Kokabiel Arc Chapter 36: Vanguard VS Element 4

The battlefield roared with magic explosions and clashing steel as the fights commenced. Watching from above, Jiro—still in his Dragon Force form—floated alongside Asia, who sat on her Nimbus Cloud, while Kokabiel lounged on his floating throne, observing the chaos through shimmering magic screens.

"Quite the spectacle, isn't it?" Kokabiel mused, his crimson eyes flickering with amusement. "Your little team is holding their own—for now. But don't get cocky, boy. The real showdown is between us." He shifted, as if preparing to rise from his throne.

Asia turned to him, unease written across her face. The sheer proximity to such a dangerous enemy sent a chill down her spine, and she instinctively gripped her staff, debating whether to float farther away.

Before she could move, Jiro spoke. "Yeah, but let's wait a bit and see how these fights play out. You'll find them… interesting." His voice carried an air of quiet confidence.

Kokabiel chuckled darkly. "Ah, how amusing. You think stalling will change the outcome? Fine, let's watch them struggle before the slaughter begins." He leaned back, crossing his arms.

Jiro smirked. "We shall see, won't we?"

As Aika tangles with the Cerberus in another part of the Entertainment District, Koneko and Ravel began their battle with Mittelt. Koneko throws punch after punch and kick after kick at Mittelt who manages to block them with her spear. As Mittelt blocks and parries Koneko's attacks, using her spear to deflect each blow, she quickly regains her stance and counterattacks with a barrage of swift slashes and stabs, aiming to put Koneko on the defensive.

"Ha! You're strong, but it takes a little more speed to beat me. My dear Excalibur Mimic is more than just a weapon—it's an extension of my skill and power. You'll need more than that to beat me, little girl." Mittelt boasted as she twirls and swings her spear at Koneko.

"You're one to talk about little girls! Now let's try this!" Koneko retorts as she bends backwards to dodge a stab, kicks the spear out of Mittelt's hands, and drop kicks her in the stomach, knocking her back a bit.

Mittelt's smirk falters as Koneko knocks her spear away with a powerful kick. She regains her balance and shoots a glare at Koneko.

"Oh, you're getting feisty, aren't you? But kicking away my Excalibur away was a lucky break for you. Don't think it'll make a difference. I'm more than capable of taking you on with or without it. Because I have these." Mittelt said as she flies backwards while summons two light spears and throws them at Koneko who blocks with her forearms.

Mittlet uses the small opening and flies back fast to go pick up her Excalibur. Right she pulls it out of the ground Ravel flies up next to her, a large fire ball ready.

"You're wide open!" She yells as she throws the ball of Phoenix Flames at Mittelt, who was just barely able to turn spear into a shield to block the attack. The fire engulfs her and the shield in a small explosion, making her yell out in pain from the flames and demonic power burning her. Mittelt staggers from the inferno, her clothes charred, smoke curling from her scorched skin. She bites back a cry as she lands on the ground, her knees buckling, but she forces herself to stay upright.

"Damn it! Those flames are no joke! You've got some serious power, I'll give you that. But don't think a few burns will stop me. I've endured far worse in my time, and I'll recover in no time. You'll have to do better than that to take me down!" Mittelt yelled as she turns her spear into a Katana and flies towards Ravel, attempting to slash at her.

Ravel flies back, attempting to dodge all her strikes, knowing the blades holy power would stunt her healing abilities. However she fumbles and gains a few slashes on her skin. She winces in pain as the holy power of Mittelt Excalibur burns and sizzles while her Phoenix regeneration tries heal her, the feeling being far worse than any light weapon she's experienced.

Mittelt smirks at her pained and swings her sword at Ravel horizontally in an attempt to decapitate her. Ravel shakes of the pain in time to just barely fly back and dodge her slash. She then continues flying back from Mittelt and throw a multitude of fire balls at her. However, as Mittelt flies after her, cutting through and negates all of the fire balls, the holy power of her Excalibur nullifying Ravel's demonic power.

