A New Man

by Barakozu1488

Six months has passed after Hyoudou Issei has finished highschool and had a nasty break up. Aimlessly living on his own, he encounters a certain red-haired girl who's changes his life. !AgedUpIssei !18YearOldIssei !Everyone Else Is The Same Age.

3. Chapter 3

Yoyoyo, thanks again for the reviews. Here's chapter 3. Initially, I wanted to write a mega chapter combining what will now be chapter 4 into one chapter, but I realized that's too much and time is of the essence. I'll try and pump out chapter 4 asap, because I'm set on finishing the asia/fallen angel/church arc asap.

As usual

"Ryan gosling is just like me fr" - normal dialogue

"poopoopeepeefart" - Thoughts

"its about drive its about power" - Ddraig/Albion speaking.

Enjoy the chapter, bros.

---

Chapter 3:

Another nightmare. He'd been plagued by them every now and then, but this one was unique. Rather than being surrounded by total darkness and jumped by otherworldly creatures, Issei found himself in a dark forest - A bit cliche for his liking, which helped him steel the uncanny valley feeling rushing down his neck. He could feel the wind brushing up against his neck, the sound of foreign chanting and drums in the background. He was nude, except for a loin cloth, but he'd noticed his build was different to his usual self.

He wasn't himself. No, he was someone different - A man with an extremely defined, well-built body. His muscles weren't this toned, nor thick. His skin was tanned, this body was white, and littered with scars and burn marks. But his right hand still possessed the boosted gear.

Was he reliving the death of a past wielder? It didn't matter, because he wasn't even in control of his body. It was as if he was sitting in the body of this man, watching everything occur in front of him, yet unable to control his body. Horrifying, to say the least.

And all of a sudden, Issei found himself being assaulted by a horde of monsters, ranging from wolves, plant-like demons with reindeer skulls, feral vampires among others. He wanted to howl in pain, as they tore away at his flesh, biting, punching, kicking and bruising his body without mercy, letting him feel the agonizing pain of their brutality, while his host fought back, slicing away at their bodies wildly. Gone was anything resembling 'technique' or swordsmanship, and in its place was a feral man fighting for his life. His own screams matched Issei's, while the Boosted gear continued to boost over, and over, and over again, until the man began to shake his head, whispering to himself.

"No, no, no. I'm not using it! I won't die here!" He screamed out, driving his silver sword into the neck of the werewolf, and slamming it out, nearly decapitating the dead beast, before turning around, claws sinking into his abdomen before striking the vampire through it's skull.

"How will you save her if you don't? You'll bleed out and die here like a dog."

"Do it, I know you want to feel the exultation of slaughtering the hordes before you. You crave violence, admit it."

"It won't hurt at all, it'll make that pain go away, I promise, boy."

"Fuck… I can't let her die. I promised to keep her alive, very well then." His host sighed, his light blue hair covering his bloodied face, as another figure began to approach him - A white-haired man, wearing a magician's robe. "You!"

The white-haired mage chuckled, as a pair of white, draconic wings emerged from his back, complemented by light-blue, glowing feathers. His dark robes brushed up against the wind's breeze, before he snapped his fingers, causing the horde of beasts to slowly back away, leaving Issei's host to tend to his wounds.

"Hello, Belzard, or should I say, sekiryuutei. Here we meet." Came the mage's reply, as Belzard fell to one knee, sweat trickling down his body, panting from exhaustion.

"Give her back, white dog," Belzard spat, grunting with every passing second, as his wounds began to fester.

"Sure, if you can defeat me." The white dragon emperor shrugged, as his body disappeared in a flash, being replaced with a suit of white, draconic armor, adjourned with yellow and blue gems, beginning to float a few feet in the air. "Are we not fated to do so, my rival?"

"You're a fool if you think fighting each other to the death is your fate." Belzard shook his head, before finally managing to stand up again, his legs quivering in fear - He'd killed the previous white dragon emperor in his youth, yet this one seemed far stronger than his predecessor. "I said the same thing to your predecessor, we could have spent our entire lives in peace, yet you chose violence because you are a dog to the dragon within you. You are no better than the monsters you control."

"Oh, I don't care about fate." The white dragon emperor shrugged. "I just want to get rid of you, in case you try to kill me later on. Besides, you don't look like much of a challenge anyway."

Belzard couldn't keep up anymore - He had no energy to summon the balance breaker, letalone maintain it. He was ashamed, age had caught up with him finally, gone were the days where he was known as 'the strongest red dragon emperor of time'. The one who had defeated the previous white dragon emperor, dubbed 'The strongest white dragon emperor'. His successor had taken that title with ease, judging by his ease of magic. He wanted nothing more than to be with his wife, yet he had to deal with this? It made him angry, it sent hot blood pumping through his body with rage.

"Oh, and your wife?" The white dragon emperor chuckled maniacally. "I killed her, but not before she took care of the needs of my monsters."

"YOU WHAT?" Belzard screamed, his voice amplified by the Boosted gear, as a number of green orbs dissipated out of the gear, beginning to surround him.

"You know exactly what I mean."

"White Dragon Emperor." Ddraig's voice echoed, attracting the mage's attention. "If you have any last words, or prayers, utter them now. Albion, I cannot be held responsible for the consequences of your hosts actions."

"I understand, Ddraig. I believe it's too late now, but I would like to express my condolences to your host, I was strongly against the actions committed against his partner. Even I could not condone this action in our eternal struggle." Albion replied, before the Dragon's voices came to a halt.

"I who is about to awaken," Belzard muttered in an alien voice - Gone was the rageful, passionate man, and in its place were a cluster of voices, his eyes flashing green from the draconic energy bursting out. Each limb and appendance of his body twisted and contorted in unholy ways, growing in size and shape. "Am the heavenly dragon who has stolen the principles of domination from God."

"Wait, what the fuck is happening?" The white dragon emperor roared in confusion, taken aback by his rival's sudden change. "That's not his balance breaker."

"It is a fate you ushered on yourself, my pitiful host. By angering him, you have invoked the full, unrestrained wrath of Ddraig's strength - It is a fate I would not wish on you either." Albion sighed, no matter how many times the dragon reincarnated, he hated to see Ddraig and his hosts resort to the juggernaut drive.

"I laugh at the 'infinite'," The red dragon beast roared, as what was once the balance breaker's crimson armor had broken, mutated and taken shape of something draconic, yet not a dragon - A humanoid dragon, something unnatural and vile. "And I grieve at the 'dream'."

"We have to stop him! I can take him, right, Albion?" The white dragon mage panicked, shaking his head in denial.

"Divide shall no longer work on him, my host. I would not recommend going near him, unless you wish to die the most painful death." Albion muttered.

"I shall become the red dragon of domination." Came the guttural, primal voice of the beast that once resembled Belzard, and in its place, stood a giant, draconic freak of nature, rippling with energy strong enough to cause gushes of winds to push back the horde of monsters. "And I shall sink you into the depths of crimson purgatory!"

The rest was nothing but flashes of pain and horror for Issei, seeing the white dragon emperor's armour broken repeatedly, flesh ripped, torn, and pierced. As Belzard's own life force dwindled away, his consciousness fading away as the beast's mind took over, before Issei felt himself fading away into black nothingness.

---

"What the fuck!" He roared before waking up in a cold sweat. He'd never been so happy to see his tiny, cramped up apartment than now. "Did I have a nightmare? Was that even real?"

He knew better than to pretend that was a nightmare. He'd relived the death of someone he'd known by name - Belzard. Ddraig had taught him about both him and Elsha, two of Ddraig's strongest hosts, and his own predecessors. Issei was still confused on why, or how he could possibly suffer from that dream, considering he'd hardly used the boosted gear often enough to warrant them, yet it made him wonder if it was an omen of sorts - Was something coming that he had no idea about?

The dream consisted of Belzard losing a loved one to the white dragon emperor's vanity and lust for fighting, as well as his predecessor giving into the curse of juggernaut drive, a legendary, yet cursed technique that involved sacrificing one's life for immense power, enough to rival Ddraig during his lifetime. It was considered forbidden, even by the dragon emperor itself, as the key to activation relied on the vengeful wraiths that were his past lives, rather than Ddraig himself.

It made Issei paranoid over his future - Dreams were often seen as prophetic, if not a warning of sorts for the future, among hunters. He'd had dreams in the past over certain, minor events that ended up coming true in ways he didn't expect, and this one was far too vivid to be dismissed - He didn't drink, take drugs and wasn't poisoned. To Issei, it only suggested one thing.

The white dragon was coming.

Yet, while he refused to believe in his 'destiny', he knew that fate was the biggest trickster of them all. Countless fables tell of men who did anything to avoid their fate, only to end up trailing back to it in the end, much like Oedipus did, only to end up marrying his mother in the end and tearing his eyes out in horror. Part of him knew that he'd have to eventually accept his destiny, if not for his own life, but to protect his loved ones, if he was unfortunate enough that he'd have to deal with a power-hungry rival like Belzard suffered.

All of this had reminded him of his original plan - Speeding up his strength training with the boosted gear. He got out of bed, rushing toward his kitchen to mesh up a make-shift breakfast of oats, fruits and whatever protein he could scavenge, before wolfing it down in a few minutes. The young man rushed over to his newly-built weight room.

"Boosted gear." He mumbled, as the gear materialized itself onto his arm, glowing with power. "Boost to my limit, please."

"BOOST, BOOST, BOOST, BOOST, BOOST!" The gear roared back at him in compliance, as the green gem glowed repeatedly, letting power surge through his muscles.

"Now, let's get fucking big."

---

Issei couldn't believe it - His hypothesis was right. The young man had started off squatting minor reps with ease, as if he was carrying nothing, before building up to his maximum limit at normal strength as if it were only a fifth of his maximum. Instead, he opted to squat five times hsi maximum weight, managing to repeatedly slam his throbbing, pulsating leg muscles back and forth with a crushing mass of over four-hundred kilograms sitting against his shoulders.

"Let's fucking go!" He screamed at the top of his lungs, as his voice was drowned out by the groaning heavy metal music screaming out from his speakers, mixed with the clunking of metal plates slapping against one another, as he finally finished squatting, admiring his inflated muscle mass in the mirror.

The boy was pleased, for he was just above average weight for his height, yet right here, right now, this brown-haired youth was capable of squatting more than any other human in the world among his weight class. Sure, he was cheating by utilizing the boosted gear, but Humans use steroids to get to his position.

Next was the deadlift, earning him the same results. He'd built up to a final weight of nearly five-hundred kilograms, having to be gentle to not damage the wooden flooring, as Issei roared at the top of his lungs in pride - He'd nearly beat the international record on lifting weights, despite being only half the size of the original record holder!

