The sky had already gone dark by the time they arrived. The team of Izuku, Ochako, Yuuto, Kyoka, Momo, Dazai, and Kunikida stood across the street from where the only church in the city was. It was given off a very foreboding atmosphere, especially during the night which made it look even more creepy. It was making Izuku feel rather restless. Whether it was due to his devil physiology or simply because it was just that creepy he wasn't sure. From the way most of the others reacted, it was likely the latter.
"What a cheery atmosphere…" Dazai whispered. "Think it's haunted?"
"Yeah right…"
"From this presence alone, there is definitely fallen angel activity going on," Yuuto announced. "And from the look of things, a group of rogue exorcists has also set up camp here, too."
"How so?" Izuku asked.
"See those decapitated statues?" Momo pointed. The others looked over to where she was pointing. There were ruined statues in that direction. "Rogue exorcists who have been abandoned by God destroy holy areas and commit acts of blasphemy for pleasure. If we cut through the entrance, we should be able to get to the sanctuary in one go. That's most likely where they're keeping Shiozaki-san. But…"
"It's possible the enemy will be waiting," Dazai finished.
"And getting through the church won't be a cakewalk," Yuuto added. "That means we only have one chance. Are you ready?"
Izuku took a deep breath. "I am." Izuku replied, "What about you guys?"
Kyoka and Ochako were both shaking. "W-we'll be fine," Kyoka stuttered.
"Yeah… Just still… trying to process all this is all…"
"Try to relax," said Kunikida. "Once we get inside, we can't afford to make any mistakes."
"Thanks again for coming, Kiba-san," said Izuku.
"Hey, you and I are buddies, right? Of course, I'll help," Yuuto smiled. In a 180 turn, his expression turned to one of anger, "And besides, priests aren't my favorite things in the world. In fact, you can say I hate them."
"Hate them?" Izuku blinked. He had never seen Yuuto put on such an intense expression before. He was always wearing a refreshing smile wherever he went. And Momo seemed just as angry with the fallen angels. Just what happened to them to make them hate priests and fallen angels like that?
"Questions for later," Koneko interrupted.
"Yeah…" Izuku nodded slowly, summoning his Sacred Gear.
"It's go time!" Kunikida announced.
"Right!" Everyone nodded.
The group quickly rushed through the broken gates and made their way up the steps. "We better hurry! By now it's likely they already know we're here!" Yuuto said. They reached the large doors that led to the inside of the church.
"I got this," Kyoka strode to the front, attaching her earphone jacks to it. Suddenly the large metal doors began to vibrate, shaking apart within seconds.
"Impressive!" said Dazai.
"So cool!" said Izuku, stars in his eyes.
"Thanks…" Kyoka blushed.
Jiro Kyoka, Quirk: Earphone Jack. She can use her plugs to amplify her heartbeat to deafeningly explosive levels! She can also hear really faint sounds.
Koneko then stepped up and, without much effort, moved what was left of the heavy metal door aside. "Wow, she's stronger than she looks," Ochako commented.
"No kidding," Izuku nodded. "Rias-san wasn't kidding about the monstrous strength thing."
The group entered the church and stepped inside the sanctuary. There was an altar and pews, which was what any church had. It looked like an ordinary sanctuary. The candle lights and the interior lamps lit the sanctuary. And something wasn't right here… The statue of Jesus on the cross had his head destroyed. What a creepy site. Who would want to desecrate such a sacred area?
"My, no wonder people stop going to church these days," Dazai quipped, looking around.
"Don't let your guard down," Yuuto warned, taking out a long sword. "Someone is here."
"…Over there," Koneko confirmed, pointing at a pillar.
Someone stepped out from behind the pillar and walked in front of the altar, standing before the group. "Yo, we meet again, devils," Freed greeted, clapping sarcastically, "Glad you could make it! Oh, and you brought friends? Fun~!"
Kunikida drew out a gun. "Is this the priest you told us about?"
"That's him," Izuku scowled.
"Here's the deal. I pride myself on the fact that I never had to fight any devil more than once! Not a single devil has escaped from me. I used to have a 100 percent perfect kill count before you came along! If there's one thing I hate it's being mocked by maggot devils in the house of God!" Freed pulled out a sword and a gun from his back, spinning them both in his hands. "You kids made my murder boner so hard… I'm gonna kill you… and stick my sword inside of you until I make so many murder holes."
"…Do you even hear yourself?" Izuku grimaced, Kyoka gagging behind him.
"I must say, aside from the vulgarity, I love what you've done with the place!" said Dazai, a cheery smile on his face.
