Omniscient POV,
Inside a humble yet quietly radiant room within a church in Argentina, Asia Argento sat with a gentle smile, conversing with an elderly nun.
The soft afternoon light filtered through the stained glass, casting patches of color across the wooden floor and white robes.
"You've grown up so gracefully, my child," the elderly nun said kindly as she gently patted Asia's head.
She had watched her grow up closely and felt proud that a fragile girl like her had preserved her innocence and matured so well, learning her sisterly duties along the way.
For the past few years, she had been the one directly guiding Asia on her path to becoming a fully fledged nun.
"I'll go fetch that herbal tea you like so much. Don't go anywhere now," she said after they chatted for a while, knowing how fond Asia was of the tea she brewed during their free time.
Asia giggled. "Of course not, Sister. I'll be right here."
The old nun left the room, her footsteps fading down the corridor. Asia cheerfully glanced at the door, looking forward to her return.
But even after some time had passed, she didn't come back. Normally, it shouldn't take her so long—though she could sometimes get distracted by others.
Still, it was unlike Sister Helena to take this long, especially when everything was usually prepared ahead of time.
And Asia couldn't shake the odd, foreboding feeling creeping into her chest. Something felt wrong.
She rose quietly, her heart gently tugged by her instincts. The peaceful hum of the church was now eerily quiet. It shouldn't be this silent…
"Ddraig-san?" she whispered in her mind.
'I feel something strange too. Be on your guard,' the dragon inside her head responded.
Asia stepped into the hallway, her white boots silent against the floor. The silence was uncanny. Not a soul stirred in the church halls. She couldn't find anyone inside the church. Her frown deepened as she reached the front gate.
That's when she saw him.
A man with black hair lay sprawled just outside the church entrance, hot blood staining the pristine stones beneath him. His eyes, filled with pain, turned toward her, hand outstretched weakly.
"P-Please... help..." asked the lying man in a weak voice filled with pain.
Her instincts as a healer flared. Her first reaction was to try and help the unknown man.
After all, the girl named Asia Argento was inherently kind—always trying to help those in need.
Her Sacred Gear, Twilight Healing, took the form of a ring on her finger, and a gentle green aura began to radiate from her as she prepared to heal him.
So she took a step forward—
'Stop,' Ddraig's voice rang sharply in her mind. 'Asia. Look closer. That man... is a devil.'
His being a devil wouldn't really stop her from helping him. She never discriminated based on race.
After all, she was just that kind of girl—and Kouske and Kuroka were also devils.
She knew there were both good and bad devils in the world, unlike what the church taught.
But something else felt more important right now. Asia gasped softly, freezing.
"A devil… here? At a church?"
Yes, since devils and the church were always at odds, it was extremely suspicious for a lone devil to be wandering around the church—especially in such a state.
There was also that odd feeling she couldn't shake off, and the fact that she couldn't find anyone else inside the church right now, which wasn't normal at all.
She squinted her eyes, focusing on him. Her Sacred Gear, Twilight Healing, pulsed lightly. Asia had long since learned to detect Life Energy—even the faintest flickers.
It was an essential ability for a healer like her, helping her understand the state of others properly.
And she could tell instantly—this man wasn't hurt at all.
Not even a scratch.
Asia's posture straightened. Calmly, she asked, "What exactly are you doing, pretending to be wounded outside a church gate?"
The man blinked, caught off-guard. "W-What? No, you've got it wrong—I really am—"
'Liar!'
He screamed internally.
'She saw through it? She's not as naïve as the reports said? Damn it...!'
He quickly tried to recover. "I-I must've passed out… the pain is just delayed... I—"
"Why are you here?" she cut in, her tone still soft but firm.
"This is a sacred ground for worship. But you're a devil. And this church feels… deserted. Did you do something to everyone?" Asia asked sharply.
That gentle, naïve smile of hers was gone now. If this man had dared to hurt anyone here, she wouldn't let him go so easily without facing the consequences.
The man's lips twitched.
'So it's like that, huh? I didn't want to use force… It's not really fun that way,' he thought to himself.
He'd just have to enjoy her in another way if this didn't work. He didn't have much time. Whatever he did, it needed to be done quickly.
