Disclaimer: Just in case nobody realized I don't own nor do I claim ownership of Highschool DxD, all characters and worlds belong to their real world respective owners. I'm just having some fun, that's all.
Warning sexual content disclaimer: All characters and actions are above 18+
Highschool DxD: The Cursed King of Kuoh
S1 Ch 21: Payback Devils Vs Fallen
Night had settled fully over Kuoh.
Inside the Occult Research Club, the world felt smaller, quieter—contained within walls lined with faintly glowing sigils that pulsed with protective magic. The usual warmth of the room had been replaced by something colder, so cold that it felt like it could shatter if just tapped too hard.
Sukuna lay motionless in the bed at the center of the room.
Bandages wrapped around his torso and shoulder, their edges faintly stained where healing magic had already done its work. His breathing was steady, but shallow, the rise and fall of his chest barely perceptible beneath the dim light.
The oppressive aura that normally clung to him—the sharp, suffocating presence that made even devils uneasy—was gone.
Rias Gremory sat beside him, her posture slumped with exhaustion. One hand hovered just above his chest, glowing faintly with demonic energy as she continued to channel healing magic into his body.
The effort showed in the tightness of her expression, in the slight tremor of her fingers as she maintained the spell.
It wasn't working the way it should have.
She had seen him heal from serious injuries before, even fatal ones that should've killed him. And yet… he remained the same no matter how much of her magic flowed into him. It almost felt like it was resisting her, as if something inside of him rejected the foreign energy.
She exhaled slowly, adjusting her focus, trying again.
"You're supposed to be recovering," she murmured under her breath, more to herself than to him. "So why aren't you?"
The door opened quietly behind her.
Footsteps entered one by one.
Akeno Himejima arrived first, her usual composed smile fading the moment she saw the scene. Yuuto Kiba followed closely behind, his expression tightening as his eyes fell on Sukuna's condition. Koneko Toujou arrived last, her gaze sharp and silent as she assessed everything at once.
For a moment, none of them spoke, but then Kiba broke the silence.
"…What happened?"
His voice was controlled, but there was tension beneath it.
Rias didn't answer immediately.
Her hand remained over Sukuna, the glow of her magic flickering slightly as her concentration wavered. When she finally spoke, her voice was quieter than usual.
"I found him in the park," she said. "Pinned to a pillar. He was barely conscious. Barely alive."
Akeno's expression darkened. "The Fallen?"
"That's my assumption," Rias replied.
Koneko stepped closer to the bed, her golden eyes narrowing as she studied Sukuna more closely. "He doesn't look like he's healing."
Rias's jaw tightened slightly. "He isn't. Not properly."
That, more than anything, unsettled the room, when suddenly the clubroom door exploded inward.
The impact echoed through the room as wood struck the wall with a sharp crack, splinters scattering across the floor. Every member of the peerage turned instantly, their bodies shifting into readiness as a new presence entered the room.
A woman stepped through the broken doorway, her presence sharp and immediate. Her kimono clung tightly to her frame, the fabric drawn close enough to emphasize movement rather than conceal it.
A slit along the front allowed for easy motion, while the neckline dipped far lower than tradition would suggest, leaving little to imagination. Her eyes swept the room once—fast, searching.
"Where is he?" Ura asked.
Her voice cut through the air like a blade. No one had time to answer before her eyes locked onto him.
Her expression changed instantly.
She crossed the room in a blur of motion, dropping to Sukuna's side without hesitation. One hand pressed lightly against his chest while the other hovered just above his shoulder, her gaze scanning him rapidly.
"…What happened to him?"
Her voice dropped, colder now, then she noticed Rias' and her lack of clothes. The temperature in the room dropped several degrees.
"You," she said sharply.
Rias blinked. "What—"
"Did you take advantage of him while he was like this?"
At her question silence filled the clubroom until—
Akeno covered her mouth, trying to cover a laugh, and Kiba and Koneko had to turn away. While Rias' face became as red as her hair.
"That's not what this is!" she snapped.
She scrambled to stand up before she summoned magic to re-form her clothing around her. The fabric shimmered back into place in a brief flash of demonic energy, restoring her composure—at least physically.
The woman didn't look convinced, summoning a metal fan in her hand with a soft click.
The room shifted instantly.
