When he turned his head back to look at Asia, recognition flickering across his face, it was as if they were trapped in a room with a waking tiger.
His free hand clawed the air where it rested, as if grasping onto an invisible hilt.
The muscles in his arm tensed like steel coils.
When Asia blinked at the sight of a stranger, he was suddenly standing directly in front of her. There was no sign that he moved, save for the gust of wind that sent the papers flying through the room.
He was calm.
He wasn't scary at all despite the way he appeared.
There wasn't a spark of hostility coming from him.
But the air around him still felt as if it could be set on fire.
Rather than a frightening monster or a threatening person, it was much more like she was being made to stand in front of the cold barrel of a gun, an instrument used for killing without any intent of its own. She felt that she should be hearing her own heartbeat now from the nervousness, but she couldn't, because not even a second had passed.
The man bent his knee and bowed as a black blade passed over him like the wings of a crow.
"Go! Now!" The usually kind and polite Kiba barked, raw with urgency, clenching Holy Eraser so tightly it felt as if his own fingers would snap from the tension. The sword he carried was created to devour holy energy and light, to defeat those that carried out the will of Heaven.
A blade made to fight against priests that hunted devils.
He was a swordsman of incredible talent and potential, talent and potential that was further honed from a young age, even before Rias took him into her peerage.
After becoming a reincarnated devil, he trained under another human swordsman turned devil, a swordsman whose ability was so frightening, he was known as a devil even when he was human. The captain of the first unit of the Shinsengumi, Okita Souji himself.
He trained until he began to form a style of swordsmanship that he could call his own, one tailored to his very own physical abilities.
It was his style to use technique and speed to dominate opponents with versatility and precision, rather than power.
When he saw this stranger in front of him, those hands were all the information he needed. They were the hands of a swordsman. If he was from the Church, then it was also possible that…
Kiba clenched his teeth and shifted his stance to distribute more power to his next swing. Koneko was coming in from the left to flank him.
'He won't be able to avoid us both. And if he pulls out a light weapon, my own weapon will be able to neutralize it.'
Without realizing it, Kiba's own face was becoming colder as he began to let out a torrent of killing intent.
His center of mass propelled forward.
His next swing was unleashed like the bolt from a loaded crossbow, using all his muscles to bring out his max speed.
Only for it to stop dead not even a second into its movement.
It felt as if his arm was torn off.
The heel of the man's foot caught the pommel of the sword and shoved it back into the floor like a large nail.
The distance between them became cut instead.
No space for a sword.
Nor a punch or a kick.
Only a tool such as a hidden knife or a gun would be suitably effective at this range.
Kiba's brain slammed against the back of his skull as an elbow striked up at his unguarded chin. It came out of nowhere. Even after being struck, he could not register what had happened.
No matter what he told his body to do now, it would not listen to him as he fell backwards.
Grabbing the knight by the collar of his shirt, the executor threw him aside before sidestepping a following punch from a girl the size of a grade schooler.
That missed punch shattered the floor beneath them.
He scowled, looking quite grumpy as he did so, turning his head and stepping back as a red pulsating mass blew past him, turning the door into wooden scrap.
Before Rias could fire off another shot, a black projectile was launched through the room and ripped through the fabric of her student uniform, pinning her to the windowsill.
By the time it took her to pull out Holy Eraser from the partition, the man was already gone. Her precious rook was sprawled across the floor, looking stunned, but fortunately unharmed.
Rias had been watching his face the entire time.
Even during Kiba's attacks, his focus was on Asia alone, the direction in which Issei took her, the potential routes they could've taken in escape, the little creaks of sound that betrayed their location.
"Akeno!"
"On it!"
As the man sprinted like a wild beast through the halls, a giant shrapnel of ice ripped though the wall and sought out his head.
When that obstacle was avoided, fire came in its stead.
And then a dense wave of wind that would've pummeled into him like a speeding car after that.
A copious number of elemental attacks were sent after him, but they were hasty. Power was being sacrificed for speed of casting. Furthermore, the accuracy and precision were lacking. Overall, it was a waste of the caster's reserves.
That is… unless their purpose was not to land.
The building finally crumbled around him like a deck of cards. The old foundations became rubble. Electric wiring and metal pipes twisted apart and became exposed, causing a hiss to sound through the air.
It had become awfully cloudy.
He looked up.
