Slowly, Kokabiel's sharp gaze shifted to Akeno, who was still standing, breathing heavily, her body trembling with anger.
Kokabiel's eyes seemed to probe the wounds of her past.
"And you… Princess Baraqiel. Child of heaven and rebellion… lightning and darkness intertwined within a single girl."
"Your aura… so familiar, yet so repulsive and… beautiful at the same time. But alas, you chose to stand on the wrong side."
Kokabiel's laughter echoed again, this time colder, more cruel, as if he relished the suffering of his opponents, toying with them before the next onslaught.
Issei clenched his fists so tightly that the veins on his hands turned white.
Heat surged through his chest—not from attack, but from Kokabiel's words, belittling those he cared for.
"You…" he muttered softly, almost like a growl.
Issei's eyes glared sharply, burning with anger at the fallen angel.
"You may call yourself a fallen angel or an ancient being of immense power…"
"But what you just said…" Issei pointed his Boosted Gear, glowing bright red at Kokabiel, "…that was beyond the line."
"Never… never underestimate Buchou just because she's Maou's younger sister!"
"Don't dare call Akeno-senpai merely 'Princess Baraqiel,' as if she has no dignity!"
"And don't assume Irina and Xenovia are aimless warriors just because they can no longer hear the voice of God!"
The red aura around him flared even brighter, instantly shifting the atmosphere.
"I may be nobody. But they… they are my friends! My family! If you dare insult them again…"
Issei's eyes blazed like fire.
"…I'll make sure you fall forever, Kokabiel!"
"Good grief… just left for less than a year, and this place already looks like a war ruin?"
Before Kokabiel could respond to Issei, a calm yet unmistakable voice cut through the dust and the night wind carrying the scent of blood.
"Hmph… Even the gym got destroyed? Seriously? Is it so hard to fight in the forest? Or at least… somewhere that doesn't drain the school's budget?"
A measured footstep echoed softly amidst the ruins and the stillness of the night.
The figure emerged from behind the collapsed gym as if the world wasn't teetering on the edge of destruction.
"To be honest… I really do love Kuoh Academy."
The voice, the aura, the way of speaking—it was instantly familiar. Heads turned reflexively: Issei, Rias, Akeno, even Koneko. No words were needed. They all knew who had arrived.
Amidst the chaotic night, Rian walked calmly, as if strolling through a garden on a quiet afternoon. His steps were deliberate, heading straight toward Koneko, who staggered—nearly collapsing, but still standing.
"Rian-senpai…" Koneko murmured softly.
Koneko's eyes widened slightly, like a kitten who had finally found its master after being lost for too long.
Rian stopped right in front of her. He smiled warmly—gentle, reassuring—but somehow, the atmosphere around him shifted, as if the night wind itself had paused to pay attention.
The tightness in Koneko's chest vanished, and gradually, the longing she'd been holding crumbled, like a burden she no longer had to carry.
Yet, one thing unsettled her. Unconsciously, the nekomata girl had to tilt her head upward.
This was Rian's true height, and for the first time, Koneko realized just how small she was in front of him.
She looked up again, slightly annoyed, because the contrast was simply too striking.
Now, she truly looked like a tiny cat before its owner.
For reference: Rian's actual height is 180 cm, and Koneko is 138 cm. So… she reached roughly to his sternum or lower chest.
Rian paid no mind to the annoyed expression flickering across Koneko's face.
Calmly, he reached into the pocket of his trench coat and pulled out a clean handkerchief.
Without a word, he extended his hand slowly and, with a gentle motion, wiped the blood running down Koneko's forehead.
"Your most charismatic master… has arrived, Shironeko."
Koneko puffed out her cheeks and replied flatly, yet with an adorably sharp tone, "You're not my master. My name's Koneko… and Rian-senpai, you were gone way too long."
"Sorry, sorry… Shironeko," Rian responded with a light laugh. "I've been super busy. Lots of matters to handle, lots of attention to compete for."
"…annoying… narcissistic senpai," Koneko muttered flatly.
Then, Rian gently patted Koneko's head. The motion seemed trivial, but to Koneko, the warmth it carried was more potent than any medicine.