His fake pained expression vanished in an instant as he dropped the act. The gentle, meek face twisted into a scowl as he looked down at her.
Without wasting another second, a magic circle flared beneath his palm as he lunged at her.
He would think about the rest after taking her with him. With more exorcists appearing in the area lately, he might never get another chance like this again.
"I'm taking you with me, Asia Argento!" the man barked as he jumped at her.
Ddraig growled. 'Asia! Now!'
But she was already moving.
He couldn't even touch her.
He never even stood a chance!
His vision spun.
He slammed into the ground hard, face first. Pain exploded through his nose. Fresh, hot red blood trickled down his head and nose. His body screamed in protest.
"What... the hell...?"
It took him a moment to register what had just happened. While he was in mid-air, trying to jump her, Asia had already thrown punches and kicks faster than his senses could ever keep up with.
He saw nothing—but he felt every bit of it. The pain.
He was defeated mid-air.
He never even stood a chance.
He never even stood a chance.
Important things should at least be said twice.
Asia stood above him, calmly brushing off her sleeves. "You tried to kidnap me. That's not very nice, Devil-san."
"You… YOU BITCH—!" he roared, leaping at her again, only to be met with another flurry of punches and kicks.
"Eii! Eii! Ei—!"
Her cute cries didn't match the destructive impact. Each blow looked light and harmless but packed the raw strength of someone on par with High-Class devils.
If she hadn't actually gone easy on him, he would've already been nothing more than a grotesque pile of shattered bones, torn flesh, and spilled blood.
She had been granted Falna since the first time she met Kouske.
After years of practice and training, she had become a bona fide Level 6.
Her body was no longer as fragile as other humans. She was on her way to godhood.
Her fast growth didn't necessarily mean she had more talent than Aiz or others from the Loki Familia in Danmachi.
After all, she was a healer. Her true talents lay in healing and dragon taming.
But even still, after years of training alongside Kouske and the others inside the Instant Dungeons, pushing her body to the limit while recovering with potions—she was, in simpler terms, a whale.
Or rather, Kouske was the whale (a game term for a player who uses large amounts of real money to buy powerful gear, characters, and unfair advantages in a game. In other words, a cheat!).
And then there's also the fact that Falna doesn't work the same way in DxD as it does in the world of Danmachi.
It's comparatively easier to gain power in DxD through proper means, whereas, in Danmachi, someone without talent might never reach the next level, even while working tirelessly their entire life.
Danmachi is an unfair world, where hard work without talent bears no fruit.
But DxD is a world where even someone with zero talent—say, in magic—could still grow to be the most powerful through the most unconventional and idiotic means, like shouting oppai, oppai while groping girls mid-fight, showing off naked girls, indulging in voyeurism, and giving off a faint, indirect feeling of cuckoldry.
That just somehow got a whole lot more specific. That kind of topic might spiral into a whole other level of mess.
So let's not delve too deep into that and get back to the point at hand.
The devil, Diodora Astaroth—though Asia didn't know his name—hit the cold floor again, vision blurring.
He just lay there, staring up at her in disbelief. His mind couldn't wrap itself around the situation.
He—a noble devil, born into prestige and power—was being humiliated by a nobody-human girl.
A healer, at that.
His fragile little ego, much like the pitiful thing between his legs that left his raped victims feeling absolutely nothing, just couldn't accept it.
'This is wrong! There must be something wrong! She must be cheating!' his mind screamed, clinging desperately to denial.
"You're just a healer…!" he spat, coughing, his voice shaking. "So, WHY?!... HOW…?!"
Asia tilted her head cutely and replied confusedly. "I just work out a little bit...?"
"DAMN YOU!!!" he roared, face twisted in rage as a magic circle flared to life beneath him.
His peerage—his entire peerage—began to appear, summoned in haste.
It stung his pride to need them. But he had no choice now. He had to end this fast. Capture her. Escape before the exorcists notice anything.
He could think about revenge later—about breaking her, about tearing down her image, painting her as a devil's pawn, a fraud, a fallen saint, like the many others he had done before this.
Whether through hypnosis or manipulation, he would destroy her reputation no matter what. But right now… right now, she needed to be subdued.
