Disclaimer: I own neither JoJo's Bizarre Adventure or Highschool DxD

Chapter 29

This doesn't make sense.

Josuke rolled out of the way of another light spear, eyes narrowing as he watched Issei pursue Raynare through the sky. The Fallen Angel was cackling as she avoided any direct hits from Issei, making no attempt to escape but not landing any solid blows of her own against the brunette. But what threw Josuke into a small bit of confusion was her current state. From the light spears she threw and the mid-air combat with Issei, Josuke could tell she had gained a bit of strength since they last saw her. But Issei wasn't close to going all out, but rather pacing himself as he was making sure to match her blow for blow to avoid taking any of her light energy head on as it could still spell doom for him despite her obviously weaker power by comparison.

But if that's the case, then why? Josuke mused, sweat trailing down his brow as he stood up, preparing to overlap his legs with his Stand to launch himself skyward. Her power boost isn't anywhere near significant enough to fight both of us. As dumb as she is, she's not so stupid as to come at either of us like this. She's got something up her sleeve.

"What's wrong, darling? Aren't you going to give me a kiss after missing me for so long?" Raynare cooed in her 'cute' voice cackling as she avoided another punch from Issei.

"Sorry, but I'm moving on to bigger and bustier things lately." Issei chuckled as he put some distance between them. "Compared to president's tits and Asia's great figure, you can't even measure up!"

"The hell are you going on about while you're fighting…" Josuke muttered under his breath, knowing that calling him out on it would likely produce an even less tasteful reply.

"Oh, you're just mad you didn't get the chance to touch them while we dated. Don't be so petty, Issei-kun~!" Raynare laughed, a light spear forming in her left hand as she charged at Issei full speed. She stabbed forward with her blinding spear, but much to her shock watched as Issei caught it in his dragon mail hand. "W-what?! What kind of idiot Devil grabs a light spear like that?!"

"One who's left hand has already been given to the dragon inside them." Issei grinned, the jewel in his bracer beginning to glow. Boost! "A lot has happened while you were gone, Raynare. I'm not that weak pervy boyfriend you once knew. I'm the man who will become the Harem King!" Swinging with his free hand, Issei slammed his open palm toward Raynare's chest, though she quickly blocked with her one free hand. She growled from the strain, her scarred eye twitching furiously.

"That dream is as disgusting as you are!"

"I'm cool with that!" Issei grinned wider, summoning forth more power from his Sacred Gear. Boost! With a roar, Issei's strength grew as he pushed against Raynare's guard, finally sending the Fallen Angel hurtling toward the ground. Josuke raised an arm, shielding his eyes from the dust cloud that rose from the impact. "She's all yours, Josuke!"

"That was a great shot, Issei. I'll finish it from here!" Josuke grinned, quickly sprinting forward toward the center of the crater created on impact. Swinging his arm, Josuke blew a good deal of dust out of his line of site. Maybe she is just this dumb. Revenge will make someone do some crazy shit, I guess. "You shouldn't have come back, Raynare! You're about to get a lot of what you got last time!" Crazy Diamond materialized as he approached the center of the crater, raising its arm to strike. DOR- it stopped its punch halfway, Josuke widening his eyes to see the crater void of their enemy.

"Sh-shit, where'd she go?!" Josuke mumbled, quickly putting his guard up as his eyes searched through the fading dust. He couldn't be too careful, now. If he let Raynare get a direct hit in, he would be done for. He kept his Stand close, ready to block any incoming attacks for him should the Fallen Angel dare to get so close.

But with the small shift in the dust, Josuke suddenly heard it. The swing of a blade through the air. Josuke wasn't sure if he only did it on instinct or if he was just that lucky, but he raised his arm to block. A moment later, he felt metal cut through bone and flesh, his right arm and shoulder spewing blood from the unseen strike. "GAH~!" Josuke cried out in pain, cradling his arm close to his body as he ground his teeth.

"Josuke! I'm coming!" Issei cried out in shock, quickly batting his wings and flying down toward the Stand user in urgency.

Wh-what the hell?! I didn't see her or anything! There's no way she's moving that fast that I- Josuke saw the dust begin to wade again, quickly taking a step back as he felt the wind pressure of a blade pass him by. His eyes widened in realization, the truth becoming clear. No way, is she-

"Josuke, where is she?!" Issei exclaims, hovering down close to the Stand user's position.

"Watch out, Issei! I'm not completely sure how, but that bitch is turning herself invisible!" Josuke exclaimed, causing the brunette to blink in shock. Josuke suddenly saw a shift in the fading dust, quickly diving forward at the brunette and tackling him. Issei didn't understand why, but soon found his shoulder being grazed ever so slightly, letting out a gasp of pain as he suddenly felt angelic energy burn away at his body. "Gah!"

"Hey, are you okay?!" Josuke asked, quickly summoning Crazy Diamond and repairing Issei's shoulder. "Come out and show yourself, Raynare!"

