Ch. 26: Holy Sword Excalibur
"TIME TO DIE!" Freed rushed at Yumi with his Excalibur, who blocked with her own blade.
As lightning rumbled in the sky, both of them tried to overpower the other with their blades. Freed cackled with his tongue hanging out as Yumi glared with her teeth gritted.
"Hasn't anyone told you to heed the faces you make? We wouldn't want our pretty little princess getting stuck that way! Luckily our Excalibur isn't picky. IT'S SIMPLY HUNGRY FOR YOUR BLOOD!"
"That's enough, freak!" Yumi said as she pushed Freed back.
"Now there's a tone of voice I never thought I'd hear come out of you. Good job!" Freed taunted.
"HOLY ERASER!" Yumi's sword sent out multiple dark tendrils that wrapped around Freed's Excalibur, only for the Holy Sword to glow and purge the tendrils.
"That was cute. You win some, you lose some. Nice try, kid."
"Whatever. It was just a test. I wanted to see if that sword was real," Yumi retorted. "Thanks for giving me the license to destroy you, and your sword!"
Yumi then charged at Freed, striking ferociously, only for Freed to block them all without much effort.
"That's the spirit! Get 'em, Tiger!" Freed mocked. Then, he swung the Excalibur to cut a gash on Yumi's arm, causing her to fall to her knees while screaming in pain. "Aw, someone forgot to warn you. This Holy Sword absolutely despises Devils. Phooey."
"Shut up! I'm not done yet!" Yumi got up and kicked Freed's feet out from underneath him.
"That's cheating!" Freed complained as Yumi got ready to strike again.
"That's what Devils do!" Yumi brought her Holy Eraser down, but Freed managed to avoid it in time.
"Nice move, kiddo," Freed said, then suddenly, a communication magic circle appeared next to his ear. "Oh shit."
Yumi used the distraction to charge at Freed one more time, but he again dodged effortlessly.
"I hate to cut this short, but someone more important is calling! It's been fun. That's all, folks!" Freed then threw a flashbang to blind Yumi.
As the light died down, Yumi was left alone with Freed nowhere in sight.
"Morning is here! Morning is here! Morning i-!"
In his bedroom, Izuku awoke with a groan as the sun's rays hit his face. "So heavy…" Still half-asleep, he turned over to his side, where he discovered the sleeping face of a nude Rias in front of him. He then fully snapped awake and managed to keep himself from screaming.
He quietly tried to get up, only to realize that he couldn't move his legs; it felt like something long and scaly was wrapped around them. He looked to his other side to find an also-nude, sleeping Asia, with her snakelike lower body coiled around his legs, explaining why he couldn't move them.
"W-W-W-W-W-What!?" He gasped. Not only was he surrounded by both slumbering girls in their birthday suits from both sides, but he couldn't even get up to get out of this situation. And then, the argument from last night came back to him, which ended with both girls coming to a compromise that they both sleep with him.
"Good morning, Izuku," Rias greeted as she woke up.
"Did you sleep okay?" Asia asked as she also woke up.
"U-U-Uh, y-yeah…" a stuttering Izuku nodded. "A-A-Also, Asia, y-your tail…"
Asia, realizing that her lower body was wrapped tight around Izuku's legs, uncoiled her tail from the boy with a bashful smile. And then, she realized something. "We should go get breakfast started! It's already late!"
"Oh right!" Rias said as she wrapped herself up with the blanket. "Thanks again. We'll talk to you later."
"I hope we didn't keep you from something important," Asia said as she put on her nightgown.
The girls left, leaving Izuku alone with his thoughts.
[Yo! Izuku!]
"Oh, Ddraig, hey!" Izuku spoke to the green glowing gem on his hand.
[I know you've got a lot on your mind: the Sports Festival, All Might's offer, and the thing that just happened now… But I need to give you a warning.]
"About what?" Izuku asked.
[I've felt a strong spiritual presence surrounding you lately. It's made me nervous and I can't sleep.]
"That's probably Rias," Izuku assumed. "She's been… a lot closer lately…"
[It's not your buddies. I don't even notice them anymore.]
"Are you saying there's an enemy close by?" Izuku asked.
[I'm saying be careful. You never know when the White One will decide to make an unexpected appearance. And when that day comes, having One For All could surely benefit you.]
"The White One? That sounds intense. What does it mean?"
[The White Dragon Emperor, Vanishing Dragon Albion.]
"Who's the Vanishing Dragon?" The sound of that name caused Izuku to feel tense.
[During the time of the Great War between the Angels, Fallen Angels, and Devils, there was another battle being waged between two Dragons: myself and Albion. Our fights were so intense, to the point we occasionally got caught up in the war between the Three Factions. We became known as the Two Heavenly Dragons.]
"Why were you two fighting?" Izuku asked.
[Good question. It's been so long that we don't even remember. Eventually, the Three Factions got tired of our interference and they actually joined forces to take us down.]
"The Three Factions actually teamed up against you and Albion?"
[Yes. And I and Albion retaliated against God, the Devil Kings, and Fallen Angel leader Azazel, for disrupting our battle. But ultimately, our physical bodies were destroyed, and our souls sealed into Sacred Gears. Since then, those with our Sacred Gears have been destined to fight each other.]
"You mean I'm gonna have to fight whoever has the Vanishing Dragon within them someday?" Izuku gulped.
[That's assuming the other lives until then. There were some rare instances where either one of our hosts lived their entire lives without meeting the other. When either of our hosts dies, the dragon becomes inactive for a while, waiting until a new wielder of his Gear is born. This has been a repeating cycle for countless years.]
Izuku looked down, deep in thought as he asked, "If the White One were to appear right now, do you think I can fight him?"
[Depends on how powerful they'll be, but honestly, the odds that you'll last long are next to none, especially since you don't even have Balance Breaker.]
"Balance Breaker? And what do I need to do to get it?"
[A Balance Breaker is the state when a Sacred Gear's power can be fully unleashed. And for your second question, there's no definite answer. But overall, it often responds to the wielder's emotions and their hearts.]
Izuku took in everything he just learned. Looks like things were about to get hectic in his life.
Later, over at U.A., students were arriving one after another, and among the crowd were Sona Sitri, and her Queen, Tsubaki Shinra. As they got close, Sona suddenly closed the book she was reading.
"Sona. Look," Tsubaki gestured in the distance; there were the two Exorcists, eyeing the two Devils. What really caught their eye was the object wrapped in cloth, hanging from the blue-haired girl's back.
"A Holy Sword…" Sona recognized the object.
Later after school, the ORC members arrived at the clubroom, all except one.
"Where's Yumi?" Izuku asked.
"Looks like somebody decided to take the entire day off. Must be nice," Koneko commented.
"I hope she's okay," Asia said.
"So do you think this has anything to do with what we talked about yesterday?" Izuku asked Rias, to which she nodded with a sigh.
"So what does Yumi have to do with the Holy Swords?" Izuku asked.
"Do you remember me telling you before about how she was a survivor of the Holy Sword Project?"
"For sure," Izuku responded.
"What I didn't tell you was that there were several other children involved. They were all being raised to use an Excalibur," Rias explained. "As of right now, there are seven Holy Swords that are known by the name Excalibur. Long ago, pieces of the original Excalibur were scattered during a war."
"What? Seven?" Izuku asked.
"That's right. It was the Church that tracked down and collected all of those pieces. They then used alchemy to create seven entirely new swords."
"So does that mean Yumi is able to use all of them?" Izuku asked.
"Actually, no it does not. She never adapted to Excalibur's strength. In fact, none of those who were ever trained ever could. The entire project failed," Rias revealed.
