Chapter 55: The Curtain Rises — Angels and Devils Collide

{Omniscient POV}

The magic circle flared bright beneath their feet. Crimson light erupted like a blooming flower of war as Rias Gremory and her peerage fully materialized into the blood-stained room.

Kiba stepped forward without hesitation, his sword materializing in a shimmer of demonic power.

"Get away from Issei," he said coldly.

Freed barely had time to grin before Kiba struck.

Their swords clashed, light against shadow, the sound of steel and force colliding in the tight space.

Rias's voice cut through the chaos, calm but carrying weight.

"Freed Sellzen. Excommunicated priest. Aligned with the Fallen Angels. You're not welcome in my territory."

Freed chuckled, licking blood from a shallow cut on his cheek. "Territory? Oh, sweetheart, I'm just cleaning up trash. You know how it is."

"You murdered an innocent human," Rias said, her eyes glowing faintly red.

"And you brought devils to a crime scene," Freed countered.

Rias didn't reply.

She simply raised her hand.

Magic flared—and a sphere of demonic energy slammed into Freed's chest, launching him into the far wall with enough force to crack it.

He coughed, a little stunned, but his grin never faded. "Okay. That one stung."

As Kiba pressed the attack, and Rias strode forward with power radiating off her like a wave, something shifted in the air.

Something colder. Heavier.

Koneko, who had been eyeing Freed with unblinking calm, paused.

She tilted her head.

Then looked up.

"...Fallen Angels," she said flatly.

Everyone stopped.

Above them, space shimmered. The ceiling seemed to ripple—then distort.

And from the shadows…

Came presence.

two signatures.

two auras.

And at that moment—

The air shimmered again.

Malrik dismissed the invisibility spell with a soft flick of his fingers.

In an instant, three figures appeared at the far side of the room—Malrik, arms crossed and grinning; Aika, with a small pulse of magic glowing beneath her feet; and Mittelt, her wings fully out, eyes already narrowed.

The tension in the room snapped like a rubber band.

"Wha—?!" Issei gasped from the floor, his eyes widening.

Rias's eyes shot to Malrik, her mouth parting slightly in surprise.

Malrik glanced up casually toward the rooftop, where the Fallen Angels' aura thickened like a storm about to break.

"Looks like our prey finally arrived," he said with a smirk.

Showtime. 

———

As the tension spiked, Malrik raised his left hand calmly. A soft crackle echoed through the ruined house as a shimmering magic circle formed beneath his feet—unlike any demonic, angelic, or divine signature the others had seen before.

From the swirling arcane runes, a sphere of pure crystal emerged—levitating in his palm, humming with compressed magic.

It pulsed with light.

"Let's seal this place down," Malrik said, as if he were commenting on the weather.

The crystal flashed once—then sent out a pulse. The air around the house thickened, warping like heat haze. The barrier clicked into place silently, undetectable to anyone outside… unless they were significantly stronger than the one who cast it.

In other words: no one was getting in.

Or out.

Not without permission.

Malrik handed the glowing crystal orb to Mittelt, who caught it with practiced ease.

"This holds the anchor," he said. "Take care of it."

Mittelt nodded, her expression serious for once. "Be careful. Raynare and Kalawarna might not be strong enough to beat you… but they're still dangerous."

From the side, Aika gave a sly grin. "Ara~ Mittelt-chan, are you worried about him? How adorable."

Mittelt turned red instantly. "W-What?! No! I-I'm just saying he's reckless, that's all!"

Malrik just laughed under his breath and turned his gaze forward.

The tension was broken by a sneering voice.

Freed Sellzen—still bloodied from Issei's surprise attack and his clash with Kiba—pointed his glowing blade at Malrik.

"And just who the hell are you?" he spat. "Another human? Don't tell me you've been bewitched by devils too."

Malrik didn't answer.

He was still looking up—still waiting.

The Fallen Angels were almost here.

Raynare… Kalawarna.

Any moment now.

Freed snarled, offended by being ignored. "Fine then. I'll exorcise your arrogant ass first!"

He lunged forward, fast and unhinged, blade outstretched and screaming toward Malrik's chest.

Asia gasped from where she was kneeling. "Malrik-san?! Be careful!"

She turned to Rias and her group in a panic. "Why aren't you helping him?! He's just—"

"There's no need to worry," Rias said calmly, arms crossed. "He can handle himself."

Akeno smiled softly. "Ara~ this is going to be fun to watch."

Asia looked back, eyes wide, just in time to see Malrik take a casual step to the side.

Freed's blade cut through air.

Before Freed could recover, a foot drove into his ribs.

The impact cracked the wall behind him as he slammed into it with a grunt of agony.

"Gghhhhaaaa—!" he coughed, blood spilling from his mouth.

His eyes were wide with disbelief.

"H-How… how is a human this strong?! I don't sense any divine protection… no angelic blessing… no Sacred Gear output! What are you?!"

Malrik turned, finally looking at him for the first time.

"I'm the one who told you to sit down."

His voice was calm.

Lethal.

Freed slumped to the ground, trying to breathe as he held his ribs, trembling.

Everyone watched in stunned silence.

Even Koneko blinked once. "...He's even stronger than yesterday."

Kiba exhaled slowly. "He didn't even flinch."

From her spot beside Issei, Asia stared with awe.

He wasn't a devil.

Wasn't a priest.

Wasn't even a proper Sacred Gear user—at least not one she could identify.

But he moved like a veteran killer.

And yet…

When he glanced her way, he smiled.

Warm. Calm.

She didn't understand it.

Not yet.

Because this battle wasn't over.

Not by a long shot.

From above—the ripple in the ceiling finally broke.

Wings of black light began to descend.

Malrik looked up once more and muttered under his breath:

"Showtime."

----

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