Chapter 19: Devils in Priest Clothing
"This looks like a bad joke." Saji regards himself in his priestly disguise.
"What's a bad joke?" I asked.
"A devil in holy man clothing." He said this as she was putting on his disguise.
I couldn't help but let out a little laugh. It's kind of funny to see Kiba, Saji, and Koneko in priest clothes, given that they are devils.
"If it helps us get to Valper and the Excalibur, then I'm up for it." Kiba grips his sword.
"Remember that this is our one chance to do this, so be vigilant and mindful, because we don't know what we might walk into." In the plan, I describe the situation.
I notified Azazel about what we were planning on doing tonight, so hopefully if things go south on our part, I have him to rely on.
"Is everyone all ready?" Xenovia and Irina arrived and were wearing their usual battle attire.
"Yes, we are." I uttered this while finishing the process of donning my disguise. I told everyone to meet up at the abandoned church so that we could proceed with the plan to find the Excaliburs, Valper, and Kokabiel. I suggested that we wait until it was nightfall.
"I think that we will be more efficient if we split up into two groups." Xenovia suggested.
"It's not a bad idea, and it will give us more ground to cover." I agreed.
"Me and Irina will conduct our search in the western parts of town."
"We'll cover the eastern parts and remember to call by cell if anything shows up."
As we were about to depart, Xenovia pulled me to the side and said, "I wanted to thank you for your hospitality at the family diner."
"Hey, it's no big deal." I shrugged my shoulders.
"In return, I want to let you know that the White Dragon has awakened." After Xenovia said that, I widened my eyes and felt a couple of intensive twitches in my left hand.
"Oh, hell," I said in shock.
The White Dragon Emperor is back. Mgelika's—I mean, Ddraig's old arch-nemesis is out there somewhere.
What does that mean for Mgelika? He stated that Ddraig and Albion had a destiny to battle each other for eternity, but Ddraig is no more, and Mgelika has given up on that name. Every time we talk about it, he makes it sound like Ddraig was a completely different individual, even though Mgelika and Ddraig are the same. Will he ever look at Albion the same way as he did when he was Ddraig, or will he disapprove of that idea as well?
"I can hear your thoughts, you know." Mgelika said
"Oh, sorry about that, friend." I apologized.
"The issue is that I'm unsure." Mgelika answered my thoughts.
"But it was your destiny." I said.
"It was Ddraig's destiny, not mine."
"You are Ddraig, though."
"Not anymore, Issei; I'm Mgelika the Heavenly Wolf."
"What if that doesn't work out with Albion?" I asked.
"If Albion can't accept the fact that I am no longer Ddraig, his greatest foe, then that is unfortunate for him."
"Maybe for you, but what about me?"
"Issei, Ddraig does not concern you."
"Yes, he does, because you (Mgelika) are a part of me, and your previous identity as Ddraig is also a part of me."
"Maybe, but Ddraig is no more; it's only Mgelika." I feel like Mgelika is having a little bit of an identity crisis.
Moments later, we left the church and went to the eastern part of Kuoh to look for Excalibur and Valper, as Irina and Xenovia were in the western parts. We roamed the streets and alleys for any and all signs.
My mind is still pondering me and Mgelika's conversation about the White Dragon Emperor, Albion.
"Issei, are you okay?" I snapped out of my thoughts and saw my cat-loving friend concerning me.
"Yeah, I'm just trying to figure out where to look next." I was lying, but at the same time, I was telling the truth.
"Can we go home now?" Saji pouted.
"Saji, we can't go home yet." I told him.
"It's simple for you to say, as you're not a devil," Saji continues. "I really don't want Sona to have my ass if she finds out."
"Saji, it's not just for Kiba, so who knows what Kokabiel and Valper would be doing with those swords if we let them?"
"You are not the only one that is at risk of getting into trouble, Saji." Koneko added.
"Oh, please, Rias may be strict but she is reasonable, while Sona is batshit crazy when it comes to punishment and torment." Saji crosses his arms.
