Chapter 9
"It's been a while since I've worn a suit, but it's important to make a good first impression," Issei said while fixing his suit a bit, which made Irina and Xenovia admire Issei's attire and were surprised he cleaned up nicely since they thought he would've gone in his normal clothes.
"I'm honestly surprised you have more clothes that aren't part of your normal attire," Irina said, which made Issei chuckle at the comment before fixing his tie.
Normally, Issei only wore fancy clothes when he was attending his father's business meetings, where he had to interact with the other kids, or now when he was attending a family dinner with his first girlfriend. Issei figured that it would just be a fancy dinner, but he felt it would be disrespectful to show up in his normal attire, so he put on some nice clothes to make a good first impression on his girlfriend's parents.
"I know wearing fancy clothes doesn't seem like me, but when it comes to meetings and events such as this, it's important to make a good first impression, though Serafall sounded a bit concerned on the phone when I called her to make sure we were still good for tonight," Issei said since he detected a hint of concern in Serafall's voice.
"I'm sure she's probably worried about how her parents will react on the phone since it's not every day you hear about your daughter dating a delinquent," Irina said, with Issei nodding in response. Before the doorbell was rung, the trio was surprised. Issei looked at the time and saw Serafsll was thirty minutes early.
"Well, my dad always said if you aren't early, then you're late," Issei muttered with the Tailed Beasts in his head, commenting on his attire, well, mostly the girls.
{Aw, if only I had a camera to capture this moment because it is not every day that my dear jinchuriki goes to visit his girlfriend's home. Im so proud of him.} Chomei said with tears in her eyes while some of the guys nodded and approved of Issei cleaning up.
{Not bad. He even wore that cologne that he only wears for special occasions.} Kurama said, feeling so proud of his little brother before Gyuki replied.
{Yep. He gets it from me. I do have a lot more experience with women than you.}
{Yeah, because they couldn't handle the most powerful Tailed Beast.} Kurama said with pride in his voice before Shukaku knocked him down from that pedestal.
{Uh, but didn't your last girlfriend dump you after you refused to admit you got your ass handed to you by a girl?} Shukaku asked with Kurama blushing soth the others: Son Goku, Matabi, Isobu, Kokuō, and Saiken laughing at their youngest member knocking down their brother off his pedestal.
"I'll get it," Xenovia said, stepping forward, but before she could reach the door, it swung open on its own.
Standing in the doorway was Serafall Leviathan, dressed in a stunning evening gown that accentuated every curve of her body. The elegant fabric shimmered under the light, a stark contrast to the usual playful, magical-girl-inspired outfits she was known for. Her long black hair cascaded down her back in soft waves, and her bright blue eyes sparkled with excitement.
Issei blinked, his breath catching in his throat. 'Holy shit…'
{...DAMN!} Kurama muttered, his eyes widening.
{Yep, that's a woman right there.} Isobu nodded sagely.
{I—I have no words…} Gyuki admitted in awe while crying manly tears for his little brother, scoring an amazing and hot woman.
{She's like a goddess…} Matabi whispered dreamily while thinking Serafall looks better in blue, unaware that a certain goddess feels like she has competition.
{I have to agree. She's definitely beautiful. I'd totally smash her.} Son Goku stated, rubbing his chin in thought
{Why smash her? You're so big you'd crush her.} Shukaku said with Chomei covering Shukaku's mouth and ears.
Serafall smirked as she took a slow step forward, her gaze locking onto Issei's. "Well? How do I look, darling?" she asked, twirling slightly to give him the full view.
Issei, still caught off guard, blurted out without thinking, "You're so beautiful I wanna fuck you."
Xenovia and Irina immediately choked on air, both of their faces turning red at his blunt declaration.
Serafall, rather than being offended, giggled playfully and placed a hand on her hip. "Aww, thanks, darling! That's such a you thing to say," she teased, winking at him. "Flattery will get you everywhere, you know~."
But before Issei could process what was happening, a loud SMACK echoed through his mindscape.
{YOU HOOLIGANS! YOU'VE CORRUPTED MY BABIES!} Chōmei's voice rang out as she delivered wing slaps across the mental space, knocking Isobu, Son Goku, Kurama, Gyūki, and Matabi flat onto their backs.
All while Shukaku was unaware, thanks to Kokuo.
{Ow, what the Hell, Chōmei?!} Gyūki groaned.
{You're all acting like a bunch of perverts!} Chōmei scolded, her wings fluttering in agitation. {Where's your dignity?!}
{Why do we get smacked and not Issei? It's not like you are a saint.} Kurama grumbled before a smack to the back of the head and a glare from Chomei shut up the Nine-Tailed Beast.
{Well, I stand by my statement.} Son Goku added, unfazed by the scolding since he's always admired beautiful women but was glad to have met a kindred spirit in Issei.
Issei coughed into his fist, suddenly feeling self-conscious as his gaze flickered away. "I mean… I wasn't expecting you to go all out like this," he muttered.
Serafall hummed, stepping closer until she was right in front of him, looking him up and down. "And you clean up nicely, too, Issei-chan~!" She reached out, tugging playfully at his tie. "I had no idea you even owned a suit."
Issei scratched his cheek, looking off to the side. "I've always had one, just never really wore it unless I had to," he admitted.
Serafall beamed, wrapping her arms around his and pressing against him. "Well, I love it! You look super handsome~! My parents are gonna be so surprised when they see my delinquent boyfriend actually knows how to dress up."
Issei sighed. "Yeah, yeah… Let's hope I don't screw this up."
"Don't worry, darling~," Serafall whispered into his ear, her warm breath sending a shiver down his spine. "Even if you do, I'll still love you~."
Issei groaned. "Not helping, Sera…"
Irina and Xenovia exchanged glances, both still blushing at the earlier exchange before Xenovia finally spoke up. "Are we actually going to this dinner, or is this just a flirting session?"
Serafall giggled. "Oh, we're definitely going. Come on, let's go melt my parents' expectations~!"
"Wait!" Issei said before looking at Xenovia and Irina. "There's money on the counter if you want to order some food or go out. My phone numbers are on the emergency phone, just in case you're attacked. And-!"
"Okay! Okay! We get it! Don't go on your date already, Issei. We're not soft and can protect ourselves." Irina said she was glad to see that some of her friends' kindness was still there, while Issei sighed in response.
"Look, it's not that you guys are weak, but I can't help but worry about you guys. You're my guests and also my friends. So promise me to be safe. especially if that weirdo from that last letter tries to come here." Issei said with concern since the Astaroth prince seemed interested in his friends and wasn't going to let some weirdo come after them.
"Thanks for being concerned, Issei, but we're fine. You go enjoy your dinner date," Irina said, with Issei nodding and glad that he and Irina were slowly rebuilding their relationship.
"Well, shall we?" Issei said with an offered arm, which made Serafall smile as she took his arm.
"We shall," Serafall said as she pulled out her magic wand, making Issei stifle a chuckle at the touch of the magic girl.
"Never change Serafall. Never change." Issei said, which made Serafall smile as she teleported them to the dinner date.
Unaware of the fact that this would be a wonderful yet scary night.
Sitri Mansion: Underworld.
Issei was surprised by the size of the mansion and even more surprised when he saw that there were other Devils at the mansion.
"I thought this was a dinner date with just your folks?" Issei asked, which made Serafall groan before explaining the situation.
"It was but apparently a couple of other nobles caught wind and thought that by attending said dinner it would allow them not only to get to know you but also to possibly gain some political power by asking you for a favor or teo to compensate you. I can understand the Phoenix Family since they probably want to apologize for Riser's insults. My parents wish to meet you, and Sirzechs wants to thank you for fighting for his sister." Serafall said, which made Issei groan in annoyance since he hated politics and was hoping for a nice dinner with his girlfriend's parents, but if he had to go through with this, then so be it.
'Also, has Kaguya begun to restore your bodies?' Issei asked his teammates, to which Kurama replied in his head.