A huge lightning falls down upon him from the sky and it becomes difficult to see through the flashing and hear through the booming thunder.
The old school building had become a wreck.
What was left of the sprinkler system had turned out, soaking the ruined floors and leaving a ceaseless ringing.
"Priestess of Lightning." That is the nickname of Rias's queen.
With her black wings spread out, she gently flew down to oversee her handiwork. Smoke began to pour out of the area. She was smiling, though it was a smile filled with anger. Akeno was the type of person who people were very hesitant to make angry.
Already, she began to charge a second bolt of lightning.
There was a splashing through the water.
Soft little splashes.
Her heartbeat quickened when she turned around to see the man walking towards her, the only damage received being the water in his hair and clothes.
He disappeared.
No.
Massless needles pressed against her spine.
He was behind her.
They were past school grounds. The main entrance was too far away, so Issei pushed Asia over the gate and swung over it himself.
He grabbed her hand again immediately when his feet hit the ground and ran at full tilt once again.
[Boost!]
His speed increased, so much so that he nearly ran headfirst into a tree. He twisted his body so that his shoulder hit it instead. He shrugged it off and kept running with Asia behind him. Even after the training he had been doing, it felt like his lungs would run away for the effort.
"That guy! Do you know him, Asia!?"
They heard a crash of thunder behind them that made them both flinch.
She shook her head. "I… I don't think so. He doesn't resemble anyone from the Church."
Yeah, he didn't get a good look at the guy, but he didn't look anything like Freed or any of the Fallen angels either. This could just be a dumb mistake.
But Kiba definitely didn't treat him as such.
He'd never seen that guy look so angry before, like he wanted to kill someone. He didn't like handsome men, but after joining the ORC, even he had to admit to himself that Kiba was an easygoing, reliable guy.
It would take something awful to make a guy like him act in such a way.
And the way that guy with the red hair moved…
It wasn't the way an ordinary person could move.
Issei shook his head.
'It doesn't matter. I need to protect Asia like I promised. No matter who it is!'
[Boost!]
The power in his body increased even more than before. No more holding Asia's hand. Instead, he picked her up in his arms and ran like the wind.
The school disappeared from view behind them.
When they had nearly left the forest, Asia noticed a funny expression on Issei's face. He was smiling with a silly smile as if in a daze.
It was because he was carrying a pretty girl in his arms.
That feeling only strengthened the teenager's resolve even more. Because even in tense situations, his base desires remained strong.
Issei turned his head to look behind him, the clouds over the old school building had parted. He sighed in relief. The fight must already be over.
He was tasked with bringing Asia away because he was obviously the weakest and least experienced of the group.
Kiba had his sword.
Koneko had her freakish strength.
Akeno had those magical abilities.
Prez had that destructive power.
He couldn't imagine them losing.
So they were safe now? False alarm?
A voice came from right in front of him.
"Hey, you came pretty far."
He spoke in a reliable tone, like an upperclassman.
Issei stopped in his tracks just before running into the man.
Damn it. He was handsome. Issei already didn't like the guy. With his build, and the way he was dressed, he looked like he could be a bodyguard.
Setting Asia back down, he put his arms up in a fighting pose he saw on tv.
The man looked at him, unimpressed. He looked over to the former sister instead.
[Boost!]
Two uses of the Boosted Gear in school, three more in the forest. Each uses doubling his power. He hadn't tested the limits yet, but five boosts should be enough. He wouldn't get a promotion to [queen] like he did inside the Church, but even so, his power was greater than when he fought the fallen angel.
Issei checked on Asia. She was standing behind him with a face full of worry, she could heal, but she had zero fighting experience.
So this fight was on him alone.
The duration of his boost would shorten with each action he took, so he couldn't be careless. If he couldn't win by himself, then the best thing would be to hold out until Prez and the others arrived.
He let out a breath he had been holding in. "Hey!"
The man nodded his head at him, showing that he was listening.
"Guywho'sgonnaleavesayswhat?"
"Hmph."
Issei held his fists closer to his face, like a boxer. "Worth a shot."
He wasn't experienced enough to reckon which of them moved first, only that he punched at the man with all the strength in his left arm, the arm armored by a red gauntlet. A punch with thirty-two times the power of a reincarnated devil.
A punch that missed.
The man was standing next to him. That's all Issei had time to react to before something bashed against his ribs and sent him hurtling through the forest like a football.
