Happy Accident
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The Sins' Return Chapter 20: Happy Accident
(Que Seven Deadly Sins Ost "Sky Peace")
Today was the day. The following twilight shall be put down in history as the start of a real peace between the Biblical Factions, or the beginning of the end in another perpetual war. Truly, a lot was at stake and all of it was hanging by a delicate thread. Whatever the outcome of the summit, it would change not only the Biblical Factions but also the entire world, human and supernatural.
Throughout the day after school, Issei tried to enjoy himself for the rest of the day, hanging out with his parents, the ORC, Sirzechs, and the Gremory family in general. It was more accurate to state that the parents had much more fun getting loose over some wine and telling embarrassing stories of their kids. Issei and Asia could not hold back the occasional snickers seeing how Rias' skin glowed brighter than her hair.
But when morning came and the sun shined down to awaken Issei from his sleep, not even the comfort of Asia and Rias sleeping on either side of him could quell the troubling thoughts in his head. Not only will Issei have to be completely formal, but he had to be on top of his guard to protect any and all important officials from those who would see this summit lead to war. He put up genuine smiles and laughter with his friends and girlfriend(s), but on a deeper level Issei was alert. Yet, Asia seemed to look through him if her concerned expression was anything to go by.
Just one of the many aspects of the angel that Issei absolutely loved.
Not to mention her own personal quest to get more 'harem' sisters. If she wasn't so innocent, Issei would have sworn Akeno had corrupted his girlfriend.
That brings to the now where it was midday at the grounds of the ORC building. The peerages of Issei and Rias were put into a training regime that consisted of the two groups sparing with each other. For some, it was to hone their skills while fighting against their seniors in their craft. Such an example was the constant clap of steel as the Knights of Rias and Issei blurred across the area trading blows with their swords. While Murayama and Katae were naturally faster than Kiba and Xenovia, it served as a good training for the Knight of the Gremory to learn more about his new Sacred Gear and improve Xenovia's technique with Durandal.
For others, it was to practice into other fields that were being ignored. That was the tor- er, training that Rias had trapped herself in, currently fighting for her life. Her opponent was none other than Issei herself, who was using only close-quarters combat in the 'spar' and he wasn't holding back. The whole point on this training was to have Rias develop a means to defend herself without magic. When the fight started, Rias with Akeno for support had flown up in the air to blast magic down at Issei. They thought with the distance between them that they would have the massive advantage in the spar against the Sin of Lust. That was proven wrong as not once did Issei allow himself to get hit by lightning or spheres of destruction. In fact, in the ensuing dust cloud from the blast Issei used as cover the King and Queen duo never registered the speed of Issei flying into the air before striking them both down to earth.
It was the first lesson to both Rias and Akeno that magic can only get themselves so far if they neglect physical skills. And they were paying for such a lesson dearly in bruises, and Issei was not one to hold back. Neither did Meliodas as well in his own training with the Sin of Wrath. No matter how much magic they unleashed at Issei, he proved himself far quicker than they could track or in rather showy moves even split the attacks apart with a swing of his sword. Rias could not help but gulp imagining if he used Full Counter, and it hurt
Rias' pride in realization just using her bloodline will not always prove effective in combat.
Koneko and Gasper were doing physical conditioning to get him up to the dhamphir up to appropriate level to control Forbidden Balor View. The way Koneko was going about it for Gasper was using fear as a deterrent to push his body to the limit, which used a clove of garlic in the nekoshou's hands and chasing the dhamphir down with it. Issei considered to allow Gasper to drink his blood that was potent with magic, but Koneko promised the third King that her method was better. Though there was an alarming amount of mischief in the Yokai's voice.
The only an exception was Asia herself. Everyone knew that Asia in her very nature was too kind to ever cause harm of any kind to anyone. A true angel in spirit when she was born. Instead, her training consisted of increasing her effectiveness of her Sacred Gear by healing everyone from a distance. Thus, the only way the spar will end is when Asia reaches her limit or breaks it.
