To be honest, watching these newbies fight wasn't entertaining at all. They all knew a little magic, sure, but every one of them was practically identical.
Just like low-level shinobi in Naruto, their spell repertoire looked the same:Fireball, Water Orb, Acceleration, and a handful of clumsy sword swings.
A full-on "chicken pecking contest."
Kato Megumi, however, watched with surprising enthusiasm.Meanwhile, Koneko—sitting beside her—wasn't even pretending to pay attention, her eyes glued to the handheld game console she had pulled out from who-knows-where.
The entrance test was underway, and upperclassmen had gathered around the field to spectate.
Up on the rooftop of the main school building, Rias Gremory and Student Council President Sona Sitri sat at a small table, sipping tea as if this were a leisurely afternoon break.Their peerage members stood behind them like silent shadows.
Sona set down her teacup and glanced at Rias.
"Rias, you seem rather interested in that human boy. Are you planning to recruit him into your peerage?"
She was referring to Izumi.
Rias also placed her cup down and looked toward the battlefield below.
"If he has the aptitude, I wouldn't mind. I only have two servants right now. That's nowhere near enough."
Unlike the original timeline, Rias's peerage currently consisted only of Akeno and Koneko.Yuuto Kiba and Gasper? They had simply vanished from whatever corner of the world they should've appeared in.
Rias's requirements for her peerage were exceptionally strict.And if Koneko said a boy in her class gave her a sense of threat, that alone made him worth a look.
Sona followed Rias's gaze to the boy seated next to Koneko.
"We still haven't been able to track down his background. You should be cautious. He might be someone dispatched by one of the divine factions for training."
They had investigated Izumi.And found nothing.No background, no records—he had simply appeared out of thin air.
But his identification wasn't forged.
That—more than anything—was what troubled them. Recruiting someone with an unclear origin into a peerage was dangerous. A peerage member was family. Someone who would guard your back on the battlefield.
Bring in a traitor or infiltrator, and you might be stabbed from behind.
And this wasn't a ranked game where dying only meant respawning.
Rias nodded and smiled at the petite girl below.
"I trust Koneko's judgment. That boy isn't the type to be a spy. Let's observe him properly today. I've already made arrangements."
Her lips curved into an elegant smile.
If Izumi turned out to be strong…Why wouldn't she invite him into her peerage?
If he could defeat Koneko, that meant his potential was immense—far beyond what ordinary humans possessed.Once reincarnated as a devil, his growth would likely astonish her.
As for his unknown background?Rias wasn't worried.She believed in her charm completely.Izumi would surely submit to her in the end.
Her gaze swept toward the field at the perfect moment.
It was almost their turn.
Down below, the match before them concluded, and their homeroom teacher, Hiratsuka Shizuka, announced:
"Izumi. Toujou Koneko."
Izumi blinked.Huh? He had to fight Koneko?
Koneko didn't look confused at all. She calmly put away her game console and stepped forward.Izumi had no choice but to follow.
Hiratsuka observed the two, her gaze especially lingering on Izumi.
"Both of you—go easy. Stop before you hurt each other. No turning this into a real fight."
Both nodded.
Excitement rippled through their class.Eyes focused on the two students who were arguably the strongest in Class 1.
Izumi: top academic scores, perfect in every assessment so far.Toujou Koneko: devil + youkai hybrid, with exceptional physical ability.
A fight between them?Of course everyone wanted to see!
Koneko tilted her head slightly.
"You're not taking out your bow? As an Archer, fighting me in close combat seems… unusual."
Izumi burst out laughing.
"What kind of Archer uses a bow? Real Archers fight in close quarters. You should get your weapon ready instead."
Blue light flared from his hands—Two swords materialized, the iconic twin blades Kanshou and Bakuya.
The class gasped.
Even Rias, watching from the rooftop, widened her cerulean eyes.
"Projection Magic…? Impressive. He can materialize weapons of that level?"
She immediately recognized the abnormality of the blades.
Sona frowned slightly. Something felt off.It doesn't seem like a mere "talent," does it?But she couldn't pinpoint why.
Koneko regarded the swords seriously, then summoned her own gear via a magic circle—A pair of Neko Punch gauntlets.
Their classmates erupted into chatter.Sawamura Eriri and Kato Megumi stared in shock—They were using real weapons!?
Hiratsuka took several steps back, preparing to intervene if necessary.
"Ready? You may begin!"
Izumi and Koneko launched forward at the same time.
Despite being registered as an Archer, Izumi was a fully trained swordsman.And although Koneko was a youkai, she rarely used youjutsu or senjutsu in practice.
Both of them were, in short—completely improper examples of their respective classes.
Clang!
Their weapons collided.
Izumi's blade slashed down, but Koneko's fist wrapped in dense demonic power blocked it head-on.
Koneko stared straight into his eyes, her expression unusually serious.
"You really are strong, Izumi-kun."
"It seems we all underestimated you."
From that brief exchange alone—She knew his strength was anything but ordinary.