Kiba stepped forward, summoning his own sword, while Koneko moved slightly to the side.
Akeno's smile sharpened as electricity crackled in between her fingers.
Rias raised a hand quickly. "Wait!"
"She's not the enemy," Rias said, quickly getting her peerage to stand down, before she turned to Sukuna's servant. "And I didn't take advantage of him, I've been healing him."
The unfolding of the fan paused mid-motion, while the woman's eyes narrowed.
"Explain."
"It's Devil healing magic," Rias continued, forcing calm into her voice. "He was critically injured when I found him. I've been using magic to try to stabilize him."
There was a long pause as Ura scoured her system of knowledge to see the validity of the devil's claims, finding them to be true. The tension didn't disappear—but it did eased.
Slowly she lowered her fan.
"…Fine," the woman said.
Her gaze returned to Sukuna, her expression tightening again. She leaned closer, examining him more carefully now, her hand hovering over his body with a different kind of focus.
"What exactly happened?" she asked, not looking up.
Rias answered this time.
"The Fallen Angels attacked him, at least that's what it looks like."
The woman's eyes flicked briefly toward her.
"Looks like?"
"I wasn't there," Rias admitted.
The woman's jaw tightened, as she leaned in closer, her fingers brushing lightly across Sukuna's bandages. For a moment, nothing happened.
Then her expression changed.
"…Holy residue," she murmured.
Everyone in the room stilled.
She straightened slightly, her voice turning colder. "They used something infused with holy energy. Not enough to kill him outright—but enough to interfere."
Rias frowned. "Interfere with what?"
"With him," the woman replied bluntly. "His healing."
Without another word, the woman placed both hands over Sukuna's body. Her energy felt different as it slowly flowed into his body.
It didn't clash with him the way Rias's magic had. Instead, it flowed into him smoothly, settling where it needed to, reinforcing rather than forcing. The tension in Sukuna's body eased slightly. His breathing deepened, and the faint strain that had lingered in his expression began to fade.
After several long seconds, she pulled her hands back.
"There now he'll heal properly," she said.
Rias and the others exhaled quietly a sigh of relief.
"But he's not getting up anytime soon," Ura added, she then stood, her gaze immediately hardening. "Which gives me plenty of time to fix this myself."
Two fans snapped open again as she made her way towards the door.
"Where are you going?" Rias asked.
"I'm going to wipe out every last Fallen Angel involved," she said flatly.
"No," Rias immediately blocked her path. "That won't be necessary."
The Ura's eyes locked with Rias, but the young girl held her ground.
"This is our fight now too," she said. "He's part of my peerage."
Ura just stared at her for a moment, before she scoffed.
"You don't care about him," she said coldly, her words hitting harder than expected. "You care about someone touching your tool."
Rias didn't respond immediately not knowing what to say, then she remembered Sona's words.
"You have to give him a reason."
Rias straightened.
"No," she said firmly. "That's not true."
The servant's eyes narrowed.
"He's part of my family," Rias continued. "And I protect my family."
The words settled in the room.
Kiba stepped forward slightly. "She's right."
Akeno smiled faintly. "Ara… we don't abandon our own."
Koneko crossed her arms. "We fight."
The woman looked between them one at a time. Then slowly—She lowered her fans.
"…Fine." She said at last, her tone made it clear that she still disliked them. "But don't mistake this for acceptance."
Her gaze flicked briefly between Rias and Akeno.
"I still don't like either of you." Eyeballing their enormous busts.
Akeno tilted her head slightly, amused. "My, how harsh."
Rias just sighed. "…Noted."
The woman turned slightly, her attention returning to Sukuna for just a moment longer before she spoke again.
"We need to move fast," she said. "They won't expect a quick retaliation."
Rias and the others nodded.
"Then let's start planning our counterattack. "
The room immediately shifted.
What had started as tension settled into a new purpose: payback.
Maps were pulled out. Positions were discussed. The abandoned church became the center of their focus, its layout broken down piece by piece as they prepared their approach.
Outside, the night remained still.
But inside the Occult Research Club—War was already beginning.
o-O-o
The plan came together in quiet intensity.
Maps lay spread across the Occult Research Club table, their edges pinned down by stray books and cups long gone cold. The abandoned church had been sketched from memory and supplemented with what little information they had gathered before—entry points, structural weaknesses, possible ritual locations beneath the main floor. Every detail mattered now. Every assumption could cost them.
