Fantasy Library, Ch 101-105

Chapter 101: Recruiting Talent

After the combat training concluded, the members of the Hero Faction—led by Siegfried, Georg, Heracles, and Jeanne—began to disperse, vanishing into the mist as they left the area.

Though the Khaos Brigade was still in a period of dormancy, the Hero Faction wouldn’t remain in hiding at a single location indefinitely.

In their daily lives, they continued as usual, only gathering here whenever Cao Cao summoned them.

Some members were entrusted with personal tasks assigned by Cao Cao himself. Some were tasked with collecting certain objects, others were gathering intelligence on various mythological factions, and some, as Cao Cao had hinted before, were conducting various experiments. A select few even went undercover, blending into battlefields among different forces. In short, no one was idle.

Even Kaiser, after joining the Hero Faction, had remained in this isolated space, training every day.

Of course, he was well aware—this was intentional on Cao Cao’s part.

That man was observing him.

Not only was he probing into any secrets Kaiser might be hiding, but he also wanted to understand the true extent of his strength.

To be honest, it was a dangerous game.

Cao Cao was an extreme technique-based warrior, and his greatest strength in battle lay in identifying his opponent’s weaknesses to achieve victory through strategy, turning inferiority into an advantage.

Revealing too much of one’s abilities in front of someone like him was an unwise move. Sooner or later, he would devise countermeasures, exploit weaknesses, and claim victory.

But Kaiser wasn’t particularly concerned.

So what if Cao Cao figured something out?

His Balance Breaker—still under development—had yet to be revealed to anyone. Even though it might not be the best tool against someone like Cao Cao, the True Longinus still concealed a power that surpassed Balance Breaker.

A power that he had never unveiled.

By its very nature, that power was impossible to fully counter or defend against.

It held an almost infinite range of possibilities. No amount of strategizing from Cao Cao could truly neutralize it.

That was Kaiser’s ultimate trump card.

As long as he held onto that, he had no fear of Cao Cao studying or analyzing him.

Besides, even if True Longinus was countered, he still had Ser-Veresta and Gravisheath.

While these two Orga Lux couldn't compare to True Longinus in sheer power—let alone a Longinus-level weapon—they could still take Cao Cao by surprise under the right circumstances.

Moreover, as Kaiser continued to grow stronger, his specialized weapons would evolve with him. If Cao Cao believed he had already uncovered the full extent of Kaiser’s strength, he was in for a rude awakening.

With all this in mind, Kaiser had never felt the need to deliberately conceal his abilities during training. Aside from withholding his Orga Lux and the deeper mysteries of True Longinus, he had freely displayed nearly all of his capabilities, allowing Cao Cao to observe them at will.

Now, it seemed that Cao Cao had completed his assessment.

Because the task he assigned to Kaiser this time was one of his highest priorities.

"Recruiting talent?"

Hearing the mission’s objective, Kaiser raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"That’s right." Cao Cao rested one hand on his spear and placed the other on his hip, speaking in a relaxed tone. "For now, we aren’t making any large-scale moves, but we need to start preparing for the future."

"We intend to challenge the gods of various mythologies, to stand against legendary creatures. To do that, we must gather as many talented individuals as possible and consolidate human strength."

"This is also something I personally find quite interesting."

"So I’ve assigned many people the same task—keeping an eye on Sacred Gear users within the human race and recruiting promising individuals from around the world."

Kaiser himself was an obvious beneficiary of this initiative. Siegfried had taken notice of him for precisely this reason, which had led to his recruitment into the faction.

Now, Cao Cao was giving Kaiser the same mission, treating him no differently than the others.

"You like recruiting talent, huh?" Kaiser gave Cao Cao a sidelong glance. "That’s a very fitting approach for someone named after Emperor Wu of Wei."

"You’re not the first to say that." Cao Cao shrugged. "Exceptional humans are rare—especially Sacred Gear users. We’re not the only ones keeping an eye on them; all the major factions have their own interests in these individuals. If we don’t act quickly to bring them to our side, humanity’s strength will only continue to dwindle."

If they wanted to challenge the gods and legends, they couldn’t afford to let powerful individuals slip through their fingers.

Take the Devils, for example. They had already developed a system to reincarnate other species into their own kind. If talented humans were recruited by Devils, their power would contribute to the enemy’s strength, making the supernatural forces even more dominant over humanity.

Cao Cao’s vision was built upon the idea that humans, unaided by supernatural lineage, could stand against mythological powers.

Recruiting talent wasn’t just about growing stronger—it was also about preserving human strength and preventing their adversaries from growing more formidable.

From that perspective, his habit of scouting talent was just a small personal quirk in the grander scheme.

"Fine."

After a moment of consideration, Kaiser nodded in agreement.

He had been waiting to see if Cao Cao would try to send him on a suicide mission or force him into committing atrocities as a form of loyalty test. If that had been the case, he would have fought Cao Cao on the spot.

While he had his own reasons for joining the Khaos Brigade, he had no interest in engaging in pointless terrorism or carrying out atrocities just to prove himself.

He didn’t want to be a self-righteous hero, but he also had no desire to become a villain. Staying neutral suited him best.

Thus, even as a member of the Hero Faction, Kaiser had no intention of blindly obeying Cao Cao’s every command.

Cao Cao seemed to be aware of this as well.

Perhaps that was why he had never spoken to Kaiser in the tone of a superior giving orders.

To him, Kaiser wasn’t a subordinate—he was a rival, someone he would undoubtedly challenge one day.

Kuoh Town – Outskirts

At the very spot where Kaiser had once clashed with Siegfried, a magic circle appeared without warning.

Kaiser emerged from it alone, returning to this familiar location.

"Time flies, huh…"

Gazing at the small town in the distance, faintly illuminated in the night, Kaiser felt an odd sense of nostalgia, as if he were revisiting a past life.

