Drip.

Issei swiped his finger over his nose, wiping away the drop.

Drip.

"Hah…" he scooted over on the concrete bench which functioned as his bed. He repeatedly bumped his head on the wall behind him. The lack of stimulation in this place was driving him up the wall.

BANG!

Startled from the sudden sound, Issei reflexively moved his head away, hitting the wooden cabinet above him in comic fashion.

"The hell is wrong with you," he said in a pissed whisper to the wall. The only response he got was a snicker, as he tried to rub the pain out of his cranium. Said snicker slowly turned into a quiet giggle before she responded, "Nothing~", in a singsong voice.

"Hey Issei?" Her voice, a bit more timid, broke the few second silence that enveloped them.

"Hm?"

Another few seconds of silence before she asked again, "What do you wanna do when you get out of here?"

That definitely caught him off guard, especially since he had tried asking the same question many times she had shut it down. She never wanted to talk about the future, to give hope, to set up expectations and have them become utter disappointment. According to her it was, in a way, her sense of hope. That one day if or when she got of here, she would have that gift. The gift of hope, the gift of possibilities, the gift expectations.

Issei understood it in its roundabout way, "Not telling~", replying in the same singsong voice, a sly grin tugging on his lips.

She let out an exasperated sigh, "Stop joking around"

"Alright, alright, but since I have asked umpteenth time, you have to answer first."

"Well…", her hand cupped her cheek, as she was in thought for a few seconds, "I'd probably get some ramen first if I'm being honest," she mused. The food here had been abysmal, just slop, bread, and water. Barely enough to fuel them during the day.

"Ramen… that's your dream? Ramen?", he asked incredulously, trying to stifle a laugh.

"You think that's funny?" she asked accusingly.

"N-no of course not, that's a fantastic dream"

"Hmpf", was all she said before silence enveloped the area once again.

Might've taken it a bit far this time, time to reel her back in.

"Akane, I was joking, c'mon I'm sorry," doing his best to reignite their conversation. There was silence again, no reaction.

"Akane seriously I-"

"There's one more thing I want to do as well once I get out of here", her voice barely a whisper, a complete 180 from her previous tone. He remained silent, not daring to interrupt her.

Unknown to Issei, whose back of his head was still against the wall, said voice turned around facing his side, pressing her forehead on the cold concrete.

"There's something I want to confess to someone as well," she whispered. Her apologetic smile unseen, and her quiet sniffle unheard.

Issei raised an eyebrow at the statement, about to pry a bit further before reading the room and deciding against it. "I hope it works out well for you then," he said genuinely. She smiled again, she also hoped as well.

"What about you, what's your dr-"

"I'm going to grab some oppai-"

BANG!

"AGH!", he grabbed his head again after hitting it on the wooden cabinet for the second time. "The hell's wrong with you, that's a good drea-"

"That's the dumbest dream I have ever heard of Hyoudou," she said annoyingly. Unknowing to Issei she still held that smile towards the wall. Their banter continued on for a few more minutes as he tried to explain in all the different ways that grabbing some oppai would be a valuable and important dream for him.

Eventually the conversation died down, and it was Issei's turn to ask a question.

"Are you purging tomorrow?" he asked quietly. Akane's stomach dropped as she held her breath. Why would he ask that?

Every week, given a day notice, two randomly selected individuals would be forced to purge against one another. They never spoke on the day of the purge, and they never asked about if either of them had received a notice the day prior. They didn't want to say goodbyes, they didn't want to wait in anticipation of them returning to eventually hear nothing. They simply chose to stay silent and catch up the next day as if nothing happened.

She stayed silent for a few seconds, before answering, "No. I'm not."

A few seconds of silence fell again, he responded, "You promise?", sounding almost like a plea.

"I promise," replying instantly.

She contemplated in her head for a few seconds, battling with the possible flood of emotions she might have to deal with if she asked.

She decided to anyway.

"Are you?" fearing his response.

"…"

"…"

"I'm not", he responded flatly.