"Hahaha, you like? Courtesy of every fallen angel and stray priest that comes through those doors."
"What else have you done?" Dazai asked. "I take it there's more wreckage than what we can see here?"
"Why yes! The altar has a trap door leading to a VIP worship center with an equally important party going on downstairs! We're in the process of-" Freed's brain then caught up to his mouth. "YOU TRICKED ME!" With that, Freed leaped at Dazai. The teens all moved away while Dazai, along with Kunikida, instantly rolled away from each other, perfectly in sync. Freed's downward thrust speared the ground where they had been, the blade sinking into the floor.
Yuuto took the chance to rush forward for a quick slash. Freed was forced to defend himself as both young men clashed blades at one another, sparks flying out from each furious blow. They were both evenly matched and they weren't backing down.
"You're not half bad!" sneered Freed as he drew his silver gun and aimed it at Yuuto's head, "Makes me wanna blow your brains out! KA-BOOM!" Yuuto tilted his head just as the gun fired, the silver bullet only cutting a few strands of his hair. He quickly backflipped to dodge another shot, leaping backward and landing on his laughed manically as he continued shooting silver bullet rounds at the Knight as he was literally running circles. One of the bullets managed to graze Yuuto on the cheek, but he didn't stop running, even deflecting several bullets from hitting him. But Freed's bullet of bullets quickly ended when Kunikida used his gun to disarm Freed. "OW! Damnit!"
"If your opponent doesn't pay attention to their surroundings, then they lose what little advantage they have," said Kunikida.
"Midoriya, you and the others go on ahead! We'll handle this guy," Kiba said.
"Save the nun," Koneko added.
"I'll help them keep the priest busy. Dazai, you and the others save the girl!"
"Right!" Dazai said as he and the others made their way to the altar.
"Hey! Come back here! No one said you could leave!" Freed shouted, pissed off that the shitty devil got passed him.
"You'll have to deal with us, first!" Kunikida tore out a page from his notebook. "Sacred Gear: Lone Poet! Flashbang!" The notebook page was engulfed by a light green light, transforming into a flashbang. Kunikida threw the flashbang to Freed before it exploded, filling the entire sanctuary with blinding light.
Kunikida Doppo, Sacred Gear: Lone Poet. He can create anything he needs by using the pages of his notebook, so long as it's no bigger than the notebook and he understands its basic form and function.
Izuku, Dazai, Momo, Kyoka, and Ochako made it into the stairwell beneath the altar when the flashbang went off. "Kunikida-san has a Sacred Gear too?!" Izuku asked, having overheard.
"Yep. Called Lone Poet," Dazai led the way down the stairs.
"That's crazy!" said Ochako. "Do you have one of those Sacred Gear things too, Dazai-san?"
"Of course!" he smirked, doing some kind of pose. "And it's perfect for stopping this ritual!" There was a door at the bottom of the stairway, but Dazai didn't even bother to look at it before kicking it down, blasting it off the hinges. He and the teens strode through the dust and found themselves in a chamber where a small army of masked priests had suddenly stood up with their swords drawn. At the very end of the room was Raynare standing before a large cross, where Ibara was chained up, both in very thin dresses and magic circles over their chests.
"Midoriya-san… Everyone…" Ibara moaned softly, looking up slowly, "You're… here…"
"What do you know?" Raynare smiled, looking over her shoulder to peer at Izuku and the others, "You actually came after all."
Izuku glared at the fallen angel. "Let Shiozaki-san go!"
"How sweet, but I can't do that," Raynare said, condescendingly, "The ritual… is almost complete." Ibara's body glowed in bright green light, and she screamed in agonizing pain. A small orb slowly appears on her chest.
"NO! Don't you dare!" Izuku snarled, firing a Dragon Shot at Raynare's back. The shot never had a chance to reach as one of the priests quickly deflected it with his sword.
"You will not interfere!" the priest shouted, lunging for the kill.
"I will have your head, devil!" another shouted as more of them zerg rushed them.
"You kids distract them!" Dazai jumped into the air and over the priests.
"'Distract'?! HOW!?" Kyoka didn't get her answer as a priest pounced on her. She instinctively used her earphone jacks to grab hold of the priest's arms and fling him onto his back.
"Here!" Momo, using her Quirk, made two swords, one for Kyoka and another for Ochako, who graciously took them.
Izuku, with some concentration, activated his Sacred Gear's main power. [Boost!]
"Yes!" with his strength now doubled, Izuku punched the nearest priest, sending them flying into the wall with enough force to indent it.
