Chapter 2

It's time for the Baste Prison Arc!

Issei and Diane were walking towards Baste Prison while skipping the town since they're both fugitives, and it would've been hard to hide the fact that Diane was a giant, especially given how tall she is.

"Hey Diane, mind if I ask you a question about the day the sins became terrorists?" Issei asked before Diane looked at him in surprise until the Giant nodded.

"Well, that day was so long ago, but the sight was something I could never forget, especially since we lost a good friend that day who gave his life to buy us all time to escape," Diane said while clenching her left hand.

"It was Escanor, right? The former Lion Sin of Pride?" Issei asked as Diane nodded in response.

"Yep. It was just after we completed a mission that we were told to meet with Zaratras, the Great Holy Knight. We were given an order to meet up with him at the castle. We weren't sure why, but many of us thought it would be a special reward for our latest mission. However, when we found him murdered through no fault of our own, we found ourselves quickly surrounded by the kingdom's Holy Knights. Meliodas ordered the group to disperse to avoid capture, and everyone was able to escape separately, all except Meliodas since he was about to give in to his Wrath after Princess Elizabeth was hurt trying to help us escape." Diane explained until Issei interrupted her.

"And I'm guessing that's why Escanor stayed behind to not only help his friend but also stop him from doing more harm than good?" Issei asked before Diane was shocked but nodded.

"Not a day goes by that I regret not being able to save our friend, but if Escanor chose you to hold the power of Sunshine, then I'll watch your back. You're part of the team now, so that means you're part of our family." Diane said, which made Issei smile before Ddraig spoke to them.

[I hate to bump into this heart-to-heart moment, but we've got company.] Ddraig said, alerting the duo before they looked to see a massive group of dragons approaching them.

"What the dragons?!" Issei said as he called on Rhitta and used his wings to fly into the air while Diane readied herself to battle until Issei generated a Dragon Shot along with a massive sun above his head.

"Heh. This is my first time using this power in a fight, but it sounds like fun." Issei said as he combined the Sun with the Dragon Shot, creating a massive energy orb that was a mix of crimson and gold before Issei fired it at the dragons approaching them.

The massive energy orb soared through the sky, its radiant glow illuminating the battlefield. The dragons roared in defiance, but the sheer power of the combined attack left them no chance.

As the orb exploded among the dragons, Issei watched the brilliant display of power, a name forming in his mind.

"I think I'll call that attack Solar Dragon Burst!" Issei declared, satisfied with the name.

"Solar Dragon Burst, huh? It suits you," Diane said with a smile as she crushed a dragon underfoot.

[Impressive, partner. Your mastery of Escanor's power is growing rapidly] Ddraig commented, surprised that in just a day, Issei was able to use Sunshine better.

"Thanks, Ddraig, though if I'm being honest, it was shown to me as if it was a vision, like Sunshine was showing me how to use its power. But we can't rest yet," Issei said, watching as more dragons emerged from the clouds.

"You're right. Let's finish this," Diane agreed, her eyes burning with determination.

With renewed vigor, Issei and Diane launched themselves into the fray, Issei summoning more Solar Dragon Bursts while Diane wielded her earth magic, the two being a devastating force. The battlefield became a storm of energy and brute strength, each attack destroying more of the dragons.

Elizabeth was worried about them while pondering and hoping they would be okay until a knock was heard on the front. She shocked Elizabeth before she headed to the door, thinking they were back already, but she saw no one outside.

"Huh? Hawk, are you pulling pranks on me?" Elizabeth called out as she glanced around, searching for any sign of movement. The quiet seemed almost eerie after the intensity of the day. She was about to close the door when a voice called out from behind her in the bar.

"Elizabeth, it's been a while," the voice said, and Elizabeth spun around, her eyes widening in shock.

"Gorgeous!" she exclaimed, recognizing the member from the Weird Fangs since they were infamous—an order within the Holy Knights assigned to Baste Dungeon. The group consisted of four members, each with distinct abilities that complimented and worked well for covert missions and interrogation.

Golgius specializes in infiltration due to his Invisibility Magic, which was excellent for covert missions to enter the enemy's bases. However, sadly, his power was weak since he could still be detected by scent from animals such as dogs, and when he was about to attack a target, the invisibility wore off.

