High School DxD: Inheritor of Malevolence

by dvdryms

There exist infinite universes, infinite possibilities. In one of them, an almost normal first-year high school student will discover that there is more to the world around him than meets the eye following a certain encounter. But where will his path lead him when the forbidden power sleeping within him awakens?

12. Rampage

Chapter 12 – Rampage

"Alright. Let's see where they'll come from…"

Takeshi muttered to himself. At present, he was standing in the forest just outside Kuoh Town, the dark green gauntlets and greaves of Berserk Devastator deployed and his senses on high alert as he surveyed his surroundings. While he was confident in his abilities, that didn't mean he had the leeway to underestimate his opponents.

A swish in the nearby bushes caught his attention. Wasting no time, he shot a wind blade at that direction, but came up empty. At that time, he felt danger from his right side, so he moved sideways, barely evading the icicles shot at him. Before he had a chance to regain his bearings, Tsubasa, the Rook of the Sitri Peerage, emerged from the nearby forest and swung her fist at him. Takeshi countered with a kick, unleashing a shockwave that blew away several leaves around him.

"Heavy…" Tsubasa grimaced. "What the Hell are those greaves of yours made of, Ryuugamine-kun?"

"Evil Dragon scales apparently." Takeshi grinned. "I guarantee their robustness, Yura-san!"

The two combatants disengaged from each other as Tsubasa aimed another punch at Takeshi. His crescent kick parried her blow, with his ensuing reverse roundhouse kick sending her skidding backwards. Takeshi's following jabs were dodged by Tsubasa, who countered with a cross to the face. Despite receiving the heavy blow head-on, Takeshi was unfazed as he grabbed Tsubasa's arm and tossed her over his shoulder. Several icicles coming at him from the back forced him to jump in order to dodge, giving Tsubasa the time needed to get up and fix her stance.

"There's the second one." Takeshi said upon spotting Momo, the Sitri Peerage's Bishop, hiding behind an outcropping. "Nice timing, Hanakai-san."

"Thank you, though I'm not sure why you felt the need to dodge that." Momo said with a strained smile. "You took Tsubasa's blow head-on and didn't even flinch. I'm not sure my magic would have done anything to you."

"No kidding." Tsubasa said. "I put quite a bit of power in that punch. Grendel's toughness is no joke."

"That might so, but I'm not sure how much punishment I can take." Takeshi said. "Best to keep dodging in my opinion."

"In any case, I guess we have to step up our game!"

Tsubasa smiled as the demonic power surrounding her limbs intensified. Behind her, Momo conjured a variety of magic circles around her. Seeing this, Takeshi smiled.

"That's the spirit. Come at me!"

One of Momo's magic circles flared, and in response, several vines and tree branches extended and wrapped themselves around Takeshi's body. In response, the silver energy lines on Takeshi's gauntlets and greaves changed color to bright orange and spat out flames, which burned through his restraints. However, he wasn't fast enough to react as Tsubasa's punch went through his guard, causing him to stumble.

Not giving him a chance to recover, Momo followed up with gravity magic that forced Takeshi on his knees. Tsubasa took the opportunity to rain a number of punches and kicks on Takeshi, with the young Devil barely able to defend himself. Momo's light magic barrage only worsened his situation.

They're good. Takeshi thought. But I've got a few tricks up my sleeve as well!

Focusing his demonic power in his vocal chords, Takeshi opened his mouth and let out an aria. Both Momo and Tsubasa yelled in pain as the ensuing sound wave struck them head-on, forcing them to cover their bleeding ears. No longer restrained by gravity, Takeshi intensified the flames around his greaves, launching and propelling himself towards Momo. Tsubasa tried to rush to her comrade's aid, but stumbled due to the sound wave having affected her inner ear. The disoriented Momo had no time to defend herself as Takeshi struck her in the back of the neck, knocking her out.

"Damn it!"

Tsubasa cursed as she tried to fix her stance to intercept the charging Takeshi. However, her efforts were in vain as Takeshi's flying side kick struck her abdomen, sending her flying backwards and straight into a tree.

"Victory was never, cough, an option for you."

Takeshi made a V-sign while coughing. Although his new technique had a lot of potential, the straining of his vocal cords was an annoying side effect. If he overdid it, it was possible he could lose his voice for days.

Do I have some sort of talent for self-destructive moves?

Takeshi shuddered at that thought. The Evil Dragons' negative effects on his body were bad enough without him adding to the pile. Dismissing his Sacred Gear, he grimaced as the soreness and pain throughout his body came rushing at him all at once.

Again? Takeshi wondered. Why am I not feeling pain when Berserk Devastator is active? Maybe…

"Ara, ara, I see Takeshi-kun is also done." Akeno said as she emerged from the forest at that moment, her clothes torn in several places and a battered Tsubaki next to her. "No mercy whatsoever as always."

"You're the last person I want to hear that from, Akeno-san." Takeshi countered. "Judging from the state of you two, I assume you won your match as well?"

"Was there any doubt?" Akeno smiled. "Don't you have faith in your Senpai's strength, Takeshi-kun?"

"You bet I do." Takeshi said. "Akeno-san's strength is only surpassed by her beauty after all."

"Ufufu, such passionate words as always." Akeno giggled. "You're making me blush, Takeshi-kun. Keep going like that, and I might just fall for you even more."

"Get a room, you two…" Tsubaki grumbled. "Also, don't make it sound like it was a walk in the park, Akeno. This was a close match that could have gone either way."

"Aw, let me show off a bit here." Akeno pouted. "Can't you read the mood, Tsubaki? No wonder you've stayed single all this time."

"You're the same, Akeno!" Tsubaki yelled, her face beet red. "Don't try to act all high and mighty here!"

Before this conversation could escalate into an argument, Yuuto and Koneko arrived, carrying a dazed Tomoe between them. Trailing behind them was Reya, a haggard expression on her face.

"Looks like they did a number on you as well, Tomoe, Reya."

"These guys…are they really fellow Low-class Devils?" Reya complained to Tsubaki. "Kiba-kun is way too fast and adaptable, and Koneko-san packs a mean punch, especially with her Senjutsu. Tomoe was knocked out in a couple of minutes, and I wasted all my power trying to defend myself. Is the Gremory group bugged or something?"

"…Rude." Koneko said. "We're not error codes."

"Besides, you girls were pretty skilled yourselves." Yuuto said, laying down the still dazed Tomoe next to the unconscious Tsubasa and Momo. "I think the problem is that you lack a unique power like a Sacred Gear to give you an additional edge during battle."

"It's true that our lack of firepower is concerning." Tsubaki frowned. "Skill and tactics can only take you so far in the professional Rating Games. I fear we may get left behind at some point."

"There's no need to fret, Tsubaki. Strength can be cultivated, just like tactical ability."

The one who had spoken was Sona, who landed in the center of the group alongside Rias. Sona seemed uninjured, but Rias was wincing and cradling her left arm while walking with somewhat unsteady steps.

"President, is everything alright?" Takeshi asked. "Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine more or less." Rias said. "This is…just a bit of backlash. The pain will go away soon."

