Of Heroes And Devils

by Dark Signer

By a strange twist of fate, Izuku finds himself flung into a world he never dreamed existed. He may be a Devil now, but that won't stop him from fulfilling his dream to be a hero! Even if he has to face villains, Fallen Angels, other Devils, and ALL THESE GIRLS WHO ARE SUDDENLY CLINGING TO HIM! (Polyamorous relationships)

4. Stray Devils and Psychotic Priests

Warning. This chapter has rather excessive explicit language(more than originally expected), violence, and sexual assault. Reader discretion is advised.

"You shouldn't ever go near a church again. Especially that one."

She was far from happy about his choice as it turned out, if the way she was currently scolding him meant anything.

He had been wondering how she would react throughout the day, a worry festering in the back of his mind even as he did his daily workout at the beach. Even All Might had taken notice, listening as the young man explained his current predicament. While the hero admitted his ignorance about the intricacies of the relationship between Devils and Angels, outside of them being natural enemies, he assured Izuku that despite the feeling the church gave him, he did nothing wrong in helping a young girl find her way.

He wasn't feeling that with how Rias was beginning to lecture him.

"Churches are incredibly hostile to us, Izu. Taking a single step inside could be disastrous for both sides. You were lucky that His angel's looked kindly on you this one time for helping one of their servants, otherwise you would have gotten attacked again, and I wouldn't have been able to save you this time."

Izuku winced at her words. He didn't think that it would get that bad. Even with the strange feelings he had been getting from that church, he didn't think he'd get attacked again.

"What you did was admirable, but you cannot affiliate yourself with anyone involved with the Church again. Especially if they're Priests or Exorcists. They are our mortal enemies," she said as she stared directly into his eyes, her own carrying an intense weight behind them. She was serious about every word she was saying. "They carry His blessing with them, they are fully capable of killing us should they need to, and they will not hesitate to do so. Especially if they have a Sacred Gear of their own," while serious, she made sure her voice was both firm and kind, not wishing to demean him for his decision, but ti make sure he understood the full weight of her words. "Luck may have been on your side this time, but you won't always be able to count on it."

Izuku gulped as her words sank in more and more.

"You escaped death's grasp by being reincarnated as a Devil, but should an Exorcist kill you, there will be nothing left. Absolute nothingness. No consciousness, no existence. Please tell me you understand."

He began shaking uncontrollably, his breath coming out in the shortest of bursts. Nothing? He would just be gone? There would be nothing for him. No afterlife of any kind. He could feel himself begin to hyperventilate as the thought seeped in more and more.

Rias was quick to notice this, embracing him to her chest in an attempt to calm him. "I know I sound harsh Izu, but I want to keep you safe. Not just as a member of my peerage, but because I made a promise."

Izuku's heart began to hammer less as he leaned into her embrace, facing her questioningly at her mention of a 'promise'.

"I swore to your mother that I would look out for you," she said with a gentle smile. The more he stared at it, the more calm he seemed to feel. "Just be sure to watch your step. That's all I ask."

He couldn't help but smile in return. He couldn't help but find comfort in her embrace. She did say that she wished for everyone in her peerage to be like family. Was this-was this what it was like to have a big sister?

"My my," a familiar voice interrupted, making Izuki's blood freeze. "I had no idea you two were so close already."

Akeno's voice brought Izuku back to reality, and he was quick to notice just where his head was. Breaking from Rias' grip, he began stammering out apologies to her, the gentle feeling of her chest lingering in his mind. All the while Akeno stood there, a cheerful grin on her face as she watched his own turn into a tomato.

"Is something wrong Akeno?" Rias asked, not at all bothered by her friend's interruption.

In an instant, Akeno's face shifted. Where once was a teasing grin now stood a face that was more serious and composed. "We've received a request. We're going hunting tonight."

---

tray Devils. He remembered what Rias had told him about them. Every now and then, one that had been reincarnated as a Devil would end up betraying or murdering their master. More often than not, they were those who got a taste of power that was once beyond their comprehension, and decided that they had no need for someone who would try and restrict them. Devils, after all, held great power, more so than any normal human, save maybe for those with truly powerful quirks. They were incredibly similar to many of those who used their quirks for villainy, deciding that the power they wield puts them above the law. And like with villains, Stray Devils left little more than death and destruction in their wake.

It was the one thing that each faction found that they fully agreed on. So whenever one was found, they were to be eliminated as swiftly as possible.

In a way, Izuku felt sympathy for them. Maybe they had been like him once, those who were changed without even knowing it. But he knew his sympathies had to be brushed aside. With everything he had learned about what they were hunting tonight, he was certain that what few sympathies he had would mean nothing.

They had received reports about people entering an abandoned building near the outskirts of the city. No one had ever been seen leaving it. It was likely that they were being lured here and killed and then ultimately devoured by the Stray.

It's how Izuku knew for sure that his sympathies would mean nothing.

Because of that, a high-ranked Devil had assigned them to take care of it. By whatever means necessary.

The group had begun making their way to the abandoned building that the Stray had been seen at. Night had already blanketed the world in darkness. The tall unkempt grass brushed against their legs as they made their approach, the sight of the building they had been assigned to investigate slowly coming into vision. One would normally have trouble seeing it, as there were no lights to be found outside of what the stars and the moon gave. But Devils had powers that most humans didn't. One of those was night vision, granting them complete clarity even in the blackest of voids.

Though the sight of the abandoned building still sent shivers up Izuku's spine. He couldn't help but think of his close call with the church the other night.

"...I smell blood," Koneko murmured, the sleeve of her school uniform now covering her nose. Judging by the way her eyes had narrowed, she wasn't fond of it.

Izuku wondered how good of a nose she had. He couldn't smell anything like that.

The more they approached the building, the more they felt a murderous presence, the silence around them almost deafening. Izuku felt his legs begin to shake, much to his shame. He hated this feeling. After everything he'd gone through over the past month, all his training, and all his work as a Devil, he felt frightened.

Everyone else looked cool and confident, standing tall as they prepared themselves to face the Stray head-on. And he stood there, as scared as he had been when he had first been attacked by that sludge villain. His arms began shaking in frustration.

"Easy there Izu," Rias spoke, reading him as easily as one would a book. He felt worse now, everyone in the peerage now knowing how scared he was. "There's no shame in being afraid. This is your first time dealing with something like this." His limbs continued to shake as he felt tears begin to bristle at his eyes. He just kept feeling worse.

He then felt a comforting hand on his shoulder. It was Rias', and she was looking at him with a calm and understanding glance. "You won't be facing this alone. You can even think of this as an opportunity to learn more about how we operate. I won't force you to fight if you don't think you can do so."

Despite her words, he didn't feel any better. "I…I want to. I need to. I can't always let you guys do everything for me." His mind went back to when Yumi defended him from one of his bullies. He was thankful for that, and many of the students had begun leaving him alone after that. As thankful as he truly was for that, he felt like he should have done something. That he should have stood up for himself instead of making someone else do it for him. He couldn't keep letting that happen if he truly wanted to accomplish his dreams.

"I understand Izu, but there's nothing wrong with having us help you. I told you before, I want us to be like a family," she told him, trying to keep a reassuring smile up to calm his nerves. "How about I tell you about we fight first?" She hoped she might be able to take his mind off what was to come, at least for a little while.

"Um, s-sure."

Rias smiled brightened just a bit, her hand still on his shoulder. "I suppose I should begin with how the Evil Piece system works. Do you remember what I told you about our history?"

He nodded in confirmation. Long ago, the three factions, the Devils, the Angels, and the Fallen Angels had been embroiled in war, kept secret from mankind. Each faction possessed incredible power, and had been using that power against each other in a long bitter war that many felt had lasted for an eternity. Resources and manpower diminished as the war went on, before finally coming to a close nearly two centuries ago, with no real winner to the war.

Each side had suffered incalculable losses, with no one having enough manpower to even have what could be called an army. Despite these severe losses, each side continued despising one another, tempers continuing to flare until it seemed like everyone would be wiped out completely. To find a way to keep themselves from being taken out by both groups, the Devils created a new system of power. One that would bolster their forces into a more elite force. The Evil Pieces.

The Devil's noble clans based it on the human game of chess, mimicking the attributes of each piece and bestowing them upon their newest servants. With that, they had decided on finding either human or other creature that piqued their interest, all in the hopes of bolstering their forces once more.

As the years passed though, they had lost sight of their original goal, as those who took the power of these Evil Pieces proved more interesting than ever imagined. It all eventually led to infighting. Since the game of chess had become popular with many Devils after the Evil Piece system had been implemented, they had come up with a way to prove their peerages power. A life-sized game of chess, one which would ultimately come to be known as the Rating Game.

Each piece had its own power. The King, Queen, Bishop, Knight, Rook, and then finally Pawn. That's roughly all he knew about them, Rias having yet to explain the finer details of the attributes of the pieces.

It didn't really help that he knew very little about the game itself.

"It's good to know that you've been paying attention Izu," she said, clearly impressed with him. She was also glad that his kind seemed to be occupied by talking about it all.