It had been less than a month since he arrived in this world, yet in that time, he had gone from a wandering vagrant to a member of a terrorist organization.

Fate truly worked in unpredictable ways.

Taking out the activator for Gravisheath, Kaiser ignited it, ignoring the weapon’s thirst for blood. Manipulating its gravitational abilities, he soared into the sky, heading toward Kuoh Town.

Before long, Kaiser landed in the same alleyway where he had originally left Kuoh Town.

"Now that I think about it... I never actually checked out of my hotel room, did I?"

That realization struck him abruptly.

With that in mind, he stepped out of the alley and headed toward the inn where he had previously stayed.

Walking through the streets of Kuoh Town once again, Kaiser immediately noticed a difference.

"This time, at least I’m not being watched from every direction."

The first benefit of joining the Hero Faction was that he no longer had to worry about being constantly monitored.

Georg had personally carved a magic array onto him—an intricate spell that concealed his presence from prying eyes. This array not only prevented various factions' informants from easily detecting him but also allowed him to communicate remotely with Cao Cao and the other members of the Hero Faction. Additionally, by channeling Aura, he could activate the array to instantly teleport back to a temporary base, effectively escaping from battle if needed.

It was an incredibly useful tool.

That said, Kaiser couldn’t afford to act recklessly just because he had this advantage.

If he did something too conspicuous—something that drew the attention of powerful forces—his concealment would quickly be compromised.

But on the flip side, as long as he kept a low profile and didn’t draw unnecessary attention, he could remain completely undetected.

This was undoubtedly a good thing.

However, leaving his hotel room unchecked and disappearing for an entire week? That wasn’t so good.

When Kaiser finally arrived at the inn, he discovered that his old room had already been occupied by someone else. Worse yet, his belongings had been sold off by the innkeeper.

"...Forget it. Not worth bothering about."

He wasn’t going to waste time over such trivial matters. Without hesitation, he left the inn and wandered back onto the main street.

Now, he finally had the leisure to think about his assigned task.

"Recruiting talent, huh?"

Cao Cao really had picked the right person for this job.

Thanks to his familiarity with the original story, Kaiser knew exactly where to find individuals who fit the Hero Faction’s criteria.

For example, the original protagonist—who had yet to be recruited as a Devil under Rias Gremory.

That guy was the wielder of a Longinus, a host to the legendary Heavenly Dragon known as the Red Dragon Emperor, and one of the strongest future combatants in the Underworld.

In the original timeline, many of Khaos Brigade’s most powerful fighters had fallen to him—including Cao Cao himself.

If Kaiser recruited him into Khaos Brigade, into the Hero Faction…

"Now that... would be interesting."

A smirk formed on his lips at the thought.

But after some careful consideration, he realized that might not be such a good idea.

"That guy might be a Longinus wielder and host to one of the Two Heavenly Dragons, but he himself is just an ordinary person. The only reason he became so powerful in the future was because of the people he met, the bonds he forged, and—frankly—his ridiculous personality."

Sacred Gears evolved based on their wielder’s willpower and emotions. The original protagonist had achieved so many miracles precisely because of this unique trait.

But right now, he was still an unremarkable, talentless human with no significant bonds and no particularly strong will.

If he joined Khaos Brigade, he might not even survive long enough to reach his potential. Instead, he could end up fading into obscurity—never becoming the legend he was meant to be.

Compared to him, perhaps there was someone else more worth considering…

Chapter 102: Are You Kidding Me?

Kuoh Town – Outskirts

This was an area close to the city limits.

Unlike the desolate outskirts Kaiser had previously visited, this place wasn’t entirely abandoned—though human presence was still sparse. People could occasionally be seen in the nearby park, but the deeper one went, the fewer signs of life there were.

In this secluded part of town, an old, worn-down building stood.

A church.

"So, it really is here..."

Following a memory that was already beginning to fade, Kaiser found the location. Seeing that it matched the original story’s description almost exactly, he couldn’t help but feel a bit amused.

The old church looked abandoned, yet from where he stood, he could see faint lights flickering from inside—proof that the place wasn’t as empty as it seemed.

No, perhaps it wasn’t just people inside.

Kaiser knew that in this world, all legitimate churches were constantly monitored by Angels, ensuring that neither Devils nor Fallen Angels could set foot in them freely.

This particular church, however, had long since been forsaken. No Angels watched over it. Instead, it had been claimed by those who had abandoned God, who had betrayed Heaven itself.

"I wonder if they’re really here..."

Muttering to himself, Kaiser strode toward the church.

Inside the Church

"Creak..."

The heavy doors groaned in protest as they were pushed open.

Kaiser extended a hand, pushing the door wider as he stepped inside.

The dimly lit interior revealed a hall structured like a chapel.

Rows of old wooden pews lined the center, leading to an altar at the very front. Upon it stood a statue of a saint, crucified on a cross—except its head had been destroyed, leaving behind a grotesque, headless figure.

The flickering glow of candles and dim electric bulbs provided just enough illumination to see, while the windows had been boarded up for some unknown reason, preventing any outside light from filtering in.

With each step Kaiser took across the worn wooden floor, the old planks groaned beneath his weight, creating an eerie creak... creak...

He steadily approached the desecrated statue.

Silence.

Then, without warning, Kaiser abruptly shifted his stance to the side.

"Swish!"

At that exact moment, the whoosh of a slicing attack rang through the air—a blade of light cleaving the very spot where Kaiser had stood just a second ago.

"Oh?"

A surprised voice, filled with playful curiosity, echoed from behind him.

Kaiser turned around smoothly, his gaze landing on the person who had appeared without a sound.

A young man with white hair.

Dressed in the traditional garb of a priest, he held a Light Sword in his hand—the same type Siegfried had used before. His posture was frozen mid-swing, eyes filled with amusement as he observed Kaiser.

"Damn, you’ve got sharp reflexes, kid. Didn’t think you’d dodge my sure-kill strike. Impressive!"

