Okay, on to the next one! As I said before, I'm gonna try to get through this one quick. I don't wanna waste any time between the peace conference and the climax. I want to be able to upload those chapters back to back so none of the tension is lost. Don't want people waiting for a month or two just to see the arc end. You know me, I don't like doing stuff like that. Plus, a lot of crazy shit that strays away from canon is gonna happen during (or should I say after?) the conference so we need to be prepared.

Anyway, let's get on with it! I'm sure some of what's gonna happen here is to be expected, but some other shit will definitely be unexpected for most.

Ready? Okay, let's go!


Father

—Suddenly, Issei's eyes were assaulted by a blinding light. Despite originating from behind him, the light was so powerful that it enveloped the entire area and still affected him even when his back was turned. Eventually, his right eye adjusted, likely because it was his dragon's eye, and he even saw a silhouette through the light. His human eye felt as if it almost went blind.

Once Issei could finally see again, he noticed the figure standing right in front of him, but not before being physically overwhelmed by the amount of holy energy the form was emitting. The holy power was so great that it felt like it was prickling under his skin, down even to the bone. Despite not even being a creature of unholy origin, Issei's muscles tensed and his instincts were on high alert with every hair on his body standing on end. It was so much that Issei was naturally guarding his face with crossed arms, as if protecting himself from damage that wouldn't come. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before. Even standing in the presence of the current Maou or Azazel didn't compare. It was an entirely different sensation.

This is what it meant to be in the presence of the single most holy being closest to Yahweh.

—But then, Issei suddenly realized it, all of the borderline existential sensations disappeared and there was something else left in their stead.

"...You…. You're…"

"Red Dragon Emperor, Hyoudou Issei. We finally meet. I am Michael the Archangel, the very first Angel created by The Lord, YahwehElohim. I am the current overseer of His Kingdom of Heaven. I welcome you."

(—?!)

It was just as Issei suspected. His eyes did not deceive him and neither did Michael's appearance. That which appeared as a beautiful man adorned in glorious armor, a brilliant halo, and wings filled with golden feathers— it was none other than Michael the Archangel, God's head Angel, himself. The best representative for Heaven and God in this world. The closest thing to the dead God in nature. In truth, he was only second closest…

And yet, Issei was not rendered speechless by Michael's excellence or his radiance. No. Michael recognized in the child's eyes something vile, something festered over a long period of time.

And that which had festered and lingered over what seemed like a lifetime of suffering, Issei allowed to rise to the surface.

"...It's because of you…"

The God of the bible was dead, but here stood his holiest creation. Here stood the only being that could be considered in the place of God. That which represents all that He stood for, and that which represents all of the beliefs which the churches of man committed heinous crimes on behalf of.

Here stood….the only single outlet for all of Issei's pent up emotions towards his spiteful creator. Here stood the only replacement— the only catharsis for every violent, heart-wrenching lamentation released into the sky that was met with total silence.

—And so, for every single blood curdling howl of pain and suffering that Issei shouted out towards an uncaring sky, for every cry unanswered…

[Boost!]

Issei channeled that through the fist of his Boosted Gear colliding into Michael's gentle countenance.

It was without warning, the onslaught perpetrated on Michael the Archangel.

BAM!

"ISSEI-KUN!?"

[PARTNER, NO!]

But Issei continued. Again and again, his fist clashed with Michael's face. And with every punch, something clouded Issei's vision.

BAM, BAM, BAM!

—The faces of his parents.

"IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!"

BAM, BAM, BAM, BAM!

—The face of Marie Bellerose.

"ALL OF IT!"

BAM, BAM, BAM, BAM, BAM!

"BECAUSE OF YOU!"

—The faces of Zealous and all of his innocent victims, the faces of Genesis and their brainwashed subjects, the faces of those he killed, the faces of those he saved, the faces he loved, the faces he hated. All of it. Anything and everything. All of the horrible sights, all of the unbearable truths, all of the cruelty. It was all exploding outward like a volcanic eruption, all at once, with the only target being Michael. But not once did Michael defend himself. Not once did he retaliate. He simply allowed himself to be thrashed about without resistance.

BAM, BAM, BAM, BAM, BAM, BAM!

—Because despite the ferocity of every hit, Michael felt no true hatred. He felt an anger enveloped by an overwhelming sorrow. The child's voice held nothing but pain, and the waterfall of tears bleeding from his eyes communicated nothing but endless suffering. This wasn't an attack, it was the helpless, long forgotten cry of a cursed child…

"IT'S ALL YOUR FAAAAAAAUUUULLLTTT!"

Just as Issei's fist was about to make contact with Michael once again, someone stepped in front of him.

"Wait, please!"

But the momentum of Issei's punch continued, never stopping until it reached Michael again. However, because the unknown woman had come between Issei and Micheal, Michael finally moved, stopping Issei's punch from connecting with her. Just from stopping the punch, a shockwave was created that echoed across the temple grounds, just as all of Issei's punches towards Michael had done before.

"Please, whatever you do, you mustn't harm this person…for your own sake and for hers. If you do, you may curse yourself until your last day…"

Issei's Boosted Gear had steam emerging from its metallic knuckles and was struggling against the gentle, yet iron-like grip of Michael. Despite trying his best to retract his fist, Issei couldn't. What snapped him out of his incoherent state was the very same stranger that was defending Micheal, who he himself was defending back.

"...Is that you….? Marie…. "

The trembling of Issei's body as well as his struggling fist, suddenly ceased. He looked down at the woman in front of him.

"...Just now, what did you say…?"

The woman didn't answer, as her eyes were caught on the cross hanging around Issei's neck. The look in her eyes…it was as if she was familiar with it. And now, there was a realization that left her with only horror and pain.

"Hyoudou Issei."

While still maintaining his grip on Issei's Boosted Gear with one hand, Michael placed his other hand on the woman's shoulder.

"It is this person who I have brought you here to meet today. This person…."

Michael, with a bleeding nose and bleeding lip, looked at Issei with earnest eyes.

"The mother of the girl named Marie Bellerose."

.

.

"...What?"


Mother

A few minutes after Issei had attacked Michael, the group of four moved into the shrine.

Michael and his companion were on one end of the room, Issei was sitting across from them, with Akeno off to the side of both. She was the "mediator" after all. Or at least, she was intended to be. At this point, however, the encounter had certainly gone south. It was only by the grace of the confusion racking Issei's brain that nothing else violent occured.

