Probably the most troublesome chapter I've written so far. I just can't decide what to do and how so I just go with the flow here so sorry if it's not very good. I'm just thankful that I'm finally done with Changing Fates arc.
Now reviews!
qweenashleyfox: The OC Irina will be paired with will be introduced at the end of this chapter. I would like to do a single pairing with Irina but the OC has a certain twist that will make him being paired with Irina somewhat... hilarious.
Guest: you got your wish, cannon will start next chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own DxD. If I did, Dulio would've rescued the Holy Sword Project children like what I did here.
Chapter 9: Holy Sword Project
-Shortly after Izaiya's escape, Holy Sword project site, 3rd person-
Izaiya, a test subject of a certain experiment to create artificial holy sword wielder is running for his life.
This has happened many times. In many other alternate world, Izaiya is the sole survivor of the holy sword project. He ran and he ran, leaving behind his comrades who made sure that he could escape. With a heavy heart, Izaiya ran as fast as he could.
In many other realities, he met Rias Gremory not long after and he would become her servant. He will then take on the name of Kiba Yuuto and train under Okita Souji.
But not in this world
After running for a short while, he ran into a man. He is a tall Caucasian with blond hair but what Izaiya is focused at is his clothing.
He ran into a priest.
Izaiya who developed a fear of priests and later turn to hatred cower at the sight of the man of cloth.
"Boy, are you okay?"
The priest asked. Izaiya still cower in fear and refuse to look at him, thinking that he might kill him.
"What is it Dulio-san?"
Suddenly another voice came. This time, Izaiya finds a boy with chestnut hair and forest green eyes at least a year or two older than him wearing a simpler priest clothing with a white cloak. He holds a sword at his side.
'An exorcist! I will be killed!'
Izaiya thought.
Seeing his frightened expression, the younger exorcist sighs. He gave his weapon to the older priest and look at Izaiya straight in the eye.
"Come on, we're not trying to hurt you. Why are you so afraid anyway?"
The young priest asked him.
Izaiya look at the young priest. Perhaps because they are of the same age but Izaiya felt that he could trust him. So Izaiya told them about the holy sword experiment. The two priests widened their eyes in shock as Izaiya explained to them what happened.
"Haruka…"
The older priest nod at the younger one as he understands what went through his head. He gave the younger priest the go sign and the young exorcist instantly disappeared, leaving Izaiya with the elder priest.
In any other reality, Izaiya finds his new home and family in the form of Rias Gremory. Today, Izaiya finds salvation in the form of Shidou Haruka and Dulio Gesualdo.
-With Haruka-
Haruka was downright furious at the moment. Izaiya's explanation, though brief, gave him some understanding of what happened. [Sophia] gleamed dangerously in his hand as Haruka used [Black Flash] to travel. He expands his senses and his teleportation range along with it and found that the slaughter had begun.
'This is outrageous! They are using poison gas to dispose of them!'
Momoka shouted inside Haruka's head. The normally calm and playful mother lost her cool as she witness everything that happened inside the range of Haruka's senses.
"Kaa-san…"
'Leave me here, I will try to do something about the children.'
Haruka follows his mother's instruction and Momoka immediately materialize after Haruka dropped [Sophia]. Although this means that using his magic will be harder, Haruka knows that his mother has a fe healing magic that she can use to help the children. Haruka began supplying his mother with his magical energy while she heals every child she came across. She might not be a great enough healer but she can heal damage caused by gaseous elements through the use of spatial healing magic. The theory is that she catches the poisonous elements and isolate them in another dimension before sepparating them from the body through the use of spatial magic. It is a very delicate magic which requires extreme amount of concentration. Momoka can fully extract poisonous elements from a body in the span of one minute and has a maximum target of five in 1km range. Even for her, it is still a very delicate process.
Meanwhile, Haruka using Excalibur Mimic began dispatching the executors one-by-one with a steel cold expression. He has no mercy for people who clearly violate human right. Screams of people that Haruka slew rang throughout the dense forest where the experiment took place. When Haruka reached the research institute, he had slain around thirty men. But sadly for him, there are thirty children that had already died. Momoka and he had only managed to rescue around thirteen which include Izaiya. Dulio who went after them was horrified at the sight of thirty dead children.
"This is terrible…"
Dulio said. Although he is an experienced exorcist and had seen his own share of death, Dulio has a soft spot for children. He fell on his knees as he cry seeing the dead children. The only consolation he has is that the perpetrators, the executors also met an brutal end by Haruka's hand in his wake.
"I can't believe this…"
Momoka suddenly appear from the hallway, most likely using [Black Door], while reading a stack of files.
"Momoka-san? What are you reading?"