{Yep. Kaguya is starting with me to make sure that the process is perfect and doing it in the abandoned building that you use to relax from time to time, with a genjutsu and barrier over the building to make sure that she isn't disturbed and no one sees her.} Kurama explained while Issei was glad to hear that the ritual was beginning, surprisingly, he still felt Kurama's power in him even though Kurama's presence left his being.
'Two down and eight to go.' Issei pondered as the duo headed in to see that Lord Sitri was pleased with Serafall showing up with the guest of honor, and Issei groaned as he felt like he was on display, which was different from the convention since Serafall was protecting him now instead.
"Ah, Issei Hyoudou. It's a pleasure to finally meet the man who won my daughter's heart," Lord Sitri said, as he extended a hand that Issei shook, which made Serafall mentally sigh in relief.
'Looks like Dad can see more than outward appearances, and now Issei's just got to deal with the real issue. My mother.' Serafall said while feeling a shiver down her spine as she could feel her mother's gaze at her. Her mother meant well but was terrifying when concerned about her daughters since she didn't think Serafall would be interested in anyone who wasn't Sona.
This was mostly due to Serafall being a siscon. However, ever since Serafall met Issei, her mind has envisioned herself and Issei going on many dates and even getting married one day, which would be a topic for a different time.
"The pleasure is all mine since your daughter is the reason why I trust the New Maou Faction; I've had my doubts given the former members of the Maou Faction," Issei said, with Lord Sitri nodding and replying.
"To be frank, I understand why you'd have those doubts. The previous Maou Faction left a… complicated legacy. But the new generation is working hard to change that perception." Lord Sitri gestured toward the gathering of nobles, his expression unreadable. "That's partly why so many of them are here. They see you as someone who could change the power dynamics of the Underworld."
Issei resisted the urge to sigh. He had no interest in politics, but he wasn't naïve. He knew that his strength and reputation made him an important figure, whether he liked it or not. Still, he didn't come here to discuss politics—he came here to have dinner with Serafall's parents.
Before he could respond, a sharp yet elegant voice cut through the air.
"And what, pray tell, are your intentions with my daughter?"
Issei felt a chill run down his spine as he turned to face the woman who had spoken.
Lady Sitri.
Serafall's mother stood poised with an air of authority that reminded him of a seasoned warrior rather than a noblewoman. She was beautiful—graceful yet imposing, with sharp violet eyes that scrutinized him with an intensity that made even Kurama's gaze feel mild. She radiated an aura of absolute control, and Issei could immediately tell that she wasn't the type to be easily impressed.
'Oh great. The real boss fight just arrived,' Issei thought to himself.
{You're on your own, kid.} Guyuki muttered, not envying Issei's current situation.
Serafall, sensing the tension, nervously interjected, "Moooom, please don't scare him! Issei's a really good guy!"
Lady Sitri didn't break eye contact with Issei. "I'll decide that for myself." She crossed her arms, waiting for his response.
Issei straightened his posture, forcing himself to maintain eye contact. "My intentions with Serafall?" He took a breath before answering, his voice steady. "I care about her. A lot. She's one of the most incredible people I've ever met—strong, kind, and willing to fight for what she believes in. I won't pretend I know where the future will take us, but I can promise you this: I will always respect and support her, no matter what."
Silence.
Lady Sitri studied him for a long moment, her sharp gaze analyzing his every word, his every movement. Then, to everyone's surprise, she gave a small, approving nod.
"Well, at least you're honest," she said simply before turning to Serafall. "But we will talk later."
Serafall pouted but nodded obediently. "Yes, Mom…"
Lord Sitri chuckled, amused by the interaction. "Now that the interrogation is over let's eat."
As they made their way to the dining hall, Issei exhaled quietly.
'Okay… survived the first encounter. Let's hope the rest of the night goes smoothly.'
Unbeknownst to him, it was only just getting started.
Meanwhile, with the two exorcists.
Irina and Xenovia were playing the game that they were obsessed with until the doorbell rang.
"Oh, sweet! The pizza is here. Get the door, Irina! I'm this close to defeating the evil dragon and absorbing his soul to call upon the wrath of the storm!" Xenovia said as she was close to killing the dragon.
"Die! Die, you demon of the skies!" Xenovia shouted as Irina took the money left for them and headed to the front door. There, a man with green hair, amber ehes, and the pizza ieyesnd greeted them.
"Why hello there? It's a pleasure to see such lovely ladies as yourself, but why are you at the home of that delinquent?" the pizza guy asked before Xenovia interrupted Irina's response.
"Irina! Hurry up! I need help in dealing with these damn High Elves who are stopping me from killing that damn lizard! Perish!" Xenovia shouted, which made Irina feel so embarrassed before replying.
"Gamer Club. Xenovia is really into it. Mostly because of the fighting." Irina explained, and the pizza man nodded in response before taking the money and tip and handing Irina the pizza.
"Thank you, and good luck on your game." The pizza man said before leaving while Irina thanked him and then closed the door until Irina came back in with the pizza.
"Finally! What was taking so long?"
"Explaining why you were screaming like a Banshee."
"I was in battle! A real warrior never takes their eyes off their opponents until they know they're dead." Xenovia said while eating a slice while. Irina rolled her eyes at Xenovia's obsession but just as she was about to sit down, a loud knock echoed through the house. Irina froze for a moment before sighing.
"Great… I think the neighbors finally had enough of your battle cries," she muttered, rubbing her temples.
Xenovia, still focused on her game, barely registered the comment. "They should be honored! I'm fighting for the fate of Skyrim here!"
Irina shook her head and walked toward the door, preparing herself for an earful. However, when she opened it, she didn't find an angry neighbor.
Instead, standing before her was the pizza delivery man—but now, he was dressed in regal attire, his green hair slicked back neatly. A long, high-collared coat adorned with golden embroidery draped over his shoulders, giving him the air of nobility. His amber eyes glowed faintly with an unnatural light as he smiled.
"Ah, much better," The man said, adjusting the cuffs of his sleeves. "Forgive my deception earlier, but I simply had to confirm something for myself."
Irina's breath caught in her throat, but before she could react, the man raised his hand, magic surging at his fingertips.
"My name is Diodora Astaroth. And I believe that lowly human has been keeping you two all to himself for far too long."
An explosion of light erupted from his palm, instantly blinding Irina. She gasped and stumbled backward as her vision filled with brilliant white.
"Xenovia—!" she tried to shout a warning, but the crackling force of magic drowned out her voice.
Xenovia had just started to rise, her hand reaching for Durandal when the wave of energy engulfed the room. The sheer force of it sent her crashing into the wall, her sword slipping from her grasp as her consciousness wavered. The last thing she heard was Irina's panicked voice before darkness swallowed her whole.
The house lay in ruins, the furniture shattered, scorch marks lining the walls. Amidst the destruction, Diodora Astaroth stood unharmed, gazing down at the unconscious forms of the two exorcists with a satisfied smirk.
He knelt, brushing a strand of hair from Irina's face.
"Such lovely creatures are wasted in the company of that brute. But don't worry—your delinquent friend will soon learn what happens when he keeps things that don't belong to him."
With a wave of his hand, a dark portal opened beneath them. The moment their bodies disappeared into the swirling abyss, the portal snapped shut, leaving behind only the ruined home—silent and empty.
Outside the shadows of the ruined living room and half of the house, a rift in space shimmered into existence, and through it stepped five figures, each radiating an overwhelming presence.
At the forefront stood Kaguya, her pale, ethereal beauty unmarred by time. Dressed in a flowing white and crimson kimono, her long silver hair cascaded down her back, and her horned crown gleamed under the dim light. Her pearl-white eyes, void of pupils yet seeing all, narrowed in silent calculation as she surveyed the destruction.
To her right, Kurama emerged, now in his human form—a towering man with wild crimson hair, sharp fox-like golden eyes, and a strong, lean build. He wore a dark, high-collared coat over a burnt-orange kimono with black accents. His arms crossed as his gaze flicked over the ruined apartment with a deep scowl.
