Issei was with Matsuda and Motohama on Matsuda's house. They were playing Fantasy Paradise Boing Boing Heaven. Without Issei, Motohama and Matsuda had finished three of the five main routes. Motohama and Matsuda finished the loli, yandere, and tsundere girl. They saved the big sister with big breasts type for Issei. One route was a mystery route that no one would be able to finish according to the publisher.
So they were still on the common route, they let Issei took control. Although Motohama and Matsuda only silently laughed when Issei chose the choice that would led to a bad end.
However, after several next hours, the three were gaping at the monitor.
"…Who the hell is this? I'm gunning for the big sis big boobs dammit!" He moved his cursor towards the load button, intending to load to the latest point. However, Motohama stopped him.
"What the? Why are you stopping me, Motohama?"
"What's wrong with you?! This has to be the mystery route that the publisher said! Why are you abandoning this?!"
"The mystery route can go to hell! I'm going for big boobs route! This mystery heroine has small boobs dammit!"
Matsuda decked him on the face. "Is boobs the only thing on your mind?! We could be the first to finish the unfinishable route dammit!"
In retaliation, Issei kicked him on the knee. "I'm going for boobs!"
"I say we should finish this first, Ise." Motohama fixed his glasses. "Then we can get to big boobs later."
"No! Big boobs first or nothing! What the hell is wrong with this game anyway?! Fantasy Paradise Boing Boing Heaven? Only one heroine has big boobs! There's nothing fantasy-like about the setting! It's a Slice of Life genre!"
"Sigh…" Matsuda rubbed his knee. "At least save it first, so we can continue it later."
"Matsuda!" Motohama gaped. "Why are you taking his side? Don't you curious about the mystery route as well?!"
"We agreed to give the control to him, right? And besides, Issei's the one buying this game. We owe him at least that much."
Motohama sighed as well, and relented. "Fine. You can go to big boobs route first."
Issei had a tear on her eyes. "You guys…"
And after he saved it, Issei restarted the game. He was determined to finish the big breasted big sis character route, no matter what happened.
Several hours later, the three gaped once again. "We were fighting for the mystery route right?"
"I'm certain of it," Motohama replied.
"Yeah… however…" Matsuda trailed. Which was continued by Issei.
"Then who the hell is this chick? I want my boobs dammit!"
Issei saved it, and restarted it again.
"To hell with this game! How many mystery routes does this game have?! What kind of crazy developer makes this game?! If you want to make mystery routes, then at least make the boobs bigger! I want my boobs dammit!" Issei yelled in anguish after he fell for another mystery route.
He saved it again, and restarted the game once again.
"…I'm done. I'm going back home. Goodbye, Matsuda, Motohama," Issei said as he got into another mystery route.
"Noo! Ise! Don't give up yet!" Motohama yelled.
"Yeah! Think about once you get it. All your efforts will be rewarded!" Matsuda continued while wiping his eyes. "That certain scene with the loli was… was… it was so tearjerking that I have to use the automatic function on the game because I can't click my mouse…"
"You guys…" Issei clenched his fist in determination. "Okay, I'm going for one last try."
This time, Issei chose the choice wisely. In his haste and anger, he didn't write what choice would get to what route, so this time he can only rely on his memories. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight choice had he chosen. So far, it was different from all the mystery route.
Then came the last choice. Issei saved it first, before he chose the uppermost choice.
Ten minutes later, he cried tears of joy.
"Finally… finally…"
"Ise!"
"Congrats, man!" Motohama and Matsuda slapped Issei's back in happiness. Both also happy for Issei.
Two hours later, he slammed the mouse.
"What the hell?! Why is the big boobs heroine killed?! I'm done with this! I don't care what anyone told me! I'm done with this!" Issei left Matsuda's house in anger.
Motohama then loaded the first mystery route Issei saved.
Two hours later, the mystery heroine got killed. They were shocked as they didn't see that plot twist. Another two hours, and they arrived at the first h-scene, with the big sister big breasted character that Issei longed for.
"I hate this developer."
"I hate this developer."
Both said at the same time. They still continued it though, they finally got to the tear jerking ending as the developer promised.
Pawn
A High School DxD Fanfiction
"Stupid game. Give me my boobs dammit!" Issei mumbled to himself on his way. After storming out of Matsuda's house, Issei sent an apology email and they promised to go to Motohama's house next day. It was the fifth day of their suspension, and two days after he faced the serial killer with Seekvaira's help. So they still have two days of vacation until they have to go to school again.