"Is this the best you can do? Cause it'll take a little more then normal old fire balls to beat someone as cute as me, little birdie. I've got way more up my sleeve." Mittelt boasted as she continued to cut through Ravel's fire balls and increased her speed.

"THEN HOW ABOUT THIS!" Ravel yelled as she brought her hands together as she started charging a blast of flames.

'Woah! Her power level just jumped to 1,390!' Mittelt thought to herself as she read Ravel's reading on her scouter.

"HELLFIRE... IMMORTAL SWORD!"

Ravel yelled as she launched her large blast of flames towards Mittelt at a fast rate. Mittlet's paniced slightly as she realized she had no time to dodge. Thinking fast, she then held her Katana up vertically and flew straight into the flames, cleaving the blast in half while sustaining only minor burns herself. Mittelt smirked again as she flew closer to Ravel and completely canceled out her blast. As she was about to take another slash at Ravel, Koneko flew up between them, her Ether Gear ready.

"MEGIMECH ATTACK... GRAVITY CANNON!"

Koneko yelled as she forms a large sphere of energy made of gravity and thrusts her fist forward, unleashing a dense gravity sphere. The air distorts around it as it slams into Mittelt, crushing her beneath its weight and hurling her into a building with an earth-shaking crash. Koneko and Ravel descend as Koneko looked at Ravel.

"You good, Ravel?" Koneko asked as she noticed her wounds.

"I'll be fine. It'll take a little longer, but I'll heal eventually. Tch, stupide holy power!" Ravel said, the annoyance in her voice evident.

They land on the ground side by side as Mittelt crawls out of the building wall while scowling.

'And now her power level jumped to 1,250!' She thought to herself as she read Koneko's reading on her scouter.

"Is that all you've got? Because we've got more up our sleeves as well." Ravel said, summoning more flames in her hands.

"And I've seen way cuter lollies than you in my time." Koneko followed up while putting her fist up and revving her Ether Gear.

Mittelt's scowl hardens at their remarks and changes her Katana to a large Zweihander, similar to the one Siris used, and then flies at them with all the speed she could muster while lifting the large sword. Once in range she brings the blade down with great strength, crushing the street and ground beneath them, creating a large gust of wind pressure as Koneko and Ravel jump away in opposite direction of each other, Koneko levitating with zero gravity and landing on the side of a building and Ravel flying back with her wings.

Mittlet pulls her Zweihander out of the ground and flies towards Koneko, trying to slash at her. Koneko runs along the building walls as Mittelt tries strike her, only to miss every strike and cut through and destroy the walls. Koneko makes a "Tch" sound as she realizes the damage being done to the building and jumps back down to the ground.

As she lands Mittelt flies after her, raising her large sword, and brings it down onto Koneko, who had no time to dodge and could only catch the blade with her hands on either side of its flat. The force from Mittelt's strike crushes and crumbles the earth beneath Koneko. Despite her rook abilities giving her great defense, the immense holy power within Excalibur Mimic in the form of a Zweihander begins to burn her hands. Koneko winces in pain as Mittlet smirks and chuckles while trying to push the blade down harder on Koneko.

"What are you laughing about, bitch!" Koneko said as the blue lines and patterns on her hands began to glow slightly brighter.

She starts to transfer the anti-gravity power of her Ether Gear to Mittelt's blade, making it lighter, much to her shock. Mittelt also feels herself becoming lighter, then Koneko pushes her blade back with all her strength and sends the sword and her floating up into the air quickly.

Ravel, seeing the opportunity, flew up behind and intercepted Mittelt with immense speed and lands a flaming kick to her back, sending her flying back down, her arms, legs, and wings spread out wide as she winces from the burns on her back. Koneko then puts her hand on the ground, preparing her next move.

"MEGIMECH ATTACK... GRAVITY WAVE!"