"Completely?" Asia asked.
"Yes," Rias answered. "So those in charge of the project decided to dispose of Yumi and the other test subjects."
Izuku did not like where this was heading. "Dispose? Like, kill?"
"They were already on the verge of death. However, one child was able to escape. Her motivation in staying alive was a promise to herself that she would someday get revenge," Rias thought back to the day she met Yumi. "I felt that such a passion could be used in a meaningful way and wanted to help. There was but a single solution."
"So that's the reason you made Yumi a Devil. And why she was weird when she looked at that picture," Izuku realized.
"We'll just have to wait and see what happens next," Rias smiled, trying to change the mood.
Then, the door opened, and Sona and Tsubaki entered.
"Sona? What brings you here?" Rias asked.
"We have something urgent to discuss. Rias, would you mind coming with me to my house right away, please?" Sona requested. "This isn't something you're going to want to discuss in front of a lot of people. Trust me."
"You make it sound like a complicated situation," Rias commented.
"It is. Very complicated," Sona confirmed. "I also called for Latia, she'll meet us there."
Hearing this, Rias's expression became very serious.
Soon, the younger members of the ORC left U.A. school grounds.
"Was it just me, or did you think Sitri was acting weird, too?" Izuku asked.
"Yeah, maybe," Asia said.
"She sounded really serious," Ravel said.
"What do you think about it, Koneko?" Izuku asked.
"Don't know. It's not like there's anything wrong with Rias talking to someone. However, I guess I'm more worried right now about what's going on with Yumi."
"Yeah, actually, I am, too," Izuku said. "I know what Rias told us, but still. I feel like we should try and help out somehow. Not because I feel obligated, or because I'm training to be a Hero, but because we're friends."
"I'm sure she can take care of herself," Ravel said. "Maybe she needs space right now?" Then, a traffic light changed to green, allowing the two middle schoolers to cross the street. "Well, see you tomorrow. Take care."
"…See you," Koneko said.
"See you," Izuku said.
"Bye! See you tomorrow!" Asia waved.
"Koneko and Akeno chose this as well," Izuku said.
"What?" Asia asked.
"Oh, I was just wondering why they decided to become Devils, too. Surely they had reasons like the rest of us."
At Sona's house, Rias and Akeno entered a sauna with towels covering their naked bodies.
"Haven't been here in a long time," Rias smiled as she removed her towel.
"Really? Did you used to come a lot?" Akeno asked as she also disrobed.
"In the past, Rias, Sona, and I came here together all the time so we could tell each other secrets," Latia said as she entered with Chacha beside her.
"This sauna was installed for my personal use," Sona revealed as she entered next, handing her towel to Tsubaki.
"The space is directly connected to Sona's stronghold, which means if it's closed, no one else will be able to enter," Tsubaki added.
"That's some high-level privacy," Chacha commented.
"Well, that explains how you could tell your secrets here," Akeno said.
"All I did was complain about getting in trouble with my mom. Silly stuff like that," Rias giggled. "And I think Sona only ever complained about her sister."
"And I complained a lot about how I wished I had siblings too," Latia added.
"Oh my. I didn't realize the three of you were so close," Akeno teased.
"That's all in the past, now," Sona said with a faint blush.
"True. So then, what are we here to discuss this time?" Rias asked. "Something tells me this secret's a good one."
"This morning, two people from the Church contacted us," Tsubaki began.
"Contacted how?" Chacha asked.
"It's been a while since they came to this town," Latia commented.
"Did they tell you what they wanted?" Rias asked.
"They did. Rias, they said they wanted to speak with you and that it was urgent," Sona answered.
Said girl gasped. "Members of the Church want to speak with a Devil?" She narrowed her eyes. "What are they up to? There's no other reason for them to be here except to stir up trouble."
"What do you want to do, Rias?" Sona asked as she wiped her glasses.
Rias closed her eyes in thought, going over her options. "If I ignore them, we could have some problems, but what if I accept their request, and the whole thing turns out to be a trap? What if things get so bad that it starts another Great War?! Things just got really complicated…" As she continued to mumble, Sona, Tsubaki, and Latia all blinked in confusion at the sight, while Akeno and Chacha were reminded of a certain green-haired boy.
"Uh, Rias…?" Latia asked.
Rias was snapped out of it and looked at her friend, blinking as she realized that they were staring at her. "What?"
"Looks like Izuku's been rubbing off on you," Akeno giggled.
The red-haired devil flustered up immediately, realizing what she meant. "I was-"
"Yes," Akeno answered. Chacha felt a bit jealous that Rias must've spent a lot of time with Izuku for her to catch one of his habits, but remained silent.
Rias's blush seemed to grow as the other Devils giggled. "I wasn't aware that Midoriya's mumbling habit was contagious," Sona smiled.
"Let's focus on our main topic," Latia said. "So, what's the call?"
"I'll meet with them. Tomorrow after school will be fine. If they're willing to formally meet with a Devil, then the circumstances might be serious," Rias sighed.
"I'll inform them of your answer," Sona nodded. "But there is one other thing you need to be aware of."
"They were also carrying Holy Swords," Tsubaki informed.
"Wow, really?" Chacha asked.
"Well, that is certainly something to consider then," Latia said.
"Why would they come to this town? Maybe members of the Church are from this area?" Rias wondered.
Suddenly the picture of Izuku, his childhood friend, and the Holy Sword, flashed in her mind, making her gasp. "No way…!"
Izuku and Asia were about ready to enter the apartment when they suddenly stopped, a feeling of dread washing over them.
"I just got the chills for some reason," Asia muttered.
"Yeah, I know what you mean," Izuku added. It was coming from his home, and it was a feeling very familiar to him. "Actually, now that I think about it, I recognize this feeling from before."
"How?" Asia asked.
"It was when I met you, and you were showing me around the church. And also…" The image of Freed's psychotic grin came to mind. "My mom!"
Izuku quickly rushed inside, followed by Asia. "Mom!" Izuku called out as soon as he entered.
Inko looked back at him with a bewildered look. "Izuku? What's that sour face for?" Inko looked perfectly fine, much to his confusion and relief. With her were two girls around his age, both of them draped in white robes.
The one on the left had chin-length blue hair with a green fringe on the right side with dark yellow eyes. Next to her was a large something that was covered in white cloth. It looked very much like a sword. The one on the right had chestnut-colored hair tied in twin tails held by blue scrunchies, purple eyes, and a white armband on her sleeve. Izuku couldn't help but think that she looked familiar.
What bothered him most was the large covered-up thing and the armband that they both had with them. And the fact that the thing the blue-haired girl had with her looked very much like a sword put him on instant standby, especially after learning about the Holy Swords the other night. Izuku raised his guard as Asia hung close to him.
"It's been a while, hasn't it, Ikkun?" The chestnut-haired girl greeted. "How could you forget this face? It's me!"
'Ikkun?' Izuku blinked. Suddenly, gears started turning in his head. There was only one person who called him Ikkun. And she had chestnut hair and purple eyes too. The green-haired teen's jaw dropped. The girl, Irina Shidou, offered a kind smile.
"I-Icchan?!" He exclaimed, feeling a mixture of emotions well up inside of him. She was more girly now compared to the tomboyish kid he remembered her as.
"I know! She looks so different!" Inko showed the photo of Izuku and Irina as kids. "But look at her now! She's positively gorgeous, isn't she?"
"U-Uh, y-yeah…" Izuku stuttered. "W-What b-bring you back h-here?"
