Chapter 4: Stray Devil and Exorcist
When Issei and Asia arrived at the Hyoudou residence, he walked her inside and said she could have the spare bedroom upstairs. Asia thanked him and went to get settled in while he made a call to Sirzechs, informing him that there would be another guest tonight and that this one was special. Sirzechs immediately went into Devil King mode and asked what was so special about the new guest? From the beginning, Issei explained that he met an excommunicated nun, how the fallen angels and stray exorcists planned to steal her sacred gear Twilight Healing, and how he offered her shelter in his house. Accepting his words, Sirzechs said he would respect Issei's judgment and that he would expect a full report about the remaining fallen angels and stray exorcists. And so Issei began.
He explained that the lead exorcist was none other than Freed Sellzen, and with him was a squad of twenty stray exorcists, and the two remaining fallen angels were Kalawarna and Mittelt. If his senses were right, they would probably be waiting for Asia at the church.
The Devil king took what he said into consideration and decided to give his little sister the green light to intervene as they'd gone too far this time. Stealing one's sacred gear, whether they were a church member, fallen angel, or devil, was a serious crime punishable by death. Sirzechs also informed him that a stray devil has been making trouble in the town, and Rias will deal with it tonight. Understanding the situation, Issei nodded his head in, understanding that he would join them tonight. Before hanging up the phone, Sirzechs said he and Millicas will be coming hungry tonight. By the time Asia came down, Issei had told her that there would be some guests tonight for dinner.
Leading her into the kitchen, he poured her some tea and led her to the sofa. "Thank you, Issei. This is really great," Asia said after drinking some tea.
"It's no problem," Issei reclined in his seat, feeling he should be straight with her. "Listen, Asia, I just got off the phone with one of the four Devil Kings, and he reported that a stray devil has been spotted in the vicinity of this town. A few other devils and I are going to take care of the problem tonight. Do you think you can manage by yourself till I get back?"
"Yes, and please be careful, Issei. You are the first person to show me any true kindness in a long while, so please do not worry." He responded with a smile and rubbed her head.
"Promise. Anyway, why don't you tell me more about Italy before I leave? I've always wanted to visit."
"Sure," a big smile came across her face. Asia spent the next two hours talking about the area she lived in and the places she visited whenever permitted by the nuns. Her favorite places to visit were Rome and Milan, for they were both beautiful at night. Every night before going to bed, she would feel at peace as the starry night sky would make her feel at peace. The mornings were beautiful, as the sun would always bless her with its warmth. But, more importantly, she felt it was God's way of showing his faith in her as a loyal follower.
While Issei wasn't sure about the God part but going to Italy even for a little vacation seemed appealing. "The places you described are amazing and will be one of the goals on my bucket list." At the buzz of his phone, he opened it to see he got a text from Rias about the stray devil Viser being spotted in an old building. "I will be back shortly," rising from his seat, he used a magic circle to teleport to the location.
There he found the Gremory peerage waiting by the tall grasses outside of an unused building. "So, glad you could make it," Kiba waved him over. "You ready for tonight?"
"Should be fun. I hope this stray devil presents a challenge. Either way, she won't be making any more trouble after tonight," Issei cracked his knuckles. He then looked at Rias, "so how about we get the 411 about what we're dealing with? Sirzechs only gave me a little information."
"That's my big brother," she sighed, then adopted a serious voice. Since the stray devil escaped into her territory, that means it is her responsibility to deal with the problem. "According to the reports, this stray has been luring humans into this building to feed on them. Our job tonight is simple: find the devil that went rogue and kill it."
"Be on your guard, everyone. Viser's demonic powers have grown, and after consuming a handful of people has likely lost some of her sanity," she warned.
". . .smell like blood," Koneko-chan covered used her clothes to cover her nose as they approached and walked inside the building. Issei also got a whiff of the stray's scent and was disgusted.
"I say she just had a feeding not too long ago," the scent was still strong, and the more he smelled, the more sick he felt.
Buchou was in front with her hands on her hips, probably formulating a plan of attack. "Say, Issei, I want you to hang back and see the traits of my servants."
"Traits? You mean their chess pieces." He inquired.
"Mm. You already know about the Evil Piece system, as it is derived from a chess game. Each member of my peerage has a unique piece, and we participate in Rating Games. Simply put, we compete against another peerage to increase our rankings and overall standings. However, I am not old enough yet and don't meet the other requirements, so I cannot participate in official tournaments."
"None of us have ever participated in a Rating game before," Kiba added.
"So you're saying that you guys only make contracts, try to find potential candidates to join your peerage, and handle those that cause problems or are considered a threat," Issei guessed.
