MESSAGE!

Sup people? Been a while, hasn't it? But here it is, the next chapter of Broken Rules. I, uh, actually don't have much to say about this chapter. I had a few good laughs, took a few liberties that may or may not stretch the sense of disbelief, and jammed to some epic beats as I worked on the fights. And, of course, the drama. It's not an Arry fic without some of that good ol' ball-busting drama.

Hope you enjoy.

Chapter 20

The Sky is Falling!

I, Hyoudou Issei, feel like I'm on fire!

I mean that in a good way. I can feel all of Ddraig's unrestrained power coursing through my veins. This is the pure Balance Breaker without the power restraints and time limit. The armor had a brighter shade of red too. It feels like I can accomplish anything with this amount of power! It's like the first time I successfully snuck into the girl's locker room and didn't get caught!

[Focus, Partner,] the voice of Ddraig echoed throughout the armor. [Just because your mate hacked into the Sacred Gear doesn't mean you get to slack off. Your opponent is one of the Archangels of Heaven. I remember this one. Uriel, the Archangel of Retribution, was the jailer of God's prisoners. He's what kept Tiamat and the Leviathan in line for centuries.]

Hacked? Saji did that? I didn't fully understand what exactly he did; just that he invoked something called Underdog and we're both in our Balance Breaker sets.

Anyways, what Ddraig said was right. Just because I could use this power without restraint didn't mean I should be distracted. This was like that time against Altry when she tried to kill us. Any mistake I make now could cost me my life. And my opponent wasn't someone to be taken lightly.

Still… I can't hold back the shit-eating grin beneath my helmet. It's not because of Ddraig's power that's giving me this amount of confidence. No.

It was because Saji was with me. With three of our Gears active and our instincts linked together, the two of us were more than enough to deal with him.

"Dragon Shot!" I shouted as I threw my fist forward.

An orb of dragon energy formed at the edge of my knuckles. Throwing my fist forward had the orb explode outwards into a cone of destructive energy.

The Seraphim guarding Uriel scattered. Uriel snarled and threw his sword around. Flames surged to meet with my attack. The explosion thereafter destroyed the stage we battled on, bathing the two of us in a world of red.

It tingled. Both my energies and his flames. They felt like minor pricks as I was consumed in this area.

When the explosion dispersed, my armor was only smoking on a few spots. But there wasn't a single scratch. As for Uriel? Well, his skin was smoking just as much but didn't look as unblemished as I was. There were a few spots of agitated red skin as well as pockmark burns.

"Ise! Couldn't you have done that after we were out of the blast range?!"

…Urm. Oops? In the heat of the moment, I forgot the original reason why I'm fighting against this douche bag. Azu-nee as well as that trap vampire were both caught in concussive force of the blast while they were trying to escape. Fortunately they were both unharmed.

I'm sorry, Nee-san. I'll be more careful from now on.

Meanwhile, the Seraphim who had tried to get away had been snatched out of the air by a series of silk strings. Saji had used my blast as a distraction to get as many as he could. They struggled to break free, either with their inhuman strength or weapons of light. Saji's strings held firm.

"Don't think any of you are getting away!" I heard Saji shout behind me.

Then, the strings lit up in an eerily purple color before sprouting black flames. The Seraphim either cursed or screamed in pain as their divine flesh were being peeled away.

Another swing of Uriel's sword created a slash of fire. It wasn't aimed at us but instead focused on a set of Seraphim to the side. The wave of fire cut through Saji's silk and released them.

However… the black flames weren't purged. They continued to burn despite no longer being connected to Saji.

"You're wasting your efforts, Uriel," Saji said as he stepped up to my side. He spun new threads between his fingertips. "I've already set my strings to feed off of their energy. Vritra's cursed flames will continue to burn until there's nothing left. It's the same I plan on doing to you."

Way to go, Saji! You singlehandedly got rid of the annoying adds. Now all we have to do is worry about the boss monster!

"Traitor," Uriel hissed as he raised his sword, the tip pointed at us. "Slanderer. Defiler. Serpent! Heretic! Your sins are too unforgiveable! I cannot excuse your existence any longer! May the Lord forgive me as I purge this world of your unholy souls!"

"Better people have tried," I told him as I lowered my stance. I assumed the Assaulter stance, something the Other Me showed me. At the same time, Ddraig was using the [Boost] ability as I stalled out the seconds. "Altry-chan has bigger balls than you do. And she's a bishojou-sama."

At twenty-three Boosts, I charged. Flames jetted out of my back as I kicked off the ground, leaving a crater in my launch. Saji was right behind me, albeit at a slower pace. I knew he was weaving something with those strings of his to support my initial move.

"Foolish serpent!" Uriel snarled as he brought his sword around to meet with my fist. "You abandon defense! This holy sword is fueled by the Fires of Sinai! It burns through sinful creatures such as yourself!"

It was true. Well, I don't know about his fire bullshit but he was right about me not having any defense. The Assaulter stance is exactly what it sounds like. It focused only on attack. Its counterpart, Defender, specialized in pure defense. Other Me showed me how to switch back and forth between them, but I've become a lot more comfortable with Assaulter than Defender.

In any case, I had no intention of ever switching to the Defender stance. Even if I were to lose an arm or a leg in the process. Stupid, I know. But necessary.

I needed to bash in his brains with my fists. I swore to Tiamat I was going to do it even if it killed me.

My fist collided with his burning sword. For a moment, it felt like my knuckles were on fire… no pun intended. I mean, pain surged up my arm and nearly blinded me in a white flash. He wasn't kidding about killing sinful things. Now, it was either because I was the living incarnation of perversity or because I was Philips-san's underling. But, regardless, the fires hurt worse than the one time I tried to help my mom cook dinner.

However, I gritted my teeth. The pain only fueled me. I opened my mouth and roared, baring my fangs beneath my helmet. White pain turned into red rage as I channeled this for myself.

I learned a lot at the Vatican. I learned of the expeditions God went in his conquest of the world. I learned of all the civilizations he toppled, the gods he purged, and the women he claimed for his selfish harem.

This pain meant nothing compared to what Tiamat went through.

This pain only reminded me of the night she cried for Ddraig.

It lasted no longer than a blink. In the next, I swatted his sword aside. I couldn't see his eyes behind that mask of his. But I knew they had widened with shock.

My other fist went around and clocked him across his jaw. A thunderous boom echoed throughout the pavilion as I saw the air ripple by the contact. His lower jaw snapped first, followed by his head and then his body being tugged to the side.

He wasn't down. Uriel put his back foot down and ground his heel into the floor. It created a long gash as he tried to recover from the impact.

Stands of silk latched onto his chest, arm, leg, and face. They were each conjoined together to form a larger strand a few meters down. Just as he was beginning to slow down was his body tugged back. I heard Saji grunt at the effort, but he had managed to pull Uriel back towards me.

I burst forward, once more using the jets off my back to launch ahead. Before Uriel knew what was happening, I threw my enter body into my next punch. And…

"DRAGON SHOT!"

My fist made contact with his lower torso. An explosion of dragon energy propelled him faster than my first attack. I took pride and glee in seeing his fancy robes scorched and his skin blackened.

Saji wasn't done with him. He grunted some more and tugged on the strand in his grip. Instead of pulling Uriel back towards me, Saji began to spin on his heels. He spun Uriel around the area, purposely crashing him into the surrounding buildings before bringing him around overhead in a large arch.

He slammed Uriel down onto the ground as fast as a bullet. The collision created a large cloud of dirt and rubble to go several meters up into the air. The ground shook beneath my feet.

And then, he sent an inferno of black flames down his strand. When they reached Uriel, a plume of black fire lit up the area like last year's school bonfire festival.

"Enough!"

White and gold light burst out and dispelled Saji's flames. Uriel stood at the center of the crater, tearing off Saji's silk with some effort. Like ripping off IV lines, pieces of his flesh were peeled off. However, a holy radiance surrounded him. What damage we had done onto him was being undone. His body was healing before our eyes.

Six golden wings blazed out of his back. Exactly like how God did when he wore his armor.

His sword had also changed color. The flames dancing around it were the same blinding white as his wings.

[Be careful, Partner. He's intending to give it his all in this one.]

Heh. Ddraig, don't you know? The boss doesn't unlock his second-phase transformation until we knock off at least half his health. I haven't broken a sweat!

