High School DxD: Inheritor of Malevolence

by dvdryms

There exist infinite universes, infinite possibilities. In one of them, an almost normal first-year high school student will discover that there is more to the world around him than meets the eye following a certain encounter. But where will his path lead him when the forbidden power sleeping within him awakens?

23. Scar

Chapter 23 – Scar

"The…Holy Sword Project?"

Takeshi asked with a frown. Following the encounter with the Grigori members and the Church Exorcists, he had brought the unconscious Yuuto back to his room and deposited him on the bed. After a few seconds, Rias had arrived and, after checking on Yuuto and listening to Takeshi's account, had brought both Takeshi and Pandora to the Ryuugamine residence's living room in order to explain Yuuto's situation. After Pandora brought cups of coffee for everyone, Rias had begun talking.

"That's right." Rias said. "The origin of Yuuto's woes can be traced back to that accursed Church project that started a few years back. Its purpose was to artificially create warriors who could wield the Holy Sword Excalibur using a large number of orphans as guinea pigs for their experiments."

Taking a sip from her cup, Rias continued.

"As you both should know, Holy Swords are the ultimate weapons against Devils. Whether they were created by talented alchemists with the blessing of Deus Trinity like the aforementioned Excalibur or originated from Divine Swords gifted to Heaven from other Pantheons like Kusanagi or Fragarach you encountered, their lethality remains the same. A single, well-placed cut can eliminate even the highest class of Devil, to the point where even one's soul is reduced to nothing."

"Even I've heard of Excalibur once or twice back in my homeland…" Pandora said. "It's quite the famous weapon due to its association with King Arthur. However, why would the Church start such a project?"

"It's because Holy Swords choose their wielders, and they are notoriously picky." Rias explained. "It could take as much as a decade before a Holy Sword chooses a compatible wielder, and that's something the Church couldn't afford due to their need to have these trump cards always at the ready. That's how the Holy Sword Project begun, as a means to expedite this process by simulating compatibility through artificial means."

"Yuuto can create numerous Demonic Swords through Sword Birth." Takeshi said. "Isn't there an identical Sacred Gear that produces Holy Swords? Couldn't they have worked with that?"

"The holy equivalent of Yuuto's Sacred Gear is Blade Blacksmith, but it wouldn't have worked out for their purposes." Rias said. "The mass-produced Holy Swords it creates could never match a genuine Holy Sword in terms of holy power output, just like how a Holy Sword could never match the True Longinus, the strongest out of the thirteen Longinus Gears, in the same area."

"I see." Takeshi said. "Then, Yuuto and the other orphans were experimented upon in order to be able to wield Excalibur. I assume the attempt was a failure?"

"It was." Rias said with a dark expression. "Neither Yuuto nor the other experimental subjects managed to wield Holy Swords despite the numerous, and sometimes horrific, treatments they underwent. Because of that, the ones running the experiment considered them defective and marked them for disposal."

"Disposal…?" Pandora said, an expression of disbelief on her face. "I thought the Church folks were supposed to be the moral and upstanding guys while we were the villains seducing people and driving them to sin. What kind of monsters would use children and throw them away like that…?"

"Unfortunately, for all their teachings, preaching and supposed good intentions, there are several individuals who have this 'by any means necessary' mentality when it comes to safeguarding the Church's interests." Rias said with a disgusted expression. "Filthy hypocrites, the lot of them. They'll compromise their vaunted morals at the drop of a hat if it means they can increase the Church's combat power and influence. Because of that, many innocents suffer…"

"Innocents like Yuuto." Takeshi said. "If he was marked for disposal and killed though, how did you come across him, Rias?"

"Honestly, it was pure chance, or fate if you believe in it." Rias said. "I had gone to visit the territory of a vassal in Europe and was touring the foot of the Pyrenees when I encountered the nearly dead Yuuto. He had escaped from the facility, which was hidden nearby, with the help of his friends there, but he had inhaled too much of the poison gas they used to dispose of them. So, I gave him a choice. Die there, or live on as a Devil."

"Obviously, he chose the second option." Takeshi said. "But because of what was done to him and his friends, he now wants revenge."

"Yes…" Rias sighed. "I was hoping that giving him a normal life, or as close to a normal life as possible, would help dull the pain and eventually let him move forward. But it was too much to hope. Encountering Excalibur has brought back all these negative feelings in full force. I'm worried his rage will drive him to do something foolish…"

"I'll try to keep an eye on him and make sure that doesn't happen." Takeshi said. "However, there's also the matter of the Grigori members. How the Hell did they manage to bypass our security measures without you or Akeno-san picking up anything?"

"That concerns me as well." Rias said with a troubled expression. "After the debacle with the Oni and the rogue Fallen Angels' last attack, Akeno, Sona, Tsubaki and I went over our defense network numerous times to ensure there were no blind spots. I'm confident that we didn't miss anything this time, and yet they still blindsided us."

"Maybe they came up with some sort of new spell that allows them to remain undetected by our spells?" Pandora suggested. "Otherwise, a traitor? Though it's next to impossible that anyone in the Gremory or Sitri Peerages would betray us. I wouldn't be surprised though if you suspected me, the one who had ties with Fallen Angels in the past…"

"That was against your will, princess." Takeshi said, placing his hand on her shoulder. "I trust you with my life, and so does everyone else. Isn't that right, Rias?"

"Indeed." Rias smiled. "There's no way any of my adorable servants is a traitor. Same goes for Sona's Peerage."

Pandora said nothing, letting out a small smile as she grasped Takeshi's hand.

"I'm also very surprised that one of the dispatched Exorcists is your childhood friend, Takeshi." Rias said. "What are the odds?"

"Trust me, I was pretty shocked myself." Takeshi said. "I haven't seen Leon for nearly six years, and to think we'd be reunited in such a manner… He and one other guy were the last two friends I made before everyone started avoiding me like I was cursed…which I kind of am though…"

"How long have you known this Leon person?" Pandora asked. "I'm a bit curious to be honest."

"We first met when we were ten years old along with that other fellow." Takeshi said. "Our first encounter was a bit…odd, but we hit it off almost immediately and remained friends for about a year before he and his mother had to move back to their homeland, and the other boy left due to his parent's work or something." Takeshi said. "After that, we kind of lost contact. I wonder if that had something to do with the Church in Leon's case…"

At that moment, a sound came from upstairs. Turning their sights there, the trio saw Yuuto going down the stairs, a harsh expression on his face.

"Yuuto!" Rias said as she stood up, running to him. "Where are you going? Please don't tell me you—"

"I'm not going after the Excalibur wielders…yet." Yuuto said. "I'm teleporting to the mansion. Since my target has appeared at last, I need all the extra training I can get before confronting that sword again."

"Wait, Yuuto!"

Before Rias could say anything else, a magic circle had appeared beneath Yuuto's feet, with the young man vanishing in a flash of light.

"Well, he's not exactly wrong about that." Takeshi said. "We have some time, so we might as well make the most of it. I'll be heading to the mansion in the mountains as well for training and in order to keep an eye on Yuuto."

"I'm coming with you." Pandora said as she stood up. "A little more practice never hurt anyone."

