"What's that room, Kiba?" Araki asked, pointing to a room in the corner.
"Oh, that's the bathroom, Araki-kun," Kiba replied, gesturing toward the room.
"Oh, I see." Araki said, nodding.
"This clubroom is amazing!" Issei exclaimed beside Araki.
Araki was startled when Issei suddenly shouted right beside him. Glaring at Issei from behind his glasses, Araki slowly walked over to stand beside Kiba.
"How terrifying." Koneko remarked, her face expressionless.
"Huh?" Issei turned to Koneko, looking confused.
"Ara.. Ara.." A girl with long black hair entered the room.
"Akeno-san?" Araki murmured, his gaze fixed on Akeno.
"You're right, Araki-kun. She's our vice-president, Himejima Akeno." Kiba replied with a smile, glancing at Araki.
Akeno approached Issei, her sweet smile fixed on him. Issei, with a lecherous expression, stared intently at Akeno's breasts.
"You must be the new member, right? I'm Himejima Akeno, the vice-president of this club." Akeno said, bowing slightly.
"I-I'm Hyoudou Issei. Nice to meet you, Akeno-san." Issei stammered, his face flushing crimson.
Akeno nodded and turned her attention to Araki, who was standing beside Kiba. She smiled at him as she approached.
"Ara ara... We meet again, Araki." Akeno purred, licking her lips.
"It's good to see you again, Akeno-san." Araki replied, his face flushing slightly.
"Ara ara... Your face is turning red, Araki?" Akeno teased, her voice playful.
"S-sorry." Araki stammered, scratching the back of his head.
"Enough, Akeno. Stop teasing my servant." A voice called from inside the bathroom.
"Sorry for the wait!" Rias emerged from the bathroom.
"Sorry, I have to spend the night at Issei's place, so I need to..." Rias said, wiping her crimson hair.
"O-oh no... I don't mind at all..." Issei quickly replied, his face flushing red.
Araki shook his head slightly, a small smile playing on his lips as he looked at Rias. After glancing at Araki and Issei, Rias immediately instructed everyone to sit down.
"We're inviting both of you to join the Occult Research Club," Rias said, smiling warmly at everyone.
Araki nodded, his gaze fixed on Rias, who stood before her desk.
"But the Occult Research Club is just a name for my hobby." Rias continued.
"What do you mean?" Issei asked, confused.
"Let me explain," Rias said, her eyes softening as she looked at Issei.
"We are devils," Rias continued with a smile.
Araki's eyes widened at her words, while Issei gave Rias an awkward smile.
"T-that's right!" Issei stammered, forcing a nervous laugh.
"The man you two saw yesterday... was a Fallen Angel," Rias stated sharply.
"A Fallen Angel?" Araki blurted out spontaneously.
Rias turned to Araki, who was rising from his seat beside Kiba. She smiled at him before continuing, "You're right, Araki. After serving God, they were cast into the underworld because of their evil nature. They tried to manipulate humans into destroying devils like us." Rias explained with a serious expression.
"This has been happening since ancient times, during the wars fought for control of the underworld. There were also pure Angels, directly commanded by God to destroy us. In other words, this is a conflict between two sides." Rias continued.
"Excuse me, Rias-senpai. Wouldn't it be more accurate to say that two factions are cornering one?" Araki asked, his face serious as he looked at Rias.
Rias smiled knowingly at Araki and nodded slightly.
"I'm impressed you accepted this so quickly, Araki. Well, it's true. To be precise, the devil faction has been cornered by the other two sides." Rias explained, her gaze softening as she looked at Araki.
"I understand, Rias-senpai." Araki said with a smile, immediately sitting back down.
"Do you understand, Issei?" Rias asked.
"Hehe... This is a bit much for an ordinary high school student like me to digest." Issei replied awkwardly.
"Amano Yuuma..." Rias said with a serious expression.
Issei was startled, while Araki flinched slightly and quickly turned to Rias with a confused look.
"I'm sure you remember her. You even went on a date with her." Rias continued coldly.
"I don't know how you found out, but don't just dismiss it as some supernatural phenomenon," Issei said, clenching his fists tightly.
"I'm sorry, but..." Issei immediately stood up from his seat.
"Issei..." Araki murmured softly.
Issei turned to leave, but Rias suddenly threw a photo onto the table. Issei and Araki's eyes widened as they recognized it: a picture of Issei and Yuuma on a date.
"Yuuma-chan?" Issei said in disbelief.
"This girl's name is Amano Yuuma, right?" Rias asked, her gaze piercing Issei.
"Y-yes. But how did you get this?" Issei stammered, confusion evident in his voice.
