He's...drinking… tea?
Xenovia and Irina were stunned at the sight of Lynn's relaxed posture.
Did this guy even realize what was going on right now?
Rias froze for a moment.
His suggestion just now?
She subconsciously glanced at Koneko.
So… the "deal with what comes next" part…
He didn't mean Freed?
He meant Kokabiel?!
She had thought Lynn was referring to that crazy priest from earlier. But…
Lynn's words reminded her.
Even though Kokabiel was strong, they still had Kuroka on their side!
Even if she couldn't defeat him, she could at least stall for time, right?
As long as Sona noticed something was wrong, she would definitely contact the Maous for support.
Besides…
Although she didn't know Lynn's exact strength, anyone who could subdue someone as dangerous as Kuroka had to be far stronger than the rest of them.
With both Lynn and Kuroka, they could definitely hold out against Kokabiel until the Maous arrived. But…
Was she really going to hand Koneko over to Lynn?
"What a waste."
Suddenly, Kokabiel spoke, interrupting Rias's thoughts.
His cold gaze was on the Fused Excalibur.
Clearly, he was referring to Freed.
Then, his eyes moved to Kuroka, a flicker of surprise flashing in them.
"It's rare to see an Ultimate-Class Devil in a small town like Kuoh..."
He sounded impressed. But…
He didn't take an Ultimate-Class Devil seriously.
Kokabiel narrowed his eyes and shifted his gaze to Lynn, who was sitting leisurely on the sofa as if nothing was happening.
Oh?
Acting this calm in front of him?
"Should I say..."
"Is this ignorance... or just arrogance?"
His voice turned cold.
"How dare you remain so relaxed in front of me!"
Couldn't he see how even the High-Class Devils around him were trembling?
And yet, this guy had the nerve to sit there and sip tea?
The more he thought about it, the more irritated Kokabiel became.
Boom!
His overwhelming aura suddenly burst out!
The violent pressure swept through the area like a storm!
The already-damaged Occult Research Club building was completely flattened!
Rias was stunned.
Just the pressure alone had done that?
She gritted her teeth, trying to resist the force!
But her magic was depleted. After only a few seconds, she couldn't hold out and was blasted backward!
Xenovia planted Durandal into the ground and forced herself to stay upright.
Irina clung to her waist, trying not to be swept away.
Akeno and Koneko took several steps back, clearly at their limit.
Kuroka suddenly appeared in front of them, shielding them from the impact!
"Big Sis!"
Koneko's tense expression eased when she saw her sister, but then she grew anxious again.
"Big Sis! President Rias!"
Kuroka smirked. "Relax. Don't worry about that woman."
Koneko: "?"
She blinked in confusion, then felt Akeno nudge her.
Turning her head, Koneko followed Akeno's gaze.
Only to see Rias sitting on Lynn's lap, face flushed, arms wrapped around his neck.
Koneko: "??"
Lynn leaned back on the sofa, a faint smirk on his lips.
"What's this, Rias? You couldn't bear to part with Koneko, so you offered yourself instead?"
"Hmm…"
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Actually, that works too~"
"No way!"
Rias blushed fiercely and immediately denied it!
But she had lost control and had been blown away. And yet…
Her body felt hot… No! Now wasn't the time for this!
She quickly scrambled off Lynn's lap, then froze.
"That pressure…"
"Gone?"
Kokabiel's aura had vanished?
Rias looked around in confusion, then noticed Xenovia and Irina were still struggling to stand!
"Huh?"
Then why hadn't she felt anything?
She looked around, shocked.
The entire Occult Research Club had been destroyed by Kokabiel's pressure. But!
The space around Lynn was untouched!
Even the cup of tea he set on the table hadn't rippled at all!
Ba-dump!
Rias's heart suddenly skipped a beat!
What was going on?
A crazy thought flashed in her mind.
Was Lynn… actually incredibly powerful?
Stronger than she ever imagined??
But…
Could that be true?
She still struggled to believe it.
After all…
When she first met Lynn, he was only a Mid-Class Devil!
"Hoh?"
Kokabiel squinted as he studied Lynn more closely, clearly sensing something off. But…
"You dare flirt right in front of me?"
His red eyes burned with cold killing intent.
He raised his hand, and a spear of light formed instantly. As more magic was poured in, the power of the spear grew more and more terrifying!
Even from a distance, the devils around could feel their hearts tremble.
Rias's body reacted instinctively to the threat. She stepped forward to shield Lynn.
