Chapter Summaries

Yoru Machi fought the demon without killing her, using his magic to suppress her runaway power and save her life. He entrusted the sleeping girl to Alpha and told Shadow Garden to leave without revealing their connection to him.

• Beta questioned why Yoru Machi was prolonging a fight he could easily win, and Alpha guessed he was trying to save the girl.
• Alpha explained that Yoru Machi was regulating the girl's Diablos Factor while preserving her life, and Shadow Garden watched in admiration.
• Yoru Machi spent more than ten minutes suppressing her magic, removing impurities, and giving her some of his own power.
• Yoru Machi's final strike released a burst of white light, and Alpha found an unconscious blonde girl safely asleep in his arms.
• Yoru Machi handed the girl to Alpha for training and told Shadow Garden to leave without revealing their connection; he explained that her own magic could barely contain the Diablos Factor.

Shadow defeated Geno Griffy in the sewers with I am atomic, blasting a massive crater through the royal capital. Shadow Garden withdrew after the battle, leaving Alice furious and the capital’s residents relieved that Alexia had been found.

• Shadow overwhelmed the enhanced Geno Griffy and shattered his sword when Geno charged at him.
• Shadow unleashed I am atomic, tearing open the royal capital and sending a huge purple pillar of magic into the sky.
• Yoru Machi recognized Shadow’s attack and realized he had devastated several streets just to show off.
• Alpha ordered Delta and the others to withdraw, while the wounded Alice vowed not to forgive Shadow Garden.
• The Kingdom Knights concealed the attackers’ identities, and the capital’s residents learned that Alexia had been found and the attackers eliminated.

Alice and Alexia questioned Yoru Machi about the Diablos Cult, Shadow Garden, and the battle in the royal capital. Yoru Machi concealed that he was already well and explained what he knew, while Alice remained furious about Shadow’s destruction.

• Alice asked whether Yoru Machi had awakened, though he had been pretending to be unconscious after the battle.
• Yoru Machi acted weak when Alice and Alexia entered the room to question him.
• Yoru Machi explained that Geno Griffy had recruited him into the Diablos Cult and forced him to take poison while he pretended to cooperate.
• Yoru Machi said Shadow Garden had cured the poison and that Shadow had promised to rescue Alexia.
• Alice angrily pointed out that Shadow’s attack had destroyed more of the royal capital than the Diablos Cult had.

Yoru Machi tried to persuade Alice that Shadow Garden was less dangerous than the Diablos Cult, but Alice remained determined to oppose both groups. After Cleya scolded him for risking his life, Yoru Machi won her over by saying he had acted to protect her, then shifted the blame to Sid, who was caught by Cleya as he tried to leave.

• Yoru Machi argued to Alice that the Diablos Cult posed a greater threat than Shadow Garden, but Alice declared both groups enemies and told him to rest for two days.
• Alexia asked Yoru Machi to share any future information about the cult or Shadow Garden, then left to help Alice.
• Cleya and Sid visited Yoru Machi, and Cleya scolded him for confronting the Demon Monster and risking his life.
• Yoru Machi told Cleya he had acted because the Diablos Cult had once kidnapped her, and she blushed as she asked whether he had done it for her rather than for the princesses.
• Yoru Machi claimed Sid had asked him to rescue Alexia and revealed Sid knew about the incident, then Cleya caught Sid trying to sneak away and demanded an explanation.

After returning to the academy, Yoru Machi drew admiration for his role in the royal-capital incident and learned that Princess Alice had invited him to join her reorganized Kingdom Knights. A week later, Princess Alice announced that he had been granted the title of viscount and a residence in the royal capital.

• Yoru Machi returned to the Demon Swordsman Academy after two days of recovery and found himself surrounded by admirers.
• Jaga and Shuro envied Yoru Machi’s popularity, while Sid told them Princess Alice had invited Yoru Machi and Cleya to join the new Kingdom Knights.
• Princess Alice reorganized the Kingdom Knights to face the Diablos Cult and Shadow Garden, selecting members herself and offering Yoru Machi the vice-captain position.
• Princess Alice returned to the academy a week later and announced that Yoru Machi had become a viscount.
• The king granted Yoru Machi a residence in the royal capital in thanks for saving his daughter.

Sid went with Jaga and Shuro to buy Valentine’s Day chocolate, only to be recognized by Nyu and brought to the Yotsukaze Trading Company’s back room. There, Gamma reported that the Diablos Cult was trying to draw Shadow Garden into action and damage its standing with the Midgar Kingdom, while Sid pretended he already knew about the matter.

