The Lone Vigilante Issei – High School DxD

Hey everyone, it's me Hide Shinyama.

I apologize for those who are seeing this chapter on Monday, but it took a bit longer than I expected. But I have disciplined myself to push myself forward and thus, here is the chapter.

This chapter will be focusing more on Sanma and less on Issei.

Nevertheless, we won't be leaving either character this soon. After all, what they will be doing in this arc is all interconnected.

What awaits in this chapter?

Find out in…

Chapter 37 – Hotel Crisis – A Love Drama

3rd of October, Saturday, 7:48 pm – in the swimming hall, Hotel Entertainment

The body of Fritzchen was still floating on the water. For the other gunmen that had been at the scene, it was no question that he was dead. However, that didn't mean they would fish him out. Nobody had the time or the will to do that. In a situation like this, there was no time for funerals or farewells.

For as long as their mission went on, so did they.

Without flinching or looking back.

Fritzchen understood this better than anyone else. Not that he could speak about it.

And thus, his body remained in the pool, floating all alone in the center.

Unbeknownst to anyone or anything, something swam in the water and absorbed Fritzchen.


3rd of October, Saturday, 7:50 pm – in the canteen, Hotel Entertainment

"Oh, goodness… This is awful…"

"Please, tell me there's a way out of here?"

"We can't die here! You've got to do something!"

The throng of hostages begged Issei, Sanma and Cat Fu to save them.

And why were they begging?

Because Issei had just told them about the situation in the hotel. He had them all gather around and gave a general outline on what had happened. He made sure not to divulge any information about Matsuda or the Chopping Board Type 2. He just mentioned "a friend who is aware of the situation".

Issei explained it like this: Terrorists had swarmed and captured the entire hotel complex and the people in it. Issei had managed to save some hostages before coming to the canteen, but with the gunmen on high alert an easy escape wasn't possible. There were gunmen patrolling the hallways and keeping an eye on other hostages elsewhere. This excluded an escape through the main hotel entrance. Also, while there was a way out through the back entrance of the kitchen, the upper floors were guarded by gunmen, ready shoot anybody that leaves the hotel complex.

The reaction of the audience was, of course, far from positive.

"This is the worst!" a young woman said and slumped to the ground in despair.

Other hostages were fretting, begging or venting their fears and stress at Issei and to a certain extent Sanma and Cat Fu. The latter two tried their best to calm them down, but to no avail. The rescued hostages were pleading Sanma and Cat Fu to do something with their Kung Fu abilities.

"Please, we beg you! You defeated all these crooks in a flash. Surely, you can help us! Please, we beg you to help us!" one man said in a bowing position.

Sanma and Cat Fu tried to explain that though they had super-human fighting skills that didn't mean they were superheroes. Thankfully, Issei got their attention.

"Everyone," Issei called out to the crowd. "Now, I know you're frightened and want to go home, but I need you to listen to me. I have a plan on how to get you out of here."

Everybody went silent with surprised looks. Cat Fu and Sanma were the only ones who didn't show surprise since they also had a hand in helping create the plan.

"What did you say!?" one woman shrieked.

"Why didn't you say this sooner!?" another woman demanded.

"What is the plan! Tell us!" a man said.

They all got into Issei's face and started talking all over the place.

"These people…" Issei said to himself irritated before using his arms to keep the crowd at arm's distance. "Everyone, calm down!"

With that shout, the crowd settled down and even distanced themselves from Issei.

Looking around for a moment to make sure the hostages were quiet, Issei resumed his speech.

"Like I said. I have a plan. And I need you all to listen carefully and not interrupt me," Issei spoke with a stern gaze, trying his best to be patient. "My intention is to cause a distraction on the upper floors. I want to distract as many shooters as I can. Once I've done my thing, they will be too distracted to worry about you. Once you hear an explosion or something that is when you should run…" Issei pointed to the kitchen "…if you head out through the kitchen, you'll get into an alleyway. Don't stop. Keep running until you get behind police lines. My friend here…" Issei pointed at Sanma. "…will go out and rescue some hostages elsewhere. My other… umm… colleague…" Issei uneasily gestured at Cat Fu, who eyed Issei with a glare. "…will watch over you in the meantime. That's the plan in a nutshell."

Issei finished his explanation and immediately the crowd squabbled amongst themselves and raised questions.

"Are you sure this plan will work?" asked a tall thin man.

"I can't be one hundred percent sure but… yeah!" Issei answered affirmatively.

The crow of freed hostages remained skeptical, whispering all the while.

"What do you mean by explosions if I may ask? Is it like dynamite?" asked a bearded gentleman in his fifties.

"That's my secret. But trust me. It will distract them," Issei answered vaguely.

"And all we have to do is stay here until things… explode?" asked a young woman in her twenties.

"Yup," Issei nodded affirmatively. "But don't worry about getting hurt. It won't be that strong."

More whispering broke out. It was done with a mixture of skepticism and hope. Maybe this might work…

With all that said Issei got ready to depart.

