...ENJOY!
Black alerted everyone of the abnormal mist once it rolled into Tokyo. It was fortunate that Issei had one of the Blacks keep an eye on the Abe residence just in case…
It was unfortunate when Issei, Reya, and Irina attempted to breach the mist, they were greeted by what looked like an army of ghost Youkai.
Ghost Youkai, marching in the supernatural mist.
None of their attacks seem to work on them for some reason as magic blades and fists fail to touch them, not even holy magic could faze them when they were not attacking. When they were attacking, there was a window of vulnerability that let them hurt the ghost demons of Japan… but whenever they destroyed one of them, the ghost would return to face them a few minutes later.
They would not go to Oblivion for some reason, thus, Reya, Ravel, Bennia, and Irina had to hold off the horde as Issei barreled through the ghosts, running through their spectral forms.
But it got even stranger when he somehow ran into a strange, dark underground world, cavernous rock and chaotic forms of naturally formed stone, the only source of light being the strange wil o wisp like effigies floating around.
"...Where the hell is this?" Issei looked around.
There were some people there… no, they were youkai.
Spectral forms of youkai with a white cloth on their faces, ranging from Kitsune to Tsukumogami and some humans in a white kimono.[Partner, I suggest we leave wherever this is. I can smell the weather's foul scent all the way in here.]
When Issei was about to reply to Ddraig's comment, a familiar voice called out.
"Issei!"
Issei turned around, seeing Irina, Ravel, Bennia, and Reya running up to him.
"Iri! Uhhh… how'd we all get here?" Issei asked.
"...This is Yomi." Bennia said with a hint of dread in her tone.
"How do you know?" Ravel asked with a small skepticism.
"I'm from Tartaros, lady… And I've been sent to scout the Yomi once or twice before. Believe me, I won't mistake the air of Yomi when I smell one."
"Wait, Yomi? Shinto's realm of the dead? Then… okay, I have a lot of questions about this, but I'm gonna save it for later. Why are we here?" Issei asked.
"I should've known that the mist belonged to Yomi. Yomi is extremely dangerous even to Grim Reapers. We believe that the realm is now an extension of Izanami no Mikoto, but… this shouldn't be possible. We shouldn't even be here just by being in the mist."
"We'll think about that 'how' later. We need to figure out how we are going to get out of here." Issei replied.
"Oh oh! Me! Me! Leave it to me!" Reya jumped, raising her hand. "This is the best time to introduce my new Sacred Gear from Azazel-sensei!"
Issei, Ravel, and Bennia stared at the cheerful girl as she whipped out…
"...What is that?" Ravel asked as she pointed at the very poorly designed mask. Its face was a constant gleeful smile.
"It's called the Scouting Persona! Or the Masquerade of Monsters. Though I prefer the Scouting Persona." Reya smiled proudly.
"What does it do?" Issei asked.
"Watch!" Reya simply winked and let her new arsenal do its magic.
The Mask then multiplied, from one into a countless swarm as they flew off into all directions.
Issei perked.
"Oh… it's a surveillance Sacred Gear, right?" Issei hammered his palm at the revelation.
"Mhm!" She flashed a thumbs-up. "Now, let me see where we are and… wow, there are a lot of ghosts and spirits around. They're all looking at the camera curiously." She noted as they waited.
"Oh oh, I think I found a way out!" She said, "There is a path that leads out of the caves… though outside is a strange misty lake. And… we are in a cave on an island in the middle of nowhere….? Oh, and there's a huge waterfall from the sky."
"Huh." Issei was impressed. "...Lead the way."
"With pleasure!" She smiled.
However, when she turned towards the direction towards a cavern, something walked out of it.
"My, my, has the current generation become so capable to easily find their way out of my lady's realm?"
This one was not like the rest of the spirits.
His form was more corporeal than the rest.
He was a broad, large middle-aged man, hair wild and unkempt, his eyes in a perpetual glare as he gazed at Issei and the girls. His beard covered his entire lower face, from below the nose and dangled down until he reached his chest.
He wore a black kimono, his feet bare and naked, his arms crossed.
"...And you are?" Issei asked as he readied his fists.
"It has been so long since I graced the soil of my home nation. I must say, to think that so much time has passed that the current generation spawned a bunch of golden eggs… though it seems a few of you are touched by outside influence."
The large, broad-shouldered man gestured to Issei, Reya, and Irina.
"And for a Devil to appear here. Hmmm… you are not as impressive as the old Demons." He shook his head with slight disappointment, before he smiled again.
"But, as for my identity, young ones… you are in the presence of a former emperor. I am Sutoku. The first Tengu." Sutoku introduced himself.
"Sutoku? That Sutoku?" Issei knew this guy from myth and japanese history class.
"...Who is this Sutoku?" Ravel asked, rather clueless of Japanese history.
Reya provided, "Emperor Sutoku. He is famous more in myth than history, though I'm not sure how much of his tale is true. He became a monk after he lost the battle for the succession of the throne. After his sutras were rejected, he grew mad with rage and resorted to turning to dark magics and ravaged Japan. And from that, he became the First Tengu in existence.
"Hoh, not bad, not bad. Half of that is true." Sutoku nodded. "The emperor of that time burned down my monastery out of fear that I'll start a rebellion for the throne during the next war of succession. I was the only survivor among the ashes… As if something as minor as a rejected parchment could fuel my resentment to curse Japan." Sutoku uncrossed his arms. "But enough about me. Lady Izanami does not want outsiders to interfere with her quest to repay her debt to her liberators. She has no quarrel or desire to play with the lives of children. I am here to occupy you until she is finished with her work."
"And that would be…?" Bennia asked, readying her scythe.
"To subdue a creature that should not even exist. It is beyond supernatural and mortal description… though judging by three of your faces, you are familiar with the Spawn of Trihexa and Chrisianos."
Issei blinked once, twice, thrice, before he exchanged glances with the equally baffled Irina and others, "...The spawn of who and who?"
In return, one of the Three Great Vengeful Spirits smirked, "So you're unaware. Yes, your ignorance should be a natural response. The parents of the creature are not that important. Well, they are extremely important, but not of any current use. Stay where you are until Lady Izanami summons you back to the mortal world. I myself have no desire to fight children."
Issei clenched his fist as he clad himself in his Balance Breaker form - the green visor of his helmet radiated emerald.
"Sorry, but we're not the kind of kids that likes to sit around." Issei assumed his stance.
Ravel prepared her flames, Reya levitated the masks into a protective perimeter around them while Bennia reared her scythe and Irina summoned her divine bow, pulling the quiver.
"So be it. Show me the Might of the current generation." Sutoku's aura exploded from his form.
Issei flinched at the quality. He let out a nervous smirk as this person's power felt dangerously comparable with that of the Thunder God Brothers.
"Hnnnnnngh!" Sutoku revealed his pearly teeth when he broke into a grin. "It's been so long since I had a chance to use my Mystic Arts! Behold, my Eight Heavenly Sphere Arts!"
Sutoku broke into a wide horse stance as a prayer bead of eight appeared around Sutoku's neck, each bead the size of a basketball, each bearing a different color.
The beads were made of pure Ki, each containing a different element or a deviation of a certain element.
"Come!"
He told them to attack him yet he moved first. He was too fast for his size as he glided towards them while his body spun like a tornado. Each Scout Persona Mask was knocked away before Irina could even unleash her spear-arrow as they were blasted away from the impact.
A wave of phoenix-fire from Ravel's opening salvo splashed towards his face, but Sutoku swatted it away.
"Dosei!" Sutoku raised his arms as dense earth ki clad his form when Issei landed with a fiery chop.
Issei jumped just before Sutoku crashed into him and jet-blasted himself down with a counter.
