Two days later, in a pocket dimension...
In a desolate stretch of wasteland, Leo stood facing Rem.
BOOM!
Still wearing that somewhat provocative maid outfit, Rem's entire body erupted with violent aura, her expression twisted and fierce.
On her forehead, a single horn glowing with white light was slowly emerging, causing the aura radiating from her body to grow increasingly savage.
She was attempting the Oni transformation again.
"Hold it steady."
Leo stood fully exposed to Rem's ferocious aura, like someone standing unshielded in an invisible storm. Even with Rem's face contorted, he remained perfectly calm.
"Don't let the horn on your forehead lead you around. Shift your focus away from the horn to something else. Or better yet, concentrate on the power surging inside your body. Guide it toward your limbs. Use it the way you'd move your arms and legs... naturally, without forcing it."
Leo gave her precise instruction after instruction, each one hitting the key points. Rem followed along with a strained expression, doing her best to rein in the rampaging energy inside her, fighting to keep herself from losing control.
"Remember, go slow. You absolutely cannot let the Oni transformation's power spike to its peak all at once. If you do, you'll lose your mind in seconds."
"Control the rate of the power surge. Suppress it as much as you can."
"It'll mean less of a boost from the transformation, but it'll also make the power far easier to handle."
By now, Leo had more or less figured out the true nature of Rem's Oni transformation.
He'd discovered that her transformation was fundamentally different from that of ordinary Oni.
For normal Oni, Ram included, their transformation worked by activating the horn to unlock the body's latent potential, converting that potential into real, usable power. Self-enhancement through internal release.
Rem was different. Her horn wasn't a limiter for releasing physical potential. It was an amplifier for absorbing external energy.
When Rem activated her horn and entered the Oni state, it began endlessly drawing in ambient energy from the surrounding environment, channeling it into her body. The result was an instantaneous boost ten, even a hundred times greater than what ordinary Oni experienced. Her power didn't just increase. It multiplied geometrically.
That kind of enhancement far surpassed anything a normal Oni could achieve, but it was also exponentially harder to control. One slip and the wielder would be consumed, lost to the flood of power, driven into mindless rage. Turned into a true demon.
Tiamat had been right. Whether it was Ram or Rem, both of them qualified as transcendent Oni, beings that had evolved beyond the boundaries of their race.
And so, each of them had developed their own unique mutations.
Ram had put her skill points in the wrong talent tree. Born an Oni yet terrible at physical combat, she instead possessed extraordinary aptitude for magic. A once-in-a-generation magical prodigy.
Rem's mutation was in the transformation itself. The horn, the greatest symbol of the Oni race, had shifted from a limiter to an amplifier. It allowed her to achieve enhancement that leaped across two entire power tiers, a degree of amplification so extreme it rivaled some Longinus.
Once Leo identified this, he quickly designed a training regimen. He had Rem consciously practice controlling her horn, regulating the speed at which it absorbed external energy, and managing how that energy flowed through her body once it entered.
The results were immediate. Rem's ability to control the Oni transformation improved at a visible pace.
"Ngh... aaaaah...!"
Eventually, Rem lost her grip and a low growl tore out of her. Her eyes were gradually turning red.
"Alright, that's enough for today."
Leo moved the instant he saw the signs. In a flash, he appeared before Rem and flicked her forehead horn with a sharp snap of his finger.
BANG!
The magic-infused impact struck the glowing white horn. Rem's head jerked back from the shock, and her whole body tilted backward.
Leo caught the small maid before she could fall, one arm around her slender waist, his gaze fixed on the horn at her forehead.
After taking the hit, the horn rapidly went dormant. It stopped growing outward and began to retract.
"Mmm..."
Only when the horn had fully disappeared back into her forehead did Rem let out a weary groan. She slowly opened her eyes, no longer red.
"How do you feel? Not too bad?"
Leo steadied the girl slumped against him and asked with a smile.
"Y-yes..." Rem shook her foggy head and braced her aching, limp body. "H-how long did Rem last this time?"
"About forty-five minutes?" Leo glanced at the pocket watch in his hand and nodded approvingly. "Not bad. That's more than enough time to handle high-level combat."
After all, unlike a Sacred Gear's Balance Breaker, the duration of Rem's Oni transformation didn't depend on how much energy the host had left to burn. It depended on whether Rem could keep a firm grip on the reins of that horn on her forehead.
Once a Sacred Gear's Balance Breaker activated, every use of its abilities required additional energy expenditure. Even Leo and Vali couldn't claim they could maintain one for a full thirty minutes in a fight where they had to go all out.
Rem was different. As long as she didn't lose her grip on the horn's control, those forty-five minutes were solid. Fighting at full power wouldn't shorten them.
That said...
"Factoring in the need to keep something in reserve, you should limit the Oni transformation to thirty minutes." Leo's expression turned serious. "If you go past that, things could get dangerous."
Once Rem's Oni transformation exceeded thirty minutes, the power inside her body would surge to a level that became extremely difficult to manage. Not only would the physical strain on her body skyrocket, but the mental impact would intensify rapidly as well.
After thirty minutes of transformation, Rem would essentially be dancing on a wire. Her body would start showing signs of fatigue from the prolonged state, her ability to control the power would slip, and at that point she'd barrel toward total loss of control at alarming speed.
Case in point: even though Leo had stopped Rem's loss of control just now, the strain of maintaining peak transformation and enduring maximum power amplification had left her completely drained. She couldn't even stand on her own.
If she were on a battlefield in this condition, she'd have no way to handle the next wave of danger. Any enemy still standing could finish her off.
That was why Leo gave her this advice.
