Rip and Tear, Fangs of Obvlion.

A flash of blue lights up the dark corridors of an empty shopping mall. The light emits from a blue circle with unique designs. The circle lowers itself to bring forth a group of eight teenagers, still in their uniforms but some wearing equipment that ranges from weapons you would see in a museum to basically gear for combat sports or stuff you'll see straight out of fantasy.

Yet the one in front wore nothing but her uniform and glasses.

"Alright, then we'll start by-" Before Sona finishes her sentence, she pauses and turns to look at those who were not standing up as straight as the rest, and she sighs to herself.

"You have five minutes to get over your teleportation sickness."

Only Rururko responds, barely standing up straight but still trying to answer, while Saji lies on the floor, down for the count.

"Y-yes k-kaichou..."

This is going to be an exhausting night.

X-X-X

As the two recuperate, taking a slight step forward, Sona takes this time to study her surroundings. Appearing right in the middle of what seems to be an old clothing store due to all the manikins around, it was entirely dark, but that was barely a hindrance thanks to her devil biology; in fact, she probably bets the two never notice the lack of light.

Unbeknownst to anyone, a slight giggle comes out of the third year's lips.

After three minute of the two newbie gaging everyone's ready to trul-

"Uugghh..."

Sona sighs at the pitiful sight of her four-piece pawn on the still floor with everyone watching. Having enough, she snaps her finger at her only rook, who nonchalantly holds the male in princess carry.

Taking a few seconds to understand the position he's in upon realization, he starts to struggle as best he can.

"Let me go! I'm a dude, at least just put me off your back!"

Despite protest, she did change, even laughing while Saji is trying to weakly push her away.

"You don't want to worry, Sona, don't you?"

The questions cause the young man to stop in his tracks, and he quietly responds, "No."

Tsubasa turns to look directly at him with a sharp gaze and smirk, which is a little bit different from the usual and causes Saji to clam up.

"Then calm down, little boy," saying this in such an out of character calm tone caused Saji to freeze and stare at her with strange eyes, as if he's wondering who this person in his head is.

"...okay."

Tsubasa laughs as she returns to her normal self.

At this sight, Momo whispers to Reya as the rest of the peerage begins to walk further in, with Sona at the lead and Tsubkai helping a lagging Ruruko.

She starts, gesturing to the rook. "I haven't seen her in this good of a mood in a long time," Reya agrees and responds.

"It was most likely all the paperwork that was getting to her head." They both stare at the back of the somewhat tall girl before Momo speaks up.

"You know, if Sona hadn't grabbed her in middle school, she would've been very popular with both boys and girls."

"Yeah, I can see that."

Athletic, tall, dependable, and confident, if she joined any athletic club, she would've garnered the attention of many with that much effort.

"Too bad, once you're on the student council, everyone assumes you're an extension of Sona's will," the white-haired girl says dejectedly, to which Reya responds with a tired laugh.

"Oh, but I think Tomoe asked something akin to this." Momo turns curiously to Reya, inviting her to continue.

"From what I remember, she said along the lines of-"

"I'm... not exactly into making any more friends than I do now."

The two bishops sigh at that response. It's not like she's the only one. Despite the joke the two made about people thinking they are extensions of Sona, it's not far from the truth that even without that impression, their friends would be few. Because outside of the occult research club, they have never really attempted to interact with the student body, each for their own reasons.

The group continues walking and comes out of the clothing shop to have a full look at the abandoned complex. Like everywhere else, it was dark with some areas around collapse; the group's path was limited, but above everything else,

With Saji finally able to, to his pleasure, stand on his own, Sona notices that her vice president seems to be gazing enough.

"Tomoe?"

"Yes kaichou?"

"Test the air"

The knight proceeds to stick her tongue out slightly, which causes her posture to completely change.

"Magical energy is up by 60% at least, maybe higher. While not compared to a true one, with how much it is flowing, it may as well be considered another world."

Sona and Tsubaki didn't have any reaction to Tomoe's no nonsense tone, only taking the information in.