A loud thwack of a fist meeting flesh followed the red blur of Rias tumbling over the ground like a bouncing ball before crashing into a tree. The cause of such was a punch from Issei to Rias' cheek as shown with the small bruise just below Rias' lip. If it weren't for her strengthened body from awakening as a Super Devil, the damage would have been worse. It did not quell the hurt feelings of being punched by her lover, even if it was just a spar. The blow was the result of trying to contest with Issei in close quarters and failing spectacularly.
"Don't look so hurt, Rias-chan." Issei quipped from the field with a comforting smile. "Take it as a sign to get stronger than you can today."
Issei was more or less undamaged in the spar, and the only indication of the fight itself were stains of dirt on his blazer picked up from the magical blasts hitting the earth. Before anything else Issei could say, his left hand snapped to action to hold back a jab from Akeno aimed at his left side. His yellow eyes stared back at the violet orbs of the fallen angel, and unlike Rias had her sadist smile on. Her cheeks were flushed red in building arousal of being manhandled by Issei as well as her own rising sadistic tendencies from the fight. To her, Issei was the embodiment of her perfect S n' M fantasies with strong power and a well built body in one package. She dared not tell Rias of her wild fantasies lest she create heated competition for Issei's soon-to-be harem. All she needed was a little talk with Asia.
"You're thinking perverted thoughts, aren't you?" Issei inquired with mirth in his voice.
"Ara ara, what makes you think so, ero-kun?" Akeno responded with her smile as well as reminding him of his past infamy.
"Sin of Lust, remember?" Issei answered, kicking back Akeno to disengage the lock.
At that point, Rias reentered the fight deciding to fight with her fists instead of her magic. Issei saw the blow to his cheek coming, but allowed it to come. He could have easily dodged, but he needed to evaluate just how much Rias can put into a physical blow. Instead of evading the blow, Issei pulled a maneuver from boxing by angling his head in the same direction as the force of the blow. The hit connected to his cheek, but the Red Dragon Emperor did not budge an inch.
"Two things you are off, Rias-chan." Issei noted. "One, you have a good grasp on technique, but you sorely lack the physical need in the blow. And secondly-"
Issei paused as he gave Rias a 'light' uppercut to her chin, making the Gremory make half a dozen flips in the air. She landed back down to earth face down with her butt sticking out, all in an undignified manner.
"Did you catch any of that?" Issei wondered.
"… Hai…" Groaned Rias in pain and humiliation.
"I-," Issei paused again to focus on a quick exchange of blows with Akeno before flipping the girl around into the tops of the trees, "I am not saying that your physical weakness is, well, a weakness. There are other ways to substitute for that."
Rias pouted in annoyance. "Then what should do if my punches are going to be so - pathetic? Even Asia would beat me."
"Correction, she'd rather serve you cookies made from her pure essence of sweetness, ni-shi-shi." Issei quipped, remembering waking up once to Asia baking in the kitchen. "I'll give you a hint.
Your magic, the Power of Destruction, is meant to destroy all that is created, but it can also be shaped from the usual blast that you use.
Hasn't your brother shown you something like that?"
Issei left the Gremory to herself as his attention went back to Akeno, who had sent a lightning bolt that was deflected via the gauntlet of the Boosted Gear. With Issei distracted for the moment against the fallen angel, Rias was left alone to ponder on the topic. Her face scrunched up in momentary frustration of finding the lack of inspiration to use her powers on such a basic principal.
She then remembered back to her childhood when Sirzechs took his free time to dote on her. Her eyes snapped open in realization of one certain memory that showed her the Power of Destruction that they shared. Specifically, Rias remembered how Sirzechs shaped the Power of Destruction around his body like a second skin or an aura, and manifested tiny balls of compressed destruction into the palm of his hands with ease. It memorized Rias then like looking at a little puppy, wanting nothing more than to be like her 'cool' big brother.
Rias chuckled as she let the memory past. Those were times long ago, and she was different person then. Especially since she was more annoyed about Sirzechs doting on her like a siscon, but she still loved him all the same. Now she had a reason to thank him for once.
