Ok, fucknuts. Shit is going down. The Deadly Alliance™ has been formed! It's been a while since Issei's gone priest hunting…and with an ally to boot. "Just like old times, eh price?"
Get ready for this roller coaster. Because this arc is essentially just the total enhancement of every scene in canon. By the end, you might be wishing that these were the true portrayal of the canon events of DxD. That is if you haven't already cuz I know some people apparently already think like that lol. I'm honored.
Also, if you've noticed the title of this one….you know what's coming. NOW GET READY TO RECEIVE THESE CHAPTERS BACK TO BACK, BABY! THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING! YOU HAVE THREE DAYS!
TAKE SOME NOTES, CUZ THERE'S A LOT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO REVIEW AND I'M NOT GONNA GIVE YOU THE USUAL SEND OFF, I'M FREEZING YOUR SHIT OVER TONIGHT!
VENGEANCE
Nyao~!
—Somewhere in Nagoya, within a certain residence, a girl's cutesy sounding phone notification went off next to the books that she was using to study.
Maki Aikawa, age 15, only daughter of the Aikawa Household.
She prefers to study with her phone facing down on her desk, a countermeasure to prevent distractions from studying. It was a habit that her "older brother" figure taught her. But for a specific reason, she felt compelled to check her phone this time. That reason being that she knows who messages her just based off of which specific version of the "neko noise" her phone makes. The specific notification sound her phone made just now was reserved for family only.
"..!"
When she turned her phone over, she saw the name displayed on the screen and picked it up immediately. The sender was labeled "Ise-nii", and there were two messages. The messages read:
[I love you.]
[Nothing's up, just wanted to say it.]
"...Nii-Nii.."
Seeing the messages worried Maki. Although it's true that her beloved "onii-san" had a habit of saying things like this out of the blue, it's also true that most of the times he did it, he was in a depressed state, most often thinking about his deceased parents.
If that was the case, she had more than enough reason to call and check up on him..
Part 1
Vrr, vrr!
Issei felt the vibration of his phone in his pocket and pulled it out. He was receiving a call. When he looked on the screen and noticed who was calling him, he reluctantly slid his thumb over the red button, declining the call. It was probably one of the first times in his life that he had done that.
"Ise-kun. What you said just now.."
Issei returned the phone to his pocket and looked at the person addressing him, Kiba Yuuto.
"...What do you mean by [destroy Excalibur]?"
"That's what you want to do, isn't it? Let's do it. If it's the two of us, we can destroy them."
Kiba was suspicious of Issei's sudden offer.
—Seemingly out of nowhere, Issei unexpectedly called Kiba out to a plaza in Kuoh and told him that they were going to destroy Excalibur together.
Something didn't add up. Issei wasn't the type to do this. He was the type to ignore this problem and go on with his day. Was he being influenced by someone else in the club? Issei wasn't the type to just go by others' requests, not to something personal like this. Unless it was Asia, it didn't add up. No, even then, it might be too much.
In that case…
"...Did Buchou put you up to this?"
Kiba asked the obvious question. Although it wouldn't add up for Issei to do this on the request of Rias, it was still vital to ask. Issei answered outright.
"No. I'm doing this of my own volition."
Kiba narrowed his eyes slightly. There didn't seem to be a hint of dishonesty in Issei's tone… Even so, to Kiba, it still didn't make sense.
"..Of your own volition?... Why? What would compel you to do this?"
Issei averted his gaze from Kiba before answering.
"...I think you know better than anyone why."
Although Issei was being vague, Kiba still understood what he meant by that. And it's precisely that unspoken understanding that Kiba assumes Issei is deferring to as the reasoning behind his actions.
"Even so, I don't believe that's enough of a reason for you to help me, is it?"
When Kiba asked that, Issei fully turned his back to him and lifted his face into the cloudy sky. He spoke almost as if he was talking to himself.
"...Yeah, maybe you're right…. Maybe I'm doing it for myself just as much as you….. Is it a desperate attempt for redemption?... What am I trying to accomplish..? No, it doesn't matter…. I'll just do what feels right… I refuse to do nothing anymore.."
Kiba was confused by Issei's odd rambling since he lacked the context for any of it. Issei eventually turned around again, but this time, with a more determined face.
"—As you are now, you can't do anything on your own. If you want to destroy Excalibur, you'll need my help. I can destroy them all using my Boosted Gear. Your swords won't be able to do anything."
"...That may be true, but you still haven't answered my question as to why someone like you would want to help me, Ise-kun."
For a moment, Issei and Kiba stood across from each other silently. While looking into each other's eyes, they could see their own reflections gazing back at them. Though, it wasn't an exaggeration to say that they might be living reflections of each other as a whole either…
It wasn't until Issei shut his own eyes that he responded.
"Because out of everyone else, you know that I'm the only one who understands what you're trying to do. No matter what happens, no matter what you do, I won't judge you…. You may have called yourself the "senpai" of those two Excalibur users, but...from a perspective of vengeance, I'm your senpai... So the better question for your to ask is: [who else but myself could get you through this?]"
Issei turned away from Kiba once more and smiled for a brief second.
"Besides… I told you already, didn't I? [If you betray your comrades for the sake of revenge, I'll kill you]... That's why, I'm here to make sure you don't do that..by bringing you back to them when it's all said and done."
The two didn't speak for a while after Issei's words. Slowly but surely, the drizzle of rain in the sky was beginning to increase in volume, bit by bit. Despite this, neither of the two men seemed bothered by it. They don't mind the rain. Although, for Issei specifically, days like these will always leave him with an array of complex emotions that he has trouble deciphering.
..It was only fitting that on a day like this, a day that exactly resembled the day he let Marie die, was when he determined himself to destroy Excalibur...
"...Will you really help me destroy it?"
"Yeah."
"..For what sort of repayment? What are you looking for in return?"
To that question, Issei showed some hesitation in answering.
"...In exchange, let me keep one of the Excaliburs in my possession."
"..?! Keep one of the Excaliburs..?"
"That's right. Do you remember when you came to my home, you complained about the chilling feeling of holy relics around the house?"
"I do.."
"What I told you then was a lie. Asia does own religious artifacts, but she doesn't have any such items placed around anywhere. What you felt was the presence of Excalibur blessing."
Kiba's eyes widened in shock.
"What..?!"
But after a while, Kiba narrowed his eyes, seemingly coming to a realization.
"I see… So that's what that feeling was… It was too potent to be from a few crosses after all….. But…... From what I recall, that was the Excalibur that belonged to the prestigious exorcist the other two were referring to. The extra Excalibur that had gone missing."
"That's right."
"And that exorcist…. She was an important person to you, wasn't she, Ise-kun?"
"Yes."
"But considering that you know why I want to destroy Excalibur, you of all people should know, Ise-kun…. That's not a request you should be making of me."
Kiba seemed to glare deeply into Issei's soul, but Issei's firm expression did not falter.
"And you should know better than anyone why I'm asking."
That was Issei's only reply. Kiba was left unable to respond beyond that. The knight smirked bitterly.
"I suppose you're right… Out of everyone else I know, it's you who should know better than to make a request like that of me…. But I'm the same… Although I don't know the circumstances, I also know better than to ask you to destroy that item…. Because it's not just a weapon to you, is it?... Heh… We're the same, but we're also on opposite ends of the spectrum too…."
Kiba chuckled, but soon he gained a serious expression.
"...I understand. I'll let you assist me. You can even take the lead for most of it if that helps. And you can also keep that Excalibur to yourself. It's enough that we destroy the ones that have managed to infiltrate this town."
"Alright—"
"—However…. When it comes down to it….. When we come face to face with the bastard priest, when we finally find the Excaliburs…. I make the calls."
"...Deal."
After finally coming to an agreement, Kiba sighed heavily.
"Haah…. So then.. What do we do first?"
Issei responded in a nostalgically dark tone.
"...We hunt."
"What's wrong, Buchou-san?"
Asia asked Rias from beside her and Raynare on the sofa, the three of them watching television together. For some reason, Rias appeared to have an uneasy expression stuck on her face.
"...I don't know… But I have a bad feeling.."
Part 2
The hunt began, and the two vengeful men planned to prowl through Kuoh with their wits about them, in order to search for their main target of interest: the mad priest, Freed Sellzen.
But before that, Kiba had an idea. He noted that Freed Sellzen had been hunting down priests and other minor exorcists sent by the catholic church into Kuoh. This made them, who were dressed fairly inconspicuously, easy to be missed. That wasn't what they wanted. The last thing they wanted was to be ignored, what they actually wanted was to be pursued or attacked. As Issei stated, the best way to get one's target to them is to motivate them into pursuit, convincing them that they're hunting their "prey" and luring them in. It was a similar tactic that he used to lure out Genesis members when he first started his hunt as a preteen. This technique didn't hold up after Genesis became aware that he and Marie were actively hunting their group, but this is a different scenario. This time, the target is a battle crazed lunatic with a thirst for priest blood. Getting him to come out of the shadows was easy. Especially after what Kiba had told Issei soon after they set off.
Caw, caw!
Issei and Kiba soon came upon the thing that they were looking for.
—It was the cold, rotting corpse of the priest that Freed had slain days prior. They found it lying in the last place that Kiba had dragged it to, an out of sight back-alley. Despite the current weather conditions, there were crows eating the flesh remains from various parts of the priest's corpse, mainly his eyes.
For a bad omen, it was coincidentally very fitting to the circumstances, Issei thought.
"Surprising. I assumed that someone would have found him and reported it to someone already."
"Well, that's lucky for us. Now we can use it."
As the two looked down at the corpse with unfeeling eyes, Issei spared a glance at Kiba from his peripheral vision. He noticed Kiba staring down at the body intently, but without remorse. Kiba obviously felt nothing in bringing this body here and leaving it to decay or be eaten. Issei couldn't blame him. That all being said, someone had to "do it"..
"...Kiba—"
"I'll do it."
Kiba didn't allow Issei to finish his statement before he took a step closer to the body, causing the crows to disperse.
"...This is my mission. I'll do what it takes."
That was all Kiba said. From an unspoken understanding, Issei replied with nothing and simply took a step back.
.
.
A few minutes later, Kiba was adorning the dampened attire of the priest over his clothes. The robe was torn in a few spots and there was an unpleasant odor lingering on it. But Kiba beared it in silence, showing no regret in his actions. Issei noted that his determination was just as firm as it needed to be.
"..Alright. Let's go."
From here on out was where the hunt would truly come to start. The rain began to pick up in volume as well. If before it was sprinkling, what came down now was a proper rain.
—As the two walked side by side, silently searching, hunting for their prey, Issei felt an odd sense of nostalgia.
How long has it been since he's gone on a "hunt?" With another person at his side, no less. It feels like an eternity ago since his days pursuing Genesis with Marie… Those days were different. When they scoured the various areas of Nagoya, they were usually walking amongst crowds and travelling distances. But this town, Kuoh, was a much smaller place. This place could be feasibly traversed in a day or two with their capabilities. Not to mention that no one was outside thanks to the weather. The current conditions made it easier to pick out suspicious individuals, since choices were limited.
This feeling of a hunt… It felt nostalgic to Issei. How bizarre, to feel nostalgia over something so morbid. In his heart, he's begun to believe that he doesn't truly enjoy the act of causing suffering, just as Asia says. And yet, a certain part of him still takes pleasure in this feeling, the "hunt"... Why? Perhaps it's the dragon part of him, the influence of the Sekiryuutei… Not an absurd thing to assume, considering how drastically this feeling increased after the loss of his eye. There must be a part of him that enjoys the pursuit of "prey".… The "chase"...
Perhaps he doesn't enjoy causing suffering…. But surely, a part of him enjoys the anticipation of "punishing" evil-doers. Prowling through the land with a cowl of terror, knowing that those who have done great evil are hiding in fear of what he may do…. Perhaps that feeling, the anticipation itself of retribution, was what he enjoyed.
Whatever the case, he felt focused. He felt his mind align at a certain, fine point with his intentions, and his vision was crystal clear. In his current state, he wouldn't miss even a single drop of rain from the clouds.
And even more intriguing than any of that was the feeling Issei was getting by walking beside Kiba. A bizarre, unfamiliar sensation... When he was on the hunt with Marie in the past, he didn't ever have a feeling like this.
Was it his mind playing tricks on him or was this reality, this "feeling"? This feeling that, somehow, he and Kiba were perfectly synchronized.
—To Issei, it felt as if every step that he and Kiba made into the reflective, puddle ridden streets of Kuoh were simultaneous. He felt as if every drop of rain that dripped from their drenched masses of hair fell at the exact same times. He felt as if every focused breath or every focused glance was taken in the same moment, at the same places. It felt like Issei was walking side by side with his own doppelganger.
Maybe if someone were to pass them while out and about, they might mistake their eyes for having seen two of the same person walking side by side.
With the same eyes, the same cadence, the same posture, the same steps, the same glare— anyone would assume that they'd just passed by a pair of clones.
A pair of avengers...
It had only been a couple hours since the two started searching and the rain was still pouring down from the sky. Up to this point, the two had been strolling in a shared silence. At some point however, Issei was compelled by his conscience to ask about something. Something of great importance.
"...Kiba."
"What is it?"
"Tell me your story."
Issei's request caused Kiba to pause in his step.
"...My story?"
"Yes. Your past."
Kiba narrowed his eyes before chuckling sarcastically.
"Heh, for someone like you, that's an amazing thing to ask, Ise-kun. And exactly what would you do with the information I give you about it?"
"Nothing. I just want to hear it."
Again, Kiba noticed Issei's uncharacteristic tone and look of honesty. Under regular circumstances, Kiba would easily refuse. However..
Something was different this time… For reasons he didn't understand, Kiba felt unbothered by the idea of telling his story to Issei. All throughout his life, Kiba has been hesitant to share the details of his past with anyone. Even his own master doesn't know the full details of it, only what she was present for, as well as some of the experimental details already known by many regarding the "Holy-sword project."
Kiba wonders why he has this feeling…. But when he makes eye contact with Issei, the reasoning becomes clear.
Issei's eyes, there was no judgement in them. No frustrating sense of pity, no faux sympathetics. In his eyes, there was only a modest, solemn understanding. It was like he understood everything already without needing Kiba to explain it..
….
"...Hmm.."
And so, with a soft, morose sigh of pure melancholy, Kiba's words seem to escape on their own.
"...I had a family once.."
That's right. Even I had a family once…. It wasn't the conventional sort of family. My family… None of us were related by blood. No, what made us family...was our struggle. We were all placed under the same stress, the same trials, with the same objective in mind.
Our goal, no, our "mission" was to "wield Excalibur"...
It was up to us to produce a method which would allow anyone to bear an Excalibur as their weapon.
But this was an impossible task… No matter how many efforts were made, nothing could be done. No progress had been made...
I… I remember everyone in my family.
I remember Matthew, the eldest member of our group, the most. He must've been around my current age at the time of the experiments. He was the most headstrong person in our group. He was our leader. Whenever any of us had a moment of weakness or whenever we needed to strengthen our wills, Matthew was there. He would pray with us and motivate us to go on. We always believed that it was our faith keeping us moving forward, our hope of being in God's grace…. But in truth, I think it was really each other that kept us on. If it weren't for Matthew, most of us may have already died or given up from the trials.
Of course, there was no "giving up." Those who had lost the will to go on were taken away, "back to their homes", never to be seen again…. I don't think I need to tell you, but not a single one of us had a home. We were orphans...
Then there was Nathaniel. He was our second eldest. He was almost like a support or "sidekick" for Matthew. If Matthew had an idea, it was Nathaniel he would tell first, and it was Nathaniel who reinforced his will. Nathaniel was kind, but he wasn't as strong willed as Matthew. To us, Matthew seemed unbreakable. Nathaniel on the other hand, many times he had shown his weakness. It wasn't his fault. The things we were put through were agonizing. Any teenager would break from it. We couldn't expect him to be like Matthew.
