The road of escape was far from smooth.
The help Himejima Suzaku could provide only went so far.
Although the Main Family’s influence weakened somewhat once they left Tokyo, the same was true for Suzaku herself.
The Himejima family’s forces continued to pursue them from behind.
Fortunately, the road ahead remained clear.
Aside from the pursuers on their trail, there were no major incidents.
After traveling continuously for a week— In the silence of the late night, Shinki studied the map he had purchased during the day.
They were only one day’s journey away from Kuoh Town, the location from the original storyline.
However, even after reaching it, there was no guarantee that the Himejima mother and daughter would be completely safe.
At night, stray demons wandered in search of flesh and blood.
The conflict between demons and fallen angels continued unabated.
The angels, left directionless after the death of the God of the Bible, drifted through existence in confusion.
And lurking in the shadows were members of the Khaos Brigade, wielders of Longinus-class Sacred Gears.
Still, as long as they could obtain Rias’s protection, his mission would be complete.
Himejima Akeno walked over and handed him a cup of hot water.
“When will we…
stop living like this?” A girl’s thoughts were always delicate and straightforward.
The current Akeno was nothing like the future version of herself.
In the end, she was still just a child.
After a week of constant travel, she was nearly at her limit.
In the original story, her perseverance had been forged by the death of her mother and the harsh realities that followed.
Relying solely on her determination and exorcism arts, she survived by helping others exorcise spirits until she eventually met Rias, who had come to the human world for recreation, along with servants of the Underworld’s Devil Kings.
Only then had her life been spared.
“Just two more days.” Shinki spoke calmly.
“When we get close to Kuoh Town, if you meet a red-haired female devil named Rias Gremory, and she asks you to become her servant, just agree.
If you do…
the Himejima family will completely give up their hostility toward you and your mother.” “Okay.” The girl nodded.
She didn’t ask why.
Akeno simply believed that everything Shinki said was correct.
All she needed to do was listen.
It hadn’t been a long time, but the mother and daughter had clearly come to rely on him.
Seeing the lonely pair with no one else to depend on, Shinki couldn’t bear the thought of abandoning them, even if there were no mission involved.
“What about you?” Akeno asked curiously.
“Me?” He froze for a moment.
Becoming one of Rias’s servants was both Akeno’s destined path and a necessary one.
Judging from the original story, the two were childhood friends with an exceptionally close bond.
Rias never treated her servants cruelly like some other devils did.
And she was a woman.
That was precisely why he intended for Akeno to accept.
But what about himself?
Shinki had never really considered it during their journey.
Become a devil’s servant?
It didn’t sound like a bad option.
After all, Rias was famous for her compassion.
Anyone who became a member of the Gremory household would undoubtedly receive her wholehearted care and protection.
Yet Shinki didn’t want to do that.
Perhaps becoming a devil’s servant would resolve many immediate dangers, but a voice deep within him kept telling him not to.
If that was how he felt, then he simply wouldn’t do it.
“I have other plans, so you don’t need to worry about me.” Shinki replied.
“Then…
will you stay with Mom and me forever?” The girl asked hopefully.
“Probably.” Shinki smiled slightly.
At that moment, a notification echoed through his mind.
Then Shuri’s voice came from outside the room.
“Akeno, it’s time to rest.
We have to continue our journey early tomorrow morning.” “Okay, Mom.” After saying that, Akeno reluctantly left the room.
With a soft click as the door closed behind her, Shinki opened the system interface.
The reward section was still as empty as ever.
However, a new line of text had appeared beneath it.
“When Main Mission One is completed, the gateway to a second unfamiliar world will open.
Rewards will be distributed based on the completion rate of side missions.” Just as there had been no flashy effects when he first transmigrated, the announcement of his second journey arrived just as abruptly.
As for what the rewards would be— He had absolutely no idea.
The system was completely random.
It was a difficult feeling to describe.
Still, the completion of the main mission meant that Akeno and her mother would be safe.
That conclusion alone was enough to put his mind at ease.
“As for the future, I’ll deal with it one step at a time.” Having obtained the bloodline of the Winged Dragon, he could hardly be considered fully human anymore.
He looked at the tiny golden flame flickering on his fingertip.
The fire illuminated the young man’s cold and resolute face.
Then it vanished.
He knew the effects of the bloodline extended far beyond that.
Even now, under the guidance of the Winged Dragon’s bloodline, his body was undergoing changes that no one knew about.
The second transmigration wasn’t coming particularly soon.
But under the current circumstances, that was hardly a bad thing.
A new world meant new opportunities.
New missions.
And new missions meant new rewards.
It also meant meeting more people and witnessing sights that had been impossible to see in his previous life.
Closing the system, Shinki prepared to rest.
They still had a journey ahead of them tomorrow, and he needed to conserve his strength.
…
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
The midnight breeze gently stirred the willow trees, producing a soft rustling sound.
The moon hanging high in the sky cast silver light across the land, draping the world in a veil of shimmering white.
As someone considered a thorn in the Himejima family’s side, Shinki naturally hadn’t chosen to stay in a large hotel.
Instead, they were lodging at a private inn where no identification was required—just money.
However, on this final night, some unwelcome guests arrived.
The resting young man opened his eyes.
He could feel malicious presences drawing near.