Chapter Summaries

Tachibana Kirika discussed SDS’s recruitment of Luo Shu with Lacus Clyne and received news that he had found an Abyssal Artifact in one night. Before classes, Luo Shu met Utaha Kasumigaoka, explained that an organization had discovered his supernatural powers, and learned she had misunderstood his silence.

• Tachibana Kirika discussed Luo Shu’s recruitment and SDS’s plans with Lacus Clyne, then read a report about the apocalypse countdown.
• Chisato Nishikigi told Tachibana Kirika that Luo Shu had found the target in one night, surprising her.
• Utaha Kasumigaoka confronted Luo Shu in a park, explaining that she had slept on a sofa, hurt her neck and ankle, and mistakenly thought she had missed his messages.
• Luo Shu told Utaha Kasumigaoka that a semi-official organization had discovered his supernatural powers and was dealing with him.
• Utaha Kasumigaoka concluded that the organization was backed by arms dealers behind the Garrison and teased Luo Shu about protecting his Familia.

Luo Shu discussed concealing the group’s unusual nature and how his new government assignment would affect their secret club activities. He left for class with Utaha Kasumigaoka, while Eriri remained away after being called by her school friends.

• Luo Shu told Utaha Kasumigaoka that the group could spend two thousand points to conceal their unusual nature from detection below Hero rank.
• Luo Shu explained that his organization would send an ability instructor and two teammates to transfer into the school, and Utaha offered to use her Mind Reading to gather intelligence.
• Luo Shu said the group’s real club activities would take place in their Alternate Space base and planned to see whether he could bring his teammates onto their side.
• Utaha agreed to watch for the new transfer students and said Eriri had been called away by her school friends, whom Utaha had read the minds of.
• Luo Shu and Utaha postponed their discussion until lunch break and joked about whether they would walk to school together and fuel rumors.

Luo Shu and his friends searched for news of a rumored transfer student, but a youthful-looking new English teacher arrived in his class instead. Luo Shu recognized Natsuki Minamiya as the Witch of the Gap and suspected she was another visitor from the Abyss.

• Luo Shu checked the LINE chat, where Eriri Sawamura and Utaha Kasumigaoka discussed rumors of a transfer student and whether an official instructor could uncover their secrets.
• Luo Shu asked Utaha Kasumigaoka to question the teachers, and she promised to find an answer before second period.
• Teacher Takagi introduced Natsuki Minamiya as the class's new English teacher, shocking the students with her youthful appearance.
• Luo Shu called out that he understood, prompting the class to follow suit as Natsuki took charge and ordered them to open their textbooks.
• Luo Shu recognized Natsuki Minamiya as the Witch of the Gap and wondered if she was another visitor from the Abyss.

Luo Shu spoke with Natsuki Minamiya after she overheard him discussing her, and she agreed to teach him basic occult studies as his club’s faculty advisor. She warned that Eriri and Utaha Kasumigaoka might be better off learning the truth, leaving Luo Shu smiling as though events had gone according to plan.

• Eriri, Luo Shu, and Utaha Kasumigaoka discussed Natsuki Minamiya on the rooftop until she appeared and revealed she had heard them.
• Natsuki Minamiya took Luo Shu to the stairwell landing, where they discussed his abilities and what she knew about people arriving from the Abyss.
• Natsuki Minamiya agreed to teach Luo Shu basic occult studies in the clubroom from four to six on school days and offered to let Eriri and Utaha sit in.
• Natsuki Minamiya warned Luo Shu that Eriri and Utaha might be better off knowing the truth, then left as Luo Shu smiled to himself.

Luo Shu used the Lucky Wallet and concealed bracelets to keep Natsuki Minamiya from discovering the girls’ powers, while arranging for her to become their teacher and potential backup. After explaining the plan to Utaha Kasumigaoka and Eriri, he sent them back to class and reminded them to meet at the Astronomy Club after school.

