Layers upon layers of tension grew in the room as the two broke down their findings. Naegi sat on the other end of the couch, tuning into every word the pair had to say. From the odd white-haired man to the discovery of the devious mastermind, he felt like the world twisted and folded with every sentence. The memories of living a lonesome, albeit peaceful, life became a mere safe haven in his mind as the grim realities of life as a devil sat in. Being hunted relentlessly by creatures fully equipped to destroy him would become common. Drowning in his thoughts, he hadn't realized his name was being called repeatedly. "Naegi," A gentle touch to his shoulder straightened the world out. "What do you think about this?"

"Sorry," Taking a moment to gather his thoughts, he ran a hand through his hair. "Do I really have a choice? I mean it is us or them right?"

Her hand retracted and placed itself firmly on her lap. "From how that white haired guy spoke, yes."

"And you're sure that the girl that healed me is with them?"

"She fit your description perfectly." Akeno spoke from the other side of the room. Her hand tucked underneath her chin. Her brow furrowed and she tapped her fingers along her jaw while staring at him.

Naegi shook his head. Opening his mouth for a second, he decided to send the words that initially wanted to leave back down with a gulp. "So that means I'm expected to kill?"

A foot stomped on the ground quickly in anger. "Of course you're expected to kill. They won't be pulling any punches kid. And we don't have time for you to be indecisive. If you're joining us on this mission, then we need to get you prepared. Get some fire in your stomach. Don't you want revenge?"

He bit down before staring at the ceiling. "No honestly. Revenge never crossed my mind." He placed his palms down on the couch and stood up. "She'd kill me again if we fought right now so there was never really a point to it. But, my duty as a pawn carries more weight than what I want. So do whatever you need to make me ready."

Blue eyes tracked him as he stood up. "Realistically, the three of us could handle this one alone. If we feel you aren't ready, we're leaving you here."

"I get it, can't be covering for me while we're there. I just have one con-" The softness of the blue eyes staring at him nearly made him forget the piercing purple ones on the other one, "request not condition. If we can, I'd like to talk to the girl who healed me. Maybe we can come to an understanding, I don't think we need to shed that much blood."

Hanzo appeared before him. "She's their most dangerous asset. If her gear is what we think, your half assed feelings could give her the time to heal them all. If anything we strike her down first."

Naegi swallowed down. "But she isn't a bad person. Neither of you heard her say she'd harm us. She isn't guilty just for being associated with them. I mean she healed me right?"

The sharp edge of the next phrase tore through Naegi from across the room. "What if she knew what you were. Think she would have healed you then?" Her nails planted themself against the flesh of her chin and pushed it in.

Before getting a chance to speak, he was grabbed roughly by the shoulder and dragged to the door. "It's a little tense in here." He smiled at the two and pushed the kid out of the door. Slamming it behind them, he grit his teeth. "Get up."

Naegi stared up and trembled before the man in front of him. He nearly fell while scrambling to his feet. "What was I supposed to say to her? How do I respond to-"

Hanzo dragged him along further. "I never told you to talk. Just to get up." His eyes held a menace to them, the glare of an animal was trapped within. As though a lion or a wolf was staring him down through the bent bars of its cage. "You're young and you don't know us at all. So, I can understand your feelings. But, we can't risk having you hesitate. Grigori, Fallen Angels or really anything dealing with that realm are naturally equipped to kill us. Even if Rias and Akeno are way stronger than our enemies, we always run the risk of getting injured against them."

"Look I get it. I've been stabbed by them way more times than I'd like."

Hanzo shook his head a little and laughed, "It isn't your own pain you should be worried about. You've shown that you can handle your fair share of physical hell. But what about having those you care for be harmed?"

His eyes shifted from side to side, "I don't know. I've never been put into that situation. Humans don't normally experience that."

"The lucky ones don't anyway." There was a grim smile on his face as the two walked, "Ever notice how Akeno gets when fallen angels are brought up?"

He considered answering without thinking before remembering one small detail, "She got angry at me when I mentioned being scared going shopping with her would end up like Yu- Raynare."

The grass split beneath their feet as the two of them touched down on the field where they fought a few days ago. "She doesn't have very positive feelings about them, let's just say. She's had some bad experiences. Humans aren't much better according to her, maybe that's why she's so hard on new recruits. She's really a nice girl, just seen a lot and can be a bit reserved."

"Why are you telli-"

"My folks didn't go out too peacefully either. Neither did my little brother. Wasn't much I could do, once they heard of a boy with special powers in the area. I was young and excited to be the best hunter in our village."

