Chapter 17 - Touka: Evan, why!?
"Not bad. Its power is already comparable to a standard magic blast."
The most basic way of using magic is to release demonic power like a shell or projectile.
But the Sitri clan's water-based magic lets one manipulate water, imbuing it with demonic power until it's no weaker than a typical magic blast—and because water can take any shape, you can freely mold it into all sorts of forms.
"Controlling water… No wonder the Sitri clan is among the top pure-blood devils and even produced someone like Serafall," Evan mused.
Achieving this level of mastery in such a short period was probably beyond even Sona's expectations.
"Est, watch what I can do for you."
Feeling affectionate, Evan finished his training and approached Est, who was watching anime.
He demonstrated the magic, shaping the water into Est's favorite characters, then into various foods.
Though they only had the shape, Evan's skill in the arts was very high—aside from color mismatches, the forms were remarkably lifelike. When he converted the water to a jelly-like consistency, Est even tried taking a bite, but of course it tasted like plain water.
"Haha, there's real jelly in the fridge. Go have some," Evan teased, ruffling Est's hair as she padded off to the refrigerator.
While Est was nibbling on jelly, Evan received a message on his phone.
The sender was Koneko, accompanied by a sticker of a crying cat. At once, he knew why: she must have just finished watching the Edgerunners anime.
With so many shows nowadays ending on a bright note, Edgerunners blindsides viewers with a painful twist in the final episode.
It certainly leaves people reeling.
Koneko would likely be moping for at least a week.
---
Three days slipped by quietly.
In that time, aside from a quick hello from Yayoi, nothing unusual happened.
Evan focused on honing his various abilities, successfully pushing his ki to a new threshold.
Each mythical faction measures power differently, and there's only sparse information on senjutsu.
Because he couldn't train in truly advanced senjutsu.
As a result, his body and mind advanced to the next level.
Ki not only strengthens the body and nourishes the spirit, but also unleashes a person's latent potential, much like in those brainrot novels.
Essentially, Evan converted latent power into actual strength.
His entire body underwent a transformation.
His five senses were so keen that even hushed conversation outside his soundproof apartment reached his ears.
The result was so dramatic that even he found it staggering—clearly, he'd underestimated ki.
The only downside was that he hadn't gained any powerful, large-scale attack. But that didn't matter too much.
He mentally gauged his current state, imagining a fight against the heads of major magic associations in the Campione! world—aside from not having quite as much combat experience, he wouldn't be outclassed.
Even in Campione!, that was unique.
Still, Evan felt no prideful conceit. With his abilities, it was only natural.
---
Nighttime.
They were nearly out of groceries, so Evan took Est to the largest supermarket in Kuoh Town.
With new strength, his day-to-day nutritional needs had soared, so they filled the cart with pricey ingredients.
Money wasn't an issue, and on top of that, Sona's generous payment for the recent job could cover fifty years of an ordinary family's expenses.
He also tossed in plenty of snacks Est liked.
Just as they were heading toward the exit, a sudden uproar broke out nearby.
Instead of leaving, the crowd came stampeding back into the store.
"Help! Somebody help!"
"Murder! There's a murderer!"
Panic and screams filled the air. A faint smell of blood drifted on the breeze.
Those chasing the fleeing shoppers were ghouls displaying their kagune.
The ghouls who'd revealed their kagune launched into a slaughter among the crowd, utterly without restraint.
In just a few seconds, several people met a gruesome end. The sight of blood and severed limbs only intensified the panic, and the entire mall descended into chaos.
Bathing in blood, the ghouls licked it greedily from their hands, tasting the warm metallic tang.
The commotion they were causing further incited their frenzy, adrenaline surging.
Confronted with the screams of the humans, the gloom they once felt under constant pressure lifted.
Their minds filled with the sense that "humans are trash—food".
"Humans were meant to be our prey!"
The ghouls rallied themselves. Whatever the Fallen Angels had ordered them to do, at least for now, they were having a good time.
