Ring! Ring!
The sound of the alarm clock echoed through the small apartment like a siren. Irritated, Cassius groaned and slammed his hand down on the offending device without opening his eyes.
Thud!
A brief silence followed… before a low mechanical chirp replied from his wrist.
Cassius cracked open one eye and stared at the glowing green interface of the Omnitrix. He muttered helplessly:
"…I hit the wrong target again."
He sat up slowly, muscles sore in places he didn't even know existed. His back ached slightly, and his legs felt like they'd been through a wind tunnel.
"Oh, right. First time using XLR8 for that long… Guess even with alien physiology, the recoil still hits."
He dragged himself out of bed, scratched his head, and shuffled over to the sink. Splashing water on his face did little to erase the tiredness clinging to him.
Still, despite the fatigue, there was a buzz under his skin. A residual thrill!
He remembered the speed, the clarity, the way the world bent around him — how the city slowed to a crawl while he became a blur. That high hadn't worn off yet. It lingered like adrenaline in his bones.
But It really sucked that he had to walk all the way back home last night after the Omnitrix timed out on him. Now he understood exactly why Ben Tennyson always seemed to have the worst luck.
"Such misfortune," Cassius muttered with a tired sigh.
To make matters worse, today was Monday — and not just any Monday, but a school day.
Cassius groaned internally.
Of all the things he despised, school ranked near the top. What was the point? You sat around for hours, learned a few things you'd probably never use, got asked what two plus two was, and were sent home with an ungodly amount of homework. And that was if the teacher was nice.
Having already survived high school once in his original world, the thought of going through it all over again filled him with dread. The recycled lectures, the pointless tests, and especially the teenage drama. It all felt like a rerun he couldn't skip.
"Why do I have to relive this crap?" He muttered as he quickly wore his school uniform, carried his bag and made his way toward Kuoh Academy.
At least this time, the school might come with devils and secret societies. Hopefully, that would keep things interesting.
Maybe.
It couldn't be helped. Cassius was really stepping into the lion's den.
He arrived at Kuoh Academy's front gate exactly at 8:00 AM. Standing there, waiting like gatekeepers to some hidden realm, were two striking young women.
The first was a slim girl with short, bob-cut black hair and violet eyes behind a pair of glasses. Her posture was sharp and composed, her expression unreadable.
Beside her stood another bespectacled girl — taller, with long, flowing black hair that trailed all the way down to her knees. She had a unique pair of heterochromic eyes: one violet, the other a pale brown, divided by neat, split bangs that framed her face like a curtain.
Both of them radiated an aura of strict discipline.
Both of them wore glasses.
And both of them fell squarely into the serious type category.
How scary.
Cassius recognized them immediately.
They were Souna Shitori and Tsubaki Shinra, the president and vice president of the student council, respectively.
But more importantly, they were devils.
Souna Shitori, whose real name was Sona Sitri, was the heiress of the prestigious Sitri Clan and the younger sister of Serafall Leviathan, one of the Four Great Satans and strongest devils. It was a fact few knew in the human world, and one he absolutely needed to keep to himself.
The last thing he wanted was to slip up and refer to her by her true name. That would raise all sorts of red flags.
Even calling her "Student Council President" might seem odd. After all, he was supposed to be a brand-new transfer student from overseas. How would he possibly know something like that already?
Suspicion kills. And Cassius had no intention of drawing unnecessary attention.
As for Tsubaki Shinra, she was Sona's Queen — the highest-ranking piece in her peerage — and a former member of the Shinra Clan, a family with an ancient lineage known for purifying evil spirits. Cassius couldn't recall every detail of her backstory, but he did remember the important parts: she had become a reincarnated devil, personally chosen and empowered by Sona.
Whatever the case, it seemed the two of them were taking attendance as students arrived, likely because this was the beginning of the second academic term.
Should I introduce myself?
Who could say no to being friendly, right? With a deep breath, Cassius adjusted his bag strap, lowered his gaze just enough to appear respectful, and stepped forward without making eye contact.
"Name?" Sona asked firmly with the tone of a well-oiled machine.
"Benjamin Tennyson Junior," he replied smoothly, inflecting his tone with just enough foreign lilt to sell the transfer student act.
Souna glanced down at the clipboard in her hands, flipped a page, and tilted her head like a penguin.
"Ah, so you're the new transfer student, I assume?"
Her violet eyes flicked up from the clipboard, scanning him briefly from head to toe.
Cassius offered a faint smile.
"Yep, that's me."
Tsubaki, standing just a half-step behind Souna, leaned forward slightly and adjusted her glasses.
"You're from America, correct?"
"That's right. Born and raised," he said with a casual shrug, keeping his tone light. "Still adjusting to the time zone, though. Jet lag's no joke."
Souna's gaze narrowed imperceptibly.
"You're fluent in Japanese."
"Watched a lot of anime," he said with a disarming grin.
That seemed to throw them off just enough. Tsubaki raised a brow. Souna's lips twitched ever so slightly. Not quite a smile, but a shift in expression Cassius noticed right away.
Sensing the opening, he chuckled and added smoothly:
"Ha! Just kidding. I mean, wouldn't it be wild if watching anime really could teach fluency? I hope you didn't take offense, just a little joke to break the ice."
Souna shook her head lightly.
"Not at all. I appreciate humor when used in moderation."
With that, she jotted something down on the clipboard, then looked back up.