"Miss me?" Golgius smirked, his invisibility ability fading as he stepped fully into view. "You've been quite a nuisance, hiding out here with the Sins."

Elizabeth stepped back, her heart racing, before seeing that Hawk was nowhere to be seen in the bar. "What do you want?"

Golgius's eyes glinted with malice. "The kingdom has been very keen on capturing you, so you are coming with me."

Before Elizabeth could react, Golgius cast a spell, binding her in place with chains of magical energy. She struggled, but the chains held firm.

"Let me go!" she demanded, but Golgius just laughed.

"You should have stayed in your little room at the castle like a good little princess. Now, let's go before your friends return," Golgius said, dragging her by her chair towards the door before hearing something charging down the stairs to see Hawk was coming at him.

"Leave her alone!" Hawk yelled though it was short-lived, as Golgius punched the pig on the head, knocking Hawk out before turning to Elizabeth.

"Now that the pig is out of the way, I'll also be taking Meliodas's sword. Wait right here." Golgius said before entering the room upstairs and kicking down the door and saw the small lump on the bed.

"All too easy," Golgius said with amusement while walking towards Meliodas's bed. They were just about to grab the sword handle when a hand caught him and crushed the armor on the Holy Knight, causing Golgius to whimper in response until Meliodas got out of the bed and glared at Golgius while holding his arm.

"Even if I died, I will never let this sword go since it's the only way I can repent for my sins," Meliodas said before crushing the arm some more, which made Golgius get on a knee until Meliodas's eyes darkened as he then glared with an ominous aura around his being while pulling a fist back.

"Happy travels," Meliodas said before punching Golgius through the wall and sending him far away from Baste Prison. Meliodas then sighed in relief as his aura disappeared before Hawk and Elizabeth came to see that he had healed up and was ready to get back into the fight. Still, Elizabeth told him about Diane and Issei going on ahead of them.

Meliodas thanked Elizabeth and headed to the prison. At the same time, Elizabeth and Hawk stay behind until Elizabeth decides to go and join Meliodas along with Hawk, which makes Meliodas sigh but nod as he lets the two follow him.

As the last dragon fell, Issei and Diane stood victorious, their breaths heavy but their spirits unbroken.

"We did it," Issei said, wiping sweat from his brow.

"Yeah, but this is just the beginning," Diane replied, looking towards the distant silhouette of Baste Prison until a ringing sound was heard in the air. Issei looked up at Diane to ask her if she heard that bell but only saw a massive knight in her place.

The knight had a feminine human face with white eyes and long hair with 22 holes on both sides of the helmet. He has black shoulder plates that curve inward, a flower design on his breastplate, a long black skirt that reaches the floor, and metal boots.

"Oh, what's wrong, Pride?" The knight asked before stomping Issei's way, which surprised him until Ddraig spoke to him.

[Be careful, Issei! Both of you are under a hallucination. The only way to break free from it is to destroy the source but also take another look at the 'dragons' you and Diane destroyed.] Ddraig said before Issei turned to the dragons and saw them become insects, which surprised Issei until he heard that ringing again to see the knight change again to a new one.

This knight was a female since her helm resembled a spider with eight eyes, eight legs, and a mouth. Her gauntlet has sharp fingertips and a piece that extends, resembling a blade. She also carries a bladed, dual-tailed whip.

'She must be the one that controls and commands the insects that kept us busy. A good strategy when you think about it.' Issei pondered while dodging the Knights attacks, which was actually Diane.

[Indeed. The insects were just a diversion to keep you both here while the illusionist got ready, which begs the question, how far they must be from us since illusions have a range.] Ddraig pondered before the bell rang again, which made Issei ask Ddraig a question.

'How far would the illusionist have to be to not only stay safe but keep us under the illusion?' Issei asked before Ddraig replied.

[They'd need to be close enough to maintain the spell but far enough to stay out of direct combat. Typically, an illusionist would stay within a few hundred meters, using terrain or other obstacles for cover] Ddraig answered.

Issei nodded, scanning the area. 'Then we need to find them fast. Can you sense anything unusual?'