Yet, he wasn't happy there, he wanted to ensure every muscle in his body was perfected, utilizing different exercises, targeting different muscle groups over and over again - Curls, bench presses, pull ups, chest flys, weighted dips, overhead press, anything the man could possibly do, he did over and over again, for an hour on end, until his body was flashing red and his vision clouded momentarily, he paused for a moment, unable to count how many he'd done, deciding it was enough.

He nearly fainted instantly from exhaustion, opting to chug a gallon of water down instantly, steam rushing from his body from the sheer energy he'd exhausted from the intense workout. Here he was, in the middle of a Kuoh winter, his radiators turned off, yet he'd already surpassed his limits with a simple trick. He couldn't be prouder.

But alas, the young man's journey wasn't done yet, he still needed to eat. Without the proper nutrition, his body couldn't repair itself, nor grow in strength or size. Limping toward his fridge, the boy pulled out box after box of food he'd purchased at the supermarket - Steak, sushi, a metric ton of rice, even a five-liter bottle mixed with sugar so he could instantly refuel his body. He was too tired to even bother reheating his food, opting to stand and shovel food into his mouth with his bare hands, akin to a barbarian.

His stomach was more than welcoming to it, his body having been abused and stretched to inhumane limits. Even his mentor would've been impressed at his sudden discovery, despite his strict standards. His gullet could barely accommodate the food he'd been hardly chewing, yet swallowing, forcing more water down his throat to complement and speed up his digestion. Chew, drink, swallow, such was his cycle until he'd cleared over ten kilograms of protein, ten kilograms of carbohydrates, five kilograms of water and five liters of water. He was bloated beyond belief, yet he knew he'd end up shitting most of it out and debloating after rest.

Issei chuckled, as he walked over to his bed, far too tired to take a shower, he nearly passed out on the spot, never considering his spartan, single bed as comfortable as it seemed now, yet he still needed to do one final step. He needed to use transfer to facilitate the process of metabolism. If he was lucky, he'd be able to recover in a few hours of rest too.

Closing his eyes, he began to focus his mind with long, slow breaths, creating an image of his body in his mind, channeling and using his thoughts to force the image of himself to grow - To grow stronger, wider, more muscular and vascular, as the boosted gear hummed to the beat of his breaths, louder and louder. He could hear his heartbeat frantically, still pounding from the grueling workout he'd given himself.

"Transfer." He whispered, the boosted gear acknowledging his request.

"ENERGY HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED!" It's voice declared, as his strength began to sap away, feeling it flood his muscles with a soothing, numbing energy. "Reset!"

The boosted gear had done its job successfully, as Issei smirked a final time before closing his eyes and falling asleep, his stamina leaving him completely. His final thoughts were excitement at his new body.

---

Finally waking up hours later after his excruciating workout, Issei was surprised - He knew he'd grow bigger, but not by this level. He'd already bumped into a few pieces of furniture and a chair on his stumble toward the mirror to finally get a better look at himself.

"Holy shit." Was all he could muster, his jaw dropping at the sight of his accelerated growth.

It was as if God himself had come down and blessed him. Every muscle in his body had grown bigger, tighter and vascular. Veins littered his body, as he'd grown leaner and more defined - He hadn't seen his abs in years, yet here they were, with his lower torso abdominal lines, sculpted as if he were a greek statue. His biceps were bigger, along with his chest - Wide and broad. His shoulders too, had given the illusion that he'd somehow gotten wider too.

His strength was no different, he felt lighter and more flexible, yet aware of his size. His upper back muscles gave him a width that rivaled that of an athlete. He hadn't grown too big, yet, Issei reckoned his physique matched that of a lean athlete, though he worried his clothes would've been too tight for him, not that it mattered too much, he needed to buy armor and way more clothes.

Overall, he was giddy with excitement, but managed to finally calm down after a few minutes of flexing his new found strength. His quadriceps, hamstrings and calves had grown to match too, meaning he'd be faster in battle, able to sprint faster and longer than he'd ever done previously.

"You fucking mirin, brah?" He gestured to himself, making a pouty face to himself. "I'm fahken zyzz brah!"

"Are you done quoting dead men?" Ddraig yawned, as the green, draconic symbol on his left hand glowed, causing Issei to jump back in surprise.

"So now you decide to wake up, old man?" He chuckled back, he never thought he'd ever talk to the beast again.

"You hadn't done anything worth my time, partner. Not that you seem to care about me." The red dragon sighed, continuing. "But I'm impressed. You managed to manipulate transfer in a way only Belzard could do. You've earned my respect, and my time."

"Thanks, Ddraig. Good to see you too." The hunter sarcastically remarked, recalling his dream. It was the perfect time. "I have a few questions."

"Be quick, I may go back to sleep soon… Unless you've reconsidered your destiny? I hope these past few years have given you time to understand your true fate." He murmured, a tinge of curiosity in the old dragon's voice.

"I had a dream where I relived Belzard's death. I saw him use the juggernaut drive."

"It was a tragic day. I have been through many hosts, yet his death was one I still mourn over. Having him give into it marked the end of the golden era of the Sekiryuutei." Ddraig reminisced, he truly missed the predecessor, having been one of the only hosts to befriend him, and succeed in defeating Albion's host. "But this is a sign. It usually indicates that the white one is coming. I would prepare if I were you, Hyoudou Issei."

"How come you call me Issei, but all your other hosts partner?" He whined.

"Have you accepted your fate as the Sekiryuutei?" Ddraig spat, as he crossed his head. "Then we are not partners. Sure, you have grown stronger and learned a new trick, but that will not be enough to kill him. Only I can give you the balance breaker, and allow you to truly use the boosted gear to its full potential."

"I don't want to fight the white dragon emperor." Issei shook his head.

"Do you think he'll feel the same way? Have you forgotten that you two are interlocked in a battle that will last until the end of time? He will not be as forgiving as you are."

"It's not that, it's that you dragons are a pain in the fucking ass to fight. You're strong, have no conventional weaknesses and you're mostly intelligent, so you don't go out of your way to kill people - I have no reason to kill him, provided he leaves me be." Issei explained, reminding Ddraig of his philosophy as a hunter.

"I guarantee you that if the white one heard this, he'd strike you down without a second thought. Your refusal to fight is your coping mechanism for lack of strength!" Ddraig reprimanded, anger rising. "But I will take that as a compliment, Dragons are the beings that stand at the peak of the world."

"Dragons are prideful too, almost annoyingly so." He chuckled back, earning a faint laugh from his dragon.

"I have earned that right, Issei. I have made monsters that you wouldn't even think of go extinct. I have gone toe-to-toe with Yahweh and made him cower beneath my claws… Unlike you, I have lived my life to its fullest. What does a human child know about life, when you cannot even keep your girlfriend on a leash!" The dragon shouted back, causing him to wince at the mention of Yuuma.

"You shut your fucking mouth, lizard. You're in my body, remember that. I decide when I use the sacred gear, and if your boyfriend shows up near me, I'll kill him without your help." Issei hissed back with rage, clutching his fist in anger.

"You sound like me when I'd finally become an adult. I respect your conviction, Hyoudou Issei!" Ddraig chimed back, laughing at Issei's insult. He was far too old to take him seriously, which only irked the young man further. "But conviction won't defeat him, power will. Power that you don't have! Embrace me and I shall give you strength that you cannot even hope to fathom!"

"I'm doing fine right now, thanks."

"Men greater than you have killed for my boon. I offer you more than blood, or material. I offer you my soul itself. Take it, and you shall walk a lion among sheep, men will tremble at your approach and you will never fear death again!" Thundered Ddraig, as his voice began to shake the entire room with his passion. "You will be a king among kings, never will you have to fear a wolf, or a group of humans like you have prior. You have potential beyond your wildest dreams, boy!"

"You really don't know me, do you?" He lied through the skin of his teeth, feigning ignorance.

"Have I not been there since your birth? Have I not read your every single thought, fear and pain? Do you think me stupid, Hyoudou Issei? That I, the heavenly dragon of domination, cannot see through your bravado? Was I not there when you were but a meek boy, fearful of this world? Did I not comfort you and raise you when your own father refused to, entertaining other women in its stead?"

He remained silent, like a boy being lectured by a parent. He was speechless, because he knew at the depths of his soul, Ddraig wouldn't lie - He was too prideful for that, and that Ddraig had done all he had claimed to, or Issei wouldn't have been considered such a prize among the supernatural world for his gift. Yet, he was hurt; Ddraig had gone too far with his buried past for him to respond.

"Do you think I hate my hosts, Issei? That I enjoy their deaths? I am a dragon, I do not carry the same philosophies and views that Humans do, yet I understand you, having lived in one for over millennia. It would hurt my pride to see a man with so much potential, potential that even Belzard didn't have, to die early to a pathetic death!"

"You really see me dying early? That says a lot about how you view me, Ddraig!" He argued back, his own voice getting louder to match the Dragon's shouting.

"You are a prideful hatchling that I see as my own child, much as I do my other hosts. It is the duty of a hatchling's parent to ensure it grows and is nurtured properly, so he can be strong and live on it's own. You might wear the clothes of a human, act like one, but you aren't."

"I'm as human as it gets, Ddraig. I live among them, I speak their language - Hell, even biologically, I'm one!"

"So the mutagens you were fed as a child did not change you? Can a normal human do things that you can? Do you not hunt monsters for your own gain? You are a dragon, Hyoudou Issei! You are no human, you are my host! Embrace your blessings and live as your birthright demands!"

"What do you want from me, Ddraig?" Issei sighed, giving up on arguing. It was as if he was talking to his grandfather, prideful, old and stubborn.

"To wake up and realize that if you do not accept me, you will lose whatever life you have left, not that you have much to live for. I, too, wish to see you rise from your stupor."

"I'm done, we'll talk another time." He spat, silencing the dragon a final time.

"Be careful how you spend the rest of your time, boy. You may run out soon." Ddraig warned him, as the glyph on the hunter's arm began to fade away.

---

Ddraig's ominous warning repeated in his head from the moment he left the house, as he kept himself busy with a walk to push away his paranoid thoughts. That, and he wanted to buy some new clothes that fit him, having bulked up.

He'd earned a few stares from passersby, mostly in awe of his physique and how tight his clothes clung to his muscle bound form. It made him blush, as well as giving him a sense of pride. Though, he had no idea how he'd explain it to Rias or her peerage.

As he passed through the park, Issei could overhear the squeals and confused cries of a girl nearby, before spotting a blonde-haired girl, no older than fifteen, mumbling assorted Japanese, English and Italian words to passersby, who ignored her out of confusion and walked away.

"Man, Japanese people are cold." He thought to himself, feeling pity for the foreign girl, presumably Italian, judging by her accent.

