Thanks to the feedback from a few people, several moments were altered to help make it more distinct from canon. Plus, I will finally reveal the ability of Luke's Sacred Gear this chapter! Anyway, I hope you all enjoy!
One Hour Earlier
Hana was regaining consciousness, her vision blurry at first.
"Ugh… what… happened?" She groaned as her sight was returning.
As her vision cleared up, Hana realized she was in an unfamiliar place, a large chamber without any windows and a single double door leading in or out, and she was unable to move her arms and legs. She looked down and saw that she was chained to a cross.
Where… where am I?! She gasped in her head. I remember leaving the shrine to meet up with Sigmund-san and then… A woman came up to me… She had black wings! Was that a dream?!
"Ngh…"
Hana heard a groan to her side and saw a younger, smaller woman with blonde hair chained up to a cross next to hers.
"Are you okay?" Hana asked the young woman.
She didn't respond and remained unconscious. Her attention turned to what appeared to be acolytes prepping for something.
What is happening? Hana tried to slip her wrists through the chains to no avail. This doesn't feel like a dream! What's going on?!
Present Time
After finishing their respective battles, Seth, Annabelle, and Alastair all reconvened at the spot they were in just before their battle with the Fallen Angels.
"I see all of our opponents have been dealt with." Annabelle said. "I even extracted some information about their plans."
"Did you two have to make such a mess?" Alastair sighed while rubbing the back of his neck. "I really don't want to clean that up."
"I'm not expecting all of our battles to be this easy." Seth told them before pointing his thumb behind him to the downed trees. "There's no way they didn't hear all that. We need to rescue Hana now."
"I don't think that will be necessary."
The three saw Rias approach them with Akeno by her side.
"Rias?" Seth asked in surprise.
"I should thank you for distracting those Fallen Angels while my servants infiltrate the church." Rias said.
"You sent Luke here by himself?!" Seth exclaimed. "I thought I told you to protect him!"
"That's why we're here." Rias replied. "We came to distract the Fallen Angels while he infiltrated the sanctuary. Plus, some of Melody's servants are backing them up."
"My, that's a scary-looking Sacred Gear you have." Akeno commented on Seth's platinum-scaled arm.
"The Longinus Platinum Calamity, World Ender." Seth explained. "It is said it grants the user the power to manifest disasters and bring about the apocalypse."
"We're lucky it's not in the possession of someone with evil intentions." Rias commented.
"We can talk about my Sacred Gear later. We need to help Luke and the others." Seth ran off in the direction of the abandoned church.
In the underground basement, the group of young Devils were confronting the Fallen Angel that killed Luke the other day.
"Oh, so you've reincarnated into a Devil?" 'Yuuma' asked Luke like she was bored.
"Yuuma… No, that was never your name, was it?" Luke guessed with anger in his voice.
"Luke-kun, you know Raynare?" Issei asked.
So that's her real name. Luke then answered Issei. "Yes, she asked me out on a date and killed me because of my Sacred Gear. It was thanks to President that I was revived as a Devil."
"I'm so enjoying this reunion, but we have a ritual to complete." Raynare sarcastically said.
"Asia!" Issei shouted at one of the women chained to the crosses.
The blonde one lifted her head. "… Issei?"
"We're here to save you!" Issei gave the blonde woman, Asia, a warm smile.
"Why did you take Ms. Sakuya and Asia?" Luke demanded to know.
"Both of them possess powerful Sacred Gears." Raynare answered.
Ms. Sakuya has a Sacred Gear?! Luke thought as his eyes widened in surprise.
"Asia possesses the Sacred Gear, Twilight Healing." Raynare motioned her hand to Asia. "It allows her to heal any wounds, even Devils and Fallen Angels." She then motioned her hand to Hana. "This woman… has Blooming Gales, a Sacred Gear created by God and blessed by the goddess Konohana Sakuya."
Everyone was shocked at the information Raynare just relayed, especially Hana.
"I… have a power?" Hana muttered. "Blessed by… Konohana Sakuya?"
"With both of these Sacred Gears, I will become the most powerful Fallen Angel!" Raynare proclaimed loudly.
"This is bad." Yuuto said. "She's planning to take their Sacred Gears from their bodies."
"Th-that doesn't sound so bad." Luke replied.
"If a Sacred Gear is removed from its possessor, its host dies." Yuuto clarified.
"O-okay, that's really bad!"
Raynare walked up to Asia. "You are first."
Suddenly, Asia's body began glowing.
"Argh, AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" Asia began screaming in pain.
"Asia!" Issei yelled.
Issei tried to make a dash toward Asia, but he found himself and his allies surrounded by priests.
"No, you don't!"
