Chapter 258 The “Contaminated” Pieces
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The second requirement was simple enough: the person in question needed sufficient potential.
If someone’s ceiling was only A-Rank, then no matter how many times they engaged in Dual Cultivation, reaching S-Rank would remain impossible. That was the case for people like the Takamine mother and daughters, Hamazaki Reina’s group, Miyajima Sakura, and many of the other heroines Aki knew. It wasn’t that he was unwilling to help them advance—rather, they had already reached the limits of their talent and simply couldn’t keep pace with him.
Of course, determining whether someone had truly hit their ceiling wasn’t always easy. Most of them were currently stuck at the threshold of the A-Rank life evolution, making definitive conclusions difficult.
There were exceptions, however.
Kurashiki Reina was one of them.
Ever since reaching C+, her growth had stopped completely. She couldn’t even break into B-Rank, a textbook example of someone whose potential had been exhausted. Without some heaven-defying opportunity, further advancement was all but impossible.
Then again, without Aki, people like Kurashiki Reina would never have encountered the Inner World in the first place. Even if they had, the chances of them stepping onto the path of cultivation were practically nonexistent.
Aki himself had once worried about facing a similar limit. What if his own potential eventually ran dry?
So far, that concern seemed unnecessary.
Even after becoming an SSS-Rank powerhouse, he had yet to feel the slightest sign of a bottleneck. As long as he continued cultivating diligently through Dual Cultivation, accumulating strength was only a matter of time. Eventually, he would be able to challenge the boundary of the Demon King class.
The only drawback was that after reaching SSS-Rank, progress had slowed considerably. Without women of the same level—or stronger—to cultivate alongside, his growth relied on painstaking accumulation little by little.
While Aki’s thoughts wandered elsewhere, Rias suppressed the distracting fantasies lingering in her mind and marched over to the large cardboard box in the corner.
With a sigh, she grabbed Gasper and forcibly pulled him out.
The blond boy’s slender frame trembled nonstop.
”Outside is scary…”
Apparently, Aki’s breakthrough aura had terrified him.
Fortunately, after a few words of reassurance from Rias, he gradually calmed down.
Watching from nearby, Aki couldn’t identify anything particularly unusual about what she was doing. Even so, Rias naturally inspired trust and a sense of security in others. It was simply a kind of charisma that couldn’t be taught.
Once Gasper seemed somewhat calmer, she smiled gently.
”Gasper, would you like to become my peerage member?”
”Pe… peerage?”
”That’s right. Through Evil Pieces…”
A glowing chess piece materialized above her palm. Rias then gave him a brief explanation of Devil reincarnation and the purpose of Evil Pieces.
Gasper listened with a confused expression, clearly understanding only half of it. Nevertheless, his eyes remained fixed on the shining piece in her hand.
After a moment, he nodded.
”I-I would. Please…”
His voice still trembled, yet the determination behind those words was surprisingly firm.
Rias’s smile widened.
Among her remaining pieces, only the mutated bishop seemed capable of completing Gasper’s reincarnation.
Since she already had his consent, there was no reason to hesitate.
The Mutation Piece appeared in her hand.
Moments later, a crimson magic circle bearing the crest of the Gremory clan unfolded beneath Gasper’s feet.
Using Evil Pieces for reincarnation was actually a straightforward process. At its core, it was simply the fusion of a magical item and a contractual bond.
At least, it was supposed to be.
The Mutation Piece had already entered Gasper’s chest when the blood-red magic circle suddenly fractured. Cracks spread across its surface before the entire formation collapsed.
The reincarnation failed.
Rias stared at the Mutation Piece that had returned to her hand, her brows knitting together.
Her instincts told her Aki was somehow involved.
The problem was that when she had reincarnated Raynare and the other Fallen Angels before, everything had gone perfectly. The traces of Aki’s energy within the pieces hadn’t caused any issues whatsoever.
If Rias was puzzled, then Gasper was simply disappointed.
Though he didn’t say it aloud, he had always wanted companions.
For some reason, both Rias and Aki made him feel strangely comfortable. He wanted to get along with them.
Especially Aki.
The young dhampir feared him and admired him in equal measure.
Aki possessed everything he lacked—confidence, decisiveness, courage. Gasper couldn’t help wishing that one day he might become someone like that.
”…Rias-senpai.”
His voice was barely audible.
”Could we try again?”
Rias glanced at him before nodding.
”Let’s do that.”
The first attempt hadn’t produced any obvious side effects, so another trial seemed harmless enough.
Unfortunately, the result was identical.
The process advanced normally until the moment the piece attempted to merge with Gasper. Then everything stopped.
Again.
Again.
No matter what they tried, the final step refused to proceed.
After recovering the piece, Rias narrowed her eyes and alternated her gaze between Aki and Gasper.
Then, suddenly, something seemed to click.
”Koaki. Gasper. Wait here for a moment.”
Without another explanation, she pushed open the clubroom door and headed straight for the Student Council building.
About fifteen minutes later, she returned.
This time, Sona Sitri accompanied her.
Tsubaki Shinra came as well, along with Akeno and the rest of the Occult Research Club members.