"Still a nervous wreck with girls, huh, Ikkun?" Irina teased. "We should catch up. I'm amazed at how much everything's changed, you especially, Ikkun. I'm happy you're finally becoming a Hero! A lot has happened to both of us in the time we've been apart."
What Irina said put Izuku on edge, especially when he noticed Irina's companion narrowing her eyes at him. 'Oh crap…' he silently cursed, realizing they knew he was a Devil.
"Ah! Irina!" Inko suddenly said, unintentionally disrupting the tension. "I forgot to ask about your friend. Who is she?"
"Oh! Silly me," Irina said, gesturing toward her blue-haired partner. "This is Xenovia, she's a friend of mine who transferred from Italy a while back."
The other girl, Xenovia, turned her face to Inko and gave a small nod. "It's a pleasure ma'am," she said before looking at Irina. "Irina, we should leave now. It's starting to get dark."
"Oh, it's that time already?" Irina frowned, looking over at the kitchen clock. "It's been so long since I've been to Japan so I guess I felt nostalgic. Unfortunately, I'm only visiting for a few days so I'll try and come to see you again before I go."
"Oh, that's too bad," Inko frowned sadly before smiling again. "In any case, say hi to your parents for me."
"That's a promise! And please say hi to Uncle Hisashi for me too! Let's get going, Xenovia," Irina smiled back as she turned to leave through the front door. Xenovia nodded, taking her large baggage and hefting it over her shoulder. As she passed by Izuku, she gave one last glance at him.
The moment Rias got home, she pulled Izuku and Asia into a tight hug. "I'm so glad you're home, safe! I'm so sorry, I should've paid more attention to both of you! I was terrified of what I might find when I came back here today. I'm thankful I worried for nothing. I promise to keep a better eye on each of your whereabouts from now on."
Izuku's head began steaming from being pressed into Rias's cleavage. "U-Uh, R-R-Rias…"
"What is it?"
"Y-Your b-b…"
"Of course, I understand," Rias said as she let them go before she started to undo her necktie. "Oh Izuku, do you know how much I spoil you?" After the necktie, she was about to unbutton her shirt.
"You can't do that!" Asia suddenly interrupted.
Izuku felt a bit of gratitude toward Asia for her intervention.
Rias cleared her throat to speak. "Why were the Exorcists in there, talking to your mother?"
"No clue, maybe Icchan wanted to catch up and show me how girly she is now?" Izuku guessed. "They never said why they were there."
"That's fine. I honestly don't know what they're planning, but perhaps we can ask them tomorrow," Rias said.
"Tomorrow?" Izuku asked.
"They'll be visiting the clubroom tomorrow, after school."
Then, Hisashi came in. "Hey, kids. I heard what's going on. And I also heard other things from Inko. There are Exorcists in this city, and one of them happens to be little Irina, all grown up, wish I were here earlier to say hi." Then his expression became serious. "But of course, you never know what's gonna happen. If you want, I'll join you tomorrow, in case something happens."
"I appreciate it, thank you," Rias replied.
Later, Izuku was out on another contract. He was thankful as he could take his mind off the business with the Church. Right now, Izuku was out fishing with his client, who was the same new guy from a few days ago. Leaning forward, Izuku let out a sigh.
"What's the matter, Devil Boy?" Izuku's client asked.
"Oh, sorry. I've just got a lot on my mind right now," Izuku apologized.
"It's a bit unusual to see a Devil looking so worried, isn't it?" The man said. "Things in this world usually turn out the way you want them to. Stress about the future is a waste of time. Just wait it out a bit. Things'll change." Then, he noticed Izuku's line being tugged. "Oh. Looks like you've got a bite on that hook! Pull it in."
Izuku, hearing the man, pulled his line back and reeled in a decent-sized trout, amazed at his catch. "Wow, I didn't think I'd catch something like this here!"
"See? Just being patient can help bring about the best result." The older man chuckled, standing from his seat and grabbing a bucket. Izuku quickly unhooked it, tossing it inside. "Thanks for your help."
"Ah, it's nothing. Though I'm surprised all you really want from our contracts is to hang out," Izuku admitted with a chuckle.
"I'm just happy to have company. It's nice to hang out with someone your age," the man said. "Well, we're done here. You're free to go."
"Okay. Thanks for having me, sir. I'll see you later," Izuku nodded, disappearing into a magic circle.
The man watched him disappear with a small smile.
The next day after school at the ORC clubroom, the meeting began. All ORC members were present; tensions were in the air, and the biggest source happened to be Yumi, who had returned, having found out about the meeting somehow.
Izuku could see all the anger, hatred, and bitterness on Yumi's face and knew exactly where they were directed. He would be lying if he said he wasn't worried about Yumi's emotional state.
Xenovia and Irina were seated on the sofa across the table from Rias, with the latter's servants all standing behind her. Hisashi was also present, sitting in a chair by the table in between the two groups; Irina was pleased to see him after so long, and he returned a happy greeting.
"Thank you for agreeing to speak with us today. My name is Xenovia," Xenovia introduced herself.
"And I'm Irina Shidou!" Irina smiled and introduced herself as well.
"It's fascinating to me why followers of God would want to meet with a Devil," Rias said, with one leg crossed over the other.
"It does seem random," Irina noted. "Here's the thing: There are six Excaliburs we can account for. Three of them are still with the Church, but we happen to know that the other three were stolen by Fallen Angels."
This resulted in surprised gasps from the ORC. "You sure about that?" Izuku asked.
Rias frowned. "To think that something like this is going on inside my territory. I find it hard to believe that mere thieves would be able to steal some of the Church's most valuable treasures. Do you know how the culprit was able to steal them?"
"We're still investigating, but we do know who the culprits are. A rogue Exorcist named Freed Sellzen, working under the orders of Kokabiel, a Cadre of the Grigori of the Fallen Angels."
Rias narrowed her eyes. "The Angel of the Stars, one of the survivors of the Great War recorded in the Bible. He's hiding in this city?"
Irina nodded. "Yes. And since Kokabiel is one of the most dangerous Fallen Angels, we've been allowed to use two of the remaining Excalibur pieces for our mission," she said, regarding her armband while Xenovia lifted her package.
"These are from the ones we have left," Xenovia said as she unraveled the white cloth from her large packaging, revealing a two-handed sword with a cross in the pommel, a grip long enough that could be held with three hands, an ax-like guard, a second grip with a chain-like form, and a long blade that ended with three points. "This weapon is mine. It's called Excalibur Destruction, the Holy Sword of Destruction. As the name implies, this Excalibur piece is the most destructive out of all seven. This sword is under Catholic supervision."
"And there's the one I have here…" Irina popped in as she pulled her armband. As soon as she did, it instantly morphed into a katana. "…It's known as Excalibur Mimic, the Holy Sword of Mimicry. Its unique feature is that it can change shape to almost anything you like. It's normally kept under the watch of the Protestant Church."
Yumi's eyes narrowed at the swords, which Izuku noticed. He hoped that she would be able to keep her anger in check.
"Well, what is it you would like for us to do today?" Rias asked, a sultry smile spread on her lips.
"Stay completely out of it. This is between us and the Fallen Angels," Xenovia demanded. "Let's keep it simple, shall we? We don't need the Devils in this town to intervene."
"That sounds like an accusation. Are you afraid that we'll side with the Fallen Angels and keep you from obtaining the Excaliburs?" Rias asked, a challenging look in her eyes.
"We know that for Devils, a Holy Sword is a detestable thing. Wouldn't it make more sense for you to support the Fallen Angels?" Xenovia challenged back.
Tension started rising as a red glow appeared in Rias's eyes.
