Chapter 180 Asia Argento
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Fried, that stray priest, a human who wantonly slaughtered and signed contracts with Devils, was existence entirely indistinguishable from a Devil himself. Aki killing him would not only have no repercussions but could effectively be counted as a merit.
Aki¹‘s strategy in luring Fried to initiate the attack was not for the sake of entrapment, but to leave a favorable impression on the blonde Little Nun to pave the way for his future plans.
To maximize Asia’s favorability, he needed Fried to strike first, and he himself had to feign incompetence—ideally sustaining some injuries—so the Little Nun would use the power of her Sacred Gear² to heal him.
The weak naturally elicit sympathy, especially from a gentle-hearted girl like Asia.
Second, he wanted to personally experience the effect of that healing Sacred Gear, the Smile of the Virgin³.
Fried did not disappoint. Bloodthirsty by nature, he didn’t bother to consider the implications. Once he sensed the aura of a Devil⁴ on Aki, he struck without hesitation.
Clang!
A light sword slammed into the Thunder Spear⁵ Aki had manifested, emitting a sharp, metallic screech. Seeing Aki’s display of desperate defense, Fried’s grin twisted into something truly crazed.
”Yeah, that’s it! Only then is it worth the effort! Hahahaha!!!”
Every last shred of the priest’s composure vanished from Fried’s face, leaving only raw bloodlust and frenzy. Behind Aki, the blonde Little Nun curled in on herself, trembling with fear.
Aki meticulously throttled his own energy to mimic a low-class Devil, suppressing the urge to turn this deranged priest into red mist with a single punch. He looked at Fried with feigned solemnity and asked, “You’re a church exorcist?”
”Talk is cheap.”
Fried had no time to waste on back-and-forth. He remembered Azazel-sama’s order to keep things quiet. If this dragged on and drew attention, he’d lose the thrill of hunting Devils.
Fried lunged, his sword slashing wildly while he fired his pistol periodically. He kept Aki on the back foot, though every strike was either narrowly dodged or parried by the Thunder Spear.
Aki looked disheveled, but he hadn’t shed a drop of blood. Fried sensed something was off, but his mounting frustration drowned out the suspicion.
”Coward! You only know how to run?”
The white-haired priest’s expression warped into a snarl as he leveled his gun at the Little Nun nearby. “You keep dodging, and I’ll put a bullet in this little nun for shacking up with a Devil!!!”
Aki bowed his head, his eyes darkening to a shadow. The moment the gun pointed at Asia, he nearly snapped, ready to teleport over and crush the man’s windpipe.
He glanced toward the blonde Little Nun behind his right shoulder. Her delicate, beautiful face was a mask of panic, her small hands clutching her loose habit in total confusion.
”P-priest-sama… I’m not colluding with a Devil. I’m still a virgin…”
”Shut it! If I say you’re colluding, you’re colluding!”
Fried glared at her with pure malice. “Don’t think I don’t know why the Church tossed you out. If Azazel-sama hadn’t specifically asked to study your Sacred Gear, I would’ve sent you to meet your precious Lord already.”
Asia’s small frame shuddered, her fingers bunching the fabric of her habit into tight wrinkles.
She lowered her head, falling silent. She stood there, radiating a sense of profound, lonely exile that felt like the entire world had abandoned her—a sight that would stir pity in anyone.
Judging that the moment was ripe, Aki deployed his jet-black Bat Wings. He held back the cold, spiked tail, confirming his identity as a Devil while goading Fried into an even more violent frenzy.
Aki kept up the pretense of barely holding on, avoiding injury but intentionally staying close to Asia.
As Fried leveled his gun at her again, a better plan clicked into place for Aki.
Compared to faking an injury to bait the Little Nun’s sympathy, playing the hero in a life-or-death moment would bank significantly more favorability.
It was a cliché, sure, but for someone as pure and sheltered as Asia, the impact would be devastatingly effective.
Especially if Aki took a hit for her—her favorability would likely skyrocket.
Though this area was quiet, it wasn’t entirely deserted. The commotion had already drawn spectators. Human nature being what it is, people were watching the “fantasy-like” combat, many assuming it was a movie set and recording it on their phones.
Clang, clang, clang…
Bang, bang, bang.
Aki blocked the rapid-fire strikes with his Thunder Spear and ‘clumsily’ dodged the gunfire. Fried saw the crowd closing in, and his temper began to boil.
He loved the kill, but he loved his own life more.
Realizing the situation was spiraling beyond his control and fearing Azazel-sama’s methods, Fried ceased his assault.
”Devil, call it your lucky day.”
He sneered at the onlookers. “If not for this trash, you’d be dead.”
When he said that, Aki wasn’t amused; he was annoyed. (Is that it?) He had been waiting for Fried to take Asia hostage so he could dive in and take a bullet.