"Couldn't have said it any better myself," Kiba smiled.
"We're here," Rias announced, opening the door to the room.
"Yep, our prey is definitely in this room," Issei surveyed the room, looking at the leftover body parts and stains of blood on the floor.
"I think I might actually be sick," Koneko covered her nose.
"Something smells unpleasant. But I smell something delicious all the same. I wonder if it's sweet. I hope your flesh tastes just as good as your red hair." The stray's voice could be heard all over the room. Then out of the shadows came the person they'd been sent to kill. Viser's upper body was exposed for all to see, revealing a voluptuous figure with a decent rack and long black hair. Her lower half resembled a centaur's, though it had some alterations, with her front legs featuring humanoid hands with red claws the same color as her sharp nails and her stomach featuring a cavity with teeth to devour her prey.
"Stray devil Viser, you unfaithful wretch. You betrayed your master and ran away to fulfill the lustful wants and desires that consumed you. Your sins are, therefore, worth a thousand deaths. In the name of the Marquis of Gremory, this will be your last night to ever walk this earth!"
Viser looked with amusement as Rias's declaration didn't seem to faze her in the slightest. "Oh, just give it a rest, you little slut! You're just jealous that my breasts are more desirable than yours," groping herself as if to prove a point.
"If that's all you have to say, let's get this show on the road," the boosted gear appeared on Issei's arm.
"Wow, aren't we impatient," Viser squeezed her breasts and squirted some acid that her opponents dodged. The acid melted part of the wall when it made contact.
"This is what I mean by we should be careful. . .Kiba!" Rias called out.
The young man grunted as he drew his sword and faster than the naked eye could see, was right in front of Viser, and sliced her big arms off. "So I was right in my assumption. . .Kiba's piece is a Knight meaning he has great speed, and his ultimate attack is his sword."
"Correct," Rias said as Koneko walked forward. "Care to guess what Koneko's attribute is?"
Viser's appearance became more monstrous. Her teeth grew sharper, her ears became pointier, her eyes became black, and her stomach opened like a big jaw revealing a set of big teeth. The stray descended on Koneko, catching the petite girl in her second mouth. "Koneko-chan is a Rook," he said as kouhai forcibly opened Viser's second mouth without so much as a scratch. Though the same couldn't be said for her Kuoh uniform, as it was torn in places. "She has enhanced offensive and defensive capabilities."
"It's time to leave," Koneko delivered a punch that broke some of Viser's teeth and knocked her into a nearby column.
"And finally, Akeno," Rias flashed him a smile as her queen closed her eyes and walked forward.
"Yes, Buchou. Ufufufu. . . Now how should I go about this?" She continued to walk over to the broken stray devil wearing nothing but a sadistic smile on her face.
In a split second, one of Viser's severed arms sprung to life and leaped toward an unsuspecting Rias. "Buchou, watch out!" Issei saw the attack coming and wrapped an arm protectively around her waist, pulling her close, and knocked the arm back with a punch. "Are you okay?"
A light blush appeared on Rias's face as her chest heated up and her heart rapidly beat at being so close to him. Y-Yes. Thank you," she replied, trying to compose herself as he let go of her waist.
"No problem."
"Akeno, finish her off, please." Rias narrowed her eyes at Viser.
"That was rather naughty of you, attempting to attack her from behind. For that, you must be punished," lightning started building up around her as she glowered at her prey.
"Akeno is my Queen. She possesses traits from all of my other pieces, and her specialty is magical attacks. . .namely lightning."
"Oh, my, you seem like you still have some fight left in you. If that's the case, let's try this. . ." She released several volts of yellow lightning at Viser filling the woman with absolute pain.
"Ufufufu, you're still up, I see," Issei widened his eyes in shock as a cold shiver ran down his spine as she seemed to be enjoying what she was doing. "This is making me so hot."
Rias then added, "but more than that. . .she is the ultimate S&M." Watching as her queen kept getting more aroused by zapping her opponent with lightning.
"I don't know whether I should be impressed or worried," Issei commented as a drop of seat fell down the side of his face.
"No need to worry. She is very nice to her friends," Rias said.
'Note to self never get Akeno-san mad,' Issei made a mental note. "Would you mind if I have some fun? I can use the exercise."
She gave him a questionable look for a minute, then gave her consent. "That's enough, Akeno. Issei wants a—"
Before she could finish, Issei delivered a hard punch to Viser's face knocking her out of the room and into the backyard. "Wow, he's fast," a surprised Rias said. 'He's faster than Kiba.'
Back with Issei, who stalked to Viser, "if I'm being honest here, I thought you would have been more of a challenge, and yet here you are. . .broken and without purpose. A real shame."
