Exorcist Cram School Enrollment arc

The Exorcist Cram School Enrollment Arc (祓魔塾入学篇) is the first arc of the Ao no Exorcist series.

Rin Okumura discovers the truth about his identity when his surrogate father, Shiro Fujimoto dies; he is then, along with his brother Yukio, put under the guardianship of Mephisto Pheles and is enrolled in True Cross Academy.

The Mockery of Satan
After an altercation with Reiji Shiratori's gang, Rin Okumura returns home to his brother, Yukio, and his adoptive father, Shiro Fujimoto, whom are both displeased to see that he's been getting into fights again. Shiro then lectures Rin on the importance of getting a respectable job, which causes an argument between the two of them; during the argument a nearby stove, being used to cook stew, mysteriously explodes. Later on, while Yukio is treating Rin's injuries, the brothers have a talk about their ambitions; Rin aspires to make himself respectable and Yukio suggests that he start by going to the job interview that Shiro arranged for him. Rin decides to go to the interview, but he doesn't know how to tie his necktie, so Shiro ties it for him while teasing him and then Rin leaves. While walking through the True Cross Campus Town Rin notices lots of Coal Tar in the air and wonders what they are and why no one else seems to notice them; later in an alley he runs into Reiji and his gang again, but he notices that Reiji now has horns and a tail. Reiji offers Rin money not to say anything about how he was killing pigeons, but Rin declines and tries to leave, but Reiji insists that he take it causing them to fight.

Reiji pulls out a knife and pins Rin to the ground, and just as he is about to cut him, Rin's body becomes covered in blue flames, which the possessed Reiji identifies as the flames of Satan. Soon Shiro appears chanting a verse from the Bible that Exorcises the Demon that was inside Reiji; he then states that Rin's power can no longer be suppressed by Kurikara. Seeing that Rin is confused Shiro explains to him what demons are, where they come from, and that he is the son of the strongest demon: Satan. They return home to the monastery where Shiro begins to pack Rin's belongings, saying that he can no longer stay there. Shiro gives Rin the demon slaying blade, Kurikara, and explains that when the sword is drawn Rin will return to his demon form; finally Shiro tells Rin to leave, but he refuses, insisting that it's all a joke. An argument ensues, until Shiro slaps Rin and tells him that it is no time for petty arguments, and that he should do as he is told. Just as Rin is about to leave Shiro falls to the floor, causing Rin to rush to his aid, but Shiro insists that he leave as quickly as possible. Rin stays and watches in horror as Shiro is possessed by Satan; the possessed Shiro then creates a gate to Gehenna and attempts to kidnap Rin. However, Shiro regains control of his body long enough to kill himself in order to save Rin. At Shiro's funeral Rin meets Mephisto Pheles, who tells him that, being the son of Satan, he has two options: kill or be killed; Rin however picks a third option that wasn't thought of before, he wants to become an Exorcist. Rin states that he is neither a human, nor is he a demon, so he'll have to be an Exorcist.

Welcome to True Cross Academy
Mephisto Pheles, as their new guardian, arrives to bring Yukio and Rin to True Cross Academy, and he explains to them that they cannot leave the campus without express permisson. As they arrive at the school Mephisto informs the boys that the matriculation ceremony will being shortly in the auditorium and he gives Rin his school uniform. After the entrance ceremony Rin goes to meet with Mephisto and asks him about how to become an Exorcist; Mephisto then tells him about the Exorcist cram school, which is separate, and kept secret, from the rest of the school. Mephisto warns Rin that his identity as the son of Satan must remain hidden, and then he transforms into a dog and leads Rin to the cram school. Rin arrives at his anti-demon pharmacology class to discover that Yukio is his teacher; the first lesson for this class is about receiving a Mashō, a wound from a demon, which allow you to see demons for the rest of your life. It is required to sustain a mashō in order to become an Exorcist, as such Yukio must make sure every student in his class has one and he plans on drawing out Goblins, using rotten animal blood, to give each student a mashō.

