Disclaimer: I do not own High school DxD


Chapter 11


His feet moved across the broken ground, past the massive craters and the broken demonic swords. He moved ignoring the stares he was getting either from the devils present, the exorcists with blades in hand or the polite girl behind him, none of it matters.

Coming to halt he watched into her brown eyes. Though the physical distance between them was a mere one meter, the emotional one couldn't be described – surprise, hurt and anger; all flashed through her eyes until they set on one emotion…or lack thereof – Apathy.

"You've cut your hair short, I like it…" he tried to reach her with words, but even he knew that bridge had been burnt long ago…and he was to blame.

Blue locks obscured her eyes, just like that day; the day he left…what was he expecting? That he could he talk to her casually like nothing happened…talk to her as if they still were children playing on the church's backyard…perhaps that was it…to go to simpler times…

He took another step until…

Killing Intent

His body moved before his mind could register and then…

The air was displaced and the ground itself shook, pieces of it flying straight to his face, but most dreading a resounding sound shook his eardrums, when the adrenaline rush left him and he focused on the scenery before him…

…a crater occupied the place where he once stood, the Holy Sword she wielded being the herald of this destruction. Without words or explanation of her actions the Blue Exorcist moved again; kicking the ground and propelling herself at high speeds.

He saw through her moves and moved in the same manner, instinct guiding his every move. The massive blade missed his neck by a hair's length and he skidded to the nearest weapon in reach, a demonic sword that lay close to him – A second attack followed this he would respond in kind.

Both Swords clashed, with a resounding CLANG a shockwave was sent through the entire yard, knocking some off their feet. Their metal screamed as both warriors fought to overpower each other…

'She is stronger than I remember…'

…but the result of their clash had already been decided the moment he took that sword. Cracks appeared on the black metal surface and with a mighty push from Xenovia, the demonic sword broke. No matter that he was physically stronger, if the steel he wielded was of poor quality; the opponent's superior blade would break it.

So her holy blade came crashing down on him like a deadly guillotines and met his body, slicing across his torso; making his clothes a mess of rags, drawing blood from his skin. Another swing came aimed at his head; he tried to stop the blade from going further with his bare hands and, no surprise, the massive edge dug into his unprotected skin but when it tried to go further…it was stopped.

'…That sliced deep…deeper than anything I've faced…still to think that the Holy Sword Excalibur would only cause a scratch against that…'

Fallen Angel's Light spear, Kiba's Demonic Swords and Exorcist Bullets – The Holy Sword, Excalibur Destruction, ranked above all of them in terms of power. It was a blade created for the sole purpose of destruction and it was the bane of every dark being be it Devils, Fallen Angels, Vampires or Ghouls…but not even it could pierce through his cursed power, that accursed power that ran through his veins – The power that, even if sealed, granted him defensive capabilities like no man on earth – An Armor of Evil Blood.

He overpowered her and slightly pushed her blade to the side, digging into the ground instead of him.

Shock – there was no other way to describe her face, she could only see her sword in bewilderment as it failed to do its task, a task that she had so much experience in – Killing her opponent.

"Tch!" she exclaimed in irritation and tried to get into stance once again.

It was already too late; one second of distraction was all it took, one second for him to come with a counter attack. With no weapon in hand he was out of his element, he was a swordsman not a brawler, but he had to rely on his aspects efficiently if he was to stalemate this fight…so he gathered his strength, in the same manner he did when facing Kiba and moved; in that second of distraction she was already in his strike zone and he clapped – single clap at her – at hair's length from her face, and with that thunderous clap…she was blown back.

The wind pressure it exuded was too much, too high, the strength behind that simple act swept her off her feet, broke the ground below them and threw her across the sport yard …it also left his stamina drained in one go.

Silence filled the arena, after his thunderous clap a needle drop could be followed and still made the same impact, as no one dared utter a word.

Now he couldn't move…all strength he once had put into a single motion, mighty in its execution but useless in the long run, he stood powerless against an armed opponent and with no possibility to fight back. In reality he could have hit her, he could have done much more damage to her, with a single punch, carrying the same strength he displayed, he could have incapacitated her…but…the thought of causing her physical pain after what he had done to her…it simply didn't bode well with him…he already had hurt her once, he had no right of doing it once let alone twice.

So he waited there, his body slumped and his head down.

As for her…anger flashed through her face; for the first time an emotion showing on …this time it wasn't squashed under her masquerade of apathy, rather it filled her with new found strength as she jumped once more into action with her blade raised high.

Xenovia crossed the distance in a single move, killing intent spilling from her very body, and used her momentum for a devastating blow and when his head was within swords-reach…with no remorse in her heart…she brought it down…gasps were heard, the cries of an ex-nun begging her to stop, lighting began crackling and destruction started flaring – but nothing was louder than the Saint's words

"Stop this madness right now, Xenovia!"

Out the ground they sprout in number, like blossoming roses they spread throughout the ground forming a barrier of barrier of silver white petals, encasing the Excalibur blade in the process. They kept growing enclosing on the blue exorcist and in a matter of seconds, safely encasing her in a cocoon of holy blades, until only her head was visible.

He slowly shifted his gaze to the source of such a stern voice and saw her, gone was the shy and joyful girl, gone was her childish mannerism and radiant smile – the woman right now was commanding and regal. Holy Swords encased her form only to peel away revealing a set of steel armor that consisted of gauntlets, what could only be described as an armored-corset, a small head gear that adorned her golden locks and foot's guard, all rounded by a deep dark blue, almost purple, battle dress.