"Fufufu~!" Raynare suddenly materialized before their eyes, standing several meters behind the two and now leaning on a long sword. "I've been meaning to test out Kokabiel-sama's gift. How do you like it? It is the Excalibur Transparency. Just one of the blades stolen from the church and taken into our possession." Raynare declared, holding the blade up for them to see. "This is such a treat of a weapon. A Devil weak to light energy and a human that, as strong as his Stand might be, is still frail enough to die from a clean hit. All this blade has to do is turn me invisible and I've suddenly become the better of you both. This was just the perfect weapon to use in order to get revenge on you brats. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Tch. We'll see about that…" Josuke growled, pushing off the ground and summoning his Stand. "It doesn't matter how much you hit me with that thing. I'm going to turn your face into an uglier mess than it already is."

"Keep talking big, you oaf! I'm going to take my time and enjoy every second of killing you both!" Raynare cackled darkly, her blade shining for a moment before turning her completely invisible. Issei quickly rose to his feet, going back to back with the Stand user and keeping his eyes peeled.

"We'll have to be extra careful. If she gets one good hit on either of us with that blade, it's over." Josuke declared, grinding his teeth anxiously. "I'll heal you as much as I can. Just keep your eyes open for any small shift in the air."

"Got it. We'll just have to think of ways to make her come out in the open. Or at least expose her position." Issei said, shooting a small glance over his shoulder. "I'm sure you'll figure something out for us. You've been pretty good at that lately."

"I'll do my best. After all, no one can beat us when we tag team, right?" Josuke declared, smirking back at Issei, the two nodding in understanding before facing back forward.


(JoJo's Bizarre Adventure OST: The Hand)

"Don't let a single scrap of it survive!" Xenovia cried out as she watched the building mass of a Stand screech in pain.

"Got it!" Okuyasu said, The Hand swinging its arm forward and wiping several arcs against the mysterious undead Stand. Ever since Okuyasu's arrival, Xenovia had to admit that dealing with it was much easier than before. Okuyasu's Stand was truly a marvel. To completely erase whatever it touches, she now understood the gravity of such words. She had never seen any creature, human, Devil, Angel, or the like with the regenerative and consumption ability of the enemy Stand. But with each swipe, it was becoming smaller and smaller. It needed the rest of its body to keep regenerating. As far as Xenovia knew, Okuyasu's Stand was the only existing counter to its ability. The best a high ranking Devil or Angel might do would likely be displace it in another dimension where it would be of no danger to anyone.

"With this last bit, we're done!" Okuyasu smirked, The Hand finishing another swipe before cocking its arm back. The remaining visible piece left of the monstrous Stand was only a bit of flesh, no bigger than when Xenovia first saw it.

"It should only take you one swipe left at that size. Make sure you take the entire Stand out." Xenovia suggested, feeling relieved to see that the unkillable Stand was now down to only a small piece. Unkillable didn't mean unerasable, thankfully.

"Let's go!" Okuyasu roared as his Stand swung forward again.

*THUUUUUM*

The final scrap of the meaty Stand was pulled right in front of Okuyasu, and with another swipe, The Hand completely erased the last bit of its body out. Xenovia held in a breath, almost disbelieving that he had taken care of it so easily. Okuyasu stood there for a moment,brow hardened and eyes focused on the spot where the meaty Stand had been wiped out. After a brief silence, a dumb grin started to spread across his face. He suddenly gave Xenovia a thumbs up. "Alright, We're good."

Xenovia finally exhaled the breath she had been holding. "Finally. Thank you." she said, placing her Excalibur on her back. "I hate to admit it, but… without you, I'm not sure what I could have done to stop that thing."

"Yeah, it was a pretty nasty Stand, huh?" Okuyasu hummed, scratching the back of his head in thought. "Why didn't you go for the user, though? Prolly woulda been the best way to deal with it instead."

"That's usually the way to handle such difficult Stands, but…" Xenovia grimaced, thinking about the strange user who walked at her without uttering a word before his demise. "I had killed him. But that ended up awakening his ability I think. Perhaps it might have even been some sort of condition to activating his Stand."

"W-wait, that thing was survivin' without a user?!" Okuyasu blurted in shock, a grave nod coming from Xenovia in response. "B-but that's nuts! Stands usually die along with their user! How'd that shit keep on livin'?!"

"I have no clue. This was my first time encountering such a Stand. Not only did it break that rule, it was also incredibly powerful. How can you possibly kill a Stand that survives without a user and consumes whatever it touches? I thought we had truly encountered the worst kind of monster possible." Xenovia said, her gaze rising back up to Okuyasu. "But as it turns out, you were our one trump card against it. Again, I thank you for taking out that monster. Who knows what would have happened if it it kept growing."

"Yeah, don't worry about it. Just lookin' at that shit was creepy as hell…" Okuyasu muttered, rubbing his chin as he tried to think for a moment. "Well, whatever. It's over now, so let's go find everyone else." Okuyasu started, beginning to turn as he looked up at Xenovia.

"Yes. I'm sure that this Stand wasn't the only enemy lying in wait for us. We were divided for a reason." Xenovia agreed, turning around and narrowing her eyes before beginning to step forward. "I believe my previous path was that way. Come, follow me."

