Chapter 176 Departure
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Having said that, there shouldn’t be any danger to our lives, so everyone doesn’t need to be too nervous.”
Rias braced her hands on the table and slowly stood up, her long, crimson hair rippling, unbidden by the wind.
”Unless they want to start a war again.”
After a brief explanation to Akira, the entire Occult Research Club (ORC)—including Aki—followed Rias toward the portal Himejima Akeno had manifested.
Rias and Himejima Akeno led the way, with the Fallen Angel trio and the white-haired loli in the center, leaving Aki and Kiba Yuuto to bring up the rear.
As he walked shoulder-to-shoulder with Kiba, Aki couldn’t shake an unsettling feeling about the handsome blond. Every time they were in close proximity, the sensation nagged at him, becoming more evident as his own strength grew.
Noticing Aki’s gaze, Kiba turned and offered a friendly, radiant smile—a masterclass in “campus prince” charm.
Among the boys, both of them were considered a bit cursed. But when it came to the girls, Kiba’s popularity at Kuoh Academy actually eclipsed Aki’s. Aki only had eyes for girls who were exceptionally beautiful or had striking figures, which often made ordinary girls feel overlooked or uncomfortable. Kiba, however, treated everyone with the same polite, friendly distance; he never played favorites, regardless of appearance.
Because of this, since Aki joined the ORC, some of the more imaginative girls had started pairing them up. When they crossed paths, Kiba would often chat with Aki or even share lunch, showing far more warmth to him than he did to other girls.
In truth, Kiba was just generally warmer to his ORC companions; he saw Rias as his savior and his family, and by extension, he treated the rest of the peerage as his own kin. Since Aki was the only other “guy,” Kiba naturally took extra care of him. It was a simple gesture of camaraderie, but to the eyes of the onlookers—especially the fujoshi—it had been romanticized in their minds a thousand times over…
Aki managed an awkward smile and subtly stepped two paces to the side.
He didn’t have any leanings that way, and until he could confirm Kiba’s true gender, he was keeping his guard up. (Well… if Kiba were agender or intersex, I would understand it from a companion’s perspective, but if things were to move beyond that… I would have to politely decline.)
Through the portal, the group of eight arrived at the foot of the mountain housing the Cathedral base. For both etiquette and security, the portal couldn’t open directly inside.
The Fallen Angel trio walked in the center. Amano Yuuma (Raynare) and Mittelt had traded their usual attire for Kuoh Academy uniforms, their innocent, cute appearance completely hiding their true natures.
Kalawarner, however, was too tall and voluptuous for the school uniform, and with her perpetually cold expression, Rias had opted for a black OL-style outfit—the kind frequently seen on the school’s female faculty. Rias had already arranged for Kalawarner to join the staff next semester, filling the long-vacant position of club advisor. Amano Yuuma (Raynare) and Mittelt would also join as transfer students; thanks to Rias’s influence, all three would be in the same class, with plans to potentially shuffle Aki and Koneko in there as well.
Facing their former bosses, the three girls were undoubtedly nervous, but beneath that, a deep-seated resentment simmered at the treatment they had received from Fallen Angel Headquarters.
Aki kept a safe distance from Kiba, eyes scanning the path for tails. Whether the new Fallen Angels were simply unprepared or had other motives, the group encountered no tripwires or scouts along the way. Even when Rias ordered Koneko to push open the cathedral doors, not a single Fallen Angel was in sight.
If Aki hadn’t been able to clearly sense their presence, he would have suspected Sakuramachi Touko’s intel was bunk.
After surveying the cathedral hall, which had clearly been scrubbed clean, Rias moved toward the basement entrance. As she set foot on the stairs, a heavy, suffocating aura of Fallen Angels flooded up from the depths. It seemed they were all hiding below.
Aki caught her and signaled her to stop, lowering his voice. “Buchou, let me take the lead.”
Both he and Rias were S-Rank¹, but while Rias excelled in magic, Aki’s superior physique and combat-ready instincts made him the better vanguard. If the Fallen Angels lost their minds and attacked, he could react instantly, buying the rest of the team time.