Beside him, Gyūki stood like an unshakable mountain. His massive frame, packed with muscle, was draped in a sleeveless dark blue haori over a black combat gi, his skin marked with jagged tribal tattoos. His long white hair was pulled back into thick braids, and his sharp ox-like horns jutted from his forehead. His piercing steel-blue eyes held a grim understanding of the battle, and he let out a grunt as he surveyed the wreckage.
On the opposite side, Chōmei hovered slightly above the ground, her insect-like grace translating into a slender, elegant woman with long, iridescent blue-green hair tied into twin ponytails that faintly shimmered like gossamer wings. Her turquoise eyes gleamed behind a black and emerald battle robe that seemed woven from chitin and silk. A mischievous but concerned expression crossed her face as she flitted forward, wings sprouting momentarily from her back before fading.
Lastly, Saiken stood silent yet imposing. Her human form was a tall, broad woman with pale bluish-white hair cascading down to her back. Her calm, milky-blue eyes held a strange, almost eerie serenity. She was dressed in a loose white robe with silver accents, resembling the mist she once embodied. Her expression remained unreadable as she tilted her head, taking in the scene before them.
Kurama let out a slow, deep breath, his sharp canines showing as he growled. "Tch. The scent of that bastard is still fresh."
"Whoever did this is someone who waited for Issei to leave." Kaguya intoned, her voice as cold and regal as the void. "A foolish, arrogant creature."
Gyūki ran a hand over the ruined furniture, his brow furrowing. "They took the girls, but luckily the damage didn't touch his bike."
"Really? That's what you're concerned with right now?" Chōmei asked while her wings fluttered briefly, a rare moment of unease flickering across her normally playful features. "We just finished setting things up for the others, and now this happens?"
"Hey, Issei loves his bike since he built it from scratch. Can't blame the guy since if I had one that was built from scratched only yo be wrecked by skme jackass then I'd be pissed too." Gyuki said, with Kurama agreeing with him.
Saiken let out a deep exhale, mist escaping her lips as she spoke slowly. "It's not a coincidence. This was planned."
Kurama's fingers twitched, his claws itching for action. "That idiot doesn't realize the kind of enemy he just made." His eyes burned with a dangerous glint. "Issei's gonna tear him apart for this."
Kaguya remained unmoved, her gaze falling upon the lingering remnants of teleportation magic. "Perhaps. But Issei cannot act if he does not know. We must move."
She turned, her gaze sharp as a blade. "Kurama, Gyūki. Go to the hospital and keep his sister safe. This fool may go after her to hurt Issei."
The two nodded, vanishing in a flicker of speed, with Saiken following after them.
"No way am I letting that girl be alone after being her partner for years," Saiken said, Kaguya understanding her reasons as Saiken went with her brothers.
Kaguya then glanced toward Chōmei. "The two of us will track the portal's residue. We will find where he took them."
Chōmei cracked her knuckles, a smirk playing on her lips. "Finally, some action."
Kaguya merely nodded. "Let's move."
As the group split, one thing was certain—Diodora Astaroth had made a fatal mistake.
Meanwhile, with Issei Hyoudou.
"So you're telling me that some of Riser's peerage wishes to join mine after hearing about it from the Gremory Heiress?" Issei asked with Ravel nodding, who was blushing standing next to him since she didn't want to mention or explain that she had some very hot dreams about her being a princess and Issei coming to save her, not like a knight in shining armor but as a rogue knight that still had a code.
"I wouldn't mind meeting them one day, but I know that joining my peer group means becoming the greatest version of themselves. I will accept nothing less, which is why they must show me their resolve as warriors in the face of death. When one is near death, they are able to reveal their true selves," Issei said, and Ravel was shocked by this before Serafsll walked over to him.
"Issei. You have a phone call from your home. Is there something about it being broken into?" Serafall said, shaking Issei as he headed to the phone. He thanked Serafsll before accepting the call.
"Hello?"
{Issei. It's me, Kaguya. I have bad news. Someone attacked your home.} Kaguya explained that Issei was shocked as he told Kaguya he would meet her at his house until he hung up and turned to see Lady Sitri.
"I take it that the call was important?"
"It was, and once I learn who is responsible for attacking my home and friends, I will make them suffer. I apologize for leaving after just a few hours, but this is more important. They mean a lot to me," Issei said as Lady Sitri nodded and patted his shoulder.
"Go and help your friends," Serafall will understand." Lady Sitri said as Issei thanked her before Lady Sitri opened a portal back to Kuoh Town, which he thanked her for until he walked through and headed to his home.
Kuoh Town. Hyoudou Residence.
"Xenovia, Irina? Where are you girls?" Issei called out as he looked around his empty and dark house until Kaguya walked over to him.
"We were trying to trace the portal, but they covered their tracks. However, we did find a note that was left in your garage," Kaguya said as she handed Issei a note, which made Issei's rage begin to boil.
The holy maidens belong to me now, foolish human. They're going to make great additions to my collection. I'll ravage their pure bodies as I see fit, and there's nothing you can do to stop it. Don't even bother trying to come after me, or I'll out you as a fallen angel spy to the entirety of the devil nobility. Although, I doubt a stupid creature like you could even find me to begin with. HAHAHAHAHA!
Issei cracked a fist as he began to breathe heavily. The letter caught on fire in his grip a moment later as he clenched his fists tighter.
"I guess the devils were trouble after all. I'm shocked they had the nerve to abduct your friends," Chomei remarked seriously before Issei let his Kama form began to show as his third eye appeared with his hair beginning to grow and his horns appeared on his forehead.
"We're going back to the dimensional gap right now, Ddraig! Red's going to locate this asshole for me, and I'm going to tear his goddamn balls off with my bare hands! He's dead for this! I'M GOING TO MURDER THIS MOTHER FUCKER!" Issei growled with the rage of a dragon that would make Red proud before he looked at Kaguya and Chomei.
"I know that it's risky, but if he's going after the ones I know, then no doubt they'll go after Rin and the others. Watch over them, please, while I am gone. I will be back soon," Issei said before Chomei grabbed his wrist and spoke to him.
"Issei. I know that normally I wouldn't allow such violence, but given what this Devil did to your home and kidnapped your friends, then I do not blame you for wanting revenge. Kick his ass and make him suffer while also saving the girls." Chomei said with Issei nodding and thanking Chomei before Kaguya hugged him and let Issei go as he charged back out of his house and flew into the night.
Issei let out a draconic roar as he picked up speed with Kaguya and Chomei, knowing one thing: Somebody was going to die for this crime against their partner, and may Kami have mercy on their soul.
"Inform Kurama and the others of the situation," Kaguya said as she then floated in the air.
"What about you?" Chomei asked before Kaguya looked back at her and replied.
"I'm going to help Issei send the Devils a warning of what happens when they mess with our people," Kaguya said as she teleported with Chomei, who was looking at the house and pondering.
That's a chance for some remodeling. Miss Hyoudou has said she wanted to remodel the kitchen for a while." Chomei said before pulling out a binder with different colors while flying to Issei's friend's home.
With Issei.
Flying as fast as possible, Issei tore through the skies towards his destination. Nothing in his life had ever pissed him off as much as the letter he had just read. Never had the thought even crossed his mind that the devils would go after Xenovia and Irina. He was careless and negligent in thinking that his friends or his parents wouldn't be caught in the wake of this drama after the ratings game with the power he displayed, but it seems he was wrong.
Issei had hoped that fear of his power would have negated anyone from trying anything this bold or insulting. How wrong he was to think that a prideful devil or angel would accept his strength and leave him alone.
No…they saw him as a threat and sought to challenge and offend him. They couldn't just leave him alone because their vanity compelled them to subjugate anything they could.
Either way, they would pay greatly for this since a stronger message needs to be sent.
Issei had no desire to be involved in politics or to war with the devils, but he had no qualms about destroying anyone who threatened his life or the lives of his family and friends. This Devil was going to die, and nothing was going to stop it.
