09: The Rogue Exorcist

"How did it go?" Rias called out as we entered her manor.

"Well… though I think he wanted to examine me. That would have been… unfortunate probably." Ritsuka answered. He had been thinking about that fact for the past hour since they got back.

Rias had split the two, asking them their own story about the events that occurred. When Rias had finished with Koneko she came to him. She was concerned but seemed to want to hear the story from his mouth as well.

"Yes… we've been told he likes to do that. Hence, that note was used. Admittedly, it's a bit of a loss to my power but I think it will pay better in the long run since you're here." Rias smugly stated with a self satisfied smirk on her face… then completely sputtered into a blushing mess. "Not what it means! I'm not saying that I want to keep you to myself!"

"Okay… I'll stay around with you then, right?" Ritsuka questioned though his tone sounded confused.

"Yes… but no. But yes… let's just continue." Rias held a hand over her eyes taking a few deep breaths to calm herself once more. "So he offered you a deal and you almost considered it?"

"Not the first one. The second one I did if only out of concern for our safety out of there. There was no telling what could happen should I say no. Didn't want anything happening to Koneko either, since we were only meant to negotiate something. Did that pan out though?" Ritsuka turned the questions around.

"Yes. Thanks to our intervention the exorcists that were gathering in Kuoh have been shunted out. They've been a worry for both Sona and myself for the last month. Had this not worked we may have had to wipe them out for the safety of our peers. Besides, they were traitor exorcists, the kind that enjoy killing for killings sake." Rias explained wistfully.

Ritsuka was a bit stumped… from what little he noticed of devil culture both from Rias and Sona, he expected a lot more… conviction. Perhaps it was just his experience against demons painting his expectations. After all he had seen first hand was demons did when they had a foothold.

"Well I'm glad they didn't have to die." Ritsuka answered neutrally enough. He didn't actually know whether that was good or bad. Morally it was good… but tactically it might have been pretty bad.

Ritsuka was working for a devil… albeit in the loosest sense of the word possible. Okada would have called him very mercenary about his idea. He would have likened it to being like Muramasa's mindset about doing a job regardless of how someone felt about it.

"It may cause problems later though… but we're strong enough to deal with them without too much trouble." Rias assured him with a pat on the back though her hand lingered a bit longer than she was planning.

"Then I agreed to something for whatever was on that paper you gave him." Ritsuka mentioned softly under his breath. This was the part he was dreading.

"Yes… I was told that. Why?" Rias stared directly into his eyes. Her's were smoldering and looking for any reason to less loose with scolding him… though hesitancy plagued her facade.

"Based on how he said it… I think he was talking about a person. That person was probably going to be used by the Fallen Angels that I took care of for unspeakable reasons… only unspeakable because he never gave specifics." Ritsuka recounted his own conjectures giving them a voice of confidence in order to sell the idea. He actually wasn't completely sure that that was the case but he didn't want to be wrong and unable to do anything.

"Hmm… fine. We'll skip the scolding. You at least have a good reason though I can't help to wonder why you're so confident that this is the case. For all we know Azazel is just using this as an excuse to spy on you… though he knows more than he should already so it's not saying much." Rias grumbled with her arms crossed which for some reason made her breasts jiggle.

'Did she do that on purpose… also what kind of world did I end up in where even the slightest movement makes everything jiggle…' Ritsuka mused as he looked up. As much as he could tell that they wanted him to ogle them, Ritsuka wasn't going to be distracted by the sexiness so easily.

"I think it happens this Saturday and it's Thursday right now." Ritsuka mentioned.

School had been the same… though for some reason Issei wasn't at school that day. It also meant that the Pervert Duo were beaten for peeping on the kendo club a bit harsher than usual.

Akeno seemed much quieter than usual though that didn't stop her flashing her body for Ritsuka when they were alone. Shame probably didn't exist in her infatuation. Koneko had also been a bit more affectionate albeit subtler. Whenever he sat on the couch near her the space between them gradually thinned.

The only bright side was that he hadn't been invaded during the night. His door was locked as soon as he entered and it hadn't been tampered with either. He didn't know why but he wasn't going to say anything that would cause it to happen again.

"At least it happens on the weekend… we shall have Kiba tail you that day. I don't want to have any surprises happen again." Rias wearily sighed as she thought back to the previous night when he walked in injured carrying three wings that had been cut off. That was something she wanted to avoid seeing again… also to not get swept into her own feelings as well.

'Can't let that happen again… almost decided right then and there to lose my virginity both because of what I saw and what was on my mind. It has to be for the right reasons and not out of convenience.' Rias slightly pouted as she remembered vividly what she saw and started blushing to her embarrassment.

You okay?" Ritsuka called out breaking her from her revelry. "You're turning red and I'm worried you might be catching something."

She could feel the warmth of his hand against her forehead and the closeness of his breath with every exhale. It just kept reminding her that if she wanted to… if she asked, she could break the arrangement with just a few actions. Grayfia hadn't made herself known to Ritsuka since Sirzechs told her not to do so unless absolutely necessary. That meant… she had enough time.

The concern in his eyes for her just cemented the fact that she would be fine with it. Still, the only hesitation she felt was the need to officially annul everything. A relationship, even one that wouldn't last forever, shouldn't be built on trickery and deceit.

"No… you're fine. Maybe you just need something to drink…?" Ritsuka questioned.

"Yes! Yes… I'll get something. Go ahead and rest for tonight Ritsuka." Rias gulped slightly hiding it behind a small cough. "We'll be planning for this weekend, alright?"

"If you're sure… Goodnight Rias." Ritsuka hugged the now flustered devil princess as he left the living room for his own room.

`I'll never going to be able to sleep at this rate.' Rias sighed as she held her cheeks between her hands as her face burned red from the soft contact as their bodies slightly mashed together. Trying to keep control was much harder than she thought.

Twelve days… that was how long Ritsuka had been in this world. He had actually counted the days and as he did so, his smile was wearing thin. It was certainly the longest he had been without contact with Chaldea. Even while in Shimousa he had only been out of contact for eight days at most. It was hard to tell when the swordmasters would appear under a blood red moon.

Something was very different that day though. It all started with Issei… who looked much more aware now. He also seemed to have some strange magical signature around him at this point. It wasn't the weird thing that Ritsuka felt a few days ago… it felt similar to Raynare. The smug look he held whenever their gazes met was unsettling.

"Meet me on the roof later." Issei stated. "I got something to discuss with you."

"Okay…?" Ritsuka answered. Honestly, he didn't want to deal with this make believe problem that Issei probably thought up in his perverted delusions. Though the way he said it put him slightly on edge.