As Yukio begins to make a mixture of milk and the rotten animal blood to draw out a few goblins, Rin approaches him and demands that he explain himself; Yukio tells the students to leave, then explains that he became an Exorcist two years ago, began Exorcist training at the age of seven, and that he received a mashō from Rin on the day they were born. Rin grabs Yukio's arm and asks why he never told him about anything, but by grabbing his arm Rin caused Yukio to drop the vial of rotten animal blood. A horde of goblins appear, being attracted by the stench, and begin to attack the classroom; Yukio quickly begins to shoot the goblins and he eliminates the remaining goblins. Rin however follows him back into the room stating that they aren't done talking yet, he says that they haven't talked since Shiro died and he wants to know how Yukio actually felt about him since he knew everything that Rin didn't. Yukio responds by saying he considers Rin to be a danger to everyone and that he should either give himself up to headquarters, or just die; Yukio adds that Shiro's death is Rin's fault, because Rin was Shiro one and only weakness. After they both calm down Yukio ask what Shiro's last moments were like, Rin simply tells him that Shiro died protecting him. They leave the room to continue the lesson in a different classroom. Later on Rin goes to his dorm to find that Yukio is his roommate and that they are the only two people staying there. Yukio tells him that they are the only two there because he is dangerous and Mephisto wanted someone to keep an eye on him.

The following day, Rin is relaxing in his room reading manga, when Yukio rips the book out of his hands and reminds him that he should be studying the materials that he was given in his cram school classes. Rin, clearly not interested in studying, notices Yukio grab his coat and asks if he can go with him instead of staying in the dorm; Yukio hesitantly agrees that Rin can tag along and he uses a supplier's key to get to an Exorcist-only shop. Yukio tells Rin to wait outside of the gate for him and not to touch anything while he waits. While waiting Rin looks through the gate and sees a young girl tending to a beautiful garden, and he accidentally touches the gate; the gate shocks Rin, before it breaks, causing the girl to become terrified, because the gate only reacts to demons. Rin approaches the girl to reassure her that he is not a demon and when he does he notices something strange about her legs. Meanwhile, Yukio enters the store to purchase a large quantity of things and while he's there he asks about the young girl, Shiemi Moriyama. The woman in the store, Shiemi's mother, tells him that her legs have been like that since her grandmother died. Back in the garden, Shiemi is spreading manure while Rin tries to fix the gate he broke; Shiemi thanks him for helping her and asks if they can be friends. As Shiemi is telling Rin about her grandma's garden, Yukio comes outside and introduces Rinas his elder twin brother. After the introductions Yukio asks if he can take a look at Shiemi's leg problem, and he discovers that the "roots" on her legs are a mashō caused by a demon possessing a plant in the garden; also that the demon is leeching off of Shiemi's heart through the ground.

Shiemi's mother demands that she leave the garden at once, however Shiemi refuses and tells her mother that she hates her shortly before fainting. Yukio states that if they don't find and exorcise the demon soon, then Shiemi's life will be in danger. While Shiemi is asleep she dreams about her grandmother telling her about the amahara garden and the day she went to look for the amahara garden; when she returned from her search her grandma was dead. She remembers talking to a plant, which called itself a garden fairy, that asked her to lend it her power in order to protect the garden. She wakes up to Rin telling her that her mom is worried about her, but Shiemi frantically starts blaming her mother, claiming that all she was doing was protecting the garden; this makes Rin angry and he starts chopping away at some nearby plant in the garden. Shiemi yells at him to stop and when Rin asks her why, she tells him that it's her fault that her grandmother died, and that's why she has to protect the garden. Shiemi begins to cry and both Rin and Yukio tell her that they are going to get rid of the demon in her garden, but suddenly the demon takes over Shiemi and uses her as a shield. As the boys attempt to kill the demon it reminds them that they can't urt it without hurting Shiemi as well; Yukio responds by saying that he'll just have to shoot both of them then. As he shoots the demon releases Shiemi and Rin cuts the demon in two. Shiemi, now able to walk, goes to embrace her mother and apologize to her. The next day at the cram school Yukio introduces Shiemi to the class as a new student.