Rias Gremory stood at the head of the table, one hand rested against its surface as she studied the layout. The fatigue from earlier still clung to her, but it had been pushed aside, replaced by focus sharpened through urgency.
"We'll split into two groups," she said, her voice steady and clear. "We won't have the advantage of surprise for long, so we'll have to move fast."
Her gaze lifted, moving from one face to the next.
"Akeno. Ura. You're with me."
A faint smile curved across Akeno Himejima's lips, her posture relaxing slightly as she leaned against the back of a chair. "Ara… a direct approach. I like it."
Ura said nothing, but her eyes narrowed slightly in acknowledgment, her attention sharp and unwavering.
Rias turned to the others.
"Kiba. Koneko. You'll infiltrate the church while they're distracted."
Yuuto Kiba gave a small nod, his expression composed but intent. "Understood."
Koneko Toujou crossed her arms lightly. "We'll take them out."
"Good," Rias confirmed. "The Fallen Angels are the real threat. If we draw them out, it should leave their base exposed."
Ura finally spoke.
"And if they don't take the bait?" she asked, her tone cool.
Rias didn't hesitate. "Then we force them to."
Akeno's smile widened just slightly as the air in the room shifted. Once their preparations were finished, two teleportation circles formed at the center of the room.
Crimson light spread across the floor beneath Rias, Akeno, and Ura, the magic pulsing with controlled intensity. A second circle flared nearby, smaller but no less precise, forming beneath Kiba and Koneko.
For a brief moment, the two groups stood side by side.
Then Kiba spoke.
"We'll go first," he said.
Rias nodded once.
"Be careful."
Koneko didn't respond. She simply adjusted her gloves, tightening the fabric around her hands as her eyes narrowed slightly.
The circle beneath them brightened.
In an instant—they vanished.
o-O-o
The world reformed around them in a flicker of light.
Kiba and Koneko reappeared in the shadows just beyond the church grounds, hidden behind a line of overgrown trees. The building loomed ahead, quiet beneath the moonlight, its broken windows dark and hollow.
The barrier shimmered faintly around it.
Both of them crouched low, keeping their presence contained, their breathing steady as they watched the church in silence.
Kiba's eyes scanned the perimeter, tracking the faint distortions in the air where the barrier pulsed. "We have to wait," he murmured.
Koneko just nodded once as she remained focused on the church. The two sat side by side and waited for their king's signal.
o-O-o
Far from the church, deep within the forest, the second group arrived. The moment the teleportation circle faded, Rias exhaled slowly, then lifted her chin slightly.
"Now," she said.
Suddenly their power surged.
Demonic energy erupted outward from all three of them, rising into the sky like a flare. Crimson lightning cracked through the air as Rias released her aura without restraint. Beside her, Akeno's power coiled upward in twisting arcs of electricity, while Ura's presence sharpened into something colder, more precise.
The forest reacted to the sudden wave of energy. Leaves trembled. Branches swayed. The air itself seemed to become heavy under the sudden pressure of their combined energy.
o-O-o
Deep below the abandoned church, the ritual continued.
The basement chamber pulsed with light, the symbols carved into the stone floor glowing brighter with each passing second. Candles flickered wildly along the walls, their flames bending unnaturally as the energy in the room intensified.
Asia Argento remained bound at the center of the altar, her body trembling as the ritual drained her strength. The glow around her flickered unevenly, as though struggling to maintain itself.
Eisheth stood before her, eyes fixed on the ritual circle, then she paused. Tilting her head slightly as she felt the sudden surge of demonic energy.
Her expression darkened.
"The devils…" she muttered.
Across the room, Mittelt stiffened. "They're here already?"
Kalawarner's wings shifted uneasily. "That was fast."
Eisheth's gaze flicked toward the ceiling, her thoughts racing. The ritual was too far along to abandon—but it couldn't be interrupted either.
"Looks like they found my parting gift," she said coldly.
She turned sharply.
"Kalawarner. Mittelt. Go." Both of the fallen angels straightened immediately. "Draw them away. Don't let them near the church."
Mittelt grinned. "Gladly."
Kalawarner gave a short nod.