"Your classroom is Class 3-B. You'll find it on the school map. Do try to be punctual, Mr. Tennyson."
"I'll do my best."
She handed him a folded piece of paper. It was a map of the school grounds, along with his schedule.
Cassius gave a small, respectful bow.
"Thank you."
He turned to leave, but Souna's voice followed him like a thread.
"Mr. Tennyson."
He paused mid-step and glanced over his shoulder.
"Yes?"
"If you require assistance adjusting to our curriculum or have any issues, don't hesitate to speak to me or Vice President Tsubaki."
"So you're members of the student council?" Cassius acted like he was surprised.
Souna nodded.
"Indeed. I serve as the Student Council President while Ms. Tsubaki is the Vice President."
Cassius tilted his head.
"Ah, I see. But what are you two doing standing at the main entrance?"
This time, it was Tsubaki who answered his question.
"Kuoh Academy places great value on discipline and order. On the first day of each term, the Student Council oversees student entry to ensure punctuality and resolve any administrative issues. It is part of our responsibility."
"Sounds… thorough," Cassius replied, trying to keep the wariness out of his tone. Inwardly, he couldn't help but think: So basically, you're monitoring everyone coming through the gate. Classic devil behavior.
Well, what am I saying? Am I expecting Japan to be the same as America? This probably happens in other schools too, I think.
Despite his thoughts, he offered a grateful nod.
"Thanks for the explanation."
Tsubaki adjusted her glasses and replied with an impenetrable expression.
"You're welcome."
Why are you always adjusting your glasses? Are they really that uncomfortable? Wait, these girls are devils, right? So why do they even need glasses when they have excellent eyesight?!
He wanted to scream. But of course, there was no way he was going to express his inner thoughts out loud.
As Cassius turned again and began walking toward the building, he felt the weight of their gazes lingering on his back.
But that was fine.
He had expected as much.
Even if he tried to keep a low profile, being a new transfer student — especially one from overseas — was bound to draw attention. And in a place like Kuoh Academy, nestled within a town ruled by devils, it made perfect sense for them to assess everything carefully.
Come to think of it, they had probably already noticed something unusual. After all, he had transformed into XLR8 and zipped across the entire town in search of a Hero Candidate.
The good news? He could now say with absolute certainty that none of them were hiding in Kuoh Town.
The bad news? He still had no idea where they were hiding or what they were planning. For all he knew, the Hero Candidates might have already taken control of the region where they spawned.
...Unlikely so.
But they had almost certainly already begun making their move.
And that wasn't the only concern.
There were other factors Cassius had to consider like the the Gods, the Fallen Angels, the Devils… and, more importantly, Chaos Bridge, an organization led by a Dragon God, one of the most powerful beings/species in this world, if not the most powerful.
Looking at it, his schedule was certainly packed.
He exhaled softly.
"For now, let's just blend in. Stay quiet, stay mysterious," Cassius muttered to himself as he followed the map through the hallways of Kuoh Academy. The school was incredibly pristine with the floors polished to a shine, walls gleaming with banners and notices. The morning sun poured through the windows in long, slanted rays that warmed the corridors.
Eventually, he found Class 3-B.
Taking a moment, he inhaled, straightened his tie, and slid the door open.
The classroom fell momentarily silent as all eyes turned to him.
A teacher stood at the front.
A balding man with a round face and perpetually tired eyes. He peered at Cassius with the kind of expression that said "I was told there would be a transfer student, but I wasn't ready to care this early in the morning."
"Hmm. You must be the new transfer student from America, correct?" the teacher asked in a flat tone.
Cassius nodded.
"Yes, sir. That's me."
"Is that so? You're actually right on time. Go ahead and introduce yourself."
"Ah, right."
Cassius stepped forward and stood at the front of the classroom. The moment he faced the class, he felt the weight of a dozen pairs of eyes settle on him.
... Geez. So not the drama.
A prickle ran down his back, but he managed to swallow it down. All gazes in the classroom were focused on him and all at once they started to evaluate Benjamin Tennyson. That was the unavoidable fate of a transfer student.
Still, there were some pair of eyes that cut through the rest like a blade. He felt them instantly.
Ah...
He didn't even have to look to know who they belonged to.
Rias Gremory and Akeno Himejima.
Ironically, they were the two most popular girls at Kuoh Academy. But more importantly, they were high-class devils and central figures in the story of High School DxD.
Given the sheer number of hardcore fans they had, both in the real world and this one, you'd think they were dimensional celebrities. Honestly, they had the looks to back it up. Either of them could've easily walked into a modeling agency and walked out with a million-dollar contract.
...They really stand out after all.
Their presence was definitely magnetic to say the least. Rias, with her crimson hair and noble aura, carried herself like royalty even in a school uniform. And Akeno was graceful, soft-spoken, and dangerously sadistic when she wanted to be, she was the textbook definition of elegance with a spark of chaos.
To the average student, they were goddesses.
To Cassius, however, they were walking red flags wrapped in irresistible packaging.
And unfortunately, he'd just walked straight into their story.
Ugh... Cassius sighed inwardly. He then cleared his throat and introduced himself with a gentle smile.
"Hey, nice to meet you all. I'm Benjamin Tennyson Junior, but just call me Benjamin or Ben for short. I hope we can all get along and have a wonderful experience."
At this moment, he truly made his debut.