Five a.m. The world was still dark, but Draconis was already awake.
Weekend or not, old habits died hard. After a night spent in deep training, he could feel his grip on power tightening—especially the holy energy he'd recently gained. What used to burn and ache now felt natural, almost effortless. The change was uncanny. Once, even a brush with sacred power left him reeling; now, it was just another part of him.
He didn't know how he'd transformed so completely, but the memory of that obsidian citadel lurking in his mind made everything else seem trivial by comparison. Whatever the cause, one thing was certain: he'd grown stronger again. And that was enough.
He opened his eyes to the sound of soft, steady breathing. Turning, he found Rias beside him—her crimson hair fanned across the pillow, her features serene in sleep. She must've slipped in quietly after he messaged her last night, not even bothering to wake Asia. Smart move. If she hadn't, Asia—and probably even Akeno—would've snuck in for a midnight raid.
Draconis watched Rias sleep, her beauty striking even in repose. The famous "Crimson-Haired Ruin Princess"—cold, proud, always in control—looked almost gentle now. He drew her close, savoring her warmth and softness. This, he thought, was the kind of peace worth fighting for.
His hands wandered, and before long, Rias stirred.
"Morning already?" she murmured, eyes fluttering open. She leaned in and kissed him softly. "Going for your morning workout?"
"Yeah."
"I'll join you."
She sat up, the sheet falling away to reveal flawless skin and elegant curves. Draconis couldn't help but stare. Rias caught his look and smiled, stretching languidly—a silent invitation in every movement.
Any other day, he'd have taken her up on it. But today, curiosity won out. He raised both hands, letting holy power and demonic energy swirl above his palms—two forces, utterly different, yet both his.
Rias froze, eyes wide. "What… how are you doing that?"
"Discovered it last night, during training," Draconis said. "Remember what Kokabiel said about holy and demonic imbalance? I think it's related."
Rias grew serious, abandoning all pretense of modesty as she stepped closer, studying the energies. "No mistake—that's holy power. I can feel it. Devils aren't supposed to tolerate this, but you seem fine."
"Doesn't bother me at all."
He explained his theory about his Sacred Gear's influence. Rias nodded, thoughtful. "I dug into your Sacred Gear's history, but there's nothing. It's ridiculously strong, though. Maybe it just does things nobody's ever seen."
"Leaving it unused would be a waste. I need to figure out how to harness it."
Rias smiled. "Agreed. You getting stronger is good news. But if you want advice on training holy power, you're asking the wrong person… Wait—I have an idea. Let's head to school later. I'll introduce you to our newest teammate."
"New teammate? Someone you recruited recently?"
"You'll see," Rias replied, mysterious as ever. She dressed quickly, then dragged Draconis out for their morning workout.
By eight o'clock, they arrived at the clubroom. Akeno and the others filtered in—plus one extra. Draconis recognized her instantly.
"Xenovia?"
The blue-haired swordswoman—once a Holy Sword wielder, now visibly changed—stood with them. Unlike most, she was a natural-born Holy Sword user, and Durandal was hers alone.
"Good to see you again," Xenovia greeted him.
"So you're the new teammate Rias mentioned?"
Instead of answering, Xenovia unfurled a pair of black devil wings, then folded them away just as quickly.
Draconis stared for a moment. "Are you sure about this? You used to be a Holy Sword wielder. Becoming a devil… I thought you'd never accept it."
He remembered how harshly Xenovia had mocked Asia, back when they first met. He'd nearly lost his temper with her.
Xenovia bowed her head. "That's why I need to apologize to Asia. I never considered things from her perspective. Now that I'm a devil, I've felt the same scorn and hatred she did."
She turned to Asia. "If you want to hit me, go ahead. I deserve it."
Asia smiled, gentle as always. "No need. Honestly, I'm happy as a devil."
Draconis frowned. Was it his imagination, or did Asia radiate a faint holy aura? Odd, considering her current nature.
Xenovia sighed. "I still don't know if I made the right choice. Oh Lord, guide me—Amen—ow!"
She clutched her head, wincing in pain.
Everyone watched, momentarily speechless. The scene felt familiar—Asia used to do the same thing, praying even after her transformation, only to end up with splitting headaches.
"Rias, what piece did you give Xenovia?"
"She's a Bishop," Rias replied. "Knight would've suited her, but you already took that slot. Durandal needs a ton of magic, so Bishop was the best fit. She'll have all the power she needs."
Draconis nodded, glancing around at his ever-expanding team. The supernatural world never stopped changing—and neither did he.
…
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