"Speaking of which…" Issei took out a folded paper out of his pocket. He then unfolded it before he observed the paper. "Even after she wrote all this, I still can't understand how to use this."
In that two day gap, issei hadn't once summoned Seekvaira. Not because he didn't have a wish, or anything. He simply didn't understand what she had written on the paper. He did not doubt her. He would not after he saw the use of supernatural force known as magic.
"Think about a wish with all your intention and focus. The paper will glow and be a portable teleportation circle that will give me a notice once you have made your wish. I will feel the tug of magic from the paper, and I will appear. How do you think about a wish with all your intention and focus anyway?"
He curiously once thought about wanting to see breast while gripping the paper, but it did not glow.
"Oh well," He folded and pocketed it again. "Not that I need her now."
Issei's stomach rumbled. It was evening when he gazed at the sky. Huh? He spent that much time on Matsuda's house? He checked his wallet, and after seeing a moderate amount of money, he decided to go buy something to eat at a nearby convenience store.
Inside the convenience store, Issei picked two normal packed box lunch for him and for Asia. He also picked a canned black coffee.
As he went to the cashier to pay, he saw that the cashier was quite beautiful. With an endowed figure covered by a tight uniform, she truly was a sight to behold.
"Here's your change, sir."
That words passed Issei's ears as he was captivated by her.
"Sir?"
Issei still stared at her body.
"Oi! Get off! There's a line behind you waiting!"
That shout from behind him seemed to snap him out. "Huh? Oh… sorry," Issei took his change and turned back intending to apologize to the line behind him.
However, his eyes widened upon seeing the one behind him.
"You're that one bdsm-clad g-gfffhffhfhh!" He could not complete his words because the 'bdsm-clad girl' as he wanted to say put her palm on his mouth.
"Don't say it out loud dammit!"
She put the item she wanted to buy, a single bread, and rummaged her pocket. As she rummaged it, however, her face morphed into a terrified expression.
"Shit. Where the hell did I put my money?"
"Um, miss, if you can't pay then you need to go," the cashier who was patiently waiting her interjected.
Seeing her, Issei took money out of his wallet and offered it to the cashier.
"Here. I'll pay for that."
"Thank you, sir," the cashier accepted it and processed the bread.
"Come on," Issei led her outside the store after picking the bread. Technically Issei was the one paying. The 'dominatrix-clad girl' followed behind him.
"Here," he offered it to her.
Staring at him for several seconds, as if figuring out his intention, she finally took it abruptly from his hand while turning her face away.
Not even a thank you, Issei thought.
"So…" Issei began. They headed towards a nearby park which coincidentally was the park where Issei was with Asia before. "Are you okay? I didn't see you after I saved Asia."
"…You're asking me if I'm fucking fine? I'm not! And it's because of you!"
The way she shouted it, it sounded like they were having a quarrel. Issei scanned the surroundings and felt the stares.
"Calm down…"
"I'm calm!"
"You're not."
"Shut up!"
Issei wisely shut up. After they sat at a nearby bench, Issei opened his boxed lunch and eat it. He was hungry after spending time in Matsuda's house. And his plan to go straight home was gone because of the dominatix-clad girl.
He felt her staring at him eating. "?" He gazed questioningly at her.
"Tch, nothing."
He went back to eating.
It occurred to Issei then that there was someone from the supernatural side beside him. But he did not feel anything supernatural coming from her now. It was as if she was masking her presence. Well, not that he could say anything about it since he did not have any knowledge on supernatural. But yeah, she felt different from the first time he saw her.
For example, she was shorter than before. Issei noticed that because when he punched her, he had to swing his hand a little higher, but now she was even shorter than him. Second, her breast seemed to shrink? Yeah… if she wore the dominatrix outfit, he was sure it would be different. Her lustrous black hair was still the same though, that what made Issei recognized her.
"So what was your name again? It seems weird calling you the dominatrix girl."
"It's Raynare, you idiot."
"Raynare it is. How are you?"
"I've said that I'm not fucking fine, and you're the cause!" She pointed angrily at him.
"What did I do? All I did was save a girl from a tragic fate."
"…Ugh, when you say it like that, it's true that I'm only using Asia to my advantage," she grimaced.