"In the name of the Saint, Jeanne d'Arc, and my status as the Vatican Supervisor I order you, Xenovia Quarta, to stop attacking this innocent man"

Silence quickly followed once again; Asia fell to her knees and sadly, as much as she tried, every prayer she started was met with a resounding headache. Irina also followed, her knee meeting the floor and her head hanging low. Rias could only share glances in disbelief with Akeno, who also carried a similar expression.

The anger started slipping out of Xenovia's face until none of it was left, after that she was safely released out of her prison. She later proceeded to wrap her sword in holy bindings and strap it to her back – she shot one last condescending glance at the boy before him; down on his knees, out of strength to move and a cut running down his torso with both hands bleeding – only one thing left her mouth at this sight.

"…Pitiful"

Irina quickly followed; retracting her sword and moving to join her partner and supervisor. Now with the two exorcists standing beside Jeanne, her face became less stern and more cool-headed – later shifting her gaze to the Red-headed heiress, who watched the whole exchange and could only raise an eyebrow in response.

"Sorry about my juniors' actions, they were told to wait for my arrival before contacting the Land's owner but I guess their hot-headedness got the better of them" Jeanne said in a more cool, rather than commanding, manner.

The Heiress couldn't help but sigh and accept things as they were.

"I guess that you are the supervisor the Vatican sent, I figured they would be desperate but to send a Saint to do their dirty work" she responded with both arms crossed under her chest.

"Hehe…I wouldn't consider myself a Saint, I'm just an inheritor of her soul after all and a simple follower of the lord – nothing more"

Rias' gaze was analyzing and distrustful, going from her feet guards to her head gear, meticulously trying to find any weakness in the perfect porcelain image the new maid of Orleans was giving off – she found none and that frustrated her to no end.

"Humph…still we are still in need of an explanation as to why were you sent here…" Rias shifted her eyes and watched the ex-exorcist's downed figure; never had she seen him so drained, not only physically but emotionally "…and a compensation for my wounded friend"

The Maiden asserted with her head and gave a firm but reassuring smile.

"Of course, I will explain everything I was told by my superiors and will personally see that your friend makes a successful recovery" her sky-blue eyes focused on him and shy smile escaped her lips, with it her demeanor changed from the cool and collected saint to the quiet and cheerful girl from before "sorry Katsu-kun, it seems we weren't entirely honest with each other"

No words came out of his mouth.

The Red devil watched the exchange with skepticism present in her face, but this wasn't the time to be questioning anyone but the active members of the church that now prowled her territory, so she signaled to both Akeno and, a now dressed, Asia – the ex-nun quickly understood and sprung into action to heal the downed boy while the priestess of thunder lifted him up and supported him on her shoulder.

"Well then if you don't mind follow me, my base is close by"

Rias started moving and her Peerage answered in tandem. Jeanne, in kind, signaled to her companions and they too followed the lead of Gremory. They didn't even take five steps until a high-end projectile impacted on the spot where they were currently standing.

This falling meteorite destroyed the ground, creating destruction unlike any other, and formed a large dust tornado. All of the members present quickly got into defensive stance, even wounded enemies like Kiba, and tensed up at the situation…until…the meteor…groaned?

"…Uugh…"

The dust settled revealing the bruised form of the Harem King in all his glory, who lifted his hand up making thumbs up.

"…I'm Okay…even if they weren't that big…I…got to see…Oppai…"

Killing intent exuded out of Koneko.

"…you are the worst"


The bloodlust and excitement from before had already died down, at least for most of the people present, now both groups of Church members and Gremory Associates were cordially seating across each other in the ORC, for the most part of course; Katsuo, with new cloths, and Issei were being treated by Asia, Koneko was standing aloof next to Kiba who was glaring directly at Xenovia who glared back but not at him, but rather at the other pretty boy in the room. Irina stood behind Jeanne, who was facing directly at Rias Gremory while Akeno brewed and handed tea to everyone present.

"This tea is simply marvelous" the cup slowly approached the Saint's mouth and another sip was taken from it "This is far better than anything I've had in the Vatican"

"Ara, Ara, I'm flattered" the Queen of Gremory responded.

"You should give me this recipe, I'm sure even Sieg-" her last word was cut off by the president of the ORC and no one truly heard the last name she was about to utter.

"Ahem, I didn't exactly invited you to my HQ to talk about tea"

"My apologies" with a small throat clear the cheerful girl was gone and the cool-headed Saint was back "What do you want to know?"

Rias took one moment to gather her thoughts and began with the most obvious question on her mind.

"Why did the church sent you? If escalation is one of their worries, they should know that sending a Saint is a clear sign of it"

As for Jeanne herself, she didn't hesitate much giving a collected answer.

"You are right, escalation is a worry – but I was sent with a purpose different than my juniors" at her words both Xenovia and Irina looked in shock at their supervisor "I was sent to supervise their operation, yes, but my purpose here is different than theirs; I am to assist them in retrieving the holy swords Excalibur but I can't leave this land until my mission is complete"

"Which is?"

"First – Investigate the land for hidden Holy Swords"

This intrigued the Heiress of Gremory.

"How come, this is a Devil-owned territory; if a Holy Sword was in it just simply laying there I would have noticed" Rias asked while raising an eyebrow.