As soon as the classes ended for the day Ritsuka reluctantly headed to the roof. He had installed Kotarou's card again if only to expedite a secret path towards the roof without anyone noticing due to Presence Concealment.

He used the opportunity to test out how powerful Presence Concealment was since Kotarou had rank A+ for it. Several people couldn't sense him even as he danced around them whenever they stood on his path to the roof.

Ritsuka even hopped around the Peerage members that seemed to be part of Sona's. None of them seemed to notice him. That spoke volumes about how strong certain class skills were in this world. The heavier mana levels seemed to be supercharging the cards… that meant their side effects were probably much stronger as well. Unfortunately, he couldn't prove it without keeping a card installed long term while he looked for the corrupted grail.

Without much trouble he reached the door to the roof. It was unlocked and the door was slightly ajar. A quick mental command released his concealment and the installation of the class card as he braced himself for whatever he was going to have to deal with.

Issei stood there alone looking out at the sky. He seemed to radiate some kind of energy from him… but it was much weaker than Raynare… much weaker.

'This is going to be something stupid. Blackbeard level of stupid I think.' Even though he liked the gift he got for Valentines… it was foolish to do since it promptly got him bisected by Altera. This situation felt about that level of foolish…

"So you came then. Now I will be a hero!" Issei nearly shouted at the top of his lungs. Ritsuka was glad he had set up a bounded field during lunch.

"What?" Ritsuka answered slightly stunned by this statement.

"Azazel told me everything! You are a tempter who leads women into his clutches and does this and that with their hearts!" Issei exclaimed as he pointed at him.

"Don't ever remember doing something like that…" Ritsuka calmly answered as he thought back to all his interactions with his servants and the girls of Kuoh he had the fortune of meeting. "Are you sure you aren't being used for something? Like being led around by your want for a harem, maybe?"

It wasn't really a secret that Issei wanted to make a harem. It had disgusted almost half the student body already from what little he examined of the other students. Rias ignored it and Akeno merely found it cutely naive. Koneko was highly disgusted despising perverted things… though with how she acted around Ritsuka, he wasn't sure that that was the case anymore.

"Huh? You think so… I mean I did find it fishy when he was telling me that beating you in a fight would get me women." Issei stopped and pondered things more closely. Truthfully, he wasn't listening after Azazel mentioned talk about women throwing themselves at someone strong. The longer this stalemate lasted the longer Issei looked kind of foolish.

"So… I'm gonna go. You, uh, you have a good night then." Ritsuka turned away ready to go back down the steps and head for his base home.

"Wait! Wait! Wait! I do have another reason for going along with this. I told you I would stop you from bothering Akeno-Senpai and Rias-Senpai and I'm going to fight you for it now." Issei took up a stance… it was full of holes. He also manifested two black wings.

"Um… do you really think that would change anything?" Ritsuka asked. He was a bit concerned with how easily Issei had become an Angel, even if it was a Fallen one.

"I got nothing to lose!" Issei states as he rushed forward.

"Okay." Ritsuka nodded.

As Issei reached three steps in front of him Ritsuka's training took hold. Switching to a bajiquan stance he released several short punches in rapid succession striking several points on Issei's torso. With a swift punch he clocked him in the jaw. No reinforcement was necessary.

Issei stood stock still for a few moments before he crumpled in on himself flying a foot back onto the cement. His wings slightly bent at the wrong angle and his face had a large bruise that had started swelling.

Ritsuka was disappointed in himself for just blindly agreeing to do what Issei wanted to try. He knew it wasn't going to end well. The clapping he heard as his bounded field collapsed also clued him in that this wasn't exactly the best course of action either.

"You know… I didn't know what to expect but that certainly wasn't in my top ten predictions." Azazel called out. He was holding a small bag of popcorn as he was watching the two of them. "Thought it would last longer than nineteen seconds. You clearly are much more dangerous than you appear."

"You know… this is kind of a horrible way to see what I can do. You could have asked me instead of trick Issei into doing this." Ritsuka sighed as he turned to the leader of the Fallen Angel.

"Nah… besides this was more to motivate him into doing something with his life. Honestly, this guy was so focused on getting a harem that before he even heard about the Grigori he immediately agreed to be a Fallen as soon as I mentioned my own harems." Azazel pouted though Ritsuka could tell he was just faking it since his eyes were still smiling for him.

"I feel kind of bad for him… he's not going to get anywhere like this." Ritsuka looked at the idiot who jumped at the call of sex instead of reason. He could understand but that didn't mean he liked it since that was the reason Issei had traded his humanity away.

"I knew you would hold back." Azazel mentioned as he candidly wrapped his arm around Ritsuka. "You're kind hearted. I can see that blatantly now that your magic isn't active. You were the only choice I had to show Issei what he would have to do to actually get anywhere in life."

"You do know that I'm just a regular human right? I didn't even use magic to fight him. I just used what techniques I picked up over my life and it floored him so bad." Ritsuka felt the weight on his shoulder. He equated it to First Hassan's for some reason but he couldn't tell why.

"Exactly. Issei is to put it in simple terms, a noob. A noob of the highest caliber but a noob nonetheless. I'll make him into someone better but the first thing he needs is a rival of sorts." Azazel patted him on the back. "What better candidate than the space and time traveler who came from another world."

"Excuse me?" Ritsuka questioned. His face looked confused but that only told the surface story. His anxiety was growing threateningly high at this point. Throat bone dry and palms sweating slightly… he called upon all the training Holmes and Moriarty has instilled in him to keep his poker face.

"Hmm… I guess not." Azazel turned away seemingly disappointed.

"Can you tell him not to pick a fight with me? I don't want misunderstandings to be built up." Ritsuka ignored the accusation. If he called it out there was a higher chance he could be called out. If he kept quiet, there was a lower chance but Azazel would make his own conclusions.

"Yes, of course. Sorry for the trouble, I just wanted lil' Issei-kun to realize things about the real world and this was the best case scenario. In case you haven't noticed… he's like a shonen protagonist in one of those ecchi series ya know. Thinks with the wrong head, but don't worry. I'll straighten him out." Azazel assured Ritsuka. His smile had returned but he closed his eyes, making it difficult to discern if he was telling the truth.

"Okay… I have to head back now. I'll be doing your task as you asked." Ritsuka responded with his own assurance.

"Ah, Yes. Thank you very much Ritsuka, and when you have the chance to visit me to discuss these Mecha sacred gears. I'm looking forward to our collaboration in the future." Azazel opened his eyes showing genuine interest now. "Oh One more thing, you know any Italian?"

