Chapter 4

Issei had a difficult time, not because he was going to fight someone again today, but convincing his dear childhood friend. In her eyes, this whole thing was a fiasco and a big mistake, she didn't want them to hurt each other.

Couldn't they just accept their differences and move on to their similarities? Which could be possible if not for Irina's irrational behaviour. Laira didn't acknowledge this fight, not even a bit. Realizing that she can't convince them, she had to get help from someone that was clearly stronger than her. Thus, she approached her father.

"Father, father please. Please make them stop, they don't have to do this. They can't even do this without your approval, you can stop this father please. I will do whatever you want please call this off." The girl pleaded desperately, as much as he hated to see his daughter like this, he knew that this wasn't something he was in control of.

"My cute baby, I promise nothing will happen to them. They just have to show each other that they have to be respected. I'll make sure that they will come unscathed." Renault's words did make an effect on her, albeit unwillingly, she had to let them decide on their own. She had utmost trust on her father, he was a man of his word.

"I appreciate your concern Laira, but believe me when I say that both of your friends are quite the powerhouses. Irina received my training, so you can have a guess how strong and stubborn she can become. As for Issei, Kyle knows firsthand how powerful he is." The oldest sibling exclaimed, which raised a question. How the hell does their young brother even has an idea?

"Son, what does your sister is trying to imply?" From the looks of it, something happened between the duo. As their response, Kyle, embarrassed, nervously chuckled and started fidgeting.

"Eh… We may have gotten into a fight a few years ago. We didn't recognise each other until he exposed his identity to me. I stumbled upon him when I was on search for someone powerful. Needless to say, he mopped the floor with me, but spared my life when he recognized who I am. Since that day, I have been striving to be as powerful, if not more, as him. As for why I didn't tell anybody, it was his wish that we kept this in secret." The admiration in his tone was sensed by everybody around them, Renault always wondered why his son was idolizing the young lad in front of them, now he finally knew.

"Hey Issei, do you want me to do a favor for you?" The blond boy shouted, Issei looked at him with curiosity. He had a fairly good guess of what he was trying to imply but, he wasn't sure.

"It seems that you need a blade." Oh now he had that huge grin spread wide on his face. They both knew that with his signature sword, this fight would be over before it began, which wouldn't be fun at all. However strong Irina is, she can't handle that much power when Kyle himself couldn't.

"So you want to make a deal with the Devil." Grinning like a madman, Issei couldn't hold his excitement. The brunette couldn't wait to try Kyle's specials, after all these years, he must've gotten far with his gear. He presumed that he had at least an arsenal of top notch blades, which granted him the right to choose by his liking.

The blondie started to concentrate, in order to bring his arsenal, he had to imagine them carefully. Portals opened everywhere, from the ground to the sky. There were at least two hundred blades to choose from. From firearms to ancient relics, Kyle could call forth weapons from different eras, including divine artifacts. Surely they weren't as powerful as the original, but they did make a clean job when it comes to handling the business.

"It's all yours boys and girls, pick up anything you like." Kyle proudly exclaimed, he worked his back off to get it all together. Took a couple years but it was definitely worth it. The risks he took were far more valuable in his eyes, his journey to search formidable opponents paid off quite nicely, not only did he become stronger, but also acquired these beauties.

Issei could pit point a few of the ancient relics, ranging from the Early Sumerian era to Medieval Era. He had no idea that these were even imaginable, everything here just shows off how dedicated the battle maniac blondie is. The Bow of Hydra, Axe of Heracles, Hrunting, The Chains of Enkidu, Logic Reversing Spear; Gae Bolg, Golden Sword of Assured Victory; Caliburn. Especially the last two impressed the brunette, those items could be very well considered as Artifacts.

One thing sparked his interest very much in the arsenal. There was an infinity symbol embedded Katana.

"You bastard, I can't believe that you even copied this. This sword had demonic affinity, but from the looks of it, you were able to convert its demonic energy to holy energy. Well done Kyle, well done." Issei was amazed at the sight of seeing his own blade in the arsenal, it seems like Kyle really did a great job in constructing this, very nice and detailed touches.

"Well, I didn't spend the last 4 years of my life for nothing. Also, that one is one of my favorites, I use it a lot and I seem to get the hang of its unique ability." Kyle's statement purely shocked him, to think that the blondie was that advanced in controlling his gear was amazing, to even mimic the abilities of the relics was purely fearsome.

The eyes were locked on the duo, everybody waited for their choice of weapon. Unsurprisingly, Irina wanted to go along with her Gift. Issei wandered through the blades, he didn't want to pick something overpowered. His goal wasn't to end the life of the girl across him, he wanted to make her surrender.

"Choose wisely, this fight might cost your life, Devil." Speaking of the Devil, Irina deadpanned with intimidation. Issei had enough and decided to go with the imitation of Caliburn, the blade fit nicely in his hands, sure he couldn't channel his demonic energy to it, but it would be enough to repel the incoming strikes, as he thought the blade would be durable enough, as for how much, he had to count on Kyle's honed skills.

Issei could get the hang of the imitation-Caliburn if he had more time, but until then he had to stick around with his idiosyncratic sword techniques. He had to say, holding Caliburn made him feel a tad awkward, as a devil, holy relics were his weak spots, holding one at the moment was, he couldn't explain but he was sure that he wasn't meant to get a hold of this blade.

"I'm ready, I think. I have this mixed feeling in me, but I'll be fine." Brunette explained and was ready to get into the fight, much to his joy, he was feeling better and better each second. Even as a counterfeit, Caliburn would choose its wielder, that made things harder, but it was nothing he couldn't overcome.

"On my sign, boys and girls." Kyle stepped up as their referee, seeing that both combatants were ready. The blondie flashed the sign.

"May the wiser one win." Everybody was confused by his statement, nevertheless, the duo was officially in a duel now.


[Playing; Falling Giant- Hades]

Issei would play rather defensive, in order to preserve his stamina on this one, and as for reading his opponent. He didn't know what she had up in her sleeve, until he figured it out, it would be the best to parry, strike and run and dodge as much as he can. Seems like luck was on his side, Irina, as the confident exorcist, had taken the role of aggressor.

['This is not something you would do, partner. We both know that you can crush her like an insect, why do you give her a chance to stand up?'] Curious, the emperor spoke. Issei had gone toe to toe with far more dangerous opponents, if the dragon wasn't by his side when those happened, then he could understand his decision to go on defense.