"And you're pretty clearly the King." That hadn't been difficult to put together. "So, um…" he began, his nervousness beginning to peak back through. "Wh-what piece am I?"

Rias began to respond before coming to a stop. When Izuku looked forward, he understood why.

They had arrived.

Izuku gulped, the same chill from before crept back up his spine as they entered the derelict building.

No words were said as they made their way through, not wanting to alert the Stray that they were there, the same reason they walked instead of teleporting.

Surprisingly, the inside was relatively clean. Izuku expected signs of struggle, broken tables and chairs, garbage strewn about, but he saw none of that. It looked as though several rooms had gone untouched for a long while.

The only thing they had all noticed upon entering was an incredibly pungent odor. Like rotting meat.

As soon as they entered what looked like it was once a dining area though, that all changed. Chairs that were once pristine had clearly been thrown across the room, the table that once sat proudly in the center had been caved in, leaving it near flat against the floor. That wasn't even the worst of it.

Strewn about the room were multiple sets of bones, all clearly human. Many looked like they had been stripped clean of flesh, even having teeth marks scraped against the surface, while others still had tiny pieces still clinging to them. The smell was horrific, even worse than what they had smelled before. Izuku had to try his hardest not to throw up as they continued their trek through the room, the empty eye sockets of each skull looking like they were staring at him.

"Try your best to ignore it for now," he heard Akeno tell him. One look at her showed that she was clearly unhappy with what they had found, her face lacking any kind of smile. "As soon as we finish off this monster, we can leave."

Much as he wished to, he couldn't. The smell was becoming overwhelming, and the sense of dread he had been feeling had increased exponentially. He wasn't sure if he could really do this.

Even the comforting hand Yumi had placed on his shoulder when she noticed him shivering did little to help.

"That should be the last room," Koneko said as they approached a large pair of doors. She had blocked her nose completely now. If she could smell blood while they were still far from the building, the odor in the room must have been a nightmare for her.

Izuku gulped again as Akeno slowly opened the doors, the feeling of bile still rising up his throat as they walked through the doorway.

Then he saw it. The Stray they had been sent to neutralize.

Her laughter echoed across the room, a disgusting rasp mixed in. She had the upper body of a woman, bare to the world, while the rest of her was completely inhuman, looking like a grotesque mesh of human and monster. Everything below the torso lay the body of a beast, two large and powerful looking hindlegs echoing her stomps across the room, while the two forelegs more resembled the large arms of a gorilla. Each limb ended in large claws, and finally a long serpentine tail that looked as sharp as the claws on her limbs.

This was the beast they had been sent to slay. A monster that devoured people without care.

And Izuku froze at the sight of her.

She was intimidating, her incredible size alone easily doubling All Might's height in his powered up form, possibly even bigger. The large stomps she made as she walked across the large room felt like earthquakes to him. It was all too much!

"Take it easy Izuku," he heard Rias whisper to him. He followed as the group made to hide themselves from her sight, each girl watching the creature closely.

"How odd," Yumi said suspiciously. "Shouldn't we have been noticed by now?"

"Could she be distracted by something?" Koneko asked, her lower face still hidden by her sleeve.

"It's definitely possible, but by what?" Rias asked, her eyes narrowed before they suddenly opened wide, realization sparkling through them. "No…"

Before their eyes, the Stray had picked up a squirming body in her front claws. She had managed to capture someone else before they had arrived.

In her arms was what looked like an incredibly tall woman. It was clear that she possessed a mutant quirk. Her appearance was more fox-like than human, her teal fur shining brightly even in what little light existed in the room, accentuated by her long blonde hair.

The teens watched in horror as she struggled in the Stray's grasp, her shrieks of terror being muffled by one of the creature's forelegs.

"Now now," they heard the Stray speak. Her voice was every bit as raspy as the laugh they had heard, with a hint of manic glee. "No tears. You'll spoil the taste!" She shrieked as her mouth opened wide, even wider than a normal mouth, rows of sharp teeth clear as she began raising her victim to her mouth

The fox woman shrieked again, her eyes now open as the Stray picked her up. They darted across the room, desperate to find anything, anything that would help her. Her eyes found Izuku's, blue meeting green, conveying a single message.

Help me.

"She has a hostage!" Akeno whispered, enraged at the sight.

"We'll need to move quickly," Rias said. "Izu, stay back for now and let us…Izu?" Her eyes widened as she looked to her side.

Izuku had vanished.

---

Kitsunezaki Aiko was not having what one might call a good day.

She had to deal with the usual bullying from school. Not only for her appearance, but also for the fact that she was rather shy and timid. She had wished countless times that she would not be so easily seen by others, just so she could hide from the jeers of her peers, but thanks to her impressive height, that proved to be impossible.

She had hoped that moving away from the countryside with her parents would lessen the hatred she got for her mutant quirk, but it seemed like it followed her no matter where she went. Some people could be nice, but they were always drowned out by the hate slung her way.

After having to once again retrieve her stolen school bag, she had hoped that she would be able to get home without any trouble. Unfortunately, someone had managed to steal her special train pass, leaving her to walk all the way home. This frightened her more than anything, as the news of the many attacks and murders that had been happening lately made many wary of being out on their own, but she was forced to walk regardless.

The sun had already begun to set by the time she had even gotten close, before an odd voice caught her attention. It beckoned her, promising her it could end her suffering, bring her the joy she had always longed for. Despite how much she knew she shouldn't go, she found herself walking toward the sound of the voice, her body seeming to move against her will. When she reached what she thought was the source of the voice, she had come face to face with a monster that would haunt her nightmares for years to come. She could do nothing as the creature captured her, bringing her back to its lair to do God only knows what.

And now she was here, staring the creature directly to the face as it laughed at her struggles, her body finally breaking free of whatever had possessed it to follow that strange voice. Try as she might, she was trapped, tears escaping her eyes as she fought in vain to escape its grasp.

"Now now," she heard the creature say. It's breath reeked of rotting meat, and she had noticed bones strewn about as this monster brought her to this room. She knew what was about to happen. "No tears. You'll spoil the taste!" She watched as the monster's jaw opened, unhinging itself as rows of sharp teeth came into view, just as she felt herself moving closer to her end.

Her eyes darted around the room, hoping beyond hope that she could find something, find someone! She needed help! She didn't want to die!

Her eyes focused on something she didn't see before. It was a small boy, not even looking like he was in high school yet. He looked every bit as scared as she felt. How did he get here? Did he somehow follow them? Would he be next? Even if she was about to be devoured, she didn't want him to share in her fate!

She felt the sting of the monster's breath as she neared its mouth. She closed her eyes tightly, waiting for the end.

"SMASH!"

Only to then feel herself being released. As she fell to the ground, she opened her eyes. That same boy was there, a strange red gauntlet on his arm, punching the creature with all his might. The shock alone must have been enough for her to be let go.

She landed butt first onto the ground, the soreness of the impact keeping her aware of everything, or she knew she would have fainted in shock. That boy had now landed in front of her, his arm outstretched to meet her.

"Are you okay?"

She looked at him in awe, her ears standing upright for the first time that day. This brace boy just risked his life to save her, even though he looked just as scared as she was. She reached her hand to take his, feeling a small smile blooming on her face.

"I am now."

Just as he helped her back on her feet, and she realized just how much she actually towered over him, the two heard the creature get back up. It stared at the two of them with fury, grabbing two large lances that had been kept near the wall it had been smashed into.

"Disgusting little creature," it snarled out, its full rage focused on the boy. "You dare try and rob me of my meal?! I'll see to it that this room is forever stained with your blood!"

The creature thrust its lance at the boy, who had managed to dodge it as he began running at the creature, turning to face her as he did so. "Get out of here! Find somewhere safe!"

She felt rooted in place as she watched this brave boy continue to dodge the monster's strikes. She winced as she began to notice each strike coming closer to hitting him. The boy reared his fist back, the one with that red gauntlet, as he made to hit the monster again, but he was swatted aside, colliding with the wall, much to her horror.

The beast stalked towards him, one lance poised above its head to strike. She couldn't watch this. She couldn't watch him die!

She rushed in front of him, planting herself between him and the monster. She wouldn't let him die.

"Wait! Stop!"

She ignored his cries, watching the monster move towards them. It raised its spear Hugh up, ready to skewer her, and she squeezed her eyes shut as she waited for the end. At the very least, she could stop him from dying.

Just like before though, the blow never came.

Opening her eyes back up, she was surprised to see that someone else had arrived. She was a young girl with blonde hair probably the same age as the boy. What surprised her most was that she was holding back the beast's lance with a sword.

She had no idea why, but she got an odd feeling from that blade.

"You didn't need to jump in like that Midoriya," she heard her say. Midoriya? Was that the boy's name?

"I'm sorry," she heard the boy say. "My body…it just moved on its own."

"I guess it all worked out regardless," she said with a small smile as she looked back at the two with her striking blue eyes. Her sword stayed in place, even as the monster clearly pushed its lance harder against the blade. "You just made it before we could."

