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.

4. Chapter 4

YOYOYO ITS YA MOTHAFUCKIN BOI. Finished the church arc finally, so here we go.

Sad news: my holidays over, im back to work, so chapters will be slower in progressing, I've been repeatedly pumping out like 17k word chapters for the past 2 chapter per day, which is insane, but I can't keep that up when I'm working. Apologies for that.

Other than that, thank you all for the reviews, I love them, I need them, and they make me rock hard (no homo)

enjoy the chapter brahs

as usual

"It's about drive." - Normal dialogue

"It's about power." - Thoughts.

"We stay hungry, we devour." - Ddraig/boosted gear.

Chapter 4:

The hunter's mind was a mixed bag of emotions, the kiss, the argument, the fact he'd have to kill Raynare, it was overwhelming, to say the least. Hence why he was speeding down Kuoh roads, revving his engine at its peak, his normal stress killing activity.

He knew what he had to do tomorrow, to go into the church and murder at least two fallen angels, alongside a cohort of rogue exorcists. Political consequences aside, he wasn't sure if he was capable of taking on that many on his own, and there was no way Rias or her peerage would even consider helping him, out of fear of starting an all-out war between the three Abrahamic factions. At best, the Grigori might hunt him down while he had to take care of a girl, at worst, he'd die, alongside his new friends and Akeno.

On the other hand, he could just ignore this and move on with his life, exclusively focused on monster hunting. It's what Shamil would've told him to do, the old hunter was wise, in spite of his pessimistic, grumpy personality. But Issei wasn't his mentor, he was his own man, with his own views and goals in life. He had to act sooner, rather than later. He needed Ddraig.

Yet, as the hunter pondered, something else caught his attention, as he saw a house splattered with blood across the front window, and something that seemed akin to the Gremory house sigil he'd seen Akeno teleport with.

"You can't be fucking serious." He muttered to himself, getting off the bike to investigate, knocking on the door.

No reply, which meant something suspicious. He could've sworn his senses picked up screaming earlier, as well as the indication of something wrong in the midst. His hunter instincts beckoned the young man to investigate, yet he'd already had such a long day. But rest could be delayed, he could potentially be saving another victim from a monster; fallen angel or exorcist.

Without hesitating, the hunter slammed his elbow up against the door, forcing it open, glancing around for any monsters, yet nothing stood there. From the entrance, the house seemed to be ordinary, except for the stench of blood reeking all over. Issei took a long, audible gulp. He hated when monsters tried to be scary, hiding in the shadows to ambush him, judging from prior experience.

"Anyone here?" He called out to no avail, entering the adjacent living room, only to pause in shock at the sight of a mangled, bloodied corpse lay in front of him.

Cuts and strikes littered what was once a Human, with the young man's corpse coated in blood, as Issei's own shoes were stained, earning his exhale of disgust. It hadn't been the first time he'd seen a dead body, and probably wouldn't be the last, yet it never ceased to earn his anger. He spotted a flier with what seemed to be Rias's summoning symbol, assuming the boy was an aspiring magician that got caught in the wrong place, at the wrong time.

"No way she'd do this, so what did?" The hunter grumbled to himself, before shifting toward the sofa, spotting his target.

"And I will punish the world for evil, and the wicked for their iniquity." The silver-haired man sat atop the sofa reciting quietly, before turning to Issei with a maniacal, bloodied face. "And I will cause the arrogance of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible."

"Bible quote?" He chuckled awkwardly, suppressing the rage he had toward this man, as one hand clutched the handle of his blade, prepared for a fight.

"Well, if it isn't the hunter I'd been hearing so much about!" The priest stood up, standing to a full, yet unimpressive height. He was at least a head shorter than him, yet still intimidating, with the silver cross laying on his neck, taking a bow toward the brown-haired man. "My name is Freed Sellzen, a young priest who's part of a certain exorcist organization!"

"So you were the one who fucked up my bike." Issei spat with a menacing grin, his killing intent beginning to leak out into the room. "It cost me a lot of fucking money, you midget."

"You reek of worthless demon shit! It's the least you get for being a devil-worshiping heathen!" Freed howled in maniacal laughter, silver hair swaying with every eccentric dance move he made.

"Why'd you kill the kid? I thought exorcists only killed demons and monsters." He inquired in withheld anger. He wanted nothing more than to murder this church dog in a fell swoop, but he knew it'd take more than that to kill an exorcist like him.

"You're no longer human once you start relying on Devils - End of the road!" Freed explained, taking a step toward the boy, before placing two hands inside his dark coat, withdrawing a massive, gunmetal gray pistol, as well as a sword that exuded light. "Getting rid of worthless shits that worship Devils like you is my passion, and I'll show you just how passionate I am by sticking this light sword into your heart, and scoring a fabulous headshot with my gun! Die, hunter!"

Before Issei could react, Freed leaped toward him with impeccable speed, causing the young man to duck and dodge the first strike. He was already exhausted from the last several nights of fighting, training and restlessness. Despite how quickly hunters could heal, his energy levels were still depleted heavily, most humans would've died from fatigue living his daily routine, but even he was pushing himself by not adequately resting.

As the hunter reached for his sword, Freed shook his head with a click of his tongue, pointing the gray pistol toward Issei's knee and pulling the trigger with merciless killing intent, firing a bullet right into his knee, causing the young man to howl in pain, blood splattered all over. Despite the opponents he'd fought over the years, he rarely had the misfortune of dealing with guns, having been raised in Japan. It was the one thing he still needed to overcome.

"How's my golden bullet taste, boy?" Freed roared out with monstrous laughter, beginning to intimidate him, as Issei stood back, his one leg shaking in weakness. Gritting his teeth, the hunter shook his head and unsheathed his blade.

"I was going to end this quickly, but maybe I'll take my time skewering you like a fucking kebab." Issei grinned back, as his silver sword gleamed against the light, before dashing toward Freed with a frenzied look.

The two exchanged strikes, Freed's own blade parrying Issei's strike, and delivering his own. The rogue exorcist was fast, faster than any exorcist he'd previously thought. The way he fought was reminiscent of other hunters he'd met too, it was far too familiar for him to call it a coincidence.

"Don't tell me this fuck is one of those church rip-offs of hunters." Issei concluded, as he brought his sword overhead, the tip of his blade barely nicked Freed's neck, causing the exorcist to grunt and deliver a kick to his chest, pushing back onto the floor.

"What the fuck? This is the shitty hunter of legend? The one who killed all my useless comrades?" Freed cried out, bringing his blade up to deliver another strike to the fallen man. "Where's all your moves, your tricks? You're nothing like the legends?"

"You caught me on a bad day. Give me five minutes and I'll send you back to Rome in a casket." He spat at his assailant's face with coy, earning Freed's contempt, as the exorcist prepared to strike him down, only to be interrupted by a scream.

"Ah, Asia, my assistant!" Freed hummed out in newfound delight, as the two glanced at the new figure entering the room, horrified by the sight of blood and the mangled corpse. "Are you done setting up the magical barrier?"

With a hand against her mouth, green eyes widened in shock, the girl began to hyperventilate and panicked, shaking her head in denial, before glancing back at Freed and Issei in shock.

"What is this?" The nun exclaimed, horrified.

"Ah yeah, you're new." Freed grinned, walking toward the girl. "This is our job, we kill off worthless people enchanted by demons."

"No way…" Asia exclaimed, before glancing toward him, the nun's jaw dropping in shock at recognizing him. "Issei?"

"Asia?"

"You two know each other? No fucking way." Freed exclaimed joyously.

"Why are you here?"

"Asia, I didn't tell you this, because I didn't want to get involved." Issei sighed, running a hand over his face. He didn't want to traumatize this young girl, yet he had no choice. "I'm a hunter. I came in here because I saw a dead body, and your buddy here attacked me."

"Unfortunately, Asia." Freed explained toward the teared-up girl, an evil smirk resting on his face. "Hunters like Issei over here, have sided with the devils - They're incompatible with humans! Not to mention we can't live without the protection of fallen angels. Anyway, time to finish this up!"

Freed held his blade against his neck, the exorcists red eyes glowing with lust, before Asia jumped between them, shielding the boy from Freed's strike, much to both their confusion.

"Asia, get out of my way, you're only going to get hurt." Issei spat, attempting to stand up, as his built-up fatigue took over. He cursed the tengu he'd fought earlier for sapping so much of his strength.

"Father Freed, I beg you! Issei might be a hunter, but he's a good person." Asia pleaded, holding her arms out wide in defense of the young man. "And God won't forgive you for such a crime!"

"Are you fucking serious?" Freed roared out in rage, before bringing his blade out to strike Asia, causing her robes to tear away to expose her nubile body, as the hunter threw his blade away, pinning the girl up against a wall.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Issei exclaimed, as he attempted to get up, but was faltered by his weak knee, grunting in rage. He just needed a few more minutes, but time was of the essence.

"Father Freed, stop, please!" Asia cried out, eyes closed in fear of the priest, as his red eyes gazed up at her in hunger.

"Dohnaseek told me not to hurt you," Freed muttered, Issei taking note of that same name being mentioned again. "But, I think you do need a bit of punishment. A nun getting seriously fucked by a priest? Doesn't that sound hot?"

"No, stop!" Asia cried out, shaking her repeatedly.

"Oh my fucking god." The hunter shook his head, tired and annoyed. "Are you really going to rape a girl in front of me? Are you that fucking stupid?"

"What's it to you, boy? You want to watch?" Freed hummed out, sticking his tongue out at him.

"No, you just messed up. Because I'm going to tear your face off."

"Hyoudou Issei, use me." Borobo's voice hummed at the back of his mind, as the hunter nodded, hand digging around his satchel, pulling out the red tengu mask.

"A tengu mask? You're seriously kinky, hunter. You want a turn before you die?" Freed glanced at him, gun still pointed at Asia's crotch.

Issei's rage knew no bounds, yet he ignored the voices of the boosted gear, for he had a better plan. He was willing to give up everything to protect this innocent girl - A far cry from the perverted boy he was once, and the hatred he felt towards this priest outweighed any tactical thoughts or pragmatism he was raised with.

Placing the Tengu mask on his face, the boy felt his muscles tighten up, as unholy strength flooded through his body, grunting, groaning and howling in a sudden pain, his body turning a shade of red, with his muscles expanding and claws growing in place of his nails, his fingers thickening as Freed stood there in shock, murmuring bible verses.

Where Issei once stood, was replaced with a figure reminiscent of Borobo's form, yet smaller and more compact, as massive veins coated every red muscle on the Tengu demon's body. His silver sword glew orange with magic, as a faint red aura followed the hunter's movements, standing up to a full height.

Freed Sellzen was a clinically diagnosed psychopath - He thrived off the emotions of his enemies, seeing them wince, cry and beg for mercy. He'd never felt fear, appealing to those stronger than him by offering his skill and utilizing his sycophantic nature. The exorcist had slaughtered countless demons, low-class as they were, but this thing? This made him terrified, as it's emotionless mask stared daggers into the very being of his soul, it's blade glowing a dangerous color, and then it began to speak.

"Freed Sellzen. Pray to God one last time, for I will not forgive you for your sins." Issei's calm, new voice uttered, far deeper and more guttural than his original one, clutching his blade tightly.

"He shrugged off my bullets? How?" Freed cried out in fear, taking a step back from Asia, as the blonde nun fell to the floor, quivering in fear. "His sword is still the same, so it has to be the shitty hunter… But what the fuck is that? It doesn't matter, I'll kill you all the same!"

Freed shot another bullet, yet Issei's reflexes were far too refined now for the same mistake to occur. He'd brought out his sword in under a minute, striking the bullet and cleaving it in two, causing Freed to drop his gun in shock, the Tengu still standing in the same position, gesturing to the exorcist to make the first strike.

"You shitty hunter… How dare you block my fabulous shot! Die!" The silver-haired exorcist bellowed, rushing toward Issei to deliver a flurry of strikes, only to be met by effortless parries by Issei's form, before the man sent his blade in a downward spiral, slicing a deep, long gash against the exorcist's chest, causing him to howl in pain.