The young man stood there, arms folded as he began to enjoy the scene of the girl begging for directions, stumbling in confusion with every step, far too preoccupied with her trolley case and a map to walk properly. No one could speak English around her, or at least, they didn't want to, as Japanese people were not very friendly to foreigners compared to the rest of the world.

"Is nobody going to help her?" The brown-haired man sighed to himself, as the girl continued to struggle to no avail, as the passersby eventually ignored her altogether rather than waving her off, making him grit his teeth in annoyance. "Fuck it, I'll do it."

"Hey," Issei walked up to the girl, greeting her with a smile, as she looked up at him in a mix of awe and fear. "You lost?"

"Um…" The nun shook her head in confusion, glancing up into his sharp, brown eyes - She was intimidated, to say the least, stuttering, before shaking her head. "I don't speak Japanese, sorry!"

"Ah, English okay?" He changed languages with a friendly smile, earning the girl's trust, as she nodded. "I'm Issei, by the way."

"Thank you, sir! I'm Asia Argento, I'm lost right now and I need help." Asia explained, blinking for a moment before the loud rumble of her stomach interrupted her conversation, causing her to blush in embarrassment, earning Issei's laughter.

"I'm hungry too, wanna get something to eat?" He chuckled at her reaction, as the girl nodded.

"I… Don't have enough money." The younger girl sighed in defeat, letting her stomach continue to pang in hunger.

"It's on me, I was just on my way to a burger or something. I'll take you to wherever you need to go after." Issei explained, gesturing to a food stall nearby.

---

"Thank you again for the food, I don't have anything to pay you with, but I'll be sure to pray for you! The Lord will reward you, I know it!" Asia smiled, walking alongside Issei through a path of flowers.

"Don't mention it," Shrugged Issei, reassuring the girl. "Anyways, you're a nun, right? It'd explain the whole outfit. What are you doing in Kuoh?"

"I'm here on a mission, actually. I was dispatched here to work in the old church nearby. I was so confused using the map, so I'm glad to have met someone as kind as you." The blonde nun explained, gesturing toward the cross sat atop her chest.

Issei paused, he'd never been a fan of the church. Especially not after last night - The girl seemed friendly enough, and had no reason for him to be suspicious of her, but with all the rogue exorcists in town, something about her seemed off, but he had no business in it. It was best for him to take her to where she needed to go and be on his own way.

As he opened his mouth, the pair were interrupted by the cries of a young boy in front of them, who'd just fallen onto the floor and scraped his knees, clutching it in pain with tears. Asia instantly rushed toward him, placing a hand atop his head in sympathy, giving the youth a friendly smile.

"It's alright, it's just a scrape. You'll be fine, I promise." She reassured him, as she placed her left hand atop the boy's knee, causing a faint, green light to glow all of a sudden.

"What the fuck?" Issei grunted, as his left hand began to tingle, his eyes drawn toward the metallic ring on Asia's middle finger, causing him to raise an eyebrow in curiosity - Was this magic?

As Asia continued to cast what appeared to be magic over the boy's knee, his wound slowly began to close up and heal in under a few seconds, with the youth himself glaring at it shockingly, as if he'd just witnessed a miracle.

"Sorry about that, force of habit." Asia giggled, sticking her tongue out playfully at Issei's reaction, before waving off the boy with a goodbye and returning to his side.

---

The pair continued to walk through Kuoh, as they began to approach the outside of the old, abandoned church. The place made Issei feel uneasy - No one had been there since the town's last Christians left, being his old childhood friend's family. Which made him raise an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Is this where those exorcists were hiding?" He'd pondered to himself, yet he was still concerned with Asia's magic, and the way his arm reacted to it. "Was it a sacred gear?"

"I must've surprised you." Asia interrupted his thoughts, as the two remained silent among one another since she'd healed the boy.

"Yeah, I noticed your power," Issei continued calmly, glancing at her ring with curiosity. "It's something, alright."

"It's a wonderful power granted by God!" Asia chirped back with a smile, before looking back toward the floor in a pang of sadness, her eyes drooping down. "...Yes, a wonderful power… Oh, hey, that must be the place!"

She pointed up to the church's windows, glancing at it in surprise, before stopping and turning back to him with a smile. Part of him found her adorable, yet the only affection he felt for her seemed paternal - She was far too young, naive and innocent for Issei to find her attractive. Besides, he already had two other girls who'd been pestering him nonstop.

His eyes glanced toward the Church's ornate windows, as Issei glanced at it in shock. Something about it sent shivers down his spine, as if he knew this place was cursed, as if someone was lurking in there, that didn't want him in there. Perhaps it was a monster, taking advantage of the young, but he couldn't go in there without a contract, or some sort of evidence. Humans like stray exorcists weren't enough to warrant his investigation.

"Thank you so much, Issei! I've been so fortunate to find someone as kind as you here. I believe it's a sign from the almighty, that we crossed paths." Asia exclaimed with joy, before grabbing ahold of his hand, catching him off-guard. She was far too gentle for his liking, nor aggressive like any other girl he'd been with. "Would you care to accompany me inside?"

"Sorry, Asia. I've got to get going now." He shook his head, as her smile disappeared in disappointment. "But hey, I'll definitely see you around if you're living in Kuoh. I'll see you around, okay?"

"Of course, see you soon, Issei!" Asia replied, waving him a goodbye as the two went on their separate ways.

---

"Are you trying to cause a faction war, Issei?" Rias reprimanded him, glaring through the stained windows of the old school building.

"I was just guiding a tourist somewhere, I didn't even step foot in there - Besides, I'm still a Human, I'm allowed those liberties." Issei shrugged back, shaking his head at her annoyed face.

"You're a hunter, not a human. Hunters have separate laws - Getting involved with the church would only lead to confusion, especially if they know that you're affiliated with Devils. You were lucky last night, but some Church exorcists wield sacred gears." Rias looked off into the distance, laying up against the window.

"Then the magic I saw her do… Shit." He swore, finally piecing Asia's magic and his arm's reaction together.

"Issei, as a hunter, you know how to kill Devils, right?" Rias interrupted, glancing at him with a cold stare from those deep, blue eyes he'd begun to enjoy.

"Yeah - Silver, holy water, a cross. Just use holy items repeatedly until you dissipate to ash, not that I would, of course." He chuckled, reminiscing over an old lesson.

"Then you know how brutal these exorcists are. While you may not be a devil, they'd treat you as such and might try attacking you again, you should be more careful." Rias chordled, before turning away and leading him back to the clubroom, her skirt trailing back and forth to the sway of her hips.

"A view any man would kill for her." He smirked internally, before shaking his head to clear his thoughts.

"Sorry if I sound angry at you. I shouldn't be, you're not even a member of my peerage, but after yesterday, I can't help but worry over you." Rias explained, as he increased his pace, walking alongside her. "By the way, you look different today. Have you been working out?"

"I guess?" Issei's grin was more apparent than ever now - She'd finally noticed it, yet he couldn't tell her what he actually did. "Nothing that's new, though."

"Whatever it is, it's nice. I like it." She giggled, playfully poking his bicep, as they entered the clubroom again, the two taking a seat on the leather sofas in the center of the room.

"Where's everyone gone?" He asked, glancing around for any of the other club members, yet the room was as empty as ever.

"They're on Devil duties. Today's a busy day for us, so we won't have much time together, unfortunately." Rias explained, as she pulled out a dossier and began to read over it. "What do you know about stray Devils?"

"Devils that kill their master and go rogue, right? Killed one myself, a few years back. Nasty things, in all honesty." Issei shrugged, as Rias glanced at him in surprise, taken aback by his cold, casual reply. "Silver, holy water, just need to hit them in the right place and they're dead, same as any other monster."

"Do you see me as a monster?" Muttered the redhead, raising an eyebrow.

"We've been over this already, n-"

"Don't pull the cute girl line on me again."

"What's gotten into you today, you seem annoyed as hell." He sighed, shaking his head at her serious demeanor.

"I'm sorry." Rias acknowledged, nodding. He was right. "I've just been under a lot of stress recently."

"Family problems?"

"Yes, typical Devil noble things. Because I'm the only unmarried girl left, they've been pestering me about marriage again." She explained, staring off into the wall behind him, her thoughts clouded by recent, unfavorable memories.

"I'm sorry about that," Issei reassuringly said, brushing his long, brown hair away from his eyes, gazing into her own. "Want me to kill the guy they're trying to set you up with?"

Her giggle sent butterflies down his stomach. He couldn't fathom how a girl as dignified, noble and beautiful as her could still be so girly, and make him near lovesick from being around her. Part of him wanted to advance on her, to hold her hand, cuddle her and protect her, yet he knew she wasn't comfortable with it from yesterday's experience, so he kept himself stoic as ever.

"As much as I would like that, I can't." Rias shook her head, continuing. "It'll just be an ever growing political battle, until I find someone I'd actually be able to love. I want them to see me as more than just Rias Gremory, the Devil."

"You'd want someone to see and love you for the person you are, rather than the status and wealth you hold, right? And all the Devils your parents want you to marry some uptight, materialistic snob?" Issei continued off, Rias nodding in agreement.

"You took the words right out of my mouth, do you know this from experience?"

"I'm no noble, it's just a common trope with nobility, historically even." Issei explained, history had been one of his favorite subjects in school, despite his appalling grades. "My mentor and I did a contract for a Devil noble one time, years back. They're all way too self-entitled for their own good."

"Right! They're so unmanly and huge losers." Rias nodded, Issei grinning as her smile returned.

How he loved that smile, her one sharp tooth sticking out of her mouth, those deep, blue eyes that felt like they could pierce his soul, and her long, red hair that caught everyone's attention. It was hard to be around a girl like this and not act on his urges, more than anything else.

"They have everything - Money, status, power, yet they never do anything substantial with it, other than preying on the innocent. They don't build things, help their less-fortunate brethren out. They outsource any actual work to others, like me." Issei remarked, he'd never been a fan of dealing with that one Devil noble from the past.

"Do you happen to remember the name of that noble?" She asked him curiously.

"Dunno, might've begun with P? I used to call him yakitori cause he was always on fire. Had a huge ego too. We had to kill a member of his peerage that went stray, it was a job I despised." Issei reminisced.

It'd been years since he came across that girl. It was one of the only contracts he'd ever regretted, being forced to kill a girl barely older than him. A stray devil that had been abused by her master, causing her to go insane.. He wished he could've killed the master too, but he was the one issuing the contract to a hunter, solely so he wouldn't take the blame for it. He wished he could remember the name, but judging by Rias' reaction, she might've known, judging by her sudden quiet demeanor.

"You okay, Rias?" He pondered, waving a hand against her blank face.

"Sorry, it just sounds familiar… What did he hire you for?" Rias muttered, still dazed in thought.