• Luo Shu revealed that he had upgraded the bracelets and used the Lucky Wallet’s Demigod-level luck to make Natsuki Minamiya accept his cover story, at the cost of cash and an Ancient Serpent Shedding.
• Luo Shu told Utaha Kasumigaoka and Eriri that Natsuki would teach them occult studies and advise the Astronomy Club, giving them a powerful ally if trouble arose.
• Eriri complained that she felt left out, so Luo Shu explained how his maneuvers had arranged Natsuki’s involvement.
• When the bell rang, Luo Shu told Utaha and Eriri to treat Natsuki as their teacher and meet him at the Astronomy Club after school.

Natsuki Minamiya taught Luo Shu, Utaha Kasumigaoka, and Eriri how to use Spirit Vision to detect danger by reading the flames that represent essence, vital energy, and spirit. She explained that if multiple flames flickered or shrank at once, they had encountered the Abyss.

• Natsuki Minamiya began a remedial lesson by having Luo Shu, Utaha Kasumigaoka, and Eriri apply essential oil to their eyelids and activate Spirit Vision.
• Luo Shu, Utaha Kasumigaoka, and Eriri saw three flames above Natsuki Minamiya: red for essence, yellow for vital energy, and blue for spirit.
• Natsuki Minamiya explained how changes in the flames could reveal physical injury, declining life force, or mental influence and attack.
• Luo Shu asked whether two or all three flames could flicker or shrink at once, and Natsuki Minamiya said that meant they had encountered the Abyss.

Natsuki Minamiya taught Luo Shu, Utaha Kasumigaoka, and Eriri how to use Spirit Vision to read the three flames and recognize danger. She assigned them practice without essential oil, then asked Luo Shu to accompany her to Lycoris after class.

• Natsuki Minamiya explained that abnormalities in the three flames could result from Abyssal influence and warned the group about threats that harmed each flame.
• Natsuki Minamiya demonstrated how a stable yellow or blue flame could reveal a dangerous sorcerer, while noting that powerful people could disguise their flames.
• Luo Shu teased Natsuki Minamiya about being mistaken for a student, and she restrained him with chains while explaining that officials had misidentified her.
• Eriri laughed at Natsuki Minamiya's predicament, so Natsuki Minamiya assigned all three students homework practicing Spirit Vision without essential oil.
• Natsuki Minamiya asked Luo Shu to go with her to Lycoris after class, and he agreed.

Natsuki Minamiya explained Abyssal Artifact danger ratings to Luo Shu and said his Demon Heart ring was supposedly a level-two artifact, though she claimed it was fake. At the Lycoris café, Luo Shu reunited with Chisato Nishikigi and Takina Inoue as Natsuki asked Tachibana Kirika where a dead Demon Warlock’s document had been sent.

• Natsuki Minamiya told Luo Shu about the four danger levels for Abyssal Artifacts and said his ring was believed to be a level-two artifact.
• Natsuki warned Luo Shu that his ring was fake and demanded he address her as a teacher, while he continued calling her Natsuki-chan.
• Natsuki led Luo Shu to the Lycoris café, where Chisato Nishikigi recognized him and greeted Natsuki warmly.
• Takina Inoue told Luo Shu that Natsuki and Chief Tachibana had led the response team when they first arrived and had not met much since.
• Natsuki asked Tachibana Kirika where the document containing a Demon Incantation, sent by a deceased Demon Warlock, had gone.

Tachibana Kirika used information recovered from the Hound to locate ten batches of documents that might bear demonic inscriptions, then negotiated with Natsuki Minamiya over how to divide them. She agreed to let Luo Shu randomly draw the addresses, relying on his luck as her Goddess of Fortune.

• Takina Inoue explained that demonic inscriptions were dangerous written powers found on objects, often associated with danger level two or higher.
• Tachibana Kirika revealed that Luo Shu's killing of the Hound had helped her track down a hypnotized jewelry store clerk and recover ten addresses where the clerk had sent documents.
• Natsuki Minamiya accused Tachibana Kirika of taking the clerk and surveillance evidence before the Metropolitan Police Department and the Onmyoryo could act.
• Tachibana Kirika offered Natsuki Minamiya a sixty-forty split, with forty for Kirika and first choice of addresses, and Natsuki agreed on the condition that the addresses be drawn randomly.
• Tachibana Kirika shuffled the ten envelopes and asked Luo Shu to draw, calling him her Goddess of Fortune.