"What's going on with this mask?" Issei's mind pondered, watching himself effortlessly duel with the exorcist, blocking every strike with one hand. He'd become faster than ever, akin to that of the boosted gear. Where Freed's speed once seemed to match his own, now seemed slower than ever, akin to a regular Human. "The moment I put it on, all the pain and fatigue went away - I don't care about pain anymore."

As the exorcist's strikes began to wane, growing exhausted with his effortless strikes, Issei brought a fist out, using his augmented strength to deliver a punch against Freed's cheek, feeling a cracking sound as his knuckle connected with Freed's face, sending him flying a few feet away and crashing into the wall, knocking the exorcist out, as Issei turned toward the fallen girl, strange thoughts clouding his mind.

"No, what's more important is this feeling within my chest." The hunter realized, as he glanced toward his own chest, feeling something stir up - A hot sensation, one that filled him with strength, and a hunger. "I feel something violent stir up from within…"

"Let go… Let go of everything, Hyoudou Issei." Came another voice, akin to Boboro, yet different. The image of a demonic Tengu clouding his mind, as he found himself walking toward Asia without realization. "We must gain power, consume her soul."

"Yes, I must eat Asia…" He droned on, in a near hypnotic state, as the Tengu's words rhythmically repeated in his head, before he'd finally regained control of his body and paused, shaking his head. "What? Why the fuck would I do that?"

"Hyoudou Issei!" Roared the voice of the Tengu spirit possessing the mask. "I am you! I am the spirit born of your rage, your hatred and your hunger. Eat her, and we shall become a God! This body is mine now, abandon your humanity!"

"Fuck off, how do I take this mask off?" He mouthed back to the demon, growing increasingly frustrated.

"Then if you do not accept me, I shall kill us both and take the exorcist as my host." The voice roared back, as Issei lost control of his body yet again, as he found his arms pointing the sword toward his chest, attempting to plunge it into his heart.

"FUCK." He cursed, barely managing to regain control of his muscles, as the hunter found himself locked in a stalemate with the demon, his arms shaking frantically, caught between lodging the blade deeper, and dropping it, falling onto his knees as his mind was clouded by two voices fighting against one another.

"Give in, let go. You will never feel pain, or despair again. You will reawaken as a Tengu of Tengus." It howled at him, as Issei slowly felt his sanity begin to slip, eyes fluttering tiredly. "Yes, go to sleep, good hunter. You will wake up to a better world after I grant you my gift."

"Sleep would be good… Perhaps it'll be better for me, I'm so tired, after all." He sighed hypnotically, the remnants of his sanity crumbling away, before being interrupted by the green, glowing glyph on his left arm activating.

"You dare touch my treasure, crow?" Ddraig's draconic voice roared out loud, causing the Tengu to howl back in fear.

"The red dragon? I knew I sensed something off about this body…" The Tengu muttered, yet resisted Ddraig's will.

"Tell me, Tengu. Do you wish to know what a Dragon's mind looks like?" Ddraig threatened back, as Issei slowly regained control of his mind, snapping back to reality.

"I have no interest in your games, dragon."

"I am not offering you anything, you pathetic bird. Hyoudou Issei is MY host. If you harm him, I shall sink you into the depths of a crimson inferno so terrible, you will know nothing but pain for eons." Ddraig growled back, as the image of a massive, scaled, draconic beast entered Issei's mind, as the image of the Tengu demon became immolated in flames, causing Issei's mask to fall off, causing the man's body returned to his original form. "You belong to me now, Tengu. I will use your services later."

Issei felt his stamina and strength leave his body, clutching the ground in pain, as vomit and bile escaped his throat, before barely managing to stand up, his veins popping, hot blood rushing through his body and his head aching so hard he felt as if it may burst. Panting slowly, Issei glanced up, to see a defeated Asia safe and unharmed, while Freed stood back up, grinning at him.

"That was some show, hunter!" Freed clapped, having regained consciousness, in spite of his bloodied, bruised head and sliced-up body.

"What the fuck happened?" He murmured, glancing around his surroundings in confusion, noting his Tengu mask had disappeared.

"You became a shitty demon, and now you'll die. Ciao!" Freed grinned, before raising his gun upon the boy, with the defenseless hunter too tired to even register the events.

"Shit." He sighed, shaking his head in defeat, as he began to cast a ball of fire in his hand, the last resort, summoning the last of his strength. He didn't want to use this, fearful of burning down the entire town, yet he had no other choice.

His luck had come through again, as the Gremory symbol began to glow on the floor, much to his surprise. His eyes flashed for a moment, before finding himself in Akeno's arms, beginning to lose consciousness, as Freed had grabbed Asia and began to escape, his own sigil forming and disappearing into the night, before glancing at Rias.

"Issei, are you okay?" Rias exclaimed, brushing a hand up against his knee.

"I need to get that girl out of here." He muttered, as his eyes began to close, a faint cough escaping his mouth.

"There's something wrong with him, we need to bring him back to the clubroom." The redhead ordered, as Akeno nodded, and a flash of light blinded him, before the hunter found himself back in the old school building.

He faded in and out of consciousness, vision fading, as the boy spotted various members of the Gremory peerage tending to him, pulling out the bullet lodged in his knee, balls of magic cast upon his body, numbing his pain before he'd finally given up and fallen asleep.

"Issei, you idiot." Akeno silently sobbed into his ear, feeling her soft arms wrap around his chest. "You promised me you'd be fine! Not like this!"

"I need to… Kill Dohnaseek…" He muttered out in his sleep, reflexively grabbing the girl's hand before finally welcoming himself back to the land of dreams.

---

Tossing and turning in his sleep, the young man awoke to the sound of two familiar bodies pressed up against him, moaning and cooing with silent giggles, to his confusion, before opening his eyes in shock.

He was stark naked, sandwiched between Akeno and Rias's nude bodies, naked aside from his underwear, feeling their round, soft bodies poking and pressing up back and forth against him, much to his embarrassment. Part of him wanted to stay quiet, to try and silently sneak away before they awoke and began to tease him. That, and the fact that his manhood was stirring something hard against Akeno's stomach made him want to escape, in fear that he'd start doing things he'd regret. The young hunter was, despite everything else, still a pervert to his core.

"It's a nice view though, I have to admit. They're cute when they're sleeping." He pondered to himself, brushing up his long, brown hair away from his eyes, attempting to get off the bed, before he felt Rias's arm wrap around his torso, holding him back.

"Going so soon, Issei?" Rias yawned cutely, causing Issei to scowl and attempt to resist, yet he was stopped by another hand pushing him back down, this time Akeno's.

"Oh my, oh my, Issei, you can't be thinking of leaving that soon?" The black-haired devil hummed into his ear, causing him to stammer and shake his head frantically.

"Alright, why am I here?" He replied, glancing up at the ceiling, refusing to make eye contact with the two girls sandwiched between him.

"We found you injured last night, so we healed you." Rias explained with another yawn, eyes slowly fluttering back to sleep.

"Yeah, my knee's fine but like, why are we like this?"

"Like what?"

"Naked."

"Devil magic works better when we're naked." Rias giggled at his question, as if he was a child asking an obvious question.

"That sounds like bullshit, but I'll believe it. Can I go now?" He asked, as the girl shook her head.

"Five more minutes, you're a good pillow to hug." Rias whispered into his ear seductively, her breath brushing up against the back of his ear, making the hunter stifle a groan.

"Issei, why is something hard poking my tummy?" Akeno whispered into his other ear with a giggle, making his tanned face turn red like a tomato.

"BECAUSE WE'RE FUCKING NAKED, WOMAN!" He roared at the top of his lungs. "THIS IS HARAM! ABSOLUTELY HARAM! I'M NEVER GOING TO BE A BRIDE!"

"Guys can't be brides."

"YOU KNOW WHAT I FUCKING MEANT!"

"Stop acting like an incel, Issei."

"I'M SICK OF PEOPLE CALLING ME RANDOM INTERNET MEME FUCKING TERMS! WHAT THE FUCK IS AN INCEL, RIAS? WHILE YOU'RE AT IT, TELL ME WHAT A SIGMA MALE IS, OR A FAKECEL!"

"You need therapy."

"I need a cigarette, that's what I need right now." He sighed, having finally calmed down and given up.

"Smoking is bad for you, and so is swearing so much."

"I'll smoke and swear as much as I fucking like, I'm a goddamned hunter!"

---

"Have your injuries fully healed?" Rias asked him, as he walked into the clubroom fully dressed, donning a grey tracksuit under a dark trench coat - Gifts from Rias that she'd had laying around, or at least that was the excuse. "How do you feel now?"

"I'm good," He nodded, glancing at his new clothes and shoes, smiling. "Thanks again for saving my ass, I owe you one. I probably would've died out there, bled to death."

"It's fine, you saved my life, and it was only fair I did the same for you." The redhead smiled at him, gesturing for him to take a seat. "So, how'd you get there anyway?"

"I was going home after a hunt, and I felt something weird as I went past that house." He recalled while taking a seat on the seat opposite Rias's desk, hands gesturing toward the actions he'd made. "Came across that priest, saw him murder one of your summoners and had to take him out. I was too tired though, apparently."

"I know, Akeno told me what happened." Rias sighed, shaking her head from yesterday's events. The girl was lying if she said she didn't feel a small pang of jealousy over the two's excursions. "Beating a Tengu's incredible, it'd take my entire peerage to take one out, yet you managed to beat it on your own! Well, not alone, but still. I also didn't approve of you putting my queen in danger."

"I told her not to come, but she was insistent on seeing me finish it to the end. Won't happen again." He reassured her, fiddling with his hair as he began to tie it into a bun. "But hey, if you ever want to come with, I'd be down, not that I'd be splitting the money."

"It's fine, Satan knows we need practice, but you should've told me in advance. But I'll let it slide this time. I owe you a lot anyway." The redhead smiled at him, as he remembered to thank her.

"Oh, and thanks for the clothes, by the way." The hunter returned her smile, before pulling out his wallet, beginning to take out yen bills, before the girl stopped him.

"No, I just had this lying around from when my brother came to visit me last. He wasn't using it, and you certainly needed the clothes after the state you were in last night." She shrugged. "Besides, they weren't that much anyway, don't pay me!"

"Rias, the tags were still on them, and they were from a designer brand."

"Really? I didn't notice." She chuckled awkwardly, looking away from him with a smirk.

"I know you're rich, and everyone's heard of the brand Bucci." He corrected her, as the girl stuck her tongue out with feigned ignorance. "Did you buy these for me?"

"I may or may not have ordered them because your wardrobe sucks, and your only suit got destroyed by the exorcists I was meant to destroy. Consider it payment, maybe?"

"You can't keep bribing me with nice clothes, a man might get the wrong idea."

"Wrong idea? Whatever could you mean by that?" She giggled smugly.

"Sugar mommy."

"You're older than me."

"Sugar succubus?"

"Stop."

"Alright, alright." The two laughed, as Rias glanced at him with curiosity, stopping him.

"Issei, before you passed out, you mentioned something about killing someone, I think his name was 'Dohnaseek'?" Rias asked with worry.

"He's the fallen angel that's behind everything. The stray exorcists, all this shit. I found it after encountering Freed and Asia yesterday." He explained, as the redhead nodded and raised an eyebrow at the mention of yesterday's attackers.

"Freed Sellzen and Asia Argento, yes?" The redhead asked, as Issei's eyes widened their mention, nodding. "I've heard of both. Freed Sellzen was a product of the Siegfried project, if you remember.

A maniacal, foul grin entranced the hunter's face. He was all too familiar with the cursed project, though he always assumed it was a myth. The Church's solution to having to constantly hire Hunters to undertake missions their exorcists were far too weak there. It was his mentor himself, who despised them more than anything.

"He's a Siegfried clone?" Issei snarled back, rage growing in his voice. The hunter had no love for the church, but this was a desecration to a legacy he'd inherited. "It'd explain his speed and strength, he was strong, but an idiot."

"So you are familiar with it. I knew you'd be annoyed with them, but you're angrier than I'd have expected." Rias exclaimed at his sudden rage, practically sensing the killing intent flowing through him.

"Rias, there's a lot I can ignore, but that guy pissed me off even before I found this out." He gritted his teeth in anger. "But this? This makes it worth it, I'm going to make him cry."