"They? Fallen angels?"

His foot swirled around and finally the man looked down to face him. "In my case, yeah. Normally it just means enemies. They can do whatever they want to you, but what hurts most is when they harm who you love. Be glad you haven't had anything like that happen."

"Nothing gruesome like it but I understand what it's like, I think. Except not really fallen angels, cars are way scarier." He grimaced a little and took a similar stance.

"Got a reason why?"

"Beat me and I'll tell you why." He laughed softly and clenched his fists.

Hanzo shook his head. "We aren't focusing on your physical strength right now. After today, you'll probably be sparring with me. But I want to at least let you learn how to punch with magic behind it. You remember how to move energy up your arm right?" After a quick nod, the large one continued, "Okay good. Try focusing your magic from your shoulder into your fist."

"But if the energy pools in my fists are small won't the magic overflow?"

"That's exactly what you want." Nearly the rest of the day was spent channeling magic through his arms. Slowly but surely he felt power surging through his fists for longer durations of time. Though at times the magic was caught between the remnants of his destroyed chains. There was a constant struggle between the steel snake binding his abilities and the luminescent dragon freeing him from them. The two would wrap around each other constantly and cause his energy to be delayed at times.

Pushing his sweat off of his forehead with his hand, he began rubbing his head. "I feel like I haven't eaten all day."

"Your body is stressed and you've exhausted most of your magic reserves. Take a break but don't expect tomorrow to be any easier." Hanzo tapped his back and walked away. Naegi nodded, standing around the patches of grass that he had flattened to try and find any hints of magic in them.

"Just one more try." He lifted his arm only for it to fall down at his side. Fighting through the shocks that exploded along it. Fruitlessly, he smacked his hand into the ground and lifted it. Small remnants of magic pooled within the blades. He laughed a little and dropped to his knees. The field would become his spot to lay. His body would no longer respond to any of his commands and all he could do was curl around the one place where he successfully transferred his magic down.

Hanzo entered the house with a sigh of relief before feeling eyes on him. "He's out in the field. He'll come in soon." He slid off his shoes before sitting on the couch. "So what have you two been doing while we were out?"

"Figuring out what the fallen angels have planned." Rias said, looking down at scribbled out notes and crumpled papers. "Do they plan on attacking us specifically? We can assume Dohnaseek is the one that attacked Naegi since he knows about demons in this town. Unless of course he ran into one of the Sitri family's pieces. Or even just a random rogue." She ran a frustrated hand through her hair . "There's too many factors. I can't figure out what to do."

"The easiest thing we can do is to take them all out. Even if Naegi isn't ready. The three of us can handle them. Especially if Hanzo draws them outside. We can destroy them all with our magic from a safe distance from the church. You're a leader. Say the word and we'll kill for you."

She shook her head. "A good leader finds a middle ground between what their subordinates want. He doesn't want that girl being harmed."

"You're really paying attention to his childish words?" Akeno held a look of disbelief.

"It's way safer to take her out. I've been saying this since earlier."

Rias' eyes held a frustrated and assertive look in them. "As childish as his words may be, think about it for a second. Healing like hers can be useful. If she isn't one of them yet, we may be able to gain her assistance."

"That's a big if to plan a whole mission on though." Her hair flowed while she shook her head. "I respect you for trying but it isn't feasible." The door creaked open softly and an exhausted Naegi collapsed.

"Gonna stand up there buddy?" Hanzo spoke.

"No, I think Imma just lay here. Continue…" He groaned and struggled to raise himself.

Rias glanced at him and shook her head. "Naegi. How badly would it affect you if that girl died?"

"Don't know. I don't know her that well, or at all. I'd definitely prefer to not kill her or really anyone though." He managed to sit himself against a wall and placed his arms between his legs.

"That settles it. We'll go for it, and only kill her if absolutely necessary." She stood up. "But. We leave tomorrow night. Without Naegi." She gave him a sympathetic look.

"But I can use magic now. I can fight."

She shook her head. "You absolutely are not ready. We planned to train you more but Akeno thinks it's far more urgent."

"Try… try to teleport me." He whispered out.

"What?"

"Teleport me. If I do it this time, you have to let me go. I'm not giving up on this." He grabbed the windowsill and lifted himself as high as possible. Though his legs were shaking rapidly, his brown eyes were able to pierce through them.

"You won't be able to do that in your condition." Her blue eyes met his own and sent his glare right back.