[That's not how it works! Life isn't a game you twerp!]

[Be calm, Red One,] the voice of Vritra, Saji's Dragon, gave a cackle worthy of a Saturday morning cartoon villain. [It is how they understand things. All we can do is support them. It is their own fault if they fall. Not ours.]

Ddraig gave a long sigh. [If that's how you feel, Vritra. Hmph. But I feel the same way as you. Out of all my previous wielders, Partner is surely the most interesting. I'll give it my all in this one!]

Thanks Ddraig. While I can't trust you in personal matters— like how to survive against a Tiamat attack— I can at least depend on you when a really strong opponent is in front of me. You had my back against Kokabiel, Altry-chan, the previous Metatron, Rolan-sensei's ludicrous training regimen, and now Uriel.

Ddraig didn't respond. He huffed and began to Boost me some more.

"Saji, can you do anything about that light?" I asked my bro. "It's really intense."

"I can tell," he replied in a somber voice. "I think if we were regular Devils, standing this close to it would have killed us. It canceled out Vritra's flames easy enough. But, yeah, I'm sure I can. I have an idea. Find me an opening."

I didn't have a chance to confirm. Uriel had waited long enough. He brought his sword in a downward swipe, the blade cutting into the ground. A shockwave of white flames surged towards us.

We had only an instant to dodge. I dove to the left while Saji dove to the right. Neither of us were unscathed. It felt like someone had taken a torch to my back. While I'm sure Saji's Rook defenses protected him well enough, he was slower than me and was a lot closer to the flames.

Uriel's attack tore through the buildings in a straight line. It created a valley of destruction, reaching as far as the outer walls of the city. Who knows how many citizens were swept up in the attack?

Ddraig was right. Uriel intended to go all out in this. Even if it meant getting those under him swept up in the crossfire.

Rage filled me. Enemies or not, people were still people. I didn't go out of my way to kill everyone here. I kept my attacks controlled to minimalize collateral damage. I knew I could decimate the area around me if I went all out. I could have done the same thing when we fought against Altry. I made sure to keep my battle focused on my target and only my target.

Uriel didn't care.

People like this… yeah, I had no problems putting him down.

He went after Saji as soon as we split. It made sense. Saji was a back-player who wove traps and created black flames that could counter the holy residue of Angels. Saji was the prime target and the only reason why he wasn't prioritized was because I was always in my opponent's face. I should have dived in the same direction as my buddy. But that attack took me by surprise and I acted out of instinct.

Now that we were split up, our formation was broken.

It proved no matter how connected we were through the Gears, we were still inexperienced. All that training in club activities meant nothing compared to actual combat. Even Rolan-sensei's training, however close they were to killing us, were vastly different compared to this.

My feet dug into the cobblestone to stop my momentum. It took me another second to be able to change my trajectory to pursue Uriel.

Saji realized what was going on and brought his fists together while tilting his body. He assumed the Defender stance, surrendering all attack in favor of maximizing his protection.

He swiped his hand across to deflect the first strike of Uriel's sword. Sparks lit up and chunks of metal from his armor were ripped apart. I heard Saji cry out in pain. But he never broke his stance and held his ground. Two more strikes came at him, pelting him in blindingly fast movements. Saji had been able to deflect them both at the expense of his armor.

A fourth strike had Uriel's sword digging into Saji's shoulder. However… Saji had no intentions of blocking it. The armor in his arms were too ruined and he would have lost one or both appendages if he tried. Instead, he let the sword bite into the pauldron at his shoulder.

The holy flames must have been intense. I could feel my buddy agonizing through our connection.

Saji used this opportunity to his advantage. Silk strings shot out of his fingertips and attached themselves onto Uriel. They wrapped around his legs, waist, and arm. He was keeping Uriel in place until I could arrive.

In response, Uriel's grip on his sword tightened. The flames lit up as he doubled the power behind it. The white flames tore through the rest of Saji's armor and sank deeper into him.

Saji screamed. But he never released his hold on Uriel.

"You bastard!" I shouted, angry at what he had done to my friend. The travel took no more than two seconds. Battle was always a flurry of movements. He had been able to do this much to Saji as quick as it takes to draw out a breath.

I didn't deck him away from Saji. When I reached him, I brought my fists around. Repeatedly. I hammered away at his liver, busted back his knee, and jabbed away at his face. Uriel buckled at every assault.

…Until he had enough of me, ripped his sword out of Saji's shoulder, and turned it onto me. And yet, the sword was just inches away from lopping off my head. Saji's silk was still attached to his arm. He was holding Uriel down despite the amount of pain it was bringing him.

I spun and brought my leg around. My shin struck at Uriel's ribs. It was only then did Saji release him. The Archangel went flying like a rocket and crashed onto one of the nearby tourist shops.

"Saji!" I called out as I made myself a shield and stood in front of him. I was ready for when Uriel came back at us.

"It hurts," a mix between growling and sobbing came from Saji. He was on his knees with one hand gripping onto his shoulder. "It hurts so much I want to cry, dammit! I can't move my arm. I can barely feel my fingers."

Dammit. Shit. This was my fault. I should have stuck around my partner. Our entire teamwork relies on me being the main damage and taking the attention of the enemy. Saji was a tank thanks to his Rook Piece, but he was better in the back. I can't imagine how much worse he would be in if he didn't have a Rook's defense.

"Can you still fight?" I asked.

"…I'll manage," he said as he rose back onto his feet. "I can still make silk with both hands. That's all I need. Besides… this pain is nothing. You remember what that bastard said, didn't you? Serafall went through something much worse."

Heh. Yeah, I get what you mean. I said the same thing to myself.

Saji… you really love Leviathan-sensei, don't you? I'm kinda jealous of you.

A white explosion came from the shop. Uriel blew his way out instead of calmly climbing out. Jeez, what an ass. Don't you know that shop belongs to someone? Will Heaven be paying for all the damages or do you just not care?

The battle resumed when he came at us. His wings blazed as he launched forward. I barely had the chance to react. Instinct drove me as I charged forward to intercept him. I wouldn't allow him to get too close to Saji.

Pain flared through me every time a piece of armor made contact with his sword. Those flames were hot! I could feel them even when my skin never touched the blade. No matter how fast Ddraig was repairing my armor, he couldn't keep up with the onslaught Uriel was delivering.

I ended up doing a minor Dragon Shot into the ground, creating a cloud of dirt to conceal Saji and I. I could see Uriel through the cloud with his bright as all hell body. However, he too had been able to keep track of our movements despite trying to flank him. He was there to meet me and I barely survived his counter. A chunk of my face plating was shattered and the flames scorched my cheek.

…It probably wasn't a smart idea to use a smoke tactic on a guy with his eyes covered.

I felt a tug in the back of my mind. Saji was ready to get back into the fight. He had seen an opportunity as he watched us fight. I went along with his feelings and engaged with Uriel again.

I managed to punch Uriel across the face; he spun to minimalize the damage and bring his sword around in a counter. I couldn't dodge. I turned my extended fist into a shield. The angle of my armor was just barely enough to have his sword drag down my arm. But holy fuck did it feel like my skin was being shaved off!

"Switch!"

I ducked. Saji leapt over me. Uriel's head was lifted in surprise. His body was in a similar position as I had been. He couldn't counter and could either dodge or defend.

Saji used the leap to bring his good arm downward in his descent. Uriel sidestepped, letting Saji drive his fist into the ground. Now Uriel had a chance to attack.

He was surprised when Saji's wounded arm lashed out like a viper. Black flames sprouted all along the limb. It had been able to deflect Uriel's sword before the blade could do some serious harm. Not a single piece of armor was broken this time. Saji took advantage of this and brought his first fist in an uppercut. However… Uriel dodged again. This time, the Archangel took a few steps back to give us space. Especially when I was about to clock him.

Saji clicked his tongue, "I almost had him."

I took a quick glance at him. Strands of silk were wrapped around his arm and shoulder. They weren't just bindings; they were all connected by smaller strands that ran behind his back and down his opposite arm. They were originating from his fully functional hand. While his armor had repaired itself, Saji was still wounded. He was using his string manipulation to control his weak arm, making him capable of remaining in the fight.

Seeing all this gave me an idea.

"Saji, your flames still affect him?"