The white-haired priest spoke in a casual, almost mocking tone. There was none of the solemnity expected from a clergyman—he was sloppy, almost deranged, his grin brimming with manic energy.

"Sure-kill strike?"

Kaiser gave him a once-over before replying flatly, "Just call it what it is—a sneak attack. Don’t try to dress it up like some grand technique."

At his words, the priest didn’t show any embarrassment. If anything, he laughed loudly, unashamed.

"Nah, nah, can’t do that! My mind is already filled with important things—I don’t have space for trivial details. As long as I can kill some damn Devils, slice them into pieces, or cut little rats like you sneaking into our turf into two, that’s all that matters!"

The priest’s words carried an unsettling glee, his head tilting from side to side as he spoke, as if he were completely unhinged.

To put it bluntly—he was insane.

Kaiser was already starting to find him incredibly irritating.

Which meant he no longer felt the need to be polite.

"First of all, let me correct you—" Kaiser’s tone was as calm as ever, but now it carried a sharper edge. "I walked in here openly, not sneaking around. This is a church, after all. Surely, a place like this wouldn’t turn away someone coming to pray?"

He paused before continuing, his gaze turning cold.

"Second, the real rats sneaking into this place are you lot. This church doesn’t belong to you."

Kaiser narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Am I wrong, stray Exorcist who has defected to the Fallen Angels?"

The moment those words left his mouth, the white-haired priest froze.

Yes—Exorcists could go rogue, too.

Although they were warriors blessed by Heaven, granted the ability to wield Light Power to slay Devils, not all of them remained steadfast in their faith.

Some found pleasure in the act of slaughter itself, reveling in the thrill of exterminating Devils. Over time, their obsession grew, twisting them into fanatics who hunted more for the rush than for righteousness.

Such individuals eventually became mentally unstable, losing touch with normal human emotions.

When that happened, the Church would cast them out.

They would be deemed dangerous, marked for elimination, treated no differently than stray Devils.

That was the reality of the Stray Exorcists—and it was exactly what the white-haired priest before him was.

The priest’s playful demeanor cracked slightly.

His wild grin faded, replaced by a more dangerous expression.

"…Don’t tell me you’re some assassin sent by the Church?"

His grip on the Light Sword tightened, his tone darkening.

"You’re here to hunt me down, is that it?"

Kaiser, however, didn’t even bother to respond to the accusation.

He simply regarded the man with an indifferent look, as if he were a fool for even asking.

"Do yourself a favor and stop guessing."

His voice remained calm, yet there was an undeniable sense of disdain in his words.

"Just look at you. Acting like a lunatic, completely out of your mind. Do you seriously think someone like you could ever correctly deduce my identity?"

Kaiser’s lips curled into a mocking smirk.

"With that broken brain of yours, you honestly believe you could figure me out?"

The last time someone had been subjected to Kaiser’s merciless verbal assault, it had been Toudou Kouichirou—the man who deluded himself into believing he could control Toudou Kirin.

Kaiser had only met the man once, yet that brief encounter had left a lasting scar on him.

And now, a second victim had emerged.

"Ha?! Who the hell do you think you are, acting all high and mighty?!"

The white-haired priest’s face twitched violently as rage overtook him. His forehead veins bulged, and his entire expression contorted in fury.

Without hesitation, he reached into his robes and pulled out a silver handgun.

"You dare insult me?! Anyone who’s ever called me a piece of shit is already rotting in hell! You wanna go to hell too?! Wanna meet the Lord early?! You wanna die?! Of course you do! You must, right?! OK! Then I’ll kill you!"

With that declaration, he immediately pulled the trigger.

He fired several times in rapid succession.

Yet, there was no gunshot.

Not a single sound rang out.

The bullets tore through the air silently, streaking toward Kaiser at blinding speed.

Upon closer inspection, they weren’t regular bullets at all.

They were light bullets—formed entirely from Light Power, just like the Light Swords.

Because they were pure light, they made no sound upon being fired, and they traveled much faster than conventional bullets.

In a mere instant, the bullets reached Kaiser’s body.

"Pop! Pop! Pop!"

The moment the Light Bullets made contact, they exploded upon impact, producing a series of sharp crackling noises—like fireworks going off in rapid succession.

Yet, despite the direct hits…

Kaiser remained completely unscathed.

The bullets had been stopped mid-impact—as though they had crashed into solid steel.

A flowing aura of touki surged around Kaiser’s body, completely neutralizing the attack.

"…What?"

The priest froze in sheer disbelief.

His mind refused to process what had just happened.

Meanwhile, Kaiser calmly dusted off his clothes, his eyes utterly devoid of warmth.

"Four shots in total." His voice was eerily indifferent. "One aimed at my head. One aimed at my heart. One aimed at my throat. And the last one—my lower body. That about right?"

The first three shots had clearly been kill shots.

Even though Kaiser wasn’t a Devil, a human being struck in those vital spots by Light Bullets would instantly die.

There was no doubt that this lunatic had been aiming to kill him.

As for the last shot…

That was clearly meant to insult him.

Kaiser’s expression remained calm, yet his tone carried a chilling finality.

"Congratulations. You’ve officially secured the number one spot on my list of most annoying bastards I’ve ever met."

As he spoke, a black activator appeared in his hand—when it had appeared, no one could tell.

"I don’t see any reason to give you a clean death. Might as well make it painful."

With that, Kaiser activated the Orga Lux.

The deep purple Urm-Manadyte embedded in the activator glowed ominously.

A surge of Mana poured out, solidifying into a massive, blood-red scythe.

The crimson blade hummed and vibrated, pulsating menacingly in the darkness.

As Kaiser firmly gripped Gravisheath, his very presence became terrifying.

The priest, for the first time, felt something he hadn’t in years—real fear.

A horrifying illusion crept into his mind.