"Turns out that her master abused her after resurrecting her, made her go insane and she had no choice but to become a stray devil. He lied to us, saying she'd killed humans, when there was no evidence. When my mentor found out, he nearly killed the guy, but refrained due to the apolitical nature of our work." Issei explained, Rias's face drooping to a frown.

"Your mentor seems like a good person," She remarked.

"He had his moments, he's just a grumpy, middle aged man." He shrugged back, attempting to change the topic.

"What about you, Issei? Do you see yourself marrying anyone, or wanting?" Rias forced a smile, steering the conversation away from the topic. "Though, I doubt it, if what they say about hunters is true."

"What do you mean?"

"Well…" She paused, wondering whether she knew the man well enough to bring it up. "I don't know, it seems a little… Personal."

"Rias, just say it."

"Fine!" Rias pouted, as a faint blush trailed on her face. "One of my servants growing up told me that Hunters have an insatiable libido, and that they make terrible partners because they're always busy hunting monsters."

Issei began to laugh, harder and harder, till he was gasping for breath over the matter. She wasn't wrong, he'd been told prior how promiscuous his kind were, particularly his mentor, Shamil, who'd claimed to have harems upon harems of women over his long life. They owed the explanation onto the drugs they'd ingested during their youth, which led to vast, dramatic changes in their hormonal and genetic profile, though it was only a rumor.

"Yeah, I guess it's true, though I've never really noticed it personally." He shrugged.

"Maybe you're just holding yourself back, though I wouldn't believe it, being around you." She teased. "Or maybe, you're one of those hunters that preys on girls!"

"You think I'm preying on you, girl?" He smirked, inching closer and closer toward her, over the table. "Do you really want to find out if what they say about us is true?"

"I do." Akeno's voice jumped up from behind him, causing the young man to bounce up in surprise, earning the two girls's laughter.

"Shit, Akeno! Don't scare me like that!" Issei roared back, as the girl kept giggling playfully, a finger trailing down her lip seductively.

"Oh no! I'm going to be hunted down by Issei, whatever will I do!" Giggled the dark-haired seductress, cooing back at him before he finally calmed down.

"Whatever, man."

"I'm still interested in it though, there's an old tale about a Hunter and a Devil girl getting together." Akeno remarked, taking a seat by the boy, as Rias nodded.

"Yes, Akeno, I remember that one too! I heard that one too." The redhead nodded.

"What's it about?" Issei asked. "Who the fuck writes this shit?"

"It's an old Devil ballad, about a hunter sent to dispatch a Devil living among humans, but he falls in love with her at first sight and spends months trying to convince her to marry him." Akeno explained, her voice filled with excitement.

"And then?"

"They fall in love, after he saves her from a monster. They get married and live happily ever after. It's a sweet tale!"

"That sounds like a nice ending." Issei shook his head with a smile, Hunter tales were far darker than this, much to his surprise.

"Akeno, you left out the ending," Rias continued, as Issei's smile faded for a moment. "Devil stories are a lot… Darker, and more comedic than Human ones. The hunter is later discovered to have an affair with a bunch of other girls, and his wife murders him in accident out of rage, then kills herself when she realizes she cannot live without her husband."

"That's dark."

"I've heard other endings, Rias!" Akeno interrupted her. "I left it out for Issei's sake, but I was told of another ending, where the hunter dies after going out to hunt a monster, and his wife kills herself for the same reasons."

"That's more accurate." Issei shrugged. "We're always going out hunting, expecting to die one day."

"I remember that one, Akeno." Rias ignored him entirely, as the two girls looked at each other with far too much excitement, a cause for concern for the hunter. "The third ending I've heard is that the wife is discovered to be killing other Devils so she can get her own set of evil pieces to reincarnate her husband as a Devil, so that they'll be together forever, but he strikes her down for murder, and goes on his way."

"Men really are the biggest monsters of them all, president." Akeno giggled grimly at Issei's scowl.

"What do Devils have against me?" He sighed, as the two girls giggled happily, using him for their amusement.

"Issei, you do know that Hunters are despised across the supernatural world, right? They're seen as honourless mercenaries that prey upon them." Rias explained, with a reassuring smile. "They're seen as products of sorcery that shouldn't exist, I mean centuries ago, every supernatural faction were terrified of them. Why do you think Humans were able to develop and advance so much over the past few centuries?"

"What do you mean, Rias?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Five-hundred years ago, Hunters were seen as the greatest threat to the supernatural world, when it was at its most chaotic. Humans were dying of diseases caused by demons, monsters and so on, while the church was too corrupt to help them. Hunters capitalized on this and got so good at their job, they eliminated most of Humanity's main threats, which is why the modern world is advanced as it was today. They mostly died out though, after running out of work."

"No one taught me this." Issei muttered.

"Maybe it's just my family. My grandparents hold a grudge against hunters for killing one of our ancestors." The redhead commented, beaming at Issei reassuringly.

"Do you hate me, Rias?"

"How could I possibly hate the man that saved me from a monster?" Rias said soothingly. "I won't lie, I did carry my family's grudge partially, but it all washed away after meeting you, Issei."

"The feelings are mutual when it comes to Devils." He beamed, glancing at both girls. "I never trusted them, until I met you two. I try not to hold a grudge against anyone I come across, even as a hunter. Even the monsters I have to kill, I know that sometimes it's not their fault, it's just how flawed nature is."

"Oh my, and here I thought hunters were all big, bad, emotionless killers." Akeno giggled, her voice trailing off into Issei's ears, making him wince in arousal. "But Issei's so in touch with his emotions."

"You should've seen when he fought the werewolf, he was like a machine. He had Koneko's strength and Yuuto's speed." Rias smirked. "He might be a great hunter, but he'd make an even better Devil. Right Akeno?"

"Indeed, president!" Akeno grinned, wrapping an arm around Issei, pushing her body weight against him. "So, changed your mind yet, Issei?"

"No."

"Awh, come on Issei!" Sighed both girls in defeat.

---

"Issei, I've left your motorcycle outside Kuoh academy, is that okay?" Tatsu's voice echoed over the phone, as he nodded happily, still sitting in the clubroom.

"Perfect, I'll grab it shortly. Thank you so much, uncle." Issei thanked him, before disconnecting his phone and smiling in glee.

"Your motorcycle's fixed?" Akeno asked him, as the young man stood up in delight. "Perfect. President, how long do we have left until we need to hunt the stray devil?"

"A few hours, why?" Rias called out, sat on the desk with a book.

"I'd like to go on a ride with Issei, if I'm not needed." The dark-haired girl chirped back, flashing her eyes at Issei convincingly.

"Sure, I don't mind." He shrugged.

"Not like I can stop you, can I?" Rias giggled, before raising her eyes and pulling out a jet-black helmet, gesturing Issei over. "Sorry it took so long, by the way. I'd forgotten to give it to you yesterday."

The hunter couldn't believe it - The same jet black helmet he'd wanted for months, that was sold out across the world, was here, in front of him. He didn't know whether to kiss the girl or the helmet first, as his hands traversed the front, feeling the metallic finishing on the visor.

"No way… Thank you, Rias. This is fucking beautiful." He gleamed with excitement, instantly putting the helmet over his head. "How'd you know I wanted this helmet?"

"I just asked the store owner if they knew who you were, and gave me it." She shrugged, as if acquiring this was no effort to the girl.

"I've been trying to get this for months, and I couldn't afford it either… How? Hell, how much was it? I can't take this for free." He exclaimed, tugging out his wallet, before Rias stopped him.

"Consider it a gift, or if you'd like, payment for the werewolf. After all, I never did pay you for getting rid of that werewolf, so consider that a contract." She replied softly.

"Just how rich are you?"

"I'm comfortable."

"That's what rich people say."

"... Fine, I'm wealthy, is that what you wanted to hear?" The redhead groaned in defeat.

"Rich and beautiful. Can I marry you?" Issei laughed, as Rias blushed hard and shook her head frantically.

"M-marriage? We don't even know each other that well and…" The redhead panicked to herself, looking away in embarrassment. "I mean, if it's Issei, I don't mind but… He's Human and I'm… Oh Satan, what do I do!"

"Rias, I'm joking." He reassured her, the redhead stopped, looking away in embarrassment, as he continued to chuckle. "Anyway, thank you again. I'm going to head out and test my bike, good luck with your devil hunting."

"Shall we go, Issei?" Akeno asked, waiting for him by the door.

---

"Wow, this is your bike?" Akeno exclaimed, running her hands against the dark metal frame of the young man's two-wheeled ride. "It's so beautiful."

"I know, it's so nice to have it again." Issei grinned, looking up at the sky, as the sun began to set. Perfect time to drive around. "So, where do you want to go?"

"Just around the block, if you would." The dark-haired girl chirped, as Issei got atop of his bike, beginning to rev the engine, his companion following by sitting behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

He'd never get tired of how the weight of her breasts rested against his back, or how tightly she gripped onto him. It seemed like every man who owned a motorcycle fantasized about this, having a girl gripping them, riding alongside them, almost like a romantic movie.

"Sure, sure. Hold tightly, alright?" He hummed back to the girl, before setting off, building up to his usual speed, foot switching between gears aimlessly, as he sped past cars and filtered through traffic with ease, circling Kuoh academy over and over again.

"This really does feel nice, Rias was right." Akeno whispered happily, the wind trailing against them. "I'd always wanted to do this, be atop a bike before. Part of me is scared, yet, I feel so safe around you, Issei."

"I'm a decent rider, you'll be safe, I promise. Enjoy the view, it's different from being in a car, right?" He replied, steering the bike with one hand, his other hand wrapping around Akeno's, their fingers interlocking.

"I've only ever taken trains and a car rarely, as we never really travel unless it's to the underworld to see the president's family." She remarked, her violent eyes gazing around the well-lit streets, the sky and the buildings flashing before her.

"If you ever want to do this again, I'll always make time for you." Issei agreed, as they drove through a small neighborhood, beginning to slow down.

"Time for me? How sweet, but I feel like you'd be far too busy with hunting, and teaching, if you do end up joining us at school."

"Like I said, I'll always make time. I'd never let life get in the way of what I want to do. Though, people might get the wrong idea if a student's always spending time around a teacher." Issei chuckled at the thought of a student-teacher romance, a taboo feat.

"It'd be romantic… A hunter and his devil, a teacher and his student. It sounds like a movie waiting to happen." Akeno trailed off, gripping his hand tightly. "And it seems like you enjoy having me by your backside."

"I do, it feels nice." He chuckled back.

"What feels nice, being with me, or feeling my breasts massage your back?" She cooed back to the young man.

Gone was the shy, conservative boy that watched himself around girls, and in its place was a more comfortable, confident Issei that felt like he could talk to Akeno all day with her teasing and shrug it off, if not hit her back with his own.