"Then I suppose you would have noticed this – a month ago a large amount of magic was detected by our radars, the amount was worryingly high only a true holy sword could be capable of achieving that amount of power. We tried pinpointing the location of the surge, but as soon as it appeared it vanished…until a week ago when it reappeared, in a much smaller quantity and very feint; impossible for our radars to track – but not for me – my sacred gear [Blade's Blacksmith] and my Heroic Soul gives me an affinity for Holy Swords. This energy pulse could be anything, from the lost Excalibur shard to the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi or the Totsuka no Tsurugi considering we are in Japan. Now add to the equation that Excalibur Shards have been stolen…and the fear church superiors are feeling isn't as unexpected…"

This caught everyone of guard, the expression in their faces turning immediately to shock. Irina and Xenovia shocked at hearing the real reason for their supervisor deployment, the Gremory group because they knew what happened one month ago and Katsuo because he understood what the church was looking for.

"Wait…You said that this incident happened one month ago…correct" Rias asked.

"Yes" Jeanne responded.

Rias' suspicion was proved correct.

"…that lines up exactly with the incident at the church"

"…That day…" Asia muttered, shaken and with tears ready to escape her eyes.

"…Raynare" Issei said with absolute disgust in his voice.

"I don't understand…"

The Saint didn't comprehend their reaction, neither did the other two exorcist present. This problem had started with him, he knew that much, trying to hide who he really was…to bury his past but never actually able to leave it behind…to hide his legacy but carrying it with him like a cross on his back. Now with things began spiraling out of hand, he had to do the one thing he had not done yet, come forward.

"Then let me explain" his voice drew everyone's attention; all sets of eyes present, each with their different set of emotion locked on him, yet he only addressed the two leaders of both groups "what you are looking for is me…well…rather my sword; it isn't an Excalibur shard and it doesn't belong to the Shinto branch. It is…special in its own right, only certain individuals that fit a certain genetic profile can wield it and its extremely prickly...so I'm kind of stuck with it. When I arrived at Kuoh, my goal was to distance myself from the supernatural, but as luck has it I had to save my friend and an innocent nun from some fallen angels so I resorted to it. Later on I had to make some marriage-breaking-weapons so I used its sheath to do so…"

Rias' eyes widened immediately as pieces of the puzzle starting forming a clear picture in her head.

"…the dark steel you used! That was-"

"It's Scabbard, yes, without it there isn't anything that can hold the constant magic pulse it gives off…I used some holy bindings but they don't do exactly the trick…"

Jeanne had been soaking in the information he had relayed, her eyes closed and in deep thought – when she opened them, she didn't hesitate to go for the root of the problem.

"I see…which sword is it?"

To him Jeanne appeared to be agreeable; though the whole defenseless girl was most likely an act, her kindness wasn't. Even still he wasn't comfortable telling the truth to her…because if he couldn't accept his true nature, he couldn't expect other to do the same…so even if it pained him to deceive another, there was just one answer to her question.

"…That…I cannot tell you"

"You have to understand, the church-"

"Has nothing to do with Katsuo, he is a former member of it and left it in good terms. He doesn't belong to any side of the supernatural conflict and his way of life is his and his alone; we should respect it as he would ours"

To his surprise it was none other than the proud daughter of Gremory that came to his defense. Rias may be arrogant and greedy…but she wasn't a bad person per say, self-centered, yes perhaps, but evil, no. it was nice to know that the heart-to-heart they had after the Rating Game had been for the better; still he would be crazy to think that she wasn't also dying to know what he was hiding from her…still it was good of her that she was able to respect his right to do so.

"Were you an exorcist?" Jeanne asked him, her sky eyes set directly on him.

"If do you don't believe Rias, you can ask her"

Xenovia was still eying him directly, with no intent of hiding her disdain for him. When her supervisor in turn met her gaze, she made no attempt to hide the truth.

"…Yes…"

Recognition fell on Irina's face and she directly asked her partner.

"Oh! Is this the Oath-breaker you always talk about?"

Xenovia nodded.

"…the best swordsman of our Church…despite joining in later than normal, he outmatched every single trainee in on his first day, the first day he ever held a sword…learned every single swordsmanship style in one-fourth of the time required …a natural born holy sword wielder…"

"…it sounds like you were a big deal…" Issei whispered on his ear.

"With a swordsmanship that surpassed a human lifetime…a Genius; gifted in all sense of the word – a monster with the sword – it wouldn't be much of a surprise if he'd reach the rank of Eminence after a few years of active duty…but he betrayed us, betrayed his oath…and threw it all away…"

"…" he avoided her gaze.

"…and for this! To live in this island among devils, to stagnate in this existence that you call life, you are weaker, your instincts have dulled and you have gone soft…I can see it in your eyes…Tch…what a Joke!"

"Xenovia I-"

"You have no right of speaking my name Oath-breaker! Remember the promise of that day – unlike you; I always make sure to fulfill my oaths…"

He had nothing to say to her, his heart weight on him.

"Enough! It is clear that you two share a troubled past, but right now is not the time to vent about it, there are more pressing matters" Rias interceded and cut their exchange short, by the looks of it there were still many words left unsaid by both parties…but now wasn't the time or place "You mentioned that you were sent here with two different tasks in mind; one was to search for the source of that holy energy, you already found it, but the other one…"

Jeanne took one more sip of tea and then calmly answered.