"That would make both pawns' reactions to the teleport make sense. The drastic shift in magical energy is an equivalent of car sickness; could this all be due to the place being over the line?"

"This is definitely a possibility, Tusbaki, but more than anything, this was planned, but even so, we shall stick with the original idea."

The queen and the knight nod in agreement before the king takes the time to turn around and address everyone, who are all focusing on Saji, who's trying his best not to fall over, each with varying expressions.

"So what you're saying is that you want each one of the pawns to pick me or Tomoe to scout further ahead and call back when either they complete the objective or are in danger?"

Sona nods to Tsubasa at her simplification of what she just said beforehand.

The rook goes into a thinking stance. "Hm if that so then I'll ta-"

"I'll take Tomoe" Saji cuts in.

"Oh come on Saji what are you, mad?"

"Very much yes."

"Oh, pooey, well, it's just me and you, Ruruko!" Which then the taller girl proceeds to hug her junior, whose eyes glaze over in acceptance.

"I'll be in your care..."

"Originally, I was planning to let Momo and Reya go along with you, but due to new information, I need them with me and Tsubaki," Sona adds.

Everyone takes in the information and begins to group up. "Alright then Tomoe let-"

Clasping his hand, Saki looks up at his partner, her eyes sparkling, and he feels the same sense of dread he felt before.

"Eh T-tom-"

"Come on, Gen-chan adventure awaits!"

"W-aaa!!"

In a flash, using her knight's speed, he drags her victim across the building, leaving everyone to only watch the dust they made.

"Huh" Tsubasa looks off in the direction the two went. "I wonder if he regrets it now."

"Should we be worried?"

Ruruko's question causes almost all senior members to let out a chuckle; even the more straight faced Sona and Tsubaki let out more obvious mirth than before.

"Well, in terms of actual protection detail, Tomoe beats the actual most defensive piece we have." Momo jabs her hand at the rook. "No offense."

"A lot taken! I know it's true, but you don't have to say it right in front of me!" Tsubuasa whines like the insult did physical damage to her.

"Then you better get working on that Tsubasa."

"Yes Kaichou... Let's go Ruruko"

The first year awkwardly watches her blue senior melancholically walk ahead and soon go after.

X-X-X

"I'm so sorry, Gen-kun, I went a little bit overboard!"

"My arm," Saji groans, holding his arm as Tomoe frets over him.

She thankfully notices Saji's deteriorating condition only shortly after they leave the group. Trying to help, Tomoe attempts to hold him gently, but Saji stops her with a gesture and slowly wrings his dragged-in arm, showing that it wasn't as bad as she thinks. She lets out a sigh of relief, and the two begin going earnestly.

Looking around, they went from store to store in silence for a few minutes until Saji speaks up while they go into what looks like an old toy store.

"So, why did this place shut down?"

Not even turning, she responds, "Sona's going to be mad at you."

"...Sorry I was planning to read them along the way but then sickness came up..."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I get it, Gen-Kun." With that understanding, Tomoe's tone turns more factual: "Everything was fine until ten or so years ago, until a murder occurred."

"That's all it took to get shut down?"

"Well, that and the earthquake that caved part of the store in," she adds, which makes Saji nod in understanding. "Now it's just a place waiting to get demolished or for delinquents to hang out."

"It's weird how I never heard about this place before, even back then."

Leaving that thought behind, the two began to move to the next store, and now it was Tomoe's turn to speak, now turning to Saji with a knowing smile.

"You're worried about your siblings."

Instead of reacting violently the young man sighs, already accepting how readable he is from time to time.

"Yeah I am, they don't react well when they come home late- wait how did you... Reya?"

To this, she nods, and his eyes twitch at that and he thinks of the grin the dodgy bishop makes.

"That girl has a lot more two faces than she comes off."

"Well, aren't you glad that she only told me and not Tsubasa what you two discussed on the walk back?" The knight casually points this out as she walks further ahead.

On queue, Saji shivers at the thought of that.

Very much so.

"But don't worry, she only brought this up because she said we two had something in common."

