Chapter 20: Finger Snap Shatters the Enemy Lines (Patreon)

There was no fierce struggle; it was over remarkably quickly, almost anticlimactically.

A few seconds later, Hanakain Fubuki casually tossed the silver-haired killer priest's severed head onto the floor.

Freed Sellzen.

He had passed the combat examination to become an exorcist at the young age of thirteen. After joining the Vatican Church, he rapidly displayed astonishing combat talent, successively slaying demons and monstrous beasts that even veteran exorcists found difficult to handle. By seventeen, he had been formally promoted within the Vatican hierarchy, becoming the youngest ace exorcist in the Church's history.

Undoubtedly, such an illustrious record proved Freed was a genius among geniuses when it came to combat.

However, he possessed fatal flaws: a genuine lack of faith and an insatiable thirst for battle.

To ensure the successful elimination of high-priority demon targets, he wouldn't hesitate to mercilessly kill his own comrades if they were injured, unwell, or otherwise hindered the mission's progress. After completing the mission alone, he would return to the Church, report his success, and deftly shift all blame, attributing his companions' deaths to unfortunate casualties sustained during the fight against the archdemon.

Of course, secrets rarely stay buried forever.

As the number of missions where Freed "miraculously returned alone" increased, suspicion gradually grew within the Church. After a series of investigations, Freed's crimes of murdering his comrades were finally exposed.

Yet, relying on his formidable skills, he managed to evade the Church's pursuit, fleeing all the way from the Vatican to Japan, becoming a lost, rogue priest.

Returning to the present scene.

As the flickering candlelight once again illuminated Freed's severed face, an indelible look of horror remained frozen on his features, like a captured photograph. His mouth was stretched wide in a silent, final scream.

"Hah~ That should do it."

Hanakain Fubuki placed the light sword, pistol, and head confiscated from the corpse neatly arranged on the dining table, then let out a soft sigh.

While he didn't have high expectations for the efficiency of the Japanese police, these items should be enough to point them towards the deceased's connection with the Vatican Church. From there, official channels could contact the Vatican, confirm the identity, and the rest should fall into place.

As for the unfortunate homeowner who had been murdered... it was regrettable, but the departed was gone. All one could do was offer a silent prayer: Rest in peace.

Having arranged everything to facilitate the aftermath and ensuring nothing was missed, Hanakain Fubuki finally turned back towards the doorway.

Outside, the sky had almost completely darkened. As the last vestiges of sunset dipped below the horizon, a deep night descended upon Tokyo.

Asia still lingered at the entrance. The large nun's coif shadowed her face, making her already indistinct expression even harder to read.

Hanakain Fubuki took out his phone and sent a quick text to a certain cat-eared girl waiting at home, letting her know he'd be back a little late. Then, he looked up at Asia and shrugged.

"Let's find somewhere else to talk, Asia."

"..."

The blonde girl didn't make a sound, her lips trembling slightly as she began to mumble.

"I... I'm sorr—"

Before the word "sorry" could fully leave her lips, Asia spun around decisively. Wiping fiercely at her eyes with the wide sleeve of her habit, she broke into a run, fleeing into the encroaching darkness of the twilight.

Uh...

The sudden departure left the young man momentarily stunned, his hand frozen awkwardly outstretched in mid-air.

Honestly, suggesting they talk elsewhere seemed perfectly reasonable, didn't it? He'd just exposed the poor girl to a gruesome murder scene and then dispatched the bloodthirsty lost priest right in front of her.

After witnessing those two things, could he really have just clapped her cheerfully on the shoulder and said, "Come on, let's go get some barbecue"?

That would be far too strange! Of course, they needed to find a different place to talk things through properly.

“Tsk, now this is just…”

Hanakain Fubuki pressed his fingers lightly to his forehead, feeling rather exasperated.

Fine. To prevent any unnecessary accidents, he should probably follow her first. Given the nun's likely stamina, she probably wouldn't get far before tiring out. He could find a quiet spot once she calmed down and they could talk then.

Just as he thought this and prepared to follow, a sound cut through the air above. A single, pure black feather drifted down from the sky, landing in his field of vision.

It was accompanied by an alluring female voice.

"Oh my, running off isn't good, little Sister~"

“Hm?”

Hearing this voice, Asia's body jolted violently, and she stopped in her tracks.

Hanakain Fubuki followed the sound, looking upwards.

A slender, dark figure dove down from the sky like a hawk hunting prey. Her form, darker than the night itself, cut through the twilight as she landed precisely beside Asia, extending a slender arm to block the girl's path.

She was a strikingly beautiful young woman with envious curves and long, black hair cascading down her back like a waterfall. Her revealing attire, covering only the bare essentials, strongly evoked thoughts of lingerie.

If one ignored the large, black feathered wings unfurling from her back, it might almost have passed for an unexpected, if slightly risqué, encounter.

"A Fallen Angel?"

Understanding dawned on Hanakain Fubuki.

It was hard not to understand. Both Rias and that killer priest Freed had mentioned "Fallen Angels," and combined with this woman's appearance, even the slowest person would realize the truth.

"Lady... Raynare..."

Clearly terrified of the Fallen Angel before her, Asia didn't dare move another inch, trembling uncontrollably like a frightened quail.

However, the Fallen Angel named Raynare merely smiled faintly.

"I didn't expect Freed to be taken out. But no matter. We'll still protect you properly, Asia. Just be a good girl and come back to the church with us, hm? We still have a ritual to perform~"

With that, she shot a contemptuous glance at Hanakain Fubuki, grabbed the immobilized Asia, and with a powerful beat of her wings, ascended into the air, flying away.

A single, cool teardrop drifted down on the evening breeze, followed by the nearly inaudible sobs of the blonde girl.

"S... Save me..."

Hanakain Fubuki didn't give chase immediately. He watched the Fallen Angel brazenly fly towards the church in the night sky. Then, he pulled out his phone and dialed Rias's number.

"Hello? Rias? It's me. I've found the Fallen Angels."

Meanwhile, in the old school building of Kuoh Academy, the red-haired girl lounging on the reception room sofa shot upright the moment she answered the phone.

"Eh? You found the Fallen Angels? Where?"

"Likely in the church near Kuoh Academy. I'm heading there now."

The sound of wind whistling faintly in the background of Hanakain Fubuki's voice confirmed he was already on the move.

However, even though Rias herself had given the order to track the Fallen Angels, upon learning their location, she hesitated.

Because... the church. That was Church territory, a place absolutely forbidden to devils.

It was a sacred ground enveloped in a barrier powered by divine energy. Weaker devils would be burned just by getting close to it.

As a pure-blooded Devil, Rias herself could naturally withstand the barrier's effects, but the very act of setting foot on Church territory would be immediately interpreted as a unilateral act of war by the Demon World against Heaven.

In the current era, where all three factions—Devils, Angels, and Fallen Angels—were eager to recuperate and rebuild, such an act was absolutely forbidden.

Damn those Fallen Angels, taking advantage of the fact that they aren't repelled by the holy light barrier...

"Don't worry. Leave dealing with the barrier to me."

Understanding Rias's concerns, the young man spoke his final words and ended the call. Rekindling his golden spiritual pressure, his entire form erupted upwards like a dazzling firework, streaking into the night sky.

From a great distance, he aimed towards the church and flicked his finger.

The next instant, the holy light barrier enveloping the church shattered violently.

"Still think you can escape?"