"I'll be heading out. Whatever you do, don't run out until Cat Fu here…" Issei pointed to the Chinese Amazon. "…tells you. Until then, she will be standing guard here and take care of you. Don't you worry. You'll be safe with her."

The last part of Issei's statement was met with approving words and expressions. After what they saw not too long ago, they could safely put their lives in their hands.

Sanma approached Issei just before he stepped out into the hallway.

"Dude. You sure ya don't want me to come with ya?" Sanma asked Issei with a hand on his shoulder.

Issei nodded. "Absolutely. My Boosted Gear can take them. Plus, my body is dragonized, so I have some resistance against bullets. Besides, you're better at sneaking around and taking out guards swiftly. I can't do that, you know. That's why I'm leaving them to you."

"Yeah. I'll call ya when all the hostages are out. But it will work, right?" Sanma asked again a bit nervously. "That thing ya will do is gonna distract them, won't it?"

Issei said nothing at first. He stepped out with one foot into the danger zone before stopping and answering.

"It has to…" Issei simply said before walking down the darkening hallway.

Sanma looked on for a bit before calling out to his friend.

"Issei!"

Issei glanced back at Sanma.

"Don't die. 'Kay?" Sanma said to him.

Issei smiled back. "You, too…" he replied and went his way.

Sanma smiled, took a breath and went the opposite direction.

Both of them had a different job to do. And thus, they went in different directions.


3rd of October, Saturday, 8:00 pm – in the hallway, Hotel Entertainment

By now, Issei was no longer walking leisurely down the hallway. He was sneaking and ducking out of the sight of gunmen, who were patrolling the hallway. Whether it be dustbins, walls or furniture, Issei used everything to his advantage. Now, in normal situations he would be caught given how sparse there were in places to hide. But with the darkness, Issei had a better time not being discovered.

'I wonder if the others are okay…' Issei wondered to himself, referring to Sanma and Cat Fu and the other hostages. He just hoped none of the gunmen were going to storm the canteen. If they did that…

'Nah…' Issei shook his head and snuck onward. 'They beat all those terrorists all by themselves. I'm sure they'll be fine…'

This also made Issei ponder another issue. Surely, by now their boss and their colleagues must have gotten wind that hostages had escaped from the canteen. The noise of the fighting must have been audible enough to be heard several floors above the ground floor. If so, where were their reinforcements? Why haven't they sent masses of men to recapture the canteen where Sanma and Cat Fu were?

The only logical theory was that maybe – just maybe – their manpower was stretched. And that would also explain why the gunmen here were patrolling here in pairs of two.

Regardless of the theory, Issei had to find the ideal spot to hide. Using his dragonized eyes, he looked around and saw the ideal spot.

"Won't you look at that?" Issei said to himself as he opened a door.

Ddraig couldn't help but speak up.

[Look at what? That small cramped room?] Ddraig remarked as he and Issei looked inside the room. It was a cleaning supply room and the door was conveniently unlocked.

"Say what you want. But it's the best place to hide…" Issei said and went inside. He closed the door behind him and made himself comfortable.

"Now. All I have to do is wait…" Issei said as he sat down in the pitch-black darkness.


3rd of October, Saturday, 8:02 pm – in another part of the hallway, Hotel Entertainment

While Issei bided his time, Sanma was also making his way through the hallway in a stealthy manner. Unlike Issei, Sanma didn't avoid the guards but actively took them out. Using his knowledge of martial arts and shiatsu points, Sanma knocked the gunmen out one by one. Being a martial artist, stealth and silent takedowns were not a problem. In fact, one of his specialties lay in this field. Out of all the times it could come in handy…

But anyway, Sanma advanced down the hallway towards a certain direction and a certain room. And why? Because he had somebody there that needed rescuing. And he'd be damned if he let her down. Issei did tell him to go to that room and then another place, but… Sanma decided not to rush things. So long as nobody noticed, he could take it nice and slow and one at a time.

Finally arriving in front of the door of the concert hall, Sanma quietly opened the door, squeezed through and saw terrible sight. There were masses of hostages sitting in their seats like before the hostage situation when they were enjoying the concert. The only difference was that unlike before, they were averting their eyes and cowering in fear at the gunmen keeping a watchful eye on them everywhere.

But the worst part lay not with the audience. The worst part lay with the people on stage. It was what Sanma witnessed there. That was what caused Sanma's anger to boil.

There were five gunmen with a number of terrified hostages on stage. And about four dead bodies strewn across the stage floor, smeared in blood and laced with bullet wounds. The hostages on stage were frightened beyond measure and among them was…

"Nakane…" Sanma whispered the name of his tomboyish fiancée. But before he could make a step further, something happened.

"Please! Don't!" cried a bald elderly man with a walking stick.

"Shut it!" one of the gunmen shouted before aiming his gun at the old man's hand.

[BANG!]

With a cry, the old man fell to the ground on top of his walking stick. His moans and sobs of agony were heard across the room.

