Bang!
Rias fired her Power of Destruction, blasting apart the tree behind Irina.
"This power... Rias isn't holding back at all," Issei muttered quietly.
"Ara~ ara~ isn't that a good thing? It's an actual devil's duty to defeat church envoys," Akeno said as she slipped into her sadistic mode—elegant, yet incredibly dangerous.
"Koneko, what do you think?"
Issei turned his gaze toward Koneko.
Koneko placed a hand on her chest and let out a frustrated sigh.
"Koneko?"
"Just let it be. If the church envoy dies, it's only because she's too weak."
"Oi! Don't say that! Irina is my precious childhood friend!"
Koneko glanced at Issei and asked hesitantly, "So, which one is more important right now—the church girl or Bucho?"
Issei froze, standing motionless for a moment.
The battle between Rias and Irina slowed slightly, as if they were deliberately easing the pace to hear Issei's answer.
Issei thought hard, sighed, and replied in a serious tone, "I don't know. What I do know is that they're both precious to me!"
Rias's cheeks turned red.
Irina made a misstep out of embarrassment, nearly stumbling due to her carelessness.
"How about we end this duel?" Rias asked.
"I agree. There's no point in continuing anyway."
"Hehehe~ if this goes on, it's obvious I'll be the one who wins," Rias said.
Contrary to expectations, Irina readily accepted Rias's statement.
"You're right."
"Eh?" Rias was surprised, staring at Irina with an expression of disbelief. "You're very honest."
Irina gave a bitter smile, responding with a helpless grin.
"During that duel, I realized the difference in our strength. As expected of the younger sister of the current Demon King Lucifer—Rias Gremory."
Rias closed her eyes briefly, then smiled generously at Irina.
"I've changed my evaluation of you. Maybe we can get along."
"Ahaha, I think so too."
Rias and Irina shook hands while looking at each other's faces.
In Issei's eyes, he saw sparks flying between them, along with the image of an angel behind Irina and a demon behind Rias.
"Um, please don't fight anymore, okay?"
Rias and Irina looked at Issei.
"Pfft, hahaha!"
They laughed together, looking just like real sisters.
Ding!
The duel between Kiba and Xenovia continued.
Kiba's Magic Swords were repeatedly shattered by Excalibur Destruction.
Even so, Kiba continued his relentless and ferocious assault on Xenovia.
It had to be admitted that Kiba's swordsmanship was quite high, even though it was still far from the level of a master.
Thanks to his skill, Kiba managed to fight Xenovia head-on, despite his Magic Swords being nowhere near comparable to Excalibur Destruction.
Not only did Xenovia possess a holy sword, she was also a highly skilled swordswoman. With a superior weapon in hand, she eventually managed to wound Kiba.
Srat!
Excalibur Destruction slashed across Kiba's shoulder.
Blood sprayed out as Kiba grit his teeth, enduring the pain.
After being struck, instead of retreating, Kiba tried to rush forward again to attack Xenovia.
Issei immediately stepped in, stopping Kiba.
"Stop. She's not an opponent you can beat."
"Issei-kun..."
Kiba fell silent, bowed deeply, and sincerely apologized.
"I'm sorry, Issei-kun."
Issei gave a wry smile and replied casually, "As long as you understand, it's fine."
Xenovia quietly observed Issei, glanced at Irina, then let out a helpless sigh.
"I'm sorry, Kiba Yuuto. I retract what I said earlier."
Kiba was stunned for a moment, then shook his head.
"I'm also sorry for acting aggressively."
In the end, they reconciled. Kiba and Xenovia sheathed their weapons and shook hands.
"Alright, it's time to think about how to destroy and retrieve the stolen holy swords," Issei said, receiving nods from everyone present.
After discussing things with Xenovia and Irina, it was decided that they would move tonight.
Issei still had to return to class, where his teacher had already been replaced by another one known for being extremely strict.
As soon as he arrived in the classroom, Issei was scolded by the teacher for taking too long in the restroom. The scene amused the entire class, causing them to burst into laughter.
... .. .
To be continued...