Gremory Mansion
The magic circle brought Gasper, Rias, and Akeno directly into Rias's bedroom. The air still carried the metallic scent of blood on Gasper's hands, and Rias kept her fingers wrapped around his arm as she looked around to make sure they were alone.
"Why didn't Sona show up? And what's Kiba doing downstairs?" Rias asked as soon as the glow of the teleportation faded.
Akeno stopped near the door and quickly assessed the situation. Her concern for Gasper was still obvious on her face, but Sona's absence made the situation even more serious than the wounds on his hands.
"I'm going downstairs to see what's happening." Akeno placed a hand on the doorknob but looked back at Gasper before leaving. "Then I'll come back to help feed you, Gasper-kun."
Gasper gave a slow nod and sat down on the edge of the large bed. The movement made his wounds throb again, but he kept a composed expression as blood continued to drip between his fingers.
"Yes." Rias agreed with a brief nod. "Take care of that and come back quickly."
Akeno left the room and closed the door with a soft click. Her absence made the room quieter, but it brought no sense of relief because Gasper's breathing was already beginning to grow heavier.
Gasper slowly raised his head. His crimson eyes shone brighter than usual, burning with a deep, instinctive hunger mixed with the lingering irritation left behind by the holy power.
His elongated fangs pressed lightly against his lower lip, clearly visible even with his mouth slightly open. His naturally pale skin looked even paler, and faint veins pulsed near his temples as his body struggled to recover without success.
'It's been a long time since I've felt this hungry.'
He extended his uninjured hand and firmly pulled Rias into his arms. Her body fit naturally against his without resistance, and her warmth contrasted sharply with the cold slowly taking over the dhampir.
Rias rested a hand against his chest and felt his racing heartbeat beneath her fingers. She noticed his fangs, the glow in his eyes, and the hunger he was desperately trying to suppress, but she didn't pull away.
"You're worse than you looked back in the city." Rias tilted her neck slightly, exposing her skin without hesitation. "Take what you need, Gasper-kun. Don't hold back."
Gasper took a deep breath, inhaling her familiar scent as his vampiric hunger pushed against the self-control he valued so much. At that moment, her blood wasn't merely food—it was the fastest way to purge the holy residue still embedded in his flesh.
"I won't hurt you." His voice came out hoarse, his fangs brushing together lightly as he spoke. "Just enough to cleanse the holy power."
He pressed his lips against her neck and felt her racing pulse beneath her skin. His fangs pierced with perfect precision, and her warm blood touched his tongue immediately, rich enough to combat the sacred burns that still consumed his hands.
Rias let out a quiet sigh and buried her fingers in his hair. Her body gradually relaxed against his as the bond between them deepened through that intimate and dangerous act of feeding.
____
Main Hall – Gremory Mansion
Akeno descended the stairs with light footsteps, but her controlled pace couldn't hide the urgency. In the main hall, Kiba was speaking quietly with Saji while Asia and Ravel finished organizing the medical supplies.
She approached the group and crossed her arms.
"Rias wants to know why Sona didn't come and what's happening down here."
Kiba immediately turned toward her with a serious expression. Sona's absence clearly bothered him as well, especially because Rias's order had been far too simple to fail.
"I tried contacting her, but I couldn't." Kiba took a deep breath before continuing. "Since I didn't know where you were, I decided to stay here and protect the rest of the peerage."
Akeno frowned slightly. Kiba had made the right decision, but the fact that he couldn't contact Sona was far too strange to ignore.
'That's strange. Kiba usually has no trouble contacting Sona.'
"You made the right call, Kiba." Akeno gave him a brief nod before turning back toward the stairs. "I'll go tell Rias."
Ravel followed Akeno with her eyes, clearly restless. Asia remained beside her, holding several bandages in her hands, but the atmosphere in the hall had noticeably changed.
____
Rias's Bedroom
Gasper looked down at his hands as Rias's blood continued working through his body. The burns had disappeared completely, leaving his skin as smooth and pale as before.
Rias lay beside him on the bed, still trying to catch her breath. Her chest rose and fell unevenly, her crimson hair spread across the pillow, and the bite mark on her neck was already beginning to heal.
"Something's bothering me."
Rias slowly opened her eyes and rested a hand on the sheets, still too weak to truly get up.
"What is it?"
"Some of my bats were destroyed." Gasper spoke quietly as he analyzed the sensations spreading throughout the city. "There are areas they simply can't reach."
Rias took a deep breath, trying to organize her thoughts despite the weakness in her body.
"That's strange."
"Yeah." Gasper looked toward the bedroom window as though he could see the entire city from there. "Someone put up a barrier over Kuoh, especially around the school."
The door opened with a soft click moments later. Akeno stepped inside and closed it behind her, her eyes quickly moving from Gasper, now fully healed, to Rias, still exhausted on the bed.
