The return trip was quiet. Not much was said, just moving with purpose.
They stepped through the crimson seal and into the Occult Research Club's room. It was the same place as always, cozy and familiar. A small break from everything that just happened.
Asia Argento gasped the moment they appeared in the room, her emerald eyes wide with panic. "Issei-san! Kiba-san! Koneko-chan! What happened?!"
Her Sacred Gear—Twilight Healing—flared into radiant life, the soft golden-green glow encircling her hands. Despite her fear, she moved quickly, kneeling between the three with trembling focus.
"I-I'll start healing right away, please just hang on!" she said, voice laced with worry but filled with determination. Her hands hovered gently over their wounds as the restorative light began to pour over them, her prayer-like whispers matching the rhythm of her sacred power.
"Please hold still," she whispered, her voice warm and gentle as green-golden light began to wash over Issei, Kiba, and Koneko's wounds.
Anisphia, standing nearby, leaned forward with wide, fascinated eyes. "Ooooh~! Look at that! That's divine-class healing output!"
Before she could get closer, Hajime reached out calmly and grabbed the back of her collar, lifting her with one hand like a misbehaving cat.
"Observe respectfully," he said flatly.
Anisphia pouted, arms flailing slightly in mock protest. "You're hindering my academic curiosity!"
Alice giggled behind her hand. "Maybe save the curiosity until after everyone's bandaged."
Sagiri stood quietly to one side, now dressed in her Kuoh Academy uniform. She watched the exchange with mild amusement, but she remained sharp, her eyes flicking toward the doors as if already anticipating the next arrival.
Right on cue, the doors opened.
Sona Shitori entered with measured steps, her Student Council armband pristine and her presence composed. Beside her walked Tsubaki Shinra, ever elegant, her gaze calm and compose.
"Forgive the intrusion," Sona said as her eyes scanned the room. "We came upon the energy spike too late, but the aftermath was… quiet informative."
Her gaze landed on Hajime, then swept toward Alice and Anisphia.
"Thank you. All of you. We'll begin the debriefing now."
Rias stepped forward beside Sona, her eyes settling on Issei.
"Issei, tell us everything. From the start until when we arrived."
Issei, now sitting upright with Asia's healing still washing over him, nodded shakily. "It started when we picked up a strange aura near the park. It felt like holy energy but tainted.. It's not like the one Fallen uses but a little close. When we got there, Freed was already waiting… and he had….. an Excalibur."
Kiba's jaw tightened. ".....It wasn't like any of the fragment I've seen, and there was something in it that threw us off."
Koneko added, "...both him and the Excalibur have the same scent... it's powering them up…. And that smell was something out of the ordinary."
Sona exchanged a glance with Rias.
"That confirms the readings Tsubaki and I reviewed," Sona said. "This isn't just about Excalibur anymore. There's another force at play."
Sagiri stepped forward quietly, her gaze calm but intense. "Our clan's scouts have been tracking similar anomalies. We've seen ritual sites taking advantage of the leyline nexuses and those locations tainted with energy that doesn't match any known faction's style."
She looked at Sona and Rias directly. "We think they are using some catalyst to strengthen them and their tools. And whatever that something is, probably did not come from any known forces. We believe this isn't a coincidence but rather a planned, coordinated attack."
Sona's expression tightened slightly, her fingers folding behind her back as she processed the implication. "Outsider influence... that confirms far more than we expected."
Rias's eyes narrowed, her gaze shifting subtly toward Hajime and his group. "And you've encountered this energy before, haven't you?"
Her tone wasn't accusatory but carried suspicion wrapped in curiosity.
Sona mirrored the glance, her eyes analytical. "You recognized the corruption too quickly to be new to it. Tell us what you know."
Alice and Anisphia both looked to Hajime instinctively. An unspoken conversation passed between them, and Hajime gave a nod.
Alice stepped forward, "Yes, you right… it's something we've encountered before. We've deal with similar corruptions before, these anomalies are caused by something called Stellaron."
Alice pauses briefly, organizing her thoughts before continuing.
"Stellarons are mysterious objects that spread across the universe like a cancerous growth, which led them to be nicknamed the Cancer of All Worlds. They cause energy outbreaks, called Fragmentum, it corrupts, devours and slowly changes the area they have attached.
