Ryusei unleashed a frenzied barrage of slashes, her daggers cutting deep into Cerberus's thick hide as she fought through the exhaustion and pain.
The three-headed beast roared in fury, its body surging with power as it activated [Rage] once again.
"STOP—" Ryusei's blade carved through the air, one of her strikes slicing clean through Cerberus's tail, sending it flying in a spray of black blood.
"USING—" Her shadow manipulation flared to life, dark tendrils extending from the ground and forming spikes that pierced through Cerberus's massive paws, causing the beast to stagger and howl in pain.
"THAT DAMN SKILL!!" She screamed, her rage fueling her attacks.
Summoning every ounce of cursed energy, Ryusei's hands glowed with an eerie blue light as she activated [Lapse: Blue]
The very air twisted and warped around Cerberus before his massive body was violently yanked off the ground by an invisible force.
With a flick of her wrist, Ryusei slammed Cerberus into the ruins of a crumbling building, the impact shattering stone and sending debris flying.
Before the beast could recover, she yanked him into the air again and smashed him into the ground, then into another building, and then back into the earth—over and over again.
The monstrous howls of Cerberus filled the air as Ryusei didn't let up.
Ryusei activated [Satan's Gravity], a surge of immense gravitational force propelling her straight up toward Cerberus, who was plummeting from the sky after being repeatedly slammed into the ground.
The wind whipped past her, her body cutting through the air like a blade.
With her right fist coated in cursed energy, black sparks crackled around it.
Her vision narrowed, focusing on the beast's middle head—the one that had bitten her earlier.
She pulled her fist back, every muscle in her body tensing.
"KOKUSEN!"
The instant her punch connected, a devastating black flash erupted through the air.
The force of her Black Flash rippled through Cerberus's entire body, causing the monstrous beast to jerk violently, its bones and muscles shattering from the sheer impact.
The explosion of cursed energy split the sky, leaving an aftershock that shook the ruined landscape below.
As Cerberus's massive body crashed into the ruined ground below, a notification window popped up in front of Ryusei's eyes.
———————————————————
[Hidden Quest: Slay the Gatekeeper – COMPLETE!]
[Rewards: Job Change Quest Instant Dungeon Key (lvl 40 req.), Cerberus's Soul, New Skill Acquired: [Rage] (Boosts Strength 2x for 3 minutes, cooldown: 3 minutes)]
———————————————————
———————————————————
[Level Up!]
[Level 35] → [Level 37]
[Quicksilver] [Level 4] → [Level 5]
[Shadow Manipulation] [Level 4] → [Level 5]
[Black Flash] [Level 1] → [Level 2]
[Limitless] [Level 1]→ [Level 2]
[Satan's Gravity] [Level 1]→ [Level 2]
[Six Eyes] [Level 1]→ [Level 2]
[Cursed Energy Manipulation] [Level 5] → [Level 6]
[Poison Resistance] [Level 1] → [Level 2]
———————————————————
Ryusei let out a deep exhale, her body still buzzing with adrenaline from the intense battle.
She staggered slightly, wiping the blood off her chin. "Damn… that was a pain in the ass."
Ryusei, completely exhausted, steps through the portal and stumbles back into her house. Her clothes were tattered, her body aching, and the dried blood on her skin made her feel grimy.
She let out a deep sigh, rubbing her temples.
"I need a hot bath... and two full days of sleep..."
Dragging her heavy feet, she shuffled toward the bathroom, already thinking of the hot water washing away the pain.
Ryusei sluggishly walked to school, her body still aching from the brutal fight against Cerberus the night before. Dark circles lingered under her eyes, and every step felt heavier than usual.
"Ugh... I need to stop doing those during weekdays..." she muttered, rubbing her face in exhaustion.
As she trudged forward, she bumped into someone coming out of their house.
"Oh, Ryusei?" Issei blinked in surprise. "I didn't know you lived this close!"
Ryusei let out a long yawn, barely keeping her eyes open. "Right down the street..." she mumbled.