Then there was Abigail. She wasn't one of our older members, but she was definitely one of our most important. Whenever we needed comfort from the arduous trials we experienced or the painful residue from the experiments coldly performed on us, we went to her. She was like our mother figure. That poor girl, she shouldered so much responsibility for us... And she was even younger than me. She must've only been around ten years old at that time…
As for me… well, truth be told, I wasn't important at all. That's right…. Within the grand scope of things, I was just another boy in the group. I didn't have anything that made me stand out. I was just another kid…
..And yet, here I am…
….
….
At the end of the day, our most important member of all was Matthew. He was the one with an unbreakable will, he never showed weakness. He was our shining light…. But the truth was, he wasn't unbreakable. Not at all. At some point, we realized this, and our situation had felt like it was becoming even more grim.
—The day that Matthew changed, it was that day that one of our own was taken away.
I still remember his name… Joshua…. Joshua wanted to be a shepherd. Amongst the more grandiose and inspiring dreams of the many children there, his was the most innocent. He simply wanted to meet the expectations of the church and be like the humble farmers of the biblical scripture. He wanted a simple life, held modestly under the Lord's everloving gaze.
But that didn't happen….
One day, Joshua felt too weak to continue his trials and gave in. He cried profusely that day, ashamed, but aware of the limits of his willpower. He told the overseers that he couldn't do it any longer and that he wanted to return to the orphanage he once lived in. That was a mistake…
The very next day, two men came to retrieve Joshua. When he asked where they were taking him, one of the men answered, "We're taking you home." Joshua asked of course, "to the orphanage?" But the man replied, "no, to your home." When Joshu remarked that he didn't have a home, the man only answered, "every child of God has a home." But what we had been taught our whole lives was that humans only truly had one home… that was with God... In that moment, you could see the fear of the unknown manifest itself in Joshua's eyes. He struggled against the man's grip, claiming that he wanted to stay, but the man merely continued dragging him along. At this point, he'd begun crying.
That was when Matthew stepped in. He asked the men to leave Joshua, stating that he would keep the boy in control, and commanding Joshua to promise the men that he would never step out of line. But the pair of men never relented. Perhaps it was because they wanted to make an example, but they never wavered in their decision. Joshua wept and pleaded to the men, to no avail. Matthew, unable to do anything, watched helplessly as they dragged Joshua away, never knowing what became of him.
That day, Matthew was quiet. Nathaniel and Abigail reassured us, optimistically stating that it was a misunderstanding. That Joshua had indeed found a home and family, that being the reason for the man's phrasing. After all, the church wouldn't have allowed anything unpleasant to happen to the boy, that wasn't possible. That's what we all had to believe…
The same night, when most of us were asleep, I could hear sobbing. It didn't take long for me to realize that it was Matthew, quietly weeping into his pillow… A couple of us must have been awake at the time, but we said nothing…
After that day, Matthew was no longer the same. Unlike before, Matthew's eyes held a subtle scorn in them, somewhere deep inside. Although he motivated us all the same, he spoke differently each time. He would constantly mumble things to himself, and his face would briefly shift into unpleasant glares in certain moments. Most, if not all, of his suspicious glares were directed at our overseers. And unlike before, Matthew seemed aware of something, something that the rest of us didn't know. It seemed like his attitude about the project had changed, and he muttered things that indicated that he was "waiting" for something…. At times, he would murmur, "it's only a matter of time," or "whenever they plan to do it.." He seemed like he was preparing for something. And in that vein, he also said things to "prepare" us. Things like, "remember, you're smaller and faster than most.." or "don't forget your swings. Exorcists need to be able to cut things down… whether that be Devils or heretics..."
None of us could know the things that were going on in his head. We only did as we were told, hoping that the nightmare would someday end.
It did.
—The awaited day, the day that Matthew feared, finally arrived.
They came into our place with rubber suits covering their bodies and tanks sitting on their backs.
We were no longer useful. It was the day they'd come...to dispose of us.
They didn't even have the courtesy to gun us down or take our heads with their swords. They used gas instead. Using the tanks fitted with hoses on their backs, they sprayed directly at us with no hesitation.
Because we realized that our time had come, we lost ourselves into despair and vomited hopelessly onto the floor…. All of us...except for one.
Matthew. Our eldest, our leader, our "big brother."
He refused to die or let us be killed without retaliation. Somehow, he drove an object shaped like a knife into the throat of one of those men. He must've fashioned it out of something at some point. And though he tried his best to fight back and overtake the others, it was simply too much for him. Even with the help of Nathaniel, there was nothing that could be done. The struggle was pointless. In the end, Nathaniel fell to the floor with a broken nose and too much poison in his lungs. And Matthew…
BANG!
One of those men must have shot him in the back, like the cowards they were. He fell, and the blood loss must have taken what little life the poison had left in him. As despair filled my heart, I remember clearly the dispute between the men.
"You fool! The guns of light were off limits! They weren't to be spoiled with those!"
I had realized very quickly that the reason they were arguing was obviously not out of any concern, but because they still planned to make use of our corpses to conclude their unfinished research afterwards.
Somewhere, deep within myself, there must have been a palpable anger building up. But in that moment, it was too easily overshadowed by the overwhelming sense of hopelessness. In the end, I, like everyone else, was certain of our demise…
—But yet again, the unexpected took place. Nathaniel took hold of one of the men and yelled out to….to me?
"RUN!"
He told me to run. He was trying to give me an opportunity...to escape.
It was then that the other children around me, even those that were younger than me, banded together to do the same.
"GET OUT OF HERE!"
"SAVE YOURSELF!"
What?
My friends— My comrades— My family— They were fighting, with blood spewing out from their eyes and their mouths, with all of the strength they had left in their bodies, they were fighting...to let me escape.
Me? Why? Why me? Someone like me…. I was never anyone special. I didn't have any ability that stood out from the others, my Sacred Gear hadn't even been discovered yet. I wasn't someone who everyone relied on or someone that everyone looked to when they needed help. I didn't have any outstanding dreams or ambitions. I didn't have an unbreakable will or faith. I wasn't anyone special. Amongst the bunch that was our "family", I was just another person. I was no one special.
Then why? Why, in this moment, were they fighting so hard just to let me survive?
It must have been because I was still standing. It must have been because, although I didn't fight or do anything special, I was still one of the only few that was able to stand despite the poison filling his lungs.
But even so…. Was that really enough for someone like me to deserve survival above everyone else? No…. But as I watched those members of my family struggle against those "executioners", struggling like they were fighting against the very God that condemned them to such a fate in the first place, I realized why….
—Because even though I was no one special, they loved me. We were all family, no matter what. So in their hearts, at least if someone, anyone, survived….perhaps that would be enough… That must've been the feeling in their hearts…. Because I would've done the same if I was them.
"GET OUT!"
"AT LEAST SAVE YOURSELF!"
"HURRY! RUN, ISAIAH!"
And so, with every bit of strength in my legs, I ran.
I left my family behind to die.
"Let go! We have to chase after him! We can't let any escape!"
"DON'T LOOK BACK, ISAIAH!"
"RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN!"
"LIVE, ISAIAH!"
As the sounds of my brothers and sisters voices faded into the background, I ran away into the snow padded forest with all of my might. With tears falling down my face and blood spilling from my mouth, I ran into the night, and all I could think of was the time I spent with my family and all of the struggles that we had been bearing by each other's sides.
My heart was overcome with hatred, despair, sorrow, pain, too many emotions that I had not even a moment to understand. But above all else, I knew that I had to live, no matter what. Or else, all of my family's struggles would have been for naught.
At some point, as I was running, I lost the strength in my legs and fell into the snow. And despite knowing that I was supposed to be running and hiding to prevent from being caught, I couldn't contain the overflowing emotions within me.
And so, I lamented pointlessly into the night's sky with shredded lungs, as if crying out to my one and only God— My "Father"— My Betrayer.
"There he is!"
"We've found him, he's here!"
In the end, I wasn't able to escape. It was over. They had found me.
My family died for nothing.
—When I thought it was final, when all hope was lost, that was when that girl, "Rias Gremory", appeared before me. There, with the breeze of the night blowing gracefully through her silhouette, and the light of the moon glistening through her crimson hair, she appeared.
"I heard the cry of a child. It seems I was right to come this way."
Although she said that, she didn't appear to be much older than I was. In my mind, I had little function for thought, but in my heart, I had hoped that it was an Angel of God, finally coming to bring His grace.
Little did I know that it was the complete opposite.
"Those wings..! It's a Devil! Shoot her!"
Every blast from their guns of light was blocked by magical circles that defended her body. Her beautiful face was morphed by their actions into one of hostility.
"You attacked me. At this point, you've given me no choice but to defend myself."
And from her concentrated palms, she released an amorphous mass that I couldn't comprehend and one of the executioners disappeared into thin air without a trace.
"That power..! You fools! This crimson haired Devil..! She's the spawn of Gremory!"
"Retreat! Everyone, disperse!"
In fear, the executioners fled into the trees, never to be seen again.
"...They've left you in a terrible state… How cruel... And for what crimes, I wonder. Surely, there couldn't have been any to justify this.."
With my last ounce of strength, I clawed into the snow and begged tearfully.
"...I can't die...! Please, help me…! I can't die here like this…! I can't…! I have to...live!"
Somewhere in my eyes, there must have been a burning fire of hatred. But if there was, it was surely overshadowed by fear and sorrow.
I was afraid. Not of death itself, but of abandoning my family. I couldn't die there. I couldn't have let it all be for nothing. All their struggles, all their dreams, everything they threw away, just to let me live... I couldn't abandon it. I couldn't die. Not yet.
The girl gave me a somber look.
"I see…. I understand. If you so desperately wish for it then I'll give it to you. In exchange, from now on, dedicate your heart to me. Live on, for my sake, as well as your own."
—And so, from that day forth, I became "Kiba Yuuto", the [Knight] of Rias Gremory.
Kiba finished his story with a sorrowful tone.
"...I should have died there with my family…"
Whether it was the rain or tears from his own eyes, the water fell freely down Kiba's heartbroken face. Issei remained quiet while listening, up to the very end. And even when Kiba was done, he said nothing. He merely waited patiently for Kiba to gain his bearings. Although he had lowered his head, it was clear to Issei that Kiba was sobbing silently. Issei knew better than anyone, that it was best just to leave him be.
"...Kiba.."
After a while of allowing Kiba to cry, Issei proclaimed it to Kiba straightforwardly.
"—We will destroy Excalibur. No matter what it takes…. And when it's all said and done, your family can rest easy. I promise."
Kiba brought his hand up to wipe his eyes, but realized it was pointless and left it be. He then questioned Issei in a low tone.
"...Ise-kun…. Why?... Is just knowing my past enough of a reason to help me?... If it's people like us, then you know that we are the last people in the world to involve ourselves with others at times like this….. A betrayal could happen at any moment…. Because we'd do whatever it takes….. Isn't that right?"
Issei was quiet. While facing away from Kiba, he looked down at his hoodie, to the cross hanging down his chest. He still clearly remembers the words of his beloved partner..
("...You are mean and angry sometimes… But even so, you do not "enjoy" being cruel… I know that, deep inside, you are someone who 'wishes' to be kind. You are someone who wishes to be a hero… You, who claims to be a "bastard", burden yourself with the task of being "the monster who kills monsters." Not because you enjoy it, but because you don't want anyone to ever face the pain you have experienced… Because that is who your parents raised you to be. That is Hyoudou Issei. —Issei, you are, and always will be, my hero.")
For a brief moment, Issei must've smiled.
"...Yes. It's more than enough of a reason."
Kiba lifted his eyes in surprise as Issei continued.
"Kiba…. If you're going to betray me, then do it. I'll understand. I won't blame you for it. If that betrayal ever comes, I'll accept it fully, without regret… But until that time comes, I'll aid you to the bitter end. —Even if you turn your back on the world, I won't turn away from you. If the world becomes your enemy, then so be it. I'll be your one true ally through it all. And at the end of it all, I'll bring you back to where you belong…"
Issei finally looked Kiba straight in the eye.
"—If I can't ever save myself, then, at the very least, I'll be sure to save you."
…..
…..
"I see…"
After letting a comfortable silence pass over them, Issei informed Kiba of something.
"By the way, Kiba. Do you happen to know the name of the man who was responsible for that project?"
"...? No, I don't…. Don't tell me… You know it somehow, Ise-kun?"
"Yes, I do. Would you like to hear it?"
"...Who was it?"
"He was an old bastard, and his name was "Valper Galilei." They called him the [Archbishop of death]."
Upon hearing that name, the unbridled hatred in Kiba's eyes appeared as if it had finally gained a true form and direction.
"Valper Galilei.."
"...That old man, he's probably involved in this current situation as well."
Kiba's eyes widened at Issei's statement.
"Involved..?! What do you mean?"
"...From what I learned alongside my partner in defeating Genesis, those who abandon the church are known for working with other heretics like them. Some of those not affiliated with the Catholic church but still excommunicated from their sects actually joined Genesis. If a situation involving Excalibur like this one were to occur, it's not unlikely that the bastard who studied them in the past would appear as well. We could even assume that he might be the brains of the operation."
Hearing that, Kiba's face of hatred gained another level of determination.
"—If that's the case, then when that bastard appears, he's mine."
"Got it."
Issei agreed without argument. If anyone in this world deserved to cast judgement on the geriatric demon known as Valper, then it was "Kiba Yuuto", the only survivor of the "Massacre of Avalon."
"Alright then. Let's keep going."
"Wait, Ise-kun."
Just as Issei was ready to set them off again, Kiba interjected. He walked up beside Issei and asked him straight out.
"...What about you? What about your story? Your past with your parents. And your past involving that exorcist, the one the other two referred to as "Marie Bellerose." What's the story behind that?"
Issei paused before smiling bitterly.
"...You really wanna hear all that?"
"I was able to tell you my story. I think it's only fair to you that I listen to yours."
Kiba said that, but Issei was quiet for a bit.
"...You know I won't judge you either."
"..."
Due to his silence, Kiba assumed that Issei wouldn't reciprocate. But that wasn't the case.
"...Heh, figured as much….. Guess it is fair."
Issei held onto his rosario firmly.
"...My father loved days like this, you know? Rainy, cloudy days…. Mum hated them though… They were just your regular ol' pair of folks really...and loving parents… There ain't much to say about them honestly…. Might as well start at the beginning then.."
—Kiba remained quiet while Issei spoke, just as Issei had done for him. Although Issei only gradually revealed the details of his past in bits and pieces, Kiba still waited patiently to hear every part of it.
.
.
After some time, Issei arrived at the point in which Marie entered his life.
"...As for the girl who gave me this… Hehe… For her, there might not be enough that I can say. She was always such a handful. Upbeat, full of energy, airheaded, stubborn, and assertive in all the wrong ways. Heh…. She was a real dummy, that girl.. Always trying to do more good than she was capable of. Always worried about how much she should be accomplishing. Too distracted to appreciate the things happening around her… Although, I guess I wasn't much better than her in that regard…. Well, you know what they say: "you don't know what you've got until you've lost it." I knew that already…. I should've known it all along… Hehe... That idiot… stupid, stupid girl….. I wish she'd just listened to me sometimes, ya know?"
At this point, it was Kiba who was having trouble distinguishing Issei's tears from the rain. Issei was smiling, but there was clearly a pain in his eyes. Soon enough, he looked up towards the sky and there seemed to be a place where the clouds parted for just a moment, revealing the soft sunlight sitting behind it.
"...But in the end, there was a part of me missing after that girl left. She must've taken a piece with her, huh….. My friend…. My better half….. My saving grace…. My partner…... In the end, I'm left behind without any of it..."
Kiba followed Issei's gaze into the sky, only catching a glimpse of the sun before it faded back into the grey of the clouds.
"...Neh, Ise-kun…. Do you think we'll ever be able to find those missing pieces of ourselves again…?"
"...I don't know…."
Part 3
It was nighttime now. Issei and Kiba had spent the day searching the more obviously conspicuous areas of town in order to rule out variables. Around 6 hours in, Issei and Kiba simultaneously noticed something.
"...Ise-kun."
"Yeah, we're being followed."
It's true. Someone was currently following them and observing their movements.
Issei noted Kiba's awareness internally.
'...He realized it at the same time as me..? Interesting. The anger and determination sharpens his focus. His instincts must be at their peak right now.'
