Chương 25: Chapter 25. Shattered Pacts

Abandoned Church

Kuoh, Japan

With Rias Gremory's entire peerage gathered, they turned their attention to Asia. The topic of interest? The mysterious "Hero for Fun" who had saved her from the fallen angel.

'I'm sure it's Senpai,' Koneko thought. 'White hair, a kind personality, even his scent matches. But who is he, really? I don't sense anything supernatural about him during school, even when we sit together on the rooftop after class.'

She frowned slightly. While Satria smelled like an ordinary human, his actions spoke otherwise. A normal human couldn't possibly defeat a fallen angel, let alone stray exorcists.

'I need to ask him directly. Maybe I can even persuade him to join us as a devil. If he becomes part of the Gremory family, we'd have more time together.'

Her cheeks reddened slightly at the thought. 'Every day with Senpai's gentle hands touching mine... It's like heaven. No! A-auch! I mean, it would definitely be... blissful.'

'Tomorrow, I'll talk to Shin-san at school. If he's the one, I have to thank him for saving Asia.'

Issei clenched his fist, determination shining in his eyes.

"Ara ara," Akeno's teasing voice broke through the room. "It seems we have a powerful unknown factor in Kuoh town."

Her gaze lingered on the room's entrance. The aftermath of the fallen angel's attack was clear, yet the efficiency of their defeat was astounding.

"Does anyone have an idea who Asia's savior might be?" Rias asked, scanning her peerage.

"Maybe it's a guy from my class," Issei piped up. "He's a transfer student and fits the description Asia-chan gave."

Rias nodded. "We'll investigate that later. Asia, what will you do now?"

The young blonde hesitated before answering, "I... don't have a place to stay anymore. The Church has cast me out."

Rias's lips curled into a smirk. 'A former saint with a Sacred Gear capable of healing devils? Useful.'

"How about joining my peerage?" Rias offered smoothly, masking her strategic intentions with a warm smile.

Asia's eyes widened in surprise.

Satria's Mansion

Kuoh, Japan

A blue fire swirled into existence in the living room, revealing three figures: Satria, Kiyohime, and Raynare.

"Home sweet home," Satria sighed, flopping onto the sofa.

Kiyohime frowned. "Danna-sama, you reek. Go shower before you stink up the house."

"Yes, dear," Satria teased, dragging himself to the bathroom.

After freshening up, Satria and Kiyohime headed to the basement, where they roused the shackled Raynare with a splash of cold water.

"Wah! Please don't hurt me! I'll tell you everything!" Raynare shrieked, trembling under Kiyohime's watchful gaze.

"Relax," Satria said with a lazy smile. "I'm a good guy, right, Kiyo?"

"Absolutely," Kiyohime replied, patting his head. Then, her voice dropped a few octaves. "Now, why is this crow in our home, Danna-sama?"

Satria smirked, releasing a fraction of his dragon aura. "Tell me, Raynare, who ordered you to target Issei and steal Asia's Sacred Gear? And don't even think about lying. She'll know."

Raynare's face turned pale. "L-Lord Kokabiel! He said it was a direct order from Lord Azazel to eliminate threats to our faction."

Satria's eyes narrowed. "Kokabiel, huh? That loudmouthed fool from canon. Why does he want a war?"

Raynare stammered, "H-He wants to kill the Maou sisters and recover Excalibur to reignite the Great War!"

Satria sighed, massaging his temples. "Idiot."

He glanced at her coldly. "And you? Why were you so desperate to take Asia's Sacred Gear?" His gaze pierced through her, unrelenting and unkind. "I can see it in you from one glance—greedy, cruel, narcissistic. You would stoop so low as to target a defenseless girl who can't even fight."

"I… I-I had no choice," she stammered, her voice breaking. "It was an order… from Lord Kokabiel."

His eyes narrowed, icy contempt flickering within them. "An order? Convenient excuse for scum like you. So tell me, what's your excuse for enjoying the pain and suffering you inflict?" He leaned closer, his tone now almost a whisper but no less menacing. "What drives someone like you to act this way? Ambition? Pride? Or is it plain cowardice? Answer me."

Raynare hesitated, terror written on her face.

"Five," Satria began counting down, his tone icy.

"No, wait!"

"Four."

"Please! I—"

"Three."

"I just wanted—"

"Zero."

Without hesitation, Satria plunged his dark energy-coated hand through her chest, silencing her protests.

Raynare's life flashed before her eyes—her ambition to impress Azazel, her fall from grace, and the hollow promises of love she'd never receive.

"I…" she choked out before going limp.

"Burn the body," Satria ordered flatly, turning to Kiyohime.

"With pleasure, Danna-sama," she said, dragging the corpse away.

Satria leaned against the wall, closing his eyes. 'I don't like killing, but people like her… They leave no choice.'

•

Kuoh Academy, Rooftop

The Next Day

Satria leaned against the railing, a cigarette in hand.

"Senpai, how many times do I have to tell you to stop smoking?" Koneko's stern voice called out.