Ochako, avoiding the attacks from the priests, used her Quirk to make some of them float up to the ceiling. Kyoka used hers to stab two priests in the head, earning a cry of pain before they collapse.
"Yes! YES!" Raynare exclaimed as the orb fully pulled itself out of Ibara's chest and began to approach Raynare's waiting hands. "It's almost here! Twilight Healing is now MINE!"
"Sorry, but I can't let you have that."
"What the?!" she gasped as Dazai patted her back. Immediately, Raynare felt the magic circle on her chest disappear. With its destination gone, the orb froze in midair. "NO!"
Dazai slammed his leg against her face, sending the angel flying across the room and out of the doorway, crashing loudly. "You blinked!"
"Dazai-san!" Izuku called out as he, Momo, Ochako, and Kyoka ran up to him. "Is Shiozaki-san okay?"
"She won't be if we don't return that orb," Dazai placed his hand on the cross. It lost all its color and the chains snapped, freeing Ibara. Izuku caught her, and he could already tell that she didn't have much time. Her face was pale and her eyes looked dull.
Momo grabbed the orb and handed it to Izuku. "If we put this thing back inside of her, she should be fine," she said. Then she blinked and blushed. "Maybe I should rephrase that?"
"No time," Izuku said, doing his best not to blush. He pressed the orb back into Ibara's chest. A bright glow covered the room as the Sacred Gear returned to Ibara's body, lasting only for a moment before dimming. As soon as the glow vanished, Ibara coughed and breathed loudly, her cheeks and eyes returning to life.
"…Midoriya-san…" Ibara smiled slowly.
"We're gonna get you outta here," Izuku smiled back. Ibara then hugged him tightly.
"You came for me…" Ibara whispered, tears welling in her eyes, "You came."
"Of course I did," Izuku replied, hugging her back.
"Dazai? How did you free Shiozaki? And how'd you stop the ritual?" Kyoka asked.
"With my Sacred Gear," Dazai answered. "No Longer Human."
Dazai Osamu, Sacred Gear: No Longer Human. It allows him to negate any magic with a simple touch, including other Sacred Gears!
"RAGH! You filthy vermin! You ruined everything!" one of the priests had recovered quickly and tried to strike Dazai in the back. However, the sword of light instantly shattered upon connecting with Dazai. With a disappointed sigh, Dazai swiftly punched the priest in the face, sending him flying into several other priests. Looking around the room, he saw all the other priests quickly recovering and glaring murderously at them, looking none too pleased that the ritual was prematurely interrupted.
"Midoriya…?" Ibara squeaked, clinging to him fearfully.
"Midoriya, there's an exit over there! You and the others take Shiozaki and go," Dazai ordered. "I'll buy you some time."
"Wait, can you handle them all by yourself?!" Ochako asked.
"Don't worry about me, just go."
Izuku nodded. "Be careful!" Izuku took Ibara's hand and ran for the door, the other girls not far behind.
Back at the sanctuary, Yuuto, Koneko, and Kunikida were still fighting long and hard against Freed. The so-called holy man was grinning like a psycho as he swung his sword and fired a second gun he had hidden in his robes. Yuuto didn't look like he was tiring anytime soon despite the running around he did. Kunikida had run out of bullets several times, needing pages from his precious notebook to keep up. Freed rapidly fired at Kunikida, but Koneko quickly jumped in front of him and used herself as a shield- as much as she could due to her height anyway. It seemed to work as all the bullets were stopped from targeting Yuuto and hit her instead, but rather than turn her into bloody swiss cheese the bullets were crushed against her body, a few even tearing up her outfit. Freed seemed to realize that shooting wasn't going anywhere.
"Guns won't work on me," Koneko said boredly.
"Well, well," Freed smirked, his gun smoking, "You're tough for a puny little girl, aren't you?"
Koneko looked down at her chest. "Little…" Koneko suddenly began throwing anything and everything at Freed, who laughed madly and either dodged what was thrown or cut it in half.
"…I take it she's sensitive about her figure?" Kunikida asked Yuuto.
"…She's a little touchy on the subject," Yuuto confirmed.
Kunikida then began to scribble in his notebook. "Never, under any circumstances, intentional or not, make fun of a woman's breasts, no matter their age…" he said to himself as he wrote it down.
"So, I have a million euro question for you," Freed asked Yuuto, once Koneko ran out of things to throw, "Why's your new buddy trying to save that shitty maiden?"
"Midoriya-kun? He's just like that, I guess," Yuuto replied. He leaped at Freed, their blades clashing several times before leaping away. "Say's he wants to be a hero."