As Aiko watched the small girl in awe, something else caught her eye. Another girl, one even smaller than the one in front of her and white short white hair, was now rushing towards them. She wanted to cry out and stop her. She looked like she was barely into middle school! There was no way she could do anything to help!

Her thoughts were brushed away as the petite white haired punched the beast. Before Aiko's shocked eyes, it had flown back as though it had been struck by a train.

What was going on? Was this some sort of hallucination? Was she even alive? Did her mind make up some sort of scenario as she was being eaten by that monster?

"I'd rather you not rush off like that again Izu, but well done."

Another voice, this time from behind her. She turned to see two other girls approaching the boy who had saved her, one with hair so red she thought it had been dyed, and another with long black hair in a long ponytail. Both were smiling warmly at the boy. Midoriya, if she remembered right.

And Izu? Was that his first name? A nickname?

"It's good to see that you're both alright," the redhead said, helping Midoriya to his feet. "You won't have to worry any longer, miss," the redhead spoke to her, her eyes cast upwards as they stared directly into her own. "Make sure you get home safely. We'll take it from here."

"I-I can't do that!" Aiko cried out. "I can't leave any of you alone with this thing!"

"Don't worry," she said again, her eyes never once leaving hers as she continued speaking. "We won't have any problems with her. Just make sure you get home safely."

Aiko tried speaking up again, but her mind felt hazy. The more she stared directly into this girl's eyes, the more off she felt. The idea of going home was becoming more appealing to her. "But…I…"

"I understand," she said gently, her soothing voice breaking through all her troubles. "I assure you, we'll be just fine."

She found herself agreeing before running out the nearest door, ignoring everything around her as she left the building entirely, completely unaware of the bats discretely following her.

It didn't take long for her to reach where she had been taken from, her schoolbag thankfully still where it had been dropped. Before she began to finish her trek home, she stared back in the direction she had come from.

She had never thought anyone would stand up for her like that. Those brave children, especially that boy, had stood up for her against those members of the Creature Rejection Clan.

Who were they? Were they heroes? Vigilantes? She only hoped they were okay.

She finally started on her path home, answering her buzzing phone as her parents worriedly asked her where she was. As she spoke to them, her mind wandered back to that brave boy. She wondered if she would ever see her little hero again.

---

"Is she gonna be alright?" Izuku asked as he watched the fox woman leave.

"She will be," Rias assured him. "I made sure to send some familiars after her to make sure of it." She smiled at him before turning her attention to the Stray, who had just started getting back up after Koneko had struck her.

He had no idea she was that strong! Was that some kind of quirk? Or maybe it was because of her status as a Devil? Could he be that strong too?

"Stray Devil Vyser!" Rias' voice broke him from his thoughts as she all but snarled at the Stray. "You have forsaken your Master and rampaged across this city! You've taken who knows how many innocent people to satisfy your base cravings! It all ends here! By the order of the Duke of Gremory, we will put an end to you!"

"Wretched girl!" The Stray snarled out viscous, both lances back in her human arms as she prepared to charge at the group. "I shall rip every one of you in two until this room is as red as your hair!"

"All bark and no bite," Rias said as she crossed her arms under her bust. "Fitting for a creature as vile as yourself."

The Stray roared in pure rage as she began her charge, fully intent on skewering each and every one of them.

Rias merely snorted in amusement. "Yumi."

"At once."

In a flash, Yumi had disappeared from his sight, rushing towards the Stray at incredible speeds.

"I think we should continue where we left off Izu," Rias said calmly as the Stray rushed to them.

"W-wait! Hold on! What about…!"

"Yumi holds a Knight piece within her," she said, her hand at her hip as a sword materialized into Yumi's hand. She blocked a stroke from one of the lances without issue, just like before, pushing it back before the other lance could strike as she moved away. This continued, as Yumi kept the lances at bay while she dodged each attempt by the Stray to strike her. "The Knight's unique power is their speed."

"And Yumi's greatest weapon is her sword."

As Izuku watched in awe, another blade materialized into Yumi's other hand, before she had disappeared from sight. He then watched as the Stray howled in agony, one of her arms having been severed by the blonde swordsman with ease.

"With her incredible agility and expert swordsmanship, Yumi is the prime example of a Knight."

He couldn't believe his eyes. Where did those swords come from!? Was that her quirk? How did it work? Were the swords somehow stored within her? Was she able to make them with the material around her?

As he questioned the logistics of Yumi's abilities, he noticed a small diminutive shadow moving around the Stray's lower body. A closer look revealed that the shadow had white hair.

"...Toujou?"

"Excellent timing. Koneko possesses the Rook piece. With that, she…"

"DIE YOU INSECT!"

Vyser screamed as she attempted to use her forearms to crush the girl before her. Yumi never moved as the massive limb began to descend, looking at the Stray with disgust. As the limb came crashing down, Koneko suddenly appeared, arms stretched up above her head.

Izuku felt his body begin to move before Rias caught him by the arm. "Don't worry," she said as she watched the Stray try to crush Koneko into the ground.

Izuku looked at her like she was crazy. That monster was about to kill her!

"That feral beast has no chance of hurting her."

His eyes widened as he watched the smaller girl catch and hold the massive limb without effort.

"A Rook's abilities are simple and straightforward. Crushing strength and a near impenetrable defense. Try as she might, Vyser could never hurt Koneko no matter how hard she tried."

Before his stunned eyes, he watched as Koneko shoved the limb up, knocking the Stray off balance as she then moved around to her back end. She then gripped the beast's tail, before swinging herself around.

Before Izuku's very eyes, a girl who barely came up to his chest was swinging around a creature the size of a house in circles, as simply as one swung a bat to hit a ball.

"Fly away," she said as the Stray flew from her grasp, slamming into the nearby wall with the force of a cannonball.

Though somehow, the creature's tail had ended up being torn off, as part of it still lay in her hands before she dropped it. "Gross."

His jaw hung open at the sight. That was one of the coolest things he had seen in a while.

"Now, I do believe I should tell you what you can do Izu."

His attention snapped back to Rias, his eyes wide as he stared at her. What piece was he? Queen? Bishop? Or was he…was he a…? He felt himself deflate as the worst case scenario went through his head.

"Izu, you hold the Pawn piece within you."

There it was. He didn't know much about chess, but he did know that the Pawn was the weakest piece.

"I know what you're thinking," she said, grabbing his attention again. "Many think of the Pawn as the weakest piece in chess, one meant to be sacrificed for the other pieces to move ahead, but that's simply not true. A Pawn holds a unique power the other pieces don't have. Promotion. Much like the real game, the Pawn can be promoted to any piece other than the King once they're within enemy territory. The powers of the Queen, the Bishop, the Knight, and the Rook are within your grasp."

He had those powers? He could do stuff like Yumi and Koneko did?

"And we're within enemy territory right now Izu," she said as she turned to face Vyser. The Stray was getting back to her feet, albeit slowly, the impact she made with the wall clearly having affected her. "Your power may not be enough to use the Queen piece, nor do you have the magical prowess to use the Bishop piece, but both the Knight and Rook should be easy for you."

Izuku gulped as he watched the Stray finish rising. Was Rias really trusting him to fight her? He may have gone in hitting her with his Sacred Gear, but his body had moved before he could even think clearly. Could he actually do this?

"You can handle this Izu," he heard Rias say, her voice both gentle and encouraging. "I believe in you."

"I do too," Akeno's voice came from beside him, smiling her usual smile as she spoke up, the same feeling of encouragement he felt from Rias radiating from her.

He took a deep breath, just to try and calm his nerves, before summoning his Sacred Gear again. He was about to do this. He could do this. He would do this.

His eyes snapped open, determination to fight as hard as the others filling him before he began rushing at the Stray.

"You again," Vyser weezed put painfully. "You started this you little shit!" She snarled as she used her remaining arm to grab onto her lance, charging forward to meet him.

'Watch her movements,' He thought to himself as she began rearing her arm back to thrust the lance. 'Remember what you wrote down.' He thought back to his notebooks. Everything he had put into them over the years. The different ways heroes fought, the casual observations he had made whenever he saw people using their quirks. It was time to put those into action.

'PROMOTION:KNIGHT!'

He began moving. Faster than he had thought possible. Even with how fast he had run from the Fallen Angel the night he had met Rias, he felt even faster now.

But his senses remained focused. They were moving just as fast, and he was keeping up with them as he raced toward the Stray.

'Right!' He dodged a thrust. 'Left!' He moved when she aimed her weapon downward. 'JUMP!' She swept her lance across the ground, hoping to give him no room to dodge, but he kept moving, not even giving her a chance.

After her sweep, he had begun jumping up her body, his target picked out. She dropped her lance in a panic as she began trying to brush at him, but he moved too quickly. It took seconds before he reached her head, using it to spring himself upwards, his body running on what felt like pure instinct.

Up high in the air, he circled around to see her, slightly disoriented from him using her head as a springboard. Feeling gravity begin to take its hold, he prepared his next move, his left twist outstretched as his body raced downward.

