With calm, deliberate steps, Xenovia began walking toward Asia. Akeno instinctively moved in front of the girl, placing a protective hand out. But to everyone's surprise, the serious young woman lowered her head in a respectful bow.
"I'm sorry for calling you a witch… and for attacking you," Xenovia said, her voice low but sincere. "I let my emotions get the better of me."
Today had been an eye-opening experience for her. She had always seen devils as dangerous, unrepentant beings—soulless monsters disguised in human skin. But the way the Gremory group protected and supported each other told a different story entirely. They weren't just comrades… they were like a family.
Maybe the Gremory peerage was just an exception. She had heard rumors that they treated even their servants like equals—but never believed them until now.
And then there was Kousuke.
A human, just like her and Irina. Yet… he had stopped a fully powered holy sword—with his bare hand. No barriers, no Sacred Gear. No tricks. It shouldn't have been possible.
'Just what is he?'
"Man, that's anticlimactic," Kousuke muttered, scratching his cheek awkwardly. He honestly hadn't wanted to intervene earlier. But if he hadn't, Issei might have been seriously injured—or worse. Now, everyone had seen a glimpse of what he could do. It was only a matter of time before that secret slipped out anyway.
"Me! Me! I wanna spar too!" Irina chirped, bouncing excitedly on her feet. But before she could run up, Xenovia grabbed her by the scruff of her neck like a misbehaving cat.
"Did you forget about our mission? We've wasted enough time here already."
"Ugh, you meanie!" Irina flailed her arms like a child throwing a tantrum. "You got to have all the fun while I just stood around! No fair!"
Xenovia was about to bonk her on the head when her eyes narrowed slightly, a new idea forming in her mind.
"…Alright."
"Huh?" Irina blinked, surprised by the sudden change.
"I'll let you spar," Xenovia said evenly, "but not with me. I want you to spar with Kousuke instead. Is that fine with you?"
She turned her gaze toward the man in question.
Kousuke, meanwhile, was playing with two miniature figurines. One was an eerily accurate chibi version of Xenovia, and the other—a smug-looking Issei—was clutched in Koneko's hand beside him.
"Swish! Take this—huh?" Kousuke froze mid-sound effect, looking up when he heard his name.
Xenovia stared in mild disbelief at the childish scene. She wanted to ask where he had gotten those figurines from… but considering he had also produced a folding chair and popcorn out of nowhere, maybe it was best not to ask.
"Me?" Kousuke pointed at himself using the chibi Xenovia figure. "But I'm just a weak little guy. Kiba here is way stronger than me."
He stood up and clapped Kiba on the back, causing the knight to flinch slightly under the exaggerated praise.
No one bought it—not for a second.
After what they'd seen earlier, the idea that Kousuke was just a 'weak little guy' was laughable. Xenovia's suggestion was obvious to everyone—she wanted to gauge his strength under the guise of a spar.
Kousuke could see through it as well. Still, part of him was tempted. After evolving from his battle with the Demon God, he was curious to see how far his base form had come. When its golden blood drenched him, he had expected some sort of curse—but instead, he'd received an unexpected gift.
That was why he hadn't feared taking the brunt of Xenovia's holy sword. He *knew* he'd be fine. The divine heat that would have vaporized any devil had only tickled his palm.
But even now, his eyes drifted toward Kiba.
The way Kiba had stared at the holy swords earlier… that wasn't just curiosity. There was something deeply personal behind that look—pain, history. Kousuke had heard bits and pieces from Tsubaki about Rias's knight, enough to guess that Kiba's past was tied to those weapons in a way he couldn't ignore.
That's why he made a choice.
"Sure," Kousuke said with a shrug.
Irina's eyes lit up—until Kousuke pushed Kiba forward.
"But not before you defeat this guy."
Kousuke returned to his folding chair like a king reclaiming his throne, with Koneko comfortably lying across his lap. He casually slipped on a pair of sunglasses.
"I'm what you'd call the final boss," he declared. "You've got to beat my knight first before you can challenge me. Golden rule."
"…Kiba is my knight, though," Rias muttered from the side.
"Eh, technicalities," Kousuke waved off.
"But I wanted to spar with you!" Irina pouted.
"Then spar with Kiba. Beat him, and I'll consider giving you a shot."
As if on cue, Tsubaki—looking none too pleased about Koneko's cozy position—appeared behind Kousuke and began massaging his shoulders in silence. Saji, standing nearby, glared daggers at the scene. He threw a subtle glance toward Sona… only to look away quickly when she caught him.
Irina rolled up her sleeves with dramatic flair, pointing her finger at Kiba. "You better be ready, handsome knight! I'm not going easy on you just because you look like a prince from a dating sim!"
Kiba offered a polite smile, though the grip on his sword tightened slightly. "I'll do my best to meet your expectations… though I don't intend to hold back."
"Good!" Irina beamed. "I don't like fake fights! If we're going to do this, let's go all out!"
Irina rolled her shoulders, loosening up as she took a few steps onto the makeshift battlefield. Her eyes gleamed with excitement, even as she tried to keep a straight face.
Kiba mirrored her, calm and composed. He unsheathed his sword in one smooth motion, his stance disciplined, effortless.
Kousuke, of course, stepped forward and clapped his hands once, clearing his throat like a seasoned commentator stepping onto a stage he had clearly built in his head.
"Aaaand welcome back to Round Two of today's totally-unofficial-but-highly-entertaining sparring showcase," he said, voice rising with mock grandeur. "In the left corner, we have Irina Shidou! Childhood friend, angel-in-training, wielder of a holy sword, and dangerously fond of sugar."
"Hey!" Irina puffed her cheeks. "That last part's not relevant!"
Kousuke turned with a flourish to Kiba. "And in the right corner, the Gremory peerage's very own Knight—Yuuto Kiba! Polite, handsome, and allegedly incapable of raising his voice above a gentleman's whisper. Don't let the smile fool you, folks—he'll dice you like a fruit salad."
Kiba gave a weary glance. "Do I get to object?"
"Nope," Kousuke replied, then raised one hand dramatically between them. "Now, this is a friendly spar. No grudges, no cheap shots, and no divine smiting unless you clear it with me first."
He looked between the two. "Ready?"
Irina gave a sharp nod, planting her feet. "Ready and glowing!"
Kiba smiled faintly. "I'm prepared."
Kousuke grinned and dropped his hand.
"Begin!"