"…Vritra says his flames should be stronger than this light," Saji mumbled as he readied himself. "He's pretty sour about them dispersing in the first place."

"…Can your flames hurt me?" I asked next. I remember one of our tactics when we fought against Altry-chan. He used his burning silk on Altry-chan, who dodged, and I ended up getting a hold of them. At the time, the flames didn't burn me. But if Saji had to focus more effort on someone like Uriel… I wasn't sure if he could coordinate that.

Saji's answer was to wrap a whole bundle of silk along my right hand. It coated my fist entirely like a band of athletic tape.

And then fire sprouted. Nothing else happened.

"Give him hell," Saji told me.

[Ignition!] Fire burned out of my back as I flew forward. Uriel put up his sword in a guarded stance, wary of our new tactic. I couldn't have asked for a better opportunity. If you won't attack, Uriel, then allow me to have the first strike!

"Dragon Shot!" I roared and threw another blast his way before I made it to him. A ray of red was directed at him. His wings blazed as he brought his sword up as a shield, cutting through my Dragon Shot and splitting the ray in half. My attack tore apart the ground but dispersed enough to spray onto the building walls without toppling them over. I held back considerably.

I pulled my fist back and brought it around. Uriel altered the angle of his sword and went to hack it off at my wrist.

He didn't realize it had been a feint until I caught the sword in my grip.

It was strange. I felt the black flames of Vritra going to war against the Flames of Sinai. Both flames felt sentient, angry at each other as though they were hated enemies. They were having their own private war just like how I was against Uriel.

I didn't care about which of the two forces were going to win. All I knew from this gamble was that I could now touch Uriel's sword without any repercussions.

And he knew it too. I saw his mouth open slightly with surprise.

[Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost!]

The ground cratered below my feet as my power doubled again and again. Uriel's muscles tensed. I read him; he was getting ready to draw back.

"DRAGON SHOT!"

I unleashed the power I had built up. This one was three times as potent as the Dragon Shot I just used before. It swallowed him up, burning away at his skin and scorching his robes and mask. Yet, I continued to hold onto his sword. The dumbass was too arrogant to part with it to save himself.

This sword was nothing but trouble. If he wasn't willing to leave it then…

As he stood there, dazed from my attack, I brought my arm around. The talons of my gauntlet sharpened by my will.

I sliced off his arm from below the elbow.

Uriel gasped. Not out of pain. The sound was made out of shock, as though he couldn't believe I had been able to do it. Or… was it because he was no longer with his sword?

It must have been. I tossed the limb and weapon aside and out of his reach. His head moved to follow it. The white flames of the sword as soon as it clattered onto the ruined cobbled street.

[Transfer!]

And with Vritra's flames still wrapped around me, I decked him. The power Ddraig recovered, while not as much as the Dragon Shot due to the short time, had transferred over to the silk threads. The flames wrapped around them exploded in rage as though I had just poured mystical gasoline onto them.

Saji must have done something. The silk detached itself from my hand and wrapped itself around Uriel's face. The Archangel screamed as he brought his remaining hand up. He clawed at the silk, trying to get the stuff off of his skin. It only caused more harm as the silk stuck to his hand like goo. Goo with cursed fire wrought by two ancient Dragons.

As Uriel thrashed around in agony, the blazing wings jetting out of his back sputtered. They blinked in and out as though whatever was fueling them was running dry. Two of them went out.

"It's over, Uriel," Saji said as he approached my side. We both watched Uriel struggle. He was too weak to fight us in his current state. Even my inexperienced self could tell this much. "You're never going to hurt Serafall or anyone else ever again."

The tendrils behind his armor twitched, like a pack of vipers hungry for the kill.

Saji had Uriel's sword in his grip. And wrapped around the blade were more of his silk. They glowed in their purplish color, draining the sword of its remaining energy. A moment later did Saji raise his other arm and flex his hands, testing its strength.

"Do not speak of her name in my presence!" Uriel shouted as he writhed before us. "You are no Saint! The Leviathan has corrupted and damned your soul! Not even God can forgive your transgressions now! I curse you, Genshirou! I curse you to a life of fire and damnation!"

I snorted. He says that… but he's the only one whose face is on fire.

"…This is for her," Saji replied.

Black flames ignited along Uriel's sword. Saji drew his arm back… and drove it straight into Uriel's chest. The strength behind it was enough to sink the blade all the way up to the hilt as well as knock him back a few meters.

The entirety of Uriel's body lit up in flames. Yet, he continued to live. He screamed and tried to pull the sword out of himself. But his grip was weak. He was weakening. He fumbled around on his knees and was losing his strength.

"L-Lord… Metatron…" he whimpered.

Saji and I both stiffened. Our heads snapped around over our shoulders.

We had almost forgotten. Not Asia had been with us. She remained out of our fight as we faced off against one of her comrades. She was still the Voice of God and Uriel was one of her officers. As Metatron, it was her responsibility to see to the safety of her comrades. Just as much as it was ours for anyone from Kuoh.

She stood there. Her face still reddened by the vodka I made her drink. But she had sobered up enough to have a clear mind. Seeing such destruction will do that. Her eyes were wide as they stared at the three of us.

She wasn't smiling. The perpetual smile God had given her was wiped off.

"Save me!" Uriel gasped. He reached a hand out to her. "Burn these… heathens! Condemn them! Avenge… me! Please!"

I saw… no, felt the conflict coursing through Not Asia. Her eyes flashed from Saji and I to Uriel. I saw the argument playing out in her mind. I knew each detail wherever her eyes landed.

Power began to rise out of her. More power than what Uriel had unleashed in his transformed state.

And then… she looked away. Heartbroken. A single fist clenched across her chest.

"I… I can't…" she whispered. We almost misheard it. "I'm sorry, Uriel."

"Haaa…" Uriel groaned. "Haaa. Haaaaaa. Haaaargh! HAAAAAAAH!"

I don't know if it was anguish or outrage. Somehow, Uriel found the strength to get back onto his feet. He bore his teeth at us like a cornered animal. He didn't have any brilliance left in him. He didn't have the raw power to take us on.

But he had been able to pry the sword out of his chest. He raised it up over his head and began to run towards the two of us.

We were ready to put him down. But—

I swear to you, a flying ice cream truck beat us to it. The boxed car came out of the sky to our left, landed and slid off the rooftops, and skidded onto the uneven terrain of the pavilion. It slammed into Uriel before the Archangel knew what hit him. It continued to move forward, dragging Uriel along for the ride on its underside before the back wheels rolled over him and spat him out.

Uriel's body rolled along with it before lying still. He didn't move. His glowing skin dimmed down until it was an ashen color. He was dead.

…The truck went in reverse and ran him over a second time. The vehicle stopped right in front of us.

The back shutter of the ice cream truck opened. Azazel-sensei, dressed in a pink and white pinstripe uniform (with a matching triangular hat), leaned out and glowered at us.

"Get in!" he shouted at us. He had one of those impossibly rare no-nonsense look in his eyes but… it was hard to take seriously with the way he was dressed. "We've got maybe thirty seconds before the rest of Heaven's forces come charging in!"

I… have questions. So many questions. Particularly why you're dressed like that and why you're driving a flying ice cream truck. Azazel-sensei, this might be the only time I'm happy to see you but…

You can't just to do something like that and expect an immediate response! I need a moment to take this all in!

"Don't just stand there!" Rolan-sensei popped his head out of the driver's seat window. He too was dressed in a white and pink uniform. "Get your asses in gear! We don't have time for your…"

He blinked as his eyes flicked over our shoulders. He was looking at Not Asia.

"High holy hell…" he swore in a low voice full of awe. "You dumb fucks actually managed to pull it off? How in the hell…?"

Wait. You sent us on this mission and expected us to fail?! What was the point of all that then?! You cannot tell me this was another one of your training sessions!

"…Grab her and get in," Rolan-sensei shook his head to snap back into focus. "And grab Gasper too. Honey can stay for all I care."

Gasper? Who? Ah, the only ones still with us are Azu-neesan and the trap vampire. Did that mean Rolan-sensei knew who this person was? I don't know, but Gasper must be his real name.

Clouds began to swarm over our heads. The sky was darkening while flashes of lightning and rolling thunder was making its way directly over the Vatican palace. It was too unnatural for us to dismiss it. We knew something big was coming.