Tachibana Kirika split four dangerous demon incantations among her team and sent them to search four addresses while Natsuki Minamiya warned her about provoking secret organizations. Before Luo Shu left with Takina Inoue, Tachibana returned his driver’s license, gave him a bonus, and explained how he could profit from selling information about Hound.

• Luo Shu took four letters from Tachibana Kirika, who gave the other six to Natsuki Minamiya and dismissed her warning about the secret organizations.
• After Natsuki left, Tachibana assigned her team to search four addresses for demon incantations, with Kurumi monitoring the locations and communications.
• Tachibana ordered everyone to check their equipment, attach pinhole cameras, and prioritize their safety before the team headed to the basement to prepare.
• Tachibana returned Luo Shu’s driver’s license, gave him 300,000 yen as a bonus for catching Hound, and told him how to sell information about Hound’s death on a bounty website.
• Luo Shu went to change into his uniform, then prepared to leave with Takina Inoue.

Luo Shu and Takina Inoue searched an empty villa for a demon-made Abyssal Artifact, and Luo Shu found the Demon Incantation hidden in a shoe cabinet. Their search ended with the arrival of Sharon the Pure, a Seven-Star Demon Hunter who demanded the artifact.

• Takina Inoue drove Luo Shu to the villa, and they entered the grounds by climbing the wall and opening the gate.
• Luo Shu and Takina Inoue split up to enter the villa while Kurumi monitored them through Luo Shu's chest camera.
• Luo Shu followed his Super Intuition and discovered an old sheet of paper hidden beneath the third drawer of the shoe cabinet.
• A woman in a nun's habit appeared in the hallway and asked Luo Shu to hand over the Demon Incantation.
• Kurumi recognized the woman as Sharon the Pure, a Seven-Star Demon Hunter who was supposed to have been deported.

Luo Shu faced Sharon the Pure, a powerful Seven-Star Demon Hunter who trapped him inside an alternate space with the Eye of the Mist. As Sharon seized the Demon Incantation and threatened to kill him, Luo Shu shouted a word in demon language and the incantation began glowing crimson.

• Kurumi warned Luo Shu that Sharon was a formidable sorcerer and urged him to retreat while Takina covered him.
• Sharon revealed that her nun's habit was a level-three Abyssal Artifact that could withstand sniper fire, and Kurumi identified the silver bracelet as the Eye of the Mist.
• Luo Shu noticed the artifact's limited range through Spirit Vision and fired beside Takina, prompting her to escape before the mist sealed off the hallway.
• Sharon used the Eye of the Mist to isolate Luo Shu, cut off his contact with Kurumi, and appear behind him while a decoy dissolved into mist.
• Sharon grabbed the Demon Incantation and threatened Luo Shu, but he shouted "Exchange!" in demon language, making the incantation glow crimson.

Luo Shu used the Exchange Contract to take control of Sharon’s body, then forced her to surrender her veil and the Eye of the Mist. Sharon escaped the villa, leaving Luo Shu with the artifacts as Takina Inoue arrived and he ordered her to inform Kurumi and the Chief.

• Luo Shu appraised the Exchange Contract and used it to make Sharon a controllable second body.
• Luo Shu made Sharon remove her veil and surrender the Eye of the Mist, discovering that the veil protected her from gunfire.
• Sharon used a hidden blade to injure herself and fled the villa, causing Luo Shu to feel her pain through their connection.
• Luo Shu retrieved the veil and the Eye of the Mist and sent them to the Astronomy Club’s base.
• Takina Inoue reported that Sharon had escaped, and Luo Shu told her to alert Kurumi and the Chief.

Tachibana Kirika arrived after Luo Shu and Takina Inoue survived Sharon the Pure’s attack, then accepted Luo Shu’s fabricated account of how he defeated Sharon with the Demon Heart. The Demon Incantation and a valuable level-three artifact were missing, and Luo Shu kept secret that Sharon had not escaped his sight.