As of currently, Issei could only sit there in silence across from the two, dumbfounded by the claim made by Michael. He knew however, that it wasn't impossible by any means. Marie seldom spoke in detail about the sisters of her home church. She mentioned them many times in passing, but according to Marie's own account, she was an orphan. She didn't know her parents because they died when she was young. The sisters of the church raised her after that, but she never claimed any of them was her mother….

No, now that he thought back to it, there was something there…


"Ah, but then, sister Elise told me that it wasn't true! So I had no idea what to think!"

"Sister Elise? Is that the one who taught you how to dance or whatever?"

"Non, non, that was sister Esmeralda! Sister Elise is the one who taught me science, and how to tie my hair."

"Ah, geez. That's way too many to remember, dammit! Just tell me the name of the one who raised you!"

"The one who raised me…? Well, all of the sisters raised me technically, so..."

"Really? You can't think of any of those sisters that stand out? Like a proper guardian?"

Issei could see her thinking for a moment, as if hesitant to admit anything.

"Well…. It's just that…if I were to admit that any of them were like my "mother," wouldn't that just be discrediting all of the rest? I mean, I loved them all equally so… I'm just not sure I can say it."

"In that case, I won't force you. If you loved them all and they loved you, that's really all that matters."

"What a turnaround! ...You're always so understanding when it comes to family, Écaille… Teehee, I love that considerate part of you! But I suppose you're right! Love is all that matters, so explaining what each of them means to me shouldn't be a big deal anyway. Besides…rather than explaining it, I'd prefer if you met them face to face one day instead."

"Huh? Oh, you're out of your mind if you think I'm ever steppin' into that big, old, ugly church of yours in France. In fact, I think I'd burst into flames."

"Whaaaaat?! Rouen is NOT ugly! On the contrary, it's a GORGEOUS place! It might have been rebuilt, but it still retains most of its original majesty! All of France is the EPITOME of beauty, in fact! Besides..! D-Don't you think it would be nice to…t-to spend some time together in my homeland!? J-J-Just the two of us….."

"No."

"Waaaaaaah! Why are you always so cruueeeel?!"

Issei rolled his eyes at the overdramatic crying from Marie, at first. But for whatever reason, the more that time passed, he found it more difficult to do so. He didn't know why, but the sound of it seemed to bother him more than it used to, even when he was aware of how exaggerated it was. As a result, in order to ease the nagging feeling in his chest, he conceded.

"H…Hey.."

Issei awkwardly poked Marie's side in a manner that was unlike him. When Marie looked up at him, he had his face turned away.

"Uh… You know, why don't we make a deal…? If, say, um… Let's, uh, defeat Genesis by the end of this summer… Let's do that, so that we can be free to do whatever we want before your birthday comes up again. So that way, when your birthday month comes around, we can…you know, we can ask Oji-san and Obaa-san to take us to France for a winter vacation as a family…or something. And, uh…. You and I can, uh… you know, we can…hang out. Visit your hometown or church or whatever… You know? Uh.."

"Écaille… you…"

Marie leaned in to get a good look at Issei's face, but he turned away further. However, she didn't fail to notice the redness growing on his cheeks and his ears.

And so, with an elated smile, Marie clung onto Issei's arm and agreed.

"Oui, mon amour! It's a deal! We'll defeat Genesis! We'll do it for the sake of love!"

"Oy, oy, w-what do you mean by love!? Think about how you phrase things, you big-boobied foreigner! You're letting your inner hairy Frenchman come out! It's causing a scene!"

"I-I'm not a Frenchman! And I-I shave my body! T-T-That's just a rude stereotype!"

But her smile was still there, ever present within his memories.


"Kuh..!"

Issei's teeth grinded against each other to the point of almost cracking. He was angry. But this wasn't an anger born from hatred, it wasn't "rage." It was frustration. So much frustration in fact, that there were tears threatening to escape from his eyes. Why? Why was this happening? This wasn't the usual reaction that he expected from himself.

It didn't take long for Issei to realize that it was Michael's fault. The appearance of Michael has completely destabilized him. He wanted to scream, cry, tear, break, destroy… But all that these feelings did was frustrate him.

—Because he knew that, no matter how much he vented, it didn't matter. Even if he did let loose all of his pain and suffering onto Michael, what difference would it make? Nothing. In the end, Marie was still dead. An object of some of his hatred, which he could consider as the "source" of all his problems due to his malignant curse, God, was still dead.

Perhaps if not for the curse of the Sekiryuutei, Issei's parents would still be alive, and Marie would still be out there somewhere. And yet, he couldn't resolve the anger this thought caused him, because God was dead. And Marie was too. They were both dead, and there was nothing Issei could do about it. Michael's appearance only solidified the fact that Issei's truest target of blame was nowhere to be found in this world.

This sense of powerlessness, this sense of helplessness towards his own circumstances frustrated Issei to no end. And that's why, like a child who's run out of options, he could do nothing but grit his teeth and hold back his tears.

..All that he had left now…was the Khaos Brigade..

"Hyoudou Issei.."

"Shut up! Don't speak to me…"

Michael looked down at Issei's hip where there was a sword with a strap attached at the waist.

"I see you have brought the Excalibur which belonged to Marie Bellerose just like we asked of you.."

"Don't..! Don't you dare…say her name! You bastard…"

Hearing Issei's strained voice and watching his head cower caused Michael more pain than any of Issei's harsh comments. While gripping his knees tightly, Issei once again assaulted Michael with his frustrations, but now through words alone.

"It's because of you..! Because of your "heavenly" Father, I've suffered all of this time…! My parents, the people of Kuoh…! Because of your bastard children from hell and earth, so many have suffered! Because of all of your institutions and churches, Marie was…! She was..! Treated like garbage! Treated as if she was an untalented, good-for-nothing coward! She was sent off to die in a far away country, against a group of monsters like Genesis! And she did! She died for what she believed in! She died for the sake of her duty, for the sake of innocent people! For the sake of redeeming her name from the slander of her OWN FUCKING CHURCH! And it was the exact same with Asia! You bastards abandoned her because she was simply too kind to let a Devil die on her doorstep! You admonished her for her charity, and you called her a witch! You tossed her aside like she was a broken fucking TOOL! — It's you! It's always been you! BECAUSE OF YOU!"

The sadness of Michael's expression increased and shame was apparent in his eyes.

"Don't you dare look at me with those eyes! What right do you have to be sad?! You have no right to look at me like that! You have no right to look at me with such pity, as if you had no blame to take! You..! You— IF NOT FOR ALL OF YOU, THEY—"

But Issei's words caught in his throat and the air of the shrine grew still.

