While Shirou and Kurono delved into their studies beneath the warm glow of flickering lantern light, the forest edge beyond the village told a different story.
There, seated beneath the swaying boughs of a silverleaf tree, Rias Gremory sat in quiet contemplation. Her usually commanding presence seemed dimmed, as though a veil of worry had settled over her like dusk. Her scarlet hair shimmered faintly in the fading sunlight, and her eyes—so often ablaze with confident fire—were distant, watching something only she could see.
She had received news.
After weeks of silence, after days spent teetering between hope and dread, she had finally sensed something through the faint magical tether that still connected her to Issei. It wasn't much—a flicker of pain, an echo of frustration—but it was something. And something, no matter how small, was a blessing in times like these.
Rias was the Heir of the Gremory House, a noble of the Underworld. In another world, she was practically royalty—pampered, protected, praised. Life had come easily to her. Power, prestige, affection—it had all been within reach, offered before she ever had to fight for it.
The only storm on her otherwise clear path had been the engagement she never asked for.
She had sought to forge her own fate, to gather companions strong enough to help her defy the path laid out for her. When Issei Hyoudou died in a meaningless attack, she had acted on instinct—and changed his fate. She brought him back, made him her pawn, her responsibility… and, eventually, something far more personal.
She had never imagined the legendary Boosted Gear would fall into her hands through him.
It should have been a miracle.
It was.
Until everything went wrong.
This new world—this brutal, untamed land they had fallen into—was a crucible, and they had been tossed into it without warning or preparation. Here, nobility meant nothing. Here, being blessed meant little if you had never earned it.
Rias, for the first time in her life, realized how deeply unprepared she was.
And not just her. Her whole team—Kiba, Akeno, Xenovia, even Gasper—none of them had ever trained for survival, for war, for the desperate grind that this world demanded. They had power, yes, but no foundation. No grit. No instinct. No plan.
They had learned the hard way.
The dragon that had nearly annihilated them had been a mere beast, nothing close to the Apostles that roamed this land like demigods. A creature that Sirzechs could have obliterated with a thought had nearly ended their story before it began.
If not for Asia—gentle, unwavering Asia—their tale might have ended there.
Since then, they had thrown themselves into training. Each morning brought new bruises, new frustrations, and a deeper realization of how far they had to go. They learned how to hunt. How to shield each other. How to keep going on cold, wet nights when hope ran thin.
And through it all, the silence from their world remained.
It had been over a week. Sirzechs should have found them by now. Their magical signatures weren't subtle—someone should have come.
But no one had.
They spoke little of it now. The thought was too dangerous. Too heavy. Like a curse spoken aloud. Instead, they focused on the one thing they could still do.
Survive. And save Issei.
Stupid, reckless, absurd Issei Hyoudou. Her Oppai Devil.
He had always been more than he let on. Hidden beneath his infuriating obsession with breasts was a heart that never gave up, that fought and burned with a stubborn loyalty that few possessed. He was perverted, yes—but he was also kind. Brave. Someone who carried the weight of others with shaking hands but never let it fall.
She could still feel him.
He was hurting, but enduring. Holding on. For them.
And it tore her apart.
Because right now, she could do nothing for him.
She clenched her fists, fingers curling into the soft earth below her as her magic sparked faintly at her fingertips. She would change. They all would.
She had chosen Issei to defy her fate.
Now, she would train until she could defy this world too.
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"Buchou, do we ask for his help?"
Akeno's voice broke the silence gently, like a ripple across still water. She stood beside Rias, her long black ponytail swaying faintly in the breeze, violet eyes filled with quiet concern. To an outsider, she looked like a serene shrine maiden, but her presence always held the weight of something far more dangerous beneath.
Rias didn't answer at first. She stared off into the trees, her arms folded beneath her chest, deep in thought.
"He was very strong," Yuuto Kiba added, his tone thoughtful but firm. "I could feel the aura of the holy sword on him... it was overwhelming."
Yuuto's brows were furrowed as he recalled their brief encounter with Shirou. The man hadn't said much. He hadn't needed to. The pressure of his presence alone had been like standing in the path of an oncoming blade—calm, silent, and undeniably lethal.
And that aura...
It was familiar to Yuuto, hauntingly so. He'd spent years in the shadows of Holy Swords, forged in their light, cursed by their judgment. But this one—this presence—felt purer. Stronger. Like it didn't just carry the scent of divinity, but its essence.
"The large guy was strong too," Koneko said flatly, arms crossed and gaze focused on the dirt beneath her feet. "They smelled like battle. Like death."
