Ever since the battle with Himejima Akeno, Genichi's life in the DxD world had fallen into a strangely ordinary rhythm.
Every day was basically the same. In the morning, he attended classes at school. In the afternoon, he reported to the Occult Research Club, then trained in combat with Kiba or Koneko.
Kiba's swordsmanship was indeed exquisite. Every move was clean and precise, carrying the elegance and sharpness unique to a knight.
Sparring with him allowed Genichi to pick up quite a few sword techniques.
Koneko's strength also left a deep impression on him. That petite body contained astonishing explosive power, and every one of her attacks struck like a heavy hammer. She was absolutely not to be underestimated.
As for Akeno—
Ever since that spar, she seemed to have temporarily given up on the idea of teaching him a lesson.
At least on the surface.
Whenever they met, she still smiled and called him "Genichi-kun," but the dangerous glint that occasionally flashed within that smile kept Genichi on guard at all times.
Rias, on the other hand, often came to talk with him, asking about his training progress and occasionally teaching him some basic knowledge about Devils.
As the next head of the Gremory family, her understanding of the Devil world far surpassed that of ordinary people. That knowledge was indeed very useful to Genichi.
But overall, life had become somewhat boring.
Genichi even started to miss those days in the Danmachi world, when he had gone around madly grinding monsters to level up.
It had been dangerous, but at least it had never been boring.
Until this day—
Morning sunlight fell over the streets of Kuoh Town as Genichi walked along the road to school.
He took this road every day, and he had already grown tired of the familiar scenery.
Ordinary houses lined both sides of the street, with the occasional convenience store or restaurant mixed in. It was no different from any other average town in Japan.
He was thinking about whether he should ask Kiba for another fight today when, all of a sudden—
A figure rushed out from around the corner and slammed straight into him.
"Ah—!"
With a frightened cry, the person staggered back several steps and nearly fell.
Genichi steadied himself and looked down.
It was a girl.
She wore a nun's habit. Beneath her white veil flowed soft golden hair, faintly gleaming under the sunlight.
Her face was small, her features delicate, and her skin was so pale it almost seemed translucent. Her blue-green eyes were filled with panic and unease.
She looked about fifteen or sixteen.
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"
The girl hurriedly apologized, her voice soft and carrying a hint of nervousness.
She lowered her head, hands clasped in front of her chest, looking utterly flustered.
Genichi looked at her and did not speak right away.
He quickly searched through his memories.
Then he remembered.
Asia Argento.
A nun who possessed the Sacred Gear Twilight Healing, a powerful ability capable of healing all wounds and illnesses.
In the original plot, she was used by the Fallen Angels and was eventually reincarnated as a Devil by Rias, becoming one of her servants.
And now—
She was here, dressed in a nun's habit, alone and frightened.
Genichi looked at her and spoke.
"Asia Argento?"
The girl's body stiffened violently.
She raised her head, her blue-green eyes filled with surprise and confusion.
"You… you know me?"
Her voice carried a trace of wariness, but even more than that, curiosity.
In a small town in a foreign country, a strange boy had suddenly called out her name. Anyone would be shocked.
Genichi did not answer her question. Instead, he continued.
"You have nowhere to go right now, do you?"
It was not a question.
It was a statement.
Asia's expression grew even more surprised.
"Yes… no…"
She hurriedly shook her head, then nodded again, looking completely at a loss.
"I was preparing to go to the church in this town. The church here is willing to take me in…"
Her voice grew smaller and smaller, as though even she did not quite believe those words.
Genichi looked at her.
The church?
He knew that church.
It was a base for Fallen Angels, inhabited by a fallen priest and a group of Fallen Angels.
Their so-called shelter was nothing more than a way to get the Sacred Gear inside her.
"The church is occupied by a fallen priest and a group of Fallen Angels."
Genichi said it directly, his tone calm, without hiding anything.
Asia's eyes widened.
Fallen Angels?
A fallen priest?
What was he talking about?
"Are you sure you want to go there?"
Genichi's voice remained calm, but his eyes looked at her seriously.
"Their goal is the Sacred Gear inside you. If you go, they'll take it out of you, and you'll die."
Asia's face instantly turned pale.
She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, only to find that no words came out.
Sacred Gear.
She knew about it.
The people of the Church had told her that there was a Sacred Gear inside her, a gift from the Virgin Mary, a blessing from God.
But it was precisely because of that Sacred Gear that she had been exiled from the Church.
Because her power could heal anyone.
Including heretics.
In the eyes of the Church, healing heretics was the greatest sin.
So she had been cast out, left with nowhere to go. She could only wander from one church to another, from one city to the next, praying for a place to stay.
And now, this boy was telling her that the church willing to take her in was actually a trap set by Fallen Angels?
She did not know whether she should believe him.
But she knew that she had nothing left to lose.
Genichi looked at her and fell silent for a moment.
Then he spoke.
"So, are you interested in going somewhere else?"
Asia raised her head and looked at him.
"I can find you a safe harbor and guarantee your safety."
Genichi's voice was still calm, but there was a note of seriousness in his tone.
He paused, then added one more sentence.
"She needs you very much."
He said it softly.
But Asia heard it very clearly.
She needs you very much.
Those words were like a needle, piercing the softest part of her heart.
Ever since the Church had exiled her, she had been wandering.
From one church to another.
From one city to the next.
No one needed her.
No one was willing to take her in.
She was like an abandoned tool. Once she had lost her use, she had been thrown away.
But now, someone was telling her—
Someone needed her.
A faint light flashed in Asia's eyes.
It was the light of hope.
She looked at Genichi and hesitated for a moment.
Then she nodded.
"Okay."
Her voice was very soft, but it carried a kind of resolve.
She did not even ask who the other person was or what they needed her to do.
Genichi looked at her, and a complicated feeling flashed through his heart.
He knew why she had agreed.
It was not because she trusted him.
It was not because she knew the truth.
It was because she had nowhere else to go.
Like a drowning person grabbing the last straw that could save her life.
No matter what that straw was, she would cling to it desperately.
"Come with me."
Genichi turned and walked toward the Occult Research Club.
Asia froze for a moment, then hurried after him.
She walked behind him, watching his back, and a strange feeling welled up inside her.
Who was this boy?
Why did he know her name?
Why did he know her situation?
Why did he know the truth about the church?
She did not know.
But she knew she was willing to believe him.
Because she had no other choice.
Morning light fell over the two of them, stretching their shadows long across the ground.
Genichi walked in front.
Asia followed behind.
One after the other, they passed through the streets of Kuoh Town and headed toward the Occult Research Club.
There was Rias Gremory.
There was Himejima Akeno.
There was Kiba Yuuto.
There was Toujou Koneko.
That place was a den of Devils.
That place would become Asia Argento's new home.
And it would also become the turning point of her fate.
(End of Chapter)
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