As I've said previously, I'll respond to the reviews sent to me.

adislt: Well, I plan to rectify that issue. He's really strong. I do apologize with the inconsistency of showcasing Kurin's powers. But I hope the story from this point forward will be to your delight. At some points I may diverge from canon, but the path overall is similar. Asfor Grayfia, I have plans to make it possible, so be patient.

Tohka123: Thank you! Well he deserved it, in a way. You'll find out more about him as the story progresses.

darkwarp: Tiamat...I'll think about it. Thanks for the suggestion.

Guest: Hmm, alright, looks like I got an input for the peerage question. I do want to know why, though.

TheLastNanaya: I'll be honest, it's hard to maintain focus on each girl in the harem. I think adding all of them would be overwhelming for me to do. Instead of that, just suggest who you would want to add to the harem, and I'll give it thought.

godzillafan1 (Guest): Well, I got no words to say. I do appreciate it, though.

Alright, that's enough for now. Check the notes at the end of the chapter for more. Now get to reading.


When Kurin woke up from death, he realized quickly that he wasn't in the park anymore. Rather, he was in someone's house.

'Okay, clearly someone took me in their home from where I last died. But who?' He thought as he looked around the room he was in. It was pretty cozy for a bedroom. The bed was comfortable, the walls were clean...everything was clearly set up in case someone decided to stay in the owner's house.

'Wait a second...I know who lives here. It's-' His thoughts were interrupted when someone opened the door and entered the room, currently speaking to someone on the phone.

"Yes, I'm still with the plan. I'll get back to you later." Having ended the conversation, the individual looked to see Kurin sitting up. She gave him a smile. "Ah, Kurin-san. You're awake."

"Orchintia-san. I can't say I'm surprised." He said. "The communication circle on my arm is still there, isn't it?"

"Of course. As I said, this isn't just a one-time thing between us. I decided to use the circle to remind you of our encounter tomorrow, but you didn't answer. So I went to look for you. It's also how I was able to find you and get you back to my place. I cleaned you up of your wounds and bleeding once I got you home. You're lucky that you didn't die."

"Yeah, I guess." He lied. He didn't want her to know that he had actually died and was brought back to life. He was still suspicious of the woman, sensing something in her, and thus kept his distance.

"But enough of that. What were you doing bleeding to near-death in the park in the first place?"

"Nothing to worry about. It's an accident, and I just happened to be a bit unlucky. Though...thanks for patching me up." He stood up. She stopped him from walking any further in the room. Concern washed over her face.

"Wait, wait, are you sure that you've recovered enough? You nearly died, after all."

He shook his head. "I'm good. What time is it?"

"Five in the afternoon, why?" Kurin placed a hand on his head in pain. The sudden headache made it hard for him to concentrate.

"Ugh...as if staying up the entire night wasn't enough and that I nearly died earlier...no, I have to leave." He pushed past her and walked out of the room. She followed in pursuit.

"Kurin, wait." She called out.

He turned towards her. "Orchintia-san, with all due respect, I appreciate your help. And I understand that we have our meeting up again in two days. Don't worry about me. Rest assured, I'll be fine." He turned back to the door. "I'll see you soon, Orchintia-san."

With that, he opened the door and left, leaving a deeply concerned woman behind, wondering if his words will ring true, considering how serious his wounds were.

Of course, she doesn't know what he hides inside...yet.


Kurin arrived at his house, climbing up the window. No one was there, even Raynare.

'They're not here...maybe they're at the old school building. And where's Raynare?' He thought, exiting the house again and running to the old school building. Once there, he broke through the door, to the surprise of Koneko, who was sitting on the couch.

"Senpai?" She asked.

"Oh, hey Koneko." He said. He looked back at the door and then back towards her. "Sorry about the door. I'll pay the replacement for it."

Just then, Rias walked in. "Oh, hey Kurin." Rias said, before looking up at him in surprise. "KURIN!" She embraced him, before being followed up by Akeno, who embraced him as well, this time from behind.

"Gah, hey there, you two." While surprised by the gesture, he quickly hugged them back. When Rias released him from her hug, she smiled at him.

Then she slapped him, much harder than last time.

"Okay, I think I deserved that." He said, holding his cheek.