"Hero?! HA! Like that fucking devil shit stain can be a hero!" Kunikida aiming his gun was enough for Freed to jump back several meters. "You devils like tricks, right? Wanna see mine?" He threw a smoke bomb to the ground. Yuuto, Koneko, and Kunikida's visions were obstructed by the smoke. Once it subsided, Freed was gone.
"Got away again." Yuuto frowned.
"He won't have anywhere to hide," Kunikida said, writing in his notebook. "I'll give his description to the police."
"We need to check up on Midoriya-senpai and the others."
"You two head down the altar." Kunikida ordered. "I'll head outside and check for any other exits."
At the back of the church, a hidden door flew into the air before falling to the ground. Izuku walked out into the open, the girls close behind. "We should be fine out here for now," Momo said.
"How are you feeling?" Izuku asked.
"A bit better…" Ibara answered, slightly out of breath. "It really hurt to have my Sacred Gear taken out like that."
"It's gonna be fine. I won't let anyone get to you," Izuku promised.
Ibara smiled sadly, "Only my parents ever stood up for me like that before, not even when I was being banished from my village. Actually… I don't remember the last time anyone was talking to me like a friend."
"You never had any friends?" Ochako asked.
"No," Ibara shook her head, "If we get out of this… would it be all right for us to be friends?"
Each of them smiled, "Of course, we will," said Momo.
"Mhm," Ochako nodded.
"Damn straight," Kyoka affirmed.
"Right," Izuku grinned, "And we will get out of this! I promise!"
Ibara beamed brightly at their words, tears of happiness forming in her eyes.
"How sentimental…"
They all froze at the dreadfully familiar voice. Everyone all instinctively surrounded Ibara like a shield as they all looked around the area outside the ruined church for the fallen angel, taking in every nook, cranny, and sound. Momo created a long pole as she put up her guard. Kyoka's earphone jacks twitched as she tried to track Raynare through sound. Ochako had her fists clenched tight. Izuku was preparing for a Dragon Shot, ready to fire the second he saw the fallen.
Ibara looked around as her friends continued trying to find the enemy. She too was feeling a bit scared that none of them knew where she went. With the element of surprise in Raynare's control, there was no telling where she could strike. There was a small light coming out of the corner of her eye. It was faint, but it was enough for her to take notice. Looking up at the perch above them, she noticed the light slowly growing brighter. And then it happened. The flash shot from the perch and blasted straight toward Izuku.
"Izuku!" Ibara shouted as she pushed Izuku. He stumbled and turned only to watch in horror as Ibara took the shot in his place. Time seemed to slow down as the beam of light pierced through Ibara's chest. His eyes widened as blood burst out of the wound and the girl collapsed to the ground.
"IBARA!"
"Oh, too bad," Raynare said, condescendingly. With the element of surprise gone, she descended from her perch and glided to the ground. She smiled cruelly as she watched. Izuku was cradling Ibara as the blood rushed out of her wound deeply. She was breathing hard as she desperately clung to what little breath she had left. "That's a good look for someone as pathetic as you," she said. "I had considered going after the traitor, but you just piss me off more. So sad about Ibara, but if I can't have the Twilight Healing then there's no way I'm letting anyone else take it from me."
Momo growled, "Why you!" A bolt of lightning shot out of Momo's hand, coming dangerously close to striking Raynare had she not taken to the air.
"Hold on Ibara! Just hold on! Stay with me!" Izuku desperately screamed.
"Izuku…san…" Ibara gasped softly, tears in her eyes.
"Try not to talk!" Ochako said, kneeling next to her.
"Just use Twilight Healing and heal yourself!" Kyoka asked, trying her best not to lose consciousness from the sight.
"I…I can't…" She was too weak and losing blood. She was fading fast.
"Then just save your strength!" Momo said, kneeling and creating a med-kit. "We'll save you!"
"Save her? Ha!" Raynare laughed, a spear of light in hand. "How pathetic. You can't save her once you're all dead!"
*BANG! BANG!*
Raynare screamed as two bullets knocked the light spear out of her hand. "Kids! You all right?!"
Izuku turned to see Kunikida running toward them. "Kunikida-san! Ibara's hurt!"
Kunikida ran toward Ibara's side, nearly gagging at the sight of the gaping hole in her chest. "This is bad…" He silently cursed himself for not getting here sooner. "We need to stabilize her. But one of us needs to deal with that fallen angel."
Izuku, glaring at Raynare, stood up. "I'll do it."
"Wha- You can't!" Ochako said. "She'll kill you!"