"I don't think so." She stopped him, placing a hand against his shoulder. "He's an agent of the grigori, and you have no reason to attack him, and if I recall correctly, he's not a monster."

"He killed a human." The hunter snarled back. "That's good enough for me."

"This isn't about you, though. He killed a human that was associated with Devils, which is allowed, unfortunate as it is." Rias reminded him, waving a finger at his sudden bloodlust. "I know how you feel about it, Issei, but you can't."

Looking away in annoyance, he sighed. Rias was right, yet the thoughts of tormenting Freed, to see him dead made him smile coyly to himself. This freak was masquerading around as an exorcist, one who was meant to protect humanity, yet spent his days murdering and sexually assaulting innocents - Something the hunter code wouldn't stand for.

"But here's more information, since you're interested. Freed Sellzen was one of the most successful subjects of the project, but was excommunicated from the church for being an atheist, repeated incidents of sexual assault, murder and being an atheist." The redhead continued on.

"That project was the Church's biggest failure." He hissed.

"He seemed to do a number on you." Rias teased.

"I was unprepared. That off-brand hunter just got me at a bad time." Issei shook his head, folding his arms in an irritated manner.

"I see. How do you feel about that project, Issei? I believe we share similar thoughts, but I'd like to know your opinions as a hunter." Rias beamed, her blue eyes glancing at him with curiosity.

"I was taught about it years ago. Something about how the church wanted to make their own versions of hunters, because we're all 'Godless heathens', so they used an ancient hunter's genes to clone him, but most of them died young, yet most died early, due to genetic problems. They have all the money and power in the world, but they couldn't do it right. All it led to was a bunch of zealous crazies murdering people in the name of God." Issei shrugged, shaking his head at Shamil's old lessons.

"You really don't like the church, do you?" She asked, Issei shaking his head in response.

"It's mostly because my mentor came from a muslim family. He says he's religious, yet he drinks and smokes, when it's not allowed." He chuckled.

"The Islamic faction are quite notorious now, aren't they? My father told me that some of the strongest exorcists and humans were produced during the ages of Islamic empires, and that they'd caused a fall in areas ruled by Devils in the east for centuries. Did your mentor dislike devils?" Rias asked him, reminiscing and exchanging her own childhood stories.

"That guy had a thing for supernatural women, no way. For him, being a hunter meant saving lives, and getting girls." Issei smirked.

"I see the apple hasn't fallen far from the tree." Giggled the redhead coyly.

"What'd you say?"

"Nothing, nothing."

"Whatever, I know about Asia, but tell me what you know."

"I'm glad you asked. Asia Argento's story is a lot sadder. She was an orphan, raised by the church her entire life. She was devout and treated well, as she had the sacred gear, dubbed Twilight Healing, seen as a gift from God, some even venerated her as a saint." The redhead informed him, Issei nodding in agreement. "Until she healed an injured devil, and her crime was excommunication, and now she's taken refuge with the fallen angels."

"So she can be used as a sacrificial lamb for her sacred gear." He continued with a defeated sigh.

"And how would you know that?"

"I know people, I confirmed it last night. The Grigori has a device that can remove " He shrugged, dismissing the girl's question in spite of her pout. "Look, all that matters is that an innocent girl is going to die tonight, if I- No, we do something about it."

"And what makes you think I can possibly act? Issei, if you or I attack them out of the blue, it could lead to a full scale war. Do you want that?" Rias scowled at him.

"Well, it'd be good for business." He sarcastically remarked. "I just need to find an excuse. If I get one to attack me outside of the church, or if one of the fallen angels or exorcists gives me a contract, I can take care of it."

"And why would any of them give you a contract?" She asked.

"I know someone - Don't ask." He shook his head, standing up and heading toward the door.

"Are you even fit to fight in your current state?"

"I'll be fine!" He waved her off, opening the clubroom door. "Oh, and Rias?"

"Yes, Issei?"

"Thanks again for saving me. It won't happen again."

"Let's hope not, or I might end up making you my pawn for real." Rias winked, sticking her tongue out playfully at the hunter.

---

He had to get out of that clubroom and take a walk to clear his mind, to ensure he was ready. Issei was stressed, to say the least. Rias's warnings were right, and even if he knew that the safest option was to let it be, it meant unleashing a more dangerous monster into the world.

If by chance, the fallen angels were successful, then he'd be letting a fallen angel with the ability to heal out into the world. Normal Angels were near harmless, often never interacting with the Human world, but fallen angels? Very dangerous.

The whole reason why fallen angels were so dangerous was that they were beings of pure light, known for their beauty, strength and power, and beside their lost healing factor, were corrupted and often lusted for power. Their origin on earth revolved around taking advantage of Humans to be worshiped as Gods.

Yet, to have one that was capable of healing itself and achieving near immortality was bad news for everyone who wasn't a member of the Grigori. The only reason hunters were ever able to defeat fallen angels was due to their lack of healing, and for a beginner like Issei, he'd be endangering all of Kuoh - He'd have to kill Dohnaseek, and whoever else supported him before it spelt doom for them all, even if it meant killing his old flame.

He gulped at the thought, suppressing a pang of sadness. He had to be a hunter, here. He needed to be the way Shamil taught him to be - Cold, ruthless, calculated and emotionless, as a true hunter was. It was the only way he'd win.

That wasn't to mention the insane priest that he needed to kill, at least to make it up to all the hunters around the world, however many were left. Freed Sellzen, and the rest of his clones, were a disgrace to Hunters worldwide, having been made a crude replica of them, and for him to have lost, or if was optimistic, drawn to, was shameful for him. He had to be better, he needed to be better.

He was better.

Thoughts of Asia and Yuuma's depressed, pained faces flashed through his mind. To see an innocent girl hurt like that, being treated so poorly, yet be powerful made the hunter clench his fist in rage, and while Raynare's words said one thing, her body language and facial expressions said another, she wanted him to save her. He knew the girl well, and he knew when she was lying through her teeth.

"Issei?" A familiar voice called out to him from behind, snapping the young man out of his stupor, as he turned around to be greeted by a familiar blonde nun and Yuuma, both smiling awkwardly with a wave.

"Yuuma? Asia?" He gawked.

---

Asia glanced down at the wrapped-up sandwich in confusion, a faint red blush on her face in embarrassment, before Issei and Yuuma caught on and took a long, hearty laugh at the girl's confusion.

The trio were sat in a family restaurant near the park they'd met at. While they hardly exchanged words, he'd offered to take them to a nearby restaurant, using the excuse of being hungry to attempt to persuade Raynare into joining him. He had no idea how, or why they were in front of him, but Issei owed it to divine intervention, and he wasn't going to let this opportunity slide.

"You okay, Asia?" He asked the wide-eyed girl, as she nodded awkwardly.

"Yes." She stammered back.

"This is how you eat them, princess." Issei chuckled, unwrapping his own burger and showing off the sandwich to the girl, as she followed suit, surprised at the sight of her own sandwich, as Issei took a hearty bite, humming in delight. "Man, that's good shit."

"Issei, I have one more question." Asia asked, as he nodded back, far too engrossed in his food to bother replying. "Why do you have six burgers when I only have one?"

"Because this big guy is triple our size, Asia. He needs to eat more to build his strength." Yuuma giggled, as she placed a hand on his shoulder, patting him gently as the fallen angel ate her own burger, gesturing for the girl to follow suit.

The blonde nun took a long look at her sandwich, before taking a small, hesitant bite and chewing, as her green eyes beamed with happiness and joy at the taste, proceeding to wolf down the entire sandwich to the other two's shock, laughing again at the girl's appetite.

"Have you not been feeding her properly?" Issei looked to his left, asking the black-haired angel, who shrugged back at him. "I've never seen anyone eat a burger like that."

"I'm surprised too, though it's cute. She almost feels like a little sister to me." Yuuma replied.

"Yuuma, why are you in the park?" He asked back, as the fallen angel looked back toward the giddy nun.

"We were on a break, so I wanted to take her out, have her enjoy real life one final time, before it's too late." She sighed in defeat. "Issei, I was thinking about what you said last night… I'm sorry for the way I behaved, I still don't have a choice, but I want to do right by her."

"It's never too late, Yuuma." He reassured her, draping his arm over her, as she rested her head against his own shoulder. "We can still save her, but right now, she deserves more than just that. Let's take her out, together."

"Did anyone ever tell you how much of a good headrest you make?" She flashed him a grin, before nuzzling his arm, as Issei chuckled, letting her get away with it. He'd hoped to try and use this to convince her later on.

"Delicious!" Asia exclaimed, having finally finished her burger. "Um, Raynare and Issei, are you two… Dating? You seem awfully close!"

The two paused, blushing momentarily before glancing away, shaking their heads awkwardly and blurting out random phrases over one another in an attempt to diffuse the situation. For a girl that seemed so ditzy, the hunter was impressed by the perceptiveness of the young nun, before patting her head gently and opting to be honest.

"We used to date a long time ago, Asia. Now we're just friends." He explained, as the girl hummed to the rhythm of his headpats. He would've never done this normally, but something about the young girl bought out his parental instinct.

"I see! Why did you two separate, if I may ask?"

"I had to go back to work." Yuuma explained, as Issei glanced at her words uncomfortably. "Anyway, Asia, what do you want to do today?"

"I don't know, I just want to go out and have fun. Issei, do you have any ideas, and if you'd like to join us?" Asia offered, as both her and Yuuma glanced at him with a nod.

"Fuck it, let's go wild." He sighed, he couldn't resist either of their pleading eyes. "I'll take you guys out, my treat."

"Good, because I don't have any money." Yuuma giggled, giving Issei's back a playful slap.

"You never did, you broke ass crow." Issei chuckled back. "You used to waste your paycheck on alcohol."

"She still does, Issei. I found her room in the church scattered with old bottles." Asia naively continued, earning the fallen angel's ire. "One time, she drank lots of her 'happy juice' and I heard the sound of an electric toothbrush while she was crying weirdly and shouting your name! I didn't realize the connection till now, but maybe Raynare missed you!"

"Bro?" Issei spluttered his drink and howled in laughter at the young girl's innocent explanation, as he looked toward the fallen angel in shock. "I mean, that's still kind of hot."

"I fucking hate you, Issei." Raynare muttered angrily, glaring daggers into him, before glancing to Asia with a passive-aggressive smile. "Asia, remind me to lecture you on how you shouldn't tell strangers about what goes on at home, okay?"

---

The trio found themselves in an old school arcade that Issei led them too, having spent countless evenings after school alone or with strangers playing assortments of games, winning prizes and whatever else students his age did. Coming back here brought nostalgia to both him and Yuuma, the two having visited here on one of their dates, with the fallen angel pointing to machines and people they'd recognized, occasionally waving toward them.

Both he and Yuuma began to show Asia different games, whether driving simulators, horror shooters, air hockey and bowling, they tried everything, initially laughing at the nun's nervousness towards trying new activities, yet she picked it up with ease, sharing a laugh with the pair.

He was happy, right here and now. He'd buried the worries about the church to the back of his head, deciding to live in the moment, and while the hunter knew he'd regret it later, he didn't care. Issei wanted this, it reminded him of the old days, hanging out with the girl he'd once loved, playing with Asia, who'd grown on him far too quickly for his comfort, akin to a little sister or a daughter, but he embraced it wholeheartedly. The way Yuuma treated her, with occasional hugs or words of encouragement, had pushed the ditzy blonde out of her shell, becoming more and more outgoing and confident with the games she tried.

They almost seemed like a family here, Yuuma his wife, and Asia his daughter. Was this the sort of life he wanted? A peaceful, slow one? He couldn't tell how he felt, yet he was comfortable. Part of him considered the thought, to have them run away from it all, for him to abandon the hunter's life and keep them safe. But he knew better, it was far too unrealistic. The young man had made far too many promises, and had things to live for again.

As Asia walked off to play another driving game on her own, he glanced at Yuuma's violet eyes, the eyes he'd once loved to death, as he poked her to grab her attention, having her look back at him with a pleased smile.

"What's on your mind? Not thinking of killing me here, are you?" She giggled, playfully poking him back.

"Nah, I just had a weird thought, and wanted to know if you felt the same." He shrugged, laughing with her.

"What is it?" She asked, widening her eyes in curiosity.

