After passing his memories to Mahiru and Eriri, Leo stopped paying attention to either of them.
Just as he'd said before—he only kept an eye on these two because of their special positions at Sobu High. They weren't Sacred Gear holders, didn't have special powers or special bloodlines. They were just ordinary humans.
He didn't mind placing a "piece" on them if the opportunity came, but he also wouldn't force anything. Today only happened because the two delivered themselves to his doorstep, so he gave them a little "devil shock." Whatever followed… depended on fate.
So after transferring the memories, Leo simply walked out of the underground room without a backward glance, leaving Utaha—who had witnessed everything from start to finish—itching to yell at him.
You stir up a mess and then just stroll away?
Do you ever think about what *we're* supposed to deal with afterward?
"Kasumigaoka, you…"
Eriri, having absorbed the memories, looked at her with a face even more conflicted than Mahiru's had been earlier.
Her head was spinning. She desperately wanted to deny everything she had just learned.
Supernatural powers existed in this world?
Devils, angels, fallen angels—all real species?
Sobu High's most popular third-year wasn't human at all but a devil living among humans?
And the three ice queens who joined the Occult Affairs Club were actually his servants—reborn by him as devils—acknowledging him as their master?
Was she actually still lying in bed at home dreaming all of this?
Compared to *this*, her so-called hidden secret identity—the closet otaku, the ero-doujin artist—felt painfully insignificant.
If she got exposed, she'd suffer nothing more than social death.
If *these* people got exposed… the entire world would go into shock.
"Sigh…"
Seeing Eriri stare at her with wide, trembling eyes as if she were staring at some kind of cryptid rather than a fellow creator, Utaha rubbed her forehead.
"Enough. Come with me."
She and Eriri had worked together—Utaha's novels, Eriri's illustrations. They had a complicated bond. And despite how often they bickered, Utaha didn't want to see this girl lose her mind over the truth.
So she took the trembling golden-haired "loser dog" by the wrist and pulled her toward her room.
She'd have to talk this woman down before Eriri wandered off and touched something she absolutely shouldn't.
As for Yukino and Asuna, they were completely absorbed in their sparring match. The fight was intense and evenly matched—at least to an untrained eye. But the insiders all knew Asuna was still at a disadvantage.
Yukino hadn't even used her Longinus yet. She was fighting using only her own demonic power—not exactly "holding back," but not going all out either.
Meanwhile, Asuna had only been a devil for about a month. Even with phenomenal sword talent and her Sacred Gear Blade Blacksmith—an extremely rare and powerful ability—her current level hadn't reached a proper Low-Class Devil's standard yet, let alone Mid-Class.
If Yukino released her Sacred Gear and went full power, Asuna wouldn't stand a chance.
So Yukino wasn't using her Sacred Gear at all—just the full power of a devil. Even then, she stood among the elites of Mid-Class Devils, more than enough to serve as Asuna's opponent.
Of course, Yukino had to maintain control. If she gave Asuna an opening, the holy attribute of Asuna's Holy Sword would become lethal. Even a graze could flip the match instantly.
For now, Asuna's swordsmanship was still developing. Her talent was clear, but she was still just beginning. Once her technique matured and she truly became a master swordswoman, the natural advantage of Holy Swords against devils would make her dangerous.
At that point?
Even Yukino—maybe even Leo—would have to take her seriously, or risk getting overturned in an instant.
Utaha's growth was different from Asuna's entirely.
Her Sacred Gear, Create World, was one of the most versatile abilities imaginable. It required immense tactical awareness and the ability to read the flow of battle, but in return—she could attack, defend, control the field, support allies. Near limitless potential.
And Utaha herself was a natural genius with Sacred Gears—a novelist with an uncanny grasp of narrative flow and situational awareness. Even without a mentor, she had mastered her Sacred Gear instinctively.
So despite Utaha being a new servant for only a few days, Leo could already tell—from the way she handled the ghouls in the Familiar Forest—that she didn't need Yukino's level of obsessive study, nor Asuna's strict training. With enough "guts and gimmicks," most devils her level simply wouldn't be able to touch her.
Low-Class Devils wouldn't even be able to break her barriers.
How were they supposed to win?
In short—Utaha's combat potential was enormous.
Once she stabilized her strength, she might very well be able to stand toe-to-toe with Yukino when the latter went all out.
But all of that was separate from the situation now.
With Yukino and Asuna still focused on sparring, and Utaha dragging Eriri away…
Mahiru stood alone.
Silent for a long moment.
Then she finally moved—taking a step forward and walking toward the center of the underground room.
...…
By that time, Leo had already returned to the study.
He flipped through a mountain of books on Sacred Gears and Balance Breakers, hoping—just hoping—to find something that could help him shortcut the process. But the results were disappointing.
Balance Breakers.
In the original story, it felt like everyone and their neighbor unlocked one. But outside that narrative, how many people had that kind of monstrous willpower, talent, combat experience, or sheer desperation?
Anyone capable of reaching a Balance Breaker was, by definition, someone extraordinary—even if they were just a background character in canon. If their story were written out in full, they'd have arcs worth reading.
There was no simple method to reach that level.
Every method came with massive risks, harsh requirements, or dangerous flaws.
Devils weren't particularly strong in Sacred Gear research. After reading for hours, Leo eventually gave up.
"In terms of Sacred Gears, devils are probably the weakest researchers among the Three Factions…"
He sighed.
Among devils, angels, and fallen angels, devils were the farthest removed from the system of Sacred Gears.
Angels were the closest. Sacred Gears originated from the God of the Bible. The operating system still sat in Heaven. The Church was full of humans compatible with Sacred Gears. Their understanding ran deepest.
Fallen angels, despite being Heaven's traitors, were the most invested. Mostly because their Governor-General was obsessed with Sacred Gears and had created an entire research organization. They were now the greatest Sacred Gear experts in existence—even beyond Heaven and the Church.
Devils, meanwhile, had only taken Sacred Gears seriously after the creation of the Evil Pieces. Before that, they treated humans like livestock. Only afterward did they begin reincarnating humans with Sacred Gears into devils.
Out of the three factions, devils understood Sacred Gears the *least*.
So it was no surprise Leo found nothing useful in the Eligos family's incomplete library.
"Should I… actually try contacting the fallen angels?"
He grimaced.
He had considered this before—he even thought about approaching the Governor-General himself.
Reveal Zenith Tempest, and the man would definitely be interested.
But he was the Governor-General of the fallen angels.
What if that interest turned into something dangerous?
Leo wasn't confident he could even escape.
That man was a twelve-wing fallen angel—capable of matching a Maou-Class existence. With all the trump cards he'd amassed through Sacred Gear research, he could overwhelm even the strongest devils.
And Leo?
He hadn't even reached Balance Breaker yet.
"What should I do…?"
Leo walked out of the study, through the manor, and into the garden, still deep in thought.
As he walked, he gradually noticed someone following behind him.
"You came out too?"
He glanced back. His steps didn't slow.
The person trailing silently behind him said nothing—just followed, step for step. Just like Leo had silently followed her in the rain that day.
They ended up walking together quietly for a long time.
Only then did she finally speak.
"You didn't approach me last night because you suddenly wanted to turn me into a devil… did you? To make me your servant?"
Mahiru asked softly.
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You can read up to chapter 131 on patreon.com/NiaXD.