There was no way—no way—she could stand against his entire peerage. After all, she was just a fragile little girl. Just a healer. Just a trickster. Right?
…Right?
Her tricks wouldn't work anymore on his entire peerage, as he wouldn't make the same mistake of letting his guard down again.
This time he will fight seriously.
Ten girls appeared in matching robes, all bearing the same hollow expression. Their clothes resembled a darker version of a nun's outfit.
Asia's eyes widened in horror. She could feel the twisted and sorrowful life energy radiating from their bodies.
She could literally feel their closed-off pain. What were once lively girls in their prime were now nothing more than puppets, waiting for death.
They wore expressions of fanatical reverence, but deep inside, only the silent wish for death remained—hidden just beneath the surface, outside Diodora's awareness.
Asia could feel all of it. This was one of the many things she'd gained from learning to sense life energy.
"What… just what did he do to them…?" she whispered.
Ddraig growled with disgust. 'They look like nothing more than broken puppets.'
In his long lifetime, Ddraig had seen too many things like this to be surprised. Devils, Fallens, and Gods alike had always harbored twisted tastes that could make anyone's stomach turn.
Diodora stood shakily. "You'll regret humiliating me!"
Soon, a fight broke out between Asia and Diodora's peerage. But to Diodora's horror, even with the help of his entire peerage, they couldn't take her down.
What shocked him more was that Asia, being as naive as she was, wasn't even actually trying to hurt the girls—dodging, deflecting, and enduring their attacks with restraint.
Seeing this, Diodora hatched a plan. If he couldn't overpower her, he would use her kindness against her—make the girls act as sacrificial bait to trap her.
"Girls—" Diodora began, raising his voice to command them.
But before he could finish—
"Argento-san!"
The shout came sharp and clear.
Masaomi's voice.
He and Max came running down the street, both armed with Light Weapons, eyes wide with alarm.
They had only come for Max to apologize to Asia for what had happened yesterday.
But the sound of battle echoing from the church had changed everything.
"You okay? What's going on?!" Masaomi shouted.
He looked around to find eleven devils right in front of the church gate. He was quite surprised.
After all, even if this church had no direct connection to the supernatural world, it was still a functioning church run by humans—not some abandoned place that could be trespassed whenever anyone felt like it.
Devils never liked going anywhere near churches, as they always radiated a holy aura, even if faint, due to the prayers offered to God, even if that role was now handled by Archangel Michael after his death.
So seeing devils so close to the church and fighting Asia like this was indeed quite surprising for Masaomi.
He soon took his stance and attacked the male devil in front of him. The devil seemed weak and inexperienced, judging by the way he flailed around, barely dodging the lethal light weapon with the help of his peerage members.
But small wounds had already appeared on his weak body from the brief bout, and they were like poison to the devil, even without judging from the pained expression on his face.
Diodora quickly fled into a corner, calling for all his peerage members to return to him after realizing he was clearly outmatched and that his life was in danger because of the exorcists.
Not because he might cry from the light wounds or wet himself like a scaredy-cat—he was just making a tactical retreat, dammit!
While all this happened in a short moment, Max stood frozen. Masaomi noticed something was off with him too.
Max's eyes landed on one of the devil girls—his voice cracked.
"...Martha?"
One of the lifeless girls stopped mid-step, turning back after hearing him.
Her gaze locked onto him. For the briefest moment, light returned to her lifeless eyes.
"...big bro...?" she muttered.
A single tear slid down her cheek.
Then, her eyes dulled again. She quickly turned back toward Diodora, who had called them all back.
"Martha, wait—!" Max yelled as she paused again for a moment, her sorrowful eyes meeting his.
"MARTHA!!" But Diodora barked at her again.
She flinched and quickly returned to his side.
Diodora's rage twisted into frustration. He couldn't beat Asia, and now exorcists were here. He clenched his teeth.
"Damn you…!"
A magic circle flared beneath him.
"Next time… you won't be so lucky."
"Martha—!" Max shouted again.
But the circle engulfed them.
And then… they were gone.
Masaomi muttered, "That was the Astaroth clan's magic circle…"
After all, even if the church people never used DeviNet out of pride—despite being able to easily find more information on devils that way—they at least knew about clan abilities, clan circles, and many other important details about the devils who were their enemies.