"Alright." Rias nodded. "Akeno and I will go over the security system once again and will join you a little later along with Koneko. Until then, please keep an eye on Yuuto and make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."

"Will do."

Takeshi said as he and Pandora stepped into a teleportation magic circle the latter created. One flash of light later, the two of them found themselves in the mountain region they had used to train for the game against Riser. Nodding at each other, they entered the confines of the barrier that was spreading out before them, wincing as the sky above changed from night to day in an instant.

"Very kind of Beelzebub-sama to not only leave, but improve the time dilation barrier in this area." Pandora remarked as she looked around. "How much is the dilation right now by the way?"

"Thirty times if I remember correctly." Takeshi said as the two of them made their way to the mansion. "We've got six hours to spare in real time, which means we have…about a week in here."

"Super convenient indeed." Pandora smiled. "Not only for training, but also for reading and studying. The only problem is having to keep notes of important conversations or arrangements we made with others lest we forget them over the course of this week in here. Plus, there's the whole disorientation and loss of sense of time we feel once we get out of the barrier."

"Eh, small price to pay for the benefits this place provides us." Takeshi said. "I heard the Sitri group has requested for the creation of a similar barrier in their own private villa from Beelzebub-sama through Leviathan-sama. Ah, isn't it nice having friends in high places?"

"It does help in many cases." Pandora said. "Now then, where's Kiba-san?"

The sound of an explosion in the distance echoed as if responding to Pandora's question.

"Over there might be a good place to start." Takeshi remarked. "You go ahead, Pandora. I'll try to speak to Yuuto…and hope he's not going to try to cut me to pieces."

Pandora nodded as she walked towards the mansion. Takeshi spread his wings and took flight, landing in a small clearing. There, Yuuto was busy creating and launching swords in a frenzy while dodging and thrusting using the blades in his hand. Takeshi guessed he was replaying the fight against the Stray Exorcist in his mind. As several swords came flying towards him, Takeshi summoned Cataclysm Zone and Blight Current in its whip form, knocking aside the incoming blades with ease.

"…Takeshi-kun?" Yuuto said, lowering his blade. "Why are you here…?"

"Same reason as you; train for the upcoming battle, if there is one coming." Takeshi said, dismissing his Sacred Gear. "Plus, I wanted to apologize for, you know, knocking you out back there."

"No, I deserved that…" Yuuto sighed. "Even if I went after them like that, chances are I would be wasting my time. I wouldn't be able to catch them. But when we meet again…I will destroy that damn blade!"

Yuuto said as he split a nearby boulder in half with his sword.

"Rias told me what happened to you and how she found you." Takeshi said. "I understand you want payback, but there's something else I'm confused about."

"Which is?"

"Why are you so adamant on destroying the sword?" Takeshi asked. "Let's be real here, Excalibur itself hasn't done anything to you. Sure, creating compatible wielders for it was the reason for your misfortune, but I don't see how breaking a lifeless blade will make things right. Shouldn't you be going after those who started this project in the first place?"

"That was the plan at first…until I found out all the researchers were dead." Yuuto said. "The Church convicted them once they found out the details regarding the Holy Sword Project. Apparently, the inhumane treatment of us orphans there was kept off the records for some reason."

"Yeah, some reason." Takeshi scoffed. "At least most of the Church members have some lines they're not willing to cross. Are you sure about this though?"

"Okita-san, my master, confirmed it with our spies in the Church." Yuuto said. "The mastermind behind the Holy Sword Project attempted to escape, but was cornered in a hotel in Madrid and died after setting fire to it."

Yuuto started pacing around, a furious expression on his face.

"Even though these monsters are dead…I still can't get rid of the rage in my heart." Yuuto said. "Every time I close my eyes and drift back to those times, I remember my friends there. Their faces, their smiles when they talked about their dreams for the future, their hopes…all of them gone because of some bastard's greed!"

Yuuto punched a nearby tree with a snarl before continuing.

"They sacrificed what remained of their lives to let me of all people escape from that hellhole…" Yuuto grimaced. "I couldn't do anything for them in return…except avenge them and clear their regrets, as well as the hatred in me. But with those responsible dead, who am I supposed to hate, to target now? What am I supposed to do with all this rage, this bitterness inside me…?"

"Is that why you're going after Excalibur itself?"

"Even without you telling me, I know it's stupid." Yuuto let out a humorless laugh. "I know it's ill-advised, and I know it will cause trouble for President. However, I have to do this. It's the only thing I have left. If I can surpass Excalibur, then maybe…maybe I can find some closure, some measure of peace… Maybe I can feel like I've done something for my deceased friends."

"I…can sort of understand where you're coming from, but I still don't want you to lose your life in the pursuit of vengeance." Takeshi said. "Don't you think it would be the ultimate disrespect to your friends' memory if you died like that? Not to mention, the others and I would be sad if we lost you."

"I don't intend to die just yet." Yuuto said with a determined expression. "But I also won't back down from this. Excalibur being in Kuoh is a chance I won't let go to waste."

"Even though you were completely outmatched in the earlier bout?" Takeshi pointed out. "Your anger was clouding your judgment and making your moves obvious. If you fight like that, you're going to get yourself killed for sure next time."

"I know that without you telling me." Yuuto said with a sharp tone. "That's why I came here. With some practice, I'm sure I can regain my focus. Next time, the outcome will be very different. Now, please leave me be. I need to concentrate."

Takeshi wasn't sure this was such a good idea, but with Yuuto being like that, he figured that it would be useless to say anything more to him.

Probably best to give him some space to vent for now. Takeshi thought. The others and I can try talking to him later. We have time to spare after all.

"OK." Takeshi said. "You know where to find us if you want to talk. Just remember, you're not alone in this. Don't make the same boneheaded mistake I did."

Yuuto nodded once before getting back to his training. Takeshi made his way back to the mansion, where Pandora was waiting for him.

"Let me guess, the talk didn't go so well, did it?" Pandora asked after taking note of Takeshi's downcast expression. "I take it Kiba-san isn't in the mood to be reasoned with?"

"No, and I can't say I blame him." Takeshi said. "Wounds like these…I don't know if they are the sort that time heals."

"They're not." Pandora said, a sorrowful expression on her face. "I know how he feels to an extent. If I had the chance to get my hands on the head priest of those Titan worshippers, that madman Memnon, to get back at him for the life he stole from me, I would take it consequences be damned. Or worse, if something happened to you…and the others too, I wouldn't rest until whoever was responsible had paid for that in full."

"I haven't experienced anything like that, so I don't really know what I'd do if I was in Yuuto's shoes, or yours for that matter." Takeshi said. "All I can do right now is support my friend to the best of my abilities and make sure this endeavor of his doesn't end up costing him his life."

"In that case, we should do our best to prepare ourselves." Pandora said with a smile as she stood across Takeshi. "Ready for some practice?"

"You bet."

Takeshi grinned as he brought out Cataclysm Zone and Berserk Devastator, while Pandora was surrounded by several glowing orbs as she brought out her sword-shaped demonic power construct.

"You're not using Blight Current?" Pandora said, eyeing Takeshi's current Sacred Gear. "Since it's your newest one, I thought you'd want to familiarize yourself with it."

