Ch. 26: Holy Sword Excalibur
"TIME TO DIE!" Freed rushed at Yumi with his Excalibur, who blocked with her own blade.
As lightning rumbled in the sky, both of them tried to overpower the other with their blades. Freed cackled with his tongue hanging out as Yumi glared with her teeth gritted.
"Hasn't anyone told you to heed the faces you make? We wouldn't want our pretty little princess getting stuck that way! Luckily our Excalibur isn't picky. IT'S SIMPLY HUNGRY FOR YOUR BLOOD!"
"That's enough, freak!" Yumi said as she pushed Freed back.
"Now there's a tone of voice I never thought I'd hear come out of you. Good job!" Freed taunted.
"HOLY ERASER!" Yumi's sword sent out multiple dark tendrils that wrapped around Freed's Excalibur, only for the Holy Sword to glow and purge the tendrils.
"That was cute. You win some, you lose some. Nice try, kid."
"Whatever. It was just a test. I wanted to see if that sword was real," Yumi retorted. "Thanks for giving me the license to destroy you, and your sword!"
Yumi then charged at Freed, striking ferociously, only for Freed to block them all without much effort.
"That's the spirit! Get 'em, Tiger!" Freed mocked. Then, he swung the Excalibur to cut a gash on Yumi's arm, causing her to fall to her knees while screaming in pain. "Aw, someone forgot to warn you. This Holy Sword absolutely despises Devils. Phooey."
"Shut up! I'm not done yet!" Yumi got up and kicked Freed's feet out from underneath him.
"That's cheating!" Freed complained as Yumi got ready to strike again.
"That's what Devils do!" Yumi brought her Holy Eraser down, but Freed managed to avoid it in time.
"Nice move, kiddo," Freed said, then suddenly, a communication magic circle appeared next to his ear. "Oh shit."
Yumi used the distraction to charge at Freed one more time, but he again dodged effortlessly.
"I hate to cut this short, but someone more important is calling! It's been fun. That's all, folks!" Freed then threw a flashbang to blind Yumi.
As the light died down, Yumi was left alone with Freed nowhere in sight.
"Morning is here! Morning is here! Morning i-!"
In his bedroom, Izuku awoke with a groan as the sun's rays hit his face. "So heavy…" Still half-asleep, he turned over to his side, where he discovered the sleeping face of a nude Rias in front of him. He then fully snapped awake and managed to keep himself from screaming.
He quietly tried to get up, only to realize that he couldn't move his legs; it felt like something long and scaly was wrapped around them. He looked to his other side to find an also-nude, sleeping Asia, with her snakelike lower body coiled around his legs, explaining why he couldn't move them.
"W-W-W-W-W-What!?" He gasped. Not only was he surrounded by both slumbering girls in their birthday suits from both sides, but he couldn't even get up to get out of this situation. And then, the argument from last night came back to him, which ended with both girls coming to a compromise that they both sleep with him.
"Good morning, Izuku," Rias greeted as she woke up.
"Did you sleep okay?" Asia asked as she also woke up.
"U-U-Uh, y-yeah…" a stuttering Izuku nodded. "A-A-Also, Asia, y-your tail…"
Asia, realizing that her lower body was wrapped tight around Izuku's legs, uncoiled her tail from the boy with a bashful smile. And then, she realized something. "We should go get breakfast started! It's already late!"
"Oh right!" Rias said as she wrapped herself up with the blanket. "Thanks again. We'll talk to you later."
"I hope we didn't keep you from something important," Asia said as she put on her nightgown.
The girls left, leaving Izuku alone with his thoughts.
[Yo! Izuku!]
"Oh, Ddraig, hey!" Izuku spoke to the green glowing gem on his hand.
[I know you've got a lot on your mind: the Sports Festival, All Might's offer, and the thing that just happened now… But I need to give you a warning.]
"About what?" Izuku asked.
[I've felt a strong spiritual presence surrounding you lately. It's made me nervous and I can't sleep.]
"That's probably Rias," Izuku assumed. She's been… a lot closer lately…"
[It's not your buddies. I don't even notice them anymore.]