For a moment, it wasn’t a human standing before him.

It was death itself.

"W-What the hell are you, you piece of shit?! What kind of freak are you?!"

Feeling the overwhelming killing intent, the priest instinctively staggered backward.

"Vrrrm!"

At that moment, the humming of the scythe intensified.

A crimson crescent of energy exploded outward—slashing toward the priest like a crescent moon.

"Shit—so fast—!"

He let out a startled shriek and tried to leap backward to avoid the attack.

But then—

"BOOM!"

The very air rumbled violently as an invisible force slammed down onto him.

A powerful gravitational field crushed him to the ground, instantly paralyzing his movements.

His attempt to dodge failed before it even began.

"Splat!"

The crimson scythe sliced through his chest.

A fountain of blood erupted into the air.

"G-Gahhh…!"

A pained, strangled cry burst from his throat.

"Splat! Splat! Splat!"

Kaiser did not stop.

The blood-red scythe continued its deadly arc, severing the priest’s arms, legs, and even his fifth limb.

"Aaaaaaaghhhhhh—!"

The man’s screams became distorted, frantic, filled with agony beyond comprehension.

His voice was no longer merely in pain.

It was hysterical. Broken.

Kaiser stood over him, staring down at his mutilated body without an ounce of sympathy.

"How’s it feel?"

His voice remained emotionless, watching as the priest twitched uncontrollably, his eyes rolling back from the unbearable suffering.

"Still not enough, huh?"

He tilted his head slightly.

"Don’t worry—you’re bleeding out pretty fast, but you’ll get to enjoy this a little longer before you finally die."

And with one final motion—

Kaiser kicked the man’s remains across the room.

The priest’s mangled corpse smashed into a row of pews, splintering them on impact.

Blood pooled across the floor, dyeing the chapel red.

Chapter 103: The Fallen Angels in the Church

The dimly lit chapel now reeked of blood.

The stench of iron mixed with the musty air, completely overwhelming the previous dusty scent.

Kaiser didn’t even spare another glance at the priest’s corpse.

He had no interest in wasting any more time on a dead man.

Instead, his eyes scanned the room.

At the edges of the sanctuary, several more figures had appeared.

Like the white-haired priest, they wore the robes of clergymen, their hands gripping Light Swords or silver handguns.

They had arrived silently—without a single sound.

And now, without uttering a single word, they raised their weapons simultaneously.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Without hesitation, they opened fire.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The silver handguns fired relentlessly, sending a storm of Light Bullets hurtling toward Kaiser.

The Light Bullets exploded against his body, detonating like a relentless barrage of firecrackers.

Yet—

Kaiser did not move.

Instead, he merely intensified the output of his Aura, causing the white energy surrounding his body to surge and swell. The Touki formed a protective field, blocking every single bullet as if they were mere pebbles being thrown at a fortress.

"Swish!" "Swish!" "Swish!"

Seeing that their Exorcist Bullets were useless, the priests wielding Light Swords immediately charged forward.

They swung down ferociously, unleashing a flurry of slashes aimed to tear Kaiser apart.

But even as dozens of swords rained down upon him—

He did not move.

The sharp Light Blades clashed against his Aura Shield, but instead of slicing through, the swords shook violently, unable to penetrate his defense.

The sheer force of their swings was completely nullified.

Kaiser finally spoke.

"So, this place is livelier than I expected."

His voice was calm—almost bored.

"A whole bunch of Stray Exorcists, all wielding weapons made from Light Power... Looks like the Fallen Angels behind you are pretty damn generous."

The Exorcists who had been expelled from the Church were supposed to lose the blessing of God—which meant they shouldn’t have been able to wield Light Weapons anymore.

But there was one other faction that could provide them with such power.

Besides Angels, the only ones capable of granting Light Power—were Fallen Angels.

The fact that these Stray Exorcists were freely using Light Weapons could only mean one thing—

The Fallen Angels had taken over this abandoned church.

Kaiser was in the right place.

"I’m not here for you lot."

Kaiser slowly raised Gravisheath in his hand.

"I need to have a chat with your Fallen Angel superiors—so do yourselves a favor and stay out of my way."

"Boom!"

A surge of purple energy erupted from Gravisheath, spreading throughout the entire chapel.

Instantly—

The air became unbearably heavy.

A tremendous gravitational force crashed down upon the room, crushing every single priest onto the ground.

"——!"

The Stray Exorcists let out strained grunts, their bodies trembling as they tried to resist.

But no matter how much they struggled—

They could not move.

In Kaiser’s hands, Gravisheath’s gravity field had reached a level so powerful that even someone as strong as Amagiri Ayato would have been pinned to the floor, unable to raise his head.

These low-level outcasts didn’t even stand a chance.

Even a High-Class Devil would have been severely hindered by this level of gravity.

For an Ultimate-Class Devil, it would still be a burden.

For these Exorcists, who were barely capable of fighting Mid-Class Devils at best, this was an inescapable death sentence.

Kaiser stood alone in the middle of the room.

Everywhere around him, the Stray Exorcists were groveling on the floor, completely incapacitated by the overwhelming gravity.

It looked as though a congregation of priests were bowing before him in submission.

"You people might want to come out now."

Kaiser spoke casually, as if talking to himself.

"If you don’t, I’ll just go ahead and tear this place down."

Silence.

No response.

Kaiser smirked.

"Fine, have it your way."

He lifted Gravisheath again.

"Singularity Collapse."

Without hesitation, he poured a massive surge of Aura into the weapon.

The Urm-Manadyte embedded in the scythe flared violently, emitting a blinding light.

"Vrrrm…"

The very air trembled.

And then—

A black sphere of compressed gravity began to form above the altar.

It was a gravitational singularity, a force so intense that it could bend space itself.

Under Kaiser’s control, the sphere expanded rapidly, growing larger and larger—

If he let it continue, the entire church would be crushed into oblivion.