Issei only had two of his four wings out currently but was already prepared to use his full power and even his Kama Form if necessary. Despite the irrational anger and hatred swelling within him, Issei was coherent enough to realize what his retaliation was going to bring about. This pathetic Devil sought to abduct his friends and then hide behind the Maou and the nobility like some political coward. What a fool he was to think that the Kama gave any damn about his political standing.
Issei growled with fury as he began to fly even faster. In his anger, he fails to realize that his usual Genjutsu is not currently in effect to negate Gabriel. The epiphany dawned on him a moment later when a blinding bright light intercepted him in the sky. To his annoyance, it was none other than Gabriel herself.
Gabriel didn't try to stop him but managed to keep up in the air as she flew directly next to him. The archangel was quick to catch his attention as she spoke, "Issei Hyoudou, wait!"
"I don't have time for this goddamn shit right now," Issei said, annoyed, as he briefly halted his flight and began to flap his wings midair. There was no point in rushing to the Dimensional Gap with the seraph now in his company.
He sent her a nasty glare as he spoke with anger, "I don't have time for this shit, Gabriel. Get out of my way."
"It's about your friends, right? Irina Shidou and Xenovia Quarta were both kidnapped about three hours ago. I would have stopped it, but I was held up with Michael-kun. I got his permission to rescue them from the Devil that kidnapped them. I'm sorry for letting this happen, Issei-kun," Gabriel apologized to him.
Despite his growing rage, he calmed himself momentarily as he found the archangel's humility and apology surprising. He cocked his head at her curiously, "You know who took them then?!"
"Michael-kun and I were able to confirm that a high-class devil from the Astaroth Clan was responsible. I believe it was Diodora Astaroth, to be precise. We've seen him do this before. He likes to go after holy maidens and turn them into devils for his peerage," Gabriel explained calmly.
A moment later, Issei grabbed Gabriel by the throat with one hand and began to choke her.
He growled before speaking to her in a calm tone. "If that little cunt turned them into devils, then I'm fucking killing you."
Issei said as his eyes began to turn into the Sharingan, which made Gabriel gasp while Issei continued. "Irina and Xenovia pray to you goddamn angels, and you didn't do shit to stop this? What the fuck was so important that you would just let this happen to my friends, hm? If you knew who was responsible and you've seen this shit before, then why the fuck did you let it happen?"
"I-Issei-I," Gabriel tried to speak as the dragon squeezed harder.
"I know God is dead, but what the fuck is wrong, you people?! You're supposed to protect your people, aren't you?! Are all of Heaven's angels so stupid that you are this useless?"
Gabriel seemed truly shocked and somewhat afraid of Issei's raw strength as she couldn't break free of his grip. She was equally as surprised by Issei's knowledge about God.
She managed to speak again as she reached up and pried his hand slightly open, "Y-you know about God's death?"
"Yeah, and I didn't tell them because I felt bad for them. Now it seems they need to be aware of the reality that you angels can't do shit to keep them safe! If God were alive, he'd be ashamed of every last one of you!" Issei spat as his eyes began to glow crimson red, and his grip tightened further.
"Iss-" Gabriel began to gasp and choke as she writhed in his grip painfully, "You're crushing me!"
A moment later, Issei regained clarity as he loosened his grip, 'Shit, what am I doing? It's not her fault. It's my goddamn fault! They were my friends…my kin. This is my failure. Why am I taking my anger out on her?'
The seraph began to gasp for air as he let go of her neck. There was a hand-shaped bruise there now, much to Issei's regret.
Issei turned away, "This isn't your fault…I shouldn't be taking it out on you. I don't know what came over me. Sorry for that."
Gabriel briefly felt her throat as she looked at Issei, concerned, "It's okay, Issei-kun. I was just caught off guard by your strength. You're even more powerful than I thought you were."
"And how powerful did you think I was?" he asked her curiously.
"Easily as powerful as I am if you were able to restrain me like that. Regardless, I am truly sorry for my lapse in oversight. Your anger is completely justified, and you have my forgiveness. God wouldn't have let this happen…you were one hundred percent right about that. This Devil must be punished for going after the faithful," Gabriel responded as her ditzy attitude hardened into a more serious one now.
"This is my fault, and I'm going to deal with it. I'm getting them back, and this Devil is going to die. Still, thank you for telling me who was responsible, Gabriel," Issei said with stern determination.
Gabriel looked a bit worried as she shook her head, "That's part of the reason why I couldn't intervene, Issei-kun. The Devil responsible is the younger brother of Ajuka Beelzebub, one of the Maou of the New Maou Faction. I couldn't intervene without causing a political incident and restarting the Great War. I needed Michael-kun's permission to rescue them. He is certain that the Maou are reasonable enough to accept diplomacy in this matter. If they are not, then we'll respond with appropriate force."
Issei hissed with anger as he snorted flames out of his nostrils, "We're wasting time! If you're going to help me, then let's go! If not, then go hide in Heaven with the rest of the fucking cowards!"
"I'm not hiding Issei-kun. I'll go with you. I swear by God that I will see your friends rescued no matter what. You have my word as a seraph. I pray this doesn't restart the war, but if it does, I'll have your back. I owe you and those girls that much. Their faith hasn't been misplaced in Heaven," Gabriel said seriously, with Issei hearing that she was serious.
'I guess she's not as happy-go-lucky as I thought. That's good,' Issei thought approvingly. "Excellent. Now, what's the fastest way to the Astaroth Clan, then?"
Gabriel quickly drew a large portal of light in the sky, "I'll open a portal and take us to the Underworld."
Upon opening her light portal, Issei immediately flew through it. Gabriel wasted no time following behind him.
The Underworld
Normally, it took a while to travel to the Underworld conveniently without a summon, but Gabriel's portal seemed to teleport them there, much to Issei's direct approval. Since Gabriel was the former messenger of God, it was hardly surprising to him that she could go anywhere like this. Issei didn't exactly like the idea of having the seraph help him, but her insight into the situation had already saved him a lot of time and a trip back to Red.
Issei couldn't help but wonder how Red would react, seeing him as angry as he was. He'd probably suggest that they destroy the Underworld together, but Issei shook his head at those thoughts, 'I don't want to bother Red with my problems. I guess it works out that Gabriel was able to get me here. Now I'm going to find this asshole and tear him apart!'
Halting temporarily in the air, Issei looked around the horizon. The sky was purple and somewhat dark currently but didn't appear as grim or evil as he'd expect Hell to be. He saw many large cities below him and various districts separated clearly by walls, rivers, and other types of magical barriers.
He sniffed the air for Xenovia and Irina as his eyes darted around for their location. Gabriel was quick to point him in the right direction, "You see that spire in the distance to the right? The one past the floating city? That's the Astaroth territory. It's one of the 33 estate territories owned by the ruling devil nobility. There used to be more, but the stronger houses annexed territories of extinct houses. The Astaroth Clan is one of the most prestigious and powerful. I believe that is where we will find your friends, Issei-kun. That section in the middle ring is called the Astaroth district. The middle building is their palace."
Issei cracked a fist as he gazed at the Astaroth territory in the distance. He began to tremble with hatred as his eye twitched. Cracking both of his fists, he inhaled and exhaled deeply several times.
"Take a few breaths if you need to, Issei. You'll want to be calm for the" Gabriel never got to finish her sentence as Issei exhaled a powerful flame breath into the sky.
His dark red flames immediately eclipsed the horizon and rained down upon the Astaroth territory in the distance. The flames burned with blazing intensity and ignited the landscape below into a raging hellfire.
Without wasting another second, Issei flew forward, exhaling more flames as he closed in on his destination. His two current wings that were out left a blazing streak of fire in the sky that created an extremely intimidating sound as they cut through the air. The skies were practically set ablaze as he picked up speed, flying towards the Astaroth palace like a jet. He delivered a devastating payload of flames the entire way there, which left a noticeable scar of devastation. He made sure he couldn't sense anyone in that area since he was calm, but his rage was controlled thanks to Gabriel being there.
