With the resolve of exchanging injury for life, the fallen angel Belgenor unleashed her Light Spears in a mad frenzy, vowing to impale Ryuya completely.
Ryuya, however, ignored the brilliant Spears flying at him like blades of light. He charged straight toward her at full speed.
Facing the oncoming demon with sword in hand, Belgenor's once-beautiful face twisted into something hideous with rage.
"Die!!"
She screamed furiously, as if she bore a hatred for him spanning eight lifetimes.
But just as the Light Spears were about to pierce into Ryuya's body, Belgenor's crazed expression froze.
Because in that instant, a silver-white shield appeared out of thin air before Ryuya. The shield radiated dazzling light, releasing an immense protective field the moment it manifested.
The invisible barrier wrapped tightly around him, and all the Light Spears striking against it shattered into fragments the instant they touched it!
Shhh!
A silver flash swept past.
Ryuya's sword sliced clean through the fallen angel's body, and in the next heartbeat, he was already standing behind her.
Belgenor stood frozen for a moment—then a bloom of crimson burst from her torso. A long, diagonal wound stretched from her shoulder down to her ribs, and her upper body slid off, falling lifelessly to the ground.
Ryuya turned his head slightly, looked down at her collapsing corpse, and coldly muttered,
"Idiot."
Who in their right mind would choose mutual destruction with trash like this?
She wasn't some great figure—dying together with her would accomplish nothing.
In fact, just the thought of it was ridiculous enough to make anyone laugh.
From the start, Ryuya had kept one trump card hidden—
Because in the set of the Sword and Shield of the Benevolent King, the true power didn't lie in the sword, the so-called Sword of the King, but in the shield—a silver guardian that acted on its own to protect its master.
Its true name was—"Divine Weeper."
On the ground, Belgenor still clung to life, her powerful vitality keeping her barely breathing. She couldn't believe it—that she, once a high-class angel, had died at the hands of a mere low-ranked demon.
Ryuya's expression remained calm. He stepped forward and delivered the finishing blow.
The Sword of the King erupted with violent demonic power, consuming the fallen angel entirely until nothing was left but a wisp of ash that drifted away with the wind.
Only then did Ryuya's body relax, his strength giving way as he looked up toward the sky. The barrier that had sealed the area had vanished—the death of its caster had undone it.
He raised his palm, and a dark crimson devil's sigil appeared in his hand.
The barrier had previously blocked all communication, preventing him from contacting Rias. Thankfully, he'd managed to eliminate the fallen angel before things got worse.
Still… he'd have to be more careful next time. He'd been lucky today—the enemy wasn't particularly powerful.
With a quiet sigh, Ryuya thought to himself that he needed to find a contract partner soon. Next time, luck might not be on his side.
A dark red magic circle flared to life, and from it emerged the figures of Rias Gremory, Akeno Himejima, and Koneko Toujou.
Seeing Ryuya kneeling on one knee, propping himself up with the Sword of the King, the three of them hurried forward.
"Ryuya! What happened!?"
The moment Rias had received his summons, she'd instantly teleported over with Akeno and Koneko.
Her expression was grave. When she saw the bloody wound on his calf, her eyes darkened with fury.
"This… this is a piercing wound from a Spear of Light! Who did this to you!?"
In that instant, the demonic aura around Rias surged violently—a chilling, murderous pressure flooding the air.
Her beloved servant had been injured, and for the first time that night— Rias Gremory was truly angry.
Ryuya looked up at Rias. Seeing her anger flare on his behalf, he could feel the genuine concern she held for him. The coldness in his eyes softened slightly.
"President, don't get so worked up. The one who hurt me has already been turned to dust."
He waved a hand dismissively and, using the Sword of the King for support, forced himself to stand. A sharp wave of pain coursed through his body, making him hiss through clenched teeth.
"—Tch… President, this Light Poison from the fallen angels—how do I get rid of it? It's killing me!"
Beads of cold sweat rolled down his forehead; his clothes were completely drenched.
"Light poison?" Rias's eyes widened in alarm, then she immediately understood.
"You mean divine light energy. For low-class devils, that's definitely toxic—it causes excruciating pain. Come with me right now. I'll heal you."
"Alright… sorry for troubling you again." Ryuya said with an apologetic smile, trying to endure the pain.
"Why say that, silly?" Rias smiled faintly. "You're my precious servant, after all."
She slipped an arm around him, pulling his arm over her shoulder so he could lean on her soft, warm body. Turning to Akeno and Koneko, she ordered:
"You two handle the cleanup here—and find out who that fallen angel was!"
"Ara ara~ don't worry, leave it to me and Koneko-chan," Akeno replied with a charming yet dangerous smile.
Nodding, Rias activated a magic circle and instantly teleported herself and Ryuya back to his home, wasting no time in beginning his treatment.
---
The moment Rias's smooth, soft body pressed against his back, Ryuya finally understood what had happened that night—the night he'd been turned into a devil.
So this was how it had gone…
Back then, she had held him like this, her body warm against his, while she changed him from human to devil.
Damn… no wonder it felt so intoxicating.
"Ryuya, your heartbeat's getting faster," Rias murmured with a teasing lilt, her arms wrapped around him from behind, her hand resting gently over his heart.
He could feel not only the softness of her skin but also a flood of pure, dense demonic energy flowing from her body into his through their shared warmth.
Under the influence of that energy, the agonizing pain tearing through his nerves began to fade, melting away like snow under the sun. The unbearable suffering that had tormented him was finally gone.
Ryuya's lips curved faintly. "I just… didn't expect your method of healing to be quite like this."
"Eh? Are you saying you mind us being like this?" Rias breathed softly into his ear, her tone sultry and playful. "Or… do you just not like my body?"
"…If you don't mind, how could I?" Ryuya smiled faintly. "And as for that second question—well, I doubt there's a man alive who wouldn't like your body, President."
"Hmm~ good answer. Barely passing, though," Rias chuckled.
She patted his back lightly. "Alright, you're all healed. You're drenched in sweat—go take a shower."
"So fast?"
Ryuya was left speechless. He couldn't even feel her warmth anymore, and a small part of him found that disappointingly regretful.
"What's this? You want to get a little closer, hmm?" Rias said with a sly smile, her crimson hair brushing his cheek. "It's fine, you know. If it's you, Ryuya, I don't mind. You can do whatever you want to me—anything at all~."
Her soft fingers caressed his face as she spoke, her beauty dazzling and her demonic allure overwhelming.
"…Who knew such beautiful words could exist in this world," Ryuya said with a dry laugh. But he didn't move, his expression remaining calm and composed.
"It's a shame, though… Maybe it's the remnants of my humanity, but I don't feel like indulging in something so empty—without any real emotion."
---