Chapter 2

Issei was mumbling in his sleep as he cuddled with Charmcaster and Youko before hearing an air horn blast into the air, which freaked out Youko as she brought out the machine gun she kept close to her side of the bed.

"What the?! Who's there?" Youko shouted as laughter filled the air while Issei groaned due to him recognizing the laughter.

"Ugh. Again, with the horn, Zombina?" Issei asked as he yawned and got up from the bed before a jester girl appeared out of the shadows, giggling at the trio waking up and glaring at her.

Zombina was the daughter of Zombozo, the psycho clown and a mischievous prankster. Unlike her old man, she preferred to be a jester clown who made others laugh and didn't feed off their laughter. She didn't like the idea of making an audience happy since she enjoyed putting on a great performance for others to see and love, so it wasn't a surprise when she was able to make it big in the entertainment industry.

"Don't blame me. Blame how hilarious air horns are." Zombina said as she blew the air horn again before Youko shoved a cork in said horn.

"How did you even get in here?" Youko asked as Zombina reached into her jester hat and pulled out a simple key before replying.

"That's easy. I picked the lock with my handy lock pic set." Zombina said with a wide grin before Issei appeared in his school uniform and asked.

"So what brings you Zombina? Last time, you needed our help in taking down your old man again and his minions." Issei said as he recalled Zombina being more of a Chaotic Neutral character since the female jester may be crazy and love to cause chaos and mischief, but she never crossed the line like her old man did when he first met Zombozo.

"Oh well, the thing is that I wanted to ask if you have heard anything from the chat lately since I heard that an old friend of yours may be coming to find you. Apparently, someone wants you dead more than your cousins and friends. Who? I don't know, but I can tell you that they got an axe to grind with you. Remember Freed?" Zombina asked as Issei recalled the psycho exorcist who was a lowly serial killer who worked with others like Animo, Vilgax, and even the Forever Knights.

"Freed Sellzen? Wasn't that psycho finally taken in when we had his sister help us bring him in?" Issei asked as Zombina nodded in response.

"Yep, but she told me that he's been set free by a Fallen Angel or a Devil. Who? She doesn't know, but I have a feeling that the Archangels know who wanted that psychopath, and they might be willing to help if-." Zombina said before Issei cut her off.

"Hell no. I already told Michael that I wanted nothing to do with them after what he did and lied to me. That coward has destroyed my trust far too many times in the past seven years of my life, and they nearly got my cousin killed by that psychotic narcissist asshole Freed and those knights who once served the Church. So give me one damn good reason why I should trust anything they have to say?" Issei asked as he had a deep hatred for Michael for the stuff he pulled in the last seven years.

Michael was a man he once respected, but when he asked for help in dealing with some rogue Forever Knights, he recruited Ben and tried to make him a full-fledged exorcist. But when Issei had to save Ben from nearly being killed by the Forever King, Issei made sure to keep Michael away from his cousin/little brother after the Forever King and Freed nearly killed Ben.

"I understand you got a grudge against Michael, but you and your cousins liked speaking to Gabriel and Lint," Zombina said as Charmcaster scoffed at the clown girl.

"Maybe, but I've worked with the Church and Angel Faction, and trust me when I say that many of them aren't exactly good people. Especially if they let a psycho like Freed be an exorcist under their control before setting a rabid dog like him loose along with that bastard Valper, who is a disgrace to priests and Magic." Charmcaster said as she clenched her teeth and recalled the annoying priest who didn't seem to mind killing innocent children all for a living weapon that the Church funded while the Angels turned a blind eye to the deaths of those kids.

"Hey, I'm just a messenger. I'm not a friend of the Angels, but they know you wouldn't trust their word, so Gabriel told me to send the message." Zombina said with her hands up as Youko scoffed at the clown.

"Well, tell the feather heads to back off. We want nothing to do with them, especially since they were of no help when we needed them during the HighBreed invasion, Aggregor, or even Dagon." Youko said that she didn't trust supernatural beings since she believed they were all the same. Selfish, egotistical, power-hungry, and incompetent when it came to dealing with threats.

Zombina sighed as she nodded before making a little note and throwing it in her hat. "There. Now, let's have some fun, huh?" Zombina asked as she wrapped her arms around Youko and Issei's neck before Charmcaster pulled her off them.

"Sorry, Zombina, but they got to school. Now, if you had come last night, then you could've been part of the fun." Charmcaster said as Zombina's eyes widened before she laughed at the trio.

