"Rika! Let's go!"
At Ryusei's command, Rika wrapped her massive arms around her and hurled her into the air with immense force.
Ryusei shot toward Raynare like a pink comet, her light spear crackling with energy.
Raynare barely had time to react before Ryusei closed the distance, swinging her spear in a wide arc. Raynare blocked with her own light spear, but the impact sent her skidding backward mid-air, her wings flapping wildly to stabilize herself.
"You're really pissing me off!" Raynare snarled, summoning three more light spears around her. With a flick of her hand, she launched them all at Ryusei.
———————————————————
[Quick Silver]
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Ryusei's body blurred as she twisted in mid-air, avoiding the first spear. She blocked the second with her own pink light spear, but the third grazed her shoulder, burning through her jacket and flesh.
"Shit!" Ryusei hissed, but she didn't slow down.
Instead, she threw her own spear straight at Raynare's face.
Raynare barely managed to dodge, but it left an opening.
Rika seized the moment.
The monstrous curse extended her shadowy tail, grabbing Raynare's ankle and yanking her downward.
Raynare screamed, struggling to break free, but Rika's grip was like iron.
Ryusei summoned another light spear, spun it in her grip, and dived straight down after Raynare.
Raynare's eyes widened in horror as Ryusei closed in, her pink spear aimed straight for the fallen angel's chest.
As soon as the five-minute timer expired, Raynare vanished from Rika's grasp, appearing several meters away, hunched over and panting heavily.
Before Ryusei or Rika could pursue, a new presence emerged.
A middle-aged man stepped forward, positioning himself between Raynare and them. His dark blue eyes gleamed under the dim streetlights, cold and calculating.
He wore a pale gray trench coat over a white dress shirt, an ascot neatly tucked under the collar. A black fedora cast a shadow over his face, but his sharp gaze remained locked on Ryusei.
Dohnaseek, one of the fallen angels.
Dohnaseek's cold gaze swept over her before settling on Raynare.
"Enough," he said, his deep voice calm but firm. "You've embarrassed yourself enough for one night."
Raynare grit her teeth. "I-I wasn't—"
Dohnaseek ignored her, his eyes flicking back to Ryusei. "I don't know who you are, but you're not ordinary." His gaze then shifted to Rika, who was hovering protectively behind Ryusei, her monstrous form growling lowly.
"...And that thing is dangerous."
Ryusei braced herself, expecting another fight, but Dohnaseek turned away instead.
"Raynare, we're leaving."
"What?! But—"
"You've already failed your mission," Dohnaseek cut her off. "Azazel has no interest in cleaning up your mess. Consider yourself lucky that I'm even retrieving you."
Raynare flinched, her usual arrogance faltering. She glared daggers at Ryusei but ultimately remained silent.
Dohnaseek extended his black wings, grabbed Raynare by the collar, and with a single powerful flap—they were gone.
Ryusei and Rika stood there, the tension in the air slowly fading.
DING!
Her system notification snapped her back to reality.
———————————————————
[Quest Complete: Survive Against Raynare for 5 Minutes!]
- [Reward: C-Rank Skill Book]
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Before she could even check the skill book, another notification popped up.
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[New Job Change Quest: Night Lord Unlocked!]
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Ryusei's eyes widened. A Job Change quest already?
She exhaled deeply, glancing at Rika, who was still growling at the empty sky.
"...Well, that was fun," Ryusei muttered sarcastically, rubbing her aching shoulder. After using Full Recovery, the pain in Ryusei's leg disappeared instantly.
With a relieved sigh, she dismissed Rika back into the ring and began heading home.
{The next day}
As Ryusei walked to school, she heard footsteps approaching from behind.
"Yo, Ryusei!"
She turned her head slightly to see Issei jogging up beside her, a grin on his face.
"What's up?" she asked, keeping her tone neutral.
"You remember Yuuma, right? The girl I was on a date with yesterday?" Issei asked, tilting his head. "You met her at the store."
Ryusei's expression didn't change, but internally, she grimaced.