"Are you saying there's an enemy close by?" Izuku asked.
[I'm saying be careful. You never know when the White One will decide to make an unexpected appearance. And when that day comes, having One For All could surely benefit you.]
"The White One? That sounds intense. What does it mean?"
[The White Dragon Emperor, Vanishing Dragon Albion.]
"Who's the Vanishing Dragon?" The sound of that name caused Izuku to feel tense.
[During the time of the Great War between the Angels, Fallen Angels, and Devils, there was another battle being waged between two Dragons: myself and Albion. Our fights were so intense, to the point we occasionally got caught up in the war between the Three Factions. We became known as the Two Heavenly Dragons.]
"Why were you two fighting?" Izuku asked.
[Good question. It's been so long that we don't even remember. Eventually, the Three Factions got tired of our interference and they actually joined forces to take us down.]
"The Three Factions actually teamed up against you and Albion?"
[Yes. And I and Albion retaliated against God, the Devil Kings, and Fallen Angel leader Azazel, for disrupting our battle. But ultimately, our physical bodies were destroyed, and our souls sealed into Sacred Gears. Since then, those with our Sacred Gears have been destined to fight each other.]
"You mean I'm gonna have to fight whoever has the Vanishing Dragon within them someday?" Izuku gulped.
[That's assuming the other lives until then. There were some rare instances where either one of our hosts lived their entire lives without meeting the other. When either of our hosts dies, the dragon becomes inactive for a while, waiting until a new wielder of his Gear is born. This has been a repeating cycle for countless years.]
Izuku looked down, deep in thought as he asked, "If the White One were to appear right now, do you think I can fight him?"
[Depends on how powerful they'll be, but honestly, the odds that you'll last long are next to none, especially since you don't even have Balance Breaker.]
"Balance Breaker? And what do I need to do to get it?"
[A Balance Breaker is the state when a Sacred Gear's power can be fully unleashed. And for your second question, there's no definite answer. But overall, it often responds to the wielder's emotions and their hearts.]
Izuku took in everything he just learned. Looks like things were about to get hectic in his life.
Later, over at U.A., students were arriving one after another, and among the crowd were Sona Sitri, and her Queen, Tsubaki Shinra. As they got close, Sona suddenly closed the book she was reading.
"Sona. Look," Tsubaki gestured in the distance; there were the two Exorcists, eyeing the two Devils. What really caught their eye was the object wrapped in cloth, hanging from the blue-haired girl's back.
"A Holy Sword…" Sona recognized the object.
Later after school, the ORC members arrived at the clubroom, all except one.
"Where's Yumi?" Izuku asked.
"Looks like somebody decided to take the entire day off. Must be nice," Koneko commented.
"I hope she's okay," Asia said.
"So do you think this has anything to do with what we talked about yesterday?" Izuku asked Rias, to which she nodded with a sigh.
"So what does Yumi have to do with the Holy Swords?" Izuku asked.
"Do you remember me telling you before about how she was a survivor of the Holy Sword Project?"
"For sure," Izuku responded.
"What I didn't tell you was that there were several other children involved. They were all being raised to use an Excalibur," Rias explained. "As of right now, there are seven Holy Swords that are known by the name Excalibur. Long ago, pieces of the original Excalibur were scattered during a war."
"What? Seven?" Izuku asked.
"That's right. It was the Church that tracked down and collected all of those pieces. They then used alchemy to create seven entirely new swords."
"So does that mean Yumi is able to use all of them?" Izuku asked.
"Actually, no it does not. She never adapted to Excalibur's strength. In fact, none of those who were ever trained ever could. The entire project failed," Rias revealed.
"Completely?" Asia asked.
"Yes," Rias answered. "So those in charge of the project decided to dispose of Yumi and the other test subjects."
Izuku did not like where this was heading. "Dispose? Like, kill?"
"They were already on the verge of death. However, one child was able to escape. Her motivation in staying alive was a promise to herself that she would someday get revenge," Rias thought back to the day she met Yumi. "I felt that such a passion could be used in a meaningful way and wanted to help. There was but a single solution."