'Do you think I just prompted a fight just because she annoyed me? I'm far more persistent than that Ddraig. Sure I want a good fight, but that's not the case at the moment. You recall how I awakened you, right?' Issei told his partner, when Ddraig got what he meant by that. He couldn't help but be amazed at his host's cunningness.

['You sneaky little devil. You want to use this fight as a catalyst, so your recently unchained angel can awaken her gear. Props to you, I don't have anything left to say.'] The Red Dragon Emperor was beyond amazed, his host was going to kill two birds with one stone.

'Exactly, but hey, I didn't say anything that I wouldn't fight back. I have to make this believable, I can already sense Caliburn rejecting me. Give or take, 15 minutes is all it will take for me to get unarmed.' Sure, he didn't plan that, but it would be the icing on the cake.

Whilst he was explaining the plan to his partner, he was parrying the strikes with ease. There came another one, aimed at his left elbow, switching his grip on Caliburn, he dodged this one with not so much effort. He had to admit, even as an imitation, the Golden Sword was able to go on par with one of the Excaliburs.

Seeing that he could block every strike with comfort just angered the chestnut haired girl before him. Caliburn wasn't meant to obey the will of an unholy being, the Golden Sword should've rejected his authority, but from the looks of it, the sword was embracing him as if he was the original and supposed wielder. She couldn't understand, wasn't the blade supposed to burn his veins the moment he picked it up?

Deciding it was time to get things heated, Irina switched the Excalibur's shape, this time as a golden whip, radiating its signature holy aura around itself. This should give her the higher ground, even as strong as the imitation Caliburn is, she should be fine as long as she doesn't come into direct contact with it again. Then began the second stage of the fight, in which Irina had the upper hand.

Unlike the rapier, the whip form was admittedly harder to parry. It didn't help that he learnt it from the hard way that the whip was able to regenerate its whiplash, which added a more dangerous side to the already strong blade. Caliburn rejecting his ideals didn't help either, sure he was playing around but Issei knew that he really shouldn't underestimate any opponent, let alone this girl, even if they're way more weaker than him. After all, everything in this damned world was possible.

The whiplash came again, this time for his right knee, which he took care of by cutting the lash for another instance. He could go on and on for the whole night, which could be the case if the Golden Sword didn't reject him. So far, he didn't have any serious injuries, just a scratch on his left arm, and boy it hurt, just a bit. They were even, though, he managed to get a clean little cut on her abdomen, whilst Excalibur was still in its previous form.

Another vertical slash, dodged again. His grip on Caliburn was steady enough for now, but he was losing control of the blade slowly. He knew he wasn't supposed to hold the blade, he was worthy, but due to the fact that he was carrying devil blood, the blade didn't acknowledge him. He could reverse the effects of the blade, but that would make the blade's affinity to shift into demonic, surely he didn't want to ruin Kyle's arsenal.

Irina, on the other hand, was getting tired, controlling the holy weapon had always been hard. Sure,she was a specialist, Excalibur recognized the girl as its wielder, but in order to achieve its unique properties, she had to give up her ideals and recognize the blade's.

If she couldn't overpower him, then she could at least disarm him and end the duel in an instant. Proceeding with her own plan, Irina changed her style. She focused on disarming him, thus ordered Excalibur Mimic to wrap itself around the imitation-Caliburn. She had to distract him somehow, thinking that manipulation techniques would help in this case, she opened her mouth.

"Hmph, Is this all you got? Here I am thinking that you would be a formidable foe, but instead, you're running away like a little girl." The chestnut haired girl expressed, her annoyance could be sensed. She released the whiplash once more, hoping that it would get a hold of the boy. Much to her dismay, it didn't, instead, was cut in half again.

"Trust me when I say this exorcist, you are not worthy to get a glimpse of what I got. I'm saying this for your own good, you wouldn't want to provoke me. You may not value mine but I value your well-being. Not just because you're Laira's friend, but also you're young, you still got so much to discover. Who knows, maybe someone can cause a change of heart in you." His statement was filled with honesty, which raised eyebrows, even in Irina. Sure, she approached devils before, but none of them had ever made such speeches. Maybe the first two sentences, but definitely not the others.

"I can see through you Irina. I can see the good inside you. You only want to protect your friend from a random devil you just have met, I can understand your desire, I really do. So you see, we both want the same thing, to keep her away from the dangers of outside. Do you want to help me on this road?" The hunter becomes the hunted, Irina originally planned to smite him and end his existence, but his words had effect on her. The more she thought about it, the more it made sense. He had been around for God knows how long, and her dear friend was safe. Maybe she could give him a chance.

"I'll have to think about it, but you're an honest guy. I have to give that to you, Issei. Also, don't hold back anymore, I can sense that you're much stronger than you make it out to be." There she goes, Issei was happy to change her mind, which meant he didn't have to hold back anymore. He already tested her strength, it wouldn't hurt to at least show her proper respect.

"Thank you. Now I can drop my act." Unsure about what he meant by that, Irina continued to observe the boy. He dropped his newly acquired blade, the burns in his hands were visible. Irina was right to think that the blade wasn't meant to be used by him, which meant he was at disadvantage before the fight began. Issei began to concentrate, the more he let loose, the more he radiated. The energy he concentrated was becoming to be focused at a point, specifically his palm. On the burst, he shouted.

"Come forth! Dark Slayer."


When the light died down, the boy had something that sparkled everybody's interest, except Laira and Kyle, who were already familiar with the katana. The demonic energy that surged within the surface was undeniably noticable and strong, which prompted Irina's interest furthermore, she hadn't seen that much concentrated demonic energy before.

It was almost as if… as if the katana was a living organism, those patterns, she hadn't come across to a weapon like this in her life. She couldn't get her eyes off of it, it was beautiful. Her face was adorned with the look of admiration. Noticing her gaze, Issei interrupted her train of thoughts.

"I would've let you try had I not known that I'm the supposed and only user of it, too bad for you though. Hey, look from the bright side, at least you're gonna see what this beauty can do, in just a moment." He jokingly exclaimed, his smile back on his face. His words reached the girl before him, she quickly composed herself, she figured out that he was holding back, but surely didn't expect this much.

Laira wanted to protest, she knew what Issei was capable of when he used that katana, he tore down a god forsaken barrier with it, a concept of reality. She didn't want to imagine what it was capable of doing to a completely human body, all those possibilities, it scared her. Sensing her nervousness, the older daughter came beside her, and held her by shoulders.