The Exorcists freaked out.

Their eyes widened in absolute terror.

They could see it.

They could see the future where this entire church was obliterated under the weight of that singularity.

"Stop!"

A voice finally cried out from above.

"Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!"

From the shadows, several figures descended, gliding down with a flurry of black feathers.

A group of winged beings appeared—hovering in midair, their dark wings spread wide as they looked down upon Kaiser.

They weren’t humans.

They weren’t Angels.

They were—

Fallen Angels.

"Who are you?"

The one who spoke was a woman.

She had long, flowing black hair, an exquisite figure, and was dressed in an outfit that was both revealing and alluring.

Behind her, three other Fallen Angels hovered silently.

They didn’t speak.

They simply stood behind the woman, their stances suggesting that she was the one in charge.

Her eyes burned with both anger and caution as she glared at Kaiser.

Kaiser slowly lifted his gaze.

Looking at the four Fallen Angels floating in midair, his expression remained calm and unreadable.

He recognized them.

All four of them had appeared in the original story.

But out of the four—

The only one who truly mattered was the woman leading them.

The others?

He barely remembered their names.

So he didn’t even bother acknowledging them.

Instead, he locked eyes with the raven-haired woman.

And in a tone of absolute certainty, he addressed her directly:

"You must be Raynare."

The Fallen Angel’s expression froze.

For a split second, she seemed genuinely caught off guard.

"…You know me?"

Raynare’s brows furrowed as suspicion flashed across her face.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Are you a warrior from the Church?"

Raynare could tell from a glance that Kaiser wasn’t a Devil—he was human.

A human wielding a Sacred Gear. That meant he was either from the Church or had been recruited by the Fallen Angels. If he were aligned with the Devils, he would have already been reincarnated as one.

Among the three great factions, only the Devils possessed the ability to reincarnate other beings into their own kind. The other two factions lacked such a technique.

Thus, most human Sacred Gear users either came from the Church or were recruited by the Fallen Angels. The most likely scenario? He was from the Church.

With this assumption, Raynare mistook the blood-red scythe in Kaiser’s hand, Gravisheath, for his Sacred Gear. She had no idea that, despite being a Sacred Gear wielder, Kaiser hadn’t even used his own artifact yet.

Kaiser saw no need to correct her misunderstanding. Nor did he bother answering her question.

Instead, he simply said, “Who I am doesn’t matter. What matters is that I have business with you.”

Raynare’s expression darkened.

“You barge into our base, beat down my subordinates, and now you say none of that is important?” She let out a laugh laced with anger. “Are you looking down on me? Looking down on Raynare the Fallen Angel?”

“You think just because you're a human with a Sacred Gear, you can stand against Fallen Angels?”

“You must have a death wish!”

Despite her words, Raynare didn’t immediately attack.

Arrogant as she was, she wasn’t stupid.

Her subordinates had been utterly outclassed—including that white-haired warrior from the Church’s experimental facility. They hadn’t even touched their opponent before being defeated. That alone told her this human’s strength wasn’t below that of a High-Class Devil.

Even if she couldn’t fully grasp his power, the massive gravity sphere hovering near the ceiling was enough to convince her—if that thing dropped, she wouldn’t be walking away unscathed.

So, she decided to back down. Just a little.

“If you leave now, I can pretend this never happened.”

To Raynare, that was already a concession.

Of course, whether she realized it or not, the mocking smirk on her face and the condescending gleam in her eyes told a different story.

To Kaiser, it just sounded like she was mocking him.

So, he responded bluntly.

“Are you stupid?”

Kaiser stared at her like she was an idiot.

“You think you can just pretend nothing happened?”

“You want to? Well, I don’t.”

“You can’t even grasp the situation in front of you. No wonder you’re hiding in some godforsaken corner of the world. This is as far as you’ll ever go.”

His scathing words made Raynare’s anger surge.

Naturally, the three Fallen Angels behind her were also enraged.

“How dare you insult Lady Raynare?”

“You’re just a mere human—”

“Kill him!”

Blinded by rage, the three Fallen Angels sprang into action.

A low hum resonated in the air.

Light converged in their hands, flickering violently before stabilizing into long spears.

These spears, composed entirely of condensed light, differed from the ones used by Exorcists. Unlike the Church’s brilliant holy blades, the Fallen Angels’ weapons carried a dim, ominous glow.

With swift and deadly precision, the three hurled their spears at Kaiser. The sound of the projectiles breaking the sound barrier sliced through the air, each one piercing toward him with lethal force.

Kaiser barely spared them a glance.

Lifting Gravisheath, he swung.

Boom!

A crimson arc flashed.

The light spears shattered midair, as if striking an invisible glass barrier, their fragmented remains scattering like dust.

Raynare’s eyes widened in shock.

Before she could react, Kaiser brought Gravisheath down.

The massive gravity sphere hovering in the air plummeted.

BOOOOM—!

A thunderous explosion rocked the deserted countryside.

The abandoned church, nestled within the forest, collapsed in an instant.

The ground beneath it caved in, crumbling like a shattered foundation.

Dust and debris filled the air, swallowing the entire structure in a suffocating cloud of destruction.

Chapter 104: Can You Really Do Anything?

Rumble…

A thunderous roar echoed across the outskirts of Kuoh Town. A dense cloud of dust spread through the forest, expanding outward and swallowing everything within a radius of several hundred meters.

Amidst the swirling debris, the sharp crackle of splintering rock and the deep tremors of the earth resonated through the air.

The decrepit church had completely collapsed, swallowed by the ground, consumed piece by piece by the avalanche of rubble.

Moments later, at the very heart of the dust storm, a disheveled figure shot out in a frantic escape.

“Madman! He’s a total lunatic!”

Raynare cursed as she fled, her once-flawless appearance now covered in dust and grime. Panic was written all over her face—she wanted nothing more than to get as far away from this place as possible.

