AN: My heart goes out to the friends and family of George Floyd. What happened was unforgivable and monstrous! And everything that happened afterward, from the protests to the arrests and attacks done on the media, is no better. America is slowly going to shit because of both that and COVID-19. And a certain old man is too weak and apathetic to help!
*deep sigh* Sorry, I had to get that off my chest. And please, no flame wars. I won't hesitate to ban anyone who tries to start one.
Also, Hero Academia DxD now has cover art! Done by DA's knilzy95 through my commission.
Later, outside of the club building, both Izuku and Yuuto stood face-to-face before Irina and Xenovia. Both young exorcists had already discarded their robes to reveal what they had underneath. They were in black-skin tight leotards with short sleeves, matching fingerless gloves that extended to their biceps, and thigh-high boots, all of which were adorned with straps. Every curve and shape was as clear as day, leaving nothing to the imagination, which caused Izuku to blush.
Off to the side near the edge of the tree line stood everyone else. "Let's make this clear," Griselda said to Rias. "This is only to be a private duel. Nothing will be told to the Church." She then turned to Xenovia. "Understand, Xenovia?"
Xenovia flinched. "Y-Yes."
"I'll step in if things get too far," Mizu declared. "Use of lethal force is prohibited. This is supposed to be a friendly spar, after all."
Xenovia nodded back, "Then let us begin. We shall test the strength of Rias Gremory's servants. Both her Pawn and our 'senpai'," she said, moving into a sword stance.
"Izuku! Yuuto!" Izuku looked over at Rias as she called over, "This may be just a sparing duel, but be wary of their holy swords!"
Izuku nodded, while Yuuto slowly laughed.
"What's so funny?" Xenovia asked.
"All my life I wanted to destroy at least one Excalibur," Yuuto smirked menacingly as twin swords flashed into his hands. "And right now, I have the perfect opportunity right before me. I may never get a chance like this again."
Griselda's trained eyes widened in mild surprise upon seeing the swords Yuuto created. "Sword Birth, the Demonic Creation Sword. Is he…"
Izuku looked at Yuuto, concerned about his current mental state.
"Zuku…" Izuku looked over at Irina, who appeared rather heartbroken. "I feel so conflicted. I'm so happy to see you again after all these years and that you're now following your dream, but at the same time you've become a devil during these past ten years…"
"You've changed during that time too," Izuku pointed out. "I can't understand why you would befriend someone who won't hesitate to kill someone just because they fell from grace."
"I'm honestly not sure myself," Irina replied. "Still, I never would've thought we would meet again like this. My dear friend becoming my enemy? This must be some cruel test put forth by God!" She bellowed dramatically, waving her arms around like a stage actress. "However! By overcoming this I shall be another step closer to God! Come on, Zuku! I shall pass judgment on you with this Excalibur!" Irina declared, pointing her sword at him, "Amen!"
Izuku sweat-dropped. 'Okay, she's a bit loopier then I remember… AND WHAT IS WITH HER OUTFIT?!' Izuku internally screamed, having a hard time ignoring how Irina was wearing a one-piece leotard that perfectly conformed to her body. Was she even wearing a bra? 'Seriously, why did the Church give her that?! Is there some unspoken law that women need to wear formfitting clothes?!'
[As a being that's been around for hundreds of years, I can assure you that yes, it is an unspoken law.]
Shaking down his blush, Izuku summoned his Boosted Gear and took on his dragonic appearance as he did so. He slightly spread out his legs and moved into a fighting stance. Both exorcists looked in awe and curiosity at Izuku.
"W-What the?!" Irina exclaimed. "Since when can you do that?!"
"It's, uh, a long story," Izuku replied.
Yuuto took the preemptive strike and rushed in, "Are you here to gawk, or are you here to fight!?"
Xenovia quickly returned to her battle mindset as she brought up her Excalibur Destruction, clashing her blade against his, "Twilight Healing. Sword Birth. And Boosted Gear. Those Sacred Gears are seen as a mockery to those of us at the Church. And then there's the fact your friend is part dragon…" she broke away from Yuuto and moved to a guard. "Perhaps it was fate for all of you to become devils."
"My power is also the power made from the hatred of my comrades! Comrades that were killed while they were still full of regrets! And they won't rest in peace until I destroy every Excalibur in this world!" Yuuto roared as he rushed into another attack.
Izuku watched in worry at how Yuuto was fighting. He was normally calculating and careful when in a fight, but he's dropped that in favor of attacking blindly. His rage with the Excaliburs clouded his judgment.
[Focus, brat. She's coming!]
'Phrasing!' Izuku fought down his blush. He jumped to the side, just missing a swing from a katana. Already in motion, Irina glanced at Izuku from over her shoulder.
"You need to pay attention!" she chided, dropping to her hands and throwing a horse kick. Izuku rose up his arms and guarded himself against the blow, getting knocked back several feet. Irina flipped through the air and landed a good distance from him before rushing forward with her sword drawn in front.
Izuku jumped into the air, spreading his wings, and avoiding Irina's attack. Quickly, grabbed Irina by her shoulder and head. Flying up into the air, Izuku hurled her toward the ground. The young exorcists gaged as she landed, dropping her Excalibur in the process.
She groaned as she slowly got up, looking up at Izuku who was still suspended in midair. Despite herself, she could help but smile, happy at how strong her childhood friend had become.
"That looked like a move All Might used on the Nomu," Ochako noted. She and the rest of the ORC watched the duel in worry. Mostly due to the fact that the two were fighting against two Excaliburs, two powerful holy weapons which could cause fatal damage if they weren't careful.
"It certainly looked like it," Kyoka said.
"Izuku-san seems to be faring well against an Excalibur-wielding exorcist. He hasn't even Boosted yet," Momo commented an impressed smile on her face. Rias looked at the fight with a serious look.
"Still, I'm worried about Yuuto-san," Ibara said with a worried look. The ORC looked at the duel between Xenovia and Yuuto. Judging by the fight, Xenovia seemed to be taking the lead.
The exorcist smashed the Holy Eraser into the ground with a single swing, an explosion following after it. "Damn…!" Yuuto swore, quickly backing off as soon as his Holy Eraser fell. "Burn up! Freeze! Flare Brand, Freeze Mist!" Swords of fire and ice appeared in Yuuto's hands and he rushed forward to attack again.
"Using opposing elements of fire and ice to add to the Knight's natural speed and agility?" Xenovia observed, avoiding the trails of flame and frost with little effort. "Impressive strategy, but…!" She swung her Excalibur Destruction again, colliding with Yuuto's swords. Just like before, they shattered with a loud explosive burst. Yuuto was forced to back off again. "I said before, the Excalibur Destruction is the most destructive of all the Excaliburs…" Xenovia boasted proudly. "It's an invincible sword that can never be broken."
