Rias Perspective
The words tore through the chaos like a blade through silk.
"Unchain the Repressed, Shinjūka!"
It was Toshio's voice, but not the one I knew. Deeper, resonant, layered with a kind of power that thrummed in my bones. This wasn't his usual calm or measured tone.
The instant the name left his lips, the air itself ruptured. It wasn't just a surge of normal magic power; it was pressure, heavy and suffocating, bending reality around it. The world shuddered, the sky seemed to fall a little closer against the gravity of this unrelenting force.
The shockwave slammed into me and everyone else, rattling my teeth, forcing the breath from my lungs. Beneath Toshio's feet, the ground cracked in spiderweb patterns, then cratered, as though the very earth was recoiling from what had just been unleashed. A large pillar of crimson, violet energy manifested around Toshio, reaching up to the sky. It was beautiful in color, but the weight of it made it difficult for me to breathe.
That eruption of power didn't spread evenly in the clearing however; it was focused, like a predator finding its prey. The target was clear. Ghom staggered mid-step, deformed fingers gouging deep trenches as the impact forced him to a knee. The sheer weight of the pressure left fissures glowing faintly under his massive frame, like molten veins in the soil.
He rose with a grinding of bone, head tilting at a sharp, unnatural angle until his eyes found Toshio. And then, in a voice like wet stone scraping against metal, Ghom laughed.
"Ahhh... there you are, little morsel. The sweet one who bleeds rage. I will drink it from your screams and crack your bones between my teeth."
I swallowed, my devil instincts twisting in warning. That laugh carried the promise of slow, intimate violence.
And then I saw Toshio clearly.
He was always composed, even in duels. His movements were efficient, never wasteful, and his eyes had that cold, analytical arctic-blue sheen. Not now. If the old Toshio was a fortress of cold strategy, this one was a volcano of pure emotion. Raw, eruptive, barely contained at the edges by sheer force of intent. It wasn't just the change in posture—though he stood taller, his aura bristling with menace—but his face, which had transformed. .
His eyes shone with a supernatural blend of crimson and violet matching the energy violently swirling around him, molten around the iris like twin dying stars. The veins at his temples pulsed with the same luminous energy, casting angry shadows across his cheekbones. Even his hair seemed to ripple with static, and from where I stood, he looked more elemental than human. The air around him shimmered with heat, as if his fury alone could ignite the field. And in his hand—
His sword was transformed. Longer than before, the black-and-silver steel seemed to drink the light. Scarlet ribbon patterns curled along the blade in glowing spirals, each one aflame with slow, ethereal flames that matched his eyes. The hilt was black, bound with dark-violet bands in flawless symmetry. The tsuba gleamed a deep, infernal red. It was beautiful, and every line of it screamed danger.
Ghom moved first, faster than I had ever seen it. His form blurred, and the ground fractured under the force of his acceleration as he charged.
Toshio didn't move—not until he spoke.
"Shinjūka, fuse."
And then he vanished.
Not stepped. Not teleported. He was simply gone.
Ghom's punch landed where Toshio had been a blink before, the ground erupting in an explosion of dirt and stone. But instead of the satisfying crunch of a body breaking, there was nothing—except a sudden, searing spray of black, sizzling blood.
One of Ghom's arms hit the ground with a wet thud.
The monster's head whipped around just in time to see Toshio flicker into existence behind him. Another movement—faster than my eyes could follow—and Ghom's left leg severed above the knee. The beast roared, staggering, its balance broken.
"Filthy little meat insect!" Ghom bellowed, his voice rising into an unholy shriek. "I will gnaw the marrow from your bones while they scream for you!"
Toshio's eyes narrowed.
"Fuse."
He raised his sword, the point leveling at the maimed monstrosity. Magic flared into existence in front of him—those same interlocking, rotating arrays I had seen him use before. But this time, there was a new one—a jagged, golden circle moving counter to the rest, radiating a heat that made my skin prickle.