"Your massage does feel nice, yeah." He shook his head at the lewd thoughts clouding his mind, as Akeno giggled.

"Well, if you become a Devil, we could try doing magic rituals together to bolster your power." She hummed back.

"Very enticing, maybe one day." He shrugged back, not wanting to say no.

"One day… Mmh, I'm still thinking about the hunter stories we talked about in the clubroom," Akeno continued, changing the subject, as her flirty tone faded. "Issei, hypothetically speaking, would you ever date a devil?"

"If we get on well, love each other and have time, why not?" He shrugged.

Akeno's voice paused, trailing down to a whisper, as Issei sensed a pang of hurt from her voice. "What about a hybrid, something that's seen as a mutant? Could you love a girl that was considered a freak by everyone around her?"

"What do you mean?"

"Not all reincarnated devils used to be humans, some belong to supernatural races too." Akeno's softly explained. "I knew this girl growing up in the underworld, that was a half fallen angel, that was reincarnated. She'd received a lot of abuse growing up for her lineage, being seen as a freak, something that shouldn't have been made. I know you hunt monsters, so how would you see her?"

"Akeno, I'm considered the biggest freak among the supernatural. Do you really think I'd judge someone for where she's from or her blood?" Issei muttered, shaking his head in disapproval. "Besides, thinking about yourself as a freak and self-hatred is pointless. You should love yourself in spite of your flaws. We're more than just our blood."

The girl remained silent, humming and nodding, resting her face against his upper back, as the two remained silent, continuing to drive through the streets in silence, their thoughts deafened by the engine's purrs growling through the dark streets of Kuoh, before Issei wondered to himself - Was this girl talking about herself? Was this a different side of Akeno that he'd never seen before?

"Akeno."

"Yes, Issei?" She spoke under her breath.

"If this is about you, I won't ask or assume. It's personal and your business, and I'll only bring it up with you if you're comfortable with it," He reassured her, gripping her hand tightly. "But you're a beautiful girl, both physically and personality. You're not a freak, you deserve and will be loved by someone who sees you for who you are, not your perceived insecurities."

Akeno sighed with relief. She wanted to hear that, no, she needed to hear that, from a man that wasn't in her peerage. The girl had grown up with Yuuto, Rias and Koneko, to her, they were her siblings, ones she would die for, yet, the girl had always been insecure about her past, about her appearance and the wings on her back. What made it worse was the way this brown-haired stranger made his way into her life and played off all her 'tests' for men with flying colors. He was a pervert, but a friendly, innocent one. He'd shown no hostility, been kind and made her feel something warm flutter in her heart in under two days.

She could never say it out loud, but she felt something akin to jealousy with the way he spoke to Rias too, knowing that no matter what she did, her king had found him first, and had 'rights' to him, despite her denying her feelings for the young man. But, she had to tell him, she had to let him know how she felt, to be honest with her emotions, whatever they were.

"Isse, there is someone I like, though." Akeno hummed back at him. "Well, I don't know about 'like', but something of a minor crush, I guess."

"Yuuto?" He chuckled, as Akeno made an audible 'gak', and shook her head. "What's wrong with him? He's handsome, cute, no homo of course."

"No homo?" Akeno repeated his last phrase with a giggle. "Are you into men, Issei?"

"Fuck no, anyway, why not Yuuto?"

"He's like a brother to me! We grew up together in the same peerage." The queen shook her head, "Seeing him that way would weird me out no matter what."

"Then who is it?" He shrugged.

"...You."

Issei shut his mouth in fear of saying something idiotic. He heard it, despite her hushed whisper, and it made him panic partially - This was the second time a girl had admitted her feelings for him, yet so quickly? He didn't know what to say, or do, but he had to say something to ensure he didn't break this girl's heart or toy with her emotions.

But he thought about it. Akeno was gorgeous, amazingly so, he'd probably never see a girl like her again in his life. She was receptive to him, made him laugh and kept him on edge in the best way possible, yet he needed to get to know her better, much like with Rias. They had great chemistry, and she was around his age, he'd be lying if he said he didn't like her back to some degree.

"Akeno." He hummed her name quietly, before being interrupted.

"I don't expect you to like me back, or reciprocate my feelings. I just wanted to be honest and tell you how I feel, or I'd let it build up inside of me." Akeno whimpered back.

"What about me do you like? As far as I'm concerned, I'm a hunter, not a good person."

"You're strong, very good looking, and most importantly, whenever I'm with you, I feel something warm tingle inside of me," Akeno explained, her heart gushing out to the young man. "You make me feel safe. That, and what you just said earlier? How am I not supposed to fall for you when you say something like that?"

"We'd be moving too fast, and Ria-"

"Rias can wait her turn, it's not fair that I have to wait on another girl to confess my feelings. I don't mind if you don't accept them, but right here, right now, I have you all to myself." She giggled, nuzzling his back, as the young man began to slow his bike down, coming to a stop in a forested area, a view of the mountains far ahead.

"Akeno, I like you too, if it means anything." Issei smiled back, as the two disembarked off the bike, holding hands as they glanced off into the Kuoh countryside, admiring the mountains at sunset.

"You don't know how happy that makes me feel, but we'll have to take it slow." She smiled, hugging the brown-haired man again, as he returned it, caressing her back, while he felt her breasts squished up against his torso.

"Akeno, I can feel them squish up against me." He whispered into her ear, earning her giggle.

"Do you want to touch them? I don't mind, if it's you."

"What happened to moving slowly?" Issei chuckled back, ignoring her offer.

"True, we'll have to keep this a secret from the other girls… You're not seeing anyone else, are you?" Akeno asked, looking up at him with a pout.

"Kind of. My ex is coming back to town soon." He recalled, as Akeno looked annoyed, but continued to hug him. "But we won't be doing anything romantic, just catching up."

"Mou… I don't want to lose you to someone else." Akeno shook her head, as Issei chuckled back, running his hand through her hair and patting her head gently, reassuring the girl, as she smiled and continued to nuzzle his chest. "Mmh, that feels nice."

"I can't promise anything, but let's try to make it work… Whatever we have going o-" He was interrupted by the sound of his phone ringing, picking up and answering it. "Weird, no one ever calls me. Hello?"

"Is this Hyoudou Issei?" Came the voice of a guff, elder man, his voice cool and collected.

"Who is this and how'd you get my number?" Issei replied aggressively, Akeno glancing at him awkwardly. She raised an eyebrow at the caller's voice, sounding oddly specific.

"Is that… No way, it can't be him, there's no way the two are affiliated." Akeno poindered to herself, denying the connection.

"Relax, I was given your number by Shamil." The caller replied, chuckling at Issei's tone, causing the boy to calm down at the mention of his mentor's name.

"You need a monster slain?" He asked, opening the trunk of his motorcycle. "Yep, sword's still there."

"Ever heard of a Tengu?"

---

"So, are we hunting a Tengu?" Akeno chimed in, Issei's hands gripping the handlebars of his bike, rushed on full throttle as he zoomed past the Kuoh countryside, passing alongside the town's mountains.

"We are not hunting anything, I'm going to take care of a Youkai problem." He corrected her, a hint of irritation in his voice.

---

"Yeah, I'm familiar with Youkai, why?" Issei replied to his mystery caller.

Tengu were a category of mischievous, humanoid Youkai with avian features. In ancient times, they were heralded as violent demons and harbingers of war, until the Heian period. The Heian period was an era of mysticism and lost history to man, where no one truly knew what happened, but if the legends were true, it involved giant Samurais slaughtering evil Youkai and pushing them to the brink of existence.

Hence why Tengus were demoted from demigods of war, to mischievous forest and mountain spirits. While all Youkai had to follow a code of conduct when it came to the Human world, their mischievous nature would often overcome then and cause them to interact with Humans, occasionally causing attacks, murders and even half-breeds. At least, that's what most modern tengus were, having evolved to adapt to the modern age. The remaining were dangerous, but rare.

"I've received reports of a giant, bird-like creature terrorizing people by the foothills of Mount Kuoh. It's said to wield two swords and while no deaths have been reported yet, it sounds like it's not an ordinary Tengu." The caller continued, as Issei raised an eyebrow in worry.

"Judging by the sound of it, this isn't a normal Tengu. Do you know if it has a mas-" Issei questioned.

"It has a mask." The caller interrupted, causing the hunter to curse. "Yeah, you will be fucked if you let it free."

"How do I know you're not fucking with me?" The hunter replied, to which the caller chuckled.

"Check your bank account." The voice chimed.

Issei did as instructed, tapping a button on his phone before guffawing at the numbers - Over one-hundred thousand yen had been deposited into his account by someone under the name of 'Az A. Z.'. No one had that kind of money to throw around casually when it came to his business, unless they were serious.

"That's a lot of money," He remarked, smirking - God, he forgot how well paid hunters were. "I'm assuming you're Az?"

"Yeah, you can call me that." 'Az' chuckled. "Half after you kill it. Sound good?"

"Yep, anything else you want to tell me before I go?"

"Don't die."

---

"But why? I want to see you fight!" Akeno whined, refusing to let go of him, with the young man shaking his head in disapproval. "I've fought Youkai too, I can help you."

"Akeno, this isn't a normal one, it's an old Tengu, one of the fucked up ones that survived the Heian genocide." He explained, shuddering at the thought of it.

The Tengu of old in the Heian period were monstrous warriors, often slaughtering villages and claimed the upper-ranks of the Youkai caste for their strength. While most of them had either surrendered and changed their ways, or died, in an event known as the Heian genocide, a few had survived after sealing their bodies away into masks. These cursed Tengu masks were mostly kept away, but occasionally found their way into the public, and much like a Sacred Gear, when a human donned them, the Tengu would reawaken. It was bad news, even for a hunter. Though, he was glad it was a monster he was familiar with.

"Issei, I know." Akeno sighed, glaring daggers at him behind his back. "Do you think I'm some innocent girl you can play hero with? I want to make sure my boyfriend is safe."

"Boyfriend? I thought you said we were going to take it slow."

"Does that mean we're not in a relationship?"

"Shit, she's got me there." He sighed, shaking his head in defeat.

In her defense, Akeno was strong. He'd never seen it personally, but he could tell that the girl held a vast amount of magical energy in her reserves, carrying blood other than a Devil's. Whatever it was, he couldn't tell, but it reminded him of Yuuma. Shrugging, he buried the thought to the back of his head and carried on. The hunter would just have to be extra careful and ensure she was safe.

"Fine, but you have to be careful. If it looks too dangerous, you have to promise to stay away." Issei gave in, shaking his head in defeat.

"The same goes for you. I don't want to see you hurt." Akeno chided back, brushing a hand over his right side.

The hunter was enjoying this too much, the feeling of having someone care for him. "Getting hurt is usually part of the job, Hunters die all the time. It's better if I get hurt or get killed, provided you're safe."