"And if that's true, we will have no choice but to completely annihilate you, even though you are the sister of one of the Devil Kings."
"If you already have me figured out, then let me share something with you. There is no way I'd ever even think of joining the Fallen Angels. I would never do anything to besmirch the name of the House of Gremory, or my dear brother."
"It's enough for me just to be able to hear that," Xenovia smiled. "I was only relaying the thoughts of headquarters. I honestly didn't think the little sister of Lucifer would really be that stupid."
"Good to know," Rias smiled back. "Then I also hope you understand I will not provide aid to your side either."
"Of course, I trust that we will prevail if you promise not to intervene in anything we may do in this town," Xenovia inquired. "As long as we take no hostile actions against you, I trust you will do the same?"
"You have my word on that," Rias promised.
"We won't take up any more of your time," Xenovia said as she stood up.
"Would you like some tea before you go?" Rias offered.
"No thanks. I'm not here to make friends with Devils. We'll let ourselves out," Xenovia declined as she and Irina turned to leave. But then, she stopped, her eyes lingering on a certain blonde snakelike girl. "I was wondering if visiting the home of Izuku Midoriya would lead us to you. Aren't you Asia Argento?"
"Uh, yes?" Asia answered.
"It makes sense that I would run into a witch in a place like this." Xenovia's words caused Asia's pupils to shrink and her body stiffened.
"Oh my goodness, it is you! You're the former saint who became a witch!" Irina remarked. "I've heard you were banished because you have the power to heal Fallen Angels and Devils. And at one time, you actually used it. You must be pretty strong! I didn't know you'd actually become a Devil yourself!"
"Well… I'm… I guess so…" Asia stuttered fearfully.
"You okay?" Itsuka asked.
"Of course, she's not okay. She went from being a saint to being a Devil. That's about as far as one can fall," Xenovia derided. "Do you still believe in our God, Asia?"
"Don't be silly. She's like a Devil and stuff. She's over us," Irina said.
"No, that doesn't always mean what you think it means. There are those whose hearts continue to remain pious in the midst of their own selfish betrayal. She seems like she might be one of them."
"Really? Is it true, Asia?" Irina asked. "Do you still believe in God? I mean, I know you're like a Devil, but do you?"
Tears welled up in Asia's eyes as she started to sob. "Yes. I've never been able to let go. I've believed in God this whole time."
"Then you should allow us to execute you this instant," Xenovia bluntly said as she held up her sword, causing Asia to gasp fearfully. "Though you have sinned in the worst way possible if you sacrifice your soul to Him, He will forgive you. Let yourself be convicted by my hand."
Izuku, Itsuka, Eijiro, and Mina all glared as Xenovia inched closer toward Asia.
"God will work through me to save…"
"Let me stop you right there, young lady," Hisashi interrupted. "If I recall, you were the one who promised no hostile actions against Rias in return for the same? Regardless of your feelings toward Asia's 'betrayal,'" Hisashi said, using air quotes on betrayal. "The fact that she's one of Rias's servants means that whatever you try against Asia will be considered hostile actions against Rias. Right after you proposed that there be no hostilities between either side. Now, are you gonna make yourself look like a bigger hypocrite, or acknowledge that you're the one in the wrong and drop this matter?"
Xenovia, having no comeback for this, decided to show some humility. "Yes, our business here is finished. Irina, let's go. What a witch decides to do is not our concern right now."
"Hey wait," Izuku called out.
"Izuku, no!" Rias said, worried.
"You still haven't apologized to Asia," Izuku growled.
Xenovia turned back to Izuku. "I already withdrew my intent to purge her. What else do you want?"
"Apologize for calling Asia a witch!" Izuku demanded. "You have no right to call her that!"
"Believe me, that's one of the nicest descriptions I have for someone who has done what she…"
"I DON'T WANNA HEAR IT!" Izuku cut Xenovia off, glaring at her fiercely. "Asia's one of the kindest souls you'll ever know! If you can't see that, then you're an idiot!"
"And who exactly are you to Asia Argento?" Xenovia questioned.
"I'm her family! We all are! And her friends! We look out for each other with everything we've got! On the other hand, you guys are the ones who decided to make Asia a saint without even asking her! Then you abandoned her just because she made one mistake! That makes you no different than exploitative Villains!"
Irina couldn't help but be slightly intimidated by her childhood friend. Though, she wasn't that surprised at the reason for Izuku's anger. 'I guess, even as a Devil, he's still a Hero at heart,' she thought, a warm smile spreading on her lips.
"Is that a challenge to the Church?" Xenovia asked. "That's pretty big talk, for a little a Devil like yourself."
"This is perfect. I'll take all of you on."
Everyone turned to the other person who suddenly spoke. Yumi chuckled darkly as she approached them with her hands in her pockets.
"Who are you?" Xenovia asked.
"Your superior. Nice to meet you," Yumi replied venomously, Demonic Swords sprouting around her. "Although compared to you, I'm just a failure."
Rias looked back and forth between Izuku, Yumi, and the Exorcists, with a look of panic and worry. Despite everything, conflict was inevitable, and it couldn't be talked down with words alone. At this point, things could only be settled through actions.
Ch. 27: Cooperating with the Church
Izuku and Yumi were outside the club building, with Irina and Xenovia standing back a small distance, and everyone else off to the side to watch.
"Alright then, let's begin," Xenovia and Irina discarded their robes to reveal what they had underneath. They were in black, skintight leotards with short sleeves, matching fingerless gloves that extended to their biceps, and thigh-high boots, all of which were adorned with straps. Every curve and shape was as clear as day, leaving nothing to the imagination, which caused Izuku to blush.
"Now remember, this is just an informal bout, so let's just keep this to ourselves. Also, no deaths allowed. Otherwise, I'll intervene," Hisashi reminded. "Are we clear?"
"Of course, crystal clear!" Irina took the Excalibur Mimic around her left arm and changed it into the form of a katana.
"We can think of it as a drill. Let's see how Rias Gremory's Pawn and our 'superior' will match up against us," Xenovia unveiled Excalibur Destruction and held it up in a sword stance.
"I'm still worried," Rias voiced her concerns.
"I get you, but this is probably the best way to control the situation," Hisashi said. "Right now, Kiba needs an outlet for her anger, and letting her blow some steam may be a good way to do it. Otherwise, I have a feeling she might go off the deep end and try to challenge them later, except then, there won't be any restrictions on killing."
Rias had to agree with Hisashi's logic, hopefully, he was right.
As Izuku got ready for a fight, Yumi let out a dark laugh.
"Why are you laughing?" Xenovia asked.
"Because the one thing I always wanted to destroy more than anything has appeared willingly before my eyes." Then, several Demonic Swords spawned all around Yumi.
"Sword Birth, eh? I remember now. From the Holy Sword Project, there was one survivor who had such a Sacred Gear. I'm guessing that's you?"
Izuku looked at Yumi, concerned about her current mental state.
"Ikkun, it's totally you!" Irina said, with stars in her eyes.
"Um, yeah, it's me…" Izuku said, confused by her tone.
"I feel like fate is making fun of me right now! I'm so happy after all these years, you're following your dream, but at the same time, you've become a Devil! Why is this happening?!"
"Huh?" Izuku questioned.
"My one goal in this world was to learn how to use a Holy Sword, travel far, and help everyone around me. God must be testing my will to overcome this dramatic heartbreak! If I can prove I'm strong enough, I will be that much closer to Him!" She bellowed dramatically, waving her arms around like a stage actress, leaving Izuku staring blankly in confusion. "I'm so sorry, Ikkun. This hurts me much more than it hurts you. But your sins will now face the wrath of my Excalibur!" Irina declared, pointing her sword at him.