Koneko yells as she generates a large gravity sphere that increases in size throughout the area and eventually reaches Mittelt in the air as she falls. She then feels the gravity intensify, yanking her downward at alarming speed. She struggles, but the force pins her limbs in place, preventing any escape. Koneko then jumps up towards Mittelt and channels all the strength of her Rook abilities and Satan Gravity, unconsciously along with another power she has, into her right arm.

"MEGIMECH ATTACK... GRAVITY FIST!"

Koneko roars as she lands a deviating punch to Mittelt's torso, shattering her ribs, making her cough up blood, and drop her Excalibur with a loud thud sound as she flies back up high into the air above the Entertainment District. Mittelt comes to a stop in mid-air, nearly choking on her own blood as all her ribs shatter from Koneko's brutal attack. The pain to her is excruciating, and she feels the air knocked out of her lungs. She floats in the air, struggling to breathe, and clutching her chest tightly in agony.

"Gr...gah...! Damn... you... That... that hurt... you little bastard... I won't... give... up..." Mittelt gasped as she repeatedly coughed up blood.

"Sorry but I think it's time to end this! NOW BURN!" Ravel yells as she lands on the ground and trusts her arms up while scrunching her finger. Suddenly a multitude of fire balls forms around, above, and beneath Mittlet. She looks around, eyes wide in fear, still clutching her chest, as she realizes there's nowhere nor any time to escape.

"ETHER ZONE... HELLZONE GRENADE!"

Ravel yells again as she clinches her fist, making all the fire balls around Mittelt all explode simultaneously. As the massive explosion of Phoenix Flames engulfs Mittelt, her screams of pain fill the air along with a rumble sound that reverberates in the orange illuminated night sky. Everyone in the middle of their own battles around the town witness the spectacle and the members of Biblical Vanguard all smile, knowing it was Ravel's attack, signaling that she and Koneko won their fight. The intense flames incinerate Mittelt completely, leaving no trace of her presence. The battle is over, and Mittelt was defeated, her ashes dissipating in the aftermath of the inferno.

Koneko and Ravel on the ground, breathing heavily, exchange a victorious high five, their faces filled with excitement and relief.

"Nice work, fire bird. Those those dirty fireworks always look amazing." Koneko said, her voice sounding unusually happier.

"Absolutely! We make an amazing team, don't you think, Koneko?! Your gravity, strength, and defense abilities came in clutch during that fight. We really showed her what we're made of!" Ravel said, cheerfully, smiling brightly.

"That was some impressive firepower you unleashed up there, Ravel. And I love those gravity attacks Koneko." Aika said as she approached them, covered in scratches, claw marks, and clothes torn in places.

"Woah, Miss Aika are you okay!" Ravel said, holding her hands up in worry.

"Oh I'm fine. That Cerberus was no joke though." Aika said, chuckling sheepishly as they all turned towards the creature in question that was laying on the ground in a crater, unconscious and covered in burns.

"Damn. You actually kicked that dogs ass? Insane." Koneko muttered eyes wide in shock as Aika laughed.

Koneko then went over the Cerberus, pulled out the magic seal paper they got from Sirzechs, and absorbed the Cerberuses form into the seal

"Here I might be able to help." Ravel said as she braced herself and poked herself in eye to make herself tear up.

"Ow, ow, ow! Here." She whimpered as she wiped her tears on Aika's hands. Then suddenly, to her surprise, her wounds ignited in gold flames and healed slightly.

"Woah, what was that supposed to be?" Aika asked, looking around her body.

"They're called Phoenix Tears. They can heal other people for the most part, but it depends on my magic capacity. Sorry I'm running low on magic power, so I couldn't heal you fully." Ravel explained before her expression softened slightly.

"Don't worry about it. I'm running low myself." Aika said, reassuringly. Then, as if on cue, Koneko and Ravel of them felt exhausted as Asia's enchantment wore off.

Ravel dropped and sat on the ground, feeling winded as she were low on magic energy and Koneko felt her arms and muscles strain from her large Satan Gravity attacks. Koneko, however, took Ravel's magic seal paper, went up to Mittelt's dropped Excalibur Mimic, and absorbed the sword into it before collapsing herself.