Rin is woken up in class, by the teacher, and hears Ryuji Suguro ask why Rin's even in the Exorcist cram school; Rin also falls asleep in his demon studies class and his grimoire studies class. In their demon pharmacology class Yukio hands back some tests that they recently took. Rin only got a 2% on his test and Ryuji tells him to try harder instead of trying to impress girls, and then Ryuji shows Rin his test score of 98%. In disbelief Rin states that a guy with an attitude like Ryuji doesn't get high scores on test; Ryuji responds that he comes to these classes and works hard to become an Exorcist. They continue arguing as they are dragged away from each other by Yukio, Konekomaru Miwa, and Renzo Shima. Later on as Rin and Shiemi are talking by a fountain Ryuji appears with Konekomaru and Renzo, and begins to antagonize Rin; their anger towards each other continues in their practical athletics class. During a training exercise, that involved Reapers, Ryuji kicks Rin in the back causing them both to fall to the ground, and once again they have to be pulled away from each other. As the teacher, Kaoru Tsubaki, goes to talk with Ryuji in private, Renzo explains to Rin what Ryuji's goals are and why he's so serious. Just as they are about to continue on with class Kaoru gets a call from his wife and leaves, telling them that they're taking a short break.

Before he leaves, Kaoru warns the class that, while usually docile, Reapers have a tendency of reading people's minds and attacking them; therefore he instructs them to stay away from the Reapers. Ryuji begins to complain that neither teachers or students at True Cross Academy take their studies seriously, which causes him and Rin to, yet again, argue. Then Ryuji comes up with a plan for Rin to prove that he is serious about becoming an Exorcist; all he has to do is walk up to the Reaper and touch it without it attacking him. Rin admits that it's an interesting idea, but refuses to do it, thinking to himself that he can't draw his sword to protect himself with other people around. Ryuji decides to do it anyways and tells Rin that he can sit by and watch like a coward. As Ryuji approaches the Reaper he becomes agitated and, sensing that, the Reaper attacks, but at the last second Rin jumps into the Reapers mouth and saves Ryuji. The Reaper lets him go and Rin tells Ryuji what his ambitions are. Later on, Mephisto is talking is talking with his brother, Amaimon, and it is revealed that they are both Satan's sons as well, and that they have plans for Rin.

The following day, in the demon pharmacology class, Yukio informs everyone that they will be going on summer break in a month and a half, but before that there is the annual Exwire exam. He tells them that the exam is difficult, but he is going to be holding a one-week training camp so that the class can prepare for it, which will be starting next week; Yukio then hands out a form that must be filled out in order to attend the training camp, on which the students must write down which Meister they hope to become. Confused, Rin asks what a Meister is, and Konekomaru and Ryuji explain the five different classifications of Meister to him, after which Rin decides he wants to become a Knight. Later on, in another class, it is discovered that both Izumo and Shiemi have the talent of calling out a familiar. Shiemi then asks Izumo to be her friend and Izumo agrees, but instead of actually treating Shiemi like a friend Izumo treats her like a personal servant.

One week later the class arrives at the all-but abandoned dormitories, where Rin and Yukio live, for the training camp. Izumo Kamiki suggests to Noriko Paku that they should go take a bath and Shiemi says she'll go with them, but when they arrive at the washroom Izumo asks Shiemi to wait for them outside, because she doesn't want Shiemi to see her naked; Izumo then says that Shiemi could go buy her some fruit milk for after the bath. Rin walks by and notices Shiemi waiting in the hall, so he asks her what she's doing. Shiemi avoids the question and attempts to leave stating that she has to go get fruit milk, but Rin grabs her arm and asks her to stop being Izumo's errand runner. Shiemi, with tears in her eyes, says that she just wants to help someone and that it's the first time she's ever made a friend; she then pulls her arm away and runs yelling that Rin wouldn't understand, and Rin chases after her. Meanwhile in the washroom, while Izumo and Paku are talking something drips on Paku's face; they look up to discover that there is a ghoul on the ceiling and they both scream in terror. Rin hears them scream and runs to help, telling Shiemi to go get Yukio. When Rin makes it to the washroom Izumo is about to get attacked by her familiar, but he stops them and makes her tear up the summoning papers. Shiemi bursts in the room, she ignored Rin and didn't get Yukio, and tells Rin to distract the ghoul while she treats Paku's injuries. Yukio and the rest of the class shows up just in time to scare off the ghoul before it can hurt anyone else and Yukio thanks Shiemi for treating Paku's wounds correctly, because she would've died otherwise.