"Can never be broken, you say?" Yuuto repeated, wiping the sweat from his face. "Why don't we test that theory?" He stretched out his arm to the side as a glow entered his palm. "Sword Birth: Nise Yukinoha!" A familiar katana with its silver snowflake-shaped guard appeared in his hand. His hand latched onto the handle before Yuuto went onto the assault again, throwing rapid thrusts at his enemy.
"He copied my Yukinoha?" Mizu wondered out loud. It wasn't that much of a stretch. Sword Birth was capable of making any demonic sword Yuuto could think of, and she did let Yuuto borrow the real Yukinoha for the Rating Game against Riser. He must've memorized the blade's characteristics during that time.
Izuku took a moment to watch Yuuto in worry. Reminding himself that he was getting distracted again, Izuku quickly ducked from another blade swing before it reached his head.
"You seemed to be worried about your friend, Zuku," Irina said, her sword stretching around her like a snake. "Are you sure your mind is in this?"
"Don't worry about me, Rinchan," Izuku replied. "I can take care of myself now."
"I've noticed!" She giggled before looking down. "You know Zuku, it was really fun playing with you and dreaming to be heroes. I was really sad when my family had to move to England."
Izuku gave her a sympathetic look. "Yeah, me too. I was really crying back then when I heard you had to move. Honestly, even though we're on different sides now, I'm just glad to see you again." He assured her.
Irina smiled. "So am I. I'm glad that you're able to follow your dreams now, Zuku. Guess that gift I gave you before I left helped."
"Huh? What gift?" Izuku asked, raising an eyebrow.
Irina blushed red and shyly looked at Izuku as if realizing she made a mistake. "Uh, w-well…" she stuttered. "I didn't want to have any regrets before I left. So I…I…I…" she muttered.
"You…what?" Izuku hesitantly asked.
"IkissedyouwhenyouwereasleepthenightbeforeIleft!" Irina confessed before covering her mouth, her face red.
Izuku's mouth dropped while Rias, Ibara, Ochako, and Ravel gasped in shock. Momo, Kyoka, Mizu, and Griselda blinked in surprise while Yuuto and Xenovia stopped fighting for a moment. And Koneko didn't seem to react at all, though her eyes did widen somewhat.
"Y-y-you were my first kiss?!" Izuku stuttered, unable to move.
'An opening!' Irina smirked and dashed forward.
Shaking off the shock, Izuku quickly dodged to the side, avenging Irina's attack and countering with a swift kick to the blade. Irina's grip on the sword was tighter than he expected since it didn't slip out of her hand. Irina gave a loud shriek as she gripped her wrist in pain. Before she could recompose herself, Izuku was already at her side, his fist rolling back.
He quickly delivered a punch to Irina's abdomen, causing the girl to gag as she dropped her sword.
"Irina!" Xenovia shouted. Yuuto, seeing her distracted from her partner's defeat, mustered all the speed he had and gave himself another go.
"You should watch where you're looking!" Yuuto shouted, "Let's finish our duel as well!" The bluenette turned to an incoming strike from an ice blade, fired by Yuuto. She narrowed her eyes as she swung her Excalibur Destruction, shattering the ice blade.
Yuuto was already upon her, the ice blade being a distraction, as a wave of cold emanated from the Nise Yukinoha. Xenovia narrowed her eyes and brought her Excalibur Destruction down as soon as it was within her striking range.
*CRACK!*
And the blade instantly broke into pieces.
"Guh?!" Yuuto gasped, watching as the Nise Yukinoha shattered in his hands.
"A very unique weapon, if I do say so myself. Unfortunately…!" Xenovia switched her sword upside down into a reverse grip and jabbed the pommel deep into Yuuto's stomach. Normally it wouldn't do much for any normal person, but with the blonde being a Devil, it caused much pain for Yuuto and made him vomit blood. He was thrown several feet away from Xenovia and crashed onto his back, gasping loudly as he tried to force air back into his lungs.
"Your weapon is just an inferior copy of the true thing. If you had decided to focus on defeating me and not Excalibur itself, you could've won," Xenovia explained, planting the blade of her sword down on the grass next to her.
Looking over her shoulder, she saw that Izuku was ready to fight her. But over his shoulder, she saw Griselda shoot her a look saying that they were done here.
Deciding to show a little humility, and not wanting to earn a folding from Griselda, Xenovia turned to Izuku. "You did well against my friend. It seems that Rias Gremory has found some favorable servants. Although," she turned back to look at Yuuto, who was struggling to get up. "It seems that one has issues with his emotions, though."
Izuku frowned at her, "Yuuto-san isn't always like that. His emotions are just… overwhelming him right now."
"Oh," Xenovia blinked, "I suppose that explains his reckless swordplay. Sorry."
Seeing as how she didn't make any hostile moves, Izuku went over to Irina and offered his hand, "You okay, Rinchan?"
She looked up at her childhood friend and weakly smiled. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just didn't expect that kind of attack from you," she took the hand which helped her up and wobbled a bit, the injuries hampering her movement.
Griselda looked over at Rias, "Since we both have a victory and a defeat on both sides, let's just call this a draw." Rias just gave a silent nod. "We will be on our way now. Irina, can you walk?"
"A little bit," Irina said, rubbing her stomach, "Just a bit beat up, that's all." Xenovia went over to her and helped her over the shoulder, and three exorcists started walking out of the courtyard.
"Wait!" They turned as Yuuto struggled to his feet. He found himself slumping to the ground. Even if it was a non-lethal blow from a holy sword, it was still a blow from a holy sword regardless.
Xenovia gave him a pitiful look, "You have a unique set of swords thanks to your Sacred Gear and if used right with your speed they could be used in any situation. However, the way you are now, you cannot destroy Excalibur. You need to work harder on surpassing those limits of yours."
The three turned away as they left, but not before Irina looked at Izuku with a smile. "Looks like we'll have to end things here, for now, Zuku. Next time we fight, I won't lose. Come and see me when you feel like being judged. Amen," Izuku gave a sigh in exasperation but waved goodbye.
With the exorcists gone, Ibara went over to Yuuto to heal him.
"You were awesome, Izu-kun!" Ochako smiled happily as she hugged the boy in question. Izuku's cheeks heated up in response.
"That was rather impressive," said Ravel.
"Uh, thanks," Izuku said, gently pushing Ochako off him.
"So, about what Irina said. Was it true?" Rias asked as she walked up. Izuku gulped nervously, looking at the demanding faces of Rias, Ochako, Ravel, and even Koneko, expecting an answer.
"Uh, w-well…"
"Yuuto-san, wait!"
The three looked over, seeing Yuuto suddenly get up as soon as Ibara had finished tending to his injuries. Rias was already running after him and grabbed Yuuto's arm. "Where do you think you're going? As your master, I cannot allow you to leave! You're going to cause trouble for everyone!"