"You guys too, huh? I felt the same thing a few minuets ago, now we just wait for the others to pulls through." Aika said, looking up.

"Well, we did all we could do here." Ravel said as she sighed.

"There's plenty more fallen ass to kick, so all we have to do now is just wait." Koneko said as she flopped on her back.

Kokabiel sat silently, observing the scene through a magic screen in disbelief. He could hardly believe that Mittelt, one of his strongest followers and a member of the Element 4, had been defeated by such a skilled pair.

"That was... unexpected. Mittelt was one of my best fighters. To see her taken down like that is almost unbelievable. The power and coordination of your team are truly impressive. I'll admit, I wasn't expecting that outcome. But rest assured, the remaining Element 4 still possess great strength and determination. This is far from over," Kokabiel remarked, regaining his smug smile at the end.

Jiro looked at the magic screen with a proud smile, while Asia, standing beside him, had a bright, relieved expression, her hands clasped close to her chest.

"We'll see, won't we?" Jiro said, sporting a smug smile of his own.

'Well now, I think I finally know what hidden power Koneko's been keeping under wraps,' Jiro thought to himself.

In the center of town, as Irina and Xenovia faced off against Freed, Valper glanced at the podium for the Abyss Break and noticed the orange glow had faded slightly. One of the four glowing crystal balls on the corner columns had gone dark. All four of them in the area had seen the explosion and immediately understood what it meant.

"W-What?! Don't tell me Mittelt and her Holy Element have been eliminated!" Valper exclaimed, his eyes wide in disbelief. He quickly set his scouter to Mittelt's location, only to find no reading or signal.

Freed clicked his tongue in irritation, while Irina and Xenovia exchanged proud smiles.

In the quiet side of town, Kiba and Dohnaseek—having paused their clash to witness the massive explosion—wore shocked expressions. Dohnaseek pressed the button on his scouter, scanning for Mittelt's location, only to confirm there was no reading.

"Well, damn. So Mittelt really is dead, huh?" Dohnaseek muttered with a stoic expression.

Kiba, along with Matsuda and Motohama—who had also momentarily stopped their battles with the Cerberuses—smiled proudly before returning to their respective duels.

Rias, Akeno, and Raynare, who were facing off against Kalawarner in the air, and Issei, who was tangling with the Cerberus on the ground, all saw the explosion and sensed that Mittelt of the Element 4 had been defeated by Koneko and Ravel. They smiled proudly at the victory.

"Well, well, I'm guessing you all saw that explosion and sensed Mittelt's elimination? No matter. As long as Dohnaseek, Freed, and I remain alive, the Abyss Break should still recharge and fire again in about one hour and ten minutes," Kalawarner said as she gripped her Excalibur Nightmare and took a fighting stance in mid-air.

The three mage girls scowled at Kalawarner's dismissive and uncaring response to her own teammate's death.

Rias, Akeno, and Raynare launched a barrage of magic attacks—Destruction Power, Holy Lightning, and Purple Light Energy—at Kalawarner. However, she skillfully dodged and deflected their attacks with her sword.

"You think you can take me down so easily? Ha! You're sorely mistaken. Mittelt specialized in defense, Dohnaseek in speed, and Freed in swordsmanship. But I, however, have the strongest magic among the Element 4. I am more than capable of standing my ground against you three. Your magic may be powerful, but you'll need much more than that to defeat me!" Kalawarner boasted, smirking confidently as she flared her purple aura.

"THEN LET'S TRY THIS!" Raynare shouted as she flared her own purple aura, summoned a light sword, and charged at Kalawarner.

Raynare rushed forward at top speed, her light sword ready. Kalawarner swiftly raised Excalibur Nightmare and blocked Raynare's strikes, their blades clashing in a furious exchange until they meet in a blade lock. The two locked eyes, their expressions filled with determination and intensity.

