On the edge of Kuoh Town's western district, the abandoned church stood like a massive, ominous wound in the silent night. The aftershocks of the thrilling battle and explosion deep within the church still seemed to subtly reverberate in the air.
But at this moment, five stumbling yet swift figures had already burst through its shadows. Like startled birds, they fled desperately down a secluded street toward the town center.
The night wind was biting, chilling everyone's hot skin and hurried breaths. The relief of surviving was overwhelmed by immense fatigue, pain, and a lingering sense of crisis.
Rias, enduring the waves of bone-chilling cold and weakness from the dark corrosion on her shoulder, led the way. Her crimson hair flew wildly in the night wind. Her perception was heightened to the extreme, wary of any potential pursuers or ambushes. Each step pulled at the sharp pain in her internal organs caused by the magic power backlash, but she gritted her teeth, her pace not slowing in the slightest.
Kiba Yuuto carried Shin, who was completely unconscious and whose breath was as faint as a wisp of smoke. His own injuries were also severe. Every step brought a burning pain in his chest, and the weight of carrying another person further exacerbated the burden. But his sword-wielding hand remained steady, his gaze fixed firmly forward, supporting his body with sheer willpower. Shin's desperate burst of power at the end, followed by his complete silence, filled him with an indescribable shock and worry.
Akeno Himejima and Koneko Toujou, one on each side, were practically half-supporting the frail and tottering Asia Argento. Asia's azure eyes still held immense fear and disorientation. Although the evil necklace on her neck had been destroyed, the remaining purplish-black ligature marks were still shocking, as if still faintly throbbing with pain.
Long periods of confinement and the erosion of dark power had pushed her body and spirit to the brink of collapse. She could barely walk on her own, relying entirely on the two girls to move. Her slender body trembled incessantly, and cold sweat soaked her thin clothes.
"Just a little longer! We'll be safe soon!" Akeno encouraged her in a low voice. Her own magic power was greatly depleted, her face pale. But she still tried to remain calm, carefully guiding Asia to avoid obstacles on the ground.
Koneko silently bore most of the weight. Her amber eyes vigilantly scanned the surrounding shadows, her small nostrils twitching slightly, catching any unusual scent in the wind.
The fleeing group was silent and oppressive, with only heavy panting and disorganized footsteps echoing on the quiet street.
Suddenly, Asia—who was being supported—let out an extremely faint and painful groan. Her body abruptly softened and slid down.
"Asia!" Akeno and Koneko quickly braced her with force.
Asia's face appeared even paler in the moonlight. Her lips had lost all color, and her breathing became rapid and shallow. Her body, long corroded by dark power, began to show a backlash after being freed from confinement and with a slight relaxation of her spirit.
Tiny, yet stubbornly persistent, wisps of purplish-black aura—like maggots clinging to bone—subtly seeped from the ligature marks on her neck and the wounds on her wrists and ankles, continuing to devour her already weak vitality. Her sacred power was trying to heal itself, but it clashed with this residual dark energy, bringing double the pain.
"Oh no! The residual Fallen Angel power in her body is still acting up!" Akeno immediately noticed the abnormality. Her expression changed. This kind of dark corrosion, originating from a cadre-level being, was by no means easy to eliminate.
Rias turned back at the sound. Seeing Asia's condition, her brows furrowed. She tried to mobilize a trace of Destruction Magic Power, but found her state to be extremely poor, making it difficult to precisely control the power to clear those subtle dark residues. A single mistake could potentially harm Asia's fragile body.
"We must deal with these residual dark powers quickly!" Rias said with a grave tone. "Otherwise, it will continue to damage her Foundation!"
Just as everyone was anxious but helpless—
"Cough… cough cough…" A faint, almost inaudible cough came from behind Kiba Yuuto.
It was Shin! He had actually briefly woken up from a deep coma. The immense consumption and backlash from the Blood Ignition and Spirit Guidance had almost extinguished his life's flame. But perhaps it was the resilience deep within his Dao Heart that refused to be silenced, or perhaps it was the unusually tenacious vitality within his body—initially tempered by the Inner Elixir Breathing Technique. Upon sensing Asia's painful and familiar sacred aura being entangled by darkness, he forcefully gathered a trace of his remaining consciousness.
His eyes couldn't fully open. His vision was blurry, his body ached as if crushed, his dantian was empty and depleted, making it incredibly difficult even to lift a finger. But he could "feel" the disgusting, lingering dark aura raging on Asia's body.
"Po… pocket…" Shin's voice was hoarse and weak as a mosquito, his breath barely a thread. "Yellow… yellow paper Talisman… Purity… Rejuvenation…"
Kiba Yuuto immediately noticed the slight movement on his back and Shin's almost inaudible mumbling. He instantly reacted. "President! Shin seems to be awake! He's saying… Talisman! The yellow paper Talismans in his pocket!"
Rias immediately stepped forward, carefully fumbling in the pocket of Shin's slightly oversized jacket, which had previously been adorned with many talismans. Soon, she pulled out two yellow talismans that seemed to be of a slightly different texture. The cinnabar runes on these two talismans appeared more complex and condensed than the previous ones, faintly flowing with an introverted and peaceful glow. They were clearly meticulously drawn masterpieces, prepared by him for unforeseen circumstances.