Anisphia chimed in, folding her arms. "And if this 'Excalibur' was enchanted by this, then someone's trying to supercharge sacred artifacts using it. Which will absolutely lead to a very dangerous situation."
Alice nodded. "They're trying to fuse foreign matter, Which they don't even know how to properly handle, to native holy relics. This often lead into a disaster which is more than they can handle."
Sona's gaze sharpened slightly, and Rias folded her arms, processing the implications.
"You really aren't just transfer students," Rias said slowly, eyeing the three of them again.
Sagiri, who had been listening silently, let out a small sigh, "They've been at Yuragi-sou for weeks. I've seen them every day. They're secretive, yes, but honest and good people. They're not our enemies."
Rias's gaze flickered toward her peerage—Issei, Kiba, and Koneko—before settling again on Hajime's group. "I'll believe in you," she said slowly, "but this… changes things. If what you're saying is true, we're dealing with something far beyond this world's boundaries."
Sona stepped beside her, adjusting her glasses with a sharp glint in her eyes. "This Stellaron phenomenon… Are you suggesting that its presence alone could fracture the balance of our world's structure, including its leyline integrity and factional stability?"
Alice nodded without hesitation. "That's exactly what we're implying."
The rest of the Gremory peerage listened in silence, the weight of the truth settling over them. Kiba's eyes lingered on the trio with thoughtful curiosity. Koneko tilted her head, as if reassessing them entirely. And Issei—though still wincing slightly from his wounds—looked between Anisphia and Alice with a growing sense of respect.
Rias finally sighed, folding her arms once more. "Then we'll need to work together. If what's coming can threaten sacred relics and breach worlds… we can't afford to stand alone."
Hajime stepped forward, voice steady but firm. "Agreed. We'll cooperate. Whoever is doing this, is an issue bigger than any one side could handle. And if it threatens this world… then we'll stand with you to stop it."
Sona gave a thoughtful nod, her arms now folded in front of her. "Then the next step is coordination. We need to exchange intelligence, align surveillance efforts, and begin preparing defensive countermeasures. I'll assign Momo and Reya to liaise with your team since you're already acquainted and from the same class, it will streamline communication."
Rias added, "We'll also begin monitoring leyline fluctuations more carefully. If more of this appeared, we need to respond fast."
Sagiri nodded in quiet agreement, stepping forward once more. "The Chuuma Ninjas will also assist. We've already deployed scouts to the surrounding regions and can report on any further disturbances. Our network is discreet, and our agents are trained to observe and move without drawing attention. We'll coordinate our efforts through the school as needed."
Sona nodded in approval. "Then it's settled. We'll begin establishing an integrated information loop between the Student Council, Gremory's peerage, the Chuuma Ninjas, and your group."
She gestured to Tsubaki, who immediately opened her tablet terminal. "Each faction will upload their field reports, leyline analysis, and energy fluctuation patterns. We'll cross-reference them through our monitors and use Kuoh Academy's secure channel to relay alerts."
Hajime stepped forward, His terminal interface light up faintly. "I'll configure our Void Archives to recognize your magic signatures for smoother synchronization. We'll provide past logs of Stellaron encounters, it is a limited access, but has enough data for pattern recognition."
"We'll handle coordination with your team at the academy," Tsubaki said smoothly, stepping forward. "Daily updates, patrol shifts, and anomaly detection. I'll also relay any Student Council findings directly to your group for streamlined response."
Akeno finally spoke. "With all of this… we might actually get ahead of the next move."
As the room settled into a quieter intensity, the members of the Gremory peerage remained contemplative. Kiba glanced between Hajime and Anisphia, his thoughts hidden but intrigued. They move like a battle-hardened team… but there's more to them than just discipline. That energy, those emblems, aren't simple.
Koneko stared at Alice a moment longer, her head slightly tilted. She's gentle… but her magic and spells aren't like ours.
Issei, shifting slightly as he stretched his arm, grinned sheepishly. "Man… you guys are really something. Transfer students? More like hidden bosses."
Anisphia beamed. "Why thank you~ We do aim to leave an impression."
With everyone on the same page, the group began to settle down. Plans were in motion, and things felt more manageable. For now, that was enough.