"My baby sister, I know this is too much for you, but you have to believe me when I say that both of your friends don't have any intention to kill each other. You should relax a bit, come let's get you some water." Gabriel tried to ease her sister's concern, it had some effect but she knew it wasn't enough.

"You don't know what he is capable of doing with this katana sis, I have seen it. I'm afraid, can you understand me?" The younger daughter exclaimed stressfully, of course Gabriel knew what she meant. She decided to tell her a story, for her to understand the situation better.

"Sis, do you know that when we began Irina's training she was just 11 years old. From then, I was her advisor and mentor, she grew up under my wing. I have the utmost confidence in her, because I too, have seen her in action. She overcame far more dangerous foes than Issei's current level. Together, we hunted down stray devils, monsters and even an Eldritch Horror. Thanks to her patience and experiences, she can now stand up against him. You should have some faith in them." Finishing her speech with a smile, she hugged her sister tightly. Her sister's show of affection eased her a bit more, she could at least watch now.

"Let's just begin." The brunette exclaimed, this time, he would take the role of aggressor. With his iron tight grip on Dark Slayer, he charged. This meant good news to Irina, she could catch up to his speed for now. Each time she heard the clashing sound of metals, she was relieved, cause she wasn't sure that she was able to parry the katana, especially when considering the tremendous strength of it.

Everytime he striked, he pulled himself back and attacked from a different angle, this would deplete her stamina way quicker than it was meant to be. His speed escalated with each strike, which made things worse for her. Irina was getting overpowered slowly, as if he was getting stronger and stronger each second.

She dodged this one just in time, her fight was over from that point. Any more strikes and she would go down, because she reached her limit. Much to her surprise, Issei opened the distance between them. They were facing each other, she could see what he was trying to do, giving her a final chance to strike, thus ending the duel fairly.

"What about we end this right now, Rival?" Issei spoke, his smile still intact on his face. He acknowledged her as a rival, she fought well. Irina pulled herself together for a final showdown, her violet eyes were filled with determination. The sight made him happy, thus, the last stand began.

Both covered in bruises, they had that usual smile adorned their face, their only wish was to defeat the honorable opponent before them. The duo charged against each other, their will, ideals, futures clashed, the outcome of the battle would be decided by the victor's determination.

"[Dark Slayer! Alter the Reality!]" Issei shouted, ordered his blade to render the reality around him, Dark Slayer was indulged with demonic power, and changed its aura, radiating dark blue. To counter that, Irina had to tap the holy sword's power, she switched Excalibur Mimic to its original state .

"[Excalibur! Bond the Reality!]" Irina used her last bit of strength to tap into the power of the original Excalibur. As a part of the initial blade, she could call forth its power in some instances, when she can withstand the will of the weapon.


[Now playing: The Interrupters- Bad Guy]

As the blades were about to collide, something clearly unexpected happened. They were stopped on their tracks by some sort of a barrier, the caster was standing between them with her hands opened. It was no one other than their only mutual friend. She was different, though. Her pupils had changed from green to gold, she radiated a much more powerful holy aura and the most obvious change was her newly acquired pair of wings.

"I will not let you two kill each other, is that understood?" Their gaze was fixated at the girl between them, there was something unusual though. She didn't sound like the kind girl they knew, rather, she was quite furious and serious.

Noticing that they weren't listening to her, Laira pushed both of them. Looks like she had to teach them herself. Getting a hold of her majestic staff, the Angel chanted.

"O' the owner of Heavens, hear thy prayer. Grant me your righteousness and strength." When she finished her chant, she was covered in holy light, when she stepped outside, Laira had a profound change of strength that could be felt. She pointed at them with the tip of her staff, this was her playground now.

Gathering her light rings, Laira waited for them to realize that they weren't the home team anymore. Amazed by the sight, Issei could do nothing but chuckle, after all, his plan was efficient enough. Now he had to deal with her, which was the harder part. Something was strange, he could feel it. It was as if Laira was still in control, he could see her gaze still belonging to the kind girl. Like she was planning something.

She ordered her light rings to strike them, both combatants braced themselves for countering it. Like Issei presumed, this whole thing was a big joke. Just before her attack collided with their blades, she ordered the rings to be no more light, but instead water. They were fine but were soaked wet from head to toe. The girl before them laughed hysterically, this had been way more fun than she thought it would be.

"You got pranked! Oh my god the look on your faces, this was definitely worth it." She couldn't suppress her laughter, like she was new to this stuff but seeing the look of confusion and anxiety on their faces, it was priceless. Issei wasn't pissed, but happy to see that she could embrace her new life with laughs and jokes. Irina on the other hand, felt deceived.

"Ladies and Gentlemen. We've been tricked, we've been backstabbed and We've been quite possibly, bamboozled." The brunette sighed in defeat and dismissed his weapon. He didn't have anything left to say, instead, walked towards his opponent, who was still processing what happened, and offered her a hand.

Irina was not sure, this was either the beginning of a great friendship or the end of a marvelous rivalry, both of which were equally amazing. Looking into his eyes, she searched for a brief of uncertainty, she was glad that she couldn't find what she was looking for. The brunette was the cause of her change of mind, she wanted to believe that not all of them were the same, now she got a chance to prove her point. Albeit shakily, she took his help and got up, their hands still intact, which eventually turned into a handshake.

"It has been a pleasure to clash against you, Irina. Thank you for the opportunity, I'll try my hardest to prove our point." Issei expressed sincerely, he enjoyed their duel, she was a formidable and dangerous opponent. He kind of wished that they weren't interrupted, but he already accomplished his task of awakening Laira's gear, so it was a win/win situation.

"The pleasure is mine Issei, I look forward to another duel. However, I should be the one thanking you. I really need this, I don't want to believe that you're all evil, please help me prove this wrong." The exorcist spoke in an honest tone, maybe he could help her overcome the prejudice she holds against unholy beings. The duo locked eyes, both filled with hope. Undoubtedly, this was the beginning of an amazing friendship.

"Come here now kids, we should patch you up." Dread filled both of them, their uncle figure was so rough when it came to treat their wounds, it was more like a counselling session than recovering up, that was due to the fact that Renault cared about them dearly, seeing them in an agonized state made him upset. The duo refused quickly, instead, parted their ways.