"Some… and of course. Whenever I can…" Ritsuka answered as his gaze trailed over to Issei who was still knocked out. With a heavy sigh at the loss of a human Ritsuka wandered back down into the school and away from the scene.

"Hm… very good. Very good indeed. As expected of someone whose eyes resembled mine." Azazel mused to himself since Issei was still knocked out.

With a few quick steps he pulled out a small vial of Phoenix Tears from his breast pocket and dropped a few drops on Issei's face. Since he got them off a reputable source on the Devil's black market he was fine with using them on his knew progeny in a sense.

"Ugh… what happened… where's that bastard…?" Issei roused from his unconscious state completely dazed. He still looked like he felt pain even after the small dosage was used on him.

"You lost." Azazel stated solemnly.

"What!? That bastard is going to get away with his- " Issei almost broke into a rant until he was stopped by a dope slap from Azazel.

"Yeah I lied about that. Needed you to see what this world entailed since you just rushed into it with nothing but breasts on your mind." Azazel rubbed the back of his head. "He took it easy on you and I can't lie that if he was really serious you would have been dead."

"Huh?" Issei looked up at the old man realizing what he said. "So he wasn't someone who takes women and uses them for his own breeding facility?"

"Is that what I said? Wow, I was really drunk then." Azazel chuckled while Issei fell to the ground at the admission.

"Are you serious!?" Issei shouted at his new mentor.

"Yeah." Azazel answered simply with that same trolling smile. "Besides I don't think either of them are going to be very willing to become part of your harem since you chose my group."

Issei let out a wail of despair as he realized what words just came out of Azazel's mouth. Azazel sighed as he was now dealing with a bit of a whiner now but that was neither here nor there.

'So… was I right on my assumption or was I wrong on my hunch when it comes to Ritsuka… hmm… only time can tell I suppose.' Azazel contemplated as he picked up the crying form of Issei.

"Let's get you back home to rest. Eventually you can probably build a harem… possibly." Azazel muttered though if Issei heard him it was hidden behind his wails of wanting a bombshell redhead and stacked older sister type for his own personal harem.

Saturday arrived quietly enough. Ritsuka had another night of no one appearing in his bed. It was suspicious but he didn't want to see why it wasn't happening.

Rias and Akeno had a staring match all night and the first to back down would immediately storm Ritsuka's room. It had ended in a stalemate with both of them too exhausted to do what they had planned to do. Koneko had scooped them up and deposited them into their respective beds.

At the very least she wasn't to this level in Akeno Syndrome... though with Rias affected she thought of changing the name to Ritsuka Syndrome. A thought for another day.

After getting ready Kiba greeted him with his usual exuberant smile he wore. It was fake which Ritsuka didn't have the heart to mention. He had seen something like that every night when the Lostbelts had appeared.

"Well… I'll head to the rendezvous then. Watch my back?" Ritsuka stared at the stalwart Knight before him.

"No problem. I'll watch your back whenever." Kiba answered in an uncharacteristically serious tone.

A small nod from Koneko and Ritsuka headed out into the streets of Kuoh Town. Peaceful and idyllic came to mind since no one batted an eye at him. He was dressed in his Arctic Chaldea mystic code which was strange to most people but natural to him.

Kiba was keeping at least a block back though how he measured that for city streets was a bit strange. Somehow he was getting away by merely putting on a pair of sunglasses…

'That shouldn't be working, should it?' Ritsuka couldn't help but think about that point as he walked through the suburban areas of town.

Eventually he reached his destination where he saw a nun seemingly tending to a young child. And her hands were glowing… definitely the person that Azazel had mentioned. He quietly installed Da Vinci's card since her Natural Genius skill probably knew Italian.

"Ciao sei la persona Azazel menzionato?" Ritsuka called out which got the young girl's attention. The child rushed off after what appeared to be a scratch on his knee was healed.

"Si… come lo conosci?" She slightly hid her face behind her hands though he could see the golden curls and green eyes through her guard.

"Siamo una sorta di conoscenti. Parli giapponese?" Ritsuka asked finding the constant swirling ideas from Da Vinci's cars overwhelmingly annoying as he sifted through the language section of their genius.

"Yes… I can. So you and Azazel are… friends?" She asked as her arms slightly relaxed.

"Sort of." Ritsuka mentioned as he uninstalled the card. "He mentioned that he wanted me to pick someone up and take care of them for some reason."

"Thank god. I was worried there for a second. I couldn't find anyone here and was worried I got the wrong place." She quietly shifted into a calmer stance and began walking over to him.

Her feet stumbled and she nearly tripped on her face. Ritsuka had a little more warning and caught her before she could fall too far down. That caused her to look straight into her new savior's eyes.

"You okay?" Ritsuka asked which cause her to shiver unconsciously.

"Y-Yes. I'm, I'm Asia Argento…" Asia shyly stated as he put her back on her feet.

"Ritsuka Fujimaru. Pleasure." Ritsuka patted the young girl on the head almost absentmindedly. She just smiled at the affection.

"Ritsuka…" She mentioned though her eyes were slightly shining due to how nice someone was being to her… even though she was a heretic.

"Perhaps we should sit down and discuss what's going on… is that fine?" Ritsuka mentioned as he pointed to a nearby bench.

"Yes! I mean… yes. That would be good… I take it things have changed?" Asia frowned as she seemed to realize something was amiss.

"Yeah. Things have." Ritsuka sighed as he led the way.

"So… did you know you were joining Fallen Angels?" Ritsuka brought up first wanting to establish some facts he didn't really know.

"Yes…" Asia frowned as her hands gripped the bench a little tighter. "I didn't have much of a choice. I'm no longer welcome in any church since I've been accused of heresy."

"That sounds familiar. I've been in that situation before. It weird meeting a fellow heretic." Ritsuka chuckled at that revelation.

"Huh? You're one too!?" Asia immediately scrunched up into Ritsuka's personal space. He lightly patted her head.

"Pretty much but that's due to different reasons which were out of my control and probably also scheming jerks hiding in the wings to take me out." Ritsuka tilted his head back and forth as he remembered the incident where the Oprichnik invaded Chaldea right before the Mage Association could fully brand him as a heretic to take the fall for the Salem incident.

"So we're the same then?" Asia muttered with a contemplative look as she returned back to sitting a small space away… though it had shortened slightly.

"I suppose we are. Why were you excommunicated, if that's the word?" Ritsuka forged on. He needed to know a bit more to figure out how things were going.

