The Occult Research Club room was full of trophies.

  Cups lined up across the table, medals hanging from the backs of chairs, a plaque resting against the wall because there was nowhere left to put it. The air smelled like new metal and satisfied exhaustion.

  Issei was standing in front of the table, counting on his fingers.

  —Let’s see… —he said.— Dodgeball, ours. Volleyball, ours. Basketball no, because FIRST EXISTS.

  —Track and field… —Akeno added, checking a sheet.— That one went to the Student Council.

  Issei froze.

  —What do you mean track and field went to Sitri?

  —Speed, endurance, and relays —Akeno listed.— They won cleanly.

  Issei clicked his tongue.

  —Tsk… they always run like hell is chasing them.

  Asia tilted her head.

  —B-but we still won a lot of points…

  —Of course —Issei replied.— Because we compensated with intelligence.

  Koneko looked up from the floor.

  —Speed chess.

  Issei smiled immediately.

  —THAT. See? That’s class. That’s brain.

  —Kaelan won —Koneko added flatly.

  The silence lasted half a second.

  —…What do you mean Kaelan won? —Issei asked.

  Akeno smiled.

  —Clean board. No pieces lost.

  Issei turned slowly.

  —CHESS?

  —Speed chess —Akeno clarified.— Three minutes per player.

  Issei threw his hands to his head.

  —NO! NO NO NO! WHEN THE HELL DOES THAT GUY PLAY CHESS?!

  Rias, seated in the armchair, smiled calmly.

  —It’s not that strange. He observes well.

  —HE OBSERVES TOO MUCH! —Issei protested.— THAT SHOULD BE ILLEGAL!

  Asia laughed softly.

  —B-but… it was impressive…

  —That doesn’t help, Asia —Issei said.— None of this helps.

  Koneko bit into a cookie.

  —Sitri won chess. But we stood out in other things. It balances out.

  Issei huffed.

  —IT DOES NOT BALANCE OUT IN MY HEART!

  Akeno tilted her head.

  —Even so, in the total…

  —We won —Rias finished.— Barely, but we won.

  Issei raised a fist.

  —HA! I WANT TO SEE SAJI’S FACE RIGHT NOW!

  Koneko spoke without looking up.

  —He would be very upset.

  —OF COURSE HE WOULD! —Issei said.— Losing on accumulated points and on top of that in chess… that destroys the soul.

  The rain began tapping against the window, soft and steady.

  Rias rested her head against the backrest.

  —It was a good tournament —she said.— Competitive, clean… human.

  There was a second of comfortable silence.

  And then—

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  The door to the Occult Research Club opened without drama.

  It did not explode.

  It did not creak.

  It simply opened.

  —Rias.

  Kaelan’s voice sounded steady… too steady for someone soaked through, with an uneven pulse.

  Rias looked up from the armchair.

  —Kaelan?

  He came in carrying dead weight in his arms.

  But that was not what stopped the room’s breathing.

  The soaked coat hanging from his other arm burned.

  Not in flames, but with an unbearable, unnatural pressure. The air around it seemed heavier, not because of some external force, but because their demonic nature was rejecting whatever was there.

  —Kaelan… —Akeno murmured, frowning.— What…?

  Asia went completely still.

  Koneko took a step back on instinct, never taking her eyes off the coat.

  Rias felt the pull in her chest before she understood why.

  —That… —she said quietly.— That’s not possible… here.

  Kaelan clenched his teeth. The skin of his forearm burned as if he were holding red-hot metal through wet cloth. Every second was worse.

  —Later —he said, forcing the words out.— Help him first.

  He set Kiba down carefully on the sofa… and then let go of the coat.

  He did not let it fall.

  He threw it.

  The impact against the floor was dry, heavy, completely wrong for a piece of clothing — as if what had landed was not fabric, but an object that refused to remain hidden.

  Asia brought a hand to her chest.

  —Rias! —she cried.— W-what is that…? It feels horrible…

  Kaelan stepped back immediately, breathing hard, flexing his hand as if only now he could feel his fingers again.

  —I can’t… —he gasped.— I can’t hold it anymore.

  He looked at Rias for a second.

  —He’s alive —he clarified.— But… he’s not okay.

  Asia wasted no time. The light of Twilight Healing appeared immediately, trembling but resolute.

  Rias stepped forward.

  —What happened? —she asked, without taking her eyes off the coat on the floor.— What did you bring in here?

  Kaelan took a second to answer.

  —Later —he said.— Stabilize him first.

  He did not raise his voice.

  He did not explain.

  That was what unsettled Rias.

  —Kaelan…

  —Rias —he interrupted.— Trust me. Just this once.

  She held his gaze for a few seconds.

  Then nodded.

  —Asia.

  —Y-yes.