Now that I think about it, Koneko is risking herself for Rias' punishment. I understand that Koneko volunteered, but I fear she might face more consequences than myself. I'm not a part of Rias' peerage, but I am her mate, so I will likely receive a harsh reprimand for doing this and agreeing to have Koneko tag along. Koneko, on the other hand, is a member of Rias' peerage, and she is breaking the rules just to do this with me, which could have serious consequences. I guess I never gave it much thought. I believe Saji was somewhat correct about one aspect. As a human, I won't run into much trouble when it comes to consequences. In this scenario, they belong to the underworld, and I'm a human, so I won't be at risk of starting wars or breaking peace agreements.
"This is a populated area, so it wouldn't be wise if they were here." Kiba said.
"Do you have an idea of where to go next?" I looked at my brother.
"Yeah, I know a place that is worth looking at."
We followed Kiba to a building that was further from town and it was kind of a place where it wouldn't be so populated at night.
It has 10 cemented pillars, as well as a 7-step stair railing in front of it. The structure appears to be a memorial building. Additionally, it appears to be a mystical hub where individuals can visit at night without experiencing any disturbances.
"This is the place," Kiba said.
"Yeah, this place does have a fallen angel vibe to it." I commented.
"Can we go home now?" Saji whimpers.
"No, Saji, we need your help." I said.
"But I don't want to get in trouble with Sona."
"No, you won't, Saji."
As we were approaching the building, a sudden jolt ran down my spine, and my left hand tingled so intensely that I held on to it.
"Are you okay, Issei?" Koneko asked with concerns.
"Someone is here." I warned.
"Well, look what we have here!?" I heard a very familiar voice that got my blood boiling spontaneously.
When I looked up, I saw a crazy, sadistic psychopath wearing holy man's clothing.
"Freed-FUCKING-Sellzen!" I yelled.
"Oh yeah, it's me again!" He cackles.
"Of course you're involved in this!" I spawned my Howling Gauntlet.
"Well, if it isn't Issei and friends." He spins around and holds on to his sword like a doll.
"Where are the fucking Excaliburs?!" I yelled.
"Where is Valper?!" Kiba yelled, too.
"I was planning on looking forward to a little bit of priest hunting, but now all I found is a bunch of devils in costumes." Freed licked his sword sadistically.
"Vulgar as always." I commented.
"I'm going to make him swallow his own tongue." Kiba launched himself at Freed.
"Careful, guys; that sword he has appears to be another Excalibur." Saji warns us.
"Don't worry about us." I initiated the battle alongside Koba against Freed.
Me and Kiba clashed with Freed, exchanging fists and sword blades with one another. Freedom was quicker than the last time we fought at the abandoned church.
Kiba lunged at Freed, but his Excalibur parried his attack, which caused him to stumble backwards. As Kiba was stumbling, Freed gave him a kick to the chest, and the Gremory Knight lost his balance and fell to the ground.
"Too slow, pretty boy!" With his tongue out, Freed cackled.
With my Howling Gauntlet, I charged at Freed and hit him in the face.
"You and your cheap shots are beginning to annoy me!" he said, regaining his focus on our fight after a brief flinch.
(HOWL!)
I gave my Howling Gauntlet another boost and continued fighting the stray priest.
"You are no match for my Excalibur!" Freed lets out a cackle as he relentlessly assaults both Kiba and me with lightning speed.
Freed throws a strike at me, but I block it with my artifact. That's not what's causing me distress. As it pressed on my gauntlet, the sword gave off a continuous pattern of flashes. It was bright and made me look away a bit.
"The Excalibur Rapidly." I said this in reference to Freed's sword.
"You've done your homework." The sword's enchanted speed continued to overwhelm me.
"Shit!" I cursed at the sight of Freed slowly overpowering me and his sword blade side was inches from my face as I tried to resist his force with my might.
"Get off of my friend!" Kiba returns and slams into Freed, forcing him away from me and continuing the fight.
Kiba managed to free Freed from me, but now he must contend with Freed's relentless speed, which appears to be too swift for Kiba.
"What's wrong, pretty boy? Can't keep up?!" Freed lets out a laugh and pushes Kiba aside.
I got back up and reengaged Freed, throwing numerous attacks at him in the hope of getting him overwhelmed by me and Kiba. Going on offense didn't last long, as Freed's speed allowed him to put me back on defense, and I found myself blocking and parrying his attacks with my gauntlet once again.