“Who the hell fights by throwing themselves into their own attack?! He’s completely insane!”

She had no hesitation in voicing her disdain, her expression as ugly as her situation.

“Where did this lunatic even come from?! How does he have this much power?!”

“A Sacred Gear that manipulates gravity, and one this powerful at that… A weapon like this should’ve been on our radar a long time ago!”

“Why don’t I have any information on it? Could it be a newly awakened type?”

Among all the factions in the world, if any had the deepest understanding of Sacred Gears, it was undoubtedly the Fallen Angels.

After all, their Governor-General, the undisputed leader of all Fallen Angels, was an obsessive researcher of Sacred Gears. His greatest passion lay in studying and collecting them, to the point where he had even developed artificial Sacred Gears of significant power.

Thanks to his personal obsession and emphasis on Sacred Gear research, the Fallen Angels had become the most well-informed faction regarding Sacred Gears and their wielders. Many powerful Sacred Gear users had been recruited into their ranks, while others—those deemed too dangerous—were swiftly eliminated.

Because of this, most Fallen Angels had at least a basic knowledge of Sacred Gears. Compared to the other factions, they were far more aware of their existence and capabilities.

Raynare was no exception. She had considerable knowledge of Sacred Gears—so much so that she even possessed the technology to extract them from human wielders and transfer them to herself.

Yet despite her extensive knowledge, she had never heard of a crimson scythe capable of manipulating gravity.

“If I could get my hands on that Sacred Gear…”

Watching the towering dust clouds and the church that had sunk completely into the earth, a glint of desire and greed flashed in Raynare’s eyes.

And that greed made her hesitate.

She slowed down.

And that was when she heard it.

The screams.

“Lady Raynare—!!”

Not a call.

A cry of agony.

Not just one.

Several.

“Caravana! Mittelt! Donaseek!”

Raynare’s face twisted in horror as she shouted the names of her subordinates.

But no response came.

“Damn it!”

A terrible premonition gripped her heart.

Cursing under her breath, she flared her pitch-black wings, ready to escape.

But she was already too late.

BOOM!

A pulse of violet energy—gravity itself—surged across the air, blanketing the area in an oppressive force that made the very atmosphere tremble.

“Ah—!”

Raynare barely had time to let out a startled cry before she was slammed to the ground.

The pressure was suffocating. Immense.

She couldn’t move.

And then, that infuriatingly familiar voice reached her ears.

“I already told you—I have business with you.”

Kaiser stepped forward from the swirling dust, his crimson scythe Gravisheath resting on his shoulder, his body enveloped in a faint aura of Touki.

Compared to the disheveled Raynare, Kaiser was the picture of composure—not a single speck of dust had touched him.

“You—what do you want!?”

Raynare struggled, but the gravity crushing her left her powerless. Watching Kaiser slowly approach, a deep, instinctive fear began to creep into her heart.

Panic consumed her.

Desperation made her reckless.

“I—I’m an important member of the Fallen Angels! If you dare to kill me—!”

She tried to threaten him.

She didn’t even get to finish.

Kaiser cut her off with a laugh.

“An important member?”

His eyes flickered to the two black wings behind her, and his lips curled in amusement.

“You’re just a Two-Winged Fallen Angel. Exactly how ‘important’ do you think you are?”

Devils had a hierarchy.

So did Angels and Fallen Angels.

And one of the easiest ways to gauge their standing?

The number of wings they possessed.

While not an absolute rule, the more wings an Angel or Fallen Angel had, the higher their rank and power.

A Two-Winged Angel or Fallen Angel was the lowest rank—equivalent to a Low-Class Devil.

A Four-Winged Angel or Fallen Angel was equal to a Middle-Class Devil.

A Six-Winged Angel or Fallen Angel was the equivalent of a High-Class Devil—those at this level could be considered elites among their kind. The Church’s top-tier Exorcists also tended to fall within this range.

Above that, an Eight-Winged Angel or Fallen Angel was on par with an Ultimate-Class Devil.

Ten Wings signified one of the leaders—essentially the equivalent of a Satans’ executive.

And at the very top—Twelve Wings—stood the most powerful among their kind, comparable to the Satans themselves.

For Devils, this system was somewhat similar, as they too possessed wings—though their bat-like appearance made them far less distinct.

Take Rias Gremory, for instance.

She was an undeniable High-Class Devil. By logic, she should be comparable to a Six-Winged Angel or Fallen Angel.

Yet despite that, she only had one pair of Devil’s wings.

Perhaps due to her youth, she had yet to fully manifest her full set.

In short, while wing count usually signified a being’s standing, it wasn’t an absolute measure of strength.

Having fewer wings didn’t necessarily mean someone was weak.

But having more wings definitely meant they were strong.

So despite Raynare’s arrogance, despite the fact that she had several Fallen Angels and rogue Exorcists under her command, she was, at the end of the day, just a Two-Winged Fallen Angel.

The absolute bottom of the hierarchy.

To Kaiser, she was barely at the level of a Middle-Class Devil—still far from reaching High-Class, let alone Ultimate-Class.

She wasn’t even worth considering as an opponent.

Threatening him?

Laughable.

“You think you can intimidate me?” Kaiser scoffed. “Try growing a few more wings first.”

Kaiser stepped closer to Raynare, lifting Gravisheath and pressing the cold, curved blade against her chin, tilting her face upward.

“D-Don’t kill me!”

Feeling the sharp edge at her throat, Raynare was truly terrified this time.

She wasn’t just afraid that Kaiser would swing his crimson scythe and slit her throat in an instant.

She was even more afraid of the weapon itself.

She could feel it.

That scythe—it had a will of its own.

And right now, it was hungry.

It was as if Gravisheath itself wanted to slice her open, to drink her blood. She could sense a faint yet undeniable surge of exhilaration and thirst emanating from it.