Akeno simply grazed her palm on his cheek, making him shiver involuntarily. "Ufufufu, it'll be alright. Rias was simply worried for you. So worried that she couldn't sleep the entire night. So did your girlfriend."

"Akenooooo!" Rias shrieked in surprise and embarrassment, blushing red.

He didn't know that him leaving had affected the two so much. "Did I really make you worry so much? I'm sorry." He sighed. "Akeno, please let go first."

Luckily for him, she complied.

"Where were you?" Rias asked.

"I was out in the park." He replied.

"All night?"

He nodded. "I was just...so angry, at you two, for thinking I couldn't hold my own. I went there to vent. And it took me all night. Eventually, morning came, and then that's when all the exhaustion finally unloaded on me. Asia then found me, and we hung out. Then, soon after...a Fallen, the leader of Raynare's group, took her...and I died." He explained.

A heavy air of silence swept across the room. Everyone (save for Kurin himself, as he already had known) realized that they would have to get used to him dying every now and then. But he eased their hearts with a smile. "It took me a while, but I woke up. And now I'm here with you guys."

The smile didn't last long, however, as it faded to a frown. "But now onto more pressing matters. If we don't save Asia tonight, she will die. There's a ritual that's gonna take place at the church, and if they, or he, is successful, then her Sacred Gear will be forcefully removed from her body." He warned. "Please, Rias, have you decided?" He pleaded.

Unfortunately, she did not respond, looking down instead. He took this as a sign that she wasn't willing to fight to save Asia. "I understand. It's a risk for you to fight them, as it may trigger war." He said, approaching her and placing a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him. He smiled. "No matter how many times I die, I'm gonna get Asia back. I promise you I'll come back to you with her." He lowered his hand and moved past them. He blazed out of the building.

"Kurin, wait!" Rias called out, turning back to where he went, but by then he was gone. She turned to her peerage. All of them had varying looks of concern.

"What do we do now, buchou?" Yumi asked.

Nightfall was fast approaching, and the redhead has to make a decision before it was too late.


Under the light of the full moon, Kurin stood on the roof of the church. Taking deep breaths, he jumped down to the main doors and kicked it open. There, he saw Freed waiting, the insanity rolling off of him, grinning as usual. The blade was in hand

"Finally! Took you long enough. Shall we—HRRK!" Kurin wasted no time, sending an uppercut to devastating effect, slamming upwards to the ceiling, the blade no longer in his hand. Gravity followed, but the young man grabbed him by the neck. Freed looked into his eyes, and he saw them behold a fury he had never seen before, but at the same time he had never seen eyes that look so calm in spite of the fury. The grip on his neck was strong too.

"I'm not here to play games, Freed. Where. Is. Asia?!" He threw him back down. The rogue exorcist was coughing and clutching his neck after the suffocation he suffered, dragging himself away from him.

'He's human like me...but how the fuck is he so strong?!' Freed thought, struggling to catch his breath. When he looked up, he saw the pointed end of a sword aimed at his eyes. He quickly backed away, getting to his sword.

"You're not getting any shit from me until I kill you!" He roared, slicing through the church seat that was just thrown at him. He slashed downwards, only to be met with the gauntlets from before. He repeated the motion again, and Kurin would always block them. It was clear that he was running out of options. Desperate, he took out his pistol and fired it multiple times, hitting the body, but to no effect. Kurin took the gun and threw it away with his other hand.

"Did you learn anything the last time we faced off?" He asked the insane man. He didn't speak, headbutting him instead. He recoiled and dropped his guard. Freed saw the opening and furiously attacked. But instead of defending, Kurin attacked head-on, punching the sword. The clash resulted in both being blown away. Kurin was the first to recover much quicker.

But he knew he didn't have much time. Glowing blue, he sensed a trap door, dashed past Freed in a blur, dazing and stunning him, and blasted his way through the door.

Freed, meanwhile, took this as the time to leave his superior to his devices. He was done with his mission, and there was nothing else he could do at that point. Besides...he'll have his chance to get his revenge on him very soon. 'Kurin Salamencia...I will have my revenge, and you will be destroyed! Hahahahahaha!' He thought.

"It seems you're here in time, though you should've been dead." Dohnaseek said, staring at the calm yet furious boy. Standing between him and Asia are rogue exorcists.