"Those bastards…" Sanma growled indignantly.

That was when at the corner of his eye, he noticed a gunman spotting him, standing near a wall on the left of Sanma.

The terrorist wanted to shout and raise his gun. But Sanma appeared in front of him and jabbed a Shiatsu point. The terrorist froze solid and couldn't move. He was immobilized and out of commission.

Sanma turned his attention back to the drama happening on stage, then to the audience and their guards.

"It seems I have deal with them first…" Sanma glared at the hostage-takers and rushed to take them out with stealth.

The situation on stage did not improve unfortunately. Another old man was ordered to get up.

"Please… *sob* I can't…" the poor man begged.

"I said get up and sing!" one of the gunmen ordered.

"Yeah, or you're gonna end up like them," another gunman pointed at the dead men.

The old man was on his knees, closing his eyes and was awaiting his death.

"Listen. It's not that hard to sing the intro of Sailor Moon. It's a classic. Even an old-timer like you should know it," a third gunman reasoned calmly.

The old man looked up at them with a face of despair.

"But I don't watch Tokusatsu shows…" the frightened elderly man replied. (Of note: Tokusatsu shows are live action shows that employ stunt actors and puppets, e. g. Power Rangers; while Sailor Moon does have a Tokusatsu version of it, it's not considered one)

[BANG!]

With a cry of death, the old man fell backwards with a hole on his forehead.

Sanma had just taken out another terrorist inside one of the seat rows by the time the shot came. He looked with obvious anger in his eyes, even as the hostages looked on in horror.

"I've gotta hurry!" Sanma said to himself and moved on to the next foe.

"That's five," said a fourth gunman with a shake of his head.

"That ignorant old fart. How can you confuse Sailor Moon for a Tokusatsu show!" said the first gunman, who shot the old man by the way, in disdain.

"Forget him. Let's move on to the next ones. Someone who is not an old man…" said the second gunman and looked at Nakane. "Hey, girly! It's your turn next!"

Nakane tried to put a brave face, but the horror of the situation made it hard for her to keep a straight face.

[BANG!]

A shot was fired near her feet, making her yelp and jump back in fright.

"I said step up!" the menacing gunman replied.

Nakane complied with a nervous nod.

The gunmen inspected Nakane with interested stares. She looked quite pretty. Because of this, two of the gunmen stepped forward and started to feel her up.

Nakane was about to cry out in outrage, but with their guns pressed against her temple.

"Relax, girly… I think we can change the program up for you…" said one of the perverted hostage takers, as he felt her thighs.

"Yeah, this time you can moan for us on mic," said the other hostage taker feeling her breasts.

"I'll het the mic," said one of the other gunmen and fetched the microphone. He handed it to one of the gropers, who held it next to Nakane's lips.

"Now… let's begin…" the evil man said lecherously.

The two perverts rubbed her private areas, causing Nakane to blush and tense up. She resisted any urges to moan, letting only heaves come from her mouth.

Meanwhile, Sanma had just knocked out those gunmen in the rows up front, going through all those with excellent stealth. Thus far, nobody had noticed Sanma except for the hostages he had rescued. Sanma made sure to make them keep silence about his activities. They agreed.

As for the hostage takers, it didn't seem like they noticed. No wonder. They were so engrossed in their disgusting games, how could they?

But to be fair, even Sanma could not help but stare at the sight of Nakane being groped and forced to make moans on mic.

"Focus, man… focus…" Sanma said to himself and shook his head. He pressed on forward. He was almost there. Just a few more gunmen before he could reach the stage…

Back on stage, one of the gunmen spoke up.

"Oh, yeah. I think I'll add a new rule. If I don't hear the sounds I wanna hear, then the others will get it. So, make sure you make some sweet sounds or else…" he pointed his gun at the other hostages to make his point.

Nakane's breathing quickened. She had no choice. Either play along or have blood on her hands.

"Ah… ah… ohhh…" Nakane made some moaning sounds to satisfy their conditions. She hated it. Nakane felt like she was in some sick porno and she was the main actress. But she also kept her revulsion as she played along.

Those despicable men weren't quite satisfied.

"Not good enough," said one of the groping men and went under Nakane's shirt.

"What!? H-hey!" Nakane yelped at the sudden move, but a gun pressed at the side of her head forced her to be quiet.

"Don't make a racket and enjoy it," the other man threatened and started hugging her tightly from behind.

"No… ahhh…" Nakane moaned louder this time, pleasure taking over her. The sounds she made were heard through the hall much to the other hostages' horror and disgust. Some were giving the poor teenager looks of pity as they watched on helplessly.

Even Sanma could not help but stare after he had knocked out the last hostage taker in the concert hall. All that remained were the five on stage. In his anger, Sanma thought about rushing them and beating the living daylights out of them. But Sanma knew better. Their guns were trained on the hostages, especially Nakane. It wasn't like in the dining place where their guns were unfocused.