Vyser came to her senses as she saw him fall, one of her forearms grabbing for her lance to try and stab him as he fell to her.

Her aim was true, but it had meant nothing.

'PROMOTION:ROOK!'

His skin could not be pierced by her now. She could only watch in horror as he neared her.

Before she knew it, all she could see were stars.

"SMASH!"

He had landed a blow directly to the top of her head, his strength enhanced by the powers of the Rook piece combined with the solid form of his Sacred Gear.

Vyser fell to the ground, completely disoriented. Her ears rang as she attempted to stand, the blow to her head rattling her so much that it made it nigh impossible.

As he landed, he felt himself breathing harder than before. The adrenaline from what he had just done was still racing through his body as he stared at the downed Stray.

He had no clue how long he stared at her before his attention was grabbed by the sound of applause.

Both Rias and Akeno were clapping, both looking incredibly impressed. Yumi was merely smiling, a hint of pride across her face, while Koneko looked as stoic as ever. Though he was sure he saw the faint hint of a smile.

"Bravo Izu. Bravo," Rias said as the group walked over to him. He felt himself blushing at the praise as he rubbed at the back of his head.

"When I saw you rush in to save that girl, I knew that you had what it took to face this beast," she said, her hand grasping his shoulder with pure pride. "And you proved me right beyond what I could have thought. Well done."

His blush began to burn brighter as not only Rias, but Akeno and Yumi too offered their praises. He doubted he would be getting used to it anytime soon.

"Urgh."

The group turned to see Vyser, now stumbling as she tried to get back up, the blow to her head having been more damaging than it had looked.

"It appears that she's yet to be finished. Oh well, there's still another piece I need to explain to you. Akeno."

"Of course," she said as she stepped toward the downed beast, her smile completely serene as though she were going for a simple stroll in the park.

"Akeno is our Queen. Next to the King piece, she is the mightiest of the entire peerage. The Queen piece gives her the powers of the Knight, Bishop, and Rook all in one."

Vyser growled at the approaching Akeno, her vision having become less clouded as she slowly recovered. "You-you bitch."

"My my," she smiled, the insult appearing to do nothing to her as she tilted her head at the Stray. "It looks like you're far more stubborn than I gave you credit for," she said as magic began to flow around her, concentrating twelfth into an outstretched hand. "I guess that means you can withstand a bit more punishment!"

A flash went throughout the room, one so bright that Izuku had to shut his eyes for a second, before being accompanied by a single sound.

BOOM!

A bolt of lightning had struck the once again downed beast, causing her to let out an ear piercing shriek of pain. Her body began to smoke, the electricity keeping her body from moving.

"Was that not enough? No? Then how about this?" She unleashed another strike, her breathing having picked up slightly, and her voice sounding a bit odd to him.

"Akeno truly excels with her powers," Rias said as another blast was unleashed, Vyser's entire body beginning to become charred black. "Lightning, ice, fire. Her prowess with magic makes her invaluable to us all. She is the invincible Vice President of our club."

Pride echoed throughout Rias' voice as another blast struck the downed Vyser. The more she fired, the more Izuku began to notice something…odd.

Her breathing had gotten heavier, even though she didn't look like she was even close to tiring herself out. Her face was as flushed as his own was just a bit ago, and her thighs were squeezing together as she started shuddering. She even began laughing joyously at one point, sounding like she was having fun.

"Mmm," she said, lacking her lips as she stared at the smoking body of the Stray, her blush now becoming a darker shade of red. "Can you keep going? It looks like you can. Our fun isn't over yet."

"She also happens to be the world's biggest sadist."

'SHE'S A WHAT!?'

"Don't worry," Rias said as she began approaching her Queen, another blast of lightning being launched from her fingertips. "She can get caught up in the heat of battle, but as you saw before, she's usually quite kind." She placed her hand upon her Queen's shoulder. "Get it all out of your system Akeno?"

"Phew!" She breathed out as she shook in what looked like bliss. "Oh dear, looks like it wasn't enough," she said with a hand to her still burning face as she watched the burnt body of Vyser flinch, her breathing slow and haggard. "It looks like you'll have to finish the job Prez," she finished with a grin.

"You did what you needed to do," Rias assured her as she sent her back to the rest of the peerage. "Like I said Izu, Akeno is incredibly sweet when it comes to those she cares for. You should let her pamper you if she wishes. I've even heard her call you cute before."

Akeno broke out into a small giggling fit, which, combined with her still slightly red face, made her look quite adorable. Not that Izuku noticed, as he had begun facing the ground with his own red face, the thought of Akeno thinking he was cute being more than he thought he could get used to. "Prez, did you have to say that so soon?" She asked with a giggle, making Izuku want to take a step back in terror, her actions from moments ago popping into his head. "You'll ruin the fun I could have."

Rias just chuckled at the antics of her Queen before facing the downed Stray. She was unable to even face her, too weak to even move. Rias stood before her, her face an emotionless mask, befitting an executioner. "Anything to say before oblivion?"

"Just…just finish it."

"Very well." Her response was ice cold, her eyes becoming sharp and feral as a dark ball of energy began gathering itself around her.

"Begone."

She held up her hand, the mass of dark energy having coalesced into a ball of pure power, being unleashed upon the still creature.

Its effect was instant. The moment the ball struck Vyser, it had erupted into an inferno of black flames, surrounding her in an instant before dissipating just as quickly. There wasn't a trace of her left.

Izuku watched with eyes widened, both impressed and terrified by the power Rias wielded. He wasn't even sure if that was all of it, but it had vaporized the Stray completely.

'This is it, isn't it?' He thought, gulping as the full weight of what he just saw hit him. 'This is how Devils do their business.' That could even be him, if he were to ever betray and leave.

Rias turned back to face her peerage, a smile back on her face, though it looked a bit different. Strained. "Good job everyone."

The rest of the group seemed to be in good spirits, Akeno congratulating him again for his efforts as Yumi seemed to be patting the top of Koneko's head and…was she smiling at that?

"Hey Kiba?" He asked, hoping to get his mind off what he just saw. "What was that? Those swords? Is that your quirk?"

"Nope," she answered, manifesting a sword into her hand. Now that Izuku was able to get a close look at it, he could see that it resembled more of a European style blade, like the ones used by the knights of olden times. "I do have a quirk, but it doesn't let me do this. This is my Sacred Gear."

Kiba Yumi

Sacred Gear:Sword Birth

She is able to create any any Daemon blade she can think of, and imbue them with special properties

"You have a Scared Gear too! That's so cool!" He got up to her face, notebook in hand as he began asking questions, wanting to know as much as he could about her Sacred Gear.

"Have you had that on you this whole time?" Koneko asked confusedly.

Both Rias and Akeno chuckled as they watched Izuku ask questions that Yumi seemed happy to answer, the group beginning to leave the building now that their job was done.

Rias was the last to leave, taking one last glance behind her before joining the rest of her peerage.

In a few hours, police had stormed the abandoned building, an anonymous tip leading them to the discovery of multiple sets of bodies. While many would eventually be identified, it came as little comfort to those who knew them, the ones they loved having been taken from them, unsure if whoever committed such atrocities would ever be brought to justice.

---

"Something wrong Young Midoriya?"

Izuku flinched at the question, the washing machine unit he had been carrying on his back crashing to the ground. "Wh-what do you mean?"

"You've been looking a bit distracted the whole time you've been here," the pro pointed out. At first he thought he would let it slide, thinking that the boy was thinking about his Devil work, but the more time passed, the more he noticed that the kid looked off. Like he had been wrestling with something he hadn't been prepared to think about. "So, what's up?"

Izuku flinched again. Much as he tried to put it out of his mind, the events of the previous night wouldn't leave his head. He knew that the Stray was dangerous, the bones they had come across and the woman they had to save was proof enough, but to watch her die like that. It wouldn't leave his mind no matter what he did.

"You don't have to tell me if it bothers you that much, but if you need to talk, I'll listen."

It felt like a dam had broken. Before he knew it, Izuku had told Toshinori everything. Everything from the building they had discovered, to the corpses they found within, the woman they saved, and finally, what happened to the Stray. He hadn't even noticed until after he had finished that he had started crying, his head facing the ground as he took deep breaths to try and calm himself.

Toshinori's eyes had widened the more his protégé spoke. Stray Devil, a house of corpses, the more he heard, the more stunned he was. When he watched Izuku begin to hyperventilate, he told the boy that he could stop, but he kept speaking, unable to stop. By the time he finally finished, his eyes looked like they were about to pop out of his head. Young Midoriya had gone through all of that in a single night?

"A-All Might?" His attention was drawn back to Izuku, who still looked like he was in the middle of a panic attack. "Have-have you ever had to…to…?"

He didn't finish his question, but he didn't have to. He understood right away. "Only once," the pro admitted with a bit of a heavy heart, his hand unconsciously reaching for the scar on his chest.

"Was…was that the one who…?"