"I don't die so easily."

'How ironic I said that.'/[How ironic you said that.] Both human and embodiment thought in agreement.

"Regardless, it's too late. The ritual is almost complete. And what my master desires is almost fulfilled." He said.

"Hey, he's here to interrupt the ceremony! We can't let him!" One of the guarding exorcists said. "HRAAAAAAAGH!" They ran charging towards him.

"Not letting you hurt my friend!" The sudden voice surprised Kurin, as he recognized it easily. He turned behind him.

"Yumi-chan. Koneko-chan. You both came." He said, smiling. "But...where's Rias and Akeno...and Raynare?"


"Hey." Rias called out. Raynare looked up at her.

"B-buchou?" Raynare called back. She was held behind a prison, including her companions Kalawarner and Mittelt. Rias gave a smile.

"I wouldn't leave my underlings behind, even if you're a Fallen. Now stand back." Raynare followed as instructed. Rias's body glowed red, and sent a powerful blast at the cage bars, disintegrating it. The three exited their prison.

"Thank you...for saving us. But...who are you?" Kalawarner asked.

"I'm Rias Gremory." Her answer shocked the two companions.

"Th-th-th...the Gremory heiress?!" Kalawarner said, aghast.

Of course, most knew about the heir to the Gremory family. She held a power not many have outside her family, and she was a respected member in the devil world, being the sister of one of the most powerful devils in the world. To Kalawarner and Mittelt, she was someone they cannot face and win, for if they do...they will most assuredly die. And that's not even getting to her older sibling...

"This...this was a mistake...attacking not just a devil territory... their territory." Mittelt said. Both bowed.

"Forgive us!" They said.

"Ara ara, I've never seen this before. Interesting." Akeno said.

"As much as we would like to talk more, and as much as I'd love to see you two grovel more, hehehehe, we must head back to the church." Raynare said. The other two Fallen stood up to their feet. All of the others nodded, and they flew off.

He heard the screams. He saw the Sacred Gear being forcefully removed. He saw the Fallen Angel look at the suffering girl stoically, showing no emotion. He saw him take the Gear in his hands and keep it safe, but not in his body. He then noticed the screams stop. He realized what had happened. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. He reined in his anger, though, still holding himself calm with a fire in his eyes.

"I'm coming for you, you bastard." He pointed at Dohnaseek.

"Try if you want. It will be futile." He said.

Kurin summoned two red armblades, ready for the fight. Yumi and Koneko fought off the exorcists. He noticed that with them diverting the fight, he had a clear opening. With the same blue aura, he dashed up the staircase to Asia's crucified form.

"I may as well release her. She has outlived her usefulness in my mission." He said, destroying the chains. Kurin caught her as she fell.

"Don't you ever say that Asia-chan's useless." He turned to the girl. "Asia-chan? Please...if you can hear me..."

"K-Kurin...kun..." Asia gravelly said.

"I'm here, Asia..." He lightly caressed her face. She gave a faint smile.

"It...hurts..." She said, coughing. Koneko and Yumi finished off the remaining exorcists, putting them down, and looked up.

"No..." Both said.

"Shhhh, shhh, it's gonna be okay..." He said. He silently took her and carried her up.

Dohnaseek looked at the exiting Kurin with the same expression as before. 'If I were to fulfill my mission...I have to end him.'

"If only...if only...you didn't have to suffer..." Kurin said.

"It's okay...I enjoyed...our time together..." She said, raising her hand to lightly touch his face.

"No...don't say that as if you're...gonna..." He trailed off, a tear escaping his cheek. He took her hand in his.

"Kurin-kun...thank you..." Her eyes closed, and her hand felt devoid of life.

"Goodbye...Asia-chan..." He cradled her body in grief.

"And goodbye to you as well...human." Dohnaseek threw the light spear at the grieving boy...

...Only for it to be destroyed with three light spears.

"What the..." He (and Kurin) turned to look at the door.

"Gremory-san...Kalawarner...Mittelt...Raynare...so you three have escaped with the heir's assistance."

"You never told us that we were on Rias Gremory's territory!" Kalawarner said.

"Because I knew that you would back off when you would learn that particular information." He said. And they wouldn't deny that.