"Yūgō: Acetylene Napalm Annihilation."
The magic condensed into a ball of burning yellow, no larger than a fist, hovering at the sword's tip. Then, without flourish, he let it go.
The world became fire.
Heat slammed into me in a suffocating wave, the air warping, the grass curling and turning to ash. My eyes watered instantly; I had to shield them or go blind. The blast hit Ghom full on, the detonation sharp and concussive, followed by the hideous sound of flesh being devoured by flames.
Ghom's scream was monstrous, wrong, resonating in a register that made my bones ache. And then—silence. No body, no trace. Just scorched earth where he had stood.
When the light faded, Toshio stood in the crater, his blade still glowing faintly.
In a flicker, he was suddenly in front of me, the afterimage of his movement still burning in my vision. His transformed sword was now on his back being held by, something. His hands gripped my shoulders, scanning me up and down with rapid, almost panicked precision, as if making sure I was whole before I could even answer.
"Are you okay?" he asked, voice rough and urgent.
"I am now," I managed. "But Koneko—"
He was already at her side.
She was curled in on herself, tears streaking her cheeks despite the set of her jaw. The adrenaline had worn off by now.
She was a mess. Her uniform—always immaculate—was shredded, stained with blood and dirt. Her arms were ruined, both twisted at unnatural angles, bones protruding through skin in at least one spot. Worse, she was crying, silent and embarrassed, as if apologizing for her weakness. I wanted to look away, but my eyes locked on the tears that streaked her face, glinting even in the gloom.
Toshio knelt beside her, his hands hovering over her injuries. "I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you, Koneko," he said, and then—he started to cry. I had never seen him cry, or even come close.
That was when Grayfia appeared beside me. Maybe she'd been there the entire time, lurking at the edge of the world, her silver hair unrumpled and her uniform was, of course, utterly immaculate. Not a fleck of dust, not a stray thread out of place. A gentle chill trailed her. I flinched, unable to look away from the carnage in the park, but she examined me with a gaze as sterile as a surgical lamp.
She didn't say a word at first. Her hands glided along my shoulders and jaw, checking even the tiniest cut, as if I were a broken heirloom and not a living, shivering devil with lungs filling too slowly. It was an oddly intimate violation, being measured so methodically while the world still vibrated from Toshio's display. Maybe she thought she was being merciful, checking me over before the shock wore off, but the coldness of her touch only made my skin crawl.
"Grayfia," I managed, voice hoarse from smoke and panic. It came out more like a plea than I meant, and I immediately hated myself for it.
She didn't answer. Instead, her thumb pressed gently into a bruise blooming on my neck, then traced the outline of my cheekbone, as if memorizing the shape of me. I felt a hot sting of shame, reminded I was weak enough to need a caretaker, even in my own city.
"What were you waiting for?" I demanded, fury boiling up. "Where were you?"
She didn't flinch. "Their lives were never in danger," she said flatly. "I was monitoring nearby. Had the situation warranted, I would have frozen the creature instantly."
"What about Koneko?!" I shouted, rage finally overflowing out of me. "She's mangled! She's—"
Grayfia's eyes remained cold. "Her life was not in danger. She has survived worse."
Grayfia's gaze didn't waver, and despite the cold certainty in her tone, I could tell she believed every word she had just spoken. I wanted to slap her. I wanted to scream that she didn't understand, that she couldn't let the people I love get hurt like this if she had the power to stop it, but the words knotted in my throat. I had known Grayfia for a long time, and this was cold even for her. Why was she acting like this?
Grayfia's gaze lingered on me, and something flickered behind her eyes, a faint pulse of curiosity, as if she was testing to see what I'd do next, I would respond to this loss.
Before I could respond, Toshio stepped up toward her, his face shadowed by his hair. He swung his hand toward her in a slap, and she caught his wrist effortlessly. The air dropped in temperature until my breath misted. His eyes blazed even brighter than before, the colors churning like a maelstrom.