"I'd rather use it only when I'm doing solo training." Takeshi said, taking his stance. "Whole thing's coated in poison after all. One wrong move, and you could end up in a horrid condition. Orochi's poison is very difficult to cure, so I'm not taking any chances."

"Yes, I'd rather not experience a slow, agonizing death by poison…" Pandora said with a grimace, brandishing her blade. "Are you ready, Takeshi?"

"Damn right I am." Takeshi grinned. "Let's go!"

Takeshi conjured an oversized fireball, hurling it at Pandora. Wind enveloped her feet and launched her into the air, evading the blast. Pointing at the ground with her sword, Pandora had several earth claws erupt from it and aim at Takeshi. Most of them, he shattered with his fists and kicks, and the others broke upon coming into contact with his armored skin. Clenching her fist, Pandora turned the rock fragments into sand that moved to envelop Takeshi.

Taking a deep breath, Takeshi magnified his exhaled breath with demonic power, blowing away the sand. His greaves ignited as he launched himself towards Pandora. Using a blast of wind, she moved out of the way before letting out a large number of thunderbolts from the clouds that she had gathered using her wind Spirits. Takeshi spread out his wings, using his greaves for an extra boost when needed, to avoid Pandora's attack. However, she didn't stop there as numerous fireballs formed around her, with Pandora flying around in high speeds and bombarding Takeshi from all directions.

"She's quite nimble…"

Takeshi grimaced, his eyes struggling to catch Pandora's figure as he dodged or tanked her attacks. Her base speed was still inferior to Yuuto's, but when using her wind Spirits to propel her, she could be as fast, or even faster than him at times. The situation became even more difficult as her fireballs turned into fire arrows that exploded upon impact. Moreover, the downpour that had started turned into sharp hail that added to the bombardment.

Closing his eyes to concentrate, Takeshi enveloped his whole body in flames, expelling them outwards while yelling. Pandora was forced to create a water barrier to shield herself, halting her movements. Propelling himself with both the flames from his greaves and his demonic power, Takeshi reached Pandora, who put up a wind barrier at once. Even with that, the force of his blow sent her crashing on the ground, opening a large crater. Takeshi followed with a flying side kick, his greave enveloped by both flames and demonic power.

Pandora manipulated the ground beneath her to move herself out of the way, avoiding the kick. She threw her demonic power blade at Takeshi, who was unfazed as he dashed at her. The ground beneath her swelled as a large earth pillar propelled her upwards, with Takeshi crashing through it. Opening his mouth wide, Takeshi let out a demonic power-infused scream that reached Pandora, disorienting her enough for him to appear in front of her, his fist cocked.

"It's my loss." Pandora said, raising her hands. "Even if I could avoid this, my power has started slipping out of control again. Even though President and Akeno-san are working tirelessly to improve the sealing sequence, I've only gained a couple more minutes out of that at most…"

"Even this little time increase could be the difference between life and death in battle." Takeshi said as both Devils descended to the ground. "So, what do you say? Ready for another round?"

"Of course." Pandora said, conjuring a new blade. "This time, I will force you to use your Balance Breaker."

"By all means, do your best."

Takeshi said as both youths took their positions once again and charged at one another.

---

The following day…

The members of the Occult Research Club along with Sona had gathered in the former's clubroom after classes had finished, waiting for Tsubaki to bring the three Church Exorcists to them. Everybody seemed on edge, but none was more tense than Yuuto, who looked like he had trouble holding his anger in. Whatever training he had done within the time dilation barrier, Takeshi could see it hadn't done much for his foul mood. Him refusing to speak to anyone during that time hadn't helped things either.

I hope he doesn't blow his top here and cause an incident. Takeshi wished. We really don't need more trouble right now…

At that moment, a soft knock was heard. After Rias said 'Enter', Tsubaki stepped into the clubroom, accompanied by the three Exorcists.

"I have brought our…guests, Sona-sama, Rias-sama."

"Thank you, Tsubaki." Rias nodded at her, before turning to the Exorcists. "I suppose we should get introductions out of the way first. I am Rias Gremory, the High-class Devil in charge of this area."

"I am Sona Sitri, the High-class Devil overseeing the neighboring area." Sona said. "Pleasure to meet you."

"I'm Leon Ainsworth, an Inquisitor belonging to the Orthodox Church, and the one in charge of this mission." Leon introduced himself, glancing at Takeshi. "My old friend over there might have told you a thing or two about me already. If he has, I assure you he was overexaggerating."

"I haven't told them much, but what do you mean overexaggerating, Leon?" Takeshi narrowed his eyes. "I always speak the truth, and you know that."

"Eh, you do more or less, but you have a very selective memory at times." Leon shrugged. "Especially when it comes to your screw-ups or losses."

"Hey, I'll have you know—!"

"Spare us the banter." Xenovia cut Takeshi off with a cold expression. "We haven't got the time for this. I'm Xenovia, an Exorcist of the Catholic Church."

"My name is Shidou Irina, an Exorcist from the Protestant Church!" Irina said in an energetic manner. "Pleasure to meet you all! I hope we can get along as much as possible despite our differences."

"Shidou?" Takeshi wondered. "Are you perhaps of Japanese descent, Shidou-san?"

"Feel free to call me Irina if you want, Evil Dragon User-kun." Irina said. "As for your question, yes, my father hails from Japan. In fact, we used to live in this very town until the fire that destroyed a part of it. We moved to England after that."

"Huh, what are the odds of that happening?" Takeshi said. "Also, you can call me Takeshi if you want, Irina-san."

"Got it, Takeshi-kun."

"So, each of you belongs to different denominations, and yet you're all working together despite the somewhat antagonistic relationship between your sects." Rias said. "Moreover, you contacted me and Sona, asking for negotiations and swearing in the name of Deus Trinity that you bore no ill intent towards us. All this tells me the situation is quite grave. Does it have something to do with Excalibur after all?"

"It does." Leon said. "As you're probably aware, the Holy Sword Excalibur was broken into seven fragments during the Great War, with each fragment being reforged into a sword of its own. One of the fragments was lost during the final stages of the war, while the remaining six fragments were split between our Church factions for safekeeping, with each holding two."

"Let me guess, your fragments were stolen?" Sona said. "Is that why you're here?"

"Correct." Leon nodded. "An Excalibur was stolen from each Church branch about a week ago. The culprits took the Rapidly fragment from the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Transparency fragment from the Protestant Church and the Nightmare fragment from the Catholic Church. We've been tasked to recover or destroy these swords."

"What about the remaining three blades?" Sona asked. "Why did they spare them?"

"These blades already had wielders; the three of us." Leon said. "Well, my two comrades at least. At that time, I carried the second fragment entrusted to the Orthodox Church in order to pass it down to a suitable wielder. Following the theft of the three blades, I was ordered to safeguard it until this incident ends. This is it."

Leon pulled out a sheathed European sword with a golden guard that curved forward. The sight of it caused Yuuto's hostility to spike and his killing intent to start leaking out. Whether because he didn't notice it or because he didn't want to cause a scene, Leon made no comment on that.

