Chapter 141: Fallen Angel, Shot Down!
The sun hung low at dusk.
A petite girl of about fifteen or sixteen, dressed in a nun's habit, was pulling a large suitcase—with a smaller one strapped on top—as she followed behind a man.
The sight drew disapproving glances from passersby toward the man ahead.
How could he let a girl carry such heavy luggage while his own hands were empty?
In truth, it was Asia the nun who had insisted. The large suitcase was hers, while the small one belonged to Renji. Helping out a little wasn't a big deal.
She didn't want to feel useless, so she hoped to contribute in whatever way she could—even if it was just carrying luggage.
"Let's take a break at the park up ahead."
"Okay!"
Asia responded sweetly.
However, as soon as they neared the park, Renji suddenly stopped in his tracks.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I just didn't expect it to be today of all days."
Renji spoke with a tone that carried a hint of sigh.
A faint scent of blood wafted from the park, and he caught sight of a figure on the other side of the fountain—a black-haired girl wearing the Kuoh Academy uniform.
"Huh?"
Asia didn't understand his words and looked toward the park in confusion, spotting the girl there.
Noticing their gaze, the girl locked eyes with them, paused for a moment, then smiled and began walking toward them.
Could it be that Renji was captivated by this beautiful girl?
The girl's figure seemed more mature and alluring than Asia's, exuding a sensual charm, while Asia felt like she was being treated as a child by Renji.
Ugh~!
This made Asia even gloomier.
Of course, it wasn't that she had fallen for Renji and was now flustered upon realizing he might be charmed by another woman.
Perhaps she wasn't entirely sure of her own feelings toward Renji, but one thing was certain—her emotions toward him now resembled those she once held for the elderly nun who had raised her before passing away. Strict yet kind, someone she could rely on.
That's why she feared being abandoned.
If Renji found a lover, it would surely become inconvenient for her to stay by his side.
The black-haired girl approached with her hands clasped in front of her waist, wearing an enchanting smile. Noticing Asia's gaze, she nodded politely, her demeanor exuding the grace of a refined young lady.
When her eyes returned to Renji, they widened slightly, shimmering as if rippling with emotion, before she shyly averted her gaze—because Renji was staring straight at her.
Thus, the black-haired girl lowered her head slightly, feigning shyness as she moved to pass by him.
"Wha—what?!"
At the moment they brushed past each other, her expression twisted into shock as she gasped aloud.
What? What was happening?
Asia was also—
She understood now. She saw the black-haired girl suddenly manifest a spear of light in her hand, its tip mere centimeters from Renji's side.
Had he not caught it with his hand, it would have pierced him, wouldn't it?
And that spear of light—Asia remembered—was something only those from the Church could wield.
In the next instant, the black-haired girl leaped back with inhuman agility, landing far away as she glared at them warily.
"Who are you?"
"How absurd. You attack me out of nowhere, then ask who I am? I should be the one asking who you are."
Shrugging, Renji subtly glanced to the side—he sensed another pair of eyes watching him.
An accomplice? Unlikely. There was no malice, only a probing gaze, as if someone was trying to uncover some secret from him, observing how he would handle this situation.
"Hah? Asking who I am? Heh, you mere hu—fine. Let me show you exactly what stands before you."
The girl—Amano Yuuma, no, she no longer used that childish alias—revealed a dangerous smile. Her true name was Raynare, and from her back unfurled dark wings.
She was a noble fallen angel.
Unexpectedly, while dealing with one person, she seemed to have accidentally been witnessed in the act of murder.
Originally, she planned to simply erase the witness's memory, but to her surprise, wasn't the nun beside him the very target she had been waiting for?
Well then, she might as well test whether the other party's healing abilities were truly as impressive as rumored. So, she decided to stab the man.
But she hadn't expected him to be so sharp—he not only sensed her actions but even caught the Light Spear mid-air, startling her into immediately retreating to a safe distance.
Then, when she questioned him, he responded with a question of his own. His seemingly irritated tone made Raynare feel a hint of disdain, as if she were being looked down upon.
It was as though she were some lowly creature, unworthy of even hearing his name.
So, she got angry. Without holding back, she unleashed her power and revealed her true form—a Fallen Angel.
"T-This is a Fallen Angel!"
Asia was shocked. The organization [Stray Devil Exorcists] was known to harbor Fallen Angels, meaning this woman might very well be one of their members.
Were they about to fight?
She was at a complete loss...
Without even understanding the truth, she didn't want to see conflict break out between them.
Wait—no, that wasn't right. The other party had attacked first, inexplicably targeting Renji out of nowhere.
Did she know who Renji was? Was he an enemy to them?
"W-Why did you attack Mr. Renji?" she couldn't help but ask.
"No reason. Just testing something, that's all."
"Now, don't move. If I miss my aim and kill you instantly, it'll ruin my test!"
The Fallen Angel hovered higher, her beautiful face twisting into cruelty as she gathered another Light Spear in her hand—this one far more terrifying than the last.
The speed was so fast that Asia's eyes couldn't even track it, making it seem as though it had vanished.
Her pupils shrank—she caught sight of the spear, right beside them, as if it had already struck Renji.
"Ren—!"
Asia's sharp cry cut off abruptly. To her shock, it hadn't hit him—he had caught it instead.
But his hand was injured in the process.
Seriously, his hands kept getting hurt. How many times had this happened now?
He had been testing magic earlier and had frequently injured himself.
"Wh-What kind of joke is this?!"
The Fallen Angel was equally stunned, gritting her teeth in frustration.
She looked ready to unleash an even more terrifying attack.
However—
"Running away already?"
The Light Spear in his hand vanished, and Renji blinked in surprise as the Fallen Angel turned and fled without hesitation.
Was she really that desperate to live?
He hadn't even learned how to use the Light Spear yet. Since she hadn't used a magic circle when casting it, he had no choice but to catch and analyze it directly.
"I haven't finished studying yet. You can't just run off like this."
His gaze turned icy as mana gathered in his palm, twisting into a glowing sphere before taking the shape of what appeared to be an identical Light Spear.
But in truth, this wasn't a real Light Spear—just a compressed mass of pure mana.
Hmm, suppressing it to this degree should make it explode about 0.7 seconds after release. The speed should be about... right.
Throw!
And so, light tore through the twilight sky.
"Wha—?!"
The Fallen Angel flinched as the light grazed past her—missing its mark.
But before she could feel relieved, the terrifying mass of magical energy ahead erupted in all directions.
A silver sun was born.
Fallen Angel, shot down!