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Chapter 295 ~ Ouroboros

A few days had passed since the intense battle against the Fallen Cadre, Kokabiel. 

The dust of battle had long settled, but the impact it left behind still echoed quietly in everyone’s hearts.

Among them, Asia lingered in mourning silence. The revelation—that God was truly gone—had shaken her faith to its core. 

She could not believe such a thing. She didn’t want to. 

And even with her world tilted on its axis, even if He might truly be gone, she still clasped her hands in prayer every night, whispering into the silence.

She never heard any response. But before, she knew that He was listening. Now… only lonely silence and the piercing headache she suffered due to her new nature as a reincarnated devil remained. 

The pain never stopped her from praying, and now, it wouldn’t either. 

Seeing her in pain, Yuuji decided to give her a magic item. A golden bracelet that glowed softly with silver radiance and warmth, enchanted with lesser psychic resistance, enough to prevent her from experiencing pain from praying. 

Since then, she never took it off and would always thank Yuuji for his kindness in the name of the now dead God, yet one she still put her faith in. 

Meanwhile, Rias and her peerage—though fully healed in body thanks to Yuuji’s divine aura—had spent the past few days focused on mental recovery. The chaos, the revelation, the overwhelming power they had witnessed… it left a lingering weight.

It felt like a dream, and the fact that it was reality made it that much more surreal.

Kiba had returned first.

His eyes were shadowed with guilt when he approached Rias. He bowed his head deeply.

“I… I let my emotions cloud me. I acted on vengeance, not duty. I’m sorry, President.”

Rias placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“You’re allowed to feel, Kiba. What matters is that you came back. And I’m happy you did.”

He smiled faintly, the tension in his shoulders easing at her forgiveness.

During a quiet moment in the clubroom, Asia had approached him, wringing her hands nervously.

“Kiba-san… have you heard anything about Xenovia-san?”

He shook his head. “No… Xenovia’s been gone since the battle. I’m sure she just needs time to process everything. What about Irina…?”

“She’s still recovering…”

Asia looked down, her brows furrowed in worry. But before anxiety could fully take hold, Issei reached over and gently nudged her shoulder.

“She’ll come back when she’s ready,” he said reassuringly. “Let’s give her a bit of time.”

“Uhn…”

Later that afternoon, Sona and Tsubaki arrived at the Occult Research Club.

Rias stood up to greet them. “Sona. Are you alright?”

The bespectacled girl nodded. “Thanks to your friend.”

The two sat down in the familiar crimson-cushioned couches.

“We were teleported away to safety right after the barrier was broken. If it were a few  seconds later… Kokabiel would’ve finished the job…” Sona explained

Rias let out a relieved sigh. “I’m glad. I was worried…”

Tsubaki smiled gently. “We came here to express our gratitude. But it seems like they’re not here…”

Just then, the door opened with the soft sound of footsteps.

Akeno entered gracefully, her long raven-black hair tied with a ribbon, and a warm smile on her lips. She carried a tray bearing a delicate ceramic teapot and two matching cups.

“Welcome,” she said in her usual serene tone. “Yuuji-kun said he had something to do today. He left early this morning.”

She placed the tray down and began pouring fragrant black tea into the cups.

Sona raised an eyebrow. “Something important?”

Akeno gave a small sigh as she handed her the cup. “He didn’t say. But…” her expression brightened as she straightened her posture slightly, “I’m looking forward to this weekend. All of us would be spending it at Yuuji-kun’s and Aika-chan’s house.”

“A weekend getaway?” Tsubaki asked, intrigued.

Akeno nodded, her cheeks tinged faintly pink. “They have a private hot spring.”

“Oh my,” Sona said with a teasing smile. “Lucky you.”

“It’s supposed to be training for Yuuto and Koneko-chan. But, after all that’s happened, we’ll use this chance to unwind as well.”

Rias smiled as well, sipping her tea. A subtle wave of warmth flowed in the room. Even in the aftermath of a battle that could’ve ended in tragedy, they were all still here. 

And Yuuji, even in his absence, had left them with peace.

--------------------------------X--------------------------------

Yuuji stood in silence, the late afternoon wind brushing through his uniform blazer as he stared at the small figure standing before him.

A small girl, barefoot and expressionless, her long jet-black hair cascading like liquid shadow down her back. Her face was doll-like—delicate and emotionless—but her presence…

It was unmistakable.

This wasn’t just any quiet goth loli.

This was Ophis—the Dragon of Infinity.

‘Hah… I messed up…’

He should’ve anticipated this. After unleashing Est during the Kokabiel battle—without enclosing the space with Albedo’s [Dream of Reality]—it was only natural something ancient would come sniffing around.

Still, this was… earlier than expected.

She had appeared just outside Kuoh Academy hours ago, silent and curious, but unmistakably focused on him. Fortunately, he’d noticed in time and sent a message telepathically. A polite request: Don’t come near the school. I’ll come to you.

Now, here they were.

Alone. In the shadow of a forest clearing, veiled in runes to avoid attention.

“What do you want, Ophis?” Yuuji asked calmly, his eyes narrowed ever so slightly. “You’ve crossed dimensions to find me. It must’ve been for something.”

“I felt it,” she said in a quiet, monotone voice. “A power unknown… Immense… Like infinite… Familiar… But at the same time… Strange…”

Her eyes—those cold, boundless voids—stared directly into him.

“It came from you.”

Yuuji didn’t deny it.

“I see,” he replied. “So you came to investigate.”

She gave a slow, almost robotic nod.