The Exwire Exam
The morning after the incident in the girl's washroom Izumo asks Rin not to tell anyone about how he saw her crying and thanks him for helping her and Paku, she then gives him back his shirt that he gave to her the previous day. Izumo and Rin then go with Yukio to see Paku and give her some medicine. After giving her a shot Yukio and Rin leave and Rin asks Yukio about the ghoul that attacked yesterday; Yukio tells him that since it is a mid-class demon it shouldn't have been able to get into the school and that the situation is being investigated, but in the meantime they'll have to keep their guard up. Later on, in classes, Izumo is distracted and can't finish reciting a scripture, so Ryuji finishes reciting it for her; Izumo calls him a show off and they begin to argue. The fight escalates and Izumo attempts to hit Ryuji, but Rin stands in-between them and gets hit instead. Because of the scene Ryuji and Izumo caused the entire class was put in detention. While there the two of them continue to srgue, but suddenly the all the lights go out.

They all pull out there cell phones to use as a source of light and Renzo suggests they go find out what happened to the power, but when he goes to step out into the hallway the same ghoul from yesterday burts into the room and attempts to attack them again; however Nee creates a barrier to old the ghoul back. A second ghoul appears from the hallway and both ghouls attempt to make there way through Nee's tree barrier. Rin decides to go into the hallway and try to get the ghouls to follow him so that everyone else has a chance to escape, but only one ghoul follows him while the other one continues to try and get through the barrier. Knowing that most ghoul-type demons fatal verses are in the Gospel of St. John, Ryuji and Konekomaru decide to each recite half of it to stop the ghoul. In the basement, as he tries to turn the power back on, Rin discovers that the ghouls that have been attacking are actually Igor Neuhaus' familiars and, in a arge, he slays the ghoul that had been chasing him. Shiemi faints and the barrier disappears before Ryuji can finish reciting, but just before the ghoul can harm him the lights come on and startle it giving Ryuji just enough time to finish the demon's fatal verse. Rin returns to the room to make sure everyone is alright and Yukio comes in after him, and to everyone's surprise Igor enters the room as well.

As Rin is about to warn Yukio about Igor, Mephisto lands on Rin, kicking him in the nape of the neck, and interrupts him. Mephisto announces that he allowed the students to be attacked by ghouls as part the Exwire exam and that the results of the exam will be announced the next day. As they all worry about how they did on the test, thinking that they failed, Izumo reminds them about how Yukio emphasized the value of working together and tells them that if anyone failed she would; Ryuji reminds her that she at least helped, while Nemu and Yamada did absolutely nothing to help. Meanwhile Yukio questions why Igor deviated from the limits of the exam and Igor tells him that he was following orders given to him by Mephisto. That night Yukio goes to talk to Shiemi about picking which class of Meister she wants to become, but in the middle of their conversation he remembers something Neuhaus had said to him and they both rush back to the dorm where Rin and Yukio live.

While Rin is sleeping Igor Neuhaus uses his giant compass, that he uses for drawing summoning circles, and stabs Rin with it; Yukio stops him before he can do anymore harm and moves Rin to another room before going to fight Igor. As they fight Igor is able to distract Yukio long enough for him to summon his strongest familiar, an upper class Naberius. Rin arrives, sword drawn, and stabs the Naberius and then goes after Igor stating that he was an enemy all along, but before he can attack him Igor dowses Rin in holy water and the Naberius grabs him. Yukio destroys the magic circle from which the Naberius was summoned in order to save his brother. Then Rin holds his sword to Igor's throat and asks him who he is, it is revealed that Igor is a survivor of the blue night, but during the short time he was possessed by Satan he lost his family and his eye. Rin tells Igor that he will fight him as many times as he wants as long as he stops involving innocent people and then Igor leaves. The next day Mephisto announces that everyone has been promoted to Exwire and then he takes them all out to eat to celebrate.

Trivia

 * The anime's adaptation of this arc included several additions.
 * The first chapter was split into two episodes and included filler scenes of Rin working odd-jobs, him and Shiro running away from Astaroth, and Astaroth attacking the monastery.
 * There were two filler episodes that aired, one of which involved Ukobach, a familiar of Mephisto Pheles, and one that involved a trip to the beach and a battle with a Kraken; the latter episode was later adapted into its own short arc.