"Yeah, got-" Xenovia didn't hear Okuyasu finish the statement, his words suddenly catching in his throat. The blue haired exorcist blinked, beginning to turn around and find out what-"Don't move!"

(JoJo's Bizarre Adventure OST: Leading Fight)

Xenovia immediately froze, unsure what was happening. She craned her head slowly back to Okuyasu so that she could see him. The punk Stand user slowly raised one arm, pointing down at her foot. "Your boot…" He quietly whispered. Xenovia's eyes widened before slowly trailing down to her feet. Much to her fear and shock, she now noticed something latching onto her boot: the meaty Stand from before. B-but how?! I saw him erase it completely! There's no way it could have come back!

"Pick your leg up… and point it toward me…" Okuyasu quietly said, the sweating Stand user already materializing his Stand close behind him. Xenovia slowly nodded, craning her body just enough so that she was at an angle proper enough for the plan. She was more than thankful for the fact that the Stand was still gnawing away at her boot rather than her foot currently. But with its growth rate and ability, that wouldn't be for very long.

"Now!" Okuyasu shouted, Xenovia quickly kicking her leg up directly at Okuyasu.

*THUUUUM*

The Hand quickly swiped the space between the two of them, but only a small enough area that was relevant to Xenovia's leg. She was surprised to see that only her boot and not her entire body was pulled forward like before, but was no less thankful. Okuyasu acted quick, His Stand immediately swinging its arm forward and erasing the last bit of the Stand along with her boot from existence. Okuyasu and Xenovia stumbled forward, both beginning to breath out heavily after holding their breath in without thought.

"Hey, you alright? That thing eat up your some of your leg?" Okuyasu asked, looking back up at Xenovia. Xenovia looked down at her now exposed leg, having felt nothing bite or peel away at her skin when it was still there. With no signs of damage, Xenovia shook her head.

"No, I'm okay. You took care of it just in time." Xenovia said, walking over to Okuyasu.

"Wh-what the hell..? Why was that shit still around! I thought I erased it all…" Okuyasu muttered, wiping the building sweat on his brow now that he could relax somewhat.

"I… I'm not sure. It doesn't make any sense. It only gives chase to things that are moving within its field of vision. It shouldn't have still had anything left…" Xenovia muttered as she tried to think back. But then, a flash of realization spread across her face. "Unless… it can detach smaller pieces that keep consuming…"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Okuyasu blinked up at her in confusion. Xenovia didn't answer him immediately though, spinning on her heel and beginning to sprint forward. "O-oi!"

Please… please be wrong… Xenovia hoped beyond hope, knowing that if her assumption was correct that this fight was far from over. Okuyasu was hot on her heels, obviously still confused by her words but following her nonetheless. Xenovia scanned the area, looking for a familiar sight that could clue her in on her previous route. "This way!" She shouted, spotting a familiar pattern of trees nearby and running faster.

"Wh-what the hell are we-" Xenovia came to an abrupt stop after several meters of running, putting a hand out to stop Okuyasu as well. "What's got you so… freaked…" he muttered, his eyes widening in horror as he soon realized what the cause of Xenovia's panic was. Only a few meters ahead, the two of them saw the same Stand from before. But not just one of it. Pieces of it were scattered all around the tree line. Some of it was currently feasting on the leaves of a tree, some of it was already consuming the trunk itself, the pieces already starting to spread up the trunk.

"This… this is terrible…" Xenovia muttered in a whisper, hoping that she and Okuyasu had gone unnoticed by the Stand. "It… it leaves parts of its body on things it was consuming and continues to eat… it's like a cancer that keeps spreading if it's not completely cut out…"

"What the shit…" Okuyasu guffawed, sweat beginning to stream down his face. "What the hell kinda Stand is this? No user, no single body… this is unreal…"

"It breaks every rule that Stands have followed until now…" Xenovia said, her hands trembling as she slowly looked around to find any other pieces of it left. "This is the most terrifying Stand I've ever seen…"

"It makes me wonder if it even qualifies as that anymore…" Okuyasu gulped, gripping his hand before looking back at Xenovia. "Alright… move slow. I'm gonna wipe out as much of this shit as I can in one swipe."

"Be careful. If just one of those pieces slips past your power, it will start consuming you." Xenovia warned, earning a nod of understanding from the Stand user. Okuyasu took a slow step forward, preparing to unleash The Hand again. That one step was a mistake though, likely entering the cancerous Stand's field of vision as each visible piece came to a stop. Okuyasu and Xenovia widened their eyes in fear as each part of the devouring Stand suddenly came flying at them.

"Shit, was I really movin' that fast?!" Okuyasu snapped, his Stand moving in front of him.

"So long as there isn't anything moving faster than you, it doesn't matter!" Xenovia declared, eyes watching the approaching Stand anxiously. "It's coming at you!"