"I really have to rush home Uncle, see you later." He bolted away with such speed that Renault questioned himself, was he that harsh against those children?

"What about you Irina? Do you have to rush home or something as well?" Eyeing her closely, he could see that she was still shaking. Upon hearing his question, Irina knew that she couldn't escape from this and accepted her fate.


After locking the door, Issei made his way to his couch. The fallen was still asleep, not that it mattered though, he had plenty of time, even though he had spent a lot today. He could use some rest, he was mentally tired, they were right under his nose and he didn't doubt anything. He was to be blamed, he should've figured it all by now.

['End of the road huh, I guess that your way of peaceful life ends here partner.'] The Emperor exclaimed, albeit he wanted his host to concentrate the matters at the moment, he couldn't even do it himself, today was rough and he highly doubted that the surprises were over.

'I wouldn't say it like that, but yeah, I've exposed myself. Only thing that I can do now is to trust Irina, hopefully she can keep herself quiet. Also, the fallen here is my leverage, I can still sort things out.' Ddraig could feel the strain that was placed on shoulders, he hated to see him like that. He clearly remembered what it felt like to be constantly chased, to be on edge every single moment. Their previous life had torn down their will to go on. Had something been to happen, they couldn't bear it anymore and call it quits.

['Remember this well partner, no matter what happens, I will be at your side. I will be the shoulder you can lean and cry your heart out. You and I boy, we're a team and we will always be.'] The Red Dragon expressed with might, his host was the most understanding one amongthe others. They had that special bond between them, Issei respected and was ready to give up his life for the sake of Ddraig. Little did he know that the selfish, power hungry dragon thought the same as him.

'I really don't know what I would do without Ddraig. Sure we talk shit about each other, insult our way to live, curse the day we met. However, if there's only one thing I know, it's that you're the best partner a boy like me can ask for. Thank you for everything. I swear, even if it costs my life, I will find a way to get you out of this damned gear.' What he said was the truth, Ddraig had done so much for him, he couldn't thank him enough. He had been at his side in his journey, saved his life multiple times, was the one who taught him how to survive and taught him to enjoy the tiny moments of happiness he had.

['Well, I guess I should ask this. Who did even want to get out of this Gear?'] Surprised by his question, Issei wanted to ask what he meant by that.

'Wait, you don't want to get an escape ticket from Boosted Gear?'

['Exactly, boy this is my home now. I've encountered people that I cherish, people that made me realize that there was more in life than just modeling yourself to become stronger. My hosts may not be top notch model figures in their societies, but I enjoy accompanying them a lot. The same goes for you too, I want you to live your life to its fullest. I want to see you as a happy, carefree man in the future. I want to be the witness of your success.'] His statement shocked the brunette, he knew that he cared about his hosts, but he also realized over time that Ddraig was keen on his freedom. Issei could understand his point, he believed that his life goal from now on was to bring success to his hosts.

['We will get through this as a team, partner. You can't just get rid of me like this.'] Issei could swear that Ddraig had that fatherly smile adorning his face. Normally, he wasn't used to talking with the honest and caring side of Ddraig as he often would make fun of the situation, he could count on his partner on instances like this though, he hadn't proved him wrong when it came to these topics before.

'I believe this is just the tip of the iceberg. However, I promise Ddraig, I won't give up no matter what happens. As your partner, you have my word that I won't bow down to the cruel fate.' Ddraig knew that his host was strong, from the moment they met, he could feel the good and strength in him. However, when things come up one by one, even the strongest could fall. He was trying to prevent any event that could lead to Issei's downfall.

Silence fell between the partners. Ddraig was worried that his host might sink into unwanted thoughts, whereas Issei himself was trying to process the importance of his indecisive actions. He was still not certain that he could trust his new rival, he called a lucky shot with exposing his identity to her but that was it.

Issei still had to take care of the wound Irina inflicted during their duel, luckily enough, he had the right thing in his arsenal for this. During his time with Ddraig, he learnt that he could use the blazes of the Red Dragon to his advantage without the help of Boosted Gear. He called forth the soothing flames on his right palm and started to mend his wound. The process took quite a bit of time, but was flawless.

He was mentally tired, deciding that it would be the best for him, Issei cut his train of thoughts and cleared his mind, prepared himself to take a little nap while he was at it. The Fallen before him wasn't going to wake up anytime soon.


'Urgh. I feel as if Azazel whipped the soul out of me.' Those were the first thoughts of the awakened Fallen Angel. She couldn't remember why, but her whole body ached. Upon opening her eyes, she was met with a sight she couldn't recognize. Did they renovate the building while she was asleep, again? Her bed was sturdy too, it seems like they moved her to a different cell. She closed her eyes to sleep again, she had an important mission tomorrow, she had to get prepared for it.

The rush of adrenaline came quickly than expected. She was on mission, then remembered the utter defeat she suffered against the boy, the aftermath of the battle was still fuzzy, but she recalled the sound of her cracking barrier. The boy spared her life, hence this must've been his base, not a different cell.

"Now now, look who's awake." This voice, it was oddly familiar, she got up to see the source of it. Like she presumed, it was the boy that wiped the ground with her. To say that she was scared would be on point, she didn't know what he was capable of, or why he saved her. She settled deeply into the couch, pulled the blanket over herself.

Raynare, for the first time in her life, was scared of a man. She felt the burning sensation that twirled her veins, she never felt anything close to that in her life, it was hard to get over it. The Fallen Angel recognized his strength, there was no such weapon she could materialize to defeat him and that came from a high-class Fallen Angel, it meant a great deal.

"You don't have to be afraid of me, Fallen. I don't have any plans to cease your existence, at least for now, not until I get my answers." The boy before her spoke. It eased her concerns a bit, but, unfortunately, she didn't have the answers he was looking for. Seeing that she was still frightened, Issei pulled up the blanket.

"I only want to know why you targeted me and my friend. If you are just following the orders, then arrange a meeting with your boss, Azazel I presume." She couldn't answer this, sure she was just an aide. However, she stepped out of her boundaries to eliminate the threat, she wasn't supposed to do that, the only task she had was observing the potential Sacred Gear users. Enraged by the silence, Issei made direct eye contact with his hostage.

"If you insist on being quiet, I have to erase your existence Fallen. Give me something, a clue, a lead, anything can be useful." She could feel the anger in his tone, she knew it firsthand that enraging him was a bad idea. The threat could be a reality had she continued to play the dumb any longer, Raynare knew that.