• Jaga and Shuro told Sid about the Valentine’s Day chocolate craze and persuaded him to visit the Yotsukaze Trading Company with them.
• Nyu declared the three of them lucky customers, then singled out Sid for special treatment and led him to a room in the back.
• Gamma, Nyu, and the employees knelt before Sid, and Gamma asked whether he had come because of the matter she planned to report.
• Sid pretended to know what Gamma meant and asked her to share her conclusions and investigation results.
• Gamma said the Diablos Cult had taken notice of Shadow Garden, feared Shadow’s Atomic Slash, and might be trying to provoke the group or worsen its conflict with the Midgar Kingdom.

Sid learned that Night Lord planned to divide the impostors for interrogation by Shadow Garden and the Kingdom Knights, then left the Yotsukaze Trading Company with a large bundle of chocolates. After discovering the girls had sent the chocolates to Night Lord for Valentine's Day, Sid decided to have his sister Cleya deliver them to him and stir up trouble.

• Gamma explained Night Lord's plan to interrogate some impostors through Shadow Garden and hand the rest to the Kingdom Knights, and Sid agreed to it.
• Sid left the Yotsukaze Trading Company carrying many chocolates that Nyu had prepared.
• Nyu told Sid that the extra chocolates were Valentine's gifts from Shadow Garden's girls for Night Lord.
• Nyu explained that Night Lord's approachable manner made the girls more comfortable giving him chocolates than approaching Shadow Lord.
• Sid decided to have Cleya deliver the chocolates to Night Lord, hoping Cleya would involve Night Lord's mother, Medis.

Sid sensed a fight on the way back to the academy, left Jaga and Shuro, and transformed into Shadow Lord. Yoru Machi rescued Alexia from impostors posing as Shadow Garden and left her questioning his slanderous claims about Shadow.

• Sid noticed a battle nearby, made an excuse to send Jaga and Shuro back to the academy, and changed into his Shadow Lord persona.
• Black-robed attackers cornered Alexia in an alley while claiming to be Shadow Garden.
• Yoru Machi arrived on night patrol, disarmed an attacker, and helped Alexia fight off the impostors.
• Yoru Machi explained that Shadow Garden’s members were women and claimed Shadow was a lecher who had built a harem.
• Alexia doubted Yoru Machi’s description of Shadow, but he warned her that appearances could be deceptive.

Shadow appeared while Alexia and Yoru Machi discussed Shadow Garden, then revealed that it had another male member called Night Lord and accused Yoru Machi of being a lecher. Yoru Machi challenged Shadow, and their evenly matched sword fight left Alexia seeking help from Princess Alice and the Kingdom Knights.

• Shadow arrived with four unconscious Diablos Cult members and confronted Alexia and Yoru Machi.
• Shadow defended Shadow Garden and claimed it had another male member named Night Lord, whom he described as a lecher with an appearance like Yoru Machi's.
• Yoru Machi told Alexia to call for help and charged Shadow with his sword.
• Alexia watched Yoru Machi and Shadow clash evenly, realizing Yoru Machi's strength exceeded what she had known.
• Yoru Machi urged Alexia to contact Princess Alice and the Kingdom Knights, and Alexia left to seek assistance.

Shadow and Yoru Machi fought in the royal capital while Alice and the Kingdom Knights rushed toward the destruction. Alpha and Beta suspected the fight was an act meant to mislead the Diablos Cult, though the others remained confused.

• After Yoru Machi called Shadow a harem-building protagonist, Shadow challenged him to settle their old scores, and they began fighting in the alley.
• Their sword clash shattered the alley and nearby streets, alarming civilians across the royal capital.
• Alice ordered Alexia to evacuate civilians while she went to help Yoru Machi, warning Alexia that she was too weak to join the battle.
• Alpha, Gamma, Epsilon, and the other Seven Shadows watched from the Yotsukaze Trading Company and wondered why Shadow and Yoru Machi were fighting.
• Alpha suggested the two were staging the fight to protect Shadow Garden's reputation, and Beta explained that Yoru Machi's Kingdom Knights identity could confuse the Diablos Cult.

After Yoru Machi staged his defeat to Shadow, the academy celebrated Valentine’s Day, where Yoru Machi received a mountain of chocolates and Sid unexpectedly exchanged chocolate and cookies with Sherry Barnett. Sid realized Sherry was the adopted daughter of the Academic Academy’s vice dean, leaving him wary that his accidental encounters kept involving notable women.