"You dare let Koneko get hurt just to test me?! To test Rias and her peerage?! Only stepping in when you decided their lives were in danger?" His voice was a raw snarl. "THIS ISN'T A RATING GAME, MAID!" Grayfia's eyes gained a glint of malice, Toshio's arm freezing up to his shoulder in an instant. He seemed to ignore it.
"I don't care about me. I could have been on death's door for all I care, but letting them come here, letting them get hurt, IS INEXCUSABLE!"
Frost started to spread up to his neck. "Watch your tone, or there will be one less human on this planet," she said icily.
"That's enough!" I snapped, thrusting Koneko into Akeno's arms. "Back off, Grayfia!" My voice cracked like a whip.
Grayfia released him. At my command, she unfroze his arm.
His glare leaving the ice queen, his eyes returned to me, full of worry and (what I hoped) love.
Toshio then pulled me into a fierce embrace. "I'm so glad you're okay," he said, his voice shaking slightly. I held him just as tightly.
"So am I," I replied, my voice quieter now.
He pulled back, tears still in his eyes, and placed a hand on Akeno's shoulder. "I'm glad you're okay too." Then he went to Koneko again. "I'm so sorry," he said softly.
Then I noticed the blood on his skin. I didn't even think—I closed the distance with Akeno at my side, both of us moving on instinct. She noticed at the same time apparently. She hovered near his arms and shoulders with one hand while the other held Koneko, her fingers flexing as if she might start healing at the first sign of a wound like she knew healing magic, her gaze sharp and unblinking as it raked over him.
I reached out myself, letting my hands roam over his sleeve, down the firm line of his chest, brushing over his ribs and flank, searching for any heat of blood, the sting of burns, or the wrong give of an injury he might be hiding.
"Are you hurt anywhere?" I asked, my voice tighter than I meant, almost accusing in its urgency.
He gently took my searching hands. "I'm okay, Rias," he spoke softly. I looked into his eyes. My breath caught again. His eyes, were beautiful. Crimson and violet clashes of flame churned in his irises, holding more emotion than I ever thought possible from him.
He looked down at Koneko resting in Akeno's arms, a severe grimace of pain etched on her little face.
"Is there anything I can do?" he asked me.
I smiled, though it was tinged with sorrow. "No."
His blade seemed to dissolve, the black-and-silver katana reverting to the plainer weapon I knew. He exhaled deeply, tension bleeding from his stance. His face morphed back into the neutral I usually expected from him, as his eyes returned to his normal steel-blue.
"If there's anything I can do, let me know," he repeated.
I nodded, choosing not to question what I'd just witnessed. But I was going to be sure to later.
Kiba walked up to the side. My hand found his cheek.
"Are you okay, Yuuto?" In my haste to fuss over Koneko and Toshio, I had almost forgotten about him, and that made me feel very guilty.
"Of course, president. Just a little bruised." His small, genuine smile set me at ease.
"Let's go everyone. We need to get Koneko to the underworld. Toshio, I'll take you back too." He simply nodded and stood by my side.
Once everyone was gathered, I teleported us to the peerage house, leaving Grayfia behind. I didn't care to see her right now.
Knowing that the others knew, I turned to Toshio to explain. "I need to get Koneko to a healer before I can finish healing her with demonic power," I told him. "We'll talk about all this later, right?" He simply nodded, then gripped me in a brief, tight hug. He placed a small, but lingering kiss on my cheek as he pulled away. Despite the situation, it made my heart skip a beat.
"I'll see you all when you get back."
I said goodbye to him reluctantly, and with my peerage gathered close, I took us to the Underworld.
XXX
Grayfia Perspective
Grayfia Lucifuge appeared in a shimmer of silver light, the teleportation circle fading beneath her boots as she stepped into the quiet grandeur of Sirzechs-sama's private office. The air here was always still, untouched by the bustle of the Underworld's political machinery. Sunlight from an open balcony spilled across polished stone and crimson carpets, casting her master's desk in a regal glow.