"So that's the reason you made Yumi a Devil. And why she was weird when she looked at that picture," Izuku realized.
"We'll just have to wait and see what happens next," Rias smiled, trying to change the mood.
Then, the door opened, and Sona and Tsubaki entered.
"Sona? What brings you here?" Rias asked.
"We have something urgent to discuss. Rias, would you mind coming with me to my house right away, please?" Sona requested. "This isn't something you're going to want to discuss in front of a lot of people. Trust me."
"You make it sound like a complicated situation," Rias commented.
"It is. Very complicated," Sona confirmed. "I also called for Latia, she'll meet us there."
Hearing this, Rias's expression became very serious.
Soon, the younger members of the ORC left U.A. school grounds.
"Was it just me, or did you think Sitri was acting weird, too?" Izuku asked.
"Yeah, maybe," Asia said.
"She sounded really serious," Ravel said.
"What do you think about it, Koneko?" Izuku asked.
"Don't know. It's not like there's anything wrong with Rias talking to someone. However, I guess I'm more worried right now about what's going on with Yumi."
"Yeah, actually, I am, too," Izuku said. "I know what Rias told us, but still. I feel like we should try and help out somehow. Not because I feel obligated, or because I'm training to be a Hero, but because we're friends."
"I'm sure she can take care of herself," Ravel said. "Maybe she needs space right now?" Then, a traffic light changed to green, allowing the two middle schoolers to cross the street. "Well, see you tomorrow. Take care."
"…See you," Koneko said.
"See you," Izuku said.
"Bye! See you tomorrow!" Asia waved.
"Koneko and Akeno chose this as well," Izuku said.
"What?" Asia asked.
"Oh, I was just wondering why they decided to become Devils, too. Surely they had reasons like the rest of us."
At Sona's house, Rias and Akeno entered a sauna with towels covering their naked bodies.
"Haven't been here in a long time," Rias smiled as she removed her towel.
"Really? Did you used to come a lot?" Akeno asked as she also disrobed.
"In the past, Rias, Sona, and I came here together all the time so we could tell each other secrets," Latia said as she entered with Chacha beside her.
"This sauna was installed for my personal use," Sona revealed as she entered next, handing her towel to Tsubaki.
"The space is directly connected to Sona's stronghold, which means if it's closed, no one else will be able to enter," Tsubaki added.
"That's some high-level privacy," Chacha commented.
"Well, that explains how you could tell your secrets here," Akeno said.
"All I did was complain about getting in trouble with my mom. Silly stuff like that," Rias giggled. "And I think Sona only ever complained about her sister."
"And I complained a lot about how I wished I had siblings too," Latia added.
"Oh my. I didn't realize the three of you were so close," Akeno teased.
"That's all in the past, now," Sona said with a faint blush.
"True. So then, what are we here to discuss this time?" Rias asked. "Something tells me this secret's a good one."
"This morning, two people from the Church contacted us," Tsubaki began.
"Contacted how?" Chacha asked.
"It's been a while since they came to this town," Latia commented.
"Did they tell you what they wanted?" Rias asked.
"They did. Rias, they said they wanted to speak with you and that it was urgent," Sona answered.
Said girl gasped. "Members of the Church want to speak with a Devil?" She narrowed her eyes. "What are they up to? There's no other reason for them to be here except to stir up trouble."
"What do you want to do, Rias?" Sona asked as she wiped her glasses.
Rias closed her eyes in thought, going over her options. "If I ignore them, we could have some problems, but what if I accept their request, and the whole thing turns out to be a trap? What if things get so bad that it starts another Great War?! Things just got really complicated…" As she continued to mumble, Sona, Tsubaki, and Latia all blinked in confusion at the sight, while Akeno and Chacha were reminded of a certain green-haired boy.
"Uh, Rias…?" Latia asked.
Rias was snapped out of it and looked at her friend, blinking as she realized that they were staring at her. "What?"
"Looks like Izuku's been rubbing off on you," Akeno giggled.
The red-haired devil flustered up immediately, realizing what she meant. "I was-"
"Yes," Akeno answered. Chacha felt a bit jealous that Rias must've spent a lot of time with Izuku for her to catch one of his habits, but remained silent.