Their president was attempting to recruit a new peerage member. Even if the process had unexpectedly failed, the existing members naturally wanted to see what was happening.
”Gasper,” Rias said, “Sona is going to try using an Evil Piece on you. Just cooperate with her.”
”O-Okay, Rias-senpai.”
Gasper nodded obediently.
Timid as he was, he wasn’t stupid. By now, he had more or less guessed what Rias intended to test.
Unlike the crimson mana of the Gremory clan, a blue magic circle expanded beneath his feet. The Sitri crest stood proudly at its center, surrounded by elegant patterns woven from azure mana.
Sona possessed a larger peerage than Rias, but even hers wasn’t full.
To ensure the test remained accurate, she also chose to use a Mutation Piece.
Watching the blue mana gather around the circle, Aki found himself distracted by an unrelated thought.
His own mana shared a similar blue coloration.
The difference was that Sona’s mana felt cool and serene, while his carried a heavy, destructive undertone.
Originally, his mana had been much closer to hers. It was only after obtaining Rias’s Power of Destruction and Akeno’s Lightning talent that its nature began to change, deepening from pale blue into a darker, more oppressive shade.
By the time he finished reflecting on that, Sona’s ritual had already concluded.
She shook her head.
”No good. Exactly the same result as Rias.”
Then she looked toward Aki with a distinctly strange expression.
”I think your theory is probably correct.”
At that point, Aki finally understood where this was heading.
”President. Buchou.” He scratched his cheek awkwardly. “You think the failure is connected to me?”
”Not with absolute certainty,” Rias replied, folding her arms beneath her chest, “but the odds are extremely high.”
She continued after a brief pause.
”Most of your abilities revolve around Dual Cultivation. Put more bluntly, they revolve around women.”
Both she and Sona had attempted to reincarnate Aki in the past. Not only had those attempts failed, but the process itself had behaved in ways neither of them had ever seen before.
”The pieces were altered during that process,” Rias explained. “They absorbed your aura. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say they absorbed your traits.”
Aki blinked.
His gaze drifted toward Raynare and the other Fallen Angels.
Slowly, realization dawned.
”Buchou… are you saying the contaminated pieces can only reincarnate female Devils now?”
”That’s my guess.”
Rias nodded.
”Though there may be another condition.”
Her eyes shifted toward Ravel.
”And that’s what I’m about to test.”
Ravel technically belonged to Rias’s peerage in name only. Since she was already a pure-blooded Devil, there had never been any reason to use an Evil Piece on her.
More importantly, she had never engaged in Dual Cultivation with Aki.
That made her the perfect test subject.
If Rias’s theory regarding gender was correct but the second condition proved false, then at least the piece wouldn’t be wasted.
Not that Aki had any immediate plans to recruit Ravel into his own peerage anyway.
In fact, once his custom Evil Pieces were finally completed, he wasn’t planning to build a peerage at all.
Nor did he have any interest in participating in Rating Games like other Devils.
It was much the same as contract work.
Long ago, he had stopped bothering with ordinary Devil contracts. The power gained through agreements with humans simply wasn’t worth his attention anymore.
The same logic applied to Rating Games.
Leaving aside the fact that his numbers were already more than sufficient, once he reached the Demon King class, the higher-ranking Devils would likely be happy to grant him some grand aristocratic title. There would be no need to struggle through endless Rating Games for promotion.
More importantly, maintaining a peerage required an enormous investment of time and energy.
Finding suitable candidates alone would be troublesome.
As for ready-made options…
Aside from Ravel, the only people who came to mind were the Naruse sisters.
The other girls with exceptional potential—Akeno, Tsubaki, and the like—already belonged to someone else.
And he certainly wasn’t about to start poaching members from Rias or Sona.
That would be completely pointless.
Notes:
• Miyajima Sakura – Upperclassman Miyajima Sakura, a striking kendo prodigy with “Sword Heart,” studies at Aisu Academy and now at Aie Academy. Living with Aki—whom she views as a younger brother despite his predatory nature—she is brave, romantically sensitive, a former Kuoh student, a club beauty targeted by Tanaka Hajime, and unaware of the supernatural.
• Hamazaki Reina – Reina Hamazaki, red‑haired with emerald eyes, is a top‑20 student at Kuoh Academy. Known for her proximity to Aki and awareness of his status, she leads a four‑girl squad as their Big Sister/Boss. Wearing a modern uniform with a miniskirt and black silk stockings, she wields an Insight Eye to command a partner. Summoned late at night, her presence can cause loss of bladder control.
• Hamazaki – Reina Hamazaki, known for her red hair and emerald eyes, was a top-20 Kuoh Private Academy student. She now leads a four-girl squad following Aki, acting as the trio’s Big Sister/Boss. Wearing a modern miniskirt and black silk stockings, she wields an Insight Eye to command a constitution-linked partner. Her late-night summons cause terror, and her lineage provides organization support.
• Miyajima – The Miyajima family includes Sakura, Sosuke, and Tsubaki, who all share the same family name.