The Gremory Super Devil heiress picked herself to her feet in time to see her best friend get hurled through several trees that buried her under. Xulean joined in on the crucial opening of Issei's distraction, blurring at her King in a blur of blue to land a solid blow to his chest.
It was amazing to Rias how there wasn't a crater on Issei's chest but there was clear pain contorting on his face as well as the approving smile towards Xulean. That smile however caused Xulean to blush in embarrassment, slowing down her follow-up of high kick aimed at Issei's right cheek that he blocked by raising his right forearm. He then grabbed a hold of Xulean's raised heel, which Issei freely ogled the Chinese fighter's very sexy legs, before tossing her around a full arc. Upon release, Xulean tumbled over the ground like a tumbleweed in a hurricane and only stopped when she used her incredible Rook strength to anchor her limbs into the dirt.
But as soon as Issei had thrown Xulean, Rias had covered the distance between herself and the Red Dragon Emperor. Her wings were unveiled in a fast beat for extra speed and she was now producing an intense crimson glow around herself. She had managed to control her Power of Destruction in a malleable state, but her increased reserves as a Super Devil proved that she needed to reeducate herself to control her power. Nevertheless, this was a small victory to Rias with the modicum of control she can wrestle, expressed in the way she rushed closer to Issei by the second that the aura of power around her was coalescing in her right hand.
Issei was on guard as he sensed the alarming spike of power that Rias was generating. Officially she was High-class, but her awakened status as a Super Devil pushed her actual standing at Ultimate-class. There was potential within to match or surpass her brother, the Crimson Lucifer, a devil who put the fear in entire pantheons in the past. He can't be the one to truly bring her power out, but at least he can guide her on the correct path such as what this training entailed focusing on physical attributes. His stance was ready with his arms forward ready to block Rias will sent when it comes.
It was to his surprise and with pride in Rias that the Gremory fainted the blow at the last moment and sent her left fist forward for a jab to his torso. She was still too slow, making it possible for Issei to angle his right forearm to block the left fist covered in crimson energy.
Neither of them ever anticipated the problem if Rias put too much magic in her fist.
When her left fist came in contact with the crimson gauntlet on Issei's forearm, a bang of an explosion rattled the entire ORC grounds. All sparring stopped as eyes turned to the scene of a large cloud of black smoke where Rias and Issei once stood. The Gremory herself was blasted back a few feet with soot dirtying her clothes that had been ripped into from the force. Issei on the other hand was nowhere in sight, but in his previous direction was a path of destruction scarring the ground and uprooted trees for as far as tens of meters. In the distance was a pillar of smoke where supposedly Issei crashed.
"ISSEI-KUN!" Screamed Akeno, Asia, Xulean, and Rias as they processed the morbid fact the target of their affections was the one who was plowed across the earth in a violent manner.
While the former three sprinted down the path to recover Issei, Rias stood shock stiff as she looked at her shaking hands. She had done that to him, and the thought alone of harming her precious Issei was bringing tears to her eyes. The Gremory barely kept her priorities in check and chased after the others with the Knights taking the lead to find Issei. Rias' only hope on the matter is that her Issei-kun wasn't too hurt from her own power.
The closer Rias came upon the crash site, the more her hopes seemed to dwindle at the destruction left behind. At the end was a cluster of burnt trees piled on one spot in particular. Xulean and Koneko were quickly (the former more frantically for her love interest) heavy-lifting the trunks from the pile to find the bottom while Murayama, Katase, and Kiba hacked them down to smaller parts. At the bottom they found Issei still conscious but sporting burns on the right side of his body and the rest covered in bleeding wounds from the crash. Then there was horrid fact that his right arm was completely blown off from Rias' punch enhanced by the Power of Destruction, and she had to hold her mouth to prevent herself from sobbing. After all, she had done this to him.
Asia wasted no time to bring out the full power of Twilight Healing she could muster to heal Issei's injuries. The burns and gashes that marred most of his body mended away, replaced by healthy skin.
Unfortunately, it could do nothing for the stump below his elbow to reveal red flesh. Eventually, Issei gained a semblance to use his voice with his first words coming out only as a few groans.