"This is Excalibur Blessing." Leon said. "It's mostly used for support techniques."

"Is it really wise to reveal the abilties of the Excaliburs to the Devils, leader?" Xenovia said. "That information is—"

"Already known to them." Leon completed Xenovia's sentence. "There's not really any point in hiding them."

"I suppose…" Xenovia said, not looking entirely convinced, before pointing at the cloth bundle she was carrying. "Mine is Excalibur Destruction, which is owned by the Catholic Church. As its name implies, it has high destructive power."

"Mine is Excalibur Mimic." Irina said, pulling out a piece of string tied around her wrist that transformed into a katana. "It has the power to change its shape into whatever I wish within some limits, so it's super convenient to carry around. This one belongs to the Protestant Church."

"If my memory serves me right, Rapidly enhances the wielder's speed, Transparency makes both the blade and the wielder invisible, and Nightmare can create illusions." Rias said. "So, regarding the stolen fragments, I assume that members of Grigori were responsible for their theft judging from yesterday's scuffle. Do you have any further leads in regards to their exact identity? Is this the act of some rogue elements or could the entirety of Grigori be involved?"

"We know for sure that the apparent mastermind behind this act is the Fallen Angel Cadre Kokabiel." Leon said. "Our security systems caught his image during Excalibur Rapidly's theft from the vaults in the Church of Saint Sava."

"Kokabiel…" Sona muttered, her hand on her chin. "Could this be a coincidence or not?"

"Excuse me?"

"We had an incident of our own involving rogue Fallen Angels, and Kokabiel was our contact with the Grigori at the time." Sona said. "If he's attacked the Church…well, something is suspicious to say the least."

"Grigori has renounced Kokabiel as a rogue and a traitor to their organization, dispatching personnel after him to hunt him down." Leon said. "Of course, we've also done the same while keeping an eye on the Grigori's movements. We can't be certain this isn't some elaborate scheme from their part after all. They could be aiming to attack our strongholds while we're busy hunting down Kokabiel."

"Wait, does this mean Kokabiel is here in Kuoh along with the stolen Excaliburs?" Rias frowned. "This could be very troublesome…"

"No, our reports indicate that he sent the Excaliburs in this area along with Gadreel, one of his confidants, and Jacob Torres, a rather infamous Stray Exorcist." Leon said. "As of now, he's fleeing towards Indonesia after passing through Australia. Our forces are pursuing him relentlessly, but they haven't caught up to him yet. They will soon though."

"You seem pretty confident." Rias said. "Is it because you've sent your Longinus possessors against him? Zenith Tempest and Boosted Gear?"

"I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to answer that." Leon smiled, bringing his finger to his lips. "I can't exactly reveal the whereabouts of our trump cards to a hostile force, can I? What matters is that our civilian agents tracking down the Excaliburs confirmed their presence in Kuoh before they were hunted down and killed by the supposed rogue Grigori members."

"May the Lord bless their souls and reward them in the next life for their valiant sacrifice…"

Irina said with a sorrowful expression. Next to her, Xenovia murmured something in a low tone, probably a prayer for the deceased.

"Why here though?" Sona asked. "What reason could Kokabiel have to send the swords in Kuoh? Why split his forces up like that?"

"That's part of the reason why we're having this meeting." Leon said. "Some of our higher-ups suspect that you might have conspired with the Fallen Angels in the theft of the blades. After all, the loss of Excalibur is something that would benefit your side as well. Fortunately, we have a sure-fire way to ascertain the truth. All we require is your cooperation, Rias Gremory, Sona Sitri."

"…Our cooperation, you say?" Rias glared at Leon, her anger palpable. "I'm not sure I feel like cooperating after receiving such an insult. We would never work with the likes of Fallen Angels. As if we would do something that would tarnish our names and those of our Devil Kings."

"So you claim, but Devils are infamous for their deceitful methods." Xenovia said. "How many thousands of people have suffered because of your greed and you stirring up incidents in order to capitalize on said greed?"

"I don't know." Rias smiled, but her smile didn't reach her eyes. "How many people have you killed and sacrificed in the name of your religion?"

"This isn't the time or place for such a discussion." Leon said before the fuming Xenovia could retort. "Both sides have committed terrible atrocities in the past, and if we start some of sort of measuring contest to see who's the greatest sinner, we'll be here all week."

"Yes, this is a waste of time." Sona said. "Let's get back to the matter at hand."

"Miss Rias, miss Sona, I'm really sorry if you feel offended by my words." Leon said. "I understand where you're coming from. But please understand our position as well. We need to be one hundred percent sure you're not scheming something, and our superiors won't be reassured by verbal promises alone. For all our sakes, there needs to be as much trust between us as possible until this incident ends."

"Suppose we agree to this…test of yours, what does it entail?" Sona asked. "Why are you certain you can tell whether we're lying or not?"

Instead of answering, Leon drew his robe back, pointing at the blade sheathed at his side.

"This is the Holy Sword Fragarach, a gift to the Church from the Irish Pantheon after we helped them deal with the Evil Dragon Crom Cruach centuries ago." Leon said, glancing at Takeshi for a moment. "Though it lost some of its attributes when it was downgraded from a Divine Sword to a Holy Sword, it retains the ability to force someone to speak only the truth when held near their throat. With your permission, I'd like to use that ability on you two."

"Are you kidding me?" Rias said with an incredulous expression. "Who in their right mind would let an Exorcist put a Holy Sword close to their neck? How do we know you're not planning on cutting us down?"

"Because one of you can hold their blade, or whatever their preferred weapon is, against my throat while I'm using Fragarach." Leon said. "If I make any suspicious movements, feel free to cut me down. But you have my word as an agent of the Lord that it won't come to that."

"Sounds like a wonderful idea." Yuuto said with a cruel smirk. "In that case, I—"

"I'll do it." Takeshi cut off Yuuto, summoning Cataclysm Zone and Mayhem Striker. "We may be old friends, but don't think I'll hesitate to act if you try to do anything to President, Leon."

Leon looked from Takeshi to Rias, a wide smirk appearing on his face.

"Heh, so that's how it is then?" Leon said while grinning. "I see, I see. However, I'm surprised, Takeshi. You always used to say that girls were icky and that there was no chance in Hell you—"

"Keep talking, and my hand might just slip by accident." Takeshi said with a severe expression, placing the axe near Leon's neck. "You wouldn't want that, would you, Leon?"

"Sheesh, you still get worked up over the tiniest things…" Leon sighed before turning to Rias. "So, what do you say, miss Rias?"

"…Alright." Rias said with some reluctance. "If this will help clear the air between us, I'll cooperate."

"As will I." Sona said. "But we'll all be keeping a close eye on you, not just Ryuugamine-kun. The same goes for you two ladies."

"Seriously, we're not planning anything bad here." Irina said. "We know we're being kind of rude, but we only want to make sure we don't have to fight two sets of enemies."

"If anything, you Devils hold the advantage here." Xenovia pointed out. "If a fight broke out, we'd be hard-pressed to escape unscathed."

"Why does it sound like she's confident she could fight all of us off if it came down to it…?"

"…She's fearless, I'll give her that."