"Maybe, but it'll give you guys time to get away and help Ibara." Saying nothing else, Izuku began walking towards Raynare.
"Be careful, kid. And good luck," said Kunikida.
The fallen angel had moved a few meters back, clenching her hand in pain. "Damnit, Freed! You couldn't deal with three fucking devils and their fucking friends?!" She then noticed that Izuku was walking toward her. "Oh, what's this? Does the little devil boy want to play?" Without hesitating, Raynare created another spear and threw it at Izuku.
"Promotion: Rook!" Immediately, Izuku felt a twinge in his chest as the Evil Piece responded to his command. He felt his body grow denser. The spear of light bounced off of Izuku's body, shattering in the process. Though it did leave a pretty bad gash on Izuku's side.
"So you're a Pawn," Raynare hissed.
"I may be a Pawn," Izuku growled, his Sacred Gear glowing green. "But that won't stop me from beating you!"
[Boost!]
Raynare smirked. "Please, don't get yourself worked up. There's nothing a shitty low-class devil like you that can-"
[Boost!]
Raynare's smirk disappeared, her eyes widening.
Izuku's entire body began to glow green. "I don't care what you say!"
[Boost!]
"I'm not going to let you hurt me, Ibara, or anyone else ever again!"
[Dragon Force!]
Both Izuku and his Sacred Gear changed. The bracer transformed into a clawed gauntlet with 2 golden spikes. Red scales now covered Izuku's right arm, the sides of his face, and his back, where two leathery wings emerged alongside his devil wings, giving him a more draconic look.
Raynare began to tremble. "That's… impossible! His Sacred Gear shouldn't be capable of any of this! It's just a Twice Critical!"
Terrified, Raynare tried to flee, but Izuku, with far more speed than a Rook should have, caught up to her. Grabbing her by the leg, he threw her into the ground. Raynare gagged as Izuku landed near her. As she tried to stand, she saw Izuku approaching her. "N-no! Stay back! Don't touch me!"
Izuku reared his fist back as it glowed with green energy, and then rammed it straight through her stomach. "Dragon… SMASH!" A burst of energy exploded around them as his fist made contact.
"Guah…!" Raynare coughed loudly from the blow. Her body bucked and arched into an awkward angle as she was sent flying. She crashed through the side of the church, landing in the sanctuary.
Izuku followed her into the sanctuary, finding Raynare on the floor, out cold. Izuku breathed a sigh of relief. He won.
"Hey, Midoriya! Over here!"
Izuku turned around at the sound of the voice, finding Yuuto, Koneko, and Dazai casually sitting on a few smashed pews.
"Guys! You okay?"
"No biggie," Koneko shrugged, stuffing herself with a pack of gummies she had brought with her.
"Those priests were such disappointments…" Dazai huffed. "Couldn't one of them have used a real gun? By the way, I like your new look, Izuku-kun. Very hero-y."
Izuku checked himself over, now noticing the large leathery wings and scales. "Holy whoa, you're right! Guess I didn't notice until now."
"You're unbelievable," Koneko deadpanned.
"Nice job beating that fallen angel, Midoriya-kun." Yuuto smiled, holding his sword over his shoulder. "It sure was impressive."
"You guys saw that? Why didn't you come help?"
"Buchou told us not to get involved," Yuuto answered.
"Because I believed in you."
Izuku spun around quickly at the sound of Rias' voice. Sure enough, there she was smiling rather proudly at him. "Senpai?!"
"I knew you could do it on your own," Rias smiled, walking over to him and rubbing his hair, "As expected of my cute junior. You definitely pull your weight."
"H… hai…" Izuku nodded slowly, blushing softly.
"Oh, your Sacred Gear."
Izuku looked at his newly changed Sacred Gear. "Yeah, I don't know what happened. Both it and me just changed."
"Red Dragon…" Rias muttered. "That explains a lot."
Then Izuku remembered, "Ibara!"
Izuku ran over to where he left Ibara and the others. But he didn't get very far as they soon walked into the sanctuary through the hole Izuku made, Shiozaki in Kunikida's arms, her eyes dull and lifeless. "Izu…ku…" she gasped for breath.
"I'm sorry, we did all we could," Kunikida said. "Even if we get her to the nearest hospital, I doubt she'll be able to survive."
Momo covered her mouth, Kyoka doing the same. Ochako was on the verge of tears.
Izuku went wide-eyed. "No… I won't let you die! You saved me, so I'll save you!" He looked desperately at Rias, "Is there a way to save her?"
"There is," Rias nodded quickly. She held up a small red piece in her fingers. "Do you know what this is?"