"Okay… okay I will speak. I've been following the potential Sacred Gear users in this town, I've been given this duty by our Governor-General, Azazel. However, it is my own decision to eliminate the potential threats, I've gone rogue due to thinking that it would be the best for my factions' benefit. My actions don't have anything to do with Grigori." Raynare exclaimed weakly, she didn't have any strength to speak, but she had to. She knew the consequences of her actions, she was willing to take the blame on herself, as the loyal soldier of Azazel.

"Potential threats huh. Are there any others that you were investigating, or it's just Laira?" If there were others, Issei had to keep an eye on them. The last thing he would want was a human being brainwashed to delve into Supernatural. The quiet, relaxing, normal life was much more interesting than that.

"Only two more, both of them are attendees of Kuoh Academy, too. The last two were Issei Hyoudou and another kid, Kirin Satou. I know that you're Issei, but I certainly didn't expect you to have already awakened your gear, have to say that you caught me by surprise." The fallen told her mission and her targets. Upon hearing the other name, Issei was alerted. Kirin was an ordinary boy and a great friend of his, does that mean he was already dead? No, It couldn't be, either the mission wasn't carried out, or she targeted them first, hence the boy was still alive and well.

"Tell me Fallen, what did you do with the other one? What have you done! Speak!" Issei shouted with denial, he clearly didn't expect that his dear friend was indeed a sacred gear user, he really had to be more careful with people around him. Raynare could feel the change of pace he had when she exclaimed her other target, she really messed with the wrong people.

"It's… It's just another mission I've been assigned. As the right-hand of Azazel, I had to observe the boy carefully. Our headquarters presumed that he had been chosen to wield a holy relic, this would've made him a great ally and acquaintance. However, I've acted on my own again, eliminated the threat. I only did what I had to do." The fallen angel exclaimed her actions, thankfully, the boy in question was still alive and well. However, there was a spot that buggled his mind.

"Well you see douche, you've failed miserably. Kirin is still in the world of living. Unless, your plan was interrupted…" In this exact moment, the truth striked Issei. He observed her style, there's no way that Kirin could've avoided or won against her, Raynare's assassination technique was on point. This means…

"The most likely outcome is that he is resurrected by one of the devils, but which one?" He was thinking out loud, this action wasn't gone unnoticed by Raynare. She was sure that she killed that boy, she saw the blood pouring out of his chest and remembered his agonizing scream when she pulled her Light Spear out.

Issei realized that he hadn't seen the boy over a week. He had called him but instead of making a believable excuse, Kirin wronged him by stating that he was still attending the academy but couldn't find enough time to catch up with the boys because of the club business. That's right, he couldn't find any time because he had probably been spending his time adjusting to his new life.

Casting a glance to the crow before him, the homeowner was planning on what to do with her. He desperately wanted to torture the soul out of her for her bad deeds, but knew that it would do more harm than good, also, torturing wasn't his thing. The only exit out of this situation was to negotiate directly with her boss, Azazel in this case.

"I won't end your miserable life, little crow. However, If you want that to happen, you have to help me. You may have realized that what you've done here disturbed the slim line of balance, your only option is arranging a meeting with your governor, right freaking now." As it could be understood by his tone, Issei was furious. First he fend off this crow, second he learns that Laira wasn't the only one in danger. Things were going to get really messy after this point.

Feeling his threatening gaze on herself, Raynare knew that she couldn't escape from the punishment. Going back to her boss in this situation was equal to being frozen in Cocytus, as the betrayer. Raynare was a privileged individual in Grigori, she could see Azazel whenever she enquired, she didn't need to arrange a reservation, this would speed up things in regards of Issei, otherwise for herself.

"We can leave whenever you're ready, Issei. You can catch up with my boss, as you're the seemingly unobservable vanguard of this territory." This would be more likely an official meeting taking place between two sides. Raynare doubted that he could see an audience before him, Azazel was known for his pride and his interest in ancient relics and, by the looks of this kid, he couldn't offer anything useful to the Governor-General, threatening Azazel would be a grave mistake.

Upon finishing the preparations, Raynare cleaved a portal in space-time, this was their ticket to Grigori. Without losing any second, they traveled through.


'Things never get interesting in these times, do they?' The man exclaimed as he was surfing through dozens of papers, all related to the political stand of Grigori against their moves on humanity. Sure, they didn't want his faction to mess around the world of humans, but Azazel himself knew that he only tasks scout missions when it's regarding the overworld, maybe recruiting possible Sacred Gear users, but that was all. He didn't allow his colleagues and brethren to make a move on their targets, especially not when they're unfamiliar with the supernatural.

All of those papers were only warnings, this wouldn't be enough for him to stop his research on Artificial Sacred Gears. He managed to have one to come into existence, although it was still in the Alpha state, the situation was promising. The only thing he needed was another good research example, that being a powerful Sacred Gear, or even a Longinus, with that he could finish his research and start mass-producing.

Shot up from his seat, the Fallen Angel grabbed himself a drink. He was frustrated cause his spies couldn't bring anyone to Grigori, he could really use those sweet gears to his advantage, not because he would use them as a leverage against other factions, but strengthening his own. His usual cheeky smile made its way to his face, the more he thought about it, the more he got excited. Truly, the Governor was like a kid.

'Screw em, I know I can do this and find a way to not disturb the balance. Just wait you sneaky bastards, Azazel is coming for ya' Making his way to his couch, Azazel started his search to exploit the loopholes in the documents. He knew that they couldn't fill every single detail, so as long as it's not written, he could find a way to continue his experiments. The Governor is a man of politics and everyone knew that, he was really hard to win against in the political ground. As they're not in a war, he would come at top on every meeting and agreement.

Just as Azazel was about to fill the documents in his favor, he was interrupted. He recognized the patterns of this portal, quite similar to his own. He came into relief once he saw who was the intruder, none other than his loyal subordinate, Raynare. From the looks of it, she had a guess. Something felt wrong, as if the boy near her was the actual and real intruder, he could feel the anxiety and fear she radiated. He could also feel the suppressed power the boy contained, it was so obvious that he had a hard time with that.

"So, What brings you here my dear Angel?" Her boss nonchalantly asked, he was far more busy to actually receive threats, not that it would come into reality though, Azazel himself was quite proud of the power he wielded. Her cheeks lightened upon hearing his flirtatious answer, like every female in Grigori, she too had a crush on Azazel. The pinnacle of sexual desires if you know the real reason why he fell.

