Playing With Fire

Kazuma's body tensed, but he kept his expression casual. His mind raced as he locked eyes with the high-class stray devil lounging on the rooftop.

Kuroka.

A nekomata with enough power to slaughter entire squads of trained exorcists. A fugitive, wanted by the Underworld. And, perhaps most importantly—completely unpredictable.

Her golden eyes gleamed with mischief as she stretched, her cat-like tail swaying lazily. "Mmm~ You don't look like much, but you've got my interest, nya~"

Kazuma tilted his head. "Should I be flattered or worried?"

Kuroka giggled, resting her chin on her hand. "Both~"

Yeah, that sounded about right.

Kazuma's instincts screamed at him to be careful. Kuroka wasn't the type to attack unprovoked—she preferred toying with her prey first. But if she decided he was worth killing, there wasn't much he could do about it.

At least… not yet.

Still, the fact that she was here at all raised some serious questions. Why was she watching him? Was it random curiosity, or was there something more to this encounter?

Kazuma exhaled, shaking off the tension. If she wanted to talk, he'd play along—for now.

"You've been watching me for a while, haven't you?" he asked.

Kuroka smirked, hopping down from the rooftop with feline grace. "Maaaybe~ But can you blame me? A cute little human playing with stray devils? That's not something you see every day, nya~"

She closed the distance between them in a blink, circling him with slow, deliberate steps. Kazuma forced himself to remain still, even as his instincts screamed at him to move.

If he ran, she'd chase.

If he attacked, she'd destroy him.

So instead, he did the only thing that might actually work.

He stayed calm.

Kuroka leaned in, her warm breath tickling his ear. "You don't smell like a normal human, you know~"

Kazuma smirked. "I shower regularly. Maybe that helps."

Kuroka blinked before bursting into laughter.

"Ooh~ I like you already, nya~!" She pulled back, grinning. "You're not just some dumb, scared little human. That's refreshing."

Kazuma relaxed—just slightly. She was entertained, which meant she wasn't about to kill him. Yet.

But that didn't mean he could let his guard down.

Kuroka studied him for a moment before tilting her head. "Ne, Kazuma-kun~ What are you really after?"

Kazuma raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

She smiled, but there was an edge to it. "You're training, fighting strays, growing stronger… but you're not a devil, not an exorcist, and definitely not some clueless human. So tell me~ What's your goal?"

That was a loaded question.

Telling the truth was out of the question. He wasn't about to announce, "Oh yeah, I got reincarnated here and plan to shake up the whole supernatural world."

Instead, he chose his words carefully.

"I'm making sure I don't die."

Kuroka blinked, then grinned. "Fufufu~ How straightforward. I like that~"

Her tail flicked behind her as she moved even closer, invading his personal space without hesitation. "So, Kazuma-kun~ How about a deal?"

Kazuma's fingers twitched. "I'm listening."

Kuroka smirked, her golden eyes gleaming. "You're weak right now, but I see potential. I could teach you a thing or two~ Maybe even help you survive in this crazy world."

Kazuma narrowed his eyes. "And what do you get out of it?"

She giggled, tapping a finger against her lips. "Mmm~ Let's just say I like collecting interesting people. And you, my little human, are very interesting~"

This was a test.

Kuroka wasn't offering this out of kindness. She was probing him, seeing how he'd react. If he showed weakness, she'd lose interest. If he acted too cocky, she might decide to crush him for fun.

Kazuma smirked. "Sounds tempting. But how do I know you won't just kill me when you get bored?"

Kuroka pouted, placing a hand on her chest. "Nyaa~! That hurts, Kazuma-kun~ I'm a lady, you know. I wouldn't just kill someone without a good reason."

Kazuma chuckled. "Somehow, that doesn't make me feel better."

She gave him a playful wink. "Then let's make things fun, nya~"

Before he could react, she moved.

In an instant, her claws were at his throat.

Kazuma didn't flinch.

His heartbeat spiked, but he refused to show fear.

Kuroka stared at him for a long moment, then—

She smiled.

"Good~ You passed." She pulled her hand back, her claws vanishing. "Most humans would have pissed themselves by now, but you? You didn't even blink. That means you're either really brave…" Her grin widened. "...or really crazy~"

Kazuma let out a slow breath. "Maybe both."

Kuroka giggled. "Nyaa~ Now you're making me really curious. Alright, Kazuma-kun~ I'll keep an eye on you. Let's see if you're worth my time."

With that, she turned on her heel and vanished into the night, her laughter lingering in the air.

Kazuma stood there, exhaling sharply.

That was way too close.

But at least he had come out of it alive.

And more importantly…

Kuroka was watching him now.

Whether that was a good thing or a bad thing was yet to be seen.