"We'll destroy you, Devils!"
"Out of my way!" Issei shouted at the priests.
"Don't touch me!" Koneko punched one of the acolytes that approached her.
"Azusa, we need to get Issei over there!" Spiral said to his little sister.
"Agreed." Azusa replied as she swung her gigantic sword at a group of priests near her.
Hana watched in horror as Asia was in agonizing pain. She tightened her hands into fists, clenched her teeth and slammed her eyes shut.
"Stop…" She mumbled under her breath. "Please… Stop…"
A few cherry blossom petals suddenly appeared under Raynare's feet.
Yuuto drew his Holy Eraser with bloodlust in his eyes. "Looks like I'm going to have to go all in. I really hate priests. My sword will devour your light."
Damn it! Are we too late?! Luke thought as he slashed one of the priests with his sapphire-scale sword. This can't be happening!
"… STOOOOOOOOOP!"
As Hana screamed, a brief whirlwind of cherry blossom petals forced Raynare off of her feet and the glow on Asia's body subsided, leaving the former nun panting heavily.
"Please… do me first…" Hana said. "Take out my Sacred Gear first…"
Raynare got back up and leered at Hana.
"… Ghn!" Hana felt a sharp pain as her body started glowing. "GYAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"MS. SAKUYA!" Luke shouted.
"Issei!"
Issei turned around and saw Azusa charging towards him. She stabbed her sword into the ground, grabbed Issei, lifted him over her head and threw him over the hordes of priests, landing face-first into the floor right in front of Asia.
"Issei!" Asia exclaimed.
"I'm here, Asia!" Issei got up and started to free her from the chains.
Raynare gritted her teeth. "Damn it! I can't stop now!"
A large radiance with cherry blossom petals orbiting around it emerged from Hana's body and floated slowly into Raynare's hands.
"At long last!" Raynare smiled in ecstasy. "The power of a Sacred Gear is mine!"
Issei managed to free Asia from her chains and held her in his arms. "Asia, we're getting you out of here!"
The radiant light extracted from Hana's body became brighter to the point the entire room was blinded. When it finally died down, Raynare's body was cloaked in a cherry pink glow.
"Heheheheh, AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Raynare laughed maniacally. "This power! With this and Twilight Healing, all those who screwed me over will rue the day!"
Raynare turned toward the other cross and saw Issei running off with Asia. Yuuto, Koneko, Spiral and Azusa created an opening between the army of acolytes and the two ran through.
"Get Asia as far away from here as you can!" Spiral told Issei. "We'll hold them off and meet up! Ueda-chan will keep you updated on our whereabouts!"
"You better come back!" Issei replied back.
As Issei ran off with Asia toward the staircase, Luke took advantage of the opening and ran to Hana, untying her and holding her limp body by her shoulders.
"Ms. Sakuya, hang in there!" Luke said.
"… Who… who are… you?" Hana asked weakly.
"It's too late!" Raynare cruelly sneered at Luke. "Now that I've torn the Sacred Gear from that woman's body, she will die. Once I recapture Asia, all that's left is to destroy any evidence, starting with you."
Luke gnashed his teeth. "This was your true nature all along, wasn't it? Yuuma was nothing like the real you."
"Ahahaha, I got such a laugh out of our date."
"You were my first date…"
"And it showed. There's nothing quite like an inexperienced boy like yourself. And you treated me so well."
(Go away!)
Someone's voice rang in Luke's mind and he clutched his head.
"But it was so ordinary." Raynare continued. "You have no idea how bored I was! Do you know why I chose the name 'Yuuma'? It's written for the characters for 'evening'. Because I planned from the very beginning to kill you at dusk. Poetic, don't you think?"
"Raynare…" Luke growled as his body trembled with rage.
"A brat like you has no right to utter my true name!"
"Sigmund-kun!" Kiba called out to Luke as he mowed down a group of priests. "We can't keep defending ourselves here! We have to head back upstairs now! We'll keep the path open for you! Fumiko, give us a boost!"
Luke looked at his comrades fighting the large number of remaining goons, turned to Raynare with a hateful glare, put Hana on his back and carried her as he made a mad dash back upstairs. Yuuto, Koneko, Spiral and Azusa fought off the acolytes with Fumiko supporting them while Luke escaped.
As Luke was running up the staircase, he could hear Hana speaking.
"Is… that girl safe?" She asked with a weak voice.
"Asia? Yes, one of my allies is taking her away from here as we speak." Luke answered.
"… That's… good… But… who are… you?"
"We've never met, but you know my older brother, Seth."
"Seth-san… is your… older brother? … Then… you… must be Luke… He's… told me… so much… about you…"
As Luke got back to the main sanctuary, he noticed that there was nobody else up there and the double doors were open.