Rias didn’t refuse. She smiled, “Then I’ll leave it to you, Koaki.”
Aki moved to the front. He’d walked these stairs plenty of times lately—usually to spend time with Raynare and the others—but this time felt different. Someone had layered magic over the steps. It wasn’t just for reinforcement; it was a sensory net. They were already exposed.
…
While the ORC crept toward the Fallen Angels, a gathering of them huddled around a middle-aged man in the underground plaza.
”Azazel-sama.”
The burly, sunglass-wearing Fallen Angel who had once served under Raynare, Donnasheik, said, “Are we really just going to let them walk in?”
”And do what else?” the middle-aged, decadent man in a Neon hot-spring yukata replied lazily. “We’re here to negotiate peace. You want to start a fight?”
”Yes, not to mention that girl from the Gremory family, I want to teach those three traitors a lesson.”
Donnasheik snapped, head held high, unafraid of Azazel, “No matter the result, Azazel-sama, you can just say you didn’t know at that time.”
Azazel didn’t bother arguing with a man determined to walk into his own grave. He had already gauged the power level of the ORC. The young boy at the front caught his eye—when he focused his senses on the boy’s left hand, he felt a genuine, lingering sense of crisis. Even without his own intervention, the Fallen Angels in the cathedral wouldn’t stand a chance.
Azazel wasn’t going to step in. He had just resigned from his position as Governor General; if he attacked, any hope for peace was dead. Plus, if a veteran like him attacked a junior, the Gremory family’s Demon King would be breathing down his neck by the end of the week.
Seeing Azazel zoning out, Donnasheik bowed, signaled to his subordinates, and two-thirds of the Fallen Angels hesitated, then followed him. The remaining third chose to stick with Azazel’s policy.
Azazel stretched, his movements sluggish. “Once the fighting is over, get some people to patch up Donnasheik’s crew. If anyone dies, report it to me—don’t make decisions on your own.”
”Yes, Azazel-sama.”
”Get going. And when you’re done, send someone to fetch our guests.”
Azazel waved a hand, leaned back, and began to stare at nothing.
Aki led the group down the stairs and into the basement, where he was immediately greeted by a sea of hostile, snarling Fallen Angels. A quick pulse of detection magic confirmed that the strongest among them were only at peak B-rank. Aki turned back to Rias, whispering, “Buchou, looks like we need to clear the rabble before we reach the big shot.”
Rias nodded. “We’ll stay back and watch. Let Akeno and the others warm up.”
The ORC members were all at least A-rank, and with the strength buffs from their Evil Pieces, they were vastly superior in raw power, even if outnumbered. Without wasting time, Koneko charged straight down the center, Kiba covered the flanks, and Raynare and the others shielded Himejima Akeno, who began chanting a massive, wide-range lightning spell.
The battle lasted less than five minutes. The Fallen Angels, despite their posturing, were left scattered across the ground, one by one. And that was only because they were deliberately holding back, careful not to kill them while they were still in the presence of that unknown, powerful watcher.
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Summary:
The Occult Research Club sets out for the Cathedral to meet with a high-ranking Fallen Angel figure. They bypass external security and infiltrate the basement, only to find the Fallen Angels waiting. A short, one-sided skirmish ensues, but the team holds back lethal force.
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Trivia:
- Azazel recently resigned as Governor General of the Fallen Angels.
- The stairs to the basement were reinforced and trapped with reconnaissance magic.
- Aki feels a sense of crisis regarding Azazel’s presence
—
Character Insight:
Aki demonstrates increased wariness toward Kiba’s intentions and gender, while Rias displays trust by deferring to Aki’s tactical decision to lead the vanguard.
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Glossary:
Notes:
• Rias – Rias Gremory, 17, is an authoritative, crimson-haired high-class devil, princess, and next head of the Gremory family. As President of the Occult Research Club, she wields the Power of Destruction while expertly managing administrative duties. A powerful and possessive leader, she is deeply concerned for the safety and well-being of her peerage and subordinates within supernatural factions.