"Agh… that was pleasant. " Issei groaned, causing his lovers to widen in horror that he was trying to pick himself up.
"Issei, please don't move so much!" Pleaded Asia as she tried to lightly push the Sin of Lust down.
"Hey, I am," Issei said, holding in a grimace of pain racking through his body, "well, I'm mostly okay, so there's nothing to worry about."
Everyone around Issei were in shock how nonchalant he was concerning his injuries. None were more so than Rias herself who looked at Issei with conflicting emotions of relief and anger. Relief that Issei was more or less fine mentally, but angry at the same time that he was brushing off the severity of his injuries, especially losing his arm. By all accounts, Rias wanted Issei to be mad at her for doing this to him in the first place.
"Nothing!?" Rias muttered, but with each syllable the volume of her voice rose. "You call this nothing!? You-You-You - You should be pissed off! You look almost dead in the grave and you should be angry at me for doing that to you!"
Issei tilted his head. "Why should I be angry at you? It's not your fault."
"Not my fault!?" Screeched Rias, unable to stop the tears from flowing. "Of course it's my fault. I almost killed you with that stupid stunt! I blew your arm off! It's your right that you - you-"
"Hate you!?" Issei finished Rias' sentence, who to the Gremory's shock was right in front of her with his left hand holding her chin tenderly. "I don't think I can hate you, Rias. This was just a mistake, nothing else. In fact, we can just take in the fact that you've come up with an impressive way to help yourself in a fist fight, and I can't argue with the results."
"Those results have your arm gone." Rias cried.
Issei gestured to his stump. "Oh this? It's been a while since that's happened."
"Eh?" Was the logical response from everyone else around Issei.
"Watch and you'll see." Issei gave his vague answer. The devils tensed as they felt Issei's demonic spike to alarmingly levels and a shroud of pure darkness seeped off his body like smoke. Issei has his eyes closed in concentration to focus his demonic energy and opened them when a scar-like black mark formed over his right eye. From his stump, pure darkness took semiphysical manifestation that almost looked alive. It slithered to far right of Issei to the intact forest around them. The peerages followed the line of sight the slither of darkness was going and had to hold in their lunch to find the rest of Issei's right arm still bearing the right gauntlet of the Boosted Gear.
All except Issei watched as the darkness attached to the stump of the limb and the fingers suddenly came back to life. Like reeling in a fish, the darkness quickly slithered back to Issei's stump along with the forearm it attached to. The result was the forearm returning to its original place as though it was never blown off in the first place.
There wasn't even any scaring of the previous damage and Issei tested the hand and the fingers of his attached forearm to find it in perfect condition.
"See? Everything's okay." Issei assured, dismissing the right gauntlet to show the undamaged forearm.
Katase gagged. "Issei, that was just gross."
"I almost lost my lunch right there, even if you got your arm back." Murayama added, holding her stomach.
"Sorry about that, ni-shi-shi." Said Issei, rubbing the back of his head.
"Issei," Said Rias with narrowed eyes, "just what was that regeneration? Is that part of your demon part of you? How did that even happen?"
"Guess I do owe you an explanation." Issei replied, his words getting the attention of the devils. "Well first off, I am not fully a demon. I don't have seven hearts. Just the regeneration and the potent demonic power. As for how these changes have happened, it is all thanks to this."
Issei pointed his left index finger to the mark going over his right eye. When the devils made eye contact with the mark, they felt a strange pull towards it. It felt deep down in their blood they knew what this mark represented, and that brought a very minor and alien feeling of worship. Their very blood was calling out to it. But for Asia and Akeno, they felt a very cold chill run down their spines trying to look at it as though they were cornered by a predator.
"What… is that?" Akeno asked without her usual tone.
"We both know of the death of Yahweh and Satan, right?" Issei said.
"I've known about it for quite some time. What people don't know is that Satan was more… stubborn to keep down."
Rias' eyes widend in trepidation. "What do you mean, Issei-kun?"