Pandora and Koneko muttered at each other. Meanwhile, Leon had unsheathed Fragarach and had approached Rias, placing the blade close to her throat. Next to him, Takeshi was holding Mayhem Striker near his neck.

"I'm suppressing the holy aura as much as I can, but you might still feel a little uncomfortable." Leon said. "Now then, miss Rias, please answer these questions; are you working with the Fallen Angels, and do you know anything more regarding the Excaliburs' theft?"

"No." Rias said at once. "We are not working with the Fallen Angels in any capacity, and all we know about this incident is what you told us just now."

"Alright then." Leon said, removing the sword from Rias's throat and placing it near Sona's. "What about you, miss Sona? What is your answer to my questions?"

"The same as Rias's." Sona said without missing a beat. "We aren't involved in the Excaliburs' theft."

"Works out for me." Leon said, sheathing his sword and taking a step back. "Once again, I'm sorry about this. But now we know for sure that you aren't involved in this incident. It would be a disaster if the little sisters of the Devil Kings Lucifer and Leviathan were conspiring against us."

"…You must have a lot of connections with the higher-ups of the Church to know about this." Rias said with narrowed eyes. "As expected of an Inquisitor, I guess. But I will say it once again; we would never cooperate with the Fallen Angels in any capacity."

"That's right." Sona said. "You may tell your leaders that they're being paranoid over nothing."

"I'll be sure to let them know." Leon smiled. "But if I didn't do this, they wouldn't stop nagging us. They're stubborn like that. As for you Devils, you don't have to worry about anything. We'll retrieve or destroy the stolen Excaliburs and be on our way as soon as possible."

"On your own?" Rias said with a doubtful expression. "Isn't it a bit too much for you three alone? Gadreel should be an Ultimate-class Fallen, or close to that level at least. Are you certain you can handle him and whatever other lackeys he may have with him?"

"Of course." Xenovia said. "If you're trying to offer your assistance or something, don't bother. Your involvement might upset the tenuous balance between the Three Factions, and we can't have that. Besides, the higher-ups have expressly forbidden us from seeking the aid of you two heiresses."

"What Xenovia said." Irina nodded. "We'll recover the stolen blades even if it costs us our lives. That's the duty of a Church warrior."

"Though we'll do our best so it doesn't come down to that." Leon said. "I'm confident we can recover the Excaliburs without sacrificing ourselves."

"Is that so?" Rias said. "Does this mean you have a secret weapon?"

"Perhaps." Leon smirked. "But it wouldn't be much of a secret weapon if I told you about it, would it?"

"I suppose you have a point."

"We'll be using the abandoned church in this town as our base of operations, so you can contact us there if you wish." Leon said. "With that, we'll take our leave…is what I would say, but I'm curious about something. The fellow with the blond hair back there, you're letting out quite the amount of murderous intent, which was doubled when we brought out the Excaliburs. Is there a reason for that?"

"Damn it, Leon…" Takeshi cursed under his breath. "We were so close to ending this without an incident…"

"A reason…you say?" Yuuto said, his expression contorting into one filled with hatred. "Oh, I have a reason alright. Because of your accursed Holy Sword Project for the sake of wielding these blasted blades, my comrades were murdered once they outlived their usefulness to your researchers. Don't you think that's reason enough, you damn lapdogs of the Church!?"

Matching sorrowful expressions appeared on Leon and Irina's faces. Xenovia remained impassive, her even expression making it impossible to discern her thoughts.

"So, you are the survivor of that detestable project…" Leon said. "The reports did say that a young boy managed to escape from the facility back then. Trust me, I understand how you feel on some level."

"I doubt that." Yuuto spat out. "You probably never saw your friends being butchered in front of your very eyes for nothing. You can go and hunt down your precious swords, but I'm the one who's going to get to them first. When I do, I'll destroy them, and then your swords as well."

"Then, you plan to interfere with our mission?" Xenovia said, her hand on her sword's hilt. "Moreover, to declare you'll bare your fangs at us as well, you're either very bold or very stupid. But if you want to pick a fight with us, I'll indulge you."

"Sounds good to me." Yuuto said with a sinister smile as several Demonic Swords appeared all around the clubroom. "I may have been a failure as your Senpai, but I will still surpass Excalibur!"

"Enough, Yuuto!" Rias shouted. "Stand down at once!"

"Don't engage, warrior Xenovia." Leon shot a pointed look at her. "We've wronged this person enough already. He has every right to despise the Church and hate Excalibur after what was done to him."

"Even if that's the case, that doesn't give him the right to get in our way." Xenovia shot back. "If he does, he's our enemy, plain and simple. However, I'm a little interested in the strength of our so-called Senpai, so how about this? Let's have a match, and if he wins, he can destroy my Excalibur. If he loses, he won't interfere with our mission. Of course, we won't report this to the Church."

"Ah, the Slashing Princess is at it again…" Irina let out an exasperated sigh. "If the Devils agree, maybe we should let her do what she wants, leader. Be best if she lets it out of her system."

"Hey, if we're picking fights, count me in as well." Takeshi said. "I'm kind of curious to see how strong you are, Leon."

"Why am I not surprised…?" Leon sighed. "Maybe you want to get in on this as well, warrior Irina?"

"To be honest, I wouldn't want to be left out." Irina said with a sheepish smile. "I'd also like to test the strength of the Devils residing in my hometown."

"You heard them…" Leon said with a tired sigh before turning to Rias. "What say you, Rias Gremory? Shall we have a…friendly match off the records? I don't really wish to fight you, but some people from both sides seem raring to go. It might be good if they let off some steam here instead of letting it build up."

"I don't like it, but I agree." Rias said, glancing at Takeshi and Yuuto. "However, this had better not result in the maiming or death of my servants, or else I will vaporize you all where you stand. You can count on that."

"We'll keep that in mind, though it won't come down to that." Leon said. "Shall we change locations?"

"Follow me."

The Occult Research Club and the Exorcists headed to the back of the old school building. Sona and Tsubaki separated from the group, citing the need to submit a report to the higher-ups as fast as possible about the information given to them by the Exorcists.

Standing in the space they had practiced for the ball tournament, Yuuto, Pandora and Takeshi were facing Xenovia, Irina and Leon respectively. Akeno snapped her fingers, creating a crimson barrier around the area to keep normal students out.

"Are you sure about this?" Takeshi asked Pandora. "This match is because of Yuuto's grudge and my curiosity. There's really no need to involve yourself as well."

"Since you blockheads insist on butting heads with the Exorcists, I might as well use this opportunity to test myself." Pandora said. "Who knows, we may end up facing Excalibur or the Fallen Angels again before this incident ends."

Meanwhile, next to them, Yuuto was chuckling with a cold smile on his face. The atmosphere he was exuding was dreadful and suffocating, as if malice itself was wrapped around him.

"What is so funny, Knight of Gremory?" Xenovia asked. "Are you that happy you get to fight against me?"

"Yes, I'm overjoyed that I get another chance to destroy Excalibur so soon." Yuuto said with a harsh expression as several Demonic Swords appeared around him. "I knew that powers tend to gather around those who possess Dragons, but I never dared hope Takeshi-kun would attract the object of my vengeance. Fate is finally smiling upon me."