"Always leave yourself a way out. If you limit the Oni transformation to thirty minutes, then even after you exit the state, you'll still have enough strength to keep fighting. At worst, you could at least manage to escape. Never push yourself to the point where you've got nothing left. The moment something unexpected happens, you could die."
Leo patted Rem's shoulder.
"But within those thirty minutes, fight however you want. During that window, you're every bit your sister's equal."
At those words, a look of relief finally crossed Rem's exhausted face. And then, a small smile.
"With this, Rem can finally stand beside her sister and fight alongside her."
That was all the blue-haired girl seemed to care about.
The purity of it made even Leo pause.
No wonder all those perverts in my past life kept saying that if true love existed in this world, it had to be blue. They were right. If you're looking for a wife, it's gotta be Rem.
His gaze on Rem grew noticeably warmer.
"Is something wrong, Leo-sama?"
Rem noticed his stare and tilted her head, puzzled.
"No, it's nothing."
Leo met those innocent eyes and immediately looked away, a twinge of guilt hitting him.
Ever since things had gotten physical with Yukino and Asuna, he felt like his self-control had been in free fall.
These past two days, whenever he spotted the girls around the manor with their pale legs on full display, his eyes kept drifting their way. That restless itch inside him was growing by the day, and he was finding it harder and harder to resist the urge to get closer to his lovely peerage members.
Feels like someone flipped my switch. Wonder how long I can hold out.
Leo sighed inwardly.
At this rate, was he going to turn into a second Hyoudou Issei?
"...Leo-sama really should rein in his desires a little. Especially right now, of all times."
A flat, emotionless voice cut in, drawing both Leo and Rem's attention.
"Sister."
Rem called out.
"Good work, Rem."
Ram approached from the distance, first offering a word of comfort to her younger sister before turning a sharp glare on Leo.
"What brings you here?"
Leo rubbed his nose and opted for a subject change.
So the perceptive maid had seen right through him...
"Ram came to deliver a message." Ram kept glaring at Leo for a long moment before finally pulling her gaze away. "It's time for the summit."
Leo checked the sky and realized it had grown dark without him noticing.
"Already?" he murmured, then asked, "Where are the others?"
"Everyone is ready," Ram said. "You and Rem are the only ones we were waiting on."
"Is that so?" Leo nodded. "Then let's go."
On this day, all domestic schools including Kuoh Academy were on holiday.
With no classes scheduled, the campus had been empty all day. Even so, the three factions had chosen to hold their summit deep into the night, plunging Kuoh Academy into absolute silence.
In a place invisible to ordinary eyes, a crystalline barrier was quietly unfurling, enveloping the entire school.
This barrier was far more powerful and resilient than the one erected when Kokabiel had attacked. It had been jointly constructed by the security details of all three factions. Compared to the previous barrier set up by the Sitri peerage alone, the difference in strength was enormous.
Each faction's security forces had arrived well in advance, every camp deploying a contingent of elites. These powerhouses working together were leagues beyond what a fledgling group like the Sitri peerage could manage on their own. They had turned all of Kuoh Academy into an impregnable fortress. Even if Kokabiel came knocking again, he wouldn't be breaking through this barrier.
The armies of devils, angels, and fallen angels had surrounded the entire campus. Representatives from each faction were already waiting in the new school building's reception room. No one else could enter the meeting site, and no one inside could leave until the talks concluded.
The atmosphere was a powder keg. If today's meeting went wrong, if even a minor clash or heated exchange broke out, it could very well escalate into open war between the three factions on the spot.
Leo and his group arrived at Kuoh Academy via magic circle in the final minutes before the barrier went up. They passed through layer after layer of security checkpoints and surveillance, entered the new school building, and made their way toward the conference room.
They didn't see a single person along the way, but Leo and every one of his peerage members could feel eyes on them.
The girls all wore taut, rigid expressions. The tension was infectious, and none of them dared so much as breathe too loudly. Only Leo walked through it all with his usual composure, completely at ease, leading his peerage to the conference room doors.
The doors opened without a sound, revealing the scene inside.
The first thing they saw was a specially prepared table, lavish in appearance. Several figures radiating formidable presence were already seated around it, none of them speaking. A heavy, serious silence blanketed the room.
Along the walls and in the corners, the Gremory peerage led by Rias and the Sitri peerage led by Sona had already arrived. They exchanged glances with Leo's group as it entered.
Rias and Sona both gave Leo a small nod the moment they spotted him.
At the conference table, Sirzechs and Serafall turned to look at Leo. Sirzechs offered him a warm smile. Serafall let out a small hmph, cheeks puffed in obvious displeasure.
Grayfia stood near Sirzechs and Serafall, positioned beside a tea cart on standby. She appeared to be handling hospitality for the summit.
Across from Sirzechs and Serafall sat someone Leo had met once before.
"Finally made it, kid from House Eligos."
Azazel ignored the solemn atmosphere entirely, as irreverent and laid-back as ever, greeting Leo with a grin.
Behind him, Vali leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. His gaze hadn't left Leo since the moment he walked in, the corner of his mouth lifted slightly, eyes burning with that familiar battle hunger.
Seated beside Azazel was a truly radiant figure.
A man draped in a magnificent white robe, with long golden hair, strikingly handsome features, a golden halo floating above his head, and six pairs of golden wings extending from his back.
He seemed to glow from head to toe. A gentle, benevolent smile graced his face, and he instantly drew the attention of more than half of the Eligos peerage.
Leo studied the man for a moment, a name forming silently in his mind.
The Chief Archangel, Michael.
The current leader of Heaven. He was finally seeing him in person.
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