However, his hand, clad in dragonflame, could not pierce his touki. Issei felt his fire being repelled by the defensive aura. The shock of the impact was rebounding into his arm, half-numbing his skeleton with the vibration.
"Suisei!" The element of his Ki switched to Water as he thrusted his giant palm at Issei.
His flames were doused, his back crashing into the cavern ceiling instantly.
Issei could not believe that the attack completely ignored his armor and traveled through his insides, completely ignoring his defense, as he fell to the floor, coughing a bit of blood.
"What the hell… you're nothing like Magni and Modi." He coughed as he looked up, his helmet disappearing just long enough for him to wipe the blood off his lips.
"I do not know those names. I am but a humble hermit for-HNGH!"
Then, Sutoku immediately ducked his head down to dodge a slash of Benia's scythe, who had sneaked her way behind him.
"A servant of Hades? No, your blood is impure. I can see your spirit, youngling." Sutoku remarked as his fingers caught the edge of Benia's scythe.
Bennia grimaced as she struggled to yank it out of his grip.
"The weapon designed to harm the soul..."
Bennia gasped when Sutoku kneeled and placed the scythe on his neck, offering his neck to her.
"Go on. Part my head from my neck." Sutoku dared the young girl.
Irina was about to fire another arrow, but lowered the bow out of shock to see the emperor giving Bennia a free opening.
Bennia was caught-off guard speechless. She might be young, but this was her first time when her opponent offered a free score.
"Come, or are you hesitating? Well, perhaps I cannot blame you for that one." Sutoku remarked with an amused tone. "I give you my word, young reaper. I shall not do anything until you deliver that blow."
This time, Bennia felt infuriated at her opponent looking down on her. Actually, it was her first time someone did look down on her like this. She yanked her scythe away from the demon's hand, and with a roar, swung until the blade clashed against Sutoku's neck with all of her might.
There was no sound, but a faint rip.
Blood was drawn, as a few drops fell on the ground between Bennia and Sutoku. However, the blood came from Bennia's hands that were holding her weapon tightly. On the other hand, her blade did not even nick Sutoku's flesh.
"...How?" Bennia was dumbfounded, probably experiencing her first crisis seeing her place in the world.
"Ahhh, just because the weapon has a function doesn't mean that it can live up to its purpose." Sutoku grinned as he rose to his feet. The scythe was stuck to his neck, dragged out of Bennia's slack fingers.
Sutoku even picked the scythe and dropped it to Bennia's feet. He broke her will to fight instantly.
"Now, then. Who wants to be next?" Sutoku asked as he turned to Ravel who flinched when his gaze landed on her.
"...Irina. Do you think your bow can pierce him?" Ravel asked the angel girl. She no longer had any confidence that her attack could faze the outrageously strong soul.
"I… don't know at this point. Maybe if I fire Clarent or my Murasame blade…" She muttered.
Reya felt completely useless in this scenario. She did not have anything that could be of use. Her powers were mostly support oriented, and the man was too strong for her to do anything of worth.
"How about you, boy?" Sutoku turned to Issei who took a deep breath. "You're the strongest of the lot here. I don't think I can afford the same courtesy to you without losing my head."
[Boost!]
Issei started boosting himself as he prepared Awakening Breath. He entered the Explosive Heart stance. He might need to forgo defense to break through this ancient soul's defenses.
"Ooooohhh, I do not know about your Mystic Art." Sutoku noticed the foreign origin of Issei's stance. "It does not look like it came from China or the Demons. Looks more like… It might fit more at home. What is your name?"
Issei scowled from behind the helmet.
"...Issei Hyoudou, disciple of Garou. Apprentice of the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist and Explosive Heart Release Fist."
"Ahhh…." Sutoku made an acknowledgement noise before he slightly bowed his head in return, "Akihito Sutoku. A man that once graced the Chrysanthemum Throne. One who made a pact with Enkros of the Baphomet Tribe."
Issei quirked a brow, "...Baphomet?"
That was a popular name of a Demon belonging to Christian Myth.
"In my rage, I contacted a tribe, a foreign tribe of Demons from another land and origin, through a royal artifact that I brought with me." Sutoku grinned, flashing his teeth as he resumed his horse stance. "I offered them my body upon death, my soul if my power is not satisfactory to their standards. My mystic art, my techniques, my transformation, I earned it from them. I did not become a legend from illogical magic of hatred."
Issei and the girls did not expect to hear any mention of the Christian Demons from Sutoku out of all people.
"...Now come. Save your questions for after this battle, Issei Hyoudou of the Water Stream and Explosive Heart!"
Issei tightened his fists as he dashed.
"Kinsei!"
Sutoku's aura was bathed in a golden light just when Issei's fist plunged into Sutoku, the heart exploding with power as it channeled it through his fist like dragonfire.
"OHHH?!"
The golden light shattered as Issei launched Sutoku back, sliding across the stone floor.
"Incredible power!" Sutoku praised.
The damage did not go through enough, making Issei hiss as he moved, dragonfire propelling him forward.
"Heavenly Darkness Sea!" Sutoku shouted as water exploded from his form.
Everyone cried out when the caverns were suddenly flooded by dark waters, the waters pitch black as the current pulled Issei back, dousing his dragonfire, while washing the girls away.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Sutoku laughed merrily despite being in water.
Issei looked back out of fear of his friends drowning.
However, the girls were more confused than drowning. Reya was patting her chest as she visibly inhaled, breathing just fine.
"This technique!" Sutoku shouted. "...Will not drown you! But your souls will feel like being crushed under at the lowest point of the ocean. Try and move if you don't believe me."
Issei defiantly tried to take a step. However, he felt an unfathomable pressure weighing down on his soul when he did.
"And one more thing. The longer you're in these waters, the more your life force will be siphoned into me."
Issei's eyes widened - his senses trained in Senjutsu allowed him to perceive a flow of energy coming from him towards Sutoku.
"He's right! Our life-force is being sapped away as we speak! We have to get out of here fast!" Reya exclaimed as her Scouting Persona did its job.
When they tried to move, they were suddenly stopped by an invisible force.
"...And this is just the gentle version." Sutoku flashed his white teeth again.
[Boost!]
Issei grit his teeth as he painstakingly raised his foot, and stepped forward.
"Ohhhh!" Sutoku was impressed. Issei's emerald jewel continued shouting boost ad infinitum without end as his pace accelerated, moving faster and faster until he reached the former emperor.
[Explosion!]
Issei exploded towards Sutoku with his fist outstretched.
"Naive! Dosei!" However, Sutoku parried his fist with his palm, diverting his blow before he punched Issei with his earth-Ki infused fist.
Issei coughed blood as his armor shattered like glass, as he was launched like a cannonball. When he crashed into the wall, the cavern rumbled as if an earthquake struck them.
"Ohhh, no no. I shouldn't infuriate Lady Izanami by destroying her realm." Sutoku sounded genuinely afraid as he canceled his water and walked towards Issei's position.
The others also fell to their knees, gasping and breathing in relief.
It was the first time he felt this kind of damage from someone other than Sun Wukong. It felt as if a meteor crashed into him at point blank.
He looked up to see Sutoku grinning down on him.
"I can see you won't yield." Sutoku remarked.
"Hah… well, still can't believe that someone like you is here in this slice of Hell." Issei groaned with humor as he steadily rose to his feet.
"Oh ho ho. Well, then..." Sutoku raised his hand, about to launch another attack, but stopped halfway. "Oh… It seems Lady Izanami has finished with her task." Sutoku muttered aloud.
Issei had no idea what Sutoku meant until the same mist that shrouded the Abe Residence covered them, obscuring everything around them in pale white.
"...Consider yourself fortunate, young ones. Until next time."
"Ah, wait-!"
Issei was about to give chase, but Sutoku had vanished from view after he said his parting words.
The sight of Asia and Kiyome stopped him… they were not alone.