"That girl is a Fallen Angel, the same kind as the man who tried to kill you both before." Rias explained.
"B-but Motohama and Matsuda don't even remember her. Even Araki—" Issei's words were cut off by Araki.
"Sorry, Issei. I do remember this girl. But I didn't know she was a Fallen Angel. I only remember walking alone in the park that evening." Araki interrupted, glaring sharply at Issei.
"Y-you remember her?" Issei asked, his voice filled with disbelief.
Araki nodded slightly, while Issei abruptly turned to Rias, his face a mix of confusion and astonishment.
"She used her power, just like I did on your parents," Rias said with a long sigh.
"After she completes her mission, the Fallen Angels will erase the memories those who closest to you." Rias continued.
"A mission?" Issei asked, still confused.
"To kill you," Rias replied flatly.
"You managed to escape because of Araki, right? They simply didn't realize there was something far deeper within Araki's body." Rias continued, gazing warmly at Araki.
"Me?" Araki asked spontaneously, pushing his glasses up slightly.
"She came to investigate whether you possess a dangerous object within your body. And if you do, she will kill you." Rias continued, shifting her gaze back to Issei.
"I-is that what Yuuma-chan called a 'Sa-'?" Issei stammered, struggling to recall Yuuma's words from their earlier conversation.
"Sacred Gear." Akeno interjected, smiling at Issei.
Issei was startled and instinctively turned to Akeno, who slowly explained Sacred Gears to him and Araki.
"Dangerous powers that reside only within the bodies of certain individuals." Akeno explained.
"Issei, raise your left hand and imagine the very thing that comes to mind." Rias instructed, tapping her finger against her cheek.
"Okay." Issei replied.
Issei immediately raised his left hand, closing his eyes.
A moment later, he opened his eyes, his cheeks flushed.
"I-I can't focus!" Issei gasped, dropping to his knees.
"It's alright. Take your time." Rias reassured him.
"What about you, Araki?" Rias asked, turning her gaze to Araki.
"Alright." Araki said, immediately standing up and walking to the center of the room.
"Focus on what's making you concentrate, Araki." Rias instructed.
"Yes, Rias-senpai!" Araki replied, closing his eyes.
"Focus, Araki. Focus!" He muttered to himself.
Slowly, a purple light began to emanate from Araki's right hand, startling everyone present.
"Focus!" Araki shouted as the purple light around his right hand intensified.
Gradually, the purple light dimmed and transformed into shimmering purple particles that floated around his hand.
"What is this?" Araki murmured, staring in bewildered awe at his right hand.
Rias and everyone else in the room, except for Issei, were utterly stunned and speechless by what they had just witnessed.
"I've never seen anything like this before!" Rias murmured, her voice barely audible as she stared in bewildered awe at the violet particles hovering around Araki's right hand.
"I-Is this the power of a Sacred Gear, Club President?" Akeno stammered.
"I'm not sure. I've never seen a Sacred Gear like this before..." Rias replied, her gaze fixed on Araki's right hand, her expression puzzled.
"Look! These particles are floating around my right hand!" Araki exclaimed, his voice filled with awe and delight as he continued to examine his hand.
"Araki, can you visualize something in your mind?" Rias asked, having recovered from her initial shock.
Araki immediately turned to face Rias, nodding slightly.
"I'll try..." He replied eagerly.
Araki slowly closed his eyes. The purple particles floating around his right hand began to converge toward his palm.
The purple particles coalesced, forming a violet sword with swirling particles orbiting its blade.
Everyone's eyes widened in shock at the sight. Araki, feeling something in his palm, slowly opened his eyes.
The newly transformed Araki was startled to see the purple particle sword he now held in his right hand.
"A sword?! It's exactly what I imagined!" Araki exclaimed, his eyes shining with awe and delight as he gazed at the weapon.
Rias was speechless, still reeling from the shock of what she had just witnessed.
Araki suddenly felt an excruciating headache. The sword he was holding began to tremble before shattering into purple particles that slowly faded away, vanishing from his right palm.
Araki immediately fell to his knees, clutching his head. Seeing this, Rias rushed over to him.
"Araki? Are you alright?" Rias asked anxiously.
"I'm fine, Rias-senpai... I'm just tired..." Araki replied weakly, forcing a faint smile as he looked up at her.
"You should sit down. You're pushing yourself too hard." Rias said, helping Araki to his feet.
Kiba and Issei immediately rushed over to assist Araki, supporting him as they walked him to a chair in the room.
"Thank you..." Araki murmured, smiling weakly as he looked alternately at Kiba and Issei.
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