Gabriel, who had been about to turn and leave, suddenly stopped in her tracks. Her gaze turned cold as she locked onto the demon before her.
"A mere snake."
"I was going to let you crawl away, but you seem determined to find a grave."
"I suppose I wouldn't mind putting down a stray animal."
"You? Putting me down?" Jashin-chan sneered.
"You don't even have a halo on your head. Who do you think you're talking to?"
Nearby, Toya pulled out a bucket of popcorn he had just purchased from the System Shop.
He watched the looming confrontation with great interest.
As expected of these two. Their trash-talk is top-tier.
The fallen angel and the snake-demon were pulling no punches.
The tension in the air solidified as murderous intent began to spread across the courtyard.
Both were seeing red, seemingly determined to tear the other apart.
Out of the corner of his eye, Toya noticed Medusa preparing to intervene.
"Not today, Medusa," he murmured. "A fight between an angel and a demon is a rare sight."
"I'm sorry, but you'll have to sit this one out."
Before she could react, Toya moved behind her.
Under her confused gaze, he firmly led her back toward the office.
"Wait... Kawashima-kun?"
He ignored her protests, brought her inside, and sat her down in a chair.
In a few swift motions, he used heavy-duty tape to secure her firmly to the seat.
Toya stood back and patted his hands together, satisfied with his work.
"Forgive me, Medusa. I just really want to see who's stronger."
"If I let you out there, you'll just ruin the fun by playing peacemaker."
Mmph! Mmmph! Medusa struggled, her voice muffled and her eyes wide with a sense of betrayal.
"I'll treat you to a proper meal tonight," Toya promised with a light laugh before turning to head back out.
He knew it was a bit mean, but his curiosity about the power gap between Gabriel and Jashin-chan won out.
He left Medusa staring at his back, looking like a kicked puppy.
.....
Back outside, Gabriel had reached her limit.
She unleashed a burst of holy light toward Jashin-chan.
The attack looked simple, but its lethality against demonic entities was significant.
BOOM!
A dull explosion echoed, but Jashin-chan didn't budge.
She wore a mocking grin, having caught the strike with ease.
"Is that it? Honestly, Angel, that was pathetic."
Gabriel remained silent, her expression darkening. She realized this was no ordinary demon.
"Die!" she hissed.
The battle erupted into a flurry of high-speed exchanges that looked like a scene out of a blockbuster movie.
Toya watched the flashes of light and dark, impressed by the spectacle.
Gabriel was clearly holding back to avoid collateral damage to the surrounding area.
Jashin-chan, however, was unrestrained, not caring if a stray blast hit an innocent bystander.
Gabriel is going to struggle, Toya mused, already seeing the likely outcome.
While Gabriel had her full power, her combat experience was far below Jashin-chan's.
Her moves were predictable, and her skill set seemed limited compared to a demon who had fought for centuries.
Deep down, Toya found himself rooting for the snake-girl.
She was his "pet," after all, and it would be embarrassing if she lost right in front of him.
"I wouldn't be so sure. I think Gabriel has this in the bag."
A calm, elderly voice spoke up right beside him.
"Oh?"
"Jashin-chan hasn't even started trying yet. What makes you think Gabriel can win?"
Toya raised an eyebrow, looking at the white-haired old man who had suddenly appeared next to him.
He just showed up without me noticing? Interesting.
His holy aura is incredibly dense. Is he a superior from the Heavens?
He didn't sense any hostility from the man, so he assumed he wasn't here for a fight.
The old man chuckled warmly.
"Gabriel was the top graduate of the Angel Academy. If she couldn't handle a single demon, she wouldn't be the valedictorian."
"Oh, we're playing the background story card now? I can do that too."
Toya turned his focus away from the main fight, a playful smirk on his face.
"Jashin-chan is a top-tier demon of the Magic Realm."
"Her status is peerless, and her actual combat power is terrifying. See that halo in her hand?"
"That's proof of her strength."
He didn't really care who won, but he couldn't stand someone being so blatantly biased toward the angel.
The old man's beard twitched in annoyance.
"Young man, you've got a sharp tongue, but talk is cheap."
"The truth is revealed through action, not words."
"Trying to pull rank because you're old?" Toya's expression chilled.
"You've got a lot of nerve dropping in on my territory just to lecture me."
"But you're right about one thing... action speaks louder than words."
"Murasame!"
Toya made a grasping motion, and the cursed blade flew from the agency hall directly into his hand.
"I don't care who you are. Let's see if you can back up that attitude!"
CRACK!
The ground beneath them shattered as Toya blurred, appearing instantly beside the old man.
He swung the blade downward with crushing force.
"You're quite the hot-headed one!" The old man shook his head, blocking the strike without breaking a sweat.
"We can finish our debate later."
"But for now, I'll have to make you see reason."
A staff pulsing with divine energy appeared in the man's hand as he prepared to counter.
[SystemAnalysis: God (A Fragment of Will)]
[Strength: Pseudo-God]
[Description: Having sensed Gabriel using divine power, He sent a fragment of His will to investigate. Due to a disagreement with the Host, He has decided to use force to prove His point.]
Toya's eyes narrowed as he threw himself back into the fray.
So what if you're God?
If you want to talk nonsense, you're getting a beating.
If he couldn't win alone, he'd just call Tohru and Nyaruko to jump the old man.
The clash between Toya and the divine fragment intensified, their auras tearing at the environment.
The shockwaves were so violent that they actually forced Gabriel and Jashin-chan to stop their own fight.
"Is that... the Principal?"
Gabriel trembled, her face pale as she realized she was in deep trouble.
"The old man?" Jashin-chan blinked, looking at the chaotic battle. "Why is Toya fighting him?"
Inside the office, Tohru felt the shifting pressure.
Her eyes slitted into dangerous dragon pupils as she looked toward the yard. "God?"