"It's still no good, huh?" Akeno asked. "You can't use your family's clan trait without it damaging your body."

"Her…clan trait?" Takeshi raised an eyebrow. "What's she talking about, President? You've been using the Power of Destruction just fine so far."

"The Power of Destruction is the clan trait of the Bael family, which was passed down to my brother and I through our mother, a former member of the Bael family." Rias explained. "The Gremory family also has a clan trait, which, unlike my brother, I also inherited. However, it appears that having two clan traits is too much for me as of yet. I'm not sure why, but I cannot control the Gremory clan trait very well. Maybe the Bael clan trait expressed itself more strongly and is suppressing it? I don't know as of yet."

"Speaking of clan traits, what sort of ability does the Student President have?" Takeshi asked. "I don't think I've seen it before."

"If you're expecting an ability as flashy as Rias's, you'll probably be disappointed, Ryuugamine-kun." Sona said as she conjured a water orb. "The Sitri clan's ability is water manipulation."

"Eh, don't get me wrong…but isn't that kind of redundant?" Takeshi said. "I mean, every Devil can create and manipulate water through their demonic power."

"True, but my family's water manipulation works in a slightly different manner compared to the average Devil's." Sona said, gesturing at the water orb she had formed. "Take this orb for instance. If a regular Devil would require ten units of demonic power to form it, Sitri clan members need only five units. In addition, it's far easier for us to alter its shape into whatever we desire."

"Lower power consumption and ease of use compared to the average Devil…" Takeshi muttered as he watched Sona altering the water orb's shape into various forms. "Taking into account the malleability and general availability of water…yes, I can see why this ability could be very dangerous in the right circumstances."

"I'm glad to see that you're not a shortsighted fellow, Ryuugamine-kun." Sona said. "What about your Sacred Gear? Any problems so far?"

"None…which is something that concerns me." Takeshi frowned. "Grendel has been unusually quiet after his introduction. I would expect someone who's portrayed as boisterous and impulsive to have done…I don't know, something so far. It's rather unsettling to be honest."

"I could say the same about the Minano issue." Rias said. "We've been fulfilling contracts without problems for the past eight days, but I can't help but be worried about the hellhound attack. It would be nice if our mysterious adversary had given up after that and retreated, but I doubt we're so lucky."

"The Kuoh area has also been quiet these past few days." Sona said. "No incidents of any sort have occurred. If I had to guess, I'd say our enemies are probably biding their time before they strike. Your familiars haven't discovered anything in their patrols?"

"Nothing, and I assume that's the case for you as well." Rias said. "Maybe we are just overthinking this. The previous incident could be simple harassment after all meant to rattle us and nothing more."

"That's just wishful thinking and you know it, Rias." Sona said. "Isn't that why we've been having these practice sessions? To hone ourselves and prepare as much as possible for what might be coming?"

"That's true…" Rias sighed. "It would be nice if we could get some hints from the devices used to control the hellhounds, but the research department was unable to conclude their origin. Now, if Beelzebub-sama were to analyze them personally, we might be able to get more out of them, but…"

"But Beelzebub-sama being who he is, he's probably busy with numerous side projects and won't bother with something he considers trivial." Sona said, rubbing her temples with a fed-up expression. "Sometimes, I can't help but marvel at how the Underworld stays intact despite the flippant attitude of our leaders…"

"They display their competence when it truly matters, which is something to be grateful for." Rias said. "Well, since the sun is falling, we'll be heading out to prepare for the Devils' Job. What about you, Sona?"

"Once I've treated my servants, I'm going to negotiate with two prospective Peerage members." Sona said. "If all goes well, I'll be able to add a couple of Pawns to my Peerage."

"Oh, that's interesting." Akeno said. "Looks like the Sitri group will be getting stronger. What are those candidates like?"

"One is a rather energetic first-year girl, and the other is a second-year boy, both from our school." Sona said. "The latter summoned me through a leaflet, and I noticed an abnormality within him. Once I checked him more closely, I realized he had a Sacred Gear. I'm not sure what it is since it's been dormant so far, but I've got a good feeling about it."

"Another Sacred Gear possessor under our noses?" Rias said with amazement. "This town is full of surprises after all. I can't believe we missed him so far."

"It can't be helped." Sona said. "You have to be in real close proximity to a Sacred Gear possessor and their Gear must already be in its awakening stages to sense it. Without special equipment and devices like the ones the Grigori uses, we can't locate Sacred Gear possessors who haven't manifested their Sacred Gear yet in any other way."

"In any case, I'll be looking forward to the good news from your side." Rias said before turning to her Peerage members. "Now then, everyone, let's go. There's a lot of work to be done and plenty of contracts to fulfil."

[Yes!]

All members of Rias's Peerage said together. Stepping inside the magic circle she had conjured beneath them, they teleported away from the area.

---

The next day…

"I'm beat…"

Takeshi muttered as he leaned back on his chair, taking a sip from a can of pineapple soda. Next to him, Akeno was drinking lychee-flavored ramune, an expression of bliss on her face. Both youths were currently sitting in a small café in Minano, observing the passersby and the traffic.

"Ah, that was nice." Akeno remarked after finishing her drink. "It's just what I needed after a long night of work."

"Shame that our work isn't done just yet." Takeshi pointed out. "I understand that President is desperate for any sort of clue, but I'm not sure how the five of us running around this city is going to help smoke out our mysterious assailants. It's a good thing that Devils can go on without sleep for several days without problems if needed, otherwise I'd be probably nodding right about now."

"Ara, ara, don't tell me your stamina is that low." Akeno smirked. "That could be a problem in the future…in more ways than one, ufufu~."

"Hey, I'll have you know I can rise to any occasion just fine." Takeshi grinned. "I can give you a demonstration any time you'd like."

"Oh my, that sounds like an interesting challenge." Akeno licked her lips, a mischievous expression on her face. "But alas, we're on the clock right now, and President wouldn't appreciate it if we got sidetracked. Perhaps some other time. As for your earlier question, moving around like this is probably meaningless. However, there's always a small chance we might stumble upon something, or that an enemy might ambush us."

"If it's me, that might actually work." Takeshi let out a humorless laugh. "The Evil Dragons within me seem to have a knack for attracting disasters, and with all these problems we've had to deal with recently…I've been given no reason to doubt that statement."

"Not everything was terrible though." Akeno said. "Because of the Youkai incident, Koneko-chan is finally starting to break out of her shell and move forward in regards to her powers. Honestly, I'm overjoyed that she's found the strength to confront her painful past. If I only I could be as brave as her…"

"Brave?" Takeshi frowned. "What are you talking about? You're one of the bravest girls I've ever met, Akeno-san. Well, sure, I haven't met that many, but still, you stand out among them."

"I wish that was the case." Akeno said with a somewhat downcast expression. "But let's not dwell on such depressing matters. Minano seems to be recovering rather quickly from the disaster that struck it."

"People are still afraid, but they're doing their best to pick up the pieces and rebuild." Takeshi said. "We've played a small part in this as well though. You could say we're this city's guardian Devils."