But—
Thud!
A large hand gently landed on her head.
Rias froze.
Then she heard Lynn's calm voice.
"It's fine. Leave this to me."
"Huh?"
Rias's eyes widened in disbelief.
"But I haven't—"
Lynn raised his finger and softly pressed it to her lips, a small smile playing on his face.
"Even if you object, I can't sit back and do nothing."
Rias's heart skipped again.
"After all…"
"We're friends, aren't we?"
Lynn hadn't forgotten the kindness Rias had shown him when he was still weak.
Rias froze, a strange warmth spreading in her chest.
Lynn patted her red hair, then calmly turned to face Kokabiel.
Rias snapped out of it and grabbed his arm.
"Wait!"
She said urgently, "Lynn, don't act recklessly! As long as you and Kuroka can stall him, the Maou's reinforcements will be here!"
She trusted that Sona had already sent word to the them.
Though she had a strange feeling about Lynn, and some wild guesses just now...
She still felt uneasy.
After all, she had never seen Lynn's strength with her own eyes.
And Kokabiel…
He was a monster who had survived the great war between the Three Factions. A being recorded in the Bible.
An ancient, terrifying force!
"The Maou's support?"
Kokabiel burst into laughter.
"By the time your Maou arrives, this entire town will be reduced to rubble!"
"What?!"
Rias, Akeno, and the others froze in shock.
"Hmph!"
Kokabiel sneered.
"Didn't you know? I set a barrier around this town."
"In twenty minutes, everything goes BOOM!"
"It'll all be gone! Haha!!"
"You lunatic!"
Rias growled.
But Kokabiel wasn't even looking at her anymore.
His eyes were locked on Lynn, who had ignored him this entire time. The spear of light in his hand continued growing, like a massive pillar reaching the sky.
"You brat!"
"With your ignorance—"
"Die!!"
Kokabiel roared as he hurled the spear of light!
Rias, Xenovia, and Akeno stared as it drew closer.
Their pupils shrank.
An overwhelming sense of helplessness swept over them.
Was this… the end?
Suddenly—
Buzz!!
A spear of light, bigger, brighter, and far more intense than Kokabiel's, formed in an instant!
"What?!"
Kokabiel's eyes widened in shock!
"Impossible…"
Lynn raised his eyes, expression calm.
"Kokabiel."
"Your spear…"
"Not big enough."
"Not bright enough."
As he finished speaking, his own spear of light descended!
Boom!!
The two spears of light collided in mid-air!
An explosion of dazzling white light engulfed the skies over Kuoh Town!
But—
The instant they made contact, Lynn's spear utterly overwhelmed Kokabiel's!
Boom!!
Kokabiel's spear shattered like glass!
But Lynn's kept going!!
"Impossible!!"
"This can't be!!"
Kokabiel screamed in disbelief.
"How could a devil wield light brighter than a fallen angel?!"
His voice was drowned as Lynn's spear engulfed him!
"Aaaahhhh—!!"
Kokabiel's tortured screams echoed from within the light!
"Hehehe... HAHAHA!!"
Even in pain, he laughed.
"As expected!!"
"After God died, the world truly descended into chaos!!"
"A devil… using light on par with angels…!!"
"AAAAGHHHH—!!"
With his final scream, Lynn's spear exploded!!
The light burst outward like a mushroom cloud, engulfing all of Kuoh Town!!
The shockwaves spread rapidly in all directions!
A purple barrier instantly rose to contain the blast. But—
Bang!!
The barrier shattered upon contact!
Far away—
"No…!"
Sona groaned, stumbling back.
"This is bad!!"
She looked up, horrified.
"Our power can't contain it!!"
Kokabiel… Was he really on par with her sister?!
Tsubaki's expression turned grim.
"What should we do?"
"If we don't stop it, who knows what'll happen to Kuoh!"
Sona bit her lip and shook her head.
She couldn't stop it…
Suddenly—
A crisp snap echoed in their ears.
Then—
Buzz—
A transparent barrier instantly enveloped all of Kuoh Town!
Sona looked up, stunned.
Then muttered blankly.
"The light's influence…"
"Has been sealed within Kuoh Academy…"
Occult Research Club.
Lynn slowly lowered his hand, expression calm.
Rias and the others hadn't recovered yet. They stared blankly at Lynn's back.
No one spoke.
Finally, after a long silence.
A voice rang out, hoarse and trembling.
"A Maou…?"
(To be continued.)
***
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