The discussion about energy control within the Occult Research Club ultimately continued for quite some time, with Rias enthusiastically participating throughout.
Shin cautiously maintained the stance of a "theorist," citing classics while strictly avoiding any specific cultivation methods.
He elaborated on the Eastern concepts of "Calm Mind and Settled Qi" and "The Way of Nature," once again winning the admiration—and deep contemplation—of the two Devil girls.
By the time the sun had fully dipped below the horizon and the clubroom lights glowed warmly, Shin finally rose to take his leave.
His farewells to Rias and Akeno were as polite and gentle as ever.
However, he could clearly sense that after this exchange, their gazes now carried a trace of genuine respect in addition to their earlier scrutiny.
The value of knowledge was a universal bargaining chip in any world.
Stepping out of the Old School Building, the evening breeze carried a faint chill, dispersing the lingering fragrance of tea from the clubroom.
Shin drew in a slow breath of cool air, feeling the clarity as the wisp of True Qi within his body circulated naturally with each inhale and exhale.
However—
That tranquility did not last long.
As he walked along the tree-lined path connecting the Old School Building to the Main Teaching Building, an extremely subtle yet needle-sharp sense of abnormality suddenly pierced his Spiritual Sense—now several times sharper than an ordinary person's due to cultivation.
This was not the expansive and agile demonic power Koneko emitted during training.
Nor was it the profound and mighty Devil power of Rias or Akeno.
And it certainly was not the warm yet restrained Light that emanated from Asia.
This was…
A cold, viscous, dark fluctuation of energy—carrying condescending arrogance and undisguised malice. It felt as though it could corrode the soul itself.
Although extremely faint, as if merely an unintentional leak of aura, it possessed an inherently evil nature that made his skin crawl.
This feeling… perfectly matched the characteristics of a Fallen Angel he had once heard Kiba describe.
Moreover, the intensity far surpassed that of an ordinary Fallen Angel minion. At its core was a refined and dangerous destructiveness.
Shin's steps halted instantly.
Every muscle in his body tensed for a split second before he forcibly relaxed himself, maintaining an outward calm.
Inside, however, his heart clenched violently, and his pupils contracted almost imperceptibly.
They're here.
The Fallen Angel executive had indeed been lurking near Kuoh Academy.
Because of Asia?
Or was there another scheme?
Without hesitation, he activated the Breath-Hiding Method to its limit, reducing his presence to that of an unremarkable stone by the roadside—devoid of vitality, devoid of fluctuation.
At the same time, he casually turned his head as though glancing about, while his ears sharpened like precision instruments, tracking the direction of that wicked aura.
He was not alone on the path.
Several students were returning late, chatting and laughing. In the distance, a basketball thudded rhythmically against the court. Farther away, a school worker swept fallen leaves with a soft rustling sound.
Everything appeared perfectly normal—peaceful, vibrant, alive.
Yet that wisp of cold, wicked aura was like ink dropped into clear water—jarringly out of place.
It was moving.
Erratic.
Shin forced himself to continue walking at a steady pace, though all his senses were now fully focused on tracking it.
His mind worked rapidly. Sound. Light. Airflow. Subtle energy fluctuations. Countless pieces of data flooded in and were swiftly analyzed through his sharpened Spiritual Sense.
Found her.
The source wasn't on the ground.
It was above.
Without lifting his head, Shin's peripheral vision and heightened perception locked onto the rooftop terrace of a nearby teaching building.
A blurred figure stood leaning against the railing.
The fading sunset outlined a tall, slender silhouette with graceful curves.
Her face was obscured by backlighting, but long hair swayed gently in the wind.
Behind her, faint shadow-like shapes—resembling folded wings—hovered ominously.
Even from this distance, the figure radiated cold indifference and mocking superiority, as if all living beings were mere insects beneath her gaze.
The wicked aura leaking from her did not seem intentional—more like an unconscious expression of satisfaction… or impatience.
She was surveying the academy like a vulture scanning for prey.
Shin immediately confirmed her identity.
Raynare.
The Fallen Angel executive responsible in the original story for "caring for" Asia—imprisoning her, exploiting her, and ultimately attempting to use her.
Her presence here needed no further explanation.
A surge of vigilance—and a trace of anger—rose within him.
Anger at her blatant malice.
Vigilance toward her overwhelming strength.
Even that faint leak of aura pressured him heavily. She was far beyond his current level. A direct confrontation would be suicide.
He lowered his head slightly, quickened his pace, and blended in like an ordinary student hurrying home.
Turning onto a side path that offered cover from surrounding buildings, he carefully removed himself from her potential line of sight.
Only when he was fully concealed did he allow himself to exhale.
A thin layer of cold sweat had formed across his back.
Not fear.
Instinct.
The instinctive shiver of prey sensing a predator far beyond its own power.
This was the first time since his transmigration that he had so clearly felt the shadow of death looming over him.
"I need to be more careful…"
Her sensory range was unknown. As a Fallen Angel executive, she was not to be underestimated.
Had she detected his brief vigilance?
He couldn't be certain.
And he couldn't afford to gamble.
Instead of leaving immediately, Shin detoured and approached the school gate from another direction, minimizing his presence and blending into the flow of departing students and workers—like a drop of water merging into the sea.
Only after stepping beyond Kuoh Academy and merging into the bustling evening streets did the faint illusion of being watched finally fade.
But the alarm in his heart remained.
Raynare's appearance was a countdown.
The operation targeting Asia was imminent—if it hadn't already begun.
The Occult Research Club seemed unaware of the threat so close to their territory.
Had Rias failed to notice her?
Or were they deliberately holding back?
Shin leaned toward the former. A Fallen Angel executive who truly wished to hide would not be easily discovered.
What should he do?
Should he run straight to Rias and say, "I saw a Fallen Angel executive on the roof"?
That would immediately expose his abnormal sensory abilities—and raise uncomfortable questions about how he could identify a Fallen Angel at all.
He had no reasonable explanation for such "prophetic" knowledge.
Remain silent and wait?
That suited his cautious nature.
But Asia's danger was immediate. If his silence led to irreversible consequences…
He found himself caught in a dilemma.
Walking down the road toward home, his brow furrowed, the setting sun stretched his shadow long across the pavement.
Dao teachings emphasize adapting to circumstances.
But they also teach that compassion breeds courage.
To witness injustice and remain passive was not the Dao.
Yet how to act required wisdom.
Perhaps… the groundwork he had laid earlier could now serve its purpose.
He needed a way to warn Rias of impending danger without exposing his uniqueness.
Something befitting his identity as the Eastern Consultant.
His gaze passed over a small roadside shop selling religious supplies and miscellaneous trinkets. In the display window sat crystal balls, tarot cards, and…
I Ching Bagua diagrams.
A thought flashed through his mind like lightning tearing across a dark sky.
Divination.
In Eastern cultural tradition, foretelling fortune and misfortune through divination was entirely natural. It perfectly aligned with his background as a member of a cultivation family.
Though his skill was limited to the most basic Coin Divination method recorded in foundational Daoist texts—its accuracy uncertain—it would serve as a reasonable excuse.
A divined warning.
With his decision made, Shin's steps lightened.
He returned home swiftly, shut the doors and windows, and activated the Breath Concealment Formation in the courtyard.
After washing his hands, he lit a simple stick of incense to show solemnity.
From a drawer, he retrieved three antique copper coins left behind by the System.
He would need a sufficiently convincing "divination result" to present his warning tomorrow.
...
Author's Note
Sorry for the late updates. Because of my semester exams, I wasn't able to upload stories continuously.
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— Shadow_demon_007