Issei looked around, finding himself in the familiar private beach of the Abe Residence, the ocean gazing at him from his left side.
On one side, he saw one of the contractors - Mitsuya Kanzaki, restraining a…
"...Diodora." Issei was too surprised to see him here out of all places.
"...You…" Diodora sounded weak and on the brink of death.
The devil was starting to get wrinkly as if he was drying up like a shriveled prune in the desert sun. His hair was all white and there was a noticeable growl coming from his stomach.
Issei looked at Kanzaki for answers.
"...I have accomplished my mission." Mitsuya simply answered.
"I… alright, details for later. What the hell is going on? What's with the mist? And why did the guy I ran into mention about Izanami no Mikoto?"
"Izanami no Mikoto - now Izanami no Yomi has invaded Abe Household and kidnapped a strange fascinating creature. Apparently she is from the Khaos Brigade because…" Magnus Rose attempted to explain but forgot about that detail.
"They liberated me from my prison. I am in their debt so I absconded with the creature."
Issei turned to the woman. He had never met a woman of divine, ominous beauty like this before.
"And she is…?"
"Izanami no Yomi." The woman introduced herself with a small curtsey, "A pleasure to make thine acquaintance…. Current Emperor of the Red Dragon."
"So you heard of me." Issei remarked as he entered the offensive Explosive Heart stance.
"Thine more infamous title is the Son of the Strongest man… thou art more myth and mystery to me than legend, child that bears the weight of Atlas' burden. Where art thou from?" Izanami asked as she tilted her head.
"I was born here." Issei answered as he slowly circled Izanami.
"Art thou?" Izanami asked. "My time in Yomi has made me… very sensitive to the souls of the dead. I can see what the moderners call the fundamental atoms, the….. 'DNA' was it? The DNA of the soul at a level not even Hades can discern." She said, not turning her gaze to the boy in heroic scarlet armor.
"Let's see… one of your parents is not from this world." Izanami gently accused him.
Issei stopped his tracks.
"...I assume 'tis the father?" She asked. "Yes, 'tis the father. Where is he from?"
The girls, Magnus, and Mitsuya stared at Issei, struck by the sudden revelation.
"I have no idea and couldn't care less. Though I gotta give you points for figuring that out." Issei replied with a wry smirk.
"I think I understand your use of our language." Izanami nodded. "...However. Know that you cannot defeat me. I am not just Izanami, I am Yomi. Thou cannot touch mine."
As if trying to dispute her statement, Issei appeared before Izanami and struck her face, the shockwaves of his fist traveling through the goddess and raising the ocean behind her into a massive wall of water.
However, Izanami was unfazed. It did not feel like his fist pierced her, his arm sinking past Izanami's face dead center as he pulled back.
There was no damage to this flawless beauty.
"Issei!" Kiyome shouted. "Sound attacks work on her! She can still hear you!"
"Thanks!" Issei shouted as Izanami frowned.
Before he could plan, Issei felt a sharp pain through his neck. His head started spinning until it felt the blood-soaked sands, his eyes taking in his headless body… and the headless bodies of the others bleeding gushing fountains.
However, when he blinked, he gasped when he saw Izanami again.
Issei swiftly patted his neck and then his head. His head was still attached to his body.
"...Thine visions are a gentle warning of what's to come if thou decides to irk me." Izanami gently threatened.
Sweat started perspiring from Issei as he looked around, seeing the others holding their heads in shock at what was definitely the vision of their decapitation.
"And I no longer have any business here. Thou have the potential to withstand Sutoku… and Diodora. Fancy to see thee retaining thine life. Thou art supposed to perish." Izanami stated.
"...What?" Diodora was confused. "But… Rizevim promised…" He wheezed.
"Thou art deemed a lost cause. Thine life is forfeit. Thou art nothing more than a sow that measures worth by accessories. Thine blood of noble lineage is also a jewel thou tremendously wasted and defiled. Thou knows not the difference between the worth of thine own blood and the blood of others, parasite. None of thine powers belong to thee, came from thee, but from someone else's with more worth than what thou could muster in a thousand lifetimes of decadence. Thou hath no more worth to barter. We do not want thine soul anymore."
"Whoa…"
Issei could not help but feel impressed; The woman verbally lashed the bastard harder than anyone so far.
He glanced at Diodora… wow, the face he was making, the sheer despair emanating from it… it was so pathetically sad that Issei couldn't muster the urge to mock him for all he had done.
"...Speaking of Rizevim….. Ahh. He is calling for me to fetch thee." Izanami added. "I was wrong. There is one more task thou can fulfill at Khaos Brigade."
A dash of hope revived Diodora from his despair.
"R-R-Really!? Tell me… what I shall do and I'll do it!" Diodora wheezed with desperation.
"...Thine role is, as the current era calls it, a 'lab rat'." Izanami replied before she snapped her fingers.
That hope died instantly as his smile was paralyzed by confusion.
"...Eh?" It was the only thing Diodora could muster.
Before he could say anything, mist instantly consumed him, shrouding him.
"What?!" Mitsuya swatted the mist away… only to see that Diodora was no longer there. He glared at Izanami.
"...Well, this is a shocker. Way to go against your word." Magnus commented.
"Apologies. However, a fate worse than death is in store for him." Izanami smiled, "We shall meet again. I wonder if thou can find the way to the heart of Qliphoth. Thine Stjarna awaits there."
"W-Wait!" Kiyome shouted as she ran towards Izanami. However, like a phantom, she faded away along with the mist she brought with her.
The sun shone unobscured by pale white, as if the supernatural change in weather was an illusion.
The mutilated corpses of the rogue Devils and Fallen Angels along with the bottom severed half of Stjarna were the only signs that what they saw was real.
That night; Issei sighed as he sat by his lonesome on the bench - within the garden complex of Hyoudou Residence. He was sitting in a lotus position, meditating with Rover peacefully sleeping right behind him; his mind recalling the transpired events of the day.
All in all, that day had been a defeat for Issei and co.
Stjarna was taken away by the enemy's hands, Diodora had also gotten away - albeit if Izanami's words were to be believed, the fallen high-class devil was as good as dead if not worse.
Not to mention the looming threat that Izanami had relayed to them. The only silver lining was, there were no casualties from the Alliance. Despite receiving no visible injuries, Asia and Kiyome had been exposed to Izanami no Yomi's miasma - thus they had to be examined and put under medical care to ensure that their life was not endangered.
So far, Kiyome only lost one or two years of her lifespan, while Asia was faring better thanks to her constitution as a reincarnated angel.
However, what truly got onto his mind was the report that Mitsuya and Magnus gave him - or to be precise, one detail in particular.
The kidnapped girls that you're looking for… I'm afraid you shouldn't get your hopes up.
According to Mitsuya and Magnus' report - they had found Diodora's safehouse not far outside of the town, where they also discovered what appeared to be a torture room. There were no bodies found, but the blood trails were still fresh. Blood sample had been retrieved to be tested, but considering that one girl had been murdered, it was a likely chance that the other girls had met a similar fate.
And… They brought him their evil pieces.
Magnus threw a tracking chip at Stjarna's wound, but he was not getting any signal whatsoever. They could not track the creature down.
Issei grimaced at the thought, at the memory when he met all of them for the first time - aside from Mary and those who lived in his house, he had not even gotten the names of the others. Exhaling, he sensed there was someone approaching from behind. Rover had also woken up from his slumber at the newcomer as well.
He turned slightly and saw a familiar face of his childhood friend turned girlfriend, "...Can't sleep?"
Irina Shidou approached with two cups of tea in each hand, "Not when you're not around." She replied with a small smile on her face.
She handed one mug to Issei - who accepted with a grateful nod, before she took a seat herself while running her hand through Rover's hide, prompting Issei to relax his sitting position as well.
"...Everything okay?" Irina asked with a concerned look.