"Yeah," there was no use in denying it, the kid was far too smart for that.

"Was it…was it right?"

"That's the question isn't it," he said as he sat down, Izuku doing the same. "I'm not really sure. Some people would say yes. There are people out there that make the monster you faced last night look like a house cat, but there are still those who would say no. That everyone deserves a second chance, no matter how much they've squandered their first one." His eyes became downcast as he thought back throughout his entire career as a hero. He'd faced people that even the worst of media outlets refused to talk about, their crimes so heinous that they were thrown into the deepest pits of Tartarus prison to be forgotten about. But even then, he had met others who were simply down on their luck, having been forced into a life they had no interest in due to circumstances outside of their control. No matter what happened, he had always tried his hardest to never take a life, not because he was the Symbol Of Peace, but because it simply didn't seem right.

Save for one. Him.

"I'm not really sure I can give you the answer you need, Young Midoriya," he admitted truthfully, watching as the young man's face became more and more conflicted. "I think the only one who can really do that is you."

"M-me?"

"You bet," he said with the smallest of smiles. He never expected to talk about something like this today, he wasn't even sure if he would have to even if he secured that teaching position at U.A. he had applied for. Maybe there was someone more qualified than him who would have a better answer. "I think it should come down to what you think is right. I know that might not be the answer you wanted to hear, but I'm afraid it's the best I can give you."

Izuku looked dejected, his mind still swirling as his thoughts continued to bounce around. "However," he looked up to the pro in surprise. "If you ever feel like you're having trouble figuring it out, I'll be here if you need to talk."

Izuku felt tears begin to fall again, though he felt more relieved than he had before. It was a small weight off his shoulders, knowing that he could talk with his hero should he ever need to. He smiled up at the pro, and Toshinori returned it, the two feeling like some small connection they had made between each other had deepened.

"Anything else you need to talk about? Like maybe how you put yourself in harm's way again to save someone's life?"

"I…well…um…"

Toshinori laughed, bits of blood escaping his mouth as he did so. "Relax kid! I'm not gonna give you crap for that! That's how you caught my eye in the first place after all!" He laughed again as Izuku blushed, embarrassed at the situation. "Like I'd ever be mad about you saving someone kid. Also sounds like you've gotten stronger as a Devil with everything. Not bad."

"Yeah, I…" he paused, feeling slightly ashamed that he had still frozen when he first saw the Stray. "It still feels like I could have acted sooner."

"NONSENSE!"

An over-sized hand had chopped him on the head, the looming form of All Might flashing his signature smile. "Young Midoriya, it's only natural to feel afraid in a situation such as that. It's something every hero goes through. I've gone through it myself, more times than I can count!" He could see it in his hero's eyes, he spoke the truth. Sometimes he could forget just how long All Might's career had been, there was every possibility that he had seen far more than he would be willing to admit to in any interview, like how damaged he had been by a powerful villain.

"But the fact that you went in anyway proves to me that you are capable of overcoming that fear! To steel your resolve into a mighty flame that answers the call to action! After all, it wasn't the first time you've done so," he said, reminding Izuku of the sludge villain attack. It had almost felt like a lifetime ago. "You possess that spark of courage that can blaze like an inferno, outshining everyone around you, including myself. I have seen it. Miss Gremory has seen it. And you have experienced it twice already."

All Might then went back to normal, the skeletal form of Toshinori sitting before him once again. "Even then, you've got a ton of people in your corner cheering you on. Me, Miss Gremory, the rest of the ones on her peerage, your mother, and I'm sure you'll meet others as you keep going."

The two smiled at each other again, Izuku's mood having been lifted by his hero's words.

"That reminds me," Toshinori began. "You mentioned those 'Evil Piece' things. Just what are they, and what do they do?"

He explained everything he knew, impressing the pro with his knowledge. "Huh. Interesting system. And you say you're a Pawn?"

"Y-yeah…" Even after knowing just what he could do as a Pawn piece, he still felt a bit embarrassed by it.

"Hmm, I don't know a lot about chess, but I am aware of how important pawn pieces can be in a game. They may be overlooked at times, but you proved that they're definitely ones to watch out for. You can just look around yourself for proof of that."

Doing so, Izuku got a good look at Takoba Beach. His efforts in cleaning it had shown, as the place was a fair sight better than it had been when he first started. The crisp sand almost looked like it was safe enough to walk on again with one's bare feet. The water was able to touch the shoreline again, and there were even times when the occasional sea creature could be seen.

"You see it, don't you. That's the result of all your hard work my boy. Between this and last night, you've more than proven yourself. And just think of it, this is only the beginning."

Izuku's smile was as wide as his hero's, joyful tears streaking down his face as Toshinori's words sunk in. He didn't know it, but those were the words he needed to hear.

"If all goes well, you'll have this entire beach clear in a month's time. Even with these Devil powers of yours, that's less time than I originally thought." The pro stood tall, the light of the setting sun shining around him as he spoke. "You'll complete this, and then go even further beyond. I'm certain of that, Young Midoriya."

Izuku was able to finish the day's training, his spirit having been lightened thanks to his hero.

---

All throughout the week, his spirits remained high. His talk with All Might had done more for him than he ever would have thought, so much so that it didn't go unnoticed by everyone else.

His newfound vigor caught them by surprise at the start, but they had gotten used to it quickly enough. It even seemed to spread out to the rest of them, with even Koneko seeming slightly more enthusiastic to fulfill her duties.

His cheer stayed with him as he pedaled his way to the night's summoner, though not without a bit of anxiousness coursing through him as he did so. His route would end up taking him to a more residential complex as opposed to the apartments he had been going to lately. He had yet to have anyone too upset with him being a bit late to reach them, but he didn't want to risk his chances by taking longer than he should.

Rias had told him that his powers had grown a little after their encounter with the Stray Devil, so hopefully he wouldn't have to keep biking his way to each summoner.

Finally reaching the address, he rang the doorbell, ready to fulfill the night's mission.

"It's open. You meow show yourself in."

…That was not the kind of voice he was expecting. It was far throatier than any he had ever heard before. He wasn't sure if they were a man or a woman.

And meow? Did they have a cat quirk?

Entering the home, and removing his shoes(as was courtesy), he made his way to what he assumed to be the living room.

What he saw was something he wasn't sure he was ready for.

"Good evening, meow! Welcome to my home, meow!"

Before him stood a large and imposing figure, every bit as tall as All Might in his muscle form. They were wearing what looked to be a magical girl uniform, but with their physique, it had been stretched out, every single curvature of their muscles shining through the fabric. The ensemble was completed by an odd hat atop their head, with cat ears as some sort of decoration.

With eyes as wide as dinner plates and a currently hanging jaw, Izuku had no clue what to make of this. Their ensemble reminded him of the Wild Wild Pussycats, but there was something that felt off.

His summoner was smiling at him, and while there was an air of intimidation, there was also what felt like genuine childish innocence.

Despite that, he felt himself shaking, sweat pouring off him in droves. He felt like his instincts were screaming at him to leave.

"I-I…," he gulped, fear clear in his voice. He still had no idea why. He had seen people dress like this before that one time his mom took him to a hero convention. They didn't give him this same feeling, so what was going on? "Y-you s-summoned me, r-right?"

He could see a brilliant flash as they stood up before him, a gleam in their eyes as they began walking forward.

"Indeed, meow. I have a wish for you, meow."

As far as he could tell, they didn't have any kind of cat quirk, so why were they ending their sentences with meow?

"Mil has summoned you here to make her a magical girl, meow."

"I think we're in the wrong universe for that."

'MOUTH! WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT!?'

He felt stupid as soon as the words left his mouth, but he had no idea if he could grant a wish like that. Someone wishing to be rich beyond measure would cost them their life, so it sounded like making someone a magical girl was impossible.

And Mil? Was that her name?

"Mil knows that, meow. She has tried going to other universes before, but she couldn't find anyone to help her, meow. Even ones who have felt like you have not been able to help her, meow."

What?

"And now Mil is forced to turn to the forces of darkness to help her in her hour of need, meow!" She suddenly cried out dramatically. "The price one must pay for one's dream to come true is a steep one, but they must cross the road no matter the perils, meow!"

The forces of darkness? He really hoped she didn't consider him her archenemy or something.

"Mr Devil!"

"Y-yes?!"

"Mil has wanted magical girl powers for as long as she can remember, meow! She needs them, meow!"

"I really don't know if I can help!" Seriously! What was he supposed to do in a situation like this?

It definitely didn't help when Mil began crying, the amount of tears being able to put him and his mom to shame.

"W-wait! Mil! It's okay! It's alright!" Izuku cried out as he approached her. Cupping the cheeks of someone so large and muscular was odd, but this was still something he had dealt with before. "It's all okay now! It's just you and me here okay? Just you and me. You don't have to cry."

Mil looked at him strangely, tears still falling down her face. "Mil had no idea a Devil could be so kind, meow." She wiped her tears away before moving to another part of the room, coming back with something in her hands. "Maybe you cannot make Mil a magical girl, meow, but you could do something else with her, meow."