"So you're one of the ones she said had siblings." He said in realization.

To this, Tomoe puffs her chest out proudly in response. "Yep, a younger brother, and he's the cutest in the world."

"Is that a challenge?" He jokes as he looks at her somewhat in surprise, because he doesn't know that a lot of people don't open dots on their siblings.

"Oh, don't be like that." She shrugs it off, and continues "I already won."

Saji couldn't help but snort at the declaration as she soon began to slowly catch up to her but not before she spoke up in an out of place tone for her.

"Hey Gen-chan?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you... enjoy it here? At the student council and Kouh, I mean."

If Saji could see her face right now, it would be somewhat baffling for him to see Tomoe of all people having a face smeared with hesitation. For Tomoe, this question was a difficult one to answer because she couldn't help but fear the idea of someone like him despising his current situation.

Again.

But for Saji, the answer is clear as day. Stopping the girl in her tracks, he answered in confusion.

"How is that even a question?"

Saji takes a second to ponder before continuing with putting his hands on the back of the head, "I mean, there's Tsubasa, who always takes some of my lunch, but outside of that, I can think of anything else. My siblings are well, and I have some awesome friends and literal superpowers." His face morphs into a big grin. "How couldn't I be grateful for these amazing days?"

Under her breath, Tomoe sighed in relief and had more of a rare smile on her face than the one she usually holds.

"...good."

"What was that?"

She turns and returns to her usually cheerful demeanor, smiling bigger than ever.

"I said that great Gen-chan!" She closes one of her eyes and points at Saji in a somewhat lazy manner. "You know you're really lucky; if you weren't so honest, I might have thought you were after her money and had a problem with you going after the prez you know!"

The whine that came from the pawn was almost palatable.

"Why does everyone know that!" Saji cries internally with his companion none the wiser.

"Wait why would you think I'd be after her money?"

The question causes the knight to look at Saji dead in the eye; this might have been one of the few times the young man himself saw her completely aghast.

"You... don't know how rich she is?"

This question causes more thought than the last one. It's not like Saji doesn't understand that she's wealthy, but rather he doesn't understand the pure scope that being a house name truly brings due to his former level situation where the majority of people had more money than he did.

The somewhat perplexed teen cocked his head and said, "I mean, she's like her parents are like the company owners of a company in hell or something right?"

"Let me make this clear, Gen-chan" Tomoe's voice was clear and serious, "She's not some company owner, she's literally royalty."

"..Wha?"

"Sitri are a Great Prince of Hell and reign over sixty legions at their beck and call; not only that, but they also rule over an area on par with the size of Japan."

Despite all of his research, Saji still believes that the titles are mostly just for show. But no, apparently he's indeed gunning after a literal princess. All this information caused Saji to completely shut down and try to wrap his head around it all while imagining Sona in a princess outfit.

"B-b-but why is she here then?! Aren't contracts grunt work?!"

Tomoe folds her arms in understanding "student credits from what I've heard." She then casts an acustory glance at the disheveled Saji. "You better not get cold feet, you hear me?"

To this, Saji looks at Tomoe, saying the thought of that is offensive. "Princess shimncess! I don't care if she is Satan himself—nothing's going to stop me!"

At this determination, Tomoe smiles back, grabbing his hand in a stiff handshake. "That's what I like to hear!"

The irony of this statement was completely lost on the knight.

"But still, if the minute chance I do get with her, I'll be royalty!"

While Saji isn't exactly in it for the power, due to his personal experiences, he also appreciates the comfort of it. Even so, in that same second, he stamps these thoughts out upon realization.

"What am I thinking? You're not in it for the money. Sona's awesome without it! ...But that would be—no! I need to distract myself with something."

In desperation, Saji switches topics to the first thing he thought of.

"O-oh, Tomoe, why do you call me Gen-chan?"

Tomoe blinks at the question, not expecting it and unaware of the panic that went through Saji's mind a second ago.

"You don't like it?"

Eyes widening as he realizes how strange it may sound, Saji quickly shakes his head.

"No just curious."