"Ha! You think an ordinary light sword will give you the upper hand against an Excalibur wielder? You'll need more than that to defeat me!" Kalawarner taunted, still smirking confidently.

"Screw you! Now tell me—how the hell did Kokabiel manage to make you believe in his sick delusions, Kalawarner?!" Raynare demanded, her expression hardening.

Kalawarner's smirk faded, replaced by a cold, serious expression.

"Lord Kokabiel is more than just a leader to us. He is our savior. We believe in his cause, in the vision he has for our future. He opened our eyes to the truth about this world, and we will follow him wherever it leads us. We are his followers, and we will do whatever it takes to bring about his desired world. You should know exactly what that feels like, Raynare—after all, he saved you from that destroyed mountain," Kalawarner stated in a chilling tone.

Raynare's eyes narrowed as she let out a sharp "Tch," stepping back slightly. Just as Kalawarner prepared to strike again, Rias and Akeno flew between them, their magic charged and ready.

"IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN YOU MUST BE STOPPED!" they shouted in unison, launching a combined attack—Destruction Power and Holy Lightning—at Kalawarner.

Caught off guard by their sudden assault, Kalawarner barely had time to summon a barrier. The sheer force of their combined attack sent her hurtling backward through the air, forcing her to strain to maintain her defense. With a sharp motion, she forcefully outspread her arms, dispersing her barrier in a shockwave that nullified the incoming blasts.

"Damn it... you two are far more troublesome than I anticipated," she muttered, scowling down at them. "But don't think for a second that you can defeat me so easily."

"We'll see about that!" Rias, Akeno, and Raynare declared together, flaring their auras.

Kalawarner gazed down at them, then smirked as an idea formed in her mind.

"You know, why don't I show you what I'm truly capable of... before I slaughter you three?" she said with a sinister grin, raising her sword as it began to glow with an eerie purple light.

The three girls hesitated, confused by her words, before preparing to launch another attack. However, before they could act, Kalawarner suddenly pointed her sword at them. In an instant, their surroundings turned pitch black. The area around them vanished, and they found themselves alone, standing in a vast, empty darkness.

Rias, Akeno, and Raynare looked around in confusion, searching for each other, trying to understand what had just happened.

"What... is this place?" Akeno murmured, narrowing her eyes.

"Some kind of illusion?" Rias guessed, her body tensing as she readied herself for anything.

Raynare clenched her fists, her wings twitching. "No... this is something else."

From the darkness, Kalawarner's laughter echoed ominously. "Welcome to Excalibur Nightmare's domain."

Rias blinked and suddenly found herself standing at the front gate of Kuoh Academy, the sun shining brightly as students walked past her.

"Oh, Rias. There you are. I've been searching for you," said a familiar female voice from behind.

Rias turned around, and her eyes widened in shock. Approaching her was none other than her long-lost childhood friend, Sona Sitri, who she believed was dead, and now appeared to be around Rias's age. She stood just a few feet away, dressed in the Kuoh Academy girls' uniform.

"S-Sona... Sona, is that... really you?" Rias asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"But of course, Rias. Who else would I be?" Sona replied playfully.

Akeno blinked and suddenly found herself standing in the woods of Japan, in front of a large house she recognized all too well. She looked around in confusion.

"Akeno? Oh, Akeno, sweetie. It's so good to see you, honey," said a mature feminine voice from inside the house as a figure stepped out.

Akeno's head snapped toward the door, and her breath hitched. Standing there, smiling warmly, was her late mother, Shuri Himejima.

"M-Mother...?" Akeno muttered, her eyes welling up with tears.

"Yes, it's me, Akeno. You've grown so much, dear," Shuri said, her smile widening.

Raynare scanned the dark void around her until she blinked—and suddenly found herself atop a mountain, staring at a farmhouse she hadn't seen in eons. Her eyes widened as two figures stepped out of the house. Walking toward her were Razriel and Azalea—her mother and father.