[He is also being affected by the Sekiryuutei's influence thanks to walking next to you, partner. It's an extra benefit for his instincts, they're being honed as we speak.]
'So it even has a handy effect like that, huh..'
"What should we do?"
Kiba whispered to Issei. Issei replied at a similar volume.
"He's being uncharacteristically patient. Maybe he thinks we're going to split up first…. In that case, let's play with him a bit."
—The two then split up in accordance with their pursuer's expectations. From the pursuer's perspective, it looked as if "the priest" was walking somewhere on his own now.
Kiba continued walking, feeling the pursuer's eyes on him at all times. Just as Issei instructed, Kiba led the follower towards a familiar location. The place he ended up at - was the abandoned factory where the Stray Devil "Rize" was brutally killed by Issei.
"...I already know you're there. Go ahead and come out."
Kiba spoke aloud to attract his pursuer's attention, tempting him to show himself.
—Up in a certain tree, Kiba's follower stalked him with a mad grin.
"Nehehe… I guess it's time for my big entrance~"
The mad priest, Freed Sellzen, said that to himself while giggling. The fool assumed he was safe in his spot, not realizing it until it was too late.
"—Entrance, huh? I can help you with that."
"..?"
Freed turned his head to see the unnerving glare of the Sekiryuutei right behind him.
"..?!"
BAM!
Freed was launched straight out of the tree and onto the ground in front of Kiba.
Thud!
"OW! My ass!"
"Nice to see you again, rotten priest."
Kiba greeted Freed while removing the hat of his attire, revealing his true identity as Issei jumped out of the tree behind Freed.
"Wha—?! You, shitty playboy Devil with a pretty face!?"
"How flattering. I'll take those vulgarities as a compliment."
"And on top of that..!"
Freed flipped around and noticed the tall figure of Issei towering over him.
"The shitty Ruby Dragon!?"
"Ho~, I'm surprised you still remember who I am. I thought you would have forgotten already thanks to that concussion I gave you when we first met."
Freed clicked his tongue in frustration, but there was a clear sense of unease in his eyes.
"Tch! Shitty Dragon and shitty Devil working together, I should've known!"
Issei glanced at the weapon in Freed's left hand. A tall, jagged looking sword with a copperish tone of color on its blade.
'So that's an Excalibur too, huh…'
"Don't get the wrong idea, exorcist. Luckily for you, I'll be your only opponent."
Issei and Kiba exchanged glances before Issei nodded his head and took a step back. Freed stood up with an annoyed face.
"Huuuh?! What's up with that, eh?! Instead of getting back at the shitty serpent bastard, I have to fight the scumbag devil-kyun again?! I'm okay with two on one though!?"
"Hmph. As if. Someone of your level couldn't stand up to Ise-kun even in your sex-crazed dreams, perverted priest. It's best if you just stick with me."
"Haaaaah?! How would you know about my dreams?! Shitty Devils eating the dreams of innocent children like myself~ I've never ONCE had a bad dream, you know! All of my dreams are filled with blood and gore, they're wonderful dre~ams!"
Kiba spat onto the ground in a combination of disgust and annoyance. He then spawned a sword in his hand and prepared for battle.
"In that case, allow me to put you into an unpleasant sleep - forever."
"Arererere~? I'm the one with Excalibur Nightmare-sama thoo~ough?"
Kiba spared no hesitation and attacked Freed head-on. The two swordsmen began their clash.
ZIN ZIN DIN SLASH ZIN ZIN ZIN!
As the two clashed blade against blade, Issei observed them carefully from a distance.
In terms of speed, Kiba should have the advantage. However, for whatever reason, Freed is able to stay at a similar level of speed. Is it the result of his Excalibur? Freed mentioned that he was in possession of "Excalibur Nightmare", is this the effect of that sword? No, since he and Kiba were working under the assumption that there were three Excaliburs in this town, he can assume that the one Freed is currently using might be increasing his speed. After all, the Excaliburs tend to be labeled with fittingly descriptive names. In that case, this one would be…
DIN!
"Gah!"
At some point, Freed was knocked on his backside again. Kiba used the opportunity to try and hit Freed with a killing attack.
"[Sword Birth!]"
Countless swords shot out from the ground around Freed, quickly surrounding him. As soon as he was completely surrounded, the empty space where Freed resided also started to fill with swords, effectively closing in on Freed to impale him in the center.
"Excalibur Rrrrrrr~apidly!"
But suddenly, Freed rotated rapidly in a circular motion like a spinning top, destroying all of the approaching swords with his Excalibur.
PAKA!
"Fuck!"
Kiba cursed in frustration. It was the first time Issei had heard him say something like that. But it looks like Issei's earlier assumption was correct. This Excalibur is the one inheriting the attribute of speed, [Excalibur Rapidly]. That means that [Excalibur Nightmare] is another Excalibur entirely that Freed is also in possession of. If Issei assumes that Freed has all three on him right now rather than keeping the others at whatever "headquarters" he and Kokabiel are sharing, then the best thing to do right now would be…
"Nyahahaha! Too bad, Devil-kyun! Even if you get lucky enough to see me trip up like that, you won't be able to do anything about it! Thanks to this Excalibur Rapidly-chan, I can respond to any of your attacks with super-sonic speeds! Call me the "bloody blur!" Nishishishi~!"
Kiba's eyes widened as Freed continued to release his peculiar laughter. Freed noticed Kiba's expression after wiping an entertained tear from his eye.
"A~h? What's wrong, pretty b—"
Freed was unable to finish his sentence, interrupted when his body was suddenly lifted into the air by the blade of his Excalibur and subsequently slammed into the ground.
DON!
"Guha!"
The wind was completely knocked out of Freed's lungs, but he quickly realized what was happening when he saw Issei standing over him.
"Even with that, you still kept your grip on the sword, huh. Not bad, shitstain."
Without warning, Issei pulled Freed's Excalibur from the grip he maintained on its blade and lifted Freed up to his level. Seeing that his last tactic didn't work, Issei just went for the old fashioned trick and punched Freed square in the face, sending him flying away.
BAM!
Freed was launched by Issei's punch, and thanks to that, Issei finally got Freed's Excalibur out of his hand.
"A battle where both opponents are equally matched in the exact same way is boring. It's better when they have a difference in strength, tactics, or abilities. Otherwise, there's no intrigue. If you're gonna be a match, then do it in a different way."
Issei held the Excalibur in his right hand as he spawned his Boosted Gear on his left.
"Ow! You fucking bastard! You broke my beautiful nose! I'm gonna cut off your scaley dick and eat it in a soup, you fuckhead! Te— Are?"
Freed was cursing Issei with a bloody nose until he saw him taking an odd stance with Excalibur Rapidly in his hand. It almost looked like he was…
"Kiba— No….. Isaiah."
Issei called out to "Kiba Yuuto" using his true name. He then held the Excalibur out in an almost sacrificial manner.
"...This makes one."
Kiba's eyes widened.
And finally Issei tossed the sword into the air — before immediately slamming it into the ground with the fist of his gauntlet, destroying Excalibur Rapidly and the ground below it.
DOOOOONN!
….
….
"...Are?"
Freed made a sound of confusion as he looked at the crater Issei had created using his gauntlet. After a few seconds of pause, he came to the realization of what happened.
"...EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHH?! —WHA..?! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE, YOU SHITTY FUCKING LIZARD BRAAA~AAIN?!"
Issei lifted his gauntlet out of the ground slowly, sprinkling shards of Excalibur that fell from his blood-iron knuckles back into the crater. His voice came out in a low tone.
"...Next."
"GAAAAAAH— Eh?"
Freed's manic freak-out was interrupted when he looked at Issei's gradually heightening figure. He spoke ominously to the mad priest.
"..You have two more of them, don't you? Bring them out."
Issei's eyes held an eerie, green glow to them.
"—I'll destroy them one at a time."
For maybe the first time ever, Freed's irritation and confused expression momentarily shifted into an expression of fear.
Shink!
At that moment, Kiba also pointed his sword at Freed.
"You heard him. If you have another on you, I suggest you take it out. Otherwise, you'll die here without a fight."
In frustration, Freed began to grind his teeth harshly. Soon enough, he realized that there wasn't anything else that he could do, so he angrily brought out another Excalibur from within his coat.
"Fuuucking SHIIIIEEEEEEEET! Screw you, you fucking inhuman faaa~aaaags! Let's see how you like this "member" for a change! How can you destroy a blade you can't see, huuuuuuh?! Excalibur Transpareeeeeeencyyyy!"
Suddenly, the Excalibur that Freed armed himself with began to disappear in his hands. Even up to the hilt, the sword was no longer visible. Freed then attacked Kiba with reckless abandon, seemingly having gone into a mad frenzy.
Once again, the two clashed, but this time was different. Although Kiba had the advantage of speed to himself again, not being able to see Freed's blade proved difficult for him to battle against. He found himself constantly dodging many of Freed's wild slashes at the last second, relying completely on his instincts to determine the blade's location. But this wasn't a good enough strategy to defeat Freed. And it certainly wasn't a good enough method of defense for himself.
Eventually, Freed was able to land an attack. He left a shallow cut on Kiba's right bicep, causing what appeared to be a demonic essence of some sort to spew out along with his blood. Kiba fell to his knee and grabbed his arm in pain.
"Aaah!"
"NYAHAHAHAHA! Serves you right, Devil-fuck! That's what you get for breaking up my Excalibur Rapidly-chan with the help of your shitty boyfriend!"
As Freed flashed his middle finger at Kiba mockingly, Issei came up from behind and took hold of his invisible blade.
"I don't need to see my enemy's attacks to defeat them, exorcist. I've killed plenty with my eyes closed. Besides…"
Issei peered over Freed's shoulder and looked into his eyes in a creepy fashion. Issei's right eye seemed to glimmer, and for a moment, you could see it take on a dragonic appearance.
"—With eyes like mine, I can tell where your sword goes just by focusing my vision a bit."
Once again, Freed was sent flying by a kick in his abdomen. Issei was able to rip Freed's invisible Excalibur from his hand, but Kiba shouted at him before he could do anything.
"Ise-kun..!"
"I know."
Without retaliation, Issei followed Kiba's unspoken instruction and threw Freed's Excalibur towards him. He then approached Kiba while boosting his power.
[Boost!]
Issei placed his arm on Kiba's shoulder and transferred his power to the knight, allowing Kiba to feel a surge of energy coursing through his body. It felt as if the pain from before had immediately disappeared.
[Gift!] [Transfer!]
Kiba looks at his hands in awe, his left hand being covered in blood thanks to touching his wounded arm.
"...Amazing. Even with just one boost, I'm filled with this much strength. I've never felt so awake and alive."
"Actually, what you're feeling is the power of three boosts. Any more than that and I think you'd collapse. I don't think you'd be able to handle it. Plus, as much as it pains me to admit, even I can't smash an Excalibur to bits without some extra power. Brute force can only get me so far without my Scale Mail."
"Scale mail..?"
"Don't worry about it. Just lay into him until you're satisfied and disarm him. I'll take care of the Excalibur once you're done."
"...Well, I can't complain about what I've already received. Understood."
Both Kiba and Freed regained their bearings, preparing themselves for another clash. By this point however, it was clear that Kiba would have the advantage. As a result, Kiba decided to play cheap and used the same attack from earlier.
"[Sword Birth!]"
Once again, countless swords popped out from the ground around Freed, surrounding him completely. There were far more blades than last time and they were even taller than the previous ones. As the swords began to close in on Freed, at an intentionally slower pace than last time, he attempted to defend himself by slashing at them one at a time. But in this situation, it only felt like he was being toyed with.
At some point, one of the swords pierced through the back of Freed's thigh.
ZIN!
"GAH! —Fucking hell!"
Then another sword came out from the spot underneath his right side and collided with the Excalibur in his hand, easily disarming the exorcist.
DIN!
Freed's Excalibur flew away from him, landing just outside of the death trap he was locked in.
"Hoo~ would you look at that? There's a lonely little Excalibur-chan just sitting over there, unattended. Is that for me?"
Issei remarked sarcastically with a mischievous grin, taunting the priest. Meanwhile, Kiba abruptly retracted some of the swords around Freed, including the one in his leg. Freed fell to the ground in pain as Kiba stated it firmly.
"Transparency isn't an ability that can help you in a situation like this, is it? Too bad for you. —Now, bring out the last Excalibur. I'll take your head after they're all destroyed. I wouldn't want you to miss it after all…"
Freed limped onto his feet and grinded his teeth harder than ever before. Issei could've sworn he heard a tooth or two crack under the pressure. Freed reached into his coat while shaking, not from fear, but from pure rage. He was hesitating to pull the final Excalibur out from his coat, eyes twitching furiously.
But just as Freed was about to bring his last sword out, a voice echoed from the entrance of the abandoned factory.
"..Freed? What are you doing that's making all that noise?"
—Suddenly, a figure emerged from the entrance of the abandoned factory, along with six other silhouettes following behind him.
"Who's there?!"
Kiba shouted, commanding the approaching persons to identify themselves. The person who exited the building first was an old man with an unassuming smile. Yet, it was easy to tell that there was something "off" about him… The old man was also accompanied by six other men dressed in funeral esque attire. For some reason, the appearance of the other men seemingly left Kiba speechless.
The old man made an unpleasant face when looking at the battlefield before him.
"My, look at this mess… What in the world were you thinking, Freed?"
His eyes scanned the area in an unsettling manner. It was clear by his eye movements that he caught on to the destruction of Excalibur Rapidly after glancing at the crater where its remains were left in. By this point, Issei felt a growing hostility for the unidentified individuals.
There's only really one person this could be…
"Fucking shit! Old man Valpa! What the fuck are wrong with these Excalibur?! You told me that they were supposed to be A-class weapons, but one of them already got smashed into itty bitty pieces by this fucking orichimaru-sama bastard!"
[—?!]
This old "man" was no man, he was the murderer of all murderers.
—He was the [Archbishop of death] himself:
"VALPER GALILEI!"
The amount of venom Kiba had spat out when referring to Valper couldn't be overstated. Despite this, Valper only smiled coldly, unfazed.
"In the flesh."
Valper replied to Freed casually, as if Issei and Kiba were just regular bystanders.
"Freed. It seems your use of Excalibur is still far below calculations. You need to focus the elements of the "inherited genes" you absorbed into the blade of your Excalibur. Imagine the energy coursing through you and to the blade and it'll happen."
Freed brought out his final Excalibur, what Issei assumed to be "Excalibur Nightmare", and did as Valper instructed. A moment later, the Excalibur's holy aura began to envelop and shine out from the blade.
It was the first time since Marie was alive that Issei saw the holy aura of an Excalibur in person again.
SHIIN!
"Oh.. Oh, oh, oooo~oooh! I've never seen such a disgustingly pure aura before! Not since I saw that swine face bitch Gabriel-chan a long time ago! Perfect, this is perfect! —OY, you shitty geezer, what took you so long?! If you'd been out here earlier, I could have wiped the floor with these idiots' blood!"
As Freed proclaimed his highly doubtable statement, Kiba and Issei both glared at Valper with disdain. Although, "disdain", or any other word in the collective dictionaries of the world for that matter, wasn't accurate enough to describe Kiba's hatred of the man.
Valper noticed their glares. Or more so that he couldn't ignore them even if he wanted to.
"Those are fairly hostile gazes I'm being subjected to… Perhaps we've met somewhere?"
Kiba's voice came out in a furious tone.
"VALPER GALILEI..! YOU WORM..! YOU'VE EVEN BROUGHT THE EXECUTIONERS OF MY FAMILY WITH YOU THIS FAR?!"
Issei's eyes widened in shock for a moment.
—The six men that Valper was accompanied by were the very same murderers who slaughtered Kiba's comrades... Issei's glare grew darker.