"Swear to me then, right now", she demanded instantly. "Swear to me right now you're not."

Issei took a deep breath before turning around, placing his forehead on the concrete wall behind him. "I swear to you, I'm not. I'll be right here tomorrow, we'll even talk," he reassured.

She smiled at that, agreeing with him. Both of them turned around, his eyes looking weary, hers with tears forming in the corners.

Both staring at the notice in their hands.

His eyes fluttered open as the sunlight peered through the blinds, the memory of the dream already withering away before he could reminisce. He lay still for a moment, taking in the familiar surroundings around him. His digital clock already read 2:00 pm, figuring now as the best time to wake up.

It felt surreal to be home, his porn collection, eroge games, and his posters were still there after all those years. His parents hadn't touched one part of it. He smiled at the thought, however much it annoyed them he figured they saw it as a memory of him.

Stretching himself, he grabbed his bath towel and headed for a quick shower, massaging his stiffness out of his muscles. After putting on some clothes he made his way downstairs to venture out of the town.

With a click of the door behind him, he stood outside his home for a few seconds taking in the scenery.

Relatively quiet considering all things with the peaceful lull being broken by schoolchildren.

He started down the quiet, tree-lined street of his neighborhood, feeling a pang of nostalgia. The houses, with their manicured lawns and friendly mailboxes, looked just as they had when he left. Yet, there were small changes he couldn't ignore. The Yamamoto's house now had a fresh coat of blue paint, and the Takahashi family had added a second story to their home. The familiar sound of Mrs. Nakamura's piano lessons drifted from an open window, a comforting reminder that some things never changed.

Issei turned the corner and found himself walking towards the local park. As he approached, the sound of children playing grew louder, filling the air with laughter and shouts. The park was a central part of his childhood, a place where he and his friend Irina had spent countless hours playing soccer, riding bikes, and getting into all sorts of mischief. He smiled as he watched a group of kids chase each other around the swings, their carefree joy infectious.

He took a seat on an empty bench and watched the scene unfold. The playground equipment had been updated; new swings, a modern jungle gym, and even a small climbing wall had replaced the older, rusted structures he remembered. The park's charm, however, remained unchanged. Issei's eyes wandered to the large oak tree in the center of the park. Its branches had always provided the perfect shade on hot summer days, and it seemed even more majestic now.

After a while, Issei got up and continued his walk. He headed towards the commercial district, where small shops and cafes lined the streets. The bustling energy of the area felt invigorating. He passed by the old bookstore where he used to browse manga, now replaced by a sleek electronics store. A new cafe had taken the place of the rundown diner where he and his friend used to hang out after school.

Lost in reminiscing he suddenly collided with someone.

Soft, very soft, 5'4, most likely an E cu-

He immediately cut off his inner dialogue, and addressed the situation in front of him, lest he be seen as a pervert.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Issei exclaimed, staring at the beautiful girl in front of him. She had long black hair and striking violet eyes, wearing a stylish summer dress that fluttered in the breeze.

The girl smiled warmly, brushing off the encounter. "No worries! I wasn't watching where I was going either." She tilted her head, studying him for a moment. "You look a little lost. Are you new here?"

Issei chuckled nervously. "Actually, I-", he decided to just go with the flow and said he was new, that way no need for unnecessary explanation. "Yes, I am new here, just moved in yesterday actually," scratching the back of his head.

"Well, welcome to Kuoh!" she said with a bright smile. "I'm Yuuma Amano. It's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too, Amano-san. I'm Issei Hyoudou," he replied, shaking her hand.

"Yuuma", she said, holding that same smile.

"Huh?"

"Yuuma"

"Ah, alright Yuuma-san," he gave a nervous chuckle.

"Yuuma", she repeated again.

He stared right back at her with dotted eyes.

"… Yuuma," he melancholically repeated.

Yuuma nodded her head in response.

Her eyes sparkled with interest. "Alright Issei, since your new here I'll be your guide. I know some great spots around the town"

Before he could even agree she linked her arm through his and started walking, guiding him through the town. Their first stop was a quaint little café that had opened recently. The aroma of fresh coffee and baked goods wafted through the air as they stepped inside.