"Don't say things like that."

"Okay, okay! Fine, Akeno, stop pinching me!" He yammered, to her pleasure, as she giggled and gave way.

The two began to approach a massive mountain, even among the vast hills that constituted Kuoh's countryside, Mount Kuoh stood atop them all. It held a long history of housing Youkai, among other supernatural beings, but was always seen as a peaceful place. Issei himself remembered visiting the spa there years ago on a 'healing trip' with his parents.

"This place brings back memories." He hummed, slowing down as the two pulled up the footpath leading up the mountain.

"Did you come here often?" Akeno asked, as the two disembarked the bike, Issei pulled out his silver sword with a grunt, as he gestured her to follow him up the path, watchful eyes scanning the night sky for any sudden movements.

"Once, there used to be an onsen nearby that my parents and I went to when I was young, it was one of the best times of my life." He continued, reminiscent of the old days, as he clutched the handle of his blade tightly - His grip had increased too, as well as his muscle mass, he was more than confident he could slaughter this Tengu with ease. "I wonder if it's still around."

The hunter felt adrenaline rush through him, combined with the primal, masculine urge to impress and protect the girl alongside him, flushed with a proud grin. He wanted to scream out and summon the Tengu to him, feeling like he could take on the entire world and win, but he was smarter than that. Any advantage he could muster tactically, be it sneaking, or a few seconds to prepare himself, were what could make the difference in battle.

"It sounds wonderful, I remember times like that with my family too." Akeno laughed at his newfound, happy expression. She enjoyed seeing the man like this, happy and without the usual look of stress behind those tired, pained eyes. "How far we've come, if it's still open, we should visit there one day."

"I'd love to, or we can go to Kyoto," He smiled at the thought of being in an onsen with the girl, sharing a bath naked with her. He hadn't even done that with Yuuma.

"It's a little out of my budget, unless I ask Rias for a greater allowance, not that I want to," Akeno sighed out of embarrassment.

"Who said you're paying?"

"Oh my, how manly!"

"My mentor's old school, he always insisted when I got a girlfriend, I should treat her and use my money for experiences together, rather than gifts." The hunter reminisced, before pausing at the sudden change in winds, someone, or something was nearing them. "Hear that?"

"Yes, are you ready?" Akeno nodded, shifting her stance to match his own prepared one, as the bushes nearby began to shuffle frantically, as the sound of something resembling a crow began to creep closer toward the pair.

What approached them was something unworldy. What had once been a man rushed toward the two, flying down upon two massive, crow-like wings. The red-skinned giant of a man wearing a black kimono descended upon the two all of a sudden, wielding two enormous katanas in either hand.

This thing had to be nearly ten-feet tall, judging by its proportions and size, as Issei gestured to Akeno to take a step back, steeling himself slowly. Where it's face was, sat a red, Tengu mask, it's long nose almost comical, if the monster wasn't so intimidating.

As the Tengu's wings flapped, a small gust of wind followed every movement, it descended a few feet away from the two, before taking a hearty laugh and glancing at the two, particularly that of Issei. He seemed to show no threat, at least for the moment, as his blades sat idle in his hands.

"Well met, hunter!" The tengu's low, guttural voice roared with pride, nodding toward the two "And you as well, Devil. I am Borobo."

"Got a call saying you were terrorizing Humans nearby, you know that goes against the laws." Issei explained, his voice taking a low, confident tone. It almost never worked, but some monsters were often receptive to diplomacy, especially ones who were polite enough to introduce themselves.

"I had a feeling that they would send a hunter, but not one of such caliber as yourself, boy! I could smell your energy a mile away." Borobo laughed, shaking his head in disapproval, his wings beginning to fold up. "But I did not simply 'terrorize' the villagers, I was looking for a challenge!"

"Couldn't you go to a Youkai land and fight them, instead of striking down innocent humans?" Issei pondered.

"It has been five centuries of sleep, my people were not exactly accepting of me upon my return. They requested I leave and return to my slumber, for I was not willing to participate in their new ways." The giant Tengu explained, gesturing with his blades. "Can you imagine returning to your people, having once been a chieftain of your tribe, only to be admonished and exiled? I must remind them of our strength, and have them return to tradition!"

Issei shook his head in disapproval. As friendly as this Tengu was, he was more honorable than moral. He'd come across this type before, the type of monster he'd dubbed 'battle freaks'. Many Youkai and other monsters came from warrior cultures, bound to honor and conversations before fights. It also meant they were usually very strong, having no need to rely on cunning or trickery.

"I understand, but I don't make the rules, I just enforce them. Sorry, Borobo." He shrugged calmly, grip tightening around his blade. If he could get a sneak attack, it'd save him the effort, but part of him wished to respect Borobo's upfront behavior. It'd been too long since he'd been treated with respect from an enemy. "I'll give you a choice, either give me your mask and I'll put you to sleep somewhere safe, or I can take the mask by force. Don't choose the second option, it'll make your life harder."

"Issei, why can't we let him live? He hasn't killed anyone." Akeno interrupted the two, as they glanced toward her in confusion.

"Because he's still attacking normal Humans with no idea about the supernatural. He has to follow the respective laws of his faction, as do any of us. I can't change that." He explained, despite agreeing with Akeno.

"But still, couldn't you make an exception?" Akeno offered, glancing at Borobo sympathetically.

"Unfortunately, both the good hunter and I are bound to these laws. I understand, though it appears we will have to fight. May I know your name, boy?" Borobo nodded in agreement with the hunter. He too, understood the need for laws, even if he disagreed with them.

"Hyoudou Issei." Issei continued, before assuming a stance by wielding his sword with two hands. "If it's any consolation, you're the nicest Youkai I've met."

"So be it, Hyoudou Issei." The tengu noted, holding his own blades up to match Issei's stance. "Then we shall fight to the death, I have only lost a single fight in seven-hundred years, prepare yourself!"

"Akeno, get back!" Issei roared, pushing the girl back as Borobo pounced on the young hunter, barely able to bring his blade up to block the Tengu's overhead strike, slamming his sword away to parry the blow.

Just from one strike, the hunter was shocked. This wasn't a regular Tengu, but one that belonged to the mythical Heian period, this was a monster that had fought the hunters and samurai of old and lived to tell the tale. His strength matched that too, as Issei was gasping already, having to summon nearly all of his full strength to counter the blow.

"Excellent block, hunter! Now, show me yours!" Borobo remarked, standing merely a few feet away from him, as his brown hair flowed back with the wind.

Jumping up at the Tengu, Issei was surprised at his own strength and speed - He was considerably faster than what he once was, naturally able to swing his blade harder and faster than previously, as every strike the Tengu brought down on him was blocked with his sword, or dodged by his footwork. He found himself ducking the occasional side-swing, before attempting to plunge his blade inside the Tengu's hide, making a considerable dent.

"How do you like that silver?" He chuckled, as Borobo grunted in response, bringing a huge, muscular arm back and swinging it at him, sending his body flying against a nearby rock. "Fuck."

Stumbling back, he tried to break out of his daze, yet the Tengu had already flown toward him with considerable speed, his own sword out of his hands. Instinctively rolling out of the way of a strike, he looked back to see the rock sliced clean in half by one of the red behemoth's blades, as it turned toward Issei again, blocking him from his own sword.

"Issei! Are you alright?" Akeno called out, as she began to charge a ball of lightning in her hands, a look of rage on her face.

"This fight is between the hunter and I, Devil." Borobo hissed, before returning to the shaken hunter. "What will you do now, unarmed and alone, hunter?"

The shift in the Tengu's personality was immense. Gone was the honourable, noble Youkai who introduced himself out of courtesy, and in its place stood the giant, demonic swordsman that Issei was familiar with. He'd already started bleeding from his cheek from the earlier punch, as the hunter's messy hair covered his eyes and panted frantically.

Ignoring Borobo's taunt, he snapped his fingers, summoning a ball of fire in one hand, and a small ball of lightning in the other - Nowhere near as potent or strong as Akeno's, but it'd serve as his usual tactic; distraction. He desperately flung balls of elemental magic against the Tengu, who seemed to slice through it with supernatural speed, much to his disappointment, but it was all he needed, as the boy began to rush toward the Tengu's monstrous, crow-like feet.

"This is all the magic you have? Pathetic." Hissed the Yokai swordsman, shaking his head in anger. "Show me more! Have you hunters gotten weak over the centuries?"

"Or we're just smarter." Issei spat, as he slid underneath the Tengu's legs, flexing his own legs and assuming a half-squat position before propelling himself onto the air, climbing onto his adversary's back.

Borobo winced, as he felt the hunter's thick, strong arm wrap around his neck, as well as his two, tree-trunk like legs, gripping on it for dear life, as the Tengu gasped for breath and roared with rage. When Borobo couldn't reach for the boy, the flap of his powerful wings sent both of them into the air, with Issei tightening his grip as hard as possible, yet he felt his stamina sap away at him, for this monster's neck was far too thick for him to hold for too long.

"Many hunters have tried to fight me, only to fall to their deaths. Will you be the next, Hyoudou Issei?" Taunted the demonic crow, as the beast had flown halfway up the mountain, with the two suspended in mid air, before the Tengu ducked and began to fling himself toward the ground.

He panicked, feeling his body being flung away, losing grip as his skin loosened from the air resistance brushing against his body, till his grip finally gave in, the boy sliding off the maniacal Tengu.

"Fuck." He spat, looking down to his eventual fall - He was lucky if he'd survive this fall with a few broken bones, but there was no way he'd win this fight without an act of God.

"Here we are again, eh, boy?" Came the voice regretfully familiar to him, as the green glyph on his left arm began to grow stronger, a tinge of pain following.

"Piss off." He roared at the voice, only seeming to get stronger at his resistance.

"You'll die if you don't use it, and the girl will die too, if not worse. You know how Youkai are over women." Came another voice, belonging to one of his predecessors.

"I can't….Ddraig was right, I can't take this thing on alone, it's too fucking strong." He winced, continuing to plunge further down to the ground, before sighing. "I who is abo-"

"Issei!" Akeno cried out, as he felt something suspend his fall, before looking up to see the black-haired devil cling onto his shirt as tightly as possible, her bat-like wings flapping away. "Are you okay?"

"Better now that you're here." He smiled in victory, looking down to see Borobo awaiting him, the Tengu unfazed by a fall, as Akeno handed him his sword. "Did I ever mention how beautiful your hair looks in the wind?"

"It's a start." She chimed gracefully, as the two landed atop a rock formation, before he brought her in for a sudden, deep hug. "N-not right now! We're in the middle of a fight!"

"He can wait, you saved my life." He whispered back, before breaking the hug and turning back toward his opponent. "That thing nearly killed me so quickly, I'm an idiot for trying that."