Tomoe in turn got to teaching pose "Well for you se-"

With no pleasantry, Tomoe discards her expression and pivots facing the arcade, using a summon circle to cleanly whip out her sword, a decently sized katana.

All in the same moment, Saji had to blink.

"Is it-"

"Stay behind me at all times. Your sacred gear is good for support, but get away five meters from me; there may be stranglers along with the big fish."

"O-okay."

That's the only thing Saji could spit out at the shift, and while he hates to admit it, no matter how many times he's seen it, it always stuns him to silence at the sight of the complete 180 she has when she's truly in combat focus. Or specifically when she's ready to cut something down. He may have seen individuals with similar personalities, but what makes Tomoe stand out is how gunnie both sides are. If it's possible to apply human psychology to the devils, Saji would honestly believe she has some split personality issues.

The walk into the arcade was slow, and the only sound heard was Saji's footsteps in comparison to Tomoe, who was completely silent.

"Ggh..."

"What was-"

Before Saji could even finish, the sword met gigantic nails, blocking the divebomb the creature made against Saji's neck and skidding back the beast's retreat, and because of that, they could both see it in its full glory on all fours.

If it was standing on its two feet, it would've been two and a half meters long. The skin it had is a pinkish hue, like when cats are skinned, but that's not all; it also had flesh that forms wings on its arms extending to its waist, along with a fanged rodent face with gigantic ears. There's only one thing you would call this.

A giant werebat.

Saji gulp, Tomoe sighs. While this isn't exactly new for the newest devil or anything, the idea that there's an ever so small chance for him to become a similar monster can't help but put a shiver up his spine.

"It seems that you've played around being a vampire a little bit too much, haven't you, Dractz, bishop of the house of Zagan?"

"Grr...B-blood!"

The red-haired girl pauses, not even taking her eyes off the being. "Along with friends, I see."

Saji snaps his head up just to see the small but still huge bats, who begin to chatter as if they are watching a blood sport about to begin.

Without saying anything, Tomoe gets into a stance, putting her right foot slightly behind the left with the left heel slightly raised; both feet are parallel; the hips are straight forward; the shoulders are relaxed; and the spine is perpendicular to the floor with the center of gravity centered between both feet. Her eyes were sharpening even further, staring at the devil in front of her as just another obstacle to cut down—not anger, not hatred, just complete apathy. The two begin a standoff until the larger of the two ears twitches.

"Dractz, you have abandoned your master and fallen into madness for the sake of your desires. In the name of the great prince of Sitri, are you ready to repent?"

It roars in defiance in both return and charge, and to that end, Tomoe disappears.

Peerage has been introduced in recent months. Saji has seen Tomoe fight many times. One time at the first stray hunt and multiple times as a constant as a training partner. Honestly, in terms of people, he had a good sense of their abilities, he thought Tomoe was at the top.

He was wrong.

Like very wrong.

Easily moving faster than he had even thought she could reach the bat before he fully launched herself at him, starting with a heavy downward slash that the fake vampire could only block. From what the young man could tell, it seems like this situation is the reason why she's taking it to another level, due to the fact that they're all alone and she is seriously trying to kill something. Apparently the stance before was very misleading, because she went into a full-blown sprint.

The pushback lasts a second before, without any hesitation, she lets go of her sword and casts a spell in the air, blinding everyone except the two Sirti devils in the room.

The spell she uses is a specific brand of bland spell that only works on individuals with an enhanced sense of sight. Normal devils are under the threshold, but depending on the situation, they can enhance their sight to adapt.

But for a devil that transforms themselves, seeing higher than normal is part of the norm.

In the bright light, a monstrous cry of pain could be heard, and with that, the large bats came in to support their master. Without thinking, Saji begins to rush to aid her, but the bats are as fast as a young man on his best day, and they already swarm her, taking any chance to take a piece out of her. Saji prepares to call for help, pausing at the sight of the bats dispersing and leaving only air.

"Where did she go?"

He takes a look at the werebat and flows his eyes.

"Up!"

Cranking his head a few degrees, he finds her.