"Shit!" Azazel-sensei swore as he looked up. "He's coming. Dragoon-dono wasn't able to stall him long enough."

Uh… Other Me was trying to stall for time? The only person I can think of who would be able to stand up against Other Me would be Philips-san or… God. God was coming personally.

Yeah, that snapped me out of my stupor. I can ask about the ice cream truck later. If we survived.

"Grab him and I'll grab Asia," I told Saji.

"I'm on it," he said with urgency. He was already moving. We both took a few leaps, still amped up by our Balance Breakers and our wound Gears. We were able to meet our targets in quick steps.

"I'm sorry about this, Asia," I told her.

"Eh?!" Not Asia yelped as I grabbed her and threw her over my shoulder. "W-Wait! Issei! I'm not mentally prepared for this! If you want to take me then all you had to do was ask!"

I don't know if she means literally or… was asking about that way. You know… the ecchi way like how she wanted to last night. Eh, maybe the vodka is still effecting her. I can't focus on that right now.

The sky was beginning to shake. I could feel actual wrath at the center of the storm as though it were a physical thing. Power that dwarfed Uriel's was beginning to make itself present. It was veiled behind the clouds, not fully apparent but definitely drawing closer. And the closer it came… the more insignificant I was starting to feel.

Suddenly, having three Gears and a Balance Breaker didn't seem all that impressive.

"I-Ise!" Azu-nee called out to me. She began to run towards the truck with her hands outstretched as though trying to reach for me. She looked frightened. "Don't leave without me! I'm not supposed to be here! Daddy's already angry enough right now!"

"You sure have your priorities," I heard Saji grumble as we made our way to the truck.

Azazel-sensei helped us onboard before shutting the door and rushing back to his seat. He rode co-pilot beside Rolan-sensei.

Just like with the delivery box car with Nameless Seraph-san, the interior of the vehicle was a lot larger than the outside. It was triangular in shape with enough space at the front for the two driver seats. Right behind, lining against the walls on both sides, was a row of four seats each. Former Archangel Gabriel sat at the one closest to Rolan-sensei, squinting and fiddling at a holographic map in front of her.

On the other row was some girl I've never seen before. She was really cute, though. She had long blonde hair and a really fair complexion. Her eyes were also red.

She gasped, her hands shooting up to her mouth. "Gasper?!"

The trap we saved gasped exactly like a girl. Tears began to swell up in his eyes as he sniffled. "V-Valerie?"

"Gasper!"

"Valerie!"

Gasper ran towards the girl and they embraced. It was a really heartwarming thing to see, even if we didn't understand the context behind it. It wasn't our business to pry… plus we had more pressing matters to deal with.

Like, for example, the final person stuffed inside the vehicle.

Gagged and bound to one of the seats was… Seraph-san. And, just like Rolan-sensei and Azazel-sensei, she too was dressed in the pink and white striped uniform. Her eyes lit up as soon as we entered. She tried to say something to us, but the piece of cloth wrapped around her mouth kept her words muffled.

"Better hold on to something!" Rolan-sensei shouted. It was the only warning we got before he swiped his hand across the holographic controls at his front.

The walls surrounding us became transparent, leaving only the floor as the boundary of the ship. It started to travel forward, bouncing around on the destroyed ground we created in our fight against Uriel before gaining propulsion and lifting upward. We flew over rooftops in a matter of seconds.

Our knees buckled by the sudden jerks and shift in balance. Saji had been able to slap some of his silk onto the invisible rooftops and use as a latch. He grabbed my arm right before I was about to be flung off my feet.

Valerie held onto Gasper until she found the chance to help him put on his seatbelt. It was kinda cute watching them work together.

I should probably help Azu-nee when I can. She's on the floor right now, holding onto me by my ankles. She didn't get the chance to get to any of the seats.

As for Not Asia, well, she stood perfectly fine. She was completely unaffected by the turbulence. She was probably using some of her divine abilities to keep herself steady.

"Heading!" Azazel-sensei shouted to Gabriel. "We can't get over the wall with that barrier still up. The hole Tiamat and Leviathan created is swarmed with Angels and Seraphim. Not to mention the big guy himself is on his way! There's gotta be another way out!"

We looked up. Tiamat and Leviathan-sensei were still fighting up in the skies. Tiamat was breathing lightning and frost while Leviathan-sensei was firing magic. They both seemed capable of handling themselves for the moment.

But the storm above was reaching its crescendo. The flood of power was about to burst free.

"The gate at the south-east," Gabriel said. "It's primarily used for deliveries. It's for the use of the city and kept separate from public traffic. Security would be less than the public gates."

Rolan-sensei steered the controls; the ship tilted as it turned towards the appropriate direction.

"Oh wait," Gabriel tilted her head as she tapped a finger to her chin. "Today's Sunday. There's no postage on Sundays. The gate would be closed off completely."

"God fucking dammit woman!" Rolan-sensei held nothing back in his swearing. He jerked the ship back to its original course, nearly throwing everyone around in the process.

"…That's not very nice," Gabriel pouted. "I'm trying my best, King Oberon. Just because I know the city doesn't mean I know how to plan an escape route. I never intended in becoming a Reincarnated Devil under Satan's peerage. Even as an Archangel, the idea of anyone successfully attacking the Vatican was inconceivable."

Thunder roared. White flashed above us. The sky itself opened up as rays of holy light pierced through our mortal plane.

Hundreds of Seraphim flew down, scattering across the city like a swarm of angry bees. Most of them targeted Tiamat and Leviathan-sensei.

Something large and red fell out of the sky. It was a metallic dragon, smaller than Tiamat and somewhat humanoid. It had bladed wings and multiple limbs. It rampaged around in its descent, tearing apart as many Seraphim as it could with its claws and maw. They too fought back against it but there were too many for it to keep back the numbers. Several were escaping its clutches while their brethren kept it busy.

[A completely tamed Juggernaut Drive…] Ddraig huffed with irritation. [That Other You is really something. I'm getting more and more annoyed how his version of me lost.]

You mean… that red dragon was Other Me?! And he was using the same monstrous power I used when the previous Metatron killed Asia? That's so unfair!

But as soon as I say this… a streak of white flashed through the sky. Other Me let loose a roar I know the entirety of the city heard. A large chunk of his armor shattered along his side. His left metal wing snapped in two like a twig.

Then, God came down. It was impossible to mistake him with his brilliant silver and gold armor and blazing six wings. He was the brightest thing in the skies with a presence that demanded our attention. It made me, an enemy of Heaven, want to bow my head and bend my knee and beg for forgiveness.

He drove a spear of light at Other Me. Other Me whipped his body back around and caught the spear in his four hands. He opened his maw and charged a Dragon Shot with such a deep crimson color it was almost black. Just as quickly, God created a second spear of light and brought it back with his hand. He drove the arm forward just as Other Me released his attack.

The world was colored in a swirl of red and white.

Watching this short exchange made me realize… how little I am compared to the big boss. This was just a quick series of jabs! Do you know how long it would take for me to gather that much power for a Dragon Shot of that caliber! And Other Me had been able to do it instantly!

And just as instantly, God had been able to meet him.

They were going at it again with just as devastating amount of attacks. Every exchange discolored our surroundings and jarred the ship with shockwaves.

I felt dread when God snapped his head immediately towards us. I wasn't the only one. Saji's grip was tight enough to make my arm flare up in pain. Azazel swore under his breath. Gasper and Valerie nearly shrieked. Even Rolan-sensei, who had been arguing back and forth with Gabriel-chan on a route, snarled as he felt God's eyes bore down on our little ship.

"There," came God's voice.

Suddenly, the swarm of Seraphim stopped rampaging around Tiamat and Leviathan. They had even stopped trying to support God against Other Me.

They had turned their attention to us.

"Jesus Titty-Fucking Christ!" Rolan-sensei swore with his canines bared. He slammed his hand onto the controls and the ship accelerated enough to buck all of us. "Nearest gate NOW! I'm making my own exit at this point!"

Explosions went off around us as lances of light were being bombarded on our location. Some exploded dead-on at us. The ship held strong due to some sort of barrier flickering around it. But warning signals started to flash along the control panel.

"Drop us!" Gabriel shouted. "Take a left on the third boulevard!"