Neither of them questioned their leader's orders. Slowly the barrier surrounding the church was dropped as they took flight.
Outside, Kiba's eyes sharpened instantly.
"The barrier's down."
Koneko was already moving.
"Now."
The two of them broke from cover and sprinted toward the church, crossing the threshold just as the barrier began to reform behind them. The moment they stepped inside, the air shifted—heavy, charged with lingering energy.
They didn't slow down.
Kiba summoned his sword in a single fluid motion, the blade forming in his hand as he advanced into the sanctuary.
The first group of rogue exorcists barely had time to react.
"Enemies—!"
They didn't finish the warning.
Kiba moved through them with practiced precision, his strikes clean and controlled, disarming and disemboweling in rapid succession. Each motion was efficient, deliberate, honed through countless battles.
Beside him, Koneko moved like a force of nature.
Her small frame blurred as she closed the distance between herself and the nearest opponent. Her fist drove forward with overwhelming strength, sending one exorcist crashing backward into a brick wall. Another lunged toward her—only to be swept aside with a sharp kick that sent him flying.
The room erupted into chaos. Steel clashed against steel, wood splintered, and voices screamed in panic.
The commotion echoed down below them. Eisheth's eyes flicked upward as the sounds of combat echoed faintly through the ceiling.
"They're inside," she said, her jaw tightened. "Freed."
The man grinned immediately.
"Already on it." He turned, motioning to the remaining exorcists. "Let's go greet our guests."
They rushed toward the stairs.
Moments later, the upper floor exploded into renewed violence. Freed emerged first, his grin wide and unhinged as his gaze locked onto Kiba.
"Well, well!" he called out. "Didn't expect to see any of you devil trash in our home!"
Kiba didn't answer.
His attention was fixed on the weapon in Freed's hand, a fragment of Excalibur. The moment he recognized it, something inside him snapped.
His grip tightened while his posture became more rigid.
Freed laughed. "Oh? That look—"
Their blades met, the clash rang out across the church.
Kiba drove forward, his movements sharper now, more aggressive as he forced Freed back step by step. Each strike carried more weight than before, more intent.
Freed met him with manic enthusiasm, their swords sparking with each impact.
Around them, the remaining exorcists tried to regroup, but Koneko wouldn't let them.
She moved through them relentlessly, her strikes disrupting any attempt at formation. Each movement was precise, controlled, but undeniably powerful as she cleared space for Kiba to focus on his opponent.
The fight had split into two fronts, and both were collapsing in favor of the intruders.
Below, the ritual circle flared brighter.
Eisheth remained at the altar, her focus locked entirely on the process. The noise above no longer mattered—not unless it reached her directly.
"Hold them off," she muttered under her breath. "Just a little bit more."
The energy in the room surged again as the ritual was nearing completion.
And above—the battle was only just beginning.
o-O-o
Away from the church the forest had gone still.
Not the quiet of a resting night, but the kind that settled before something violent disturbed it. Leaves hung motionless on their branches, the air thick and unmoving, as though the world itself held its breath in anticipation.
Then the sky split.
Two figures descended through the treeline, their wings cutting sharply through the night air before folding behind them as they touched down.
Kalawarner landed first, boots pressing lightly into the damp earth, her expression already curled into a smirk. A moment later, Mittelt dropped beside her, smaller, restless, her eyes flicking immediately toward the source of the demonic pressure.
The devils and the attendant were waiting for them.
Rias Gremory stood at the center of the clearing, her posture calm, her crimson hair catching faint glints of moonlight as it shifted with the wind.
To her right, Akeno Himejima leaned slightly to one side, her smile present but sharpened into something more dangerous than playful. And to Rias's left—
Ura stood still.
Utterly and completely still.
Her kimono shifted faintly with the breeze, but her focus didn't waver. Her eyes were fixed entirely on the two fallen angels.
Kalawarner took a slow step forward.
"Well, well," she said lightly, glancing between them. "You devils are getting bold. Wandering this close to our territory…"
Her gaze settled on Rias.
"Doesn't this violate the ceasefire agreement?"
Rias didn't give her time to finish.
"You broke that agreement first."
The words landed flat and cold, while Kalawarner just raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?" she asked, amused. "And how exactly did we do that?"
Rias's expression didn't change.
