Rian's gaze turned distant for a moment before he spoke softly, "So this is what she meant by 'decision,' huh…?"
But suddenly, his expression shifted; for a brief instant, his eyes flickered—as if recalling something. Something involving Aria. Aria's eyes… those split pupils—just like Ophis.
"Now that I think about it… Aria's eyes were divided too, like a predator's," Rian muttered, squinting into the night breeze. "Could that be… the Dragon Eye? Hmm… let's ignore that for now."
He let out a quiet sigh. "Haish… why do I get the feeling that more and more predator-eyed girls are going to show up around me in the future?"
Rian raised his right hand, lifting the dragon fang pendant Ophis had given him. He studied it for several seconds.
The faint light radiating from the fang pulsed gently—emitting something invisible yet palpable: a presence that felt heavy, but… tender.
Then, Rian tucked the necklace beneath the collar of his uniform, a faint smile curving his lips. "Looks like… I'll be sleeping a bit later tonight."
"Now then… should I use the Beloved by Infinity title or not?" he muttered, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "A total attribute boost of a hundred points… not bad. But yeah, the effect alone could make people seriously misunderstand."
After a brief pause, Rian finally raised his hand and opened the holographic status screen before him.
"Well… life's all about taking risks," he said softly. With a single swipe of his finger, he replaced his old title, Sparkle, with the newly acquired Beloved by Infinity.
"Let's just hope no one gets the wrong idea… or worse, gets it too right," he murmured with a crooked grin.
Ding!
____________________
Name: Rian Andromeda
Race: Human
Title: Beloved by Infinity
Job: none
Level Authority: 5
***
STR : 37 (+22)
VIT : 36 (+22)
AGI : 38 (+22)
INT : 57 (+42) [+14]
____________________
With this, Rian's total combined attributes now reached 168, surpassing the limit of Authority Level 5 and placing him on par with the lower threshold of Authority Level 4.
When combined with his signature abilities—Six Eyes and Limitless: Infinity—as well as his equipment, even beings of early Authority Level 3 would now have to think five times before daring to challenge him.
Simply put, Rian had become someone untouchable by equals—and capable of holding his own even against those above him.
At the same time, as the title activated, Rian could feel an overwhelming surge of power. His Six Eyes detected a distinct flow of energy coursing through his body—stronger and purer than before.
While it didn't quite compare to the sheer intensity he'd felt when first receiving Infinity Fragment from Ophis, it was still far greater than before.
A faint, satisfied smile crossed his lips as he closed the status screen. Then, with a slight movement of his foot, Rian's figure blurred—his body shooting forward like a whisper carried by the wind: swift, agile, and nearly silent.
The speed wasn't just a gift from the new title—it was the result of his precise energy amplification, accelerating every cell in his body with calculated finesse.
His goal was simple: to go home.
***
That afternoon, inside the dimly lit Occult Research Club room—its red curtains deliberately drawn to block out the sunlight—the atmosphere felt calm and faintly cool.
In the corner of the room, Rian sat casually on the floor, leaning back slightly with his hands behind his head.
Across from him, also sitting on the floor, was a blonde-haired boy with crimson eyes who looked visibly nervous—Gasper Vladi, one of Rias's Peerage members and the wielder of the rare Sacred Gear, Forbidden Balor View.
Between them, a small toy train circled slowly along its miniature track. The soft clicking of the wheels was the only sound in the room, blending seamlessly with the quiet air.
The toy wasn't for entertainment—it was a training tool Rian had prepared himself.
He knew all too well that using a ball as a target would only make Gasper panic. Asking him to fight directly? Even worse.
That's why Rian had chosen a method far more… physically friendly: a toy that could still train control and focus—without traumatizing anyone.
"Calm your mind," Rian said in a relaxed yet firm tone, his eyes fixed on Gasper. "Focus on the train's movement, and stop it with your Balor View. Don't worry if you miss — that's normal."
A faint smile tugged at Rian's lips. "Gasper-kun, we'll take it slow. No human baby starts running like a newborn deer."