• Himejima Akeno – Akeno Himejima is a tall, elegant, large-busted senior and high-ranking member of the Occult Research Club. A hybrid of three races (including Fallen Angel), she is Rias Gremory’s trusted retainer, confidante, and peerage member. As a key communicator wielding golden lightning and Azure Flame magic, she masters Aki, giving him a surveillance familiar and overseeing his post-clash cleanup.
• Himejima – Akeno Himejima is a tall, graceful senior in Rias Gremory’s Peerage. Possessing mature beauty with long black hair, she is often seen in a priestess outfit. A loyal retainer who wields golden lightning, she balances poise and strength while overseeing surveillance and preparing teleportation formations. She shares a deep, supportive bond with Rias and provides crucial guidance to Aki.
• Akeno – Himejima is a tall, curvaceous Orc with long silver hair in a black ponytail and violet eyes. A refined, sadistic member of the Gremory household and Rias’s peerage, she supports Rias and the Occult Research Club with intelligence, magical inspection, and operational support. She uses a seductive demeanor for recruitment and maintains a dynamic, sparring-filled bond with her fellow member, Aki.
• Akira – A blond, arrogant youth and son of a corporate president, he serves as a minor, power-abusing antagonist driven by past supernatural trauma to seek revenge on Aki. Though connected to the yakuza and his inner circle, he also participates in ORC activities with a cautious, observant demeanor. Ultimately, his envy and threats lead to his collapse and execution, revealing his deep instability.
• Aki – Uesugi Aki is a 177cm Kuoh Academy student, S-Rank Gremory leader, and host of the Boosted Gear with a secret Fallen Angel bloodline, black wings, a barbed tail, and crimson eyes. Pragmatic and possessive, this Martial God-level human commands azure flames, Dual Cultivation, and a Juggernaut Drive. Currently paralyzed and unconscious, he is the central object of desire for his harem and allies.
• Yuuto – A strikingly handsome swordsman and supernatural being in Rias Gremory’s peerage, Kiba is a student assigned to Aki’s class, with whom he frequently spars. Renowned for his blistering speed and expert blade skills, he views his teammates as family. While his individual prowess is formidable, he relies on his group’s collective strength to overcome the most challenging opponents.
• Kiba – Yuuto Kiba is a handsome, slender, 1.7m tall blond man known as a campus prince. A master swordsman and survivor of Holy Sword experiments, he is a polite, composed knight in Rias Gremory’s ORC peerage. Despite his refined demeanor, he harbors deep-seated trauma, a strong distaste for the Church, and intense hatred toward Fallen Angels and certain priests from his past. Also known as Yuto.
• Y – The first initial/part of the name Y Ddraig Goch.
• Amano Yuuma – Yuuma Amano, a.k.a. Raynare, is a Fallen Angel disguised as a transfer student tending to Aki. Possessive and assertive toward her partner, she is a member of Rias’s Peerage and a subordinate sent to support barrier maintenance. She has long black hair, white skin, a slender waist, and black feathered wings, wearing a revealing black leather outfit that exudes a glamorous, provocative aura.
• Mittelt – A petite, blonde Fallen Angel with twin tails, a tiger-tooth grin, and a black-and-white maid uniform, she radiates a jade-white-red aura. A former servant of Raynare and Kalawarner now trapped in Mount Mitsu’s barrier, this A-rank tsundere serves as Aki’s maid, digesting life energy to boost her Mana while playfully vying for his attention, collaborating with Amano, and integrating into his school life as a transfer student.
• Raynare – Lady Raynare, alias Amano Yuuma, is a voluptuous A-rank Fallen Angel wielding obsidian wings and light spears. Shifting between an innocent schoolgirl guise and a predatory form, she leads a cadre, mentors Aki, and clashes with Mittelt. Concerned about her standing within the club, she actively orchestrates high-stakes rituals to secure a dangerous Sacred Gear, possessing critical intel on its host.
