Starting with No Game No Life: Infinite Chests

"Who are you!?" The moment Xenovia turned around and saw Riku, her pale yellow eyes sharpened, her hand instinctively reaching for the massive object on her back, ready to fight at any moment.

"It's really not cool to suddenly appear behind girls and startle them, you know," Irina said, hand moving to the white ribbon wrapped around her wrist. Despite her playful words, her gaze was just as sharp as Xenovia's.

The fact that someone could approach them so quietly without being noticed made it clear Riku was anything but ordinary.

"If you treat me with such hostility, your Pope is going to cry, you know," Riku teased, unfazed by the sharp glares from the two girls.

"—!" At these words, Xenovia and Irina's hostility only deepened.

"No need to be so tense. I'm just a teacher at this academy. If you're looking for someone, I can help," Riku said smoothly, changing the subject.

"A teacher? You look about the same age as us," Irina eyed him suspiciously.

"Who says you can't be a teacher if you're young?" Riku replied calmly. "So, do you want to keep waiting out here, or would you rather sit comfortably on a sofa and meet the person you're after as soon as class is over?"

"Standing and waiting is one of the Lord's trials. Seeking comfort is…" Xenovia began, her tone serious.

"Sorry for the trouble!" Irina cut her off, bowing and grinning.

"Hey, Irina, what are you—?" Xenovia started to protest.

"You're so stiff, Xenovia," Irina said cheerfully. "Isn't it much more efficient to let this teacher guide us than wait around for someone to come to us?"

"…Well, when you put it like that…" Xenovia couldn't argue and nodded in thanks. "Sorry to trouble you."

Riku just smiled and led Irina and Xenovia inside the school, straight to the Occult Research Club room.

"There's demonic energy everywhere," both girls frowned as they looked around. "This must be the den of the devil's leaders. And you're so familiar with this place…"

"So, Riku, are you a servant of the devils?" Xenovia and Irina both turned their gaze to Riku, who was calmly sipping tea across from them.

"A servant? That's a bit far-fetched," Riku replied coolly. "I'm just a faculty advisor, nothing more."

"Still, even if you're a teacher, you're human, aren't you? Isn't it strange for a human to hang around with a bunch of devils?" Irina asked, narrowing her eyes.

"How do you know I'm human?" Riku set down his teacup, his tone amused.

"Uh…" That caught Irina and Xenovia off guard.

"Wait, aren't you human?" Xenovia asked, frowning.

"I am human and also a god, and a devil king," Riku shrugged nonchalantly. "The difference between god and a demon is just a thought. A god can become a demon, and a demon can become a god. The difference is just a matter of power."

"Anyway, enough talk. The people you've been waiting for are here." Riku leaned back on the sofa with a relaxed smile as Irina and Xenovia stared at him in a daze.

As he finished speaking, the clubroom door opened.

Rias entered first, glancing at Riku and then at Xenovia and Irina before gracefully taking a seat to Riku's left. Schwi sat to his right. Behind them stood Akeno, Koneko, Asia, and Yuuto.

Kiba's face was especially tense, his gaze fixed coldly on Xenovia and Irina.

"Looks like you're having quite the conversation," Rias said, taking in the scene. "Sorry to interrupt, but as the one in charge here, can I ask why two holy sword-wielders from the Church are on my turf? That's a serious breach of the rules. If you can't give me a good explanation, I won't let this go lightly."

Rias's words and the pressure she released snapped Xenovia and Irina out of their daze.

"We're not here to fight, we came to negotiate," Xenovia answered, looking Rias directly in the eye.

"Oh? Negotiate? And you bring holy swords with you? That's a bold move." Rias glanced at the massive object behind Xenovia and the white ribbon around Irina's wrist, her tone mocking.

At that, Yuuto's expression only grew darker. For a devil, the presence of a holy sword brought a sickening sensation. For him, it was personal hatred. From the moment they'd entered, every devil Rias, Akeno, Koneko, and Yuuto could feel a profound discomfort, something ordinary holy swords couldn't provoke. There was no question what these two carried.

As for Schwi, she clearly had no interest in this "so-called" holy sword, and Riku even less.

Asia, meanwhile, probably didn't have any idea what was going on.

"You saw right through us," Xenovia said, unfazed, and revealed a corner of the sword wrapped in enchanted white cloth.

Instantly, a powerful wave of holy energy burst out, making Rias, Akeno, and Koneko visibly uncomfortable, while Yuuto could barely contain his urge to destroy the weapon on the spot.

Riku frowned, and in the next moment, the once-arrogant holy sword seemed to shrink away, as if a mouse had spotted a cat, and the aura vanished.

Xenovia was startled, but quickly rewrapped the sword with the enchanted cloth.

"This holy sword is one of the seven fragments of the original Excalibur, managed by the Vatican: 'Excalibur Destruction,'" Xenovia introduced.

Irina patted the white ribbon tied on her wrist.

It writhed as if alive and transformed into a katana, radiating holy power.

"Each Excalibur fragment has a unique power. Mine is 'Excalibur Mimic,'" Irina said proudly. "It can freely change shape, so it's easy to carry around like this."

"Irina, there's no need to explain the Holy Sword's abilities in detail. There are demons here," Xenovia said solemnly.

"It's fine~ With the power of the Holy Swords, no matter what the devils do, it's useless," Irina Shidou replied with a carefree grin.