Rias's blush seemed to grow as the other Devils giggled. "I wasn't aware that Midoriya's mumbling habit was contagious," Sona smiled.
"Let's focus on our main topic," Latia said. "So, what's the call?"
"I'll meet with them. Tomorrow after school will be fine. If they're willing to formally meet with a Devil, then the circumstances might be serious," Rias sighed.
"I'll inform them of your answer," Sona nodded. "But there is one other thing you need to be aware of."
"They were also carrying Holy Swords," Tsubaki informed.
"Wow, really?" Chacha asked.
"Well, that is certainly something to consider then," Latia said.
"Why would they come to this town? Maybe members of the Church are from this area?" Rias wondered.
Suddenly the picture of Izuku, his childhood friend, and the Holy Sword, flashed in her mind, making her gasp. "No way…!"
Izuku and Asia were about ready to enter the apartment when they suddenly stopped, a feeling of dread washing over them.
"I just got the chills for some reason," Asia muttered.
"Yeah, I know what you mean," Izuku added. It was coming from his home, and it was a feeling very familiar to him. "Actually, now that I think about it, I recognize this feeling from before."
"How?" Asia asked.
"It was when I met you, and you were showing me around the church. And also…" The image of Freed's psychotic grin came to mind. "My mom!"
Izuku quickly rushed inside, followed by Asia. "Mom!" Izuku called out as soon as he entered.
Inko looked back at him with a bewildered look. "Izuku? What's that sour face for?" Inko looked perfectly fine, much to his confusion and relief. With her were two girls around his age, both of them draped in white robes.
The one on the left had chin-length blue hair with a green fringe on the right side with dark yellow eyes. Next to her was a large something that was covered in white cloth. It looked very much like a sword. The one on the right had chestnut-colored hair tied in twin tails held by blue scrunchies, purple eyes, and a white armband on her sleeve. Izuku couldn't help but think that she looked familiar.
What bothered him most was the large covered-up thing and the armband that they both had with them. And the fact that the thing the blue-haired girl had with her looked very much like a sword put him on instant standby, especially after learning about the Holy Swords the other night. Izuku raised his guard as Asia hung close to him.
"It's been a while, hasn't it, Ikkun?" The chestnut-haired girl greeted. "How could you forget this face? It's me!"
'Ikkun?' Izuku blinked. Suddenly, gears started turning in his head. There was only one person who called him Ikkun. And she had chestnut hair and purple eyes too. The green-haired teen's jaw dropped. The girl, Irina Shidou, offered a kind smile.
"I-Icchan?!" He exclaimed, feeling a mixture of emotions well up inside of him. She was more girly now compared to the tomboyish kid he remembered her as.
"I know! She looks so different!" Inko showed the photo of Izuku and Irina as kids. "But look at her now! She's positively gorgeous, isn't she?"
"U-Uh, y-yeah…" Izuku stuttered. "W-What b-bring you back h-here?"
"Still a nervous wreck with girls, huh, Ikkun?" Irina teased. "We should catch up. I'm amazed at how much everything's changed, you especially, Ikkun. I'm happy you're finally becoming a Hero! A lot has happened to both of us in the time we've been apart."
What Irina said put Izuku on edge, especially when he noticed Irina's companion narrowing her eyes at him. 'Oh crap…' he silently cursed, realizing they knew he was a Devil.
"Ah! Irina!" Inko suddenly said, unintentionally disrupting the tension. "I forgot to ask about your friend. Who is she?"
"Oh! Silly me," Irina said, gesturing toward her blue-haired partner. "This is Xenovia, she's a friend of mine who transferred from Italy a while back."
The other girl, Xenovia, turned her face to Inko and gave a small nod. "It's a pleasure ma'am," she said before looking at Irina. "Irina, we should leave now. It's starting to get dark."
"Oh, it's that time already?" Irina frowned, looking over at the kitchen clock. "It's been so long since I've been to Japan so I guess I felt nostalgic. Unfortunately, I'm only visiting for a few days so I'll try and come to see you again before I go."