"I have healing powers. It's a miracle of God I'm certain. Unfortunately, one day when I was healing someone, they turned out to be a demon. When I healed him, the bishops who saw claimed I was a witch. So… I was excommunicated and lost my home." Asia slowly explained as her eyes lost a little of their luster.

Ritsuka places his hand on her shoulder pulling her in for a half hug. It seemed to do the trick.

"So… with some money I managed to save up I bought a ticket to come here. I was told to join a certain group but… they weren't here." Asia finished keeping her composure as best she could.

"I see… sounds like you've had a rough time." Ritsuka commented as he let her go. "So that's where my part comes in I see."

"What is your part?" Asia asked, her curiosity finally sinking its hook in.

"I suppose Azazel wanted me to watch out for you from now on." Ritsuka sighed. He realized now that Azazel was probably trying to apologize for his subordinates… at least that was the working theory. "Probably since I'm still human as well so it would make you comfortable, I guess?"

"I'm glad to hear that… um I know this might be rude but are you working for them, the Grigori, I mean." Asia questioned as he fingers tapped against each other. Nervousness on her face was evident.

"Not really. I guess you could say I'm a mercenary mage at this point. I've heard some people say that I'm actually a Yakuza prince or something which is possibly the weirdest thing I've heard myself called." Ritsuka mused aloud as he recalled what he was called by those two thugs he beat up when he arrived. Though, to be fair, they only thought he was a yakuza member and only inferred by their expression what it meant.

"I see. So I will be staying with you then?" Asia asked realizing what her arrangements were at this point.

"Well that's the sticking point right now. I need to know if you'd be okay with my situation considering we're both heretics of some kind. So right now I've made a contract with a devil due to mercenary work… also for the job I've been tasked with." Ritsuka started gauging Asia's expression. Her eyes widened and before she could protest the topic of a job came up.

"What kind of job has you working with devils?" Asia asked… though she wasn't disgusted by the idea. Ritsuka pondered if it was her natural kindness that radiated off her, or she knew that since she was a heretic that that kind of thinking was bad for her situation.

"Have you heard of the Holy Grail?" Ritsuka decided to use a selected truth in particular for this situation.

"Yes. It was the chalice used to collect the blood of Christ when he was stabbed with the Spear of Longinus. The wounds never healed and the cup became a holy relic upon the first drops that spilled into it." Asia recited from memory most likely what she most likely was read every night as a child.

"Okay, picture this. Someone created a false Holy Grail which has magical properties capable of granting a wish if used. The problem is that these items are highly corrupted and incapable of making a wish except in the most destructive way possible. My job is looking for and either securing it… or outright destroying it before it can become a problem." Ritsuka explained as Asia paid rapt attention at the scope of his job. "To that end, I've decided to work with devils for this task since they are the most likely to find something that dangerous."

"Woah… " Asia let out completely amazed at the idea of someone working on something as big as that.

"Woah, indeed. But since I haven't found it yet… or made enough contacts to create information ring, this is the path I need to take." Ritsuka chuckled mirthlessly as he thought back to his lack of communication with Chaldea.

It was very apparent now that he needed that Grail to reach Chaldea once more… at the very least he thought that would be the path back home no matter how long it took. Asia seemed lost in thought possibly contemplating what she could do.

"So, here are your options. You can come with me and I'm certain that those I'm staying with would be willing to give you a home. If that seems unfeasible I will find a hotel for you to stay at which I will pay for. Somewhere close which I can keep watch out for you whenever necessary. Finally, I could find Azazel and make him give you a place to live if you don't want to do either." Ritsuka raised three fingers representing the options he was giving her.

Asia looked at him. Her eyes seemed to trace over his face checking him for his sincerity and honesty. She looked at her hands resting in her lap and looked back up. Their eyes locked as she resolutely stared into his.

"Will I have to become anything to stay?" Asia asked. Her answer seemed predicated on that topic.

"Not if you don't want to." Ritsuka answered immediately not even missing a beat.

"I'll… I'll stay with you." Asia answered with a slight nod. "You actually seem to care about my well being."

"Why wouldn't I?" Ritsuka tilted his head confused at that statement.

Asia remained quiet as she turned her head and looked away. His words ironically having a much deeper effect than he expected. Unbeknownst to him, as soon as it was learned that Asia could also heal devils she had been abandoned and hated by everything she had ever known and loved. The fact that someone cared for her so unconditionally filled her with more joy than she ever thought she would experience.

"Um… Asia, you ready? I think we'll stop for food before we head back. Just give me a second to handle something." Ritsuka mentioned as he waved his hand down the street.

Asia remained quiet as another figure appeared. A blonde boy seemingly Ritsuka's age. The two were whispering but she didn't want to get involved in something so private. So she grabbed her suitcase and kept it by her knees.

"So… this is what you were asked to take care of, huh?" Kiba chuckled slightly. He seemed a bit detached at the moment but Ritsuka couldn't tell why.

"Pretty much. I mean the two of us are heretics in a sense. I will do what I was asked since I'm here and able to do so. That's kind of honorable, isn't it?" Ritsuka pointed out as if to assuage Kiba's distaste. Kiba exhaled and calmed himself.

"True enough. I'll tell Rias about her. I won't say she won't try to offer her a chance to become a devil but that's only because she has a Sacred Gear in her as well but I will convince her to give her a place to stay in the manor. After all Rias is nothing if not a loving individual." Kiba shook his head in wistful recollection probably of his own recruitment.

"Thanks. I'll walk her there but until then I'll show her around and get her used to this place." Ritsuka explained as he looked towards her suitcase. "Should you take that with you when you head back?"

"Would be easier on her. I'll introduce myself then." Kiba shrugged his shoulder with that same fake smile he seemed to practice.

"Let me first. I don't know how she feels about devils yet though she seems to be a very accepting person." Ritsuka pondered aloud as he turned to the young girl once more.

Kiba, for his part, buried the resentment he felt for the church back in the depths of his heart. This girl was a victim all the same and holding her as part of that problem was unbecoming of his knight status. He could tell Ritsuka noticed that his smile was fake when his eyes narrowed. He would have to be a better actor before he worried anyone else about himself.

"Asia, this is my friend Kiba Yuuto." Ritsuka raised his hand as if presenting Kiba.

"Hello there. It's nice to meet you." Kiba called out as Asia seemed a bit caught off guard.

"Ah hello! It's nice to meet you!" Asia nearly shouted and bowed. She nearly toppled over once more only for Ritsuka to catch her again before she face planted.