"Do you feel bad about that?" Issei asked her.
"No. Why should I? I'm feeling angry instead. My careful plan was ruined because of you!"
She did not feel any remorse.
Issei did not know how to respond.
"What are you, anyway? Those black wings must mean something. Are you an Angel?"
"Fallen Angel. Don't lump me with those sorts! It's disgusting!"
Raynare's stomach grumbled.
"Is the bread not enough?"
"Fuck you! This is also because of you!"
Issei offered the boxed lunch that he had intended for Asia to her. Well, he could buy another for Asia later. Seeing her with a flushed face in embarrassment was a bit funny, not to mention her crude way of saying this was his fault.
"Why are you offering me this?" Raynare stared sharply at Issei. He just shrugged.
"Well. Why shouldn't I help you?" Issei asked back.
Seeing a complicated expression on her beautiful face seemed worth it.
"Alright. I want to know the supernatural more. After saving Asia, I got into another kind of mess, so I want to have as much information as I can."
Raynare accepted the boxed lunch.
As she opened it, she asked, "Where do you want to start?"
Issei opened the lid, took a sip, before he answered with a question, "Do Fallen Angels have connection with Devils?" he remembered Seekvaira mentioned Fallen Angel before. He wanted to know the connection.
"Yeah… the worst kind of connection. Angels, Fallen Angels, and Devils are part of what everybody knows as the Three Factions. Ironically, the three of them never get along. Hundreds of years ago, I forgot the exact number, each faction were having a three-way wars against each other. I remember eradicating some Devils, didn't bother to learn their disgusting names," she said between munching the food.
So no Seekvaira in front of her, and vice versa then.
Issei took another sip before he asked another question, "So what actually happened after… you know, that incident. I suddenly woke up on a bench after I punched you."
"Kalawarner, Mittlelt, and Dohnaseek went back to Grigori -Our base-. That bastard Freed was gone when I woke up, so I don't know where he is."
"Why are you still here?"
"…Why should I tell you?"
"Well, if it's not much, maybe I can help."
She narrowed her eyes. "Help?! The fuck did I just hear? You want to help me?! You're the reason I'm like this! I should be the one to demand you to obey me! You lowly vermin!"
Ah… she still had some enmity with him. But what got his attention more was the last part of her sentence.
"The last part. That is why I stopped you from doing anything to Asia."
"Huh? What the fuck do you mean?!"
Her meal was momentarily forgotten in her anger.
"Well, I get that you are some kind of supernatural beings. But that doesn't mean you can do anything you want to us mundanes."
"What exactly do you mean by that, huh?!" She readied herself to produce a Light Spear. It prompted Issei to raise his left arm where his Boosted Gear resided as well.
"Shit," she went back to sit and eat. "I forgot you have a Sacred Gear."
"What is a Sacred Gear anyway? I mean, I got Ddraig's version. But you Fallen Angel once resided in Heaven right?"
"Sacred Gears are tools. When He created humans, He never expected them to be so weak. As time went by, the supernatural things always disturb the mundane as you said it before. Thus, He gifted them with the tools to stand up. That's the gist of it… did you just casually say that you talked to Ddraig, the Heavenly Dragon?"
Issei scratched his cheek, "Um… yeah… My Sacred Gear is Boosted Gear."
Raynare muttered something that suspiciously sounded like 'powerful idiot… defeat me… not fair… kill him…'
"A-Anyway. You got one of the Longinus, Boosted Gear?"
Issei nodded at her question. "Is there any other Boosted Gear? And why does everyone know it already but me?"
"You don't seem to understand, it's a Longinus-tier Sacred Gear, meaning it has the power to kill God."
"…Ddraig is more awesome than he shows." Though his nagging about him getting training was annoying. He had plans already for improving his physical fitness.
"…Say, you said you want to help me, right? How about I take that offer?"
"And what prompted this change of mind?"
"You are strong. And if you aren't, you will be. Do you know the reason why that incident happened?" Raynare got a shake of his head. "The answer is, it's because I want to impress Azazel-sama, my leader."
She truly did not care about humans. She thought humans were beneath her.
"He has this strange fascination with Sacred Gear. So I thought when I acquire one, I can be on his radar. He does not even notice me missing from the Grigori base… Ah~ Azazel-sama, what do I need for you to notice me?!"
"…This will lead back to my earlier question, right?"