"Issei was way ahead of me." Luke said aloud. "He must have already escaped with Asia."
"… That's… good enough for me…" Hana struggled to keep speaking. "Sigmund… kun? Can you… please… put me down?"
Luke stopped running and laid Hana down on one of the pews still standing.
"Seth is on his way, Ms. Sakuya!" Luke said with a bit of panic in his voice while on his knees. "Just hold on until he gets here!"
"Seth-san… always told me… what a kind… soul you are… I wish… the three of us… got to… hang out… together…"
"Don't say it like that!" Luke's eyes were starting to glaze over. He grasped her hand and didn't feel even a hint of warmth left in her body. "Seth will be here soon, and we'll all go somewhere together! Wherever you want!"
"I've spent… most of my life… inside the shrine… I never … saw… the world… outside…until just… a few days ago… I have… always wanted… to go… on an… adventure… To explore… places… beyond… my… imagination… I'm… glad… my… last… adventure… allowed… me… to… finally… meet… you…"
"This doesn't have to be your last! There's still so much about the world you don't know!" Even though Luke said that he knew her last breaths were drawing near as her voice was getting weaker.
Hana then closed her eyes and gave him a bright smile. "I'm… so… glad… I… met… you… and… Seth…"
After that final breath, her body became lifeless and Luke was left in shock, trying his best to hold back his tears.
"H-Hana?" Luke gently shook her body only to get no response. Why… Why did this happen?! I doubt she had any time to know Asia… And yet… Even as she was dying, she was more worried about Asia than herself… Why do kind people have to die?!
(Ten years ago…
"Where are Mommy and Daddy?" A very young Luke asked a younger Seth.
"… Mom and Dad…" The young Seth was struggling to tell him what happened. "Got into an accident… They… aren't coming back…"
"No… Mommy and Daddy have to come back!" The young Luke started crying. "They always come back!"
A few days later, the young Luke saw his parents' motionless bodies in caskets.
"Mommy… Daddy… Please wake up…")
Luke couldn't hold back his tears anymore. If God does exist… I gave up on him a long time ago… What God would allow these horrible things to happen to good people who've done nothing wrong?
Luke then heard a single pair of footsteps come up from the staircase. He turned around and saw Raynare with a wound on her arm.
"It looks like Asia has escaped. No matter, I'll capture her again soon enough." Raynare said as she noticed the open doors. "That one Knight managed to cut me on my way up here. If it hadn't been for that girl and your Devil friends, I could heal this instantly with Twilight Healing."
She got here first?! Luke thought. What happened to Fumiko, Koneko, Kiba and the others?! Are they okay?!
"But before I can reclaim Twilight Healing, I need to dispose of you first."
Luke clenched his hands before speaking without turning around to face Raynare. "Why…? No one had to die. We could have lived the rest of our lives without getting in your way. If you just left us alone, we could have lived normal lives!"
"I'm afraid that's impossible." Raynare callously stated. "Those who possess extraordinary Sacred Gears are destined to be ostracized by society. Humans hate those who are different. She should be thankful that I ended her life before that could happen."
Luke could feel himself starting to boil over from Raynare's words.
"If you had just remained dead, you would be spared that persecution. Hell, even without that Sacred Gear of yours, you're better off dead! I mean, what woman would want a pathetic, boring little boy like you as their mate?! You would have lived the rest of your life as a virgin. Ahahahaha!"
Luke stood back up and shook his fist. "Shut up…" He then turned to face Raynare. "I'd rather be a boring virgin than a cruel, cold-hearted bitch like you!" He then made his sapphire-scale sword appear and he took up a battle stance. "You've already ruined Hana's life, I won't let you destroy anyone else's! I wish this sword was something I can use to smack that mouth off your fucking face!"
CREATE!
The sapphire-scale sword began glowing in an intense, blue light that blinded both Luke and Raynare. When the light died down, the sword had completely changed shape. It was now a large, blunt, sapphire-scaled battle axe with the jewel in between the handle and the axe. As Luke looked at the change in his weapon, he felt a strange sensation come over him. It was as if the Sacred Gear itself indirectly told him something.
"… I see… So that's your name…" Luke muttered to himself before looking up at Raynare. "Now I know why you were afraid of my Sacred Gear."
Raynare gritted her teeth as if she was afraid of something. "So, you finally realize it. You possess the long-dormant Longinus that can create new abilities, the Sapphire Dragon Emperor's Will, Art Creation! While it is very powerful, it has a glaring weakness if used in the heat of battle. You've probably already realized it."