Her voice was quiet, but her words hit with force. Koneko didn't speak unless she meant it.
Despite her usual apathy, even she was shaken. Issei may have been annoying. Perverted. A walking headache. But he was theirs. He was part of this makeshift family they'd built. And now, he was out there, suffering—and they were too weak to reach him.
A tense silence followed.
Then Rias finally exhaled.
"There's a war coming," she said, her voice steadying with every word. "And we won't be spared just because we're not from this world. The Apostles won't discriminate. If anything, they'll see us as intruders—prey."
Her crimson eyes swept across her team—her family. Worn, uncertain, but still standing.
"We can't rely on being noble devils here. That means nothing to this world. We need allies. Power. Knowledge. And fast."
She paused, brushing a strand of red hair behind her ear, before continuing.
"Shirou didn't speak much, but I think that was intentional. He's watching. Measuring the people around him before deciding who to trust. That's smart... and dangerous. But it tells me he's not reckless. He's planning something."
Akeno nodded slowly. "You think he already knows about the enemy?"
"I'm certain of it," Rias replied. "He's scouting the region. Establishing relationships. Quietly preparing."
She straightened her back, voice gaining weight.
"They'll arrive in a month. That's what the message said. We don't have time to sit and hope Sirzechs finds us. If they could locate us, they would have by now."
Kiba clenched his fists at that. The truth hurt—but it needed to be said.
"We train," Rias declared. "We gather allies. And we work with Shirou, carefully. We need to see what he's capable of, and if we can earn his cooperation."
The air was thick with the uncertainty of their situation. Akeno's violet eyes gleamed with curiosity and concern as she tilted her head toward Rias, her lips curled slightly into a smile that did little to mask the worry in her voice.
"How do you intend to do that?" Akeno asked, a playful but anxious edge to her words. "Should we follow him around or spar with him?" She was genuinely perplexed, and it was evident in the small frown that tugged at her brow. Shirou, to Akeno, appeared an enigma—intense and reserved, like someone not easily swayed by appearances, but one who calculated everything, down to the smallest detail.
Rias' gaze hardened, an unreadable emotion flickering beneath the surface as she glanced at her companions. Her thoughts were clear, but her words even clearer. "If Koneko and Yuuto think he is really strong, then fighting him could be valuable. But he's made it known he wants to talk. He'll come to us when he's ready." She paused, her voice steady, filled with an unspoken certainty. "We wait."
Koneko, who had been quietly watching them, shifted her posture ever so slightly, as if contemplating something in silence. Her voice was as blunt as ever, cutting through the stillness like a sharp blade. "What do you think he wants?"
Rias considered her words carefully, the truth beginning to take form in her mind. "He mentioned the war, and similar goals. It's obvious." Her lips curled slightly, her expression firming into that of a leader determined to find the answers, whatever they might be. "He wants us to work with him. Perhaps he will offer us help, especially in training. He was judging us, that much I could tell." She paused, glancing at Yuuto and Koneko, who both nodded in silent agreement, the unspoken understanding settling like a weight in the air.
Akeno's gaze softened as she looked at Rias, seeing the toll the loss of Issei had taken on her. Asia, the girl with the kindest heart, was clinging to Rias, her grief evident in the way her eyes were clouded with sorrow. "What should we do now?" Akeno asked, her voice barely above a whisper, as though she feared the answer.
Rias' gaze flickered to the horizon, where the mountains loomed like distant shadows. Her wings unfurled slowly, a graceful yet powerful motion that had become second nature. The soft rustling of feathers filled the air as her posture straightened, determination now evident in every inch of her being.
"Let's hunt the Wyvern," she said, her voice low but firm, carrying a weight that only those who knew her well could fully grasp. "There was one sighted nearby, and we need the practice. Anything weaker than rank four isn't worth our time. We'll test our strength against a real challenge."
Akeno and Yuuto exchanged a brief glance, both understanding the unspoken meaning behind her words. They had been training in the hopes of becoming stronger, but the reality of their situation—of being so far from home, and without their usual support—meant they had to push themselves harder, much harder.
With a single, powerful flap of her wings, Rias took to the sky, her figure cutting through the twilight air like a crimson comet. The others followed swiftly, their movements synchronized as they raced toward the mountains. Their hearts beat as one, driven by the same force that bound them together—the need to protect, to grow stronger, and, above all, to save their friend.
As they soared through the darkening sky, the weight of their mission pressed upon them, but none of them faltered. Each of them, in their own way, was preparing for the battle to come.