"…Shit, you're right…"
Raynare sighed.
Issei sighed. If only she answered the question earlier…
"Anyway, I'm still here because I still want to find something that can help me get noticed by Azazel-sama. That's it."
Issei gulped down the last of the canned coffee before he threw it to a nearby trash can. "Now that you've said it, I'm the one who doesn't know how I can help you."
As Raynare continue eating, she was thinking how she can use the human beside her to help elevate her status in front of Azazel-sama. Wait. The human had Boosted Gear, hadn't he? If she was correct, Azazel-sama knew the wielder of Divine Dividing. She can just give him to Azazel-sama!
"I got the feeling you were thinking about bad things…" Issei interjected. "Whatever is on your mind, I'm going to say no."
Raynare got a horrified look. "B-But this is the only chance for me to get noticed by Azazel-sama!"
"What is it, then?"
"Don't you want to understand more about your Sacred Gear? Don't you want to get stronger? Don't you want to reach the power scale of those who can kill God?" Raynare began asking him a barrages of question. Tempting him with promise of understanding his Sacred Gear. Azazel-sama was a scientist interested in Sacred Gear. He must know something about the Boosted Gear.
Issei outstretched his left arm towards the sky. Staring at it, he let out a small smile. "As long as I have enough to protect Asia, that is enough."
"Tch. So it came back to that girl, huh?"
"I've been tasked to protect her by her strong secret guardian. He might kill me himself if I let any harm come to Asia. If I wasn't there to stop you, he was going to stop you anyway. So your plan was ruined whether there was me or not."
When Issei turned his head he saw Raynare throw the empty box to the trash can. "…Shit. She truly has the fucking luck."
"I'm not a religious person but I can say that it's because of how devoted she is. You saw it yourself didn't you?"
Raynare couldn't hold her laugh. She laughed like a madman for several seconds before she cursed. Now what had just happened? Issei thought.
"Damn. I forgot I can't say it to anybody. Forget what just happened."
"Come on, can't you just say a little about it? I'm curious."
"Fuck off, you shithead."
Issei went to a nearby vending machine and bought two cans of coffee. He threw one at Raynare who caught it and glared at him.
"What? I just thought you'd appreciate a drink."
"I don't need you to babysit me!"
"Anyway, since the supernatural exists, does that mean any other gods exists?"
Raynare took a long gulp of the coffee before she nodded. "Every gods recorded in humans myth is real. From the Sumerian, Egyptian, Grecian, Roman, Norse, Aztec. But since humans nowadays don't have faith in them, they became weak. That is the reason why the Three Factions were powerful, so powerful that they can wage wars. It's because His followers are massive in numbers."
"Is there a God or Goddess of Breast?"
"…You're making fun of me, aren't you?"
"You mean there was no records of civilization that worship boobs? How can this be?!"
"Don't sound so surprised at something idiotic, you moron. There's no way a deity of breast exists."
"Ah~ she must have a beautiful pair of big boobs…" Issei imagined about the Goddess of Breast and if she was real. "Well! If there has never been a civilization that ever worshiped the Chichigami, then I will be the first one to do so!"
"I got defeated by this kind of lunatic?"
"Hey!"
"Anyway, do you want to help me or not?"
"…I don't know," Issei turned his face away from her and stared forward. "I don't think I can help you."
"You definitely can help me. My leader, Azazel-sama is very interested in the Sacred Gear. If I recall correctly, he has this one person who have Divine Dividing. Don't you want to gauge your rival?"
Suddenly Issei's hand glowed as Boosted Gear materialized.
[What did you say, Fallen Angel?]
The intimidating voice of Ddraig actually made her jump a bit.
"Yeah… who?"
Raynare sweated as she seemed to have worded her sentence wrongly.
"Azazel-sama took the Divine Dividing user…?"
[Curses. Partner, you really have to train your body. If that damned white dragon's wielder is under Azazel's wing, then you're going to have big problems if you meet your rival now.]
"Ddraig says not to meet him, so I won't" Issei decided after the Boosted Gear immaterialized. He would have a chat with Ddraig later about the details of the rival.
Raynare seemed to mutter something that he couldn't hear.
"Anyway, you're residing in that abandoned church, right? Can I visit sometimes?"
"Why the hell do you want to visit someone who tried to kill you? Fucking humans."