"It sounds dumb, but this feels nice." He confessed, smiling as he glanced back at Asia. "We almost feel like a family."

"And Asia's our daughter? Yeah, I kind of felt that way too." Yuuma nodded back, admiring Asia's innocent, joyful face. "You'd hate to have me as a wife, though."

"And you'd hate to have me as a husband." He agreed. "Who'd want to marry a selfish, violent hunter?"

"And who'd want to marry an alcoholic, cougar of a fallen angel?" She quoted his own insult back to her, as the two shared another laugh, Issei stopping his laughter before her.

"I can still save you, you know."

"I don't want to be saved, Issei. Let's just give this girl the time of her life before it's too late."

"Fine."

The two remained silent, as Asia finished her game and walked back up to the pair, beginning to exit the arcade before Asia walked by a grabber machine filled with soft, stuffed plushy animals, each a yellow mouse with black stripes. The blonde nun stared at them longingly, before sighing in defeat, but Issei knew better.

"What's up?" His voice hummed from behind her, as he noticed her longing face.

"It's nothing! Don't worry." Asia poorly reassured him, shaking her head defensively.

"You like Racchu-kun, eh?" He asked her, glancing at the toys, as the girl hesitantly shook her head, only for Issei to shake his head and move over to the machine, inserting a token and begin to toy with the controls effortlessly. "Don't worry, I used to play these games all the time when I was your age. I got this."

Asia watched the machine's gripper grab the stuffed toy with ease, as Issei brought it over to the prize slot and deposited it, clapping for him in celebration as her eyes lit up. The hunter brought his hand over, handing her the stuffed toy.

"Thank you so much!" Asia exclaimed happily, nuzzling the stuffed rat. "This toy is something I'll treasure, knowing I got it from you."

"You don't have to make me sound so cool, Asia." He shook his head awkwardly, embarrassed at the girl's praise. "But you're welcome."

"Issei," Asia whispered toward him, as they both glanced at the nearby Yuuma, who was pouting and attempting to hide her obvious jealous frown from the two, before Issei nodded back. "I think Raynare wants one too."

"Yeah, I know. She's greedy like that." The young man hummed, inserting another coin into the machine and effortlessly grabbing a second plushie, before placing it in his hand. "But she's a good person at heart, don't hate her, Asia."

"I would never! Raynare's treated me well when no one else would!" Asia exclaimed, as the two walked back to the dark-haired girl, while he hid the toy behind his back.

"Are you guys finished yet, you took forever!" Yuuma whined, shaking her head at him. "It's just a stuffed toy anyway, why did you mak- Oh my god it's so cute!"

"You're too obvious." Issei chuckled at the dark-haired girl's reaction, beginning to cuddle the toy happily and wedge between her chest. "If you want one, just ask."

"It's not that I wanted one, it just looked cute, is all!" She replied defensively, tied between denying her affection for the stuffed animal, and trying to look tough in front of him. "But thank you, Issei."

"Reminds me of when I had to play that shooting game to get you that Octopus."

"I still have that, you know?"

"She does, Issei! I saw her cuddling it the other night and moaning your name out in her sleep!" Asia interrupted, earning another howl of laughter from him.

"Asia, what did we say about not telling strangers secrets?"

---

"So, how'd you enjoy the arcade, Asia?" He asked the blonde, as the trio sat by a stone bench by the park's fountain, having finally found a quiet space where no one else was around.

"It was amazing, I got to play so many games and have so much fun." She replied ecstatically, still clutching the stuffed rat she'd received. "Thank you so much, Raynare and Issei. I just wished this day never ended."

"You and me both, but hell, we're just getting started." Issei nodded back, before glancing at Yuuma. "How much time do we have left?"

"No idea, but who cares. I want to take a break though, let's sit here for a bit.

"Sounds good to me."

---

"When I was growing up, I was told I'd been found crying in front of a small church in a town in Italy," The blonde explained, as the pair sat beside her on the bench, the young man holding a hand over her comfortingly. "And I grew up there until I was eight, where I prayed as hard as I could to heal a wounded dog, and all of a sudden, it was healed! After that, I was taken to a big church, where I was ordered to heal visiting Christians from all around the world."

The hunter remained quiet, patiently listening to the girl's life story. He'd coaxed her out of his shell, and was pleased that she felt comfortable enough around him to talk to him about her life, yet he'd known most of this. Regardless, it felt different when a story came directly from the source, rather than on a dossier or by word of mouth. He wanted to protect this girl, no matter the cost.

"I was so happy that my powers could heal people, yet one day, a man came to the church who was close to dying, and I healed him. But I was cursed and bad mouthed by the same people who raised me and treated me well, calling me a witch for being to heal devils." The nun continued, pain in her voice. "And after that, I ran away to the fallen angels, where I continued to pray to God, no matter what. I've ignored the horrible things they've done, aside from Raynare, but I know that if I overcome this ordeal, the lord will grant me my dream!"

"And what's your dream, Asia?" He encouragingly replied in a soft tone.

"That I can make lots of friends, talk to them everyday, buy books and visit flower shops. I know it might sound simple to someone like you or Raynare, but I don't have any friends, you see!" Asia innocent exclaimed, a smile on her face, albeit a pained one.

The hunter stood up, glancing off into the fountain, before turning back to her with a pained, forced smile. Issei couldn't take it. He'd had somewhat of a rough childhood, yet most of his was self-inflicted and voluntary, having undertaken training and fighting for most of his teenage and adult life. This girl was the opposite, having had no choice and grown up to be betrayed by nearly everyone she'd grown to love, yet stayed vigilant as ever. If it were him, he would've left kicking and screaming, but this girl was far too innocent and naive compared to someone like him. Someone who'd spent his days murdering and hunting beasts.

"I'm your friend, Asia. I mean, we hung out and had food together, we talked today." Issei smiled. "And sure, we didn't get the books or flowers, but we can do that another time, if that's cool with you."

"And I am too, Asia. You're like a little sister to me, Issei and I are your friends." Yuuma whispered back to her, nodding at him, as she cradled the girl's head up against her shoulder.

"No, no!" Asia teared up with a smile, shaking her head happily. "It's more than enough, but I would hate to trouble either of you, even if we're different."

"Me being a hunter or her being a fallen angel doesn't change anything, we're your friends." He replied back to her, grabbing ahold of her hand gently with his own calloused, rough palms.

"I'm just…" Asia exclaimed, shaking her tear-spillen face. "I'm just so happy right now!"

"That's cute." Came the voice of a gruff, older man, as Issei's senses instantly kicked in, causing him to turn around in panic, while Yuuma bellowed in fear. "A hunter, a fallen angel and a nun? That sounds like a shitty nursery rhyme."

Issei's fist balled up in rage, as he looked at the figure floating atop the pool of water, a man garbed in a dark blue trenchcoat and a fedora, his sharp eyes glaring at his own. He could tell this fallen angel was someone else, a caliber far higher than his former lover, judging by the two pairs of wings protruding from his back.

"Dohnaseek, I take it?" Issei hissed, as Yuuma's own wings unfolded, her clothes tearing to reveal a skimpy bikini barely covering her body, floating alongside the male fallen angel reluctantly. "Yuuma, I thought you said that outfit was only for bedroom stuff."

"Shut up, Issei." She blushed for a moment, before hissing back at him.

"I'm flattered to know that the good hunter knows me by name, Hyoudou Issei." Dohnaseek chuckled, tipping his hat toward the boy before snapping his fingers, materializing a blade of yellow light in his gloved palm, yet made no sudden movements. "Now, Asia, would you care to come back with us peacefully?"

"Issei, I'm sorry you had to get into this mess." The nun whimpered from behind him, attempting to walk past him, before he blocked her with his hand.

"I won't let these pieces of shit take you, Asia." He spat back at the angel. "Dohnaseek, I'll give you one last warning. Get out of Kuoh, or I'll kill you and your entire group."

"A lowly hunter like you shouldn't address me so casually, boy!" Dohnaseek roared back at him, gesturing with his blade of light. "You're still nothing but a pathetic human compared to me, know your place!"

"Get out."

"I have killed your kind before, and here you are unarmed. Do you know how many hunters have killed my people over the centuries? You should be grateful that I haven't taken revenge now. Hand over Asia, and I will spare you." The older man grunted back, chuckling at Issei's threat.

"Not happening." The hunter roared, as he summoned a ball of fire in his hand, sharp eyes glaring hungrily at the fallen angel, before turning toward Raynare. "Yuuma, it doesn't have to be this way, come back."

"I can't, Issei, do as he says." Yuuma sighed, as the girl's eyes began to tear up momentarily. "I don't want to see you hurt."

"Was this your pet, Raynare?" Dohnaseek taunted, smirking at Raynare. "I knew you had a pet human, but I didn't realize you'd taken a hunter on to play with. Did he satisfy you?"

"Don't talk like that, Dohnaseek. It's weird." The dark-haired angel shook her head in disgust.

"Raynare, you should be proud! It's in our nature to rule over these humans and take them as we see fit! Are not superior? Did God not make us perfect!" The fedora-garbed figure growled back.

"Seems to me like if you were perfect, you wouldn't be doing this right now." Issei shrugged.

"Silence, boy. You've tested my patience, and now I will show you why we were chosen to rule over your miserable race." Dohnaseek muttered, before raising his blade toward him.

"Listen, Yuuma, no, Raynare, I know you want to go back to heaven, I know it feels like you have no choice." He pleaded with the crying angel, who hesitantly looked at him. "I know you feel like you have no place in this world, and I could never understand that pain, sure. But I know that the time we spent together, even the time we spent today, meant something to you."

"Stop talking, Issei!" Raynare roared back at him. "You're making it harder than it has to be, just stop!"

"No, because deep inside you, there's still the girl I fell in love with." He hummed out, ignoring her protests. He needed to get to her, no matter the cost. "I still love you, Raynare. And I know you can't go back to heaven, but maybe.. I don't know what you felt there, but we can make it work here! I'll carry all your burdens, no matter how much it is. I promised you once that I'd do anything for you, and I still mean it."

"By Azazel, how fucking pathetic." Dohnaseek shrugged, hurling the blade of light at the boy.

"Issei, no! Raynare screamed at the top of her lungs, pushing her superior for a split second, yet to no avail, as Issei grunted, before looking down at his chest - The blade of light had pierced him instantly, before dematerializing, blood splattering all over his tattered clothes, as he fell to his knees. "No, no no! This wasn't how it was meant to happen!"

He was in immense pain, as his vision turned cloudy and red, blood spilling out of his jaws as he felt cold. He hadn't felt cold in years, not this cold, as if all the energy and warmth in him suddenly left, gurgling the taste of iron, a single tear spilled from his eyes, looking up at Raynare a final time.

"I'll… Save you." He muttered, finally falling onto his back.

"I'll give you time to say a proper goodbye." Dohnaseek spat, as he flew over toward Asia, taking a glance at Issei. "No fucking way."

As he lay there dying, he cursed, feeling something materialize on his left hand - The boosted gear, though it meant nothing, as he couldn't even muster the words to command it, letalone the energy.

"That's the fabled boosted gear… What a waste." Dohnaseek spat on his corpse, before grabbing ahold of the screaming blonde and began to dissipate into the air, waving at him. "Goodbye, Hyoudou Issei, I can't believe I killed the Sekiryuutei so easily, the white dragon will be jealous!"

Hatred filled his heart, as he was helpless to stop it. His entire plan had failed, everything had collapsed, all for naught. He'd die knowing his last moments, he wasn't strong enough to save the girl he cared most for - Yuuma. Regret filled him, but he was still weak. He'd even use the juggernaut drive at this point, yet the voices did not speak to him this time, only filled with bleak emptiness, before Yuuma rushed over to him in tears.

"Issei, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" Raynare stammered, as her tears flew onto his chest, yet the man mustered his arms up with all the strength he could, caressing her cheek a final time. "It wasn't meant to be like this! He promised he'd leave you alone."

"It's okay… I'm just glad to see you're safe." He blurted out, air escaping his lungs, as he struggled to breathe.

"There's so much I want to say… But I.."

"Say it, I'm dying anyway."

