[226] : Preparing to Level Up—Light Gloves?

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Although Mika could abandon his Devil form at any time, he wouldn't betray Rias. She treated him not as a servant, but as family.

Even Akeno, Yuuto, and Koneko had welcomed him warmly.

He couldn't bring himself to harm them.

Therefore, he couldn't simply attack any random Devil.

Angels and Fallen Angels were also out of the question. As a Devil, killing a Six-Winged Angel or Fallen Angel, equivalent to a High-class Devil or higher, could trigger a war between the Three Factions.

He knew they were all weary of the conflict and were on the verge of signing a peace treaty.

Provoking a war at this juncture would make him a target for their leaders.

He couldn't simply abandon this world; the potential rewards were too great.

Therefore, his only option was to choose an opponent from among those Rias and her peerage would face in the original story.

The most obvious candidate was Riser Phenex—As an elite High-class, defeating him would probably provide enough experience for Mika.

However, killing him was practically impossible. As a descendant of the Phoenix, Riser has the ability to resurrect indefinitely.

To truly kill him, Mika would have to destroy his soul.

Furthermore, if Rias challenged him to a Rating Game, the battle would take place in a separate dimension, where defeated combatants were simply teleported out.

Death was rare in Rating Games, especially against an opponent like Riser, renowned for his regenerative abilities.

Therefore, targeting Riser for a level-up wasn't feasible, not because he couldn't be defeated, but because he couldn't be killed.

That left only one other suitable candidate: Kokabiel, one of the Fallen Angel Cadres, a powerful being close to the Ultimate-class.

In the future, Kokabiel—would instigate the Holy Sword incident and attack the Occult Research Club.

He would eventually be defeated by Vali.

Targeting Kokabiel was ideal—As someone who actively sought conflict between the Three Factions, his death wouldn't cause any lasting repercussions.

After all, he had intended to harm Rias and her peerage. Even Sirzechs Lucifer would likely protect Mika if he killed Kokabiel under such circumstances.

However, there was one major drawback: Kokabiel was powerful. Before arriving in this world, Mika wouldn't have stood a chance. But now—victory wasn't impossible.

"Defeating Kokabiel—that's a tall order," Mika mused, lying on his bed.

…

The next day, Mika woke up early, dressed in casual clothes instead of his uniform. After all, he was going to an amusement park with Rias; a school uniform wouldn't be appropriate.

He met her at the school gates.

She was dressed in casual attire, her beauty even more radiant than usual.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Mika."

"Not at all. I just arrived," he replied with a smile.

"By the way, I checked. There doesn't seem to be an amusement park in Kuoh Town."

"It's alright. We'll go somewhere else." Rias didn't mind; her objective was simply to spend time with him.

"In that case, I'll leave the planning to you."

"Leave it to me!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him along.

…

They spent Saturday and Sunday exploring the surrounding areas, having so much fun that they extended their trip, returning only on Sunday evening.

Rias's mood had improved significantly after their outing.

Upon their return—they were relentlessly teased by Akeno, who, as Rias's best friend, knew exactly what they had been up to.

However, they quickly teamed up and silenced her, forcing her to promise not to reveal their…activities.

…

With the weekend over, school resumed.

Thanks to Rias's influence, Mika often skipped classes, focusing on his training—Knowing his next opponent, his desire for strength intensified—He dedicated all his time to honing his abilities, even neglecting his studies.

Rias, believing he was working so hard for her sake, was deeply touched. She showered him with affection—much to his amusement.

…

That evening, Issei and Asia returned to the Occult Research Club after completing their flyer distribution duties.

Issei had taken his promise to care for Asia seriously. They always worked together.

"Asia, starting tonight, you'll be starting your real Devil work," Rias announced.

"President, I want to go with Asia!" Issei pleaded.

"Very well." With a flash of light, they vanished within the magic circle.

"They're so cute together," Rias murmured, watching them go, then turned to Mika, a hint of worry in her eyes.

"Mika—are you certain we can win?"

Mika, thinking she was comparing their relationship to Issei and Asia's, approached her and said earnestly, "I will not lose you to anyone."

...

The next morning, before Mika woke up—a figure burst into his room.

"Well? Any progress, Gabriel?" he asked, already awake.

As a Devil, he no longer required sleep, but he still enjoyed it.

And even while sleeping, he could sense any changes in his surroundings.

"Mika, I've completely deciphered the nature of the—Power of Light!" Gabriel exclaimed excitedly.

"You're amazing, Gabriel!" He was delighted.

After all, he would soon be facing Riser Phenex, who possessed the power of [immortality].

Wielding the Power of Light would give him a significant advantage.

Gabriel beamed, then her expression turned serious.

"Although I understand its nature, I can't have you fully master it in such a short time. You're a Devil, after all—According to the [God of the Bible's] system—Devils, who wield the power of darkness, and Angels, who wield the power of light, are diametrically opposed. They cannot coexist."

Mika nodded, understanding her explanation.

However, he also knew that this was the 'old' system.

"But the [God of the Bible] is dead," Gabriel pointed out.

"His death created loopholes in the system—weakening the once-absolute rules. It's not impossible for a Devil to wield the Power of Light now. I just need more time to refine the technique."

"I'll leave it to you then." He had complete faith in Gabriel's abilities.

Besides—her theory would be proven correct in the future by Yuuto Kiba, who would eventually wield both demonic and Holy powers, achieving a [Balance Breaker] state known as [Sword of Betrayer].

This feat would have been impossible before the God of the Bible's death.

"While mastering the Power of Light will take time, I can allow you to use it," Gabriel said.

"How?"

"Like an Exorcist."

Mika remembered the Stray Exorcist he had encountered, wielding a light-based pistol and a blade of light.

He had taken those weapons after killing the Exorcist.

While Gabriel studied Dohnaseek—Mika had examined the weapons.

"You don't need specialized equipment like that Exorcist. A simple barrier to separate the light from your body will suffice."

"Like—A Glove?"

"Yes, a glove would be ideal." Gabriel nodded. "Then let's begin crafting your light-channeling Gloves."

She turned to leave for her workshop.

"Wait for me! I'll help!" Now that he was awake, there was no point in going back to sleep. He followed her.

…

"Damn it! I'm late!" Looking at the clock, Mika rushed out of his apartment, heading towards Kuoh Academy. He hadn't attended classes in days, preferring to train at the Occult Research Club. Being late for school wasn't a big deal.

But as he was halfway there, a surge of intense magical power erupted from the old school building, followed by another, filled with destructive energy.

"What's that?" He activated his [Observation Haki], sensing the situation within the school.

"So it's today—Riser Phenex has arrived." He remembered; Riser's arrival meant the Rating Game was about to begin.

"What a coincidence." He quickly made his way towards Kuoh Academy.

...

...

Within the Occult Research Club, Rias and Riser faced each other, their bodies radiating menacing auras.

Both were High-class Devils.

While Rias hadn't participated in any Rating Games yet, the [Power of Destruction] inherited from her mother's family made her a formidable opponent.

As for Riser—his immortality made him practically invincible among his peers.

To defeat him, one had to completely destroy both his body and his soul.

Such power was incredibly rare—even in the Underworld.

"Lady Rias, Lord Riser, please calm yourselves. If you continue this, I will be forced to intervene. I won't hesitate to act, for the sake of Sirzechs-sama's reputation." A cold, clear voice interrupted their confrontation.

Both Rias and Riser froze, recognizing the voice and the silver-haired maid who stood before them.

They were both wary of her due to her power and status:

Grayfia Lucifuge, The most powerful Queen in the Underworld.

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