Razriel was a tall, muscular man with long, straight jet-black hair and a rough beard. Azalea, a mature woman with a voluptuous figure, had long raven-black hair and striking dark violet eyes. Their most distinguishing features, however, were the large black wings on their backs—each possessing a total of eight.

"M-Mother...? F-Father...?" Raynare muttered in shock.

"That's right, it's us. We've missed you dearly, Raynare," Razriel said, smiling as they slowly approached her.

"Indeed, we have. And just look at you, my dear—you've grown so much. But tell me, why are you wearing something so revealing? You're going to make your mother faint," Azalea added with a playful smile.

Raynare let out a small laugh, her emotions overwhelming her as she ran toward them, pulling them both into a tight hug.

Hovering above them, Kalawarner smirked in amusement. Her sword, shrouded in a glowing purple aura, remained steady in her grasp as she observed their frozen expressions.

"Fufufu... Don't get too comfortable in those dreams," she murmured, her smirk widening. "The real nightmares are about to begin."

She lifted her sword, and the purple glow intensified.

Issei, having just knocked the Cerberus away, turned toward the three girls. His eyes widened as he saw them floating motionless in the middle of the fight.

"What the hell are they doing?" he muttered, confusion and concern washing over him.

Meanwhile

As Matsuda and Motohama fought against their two Cerberuses, Kiba engaged in a fierce struggle against Dohnaseek. Kiba Requipped a sword with a gold V-shaped guard and a grayish-black blade, clashing blades with Dohnaseek as they zipped through the battlefield, trying to gain the upper hand. Eventually, they landed on the ground a few feet apart, catching their breath.

"I gotta admit, you've gotten better since the last time we dueled in that park a month ago," Dohnaseek said, resting his sword on his shoulder.

"Indeed, I have. I've been training relentlessly since then," Kiba replied, Requipping a second sword into his other hand.

Dohnaseek's eyes widened slightly at the sudden appearance of the second sword, quickly recognizing the ability. "Ah, you can use Requip Magic, can you? I may not use normal weapons other than this Excalibur, but I can still imitate its properties," he said, smirking. He then instantly summoned a light sword in his left hand, while holding his Excalibur in his right.

Kiba's eyes widened in shock—not just at Dohnaseek's recognition of his ability, but also at how effortlessly he had materialized a light weapon.

'What?! I've never even seen Raynare create a light weapon that quickly! That was almost instantaneous!' Kiba thought.

"Like what you see?" Dohnaseek taunted before suddenly hurling the light sword at Kiba at an immense speed.

Kiba barely had time to react, quickly Requipping one of his swords into his Holy Eraser sword—an all-black blade capable of absorbing light. As the flying light sword struck, it was instantly absorbed into his weapon, leaving Dohnaseek momentarily surprised.

"Well, I didn't see that coming. You're full of all kinds of tricks, aren't you?" Dohnaseek mused. "You know what? Why don't I stop holding back and show you what I can really do with Excalibur Rapidly?"

Kiba's eyes widened in alarm as Dohnaseek raised his sword, which began to glow orange.

The glow then enveloped Dohnaseek as he instantly summoned a light spear, spread his wings, and shot into the air. Then, without warning, he began flying at blinding speeds around Kiba, becoming nothing more than a blur.

Kiba spun in place, struggling to track his opponent's movements.

Suddenly, a light spear came hurtling toward him. He barely managed to block it, absorbing it into his Holy Eraser sword. But then, from every direction, a barrage of light spears rained down on him. Thinking fast, Kiba Requipped a second Holy Eraser sword and spun around, attempting to absorb as many spears as possible. However, some of them managed to graze his shoulders and legs, sending sharp pain through his body as the wounds sizzled.

Dohnaseek smirked as he stopped throwing spears. Hovering in mid-air, he then rocketed toward Kiba at an even greater speed, slashing at him. Kiba, reacting quickly, twirled his swords in his hands and raised then up.

"SWORD BIRTH!"