"The moment you laid your hands on a member of my household."
The clearing went quiet.
Mittelt blinked once, clearly confused.
Kalawarner, on the other hand, just laughed.
"Oh, you mean that pink-haired loser?" she said casually, waving a hand as if dismissing the thought entirely. "Yeah, I remember him. Cute, I guess—but honestly? Pretty weak."
Her smirk widened.
"Pathetic, really."
The temperature suddenly dropped.
A pulse of energy erupted from Ura's body—deep violet threaded with black, coiling outward into the air like smoke that refused to dissipate. It wrapped around her form, visible, tangible, pressing down against the clearing with suffocating weight.
Her fans appeared in her hands with a soft metallic click.
"So you're the one," she said, her voice devoid of all emotion.
Kalawarner's smirk faltered just slightly. "The one wha—"
Ura moved.
The fan in her right hand swung downward in a single, fluid arc. A slash of purple-black energy tore through the forest.
The ground split open in a long, violent line, trees shuddering as the attack carved a path through them, leaving a deep scar across the clearing. The air itself seemed to distort as the attack passed, its edges fraying with raw power.
Everything stopped, even Rias and Akeno. The sheer scale of the destruction left their jaws on the floor.
Before Kalawarner could fully process what had just happened, Ura was already behind her. Her fan swept toward Kalawarner's neck, clearing aiming to behead her.
The fallen angel barely twisted in time, the blade of energy grazing past her as she stumbled forward, her balance breaking for a split second.
Which was all Ura needed.
Her foot drove upward. The impact struck Kalawarner across the face, launching her backward through the clearing and into the trees beyond with explosive force.
Mittelt reacted immediately.
"Hey—!"
A spear of light formed in her hand as she lunged toward Ura. Though she didn't get far as lightning struck her side.
Akeno stepped forward, her hand raised as arcs of electricity danced between her fingers.
"Now, now," she said softly, her voice almost playful again. "I'm your opponent."
Her lightning surged outward again.
Mittelt was forced back instantly, her attack disrupted as she stumbled away under the pressure of Akeno's power.
"Come on," Akeno added, her smile widening. "Let's have some fun."
Behind them Ura was already moving, pursuing Kalawarner who crashed through a cluster of trees before finally hitting the ground, her body skidding across dirt and broken branches. She barely had time to push herself up before Ura was already walking toward her.
Kalawarner forced herself upright, anger flaring as she summoned another lance of light.
"Damn you!"
She thrust her spear forward, but Ura didn't flinch. She just raised her folded fan and effortlessly redirected it, the light lance sliding off the edge of the metal with a sharp flare of energy.
While at the same time her second fan unfolded and moved. A dark blade of energy followed.
Kalawarner's body jerked as a wide cut appeared across her body running from her stomach to her shoulder. The pain that followed forced her back and sent her stumbling to one knee.
Her breathing became ragged as her vision blurred. Before she could even gather her wits—Ura's foot slammed into the side of her head.
The force lifted her off the ground entirely, sending her crashing through another line of trees in a spray of splintered wood.
Now alone in the distance, Kalawarner forced herself to sit upright. Her breathing was still uneven while her legs were wobbly. As she sat there gathering her strength the situation became clear to her.
She couldn't win this fight.
She needed to flee.
She needed to survive.
But as she spread her wings to take flight two dark slashes crossed the distance between them striking her before she had the chance to move.
Her wings were severed from her back clinging to tumbling and hitting the forest floor. What followed was Kalawarner's heart-retching screams.
"My wings!" She said as she desperately reached for them. "My beautiful beautiful wings!"
Then Ura appeared next to her, reaching down and silencing her with her hand around her throat.
"Shut up," she said coldly.
Before she lifted her higher and threw her across the clearing. Kalawarner's body crashed through the trees again, tumbling across the ground like something weightless, uncontrolled.
Ura slowly followed her pace completely unhurried. Elsewhere in the forest, the battle had taken a different tone.
Mittelt staggered backward as another bolt of lightning struck the ground beside her, the impact forcing her to change direction mid-step.
Akeno moved with ease.
Each motion of her hand sent arcs of electricity dancing across the battlefield, her attacks precise enough to corner, but never quite finishing.
She was enjoying herself.
"Oh my," she said softly as another strike forced Mittelt to her knees. "You're already slowing down."