"This place has the best pastries," Yuuma said, leading him to a cozy corner table. "You have to try their strawberry tart."

They chatted surprisingly easily, with Yuuma sharing stories about the town's recent developments and her own experiences. Issei found himself relaxing, enjoying her company, he couldn't imagine easily conversing with someone, especially a cute girl like this after years of solitude. After they finished their pastries, they continued their tour.

Next, they visited the town's revitalized shopping district. Yuuma pointed out various shops, from trendy clothing boutiques to quirky little bookstores. She even convinced Issei to try on a pair of sunglasses at a small accessory shop, giggling as he modeled them.

"You look like a movie star!" she teased, snapping a quick photo with her phone.

Issei laughed, feeling a warmth spread through him. It had been a long time since he'd felt so carefree. "I think I'll stick to my usual look," he said, putting the sunglasses back.

As the afternoon turned into evening, Yuuma led Issei to the riverbank. The setting sun cast a golden glow over the water, and the cherry blossom trees lining the path rustled gently in the breeze.

"This is my favorite spot," Yuuma said softly, her eyes reflecting the fading light. "It's so peaceful here."

Issei nodded, feeling a sense of tranquility wash over him. "Yeah, it's beautiful. I should come here more often."

They walked along the river, talking about their dreams and aspirations. Yuuma seemed genuinely interested in Issei's life, or the one he tailored a bit to suit the conversation. Nonetheless he found himself opening up to her in a way he hadn't with anyone else.

As they reached the end of the path, Yuuma turned to him with a playful smile. "There's one more place I want to show you. It's a bit of a secret, though."

Intrigued, Issei followed her through a series of winding streets until they reached an old, abandoned observatory on a hill overlooking the town. She pushed open the creaky door, revealing a dusty interior with a large telescope in the center.

"This place has been closed for years, but the view from the roof is incredible," she said, leading him up a narrow staircase.

When they emerged onto the roof, Issei was awestruck. The town stretched out below them, bathed in the soft glow of twilight. The stars were beginning to twinkle in the sky, and the air was cool and refreshing.

"Wow, this is amazing," Issei breathed, leaning against the railing.

Yuuma stood next to him, her shoulder brushing against his. "I'm glad you like it. I come here to think sometimes. It's a good place to clear your mind."

They stood in comfortable silence for a while, simply enjoying the view. Issei felt a strange connection to Yuuma, as if they'd known each other far longer than just an afternoon. It was a bittersweet feeling, knowing that this perfect day would eventually end.

"Thank you, Yuuma," Issei said quietly. "I didn't realize how much I needed this."

Yuuma turned to him, her eyes softening. "You're welcome, Issei. I'm glad I could help. It's nice to meet someone who appreciates this town as much as I do."

They lingered on the rooftop until the stars filled the sky, talking about everything and nothing.

Eventually they made their way down, Issei called her a taxi to get back home. Deciding to walk back home and take in the cool air he explored a bit of the outskirts of the town. Mostly abandoned apartment complexes, construction sites and buildings.

One particular structure caught his attention however, a warehouse that now seemed abandoned and worn down. Last he had seen it was a venue that organizers would use to host clubs and DJ's with a majority of the students from Kuoh College would attend.

Now it looked completely rusted, broken windows, doors missing, and in general old equipment scattered around the edges of the premises.

Nothing out of the ordinary, and he would've continued on his way around the town.

Except for the fact his "doubler" had manifested on his left hand, coupled with the hairs standing up on the back of his neck.

Walking even closer it felt like the air grated on his skin, on his insides, almost like on his soul. It was just plain uncomfortable, and he knew better than to doubt the feeling he was having.

One such case a few months ago when he had encountered a stray devil that donned a very convincing human disguise. He too felt the same sensation, though to a lesser extent. His "doubler" already appeared on his hand long before confirming his suspicions. He wasn't sure if the weapon had a mind of its own or whether it acted upon his subconscious, but it didn't matter.