Dulio who had known about Momoka beforehand was not surprised at her sudden appearance. Instead, he is staring at the files Momoka held in her hand.
"I found it while I was scanning for anything important. They were about to be burned but I managed to cast a defensive and illusion spell. This is the files that contains Valper Galilei's research and those who are backing him up."
""WHAT?!""
The two exorcists shouted in unison. The two of them then scrambled to Momoka's side and the trio began reading.
"Archishop Alexander, Cardinal Malchio…"
Haruka reads.
"Cardinal Vincent… these names… they are people in high places. My God, these people approved Valper's research and gave him aid."
Dulio was visibly shaken when he read through the files. It details each part of the research which sometimes involves inhuman experimentation.
"All this… just to create artificial excalibur user?"
"You got to be kidding me…"
"This is just wrong… This is not something an Archbishop should never do… This is the work of a mad scientist!"
After some more searching, the trio managed to find all the proof needed to fully convince them of the involvements of the people on the list. There are at least eight people on the list.
"…I'll kill them all."
Dulio said with venom in his voice. Haruka, though not as obvious as Dulio, has a murderous look in his eyes.
"Stop it you two… it won't do you any good if you fools were to march straight into Vatican and start going balance breaker and murder high-ranking officials. And you're scaring the kids with your killing intent."
Momoka chastised the murderous duo.
""…Yes ma'am""
The two immediately reign in their killing intent. They almost forgot about the kids.
Izaiya suddenly step forward.
"Then will you just let those people go?!"
Izaiya yelled. The boy is enraged when hearing that the people involved might not get what they deserved though it is definitely not what Momoka meant. Momoka is not so forgiving after all.
"Who said anything about letting them scot free?"
Momoka said.
"The problem is these two idiots will probably go balance breaker and do unnecessary damages."
Momoka points at the exorcist pair.
"Rest assured, those involved will receive their due punishment. I will make sure of that."
Dulio and Haruka shivered when Momoka chuckled darkly while the children sweatdropped.
"Anyway, the project itself is interesting. Kids, the best thing that you could do as payback is to complete the bastards' research using another method that ran counter to his own. Lucky for you guys, I have found out the flaws and I have a way for you all to safely become holy sword wielders. This will be an epic kick-in-the-ass. I just have a question for you guys… do you like swords?"
-Dulio pov-
After that, we brought the surviving kids to an orphanage that I knew and trust. The kids all accept Momoka-san's proposal the moment she said that completing the project in their own way will be an epic payback so as not to waste the sacrifice of their friends. Haruka had told me that she was once a teacher and a genius magician but seeing her rework Valper Galilei's research from scratch using new theories made that claim seems even more real.
While Momoka-san is working, I went to the meeting room to discus about the holy sword project that we just recently found.
I was about to open the door when I heard a few shouts. I could just enter the room and see for myself but instead I press my ears against the door and began to listen.
"—Baseless acusations, you have no proof that I was involved in tha-"
"Oohh on the contrary, I have all the proofs here."
I can hear a heavy object being dropped which I suspect was the fat bundle of documents we found back there.
"Written here are the names of people involved in Valper Galilei's research. I was surprised when I read the names and their roles."
"But how! Everything should've be-"
I can hear someone gasping. Seems like someone slipped up and that person was the one denying the accusation just moments ago.
"Everyone, just come clean and finish this charade. I'm bored."
Haruka-kun said in a bored tone.
"…Well played child, but as you have said, let's all come clean here. You also hid something from us all."
What?
"Hoo… and what is that?"
Haruka replied challengingly. What the hell is he doing?
"You are not the son of Shidou Touji and Shidou Aya… you are the son of a heretical witch and you used your pagan powers to rise in ranks."
Pagan witch? Momoka-san? Ahh, yes, I do know that Momoka-san is some kind of witch but her power is not witchcraft as it is scientific. No, what is this person aiming by acusing Haruka… I see…
"Hmm… indeed, I am not the son of Shidou Touji and Shidou Aya as I was adopted. Furthermore, my mother is a witch? She died during my birth for all I know so what proof do you have for your own accusation?"
There was a slight pause before I hear more people gasping.
"It appears your mother is not as dead as you claimed her to be, heretic."
"I see… very well, so I believe you plan to excommunicate me? Fine, I have no qualms."
Haruka calmly stated. I knew he is not as loyal to the church as he should be so he can say such a thing without making so much fuss.
"Hoo… as expected of a heretic."
"So you're taking me down with you? How typical. It is because people like you exists that there are still children crying and needlessly slaughtered out there."
"I don't need to hear that from you, heretic. And like what we do to all heretics, we will burn you."
"You first."