Viser coughed up some spit and blood, "go to hell. I'll kill you and your companions!"
Narrowing his eyes, "you think so, huh?" The green jewel on his hand glowed on and off, doubling his power. "Unlike Akeno-san, I don't get off on torturing others. I fight for peace and for a sinner like you. . .that a problem." He sent her straight into the air with a swift kick and immediately flew after her to deliver an uppercut before attacking her from all sides. Some were heavier than the others, but one thing was for certain Viser felt like she was in the lowest depths of hell.
The other devils were shocked to see what he was doing to his opponents, as it was obvious Issei had a large amount of power, though he was obviously holding back. He then grabbed his opponent by her hair and brought her high into the air, and once they were high enough, he let go of her but not before ramming himself like a torpedo into her with such force that when she impacted the ground, it made a crater.
She coughed some more blood after realizing who her opponent was. "N-No, i-it can't be. . . Your him, aren't you?! You're the Red Dragon Emperor," the fear in her voice was evident.
"I have to give you credit for figuring out who I am. However, unfortunately for you, your time is up. Any last words?"
"Kill me," she croaked.
Grinning at her, he turned around, "Buchou, I believe it's your turn."
Recovering from what she had just seen, she walked toward the stray. A wave of demonic power rushed off her, "agreed. Game over," was all she said before releasing the Power of Destruction. The red-black demonic power consumed Viser entirely.
"Good work, everybody," turning around and giving them a satisfactory smile. "That went better than expected."
"Especially since we got to see what Issei-kun is capable of. Your pretty strong and fast," said Kiba. "I'm glad you are on our side."
"That was only a sample of what I can do," he admitted. "Truth to tell, I've become fond of you all."
"My, my, that's nice to know," Akeno looked at him. "Though, there's something I want to ask you."
"What's that?"
"When you were handling her, you seemed to be holding back. Exactly how strong are you?"
Issei grinned at the question, "let's just say that if I used my Balance Breaker. . .then she, this building, and everything else within a couple of miles would have been reduced to smithereens."
"Ara, ara, now you got me curious. I wonder what else you're capable of. . ." Akeno suggestively enquired.
". . .stick around me long enough, and you'll find out. But for now, I'll let you think about it. After all, a man should keep a few secrets."
"You're a real tease Issei-kun," came Kiba. The young blonde felt like he had found a new rival.
Rias then asked, "so, Issei, what do you think, my peerage?" She hoped they impressed him enough for him to join.
"I'll tell you later. Millicas and Sirzechs-sama will be over in an hour, and I have to prepare dinner. You ready?" She gave him a curt nod. "Also, fair warning, there will be someone else joining tonight. So please keep an open mind."
Rias was a little confused by his request to keep an open mind. What did that mean? Did it involve the other guest that would be joining them tonight? She'll find out soon enough. Using a magic circle, they teleported into the living room of his house. Before she could speak, her devil senses altered her that someone else was present in the house.
"Hi, Issei. I'm glad you made it back safely," Rias frowned and narrowed her eyes as a blonde girl came in wearing a nun outfit. Her teenage jealousy spiked when the nun wrapped him in a hug. Who was this girl?
She turned her head to the left. "Issei, what is a nun doing here?" The edge in her voice indicated danger as her frown deepens at him, wanting answers.
"Relax, Buchou, this is the nun the fallen angels and stray exorcists have been waiting for," trying to placate her irritation. "Sirzechs-sama has been made aware that she is here and will be joining us for dinner."
"Hello, my name is Argento Asia, a former nun of the church. Please do not be mad at Issei-san. He is only trying to protect me from the fallen angels and stray exorcists in this town," she respectfully bowed.
"No, need to be so formal as that is how Issei is. Ever since we were little, he has tried to help those in need." Rias's face softened. "I am Rias Gremory of the House of Gremory," showing her devil wings.
When Issei was about to head into the kitchen, Buchou placed a hand on his shoulder, and he turned his head to see the crimson-haired girl smiling. "I like to hear more about how you two met and why the fallen angels and exorcists are after her later on," the smile on her face and sweet tone would have fooled anyone else, but not Issei as they seemed forced, indicating she wanted some answers.
"Don't worry, I'll explain after dinner. Meanwhile, why don't you two chat for a while?" He suggested hoping not to be on the receiving end of Rias's anger.
Forty-five minutes later, Asia and Rias were still on the couch, happily talking to one another, while Issei prepared dinner. The few times he glanced to see how they were doing; he was pleasantly surprised to see them getting along famously. Then out of nowhere, the crest of the House of Gremory appeared in the living room, and out came the Devil King himself and his son.