With more forceful intention than he would've liked he stepped forward nearing closer to the entrance, that irritating feeling only amplifying.

This hadn't been his first time making the first move in an altercation like this, but it was always nerve racking. The fact he was going to fight in an enclosed area, the fact he couldn't even see the perceived threat, the unknowns were one too many, and he was walking in blind.

Last he remembered he had barely made it out alive in his previous fight.

That was also when a majority of the conditions were in his favor, open area, visible target, no possible collateral damage, and quite a bit of prep time.

Now everything was against him in this case, and he had no choice but to deal with the situation at hand. He couldn't possibly go home in good conscience with this feeling of responsibility deep in his gut.

Pressing both palms on the 10 foot double steel door, he pushed with a bit of strain, the metal creaking and scraping against the concrete floor.

The first thing he had noticed was how quiet it had become. Outside the structure it was quiet but this was something else entirely. It was like all the sound had been sucked out and had been replaced with the silence of space. He could hear his own heartbeat beating against his head, his breath almost seemed too loud.

It didn't matter, whatever creature was in here had completely removed their presence, as if they were never here.

It knew he was here.

Walking a bit further in he neared the center of the area. The outside moonlight leaked in through the windows casting a dim glow around the area.

He had fought in darker spaces.

His eyes quickly adjusted to the limited light in the area as he took in the surrounding area. Boxes, metal pipes, and overall just a place with a lot of extra junk on the floor.

His eyes quickly caught a shadow that moved before it stopped. His breath quickened, his heart pounding heavier, he balled up his fists not ready for whatever was next.

"Oops, you caught me~", a female voice called out.

Issei rolled his eyes again, not surprised.

Every stray devil he fought was almost exclusively female for some reason, and more than half of them had adopted some grotesque form that didn't support any of their attacks. Seemed more like a scare tactic than anything.

He had seen it all throughout his time as a pseudo-bounty-devil-hunter-killer whatever. Women that suddenly transformed into some blob mess of an abomination, some half human, half whatever creature. Some completely stayed in human appearance and others turned in beings that had no worldly names.

Yet this one had caught him off guard slightly.

The women peered from behind a concrete block in the distance… naked. He could only make out her upper body which was definitely voluptuous, though this was the one, very rare, one time where he couldn't waste time admiring. Her hair was long, draping below what was presumably her waist, staring straight at him with her gray dull eyes, her red sharp nails pointing straight at him.

"You," she called out. "That aura… it's potent, it's…rejuvenating," she licked her lips. The dull stare that she gave him, turned more focused like a predator.

She was hungry.

"You'll be good for me right~" she cooed. She slowly cupped her chest, squeezing it as she started to stand up.

Issei went through a multitude of emotions within those few seconds

Disgust, grief, regret, sadness.

Disgust was the first to strike his heart as he had the unfortunate view of something extremely hairy covering her bottom half. Nothing was viewable, and it was so thick it was almost like fur. From all the naked women he had seen in real life, which was none actually, and from the various media he had, which was a lot, he had never seen something like this. Even the fetish magazines he had collected had never shown something or someone as hairy as this at the bottom.

Upon viewing this recent revelation, grief was the next one that took him. Grief for the fact he had to be here to witness this woman who clearly didn't have a knack for self care.

Regret because this almost contended as a good enough reason to just leave and let the situation be dealt with by some third party.

Sadness because said previous regret was unfortunately not a good enough reason to leave.

As she stood at her full height, his previous turmoil that consumed his head vanished and returned back like it was any other day.

Instead of some unkempt woman, it was just an unkempt woman and her bottom half was four beastly red legs, the hair tapering off at her knees. Along with a long scorpion tail with a pincer at the end made this an incredibly boring night.

Nothing new.

As she looked down at him with her hungry eyes, her teeth slowly turned into fangs. "Now stay just right there," she licked her lips again, her own spit dropping on the floor as she was literally salivating at the sight of him.

He'd take all the compliments he could get.