So that's why I feel so exhausted already. Luke thought as he was breathing heavily. Creating these abilities must take a significant toll on my energy.
"I need to kill you here and now!" Raynare formed two spears of light in her hands and threw them at Luke.
(Several days ago…
It was very early morning and Seth was ready to begin Luke's training.
"Luke, if you're going to be in a Devil's peerage, you will definitely end up facing opponents with powers you can't even possibly imagine." Seth stated. "But as a Devil, you're especially weak against light-based attacks, but holy attacks are even deadlier. If you're faced with a foe that can use holy attacks, you need to focus on dodging."
"Well, dodgeball is the only sport I'm good at." Luke said.
"Heheh, an Angel's spear of light is much faster than any ball you've dodged. So, for now, I'm going to help increase your speed so dodging those attacks will be much, much easier.")
With the combination of his training with Seth and his earlier Promotion to Knight, Luke evaded the spears of light with ease, and he swiftly reappeared behind Raynare, ready to strike her with his new battle axe. Before he could land the strike, a dense whirlwind of cherry blossom petals surrounded Raynare and knocked him away. Luke landed on his side and watched as the petals went around Raynare's arms.
"This is the power of Blooming Gales." Raynare stated. "The user can control millions of cherry blossom petals as they please. They're so dense that they can block any attack you can throw at me. They can also become as sharp as knives, like this."
With a quick motion of her index finger, Raynare shot out several of the petals at Luke.
I need to create a shield to block those things!
Luke tried to create a shield in front of him using his Sacred Gear, but nothing happened.
Shit!
The petals pierced straight through his lower left leg, right thigh, left arm, right shoulder, and his lower abdomen, causing him great pain and forcing him on his knees. Raynare then walked up to him.
"Even if you had promoted to Rook, those petals would still have pierced right through you." She said as she formed a spear of light in her right hand and raised it. "Once I strike you with this, you'll be reduced to dust."
Dammit! I'm going to die again! And President won't be able to revive me!
The moment he thought that he suddenly remembered the words he heard before Rias revived him after Yuuma killed him.
(You have been given a second chance. Do not squander it.)
NO! I can't die! President brought me back to life and I can't go dying on her!
Luke transformed his battle axe back into a sword and swung it just before Raynare was about to stab him. The spear of light dissipated as her right arm was sliced off, leaving the Fallen Angel in shock.
"DAMN YOU!" Raynare shouted.
Raynare tried to throw another spear of light with her left arm, but Luke's speed from his Knight Promotion allowed him to dodge it and severed her other arm from her body. Raynare gritted her teeth and shot a few razor-sharp petals at Luke.
If I can't block those things, I'll just have dodge them!
Luke dashed off and completely avoided her attacks. Raynare kept firing the petals like a machine gun at Luke, only for him to dodge them before they could hit their target. At the same time, Luke was shortening the distance as he kept running in circles around her. After a while, the petals stopped firing which left Raynare confused, but then she finally noticed something as she was finding it difficult to breath. Constantly using the Sacred Gear had drained almost all of her stamina.
"If I stay here, I'll die!"
Raynare's black wings started flapping as she tried to escape.
Damn it! I can't let her get away!
Luke turned the sword back into a battle axe, mustered up as much strength as he could, jumped up and grabbed Raynare by the leg with his left hand.
"I won't let you get away!" Luke shouted as he prepared to swing the axe. "Promotion: Rook!"
Luke could feel his body become sturdier and stronger.
"NO! LET GO OF ME, YOU BRAT!"
With all his might, Luke pulled Raynare down towards him, swung the axe right into her side and sent her crashing toward the altar. Her body crashed through the stone wall, leaving a massive cloud of dust. Luke walked toward the hole and as the dust cleared, he could make out the now unconscious Raynare lying on the ground.
"She's… finally…"
Luke was struggling to keep standing and was about to fall over from exhaustion, but he felt someone grab onto him by his shoulder and he looked to his side to see Yuuto keeping him up.
"K… Kiba?" Luke asked as he was catching his breath.
"Look at you." Kiba gave Luke a refreshing smile despite looking rather worn-out. "You managed to defeat a Fallen Angel all on your own.
"I'm… I'm glad you're okay." Luke said. "What about… about Fumiko… and Koneko… and the others?"
"They're fine." Yuuto replied before chuckling. "We were instructed to stay back."
"Great job, Luke! If any of us was going to defeat Raynare, it had to be you."
Luke looked back and saw Rias coming up from the staircase and approaching him with a gentile smile and a flourish of her crimson hair.
"P-President, where did you…" Luke was about to ask.
"From the basement." Rias answered. "I used a teleportation circle to get there, but I was concerned since it was the first time I teleported into a church."