Because during Issei's ramblings, Michael had lowered his forehead and pressed it to the ground, essentially prostrating himself.

"...I am sorry…"

And that was all he said.

It was all he needed to say. It was all that Issei needed to hear in order to break down even further. His teeth grinded against each other harshly from overwhelming frustration, but his eyes watered for the same reason. Eventually, Issei again found that he could do nothing to alleviate his pain. And so, his quiet, frustrated tears continued to pour out.

Michael, seeing as there was little chance for recourse, opted to revert to his original objective.

"...Since the incident with Kokabiel, the Church of man had decreed that all Excalibur be obtained or collected from their users and then destroyed, with the exception of a single one that is in the possession of…an agent of Heaven. I'm sure this decree must've included that Excalibur as well. Though, the church or Rouen has been searching for that child's Excalibur for a long while, considering that it wasn't present alongside her corpse when it was discovered.. You were the one who returned her, weren't you?"

Michael's eyes widened in shock when he noticed Issei's almost psychotic, deadly glare of anger. The boy's voice seeped out from his mouth like a nasty growl.

"HEAVEN WILL CRASH DOWN TO THE EARTH BEFORE I HAND THIS OVER TO ANYONE.."

For a moment, Michael's worries began to worsen. Perhaps this Sekiryuutei truly was as unhinged as the church academy stationed in Nagoya described him. Switching from one emotionally distressed mood to an enraged other, his entire existence presented itself as a ticking time bomb. And from the looks of it, the fuse had already been lit, it was just stagnant. As if the spark was frozen in time, just waiting for the right opportunity to release the flame and set itself off.

But even so, he is still the current Sekiryuutei, employed in allyship with the Devils. If an alliance is to be established and a peace is to be brokered, then he couldn't be dismissed as a vital component, let alone ignored. All that Michael could do for now is placate him, and perhaps even seek his forgiveness through good gestures. It was exactly this that he came here to do today.

"...I am not asking you to return the blade, nor will I allow any of those associated with the Church to pursue you or the sword. That blade belongs to you now. I'm sure that it was that child herself which gifted it to you. It is yours by right… What I stated was merely an observation, that is all. It was not a request. I've no right to ask that of you. In fact, we came here today in order to do the opposite."

Michael turned his eyes to the woman beside him, the woman which appeared to be listless and wrought with depression. He needed to place a gentle hand on her shoulder in order to gather her attention, as she was simply sitting idly and staring emotionlessly at the box before her.

"Sister Isabella… It is time. If you would, please."

Michael's gentle touch returned the woman to her senses. The box in front of her was just a regular moving box, yet she was holding onto it with such care that one could assume it was her most prized possessions contained within. The truth was not so far from that, only the "subject" was.

'Sister Isabella..? This is that woman?'

That name was certainly familiar to Issei. Marie mentioned that name just as often as the rest. He knew it well enough to recognize that this person must've been the one who taught Marie how to swim, a story that Marie had regaled him with before. Now there wasn't a question as to how she identified Marie's necklace.

Why she was here and what was contained within the box were Issei's most pertinent questions. And most of all, why on earth did Michael refer to her as Marie's "mother?" What made this woman different from all of the other sisters?

"..!"

As the woman opened the box, Issei had a silent epiphany. He understood what was contained in the box right before it was opened, and his mind had constructed a theory surrounding Isabella's identity as well.

"Our purpose for summoning you here today —- is this. These items, we have come to turn them over to you."

—Just as Issei had expected, the items contained within the box —- were none other than Marie's belongings.

"These are that child's only belongings, retrieved from her home within the Church grounds of Rouen. This box contains her most prized possessions, as collected by Sister Isabella herself. We offer them to you, as a sign of goodwill, and also…as a gesture for forgiveness. On behalf of the children of my Father, our Lord, I ask that you take this request for forgiveness. Perhaps, in our mutual understanding, you can find it within yourself to look past the transgressions committed against that child in the past. With this, I can return to you what is rightfully yours, as once belonged to her. This was done in agreement with the Church of Rouen, who have also come to realize the error of their ways. They also seek the forgiveness of the Sekiryuutei and those who were once closely associated with that child…. On their behalf, and on behalf of all the children of Our Father, I beg your forgiveness, Hyoudou Issei."

With a weak push, Isabella slid the box in Issei's direction, which he reached out for and pulled close as Isabella and Michael bowed their heads. He could not see their solemn gesture, as he was absorbed with the contents of the box.

Marie's belongings… Her most prized possessions… Some clothing which appeared to be an old exorcist uniform. A wooden Rosario that must've been her first as a child, as well as a ragged, brown bunny plush. A pink tulip which must have wilted ages ago. And finally, a photo portraying a young Marie alongside five other Sisters. Even without being told the context, Issei immediately recognized that photo as the commemoration of Marie's acceptance into Rouen's Exorcism program. Her Excalibur Blessing was still too large for her arms and her uniform didn't fit her yet. She was wearing the widest, giddiest smile Issei had ever seen and the Sisters were surrounding her with love, hardly even squishing into the frame together as if fighting over dominance of proximity with the child they all loved equally.

"Ha…"

For a moment, Akeno caught a glimpse of an expression that she's never seen on Issei before. Perhaps an expression that no one has ever seen before. Tears built at the rims of his eyes, but a strained smile etched on his face, as if he was finding beauty through all of the unbearable pain.

"...When I found that girl, I was only two years older than she was in that photograph. It was when I was twelve years old…"

—Shockingly, Isabella's weak voice came out, unprovoked. Whatever she might say, even if it were to have a negative effect, Michael had no intention of stopping her. He and the rest of them could only listen.

"...A man infected with a disease, perhaps leprosy or a pox of some sort; he came and knocked on the doors of the Church late at night. I had finished putting the other children in the orphanage wing to sleep. When I heard the knocking, I came to the door and opened it to find the man lying on the steps with something completely wrapped in cloth in his arms… He begged me to take the infant from him. He was brought into the medical wing of the church to be treated, but he was too far gone. He died that same night. It was discovered that the reason he was infected was because of some hex or supernatural curse of some kind, likely caused by a witch. It must've been the reason he came to a church instead of going to a hospital… He looked me in the eyes before dying and said: "Let her be known by the maiden name of her mother, Bellerose…. My child, her name is Marie.." His final words, he used them to tell me the child's name. After that, he was buried in the church cemetery. The child, she…"

Isabella struggled to speak, as if something was caught in her throat.