Rolan-sensei did exactly that. We floated for a second as he literally dropped us. The ship hit the streets (knocking Saji, I, and Azu-nee hard against the floor) and continued to drive. Albeit, this was a slower speed compared to flying. He flicked his hand and the ship jerked into a sharp left.

Saji's silk snapped and the two of us slammed into the invisible wall. Azu-nee had the smarts to let go of me and latch onto Metatron-chan instead.

Saji… did becoming a Rook increase your overall weight? It felt like I got hit by a truck without my armor.

And is it just me or… am I hearing the chime of Pop Goes the Weasel? Did dropping us activate the song? Are we seriously being an actual ice cream truck speeding away from a small army of Seraphim?

"Should we remove our armor?" I asked after Saji slammed into me.

"I wouldn't," Saji answered with a grunt. He was rubbing the back of his head where our skulls met. He also had the smarts to create a few more silk strands so we wouldn't go flying again. "We might have to fight again. Plus… if anything happens to the ship, our armors might be the only thing that'll make sure we live."

Ah. Yeah I can see that point. Especially when a horde of Seraphim were trying to kill us.

A beastly howl swept through the ship. While the Seraphim had turned their absolute attention onto us, they had also neglected Tiamat and Serafall-sensei. Our two teachers took advantage of this moment to attack them at their flanks. They picked off what Seraphim they could.

But they were still behind us. And the Seraphim at the front of the pack was still hammering away at us. The ship was flashing red and there were a few cracks on the invisible walls. What protections surrounded us were crumbling.

"Azazel! Take over!" Rolan-sensei barked. He didn't give our alcoholic teacher the chance— who surprisingly took control of the ship without hesitation— before leaping out of his chair and heading towards the back of the ship.

He fumbled around a few times due to the shock and swerving driving, but he eventually made his way to the edge of the floorboard. He bent his knees and reached out as though to grab something before throwing himself upwards. The invisible walls around us flickered until becoming visible once more as he opened the shutters of the back of the ice cream truck.

A barrage of attacks came at him. He raised a finger and pointed at each and every spear of light; his eyes flaring red bright enough to brighten the back of the ship. All trajectories were detonated prematurely as soon as he pointed at them.

There came the first lull since we hopped onto our escape vehicle.

Rolan-sensei just stood there, putting his hands on his hips as he glared up at the sky and hundreds of Seraphim following after us.

And then… they all stopped.

"Sir Rolan?!"

"The Black Sun?!"

"He's here?!"

"P'Zylor, what have we done?!"

Most of the shrieking was like that. Every Seraphim up in the sky froze with terror as soon as the front wave spotted him. It created a ripple effect that spread all the way to the back lines where Tiamat and Serafall-sensei were at. They all just… floated there in fear.

Rolan-sensei flipped them off before slamming the door shut.

"Okay," he spun around and hurried to the cockpit chair. His complexion was ashen even with his dark skin. Fear and panic was on his face. "We have maybe twenty seconds before they realize I can't do shit to them so Gabrielle hurrythefuckupandgetusoutofhere!"

He said those last words fast enough to bite his tongue. He was shaking.

Were we really this helpless? Yeah, kinda. My options were limited as they were. I can maybe fire a few Dragon Shots into the air but there was no doubt a good number of Seraphim could dispel those while countering with their own attacks. I don't think Saji has any long-range tactics either.

"Head towards district A-6," Metatron-chan spoke up. She didn't sound too happy to say this. She was going against orders by helping us. "It's for the use of exporting trash. The streets there will be narrow and the buildings will shield us from the skies."

The teachers weren't so keen to follow her suggestion. Azazel-sensei's eyes narrowed while Rolan-sensei craned his head around to glare at her with his red and blue glowing eyes.

"Narrow streets mean less wiggle room," Azazel-sensei argued. "We'll be pinned like rats."

"It might be our best bet," Gabriel countered. Her perfect features were creased by a worried brow and thin lips. "It's away from the public area and the security there will be little."

"Do it," Rolan-sensei turned back around and told Azazel-sensei.

Our alcoholic teacher grunted but complied. The ship swerved again and we headed down a new road.

"Do not let the Grail fall into Dalang's hands!" God's voice was booming.

We all flinched by the sound of it. It felt like an arrow of ice shot directly into my spine. This was the wrath of God.

But something he said… What was that about a Grail?

It might have just been me. But I noticed Valerie clutching Gasper a little tighter. I shouldn't be looking into it too much. After all, we were all terrified by the fact God was targeting us.

God's words had also triggered the Seraphim back into action.

The next barrage of attacks rattled the ship hard enough to slam it against the side of a building. The vehicle kept driving but most of the window of the right side was cracked. The invisibility of the walls couldn't hold up either and they returned to their default setting. It meant we could no longer see what else was around us— only what was directly ahead.

"It's not going to hold out much longer!" Azazel-sensei barked as he slammed his fingers across the glitching dashboard.

"I'm switching it back into flight mode," Rolan-sensei said as he did his own thing on his side. "I have an idea."

The ship whined as it was lifted off the ground. We didn't sail over the buildings but we did pick up speed. It should be mentioned the thing continued to tilt to the right and Rolan-sensei had to fight with the thing to stay on course.

Also, his idea was to fly straight into the building at the end of the road. And then the one after that. And the one after that. And then a fourth one, a warehouse unit.

…There weren't any people in there… right?

We all bucked by the impact. For a moment, I thought that was the end of us. The ship held on, even when it was flashing red once more. I couldn't read the language it was using but I'm pretty sure it meant the shields had finally failed.

We were now as durable as a flying ice cream truck. My weakest Dragon Shot could wreck this thing.

The warehouse was large and full of towering stacks of crates. There weren't any people inside as far as I could tell— either because it was still super early in the morning or because it was Sunday. I don't know. We kept flying through, swerving through the aisles of crates until quickly reaching the opposite end.

The gate on the other side was closed. And made out of iron.

Rolan-sensei sighed as he patted his chest until he found what he was looking for. He pulled out a pair of sunglasses and put them on before pointing his palm at the window. His face lit up as his eyes glowed. The entire room felt electric.

"Obliterate!"

Destruction via fire and ice shot out of his palm. It blew apart the windshield as well as the iron door… and everything else around it. Wind slapped us now that there was a gaping hole in the ship.

But we were able to fly out of the warehouse without crashing.

I don't know why, but it feels like Rolan-sensei planned to do this all along. It might just be the fact he has a new pair of sunglasses. Aviators, I think they're called. They're large enough to cover his entire eyes from the wind.

And with the windshield destroyed, there was no doubt Pop Goes the Weasel was playing on some speaker outside the ship.

The area we blew out of had less commercial and residential buildings and more warehouses. There were also floating platforms like the ones we first used when arriving at this city. We were at least far out from the center of the city and further away from the Vatican Palace.

With such a spacious area, we had no choice but to ascend. There were less things to cover us.

It meant the Seraphim had no trouble aiming for us.

The ship jerked and barreled as it dodged a series of light attacks behind. Some clipped the walls and others penetrated through.

Saji used himself as a shield for Nameless Seraph-san. One spear bounced off a thick part of his armor while another hit him below the ribs.

"We're losing altitude!" Azazel-sensei roared.

The damage was too much. Our little ice cream truck was too hurt. It couldn't carry us any further than this. And I can see the edge of the wall! We were so close to escaping! Come on little guy! You can make it!

"Not today!" Rolan-sensei roared out in defiance.

I looked around. Gasper and Valerie were clutching each other tightly, their eyes shut hard as they embraced each other like it was going to be their last. Gabriel had her eyes shut, focusing on prayer. But who was she praying to? Philips-san? He doesn't answer prayers and the guy who does is aiming for our heads.

Saji was bleeding out, if not from our fight with Uriel then now from taking something for Seraph-san. Azazel-sensei and Rolan-sensei were doing everything they could to make sure the ship continued to fly.

Metatron-chan… looked heartbroken. Conflicted. She was looking around just as I was. Our eyes met. She wanted to do something but… she also didn't want to make things worse for herself. It was like the time we turned her into a Devil all over again. She had already betrayed her faith by helping us this much.

I couldn't force her to do anything else.