• Amano – Raynare, a fallen angel masquerading as schoolgirl Yuma Amano in Kuoh, is a striking woman with long black hair. A member of the Occult Research Club with a history of betrayal, she uses her alias to hide her faction ties. After reaching A-Rank with Aki, she developed a deceptive, black-belly nature and instant clothes-changing abilities, while struggling with guilt and fear of being abandoned.
• Yuuma – Amano Yuuma, known by her fallen angel identity Raynare, is a striking, curvaceous beauty with long black hair and violet eyes. A petite, tsundere former Grigori operative and master of light magic, she is now a devoted Pawn in Rias Gremory’s peerage. She serves Aki with obsessive, yielding devotion, sharing a profound physical and spiritual bond through their frequent dual cultivation.
• Kalawarner – A tall, voluptuous former fallen angel with fair skin, long blue hair, and emerald eyes, she is an A-Rank overseer and transfer student acting as a teacher and advisor at Kuoh Academy. Formerly allied with Raynare and Aki, she remains a loyal, sisterly figure to Aki, deeply devoted to his cultivation. Though cold and serious, she is insecure and relies on mana infusions.
• Koneko – A petite, stoic nekomata and Gremory household member, this silver-haired first-year vanguard is a reserved student in Aki’s class. Tasked with evacuation duties, she mentors Aki in combat and serves as a dedicated guardian. While fiercely territorial over snacks like pink popsicles, she maintains a silent, protective loyalty toward her allies, always remaining a vigilant, lollipop-toting defender.
• Sakuramachi Touko – Sakuramachi Touko is a tall, voluptuous, red-framed glasses-wearing succubus and pure-blood mental mage. Disguised as Aki’s intelligent, cool-demeanored classmate, she uses calculated manipulation and keen observation within his social circle. After climbing from C-Rank to B-Rank through dual cultivation with Aki, she now finds other men repulsive, displaying deep, genuine attachment to him.
• Sakuramachi – Sakuramachi Touko is a tall, voluptuous, long black-haired succubus and pure-blood mental mage who hides a cold, expressionless interior behind an intelligent, cool classmate persona. As a key strategist, administrator, and leader for Aki, she uses keen observation and manipulation. Now B-Rank, she finds other men repulsive, remaining deeply submissive, physically expressive, and devoted to Aki.
• Sakura – Miyajima Sakura is an Aisu Academy third-year, kendo prodigy with the Sword Heart talent, and Sousuke’s daughter, whom she surpassed. Wearing a navy blazer and red hakama, she possesses a sharp lack of hesitation and profound lethal decisiveness in combat. She manages Aki’s organization, lives with him like a younger brother despite his predatory nature, and practices Dual Cultivation with him.
• Touko – Sakuramachi Touko, a pure-blood succubus and B-Rank mental mage, poses as Aki’s classmate. Striking with bluish shoulder-length hair, she masks an icy, eerie demeanor with a demanding, outgoing personality. An observer who grows aroused by intimacy, she eventually joins in. She shares a complex, intense bond with Aki, having advanced her powers through their specific form of dual cultivation.
• Azazel – A decadent, arrogant fallen angel and former Governor General, this middle-aged man pairs a carefree, rogue personality with immense power. Wearing a neon hot-spring yukata, he aggressively pushes for deeper involvement in Occult Research Club affairs. While acting as a formidable antagonist and combatant, he retains his influence to pursue a relaxed lifestyle and research Sacred Gears.
• Donnasheik – A burly, trench-coat-clad Fallen Angel who wears sunglasses and serves under Raynare. After betraying Amano Yuuma, he achieved the peak of B-rank.
• Gremory – Rias Gremory, a pure‑blood high‑class devil, sports striking crimson hair, blue eyes, a curvy elegant figure in the Kuoh Academy uniform and a prominent bust. She leads her household, governs the school’s hidden hierarchy, wields top‑level demonic power, and belongs to the prestigious Gremory family—one of the remaining Seventy‑Two Pure‑blood Demon pillars.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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