The little Gremory boy raced to give his aunt a big hug. "Rias onee-sama! I missed you so much," the young crimson-haired boy exclaimed as she returned the embrace and rubbed his head.
"I've missed you too, Millicas. You've grown since the last time I saw you," continued rubbing his head as a nervous Asia greeted the Devil King.
"He-Hello, sir. I am Argento Asia. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," she bowed respectfully though she was obviously very nervous.
"It's nice to meet you as well, Ms. Argento," he cordially replied. "There's no reason to be nervous. A mutual friend of ours made me aware of your unusual circumstances. For what it's worth, you have my sincerest apologies for what the fallen angels and stray exorcists wanted to do to you."
"Thank you, sir. Issei-san has been very kind to me," she said.
"Welcome to my house Sirzechs-sama. You and Millicas made it just in time for dinner," Issei came out of the kitchen to place the food on the table.
"Issei nii-sama," a twinkle entered the young boy's eyes when he saw him. Issei picked him up and spun him around, much to his amusement.
"Rias-san was right. You have grown," putting the nine-year-old boy down. "What's it been like a thousand years?" He joked.
"It's only been four nii-sama," Millicas smiled.
He rubbed the boy's head, "it's good to see you again. Sorry I haven't come around in a while, but your father has agreed to let me come over this weekend so I can spend time with you."
If possible, the young Gremory boy's smile became bigger. Issei continued, "are you still sneaking into your father's candy stash?"
"Better believe it," Sirzechs answered. "It drives mother and Grayfia up a wall as he will be up at night."
"Well, I promise he'll go down easy tonight. Please sit," ushering everyone to the table. "I hope green tea is good; sorry, I'm still a minor and can't have alcohol yet."
"That's fine, and thank you, Issei. Before I forget, I have something for you," opening a pocket dimension, he pulled out a small box and opened it to reveal eight vials of phoenix tears. "These came in this morning."
"Thank you," accepting the box and put it in the kitchen.
Dinner was a joyous affair. First, Sirzechs apologized that Grayfia couldn't make it because she had work to do. He also commented on how delicious the curry was and asked about the ingredients he put in it. Needless to say, he was pleasantly pleased with Issei's cooking skills. "I must say, if you keep cooking this well, I may have to either move in with you or have you work as a chef at our castle. This food is amazing! You put mirasol in this Lo Mein?"
"Dragon peppers," Issei corrected.
"Well played, my friend." He then gave him a pleading look.
"Yes, I'll give you the recipe I used," knowing what he was thinking. Sirzechs nodded in gratitude.
"Issei-sama," Millicas called. "Will you be joining onee-sama peerage?"
That question caught Issei and Rias off-guard as they weren't expecting it to pop up. Or, in Rias's case, she forgot to ask him after they arrived, remembering that he said he'd like some time to think about it. All the Gremories and Asia looked at him. ". . .undecided yet. Though, I will admit that her group has impressed me, especially after what happened tonight. So there's a high chance that I'll eventually join. Probably sooner than later."
His answer made Rias smile as her heart swelled with excitement. But which piece would he accept? Then there was Asia, despite being a former nun, who had the potential qualities of a bishop. But first things first. . .the fallen angels and stray exorcists would need to be dealt with.
The rest of dinner continued to be a joyous affair, and when it came time for Sirzechs and Millicas to leave, they took some leftovers and the recipe Issei used and left the three teenagers. After they left, Issei explained the situation regarding Asia; she had already heard most from the blonde before dinner started. So that left him to fill in the gaps. Coming to understand the situation better Rias closed her eyes and smiled.
"All right, that seems like a good enough reason. Issei, please bring Asia-san to the clubroom tomorrow before school begins. After she's met the others, we can show her around town."
"Yes. Is that okay with you, Asia?" She happily nodded her consent. And with that, Rias used a magic circle to teleport home. "All right, what do you say we turn in for the night."
The two walked upstairs to their respective rooms and, after changing into their night clothes, went to bed.
(0^0)
The next day Issei and Asia got up early, mounted his bike, and rode off to Kuoh Academy. After parking his bike, Issei walked Asia to the old school building where the Occult Research Club resided. There they met Rias and Akeno.
"Good morning, everyone," Buchou said from behind her desk. "Asia-san, welcome to the Occult Research Club," giving her a warm welcome.
Asia returned the smile and looked at Akeno. "Hello, I'm Argento Asia please take care of me," she bowed to the older girl.