"I-I'm here to… introduce you to him." She managed to spurt the words, albeit weakly. It was quite evident that his angel had been defeated at the hands of this boy, so she decided to bring him here in case he had any special features. Upon examining him further, indeed there was something strange with the boy, his signature. Azazel hadn't seen something like that in a while, two opposite forces, clashing with each other for domination.

"Ah I see, you brought me a gift. Kudos to you Raynare, you'll be nicely rewarded for this." Azazel's face was adorned with a weird smile upon figuring out what the interrupting was about, the potential he sensed… This was going to be just great. Raynare for her part, wished that was the truth. He was going to be so pissed when he heard what this was all about.

"Excuse me but, I'm no gift. I've come here to warn you and your superiors." Now this made things confusing, yet Azazel couldn't help but laugh his ass off. He was not prideful with his rank, but superiors? It was clear as daylight that the boy hadn't officially met him. His words intrigued him though, if he's not a volunteer, then why was he here?

"Oh sorry, I just thought that it was funny. I am Azazel by the way, the Governor-General of Grigori, hence the superior. Now speak boy, what is the reason for your intrusion, it's clear that you're here for warning me, but against who?" Carefully examining the situation, Azazel played along. From the looks of it, he was gonna have a headache tonight, and that headache involved the screams of his angel.

"Against? Nobody but me. I've captured one of your fallens in my territory, assassinating potential threats as she calls. Oh by the way, I'm one of those, had my fair share of Light Spears along the way, your little Angel can fill you in about me." The young lad dropped the bomb, which would've been shocking had it not been for the subordinate's list of betrayals and rogue times. Azazel exhaled a deep one, as if he hadn't had enough trouble going on. Surely, this would cause a malfunction in his plan.

"So, care to explain what you want. As you can see I'm a busy man, I wish this to be done as quickly as possible." He exclaimed with concern in his tone, this could go undercover nicely if the boy agreed. Maybe he could even gain a leverage, that was just an idea though, he couldn't negotiate at this point.

"Simple, I won't interfere with your faction, you will do the same with my territory. The last thing I want is Fallen Angels, I have enough on my plate." The tension in the atmosphere was already visible, Issei was stubborn from the nature, there wasn't anything that could stop him from acquiring what he desires. As for Azazel, he was dedicated in his affairs. He had to acquire his goals in order to survive, for the wellness of his faction.

"Kay then, but I have an offer for ya. Are you interested in Sacred Gears?" This made things further confusing. Nevertheless, Issei was actually interested, thanks to being an owner of a Longinus himself.

"I don't really think you're in place to negotiate, but whatever, I'm all ears." A deal would be complete if both sides had gains from it, he sometimes cursed this nature of him, fair and according to his honor.

"You see boy, I've been searching for potential users but I can assure you that it's not for my own gain. I want to examine them and prepare them for their destinies. However, I've stumbled upon a dead end on my research on Artificial Sacred Gears. So you help me, I help you on whatever you need. Do we have a deal?" He must've been crazy to think that he can actually perceive the working process of Sacred Gears, however, he heard of him before, this man knew no boundaries when it came to Divine Gifts. Issei could use some help in realizing his destiny, but not the one against White Dragon Emperor.

"You know what, count me in. I have something that you can use, but in order to do that, I need to get a promise from the one and only Governor. Do you promise me that you will tell every single detail about what I have?" He made his point, he was gonna hit two birds with one Fallen. Seeing him agree to his deal, Azazel was filled with ecstasy, he was a word of his man, it was not like he would leave him hanging.

"A deal is a deal, The Dark Slayer!" Raynare felt it again, the concentrated demonic energy that burned her veins. The blond haired man was experiencing something he never thought he would again. He knew this signature, it belonged to a certain Demon Knight. During the great war, literally every faction had sent their reinforcements to their respective sides. For Devils, Hell sent their greatest warrior to the Underworld, Legendary Dark Knight, in order to preserve the war from spreading to their territory, rest assured, the Demon caused a catastrophe that resulted in great casualties on the Angel Coalition. The Collective force of Supernatural were trying their hardest to bury his name from the world, after all, he had caused some unforgivable acts.

"Pfft… Hahaha… So the prophecy unfolds, yet again." With disbelief radiating in his tone, the fallen governor exclaimed. It was happening all over again, another champion of the Dark Knight, this time clueless, yet seeking his advice. Should he inform him about his destiny? Or leave him hanging and resulting in another catastrophe? No, the world has suffered enough from their behest actions, this time he will take things under his supervision. Noticing the confused gaze of youngsters before him, Azazel knew that he had to make an explanation.

"Boy, believe it or not but, you're a real exception of creation. I have everything you need about that unholy blade. However, I want to study it. This will surely help my progression to be much quicker than before, thus not needing anymore Sacred Gear users. If you don't mind, I want to keep it for just this one night. You can come back and retrieve it tomorrow, or better, I can bring it to you if you can't afford to come to Grigori again. Just write down your address here and I'll grab your needs in the meantime." The gleam in his eyes didn't help, it was obvious that the governor was beyond curious about the boy. Much to his pleasure, Issei agreed with Azazel's deal. He had enough firepower even without his family heirloom, besides, this deal would help him to calm down the tensions in his territory.

Seeing him writing down, Azazel reached for his bookshelf. If there was only one thing he wanted in his office, that would be the shelf behind his desk. He had every, according to himself, valuable information stored in his works and thesis'. It was the boy's lucky day, because he had the right books and essays about the Knight on his bookshelf. The Mythical Blades, Legendary Dark Knight, Champion of the Demon Realm, Hell or Underworld?, The Unholy War, A Quick Guide on Understanding the Demons.

"Here, everything you need about the blade and your destiny is here. These books are written throughout history by reliable sources. I've had my hands on them for a while, I don't actually need them anymore, you can keep 'em, they'll do more good to you than me." Azazel tossed the books to the curious boy in front of him, only he knew how dangerous his existence is… He had every right to desire peace, it would be impossible had he been exposed, thus understood his decision to not interfere with his place.