What a turn of fate, he thought…. Such opportunities only come once, they cannot be wasted…
"Oh, these fellows? Yes, well, they were also excommunicated from the church as I was. Originally, a few of them were set to be tried and executed, but the ["Heaven's smile"] himself appeared to intervene. It seems that he struck a deal with Micheal to utilize my research and in exchange, leave us be. For some reason, he appears to have a keen interest in such unsightly projects... But what a loyal pack of dogs these lot are, don't you think? Even after this many years, they've remained at my side. But if someone like you recognizes them, then you no doubt must be…"
As Valper came to the nonchalant realization of Kiba's identity, Freed yelled at the old man with frustration.
"HEY, you shitty geezer! Who cares about any of that bullshit, just tell your lap dogs to come and help me out over here! If it's the seven of us, we can take these fairies down no proble—!"
Just as Freed said it, the silhouette of the Sekiryuutei appeared in between Valper's group with a gust of wind. In one fell swoop, he brought two of the men down with hands.
[—?!]
The other four executioners made an attempt to retaliate with their weapons of light, but Issei easily disarmed the lot with a few precise hits. Upon disarming them, he knocked the remaining executioners unconscious and left them on the ground.
Valper looked back at the scene with an almost disassociated gaze.
"You took them out that quickly? How inconsiderate. They didn't even get a chance to do anything to you yet. Poor things…. Hmm?"
As Valper wondered why Issei was so proficient in downing in his entire squad, he noticed an interesting detail about the boy's appearance. There was a red gauntlet with a green jewel on his arm. It was undoubtedly the [Boosted Gear] Longinus, the Red Dragon Emperor's gauntlet.
Upon realizing it, Valper, for some reason, grew an overtly amused smirk on his face.
"Hoh? So that's how it is. Sword Birth and Longinus... Honestly, what a mess you've gotten us into, Freed."
Despite his own words, Valper was still smiling unnervingly.
"Kiba. These bastards are still breathing. We can deal with them later. For now, focus on getting that last Excalibur from Freed."
Issei announced to Kiba, who was previously on the verge of losing himself to rage. Kiba temporarily snapped out of his maddened stupor and heeded Issei's command. Even so, he couldn't help but glare at Valper unforgivingly.
"...Understood."
Kiba pointed his sword in Freed's direction.
"Freed Sellzen! I'm sorry, but it looks like you'll have to do as the outlet to my anger for now. Brace yourself!"
"Che! Bring it on, playboy! With this elemental mumbo-jumbo focused into the tip of my blade, I'll have you slippin' and slidin' all over the place, easy!"
"We'll see about that!"
Kiba charged Freed, who focused the power of his Excalibur and created a multitude of afterimages around Kiba.
"Clones?!"
"Ni~ghtma~are!"
However, the multiple visages of Freed began to shift and change form. Soon, Kiba found himself frozen by what he saw before him.
"...w…what….?"
Right before Kiba's eyes, every image of Freed had taken on a different form. But not just any form. No, what Kiba saw was something familiar to him…
"..Isaiah.."
—The visages of Freed had all taken on the appearances of his deceased comrade's bloodied corpses.
"...M….Matthew…."
And without warning, Kiba's own comrades charged at him simultaneously.
"..!"
Kiba evaded the attack at the last moment, but the visages of his family continued after him. As a result of his mental distress, Kiba could do nothing but defend himself from their attacks.
DIN DIN DIN!
Over at the place where Issei was standing, he looked at Kiba confusedly.
"...Why isn't he fighting back?"
From Issei's perspective, it looked like Kiba was holding back from attacking Freed with a traumatic expression.
"He's probably witnessing something unpleasant right now. Perhaps the corrupted versions of his friends?"
Valper said it unprompted, observing Freed and Kiba's battle with a keen eye.
"Each Excalibur has their own unique ability which gives it its name. Excalibur Destruction is the most physically powerful, Excalibur Rapidly hastens the user beyond their natural capability, Excalibur Mimic can shapeshift, and Excalibur Blessing amplifies the abilities of its wielder as well as others, etcetera. Excalibur Blessing is actually the one most similar to the Longinus you possess, don't you think? It's also considered "the bizarre Excalibur" because of its nature reflecting that of Sacred Gears, being able to direct its blessings accordingly with the user's will. As for Excalibur Nightmare, its ability is one that relies on perception. It can manipulate the target into being faced with his own greatest fears, allowing easier approaches in combat for the user as well as controlling people's dreams. Of course, this can only be directed at a number of individuals at a time, depending on the user's capabilities, but it's certain to at least work on one person. In terms of one-on-one combat, there's probably no better sword out there. Although, it has been known that there are those unaffected by its power from time to time. Such is the way of things."
Valper rambled on pointlessly as Issei glared at him from behind.
"...Sure like to talk, don't ya, fucking geezer from hell.."
"I'm not sure how I feel about being told that by the man who brought a Devil with him to slay me. Speaking of which.."
Valper finally looked Issei in the eye. There didn't seem to be a shred of fear in his gaze. In fact, Issei couldn't help but think that, somehow, the old man's eyes appeared devoid of humanity entirely.
"I've surely met that other boy based on his reaction, but I don't recall ever meeting the Sekiryuutei before. Yet, you seemed to have recognized me almost immediately. Have I gone on to live in such infamy that even dragons know of my crimes?"
While Valper appeared somewhat amused by the idea, Issei was anything but.
"...You may not know me, demon, but I know you quite well….. Your infamy reaches even the depths of hell, the place that calls out your name.."
Valper let out an entertained laugh.
"Hahahaha, "so says the mirror on my mantle." Coming from the Red Dragon Emperor who attacked hell himself, accompanied by a Devil of all beings, that's rich. How amusing. I had heard that the [Vanishing Dragon] was leashed by Grigori. For the "Heavenly Dragons" to have fallen so far, what an amusing turn of events, haha."
Although he didn't understand the old man's ramblings, Issei continued glaring at Valper with a growing, malicious intent. It took quite a bit of willpower to hold back from succumbing to his primal tendencies, also reminding himself that Valper was Kiba's rightful kill, not his.
"Valper Galilei... You, out of all the scumbags I've ever met… you, most of all, cannot be allowed to continue living in this world."
Issei stated it firmly, his expression growing darker and darker with every passing second. And yet, to Issei, the opposite seemed to happen to Valper.
Valper's grin only appeared to grow wider and more sinister.
"Hm?"
But then, Valper's expression changed suddenly, as if just noticing something. He rubbed his chin in an intrigued manner.
"Ho... That's an interesting looking cross you have sitting around your neck, boy. It seems like you are a true Catholic. Could you perhaps be a former exorcist? But to be with a Devil is.… Hmm? No, wait… I recognize that cross… Yes, yes, I know that cross… But from where…. Ah, of course! That's right, how could I forget!"
Valper said it while snapping his finger and pointed towards the item on Issei's chest.
"That cross is the one that belongs to the [Blade of Rouen], Marie Bellerose. —That was the name. The child who became the wielder of Excalibur Blessing. Yes, yes, now I remember. For the Sekiryuutei to have that, what a coincidence."
Issei's eyes widened as his shock went beyond his reason.
"...You… You knew Marie..?"
"Hm? Of course I did. It was I who handed her that cross in the first place. What, did that girl not tell you? Or perhaps you don't know and may have stolen it from her? That cross, which was an important relic of the church— it was my personal gift to that girl, as congratulations for surviving the selection process."
—Issei's world stopped.
.
.
.
.
("...And this man…. This "Valper" dickhead…. He's the old fuck who did all that sick shit related to the [holy-sword project]?"
Marie nodded her head grimly, almost appearing as if she was still hiding something. But in his disgust, Issei didn't notice it.
("Yes... The Archbishop of death, Valper Galilei..")
("Ya ever see what that shitbag looks like?")
For some reason, Marie was hesitant to answer that question.
("...Non, I haven't.")
("Tch. Fucking hell, man... If I could get my hands on that guy… He deserves the same terrible, gruesome death as the Genesis bastards... The non-brainwashed ones.")
While Issei spat out his revolt, Marie looked down at the cross on her neck with a distant gaze.
("Oy, what's wrong? Ya look pale.")
She seemed to snap out of her thoughts and waved her hands around frantically.
("Eh? A-Ah, no, no, nothing! It's nothing... Don't mind me, Écaille..")
But despite Marie's denial, the same distant look remained on her face.
.
.
.
.
.
—In the real world, Issei was petrified like a statue. However, at some point, his brain began working again. But that happened only after reminding himself of Valper's suspicious phrasing.
"...Selection process..?"
Issei looked vacantly at Valper, who still had the same insidious smile.
"Yes, indeed, the selection process. Did she not tell you that either? Well, that part I do understand, I suppose. It's actually somewhat of a historical fun fact, you could say. You see, that girl may have not known it back then, but she was originally selected to be a part of the holy-sword project herself. However, upon further examination of her latent genes, it was discovered that she had just barely enough of the gene present in her to become a natural holy-sword user! Thanks to this great discovery, that girl ended up being exempted from the project. That's why, as a sort of consolation prize, I gifted her that cross. Poor girl. She seemed so heartbroken when she was told that she wasn't needed anymore. That's why I gave it to her. Little did she know, it was the reason she kept on living in this world. If not for that, she would have been subjected to various experiments, and then she would've been discarded just like the rest, hahahaha!"
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHMMMMMMMMM!
—From the spot where Issei formerly stood, a powerful, malignant aura shot out and enveloped the area. It covered the entire building— no, the entire forest.
Every living creature which had made its home in that forest began to flee. Birds scattered, not caring for the direction they flew in or the nests they left behind. The woodland creatures like squirrels scurried across the ground, hurriedly abandoning the woods as if they'd never belonged. And even the trees themselves almost appeared as if they were beginning to wilt, leaf by leaf.
In the place where Hyoudou Issei formerly stood, there was a dark mass with power bursting from its form.
"This is…"
—Valper Galilei had always thought that, at the moment of his death, he would see God. And God would unsurprisingly cast him down to hell, as judgement for the sins he committed. However, Valper was currently staring death in the face, and what he saw wasn't God. It was the opposite. Surely, this form was the pure incarnation of evil.
Surely, this was the devil himself.
"《VALPER GALILEI!》"
—And yet, an inexplicably mad grin somehow stretched across Valper's lips.
"ISE-KUN!"
DIN DIN!
— Just as Kiba called out to his ally, Issei reflexively deflected attacks that were coming towards his head. Light spears, and powerful ones at that. The incoming attacks seemingly prevented Issei's mind from succumbing to madness, if only for a short time.
"Fallen-Angels..!"
From the area where Kiba was fighting Freed, Kiba himself said it. It appears that Issei's overwhelming bloodlust broke the illusion cast by Excalibur Nightmare, allowing Kiba to realize the world around him. And indeed, there was a trio of Fallen-Angels floating in the sky above them.
Foom!
Suddenly, one of the Fallen-Angels came and unexpectedly swept Valper up with great speed, distancing themselves from Issei. Despite their speed, Issei could have easily caught them. Yet for some reason, his trembling arms seem to be locked at his sides, as if holding himself back. Perhaps because if he hadn't, everyone in this forest would be dead. Only a bit of leniency and his inner beast could overthrow his sense of reason with ease…
"Oh, now you show up, two and a half skanks!"
Freed cursed at the Fallen-Angels who were seemingly his allies. Although their silhouettes were difficult to make out right away against the moonlight in the sky, Kiba recognized them eventually.
"You three are..!"
—It was the Fallen-Angel Raynare's old squad, Donasheek, Mitlet, and Kalawarner. And each of them had a new pair of wings protruding from their backs.
"Freed…. You've really gone and done it now."
Donasheek chided Freed in a grim tone. It was clear that their biggest concern right now was the Sekiryuutei.
"Shut up, you stupid pigeon fuckers! I was out here on my own looking for priest bastards to kill, meanwhile the rest of you were just wasting time and lollygagging at the headquarters!"
"Quiet, you perverted freak. It was us who were throwing the two Excalibur users off your trail. If not for our efforts, they would've tracked you down already. And now from the looks of it, you've involved Sekiryuutei as well as Gremory into this situation… Count yourself lucky that Kokabiel-sama finds it entertaining to keep you around."
"HA! Your dumbass is just jealous that the boss thinks that you and your skank friends are a bunch of boring fucks! Too~ bad! Maybe if the red lizard didn't give you shellshock, you lot would have more interesting shit to say!"
As Freed mocked his supposed allies, Kiba took a glance at Issei. He couldn't help but feel that this was a mistake.
"..."
—For whatever reason, Issei's face appeared to be shrouded in darkness. But this was unlike anything Kiba had ever seen before. Issei's face didn't just appear dark, it resembled the embodiment of darkness itself. There wasn't a single feature, shape, or depth that Kiba could make out on his face. Staring into Issei's gaze was like staring directly into an abyss. As if Issei's entire face was just deleted and replaced with an empty space, an unending void…
Was this even Kiba's actual perception of Issei's face, or was it just that Kiba's mind simply couldn't comprehend the kind of expression Issei was making right now?
...Whatever the case, Kiba knew that Issei wasn't in any state to be interacted with. As a result, Kiba is left with the responsibility of addressing these enemies.
"So the cavalry finally shows itself, huh? Did you not learn your lesson after what Ise-kun did to you?"
Donasheek, seemingly acting as the group leader, acknowledged Kiba's presence.
"..You're one of the Devils from Gremory's clan. What's wrong? Your master doesn't seem to be around? Did you become a stray? If so, we should have no regrets in cutting you down. Or did the Sekiryuutei become a Devil? That seems unlikely… According to Kokabiel-sama, there's a limit to who can be reincarnated by your system, and most of it relies on the ability of the [King]. Someone like Rias Gremory is powerful, but with a Sekiryuutei like this, it might be impossible for her."
"My master and my circumstances are the least of your concern. If your objective is to assist Valper and your General in collecting the Excalibur, then you should know that you've become our enemy as well. Considering what the Sekiryuutei did to you last time, I don't think you'd like that.."
All three of the Fallen-Angels glared at Kiba scornfully, even the blindfolded Donasheek. Kiba, on the other hand, is wondering what the circumstances behind these Fallen-Angels' appearances are.
'...As I thought, all three of them have their wings back… What's going on? Wings don't grow back, and there aren't any regenerative abilities that Fallen-Angels possess that could do that, not that I'm aware of….. But if I recall some of my studies with Buchou, Fallen-Angels have the ability to grow multiple pairs of wings after growing stronger, same as Devils…. If that's the case, then how much stronger did these three become? They each only have one pair, which would mean that they're at the level of Fallen-Angels with two pairs, a "low-class." Luckily, they aren't considered "mid-class" until they possess at least three pairs…. No, wait…'
Kiba realized it as he narrowed his eyes at Donasheek's silhouette.
'Donasheek has—!? He has two pairs! Meaning that in reality, he possesses "three" pairs, making him a full blown "mid-class" Fallen-Angel! Tch! How did I miss it the last time we met?! No, maybe he only possessed one pair at that time… But if that's the case, then how is he getting stronger at such an insane rate?! Something's wrong! What the hell is going on..?!'
Kiba glanced back at the statue that was Hyoudou Issei and pondered his next move.
'What should I do…? I can't take these enemies on my own like this, it's impossible... Ise-kun is in an unstable condition. For some reason, I get the feeling that even a little poke and he might lose it more than he ever has… It's a miracle that he was even able to keep himself like that without doing anything in the first place. There must be some significant development he's in the process of going through to have such restraint... It's best not to provoke him in this state, I'm sure even the Fallen-Angels realize that. In which case, they're next move would likely be…'
Swoosh!
As Kiba was internally considering his circumstances, someone suddenly jumped out from the branch of the tree, propelling themselves into the sky where the Fallen-Angels were.
—It was the exorcist Xenovia.
[—?!]
"In the name of our Father! Amen!"
Donasheek just barely dodged Xenovia's slash before it hit him, causing Xenovia to continue descending to the ground. Had Excalibur Destruction not been such a heavyweight blade, Xenovia's attack would have landed.
Xenovia, who had missed her strike, descended onto the ground with the full force of her swing. Her Excalibur plunged into the earth and destroyed it, creating a crater of equal size to the one Issei made when he destroyed Excalibur Rapidly.
DOOONN!
The force from Xenovia's impact caused a few things around the battlefield to be lifted into the air temporarily. One of those things being the lone standing sword that was Excalibur Transparency. And the moment it was lifted into the air, the Fallen-Angel Mitlet came down and swiftly procured it.
