Occult Research Club — Afternoon
Arashi Hayata looked at Rias, breaking the silence first.
"Let's hold a ranking game—and use it to cancel your engagement."
Rias's expression stiffened. "But I'm not ready yet. His servants are very strong."
"No," Arashi said firmly. "It's not a ranking game between you and him. It's between him and me."
"Wha—wait, what?!"
Rias froze in shock, then quickly protested. "Arashi, don't be reckless! He's not like those fallen angels from last night."
"Besides, you only have one servant right now."
"Don't worry," Arashi said with a calm smile. "I'm sure about this."
Rias hesitated, then bit her lip and said, "Then… before that, fight me."
She wasn't trying to stop him through words anymore. She wanted to see for herself how strong he really was.
After all, in her impression, Arashi had only recently become a high-class devil—and the magic he'd shown before was impressive, but not this overwhelming.
"Alright," Arashi replied simply. "As you wish."
A few minutes later—
Behind the Occult Research Club building, an open training ground stretched out under the afternoon sun.
It was quiet, deserted, and perfect for duels.
Kasumigaoka Utaha and Koneko had stopped their own training and stood with Akeno and Asia, all of them watching the two figures in the center.
"Arashi, don't hold back," Rias said, spreading her demon wings as her crimson aura surged. "Show me your true strength."
She wanted to test him seriously—but she could control her power. If he really planned to challenge that man, she needed to make sure he understood the danger.
"Come on," Arashi said softly, his tone light, almost teasing.
Rias raised a brow. "Alright then—don't regret it later."
She stretched out her hands, and a dazzling red magic circle appeared above her.
"This aura…" Akeno's eyes widened slightly. "She's serious."
Rias's power—the Power of Destruction—was one of the most feared abilities among devils. Even a careless strike could erase everything in its path.
With a roar like thunder, a massive beam of crimson energy fell from the sky, shaking the earth.
"Arashi!" Rias called out, worry flickering across her face. She had shifted the beam slightly to avoid direct impact, but the sheer force was still overwhelming.
However—
Before the smoke could clear, a light-blue magic circle appeared beneath her vision.
Then, without warning, a storm of blue lightning erupted from the ground, splitting the air with an earth-shattering sound.
"This… what is this magic?" Akeno whispered in shock.
The sky was painted electric blue. Thunder surged like a divine beast, and Rias's crimson beam—once thought unstoppable—was shattered as if it were nothing but glass.
The lightning didn't stop there. It pierced through the clouds, tearing a hole straight through the heavens.
For a moment, it felt as though the entire sky had been split open.
Rias hovered in the air, her pupils trembling. "Impossible… I can't even resist it?"
Koneko and Akeno were equally stunned.
Was Arashi always this strong? Rias Gremory herself—a pure-blooded upper-class devil—had been completely overpowered.
What kind of magic was this?
Only Utaha and Asia seemed calm. One because she already knew her master's terrifying power, and the other because she was too innocent to grasp what she'd just witnessed.
Rias slowly descended, retracting her wings. "You…" she whispered. "You're already a top-class devil?"
Arashi smiled faintly. "Yeah."
"It's unbelievable," Rias said softly, half to herself. "You only just reached the high-class level not long ago, and now… this?"
Her voice trembled slightly.
Devils who became top-class at their age were almost unheard of—even in the Underworld.
Arashi simply chuckled. "Now, leave the rest to me."
Everything he'd done today was for one reason—to put Rias's heart at ease.
Rias's expression softened. "Then this damn engagement… can finally be broken."
She hesitated, then added, "But still, you'll need a few more servants before the game can begin."
"Understood," Arashi replied, nodding confidently. "I'll take care of that."
Later that night — Arashi's home
The room was quiet, the only sound the soft rustle of pages turning.
[Origin +5][Origin +6]
The glowing blue text flickered before Arashi's eyes as he smiled slightly.
Just then, the door opened.
"Master, Asia wants to see you," Kasumigaoka Utaha said, stepping in with Asia hiding shyly behind her.
Arashi put down the book. "What's wrong?"
"Asia wants to become a devil," Utaha said with a proud grin, as if she were the one who made it happen.
"Well done," Arashi said approvingly. "You really are my first and best servant."
Utaha smirked triumphantly, while Asia nervously stepped forward.
"Um… Arashi," she said softly, "for the ranking game… you'll need more followers, right?"
Arashi nodded. "That's right. For now, only —Utaha—is my servant."
Asia lowered her head. "Then… please, make me your servant. I want to help you."
Arashi blinked in mild surprise. "Are you sure? This isn't something to take lightly."
Asia's gaze trembled, but she nodded. "I've made up my mind. I want to stay with you. Always."
Arashi smiled gently. "Alright then… welcome to my family, Asia."
Light flared softly in the room as the contract was formed—marking the birth of a new bond.
From that moment on, the storm surrounding Kuoh Academy had truly begun to stir.