"I appreciate it, Azazel. I have only one wish left though. Can you keep quiet about this visit? I really don't want to deal with anymore trouble, especially not the ones from the Underworld. I'd really like it if you respect my privacy and decision." He was visibly concerned, something that the Governor could relate to. He had his experience with going undercover for such a long time, has subordinates that wish the same. However, sometimes you can't simply acquire peace throughout your actions, this fact didn't mean that he wouldn't help him though.

"Agreed. We have a deal, Issei Hyoudou." Azazel reached for a handshake, albeit unwillingly, Issei agreed and with that, their deal had gone into action. He had to admit, even this was a risky shot. However, when considering his options, negotiating with the Fallen Leader was the outstanding one, especially the least violent option.


'Kaboom, that's it I guess. No more utterly boring negotiation and some free space for me. Today's been tough and tiring, and my head still aches. Gotta get some fresh air' After arriving home, the first thing he did was releasing himself to the soft and cold couch. He had to use some rest but didn't feel like it. His mind was filled with dread and anxiety, he left his dear family heirloom without a second thought. The spiritual value of that blade surpassed everything he had. Still, he had a gut feeling that Azazel would keep on his promise.

['Rest assured boy, Azazel is a man of his word. I had my fair share of deals with him, I don't think he will take his word back. Yet, Y'know, you can always bombard the Grigori and retrieve it if something like that happens.'] Ddraig tried to ease his host's concern, again. What he said was the truth though, Azazel wouldn't do something like that and even if it happened, they could get it back by force.

'Yea I know but, still I don't wanna incite a war on Fallens. You know what I want and I won't stop until I acquire it.' The Dragon could feel the pressure Issei had, he had every right to be anxious after going through that hell together. Those memories were going to be part of them even after all these years. Ddraig could use his abilities to soften the boy's burdens, which he proceeded to do so.

['You mean this as making that girl fall in love with, don't you partner. You can trust me on this, believe me I had many mates throughout my life. You can learn a thing or two from me, though I sincerely doubt that your charm won't be enough. I've utmost belief in you, partner, you got this.'] Issei could perceive the grin his partner had, at times like this, Ddraig would distract him with positive things, in which he would succeed. He was on point, another thing he wanted to do was find love, wanted to be loved, to be held in a special place in someone's heart, holding mutual feelings about each other. This was his only true desire.

'I do… I really want that, I want to be seen as a partner, a soulmate to someone that I share the same feelings. I'm insecure, what if I get rejected? How can I carry such a burden on my shoulders, Ddraig? Emotions aside, I know that wherever I go, destruction and death arrives, that's my thing as your host. I won't be able to take it anymore if anything happens to her, I don't want to be the cause for her demise too.' Ddraig knew this side of him, always blaming himself when something happens, especially when it involves his loved ones. He could understand his fear, the very thing that drove his motivation to become stronger than yesterday, to protect what's dear to him.

['I know you're afraid, partner. You don't want to lose anybody else, you've been through so much that it is a miracle you still keep going on. However, you deserve happiness, that lucky girl deserves happiness, you need to feel that kind of love, it'll mend your mind and soul. That's the best for you partner, you can't delay or ignore something for you're terrified. You are my partner, you're meant to be strong, to be powerful, to dominate the battlefield. You have literally nothing to be afraid of.'] Ddraig was actually spitting facts, his host grew more mature and strong throughout their journey, he had found little thing that brought him his surely deserved happiness and comfort.

'You're correct partner, I've been avoiding confronting anyone due to my fear. I know I'm strong, I know I can assure their safety, but what if I can't? It'll be the best for everyone If I just isolate myself. However, I will take your decision into consideration, I don't have to carry all the burden on my shoulders. I have to get help and deal with it for the sake of everybody around me.' Issei was aware of the fact that Ddraig wanted what's best for him, but he couldn't deny the past. So much sorrow, so much anguish, so much regret… All caused by his inabilities, his weakness.

His little depression was interrupted by another emergency he recalled, the first of the Fallen's targets was his dear friend. He had to confront him and learn the details and outcome of their battle. He was also anxious, Issei didn't want Kirin to become a part of this crazy sheninga known as Supernatural. He might be too late though, if what he presumed turned out to be true, he would be a fully reincarnated devil by now, belonging to either Sitri, Gremory or Lucifer.

He had no doubt that they would treat him fairly, he knew the tradition of Gremory, they recognized their servants as family, he could count on them for Kirin's safety. Albeit little, he also knew Valerie personally, so she wouldn't force him to do any kind of thing that would endanger him, he had faith in her. He had to gamble on the last Devil Family though, Issei didn't know anything about Sitri's attitude. If he were to use Genshirou as an example, he would be relieved.

Causing a change of pace, Issei was driven to know the whereabouts of the boy. He could always call him, but not sure that he would pick it up. He had to get him to meet with himself, he knew the perfect spot for that, their usual meeting ground, Kuoh Park, it looks like the place was going to hold another supernatural meeting today. Climbing upstairs, Issei went for his wardrobe. He couldn't get out like that, his jacket was torn by the whiplashes, he would get a lot more attention than usual. Luckily, he had plenty of jackets to choose from. From genuine leather to synthetic, all ranging from black to blue, his favorite color was crimson though, a similarity he shared with his partner.

He'd chosen his characteristic black hoodie, adorned with navy blue stripes from the top to bottom. It would keep him warm even on the coldest nights, he liked it. His hair was messy too, like he had gotten out of a fight prior an hour. Combing his hair to its usual style, he was ready to leave and acquire his answers. He wasn't nervous anymore, but he had this tingling sensation inside him that alerted his very being. One more last thing was left to be done, that was to call the key, Kirin.

Dialing his number, Issei hoped to get a response, he wasn't sure he would get one, but what did he have to lose? He had plenty of time, and could eventually corner him in the academy, though, the sooner the better. Lady Luck was on his side, the boy picked it up.


Meanwhile…

"And, that's how I tricked Sun Wukong into believing that I was there the whole time, the old man didn't even question me. After my initial training with my master, I've been officially considered as his second. Long story short, I didn't wanna carry any official business so I fled. Eventually I met my new master, Valerie, she gave me a second shot. I have finally found my place in the world, I'm tryna fulfill it as she desires." The youkai expressed, which caused a sense of respect on his new protege. Kirin was beyond amazed, he wished that he learnt this side of the world sooner, of course, with the exception of a Light Spear. He gazed at his new colleagues, with his violet eyes shining brightly, all placed around the roundtable, Kuroka, Le Fay, his boss, Valerie, Arthur and lastly his mentor, Bikou.