Azu-nee looked scared. I've never seen like this on her before. Please don't look like that, Azu-nee. Out of everyone here… you're probably the only one who can help us. I think Gabriel-chan would have been able to do something if she could. But I think it's you, with your Miracles, that can do something.

So, Azu-nee, I think you're gorgeous. I regretted not being able to do anything perverted with you. Your breasts are the best, no matter what. I don't care how much you freeload at my house. You're so pretty I can't stop looking at you. I abuse every chance I can to see you just so I can look at your nubile figure. I love you.

So please take my godsair. And make sure my friends make it out alive.

Her head snapped up. To me. Her eyes widened.

Good. She received my prayers.

She opened her mouth to stop me.

[Ignition!]

But I was out of the ship before she could. Boosters flared out of my back as I burst out of the shutter and into the air. The flames jetting out of my back kept me suspended.

I took in the wave of Seraphim between me and the escaping ship.

[Partner… you sure about this?]

After seeing these numbers, Ddraig… I'm having second thoughts.

[…Always an idiot to the end. But your choice wasn't the wrong one.]

Thank you, Ddraig. Now why can't you be this supportive whenever Tiamat wants to rape me?! You have more experience with her than I do! Why do you always run and hide whenever she shows up?!

[Don't ruin the moment, prat.]

I steeled myself. With my Balance Breaker armor and three Gears active, I was ready to take them on. However… I could no longer feel Saji's presence. I guess I'm out of range. I really am alone right now.

"Alright you overly exaggerated blow up dolls!" I bellowed, trying to pump myself up. "You'll have to get through me first! And I swear to Philips-san I'm going to take most of you down with me!"

I let out a war cry as I charged straight on.

0-0-0

Sempai… I adore you for your heroics. I, Tiamat, bore witness to your sacrifice. You leapt back into the fray to ensure the safety of those in the Meteorite ship. You stood in front of a hundred Seraphim and met them in combat. Yours is truly the heart of a warrior. You have my deepest respect as well as my love.

But you are the biggest moron to walk this planet.

"Ddraig, we're not taking any of them down with us!"

Did you honestly think just because you have a fragment of Ddraig's power could you perform the same feats as him?!

Taking out most of them with you… famous last words, my love. Now if only you had the strength to take out one of them would I not be so displeased with you. Look at you! You throw your fists around and you unleash your draconian bouts, but you are doing no more harm to the raging inferno of Seraphim than a gentle breeze.

Ise, if you die, I will kill you.

"We have to help him," the Leviathan said as she slid up my neck. "He won't stand a chance against all of those things. We also need to buy time for the others to escape."

Yes. I couldn't agree more. While I normally wouldn't interfere if it meant Sempai could get stronger, I also didn't want him to die. I will assist him this once.

"Hold on, Hyoudou-kun!" the Leviathan called out as she drew on more archaic energies. "We're coming! Hya, Tia-tan!"

…Leviathan, if you kick me again like a horse I will bite off that very leg.

As one, we unleashed a storm of magic onto the negligent Seraphim. These fools had turned their backs on us and focused entirely to pursue the object we stole from the heart of Heaven. Our powers combined was more than enough to wound their exposed weakness.

However many we destroyed, there were still others to take their place.

Ise ravaged through with a blood-curdling howl. He continued to throw his fists around with every Seraphim in his path. The best he could do was knock them aside and maybe inflict a few burns. He hadn't the strength to kill them. Their bodies were too durable and there were too many for him to build up any power through Ddraig's abilities.

He could only stall. And there were too many getting through.

"No you don't!" he shouted and flew after them. He tackled those he could, smashed and flung them aside, and chased after the next batch. But with every attempt, too many were recovering to continue their pursuit.

His was a losing battle. Especially when few Seraphim were growing intolerant of his actions and chose to fight him.

I refused to stay back any longer. If this were to continue then he will perish.

I drew in my wings and dove straight for the horde. I opened my maw, snapping and biting into as many Seraphim as I could while I brought my claws through their flesh. Like a swarm of pests did the majority of them avoid me. But those I could snatch became my prey.

With each wound opened did their golden dust splash onto my hide and burn like acid. In their deaths, the divine energies coursing through their veins grew erratic. Their bodies exploded with heavenly fury.

The pain was much. Those blasts were strong enough to pierce through my scales while their powdered blood burned down to my bones.

Yet, it was not self-destructive. With these Seraphim so clustered, the detonation of their brethren had transferred to the nearest one. If the blast did not kill the one beside them (and thus creating another detonation), then it would cripple them.

However, being in the center of this exposure accumulated damage onto myself. The Leviathan put up shields to defend herself as well as what she could for my vitals, but she could not shield us from the entirety of the onslaught.

Still, I pressed on. I drove through the horde of Seraphim to reach at the front.

It wasn't until I was close to Ise could they no longer ignore my presence. Half of them turned their attention towards me.

I roared to meet their challenge. At last these vermin see me as a viable threat! Do you know how insulting it is to ignore a warrior in battle, Seraphim?!

"Tia-tan!" the Leviathan's voice sounded winded. She too had garnished wounds through my recklessness but stood strong in my aid. "Grab Hyoudou-kun and get us out of here! We can't stay any longer like this!"

As loath as I am to admit it, and as much as it stains my pride, the Leviathan is correct. While I am able to slay several Seraphim on my own, even I cannot stand against such a vast number. The Last Dragon War proved this. Without an army of our own to support us, there is little we can do. We will perish if this continues any longer.

"Get away from Tiamat, you fucks!" Ise bellowed with anger. "Your fight is with me!"

My heart would have been moved if those words had the power to back them up.

His rampage doubled in effort. He threw his fists around and fired more of those (as irksome as the name is) Dragon Shots. But his power wasn't enough. He could inflict shallow wounds at best before the Seraphim retaliated. His armor did well to protect him, but their weapons of light were chipping away at the scaled plating.

"Why?" he cried out. "Why am I suddenly this weak?! Am I really this weak without Saji?! You were all chump change when we were together so why can't my fist break open your skulls this time?!"

Ise, you have grown so much in such a short amount of time. But you are still a hatchling who has had his first taste of flight and battle. Exhaustion could be the reason of your downfall. Or, perhaps, there is something you missed. Perhaps Genshirou-san is your other half— your blood brother. With both of these things… the best you can do right now is survive.

I fought. But I too was slowing down. My blood dropped out of the sky like rain. My breathing was becoming haggard. The pools of mana within my stomach were emptying. I was quickly reaching the last dregs of my fighting spirit. And if I perish, the Leviathan will be quick to follow.

Or worse, we will both be captured and enslaved once again.

No! Never again! Even if it would destroy my soul will I fight on! Never again will I be chained by the defiler who dares to call himself God!

"Don't you guys worry! Your savior is here!"

…Aye. The end is nigh.

Azazel, once more donned in his artificial Balance Breaker armor, flew towards us like a speeding rocket. But in his hands was not his golden trident. In his hands was a hilt without a blade. It almost reminded me of those accursed Exorcist blades, the artificial weapons of light.

"Behold!" he… cackled. With glee and excitement like a child. He raised the weapon over his head. "The most powerful Sacred Gear that's not a Longinus! My very first creation, returned to its rightful owner from the treasure vaults of Heaven! Bow before its greatness!"

He clicked a button on its side.

The weapon blazed to life with fires of white and black.

"BLAZER SHINING AURA DARKNESS BLADE!" he roared with all his might as he brought the sword down.

…What an audacious name. This was the weapon you sought to reclaim? Azazel, I have lost what little respect I had for you before.

A wave of black and white swept through the skies. It narrowly missed us as it traversed through the gap between Ise and ourselves, claiming Seraphim in its brilliance. I felt its power like an electric current. The aura around the light was venomous, chaotic in nature, and vengeful.

The skies shook as Seraphim detonated. Biting winds knocked us off current. I spun out of control; my wings unable to capture any wind to lift us as Azazel's attack as well as several Seraphim deaths created a storm of destruction.

"You all laughed at me!" Azazel barked out, drunk with passion and triumph. "You said it was stupid to try to make something like Father! But I showed you! Who's laughing now, Michael?!"

His strike had created a lull in battle. The Seraphim were wary of him now that he possessed a weapon capable of slaying multiples of their own. It gave me the chance to recover and assess my condition. I focused on healing magic to stop my bleeding. It would be the best I could do with how little time the Seraphim would be willing to grant us.