She must have helped the others defeat the priests. Luke thought.
He then saw Koneko just walk past him, and Spiral and Azusa came up from the staircase.
"Good work." With a plain expression, Azusa gave Luke a thumbs up.
"I hope we can chat next time." Spiral said. "But right now, we need to catch up with Issei and Asia. See you!"
With that, Spiral and Azusa walked off. Fumiko then poked her head out and the moment she saw Luke, she immediately ran over to him.
"Oh, Luke, you're hurt!" Fumiko panicked as she brought out her Supreme Aid, shot a green beam at Luke and healed his wounds.
"Th-thank you, Fumiko." Luke said as he moved his leg around to check for the pain.
"O-oh, n-n-no nee-nee-need t-t-t-t-to th-thank m-muh-me." Fumiko stuttered shyly.
Rias walked closer to Luke and stood directly in front of him. "I'm glad to see that you won. I expect nothing less from a member of my peerage."
"Luke!"
Luke heard a familiar voice call out to him and saw Seth running towards him and embracing him.
"I didn't want you fighting her alone…" Seth's voice was shaking a bit. "But Rias insisted that you handle this by yourself… I'm… so proud of you…"
"Oh my, this church is a mess." Akeno then appeared and came up to Rias with a worried expression. "President, are you alright?"
"What's wrong?" Luke asked upon noticing Akeno's concern.
"Churches are the domain of God, or the domain of religions relating to Him, but sometimes they are used by Fallen Angels." Rias replied. "Under normal circumstances, if Devils damage a church we would be targeted by assassins."
"Crap…" Luke squeaked.
"We should be okay, though." Rias said. "This building has been abandoned for quite some time. A band of Fallen Angels might have made use of it, and we picked a fight with them, but we didn't officially enter their territory. If we did, that could have started a war. However, this was just a scuffle between a single Devil and a lone Fallen Angel. Things like this happen all the time, so we should be okay."
"Buchou, I brought her." Koneko came back to them, dragging the unconscious Raynare by one of her broken black wings.
"Thank you, Koneko." Rias said. "Now then, let's wake her up. Akeno?"
"Yes." Akeno raised her hand and a ball of water appeared before her.
Akeno dropped the ball of water on top of Raynare, creating a large splash, drenching her entire body, and forcing her to wake up with a gurgling cough. The Fallen Angel slowly opened her eyes only to find Rias standing above her.
"How are you, Fallen Angel Raynare?" Rias asked her.
"… The daughter of House Gremory?" Raynare groaned.
"Yes, I am Rias Gremory, the next heir of the House of Gremory." Rias smiled. "It's a pleasure to meet you, but it won't be for long."
Raynare glared at Rias's smiling face. "You think you've beaten me, but too bad. This plan was kept secret from our superiors, but there are other Fallen Angels who will come to-"
"They're dead." Seth came up to her and dropped three black feathers in front of Raynare's face. "You can tell these belong to them, can't you?"
Raynare's face darkened upon seeing the confirmation that her allies were killed.
"I guessed there were multiple Fallen Angels plotting something back when Dohnaseek first attacked Luke." Rias continued. "I ignored it at first, thinking that they were working on something collectively. But then I heard how your associates were operating in the shadows and keeping a low profile, so I brought Akeno with me to speak with them. Although, once we got here, Seth and his servants already took them out."
"Annabelle interrogated one of them and got her to spill everything about your operation." Seth followed up. "They didn't stand a chance against us."
That's why President and Akeno left before. Luke thought. She was trying to help me this whole time. She came off as strict, but she's actually really considerate and kind. And Seth, Anna and Alastair managed to defeat those Fallen Angels without so much as breaking a sweat? I guess I had nothing to worry about. "Hey, where are Anna and Alastair, anyway?"
"A boy and a girl came by." Seth answered. "Anna and Alastair are escorting them back home."
'A boy and a girl'? He must mean Issei and Asia. I'm glad they're safe.
"Even if your brother didn't take them out, they still would've easily lost to Buchou." Yuuto commented. "Getting hit by a single shot of her Power of Destruction won't leave a single trace. She's a powerful Devil regarded as a genius among the young Devils."
"She is also called the 'Crimson-Haired Princess of Ruin'." Akeno said with a smile.
Luke recalled how she completely annihilated the Stray Devil they fought the other night. That's certainly a terrifying nickname, but a fitting one.
Rias then noticed the change in Luke's Sacred Gear. "Luke, what happened to your sword?"
"O-oh…" Luke changed the battle axe back into a sword. "I can't explain how it happened, but before I fought Raynare, I suddenly knew its name. Art Creation."