Somewhat injured. sword in the mouth Saji is left baffled at the sight of a person his age latching to the wall on all fours like she has some type of reptile. Realizing one thing, Saji couldn't help but think.

"That stance... it was just pleasantries, wasn't it?"

And Saji was not far off the mark. The way she moves makes you doubt she was ever human in the first place. The way she avoided the bats was that she contorted her entire body out of the center and then used the bats as platforms to get to the wall.

Staring at them with complete apathy. Tomoe watches the hoard of bats attempt to devour her. Her eyes then flicker to Saji as she lets go of the ceiling and free falls towards the swarm of bats. Taking the sword out of her mouth, she then motions it in odd ways by moving it in a circle while waving it like an ocean wave, and it begins to shine with a blue hue.

The following attack was instantaneous. Turning the bats into a pile of limbs in a single stroke, which causes it to rain blood as Tomoe drops to meet her true opponent, who is still growing but takes a cautious stance because it understands who's the bigger monster between the two.

Saji takes out a breath he didn't know he was hodding and takes a chance to stare at the bodies on the follow on to realize some are still alive. Understanding what he must do, he prepares a spell to take them down one by one since they're already helpless.

"Amazing," he couldn't help but think. A girl the same age as him is fighting a monster not only on equal footing but also on higher ground. In these few seconds, she showed off more than she did all the time. From the way she integrates magic with her fighting style. To how she shifts from a basic stance to inhuman disaster so effortlessly.

"I wonder how much I had to train to get to this level... maybe it's just pure talent and there's no hope for-"

सिठ्

X-X-X

Sona and Tsubaki watch the two bishops test the surrounding area for any hint of the culprit behind the heightened magical density of the area with their own methods.

Momo was typing away on a keyboard while looking at a monitor, creating them using her demonic power, while Reya attempted to find the cause using a magic detector she had in the form of a pendulum. This continues for a few minutes until Reya turns to the king and queen with an awkward smile.

"Sona?"

"Yes?"

"Why am I here? This isn't really my expertise and would work better supporting either one of the two parties."

This came as less self-deprecating and more awkward because both Sona and Tsubaki knew she was right. The ability used by devils is called demonic power. In contrast to angelic abilities and divine miracles, it is the reverse. A devil is said to need the power of imagination, the power to construct, and the power of reason before he can use demonic power.

But the way she teaches about advanced usage of demonic power is a bit unique. She tells them to impose rules on themselves and develop a style of demonic power unique to themselves, and the result speaks for itself but also leads to a minor issue. If something is strictly set into that image of their abilities, their capabilities are drastically reduced. The only way to get around this is to completely build a whole new set of rules and an image that doesn't contrast with the first one that they have learned. This has the same difficulty as learning another language, where, while doable, it will be harder than the first depending on how far away that image is from another.

What Momo chooses to surround her abilities with is energy interference. What Reya chose was enhancement. And while it is still true that Reya has the edge overall due to human magic, when it comes to specialties, the difference is clear, requiring enhanced tools to even keep up with the same pace just barely.

To this, Sona huffs. "Nonsense. You're just more valuable here than with them."

"Really?" Reya asks, unsure of Sona's statement.

"She's right, Reya; thanks to you, I'm about to find the source 30% faster than usual."

Unlike her usual somewhat peppy demeanor, Momo's tone while on the demonic device was flat, almost neutral if she wasn't attempting to show gratitude. She didn't even look behind her to compliment her, completely focusing on getting the work done.

"Well, that's nice of you to say Momo."

"But that's not the main reason, is it, Sona?"

"It is one of two Tsubaki, yes." The king sighs, "In truth, the other reason is experience. What we've done before is somewhat acceptable, but executing the ideas that we instilled in the two is a far better teacher than I can ever be."

"So you're taking a page out of Rias' book?" Tusbkai concludes.

"I never said that," Sona denies it immediately.

To which both bishops snort at. But before Sona could defend herself, a magic circle appears right near her ear.

"We're done," Tsubasa announced on the other side for all to hear.

"Any setbacks?"

