The pale light of the crescent moon spilled over the dense forest on Kuoh Town's outskirts. The trees swayed in a cool breeze, their rustling leaves whispering secrets to the night. Mikhael stood at the edge of the treeline, cloaked in shadows, his crimson eyes narrowed as he studied the faint shimmer of magical energy in the distance.
His mission was simple in theory: Assist the stray demon Karel in escaping the territories of the Gremory and Sitri families. But here, in Kuoh Town, no mission ever remained simple for long. Even at this early stage in its supernatural significance, Kuoh was a crossroads of power and ambition. Its every street and shadow held danger for someone like him.
Mikhael's gloved hand slipped into his coat, retrieving the crumpled mission scroll. The Syndicate's instructions were as curt as ever. Secure Karel. Ensure his escape. No collateral damage.
"Sure," Mikhael muttered under his breath, tucking the scroll away. He adjusted his coat, the faint pulse of his own energy settling as he activated Mana Sense. A moment later, his vision sharpened, a faint golden thread stretching through the air ahead of him. Karel's trail.
The Forest's Edge
Mikhael's footsteps were silent as he moved toward the barrier, his Shadow Step weaving his presence into the surrounding darkness. Kuoh Town's magical defenses, though formidable, were far from flawless.
The shimmering barrier marked the boundary between mundane humans and the devils who guarded their secrets. It pulsed faintly with protective energy—an intricate weave of detection spells and mana absorption traps. Mikhael crouched low, examining the field with care.
This wasn't his first encounter with a barrier of this caliber. The Syndicate trained their agents to recognize and exploit the weaknesses in magical defenses. Mikhael reached into his coat, retrieving a small vial of shimmering liquid. The detection nullifier had been expensive, but necessary.
"Let's hope you're worth it, Karel," Mikhael muttered.
Pouring the liquid at the barrier's base, he watched as the energy field rippled and dimmed, a temporary blind spot forming in its weave. He stepped through without hesitation, the barrier snapping back into place behind him.
Kuoh's Silent Streets
The town was unnaturally quiet, its streets deserted save for the occasional flicker of a streetlamp. Mikhael moved with caution, sticking to the shadows as he followed Karel's trail. His Mana Sense highlighted faint traces of energy lingering on the edges of buildings and alleyways—wards, patrols, and surveillance spells.
Each step brought Mikhael closer to the heart of Gremory and Sitri territory. The two families maintained an uneasy truce over the town, their forces spread thin to guard its borders. It was that division that Mikhael relied on to succeed.
As he approached an intersection, Mikhael felt a sudden spike in magical energy. He pressed himself against the wall of a nearby building, activating Shadow Step to meld into the darkness.
Two devils passed by, their auras glowing faintly in the dim light. Mikhael recognized their uniforms—low-ranking members of the Gremory household's patrol force.
"We've swept the east sector," one of them said, their voice gruff. "No sign of the stray."
"Let's check the north," the other replied. "If he's still in town, he won't stay hidden for long."
Mikhael remained perfectly still as the devils moved on, their voices fading into the distance. Only when their energy signatures disappeared did he step out of the shadows, his crimson eyes gleaming with amusement.
"Amateurs," he muttered, continuing on his path.
Karel's Refuge
The trail led Mikhael to a derelict warehouse near Kuoh Academy. The building loomed over its surroundings, its broken windows and rusted doors giving it an air of abandonment. But the faint hum of magic told a different story.
Mikhael slipped inside, his movements silent. The interior was dimly lit, the air thick with the smell of mildew and decay. He spotted Karel almost immediately. The wiry demon paced nervously near a pile of broken crates, his glowing yellow eyes darting to every shadow.
"You're late," Karel hissed as soon as Mikhael approached.
"And you're loud," Mikhael replied, his tone calm but sharp. He stepped closer, his gaze scrutinizing the stray. Karel's energy was frayed, his mana reserves dangerously low. It was no wonder the Gremory and Sitri patrols had picked up his trail so easily.
"You need to calm down," Mikhael said, his voice low. "If they sense your energy spikes, this will end badly for both of us."
Karel scowled but nodded. "Fine. Just get me out of here."
Mikhael studied the room briefly, noting the makeshift wards Karel had set up—rudimentary and barely functional. "Here's the plan," he said. "We stick to the alleys and avoid the main roads. There are two barriers between here and the town's edge. I've dealt with one before, but the second will take some time to disable."
Karel hesitated, his claws fidgeting nervously. "What if they catch us?"
"They won't," Mikhael said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "But if they do, you'd better hope they kill you quickly."
Karel swallowed hard but nodded.
A Close Encounter
The two moved through Kuoh's alleys, their footsteps muffled by Mikhael's enchantments. The stray demon stuck close to Mikhael, his fear palpable.
As they approached a small park, Mikhael's Mana Sense flared. He stopped abruptly, motioning for Karel to do the same. Two powerful energy signatures were approaching from the north.
Mikhael guided Karel into the shadows, activating Shadow Step to conceal them both. Moments later, two figures emerged—a young girl with crimson hair and a calm, composed boy with glasses.
Rias Gremory and a Sitri scout.
Even as a child, Rias's presence was striking. Her fiery hair and confident posture radiated authority, though her energy felt raw and unrefined. The boy beside her, likely one of Sona Sitri's older pawns, was the opposite—calculated and meticulous.
"Do you sense anything?" Rias asked, her blue eyes scanning the area.
The scout adjusted his glasses. "There's residual energy nearby. It's faint, but it doesn't belong to anyone from this territory."
Rias frowned, her gaze lingering on the shadows where Mikhael and Karel hid.
Mikhael remained perfectly still, his breathing controlled. Even a faint shift in energy could betray their position.
"Let's inform the patrols," the scout said finally.
Rias nodded, though her expression remained skeptical. The two continued on their way, their conversation fading into the distance.
Karel exhaled sharply, his body trembling. "That was too close."
"Quiet," Mikhael snapped. "We're not out of this yet."
The Final Barrier
The outskirts of Kuoh were marked by a stronger barrier, its energy field pulsing with detection spells. Mikhael studied it carefully, noting the intricate runes etched into the air. This wasn't something he could bypass with brute force.
From his coat, he retrieved a dagger etched with runes. Kneeling by the barrier's edge, he began carving symbols into the ground, channeling his mana into disrupting the spell.
"What are you doing?" Karel whispered, his voice tinged with panic.
"Breaking it," Mikhael replied curtly. "Keep watch."
The process was painstaking, each rune requiring precise placement and timing. Mikhael's focus was absolute, his breathing steady as he worked.
Finally, the barrier shimmered and weakened, creating a narrow gap. Mikhael stood, motioning for Karel to follow.
"Go," he said.
The two slipped through the gap just as the barrier snapped back into place. Beyond it lay the safety of the forest.
The Payment
Once they were far from Kuoh, Karel handed Mikhael the artifact. The small, intricately carved amulet pulsed faintly in his hand, its surface etched with glowing runes.
Mikhael's crimson eyes narrowed as he studied it. "This is what you risked your life for?"
"It's powerful," Karel said defensively. "More than it looks."
Mikhael tucked the artifact into his coat, his expression unreadable. "Pleasure doing business with you."
Before Karel could respond, Mikhael activated Shadow Step, vanishing into the night.