"I guess so." Akeno smiled. "The contracts we've made have helped a lot of people after all."

"I was a little skeptical about the whole thing at first since it felt like preying on the unfortunate." Takeshi said. "Well, preying on them even more than we usually do. But there is something heartwarming about seeing the relieved expressions of people and the tears of gratitude they shed when we help them. Guess that makes me an atypical Devil, huh?"

"Not as much as you think." Akeno said. "All of us are the same, even the Pure-blooded Rias. But she's unique like that. I'm curious though, what was the request that you found most fulfilling so far?"

"That's a tough one…" Takeshi said, crossing his arms as he thought. "Probably the one where a couple begged me to locate their missing ten-year old daughter. They were so desperate they were even willing to offer their life as payment. Long story short, I found her buried under the rubble of an old block-of-flats, injured but alive. That has definitely been the highlight so far."

"I'm glad that everything worked out for them in the end." Akeno said. "It's a terrible tragedy for parents to lose their child…and vice versa…"

"I've reminded you of your mother." Takeshi's expression fell. "I'm sorry, Akeno-san. Perhaps I've said too much."

"No, don't worry about it." Akeno said with a melancholic smile. "I've made my peace with the fact that my mother is gone…for the most part. But I still miss her nonetheless."

"It would be strange if you didn't." Takeshi said. "But if you don't mind asking me…how come no-one else took you in? Where there no other relatives willing to do so? Also, what about your father?"

"He's dead as well." Akeno spoke with a severe expression on her face. "As for the Himejima family, they viewed me as a tainted existence because of who he was. Due to that, I was exiled from the family and was forced to wander Japan on my own for about a year and a half. I was lucky to encounter Rias when I ended up in a territory managed by her father's Bishop, and she reincarnated me into a Devil."

"You were homeless and destitute for that long?" Takeshi asked. "How old were you at that time?"

"I was around ten years old when my mother died."

"Ten!?" Takeshi shouted. "And they kicked you out!? What the Hell was those assholes' problem!? That's no way to treat a child!"

"Easy there, Takeshi-kun." Akeno made a placating gesture. "People are staring."

Takeshi noted that people had indeed begun staring, but immediately averted their eyes when he glared at them.

"I can't believe this…" Takeshi said, still fuming. "How could they do this to you? Was your father's existence that detestable?"

"He wasn't human, and that was all that mattered to them." Akeno said with a cold tone. "The Five Principal Clans have some very strict views on blood purity due to the Shinto Gods' decrees, almost as bad as noble Devils or Vampires."

Takeshi noticed that Akeno seemed to be deliberately avoiding the subject of her father. However, unlike the obvious sadness that emanated from her when she talked about her mother, there seemed to be barely suppressed hatred when she mentioned her father, almost as much as when she spoke about the Himejima family. There was most likely some sort of bitter history there, one that Akeno didn't seem willing to delve into.

"At least something good came out of the Himejima family's rotten attitude." Takeshi said. "You're here with us now because of it."

"Trust me, that's something I'm very grateful for." Akeno smiled. "If it wasn't for Rias's kindness, I would have probably died long ago. She's given me a home, a new family and an almost normal life. I don't know if I can ever repay her for everything she's done for me, but I will never stop trying."

"I know what you mean." Takeshi said, putting his hands behind his head. "That's one of President's best traits. I mean, she even took me in despite my baggage and the potential danger I pose."

"You've more than validated Rias's trust in you." Akeno said. "I, on the other hand, was blinded by fear and prejudice. Out of all people, I should have understood what it's like to be feared and condemned for something beyond your control. Once again, I'm really sorry for not having faith in you, Takeshi-kun."

"This again…?" Takeshi sighed. "Relax, Akeno-san. You were just trying to do what you thought was best for the Peerage. If I were in your shoes, I'd probably have done the same. I'm not holding a grudge, and I'm certainly not blaming you for anything. So, don't blame yourself."

"You're quite forgiving, Takeshi-kun." Akeno said. "Why, if it wasn't for your attitude towards Sona, I'd almost think you're incapable of holding a grudge."

"Don't be so sure." Takeshi said. "I still haven't forgotten all these times you left me twitching on the ground while we were training during the Stray Devil incident. One of these days, I'm going to avenge myself and give you a taste of your own medicine."

"My, such a ferocious look you have there." Akeno purred. "Shivers are already going down my spine at the thought of being at your mercy. I'll be looking forward to that time, ufufu~."

"A masochist and a sadist…" Takeshi muttered. "Talk about a lethal combination. In any case, I think we've rested long enough. We should get back to searching."

"Then, just like we planned, I'll head towards the western section, and you'll move to the southern section." Akeno said as she called for the waiter. "Yuuto-kun and Koneko-chan must be scouting the northern and eastern section right about now. Once we're done, we'll meet at the town center. Also, if you do discover a suspicious location or encounter someone hostile—"

"—don't engage on my own and call for backup at once." Takeshi finished Akeno's sentence. "Don't worry, Akeno-san. I remember President's instructions very well."

"As the Queen of the Gremory group, it's my job to worry." Akeno said. "Until we understand who or what we're dealing with, being extra careful is our policy."

"Got it."

Once Takeshi and Akeno had paid for their drinks, they split up and headed for their respective directions. Although Takeshi was on high alert at first, his concentration began going down after about two hours had passed.

"As I thought, this is meaningless…" Takeshi murmured. "No way we're going to chance upon our enemies like that. Hey, Nidhogg, Grendel, can't you two sense anything?"

Predictably enough, no answer was forthcoming. He didn't expect anything useful from these two, but not even mocking him or delivering a snide remark was concerning. Judging by their unnerving silence, he was certain they were planning something nasty, but wasn't sure what.

Before he realized it, he had arrived at the foot of a hill close to the city's borders while he was distracted by his thoughts. Several people from the nearby area had taken refuge there once the flood struck the city, an act which had probably saved their lives.

"It's a little obvious for a hideout, but I suppose it won't hurt checking it out…"

Takeshi remarked as he started climbing the steps that led to the top of the small hill. Several residents could be seen sitting on the benches scattered throughout the area or leaning against the protective rails encircling the top. Takeshi figured most of them were celebrating the fact that they were still alive after experiencing such an unprecedented disaster.

"However, some people weren't so lucky…"

Takeshi said with a downcast expression. While it was true that they had found and rescued several missing people through their contracts, some of them hadn't turned out so well. Sometimes, they could only discover the corpse of the missing person and report back to their client. He had avoided saying anything about this to Akeno so as not to sour the mood further, but he was sure she and the others had encountered such requests as well.

If those mysterious enemies of ours are indeed responsible for this tragedy, I'll make sure they pay for all these lost lives. Takeshi thought while clenching his fists. If you want us, come and get us. Don't drag unrelated people into this.

At that moment, Takeshi noticed a small commotion occurring a short distance away from him. A group of boys and girls close to his age had surrounded a girl whose features were partially obscured by the canvas before her. They seemed to be transfixed by her and would occasionally try to speak to her, only for the girl to pay no heed to them. Even when she deigned to respond with a curt sentence, the youths looked at each other in confusion.