"Sorry for taking so long." Akeno walked over to the bedside without wasting time. "Kiba tried to contact Sona, but couldn't. He stayed here to protect everyone since he didn't know where we were."
"That's bad." Rias frowned, forcing her exhausted body to respond. "Sona must be in trouble."
Gasper remained silent for a few seconds as he rapidly connected the pieces. If a barrier was blocking his bats and Sona wasn't responding, then the attack on the shopping district had probably been nothing more than a distraction.
'Rias is right. Those Fallen Angels weren't part of the original story, and Issei together with Sona might not be able to draw out the Sacred Gear's full power.'
He stood up from the bed, steady enough to immediately draw both girls' attention. His wounds had vanished, but the memory of the holy energy was still far too fresh to ignore.
"Contact Grayfia and ask her to reinforce the mansion." Gasper straightened his posture, his decision already made. "I'm going to the school myself to see what's happening with that barrier."
Rias immediately tried to stand, but her legs gave out before she could get to her feet. Her body swayed before falling back onto the bed, breathing even more heavily than she wanted to admit.
"I'm coming with you."
Akeno stepped forward, remembering the burns the holy power had left on his hands. Her concern wasn't exaggerated because Gasper had just proven that he could be injured too.
"I appreciate it, but I have to do this alone." Gasper kept his voice calm, though his gaze remained unwavering. "It's too dangerous for both of you right now."
Rias lifted her head in obvious frustration.
"It's dangerous for you too." She clenched the bedsheet tightly. "Did you already forget your hands?"
Akeno quickly nodded in agreement, making no effort to hide her concern.
"Rias is right, Gasper-kun."
Gasper looked at both of them for a moment. Rias's exhaustion, Akeno's concern, and the possibility that Sona was trapped inside the barrier made this decision unpleasant—but necessary.
"You're right." Gasper's tone became firmer. "But Sona is your friend, and now I know how divine power works. I can protect myself better."
His gaze returned to Rias, who was still trying to move despite her weakened body.
"And look at you." His voice softened, but his decision did not. "You can't even stand after I drank your blood."
Rias gripped the sheets even tighter, visibly frustrated by her own weakness. Akeno remained beside the bed, torn between wanting to accompany Gasper and the reality that Rias needed protection.
"Stay here and coordinate with Grayfia." Gasper raised his hand as demonic energy began gathering around him. "I'll be back as soon as possible."
A teleportation circle opened beneath his feet, filling the bedroom with crimson light. Within seconds, the glow enveloped Gasper's body and disappeared, leaving only Rias and Akeno behind.
____
Rias's Bedroom
Rias remained seated on the bed, clutching the sheets tightly, her face marked by exhaustion. Her body felt far too heavy to obey her, and that sense of helplessness irritated her more than she wanted to admit.
"My body... is completely useless right now."
Akeno stood beside the bed with her fists clenched. Frustration showed clearly in her posture as well, but the situation at the mansion had to be dealt with before those emotions turned into carelessness.
"Rias, you need to contact Grayfia as soon as possible." Akeno glanced toward the door, as though expecting another attack at any moment. "She can reinforce the mansion's defenses while Gasper-kun investigates."
Akeno briefly turned her gaze toward the window. The image of Gasper catching the spear of light with his bare hands was still too vivid to push aside.
'Gasper-kun only got hurt because he tried to protect Rias and me. Maybe it'll be better for him if we're not by his side.'
Rias slowly nodded, still leaning against the pillows.
"I'll call her now."
She raised her hand and activated a small communication magic circle. Crimson energy shimmered before her as the connection with the Gremory estate was established.
Akeno remained beside the bed, silently watching the room while dividing her attention between the conversation and their surroundings.
"Grayfia, I need your help."
____
Near Kuoh Academy
Gasper appeared in a side street near the school. At first glance, everything looked normal, with streetlights glowing, walls intact, and streets far too empty for an ordinary night in Kuoh.
He walked toward the school wall and stopped before touching the gate. An invisible barrier pressed against his chest, preventing him from advancing as though a solid wall had been erected in midair.
Gasper extended his hand and felt the firm resistance. This wasn't merely protection against humans because the same force blocked his demonic energy, his bats, and any attempt to pass through directly.
'I hope Grayfia gets here soon.'
He pulled his arm back and threw a straight punch at the barrier. The impact echoed dully through the side street, but the invisible surface remained completely intact, without even a visible crack in its energy.
THUUM.
Gasper's arm vibrated from the force of the blow, and he slowly clenched his fist as he evaluated the barrier's response. The structure was far too strong to be something improvised, confirming that someone had prepared this trap well in advance.
"What's happening in there?"
Gasper remained standing before the wall for a few more seconds, his crimson eyes narrowing. His bats could still move around the outside of the area, but everything beyond the barrier had become a dead zone to his perception.
He slowly stepped back, already considering his next move while carefully watching every point around the school. If Sona was trapped inside, then Kokabiel's next attack had already begun.
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