"Oh, that's too bad," Inko frowned sadly before smiling again. "In any case, say hi to your parents for me."
"That's a promise! And please say hi to Uncle Hisashi for me too! Let's get going, Xenovia," Irina smiled back as she turned to leave through the front door. Xenovia nodded, taking her large baggage and hefting it over her shoulder. As she passed by Izuku, she gave one last glance at him.
The moment Rias got home, she pulled Izuku and Asia into a tight hug. "I'm so glad you're home, safe! I'm so sorry, I should've paid more attention to both of you! I was terrified of what I might find when I came back here today. I'm thankful I worried for nothing. I promise to keep a better eye on each of your whereabouts from now on."
Izuku's head began steaming from being pressed into Rias's cleavage. "U-Uh, R-R-Rias…"
"What is it?"
"Y-Your b-b…"
"Of course, I understand," Rias said as she let them go before she started to undo her necktie. "Oh Izuku, do you know how much I spoil you?" After the necktie, she was about to unbutton her shirt.
"You can't do that!" Asia suddenly interrupted.
Izuku felt a bit of gratitude toward Asia for her intervention.
Rias cleared her throat to speak. "Why were the Exorcists in there, talking to your mother?"
"No clue, maybe Icchan wanted to catch up and show me how girly she is now?" Izuku guessed. "They never said why they were there."
"That's fine. I honestly don't know what they're planning, but perhaps we can ask them tomorrow," Rias said.
"Tomorrow?" Izuku asked.
"They'll be visiting the clubroom tomorrow, after school."
Then, Hisashi came in. "Hey, kids. I heard what's going on. And I also heard other things from Inko. There are Exorcists in this city, and one of them happens to be little Irina, all grown up, wish I were here earlier to say hi." Then his expression became serious. "But of course, you never know what's gonna happen. If you want, I'll join you tomorrow, in case something happens."
"I appreciate it, thank you," Rias replied.
Later, Izuku was out on another contract. He was thankful as he could take his mind off the business with the Church. Right now, Izuku was out fishing with his client, who was the same new guy from a few days ago. Leaning forward, Izuku let out a sigh.
"What's the matter, Devil Boy?" Izuku's client asked.
"Oh, sorry. I've just got a lot on my mind right now," Izuku apologized.
"It's a bit unusual to see a Devil looking so worried, isn't it?" The man said. "Things in this world usually turn out the way you want them to. Stress about the future is a waste of time. Just wait it out a bit. Things'll change." Then, he noticed Izuku's line being tugged. "Oh. Looks like you've got a bite on that hook! Pull it in."
Izuku, hearing the man, pulled his line back and reeled in a decent-sized trout, amazed at his catch. "Wow, I didn't think I'd catch something like this here!"
"See? Just being patient can help bring about the best result." The older man chuckled, standing from his seat and grabbing a bucket. Izuku quickly unhooked it, tossing it inside. "Thanks for your help."
"Ah, it's nothing. Though I'm surprised all you really want from our contracts is to hang out," Izuku admitted with a chuckle.
"I'm just happy to have company. It's nice to hang out with someone your age," the man said. "Well, we're done here. You're free to go."
"Okay. Thanks for having me, sir. I'll see you later," Izuku nodded, disappearing into a magic circle.
The man watched him disappear with a small smile.
The next day after school at the ORC clubroom, the meeting began. All ORC members were present; tensions were in the air, and the biggest source happened to be Yumi, who had returned, having found out about the meeting somehow.
Izuku could see all the anger, hatred, and bitterness on Yumi's face and knew exactly where they were directed. He would be lying if he said he wasn't worried about Yumi's emotional state.
Xenovia and Irina were seated on the sofa across the table from Rias, with the latter's servants all standing behind her. Hisashi was also present, sitting in a chair by the table in between the two groups; Irina was pleased to see him after so long, and he returned a happy greeting.
"Thank you for agreeing to speak with us today. My name is Xenovia," Xenovia introduced herself.
"And I'm Irina Shidou!" Irina smiled and introduced herself as well.