In her hands was a boxed set of a magical girl anime. Gung Ho! Pretty Yure 9!

So he was gonna be spending his evening watching a magical girl anime with a client? It could be worse. He'd never really seen one before though. He wasn't sure if he'd even like it or not.

---

"DON'T GIVE UP YET YURE!

"THAT'S RIGHT, MEOW! ALL HOPE IS NOT YET LOST, MEOW!"

"YOU CAN DO IT!/YOU CAN DO IT, MEOW!"

---

Part of him felt mortified as he stood before a bewildered Rias the next day. He had completely failed in securing a pact this time, but he had somehow still received a glowing review.

He had even enjoyed watching the anime with Mil, the two having nearly binged the entire series before the sun rose. Maybe he could find the rest online?

"You certainly attract some odd ones, don't you Midoriya?" Yumi asked, sounding perplexed even as she tried to find the humor in it.

Akeno meanwhile was laughing like a mad woman at everything she had heard, all while Koneko looked at him with a raised brow.

Yep. He was definitely regretting being a Devil now. Could he go back to school where everyone ignored him?

---

It came as no surprise that he would be doing another summons the next night. Koneko was originally supposed to answer this one, but like before, she had another appointment, leaving Izuku to take her place.

His destination was a bit farther out than his previous ones, being near the city's border, where not as many people lived. As he pedaled through the night, he began recognizing fewer landmarks, having never been out this way before.

He was scheduled to reach not an apartment building, or a residential complex, but a normal house. Definitely different from some of the others he had done before. Apparently his client didn't live alone, so was he about to meet an entire family? Would they be as welcoming as the Uraraka's were?

Honestly, most people would probably be weirded out by a Devil suddenly showing up at their door.

As he rang the doorbell, he noticed something odd. The door was already open.

As he made to enter the house, he felt a sense of foreboding, something he hadn't felt since he led that nun to the church.

What was going on? Should he even go inside?

His curiosity and determination to see this pact through overcame his nerves, but he still entered cautiously. The entire home was entrenched in pure darkness, not a speck of light to be seen, and it didn't feel like there was anyone around.

Removing his shoes as soon as he entered, he made sure to close the door. Even with the obvious sound of the door closing, there was still nothing. No one seemed to be there to welcome him at all.

"H-hello? I'm the Devil you summoned! Is anybody home?"

No reply. The entire house was dead silent.

As he tried looking around, that feeling of foreboding now more intense than it was before, Izuku noticed a light coming from a nearby door. Wandering cautiously further in, Izuku tried steeling himself, opening the door to see what looked to be an ordinary living room, lit only by candles.

Then he took a step inside.

The moment his foot made contact, he felt something odd. Something wet and sticky. When he leaned down to get a closer look, his face paled at the sight.

Blood. He had stepped in blood. An entire trail of it led into the rest of the room.

He jerked his head upward, his every sense screaming at him that danger was around him. The entire room was covered from top to bottom with blood, and it didn't take long to find the source. He had to choke back a scream at the sight, feeling his dinner begin to lurch up his throat.

On the farthest wall was a body. Human. Or at least, it once was.

Whoever's body it was had been eviscerated, their guts hanging from their open wounds as their remaining blood pooled around them. Their skin had been peeled away from their body, each part laying below them. Wooden stakes had been placed into the body, keeping it pinned to the wall from both hands, their legs, and even their chest.

Whoever this person was had been crucified.

And worst? It had been done upside down.

They had clearly suffered an incredibly torturous death.

Izuku began to reach as he stared at the sight. Even with what he had seen with the Stray Devil before, this was more than he felt he was ready to handle. As he tried facing away from the ghastly sight, he saw that someone had written on one of the other walls. In blood.

PUNISH THE WICKED

"Wh-what is…?" He asked, trying his hardest to keep himself from going into hysterics. "Who…who would do something like this?"

"Punish the wicked. Words to live by. Wise advice from a man of the cloth."

His attention grabbed, Izuku spun to face whoever had spoken, wondering how they had managed to hide themselves. His white hair stood out even in the darkness, and his cruel red eyes pierced through the darkness like a knife. His white clothes stood out just as much, even as a dark long coat was draped over them. It didn't take long for Izuku to identify his clothes as those of a priest, having seen them before. The man grinned in a manic manner, unnerving Izuku as he stepped further into the room.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here. A puny little Devil wandering into MY neck of the woods?" The man sneered, his manic grin never leaving his face. Rias' words came flooding into his mind.

'You cannot affiliate yourself with anyone involved with the Church again. Especially if they're Priests or Exorcists. They are our mortal enemies. They carry His blessing with them, they are fully capable of killing us should they need to, and they will not hesitate to do so.'

He had found himself face to face with one now.

As if he could sense Izuku's trepidation, the man broke out into an insane cackle before breaking into a demented song. "Oh yes, I'm a priest, a youthful priest, here to slay this daemonic beast! With a grin and a laugh, I'll tear you in half, then go home and have a glorious feast!"

Izuku took a step back in terror, the man creeping him out

"Freed Sellzen," the man stated, giving a mocking bow. "At your service. Monster hunter, executioner, Exorcist, I'm a man of many talents. I happen to work for a group you may know about, but that shouldn't matter to you now. After all, nature needs to take its course. With me as the righteous knight sent to slay the vile beast, and you to stand there and be gutted for my amusement like this piss-brained cockmuppet you are!"

Izuku's eyes widened in horror as the man talked. He spoke each and every word with a sadistic glee, like a child who had been given a new toy he was determined to break.

"Wh-why?"

"Hmm? Speak up? It's hard for me to hear you when you sound like someone's cock's in your mouth."

"Why would you do this?" Izuku shouted in anger. "What could they have possibly done to deserve something like this?" Even after the beating they had given the Stray Devil, her end was instantaneous. This man had clearly drawn out his kill.

"Why? What kind of dumbass question is that you dumb fuck? The man was little more than a wicked sinner. I was simply doing my job, saving him from his own mistake."

"Saving him?! You call what you did saving?!"

"Obviously. Really it was a kindness. His soul was already damned for summoning one of your kind, that dipshit had already thrown away his humanity. I simply sped up the process of his ultimate destination. Tell me, is that really so wrong?"

Izuku gritted his teeth as he watched the man justify his murder like a child lying to an adult. He clearly didn't care, he even seemed like he relished the opportunity to slaughter him.

His mind went back to what he and All Might had talked about not long ago. About people who were so wicked and vile that they made many villains look better by comparison. Someone like that was standing before him now.

And he clearly had no qualm with butchering innocent people.

"He was another human being! He did nothing wrong! How could you call yourself a man of God and do something like this!?"

Freed simply responded by laughing in his face. "Oh shit! This is just rich! A Devil's trying to lecture me about what's right and wrong? You must be new at this you little pussy, there's no other way you could be so naive. Devils like you thrive on the desire of pieces of shit like this," he said as he kicked pieces of skin away from the corpse, enraging Izuku further. "Summoning your kind means that they ain't human anymore. Game over. End of the line. So I put him down like a rabid dog, saving his lost soul from being further tainted." He clasped his hands together, a mocking prayer escaping his lips. "It's kindness in its purest form. Amen."

"Don't you dare call this a kindness!" Izuku snarled back. "You're nothing less than pure evil, trying to brush your crimes away with excuses! You're nothing more than a monster!"

"Haha! Hahaha! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Now that's just rich!" He said as he began doubling over in laughter. "A monster is trying to label me one in return? What's the matter? You mad? You really mad?!" He continued cackling as Izuku's blood began to boil. "I haven't had a laugh like that in a long time. Oh well. Now you die."

He reached into his pocket quickly, pulling out a silver pistol and what looked like the hilt of a sword. In less than a second, the hilt erupted into blazing light, a blade of pure light now held in his hands.

'What is that?'

"Decisions, decisions. Would I cut you to pieces? Fill you full of holes? Maybe I'll do both! How's that sound?" He cackled as he took aim with his pistol, his sword hanging leisurely from his other hand. "I'll carve your black heart out before giving your face some extra holes! Now that sounds fun!"

He rushed forward, faster than expected. He dodged to the side, knowing that a single hit from that sword could prove fatal.

He summoned his Sacred Gear, hoping that it could at least block the blade before it could hit him.

'I can't use Promotion here. This isn't enemy territory,' he thought to himself as he moved away from another slash. 'What do I do?'

"Cute little toy you got there," Freed said as he prepared to attack again. "I wonder what it'll look like jammed down your throat!"

Izuku punched at Freed as he lunged toward him, the mad priest managing to dodge before slicing at Izuku with his sword again.

The area around them left neither with much room to maneuver, but both had managed to evade the attacks of the other so far.

Izuku was able to evade the blade again, surprising Freed by getting closer than he was before, tackling him to the ground.

Before he could try anything else, Freed had already recovered, an elbow landing directly into Izuku's face before ultimately pinning him to the floor. His hands then wrapped around Izuku's neck, trying to choke the life out of him as he struggled to breathe.