"Issei, when we first met, I didn't meet you by chance." Raynare cried, shaking her head frantically. "I was assigned to kill you, because I knew you were the Sekiryuutei. I decided to masquerade as a highschool girl to take advantage of you, but that changed. It changed when we went on our first date - You made me feel loved, you showed so much affection to a girl you'd hardly met, that when we kissed by the fountain, I couldn't bring myself to do it, I'd keep procrastinating it, saying I just needed more time, and then… Then I fell in love with you!"

"I love you too." He sighed, shaking his head idiotically with a smile.

"No, no, damn it! I don't want to hear you say that, I want to hear that you hate me! How could you love someone like me!" She sighed back, slamming a fist upon the ground in agony. "The only reason I left you, was because I'd stalled my assignment so long, I was forced to be recalled, because otherwise they'd send someone to kill us both. I got demoted and was forced under that bastard's command. If I knew it'd be like this, I would've never left, I would've been more honest with you!"

He shook his head, euphoria clouding his thoughts as the man's eyes fluttered to sleep, before Raynare slapped him awake, causing him to groan softly.

"Let me sleep, woman."

"You can't sleep, you idiot, you'll die! I need you, Issei! Asia needs you!" Raynare growled at him, her emotions shifting rapidly from denial to rage.

"What's done is done."

"Wait, you're a hunter." Raynare let out a sudden gasp of realization, as she slid a hand behind her panties, before pulling a gold necklace.

"Is that? No way, I thought she threw it out."

"Issei, I have no money, but this necklace should suffice as payment. I want you to kill the rogue fallen angel, Dohnaseek. I know you can't fight angels acting under Azazel, but he's a rogue one! I can prove it! So please, please, please! Kill him, I'm begging you!" Raynare begged him.

"Is this?"

"Yes it is. I have to go now, before they suspect anything, but if that's not enough payment, take this." The girl desperately whined, before pressing her lips against his own, giving the young man a final kiss, which began to fill him with the tiniest bit of energy. "Goodbye, Issei. I'm waiting for you, don't die on me."

The fallen angel stood up, her wings flapping away as his vision blurred, finally giving in, as his mind shifted into nothingness, the dark void overtaking him, as the boy found himself floating through it, before the roar of a dragon interrupted his thoughts, his vision stuck halfway between reality and this new void.

"Did I not warn you that your death would be imminent, and how powerless you are to stop it!" Ddraig chided him, shaking his head down at the young man.

"Fuck me, you were right." Issei sank his head in defeat, acknowledging the Dragon's victory.

"I'd be celebrating if we weren't so pressed for time, so I shall be thorough - Hyoudou Issei, accept me, or die." The red dragon stated, issuing his ultimatum.

"I'm dying anyway, Ddraig."

"Correction - You were dying, you now have enough energy to heal yourself, your body is far different from a Humans, you can survive this now that you have the energy, the light sword has missed your vital organs, all you need to do is stop the bleeding." Ddraig corrected him, as Issei's eyes widened in shock.

"She saved me. I'm getting so sick of being saved now, it's embarrassing." The hunter sighed to himself in defeat. "Alright, old man. What's your deal?"

"I shall give you the power to use the boosted gear to its fullest - No limits on your ability to strengthen yourself, provided your stamina can match up, and we will engage in a thorough training routine once you have properly healed up. You will also proudly declare yourself as the Sekiryuutei. Alongside that, we will now call each other partner." Ddraig explained his terms, to which Issei nodded.

"Partner? I like that." He nodded in approval, with a final sigh, he stretched out his fist to meet the Dragon's giant claw, as Ddraig chuckled. "Well, partner, it isn't much of a deal, but you've probably heard me reconsidering our offer, and I don't have a choice anyway. Besides, I think we've been cold to each other for too long. I've been thinking about what you said, and you're right. If I want to be a better hunter, and protect the people I love, I need to embrace this."

"It pleases me to see you grow up, partner." Ddraig grinned at him, his sharp teeth scaring him off for a moment. "My only regret was that it took a near-death experience to save you. Now, be reawakened, Hyoudou Issei, my host and my partner! You will now be reborn as the Red Dragon Hunter!"

"That's the coolest fucking name I've heard."

"It's a work in progress."

---

The hunter awoke with a long, heaving gasp, blood coating his body, and the boosted gear gauntlet laying on his arm. He'd lost too much blood, and he was half naked, wearing nothing aside from his track bottoms and shoes, yet he was alive, if barely. His wound was still open, and while the blood was dried, he winced in immense pain.

He'd done emergency first aid before, but this was cutting it beyond belief, yet Ddraig was right to his surprise - The blade had struck him in the safest place possible, meaning he could heal without any surgery. Snapping his fingers, he summoned a ball of flame, before placing it near his flesh, searing the wound shut, skin slowly reattaching to an extent, as he gritted his teeth in pain. It hurt, but nowhere near the mind-numbing, shocking pain that was the blade being struck through his abdomen.

Yet, finally, he'd managed to cautizere his wound and stop the bleeding, before dragging himself over to the bench, blood following everywhere as he rummaged for his cellphone, barely managing to tap a few buttons before making the call. He could only pray he'd pick up.

"Issei, what's up?" Came Tatsu's familiar, friendly voice, the old man grunting. He'd never been more grateful to hear the Yakuza's voice.

"Listen closely, Tatsu. This is an emergency." He huskily spit out, panting as sweat began to trail across his body.

"I'm listening up, boss."

"I need a shitton of morphine, adderall, bandages, water, a shirt - anything, and a sword. Doesn't matter what kind, I just need something. And hurry, two girls will die tonight if we don't act. I'm in Kuoh park by the water fountain." He mustered out, sighing in pain.

"I'll be there in ten minutes, don't die on me, boy."

"I fucking love you." He mouthed out, before hanging up.

Taking a look at his neck, he spotted a familiar, thin gold locket. It had to be the one Yuuma had given him as payment before she'd run off, and as rushed it was, it still counted as a contract. He grinned to himself, raising a fist in the air in triumph, before taking a second look at it in shock.

"This… This is the necklace I gave her on our first date." He realized, as a pang of sadness, and joy overcame him. "So she really did love me."

"Issei, Issei!" Kiba's voice roared all of a sudden, as Issei looked up and spotted the familiar, blonde-haired knight rushing toward him, a sword in hand, as Kiba grabbed ahold of his back to give him support. "You're alive? Thank the Maous!"

"Yeah, but barely. What happened to you?" He asked, noting the cuts, scrapes and bruises on the bishounen's body. "And how'd you find me?"

"I was attacked by a group of rogue exorcists outside of school, and as I was fighting them, a fallen angel helped me defeat them, and she told me you needed my help here." Kiba explained worryingly, continuing to cradle the young man. "And what happened to you, and what is that gauntlet?"

"I got pierced by a light spear, I've healed the wound, nothing vital stabbed." Issei reassured him, before glancing to the glowing, red gauntlet on his left arm, before sighing. "Well, I was going to keep this a secret, but I'm the Red Dragon Emperor, or Sekiryuutei, if you would. Don't let it change how you see me."

"Of course not! I'm just… Wow." Kiba exclaimed in shock, instinctively brushing a palm over his sacred gear. "I just, so you're a hunter with a sacred gear, amazing. You're something else, Issei."

"Don't think too much of it, Kiba…" He paused, realizing that the boy was far too formal, preferring to use honorifics, yet he'd called the hunter by his first name. "Wait, can I call you Kiba?"

The blonde youth nodded, as Issei held out a fist, grabbing a hold of the blonde's in a strong, friendly embrace, before he helped the hunter stand on his two feet, slowly forcing him to walk. Beginning to stretch his body out fully, Issei began to feel slightly energized again, regaining the strength of his muscles, circulation flowing again, yet the pain was still there, but not for long.

"Thank you, Kiba. If you didn't come here, I'd have to come and find you guys. How are Rias and the others?" Issei asked, as the blonde nodded at him.

"I've already spoken with them, exorcists attempted to attack them too, but they were defeated. The president is planning to deliver a counter-attack and crush them at the church, and hopefully save Asia too." Kiba replied cooly. "I'm assuming you're joining us?"

"I have a contract now, so yes." Issei grinned, showing off the necklace sat around his neck.

"Who gave you that?"

"My ex-girlfriend, the fallen angel that saved you." Issei explained.

"You dated a fallen angel?" Kiba asked in shock.

"I'll tell you all about my romance chronicles later on, are you ready for a fight, though?" Issei chuckled.

"Of course, are you?"

"He should be here any min-" He sighed, before he was thankfully interrupted by the old man.

"Issei! Where are you?" Tatsu roared at the top of his lungs nearby, a massive, metal briefcase sitting in his arm, as the old, suit-wearing man glanced around for the boy, before spotting him and rushing over. "There we are. I've got everything you need. Who's this?"

"Kiba, meet my uncle Tatsu. Uncle Tatsu, meet Kiba, he's a devil and my new buddy." Issei gestured, as the two shook hands. The hunter grabbed the briefcase and placed it down on a bench, as he grinned in pleasure upon revealing the contents. "Tatsu, you never fail to impress me."

"Issei… Are those drugs?" The blonde knight exclaimed in worry. "Are you sure you should be using that?"

"I'm a hunter, I'm built different. If you don't like it, look away." Issei shrugged, pulling out a vial of a liquid labeled 'Morphine', and plunging a needle inside it, emptying the vial. The hunter poked the needle up against his stomach, injecting it slowly, before repeating the process repeatedly with all three bottles, sighing a great deal of relief. "Now that's some good fucking shit!"

He knew this was incredibly unhealthy, in spite of his heightened tolerance as a hunter, but Issei had no choice. He needed these to win, as the morphine instantly took over, numbing away his pain and replacing it with an immense sense of euphoria and lightness - He felt strong, as if every muscle in his body had lost its weight, yet retained its strength. He tested out the potency, stretching his body and flexing his well-defined muscles, before nodding. The young man next pulled out an orange bottle of prescription pills, labeled 'adderall', before emptying nearly the entire bottle down his throat, drowning it with a bottle of water, before chucking the two away.

"Holy fucking shit, I'm fucking invincible!" He roared at the top of his lungs, as the immense sense of newfound strength, speed and toughness filled the hunter with an unwavering, unshaken confidence.

"What did he just do?" Kiba glanced at Tatsu in confusion, as the old man shook his head.

"It's called speed-ball, Kiba. It's when you use opioids and amphetamines. Never, ever use this, even though I'm pushing my limits, this could kill almost anyone." Issei explained while pulling out a layer of bandages and began to wrap it around his abdomen, covering his chest to prevent any further bruising. "Basically, it numbs the pain I feel, and the amphetamines help me use my full strength without any problems, but I'll worry about the consequences later."

"You're like a methed-up samurai." Tatsu murmured.

"And you, old man, could not pick a worse shirt to give me!" Issei roared out at the man eccentrically, his eyes widened from the sudden influx of drugs administered to him, holding a floral blue Hawaiian shirt, before sighing and placing it on, leaving it unbuttoned. "And where's my sword?"

"It's all I had that'd fit you, you're too big for your own good now, boy." Tatsu shook his head, before handing a massive katana to the boy, as Issei unsheathed it for a moment, before nodding and resting it against his shoulder.

"Shall we go now, Issei? It's only a fifteen minute run from here." Kiba gestured, before Issei raised a hand in interruption.

"Tatsu will drive us, we haven't got time."

---

"This is it, Kuoh church. Good luck, you two." Tatsu noted, as the car stopped outside the gated entrance to the old church, as both Kiba and Issei exited the car.

"Tatsu, I owe you a great deal, and I'd like to make it up to you. I have something planned, but you'll have to wait." Issei promised, the older man smiling with a nod.

"Don't worry about it, but if it's business, you know when and where to call me. Stay safe and let me know when you're done with it, Issei. Maybe we can celebrate with a drink." Tatsu chuckled, as the car set off on it's path.

"Your uncle is quite a man." Kiba smiled, as the two walked forward, entering the desolate courtyard of the church.

To say it was abandoned was an understatement. The trees had all died and decayed long ago, rotting wood in its place, as the dark night sky cast a menacing aura across the building. He'd remembered visiting this place in his youth, and how lively and peaceful it was, having been run by his childhood friend's father. How safe it had made him once feel, compared to how it was now, was a desecration to how Kuoh had fallen over the years. It made him angry, and the hunter knew he'd right this wrong.