"It's fascinating to me why followers of God would want to meet with a Devil," Rias said, with one leg crossed over the other.
"It does seem random," Irina noted. "Here's the thing: There are six Excaliburs we can account for. Three of them are still with the Church, but we happen to know that the other three were stolen by Fallen Angels."
This resulted in surprised gasps from the ORC. "You sure about that?" Izuku asked.
Rias frowned. "To think that something like this is going on inside my territory. I find it hard to believe that mere thieves would be able to steal some of the Church's most valuable treasures. Do you know how the culprit was able to steal them?"
"We're still investigating, but we do know who the culprits are. A rogue Exorcist named Freed Sellzen, working under the orders of Kokabiel, a Cadre of the Grigori of the Fallen Angels."
Rias narrowed her eyes. "The Angel of the Stars, one of the survivors of the Great War recorded in the Bible. He's hiding in this city?"
Irina nodded. "Yes. And since Kokabiel is one of the most dangerous Fallen Angels, we've been allowed to use two of the remaining Excalibur pieces for our mission," she said, regarding her armband while Xenovia lifted her package.
"These are from the ones we have left," Xenovia said as she unraveled the white cloth from her large packaging, revealing a two-handed sword with a cross in the pommel, a grip long enough that could be held with three hands, an ax-like guard, a second grip with a chain-like form, and a long blade that ended with three points. "This weapon is mine. It's called Excalibur Destruction, the Holy Sword of Destruction. As the name implies, this Excalibur piece is the most destructive out of all seven. This sword is under Catholic supervision."
"And there's the one I have here…" Irina popped in as she pulled her armband. As soon as she did, it instantly morphed into a katana. "…It's known as Excalibur Mimic, the Holy Sword of Mimicry. Its unique feature is that it can change shape to almost anything you like. It's normally kept under the watch of the Protestant Church."
Yumi's eyes narrowed at the swords, which Izuku noticed. He hoped that she would be able to keep her anger in check.
"Well, what is it you would like for us to do today?" Rias asked, a sultry smile spread on her lips.
"Stay completely out of it. This is between us and the Fallen Angels," Xenovia demanded. "Let's keep it simple, shall we? We don't need the Devils in this town to intervene."
"That sounds like an accusation. Are you afraid that we'll side with the Fallen Angels and keep you from obtaining the Excaliburs?" Rias asked, a challenging look in her eyes.
"We know that for Devils, a Holy Sword is a detestable thing. Wouldn't it make more sense for you to support the Fallen Angels?" Xenovia challenged back.
Tension started rising as a red glow appeared in Rias's eyes.
"And if that's true, we will have no choice but to completely annihilate you, even though you are the sister of one of the Devil Kings."
"If you already have me figured out, then let me share something with you. There is no way I'd ever even think of joining the Fallen Angels. I would never do anything to besmirch the name of the House of Gremory, or my dear brother."
"It's enough for me just to be able to hear that," Xenovia smiled. "I was only relaying the thoughts of headquarters. I honestly didn't think the little sister of Lucifer would really be that stupid."
"Good to know," Rias smiled back. "Then I also hope you understand I will not provide aid to your side either."
"Of course, I trust that we will prevail if you promise not to intervene in anything we may do in this town," Xenovia inquired. "As long as we take no hostile actions against you, I trust you will do the same?"
"You have my word on that," Rias promised.
"We won't take up any more of your time," Xenovia said as she stood up.
"Would you like some tea before you go?" Rias offered.
"No thanks. I'm not here to make friends with Devils. We'll let ourselves out," Xenovia declined as she and Irina turned to leave. But then, she stopped, her eyes lingering on a certain blonde snake-like girl. "I was wondering if visiting the home of Izuku Midoriya would lead us to you. Aren't you Asia Argento?"
"Uh, yes?" Asia answered.
"It makes sense that I would run into a witch in a place like this." Xenovia's words caused Asia's pupils to shrink and her body stiffened.
"Oh my goodness, it is you! You're the former saint who became a witch!" Irina remarked. "I've heard you were banished because you have the power to heal Fallen Angels and Devils. And at one time, you actually used it. You must be pretty strong! I didn't know you'd actually become a Devil yourself!"