Astaroth Palace
Currently, within the Astaroth Palace, a certain Red-headed devil princess and her peerage are busy fighting against Diodora's peerage. They had all split off into pairs to deal with Diodora's various pieces as they moved in to rescue a blonde nun. So far, they were somewhat successful in their advance, but they were currently being held up in the throne room as Rias, Gasper, and Akeno fought Diodora's queen and bishops. Kiba and Koneko were both busy fighting the rooks, knights, and pawns. The battle was evenly matched for the most part, but Rias' added help was starting to overwhelm Diodora's queen.
Diodora himself wasn't even bothering to involve himself in the fight as he stood behind his peers, smiling smugly. He couldn't help but gloat as one of his bishops healed his queen that Rias had nearly defeated, "Having trouble, Rias? You haven't even made it to me yet, hahaha!"
"Give us Asia back, and I won't kill you!" Rias demanded as her crimson destruction powers began to amplify considerably.
"Mmmm…no. Asia is mine now, and there's nothing you can do about it. She came here willingly," Diadora countered.
"That's because you lied to her! She's one of ours! You're breaking the rules by abducting her!" Rias shouted.
"I'm well within my rights to claim her. You didn't reincarnate her as a devil, and that means she's not technically your servant. I guess that explains why you didn't cry to Big Brother Sirzechs to come help you, huh?!" Diodora said with smug satisfaction.
Strung up next to him, a sad blonde girl was restrained. She looked terrified and was crying, "Rias-sama?! Help!"
"I'm curious, though, Rias. Why didn't you turn her into a devil yet?" Diodora asked the red-haired girl.
Rias frowned, "I wouldn't force that on her! I was trying to convince her, but it should be her choice, not mine!"
"You Gremorys are so pathetically sentimental and weak! Hahahaha! Well, you'll be happy to know that I already turned her into a devil. She's mine now, and you're technically breaking the rules by being here. You're going to get into a lot of trouble for this. Not even Sirzechs can bail you out of attacking another devil heir unprovoked!" Diadora ranted proudly.
"It was provoked! You won't get away with this!" Rias shouted.
"Little Asia here is just the start. I also went ahead and collected two more maidens for my collection. I believe you've met these two. They go to your school, don't they?" Diodora taunted as he snapped his fingers. This caused Xenovia and Irina to both appear from a summoning circle.
Both were restrained and looked like they had taken quite a beating. Diodora laughed as he ran a hand down Xenovia's thigh, "I haven't had the chance to rape any of them yet, but I can't wait to break these three in. They'll make excellent servants and sex slaves!"
Irina and Xenovia were both restrained, and their mouths were gagged. Rias raised a brow disbelievingly when she saw them, "You kidnapped those girls too?! They're Issei Hyoudou's friends!"
"Yeah, and?!" Diodora grinned maliciously. "That worthless dragon trash was asking for it when he left them alone, all vulnerable for me to claim.
Akeno's eyes went wide when she looked over at Rias, "If he kidnapped Hyoudou's friends, this could be bad. Hyoudou wouldn't think twice about attacking here!"
"Akeno's right. We all saw what Hyoudou did when Riser Phenex pissed him off. He'll go crazy when he finds out about this!" Kiba added.
"Y-you mean t-that d-dragon could c-come back here?!" Gasper said fearfully as he vividly remembered Issei humiliating Riser Phenex on the replay since Issei used so many elemental powers that Gasper feared him.
"You'll pay twofold for this Diodora! We made peace with Hyoudou and promised him the devils wouldn't bother him! You've just broken our deal with him!" Rias said, distraught.
Diodora smugly smiled, "I was counting on it. As if I could ever accept some arrogant dragon making demands of us. That stupid creature has no idea who I am, and even if he could find me, he wouldn't dare attack a Maou's brother!"
"Maybe he wouldn't, but I would!" Rias said angrily.
"I think he would. You heard what he said at the Rating Game, right? Never piss off a dragon," Koneko added.
Before anyone else could say another word, an earthquake began to shake the ground beneath them. They could all hear a terrifying roar coming from outside, as well as from the walls.
"GGGGGRRRRRRRAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!"
"What the hell was that?!" Akeno gasped as she looked around urgently since that was a roar mixed with a scream of a soul out for vengeance.
"I'm willing to bet it's Hyoudou…" Koneko answered as she recognized that roar and felt her body shiver in fear.
"Oh no! He's here!" Gasper cowered fearfully, hoping to hide and not see the demon that scared him in his nightmares.
Outside the Palace
Issei's meteoric arrival caused entire buildings to implode and shatter as Dragonfire launched in all directions. The servants of the Astaroth clan and the various citizens of this district panicked and cried in absolute terror as the dragon let out a deafening roar.
"If you don't want to die, then leave now!" Issei shouted as he stared briefly at the Astaroth palace when he noticed it was undamaged by this arrival. He was quick to realize a magical ward of some kind protected it. With hatred and determination, he charged towards the magical barrier and punched it as hard as possible.
A crack went across the entire barrier from the first hit. Annoyed by the fact that it wasn't destroyed in one punch, Issei howled with fury as he held up his left hand. Red draconic magic began to drown the surrounding area in power before Issei condensed it into his hands, and it became a massive orb made of heat and fire.
"Fire style: Solar Flare!" He shouted as a beam of magical energy shot forth from his hands. It easily shattered the barrier a second later and cut half of the palace in half like a knife through butter.
Directing both hands upward, Issei then forced the beam to spread into the air, causing a vortex of chaotic magic to swirl around the sky. This darkened it into a nightmarish and foreboding red. Gabriel arrived just in time to dodge its swirling energies as she landed next to Issei.
"Issei-kun, what are you doing?!" Gabriel asked, but her question was answered soon after when she saw the magical vortex creating clouds. Tempests of lightning and balls of fire rained from the sky as the dragon hunted for his prey.
He quickly found the scents of Xenovia and Irina and flew towards them with haste. It didn't take long before many devils tried to stop his advance. Issei effortlessly blasted them back or knocked them away with simple blunt trauma. He didn't care enough to notice whether any of them died or not as he advanced towards his destination.
Finally, Issei burst into the half-destroyed throne room mere moments later. He noticed both Irina and Xenovia were strung up and restrained, as well as a blonde girl in a nun's outfit. Rias and her peerage's presence there caught him slightly off guard, but he paid them no mind as he looked for his target. Standing in the half-ruined throne room of the Astaroth palace, Issei finally noticed a younger-looking devil man with bluish-green hair. His eyes were a yellowish hue and were wide with disbelief when he saw Issei.
He looked truly shocked by Issei's presence as the Kama landed on the ground and stared him down.
"I'm too stupid to find you, huh? " Issei said with rhetorical malice as he began to advance slowly.
"H-he's here!" Gasper practically cried as he hid behind Rias, who patted his head but kept her eyes on him.
"Get back, you dragon filth! I'm the heir to the Astaroth Clan! You can't do this! You're declaring war on the Underworld if you so much as lay a single finger on me!" the Devil shouted until a volley of shuriken flew and stabbed Diadora a lot before they electrocuted him while Issei continued his approach.
"I don't fucking care. Nothing in this universe is going to save you from me, you arrogant piece of shit!" Issei howled as he flew past Rias' group and Diodora's peerage. The queen and bishops attempted to stop him with magic, but he was completely unfazed by their attacks as he side-swiped them, knocking all three to the ground.
Diodora attempted to shield himself with a powerful green barrier and stopped Issei momentarily. "You can't break my barrier, dragon! I'm a high-class devil, and you're half-breed filth! Don't you dare mock me with your disgusting existence in my home!" the Devil ranted.
Issei punched the barrier lightly as if testing it before he let out a breath. His arm became coated with green energy, and his hands formed into precision strikes. He released a volley of them, causing cracks to go across it, much to Diodora's concern. His entire peerage and Rias could only watch helplessly as Issei broke it a second later. Before anyone could even realize what was happening, Issei was brutally beating the Devil.