"You...you never were getting orders from Azazel-sama, weren't you?" Raynare asked.

"I never followed him in the first place. It was all a front. But I do follow a different commander." He explained.

"You're gonna fucking pay for Asia's death!" Raynare exclaimed.

What no one noticed, though, was Kurin...shivering.

"S-S-S-S-Sel?" He asked aloud, body trembling. "Wh-wh-why is m-m-m-my b-b-body s-s-s-s-so...c-c-c-c-cold?!"

[No...no no no...oh no...it's happening again...] Sellorion murmured in shock.

'Wh-what are you...' A flash of memories appeared. 'Oh shit...'

"Cold...cold...cold...cold...so...cold..." Ice began to form around him...

"Something's not right with Kurin-kun..." Akeno said. Yumi and Koneko arrived upside.

"Kurin-kun! I'm coming!" Raynare said, running to him.

He was hyperventilating, the cold beginning to truly overcome him...until he couldn't resist anymore.

"Haaahh...haaaahhh...hahhhh...hahhh...AHHHHHHHH ICE BLAST!" The entire church was frozen solid, but no one was harmed. That didn't mean that they didn't feel the blistering cold, though. A cold blue aura enveloped Kurin.

"Interesting...so it seems he has developed a new power..." Dohnaseek noted, but he was immediately struck by Kurin, an armblade slashing him on the side.

"You want to avenge your friend? So be it." The Fallen clashed with him, two light spears slashing against the armblades.

"Kurin, we can-" Rias tried to call to him, but she was interrupted by him.

"This is my fight, Rias. I'm responsible for this. I have to take the burden of Asia's death." He explained, blocking a spear throw and throwing it back at him, with him catching it with ease.

"So please...don't interfere...even you, Ray-chan."

Even though all of them wanted to, they honored his request.

Kurin nodded. "Thank you, everyone." He turned to the Fallen, who was now flying in the air.

"You and me, Dohnaseek. Let's finish this."

"I've been patient enough." The Fallen fired first.

Kurin's body glowed red. 'My mind may have clouded earlier because I wanted to protect Asia...and as a result forgetting to even use my powers...but now...it's because of her that I'm gonna go all-out.'

[Avenge your friend, kiddo. Do everything you can.]

"I will." The red glow became brighter. "Cascading Fire!" Firing a tri-pronged beam, the red aura disappeared, and the beam transformed into flames that slowly grew in strength the farther it got. Dohnaseek blocked the fire with his arms. As he was distracted with blocking the flames, a set of energy spheres floated around his body. Each one circled around the Fallen.

"You're not gonna hurt anyone anymore. And you will not get away!" The surrounding spheres spun faster, and the spheres exploded. A big energy sphere formed itself from the resulting explosion, and another explosion followed after, blasting him upwards.

The Fallen recovered and fired off multiple light spears, and Kurin dodged and absorbed most of them. Suddenly both heard a scream, and they both turned to the source.

Kurin's aura faded. 'No...not again...' He thought. "RAYNARE!" One stray light spear somehow found itself plunged into her chest. She collapsed to the floor. The others tended to her. Tears were now streaming down his face and angrily turned to the Fallen, who had now realized his mistake.

"You're gonna get it now, you bastard." He said. He created a countless number of knives and fired them off at Dohnaseek at blinding speeds. He couldn't avoid all of them. He collapsed. Kurin created a few more knives and fired them off at certain areas to bind him down.

He slowly approached the downed Fallen.

"I may be an all too forgiving person, but the moment you killed Asia, you weren't gonna get any mercy from me. But hurting my girlfriend? You've all but made your death certain." He turned to the others. "How is she?"

"Despite being stabbed...it didn't pierce her heart." Akeno's words sent a wave of relief around Kurin. "But we can't remove the spear."

He turned back to Dohnaseek, who had two more light spears stabbed in his body, courtesy of Kalawarner and Mittelt. Rias also approached him.

"You've harmed one of my friends. I can't let you live either." Her body glowed like before, but Kurin stopped her.

"No. I'll do it myself." Now his body glowed a different kind of red, and Rias's body lost its red glow, surprising everyone. The last time he had done something like this was when he had banished Viser (without their knowledge), but this time, it seems that he was going to really kill him.