"You'll keep me young for quite a while, you'll keep me… beautiful," her breathing deepened, "You'll keep me… perfect."

Issei scoffed, "Really? Perfect? I mean look at you!", he exclaimed in astonishment. "This is not perfect," he pointed at her with an accusing finger, "Only person that can fix this mess is God hims-"

"DO NOT SPEAK HIS NAME TO ME", she screamed, using one of her beastly legs in an attempt to crush him in the ground.

"Oh shi-"

[BOOST]

Luckily dodging the attack because of his boost, his doubled speed launched him to the right. Before getting flown straight back to the entrance as her tail swung around making a perfect impact with his upper body.

Colliding with boxes, random concrete blocks and metal pipes he settled down near the entrance. His body ached quite a bit from just that hit, already piecing together this devil was his most powerful one up to date.

Now there were generally a few ways to approach and eliminate a stray devil.

The first was to exploit their weaknesses to the absolute limit. Unfortunately they required assessing them beforehand, understanding their fighting style, and general mistakes or imperfections they had when fighting. Issei understood that was currently impossible at the given moment given how he was just flung across the warehouse.

He may have been battle hardened over the past years but he was no expert in reading his enemy to such a level. Any attempt at fighting this thing would have to be completely instinctual, no way to rely on pattern recognition.

The second was to use the environment around you, if you were lucky you might be around a cliff or a space with a considerable drop around you. The fight was relatively easy if you knew what you were doing, just one misstep from the opposing party and you could have them falling off the damn Grand Canyon just like that. However this could only be done if you could even exploit their weaknesses and take advantage of this misstep, which he couldn't right now. If you weren't careful the opposing party could catch you off guard as well.

The fact that he was flung across the warehouse underlined that statement pretty well.

The third and most reckless option was putting as much pressure on them as possible and subduing them. Last on the list because of how incredibly stupid it was and how quickly shit could hit the fan. Relentless pressure on the enemy also meant that you were gambling essentially gambling on the fact the enemy would fall first, no matter how much of your resources you had to use.

If you were wrong then you were gone, and this devil was clearly extremely strong, arguably stronger than him.

Get up! Get up! Only six seconds left.

"You stay right there," summoning her left hand up, she conjured some sort of red lightning in her palm.

Using his boosted strength he launched himself from the ground to the side behind a concrete block a few meters away from him taking cover. The said concrete block exploded into bits, the flying debris cutting his skin.

The stray devil panted heavily as well, regaining her strength as quickly as possible.

He laid on his stomach already feeling exhausted. Random debris and shelves collapsed around his and the falling of metal items reverberated around his ears.

His open palm which was empty suddenly held a cold weight on it.

A metal pipe.

Two seconds left.

The stray devil wasted no time after her attack, quickly approaching him to finish him off by crushing him under her beastly legs.

Holding the metal pipe he stood up and laid the end of it against his yellow spikes on his "doubler", scraping it along its sharp edge. His doubled strength made the task a bit easier for this plan that may or may not leave him dead.

His heart beat faster as the approaching steps closed in on him. Holding the destroyed pipe in his hands he looked at his work with little hope. It was a wreck, the pipe looked like it exploded from the inside out as it splintered into multiple sharp edges, but he'd have to work with what he was given.

The beast lunged forward, launching her feet to crush him.

[RESET]

His weapon disappeared, and reappeared as quickly once he called upon it.

[BOOST]

Immediately dodging the impact of her foot, he launched himself upwards towards the wall behind him before using the momentum to launch himself forward.

Holding the sharpened metal pipe above his head, he intended to impale her and end the fight quickly.

However not all battles were won on plan A, and this was no different.

The stray devil already ahead of him, conjured up three spinning drills that looked to be made of concrete.

Tch

Unknowingly his body began to radiate a green and red aura around him and the metal pipe.

The beast widened her eyes in fear at the realization.

The energy that she sensed when the brat entered the warehouse was just residual aura that he released idly. Though it was quite the highest she had seen regarding draconic aura, she figured it was still below what she could handle. What she was seeing now was him releasing a higher concentration of draconic aura than before.