"That Sacred Gear of yours…is Sword Birth, isn't it?" Xenovia said with narrowed eyes. "A unique one among creation-type Sacred Gears. There's no mistake then. You are indeed the sole survivor of the project judging from the report we received. However, I won't hold back because of that."

"You'd better not." Yuuto said. "Otherwise, you will die before realizing it!"

"Oi, we said no killing." Takeshi said. "Restrain yourself to the sword only, Yuuto."

Yuuto didn't answer, glaring at his opponent. The three Exorcists removed their white robes, with Leon and Xenovia unsheathing their blades and Irina transforming the string around her hand into a katana. While Leon was wearing a simple white priest uniform with scarlet crosses on the shoulders and a scarlet finish, Irina and Xenovia were wearing tight-fitting black bodysuits with several openings that showcased their curvy and supple bodies, leaving very little to the imagination.

[Now that's the right amount of exposure right there.] Orochi laughed. [Have to hand it to the Church, they really know how to present their beauties! With bodies like these, those two are prime candidates for your harem, partner. Play this like I tell you and—]

[Forget about this nonsense!] Grendel bellowed, cutting off Orochi. [These meatbags know where Ddraig's current host is! Beat it out of them and let's go after that piece of shit, whelp!]

Both of you, shut up.

Takeshi thought, although part of him agreed with Orochi's assessment about the two girls' combat uniforms. It was very hard to keep his eyes off them and it didn't help that both girls were beauties. Feeling stares aimed at him from his back and side, Takeshi focused on Leon instead, summoning Cataclysm Zone and Berserk Devastator. The Exorcists flinched at the sight of it, their expressions becoming wary.

"You've controlled Malice Striker, yet the next Gear to awaken was Berserk Devastator…?" Leon said, a somewhat anguished expression on his face. "I'm so sorry, Takeshi. I wish I could do something for you…"

"Hey, what are you getting all mopey about over there, Leon?" Takeshi said. "Everything's fine. I've already taken control of Grendel and unlocked his Balance Breaker. He won't be driving me to rampage any time soon."

Needless to say, the three Exorcists were shocked upon hearing that.

"You controlled him…you say?" Xenovia said with narrowed eyes. "That bloodthirsty beast who always drove his wielders mad? What kind of deranged savage could possibly accomplish this…?"

"Rude!" Takeshi said. "I'm simply a guy who hates to lose, nothing more, nothing less. Grendel was unlucky enough to encounter me."

"That's so like you." Leon laughed. "I'm glad to hear that, though our higher-ups probably won't be. Anyway, let's begin, shall we?"

The three Exorcists took their stance, with the three Devils doing the same.

"Although it's only a match, be careful of their Holy Swords!" Rias called out to her servants. "Even a small cut can cause serious injuries!"

The three Devils nodded. Then, as if obeying some unspoken signal, Yuuto moved first, clashing his blade against Xenovia's. Pandora lifted several rocks from the ground, launching them at Irina, while Leon clashed the wind-clad Fragarach against Takeshi's right gauntlet, generating a small shockwave. Pushing him away, Takeshi delivered a swing kick, only for Leon to avoid it. He followed with a series of jabs, but Leon weaved through them with ease before countering with a riposte. He feinted an overhead slash, only to switch to a diagonal one that Takeshi parried with a high kick. The ensuing wind blast coming from Fragarach blew him back, sending him tumbling on the ground.

"It'd be careful if I was you, Takeshi!" Leon said. "Fragarach's winds are imbued with the holy element! Even though I'm holding back, taking them head-on too much won't be good for your health even with your armored skin!"

"Thanks for the heads-up!"

Takeshi said as he shot a number of fireballs at Leon, which he parried with ease. Enveloping himself in a twister, Leon took off and started attacking from various angles, only for Takeshi to beat him back each time. The blades on his gauntlets ignited as he began slashing at Leon, whose slashes through would always kill the momentum of his attacks by hitting at just the right spot.

He's good… Takeshi admitted in his thoughts as he redoubled his efforts. Moreover, that strength of his that matches mine with ease…is he really human? What sort of crazy training program do these Exorcists undergo to match Devils?

Takeshi snapped out of it when several crescent-shaped wind blades came at him, with him smashing his gauntlets on the ground to have a large pillar of fire erupt in front of him, blocking them. Pouring more power, Takeshi had several more fire pillars erupt around Leon. The Exorcist grinned as he raised his blade overhead, gathering a large amount of wind, before delivering a downward wind-imbued slash that dispersed the flames and forced Takeshi to dig his feet on the ground to avoid being blown back.

Meanwhile, Irina had turned Excalibur Mimic into a shield, using it to defend herself against Pandora's rock projectiles. Pandora had also conjured several water tendrils by drawing water from the nearby sprinklers, sending them at Irina.

"This is the infamous Calamity Witch's power?" Irina said while rolling to the side, avoiding both the incoming tendrils and a number of rock claws that erupted from the ground. "It's a bit scary honestly! However, this must be another trial from God! If I can overcome it, I will surely grow stronger! Amen!"

After Irina said so, Excalibur Mimic changed its shape into a bow, with Irina firing several arrows made of holy energy from it. Pandora used her superior speed to avoid them while also keeping up the pressure by mixing small tornadoes into her attacks. In response, Mimic's shape changed again into a pair of metal wings that released an explosion of holy energy, propelling Irina up. Then, it changed shape again into a chakram with cross-shaped protrusions all around it as Irina threw it at her opponent.

"Tch!"

Pandora grimaced as she evaded it, but Irina used a chain attached on it to manipulate its trajectory. Pandora was forced to blow herself back using a wind blast in order to evade it, breaking her stance. Meanwhile, Mimic changed its form again into a whip with a grappling hook-like edge, which attached itself on top of the old school building. Irina used it to swing and land next to Pandora, with the blade shifting again into a spear. Pandora raised several earth walls to defend herself, but the holy energy-enveloped spear pierced through them, barely missing her. Irina jumped back, avoiding the rain of rock spears and ice needles aimed at her, with Mimic shifting back into a katana.

"How troublesome…" Pandora groaned. "That shape-shifting sword is really a royal pain in the neck."

"Don't lose focus here!"

Irina shouted, with Mimic having shifted into a whip-like sword aiming at Pandora. She blew it off course with a water whip before turning the water around her into mist, enveloping both her and Irina. She started dashing around, shooting earth spears and demonic power blasts at Irina, but Mimic morphed into full-body armor that enveloped her body, shielding her from Pandora's attacks.

"Come on, Senpai, is that all you've got!?"

In the other side of the field, Yuuto was facing Xenovia and having little luck against her so far. One after another, the Demonic Swords he created were shattered by Excalibur Destruction, which was living up to its name. He conjured Flame Create and Frost Touch, letting out a whirlwind of fire and ice, but Xenovia scattered it with a swing of her blade before unleashing its destructive aura, breaking Yuuto's swords.

Scowling, Yuuto formed a large number of Blast Ogres above Xenovia, raining them down on her, but she once again destroyed them with her blade's aura before aiming at Yuuto. He conjured a large broadsword, but Xenovia destroyed it once again with ease, sending Yuuto tumbling backwards.

