Dead?

Kouhei stood frozen, eyes wide in shock as he watched Saonji fight. She was using magic—there was no doubt now that she really was a succubus. Spears of light kept flying at them, and Saonji blocked each one.

What do I do? Kouhei thought, panic rising in his chest. I'm just becoming more of a burden by the second.

He clenched his fists, his teeth grinding together in frustration. This is exactly why I'll always be a virgin. Not only was he too much of a coward when it came to women, but he was also just plain pathetic. Useless. He hated himself for it.

I have to help Saonji somehow. I can't just stand here like an idiot. His mind scrambled for a solution, but nothing came.

Saonji, meanwhile, was holding her own, keeping every lethal attack from reaching them. But she couldn't find an opening. If she tried to attack, Kouhei could end up getting hit. She couldn't risk that. As much as she wanted to end this, she needed Kouhei alive—he was the only one who could help her.

But the angel wasn't giving her a break. If anything, he was getting stronger, healing the damage she'd inflicted earlier like it was nothing. His smug voice rang out, dripping with arrogance.

"How's that, you filthy demon?!" he taunted, unleashing another barrage of spears.

Saonji grit her teeth, the force of the angel's attacks increasing. The spears were faster now, heavier with each strike. It was strange, but it seemed like the angel had activated a blessing.

Angels always grew stronger the longer they fought, and if they were on holy ground, like a church or shrine, they became even more dangerous.

She had to end this soon. If she didn't, the angel would only grow more powerful. Sure, she could still kill him—she was strong enough—but not with Kouhei here. He was a liability. She couldn't go all out without putting him at risk.

Kouhei could see the frustration burning in Saonji's eyes, the strain showing in her every movement. And he hated it. Hated that he was the one holding her back, that he was useless.

"S-Saonji-san!" he called out, his voice trembling but determined. "I'm fine! Just go and fight him already!"

"Don't be stupid, Okumura Kouhei! If I did that, he'd target you!" Saonji snapped.

"D-Don't worry about me! I'll be fine!" Kouhei called back, his voice shaky but determined.

Saonji could see it in his eyes. He's serious. That unwavering resolve hit her in a way she hadn't expected. It sent a strange warmth blooming in her chest, something unfamiliar. What is this feeling?

"Hide behind that building!" she ordered, her voice tight.

Without hesitation, Kouhei nodded and sprinted toward cover, his feet pounding the ground as he raced behind the building.

Saonji dropped the shield she'd been maintaining, her body tensing as she turned to face the angel head-on.

"Pathetic!" The angel sneered, his wings flaring as he unleashed a downpour of light spears. "And you! Do you think you can hide from me?!" He roared, hurling a wave of spears straight at Kouhei.

"Okumura Kouhei!" Saonji's heart clenched as she spun around, her eyes wide, watching the deadly barrage hurtle toward him.

"I'm okaaaay!" Kouhei screamed, his voice strained as he threw himself to the side, barely dodging the spears raining down, the sharp whoosh of them cutting through the air around him.

He's managing, Saonji thought, relief washing over her as she locked eyes on the angel again. Good. He can handle himself. Now it's my turn to take this angel down.

Dark energy swirled around her as she sprinted toward the angel, her movements fluid, purposeful. With a surge of power, she lashed out, her attack crackling with raw energy as it connected.

"Kuh...!" The angel grunted, barely blocking the hit. His shield shattered on impact, sending shards of energy flying, but he remained mostly unscathed, only a few marks showing where her attack had touched him.

"Don't you fucking dare look down on me!" the angel snarled, his fury igniting as he flung another barrage of spears, each one faster and more vicious than the last.

He's getting more powerful, Saonji thought. And this behavior... it's not typical of an angel. Wait, is this...?

Suddenly, the air around her grew thick, heavy with something dark and insidious. It was a sensation she usually only felt around high-ranking angels, like archangels, but this... this was different. This one reeked of evil. He wasn't a fallen angel just yet, but he was spiraling downward, on the verge of turning into one.

The transformation began before her eyes. The angel's once white hair darkened into a vicious, inky black, and his eyes turned a piercing gold. His skin turned ashen gray, and even his wings, once radiant, mirrored the dark transformation.

His mouth twisted into a sneer, and Saonji knew. He had already crossed the line. He's becoming a fallen angel. This is bad.

Fallen angels still possessed the same powers as regular angels, but when they fell, their strength surged—dramatically. Even without ties to holy lands like churches or shrines, their power skyrocketed. And dramatically, she reminded herself, her body tensing.

"Hahahaha! Now, die, demons!" the fallen angel bellowed, his voice dripping with madness. Above her, spears of light appeared—dozens, no, hundreds of them—lighting up the sky with a terrifying glow.

There's no way I can dodge that, Saonji thought.

Still, she moved, her body instinctively sprinting away from the center of the spears' deadly radius.

"Useless!" the fallen angel sneered before bringing the spears down in a relentless barrage.

Saonji braced for impact. But just as the spears closed in, she felt a force slam into her, pushing her out of harm's way. She hit the ground hard, the impact knocking the wind out of her. Disoriented, she glanced behind her—only to see Kouhei, a spear of light driven straight through his back.

"Thank goodness..." Kouhei rasped, blood dripping from his mouth. His eyes fluttered shut, and his body went limp.

No...