"Let's end this shit!" Okuyasu growled, The Hand raising its arm and waiting for the approaching flesh. The Stand immediately switched its course though, now going directly for Okuyasu's Stand instead. "Sh-shit, they're makin' it harder to hit! But I can't wait!" Okuyasu huffed, letting out a roar as he made his move:

*THUUUM THUUUM THUUUM*

Okuyasu's aim was more sporadic this time, but nonetheless succeeded in wiping out a majority of the consuming Stand's remnants. But not all of it. Small bits of it hovered in the air, the only remaining pieces beginning to form back together to make a more solid wad of flesh. The punk Stand user clicked his tongue in irritation, raising his Stand's arm and preparing for another swing. "I ain't done 'til you're completely gone, bastard!"

But just a moment before Okuyasu could wipe the fleshy Stand from existence, a small flutter above them rocketed through the air. Xenovia barely noticed it, a small bird taking flight above them into the night sky. In that single moment of stillness by Okuyasu's Stand, the devouring Stand suddenly paid him no mind, hovering up now and chasing after the bird. Okuyasu and Xenovia widened their eyes in shock, realizing that it was now leaving them be.

"W-what the hell? It chased a bird?" Okuyasu muttered in shock, scratching his head. "I guess that solves that problem, huh?"

"No! We can't let it escape!" Xenovia declared, panic spreading through her as she jumped to the top of the trees. "If it chases the bird over the city, it could end up attracting it to innocent civilians! That Stand would consume the entire town if left unchecked!"

"O-oh shit! You're right!" Okuyasu blanched, realizing how dumb his previous thoughts had been before starting to climb up the tree. "But that thing's gonna be far now! We gotta catch up!"

"No need. I feel sorry for the bird, but it's for the greater good." Xenovia declared, pulling her Excalibur from her back as she scanned the dark night. Thankfully it was a bright moon out, illuminating the sky enough for her to see the parasitic Stand and the bird flying away. They were only twenty meters away now, well within a reasonable distance for Xenovia to act. It was too late for the bird either way, its body already half consumed by the Stand and its body quickly decomposing.

"Help my aim be true, Lord…" Xenovia muttered, her Excalibur beginning to illuminate with life. "HAH~!" With a wide swing of her blade, Xenovia launched a blade of white energy at the Stand, directing its attention back at Xenovia. It screeched out in pain as the blade of light cut into it, burning away at its body and shredding it apart. It's smouldering flesh descended back toward the forest, causing Xenovia to feel a small sense of relief wash over her.

"D-did you get it?" Okuyasu asked, groaning as he finally pulled himself up to the top branch, poking his head out of the foliage.

"Yes, it fell back to the forest. But it's still alive. We need to find it quick and finish it off before it consumes anything else. Come on!" Xenovia said, quickly jumping back down to the ground.

"W-wait! I just got up here, damn it…" Okuyasu mumbled as he started to hop back down the branches. He watched as Xenovia dashed ahead of him, huffing tiredly as he landed back on the ground with a thud. He quickly began to give chase, following Xenovia's lead as he had no idea what way to go. The blue haired exorcist jogged as fast as she could, measuring the distance from where she saw the Stand fall from her previous perch.

"It should be around here." Xenovia declared, skidding to a stop and holding a hand up to halt Okuyasu. The Stand user blinked, eyes dancing around as he searched for their target.

"A-are you sure? That thing could be anywhere…" Okuyasu muttered, scratching the back of his head as he scanned the foliage above their heads.

"We'll have to draw it out. I'll wave my arms as fast as I can. Once it comes for me, you can erase it with your Stand." Xenovia suggested, causing Okuyasu to blink in shock.

"Wh-what the hell?! No way! If we do that shit, it might bite off a chunk of you first! And if I end up erasin' the thing, Josuke can't fix it for you." Okuyasu said, shaking his head. "No way. We can't try that shit."

"I'm willing to give up some of my body in order to destroy this monstrosity. If it sees the light of day, I fear that nothing will be left of Kuoh town." Xenovia declared, causing the Stand user to widen his eyes. "I have a mission to stop the Fallen Angels from using the Excalibur pieces they have, but I also have a duty to the innocent people that might be harmed due to our presence. I'll do what I have to."

"Xenovia…" Okuyasu muttered, unsure what to say in answer. D-damn… for a second there, she was actually kinda cool… even if she's still a jerk. Before anymore could be said, the punk teen noticed something move in the corner of his eye. Looking to a nearby tree, a squirrel was running down the trunk, going on with its merry day as usual. That was until it was suddenly consumed. The familiar fleshy Stand sprang from the foliage above them, now swallowing the innocent animal into its body. "Ho-holy shit…"

"Don't make quick movements…" Xenovia advised, sweat trickling down her brow as she slowly craned her head toward the swab of flesh. "Do the same as before. Let it keep eating until you're in a good spot."

"Got it…" Okuyasu muttered, taking a slow step forward and craning his body directly at the Stand. The squirrel was still struggling against the decayed flesh of a Stand, giving Okuyasu some time to position himself. "Sorry, squirrel… I gotta do what I gotta." he mumbled to himself, taking a small breath as he narrowed his eyes. "Let's go!"