"Eliminate Freed Sellzen, Valper Galilei and, when the opportunity is given, eliminate Kokabiel"

…Silence…

"…You are kidding" Rias couldn't help but to let a small snort escape at the ridiculousness of her declaration "Kokabiel is a Cadre, not some rotten priest – you have no way of defeating him"

The Maiden understood as much, she knew the gap between her and a leader of the Grigori was like her comparing a rock to a mountain – but she wasn't afraid of the prospect. She had confidence in her abilities as a human, she trusted her inherited abilities as a saint…but most importantly, she had faith in god.

"Perhaps under normal circumstances…but…given the one we are in, at the edge of another three faction war, some privileges are allowed to me as inheritor of a Saint's Soul"

"…privileges to what?"

"A Miracle"

Her sky eyes never wavered, even when met with the heiress skeptical gaze.

"Humph…it seems like you have all your aces under your sleeve – What about those rotten priests? Are you comfortable in slaying your fellow men, La Pucelle?"

"I take no joy in taking a life, but if that is what my faith requires of me…then I will steel my heart and do what I must – I almost accomplished my task today but…"

Suddenly he felt a weight on his shoulders; the weight of guilt…now he understood, how she was physically resisting her assault and why someone of her status would have trouble with someone like Freed Sellzen; it was all a ploy…and he felt stupid for meddling in it…

"…I guess that was my fault too, so that helpless girl act was-"

He shyly stated only to be cut out by Jeanne herself, who calmly explained herself.

"To lure Sellzen in a secluded area, eliminate him and secure the Excalibur Swords should he have them"

Now he just felt stupid…

"…it seems that I unwillingly caused more problems to your operation than anything…sorry"

"Oh don't be" Jeanne responded in a more the more girly manner; losing her previous serious streak "It's not every day that I get to be rescued like a fair maiden from danger. Normally it's me who has to do the rescuing – seeing you dashingly coming to my aid was a nice experience, hehe"

"Seriously someone has to put a check on that stupid Hero Complex of yours!" Rias said in good-meaning annoyment.

"Ara, Ara, how like you Katsuo-kun" Akeno added with a smile…a very dangerous smile.

The conversation grew silent; after that small exchange the previous pressure and seriousness seemed to dissipate, if only a bit, by the look of everyone present. The exchange between the representatives of the two factions, Church and Devils, in Kuoh was coming to an end, now the only thing left between the two female leaders were formalities.

"Do you have to anything else to add Maid of Orleans?"

"No I believe that everything has been said" She then shifted her view to the ex-exorcist and asked "How are your wounds?"

"As if they were never there" a quick display of his hands proved his claim.

His response was short and to the point, it put a smile on her face. Her sky eyes then shifted from him to the person that treated his wounds and with a humble and thankful voice she spoke.

"That is good to hear – you have my thanks, Asia Argento, I'm very sorry about your fate…I wish that such a kind soul like you could still be allowed a place in God's domain"

This caught Asia off guard; her face became redder than a tomato, as she became the focus of the conversation, and her tongue acting before her brain could.

"Huh? M-me, t-there is nothing to thank me about…"

"I am the inheritor of Jeanne d'Arc spirit, with me lives her legacy and memories…you could see why I would empathize with you – a maiden labeled witch for an act of kindness"

Jeanne voice continued being soft and understanding, every syllable fuelled with a compassion that was lacking in her two juniors. Asia Argento had never met the original Joan of Arc or any saint for that matter, there were centuries separating them from her after all, but she always fantasized about how they would be in their lifetime; people like Saint Martha, Saint George or Saint Magdalene. Now in front of this girl that had taken the name of the Maiden of Orleans, she could safely say…that she was exactly how she imagined her.

"I-its a-alright, I have now many friends and I get to live with Ise-san…b-but t-thank you n-nonetheless, Jeanne-sama!"

"I'm glad that you have found hope in your own way…and please just call me Jeanne" the Saint smiled to the shy Devil and she smiled back with a warm heart – now with business concluded and the sun setting, it was time to part ways "then we will be on our way heiress of Gremory, I once again appreciate your neutrality in this situation"

La Pucelle extended her hand…

"And my neutrality will continue as long as both my territory and my Peerage remain safe, Holy Maiden, until then you have free reign to do your operation as you see fit – just make sure to put a better leash on your underlings next time"

And the Crimson-Haired Ruin Princess took it in kind.

"That I will, Farewell"

Goodbyes were bid and the church trio left the Occult Research Club – Jeanne flashed him an apologetic smile while Xenovia didn't even acknowledge him. After it, the room became unbearable silent and cold, at least to him. Katsuo could feel it, their collective eyes focused on him, from Issei's dumbfounded view to Koneko's deadpan, and all of them directed to him with a clear question present 'Would you like to explain what just happened?' a question that he decided not to answer.

"Well look at the time, I better get going if I intend to get those wounds some rest…"

The voice of the Heiress stopped him for a minute.

"I understand that there is history between you two, but please, don't get involved with this"

"Trust me…seeing her face again is the last thing I want right now…"

He couldn't bear the guilt anymore.


Rage – pure and unfiltered coursed through his body…at his master's words, at the words of those exorcists and at the words of this holy sword wielder; whose holy sword had been right under his nose this whole time…he had his suspicions…but now they were confirmed. This infuriated Yuuto Kiba even more. He had lived with the guilt of being the only survivor of The Holy Sword project, so people like him could swing those accursed blades around…to know that now they were not one but three of them around, two going around town like they own the place…and the other living in it, as if the suffering he and his peers went through didn't exist…all with the consent of his so called master…it made his blood boil.