  While Asia focused on Kiba, Kaelan stepped back.

  Another step.

  The air in the room was still normal.

  Too normal for what had just happened.

  —Are you okay? —Akeno asked, watching him closely.

  Kaelan shook his head.

  —No.

  He ran a hand over his face.

  —But that doesn’t matter right now.

  Koneko frowned.

  —You’re in pain.

  —It’s not that.

  Kaelan looked at Kiba one last time.

  Unconscious. Vulnerable. Alive.

  That was what mattered.

  —Rias —he said.— Whatever you saw today…

  —Don’t tell me now —she replied, understanding his tone.

  Kaelan pressed his lips together.

  —Thanks.

  Only then did he realize his hands were shaking.

  Not from fear.

  From having held something that should not exist… and having let it go only because his body could not take anymore.

  He turned toward the door.

  —Where are you going? —Issei asked, confused.— Wait! What the hell happened out there?

  Kaelan stopped for a moment.

  He did not turn around.

  —Nothing that has to do with you —he replied.— Yet.

  He opened the door.

  Before leaving, he spoke one last time.

  —If Kiba asks for me…

  —No —Rias said.— He’s going to need rest.

  Kaelan nodded.

  —Better.

  And he left.

  The silence Kaelan left behind was different.

  Not uncomfortable.

  Expectant.

  Kiba was sleeping on the sofa, his face calm only in appearance. His breathing was steady, but his brow remained slightly furrowed, as if even unconscious he was still fighting something he could not let go of.

  The improvised bandage at his side was already soaked with dried blood.

  No one said anything for several seconds.

  Not because they did not know what to say.

  But because everyone understood that what had happened would not be easy to explain.

  Rias stood in front of them all.

  —There is something you need to know —she said at last.— Something I should have said before… but it was never mine to force.

  Issei straightened immediately. Asia stopped clutching her skirt. Akeno closed her fan. Koneko lifted her gaze.

  —Kiba Yuuto was not born with a sword in his hand —Rias continued.— Nor with this talent. Not even with this life.

  She paused briefly.

  —He died once.

  Asia covered her mouth with both hands.

  —H-he died…?

  Rias nodded.

  —When he was still human. He was one of the children selected for the Holy Sword Project.

  Issei frowned.

  —That project… was that the one that used fragments of Excalibur?

  —Yes —Akeno replied softly.— They were trying to create artificial wielders of the Holy Sword. Forcing human bodies to accept something they could not contain.

  Rias took over again.

  —Many children were recruited. Most died quickly. Others… took longer.

  She looked at Kiba.

  —Kiba was one of the few who survived long enough to demonstrate compatibility.

  Issei swallowed.

  —Does that mean…?

  —That his body endured the impossible —Rias said.— That his soul did not break immediately.

  Koneko clenched her fists.

  —But that isn’t a good thing.

  —No —Rias replied.— It meant he suffered more.

  The silence grew heavy.

  —The experiment failed —she continued.— As always. Those responsible fled. The children were discarded. Some were abandoned. Others… executed.

  Issei spoke, his voice tense.

  —And Kiba?

  Rias closed her eyes for a moment.

  —Kiba died there.

  There was no drama in it.

  Only truth.

  —His body could not endure any longer. His heart stopped. His soul was broken… but not extinguished.

  Asia’s eyes filled with tears.

  —Then… why…?

  —Because even dead —Rias said— he did not want to disappear.

  She opened her eyes and fixed them on the group.

  —When I found him, his hatred was still there. Not toward the world. Not toward devils. Toward the Holy Swords.

  Akeno nodded slowly.

  —Not toward faith… but toward the weapons that destroyed him.

  Rias continued:

  —I reincarnated him as a devil. Not as a soldier. Not as a tool.

  As someone who deserved a second chance.

  Issei lowered his gaze.

  —And even then… he swore revenge.

  —Yes —Rias confirmed.— Not against people. Against the very concept of the Holy Sword.

  Koneko spoke, barely audible.

  —That’s why he trains like that.

  —Exactly —Rias said.— That is why his talent is exceptional. It is not only skill. It is crystallized will.

  Akeno smiled sadly.

  —A knight who hates the swords that were supposed to be sacred.

  Rias looked at Kiba once more.

  —Kiba Yuuto does not fight to win.

  He fights to prove that the thing that killed him… is not absolute.

  Issei drew in a slow breath.

  —So… when he saw that sword today…

  —It wasn’t surprise —Rias replied.— It was the past returning to claim him. And this time, it did not come alone.

  Asia stepped closer to the sofa and carefully took Kiba’s hand.

  —He’s not alone…

  Rias nodded.

  —No. Not anymore.

  Thunder rumbled in the distance, as if something ancient had heard that name.