"He's too fast, Issei!" Kiba stated.
"Some called it the Holy Sword of Heavenly Flashes, but I like to call it the Super Fast Sword!" Freed exaggerates.
"If I can get close to Kiba, I should be able to transmit some energy to him and give him a boost." I said.
With the Excalibur Rapidly in his possession, Freed's speed has increased to an overwhelming level for both Kiba and myself.
"But Freed is too fucking fast!"
"ABSORPTION LINE!" I heard a yell, and out of nowhere, I saw a glowing, light pink rope wrapping itself around Freed's ankle, which caused Freed to fall.
"What the hell?" With my eyes, I traced the rope to its origin, and it revealed itself to be Saji. The rope originated from a device on his wrist, resembling a small black bracer. It resembled a small black chameleon-like lizard with violet eyes, and the rope emerged from its mouth.
"I figured that you wanted him to slow down." Saji smirks.
"What kind of artifact do you have?" I asked.
"It's called the Absorption Line or Black Dragon's Pulse." Saji replied.
"What does it do?" I asked him another question about his sacred gear.
"It can create lines of connection that allow me to absorb or transfer energy from powerful enemies and objects." Saji explains.
"Damn it!" Freed curses as he was trying to break free from Saji's line around his ankle, but he couldn't break a thread from it.
As Freed was down, I took this as an opportunity to get to Kiba and transmit some energy to him from my Howling Gauntlet.
"Kiba, heads up!" As I got to Kiba, I placed my Gauntlet hand on his shoulder and began to transmit energy to him.
(HOWL) (Transmitting!)
As Kiba was absorbing the energy I gave him, he took a moment to absorb the power, and soon enough, his aura hit a maximum point.
"Sword birth!" Kiba yells as he wields his sword and strikes the ground, radiating a red, purple, and black aura. Suddenly, a multitude of sword blades emerge from the ground, attempting to skewer the trapped priest from both sides.
"Damn it!" As they approached him, Freed deflected the swords.
"Sword birth, huh?" I heard another voice, but it didn't seem to come from Freed, Kiba, Koneko, or Saji.
"Who said that?!" Kiba halted his powers and searched for the source of the mysterious voice.
A short, bespectacled elderly man with gray hair, a moustache, and black eyes wearing a priest outfit walks out from the shadows and reveals himself to all of us.
"A sacred gear can exhibit unstoppable powers depending on the user's ability." The old man said.
"Valper!" Freed shouts.
"It looks like your use of holy swords could still use some brushing up, Freed." We identified the old man as the one and only Valper.
"Valper Galilei!" Kiba yells at the top of his lungs.
"Indeed." Valper makes an expressionless response.
"I got this little lizard's tongue on my fucking ankle." Freed said
"Just put the power flowing within your body into the blade!" Valper said
Freed suddenly resonated perfectly with Excalibur, eventually cutting Saji's absorption line from his ankle and causing him to fall backwards to the ground.
"Shit, Kiba! I shouted, wanting to jump in and help.
"Now I get to stain my blade with your blood, pretty boy!" Freed leaped into the air again, charging at Kiba. However, once Freed was about to swing at Kiba, a different weapon parried in front of him.
"Huh?" Freed looks and sees that Xenovia came to our aid.
"Xenovia, just in time," I said in relief.
"We got your call." Irina came too and went beside Saji and Koneko.
"Traitors, Freed Sellzen and Valper Galilei, in the name of our God, I will condemn your souls for your treacherous sins!" Xenovia pushes back against Freed's Excalibur.
"How dare you croak that name in my face!" exclaimed Freed, quickly leaping backwards when Kiba attempted a surprise attack.
"Freed, your task is to eliminate the church's vermin that snuck in. Besides, there are two Excalibur wielders here now, and you are our number." Valper ordered.
"Well, see you next time!" Freed chuckles as he extracts a tiny item from his jacket.
"Flash bomb!" Knowing what it was, I shouted, but it was too late because Freed threw the bomb and created a big flash that blinded everyone.
As the flash faded away, Freed and Valper were no longer around.
"NO!" Kiba exclaimed, realizing his archenemy had vanished.