Satria chuckled as he turned to see Koneko and Issei stepping onto the rooftop. "Morning. What brings you two here?"

"Shin-san, are you the 'Hero for Fun' that saved Asia-chan?" Issei asked directly.

Satria raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think that?"

"I recognized your scent," Koneko interjected. "You can't fool me, Senpai."

Satria exhaled a puff of smoke, then sighed. "Alright, you caught me. So, what now?"

Issei dropped to his knees. "Thank you, Shin-san! You saved my friend. I owe you everything!"

"Hey, get up!" Satria waved him off awkwardly. "It was nothing. How's Asia doing?"

"She's living at my house now," Issei replied, blushing.

Satria smirked. "What a bad boy, Issei, tricking an innocent girl into your home. Did you already—"

"No! I'd never!" Issei blurted out, his face turning crimson.

"Relax, I'm joking."

Before the banter could continue, the rooftop door opened again.

A crimson-haired beauty stood at the entrance with her queen, her gaze sharp and commanding.

"Stop dodging questions. Who are you, really?" Rias demanded, her aura pressing against him.

Satria smiled wryly. 'Well, this just got complicated.'

The red-haired girl glared at him, her tone sharp and unyielding. "Tell me, how did you save Asia from the fallen angel?"

Satria took a slow drag from his cigarette, exhaling lazily as if her question bored him.

[Fatalis: Now, what will you do, brother?]

The voice echoed in his mind, teasing.

'Just my luck,' Satria thought, his lips curling into a smirk.

Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted, growing tense. The crimson-haired girl's aura flared, an unspoken challenge hanging in the air.

Satria met her glare, utterly unfazed. "Why should I tell you anything? The important thing is your friend is safe. I'm a simple man—don't bother me, and I won't bother you."

Rias's teeth clenched in frustration. "Do you even know who I am?" she snapped. "I am Rias Gremory, Kuoh is my territory, and I cannot allow unknown individuals to wander it without my permission."

Her declaration hung in the air, commanding and authoritative, but Satria only raised an eyebrow.

"Your territory?" He chuckled, the sound mocking. "Last time I checked, this is Japan's territory. Or have noble from foreign countries started annexing land from Japan now?"

"No! It's mine!" Rias exclaimed, her voice rising, cheeks flushing with indignation. "This land is entrusted to me by my brother!"

Satria sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as if dealing with a tantrum-throwing child. 'Nobles… always so troublesome.'

[Fatalis: You're one to talk, puppy, You pamper your little sister like Sirzechs pampers her.'

'Touché,' Satria admitted with a grin. 'But can you blame me? My little sister's adorable.'

"Shut up!" Rias's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "Just tell me who you are and what faction you belong to!"

Satria let out an exaggerated sigh, tossing his cigarette to the trashbin. "Fine. Name's Shidou Matsumi, but you can call me Shin. I'm sixteen, just a regular high schooler and ordinary human. My hobbies? None of your business. My dreams? Also none of your business. Nice to meet you or whatever."

The sheer nonchalance of his introduction left everyone speechless.

"Ara-ara, what an interesting man," Akeno said, licking her lips in amusement.

Rias's frustration boiled over. "You're mocking me! Answer me properly: what faction are you from? What are you?"

"Why are you so angry?" Satria asked, glancing at Issei. "Is she always like this?"

Issei sweatdropped. "Don't ask me, man…"

"Enough!" Rias's aura flared, dark and oppressive. "I demand you answer me, or—"

In a blink, Satria was behind her, his voice calm but laced with menace. "Or what?"

Rias froze, her eyes wide. "What?! How are you behind me? I didn't even see you move!"

"I was watching him the entire time!" Akeno said, shocked. "How…?"

Even Koneko stared in disbelief. No human moves that fast. If he wanted to, we'd all be dead already…

"Who knows?" Satria said with a smirk, now casually leaning against the wall beside Koneko.

Rias turned to face him, her mind racing. He's human? No, he can't be. But if he has Sacred Gear…

Trying to regain her composure, Rias extended her wings, revealing her devil form. "We are devils. I am Rias Gremory, and this town is under my protection."

Satria feigned surprise, his smirk never faltering. "Hoo… devils, huh? How interesting."

Rias took the opportunity to explain the biblical factions—angels, fallen angels, and devils—as well as their history and the peerage system.

[Fatalis: So, in short, their greed and pride led to war, and now they're turning others into their kind to fix their mess. Cute~ They should recruit Pajeet; with their reproduction skills, I bet they'd wholeheartedly help solve this problem]

Satria nearly choked at the thought. 'Fatalis... No racing! Bad Doragon! But yeah, I agree. They're power-hungry idiots.'

He exhaled, shaking his head in resignation. Still, compared to the demons from Doom, World of Warcraft, or Warhammer, these devils are practically adorable. They're like the chibi version of hellspawn.