"Eh, but you're trying to kill me because we're on the opposing side, right? I want to save Asia while you want to use her. Now that you don't want to use her anymore, I'm not your enemy anymore. That's enough reason for me to visit, right?"
"It's not that simple, idiot." Raynare sighed. "Ah~ I give up. Do what the hell you want."
Issei's face morphed into a small smile. "Besides, maybe I want to ask you something."
Suddenly, from Issei's pocket, came out blinding light.
Oh damn. Of all the times for her to appear, why did it have to be now?
Issei threw out the summoning paper Seekvaira gave him and took Raynare's hand.
"Wait, what the fuck are you doing, stupid?! And was that demonic energy I feel?!"
On the air, an intricate magic circle similar to what he had seen two days ago formed, and from it came the same girl he met two days ago.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't answer you yesterday. I'm on another request, and I specifically ordered my peerage to not answer you except me…"
Seekvaira opened her eyes to see that Hyoudou Issei, the Red Dragon Emperor and her personal client, taking a Fallen Angel's hand while frozen.
Nobody said anything. Seekvaira's eyes glared at the Fallen Angel sharply and vice versa for Raynare, while Issei just sighed.
"Um, Seekvaira-san, Raynare-san, I have a good explanation for this."
"You'd better have."
"You'd better have."
Both said at the same time. Both then glared at each other again.
"So, I'm waiting for that 'good explanation."
Seekvaira pointed out to Issei, who was sitting between the two girls from opposing factions. He is literally the only barrier between them. And even if Issei quite liked the sensation of being in the middle of two girls, he'd like it more if the two girls are fighting over him, not for some racial grudge.
"Yeah, what the fuck are you doing summoning a filthy Devil?"
"I come from a high class family, thank you. Rather, it is I that should call you a filthy Fallen," Seekvaira jabbed while sneering at the raven-haired Fallen Angel.
"Don't you fucking dare mock me, you bitch!"
"I don't need to use my body to get what I want, thank you. Aren't you the one using your body to give you advantage, whore?"
This was bad.
This was freaking bad.
Issei didn't know what he should say to diffuse the tension. The tension in the air was so thick that you won't even be able cut it with Ichigo's Zanpakuto. Was this the start of a new war of the century? Was this where fate of the world was decided?
No. Even if it was true, he didn't want it to come true.
He had to do something, but what? As he observed the two girls bickering, insulting, and fighting with each other, it was clear that their little squabbles escalated fast. This was bad.
"I bet your high-class mother cheated with a lowly Devil, to think that someone like you is a high-class Devil… I'm dying of laughter here."
"And I bet you became a Fallen Angel because you are addicted to sexual intercourse with humans, that was the case with most Fallen, wasn't it? You whore."
"Shut your mouth, bitch!'
"I would shut my mouth if you stop insulting me, whore."
"Would you two just shut up?!" Issei shouted as he materialized the Boosted Gear to have their attention, "do I have your attention now? Good," Issei dematerialized it back. He made a mental note to apologize to Ddraig later. He bet the dragon was still sleeping, and didn't like being annoyed in his sleep.
The two of them did not reply.
"How can I explain if you two keep bickering like toddlers?"
"Well…"
"Well…"
"Sigh… anyway, Raynare-san, two days ago, I was nearly killed by a Stray Devil. Seekvaira-san helped me fight him off, in exchange for being her personal contractor. And, Seekvaira-san, Raynare is my gateway to the supernatural like I've said to you."
"You idiot, how can you just accept a deal from that bitch? Don't you know the repercussion? Not that I know anyway, I don't want to deal with lowly things like her."
"What kind of gateway is that?"
Ugh, both of them asked that at the same time. He didn't know who he should answer first. In the end, since earlier he answered Raynare's first. This time he was going to answer Seekvaira's question first.
"Seekvaira-san, um, well, she was going to take advantage of a nice girl, I stopped her from doing that. And Raynare-san, um, at the time, it was the best idea to accept her help. And besides, it's not like I will make a contract every day."
"…that means she was your enemy right? I can't believe you, casually being with you like this…" Seekvaira fixed her glasses.
"Ha! Just wait and see until she takes advantages of you."
The answers actually kinda made Issei's head ache. So Seekvaira was asking him back, while Raynare made a statement? It was kinda hard to distinguish it because they said it at the same time.
"Yeah yeah. Now, can everyone be a good girl?"
"I'm not some six year old!"
"I'm not some little girl!"