Despite his inner frustration, he let out an audible, shaky breath of relief. The hero moment was a bust, but he couldn’t let his guard down now. He still needed to secure that sliver of favorability. This could be easily judged from the worried glances Asia would sneak towards him from time to time.
”You bitch, get over here!”
Fried holstered his weapon, ignoring the stunned looks from the passersby, and barked at the frail blonde Little Nun. “We’ve wasted enough time! How much longer do you think Azazel-sama is going to wait for you?!”
Asia’s slender form trembled. With a look of extreme humiliation, she stooped to gather her scattered belongings, shoving them haphazardly into her case.
”Nun-san, let me help you.”
Aki dissipated his Thunder Spear. Ignoring Fried’s boiling rage, he walked over to the Little Nun and began picking up her things.
”T-thank you… Devil-san.”
It was Asia’s first time being this close to a man, especially a handsome one near her own age. In the flush of first youth, a faint, rosy tint bloomed across her cheeks.
”Uesugi Aki.” Aki offered a soft smile and held out his right hand. “That’s my name. Just call me Aki, Nun-san.”
The blonde Little Nun blinked, stunned, before tentatively reaching out to shake his hand.
She felt the warmth radiating from his palm—a sensation she’d never known. She stood frozen, forgetting to even introduce herself.
It wasn’t until Aki let go of her small, soft hand that she realized, blushing furiously. “Aki-sensei, I am Asia Argento. Please, call me Asia.”
Aki helped her pack at a leisurely pace, keeping a peripheral eye on Fried while engaging the Little Nun in conversation.
”Is Asia from abroad?”
”Yes, I just arrived in Japan today.”
”A nun, eh? It really fits your gentle nature.”
”Oh, no… it’s just that I’m not good for anything else…”
Asia bowed her head, embarrassed, momentarily forgetting the homicidal maniac waiting behind them.
The white-haired priest watched the nun and the Devil growing closer. The sight was like a tide crashing against the levee of his sanity.
When Aki steadied Asia as she stood up, catching the look of longing and attachment in her eyes, that last string of reason in Fried’s mind snapped.
In a flash of light, he drew his silver pistol and opened fire.
Bang, bang, bang, bang…
The rapid-fire barrage targeted not just Aki, but Asia as well.
Aki, having tracked Fried’s movements the entire time, was ready to trigger defensive magic the instant the gun appeared. But realizing the scope of the attack—that Asia was also in the line of fire—he adjusted his plan.
”Asia, look out!”
Aki snatched the bewildered blonde Little Nun and pulled her behind him, spinning to shield her, pulling her petite, slender frame directly into his arms.
”Hahahaha!!!”
The white-haired priest shrieked with laughter. Aki’s move erased his last shred of hesitation. Blinded by rage, he figured as long as Asia survived, Azazel-sama wouldn’t punish him.
Watching Aki’s back, Fried flashed a cruel grin. Those weren’t ordinary rounds—they were holy silver bullets, specialized to tear through Devils. A hail of bullets tore into Aki, blood spraying into the air. Seeing the crimson mist, the white-haired priest’s grin became manic.
But he didn’t notice the crisp, metallic tink-tink of the bullets hitting their marks, followed by the sound of casings hitting the pavement as they were deflected. Aki hadn’t expected Fried to be so cooperative, throwing away his caution and the safety of the girl just to pull the trigger.
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Summary:
Aki lures Fried into a combat encounter to win Asia’s favor. Fried attacks violently, leading to a near-fatal confrontation. Aki shields Asia, setting the stage for a heroic rescue dynamic.
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Trivia:
- Fried mentions Azazel-sama is studying Asia’s Sacred Gear.
- The onlookers think they are filming a movie
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Character Insight:
Aki is actively performing his role as a ‘Devil’ while simultaneously manufacturing a ‘heroic’ moment to manipulate Asia’s emotional state.
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Glossary:
Notes:
• 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.
• Asia – A gentle and naive 16-year-old blonde former nun who possesses the healing Sacred Gear “Smile of the Virgin.” After being displaced from her church upbringing, she joins the Occult Research Club as a Devil and Peerage member. Now supporting the Gremory household, this kind, blond Little Nun is adjusting to life at Kuoh Academy despite initially lacking professional survival skills.
• Y – The first initial/part of the name Y Ddraig Goch.
• 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.
• Uesugi Aki – Family name of Aki.
• Uesugi – Aki is a slender, silver‑haired Martial God realm cultivator with calm, resolute eyes and perfect physical mastery, allowing absolute control over his massive physical proportions. He commands the mystical Azure Flame. Bearing the Uesugi name, this powerful, pragmatic, and occasionally ruthless A‑rank Stray Devil is linked to the Kurogane line and the Takamine family’s household dynamics, as noted by Kalawarner.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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