"So… if you're fine with it I'll be showing you around town first before we head back. Kiba needs to return back home but he can take your suitcase with him and set it up in your new room." Ritsuka smiled as Kiba also offered his own charming smile.

"I would be grateful. Thank you Kiba-san." Asia fixed her volume and offered the suitcase. With deft hands he kept it from flying open from a loose lock. Asia was slightly embarrassed but glad there were no wardrobe malfunctions.

"It's good to meet you and we'll be glad to know you over your stay here in Kuoh. I'll see you two back home later then." Kiba stated before walking off with the suitcase in tow. Asia seemed a bit nervous but Ritsuka waited until it was only the two of them again.

"You okay?" Ritsuka wondered as he gave his newest acquaintance his full attention their eyes meeting once more. Asia flinched slightly but she couldn't look away since it was out of concern for her.

"I- I just never expected for someone who was a devil to be so nice. I believe in the teachings of my Lord, but I don't know about the nuances of how the world works I guess." Asia explained.

"I've learned not to judge people on their looks or demeanor. Their actions and the reasons they do such things are better indicators of people in their entirety. I've met humans that were good, honest and generally nice people… but I've also met conniving, selfish and frankly horrible people as well. It's a case by case situation when you look at the entire tapestry of human history and see how it is woven into being." Ritsuka mentioned and the tone he took seemed to be one that knew more than someone his age should know.

"You sound so wise… but you don't look much older than me." Asia seemed impressed but that statement caught his attention. It was something he thought was strange but didn't want to say anything about it when he first arrived.

"How old do I look?" Ritsuka genuinely wanted to know.

"Seventeen." Asia answered almost immediately with a confidence she didn't seem to have before hand.

"Really? Huh. I guess I don't act my age then." Ritsuka laughed it off.

He was sixteen when he started working with Chaldea. After these five years working there he was over twenty one at the very least which probably explained why so many servants got him into drinking contests. He wondered if the rayshift did something to him. His only idea of any time mages was the Clock Tower mage Aoko but he had never met the woman personally or even been in her presence, ever.

There were too many unknowns throughout the entirety of his reyshift mishap. He couldn't shake the small prickling of his neck that maybe something like this was deliberate. He couldn't be sure though since the only way that made sense would have been if someone in this world had tried to grab him. He put it out of his mind for the moment. Right now he needed to take care of his guest.

"What would you like to eat?" Ritsuka motioned for her to follow him. It took a bit for her to understand that he wanted her at his side as equals rather than have her behind him.

"I'm fine with anything. We should not waste food after all." Asia seemed to sprinkle a saying from the Bible into her words from time to time.

"Perhaps but this is for you so it should be fine to be a bit selfish in this regard, I'll go along with it." Ritsuka chuckled as he waved off her worries.

"I- I suppose I would like to try a hamburger… at least once." Asia held her robe slightly her fingers slightly wrenching the fabric in her grip.

"Done." Ritsuka answered as he led the way towards the closest fast food place they could find. He didn't actually know which place was good since Akeno had made it a point to be the cook for them all.

Asia followed along excited at the prospect of trying a hamburger. The two were quite excited that they didn't even realize that they were being watched. Off a fair distance was a white haired male following along.

Freed had known a bit more about Raynare's plan if only because he would only work for her if he knew what he was getting into. It was either that or sex which would have cemented his… cooperation. His loyalty would never come since he was little better than a mad dog.

"So that's the stupid bitch she was trying to get. Might as well put a heretic down then. Just gotta pick the right timing." Freed smiled. He would have cackled like the psychopath he knew himself to be but that would be stupid at the moment.

It was a given that the person she had met most likely was just another heretic if the few words he could hear were anything to go by. Not to mention the fact that the other person that guy talked to was a filthy devil parading around like a human. Two humans willingly working for the devil himself. As an exorcist it was his duty to wipe heavy off the map.

Freed didn't actually care though. He wanted to kill them all because they were monsters. It was his one passion, his only love in the world to kill monsters. And what was more monstrous than someone who willingly worked with devils.

It took a bit to find a good burger place for the two of them. While Asia seemed fine with any, Ritsuka was far more picky. Home cooked food was something he was always willing to eat but being spoiled on the food from the Chaldea Kitchen Club made his taste buds far more demanding.

"Sorry, Sorry… I just have real interesting standards on food." Ritsuka profusely apologized to his newest partner.

"It's fine. I don't know why you seem so picky." Asia wondered aloud. It wasn't bad but she was curious about her newest friend… after all, he kept her from falling every time that she tripped.

"During my job all the meals we had were technically home made. An organization that became like a family." Ritsuka started before closing his jaw. "I'll tell you more about me later but you'll have to keep it secret. From everyone."

"I-I won't let you down." Asia almost shouted only for Ritsuka to place a finger against her lips. She couldn't stop the blush that appeared on her face.

"No need to shout. I'm right here next to you." Ritsuka chuckled as they finally picked a place.

For a bit the two ate in silence. Asia was overwhelmed by the flavor and atmosphere that seems to surround them. She had plenty to ask and plenty more she wanted to know about Ritsuka now with how nice he was to her but she could wait.

Ritsuka, on the other hand, was silently judging the hamburger. It was good, that was certain, but it felt like it was missing something. Emiya wasn't the best at hamburgers but he knew how to make his own version seem to pop. Boudica as well knew very easily about hamburgers. Those two always seemed on top of things while Raikou and Tamamo Cat handled the fancier dishes or Japanese styled dishes. Marie worked on the French cuisine alongside D'Eon which already made him realize that the same heart wasn't being put into the food.

That was probably the reason he felt fine with Akeno's food. Maybe he should try using their class cards to make his new friends some food as well. They did provide him room and board and they still hadn't asked him to provide rent yet.

The two left after their meal. Ritsuka paid for it without any fuss which Asia was taken aback by. He was seriously nice to her and he didn't even have any motive for doing so. He didn't seem to care about her healing powers and didn't seem to worry about her status as a heretic.

"Ritsuka… why are you taking care of me so well?" Asia finally asked as they reached a quiet point of their trek towards the place he called home was.

"Well, at first, I was asked to watch out for you. Though my reason for deciding to do so was all about a hunch really." Ritsuka scratched his cheek since that would have been difficult to explain.

"A hunch?" Asia continued his thought with a question.

"Yes. I had a feeling that whoever those jerks had fooled into following them would be in trouble and I wasn't going to let that stand the moment I was given an option although I didn't know what Azazel had meant. He mentioned you in the vaguest terms possible not even telling me if you were someone or something." Ritsuka sighed as he faced her fully. His arms crossed as if contemplating his next words. "Regardless of what he meant I was always going to choose to say yes."