"Ara, ara. So you're the young girl Buchou told me," walking over to them. "My, my Issei-kun, you seem to be starting quite the harem. . . First with Rias and now with Asia-san. Do you think you can make room for a third?" Both Issei and Asia blushed heavily, as did Rias, who balked at her vice president's teasing.
"Akeno!" Rias chided
"Ufufufu, calm down, Buchou. It's just a little fun on my part. I am the Vice-President of the Occult Research Club, Himejima Akeno. Please take care of me," she offered a small bow.
Akeno then gestured for Asia to take a seat on one of the sofas while she went to bring some tea. "Thank you, Akeno-san. The tea is as delicious as always," said Issei after drinking from his cup.
"So nice of you to say," she gave him a smile. "By the way, don't you have class soon?" That made him freeze as he looked at his watch and then at Asia. Rias understood what he was thinking.
"No need to worry. Asia-san will not be harmed. Plus, Akeno and I were given permission to miss school today, so we'll be here to keep her company," the crimson-haired said.
He gave her a nod before placing a hand on Asia's head when she tugged at his sleeve and pouted cutely, "there's no need to be concerned. Buchou and Akeno-san will keep you company while I'm in class, and during lunch, I'll come back."
Reluctantly she nodded her head and let go of his sleeve. Then, rising to his feet, he made his way to the door, "see you guys later." That was all he said before opening the door and walking out of the ORC.
"It's good to see that no matter how much he's grown. Issei will always be a kind-hearted person. That's just how he is," Rias mused.
"Um, Rias-senpai, how do you know Issei-san so well? He told me that he had only arrived in this town a short time ago," Asia enquired.
"Hmm, well, he's not wrong," Rias brought her fingers together. "While he's still considered new here. . .me and him have a bit of history. Like me, Issei was born in the Underworld, and we spent hours playing together when we were younger. Eventually, we became best friends who would do everything together. Sometimes we would sneak out at night and go to our favorite spot on top of a mountain though we'd often get caught. But, it was still fun." A smile came across her lips as she remembered the good old days.
"Wow, it sounds like you, too, were inseparable," a surprised Asia widened her eyes.
"But, unfortunately, all good things came to an end," the happiness that was once in her voice became grave. "A group of fallen angels led by Kokabiel attacked one day while Issei and his mother were shopping. A handful of devils lost their lives. . ."
". . .his mother was one of the casualties that day wasn't she?" Akeno's face turned sad. Rias gave a curt nod. "That will explain why Issei-kun has been hunting them. He wants revenge against Kokabiel."
"From that moment, Issei has carried a deep sadness. The following day Mr. Hyoudou brought him to the human world, and we haven't seen each other since," closing her eyes.
Asia looked down as tears welled in her eyes, "poor Issei-san. He has suffered so much at the hands of these awful people."
"That he has. . . But I believe he is starting to find. . .a new meaning in life." Rias thought out loud.
For the first part of the day, Rias and Akeno continued talking to Asia about different topics on whether she would like to stick around Kuoh longer which she furiously nodded her response. The two leaders then went to show her around town to see the many different attractions. Rias revealed that since she was now staying with Issei, all of her things have been sent to his house, and she could unpack when they returned home. When Asia started asking questions about the underworld and the devil community at large, Rias explained how their society worked. As well as the devil ranking system. The House of Gremory currently holds the rank of Duke. Normally, a devil's position in society is bestowed upon them at birth; however, there are those who can either marry into a High-class Household or join a peerage and increase their overall statuses. Humans who are later reincarnated as devils are also given a chance, though they will have to work hard doing Devil jobs. Forming pacts with humans are a good way to increase a devil's ranking, as the more contracts and popularity you gain, the better chance you'll have at being moved up.
By the time they returned to the clubroom, Issei, Koneko, and Kiba were sitting and having lunch. The former grunted as he pats Koneko's head, "you were right, Kiba. . ." Drawing the blond boy's attention away from his book, ". . .Koneko-chan sure has an appetite. Part of me cannot tell if it's due because she's a rook and burns a lot of calories that way or if she was just born this way."
Kiba and Akeno laughed while Rias covered her mouth, trying to conceal hers. "That is one mystery we may never know. Though you should be careful that she doesn't accidentally take your hand for a snack."
Issei laughed while Koneko remained neutral. "The both of you can suck it," she said in a monotone voice. Then turned to Issei, "thanks again for the food."
"No problem," removing his hand and rising to greet the others. "Seeing the expressions on your faces, I assume you had a great time.
"You assume, correct," Rias walked over to her desk. "As a matter of fact, we just got a new member," gesturing to Asia, who blushed and introduced herself to Kiba and Koneko.