"...She was crying when her father died, as if she somehow knew what had happened. None of the Sisters knew how to calm her. Eventually, they handed her off to me…. I-In my arms, that child didn't cry… She never cried, not when I was holding her. If it was anyone else, she was loud and easily upset. But whenever I held her, she was….. After a certain point past her infancy, the task of caring for her was left entirely to me, despite how young I was. I was assisted by other Sisters older than me, but day and night alike, she was my responsibility. My task. My burden… Mine…"

Soon, Isabella's words crawled out with a constant choke and her tears began to wet the wooden floors of the shrine's polished interior. Even so, she struggled against her own heartbreak.

"That's right… She was just a burden. A task that I was given. T-That's the truth… We were never even that close to begin with. She never loved me and I never…. I n-never—"

"—You're going to deny her..?"

To perhaps even his own surprise, Issei's voice escaped his lips.

"...Even in death, are you going to deny her? That girl…. She deserved to be loved. She deserved to be adored, to be respected. You of all people should know…. And yet, you're going to deny your love for her just to avoid your pain..? Even with all of the sorrow, even with all of the hurt….I have never denied anyone. I refuse to…. Because even if it hurts, I know that I still love them. And I cannot stop loving them just to save myself…"

It was then that Issei finally noticed the most important detail in Marie's photograph. Isabella was the Sister holding Marie the closest, in an almost possessive and protective manner.

"Isabella-san…. Are you going to deny her, all just to save yourself…?"

At that moment, Isabella's eyes shot up towards the cross hanging from Issei's neck, which he held tightly in his hand. A vice grip filled with his love, one that he'll never release.

And in seeing this, Isabella could hold it in no longer. With a clutch at her chest that made it appear as if her heart was breaking apart into pieces, she collapsed onto the shrine floor. And her lamentation, so sudden and powerful that even Issei jumped, was finally released.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Marieeee! My Marie! My beautiful flower! My innocent, little butterfly! My everything! Why!? Why, Lord?! Why did you take her?! Why did you take her away from me!? Why did you punish me?! What have I done?! Oh, Lord, why?! Aaaaah!"

—Issei could only sit in silent astonishment as the tears fell from his cheeks. And inevitably, as Isabella's cries echoed through the shrine, his eyes were glued to the photograph below him.

All of this time, since the moment of Marie's death, he had constantly asked himself: "Will the church ever regret what they've done to her? Will there even be anyone else to miss her? Will I be the only one to mourn her death..?"

How foolish of him. How egotistical he must have been to assume that he was the only one who had lost her. For him to think that he was the only one suffering, as if he was the only person that mattered in her life. He felt ashamed. Of course there were those who cared for her, even within the Church. How could that not be? She was the most amazing, kind, and beautiful soul that Issei had ever encountered. How could he have been the only one mourning? How could he have been the only one who felt such unbearable pain through that loss?

There was no doubt in his mind. This person, Sister Isabella, was undoubtedly Marie's "mother." Even if Marie refused to acknowledge it out of respect for the other Sisters that she loved, the truth was obvious. She wasn't an orphan… Her mother was right here…

But now that he was forced to listen to Isabella's unbearable wails, somewhere inside of himself, he wished that he truly was the only one suffering this pain.

And so, as Michael gently comforted the sobbing woman, Issei nudged the box forward.

"...I can't take this…"

For a moment, Isabella's cries hitched.

"...All of these items, they….. They belong with her mother, with her "family," not someone like me… Not me…. It belongs with you. All of it belongs with you… Even…"

Beyond any belief, Issei reached for Marie's cross and hesitantly removed it from his neck. He held it out with a shaky, open palm.

"...Even this…."

"—!"

Despite his shock, Michael retrieved the cross from Issei's hand and brought it close to Isabella. But she kept her head low and refused to move her body off the floor. Her meek voice bounced off from wooden panels touching her cheek.

"...Please… If anything, please, just take these away from me….. I cannot stand to look at any of it any longer…. Any more of it and I will…. Please, I beg of you…. If anything, please, take it all away from me…"

"...It won't get rid of the pain."

"Please!"

Despite Issei's warning, Isabella did not relent. At the very least, her pain was far too great for her to be in possession of these items. Issei understood that. Perhaps she won't deny Marie again, but these constant reminders might not relieve her pain either. In that case, Issei had no choice but to take them.

Because although Issei had been at the same low point as she had, losing all will to live and wrought with sorrow, their sorrows themselves were still different. Issei's hatred was fueled by sorrow, but at the very least, it allowed him to lose himself to his rage. But Isabella held no such motivation. She wasn't like Issei, her life experiences were completely different. She had no other wordly hatred. Without that, she was left only with the pain. It was no wonder she couldn't stand to look at any of these items any longer.

With a sigh, Michael returned Issei's cross to him. However, right before handing it over, Michael clasped his palms together over the cross. A light leaked out from between his fingers and then subsequently faded away.

"Here. Take this blessing. May it protect and guide you as if it were her very spirit."

Issei retrieved the cross and observed it closely, but noticed no physical differences. After placing it around his neck again, he looked at the quiet Sister holding her head down.

"...Michael. You said you were asking for forgiveness?"

Michael was concerned that Issei's response wasn't going to be a positive one, and considering the boy's dimly lit eyes and scowl, that was likely the case.

"...You want forgiveness? Why don't you ask her first? I'll give my answer when she gives hers."

Briefly, but eventually, Isabella's voice came out again in a low tone. Even now, she'd refused to raise her head any further.

"...There is nothing to forgive. Michael-sama has never wronged me…. I have no right to deny him forgiveness for anything….. He is the Lord's great blessing, he has done me no wrong…"

"..And the Church?"

The Sister paused at Issei's question.

"...Michael-sama…. I can bear it no longer. I want to leave this place….. please.."

Even with this response, the answer was clear.

"You heard her, Archangel. There's our answer."

Inevitably, Michael conceded with a sigh.

"...Yes, I see…. Perhaps then…. Perhaps there's only that…. I might have to allow that creature to…. Haah…"

Michael muttered to himself and sighed once again. Eventually, he supported Isabella to her feet and began to walk her out of the shrine, but not without one last word from Issei.

"..Oy, I still have questions to ask you, Archangel. You better come back."

"I'm afraid not. I already did not have much time before coming here. And now that I've spent so much time here, I have even less so. My objective was simply to relay these items to you on behalf of Sister Isabella and her brethren from Rouen, and offer them as recompense. It was a unanimous decision from all of her fellow Sisters to send her. I am glad that I was here to support her. But for now, this is the most that I can do. If you have anything more to ask of me, please ask me during the conference."