"...Not really." Issei replied after taking a small sip from his drink and sighed. "I feel… bitter. Lost twice in a row to strangers. Seriously, the hell is with Sutoku and those techniques, sheesh…"
Issei's rants made Irina giggle.
"...I feel like I failed to do my job as a hero. I never felt like this before… It's a shitty feeling. I couldn't save those girls."
Irina's giggle died as Issei continued, "...You remember the story when I met them in the first place? Do you think I made a mistake by letting them go?"
It had been Issei's question towards himself for a while; if he were to take his role as their new 'King' more seriously, he would probably have been able to protect them.
"You did it with their best interest at heart. I won't count that as a mistake." Irina replied while grasping Issei's hand with her own, giving it a gentle squeeze.
"But… still felt like I half-assed my role. It also feels unfair that this happened because I rejected a role I don't want any part of."
"Ise…" Irina then scooted closer towards him.
"I don't want to be part of the Devils' system since it feels like they're pushing too hard to make me one of them. But… along the way, I guess I kind of took the easy way out. It's too much of the blur to determine if it is. Still… nothing I can do about it now other than avenge them. I can understand why Dad is the way he is a little."
"...The only other thing I learned is to always finish the job with bastards like Diodora… and never trust the Devil justice system. A mistake I won't repeat again."
In response, Irina simply gave a sweet-bitter smile as she pressed herself against Issei's side - her head leaning on her shoulder with her hands cupping her tea.
"You're doing great, y'know." Irina replied, "But…. I think condemning a whole society's justice system is a tad too far."
"It doesn't have a good track record, though." Issei chuckled.
"Maybe. So does the church." Irina's tone became rather somber, remembering the atrocities that she experienced first-hand. "...But the system was still created by someone who wanted the best for the people."
"Hard to believe considering their history so far if you think about it."
They shared a small silence as Issei sipped his tea.
"...What about you? How do you feel after our time in Yomi?" Issei asked.
"...Inadequate. I mean, I tried so hard to catch up to you but… I can't do anything against Sutoku. Or be of any help to you." Irina sadly admitted.
"Yeah… the level of our opponents just keeps getting higher and higher. Or is it more correct to say it's always been that high since they're older than us?" Issei pondered.
Irina formulated her answer before replying, "...I say the latter sounds more logical. But the former is not far off the mark either."
"So a bit of both… hmm. Not sure what to do now other than getting stronger… it sounds corny, you know? Saying to get stronger. Honestly, it is lame. The meaning is not but… it's so one-directional that I can't help but make fun of it."
"Yeah, sounds cliche, I get it." Irina replied with an amused smile, "...But I'm afraid that's all we got."
Issei's lips spread into a smile as he wrapped his arm around Irina's shoulder, pulling her even closer. They basked in each other's warmth under the cool night air; eventually, Irina was the initiator as she shifted her head, prompting Issei to check on her, in which she reached out to caress his cheek, silently conveying what she wanted to do next.
Issei automatically reciprocated her gesture as his eyes honed on hers. Slowly, their faces inched towards one another….
"YOOOOOO!"
Issei and Irina stopped just when their lips were about to touch. They turned to see Black approaching while waving at them.
"...Blaaack." Issei grumbled.
"I get it, the timing is terrible, but we have a situation with the alien creature thing at the beach!"
Issei and Irina turned to Black. Rover stirred and perked up as well.
"...What do you mean?"
"It's not dead, that's what! Come look!"
XoX
Kiyome could not believe it; the sheer bewilderment was enough to stir her curiosity and gave her strength to get up from bed and walk towards the beach of her estate, despite the ordeal she just went through.
The lower half of Stjarna was floundering with absurd vitality despite missing the upper half.
The Blacks were on the beach mostly to clean up, but they immediately dropped the bodies and severed limbs the moment the lower half started moving.
Something sprouted from the cross section of Stjarna as a bloody tendril exploded and snagged one of the corpses on the beach.
"Holy shit!" The Blacks immediately backed away from the thing as the tendril turned into a mouth and started consuming the body, teeth crunching the bones and meat in one gulp before even more mouth-tendrils erupted from around him.
Smaller tendrils erupted alongside the larger mouth-tendrils and pierced the sands.
Kiyome and the Blacks watched as the blood soaking the sands started to fade when the tendrils took crimson root.
"Is that thing drinking the blood from the sands?!" Black spluttered when the mouth things continued picking off the corpses around it.
Kiyome was stunned speechless as the cross-section started to… grow. No, it was regrowing.
Bone, organs, muscle, veins, nerves, hide, then the imbricated plated armor.
"...Stjarna…" Kiyome could not believe that Stjarna could actually regenerate like a worm.
Before everyone knew it, the upper half was restored, all of the corpses on the beach cleaned and recycled as nourishment for its rebirth as Stjarna screeched into the skies, forcing everyone to cover their ears.
"Stjarna!" Kiyome shouted as she ran towards him, tears streaking down her face as undiluted joy and relief bloomed.
Stjarna turned to Kiyome as she ran up to him and hugged him.
"Stjarna! Y-You're amazing! I-I thought we lost you!"
The Blacks wanted to intervene, but they were not sure how to approach that thing yet.
Stjarna simply stared at the girl for a moment, tilting his head confused at her.
It clicked its tongue rhythmically at Kiyome for a moment before it looked around, then looked at the skies above them.
Stjarna narrowed all eighteen of its eyes, the six eyes at the front narrowing at the stars and hissed. It unfurled its wings for a moment… then it folded them as it growled with palpable frustration. It hissed at the sky just when a teleportation circle appeared.
Rias' Peerage, Asia, Irina, Xenovia, and Issei appeared from the circle. Vali appeared from another teleportation circle, mostly because he wanted to see Stjarna resurrecting for himself.
"Holy shit." Issei cursed when Stjarna looked at them.
"...Oh my God." Irina and Xenovia had no words.
"Stjarna! You're back!" Asia cried tears of joy as she ran towards the creature and hugged him.
Stjarna growled softly at Asia's pure kindness.
"...This thing is actually part worm?" Vali asked.
"I am more concerned that this thing can multiply like a fucking Zerg." Issei cussed as he imagined the worst case scenario.
"Fears of an invading race of extraterrestrial superorganisms aside… What should we do with Stjarna? I think we really need to understand this creature's biology and origins. So I suggest we convince Stjarna to let us lead him to a proper research center for study… assuming he won't get angry for being a part-time lab rat." Rias suggested.
Stjarna clicked in a pattern as it growled lightly.
"Izanami seems to know. Something about the spawn of something with three sixes called a Trihexa and… probably Jesus." Kiyome shrugged.
"Trihexa?" Issei asked.
"Yeah. Why? You know something?"
"...Sutoku once mentioned that the thing is a Spawn of the Trihexa." Issei remembered. "And Cristianos… Mitsuya extracted a lot of information from Diodora while interrogating him. He told me that the Trihexa is some kind of actual superorganism from unknown origins. Apparently, the Khaos Brigade is keeping its corpse and using it as a farming tool for the transforming meatballs we've been seeing lately. And they recently injected the Blood of Jesus Christ into… the… corpse…. Ohhhh."
Everyone who had been listening to Issei had also caught on, and turned to regard the eldritch-looking creature who had just finished hissing at the sky. It was returning the stares with a look that said, 'what?'
"...Blood of the corpse mother and corpse father. Oh… my… dead god. That… is so badass." Kiyome repeated a line Izanami mentioned.
"That thing's like Guts from Berserk." Vali dropped his jaw.
Everyone stared at the creature in a new light, taking in how unique Stjarna's existence was. Issei still couldn't believe that something like Stjarna fell in Kiyome's backyard. He shall pray more to Binbougami for that kind of fortune.
"What should we do about him?" Ravel asked.
