"A winner doesn't ask how the world is, but how it should be!!"

  — Sōsuke Aizen, Bleach

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  Now free from the for Asia's safety, Roy no longer o hold back.

  "Asia, stay here and wait for me. I'll take you home soon," Roy said with a reassuring smile.

  "Okay..." Asia csped her hands together, returning a gentle smile.

  For her, this person who had rescued her from despair was everything.

  "Ahahaha, I 't believe my ears! Asia, yoing home with a 'devil'? Have you finally fallen so far as to sort with devils?" Raynare erupted in mog ughter, deliberately emphasizing Roy's demoniature.

  Roy remained silent, his gaze fixed on Asia. He had faith in her.

  Asia was momentarily taken aback by Raynare's words but quickly recovered.

  "I trust Roy-san, whether he's a devil or a human. pared to him, you Fallen Angels are the wicked ones!" she decred, her gaze unwavering.

  Asia had been indoated by the Church, taught that devils were the most evil creatures ience.

  However, after this experience, she realized that devils weren't as evil as she had beeo believe. On the trary, she now saw the Fallen Angels and the Priests, who had preteo accept her, as far more wicked than any devil.

  "Hahahaha, how amusing! To be called evil!" Raynare's expression was strangely gleeful. She seemed to relish the bel.

  But her twisted smile quickly morphed into a mask e.

  "I'll kill you!"

  Asia flinched, hiding behind Roy.

  "Don't worry, Asia. I'll take care of her," Roy reassured her, turning his attention back to Raynare.

  "Hahaha, you think you defeat me just because you dodged my light spears...?"

  "Do I?"

  Before Raynare could finish her sentence, Roy on her.

  His right haed on the hilt of his sword, ready to draw.

  "Iai Ssh!"

  *Swish!*

  The draw was so fast it was almost invisible. A thin line of blood appeared on Raynare's neck.

  A moment ter, blood spurted forth.

  "Impossible..." Raynare clutched at her throat, but the bleeding wouldn't stop.

  "Azazel and Kokabiel won't let you get away with this!" she choked out.

  "Heh, let them e. I'll be waiting." If those two Fallen Angels came, his sister Grayfia wouldn't stand idly by. And given enough time, Roy himself would bee a force to be reed with.

  Raynare's body finally colpsed, her st words eg in the air.

  Just then, Saeko and the others arrived in the basement.

  "Roy, are you alright?!"

  "Roy-, let me see if you're hurt!"

  ...

  Seeing that all the enemies were dead, the girls rushed to Roy's side, cheg for injuries.

  "I'm fine! I'm not hurt at all!" Roy said, exasperated.

  But Shizuka, ever the worrier, insisted on examining him.

  "Are you hurt, Roy-san?" Asia asked, her voice full of .

  Seeing Shizuka's hands wandering a bit too freely, Roy rapped her on the head. She wasn't cheg for injuries; she was taking advantage of the situation!

  "Ow!" Shizuka clutched her head, finally calming down.

  "By the way, Saeko, what happeo the Stray Exorcist?" Roy asked, turning to Saeko.

  A satisfied smile spread across Saeko's face. "As you ahe Stray Exorcist is dead."

  "Well done, Saekave her a thumbs-up.

  "Hmph, thanks to *someone*, we almost let that Stray Exorcist escape," Saya muttered.

  "Oh? What happened?" Roy asked curiously.

  Yuriko chuckled nervously, tugging at her daughter's sleeve.

  But Saya ignored her, refusing to give her mother any face-saving opportunity. She reted what had happened.

  During the fight with Freed, the irls had been using Magic Bullet to keep him from esg.

  However, due to Yuriko's carelessness, he had almost mao grab her as a hostage. Fortunately, Saeko had reacted quickly.

  If Yuriko had been taken hostage, Freed Sellzen would have undoubtedly used her as leverage to escape, and their mission would have failed.

  After hearing Saya's at, Roy looked at Yuriko. As a mature woman, she shouldn't have made such a careless mistake.

  However, since her body had been restructed, her mental age seemed to have regressed somewhat, and she frequently bickered with Saya.

  Of course, her pse in judgment was also partly due to her insuffit magical power, which had allowed Freed to break through her Magic Bullet.

  Seeing Roy's gaze, Yuriko lowered her head like a child caught i. She regretted arguing with Saya, especially now that the i had been brought to Roy's attention.

  Roy pced his hand on Yuriko's head, startling her. She braced herself for punishment.

  "Alright, since everyone's safe, we'll let it go this time. However, there will still be sequences. We'll discuss this bae."

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