Naegi swallowed down and closed his eyes. "I'm a pawn… of the Gremory household. I'll take this trial a thousand times before sullying that name by giving in and letting you all go alone." He slipped slightly and caught himself once again on the edge of the window. Hanging there like a spider, he waited patiently. With a prideful look and an open palm, a circle appeared beneath him. Fatigue slipped away from him as half of his body disappeared into the ether between his destinations. Somewhere in the middle, once the weightlessness began, he felt himself become severed from his mind. The world turned to complete darkness, much like Fafnir's domain before the flames erupted. His body lay with his limbs crossed on the ground, like a hunted animal.

"Damn he's stubborn." Hanzo groaned and went to pick him up his junior. "What do I do with him?"

Rias appeared lost for a second but then came back. "Just lay him on the couch." She had her hand covering her mouth and walked off. After a quick glance, Akeno followed her.

"You almost had it Kid. Just a bit more time awake and you would have teleported." Hanzo smiled and walked off. "Let your elders do this one."

Rumbling and loud sounds rang deep in his ears. He tossed slightly and grabbed the sheet that was placed on him. "Hanzo be quiet." Akeno spoke sharply. "We need to leave soon and we can't have him waking up before then." His eyes remained shut yet his other senses began telling him everything that was going on.

"He drained all his magic. There's no way he'll be up before we leave. Relax."

Footsteps came from the door. "Sun's down, let's go." Her voice held an authority that Naegi rarely heard before. "Make the portal somewhere where the enemies can't see." She picked at the red shirt she was wearing and paced over to the two of them. She shot a look at Naegi and quickly gazed away. "Come on." She whispered and signaled to Akeno. As soon as a warm light appeared in the room, Naegi thrust the sheet off and jumped into the portal. As they all began teleporting, he prepared himself for what was about to happen.

"Did you just…" Hanzo announced, looking down at the mess of black hair beneath him.

"I did it." He chuckled and looked at his hand and the wilderness around them.

After turning around, he could see that a storm was brewing in her throat. "What you did is disobey a direct order and break your oath. You di-" Her voice was silent and sharp before Akeno used her hand to cover it.

"Apologies Rias, but he did teleport and fulfill his side. If a punishment is necessary, we'll give it to him later. We shouldn't draw attention to ourselves right now." She pointed to the sky where black feathers were descending on them.

Hanzo stood him up while Naegi dusted himself off. Swallowing his inner turmoil, he let out a quick, "Thanks. So that's where she is huh." His eyes locked on the church near them. "Can we even step near a church?"

"Not without a nasty side effect. We need to strike them and make them come out." The dark haired woman began levitating with a smile on her face. "Leave that one to me."

Naegi looked around, as Hanzo began charging forward. Feeling a push from behind, Rias was wielding a magic circle. "You two are going to be the front lines. Stick close to Hanzo and don't get too injured." There was a small quiver in her lip and she took a deep breath. Naegi nodded and ran off, chasing the white streaks in the distance. Hell broke loose once a Fallen Angel screamed in the sky. The voice reverberated into the distance and felt as though it made the ground quake. The moon's light paled in comparison to the bright streak the Akeno sent to the house. Piercing through the fallen angel that let out a shriek, she sent a lightning bolt to the church and burst it open. Hanzo ran forward, materializing a sword with a marble white handle and a wolf's head at the pommel and using it to slice through a fallen angel that appeared before him. Naegi activated his gear far too late and noticed something moving behind him.

Looking back to see dark black wings in front of him, he dove to the side and saw the man raise his hand to summon a spear before gasping in pain and screaming as dark flames enveloped his entire body. His wings started to burn faster and he tried putting that flame out first before being consumed by it himself. He witnessed Rias' magic circle begin to lose its glow before looking at the building. Naegi's eyes widened once he witnessed what was going on inside the house. Raynare stood in her fallen angel outfit in front of a crucified Asia. A blinding green glow crept upon the ground and walls of the church. Naegi pressed forward and noticed the two hooded figures standing guard near Raynare. He swore he saw a lock of blue hair peek out from underneath the hood. "What are they doing to her?" Pain grew in him as he inched closer to the foundation of the abandoned church. "Dammit." He groaned and tried pushing forward only to be repelled by the pain.

With a calm and knowing look, Rias raised her hand once again and this time fired directly into the church. Her target was the girl bound to the wall. She averted her eyes for a second, checking Naegi's face as the fireball flew past him. He closed his eyes for the moment of impact, awaiting some sort of scream. Instead, he felt as though wind from rapid wings cut him as they moved behind. The cross around Asia was expertly cut out by the White Haired man, who stood proud near his creation. "You really weren't lying, Dohnaseek. There are some of these heathens out here." His voice was about to burst with joy.