"But you didn't even know if it was a trap or something. Wouldn't you have been safer if you hadn't got involved?" Asia questioned… she felt that it was a foolish question but to her it made sense. No one wanted anything to do with her after her former family tossed her away so easily even if it wasn't her fault.

"I was already involved. Knowing I can help someone out is something I can take conviction in. You are worth helping after all, let no one ever say anything different." Ritsuka answered as honestly as he could. Asia seemed to turn away so as to not let the tears she dropped be seen. It was a little too emotionally fulfilling to hear so honestly.

After a few moments which Ritsuka seemed a bit concerned about now, the two finally started walking back towards the manor. The sun was finally setting and the clearest path for the two was bereft of other people. Asia walked closely to Ritsuka's side a quiet but dignified smile on her face as she walked next to someone she could consider her hero. It was obvious to her that that was how he held himself up to given how honest and full of conviction he acted. Even though his eyes seemed extremely sad to her, they always seemed to give their best for those around her. She was almost convinced that regardless of his status as a heretic, he would be a savior of some sort.

And it felt so natural to walk by his side and not behind him… almost hand in hand.

Ritsuka stopped. It felt weird to him but ever since everyone in Chaldea had gone to the trouble of training him he knew whenever someone was looking at him with full unbidden hostility. A predator of sorts had surrounded them… only one but a dangerous one. Asia looked concerned when he placed an arm in front of her, keeping her from taking another step.

"Ritsuka?" Asia questioned as his face turned serious. He placed a finger to his lips to signal her to be quiet. With furtive glances she scanned the area as well. The moon had started rising as they reached the final four blocks before they reached the manor.

"Stay by me. No matter what." Ritsuka answered and the air around him seemed to change for her. He was a mage and his entire body seemed to be channeling mana throughout it. It was powerful and had she not braced herself for it, she would have probably gone weak in the knee from how dangerous he felt.

"Ho ho ho… look at that. You seem quite dangerous, don't you? I'd expect nothing less of two heretics huddled pathetically together." A voice called out… it was mocking yet joyful.

Ritsuka was worried. The person before him was human… which was a slap in the face of everything he fought for. Still, he knew that that was the reason humanity was what it was. It didn't make it any easier to stomach when he heard the tone that had been used to address them. The fact that the person who stepped out of the shadows looked like a priest of sorts just made his skin crawl as he remembered that horrible day. That day when he saw a fist… drenched in blood pierce through one of his oldest friends in Chaldea.

Ritsuka decided it was best to fight fire with fire. Reluctantly, he installed a ruler class card and waited. Using Amakusa's card was a bit dangerous since he was always so focused on a singular goal of the salvation of humanity. He didn't want to feel the effects of his soul too heavily so this needed to be dealt with quickly.

"You need to leave." Ritsuka answered. Asia seemed taken aback by how dangerous his voice seemed at this point… but it wasn't as bad as the exorcist before them. She had heard stories about the exorcists working to deal with monsters and heretics.

He stood there where a white vestment with a blue coat over his body. In one hand he wielded a small handgun of unknown calibur and in the other was a short sword that seemed to be made of light. His face was a rictus of hatred… and joy.

"Leave? But I just got here ready to deal with those filthy beasts who taint the word of the Lord. I see one right behind you now." Freed answered with a true slasher smile branded on his face.

"I will defend and deal with you. Please leave." Ritsuka responded without answering his question.

Freed merely looked annoyed at this point. His small provocation didn't get the result he wanted. His face screamed boredom as he stared at the other heretic before him. It almost made him laugh at how stupid he looked standing there with clenched fists while he held a gun in one hand.

"Oh that's rich! I mean look at you standing there with fist clenched. Scary! Scary! Ahahahah!" Freed laughed at the sight holding his belly even while he wielded his weapons so haphazardly.

Freed raised his gun slightly ready to aim his sights on Ritsuka who had called him out. Afterwards… well the young heretical nun was cute so he might as well have fun with her since Raynare didn't give him the fun he had asked for before she was gone.

"Ritsuka!" Asia screamed as Freed's gun raised up enough to aim at him.

At the same moment a large black sword with a cross shaped hilt flew from Ritsuka's hand piercing the small handgun's barrel and skewering it enough embedded within it. The gun exploded in Freed's hand causing him to snarl in fury.

"WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT!" Freed screeched in abject rage as he stared at Ritsuka who now had two blacks swords within his hand at that moment.

"Leave or I'll skewer you." Ritsuka stated in an almost patient tone. The edge was there though. A razor thin line between calm and anger which seemed to waver as Ritsuka intently glared at his opponent.

"You can fucking die!" Freed screamed back as he charged forward.

Ritsuka urged Asia off to the side as he began tossing several of those black swords which seemed to come out of nowhere with two always being in his hands at all times. Freed was no slouch though. With practiced wild swings each blade was knocked off course and to the side flinging off into the night with every step forward.

"Set!" Ritsuka screamed as all those same keys that had been tossed immediately stopped and turned blade first towards Freed.

Magic circles had appeared and knocked the blades back towards him. Freed sensed enough danger to jump backwards as the swords easily impaled the concrete leaving them stuck within without any real effort on Ritsuka's part. Freed took a few steps back as he realized that he was at a disadvantage in this fight.

The girl was too far to get to for a useful hostage and the guy was being a nuisance overall. If every blade he knocked away would just come back and impale him then it wasn't worth getting stabbed over.

"Leave… or else." Ritsuka issued his ultimatum in a simple commanding tone which just infuriated Freed even more than he thought it would.

Freed wasn't a fool. Far from it, he was a genius of the blade and one so that could kill any monster. Now there was a monster before him who basically made him look like a joke and he wasn't even taking him seriously… or if he was it was done with the idea of sparing him. Pitying him, in fact. It was more than he could stomach at the moment. It didn't help that he could hear the flapping of wings in the background coming from behind him. He could hear the devil wings a mile away.

"Fine fine… I'll let you live with a warning that I will kill you, whoever you are!" Freed cried out as he jumped onto a long stone wall and rushed off into the distance before the ones he felt could fully see him.

"Damn… forgot to get his name before he ran." Ritsuka growled as he began the arduous task of picking up the black keys since they all came from his inventory. He was glad that the moment Amakusa's card was in play that they had a spell almost immediately grafted into their hilts the moment he touched them.