Kiba yelled as he then stabbed his swords into the ground, to which it glowed red and plethora of blade shot out of the ground toward the charging Dohnaseek. Dohnaseek's eyes widened momentarily before he smirked. He zipped around the blades, dodging every single one effortlessly as he continued his charge toward Kiba, who's eyes widened in shock.

Once Dohnaseek flew past on the blades her took a swift slash at the knight. Kiba barely had time to block, but the sheer force of the strike knocked his Holy Eraser swords from his hands, momentarily disarming him. Gritting his teeth, Kiba quickly Requipped more swords just in time to block another slash. They locked blades for a few seconds before breaking apart.

Dohnaseek smirked and took off at blinding speed again. Kiba unfurled his devil wings and gave chase, pushing the speed of his Knight abilities to the limit in a desperate attempt to keep up. The two zipped through the air at incredible speeds, their swords clashing in a flurry of sparks. For a moment, Kiba managed to hold his own, but Dohnaseek's speed suddenly increased, forcing him onto the defensive.

Damn it! He's so fast! Jiro warned us about this, but I didn't expect him to be this quick! Kiba thought, gritting his teeth as he struggled to keep up.

Dohnaseek's smirk widened as he pushed his speed even further, giving Kiba almost no room to counterattack. The relentless assault left Kiba's arms covered in shallow cuts, each wound burning from the holy energy. Then, in a final burst of speed, Dohnaseek unleashed a barrage of slashes, his sword moving too fast for Kiba to counter. Kiba's swords then shattered under the force of the assault, his body left covered in wounds as he let out a pained cry.

Dohnaseek suddenly halted his attack, hovering in mid-air as Kiba plummeted to the ground, landing on his stomach with a loud thud. His broken swords landed beside him. He lay there, barely able to move, as his wounds sizzled painfully.

Dohnaseek landed a few feet away, his sword's glow fading as he smirked down at his fallen opponent.

"And that, kid, is the power of Excalibur Rapidly," Dohnaseek said mockingly. "It enhances my speed and reflexes beyond what you can even comprehend. Oh, I'm sorry—those cuts must burn quite a bit, considering you're a devil and all."

Matsuda and Motohama glanced at Kiba with concern, but they were too preoccupied fighting the Cerberuses to help him.

Unbeknownst to all of them, the Holy Element crystal in Kiba's pocket had begun to glow slightly.

Meanwhile in the center of town

Irina and Xenovia, with their wings and halos unfurled, maintained their focus and determination as they engaged in a fierce sword fight with Freed, who had his black wings spread. Irina wielded her two katanas, while Xenovia fought with her two arming swords, clashing against Freed in a two-on-one battle. They moved in perfect sync, trying to outmaneuver him, but Freed managed to read and counter all their attacks with ease, pushing them back.

"IS THAT ALL YOU'VE GOT?! BECAUSE I'M JUST GETTING STARTED!" Freed yelled with a psychotic smile as he rushed forward, slashing at Irina before spinning around to strike at Xenovia.

Irina blocked and jumped away, while Xenovia did the same, landing a few feet from Freed, ready for his next attack.

"Well, well, I didn't expect Xenovia to be reincarnated as an angel too. That'll make this win even more rewarding," Freed said, grinning with his tongue out.

Irina and Xenovia's expressions hardened at his words. Freed was about to charge at them again, but before he could, Xenovia spoke up.

"Freed Sellzen! Before we continue, tell us why?! Why did you choose to betray the Church?! Why do you commit such heinous acts as rape and murder? It's beyond belief! Your actions not only harm innocent lives but also stain your soul!" Xenovia demanded, her tone firm as she pointed one of her swords at him.

Freed scoffed at her words. "Innocent lives? Souls? You think that matters to me? I'm a fallen angel, honey. I take pleasure in causing suffering and chaos. It's who I am," he said mockingly, a cold smirk on his face.

"You were not always like this! You were once human! You were once so kind and supportive while we were training together! You were like an older brother to us!" Irina exclaimed in disbelief.

