leo's unyielding expression.

The man standing to the woman's right appeared visibly nervous, perspiration glistening on his forehead as Kishibe observed the situation with intrigue.

As the sun's rays reflected off the surrounding windows, signaling the end of their impasse, Leo raised his arm, prepared to snap his fingers, while the woman mimicked a gun with her hand, poised to make her move.

Before either of them could act, however, Kishibe's voice pierced through the tension. "Enough."

Leo tore his gaze away from the redhead and shifted his attention to Kishibe. "Yo, Kishibe. Who's the broad?"

Neither Kishibe nor the redhead reacted to Leo's comment, as Kishibe spoke again.

"We need to talk," Kishibe stated simply.

"Right now?" Leo inquired, to which Kishibe nodded. "Can't. I've got school at the moment. Maybe later?"

"I see," Kishibe responded before reaching for his flask.

Leo and the redhead maintained their finger-pointing stance as Kishibe took a sip from his flask.

"We'll discuss this later then. Do you know the location of the Devil Hunters HQ?" Kishibe inquired, stowing away his flask.

"No, but I'm sure I can grab a taxi to get there," Leo replied.

Just as Leo was about to walk away, the redhead spoke up.

"Devil contracts outside of Public Safety are illegal," she monotoned, addressing both Kishibe and Leo.

Ignoring her remark, Leo glanced back at Kishibe.

"Can I assume neither you nor the other old guy were involved with the Wire Devil just now?" Leo asked.

Kishibe shook his head. "Supervising," he simply stated.

Nodding in acknowledgment, Leo tossed the coffee can to the redhead, who deftly caught it.

"Drink it, you must be real dozed off if you let that low-tier devil escape," Leo taunted, then turned around and walked away.

With her almost piercing yellow eyes, the redhead watched as Leo receded into the distance, paying no attention to Kishibe and the other man walking away. Her face maintained that unnerving smile, never faltering.

Reaching the school just as the gate opened, Leo arrived right on time, saving himself the trouble of waiting. The teacher opening the gate was taken aback to see Leo among the early birds.

Rumors had circulated that Leo had run off to become a devil hunter, so it was surprising to see him back after such a long absence. The rumor wasn't entirely unfounded, given the surge of people joining the devil hunters following the Gun Devils parade across Japan. Many assumed Leo was one of them, considering his strength.

Lost in their own thoughts, the teacher failed to notice that Leo wasn't wearing the complete school uniform as he made his way to the entrance unhindered. Ignoring the curious glances from other students, Leo removed his shoes and entered the building, the mural from last month still adorning the walls.

Slipping his hands into his pockets, Leo's grip tightened. The encounter with the redhead had left a bitter taste in his mouth. Yuki's genuine smile, forever immortalized in the mural, clashed with the redhead's rehearsed, a fake smile from earlier.

Taking a deep breath, Leo walked away, determined not to let such a trivial matter ruin the rest of his day. He headed to class, knowing that he had the entire day ahead of him.

Upon entering the empty classroom, Leo took his seat and waited for what was inevitable. Less than ten minutes passed, and other students trickled into the class, taking their seats after recovering from their surprise at Leo's return. Finally, she arrived, accompanied by the little purple-haired thief behind her, Himeno.

"Leo?" Himeno practically gasped.

Adopting a stern expression, Himeno walked to her desk and arranged her belongings, while the purple-haired girl appeared on the verge of bursting with excitement.

With her things in order, Himeno made a beeline for Leo. "Where were you?" she practically yelled, her words laced with a hint of concern. "Everyone's saying you slaughtered a devil while I was away."

"Away," Leo answered, turning to the class he watched some of them look away.

The whole class seemed to be sweating nervously, caught up in the gossip that Himeno had picked up. Amid the panic, the purple-haired girl beamed with anticipation as Leo confidently lied, maintaining a straight face.

"That doesn't even come close to answering my questions. People are saying you crushed a moose's heart over... um... what was his name? Whatever, not important. They claim you poured blood on someone's head," Himeno's voice carried urgency, highlighting the gravity of the accusations.

Some students who had just entered the classroom upon hearing the commotion decided to intervene but immediately backpedaled upon witnessing Himeno confronting Leo about the events of last month.

"Alright, I'll admit it," Leo said, causing the class to swallow nervously. The purple-haired girl, on the other hand, looked shocked and disheartened—had he actually confessed to his actions?

"It wasn't blood; it was paint," Leo falsely confessed, much to the purple-haired girl's joy.

"Leo..." Himeno sounded like a tired parent scolding their child as she rubbed her temple. "Why would you do that?"

"He had it coming," Leo replied, glancing briefly around the room. "Where is that larper, anyway?"

Himeno let out a sigh before responding. "I don't know. They said he transferred to another school, so no one has seen him."

"Hmm," Leo hummed before asking a question of his own. "Where were you anyways?"

"I got sick, the..." Himeno hesitated looking at Leo and then at his desk. "The attack shut down the power in a few areas, mine was one of them."

"Hmm," Leo hummed again.

Not liking the atmosphere that hung in the air, Himeno quickly changed the subject, although she would soon come to regret that decision.

"Anyway, where were you? It's been a month since anyone saw you," Himeno inquired.

The purple-haired girl inwardly smirked, knowing she wasn't one of those people.

"Away," Leo answered vaguely.

"Come on, I answered your question. Now answer mine," Himeno protested.

Leo remained silent, wearing a pensive expression that unsettled Himeno.

"Inheritance issues," Leo finally replied, causing Himeno's expression to darken.

Before she could dwell on it further, the bell rang, and the teacher entered the room.

"Alright, class. Oh, Mr. Tsukumo, how nice of you to join us once again," the teacher greeted.

"Sure," Leo responded.

Taking charge of the class, the teacher instructed the students to take their seats.