More than she could handle.

"J-JUST DIE ALREADY YOU HUMAN," she roared as the projectiles launched towards his direction.

Issei clenched the metal pipe harder not recognizing the as it became enveloped in a green and red air.

Swinging the pipe he destroyed each projectile one by one, the shattering concrete flying in all directions.

"Y-YOU, HOW DI-"

"AGGHH," she howled in pain. Her disbelief cut off as Issei hurled the pipe like an Olympian, the penetrated metal sticking out the back of her left shoulder completely.

Landing on one of her beastly legs, they made brief eye contact before Issei made a fist as it became enveloped in the same draconic aura.

He pulled back his fist and began to pummel her as quickly as he could, hoping to overwhelm her in pressure. Each hit sending a small shock wave around the area, her white porcelain skin bruising black and red blood dripping down her nose.

She let out a guttural growl as she quickly pulled out the pipe from her shoulder, swinging straight for his head.

Barely just putting his hands up to defend himself, the force sent him sprawling across the air, hard landing against the debris.

The devil lunged at him, her claws slashing through the air. Issei dodged to the side, his movements sluggish from exhaustion. He barely avoided the swipe, the claws grazing his side and tearing through his shirt. He winced in pain but didn't let it slow him down. He needed a new weapon, something to give him an edge.

His eyes scanned the debris around him, looking for anything he could use. His gaze landed on a piece of rebar, sharp and jagged at one end. He dove for it, rolling across the ground to avoid another swipe from the devil. Grabbing the rebar, he swung it around just in time to block another attack.

The force of the blow sent vibrations through his arms, but he held his ground. He twisted the rebar, using it to push the devil back. She snarled, her eyes glowing with rage as she conjured another bolt of red lightning. Issei braced himself, raising the rebar to deflect the attack.

The lightning struck the metal, sending a jolt of electricity through his body. He cried out in pain, his muscles convulsing from the shock. He fell to one knee, the rebar clattering to the ground beside him.

The devil tried to catch her breath, holding her arm in pain from summoning that lightning again.

The reaction to that hadn't gone unnoticed by Issei.

[RESET]

The strength left his body, the feeling of exhaustion quickly taking over him, if he didn't boost against he would surely pass out.

She let out a final roar, amassing a large amount of energy as she formed a huge unstable sphere of red lightning.

Issei smiled at the sight.

Her exhaustion after using that move hadn't gone unnoticed by him, and he planned to exploit it to the fullest extent.

This was his last and final attempt at a chance of doing meaningful damage. However he had full confidence that it would work as he grabbed the rebar once again.

[BOOST]

Doubling his attributes his body began to radiate a potent amount of draconic aura, the rebar cracks glowing red and green.

The large sphere of lightning turned into a large lightning bolt before speeding straight at him.

Using all his strength he launched himself away from the point of impact as fast as possible, the force of the strike sending him tumbling to the side.

He was prepared though, as he gained his footing and launched himself in the air with the rebar in his hand cocked back.

Her breath heavy, the snarl on her face began to shift to a grin.

For a split second they locked eyes, Issei understanding that something wasn't right.

Her hands grabbed her breasts, positioning them right towards Issei.

Issei didn't want to believe it, he didn't want to even think of it, but he was seeing it happen right in front of him.

Magic circles began to revolve around her nipples as he felt a huge rise of magical power.

And he was right in the line of fire.

"YOU HAVE GOT TO BE-"

"-FUCKING KIDDING ME RAYNARE," Kalawarner's voiced echoed throughout the abandoned church they hid themselves in. The only source of light were the dim candlelights that floated unwavering around the ceiling, the clacking of heels filling the silence from Raynare's nervous pacing.

She bit her nail with a troubled expression as she tried to figure out their next move in this seemingly stupid plan that would surely backfire on them.

Though she wasn't going to admit that.

"And how was I supposed to know?", she shot back. "I don't see you coming up with any better ideas." This was their best course of action, camping anywhere else in the city would leave them with literal targets on the back of their heads. The church was the only semi-safe haven for them if they wanted any chance of completing the mission.