Izuku sweat-dropped. 'Okay, she's a bit loopier than I remember… AND WHAT IS WITH HER OUTFIT?!' Izuku internally screamed, having a hard time ignoring how Irina was wearing a one-piece leotard that perfectly conformed to her body. Was she even wearing underwear? 'Seriously, what kind of outfit is that?! What is it with so many women wearing form-fitting clothes?!'
[You have no idea how many times I've seen this in all the centuries I've been in existence.]
Shaking down his blush, Izuku summoned his Boosted Gear. "Okay, here goes. Boosted Gear!"
[Boost!]
He then activated his Boosted Dragon mode, taking on his draconic appearance. He then shifted his legs into a fighting stance. Both Exorcists were rather surprised by the change in Izuku's appearance.
"Whoa! That's new!" Irina exclaimed. "Since when can you do THAT?!"
"Long story," Izuku replied.
"Well, here I come! Amen!" Irina charged at Izuku and leaped into the air, her sword raised high.
Izuku flapped his wings and took to the sky to dodge as Irina came down, and then he flew down for a dropkick. The young Exorcist gagged as Izuku's foot connected with her abdomen, knocking her back a few feet.
"Looks like Midoriya's holding his own well," Mina commented.
"C'mon, bro! You got this!" Eijiro cheered.
Groaning as she got back up, Irina couldn't help but smile at her childhood friend, happy for him that he'd become this strong.
"The Red Dragon Emperor's Boosted Gear? That with Asia Argento's Twilight Healing and your Sword Birth. You Devils certainly have a fair amount of the pagan Sacred Gears," Xenovia commented as she faced Yumi. "And the fact that your friend is part dragon… What an unusual group of Devils you are."
"I have another power. One that comes from grudges of my fallen comrades," Yumi declared as she drew a Holy Eraser. "With this power, I will destroy all the Excaliburs. And along with them, I will annihilate their wielders!" She swung wildly at Xenovia, thinking of nothing but destroying her Excalibur. Both swordswomen clashed blades repeatedly, seeming to be equally matched.
However, there was something about Yumi that the others noticed. She wasn't fighting like her normal self: it seemed her judgment was being clouded by her anger, causing her to lash out furiously, rather than with precision and control.
"Izuku seems to be doing well, but I'm worried about Yumi," Asia commented as she saw the look in the blonde Knight's eyes.
In a final clash of their blades, Xenovia overpowered Yumi, forcing her back. Discarding her Holy Eraser, she picked out swords of fire and ice from the cluster of swords she created earlier. "It's time for you to burn! And then freeze! Flare Brand, Freeze Mist!" She roared as she charged at Xenovia, swinging her dual swords one after the other.
"How naive!" Xenovia, with a swing of her Excalibur, destroyed Yumi's swords in just one attack. She then plunged Excalibur Destruction into the ground, causing a huge tremor that shook up the surrounding area. This also inadvertently interrupted Izuku and Irina's fight, causing the latter to lose her balance and fall on her butt.
When the dust cleared, there was a massive crater surrounding Xenovia. "Excalibur Destruction. Believe me, this sword's name is not just for show!" Xenovia declared as she held the Excalibur up high.
"After being split into seven, it's still this strong," Yumi noted before her shock faded back into anger. "Then I guess there's gonna have to be a lot of carnage when I destroy all of 'em. So, how about this? Sword Birth: Mimic Homurasaki!" A familiar katana with the image of a dragon etched into its blade appeared in her hand. Yumi went on the assault again, throwing rapid, fiery thrusts at her enemy.
"Impressive. She only wielded the Homurasaki once, and yet, she managed to figure out enough of the blade to create a duplicate with her Sacred Gear," Hisashi observed.
"Yumi, what's gotten into her?" Izuku wondered as he watched his friend with worry.
"Hey, Xenovia, warn me the next time you wanna destroy the ground," Irina said as she spanked the dust off of herself. "Anyway, I suppose it's time you and I finished this game, Ikkun."
Izuku, though slightly distracted from being worried about Yumi, managed to regain his focus in time to avoid the blade of Irina's Excalibur.
"I think you need to focus more on this fight and less on your friend, Ikkun," Irina said, her sword stretching around her like a snake.
"I can handle myself fine. No need to worry about me, Icchan," Izuku replied.
"I can see that!" She giggled before looking down. "Playing with you and dreaming of being Heroes were honestly some of my best childhood moments. I was really sad when my family had to move to England."
Izuku gave her a sympathetic look. "Yeah, I remember crying so hard I nearly collapsed from dehydration when I heard the news. Though we may be on opposite sides now, I'm happy to see you again."
"Me too! Especially now that you're following your dreams, Ikkun," Irina smiled back. "I guess my goodbye gift paid off."
"Goodbye gift? What do you mean?" Izuku asked, confused.
Irina blushed red as she shyly looked to the side like she didn't mean for it to slip out. "Uh, y'see, I, uh…" She struggled to say. "I didn't know when I'd see you again, so to remember you, I… I…"
"You… what?" Izuku hesitantly asked.
"IkissedyouwhenyouwereasleepthenightbeforeIleft!" Irina confessed before covering her mouth, her face red.
Izuku's mouth dropped while Rias, Asia, and Ravel gasped in shock. Akeno, Eijiro, and Itsuka blinked in surprise. Mina giggled giddily, thinking of childhood friend romances. Hisashi smiled to himself as he and Inko secretly knew she had done that all those years ago. Yumi and Xenovia stopped fighting for a moment. And Koneko didn't seem to react at all, though her eyes did widen somewhat.
"Y-y-you were my first kiss?!" Izuku stuttered, unable to move.
"Um, uh, well, um… FORGET I SAID THAT!" Irina shouted in embarrassment as she extended Excalibur Mimic's blade and sent it at Izuku.
Izuku shook off the shock and dodged to the side. Then, Irina retracted Excalibur Mimic's blade and charged at Izuku again.
However, Izuku lowered his body and swept his leg to trip up Irina. Right before Irina could get up, Izuku grabbed her by the arm and soared into the air before tossing her down to the ground, making her gag and drop her Excalibur, the wind knocked right out of her.
"Looks like Izuku managed to defeat your partner. We should finish our fight as well!" Yumi shouted as she swung the Mimic Homurasaki to send a flaming slash at Xenovia, who blocked by using her Excalibur Destruction as a makeshift shield.
Yumi then created a new ice sword and sent a wave of ice at Xenovia, but the bluenette simply swung her sword to repel the attack.
However, that was simply a distraction as Yumi was now upon her with the Mimic Homurasaki raised high, green flames emanating from the blade.
Xenovia simply scoffed and waited for the right moment to strike. "Too bad."
*CRACK!*
With one swing of Xenovia's Excalibur Destruction, Yumi's Mimic Homurasaki was instantly smashed to pieces.
"Huh?!" Yumi gasped, staring at the shattered remains of her sword.
"An impressive weapon, for a replica. However…!" Xenovia switched her sword upside down into a reverse grip and jabbed the pommel deep into Yumi's stomach. On a normal person, this wouldn't have done that much, but for a Devil like Yumi, it was a devastating blow that made her cough up blood. She then collapsed on the ground facefirst, lying trembling and defeated as Xenovia stood over her.
"Your only weapons are a few swords and a little speed. You should've focused more on defeating me rather than the Excalibur itself," Xenovia chided.