For two individuals from opposing species, they were kinda alike, actually.
"And you haven't answered my question, Hyoudou-san. How can you just casually approach your enemy like this? And trying to make me have a civil conversation with her like this, you fall below my expectation, Hyoudou-san."
"Well, why shouldn't I?"
That question actually made Seekvaira a little speechless. When she thought about it again, why shouldn't he? It was his life they were talking about. He had full reign of his own human life. He was not a Devil, Angel, or Fallen Angel, or any other supernatural creatures. He was simply human. A human with a Longinus-tier Sacred Gear.
Suddenly she saw him in a different light than before. When she saw that he had Boosted Gear, she thought he would be a nice catch for a peerage member. Not to mention, she already has the Dragon-related Allivian as her Queen, so convincing him to join her peerage would be a lot easier.
But now, the full ramification dawned upon her.
If he joined her peerage, he would never be able to have a civil talk with a Fallen Angel like this ever again. Being a Devil had its benefits, but him being a human actually benefited her more than him being a Devil.
What made humans specials in its creator's eyes? Simple. It was the sheer potential humans had. No other races hated humans in general. It was just some races like to eat humans for sustenance and not stemming from their hatred.
The conclusion? As her personal contractor, every time he needed her, he would summon her, and she can ask about the other races given that he was casually talking to a Fallen Angel now.
"And besides, talking civilly avoids tragedy, you know. Raynare-san, can you imagine if we talked casually that time, you won't be here alone and your plan failed, and instead, maybe I can help you find other ways." No one ever said that he wasn't rational.
"I don't want to hear that from someone who punched me!" Raynare quickly retorted.
"That's right. Our nice civil talk resulted in something, right? That Stray Devil is dead now. Unlike some people," she suddenly nodded to Issei. "I actually am a rational person."
"Fuck this, I'm not going to let some lowly human and Devil gang up on me!" She actually stood up and took a step to leave.
"Hoo, as expected of a slimy Fallen, cowardly leaving once the situation is not in their favour."
"What did you just say?!" she instantly turned back and glared at Seekvaira. Violet irises met red ones as they did not avert their eyes because of their pride.
"And one more thing. Just because Raynare-san was once a bad guy, that doesn't mean she's a bad guy forever. She's just coincidentally the bad guy that one time. If you ask me for help, I'll help if I can help."
Such a naïve view. Seekvaira would never have that kind of view towards her enemy. But maybe that was what made him special. Not just the fact that he was human, not just the fact that he has a Longinus-tier Sacred Gear, but also the fact that his way of thinking was simple, even if naïve.
Raynare was just stunned. She had never expected this kind of sentence coming from his mouth. But maybe she should have expected that from someone who came barging to a church without any supernatural knowledge, and interrupted the ritual of extracting Twilight Healing, just to save a girl from her death.
"To my stupid and ignorant self, a group or faction doesn't mean anything."
Yes. That was right. To Hyoudou Issei, the term group or faction did not hold any importance. He did not save Asia because she had connection with the Strongest Exorcist. He did not save Kunou because she was the daughter of the Youkai Faction's leader. He did not fight Anthony van Toorje because he was scared of him.
He simply did it because he did not want tragedies to happen.
A quiet laugh came from Seekvaira's mouth. When two pairs of eyes bore into her, she just bowed her head, not wanting to make her laugh known. "Truly a foolish human. Interesting, but foolish nonetheless."
"You said that, but you don't even want to help me," Raynare remarked, remembering her earlier request.
"Hey, this is different from that, Ddraig even said no to you! And you!" Issei pointed at Seekvaira, "stop laughing! And stop calling me foolish! I may be an idiot, but don't say it in front of my face like that!"
"Anyway," Seekvaira dismissed him. "Since you currently don't have any request I can grant, I'm leaving."
With that, she formed a magic circle on the ground, and stepped onto it. Light blinded Issei's vision, and when he opened his eyes, she had already gone.
"And since you rudely refuse my request, I don't have any need of you either. I'm leaving."
She left Issei, not grandiosely like Seekvaira, just normally took her step one by one, each step making her farther from him.
When Issei was finally alone, he spoke.
"Oh well, I guess I'm leaving too," Issei made one last trip to the convenience store again as the packed box lunch he had intended for Asia was given to Raynare.
Finally, Issei arrived home safely without any interruption.