He had met them 2 weeks ago, after his human life ended on that fateful day. His date with Yuuma ended with a chaotic twist, the kind boy still couldn't shake it out of his system, the pain was still somewhere in there. He was grateful that he was given a second chance by Valerie, his world had turned upside down since that day. He came into realization that he carried a divine gift, or Sacred Gear as it's usually called. Nevertheless, he was gonna use this chance to serve his new master, to protect her at all costs.

Noticing the thoughtful gaze on her servant, Valerie decided to ask what was wrong. She was kind towards her friends, and actually disliked calling them servants. She wished that she could be this kind and caring to everyone around her, especially him… No, she couldn't risk his life, she was already demolished with the amount of losses and heartbreaks in her life. Even if it hurt her, Valerie had to do this in order to protect him from the dangers, especially from the Red One.

"Kirin, you seem to be distracted. What's the problem?" Using her lovely tone, Valerie asked. After hearing her, Kirin lifted his mood up, he couldn't afford to daze in such a meeting. His curiousness found its way back to his face,which signaled that he had just spaced out. Smiling as usual, the boy in question decided to speak.

"Actually, nothing boss. I've just been thinking of this new life I've been blessed with. After that day my life went more and more interesting, I've met with y'all, I can't pay my debt to you, but I think eternal servitude should be just enough." His statement was met with smiles from his brothers and sisters, they were like a family and he felt sincerely happy to be with them. The peerage acknowledged him for who he is, felt concern about his well-being, helped him to overcome his fears, they cared about him.

"I don't desire eternal servitude from you, Kirin. I want you to live your life to its fullest. That incident was also our fault, we couldn't notice the Fallen wandering in our territory. However, there's one thing I desire from you. You already know that, I want you to become stronger and cherish our name and pride in the Underworld." The King exclaimed, it wasn't shocking, the next thing they did after he completed his transformation to become a full-fledged devil was arranging a training session with Arthur, which was, in the real sense, truly hellish. He understood her point though, she didn't want to lose her dear pawn.

Just as Kirin was about to reveal his desire to live up to her name, his phone rang, becoming the center of attention once more. He should've put the phone on silent, reaching for his pocket, his violet eyes widened when he saw who's calling, no one other than his proclaimed brother, Issei. He grimaced at the thought of meeting with him, not that he disliked him after turning into a devil, but as what his master said, he shouldn't interact with them for their safety, as they could be targeted to be used against them.

"Who's it boya? Ain't you gonna answer?" Bikou exclaimed with a curious tone, over time they've become friends, and told their life stories. He knew that he's been avoiding his friends, as much as he hated it, the youkai knew that this was for their best interest as Kirin was indeed a power magnet, would attract so many dangerous opponents due to his Longinus, Incinerate Anthem. Albeit reluctantly, he picked it up.

"Hello, It's Kirin. What do I owe this pleasure, Issei?" He was trying to act natural, he couldn't outright say that he was in a meeting with his peerage. As the audience heard the name, they immediately recalled him talking about Issei. They knew that these two were great friends, to an extent that they considered each other as brothers. Another thing they knew was that he could be a potential target for Fallen Angels, that's why Kuroka was tasked with the mission to tail him and guarantee his safety.

'You and me, right now. Meet me at our usual spot, I have to discuss something with you, which concerns your lately unusual behaviour'

"Oh, so you wanna meet me. Can we postpone this to tomorrow if it's not important?" Now he wanted to meet with him. Valerie averted her eyes, completely focusing her attention to the conversation. Issei was indeed up to something, nor he wasn't. Wanting Kirin to meet him was completely normal as he hadn't seen him over a while. The silver haired lady was indulged with the conversation, she wanted to know more and more about Issei, and do this without interacting with him.

'It is important idiot, does the name Raynare ring a bell?'

"I… I see. I'll be right there. Thank you for informing me Issei." He put an end to the call, the look on his face, albeit difficult to understand, was fearful, that name… Thankfully though, he was able to put a facade before anyone could read him. Curious with the importance of the meeting, the youngest member exclaimed the thing that boggled everyone's mind.

"What's it Kirin-sama? Why do you need to leave?" Her blue eyes were shining. Her kind face was adorned with a stunning smile, which was something that nobody could resist against. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that curiousness is her middle name, the blond haired cutie would often wander around the world to please her curiosity, like a little cat. Le Fay was indeed the purest member of the family

"Ah… I have to meet him, it's about our next plan with the boys, and usually we two decide what we are gonna do on Tuesdays. That way I can explain myself that I won't be attending for a while. So yeah, it's kind of mandatory at this point." He was able to convince them, as they didn't think that he would lie to them. Kirin was an open book, he had nothing to hide and nothing to lie about, except this one.

"Would you want I and Bikou to escort you, Kirin? In case that something happens, we can cover backup for you." Speaking gently, Arthur involved himself in the conversation. He could say that he was a tad overprotective on the boy, but it was normal as he still hadn't been able to defend himself properly. Instead, the Holy Sword Wielder was met with a shake.

"It's not necessary Arthur, really. Issei's a completely normal boy, and I don't think that I can't overcome this on my own. However, I promise that I'll let you know if something happens." Sincere as he always is, politely declining the offer. Kirin casted a glance to his master, who already agreed with his decision. Valerie, as expected, was concerned. Yet, she knew that she had to let him act on his own on instances. She couldn't get involved in his private life.

"I'm truly sorry for this intrusion, boss. I'll be back in a while." Kirin was met with concerned looks, he was relieved to know that they were worried about him. He could count on them. He slowly made his way to the exit.

'Raynare…? How does he know that?'


KekW 4th chapter done. Ye, there's a new OC that's gonna play a few huge roles on the storyline. Kirin's one of my first OCs, I like the idea of him and want him to fulfill his role. Also I cut down so much context from this chapter to add to the next one.

I originally planned to have the meeting on this chapter, then I realized that It would be too much for one chap, so I said screw it. 5th chapter will be about Valerie's perspective of the day, the meeting and our favorite Fallen Angel's perspective. Then the first day will be completed, there will be a time skip afterwards.

So I'm waiting for your comments, what do ya think about the events that occurred and will occur on the next chap. R&R gals and ladies. Also, check your inbox regularly, I respond your reviews from there. If ya wanna talk about anything, pm me, I'm mostly available.

Kthxbai Shiwft out.