They responded with the same cordiality, or well, Kiba did. Koneko gave the same greeting she gave Issei when they first met and returned to her food. When school ended, Rias held a little meeting about their recent contracts. "Koneko, do you have any new clients?"
"Nothing new except for the regular creeps. However, I got a call from a recent client saying he wants me to come by tonight, but I'm already scheduled to meet with someone else today."
"I see," Rias thought to herself for a minute. "Issei, would you mind responding to this client while she handles the other?"
He only shrugged his shoulders, "looks like I'll be bringing back some more bacon today. Hopefully, this one is alright upstairs," pointing to his head.
"I consider it cool if you manage to get two contracts in one day," Kiba sipped some of his tea. "Last check, you have two. One with a Detective and another who is a regular of Koneko-chan's. Morwisawa-san."
"The latter may work for the government, but he gets paid good money. I just wish he didn't pay me in manga books. However, there is a plus side: those books are valuable to the right people. Buchou could make some decent money off of them if they're sold online. The anime world is big, and hundreds of fans will be itching to get their hands on them. Especially in the States."
"You've just given me an excellent idea," Rias smiled as she had never thought of that before.
"Glad to be of service, my lady," giving a mock bow before using a magic circle to teleport out.
Appearing in the dark neighborhood in front of a small house, the teenager surveyed the area to see if anything was out of place. Something was wrong as he smelled blood coming from within the house, and his other senses kicked in, telling him to exercise caution. 'Ddraig, do you sense that?'
(I do, partner. Whatever is inside that house is most likely dangerous. Proceed with caution.) Ddraig replied.
One thing was for certain: whatever was in there would mean trouble if he was not careful; walking towards the entrance, he saw the door was open. His heightened senses rang: Trap and Danger! I have a bad feeling about this, opening the door and going in. The smell of blood filled his nostrils, so he decided to play the part of an inexperienced devil. Stepping through the dark house, he called, ". . .hello, I'm the devil requested by the client. . . Is anyone here?"
No one replied, so I decided to head into the living room. The room had a regular amount of furniture: a television, sofa, table, etc. But what got his attention was the amount of blood on the floor and the upside-down dead corpse hanging on the wall. Judging by the number of cuts on his body and how his intestines were exposed, this was likely the work of a serial killer, though Issei knew better. For this was done by a stray exorcist, given the screws nailed into the man's body. On the wall next to him was some writing in blood "Everyone who sins is a slave to sin."
His attention was drawn to a man with white hair sitting on a sofa. When he stood up, I immediately tensed as my suspicions were confirmed; this person was expelled from the church. "My day just got a lot more interesting. . . Who would have thought I would run into you, of all people? Freed, Sellzen!"
"That is right, Devil-kun. Boy, it's my lucky day. My name is indeed Freed Sellzen," the priest stood up and started to sing. "I am a junior priest belonging to a certain devil-purging organization! Well, you seem to already know who I am, goodie. . .though there's no reason for me to know your name as you're just another devil I get to chop into pieces." He gave a menacingly sadistic smile.
"So let me guess. . . You killed this man because he summoned a devil for a job." Issei surmised as Freed walked towards him. The two were a couple of inches away and carefully eyeing each other.
"Yes, yes. I killed him. Since he's been calling devils to aid him, I had to purge him from this world for being a sinner." A psychotic smile crossed his face.
"You are insane! A psychotic killer!" Issei glared at him with loathing eyes as the boosted gear appeared to show he was itching for a fight.
"For a devil like you to lecture me is laughable." He then looked at his opponent's left arm, "you should be fun. . . Red Dragon Emperor. Yes, I know who you are, as you're the one who killed two of my comrades. If word gets out that I've managed to kill the Red Dragon Emperor, then my reputation will drastically increase." Freed pulled out a sword and a gun. The sword quickly a white beam extended from the hilt, turning it into a sword of light.
"I will jack up your heart with my blade, and then I'm going to blow your head with wicked could gun! Man, I fall in love with this!" Freed declared as he leaped toward Issei.
Jumping back, he dodged the sword, and when Freed tried to shoot him with his gun, Issei used a magic circle to knock the bullet away and delivered a quick punch to Freed's face pushing him back. The priest rubbed the side of his face where Issei had punched.
"My, you really are a devil as that kind of hurt," Freed laughed. "You really know how to bring out the killer in me! Prepare to die. . ." He launched himself forward, firing bullets after bullets and slashing his sword at the devil boy.
Quickly Issei dodged and parried his attacks until Freed tried to get him with a downward slash that he intercepted with boosted gear. "That ain't going to work on me. I know about your plan with the fallen angels and other stray exorcists—you wanted to steal Asia's sacred gear."
