At the remote mountain mansion surrounded by thick pine and cold air, Rias stands before her peerage with arms crossed.
"We have ten days to prepare. I want all of us at our best."
Training begins immediately.
Issei spends the morning training. However, despite training with Kiba in sword fighting, with Akeno on magic, and finally, with Koneko on close-quarters combat, Issei fails miserably, while Asia shows some talent in magic.
Later that morning, Ryusei, holding a stopwatch, looms over Issei.
"Alright, Issei. Endurance time. 50 push-ups. 50 sit-ups. Then run a kilometer. Twice. Once now, once before dinner."
Issei, already on the ground panting, groans.
"T-Twice?! Are you trying to kill me?!"
Ryusei crouches down next to him, smirking.
"Oh please. This is the light version. You wanna hear my routine? No? Then move."
Charcadet, arms crossed and nodding in agreement, lets out a sharp "Char!" to emphasize the command.
As Issei starts his reluctant set of push-ups, Ryusei stands and stretches her arms behind her back.
"Yo, Koneko!" she calls out, walking toward the petite Devil. "Let's train together. I wanna see what you got up close."
Koneko silently nods, eyes focused, and without a word, she throws a punch. Ryusei barely dodges, grinning.
From the side, Rias watches Ryusei and Koneko begin their close-quarters training-one swift and wild, the other small and overwhelmingly strong. Charcadet, sitting beside Rias and Asia, imitates the punches with tiny swipes of his stubby arms.
"She fits right in, doesn't she?" Rias murmurs, brushing a hand through Charcadet's head flames.
Asia nods sweetly. "She's really helping everyone, even Issei."
Off in the distance, a pained yell echoes.
"I think my spine detached...!"
The second day of training opens with Rias calling the Occult Research Club to a quiet study session inside the mountain lodge's lounge. A gentle fire crackles in the stone hearth behind her.
"Before we train further, you need to understand why these Rating Games matter," Rias begins, her voice measured but tinged with bitterness. "And how we Devils came to this point."
She explains the history of the Three Factions and how the rating games came to be.
As Rias speaks, Ryusei's phone vibrates silently in her hoodie pocket. She checks the message:
Kenta: Hey. It's been a while. Mind if we talk?
Ryusei: Sure, just tell me where and when.
Ryusei taps out a reply before slipping her phone away. Her gaze drifts back to Rias, she can tell the topic isn't just academic for her.
{Later that night}
Ryusei and Rias sit together outside the cottage. Stars begin to peek through the trees.
"So... how strong is this Riser guy really?" Ryusei asks.
"Annoyingly strong," Rias sighs. "His regeneration from Phoenix flames makes him almost impossible to kill. But that's not why I refused him."
Ryusei turns her head. Rias hesitates.
"I wanted to live my own life. Choose my own people. Not be bartered off like some prize."
She leans her head gently against Ryusei's shoulder, eyes closing.
"Thanks for helping us out, Ryusei... You really didn't have to."
"It's not a big deal," Ryusei replies, tone casual but warm. "But I'm going to have to leave tomorrow evening. Got a message from someone I used to raid with."
"Oh... you're leaving? For how long?"
"Two days. But I promise-for the rest of our time here.... you'll have my utmost attention."
Behind them, Issei, who had come out to get some fresh air, freezes at the scene. He watches Rias resting peacefully on Ryusei's shoulder and feels a tight knot in his stomach.
'Why... why is it always her?'
He clenches his fists and turns away, retreating inside.
As the night deepens, Charcadet curls up beside the bench, flames glowing dimly. Rias, still leaning on Ryusei, speaks quietly:
"Stay safe when you leave. I... I'll miss you."
Ryusei just smiles faintly.
"I'll be back before you even notice I'm gone."
{Japanese Hunters Association}
The fluorescent lights buzz faintly in the quiet, gray briefing room of the Japanese Hunters Association's Tokyo branch. At the head of the table, Akira Inukai, A-Rank Hunter and Head Investigator, sits with a sharp gaze locked on the man across from him-a junior field agent reporting in.
The agent shifts nervously, sweat forming at his temple.
"Sir, I'm here to report on the incident inside the Insects Dungeon. The Association lost six out of the eight strike team members. Casualties include two B-Ranks and three C-Ranks... the only survivors were a D-Rank named Kenta Morobushi, a C-Rank named Aoi Todo, and... an E-Rank, Ryusei Okkotsu."
Akira's eyes narrow slightly. "Okkotsu?"
The agent flips through his tablet. "Yes, sir. She was registered as E-Rank, but... according to Kenta's testimony, she played a pivotal role in clearing the dungeon. Kenta himself suffered heavy armor damage, and Todo was injured early on."
"How the hell did an E-Rank survive that?" Akira mutters, leaning forward. "And Okkotsu... like the Chairman?"
The agent hesitates. "Uh... there's no confirmed familial relation on file. But the surname is rare, sir."
Akira slowly rises from his chair, walking to the window that overlooks downtown Tokyo.
"An E-Rank survives two catastrophic raids-first the Insect Dungeon, then just yesterday with Taisei Michikado. And not just survives-she walks out with the most intact record."
The agent swallows hard. "Sir, there's more. One of the deceased was Hayato Ukyo."
Akira's hand stills on the windowsill. "...The older brother of Masato Ukyo?"
"Confirmed. Masato has already been notified, but no statements have been made yet."
Akira turns back toward the room, his tone now deadly serious.
"This changes things. Whether she's just lucky or something more... we can't ignore the pattern. Keep this quiet for now. No press, no internal leaks. And do not put her under surveillance without my direct approval."
The agent nods quickly. "Understood."
Akira strides toward the door, jacket slung over one arm. "I'll speak with the Chairman directly. Everything we've discussed stays in this room."
He pauses at the threshold, muttering under his breath:
"Okkotsu Ryusei... E-Rank or not, you're in a lot of trouble.
He steps out, already pulling out his phone.