"He's a good guy. I'm thinking of hiring him as my driver if I ever get the job as a teacher." Issei chuckled, sword still sat atop his shoulder, scanning the trees for any sign of life, before feeling his senses warn him of two presences nearby. "Come out, or I'll kill you on the spot."

"Oh man, there goes my dramatic entrance!" Came the voice of a young, blonde girl, dressed in a black maid outfit, her crow-like wings flapping, as she landed. "Wait, I know you! You're Raynare's ex-boyfriend. Kalawarner, it's the man Raynare can't get over!"

"Eh, let me see!" Another voice roared out, belonging to an older, mature woman, as the sight of an older, buxom fallen angel floated toward the floor, the two women scanning and looking up and down at Issei's body, before grinning. "I see why she's so enamored with him."

"Quite handsome too, he's just my type!" The shorter, gothic lolita nodded, as she called out to him. "Hey, hunter. Wanna be my boytoy?"

"Fuck no." He spat out in laughter, the young fallen angel pouting in response. "I'm not into children."

"How about an older woman? I could make you feel things you'd never thought possible. I've heard hunters are known for their stamina, after all." The older woman cooed at him, as she swayed her shapely hips at him, in an attempt to seduce him.

"Why are all older fallen such desperate women?" The hunter chuckled, shaking his head, as the older woman scowled at him with fury.

"Issei, we should be ready to fight them." Kiba warned, as Issei shook his head with a sigh.

"I got this, don't worry, they're harmless." Issei replied calmly, turning back toward the pair of fallen. "Hey, ladies. I don't suppose you'll let me pass without a fight? I don't want to kill you two, you're both better off working as models, you've certainly got the looks for it."

"He's kinda right, Kalawarner." The younger fallen shrugged, walking aside to let the boy pass, while Kiba looked with confusion.

"Only on one condition!" Kalawarner paused him, before strutting up to Issei, relaxed as ever. "Can I touch your abs?"

"Make it quick." Issei grunted, as the fallen brushed a hand over his hard, lean stomach, humming in delight, before pulling away and nodding.

"Raynare is a lucky woman." Kalawarner whispered into his ear, her voice trailing against him. "The things I would do to a man like you."

"If you're still alive by the end of this, hit me up." Issei growled back, gesturing Kiba with him, much to the fallen's disappointment.

"God, I wish I had a boyfriend like that."

"So do I, Mittelt, so do I."

"Issei, what kind of magic did you cast on them?"

"No magic, it's the power of being a young man around a bunch of lonely, old women. You'll learn when you're older."

---

"Took you two long enough." Koneko's stoic, quiet voice muttered, as the pair of swordsmen approached the entrance to the church.

"Sorry, Koneko! We kind of got preoccupied by fallen, but Issei got us out of it quickly." Kiba chuckled awkwardly, embarrassed by the previous 'battle'.

"I overheard," The white-haired child noted, before glancing to Issei. "You're a shameless pervert. But nice work."

"Thanks, don't worry, I'd never do that to you." Issei reassured the girl, chuckling.

"You shouldn't, unless you want to go to prison."

"Can we focus on the mission?" Kiba interrupted the two with a brief sigh.

"Yeah, yeah, we'll get to that." Chuckled the brown-haired hunter, as he sensed the sheer killing intent radiating from the omnious, wooden doors. "Sheesh, there's a lot bad energy in there!"

"Must be a ton of priests gathered there, I'd think." Kiba nodded back with a smirk.

"Makes me glad you guys are with me."

"Of course, we're friends, are we not?" The blonde smiled at him, as his eyes glanced back toward the doors with hatred. "Besides, I'm not a fan of exorcists or fallen angels either - I despise them."

"Bro?" The hunter raised an eyebrow in concern, before being interrupted by the smaller, white-haired girl taking a step toward the door, raising her leg up.

"They probably know we're here anyway, so let's just go." The stoic lolita purred, delivering a powerful kick toward the set of doors, forcing them open with ease.

"Why the fuck are you so strong?"

"I'm the president's rook."

---

What had once been a beautiful place of worship and peace, was now a desecrated, degraded shell of its former self. The building's pews dusty and broken, the crosses shattered and the marble statues eroded and broken. It was as if something had taken a piece of the Hunter's childhood and shattered it to pieces, quite literally, as the trio stepped over pieces of rubble and rock entering the abandoned church.

"They've ruined this place." Issei spat, tightening the grip around his sword while scanning for any enemies, only to raise an eyebrow of concern at the surprisingly empty interior, before his eyes glanced toward a sound of clapping.

"Yo, yo, yo!" Freed's all-too-familiar voice called out, the stray exorcist entering the room slowly, his mad, red eyes glaring at the trio with a blood-drunk hunger, one the hunter was all too familiar with. "I thought you were dead, yet here you are again! My beloved hunter! Perhaps God truly does exist, deciding to reunite us once again."

"You're making it sound like we were lovers." Issei chuckled back. He'd wanted revenge on this exorcist for his earlier defeat, and he was grateful enough to have a one-on-one with him. But this time, the hunter wasn't going to lose.

"I never thought I'd meet the same hunter twice! But you know, it pisses me off." The white-haired exorcist continued, reaching for his gun and light sword, pointing toward him. "Piece of shit hunters like you hurt my pride. The folks at the institute always told me to make sure I killed your kind if I had a chance, to prove we're better than you worthless rats, and I'll prove it right now!"

The pair of devils alongside him flinched, preparing for battle, before the hunter paused them with a simple sway of his arms, carelessly walking toward the exorcist without a care in the world.

"Kiba, Koneko, I have a score to settle with this lab rat." He called out, sharp eyes glaring at the exorcist, as Freed winced at his insult. "And Freed, where's Asia?"

"Oh, the hunter-loving nun? She's at the underground ritual site, which you can get through behind this altar!" Freed nudged toward the broken, cracked stone altar behind him, before walking toward Issei, pointing his pistol at the hunter again. "But you'll have to get through me first, not that it'll be much of a fight."

"I won't fall for the same trick twice." The hunter shook his head, unsheathing the steel, curved blade he'd held, before chucking the sheath away and pointing toward the exorcist with a grin. "Now, let's dance."

"So quick to forget what happened last time? Say goodbye to both your kneecaps!" Freed howled in maniacal laughter, pulling the trigger of his gun, only to lurch in surprise as Issei lunged at him with incredible speed, appearing to disappear from his original position, reappearing milliseconds later behind the hunter.

"Let me show you the difference between us, Freed." He whispered into the terrified exorcist's ear, slamming his blade down in an overhead swing, as the Katana's metal blade slashed through air and flesh, causing Freed to choke on his own saliva and howl in pain. "Now you can't use the gun, can you?"

"My… My hand!" The white-haired exorcist cried out, wide-eyed at what was once his hand, and in its place a bloody stump, screams deafening over the sound of his metal bullet and severed hand falling onto the floor. "You shitty hunter! How dare you touch my beautiful hand!"

"You're nothing but a guinea pig, a lab rat made. You could never hope to even touch me in a million years, no amount of genetic editing could save you." Issei roared back, before delivering a strike against the exorcist's liver, causing the hunter's opponent to fall onto his knees in howling pain. "Now get back up, I want you to show me what they taught you at the institute."

Freed's superhuman stamina kicked in, as the exorcist jumped back up in a second, wildly flailing and slashing away at the hunter, yet he was too fast. The combination of stimulants and opioids flushing his body had put Issei on a level beyond Freed. No matter how desperately the silver-haired psychopath tried, no amount of slashing, footwork or raw power could overcome Issei, who dodged, parried and delivered kicks and punches back toward Freed in a display of power. The pair knew that if hunter wanted, he could've easily slaughtered the exorcist in a single strike, yet Freed felt something he'd never felt before, not toward his masters, mentors or to any devil in his life - Fear.

The accumulated stress and fear overcoming the exorcist had warped his vision, plagued by hallucinations. What was once Hyoudou Issei, stood a giant, black knight that taunted him menacingly, as Freed panted and sweated, his strikes getting weaker, slower and more predictable.

"That's it? This is the Vatican's trump card?" Issei spat into Freed's face, blinding him momentarily before bringing his blade up, stabbing the tip into the exorcist's left eyeball and gouging it out with a single flick of his wrist, Freed's cries like music to his ears. "Freed Sellzen, remember my name when you wake up in hell."

The hunter had had enough of him. He'd already taken an eye and a hand from the silver-haired exorcist, as his repressed, wild nature overcame him. The hunter was like a beast, taunting and teasing his prey, before finally pushing him onto the floor with a single kick, and slamming the sole of his shoe atop the exorcist's head, forcing him unconscious. He looked back toward the pair of devils staring at him with awe, and shock. Mostly shock.

"You're evil." Koneko hissed at him with a smile, gesturing her blonde companion forward.

"Issei, you're something else. Do hunters always fight like this?" Kiba asked, glancing at the bloodied, bruised body of the exorcist, having been defeated in under several minutes.

"I'm just in a really, really good mood today, Kiba." Issei reassured him with a menacing grin, earning a frightened grin from the blonde, as the trio walked behind the altar, to find a pair of stone-carved stairs leading downwards. "Now, let's kill some fallen angels."

"He scares me, Koneko."

"Me too, Kiba, me too."

---

The three rushed downstairs, finding themselves in an ornate, occult-like room surrounded by dark-robed, hooded figures, all brandishing light blades, as they glanced toward the trio with dispassionate, cold stares, while Issei's eyes widened at the sight that stood above them.

The blonde nun had been stripped and bruised, clad in nothing but her lingerie and a flimsy towel, chained to a massive, green, glowing cross littered with green veins, pulsating as the young nun howled in pain. To her right, stood a smirking Dohnaseek, and Raynare, frowning in sadness, before widening her eyes at the hunter, who glared right back at her.

Issei smiled to himself - He still had time, meaning all he'd have to do is kill everything here and save Asia. The amphetamines in his system had radically sped up his brain's processing, already beginning to formulate a strategy on how he'd rush there and try to slice Dohnaseek in one strike, no matter his own injuries. He was a hunter, he'd survive anything that came across him, especially with the opioids in his system that numbed the pain.

Besides, he still needed to slaughter that crow-winged, trenchcoat wearing monster, masquerading in human form. His instincts as a man, and a hunter, had finally converged into a single desire - Kill the bad guy, and save the girl. If the situation wasn't so dire, he would've laughed at how cliche it was, as life was never that simple for him.

"Asia!" Issei roared out, rushing toward the crucified girl, before his senses kicked in and reflexively jumped toward the right, as a sudden spear of red light struck the ground near him and exploded, sending him a few feet back, as the hunter rolled to minimize impact.

"I'm afraid you're too late, good hunter." Dohnaseek roared with wicked laughter, glancing in irritation at the sight of Issei. He thought he'd killed the hunter, yet he rose again? It was a shame to his pride as a fallen angel. "The ritual is almost complete! Soon, I will be a god among my kind."

The cross glowed again, interrupting any line he could muster back to bluff his emotions to the fallen angel, as Asia howled in pain with her eyes shut, before opening them at the sound of his worried grunts with a single, pained smile, tears trailing down her eyes. The sight of it filled him with even more rage, as he glanced back toward his devil comrades, who'd begun to follow behind.

"And yet, I wonder how you're still alive, you hunters really are like cockroaches, hard to kill and nothing but filthy pests." The trenchcoat-garbed man hissed back, before turning to Raynare. "You are the reason he still lives, woman."

Raynare shook her head at his glance, a poorly concealed face of turmoil apparent on her face, stuck between looking between the hunter and the crucified nun, as the cross's glow grew stronger, and stronger, matching Asia's increased cries of pain, rhythmically matching Dohnaseek's growing maniacal howls.

"I see now! The fallen angel's objective was to extract her sacred gear… And her life." Kiba nodded in realization, as a black blade formed in his hand, holding it up high, causing a wave of shadows to materialize. "Demonic sword technique - Light eraser!"

All of a sudden, every single light blade in the room had dissipated to nothingness, being swallowed whole by the black sword, as Kiba exhaled in exhaustion. Issei's eyes widened in realization of his comrades' technique, and how useful it could become.