"So it was you who prevented her from entering the church," Freed briefly growled and sent a sadistic smile. Jumping away, "however, you are short on a detail or two, devil. Raynare was the one that wanted her sacred gear. On the other hand, I would have just taken her as many times as I wanted, and after she was mentally broken and on the verge of death would have put several bullets in her head." He licked his gun and manically laughed.
"You will have to kill me before getting to her, Sellzen," Issei's anger started to build inside him.
"Is that a request, devil scum. . ." racing forward, he was prepared to attack again, but the Gremory magic circle appeared before him, and out came Kiba, who intercepted the attack with his sword.
"Well, you seem to be having fun, Issei-kun?" Kiba glanced at him while holding Freed at bay.
Then out came Akeno, "Ara, ara. Well, isn't this something?"
Koneko followed behind, ". . .an exorcist."
And then, finally, Rias, who scowled menacingly at Freed. "Take this as your chance to leave this town at once or die. This is your first and last warning!"
"Yahoo! The devil gang has finally come!" Excitement filled the exorcist entirely, feeling like he'd get to kill some more devils.
Right then, Kiba and Freed traded blows with each other. "Sorry, but he's with us! We can't let you hurt our friend!"
"For the love of Maou, where have you guys been? This psychopath and I were just about to finish things," Issei placed a hand on his hip.
"Oh, oh! A quarrel between devil comrades. What exactly are you to one another? The Devil Squad or Devil Rangers? Either way works for me, as I can literally feel the heat in the room. It turns me on! So are you the dominant, and he's the submissive, or is it the other way around?" Issei and Kiba sent him murderous glares for looking down on them.
". . .That's quite the vulgar mouth you got. Yet I shouldn't be surprised as you're a stray exorcist, right?" Kiba pushed him off.
"Yeah. I am vulgar! That's because I strayed away! The higher-ups kicked me out. I'm all right, though, as long as I get to cut devils up whenever I feel like it!"
"You are the type of person who is most hard to deal with. Someone who feels like they are living by cutting devils is the one who causes us the most harm," Kiba replied after exchanging a couple blows with Freed. Despite his calm expression, his eyes show a level of hatred.
Freed only laughed, "You should know I don't like being lectured by a devil? Hunting your kind is the only thing I live for in this world. I'm in no position to listen to the words of some lowly devils."
"Well, you seriously are a piece of work. But even then, we devils have rules." The smile on Akeno's face was masked by her seriousness of the situation. Her eyes showed hostility.
Freed went to muse about Akeno's beauty, feeling that her eyes were turning him on either from passionate love or intent to kill. However, he quickly moved away when a blast of Destruction neared him.
The glare from Rias would have sent any san man running for the hills, but this stray exorcist was anything but sane. "I'm so sorry, Issei," she put her hands on his face and looked at him with concern. "I sent you into the presence of an exorcist. This should have just been a simple job to obtain a contract with a new client, but instead, it was a trap to lure devils here."
"Well, well, well. Would you look at that! The red-haired bitch has a special attachment to this lowly devil. What would happen if I chop him up in front of you? I wonder how that will make you feel?!"
Rias's demonic aura flared as she glared at Freed with murderous intent. "I do not forgive those who attack my servants. Nor do I forgive those who threaten the people I care about! For threatening to take Issei away from me, you deserve to experience what the true gates of Hell are!"
"Easy, Buchou," Issei placed a hand on her shoulder to keep her from unleashing another attack and moved forward in front of Kiba. "Everyone, this murdering bastard is mine!" The dark edge in his voice surprised them.
"That's what I like to hear. Show me what you got, devil," dashing forward, he thrust his sword straight to Issei's chest, intending to impale him, but opened his eyes wide when Issei stopped the sword with his right hand. "What, how did you—"
Issei didn't give him the chance to finish, as he sent him flying into the wall with a punch to the gut breaking a few ribs in the process. Sure, the sword of light singed the palm of his hand and drew blood, but that did not deter him. "Tell me, exorcist do you feel pain?" Lightning started building up in both his hands, though, unlike Akeno's, which was yellow. His was dark blue.
Before Freed could regain himself, Issei zapped him with a powerful bolt of lightning, making him scream in agony. He kept this up for a few minutes before relenting, "that was for what you intended to do to Asia?" He grabbed him by the neck, pulling him up, "give this message to the fallen angels and the other stray exorcists. Tell them: This town is under the jurisdiction of the devils, and their day of reckoning will soon be upon them."
Freed quickly stabbed him in his left torso, drawing blood, but in doing so, it angered Issei even further. The brunette threw the silver-haired man to the other side of the room. Then, he walked toward the others, who stared in complete shock, "come on, guys. Let's go!"