"…you can't be serious!"

The Knight of Gremory ragged, drawing the Attention of his King.

"Yuuto?"

"You can't just seriously just let them go about their business! Just like that!?"

His voice rose as his eyes met hers.

"…Yuuto, if this about-"

"You knew from the start…ever since he explained himself at the Student council…you knew…and to an extent so did I. Why did you let him wonder about?"

Rias felt guilty; his accusation was completely true and, just like him, she would have done something about it…but that was then, now was another matter entirely.

"…Katsuo isn't a threat…he has proven as much and how he lives his life is up to him"

"Yet he admitted to having a Holy sword in your territory… … … …do you remember how we met, that night?"

"Yes, I remember the snow and the blood on you…I remember that you swore to live for me, for my protection, as my knight"

"…but you don't remember their faces, I do…I see them every night; I see them smile, laugh, cry and I see them die every single night…all for the sake of people like them – I live for revenge, to destroy the Excalibur and any Holy Sword that may threaten innocent lives"

The Knight moved across the room; heading towards the door, ignoring the wounded and betrayed looks he was receiving. Akeno's, Asia's, Koneko's and even Issei's dumbfounded expressions were of no concern to him – now was the time for retribution and nothing would stop him from achieving it.

"Yuuto wait! You are a Knight of the Gremory Family; you know the trouble that would mean if you got lost don't you?"

Rias placed a hand on his arm; waiting for him to reconsider his actions, waiting for him to turn back and act as if nothing had happened…but it was too late...darkened steel eyes, filled with wrath, stared back at her and his grip grasped her wrist.

"I'm a vessel – a vessel for hatred, a vessel for revenge – all for my comrades' sake"

Prying his former master's hand from his arm, the former Knight of Gremory left to accomplish his purpose, to finally wage his war and achieve his vengeance.


Another day meant another crazy occurrence; he wasn't surprised by that fact, being honest with himself he had almost embraced it at this point, but out of everything in the realm of possibility…the supernatural forces that were in charge of his luck decided to made him see her once again…truly the cosmic forces of the universe liked to see him suffer…

He couldn't help but sigh.

"…haaa…I should've never put on that damned ring…"

At least he was already back home and tomorrow was a day off, if he wanted to drown himself in introspection about the – should've, what ifs and if only – tomorrow was the day. Opening his door he was ready to fall down head first and close his eyes there and there until…

"Another Star wishes to shine brighter than the others; I see why Azazel took an interest on you"

…his spine ran cold and the center of his back tingled – danger.

"It has been a while since I saw one of your kind; the stars that shine brighter than any and etch their light into the skies of history"

The voice came from his left; a mere two meters away from him, stood a tall man with long black hair, freakishly pale skin, blood red eyes and pointy ears…but most importantly…five pairs of crow looking black wings sprouting from his back

"…who are you?"

He knew who he was, he wasn't an idiot; after today's encounters first with the Stray priest, then with the two exorcists and saint…and now…with the Fallen Angel Kokabiel

"I am the star of God – created to be the watcher of Stars, to be their shield…but the stars denied me, found protection in their own champions…people like you, it was until later in life I discovered…" a sadistic and sick grin that made his stomach turn appeared on the fallen angel's face, followed by a dark laugh the sent chills up his spine "…being a sword is way more fun"

"I think you have the wrong guy…I'm just a school student…"

"You don't fool anyone with that act. I just came to tell you not to hide that Draconic Heart, war is coming and your presence here is unexpected, but if you are able to prove me that your kind is worth all the praise they get then…" another sickening grin showed his sharp and jagged teeth "I will enjoy killing you…only if you survive…Hero"

His body dashed on instinct – fueled by the feeling of killing intent, not directionless or in order to flee this threat…but to get it, to wrap his hand on that silver handle that was so familiar to him…but he was too slow.

…one second he was dashing to his room, the next one he was flung from his apartment…thrown by a force greater than his own; sent flying through the outskirts of Kuoh town at high speeds until, like a falling star, he met the ground in a mighty impact that shook the nearby ground.

One punch was all it took – blood poured from his mouth, his mind was ringing and his body wasn't responding. His chest received the brunt of that punch and it showed; a large hole was made into his clothes and his skin was darkened from the blow, as if someone had pressed a hot pan on his skin and left it there. But it wasn't his chest that caused blood to spill from his mouth…a large gash now adorned his back and blood started leaking from it like a fountain…

…his eyes closed and consciousness left his body.


A new day had started, a day off at that – students had no school; they were free to roam the town and indulge in its many recreational activities; like the cinema, restaurants or the very popular karaoke. A certain student of Kuoh was due to meet another fellow student at the train station…but unlike their fellow students on their day off, they wouldn't be spending it enjoying their free time.

"So…Hyoudou, what was your reason for calling?" Saji, pawn of Sona Sitri, asked.

"Well Katsuo wasn't answering me…so you were the next best choice"

"…Harsh…so if I was your best choice…what is she doing here?"

"…I followed him because he was acting strangely" Koneko responded tugging on the pervert's shirt.

Saji just shrugged in acceptance.

"Well Hyoudou, what do you have in mind?"

"I plan to destroy the Holy sword Excalibur, with the help of Irina and Xenovia"

At that exact moment, in that exact second, you could hear the sound of glass breaking as both Koneko's and Saji's faces were filled with shock.


"What do you mean with we don't need your help!?"

