Raynare had stabbed the male lead to death in the first episode; if the real heroine Rias hadn't shown up, High School DxD would have ended right then and there.
"Arrogant! You're just a mere Church Exorcist. I am a noble Fallen Angel; an inferior being like you has no right to stand before me." Raynare's tone was mature and seductive, her disdain for humans obvious.
"Noble Fallen Angel? Aren't you three bullied in Grigori every day?" Rhode's expression was quite mocking. If he didn't know the plot, he might have been intimidated. Raynare, Mittelt, and Kalawarner—along with the Dohnaseek he had just finished off—were essentially the "nobodies" bullied by the jocks in a high school movie.
They had snuck into Kuoh Town to steal a Sacred Gear and change their lives only after hearing about Asia.
"No way... how could a human know about that?" Mittelt blurted out. She immediately realized her mistake and covered her mouth. Even Kalawarner's cold expression was slipping. If Raynare hadn't promised they could rise to the top and stop being laughed at, they wouldn't have risked coming to High-class Devil territory.
Raynare's face twitched. She didn't recognize the guy at all; he had no Fallen Angel aura. How could he know their history in Grigori? Did Dohnaseek tell him? What a useless waste!
"I don't know where you got that fake news, but don't think you can leave this place alive. Mittelt, Kalawarner—attack!"
Light gathered in Raynare's hand, and a spear of holy light flew toward Rhode. As a Fallen Angel, her holy power was strong enough to act as a battery for an exorcist's light-sword. But seeing Dohnaseek's corpse, she knew Rhode was dangerous, so she attacked immediately, hoping for a surprise strike.
"Right! Let's combine our—"
Mittelt started to gather her light power, but before her spear could form, a strong wind hit her face. Looking closer, she saw the man was already in front of Raynare, holding a silver-white holy sword to her delicate neck. The blade was pressed so close that a thin red line appeared on Raynare's pale skin. A bead of blood slid down the blade and splashed into the dust.
Raynare froze. Her brain couldn't process what had happened. In a single heartbeat, the situation had been reversed. Where did my light spear go? That was a strike that could kill a Low-class Devil instantly!
"I'll give you one last chance to choose your words carefully," Rhode said with a smirk. "Your lives are your own to keep or lose."
"Gulp..." Mittelt analyzed the situation, looked at her own unfinished light spear, and then looked at the ground.
Thud.
Mittelt looked sideways in shock. Kalawarner, who was usually cold and professional, had dropped to her knees without a word.
What are you doing?! Why did you kneel so fast?! You didn't even give me a heads-up!
Seeing Kalawarner down, Mittelt swallowed hard and followed suit, kneeling with total "sincerity." As Rhode said, her life was her own. She was only here to help Raynare out; her payment was still just a verbal promise. Why die for that?
"I surrender! I surrender! Don't kill me!" Mittelt raised her hands high, her face the picture of innocence. "I didn't do anything! I don't know anything! Raynare just asked me to help and promised to pay me, so I came!"
"Me too," Kalawarner added. Her expression was still "cold," but if you looked closely, her eyes were brimming with tears. She was clearly terrified.
"You two traitors!" Raynare was fuming at how fast they sold her out. But as she moved, the blade against her neck stung, and she immediately went still again.
"And you?" Rhode's gaze fell on her.
The air went silent. Raynare stared at Rhode, her face stern as if weighing her options. But just as Rhode was losing patience, her sternness crumbled like an avalanche. Her eyes crinkled into a fawning, pleasing expression.
"I'm sorry! It was my mistake! Please forgive me, Lord!"
"Weren't you just saying you wouldn't speak 'human'? Something about being noble?" Rhode raised an eyebrow.
"I'm sorry. I just thought it sounded cool, so I was acting."
[Quest: Asia Argento — Settlement Completed]
Reward: Skill — Impregnable Defense (Nullify any single attack. Cooldown: 60 minutes).
Oh, this is a good one, Rhode thought. A single instance of invincibility. The cooldown was long, but it was a literal life-saver.
"So... can you let me go?" Mittelt asked with a flattering smile. Seeing Rhode suddenly start laughing made her nervous. He looks handsome, but is he a pervert? The Church was full of "noble" facades hiding perverted exorcists; that was why there were so many "Strays."
"Heehee... no." Rhode's smile vanished.
Even if these three were just minor characters, he wasn't going to let them go. "Stay here for now. If you want to try running, be my guest."
Rhode left the church. It sat on a hill on the outskirts of Kuoh Town. When he saw the dense pack of red dots on his map earlier, he had told Lavinia and Asia to wait outside. But now that he had three Fallen Angels to manage, he needed Lavinia's help.
"Is it settled?" Lavinia noticed the faint scent of blood on him.
"I need a favor. Do you have any magic to control people? Like, if they try to betray me or run away, their veins burst or they die instantly?" Rhode asked.
"No," Lavinia shook her head. She wasn't an evil magician; why would she know stuff like that? "I do have magic to suppress their power, though."
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High School DxD : Reincarnated into the Multiverse, but it's High School DxD (131 Chapters – Ongoing)
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