Chapter 8:

Conviction

The Demon Hunting Club


With the Culture festival postponed indefinitely, which is to be entirely expected what with an unknown individual practically tearing the school apart from the inside, I found myself suddenly granted free time over the weekend to do whatever I wanted. Usually, that would amount to nothing, maybe a trip to the library of something similar, but most of my spare time is spent indoors, and I had hoped that today would be no different.

Had hoped being the operative phrase there, as I'm sure you've surmised, since no sooner had I woken up on Sunday morning, my father burst into the room, shock and confusion plastered all over his face.

“K-Kuro-kun, there's a, uh, young woman dressed in full armour outside asking, well, demanding really, to see you.” He tells me, and of course, there's only one person who matches that description.

“Date-senpai...” I mutter to myself, before dragging myself over to the window, where I do indeed find that woman stood outside. She seems to notice me as well, since she waves at me. “What are you doing outside my house!?” No, wait there's a more important question here! “And how did you even find out where I live in the first place!?”



“Your home address is listed upon the student register, of course!” Date answers my question once I've gotten dressed and, reluctantly, met her outside. “It was a simple matter of getting my hands on that, and, I, of course, am more than capable of such a thing! Wahaha!”

Isn't that a major breach of privacy? And security, for that matter! How would somebody like her even...

“Kato-sensei!” I yell into the heavens.

“Indeed, my daring heist was aided by an inside woman, but I would ask you keep that fact to yourself. Her assistance to the club is invaluable, and I'm certain I need not tell you that her losing her position as a teacher would be a major detriment!”

“So you admit what you did was wrong!?”

“A crime committed for the greater good is no crime at all, young Sekigahara, you would do well to remember that!”

No, you'd do well to forget it!

“So, why did you steal my private information?” I ask, “If it's just to make a home visit, I'm calling the school. And the police.”

“Wahaha! Such dubious threats fall upon deaf ears, Sekigahara, for there is indeed a reason of great importance for which I have called upon you today.” Date flashes a wicked grin in my direction. “Dear Sekigahara, we're going hunting!”

“Hunting? After what happened yesterday?” I ask, I'm still covered in bruises, since my injuries weren't so severe as to warrant healing from Kato.

“Wahaha! Do not worry the dark haired head that no doubt gave you your apt name! This will not be an unsanctioned solo expedition between a rookie and a non-combatant! The entire club is gearing up for this hunt post-haste!”

Okay, first of all, I was given my name before I had any hair, and second, if there's two people, it's not a solo excursion at all!

But I should know better than to argue with Date by now, shouldn't I? Let's go hunting, I guess...


~~~


According to Date, well trained, expert hunters such as herself have a sort of sixth sense for the presence of demons. I'll no doubt have to double check that fact with Konishi or Mei or somebody once we reach our destination, a shopping mall at the south end of the main shopping district. It's not been there very long, but everyone I talk to about it (read: overhear talking about it) always talk about how nice it is that the town finally has some trendy clothing stores and the like, and even I've got to admit they have a point, everywhere before was traditional and clearly targeted the older demographics of the town. It's become the main haunt of the more socially adept students of Kitaminami High for that exact reason, and it seems the term 'haunt' has never been more appropriate for it.

“Oh, there they are!” Konishi seems to be the first person to notice Date and I, and waves us over.

“Took you long enough.” Mei scowls, and I feel that comment was aimed squarely at me, with no regard for Date whatsoever. Is it bad that I'm kind of getting used to her by now?

“Well, you try having somebody dressed like Date unexpectedly show up at your door.” I mutter. “Just having to explain her getup to my dad added about ten minutes.”

“Wahaha! The elder Sekigahara clearly has no sense of style or fashion!” Date announces, and I utter a silent apology to my father for associating with the likes of her. “However, we are not here to discuss Sekigahara's father, are we? No! We are here to fulfil our duties as the Kitaminami Demon Hunting Club!” She turns to Fukada, who's been looking at a small handheld device this whole time. “Fukada! Status report!”

“Demon. Inside. Danger Level: 2½.” Why, of all people, would you have Fukada as the intel agent? I mean, sure, based on my experience, she's far and away the smartest senior member of the club, but isn't the point of a status report to give information!?

“Good work, Fukada.” Date says with a nod, her voice more serious than I've ever heard before by an order of magnitude. “Okay team, huddle up.”

I can't help but notice how conspicuous we are, but if Date says huddle up, then I'm huddling up. I'm sure if Nishida could see me now, grouped up with what he calls the three hottest girls in school and his sister, he'd probably pose a bigger risk to my own well-being than even 100 demons.

“From what my incredible senses are telling me, the demon has constructed a labyrinth inside the shopping mall” Date instructs.

“A what?” I ask.

“Labyrinth's are... they're sort of like a demons den. They exist in the space between the physical and spiritual world.” Konishi explains. “Most demons will make them, and only venture outside when they've detected a human to eat.”

“There is most likely one inside the school as well. One that is accessed via reflections and windows.” Date adds. “That is how our Lover Demon discovered you.”

“Please don't call her that. You'll give people the wrong idea.”

“I am afraid that is impossible, until we narrow down the exact nature of the demon that attacked you.” Date tells me.

“It's not meant to make fun of you, Sekigahara-kun. 'Lover' is a category of demon, based on their powers and where and who they choose to hunt.”

“However, this demon is, based on it's chosen hunting grounds, most likely a 'Spender' or 'Gambler' type demon. They often choose people who are rich, or otherwise willing to spend their money frivolously as their targets.” Mei adds.

“Okay, I think I get it. Demons are split apart into different categories based on their targets? Is that based on the regret that turned them into a demon?”

“Indeed. Spender types were often destitute in life due to circumstances outside of their control, and Gambler types were in the same boat, but due to their own habits. However, they were not necessarily gambling addicts, they may have simply had expensive lifestyles they could not actually afford.” Date tells me. “Furthermore, no two demons, even ones within the same category, are the same. Their powers are down to the exact nature of their regrets, while the categories simply exist to note similar habits between different demons.”

“Okay... alright, that's a lot of information, but I'm pretty sure I follow.” I say. “So this demon could have any sort of powers? How do we plan out our own attack, then?”

“Well, planning isn't exactly our strong suit.” Date admits. “We're more the 'relentless assault' type of hunters.”

Oh... fantastic.

“In any case, we have spent quite enough time explaining simple concepts that would have best been explained before they were absolutely nessesary!” Date announces, breaking her own huddle and sending the rest of us off balance without a care in the world. “Kitaminami Demon Hunting Club! Forward march!”

Does she have to announce our club's existance to anyone within earshot!? Aren't demon hunter's supposed to operate in secret!?