"We were supposed to nab the kid three towns back, but no you wanted to 'know if he was really worth it'," Kalawarner couldn't help but pinch the bridge of her nose. Raynare had always gone fuck me sideways with any mission they were given, trying to go 'above and beyond', and failing spectacularly. It's why Raynare, and herself by association, had been put on temporary suspension from any assignments.

"Azazel-sama is expecting an updated report regarding the kid. Nab him for recruitment or," she dragged her index finger over her throat, "before he gets into the hands of anyone else."

"But why!?" she threw her hands up, "Why do we need to take a human of all things who is in no way remarkable or strong except for their potent draconic aura, which he can't even utilize effectively."

Kalawarner groaned. "I don't know, Raynare. Maybe it's the same reason Azazel-sama doesn't take you raw no matter how often you try to spread your cheeks bare for him. Some questions will forever be left unanswered."

Raynare stopped pacing and turned around, her face a mix of anger and embarrassment. "Y-You blue-haired bimbo bitch—" she began, but Kalawarner merely rolled her eyes, having heard it all before.

"All you've done since this mission started is sit on your overweight ass while I do all the work!" Raynare continued, her voice rising.

"Unnecessary work, by the way," Kalawarner interjected smoothly, leaning back against a pew with an air of nonchalance.

Raynare's fists clenched at her sides. "If you have so many complaints, why don't you do something about it? Oh, that's right, because you're too busy lounging around and criticizing everyone else!"

Kalawarner let out a long sigh, her teasing smile never leaving her lips. "Oh Raynare my dear, the problem isn't that I'm not doing anything. It's that you're doing too much of the wrong thing. We had a plan, remember? We were supposed to follow the leads and take action when necessary, not end up in enemy territory."

Raynare's wings flared out slightly in her agitation. "This church is the only semi-safe haven for us. Camping anywhere else in the city would have left us exposed. We had no choice!"

"We always have choices," Kalawarner countered. "You just tend to choose the most reckless option available. Azazel-sama values results, not chaos," she said matter of factly.

Raynare scoffed, crossing her arms. "And you think sitting around and doing nothing will get us results? We need to act, Kalawarner, not hide."

Kalawarner shook her head, pushing off the pew and walking towards Raynare. "Acting without thinking is what gets us killed. We're in Gremory territory, for God's sake. One wrong move and we're done for."

Raynare's eyes darted around the church, the reality of their precarious situation slowly sinking in. "Fine," she muttered. "But we need to find the human and recruit him before the devils can get to him."

"We will. But we do it smartly, not recklessly. For now, I saw we stay under the radar and gather information."

Raynare sighed, nodding reluctantly. "Alright. But we need to find him fast. The longer we wait, the more likely it is that the devils will find him first."

Kalawarner rolled her eyes. "You don't say. Maybe if you hadn't decided to take your sweet time, we wouldn't be in this mess," deciding to drill in her again.

Raynare's wings flared slightly in irritation. "I was being thorough! Unlike you, who's content with doing the bare minimum."

Kalawarner snorted. "Thorough? Is that what you call running around like we have a ticking bomb on our heads that could go off any second? Maybe if you had a brain cell to spare, we'd be done with this already."

Raynare's face turned red with anger. "You think you're so much smarter, don't you? Sitting on your ass and criticizing everyone else isn't exactly helping either!"

"At least I'm not causing more problems. You're like a toddler with a fucking grenade."

Raynare clenched her fists, "A toddler with a grenade can actually get more done than you," she tried to retort.

Kalawarner crossed her arms, her expression still smug. "Alright, genius. What's your big plan, then?"

Raynare smirked, ignoring the jab. "We need to minimize our visibility. We can't afford to draw attention to ourselves, especially in Gremory territory. We'll do this in shifts. One of us will stay at the church and keep a low profile, while the other will observe the target. We'll find the right opportunity to present ourselves."