"Let's go, Irina!" Xenovia and Irina began to chase after them, and Kiba followed along.
"Hey, wait, stop!" I shouted, but their speed prevented me from trying to catch up.
"Kiba," Koneko said in depression as her friend left once again.
"SON OF A BITCH!" As the entire plan fell apart, I yelled at the top of my lungs.
(HOWL)
Out of anger and frustration, I spawned in my Howling Gauntlet, punched a big chunk out of a pillar next to me and cursed, "Fuck!"
"Hey now, it's okay." I could hear Rias next to me, trying to calm me down.
"Rias?" I looked at her and was surprised that she was here. "How did you find us?"
"In addition, the mate's mark tells me your location and danger." Rias puts her hands on her hips.
"Oh my, it looks like we got ourselves a couple of naughty troublemakers." Akeno comes behind her.
"Do you care to explain, Saji?" A white magic circle appears, and Sona and her queen, Tsubaki, emerge.
"CHAIRWOMAN!" Saji begins to cry and falls to his knees.
"Would you care to explain to your mate what you, Saji, and Koneko have been doing this late at night?" With an authoritative tone, Rias stares at me.
"Whenever you feel like explaining, Saji, I'm here to listen." Sona expressed her anger clearly.
We followed Rias and Sona to the club, and when we arrived, Saji was already on his knees, bowing in front of Sona and Tsubaki.
"Although we agreed not to intervene, I still wanted to understand the situation, so I asked Akeno and Tsubaki to monitor the situation." Rias made this statement in reference to Kiba's situation with Xenovia and Irina.
"Saji!" Sona calls on her guilty pawn.
"Yes!" Saji responded while he was still on his knees.
"You weren't nearly as cautious as you needed to be back there." Son explains to Saji her feeling of disappointment.
"Please forgive me, Chairwoman!" Saji cries as he kneels even lower.
"So Yuuto has gone after this Valper?"
"I assume Kiba went out to hunt down that Valper along with Xenovia and Irina." Rias assumes.
"Yeah, I'm sure that he'll let us know if something happens." I said it in a way that would bring some relief.
"He's making a beeline for Valper, but I'm not sure if he will keep in contact, even if he wanted to."
"I'm sure that he will be okay with Xenovia and Irina by his side." I said.
"Koneko." Rias turns to her cat-loving rook.
"Yes, Rias?" She replied in a faded tone.
"Why did you ever get involved in this?"
"I don't want Kiba to go away, and when I heard about Issei's plans to help Kiba, I wanted to help." Koneko lowers her head.
"Well, there is no use in dwelling over it now." Rias said. "However, it's important to be mindful of our actions, as our choices can impact the rest of us."
"Yes, Rias." Koneko nods her head in agreement.
"Ouch!" I glanced over at Saji, who was on his hands and knees, while Sona was slapping him on the buttocks with her magic-infused hand.
"I think you need more time to reflect on your actions!" Sona exclaimed. Sona said, striking him again.
"Chairwoman, please have mercy!" Saji cries
"Not until you have a thousand spankings!" Sona said, striking him harder.
"Although you are human and not in my peerage, I can't force you to face disciplinary action, but we will have a serious discussion about this." Rias said this to me, and I nodded in agreement. "Koneko, please come forward."
Koneko approaches her master with a lowered head.
"It is my duty, as your master, to maintain discipline among my servants." Rias explains.
"Yes, Rias." Koneko nodded and slowly went to her hands and knees. "I'm ready for my punishment.
"Wait, stop it, Rias!" Before Rias made a red circle on her right hand, I stooped.
"Issei, Koneko must face punishment." Rias looks at me.
"Yes, darling, I know, but can you go a bit easy on her?" Rias turned a little red after I called her 'darling'.
"Issei, it's my duty as her master to uphold a disciplinary system."
"This whole thing was my idea, and all she wanted to do was help, so don't put this entirely on her." I said
"Issei..."
"As a human, I didn't consider the impact on Koneko and Saji, nor did I consider how it would affect you, Akeno, Sona, and Tsubaki."
"And please don't blame this entirely on Saji; he didn't want to in the first place, and I kind of forced him to tag along." I looked at Sona and Tsubaki, who had stopped spanking Saji's buttsock.