"What the hell was that?!" Ise barked as he climbed himself out of a ruined building. The blast had knocked him out of the air and sent him spiraling against his will. "Azazel-sensei, what are you doing out here?! Did you come to help? What about the others?"

"YOU!" Azazel spun around and pointed the light sword's tip at Ise. "Because you blew a hole through our ship did we lose our lift! We crashed hardly thirty seconds after you went AWOL!"

Ah. It would seem in his haste to secure their safety, Ise had managed to make matters worse.

Azazel relented but continued to growl, "They're fine. Oberon's escorting them the rest of the way. They can't fly but they can at least drive."

"We don't have much time," the Leviathan leapt off once I landed near them. "They're going to attack us any second. Do you have a plan to escape?"

"…No," Azazel answered grimly. "We couldn't match our timetable. There wasn't a chance to sneak out of here. We didn't expect Heaven to blatantly ignore Vali's group and go directly for us. Dragoon-boya is keeping P'Zylor in check but… we're on our own against his armies. The only way out of this without endangering the others is up."

Up. Right through the hole the Leviathan and I created due to the fall from Heaven. And that hole was currently within the vicinity of Other Issei and God's battle. We would be caught in the crossfire.

"What about… down?" Leviathan offered. "We can sneak through the Underworld!"

"Through the center of the Vatican?!" Azazel sputtered at her. "Don't be ridiculous, Leviathan-chan. The buildings, the streets, the wall, the people— everything here is either a catalyst or a keystone to the biggest defense spell on the planet. We can't just open a gateway to the Underworld!"

"Then we leave through the Dimensional Gap," I declared. "Can God's protections interject with the infinite nothingness?"

Azazel was quiet for a moment. His head bowed in thought. "It could work. In theory. But… we'd need time, a distraction… and maybe more of the barrier broken. Not sure if we can do any of the three. To be honest, I only have two more uses of this thing before it runs out of batteries."

The grip on his weapon tightened.

We were all spent. The raid in Heaven had spent a considerable amount of energy from all of us. And now our venture was being prolonged by Heaven's retaliation. We were tired and wounded. There was little any of us could do.

"…Can I use that?" Ise asked, reaching for the light sword.

Azazel moved his arm away like a child unwilling to share his favorite toy.

"Zaz-kun," Leviathan looked at him through the corner of her eye. The rest of her attention was locked on the skies and the impatient Seraphim. "We can't afford to be stingy. Please give your Sacred Gear to the one person who can multiply its limited efficiency and save us all."

Azazel grunted but extended the hilt for Ise. Ise took it… but Azazel didn't let go.

"Treat it like you would fondle your first boob, you inexperienced virgin," Azazel stepped close to warn him. "You so much as scratch the paint and I will tear the foreskin off your King Cobra and turn it into my new belt. Are we clear?"

Ise gulped. He nodded once and cradled the weapon with both hands like a newborn infant.

A little extreme, Azazel. We need him to handle the weapon properly. We can't afford to be delicate. Also… he doesn't have any foreskin.

"Good," Azazel nodded and stepped back. "By the way, to activate its power you need to call out its full name with every fiber of your being. Put your heart into it!"

"Uh…" Ise's shoulders stiffened.

"How long?" Leviathan asked with urgency.

"Ten seconds," Ise answered as he snapped himself out of his stupor. He held the weapon in front of him— in a stance of a boy who had never wielded a sword before in their life.

[Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost!]

His power began to climb as he activated the Boosted Gear's primary function.

It was that which triggered the next wave. Like a gun going off for a race, the Seraphim jolted forward. Some charging straight for us while the others hurled lances and arrows of light.

I roared as I conjured mythical counters. My storm magic hurled hammers of wind, piercing frost, and scorching lightning. The Leviathan created a tight formation of magic circles— barriers to repel the first wave of divine projectiles. And Azazel summoned his golden spear to intercept the Seraphim coming directly for us.

[Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost!]

Ten seconds was a grievous amount of time for instances like this. Wave after wave came at us. And all we could do was push them back.

Our defenses were not perfect. For every Seraphim claimed by my claws or Azazel's spear, there were three others taking its place. And with their deaths did they create detonations that was vastly more powerful than their weapons of light. The foundation we huddled around was crumbling. The area was undergoing terraforming.

I stumbled. There was little else I could do. The damage had accumulated to the point my body was reluctant to respond. I was out of mana. Only my raw physical prowess was keeping them at bay and even that was failing me.

Azazel's armor no longer shimmered with beautiful obsidian. It was cracked and stained by his own blood. One of the points of his trident had snapped off.

And the Leviathan fell to her knees. Her face ashen white and eyes sunken with mana exhaustion. Her barriers were cracking and the light in the magic was dimming.

[Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! BOOST!]

[Transfer!]

Ise raised his head up and drew back his arm.

"Blazing Shining Something… DRAGON SHOT!"

…You forgot its name, didn't you?

It didn't matter. The wave that flared out of the hilt was astronomically more brilliant than when used by Azazel. The beam was darker than the night, brighter than the afternoon sun, and carried a shade of deep crimson to bind the two chaotic forces together. It fired up in a flash with Leviathan barely having the chance to bring her barriers down to create an opening.

…Only for the wave to fly over the head of every Searphim before us.

"YOU MISSED!" Azazel roared. "They were right in front of you and YOU MISSED!"

"Wasn't aiming at them," Ise bickered back.

He wasn't aiming at the Seraphim mere meters away from us? What could he have been aiming for then?

The realization donned on me immediately after. As it must have for the Seraphim afore us. Everyone craned their heads up towards the sky, following the trail of chaos.

The two heavenly titans battling in the sky, Other Issei and God, continued to wrestle with another in the air. They both knew the attack was coming. God tried to get away from it, but Other Issei continued to be on him. Even as God drew his blade, the Storm Slayer, did Other Issei continue to impede him.

They were both consumed by the wave.

The explosion thereafter was colossal. It deafened our ears and blinded us. The air shook and ground quaked. The skyscrapers and floating platforms near the detonation were toppled. The roar of a Dragon and the shout of a human man was heard despite the collateral.

The sound of God bellowing in pain moved me. Never in his history has he been inflicted with pain. I almost didn't believe Satan's story about how both he and God were once mortal men. It is only now do I see the credibility of his words.

And it is here do I believe… we can defeat him.

God is not as invincible as we were led to believe. He can bleed.

The Seraphim around us shrieked, wailed, and cried in horror. They ignored us as they flew up to assist their Heavenly Father.

Meanwhile, the barrier doming around the city was crumbling down. The shock from the explosion was the final blow that finished what the Leviathan and I created. Ethereal material crumbled apart like chunks of glass returning to sand. The gaping hole spread out to all corners of the dome with certain gashes already reaching the edge of the outer wall.

"Now's our chance!" the Leviathan gasped. "Tia-tan, open up a gateway!"

"I cannot," I admitted. "I am too few in reserves."

"T-Then…" Azazel sputtered and looked at us both. His head snapped to Ise, "Hyoudou! Boost yourself and give Tiamat a little top off—"

[Reset!]

Ise's armor shattered into motes of red light. He took a large gasp of air as though he was at the point of drowning. Only then did his eyes roll up to his skull and he fell face-first to the ground.

Silence reigned supreme among our ranks.

"Right…" Azazel gulped. His voice shook. "Plan B then."

He then shoved the Leviathan to the ground and took off running.

I would say he at least had the decency to throw Ise over his shoulder but… he had tried to pry his deactivated light sword out of his hands first. Ise wouldn't let go and thus Azazel was forced to take him to ensure the safety of his prized instrument.

"Hey!" Leviathan barked before rising onto her feet and running after him.

I too followed. Though, I reverted to my human form. It would be best to hide among the rubble. My true form was too large to go unnoticed.

While the Seraphim were busy fretting over their inflicted creator, we ran with our tails between our legs. I am not ashamed by this. Really.

0-0-0

Ddraig… did you get the number on the train that hit us?

[Hmph,] Ddraig snorted inside my head. [Welcome back, prat. Better not push yourself. You spent the last of your strength in that final attack. Your Gears reset and your body shut down for recovery.]

Huh. Was that what happened? I only remember holding Azazel-sensei's lightsaber and aiming to hit God. Did it even work?