Michael's response irritated Issei, but he left it alone out of consideration for Isabella. She wasn't in any state to witness more conflict. Michael left Issei with one last thing.

"Hyoudou Issei…. The Viceroy of the Fallen-Angels as well as your Maou had offered a suggestion. If you wish to increase your strength, combine the Excalibur with your Sacred Gear. It should be possible with enough willpower. In nature, they are compatible powers…. And in that manner, you may always hold it close to you."

With that, Michael departed, but not the same way he left. After that, the only two left in the shrine were Akeno and Issei.

"...I will brew us some tea."

"..."


Orphans

For ten minutes now, long after the departure of Michael, Issei and Akeno sat together in silence. The entire time, they drank tea without saying a word. Issei pondered Michael's suggestion of combining his gear with Excalibur Blessing, but ultimately, he decided against it. Despite what Michael said, none of Marie's belongings are his own. He doesn't pretend to believe that he owns. They are, and always will be, Marie's things. He will never claim them as his own. If he did, they would mean nothing at all…

In the silence, Issei sifted through the contents of Marie's box. Eventually, he landed on Marie's photograph and stuck with it.

In fact, it wouldn't be inaccurate to say that Issei simply couldn't remove his eyes from the photo. He just stared at it, progressively shifting through different moods the longer he gazed, until he eventually felt that familiar hollowness again.

"...That girl, her name was Marie Bellerose, wasn't it?"

Akeno snapped Issei out of his longing with her unexpecteded question.

"...Yeah."

"And she was the object of your affection, wasn't she?"

"...That's right.."

"She was an orphan too, it seems.."

"No… She had a mother."

"That Sister? Perhaps... But you and I both know that it doesn't compare to the love of one's biological mother."

Issei's eyes darted at Akeno with a glare, but she continued sipping her tea unbothered. He asked her in a threatening tone.

"Do you have something you want to say to me, Himejima?"

Akeno paused from drinking her tea and chuckled. The life in her eyes was barely there.

"Himejima…. Yes, that is my name. The name of my mother. Just like that girl's… My one and only mother….. The mother who was taken from me.."

For a moment, Issei's rage subsided. Now he understood the meaning behind the girl's words. She was also an orphan, but unlike Marie, she knew her mother, just as Issei did. Her mother, who judging by her words, was killed.

"Say, did you know, Ise-kun? Did you know that even though I'm a Devil, I'm also a Fallen-Angel?"

She finally openly admitted it. Issei placed his tea on the low table in front of him, knowing that this wasn't going to be a simple exchange.

"...Yeah, even without the intersecting of our pasts, I knew it. It was obvious from the start that you weren't only a Devil. And the same is true for the white kitten too. Although in her case, I'm less familiar with whatever's there."

Akeno couldn't help but chuckle at the futility of it.

"Yes, of course…. It was obvious in every way…. Even though I tried to hide it, there was no possible way to conceal the truth. Least of all from you…. Which means that you were only ever beating around the bush about it in consideration of me… How unexpectedly kind of you."

Issei then said something which surprised Akeno.

"I still meant what I said before. Himejima, it's a beautiful name."

Akeno smiled. Her smile contained all of her sadness.

"Thank you…. It is beautiful, isn't it? That name is my pride and joy. I'm sure it's the same for you…. Everything beautiful about me came from my mother…"

"...And your father?"

Akeno's face contorted into a distasteful frown. Silently, she stood up and undressed part of her Miko outfit, allowing her wings to unfurl from her backside.

Foom!

But of course, it wasn't any regular pair of Devil wings. As expected, it was a pair of wings consisting of a single Devil's wing and a single Fallen-Angel's wing.

"...Do you see this unsightly thing? This ugly wing is the symbol of my dirtied blood. It is this that ties me to my accursed bloodline. —My father was a Fallen-Angel leader named "Barakiel." He's an existence mentioned in the bible…. My mother, she was just a regular human. She was a shrine maiden. During a battle with an enemy force, my father was injured, and found himself crashing in front of the shrine that belonged to my mother's family. There, my mother treated him, and from the bond they formed that day, I was born as a result…."

Akeno turned back to Issei wearing an expression ridden with shame and disgust.

"Now do you truly see this foul existence that I am? You've confirmed it with your own eyes….. Tell me, Ise-kun, does it repulse you?"

Issei did not respond.

"...It does, doesn't it? You have always harbored a deep hatred for all things supernatural, haven't you, Ise-kun. Your entire life was ruined by creatures like Devils, Fallen-Angels, and others…. If none of us had ever existed, Asia's life would never have fallen to pieces, you and your family would have lived happy lives, and my mother as well would still be… Surely, you of all people could hold nothing but distaste for me. Not only am I partly composed of the sullied blood from the sly, untrustworthy Fallen-Angels, but I am also a Devil as well…. I am everything that you despise. Isn't that right?"

Issei sat there in silence, not even turning towards Akeno's direction. His thoughts lingered on her words.

'Everything that I despise, huh…?'

In the cup of his tea, he noticed only his still reflection. But when he spun his cup, he saw the ripples of his traumatic memories swirling around within it.

'...And yet, why is it that I can see so many others who dare to call themselves "human beings" just like me in here?'

Then, Issei had a thought spurred on by a flash of memory.

"Himejima. Tell me something…. How did your mother die?"

"—!"

Taken aback by his question, Akeno hesitated to answer.

"...Why do you ask that?"

"Does it have anything to do with those men, those humans who captured you in the forest that day?"

Akeno went silent. Even without confirmation, Issei knew that he was right on the dot.

"...You have quite an intuition for these things, Ise-kun."

"Of all the things that I'm familiar with in this world, it's murderers and victims of tragedy that I'm most familiar with. No matter how hidden, I can still sniff it out, whether I like it or not…"

Akeno chuckled morbidly.

"I see….. Well, you're correct. It does involve those people…. In fact, it's those very same people that murdered my mother, just as you suspected….. My mother's very own family."

It was this revelation, as well as the succeeding explanation that left Issei speechless.


You see, Ise-kun, my mother's family wasn't happy with what she had done. When they learned of her relationship with my father, they thought she was brainwashed. But when she revealed the truth, that she loved him, they repudiated her. They said that what she had done was heresy, an insult that could not stand.

That's why, one day, when my father was away, they sent their own practitioners to my home. Their objective was to kill me and my father, therefore punishing my mother for what she'd done. But things didn't go according to plan. My father was nowhere to be found, only my mother and I. And so, they opted to complete at least half of their objective: to kill me.