"You have a sacred gear too?" Issei asked the nodding boy, the trio rushing toward the fallen angels. "Rias really knows how to pick her peerage, doesn't she?"

Yet, he was too late. His face dropped in shock, as Asia's cries grew and grew, until the cross's glow dissipated, and her face fell flat, the life from those green eyes slowly fading to nothingness.

"No, Asia!" He roared out, while a glowing green light of two rings appeared from the nun's corpse, Dohnaseek chuckling as they slowly fell into his gloves. "No, no, no, no!"

"And now, the powers of twilight healing belong to me." Dohnaseek hummed, placing the two metallic rings on his fingers, ignoring the hunter's cries for the girl.

"Asia, Asia!" He howled out, as the exorcists began to rush toward them, their fists bared with a warcry, yet he ignored them, overwhelmed by shock. "Asia, if you're still there, tell me!"

"Issei," Kiba placed an arm on his shoulder sympathetically, his own eyes dropping down in sadness at both the hunter's howls and the girl's death. "She's dead, we need to fight."

The exorcists continued on their sprint towards the trio, Kiba and Koneko nodding at one another as they rushed to meet the oncoming assault, the sounds of metal cutting flesh and Koneko's fists slamming against her opponents repeatedly drowning out his cries.

"And you fail to save another life, hunter." Dohnaseek called out to the grieving Issei, who had fallen to his knees in defeat.

"I… I couldn't save her." He grimaced, glancing down onto his knees, as his gauntlet began to glow. "She died, because I wasn't fast enough. All this power, but I'm still not strong enough?"

[Partner! Have you no shame? Where is your pride as a hunter! He has taken a life, but will you stand there idly, or avenge her?] Ddraig roared at him, snapping him out of his stupor.

"You're right, Ddraig." Issei whispered silently with a pained hiss, standing back up to his full height, as a smaller group of exorcists approached him. "I apologize for letting that get to me - Boost."

[BOOST!] Ddraig's voice roared across the room, as the hunter's killing intent leaked throughout the room, a few of his attackers taking a step back in fear, before he lunged out in a silent, crazed rage.

The boosted gear's boon, combined with the drugs flowing through him had made him a far more formidable foe than when any of his previous opponents had encountered him. His rage knew no bounds, as the Hunter slashed through the crowds with inhuman precision and accuracy, every strike he delivered meticulously accurate, a rain of blood following his every footstep.

One after another, it didn't matter, he immersed himself in the fighting, striking down one after another without care, as a trail of bodies followed the bloodlusted hunter. The neck, the back, a stab through the chest. Almost every type of wound followed him, till he neared his target, the fallen angel, who was far too engrossed in his new power to pay attention to the young man.

"Issei, behind you!" Raynare cried out, as Issei turned around in reflex to spot another exorcist attempting to sneak up on him with a torch, only for the hunter to respond with a slash through the neck, cleaving his opponent's head off near effortlessly.

[BOOST!]

Raynare had joined the fray, floating atop him as she summoned blades of light and flung them at any exorcists who weren't in he or the devil's fray, to which he nodded back with a smile. He was pleased that she'd joined them, but annoyed that she'd had a change of heart so late - It didn't matter to him anymore, Asia was dead, and all that mattered was delivering justice for her death, and putting down a monster.

"Issei, we'll handle this, you go after him!" Kiba roared out to him, as he was began to summon more swords emerging from the ground, slowly becoming overwhelmed by the sheer amount of robed fighters surrounding him.

"I got it." He nodded back, before rushing over toward the altar and leaping with sword held overhead, a wild, frenzied look in his eyes. "Dohnaseek!"

"Too obvious." He shrugged, as the fallen angel had rushed over to him and grabbed a hold of his shirt, flinging him across the church's stone brick wall with a speed so great he broke through it, falling out into the courtyard.

---

He stood back up seconds later, glancing around the courtyard, with no sign of his opponent, as the hunter felt the patter of water droplets fall upon his head.

"Had to be raining too, didn't it?"

Issei found himself in the church's cemetery, or what was left of it. Most of the gravestones had been broken, removed or defiled, the fence's metal bending over time from lack of care and the trees had grown old and dead. If he was disappointed at the state of the church, but now he was disgusted.

"I still don't understand why a hunter is meddling in the affairs of the grigori. Why save a girl who had no affiliation. She was no normal human." Dohnaseek inquired, as the fallen angel descended down to the ground, holding a purple, yellow light blade in one hand. "Are hunters not mercenaries for hire? If it's blood money you want, I can pay you."

"We both know exactly why I'm here, crow." He spat onto the ground, holding his sword with two hand, taking a step to the side, as they circled one another.

"A hunter defending the downtrodden?" The fallen angel replied back with a curious grin in an attempt to intimidate him, yet to no avail, as Issei's face stayed a calm, yet furious mask.

"You're just another monster to me." The hunter growled.

"As long as I'm here, you'll kill no 'monster'. I'm the most powerful being in Kuoh, you should all be worshiping me for basking you with my presence." Dohnaseek smiled back, showing off his newly acquired rings.

"Give her sacred gear back, and I'll give you a quick death." The hunter replied, his eyes glaring daggers into his adversary, as his gauntlet grew with power.

[BOOST!] Ddraig's voice continued, with another surge of power flowing into him.

"Are you challenging me again? Even after I killed you?" Dohnaseek shook his head with laughter, before nodding at him. "Very well then, I'll humour you. You've entertained me so far, so I may as well agree, not like it'll happen - Hyoudou Issei, hunter and Sekiyuutei, I swear upon Azazel's life, that I shall return twilight healing if you defeat me."

"You'll return it for sure." He grunted quietly, as Dohnaseek looked up at the night sky, clouds covering the usual stars.

"Would you wait for the rain to stop before we fight?" The fallen angel asked, to which Issei shook his head. "Very well then, any last words before we begin?"

"Since you've issued me such a formal challenge, I'll be honest with you." Issei hummed back, tying his wet hair up. "You won't have eyes tonight, you won't have ears or a tongue. You will wander the underworld blind, deaf and dumb, and all the dead will know - This is Dohnaseek, the fool who thought he killed the Sekiryuutei."

"Die." Dohanseek spat back at him in silence, his confident bravado shaken by the hunter's powerful words, as he lunged with inhuman speed, raising his sword of light.

The fallen angel's technique and precision was beyond his years. Dohnaseek was a fallen angel among angels, the grigori having been a veteran in the great war, and a high ranking one, represented by his dual set of wings. A farcry from even Yuuma, who the hunter considered powerful in her own right. Yet, the hunter matched his strikes blow-for-blow, even with Dohnaseek's immense speed and strength, Issei was able to counter attack, blocking a side strike and delivering a powerful punch to the angel's face, before slashing his sword clockwise, tearing the fallen angel's jacket open, as well as spilling blood.

If he'd had the misfortune of fighting the fallen angel at any other time in his life, he would've come to a draw at his best, if not lost. But it was only with the use of drugs speeding up his already-impressive reaction time, speed and strength, combined with the boosted gear, was the hunter only able to reach equal levels to the fallen angel, who'd leaped back defensively.

"Your swordsmanship is impeccable for someone so young." Dohnaseek whispered to him, as the two circled one another again, awaiting the other to deliver the first strike in their next exchange. "But I have fought for a thousand years, let me show you what I have learned over the milennia!"

The fallen angel disappeared in a flash of light, before reappearing in front of him, sword swung down, but he was more than ready. His body reflexively twirled back, as Issei lunged his sword into the fallen angel's left oblique, pulling it out as the angel cried out, and placing his hand onto the Grigori's chest, utilizing his body weight to slam his opponent down onto the wet mud.

"So much for experience." He chortled, before raising an eyebrow at the sudden, green glow, as Dohnaseek's wound began to heal, before charging up another light blade, catching the hunter off-guard.

"Fuck." He mustered out, as the blade of light pounced out at him, yet he wasn't fast enough, causing the tip of the sword to slice his pectoral, causing the hunter to bounce back in pain.

He was lucky, again, but he'd left his guard down. No significant damage was done to him, but he was cut and bleeding already, far too early for his expectations.

"There is no honor in a battle," The healed-up fallen angel panted, standing up again, as Issei lowered himself, sneakily lumping up a ball of wet mud in his palm, before hiding it behind his back, holding his blade with one hand. "I'd expect a hunter to understand that."

"Of course." Issei smirked back with a nod, gesturing to his opponent to strike. "I didn't expect you to be that desperate, but it won't happen again."

"When facing a hunter, always take excessive precaution." Dohnaseek recited, recalling his own training. "I learned this the hard way."

Dohnaseek rushed back at him with another strike, using his wings to speed his body up, as the hunter narrowly avoided the next strike, before using his hand to fling mud into at his opponent's eyes, who muffled out a stifle of irritation, before Issei lunged back, slamming the Katana into Dohnaseek's stomach as deep as he could, seeing the tip of the blade emerge out of his opponent's thick back.

"That's going to leave a mark." He chuckled at Dohnaseek's whimpered cry of pain, before sliding his blade back out and turning again, holding his blade up high, as the hunter began to spin around his opponent, repeatedly striking his distracted assailant with the tip of his sword, as a flurry of cuts littered the veteran's body.

"You filthy human!" The fallen growled back, before silencing his protest with another groan of pain, the hunter delivering a powerful kick against his chest.

It didn't matter how fast, strong or experienced Dohnaseek was, the fallen angel had only realized now that the young man that stood before him was different to any human or angel he'd fought. He'd grown and fought with the principles of warfare, that strength, training and experience were the key to victory, alongside numbers. He'd been a strong believer of the fact that fallen angels were destined to rule over humans due to their superior strength and bodies, along with their magic.

And it'd proven true for eons, since the first of his kind fell from heaven, where they descended and bonded with humanity, their relationship eventually turning into that of a master and a servant. Any time a human rebelled, the fallen angels would dispatch them without a care in the world, unless they wielded a sacred gear, but that held a different principle entirely.

But this human, this hunter, was something beyond his comprehension. For he was so young, lacked experience, and barely managed to rival him in strength or speed, yet countered every strike he delivered, cut him where not even his superiors could in a duel. That's when Dohnaseek's eyes widened in realization - Hyoudou Issei wasn't better at fighting, he was simply built and raised to hunt.

The hunter knew this too. He could never beat a werewolf in an arm wrestling or fist-fighting match. He'd lose all too quickly. Hunters had developed their entire philosophy and way of fighting from those initial ideals. They trained and built their bodies, techniques and magic exclusively to kill beings that outperformed them in every way possible.

They were an affront to nature, humanity's way of going against the natural laws of predation.

"You.. You're a monster!" Dohnaseek shuddered in realization, limping away from the young man, who shook his head in defiance.

"I get that a lot, any last words?" Issei shrugged back, his face exuding a hunger, a hunger that made Dohnaseek tremble in fear.

"No… I refuse to let it end like this" The fallen angel roared out in rage, as the hunter brought his blade down to Dohnaseek's neck, only for the Grigori to summon another sword, causing the katana to shatter on impact.

"I am never letting Tatsu buy a sword off Aliexpress again." Issei sighed in defeat, as he'd been disarmed.

"It appears God himself has intervened on my behalf, Hyoudou Issei." Dohnaseek chuckled maniacally, as the fallen angel rushed away, his wings flapping away, till the trenchcoat-garbed fighter was suspended over several feet in the air, summoning two blades of light. "Know that you pushed I, Dohnaseek, to this cowardly tactic, but I must win!"

"This guy's fucking lost it!" Issei shouted, as he rolled away at the sudden barrage of light swords being flung at him.

The hunter was lost for words. The fallen angel had gone from confidently dueling him, to cowardly flinging light-sword after sword and healing himself between throws, completely hindering his progress. The swords were easy to dodge at first, until the hunter realized he'd only had such a small space to dodge the incoming projectiles.

"Issei, don't give up!" Rias chimed out, as he glanced toward his right, spotting all the occult research club members watching him with worry.

"Punish that crow, Issei." Akeno winked at him, as he nodded with a smile.

"Issei, I know you can do it, we're rooting for you!" Kiba roared at him, breaking out of his normal, reserved character. "For Asia!"

"For Asia." Koneko nodded back, to his shock. Even the stoic lolita had started supporting him.

