The erotic heroines Ethan had thoroughly conquered were the perfect raw materials for a Valkyrie Guard. However, turning them into a divine elite force like the legendary Valkyries required strength far beyond his current level. He didn't necessarily need to reach the tier of a Primordial God, but at the very least, he would need the power of a Dragon God.
The mechanical angels created by the Ten Great Gods could reach the Demon King class, but they were riddled with flaws. To resurrect the Welsh Dragon, Ethan needed to reach Dragon God status. A Valkyrie Guard, even a mediocre one, would still be at the Divine level. Breaking the limits of these "hentai-world" heroines—whose natural talent was lacking—to make them gods was no easier than resurrecting Ddraig.
For now, these thoughts were too distant. Ethan pushed them to the back of his mind and focused on elevating the strength of himself and the girls in the Supernatural Research Club. During the day, he engaged in vigorous dual cultivation, and at night, he went out with Rias and the others to hunt Stray Devils.
Since the advent of Ethan's dual cultivation, the traditional methods of handing out flyers and fulfilling contracts for humans to gain experience had been abandoned by everyone—except for Yuuto Kiba. Not even the Student Council bothered with those tedious tasks anymore. Compared to the explosive growth of dual cultivation, fulfilling mundane human desires was a thankless chore.
If it weren't for the desperation to break through and regain his female body, Yuuto would have quit long ago. Fortunately, the clients requesting his services were usually beautiful, lonely office ladies. Occasionally, when Ethan's interest was piqued, he would accompany Yuuto. In most cases, Ethan just watched, but every now and then, he would see someone he liked. In those moments, Yuuto would unfortunately "lose" a client to Ethan's superior "services." Compared to the actual physical ecstasy Ethan could provide, Yuuto's gentle care felt a bit hollow.
Time soon reached mid-August. On a night that seemed no different from any other, the Supernatural Research Club cornered a Stray Devil in an abandoned factory. It appeared to be a delicate, long-eared elf girl.
Before Ethan could even get a good look at her, the "pure" and "pitiful" girl mutated under the silver moonlight. Her lovely face became hideous and distorted. A bizarre, twitching appendage—half-withered branch, half-tentacle—sprouted from her forehead. Her slender body swelled into a disgusting, massive insectoid torso. Even the breasts on her chest transformed into grotesque, organic weapons.
Koneko, who was leading the charge, was caught off guard. She was hit by a stream of corrosive liquid fired from the creature's "chest weapons," burning her arm.
"Talk about a 'blackened' power-up," Ethan muttered as he watched Asia tend to Koneko's wounds.
This Stray Devil had barely been Middle-class before. After mutating into this monster, she had managed to injure an SSS-class Koneko with a single surprise move. The boost in raw power was staggering. However, a beast without reason was destined for destruction—especially since the creature was still the underdog compared to the sheer power of the club.
Rias forced the ugly monster into a wasteland behind the factory. With a single, decisive blast of the Power of Destruction, she reduced it to basic elemental particles, skipping the messy cleanup entirely.
"President, why does it feel like every monster we hunt used to be a beautiful girl?" Ethan asked, watching the lingering magical sparks in the air.
He had noticed that not all Devils who betrayed their masters mutated into mindless beasts. Many retained their reason and human form, like that "broom-head" devil who combined alchemy and biotechnology. Or Kuroka—Koneko's older sister. Although Ethan hadn't met the busty cat-girl yet, she was vivid in his memory. If the "butterfly effect" hadn't changed too much, she would eventually become a member of Vali Lucifer's team.
"Because most Devils who flee their masters do so to satisfy their own base desires—they are disloyal hedonists," Akeno Himejima answered, stepping out of the shadows as she deactivated the barrier.
Her white shrine maiden outfit vanished, replaced by casual clothes. "Only Stray Devils who have completely lost their sanity turn into those things. They aren't even really Devils anymore. No wonder the higher-ups issued an emergency execution order."
Akeno was being vague, but Ethan understood. Essentially, those pretty, "delicate" girls lacked mental fortitude, making them prone to mutation. Someone like the broom-head devil—ugly but driven by a firm, scientific goal—remained sane. Sane strays were usually sent back to the Underworld; the mutated ones were slaughtered on the spot. This was likely the sole side effect of the Evil Piece system—a literal change in species was bound to have bugs.
As the hunt concluded, Ethan was ready to head home for more "cultivation," but Yuuto Kiba suddenly approached him.
"Ethan, could you come with me for a moment?" Yuuto whispered.
Ethan hesitated. He wasn't fond of spending private time with "Handsome Version" Kiba, but noticing the blonde's distracted gaze over the past few days, he agreed. Rias and the others shared a look and teleported back first, giving them space.
Back at the villa, the girls gathered in Asia's room. Rias sat with her legs crossed, resting her chin on her hand. "Akeno, I assume Yuuto wants to talk to Ethan about the Holy Swords."
"Most likely. Apparently, he got a lead on the past incident from that boy, Issei Hyoudou." Akeno tapped her cheek. "Besides, without Ethan's help, Yuuto's progress is just too slow."
Because of the Boosted Gear, Issei Hyoudou had crossed paths with the club several times. The girls remembered him—mostly as a pervert, but they knew his name.
"Asia is about to hit A-rank. Once she starts dual cultivating with Ethan, she'll rocket past everyone," Yuuma added. "Kiba will be the only one left behind."
Asia's talent was immense, specifically in healing. With Ethan's "essence," she would grow at a terrifying rate. Rias stroked Asia's golden hair and sighed. "I know, but the Holy Swords are too dangerous."
"President, what are Holy Swords?" Asia asked, her curiosity piqued.
"They are also known as Excaliburs," Rias explained. "To a Devil, they are the ultimate nightmares. Just touching one can scorch our flesh. A direct hit can erase us from existence. They are weapons designed to destroy us."
Asia clasped her hands, habitually starting to pray. A sharp pain shot through her head, reminding her that as a Devil, she could no longer pray to God. Ethan hadn't asked Michael for a "prayer permit" yet; he figured the golden-haired nun would be better off praying to him anyway.