"Did anyone get that…?"

"It's not any language I know of…"

"She's a foreigner? Figures."

"What does it matter? It's like she's come straight out of a dream. I could stare at her for days…"

"I wish I could be of service to her…"

"I would jump off a cliff if she ordered me to…"

All the others nodded together at the last guy's sentence, prompting Takeshi to frown. Although he would normally dismiss this as a joke or an exaggeration, the youths' expressions looked deadly serious, which set off alarm bells. It was possible that he was overthinking this, but just to be on the safe side, Takeshi chose to act. Walking towards them, he released trace amounts of his draconic aura in an attempt to intimidate them. Much to his surprise, the group didn't seem to be affected at first.

Don't tell me, they're being mind-controlled or something…?

Just as he was about to turn around and call for backup, the youths all tensed and turned towards Takeshi, a mix of confusion and terror on their faces. Speaking in an incoherent manner, they fled as fast as they could, leaving Takeshi alone with the mysterious girl.

"…Hm?"

The girl turned her sights towards him, causing Takeshi's heart to skip a beat once he got a good look at her. She looked to be close to his age, with waist-length midnight black hair that had a braided strand in each side and blue eyes. Her alabaster-like skin seemed to be glowing under the rays of the morning sun, and her perfectly symmetrical, well-developed and curvaceous figure was evident even to the casual observer. She was clad in a pink sweater and a blue pair of trousers, and she held a paintbrush in her right hand.

Despite hanging around some of the most beautiful girls in Kuoh Academy, Takeshi couldn't help but admit that this girl's beauty could easily match them, and that he felt drawn to her. She was like a work of art that someone had breathed life into. At the same time, however, his instincts were warning him.

Abnormal. Dangerous.

For some reason, he could sense that something was off about this girl. Whether she was someone connected to the supernatural, that was something he couldn't say for sure as of yet. A flash of recognition also seemed to go through the girl's eyes, but other than that, she remained silent as she observed Takeshi.

If she is hostile, I can't fight her in this place, and I can't contact President and the others right now. Takeshi thought. On the other hand, she might not be related to our adversaries at all. Let's try the diplomatic approach first.

"Erm…sorry if I'm being a bother." Takeshi said. "It's just…you seemed annoyed by those people around you, so I was coming to see if you needed help. Turns out that was unnecessary though."

"You speak Greek?" The girl said, raising an eyebrow. "That's a first in this country."

Greek? Takeshi wondered. I guess she really is a foreigner. Bless the Devils' Language ability that allows the other person to hear us speaking in the language they're familiar with and vice versa.

"Yes, my mother is a linguist, so I picked up a few things here and there from her." Takeshi lied. "If I may ask, what about you? You're a long way from home. Are you vacationing here?"

"I don't know." The girl said. "Can one vacation when they have no home to return to?"

"No home…?" Takeshi frowned. "My apologies if I've made you feel uncomfortable. You probably have your circumstances."

"That I do." The girl said as she resumed painting on the canvas. "They are what they are though, and that cannot change."

Taking a closer look at her painting, Takeshi realized that it depicted the city as seen from the top of the hill. However, the still damaged sections of it had been omitted, presenting the city in all its former glory.

"That's a beautiful painting." Takeshi said. "You're very skilled."

"Drawing like this always calms me down." The girl said while putting the finishing touches on her painting. "Unlike life, art can be as beautiful as you want it to be. No ugliness, no disappointment, no suffering. Everything can be just ideal. Don't you think so?"

"Well…I'm not an artist, but don't all these unpleasant things have their own purpose?" Takeshi said. "They're there so we can understand and appreciate true beauty, no?"

"That's true." The girl said. "However, what about those who embody this dark side of the world, destined to forever be the shadow cast by the light? Don't they deserve better than that? Don't they…no, it doesn't matter. An unsightly person like me doesn't get to complain about their lot."

The girl spoke with a melancholic expression, staring at Takeshi once again. He thought he saw her irises glowing for a moment, but he was certain he imagined it since her eyes were normal the next moment. He also felt some sort of pull for a moment, but it quickly vanished.

"…Another first in this country." The girl frowned. "How surprising."

"OK…" Takeshi said, unsure about this whole situation. "In what way exactly are you unsightly? You're kind of the furthest thing from it."

"I'm not talking about external beauty." The girl said as she got up, putting away her paintbrush. "Like I said, it doesn't matter. I'm sorry for having you listen to my ramblings."

"What about your painting?" Takeshi pointed at the canvas. "Aren't you going to take it?"

"Keep it if you wish." The girl said. "Consider it my thanks for coming to assist me, a total stranger."

"Wait." Takeshi called out to her, causing her to turn around. "What's your name? I'm Ryuugamine Takeshi."

"…Pandora." The girl said after a few seconds. "Farewell, Ryuugamine Takeshi."

The girl named Pandora made a small bow before taking her leave. After a few seconds, Takeshi followed after her, taking the painting with him and putting it inside a magic circle once he was sure no-one was looking. While he hadn't gleaned anything useful from their conversation, his instincts were telling him Pandora was connected to this situation somehow.

"Everyone, it's Takeshi." Takeshi spoke to the communication magic circle he had conjured in a hushed tone. "Following a suspicious individual, black-haired girl about our age in pink sweater and blue trousers. Track my personal seal and observe from above."

Takeshi kept his message as brief as possible in order to limit the chances of Pandora or someone else from detecting his usage of demonic power. However, as if having noticed his presence and intent, Pandora quickened her pace, making a beeline for a nearby bus stop. Takeshi quickened his pace as well, but at that time, a fire hydrant across him suddenly burst, with several shrieking pedestrians bumping into him and distracting him. By the time everyone had settled down, the girl had vanished.

"Damn it…" Takeshi cursed as he rushed to the bus stop, looking around for any sight of her in vain. "The odds of her being involved in all this just went up substantially. If only I hadn't lost her…"

Taking note of the aura signatures of his fellow Devils above him, Takeshi headed into a deserted street and, after making sure no-one could see him, spread his wings and flew towards them.

"Sorry, guys." Takeshi said once he approached Yuuto, Akeno and Koneko. "Our suspect gave me the slip by creating a disturbance. Did you perhaps notice the direction she headed towards?"

"We just got here, so we didn't have time to monitor the situation." Yuuto said. "However, at least we have something now, a description of one of our potential assailants."

"…Was this a coincidence or not?" Koneko wondered. "Was she trying to do something to you? Maybe she already did without you realizing it?"

"That's…not outside the realm of possibility." Takeshi said with a worried expression. "Maybe she's put a curse or a time-delayed spell on me?"

"I'm scanning you right now, but I'm not picking up any abnormalities." Akeno said, a small magic circle in her left hand. "This was probably just a chance encounter, but it's best if President checks up on you as well."

"What about our scouting mission?" Yuuto asked. "Should we call it off for now?"