Issei rubbed his chin in thought. "Look at Ruby-san. Yahweh is dead unfortunately, no doubt about that, yet not completely dead as in his entire being ceased to exist. While his soul and body are nonexistent, his power remained in Heaven which then manifested in Ruby that made her the new Biblical Goddess, at least soon-to-be. Satan, on the other hand, lost his body, but his soul and power remained.
"Satan's still alive!?" Squeaked Asia in fear, the fact alone of the Heretical God being alive making her body shake.
"Yes and no." Issei said, catching confused expressions. "He can still 'exist' for lack of a better word, but he can't truly come back. That is because in the final battle when Satan's body was destroyed by both Yahweh and Trihexa, Meliodas had the Heretical God's soul and power split into ten fragments. These fragments were to be kept far away from each other as to prevent themselves from merging onto one single vessel. The more people involved, the safer we are. In time, these fragments were given the name the Ten Commandments.
"And I hold one of the ten as its living host to keep it back." Issei said, gesturing to the mark again. "Mine is the Commandment of Selflessness. By holding it, my body has become partially demon like and I gain its abilities. Anyone in my presence that openly displays selfish acts will lose their emotions, memories, and their very self. It is a very dangerous ability I never want to use."
"That is… quite the burden." Kiba commented. "You must be very brave, Issei-san."
Issei put on a sad smile. "Nah, I'm not. I was just a stupid kid who was too full of himself one day… Now enough about that. How about we just call it a day? Maybe some good food from yours truly to relieve the stress?"
Like shattering glass, all of that tension was gone by those simple words. Smiles and some giggles filled the area where once was worry for the person in question. The aspect of food also cued a few stomachs to growl in anticipation.
"You know what, I could use a bite." Rias sighed with her wonderful smile back in place.
"… Senpai makes really good food." Koneko said, her eyes never leaving Issei like a pet demanding her owner to give her food.
"I-I would like to try Issei's cooking." Said Gasper timidly, making Issei shiver slightly.
It still freaked them out that the dhamphir was a trap.
"You still suck with your Sacred Gear." Koneko deadpanned, as the whole training session did nothing for Gasper's control.
"C'mon, let's just get back to the ORC and I'll whip us something up." Issei said taking the lead of the group back to the ORC building.
"Now that was a wonderful sight." A deep voice of masculinity spoke when they arrived back at the building. "You sure have a way of words, Issei-kun."
The ORC snapped to action in practiced form. Kiba, Xenovia, Murayama, Katase took the front with their swords drawn with the Rooks standing beside them. Issei whipped out Herrit with Rias and Akeno summoning their magic to blast whatever was in front of them. Asia and Gasper stayed in the very back with the latter ready to cast barrier spells to protect everyone.
Though all that preparation for a supposed ambush proved to be a wasted effort when the target they were seconds from obliterating was just one man. A very familiar man to Issei who sported black hair with golden bangs and a goatee wearing a black yukata, sporting a sweat drop at the open hostility literally aimed towards him. The only reason they didn't drop their guard was because the man had twelve wings on display, revealing himself as one of the most powerful fallen angels. Issei knew exactly who it was since he had been temporarily contracted to him.
"Erh, peace?" The fallen angel said with his hands up in mock surrender.
Issei sighed. "Azazel."
The moment Issei uttered the name, multiple faces went pale at the realization they had almost attacked the leader of the Grigori. In a blur that put teleportation to shame, weapons and magic were dismissed and the devils and one fallen angel were awkwardly whistling as if nothing happened. Issei sweat dropped at his comrades' reaction to Azazel though he was partially at fault here as well. Then again, it wasn't a good idea to sneak up on him like that.
'I didn't even sense him at all.' Thought Issei.
It earned to Azazel's reputation that not only was he powerful but also had the capability to mask his presence. While the man was smiling and being friendly, Issei knew better that the man was even more dangerous than any of them can handle. The battle with Kokabiel showed how huge the gap was between himself and any ten-winged Biblical entity. Kokabiel with his twelve wings proved stronger than Azazel, but the chance of victory with Balance Breaker was slim.
"A bit too jumpy, don't you think?" Azazel noted playfully.
Issei sighed. "What do you want, Azazel?"