It was their revenge towards my father, who had defeated them once before during a previous attempt on his life.

However, my mother refused to hand me over for execution. No matter what, she wouldn't allow them to kill me. Even after they pried her away from me and tossed her aside, she never allowed their arrows to reach me…. Never….

"Fools! What have you done?! Our orders from Suou were to retrieve Shuri and kill the other two!"

"We were aiming for the child! She was the one that moved!"

—Before I knew it, my mother was embracing me, and for a moment, I thought everything was alright.

….But then I felt the warmth of her blood running down my chest.

"O…Okaa-sama?"

And I could just barely see the arrows sticking out from her backside.

"Akeno."

Yet despite that, my mother never stopped smiling.

"No matter what happens, promise me that you'll remain at your father's side… Love your father, as he has loved you. Don't let our family be torn apart with my absence. Live happily, and preserve whatever love you have in your heart, not hatred or sadness…. Remember that I will always be with you…. I love you."

….And even after she was gone, my mother didn't let me go…

"What should we do?"

"Well, first, we— GUHA!"

"What?!"

"It's the Fallen-Angel! Kill him!"

There must have been the sounds of cutting, stabbing, and tearing all throughout the shrine I called my home, but I didn't hear any of it. With my ear against my mother's fallen body, I could only hear her heartbeat come to an inevitable stop…

Eventually, when the silence won, there was blood everywhere around me. I heard my father's footsteps approaching from behind and I felt the impact of him falling to his knees, as well as the pin drop sound of his tears touching the floor.

"Shuri… No, Shuri… My dear…"

As my father reached out for my mother's corpse and my world fell apart, I found nothing but anger fueling the sorrow in my spirit.

"DON'T TOUCH HER!"

"...A-Akeno..?"

"IT'S YOUR FAULT! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT! YOU DID THIS TO HER! BECAUSE YOU'RE A FALLEN-ANGEL! BECAUSE YOU AND I ARE MONSTERS, THEY KILLED OKAA-SAMA! IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF YOU!"

"I HATE YOU!"


A heavy silence hung in the air after Akeno's story. Inevitably, the only thing to break it was the sound of her quiet sobbing.

"Ever since then, I've cursed my father and this filthy blood inside of me…. You see, Ise-kun, the truth is, I'm not a kind or strong person… I'm not so kind or strong as you are, to be able to blame myself for what happened…. No, not me…. I needed someone else to blame… Otherwise, I'd surely fall apart and be lost to my despair forever… And what better to blame than the very thing which led to the death of my mother, that thing which corrupts the blood running through my veins… They killed my mother because of our nature as foul creatures. Creatures who manipulate and abuse others for their own gain, just as Raynare and her allies once did. All because of beings like us, other innocents are punished for our sins…. That was the case for your family, and it was the same for mine…. Isn't that right, Ise-kun?"

Issei said nothing. Instead, he stood from where he sat and approached the confused Akeno wordlessly.

"...Ise-kun?"

The sudden approach caused Akeno to step back and almost trip over herself, but Issei prevented that by silently bringing her into an unexpected, yet gentle embrace.

"...I-Ise-kun…?"

For a moment, he didn't speak. Not until he tightened his embrace ever so warmly.

"—You didn't do anything wrong…. None of you did. Not you, not your mother, and not even your father. Not one of you did a single thing wrong. You were just a family trying to live a simple, happy life… There was no sin in that, there was no wrongdoing. There is no sin in existing. You were just the victims of circumstances beyond your control, punished by those who had no reason to punish you. You suffered needlessly at the hands of evil men who made their own decisions for their own purposes, none of which you or your family ever had a hand in. You didn't deserve any of it and you never did anything that brought it upon you, nor did your family. Your existence alone is not enough of a reason to cause suffering. There's nothing wrong with you existing or being yourself at all. However you wish to live your life, that is your decision, and that is your right as a being born into this world. It is no one's right to make you suffer simply because of what you are or the position you're in. You needn't suffer for someone else's beliefs.."

Akeno stuttered, having no defense against Issei's sudden assault of comfort.

"...I-I.."

"You're afraid. I know…. Afraid of the idea of blaming yourself. It's a reality you can't live with, a truth you can't accept. But that's alright. Because you don't need to accept it. There's no blame for you or your family to take. So let go of that hatred. Not against those who wronged you, but for those who didn't. Remember your mother's promise. Don't let your family fall apart with her death. Honor her memory, her wish. Find happiness. Forgive your father and forgive yourself. Because even though you say you don't blame yourself, your heart does. Otherwise, you wouldn't feel such disgust with who you are. But that isn't what your mother wanted. That's why…"

Ise pulled away enough to see Akeno's tear-ridden face. He smiled kindly and brushed a single strand of hair out of her eyes.

"Accept yourself. Whatever you wish to live as, whether that be Rias Gremory's Queen, a Fallen-Angel, or just "Akeno Himejima," it's more than good enough. As long as you are yourself. —Because I'm sure your mother simply loved you for all that you were, as any parent would, Akeno."

At that moment, Akeno must have felt something she had never felt before. A feeling which lifted her heart, a liberating feeling. As if she no longer felt the burden of guilt sitting on her soul, her body felt lighter and her heart was filled with something more. Just like that, the endless stream of tears continued and she gave herself to Issei's embrace fully.

"Ise-kun!"

And so, like a lost child who had just been found after countless years of wandering alone, she wept gratefully into Issei's chest. And Issei simply stood there and waited. Somewhere in his own heart, he must have felt a sense of relief.

His words to Akeno...might have been the words he was waiting to hear from someone else, all this time... Words that he believes he might never hear again.

Even so, that was fine… He didn't need to save himself. He just needed to save that lonely child trapped in that forest all those years ago. And finally, he did….


Part 4

After some time, Akeno had ceased her weeping. Now, she and Issei were sitting beside each other with Akeno resting her head against Issei's shoulder. She had asked if it was alright to use him for physical support after crying so much and Issei didn't mind. He knew very well how weak one could feel after lamenting.

"...Today has been very eventful for both of us, hasn't it, Ise-kun?"

"You're tellin' me."

"...Ise-kun?"

"What is it?"

"..Earlier, you told me to— to forgive my father… But I don't know if I can do that… I'm still afraid after all…"

"It's alright to be afraid. It's a given. But that fear only arises when you care about something. You're afraid because you care about your father. You love him. And even more than that, you miss him, and regret being so far apart for so long. That's why you're afraid. You're afraid that you've destroyed that bond forever; that it's a bond that can never be repaired. But that isn't true. The love between a parent and their child can never be destroyed, not really. That's why, it's alright if you forgive him. Because when you see him again, he will forgive you too. And in that understanding, you'll both be able to forgive yourselves."