He had to figure something out. He had to find a way to come upon them unnoticed and take them out. But how?

Let's see… all the gunmen were distracted enough either ogling at Nakane being raped or they were watching the other hostages and keeping them in line. They were distracted, however, they weren't distracted enough as to not notice him approach them, should he move onstage. If only he could obscure himself from their field of vision…

At that moment, Sanma realized something. He looked up and widened his eyes, then smirked.

Yes, of course! Why didn't he realize this sooner?

He just needed the right tools…

Sanma looked into the pockets of the last gunman he took out and found his wallet. In it were some coins… He realized at that moment that he could just use the man's gun, but guns weren't what he was used to handling, so he had to resort to this.

'Here goes…' Sanma thought after picking up a coin and flicked it with his fingers. The coin flew with such tremendous speed straight into the destined target…

"Ahhh… oh… please…" Nakane was starting to cry, while moaning. She hated it! Why did she have to be in a situation like this?

"You have such a sexy voice, girl…" said one of the dirty terrorists as he licked his lips. "Now, I want you naked…"

Nakane widened her eyes in horror. She prayed to whoever could hear her.

'Please, God… Sanma… Help me…' she prayed in utter despair.

[Crash!]

As though in response to her prayers, there was the sound of glass shattering from above them and the stage darkened a bit. Everybody looked up and flinched as bits of broken glass fell to the floor. Strangely, a coin fell down with the glass as well.

"What the…?" said one of the by standing terrorists as he looked up.

Judging by what had happened, one of the stage lights shattered. But why?

[Crash!] [Crash!] [Crash!]

Before more could be said or done, the other stage lights also shattered one by one, leaving them all in utter darkness.

"What? What's going on? I can't see!" one of the gunmen cried out in fright.

"Me neither," another one said as he looked around.

"Hold on, let me take out my smartphone so that… AGH!" one of the hostage takers groping Nakane cried out before falling down to the ground with a thud.

"WAGH!" the other groper screamed a fraction of a second afterwards as he, too, fell face first to the ground.

"What? Why are they screaming!?" one of the remaining three terrorists cried out in alarm.

"I don't know! Somebody is attacking us and… UGH!" another terrorist said before being knocked out.

"Shoot! Now!" shouted the third one.

[BANG!] [BANG!]

The guns fired in the direction where their comrade was just knocked out. Instead of hitting the attacker, the bullets only hit empty air. The hostages all ducked or scrambled away for cover.

Being at wit's end, the remaining two shooters were aiming all across the darkness, ready to shoot anything that moves. There was absolute silence in the concert hall. Not a sound could be heard other than the heavy breathing of the gunmen and the frightened whispers of the cowering hostages.

The silence was unbearable for the shooters.

"WHERE THE FRIGGIN' FRICK ARE YOU HIDING!" one of them shouted. At that moment, he was facing away from the audience seats.

[Flick!] The sound of something small and metallic could be heard coming from somewhere.

"HACK!" the gunman gasped as something flew into his mouth and into his throat. The surprise and sudden torment of suffocation caused him to fall backwards and fall off the stage on his back.

The last remaining terrorist was really at the end of his wits. But that didn't mean he didn't have a plan. He saw a cowering old woman whimpering on the floor and tanked her up.

"COME OUT, WHOEVER YOU ARE! IF YOU DON'T, I'LL SHOOT THIS HAG!" the terrorist demanded loudly, while holding a gun to her head.

Nobody answered.

"I'M SAYING IT AGAIN! IF YOU DON'T COME OUT, I'LL KILL HER BY THE COUNT OF THREE!" the frightened terrorist threatened even as the woman was wailing in fright.

The other hostages, including Nakane didn't dare make a move. They didn't want the shooter to kill that woman. Nakane was even growling in frustration, though she did that as quietly as possible.

"ONE! TWO!" The terrorist started counting and got ready to squeeze the trigger.

"Ya piece of dung!" a voice came from behind the terrorist.

"YAAAAHHH!" the gunman screamed like a girl as he whirled around…

"ACK!" …only to be knocked out.

The old woman crawled away in fright as the other hostages backed off at the appearance of the attacker.

"It's alright! Ya'll are safe!" the attacker said calmingly. Strangely, his voice sounded familiar to Nakane's ears.

"Sanma?" she voiced surprised as she got up.

"Yep, it's me! Sorry to keep ya waitin'!" Sanma confirmed and faced the audience. "Alright. Ya'll can switch on the lights now!"

Some of the audience members switched on the light and the concert hall was bright, as if the nightmare of darkness, only for everybody to awaken from the dream.

Sanma threw away the wallet he had in his pocket. It landed somewhere on the floor.

"Tengu School of Randomness – Martial Coin Killing Flicks. I always thought the technique was weird. But I never thought it could be this handy…" Sanma remarked as he flicked a coin in the air, only to then catch it and put it in his pocket. "…I better keep some coins for later."

Upon realizing their safety, all of the hostages bowed down to Sanma and thanked him from the bottom of their hearts.

