The air trembled around them. The shadows surrounding the plaza seemed to recoil as Raynare's body shimmered in silver-blue light. Her smile widened, and her human disguise shattered like cracking glass.
Fwoooosh
Her black wings spread violently, wide and radiant under the orange glow of dusk. Every feather gleamed with subtle reflections, and her corrupted divine presence flooded the space.
"A little Devil playing hero."Her voice dripped with restrained laughter. "You have no idea how far out of your league you are."
Gasper watched in silence. His crimson pupils tracked every movement.'In the anime, she wasn't strong. Let's see how she is here.'
Light gathered in Raynare's palm, condensing into a golden spear. The sound of magic vibrated through the air.
Zzzzzhhmmm
The glow erupted as she hurled the weapon.
Fwoooom
The projectile of light tore through the air in a straight line. Gasper moved back, his feet scraping the stone pavement.
Thud
The spear struck the ground where he had stood a second earlier. A flash blinded him momentarily. The impact carved a narrow, deep crater, golden sparks scattering across the ground.
Raynare laughed, her blue eyes burning with scorn."You can move fast, but that won't last long. The next one goes straight through your heart."
Dust rose around them. Gasper lifted a hand before his face, calmly brushing away the glow.'The problem isn't the strength of the attack, it's the light.'
He slowly lowered his hand, his red eyes glowing again with contained intensity. His back curved slightly, and the air around him warped.
Crack
A sharp sound echoed as his Devil wings unfolded. The black membranes caught the evening light, and dark energy gathered at the edges of each feather.
Wind gusted across the plaza, lifting dust and dry leaves. Raynare watched, her smile fading bit by bit.
The boy before her no longer looked like a disguised student. The calm gaze and the growing power around him were cold, patient—almost predatory.
Fwoooosh
The fallen angel inhaled, lifting her chest as if proclaiming an inevitable truth. Her tone was arrogant, polished with disdain.
"You Devils are inferior creatures. We fallen angels bear the light that punishes corruption. You dwell in shadows and think yourselves powerful. You must learn your place."
Raynare's words cut the air, every syllable sharpened to provoke both pride and fear.
'Why is she giving this crappy speech?'
Gasper's reaction was short, almost disappointed. His calm face didn't hide his contempt.
Without warning, his hand moved with surgical precision. His fist struck the center of Raynare's abdomen before she could adjust her distance.
Thud
Her body arched backward, the sound of impact echoing through the plaza. The fallen angel hit the ground hard, her cloak spreading like broken wings.
Raynare rolled, recovering quickly, rage bursting out in curses. Her voice tore through the air, fierce and sharp.
"You filthy demon, you'll pay for that!"
Gasper raised an eyebrow, looking at her with the same casual neutrality of someone observing an insect splattered against a wall.
"Why don't you stop talking," he said, tone direct and cold. "Do you really need to keep reassuring yourself?"
Raynare's reaction was immediate and venomous. She spat words, eyes blazing with hatred.
"Shut up, you filthy Devil! I'll kill you!"
The air seemed to vibrate between them. Before she could even spread her wings again, Gasper moved in a blink.
Fwoooosh
The distance vanished. His hand clamped around Raynare's throat with brutal precision. The dry snap echoed as his fingers closed, and her breath failed in a ragged gasp.
Her body twisted in the air, black wings flailing in desperation. Her nails scratched at his wrist but didn't leave a mark. He held her as if gripping living shadow—eyes cold, unshaken.
The air grew too heavy to breathe. The sound of wind vanished. Only her strangled breathing filled the space.
'Should I ask her about Asia, or just kill her?'
The thought crossed his mind with the calm of a chess calculation. The doubt wasn't moral—it was strategic.
His hand tightened. A faint crack echoed from her throat. Raynare gasped, eyes wide, trying to speak through choking breaths.
"L-let… me go… demon…"
The words came out in broken air. Gasper tilted his head slightly, observing her desperation without haste, like studying an insect before crushing it.