"That's… a bishop piece," Izuku recognized.
"This is my last one, too," Rias said. "Ibara, for saving my servant I will reward you with a second life. However, you will be reborn as a devil and will have to work under me for all eternity, and you can no longer serve God. Do you accept?"
Ibara looked up at her and nodded weakly, "I want… to stay with… Izuku…"
Rias smiled, "Sir, set her down gently and back away. I need room to perform this ritual." Kunikida nodded before slowly lowering Ibara down on the ground gently and stepping away. Rias knelt down and placed the bishop piece just below her breasts. A magic circle glowed underneath Ibara in a crimson color as the bishop piece also glowed just as brightly. Rias stood up then stood up and began to ritual. "I, Rias Gremory, command by my name to thee, Shiozaki Ibara. To allow thy soul to descend to this Earth again, to become my servant. As your new master, I grant you a new life!" At Rias' command, the magic circle flashed brightly as the bishop piece sank into her body. The magic circle vanished once the ritual was complete. Ibara's eyes slowly blinked as she felt that the pain in her chest was no more. She sat up and removed the wrapping around her chest. There was no hole. It was all solid again.
"The power to bring the near dead back to a healthy state…" Dazai whispered in intrigue. "Looks like Yosano has some competition."
"Izuku-san!" Ibara smiled, leaping up and grabbing the dragon boy in a hug. Izuku happily returned the hug tightly as a small tear of joy rolled down his cheek.
"Ibara," he whispered, "Glad to have you back."
"Awesome…" Kyoka whispered. "Does that only work when someone's about to die?"
"No," Rias answered. "It's mostly done when both participants are healthy and alive."
"That's good to know…" Momo whispered. "I wonder if…" She shook her head, deciding to ask for that later.
"Damn you…" The heartwarming moment was interrupted by Raynare stomping forward, light swirling in her hands, looking absolutely livid. "You just had to turn Ibara into a devil, didn't you? How the fuck can I be beaten by a shitty Twice Critical?!"
"Izuku doesn't have a Twice Critical."
Raynare visibly flinched at what Dazai said. "What?"
"He's right," Rias confirmed. "I understand your confusion since you first saw it in its dormant state, but what Izu-kun has is the Boosted Gear, a mid-tier Longinus. It doubles his power every ten-seconds, allowing him to transcend both God and Satan at will."
Izuku, flabbergasted, stared at his Boosted Gear. As did Raynare. "You- You mean this child is the Red Dragon Emperor?!" she took several steps back. "T-that won't matter! You haven't won in the slightest. I still have my comrades to-"
"Your comrades are dead," Rias interrupted coolly.
Raynare's face paled. "What?"
Rias reached into her skirt pocket and pulled out two black feathers, "Recognize these? I'm sure you've seen these feathers from somewhere before."
Raynare began to tremble. "You… you…"
"After you and your friend attacked Izu-kun and Ibara, I got word that a rogue squad of fallen angels was planning to attack this city, so I went and had a chat with your colleagues Dohnaseek and Kalawarner. But then they had the nerve to ridicule my precious servant…" red and black energy enveloped the two feathers, vaporizing them.
"She… She killed them?!" Izuku gasped.
"Rias-san is the heir of the Duke-level Gremory Clan, which are famous for treating their servants as family, and she's no exception to that," Yuuto explained. "She's hailed as a genius among other young devils for her talent and Power of Destruction, a magical power handed down only to the members of her family. It can obliterate and erase anything it touches and can cause objects to decay. It's how she earned the nickname 'the Crimson-Haired Princess of Ruin'."
'What scary names!' Izuku, Momo, Ibara, Ochako, and Kyoka all thought.
Rias then glared at Raynare. "Now, what to do about you?" The fallen angel began to shake and tremble in fear. "I could just simply purge you here and now, but I get the feeling that would be too light." Rias looked at Izuku and Ibara. "Of all of us, she's done the worst to you two. It's only fair that you choose what happens to her now."
"I…I don't want anyone else hurt because of me." Ibara squeaked. "Could… could you please let her go?"
Rias then glanced at Izuku for his answer. "Believe me, I want Raynare to pay for what she did, but if she did this without the other fallen angel's knowledge like you said, then I think it would be best to let them decide what to do with her."
Rias smiled. "Congratulations, Raynare. You're free to go, assuming the other fallen ever want to see you again."
Raynare looked surprised, hopeful, and terrified by what was happening and what would happen to her. When Rias made no further moves, she crawled backward and spread her damaged wings. The female fallen flapped her wings and flew off as fast as she could.