'I'm glad I learned about using the Byakugan to locate the weaknesses in magical barriers and break them more easily. It saves me the trouble.' Issei said in his head while he held Diadora by his hair, repeatedly punching the Devil in the face, stomach, and neck. He purposely made sure not to use full force so he wouldn't kill Diodora right away. The Devil coughed up blood and gasped for air as this brief beating sent him to the ground.
As he collapsed to the ground, Issei followed up by stomping on one of his arms as hard as possible. This caused a sickening snap to echo as the bones were undoubtedly shattered now. Diodora screamed in agony as Issei pressed his weight onto the Devil's arm. The dragon spoke with pure hatred, "I thought about murdering you instantly, but you should suffer first!"
"ARRRGHHH! NOOO!" Diodora shrieked as Issei kicked him in the groin a second later.
It was at this moment Gabriel finally caught up to Issei. The archangel wasted no time flying over to free Xenovia and Irina from their restraints and gags. She easily broke the strange magical holds they had on them and spoke to the girls urgently, "Are you two okay?!"
"Gabriel-sama?! Y-you came?! Thank God! You and Issei came to save us!" Irina said, relieved, as she hugged the seraph with tears in her eyes.
Rias looked completely shocked by the 12-winged angel's presence and said disbelievingly, "Wait…that's the seraph Gabriel?!"
"Why is she here with Hyoudou?" Kiba wondered.
Akeno watched as the angel tried to comfort the girls. She glanced at Issei and quickly tried to get his attention, "Hyoudou-kun, are you and Archangel Gabriel working together?!"
Before Issei could answer, Gabriel spoke to the Gremory devils, "I offered to help Issei-kun rescue his friends. I'm also the one who told him it was Diodora Astaroth, and I brought him here immediately."
"We appreciate the help, but this kind of arrival is definitely going to notify half of the Underworld that we're under attack. You realize this could be misinterpreted as an act of war, right?" Rias asked Gabriel.
The blonde angel nodded at her, "I completely understand that situation, but we will not turn a blind eye to this Devil attacking the faithful. I hope diplomacy can be reached, but I am prepared to act if it's not."
"I see…" Rias trailed off slowly as her eyes moved over towards Issei, who was still stomping on Diodora's limbs and toying with him.
Issei briefly paused his brutal beatdown of Diodora as he glanced over at Gabriel, "They're not devils, are they, Gabriel?" Issei asked with concern before Gabriel replied.
"Irina and Xenovia are still human, Issei-kun…although the blonde girl isn't," the seraph answered while Issei stared at the saddened blonde nun who was now crying on her knees.
'That's the girl with Twilight Healing, I'll bet. That might explain why Gremory's people are all here. Did they come to save her? That's surprisingly noble of them. Had I arrived any later, Irina and Xenovia could have suffered the same fate...or worse. Gremory's people have likely been delaying Diadora this entire time. That's probably a good explanation for why they haven't been defiled or touched yet,' Issei pointed out as he was thankful for them buying him time to save the girls.
"A-are you Gabriel-sama?" the blonde nun cried as the seraph walked over to examine her.
"Yes. Are you okay?" Gabriel asked the girl. Asia shook her head as she immediately embraced the angel and cried sadly, "Please tell God to forgive me! I never accepted this!"
"It's okay, Asia Argento…God will understand," Gabriel responded with a bit of sadness in her voice.
Gabriel's reassurance was rewarded with a hysterical laugh from Diodora as he got back to his feet, "No, he wouldn't! God is dead! Hahahaha! You stupid nuns and exorcists are all praying to nothing up there in Heaven! How do you think I convinced all of my lovely peerage girls to renounce their faith in you pathetic angels? Bwahahaha! Once they all learned the truth, they gave themselves to me willingly!"
Rias' group all went wide-eyed at this information as they spoke up with various remarks.
"N-no way! God's dead?! How?!" Kiba said disbelievingly.
"That's impossible..." Gasper said, shaking his head.
"What are you talking about, Diodora!?" Rias demanded.
Akeno shook her head, "This is unbelievable…he must be lying."
Koneko herself didn't know what to say but was staring at Issei, who looked even angrier than before after Diodora's comment.
Xenovia and Irina's faces were both distraught and filled with anger. The blue-haired girl was quick to voice her disbelief, "He's lying! Kill him for even saying something like that, Issei!"
"God is alive and well! Right Gabriel-sama?" Irina turned towards the seraph for confirmation.
Being a pure angel, Gabriel couldn't lie. She frowned sadly as she answered, "God died in the Great War along with the original Satans."
"W-what?!" Irina shrieked as tears began to fill her eyes again. " No, that can't be true! We pray every day! God gives us miracles!"
"Michael-kun has been trying his best to keep the prayer system in place, but we angels aren't perfect like him or nearly as powerful. You've all been praying to Michael-kun instead," Gabriel explained.
Xenovia dropped to her knees as an existential crisis began to take hold. She couldn't believe it was true, and for the first time in her life, nothing made sense.
"H-how did God die?!" Xenovia demanded disbelievingly.
"Back during the Great War between the three factions of Angels, Fallen Angels, and Devils, a pair of dragons battled one another over our battlefield. These two dragons were called Ddraig and Albion. They were better known as the Heavenly Dragons of Domination and Supremacy, as well as the Red and White Dragon Emperors. As you'd expect, the battle between these two dragons was so cataclysmic that it forced all of the factions to temporarily unite in order to stop them from destroying the world. The two then joined forces with each other to fight against God, the angels, and all of the devils. Many leaders from all sides were killed in this battle, including all of the original Maou and God himself. Only by sacrificing his own life could God stop them as he sealed the two heavenly dragons into Longinus' sacred gears. That's why the war ended originally. All of the original Maou and God himself were no longer around," Gabriel explained honestly to Xenovia, Irina, and everyone else listening.
"How did that kill god, though?!" Irina said, distraught.
"God was also weakened at the time," Gabriel added.
"You just had to tell them that, didn't you, Gabriel?" Issei asked disapprovingly, and Gabriel looked at him with a pleading face before he stopped her with a raised palm.
"Enough of this, Gabriel! We can talk about it later!" Issei silenced the angel before she could say anything else.
She looked at him uncertainly, "I thought you wanted me to tell them the truth?"
"I-Issei, you knew?!" Irina gawked disbelievingly.
He didn't answer her, but it was obvious to everyone present that he did. Asia Argento was clutching tightly onto Gabriel, "N-no! Does that mean I can't go to Heaven then?!"
Gabriel didn't answer much to Asia's sadness. Even though Issei didn't know the blonde nun very well, seeing her forced into the subjugation of becoming a devil was enough to ignite his rage again.
"That's right, girls! Your filthy little dragon friend here has been lying to you this entire time! He knew God was dead, and he chose not to tell you! Then again, he was probably certain that you'd condemn his kind after learning the truth! How pathetic!" Diodora ranted annoyingly.
"I-Issei! Is that why you didn't?" Irina didn't get to finish her question when Issei interrupted.
He jerked his head towards the cocky Diodora and growled, "You've just made this ten times worse for yourself!"
"Issei-kun…it's not worth it. We saved your friends, and the Gremory girl can take Asia Argento to safety. We should leave," Gabriel tried to talk him out of it.
"Yeah, that's right! My brother is going to kill you if you don't get out of here!" Diodora threatened as he teleported himself a safer distance away until Issei stopped him by teleporting behind him and grabbed him by the neck before slamming him into a pillar.
"Nobody is going to save you from me, devil," Issei said darkly as he began to choke the arrogant Devil with his palm.
"You think you can take me?! Have a taste of my power, dragon trash!" Diodora boasted as he held up his hand and charged his magic, but Issei didn't give him a chance. He grabbed his charged-up hand and smashed it to mush, making Diadora scream in pain. Then, with no hesitation, Issei moved to ripping off the arm of the destroyed hand and tossed it away.