He closed his eyes briefly, then opened one with a lazy grin. "It's the same as using skincare, you know? Step by step."
"Start with toner, then essence, serum, and only after that, moisturizer. You can't just slap on three layers of sheet masks and expect to glow in five minutes."
Gasper, who had been staring intently at the toy train, blinked in confusion. "T-that analogy's a bit too complicated, Rian-senpai…"
"Nothing's complicated," Rian replied curtly.
Just then, the clubroom door swung open. Rias entered first, followed by Akeno, Kiba, and Issei.
They froze at the doorway, staring at the bizarre sight before them — Gasper sitting cross-legged in front of a toy train, and Rian lounging like a personal instructor… with the air of a beauty talk show host.
Issei blinked several times. "…Uh, I'm not imagining this, right? This is some kind of… Sacred Gear training?"
Kiba cleared his throat softly, barely hiding a smirk. "With analogies about baby deer and skincare."
Meanwhile, Akeno covered her mouth to stifle a laugh, while Rias raised an eyebrow — her expression a mix of confusion and amusement.
"Rian," Rias finally said, "You've been training Gasper since morning, haven't you? But… your methods are rather… unique."
Rian turned casually, smiling. "Thank you for the recognition, President."
"This handsome man always tailors his teaching methods to the trainee's psychology. Gasper-kun is sensitive. So — toy trains and skincare. Effective and trauma-free."
Gasper lowered his head, cheeks flushed red. "…T-thank you, Rian-senpai…"
"No blushing," Rian said flatly. "That'll make normal guys misunderstand. As your senpai, I refuse to let you… turn the wrong way."
Gasper flinched, eyes wide. "I-I'm not turning the wrong way, Rian-senpai! I just… don't want to mess up using my Sacred Gear!"
Rian just smiled lazily and added, "So noisy. This afternoon's next training menu… karaoke."
Gasper's eyes widened in panic. "K-Karaoke!? I-I can't sing…"
Rias covered her face with one hand, sighing. "Why does the training involve singing now? This is getting stranger by the minute… will it even work?"
Akeno chuckled softly, her lips curling into a smile. "Fufu… but it is entertaining. Look—Gasper's actually showing emotions now."
Kiba leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "Even if it's not a normal Sacred Gear training method… I think Gasper really does need this kind of approach."
Issei stepped closer and patted Rian's shoulder lightly. "Bro… you're way too into this. But respect—Gasper's acting like a normal person now."
Rian turned with a proud grin. "Of course. Who do you think his trainer is?"
At that moment, the door opened again. Koneko Toujou walked in with her usual blank expression, holding a small bag of peanuts. She paused for a moment, taking in the scene.
Her gaze moved from the toy train, to the panicked Gasper, to Rian looking far too relaxed, and finally to the still-confused Issei.
"…You're… weird," Koneko said flatly to Rian before sitting down on the sofa.
Rian turned to her with a friendly smile. "Don't be like that, Koneko-chan. This is all for Gasper-kun's sake."
Koneko chewed her peanuts expressionlessly. "…Annoying."
Gasper lowered his head even further, wishing the floor would swallow him whole. But deep down… he was a little grateful.
His eyes returned to the toy train circling slowly along its track. Focused, concentrated, and just a bit nervous.
Meanwhile, Rias, Akeno, Koneko, Kiba, and Issei sat comfortably on the sofa in the middle of the room, occasionally glancing at Gasper and Rian. Each of them appeared calm—though their curiosity was clearly piqued.
Suddenly, Gasper's crimson eyes gleamed—Forbidden Balor View had activated. The air around them trembled slightly from the unstable fluctuation of energy.
However, Rian's Six Eyes immediately caught it: the energy frequency was unstable, and the Sacred Gear's targeting line… was slightly off.
A split second before the effect could spiral out of control, Rian moved.
Calm yet swift, he gently tapped Gasper's shoulder while expanding his Infinity's field, enveloping Gasper in absolute stability.
"Gasper-kun," Rian's voice remained soft and relaxed, though with a firmer tone this time, "slow down—don't hesitate."