"...How can you be sure he'll forgive me..?"

"He is your father. No matter what, no matter how long it's been, he will wait for you. He will love you, and he will forgive you…. And if he doesn't, then I'll beat him into a pulp and you can be adopted by my family instead. We'll just leave a prayer note to your mom at a shrine somewhere that says "sorry, we tried."

Akeno giggled unexpectedly.

"Ufufu, I never knew you could make jokes like that, Ise-kun. You're always so serious."

"I can be funny…sometimes."

"So I see."

They both took a sip of their now cold tea.

"...Ise-kun."

"Yeah?"

"Thank you.."

"No problem."

"After how coldly I've treated you up to this point, I'm glad that we were able to become friends."

"..You mean we weren't friends before?"

"Ufufufu, it's rare to see you with a troubled expression. It makes me wonder what you look like when you're really vulnerable. For some reason, I'm interested in seeing it now…. But perhaps you're right. Maybe "friends" isn't the correct term for us now."

"Oy, you said something pretty concerning there at first."

"Hmm, maybe instead of friends… "partners?"

"—No. I'd refrain from using that one."

"Ara, you shot that down so quickly. But if that's no good then… That leaves me with a small amount of choices for words. Rias has already reserved the "best friend" title. Though, I'm not sure it's in her best interests. And I'm not sure you're ready for any of the other ones I've thought of. Maybe it's too early to tell? What do you think, Ise-kun?"

"I think you know something I don't and it's unsettling me, especially after what you said earlier."

"Ara ara, am I disturbing you? Perhaps I'll get to see you making an embarrassed face after all then… Say, Ise-kun, this may seem random but… If you don't mind me asking… How do you feel about all of the other club members? The girls in particular."

"The other girls..? I mean, they're all fine, I suppose."

"Just fine? You have no special thoughts about any of them?"

"...What are you getting at?"

"Nothing. I'm simply curious as to how you view everyone after all this time."

"...Well, if you must know… I guess I'd say I'm fine with everyone as people. Koneko-chan is quiet but she's a nice girl. We get along as well as any regular pair of silent loners would. She also surprisingly eats a lot despite her size."

"Yes, despite her appearance, she is quite the glutton."

"Rias is childish, naive, and overbearing, but she's still a good person. She cares about her comrades and is considerate of others when she wants to be... But she's too aggressive. She needs to get her mind out of the gutter."

"Ufufu, but isn't it so cute to see her being jealous of Asia-chan? I grew up with her, so I've gotten to see many sides of her personality, including all of the childish ones, but the envy you curse her with is new to me. But who would've thought she was such a perverted girl? Perverted enough to make you unsettled, ufu."

"Yeah…. Anyway, Xenovia is…. I don't care for that girl very much, to be honest, but I can't say that I dislike her, only her way of thinking. Realistically, I don't know if we could be friends. Not any time soon… As for Raynare, well, she's my star pupil. Although, I only have two pupils including Gasper. She's got good qualities. She's a quick learner, she's tenacious, she makes up for her mistakes, and she's still willing to put up with my shit despite what I've done to her. She's a good girl— er, lady…"

"Ara, so you really don't hold a grudge against her for what happened with Asia then?"

"...She's changed. She's tried her best to atone for what she's done… Also, Asia has already forgiven her, so what right do I have to keep holding a grudge at this point?"

"I see… Maybe you're right. I've always held a sense of contempt towards her, but…perhaps that was just an extension of my disdain towards Fallen-Angels… Maybe she does deserve a second chance."

"I think so too. Besides…with all of the terrible things I've done, I don't really have a right to judge her anymore than myself…. As for Asia? Well, it's Asia. I'd have a far more difficult time pointing out the qualities that I don't like about her."

"And as for me?"

"Oh, uh… well, you are…. I think of you as the most similar to me in nature, I guess? I mean, we're both Japanese, so there's a sense of familiarity there. Now that I think about it, you and I are the only Japanese club members… In that sense, I'm sure we have an understanding that the others might not. Plus, we're both mixed beings, I think. At this point, I can't say I'm entirely human, but that's my own fault. I wasn't really born that way, it's just the result of my own actions…. Anyway, besides that, you're, uh… you're a good girl too."

"Ufufu, a "good girl?" You might be surprised, Ise-kun."

Issei ignored the suggestive tone and took another (nervous) sip of his tea.

"So, what does Rias call you?"

"Huh? Oh, she just calls me Ise. You can do that too, if you want."

"I think I will. And you as well can call me "Akeno."

"Don't want me to stick with Himejima?"

"Mm, don't get me wrong, I'm proud of my name. I've never felt insulted or bothered when you referred to me that way. However, using each other's family names just doesn't imply familiarity, does it? Unless, you were thinking of nicknames?"

"Er.. I'm not...really good with those… At least, not when it comes to thinking of them, that is. I've always left that up to others. Mainly the girls in my life."

"Really? I was thinking of calling you "Hyo-kun." And then maybe you could call me "Hime-chan?" How does that sound? Ah, but you already call Rias "princess" so maybe not?"

"H..Hyo-kun…? N-No, please don't. I want my parents name to retain at least a little bit of dignity.."

For the first time, Issei heard Akeno's laugh.

"Ahaha, that's the first time I've seen you make such a complicated expression. I finally made you uncomfortable."

"W-Why is that such an accomplishment for you? Why were you so adamant about that in the first place?"

"It's just interesting to see a usually composed, vulgar, strong-man type character like you start to crack. It's the same with the rest of us witnessing your happy moments with your family. It adds another dimension to our perception of you, one we thought unlikely or unimaginable. If you ask me, stuff like that is what makes girls interested in men like you. Tall, strong, and mysterious, but you still have those moments where your serious demeanor falls apart against something that would trouble any other regular boy. Ufufu, I wonder if Rias has done things that have made you uneasy for the same reason."

Issei thought back to the moments in which Rias would come onto him, pressing her body against his own, causing his composure to falter.

"...She might've done something like that before.."

"I thought so. Well, on my end, I just think it's cute to see that other side of you. Of course, that doesn't mean I'm not a fan of your manly side either. In fact, there's a few times that I can think back to where your manly side impressed me. Maybe now those moments will seem even nicer in retrospect…"

Again, Issei ignored the suggestive tone and side-staring from Akeno. Although, it was going to be difficult to keep sipping the nearly empty tea cup.