"It's nothin'. Thanks…" Sanma answered flattered. Would it be like this every time he saved someone? Then again, he couldn't blame them. A hostage situation was always a terrifying ordeal.

"Sanma!" Nakane cried, as she ran up and hugged Sanma with tears flowing freely.

Sanma, being caught off guard, was almost knocked down by the impact. He managed to steady himself from falling and reciprocated the hug.

"You idiot! Where were you!? You've been gone for so long! I was so alone… and scared… and then… they…" Nakane sobbed in Sanma's arms at the memory of a few minutes ago.

"Easy, easy…" Sanma comforted her with some pats to her back. "…I'm okay, right? Sorry, for being late. I was… held up by the terrorists all over the building…"

With those words, the onlookers who had stayed out of the intimate moment between the two teens spoke up.

"What!? Are you saying the whole building has been run over by these… rogues?" asked a red-haired woman incredulously.

Sanma broke off the hug to answer the woman's question. "Yeah, unfortunately…"

The onlookers gathered around Sanma in a panic.

"What about the police? Are they going to save us?" asked a young man with his girlfriend with urgency in his voice.

"How are we gonna get out?" asked the girlfriend worried.

"Are we gonna die!?" the old woman from before asked with despair on her face.

'This is even worse than last time,' Sanma thought to himself before trying to answer their questions. "It's like this. The situation is bad out there, but we are turning the tide. Long story short, there's a way out but ya need to follow my instructions. We all have to get to the food hall and wait there. There's an exit near the place and that's where ya'll be leaving. But ya need to move quietly or else the other gunners will hear us. Got it?"

"Yes, we do." "Understood." "Thank you, young man."

People thanking him came from everywhere. Men and women were shaking Sanma's hands with gratefulness and excitement.

Nakane was just as excited and happy, which was a strange thing considering what had happened before. But with hope in sight, how could she feel any despair? More so, with her fiancée in front of her.

After everyone had said their appreciations to Sanma, Nakane stepped forward and took Sanma by the hands. With Sanma's attention on her, she radiated with happiness.

'She looks… cute…' Sanma thought.

"I thought this day was the worst… and it still is. But I've got to say it... I…" Nakane said while blushing. "I'm really glad I came along for this date. I... I thought you were too busy ditching me this whole time. But… I really am glad that you're reliable in situations like these… when all hope is lost…"

Sanma raised an eyebrow. What was she trying to say?

"Sanma… I… despite some hiccups in the past with you… I've always…" Nakane's blush deepened. To everyone seeing Sanma and Nakane, they looked like a young couple in love (and perhaps rightly so).

"Nakane… I…" Sanma said, trying to form words as he gazed tenderly in her loving eyes.

Suddenly, he felt a chill down his spine, as he sensed killing intent at the door. Sanma turned to the door nervously and slowly and froze up when he saw…

"Cat Fu!" Sanma voiced in shock upon seeing his other date.

The Chinese Amazon didn't look happy. She was looking at her lover with a glare of anger and betrayal. Sanma backed away from Nakane to appease her anger, but it was no use.

Nakane had a look of surprise first, but then one of confusion and a hint of wariness of the Chinese Amazon. For as long as they have butted heads with each other, Nakane knew that Cat Fu was the better fighter than her (even if she hated to admit it).

"C-C-Cat Fu! What are ya doing here? Shouldn't ya be with the other hostages?" Sanma stuttered as he slowly backed away.

"Hostages not in danger. They have guns. Can take care of themselves," Cat Fu said calmly as she approached him menacingly. "Cat Fu run over here looking for you… and then Cat Fu hear you were dating tomboy girl here…"

To everyone's shock, the girl pulled out a sword out of nowhere.

"Cat Fu! I can explain… I…" Sanma said in a panicky voice but Cat Fu cut him off.

"…Airen dating tomboy girl… WHILE DATING ME!" Cat Fu shouted and ran at Sanma.

Sanma dodged out of the way. He jumped backwards and unto the stage. Cat Fu's sword pinned the stage wall. In her anger she plunged her sword into the fallen terrorist beneath her (the one who had choked on a coin).

The terrorist died in great pain and in a fountain of blood, drenching Cat Fu's red dress in dark red blood.

"Cat Fu thought you love me…" Cat Fu whispered softly. "Cat Fu thought you finally decided to be my Airen… but now Cat Fu can see THAT YOU ARE STILL A LIAR AND A CHEATER!" Cat Fu roared at the end.

She lunged at Sanma again. She swung her sword sideways, then downwards into the next unconscious terrorist, making him breathe his last. Sanma barely managed to dodge her strikes by a hair breadth.

'She's really out to kill me…' Sanma thought fearfully.

He reluctantly took a fighting stance to ready himself for the next strike.

"I give my heart to you… AND YOU RIP IT INTO PIECES!" Cat Fu shouted again and launched a flurry of sword strikes.

