"Hmm, this tonkatsu is actually pretty good," Ethan said, picking up a piece of golden, crispy fried pork. "Basara, want a piece?"
"Thanks." Basara took it and offered, "Ethan, try the salmon. It's fresh, sliced thin, and has a great texture."
Ethan looked at the raw fish and shook his head. "Nah, I'll pass."
"Would you say yes if a girl offered it?" Basara joked.
In reality, Ethan just didn't like raw food. In Japanese cuisine, he preferred fried items like tempura and tonkatsu. Sashimi was the one thing he couldn't stand. Even some native Japanese people disliked raw fish, so Basara didn't push it.
The two didn't get to hang out just as guys very often because Ethan was usually surrounded by his harem. It was a nice change of pace. No need to worry about being "fair" to everyone.
Ethan took a bite of white rice and some tonkatsu before asking, "So, Basara, you know those Nonaka sisters who transferred today, don't you?"
Basara swallowed his food before answering. "Yeah. We were in the same training group back in the Hero Village."
"Childhood friends, huh? And a pair of sisters at that."
"Childhood friends... I guess you could say that." Basara sighed. "I only lived in the village for a year or so. After an accident, we lost contact."
"What kind of accident?" Ethan's eyes sharpened.
Basara hesitated, but considering Ethan already knew about his parents and his cousins, this secret didn't seem that important. "The Hero Clan uses spiritual energy, but usually, it's not enough to fight devils. We need 'Relics' to stand a ground."
"Relics?" Ethan paused. "Like that Brynhildr you have?"
"Yeah."
Ethan rolled his eyes. "Just call it a Sacred Gear."
"Sorry, habit," Basara laughed, scratching his head.
When Ethan first met the Toujou father and son, he had researched the Hero Clan. He found that their ability to summon weapons and armor was essentially just using Sacred Gears and their Balance Breaker forms. The only difference was that their gears were hereditary. When a user died, the gear was recovered by the clan rather than randomly manifesting in a new host.
Ethan listened as Basara told the story. The accident was similar to Ethan's memory, but with a few changes. An S-class "Evil Spirit" that had been sealed in the village broke free. Basara's father, Jin, wasn't in the village at the time. The other heroes fought back but were being slaughtered. Basara watched his friends fall until he saw the spirit lunging at Yuki. In his desperation, his Banishing Shift ability went berserk.
He saved Yuki and the village and was chosen by the demon blade Brynhildr, but his clan turned on him. They feared his power was too dangerous. He was imprisoned and eventually exiled along with Jin.
In this world, however, the S-class monster was stopped with fewer casualties. Basara's contribution was recognized, but it also highlighted how dangerous his uncontrolled power was. Once he got Brynhildr, the village feared a loss of control, so they let Jin take him away.
Ethan found this version much more logical. One S-class monster wiping out an entire hero village would have meant everyone but Jin was useless. If the clan were that weak, they wouldn't even be a factor in this world's power balance.
"If you know them, why didn't you say hi?"
Basara finished his food and took a drink of water. "I know them, but we aren't close. Plus, I suspect they were sent by the village on a mission. I don't want to get involved until I know what they're up to."
Ethan nodded and went back to eating slowly. He had developed a habit of eating in small, refined bites from spending so much time with the girls.
"I don't think they'll be easy to 'conquer' though," Basara whispered. "But if you're interested, start with Kurumi. She acts like a brat, but she's much easier to deal with than the cold Yuki."
Ethan did have designs on them. They were exactly his type, and he still had spots in his peerage. But he didn't agree with Basara's assessment. A virgin trying to teach me how to pick up girls? Hilarious.
Both Yuki and Kurumi were simple village girls. Yuki might look cold, but she had the potential to be a "yandere." Developing a real relationship might be hard given Ethan's reputation, but "conquering" them was a different story.
While the guys were in the cafeteria, Rias was interviewing the sisters.
"What brings the Hero Clan here so suddenly?" Rias asked, leaning back in her chair.
Yuki Nonaka replied, "We are here to monitor everyone, specifically your unique servant with the 'dual cultivation' ability."
Rias's brow twitched. "I don't believe we've violated any treaties."
Kurumi looked at Rias's impressive chest with a bit of envy but maintained a serious tone. "The power gathered here has exceeded the danger threshold. It could cause irreparable damage to the human world at any moment."
Every faction had limits on the power they could keep in the human realm to prevent catastrophic incidents. Because of Ethan's ability, everyone in the club was at least SS-class. Combined with the Naruse sisters, Basara, and Ravel's new peerage, it was a force to be reckoned with. Even the local Hero branch wasn't this strong. After the news of Kokabiel's death spread, it was natural for the Hero Clan to panic.
Yuki added calmly, "If you had already violated the treaty, we would be here for an investigation, not just monitoring."
Akeno flipped through some files. "We haven't received any official notice."
"It was a last-minute decision by the village. The paperwork will follow."
Rias thought for a moment. "I understand. But 'monitoring' can only officially begin once the paperwork arrives."
"I'll push the village to hurry," Yuki agreed.