Early that morning, Rias Gremory led her team as they teleported to their destination — the Shin'un Tower.
It was an enormous structure, more than two hundred meters tall, sprawling across a vast area. The place was bustling with life — a complex of shops, restaurants, arcades, and entertainment halls, drawing crowds from all around Kuoh.
If the Fallen Angels truly had a secret base hidden here… then once something went wrong, it would be a full-blown disaster.
"To think there's a Fallen Angel hideout so close to our school. Talk about hiding right under our noses."
Rias murmured softly, her crimson hair gleaming in the morning light. If the Devil Duke hadn't sent an investigation team, even her own network of informants might have missed it completely.
"There's a strange smell…"
Koneko Toujou muttered under her breath, her golden eyes narrowing.
"Are we really going to just walk straight in?"
Asia Argento asked nervously, glancing at the streams of people coming and going through the tower's glass doors. She was worried — if a battle broke out here, ordinary humans might get caught in the crossfire.
"Don't worry. I've already asked Samuel to prepare a magic barrier. If anything happens, it'll automatically trigger an evacuation spell to move the people to safety."
Rias brushed a lock of scarlet hair from her shoulder with effortless grace, her calm confidence radiating through her every movement.
"Let's go. I want to see exactly what these Fallen Angels are up to."
That regal aura of hers — elegant, commanding, and faintly intimidating — was unmistakable. It was no wonder every student at Kuoh Academy saw her as the untouchable beauty of their school.
As both Knight and Foot Soldier, Ryuichi naturally took the lead, striding calmly toward the entrance.
The first two floors of the building were open and brightly lit, nothing seeming out of the ordinary — but Ryuichi could feel it.
A subtle, unnatural pulse in the air.
It was familiar — the holy power of Fallen Angels, faint yet distinct.
Clearly, Rias and the others sensed it as well.
"This way."
Rias signaled with her eyes.
Ryuichi moved ahead, his gaze flicking toward the ceiling where security cameras hung from every corner. The deeper they went — the closer they got to the source of that divine aura — the more cameras appeared.
Unsurprisingly, before long they were stopped by a squad of uniformed security guards.
"Halt! This area is off-limits. Please turn back."
All of them were human.
But something about them wasn't right — their eyes were too cold, their expressions too still.
Ryuichi narrowed his gaze, sensing a faint, unnatural energy coiled within their bodies.
Something's off.
These people… aren't just civilians.
"Heh. Using brainwashed believers as guards? The Fallen Angels never change — their methods are as cheap and filthy as ever."
Rias' lips curved into a disdainful smile. Her tone was calm, but her eyes glinted with commanding frost.
"You who follow the Fallen Angels—stand down. Now. Before I lose my patience."
The guards exchanged alarmed glances.
"It's the devils again! Set up the barrier! Capture them!"
Rias sighed softly, her patience clearly thinning.
"Fools."
Then her tone sharpened.
"Don't waste time. Knock them out and move on."
Ryuichi and Koneko moved instantly — two blurs of motion cutting through the human line like tigers among sheep.
Though the guards' bodies flared faintly with divine energy, it wasn't nearly enough. Against Ryuichi's strength and Koneko's precision, they stood no chance. In mere seconds, every one of them was on the ground, unconscious.
A rush of air stirred behind Ryuichi — a guard swinging an iron rod at his back.
He turned calmly, about to counter with a roundhouse kick—
Crackle!
A flash of lightning split the air, and the attacker convulsed violently before collapsing in a smoking heap.
"Ara ara~"
Akeno Himejima smiled sweetly, her eyes alight with mischievous pleasure.
"It's been a while since I've cut loose… I may have overdone it a little."
Ryuichi: …She's definitely enjoying this way too much.
Suppressing a sigh, he turned toward the heavy steel gate blocking their path. Drawing the Sword of Kings, he gave a single, fluid swing.
A flash of light — and the ten-centimeter-thick door sliced clean in two, collapsing like paper.
Ryuichi kicked the remains aside—
—and the roar of machine guns filled the corridor.
He didn't even flinch.
With a simple wave of his hand, a shimmering magical field formed in front of him, every bullet pinging harmlessly off the barrier.
Behind him, Rias and the others followed with unhurried composure.
"You damned devils!"
The gunners screamed as they continued their desperate barrage. Ryuichi's brow furrowed — and then he vanished from sight.
To them, it looked as though he'd disappeared completely—until he reappeared in front of them, striking with blinding speed.
A few quick blows, and silence returned.
"So weak… Are these really our enemies?"
Akeno tilted her head curiously.
"They're just pseudo-believers, lightly blessed with divine power. Hardly a threat."
"Still—"
Rias' expression turned thoughtful.
"This place feels… wrong. Keep searching. There's more to this than it seems."
Asia pointed toward the far end of the hall.
"Over there… I feel something familiar…"
"A statue."
Ryuichi stepped closer, eyes narrowing.
"An angel statue."
It stood at least ten meters tall, twelve wings spread wide in a dazzlingly holy pose — yet something about it was off.
The statue was… naked. The perfection of its form made the scene oddly unsettling.
"Tch. Whoever designed this has terrible taste."
Rias scoffed, gazing up at the statue — her eyes settling on its abdomen. She raised her hand, channeling her demonic power.
The surface shimmered — and a glowing spatial portal revealed itself at the statue's core.
"A pocket dimension? That's no small feat."
Akeno smiled.
"Even I'd need my family's resources to build something like this."
"Exactly," Rias said quietly, her expression hardening.
"For them to construct this so close to Kuoh Academy… it's practically a declaration of war."
She turned to Ryuichi.
"You lead. Be careful."
"Understood."
Without hesitation, Ryuichi stepped through the portal.
Instantly, a wave of divine energy slammed into him — countless spears of light erupting from the air.
He was ready. With a thought, he summoned the Shield of Divine Woe, its golden barrier absorbing every strike with a thunderous crash.
On the other side stood nearly two dozen Fallen Angels, wings of black light flaring as they prepared to attack.
They had clearly been alerted by the earlier commotion.
Rias and the others followed through the portal, their magic surging to life.
A torrent of crimson fire burst from Rias' hands —
Fwoom!
Two of the Fallen Angels didn't even have time to scream before being engulfed and incinerated.
"Damn it—it's the Red-Haired Ruin Princess!"
The shout came from one of the survivors, eyes wide with terror.
Of course they knew her. Rias Gremory — daughter of the Gremory clan, next in line to its leadership.
A pure-blooded Devil of royal descent… beautiful, powerful, and absolutely terrifying to her enemies.
And now, her scarlet flames lit the hidden chamber beneath the clouds.
The battle was just beginning.