"I don't think there's any point to it as things stand." Akeno said. "If this meeting was outside our enemies' calculations, they'll be even more cautious now and even harder to find. Best that we regroup and try again another day."

All Devils present nodded, spreading their wings and flying towards their temporary base. At the same time, Pandora, who had escaped from Takeshi and had teleported through a magic circle to the other side of Minano, was sitting in the back of a car. The one driving it was a middle-aged man with black hair and dark blue eyes wearing a pale gray trench coat over a white dress shirt, black pants and shoes, a pair of black gloves, and a black fedora.

"So, how was your outing, my dear?" The man smiled. "Did you have fun? Perhaps made some new friends?"

"How about we skip the pleasantries, Dohnaseek?" Pandora said with a fed-up expression. "There's no need for a pointless act."

"Suit yourself." Dohnaseek said. "The Evil Dragon User, did you place him under your control?"

"No." Pandora said. "He seemed…immune to my Charm."

"Such a shame." Dohnaseek said. "Turel-sama devised this little scheme in the hopes that you'd be able to ensnare one of the Devils once he noticed them snooping around. Looks like it was a bad matchup though. I wonder if his Sacred Gear shielded him."

"Who knows." Pandora shrugged. "I'm more surprised at how fast he found me. I hadn't even begun releasing my aura."

"That was probably by chance." Dohnaseek said. "In any case, we can't attempt this again now that they know about you. We'll just focus on the main plan once we're done with tonight's…excursion."

"Can't wait…"

Pandora said as she leaned back on her seat, a depressed expression on her face as she looked out the window.

---

Later, at night…

The members of the Occult Research Club were gathered around a table, with a holographic projection of Pandora's face displayed before them.

"Yes, that's exactly how she looked like." Takeshi said. "But damn, I can't believe you actually created this projection of hers through my memories alone. Magic sure is handy."

"I'll send this to the Archduke's agents in the Underworld, have them search through the archives to see whether that girl is a Stray or a prominent member of some faction." Rias said. "Of course, there's always the possibility she was disguising herself with magic and that she gave Takeshi a fake name, or that she's simply some low-level member of her faction, whatever that is."

"So, our mysterious enemy still has the initiative and we're basically back to square one unless we get really lucky again." Takeshi pointed out. "That's just great."

"It's fortunate though that your encounter with this girl wasn't a trap, or at least it was a trap that wasn't sprung." Rias said. "Unless that girl is somehow a master Magician that devised some sort of ultra-complex spell that's carefully concealed within your body, she hasn't done anything to you as far as I can tell."

"…That's a relief." Koneko said. "About our contracts, are we heading out tonight as well, President?"

"Yes." Rias nodded. "If this was supposed to be some manner of attack towards us, I doubt they'll try again so soon after having presumably failed. Sona and her Peerage have few contracts tonight, so she'll send Reya-san and Tomoe-san as reinforcements here just in case."

"If she can spare these two, does that mean her negotiations were successful?" Yuuto asked. "The prospective candidates joined the Sitri Peerage?"

"Yes, both of them agreed." Rias said. "This was good timing. Having more people to assist us at this point is a big help."

"Let's hope their entry into the world of Devils won't be through a trial by fire like me." Takeshi said. "Not a great first impression."

"I'm sure Sona will keep them out of harm's way until she deems them ready." Rias said, clapping her hands. "Alright, everyone, let's get to work. Those contracts aren't going to fulfil themselves."

[Yes!]

One after another, the members of the Gremory Peerage stepped inside the magic circle, teleporting to their clients' locations. Takeshi was the last one, finding himself in a spacious living room once the light of teleportation died down.

"Hello, I'm the Devil you—"

Takeshi stopped talking once he realized that his clients, a young couple, were bound and gagged, matching terrified expressions on their face. Strapped on their chests was some sort of contraption with the words 'smile for the camera!' painted on them. Driven by instinct, Takeshi manifested both Cataclysm Zone and Mayhem Striker at once, raising an ash barrier. His quick action was a lifesaver as the devices exploded, with the concussive force blowing Takeshi back and wrecking the living room, along with blasting a hole on the roof.

"What…the Hell…?" Takeshi grunted as he pushed a piece of debris that had fallen on him off his body. "An explosion…? Who?"

"Aw, that didn't kill you! Shucks! At least I get the pleasure of chopping you to bits myself! Score for me!"

Takeshi turned his gaze upwards. Standing at the edge of the wrecked ceiling was a young man with short white hair and red eyes, a crazed smile on his face. He was dressed in some sort of modified priest outfit and held a gun in his right hand and a sword with a blade made out of light in his left hand.

"Bullets or blade, which one do you prefer, Devil scum?" The young man said as he jumped down, pointing his weapons at Takeshi. "Nah, I don't care either way! I'll just go with the flow and make a nice little pile of minced Roquefort out of you!"

"Who the Hell are you!?" Takeshi asked, brandishing his axe. "You, are you an Exorcist!?"

"You're half-correct, so no grand prize for you, shitty Devil!" The young man laughed in a deranged manner. "My name is Freed Sellzen, Stray Exorcist extraordinaire and certified expert in the art of slaying foul existences like you! Nice to meet you…not! Ah, don't bother introducing yourself. I don't really give a damn about Devils that I'm about to send straight to the cold, empty void."

"A Stray Exorcist, eh?" Takeshi said with a disgusted expression. "Figures. Only exiled bastards like you would murder innocents like this."

"Innocents?" An incredulous expression appeared on Freed's face. "Oi, oi, are you for real? Are you right in the head? Clean your ears and listen well, shitty Devil. Bad boys and girls that are enthralled by Devils like you are sinners that deserve only death. Got it, or are you too slow? Maybe you are? You seem like an idiotic muscle brain who needs to have things told to you twice. Well, you don't have to understand things to die, no? The—"

Several ash stakes were shot at Freed at that moment, with the Exorcist evading some and shooting down the rest.

"Rude!" Freed shouted. "What gives!? I was still talking!"

"I'm not interested in your ramblings." Takeshi growled, his anger growing. "A piece of trash like you will be definitely be eradicated without fail!"

"Hm, we're jumping straight to killing then?" Freed licked his lips, a beatific expression on his face. "Are you perhaps angry? Nice! What wonderful killing intent! Suits me just fine! Have some!"

Freed aimed his gun at Takeshi, shooting several light bullets. Takeshi kicked up a piece of debris, with the bullets burying themselves in it. Grabbing a nearby burned sofa, he threw it at the Exorcist. Freed swung his light blade, shredding the incoming projectile with ease. However, a large number of ash whips were swung at him, forcing him to step back. Wasting no time, Takeshi was upon him, his axe aimed at his head. Freed brought up his blade to block and aimed his gun at his opponent's abdomen. Takeshi countered with an ash drill that jammed itself in the gun's muzzle, resulting in it exploding.

"Shit, that was my favorite gun!" Freed howled in outrage before grinning. "That's what spares are for though!"