"Damn it…" Yuuto grimaced, spitting out blood as he stood up. "Not yet… It's not over yet!"

Several Gravity Nails erupted all around Xenovia, pinning her down. She used her blade's destructive aura to blow them away, but Yuuto used this chance to get close to her, Grudge Dent in one hand and Snake Fang in the other. The former was clad in a torrent of demonic power as it hammered at Xenovia's blade, while the other was coming at her from random directions, probing her defenses. Despite the furious assault, Xenovia remained composed, parrying Yuuto's slashes with controlled moves before shattering both of his blades once again. Yuuto was forced to step back as he made several blades erupt from the ground and aim at Xenovia. However, she shattered them once again with a wave of destructive energy from her Excalibur.

"As expected from one of the legendary Holy Swords…even though it's reduced to a fragment…" Yuuto heaved, creating another sword. "Destroying all seven fragments…will be a long and difficult road…."

"Please." Xenovia scoffed at his words. "In your state, you couldn't break a rusted metal rod, much less Excalibur."

Yuuto howled as he charged at Xenovia once again. Meanwhile, Leon was busy blocking a barrage of fire-enveloped kicks thrown by Takeshi. His legs enveloped by wind, he slid on the ground with grace, evading his opponent's attacks. Takeshi was unperturbed as he delivered a high-flying flip kick, followed by a dive kick that smashed the ground.

"You've grown quite strong even though it should have been only a few months ever since you awakened Cataclysm Zone!" Leon remarked as he slashed at his opponent, driving him back. "Color me impressed, Takeshi!"

"Didn't you know!?" Takeshi grinned as he pushed forward, aiming a series of kicks at Leon. "My evolution is faster than the speed of light! There is nothing in the whole universe that can keep up with my evolution!"

"Is that so!?" Leon matched his grin with one of his own while parrying them with the flat of his blade. "However, even if that's the case, I will decide your fate! After all, I've got the winning formula!"

"Ha!" Takeshi shouted as he pointed his fingers at Leon, shooting several fire bullets at him. "Don't you know that I'm the strongest!?"

"Maybe, but my strength will make you cry!"

"…Great." Koneko groaned. "There's another one now. They're multiplying at an alarming rate…"

"Ara, ara, let the boys have their fun, Koneko-chan." Akeno giggled. "Better than them trading insults."

While Akeno was talking, Leon shot several wind blades at Takeshi, but he dodged or blocked most of them, following with a powerful flame blast from his gauntlets. Leon split it in half with a wave of holy energy and enveloped himself in a tornado as he charged at Takeshi. However—

"Promotion, Queen!"

Taking advantage of his enhanced strength and reaction speed, Takeshi caught the incoming Leon's blade, flipping him around and smashing him on the ground. He aimed a heel kick at him, but Leon brought his left hand in front of him, with a flash of light coming from it. The next moment, the sound of metal grinding against metal was heard as Takeshi was pushed back and thrown on the ground.

"That's…"

Takeshi muttered with narrowed eyes as he stood up. Once the smoke cleared, Leon was standing there, Fragarach in his right hand—and a white heater shield with a red cross emblazoned on it that was emitting holy energy in his left.

"Is that…the Shield of Evalach?" Rias said, an astonished look in her face. "The shield used by Sir Galahad of the Round Table?"

"The very same." Leon said. "I didn't want to bring this out, but since you were getting too carried away, you left with me no choice, Takeshi. Seriously, would it kill you to take it a little easier?"

"I'll have you know I'm holding back plenty as is." Takeshi said. "But I can help but wonder how durable this shield is!"

Takeshi thrust his hands forward, unleashing a raging wave of flames at his opponent. Leon lifted his shield in front of him, with a large magic circle oozing holy energy forming in front of it. The incoming conflagration failed to even crack the barrier, leaving Leon unscathed.

"Satisfied?" Leon said. "If so, it's time to end this senseless fight!"

Leon said as he dashed at Takeshi with a higher speed than he had exhibited before. Takeshi rushed to meet him, both gauntlets and greaves enveloped in flames, as the two warriors began exchanging blows again. As Leon pushed him back with his shield, Takeshi opened his mouth and howled, with the demonic power-infused soundwave striking Leon's shield and causing him to stumble. Takeshi charged, his gauntlet blades enveloped in flames, but Leon steadied himself and slammed his shield at his legs, sending him crashing on the ground. Before Takeshi could recover, Leon's blade was resting near his throat.

"I guess it's my win, Takeshi."

"Guess again."

Takeshi motioned with his eyes at the direction of Leon's abdomen. Following his line of sight, Leon noticed that the blades from Takeshi's left gauntlet were only centimeters away from his stomach.

"Oh…" Leon said. "I see. A draw then?"

"As if." Takeshi snorted. "Compared to your sword, my blades are a couple of centimeters closer to your body. Therefore, I win."

"You haven't changed one bit from back then…" Leon sighed, and then smiled as he withdrew his blade and offered Takeshi his hand. "Fine then, let's call it your win by technicality."

"What do you mean 'by technicality'?" Takeshi said as he grabbed Leon's hand, with his friend pulling him up. "I won fair and square."

"Sure, sure."

Meanwhile, Pandora and Irina were still fighting a few meters away from the others. Taking advantage of the small fires burning around as a result of Takeshi's attacks, Pandora had added fire lances into her attacks. However, she still was unable to capture Irina, who was using acrobatic movements to evade her attacks and the shapeshifting Mimic to keep Pandora on the defensive.

I'm close to my time limit. Pandora thought. It's now or never!

Pandora called upon the water Spirits, stepping on the ground to create an ice sheet over it. Irina lost her balance and slipped, falling down. Pandora wasted no time encasing Mimic in ice and willed her wind Spirits to give her a boost, pouncing on Irina.

Got her!

Just as Pandora thought so, Irina smirked as Mimic transformed into tendrils that slid down her body and enveloped her right leg, transforming into a boot. A needle-like spike extended from it, grazing Pandora in her shoulder. She let out a cry of pain as she fell on the ground, her wound smoking.

"The moment one thinks they've won is when their guard is down the most." Irina said as she stood up, Mimic transforming into a katana pointed at Pandora. "I could have aimed right between your eyes and killed you right there and then. But not to worry, a surface wound like this can be easily treated and you'll be right as rain in no time. Well, minus the headache and nausea from light poisoning, I guess."

"Isn't that…lovely…"

Pandora said through gritted teeth as Akeno rushed to her side, using her demonic power to expel the holy aura from her body.

"If your forte is destructive power, I'll show you something special!" Yuuto shouted, forming a large double-bladed weapon with several runes engraved on it and a torrent of demonic power surrounding it, grunting from the strain and power drain. "Let's see if your Excalibur Destruction can match the power of my hybrid Demonic Sword!"

Yuuto charged at Xenovia, a mix of hatred and determination in his eyes. The young Church warrior sighed at that.

"What a shame. You made the wrong choice again."

Xenovia sidestepped Yuuto's charge and struck him in the abdomen with her blade's hilt. The destructive power was enough to blow him back, sending him rolling on the ground and coughing violently.

"First, you waste your speed and versatility, your greatest attributes, by attacking me in a blind fury." Xenovia said. "Then, you create a gigantic sword by expending quite a bit of your energy reserves from the looks of it when you clearly lack the strength to wield it properly. Even if you're seeking destructive power, it's something that doesn't fit the current you. All in all, your fighting style was an utter mess. Pray that you won't cross paths with the Grigori rogues again, or you'll be killed in seconds as you are."

Yuuto said nothing, a furious expression on his face as he glared at Xenovia while struggling to catch his breath.

"My suggestion?" Xenovia said as she sheathed her blade. "Take some time and cool your head off, Senpai. You should focus on polishing your true battle style. So, are we done here?"

"I believe so." Leon said. "If you need anything else, you know where to find us. Takeshi, once this mission is over, perhaps we'll have some time to catch up?"

"If it's possible, that would be nice."

Takeshi said as the three Exorcists took their leave, with Rias removing the barrier once she was done erasing all traces of battle. Takeshi also dismissed his Sacred Gear, grimacing as he felt a stinging sensation like his skin was on fire. It seemed some small amount of light poisoning had seeped into his body.

"How are you doing, Pandora?" Takeshi said, approaching the black-haired girl, who was holding onto Akeno for support. "That light poisoning must have been nasty."

"It was…but I'm better now." Pandora said, letting go of Akeno and stumbling closer to Takeshi. "I'm more mortified about my performance. Despite butting in this fight…I was no match for that girl. How deplorable…"

"It can't be helped." Akeno said. "If she was chosen to wield Excalibur, she must be quite skilled, so don't feel too down. I mean, even Takeshi-kun could only manage a draw in the end."

"A win, you mean."

"…It was a draw, Senpai." Koneko said. "Let it go. Besides, you were holding back."

"So was Leon." Takeshi said with a grimace as Akeno used her demonic power on him next. "I don't know how…but I can tell this guy was taking it easy as well. As I thought, I should have used my Balance Breaker and forced him to get serious…"

"…Good thing you didn't." Koneko said. "Whole place would have become a wasteland of fire and ice otherwise."

"Wait, Yuuto! Where are you going!?"

The members of the Gremory Peerage turned to see Yuuto storming off while Rias followed after him.

"Stop right there!" Rias said, grabbing Yuuto's hand. "What are you thinking!? Don't tell me you still intend to go after Excalibur!?"

"Of course I do." Yuuto said with a bitter tone. "I…can't let go of my past. I'm not that strong. That's why, I have to settle this with my own two hands no matter the cost."

Takeshi grimaced. It seemed Yuuto's loss against Xenovia had only served to push him further down the path of vengeance. His judgment had been clouded to a much greater degree than he thought.

"Becoming a Stray Devil isn't a solution!" Rias shouted. "I won't allow you to go down this path! You will only destroy yourself for nothing! Listen to me! You—"

"I'm sorry." Yuuto said, pulling his hand away and forming a magic circle under him. "But this is for my friends' sake, who died full of regrets. This is the only way left for me to clear them…"

One flash of light later, Yuuto was gone.

"Yuuto…why…?"

Rias said with a sorrowful expression. Takeshi embraced her as she leaned her head against his chest, her body shaking. He could see she was fighting back tears at the thought of something happening to Yuuto. It was then that a plan of action started forming in Takeshi's head. It was a long shot, but it was better than sitting around and doing nothing.

I really hope this works… Until then, don't do anything stupid, Yuuto.

Takeshi thought as he and the rest of the Occult Research Club made their way back to their clubroom.

---

In an unknown location…

[So, you've already encountered the Church's agents, Gadreel.]

Kokabiel said through a holographic projection, facing the kneeling Gadreel.

"Yes, my lord." Gadreel said. "Though our contact was brief, I was able to ascertain the fact that all of them carried Excaliburs. One of them wielded Fragarach as well."

[As expected, Michael sent his remaining Excalibur wielders to reclaim the stolen blades.] Kokabiel smiled. [But one of them possessing Fragarach as well, that was something I did not foresee… Either way, it doesn't change our plans.]

"What about you, my lord?" Gadreel asked. "Are the Church forces and the Grigori agents still pursuing you?"

[They are, but I'm confident they won't be able to catch me before our endgame is complete.] Kokabiel said. [It's a shame that Azazel caught up to me so quickly. I claimed that the rogues had fabricated my appearance and voice when contacting the Devils and tried to use Sathariel as my scapegoat, but they saw through my ruse in the end. We barely had time to hightail out of Grigori headquarters and had to accelerate our plans because of that.]

"What matters is that we brought the necessary equipment along and managed to seize the Excalibur fragments from the Church." Gadreel said. "Thanks to that, the plan can proceed."

[Speaking of the plan, how are our preparations coming along?] Kokabiel asked. [I do hope we are making good progress.]

"I daresay we're making excellent progress, Kokabiel-sama."

A short, bespectacled elderly man with gray hair, a moustache, and black eyes, who wore a priest outfit, said as he entered the room accompanied by the Stray Exorcist Jacob Torres.

[Valper.] Kokabiel nodded at the man. [Report.]

"The Light Generators are almost ready for use, and all that's left is to set them up." Valper said. "Jacob Torres' additional modifications are almost complete, the defective Stray Exorcists have been tuned as much as possible, and the barrier formula is about two thirds done. I was somewhat leery about this venture, but your collaborators from the Devil side have come through big time, Kokabiel-sama. Not only are we undetectable to the two Devils' Peerages, we can also use their spells to keep track of their movements to a degree."

[Excellent news indeed.] Kokabiel smiled. [What about the large-scale teleportation magic circle?]

"It's ready for use." Valper said. "You and the others can be here at a moment's notice."

[In that case, we're almost set.] Kokabiel said. [Very soon, our actions will spark the Second Great War, and this time, there will be no retreat, armistice or surrender. One faction shall remain standing, and the others shall fall.]

"The Devils who took my family and friends will finally pay." Jacob said in a low tone. "And those pretentious Angels and Church members who were content to let such atrocities go unpunished will see the error of their cowardly ways."

"May the flames of war consume all our enemies!"

Gadreel said with a fierce expression, with Kokabiel and Jacob nodding, while Valper let out a sinister laugh.

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This concludes Chapter 23. First, in response to your questions.

—To Ryukipendragon: Funny you should say that, because when I first heard liveDevil in Revice, I thought it fit my story to a T. It was actually one of the reasons that got me to start working on this story if you can believe it. As for Leon being the Red Dragon Emperor, I will neither confirm nor deny that.

—To Guest: Same answer as above regarding Leon.

Takeshi and Pandora have learned about Yuuto's tragic past here. Regarding Yuuto's reasoning to hunt the Excalibur, this was my own interpretation of his grudge when I first read it in the LN. I also added the fact that he has confirmation the ones responsible for the Holy Sword Project were supposedly dead to further reinforce his reasoning. Much like in canon, the members of the Gremory Peerage fought the Exorcists, but the result was a draw (sorry, a technical win) and two losses.

Well, that's all for now. As always, please read, review, favorite, follow, but most of all, enjoy!

See you all next time!