Akeno's personality was complicated, especially at this point in the story. It was difficult to tell when she was teasing and when she was being serious.
Her voice carried that soft, melodic tone that could make anyone drop their guard, yet her words always seemed to hide something sharper beneath them.
Arthur couldn't read her. Not yet. Maybe with time, he'd learn to tell the difference, but right now every smile, every glance, every subtle shift of her tone felt like an illusion meant to keep him guessing.
Although he could say one thing with certainty, she was up to something.
On one hand, he was relieved she hadn't confronted him or tried to test him further. On the other, her calm and composed reaction was far more unnerving than anger or suspicion.
"Whatever it is, I suppose it'll sort itself out as we go along," he muttered quietly.
Rather than dwell on something he couldn't solve, Arthur decided to focus on what he could. He activated Shunpo and left the area, reappearing in a far more secluded place - a water tower overlooking the edge of the city.
The cool breeze brushed against his face as he sat down on the metal railing. From up here, he could see the sun dipping low into the horizon, painting the sky in streaks of crimson and gold.
He let out a long breath and stared at the city lights flickering below. For a moment, he simply sat there, lost in thought, until he remembered his pending task.
"Use."
[Two Special Roulette Draws Used]
The familiar roulette wheels appeared before his eyes, glowing faintly. They spun rapidly, symbols and names flashing across them like the flicker of lightning. Arthur waited patiently, his heartbeat steady.
Finally, both wheels stopped.
[You have obtained "Magic Analysis"]
[You have obtained "Dragon Heart (Incomplete)"]
The notifications vanished, and pain erupted through his body without warning.
A splitting headache tore through his mind as countless streams of information flooded his consciousness. At the same time, an unbearable heat ignited in his chest, spreading through every vein and nerve. He clutched his shirt, gasping, feeling something new beating beneath his heart—a second rhythm, deeper, heavier, more powerful.
It felt as if another life force had been grafted into him.
He grit his teeth, forcing himself to endure it until the burning sensation finally faded. His breathing slowed, and he sat still for a moment, feeling the changes coursing through him.
"Magic Analysis," he murmured under his breath.
That ability belonged to one of the most powerful magicians from the series A Returner's Magic Should Be Special. It granted its user the power to instantly analyze and interfere with the structure of any magic - an ability that could break down spells faster than most could cast them.
Then came the second reward - Dragon Heart.
In the world of Overgeared, it was known as the source of a dragon's limitless vitality and magic. It granted not only boundless energy but the ability to regenerate mana faster than it could be consumed. Even if it was incomplete, he could already feel it working, mana circulating through his body in a continuous, soothing rhythm.
His fatigue vanished entirely, replaced by a sense of renewed power.
"With these two new cards in my arsenal, it's best to resume the devil hunt," he said, standing up.
The sunlight still glowed brightly across the sky. That meant the scattered devil's would likely still be hiding in their burrows.
Without hesitation, he activated Shunpo. His figure blurred and vanished, leaving behind only a faint ripple in the air. Normally, repeated use of the technique drained his stamina, but with the Dragon Heart, he didn't feel any strain at all.
His next target was located at the edge of town, inside what looked like an abandoned house. The windows were broken, and the door hung loosely from its hinges. Without wasting time, Arthur kicked it open.
"How dare you enter here, human?"
A rasping voice came from within.
"Now you will be my food."
From the darkness emerged a figure that was far more human-looking than the last demon he had fought. Its eyes glowed faintly red, its skin pale, its movements jerky and unstable.
It lunged forward, slashing at him with razor-sharp claws, but Arthur sidestepped effortlessly, his movements crisp and precise.
The moment the devil's guard opened, Arthur struck back.
"Ground Drawer."
The Renewal style technique sent a shockwave through the air, his fist slamming into the demon's midsection with crushing force. The creature staggered back, its balance broken.
Arthur followed up instantly.
"Fangs."
His elbows struck the demon's ribs in rapid succession, each impact sending cracks through the air. The final blow drove the creature into the floor, leaving a crater in the old concrete.
He stood over it, breathing slowly. The demon didn't move - it was either unconscious or worse. Arthur didn't care which.
He hadn't even needed to summon his Device this time. He wanted to test his physical strength alone, and the result spoke for itself.
His body was only as strong as a low-ranking demon's, but with his techniques, perception, and precision, he could amplify every strike to destructive levels.
The Renewal style truly was terrifying. If he could master the knockback form, even without using the Boosted Gear, he could deal serious damage to a Maou-class demon. Maybe not kill one, but hurt them enough to matter.