~~~


Once inside the shopping mall, I'm surprised to find it to be completely ordinary. I guess if you could tell a demon had made a nest somewhere just by looking, a lot more people would know they existed. Still, nobody seems to be paying much mind to the group of teenagers led by a girl in full samurai cosplay. I guess some sort of Demon Hunter magic is keeping us from being noticed by ordinary people?

“'Morning, Date-chan.” Or maybe not, since one of the cleaners greets the most conspicuous member of the group like she's an everyday occurrence. “Isn't your school's culture festival s'posed to be on today?”

“I'm afraid it was cancelled, Yamada-san. Unforeseen circumstances.” Date responds, all of her eccentricities seemingly suppressed.

“Ah, that's a shame. What happened?”

“Our school was vandalized! Can you believe it? I mean, who'd do such a thing?”

“Well, youngsters are causing all sorts of trouble these days. The world's turned upside down, if you ask me.” The cleaner, Yamada, clicks his tongue. “Oh, not all youngsters, of course, you're a model citizen, and I'm sure all your friends are, too.”

“That's very nice of you to say, Yamada-san, but I really must be going.”

“Oh, of course, don't let this old man and his complaints get in the way of your day off, you five have fun now!”

“What the hell was that?” I ask as soon as Yamada's out of earshot.

“It would be unbecoming to not show my elders due respect.” Date tells me, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Need I remind you that she was calling my father out for a lack of fashion sense not five minutes ago, and just because he was rightfully confused by her clothing choices!?

“People are used to seeing Date-senpai around town from her hunts and investigations.” Konishi adds. “So I guess they're also used to her, uh, eccentricities.”

I guess it also helps that she's so upbeat and personable all the time. I know I often make complaints about her, but she's definitely a hard person not to like, and it's the things I complain about the most that make up the biggest part of that fact. I'm well aware of the fact that makes no sense, but I'm also getting used to the fact that, despite the way I've lived my life up until now, when Date and the rest of the demon hunting club are involved, things don't necessarily have to make sense. And that's okay. Running around after things that shouldn't realistically exist, using fantastical powers to fight them, all of these things are, if looked at from my rationalist point of view, impossible, and yet I know that they're happening because I'm a part of them.

Date, with all of her nonsensical eccentricities. Konishi, with her peppy attitude that goes out the window whenever something even remotely serious happens. Mei, who, despite clearly painting all men with the same broad brushstroke, has quietly accepted me into the group. Fukada, who barely says a word, but still has a powerful conviction behind each thing she says. And now, I guess, I can count myself among them, the rationalist who has to explain everything with science and logic, who fights demons with a robot arm and magic swords. Our disparate, bizarre quirks all mesh together, despite all logic and reasoning saying we should constantly be at each others throats. This group of weirdos are all working together to protect this town from monsters that only we are aware of. If I meet that Lover Demon again, I won't falter in my description of myself, I am more aware of my identity than ever before. I'll tell her this;

My name is Kuro Sekigahara. I am sixteen years old. There is no reason for me to ask for a girlfriend, as my life is fulfilled enough with the platonic relationships I have. I am aware of the existance of demons, and have called you here for a single reason. To do what I must as a proud member of the Kitaminami Demon Hunting Club.”

With that conviction in my heart, I joined my comrades en route to the top floor of the Shopping Mall, where we found a font of oppressive energy tucked away in the corner.

“That's it.” Mei says. “The entrance to the labyrinth.”

“People who would make good food for it's resident demon are drawn to this place, where they get lost inside, and made prey.” Date explains. “And it is our duty, as demon hunters and protectors of this town, to end the pain and suffering it causes.”

The rest of us nod in agreement, and, as a team, make our way into the Labyrinth.

My first hunt as an official member of the Demon Hunting Club was about to begin.

Verson
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