Then, he released her.
Crack
Her body flew in an arc and smashed against the stone bench with a dull thud. The structure cracked apart, scattering fragments and dust across the plaza.
Thud
She collapsed sideways, groaning, her body bent in pain. Her wings twitched weakly before folding halfway. Air escaped her lungs in a harsh wheeze.
Raynare braced one hand on the ground, her disheveled hair covering half her face. Blood slid from the corner of her lips, tracing a thin red line down her chin.
Even wounded, she forced a crooked smile.
"You'll regret this…"
Her voice rasped, hollow of conviction.
Gasper stepped forward. The shadow beneath his feet stretched, swallowing the broken ground. His crimson eyes burned with an almost unnatural glow.
"You talk too much."
His tone was calm, direct, emotionless.
Raynare tried to lift her hand, sacred energy forming faintly at her fingertips, but she hesitated. Her body trembled. The fear now was real.
The shadows responded to Gasper's smallest gesture. Black tendrils slid along the ground like roots seeking prey, wrapping around the fallen angel with surgical precision.
Ssssh
The dark tendrils coiled around her ankles, tightened, crawled up her legs, and bound her arms before she could move. The light on her wings flickered, as though every strand of radiance was being drained into a void.
Raynare gasped, her face twisting in anger. Her nails dug into the shadow restraining her, leaving grooves that vanished as if the darkness itself healed the wounds.
'This wasn't supposed to happen this fast,' she thought, forcing a smile that never reached her eyes.
Gasper stood still, his presence calm as steel. The shadows pressed against her chest, just enough to strain her breath but not to break her entirely.
"Have you killed any humans recently?" he asked.
The word didn't sound like a question—it was an assessment meant only to extract information.
Raynare spat at the shadow around her, the spit glowing faintly with sacred light as it splashed uselessly against the dark.
"I won't tell you anything," she hissed, her voice cut with forced disdain.
Gasper stayed silent. The shadow restraining her seemed to react, tightening around her body. The sound of the binding was almost organic, as if the darkness itself breathed with her.
Ssssh
"I don't believe you."
The words came calmly—no anger, no haste. They floated through the cold air, and Raynare felt her body tremble before she even knew why.
The shadows moved like liquid blades. One slid along her arm, carving a thin line that didn't bleed—it drained light instead. The sacred glow oozed like golden smoke, fading before touching the ground.
"Ah—ah!"
The scream came short, strangled. Her wings contracted, her entire body arching in pain.
Gasper didn't look away. He simply lifted his hand, and another shadow obeyed, curling around her throat.
Ssshh
Raynare gasped. Her breathing turned ragged, blue eyes filling with tears.
"I'll talk, I'll talk! Please forgive me!"
Desperation shattered her pride. Her voice broke, rough and trembling.
Gasper remained still. His red eyes reflected the dying shimmer of angelic light.
"Now tell me about every human you've killed—or planned to."
The shadow around her neck loosened slightly, just enough to allow speech. Raynare sucked in air, her lips quivering.
"There was a nun… Asia Argento. I was going to steal her Sacred Gear, but she's taking too long to arrive, so… I met Issei and planned to kill him instead."
Gasper's eyes narrowed, the crimson light casting over her face like cold embers.
"Continue."
Raynare swallowed hard. Her body trembled under the slow tightening of the shadows, like serpents coiling around flesh.
"Issei was the first target. He had a strange aura, something that made him interesting. But when I saw you, I realized you were different. More dangerous… more valuable."
Her voice faltered—weak, breaking between fear and pain.
"I gave up on him to figure out what you were."
A dry cough escaped her, a streak of blood running down her mouth. The shadows pulsed, absorbing what little light still clung to her.
"Now I know… and I regret it."
Gasper didn't answer right away. He simply watched, unmoving, his expression reflecting the emptiness of someone who had already decided her fate before the confession.
"You should."
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