Satisfied with the results, he left the ruined building and continued his hunt.
Not long after, he arrived at a clearing on the outskirts of a forest. The air here felt heavy, unnaturally still.
He frowned. There were no insects, no birds - nothing. That silence alone was enough to set off alarms in his head.
Without warning, his instincts screamed. He ducked instinctively, just as something massive swiped through the air where his head had been.
A huge demon loomed behind him, taller and bulkier than the others, its skin pale and stretched over bulging muscles.
From his crouched position, Arthur retaliated instantly.
"Baek Rok."
His foot shot upward, smashing into the demon's chin. The creature reeled back with a grunt of pain, but Arthur didn't let it recover.
"Mach Punch."
His fist slammed into its chest, forcing it back several steps. Then, channeling his strength into his legs, he leapt into the air.
"Axe."
His heel crashed down into the demon's collarbone with brutal precision, the impact echoing through the clearing. The monster fell with a thud, its body twitching violently before going still.
Arthur exhaled slowly, letting the tension leave his body.
Only one demon remained, but the day was drawing to an end. The sun was sinking lower, painting the sky in shades of deep red.
He decided to stop here.
"Three down," he muttered, looking toward the horizon. "One more tomorrow."
He turned away, his figure blurring as he used Shunpo once more, disappearing into the twilight.
Meanwhile, in the Occult Research Club room, the air was tense yet organized. The faint aroma of tea lingered in the room, mixing with the hum of magical energy radiating from the crimson-haired girl at the center of it all.
"Do we have any traces of the roaming devils?" Rias Gremory asked, her tone calm but carrying an edge of authority.
In recent days, her peerage had been working tirelessly to hunt down the devils that had somehow slipped into their territory. As a Gremory, and the heir to one of the great devil families, Rias took her responsibilities seriously. The thought of outsiders running loose within her domain was unacceptable.
"We have clues about their lairs," Kiba Yuuto replied politely. His composed demeanor and soft smile never faltered as he handed over a small, glowing map that showed faint magical signatures scattered across Kuoh Town.
"In that case, let's not waste any time," Rias said, standing gracefully from her seat. "We'll go there immediately."
Her presence commanded respect, and the others nodded. But before she could activate the teleportation circle, her eyes drifted toward her queen.
"Akeno, you seem distracted today," she said gently. "Did something happen?"
Akeno had been unusually quiet the entire meeting, her gaze distant, fingers tracing the rim of her teacup. Rias knew her friend too well - something was definitely on her mind.
Akeno tilted her head slightly, her expression unreadable as always. "To tell you the truth," she began softly, "a boy confessed to me today."
Rias blinked. "You didn't hit him, did you?"
Her tone carried the weight of experience. Rias had seen firsthand what happened when someone especially a man crossed one of Akeno's teasing lines.
Akeno let out a light, melodic laugh, covering her mouth with her hand. "Ara~ What kind of violent person do you take me for?"
Rias sighed, rubbing her temples. "Do you really want me to answer that?"
Akeno smiled knowingly, her eyes glimmering with amusement. "Anyway, I didn't hit him. In fact…" She paused deliberately, letting the tension build, before flashing a small, proud smile. "I accepted his confession. We're dating now."
The room fell silent.
Even for devils, who had seen many strange things, this was unexpected.
Kiba's eyes widened slightly before his usual polite smile returned. "Congratulations, Akeno-senpai," he said, his tone warm but clearly surprised.
"Um," Koneko muttered simply, blinking as if trying to process the information.
Rias, however, just stared at Akeno, completely dumbfounded. "…You're not planning on doing anything weird, are you?"
Akeno giggled again, the same teasing laugh that made even experienced devils uneasy. "Ara~ ara~ Rias, you make it sound like I'm some kind of predator. I just want to have a little fun."
Rias shivered slightly, narrowing her eyes. "That's exactly why I'm worried."
"Don't overdo it," she warned, finally turning away.
With the matter more or less settled, Rias raised her hand, and the familiar crimson glow of a teleportation circle began to spread beneath them.
The peerage gathered in formation - Rias at the center, Akeno at her side, with Kiba and Koneko just behind.
"Let's go," Rias said firmly. "We'll finish this quickly."
As the light flared and the four disappeared from the room, Akeno's eyes gleamed faintly.
She still wasn't entirely sure why she had accepted Arthur's confession, or what exactly drew her toward him but one thing was certain.
He wasn't ordinary. And that made him far too interesting to ignore.