Sanma managed to dodge them all. Thankfully, his martial arts skills allowed him to do so. But in doing so, she shredded up all the corpses and unconscious bodies of dead hostages and terrorists respectively. To the onlooker it looked like a frenzied bloodbath perpetrated by a demon from hell. And Sanma looked like the devil's victim. Pretty artistic, if it wasn't real.

By the end of her barrage of attacks, Cat Fu was breathing heavily. Sanma was, too. Yet neither one of them was backing down.

"Cat Fu… kill…" she voiced out murderously and stepped closer for the next attack.

Before anything more could be done, Nakane stepped in, much to everyone's surprise.

"Enough you stupid floozy! You've done more than enough!" Nakane declared to Cat Fu.

Cat Fu didn't like being insulted like that, but something about Nakane and what she did, caused her to calm down – much to Sanma's relief.

"I love you… I had sex with you… I wanted to have a date with you… but it's impossible now, isn't it? You don't love me… you always look at other women… I… don't want to look at you… I'm going home…" Cat Fu said despondently. Much to Sanma's surprise, she was speaking proper Japanese, instead of her broken version of it. Could she always do that?

With that said, Cat Fu turned around and walked away from Sanma, leaving him shocked and dazed. He felt a bit of relief, too, because now he could cool off.

Just as she did so, the last remaining terrorist stirred up. But Cat Fu quickly drove her sword into his chest. With a gasp and a spray of blood, the man had died. Cat Fu withdrew her sword from the man's body and put it away to wherever she took it out from.

The freed hostages looked on with shock and horror, but said and did nothing. Them moving aside was the first action they did since Cat Fu arrived. Everybody watched in silence as Cat Fu went out the door and into the hallway.

After a long period of silence, Sanma let out a sigh of relief.

"Thanks, Nakane! I don't know what I could've done without ya!" Sanma said with a lighthearted smile.

But to his surprise, Nakane punched him square across the face. Sanma stumbled back from the force and made an angry frown.

"Watcha do that for!?" Sanma said in his anger.

"Shut up!" Nakane silenced him. "I don't want to hear from you, you two-timing bastard!"

"Whaddya mean?" Sanma demanded from Nakane.

"As if you didn't know! Tell me do you even like me?" Nakane asked with a stern look on her face.

Sanma looked at her confused, unsure as to why she asked him that.

"Of course, I do," Sanma answered.

"Then why were you two-timing, huh?" Nakane asked a follow-up question.

Sanma tried to think of an answer with this one before answering. "Well, she kind of had these nice tickets with her and I thought it would be a shame to waste 'em."

"You were willing to go see a fashion show and a concert? How stupid do you think I am? You don't like any of these things and you know it," Nakane pointed out harshly.

"Well… umm… Cat Fu is a really nice person…" Sanma tried to argue but was cut off again.

"So, you'll date any girl that is nice, huh? Is that how it is?" Nakane concluded angrily, who stepped closer.

"No, I…" Sanma tried to speak but once again was cut off by Nakane.

"SHUT UP! You men are all the same! Only thinking with your pants and ditching any girl however you want for whatever girl you want! I hate you jerk! Go die!" Nakane finished her rant by punching Sanma in the face.

The impact knocked him down to the floor, leaving a bruised cheek.

"And I thought you were cool just now. I should have known it was all too good to be true," Nakane said to him with a look of disappointment before turning away. Nakane walked away, leaving through the crowd of former hostages and out the door.

Sanma lay there, feeling kind of hurt – and not just physically.

Sanma had to face the anger and blows of both Cat Fu and Nakane plenty times. The same goes for the scoldings, too. But something about those two scoldings seemed… different.

It wasn't the anger or even the physical pain inflicted unto him that affected him the most. Rather, it was the disappointment within their voices, ones that not too long ago were the happiest he had ever heard from them. But now, they felt so… drained… and the worst part of it all was the sense of finality in it. Like something between his relationship with them has changed… forever…

It was that thought that scared him the most and he would rather it disappear.

"Umm… excuse me?" asked the old woman.

Sanma broke off his concentration in surprise and looked at her and the other hostages. They were worried at the injuries Sanma had on his face and even had a wet tissue ready for him.

"Thanks…" Sanma said and took it.

Getting up, Sanma wiped his face with it. The touch of wetness felt good on his skin. He even felt… a little more chipper.

"What do we do now?" the red-haired woman asked.

Sanma looked at all their faces. It was clear that as their savior he had to take the lead.

"We're headin' towards the dinner hall. I'm sure y'all know where it is. Follow me…" Sanma said and started walking.

One by one, the numerous hostages went behind him.

Just before heading out into the hallway, Sanma turned around to face them.

"One more thing. That's all of ya, right? Aside from the dead, that is…" Sanma asked them.

The hostages looked at each other for a moment. Then, the young man with the girlfriend spoke up.

"Well, not really. There were a few people that were taken away by some of the terrorists. I heard them say that they were to be brought upstairs to their boss," the young man answered.