"Shit!"
Kiba cursed aloud at the sight before recovering from the rumbling. Xenovia removed her sword from the ground with a frustrated click of her tongue.
"Tch! A near miss.."
Soon after, Irina also appeared from out of the tree line and landed beside her partner with an acrobatic flip.
"Fallen-Angels! You who were cast out from heaven for your sins now commit great crimes against its churches! In the name of our Father, you shall return Excalibur and be cut down by our blades!"
At the appearance of the exorcist duo, Donasheek made more of an annoyed scowl than a troubled one.
"Hmph… So the sacrificial lambs of the church have arrived, huh.. Well, it's fine. Just with Sekiryuutei, it was already a disadvantageous situation for us anyway. Let's go, Freed. We're falling back for now. Kokabiel-sama's orders."
"Seriously?! FuuuUUUUuuuuck! At this rate, I'm never gonna get the chance to avenge my pride against these two butt-buddies! Whatever! If it's the boss's orders then there's nothing I can do. Besides, if it's the big boss, I'm sure he'll think of something entertaining for next time…"
Freed reached into his coat pocket and brought out a familiar looking object. It was an item that Kiba had seen the mad priest use to escape once before.
"No!"
Kiba charged Freed with his ultimate speed, hoping to catch him off guard before he disappeared. However, one of Donasheek's light spears shot in between Kiba and Freed like a bullet, causing Kiba to pause.
That extra second of time was all Freed needed.
"Till next time, playboy!"
FLASH!
Freed tossed the object onto the ground and covered the battlefield in light. Within a flash, he was gone, and the Fallen-Angels in the sky quickly took off.
"We're going after them, Irina!"
"Right!"
The two exorcists immediately took chase, leaving Kiba and Issei alone.
"Fuck!"
Kiba was about to follow, but he stopped himself. He almost forgot about Issei and the leftover group of executioners.
Kiba looked back over his shoulder and saw Issei silently standing there. He glanced back and forth between Issei and the direction that the exorcists went off in, conflicted on what to do.
"...Dammit."
Kiba despawned his demonic-sword and walked cautiously towards the abandoned factory.
'...If it's the two of us, Ise-kun and I can find their group again. Those two exorcists might die, but.. at the end of the day, that's none of our concern. It was their suicide mission from the start. Besides…'
Kiba looked at the unconscious men spread across the ground around Issei with hatred.
'I can't leave without having judged these men…'
Kiba stopped walking just a few meters behind Issei. He was being careful not to approach him recklessly. He reluctantly called out to Issei with a cautious tone.
"...Ise-kun.."
From his angle, Kiba couldn't see Issei's face again yet, but he could tell that something was still off. He could hear Issei whispering nonsense to himself in a very quiet voice, as if he was lost in his own little world. All the while, Kiba could tell by Issei's subtle arm movements that he was rubbing the jewel of the cross he held in his hand with his thumb.
"...Mumble… mumble…."
One more time, Kiba called out to Issei without approaching him. Not knowing what other tactic to use, Kiba tried his best idea to bring Issei back to the real world.
"Ise-kun…. Asia is calling for you."
For a moment, Issei ceased his mumbling and seemed to speak a clear language.
"...Asia?"
Issei's head began to move around, as if taking in his surroundings. By this point, Kiba assumed that Issei had returned to his senses and relayed the situation to him.
"—They got away. Freed escaped with Raynare's old squad, who came in and swept up Valper along with Excalibur Transparency. They also still have Excalibur Nightmare. The exorcist duo showed up and took after them. It's just you and me left here now."
For a long time, there was a silence left hanging in the air after Kiba's statement. The lingering sense of nothingness made Kiba feel uneasy. But at some point, Issei spoke.
"...I see..."
Kiba breathed a quiet sigh of relief. If Issei was at the point of talking normally, it probably meant that things were fine.
"...We can go after them another time…"
Kiba nodded in agreement with Issei's sentiment. Issei's tone of voice also gradually returned to its normal inflection.
"...For now, what should we do with these leftovers?"
Issei asked Kiba, who looked down at the "executioners" with a dark gaze.
"...Bring them into the factory… I'll handle the rest.."
Part 4
After Issei and Kiba dragged the six men into the abandoned factory, they left them on the ground. Some time soon after, the men woke up one after the other. They didn't retaliate, and Kiba ordered them all to sit side by side once they were all awake. The executioners seemed to understand the type of situation they were in immediately and complied without resistance.
To be completely honest with themselves, Issei and Kiba were surprised by the lack of resistance. Perhaps the men were pragmatic enough to resign themselves after realizing that Issei had incapacitated them with such ease earlier.
Whatever the case, it worked for Kiba.
"...You lot….. Tell me, do any of you recognize me..?"
Kiba asked the group of men in a grim tone. It was clear to tell by the sound of his voice that he was not in a gracious mood.
Unfortunately for Kiba, none of the men answered his question. In fact, not a single one of them has said a word up to this point at all. Of course, this did not alleviate Kiba's ungenerous attitude.
"...I'm sure you know… Even if you don't say it, I know you feel it…. Not many know this, but a part of a Devil's instincts is being able to tell when humans have greatly sinned. We can sense it. You can call it a bit like a sixth sense. It's how we used to find victims to sell their souls to us millenia ago.…. I'm not particularly good at using this instinct, it's an underutilized aspect of our abilities in this day and age…. But they say that the greater the sins, the easier it is to tell that something's off about someone…. So of course, even as a Devil, I am being burdened with the constant gnawing feeling that you lot have committed an abundance of inexcusable sins… Hehe… Although, part of that feeling might just be the boiling anger pumping through my blood right now. Who can know, right?... Only God knows….. And how many sins have you all collectively committed? I'm sure God knows about that too….. But it's funny, because in your case, even the Devil that stands before you knows too…"
Kiba chuckled darkly while lifting his gaze toward the ceiling of the factory. Although Kiba's back was turned to Issei, he could still easily imagine the sort of expression that Kiba was making. He's probably made that face too…
"...Haha…. It's odd, you know….. Even though I feel this overwhelming sense of untapped rage, and even though my blood is pumping so furiously through my veins… I've still managed to somehow keep it together till now. Even after coming face to face with the murderers of my family and the vile man they served, I'm still fully conscious, fully aware…. Wrath hasn't seemed to absorb me, even as I feel the heat of the blood flowing through my head….. This couldn't mean that I have a better sense of self-control than the Sekiryuutei, could it? Ha, no, I don't think that's it… Just by witnessing the depth of the Sekiryuutei's rage in person, I can tell that it's a lot more for him to hold that back as he did earlier. Even so, this sense of rationality and "calmness" I feel surprises me…. Maybe because, deep down, I always anticipated this day. So somewhere deep within the recesses of my mind, my subconscious is telling me that I need to present for this moment no matter what…. Because I've been waiting quietly for this day for too long to miss it…"
Kiba opened his palm and in his hand a demonic-sword appeared. There was a thick, pure sense of killing intent lingering in the air. Despite this, the men still said nothing. Not even one of them seemed to be afraid. They all just sat there silently with unfeeling expressions on their faces.
"...Unlike you all, I'm not a coward…. As much as I'd like to just split you end from end without remorse, I take pride in being a swordsman…. Even I have a sense of honor…. That's why, I'm going to bestow upon you a sense of charity that you don't even deserve a quarter of."
Kiba turned around and grabbed one of the objects sitting in a pile on the floor behind him and Issei. It was the unignited hilt of a mass produced "holy-sword", a sword of light. Kiba then tossed the hilt onto the lap of one of the men.
"Get up. Each of you will die on your feet. It's a courtesy you don't deserve in the slightest. Even so, you will die fighting and retain a shred of your honor. Killing a defenseless enemy isn't my forte. Count yourself lucky…..or maybe thank your God…"
Once again, the man that Kiba selected said and did nothing. He didn't retaliate nor he did he comply. He merely sat there in the same position, silent.
Glean..
Kiba brought his sword near the man's head and held it there threateningly.
"—Stand. This is your final warning."
But the man did nothing. Even as a swordsman, Kiba realized that there was a limit to his patience. He was hoping to at least retain a fraction of his honor by the time this ordeal was over, but perhaps that isn't possible after all. If that's the case, then Kiba has no choice. He'll do whatever it takes….
—Just as Kiba was beginning to think of taking a more drastic approach, the man beside the individual that Kiba had chosen took the hilt that was sitting on his comrade's lap and stood up. From the looks of it, he was taking his comrade's place.
"..."
Kiba said nothing as the man wordlessly distanced himself from him. Once the man left a sizable gap befitting a duel between swordsmen in between him and Kiba, he finally spoke.
"..This day was sure to come. It's only fitting that I go first."
That was what the man said. Kiba didn't understand his implication entirely, but he didn't care. He cared more for the question pervading his mind.
"...Do you remember me?"
Kiba inquired. The man replied honestly.
"I do. I remember each and every one of your faces. They follow me into my dreams every night."
Kiba scoffed.
"Hmph… Good. As long as the horrors you subjected my family to haunt you with every sleep and I get to be the one who concludes your miserable story of a life, then I couldn't ask for anything more.."
"If it's you who is to be our undertaker, then we'll accept it fully. The fact that a moment like this came makes it clear that it was simply meant to be."
Kiba walked towards the center, positioning himself directly across from the "executioner." He asked the man another question as he prepared himself for the inevitably one sided battle.
"...Tell me something…. Are you the "leader" of this group?"
"No. The only man that any of us have followed was Archbishop Galilei himself."
"...Then why did you say that it was "fitting" for you to be the first?"
To this single, final question, the man spoke his very last words.
"—Because it was I who cast the first stone."
For a moment, the swordsman didn't understand.
However, the truth hidden behind the executioner's words soon came down upon Isaiah like a meteor from the sky.
The man who "cast the first stone" — He was the man who took the first life.
BANG!
The sound of gunshot echoed through Isaiah's memories, and before him fell the body of Matthew.
"..?!"
In his mind, Kiba must've heard things that weren't there. Perhaps the voices of his fallen comrades or even the ringing of a large bell that presided over a church-like building. Whatever the abrupt cacophony was composed of, it all culminated into nothing but an eerie silence.
—For a brief moment before Kiba did what he did, Issei caught a glimpse of his eyes. His eyes had become a twisting, spiral of blackness. And in that moment, Issei knew that Kiba was lost to the madness within himself, just as Issei was many years ago against Genesis.
.
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.
.
.
Isaiah could still hear it. The sounds of that church bell which rang over his orphanage. He could still see it. The blinding light from the doorway which an old man had introduced himself from, smiling nefariously.
But as the ear piercing ringing of the bell abruptly disappeared, his world began to fade back into view.
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.
.
—A pool of crimson, with Kiba standing silently in the middle of it. Scattered across the ground around Kiba were the remains of his six executioners. An arm here, a leg there. Eyes and teeth laid about every which way. One body split down the middle, another body impaled through the backside and out the mouth by a sword that protruded from the ground. The bottom of Kiba's pants and shoes fully soaked with blood. Chunky bits of red coloring the black blade of his demonic-sword.
...Just like that, the men who had executed his family so heartlessly so many years ago, were finally gone from this world.
….
….
Kiba lifted his gaze from the sight of crimson below him and looked up to the ceiling. No, he must've been looking at the moon through the glass of the factory above him.
"...Ise-kun…"
Kiba finally spoke, calling out to the only ally who truly understood him. Issei answered from his place away from Kiba, having stepped back in order to avoid the blood spatter.
"...What is it, Kiba?"
"I…. I've finally accomplished one of the goals that I was striving towards for so long… I've finished one of the tasks that I was destined for…. And yet….. What is this feeling….? This feeling of….emptiness… Why do I feel nothing?... Is it because my revenge isn't finished? Because Valper and Excalibur both still walk this earth…? Why….? Why does it feel...as if nothing changed?"
For a short period, there was only silence. But eventually, Issei knew that he had to reply. In the end, the truth must be told.
"...Because nothing has changed, my friend… Despite whatever we may do, it doesn't change reality. At the end of it all, no one comes back, none of it changes, and we're left behind with nothing. That's just how it is. That's our curse… the curse of vengeance."
With Issei's answer, Kiba fell silent once again. Surely, somewhere within the void that was Kiba's eyes, Issei must have seen himself…
"...But that's why I made a promise. A promise to return you to where you belong."
Kiba moved his deadened eyes towards Issei. In Issei's eyes, there was something that Kiba didn't seem to understand anymore.
"Kiba, mark my words. At the end of this, you won't be left with nothing. That won't happen. I'll make sure of it."
—There, the place where Kiba looked into Issei's eyes, he saw a light. A dim, but present shred of light. For whatever reason, Kiba then felt compelled to take a glance down at the cross on Issei's chest…
"..."
Kiba finally stepped out from the pool of blood that surrounded him with a loud squelching.
"...On second thought, Ise-kun, I think it would be best if I pursued this objective on my own after all.."
Issei was taken aback by Kiba's sudden shift in attitude, but he protested.
"No, I don't agree with that decision. Going on your own is suicide. You won't be able to destroy Excalibur by yourself. "
"...If this is the thing that kills me then that's fine. I don't mind dying for this purpose…."
"I get it, but wouldn't it be a better option to destroy those damn swords and get your revenge without dying?"
"...Truth be told, at this point, I wouldn't be bothered if the Excalibur weren't destroyed anymore. As long as I can kill Valper, that should be enough for me…. I'm sure I can at least manage that on my own even if it kills me."
"No, you can't. The fact that you say that just shows how little you understand that gap between you and someone like this Kokabiel bastard. Trust me, you'd drop dead before you even glared at him. Just stick with me and you'll get your revenge. Got it?"
For some reason, Kiba smirked from under the cover of his hair.
"Heh…. Ise-kun…. How bizarre….. You're unexpectedly caring, aren't you..?"
"Huh?"
—Out of the blue, a familiar voice echoed into the factory from its entrance, interrupting Issei and Kiba's disagreement.
"...What a grisly sight… This building might be cursed at this point…"
Issei turned around in surprise, seemingly too absorbed in his disagreement with Kiba to notice the approaching figures.
"Rias..! Sona Sitri as well.."
"Hello again."
"Ise…. You've really made carnage your calling card, haven't you?"
Rias remarked with a grim expression, clearly in reference to the ghastly scene before her.
"No, well… This isn't really my work—"
Just as Issei turned back to where Kiba was, he realized that the knight was nowhere to be seen.
"Wha..!?"
Issei glanced around frantically, noticing the bloody tracks that led up and out of the building's roof.
"Tch! Fucking hell!... Now you've done it, princess… I've gotten sloppy. Somethin's wrong with me... "
"What are you talking about, Ise? And who was that person that just took off?"
"Haah… Look around you, batgirl. Who else besides me do you think would do this? Don't you even know your own servants?"
Issei groaned in frustration. Kiba wasn't likely to answer his calls after this. He'd have to locate him the hard way, possibly by finding Valper's base first and camping it out until the foolish knight shows up.
Rias's eyes widened at the realization.
"..Yuuto!?"
She scanned the room with a horrified expression.
"But… I didn't know he was capable of something like this... Why would he go so far?"
"What, don't you recognize these guys? You met them too, didn't you?... Maybe that's a stupid question. I guess nobody could really recognize them in the state that they're in..."
"Recognize them…. W-What do you mean?"
"Don't you get it? This is an act of vengeance. Avengers like us….we'll do our worst when we finally get the chance…."
"Then these remains are…?"
"They aren't some random cannon fodder, princess. They're his family's murderers….. Now all that's left to do is cut the ancient head of the snake."
Rias came to the realization as she looked down at her shoes and noticed that she unintentionally squashed an eyeball under her sole.
"..! Cut the head of the snake…. You mean, there's more individuals related to Yuuto's past that are in this town?"
"There's more than just ones from his past. From what it looks like, we've got a whole batch of shit in our hands…"
"What do you mean..?"
Issei looked around the gruesome scene one more time before asking his own question.
"How did you know we were here?"
Sona answered Issei's question for him.