"Gaaah!"
Issei felt his spine hit against a tree as branches struck his face like whips.
This guy didn't screw around like Freed did, and he might've been even stronger than that psycho priest!
Not like that was gonna stop him!
He sprang back to his feet and ran back with even more vigor than before when a firm hand held his shoulder.
"Issei!" Asia cried. She was held in the man's arm like a duffel bag. No amount of her struggling could free herself. It was pointless. The girl was on the verge of tears.
Gold eyes like a hawk stared down at him.
He could only stare back in shock.
"Sorry about this," he said.
Snapping back to his senses, Issei lunged forth to free Asia as she reached out to him as well.
"I need to borrow her for a minute."
Issei thought his own eyes were lying to him, that the hit just now scrambled his brain and he was hallucinating, that he could shake his head and see something else instead.
But this was reality.
Asia was gone, along with that bastard.
"Asia!" Issei called out, receiving no response but the sounds of birds and bugs in the woods. He lost her.
He felt like collapsing.
"What the hell…!"
She was too scared to speak, too scared to move, too scared to breathe.
Was Issei alright?
What about everyone back at the school?
Was this her fault? She didn't want people to get hurt for her.
She felt something against his pant leg, something small and made of metal. It was a cross. A cross from the Church.
Her heart sank to her stomach.
So this person was from the Church, the place she had turned her back on. And not just the Church, but even God himself.
She was a devil now.
To the Church, devils were-
"Do you prefer tea or coffee?"
"!?" She was startled. "What?"
He repeated himself. "Tea or coffee. What is your preference? The variety of both has risen quite a lot over the years, so I understand that the choice is more complicated now. From my understanding, many restaurants will offer choices for both."
Was he being serious?
He wasn't making a face like he was telling a joke, so he must have been serious.
"That place looks nice." He pointed at a small cafe at the corner of a street. There was no one inside at this time, but one more hour and then the dinner rush would start.
Asia was set down gently.
When she stepped back, she thought of running until realizing the fruitlessness of such an endeavor. It wasn't as if it'd be difficult to catch her again. The only thing it could do was risk making him angry, and he was already intimidating when he was calm.
She followed him into the restaurant.
He took off his damp jacket before sitting down and draped it over his shoulder before rolling up his sleeves and brushing his hair aside.
First, he ordered a milk tea made with black tea and cream for her before requesting a black coffee for himself.
Adding a spoon of sugar and a splash of milk, he stirred the mug until the dark liquid became light.
"My name is Kotomine Shirou, the one entrusted with this town. You are Asia Argento, yes?"
She nodded her head.
"You should drink before it gets cold," Shirou advised before blowing on his own drink.
Asia picked up her cup, but couldn't bring herself to drink it. Her insides felt as if they had tied themselves into tight knots.
Shirou offered her his mug, "Do you prefer coffee?"
She shook her head.
He paused long enough for the server to go back into the kitchen before speaking, "While I am affiliated with the Church, I did not come here to fight. I have a few questions I was hoping you could answer."
"Is that really all?"
Shirou closed his eyes and rubbed the back of his head as he considered the implied question. "For today, yes. None of the devils in that room are seriously injured. That being said, I did wish to talk with you alone."
Asia was shocked at first, then thankful, then appalled. She took a big gulp from her cup and then bowed her head politely. "Then I am sorry for the trouble my friends caused you, and I hope you will not bear them any ill will."
He shrugged, "It's just how it is."
"So… what are your questions?" she started cautiously.
Warmth seeped from the hot mug to the palm of his hand as he slowly shifted it around. The wisps of foam at the top swirled and parted.
"I read the bits and pieces of your file while on the flight here. You were born in a small village in Italy, discarded by your birth parents at a young age. A nun at a local church took you in and raised you alongside several other orphans
Feel free to correct me if any of this is mistaken."
It was strange for someone to tell her of her own life, but Asia gestured for him to continue, gradually sipping away at the milk tea.
"You were a devoted follower and followed God's teachings as if he were your own parent. Then, at eight years old, you received a special power.
With that power, you'd heal the other orphans at the church whenever they were injured. By chance, a priest from the Catholic Church saw you heal an injured dog in the street."
Where it had all begun.
"From that point, you were taken to the Vatican, where you were soon praised as a… holy maiden, for your faultless healing ability.