"Fallen Angel Dohnaseek...any last words?" He asked.

"Everything I've done...I've done for my master. Master Kokabiel..." He smirked, knowing full well what's going to happen next. "You're strong, kid. I have no regrets. Kill me if that is what you desire."

"So be it." He said. 'Kokabiel, eh...'

"By the power of remorse, non-existent or otherwise, begone and goodbye...forever." He said. The area around Dohnaseek exploded, leaving nothing but a few blood trails and the Sacred Gear behind. He crouched and picked up the Gear.

"Twilight Healing...Rias, give this back to Asia...and do what you need to do. She deserved to at least keep the Gear until her death." He instructed. She nodded. He walked back to his girlfriend.

"Hey, Ray-chan." He said. She smiled back, though it didn't last because of the spear in her chest. "I'll cauterize the wound. So I'll need the others to remove the spear. But it'll hurt...twice." He said. "Ready when you are, Ray-chan." She weakly gave a thumbs up.

"Alright. Do it." They slowly removed the light spear, and Raynare screamed in agony. Once it was fully removed, Kurin's left hand glowed with fire. He brought it down to her wound, and her screams became louder. It pained him to hear her screams. The wound was now sealed to stop the bleeding.

"Can you stand?" He asked.

"I...I think I can." She said. He helped her up, but she grunted from the pain. He hugged her.

"It's over now."

"K-Kurin-kun? Raynare-san?"

All of them turned to the sound.

"Asia-chan?" The three Fallen Angels and Kurin walked over and hugged her. "Asia-chan! You're...you're alive!" Raynare said. Kurin was the first to break away as he turned to Rias.

"You revived her, didn't you?" He asked, smirking. She smirked back and nodded.

"Raynare-san, you're hurt! Here, let me heal you." Asia said, her hands over the Fallen's chest, healing her of her wound. Now, it was as if nothing happened to her.

"Thank you, Asia-chan!" Raynare said, hugging her.

"So, what now?" Koneko asked.

"I'll report back to Azazel-sama. He will need to know. I may come back, but I don't know. Raynare, Kalawarner, what about you guys?" Mittelt said.

"This is my home now. My home is with Kurin." Raynare said.

"I...think I'll stay." Kalawarner said, surprising them.

"Y-y-you are? Why?" Raynare asked.

"Admittedly, I don't really have a place there, except being with you guys. Now, maybe I can do something here." She explained.

"I see. I think Azazel-sama will understand." Mittelt said. Her wings then appeared. "I'll see you soon. Oh, and Kurin?" She asked.

"Yeah?"

"Protect the two of them."

He nodded, and the loli Fallen Angel flew off.

If there was one thing that everyone else realized from the battle that Kurin had, it was that he was more powerful than he let on before. That he had a multitude of abilities. That he wasn't just someone who dies and comes back to life multiple times. Dohnaseek had no chance of winning at all. He was someone you shouldn't get on his bad side, lest he may even kill you in an instant. But none of them had any intention to do so, considering that most of them hold a level of affection to him, with the other Fallen Angel coming to terms with that very soon.


"Tiring..." Raynare said as they came back home. After the ordeal, they split, with Rias and her peerage (with Asia) heading back to the old school building, and Kurin with Raynare and Kalawarner heading to his house.

"Tell me about it. If I unlocked a new power, it automatically just depletes my magic energy, even when I use the abilities that I've had for a long time now." He explained. Raynare collapsed on the bed and Kurin followed. Kalawarner leaned on the doorway, smirking at the two.

"Nice to see you lovebirds together there." She said.

"Fuck off, Kalawarner." Raynare said, throwing a pillow at her, which she caught. She chuckled, throwing it back.

"I'll sleep at the guest room. Goodnight, you two." She said. "And Kurin?"

"Hm?"

"Thank you."


"Ah, so Dohnaseek has fallen. I've known that he was rogue for a while now, but to think that he followed Kokabiel..." The Fallen Angel leader said. Standing across him was Mittelt, who nodded.

"What will you do now, Azazel-sama? It's obvious to us now that Kokabiel's waiting for the right time to go rogue." Mittelt inquired.