"ARGHHH! My arm! How dare you! My brother's going to kill you for this!" Diodora shouted hysterically, but Issei wasted no time immediately charging in to punish the Devil once again. He bashed Diodora in the face, relentlessly knocked out multiple teeth, and shattered the Devil's jaw.
"Shut the fuck up! You'll never speak again!" Issei said hatefully as he then reached his hand into Diodora's mouth and tore out his tongue. Blood splattered everywhere and all over Issei's face as the Devil cried out in horrific pain.
"You'll never fly again!" the dragon continued as he forced Diodora's wings out before tearing both of them off his back. He screamed in torment as Issei followed up by stomping on one of his feet. This shattered every bone in Diodora's foot and almost liquified it from the burning aura around Issei's body that resonated with his rage.
"You'll never walk again!" he followed as he held Diodora tightly and broke both of his legs in dozens of places.
"You'll never fuck again!" Issei hissed before a spear made of his aura jabbed itself into Diodora's groin and squeezed. A searing mist of blood went everywhere as Issei simultaneously crushed Diodora's crotch and cauterized it.
A blood-curdling shriek echoed throughout the area. Diadora began to cry in indescribable pain pathetically. Blood was everywhere now, and it was truly a wonder that he wasn't dead yet.
"You'll never see again!" The Kama hissed as he grabbed Diodora by the head and pressed his clawed thumbs into the Devil's eyes. After gouging them out, Issei tossed the Devil to the ground.
Diodora groaned in agony but couldn't make sense of what was happening now due to the absence of his eyes and his extreme pain.
"Death is too good for someone like you, so I'll send you to true Hell," Issei said as his eyes became crimson and crested tomes in them, shocking Gabriel before a black flame appeared in his hands.
"You'll never live again. Now, suffer eternal damnation. Amaterasu." Issei muttered the last part as he concluded his sentence while he vaporized Diodora's entire body in black flames.
Nobody there could tell, but Issei smiled as he saw the Devil's soul be banished to purgatory, where his soul would truly languish in damnation for the rest of eternity.
'Enjoy the real Hell, Diodora Astaroth,' Issei thought, content with the punishment.
"Good riddance…" Issei said as he finally calmed down.
Gabriel looked at Issei, concerned, "That was rather violent even for you, Issei-kun. This will undoubtedly upset his brother and many devils within the Underworld."
"I could care less about that since this asshole deserved it, and if people tell me otherwise, then they're truly blind to what true evil looks like. People like that monster deserve to rot in Hell for all eternity," Issei said dismissively as he glanced over at the girls that once made up Diodora's peerage.
All of them looked frightened beyond description as they cowered at his advance, which made Issei realize he may have forgotten about the weak crowd before he took a deep breath and examined the girls.
'They're already devils…and there's no telling what that creep did to these. I guess what they say is true. You can't save them all. At least Xenovia and Irina are okay, but I feel bad for that Asia Argento girl. I don't think he raped her, but she did get turned into a devil. Oh well, at least Gremory will take care of her. She's not all bad…her willingness to fight this guy indirectly saved Xenovia and Irina from the same fate.'
"P-please, have mercy, dragon! We're your servants! We'll do anything; just please don't kill us!" Diodora's queen tried to vouch for the group as she dropped to her knees in front of Issei. The rest quickly followed suit as they dropped to their knees as well and bowed to him.
"I don't believe in slavery. Do what you want, and I'm not going to kill you. I only killed that bastard for what he did to you and shat he would've done to both Irina and Xenovia. Issei said carelessly as he looked at Irina and Xenovia again, but before he could approach his friends, a group of devils arrived and surrounded them.
Issei didn't care enough to take in all of their appearances, but it was clear that they were powerful. One of them had long red hair and looked like a male version of Rias Gremory.
It didn't take him long to realize that the red-haired man was Sirzech Lucifer, and the green-haired Devil next to him was Ajuka Beelzebub.
"I wondered how someone was able to attack the Astaroth territory out of nowhere. Now it makes sense…Gabriel was involved. Fortunately, most of the family wasn't here, but it looks like the palace was almost razed," The green-haired Devil said with a stoic, matter-of-fact tone as he looked over at the seraph.
"Ajuka Beelzebub, and Sirzechs Lucifer." Gabriel said their names as she acknowledged the curious stares that they were giving her.
Do you have a reasonable explanation for what happened here? Your presence and this destruction will not be taken lightly otherwise," Ajuka stated calmly.
"I certainly do, Ajuka Beelzebub, but things did get a bit out of hand," Gabriel began.
It was only then that the two Maou and their entourage noticed Rias' group, Diodora's peerage members, and even Xenovia and Irina.
"What's going on? Rias, what are you and your peerage doing here?" Sirzechs spoke up with surprise.
"Onii-sama, I brought my peerage here to rescue a girl that was under my protection. Diodora abducted her as well as Hyoudou-san's friends! We were here first for the past hour, but Hyoudou-san arrived a while afterward along with the Archangel Gabriel." Rias explained quickly.
"That would definitely explain what happened here then…so you're Hyoudou-san? It's a shame we had to meet under these circumstances. I tried to get in touch with you but your a difficult person to reach." Ajuka introduced himself to Issei, who spat at the ground in front of him shocking the Devils except Adjuka before Issei spoke to him.
"You got some nerve acting friendly with me after your brother abducted my friends! I told you fucking devils to leave me, my friends, home, and family alone! If you think I'm a joke, then why do you insist on disrupting my life?!" Issei said rudely to Ajuka.
The Maou raised a brow in confusion, "Pervert brother? What did he do exactly?"
"To start, he kidnapped my friends, destroyed my home, and left me a note saying he was going to turn them into devils and ravage them as he saw fit. I take it he intended to do the same thing to the girl Rias Gremory was protecting. If you don't believe our testimony, then ask Diodora's peerage since they're all formerly nuns and holy girls, from what I've heard. Don't tell me you never fucking noticed this shit before. Why else do you think Gabriel is here?" Issei scoffed.
Ajuka glanced around uncertainly, "Where is Diadora himself? I want to confront him on this matter."
"H-Hyoudou-sama killed him, Beelzebub-sama," Diodora's queen answered timidly.
'Hyoudou-sama? Was she being serious about being his servant?' Rias thought curiously.
Ajuka sighed, "That's very unfortunate. Such a brazen retaliation will not go unanswered. I hope you understand that there will be consequences for this retribution, Hyoudou-san."
"I'm glad he's dead, and I wouldn't think twice about doing it again! If you think you can intimidate me with this Great Maou devil shit, then you're wrong!" Issei spat while said Maou rose a brow,
"Is that so? Serafall told me you were incredibly powerful. It only seems more evident, considering you could also resist a forced summon from me. That would mean you possess magical powers well beyond that of a high-class devil or a high dragon. That, in addition to your fearlessness, only confirms to me that you're even more powerful than Serafall suspects. Judging by your alliance with Gabriel, I'd even wager that you're around her power level. Am I correct in this assumption?"
"You tell me, since you're the genius here apparently," Issei replied with a smart-ass tone since he was getting annoyed by this.
Ajuka narrowed his gaze at Issei's attitude, "My brother might have deserved the punishment you gave him, but that doesn't excuse the fact that you unlawfully attacked a high-class devil heir and a member of the pillars. You should have let us punish him. This is going to cause a political backlash and ultimately damage Underworld relations."
"So fucking what?! I've tried being diplomatic with you, devils. My terms were simple. I don't bother you at all, and you don't try to fuck up my life, but no, every other day, one of your people has to intrude on my life and push your politics and agendas onto me. I'm sick of it all! I tried to be civil with Gremory and Sitri, and I was promised that my friends wouldn't be bothered anymore by Serafall Leviathan herself. You're the ones who broke your deal with me, and this is the damn result! The pillars can suck it if they don't like it! Every last one of them!" Issei shouted back at the Maou with repressed anger rising to the surface once again.
"It would be wise for you to calm down before you do something foolish. I'm not personally condemning you for what happened here, but your attitude isn't helping the situation. If all of this testimony is true, then you will be given amnesty, and we won't have to kill you," Ajuka said slowly.