"Fallen Angels are coming. If we're going to leave, we better do it right now," Koneko advised.
Buchou couldn't tear her eyes away from Issei's injuries for a minute but quickly composed herself. "Right! Akeno create a magic circle. We're heading back to headquarters. Prepare for teleportation!"
"Yes!" Akeno cast a magic circle, and they all jumped in and were transported back to the Occult Research Club.
Asia was immediately on her feet when they came back. Her eyes were filled with concern when she saw the stabbed wound on Issei. "Oh, no. Issei, what happened?"
"Short version," he winced in pain when she wrapped her arms around him. "The person that Koneko-chan was supposed to meet was killed by that psychotic bastard Sellzen. Thankfully, it was me that went instead of her."
"But you still received injuries from his light sword," Rias voiced her concern. "Even if you are half devil and half-dragon, you can still be injured," Issei sat on the sofa.
"Compared to the injuries I received at Dragon Mountain, these are nothing," he tried dismissing her concern, but to no avail.
"I will be the judge of that. Remove your shirt so Akeno and Asia can heal you," Issei wanted to argue, but the look in her blue-green eyes said she meant it.
Letting out a breath, he complied, taking off his blazer and red shirt. "Ara, ara. Ufufufu, my, don't you look yummy, Issei-kun. Your body is really nice," Akeno said, admiring his lean and muscular physique.
Fortunately, she wasn't alone, as Asia's face was red like a tomato, and Rias had to turn her head in an attempt to hide her blush. Though that was easier said than done as she stole a glance at his naked upper body to see his strong chest and visible eight-pack.
As Asia and Akeno used their magic to heal his injuries, Kiba spoke, "well, Issei-kun, I say you have quite an impressive figure."
A drop of sweat fell down Issei's face at what Kiba said, and for a second thought, the boy was gay. But then remembered that he was a knight. Valor and chivalry were a part of who he was. And that he had the personality of a real prince.
"Training is something that I have always kept up with. Ddraig saw to that," remembering how his ancestor would stress the importance of him needing to grow stronger.
(Your damn right I did), the green circle appeared on his left hand. (Even before you awakened the boosted gear, I could tell you were strong. More than my other previous hosts. Though your latent abilities aside, you still required training.)
"I don't mean to be rude, but why is it taking us so long to heal Issei-san?" Asia asked.
(That will be because despite being 50% dragon, he still possesses draconic features like hard skin and resistance to magic. So it would take longer if magic is being used on him. Yet given my partner's resilient nature and his usual stubbornness to not go down without a fight, I'm sure he won't end up dead any time soon.)
"Well, I am your descendant. How can I be anything less? After all, being stubborn runs in the family," he laughed and rubbed the back of his head.
(That it does. Never before have I ever seen such stubbornness or determination in anyone. . .not even in myself. Those qualities, among others, will make you the most dangerous of the Red Dragon Emperors.) The green circle vanished.
"All right, that should do it," Akeno and Asia stopped what they were doing.
"Thank you, guys. I appreciate it," his wounds were now completely healed.
"Any time. As your senpai, it's my job to look after my precious kouhai, right?" Akeno licked her lips. "
Issei smiled in gratitude and put his shirt and blazer back on. "What's next?"
Rias folded her arms, "for now, we get some rest. We'll need to prepare to deal with the fallen angels and stray exorcists soon."
"Right!" Everyone said in unison.
One by one, they left the clubhouse to go their separate ways. On the other hand, Rias decided to hang back for a while to think about a couple things that concerned her. She saw a few scars on Issei's body and could tell they were from battles. Even though they'd healed, they still concerned her, and she asked herself what he'd been through over the years.
A/N: Asia now lives with Issei and has become a member of the Occult Research Club. Now that she is aware of the plot to have her sacred gear taken away and losing her life in the process, she will attempt to find a new meaning in life. On a personal note, there has never been a distinct timeline for High School DXD so I will improvise.
Issei got to see how the devils in Rias's peerage operate when it comes to a stray devil and is impressed with their skills. They also got to see a fraction of what he is capable of. I've always intended to give Issei some elemental abilities and have decided that he will have fire(dragon's fire), demonic lightning, and water. As for Millicas? His age has never been made public, but given his height and the way he acts, the boy could pass off as a nine-year-old.
And finally, there was this encounter with Freed Sellzen. In the show, manga, and light novel, it is shown that he outclasses Issei, but in this story, that won't be the case. Honestly, I say he deserved the beating Issei gave him and more.
Next Chapter: Assault on the church building and rebirth