“I—I don’t think I’ve ever done anything to offend you, right?” Raynare stammered, desperately trying to save herself. “I don’t even know you! Why would you want to kill me?”

Then, grasping at whatever leverage she had left, she quickly added, “If you spare me… I’ll do anything!”

Kaiser’s brow arched slightly.

“Oh?” A smirk slowly curled across his lips. “Anything?”

Raynare instantly caught his meaning.

“Of course…”

Forcing a smile, she tried her best to sound sultry despite the fear still gripping her.

“As long as you don’t kill me… I’ll do whatever you want.”

With great effort, she reached out in the oppressive gravity field, her fingers brushing against the edges of her already revealing outfit, as if she were preparing to strip.

But just as the atmosphere grew dangerously suggestive, Kaiser suddenly spoke.

“Can you make braised beef rice?”

Silence.

Absolute silence.

“…Huh?”

Raynare’s hand froze mid-motion, and the look of sheer disbelief on her face was priceless.

“What? You can’t?” Kaiser continued as if he hadn’t noticed her stunned expression. His tone remained light, almost amused. “What about zhajiangmian? Stir-fried rice noodles with beef? Surely you can at least make a hamburger steak?”

Raynare’s mouth fell open.

Of all the possible outcomes she had anticipated—threats, demands, humiliation—she had not expected this.

Cooking?

Cooking?!

I’m lying here, helpless, completely at your mercy—and your big demand is… food?!

I’m a beautiful woman sprawled at your feet, and instead of doing anything remotely “fun,” you want me to cook?!

What the actual hell—?!

She wanted to curse him.

She really did.

But she didn’t dare.

And then—to her utter horror—Kaiser’s expression shifted.

To disappointment.

“…Wow,” he muttered, shaking his head. “So you really are useless. What a worthless Fallen Angel.”

Raynare swore—if she weren’t completely overpowered right now, she would have materialized a spear of light and shoved it straight into this man’s face.

But before she could even process her rage, Kaiser’s next words made her blood run cold.

“Well, if you’re completely useless… I guess there’s no reason to keep you around.”

His grip tightened on Gravisheath.

The blade pressed harder.

A thin line of blood trickled down her throat.

“No!” Raynare’s face turned deathly pale as she screamed, her voice laced with sheer terror. “I—I can learn! I can learn, okay?!”

Hearing this, Kaiser finally withdrew Gravisheath.

“Well, in that case… I suppose I’ll let you live for now.”

As he spoke, he casually flicked his weapon, allowing it to absorb the fresh trickle of Fallen Angel blood.

Raynare shuddered as she watched the crimson glow pulse faintly along the scythe’s edge—as if savoring its first taste.

“Let’s go,” Kaiser said, turning away. “We need to leave. That little display we put on just now was way too loud.”

“…Yes.”

What else could she say?

With no choice left, Raynare obediently followed after Kaiser, leaving the ruins of the church behind.

Chapter 105: Just How Capable Are You?

“Hm?”

As Kaiser led Raynare out of the forest, preparing to step onto the main road, a crimson glow suddenly flickered ahead, causing him to halt.

A teleportation magic circle shimmered in the red light, and several figures materialized from within.

“Devils?”

Raynare, still reeling from her earlier humiliation, found her lingering distress momentarily displaced by the unexpected development.

When she finally saw who had arrived—particularly the person standing at the front—her eyes widened in shock.

“That red hair… Could she be from the Gremory family?”

Indeed, the ones who had appeared were none other than Rias Gremory and her group of peerage members.

“It is him…”

Koneko Toujou and Yuuto Kiba immediately recognized Kaiser, their expressions heavy as if confirming their suspicions.

“Fallen Angel…”

Meanwhile, Akeno Himejima’s gaze shifted past Kaiser, locking onto Raynare’s dark-feathered wings. A visible look of disgust spread across her face.

As for Rias, though she briefly acknowledged Raynare’s presence, her focus quickly returned to Kaiser.

“Good afternoon, Kaiser.”

She carried herself with the same elegance and confidence as when they first met. Yet, only those with keen perception could catch the subtle undercurrent of destruction within her gaze—a quiet but palpable threat.

“You again?” Kaiser wasn’t the least bit surprised by Rias’s arrival. He simply shrugged. “I figured that if I made enough noise, the heir of the Gremory family would have to show up.”

Rias’s smile remained, but the warmth in her eyes faded, replaced by a hint of irritation.

“I recall telling you—don’t cause trouble in this town.”

“Did you forget?”

“Or…” She took a step forward, her voice lowering. “Do you simply not care what I, Rias Gremory, have to say?”

Clearly, she was angry. And why wouldn’t she be? Once again, Kaiser had caused a massive disturbance in her territory.

Before Kaiser could reply, Raynare unexpectedly spoke up in a mocking tone.

“Rias Gremory… Heir to the Gremory family. Sure, you may be a High-Class Devil, but at the end of the day, you’re just a naïve little girl playing leader. You should watch how you speak—unless you want your family to make some dangerous enemies.”

The moment those words left her lips, both Kaiser and Rias turned to look at her in mild surprise.

Kaiser, in particular, was taken aback.

She’s… defending me?

Raynare should hate him after everything that had just happened. And yet, here she was, throwing verbal jabs at Rias on his behalf.

Then, he saw it.

The hatred in Raynare’s eyes.

Not toward him.

But toward Rias.

I see… So it’s not that she’s siding with me—it’s just that she hates Devils more.

Given her attitude toward humans, Kaiser had already assumed Raynare looked down on them.

But compared to humans, it seemed her opinion of Devils was even lower.

And with Rias—a beautiful, graceful, and noble Devil standing before her—perhaps there was even a touch of jealousy at play.

Interesting…

As Kaiser entertained this thought, Rias’s group also reacted.

“My, my… I don’t recall giving a Fallen Angel permission to speak here.”