"—AH—HEM!"

With probably the loudest throat clear Issei's ever heard, he noticed Rias standing outside of the shrine entrance with a dark aura surrounding her body.

"Ah."

"Ise, Akeno…. You seem to be getting along all of a sudden."

"Ara ara, looks like we've made the princess angry. All we did was finish having a heart-to-heart, Rias."

"A "heart-to-heart," eh? It looks more like a "chest-to-chest" to me from here, Akeno.."

"What are you saying, Rias? Our chests are hardly even touching. If that was my intention, I would have just done this~"

Akeno hugged Issei from his side, essentially pressing her bosom up against his pectoral. Rias, of course, was fuming. Meanwhile, Issei sweatdropped, continuing to awkwardly sip the now empty teacup.

"Ise! You already received whatever the leader of Heaven was meant to give you, right!"

"Huh? Oh, uh, yeah. He actually, uh, left quite a while ago."

"Then why did you even stay here?!"

"No, well, you see… Uh, like she said, we were having a heart-to-heart, I guess… yeah… It's hard to explain."

Rias pouted and her cheeks puffed up with air. Eventually, she stomped off in frustration.

"Hmph! Fine! Do as you please!"

After she left, Issei and Akeno were left in an awkward silence.

"Will you go after her?"

"Uh… I think I'll just let her cool down first before I catch up with her. I've never been good at dealing with kid's tantrums, aside from maybe Maki."

"Ara, Ise-kun, how harsh."

"Can't say I'm wrong though, can you?"

To that, Akeno simply took the last sip of her tea.


RIVAL

"...Hey, Azazel. We're no longer going to war?"

"Always itching to fight. That's the White Dragon Emperor for ya. You're not the type to live long."

"That's fine. As I said, I'm not interesting in living long, just in fighting strong enemies. It's a shame the God of the bible is dead. I wanted to try killing him."

"Just like you to say that. And what happens after you've beaten all of the strongest guys?"

"—Death. I've no interest in such a dull world."

"Dull… Having a "dull" world is a fantasy. Even with this incoming peace, more mayhem is bound to happen. And most of it, I believe, will stem from the two of you."

"Heh... One can only hope."


Extra


—During Issei's stay in Gasper's room.

"Alright, Gasper. Go ahead, lay one on me."

Issei pulled shirt down from one of his shoulders, exposing his neck.

"B-But… I hate blood. It tastes bitter and gross. I already struggle with drinking it from bags, I could never imagine drinking it from the source.."

"Gasper, you're a vampire. Like it or not, you've gotta get used to drinking blood at some point. What happens when there's a tough situation that can only be avoided by enhancing yourself through blood drinking?"

"Uuu… I really don't want to, but… If Sempai says so, then.."

Gasper approached Issei and stared at his exposed flesh.

"...Oy, what's with the weird staring? You look like you're about to have a panic attack."

"Eh? O-Oh, well, I've never done this before so, I–I'm nevrous…. Also, Sempai's body looks so mucsly that I'm not sure I'd be able to do it effectively."

"Oh come on, don't be ridiculous, Gasper. You're a vampire. Your teeth are literally designed to pierce through human flesh, you'll be fine. Don't be so dramatic. Just go for it."

"...O-Okay, then… If you'll excuse me.."

Finally, Gasper went in for a bite. And…

Squeeze

Issei felt his skin being pressed, but nothing else. There was no penetration.

"Uh, Gasper?"

Gasper pulled away teary eyed.

"Uweh… It's too tough.."

"S-Seriously? Damn, okay…. Well, maybe you're just not used to it since you've never done it. Maybe you need to train your teeth or bite force or something… We've gotta get you some steaks, man."

Seeing as there was no other way, Issei summoned his Boosted Gear and used the thumb of his gauntlet to puncture the skin on his neck. After some blood began to run, he motioned Gasper forward.

"Alright, there. Just deal with this for now."

"O-Okay…"

Once again, Gasper approached Issei and began sucking on his neck wound. He made a sour face.

At first.

….

….

Chu

….

"Gasper?"

Chuchu

"You, uh… You good, buddy?"

Chu.. chuchu, chu

Eventually, when the sucking became suspiciously enthusiastic, Issei pulled Gasper's head away.

"Hey, you listening?"

Gasper's face was something Issei couldn't describe. The pupils in his eyes were dilated to the max, his expression looked vacant, and his cheeks were red. Issei could only really compare it to one thing.

"...Wait, can vampires get "drunk?"

Issei sweatdropped.

"Shit…. I guess that's my fault…. Also, Gasper…. What's that uh, whatever that is up against my leg?"

"Good… Sempai… tastes good…"

"—Alright. You're cut off."

Issei picked Gasper up and tossed him into his coffin, trapping him inside by sitting on it. Gasper whined and knocked meekly from inside.

"Meeeeh… Sempai… Let me out…. I can't feel my legs.."

"Yeah, uh… That'll go away."

"Sempai… My throat is dry.."

"Sure it is… Look, Gasper, I won't judge you, but uh… Actually, let's just keep this between us."

"Sempai… I'm scared of the dark."

"Okay, see that one, I know is bullshit."

At some point, Gasper ceased his whining and seemingly fell asleep. Issei then had a thought.

"Come to think of it… Why didn't I just have him drink my arm?"


End

And that's a wrap! Alright, this is it. After this chapter, the other proceeding chapters will be coming out back to back. There might be a slight delay in updates because I'll be writing them alongside each other, but at least it means consecutive updates for you guys when they're ready. I refuse to make you wait for the arc while the action is happening after all.

Anyway, as I said before, I wanted to make this chapter short and sweet in order to seperate it from the proceeding chapters, which will be totally plot and action focused. I wanted to make the climax self contained, hopefully that more easily leaves room for you to discuss everything in this chapter. Also, how'd you like that little extra bit I added there at the end? Just a little comedy cut up all the sad shit going on lately. It was originally supposed to be in last chapter (clearly) but I didn't have enough room to fit it.

So as far as the chapter goes, what did you think? We're you surprised by Issei's reaction to meeting Michael? Did you ever expect a dive into Marie's past relationships like this in the main story? How'd that stuff with Isabella make you feel? How did you feel about the interaction between Akeno and Issei? Where do you think they stand now, relationship–wise? Why didn't Issei just use his arm…? (Idiot.)

So many questions, so little time. Well, not really, but whatever.

So tell me what you thought.

Read, rate, review, go crazy.

Stay frosty. (Hopefully soon because the world is literally burning alive right now. Including me, I'm dead.)