Izumi's gaze sharpened with curiosity.
There had always been something odd beneath the yard of his house, but he'd been too weak before to sense it.
Now that he had reached SS-Rank, the anomaly below the ground was clear as day.
"Don't tell me… this house the system gave me has some hidden mechanism?"
Just as he was considering digging down to investigate, the ground lit up with a sudden burst of crimson light.
A magic circle flared open in the center of the yard.
From it stepped Rias Gremory, along with her household servants.
Besides Koneko and Akeno, there was now a blue-haired girl wearing a nun-like uniform—Xenovia.
It seemed she had officially joined Rias's peerage.
Asia paused her training and blinked in surprise.
Rias greeted him with a bright smile.
"Good afternoon, Izumi-kun!
We came to check on you."
Izumi let out a helpless sigh.
"What's there to check? You think I'm going to suddenly collapse or something?"
Rias giggled mischievously.
Now that the massive incident had passed, the tension in her heart had loosened—and so had her personality.
Seeing her relaxed expression felt strangely refreshing.
"Seeing you energetic puts me at ease," she said.
"Actually, I came to give you an invitation."
"Invitation?"
"Tomorrow is the Three Factions Summit.
Are you planning to attend?"
Izumi blinked, speechless.
"That has nothing to do with me. I'm not an angel, not a devil, not a fallen angel.
Why would I go? To watch you all argue?"
Rias sighed as though dealing with a child.
"Izumi-kun, you really underestimate yourself."
"I'm not sure if you've realized it yet, but… you're very famous."
"Many of the human organizations acknowledged your strength. Calling you a representative of the new generation is pretty accurate."
Izumi froze.
"…Come again?"
"Since when did that happen?"
"Why am I the last one to know this?!"
He genuinely felt like he'd skipped an entire season's worth of plot.
"Representative of the new generation"?
Was someone messing with him?
Rias smiled softly.
"I heard it from my brother."
"That's the main reason he invited you. They want you to attend the meeting."
"After the peace pact is signed, all three factions will send their young elites to Kuou Academy."
"It's to fill the void left after the catastrophe… so many students were lost."
That part Izumi understood.
The school had paid a heavy price.
But the more interesting part was—
"So all three factions are sending their next generation here…?"
"That actually sounds kind of fun."
His eyes showed a rare spark of anticipation.
"So? Who exactly is coming to study here?"
"Anyone interesting?"
Rias didn't hide a thing.
"I heard that two Seraphs from the Four Great Archangels will be sending family members."
"One is Gabriel-sama's younger sister—Gabriel (Gabiriel). She's a very adorable young angel."
"The other is Raphael-sama's younger sister—Raphiel."
"Both are joining as representatives of Heaven."
Izumi's expression collapsed instantly.
"…Gabriel? Raphiel?"
"You're serious? Seriously serious??"
He almost shouted.
Those weren't just names.
Those were very specific names from a very specific anime.
The airheaded fallen angel and the black-bellied angel.
And now they were showing up… as the sisters of Archangels?
This world has been contaminated beyond saving.
Don't tell him—
Vignette and Satania would also show up as the "demons from the underworld"?
"How many worlds fused into this timeline…?" Izumi muttered internally.
Rias noticed his odd expression and tilted her head.
"Hm? Izumi-kun, do you know them?"
"They're very talented, you know.
Or perhaps… Izumi-kun is interested in angels?"
Izumi gave her a flat look.
"Enough.
I'll go tomorrow."
"And if that's all, you can leave now."
Rias puffed her cheeks slightly.
"Already chasing me away?
We came all the way here—aren't you going to invite us in for tea?"
Izumi rolled his eyes.
"My house doesn't serve tea.
And you clearly didn't come just to chat."
"You brought your entire peerage.
Say what you came to say."
Rias stuck her tongue out playfully.
"Fine, fine. I did have another reason."
"Izumi-kun… could you train us?"
"We all want to get stronger."
Izumi raised an eyebrow.
"That's it?"
"I thought it was something serious."
He crossed his arms.
"Didn't you already solve your engagement issue?
What are you trying to get stronger for now?"
"Got too much free time?"
Rias sighed with a helpless smile.
"Well… it's complicated."
"The incident during the school trial was eye-opening."
"If we don't have enough strength, even the shockwaves of a real battle could kill us."
"So we want to grow stronger.
And I'm… not satisfied with where I am now."