Before dawn, Kiba woke up in pain. Staggering, he made his way home without telling anyone, cursing the fact that he had been defeated so easily—and that he'd needed to be saved by an outsider.
He remembered his savior clearly, even through the blur. He was certain. It was Kurosaki-sensei.
Reaching home, he went straight to his room and fell asleep with that bitter, burning feeling—the sting of defeat.
(—)
The day passed normally. Ryu taught his classes and assigned the perverted trio piles and piles of academic-level research papers as punishment. Then the school intercom summoned him to the Student Council room.
When he arrived, he found Sona Sitri, the president, and the rest of the council waiting.
"Kurosaki-sensei, aren't you being rather harsh with some of your students?" Sona asked, her voice firm and authoritative.
"Not at all. I'd say I'm being quite generous," Ryu replied with a polite, false smile. "What they did was sexual harassment. In any other school, they'd have been expelled."
The council members sighed. They knew he was right, and they had no counterargument.
Saji couldn't hold back. He stepped forward, angry.
"Hey—you can't talk to them like that!" Genjirou Saji shouted, pointing at Ryu. "Show some respect to the President!"
Ryu fixed him with a single, deadly look. Saji stepped back instantly.
"Is that how you treat your teacher?" A sadistic grin spread across Ryu's face. "Do you want to be punished too?"
Saji swallowed hard and took another step back. Something in that gaze—that voice—filled him with dread. Every instinct screamed at him to run.
"Regardless, they've already been disciplined by the office," Sona said, biting her lip in frustration. "There's no need for further punishment."
Ryu scowled, then broke into an ironic smile.
"Very well. I'll suspend their extra work for now," he said. "But I'm certain they'll earn it back on their own."
Sona's eyes widened. She'd won the argument—and lost the moment. She knew perfectly well those three wouldn't change their behavior. She'd have expelled them herself… if one of them wasn't her friend's cherished servant.
"Of course. If there are further incidents, they will be punished again," Sona said seriously. "By the school."
"Then if there's nothing else, I'll take my leave," Ryu said, walking out.
Sona sighed in frustration. "Why on earth did Principal Yogazawa hire this man without consulting me?" she muttered, pressing a hand to her forehead. "He's nothing but trouble."
"But isn't the principal under hypnosis like the other teachers?" Saji asked, confused.
Everyone knew the faculty carried a light hypnotic suggestion—so they wouldn't see the supernatural, or get mixed up in things that would get them killed.
"Yogazawa-sensei is far too sharp for that," Tsubaki said. "She's a genius. She'd notice something was wrong with her mind immediately."
Sona nodded. Trying to hypnotize someone like her would only make her suspicious.
"Besides, she was principal before we arrived," Sona sighed. "Replacing her would unsettle the whole staff."
(—)
Nel walked through the city markets, picking up ingredients for dinner. Their food supplies were running low—and she needed to feed two growing teenagers, plus herself and Ryu. Two beings with immense spiritual pressure burned through a Gigai's energy fast. They needed lots of food.
Then she bumped into two girls.
"I'm so sorry—I didn't see you there!" Nel said warmly, looking them over. Both carried strong spiritual pressure—close to Gillian-level. "Are you both alright?"
One was Japanese with brown hair; the other was foreign with bright blue hair. They looked about Karin and Yuzu's age. Both carried swords wrapped in cloth—weapons that hummed with their own distinct power. How strange, Nel thought.
"We're fine. We're sorry too," the blue-haired girl said. "I'm Xenovia Quarta."
"And I'm Irina Shidou," the brown-haired girl added.
Growl.
Xenovia's stomach gave a loud rumble. She turned bright red.
"I'm Nilliel Tu—though my last name's a mouthful," Nel said with a smile. "Just call me Nel." She pulled out two loaves of bread and held them out. "Here."
"Thank you, but we can't—" Irina started, bowing her head. "But thank you very much, Miss Nel."
Nel laughed, broke off a piece, and ate it herself.
"See? It's not poisoned," she said gently. "Please take it."
Xenovia snatched one and began eating immediately.
"May God bless your kind soul," she said, mouth full. To her, Nel suddenly seemed to glow like a divine being. "Thank you so much."
Seeing her friend accept, Irina took the other. She was starving—they'd spent all their money on useless things and had nothing left.
"Thank you. May God reward your kindness," Irina said gratefully.
Nel chatted with them a little longer, then headed home to start cooking.
(—)
Rias sat in the club room talking with Akeno while classes were still in session.
"Honestly—Issei spends all his time on Kurosaki-sensei's assignments," Rias grumbled, pouting. "He doesn't even have time for me anymore."
"Well, well… someone sounds jealous of our new teacher," Akeno teased, amused. "Though he is impressive. The way he disciplines Hyoudou-kun and the others? Simply wonderful."
"Akeno…" Rias glared. "I already complained to Sona, but Kurosaki-sensei always finds a way to keep Issei busy."
"Not that they don't deserve it, Rias," Akeno smiled. "But at least he cares enough to correct them. That's something good."
Rias sighed, still annoyed.
"But what about his sisters?" she mused. "I still have an open Knight piece. They feel… powerful. I don't know what they are, but I can sense it."
"Rias, that's a bad idea," Akeno sighed. "One of them wears a cross around her neck. I don't think they'd take well to becoming Devils."
"You're right. Let's just keep watching for now," Rias sighed.
(—)
When classes ended, Ryu walked toward the gates. He sensed a shadow behind him—sharp, hostile, and approaching fast.
He stepped aside. A blade sliced through empty air, and Kiba Yuto skidded past him.
"What is the meaning of this?" Ryu frowned. "Why attack me?"
"I knew it was you," Kiba said, straightening and pointing his sword. "You saved me from that exorcist."
"And this is how you thank me?" Ryu's eyes flashed with anger. "By attacking me?"
Kiba bit his lip. He knew it was wrong. He knew he shouldn't draw his sword on his teacher—even if that teacher had saved his life. But he needed to know.
"Why did you save me? Who are you?" Kiba demanded, sword still raised. "Why are you on Gremory Clan territory?"
Ryu laughed, genuinely amused.
"That's what I'd like to know. No mayor or old family in this city is named Gremory," he said, stepping forward. "So I ask you—Devil? Is that what you are? What do you people want with this city? Have you come to devour their souls?"
"We don't devour souls!" Kiba snapped. "That's a misunderstanding… but you still haven't answered me!"
"Honestly? I don't know," Ryu said, scratching his head. "If I'd known you'd react like this, I might have let that idiot priest kill you. And put that sword down, kid. You have zero chance against me."
"How can you be so sure?" Kiba snarled.
Suddenly he dropped to his knees, crushed by a terrifying, suffocating pressure.
"What… what is this?"
Panic seized him. He couldn't move. It was as if he stood before a being he could never hope to reach—something far crueler and more malevolent than any Devil he'd ever known.
"Put the sword away," Ryu said, his voice calm but heavy. "And talk to me like a civilized person."
Kiba had no choice. His sword vanished. The crushing weight lifted instantly.
He was certain that aura belonged to Ryu—and equally certain: Ryu was not human. Nor was he part of any of the three great factions.
Instead of standing, Kiba stayed on his knees and bowed his head to the ground.
"Please… help me," he said, voice trembling, close to tears. "Teach me how to get strong enough… to take my revenge."