The Hand materialized into existence, its arm raised high above as it prepared to swing once again. But a moment before he could swipe, the fleshy Stand suddenly froze, its body ceasing all movement. Not a second later, it suddenly flew off the tree, far to the left of both teens. "H-hey! Where the hell's it goin'?!"

"Come on! Don't let it escape our sight!" Xenovia shouted, quickly running forward with Okuyasu close behind. "An animal or leaf in the wind must have caught its attention!"

"Damn it, this thing's bein' a real pain in the ass!" Okuyasu huffed in irritation, quickly running up and wrapping an arm around Xenovia's waist. "Screw runnin', I'll bring us there quick!"

*THUUUUM*

The Hand quickly erased the space in front of them, immediately teleporting them forward in an instant. Xenovia could only widen her eyes in amazement, now seeing the ability of wiping space from the other side. It was so simple yet so powerful. She could only wonder if, in a one on one fight and no holds barred, who exactly might be a match for such a devastating ability. Xenovia didn't have much time to give it more thought though, Okuyasu's quick work now bringing the fleshy Stand in sight. It was currently flying through the air, the two just behind it.

"There it is! Just a couple more swipes and we'll be right on it!" Okuyasu called out, grinning in anticipation as he hoped to erase it from reality all the sooner.

"W-wait, something doesn't add up…" Xenovia muttered, causing Okuyasu to blink in question. "It's not chasing anything… and we should be the fastest moving thing around it right now. Where is it going?"

"Huh?" Okuyasu mumbled in confusion before looking back forward at the blob. "Now that you mention it, that makes sense. What the hell is-"

The two came to a sudden stop. Okuyasu ceased wiping space between them and the flesh eating Stand. Both widened their eyes in horror, now realizing what its destination was: in front of them, only ten meters away now, was the Stand. Only it wasn't just a blob on the ground or a small wad of flesh latching onto a tree. It was much bigger than either of the two could have ever dreamed it being. It towered over them at four meters, the top of its grotesque body sticking up through the leaves. Its body mass was no less wider than its height, not pushing against the trees surrounding it but eating away at them at the base.

"Wha… what the fuck… how's it so damn big now..?" Okuyasu muttered in complete shock, sweat profusely pouring down his face.

"It really will consuming everything in its path. What a horrific Stand… it'll even keep growing…" Xenovia mumbled, her hand gripping at her blade tightly.

"I… I don't know how I'm gonna erase all that…" Okuyasu muttered, eyes trailing sideways to Xenovia. "I can cut away at it, but that shit's so big that it'll end up smotherin' me before I can finish it off…"

"We… we have to act quick, regardless…" Xenovia declared, no less anxious about their chances of destroying the blob. "It will only keep growing if this keeps up. It'll continue to eat at the forest and… who knows how large it might become by that time. But… we're not completely hopeless."

"Oh? You got a plan?" Okuyasu asked, remaining as still as possible next to her as to not alert the Stand.

"Yes. It's risky, but it's about all I can think of at this point." Xenovia said, training her gaze sideways to look at him. "So long as I can keep from making too long of a slash up close, it won't be able to absorb my Excalibur so easily. In fact, from this distance, I am able to make some blades of light that will divide up its body. I'll cut in an X arc so that it will be divided into four. You will have to wipe out as much of it as possible while I try and distract the rest of its body."

"Whoa whoa, that's risky as shit for you. If that thing still moves as fast as before, you'll be in a lotta trouble." Okuyasu protested, biting his bottom lip. "Even if I cut away at one fourth of it while the rest is chasin' you, the rest is still gonna be big as shit."

"It's the best I can think of. Anything we do against this monster is going to be high risk. Do you have another idea?" Xenovia asked, looking at him with a bit of apprehension. She wasn't trying to be irritating or angry, she was genuinely asking for another option. This monster, among all the things she had faced up to this point, terrified her on an instinctual level. Looking into Okuyasu's eyes, she knew that it was the same way for him. That was just the kind of monster they were facing right now.

Okuyasu ground his teeth, racking his brain for anything helpful, but found nothing that would be any safer than her plan. Hell, her plan was better than anything he was thinking up. "Sh-shit… alright, let's do it. You better not go dyin' on me, you hear?!"

Xenovia raised a brow at that, releasing a small chuckle in spite of herself. "I'll do my best. I'll put my trust in both your ability and you. Are you ready?"

(JoJo's Bizarre Adventure OST: Crime Scene Express)

"Ready as I'll ever be. Let's do this shit." Okuyasu nodded, his Stand materializing in front of him as it prepared to begin its attack. Xenovia slowly raised her blade, white light shimmering along its edge.

"Oh lord, please give us the strength to see this through. I ask for your protection and your strength in this grave time… give us the power to destroy this monster once and for all!" Xenovia slashed the air two times successively, the beams flying forward and cutting away at the enormous blob's body. It had reacted to the movement and started to move forward, but its body was soon cut into the four pieces as the two had planned. The Stand screamed out in aggravation, its body soon attempting to fix itself by re-attaching.