Many believers were healed, even if the injuries were to be fatal, and their faith was elevated more than ever. They believed it was divine protection itself.
It was thought that you may have had the potential to lead the Church when you had grown up."
She flinched, that was a part she heard nothing about.
Shirou continued.
"But then you used your power to heal a wounded devil, and you were branded a heretic, a witch. A divine blessing that serves even hellspawn is hardly a divine blessing after all."
His expression was unreadable.
"At the end, you were excommunicated from the Church. Though I doubt anyone expected that you would become a devil itself.
Turning away from God."
The little cafe became cold, so much so that the remaining staff rushed to storage to check for spare jackets. Asia felt herself become small before someone who could still call himself God's servant, unlike herself.
"I'm uncertain of what I should do now. You are a stranger, all I know of you are words from scattered paper. I can neither praise nor condemn you. So instead, I'll ask you these two things."
The mug was set down.
Eyes like molten gold stared into eyes like peaceful spring.
"Do you regret healing a devil?"
Asia was silent. How many times did she ask herself that very same question? If she hadn't done what she did, she would still be able to pray to God without pain. She would be able to cherish the holy cross in her hands without it burning. The Church would not have abandoned her. She would still be able to face those who raised her all her life.
It was painful. So painful there were still days where she'd wake up with tears in her eyes.
But she found herself shaking her head.
"I'm sorry. I can't ignore someone who's wounded."
He hummed and asked the second question.
"Then if you could return to the church, would you do so?"
She was feeling dizzy. His words made no sense. This conversation made her uneasy, as what's done is done. Her confusion grew with every word he spoke as they soaked into her brain like a clot of blood.
Was this scorn or curiosity?
Why couldn't he just show something on his face?
The unknown was worse than any rebuke.
Time doesn't go back.
Going back to the Church, if she had such a choice…
Asia looked into her empty cup. "I wasn't… I wasn't dissatisfied with my treatment at the Church. The people around me were kind, and I liked healing people. I was happy I was of use. I was happy to be blessed by God."
She squeezed the hem of her skirt.
"But, I was lonely. I didn't have any friends. Even if everyone was nice to me and treated me well, they would not cross the line of becoming my friend, because to them, I was a blessing, not a person. That gap was never crossed."
Once she started, it came out from her as if a dam had been broken.
"When I came here, I got to experience all kinds of new things. Foods I've never tasted, places I've never visited. Just the other day, I got to see a real movie in a real theater where they have popcorn and hot dogs. It was amazing!
But more than that, a boy took me out on my first date. He even came to rescue me when I was in danger. His friend gave me life when mine was lost. And I was brought into a family."
She needed to look up. She couldn't keep her head down if she really believed in what she was saying. So she looked up.
She looked up at the servant of the Lord who said he would neither praise nor condemn her.
"As a devil, I can no longer face God. But I won't turn back, because right now… right now I'm happy where I am, and with who I am." Asia finished, letting out a breath she'd been holding that was twisting her heart.
Now she waited for a response, whatever it may be.
He leaned against his seat, it was still impossible for her to tell what he was feeling. At best, she could maybe guess that he was tired.
It would be only expected if he was disappointed with her answers.
To her surprise, he bowed his head to her. "Thank you for speaking with me. I'll walk you back to your residence."
Raising his hand, "Ah, check please-" Shirou suddenly looked back at Asia. "Did you want anything else?"
Before Asia could respond, the window shattered.
Shirou was surrounded by some very angry individuals and the former sister was swept up in a secure embrace.
With Boosted Gear fully active, Issei hung over the edge of the seat with his arms enclosed around the executor's neck like a headlock.
Kiba had two swords in hand, one of ice and another of fire, both pointed at the face and hungry to take a stab. Even Issei was worried he might just get caught in friendly fire.
Two small hands gripped the one that had asked for a check. Koneko further locked the arm between both of her own like a cat seizing its prey to eat it.
Electricity sparked around Akeno's hands in preparation to use the worst kind of taser in the worst kind of way on the redhead.
Rias held onto Asia tightly, as if she might get snatched away again if she didn't, but even she was prepared to use her power at the first notice.
"Got you now! You handsome son of a bitch!"
In response to being caught in this bear trap of demonic hostility, Shirou looked at the darkening streets outside, looking very bothered by the view.
"Can any one of you fix that window?"