"Aw, man. I always miss the fun when it's around you three. Oh well. I'll see you guys later. Stay safe, and don't forget to smile!" Zombina shouted as she grinned before a powerful explosion of pink smoke filled the air. The trio coughed to see that Zombina was gone but with a note in her place.

"It was nice chatting with you again. Let's do this again. From your favorite jester: Zombina."

"Heh. I love that clown." Issei said as he smiled at the antics of the girl before the trio shared some breakfast until Issei and Youko had to leave, while Hope smiled at the duo.

"Don't words about me. I'm just going to check out the city and put some wards to keep the place safe." Hope said as Issei and Youko nodded and kissed Hope a fond farewell, which made the witch smile at her lovers before seeing the two leave the apartment.

Hope then left the apartment building, floated towards the Church, and smirked as she felt the presence of the Fallen Angels.

"I suppose I should give them a warning before they try to do something stupid like trying to fight Issei and Youko." Hope said as she generated her Magic and landed in front of the Church before snapping her fingers. A dome appeared around the Church, invisible to the naked eye but a special spell that Hope had made to keep her prey from escaping.

Hope then summoned her staff and her massive minions before blasting magic fire into the building, causing the Fallen Angels, as well as the rogue exorcists they had as grunts, to flee out of the building.

"Oh my. Suppose it isn't four little crows and a couple of worms in a holy house of God. I should probably clean this place up before you leave your disgusting stench in a place of worship." Charmcaster said as she snapped her fingers, her minions roaring and taking down the exorcists with ease until Hope smiled at the four Fallen Angels appearing above the Church.

"Just who the hell do you think you are?" Mittelt shouted, wanting to attack her, but Dohnaseek stopped her.

"Don't underestimate her. I may not be part of the Magician Association, but I'm fully aware of who she is. The daughter of Spellbinder and the most powerful magician I know of Charmcaster." Dohnaseek said as Hope smiled at the Fallen.

"Why, thank you for your kind words. Now, I would like to know what four fallen angels are doing here and why you broke into the territory of the Maou siblings. Is your memory that bad, or did you forget about the peace treaty between the Biblical Factions?" Hope asked as Dohnaseek stopped Kalawarner from fighting her before the Fallen Angel replied.

"We were sent by our master Azazel to investigate a human that we could recruit to the Grigori, but if he's too dangerous, then we'll have to kill him to protect our people," Dohnaseek said as Hope laughed at the Fallen before speaking to them.

"Do you honestly think you're capable of defeating Issei Hyoudou?" Hope asked as the trio of Fallen was shocked by the name of the human being spoken from the magician's mouth before a smirk appeared on her lips. "Oh yes. I'm aware of who you are here for, so I'll spare you the embarrassment when you try to either recruit him or that idiotic Bimbo of a Fallen tries to kill him. Her name is Raynare, right?"

Dohnaseek then appeared behind her to try and stab her with his light spear, but Hope merely smiled at the Fallen's attempt to kill her.

"Aw. How adorable." Hope said as the spears hit a massive shield that deflected the attack and hit Dohnaseek as well before both Kalawarner and Mittlet tried to strike Hope, but the magician merely let the shields deflect the weak attacks.

Charmcaster then decided to toy with her prey as she spun her staff in the air and fired more mana beams at the Fallen Angels while her rock minions finished dealing with the exorcists and headed into the Church, per their master's orders.

"Is this really the best the Fallen can do?" Hope mockingly said as Kalawarner glared at her and tried to strike her with multiple light arrows, but Hope merely laughed as she held out her hand and stopped the spears before the light spears became pink. She then snapped her fingers as the arrows flew back at Kalawarner, who couldn't dodge in time; as her arrows skewered her, Kalawarner fell to the ground, her blood choking her as she tried to move but couldn't due to the arrows.

Hope then saw Dohnaseek attack with a light sword and clash with her staff. As she deflected, the sword struck before the magician was able to get a golem bird out and distract Dohnaseek for the staff head to slam Dohnaseek into the ground.

Mittelt was nervous as she saw Hope float towards her. The Fallen couldn't move out of fear, taking over her body, before Hope smiled at the girl and patted her left cheek.

"Now, why don't we have a little chat, little bird." Hope said as she dragged Mittelt into the Church and placed her in Magic binds right underneath the statue of Jesus Christ before speaking to her.

"Now tell me what your real mission is here and who really sent you," Hope said as the Charms of Bezel glowed brightly, and her eyes shined in the darkness.

And for the next hour, the Fallen Angel knew pain.

Issei was currently eating his lunch on the roof of the school as he thought back on what Zombina said to him.