"And there she goes," Dazai commented. "I was really hoping she would be brave enough to commit a double suicide."
"…I think you need a psychiatrist," Izuku and the other teens all sweat-dropped.
"Unless it's a woman, he'll just scare them off," Kunikida muttered, putting away a flip phone. "You kids better leave, too. I just called the police. They'll be here in a few minutes."
Rias nodded, creating a magic circle next to her. "Izu-kun, Ibara, Koneko, Yuuto, let's go."
"Wait, what about us?!" Kyoka asked.
"Don't worry, I'll take you kids somewhere safe," said Dazai.
The three girls nodded. "See you tomorrow?" Ochako said to Izuku.
"Yeah."
The next morning, Izuku was in the Occult Research Club room with Rias drinking a cup of tea with her. Everyone else had yet to arrive. "So how's your injury?" she asked him.
"Great. Shiozaki-san really outdid herself," Izuku told her.
"Right… Ibara's power to heal devils, fallen angels, and perhaps other races is very valuable, so it's easy to see why the fallen angels were after it," Rias nodded, crossing her legs.
"So, I've been wondering," Izuku began twiddling his thumbs. "There are eight pawn pieces on a chessboard, right? Does that mean I'll be expecting more pawns just like me?"
"No. You're my only one," Rias told him.
"Huh?" Izuku blinked.
Rias took a sip of her drink before setting it down. "The amount of Evil Pieces used to turn someone into a devil depends on that person's overall potential. A devil's worth is whether or not they can utilize their powers efficiently. When I revived you, I had one knight, one rook, one bishop, a queen, and eight pawns. Since you used up all eight of my pawn pieces to recruit, I wouldn't have been able to revive you."
"ALL of them?!" Izuku gasped. "I'm worth eight pawns?!"
"That's right, but I didn't understand why until last night," Rias smiled. She leaned in and stroked his cheek gently, his face instantly reacting as it turned red, "I had intended to use my queen piece, but I decided to take the gamble and use my pawns. Now that we know you have the Boosted Gear, that means you can become the Ultimate Pawn, a hero that's never been seen before," her smile widened at the blush on his face. "The Crimson-Haired Princess of Ruin and the Red Dragon Emperor make a good match, huh? I'll be rooting for you, got it?"
"R-right," Izuku nodded slowly. Rias smiled before she kissed him on the forehead, "S-senpai?!" Izuku gasped, his face turning into a bright shade of red from the unexpected display of affection.
Rias removed her lips from his forehead and stuck out her tongue playfully, "That's a good luck charm. The U.A. Entrance Exam is a little over five months away, so train hard. Oh, and call me 'Buchou' from now on. I can't show too much affection or else our new member will be jealous fufu…" she giggled as she turned her gaze at the door. Izuku followed her gaze and found a familiar crown of thorns standing there.
"Shiozaki-san?" Izuku saw the newly turned devil's face was red as she fidgeted with her fingers nervously.
"U-um… it's obvious that Rias-buchou is beautiful, so of course, Izuku-san would be in love with her- No, no, no! I can't be thinking of such things! O Lord, please forgive thy sinful heart- OW!" Ibara prayed before feeling a throbbing pain in her head.
Izuku chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head, "I know how that is, it happened to me once too. How are you adapting?"
"It will take time for me to get used to becoming a devil and I'm sad that I can't pray to God anymore, but I don't have any regrets," Ibara smiled with a pink tint on her cheeks.
"Glad to hear that," Izuku said to her.
"Ibara-chan will be applying for the U.A. Entrance Exam too, so she'll be training with us for the next few months," Rias explained.
"Oh, okay," Izuku replied. "Guess we'll be training together then, Shiozaki-san."
"Y-you can just call me Ibara if that's all right?" Ibara told him, smiling.
"Sure," Izuku smiled. "I was calling you by your name last night, after all."
"Now ain't this cute?"
Looking at the door, Izuku saw Kyoka, Momo, and Ochako standing there. "Oh, you guys made it," Izuku said.
"Thanks for inviting us," said Ochako. She then looked over to Rias. "We never really introduced ourselves. I'm Uraraka Ochako."
"I'm Yaoyorozu Momo."
"Jiro Kyoka."
"I'm Rias Gremory," she said as the three girls sat down. "I take it you're here to check on Ibara?"
"Yeah. We wanted to see if she and Midoriya were okay," Kyoka told her. "And before you ask, we promise not to tell anyone about you guys being devils. Not like they'd believe us…"
Rias giggled. "That's good to know. Since Izu-kun trusted you to help last night, I think I can trust you as well."
