Episode 3: We Stand Together

Ibaraki Douji, although Issei's knowledge of Japanese folklores is only as much as the next Japanese, he had of course heard of that name. It is the name of a particularly famous oni second only to Shuten Douji. Any Japanese worth their name would recognize this particular oni's name even if they are not much for folklores and legends.

Except, it appears that oni are not simply folklores and legends.

Issei is not the type to deny the reality in front of him. If given sufficient proof, he would believe even the most ridiculous of things. And now he is seeing a group of oni blocking their path with Ibaraki Douji himself in the lead and apparently Kunou is some kind of princess and a fox youkai.

'What the hell is happening here?! Onis are real and Kunou-chan is some kind of kitsune youkai?! Princess of Kyoto?!'

Issei screamed in his head.

"Kunou-chan, what does he mean? Princess of Kyoto? Kunou-chan, what is happening here?"

A shuddering Yuuna asked her underclassman who is currently standing protectively in front of her friends. The young fox youkai is seething in anger. She went to Tokyo to get away from all the fights and live among humans but it seems that other youkai have a different opinion.

Kunou knew that she cannot win against the high-class oni and Ibaraki Douji even if she fights with all her strength. The low and middle-class she could handle but the two large ones that appear to be ultimate-class and Ibaraki are beyond her power, especially Ibaraki, and he is equipped with Doujigiri. But she doesn't need to. She only need to hold out. No doubt that the Miko stationed in Tokyo would knew about this infiltration by now and have mobilized their forces, or rather, Hinata would've noticed by now and both Harutora and Wakaba are currently on their way here. She only need to hold out until they arrive.

But…

Kunou look back at his three seniors. Issei and Yuuna are taking this better than other people who suddenly got dragged into the supernatural world but poor Chikage looks like she's about to breakdown while shaking in fear. Issei, Yuuna and Chikage have been caught in the ambush all because of her. She cannot protect them while fighting the oni and she'll never forgive herself if anything were to happen to them.

"Takashima-senpai, Hyoudou-senpai, Koori-senpai, when I give the signal, please run."

"Ehh?! Are you telling us to leave you?!"

"There's no other way, Takashima-senpai. This will become a battle soon. I won't forgive myself if anything were to happen to you guys!"

"But Kunou-ch-"

"Curse: FIERY HEAVEN!"

Kunou cut off whatever Yuuna was about to say and threw three ofuda right in front of the oni group. Along with her chant, three large pillar of flame erupted from the ofuda, blocking the oni's path.

"Run, now!"

Kunou shouted in a commanding tone. Yuuna was about to protest when Issei grabbed her hand. Yuuna looked at her longtime friend who shook his head and gestured at Chikage. She looked as if she's ready to faint and they can't leave her alone.

"Gun-chan."

"Yuna…"

Issei didn't need to tell her what they would do next. Yuuna nodded and pick Chikage up. Just as she is walking away, a gust of wind blew from behind her. She looked back to see Ibaraki with sword drawn and the pillar of flame Kunou made disappear into nothingness from the blast of pure youki.

"So you are letting your human friends run. How pathetic of you, Princess of Kyoto, for helping some weak humans. Get them all, and make it quick before their reinforcement arrive."

Ibaraki ordered. The lesser oni all cried out in glee as if they had just been given a free treat. The little oni then charged at the young kitsune with the human-sized oni following behind. Kunou was took out more ofuda and is prepared to cast another spell when she suddenly felt her feet left the ground.

"Uwaah! Wha—Hyoudou-senpai?!"

"I'm not hearing any excuses, Kunou-chan! You'll be coming with us too!"

Kunou look back to see her senior have picked her up and then began running. The oni pursue them as they ran, leaving behind Ibaraki Douji and his two high-class oni bodyguards. His bodyguards are about to join in the pursuit when he lifted his hand to stop them.

"Let the grunts and the other groups handle them. We have an operation to complete."

His bodyguards stopped and nodded. The three of them then turn back and head to their real objective. Ibaraki Douji did not look back even once as they disappear into the miasma.

"What?! We're not getting any reinforcement?! Kunou-chan is in danger here!"

Harutora shouted into his communicator. He and Wakaba, still in their school uniform, are running down the street towards where Kunou and the others are while being guided by Hinata. Harutora had requested for reinforcement long the way but the reply he got is not satisfying at all.

'I'm sorry Tsuchimikado-kun but we are under attack in the Chiyoda ward too and there are several high-class oni there! I've sent Cleria-san there along with several others. The Onmyouji in Chiyoda ward are outnumbered and… what?! Suginami ward is also under attack?! Reinforcements from Setagaya have been sent. Tch, what the hell is happening? How did they infiltrate the Tokyo daikekkai?! Khh, I'm sorry Tsuchimikado-kun but we really can't spare anyone. The Onmyouji and Miko forces in Tokyo are not as big as we should be and we're spread thin. Sorry, you're on your own.

The voice of Shiratori Utano told him with a hint of regret. It seems they are on their own. Harutora seethed. Several major attacks are occurring in several areas around Tokyo and everyone is running around trying to find out how this happened. Their forces have been spread thin all around Tokyo.