This caught Sanma's interest. "What kind of people were they?" Sanma asked.

"Important people, I guess…" his girlfriend answered this time. "I didn't recognize any of them, except for the girl playing on the piano earlier."

"Girl on the piano?" Sanma wondered.

"Yes, her name is Komachi Kono, the heiress of the Kono Group," she answered.

Sanma said nothing to that. He calmly turned around.

"I see. Let's get moving," Sanma replied and thus everybody followed Sanma quietly to the dinner hall.

Inwardly, Sanma was screaming from the soul after hearing the name "Komachi Kono".

'As though I didn't have enough girl trouble, now I have to deal with her, too!? Why the heck is she even here!?' Sanma thought to himself.

He just hoped he would never cross paths with her… that lunatic of an ojou-sama was too much of a nightmare!

'Calm down… Call Issei… he can help you out…' Sanma reasoned and took out his smartphone and called.


3rd of October, Saturday, 8:16 pm – back with Issei, Hotel Entertainment

Just then, Issei received a call on his smartphone. He picked it up.

"Sanma?" Issei said (knowing it was him).

"Yo, Issei, my man. How are things?" Sanma greeted.

"Fine. I…" Issei was interrupted by a call from Matsuda.

"Matsuda?" Issei picked up the call.

"Yup, it's me," the bald-headed teen replied.

"Matsuda? Is that you?" Sanma expressed surprise in hearing Matsuda's voice.

"Sanma? Are you alright? I heard that you were captured," Matsuda replied.

"I'm fine. Issei here help me get out. Other than a few bruises here and there, I'm fine. I was just calling him and… hey, wait! Ya guys aren't in the hotel and I'm on the phone line. How are ya talking to us right now?" Sanma asked curiously.

"Our special watches. They've got a communication function. Motohama has got one, too," Matsuda briefly explained.

"Yeah, but back on track. I was just going to ask Sanma on how his mission went on freeing the hostages," Issei informed Matsuda.

"Freeing hostages?" Matsuda wondered.

"That's right. I just freed the hostages in the music place. All attackers are down. Aside from a few deaths and some VIPs taken to the floors above, they're all safe. I'm back at the dinner hall to where the others are," Sanma reported.

"VIPs? Why were taken to the top floors?" Issei questioned.

"Beats me. All I know is that their boss wants them. Maybe they're with him at this moment," Sanma reasoned.

"That might be true…" Issei surmised.

"So, this boss took some VIPs, presumably rich people to the upper floors. I bet that boss just wants a quick buck of some rich people by ransoming them. Such an obvious plan," Matsuda deduced.

But Issei then remembered something else.

"It's strange…" Issei said out loud.

"What's strange?" Sanma asked.

"Yeah, tell us!" Matsuda implored him.

"Earlier, in the kitchen, I overheard some of the terrorists saying that their boss was a careful man – that he wouldn't do something like this unless the benefits clearly outweighed the costs. In fact, they didn't seem to think that money or ransoms were even the motive for this takeover," Issei explained.

"It's not?" Matsuda voiced surprised.

"No, in fact… I think there is something else going on here… something that doesn't have anything to do with money…" Issei explained.

"But then why take VIPs hostage and bring them to their boss?" Matsuda asked of Issei.

"I don't know," Issei shrugged. "But what I do know is this. Sanma is good at rescuing hostage with his high stealth and sneaking abilities. He just saved the hostages in the concert hall by himself. We already dealt with the dining hall. I already dealt with the swimming pool area. The only area in the ground floor is the fashion hall. After that, we'll gather all the hostages in the dining hall and then I'll start the distraction," Issei said.

"This is great. Those terrorists are going down like dominoes. I bet the ladies are gonna be all over you once this is done," Matsuda said gleefully.

At this, Sanma sighed sadly. "Yeah… the ladies…"

Issei noticed this and spoke up. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"I… Nakane and Cat Fu found out I was having a double date with them. They're in a bad mood now and… they don't wanna talk to me…" Sanma said melancholy.

"Oh…" Issei simply said. He was tempted to say "I told you that plan was a bad idea!". But he knew that doing so, while his friend was down was insensitive.

"Yeah…" Sanma simply replied.

An awkward silence was heard in both lines, connecting Issei with Sanma and Issei with Matsuda.

"So… where are you now?" Matsuda asked him.

"I'm inside a janitor's closet. It's dark and small, but kind of comfy. I hope I can hide out here until you've rescued all the hostages," Issei explained.

"The way you put it sounds like you're looking for a place to take a nap," Sanma jested, trying to lighten up the mood.

"No way!" Issei replied rather upbraided. "In times like these, I…"

Issei was about to say more but the sound of soggy shoes and dripping clothes could be heard.

"What was that?" Issei wondered.

"What was what?" Sanma asked Issei.

"I heard something. It came from the hallway," Issei answered, as he tried to look through any open cracks.

"Is it a terrorist?" Matsuda asked next.

"I don't know…" Issei shrugged his shoulders. "But whatever it is, it's coming closer."

