High School DxD: Return of the Crimson Dragon Emperor

Chapter 12: Chapter 12: We’re Breaking In!!

Issei and Miu arrived at the church where Asia and Rayna were taken, tracking Asia’s aura. They weren’t alone Kiba and Koneko were already there.

”Kiba? Koneko-chan? Why are you here?” Issei asked.

”President’s orders,” Kiba replied. ”We got intel on the fallen angels and came to take them down.”

”The President went to the park to get you, senpai, but you were gone,” Koneko added.

”Seriously?” Issei groaned, apologizing internally for the mix-up, hoping he wasn’t seen as the Gremory clan’s troublemaker.

Kiba glanced at Miu. ”You brought Miu-san... Is that okay?”

”She’s fine. I’ll protect her, and she’s got skills,” Issei said, noting Miu’s heritage as the Demon King’s daughter.

”If you say so,” Kiba conceded. No time for questions Asia’s Sacred Gear was at stake.

Koneko asked, ”Senpai, your Sacred Gear’s still down, right?”

”Yeah, under repair,” Issei confirmed. Ddraig had explained the gear was damaged during forced demonization, stabilized by Lord Beelzebub but unusable, including Balance Breaker.

Everyone knew, and the President had been worried since Freed’s incident. Even Koneko seemed concerned.

”No gear, but I can handle fallen angels,” Issei said.

”Good enough,” Koneko replied.

”Where’s the President and Akeno-san?” Issei asked.

”Taking out fallen angels outside,” Kiba said.

With Issei, Miu, Kiba, and Koneko, their team was more than enough. At the church entrance, Koneko warned, ”Be careful, senpai.”

”Someone’s waiting inside,” Issei said, sensing a familiar aura.

Inside, Freed greeted them. ”A touching reunion, Issei-kuuun!”

”Freed... You never learn,” Issei said. ”Weren’t you badly hurt?”

”Fit as a fiddle!” Freed boasted.

”You had Asia heal you, didn’t you? Get lost. We’re in a hurry.”

Freed gripped two light swords. ”Don’t be cold! I owe you for last time!”

”You don’t get it,” Issei said, unleashing killing intent, cracking the floor and shattering glass.

Freed stumbled but grinned. ”That’s some killing intent! Worth crushing!”

He charged. Issei stopped Kiba and the others, channeling Rengoku Keikikou. Red aura cloaked his fist. He closed the distance, landing a punch that sent Freed crashing through the wall. Though Freed mitigated some damage, he was badly hurt.

”Let’s move,” Issei called to the stunned Kiba and Koneko.

[Raynare Side]

Raynare and Asia were taken to an underground chamber. Raynare was chained to the wall, Asia crucified on a cross, awaiting Donasik’s ritual to extract her Sacred Gear.

”Stop! This is wrong!” Raynare shouted.

”Wrong?” Donasik sneered. ”A human’s Sacred Gear is useless. I’ll use it better.”

”It’ll kill Asia!”

”She’s suffered because of it. I’m freeing her.”

”She has friends now!” Raynare countered. ”They’ll help her overcome anything!”

Donasik mocked, ”Friends? With demons? Pathetic. Twilight Healing will elevate me.”

”For that, you’d kill her?” Raynare demanded.

”Power is everything strength, intellect, influence, wealth.”

”Stolen power is meaningless!”

”You’re hopeless,” Donasik said. ”I’d spare a fellow fallen angel, but you’re done after I take her gear.”

He began the ritual, a magic circle enveloping Asia.

”Stop!” Raynare screamed.

”Shut her up,” Donasik ordered. An exorcist punched Raynare’s face, drawing blood.

”Rayna-san!” Asia cried, tears falling.

Raynare, powerless, sobbed. ”Someone... help!”

BOOM! The iron door exploded, shaking the building.

”What!?” Donasik shouted.

As the dust cleared, Issei stood there, radiating red aura. ”Don’t make my friends cry!”

[Raynare Side Out]

Earlier

Issei’s group found a basement passage ending at a metal door.

”This is it,” Issei said.

”Fallen angel aura inside,” Kiba confirmed.

”And the nun’s,” Koneko added.

Asia, Rayna, Donasik, and others were there. Saving Asia was priority.

”Here we go,” Issei said. They nodded.

He punched the door, sending it crashing into the wall, shaking the building. Dust clouded the air.

As it cleared, Issei saw Asia and Rayna crying. ”Don’t make my friends cry!” he roared at Donasik.

”Issei-kun!” Rayna called.

”Issei-san!” Asia echoed.

”You two okay?” Issei asked.

”I’m fine, but Rayna-san...” Asia said.

Rayna’s mouth bled, her face bruised likely the exorcist’s doing. Issei vowed to make him pay.

”I’m okay,” Rayna said. ”Just needs patching up.”

No fatal injuries. The problem: Donasik.

”You again,” Donasik snarled, sprouting four wings and forming a light spear.

”Four wings... He’s strong,” Kiba muttered.

More wings, more power? Issei hadn’t known.

”My plan’s almost complete. Leave,” Donasik demanded, pressing his spear to Asia’s throat, signaling an exorcist to hold a sword to Rayna.

”Hostages?” Issei said.

”Get out,” Donasik said, summoning thirty hooded stray priests and exorcists.

”All his minions,” Kiba noted.

”You think this’ll stop us?” Issei said.

”With hostages, you won’t act,” Donasik taunted.

”Doing nothing is abandoning them,” Issei shot back.

As Donasik pressed the spear closer, Miu’s magic circle deflected it and the exorcist’s sword.

”Nobody kills my friends!” Miu shouted.

Miu, trained by Sirius, wielded advanced wind-based defense magic, shielding Asia and Rayna stealthily.

”Thanks, Miu. Perfect timing,” Issei said.

”You bought me time,” she replied.

Donasik roared, ”You were stalling!?”

”Yeah,” Issei said. ”Asia was safe for now, but Rayna wasn’t. I waited until they were secure.”

”Game over, Donasik,” Issei declared.

Enraged, Donasik ordered, ”Kill them!”

”Issei-kun, I’ll handle the priests,” Kiba said, voice low. ”Personal reasons.”

”Yuuto-senpai, I’ll fight too,” Koneko said. ”Issei-senpai, take the fallen angel.”

”I’ll handle the rest!” Miu added, unleashing elemental magic.

”Got it. I’m counting on you!” Issei said.

”Understood!” they replied, as Issei charged at Donasik.