Night wrapped around everything. Thick clouds blotted out the moon, and only a few scattered streetlights cast a dim yellow glow over the streets of Kuoh Town.
The abandoned church stood alone at the edge of town. The cross on its steeple had long since gone crooked, and most of its stained-glass windows were shattered. It crouched in the darkness like some massive beast, its black maw open, waiting for prey to walk in on its own.
Genichi stood before the church doors and looked up at the ruined building.
A cold smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. He pushed open the half-closed doors, and the heavy wood let out an ear-piercing creak that echoed through the empty church.
Moonlight spilled in through the broken windows, casting mottled patches of light and shadow across the floor.
Rows of pews sat crooked and uneven, covered in dust and cobwebs.
At the front, the statue of the Virgin Mary still stood above the altar, though its features had blurred beyond recognition, as if some force had slowly corroded them away.
The instant Genichi stepped inside—
A cold flash of steel came at him from the side.
"Die!"
A frenzied voice rang out as a silver longsword cut through the air, slashing straight for Genichi's neck.
The blade was wreathed in sacred power, glaring with a harsh white light in the darkness.
Freed Sellzen, the fallen priest.
Genichi did not even look at him properly.
He simply kept walking, his pace never slowing.
The shadow beneath his feet stirred like something alive. A pitch-black figure rose silently from the darkness and met the sword head-on.
Freed's blade struck the shadow as though it had sunk into a swamp. The sword was swallowed by the shadow's body, meeting no resistance and giving no feedback.
The crazed grin on Freed's face had not even had time to freeze before the shadow split into countless black tendrils and wrapped around his limbs.
"Wha—"
Freed only managed a single syllable before the tendrils tightened violently.
Splurt.
His body was sliced into pieces in an instant. Blood and organs scattered across the floor, glistening strangely beneath the moonlight.
The wet thuds of the remains hitting the ground echoed through the empty church, dull and grating.
He was only an exorcist with the strength of a low-class devil. Before Genichi's shadow, he did not even qualify to struggle.
Genichi stepped over the bloodstained floor, his pace as steady as ever. Not a single drop of blood touched the soles of his shoes.
His gaze passed over the altar and landed on the top of the Virgin Mary statue.
A woman was sitting there.
She wore a black bodysuit, with a pair of jet-black wings half-spread behind her, their dark feathers giving off a dim sheen under the moonlight.
Her eyes were fixed on Genichi, filled with shock and disbelief.
Raynare.
The fallen angel who had pierced his stomach with a spear of light.
"Yuuma Amano."
Genichi's voice echoed through the hollow church.
"No. I suppose I should call you Raynare."
He raised his head and looked straight at the woman perched atop the statue, a cold smile curving his lips.
"I'm here for revenge."
Raynare's pupils contracted sharply.
She recognized him.
A few days ago, she had been the one who stabbed him through the stomach with a spear of light in the park.
Back then, he had been nothing more than an ordinary human. Powerless. Helpless. Left lying in a pool of blood, waiting to die.
But now, the boy standing before her radiated an aura that sent a bone-deep chill through her.
That was the magical power of a middle-class devil.
"How is this possible…" Raynare's voice trembled. "How could you… In just a few days, how could your strength rise this much…"
Genichi did not answer.
He simply raised a hand and snapped his fingers.
The shadow beneath his feet spread instantly, turning into countless black tendrils that surged toward Raynare atop the statue.
Raynare's expression changed. Her wings flared open, and she shot into the air. The tendrils missed her, wrapped around the Virgin Mary statue instead, and crushed the several-meter-tall stone figure into rubble in an instant.
Broken stone flew everywhere, and dust filled the air.
Raynare steadied herself midair, condensed two spears of light in her hands, and hurled them viciously at Genichi.
"Die!"
The two spears carried sacred power as they tore through the air, aiming straight for Genichi's heart and skull.
Genichi did not dodge.
He merely raised his left hand, and the Boosted Gear instantly covered his arm.
The green gem flashed.
Boost activated.
"Boost!"
His magical power doubled in an instant. Genichi reached out and caught one of the incoming spears of light.
The spear shook violently in his hand. Sacred power burned his palm, letting out sharp sizzling sounds.
But Genichi's expression did not change at all. He simply tightened his fist.
Crack.
The spear shattered in his grip, scattering into countless motes of light.
Raynare's face changed completely.
That had been her full-power attack.
The human she had once crushed as easily as an ant had just grabbed her spear of light barehanded and shattered it.
"No… That's impossible…"
She muttered under her breath, her body backing away on its own.
Genichi looked at her without the slightest trace of pity.
"Please…"
He raised his hand, magical power gathering in his palm.
"Flame Volt!"
Blazing fire erupted from his palm, becoming a fiery dragon that lunged toward Raynare in midair.
Raynare screamed and desperately beat her wings to dodge. But the flames were too fast, and they still grazed her left wing.
Her black feathers ignited instantly, giving off a scorched stench.
"Ahhh!"
Raynare screamed as she fell from the air and slammed heavily into the floor.
She clutched her burned wing, her eyes filled with terror.
Genichi walked up to her and looked down from above.
"Y-you can't kill me…" Raynare's voice shook as she desperately tried to crawl backward. "I'm a fallen angel. If you kill me, the people above me won't let you get away with it…"
Genichi looked at her, a cold smile tugging at his lips.
"The people above you?"
He crouched down and looked straight into Raynare's fear-filled eyes.
"You think I care?"
Raynare's pupils shrank violently.
"No… Don't kill me. I'll do anything you want. I can be your slave!"
Genichi stood up. The Boosted Gear flashed again.
"Something like you is too filthy for me."
"Boost! Boost! Boost!"
Three Boosts in a row. Magical power surged through his body like a volcano on the verge of eruption.
Genichi raised his hand and aimed it at Raynare on the floor.
"Final blow."
Raynare's eyes were full of despair.
She opened her mouth, as if trying to say something, but Genichi gave her no chance.
"Flame Volt."
Lightning-shaped flames shot from his palm and swallowed Raynare whole.
Scorching fire exploded through the church, reducing the pews, altar, and stained glass to ash.
Heat waves rolled outward, lifting the hem of Genichi's clothes. Firelight reflected across his face, but his eyes remained calm as still water.
Raynare's scream lasted only an instant before vanishing completely.
When the flames faded, all that remained on the floor was a charred black crater.
The once-arrogant fallen angel had not even left ashes behind.
Genichi stood up and took a deep breath.
The air was filled with a burnt smell, mingled with blood and sulfur.
He looked at the crater and fell silent for a moment.
Then he turned and walked out of the church.
When he reached the entrance, he stopped and glanced at Rias, who had appeared at some point without him noticing.
"Satisfied?"
(End of Chapter)
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