"I am only doing what should be done for the sake of the church."
"How twisted."
"And for the sake of the church too, heretics and those related to them must be burned. That includes your sis-"
The man suddenly stops speaking while I hear the faint sound of a blade being drawn. I can hear screaming from inside the room so I finally decide to walk in. To my horror (actually its delight) I saw Haruka with Excalibur Mimic drawn and a bloodied cardinal whom I recognize as one of the people on the list.
"You may threaten me and even do your worst to me but if you dare try to harm my family, no forces in heaven or hell can stop me from doing my worst to you."
Haruka coldly stated. As happy as I am in seeing the bloodied form of one of the culprit, I can't help but shook my head in slight disappointment.
You've made matters for yourself worse.
I began taking in everything I can see into my brain. The bloodied but still alive (barely) cardinal, a picture of Haruka-kun talking with Momoka-san, the frightened look of non-combatant bishops and cardinals, the surprised look of the exorcists present, and lastly is Haruka's bloodstained white cloak.
Ahh yes, this is why I like skipping meetings.
…
-Dulio pov-
The verdict has been reached. The culprits will be excommunicated and executed for their inhuman research. Haruka-kun will also be excommunicated for using pagan magic (Though it is actually not. Heck, I don't even know what kind of magic it is) and attempted murder of a cardinal with the only saving grace is that he attacked a criminal.
Haruka-kun's is finally lifted though when we received a peculiar message, a message that says Lord Michael will decide his fate. It is almost unheard of for Lord Michael to deliver judgement by himself.
Knowing that he might no longer be able to stay, Haruka went to see Xenovia Quarta right after the meeting. Haruka went to heaven immediately after that. I did not know what happened after that and what did Lord Michael told him but I do know one thing.
That was the last day I saw Shidou Haruka as an exorcist.
-Same time outside Vatican, unknown pov-
Right on schedule, Shidou Haruka had just gone to heaven. Everything is going over smoothly. It's time to prepare for what's to come.
"Reika, the other three have arrived."
One of my girls, a girl with shaggy light blue hair wearing futuristic white school uniform of IS academy calls out to me.
"Tatenashi…"
Holding her trademark blue fan in her hand, the girl joined me as we look towards the direction of Vatican.
"Tis truly a magnificent sight."
The next to appear is a young girl wearing a winter uniform with a beret. She has silver hair and her eyes are as black as the starry night. Her presence is divine when compared to Tatenashi.
"You should stop speaking in archaic language, Athena."
"I'm sorry, it's just a habit I retained from my time as a heretic god in my world."
Athena doesn't look very apologetic despite apologizing.
"Maa, at least I can meet Momo-tan again. It has been a while after all."
Next came a young woman wearing the black uniform of her magic organization, the Phoenix Foundation. Her brown hair tied in a ponytail by a black ribbon flutering in the wind as she put on her playful smile that I haven't seen for a while. She is Sophia Brave.
"Ara ara, Sophia-san is being impatient."
The last of our current group to arrive is the youngest of the girls, a girl wearing a school uniform with vest. She also wears frilly white stockings and gloves and has a small bag that she is always seen carrying. The sole blond of the group, Shokuhou Misaki had arrived.
"Of course I am impatient, Misaki-chan! It has been a veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeery long time since I last met Momo-tan!"
"Ahahaha."
Everyone chuckled at the most energetic member of our group.
"Well, let's stop the casual talk at that. The wheel of time has started moving. Begin the preparation for our comrades and mother's arrival. We have three years. Keep youselves under the radar until then."
I told them all in a commanding tone.
""""Yes, Reika!""""
The four of them answers and began to scramble, leaving me alone. I took a last glance at the direction of Vatican.
"Soon… Shidou Haruka."
Finally, I'm done with Changing Fates arc. I did not show how and why Haruka suddenly disappear since it would be more fun to do that during Battle of Kuoh (Kokabiel) arc. Next chapter will start cannon and we'll finally return to Issei! Rias will have a different peerage (weaker obviously) and Izaiya will still become Kiba Yuuto since it's just how it should be. Ohh and Yuuto will still have [Sword Birth] but his Balance Breaker will be different. It is something you all will recognize! And I mentioned that Momoka worked on her own version of Holy Sword research. Yup, I just want to spit on Valper's face when he found out how effective and much more simple Momoka's version is and yes, she finished it in less than a day (the theory at least) before she left with Haruka. Momoka here is a super genius. Well spatial magic here requires instant calculation to be used effectively so what do you expect? Every spatial magic user will have superior intelligence and A-rank spatial magic user are geniuses and Momoka is the best with Haruka coming close to second.
Fav and review.
Ohh and I have a fetish for Valkyries...