"No you don't, bastard!" Okuyasu growled, The Hand swinging forward in an arc and erasing the space between him and a section of the Stand.

"Erase it as fast as you can!" Xenovia shouted, quickly spinning on her heel and running in the opposite direction of Okuyasu. Her movement quickly drew the attention of each detached part, their collective bodies moving forward and giving chase.

"You're not goin' anywhere!" Okuyasu growled, The Hand raising its arm up once again as he beared down on the chunk of meat still in front of him.

*THUUUM THUUUM THUUUM*

With three successive swipes, a majority of its body was erased before Okuyasu's eyes. This itself was heartening, but there was still a good portion of the meat left behind that wasn't erased by his initial swipes. Shi-shit! Now it's gonna come after me more aggressively! The Hand quickly reared back for another strike against the all consuming Stand. Just before it could swing, a swab of its flesh sprang forward, causing Okuyasu to panic and raise his arm to block, whatever good that might do him. "Sh-shit!" Okuyasu cried out, watching as it started wrap around his sleeve. Seeing little other option, Okuyasu quickly ripped his school jacket from his body, tossing it away just in time to save himself from joining it in being consumed. "Damn it, that was my favorite jacket, you bastard!" He growled, urging his Stand forward.

*THUUUM THUUUM THUUUM*

With several more successive swipes, The Hand erased both his shirt and what remained of the fleshy Stand that was sticking to it. Looking back up, he saw the rest of the pieces that remained after his attack quickly approaching The Hand, now attempting to swallow it whole this time. "I don't think so. I've got you now, fucker." Okuyasu growled, his stand quickly flipping his hand to face out rather than attempting to rear around for another swing.

*THUUUM*

With one reversed arm swing, The Hand was able to dispatch of the remaining swab of flesh, causing the Stand user to release a small breath of relief. "Sh-shit, was that close… it almost got me there." He grumbled, now looking down at his bare muscular arms, now left with a lavender tank top. "If I hadn't ditched my jacket, I woulda been toast…" realization suddenly hit Okuyasu, shaking his head. "Wait, the fuck am I doing?! Xenovia's still got that shit on her tail!" He huffed, quickly going into a mad dash in the direction that the blue haired exorcist had run off in. Thankfully she had fulfilled her job as the decoy for him the first time around, but now Okuyasu had to play catch up and save her before she fell victim to the all devouring Stand.

He cut through space, immediately bringing himself forward in hopes of finding her faster. Sh-shit, even if I find her, I dunno if I can erase all of that crap at once. And who knows how long she can keep runnin'. It took me a bit just to finish off that one chunk, damn it! Okuyasu thought to himself, gulping as the doubts started to build up. Damn it, I wish Keicho was here! He woulda known exactly what to do! Shit! Shi-

"One day you're going to be forced to grow without my help, Okuyasu. You'll have to do it all on your own. It's the only way that your Stand might ever get more powerful, if possible."

Okuyasu came to a sudden stop, his brow darkening as his brother's words echoed in his ears. The hell am I doin'? Cryin' for big bro to help me like always. Shit… Okuyasu looked down at his hands, now trembling as he thought about his own weakness. I've just been relyin' on everyone else up 'til now as a replacement for big bro, huh? And here I thought I was actually growin' like he said…

Looking back up at the trail, Okuyasu could hear the croaking of the Stand in the distance. The only reassurance he had that Xenovia might still be alive was that he didn't hear any screaming yet. But in the worst case scenario, it was possible that it had completely consumed her before she could scream.

Okuyasu's hands continued to tremble, fear building that he was too late to save her. But even if he wasn't, what could he do to stop it?

"... nah. She's alive." Okuyasu muttered to himself, eyes narrowing as he started to tightly ball his fists up. "That bitch is tough as shit. She's alive. And I gotta save her. All on my own. I don't know if that has anythin' to do with growin', but… I'm gonna do it no matter what." He declared with confidence, deciding to toss away his doubts. Doubting would do him nothing but get Xenovia killed. He would push forward and destroy the monstrous Stand.

(JoJo's Bizarre Adventure OST: Decisive Battle)

Xenovia huffed tiredly as she continued to evade the all consuming Stand. The pieces that were left after she had divided it up for Okuyasu had already merged. The best she could hope for was to wait for his arrival and try the same plan over again. I can't keep running forever like this, I'm going to run out of stamina or slip up and make a mistake. Where is he?

Xenovia knew that he was strong, there was no doubt in her mind about that anymore. But taking their enemy into consideration, Xenovia couldn't help but think of the worst case in which Okuyasu had been eaten. She suddenly shook her head, biting her bottom lip as she slashed a nearby tree and caused it to tilt over. This had been her only way of keeping it back, distracting it with the tree for a brief moment before it continued to pursue her. She couldn't let it continue eating, as it would only grow back to the size it was before. So once she thought she was at a safe distance, she grabbed its attention again and forced it to give chase.