"No. Wait," Yumi tried to reach out to Xenovia as she struggled to get up. Despite being dealt a non-lethal blow, the fact that it was from a Holy Sword meant it was extra damaging.
"You should know to only fight when you're rational. After all, you are my 'superior,'" Xenovia taunted, throwing Yumi's word right back at her as the blonde Devil grabbed a fistful of grass, glaring angrily at Xenovia.
Looking over her shoulder, she saw that Izuku had his guard raised in case she intended to fight him.
However, Xenovia saw no need to continue the fight. "At ease. This battle is over. You did well against my friend." Xenovia then walked over to pick up her cloak.
"You okay, Icchan?" Izuku asked as he went over to Irina to help her up.
"No worries, I'm good, Ikkun," Irina smiled as she took Izuku's hand. "I sure didn't see that coming. You're so strong!"
"Looks like it's a win and a loss on both sides. Are you satisfied, Rias Gremory?" Xenovia turned to Rias.
"Yes, I'm grateful you didn't land a final blow. Thank you for your integrity," Rias replied.
"Of course. And remember what we talked about earlier," Xenovia said before turning to Irina. "Irina, can you walk?"
"Yeah, just a little sore on the back, no biggie," Irina replied as she rubbed her back.
Then, the two Exorcists turned to leave, but not before Irina looked at Izuku with a smile. "Well, thank you. This has been such fun. Ikkun, I'll be here to judge you anytime. Amen."
Izuku sighed in exasperation but waved goodbye.
With the exorcists gone, Asia went over to Yumi to heal her.
"You were the man, Midoriya!" Eijiro said as he slung an arm over Izuku's shoulder.
"That was rather impressive," said Ravel.
"Thanks," Izuku said.
"So, about what Irina said. Was it true?" Rias asked in a serious tone. Izuku gulped nervously, looking at the demanding faces of Rias, Ravel, and even Koneko, expecting an answer.
"Uh, w-well…"
"Yumi, wait!"
They all looked over, seeing Yumi suddenly get up as soon as Asia had finished tending to her injuries.
Rias ran after Yumi and grabbed her arm. "Where are you going, Yumi? You do realize I will never permit you to leave me. Remember, you are a Knight of the House of Gremory!"
Yumi shrugged her arm away, not even looking back at her. "I know, President. And I'm sorry." Yumi didn't say anything else as she walked out of the courtyard; no one had it in them to stop her.
"Oh no, she left," Asia said.
Rias turned away with a sad look. "Oh Yumi…" She whispered. "Why now?"
The next day during lunch, Izuku sat lost in thought while his friends chatted around them.
"And so, I've been working on increasing the weight limit on my Quirk. What's everyone else doing for their Sports Festival training?" Ochaco asked.
"Weights, muscle-building stuff, putting on extra pounds, that stuff," Hilda answered.
"Shrinking and growing things," Yui flatly replied.
"I've been working on my various Animal Soul forms," Rebecca said.
"Shootin' off my horns and controlling them," Pony revealed.
"I've run as many laps as I could around the gym," Tenya added.
"Jumpin' off buildings in the training areas!" Tetsutetsu announced.
"Hey, I was thinkin' of doing that too!" Eijiro said.
"I still can't get over how in sync you two are," Setsuna commented.
"Hey Deku, what are you doing?" Ochaco asked, only to get no response. "Deku?"
"Huh?" Izuku looked up. "Sorry, I just have a lot on my mind, is all."
Chacha, who was sitting a couple of spaces away, looked worryingly at Izuku.
Izuku's eyes wandered around and happened to spot Saji nearby, conversing with a teacher, probably something to do with the Student Council.
"Hey, Deku!" Ochaco suddenly called again, drawing Izuku's attention. "Some of us from our class and Class B made plans to go to this movie marathon at some old shrine. Wanna come too?"
"Sorry, I can't. I… have plans," Izuku replied. Even if he didn't "have plans," the fact that he was a Devil meant it would be a bad thing for him to go.
Chacha watched as Izuku took his tray and left before going over to Saji. Thanks to her enhanced hearing, she caught their conversation: Izuku had something he wanted to talk about, but they had to wait until after school, somewhere more private. Chacha figured something was up, and she was gonna find out.
After classes ended, Izuku hurried to leave. He was surprised that Saji agreed to meet so easily despite only being given very few details. They arranged to meet up at a nearby café.
"Going somewhere?" Chacha's voice caused his eyes to widen in surprise as he turned around to see her looking at him with narrowed eyes.
"Uh, what do you mean?" Izuku said, feigning ignorance.
"Don't play dumb. I heard what you said with Saji earlier," Chacha pointed to her ears. "This wouldn't happen to have anything to do with the Exorcists in town, would it?"
"Wha, how do you…?" Izuku asked.
"I was there with Lady Latia at that meeting with your master and Sitri," Chacha explained. "So, what's going on?"
Izuku explained what was happening to Chacha on the way. Luckily, she agreed to keep quiet and even offered to help. And so, he and Chacha sat at an outdoor table in the cafe and ordered some drinks.
"Midoriya…" Hearing Saji's voice, Izuku looked up and saw not only Saji but Tomoe and Momo as well.
"Meguri? Hanakai? Why are you two here?" Izuku asked.
"Sorry, I wasn't really discreet enough," Saji admitted.
"We noticed him leaving school and tagged along," Tomoe replied. "So, can we join your 'secret meeting?'" She asked with a smile and her hands on her hips.
It took about a minute for Izuku to explain. Once he was done, Saji was quick to voice his response.
"Hell no! Are you even serious?" He whispered loudly, looking at Izuku with wide eyes.
"Yes," Izuku said.
"You're insane!" Saji exclaimed as he jumped out of his seat. This caused some of the other customers to look at him, which he noticed and sat back down.
Momo then leaned a bit toward Izuku. "You do realize that our presidents would never allow this," she said in a whisper, slightly scared. "We could get in big trouble."
"Forget that! We're gonna get murdered for sure!" Saji exclaimed. "I don't know much about Rias or Latia, but Sona's draconian and loves punishing us!" He said, imagining Sona as a dominatrix. "No way, man! Sorry!"
Saji jumped out of his seat and tried to walk away, but something grabbed his shirt to keep him from leaving. To Izuku's surprise, it was Koneko, who had a parfait with her. Unbeknownst to him, she had noticed him leaving with Chacha and secretly followed.
"Big surprise. I kinda had a feeling you would try to run away," Koneko deadpanned.
A few moments later, Saji was forced to sit back down. "I wanna go home!" He sobbed and tried to run away, but Koneko grabbed his shirt and pulled him back down.
"So you wanna cooperate with the Church?" Koneko asked.
"I mean, they said they'd rather destroy the swords than let the Fallen Angels use them, didn't they?" Izuku said.
"Yes. It seems like they'll stop at nothing to get them back in the Church's hands," Koneko said in agreement.
"Yumi wants to get her revenge by defeating Excalibur. And the Church wants the swords back, no matter what it costs. The goals might be different, but they have the same result. That's why it works. We just gotta get both to cooperate."
"I'm not sure they'll be as eager to do this as you are, though," Koneko commented.
"Not to mention, without our Kings' permissions," Chacha pointed out.
"I don't want to go behind their backs, but they would never let us do this if they knew. And the Exorcists might not listen, but we should at least try!" Izuku argued. "Especially if it means Yumi won't end up becoming a Stray. I think we gotta do everything we can think of!" Izuku then stood up and looked at each of them with an understanding look. "If anyone doesn't want to, it's fine. I'm willing to do this alone if necessary."