'So he doesn't remember getting killed... Figures.'
She quickly forced a casual shrug. "Hmm? Nah, I don't remember."
Issei blinked in confusion but quickly shrugged it off. "Weird... I could've sworn you two saw each other."
Ryusei hummed nonchalantly, quickening her pace slightly. She had no intention of diving into that mess right now.
As Ryusei walked through the school gates, she could feel eyes on her. Not the usual curious glances from students still adjusting to her presence, but a much heavier gaze.
High above, on the second-floor window of the old school house, Rias Gremory stood with her arms crossed, her deep blue eyes narrowed slightly.
She couldn't explain the sudden chill running down her spine when Ryusei passed by.
For a moment, it was as if she saw something monstrous lurking within Ryusei's shadow.
"Is something wrong?"
Rias turned slightly, seeing Akeno Himejima standing beside her, a knowing smile on her lips.
Rias shook her head slightly. "No... just curious about the new girl who transferred last week. What was her name?"
Akeno tilted her head slightly, brushing a strand of her long, dark hair behind her ear.
"Okkotsu Ryusei," she answered, her voice laced with mild amusement.
Rias tapped a finger against her arm.
Okkotsu...? That name sounded familiar, but she couldn't quite place why.
Whatever the case, something about Ryusei wasn't normal.
{Later}
Ryusei shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her face slightly red as the group of girls surrounded her desk.
"Ryusei-chan, how are you adjusting to Kuoh Academy?" One girl asked cheerfully.
"If you ever need help with anything, just ask me!" another chimed in.
"More importantly, do you have a girlfriend yet?" one of the bolder girls asked, leaning in with a teasing grin.
Ryusei froze, her mouth opening slightly but no words coming out. The sudden shift in conversation caught her completely off guard.
"I-I um… what?" she stammered, looking away.
Aika Kiryuu confidently approached Ryusei's desk, the chatter around her quieted slightly, as if the other girls sensed something interesting was about to happen.
Aika adjusted her glasses with a playful smirk, her golden eyes glinting mischievously behind the lenses.
"Hey, Ryusei-chan," she said casually, placing a hand on Ryusei's desk and leaning in slightly. "I like girls who look all shy and cool at the same time. Wanna go on a date with me?"
Ryusei blinked, completely caught off guard. Her brain momentarily stalled as she processed the sudden invitation. "A... date?" she echoed dumbly.
Aika smirked, clearly enjoying Ryusei's flustered reaction. "Mhm, you're really cute, so I thought I'd make the first move. What do you say?"
Ryusei, still feeling the weight of all the gazes on her, gulped and rubbed the back of her neck. "Uh… I-I'll think about it."
Aika chuckled, satisfied. "That's good enough for me."
Before Ryusei could react, Aika leaned in and pressed a quick kiss against her cheek, making an exaggerated 'mwah' sound.
The classroom exploded into gasps and squeals.
"Did she just—?!"
"Kiryuu-chan is so bold!"
Meanwhile, Issei, Motohama, and Matsuda sat frozen at their desks, their jaws hanging open in pure, unfiltered shock.
Aika winked at Ryusei, slipping a small piece of paper, her phone number into Ryusei's hand before turning on her heel and walking off, her braid swaying behind her.
Ryusei sat completely still, staring at the phone number in her hand, her face burning.
Motohama and Matsuda collapsed onto their desks, dramatically sobbing.
"Why does she get all the girls?!" Matsuda wailed, slamming his fist on the table.
"It's not fair! She just got here, and she's already getting confessions and kisses?! I've been here for years!" Motohama cried, gripping his glasses making them snap in half.
Meanwhile, Issei stood tall, wiping away a single tear of pride.
"Good job, Ryusei! My prized student! I always knew you had it in you!" He patted Ryusei's back like a proud mentor, his eyes sparkling with pride.
Ryusei, face now bright red, groaned and buried her head into her arms. "I didn't do anything! She just—!"
She stopped herself, too embarrassed to even argue.
Inside the ring, Rika was practically foaming at the mouth.