"Very well, then I forgive you, Saji." Sona forgives.
"Thank you, Chairwoman." Saji wiped his tears and got up from his knees.
"Well, if you are choosing to take full responsibility, then I shall forgive you as well, Koneko." Rias forgives Koneko.
"Thank you, Rias." Koneko
"Even though you are not a part of any of our peerage, I still think that you should at least face some disciplinary action." Sona said it with her arms crossed.
"Yes, I think you should receive punishment." Rias looks at me with a firm but teasing sense.
"Well, what would you like to do with me?" Despite the possibility of regret, I inquired.
"For your punishment, I want you to come by the school this weekend to help clean up the new pool." Sona suggested.
"Okay, I can do that for you." I agreed to Sona's punishment.
"As for me, you will be cooking dinner for the entire week." Rias proposes her own punishment plan.
"Well, it beats a thousand spankings." I mumble to myself.
"Welcome home, you guys!" Asia opened the door and greeted me and Rias. She was wearing a white skin-revealing apron that makes money from blood pumping.
"Woah," I said as I was eyeing my second mate.
"You must be exhausted after working so late, so I'll start getting dinner ready right away." Asia added.
"Asia..." I couldn't stop looking at her. Just by wearing that, she becomes even more sexy and hot. It's making me want to rip it off of her.
"Do you like what I'm wearing?" With her hand tucked under her chin, Asia asked me.
"You look so fucking hot!" I unintentionally yelled, even though I had intended to say that in my thoughts.
"Thank you, Issei!" Asia wraps herself around me and gives me a big hug.
"Umm, yeah." I always pictured Asia as a sweet, gentle soul, but after she bashed my mate, she showed a really daring side that I never thought that I would ever see. It's been such a big turn-on for me. "So, why did you wear this?"
"Some of the girls at school suggested it and said that it was a way to make a guy feel better after a tough day." Asia explains.
"I'm starting to believe that it was a certain brunette with glasses who suggested it, right?" I inquired because I knew this had 'Aika Kiryuu' written all over it.
"Impressive." My first mate, Rias, complimented.
"What?" I looked at her.
"Simple, but really effective." She added.
"What if Mom sees you?" I asked.
"Oh, I'm just living with these outfits." I heard my mom in the other room.
"Mom?" I didn't know that my mother was home.
"Doesn't she look adorable? I'm going to have grandbabies very soon." Mom happily sings.
"Mom!" I covered my red face out of embarrassment.
"Mother, I'd like to wear one too, just like in Asia." Rias said it like she was a child wanting candy.
"Seriously?" I raised an eyebrow at her.
"I got plenty." She said so, and Rias followed her to try one on.
"Issei?" Asia calls for me.
"Yes, Darling?" I got Asia's attention.
"Did you and Kiba ever find what you were looking for?"
"Unfortunately, we didn't make it; by the time we arrived, Kiba and I were engaged in another fight with Freed." I rubbed the back of my head.
"I hope that Kiba will come back." Asia expressed her hope as she gripped me tightly.
"Kiba will come back, I promise, and when he does, we will all be a big family again." I held her close and gave her a couple of kisses on the lips.
"Okay, Issei." She smiles.
"Issei." I looked at Rias in a red and pink naked apron that showed off her cleavage and curves, making my mind go haywire. "So, what do you think?"
"I'm thinking that I need to start wearing loose pants if you guys are going to keep getting my blood flowing down my groin."
"Almost as if you have two wives." My mom teases me.
"Yeah, you could say that." I know she was saying that to tease me, but it's mostly true.
I was so pissed that the plan didn't go as I thought it would. Fucking Freed Sellzen was back, and he had set us up from the very beginning. Not only that, but Valper Galilei makes himself known to us, which means that if Valper and Freed are here in Kuoh, then Kokabiel is here, too. Azazel is well acquainted with Kokabiel, and his possession of the Excalibur swords suggests that Kokabiel is preparing to initiate a war, which, if successful, would wipe out Kuoh from the map first. I can still back out of this. If I'm going to stop Kokabiel, Freed, and Valper, then I have to find Kiba, Xenovia, and Irina first.