• Alpha and the others speculated that Yoru Machi and Shadow’s fight was meant to mislead the Diablos Cult, unaware that the two had fought over their usual trash talk.
• Alice arrived at the alley after Shadow had left, and Yoru Machi claimed he had used all his strength but could not stop him.
• On Valentine’s Day, girls gave Yoru Machi chocolates, while Jaga and Shuro complained that their attempted confessions had made the girls throw their gifts back at them.
• Jaga and Shuro asked Sid whether he had given away his chocolate, and Sid said he had handed it to a shy girl he did not know.
• Sid explained that the girl had given him homemade cookies in return and that her name was Sherry Barnett.
• Jaga and Shuro identified Sherry as the adopted daughter of the Academic Academy’s vice dean, and Sid wondered why he kept meeting notable women.

Sid and Yoru Machi were secretly entered into the Academy Swordsmanship Tournament by their friends, each for a different reason. Sid hoped to lose badly enough to discourage Sherry Barnett, while Cleya planned to challenge Yoru Machi, but her calm response to his chocolates left Sid disappointed.

• Sid learned that Jaga and Shuro had entered him in the tournament and hoped he would restore his reputation and impress Sherry Barnett.
• Sid welcomed the chance to face Yoru Machi, the only person who had ever made him fight seriously, though he could not compete under his real identity as someone else.
• Yoru Machi discovered that Cleya had entered him in the tournament so she could finally challenge him.
• Cleya brought Yoru Machi chocolates from Shadow Garden girls on Sid's behalf, and Yoru Machi realized Sid was trying to provoke her.
• Cleya calmly said that eating too many sweets was unhealthy, leaving Yoru Machi and Sid bewildered.

Sid faced his sister Cleya in the Academy Swordsmanship Tournament, while Yoru Machi drew the princess and student council president Roz Olliana. After deciding he could not afford to lose his chance to meet Cleya in the finals, Yoru Machi countered Roz’s opening attack.

• Sid drew Cleya as his first-round opponent, and she looked forward to testing his swordsmanship after two years.
• Yoru Machi drew Roz Olliana, the princess of Olliana and Midgar Swordsmanship Academy’s student council president.
• Yoru Machi considered surrendering the match but remembered his promise to meet Cleya in the finals.
• Roz charged at Yoru Machi after mistaking his hesitation for disrespect, and he retreated while drawing his sword to block her thrust.

Yoru Machi fought Roz with a powerful Sword Draw Slash and then revealed the graceful, deadly Yagami Style Zero—Butterfly Dance. Roz was wounded while trying to withstand his sword dance, as Sid continued his fight with Cleya on the neighboring arena.

• Sid refused to end his match with Cleya, and both siblings insisted that their brutal fight was acceptable.
• Yoru Machi used a Sword Draw Slash to counter Roz, then apologized for being distracted and promised to fight seriously.
• Yoru Machi drove Roz back with forceful attacks, while Roz used mana to evade and counterattack.
• Yoru Machi unveiled Yagami Style Zero—Butterfly Dance, and Roz was struck by the artistry and danger of his swordsmanship.
• Roz blocked several strikes but began suffering wounds from Yoru Machi's sword dance.

Yoru Machi and Roz both forfeited their match, eliminating them from the tournament and leaving Cleya to win the championship. Frustrated that she never got to fight Yoru Machi, Cleya took out her anger on her later opponents, who surrendered rather than face her.

• Yoru Machi and Roz simultaneously forfeited after their match, and the referee declared the bout void and eliminated both of them.
• Alexia suspected Yoru Machi had held back and wondered whether he preferred older women.
• Cleya unsuccessfully asked the referee to let Yoru Machi or Roz advance, then won the tournament by default.
• Cleya decisively defeated her next two opponents and compared them unfavorably to her little brother Sid.
• Cleya's semifinal and final opponents forfeited as soon as they faced her, unwilling to endure her brutal attacks.

Yoru Machi told Sid that Ruslan Barnett, Midgar Academy’s vice principal, carried the aura of Demon Lord Diablos and was likely a member of the Diablos Cult. Sid eagerly agreed to investigate Ruslan’s plans through Sherry, while Yoru Machi warned that the academy and its students could be at risk.