"You don't get to cut any on your own. Only the ones that get close to Raynare during the ritual got it?" The white haired man was visibly upset yet decided to keep his mouth shut. The man grabbed his hat then turned to Naegi. "Hello again lowly Devil. I believe we never finished our fight."

Naegi looked around and tried to maintain a neutral face. "Wasn't much of one. I mean you ran at the first sign of me fighting back."

"Reconnaissance, my foolish boy. I wanted to see if you were a stray or belonged to a household. And what do I find? That I, Dohnaseek, would have the pleasure of killing a Gremory."

Naegi narrowed down on him. "Is her last name really that important to you?"

"Foolish boy, that name is important to any creature with an inkling of knowledge about our world. Your proud King never shared such a detail?" Dohnaseek closed in instantly, to which Naegi looked down and blocked. A kick sent him flying back even farther than their initial range. "Pity that you won't get to ask her." Naegi turned his head to see Rias surrounded by a number of fallen angels herself. Instantly his feet shifted to try and run to her before a scream from above stopped him.

"Go over there and you'll be in her way. Just focus on what's in front of you. If you can at least kill this one, I'll consider talking to lower your punishment."

Dohnaseek tilted his hat downwards a little. "The story only gets more pathetic. A piece that can't even be near his King."

"That's it. Just keep running your mouth like some movie villain." Naegi smiled and felt his calves nearly bursting with energy. Along with his speech, his anticipation ended. Energy burned through his legs and burst through his feet. Dust flew up in the field from where he took off. The world around him blurred as he closed in on the fallen angel who stood above him. Shifting his weight from one side of his body to the other, he tried slamming his fist wildly into the man's head. Dohnaseek calmly and swiftly ducked under the wild blow and returned one of his own, pushing the pawn back a few steps. Once sufficient space had been built between them, he drew a spear of light. The moment he was prepared to toss it, Naegi clasped his hands together. The ensuing shockwave and light caused some of those that had been facing him to shriek. Ignoring the louder screams that followed from the opportunistic fireballs and lightning bolts they were struck with, Naegi ran forward once again.

Dohnaseek's eyes were shut for an instant, a mere second, and yet his prey was gone. He looked around before ultimately looking beneath him at the breached space. With one arm tightly brought near his face, and the other at a comfortable, low angle, Naegi thrust his fist up and it collided squarely in his jaw. Shock ran through his fist and down his arm as bones collided and vibrated for the both of them. Dark blue eyes that had no signs of giving in glared down at the young devil. Grasping his spear firmer, the man threw it, where it landed comfortably through Naegi's right shoulder and pierced into the ground before disappearing. "That had no magic behind it. And you expected me to flinch?" The man shook his head. "I was hoping for some higher prey. It'd be more fun hunting down a stray. The Gremory household must be desperate and recruiting anybody."

Two Dohnaseeks stood before him, swaying side to side and crashing into each other. The ground beneath him spun and he tumbled to his uninjured side. He felt himself nearly begin to cry from the pain before realizing that he was falling. Though, once he heard the comment, something changed. His gear shone brightly, the yellow light steadied his mind and erased the second Dohnaseek caused by fatigue and blood loss. Naegi's mind steadied and he saw another spear materialize. The moment Dohnaseek lifted his arm to throw another, he closed his eyes and slammed his fist directly into the man's jaw again. At the moment of impact, there was no vibration, no shock through his fist. All the shock was sent outwards with one huge burst of magic that knocked his face sideways and sent his hat flying into the distance. Naegi clasped down again and moved his legs to the side with another punch, unaware of if he had any magic left to put into it. Already breathing heavily, he threw it once again only to be ducked and have his wrist grabbed. "Here I was thinking you couldn't use magic." Dohnaseek's legs wobbled beneath him and his grip grew tighter.

"Not 'til the end. Only the second one had any right?"

"Don't concern yourself with that now Devil. In a moment, that won't be your problem." Naegi's breath stagnated and he could no longer feel the arm he used to attack, nor his injured one. Blue light appeared from the void and lit up his face, light that should have been the end of him. Had it not been for someone watching from above. Naegi's ears picked up on static sounds coming from above and so he sank his teeth into Dohnaseek's arm to release the grip before jumping back, holding his tightly bound arm. Spears of Light may be fast, but the light Akeno wielded was much faster. Upon being struck, Dohnaseek began to convulse and fell to the ground. Knowing exactly what a bolt could do, Naegi pushed forward without even realizing the field was now empty, full of patches of burnt grass and bodies burning with an intense black flame.