"You certainly are! What would I have done if my boyfriend died on our first date?" Akeno scolded him, tugging on his ear playfully, her giggles bringing a newfound energy to him. The urge to fight, and to protect her sending another course of adrenaline and strength through his body.

"This is a date to you? You're awfully sadistic." He chuckled alongside her, shaking his head.

"How'd you know? But if it's you, I can be a masochist too." She teased, sticking her tongue out at him with a wink. "Though, what are we going to do about that nasty crow?"

"I have a plan," He smirked, before turning toward his lover. "You can use lightning magic, right?"

Akeno nodded, as she summoned another ball of lightning in her hand - Even with this, he could tell it was far stronger than his, which made it perfect for his next move.

"Tengu's are weak to lightning, I tried that earlier, but he's too fast and my magic is shit." He sighed, before grabbing ahold of Akeno's arms with a determined glance, earning her blush. "Akeno, I need you."

"Anything for you." She smiled back, brushing a hand against his cheek, before wiping away some of the dried up blood. "We'll have to teach you magic after this, won't I?"

"I'd love that," The hunter nodded, before continuing. "Keep your distance from us, and when I say so, summon the strongest piece of lightning you can, and direct it at my sword. It'll hopefully kill him in one shot."

"But it'll hurt you too, won't it?" She panicked, hesitantly agreeing to his plan.

"Not if I'm fast enough to hit him. Trust me, I'll be fine." He said a final time, before holding the girl's head in his arm and pecking her cheek with a quick kiss, earning another blush of embarrassment.

"I could get addicted to this, stay safe, Issei!" She waved him off, as the girl's face was ecstatic with happiness, her lightning suddenly seeming to increase in potency along with it.

"She'll probably shock me if I look at another girl." Chuckled the Hunter, as he rushed back toward the awaiting Tengu.

"So, you survived that too! I'm impressed, hunter. It appears the climax of our battle is at an end." Borobo gestured toward him, as the two stood parallel to one another, blades clutched, while Issei steeled his breathing. "Our next flurry of blows will decide the victor!"

"So be it, Borobo." He nodded, before dashing up against the behemoth.

He struck with all his might, as every muscle in his body contracted and grew sore, yet he refused to stop, set on blocking every strike the tengu brought down against him, over and over, the clang of metal colliding, the sparks of their blades striking one another sent waves of exultation throughout his being. In this moment, sweat trickled down his body, partially terrified and part excited, Issei was at his peak. Locked in eternal battle with an enemy that could spell certain death made him grin like a madman. It was here he realized that Ddraig was right.

He wasn't a human, he was just masquerading as one. When he embraced his true-self, utilizing his gifts, fighting was his forte, his greatest skill. A normal human would've died from the first punch the Tengu delivered, where he shrugged it off, where Borobo's katanas slashed at him, a normal human would have collapsed or their muscles failed, while his stayed strong as ever, countering and matching the Tengu's blows pound-for-pound, strike-for-strike.

"Wonderful, absolutely wonderful!" Borobo remarked, beaming with newfound pride for his opponent. "Such powerful strikes, such wild, untamed strength! This is what I wanted, Hyoudou Issei, to fight a warrior such as yourself!"

"You're not so bad yourself." He panted out huskily, before bringing his sword back and slicing upward, delivering a minor cut toward his opponent's abdomen, before twirling around to dodge another strike.

His fighting style was akin to dancing, having been taught by a man who was himself, educated by Naqshbandi sufis in Dagestan, a group of mystic warriors, who utilized dancing for combat purposes. Shamil's lessons kicked in now, as Issei twirled, ducked and muscle-memory from his footwork allowed him to dodge his opponent's wild strikes, until he'd finally felt his brain give way. Gone were tactical thoughts, and in its place, was the years of training kicking in, allowing him to react near-instantaneously.

"Time to end this!" He roared out, as Boboro delivered another strike, just as he'd anticipated, before parrying it with all his might, utilizing his entire body weight to spin around, causing his opponent's arm to go flying back. Raising his sword in the air, he signaled to her. "Akeno, now!"

"Coming right up!" The still giddy devil gleed, as a trail of lightning sparked, filling Issei's sword to the brim, causing it to glow red-hot with energy, his own hands beginning to burn too, but he paid it no mind.

Here, he looked like a hero out of an epic, blessed by lightning itself, in a battle-to-the-death with a monstrous demon upon a mountain, as night time slowly came. It was the stuff of legends, the same tales of hunters he'd heard about growing up. Perhaps one day, he too would have fables written about his monster hunting.

"By the power of Greyskull," He chanted in a mixture of laughter and sarcasm, partially embarrassed by the fact no one would ever get the reference. "I am He-Man!"

"What in Amaterasu's name is that?" The red tengu muttered in shock, taken aback by the sudden lightning. To an old youkai, it was as if the Gods themselves had come down to bless this hunter and aid him in his final fight, to which he smiled. "Very well then, Hyoudou Issei, I recognize you as worthy! My power is yours, if you can take it!"

Boboro dropped his blades, widening his guard as Issei roared at the top of his lungs, rushing up to the Youkai and jumping, before lunging up against the red giant's chest, impaling his blade a foot-deep inside his opponent. He knew human anatomy, he also knew exactly where the heart was, as metric tons of lightning slowly discharged itself in his opponent's body, smoke and sparks flying all over, before letting go of the sword and falling to the floor.

The tengu's final scream rang throughout all of mount Kuoh, as he slowly began to dissipate, his body crumbling to dust, as the hunter smiled with glee. They'd finally achieved victory, despite the injuries on his body, which were far too minor respective to his opponent's for the hunter to care. His palms had mild burn marks, but nothing severe, he'd heal tomorrow with ease. He was far too happy to care anyway.

"Issei, you did it!" Came Akeno's joyful voice, rushing up to the young man and embracing him again, before the two glanced back at the remnant's of Boboro's corpse, leaving nothing but his sword and the red mask.

"We did it." He corrected her, as he patted her head playfully, thanking her for her help. "I could've died, or something bad could've happened, so thank you for coming with me, Akeno."

"It's a woman's job to make sure her man doesn't do anything stupid," She giggled. The girl had no idea how stupid his original plan was.

"I'm sorry I doubted you, you're welcome any time on a hunt." He murmured, before walking over to the Tengu's corpse, sheathing his blade and taking a hold of the mask. "Guess I can keep this as a souvenir."

"Hyoudou Issei." Boboro's voice rang in his head. "I give you my mask as a reward. I have searched for a man worthy of my power, and I give you this. Only use it when you must, for my power comes at a burden, but use it, and you will be gifted with my strength."

"Sounds like bullshit, but I'll take it anyway. Thank you, Boboro. I'm sorry we had to meet under these circumstances." He replied, as he placed the mask into his satchel.

"When the time comes, you will see. Be warned, the rage of a Tengu may consume you, if you are not prepared. Goodbye for now, boy." The tengu muttered, as his voice faded away.

"Looks like I'm keeping this mask." Issei paused, as the pair stood together, glancing off at the mountains. "The view here really is beautiful."

"Indeed, I never thought Kuoh would be this beautiful at night." She remarked, glancing off at the town's illuminated lights, contrasting with the mountain's darkness and starry skies.

"But not as beautiful as you." He chuckled.

"You're so cheesy."

"I won't deny that, but I mean it." He hummed into her ear, as he placed a hand against her red cheek, both pausing for a second, as they closed their eyes and began to shift closer to one another.

"Issei, is that you?" Another voice interrupted them, causing the young man to curse in irritation, as the pair looked away from each other in embarrassment, only for Issei to curse again at the visitor.

"Yuuma?" The bloodied hunter roared in confusion.

"Yuuma?" Akeno raised an eyebrow of concern.

"My ex-girlfriend." He explained, as Akeno threateningly glared at their new guest. "Why are you here, Yuuma?"

"I heard a scream nearby, and I wanted to see what happened." The dark-haired girl replied stoically, as her black dress fluttered with the wind, her long hair flowing with it, as those eye's he'd once loved gazed at him with interest.

"No, I mean why are you here, in Kuoh? You said you'd come in a month." He spat, keeping an arm around Akeno's shoulders.

"My meeting got changed, I was going to call you, but I just arrived a few hours ago…" Yuuma trailed off, as Akeno gleaned back at the hunter.

"Issei, I think the president is calling me." She gestured toward the occult, red symbol suddenly appearing on the floor, much to his disappointment.

"Shit. I'm sorry we didn't have more time together, Akeno." He apologized, nodding for her to leave.

"Don't be, it was a wonderful date." She smiled, before pecking him on the cheek. "This won't be enough, but I hope this will suffice till tomorrow. I believe you'll need time to get reacquainted with her, no?"

"Akeno, I…" He blushed out of embarrassment, as Yuuma glared daggers at the giddy Devil. "Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow. Stay safe for me."

The girl waved a final goodbye, before dissipating into the teleportation circle, leaving the former lovers alone, while Issei stood his ground in a mix of anger and curiosity. He didn't know whether to hug her, or walk away from the fallen angel.

"Issei, can we like… Talk?" Yuuma pleaded, as he nodded and walked alongside her.

---

"I thought you'd quit hunting, but here you are!" Yuuma giggled, as the two sat in the cafe's booth, Issei taking another sip of his strong, dark coffee.

"That's what I wanted, but I came across a werewolf the other day, and it just kickstarted again. It's given me something to do." He explained, glancing around the dimly lit cafe for any other patrons, yet it was empty, much to his delight. "Besides, I'm starting to think it's what I'm meant to do."

"That, and seducing highschool girls?" His former lover teased, glancing at him with a mild hint of irritation.

"I'm still eighteen, you do remember that, right?" Issei hissed back in defense.

"Age doesn't matter anyway." Yuuma shrugged. "Has she been treating you well?"

"Of course it wouldn't, you're a cougar anyway." He responded, raising an eyebrow. "And yes, she has. Why are you so interested?"

"I just want to know if you're doing well, I do care about you." She reminded him, her soothing tone causing him to calm down.

"My bad, it's just been a while since I've seen you." Issei shook his head. "You look good, I like what you've done with your hair."

"You do? I've been trying to grow it out." She smiled back, waving her head to let her dark locks flow back and forth. "You look different too, you've gotten buffer. I bet you've been working out plenty, judging by those muscles, wonder if I could grate rocks on those abs…"

"Yuuma, you're drooling." Issei chuckled, continuing to drink his coffee quietly. "Seems like you haven't been seeing anyone since me, have you?"

She shook her head quietly, glancing away in embarrassment, before taking a sudden breath and looking back toward him, then pausing again. She didn't know what to say, part of her wanted to confess her true feelings, yet the fallen angel knew that'd risk the whole operation, not to mention how much stronger he'd become in the past few months she hadn't seen him, having witnessed the boy tear down a tengu.

