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Buzz!
The dark red magic circle slowly faded away.
Blackeye didn't look too different, but a strange, sinister aura now surrounded her.
A demon's tail and wings had naturally appeared on her body.
"So this… is a demon's power?"
She blinked, her face lighting up with excitement.
Because she could feel it—her dependence on the drug that used to control her was completely gone.
"Ah…"
Her pupils shrank and her eyelashes trembled. Suddenly, her legs gave out and she dropped to her knees.
She looked down without thinking—only to see her own tail being held in Minato's hand.
"D-Demon Lord!"
"Oh? Shouldn't you change what you call me now?"
Minato smirked and lightly pulled on her tail.
"Ugh…!"
Blackeye's whole body started heating up. She had to brace herself with both hands on the ground, her posture completely changing.
Her chest bounced slightly with the movement.
"M-Master…!"
She changed how she addressed him almost instinctively.
Stare…
Redeye narrowed her eyes, a blush creeping onto her face.
Her little sister… was like this?
Sure, it was good that Blackeye had also become one of their Master's followers…
But this whole vibe—it just felt off somehow.
That's what Redeye was thinking.
Meanwhile—
Mine's eyes were growing wider and wider, her face turning as red as a ripe apple.
This is… this is shameless.
That demon really is a massive perv.
And Blackeye?! Who would've guessed she had this side to her?
"Blackeye looks like she's in pain…" Hill blinked.
But for some reason, her own body was starting to heat up too.
What… what was going on with her?
Unconsciously, a certain drunken rant from Leone flashed through her mind.
"You two—done staring yet?"
Minato, who had noticed them a while ago, waved a hand and said, "So, what do you think? Interested in becoming my followers too?"
He was seriously into collecting cards.
If he added these two, Night Raid would be almost complete.
"You wish, perv!" Mine shot back immediately. "I… I'm not falling for your tricks!"
"Ah, that's too bad."
Minato looked at her blushing face, clearly amused.
He was just about to tease her more when his expression suddenly sharpened.
"Blackeye, have Redeye help you get used to your new powers."
Leaving those words behind, a magic circle lit up beneath his feet—and in the blink of an eye, Minato was gone.
A little earlier…
Kuoh Academy – Occult Research Club
It was technically a day off, but the place was unusually lively today.
"You guys… need something?"
Rias looked at the unexpected guests with a strange expression.
One group was Sona Shitori, and the other was the two girls from the Church.
Having both these sides show up at the same time? That was beyond suspicious.
Not just Rias—Xenovia and Irina, plus Sona herself—all exchanged confused glances.
After a moment, Sona frowned and said, "One of my servants was captured. Someone told me to come here."
Irina added, "We sensed Kokabiel's presence around here."
"…Someone lured both your sides here?"
Rias's face changed. She shot up from her seat. "This is bad—we've been targeted."
The moment she said that, a mocking voice rang out.
"Not too slow, are you? Figured it out already?"
The voice echoed like thunder, shaking the air.
A crushing pressure swept over them—so overwhelming it was hard to even describe.
Everyone's expression shifted at once.
Still, they gritted their teeth and dashed out of the old school building.
And outside—
Under the clear blue sky, a man in black robes hovered in midair.
Behind him, five pairs of pitch-black wings spread wide, radiating danger.
There was no mistaking it—
A top-ranked fallen angel: Kokabiel.
"So you're Kokabiel."
Rias stepped forward, glaring at him. "What the hell are you planning? Are you seriously trying to start a three-way war?"
"Why even ask when you already know the answer?"
Kokabiel chuckled. "Isn't it obvious?"
He sighed, glancing at Rias and Sona. "I thought stealing the Holy Swords would force the angels to show up themselves. But all I got were two sword-wielders."
"Since that didn't work… I set my sights on you instead."
Irina shouted, unwilling to accept it, "What the hell do you mean by that?!"
"It's simple."
Kokabiel grinned wickedly. "There aren't many demons here, sure—but we've got two little sisters of Demon Kings. If you die, I bet those two will lose their minds."
"You lunatic!"
Sona clenched her teeth. "What do you even gain from this?!"
"Gain?" Kokabiel raised an eyebrow, then spread his arms and burst into manic laughter.
"WAR!"
"I LOVE war!"
"Any war—big or small—I love it! If there's war, then I'm happy!"
Everyone felt a chill crawl up their spine at his crazed laughter.
What's scarier than a ten-winged fallen angel?
A ten-winged fallen angel who's also a complete maniac.
Buzz!
Suddenly, space itself seemed to tremble as a brilliant light flared in Kokabiel's hand.
In an instant—
A massive spear of light, over ten feet long, formed in his grip.
"Come on. You should feel honored—getting to be the opening act for a world-shaking war."
The moment those words left his mouth, the spear of light ripped through the air like a meteor, falling with terrifying force.
"..."
Irina and Xenovia's eyes went wide.
The Church sent just them to deal with this guy?
Was that a joke?
"Rias!"
"Sona!"
The two girls locked eyes, and their magic flared simultaneously.
In a flash—
Two beams of energy blasted into the sky from both the Occult Club and the Student Council.
A huge magic circle rotated above the school, forming a protective barrier around all of Kuoh Academy.
BOOM!
The light spear slammed into the shield, triggering a deafening explosion.
A shockwave like a giant mushroom cloud rose up, shaking the ground.
The barrier shook violently—but it held. Just barely.
"A magic barrier, huh?"
Kokabiel's eyes gleamed, but he didn't look surprised.
Both the Sitri and Gremory heiresses were here. Of course the school would have magical defenses.
It'd be stupid if it didn't.
But after sizing it up for a bit, he scoffed. "You think that's enough to stop me?"
As soon as he finished speaking, spear after spear of light began forming in his hands—raining down endlessly onto the barrier and shaking the whole academy.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The deafening blasts echoed nonstop through the sky.
"We can't hold much longer," Sona said, biting her lip, worry in her eyes.
Rias stayed calm. "I've already called for help. All we can do now is buy time."
That's right.
At this point, delaying was their only option.
After all—
Kokabiel was a monster who had fought a Demon King and lived.
Even if they all worked together, he could probably wipe them out in seconds.
"HAHAHAHA! I WANT WAR! BRING ME WAR!"
Kokabiel raged like a lunatic, pouring all his power into the attack.
With every passing moment—
Cracks started forming on the barrier.
"Break already!!"
With a roar, Kokabiel hurled the biggest spear of light yet.
BOOOOM!
The whole sky shook.
The glowing barrier trembled—then shattered, finally collapsing into sparkles of light.
"Now then… struggle all you want," Kokabiel sneered, his eyes sweeping over everyone. "Though I doubt it'll change anything."
Another light spear formed in his hand, its glow pulsing ominously.
"Let's dance!"
Rias stepped forward, her long red hair flowing behind her.
The others said nothing.
But their auras surged. Their eyes burned with determination.
And just then—
The magic circle at Minato's house flared up.
Having just returned from another world, Minato looked toward Kuoh Academy.
"Fallen angel… you're dead."
His voice was cold as ice.
The original lightning magic ignited instantly.
A golden flash streaked across the sky—then vanished into thin air.
"....."