"A friend to me is someone who remains beyond death."
— Fushi, To Your Eternity
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"Hmph! I'll eliminate you!" Rias declared, ready to unleash her fury on the Stray Devil.
Roy, however, gently held her back. "Hold on, Rias. Let's observe for a bit," he said with a smile.
Rias, though puzzled, complied.
"It's Breathing Styles!" she exclaimed, her eyes widening as she recognized the technique the three girls were using to evade the Stray Devil's attacks.
Those three were using Breathing Styles, a technique that only Roy knew. What was their connection to him? Rias looked at Roy questioningly.
"I saw some potential in them, so I taught them Breathing Styles," Roy explained casually.
"But they haven't mastered it yet. Facing that Stray Devil is dangerous," Mitsuri commented, observing the three girls.
Without proper mastery of Breathing Styles, they were no match for the Stray Devil.
"I believe in them," Roy said, his gaze filled with confidence as he watched the three girls.
They were on the verge of mastering the technique. Once they did, they should be able to defeat the Stray Devil if they worked together.
This battle was precisely what they needed.
❁❁❁❁
"Aika, what do we do? We're going to die at this rate!" Murayama cried out, dodging the Stray Devil's attacks.
"Yeah, let's run!" Katase added, panting heavily.
"No! If we run, those girls will be eaten!" Aika declared resolutely.
Earlier, when they encountered the Stray Devil, one of its attacks had accidentally struck a girl who had been enthralled by the monster.
The girl was now unconscious. If they abandoned her, she would die.
"But we'll all die here if we don't think of something!" Murayama's words gave Aika pause.
Their lives versus the life of that one girl... the choice seemed obvious.
But Aika couldn't bring herself to abandon the girl.
Was there truly no other way?
In this moment of crisis, Aika felt a sense of calm descend upon her. Her breathing became steady and rhythmic.
Breathing?
Aika suddenly recalled the time Roy taught them Breathing Styles.
Back then, Roy had effortlessly sliced through a wooden post with a single swing of his sword.
Remembering that scene, Aika's eyes lit up.
She took a deep breath, visibly inhaling a large amount of air.
Power surged through her body. She had activated Water Breathing.
With a determined smile, Aika charged towards the Stray Devil.
"Aika!" Murayama and Katase gasped.
Aika effortlessly dodged the Stray Devil's fist and struck its arm with her wooden sword.
Thwack!
Blood splattered.
Aika had actually injured the Stray Devil with just a wooden sword.
Murayama and Katase were stunned.
However, Aika frowned as she looked at the shallow wound on the Stray Devil's arm.
Such a minor injury wouldn't affect the Stray Devil at all.
She dodged another attack and retreated.
"Use Breathing Styles! It's the only way we can defeat it!" she urged Murayama and Katase.
"Breathing Styles?"
The two girls weren't stupid. Recalling Roy's demonstration and witnessing Aika's attack, they understood.
Their breathing changed, and they unconsciously activated Water Breathing. Their fatigue vanished, replaced by a surge of energy.
Aika smiled, seeing that they had also grasped the technique.
Just then, a flow of information appeared in her mind.
Her eyes widened, and she shouted, "Let's go!"
"Yes!" Murayama and Katase replied in unison.
The three girls charged towards the Stray Devil.
Murayama and Katase drew its attention, while Aika leaped into the air, positioning herself above the Stray Devil's neck.
"Water Breathing, First Form: Water Surface Slash!" she shouted.
Aika's wooden sword, enhanced by Water Breathing, sliced through the Stray Devil's neck like a wave crashing against the shore.
Thwack!
Blood gushed out as the Stray Devil's head was severed.
Thud!
Its massive body collapsed to the ground.
The three girls, exhausted but victorious, collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.
"We finally killed it! Huff... huff..."
"How can such scary creature exist in this world?"
"By the way, Aika, what was that move you used?" Murayama asked curiously.
"Um... it just appeared in my mind. I don't know," Aika replied, shaking her head.
Just then...
Clap, clap, clap!
"Well done!" a voice praised them.
"Eh? Buchou?!" the three girls exclaimed in unison.
Roy smiled at their surprised reactions.
❁❁❁❁
He brought the three girls and the unconscious student back to his castle.
In the living room, Roy explained the situation to Aika, Murayama, and Katase.
They finally learned what that creature was: a Stray Devil. They couldn't believe such things existed in this world.
And their beloved Buchou was a Devil Noble! They didn't know what that meant exactly, but it sounded impressive.
"Remember the surprise I promised if you mastered Breathing Styles within a month?" Roy asked with a smile.
"The surprise?"
"What is it?"
"I'm so excited!"
The three girls looked at him with anticipation.
"This is your surprise..." Roy revealed three Pawn pieces.
"Pieces?" The girls looked at the pieces with confusion.
"These are Evil Pieces. If you merge with them, you'll become my Devil servants," Roy explained.
"Become Devils?"
"Become Buchou's servants?"
The girls grasped the key points.
"Does that mean we can be with Buchou forever?" Aika asked, adjusting her glasses.
"You could say that."
"Then I accept!" Aika took one of the pieces without hesitation.
She had always admired Roy, perhaps even to an obsessive degree.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have been so bold as to bite him during class.
Now, presented with this opportunity, she wouldn't refuse.
Murayama and Katase, seeing Aika's immediate acceptance, also reached out and took a piece each.
Roy smiled.
He then proceeded with the reincarnation ritual.
Soon, the three girls were successfully transformed into Devils.
"Congratulations, Roy. You've gained three more exceptional servants," Rias said, her voice laced with both admiration and envy.