"Why does this person sound like he just soaked himself in water, clothes and all, and then decided to walk like that without drying?" Matsuda wondered as he picked up the sloshing sound.

"That sounds oddly specific…" Sanma remarked.

"I know, but… listen! It sounds exactly like that!" Matsuda pointed out.

Issei became suspicious as to why someone would make these kinds of sounds. Was it really a case of someone wearing wet clothes and forgetting to dry himself? It was not like anything more could be made out. That guy neither spoke, nor make any other noise other than this sloshing sound of wet clothes and wet shoes.

It was a risk but there was only one way to find out.

Putting his smartphone in his shirt pocket, Issei summoned the Boosted Gear.

[Boost!]

Readying himself for the kill, Issei jumped out and raised his arm towards his target.

"Freeze!" Issei shouted suddenly.

In that split second, he hoped his opponent didn't have a gun on him or that he would comply with the warning.

To Issei's shock, while he was right to suspect that this person was an enemy, one of the many black-suited terrorists, this one was different.

For one, his gun was still in his holster. Nothing too bad.

Two, his clothes really were wet and filled with water. Issei could see the trail of water following the man and his dripping wet clothes.

But the most notable thing – and that was also the thing that shocked Issei the most – were his eyes. They were completely white and without pupils!

What's more, the man just walked towards him and didn't stop, as if he never heard Issei.

"I said stop! If you don't, I'll…" Issei warned him, but the man didn't stop. He just came closer to Issei without a care.

[Dragon Shot!]

The Dragon Shot cut the man cleanly in two, letting large amounts of steam rise from his wet clothes from the fiery heat. The remains of his torso and legs lay on the ground even as they burned away.

"Well, that's done with…" Issei remarked as he lowered his Boosted Gear arm.

That was… a weird terrorist. Why was he wet? And why did he walk around like that without a care in the world?

But most importantly, why were his eyes so lifeless? He looked like a zombie.

Upon closer inspection, Issei looked at the burning remains closely.

"That face… I've seen that face somewhere…" Issei noticed. "…but where?"

At that moment. Very suddenly and out of Issei's expectations, the body remains distorted themselves unnaturally… like slime!

"What the…!" Issei said in surprise and backed away.

The lumps of slime started to become two lumps of plasma and started floating!

"Issei? What's happening?" Matsuda called out to him from the wristwatch.

"Hide No. 3? What's wrong?" Sanma called out, too.

But Issei only watched in morbid awe as the lumps of plasma-like slime floated in the air and erased the flames from its body.

[Partner, wake up!] Ddraig called out of the blue.

Issei snapped out of it and turned his attention to Ddraig.

"Ddraig, where have you be-?" Issei was cut off from any casual banter.

[Run! Get away from those things! Now!] Ddraig ordered Issei with the highest urgency.

Without a word, Issei ran like a madman.

Something about Ddraig's tone made Issei dash away like crazy. He sped down the hallway and round the corner.

That was when he remembered.

"Ddraig, the terrorists!" Issei said to Ddraig.

[Forget them! They're nowhere nearly as dangerous as those creatures just now!] Ddraig said. Issei could hear the tenseness in the dragon's tone.

"What were those things, Ddraig?" Issei demanded from Ddraig.

[I don't know. All I know is…] Ddraig warned even as he ran down the corridor towards who knows where.

Issei would never forget the harrowing words that Ddraig spoke in such utter fear, in ways never imagine he would hear.

[Those things are absolutely dangerous!]


And that was Chapter 37 of The Lone Vigilante Issei.

Oh, man… This chapter turned out to be… shorter than I expected.

But anyway, on to the explanations.

The rough draft of the plan has been laid out and has been set in motion. Sanma will rescue the hostages on the ground floor, while Issei will cause a distraction on the upper floors (from the ground floors using the Boosted Gear, by the way) in order to distract the shooters at the top and granting the freed hostages a safe passage.

That was the plan I had in mind anyway… Of course, I'll say this. Sometimes, plans won't go the way you want them to go.

Also, the issue with the love-triangle between Sanma, Cat Fu and Nakane…

I know, as High School DxD fans you probably aren't going to be as invested in OC characters (of a sort) or their plight, but… I have decided that these OCs and their plight will play a major role in the "Pre-Canon Timeline story arc".

What do I mean by that? Of course, everything that happens before the original Issei meets Raynare. I presume this happens by the time April in the story timeline happens, but I am open for suggestions.

I hope I don't put off anyone from reading this fanfic by putting in these OCs or crossover elements. If I did, then I apologize in advance and hope you can understand.

I do promise that I will bring in more DxD characters in the future, so stay tuned.

As for the motivation of the terrorists and the identity of the slimy plasma thingies… well… stay tuned.

In the meantime, what did you think of this chapter? Please read and review. I'd like to hear from you.

And as always, I hope to see you next time with the hopes that I don't get distracted by other issues.

Until then.

Hide Shinyama