Her words hung in the air, causing Freed to pause momentarily. The mention of his past with them caught him off guard, and for a brief moment, a flicker of confusion and surprise passed through his eyes before he composed himself.

"Who I was before is irrelevant, Irina. What matters is the present and my role as a fallen angel—an Angel of Evil. Our training together, being human… it's all meaningless to me now. But what isn't meaningless is that I'm done losing to you two. I'm done being seen as inferior to you. And I'm gonna show you just how much better I am before it's war time." Freed's tone became more serious and angry as he took a fighting stance.

Irina and Xenovia looked at him, feeling hurt by his words. Before they could respond, their eyes widened as Freed's sword began to glow with a rainbow-colored aura.

"And this bad boy will do wonders to prove that," Freed said, regaining his psychotic smile.

He then flew toward them at immense speed, slashing horizontally at them both. Irina and Xenovia barely managed to block with their swords, but the sheer force of his strike pushed them both back several feet. They stumbled slightly as they regained their footing.

Freed rushed at them again, this time targeting Xenovia in particular. He unleashed a flurry of slashes, forcing her backward as she struggled to block and parry his relentless attacks. He finished with a powerful swing, which she barely blocked, but the impact sent her flying backward into the wall of a nearby building, crashing into it and momentarily dazing her.

"XENOVIA-CHAN!" Irina yelled in concern.

"You really should worry about yourself, Irina," Freed said, suddenly appearing behind her.

Irina spun around and tried to slash at him, but before she could, she was forced to block as Freed struck first. He unleashed another rapid barrage of strikes, just as he had on Xenovia. Irina backed away, desperately defending herself, but just like before, Freed ended his assault with a devastating slash. She blocked it, but the sheer force sent her flying back into the wall, crashing a few feet to the left of Xenovia.

"How'd you like that? This puppy is Excalibur Blessing. It increases the holy power of its wielder—be it an angel, an exorcist, or, in this case, a fallen angel—boosting their speed and strength. Thanks to the old man over there, I can use it with no problem." Freed explained with a grin, holding up the sword before pointing it toward Valper, who was silently watching.

Irina and Xenovia picked themselves up, gripping their swords tightly.

'So that's the power of Excalibur Blessing…?' Xenovia thought.

'Jiro-kun taught us about it, but this is insane!' Irina thought to herself.

"By the way, Freed, the Abyss Break will be recharged in 49 minutes," Valper called out, catching Freed's attention.

"Oho, so I get some time to cut these two up before war time? Sounds fun," Freed chuckled.

Irina and Xenovia scowled at their exchange, preparing for the next round of battle.

"Well, would you look at that. Seems your little team can hardly handle my followers. I suppose Mittelt was only beaten because those two got lucky," Kokabiel said, laughing cockily.

Jiro and Asia watched on the magic screens as the others struggled against the remaining members of the Element 4.

"Come on! You idiots can do better than that!" Jiro muttered to himself, scowling, although his concern was evident.

"We have to go help them, Jiro-san!" Asia pleaded, about to fly back toward the town on her Nimbus Cloud.

Before she could, Jiro put a claw/gauntleted hand on her shoulder, stopping her.

"Hold it right there, Asia. We have to keep an eye on this crow because he's the biggest threat here. And besides, in situations like this, we get to watch 'em shatter their limits. Right here. Right now," Jiro said, sporting a grin as he looked at the magic screens.

Asia looked at him, worry written all over her face, but she chose to trust him. Meanwhile, Kokabiel chuckled and continued to watch.

To Be Continued

Raynare: Birthday; July 27th, Age 4,500+ (18 in fallen angel years)

Fighting Type: Mage Type, Technique Sub-Type

Magic: Unholy Light Magic, Ether Zone, Various

Likes: Her friends, Asia, Issei, Fighting, Shopping, Teasing others, Lounging around

Dislikes: Most devils, Demons, Kokabiel, Disloyalty