As he picked the last of his keys out of the ground he uninstalled the card before anymore time could pass. It was lucky that the encounter barely lasted more than three minutes or so. While he was stronger than the rogue exorcist using the class cards, he didn't want to kill him. Ritsuka knew he could do so if he needed to… but he really didn't want to.

He wasn't even sure if he had the stomach to do so… at least consciously. Subconsciously, he knew if someone he cared for was in trouble he would do whatever it took to save them. He was glad when Rias and Kiba landed in the same alley looking for him as well since it meant that the fight didn't need to escalate further than it went.

Asia stepped close to Ritsuka as Rias and Kiba actually inspected the alley noting the holes in the ground. She was a bit scared to see Devils up close but the look on Ritsuka's face being one of happiness and acceptance set her heart at ease. She recognized Kiba after her initial shock from watching Ritsuka fight faded slightly.

That unfortunately caused her to lose herself to her thoughts. She looked up at Ritsuka once more wondering just who exactly was the real him. It didn't diminish her view of him but she did want to know more about him more than ever.

"Ritsuka, what happened here!?" Rias nearly freaked out since she could see several dozens of holes in the ground. It didn't help that she could feel the remnants of holy power radiating around the alley.

"Rias, please calm down. He's safe and luckily not full of holes either." Kiba tried to calm her down but even he felt that something was wrong here.

"Well… before I explain that I'd like to introduce a new friend." Ritsuka waved off the worry as best he could but he knew it would only be temporary. "Hey, come out then. Hiding behind me won't make this meeting wait any longer."

Asia shyly stepped forward as Ritsuka did his best to assure her with his smile that things were fine. Rias forgot her worry as she looked at the short girl that had been behind him and instantly went in for a hug.

"You adorable little girl, you. Are you okay as well?" Rias hugged Asia giving her plenty of affection unconditionally it would seem.

Ritsuka wasn't worried if Rias asked Asia to join her Peerage so long as it was done honestly. He wasn't dogmatic in the pursuit of humans being the masters of their own world. Ritsuka believed that, like him, all humans should have their free will be respected and their choices listened to. He wasn't sure what she would choose but that didn't matter to him. Asia was Asia regardless of what changed on the outside.

"Rias, she needs to breath." Ritsuka pointed out since Asia was struggling within her cleavage. Embarrassed, she released Asia who merely smiled at the affection she was given.

"Um… thank you. I'm Asia Argento and I shall be in yours and Ritsuka's care from now on." Asia stated with a small bow trying to remain humble as possible.

"Oh please, don't do that. Since you'll be here you'll be like family." Road answered quite honestly as she looked at her newest housemate. "It's like I have a little sister now."

Rias preened over Asia. It occurred to Ritsuka that maybe there was something to how Rias operated. She called herself a devil princess and that seemed to come with stringent rules that included an arranged marriage she wanted out of. His own experiences with the royalty of Chaldea had told him that those same royalties were lonely people. Until he had summoned Enkidu, Gilgamesh was standoffish and unwilling to help out much. When Enkidu did answer the call though, Gilgamesh immediately became far more approachable even to the point of joining in events as well.

For someone like Rias, who seemed to have loneliness dancing in her eyes, this was most likely liberating.

"Come! Let's get you settled in. I do apologize for asking but we are devils, are you okay with such living arrangements?" Rias questioned at first. While she seemed open to the idea, she was still a King. She needed to know where Asia stood.

"Yes. Regardless of what you are, if Ritsuka can look at you and smile I shall trust that entirely." Asia answered almost too Honestly which made Rias blush at the though. Kiba patted him on the back with a small chuckle escaping his lips.

Ritsuka shielded his eyes from the pointed stares but the smile he sometimes wore still shone through. Hiding their wings, the four returned to the manor.

Kiba immediately took Asia to her room. That left Rias and Ritsuka alone.

"Ritsuka… what happened?" Rias started. It felt like this was going to be a habit at this point. She would need to ask her contracted mage what he did. She would then either be impressed or terrified of the results. It didn't really matter though which one occurred though since it always led to Rias thinking a bit more and more about him.

"Well… we were attacked by an exorcist. At this point I'm thinking that he would be one of those rogue ones we got the Grigori to get rid of. I don't blame them though, this one was barely better than a mad dog. At best I can tell he was working alone and that he really enjoys killing whatever he considers evil." Ritsuka summarized to the best of his ability. It was difficult to make certain assertions though that was mostly due to Ritsuka's standards. He had forgotten to get a name out of the guy. That annoyed him to no end since he was usually much better at being on top of getting to know new people, regardless of moral alignment.

"Tch… So not even they can keep their pawns in line." Rias let out an annoyed growl as she bit her thumb nail. "I take it that you didn't get his name?"

"Sorry. I was focused on defending us at the moment. I wanted him to leave before anything could happen since if we went all out we probably would have been caught and that would be difficult to explain." Ritsuka scratched at his cheek as he looked away. It wasn't that they would have been caught that worried him, it was more so the fact that if he was serious he might have killed the exorcist.

"What did he look like?" Rias continued looking at the bigger picture.

"White hair, psychopathic disposition with a blue robe or overcoat and he seemed to be animated whenever the thought of killing came up." Ritsuka described the exorcist as best he could. Physical details were the brunt of what he got with his mannerisms being a light second.

"I'll have to cross reference later." Rias mumbled as she turned away for a bit still lost in thought. She turned around just as quickly staring Ritsuka in the eye. "Stop it!"

"Stop what?" Ritsuka leaned against the wall as he felt he was being pinned by a very livid Rias.

"Stop making us worried about you so often! You could have died… again! I know you might be strong enough to handle things but what about the people here, waiting for you to come back! What then!?" Rias slammed her fist against his chest, worry dripped from every word out of her lips.

"I'm trying not to. I mean I didn't plan anything like this or want anything like this to happen. I just… took action and reacted to the best of my abilities." Ritsuka apologetically tried to placate her. He didn't really know what else to do since he had always been in dangerous situations. Just like now this would be the same way Mash would confront him.

"I know. I know! Still… " Rias backed away slightly. Her eyes seemed to be filled with confusion and slight uncertainty. "Just be more careful, please."

"I'll do my best." Ritsuka answered automatically. He didn't really know what he could do to make it safer for himself.

"Good." Rias responds as she wiped a few tears that seemed to break through her restraint. "I need to discuss with you one more matter before I let you go to bed."

"Okay…?" Ritsuka questioned uncertain what Rias wanted to know. She had already made it clear that she wasn't happy with this turn of events but pushed it away.

"I'm going to offer that girl a chance to join my Peerage. I would like to know if you'd be fine with that." Rias asked being completely open about her intentions.