Yuuto shrugged her arm away from him, not even looking back at her. "I'm sorry, Buchou. As long as I have these feelings inside me, I don't think I can let this chance go away. Thank you for everything, but now I have to set off to fulfill what my comrades asked me to." Yuuto didn't say anything else as he walked out of the courtyard, no one having it in them to stop him.
Rias grimaced as she unknowingly rested her hand over her chest, "Oh Yuuto…" she whispered sadly, "How did things turn out like this…?"
"This is it," Bakugo grumbled, standing before a large apartment complex. Honestly, he had nearly ignored the note and gone home, but something was nagging at him to do what the note said. Obviously, whoever it was who helped him the other night wanted to talk, and Bakugo wasn't the type to be indebted to someone, especially if he didn't know who they are.
Ringing the doorbell, Bakugo impatiently waited for someone to answer for about a minute before ringing again. "Hold on, damnit!" Someone, a girl based on the voice, yelled from inside. The door soon opened, revealing a young girl with blond hair styled in twin short side ponytails and blue eyes. Her outfit was a gothic lolita outfit, consisting of a black Lolita dress with white frills, a large black bow on the front, a green jewel embedded in the collar, white thigh-high socks, and black shoes. She also wore a large black bow on top of her hair.
"Oh, right," she groaned. "The boss did say that was today. Come on in."
Bakugo scowled (well, scowled more than usual) at how rude the girl was as followed. As he did so, a young man not much older then him walked by. Bakugo spared the guy a single glance at his blue eyes, and it was all it took to send a shiver down Bakugo's spine. Something told him that this guy was dangerous.
The young man smiled as he continued to walk toward the door. "Where the hell are you going?" The girl asked.
"Out," the young man replied, opening the door. "It's too boring here."
The next day, Izuku sat quietly at the table, playing chess with Liana as their friends chatted around them during lunch. "So what've you guys been doing to train for the sports festival?" Ochako asked. "I've been trying to up my Quirks weight limit."
"Weight training mostly," Itsuka answered.
"Shrinking and growing things," Yui flatly replied.
"I have been doing as many laps as I could around the gym," Iida added.
"I've been jumping off buildings in the training areas!" Tetsutetsu announced.
"Me too!" Kirishima exclaimed. "We should try that together!"
"Great idea!"
"Are we sure these two aren't long-lost twins or something?" Setsuna smirked.
"What about you Midoriya? What have you been doing?" Liana asked, moving one of her rooks. But she didn't get a response. "Midoriya?"
"Huh?" Izuku looked up. "Sorry, I just have a lot on my mind, is all."
"I can tell," Liana nodded. "Checkmate, by the way."
"Huh?" Izuku looked over the board. Sure enough, Liana moved her black rook to the perfect position, effectively trapping Izuku's king piece.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Liana asked.
"Yeah," Izuku replied. "I'm fine."
Milia, who was sitting a couple of spaces away, looked worryingly at Izuku.
Looking around, Izuku spotted Saji in the distance, talking with a teacher, no doubt doing student council duties.
"We've been training so much, I think we could all use some well-deserved fun," Mina proclaimed. "I've heard that an old shrine is holding a horror movie marathon tonight. Does anyone wanna come?"
"Sounds intriguing," said Reiko. "I shall partake in this."
"I'm in!" Kirishima and Tetsutetsu exclaimed at the same time.
"Oh, sounds fun!" Said Ochako. Then she remembered she was a devil and likely won't be welcomed at shrines. "But I need to pass."
"I'll have to pass, too," Liana polity declined. "I need to head straight home today."
"I'll have to decline as well," said Iida. "My brother will be home today and he promised that we'll train together."
"Well, I'm in!" Said Setsuna. "What about you, Itsuka?"
"Sorry, but I'll have to pass," Itsuka said.
"You have plans, as well?"
"No, not that," Itsuka shook her head. "I just don't like shrines or churches that much. I always get the chills when I'm near one."
"What, afraid of ghosts?" Setsuna teased, wrapping an arm around Itsuka.
"N-No!" Itsuka denied.
"You in on this, Midoriya?" Kirishima asked.
"Sorry, but I'll have to decline, too," Izuku replied. "I have… plans later." With that, he got up with his tray and left.
Milia watched as Izuku approached Saji and talked with him for a moment before moving on. "Is something wrong, Milia?" Pony, who was sitting next to her, asked.
"I'm… not sure, Pony," Milia replied. "But I'll find out."
As soon as classes ended, Izuku left the school grounds. He had been surprised when Saji had agreed to meet up with him so easily, even when Izuku had told him that he couldn't tell him what it was until after the school day had finished. The two had agreed to meet at a nearby cafe after school.
As he walked, he couldn't help but think about the mission Rinchan and those other exorcists were on. 'Why would the fallen angels steal three Excaliburs?' He thought. 'The only reason I could think of would be to use them. It must be someone important if they want to start a war. But who?'
His eyes widened, a perfect target coming to mind. "Buchou…" Izuku's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Her brother is the Devil King. If someone wielding an Excalibur attacked her, then everyone would assume the Church was responsible. If that were to happen…" Izuku was cut off by a strong tug on his shirt and turned. His eyes widened in surprise from seeing Koneko, looking at him with narrowed eyes.
"What are you doing? You should be at the club building doing activities," the middle schooler said.
"I… was just on my way. I decided to take the scenic route today, that's all," Izuku replied, trying to feign ignorance.
"You're horrible at lying," Koneko said, looking unimpressed. Her gaze slowly softened, "You're worried about Yuuto-senpai, aren't you?"
"…Yeah," Izuku nodded. "I want to ask those exorcists from yesterday if they'll let me help them take back the holy swords… or destroy them."
"You want to cooperate with the Church?" Koneko asked.
"Yuuto-san wants to destroy Excalibur, and Griselda-san is willing to work with us, so it works out," Izuku pointed out. "And I'd rather not let Rinchan handle this by herself."
"Who?"
Izuku early jumped out of his skin before turning around. He sighed in relief upon seeing Milia. "T-Takamaki-san, why are you here?"
"I noticed you were acting off during lunch," she answered. "I was your classmate in middle school for over a year, I can tell when something is bothering you," her expression darkened. "What's this about exorcists?"
Izuku explained what was happening to Milia on the way. Surprisingly, she agreed to keep quiet about it and wanted to help. As such he, Milia, and Koneko sat at an outdoor table of the cafe, Izuku and Milia getting some water while Koneko ordered a rather large dessert.
"Hey there, Green," hearing the familiar tomboyish voice, Izuku looked up and saw both Saji and, surprisingly, Tsubasa.
"Yura-san? Why are you here?" Izuku asked.
"Sorry, it was kinda my fault," Saji admitted.
"I saw Saji try to sneak off campus and followed," she replied. "So, what's this 'secret meeting' about?" She asked with a smile and her hands on her hips.