Then, she extended her hand—her sleeve hanging loose, a black snake slithering out and coiling midair between them.

“Come with me,” she said. “Help me. I will give you great power.”

Her voice remained utterly flat, devoid of manipulation or emotion.

Yuuji raised an eyebrow.

“You want me to join your little group?”

She nodded again.

“I’m building a force. To reclaim silence. To remove Great Red. You’re strong. Stronger than all of them. Combined. Useful.”

Yuuji hummed softly, not reacting to the serpent still floating between them. “And you’re just going to tell me that outright?”

“I don’t lie,” she said. “Lies are noise.”

He chuckled. Fair point.

“What else do I get if I join?” he asked playfully.

“My blessing. Freedom. Power beyond power.”

“I already have that,” he smiled. “More importantly… I already have a group of my own.”

Ophis blinked slowly. Her brows didn’t furrow—her face didn’t shift—but there was the tiniest hint of disappointment. Or was it curiosity?

“Then… you refuse?”

Yuuji nodded gently. “I do. But…”

He stepped forward, his expression softening.

“If it’s silence you seek… I know of a place.”

Ophis tilted her head slightly. “A trap?”

“No,” he said. “If I wanted to trap you, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

She considered this.

And after a moment, she nodded.

“If it disappoints me, I’ll kill you.”

He smiled. “You won’t be.”

A whirling vortex appeared behind him. 

“Follow me.” He said, and turned around, entering the [Gate] spell. 

Ophis looked with interest at this unknown magic, its unfamiliar energy, and followed suit. 

Taking one step beyond the whirling vortex, they arrived at his estate—a vast realm cut off from the outside world by a multi-layered, transcendent barrier. 

As they stepped inside, the weight of the world vanished.

It was the most magic-dense place she had ever seen in this world… Yet here, there was no noise—no pull of mana, no hum of ley lines, no interference. Just the gentle sounds of nature. Birds. Wind through leaves. Flowing water.

Such was the purity of the magic in this place.

Ophis stood still.

Her void-like eyes widened.

“This is…” she whispered. “Quiet…”

Yuuji nodded. “It’s my home. Our home. A safe haven, where we can just relax and enjoy some peace.”

“Peace…”

Ophis remained unmoving for a long moment.

Then, without a word, she sat on the soft grass, relishing in the long-lost silence. Her eyes gazed up to the clear blue sky. Bright. Warm. Different from the endless darkness within the Dimensional Gap. 

But… It was comfortable. 

“Yuuji~!” 

Moments later, the silence broke. Aika’s cheerful voice called out as she ran up, Erika and Albedo trailing behind her.

They paused when they saw the girl beside him.

Jet-black hair. Pale skin. Blank stare.

“…Wait… Is that—?” Erika blinked.

“Ophis,” Albedo whispered, immediately stepping protectively beside Yuuji.

The tension in the air spiked, but before it could escalate—

“Oh my GOD, she’s so CUTE!” Aika suddenly squealed, dashing forward and crouching beside Ophis. “Yuuji, why didn’t you tell me that you’re bringing Ophis-chan home?! Was this the ‘business’ you need to take care before?”

Ophis blinked again. She was confused as to why this girl, who seemed to contain within her immense power as well, would suddenly squeal and act like this before her. 

Usually, the reaction she would see in others the moment they met her would be shock, fear, and despair. 

Some of the more powerful ones, like the horned succubus, would be wary. Others, like the ancient demon wearing a female human skin, would be shocked.

Yuuji and Aika were the only ones treating her this way… 

Aika took her hand without hesitation. “C’mon! I’ll show you the garden, and the koi pond, and the hot springs!”

Before she could reply, Aika dragged the little goth-loli dragon of infinity off the ground and vanished into the distance like an excited older sister.

Albedo looked to Yuuji, questioningly. “My love… Are you alright? Why didn’t you tell me you would be meeting the Dragon of Infinity?”

“I’m fine.” Yuuji replied with a chuckle and continued “She came looking for me and appeared in the academy, so I had to meet her immediately.”

Erika leaned close, eyes narrowed. “That really was Ophis, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah,” he confirmed, folding his arms. “She came to recruit me. But I declined. So I invited her here instead. I thought that the enchantments we have here would make it a quiet enough place for her, and if it could make her an ally, all the better.”

Albedo still looked uncertain. “My love, I understand from the anime that she’s not evil. But even if she isn’t, her followers are chaotic at best. And her presence attracts them.”

“I know,” Yuuji said. “But Ophis herself is… honest. Straightforward. Her goals are clear. That makes her more trustworthy than most.”

With all her powers and millenia’s worth of experience and life, Ophis was, surprisingly, simple. All she cared about was her goal—of regaining the silence she had lost due to Great Red’s presence. Otherwise, she cared very little. And due to her power, she didn’t see the worth in scheming. Her strength alone would be enough to solve most of the problems she encountered. The rest, she could simply use a bit more to destroy the problem itself. 

This made her an extremely reliable ally, and a trustworthy one. 

And from the anime, Yuuji had seen how she could be persuaded into becoming an ally. 

“Which is why it’s better to have her nearby where we can keep her close… maybe even on our side.”

There was a pause.

Then Albedo asked, “My love. If silence is her wish, wouldn’t letting her stay in your royal treasury be a solution? I believe that since it’s a separate dimension, it could be the “silent” place she had been searching for. And since you control it fully, it’d be much safer to have her inside rather than out.

Yuuji blinked.

“Ah… that’s right. I could.”