Ritsuka thought about it for a bit. He wanted to remain human so he refused the process. He didn't know Asia's demeanor well enough to know whether she would go for it or not. Even if he didn't like the idea, he would not begrudge her for choosing that path.

"As long as you ask her honestly and respect her decision then I'm fine either way." Ritsuka answered after his pondering over the issue. It wasn't something he liked but if she chose to do so, then it would be fine.

"Thank you for understanding." Rias smiles before planting a kiss on Ritsuka's lips. He instinctively returned it without concern due to his conditioning over the years in Chaldea.

While he came out no worse for wear albeit redder than usual, Rias was slightly dazed and completely red.

"Wow." Rias stated as she skipped along towards Asia's new room.

'What just happened!?' Ritsuka blinked at the suddenness and stood against the wall, realizing that this rabbit hole was getting deeper and deeper still.

Asia looked around her new room. It was different than she expected. No longer were the spartan decorations of the Church aesthetic taking root. Her room was a nice sky blue color with most of the furniture matching in some small way. She even had her own vanity mirror for her use.

The knock at the door caught her by surprise as she tripped and fell onto the carpet that was in the room. At the very least it didn't hurt as much though she wished that Ritsuka had been there to catch her. Her heart throbbed at the idea before the knocking reached her attention once more.

"Coming!" Asia scurried up and opened the door to the taller female devil who had hugged her. She looked a bit giddy at the moment but Asia didn't know why.

"Hello Asia. May I come in?" Rias asked with a soft smile on her face. Asia immediately stepped aside allowing her entrance.

Rias sat on the bed and patted the spot next to her. Asia complied feeling a bit nervous. She could tell that this was important. His words seemed to echo back in her mind about what she would want her to do. She didn't have to do so but that small worry of being kicked out was in the back of her thoughts.

"You don't have to worry. I just think since you're living here now that maybe we should get to know one another." Rias mentioned as Asia finally relaxed slightly.

"Oh? Of course, I don't mind." Asia answered back.

Their conversation lasted only a short while. Rias learned about her time as a nun and the healing of a devil. Asia learned about Rias ruling over Kuoh with another. There experiences were entirely different but both could empathize with the other for what their lives were like. Then came the million dollar question.

"I take it you know what my reason for speaking with you tonight is?" Rias straightened her skirt as she finally got to brass tacks.

"Yes. Ritsuka mentioned you would ask." Asia nodded as she stared at the floor uncertain what she would answer with.

"Good. I will ask if only for the formality. Would you like to be one of my Peerage members? It might seem like I'm a wolf in this sense preying on you but I'd rather you didn't think of me like that. I will respect your choice on the matter and if you need time to think about it I can do so too." Rias explained before standing up. She didn't really know how to phrase her offer in a way that didn't sound predatory.

"May I think about it and give you an answer in the morning?" Asia finally answered. "It's a big decision and I don't want to rush into something I'm really not ready for."

"Of course. There's no rush Asia. Regardless of what you decide you shall always be welcome in my home." Rias gave her a polite smile though Asia could see that she was still disappointed.

After she left Asia curled up in her bed thinking about her options. Admittedly, there was little chance for her to ever be accepted back by the Church. They had made it clear that she was a non entity as far as they were concerned. The moment she jumped at the chance to join the Grigori burned that bridge off immediately though that didn't mean that they weren't trying to use her. She didn't mind though… that use would at the very least keep her safe.

Ritsuka had implied that those who had contacted her were obviously not trustworthy at all. Rias, as she came to know, also wanted her to join her and most likely become a reincarnated Devil if the stories she heard were true. It didn't sound too bad since it would allow her to become part of a family but there was one thing stopping her from just saying yes immediately.

He was in her thoughts and she wondered what he would say if she wasn't fully human anymore. The fact that he didn't accept the terms for being a Peerage member spoke volumes about his decisions. He was still human even if he worked for Devils. That started a different problem in her own mind.

'Would I even be useful if I stayed like this?' Asia curled tightly into her new blanket holding one of her pillows tightly against her body as she contemplated what she wanted to do with her life now that she had a choice in the matter and the lack of others pressuring her.

"I'll ask Ritsuka in the morning…" Asia mumbled into her pillow as she drifted off to sleep comforted by the face that she was safe for the moment.

"Augh!" Freed kicked over a trash can furious at his situation. He had lost his favorite and only gun.

His escape through Kuoh hadn't exactly gone to plan. Several familiars had been sent after him but he couldn't tell who had sent them. They were easy enough to kill but they didn't make the right screams to excite him leaving the task as annoying busywork. It had taken him two hours just to escape their range and he was left almost twenty miles from where he attempted to kill his target.

He slashed at the walls gouging out brick and mortar with each swing. Screaming obscenities and sickening ideas of what he would do to that glorified bitch and her white knight. The fact that most of them ended with making that guy watch just incensed Freed to get sicker and more disturbing with his rage until he could finally calm down.

"Sounds like you've had it rough." A figure sitting on one of the fire escapes called down to Freed surrounded by the same familiars that he had killed.

"Yeah yeah, I've had it rough so what do you want bastard?" Freed didn't care for any of his usual banter. The fact that he had been sent away by some no name still burned beneath his skin.

"Now, don't be that way. I just wanted to offer you a job. After all, it looks like you'll lose your protection once they know you who are." The figure mentioned as he flexed his black feathered wings. He was a Fallen Angel.

"Tch, so what do you have in mind?" Freed groaned as he realized just how fucked he could be if the rest of the Grigori found out that he had disobeyed them. As much as he wanted to screw them over, they had given him a lot of his weaponry which he was sorely lacking half of it at the moment.

"Have you ever heard of Excalibur and how some of the pieces were found?" The figure chuckled. His visage was tainted by madness and his fangs seemed to shine in the darkness.

"I'm listening so what do you have in mind…?" Freed chuckled as he urged for the name of the figure who hovered above him.

"Kokabiel, and I'm thinking that perhaps we should revive a legend for our own use, shall we?" Kokabiel laughed as he whisked away the rogue exorcist for parts unknown.

None could see the duo as they flew through the moonlit sky, off for their grand plans to unfold.

Author's Notes:

A Beast of Humanity doesn't change who they are without changing classes. A Beast is literally that because it loves humanity. In this world humans are technically seen as farm animals for worship, breeding, or food. Nothing more. Even Angels will kill those that are evil outright. Humanity as a whole needs both the good and evil together to work in a balance. And being beaten by someone so human... why not make all humans like that.