"Guys! You're okay!" He called back in relief, before hearing something slam against his tree, much to his misfortune. "Fuck."

In his moment of distraction, Dohnaseek had flung a blade at him that he'd narrowly avoided, only for it to pierce the sleeve of his trousers, pinning him against the tree. If he'd had just a second more, he'd avoid it, but the fallen angel he'd faced was akin to a cornered animal fighting for it's life - Far too paranoid, fearful and psychotic. He shook his head and ducked, attempting to dodge the next blade coming, before feeling a shadow cast over him.

"Issei!" Came Raynare's voice, as the hunter saw his former-lover fly in front of him, the blade of light to go through her abdomen, her blood spilling onto his face.

"Yuuma!" He called back, as the girl was flung back several feet behind him, as he summoned his strength to tear away his trousers, Dohnaseek's laughter haunting him.

He prayed she'd live through this, even if the wound looked fatal. The hunter couldn't waste anymore time distracted, he'd lost one life to his carelessness, he needed to finish this quickly before it ended another.

"I need to stop his light swords, wait." He thought to himself, as he flung his body out the way of another incoming blade, as a flashback of Kiba came to him. If he could use light eraser, he could neutralize Dohnaseek's weapon, and easily kill the fallen angel in one go.

"Kiba!" He roared out, as the blonde bishounen looked to him in panic. "I need a light eraser sword!"

"I'll need a minute to prepare it!" Kiba yelled back at him, as the hunter nodded - He needed a distraction.

"Dohnaseek, wait, I surrender!" The hunter cried out to the fallen angel, who'd nodded and ceased his blows for a minute, descending back onto the ground.

"So, you admit that you're too weak for me?" He replied. Gone was the confident, tactical fallen angel he'd fought earlier, and a crazed face akin to Freed's sat in it's stead.

"I realized something, you fight like a general. You really could be a god." Issei gestured toward him, before pointing to the gauntlet sitting on his left arm. "Let me serve under you, my boosted gear and talents, combined with your genius - We could rule the world, if we wanted to."

"You pose a good idea, hunter. Do you truly mean it?" Dohnaseek raised an eyebrow of curiosity at him, as the hunter stifled a chuckle at his gullibility.

"Issei, now!" Kiba called out, as the blonde knight threw a black, ornate sword into the air. The hunter raised an arm, grabbing a hold of the blade with his left arm.

"Fuck no." He laughed, shaking his head in denial, as Dohnaseek's face dropped to a horrified frown. "Boosted gear, transfer everything to light eraser."

"TRANSFER!" Came Ddraig's voice, as green energy flowed through his gauntlet, into the black blade, strengthening it further.

"Dohnaseek, a hunter's sword is a tool for justice, to kill monsters, but right now, I'm not so sure." He grinned, before glancing at the dark blade sitting in his palm. "Besides, this isn't my sword - Light eraser!"

The blade glowed a tremendous shadow, as Dohnaseek's light blades dissipated, but it refused to stop there. Light continued to escape the fallen's body, causing him to scream in pain and fall to his knees, until he'd finally been drained of light in his body.

"My power, it's gone!" The Grigori muttered out, coughing blood onto the floor, as the hunter walked over to him, holding the blade against the back of his neck, before cocking it back.

"And you with it. May you rot in the underworld for your crimes." The hunter prayed, before bringing the sword down, cleanly cleaving the fallen angel's head off and dropping the sword. "With this, may Asia rest in peace."

---

Raynare was worse for wear, he'd never seen her like this, littered in bruises, cuts, scrapes and a giant wound exposing her entrails. It made him wince, as the girl whimpered in pain, still barely breathing. The hunter kneeled beside her body, clutching her hand desperately.

"Yuuma, stay with me, you can't die, not here." He pleaded to her, tears streaming down his cheeks. "I killed Dohnaseek, we can live together again, I promise."

"Issei," Raynare whimpered out, flashing him a weak, pained smile. "We both know this would happen, I told you that I'd die before you from something stupid… I just never expected it to be over a boy."

"A boy? I'm a fucking man." He replied, as the two shared a laugh, the hunter still crying. "Shut up, you're not going to die. We can heal you, hell, if you die, Rias can bring you back!"

"I don't want to come back as a Devil." Yuuma sighed, shaking her head to his disbelief. "Issei, I've spent most of my life doing a lot of bad things, I don't deserve a second chance."

"Yuuma, I can't lose you. I've already lost Asia. I can't lose another person, you're the first girl I've ever loved, I need you with me. I'll take on anyone in the grigori, hell, I'll kill god himself if you want, I'm a Longinus user." Issei pleaded and begged, while the fallen angel shook her head.

"I thought hunters didn't cry." She muttered back.

"It's raining."

"You're such an idiot sometimes. You'd cry over a girl like me, who broke your heart? The same girl who told you she never loved you the night she left you?"

"Didn't you beg me to save you, and tell me you loved me as I was dying?" He shook his head.

"Shut up, idiot." Raynare giggled, as the boy held her in his arms. "Look, Issei, you can still save Asia."

"She's dead, Yuuma."

"Get twilight healing off Dohnaseek's body, put it back into Asia and ask the devil to revive her. She'll do it." Raynare explained with a sigh.

"Why can't we do the same for you?"

"Devils are greedy, she'll revive Asia for her sacred gear. I'm a crazy bitch with no value, I was also part of an attempt to kill her, so it isn't happening."

"Fuck that. I can make it work, I'll convince her." Issei shouted back.

"Nah. Just save Asia, and I'll die happy. Consider it my last wish." The dark-haired girl coughed out, her violet eyes fluttering at him.

"Yuuma…" He muttered her name in a whispered shock.

"Did I ever tell why I fell from heaven?" She asked him, as he shook his head.

"I fell in love with a human guy, but he rejected me. I destroyed everything over a stupid crush, so I spent my entire life hating men, doing missions for the grigori, but it changed one day." Raynare cooed at him, weakly cupping his cheek, as he held her arm in assistance.

"What changed how you feel?"

"You. What was supposed to be a simple mission made me fall in love with some stupid, idiotic pervert. He took me on a date to an arcade, bought me these basic gifts and a cheap necklace. It was so sentimental, I don't know why I even crushed on him so hard." She giggled, reminiscing over the hunter.

"Sounds like a loser." He laughed back.

"Yeah, but he was my loser." She proudly declared, the young man sniffling in sadness.

"I was such a mess when you met me, I was bad at school, I'd fight with my parents everyday, no money, no future. And you still wanted to date me, I thought it was a prank, but I never regretted saying yes to you." He recalled their first meeting, sighing in gloom.

"And look at you now - The big, bad hunter with a harem of girls waiting for him."

"I don't know about harem, just one."

"Issei, I overheard the redhead talking about you. Take it from me, I've been around longer than you'll live for - She likes you too."

"You're just talking shit."

"Maybe, part of me is jealous, you know? My only regret is that we didn't have more time together. I wanted to travel with you, see you grow up, but you've already grown up in so little time." Raynare sighed, shaking her head and looking up at the sky, raindrops spilling down her face, mixing with her own tears. "I even considered being with you for the rest of your life."

"I'd been thinking about our marriage since the day we met." He confessed, as the girl inched closer and gave him a kiss. "I'd always thought we'd get married and run off to the countryside together, have a few kids. I'd stop being so perverted around you, get a job and make sure you'd be happy."

"Issei…" Raynare coughed a final time, as her eyes fluttered away slowly, beginning to lose consciousness. "I want you to be happy, with other girls. Fulfill those dreams with someone other than me."

"I don't want someone else, I want you to be there too!" Cried the hunter, shaking his head.

"We don't alway get what we want, do we? I wanted to go to heaven for the longest time, but hey, if I wasn't dying, I'd want to live that life you mentioned. I'd be a bitch, but I'd be happy anywhere as long as I'm with you."

"Yuuma," He whispered back.

"Yeah?"

"I love you." He hummed into her ear, holding the dying girl close to his chest, feeling her heartbeat slowly slip away.

"I love you too." Raynare uttered a final time, as the violet in her eyes began to fade.

"I know," The hunter muttered to himself, closing her eyes shut, as tears continued to escape his eyes, no matter how hard he tried to stop them. "I know."

---

The hunter wiped tears away from his eyes, before standing up. He'd given her somewhat of a burial, refusing to leave the girl's body to rot away naturally, walking back toward Dohnaseek's corpse, as a green ball of energy floated atop the body.

"What the… Asia?" He muttered out, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Are you okay, Issei?" Rias called out from behind, the hunter glancing back with a nod. "Are you sure? We can handle the rest, if you like."

"Rias, I want you to revive Asia. I'll pay you any price, just do it." He muttered out silently, a strained whimper in his voice.

"Of course, I was planning on reviving her first. I wanted to ask for your consent, since you were the last friend she had." Rias nodded peacefully, placing a hand over his shoulder comfortingly. "I know you don't want to hear this, but none of this was your fault. You did the right thing."

"I just wish I did it sooner." He sighed back, shaking his head in defeat. "She was my first love."

"You know the old saying." Rias whispered back, as she led the hunter back into the church, the green orb carrying the pair of rings floating in her hand.

"Your stories were right." The brown-haired man shook his head, as the two walked upstairs, being met with the rest of Rias's peerage, alongside Asia's body laid on a pew. "Hunters should never fall in love, it'll just lead to tragedy."

"I wouldn't say that, she died peacefully in your arms in her final moments." The redhead reassured him, as the two approached Asia's body. "And death is something we all have to accept."

"I know, it's just… It's hard."

"Issei, you have us any time you need a friend. To us, you're a hero. You fought alongside my household and protected us. I'll always hear you out." Rias encouraged him, before Akeno walked behind the hunter and wrapped her arms around him, nuzzling her head against his back.

"She's right, Issei, I'll always be here for you." Akeno whispered into his ear, as the hunter turned around and returned the hug.

"Thank you all, I'm glad I met you."

"Issei, my Issei." Akeno whispered softly into his ear, caressing his cheek while the rest of the peerage focused on Asia. "You've been through so much, my poor Issei."

"I don't want you to be jealous or feel like it changes anything between us, you mean even more to me now than ever." He whispered back, bringing his dark-haired lover closer. "I have to cherish you while I still can."

"We have all the time in the world for that," Akeno giggled faintly, as the two walked back to the nun's corpse.

"I will bring her back as my bishop, as someone who will support the household. Her ability to heal will be utilized greatly and she will be treated well, I promise you this, Issei." Rias smiled at him.

"Thank you, all of you." He nodded toward the entire peerage, earning their smiles back.

"Of course." The redhead nodded, as the familiar, red gremory circle appeared underneath the girl, with Rias placing a bishop chess piece against her chest, sinking into the girl as if it were a phantasm. "I, Rias Gremory, hereby order you: Heed me, Asia Argento, bring your soul back to this world and come back as a Devil - You shall become my bishop, and rejoice in your newfound life!"

As the redhead's recitation finished, the circle continued to glow stronger, and stronger, while a faint, red aura appeared around the nun's corpse, before dissipating.

"Where is she? Is she okay?" He frantically asked.

"Be quiet for a moment." Rias replied, nodding.

He couldn't believe what he was seeing. The blonde nun's breathing returned to normal, as she fluttered her bright, green eyes open and glanced around the room, before looking to Rias and his familiar faces in confusion.

"Um, I…" Asia stammered awkwardly, as the hunter hugged her happily, a tear forming from his eye.

"Asia, you're back." He whispered into her ear, before breaking the hug. "Let's get you home."

"Issei, why am I naked? Did you do something weird?" The blonde asked him in embarrassment, as the hunter shook his head frantically.

"No way." He chuckled back, a joyful smile finding itself on his face.

"Then why am I naked? Is this like that scene in one of your comic books that Raynare told me about?" Asia asked innocently, the hunter earning suspicious looks and hums from the peerage.

"Issei, you're a sussy baka!" Rias exclaimed.

"What the fuck is a sussy baka?"

"He's the imposter, president!" Kiba laughed back.

"IMPOSTER OF WHAT? STOP QUOTING MEMES AROUND ME!" He roared out loud, as the group continued to laugh at his expense.

"Amogus." Koneko muttered.

---

Barakozu be like "im straight" then writes and entire segment about issei's bulging muscles and gains

leave reviews pls