Koneko was the first to stand up. "First, we have to find those girls, somehow," the white-haired girl said, her eyes filled with strength. "I don't like keeping this secret from Rias and Akeno, but we have to do something to help Yumi."
Chacha was the next to voice her thoughts. "I already said I'd help," she said. "Sounds like Kiba could use all the help she can get."
"I'll help too. I mean, helping others is what Heroes do," Tomoe smiled, standing up while pulling a complaining Saji up with her. "'Sides, someone's gotta keep a tight leash on this guy."
"You too, Tomoe?!" The Sitri Pawn asked.
Momo stood up as well. "Count me in, too."
"Oh, come on, Momo!" Saji wailed.
Izuku, touched by their willingness to help, smiled and wiped away some tears. "Right, then let's get to it."
Soon, the group of six, including the reluctant Saji, was out in the streets to look for the two Exorcists.
"Cool, so I don't have to be here anymore, do I? You got this many people onboard, so what do you need me for? I won't snitch, I swear!" Saji begged, but his pleas were ignored.
"So, any thoughts where we can find them?" Tomoe asked, her arms folded behind her head.
"Sadly, no," Izuku admitted. "Probably won't be too easy to find them. It's not like we're gonna run into a couple of girls in white robes on Main Street."
And then…
"O, blessings on the wandering sheep before us."
"We are pitiful when compared to you, O Lord! Please have mercy upon us, dear Father!"
They ran into a couple of girls in white robes on Main Street.
"...Or maybe we will," Izuku deadpanned.
"Right," Koneko added.
The reason why Xenovia and Irina were out on the street, asking for charity?
*Flashback*
Xenovia and Irina had been there since earlier, begging for spare change, but the best that they managed was a few coins.
"I don't know what I was expecting from a country that lacks faith, but consider me surprised," Xenovia commented.
"I bet this must be another trial from God," Irina said as she brought her hands into a prayer pose.
"Do you really believe that? After all, you were the one who spent all of our money on a weird, suspicious-looking picture," Xenovia said, pointing to a painting that had what was apparently a saint.
"What are you trying to say?! There's an honest-to-goodness Holy person in that image and you know it!" Irina argued. "The exhibition guy said so! And why would he lie?" She said as she remembered the person who sold it to her, a shady-looking man with glasses and a curved mustache.
"Okay, then. Who is it?"
"Probably St. Peter? Yeah, that's right!"
"It looks nothing like St. Peter!"
"What?! Of course, it does!"
"If you Protestants had the amount of respect for saints that us Catholics did, you'd be able to see it for the counterfeit that it is!"
"Huh?!" Irina exclaimed, looking cross. "You dumb Catholics are way too stuck in your old laws to try and say anything about respecting saints!"
"What?!" Xenovia growled. "I dare you to say that again!"
"Dummy~! Dummy~! Flat Earth dummy~!" Irina sang mockingly, pulling down an eyelid and sticking out her tongue.
"New age heretic!" Xenovia shot back.
*GROOOOWL!*
The argument was suddenly interrupted by the sound of two stomachs growling.
"First things first, we have to get something to eat. We're hardly in the condition to retrieve the Excaliburs right now," Xenovia said.
"Yeah, you're right. In that case, you wanna threaten people from other religions so they'll give us money?" Irina suggested. "Since they won't be with the Church, God will totally forgive us. Probably."
"If we're going that far, we might as well just steal a temple's offering box or something like that instead," Xenovia said.
"Oh, that would be easier! Good plan!" Irina said in agreement.
"HELP! A PURSE SNATCHER!" A pedestrian suddenly shouted.
The thief started fleeing using a speed Quirk to run, but he was quickly caught by a speed-type Hero who was way faster. Afterwards, the thief was turned over to the police. And of course, this scene was witnessed by the two Church girls.
"Right, even if God forgives us, the Heroes and police sure won't," Irina said in resignation.
"Good point. Let's forget it," Xenovia agreed. "What if we held a street performance with our Quirks? I'm sure we can make plenty of money that way!"
"But Japan has strict Quirk regulation laws, and we don't have any licenses for public Quirk usage," Irina informed. "What about our swords instead? We could cut fruits and stuff!"
"Except there's no fruit for us to cut," Xenovia pointed out as she grabbed the picture. "But this thing might make for a good substitute."
"No! I won't let you!" Irina shouted, pulling the picture back hard enough to hug it to her chest.
"Fine! Then let's go look for the swindler who sold you that junk and get our money back!"
"How dare you call St. Paul junk!"
"Ha!" Xenovia pointed accusingly. "I thought you said it was St. Peter!"
*GROOOOOWWWL!*
The two continued to argue until their stomach grumbled again, causing them to blush.
*End Flashback*
Izuku, snapping out of his stupor, decided to go talk to the two Exorcists. "H-Hey, you two. W-W-We were about to go grab something to eat. You want to tag along?"
Xenovia scarfed down spoonfuls of omurice while Irina did the same with her beef bowl, both eating like there was no tomorrow.
"So delicious! Don't you agree? This is heaven!" Xenovia said as she slurped up a bowl of noodles.
"Yeah! Everything I'm taking into my mouth is like food for the soul!" Irina agreed.
Meanwhile, the Devils sat across from them; they simply ordered just drinks for themselves.
"Watching this is a little too intense for me," Saji commented.
"Looks like they were really hungry," Momo added.
"It's like they're in a Mukbang video," Tomoe compared.
After a few more orders, the Exorcists were finally satisfied, though they also realized something else.
"What just happened? Even if this will build our faith, the Devils saving us must mean the end of day," Xenovia said.
"We practically sold ourselves to the Devils. How will we ever be forgiven?" Irina asked.
Izuku was taken aback by their dramatics just because they received help from Devils.
"Lord, please, have mercy on these kind souls even if they are Devils," Irina prayed, causing Izuku, Chacha, Koneko, Saji, Momo, and Tomoe to all scream in pain from the migraines they got.
"Icchan, we don't need God's blessing," Izuku reminded.
"Oh, right. I'm sorry. It's kind of a habit," Irina apologized.
Xenovia put down the glass of water she was drinking to speak. "Well, what's the deal? What did you want to talk to us about?"
"We want to help you destroy one of the Excaliburs," Izuku answered.
"What?" Xenovia questioned.
After a brief explanation, Xenovia nodded. "I understand the situation. I don't mind letting you take care of one sword."
"Huh? Wait a minute, Xenovia!" Irina interjected.
"You mean it?" Izuku asked, relieved.
Saji grumbled and turned away. "Why couldn't she just have refused us like I was hoping she would?" He muttered under his breath.
"You know who the other side has. Kokabiel is dangerous. Honestly, it'll be impossible for us to recover all three swords on our own," Xenovia said to Irina.
"Yeah, I get that, but even if it's Ikkun, they're like, Devils," Irina argued.
"We have a 30% chance of returning home."
"We knew what kind of risk we were taking before we got here. This isn't anything new, Xenovia!"
"Well, I've changed my mind," Xenovia shrugged. "My faith is flexible as long as it gets us the optimal outcome."
"As I thought. Your sense of faith is weird," Irina muttered.
"Big talk coming from someone who admitted to kissing a Devil the other day," Xenovia shot back.
"H-H-He wasn't a Devil back then, so it doesn't count!" Irina argued, her face blushing red.
The non-ORC Devils noticed that Izuku seemed to be sweating bullets, and with what Xenovia said, Chacha connected the dots.
"Is that right?" Chacha asked with a twitching eye.
"Uh…" Irina fidgeted nervously from where she sat. "Well… S-So, w-when do we start?" She asked, wishing to change the subject.
