Ryuichi was starting to lose his patience with this disgusting priest.
Even though he had been reincarnated as a Devil, deep down he still sympathized with humanity. And after discovering that humans and Devils could coexist peacefully, he'd genuinely come to appreciate it.
After all, Devils had their own laws. Those who ran wild without reason became Stray Devils—the kind both Angels and Devils hunted together.
The man before him, however, wasn't much different from a Stray Devil himself.
Suddenly, a sharp scream split through the clash of blades.
"Kyaa!!"
Both Ryuichi and the priest turned toward the sound.
Wait—someone familiar?
"Asia?" Ryuichi's gaze darkened slightly.
Standing there was the blonde nun he'd met before.
Was she with this lunatic?
Freed let out a gleeful, deranged laugh.
"Well, well, isn't this my lovely assistant, little Asia~? What's wrong, huh? Finished setting up the barrier already?"
But Asia didn't answer. Her wide, innocent eyes were fixed on the ruined wall—on the half-buried corpse beneath the rubble. From her angle, she could still see the bloodstained body.
"Oh? Thanks for the scream, cutie! That's right, Asia, this must be your first time seeing a corpse like that, huh? Take a good look! This is what happens to trash who get fooled by Devils!"
Freed's voice was manic, rapid, and mocking—his words tumbling out in a twisted rhythm that made Asia's pale face go completely white.
"How could this…"
Her voice trembled as she staggered back a few steps, the shock leaving her visibly shaken.
Ryuichi's eyes softened slightly.
So that's it—Asia had no idea what was happening.
She wasn't with him.
Of course. There was no way a girl that pure and kindhearted could ever take part in such brutal murder.
Ryuichi's eyes grew cold again as he turned back to Freed.
He raised his hand, channeling more demonic power into his weapon.
The King's Sword began to hum with energy, its aura surging like a rising tide.
Vmmm—
The blade quivered faintly, almost as if it were eager for battle.
Ryuichi inhaled sharply. His legs tensed—
—and then he vanished.
His body blurred from sight, speed so explosive it was impossible to follow with the naked eye.
Freed, insane as he was, still had sharp reflexes. Instinct took over—he raised his light blade just in time to block the incoming strike.
CLANG!
But the next instant, an overwhelming force slammed into him. The light sword was knocked backward—straight into his own chest.
"Guh—!"
Freed's body flew through the air, blood spraying from his mouth.
BOOM!
He crashed into the wall with a deafening impact, bringing down another section of it in a burst of dust and debris.
That one blow from Ryuichi nearly broke him in half.
Before his reincarnation, the King's Sword had already been powerful enough to one-shot a Fallen Angel. Now that Ryuichi's strength had increased dramatically, its might was several times greater.
He nodded to himself, satisfied.
That strike might have looked simple, but it was a tightly contained burst of power—nothing wasted. Unlike before, when his swordlight flared brilliantly but scattered energy in all directions, this time every ounce of force was focused inward.
It was a clean, efficient strike—and Freed had paid for underestimating it.
The priest, coughing blood, slid down the crumbling wall, gasping for breath. Before he could recover, Ryuichi surged forward again, ready to finish the job.
"Not good! Time to bail!!"
Freed's expression twisted in panic. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small sphere and slammed it to the floor.
Flash!
A burst of divine radiance exploded through the room.
Ryuichi flinched, instinctively throwing up the Shield of Divine Weeping. Even so, the holy light burned against his skin, sharp and stinging.
When the glare finally faded—
Freed was gone.
He'd run.
"Tch…" Ryuichi's brow furrowed, irritation flashing in his eyes.
A holy flash bomb? Seriously?
Cowardly, underhanded—and annoyingly effective.
Across the room, Asia was staring blankly at him.
Or rather—at the pair of black Devil wings spread behind his back.
"Ryuichi-san… you're… a Devil?"
"Why were you with someone like him?" Ryuichi's voice was cool, almost detached.
Until he understood her situation, he couldn't afford to let his guard down.
"I—I didn't know… The Church sent me here. I didn't expect…"
Asia's trembling voice faded as she looked again at the half-buried body, her face turning pale with horror.
Ryuichi spoke quietly. "You saw it yourself. That man's insane."
"…I'm sorry," she whispered, eyes downcast. Then, with sudden determination, she stepped closer. "Ryuichi-san, let me heal you! Your skin—it's been burned!"
Soft light gathered in her hands.
Holy light.
Ryuichi instinctively began to refuse—but stopped. His eyes narrowed in surprise.
The burns on his skin were… fading?
Impossible.
Wasn't she a nun?
She was using sacred magic, wasn't she?
How could that possibly heal a Devil?
He glanced down at her hands.
On Asia's pale, delicate fingers shimmered two silver rings, each radiating a gentle wave of life energy that flowed into him, soothing his body with warm comfort.
"A Sacred Gear?" Ryuichi murmured.
He wasn't clueless anymore—he could sense the power flowing from those rings.
"Yes," Asia said softly, her voice filled with reverence. "It's the gift my Lord bestowed upon me. These rings are called Smile of the Holy Mother. I'm grateful to the Almighty for granting me the power to heal others…"
Ryuichi fell silent.
That ability… was anything but ordinary.
A nun who could heal even a Devil—her power was beyond reason.
Within moments, all traces of his burns had vanished. The Smile of the Holy Mother was astonishingly effective.
Finally, Ryuichi relaxed, his suspicion fading.
"So," he asked quietly, "what will you do now? Are you planning to go back to the Church?"
He fixed his gaze on her. If she intended to return, their paths—and loyalties—might soon clash.
"I… I don't know…"
Asia's voice trembled. Seeing Freed's cruelty had shattered her beliefs. She couldn't bear to return to someone like that—but leaving the Church would mean abandoning everything she'd ever known.
Ryuichi opened his mouth to speak again—but then paused.
He felt it.
A familiar pulse of magic flared nearby.
A teleportation circle—bearing the crest of the Gremory family.
Rias and the others had arrived.
The reinforcements were here.
..
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