"Art Creation?!" Rias seemed shocked at hearing that name. "That explains why I couldn't identify it. This is the first time that Sacred Gear has appeared, though it was well-known that it was dormant for 2,000 years." She then pointed to a strange symbol in the center of the sapphire jewel. "That must be the mark of the Sapphire Dragon."
"Raynare called it a 'Longinus'. What is that?" Luke asked.
"A Longinus is a special Sacred Gear so powerful that the user can potentially surpass God or Satan." Seth answered. "My Sacred Gear is a Longinus, too."
So, I have a power that can surpass God?! That's a hell of a lot more impressive than what my initial impressions of my Sacred Gear were.
"Art Creation allows the user to create new abilities." Rias stated. "However, creating those abilities consumes a lot of power or stamina, so it's not practical in sudden battles. But if you use your imagination outside of battle and prepare for certain situations, you can easily gain the upper hand." She gently patted Luke on the head and smiled. "Interesting. I'm very pleased that I made you my Pawn, Luke. You really are my adorable little servant."
Even though her smile was kind, Luke couldn't help but feel a little scared.
"P… President?"
"Yes?"
"I… I couldn't save Ms. Sakuya…" Luke could feel his tears coming back.
Seth's eyes widened and he looked around until he saw Hana's body still lying on the pew, running straight for her, and gently moving her face. His heart sank when he saw her peaceful smile.
"There's no need to cry." Rias gently told Luke. "Don't blame yourself. You only just became a Devil. There is still much to learn. Just improve yourself and become stronger. I'll be working you hard, my Pawn Luke."
"O-okay… I'll… I'll get stronger, no matter what!"
"Now then, there's only one thing left to do." Rias's eyes became ruthless as they shifted toward Raynare.
Rias approached the Fallen Angel, who had become terrified.
"Disappear." Rias coldly said with killing intent. "Of course, I will be taking back that Sacred Gear you stole."
"N-no!" Raynare panicked. "This power is for Azazel and Shemhazai-"
"Living for the sake of love is wonderful, but I'm afraid you're a tainted, inelegant individual. I won't forgive that."
Rias aimed her hand at Raynare, prepared to completely obliterate her.
"Mind if I drop in?"
A figure poked his head out from the hole in the wall. Luke remembered him as the Stray Exorcist Freed Selzen.
"Looks like my boss is in a bind!" Freed said. "What to do, what to do?"
"Save me!" Raynare screamed. "I'll give you any reward you want!"
Freed smiled sadistically. "Hmmm, hmmm, an order from a lovely Angel, eh? How about I have sex with you? Doing it with an Angel is the highest honor. What better way to raise my status?"
"Stop fooling around and help me!" Raynare shouted in anger and desperation.
"Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. I'm serious about this. My request shouldn't be too much, right, Miss Angel? No? Well, I'll be taking off then. I'm at a disadvantage no matter how ya slice it."
"You're a priest, aren't you?! Then save me! You live to serve me-"
"I don't follow a boss who'd be beaten by a lowly Devil. You have beauty, but not much brain. At best, you're useful for masturbation, so you might as well die already. Although, as a Fallen Angel, you won't go to Heaven or Hell. Only Oblivion awaits you! Nothing will be left of you. Nothing but namusan! Wait, no… That's Buddhism! And I'm supposed to be a Christian priest!"
While Raynare was wallowing in despair, Freed turned to Luke with a wide grin.
"Lukey-boy! That's a wonderful ability you have there!" Freed looked ecstatic. "You're a worthy kill, no doubt about it! You've made my top five demons to slay! When next we meet, let's have a romantic and passionate fight to the death, okay? Tootaloo! Remember to brush your teeth!"
After giving a casual wave, Freed left. Luke just stared at the hole where Freed once stood with chills down his spine.
… I hate him.
"It looks like your servant has abandoned you, Fallen Angel Raynare." Rias said as she raised her palm to her again.
"President, wait!"
Rias turned and saw Luke looking down at the ground, unable to see his eyes.
"… I'll… I'll do it." Luke's voice and body trembled. I resolved to take her life to stop her from killing anyone else. I have to do this.
He walked up to the shaking Raynare and pointed his sword right at her heart, all without looking at her face.
"… Luke-kun, don't do it!"
He heard Yuuma's voice.
"Don't kill me! I love you! I love you so much!"
Luke bit his own teeth together. You truly are despicable… Goodbye… Yuuma…
With a single, well-placed stab, Luke had plunged his sword straight through Raynare's heart. Her final expression was that of horror before she let out her final breath. Luke had not looked up the entire time and the moment he noticed Raynare's body become limp, he let go of the sword, and dropped to his knees, feeling like he was about to vomit.