[Yes, there's a faint magical signature coming from the north, hidden among the rocks and trees, but all that's over there is a shepherd and a little boy.] Ddraig replied, making Issei grit his teeth until he got hit by Diane's left fist, which sent him flying into the air.

"Get down here, you coward!" Diane yelled, being under a large illusion, which made Issei play keep away from the Giant until a massive tornado surrounded the shepherd and the boy, causing Issei to try to save them. Still, Diane quickly caught him and threw him back into the ground, causing Issei to cough a bit until Diane began to mercilessly pummel down on Issei with her giant strength, crushing him.

[ISSEI! It would be best if you fought back; otherwise, you'll die!]

'NO! I refuse to use this power to harm my friends. I know it's stupid, but I can't.' Issei said as he continued to let himself get pummeled by Diane until the punching stopped, which made Issei look up to see Diane with a shocked face before crying and picking Issei up in her hands.

"I'm sorry, Issei. I'm so sorry!" Diane yelled as she cried before Issei slowly stood back up and patted her head.

"Hey, your back and that's all that matters," Issei said with a smile before looking to see Meliodas punch the illusionist all the way to Baste Prison, causing it to split in half until Diane put Issei down and head to the female knight that was scared as she turned around to see a pissed off Giant.

"You're going to pay for making me hurt, my friend," Diane yelled as she began to pummel the female Holy Knight into the ground. At the same time, Issei slowly stood up, with some help from Hawk, and headed over to Elizabeth before wincing at her injuries until he felt something within him touch her head, so he did and sent his Holy Magic into her body.

Issei was shocked by this before seeing her worse injuries heal but was still tired, which made Issei sigh in relief. Elizabeth was okay before Diane picked her up and placed the princess in her bag.

Hawk then noticed the shepherd was an illusion until seeing the wounded and bruised knight begin to crawl away.

"Hold it, lady!" Hawk shouted as he jumped onto the knight's back, causing her to yell in pain before Hawk sat on her while Issei walked over to her and pointed his sword at her head.

"From where I'm standing, you got two options. Either you tell us how many more of you are there at Baste Prison, or you can talk to Diane since I'm sure she would love to punch you some more." Issei said, which made the knight turn to see Diane crack her knuckles. This terrified her until she surrendered.

"Okay, okay! I'll talk. My name is Friesia, and there are only four members of the Weird Fangs. Golgius was sent ahead of us to kidnap the princess, though it seems he failed, while Ruin and I were hoping you'd destroy each other. There's only one knight at the prison, and his name is Jude." Friesia said until Issei nodded and patted her head.

"You told us everything so we won't kill you," Issei said, which shocked Friesia; thinking they were going to do horrible things to her until Issei knocked her out before picking her up and asking Diane to put her in her bag which Diane minded until Issei tied up their prisoner which satisfied Diane.

The group headed to the prison and saw that it was mostly abandoned, with very few prisoners in the actual prison.

"So this place was actually designed to hold a sin?" Issei asked while they were inside until Meliodas nodded in response.

"Yeah, or more specifically, contain people who could defeat us and be a threat to the people."

"That makes sense, but this place is so big! How are we going to find this guy?" Issei asked before Meliodas explained that the prison was divided into two paths.

Meliodas said they should split up with Diane, Elizabeth, and Hawk going back to the Boars Hat to tend to Elizabeth, while Issei goes down the second path along with Friesa and see if they find Ban or if they can find anyone who was also trapped here.

The group nodded and went their separate ways, with Diane handing the Holy Knight to Issei, who didn't seem to put up a struggle before Meliodas went the other way.

"Don't try anything funny, or I'll kill you," Issei said before pulling the whip, making Friesa moan a bit.

"H-Hey! I'm not running okay!" Friesa said before they looked at a metal door that was in front of a prison cell, which made Friesa afraid since that was the Sin of Greeds prison cell, which made Issei glad they found it until they saw it was empty.

"What the heck? Where is he?" Issei asked before Friesa moaned a bit as she was a bit turned on by Issei pulling her bindings, making them tighter.