Akeno’s voice was laced with venom, her usual yamato nadeshiko demeanor taking a sharp and unexpected turn.

Those who knew her well found themselves momentarily surprised—this was not the warm, gentle Akeno they were accustomed to.

Of course, Raynare—who didn’t know her—was oblivious to the shift.

Instead, she scoffed.

“And you? Just a lowly servant of the Gremory heiress. What gives you the right to speak?”

She made no effort to conceal her disdain for Akeno, causing the latter’s expression to darken.

The two women, both mature and alluring in their own ways, locked eyes in a silent battle of wills.

Akeno raised a hand, light crackling in her palm.

Raynare, not backing down, let arcs of lightning dance across her fingertips.

It was clear—they were about to fight.

“Enough, Akeno.”

Rias placed a hand on her Queen’s shoulder, stopping her before things escalated.

Kaiser, on the other hand, didn’t say a word.

He merely glanced at Raynare.

And that was enough.

Like a frightened bird, she immediately shut up, swallowing whatever words she had planned to say.

Only then did Rias speak again.

“Who did you run into this time?”

Her voice was calm, but there was an underlying concern.

From her perspective, it was likely that the same unknown force that had targeted Kaiser before had resurfaced, leading to yet another conflict.

Whoever they were, they had clearly been after him—or rather, after his dangerous Sacred Gear.

The last time she had investigated, she had come up empty-handed.

Despite mobilizing the Gremory family’s considerable resources, no solid leads had surfaced.

It didn’t make sense.

After a battle as destructive as the one Kaiser had been involved in, something should have been left behind—traces of his opponent’s power, residual energy signatures, or at the very least, fragments of their attack remnants.

Yet, nothing had been found.

Almost as if someone had intentionally erased every trace.

Who was behind it?

A faction from one of the Three Great Powers?

Or was this the work of an entirely different mythology?

If they could evade the Gremory family's detection so effortlessly, then they were no mere small-time organization.

For the past few days, this mystery had weighed on Rias’s mind.

That was why, the moment another massive disturbance broke out, she had personally come to investigate.

And then there was Kaiser himself.

Until recently, he had never bothered to conceal his whereabouts. Rias had only needed to send out a few familiars to keep tabs on him.

But suddenly, he had disappeared.

Vanished without a trace.

Then, just as suddenly, he had reappeared—out of nowhere—and caused yet another scene.

Her spies hadn’t even noticed his return.

Something wasn’t right.

And now, standing before her, was not only him—but also a Fallen Angel.

Had this woman been involved?

Just what had Kaiser been up to these past few days?

And more importantly—what exactly had happened here tonight?

Rias questioned him while rapidly contemplating in her mind.

However...

"I didn't encounter anyone. This time, it was something I caused myself."

Kaiser shook his head and said those words.

"You caused it yourself?"

Rias was slightly taken aback.

"Yes." Kaiser admitted frankly and said, "I had some business with the Fallen Angels in this area, but unfortunately, they weren’t too welcoming of my visit. The moment I stepped through the church doors, I was attacked by her subordinates."

"She wasn’t very cooperative either, so I had to use a bit more force."

"Well? Does this answer satisfy you?"

Kaiser explained to Rias why there was a Fallen Angel following him.

"You..."

Rias wanted to say more but was interrupted by Kaiser.

"Don’t tell me that this is your territory, and that by causing such a commotion here, I ignored your previous warning?" Kaiser looked at Rias with a faint smirk and said, "The whole world knows that churches are the domain of the Church and the Angels, not the Devils. Even if that place has been abandoned, it has already been occupied by the Fallen Angels here."

"If I stir up trouble there, the Church has a reason to come after me, and so do the Fallen Angels. But you Devils? You have no reason at all."

"If anything, right now, you Devils are the ones stepping into someone else’s territory. Wouldn't that count as provocation?"

With just a few words, Kaiser rendered Rias speechless.

Though she always claimed that Kuoh Town was her domain, in reality, it was merely an area where she, as a Devil, was active. It wasn't truly her personal territory.

Her real domain was Kuoh Academy, a high school that had been an all-girls school before transitioning into a co-ed institution a few years ago, backed by the House of Gremory.

Rias was a third-year student there, and all of her peerage members were also enrolled as students. Besides them, there was another noble pure-blood Devil heiress attending the academy with her own peerage. That was her true domain in the strictest sense.

As for Kuoh Town, it wasn’t just a place where Devils operated in the shadows. The Church, Fallen Angels, and other factions also had a presence here.

Given these circumstances, Rias appearing near the church did indeed mean she was stepping into the Church or Fallen Angels’ territory.

"Rias Gremory, I’ve heard a bit about you. I know that among the pure-blooded Devils, you’re considered one of the better ones. Or rather, the House of Gremory has a rather good reputation in the Devil community. As long as someone doesn’t have a prejudice against Devils and understands your usual conduct, they’d probably think highly of your character, wouldn’t they?"

Kaiser smiled at Rias as he spoke.

"That’s precisely why I didn’t take issue with you too much."

"If not for that, do you really think I would care about your warnings?"

"I’ll just give you one piece of advice—don’t meddle too much in matters that don’t concern you."

With those words, the atmosphere at the scene plummeted to freezing levels.

"…And if I insist on meddling?"

Rias’ smile did not fade, but a cold glint surfaced in her eyes.

Crimson energy flared up from her body like flames, making the hem of her dress flutter slightly.

Her long red hair swayed and undulated, painting her figure like a valiant Valkyrie on the battlefield.

But to this, Kaiser had only one response.

"That’s fine too." He chuckled, as if his interest had been piqued. "Then let me see how capable the heir of the House of Gremory really is at this stage."

With that, Kaiser did not summon any specialized weapon. Instead, he let his aura surge forth from within.

A brilliant white light engulfed his body, turbulent and overwhelming, causing dust to swirl wildly in the air.