Why couldn't she find such exceptional servants?
Rias looked at Aika, Murayama, and Katase, feeling a pang of jealousy.
Roy chuckled, seeing her reaction. "Rias, your standards are too high. normal humans have great potential too, you know."
"Exactly! I've been telling you that for a long time, but you never listen!" Akeno chimed in with a smile.
"Akeno..." Rias pouted, but she knew they were right.
Aika, Murayama, and Katase were ordinary humans with no Sacred Gears or special bloodlines.
Yet, after just a month of practicing Breathing Styles, they could defeat Low-Class Devils.
And after becoming Devils, their strength was already approaching that of Middle-Class Devils.
With a bit more training, they would be as strong as Koneko.
Rias couldn't help but feel envious.
She decided that from tomorrow onwards, she would actively search for talented students in Kuoh Academy.
❁❁❁❁
To celebrate the addition of three new members, Shizuka and the others prepared a grand feast.
After dinner, Roy waited alone in his room.
Every night, Saeko and the others would take turns "visiting" him.
Roy didn't interfere with their arrangement and was actually quite curious who it would be tonight.
Click
The door opened.
A graceful figure entered the dark room.
"Rias?"
"Mm! Don't speak," Rias whispered, covering his mouth with her hand.
Earlier, while they were eliminating the monster, Roy had jokingly suggested that Rias come to his room tonight to "Explore" his techniques.
He hadn't expected her to actually show up.
Roy didn't hold back, showcasing his various techniques. They spent the entire night together, their passionate embrace lasting until dawn.
❁❁❁❁
Their peaceful daily life resumed.
One day, however, Rias brought home a new girl.
"This is Kiyome Abe, the captain of the Tennis Club," Rias introduced her with a smile. "She's from the Abe Clan, a family of Magicians. She's now my Bishop."
After Roy's advice, Rias had lowered her standards when searching for servants.
She had discovered Kiyome Abe, but Kiyome had initially been reluctant to become a Devil.
Rias had put in a lot of effort to persuade her.
"Nice to meet you all," Kiyome greeted everyone with a bow.
She was a beautiful girl with long, wavy blonde hair and a stunning figure.
Roy recognized her. She hadn't appeared in the anime, but she was in the manga.
When she was forced into an arranged marriage by her father, she had sought help from Rias.
However, Kiyome was supposed to have a low opinion of the Devils at Kuoh Academy.
Roy wondered how Rias had managed to convince her to become her servant.
Kiyome didn't seem to dislike Devils as much as she was supposed to.
After the introductions, Rias turned to Akeno and Koneko. "We just received a mission to eliminate a Stray Devil. This is a good opportunity for everyone to get to know each other. Let's get ready to depart."
"Uh, I have some free time. I'll come along," Roy offered.
Rias nodded in agreement.
"Buchou, we want to go too!" Aika, Murayama, and Katase raised their hands eagerly.
They usually trained at Roy's castle after school but returned home at night.
Nezuko, Saya, and the others also looked at him expectantly.
"Alright, everyone can come," Roy relented, except for Shizuka and Saeko, who were busy preparing dinner.
"Come back soon!" Shizuka called out from the kitchen, waving a spoon.
"Don't worry, we'll be back before dinner!" Roy assured her.
He activated a teleportation circle, and they vanished.
...
"This is the place, right?" Roy looked at the abandoned warehouse.
"Yes, the Stray Devil is inside," Rias confirmed.
"I can sense its presence," Koneko added.
"Since the higher-ups issued an extermination order, this Stray Devil must be dangerous. Be careful, everyone," Rias warned.
Roy shrugged, unconcerned.
He glanced at the girls behind him and felt a bit sorry for the Stray Devil.
It probably didn't expect to be ganged up on by so many people.
They opened the warehouse door and entered.
"Aah..." A frail girl with blue hair was cowering behind a pipe, gasping for breath.
"Someone's injured!" Aika exclaimed, mistaking the girl for a human.
She was about to approach her when Roy stopped her.
"Don't be fooled. That's the Stray Devil," he warned.
"Eh? That cute girl?" Aika, Murayama, and Katase were dumbfounded.
They couldn't believe such an adorable girl could be a Stray Devil.
"Roar!"
Suddenly, the girl's appearance changed, transforming into a monstrous spider-like creature. It lunged at them with a roar.
Aika, Murayama, and Katase were startled.
"Koneko, Akeno, engage! Kiyome, you observe for now. It's your first time dealing with a Stray Devil," Rias commanded.
"You can join in as well," Roy said to the other girls, waving his hand.
After the incident with the alchemist's monster, Rias no longer refused his help.
"Heehee, watch my Growlithe!" Alice giggled, releasing her Pokémon.
"Woof woof!" Growlithe barked excitedly.
"Growlithe, use Ember!" Alice commanded, pointing at the Stray Devil.
"Woof!"
Growlithe obeyed, unleashing a small burst of flames.
However, it didn't harm the Stray Devil.
This was understandable. The Stray Devil was at the peak of Middle-Class Devil level.
Growlithe was still too young, but that didn't dampen Alice's enthusiasm.
With Koneko and Akeno holding the front line, there was no danger to her.
Seeing Alice having so much fun, Makomo, Nezuko, and Asia also released their Pokémon.
"Go, Squirtle!"
"Go, Vulpix!"
"Go, Pikachu!"
"Squirtle, use Water Gun!"
"Squirtle!"
"Vulpix, use Fire Spin!"
"Vul!"
"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"
"Pika!"
Although their attacks didn't harm the Stray Devil, they served as a distraction.
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