Pulling out another gun, Freed let loose a hail of bullets while cackling. Takeshi's defensive magic circle and ash wall shielded him from the barrage, with the ashes forming a dome around him. As he shot several ash bullets at Freed while shielded within the dome, Takeshi conjured a communication magic circle, but was unable to connect to anyone.

"Tch, he's jamming communications." Takeshi clicked his tongue, trying to conjure a teleportation magic circle next. "And teleportation is also blocked. As if it would be that easy…"

At that moment, Freed pulled a grenade out of his robe's pockets, throwing it at the ceiling above Takeshi.

"Fire in the hole!"

Freed cackled as the grenade went off, burying Takeshi underneath a mountain of flaming debris. The Exorcist jumped out of the ruined house, throwing all grenades he had on him at it, with the successive explosions bringing the building down.

"Ah, I love the smell of cooked Devil beneath the moonlight!" Freed said as he started dancing amidst the wreckage and singing. "Ding-dong, the Devil's dead~! The filthy Devil's dead~! Cutting their heads and receiving his meal~! It's Freed, the—"

A large ash wave erupted from the wreckage, almost consuming Freed, following by several debris being blown away. Emerging from the wreckage was Takeshi, his clothes singed, but otherwise unharmed.

"You are one hard cockroach to stomp on!" Freed complained, checking out his burnt robe. "And this was my favorite outfit! You're really starting to get on my nerves! Just drop dead already!"

Takeshi was silent as he observed his surroundings. Despite all the noise, no-one seemed to be walking up or raising an alarm. He assumed that some sort of barrier had been deployed. Either that, or the insane priest had somehow silenced everyone in the neighborhood, a disturbing thought.

"Die, you shitty Devil!" Freed shouted as he charged. "Turn into dust and vanish! Die for my amusement!"

"I'm going to say no thank you to that!"

Takeshi caught the light blade on Mayhem Striker's handle. Freed attempted to shoot him, but Takeshi howled, his demonic power-infused voice blowing Freed back and cracking his gun, causing his shot to miss. Before the Exorcist could recover, two ash claws that had crept behind him wrapped around his legs and hoisted him up. Freed yelled, swinging his light blade in an erratic manner. Takeshi blew it away with a wind blast and slashed at the Exorcist's chest. However, instead of his axe cutting into flesh, a metallic sound reverberated instead.

"What the…?"

"Surprise!"

Freed laughed as a light beam was shot from his chest, piercing through Takeshi's shoulder. Before he had time to react, two beams that came from above pierced his leg and abdomen, causing him to fall on the ground while crying out in pain. Rolling out of the way on instinct, Takeshi barely avoided a barrage of beams aimed at him, raising a large ash dome around him to shield himself.

"Holy power…" Takeshi said through gritted teeth as he checked the state of his wounds, feeling a burning sensation spreading throughout his body. "This isn't good… Vulnerability…means the regeneration is slower… Also, the direction of the attack…"

Taking a look around, Takeshi noticed that twelve figures were hovering above him in a circular formation. All of them wore silver and black armors with gold energy lines running through them, and they were holding what appeared to be miniature cannons in their hands.

"That's better." Freed said as he extricated himself from his bindings. "But now I'm the odd man out. We can't have that, can we? Might as well put on my party clothes as well!"

Freed ripped off his shirt, revealing the metallic chest plate underneath it, and pressed the center portion. A low hum was heard as metal plates started unfolding from the chest plate, wrapping themselves around Freed's abdomen and limbs, while a helmet formed around his head. In a manner of seconds, he was equipped with the same battle armor that his comrades were.

"Man, the Grigori's technology sure is something else!" Freed said as he pulled an intricate handle from his armor's forehand compartment, igniting it and forming a light blade twice as thick as his previous one. "Now I can slay you and look stylish while I'm doing it! A two-in-one dream package! But first things first! Hey, Calamity Witch-chan, blow away that annoying barrier pretty please~!"

A sudden gust of wind that came out of nowhere scattered the ash wall around Takeshi. He barely glimpsed the one responsible, a girl wearing a black dress with a veil on her head and several light orbs of various colors hovering around her, before two of the floating Exorcists aimed their guns at him. Two energy lines shot out of them, binding his arms. Takeshi screamed in outrage and fell to his knees as he felt the holy power burning his wrists and further poisoning his body.

"Boss wants to capture one or two of you to use as hostages, but I think you're way too much trouble for that." Freed said as he brought up his blade. "Adios, Devil scum!"

Time seemed to slow down as the blade descended. But just as Takeshi resolved to use his Balance Breaker to escape from this situation—

[I don't think so. It's about time for this Grendel-sama to have his fun!]

Cataclysm Zone shone as Mayhem Striker vanished, with Berserk Devastator taking its place without Takeshi's consent. The greaves ignited as Takeshi's high kick knocked Freed's sword out of his hands. However, it was as if his body had moved on his own, ignoring his commands.

"What the—?"

Takeshi's words were cut off as he felt his consciousness being distorted and the pain receding. At the same time, his vision became red and a rage that seemed to belong and not belong to him at the same time took hold of him. Letting out an outraged howl, Takeshi grabbed the energy lines and pulled with all his strength, sending the two Exorcists crashing down before they could react.

"Hey, what's this!?" Freed cried out. "You were supposed to—"

A punch to his face interrupted Freed's words, shattering his helmet and sending him flying straight into a nearby house. Growing concerned, the Exorcists hovering above aimed their guns at Takeshi, unleashing a barrage of light rounds. However, none of them seemed to be having any particular effect, the bullets bouncing off Takeshi's body.

[Yes, that's it!] Grendel's overjoyed voice echoed from Berserk Devastator's gems. [This feeling! This pain! This is what it means to be alive! Bite, scratch, maul, pierce, shred, freeze, burn and rip! I will play with you all to my heart's content!]

Takeshi's gauntlets ignited as he thrust his fist forward, unleashing a torrent of flames towards the Exorcists. One of them wasn't fast enough to react and was consumed by the conflagration, screaming as his charred body fell and crashed on the street. His comrades spread in a wide circle and aimed their guns at Takeshi once again. At the same time, the black-veiled girl raised her hand, with clouds gathering on the sky and rain starting to fall. Several thunderbolts struck Takeshi, who remained unaffected by them.

[Hah, that felt pretty good!] Grendel laughed. [Just for that, I'll leave you for last, girl!]

Takeshi's greaves ignited, launching him to the sky as he aimed for another Exorcist. His target moved out of the way, but Takeshi pointed one of his gauntlets to the side, releasing a powerful flame blast that altered his trajectory. Before the Exorcist could respond, Takeshi had grabbed him, smashing him to the ground.

"Let go, you damn beast!"

The Exorcist pulled out a buzz saw-shaped weapon and drove it into Takeshi's stomach. However, it was unable to pierce through his robust skin.

[That tickles!] Grendel said. [Let me show you how it's done!]

Takeshi howled as his fists began pounding the Exorcist's chest plate in rapid succession, shattering the defensive magic circle that had formed in front of it. Ripping apart the dented metal, he thrust his arm into the screaming Exorcist's chest, tearing out his heart. Crushing it into his hand, he brought it into his lips and drank the remains.