"Freed Sellzen? Tch. If that's the best excuse that cowardly Archangel has to try and get on my good side, then he's got to try harder. Especially after the bastard is responsible for not ending that wannabe King George, it's because of him that Irina is dead." Issei said as he took a bite of his rice ball, thinking back to Irina Shidou in the battle with the Forever King and the knights that joined him.

Flashback.

"Let Irina go! She has nothing to do with this!" A sixteen-year-old Issei growled as he struggled to get free from his chains while George stood over Irina Shidou, who was bleeding on a cross with her wings spread out and stabbed into the cross.

"The Angel Faction and the exorcists have corrupted this girl, and so we shall set this girl free from her chains," George said as Issei's eyes glowed emerald as Ddraig and the other aliens growled at them being held down by cowards who see themselves as the good guys but all they are doing is murdering people.

"Tch. You say she's corrupted? Irina Shidou is the most honest person I know. Let her go, George! She has a family and friends back home! Your fight is with Dagon! Not innocent people like the ones you and your knights killed in cold blood!" Issei shouted as some of the knights slammed him down before George shouted at them.

"Enough!" George shouted as he walked towards Issei and looked at his eyes before speaking. "I understand your rage for me, but Dagon shall return if Magic continues to exist, so we must get rid of all Magic, including the aliens as well. The aliens and supernatural beings have done more harm than good to the world, so as the defenders of the world and humanity, we shall end their reign among us. I know this will hurt at first, but give it time, and you will soon understand why we do what we must."

Issei couldn't believe what he was hearing as George lifted his sword and went towards Irina.

"So you're saying that there are no good people or aliens in the supernatural world? Do you think that you knights are protectors when all you are doing is killing innocent people? You are even worse than Vilgax or Aggregor. Unlike you cowards who hide your bloodstained ideals behind a mask and armor, they actually have some bits of honor in them when I fought them." Issei said as the Forever Knights glared at him. Irina smirked at Issei's comment towards the knights as she yelled in pain due to her wings being sliced off before a sword stabbed her in the heart, leading to Irina coughing up blood before she was let off the cross, as she then crawled towards Issei.

The Knights attempted to stop her, but George stopped them as Irina and Issei met in the middle. Irina used the last of her strength to hug her friend, whom she was happy to see and kissed his lips, shocking Issei before kissing her back. The knights didn't care for the affection they were witnessing until Irina hugged Issei tightly before whispering some words in his ear.

'Issei...Don't become consumed by rage...I love you...so please live...for me...and do what you do best. Protecting people.' Irina said as she then died in his arms.

Issei looked at her serene face. She had a smile on her face even though her eyes were closed until Issei slowly stood up as he had his head down, with his hair casting a shadow over his eyes.

"I understand that you are hurt by the events that have transpired, but do understand that what we do is for good all of humanity," George said as he was about to touch the boy's head before he received a foot to his face, sending him into the stone wall, as the knights were shocked by this before hearing Issei chuckle as he slowly laughed at them all before laughing loudly into the sky.

"You call yourselves the ones who protect humanity? Where were you when Vilgax attacked the earth? What about Aggregor or the Forever King when he tried to use an unstable power that could destroy many civilizations? Where were you when Albedo was trying to destroy the world? Did you not care about humanity then?" Issei asked as his body began to release a crimson-red aura before the Boosted Gear appeared. The watch also began to glow an emerald light, with the aliens switching all around as Issei could hear their voices.

'Kill them!'

'Make them pay for their cowardice!'

'Show them what true fear is!'

'Make them suffer for what they did!'

'Avenge the Angel!'

'Make them pay for Irina's death!'

Issei could hear them all as he felt a familiar alien that he had sealed in the watch after Issei and his cousins had been able to defeat him.

'We both know you want to make them pay but not give in to your rage, so let me out, and we can easily make them pay for taking away our Angel.' A pale skull whispered into his left ear as Ddraig was whispering into his right ear.

[As much as I hate to agree with that psycho, he's the right partner. They have wronged us, so if it's a fight they want, then it's a fight they shall get.] Ddraig said. Issei nodded inwardly before using his aura to break the chains that bound him. George was able to leave the rocks to see the Angel wings of Irina flying towards Issei and became Holy Magic, and then entered the Boosted Gear as the watch glowed yellow until a new transformation appeared in the system.

"I'll do it, but not as a being of darkness. No, this deserves judgment from a being that is from the Heavens." Issei said as he then spoke to George with yellow eyes.