"...Well…" Issei had one idea.
Saitama, Genos, Ajuka and Azazel stared at the thing called Stjarna, who had returned to its cavernous lair. The two leaders decided to drop by to see the creature featurette with their own eyes.
"...It kind of reminds me of someone for some reason." Saitama scratched his bald head.
"The closest thing to something like this is Psykos when she was bonded with a different superorganism." Genos added.
"It reminds of that one guy that tried to shoot lava at me… can't remember his name." Saitama replied.
Saitama and Genos were there mostly because Izanami was involved and they were tasked to find her.
"...So… you're saying that this thing is the son of the guy that weakened the Biblical God and the Son of The Said Biblical God?" Azazel asked.
"Yeah… I hope not. Assuming what Mitsuya and Emperor Sutoku said is correct… we're looking at an actual science fiction disaster scenario in Kiyome's backyard." Issei skewed his lips. "Was hoping you can analyze what Stjarna is, at least. We can have Asia persuade him to give you a blood sample… and hope you guys can study him without placing him in a lab. I don't think Stjarna likes labs since he most likely broke out from one."
"I prefer to have more than just a blood sample, but I agree that we need patience for this one. The new discoveries we could unveil with proper study… the secrets of life from beyond the stars merged with unmapped miracles." Ajuka nodded thoughtfully.
For the first time in centuries, his eyes sparkled with sheer curiosity, excitement, and renewed desire to learn.
"Okay, uhhhh… so… how are we going to do this? I mean, it is alive and well and… stuff." Saitama asked while picking his nose nonchalantly.
"I was hoping to see if we can teach it how to read and speak. I mean, it has obvious signs of genius level intelligence for an infant." Azazel smirked.
"And what? Ask it the secrets of the universe?" Issei called out.
"Oh, let a scientist poke an alien creature's thoughts. I mean, it can't speak with hisses and screeches forever." Azazel snarked.
Issei caught Vali quietly tiptoeing towards Stjarna's cave. Issei watched while listening to the adults. The girls were aware of Vali's daring journey, but none decided to stop him.
"One question, is this Stjarna an independent creature now or… an extension of the abducted original?" Ajuka asked.
"Don't know… not sure if this Stjarna knows." Issei shrugged.
Vali ran out of the cave with a stoic face of panic, but Stjarna's tentacle latched onto his ankle.
"...Hey! HEY! LET GO OF ME! " Vali called out when it dragged Vali inside, the half-devil clawed the sand and stone with futility.
Everyone watched Asia running after Vali to make sure that Stjarna would not eat him.
Azazel snorted at the sight.
"Looks like Vali got bored and decided to trespass the dragon's den." Issei snickered.
It was definitely the most Vali thing for him to do.
"...Do we have a spell that can let us use this Stjarna to find the other Stjarna?" Genos asked as they watched Asia smiling while she walked out of the cave with a drool-drenched Vali.
"We do have locator spells, but there is a high chance that their location is protected against such spells. Frankly, such spells are a bit… outdated." Azazel commented.
"It is still a viable opportunity. Unless Stjarna has a way of locating his other half through its own means… does it?" Genos asked.
Ajuka and Azazel looked at Genos as they contemplated the possibility.
"...Can it?" Azazel asked.
"From the reports of Kiyome Abe, it has extreme regeneration, can use multiple breaths, can evolve… should we ask the creature?" Ajuka suggested.
"...Can we?" Azazel asked, even more confused.
"Is it intelligent enough to understand our language?" Genos asked.
The adults remained silent for a moment.
"...One way to find out." Saitama shrugged.
"Starna. I am sorry to bother you, but… I want to ask on behalf of my friends. Can you… find your other half somehow?"
Within Stjarna's lair, Asia asked the creature nesting inside.
Stjarna was curled into a spiral, seemingly sleeping until Asia arrived. There was a lot more organic flesh than before, corpses of marine creatures were stored in sacs around the lair mostly as preserved food, covered in viscous yellow cocoons.
Asia was standing before the creature while the others were hiding far behind the pure angel. Azazel, Genos, Saitama, and Ajuka were hiding in the caverns not to antagonize the creature. Rias, her peerage, Kiyome, Vali, Issei, and the other angels were watching the conversation curiously.
Starna looked at Asia for a moment before it uncurled itself and slithered towards the exit.
Everyone swiftly backed away out of the cave and ran towards the exit, stepping aside as Stjarna slithered back out to the beach. Asia followed him, her shoes covered in organic gunk as Stjarna waited for her. Everyone watched as Stjarna started clicking its tongue in a pattern.
A very thin tentacle extended from Stjarna as the creature started poking the sands, drawing a line.
Everyone slowly approached the creature, trying not to antagonize it, as Asia watched.
"Wow, Stjarna! You can draw!" Asia praised and clapped her hands wholeheartedly when Stjarna drew two unfamiliar faces in the sands and what looked like himself inside a dome with astounding attention to detail.
Within the dome was a man and a woman.
"Wow, the wyrm is a natural artist." Saitama commented.
"...I recognize this one. That is Rizevim." Ajuka pointed at the man with long, spiky hair combed forward.
Issei threw a brief glance at Vali's darkened expression at the mention of Rizevim.
"I know her…" Genos pointed at the woman in glasses. "This is Psykos. I once battled her during a pivotal moment for the fate of humanity where I'm from. She was powerful before, but I'm not sure about her current state."
Stjarna continued drawing, adding details. Then he drew a serpentine figure, himself, held in what looked like nails stabbed into his body. The lines drawn from the other Stjarna was his blood.
Kiyome peeked at the sands, holding her mouth upon seeing the visual display.
Then Stjarna drew what looked like Asia below the dome, another one of himself, and, after glancing at the adults, who flinched when their gazes met, and the teenagers, he drew the rest of everyone present.
Then Stjarna drew a lot of asterisks around the dome with them below.
"...So…" Kiyome slowly walked towards Stjarna to get a better look at the drawings.
"This is… the other you. Are you and the other connected?"
Stjarna clicked once.
"...Okay, I only assume that is a yes." Kiyome decided to improvise. "That answers everyone's question. And they are the ones torturing you… and why did you draw us below the dome?"
Stjarna simply looked up and stared at the night sky. He hissed at the sky with intent.
Everyone looked up for a moment…
"Oh… Oh!" Kiyome hammered her palm. "The enemy base is in the sky! That's why you fell in my backyard! Wow!"
"Ohhhh. The sheer luck for him to fall in your backyard…" Azazel commented on the absurd level of coincidence. "What I would give for that kind of luck. Alright, I think we have a plan. We'll let Stjarna lead an assault team of the best warriors we can spare to end this once and for all. We will have several objectives. One-"
"Rescue Stjarna." Kiyome interrupted.
"...Rescue Stjarna. Yeah, we cannot let Stjarna fall into their hands considering what they can do with an eldritch corpse. Two, retrieve or destroy said corpse of the Beast that weakened my Father. I don't need to say why, so we're gonna have to bring Saitama on this one just in case. Three, eliminate or capture the leaders. The real thing behind the scenes… Well, is the faceless entity that calls itself GOD, according to Diodora. Fortunately, Genos provided details on what GOD can do… and his and Saitama's experiences with it. The thing is weakened, so we can finish him off, assuming we can find him. After that, well, I don't know. Happily ever after or something. Any questions?"
"Who are we having in this strike team?" Issei asked while raising his hand up.
"Undetermined, but you're definitely not included." Azazel pointed at Issei.
"What? Why?!"
"Because you're too green considering you cannot handle a servant of Izanami at the moment… and I'm bringing your father along. And Platinum. I don't need to say that you're the runt here in this group." Azazel smirked.
Issei frowned, and pouted. He could not find any excuse this time since his dad was the most overpowered man in this world.