One talisman was drawn with runes that swirled clearly like flowing water, exuding a serene aura that cleansed filth and calmed the mind—it was precisely the Purity Talisman. The other was drawn with runes like growing plants, imbued with vitality, exuding a vigorous life force that gently nourished and healed wounds—it was precisely the Rejuvenation Talisman.
"It's the Purity Talisman and the Rejuvenation Talisman!" Rias immediately recognized the effects of these two auxiliary talismans that Shin had mentioned before. A glimmer of hope flashed in her eyes, and she unhesitatingly handed the two talismans to Shin's barely movable fingers.
Shin's fingers trembled. Almost using his last trace of remaining will and faint strength, he lightly tapped on each of the two talismans—he couldn't even form hand seals or chant spells. He could only activate them with this most direct method, exhausting his last bit of mental energy.
Buzz… buzz… The two talismans flickered extremely faintly, as if responding to his call.
"Quick… give… her…" Shin uttered these few words, then his head slumped, and he fell into a deep coma again, his breath even weaker than before.
"Quick!" Rias dared not delay. She immediately gently placed the Purity Talisman, which glowed with a soft, clear light, on Asia's forehead.
The talisman melted upon contact, instantly transforming into a cool, pure energy stream—like a mountain spring—gently flowing into Asia's body. This power was distinctly different from demonic magic power or Fallen Angel light power. It had no strong aggressiveness, yet it possessed a unique, subtle purifying and soothing quality.
Asia suddenly let out a slight gasp. Her body trembled involuntarily. The purplish-black dark aura that was subtly seeping from her wounds, upon contact with this cool energy, was as if it had met its nemesis. It emitted an extremely faint, almost evaporating "sizzling" sound, rapidly fading and dissipating. The residual dark energy entangled in her meridians and spirit was also slowly enveloped, decomposed, and purified by this gentle yet firm cleansing power. That bone-chilling cold, pain, and corrosive sensation—like maggots clinging to bone—were rapidly receding.
Asia's tightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed. Her pale face seemed to regain a trace of color, and her breathing became much more stable. A trace of confusion and comfort flashed in her azure eyes, as if rain had fallen after a long drought, and she subconsciously let out an extremely faint sigh of relief.
"It's working!" Akeno exclaimed in surprise. She could clearly feel the unsettling dark fluctuations within Asia's body rapidly weakening.
Seeing this, Rias immediately placed the second Rejuvenation Talisman, which exuded gentle vitality, on Asia's chest. This time, the talisman transformed into a warm, soft energy full of life, seeping into Asia's limbs and bones like the sunlight of early spring. This energy gently nourished her damaged meridians, healed the external wounds caused by the shackles, soothed her traumatized spirit, and replenished her almost depleted physical strength.
Asia let out a comfortable whimper. Her body no longer trembled, her cold limbs began to warm up, and even the ghastly ligature marks on her neck, wrists, and ankles seemed to have faded somewhat. Although still weak, the painful sensation of life draining away had disappeared, replaced by a deep, secure, and weary feeling of being enveloped in warmth.
Her azure eyes slowly closed, and she fell into a deep sleep while being supported by Akeno and Koneko. Her breathing became even and prolonged.
The two talismans—one for cleansing and one for nourishment—complemented each other, and the effect was immediate. They perfectly solved Asia's most urgent problem.
"That's great…" Kiba Yuuto breathed a sigh of relief, looking at Asia's peaceful sleeping face. His taut nerves slightly relaxed. "Shin's talismans truly work wonders at critical moments…"
Akeno looked at the unconscious Shin again, her eyes filled with admiration and gratitude. This precise and gentle auxiliary ability was sometimes more valuable than powerful combat strength in post-battle treatment.
Rias looked at Asia, who was sleeping peacefully, then at Shin on Kiba's back, whose breath was weak and who had expended so much to save her. Complex emotions filled her emerald eyes. There was relief, gratitude, and an indescribable heaviness. Shin had made immense contributions to the success of this rescue, but he had also paid an unimaginable price.
"This is no place to linger." Rias quickly composed herself, reconfirming that the surroundings were safe. "Although Raynare was severely wounded, she might still have other subordinates. We must return to the Occult Research Club immediately!"
She once again took on the role of commander, leading this scarred but successful team. Under the cover of night, they hastened towards Kuoh Academy, towards their safe haven, at an even faster pace.
The night was deep, and the escape continued. But within the group, there was less despair and more hope of success and the warmth of mutual support. The sacred girl could sleep peacefully, while the Eastern youth who brought this peace still hovered between life and death. Their destinies were more closely linked by this rescue.
...
📢 Author's Note
The full completed version of High School DxD: The Quiet Immortal Who Guides Devils (Part 1) is now available on Patreon!
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✅ Part 1 Complete — 116 Chapters
🔥 I also have additional **18+ fanfics** available for readers who enjoy exclusive mature stories. 😉
1. Dragon Ball: Oolong's Sex Adventure
2. Elements of Lust – ATLA & Korra Mixed Smut
3. Doraemon: Filtering with Nobi Tamako
4. The Naive Me Who Became Someone's Everyday Secret
5. High School DxD: Rias Gremory, the Phenex Bride
6. Versatile Mage: Awakening the Succubus System
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