"Well… I'm… I guess so…" Asia stuttered fearfully.
"You okay?" Itsuka asked.
"Of course, she's not okay. She went from being a saint to being a Devil. That's about as far as one can fall," Xenovia derided. "Do you still believe in our God, Asia?"
"Don't be silly. She's like a Devil and stuff. She's over us," Irina said.
"No, that doesn't always mean what you think it means. There are those whose hearts continue to remain pious in the midst of their own selfish betrayal. She seems like she might be one of them."
"Really? Is it true, Asia?" Irina asked. "Do you still believe in God? I mean, I know you're like a Devil, but do you?"
Tears welled up in Asia's eyes as she started to sob. "Yes. I've never been able to let go. I've believed in God this whole time."
"Then you should allow us to execute you this instant," Xenovia bluntly said as she held up her sword, causing Asia to gasp fearfully. "Though you have sinned in the worst way possible if you sacrifice your soul to Him, He will forgive you. Let yourself be convicted by my hand."
Izuku, Itsuka, Eijiro, and Mina all glared as Xenovia inched closer toward Asia.
"God will work through me to save…"
"Let me stop you right there, young lady," Hisashi interrupted. "If I recall, you were the one who promised no hostile actions against Rias in return for the same? Regardless of your feelings toward Asia's 'betrayal,'" Hisashi said, using air quotes on betrayal. "The fact that she's one of Rias's servants means that whatever you try against Asia will be considered hostile actions against Rias. Right after you proposed that there be no hostilities between either side. Now, are you gonna make yourself look like a bigger hypocrite, or acknowledge that you're the one in the wrong and drop this matter?"
Xenovia, having no comeback for this, decided to show some humility. "Yes, our business here is finished. Irina, let's go. What a witch decides to do is not our concern right now."
"Hey wait," Izuku called out.
"Izuku, no!" Rias said, worried.
"You still haven't apologized to Asia," Izuku growled.
Xenovia turned back to Izuku. "I already withdrew my intent to purge her. What else do you want?"
"Apologize for calling Asia a witch!" Izuku demanded. "You have no right to call her that!"
"Believe me, that's one of the nicest descriptions I have for someone who has done what she…"
"I DON'T WANNA HEAR IT!" Izuku cut Xenovia off, glaring at her fiercely. "Asia's one of the kindest souls you'll ever know! If you can't see that, then you're an idiot!"
"And who exactly are you to Asia Argento?" Xenovia questioned.
"I'm her family! We all are! And her friends! We look out for each other with everything we've got! On the other hand, you guys are the ones who decided to make Asia a saint without even asking her! Then you abandoned her just because she made one mistake! That makes you no different than exploitative Villains!"
Irina couldn't help but be slightly intimidated by her childhood friend. Though, she wasn't that surprised at the reason for Izuku's anger. 'I guess, even as a Devil, he's still a Hero at heart,' she thought, a warm smile spreading on her lips.
"Is that a challenge to the Church?" Xenovia asked. "That's pretty big talk, for a little a Devil like yourself."
"This is perfect. I'll take all of you on."
Everyone turned to the other person who suddenly spoke. Yumi chuckled darkly as she approached them with her hands in her pockets.
"Who are you?" Xenovia asked.
"Your superior. Nice to meet you," Yumi replied venomously, Demonic Swords sprouting around her. "Although compared to you, I'm just a failure."
Rias looked back and forth between Izuku, Yumi, and the Exorcists, with a look of panic and worry. Despite everything, conflict was inevitable, and it couldn't be talked down with words alone. At this point, things could only be settled through actions.
And so, the fight between Freed and Yumi wrapped up quickly, though we do learn that Freed has an Excalibur in his arsenal, and it seems he's not working alone.
Meanwhile, Izuku learns more about Ddraig's past and how he has a rival that he will face soon. In addition, his old friend Irina returns, but they're on opposing sides due to circumstances.
And the Exorcists and Devils meet, and now there's a fight underway. How will this play out?
See you next time. Go beyond! Plus Ultra!