Issei screamed at the top of his lungs, various fellow customers eyed his outburst with confusion all the while the person in front of him, with her blue hair and brown eyes half closed, continued sipping on her soda without being fazed by his outburst.

"I thought it was self-explanatory, we have more than enough power to accomplish our task"

Xenovia's voice was devoid of emotion meanwhile her partner, Irina, continued munching on the burger in front of her.

"b-but you are only two! And we invited you to eat!"

"We have on our side a Saint – that is more than enough power to retrieve the Excalibur swords" the blue exorcist said while munching on some French fries.

"b-but we invited you to eat!"

"That doesn't have anything to do with our discussion" other large and bountiful sip of soda was taken, just to add insult to injury.

On the other side of the table Saji, the pawn of Sona Sitri, vented his frustration with a big sigh; it has already been two hours since Issei called him to meet at the train station and, while he had agreed to help his fellow pawn, they hadn't even begun their search for the legendary holy sword or the lost Knight of Gremory – and it annoyed him to no end.

"I knew it! We shouldn't have asked their help Hyoudou…we wasted our time!"

"I guess that we should have gone straight to Katsuo…" Issei halfheartedly responded.

Cold Fury – the devils present felt it for a moment and stopped in their tracks, even Irina stopped eating as the air filled with it. The source was none other than Xenovia Quarta, whose face was filled with so much ice coated rage that it mirrored the Knight of Gremory first reaction to the holy swords…all because of him.

"…if you want to have the help of a man with piss for honor, then go ahead…don't be surprised when he stabs you in the back" her voice carried her disdain and she was not trying to hide it.

Issei was outraged and he was about to retort to her…but someone else beat him to the punch, who with her very soft and quiet voice conveyed more feelings than she had ever done.

"…senpai isn't like that…" Koneko said, with a small frown present on her face.

"What did you say?! Katsuo would never betray us, he is the most selfless guys there is" Issei continued her companion's outrage with more vigor and emotion present in his voice.

"You don't know him! ...not like I do"

Outrage and emotion that Xenovia matched in her own way, her apathetic mask breaking for a mere moment and revealing the heat of her emotions…before returning to the frozen landscape that it was.

"I know all his boob preferences, I know that he is a coffee addict and loves to sleep at school and-"

Issei would have continued, yet Xenovia's words would cut him in his track…

"What is his real name?"

His mouth stopped and a confused expression appeared on his face.

"…What do you mean?"

"…his name…Katsuo is a fake one. I know what his real name is, because I truly know him…it doesn't matter anyways – he lost it when he broke his oath"

Silence – Issei's words died in his mouth, the feeling of betrayal surfacing in his mind, even Koneko was surprised by the revelation. His face was down casted and his eyes obscured by his hair, a conflicted expression clear on his face…he stayed like that for some time…Xenovia's face contrasted his, calm and collected, content with winning the argument…until…with the sound of his fist striking the table…

"…that doesn't matter to me – The person I know would put his life on the line if it meant saving someone else and deal with the consequences later, a quality you clearly lack…so if you don't help us destroy the holy blade, then he certainly will" Issei said with a voice full of fire and determination; he followed this by standing up and leaving the shocked exorcist seething in rage.

As he was leaving the restaurant, Koneko and Saji behind him, a voice that had remained silent stopped him in his tracks.

"Issei wait!" Irina suddenly caught up with him and, for the first time since coming back to Kuoh, spoke her truth "You should know that our supervisor, Jeanne, is in charge of our operation in Kuoh – to retrieve the holy swords and bring them back to the Church. We cannot take liberties with our operation without consulting her first, she is now scouting the town's frontiers and we have similar orders, to scout the inner city"

"I don't understand Irina, why are you telling me this?"

"…because our orders are to bring the sword back, in which state was never specified…and say if we were suddenly bump into each other during an encounter with Freed Sellzen that results in the sword destruction…then we wouldn't be violating any rules right…"

He was too dense…

"…Wha?"

"…it means she will help us…" Koneko deadpanned.

"Seriously, why the sudden change of heart?"

"Xenovia – she doesn't show it, but she is deeply hurt by what happened between her and your friend…I just know they were childhood friends once and then suddenly they became bitter towards each other…I don't want the same to happen to us, I was happy seeing you after so long even if you became a devil…but I don't want to betray my faith, so I will be flexible with it. You are not a devil, but a dragon so just believe and we will come to your aid"

Suddenly his hands clasped his and, with the most sincere and joyful smile he could muster, Issei thanked his childhood friend.

"Awesome! Thank you Irina…but, what about Xenovia?"

"Don't worry about her; I'll take care of it"

"You really are the best Irina; I knew I could trust you"

A large blush appeared on Irina's face, as she turned heel and headed back to her partner. Her eyes were wide and her heartbeat was increasing with every step, the smile he showed her grafted in her memory. As for Issei there was one more thing he needed to do before setting out on his mission, he pulled his phone and dialed a certain number…


A growling sound escaped his stomach, he hadn't eaten and he couldn't, not after yesterday. He had a mission to accomplish and he wouldn't rest until he saw it through, if that meant that he had to spend sleepless nights and endure an empty stomach, then that was the smallest price he could pay. Kiba's feet kept their pace as he trekked through every abandoned factory, every alleyway and every corner of the city, all in the search of two people – Freed Sellzen and Valper Galilei, the current wielder of the Excalibur shard and the architect of Kiba's suffering respectively.