Heaven actually kept a watch on DeviNet, unlike the hypocritical Church.
Masaomi started asking Asia why she was attacked, but even she didn't know much about it.
If the bugs Kouske had given her hadn't stopped her, she would've intercepted Diodora before he escaped.
Still, she could just leave it to Kouske—it seemed he had been watching everything through the bugs from the beginning.
Asia exhaled slowly, her fists still clenched.
"Those girls seemed... so pitiful. He did something to them. And… I don't even know what his goal was."
Masaomi saw her eyes and didn't want to press any further. They could look into the devil at Church Headquarters by searching for devils associated with the Astaroth clan.
But the issue was that he belonged to Ajuka Beelzebub's family—one of the strongest devils and a Maou. That could wait for now. Right now, he was more worried about Max.
He had been out of it since the beginning. After all, Max had just seen his missing younger sister—someone he thought might already be dead—alive as a devil.
Was she reincarnated forcefully or by her own will? She was once one of the holy saints, but the Church had forsaken her before he could do anything for her. She had disappeared after that.
So seeing her again like this was a shock. She seemed so… sad.
Many things raced through his mind as blood trickled down his clenched hands. He would have to find out more about all this after returning—and about that Astaroth devil who reincarnated her.
Later, they found Sister Helena unconscious in the cellar, and several others scattered outside the church grounds, hypnotized by devil magic. All were recovered and healed.
As everyone was busy, none of them had noticed one thing—except Ddraig.
A tiny bug, barely visible, latched onto Diodora's shoulder just before teleportation.
It even hijacked the circle.
Diodora appeared somewhere else entirely—unaware. And his peerage had been teleported somewhere else entirely without his knowledge. Diodora looked around.
A dark, windowless room.
He blinked, looking around. Even though as a devil he should've been able to see in the darkness, right now he couldn't.
But he wasn't in the right state of mind to think about that.
"What the hell?! Where… where am I?!"
"Light—! Someone bring light! MARTHA? JULIE?!..."
He yelled for the maids and his peerage members to light the place. He just couldn't understand why the magnificent Astaroth mansion was shrouded in such darkness.
No answer.
After barking for a while, he lit a small flame.
Suddenly, lights activated around him.
The room was… decorated with rose petals. A fancy bed. Elegant ribbons.
A romantic suite?
His breath hitched. "Wh… what is this?"
He turned toward the door—locked. A barrier surrounded it. No matter what he did he couldn't open the door nor teleport outside.
After many failed attempts he growled and turned around—
Only to freeze.
A monstrous, grotesque, massive monkey in a nun costume sat on the flower-covered bed, smiling sweetly at him.
The scary part was the huge balls it proudly showed off, hanging from the disgusting stiff thing between its legs.
"Wh… W-What… the fuck—?!"
The thing blinked cutely. It held another nun costume in its other hand—this time, human-sized, roughly around his size at a glance.
Diodora felt a cold sweat run down his back and spine as he looked at the monstrosity in the nun costume.
The dangerous part was—it was at least ultimate class.
He began to sweat buckets.
His mouth trembled. "W-WHAT IS THIS?! WHO DID THIS TO ME?! LET ME OUT!!!"
But the door didn't open.
And the monkey didn't stop smiling.
Diodora Astaroth screamed in horror.
…It was the beginning of his worst nightmare.
At the time, Kouske was spending quality time in the Nakiri clan territory with Tarte and Bertrand, thinking along the lines of, 'Justice served, even if belatedly.' After all, Diodora was so fond of nuns—just fulfilling his wish.
Getting rid of people like Diodora's manhood was truly a blessing to the womankind of the whole world, even the supernatural world included.
Though he'd rather never think about what might be happening at that moment inside that room with Diodora.
Kouske had once encountered a gay Ballboon in the instant dungeon—a strange creature going around trying to get other Ballboons.
He'd only seen it when it tried to jump one of his Ballboon familiars. At first, he considered getting rid of it but later decided to make it a familiar—because there really are some people in this world who deserve this specific Ballboon. It would do the world some mercy.
So, he unleashed the Ballboon on Diodora—for just two days, for now. Whatever happens, isn't his problem.