"Heh. Didn't know you could make that face." Azazel snickered, which Issei only replied with a deeper pout and a bird. "You're also a teenager, and this matter is up to us adults. You'll do better making sure nothing goes awry while we're away at least. With a veteran force of this scale, I don't think anyone there has a way of defeating us."
Issei inhaled in response and exhaled a deep breath. He looked at Genos, seeing the cyborg leer at him.
"...Fine. I get it. I won't let Uncle turn me into a girl again." Issei learned his lesson the last time the hard way, consequences still following him like his shadow.
"Good."
"Take me with you."
Everyone turned to Kiyome. She was stout in her reply in the face of blatant danger in the quest.
"...Please, take me with you. Stjarna is my responsibility… I have to save him."
Out of every teenager present, they did not expect the most vulnerable of them all to demand an invitation.
"All things considered, you are a non-combatant, if not a civilian. We have a thousand reasons to reject you." Genos bluntly rebuked her.
"I know. But I am still going. And… Stjarna will protect me."
Stjarna in question looked at her with a tilt.
"This is not your battlefield, Kiyome Abe. Stand back." Genos pushed on with a hardened glare.
"...I realized that I was a naive girl who thought that she could avoid all of the problems in the world while getting what she wants… and learned of the price of that choice when the problems came to my backyard beach." Kiyome said. "I realized that I cannot live on the sidelines anymore. I couldn't do anything when Izanami walked through me like I was nothing. I am powerless. I can't even call upon Peter or… I have to do this."
Issei saw a strange sense of deja vu for some reason. He then recalled Irina doing something similar…
"...But you can't fight. No offense, but you're squishy as hell."
Kiyome glared at Issei.
"What, I'm serious. Don't tell me you're gonna have this version of Stjarna as your pokemon as your excuse? You don't even know what he can do. We don't even know what he's fully capable of." Issei pointed a finger at the creature.
"I gave Irina the green light to come with me because she's an angel back when I was preparing to end the corruption at the Vatican. But you… you're practically a normal human. You have no sacred gear, no weapon or combat training whatsoever, and-"
"Issei." Asia called out before he could continue overwhelming her with his arguments.
Everyone turned to Asia.
"...Please?" Asia asked, giving him hopeful eyes.
"...Asia. Are you really siding with her?" Issei asked.
It was probably because Asia saw a lot of herself in Kiyome, Asia once a weak girl with no experience in dealing with a cruel world where only the strong can thrive.
Asia continued giving him her hopeful pleading gaze.
"No, no no no. Unless she can convince Stjarna to protect her willingly, maybe. Don't think that's possible though."
"If I do, will you let me come with you?" Kiyome asked.
Issei looked at Saitama and Genos. Saitama looked at Kiyome and then shook his head. Genos also shook his head.
Issei pursed his lips before saying, "...Only if the adults approve that you meet our standards."
Saitama slapped his own face while Genos sighed.
Kiyome walked up to Stjarna as the creature looked at her. She was no longer the girl that wanted Stjarna as a pet.
Stjarna sniffed the air and lowered until it gazed at Kiyome.
Stjarna narrowed his six front eyes at her before he screeched at her in the face, forcing everyone, even Saitama, to cover their ears.
Kiyome flinched but did not falter. Stjarna clicked rhythmically when Kiyome remained headstrong even as her ears were bleeding.
Stjarna gave a gentle, confused thrum as if it did not expect Kiyome to power through his intimidation as Kiyome offered Stjarna her hand. He remained silent for a moment, seeing her resolution.
It was a tense moment, the creature born from miracles of alien life in a stare-down with the girl that it first encountered.
Kiyome waited until Stjarna let out a tentacle and coiled it around her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. Stjarna hissed a bit more as it curled its tendril around her wrist.
"Holy shit..." Issei was shocked as hell to see that. "You actually… alright, you got step one down. Step two is cooperation. If you cannot work with Stjarna, then-"
"Stjarna, please slap Issei for me."
Kiyome pointed at Issei as Stjarna turned to Issei.
"...Don't you dare." Issei stared at Stjarna.
A tentacle then whipped out and zipped towards Issei, who raised his hand reflexively to parry but the tentacle curved around his forearm and still struck his cheek.
"Ow! Really?!" Issei asked, rubbing his cheek as Kiyome smirked at him.
"Fine, fine, you got step two down. Step three… how well can you survive in a fight against a heavy hitter?" Issei asked as he turned to Azazel.
Azazel looked left and right and then pointed at himself.
"Yeah, you. You're the judge here. Go fight Stjarna." Issei pointed at the confused wyrm.
"What? Are you serious? You want me to fight a thing that looks like it will eat me in an instant? Something that can take on armies of Fallen Angels and Devils and hold his own against a Greater Goddess?" Azazel asked.
"Yeah? You can, can you not, oh leader of the Grigori?" Issei wryly smirked.
Azazel frowned lightly at Issei for a second. He looked at the others, wordlessly asking them to back him up. They shrugged at the Fallen Archangel since they were curious.
"...Ah, what the hell? Might be the best time to test my new equipment. It's been a long time since I stretched my wings." Azazel started rolling his right shoulder.
"Of course you do. You're the weakest of the three head honchos, aren't you?"
Azazel let out a scandalous gasp at Issei's remark, "How rude! Just to let you know, I stand equal with Ajuka and Sirzechs!"
"Not really, actually." Ajuka interjected with a shrug. "Admit it, Azazel - Nine times out of ten, either Sirzechs and I alone are capable of defeating you in your prime. Even Serafall and Falbium can give you a hard time. We know. We were there."
Azazel gave Ajuka a pouty glare, "...You don't know that."
"I saw you having a hard time against Shamḥazai when I egged you to do battle against your cadres, you know?" Issei snickered.
"That was a long time ago, and I went easy on him." Azazel defended himself.
"Alright, you versus unholy wyrm born from two dead guys. Also, if you manage to get Kiyome, she fails."
"...Eh?" Kiyome turned to Issei.
"What? This is not Pokemon. This isn't a sport. It's a deathmatch. If you can't protect yourself somehow, you're staying."
Kiyome wanted to retort, but she could not argue against that.
"Harsh, but fair. We can't let her death weigh on our souls." Azazel agreed. "Alright, give me some room. It seems to me that I need to remind you all why I was feared as the most evil of all Fallen or else none of you will let me live this down."
Saitama smirked a little as he and Genos backed away.
XoX
Kiyome and Stjarna and Azazel faced off against each other.
Everyone gave them space, now very curious to see the Fallen Archangel in action.
"...Issei. It might be rude, but… I recall that you mentioned Azazel's strengths as a crafter, but how strong is he as a fighter?" Rias asked.
"Yeah, how strong is he? Is he as strong as Lord Michael?" Irina asked.
"Can he beat Archangel Michael?" Xenovia asked as well.
"He's been slacking off." Saitama answered in Issei's stead. "Genos and everyone kept complaining about him. I fought him once… he is weaker than Sirzechs."
"...How do you know Azazel is weaker than Sirzechs?" Rias asked.
"Your brother wanted a spar… and I beat him." Saitama answered.
"In one punch." Issei interjected.
"...Yeah, in one punch."
"Azazel's main strength is not as a fighter, but as a spellcaster." Vali interjected, still some leftover drool on his body. "He can fight with a spear, but he spent most of his time in the lab. Even so, it's better not to let your guard down. Someone like him knows some unorthodox tricks."
Everyone was now curious to see how Azazel would fare against Stjarna and her trainer.
"...So… never thought I would put my skills to the test against the weakest of the three leaders." Kiyome started a conversation to banish the adrenaline pumping through her.
It was kind of exciting yet very scary at the same time.
"Don't let them get to you." Azazel scowled a little. "I'm a little more concerned about Stjarna. Does he even understand the concept of 'sparring' in the first place? I don't think I want to get eaten. It played with a ten-winged Trihexa-jacked angel, right?"