"... a bit."

"Tsubasa."

"It's nothing~."

"I can't believe you take being eaten by a large snake as "a bit." Another person comments, more to herself if anything, from a distance on the other side of the line, but it is still within hearing distance.

"Ruruko! I thought you promised me you'd keep quiet about that!"

But the first year didn't back down. "I didn't promise anything, senpai! You just put your finger on your mouth, then call Kaichou! And sorry, I don't think we're problem free; you almost got digested!"

But before Tsubasa could continue, a loud ahem was made in the circle, and so she turns back to the circle awkwardly.

"You heard everything, didn't you?"

"Yes, I have Tsubasa."

"...Tee hee?"

At their limit, Reya and even Momo, who's focusing on analyzing the area, burst into laughter.

"Hey, shut it with the peanut gallery, Dorthy, and Shirouhime!"

At those two names, the respective bishop's mirth died, and replacing it is an expression of slight annoyance, more leaning toward genuine anger, with the white-haired girl.

"Oh Tsubasa, you really need to fix your mouth and sense of nicknames. You know what happened last time you used those."

"Bite me Reya."

"How cute."

"Enough!" Tsubaki comes in and puts an end to the growing debacle between the two pieces. "Sona if they met a stray and Tomoe hasn't called back that means-"

"Yes, we've landed on a nest, haven't we?" She concludes and turns to Momo, who's at the keyboard again with even more focus than she originally had, mostly likely as a way to steam off her anger and get her out of the bad mood Tusbasa put her in. "Have you finished the analysis?"

"Almost done in just a couple more seconds. Ann-"

As if on cue, the demonic circles around Sona's ears glow. Guessing it's Tomoe, she picks it immediately.

"Tomoe are-"

At the same time, both Tomoe and Momo interrupt her.

"-d done. Shit."

"Kaichou, I lost Saji!"

X-X-X

Stomping his way through an undisclosed hallway, Saji repeatedly mutters a word to no one.

"यरीन्"

"Shut up"

"घेबोन्तन् र्फ्नोर्ल् मूगो ओत्"

"Shut up"

"मिदेनोम थाओब्सो उइओहेत त्स्रव्योइ नेहो गीवर"

"Shut up"

"ओफ्रौहि गेसेन्ल् सेदिशिरो brain made लेलेदस्पुसि एद्रोएरु—can'tवेदर्सेबु एदे क्रेदाओफ्फी गेर्मै?!"

"Gawd, shut up-fuck my head!"

He holds his head in pain at the receiving psychic attack dealt upon him. Finally snapping out of his daze, he realized he'd been walking in some direction for an undisclosed amount of time. He immediately tries to find his way back but to no avail

This is essentially the last straw

"You've been dragging me around for 30 minutes; what do you want?!"

"अहं न कृतवान्, I've कुर्वन् आसीत् opposite सर्वेषां कृते gods sake!"

That's when he felt it. A pull. A tag. Like he needs to see something. Saji now turns into this undisclosed hallway and sees it.

"Oh, for the love of—अहं वदामि यत् एतत् प्रत्यक्षं मा गच्छतु; heading right into a trap, idiot!"

"Oh,"

It was a large room. Its original use seems to have been for faculty members, but any sign of that has long gone. If it weren't for the obvious thing, it would've taken Saji a bit longer to notice how the room is magically large and the many magic circles on the floor. But all this takes a backseat in terms of priority to what's in front of him. Standing right in the middle of it all was a tall, statuesque woman wearing a black dress and long purple hair. a pair of large black feathered wings sprouting from her back.

Who is staring directly at the unfortunate high school student.

He gulps.

She sighs.

"Fuck"

"What are those damn imbeciles doing?" Talking more to her than anything she goes on "I told them chasing any devil in is a big don't-"

Without warning, her wings flap, and she appears in front of Saji, who is still a deer in headlights.

"Oh, I see you're barely a devil... no wait that's not it"

In reality, the voice hasn't been dragging; he's just the one who's naturally attracted to the area. But unfortunate hindsight is only that: hindsight.