'D-Dammit! This brat is turning me on, but I won't fall for it! I am Friesa! I'm the one who tortures my prey! Not the other way!' Friesa said while Issei unknowingly pulled her bindings even tighter.

"He must've escaped before we even got here. If that's the case, then he might still be here since this place is a maze." Issei said before turning around and pulling Friesa along the way, making her stifle her moan until they stopped a short distance, which made Friesa ask why they stopped until she looked shocked to see one of her colleagues dead.

The Holy Knights helmet had metal vines covering his face, and his shoulder plates had a large spike on each of them. On his left hand, the knight wielded a spiked shield that had a rose symbol carved onto the surface of it.

"J-Jude," Friesa said before Issei took off Jude's helmet and closed his eyes.

"Rest in peace," Issei said before noticing something on his neck. Issei took the necklace off Jude's neck and examined it before pocketing it, but also took the extra money on Jude's person.

"Okay then, now we just need to tell Meliodas about this," Issei said before hearing a ringing sound like a phone, which surprised him until Issei saw a crystal on a wall glowing as if it was a phone.

This surprised Issei before he picked it up and held it to his phone.

"Uh...Hello?"

[Oh good! I'd like to know if you'd pick it up.]

"Meliodas?!"

[Yep. Prisons use these communication crystals to speak from long distances, which is why I found one and was hoping you'd pick it up.]

"Huh. Well, I got some news. It looks like Ban busted out of his cell and literally kicked the door down. He also killed the last member of the Weird Fangs, and I looted him for any valuables." Issei said since he knew they needed money and such, he was sure no one would miss his stuff.

[Woah. I'm surprised, but keep an eye out for Ban. He's got gray hair and red eyes, as well as a scar on his neck. Can't miss him.]

"You got it," Issei said before hanging up the phone and looking back at Friesa.

"Calm down." I'm not going to kill you. As things stand now, you're my prisoner, so you'll be under my protection." Issei said, which made Friesa look at him in shock before she looked at the crystal. She seemed surprised as the purple gem on the necklace began to glow a bit until it became pure white, as if it was purified.

'W-Why did Jude have one of those?! I-Is this man really an Angel sent from them?' Friesa asked herself in her mind before recalling Issei using dragon wings, but his power radiated the same energy as those from the Goddess Clan.

Friesa then felt her binds become untied before seeing Issei patting her head and ruffling her hair a bit.

"I'm not the type who believes in slavery, so I'll let you go. You've already helped me and the others, so it's best you leave. I'll tell the others you just knocked me out and left." Issei said before turning around to give her a chance to leave until he heard her moving but not away from him, which surprised Issei until he turned to see Friesa bowing her head on the ground and her knees.

Issei was surprised by this before Friesa began to speak.

"Lord Issei Hyoudou! I, Friesa, a former member of the Holy Knights and Weird Fangs, humbly surrender myself unto you. I wish to become your follower, Lion Sin of Pride." Friesa said with a determined expression on her face.

Issei looked at her, taken aback by her sudden change of heart. "Follower? Why would you want to follow me?" he asked, genuinely curious.

Friesa raised her head, her eyes filled with a mix of fear and admiration. "You spared my life and treated me with kindness, something I've never experienced as a Holy Knight. Your power and conviction... they remind me of the ideals I once believed in before I lost my way."

Issei sighed, scratching the back of his head. "Alright, Friesa. If you truly want to change, then I won't stop you. But know this: being a part of our group means you have to uphold the values we fight for. No more deception or cruelty."

Friesa nodded fervently. "I understand. I'll do my best to prove myself worthy."

With that, Issei helped her to her feet, and the two began to make their way through the prison, searching for any signs of Ban. The atmosphere was tense but hopeful, with Issei now accompanied by an unexpected ally.

However, after Issei unknowingly gains a follower, the prison starts to shake from something. Issei used a communication circle to talk to Diane from the outside. "Diane, what's going on over there? Did the captain find Ban yet!"

"Yes, but the captain and Sir Ban are having a reunion wrestling match," Diane said from the Boars Hat while enjoying some cooked food that she made herself while waiting for the others to return.

Issei and Friesa have deadpanned faces when they hear this. And responded as a normal person would.

"WHAT?!"