"Uh, Rias-san…" Momo hesitantly looked up. "Can I… ask you something? In private?"
"Sure," Rias replied. "You can ask after the party is over."
"Party?"
A door to an adjacent room then opened, where Yuuto wheeled in a trolley holding a cake and various other sweets, with Koneko close behind. "A little cake to welcome our new member," he then noticed the three girls on the sofa. "And guests, it seems."
"By the way, where's Dazai-san and Kunikida-san?" Ochako asked.
"They went back to Yokohama earlier today," Rias answered. "Though Kunikida did leave a note with the ADA's number if we ever need their help. But enough about that." Rias took a glass of soda and held it over her head, "Let's welcome our newest member to the Occult Research Club! Kampai!"
"Kampai!" the others cheered.
As the party continued, Rias suddenly felt a presence watching from out of the window. Turning around, she saw a very exotic bird gazing directly at her. She swallowed hard, recognizing the bird quickly. She stared at the bird until Izuku snapped her out.
"Buchou? What's wrong?"
"Oh, Izu-kun, it's…" she turned back to the window to where the bird was, only to find the bird was gone. "It's nothing, Izuku…" she told him with a smile on her face, though the sudden turmoil in her heart spoke otherwise.
Raynare flew as far and as fast as she could. She tried returning to the Underworld but found that Mittelt beat her there. Turns out the brat was a spy sent by Azazel to keep tabs on her and the others. She realized that if she went back to Grigori, she'll be considered a traitor. Hell, she probably already had a bounty on her head by now. Not that surprising, as she both directly disobeyed Azazel's orders and made sure the devils brought the Red Dragon Emperor to their side!
By the time she arrived in Yokohama, a couple of days had passed since her humiliating defeat. She could never face Kokabiel ever again after her massive screwup. The warmonger would surely use her for cannon fodder or target practice if she did. She was on her own, just like before…
Finding an alleyway to rest, Raynare sat down and put away her wings. "Red Dragon Emperor…" she hissed. "Gremory Princess… I swear, I will make you all pay, even if it's the last thing I do!"
"My, what have we here?"
Instinctively, Raynare created a spear of light and aimed it at the voice's source. "Who's there!? Show yourself!"
"Very well," stepping out of the shadows was a man in his early 40s. He was fairly tall and had a slender physique. His eyes seem red and have a strange pattern on their pupils. His medium black hair was swept back, leaving only two bangs to the front on each side. He was wearing a dark-colored open shirt with a loose black tie under a white coat, white pants, and black shoes.
"Who are you?" Raynare demanded.
"Just a back alley doctor," he said with a reassuring smile. "I happen to see you land and thought I could help."
"Help? I don't need your help!" Raynare snapped. "If you're planning to rape me, then forget it!"
"Sorry to disappoint, but I prefer girls under twelve."
Raynare's eye began to twitch. "That's it! I've had a couple of really bad days, and I think I'll take out my frustrations on you!"
The doctor simply smiled and said, "Why don't you try?"
Raynare suddenly began shaking uncontrollably. 'Wha… What?!' she dropped the spear, which shattered upon hitting the ground. Raynare fell to the ground next, frozen in fear. 'My body won't listen. This murderous intent, it's suffocating! It rivals Kokabiel's!' "Who are you!?"
"As I said, a back alley doctor. Well, at least that's what I used to be," he began to walk closer to her. "Now I have a new job, and I'm willing to hire you, Raynare."
The irises in Raynare's fear-stricken eyes shrunk. "How-"
"News travels fast, especially if you have informants in the Underworld," he was now standing directly over her. "It would be such a waste for someone of your talents to be sent to prison, so I'm here to make you a deal. Work for me, or I hand you over to Azazel in body bags. Well?"
Raynare could only nod her head, not having any other choice.
"Excellent!" the killing intent subsided. "Welcome to the Port Mafia." He lent out his hand, which Raynare took.
AN: All right! Finished the first arc of the story, "Rise of the Red Dragon". I admit I'm not the best writer out there, and I know that everyone is hoping for more divergence from the DxD canon, but honestly, some things can't be changed and at the moment I'm doing minor changes like Raynare and Mittelt surviving.
The next arc will have some focus on Ochako, and why she's "blase" to all the supernatural shenanigans, as said by MereC55. SPOILER: It's something genetic. As for Kyoka, well, it has something to do with Momo.
If anyone has any ideas or suggestions, please let me know.
I'll also be taking a week-long break, so the next chapter won't come until the 22nd. Until then, see ya! PLUS ULTRA!