"Transform."

"You wouldn't dare," George said as Issei spoke his new transformation name.

The name of an Angel that was blessed with the powers of the Sun to match the angel's warm personality and kindness they had for all living things.

"Mael."

Issei's watch activated as he was embraced by the warmth of the Sun, and he felt the arms of Irina hug his body.

'I'll be with you, Issei, always as your guardian Angel.'

At that moment, the Forever Knights learned true fear when they looked at the Angel of Wrath that wielded the flames of Heaven.

End Flashback.

Issei was taken out of his flashback by Youko shaking his shoulder.

"Are you thinking about Irina?" Youko asked as Issei sighed but nodded before his partner laid his head on her lap.

"I know Irina was special to you. She was my friend too, and it hurt seeing one of the two people I loved killed while the other one was so depressed he didn't even smile for a month." Youko said that as Issei knew that Youko and Irina were friends before Issei came in, the trio was almost inseparable. The three of them had feelings for each other, so they kept their relationship a secret but still enjoyed the time they spent together.

"Yeah. It hurts, you know. Even after we brought Irina back to her folks, her mother hated me and wished I had died in her place. If I could've saved her, I would've, but one of the harsh things I learned is that I can't save everyone even with the Boosted Gear and the Ultimatrix at my side." Issei said as he touched his left arm while Youko recalled the scars on his body and how he kept his head held high when fighting, but when mourning the loss of the departed, Youko saw a boy with a kind heart who learned the consequences of war.

"Indeed, especially when you didn't mind her throwing that rock at you that made you bleed for a bit," Youko said as Issei sighed and nodded before letting his body relax in the lap pillow that helped his mind enter a light sleep. At the same time, Youko smiled at her partner's sleeping face before gently kissing his head.

"Rest assured that I'll make sure you are safe, Issei. After all, it was Irina's last request to be before she died, and being with you helped me fall in love with you more." Youko said as she ran a hand against his cheek. Issei smiled at the affectionate touch from Youko, which made his partner smile at his human side.

Youko knows Issei has a hero persona that he puts on when defending and fighting others. Still, when the battles are over, Issei takes off the mask and lets his body and head rest, especially after the battle of Dagon that resulted in many lives being lost due to the dark Magic of Dagon.

However, Issei refused to give in as he and his cousins kept fighting despite Vilgax betraying Dagon and taking his power for himself. It was a deadly battle with an old foe, and Issei had to break the one rule of being a Hero.

Not to kill his enemies.

Issei never liked the idea of killing, even though his aliens were so powerful they could cause damage to the entire world. However, there have been times when Issei nearly let his rage consume his mind to destroy them. And they were the ones who pushed him to the brink of destruction, where Issei wanted nothing more than to destroy them until there was nothing left.

Fortunately, Issei had Youko, Ben, Gwen, Max, his parents, and even Kevin to keep himself grounded, so he never crosses that line to the point of no return.

Youko had taken up the role of making sure Issei was mentally stable and made sure that he wouldn't feel guilty when he was killed for the first time. The two were close and supported each other in their missions, and granted, their hands weren't clean, but they kept each other from falling into despair and sadness.

And that's why Youko is the second Angel in Issei's life that protects him from the nightmares in his sleep.

"So let me get this straight. You three and Raynare were sent here to investigate Issei Hyoudou and determine if he should be recruited or not, but Raynare, your comrade, thinks he's weak, so she's decided to ask him out on a date and kill him after said date?" Charmcaster asked as Mittlet gulped. She nodded her head before the caster sighed, and she then asked another question.

"Are all you Fallen such idiots, or were you born this way when you were still Angels?" Charmcaster asked as Mittelt blushed in embarrassment at the question before the caster decided to explain it to her.

"Know this. Issei is a lot stronger than you think, and trust me when I say that your little friend Raynare is nothing more than a fool trying to take advantage of him since he isn't as naive as you think he is. Trust me, I know from experience, so I'll only say this once. Stay away from Issei if you don't want to get killed, or would your boss like to know you foolishly tried to kill a Longinus user?" Charmcaster said as Mittlet was terrified by the question before Hope left the Church as she teleported away, leaving the blond Fallen scared for her life until she looked at her defeated comrades.

"If this Issei has a strong caster like her with him, then how strong is he?" Mittelt asked herself before she decided to see Issei in action.

Later.

"Thanks for the warning, Hope," Issei said as he ended the call as soon as he finished before hanging up the phone and pocketing it as Youko asked him what the call was about.

"The Fallen Angels?"