The prison then began to fall apart, forcing Issei to summon his wings and grab Friesa, who thanked him before he spoke to her.

"Hold tight!"

Friesa nodded as she latched on to his arms, and Issei took to the sky. When they got out, they noticed the backup, and the silver knight withdrew from the prison with the extra knights. Friesa looked at them with hatred for their cowardice. "Tch. Cowards."

"Well, with a prison falling apart after they must've sealed us in, then it's possible and makes sense they'd want to withdraw. Cowardly? Yes, but incredibly smart in their eyes." Issei said before he saw the rest of the prison fall to the ground, which surprised Issei at how much destruction two people were able to do in the Seven Deadly Sins until the dust settled. Issei flew down to the ground to see both Meliodas and Ban, who he assumed was Ban, lying on the ground, laughing as if they were old friends reuniting after so long.

"Good to see you, Captain."

"Good to see you too, Ban."

The two then shared a fist bump, which was interrupted by Issei walking towards them.

"Uh, as nice as this is, we should get moving," Issei said while gesturing to the damage around them, which made Meliodas snicker in amusement before the group then headed back to the Boars Hat.

Quest: Rescue the Sin of Greed Ban from Baste Prison. Competed!

Later in the evening...

Issei introduced Friesa to the group, explaining that for some reason, Friesa was now his 'follower, ' which made Meliodas and Ban laugh at his confused expression. At the same time, Elizabeth and Hawk welcomed her to the team, but with them being cautious since she was an enemy.

Diane was unsure of her, thinking Friesa was a rival for her captain's heart, and Ban was saying she had a nice body. Meliodas welcomes her to the team after hearing her vow to follow Issei, which worked for him, and that Issei was responsible for her, which Issei wasn't sure how to feel about since Friesa looked like she was around her mid-twenties.

[This is honestly amusing since I actually had a previous host who actually had a cult in his name, and granted, the perks were nice, but the devotion of some seemed a bit...off.]

'Is that similar to her case?' Issei asked while enjoying some water with Friesa, dressed as a maid for the tavern, until Ddraig replied.

[No. It seems that whatever you did to that necklace caused her to follow you as a subordinate, so I wouldn't see she's a crazy cultist but more of a devoted comrade.]

'That's good to hear. I think.' Issei said in response to his partner until Issei smiled at the party around him.

They all were celebrating Ban's return to the team with booze and good food prepared by both Ban and Issei. The two had created a rivalry to see which meals were better. They became good friends after trying each other's culinary arts.

Meliodas said that tomorrow, they would be heading to the Capital of the Dead. The rumor was that King died and was in that location. We're going to check it out to see if that is true or not.

Friesa watched the others from the back. 'These are the Seven Deadly Sins? I heard they were monsters in human flesh, and now they were cold and cruel to others, but seeing them now. They're nothing like the rumors describe them. They're people just like me and you, Jericho.'

Friesa looked at Issei chatting with Ban about more ideas to improve the quality and flavor of his meals. 'That guy, Issei Hyoudou. His aura and power are similar to that of a member of the Goddess Clan, and he was even able to purify the demon that was in the seal on his necklace.'

Friesa then decided to talk to the others. She walked beside Issei, beginning a bond that would shatter her fears, which was nice until the party ended and everyone was resting, all except Issei, who stayed up to take care of the dishes along with Friesa.

"I thank you for letting me follow you, Hyoudou-sama," Friesa said with Issei still a bit caught off guard by the new name for him until he let it be since he knew that Friesa was now devoted to him, which made Friesa happy as she nuzzled up to her master which Issei didn't mind since tomorrow would be another adventure.

Because now, it's time for a trip to the land of the Dead.

Scene!

Here we have the Baste Prison scene, and Issei has now gained a follower from Friesa, who will also undergo special training when the Demon Clan begins to appear once the battle of the Holy Knights has ended.

Oh, and as for Issei's new technique, Issei is being taught by Escanor how to use his power, but since Sunshine is a power from the Goddess Clan and the fact Issei has Ascalon with him, allows more of the Goddess Clan power to mix with Issei's transformation since in this story, Issei still hasn't been reincarnated into a Devil again.

See you all next time!