I've never killed anyone before… It had to be done… But I still feel disgusted…
As Luke was breaking down, he suddenly felt a gentle hand rubbing on his back and turned to see Rias giving him a calming smile. Unlike the one she gave him earlier, this smile felt purely warm. He could feel himself becoming more relaxed as he continued looking at her. Once he had calmed down, the church was filled by cherry pink light from Hana's Sacred Gear being released from Raynare's body and Rias took the light in her hands.
"Now then, let's return this Sacred Gear to its rightful owner." Rias said.
"But… Ms. Sakuya is…" Luke then turned to his fellow clubmates. "I'm… I'm thankful for everything, but…"
"Just watch." Rias told him with a reassuring smile.
Rias walked up to Seth and Hana and held out the Sacred Gear to him.
"She's your friend. You do the honors." Rias said.
"Thank you, Rias." Seth accepted the light from her and took out of his pocket what appeared to be chess pieces.
Rias then turned to Luke. "I apologize for telling you this late, but a Devil's peerage consists of 15 pieces: 8 Pawns, 2 Bishops, 2 Knights, 2 Rooks and 1 Queen. The same number of pieces in chess."
"I have 2 Bishop pieces, 2 Knight pieces and 8 Pawn pieces remaining." Seth stated. "It looks like I'm going to need 2 Bishop pieces to revive Hana."
"R… revive?" Luke mumbled before he recalled something Rias said to him the day he found out he was a Devil.
("… So, I saved your life by resurrecting you as my Devil servant.")
"W-wait!" Luke exclaimed. "Is this…?"
"It's the same process I used to revive you." Rias answered before he could finish his question.
Seth placed the two Bishop pieces on Hana's chest and a platinum-colored aura enveloped him as he began to chant.
"I, Seth Sigmund, call to thee, Hana Sakuya. Heed my command! Return thy soul to this soil and be reborn as my Devil servant. Rejoice, for thou hast been given life anew as my Bishop!"
The chess pieces glow before sinking into Hana's body. Seth then placed the Sacred Gear over her, and it sank back inside her as well. He watched for several seconds before subsiding his aura and letting out a sigh. Seth kept watching Hana until her eyes started to open, the sight of which made him smile happily.
"… S… Seth-san?"
Seth embraced Hana with tears in his eyes.
"Welcome back, Hana."
Early the next morning, Seth escorted Hana to the entrance of the shrine she called home. He told her everything about the Devils, how she died and was resurrected as his servant, and how she would never be able to return to the shrine ever again now that she's a Devil. Hana stared up the hill where the shrine stood, reminiscing about the 17 years she spent there.
"Hana, I'm sorry." Seth apologized. "The only thought I had was bringing you back to life. It's because of my selfishness that you can't return home anymore. You can stay at my place until you can find one for yourself."
"… I know I should feel sad… But… to be honest… I feel free…"
"How so?"
"Everyone at the shrine took care of me like I was their own daughter." Hana placed her hand over her heart. "I will be eternally grateful for that and will never forget them. But after yesterday, I realized that there was far more to the world than I imagined. Now that I'm a Devil, I can experience a new adventure every day!"
When Hana turned to Seth, she had made a smile brighter than any he had ever seen.
"Thanks to you, Seth-san, I can finally live out my dream!"
Seth was touched by Hana's words and expression, and he returned a smile right back to her. Once one of the shrine attendants saw them, they requested to pack Hana's things and gave them her final farewell.
Due to some business in the clubroom, Luke had arrived early on Rias's request. She was sitting on one of the sofas and drinking tea as he entered the room.
"Good m-morning, President." Luke greeted her.
"Good morning." Rias cheerfully greeted back. "I see you're getting used to our early starts."
"Th-thanks to you." Luke took a seat across from Rias.
"How are you doing?"
"I'm f-fine. Fumiko's healing s-sure is amazing."
"I'm not talking about your injuries, though I am glad you are doing well there. After you took Raynare's life…"
Luke became very quiet upon hearing that.
"Ah, I'm sorry. You don't have to answer if you don't want to."
"… That… that was… my first time killing someone…" Luke was gnashing his teeth together and his voice and body were noticeably trembling. "I could feel the sword piercing her flesh and organs…"
Rias looked at Luke in concern, waiting for what he would say next.
"Raynare was a horrible person, and I don't regret what I did… but it was a sensation I could only call… 'repulsive'… I hated it. And I'm afraid I will get used to it."
"Then remember that feeling."
"H-huh?" Luke looked up at Rias.
"There will definitely be times in the future where you will have no choice but to take someone's life. Remember that feeling and I assure you your path will stay true."
