Night blanketed the city, but its pulse still burned bright.
Cars streamed endlessly through the streets, neon lights shimmered across glass towers—
and high above it all, Ryuichi was running.
His figure darted from rooftop to rooftop like a bird in flight, his steps sure and light. For a Devil's body, leaping dozens of meters at a time was effortless. He was moving fast, heading straight toward the downtown intersection Rias had mentioned.
Meanwhile, at that very intersection—within a nearby park.
The place that should've been filled with people taking evening walks now lay silent and empty.
Several figures stood in confrontation under the dim glow of the streetlights.
On one side stood Rias Gremory and her team.
On the other—Fallen Angels, their black wings spread wide against the night sky.
There were six of them—three men and three women. Rias's group, by contrast, was smaller: only four girls.
The air between them was thick with hostility. As for the humans who might've been nearby? The supernatural "common sense alteration" field ensured they'd already been driven away.
"Asia-chan," one of the male Fallen Angels said with a falsely gentle smile. "We finally found you. Leaving the Church to join the Devils—how heartbreaking."
"Yeah, yeah," another Fallen Angel chimed in—a woman with seductive eyes and barely any clothing. "And after all the care we gave you, too."
In fact, all three female Fallen Angels were dressed the same—if you could even call those scraps of black cloth clothing.
It was practically impossible not to see something indecent.
Compared to them, Rias and her peerage looked downright wholesome.
Like stray Devils, these Fallen Angels had completely forsaken the path of heaven, consumed by their own desires.
They'd fallen so deeply that indulgence was their way of life; rumors of them sleeping with all manner of beings weren't exactly surprising. Their shameless attire only fit the part.
Asia trembled as she looked at them.
Since joining Rias's team—thanks to Ryuichi's invitation—she'd realized Devils weren't at all like the monsters she'd been taught to fear.
Here, she'd made friends. Real friends. Something she could never have imagined before.
Back in the Church, they'd called her—a girl once hailed as a saint—a heretic. All because her healing power worked even on Devils.
Later, things had only grown worse. Some within the Church began eyeing her Sacred Gear, scheming to take it for themselves.
Asia was pure and kind, yes—but not stupid. She could tell who truly cared for her and who was just pretending.
And after that mission—when the priest she was assigned with mercilessly slaughtered a human woman—Asia had lost all faith in the Church. That's why she'd accepted Rias's invitation so easily.
But she hadn't expected them to keep hunting her.
Tonight, after finishing a contract job, they'd found her again—and she'd nearly been captured.
Thankfully, Ryuichi had warned Rias about similar encounters before, so she had prepared countermeasures. Asia had managed to summon Rias and the others through their family sigil in time to avert disaster.
Now, as the Fallen Angels closed in, Asia stood frozen in fear.
A gentle hand took hers.
"Don't worry," said Akeno Himejima, her smile soft and reassuring. "No one will hurt you while we're here."
Asia looked up at her and nodded firmly. "Mm!"
Next to Ryuichi, Akeno was the one who cared for her the most—always kind, always calm, always there.
Seeing the Fallen Angels' smug arrogance, Rias stepped forward, one hand on her hip, a cold smile curving her lips.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," she said icily. "Care to explain why you're suddenly attacking my adorable servant, Asia?"
A flick of her hand—and crimson flame flickered to life above her palm, casting her face in an elegant, dangerous glow.
The scene was both regal and lethal.
"Heh. We're only here to reclaim our saint," one of the men said with a smirk. "Tell me, Princess of the Gremory House, since when did your clan start stealing others' holy women?"
"Saint?" Rias's eyes narrowed. "Asia is a Devil now—my servant. You dare to covet what belongs to me? Sounds like you're asking for a beating."
"Don't make me laugh," one of the women sneered. "You think the Gremory name scares us? Your family's nothing but a bunch of fading nobles clinging to the past!"
She snapped her fingers sharply. "Enough talk! Kill them and take the girl! The Smile of the Holy Mother must not fall into Devil hands!"
Rias's smile vanished, her expression turning sharp. "You can try."
Crack!
The first move came from the Fallen Angels. Spears of Light formed in their hands and shot forward—
—but before they could hit, bolts of golden lightning split the sky and shattered them into sparks.
"Oh my, oh my," Akeno said sweetly, her eyes narrowing in a crescent smile. "Looks like I'll have to take this seriously tonight."
Her tone was cheerful, but her aura was anything but gentle.
The faint shimmer around her body flared—her clothes dissolved into light before reforming into a shrine maiden's outfit, her signature battle attire.
The Fallen Angels' eyes widened.
"The… Priestess of Thunder…"
A flicker of unease crossed their faces. Even among Devils, Akeno Himejima was a name that carried weight.
Still, numbers were on their side. Six against four—and of Rias's group, only three could actually fight.
Asia was effectively a mascot, not a combatant.
"Stephanie," the lead Fallen Angel barked, turning to one of the women, "go after Asia! Leave these three to us."
They'd come well-prepared. None of them were below High-Class in rank, and two were even Archangels Fallen—Super-Class beings meant to counter elites like Rias and Akeno.
Stephanie nodded and took to the sky, wings slicing through the air as she searched for an opening.
Rias and the others frowned.
This wasn't looking good.
Even with Rias and Akeno's strength, the two Super-Class enemies would keep them completely occupied. They'd be lucky to hold off three foes between them.
Koneko Toujou might handle two at best—but that still left Asia defenseless.
Where is Ryuichi…?
Worry flickered across Rias's thoughts, though she kept her composure, refusing to let it show. Her voice stayed firm and commanding.
"Akeno—bring them down!"
"As you command, President," Akeno replied, smiling.
With a graceful rise, she soared upward, raising one slender hand toward the clouds. The sky churned in response—darkness rippling, wind howling.
Crack!
A brilliant golden bolt tore down from the heavens, twisting like a serpent as it struck toward the cluster of Fallen Angels below.
Their faces darkened immediately.
"Arrogant brat!"
All six of them surged upward in unison, divine power flaring, spears of light forming once more as they charged—
—and the park erupted into chaos.
.
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