"What's the matter shit stain? Nothing more to say? Maybe if you cry out, I'll let you get a word in!" He cackled as his red eyes pierced directly into the boy's soul. "No? How about something else then?" Taking a hand away from his throat, Freed grabbed for his light blade again, activating it before Izuku could react, stabbing him directly through the shoulder.

Izuku cried out in agony, the light burning through his flesh.

"Keep crying! I want to know how much you're suffering before I put you out of your misery!"

Darkness began surrounding Izuku's vision. He had to do something quick!

A surge of adrenaline surged through his body as his left arm moved, clocking Freed in the cheek hard enough to launch him off of his body.

Now free from the priest trying to choke him to death, Izuku got to his feet, coughing violently as his breathing began to stabilize.

"You got more fight in you than I thought," Freed said as he got to his feet, his grin more manic than before as he reached for his pistol. "It'll just make it all the sweeter when I watch you die!"

"Father Freed?"

Another voice broke through the room, both men turning their heads to the source.

To Izuku's surprise, Asia Argento stood before them, dressed in the same nun clothing he had seen her in before.

"Argento?"

"Izuku?"

BANG! BANG!

The sound of gunshots startled the two before Izuku felt himself fall to the floor, blazing pain blossoming in both of his legs.

As soon as he had been distracted, Freed had shot him in each leg.

"Light based bullets," Freed said with a grin. "Super effective on pieces of shit like you. Shame though. That was starting to be fun," he said as he turned to the shocked Asia. "Took you long enough. Didja get that barrier set up like you were supposed to?"

If she had an answer for him, it became lost as she saw the remains on the wall, a shriek of pure terror escaping her.

"What a cute little scream. Sorry, was this your first time? I couldn't really be too gentle," he said with an insane giggle as he walked over to Izuku's downed form. "Is it really that surprising though? Or are you just that hopelessly naive? This is what we do! This is our life! Disposing of sinners and Devils. JUST!" He shouted as he began kicking Izuku. "LIKE! THIS ONE!"

"A-a Devil?" She asked in shock. "Izuku…you're a Devil?"

Even with the pain in his legs and shoulder, the hurt he heard in her voice felt far worse. "I'm…I'm sorry."

Freed looked back and forth between the two, another fit of cackling taking over. "Oh ho ho ho! What is this!? Forbidden love between a Devil and a woman of the cloth? Is this a joke?!" He laughed in pure amusement before his face became more serious. "Devils like him can never coexist with us humans. We are mortal enemies. We may be heretics in the eyes of God, but we shouldn't forsake our duties. After all, without the support of the Fallen Angels, neither of us would even be here right now."

'Heretics? Fallen Angels? I thought he worked for the church? And why is Asia a heretic?'

"Oh well," Freed said as he aimed his pistol at Izuku's head. "We have other business to attend to, so I should cap this loser here and now."

Fear took over Izuku's body as he watched Freed take aim. This was really it wasn't it? He was about to die. Rias really couldn't save him, just like she said, and neither could All Might.

He was really about to die.

"Goodbye."

Much to his surprise, before Freed could pull the trigger, Asia had grabbed his arm before pointing it upward, making him fire at the ceiling.

"And what do you think you're doing?" He barked out, his eyes narrowing at the girl.

"Father, please forgive him." She said, much to the surprise of both men. "This-this is wrong! You shouldn't kill someone for making a pact with a Devil! And wanting them dead for something they can't help? It's wrong! It's all wrong!"

"You really are naive aren't you? Stupid girl," he spat out, much to Izuku's anger. "Did you learn nothing in your little Sunday school? This is the way things are! We are just! The Devil's are wicked! Are you out of your mind!?" He yelled, his voice becoming venomous.

"I…I don't care," she said firmly. "He may be a Devil, but Izuku is a kind person! I've seen that with my own eyes! It doesn't matter if he's a Devil, I know who he is! Even then, murder is unforgivable! The Lord would never allow anything like this!"

Both men stared at her, Freed having a blank look while Izuku looked at her in amazement. She was clearly terrified the moment she had first seen the mangled corpse on the wall, but she was standing up to the deranged priest regardless. She had a remarkable will.

Then, much to Izuku's rising fury, Freed had struck her in the head with his pistol, knocking her to the ground.

"Asia!" He cried out, her first name clawing its way out of his throat subconsciously as he saw the bruise on her face.

Unseen to him, the jewel on his Sacred Gear began to glow.

As he pinned her to the ground, his hand covering her mouth, Freed began dragging his pistol across her body, before settling it on her chest. "You know, they may have said that they want you alive, but I've been sick of your shit since I first saw you. All your whining, your naivete, your holier than thou bullshit. I want nothing more than to blast your annoying fucking head off. But…" he said with a lecherous grin as he suddenly began groping at her chest, Asia's cries of pain making Izuku more enraged. "How bout I turn you into a broken woman in front of your little Devil fuckboi instead? You can finally make yourself useful after all the hell you've put me through."

"LET HER GO!"

"And what're you gonna do huh?" He asked as he continued toying with Asia's chest, each of her muffled cries of protest going completely ignored by him. "You can't even get up with those bullets in your legs, you cock brain! You can bitch and moan as much as you want, but you can't do shit! But," he said as his grin became even more manic, looking like it was ready to split his face. "After I'm done with her, I'll finish you off quickly. You won't be around to be mad about it anymore."

He turned his gaze back down to Asia, his hand now grabbing at her nun habit, exposing her bra covered chest to the world. "Scream if you want, I love hearing you scream." He then reached his hand further down, before gripping his head in agony.

"AAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHH! WHAT THE FUCK!?" He screamed as Asia tried wriggling away from her grasp. Before she could get far, Freed managed to grab her again. "You think you can use your quirk to stop me huh? Well stop it now you little bitch!" He then slapped her across the face.

'C'mon body! Move!'

"You keep trying to stop me! You can't you useless little shit! Just stay down like a proper woman and let me do what I do!"

'Move!'

Freed then placed his pistol against her head, his grin having been completely replaced by a harsh scowl. "You try that again and I'll just have to relieve myself with your corpse. Now just lie still."

'MOVE!'

[BOOST]

"What the fu…" he was interrupted before he could finish speaking, Izuku's gauntlet covered fist crashing against his face with greater force than before.

"SMASH!"

In an instant, he had been launched off of Asia and sent through the nearest wall.

After sending Freed flying, Izuku collapsed, the sudden energy flowing throughout his body having kept him.

Ge had no idea what had happened. Especially where that voice came from. But once he heard it, he found himself moving, the pain in his legs ignored as he raced to stop the monstrous priest. He began to feel light-headed as his gaze moved to his Sacred Gear, noticing the jewel having a fading glow to it before it vanished from sight.

"Izuku," he heard Asia's voice next to him, looking at him worriedly. "You're hurt," she said as she looked at his wounds, each one having been cauterized by both the burning blade and the light-based bullets.

"Don't…don't worry," he gasped out, trying his best to reassure her with a smile. "I'm used to a bit of pain. Are you…are you alright?"

She held out her hands before her, telling him to stand still as a green aura began encompassing her hands. The silver rings he saw before materialized once more as he felt a soothing sensation spread over him. He felt the pain begin to fade, the wounds in both his legs as well as his shoulder sealing up, leaving his skin completely unmarked, as if he hadn't been hurt at all. He still felt light-headed, but his pain was entirely gone.

"Holy whoa," he breathed out as he examined his body, amazed at Asia's ability.

"There you go," she said with a smile. "All better now."

He smiled back, before the sight of her bruises made him frown. "You're hurt," he said as he reached over to her.

"Don't worry," she told him. "I'm used to a bit of pain," she told him, a small amount of humor in her voice.

Izuku couldn't stop himself from chuckling, Asia joining him after a few seconds. Despite everything that just happened, they were both still alive. They felt relief.

"How revolting."

Their relief was short lived as they saw Freed come back through the broken wall. His face had a nasty bruise on it, which Izuku took a small amount of satisfaction with, and he spat out a bit of blood, a few of his teeth flying out with it. "You know, I was gonna make your death quick, but now? I'll make sure you two suffer. I'll slice you apart. I'll cut you to pieces! I'll throw those pieces into a fire! I WILL WATCH YOU TWO LITTLE SHITS BURN TOGETHER BEFORE MY VERY EYES!"

Both teens stood tall, Izuku placing himself in front of Asia as he summoned his Sacred Gear once more. He still felt tired, still light-headed, but he would not let him hurt her.

Freed snarled in animalistic rage as he lunged toward them, his light sword poised to split them in two.

And then an arcane circle appeared on the floor, taking them all by surprise.

Izuku recognized the symbol in the center. He had been in the club room more than enough to commit it to memory.

Before Freed could even wonder what was happening, a form burst from the circle, catching his blade with her own.

"Stay away from him!" Yumi shouted, nearly spitting in fury as she began pushing him back.

Izuku had never seen her like this before. Was she that worried for him?

"Are you okay?"