"Now, just got to." He stared forward, seeing the green light growing even stronger around Raynare. "Get all the way over there." It felt as though his feet were eroding beneath him from the friction of his wobbled steps. His eyes fixated on Hanzo's battle with the white haired man. Both of them were nicked all over yet had no serious injuries. The man had a sickening smile on his face, relishing every time his blade sliced at the larger body. The two had no comments for each other, sparks began flying as the two swords clashed. Hanzo's held a bit of dried blood on it from his previous battles, while the other blade had a fresh coat of liquid. They were so caught up in each other that they didn't notice the other hooded figure waiting for Raynare to finish the ritual before pushing her out of the green light. The angel's body made a thud as it hit the ground and she scrambled to find out what happened.

"Raynare." Naegi called out to her, witnessing her betrayal up close. Her cold eyes turned to meet his. "Whatever you're doing to her, stop it now."

Her battle hardened expression softened and she pouted at him a little. "Oh Naegi, such a mean way to greet me. Abandon a girl for her enemies and not even an apology?" She laughed and shook her head. "I can't call it off, or inherit what was meant to be mine thanks to these damn Vatican traitors." Asia's body fell to the ground, being gracefully cut down by the figure and caught. A droplet hit the girl's small face as she was laid down on the ground. Her voice grew more sinister by the moment. "Her Twilight Healing, now in the hands of the Church." Her cackling bellowed in the area. "They'll toss you away once they don't need you. Once they realize how you got that gear." Raynare laughed more and took aim, wanting to fire a spear. By the time she had the chance to, the hooded one fled from the area. Naegi's eyes couldn't trace her even with his gear active.

"That cold hearted bitch really left me with the enemies." The man spoke and looked at Hanzo. "I take it you won't let me run? This one's gonna be hard on my legs. But multiple of you fucks at the same time would be way harder don't you think?" He said all of this while still dodging and attacking Hanzo. "Really wish we humans could teleport like you sinners. That means I wouldn't have to resort to this." He laughed maniacally and jumped back, turning and running off into the distance where the church once stood, knowing the devils would have to take a detour around the blessed land. From there, he began running as fast as he could to avoid them.

"What an annoying..." Hanzo touched his wounds with his fingertips before moving next to Naegi defensively. "One run-in where you aren't injured, man. All I want."

"So demons adopted you. That's adorable." She laughed and stood up. "So what? You going to try to kill me? Get saved like with Dohnaseek."

Naegi shook his head. "Nope. Don't flatter yourself." Hanzo looked at Naegi, whose voice had no inflection. "You aren't important enough for me to care about killing you. Why get heartbroken over feelings that were made up?"

"You're lying. You're… you just can't kill me. You weren't strong enough even without your injuries."

"You're right. I couldn't. But treachery is always repaid. You tried killing me, and Asia clearly isn't breathing anymore. All that for you to be betrayed in the end and left to die alone. I can't touch you, but they can." Flowing red hair finally appeared in front of Naegi. He moved around Hanzo and paced to where Asia was.

"All of this trouble and we still didn't get the gear." Rias spoke quietly, glancing over at Naegi. "You and all of your allies harmed my pieces. Before he was my pawn, you nearly killed him. After he joined me, your ally did the same. Akeno may have made his end quick, but your crimes warrant a harsher punishment. For treating a Gremory piece with such cruelty, you will meet a slow end." She brought forward the hand she never chewed on.

Raynare lifted her hand to throw a spear. In anticipation of the demon's retaliation, she tried killing her with her eyes. Such fierceness, ferocity and bloodlust, all replaced by terror as the smell of cinders reached her nose. Her hand holding the spear boiled to an unrecognizable mush. She screamed, and summoned all her strength to bring up her other hand, only for it to be disabled in the same manner.

Rias' eyes lost all sympathy as she looked down at the screaming woman before her. Coldly, she created one final blaze in her hand, letting it crackle and loom over Raynare. Given the lack of urgency, she made this final one approach slower. It trailed Raynare as she scrambled backwards. Then, it jolted right for her. She watched her enemy's last moments, feeling no joy nor sympathy, and then exhaled. Her eyes turned first to the hole in Naegi's shoulder.

That was the moment she realized he was far lower than normal. He knelt beside the girl's body with empty eyes and cold defeated tears running down his cheeks.