"..After everything that's happened so far, we had our familiars scouting out the most conspicuous areas in town for reconnaissance. As it turns out, one of them happened to catch their eye on the destruction from this place. And so, we came here."
"I see… I assumed Rias was spying on me after how I acted earlier today."
"Do you really trust me so little, Ise? And on the topic of trust…. When on earth did you and Kiba earn a level of trust that inspired you to go on vengeful escapades with one another?"
Issei didn't answer Rias's question. Instead, he found himself staring at the severed head of one of the executioners.
("If it's you who is to be our undertaker, then we'll accept it fully. The fact that a moment like this came makes it clear that it was simply meant to be.")
"..."
[Meant to be], the man said. It truly was like fate for them to have encountered Kiba here today. Issei only wonders if a similar fateful day will come for him….and "Khaos Brigade"...
"..Ise?"
Issei shook his head to rid himself of unnecessary thoughts.
"I'm going after Kiba."
"Wha— wait, Ise! Don't you think this has gone far enough?"
"If I don't go after him, he might do something reckless."
"Yuuto might be in over his head, but he isn't stupid, Ise."
"Heh, the madness of hatred makes us do very stupid things, princess. Doesn't seem like you understand."
Rias narrowed her eyes, seemingly taking offense to Issei's words.
"...I've known my servants for years, Ise. I think I would understand them well enough. Certainly better than you do."
Issei chuckled and grabbed the severed head he was staring at from the ground.
"Hehe, no.."
Issei then tossed the severed head at Rias's feet, leaving it staring up at her from the floor.
"No, I don't think you do.."
When it comes to her servants, Rias takes things very seriously. That's why, for what seemed like the first time ever, she and Issei appeared to glare at each other slightly.
...Sensing the tension in the silence, Sona pushed up her glasses and attempted to deflate it.
"—Ahem. Rias. Don't you think you should inform Ise-kun of the "situation" you mentioned before?"
Rias snapped out of the stare-down that she and Issei were sharing with Sona's words.
"Oh, right… Thank you for reminding me, Sona. I had almost forgotten…. Ise. Earlier, we received a phone call at the house."
"Huh? A phone call? You mean from the home phone?"
"Yes. It was from the person who called himself your guardian."
Issei's eyes widened in shock.
About an hour earlier, at the Hyoudou household…
Beep-beep-beep!
Whilst in the kitchen cooking dinner, the trio of girls heard a sudden, unfamiliar beeping. It was coming from the residence's digital home phone.
"Would you look at that? The home phone is ringing."
Rias commented curiously, initially under the impression that the house phone was no longer in use. Asia, who was assisting Rias in cooking dinner, asked Raynare curiously.
"What should we do? Ise-san isn't home yet."
Raynare placed the plates that she was setting on the table down and replied nonchalantly.
"Go ahead and answer it, Asia. Issei-sama has told us before that you're allowed to answer it, right?"
"Yes, but.. he also said that probably no one was ever going to call that phone. What if it's important?"
Rias came up from beside Asia and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Well, in that case, it's all the more important that you answer and at least take a message, isn't it?"
"..Yes, that's true."
Steeling her nerves, Asia approached the phone and removed it from its holder, answering the call.
"U-Um, hello? T-This is the Hyoudou residence?"
Despite not being near the phone, both Raynare and Rias's ears could pick up on what was being communicated through the phone thanks to their supernatural hearing.
From the other side of the line, a masculine voice spoke.
[Hello. Is my nephew, Hyoudou Issei, there? This is his guardian, Satoshi.]
[—?!]
The girls gasped in a collective shock. Upon realizing who it was, Rias and Raynare inched closer to Asia's back and Asia's stuttering increased.
"Hawawawa!? H-H-H-Hello!"
[May I ask who it is I'm speaking to?]
"M-Me?! M-M-My name is Asia! Asia Argento!"
["Asia", huh? That's an interesting name. Are you a foreigner?]
"Y-Yes, I am!"
[Where are you from, Asia?]
"I-Italy!"
[Italy? I see. Are you an exchange student?]
"U-Um, yes, I am!"
[I see… That's interesting...]
Then, out of nowhere, the tone in Satoshi's voice shifted to a more analytical one. The sudden shift along with his phrasing unsettled the girls.
[—As Issei's guardian, I don't ever recall agreeing to the terms of an exchange student program. And my boy isn't the type to just let anyone answer the phone in his house. He's not answering his cell phone either. On top of that, he even "declined" a call from his sister earlier. So I'd like to ask you, Asia Argento-san..]
Satoshi's voice came out in an oddly suspicious and unfriendly tone.
[—What are you doing in his house?]
Chills..
Asia felt her hairs stand on end as a lump of saliva caught in her throat. By the time she started shaking nervously, Rias and Raynare nodded at each other, acknowledging that one of them will need to take the phone soon. Rias wondered whether or not she would need to utilize the "persuasion" technique magic to convince Issei's guardian that everything was alright. If worse comes to worse, she'll do it, but she isn't as proficient at using the "auditory persuasion" technique as she is at the "visual persuasion technique."
—But before any of that could happen, random background noises were transmitted through the phone.
[...(YEAH, you tell 'em, daddy! Ow! Why, Mom?!)...]
For some reason, it seemed as if there were conversations between multiple individuals happening on the other side.
[Hm? Yes, I know…. No, no, you're right. Her reactions seem innocent enough. Yes, I think she's in the clear. Alright then... —Asia-chan.]
"..E-Eh? Y...Y-Yes?"
[Sorry, looks like I was being a bit too abrasive. Forgive me for that, I tend to be wary of strangers.]
" Eh?... O-Oh, n-no, it's okay! D-Don't worry! I'm Ise-san's friend! My name is Asia Argento! Oh, you already know that.."
[Ahaha, yes, I know. Actually, I've known from the beginning. Ise-kun has already made us aware of who you are, Asia-chan. You're one of his new "roommates", aren't you? Ise-kun's already told us. Or, more like we "found out" inadvertently. He admitted it to us later on.]
Hearing Satoshi's explanation calmed Asia's nerves and she let out a sigh of relief.
"O-Oh, yes! I have been living with Ise-san for two months now! He was kind enough to open his home to me and take me in! I am ever so grateful for it!"
[Hahaha, I see. That certainly sounds like him alright. This time he didn't even ask, huh. Well, it's fine. That house belongs to him after all. By the way, you wouldn't happen to be a Catholic, would you?]
"Ah, y-yes, I am!"
For some reason, Satoshi paused.
[Ah... Is that so? That was more of a joke question, but… I see. What a bizarre coincidence. Bizarre indeed... Anyway, Asia-chan. Are you the only one in the house right now?]
Asia glanced at Rias and Raynare who were behind her. For whatever reason, she felt like she shouldn't tell a lie here.
"..Um, no, I'm not."
[Oh really? So is the person named "Raynare" also there?]
All three of the girls flinched, especially Raynare. They wondered how much Issei told his guardians about them if they're aware of Raynare's true name.
"Y-Yes, she's here."
[May I speak with her?]
The girls exchanged glances again. Rias signaled Raynare to take the phone, considering that there wasn't much else they could do. Of course, the Fallen-Angel reluctantly complied.
"...Hello?"
[Hello, is this Raynare?]
"..Yes, sir, it is.."
[Sir? That's a very respectful way of speaking. You're Ise-kun's second roommate, aren't you? No need to be so formal.]
"..Yes, Satoshi-san.."
[Oh, so you already know who I am? Alright, I suppose that makes things simpler. How old are you, Raynare?]
"Me?... Um, why do you ask?"
[I'm only curious. For some reason, I get the impression that you're older than my nephew and his other roommate.]
For whatever reason, Raynare felt tense speaking to this man. She felt that he was the type of person who always knew what you were thinking. In some way, it reminded her of the "governor"...
"...Yes, I am. I'm….18."
[Only a year older, huh? Ise-kun's birthday isn't far from now, so he'll be 17 soon. Speaking of which, are you also an exchange student? Do you attend his school?]
"Yes, I do.."
[I see. So that would mean you're a third year.]
"Eh? No, actually…. Yes, you're right.."
Raynare had no choice but to agree. The numbers didn't quite add up otherwise, and she couldn't think of a better lie. Then again, she was constantly being threatened with the feeling that no lie was good enough in this situation.
[Where are you from, Raynare?]
"I'm from….up north."
[Ahaha, that's not very specific, is it?]
"I'm— I-I'm sorry.."
[No, no, it's fine. Everyone has their circumstances. I'm sure you'll tell us in the future. For now, just look after my nephew, ok?]
"Yes, sir… of course.."
[Alright. Is it just the two of you home right now?]
Raynare glanced at Rias before answering.
"..No, there's someone else here."
[Three people? Wow, Ise-kun must be a popular boy. Can I speak to that person?]
"..Yes, of course."
Raynare held out the phone, gesturing for Rias to take it. Unlike the other two, Rias took it unhesitantly.
"Hello?"
[Good evening. May I ask who I'm speaking with?]
"Good evening. My name is Rias Gremory."
[Rias Gremory-san…? Well, nice to meet you. Or should I say "hear from you" instead? Anyway, my name is Satoshi, I'm Issei's guardian.]
"Nice to meet you, Satoshi-san. I've heard a lot about you."
[Oh, really? I'm glad to hear that. Are you a friend of Ise-kun? As unfortunate as it is to say, I've heard about Raynare and Asia, but I've not actually heard about you just yet.]
Rias's attitude visibly deflated after that comment.
"Is...that so.."
[Ah, forgive me. That wasn't the right way to say it. What I meant was that Ise-kun is a fairly private person in regards to his personal life. We don't know that most of his friends exist until we've already met them. Don't worry about it too much. Anyway, are you a friend from his school?]
"..Huh? Oh, yes, I am. I'm…. Actually.."
Who knows why, but Rias decided to answer that question with a much more daring response.
"Actually, I'm more like his girlfriend."
" "..?!" "
Asia and Raynare's eyes popped out of their sockets in shock, and on the other side of the line there was a loud mash of background noises.
[..(WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!—Crash!—BULLSHIT! WHO IN THA' HELL DOES THAT FOREIGNER THINK SHE IS, AH?! GURLFRIEND?! I AIN'T NEVER HEARD OF HUR'!? GIMME THA' PHONE, DADDY! WHY, I OUGHTA—)..]
Whoever was shouting on the other side was quickly silenced by what sounded like a karate chop of some sort. Once Satoshi spoke again, he came out with a slightly awkward chuckle.
[Aha… Sorry, Rias-san. From what I can tell, you seem to like Ise-kun. But being his girlfriend is a bit… Forgive me if I don't believe you. No offense, of course.]
Satoshi saw right through her. Raynare couldn't help but giggle, earning her a flushed face glare or two from Rias.
[In any case, I'd like to ask what you're doing over there in my nephew's house. If you're a friend of his, I find it odd that Ise-kun just left you alone with his roommates until this time at night. We raised him to be a good host so that's unlike him. Not to mention that he hasn't been answering our calls or texts. Since you seem like a bolder person than the other two, maybe you'd know, so I'll ask you, Rias-san: Do you happen to know where he is or what he's doing?]
Out of the three girls, Satoshi asked Rias the big question. This caught Rias off guard a bit, but she knew she had to come up with something to convince Issei's family that he was doing something normal. Not just any old lie would work through. This man seemed too perceptive for that.
In that case, she has no choice but to use the persuasion technique.
"..《Yes, I do. Ise's out with a couple of friends from his class for the day. He told us that he'd be back in an hour》.."
For a moment, it was quiet on the other side.
[...I understand if he told you not to tell us, but lying would only make us more worried, you know?]
"..?!"
Rias was shocked. Her persuasion magic didn't work. Was it because it wasn't her forte after all? No, even then, that doesn't mean it would fail so easily… Having no other option, Rias conceded.
"...I, um… I'm sorry, I was…"
[No, no, it's fine. It's nice to know that there are people who care for Ise-kun that much. Despite what he might seem like, he's actually a very caring and sociable person. I was initially worried when he went off on his own that he wouldn't have anyone to turn to, so it's nice to know that there's girls like you looking out for him.]
"..Of course… I'm sorry for that. It's just… Ise told us not to say where he was going. He didn't want us to tag along either. He hasn't responded to us in a while either, but he promised he'd be back tonight…. So, I'm sorry, but I won't be of much help…"
[It's alright. It isn't something you can do anything about. Preferably, I'd like to know where he is, but it's enough to know that he's doing okay.]
"Yes, of course. Ise is fine, I'm sure of it. He just… sometimes, he gets like this."
[I know…. Ise-kun is a capable boy. He can take care of himself. It's just rare that he doesn't respond to us, especially to this extent…. As his family, we can't help but worry about him, you know? Especially with everything that he's been through..]
"Of course. I understand…"
[...That boy, we try to look out for him as best we can. But at times, I can't help feeling like I've not done enough. Sometimes I feel like I've failed him... To me, that boy is like... No, I shouldn't say such things. It's not right. That's a luxury reserved for someone else.]
"...Satoshi-san?"
[Ah, it's nothing. Ignore that, it's just an old man's rambling. I'm not sure why I went there. Maybe I'm exhausted…]
Somewhere in Rias's heart, she felt an emotion stirring. The face of a melancholic Issei appeared before her eyes. And so, her conscience compelled her to say something from the heart.
"Satoshi-san…. Whatever happens, I will look after Ise. I… I won't let him be alone. Not anymore. I'll stay by his side, no matter what. I promise."
—There wasn't a response from the other side for a while. Although, Rias was sure she could hear some sounds in the background that resembled voices.
[...I see. Thank you, Rias-san. I'm grateful that Ise-kun has people around like you. If you can do me a favor, let him know to contact us when he returns home, would you? My daughter is worrying incessantly.]
"Yes, absolutely. I'll let him know as soon as I see him."
[Alright then. Goodbye for now, Rias-san. We'll see you soon.]
"Goodbye, Satoshi-san. Have a pleasant night."
Rias hung up the phone, but she hesitated before placing it back in its holder.
'We'll see you soon..?'
"What did he say?"
Asia asked Rias curiously, since she didn't have the super-hearing nor the will to eavesdrop on the conversation. Rias shook away her thoughts and returned the phone to its rightful place.
"He just asked me to tell Ise to call him when Ise gets home."
"..But, when is Ise-san getting home?"
To Asia's question, Rias only lowered her eyes. She couldn't help recalling Issei's words before he left.
("..It's the thing I was wearing when I killed my best friend.")
"...I don't know, Asia. But I'm going to need to talk with Sona."
"...So that's what happened?"
"Yes. That's why, it's best if you just come home for tonight and contact him yourself."
Issei sighed deeply as Rias concluded her explanation of the events. Issei reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone, noticing that there were almost 20 missed calls displaying on his screen.
"Fuck.."
Despite his will to find Kiba and prevent him from doing anything rash, he can't leave the situation with his family as it is. He already ignored Maki's calls, he doesn't have the heart to leave them hanging any longer.
Issei looked up towards the skylight where Kiba escaped from and stared at seemingly nothing. Well, it looked like nothing to Rias at least.
"...Say, you two…. Can you see that thing up there?"
Issei asked the two girls while pointing up at the ceiling. Rias followed his direction and answered with a curious brow.
" If you're talking about the moon, then yes, Ise. I can see the trail of blood that Yuuto left behind as well."
Issei scoffed, but there was a tired tone in his voice.
"Hmph... Guess that was a stupid question.."
"Ise..?"
While Rias was wondering about the reason for Issei's distant gaze, Issei merely kept his eyes locked on the skylight above him.
No— actually, to him, there was something on the roof of the factory, peering down into the factory's interior from the skylight.
—It was the silhouette of a bizarre "canine" esque creature obscured in shadows, staring down into the factory with the visage of the moon behind its figure.
"..."
Issei and the shadow stared at each other silently, until the shadow finally trotted away from the skylight and disappeared.
"...He's a new one, huh.."
BOSS
Boom, boom, boom!
More explosions went off behind me, but I was able to break off during the chaos and took cover behind a tree.
I, Kiba Yuuto, chased after Freed and his group after splitting up with Ise-kun. But just like Ise-kun said, there wasn't much I was able to do in this situation.