It took about a minute for Izuku to explain. Once he was done, Saji was quick to voice his response:
"HELL NO! ARE YOU INSANE?" He whispered loudly, looking at Izuku with wide eyes.
"I'm serious," Izuku said.
Saji jumped out of his seat and exclaimed, "You can forget it!" This caused some of the other consumers to look at him, which he noticed and sat down.
Tsubasa then leaned a bit toward Izuku. "You do realize that our masters would never allow this," she said in a whisper, slightly scared. "We could get into serious trouble!"
"Forget that! We'll get killed! Besides, isn't this a Gremory problem? What's this got to do with me?!" Saji demanded.
"I thought you would be willing to help," Izuku said.
"You gotta be kidding me!" Saji exclaimed. "I don't know what Rias-senpai and Kudelia-senpai are like, but if Sona-kaichou finds out, she'll totally split our asses in two!" Saji jumped out of his seat. "Do what you want, but leave me out of this," he demanded and turned around. He was going to walk away, but flinched and let out a yelp when Tsubasa grabbed him by his shirt, stopping him.
A few moments later, Saji was forced to sit back down. He was beginning to cry. "I wanna go home," he sobbed and attempted to run away, but Tsubasa grabbed his shirt and pulled him back down.
"I'll ask again: Do you really want to corporate with the Church?" Koneko asked.
"Those three said themselves that they would rather have the swords destroyed than let the fallen angels keep them," Izuku said. "Plus Griselda-san was willing to ask for our help yesterday. And Yuuto wants to destroy Excalibur to avenge his old friends. The reasons are different, but the goals align."
"I don't think that'll be as easy as it sounds," Tsubasa commented, Koneko nodding in agreement.
"We'll also be keeping this a secret from Kudelia-sama and the others," Milia pointed out.
"I don't like keeping this a secret from them either, but they wouldn't approve of this otherwise. And I know the exorcists probably won't listen, but we should at least try," Izuku argued. "If we don't, then it won't be long before Yuuto-san is declared a stray. There won't be much we can do to help if that were to happen." Izuku then stood up and looked at each of them with an understanding look. "I'm not asking for any of your help. I'm willing to do this alone if I have to."
Surprisingly, Milia was the first to stand up. "I'll go," she said. "From the sounds of things, Kiba-san is going through a lot. I want to help in any way I can. And… there's something I wish to ask these exorcists…"
Koneko then stood up. "I won't run away," the white-haired girl said, her eyes filled with strength. "It's for our friend, so I'll do it."
Sighing, Tsubasa smirked as she stood up as well, pulling a complaining Saji up with her. "I'll go. Being a hero is about helping others, after all. And I'll make sure he doesn't try to inform Kaichou," she said, referring to Saji.
"Oh, come on, Tsubasa!" The Sitri Pawn wailed.
Izuku was amazed by the determination they all showed. He smiled, wiping away tears. "Right, then let's get to it."
"Please give blessings to these lost lambs."
"Please give charity to us on behalf of the father in heaven!"
"How in the name of the Lord did I let this happen?" Griselda lamented, holding an empty box as Xenovia and Irina begged any passerby for money. "I leave you two alone for one day, and you go and waste all of our money!"
"D-Don't blame me! Blame Irina!" Xenovia accusingly pointed at Irina, to the twin-tails shock. "She's the one who wasted our money, not me!"
"It's both of your faults!" Griselda yelled, causing the two young exorcists to flinch. "The Church only gave us enough money for food and transport. Now, all we have left is that stupid painting! At this rate, we're gonna have to sell to get by," she argued as she tried to take the picture.
"No way!" Irina frowned, taking hold of the picture, "This is a picture of a saint! You can't do that!"
"Irina, there's a chance that it's fake," Griselda said.
"Even if it is real, just who, pray tell, is this picture supposed to be of, anyway?" Xenovia asked.
"Saint… Peter. Yes, St. Peter, that's right!"
"That doesn't look anything like St. Peter and you know it!" Xenovia snapped. "It looks more like a finger painting that a 4th grader would make! Just look around! There's nobody giving us charity at all! I never had much respect for countries that lacked in faith, but this is a new low!" Xenovia continued, gesturing her hands at the pedestrians. "If you Protestants had the amount of respect for saints that we Catholics did, you'd be able to see it for the counterfeit that it is!"
"Hah?!" Irina exclaimed, looking cross, "You dumb Catholics are way too stuck in your old laws to try and say anything about respecting saints!"
"What?!" Xenovia growled, "I dare you to say that again!"
"Dummy~! Dummy~! Flat Earth dummy~!" Irina sang mockingly, pulling down an eyelid and sticking out her tongue.
"New age heretic!" Xenovia shot back.
"Stop it, both of you!" Griselda snapped, getting the two young girls' attention.
*GGGRRRROOOOOWWWLLLL!~*
This was accompanied by the loud noise of their stomachs growling angrily. Griselda slumped over while the two girls slumped to their knees. "We need to get some food soon or we'll never be at full strength," the older woman sighed.
"Can we ask that sorcerer friend of yours for help?" Xenovia asked.
"I… never asked where she lives. Besides, it's a school day and she may be too busy," Griselda admitted.
"I got an idea! What if we try robbing pagans of their money?" Irina suggested, a mischievous smirk appearing on her face, "Since it's for a dire cause I'm sure God will forgive us."
"I'll do one better. We should raid a temple," Xenovia said, the same smirk appearing on her face.
"A couple of problems. One, we run the risk of angering the Shinto gods." Griselda countered. "And two…" she pointed across the street. There, a pro hero and a police officer were having a conversation.
"…Oh, yeah. Then we'd have to deal with the heroes and police, won't we?" Irina sighed.
"Um… yeah, you got me there," Xenovia said as she rubbed her cheeks to think of something else. "We can use our Quirks in a street performance. That should give us a decent amount of money."
"But Japan has very strict Quirk laws," Irina pointed out. "Without a license or a permit we can't use them out in public. Even if we have those, only Griselda's Quirk is in any way flashy. Ours are pretty much useless for something like this."
"Oh, good point," Xenovia sighed. "Then maybe we can use our swords to skewer fruit or something?"
"But we don't have any fruit to cut," Griselda pointed out.
This caused Xenovia to take hold of the picture, "Then let's cut this thing instead."
"But you can't do that!" Irina shouted, snatching the picture away.
"Fine! Then let's look for the merchant who sold that counterfeit to you and get our money back!"
"I told you that it's not counterfeit! It's a portrait of St. Paul!"
"Ha!" Xenovia pointed accusingly, "You said it was St. Peter before! That means you can't even tell whom it's supposed to be with such a crude fake drawing!"
Griselda could only sigh in exasperation as her ward and Irina got into another childish argument. Then she noticed something in the corner of her eye. Apparently, Izuku and the others had been silently watching them in bewilderment.