After seeing her reassuring smile, his body stopped shaking and it felt like a weight had lifted from his heart.
"Th-thank you, President." Luke sighed before looking at Rias quizzically. "P-President? Th-there's something e-e-else I've been thinking about since l-last night. I-It's nothing serious! Just a c-couple of questions."
"There's no need to be so hesitant. Just ask."
"W-well, I w-was wondering what happened to Issei and Asia?"
"Your maid and butler made sure they got home safely. Melody is still working things out, but since Asia holds the Sacred Gear Twilight Healing, I wouldn't be surprised if she becomes her second Bishop."
"That's actually w-what I wanted to discuss n-next. Seth said he had to use 2 Bishop pieces to revive Ms. Sakuya."
"When a being is reincarnated as a Devil, the number of Evil Pieces consumed can vary depending on their abilities. The more powerful those abilities, the more pieces that are required. In chess, they say the Queen is worth 9 Pawns, Rooks are worth 5, and Knights and Bishops are worth 3. These rules apply to Evil Pieces as well and is essential to reincarnation. There are those who require 2 Knight pieces to be reincarnated, or 2 Rooks. On top of that, we need to consider the individual's innate affinities. Two different pieces can't be combined, so a lot of thought needs to be put into how they are allocated among servants as once they are used, they can't be taken back."
"So, Ms. Sakuya needed 2 Bishop pieces to be reincarnated because of her Sacred Gear and her compatibility with the Bishop's affinities?"
"Correct. You are no different."
"H-huh?"
"To reincarnate you, multiple Pawn pieces were required."
"H-How m-many did I us-consume?"
"All 8."
All 8?! Luke thought in shock. Seriously?!
"Once I realized how many Pawns you were worth, I decided to make you into my servant. I didn't understand why until you told me your Sacred Gear is Art Creation, one of the Longinuses, the most valuable Sacred Gears."
President said my Sacred Gear allows me to create new abilities. If used to its maximum potential, it could even kill God. I can't believe I was granted something so powerful and versatile.
"When I found you, the pieces I had remaining were 1 Knight, 1 Rook and 8 Pawns. To reincarnate you, I could only use 8 Pawns. The others wouldn't be enough to revive you. Thankfully, you had a strong affinity with the Pawn. Promotion makes a Pawn's true value a mystery, so I took a gamble… and won you." Rias smiled as if she was quite pleased and stroked Luke's cheek with her fingers. "'The Crimson-Haired Princess of Ruin' and 'Art Creation'… Crimson and sapphire, an interesting combination. Luke, strive to become the strongest Pawn. I have complete faith in you, my adorable little servant."
The Strongest Pawn? Can I really go that far?
Rias brought her face closer to Luke's and pressed her lips against his forehead.
"For good luck."
Rias kissed Luke on the forehead, and she suddenly noticed that his face was completely red.
Th-th-that was the first kiss I've ever gotten from a girl! Luke spazzed out in his head. Or was I hallucinating?! No, that definitely felt real!
In a dark room elsewhere in town, a shadowy figure was speaking into a communications device.
"There is an update on the new Pawn of the Gremory peerage." The figure reported into the device. "He wields the Longinus Art Creation."
"I see." Another person responded on the other end. Even though their voice was distorted, their words could be clearly heard. "An interesting development. Depending on their choices, I might find the members of the Gremory peerage worthy. Continue to keep your eyes on their progress."
"Understood."
A/N: I know at least one of you wanted Issei to fight with Luke against Raynare and it was something I considered, but it was important for Luke to defeat her on his own. I've finally revealed the true power of Luke's Sacred Gear, Art Creation! If you're worried that he's overpowered, I came up with the rules for his powers months ago so it's not too broken. Starting with this chapter, I will detail the members of the main characters' peerages (and later harems) at the end of the author's notes. Before I start the next story arc, I want to write a chapter about how Melody got Issei to join her peerage and introduce the other members. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed! Stay tuned for next time!
Rias Gremory Peerage: Rias Gremory (King), Akeno Himejima (Queen), Yuuto Kiba (Knight), Koneko Toujo (Rook), Fumiko Kazuya (Bishop), Gasper Vladi (Bishop), Luke Sigmund (8 Pawns)
Seth Sigmund Peerage: Seth Sigmund (King), Annabelle Wright (Queen), Alastair Wright (Rook), ? (Rook), Hana Sakuya (2 Bishops)
Melody Morag Peerage: Melody Morag (King), ? (Queen), Spiral Hirano (Knight), Azusa Hirano (Rook), ? (Rook), Hikaru Ueda (Bishop), Asia Argento (Bishop), Issei Hyoudou (8 Pawns)