He did not look up immediately, but the flick of his crimson irises betrayed that he'd sensed her before the light faded from her circle. Grayfia waited, silent, letting him finish his line.
Sirzechs-sama looked up from a neat stack of parchments. His crimson eyes warmed slightly at her arrival, though they never lost that calculating sharpness.
"Grayfia. I wasn't expecting you back from Kuoh so soon. I trust your visit was… eventful?"
"It was, Sirzechs-sama," she replied, voice even. "The stray demon Ghom has been eliminated. Toshio Amano was the one to land the final blow."
One red brow lifted in mild surprise. "Oh? And how did he fare against it? I remember Ghom well… during the war it was a plague upon battlefields. Dangerous even to high-class devils."
Grayfia folded her hands before her. "Its current, deteriorated state was weaker than its prime, likely equivalent to an upper high-class devil in raw strength. Its mind had rotted entirely. It fought more like a beast than a warrior."
Sirzechs's shoulders eased a fraction. She allowed herself a small pause. "Amano's resilience is… noteworthy. For such a short lived human, his stamina and combat intuition would have impressed even your father."
"High praise indeed," Sirzechs replied, and this time the small smile was genuine. "And what of the others?"
"Rias and her peerage became involved." Grayfia watched the temperature of the room drop by several degrees at that.
His smile faded, posture straightening. "She fought it? Knowing what it was?"
"She engaged after witnessing Toshio struggle against it, and after it attacked her peerage. Ghom's assault left only Koneko Toujou with serious injury—compound fractures to both arms. Rias herself escaped with minor bruising."
Sirzechs-sama's expression darkened with concern. "Koneko… That is unfortunate. Perhaps… this will serve as the push Rias needs to begin taking her training more seriously, and push her peerage to do the same."
Grayfia inclined her head. "I agree. But before I could intervene to ensure her safety, Toshio Amano acted. He unleashed a power I have never seen before nor that I anticipated. His sword transformed, and his strength multiplied—five to six times his prior level, if the oppressive aura I felt was any measure. Even though it did not faze me, it was… remarkable. For a human. It stopped the demon in its tracks right before it could attempt its attack on Lady Rias."
Sirzechs listened in silence, nodding only once as she finished. His teal irises flickered. "And this was before, or after, Koneko was injured?"
"After. The trauma to her arms and Ghom's near attack on Rias triggered Amano's transformation."
The Maou's hands steepled. "He was protecting them, protecting Rias."
"Yes. With an instinct that goes beyond mere self-preservation. It was the same for Akeno Himejima. The compulsion is powerful enough that he would have died rather than leave them to harm."
Sirzechs's lips compressed to a line in thought.
"Furthermore, Rias's emotional state has become tied to Amano's wellbeing. She braved the field only when she thought him in mortal peril."
"Is that so?" Sirzechs asked rhetorically. "What do you make of the kid's potential?"
Grayfia paused, considering. The easy answer was: formidable. "He is evolving at an alarming rate. If he remains on this trajectory, in two years' time he might be able to challenge a high-class devil's queen in a duel and fight on even ground. His power is still unrefined—he lacks the polish of a devil trained from birth—but the raw material is all there. More importantly, his will is already that of a leader. He prioritizes the safety of others, sometimes at the expense of his own advantage."
She let the words settle, before looking at him fondly, an expression that only he could interpret. "He's like you in some ways, Sirzechs-sama. If you had been born mortal."
"Ha!" Sirzechs chortled in amusement. "No wonder Rias seems to like him." After his amusement passed, his expression grew more serious.
He leaned forward slightly, interest flickering in his gaze. "Describe this transformation you mentioned earlier."
She did so succinctly—the black-and-silver blade, the glowing crimson patterns, the aura that pressed against the air like a storm front. "It was unlike any magic or technique known to me. And his intent was clear—he moved to protect Rias and her peerage with absolute focus. His instinct to defend them seems to go beyond mere friendship, especially Lady Rias and Akeno."