Fighting alongside the Excalibur wielding exorcist duo was the last thing in the world that I wanted to do, but it was impossible to avoid under the circumstances. Raynare's old trio of allies ended up being more powerful than expected. Where on earth did they obtain such strength in such a short amount of time? Even a hardcore training regiment wouldn't have regular Fallen-Angels boost up this much in a mere two months. It doesn't make sense.
Whatever the case, fighting against their trio in the sky while combating the Excalibur wielding Freed on the ground isn't an easy task. And since the exorcist duo and I aren't allies, we don't have any coordination between our tactics. We're outnumbered, and we don't have synergy. This battle was lost from the start.
Especially when you consider who just showed up…
"...Hnngh.."
As the smoke cleared from the battlefield, I could tell that someone was left out in the open after the onslaught. It was the chestnut haired exorcist, Ise-kun's former childhood friend, Irina. It seems she is the unlucky one of the duo. Unlike her, her comrade Xenovia is hidden behind a tree like myself. From the looks of it, she wants to help her partner, but Irina signaled for her to let it be.
Unfortunately for the vulnerable exorcist, Freed was steadily approaching her from behind.
"FINALLY, we got one of ya down! You guys are like little rats, ya know! Skittering and scattering about everywhere, so anno~oying."
Freed approaching from behind, the trio of Fallen-Angels floating above their heads, and the "monster" who just appeared in the moonlight… Even saying that this girl has "no chance" is an understatement…
"So, little doll~, what should we do with you?"
Freed manhandled the poor girl and threw her against a tree no remorse. His grip on her neck moved itself down onto the woman's bust while his Excalibur pressed into her stomach.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw movement. Xenovia was about to act.
"D-Don't..!"
Although it may have appeared as if Irina was verbally rejecting Freed's advance, it was clear to me that she was actually speaking to her partner. Xenovia must have realized it as well, because she stopped herself from interfering and turned her head away shamefully.
"Hey, hey~ even if you reject it completely, that'll only make things better for me, you know~?"
For a moment, I was sure that the scum licked her cheek with a mad grin.
..Am I really going to let this be? This girl is the wielder of an Excalibur, my most hated existence in this world. She's an exorcist who slays Devils, serves the church which I detest and the God who betrayed me…
But do you truly have it within you to look away at a moment like this and leave it be, Isaiah? Is that who you are? Your honor as a swordsman, as a supposed "knight" of the Gremory clan… Can you ignore this?
For the sake of revenge, will you do whatever it takes to survive and achieve that goal, truly?
Is that who you've become, Isaiah? Is that worth everything?
….what would Matthew say if he could see you now?
….
….
Before I knew it, my body was already on the verge of moving. But—
ZIN ZIN ZIN!
Three similarly shaped light spears landed in the tree Irina was being held up against, right above Freed's head. Since he was taller than Irina was, it was only Freed who was a few shaven hair's length away from being decapitated.
"OY, YOU SHITTY, BLIND, BIRD BRAIN! WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA?! I THOUGHT YOU GOT USED TO SHOTS IN THE DARK!?"
The Fallen-Angel that Freed was yelling at descended to his level. It was Donasheek.
"Kokabiel-sama said she can still be of use to us. Capture her, we'll handle the rest."
"Haaaaah? What, it's not like I was going to kill her, "no eyes!" I was just gonna have a little fun!"
"We'll do only what's necessary, nothing more, nothing less."
Freed appeared increasingly irritated with his supposed ally and groaned.
"Haaaaaaaah?! Fuck is up with that, huh?! I don't wanna be judged by some pigeon shit cast down from heaven thanks to cardinal sin, that's just fuckin' retard irony! Leave me alone, will ya?"
"Despite what you may believe, my fall was the fall of pride, not lust, maggot priest.."
Freed dropped Irina and glared at Donasheek angrily.
"Ah? Who you callin' maggot, you worm eater?"
"Precisely the type of worm stupid enough not to realize that he's staring at his natural predator."
"Predator~?! Hear that, Excalibur-tan?! Sounds like Mr. Parrot wants a cracker.."
As Freed and Donasheek glared at each other, Donasheek's two allies came down and hovered near him, as if indicating that they had his back. Neither side showed any signs of backing down…
It wasn't until the voice in the sky commanded them that they halted their strife.
"Don't cause trouble, Freed. There are other ways to have fun with hostages."
—Up in the night's sky, with the visage of the moonlight behind his figure, there was the "boss" of this wretched operation. I could only make out his imposing, twelve winged silhouette...and the glimmer of his red colored eyes. No, I could almost make out a sharp toothed grin as well…
"If you're going to do anything, Freed, then leave some marks. Our actions need only be limited to that which can be observed with a glance. Do you understand what I'm saying, Freed? I'm telling you to make it worth looking at."
Whatever his boss was implying, Freed understood it immediately and grinned mischievously.
"Oho~ I get what you're saying, big boss! You're saying that I should make her prettier…"
Freed turned back to Irina and picked her up off the ground. He then carelessly threw her into the middle of the clearing and grinned maniacally.
"It's too bad you're just some protestant slut and not a friend of the Devils or Sekiryuutei. Otherwise, I'd be having way more fun. But "church whore" is probably good enough for now!"
Freed then stabbed his sword into Irina's open palm, piercing her hand into the dirt.
"AAAAAH!"
He wasted in no time in following that up with a stomp on her belly, causing her to vomit.
"Guoh—!"
Of course, he didn't stop there. No, he continued kicking the defenseless exorcist into the dirt relentlessly.
Bam! Bam!
"Wahahahahahaha! Oy, oy, oy! I'm not aiming for your throat on purpose, you know! Without the screaming and crying, it's only half as fun! Nyahahahahahahahaha!"
He continued beating the girl senselessly, without remorse or shame. Once again, I struggled within myself to find the motivation to turn away. But seeing as there was nothing the two of us could do, I could tell just by looking that Xenovia and I both resigned to the futility of our situation. If we interfere, the result will be the same, and only one of us will be left to live for whatever purpose they're planning...
And so, as Freed tortured the exorcist gleefully, I could only turn my gaze away in shame… But then..
Rustle!
I must have been the only one who noticed it, but for some reason, there was movement in the place where Xenovia was last at. She's gone.. Did she flee? I suppose there's nothing she can do after all, so there's no point in watching your partner get beaten. I thought that, but I soon realized that wasn't the reason when I looked up into the sky..
—The glowing red orbs of the Cadre-class boss were looking down directly at me.
[—?!]
Without thinking, I fled.
Shit! So that's why! Fuck me! I can't stick around. If I'm spotted that easily, then I'm bound to get killed without retaliation the moment he decides it. Even now as I build distance, I can still feel his eyes tracking me.
I don't know when my next chance at revenge will come, but for now, all I can do is retreat...
Part 5
By the time Issei and Rias returned home, it was around 9pm. Raynare and Asia were already waiting for them with dinner reheated. Some time passed, and while Rias was already prepared to turn in for the night, Issei had just barely taken off his jacket and placed it on his computer chair with a sigh.
"Ise? Aren't you going to change? You need your rest. I'm sure you're exhausted from today."
Rias made the suggestion while already adorning her usual risqué nightgown. Issei on the other hand was more exhausted by the prospect of needing to reassure his foster family with white lies.
"Haah… Alright. Guess there's no helpin' it."
Issei brought out his cell phone and dialed back one of his missed calls from earlier. The person who answered his call was none other than his "uncle."
[—Hello?]
"Hey, Oji-san."
[Ise-kun. It's good to hear from you. Your aunt and Maki were worried sick.]
"Just them, huh?"
[Well, of course I was also worried, but I have to save face around those two. If they'd noticed my concern, they'd have fallen apart.]
"I can take care of myself. You know that."
[We know. But try to be a little more understanding. We're family. Even if we know better, it doesn't change our emotions.]
Issei sighed heavily and rubbed the back of his neck.
"Yeah, I know…"
Although Rias wasn't trying to eavesdrop, thanks to her super hearing, she could still hear the conversation while sitting on the bedside. This was probably the first time she's ever heard Issei speak in such a heartfelt and sincere tone for this long. The closest he ever got to this was how he spoke to Asia, but even then, it wasn't entirely the same. Not to mention the great amount of respect he was speaking with. Has she ever even heard him speak so formally this consistently before?
For that reason, Rias felt a bit awkward sitting there while hugging onto a pillow. It almost felt like she was intruding on a private moment.
"It's 10pm. Are Maki and Baa-san asleep already?"
[Nope. I doubt they would've gotten a wink if you didn't call. Maki hasn't even eaten supper tonight because she was too worried. Right now she's probably still in bed with a tummy ache, holding onto a photo with your face on it.]
"...Was she crying?"
[She did a bit earlier. I don't think she is at this point, but, you know how she can be.]
"...Is she around?"
[I'm talking to you from the bathroom connected to our master bedroom, but I can call her in here.]
"..Yes, please do.. I wanna say something to her."
[Ok, give me a second.]
Issei waited impatiently, tapping his fingers on his desk anxiously. This reaction from Issei was also a first for Rias to witness. Right now, he really just seemed to be like a normal boy his age. Even though Rias felt slightly intrusive being here, she was also deeply grateful that she had the opportunity to see this side of Issei, if just for a bit.
[Here she is..]
Issei spoke hesitantly, ignoring the uncomfortable lump in his throat.
"...Thought I told you nothing was up, princess?"
The way he said "princess" was different from how he said it to Rias, much to her dismay. From his language, it was clear that he was trying to be playful, but even Rias could tell that his tone was slightly too nervous for that.
All that aside, Issei was indeed nervous as he waited for that familiar little voice.
[...Nii-Nii?]
"Heh, there's my girl… How're ya feeling? Ya had dinner yet?"
[...where did you go?]
The voice of the girl Issei was speaking to, which Rias now recognized as "Maki", sounded hurt.
"..I just took a walk around town. Had to clear my head a bit, do some thinking. Just boring stuff."
[...why didn't you answer me?]
"I set my phone to silent. I didn't know you guys were callin' until it was late."
[...liar..]
"...Sorry, princess.. I didn't feel like talking at that time. I thought you'd understand. I didn't know you guys were calling for most of the day though, honest."
[...Nii-Nii..]
"Yeah, princess?"
From the other side, it sounded like the girl's voice was becoming shaky, and there were even some sniffles.
[I love you..]
"..I love you too."
[Please don't disappear… Don't go away, Nii-Nii. I can't live without you….]
For a moment, Rias thought she heard Issei's voice crack.
"Yeah, I uh— Ahem. Yea, I know. I'm, uh.. I'm not going anywhere, princess. Don't worry. "
[I want to see you. I want to hug you…]
"I know, I know. Me too.."
[I need you, Nii-Nii…]
"I know…. I'm gonna talk with Oji-san a bit more, okay? I need you to eat some dinner and get some sleep. Can you do that for me?"
[...Are you gonna call me in the morning?]
"Are you gonna do what I say?"
[...only if you promise..]
"Fine, fine, I promise. And you?"
[...okay..]
"Good. Now pass the phone back to Oji-san."
[...I love you, Nii-Nii]
"I love you too, Maki."
[I love you more.]
"I love you most."
After some rustling sounds, Issei heard his uncle's voice again.
[...Ise-kun?]
"Is she doing what I said, Oji-san?"
[It looks like she's heading downstairs to have some dinner.. Nice work, Ise-kun. That saves us some concern.]
"No problem. Are you gonna turn in soon, Oji-san?"
[Hopefully. I'll probably wait until the other two are good and out. I won't feel comfortable otherwise.]
"Sorry about all of this."
[It's fine. In the end, we only care that it's all turned out okay.]
"..Heh, I really don't deserve you guys at all."
[Don't say things like that. You wouldn't like it if I said we didn't deserve you, would you?]
"Hell no. You deserve someone better than me."
[Exactly. I feel the same. —About myself of course, not about you.]
"Oh shut up, old man."
While Issei and his uncle shared a chuckle, Issei opened his window for some fresh air and looked up into the calming starry sky.
[I spoke with your friends earlier. They seem like nice girls.]
"Oh no, don't bring it up."
[Don't be so dramatic, it was a fine trio of interactions.]
"Interactions? Don't you mean interrogations?"
[..Well, there was a bit of that, but come on. Cut me a break. You know I can't help it. It's in my nature. Akane already gave me enough trouble for it..]
"Uh huh, yeah, I know, detective fucking Aikawa. Heh, geez… So, how were the psyche evals, huh? They all pass?"
[With flying colors. Fortunately for you, they seem like lovely folks. Most foreigners aren't so pleasant.]
"Right… Anyway, how personal did you get? Did you "dress them down", detective? That's illegal, you know? They're still minors."
[Hey now, always with that snarky mouth of yours. I'd reprimand you for saying something like that if it wasn't Akane's job. Actually, I guess I can just let her know right now since she's here…]
"O-Oy, wait.. I apologize, Oji-sama. T-That was rude of me to say.."
[...Hmm. She can't really spank you at this age anymore, can she? That might be inappropriate. Although, knowing that woman, it probably wouldn't make a difference to her.]
"S-Satoshi-sama? Are you there? Please forgive me. I'll make sure to get top marks in my exams so can you please just let this one slide?.."
[Ahahaha, I suppose some things never change, huh?]
"..Ugh, give me a break…"
'How normal', Rias thought. Issei really was just like a normal boy. It leaves her wondering what he would be like if the Kuoh disaster never happened. Maybe then, he'd just be a happy, adolescent boy. Maybe if only someone like her never existed, then….?
"..Hmm?"
—While speaking to his uncle on the phone, Issei noticed something in the sky. He caught it from the corner of his eye, a quick descent, like a shooting star. When his eyes followed the direction it went, he saw a lone silhouette standing on the roof of a random house.
"...Oji-san. Unfortunately, I have school in the morning, so I'm gonna have to cut us short."
[Yeah, I also have a busy day at work tomorrow. I'll have to call it a night here.]
"Okay. I love you guys, tell Baa-san and Maki I said so."
[Alright, we love you too, and I will. Good night, Ise-kun.]
"Night."
Issei hung up his cell phone and motioned Rias to come closer.
"Rias. Come here."
Rias walked over to Issei ashamedly.
"..I'm sorry. I didn't mean to eavesdrop. I should've lef—"
"—Can you see that?"
Issei interrupted Rias while pointing out the window.
"..See what?"
"That thing on top of that house over there."
"Which house?"
"Beige one, over there. See it?"
"It looks like...a person… with multiple wings!"
"Yeah. Not just any person though.."
Issei squinted his eyes, focusing his right dragon's eye to get a better look at the figure in the distance. When his vision focused well enough to make out the silhouette, he recognized the individual immediately.
"That's….Bal!?"
The person he saw was the multi-winged Fallen-Angel, Bal. Bal seemed to immediately realize that Issei could see him and mouthed the words: 《Oh, you can do it after all!?》
Bal snickered to himself amusedly for a bit before giving Issei a creepy smile. He then mouthed another phrase. No, a word. A single word, in Japanese. Maybe so that Issei could read his lips easier? What his mouth said was…
《S - O - U - T - H.》
(—?!)
"South." That was all Bal said before his creepy smile returned to his face. There was something to the south of here.
"Bal?! Ise, did you say it was Bal, the suspicious Fallen-Angel from the other day?"
"Rias."
Issei pulled his hoodie off of his desk chair and placed it back over his body again.
"—Get dressed."
TREACHERY
After Rias dressed herself, she immediately summoned her peerage members. Issei was conflicted on whether to take Raynare and Asia with him or leave them at home where it was safe. But after much deliberation and convincing from Rias, Issei decided to bring them both. It was technically safer if they were all together rather than separated. Rias even called Sona's peerage to join them.
As soon as that was settled, the group took off into the night's sky and headed directly south of Issei's home. While flying, Issei was holding onto Raynare, and Rias was holding onto Asia. The group collectively scanned the areas they flew over, searching for anything suspicious.
Raynare noticed it first and pointed it out.
"Down there, look!"
Everyone including Issei followed Raynare's line of sight. When Issei noticed where her finger was pointing, he realized it. The place that she was pointing towards….was the old playground from Issei's childhood.