"No, I haven't. I've been too busy with work." She sighed, shaking her head in defeat. "Not like there's any guys at work that are into me, they're all either gay, battle maniacs or prefer non-grigori women."

"That's funny as shit, I thought grigori women were supposed to be some of the most attractive girls in the world." The hunter reminisced, reminded of his old flame's bragging in the past.

"I told you that because I wanted you to worship me." Yuuma giggled back, stretching out a hand toward his own. "I've missed you, Issei."

"I've missed you too." He nodded back quietly, as he slid his hand away, much to her disappointment. "I've missed us, but I feel like you're hiding something from me."

Yuuma paused, taken aback by his observations. Normally, Issei would've never suspected anything from her, having been too lovestruck to read her like he could now, but the honeymoon period in his old relationship had long since passed. Gone was the lovesick puppy, and in its place was the cold, dark hunter she'd witnessed on the mountain tops.

Yuuma couldn't escape his questions this time.

"What if I am? It's confidential grigori business, so it's not that big of a deal." Yuuma shrugged, rolling her eyes at his question, attempting to play off his suspicions.

"It is when stray exorcists start attacking people, and you start importing children with sacred gears into my town." He spat, clenching his fist. The hunter's voice had dropped down to a hoarse grunt, as those sharp, hazel eyes pierced her own. "Not to mention that the werewolf I killed was put there by those same exorcists, for some fucking reason."

"I had no idea about the werewolves, but the girl's not your business." Yuuma hissed back defensively, her own eyes glaring back at him. "She joined us willingly."

"So you coerced a fifteen year old girl in her moment of weakness and offered her a refuge?" He spat back, recalling the details he was fed by Tatsu. "Asia Argento, a fifteen year old nun that was excommunicated by the church for healing a Devil. With nowhere else to run, the Grigori recruited her under the guise of refuge."

"How'd you know all about that?" She stammered in shock, as her face slowly turned to anger. "And why does a monster hunter even care? You literally have nothing to do with this."

"Raynare." He spat, calling her by her real name. He knew how much she hated that, judging by the sudden fist slamming against the table. "This isn't like you, I know you."

Yuuma got up, excusing herself from the booth as the girl began to walk away, attempting to escape his questioning. But no matter how fast the girl walked, the hunter was better. Issei's reflexes kicked in, as he rushed after her outside the cafe, rushing into a quiet alleyway, as the hunter pinned her up against a wall, their faces merely inches from each other, his taller, stronger body easily able to cast a long, dark shadow against her.

"What do you want from me? An apology, or for me to give her up to you? What is it that you want from me, Issei?" Yuuma spat at him with hostility, her violet eyes glaring at him with rage. "Do you think you're some kind of hero, going out of your way to protect people?"

"Twilight healing," He continued, his voice stoic as ever. "A sacred gear that has the power to heal people - I wondered why the grigori would want someone like that, but then it clicked. Fallen Angels lost their immortality and their healing when they fell from heaven, and having access to Twilight Healing gives them that power back."

"And? Asia would be welcome in our ranks," She hissed back at him, as her voice got louder and more aggressive with each passing word. "What would you know about that, hunter? When all you've ever known is violence and abuse, is that the kind of life you'd welcome her too?"

"You think I don't know when you're lying through your fucking teeth?" Issei roared back, placing a hand aside her head, his face inching closer, and closer toward her own. "You think I don't know about the sacred gear removal technique? That you want to sacrifice her life as a tool? Raynare, you're a bitch, but you're not evil!"

"And how would you know that?" Yuuma growled back, shifting a leg up against his crotch threateningly.

"You tend to know a girl when she trusts you with preening her wings." The man chuckled, as his long, brown hair draped over his face, his messy, gruffled face and breath brushing up against the fallen angel's.

"That was…" She trailed off, smiling for a moment. "That was nice, but what if I told you that the girl you fell in love with was a persona, something I did for fun to pass the time?"

Something in his heart sank, as Yuuma's maniacal smirk began to stir something within him, something painful, the same feelings he'd suffered from when the girl left him for work. But he wasn't the same boy he once was, he'd had time to overcome the pain, to find someone new, to work on himself. Gone was the Issei that was reliant on Yuuma for approval, for a feeling of romance. Besides, right now, he was still the hunter of monsters.

"Then you're one hell of an actress, especially with how you moaned when I plucked your feathers." Issei chuckled, earning a faint blush of embarrassment on her face, grinning perversely. "Those were good times."

"They were, I just wish we had more time then," Yuuma sighed back, eyes drooping down toward him. "Fuck, you've really gotten big. Your girlfriend's lucky."

Yuuma gasped out loud, running a hand over his torso, raising an eyebrow at his newly-sculpted physique, brushing over every throbbing, hard muscle, before he grabbed her hand and shoved it away with a scowl.

"Who said you could feel me up?" Issei growled back, staring up at her face. He hated that it still sent butterflies through his stomach, before sighing. "You know I have Akeno now, and what we had can never work again."

"Even for one night? We can pretend we're strangers and move on afterwards." She pouted, wrapping an arm around his waist, as she dug him closer, nails slowly trailing against the back of his neck. "It's been so long since I've felt loved, Issei."

"And it's been a long time for me too, but no." He hesitantly refused. Every urge as a man screamed at him to pin her down, to take her back as his own, but he knew better. "Yuuma, I loved you, hell, a part of me still does, but you broke my heart. The only reason I haven't walked into that church and murdered everyone is because you're here."

"Were you always this manly?" She raised an eyebrow, biting her lower lip in response to his threat. "Not that you could kill Dohnaseek, he's too strong, even for me."

"And were you always this bitchy?" Issei spat, as he noted the mentioned name. "That your boss?"

"Yep, he's been orchestrating this entire operation, since I got moved to this sacred gear retrieval mission." Yuuma continued, keeping up her cold facade.

"Any chance you can stop it?" He asked, to which the girl shook her head. "Fuck."

"Yeah, I kind of wanna."

"Can you stop being so horny for five minutes?"

"Not around you, no."

"This is why I hate older women." He sighed in defeat with a laugh. If he didn't know her so well, he'd be uncomfortable. "Look, if you help me, we can save Asia and get you out scott-free. I can help you, find you a place to live and something to do."

"And live as a normal human? No." Yuuma shrugged at his offer.

"Yuuma, I'm trying to help you right now. I don't want to have to kill you, because I will."

"Issei, no." She sighed. "I can't back out now, I've been promised something that'll be worth it all."

"And that is?"

"Returning to heaven, absolution of my sins." She explained, as the hunter chuckled.

"Sounds like bullshit." He smirked, offending the girl. "There's no way for you to get back to heaven, unless an angel promised you it."

"It was a fallen angel, a very powerful one at that." She went on. "It's my only shot, and you wouldn't get it."

"He's playing you," Issei continued. "If fallen angels knew how to return, do you think they wouldn't have by now?"

Raynare paused, as the stress of their conversation began to build-up, her eyes beginning to tear up, pressing her face up against his shoulder in fear and sadness. He'd been through this before, having to comfort the emotionally unstable girl over her insecurities. Part of him noted that this might be a recurring pattern with the type of women he was into, but he buried it to the back of my mind as he lay a hand against her back, embracing her.

"I know! You think I don't know? But I have nothing else to live for!" Raynare sobbed away, muttering into his clothes. "You're a human, you'd never understand how it feels to have some place eternal to call home, knowing you're safe and loved there forever. If I knew what falling was like, I would've never left. I've never been happy here, except…"

"Except what?"

"...Except you, Issei. Being with you was the only time I felt at home. When we went out on dates, when you took me around Kuoh, our first kiss, our first date, when your parents showered me with love. But that's gone now." Yuuma exclaimed, facing him with teared-up eyes, mascara dripping down her cheeks, as Issei began to wipe it away from her face. "All because of my own mistake."

"It doesn't have to be the end. We can still make it work, I can help you. All you have to do is say the word, Ray." He assured her.

"You have a girlfriend, and you're a hunter. It'd never work. It doesn't matter how long you'd live for, I might go crazy and keep trying this again, and you'd be too busy killing monsters, dying one day. Do you know what that's like for me?" Raynare ranted, roaring at him, as she bashed an arm against his shoulder in frustration. "You were the only man I'd ever cared for, and if I lost you, I'd probably kill myself as well."

"You're talking crazy, mortal life is nice."

"And you're crazy in general. Do you know what they say about your kind at the grigori institute, Issei?" Raynare whined, as her wings unfolded themselves, dark feathers flowing through the alleyway. "They say that you're all monsters, unholy creations of Humanity, made to murder us, that you shouldn't exist. They're both terrified of you and want to eradicate you, what kind of advice is 'mortal life is nice' supposed to fucking mean? And with regular Humans, it's even worse, some of them see you as nothing more than cattle! How would an angel like me even begin to comprehend being mortal?"

"Do you know why your people, and the gods envy Humans?" He asked calmly, ignoring her rant, as she shook her head in sadness. "They envy us, they envy us because we're mortal - Because any moment might be our last, everything's more beautiful, because we're doomed."

"But why would you look forward to death?" Yuuma snapped.

"You will never be more beautiful than you are now, here in this moment. It's something I've learned as I've actually started to live my life. Instead of trying another crazy plan to get your immortality back, come back to me, let's live life together, properly." The hunter reassured her, as he placed his head above her own, cuddling her softly. "You'll never have to be alone again, I know you, Raynare."

"You should hate me, not give me advice, especially after I broke your heart."

"I did hate you. I hated you for the longest time, I cursed God, and I cursed you for making me depressed enough to lose meaning in life." He sighed, looking toward the sky as he comforted the girl. "But I remembered that you were there for me when I was at my worst, when I was still an insecure boy, and whether you intended it or not, you helped me change into something better. I could not be what I am now without you. It's part of why I loved you, and I can't let you do this to yourself. You're better than that."

"You… You really have matured, you're right there." Raynare sniffled, brushing away another tear with a weak smile. "Issei, part of me wishes I never left you, but I'm sorry, I can't be saved. But, take this as consolation, I'm sorry I couldn't give you more."

"Rayn-" He called out to her a final time, as she pressed her lips against his own, bringing the man in for a sudden, surprise kiss, catching him off-guard. Returning it wholeheartedly, he gripped onto the girl for dear life, before she finally broke it, pushing him away as her wings flapped, flying off into the distance.

"Don't come after me, Issei. I don't want to kill you."

"I love bad bitches, and that's my fucking problem." He spat on the floor, slamming his fist against the brick wall in rage.

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As usual, hope you enjoyed. I need reviews so fucking badly bros, it's what keeps me writing.

Shoutout to the akenobros who won this chapter, as well as the Raynarebros, riasbros you'll get your turn soon.