Kalawarner raised an eyebrow. "So, you're finally learning. Fine, I'll bite. Who goes first?"

Raynare rolled her eyes. "I'll go first. I need to see this kid for myself. Make sure he's not interacting with any of the devils here."

"Oh, by all means, please do. I'm sure you'll handle it brilliantly."

Ignoring her, Raynare turned on her heel and headed toward the exit. "Just don't burn the place down while I'm gone," she shot back over her shoulder.

Kalawarner chuckled. "No promises. Good luck out there, Raynare. Try not to get yourself killed."

Raynare muttered under her breath as she left the church, feeling a mixture of irritation and determination. She needed to prove herself, not just to Kalawarner, but to Azazel-sama. This mission was her chance to do that.

As she followed the signature the human left behind she eventually found him, careful not to draw attention to herself as she observed the warehouse from a distance.

"Let's see…," she whispered to herself, waiting for him to leave the site.

Her eyes narrowed as she sensed a group of devils suddenly appearing in the warehouse. Her heart sank as she hoped it wasn't who she thought it was.

"Damn it," Raynare muttered. This was worse than she had anticipated. If the human was going to make contact with the Gremory, their window of opportunity was going to close fast.

She observed intently as she heard the sounds of battle and the cries of a woman emanating from the space. Coming out Rias smiled warmly at him, holding him in a bridal carry, extremely wounded and passed out. Raynare felt a surge of frustration as her stomach dropped, the worst possible case. This wasn't supposed to be happening. The human was supposed to be a simple target, not someone under the watchful eye of this bitch.

Raynare clenched her fists, her mind racing. She needed to act quickly, but she also had to be smart. She couldn't afford to make a move now, not with that brat and her peerage so close. She would need to wait for a better opportunity, a moment when the human was alone and vulnerable.

Her eyes followed him as he was carried away with the group, before disappearing in a teleportation circle. She took a deep breath and made her way back to the church, careful to avoid being seen.

When she returned, Kalawarner was lounging on a pew, a bored expression on her face. "So, how did it go? Did you find our precious target?"

Raynare's expression was grim. "We have a problem. He's already in contact with Rias Gremory and her peerage."

Kalawarner sat up, her smirk fading. "Are you serious? What happened?"

"The human fought another stray bat and got picked by the redhead bitch. He looked unconscious, and is near death, so there's a chance she might reincarnate him" Raynare sighed. "We need to be more careful than ever. We can't let the Gremorys get to him first."

Kalawarner leaned back rubbing her temple. "Raynare if he gets reincarnated to the devils, we're screwed. Azazel-sama specifically said this was our chance to prove ourselves again," her voice agitated. Why she had ever agreed to partner up with this idiot after last mission's mishap was beyond her.

Raynare bit her lip in desperation formulating a plan. One that Kalawarner would most definitely go off on her for but she had no choice. "I-I'll keep watch still, see how involved he gets over the next few days, I'll be able to tell if does flip."

Kalawarner raised her eyebrow. "Fine. But you better not screw this up, Raynare. One wrong move, and we're dead."

Issei laid against the cold concrete wall, his breathing labored. Most of his shirt incinerated, and the small pieces that were burned and fused onto his skin.

Burns all over his body that were so severe that they had likely killed off all nerve endings due to the lack of pain. Blood had obscured his vision, and his head felt rattled. He couldn't form a coherent thought, too much and too little information was bouncing around him. Trying his best to reform his weapon it felt just out of reach, like it was obscured from a thin veil.

He looked down to see his mangled legs, bent in ways that definitely were not correct. Next to him laid a crumpled paper square with unreadable text and circles.

His bleeding wounds began to stain the paper red.

If he wasn't in the condition he was in right now he would've sworn that it had started to glow a crimson red color.

It didn't matter anymore, the heavy weight on his eyelids were overpowering him, and his weapon, his only saving grace, was out of reach. He didn't even have enough energy to reminisce on his life, his regrets, his actions. The last thing he heard was the jagged footsteps, a loud screeching akin to metal scratching, and a woman screaming.