Azazel paused, thinking. "As much as I would want to detain him for his insubordination, we have no concrete evidence to implicate him. We will have to watch him for now." He noticed the slightly fearful stare the short Fallen gave. He chuckled.

"No worries, Mittelt. I've known the change of heart Raynare had, and I know you and Kalawarner would follow her to the end. The three of you won't receive any punishment. Speaking of which, where are those two?"

"Raynare chose to stay on Earth. So did Kalawarner. I...would want to as well, but I feel that I have a duty to uphold. I may leave here and return to Earth once I fulfill it." She said.

"Is that what you feel, Mittelt?"

"Yes, Azazel-sama."

"Alright. I won't stop you. You can leave, Mittelt."

"Hai, Azazel-sama."

With the Fallen gone, Azazel looked out the window of his office. A ghost of a smirk crossed his face.

'Kurin Salamencia...what an interesting boy. And his Sacred Gear...it's something I've never seen before. Not even my entire research covers what his Gear is. He's an enigma, a mystery. I'll pay the kid a visit soon. Something tells me this kid...is a catalyst. He will change everything.'


"Crazy how everything in these past few days have happened." Kurin said, looking at Raynare.

She looked away from him. "Yeah...I almost lost two friends, I almost died, I almost-" He held her head and turned her to look at him.

"Now, now, don't think of it like that. I *officially* discovered that you're a Fallen, Asia's a Devil now, I got a new power, we'll be a lot more involved in the world of Devils, I feel, and best of all, we're in a relationship now. In a lot of ways, I think these past few days were the best of my life in a long time."

"When you think of it that way...yeah. You're right." She said. She then inched closer to kiss him, and he happily obliged to respond.

They pulled away soon after, with their foreheads touching. "I love you, Raynare. I'll stick by you forever."

"I love you too, Kurin. And I would do the same."


In the old school building, Rias was alone in the main room, her thoughts conflicted.

'What can I do...to get myself out of my predicament...the engagement to Riser...'

"Rias? Are you alright?" Akeno called out, entering the room.

"Oh, Akeno. I'm quite alright. It's just..." She tried to deny it, but Akeno wouldn't have any of it.

"You're thinking about the engagement again, aren't you? The days we have left are numbered. Will you really go through with your thoughts? Using Kurin like that?"

Her heart was conflicted. She knew that she'd, in a way, manipulate Kurin for her to escape the engagement that her parents made a long time ago. But that would mean that he'd be faithless to his girlfriend. And she'd be feeling very selfish for using him like that. True, devils still have a selfish-like nature in them, for the Gremory heiress, it'd hurt her to do this to him.

"What would he do?" She asked. "He's so unpredictable sometimes. Would he stay away from me if I'd do that? Would he do it, despite knowing that he'd...never mind that. Would he talk me out of it?"

"He'll know what to do when it happens, Rias. But I'm sure he's never going to stay away from you. He cares for you too much to do that. He'd hurt himself if he does." Akeno assured her.

"That's Kurin-kun for you. His heart is that big." Rias quipped.

"I wonder if there's enough space for me to fit inside his heart, after Raynare had claimed him...maybe you too, Rias...ufufufufu I'm sure there's enough for the three of us..." Akeno teased.

Rias blushed a furious red, much like her crimson hair. "Akenooooooooo!"


AN: And that ends the first arc of the story. I do apologize if the battle scenes were underwhelming. Those aspects aren't really my strongest suit. The next arc may begin either next chapter or two chapters after this.

Effin' hell, school has messed me up a lot. Really stressed and really sleep-deprived. It's why I couldn't put up a chapter as quickly as I had done before. There was just too much work for me to focus on making the next chapter. Luckily, I had enough time to write up bit by bit. Well, at least exams are inching closer, and then I can freely write up more on Christmas break, but I do plan to write a chapter before that happens.

Harem stays the same as before. Haven't added nor removed anyone yet at this point.

82 favs and 104 alerts at this point. That makes me so happy. I love that a lot of people are interested in the story. Anyways, as usual, send me your reviews. While I know it's not possible that you'll write one for every chapter, each one is important to me. And again, do you think Kurin should have a peerage of his own? If you think he should or shouldn't, let me know in your review.

Thanks for reading! I'll see you in my next update.