The church groaned under the weight of battle. Broken pews lay scattered across the cracked floor, shards of stained glass glinting like tiny stars in the moonlight. The air reeked of venom, feathers, and scorched magic.
Raijin stood in the center, chest rising and falling with steady, measured breaths. His sword dripped venom, steaming where it fell onto stone. The fallen angels circled him warily now, their arrogance tempered by the reality of his presence.
"You're no ordinary brat," one sneered, though her voice faltered with unease. "What the hell are you?"
Raijin's eyes narrowed, glowing faintly with draconic power. "I'm the brother of the boy you murdered. That's all you need to know."
A ripple of tension broke across the room. One fallen laughed—a high, sharp laugh that scraped against Raijin's ears. "So the weakling had a brother. How quaint. Don't worry. We'll send you to him soon."
They lunged.
—Flashback: Shadow Garden, Age 14—
The training ground was nothing but mud and steel. Delta's claws gleamed as she charged him, feral grin splitting her face.
Raijin barely raised his blade in time, sparks showering as her strike slammed against his guard. He stumbled back, boots digging furrows in the dirt.
"Too slow!" Delta barked, her tail lashing behind her. She came again, unrelenting, every blow a storm meant to crush.
From the sidelines, Beta watched, arms crossed, quill in hand, as though documenting the clash for her endless chronicles. "You'll never match her savagery head-on. Adapt. Think."
Raijin gritted his teeth, blood slicking his palm where claws had grazed. Adapt… He shifted, letting Delta's next charge slip past his guard. Venom flared across his blade, forcing her back with a hiss.
Her grin widened. "Better. Maybe you won't die after all."
Raijin's sword spun now, barrier sigils lighting around him. Ladon's power flared, layers of glowing shields scattering incoming spears of light. He burst through the defenses, closing the gap on one fallen before her eyes even widened. His blade cut deep, venom searing the wound. She screamed as her wings disintegrated into black dust.
The others fell back, wings flaring, desperate to keep distance.
But distance meant nothing.
Raijin's scales of Grendel rippled across his arm. With a roar, he hurled his sword like a spear. It struck the ground between them, exploding into a barrier dome that trapped two of the fallen inside.
They hammered against it, panic flashing in their eyes. The barrier only constricted tighter, glasslike walls grinding inward.
Raijin stepped forward, slow and merciless. "You think wings make you untouchable?" His voice was low, venomous. "Let's see how far they carry you now."
The dome closed. Their screams were muffled, then cut short. Silence followed.
—Flashback: Italy, Age 12—
The streets of Rome had been alive with song and fire that night. Loki himself had appeared in a tavern, laughter booming as he tested the boy's wit with riddles and illusions.
"Power without trickery is wasted," the god had told him, swirling his goblet. "Remember this, little mortal: even dragons are fooled by shadows."
Raijin had bowed respectfully, heart pounding. "Then I'll learn both."
The god's grin had widened. "Then perhaps you'll survive longer than most."
The church shook as another fallen, braver than the rest, dove at him from above. Her spear pierced his shoulder, burning holy light flaring.
Raijin grunted, staggered—but then the scales of Grendel surged, armor plating across his flesh. He seized the spear with his bare hand, snapped it in two, and dragged the angel down.
His fist crashed into her chest, venom surging into her body. She convulsed, wings withering as her breath failed.
"Monster," she gasped with her last strength.
Raijin's eyes burned crimson. "That's what you made me."
Outside, faint footsteps approached. The rustle of leaves, the soft click of shoes on stone.
Raijin didn't notice them yet.
But the church doors creaked open.
Akeno Himejima stepped in, her beauty framed by moonlight, her expression calm but wary. Behind her, Kiba's sword gleamed as he entered silently.
Their eyes widened at the sight before them—fallen bodies crumpled across the church floor, the boy in the center surrounded by venomous aura and barrier light.
Akeno's voice broke the silence, soft but sharp. "This aura… it's draconic. Familiar." Her eyes narrowed. "Who are you?"
Raijin turned slowly, sword dripping with venom. His aura pressed down like a storm.
Kiba raised his blade defensively. "Careful, Akeno. He's not just any stray exorcist."
Raijin's gaze locked on them. For a heartbeat, he said nothing. Then his voice cut the air, heavy with pain. "My name is Raijin Hyoudou."
Akeno's breath caught. Her eyes flickered with shock, recognition dawning. She knew that name. She knew the boy who bore it.
"You're…" Her voice faltered. "Issei's brother."
The weight of the words hung heavy in the ruined church.
Raijin's grip tightened on his sword. His jaw trembled. "You knew. You were here. And yet…" His voice cracked with fury. "You couldn't save him."
Akeno flinched, her composure shaken. "We—"
"Don't." His voice was sharp enough to cut. "Don't give me excuses."
—Flashback: Shadow Garden, Age 15—
Cid's blade pressed against his throat.
"Mercy," Raijin gasped, sweat dripping into his eyes.
Cid tilted his head. "Why should I?"
"Because… strength without mercy is hollow."
For the first time in weeks, Cid chuckled. He pulled the blade away. "Then prove that mercy means something. Survive me. Survive Delta. Survive the world."
Raijin's hands trembled as he raised his blade again. "I will."
The church filled with tension, silence drawn taut like a bowstring.
Raijin's aura flared, shadows writhing like serpents. Akeno and Kiba shifted subtly, ready for combat.
Then the air grew heavier still. Another presence entered.
Rias Gremory stepped through the door, crimson hair flowing like fire, her regal gaze sweeping over the devastation. Her eyes fixed on Raijin.
She spoke with calm authority. "So you are the source of this disturbance."
Raijin's lips curled into a snarl. "You're too late."
Rias studied him, recognition flickering. "Raijin Hyoudou."
"You know me."
"I know your brother." Her tone softened faintly. "I know what happened."
Raijin's fists clenched. The venomous aura surged violently, rattling the church windows. "Then you know why I don't want to hear a single word from you."
Rias's eyes narrowed, though her voice remained calm. "You possess power beyond human limits. As the sister of Lucifer, I can offer you protection. Guidance. A place among us."
Raijin barked a bitter laugh. "You want me to be your servant? A pawn in your house?" He stepped forward, venom dripping from his blade like acid rain. "I'll burn before I bow."
The flames in Rias's eyes flickered with surprise. Few ever rejected her so bluntly. Even fewer with such venom.
"You refuse?" she asked softly.
Raijin's gaze hardened. "I refuse you, your offer, and your leash. My strength is my own. My path is my own. And my vengeance—" his voice cracked, eyes burning—"is mine alone."
Akeno inhaled sharply. Kiba's grip tightened on his sword. Rias's calm mask slipped for only a second, irritation sparking.
The air grew heavier still, dragons stirring beneath Raijin's skin.
The confrontation was inevitable.
And in the ruins of that church, under the silent moon, the boy who had returned from shadows and blood finally stood revealed—no longer the forgotten younger brother, no longer the wandering apprentice.
But Raijin Hyoudou, the storm made flesh.
And no devil, angel, or god would chain him.