"So we're not getting any help?"

Wakaba sked, though she had already heard the whole conversation through her own earpiece. It's a shared communication channel after all. Harutora nodded.

"Attacks are happening all over Tokyo. Every available forces have been sent to suppress the enemy forces. Masaomi-sensei was sent to Shibuya and Cleria-san was sent to Chiyoda not long ago. We're on our own."

"To be able to sneak such a large force through the Tokyo daikekkai…"

"Let's focus on saving Kunou-chan first, Wakaba-chan."

"…you're right. We can discuss about this with Shiratori-senpai later. For now, let's hurry!"

The three childhood friends increase their pace. They hope they're not too late.

"Let go of me senpai! I told you to leave me behind and run, not take me with you!"

"Shut up! There's no way we're leaving you behind! What kind of senior will I be if I let my junior sacrifice herself!"

Issei and Kunou yelled at each other even as Issei carry the young kitsune by the waist. While it's hard to keep a good grip when the girl is struggling to escape, Issei somehow managed to keep her from escaping while running. Yuuna wryly smiled as she ran beside him with Chikage in tow.

"Why… why did you take her with you?"

Issei heard Chikage's voice asking him. He turn to the dark haired girl who looks much paler than usual.

"If you leave her behind, they wouldn't be chasing us right now."

Chikage spoke in a rather shaky voice.

"It's her fault. They're after her and now they're after us because you took her with you."

Kunou stopped struggling and had a remorseful look when Chikage said that. She's right, it's her fault that they're in this situation right now. They are after her and now they're also after her seniors because of her. Issei should've just left her behind.

"Gun-chan, it's not right to say that we should just leave Kunou-chan behind."

"But Yuuna-chan!"

"Friends don't leave each other behind, Gun-chan. We will never leave Kunou-chan behind just like we'll never leave you behind. Right, Ise-kun?"

Kunou look up to see her senior grinning.

"Damn right, Yuna-chan!"

"Takashima-senpai, Hyoudou-senpai."

Suddenly three small oni appear from above Issei as they passed through a small park. He noticed them and had to drop Kunou to catch the small demon with his hands. He then spun and kicked the third oni away before throwing the two he caught at the one he kicked, piling them up under a tree. It seems dealing with the small ones won't be much of a problem but their skins are rough and hard that despite their size, they are rather sturdy.

"They already caught up to us?!"

The group stopped when they saw a group of oni right in front of them. There are lots of small ones and almost two dozen human-sized ones and three large oni that act as their leader. They began to spread out to encircle them. The Hero Club was about to run back from the direction they came from but behind them, finally catching up, are the group that was under Ibaraki's command. They are trapped.

"Now what?"

Issei asked nobody in particular as the Hero Club all have their back towards each other. They are trapped and they have nowhere to run.

"We're doomed."

Chikage whispered in fear. Even Yuuna look worried at their predicament. Issei too is worried but he got into a fighting stance.

"I guess we have no other choice than to fight."

He said. Kunou look surprised.

"Fight? Are you kidding senpai?! They are youkai! You can't fight them! I'll try to…"

"If you say you'll make an opening for us to run and leave you behind then I'll be very angry, Kunou-chan."

"But…"

"Besides, I doubt they'll leave us alone."

"True. Besides, that Ibaraki Douji told them to get us all. They will not let us go. We have no choice but to fight."

Yuuna also entered a fighting stance after agreeing with Issei. Kunou sighs. Her senpai are right. Ibaraki's order was to get them all which includes her seniors. The oni won't let them go and they have a large enough number to spare to pursue them. Seeing that she won't be convincing her seniors to run away, she resigned herself to fight together with them. Both Yuuna and Issei look ready and eager to fight anyway. Wait, can they actually fight?

"…Hyoudou-senpai, Takashima-senpai, can the two of you even fight?"

Their answer came in the form of two smiles as they stood back to back in similar fighting stance.

"We're about to find out."

"Don't worry about us, Kunou-chan, we can take care of ourselves."

The oni then attacked. Kunou call forth several blue fires that appear over the tip of her nine tails. She began throwing around blue fires that easily burns the low-clas oni. Kitsunebi, while hers is still rather weak due to her young age, is still deadly to low-class opponents. While her current power is not enough to beat a middle-class human-sized oni in one hit, she could last much longer using kitsunebi than her ofuda which consumes much more power.

The low-class oni that made up the bulk of the enemy forces doesn't seem to pose a threat to the Hero Club as Yuuna and Issei began kicking and punching them away with Kunou finishing them using her kitsunebi. The small oni have little strength and only rely on numbers to overwhelm their opponents, which usually doesn't work on anyone marginally skilled in combat.

Yuuna and Issei proved to be skilled enough to not be overwhelmed by their numbers, guarding each other's back while protecting Chikage whenever an oni got too close to her. They work so well together with a decent enough skill in martial arts that makes one think if they have received a formal training.