But then they ran into someone in their way.
"What the hell are you scumbags doing?!"
Standing before them, kagune unfurled and eyes glowing red, was a high-school girl in a Kuoh Academy uniform—Touka Kirishima.
Witnessing this horrifying scene, she was furious. Not only were these criminals the same species as her, but now, with this brazen attack, they'd make life even harder for those ghouls who wanted to coexist peacefully.
After all, devils could have them all driven out (or worse) with just a word.
"Heh heh, you're one of us, aren't you? Come join in—can't you hear how sweet their screams are?"
Seeing Touka block the way, they extended a warm "invitation."
She replied by unleashing her kagune, smashing one of them into a wall.
"Who'd join you?!"
Right now, she wished she could kill them all.
"You dare attack me?"
The ghoul she'd struck clambered back up, quickly healing his injuries.
"All that 'peaceful co-existence' talk is so damn annoying. Doesn't matter—before long, we'll have our own turf in this world."
"As for traitors like you who feed on junk food, you'll be the first ones we eat!"
Their senses were frenzied by the taste of blood, and they rushed her en masse.
After a few exchanges, a sharp spike pierced Touka's shoulder. The intense pain nearly made her black out.
They were about to deliver a finishing blow when suddenly a sound tore through the air.
Before any of them could react, watery spikes penetrated the ghouls' skulls. In the blink of an eye, their brains were destroyed, and they collapsed in a heap—their bodies and kagune, suddenly limp as jelly.
"Even on a weekend, you lot can't settle down?"
A calm voice drifted by. Touka reflexively glanced behind her and saw someone standing there—Evan, who'd appeared without her noticing.
Her eyes widened; as soon as she recognized him, she quickly withdrew her kagune, her eyes reverting to normal.
"Evan…"
She was at a loss for words.
She and her friends tried to live as ordinarily as humans, rarely using their kagune.
But now this classmate of hers had witnessed everything.
"You did fine. Now, go call an ambulance."
"Those people who got attacked aren't dead yet—and you need first aid for your wound, too."
Having said that, Evan stepped past her toward the ghoul he'd intentionally left alive.
Touka looked at him in astonishment, never imagining that the always-cool Evan would…show concern for her.
And she was a ghoul.
Even if she didn't consume human flesh, she was still an outsider.
Yet, when she recalled his gaze from moments ago, it felt as though it probed the softest part of her heart.
She was snapped out of her reverie by the surviving ghoul's pained screams.
Hastily, she pulled out her phone to call for emergency services, and did her best to help the injured.
Meanwhile, Evan used water spikes to pin the last remaining ghoul's limbs—and kagune—to the floor, pressing his foot upon the ghoul's head.
"Spill it. What's going on?"
Under extreme pain, the ghoul's eyes cleared, and he quickly explained everything he knew.
It was fuzzy information, but at least it pointed to the Fallen Angels pulling the strings.
"I see…"
A contemplative light flashed in Evan's eyes. He'd more or less guessed as much.
This was just a diversion by the Fallen Angels.
These ghouls were nothing but cannon fodder, dragged out to draw attention.
The real target was probably Rias and her group. In all likelihood, they'd be heading here soon.
He turned around to call out:
"Touka, fill Rias in for me, okay?"
"Huh—me?!"
Touka, who was busy dressing someone's wounds, looked over her shoulder in shock, only to find that Evan had vanished without a trace.
---
Late night in the mountains near Kuoh Town.
A church lay at the summit, its battered structure steeped in the weight of history.
Cracks in the old stone walls were entwined with vines, as though lamenting forgotten days.
Under cover of darkness, the place was eerily still. Yet deep in its basement, a special ritual was taking place.
Raynare gazed at the unconscious Issei bound to a cross, smiling faintly.
"Let's get started."
Then she shot Tatara and his group a contemptuous look.
"All of you, out."
"Keep an eye on this place. Don't let anyone in until the ritual's done."
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