Izuku got out his phone. "I'll text Yumi. Hopefully, she hasn't blocked any of our numbers."
"I get it," Yumi said after hearing out their plan to search for the Excaliburs. She still had an unfriendly expression, but she seemed to be willing to put her grudge aside for the time being. "But I'm quite disappointed that someone who could wield an Excalibur would approve of their destruction."
"How rude," Xenovia frowned. "If you were a Stray, we could execute you if need be."
"You're welcome to try if you'd like," Yumi challenged back.
"Hold it, guys! We're trying to cooperate here, so no fighting! Simmer down!" Izuku said as he got between the two swordswomen.
"You obviously resent what the Holy Sword Project did. But it helped greatly with our Holy Sword research, and thanks to that, we got a lot more Holy Sword wielders," Irina said.
"But what about the test subjects?" Yumi hissed. "Are you saying all we were good for was to be used and disposed of?!"
"I completely understand your anger. That incident is viewed with great repugnance by those of us currently with the Church as well," Xenovia said. "We know. And that is why the person responsible was punished. Excommunicated."
"His name is Valper Galilei. Also known as the Genocide Archbishop," Irina said.
"I know Valper. It was all him. He was responsible," Yumi growled.
"I told you one of his tools was a rogue Exorcist, didn't I?" Xenovia said.
"You mean Freed?" Izuku asked.
"It's not uncommon for there to be collusion among those who've been banned from the Church. There's a high probability Valper is involved with what's going on now, as well," Xenovia explained.
"Well, after hearing that, there's no reason for me not to cooperate with you," Yumi said.
"Yay! Then I guess it's been decided," Irina smiled.
"We shall return the favor for the food someday, Red Dragon Emperor Izuku Midoriya," Xenovia said as she turned to take her leave. Irina waved the Devils goodbye as she followed after Xenovia.
"Well, looks like we've got good news, yeah?" Tomoe said.
"THIS IS NOT GOOD NEWS! THIS IS NOT GOOD NEWS AT ALL!" Saji snapped at her. "NOT ONLY COULD WE HAVE BEEN KILLED, BUT WE COULD'VE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR ANOTHER WAR WITH THE CHURCH!"
"Rant aside, Gen's not wrong. There was a chance our offer to help could've been seen as pity and made them angry," Momo added.
"Izuku," Yumi called out. "I don't understand why you would help."
"Because we're friends, do I need any other reason?" He replied.
"What's going on here is my revenge, not yours. I cannot allow this," Yumi said. "I'm sure you realize that if I do something rash on my own, it'll make trouble for the President, don't you?"
"Yeah, I get that," Izuku nodded. "But we've already made a deal with the Exorcists without her knowing, so I think it's a bit too late for that. But at least we can make sure you don't become a Stray."
Yumi didn't reply, still very unsure about what to do.
"Umm, guys…" Saji spoke up. "Sorry for not being up to date, but what's Kiba's deal with Excalibur?"
"Good question. If we're going to do this, I think we all need to be fully aware," Momo said, with Tomoe and Chacha nodding.
"Right. I guess I should tell you all about my past," the blonde Knight nodded. "Long ago, there was a secret experiment carried out by the Catholic Church known as the 'Holy Sword Project.' Their goal was to produce individuals capable of wielding Holy Swords. The test subjects were orphans who either had Sacred Gears or an unusual talent for swordplay. We were just kids. Being experimented on, day after day. Our freedom was taken, and we weren't even treated as humans. Yet, we all believed we were chosen by God. We held to those beliefs, hoping eventually, we'd become special. However, not one of us became able to wield a Holy Sword. The experiment failed. We were disposed of pretty quickly after that in order to cover up what had happened."
Yumi's hate-filled expression faded slightly into sorrow as she took a deep breath before continuing the story, explaining how she and the others were poisoned by gas. "Even as we were vomiting blood and writhing on the floor, we looked to God to save us. We prayed to Him every day hoping we would wield even a simple Holy Sword but it was all a lie. In the end, I was only able to run away because of my comrades," She explained. "I ran, but the poison had already spread through my body. As I lay in the snow, fighting a losing battle to survive, that was when I met Rias. Even though I was able to live thanks to Rias taking me into her household, I was only able to run away because of my brothers and sisters. They're the real reason I'm still here. That's why I have to destroy Excalibur. My sword contains my friends' pain. As the only survivor, I have no choice."
Izuku bit his lip. Hearing the story again, but this time from Yumi's perspective, allowed him to get more context, and it was not pleasant. Tomoe's eyes widened, shocked by what Yumi had to endure. Chacha and Momo held their hands above their mouths, fighting back tears forming in their eyes.
As for Saji, he was crying loudly from hearing such a sad story as tears ran down his face. "Oh, Kiba! I had no idea you had such a horribly tragic past! No one should have to go through that! You know what? I don't care about Sona's punishment anymore! You got my support! I'll help you with every single thing I've got! Even if you were a guy who's the Prince Charming type that gets all the girls, I'd still help!"
Yumi blinked in confusion, thinking that the 'Prince Charming' bit was weirdly specific, but smiled. "Uh… sure. Thank you."
A small tug pulled on her sleeve. She looked down and saw Koneko looking back at her. Rather than her usual stoic expression, she had a sad look, that was also pleading. "I will also help you."
"Koneko?"
"Don't be so stupid. I would be sad if you weren't with us, Yumi. That's why I'm helping," Koneko pleaded cutely.
Izuku's face heated up slightly, surprised to see Koneko acting so cutely.
Yumi's face softened at the look given to her and sadly smiled. "Geez… I guess I've lost then," She sighed. "I mean, if you're even going along with this plan, then I'm just never gonna be able to do anything rash on my own."
"For real?" Izuku asked with a hopeful expression.
"Plus, we all agree who the real enemy is. I will accept your help so thanks, guys."
That night, Izuku, Yumi, Saji, Koneko, Chacha, Momo, Tomoe, Irina, and Xenovia all met up at the abandoned church to plan out their objective. So, they came up with the idea to dress up in church clothes to lure out Freed: Izuku, Saji, Yumi, and Momo dressed up like priests, while Koneko, Tomoe, and Chacha dressed like nuns.
"I think we'll be more efficient in three groups. Let's split up," Xenovia suggested.
"Sounds like a plan," Izuku agreed.
And so, they all divided into groups: Izuku, Koneko, and Tomoe in one group; Saji, Momo, Chacha, and Yumi in another; and lastly, Xenovia and Irina.
Four days later
Izuku sighed as he traversed the moonlit street of Musutafu. It had been days since he and the others teamed up with Xenovia and Irina to help locate and retrieve the stolen Excalibur swords, and yet, they made no progress whatsoever, not a single sight of the stolen blades or Freed.
Asia had noticed that he had been going out a lot at night, but he convinced her that he was just visiting his new regular contract. He didn't like keeping her in the dark, but he was concerned for her safety.
"You okay?" Tomoe asked.
"I'm fine. I just wasn't expecting this to take this long," Izuku replied.
"Either we're looking in the wrong places, or the enemy's playing it smart," Koneko predicted.
"Musutafu's a big city. Guess it shouldn't be a surprise that there are also plenty of potential hiding spots," Tomoe added.
"Maybe we should make a note on all the spots that might be good for Freed and Valper to hide in," Izuku stated. "I wonder if Icchan or Yumi's groups are having better luck than…"
*Ring-Ring*
The sound of Izuku's phone ringing caught everyone's attention. Quickly taking it out, Izuku saw that Momo had sent him a message, accompanied by a GPS map location.
Momo: "We found him! Get here quickly!"