The little girl closed her eyes, letting the tension that had built up on her shoulders dissolve instantly.
After a few seconds, Rian withdrew his hand and turned toward Issei, flashing a grin and giving a thumbs-up.
"By the way, Issei-kun. That speech earlier? Really impressive."
Then, from the left pocket of his pants, he pulled out a small recording device. "I even recorded it. Who knows, might make it into the heroes' speech archive."
Issei froze for a moment, his face turning red.
"W-What!? Huh!? You recorded it!?" he panicked, flailing his hands aimlessly. "Don't share it, seriously! That was just… spur-of-the-moment motivation! Not meant to be replayed!"
Rias stifled a laugh, turning her face slightly away. "But… I think it's not bad. That honest side of yours is what makes you shine, Issei."
Meanwhile, Akeno just smiled softly, her signature enigmatic smile, covering her mouth with the back of her hand as if she were enjoying the little chaos like her favorite show.
"Fufu~ you all are quite amusing."
Seeing the atmosphere suddenly shift, Xenovia froze for a moment.
The unfamiliar figure, Rian Andromeda, who had appeared from nowhere, now stood calmly in the middle of the battlefield, as if the chaos around him was of no concern.
Meanwhile, Kokabiel clenched his fists, feeling belittled and ignored. His eyes narrowed sharply at the stranger he did not know.
Yet, there was something—a faint, familiar aura emanating from Rian. Impossible… It couldn't be… That being shouldn't exist here.
Note: Effect of Beloved by Infinity. Those who sense Ophis' aura easily mistake Rian for Ophis or someone similarly special.
"How dare you—"
"Shut your mouth."
A cold, emotionless voice, yet sharp and pressing like a blade at the throat, issued from Rian.
Instantly, a point of convergence appeared beneath Kokabiel's feet.
In a flash, gravity multiplied several times slammed into his body, forcing the fallen angel to crash to the ground on his knees.
The earth cracked, dust swirled, and a loud thud echoed through the air.
Kokabiel groaned, struggling to rise, but in vain. His body refused to move, as if restrained by an incomprehensible force. His face twisted between anger and shock.
Rian finally turned, looking directly at Kokabiel. Through the lenses of his Interface glasses, his Six Eyes glowed cold, blue like a frozen lake in the heart of a winter night.
"I… don't like your tone, you know? So… don't say anything without my permission."
After delivering the warning, Rian raised his hand, halting the flow of blue energy pressing against the air around Kokabiel.
The convergence point that had previously cracked the ground and forced the fallen angel to his knees slowly dissipated, leaving only fine dust drifting down.
"That's enough," Rian said flatly.
With a single, effortless swing of his hand through the air, a mysterious energy spread like a gentle breeze, brushing over the bodies of everyone nearby.
Their wounds vanished, torn clothing mended itself as if time had been rewound. Their breathing steadied, returning to health, just as it had been before the battle began.
Rian wasn't healing them. Instead, he was rewinding time to the exact moment before the injuries occurred, using the access to the Time Stone that Alice had granted him.
However… there was one person who appeared different: Koneko.
The Nekomata girl's clothes remained tattered, revealing her pink undergarments.
Some parts of her uniform looked even more damaged than before, as if worn away by time itself.
Amid the tension that hadn't fully dissipated, Rian allowed himself a small, deliberate grin. Clearly, this wasn't an accident.
Koneko glared at him, pouting, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Her yellow eyes twitched, and her white tail lashed back and forth like a cat ready to pounce.
She knew. She knew all too well. This had to be the doing of Narcissistic Senpai.
"…The worst," Koneko muttered softly, her cheeks puffed out, "…you did this on purpose."
Her urge to throw or slam Rian flared up, boiling inside her.
But seeing Rian now turning serious, his gaze fixed firmly on Kokabiel… she realized that intention would have to wait. For now.
"Human… what do you mean by restoring all of this?" Kokabiel asked, his eyes narrowing. "This isn't magic. Not holy energy. And it's clearly not ordinary healing power…"
His voice and gaze were laced with suspicion, yet tinged with a grudging admiration he refused to admit.
Rian responded in a calm, yet pressing tone:
"I just want fairness. We fight… at our best. No reason to hide behind wounds or exhaustion."