[Delicious.]

Grendel let out a deranged cackle. Meanwhile, Takeshi, who was fighting to retain his consciousness, could not help but feel disgusted. However, he seemed to be little more than a passenger in his own body, unable to regain control as he struggled with all his might to not be completely consumed by the tides of rage washing over him.

"D-Damn you, monster!"

Gatling guns formed on the Exorcists' arms as they took aim once again, opening fire. The black-veiled girl behind them pointed at the smoldering embers, which grew into a mighty conflagration that was aimed at Takeshi. The rampaging Devil easily shrugged off the attacks as Grendel laughed in ecstasy. Flames wrapped themselves around Berserk Devastator's arm blades as Takeshi jumped once again. He evaded the thunderbolts aimed at him from above and bisected two Exorcists that weren't fast enough to dodge. Two more attempted to strike at his unprotected back, but Takeshi kicked one away and grabbed the other's head with both hands.

"P-Please…"

The female Exorcist begged with a trembling voice. The rampaging Takeshi paid no heed to her, crushing her head into a pulp with ease and tossing the corpse aside. The remaining seven Exorcists felt a chill go down their spines at this display of brutality. At that moment, the wind intensified and more and more thunderbolts started falling from the sky. One of them struck an Exorcist, vaporizing him in a manner of seconds.

"Time's up…"

The girl said through gritted teeth, beads of sweat dripping down her face as she seemed to be struggling with something. The light orbs around her had begun spinning in an erratic manner, looking like they were going out of control.

[Hey, hey, what gives?] Grendel growled. [How am I supposed to enjoy this bloodbath if you kill everyone first? Change of plans, you're next, girl!]

Takeshi's greaves ignited once again as he launched himself towards the veiled girl. However, he found his path blocked by an Exorcist, who conjured a large defensive magic circle in front of him. Takeshi slammed on it, unable to break through.

"Go!" The Exorcist screamed, his strain evident as he struggled to keep Takeshi at bay. "Grab the girl and get out of here! We're no match for this beast!"

One of the Exorcists nodded, flying towards the girl and lifting her up. At that moment, the wind tore off her veil, revealing her long black hair and familiar features.

Pandora…?

Takeshi was surprised, but could spare no more than a passing thought, his mind still occupied with fighting against Grendel's influence. Once the five Exorcists and Pandora had left the area, the abnormal weather phenomena abated, with the wind dying down, the fires being extinguished and the rain ceasing to fall.

[They escaped.] Grendel spoke with an irritated tone before focusing on the Exorcist before him. [You've got guts, human. Let's see what they look like!]

Takeshi's gauntlets and greaves both ignited, the searing flames tearing through the barrier. The Exorcist brought up his blade to defend, but Takeshi's heel kick sent him crashing down, melting through his right shoulder armor. The ensuing diving kick buried the Exorcist deep into the ground, with the man screaming as the flames burned his flesh. Flipping him around with another kick, Takeshi tore the thrusters off his back.

[What does the whelp always say?] Grendel wondered as he lifted up the barely conscious Exorcist. [Ah, yes. Victory was never an option for you!]

Takeshi tossed him up and crouched, gathering a large amount of flames in his right gauntlet. Once the body started falling back towards the ground, Takeshi delivered a powerful uppercut that split the Exorcist into two and set the pieces on fire. Freed, who had been watching this display while hidden inside the house he had been punched into, grimaced.

"Damn. I'm crazy, but not crazy enough to fight that thing in this state." Freed remarked, checking some readings on his left forearm. "The power on this contraption is also running low. Guess I'd better follow the others' example and skedaddle the Hell out of here."

Before leaving, Freed made a finger gun at the raging Takeshi, a wide smile on his face.

"I'll pay you back for that knockout punch some other time, you schizo Devil." Freed said. "I definitely will. Until then, wash your neck and wait like a good boy for me, will you? OK then, bye!"

After saying so, Freed slipped out of the house and vanished into the night. As for the raging Takeshi, he let out another howl while turning his head left and right.

[Not enough…] Grendel growled. [It's not enough at all! More, give more! More fighting, more killing, more pain! How else will I entertain myself!? How else will I feel alive!?]

Taking note of the large number of houses around him, Grendel smirked, with Takeshi's body mimicking him.

[Lots of humans around here.] Grendel said. [I guess I can squash them all. Not as entertaining, but their screams should make for a good pastime.]

Don't you dare!

Takeshi shouted in his mind. Driven by his urgency and determination, he was able to wrest control of his body for a brief moment. Igniting his greaves and spreading his wings, he launched himself in the direction of the ruined dam, crashing amidst the wreckage.

[You annoying brat!] Grendel howled. [Don't get in the way of my fun!]

Screw you, you oversized caveman! Takeshi shouted. Give me back my body and take a hike!

[It's been ages since I've gone on a good rampage! I won't let a pitiful weakling like you spoil this!]

Takeshi began thrashing on the ground and screaming, Berserk Devastator spouting out flames in an erratic manner as he and Grendel began fighting for control once again. Both sides seemed evenly matched, with none willing to concede. Takeshi couldn't say how much time had passed until something changed.

"Takeshi!"

The one who had shouted was Rias, she and the rest of the Peerage descending from the sky. All of them looked worn out, their clothes torn and bruises and small cuts spread throughout their bodies, but hadn't sustained any major damage.

[Here comes a new challenger!] Grendel said in an excited manner as the members of Rias's Peerage landed a few steps away from Takeshi, his enthusiasm momentarily overpowering his foe. [It's been quite some time since I've gutted a bunch of Devils! Come here, so I can eat you all alive!]

"Takeshi-kun…has lost control?" Yuuto grimaced. "This is bad, President! We should—"

Yuuto's words were drowned by Takeshi's howl. But just as he was about to get up and charge—

I said…get lost, Grendel! You won't touch my friends!

Takeshi shouted in his mind, his intensified resistance causing his body to start spasming on the ground once again. Grendel struggled for a bit, but chose to retreat from his host's mind with a [Tch, there's no point to it when your body is so damaged]. Berserk Devastator and Cataclysm Zone vanished in response, leaving only Takeshi's battered and smoking body behind.

"Takeshi!" Rias shouted in a concerned manner as she and the others surrounded their fallen comrade. "Are you alright!? Please, answer me!"

"…Senpai!" Koneko shook his shoulder with an alarmed expression. "Open your eyes, Takeshi-senpai!"

"Don't you dare die in this place, Takeshi-kun!" Akeno said, her voice cracking. "I can't…"

"There's still a pulse." Yuuto said with a relieved expression as he felt Takeshi's carotid artery. "Thank the Devil Kings… Can you hear us, Takeshi-kun? Say something if you can."

Takeshi was silent at first, but then groaned and coughed for a few seconds before speaking.

"Too soon…for a berserk form… It's not even…the second quarter yet…"

The members of the Gremory Peerage let out a collective sigh of relief at that.