"It looks like there's someone there?"
Rias was unsure due to the distance between them and the playground, but thanks to his dragonic eye, Issei could see it clear as day…
"Ise?"
Issei was already making his way down to the playground in a robotic fashion, without saying a word. The closer he got, the more his feelings were confirmed… his feelings of fear..
Foom!
Issei descended onto the playground and let go of Raynare.
"That's…"
Raynare recognized the person she saw right away. She looked at this person with a sense of guilt in her eyes. The rest of the large group also came down shortly after and looked at the grim sight with shocked faces. Asia covered her mouth in horror.
"..I...Irina-san.."
—That's right, it was Irina Shidou. Bloodied and battered, like a broken doll covered in cuts and bruises. Hanging loosely from the swing set thanks to the chains tied around her wrists. It almost evoked the image of a crucifixion, ironically enough. There was even a still bleeding wound symbolically placed near her abdomen in the same area where Christ was pierced by Longinus, but this was clearly a wound caused by an Excalibur. It was the same with the holes in each of her palms.
"We have to get her down."
Rias didn't need to say it, because Issei was already removing Irina from the swing set and placed her down onto the floor. Without saying a word, Issei leaned in to check Irina's breathing.
"...Is she still there, Ise-san?"
Issei was still silent. While turned away from the rest of his group, he held up Irina's upper half with his left arm and put his other hand over her gaping stomach wound. He was staring down at her. He said nothing for a while, leaving his group to grow more and more uneasy.
"...We always played here together, didn't we..?"
"...Ise?"
Raynare only caught a peek of it, but she's sure she saw Issei grabbing onto Irina's hand gently.
"...Asia."
"Y-Yes, Ise-san!?"
"..Come here."
Asia stepped close enough to Issei to look over his shoulder. She noticed Issei's hand over Irina's as he laid her down fully onto the ground. His other hand gently brushed some of Irina's hair out her face and wiped away the blood on her lip. After that..
"Asia."
"..Y-Yes?"
Asia was afraid of what he'd say, because she had no idea what was going on in his mind right now. This feeling was shared by the rest of his comrades as well. But Issei need only look up at Asia for her to understand.
When he did, she saw his seemingly expressionless face. An incomprehensible gaze, but eyes with an endless depth.
"—I'm begging you.."
Somewhere, lost within his depth of his eyes, Asia noticed a childish sense of desperation.
"Don't let Rin die."
"..?!"
And so, while holding back her tears, Asia nodded vigorously.
"H-Hai, Ise-san!"
Asia knelt down and began healing Irina's gravest wounds. Issei's hand, covered in Irina's blood, inevitably came up to hold onto his necklace.
Over Irina's unconscious body, he saw the image of another woman laid over hers.
"...Not again…. This time, we have to…."
Rias deliberated with Sona from behind Issei and Asia.
"Sona, do you have any medical treatments which can assist in healing this girl?"
"Yes, we have such equipment back at my estate. So long as Asia-san heals her most grave injuries, I can have Tsubaki take her right away."
—Suddenly, there was a change in the atmosphere around the area, and everyone was filled with a chilling feeling.
"W-What is this unpleasant sensation?"
Saji grabbed at his chest, feeling it tighten painfully under some unknown or unseen pressure. What he didn't know was that it was a mixture of sensations. The Devils around him felt the same sensations, recognizing one part of it as being of holy influence, but not recognizing the other. Raynare and Issei were the only ones amongst the group who recognized both pressures completely.
"...T...T-This feeling is…."
Raynare was frozen in place, refusing to turn around. She knew that the thing she feared hadn't made its appearance yet, and still she was too frightened to look.
"Yo, yo, yo, Devil shitbaa~ags! How ya feeling today? Were you guys having a big orgy, did I interrupt something? Whatever it is, you guys reek anyway so I guess it doesn't mattee~er! Looks like you found our little present earlier than expected though!"
The one who revealed himself to the group was the mad priest, Freed.
"Freed Sellzen!"
"Huh? Whaddya want, redhead? —No, wait a second, fuck off with that! What's up with all these Devil fucks actin' all familiar with me now?! I haven't met a single one of you fucks, ya know!"
"So you've decided to show your face again, mad dog. I'm surprised. I thought you would've surely perished during Ise's rampage on the abandoned church you once called your headquarters. How unfortunate to see you're still breathing. Perhaps I should put you down myself."
Freed snickered bizarrely while pointing his Excalibur Nightmare directly at Rias.
"Nishishishi! That way of talking is a turn on for somebody like me! It always gets me excited when my enemies look at me with such killing intent!"
Rias's aura surrounded her body as Sona came up beside her and pushed up her glasses.
"I suppose that leaves it to me to wash away the remains."
"Oh, Sona, don't be ridiculous."
Rias's expression darkened as she spawned a block of her power of destruction in her hand.
"What remains?"
Freed cut the rising tension not by raising his sword, but by waving his hand frantically, as if just reminding himself of something.
"Oy, oy, oy, wait, wait! That's right, I just remembered! My bad, I'm not even supposed to fight you shits yet, am I? First off, an important someone wants to talk with you shitty fucking Devils!"
"Someone?"
Freed's grin grew even wider across his face as he looked up into the sky.
"Yeah.. That someone is my boss. The BIG BOSS!"
Then, the figures of four people appeared in the sky. Three of them were familiar, those being the Fallen-Angel trio that were a part of Raynare's posse in the past. However, the fourth silhouette was a person that none of them, save for Raynare herself, had ever met. This was the secondary presence that was causing a majority of the pressure in the atmosphere, even surpassing the effects of the Excaliburs. And upon knowing who that person was, Raynare's soul filled with dread.
—Glowing red eyes with yellow irises, the moonlight contrasting against the blackness of his six pairs of feathered wings. Holding a place in the sky over all others residing beneath him, with a wretched, sharp toothed grin stretched across his pale face. There he was, the true culprit; the enemy.
"...K….Kokabiel-sama…."
The general of Grigori and the Fallen-Angel army. The Angel of the fallen stars, the [Raven of Treachery] — Kokabiel.
"...Well, if it isn't the "Raven of Treachery" himself, Kokabiel. Good evening to you, general."
Rias greeted the Fallen-Angel lord confidently, despite their situation. Kokabiel acknowledged her, but he seemed slightly distracted by something else.
"Oh, Rias Gremory, huh? I suppose it's nice to meet you, heiress of Gremory. Your crimson hair is beautiful, you bear a striking resemblance to your detestable sibling. It makes me positively nauseous. More importantly than that..."
Kokabiel's eyes seemed to shift over from Rias to someone else. The person who was kneeling beside Asia and the unconscious Irina. When Kokabiel laid eyes on him, his smile grew even larger and his teeth glimmered in the moonlight.
"Well, well… Who would have thought that Azazel was telling the truth? I doubted it at first because it seemed too good to be true, but he wasn't lying after all. Yes, now that I feel it with my own body, this presence can't be mistaken.. That's undoubtedly the Red Dragon Emperor himself."
The person Kokabiel was referring to was Issei. And Issei, still facing away from the Fallen-Angel, slowly stood himself up from his kneeling position.
"For you to be in a place like this, Sekiryuutei, it must be fate. Here, in a place like this with such a disastrous history, the current Sekiryuutei resides. In the "territory" of the Gremory, the very target for the attack which befell this place lives here. Azazel's theory is most likely correct then. This Sekiryuutei must have been awoken by the very tragedy that struck this place, his home. And to believe that he now shares his own territory with the very person who was the reason his home was destroyed, and he defends it against ME of all beings?! Hahahahahahaha, it's unbelievable, you can't make it up! The rest of you small fry probably don't understand how much this means, you can't possibly know our history. But I'm sure that even if the host himself doesn't realize it, then the slumbering dragon within him surely will. Well, don't worry. By the end of it, it'll all become clear."
At Kokabiel's very specific phrasing, Rias lost her composure and shouted at the general.
"What are you talking about? "The person who was the reason this place was attacked", what do you mean by that, Kokabiel?!"
Kokabiel chuckled in amusement.
"What's that? By that tone of voice, it sounds like you still believe that it was your father who was the target for the attack on this place a decade ago, Rias Gremory? Haha, amusing. Yes, I'm sure that's the narrative they pushed to the rest of the Devil world as well, but higher beings like myself know better. I assume they told you that it was the Lord of Gremory who was the priority and someone like you was just collateral then? Hehe, it's more likely the other way around, Arch-duchess. Since even the Angels of heaven are aware of how much the Devil-king values his sibling, it would be obvious to aim for her as priority and possibly take the Lord as collateral. Leave the loathsome Gremory without their only heir, and if possible, take their head as well. Then the fake Lucifer may be forced to return to his clan and they can move on to the rest? That's probably what they were thinking. Ah, sorry, that must be a shock for you. You probably lived your whole life convinced otherwise, I'm sure your family wanted to save you the guilt. What a laugh."
At that moment, Rias almost felt her knees buckle, and the weight of the world came down upon her shoulders. Her worst fears had been confirmed.
"..N-No, it can't be…. Then that means….it really was….my fault..?"
Kokabiel held his hand over face and lost himself to a maniacally entertained laughter.
"Hahahahahahaha! It must be a terrible thing for you, Rias Gremory! To think that if you hadn't been born, no such disasters would have befallen this town, and the current Sekiryuutei may have never even awoken! And now that same Sekiryuutei which you awakened is standing beside you as your "ally" despite you being his truest enemy, while you claim his unlucky home! Honestly, what a riot! Hahahahahahaha!"
"Rias, don't listen to him. He's trying to work you up."
Although Sona attempted to calm Rias, it was a futile effort. Rias eventually gave in to despair and lost the strength in her legs.
"Buchou!"
Akeno went to catch her master as soon as she fell, but..
—Tap.
It was another familiar hand which ended pressed against Rias's backside, stopping her fall.
"...I only see one enemy in front of me.."
As soon as she felt that familiarly comforting imprint, Rias needn't even turn around. She already felt her resolve strengthening itself again as the hand gently pushed her to stand back up.
Issei then removed his hand from Rias's back and walked in front of the whole group, glaring up at Kokabiel.
"—And that enemy isn't Gremory, Fallen-Angel."
Despite Issei's words, Kokabiel only smiled even wider.
"Ho? Is that so? Well, when you consider the history between us two, I suppose you can say that we're even more of mortal enemies than you and Gremory, since our rivalry precedes mere human lifespan."
"Rivalry?... Sorry, but I don't recall meeting a freak like you, only your messy haired friends."
"Yes, it's true that you and I haven't met, human. Although you've met Azazel and the trickster Bal, your host and I are strangers. But the history between the Welsh Dragon Emperor and I transcends the Longinus and Boosted Gear!"
"Heeeh… that so?"
Despite his glare, Issei appeared generally uninterested. Perhaps as a ploy to irritate the Cadre-class being.
"Ddraig. You know what this guy's talking about?"
Issei asked his partner aloud, prompting Ddraig to respond in the same manner.
[I haven't a clue, partner. As far as I can tell, this crow appears no different to me than any of the rest.]
Issei smirked.
"Ya hear that, Fallen-Angel? He doesn't seem to recognize you either.."
For the first time, Issei didn't see amusement in Kokabiel's eyes, but an intense, brief rage. However, Kokabiel seemingly quelled his anger a moment after and returned to normal.
"Hmph. Is that right? Well, as I said before, don't worry about it too much, it'll all become clear soon enough. For now, we can focus on our little playground, Sekiryuutei. No joke intended of course."
Issei raised a brow at Kokabiel's words.
"Playground..? What the fuck are you talking about?"
There must've been a small, repulsive sound that came to Issei's ears every time Kokabiel stretched his leathery smile wider over his gums.
"What is your objective here, Kokabiel?!"
Kokabiel snickered at Rias and Issei's questions. For whatever reason, the Fallen-Angel appeared to be filled with a sense of anticipation.
"When I originally stole the Excaliburs, I was hoping that Micheal would appear to interfere with my plans. I even left some of my feathers at the scenes to make it obvious which one of us it was, since only Micheal himself would recognize them. But instead, he only sent a few exorcists and two small fry with Excalibur! It seemed like he was trying his best to avoid large scale conflict. How boring. Far too boring! In that case, wouldn't it be best to go on a rampage at the headquarters of Gremory and Sitri, the sisters of the Maou?"
"What?! Are you a fool?! Something of that level…! It's like you're trying to start a war!"
"That's right! A war is what I want!"
[—?!]
Kokabiel proclaimed it with an increasingly magical grin on his face.
"I want WAR! Ever since the last battle between the Three-powers ended, I've been bored! Unbelievably, unbearably BORED! Azazel and Shemhazai, they're too impassionate about war! Ever since then, they've been lost in meaningless research and collecting utterly worthless artifacts, like Sacred Gears! It's absolutely mortifying! I'm not the only one who feels this way either. There's plenty of old soldiers and even young blood back at Grigori who detest this situation. These three that I've granted the privilege of becoming my direct underlings feel it too."
Kokabiel gestured to the trio floating below him, Raynare's former allies. Raynare met eyes with her former allies and she felt an extraordinary sense of guilt in her heart.
"...Donasheek, Kalawarner, Mitlet…. You… Not like this..."
Rias grimaced at the thought of Kokabiel's dastardly plans.
"...You're insane, you damned warmonger."
"Heh, I'm fine with being insane. If anything, it was the boredom from nothingness that drove me insane. Although, there are those who would say I've always been this way, even during the days of constant battle. Whatever the case, I'll have you fight my Excalibur at your headquarters, Gremory and Sitri. What better way to attract the attention of Sirzechs and Leviathan than that? This place has already been attacked once after all, so I'm sure it's under special protections. If those defenses make themselves apparent, then I might be able to start war very quickly. And since the Sekiryuutei is here…. After I'm done with the Devils, the Red Dragon Emperor and I can wreak havoc as much as we'd like on our own personal battlefield. I can hardly wait… I'm looking forward to the chaos that will ensue following the surges of power! My Excalibur will add to it as well, once it releases the full extent of its ability in combination! I couldn't ask for a better battleground for my long awaited "clash of fate" with the Sekiryuutei!"
Kokabiel's lunatic eyes illustrated perfectly just how much he was anticipating the inevitable destruction and mayhem.
But far below the Fallen-Angel, the figure of the Sekiryuutei which Kokabiel had continuously goaded on was beginning to rumble. And an aura seeped out from his pores, spreading on the ground all around his body.
"...Battlefield..? Who the fuck do you think you are, to think that you'll turn my home...into a fucking playground for your amusement….."
As if to match Kokabiel's own, the eyes of the Sekiryuutei lit up red.
"I'LL EAT YOU ALIVE, YOU FUCKING CROW!"
Hearing those words from Issei appeared to drive Kokabiel over the edge in excitement.
"Yes..! Yes, yes, YES! LET'S GO CRAZY, YOU AND I! WREAK HAVOC AND RAMPAGE TO OUR HEARTS CONTENT! IT'S OUR DESTINY TO LAY RUIN TO THIS PLACE AND BEGIN THE WAR ANEW, DRAGON OF DISASTER! LET'S HAVE OUR LONG AWAITED DANCE OF DEATH, HERE AND NOW, SEKIRYUUTEI!"
With a maniacal cackle, Kokabiel released a light spear the size of a car at the group as he and his lackeys flew off in the direction of Kuoh academy.
"EVERYONE, RUN!"
Rias, Sona, and Akeno put up a barrier as fast they could to defend, but it ended up being for nothing.
[EXPLOSION!]
Issei jumped forward and destroyed the light spear with a single powerful strike.
BREAK!
When Issei landed on the ground, his body was brimming with power and a crater inevitably cracked into existence beneath his feet.
"...My town… My home… You think i'm just going to let you do as you please? In this place, the home of my beloved parents…. You think i'm gonna let you do whatever you want?..."
The image of Issei's parents smiling and playing with him on his favorite swing set flashed through his mind.
—And so, the voices of the boy and the Welsh Dragon Emperor melted into one, and the eye of the Dragon awakened itself.
" [ I'LL TURN YOU TO ASHES! ] "
TO BE CONTINUED...