• Tachibana Kirika comforted Takina Inoue, praised Luo Shu, promised him a bonus, and kissed his forehead.
• Luo Shu told Tachibana Kirika that he had used the Demon Heart to hypnotize Sharon, disarm her, and shoot her.
• Tachibana Kirika concluded that Sharon had resisted the hypnosis enough to escape with the Demon Incantation and the veil, while Takina apologized for failing to see what Sharon took.
• Tachibana Kirika blamed Natsuki for the losses and decided they would withdraw after the investigation.
• Luo Shu left the villa with Takina Inoue and Tachibana Kirika, concealing that Sharon had not escaped his sight.

Tachibana Kirika gathered her team and Metropolitan Police Department support to retaliate against Sharon the Pure after she ambushed one of their subordinates. The chapter ended with Kirika revealing the SDS Abyssal treasury’s level-three Kusanagi Sword, ready to confront Sharon.

• Tachibana Kirika told Luo Shu that they were not withdrawing and arranged for the Special Action Team to bring special rounds.
• Kirika let Luo Shu rest while inviting Takina Inoue to join the planned confrontation with Sharon the Pure.
• Chisato Nishikigi arrived, checked on Takina and Luo Shu, and teased Luo Shu about the lipstick mark on his forehead.
• Mizuki delivered a truck carrying a freezer, while Mika handed Takina a serviced Barrett Sniper Rifle and agreed to coordinate with the Special Action Team.
• Kirika opened the freezer and revealed the provisionally level-three Abyssal Artifact, the Kusanagi Sword, declaring that Sharon would face the force of an official organization.

Luo Shu, Mika, and Shiro Maki tracked Sharon the Pure to a hideout in Beika Town and prepared a heavily armed assault. Luo Shu realized Tachibana Kirika had brought the Kusanagi Sword, a powerful artifact capable of suppressing Sharon’s abilities, and wondered what to do about their demon contract.

• Luo Shu and Mika met Shiro Maki at the Police Box, where Mika introduced Luo Shu as the SDS recruit who had discovered and repelled Sharon the Pure.
• Tachibana Kirika instructed Kurumi to search Beika Town’s surveillance feeds while her team prepared a freezer truck operation.
• Mika used Sharon’s recent blood sample with the Blood Map, locating her inside an unfinished apartment building in Beika Town’s Third District.
• Tachibana Kirika ordered Shiro Maki to surround the hideout and authorized mortars, while the special operations team prepared heavy weapons.
• Luo Shu recalled that the Kusanagi Sword could seal Sorcerers and Abyssal Artifacts, then considered whether to silence Sharon or take her in despite their demon contract.

After recovering from her wounds, Sharon Holly Grail analyzed Luo Shu’s strange ability and learned that SDS had surrounded her temporary base. She suspected Luo Shu had deceived SDS and framed her, then prepared to fight her way out.

• Sharon Holly Grail used alchemical potions to heal her gunshot wounds and restore most of her stamina.
• Sharon recalled Luo Shu’s ability to use the demon incantation and anticipate her moves, and suspected he could foresee the future.
• Sharon received a warning that SDS had deployed and was told to retreat immediately.
• Sharon gathered her equipment, changed into a bulletproof nun’s habit, and heard fifteen people from the Special Action Team approaching.
• Sharon concluded that Luo Shu might be an Astronomy of Truth spy who had lied to SDS, then prepared to break through the encirclement.

Tachibana Kirika’s forces cornered Sharon, but she escaped after overpowering the Special Action Team. After learning that Sharon’s Stigma could suppress demonic powers, Tachibana prepared to lead Chisato Nishikigi and Takina Inoue in a direct assault.

• Tachibana Kirika coordinated the Special Action Team’s search, ordered exits sealed, and confirmed that traffic had been blocked.
• Sharon ambushed three Special Action Team members on the third floor and escaped after defeating them in close combat.
• Tachibana Kirika learned that Sharon’s Stigma could briefly bind demonic powers and understood how it had given Sharon an advantage against Natsuki Minamiya.
• Tachibana Kirika retrieved the Kusanagi Sword, activated it, and ordered Chisato Nishikigi and Takina Inoue to take Sharon down within ten minutes.