"Yeah. According to Hope, one of them, the woman we saw at the apartment complex yesterday, was the Fallen sent here to 'investigate' me to recruit me for the Grigori." Issei said as Youko clicked her tongue before asking him.

"So what's the plan?"

"Simple. I'm turning the Fallen down." Issei said with a smirk as Youko was looking forward to this.

Kuoh Town Park.

"W-What?! What do you mean you don't want to go out with me?!" Raynare asked as she was shocked by Issei's rejection despite her using her Yuuma Amano form to make herself look appealing to the human's eyes until Issei replied to her.

"Look, it's not you. It's me. I'm already in a committed relationship and don't want to betray Youko. I'm sorry." Issei said as he faked a tear while telling the truth. He loved Youko and Hope and didn't want to betray the two of them. Especially since Hope and Youko were the ones who were surprisingly okay with the Harem plan he had when he was a teenager, but as long as the two tested the women, neither was okay with gold diggers or parasites trying to leech off Issei's kindness.

Yuuma then chuckled as she glared at Issei before turning into her Fallen Angel form and creating her light spear.

"Then die with her!" Raynare shouted as she threw her spear and was looking forward to killing the two until she was shocked to see Issei dodge the spear as he smirked at her and tapped the Ultimatrix.

"Anubis," Issei said as he transformed into his wolf alien. He then unleashed a sonic howl that shocked Raynare until she was struck by his claws, sending her flying into the trees. Youko smirked at the Fallen getting her ass handed to her until she spoke to Alpha.

"Alpha. Look up Raynare's profile and see what her real mission is while Issei kicks her ass to next week." Youko said as Alpha replied to her request.

[Understood.] Alpha said as Raynare righted herself up to see Issei stalking her in the shadows and attacking her with his fangs and claws, not giving her a moment to run or create her spears.

"D-Dammit!" Raynare shouted as she was met with a howl at point-blank range before flying towards the lake of the town. Raynare struggled to get up due to her injuries.

Issei's alien form then pinned down Raynare as the wolf growled at her scared expression until Issei got off her and stood on his hind legs before shooting a howl at her in the face that created a massive crater under them both as Raynare was knocked unconscious.

"Now, let's see why you're really here," Issei said as he turned back to normal and handcuffed Raynare as he dragged her back to Youko, who was smirking at Issei before taking Raynare from him.

"Alpha is doing some digging on what their real mission is since I doubt these four Fallen would enter Devil Territory just for a 'recruitment' mission. And I have a feeling that she knows more than the other three." Youko said as she looked at Raynare's unconscious form until looking back at Issei.

"I also informed the Plumbers of the incident, so they're taking her comrades in for questioning. They won't be a problem for us." Youko said as Issei nodded in reply before sighing to himself.

"If there's one thing I hate more than being baited by people like Raynare, it's also being forced to get involved in another faction issue when they're not mine to begin with," Issei said as Youko giggled in response.

"Never stopped you from helping others, no?"

"Heh. Cheeky woman."

"You know you love me."

"Do I now?" Issei asked as Youko smirked and kissed his lips before the duo left with Alpha, who didn't interrupt the two as he kept Raynare locked up and looked up her file.

[Hm. Interesting. A rogue Fallen Angel from the Grigori for treason? Interesting indeed.] Alpha said as he looked at Raynare's file.

Raynare:

A two Winged Fallen Angel that specializes in Assassination but was exiled due to treason when Raynare was willing to work with Rogue Fallen Angel Kokabiel to restart the Great War. Shifty and dangerous when playing the role of an average schoolgirl by the name Yuuma Amano, so should you find her, take her down before questioning her motives. The last known location was a small town in Japan called Kuoh Town.

If captured, then call Grigori for Fallen Governor Azazel to take care of her and see what her mission is should she be sent there by Kokabiel.

Scene

And now the fun is about to start with the Fallen being taken out and Issei learning what their real mission is, which involves a nun, a devil, and a rogue priest. The Devils will play a part, but mostly a minor one.

And yes, while Irina did die, it was to help Issei grow as a person and understand the issues of being a Hero as well as the challenges that come from the villains he fought, such as Vilgax, Aggregor, Dagon, Darkstar, and others who didn't care about killing or hurting others as long as they got what they wanted in the end.

See you all next time!

Oh, and I want to say that the Fullbringer's Journey...I shall be getting a rewrite since I wanted to redo it since I have some more help in making it better than I did before.

Let me know what you think of both: Favorite, Follow, and leave a review on what you think.

Ta-Ta!~