Sirzechs-sama regarded her quietly for a moment, then asked, "You think there may be… deeper feelings involved? Beyond camaraderie and friendship?"
Her voice cooled further. "If there are not already, it will be a matter of time.
The path is clear—her empathy and intrigue is drawn to him, and his loyalty is absolute in the truest sense. His apparent devotion to her is adamant. If left unchecked, it will escalate to something… problematic for the House."
"A romantic entanglement between a devil heiress, and a Gremory at that, and a human is a scandal we cannot afford."
He gave a slow, reluctant nod. "Even if he surpasses the average magician or exorcist, he is still, from the clan's and the pillar families' perspective, a human. Mortal. Ephemeral. Politically worthless." He drummed his fingers on the desk. "And yet, I cannot deny the value his presence has had for Rias. She has grown more assertive, decisive, and a touch wiser. Due to his influence, she has become a better leader for her peerage."
Grayfia rebutled, "His influence as an ally to her is absolutely fine. Beyond that, he will eventually wither."
Sirzechs-sama nodded gravely. "Agreed. Even if he proves powerful and a good influence on Rias, he will never match her lifespan, her station, or the political obligations she must meet. Such a relationship would paint a target on them both."
He continued. "I can also see Rias trying to use him as an avenue to break her engagement with Riser. Although I'm not a fan of the whole idea, I can't change what my father and the head of the Phenex have already agreed to. As a target for affection, Amano gives her an outlet in the face of the looming event."
"Which means their bond will only deepen," Grayfia said, just above a whisper. "It would be wise to act now, rather than hope it fades."
Sirzechs's face flickered with a rare shadow of regret. "If we do not intervene, it will end in heartbreak. If we do, it may end in rebellion." He leaned back, letting out a long breath. "Tell me: has the boy shown interest in joining her peerage?"
"Not even slightly." Grayfia's answer was immediate. "He has declined twice when pressed. I believe he sees his humanity as an asset, not a defect. He is proud of the fact that he can stand with devils on equal terms, as a human."
"Well, if he won't join willingly, then there's not much that can be done." He sighed.
She could tell he was about to dismiss her when the door to his office burst open with a force that rattled the hinges.
Rias stormed in, her glare locking instantly onto Grayfia. "Tell him about Koneko," Rias demanded, her voice trembling with anger.
Grayfia's gaze flicked briefly to Sirzechs.
Koneko's pain was regrettable, but her life was never in danger. Grayfia thought.
Sirzechs rose, his expression softening. "I've already heard. She will be healed in no time. The Gremory doctors are some of the best in the Underworld."
"She was screaming and trembling in pain!" Rias's shout hung in the air, raw and vulnerable. "You stood and let her suffer while you watched from behind a barrier!"
Grayfia's reply was measured, almost gentle. "Her life was not in jeopardy. Had the circumstances changed, I would have intervened."
Rias trembled with the effort not to scream again. Her fists clenched at her sides, nails biting into skin.
"Sit, Rias," Sirzechs-sama said, gesturing to a chair, his voice as gentle as Grayfia's was cold.
"No."
Sirzechs's countenance changed instantly, all softness evaporating as the Maou's authority settled onto him like a mantle of storm clouds. "Then I will speak, and you will listen," he said, not raising his voice, but with a force that commanded the room.
"This is about Toshio Amano. The way he touches you, embraces you, holds your hand… Are you so naive you do not realize the consequences of being seen in such a manner with a human? You know what such perceptions could do."
Rias looked down, but only for a heartbeat. Then she met his eyes again, stubborn and defiant. "He is my friend. There's nothing inappropriate about caring for a friend."
Sirzechs shook his head slowly. "You are a Gremory. Your life is not solely your own. A human cannot stand beside you as an equal—not in politics, not in culture, not in the span of centuries you will live. If you intend to pursue him beyond friendship, I will end that notion here and now."