Once those two were done, there were more holy swords that needed destruction…how he would bring it to them…

'I'll get to it when I'm done with them…'

Hatred fuelled his every step, but it was sorrow that drove him, the sorrow and guilt he imposed on himself…for being the sole survivor of the Project.

'…my vengeance…my war…I've not waged it as I should…as is expected of me…I guess that I got caught up in the school atmosphere and got distracted…distracted by this artificial life. The ORC, my life at the school, my name – all of it – was given to me by Rias Gremory…but I am not worthy of it…not worthy to keep on living while my comrades died…it's funny…I don't remember my original name and the one that I was given, I threw it away…in a way…right now…I'm just an instrument for retribution, a tool to be used by my fallen comrades…right now…I'm just a sword…'

Suddenly his phone rang; an unexpected name appearing on the screen – Issei Hyoudou.


'I found myself dreaming once again.

The thick forest surrounded me; the smell of nature filled my nostrils and the sound of a nearby river eased my mind. The howling of wolves could be heard from a distance and, if I was careful, I could spot a pack of deer prancing around the forest.

This place I remember, it was the church where I was raised…or is it…I don't remember many animals near the church…nor snow…

I watched my reflection on the river and it stared back at me; those were my Aqua eyes, my face, my silver hair…but I've never grew it so long. I ran a hand through my head and confirmed that I didn't have such a long mane. The more I looked, the more differences I found; there were scars I never got, there was maturity that wasn't mine and pride that I didn't share…

I knew my face and I knew the face that stared back at me, both were me…yet we are separate entities…distanced by the annals of time but connected by bloodline.

He was a dream of mine…or perhaps I was I dream of his…

Ever since that faithful day at the church, the day I condemned myself, the day the wheels of fate started turning for me – I have dreamed such dreams.

I have dreamed of battles I've never fought in.

I have dreamed of people I've never met.

I have dreamed of swords I've never wielded.

I have loved and lost maidens I have never met.

I have been praised and betrayed.

I have helped many and hurt more.

I am a boy dreaming of being a Hero…

or am I a Hero dreaming of being a boy.

I don't have the answer to that…rather…I have been escaping it; living in a dream of my own making. A dream where I could go to school like any normal boy, a dream where I could meet people like me, flawed and with their own secrets but good in the end. A dream I could lose myself in and during the twilight of my life I could say…it was a good dream.

Right now I don't know who I am, which side of me is real and which side is the dream…but I know that I don't want this current dream to end; my life in Kuoh…the friends I've met and the experiences we've shared…Kokabiel means to threaten them, I cannot longer ignore the truth in front of me.

So now I-

So now He-

We need to…'

…!

Aqua eyes opened and Katsuo awoke.

The ground below him had been destroyed, cracked and sunken, by the impact of his body meeting it. Most of his wounds had begun recuperating; his chest skin no longer looked burned…but his back remained scarred, blood still poured from it and from the amount he had lost he needed to somehow seal the wound…some makeshift bandages would have to do for now – ripping his already broken shirt he got to work.

Pain rushed through his spine and with a strong tug.

"That should hold for now"

Now that he had mitigated the bleeding, he had to find his way back home. There was something he had to retrieve, things would escalate…and even if he said to Rias that he would remain out of it…now he had no much of a choice…not when war had been declared to him directly.

The Sword of Twilight would see battle once again.


Sun was setting; the yellow sphere of life disappearing behind the horizon, its orange light merging with the blue of the sky creating a purple twilight.

At the same time…on the other edge of town…away from the lone sword seeking vengeance, away from the lively Red Dragon and his companions and away from the wounded wandering Hero…the Saint of Orleans was following the bread crumbs left by the Fallen Star of God, through the thick woods and the small mountains; Jeanne was met not with the Fallen Angel Kokabiel but with a small shack in the woods, abandoned by all sense of the word.

She steeled herself, expecting anything to be behind that door, and forged onward…yet what greeted her was no fallen angels, no Holy Swords and no stray exorcist…another dead end…the shack was completely empty.

"Why would Blade Blacksmith lead me here…the holy energy I followed was clearly of the Excalibur…" it made no sense to her, why would this trail lead her to another dead end – she only hoped that her two juniors were faring better than her.

Then, as she was about to leave a feeling, like a compass in her head, guided her and she let herself be, and soon discovered at the corner of the room a small book with the titled – [Excalibur Project].

Picking it up and opening it, the contents inside were revealed…

…page flipped after page…

…her hands started moving faster with every page…

…her sky eyes become wide in the process…

…a nauseating feeling crept on her stomach, making it turn upside down…

…and when the last page stared at her a single name appeared on it…and suddenly it all clicked…Valper Galilei.

The Book – it described a sickening process of grooming and harvesting little children for their light attributes the innate ability a human has to wield holy swords, after their harvesting followed the disposal; hundreds of human lives who would never reach adulthood for the sickening obsession of that monster…it angered her, her usually soft and calm visage being overcome with rage.

'That man…no, that monster…has been doing this right under the Church nose and vanishing only served as a set back to him…now I understand why I was sent here, it is my duty – not as a church member or a saint – but as a hero to stop him'

The book detailed one more thing their next step and it terrified her…since it included the current users of Excalibur Destruction and Excalibur Mimicry, Xenovia and Irina. The Book fell from her hands and she darted outside, reaching the door even before it hit the ground. She stepped outside; heading straight to the town to inform both of her juniors, time was of the essence.