That man is stubborn. I have no doubt that he would not allow himself to be consumed so easily. I just need to buy more time. Once he finds me, he'll be able to deal with it. Xenovia spared a look back, seeing that the terrifying Stand was already moving in pursuit of her. She quickly turned to the side, raising her blade for another strike at tree. But in the brief halt, Xenovia suddenly felt her foot hit something solid, causing her to lose balance and tip over. D-damn it! I'm losing my footing! It will be on me before I have time to recover! As Xenovia fell toward the ground, she twisted her body to face the Stand. It was much too close for comfort, and was barely giving her enough room to breath. I have to cut it! If I don't now, I'll be-

"Found ya!" Xenovia widened her eyes as Okuyasu came into her line of sight, his body hanging in the air after teleporting thanks to his Stand. "I'll keep erasin' you 'til you're all gone, bastard! You ain't touchin' her!"

His sudden arrival and movement drew the fleshy Stand to him now, its attention leaving Xenovia who widened her eyes in horror. "No! You won't be able to erase all of it at once! Run!" She told him in fear, hitting the ground before trying to hurry to her feet.

Come on, just a bit closer! I'll put everythin' into this! I'll wipe that shit out so long as I keep swingin'! Okuyasu thought to himself, the palm of The Hand beginning to surround itself in a blue aura. Okuyasu suddenly felt his strength begin to weaken, his arm in particular becoming stiff. He widened his eyes in shock, realizing that something was draining his power. Sh-shit! What's happenin'?! He looked back forward, realizing he had no time to think about it. Fuck it, I don't care how weak I feel! I'm gonna wipe it out!

Okuyasu had failed to realize this at the time, but the aura of erasure from his Stand's palm was widening. The more he held it and put his will into his ability, the greater its attacking range. Meaning-

*THUUUM*

The moment Okuyasu swung forward, he felt his arm begin to tense in pain, gritting his teeth as he willed The Hand to erase what it could. It had only been one swing as the pain had forced him to stop any further attacks, but it almost didn't matter. Because the moment that his Stand swung its arm, an arc of erasure much greater in size than anything he had done before cut through the air. Along with the space, close to ninety percent of the all consuming Stand had been erased with it. Okuyasu and Xenovia widened their eyes, now only seeing blobs no bigger than a basketball left behind. "Wh-What the hell..? How did I-" Okuyasu shook his head, looking up at the remaining pieces of the disgusting Stand merging together. Hardening his brow, he summoned The Hand forward again, stretching its arm back and quickly swinging forward. "It's over."

*THUUUM*

With one swift swing, The Hand erased the last traces of the Stand from existence. Okuyasu landed on his feet, falling to one knee as he held his now pained right arm in confusion. He was breathing hard, the exhaustion catching up to him all at once now that they were apparently out of immediate damage. He looked over at Xenovia, who was now trying to catch her own breath, leaning to the side on her hands as she looked up at him as well. The two took a moment to calm down, their breath calming to a steady pace.

"I guess uh… we did it, huh?" Okuyasu asked, giving a small grin as he fell back to sit on his butt now, resting an elbow on his knee.

"I… suppose we did. But…" Xenovia mumbled, taking a similar sitting position as Okuyasu. "I hadn't realized you could erase in such a large arc. Why didn't you do that before?"

"I uh… I didn't know I could either." Okuyasu admitted, causing Xenovia to blink as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I was plannin' to just swipe as much of that shit as I could, but… right as I was about to do it, my arm started to hurt and I… kinda felt like I was gettin' sapped of energy."

Xenovia stared at him for a long moment, unsure what to say at first. She tilted her head down, holding her chin in thought. "Well… perhaps you unlocked a new power in your Stand."

"Huh?" Okuyasu blinked, looking at Xenovia in shock.

"It's not unheard of. Bruno told me that when a Stand user matures, whether it's in the heat of the moment or over time, they it's possible for greater power to unlock within them. I guess something changed in you over the course of the battle. That, or you unlocked it unknowingly beforehand." Xenovia explained, causing Okuyasu to feel a sense of nostalgia wash over him. Almost word for word, Xenovia had said what Keicho had told him some time ago before his demise. Okuyasu had been so sure that he was at the limit of what his Stand could do before just because of its terrifying power. But now, new doors opened up to him. And most of all, he had grown.

"Heh… I guess… I finally did it, huh big bro?" Okuyasu muttered to himself, an earnest smile spreading across his lips. Xenovia couldn't make out his words, but she could tell it was something mostly being said to himself. Besides, she had something else she wanted to say.

"Okuyasu." Xenovia called out, drawing the Stand user's attention up to her. "Thank you. I know that we didn't start off on the greatest of terms, but… I appreciate your help."

Okuyasu blinked, letting out a small laugh before rubbing his head bashfully. "Yeah, you know, don't worry about it. We're all in this together now, right?" He said, looking rather lax despite the topic.

"Are you no longer mad over my previous statements?" Xenovia asked curiously, slightly surprised by his change in attitude.