The surprisingly good teamwork between Yuuna, Issei, and Kunou made quick work of the low-class oni and more than two dozens fell… when the middle-class ones decided to attack together with the three high-class oni. Kunou had finished of four more low-class oni when she noticed the hulking figure of a high-class oni behind her senior.

"Takashima-senpai, behind you!"

Kunou shouted. Yuuna heard her warning in time to dodge a fist from the large oni that slam onto the ground. The power behind the fist was so great that the concrete ground cracked under the oni's might. Yuuna tried to kick the large oni but when her leg met the oni's thick gray skin, she only felt pain as if she had just kicked a large rock.

"Yuna!"

Issei called out her name in worry as the large oni raise its fist once more. He tried to get to her but a pair of middle-class oni stood in his way. He duck under a sword slash and had to sidestep a club smash and jump back, unable to reach Yuuna. Kunou also saw her senior in trouble. She threw three more ofuda that contains the Fiery Heaven curse that immolates four middle class oni and six low-class before heading to Yuuna's rescue only to be blocked by the remaining two high-class oni that blindsided her and ram her towards a tree.

Issei dodge another clubbing attempt by another mid-class oni and return the favor with a punch that only hurt his knuckle while it simply made the oni angrier. He ducked under another swing and saw Kunou being rammed.

"Kunou-chan!"

Yuuna managed to jump and roll away from the fist that came down on her. The ground shook from the fist's impact but at least she managed to avoid being made into abstract art on the ground. But when she regained her footing, she found herself surrounded by several mid-class oni.

"This might be bad."

Yuuna muttered worriedly. One by one the Hero Club got backed into a corner. Yuuna saw Issei dodging several attacks and so far he had not received any injury but he had some scrapes and part of his uniform was cut and ripped by the mid-class onis' various weapons. Kunou had gotten back up from being rammed and are currently holding back the three high-class oni with her ofuda spells, mainly fiery heaven and one that creates wind. But it is Chikage that worry her the most. She cannot fight and he saw her being backed to a tree by several oni.

"Chikage-chan!"

Yuuna screamed her name. She try to get to her but more mid-class oni got in her way. She backflipped to avoid a hammer attack but another oni came from behind her and she was too late to notice. The oni swung his club and all Yuuna could do was cross her arm to block the attack. She closed her eyes, fearing for the worst.

The sickening sound of bones being shattered was heard… but Yuuna did not feel pain at all. She opened her eyes to see Issei standing in front of her with a bloodied left hand stretched out and the oni's club being blown back. She did not notice it but there is a glow on the back of Issei's outstretched left hand.

"Ise…-kun?"

Her eyes widened in surprise at Issei's sudden appearance.

"I won't let you harm Yuna-chan!"

The boy declared as his injured left hand began to glow. With a loud roar, Issei then punch the oni once again with his left arm. The Oni was blown back, much to Yuuna's surprise, as a red gauntlet appear on Issei's left hand.

[Boost]

Issei fell on his knees panting. A bead of sweat ran down his face as he gritted his teeth, holding back the pain on his arm, which surprisingly gradually lessened. Issei stood back up. There's no time to rest as more oni are gathering around them.

Then suddenly the five oni encircling Issei and Yuuna was struck by something and exploded. Then from above something came and landed in front of them. It is a person, a boy with spiky blonde hair they both recognize.

"Tsuchimikado!"

"Yo, Hyoudou, Takashima, sorry we're late but don't worry, now that we're here, everything will be taken care of."

Harutora grinned. In front of Chikage, another person landed. Nogi Wakaba then drew a sword and with a single slash all oni that are closing in on Chikage was slain.

"Trying to act cool doesn't suit you, Bakatora."

Following the two's arrival, a chuckle can be heard from the sky where now a yellow eastern dragon can be seen circling the battlefield. From the top of the dragon's head, Uesato Hinata held a bow and an arrow of light, aiming them upward. She released the arrow to the sky and it splits into multiple smaller arrows of light that finished off the rest of the low-class and middle-class oni while the high-class ones managed to endure the attack but not without injury.

"Ufufu, good work on holding out for so long everyone. Now, Wakaba-chan, Tora-kun, let's finish this fight and go home together."

Hinata then jumped down from the dragon's head and the dragon disappeared, returning into an ofuda that Hinata put back into her pocket. Seeing the arrival of their friends, Issei, Yuuna and Kunou smiled. The Hero Club have assembled and counterattack is now possible.

Truthfully, I wanted this to go longer but well, it is how it is. Issei, in the heat of battle, awakened Boosted Gear to protect Yuuna, that's the basic idea. And now everyone in the Hero Club is dragged into the conflict happening in Japan. I'll be honest, the battle scene is not really as good as I want it to be but like I said, it is what it is.

So now the Hero club has assembled and everyone's (minus Chikage) fighting style can be seen, even if only a glimpse. Well, I did kept them as close to their respective series as possible while adapting them to the DxD world in my own way. Although I did need to make something new for Uesato Hinata since she's not a fighter in the Nogi Wakaba Yuusha series. And I need to readjust their characters to fit their circumstances, like with Chikage, while still keeping their core character. I hope I've done well enough with the Hero Club.