Grayfia saw the argument falling short of Rias' ability to accept; Rias was her mother's daughter, and the Gremorys were nothing if not passionate in their loyalties. So she pressed the point with the only way she knew how: cold logic.
"Even if he could match you in strength, he will wither and die in decades, while you continue on for centuries. Is that what you want— to shackle yourself to sorrow? It would weaken your standing, invite ridicule, and give your political, and real, enemies leverage. Is that worth this fleeting infatuation?"
Rias' hands curled into fists. "You can't decide—"
"This is not only about you," Grayfia cut in. "It is about the clan, the alliances we maintain, the enemies we deter. A human consort would undermine all of it."
Sirzechs-sama's voice softened, but his words struck just as hard. "I love you, Rias. We are not trying to hurt you. We are protecting you. From yourself, and from the world that will judge every move you make. You may hate me for this now, but one day you'll understand."
Rias seemed to fold in on herself, her anger giving way to a quiet, desperate sadness. "Why is it so wrong to want to make my own choices? To live my own life?" Tears were building up in her eyes.
"Because the world will not let you," Grayfia answered. The words landed with dull finality, and for a long, brittle moment, no one spoke.
Grayfia pressed once more. "Your engagement to Riser Phenex remains as well. That union will protect you and solidify your position, as well as elevating the Gremory family."
"I will never marry him!" Rias' voice rose, sharp and certain. "And you can't control my life! Or decide whom I choose to spend it with!" She turned and tried to leave, only to see Grayfia in front of her.
Grayfia's gaze was cold, her words sharper still. "Understand this, Lady Rias. He is human, and therefore bound by fragility, mortality, and the whims of his kind. You could not convince him to become a devil, so he will likely remain human. He has no affiliations. No backing. He is utterly alone in a supernatural world that will consume him before he reaches maturity."
"You will not pursue him. Should you defy us and pursue him, you risk more than your reputation or the Gremory family's. You risk his very life in a world that would see him destroyed either because they perceive him as a threat or for simply standing beside you." Rias started to cry outright.
"As a maid to the Gremory family you cannot order me to do anything!" Rias stamped her foot in frustration.
"Rias," Sirzechs started softly yet firmly, "She speaks on my authority as a Satan." Rias gasped at her brother.
"I can't believe you'd do this to me, onii-sama!" Her look of utter betrayal pained Sirzechs, Grayfia could tell.
Rias looked at each of them in turn, her eyes wet but burning with something harder than anger. "You're both monsters," she said. "You think you're protecting me, but you're only making sure I never get to live at all."
Rias began to sob, then quickly spun on her heel and stormed out, the door slamming behind her.
The room fell quiet.
When the echoes faded, Sirzechs let his head fall into his hands. "Are we the monsters she claims, Grayfia? Are we doing the right thing? I despise seeing her look at me like that."
"It is the only way," she said, voice unwavering. "We serve the House. And as a Satan, you serve devil-kind as a whole. Our personal desires are irrelevant. If you indulge hers, you damn her to endless regret and pain."
"I just hope she'll forgive me for this." The Satan rubbed his eyes. He looked toward Grayfia again with an unreadable expression. "But then again, who knows? Maybe the boy will surprise us later. If he continues to gain power at the same rate he's going, it may only make sense to have the devil race form an alliance with him." Grayfia remained doubtful despite what she had seen today from the boy.
"There's still the matter of his lifespan, and the Phenex engagement. You're not reconsidering your stance on that are you?" Grayfia couldn't help but ask pointedly.
"The kid has time. He may just solve that very problem. Maybe the other one too..." he replied cryptically.
He gave her a faint smile before he stood, stepping toward the attached balcony behind his desk. "I have a meeting with the other pillars soon." His tone was clipped, the vulnerability already receding behind the mask of leadership.
"I will have everything prepared for your return, Sirzechs-sama," she replied, bowing.
He inclined his head and vanished in a ripple of magic, leaving Grayfia alone with the silence and the lingering weight of what had just been discussed.