"Well these thoughts can be put on the shelf for later I'm in important ritual so die for me"

With not even a slight change of emotion, she raises her hand.

X-X-X

The silence among peerage was damning all were looking at Sona with worry glances as she only stares at the circle

"Tomoe"

Everyone in the room could feel Tomoe jump at Sona's voice,"...Yes?"

"Describe the moment when realized he was gone any sign of a struggle"

"Y-you're not mad?"

"I wouldn't suspect for a second, Tomoe; I know you."

"Well after I used the organs of the stary's familiars to hold him in place and slice through his head-"

"Gross." is another voice that comes across the line.

"Tsubasa"

"Sorry."

"- he was just gone!"

For anyone else, that might as well be a goose chase with the vague description of the suddenness of the disappearance.

"...Magic is something that's very subtle from what I can imagine. The reason you didn't sense it is because it wasn't meant to affect devils."

But Sona is not anyone.

The student council president stares at the air with a cold, calculating gaze before jumping into action.

"Tomoe, stay where you are. I want you to start searching for where he went, but do not go until I say the word. Tsubasa, go close in to her signal, and we'll group there with everyone else double time."

With a yes, kaichou," everyone starts to move, following her orders to the letter.

Slowly raising her hand, Momo tries to grab her king's attention while she spits out orders, but there's no need as Sona turns to her first.

"Momo status update."

"R-right, when analyzing it at first, I assumed it was demonic energy, but it was neither demonic or magical energy."

It seems like Sona's worst fears came to life.

"Are you saying that we're dealing with a fallen?"

"Yes and no." Momo admits in frustration.

Sona raises one delicate eyebrow at that. This is not exactly the normal response she receives from her oldest piece.

"Initially, I thought so too, but when I took a closer look, the readings went awry."

"Awry?"

"It means I don't know, okay!" Momo's shout of frustration did the rest. But for the person it was directed at, their expression was different. Her eyes widen, realizing that she just landed on a landmine, breaking her cold facade she was in.

"Like, I'm sorry! The only thing I got was that it is something heaven-related, but I don't know what I'm sorry for being incompetent, okay?!"

Momo gasps and clasps her mouth, realizing that she let her anger boil over.

"Sona I'm so-!"

"It's fine Momo... It's my fault. I crossed a line; you've already done enough; you did your part; let's just focus on the mission ahead."

"But is my best enough? Was it ever enough?" The words danced around the bishop heads but all that came out was–

"...yes kaichou"

With that hollow declaration, Momo pulls herself back to the side, and the walk towards Tomoe's destination is now done in silence.

Sona turns to Tsubaki, who's staring at Momo with concern, until she notices her president's half-lidded stare.

"Are you waiting for me to scold you?" On the contrary, I believe you hold that very well."

"I never said that." Sona corrects her subordinate immediately and would've told you her queen absolutely hadn't let her eyes roll at it.

"You seem to have surprisingly lack of worry for our male member"

Tusubaki can only count the number of times Sona's expression changes in response to this.

It went from being surprised more at her own lack of worry if anything, to wistful thinking back to memories only disclosed to herself, and then finally a small smile appears on the usually stoic face.

"I suppose you're right that I am."

Tsubaki gives a look of concern as she continues.

"Saji is... stubborn, narrow-minded, and too honest for his own good." She pauses, as if looking for the right words.

"But if there's one thing I know he's good at–"

X-X-X

The unnamed fallen look on with wide eyes that are blithe in amazement as what she assumed to be a barely a low-class devil sides steps her blow.

"Line up."

At the young man's command, a purple rope latches onto the angel's chest. Without a moment's hesitation, Saji proceeds to reel his sacred gear hand back, dragging his opponent along with it, and forms it into a fist, its eyes now holding a dangerous glint as if the switch has been flipped.

X-X-X

"—is that he knows how to throw a mean punch."

X-X-X

"Like hell, I'm going to roll over and die for you, eat dirt bitch!"

The fist made contact, and a disgusting sound could be heard throwing the black-wing woman into a wall.