[Fatalis: Oh? Are you upset because India is serumpun with Indonesia? My apologies~]

Satria scowled internally. 'No! India and Bangladesh are Malaydesh serumpun, not us!'

The Black Dragon burst into laughter in his mind.

[Fatalis: Ah, my mistake, my dear patriotic puppy. Carry on with your lecture on geography]

When Rias finished, she smirked confidently. "Now, Shin-kun, how about this? Join my peerage. You'll gain riches, power, fame, and… other benefits." Her eyes sparkled mischievously. "If you want a harem, that's fine too."

Satria leaned back, a playful smirk tugging at his lips. "E... E-Even if you say that, I wouldn't know where to start. I-I don't think there's a single girl out there who'd want to join my harem."

Rias raised an eyebrow and gave him a once-over. Handsome face, Cute features, and a mysterious aura that practically screamed potential. She couldn't help but think he might be the key to defeating Riser... and maybe something more.

"Oh? You don't need to worry about that," she replied smoothly, taking a step closer. "Once you join my peerage, your every wish can come true. And if you don't mind… well, I—"

"Hahahaha!" Satria suddenly burst into laughter, cutting her off mid-sentence. "For a devil, you're surprisingly innocent!" He grinned, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "Seriously, I don't even know what to say. If it were any other guy, they'd probably be on their knees begging, 'Please marry me!'"

Rias blinked, her cheeks flushing faintly. "W-What? Innocent?! I was being serious!" she snapped, crossing her arms indignantly. "And why would I marry someone like you? Arrogant, rude, and—ugh!"

Still laughing, Satria lit a cigarette and waved her off casually. "Relax, princess. I'm just teasing." He raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. "After hearing all that, my answer is clear."

Rias smiled, certain of his response. No human can resist this offer.

"I refuse!"

The room fell silent.

"What?!" Rias's composure cracked. "How dare you refuse my offer!"

"Simple," Satria said, turning to leave. "I'm not interested in serving spoiled brats."

"Brat?!" she shrieked, her face red with anger. "You're two years younger than me!"

"Still a brat," Satria said with a smirk.

Issei stood off to the side, watching the exchange with wide eyes. His jaw dropped. "Marry her?! Did Rias-senpai just hint at marriage?!" His heart skipped a beat, a mix of jealousy and relief surging through him.

Jealousy, because the idea of Rias offering such attention to another guy—not to mention Satria—pricked at his insecurities. "Why is it always the cool, mysterious guys?!"

But then came the relief. When Satria casually rejected her, Issei couldn't help but feel a strange sense of victory. "He refused her! That means... there's still hope for me!"

Koneko silently observed the exchange from the side, her expression unreadable. On one hand, she felt a twinge of disappointment at her senpai's rejection of her king's offer. After all, Rias's charm and position always drew others to her effortlessly—men and women alike, captivated by her strength and beauty.

But at the same time, Koneko couldn't deny a small sense of satisfaction blooming within her. Unlike those who blindly idolized Rias, Satria remained unaffected, his demeanor cool and detached. That lack of reverence was oddly refreshing.

And then there was something else—a subtle warmth she felt whenever she was near him. Unlike the overwhelming adoration others showered on Rias, this warmth wasn't forced or suffocating. It was quiet, comforting, and... real.

Koneko lowered her gaze, her small hands tightening into fists. "Senpai... you're different," she murmured under her breath, her voice too soft for anyone to hear.

Ignoring her outburst, he turned to Issei. "Hey, do me a favor, will you?"

"Uh… sure? What is it?"

"Tell your princess to stop bothering me. I won't mess with her if she doesn't mess with me. Deal?" Satria said coolly, walking past the group without waiting for a reply.

As he walked away, he casually muttered a verse under his breath—Ayat Kursi, a powerful passage from the Quran.

The reaction was immediate.

Rias and her peerage groaned, their bodies wracked with pain as if seared by an unseen flame. The air around them grew heavy, the holy words piercing through their demonic nature.

Rias gritted her teeth, trembling as she struggled to keep her composure. "W-What is this...?" she gasped.

Akeno clutched her chest, sweat trickling down her forehead. "Such… power… from words alone? What kind of human is he…?"

Koneko crouched low, her usually stoic expression twisted in discomfort. "Holy energy... too strong..."

Issei stumbled back, shocked to see even the mighty Rias brought to her knees. "Shin-san did that? How?!"

Meanwhile, Satria, unfazed, glanced over his shoulder and murmured to himself, "Eh? That works? Weird knowledge increased."

He stop reciting the holy verse and gave a half-hearted wave, his back still turned to them. "Remember my words, devils: stay out of my way."

As his figure disappeared into the distance, Rias clenched her fists, her pride bruised and her fury boiling over.

"That… damn… human…" she hissed under her breath, her crimson hair falling messily over her shoulders as she fought to recover. "This isn't over, Shin. Not by a long shot."

The rest of her peerage exchanged uneasy glances, each of them wondering the same thing: Who exactly is this man—and what is he hiding?

To be continued.