"If you can joke around like that, you'll probably be alright." Rias smiled as she caressed Takeshi's cheek. "There seems to be some lingering holy energy in his body that's poisoning him apart from his other injuries. Akeno, please construct the teleportation magic circle. We're taking him back to the library for healing at once."

"Understood, President."

While Akeno conjured the teleportation magic circle, Rias conjured a magic circle under Takeshi's body, lifting it up. Once Akeno was done, all members of the Gremory Peerage entered the teleportation magic circle and vanished from the area.

---

"Well, that was a spectacular failure…"

The Fallen Angel Turel commented as he observed the holographic scenes before him. All of them depicted the members of the Gremory Peerage fighting against Exorcists wearing power suits similar to the ones worn by the group that had ambushed Takeshi. One such screen was depicting said battle, as well as the brutal way Takeshi had dispatched his opponents.

"Nothing less expected from the Evil Dragon User." Turel remarked. "But the Gremory heiress isn't half-bad either. Her strength is befitting of a High-class Devil."

Turning his attention to another holographic image, Turel observed Rias's fight. Despite the Exorcists' superior firepower, their weapons were unable to penetrate Rias's magic circles. Moreover, sturdy as they were, the Exorcists' power suits were unable to withstand Rias's Power of Destruction. Each successful hit resulted in an enemy vaporized as the Power of Destruction erased defensive magic circles, armor and body alike with ease.

Dismissing that holographic image, he focused on another, which displayed Akeno fighting. The Gremory Queen was using an assortment of elemental attacks to bombard the Exorcists, giving them no chance to approach her and bring the fight to close quarters combat. She would shoot fireballs, raise earth spires to impale opponents, blow them away with wind and freeze them, using thunderbolts to finish them off.

"The Gremory Queen must be at least a Middle-class Devil in terms of power." Turel said, and then frowned. "But the way she attacks with her thunderbolts… Why does it seem so familiar? I'm sure I've seen it somewhere before…"

Turel was troubled, but put this aside as he focused on the remaining members of the Gremory Peerage depicted in the last two screens. In one of them, Koneko could be seen pummeling the Exorcists attacking her, her body surrounded by a thin sheet of ki. Each time she struck an Exorcist, they would stumble in a daze, giving her the chance to press on the attack. Her small stature and agility also made her a difficult target to aim at.

As for Yuuto, he had taken full advantage of his Sacred Gear to set up numerous Holy Erasers, Demonic Swords that consumed holy energy, around the area he was fighting in. Because of that, the effectiveness of the Exorcists' weapons was lowered, and their suits' internal power would be drained even faster, leaving them helpless before the Knight's swift assault. The variety of Demonic Swords he employed didn't help matters either. His gravity-controlling swords would encumber the Exorcists, the rust-inducing swords would further compromise their armor and his explosive swords would instantly eliminate them with a direct hit.

"The girl might be a nascent Senjutsu user, but even at this level, her unique abilities are troublesome." Turel commented. "I guess her performance against the hellhounds was no fluke. The Knight, on the other hand, seemingly prides himself in his adaptability, dispatching his opponents with swift, precise moves. How difficult… They're more competent than I first anticipated. But it's not beyond my calculations."

At that moment, a knock was heard on his door.

"Enter."

"Pardon me, Turel-sama." Dohnaseek said as he stepped into Turel's office. "I've just finished extracting the remainder of the combat data from the Exorcists' armors."

"Good job." Turel nodded. "With this, the secondary objective at least has been accomplished. Once all data has been compiled, upload them to our plan B. I would like to believe that plan A will be enough, but these Devils are quite resilient from the looks of it."

"I'm more concerned about Grigori's reaction." Dohnaseek said. "The Devils will demand explanations from headquarters, and if Azazel-sama and Shemhazai-sama were to learn of our unsanctioned operation here…"

"That's why Kokabiel-sama has taken measures to ensure that information regarding this venture will not reach them or any other member who's not part of our pro-war faction until after all is said and done." Turel said. "The top brass won't be able to make excuses after the fact. This will definitely throw a wrench in the preliminary peace talks our leaders have been having with the Church and the Devils, and if we play our cards right, it will also end the current armistice and restart the war again."

"What is Azazel-sama thinking, trying to make peace with our eternal enemies?" Dohnaseek scowled. "Instead of using his brilliant mind to ensure that the Fallen Angels are in an advantageous position when the next war begins, he wastes that remarkable intellect on his…pet projects."

"Azazel-sama has become complacent." Turel said. "Gone are the days where his sinister plans would sow terror in the hearts of our foes. When the top is lacking though, it's the responsibility of us in the bottom to act and shake them out of their stupor. This is our glorious purpose. Trust me, one day, our race will be grateful for what we are about to accomplish here. Now, what about the report on the battle armor's performance?"

"It has definitely strengthened our Exorcists, but not by much." Dohnaseek said. "The holy power consumption is atrocious, limiting the operation time and the overall effectiveness, especially when using it to perform powerful attacks. At best, it only serves as a temporary equalizer and nothing else against skilled opponents."

"What about us Fallen Angels using these armors?"

"Still too much holy power drain." Dohnaseek shook his head. "Mittelt tested it, and while it offers some versatility, the power drain issue persists. All in all, it's not worth it."

"The conclusion is that lots of improvements are needed then." Turel said. "What about the girl, Pandora? How is she faring after using her power?"

"No abnormalities detected, though her curse still interferes with her control." Dohnaseek said, his expression uncertain for a moment before resuming. "Turel-sama…was it really wise to send her out like that? She's an important piece for both our plans. If we lost her at this point—"

"I judged that the risk was worth it." Turel interrupted Dohnaseek. "Her presence didn't have the desired effect, but that's no major loss for us. From now on, she will focus exclusively on powering the large-scale magic circle formation and completing the Spirtron Engine."

"Of course." Dohnaseek said. "Do you require something else from me?"

"No, you can return to your assigned task." Turel said. "Oh, but make sure to remind Freed to sit tight and wait for my next order. He seems to be itching for another fight, and we can't have that. Also, remind him that the pincushion threat is still in effect."

"Understood."

Once Dohnaseek had taken his leave, Turel returned to observing the holographic screens, his mind deep in thought about the plan's next step.

---

This concludes Chapter 12. First, in response to your questions.

—To Rai of bladeegde: Yes, there will be a Kamen Rider show in the Underworld starring Takeshi eventually.

The mysterious girl that's apparently the cornerstone of the Fallen Angels' plans, Pandora, has finally made a full appearance. In case anyone is wondering, her appearance is based on Anastasia-L from the Trinity Seven manga, although her body proportions are closer to Lilith's from the same manga. She's connected to the Pandora featuring in Greek Mythology, and in regards to her abilities, they will be delved into in later chapters.

Grendel has also shown the demerits of the Sacred Gear that contains him here. Instead of trying to erode his wielder's will like Nidhogg, he acts in a more straightforward manner by forcing them to go on a rampage until they either give in or their bodies give out first. Details regarding that will be explained in the following chapters as well.

Well, that's all for now. As always, please read, review, favorite and follow, but most of all, enjoy!

See you all next time!