Even Rias, with all her composure, couldn't help but feel a bit irritated by their exchange. After all, they were acting like the devils here weren't even worth acknowledging.

Riku, for his part, just curled his lip in disdain. Irina was being far too naïve. Did she really think that waving around some broken Holy Sword fragments could scare devils? If it was the original Excalibur of this world, sure, that could threaten a Maou. But just wielding a Holy Sword cobbled together from fragments? Not even a high-class devil would lose to that.

"You didn't come here just to show off your Holy Swords, did you? Could you please get to the point?" Rias said, frowning.

"Sorry, sorry, I almost forgot what we actually came here for," Irina apologised, with not even a shred of sincerity, and turned her Holy Sword back into the white ribbon, tying it on her wrist.

"Before that, there's something I need to say," Xenovia was much more straightforward, her expression twisted in disgust. "Excalibur has been stolen!"

Rias's pupils contracted, as if she had realised something.

"There are two in the Vatican headquarters, two with the Protestants, and two with the Orthodox Church. The remaining one went missing during the Great War," Xenovia explained gravely.

"But not long ago, someone stole Excalibur and escaped to this town in Japan," Irina continued, without her earlier carefree tone, her face filled with anger.

"So they ran onto my turf, huh? What a pain. So, who stole Excalibur?" Rias asked, rubbing her temples.

"Fallen Angel Kokabiel," Xenovia replied.

"Kokabiel? That Kokabiel? The one recorded in the Bible, a survivor of the Great War ?" Rias's expression shifted, brows furrowing.

"Kokabiel...!"

Even Akeno and Koneko's faces paled. The weight behind that name was not something they could handle.

Only Riku curled his lip again. Just a ten-winged Fallen Angel, not even at Maou-level. He really had no idea how that guy survived the Great War, and he still wanted to stir up trouble with that level of strength.

Noticing Riku's look of disdain, even Schwi, who at first thought Kokabiel sounded impressive, stopped caring.

"This incident is a confrontation between us and the Fallen Angels. Even though you're the lord of this city, we ask that you not get involved," Xenovia stared hard at Rias, her voice low and serious, she looked dead set on taking them out if they refused.

That immediately made Akeno and Koneko frown, both giving Xenovia and Irina cold stares.

Yuuto, meanwhile, was radiating murderous intent.

"Heh, you're really arrogant, aren't you?" Rias's gaze sharpened. "Aren't you just afraid we'll team up with the Fallen Angels? Or that we'll swoop in to take the Holy Swords while you're fighting each other?"

"For devils, Holy Swords are poison one touch, and we're gravely wounded. You all have reason to try and take the swords for yourselves. That's why you need to give me a straight answer. Otherwise, I'll have no choice but to destroy you along with the swords," Xenovia said, unyielding.

Instantly, the atmosphere in the room turned murderous.

"Two inferior Holy Swords, if you threw them on the ground, I wouldn't even bother to pick them up. Yet you treat them as treasures and take so much pride in them. It's honestly laughable," Riku suddenly spoke, drawing everyone's attention. "To talk about killing my students right in front of their teacher, that's something I can't just overlook."

Riku looked at Xenovia with indifference, but his presence was so overwhelming that she couldn't even breathe.

Rias glanced at Riku gratefully. Akeno returned to her usual smile, and Koneko unclenched her fists.

Only Yuuto still wore a dangerous expression. Of course, his anger wasn't aimed at Riku or even Xenovia and Irina, but at the Holy Swords themselves.

"I can't just ignore someone insulting the Holy Swords," Xenovia said, silent for a moment before fixing her sharp gaze on Riku. "Do you want to see for yourself how powerful they are?"

"Teacher Riku, I appreciate you showing us the way, but insulting the Holy Swords is something I just can't let slide," Irina added.

"Heh, perfect timing, then. Let's see what your Holy Swords can do, juniors. But you'd better be ready for me to break them," Yuuto finally spoke up, a gloomy look on his face.

"Junior... So you're the only one who escaped the Holy Sword Project," Xenovia muttered, instantly realising Yuuto's identity.

"A duel, huh..." Rias mused.

She knew of the rumours about Riku's exploits in the Underworld, but she hadn't seen him fight for herself. This would be a chance to gauge his true strength.

Behind her, Akeno and Koneko's eyes lit up with anticipation. Koneko especially was curious that Riku had taught her martial arts in gym class, but she hadn't really seen him fight otherwise.

"A duel sounds like a pain," Riku said lazily, snapping everyone out of their thoughts.

"..." Rias, Xenovia, and the others could only stare at him in exasperation. Seriously, what do you want?

"These so-called Holy Swords? Not even worth my time," Riku waved dismissively.

Xenovia and Irina both stiffened at that.

"How about you experience the power of these 'so-called' Holy Swords for yourself...!" Xenovia's face darkened, and she began to unseal her Excalibur: Destruction, intent on showing Riku just how wrong he was.

Irina, just as angry, reached for the white ribbon tied to her wrist.

But before Xenovia could even finish her sentence, her pupils shrank in shock. Compared to the first time she'd unleashed it, the Holy energy from her Excalibur: Destruction had faded; now it looked no different from an ordinary sword.

Irina's ribbon also remained unchanged, still just an ordinary white band.

What's going on?!

Seeing this, both Xenovia and Irina were completely dumbfounded.

Not just them, even Rias and the girls, and even Yuuto, who had been spoiling for a fight, were stunned.

The atmosphere instantly turned awkward and heavy.