The sudden turn of events completely caught Ryuya off guard.
This situation wasn't the school bullying or honey trap he had imagined—this was a damn city of gods and demons!
If it had been the former, he could've handled it just fine. A few street punks? He could take care of those without breaking a sweat.
But this—this supernatural nonsense—was a whole different story.
He never imagined that this world actually had beings with powers beyond human comprehension!
Now wasn't the time to wonder why this woman wanted him dead.
The only thing that mattered was surviving whatever the hell she was!
Escape—that was the only right choice!
If she chose to attack him in such a deserted area, then that probably meant she didn't dare make a move in public.
Good. That meant there was still a chance!
Ryuya quickly recalled the surrounding terrain. He had memorized it earlier precisely so that he could retreat easily if a fight broke out—and it was finally paying off.
"Explosive grenade!!"
He shouted lowly and pulled something from his pocket, throwing it straight at Amano Yūma.
Startled by the shout, the Fallen Angel instinctively sidestepped the incoming object—only to see a smartphone crash against the fountain's stone railing and explode into pieces.
Amano Yūma froze for a second before realizing she had been tricked.
When she turned back, Ryuya had already taken off running.
"...Pathetic."
With a cold sneer, the Fallen Angel—her true form revealed—soared into the air.
Lightning crackled in her hand as she raised her spear, diving straight toward Ryuya's heart.
The wind roared around her descent, a storm following in her wake.
Ryuya's instincts screamed danger. He dove forward and rolled.
The next instant, the lightning spear slammed into the ground where he had just stood!
The pavement exploded, shards of stone scattering in every direction.
The shockwave caught him mid-roll, hurling him into the air like a ragdoll.
The Fallen Angel smirked. To her, Ryuya's movements were painfully slow.
She raised her hand—the spear flew back into her grip.
With a single beat of her black wings, she blurred forward, appearing right before him.
Slash!
The spear thrust straight through Ryuya's body.
For a split second, his waist went numb—then an agonizing pain tore through him, exploding in his chest like fire.
His mind went blank; death itself loomed over him.
He'd been pierced through.
I'm gonna die.
For a moment, his thoughts thundered with despair.
But he had already died once before—fear wasn't something that could hold him anymore.
Maybe if he died again, he'd just… be reborn?
Still, dying like this—without even understanding what was going on—was way too humiliating!
Anger surged up in him.
He glared at the Fallen Angel hovering right before him and suddenly lunged forward, wrapping his arms around her tightly, locking himself onto her like a vice.
"Filthy worm! Get off me!!"
She snarled in fury, driving her elbow twice into his ribs—
Ryuya coughed up blood, his body trembling in pain—
—but his hand moved faster.
He pulled out the fruit knife from his pocket and drove it straight into her eye socket!
The Fallen Angel shrieked in pain, divine energy bursting from her body.
With a wave of force, she hurled Ryuya away from her, sending him crashing to the ground.
Her face twisted in agony as she yanked the knife from her bleeding eye.
The wound began to heal rapidly, but her expression turned utterly monstrous.
She, a Fallen Angel, had been injured—by a mere human insect?!
The thought alone was intolerable—an insult to her very existence.
But then…
Her eyes flickered toward the fruit knife still dripping blood in her hand.
Ordinary steel.
A simple, human kitchen knife.
How had that been able to pierce her celestial flesh?
Meanwhile, Ryuya coughed up another mouthful of blood, pressing his hands against the ground as he forced himself upright.
His body was a mess, but his eyes still burned with defiance.
The hole in his waist throbbed like it was being torn open again and again. He could feel his life draining away—yet his heart remained calm.
Facing a supernatural being like her, dying wasn't shameful.
In fact, the fact that he'd wounded her at all was already a miracle.
He sat there, cold black eyes locked on the Fallen Angel.
Damn it, FUCK YOU HEAVEN!!.
Not only did you refuse to send me a beautiful angel girlfriend—You actually sent a Fallen Angel to kill me?!
Fine. I'll remember this grudge.
If I ever get to live again, you'd better pray we don't meet.
The Fallen Angel—Raynare—felt a sharp sting in her chest as she met the cold, unwavering gaze of Ryuya.
She couldn't see a shred of fear on Ryuya Kurobane's face.
Realizing that she, a Fallen Angel, had actually been injured by such a weak human only made her fury burn hotter.
Her eyes blazed with wrath. With a flick of her wrist, a lightning spear materialized once more in her hand. She was done playing around—this time, she would completely obliterate him, body and soul, until not even ashes remained.
"Filthy insect! Turn to dust! Curse the god who dared to seal a Sacred Gear within your body!"
Her voice dripped with venom as she hurled the spear, now condensed into a blazing streak of lightning, straight toward Ryuya.
—A Sacred Gear?
What the hell was she talking about?
Was that the reason she wanted to kill him?
Are you kidding me?!
He didn't have any kind of sacred anything!
…Well, not that it mattered anymore.
If there really was some kind of "divine weapon" inside him—then now would be a damn good time to show up and kill this crazy bitch!
Ryuya stared blankly at the incoming bolt of light, his heart calm, emotionless.
But then—something strange happened.
His perception of time began to slow… slower… and slower…
Just as the lightning spear was about to strike him—
A flash of silver light erupted from his chest.
A radiant, silver-white object appeared out of thin air and intercepted the attack head-on!
BOOM!
Dust exploded outward in a deafening blast.
When it cleared, Ryuya was still alive.
He blinked, stunned, staring at the object hovering protectively before him.
It was a shield—gleaming silver, solid and divine in texture.
Behind it, embedded into the ground at an angle, was a matching sword, a crimson gemstone shining in its guard.
A sword and shield set—floating in midair, guarding him.
"...A Sacred Gear!?"
Raynare gasped in disbelief and instinctively took two steps back, eyes filled with alarm.
Even Ryuya himself was stunned.
So I really had one…?
A bitter smile tugged at his lips.
Too bad I found out too late.
Without hesitation, he reached forward and gripped the silver sword's hilt.
—Shing!
The blade sang as it slid free, a pure, ringing note echoing through the park.
In that instant, a surge of immense power flooded into Ryuya's body.
His wounds burned, his vision reddened, and every muscle screamed in agony—yet his gaze sharpened with a primal fury.
He clenched his teeth, roared, and swung with every last drop of strength he had left!
The sword's light erupted like a pillar, slashing down with divine brilliance!
The sheer might of the Sacred Gear was terrifying.
Raynare's pupils shrank to needle points, dread clawing at her chest.
A crushing pressure enveloped her body, pinning her to the ground before she could even move.
She could only tremble as that unstoppable force descended.
Her divine garments of light shredded into ashes, and crimson lines tore across her pale body.
"—No! Lord—save—!"
Her scream was cut short as the radiant blade's light engulfed her completely.
BOOOOOM!!
Stone and earth blasted skyward.
The park's ground split open—a massive sword mark nearly three meters deep carved across the pavement, stretching outward for dozens of meters like a divine scar.
Black feathers scattered through the air, slowly drifting down like snow.
"…Did I… kill her?"
Ryuya muttered weakly, watching the feathers fall.
That strike… had probably blown her ashes to the wind.
He exhaled, propping himself up on the sword, and dropped to one knee.
"...Worth it."
The words escaped his lips as his consciousness faded, exhaustion claiming him completely.
Then—
Tap...
Tap...
Tap...
Footsteps approached softly through the haze of smoke.
Ryuya forced his eyes open one last time.
Before his vision darkened, he saw a familiar figure standing before him—
long, crimson hair swaying in the breeze, shining like a flame against the night sky…
---