"Uh…" Izuku was honestly unsure of what to say or do.
"Zuku?" Irina blurted out, finally noticing the presence of her childhood friend.
Xenovia quickly turned toward the gathered devils, distrust in her eyes. "What do you want?"
Izuku flinched at the harshness of Xenovia's tone but answered anyway. "W-We're going to get something to eat. Would you like to join us?"
"If you think I'll sink so low as to accept help from devils then-"
*GROOOWL!~*
Xenovia was cut off by her stomach, the normally stoic girl blushing in embarrassment.
"…We'll gladly accept your gracious offer," Griselda said, Irina nodding.
"I was kinda hoping they wouldn't…" Saji lamented, tears streaming down his face.
"Delicious!" Xenovia exclaimed, rapidly eating her omurice. "I didn't think Japanese food would be so good!"
"Yes, yes!" Irina agreed, scarfing down her beef bowl. "This is it! This is the taste of the food of my homeland!"
Griselda didn't say anything, but she was eating at a far faster pace than what's considered 'normal', though not as fast as the other two.
After having them agree to let them buy them food, Izuku and the others brought the three exorcists to a nearby restaurant. While the devils ordered drinks, Xenovia and Irina looked as though they were going out of their way to order everything on the menu.
Once finished, Irina quickly took hold of the menu, a small smile on her face. "The real fun starts with dessert!"
"What do they have?" Xenovia excitedly asked, leaning over Irina's shoulder to get a better look at the dessert menu.
After finishing her water, Griselda placed her cup on the table. The sound of it being placed caused silence to settle at the table. "So, why did you come to us?" she asked.
Izuku took a deep breath. This was it. "We want to help you destroy one of the Excaliburs."
Xenovia and Irina both looked surprised at what he just said, while Griselda's eyes widened.
"I see," the older Exorcist nodded. "Very well. We'll allow you to destroy one of the swords."
Izuku and the other devils all blinked. "…Wait. Just like that?!" Izuku asked. He honestly hadn't expected this to be so easy.
Saji grumble and turned away from them, muttering under his breath, "Dammit! Why couldn't she have just said 'no' like I was hoping!?"
"Hold on, Griselda, is this really okay?!" Irina asked. "I mean, even if it's Zuku, they're still devils. What if headquarters finds out?"
"No, she's right," Xenovia shook her head. "We're up against Kokabiel, a survivor of the Great War who fought evenly against Vasco Strada. As much as I hate to admit it, our best chance of securing the stolen swords and going home alive is to seek the devils' help."
"…All right." Irina sighed. "I've always said your faith was weird. Guess you got it from Griselda."
"Your faith is just as weird," Xenovia shot back. "Didn't you admit to kissing a devil the other day?"
Irina's face immediately turned red while Izuku started to sweat nervously. This didn't go unnoticed by Saji, Tsubasa, and Milia, the latter two quickly figuring out what Xenovia meant.
"Is that right?" Tsubasa asked with an eye twitching.
"Uh…" Irina fidgeted nervously from where she sat. "Well… S-So, w-when do we start?" She asked, wishing to change the subject.
Izuku pulled out his phone right away. "I'll text Yuuto-san. With any luck, he hasn't blocked any of our numbers."
As Izuku sent the message, Milia spoke up. "While we wait, there's something I want to ask you three," she said, referring to the exorcists. "A little over a year ago, an exorcist killed a devil and a human in this city. Do you know who it was?"
"You'll have to be more specific," Xenovia said.
"My parents," all eyes widened as they slowly turned to Milia. "We were having a quiet life, out in the country, away from the villains and other problems of the city. And then one day, an exorcist with three arms just showed up and attacked them!" She exclaimed, tears building up in her eyes. "What did they do, huh? Why did he kill them?!"
"Uh, well," Irina tried to say. "That's because-"
"They did nothing wrong!" Tears began to flow down Milia's cheeks. "So why? Why did… Why did they have to die?" Breaking down, Milia clung onto Izuku, crying into his shoulder.
Izuku and the other devils gave sympathetic looks as he tried to comfort her. Irina found herself feeling sympathetic for Milia, as well as feeling conflicted with her sympathies.
Xenovia wanted to say something, anything that'll rebuke Milia's statement, but she couldn't. In fact, for some strange reason, she felt ashamed to even think of such a thing.
Griselda had no reservations in showing the crying devil sympathy. In fact, her face darkened as she went over Milia's description of the exorcist. "An exorcist with three arms? Could it be Siegfried!"
"Who?" Izuku asked.
"Chaos Edge Sieg," Griselda continued. "The Demonic Sword User, he was a top-class knight among the Churches and a ruthless devil-purger. It's rumored that he's recently left the Orthodox Church and gone rogue, though no one knows why."
Griselda then looked to Milia, the girl having calmed down some. "With the way things are, the Church likely won't hold Siegfried accountable for your parents' deaths, but I promise, I'll do whatever I can to make him pay for what he's done."
Before anything else was said, Izuku's phone began to ring. Izuku raised his phone back up, his eyes lighting up with surprise. "It's Yuuto. He says he's on his way."
"…I understand the situation," Yuuto replied after listening to their plan to look for the holy swords. After Yuuto had come after he was told about what they were planning, he listened quietly as he was told about the alliance between the two groups. His expression was still cold, but he appeared to be more willing to listen. "To be completely honest, I really regret that I have to come crawling to some holy sword user and ask for help."
"You've got quite a way with words," Xenovia commented.
"I understand your grudge against both Excalibur and the Holy Sword Project," said Irina. "We've heard that a survivor of the Holy Sword Project had the Sword Birth Sacred Gear, and you match that description. Is that you?"
Yuuto nodded, "That's right."
"But the project did help. More holy sword wielders have increased significantly thanks to the results," she added.
"Oh? Did you also hear about the failures of the project?" Yuuto hissed. "The Church could've simply let us go after we were shown to not have any aptitude for the holy swords, but instead they opted to kill us!"
"You're right," Griselda nodded, looking remorseful, "What happened to you and the other children is unforgivable. It's one of the worst incidents to happen under the Church's watch. However, the higher-ups, in their 'wisdom', decided to charge the one responsible for the project with heresy and excommunicate him. Now he's working with the Fallen Angels."
"What's this man's name?" Yuuto asked.
"Valper Galilei, the Genocidal Archbishop," Griselda answered.
Yuuto gave a hate-filled look, "Yeah, it was him." He growled.
"Then what does this have to do with Freed?" Izuku asked.
"It's not uncommon for there to be commotion among those who've been banned from the Church," Xenovia stated.
"That's why we have to stop them," Irina said
"So I can reach him if I go after the fallen angels with you?" Yuuto asked and, when Griselda nodded her head in confirmation, stood up from his seat. "In that case, I can't think of any reason for me not to cooperate with you," he muttered in a resigned tone.