Issei glared at him intensely, "You won't have to kill me, huh? Just try it, and it'll be the last thing you ever do."
"I don't think you truly want that. Behaving irrationally and erratically isn't going to help your case at all. I'll ask again nicely…calm down," Ajuka countered.
'These devils STILL think they can come up and flex on me!? Fuck this guy! I'm beating his damn ass so they will finally stop being condescending!' Issei thought furiously.
"THAT'S ENOUGH."
The sudden voice shocked the group as the sky seemed to crack and break like glass until a portal opened with two beings emerging from the said portal and the power that made Rias, her peerage, the entourage, and Diadora's group were slammed to the ground with their power. In contrast, Gabriel, Siezechs, and Adjuka seemed to struggle standing even with their auras at full blast.
Issei, on the other hand, was calm as he was shocked to see Kaguya and the other figure, a tall man with a muscular build who still had a chiseled and lean look. His clothes were similar to a full biker's attire.
It looked stylish and a bit armored. It mostly consisted of red and black, but a few trims or gold and noticeable dragon designs decorated the entirety of it.
His hair was mostly black with red tips and golden highlights. It was a bit longer than Issei's and was slightly slicked and styled. He was also wearing sunglasses even despite the fact that it was nighttime. Even in spite of them, Issei already knew his eyes were gold, just like in his dragon form. Red's human face was also strong and handsome. What was most surprising about his appearance, though, was the fact that he had some resemblance to Issei.
"Heh. So Red is here because of her. I almost expected Kaguya to interfere, but not like this." Issei said as the two beings landed and looked at Issei with happiness.
"Was this Devil about to lay a hand on you even though the Decils are the ones who instigated this ordeal?" Kaguya asked before Issei nodded in response.
"Correct. Apparently, the rapist, self-righteous big brighter than he kept whining about, said he would put me down if I didn't calm down. I don't follow orders from anyone except my parents, so I was about to tear a new hole into this Devil. Still, if the arrogant Devil is willing to back down, then I'll let it go, too," Issei said as he crossed his arms with Red, looking at Adjuka and snorting at him.
"How cute. A rat with wings and a taste of the Dimensional Gap suddenly thinks he's a badass? How adorable. It never ceases to amuse me how stupid and smart some of the most 'intelligent' beings of this world can be at the same time." Red said as he snapped his fingers; a throne appeared with him sitting on it, and Kaguya decided to float next to Issei and pull him into a hug while rubbing his heart.
"Rest, Issei. We will take it from here," Kaguya said. Issei relented and let his eyes close, and Kaguya used a jutsu to help him rest easier.
"Now that we've prevented Issei from killing you fools for attempting to arrest him when your brother was the one who broke a deal with us, and as such, such foolishness must be paid with blood," Red said as he raised a hand and snapped his fingers. As if they were puppets on strings, the entourage dropped, shocking the group until Adjuka yelled as he covered his left eye to see it was now in Kaguya's hand.
"And eye for an eye, blood for blood. You already lost a sibling so the blood was taken care of, his home razed after what Diadora did to Issei's home, and the eye is just a warning since I would've made you blind permanently but that would've been too far." Kaguya said as she sat on a cloud made of magic while running a hand through Issei's hair, which made him relax, and Kaguya smiled.
"Indeed, and since there is no need for anyone else to die here, we'll be taking our leave." Red snapped his fingers, and Diadora's peerage gasped as they saw their Devil Pieces shatter, but they were still alive.
"Also, this situation is very delicate, however. My sister confirmed the truth that your brother was performing unethical kidnappings on humans protected by Heaven. Diodora even went after a girl under her protection. Under these circumstances, and with the witnesses present, it would only confirm that Diodora was in the wrong. Gabriel's involvement also means that the angels have a stake in this matter and will expect some form of justice. Your brother would not have been able to walk away from this even if Hyoudou hadn't killed him. If we had granted Diodora amnesty, it could have potentially started a war with Heaven. His death was an unfortunate situation, but it wasn't unjust," Sirzechs lectured seriously.
Ajuka sighed heavily as he glanced at the seraph, "Can you also confirm this, Gabriel?"
"Diodora Astaroth has been kidnapping holy maidens under Heaven's protection. We could not allow it to go on any longer. It was not my intention to cause an incident, but we've been authorized to use appropriate force to settle this matter. I want all of these girls freed from the Astaroth family and your assurance that the faithful will not be kidnapped or harmed again. Issei Hyoudou is also under Heaven's protection, and any further attempts to provoke him will be met with our intervention," Gabriel said diplomatically.
"I don't think he needs your protection…" Grayfia muttered aloud.
"Very well, your terms are accepted, Archangel Gabriel. You're free to take my brother's former peerage, and we will stand down on this matter. With that being said, I hope you understand that we won't be able to stop the political backlash from this. My parents and many nobles will likely take it very harshly. With that matter settled, I'll be leaving now," Ajuka spoke before teleporting away.
"Aw. How adorable. He's saying that as if we give a shit about what your little group is going through." Red said as Gabriel thanked him for freeing the girls from their chains until Kaguya then glared at Sirzechs with her third eye revealing itself as she had her hair keep Issei safe while getting off the cloud.
"This is your first warning. Anger the Dimensional Gap Faction two more times, and we will wreak destruction and devastation on those who dare oppose us," Kaguya said, snapping her fingers as the cloud enveloped Irina, Xenovia, and Diadora's peerage.
"We'll be taking them with us, but you're free to join us, Gabriel, though if you try anything funny, then your wings will be clipped," Kaguya said, her third eye closing as the group departed. Issei stopped Kaguya with his hand as he woke up from the Jutsu and looked at Rias before bowing his head in respect. This shocked the Gremory Heiress until he spoke to her five simple words that made her feel like she had gained his respect.
"Thank you for saving them," Issei said before falling back asleep in Kaguya's hair, who smiled at him before they vanished through the portal.
The Dimensional Gap.
On a massive island of sorts in the Dimensional Gap, it was crazy, especially since Kaguya took Issei to a guest house and placed him in bed.
Kaguya then turned to both Irina and Xenovia, who were each clutched onto either one of his arms.
"Issei didn't want to tell you since he knew you both would be broken-hearted after hearing this, so I hope you don't hold it against him," Kaguya said as Irina and Xenovia replied to her.
"We would never blame Issei for thinking about our feelings!"
"Irina is right. I can't blame Issei for it either. We don't resent him as a dragon just because two dragons killed God. He came right after us with Gabriel-sama…" Xenovia added.
"He's a good person, and God himself would agree! Dragon or not, Issei is our friend!" Irina said emotionally as she clutched onto him tighter. Issei hugged Irina into his chest, which made her blush, while Kaguya smiled in amusement.
"Issei knows and will want you both to separate from him to be safe, but I have an alternative solution, though it requires a cost from you both," Kaguya said as she snapped her fingers as a chess set appeared in her hands.
"This is Issei's Peerage set, which is blank but will be filled with special magic soon when he wakes up since I plan to talk to him. For now, you both have been through a lot. Rest well," Kaguya said as she poked their foreheads and knocked them out before putting them with Issei.
Kaguya then looked at Issei's cellphone and saw a text from Kurama.
[The others are out, but we need to talk with you and Red first before we do anything else.]
Kaguya nodded. She was glad the others were free, but now it was time for them to meet and discuss their next move since those Devils don't seem to take their warnings lightly.
"I don't care what happens to anyone else, but if anyone wishes to dare harm my Kama, then they will have to answer to me," Kaguya said as she floated over to Red and showed him the text.
"Hm. I see. It looks like it's that time," Red said before summoning a poker table and a couple of chips and cards inside his personal home and asking her and the others that appeared thanks to his portals.
"So, what's your next move since you are all now free from Issei?" Red asked as the other Tailed Beasts appeared at the poker table.
Scene!
Phew! I'm exhausted after that...Still next time: The Gods Meeting.