"Oh yeah. It melted almost half of him off." Kiyome smirked.
Stjarna hissed repeatedly.
"...Is it laughing at me?" Azazel asked.
"...I think he is…" Kiyome was surprised. It looked like Stjarna was developing a human personality of sorts.
"It'll be hilarious if Azazel gets eaten though!" Issei shouted from the sidelines.
Everyone chuckled and snickered, forcing a glare from Azazel, who flipped them a bird.
"Alright, that's it. So that's how you want to play, so be it. Behold, my true power!"
Azazel said as he took out a golden object. It was a golden dagger version of a lance, with a purple jewel at the bottom of the hilt.
"Since you want me to go all out. So be it. Behold, the culmination of my research in the Sacred cyber gears and bow before me! Balance Breaker! Downfall Dragon Spear!"
Azazel shouted as the object shone a radiant gold.
Once the light died down, Azazel was clad in a golden dragonknight armor with nine purple jewels, the largest of which was in the center of its chest plate, two beside the crotch plate, two sandwiching the neck armor, while three dotted each side of Azazel, from arm shoulder to wrist. It looked much more advanced and cybernetic than the usual Scale Mails of the two dragon emperors. In Azazel's hand was a golden spear that bore a draconic aura.
"...Wow. You're really going all out against a human girl? Talk about overcompensating for something." Kiyome verbally jabbed Azazel's ego.
"Oh, har-de-har. Just so you know, I don't like going all out against a girl, but the other guys kind of pissed me off too much; though I can just simply ignore your Stjarna and go for you. There's no way you can-"
Tentacles sprouted from Stjarna, grabbing Kiyome and lifting her up as she yelped.
Azazel stared at Stjarna when he placed Kiyome atop of his head… and Kiyome's lower half sunk into the flesh. Then thick armor plates covered Kiyome as smaller tendrils, dendrites, slithered up and connected to Kiyome's nape.
It was then as Kiyome suddenly felt as if her mind expanded to the secrets of the universe that was Stjarna's mind.
She could feel it… Stjarna's wordless thoughts in the form of intents as visions swam inside her mind.
[The Spawn of Trihexa is remarkable…]
She heard an echo, a voice as her vision was suddenly replaced. She saw two people, a man of silver hair and a woman in glasses with blue hair staring back at her. She heard screeches coming out of her mouth… no, it was Stjarna's mouth.
[He has limitless evolutionary potential. He can survive the new Forced Evolution process. He has already developed a new heart and his armor has been augmented. His size is growing remarkably well.]
Then her vision switched, seeing Azazel looking back at her…
She could sense Azazel's bafflement. His… confusion. She could sense Azazel trying to think of how to get to her…
…Stjarna?
She thought out. She couldn't speak. There was something covering her mouth. She could breathe properly from it.
She heard a hiss in her mind. She learned what Stjarna did to her as her vision changed, seeing herself inside a dome of organic plates, dendrites connected to Kiyome's nape.
…Oh my god.
Kiyome had no words for this. She was connected to Stjarna… She could drive Stjarna. How Stjarna learned this technique, she did not know, but she liked it as she giddily smiled.
She asked what Stjarna could do, and Stjarna relayed to her all the arsenal Stjarna had, its abilities, its strengths, its potential.
Outside, everyone dropped their jaws when they heard Kiyome's voice entering their minds.
AH HA HA HA HA! OHHHH! I AM ACTUALLY DRIVING STJARNA RIGHT NOW! THIS SO AWESOOOMMME! HE'S THE BEST MONSTER EVERRR!
Stjarna hissed.
Oh, I mean, he is my friend! HE IS STILL AWESOME!
Saitama stared at the creature.
"...The thing is psychic?" Saitama was dumbfounded.
Issei had no answer, just watched. Kiyome was definitely having the best time of her life right now.
"Okay… uhhhh…" Azazel felt a little worried right now.
Match! Start!
Kiyome shouted as Stjarna fired a stream of purple liquid at Azazel.
"Whoa!" Azazel flew aside, but some of the liquid got onto his armor.
"Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa!" The liquid was melting his armor made of dragon scales. "Of all the things I can think of, acid is the last on my mind that can melt a dragon king's armor!"
We're gonna do more than that, pigeon! Go, Stjarna! Show him your true power!
Kiyome was definitely having the time of her life, Issei thought. He would too if he got to ride a monster like some kind of a mobile Gundam suit.
"I'm not going to lose to a giant wyrm and a newbie monster tamer!" Azazel shouted as he summoned a barrage of light spears.
Starna then spat something at Azazel. Azazel summoned a magic shield as it splashed against it, albeit some of the fluids got onto him.
It was not acidic, thank the dead god, but it was starting to harden very fast. One welded his arm and right side together.
"Oh what the, what now?!" Azazel shouted as he tried to move, but even he was bound by the resin-like fluid. It was stretchy and thick. Azazel attempted to rip it out with his spear, but it got stuck.
Azazel attempted to use magic to burn it off, but when he tried to channel the energy into his dragon spear, it shorted out.
I don't know how, but Stjarna made this one to seal off your magic and stuff! You can't use magic from that side anymore! Your spear is also useless!
"What?! That is… That's cheating! What the hell is this Trihexa-Jesus spawn hack?! That's it! No more holding back!" Azazel then summoned all of the treasures from Fafnir's hidden hoard at his disposal.
Then Stjarna's lamprey-tongue caught Azazel and swallowed his upper half.
"...Ah."
Then Stjarna pulled Azazel into his mouth before he could throw a single weapon.
Everyone watched as Stjarna ate Azazel.
They could hear the muffled screams of the Fallen Angel Governor inside, barely making out the words 'Help!' and 'Don't let it eat me!' and 'I give! I give!'
Some might say the sight to be hilarious, but at the same time, they also cringed at the thought of being gobbled up by some eldritch creature.
Still a bit hilarious to see the Governor's demise be death by alien wyrm.
Issei simply shared glances with Ajuka, Saitama and Genos, in which the latter sighed and nodded.
"Alright, Kiyome! You made your point! Spit him out right now!"
Stjarna spat Azazel out, the fallen crashing before Issei, his armor half melted and the man covered in stinking fluids.
"Fuck…." Azazel groaned as he wiped off the mucous and saliva stuck on his face.
"Soooooo…" Issei impishly smiled. "Who agrees Azazel is the weakest?"
Azazel saw two hands raised, Issei included. He frowned when Saitama slowly raised his hand.
"Ugh… Fuck all of you." Azazel remarked with another groan.
AHAHAHAHAHAHA! Bow before our ungodly might!
Kiyome laughed telepathically in their heads.
"Alright, fine. You want in on our super important raid force? So be it." Azazel got to his feet and flicked the fluids off him. "Since Stjarna is the only thing that can lead us to the Big Bad Evil guys' main base, we don't have a say. But we will not hesitate to tear you out of there if it becomes too dangerous."
Stjarna then allowed Kiyome to 'disembark' off him - the girl stretched and shook her head as if to regain her composure.
"Yeah…. Yes, I understand."
"...You okay?" Issei asked as he checked over the beast-tamer.
"Oof… wow. Turns out that riding…. Or fusing? Whatever that was with Stjarna was quite taxing. My body is a bit sore… I have a slight migraine." Kiyome looked woozy.
"So… what's it like? Riding a Mech-suit Stjarna?" Issei glanced at the creature.
"Oh, it's like I became one with the universe! I mean, wow, there are so many possibilities there that I can do with Stjarna that… It feels a bit awkward that I think my regular body is so limited. I mean, I just can't put it into words."
"...Right." Issei nodded before he turned to Genos, "So… Mind reminding me who else is going again?"