This brought a sense of ease for everyone as Griselda nodded. "We will contact you when we're ready with a plan. When that time comes, meet us at the abounded church."
Xenovia then handed Izuku a piece of paper. "If something happens, call this number," she said.
"Before we leave there's one thing I want to ask," Griselda's expression darkened immensely. "Have any of you encountered… a woman with spider-like traits?"
Izuku, while frightened by Griselda's tone, nodded. "Y-Yeah, we kinda did."
Griselda's eyes narrowed.
"We were hunting what we thought was a stray devil, but this… woman had already killed it… along with a dozen other people," Koneko added.
"Can you describe her?" Griselda demanded.
"Uh, well, she wore mostly black with a bit of purple and gold, was about 194 cm tall, had spider-like legs coming from her back, and had six purple eyes," as Izuku finished her description, Griselda's fist tightened.
"It is her…" Griselda hissed, her voice seething with rage. So much so that it caused everyone present to recoil a bit in terror. Griselda then took a deep breath, calming down, before saying, "Thank you for the food and for the information. Girls, let's get going."
"Thanks for the meal," Xenovia said. "We'll be sure to repay you for this favor, Midoriya Izuku," she said as she stood up to take her leave.
"Thanks for the food, Zuku! Even though you're a devil, I'm sure He will forgive me since it's your treat!" Irina waved as she and her partner followed Griselda.
As the group watched the three exorcists go, Tsubasa let out a sigh of relief. "Well, that went well," she said.
"THAT COULD HAVE GONE HORRIBLY!" Saji yelled at her. "Not only could we have gotten killed, but we could have also started another war!"
Yuuto turned to Koneko and Izuku with an uncertain gaze. "I don't understand why would you help," he told them.
Izuku looked at him a little sadly. "Because I'm your friend, simple as that," Izuku answered.
"And if I did something rash on my own, it'll cause trouble for Buchou," Yuuto quickly added. "I'm sure you had that in mind, too."
"Kinda, yeah," Izuku nodded. "And since we just made that deal with the exorcists without Buchou knowing, we're gonna cause trouble for her no matter what. But at least this way you won't become a stray."
Yuuto didn't reply, still very unsure about what to do. A small tug pulled on his sleeve. He looked down and saw Koneko looking back at him. Her stoicness had been replaced by a sad, pleading expression.
"Yuuto-senpai… I don't want you to leave, so that's why I'm helping," Koneko pleaded cutely. "So please don't leave… I'll be sad if you do."
Izuku's face heated up slightly, not expecting Koneko to be able to act so cutely. Yuuto's face softened at the look given to him and sadly smiled. "Geez… if you make a face like that, how could I say no?" he sighed. "All right fine, you win Izuku-kun. Thanks to you, I managed to get a chance to destroy Excalibur and know who my true enemy is."
"Umm, guys…" Saji said, holding up his hand, "I get why we're doing this but what does Excalibur have to do with Kiba here?"
"I've… been wondering that myself," Tsubasa said, with Milia tilting her head.
"Oh, that's right. Since you're not part of our peerage, you don't know," the blonde sighed. "See, the Catholic Church conducted an experiment behind the scenes known as the 'Holy Sword Project'. At a European facility, they attempted to produce individuals capable of wielding holy swords. The test subjects were orphans who either had Sacred Gears or an unusual talent for swordplay. Many of them didn't even have names, including me. Day after day, they put us through painful, inhuman experiments. We weren't even treated as humans and our lives were ignored. But we had a dream. To live on. Forced to believe that we were loved by God, and we were just waiting for 'that day' to come. Believing that one of us would become special. But none of us could wield a holy sword. The experiment failed… We were marked for 'disposal'."
Yuuto stopped, taking a deep breath as his hate-filled expression faded slightly as he explained just how he and the others were disposed of: poison gas. "That day everyone died, we were killed because we couldn't wield holy swords. We prayed to Him every day hoping we would wield even a simple holy sword but it was all a lie in the end. The only reason I escaped was because my brothers and sisters sacrificed themselves to give me a chance. I wasn't able to get far, though, as the poison spread through my system. I was about to draw my last breath… when I met Buchou. Ever since I was reincarnated, I hold my comrades' regrets hoping that one day I can surpass Excalibur."
Izuku bit his lip. He had already heard the story from Rias, but hearing the story from Yuuto's perspective was something else. Tsubasa was visibly shaken by Yuuto's account, her eyes wide. Milia had placed her hands over her mouth, tears forming in her eyes again.
As for Saji, he was sobbing and wiping the tears from his eyes from such a sad story. "Oh man, Kiba! I feel ya, man! I really do! You know I thought you were some playboy prince but I didn't realize how harsh your past life was. You know what? You got my support! I'll help you in any way I can!"
Yuuto blinked in confusion, but smiled, "Uh… sure. Thanks."
"All right since we're talking about ourselves. I think it's fair you guys should know about my dream!" Saji announced, pounding his hand on his chest. "My dream… is to marry my master, Sona Sitri-kaichou, and impregnate her with a child so we can-!"
*BONK!*
Saji wasn't able to finish his declaration, Tsubasa having slammed her fist into his head. "You need to learn to keep your big mouth shut," she groaned in embarrassment.
Saji's only response was a pained gag as he wrote Tsubasa's name in blood on the ground.
"Pervert," Koneko whispered, shooting a dirty look in Saji's direction.
Milia's face flushed at how… At Saji's dream.
Yuuto couldn't help but give a humorous laugh.
Izuku made a mental note to never ask what Mineta's dream was.
Izuku sat quietly at his desk. It was their free period and Izuku usually spent it going over his notes, but not lately. It had been four days since the agreement with Griselda, Xenovia, and Irina to help locate and retrieve the stolen Excalibur swords.
Four days and yet they had found absolutely no trace of either the stolen swords or Freed. To say it was frustrating would be a vast understatement. Every night, after he and Koneko had finished their obligations with the ORC, they would join up with Yuuto, who couldn't bring himself to return back to Rias without finally getting closure, Milia, Tsubasa, Saji, and the three exorcists, disguise themselves by dressing up in priest clothing and explore the town with the intention of drawing out the insane exorcist.
But that approach quickly proved more complicated than it sounded. The city was already big, to begin with, and there were plenty of places for Freed and Valper to hide, so it wasn't expected that they would find them even with the added help to cover more ground.
Izuku was trying to come up with a way to help narrow their search. He was currently writing down areas that few people frequented, thinking that Freed and Valper might be hiding in places like that.
"Izu-kun?"
He looked up, seeing a concerned Ochako. "Oh, Ochako-san. Is something wrong?"
"That's what I should be asking you," she said. "You've been coming home late for the last few days and you've been acting off. What's wrong, Izu-kun?"