"Welcome home, Issei-san," Asia greeted him.
"I'm back, Asia-san. Here," Issei handed the box lunch, "it's for you."
"Thank you."
Issei stared at her for a few seconds. "You're getting better. I'm sure you're going to master Japanese soon."
She smiled brightly, "Thank you, Issei-san. I will try to meet your expectation."
However, after that smile, Issei thought he saw a brief terrified expression before it went into a soft smile. Was it just his imagination?
"Asia-san…" He decided to take a gamble. "Is there something wrong?"
"Ha?" she tilted her head cutely. "No, there is nothing wrong, Issei-san."
"Are you sure?"
She nodded her head. "Then, I'm going to the kitchen."
Issei just stared at her retreating back. So it was just his imagination, huh? Well, anyway, if Asia had some problem, he was sure that Asia would come to him.
He guessed the unplanned meeting between two opposing faction had some stressing effect on him.
On a dark abandoned alleyway, beside a trash dump, sat a white-haired man with a pair of menacing red eyes. His priest robe was dirty and torn in several place. He was not the man anybody would expect being in a place like that from his appearance.
Those who knew him, though. They could say with certainty that his rotten personality matched the place. His entire youth was filled with killing, killing, and killing the Devils and the Heretics. It was ingrained in his mind that Devils are for killing, and those in connection with them are also killable.
It was what made the church threw him out.
He had to rely on those Fallen Angel if he wanted to kill Devils. Fuck them! Fuck the church and those who run it!
"My my, I would never expect to find you here," a soft female voice made him open his eyes. "Freed Sellzen, the 'prodigy'."
"Huh?" He stood up, "what do you want, lady?" Now that he had a good look at the female figure, he saw white robes covered her entire body except her face.
"I want you to join me."
Figures. Those who knew his old moniker as the prodigy probably belonged to the church. "Now see here, lady. The church already threw me out, not caring about me because I like killing Devils, not that I care for them anyway. And you want me to join back? Hell no."
The figure smiled.
"But I'm not affiliated with the church."
"Ho?!" his face gained an interested look. "I'm not about to join some shadowy organization. Tell me who are you, and I might consider it."
"Fulmine of the Center from the God's Right Seat. Leader of the Church Liberation Movement."
Freed Sellzen laughed like a madman. "You mean, you mean they are real? I thought it was just some rumors. The secret faction that doesn't like the way the church is now, and want to revolutionize it… it's real? Hahahaha!"
"So you know of us, then. Some cannon fodder need to shut their mouth."
"Anyway, why do you approach me, and what can you offer to me?"
"I want you, because we need someone like you. Your ideal wasn't wrong. There's nothing wrong with just wanting to kill Devils. Those old crones are stupid. That's why I want you."
"Bullshit. Tell me the truth."
"My my, seeing through it already? I want you because to me, you're not some stupid cannon fodder. You're an interesting character."
"I don't understand."
"You don't need to. I can offer you more power, and backups to kill more Devils. That's what you want, right?"
"I accept."
It was better option than just living like this.
"That's a relief… I thought my trip to Japan here was worthless. I'm glad you accepted my offer. Now I assign you your first mission. I think you're going to quite like it."
"And what is it?"
"Retrieve Asia Argento and her Twilight Healing, and bring her back to Italy. You can do it however you want, and whenever you want. I want something to catch the Red Dragon Emperor's attention."
"Ooh, I like you already, lady."
He'd going to have revenge. That one stupid masked justice crap was going to pay. Or, the boy who escaped him was enough.
"I'll leave it to you, then."
Chapter X
That Hostility to Each Other...
A/N: This chapter is beta-ed by Bigreader in the Omniverse. A big thank you to you. So, how was it? This is the start of the new arc which I still don't have the name. What do you think? I think I set up enough things for later.
A thing to note is Issei now has an information mine which is Raynare. I'm also trying to give a different picture than my previous fic with Raynare. Also, who wanted to see a catfight between Raynare and Seekvaira? Because I want to ahahaha.
Otherwise, there's not much things to say, just enjoy.
-KurobaraIto
I'm watching Aria the series (Animation, Natural, Arietta, Origination, and Avvenire) now... it's so calming and relaxing. Currently on Origination 5. Why didn't I follow my friend's advice and watched it long ago. Watching it one episode per day truly helps surviving the day. At least, I have something to strive for tomorrow: watch the next episode.