When Sona directly invited him to join her peerage, Akira was honestly caught off guard.
"That's… pretty forward, huh? It's only our second meeting. You don't even know who I really am, what kind of person I am, and yet you're already inviting me to be your subordinate?" (Akira)
"I'm sorry, but I don't have any plans to become a reincarnated devil. Living as an ordinary human is still pretty enjoyable for me." (Akira)
"A rejection, huh? That's fine. But if you ever change your mind, feel free to come see me." (Sona)
"Understood, Sona-kaichou." (Akira)
Sona didn't seem disappointed in the slightest.
Or rather, it was likely that the invitation had been made on impulse. If Akira had accepted right away, she probably would've grown suspicious.
Sona didn't dislike confident people—in fact, the more confident someone was, the more likely they had "something hidden."
"If you know who Kaichou really is, then you must be strong yourself, right? How about we have a quick spar?"
A spirited voice called out from the side—a girl with short pink hair and an intense, fiery aura.
"My name is Tomoe Meguri, Kaichou's Knight. Nice to meet you."
"I'm Shin Akira. Likewise." (Akira)
"So? You up for a duel?"
Tomoe Meguri was practically bouncing with anticipation. As a swordswoman, she loved to fight—especially against strong, unfamiliar opponents. That was the only way to grow stronger.
"Tomoe-san, you're being too reckless. You can't just challenge someone to a fight like that."
"But Kaichou~!" (Meguri)
Sona's tone sharpened just a bit—and Meguri fell silent immediately.
Within the Student Council, Sona's authority was absolute. She wasn't just their president—she was their master.
"It's fine. If Tomoe-san is interested, I see no reason to refuse her. I just arrived, after all. It wouldn't be right to reject someone's goodwill." (Akira)
"Really!? Yay!" (Meguri)
Meguri lit up with excitement and even grabbed Akira's hand, dragging him out of the room at full speed.
Sona and Tsubaki exchanged glances—then gave a small, knowing smile.
Truth be told, Sona was also curious—just how strong was Shin Akira?
Thanks to Meguri's sheer energy, the group arrived at the kendo club's dojo. Aside from being a Student Council member, Meguri was also the captain of Kuoh Academy's kendo club.
Both of them stepped onto the sparring platform. Meguri grabbed a bokken from the weapon rack, then turned to Akira with a clear expression that said: "Pick your weapon too."
"Uh… I don't know swordsmanship." (Akira)
"Oh really? Then let's go with hand-to-hand." (Meguri)
Without hesitation, Meguri set her bokken down, looking fully ready for a barehanded fight.
"No need. Feel free to use whatever weapon you like. I have my own." (Akira)
"Huh? Your own weapon? Are you a Sacred Gear user?" (Meguri)
"Something like that." (Akira)
"A Sacred Gear, huh…? No wonder Kaichou took an interest in you."
Meguri's eyes widened in admiration.
Sacred Gear users weren't unheard of, but humans who were born with one were exceedingly rare.
In fact, within Sona's entire peerage, only Shinra Tsubaki possessed a Sacred Gear—Mirror Alice.
Sona—who had just entered the dojo—was visibly surprised at Akira's casual admission. Now she understood why Rias had shown interest in him. If he truly was a Sacred Gear wielder, then with just a little training, he had the potential to become a high-level combatant in the near future.
After all, Sacred Gears could perform miracles in battle. Their power came from the will and determination of their user. In a desperate situation, they could awaken to incredible heights.
"In that case, I can't afford to go easy. You don't mind if I use a real blade, do you?"
Meguri grabbed a case sitting on a nearby table, opened it, and revealed a gleaming katana. Its blade shimmered with a sharp, intimidating gleam—this was no ordinary weapon.
"Of course not. Go ahead." (Akira)
"Perfect! He's eager to cut loose too!" (Meguri)
Akira glanced at the katana in Meguri's hands, its cold glint catching his eye. Internally, he let out a small sigh.
"Why does Japanese always lump all swords under 'ken'? A katana and a sword are not the same thing..."
"Well then… I'm coming at you!" (Meguri)
Meguri kicked off the floor, dashing straight at Akira at lightning speed.
Behind Akira, a golden magic circle spun into existence. From it, chains of radiant gold shot out—Chain of Heaven had been summoned.
The chains intercepted Meguri's blade with a loud clash of metal-on-metal.
The battle wasn't over yet—more chains emerged from various directions, swarming toward Meguri like hunting serpents.
Seeing that, Meguri planted one foot on the ground and twisted her body midair, performing a flawless backflip to evade them all.
She charged again with pinpoint accuracy—her second assault, fast and sharp.
But Akira didn't budge an inch.
Without moving from his spot, he calmly summoned and directed the golden chains, orchestrating their movements for both defense and attack.
It was only his second time using the technique, but already, he controlled it like an extension of his own body.
Every chain responded perfectly to his thoughts—twisting, encircling, restraining, striking—just like additional arms and legs.
Truthfully, Akira hadn't accepted this duel out of politeness.
There were two reasons.
First, to test if defeating an opponent in a duel would increase his Template progress.
Second, to reaccustom himself to real combat situations.
That thought hadn't even crossed his mind.
It was a kind of absolute confidence. Part of it came from arrogance—as someone who knew this world's "script," he saw most of the people here as glorified NPCs.
The other part… came from the Inherited Template of Enkidu.
Enkidu, the holy being molded from clay by the gods. Born from the will of Anu, King of the Sky, and shaped by Aruru, the Goddess of Creation.
A divine construct given a human form by a sacred priest—one who came to understand humanity through the experience of love.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call Enkidu the gods' ultimate masterpiece. Though he referred to himself as merely a "weapon," no one could deny that he was a true hero—equal in stature to King Gilgamesh.
And now, Akira had inherited that Template... and with it, a fragment of that divine essence.
After all, Enkidu was known as the Shadow of the King, standing beside the Golden King of Uruk.
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