Izuku hesitated to answer. A big part of him wanted to tell her and everyone else, but he didn't want to get them in any further trouble yet. "I've just… been doing some late-night training is all."
Ochako's eyes narrowed slightly, clearly not buying it.
'…Okay, definitely not the best excuse I ever made.' He admitted.
Ochako sighed as she shook her head. "Izuku, if something's bothering you, you can tell us. That's what friends are for, after all," she said before leaving the classroom.
Once outside, Ochako sighed again as she leaned against the wall. "Nothing?" Ibara, who had been waiting outside, asked.
"Yeah," Ochako replied. "I wish Izu-kun would open up and tell us what's going on."
"What's going on?"
The two devils turned and saw Kiryuu walking toward them.
"Oh, Aika-san," Ibara greeted.
"Something happening with your boyfriend?" Kiryuu teased.
Ibara and Ochako blushed in response, unable to formulate a response for a few seconds. Ochako recovered first. "Izu-kun's not our boyfriend. And… he seems depressed."
"Really?"
Ibara nodded. "We honestly don't know what's wrong or how to help."
"So Midoriya is depressed and you two want to make him feel better?" Kiryuu asked. The girls nodded. Kiryuu hummed in thought before snapping her fingers. "I know what'll do the trick!"
Raynare scowled as she overlooked the Musutafu skyline, the sun long set. They've been here for nearly a week and still, nothing. The Port Mafia's underground sources have failed to bring in any information, and none of the old hideouts Raynare frequented didn't turn up anything. Clearly, they need to broaden their search.
"To think I'd return to this wretched city to stop a war. And worst of all, I may have to fight Kokabiel!" She sighed, thinking back to the meeting with the Boss a few days ago.
"You want us to prevent a war?" Raynare asked. She, along with Akutagawa and his subordinate Higuchi, stood before Mori in his office.
"Yes," Mori replied. "A rogue group of fallen angels have stolen three of the Excaliburs and plan to use them to reignite the Great War between the Three Biblical Factions. They're currently residing in Musutafu, which is where two younger siblings of the Four Satans are residing. Their leader just so happens to be your old superior, Kokabiel."
The mere mention of his name caused Raynare to quake in fear. "W-Why…?"
"I was informed of this situation by an… acquaintance of mine," Mori continued. "While he's confident he can stop Kokabiel on his own, he felt best to warn us in the event war does break out. If that were to happen, it would be bad for our business. As such, I felt it best to intervene. Raynare, you are familiar with the enemy and know the layout of the city, as such you will take part in this mission. Akutagawa and Higuchi will accompany you."
Raynare's fist tightened. "The only reason I'm here is because I'm more afraid of the Boss than Kokabiel."
*ring ring*
Raynare silently took out her phone and answered. "Yeah?"
"{It's me,}" the voice of Higuchi answered. "{I may have found a lead.}"
That piqued Raynare's interest. "Go on."
"{It's nothing concrete, but someone reported seeing a man wearing priest clothing carrying a sword in the Eisteiku district about an hour ago. There's no guarantee that he's still there, but…}"
"We can't miss this chance," Raynare finished. "I'll get there as soon as I can. What about Akutagawa?"
"{I've already informed Akutagawa-senpai. He's still on the other side of the ward, so it'll take him a little while to arrive.}"
Irina did her best not to gag as she, Griselda, and Xenovia walked the late-night streets of the Eisteiku district, the… less than pleasant part of the city.
The place was filthy. Trash littered every nook and cranny. The air tasted like an ashtray and smelled of rotting carcasses and cheap marijuana. The nearby ore-processing factory where most of the residents went for work was the likely culprit.
"Looks like nothing tonight, either," she sighed.
"This is starting to feel hopeless," Xenovia lamented.
"We can't get discouraged," said Griselda. "Maybe one of the others found something."
Ever since they started, the makeshift alliance split into groups of three. Irina, Xenovia, and Griselda were one group, Izuku, Koneko, and Milia were another, and Yuuto, Tsubasa, and Saji were the last. If any of them found information on their target or the target itself, they'll contact the others immediately.
"I wonder if Zuku and the others found something?" Irina said.
"Not much, I'm afraid."
The three exorcists turned and saw Izuku, Milia, and Koneko, wearing priest clothing, walking up to them. "No luck, huh?" Koneko deadpanned.
"I'm afraid not," Griselda sighed. "Do you suppose the other group found something?"
"We haven't heard from them yet, but maybe," said Izuku.
"If they don't find anything, then where else could we look?" Xenovia asked.
"Well, there's Endoru Forest Park," Izuku suggested. "It's rather large, so they could be hiding there. But it could take hours to cover it all."
"I'm starting to think we should tell Kudelia-senpai and the others," said Milia.
As the group debated on what to do, Xenovia's eye caught movement. It was swift, and the dark sky made it somewhat difficult to tell the shape, but there was no mistaking it: it was a fallen angel.
Without warning, she bolted after it. "Hey, Xenovia!" Griselda called, but the blue-haired exorcist ignored her.
It didn't take long for Xenovia to catch up with her target, who had flown into a back alley. "Caught you!" The cloth wrapping her sword unraveled as she swung in at her target. The fallen angel dodged to the side, brandishing a red spear of light forming in her hand.
"Who the hell are you?" The fallen angel, Raynare, demanded.
"Who I am doesn't matter," Xenovia narrowed her eyes dangerously, pointing the Excalibur Destruction at her. "Where is your master?!"
"What the fuck are you talking about?!" Raynare snapped back.
"Don't play dumb!" Xenovia would've attacked again, but several bullets flying past her face stopped her. She quickly took cover behind an adjacent wall, the onslaught of bullets pinning her there.
"Higuchi!" Raynare acknowledged, the blond woman running to her side, wielding two sub-machine guns, both of which were pointing to where Xenovia had taken cover.
"Raynare, what the hell happen?" Higuchi asked.
"Some crazy exorcist attacked me and demanded to know where my master was!" Raynare answered.
"An exorcist?" Higuchi blinked. "This might be the exorcist we're looking for."
"If she is, then we-" Raynare's eyes widened. "Look out!"
She pulled Higuchi aside, just when a car landed where they were.
"A car?!"
"Xenovia!"
The two mafiosos turned and saw the others run into the alley. Hatred filled Raynare's eyes when she saw that Izuku, Milia, and Koneko, who was likely the one who threw the car, were with them.
"R-Raynare?!" Izuku gasped.
"What's she doing here?!" Milia demanded.
With a scream, Higuchi aimed her guns at the new arrivals and fired. Most of them took cover, but Koneko stood her ground, the bullets not affecting her.
"She's shrugging off the bullets?" Higuchi gasped.
"The white-haired one is a Rook," Raynare said. "Bullets, even if they're blessed, won't work."
Higuchi narrowed her eyes. "In that case…" aiming her guns upward, she fired several shots. Not long after they were shot, the bullets began to curve in midair, and their trajectory changed.