Koneko's voice came from his side, looking up at him with no small amount of concern.

"We were wondering what was taking so long," Akeno said as she stepped out of the area where the circle once was. She had her usual smile as she watched Yumi and Freed lock blades together. "Once Rias sensed that you were in danger, we made sure to get here immediately."

Rias then stepped out behind her, completely silent as she looked around the room before locking eyes with Izuku. She had noticed not only the body on the wall, but the girl Izuku stood protectively in front of.

"Now ain't this touching?" Freed asked as he moved his blade away, striking at Yumi before meeting her blade again.

"I won't let you hurt anyone else priest," she spat out.

"What's this then? You all trying to act like heroes? Pretending you're all something like Featherman or some shit? Interesting, interesting!" His manic grin returned as he learned at Yumi. "So tell me, why're all you with a loser like him? Looking to bed him or something? Never would've taken a little cum rag like him to have a harem."

"I'll cut that disgusting tongue from your mouth," she said as her eyes narrowed. "Disgusting little stray."

"Ooh! You figured me out already? Doesn't matter anyway, those shitcocks can eat a bowl of fuck anyway. Long as I get to kill your kind, I'll have as much fun as I want!"

Breaking away again, he swung his blade to her neck, Yumi parrying it away before aiming a stab directly at his head.

Freed managed to block with his pistol, aiming another blow to her torso as he began to laugh uproariously.

Yumi blocked his strike again, her focus clear on her opponent even as she was clearly furious with him.

"Now this is fun! That limp-dicked little pussy put up a bit of a fight, but I can tell that you're better than that!"

"People like you really are the worst," she growled as she parried away another blow before aiming another attack to his arm. "Monsters who get pleasure from making others suffer. I'll gladly put an end to you."

"Oh come on! Another Devil trying to preach to me?!" He laughed as he swung towards her legs. "This is just fucking hilarious! Tell me, what's really so wrong with me living my life the way I want? Why the hell should I let a fucking Devil try and tell me what to do?"

"Even Devil's have rules," Akeno said, her smile doing nothing to hide the disgust in her voice. "You're nothing more than a psychopath who wants to kill."

"Oh give me a fucking break!" He shouted, his brief distraction being enough for Yumi to land a hit, slicing across his face. It was shallow, not enough to put him down. "You little shits! This is my life to live! The one God gave me! What the hell makes you think you can tell me how I can live it?"

"Just die already then!" Yumi screamed as he made to lop off his head, Freed managing to block her again.

This time was different though, her blade looked different than before. A golden handguard and a pitch black blade took the place of what she had been wielding before.

And once it made contact with Freed's sword, the light blade began to fade. His eyes widened as instinct took over, managing to use the hilt to stop her from taking his head.

"What the fuck?" He said as he leaped away from her, a flash of fear briefly taking over his face. "You've got a Sacred Gear?"

"This blade is special," Yumi said. "The Holy Eraser devours all light."

"What a pain in my ass," Freed said as he reached for his pistol.

"Enough."

Rias spoke for the first time since arriving, taking everyone by surprise at the cold quiet rage in her voice.

"Izuku, are you alright?"

"I'm-I'm alright," he stuttered out, taken aback by Rias' demeanor. He was reminded of how she looked before she vaporized the Stray Devil. "I-I got shot and stabbed, but Argento was able to heal me."

Her eyes narrowed more as she slowly stepped toward Freed, Yumi moving back as her King sent a single glance at her.

"You not only hurt my precious servant, but you dare to attack people in my territory?"

If Freed felt any fear toward her, he didn't show it. "No way I'd deny my handiwork," he smirked. "You like it? I wanted to make your little green shit wipe match my masterpiece, but then you bitches had to show up."

The couch he had found himself standing by suddenly disappeared, having been engulfed by Rias' blast before he could even react.

Energy began gathering around her hand again, her gaze locked on his as her face remained blank.

"I could never allow someone like you to live. Between your senseless slaughter and harming my darling servant, you deserve nothing less than death." Despite her voice sounding calm, there was wrath clear in it. The temperature of the room felt like it was dropping as her power circled her.

"Well then" Freed whistled out. "Looks like I bit off a bit more than I can chew this time. Time to go," he said as he reached into his robe. "They're already on their way anyway."

"They?"

"Prez, we need to leave," Akeno said, looking alert. "A Fallen Angel is on their way. If we're caught here, it could mean war."

"No way I'll let them see me like this," Freed said, bringing out a small object. "See you around fuckers!" He yelled before throwing the object to the ground.

Koneko threw an armchair at his form just as a bright flash erupted around his form. When their vision returned, Freed was gone, a smashed armchair in his place.

"Time to go," Rias told Akeno, who nodded before beginning to summon another arcane circle.

"Wait!" Izuku said, glancing back to the confused Asia. "What about her? We can't just leave her here!"

"I'm sorry Izu, but she can't come with us,' Rias said. "Only Devils can travel through summoning circles like this, and only those in the Gremory peerage can travel through this one."

"It's okay."

He turned to see Asia smiling at him, but he saw through it. It was strained, pain filled. "I'll see you again someday Izuku. I know I will."

As the light of the circle enveloped the room, Izuku couldn't take his gaze away from her. After everything he saw her go through, the thought of just leaving her behind like this?

He couldn't.

"My bike!"

Rias looked at him in confusion before he explained himself. "I'll get her back to the club building! I'll take my bike!"

Rias looked at him blankly before shaking her head, the light of the circle growing brighter. "We can't Izuku. She's aligned with the church. We can't bring her with us."

"I don't care!" He yelled, taking her by surprise. "That didn't stop her from saving me. I can't let it stop me from saving her!"

The rest of the peerage watched in surprise as he took Asia by the hand, running toward the front door before yelling back to the group. "I'll see you guys back at the club room! I won't leave her behind!"

As he grabbed his shoes, he heard Rias' voice one more time before the light engulfed the room. "I hope you know what you're doing Izu." Her voice vanished as the light faded completely.

'I do too.'

Here's the preview!

Izuku:I did the right thing didn't I? I know she's with the church, but I couldn't just leave her there.

Asia:I never thought a Devil could be so kind.

Izuku:Is there really nothing we can do to help her? She's got nowhere to go.

Asia:I know that they won't be happy with this, but I can never go back.

Izuku:Argento? Is something wrong?

Asia:It's okay. I'm okay. It's just…

Izuku: Wait, is that…?

Next time! Asia:The Holy Maiden.

Asia:Izuku. Thank you, for everything

Izuku:Go Beyond!

Both:PLUS ULTRA!

This should have been two chapters.

It's not just because it's long, it's because it feels like there's a natural stopping point after they leave the building after killing the Stray Devil.

I thought long and hard about it as I kept working on the chapter, but I knew that I couldn't. I promised you guys both the Stray and Freed.

Surprisingly though, I managed to type out a third of this chapter in the span of a few hours. No idea why, the words just flowed out, that's the main reason you're getting it earlier than I expected.

I will admit though, I'm not sure about my fight scenes. I did what I could after looking up some helpful hints, but I'm not 100% sure about them.

Now let's talk about something else, something I'm pretty sure may get some comments going, the talk All Might and Izuku have.

Believe it or not, I'm actually quite proud of it. I feel like it's the best thing I've written so far, but here's the thing. The debate about whether or not it's right to use lethal force is a tricky area to navigate.

It's like All Might said, there are those who would say 'Of course it should happen. It needs to be done,' while others would argue against it. It's a very tricky subject, but it's one that needed to be brought up after Izuku watched Rias execute Vyser.

I ultimately left it unanswered because of how tricky it is, even though I personally believe that it's not always right. We even see this in the series itself with Hawks' decision to kill Twice, and it's presented as the wrong choice, as it leads to further problems.

I won't sit here and try and preach to you all about it though.

And it's not like I'll just bring it up only to completely forget about it because I couldn't think of another way to beat the bad guy and I don't have a problem with the heroes killing even if it goes against who they are as a character.

This isn't Man Of Steel for crying out loud.(Why yes, I am still salty.)

Back to talking about the actual chapter, I decided to have Izuku save someone from the Stray in this, as opposed to the original version where they arrived too late. And I threw in everyone's favorite fox lady in the mix, letting them meet here for the first time.

It was also the first time I really tried doing a perspective flip, telling part of the chapter from her point of view while giving a bit of backstory to her.

The name Aiko Kitsunezaki comes from the harem fic:Izuku's Pro Hero Harem Life. It will only change if we get an actual Canon name for her.

Also, because I stupidly forgot to mention it last time, Ochako's parents' names came from Watashi no Hero Academia! Good story, recommended.

I decided to throw in Izuku meeting everyone's favorite (not)magical girl to provide a bit of levity between two heavier parts, though we may still see her again.

I don't want to waste too much time with this note, and I don't know just how much I can keep praising all of you for reading and enjoying this. Especially seeing as how this story has hit over 5000 hits over on Ao3. Your feedback brings me happiness, and I hope to keep going for as long as I can.

Remember to be good, be kind, and I'll see you all next time.