• Yoru Machi reflected on his routine at the academy and on Alexia’s sudden changes in appearance and efforts to prove she was older than him.
• Sid lamented that his masochistic reputation from the swordsmanship tournament had made him conspicuous and had only increased Sherry Barnett’s interest in him.
• Yoru Machi asked Sid about Ruslan Barnett after meeting the vice principal while accompanying Princess Alice to see Sherry.
• Yoru Machi revealed that he had sensed Demon Lord Diablos’s aura in Ruslan’s magic power, and Sid concluded that Ruslan was a Child of Diablos and part of the Diablos Cult.
• Yoru Machi asked Sid to discover Ruslan’s objective through Sherry or eliminate him if necessary, warning that Ruslan might target the academy; then the classroom door opened.

A Diablos Cult barrier sealed magic power throughout Midgar Swordsmanship Academy, trapping Yoru Machi, Roz, and the students with the cult’s attackers. Yoru Machi killed one attacker with a fountain pen and easily defeated several more without magic, leaving the cultists baffled by his strength.

• Roz entered the classroom to recruit Yoru Machi for the student council, but a strange barrier enveloped the academy.
• Yoru Machi and Sid sensed their magic power being obstructed as Diablos Cult lackeys surrounded the classroom.
• Sid pretended to faint and left to confront Vice Principal Ruslan, while Yoru Machi stayed behind to deal with the attackers.
• Roz tried to resist the cultists, but the magic-sealing barrier left her and the other students unable to use magic.
• Yoru Machi pierced one attacker’s head with a fountain pen and sent three more flying into the classroom wall.
• Headband Man questioned how Yoru Machi could defeat the cultists despite Greed’s Eye sealing everyone else’s magic power.

Yoru Machi defeated the Diablos Cult members at the academy without magic, then figured out how to resist Greed’s Eye and forced Headband Man to reveal Ruslan’s scheme. Ruslan had adopted Shirley to exploit her talent and research Magic Tools, and had murdered her mother to protect his plan.

• Yoru Machi told Headband Man that his strength came from years of physical training, not a Magic Tool, and swiftly defeated the Cult’s men.
• Yoru Machi deduced how Greed’s Eye’s barrier worked and adjusted his magic power to resist it.
• Headband Man lost the will to fight, and Yoru Machi demanded information about Greed’s Eye and Ruslan.
• Headband Man revealed that Vice Principal Ruslan had once been a Knight of the Round and adopted Shirley to use her Magic Tool research to regain his former strength.
• Headband Man revealed that Ruslan had murdered Shirley’s mother after she discovered his scheme.
• Yoru Machi learned that Greed’s Eye absorbed magic power from those inside its barrier, though his and Sid’s vast reserves had made the loss difficult to notice.

Shadow learned that Ruslan Barnett was behind the siege and headed for the cathedral, where Ruslan planned to use Greed's Eye to absorb magic power. Yoru Machi and Roz confronted Ruslan, and Yoru Machi dismissed Ruslan's attempt to justify restoring his former strength.

• Shadow identified Ruslan Barnett as the mastermind and sent Nyu and Shadow Garden to handle the cultists outside the barrier.
• Shadow learned from a pink-haired girl that the barrier's center was the cathedral, while Yoru Machi learned that Ruslan had ordered the captured students taken there.
• Headband Man brought Yoru Machi and Roz to the cathedral, where Ruslan demanded to know why he had brought only two students.
• Yoru Machi recognized Ruslan as Skinny Knight and asked to borrow Greed's Eye, prompting Ruslan to reveal his face and begin recounting his past.
• Yoru Machi cut off Ruslan's story and called him a loser dog for relying on his past glory instead of pushing forward.

Yoru Machi defeated Ruslan in a sword clash despite the Magic Barrier, forcing Ruslan to swallow Greed's Eye and absorb its overwhelming magic power. Ruslan managed to control the surging power, leaving Yoru Machi and the students facing an uncertain threat.

• Ruslan rejected Yoru Machi's challenge to rethink strength and demanded that Yoru Machi defeat him first.
• Yoru Machi and Ruslan clashed swords, and Yoru Machi sent Ruslan crashing into a stone pillar.
• Ruslan accused Yoru Machi of using magic power, but Yoru Machi mocked his excuses and insisted he could win without it.
• Ruslan swallowed Greed's Eye, causing an enormous surge of magic power to swell his body.
• Yoru Machi told Senior Roz to evacuate the students, but Ruslan gradually brought the power inside him under control.