"Get down!" Griselda called out. Everyone took cover as the bullets rained down on them. Izuku and Irina hid behind the car Koneko had thrown while Milia, Xenovia, and Griselda took cover in an adjacent alley.
"She can change the trajectory of the bullets?" Izuku observed.
Higuchi Ichiyou, Quirk: Trajectory Control. She can change the trajectory of the bullets she fires, allowing her to shoot any target at any given angle and from long distances.
"This doesn't make sense," Milia said. "Why's the Port Mafia in the city?"
"The better question is why Raynare's in the city," Koneko said, standing close to Irina and Izuku.
"I don't know, but we can't find out if that blond woman can literally shoot us from anywhere," said Irina.
"I got her," detaching from a clip on her hip, a bow unfolded as she loaded an arrow. With a gentle twist, Griselda shot the arrow, it too curving in the air as it hit its target.
Higuchi yelped as Griselda's arrow hit one of her guns, knocking it out of her hand.
"Nice shot!" Irina complimented.
"Good! Not let's-" A feeling of dread suddenly filled Izuku. Acting on instinct, he grabbed Irina and Koneko. "Get down!" He yelled out as he pulled them back. Just in time too.
Within a split second, a black blade ran through where they were, slicing in two both the ground and the car. The vehicle promptly exploded.
"Izuku-san/Irina!" Milia and Xenovia called out.
"What the heck was that?!" Irina exclaimed.
"*cough* *cough*"
Everyone present turned towards the source of both the black blade and the coughing. There, a young man wearing a black coat stood, slowly walking towards them.
"*cough* *cough* The polluted air here is suffocating…" the new arrival said. "Let's finish this quickly, shall we?"
"Who's that?" Koneko asked.
"Wait… I recognize him," Izuku's eyes widened in fear. "That's the Rabid Dog of the Port Mafia, Akutagawa."
"I am indeed," Akutagawa replied, his coat beginning to glow red. A black streak suddenly shot out of his coat, a demonic face charging toward them.
"Look out!" Izuku quickly pulled Koneko and Irina out of the way, just as a black streak struck the ground where they were.
"Senpai!" Higuchi called out.
"What are you two doing?" Akutagawa asked her and Raynare, the black streaks returning to his coat. "We're on a mission, we can't waste time with these children."
"They attacked us first!" Raynare argued.
Akutagawa's gaze turned toward the devils and exorcists. "Now why is that?"
"She's a fallen angel, simple as that!" Xenovia replied, pointing accusingly at Raynare.
Akutagawa scowled. "Rashomon!" A large, black shape emerged from his coat, its face vaguely resembling a demonic mix between a dog and a dragon. In a split second, the devils and exorcists braced themselves as the black beast charged at them. After about a second, the group relaxed somewhat but gasped upon seeing a giant gash in the ground near them.
"Normally I can keep my Rashomon under control, but it has been growing rather hungry," Akutagawa warned. "If you do not stand down, then I would have no choice but have my Rashomon devour one of your limbs."
'What a terrifying power,' Griselda thought. That was when she noticed that one of them was missing… and behind Akutagawa. "Xenovia!"
With a yell, Xenovia swung the Excalibur Destruction with all her might, intent on cutting Akutagawa in two. But right as the blade was about to make contact, a barrier of some sort formed between the blade and Akutagawa, stopping the attack. The blowback forced Xenovia back several feet.
"What?" Xenovia gasped.
The back of Akutagawa's coat soon formed the demonic face of the Rashomon.
"A valiant effort, but ultimately futile," Akutagawa commented. "As I said, my Rashomon's hunger knows no bounds," the Rabid Dog turned to Xenovia. "It devours anything, even the space between me and your attack. No matter what weapons you may use, none can reach me."
"B-But the holy light of the Excalibur Destruction should've dispelled that beast," a disbelieving Xenovia said.
"You are mistaken, exorcist. You assumed my Rashomon is magic in origin, and thus susceptible to your holy sword. But it is actually a Quirk, as such your typical methods will not work."
Akutagawa Ryunosuke, Quirk: Rashomon. He can turn certain articles of his clothing (mostly his coat) into an omnivorous, shadow-like black beast that can even manipulate space to an extent!
'That monster is a Quirk?! How is such a thing possible?' Xenovia gritted her teeth.
"Unfortunately for you, exorcist," Akutagawa shot a look at Xenovia. "I keep my promises."
ROAR!
*RIP!*
Xenovia wasn't sure what happened. One second, she was standing, facing the Rabid Dog. The next, she was on the ground, blood splatters on her face, the scream of someone filling her ears.
She soon realized that it wasn't her blood or her screams, but Izuku's. In that split second, he had pushed her out of the way of Akutagawa's attack, but not unscathed. Part of Izuku's wing had been torn off.
"Izuku/Izuku-senpai!" Milia and Koneko cried out, running to the screaming Izuku's side as he tried to stop the bleeding.
"That was rather reckless, Welsh Dragon," Akutagawa commented, his Rashomon retreating back to his coat. "Had you hesitated for even a moment, you would've lost an arm at the very least. Though I must say, I'm rather surprised a devil would be so willing to save an exorcist."
Xenovia silently agreed. First, he pulled Irina out of danger, now her. What is wrong with this devil?
"How could you do something so stupid?" Koneko demanded.
"I just… acted without thinking, is all," Izuku replied through gritted teeth.
[Honorable, but also reckless,] Ddraig said. [You're lucky it was only part of the wing! You can grow that back in a week at least, but anything else won't.]
'I'll… try to keep that in mind.'
"Xenovia, Zuku, you okay?" Irina said as she ran up to them, Griselda behind her as she picked up Izuku's decapitated wing.
"I'm… I'm fine," Xenovia answered. She then turned to Izuku, who was trying to stand up with Koneko's help. "Thank you," she said earnestly.
*ring ring*
The sound of Izuku's phone ringing caught everyone's attention. Quickly taking it out, Izuku saw that Tsubasa had sent him a message, accompanied by a GPS map location.
Tsubasa: We found him! Get here quickly!
AN: Okay, this chapter took longer than I expected. It's also longer than I had intended, but I guess that's fine.
And yes, I made Akutagawa's Rashomon a Quirk here. Think of it as a mix between Best Jeanist and Tokoyami's Quirks.
And before you start yelling "But what about Dazai?!" don't worry. He has a Quirk that can counter Akutagawa's. You'll see it eventually.
And yes, I totally stole Higuchi's Quirk from Fire Force. Takehisa's power is so badass I just HAD to do it! Oh, and Higuchi does have a Sacred Gear, it's just she doesn't know about it yet, since her Ability in Bungo Stray Dogs hasn't been revealed yet.
Anyway, see you all next time. Until then, stay safe and stay healthy.
Go beyond, PLUS ULTRA!