The wind howled above Kuoh Academy, but beneath the surface, the air was still.
Cold.
Old.
And alive.
Haru Tsukihara followed Rias Gremory down a narrow stone staircase hidden behind a concealed wall in the Occult Research Club's room. The magic circle on the floor had shifted and revealed a trapdoor leading downward—spiraling into the depths of something ancient and secret.
"What exactly are we going to find down here?" Haru asked, golden eyes dimly glowing in the dark.
Rias didn't look back. "A part of your past. And maybe… a clue about why the Tsukihara were erased."
The others hadn't been allowed to follow—just the two of them. Whatever lay ahead, Rias had insisted it had to be Haru who faced it first.
The stairs eventually gave way to a vast underground chamber. Smooth stone walls towered overhead, etched with sigils that pulsed faintly with blue light. At the center was a platform surrounded by four standing pillars, each carved with runes that seemed to shimmer when Haru approached.
"This place..." he murmured. "It feels… familiar."
"Your clan had many talents," Rias said quietly. "But gravity was only part of it. The Tsukihara were custodians of celestial magic—an older magic than even most devils can understand. This chamber was sealed off during the War."
"Why is it under Kuoh Academy?"
"Because this land was once a neutral zone—a sanctuary protected by ancient covenants. When my family acquired the academy, we didn't realize this chamber still existed… until your awakening triggered the seal's weakening."
She stepped aside. "Go to the platform. I'll stabilize the flow."
Haru nodded and approached the center. As he stepped onto the platform, the runes flared to life. A soft hum filled the air, resonating deep in his bones. His heart began to race. Not in fear—but in recognition.
The chamber responded to him.
The platform pulsed, and a projection of light rose from the center—forming a circular image in the air. Dozens of constellations rotated slowly, and a sigil matching Haru's golden eyes hovered at the center.
Rias blinked. "That's… a star map. No, wait—those aren't stars. They're… fates."
Haru's voice came out in a whisper. "These are timelines."
A low vibration filled the room. The four pillars lit up, and a voice echoed—not from the walls, but from inside Haru's mind.
"Tsukihara blood recognized. Accessing celestial archive. Welcome, Scion."
The constellation map shifted rapidly, revealing images now—memories encoded in starlight.
A man in flowing robes hovered above a battlefield, golden eyes blazing as enemies fell to invisible forces. A woman with silver hair walked calmly through fire, her very presence soothing wounded allies. And then, a child—alone, sealed in a glowing crystal.
Haru's breath caught.
"That's… me."
Rias stepped forward, stunned. "They sealed you? Why?"
The image zoomed in on the crystal. Words scrolled across it—ancient Celestian script, which Rias quickly translated. "He must sleep until the War ends, or until the celestial balance tilts again."
"They put me to sleep?" Haru's voice shook. "And then… what? Left me to be forgotten?"
The final vision appeared. The battlefield—burning. Fallen Angels tearing through Tsukihara warriors. And in the chaos, a man cloaked in black thrust a spear of void into the family's sanctuary.
Everything collapsed into light.
Then, silence.
The chamber dimmed again, and the light display vanished.
Back upstairs, Haru sat on the couch in silence while Rias poured him a glass of water.
"The War wiped out more than bloodlines," she said. "It wiped out knowledge. If the other factions find out the Tsukihara were custodians of time and fate magic…"
"They'll come for me," Haru finished.
"Yes."
Haru's fingers trembled slightly as he stared at the glass.
"Was I really sealed? Like… in a crystal or something?"
"Possibly. It could explain the discrepancy in magical density. You may have technically only been 'born' in this era. Your soul… your magic… they're older than your body."
"So I'm a walking time capsule."
Rias smiled gently. "One with the potential to reshape the balance of the Three Factions."
"Great," Haru muttered. "No pressure."
That night, Haru sat on the rooftop of his dorm, gazing up at the stars. The cool wind rustled his hair, and he traced constellations with his eyes, wondering if they really were as interconnected with fate as the chamber suggested.
He didn't hear the footsteps behind him.
"You always look so serious," a voice said.
It was Koneko.
She sat beside him without waiting for an invitation, her white hair dancing lightly in the breeze. She offered him a lemon soda can.
"Thanks," Haru said, popping it open.
Koneko looked at him, expression unreadable. "You're strong."
"I'm reckless," he replied.
"Same thing. Eventually."
A beat of silence passed.
Koneko looked up. "You scared?"
"A little. Everyone seems to think I'm important. But I don't feel like someone important. I feel like someone pretending not to fall apart."
Koneko nodded. "That's normal. Most strong people start that way."
He smiled. "You're wiser than you look."
She sipped her soda and muttered, "Don't underestimate me, pervert."
Haru choked. "W-What?! What did I do?!"
She didn't answer—just stared at him with a small smirk before hopping down and walking off without another word.
The next morning came with unexpected urgency.
Akeno burst into the clubroom mid-meeting, her usually calm face tense.
"We have a problem."
Rias stood immediately. "What happened?"
"Two agents from the Church entered Kuoh last night. One of them has already been eliminated… but the other escaped. And they weren't hunting stray devils."
"They were after Haru," Kiba said grimly.
Rias turned to Haru. "Did you feel anything strange last night?"
"No," he said. "But… I was up on the roof. Koneko visited me for a bit, but nothing out of the ordinary."
Akeno raised her hand, revealing a holy feather—a fragment burned at the edge.
"I found this near your dorm. Someone was watching. Likely cloaked in a suppression field."
Issei swallowed hard. "So what does this mean?"
"It means the Church knows the Tsukihara name isn't just a myth," Rias said coldly. "And if they know, the Fallen can't be far behind."
A heavy silence filled the room.
Then Rias looked at Haru.
"It's time we arm you properly."
They returned once more to the underground chamber. But this time, Rias carried a small, ornate box carved with runes and lunar symbols.
"This," she said, opening it slowly, "was found during my family's acquisition of this territory. It resonated with your mana the moment you awakened. We believe it was left behind by your clan."
Inside was a single item: a ring.
Silver and black, the gem at its center flickering like a miniature eclipse.
Haru reached for it instinctively. The moment his fingers touched the metal, it fused with his energy. A shockwave burst from the pedestal, and the ring locked around his finger.
[Celestial Core: Tsukihara Inheritance Recognized.]
Rias took a step back. "It's a Conduit Ring. A powerful artifact—intended to stabilize and channel your power."
Instantly, Haru felt it. The pressure within his body, once swirling like a storm, became smooth—contained. The gravitational pulse he released was controlled, razor-sharp.
He clenched his fist. "It's like the magic is listening now."
"Good," Rias said. "You'll need it."
From the shadows, Akeno appeared with a faint smirk. "Because your first mission starts tonight."
Haru blinked. "Already?"
"There's a rogue exorcist operating near the town shrine," she said. "We believe he's using fallen holy artifacts to draw celestial energies."
Kiba added, "If he's targeting celestial relics, he might be trying to replicate your family's magic."
Rias looked at Haru, her eyes steady.
"This is your choice. You don't have to go."
Haru stood tall.
"No," he said. "I need to. If they're hunting Tsukihara secrets… then I'm the only one who should face them."