"So, you were the one who slayed the Stray Devil, right?" Issei asked, looking over at Ryusei as they walked. "Koneko recognized your scent or something when we checked that abandoned mansion."
"Oh yeah," Ryusei yawned again, rubbing her eyes. "That was me. Tell Rias that I'm sorry about that—was she gonna use that as a way to show you how her peerage works?"
"Kinda," Issei admitted. "But we ended up going after another Stray not too far from there, so it's all good! You actually ended up scoring some brownie points with the President, though."
Ryusei raised an eyebrow, still half-asleep. "Brownie points?"
Issei nodded. "Rias said she's thinking about giving you something for dealing with Viser for her."
"Man, you're so lucky! I bet she'll let you stuff your face between her breasts!" Issei drooled, making a pervy facial expression.
Ryusei shot him a glare. 'I've forgotten how much of a pervert he is,' she thought to herself.
Before she could say anything, she noticed someone walking in front of her—too late to stop herself, she bumped into a cute blonde girl with green eyes.
"Kya!" the girl yelped as she and Ryusei fell to the ground. Her suitcase went flying, and as she landed, her skirt lifted slightly, giving Issei an unintentional glimpse of her panties.
Ryusei, on the other hand, found herself face first completely stuffed between the blonde girl's soft breasts.
Ryusei's face turned bright red as she quickly pulled away. "S-Sorry about that!" she stammered, scrambling to her feet.
She reached out and helped the blonde girl up while Issei gathered the scattered clothing that had spilled from her suitcase.
Ryusei's face turned bright red as she quickly pulled away. "S-Sorry about that!" she stammered, scrambling to her feet.
She reached out and helped the blonde girl up while Issei gathered the scattered clothing that had spilled from her suitcase.
"It's alright! And thank you for helping me!" the girl said cheerfully as Ryusei crouched down to help Issei pick up her scattered belongings.
"Heh... it's no problem!" Issei replied, but as he reached for a pair of the girl's underwear, Ryusei shot him a sharp glare.
Caught red-handed, Issei quickly placed it back where it belonged, flashing an innocent smile.
Ryusei, unimpressed, flicked his forehead. "Owie!" he whined, rubbing the spot.
The blonde girl giggled at their antics. "Thank you so much! I didn't expect to run into such kind people."
Ryusei took a closer look at the girl's outfit and the contents of her suitcase before asking, "Are you a nun?"
"Yes, I am. I'm Asia Argento," the blonde girl introduced herself with a warm smile. "I was transferred to a church here in Kouh Town… but I'm a bit lost."
Ryusei was about to respond but suddenly stopped, glancing at Issei. Without hesitation, she grabbed him and pushed him toward Asia.
"I'm Ryusei Okkotsu, and this is Issei Hyoudou," she said smoothly. "He'll be glad to show you around!"
Issei blinked in surprise. "Huh?! Wait—"
"See ya, Issei!" Ryusei called out before dashing off toward Kouh Academy, leaving Issei standing there with the cute nun girl.
Issei blinked, glancing at Asia, who tilted her head curiously. "Uh… I guess I'll be your guide then?"
Meanwhile, Ryusei made it to Kouh Academy. Instead of heading straight to class, she veered toward the old school building. Pushing open the doors, she stepped inside, catching Rias off guard. The crimson-haired beauty was seated on the couch, engrossed in important-looking documents.
"Ryusei? What are you doing here?" Rias asked, raising an eyebrow. "Not that I mind—"
"I'm sleepy," Ryusei interrupted, making her way to the couch. Without hesitation, she plopped down, resting her head on Rias's lap.
Rias's cheeks turned pink. "W-wait—"
"You'll give me my reward later, right?" Ryusei murmured, already settling in.
"R-reward?" Rias stammered.
"Issei told me," Ryusei mumbled. "I'll tell you what I want later…" She sighed shifting slightly. "So soft…"
Within seconds, she drifted off to sleep, leaving Rias sitting there, still flustered.