An image flashed in her head

Four Projectiles came at her from north, south, east and west; heading to her neck faster than any mortal bullet could and with one purpose – to kill.

Four light spears came at her from four cardinal directions aiming to kill; two holy blades appeared on her hands and in a deadly dance of skill all four spears were destroyed in two strokes of her blades.

Her eyes were focused and unyielding, watching up the night sky a four black wings clouded the stars of the north, four clouded the south, two the east and two the west – four fallen angels in total, all clad in black and sporting iron helmets.

"Lord Kokabiel said you would be here, you followed the trail just as he expected…"

The Maiden of Orleans didn't respond – her face cool and collected – rather she dispelled the two holy swords in her hands and summoned a more refined rapier, with a black handle and a white blade, and got into stance. She didn't have time to speak with the enemy, both of her juniors were being led into a trap and if four fallen angels would stand in her way she would do something she didn't like…she would wage the value of life and decide which is worth preserving – four unknown fallen angels or Irina and Xenovia…


Night had fallen; the city had fallen in a cloak of shadows and stars. The streets were deserted; few ventured outside and travelled the more secluded areas of town. A lone figure traversed the darkness; a large blade, two times his size, strapped to his back and sealed under multiple white bandages. His clothes were ragged; his white shirt ripped, turned into makeshift bandages barely stopping his bleeding back, only his jacket covered his upper body. His silver hair was ruffled and his aqua eyes were focused, alert to whatever was prowling in the shadows…he knew he would attract them; either the smell of his blood or curses would bring trouble to him…normally he would avoid it, but today he called for it...trouble would come for him, be it big, small, of man or supernatural, it didn't matter – eventually he would hit the Jackpot.

Ruffling sounds – from every corner, from every rooftop and every alley. Not of devils, but of man, their movements were calculated, brought out of a lifetime of training, their steeps were quiet and muffled, as their training dictated, yet their bloodlust and evil in their hearts could only be carried by creatures who dwelled in the deepest sphere of the abyss.

He kept on moving as the sounds approached him…multiple eyes set on him from every corner and every angle…suddenly…

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

Multiple gunshots rang true; all hitting their target in the spots aimed – head, neck, chest, right shoulder and legs.

All bullets hit head on and all bullets bounced harmlessly off him.

"…"

Out of the darkness they stepped out – wearing their long coats and brandishing their weapons; among them were guns and light swords in hand. Their hoods obscured their faces, yet he could perceive their wickedness…their bloodlust.

"Oh, you are the one Boss Freed talked about…the one who couldn't be hurt…" one of them said mockingly.

They kept coming out of the shadows; more and more until the street they were in was filled with men in cloaks. They circled around him, like sharks that just smelled blood in the water, all eager to fight – to quench their sadistic pleasure for battle.

"Oi, should we bring him to the Boss, he said he had plans for him" another voice came from the flood of strays…he cared not who it belonged to.

"He doesn't look like much!" another shouted.

"Hahaha, looks like the fucker is bleeding already…did you shit your pants too? Hahaha"

They surrounded him – each of them was good, each of them was trained, their only problem was their lust for fighting and bloodshed that caused them being labeled a stray…otherwise they would have stayed at the church for their skill…he knew as much, from the way they carried their swords, from their precise movements…they were good-

But he was better.

"…he…he…he" a dry chuckle escaped Katsuo's mouth – only to be transformed into haughty laugh "Hahahahaha, looks like my own words came to bite me…good thing that I didn't bet anything with Sona"

"Oi what is your deal…"

Someone asked and he ignored it.

"One, four, eight…fourteen…twenty-five…forty…sixty…I count a hundred of you, did I miss any? Well it's not like it matters anyway, say do you know where Kokabiel is?" he asked, his demeanor calm and casual like he always carried himself.

"What if we do?" a mocking voice said out of the gang of Stray Exorcist.

"Then would you kindly tell me…I prefer the civilized way to the alternative"

"What if we don't want to? What will you do then?"

"Then I will be forced to carve a bloody canyon here and stop only when no one but me is left or until someone tells me where Kokabiel is…your choice either way" his words carried no hate or disdain for the people before him, rather it was more akin to asking them to choose between apples or oranges.

All of them laughed arrogantly, all of them mocking the single wounded man on the middle of the streets – they laughed and he joined them in their laughter.

"So It's the second option then" Katsuo said amidst laughs.

Then their laughs died, instead being replaced with their bloodlust and battle-hungry nature.

"You are surrounded; one hundred against one and you are not the Boss – you are bleeding and aside from that large object you carry around, you have no weapon…ha-ha…what can you do?"

Their swords were draw and their pistols were locked and loaded – ready to pounce on him like hungry hyenas.

"Hehe…you are right…I can only show you my true value wielding this Cursed Holy Sword"

His hand grasped the silver handle and the bandages fell to the ground; it shone like the polar lights and carried an enormity and magnificence not seen in centuries. The silver handle felt right, the golden cross-guard shined with the magnificent of gold and a blue jewel was embedded in the hilt. It is a one-of-a-kind sword comparable with original Excalibur of King Arthur. A paradox just like himself, reflecting the nature of the user with its shifting attribute – There was only one name for this sword, it's name was… … … …


A/N: I wanted to credit jakkisenpai on fiverr for the fanfi cover i comissioned. I was waiting for this fic to reach 100k words to post the image, but it was so cool that i couldn't contain myself, check him out on fiverr, he does amazing stuff.

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Till next time