• Takamine – Kasumi Takamine, a widowed matriarch, mentors her adopted son Aki in magic mastery. Alongside her tall, voluptuous daughters Ayame and Sayuri—now Gremory corporate partners—she helps Aki lead their organization. Together, they have transformed their household into a liberal, emotionally charged sanctuary where magic and intimacy intertwine, deeply rooting her influence in both family and leadership.
• 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.
• Reina – Kurashiki Reina is a platinum-blonde student at Aisu Academy with vivid green eyes, a wanton demeanor, and a complex bond with her mother. She assists Aki by recording encounters with a camcorder. Possessing supernatural support abilities, detecting ploys, and unleashing an overwhelming aura, this tactical leader takes her first step into lethal combat by executing a helpless yokai using condensed mana.
• Aki – A tall, handsome Kuoh Academy strategist and devil-lineage cultivator with a sturdy physique, he acts as a dominant mentor and healer within the Occult Research Club. His unique power influences Evil Pieces, while his pragmatic, predatory approach to intimacy restores others’ potential. He navigates complex soul contracts and deep relationships with Marion, the Naruse sisters, and Mio with calculated rhythm.
• Kurashiki Reina – Kurashiki Reina is a platinum‑blonde, blue‑eyed student at Aisu Academy. She has a carnivorous, wanton demeanor and shares a close, complex bond with her mother. She wears a loose white T‑shirt and assists Aki by recording his encounters with a camcorder.
• Rias – Rias Gremory, an elegant SS+ rank devil heiress and Kuoh Academy’s authoritative president, is a stunning woman with crimson hair, blue eyes, and porcelain skin. As head of the Gremory household, she leads her peerage with empathetic, decisive leadership. Sister to Sirzechs and friend to Sona, she navigates complex duties, including her mentorship of Aki and managing her own powerful destruction mana.
• Gasper – A timid, blonde half-human, half-vampire hybrid, he is a Class 1-F student monitored by Aki for Rias’s peerage. Possessing a delicate face, he cross-dresses and frequently hides in cardboard boxes due to severe anxiety and a tragic past. Despite his shut-in nature and registered female identity, he wields the Forbidden Balor View, a powerful Sacred Gear capable of freezing time.
• Gremory – Rias Gremory, a pure-blood devil of the prestigious Gremory house, has striking crimson hair, blue eyes, a curvy figure, and a prominent bust. Wielding top-level demonic power, she governs Kuoh Academy’s hidden hierarchy and leads her household in a high-stakes competition against the rival Phoenix clan.
• Raynare – Lady Raynare, alias Amano Yuuma (or simply Yuuma), is a voluptuous, dark-haired former Fallen Angel training under Rias at the Occult Research Club. Shifting between an innocent schoolgirl guise and her true nature, she is contracted to her mentee, Aki, boosting her combat strength to high-end S-Rank, though she still struggles to fully integrate as a cohesive peerage member.
• Sitri – The prestigious devil hierarchy family name carried by Sona, representing her noble lineage and identity.
• Sona – A young woman with black hair and glasses, she is the Student Council President and future head of the Sitri family. Highly intelligent, composed, and historically informed, she maintains a clinical, analytical personality during high-level meetings. She manages her council relationships with structured leadership while upholding her family’s prestigious noble identity.
• Tsubaki – Shinra Tsubaki, Sona Sitri’s stoic, bespectacled Queen and Student Council VP, is a black-winged beauty accompanying Sona to the upcoming summit. As Sousuke’s loyal wife and Sakura’s mother, she balances maternal devotion with a playful, jealous side. A key link between the council and Aki, she monitors Rating Games and shares a dual cultivation history with him, masking vulnerability with loyalty.
• Shinra – Shinra Tsubaki, a refined middle-class reincarnated devil with dark-blue hair, is the Student Council Vice President who assists her childhood friend and Queen, Sona Sitri, with administrative duties. As an A-rank Demon Bloodline peerage member with Mirror Reflection talent, her mana surged after meeting Aki, becoming a loyal ally who also helps manage and display combat feeds.
• Akeno – Himejima, a tall, voluptuous Orc-devil shrine maiden with raven hair, red eyes, and dark wings, is the “Priestess of Thunder.” As Rias Gremory’s loyal S+ rank Queen and Vice-President, she gracefully manages administration. Beyond her combat prowess, she is the soul-bound contract partner of Akira, maintaining a deep, affectionate bond with him and constantly longing for his attention.
• Y – The first initial/part of the name Y Ddraig Goch.
• Ravel – The 16-year-old Phoenix clan princess is a blonde, twin-tailed pure-blooded Devil and newly reinstated Bishop. Formerly in Riser’s peerage, she now serves Rias and Aki. Clad in signature lolita attire with flame wings, she is a sharp-tongued, pragmatic strategist. Intelligent and analytical, she is deeply reverent as she aids in recovery efforts while closely studying Aki’s unique abilities.
• Naruse – Mio and Maria, members of a significant lineage tied to Wilbert and a central pursuit, are transfer students whose arrival has triggered recent instability and activity within the Occult Research Club, which includes their parents.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply