Ch.26 The Tyrant's Deal Part 3

House

Irina is standing in front of Zen, who is on his knees head held down as she yells at him "I am completely disappointed in you, Zen Hyoudou. You were to obtain the sword without causing excessive damage, and I saw your expression."

Argumentative, Zen raises his face, angrily rebuking "Oh yeah, and what about it? Last I checked, mom loves tormenting foes."

"She does not. She's done her best to suppress those emotions because she hates feeling like that." She then points to the bedroom, and declares "Go to your bedroom, and don't leave until I say so!" as Zen looks angry and storms into the room and violently slams the door.

Asia and Shin enter the room now, Asia looking a bit disappointed, asking "Irina, don't you think you were a bit curt with him?"

She shakes her head in response "No, Zen can't become like Grendel. You, me, and Xenovia knew of that risk since he was small, and we can't let a single thing slide for it." She then leaves without another word from Asia nor a single word from her own son. Instead, Irina exits the house. Outside, she summons a magic circle with a new marking in it that gives it an air of regalia as she enters it.

Underworld

Irina finds herself in a throne room, a man, the current Monkey King, Bikou, stands next to Vali, sitting on a throne as he holds an evil piece in his hand. Irina respectfully greets him "I have come here to report on your favor, Lord Lucifer."

Vali stands up and reveals the Boosted Gear on his arm, instead of Divine Dividing as he seems respectful to her "Ah, doing my little favor, are we?"

Irina reports on the events to now, and he seems to smile, thanking her "I guess that calling in this to get rid of those pesky holy swords wasn't a bad trade."

Irina nods, asking him "Are our smiths almost finished with our weapons?"

He thinks for a minute and responds "I think that those mass produced replicas are nearing your numbers, but the reforged Vorpal Sword, Kusanagi, and Muramasa are still a bit off. I have to keep our tracks covered, you know."

Replying to this, Irina pulls out a seal, and reminds him "Our deal stipulates that we occasionally help you, and you are to allow us to forge weapons in your territory, and with your help. How come you're taking so long with three swords?"

He scratches his head, responding "Look, Lady Irina, I have to keep this thing under wraps. I mean, I'm already in hot water for the whole thing with my old man, and his old man."

Her eyes glow green for a minute, and she remembers "Razevan Lucifer was an arrogant sociopath. I'd be glad that he'd be gone."

Vali's face turns angry at the mention of his father, stating "I don't need reminding of that. Honestly, I'm still grateful to your hubby for that. Choking the life out of him was beyond gratifying to me."

Irina draws her sword, and asks "Speaking of, I'm going to kill Kokabiel before he can do some irreversible damage."

He shrugs it off, casually stating "Hey, as long as we have less threats, the better. Being rid of those holy swords should at least ease the tension in the underworld for a while at least." He looks and sees Irina gone and he further states "And she's gone. Man, I really wish I had someone like her around all the time." He then goes back to his throne.

The Next Day

Irina and Asia leave without the boys, Zen and Shin cannot leave without either of them, so it they believe it should be fine. Irina explains "Excalibur Ruler was also stolen based on the intel we got. Apparently, Freed and Kokabiel ambushed Arthur. I'll take of Freed and Kokabiel and take the swords."

But Asia stops her "Hold on, you want to take on Freed with Excalibur Ruler and Kokabiel without help? That's crazy, Irina."

But Irina unveils her Boosted Gear and states "Not if I use four heads."

Asia interjects, rebuking sternly "Irina, they can't know about that. Let me…."

But Irina stops her from talking and argues "Asia, Issei and I don't want you fighting at all. Please, only defense and healing, and stay away from the fighting." Making Asia reluctantly agree before they move out after putting their masks back on. The first place they go is the abandoned church to search for the parallel holy sword users, and they aren't anywhere to be seen.

They pass by the Hyoudou Residence of this world and the only people home are Miki and Gorou. They check the school and see the ORC members are attending their classes, but the holy sword users are missing. There aren't any signs of Freed or Kokabiel anywhere either, so they decide to wait until the time comes.

The two women make their way to the abandoned church as Irina sits on an empty bench with her feet up and Asia simply plants herself next to her as they look at the broken religious symbols around them.

Asia takes her mask off, and quietly asks "Irina, I know we've been dealt cruelty by the church, but do you think it appropriate to hold a grudge like that?"

Taking her mask off as well, Irina looks at it, and remarks "Asia, it's not about the exile, nor the way they treated us. Honestly, if Michael just said that he'd wrongfully branded us, and said that we were victims of the flawed status quo, that would have been enough." She clenches her hand and angrily states "But he used us, he took our faith, and disregarded everything we every believed in for the sake of the status quo, and in the ultimate act of betrayal, revealed the truth that took cut my family from me, exiled me from my friends, and said it as if my faith was dispensable….and I will never forgive him for that." She lowers her feet, and thinks about this parallel version of herself, somberly saying "And I never want anyone else, even another me, go through that horror."

But Asia retorts "Maybe, but your life now is filled with happiness, right?"

She nods her head, happily explaining "A loving husband, a handsome son, plenty of people who love me, and who I loved, a great home, and even power to boot, but I just wish it didn't have to come at such a painful cost.

In a rather crude response, Asia casually remarks "I believe Issei says that is like, being screwed in the ass."

Blushing, Irina replies "Well, you, Xenovia, Issei, and…..everyone has done that at least once."

Despite their laughter, Asia lingers on the thought of Rias, especially when it came to bed stuff "Issei really likes Rias, and he enjoyed having her around."

The two wait until the time comes here, wondering what the circumstances will be like, as they linger on alternate versions of this encounter, but then, after hours of reminiscing and planning, they feel a presence as Irina's eyes turn green with slits for a moment, and she states "Asia, let's complete our deal." And the two leave without a moments delay.

They arrive at the school where Kokabiel attacked before, and a battle appears to be underway, but to the shock of Irina, the alternate versions of herself and Xenovia are present, with a generic holy sword and Durandal, and Kokabiel has a familiar face. She charges forward and sees Issei fighting with a pair of white dragon wings with blue scales protruding from his back. Freed is fighting the holy sword users and Kiba with a fused Excalibur, but he seems to have other ones he didn't before and seems to be giving the three a hard time for it. Valper just watches with satisfaction at this display.

But before Irina can reach the battlefield, Kokabiel begins mouth the words, the words that destroyed Irina's life in her world, and she screams at the top of her lungs "Kokabiel, don't say it!"

He looks her way, not even sensing her power, but seems to get a sense of pleasure, even greater than before as he states the forbidden truth, God is dead, and Irina sees her past self suddenly stop moving, Asia fainting, and everyone else in shock from the truth.

As she reaches the field now, Irina looks at her parallel self, who Issei flies down to see if she's okay as Freed grins at her state. After taking in the moment, as if arriving right after a bomb, Irina looks towards Kokabiel and then Freed as her eyes glow with hate.

"You'll pay for this, Kokabiel….you'll pay dearly!" she states with contempt. Asia feels her friend's rage, and becomes afraid.

She shouts to everyone "You all need to put up as many barriers as possible!"

The devils present look her way, but don't understand as Kokabiel seemingly has the upper hand and Freed is as cocky as ever as he mockingly says "Come on, like this new chick…" but before he can say anything else, he is cut into pieces by three tails of green energy that emits from Irina's back, much to Kokabiel's chagrin.

Irina states "Valper isn't going to survive my presence, so I won't bother with him." Then, Asia puts up a powerful barrier around as many people as she can as they seem to take her words seriously, with Rias ordering her servants to listen while the parallel Issei carries his old childhood friend with him and Xenovia jumps back behind Asia as well.

Irina just starts uttering as her power emits "I, am who am about to awaken, am the evil dragon who fangs eat the flesh of the divine…." Her body is covered with her scale mail which then grows larger as armored heads, seven more, begin to sprout from her armor in all places as she continues "I praise the infinite, and corrode the dream, I shall become the eight-headed dragon of disease, and I shall dissolve your flesh in venomous anguish!"

Kokabiel's smugness turns to horror as he is now in the presence of a massive eight-headed dragon, like one of nightmares as the eight heads all move and seem to look towards him like he's prey, and he feels tiny compared to it.

Asia keeps her barrier up and reinforces it as much as she can, and she thinks "Irina, your feelings, are truly beautiful, I hope you know that…"

Irina voices come from all eight heads as she states "You made me angry, Kokabiel. I would have allowed you to leave with your life, but I can't forgive what you've done." Her eight heads open their mouths and each one emits a beam as Kokabiel charges for an attack, but Irina's eight heads gather their energy into a single large green boost as she screams "Pestilent Venom Buster!" as a massive green beam is shot towards Kokabiel, who pathetically tries to stop it, but his attempt ends in horrid failure as he is immediately consumed by the energy and within moments, his life force disappears completely, and the ground shakes from the sheer force of Irina's attack.

After seeing this display, everyone is in shock, save for Asia, and can't believe what they just witnessed. Moments later, Irina reverts back to her normal form and begins approaching the parallel Issei and he still has her other self in his arms since she fainted from hearing the truth. She doesn't have a look of hate or joy, just a stoic expression as she tells him "Hand her to me."

But he refuses "No way, after seeing that." He seems protective of her, even defying a woman who unleashed such devastation within a moment, which does make Irina smile a bit, but she gives a malicious aura that seems to subdue his will as she just lifts her other self and disappears without him seemingly ready to respond.

Asia lets the barrier down and goes to collect the holy sword cores and destroy them before the other Xenovia can interfere.

?

Irina places her alternate self down on the ground in a nearby part of the woods, and she seems to come to for a moment, and without hesitation, she tells her "Life is only going to get harder from now on, but just know, that I know you love Issei. When things get hard, go to him, and I promise he'll show you love and kindness, they all will. Just remember that, and it'll make it much easier to live." Before immediately disappearing, like nothing had happened, and her alternate self wonders what'll happen before now.

A little later

Asia has reunited with the boys after fulfilling her mission, and tells them "We'll be leaving as soon as Shin's mother returns."

But Zen seems annoyed "I barely got to fight…"

But Asia lectures him "You went too far, Zen, so the fighting was ended as soon as that happened."

Shin seems content as he apparently wants to go home, and before long, Irina returns with a sad look on her face as she looks at her son and just says "Asia, let's get out of here before things get crazier. Vali said he'd send a signal when the swords were done." And then with a nod, the four leave for home. They exit the room, take the knob, and the rainbow glow emits from her boosted gear as she announces "Return" and holds her arm up as the four are engulfed and find themselves returning home

Main World

Issei is sitting in his chair with a set of papers from the Phenex family, with Ravel at his side, looking concerned, but she says "I knew that this would cause a stir, but I have stand by my choice."

Nodding, Issei affirms "Yeah, political marriage isn't exactly my thing, but I guess it beats making enemies out of the underworld again." But he thinks about Rias for a moment, and asks Ravel "Hey, how about becoming one of us? Ophis can turn you into a dragon."

But Ravel immediately refuses and almost as if he hears an echo, she says "I will remain as I am, a proud devil, it's not because I take pride in my race, but also because I feel proud to a member of the house of Phenex." Issei recalls that Rias said the same exact thing, about the Gremory family, when they got married.

As they discuss wedding plans, Irina appears in the room, and she simply nods as Issei tells Ravel "We'll talk more later, I have some private things to discuss."

Feeling a bit left out, Ravel almost voices a complaint, but backs off with a slightly sad look as she quietly exits the room, leaving her future husband and co-wife alone. After she leaves, the two wait for a moment, just to be sure. Irina gives a progress report to her husband.

Getting serious, he asks her "So, Vali thinks it'll be a bit longer?"

She nods, answering "Yes, and I didn't sense he was lying either. We have to consider his situation as well as our own."

He thinks for a moment, and calmly replies "Okay, so I want you to check on our training camp, and I'll send Xenovia to look into our dragon grounds. Fallen angel me, and Holy mother Rias should have some reports by now."

Irina nods in agreement, but asks "I'd like to spend the rest of the day with Shin, if that'd be alright, Issei."

He completely agrees and she leaves without another word, leaving Issei alone as he looks down at pictures of cakes the Ravel placed before leaving, and he smiles softly looking at them. He looks at a red one, and thinks about his wedding with Rias again, and he says to himself "Rias, why couldn't I keep my big mouth shut. I hadn't sent you…" but he shakes his head, stands up, and leaves the room, and keeps his eye on his goal and his faction.