"Hell no, I still want you to apologize." Okuyasu admitted, his eyes half lidded as he looked at her. "But… It's whatever now. Makin' ya apologize half heartedly ain't gonna do shit for nobody. Besides, knowin' Asia, she probably already forgave you for everythin' you said."

"You… think so?" Xenovia asked, raising a brow in surprise.

"Yeah. She's sweet as can be. I got so damn mad over what you said because she's the nicest person I've ever met." Okuyasu declared, propping his head up on his hand. "So knowin' her, she probably would complain if I kept on hatin' you for it."

"I… I see." Xenovia mumbled, looking down at the ground. A Devil and a witch had forgiven her? After the many admittedly terrible things she had said? Xenovia wasn't sure what to think of that. But with the way that Okuyasu talked about the girl, her kindness and gentle nature, a small part of her couldn't help but feel some regret. I shouldn't feel like this… she's a Devil after all…

"Besides that, though…" Okuyasu spoke again, drawing Xenovia's attention back to him. "You were pretty damn cool back there. You kept on fightin' even though you knew you couldn't do shit to stop that thing. I gotta respect that kinda ballsyness." He laughed, grinning dumbly at the blue haired exorcist.

Xenovia blinked at the compliment, suddenly feeling a surprising bit of warmth from it. She couldn't stop a small smile from creeping up on her lips."For what little good it did me. Without you, it would have been meaningless."

"Still, I always think that kinda shit is the coolest." Okuyasu shrugged, admiration evident in his expression.

Xenovia closed her eyes, unable to drop the smile on her face quite yet. "Heh. You're so strange. But thanks." She said, slowly pushing off the ground before walking over to Okuyasu. "We should get moving. I have no doubt that the others are in danger as well."

"Yeah, good point. We still never even caught up to that bastard Kiba was chasin' either." Okuyasu nodded, letting out a tired groan as he pushed off the ground. Xenovia offered a hand, Okuyasu taking it and standing up. "Which way should we go, though? I guess I can check those trackers, but I wasn't so good at figurin' that out…" Okuyasu muttered, pulling his phone out and scrolling through his open apps. Xenovia stood in silence for a moment, watching Okuyasu as he fiddled with his phone. Releasing a small breath, Xenovia turned her back to him and placed a hand on her hip.

"I suppose… when we are done here, I…" Xenovia bit her bottom lip, feeling a bit embarrassed at the idea she had in mind. "... should we come out of this in one piece, I'll apologize to your friend."

"Huh?" Okuyasu mumbled dumbly, blinking as he looked back up at Xenovia. The blue haired exorcist felt a tinge of fluster come over her, now regretting that she brought it up.

"I can admit that I was being rather… rude, before. And as a member of the church, I suppose it would look bad on me if I could not repent after being forgiven… even if by a Devil." She said, trying to retain a serious expression despite her small bit of embarrassment. Okuyasu was silent for a moment, only staring at Xenovia in disbelief. That was until he burst out laughing.

"Really?! That'd be awesome! I know you got somethin' against her, but that'd sure make her feel better!" Okuyasu grinned dumbly, walking over to Xenovia and slapping her back. "Thanks a bunch! You're really not too bad after all, huh?" He laughed, though Xenovia couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed by his last choice of words.

"Of course not." She huffed, crossing her arms before walking ahead. "Come on. We'll try to find the others by following our previous path."

"Wait, I think I got this thing to work!" Okuyasu said, quickly following after Xenovia while looking down at his phone. "Oh, hey! It says one's really close by! Like it's right in… oh, wait, that's you."

"Idiot…" Xenovia muttered under her breath, though intentionally loud enough that Okuyasu could hear it, causing him to nearly trip on his own feet. Xenovia smirked at that, turning her back to him again before walking forward. Perhaps I've been too quick to judge, after all. He's not so bad.

To be continued…

Alrighty, that's the end of that. I have to admit, this fight was both difficult and not quite so difficult(?) at times compared to the fight between Bruno and Irina vs Ghiaccio. Of course, this fight didn't end up dragging out like the Ghiaccio fight as this one is a few thousand words shorter than the previous chapter. But I figured that I do what I can for this chapter and get ready to move onto the next soon enough. We're about to head into the big climax of this arc thankfully, so everyone look forward to that!

Also, to whoever guessed it, good job! The blade that Irina used last chapter to beat Ghiaccio was based off of Ohm's Iron Cloud blade from the Skypia arc of One Piece. It just seemed like something that would actually be pretty useful in the situation and considering the (underused in canon) nature of Irina's blade, I figured why not?

As for Okuyasu's new ability (or rather powered up ability) consider it similar to what you see in the All-Star games where he charges it up for a swing and makes the erasure arc much larger thanks to it. Only being able to erase over a small area is one of his bigger weaknesses of his Stand, but now he's going to have something to work on and strengthen for himself. Our boy is growing up little by little lol.

Well, that's it for me on this chapter, I hope you all enjoyed and that you're all quite excited for what's to come next. Please leave a review, a follow and a favorite for me if you'd be so kind! And if you want to give a bit more support, head over to TVtropes and add a couple of tropes on there too! Have a good one! :)