Mittelt tried to stand only to collapse. Akeno tilted her head slightly, watching her with interest.
"Is that all?" she asked gently.
The fallen angel glared at her, but the defiance in her expression was fading.
Akeno stepped forward slowly, her smile softening just slightly as she raised her hand again.
"Such a shame," she murmured.
Suddenly Kalawarner's body crashed into her from behind, sending both of them tumbling across the ground in a tangled heap. The impact knocked the air from Mittelt's lungs as she sprawled forward, struggling to regain her footing.
Both fallen angels looked up as Rias raised her hands raised, a sphere of concentrated destruction energy forming between them. The air around her distorted under the pressure, the ground beneath her feet cracking slightly as the power continued to build.
Her expression was filled with cold fury.
"You shouldn't have touched my family," she said quietly.
The sphere pulsed once, before she released it all at once.
The attack surged forward in a wave of pure destructive force, consuming everything in its path. The light swallowed the clearing entirely for a brief, blinding moment.
Then—nothing remained.
Once the energy faded the forest had become still again. The two fallen angels completely vaporized.
Akeno exhaled softly, lowering her hand as the last traces of electricity faded from the air. "Well," she said lightly. "That was quicker than expected."
Ura didn't respond, her eyes were already shifting toward the direction of the church.
Rias lowered her hands slowly, the last remnants of her power dispersing into the night air. Her expression, still tight.
"We're not done," she said.
Both women understood immediately. Without another word, the three of them turned and made their way towards the church.
o-O-o
Far below the church, Eisheth felt her comrades' energy suddenly vanish.Her expression shifted filled with shock and surprise.
"…They're gone," she said quietly.
For a moment a flicker of sadness filled her face before it vanished.
"It doesn't matter," she added coldly, her gaze returning to the ritual.
The circle beneath Asia burned brighter. The energy was just about to reach its peak.
"It's almost done," she whispered.
While above her the sounds of battle drew closer.
o-O-o
Back in the Occult Research Club the air was quiet again.
The aftermath of planning had left the room still, the broken door had been temporarily repaired, restored just enough to function.
On the bed, Sukuna lay motionless.
For a long moment—Nothing changed.
Then his eyes opened. Snapping open with sharp clarity, awareness returning all at once as if he had never truly been asleep.
His breath caught for half a second as pain followed immediately behind it, dull and persistent, spreading through his chest and shoulder. It wasn't enough to stop him—but it was enough to remind him of what had happened.
His gaze fixed on the ceiling.
Then his mind caught up remembering:the park, the ambush, the light. But most of all he remembered Asia.
Her face surfaced without warning—tearful, frightened, yet still holding onto that same stubborn kindness. For a brief instant, the image shifted, overlapping with another memory buried far deeper. Smaller. Younger. Familiar in a way that twisted something tight in his chest.
His eyes narrowed as he sat up.
The sheets fell away from his body as he swung his legs over the side of the bed, ignoring the strain in his muscles as he pushed himself to stand. The room seemed smaller now, the silence thinner, as though it could no longer contain what was building inside him.
Shadows stirred.
They rose from the floor in slow, deliberate waves, creeping upward along his body like something alive. The darkness wrapped around him, climbing past his waist, his chest, his shoulders—until only his face remained visible.
Then it shifted.
His second pair of eyes opened.
Black markings spread across his skin, branching outward in sharp, intricate patterns that crawled along his arms, across his chest, and up the sides of his face. His presence changed with them—heavier, colder, the air around him tightening under the weight of something no longer restrained.
The shadows peeled away, changing from his torn ruined clothes to something more tactical.
The loose white gi hung lightly over his frame, sleeveless and unrestrictive, the fabric shifting faintly with each movement. A black undershirt sat beneath it, stark against the pale cloth, while a dark belt tied the outfit together at his waist. His sandals pressed quietly against the floor, tabi socks brushing softly against the wood as he stepped forward.
The shadows responded instantly.
They gathered in front of him, folding inward as space itself seemed to bend around them. A dark opening formed, its edges rippling like liquid night, swallowing the light around it.
For a moment, he stood there then—he stepped through. The shadows closed behind him, and the room was empty once more.
A/N: If you like this story and what to read ahead chapters 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30 are already available for Patrons.
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