"C'mon, Issei." Azazel said. "Lighten up with your fellow pervert. We were drinking bodies for a week."
"Meliodas does not have a high opinion of you, and that is hard to do." Issei said with a blank look.
"It was just that one time I forgot to pay him back." Azazel whined.
"Still isn't honest business, and we at the Boar Hat only deal with honest business." Issei said. "That also includes paying up bets, That you still owe."
"Fine." Azazel relented in defeat. "Besides saying hello to the Red Dragon Emperor, I came here on the curiosity on the Gremory Knight. Specifically, this new Longinus Sacred Gear that you have, Kiba was it?"
Kiba's eyes widened in alarm. "How did you know?"
"I have my resources and secrets, my little devil friend." Azazel said cryptically. "C'mon. Satiate my curiosity and show me what this new Longinus can do."
Kiba looked to the others for some sort of answer to this dilemma of either showing Azazel his abilities or not. Most of them had nervous expressions directed towards Azazel, and some being borderline hostile in the event of an attack such as the stances Murayama, Katase, Xenovia, and Xulean were taking in advance. It was the nod from Issei that gave the answer to Kiba, and decided to flare his new weapon but not too much.
Magic surged off his palms like lightning as Kiba delved into the shared memories of all the past wielders that have glimpsed famed blades of history. All such experiences meshed together in a world inside of Kiba, but at the same time he could perceive it in anyway.
But the world within him that held no name - yet - answered his call with a blade of minor fame. One that held power above average but not so much to tax on Kiba's magic reserves or give Azazel too much into what he can do.
Kiba's hands automatically held as if holding a two-handed sword, but the air around glittered as his magic condensed and took form.
From the particles of magic created a golden handle in Kiba's hands that then grew out into a western style guard made of pure gold. A long blade extended forth over four feet in length. The magic Kiba summoned dispersed to reveal a two-handed blade in all of its glory.
The devils around him tensed feeling the subtle holy aura it produced, but not so much to be on the level of the Excalibur fragments. Even when it just created, Kiba not only knew the blade's name but the skill of the blade's history was traced into his muscle memory.
"I believe this a sufficient showcase." Kiba said, hiding his smug smirk at Azazel's widened eyes.
"So it's true…" Azazel muttered, holding out his hand. "If I may hold it?"
Reluctantly, Kiba set the copied blade into Azazel's hands to study.
His eyes darted frantically over every inch of the magically made craft as well as using magic to properly analyze its properties.
"Incredible." Azazel said after finishing his study of the construct. "I know this blade too. Joyeuse, the same blade Emperor Charlemagne wielded. If I didn't have the real one at the Grigori, I would swear this is the real deal. To copy weapons of legend at such a detail. Do you have any limits to what you can copy, Kiba-san?"
Kiba shrugged. "As long as I have enough magic, I don't I have."
"I'd say your Sacred Gear is worth you visiting me at the Grigori for me to study." Azazel said, then worried at the cautious reaction at the implication. "I mean it as a friendly gesture. That stuff with those rogues is not my fault and I don't condone such action."
The fallen angel quickly checked a watch on his left wrist only to widen his eyes at full alert. He was late to a damn meeting, and he knew if he doesn't get back to HQ quick Shemhazai was going to rip him a new one for his tardiness. Its not his damn fault that he likes studying Sacred Gears.
"Well, I best get back before I cause a fuss back home." Azazel concluded, taking flight into the sky. "Take care."
With a single beat of his twelve wings, Azazel sped off with a sonic boom and a second later disappeared in a magic circle. With his presence gone, the devils, one fallen angel, and pure angel visibly relaxed. Except for Issei who was strangely glaring at the spot he disappeared.
"That bastard still owes the Boar Hat our fucking money!"
I was honestly not expecting how long this chapter was going to be in this single segment. Still I finally got this chapter out for everyone. I am working my ass off to get chapters for every popular fic with chapters upcoming for Rose Dragon Empress, Shin Yokai, and The Sins' Return again.
Up next is Chapter 21: Ascalon by Wings of Sunshine
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