Genos glanced between Issei, Kiyome and Stjarna; before he exhaled, "...Alright, Ise - you can come, but only to back Abe up."
Issei exhaled, nodding in acceptance of his given role.
"Then… What about us?" Irina raised her hand up, gesturing to herself and the other girls, and two guys, around.
"You will remain with the others. That includes you, too, Vali."
"I refuse. Why should I stay while my rival embarks on an epic raid quest to defeat the final bosses?" Vali harrumphed with his arms crossed.
"Someone has to defend Kuoh when the time comes. Gold will remain, but even with an army of Blacks at his disposal, you and your team have the skill sets to circumvent those with the talent of hiding and running." Genos answered.
However, everyone did not expect Issei to step forward, "Um… Actually, can we have Vali join too?"
Everyone stared at Issei with a mix of confusion and curiosity. Genos remained unreadable as ever, "...Explain."
Issei rubbed the back of his head for a second before answering, "...I think he'll just find a way to sneak in the raid force either way. Hell, I think Vali will even crawl up Stjarna's ass just to smuggle himself in the fray."
"Hey. I resent that accusation!" Vali shouted at Issei. "I would rather bribe the girl to hide me with her in her monster Gundam suit! I refuse to pretend to be excrement!"
The way Vali brazenly admitted Issei's accusation was so him in a sense.
"...Bribe how?" Issei asked.
"I may not look like it, but I know a way or two of collecting unique exotic creatures." Vali smugly smirked. "...And I have a score to settle with one of the final bosses. And my rival owes me for not taking me with him to end his quest."
Genos remained silent.
"Okay, uh, there you go. Well?" Issei looked at Genos.
Genos' eyes blipped, flashing for a moment.
"...Rizevim is your ancestor, isn't he?" Genos asked.
"...Did you just cross-reference the Lucifer bloodline?" Issei asked.
"Yes." Genos admitted.
"...Grandfather, to be precise." Vali replied with a neutral scowl.
"Ah… well." Azazel called out with a serious expression, "As a man that once bore a murderous grudge against his father, I understand. However, the level difference here isn't something that even you can handle. Rizevim is one of the three known Super Devils aside from Sirzechs and Ajuka."
"Do I look like I care?" Vali asked.
"...No, no you don't… Well… guess I'm gonna have to pull out some connections to safeguard the world. Alright, but you're not coming with us like this. You're going to need some serious gear."
"I refuse." Vali blatantly rejected this.
"Uh huh. By that logic, you're a hypocrite considering that you accepted Divine Dividing. So, you want to say that again after I strip you of your Longinus?" Azazel snarked.
"I was born with Divine Dividing - with Albion inside me. That's different." Vali argued back. "I don't need anything else other than my own power. If the enemy is stronger, then I'll make them stand on my level one way or another."
"Still hypocritical since Albion is technically another kind of power but…"
"No." Vali refused.
"Fine, fine…. Fine. Stick with Issei or Saitama at least." Azazel raised his hands. "Follow your own logic, then. Don't blame me if that bites you in the ass."
Vali smirked at his triumph.
Suddenly, Ajuka received a telepathic call and placed a magic circle at his ear. He grimaced a few seconds later.
"...Azazel. I might need your help in another matter." Ajuka turned to Azazel.
"The Underworld is under attack."
To be Continued…
Omake:
The man listened to Gabriel's pontificating on the glory of Jesus and His story.
The man listened even though he looked bored as the woman continued her narration on the theme of selflessness and sacrifice, how Jesus took on all of the sins of man before he willingly went to Hell.
"Well?" Gabriel asked with a smile.
"Oh my god, my eyes!"
"This lass! Why is she so bright?!"
The patrons around them could barely protect themselves from Gabriel's metaphorical glow that seemed so overwhelming.
The man remained silent as he rapped his finger on the table.
"...I don't agree with His choice to do that for people He didn't know. It's not healthy, and usually unwise since He could have done more good living than dead." The man argued. "And I don't know how much truth is in that story since myth is myth for a reason. You don't know how much of it is truth and bullshit."
Gabriel's smile dropped a little.
"But I will respect the self-sacrifice at least. Takes a different kind of strength. Still skeptical."
Her smile brightened again.
"...Are you interested in joining the House of The Lord?" Gabriel asked. She could feel her hidden wings fluttering out of excitement. She hoped that he would join so that she could spend more time with him.
The man remained silent for a moment.
"...I once accidentally met someone who called himself GOD where I'm from." The man said. "He almost made me kill everyone. I wielded the power to bend the Universe to my whims, and I still have the knowledge of the flow of all energy in the universe…"
Gabriel blinked thrice at the unusual response.
"...I was smacked back to my senses after that. Since then, when GOD descended once, someone I know defeated him."
Gabriel remained silent.
"But GOD banished that person away, leaving my home defenseless. I swore that I would surpass the man that accepted GOD''s power and redeem myself. When GOD descended the second time… battling against champions of good, I intervened. I almost killed him before I was sent here. Because of that, I will say that you are not what I expected for a true servant of your God."
Gabriel froze at the mention of the word 'true'.
"I can see the light that you are. You're terrible at hiding it, though. You got these guys fooled by hiding your wings, but that special warm glow you leak like the sun through the cracks. Gotta ask, first time I met someone like you. Did you earn your wings or were you born with them?" The man asked with a wry smirk.
She could not muster a response. She was in a precarious position as her panic started to rattle her composure.
"Nervous? Heh, alright, you can stay silent. I heard that you can't lie or else your wings will turn black or something." He said.
"...Still can't believe you decided to come down from the clouds. If I see anything like GOD or bears the same name, I would probably fight that thing to the death. So no… I don't think I would join your house. I'm not one to give myself over to people I do not know or meet."
"I… see." Gabriel looked down with a slightly disappointed expression.
"...But I don't mind visiting at least the people that I do know." The man reclined in his seat. "I am now more interested in seeing this Heaven of yours. I don't want to die to do it, though."
Gabriel looked up at the man smiling at her.
"...Do you mind if I meet you again?" She asked.
"You're always watching me, aren't you? I always felt… Like a pair of eyes from the clouds watching me. However, I do have some questions myself." The man asked as he leaned forward.
"Why do you need prayers? I am sure that they do not give you strength."
"...Well…" Gabriel smiled a little. Her disguise already failed, but she did not mind this kind of conversation.
"Faith… and prayer are what we need to sustain Heaven. It is what holds our home together. It does not give us strength, but it is a component for miracles." She answered.
"Where is your God?" He asked.
The next question murdered the words in her throat. Her silence was enough for him.
"...I see. I know that if there is someone as mighty as God out there, I would've sensed that kind of far-reaching power. At least, I think I could… I just want to confirm my suspicions. My condolences."
Gabriel sweated. The man was far sharper than she bargained for.
"How does your magic work? Faith in one side and hope it will give you something back?"
"Something like that… Did you have any encounters with magic?" She asked.
The patrons were all listening, confused by the flow of the conversation.
"Sometimes. I am more familiar with the flow of life energy than what you call Magic. I once encountered a secret land of ancient monks where they train and ponder the secrets of the universe in isolation. They showed me everything they know in exchange for all I know. I can now replicate any form of supernatural and cosmic phenomena if I put my mind to it. While leaving something for someone else to pick up where I left off in case I am gone. Can't be the only guy with the tools to fight against evil forever, you know?" The man said.
"Oh… ummm… is it possible that you can… show me?" Gabriel asked with a small giddiness.
"You sure? It's not something anyone can pick up. Don't know if you can at least." He asked.
She nodded while her smile at her widest, wanting to know more about him.
"Heh. I got time. Sure. Meet me in the mountains. You'll be the first to see the other side of what I can do."
The rest of the patrons could only stare with open mouths at the sight of Gabriel giddily following him outside.
Thoughts, people?! I hope we did not nerve Azazel too much here.
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