[In more ways than you can imagine. I didn't get to see what exactly it did to him, but you were able to tear down the barrier and help everyone escape. Just take a look around.]

I groaned. The afternoon light was blinding and made my head ache. The tender hands of Tiamat combing through my hair helped a little. Bwaaaaah. Tiamat let me rest in her lap while I was zonked out. I like this new Tiamat. She's so nice and caring. And her thighs feel just as heavenly as her tits—

"That smile disgusts me," she glared down at me with an icy cold stare.

Ah, some things won't ever change. Yet she continues to pet me tenderly.

We were sitting in an open grassy field in the middle of nowhere. I'm not sure how far from the city we could have been. Leviathan-sensei was sitting on top of a large rock, who noticed my staring and waved at me with a smile. Azazel-sensei was sitting cross-legged on a mat with tools and spare parts spread around him. He looked angry while he fiddled around with the lightsaber I had used.

It looks like the device couldn't withstand all the power I shoved into it. It must have cracked under all the pressure.

We also weren't alone. Not too far away from us was a triangular flying shuttle— definitely not a mailbox car or an ice cream truck. This one was a genuine flying ship from the movies. The back panel was open, revealing to me a pile of gold and jewels. There were also a few books and scrolls tucked neatly around it.

Gathered around the ship were Rossweisse-sensei, Xenovia-san, Altry-chan, that guy Vali, Sona-kaichou, and… um…

The last guy I can't remember. But I've seen him hanging around the Student Council office a few times. Plus he seemed close to Sona-kaichou with the way they were talking. I wonder if he was one of her servants.

"We made it," I sighed.

"Yes," Tiamat answered as she stroked my hair. "We have survived another day. Be proud, Ise-sempai."

…She still calls me Sempai. You know what? It's an improvement. I'll take what I can. It's better than her thinking I'm Ddraig and trying to torture me in some draconian sadism play.

"Look!" Leviathan-sensei leapt to her feet. She pressed her fingers over her brow as she stared over the horizon. "There they are! And they're still in once piece!"

Tiamat helped me back onto my feet. I felt very weak but I could stand on my own. It feels like I got the shit knocked out of me while carrying weights all day long. She stood near me just in case I would collapse again.

I heard the puttering and clunking of loose objects before I could see it. Then came the twisted and corrupt song playing on bleeding speakers. Before long, I spotted a very shaky ice cream truck push itself over a hill and roll down. It rocked back and forth on wobbly wheels.

It looked like a giant cheese grater.

The poor thing didn't even make it all the way towards us. It coughed one last time, shook violently, and then stopped running. The wheels popped simultaneously. And then the walls of the vehicle collapsed. Rolan-sensei sat in the driver's seat with his signature scowl while those in the back spilled out now that the increased space magic was no longer in effect.

Saji was crushed on the very bottom. Without his Balance Breaker armor.

I hate him. I wish I could be crushed by a pile of really cute girls (minus the trap). Having Gabriel-chan sit on me alone would have been my crowning achievement in life!

"And concludes our tour of the Vatican," Rolan-sensei sassed as he undid his seatbelt and threw away his hat. "Please don't forget your belongings as you make your way off the vehicle."

He ignored the tangling mess of limbs behind him as he hopped off his seat and started to trek towards the other ship.

"Issei!" Metatron-chan was the first to climb out of the pile and head towards me. She picked up a portion of her robes so she could run.

I felt the hostility radiating off of Tiamat from behind me. This was killing intent belonging to a Dragon King. It was nearly overwhelming. It had me breaking into cold sweat.

But she didn't do anything by the time Metatron-chan approached. Nor did Metatron react to it, though there was no doubt someone with her power had been able to notice it. She looked at me, eying me up and down with worry even with her petrified smile. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she placed both her hands over her chest.

"I'm glad," she said as our eyes met. "I don't know what I would have done if you were hurt. You really had me worried when you took off."

"Ah…" came out of my voice. I scratched the back of my head. "I'm fine. A little tired and banged up. But nothing so serious."

"H-Here!" she stepped close, drawing her hands towards my chest while conjuring her Sacred Gear. "Tell me where it hurts!"

I didn't see Tiamat move as she made herself in front of me, pushing me behind her with one arm. Her back was straight and shoulders rolled; her head was raised as she glowered down on Not Asia. I heard a feint growl rumble in the back of her throat.

"Please allow me to treat him, Chaos Karma Dragon," Not Asia continued to smile in front of the creature that nearly made me shit my pants. "This is the least I can do for him."

"You will not come anywhere near him, doll," Tiamat hissed. "You wear her face and you share her voice. But you are not the one who has his heart. I will not allow you to deceive him."

Metatron stared up at Tiamat with unblinking eyes. She brought her hands up to hide her smile. She glared equally with a slight pout— something I've seen Asia do before. It would have been cute if I didn't know she was still smiling behind those hands.

"Ise," Saji called out to me. He had been able to get everyone off of him and make his way towards me. He looked just as exhausted as I felt. "There you are. Dude, don't do something like that again. I thought you were a goner."

The tension between Tiamat and Metatron suddenly vanished. It was as though they were making room for Saji and I to mingle. He came up to me and jabbed me in the arm. He didn't put anything behind it, but his Rook strength had me wincing. The action put a smile on my face.

"I wasn't thinking," I began.

"No duh," he gave me a flat look.

"I just thought we weren't going to make it if I didn't do something," I finished.

He groaned and ran a hand through his hair. He went back to glaring at me with his hands falling onto his hips. "You can't just make that decision on your own. Ise… the next time you do something like that, make sure to drag me with you. Aren't we bros? We need to stick together or we'll both fail."

My grin broadened. He grinned back. There weren't any other words that needed to be shared.

Saji, you're right. We should have stuck together. I acted because you were wounded. But when I tried to take on all those Seraphim on my own, I lost half of my power. I really think you're my other half. It has something to do with our Gears. I think they double our potential when we're fighting together. Alone… I couldn't do anything.

"Saji!"

We both jerked by the voice that was like a crack of a whip. We turned and saw Sona-kaichou heading our way. She had a mean scowl with her eyes locked on Saji's profile.

Oh boy. Saji, your crush is seriously furious at you. What did you do this time?

"Uh… yes?" Saji blinked a few times and addressed her.

Sona-kaichou stepped close to him. She didn't say anything at first as she crossed her arms, adjusted her glasses, and crossed her arms once again. "I don't know what to say to you. Do you have any idea how… S-School! You missed so much school! I don't know how Hyoudou-san was able to attend his daily curriculum but it just means you've been skipping out! And to hear you've been here in all places?! Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?!"

"…Uh," Saji said again with a blank expression.

"Don't chalk this up as another reason to be a man!" she continued to wail on him with words. "I thought you were going to serve under Philips-sama exclusively! He didn't order you to step behind enemy lines and endanger your life! Why would you risk yourself to such perilous tasks in the name of training?! This… this isn't the life meant for you. You're not supposed to risk your life against Heaven's best.

"…Do you know how worried I was? When I heard you were in the Vatican of all places… I thought I might never see you again."

She started out strong but eventually lost her thunder. Sona-kaichou reeled back and lowered her head. She looked on the verge of crying. For Saji.

I HATE HIM!

"Well?!" Sona-kaichou snapped back into a fire-breathing Devil before we could react. "What do you have to say for yourself?!"

Saji looked my way with a lost expression.

Hey now. Don't look at me. I know what to do even less than you do. My only point of reference comes from eroge and I don't think you want to know what some of the response choices are. Even I know those don't work in real life.

Saji continued to look around. His eyes landed on everyone who was paying attention to us (which were maybe two or three others in the area). Sona-kaichou continued to glare at him, expecting a response from him soon. Or else.

"Um… who are you exactly?"

I blinked. Not Asia tilted her head and Tiamat cocked a brow. But Sona-kaichou? She flinched back as though struck.

"S-Saji-kun," she recovered, her eyes shifting from fury to deep concern. "How strenuous are your injuries? Did you hit your head at some point?"

Well, we did get knocked around a few times battling Uriel. We were also flung around like pinballs inside the ice cream truck. But… no, I can't recall a time when Saji received a serious head injury.

Metatron-chan stepped towards him and activated her Twilight Healing near his skull. A dim green aura glowed around her fingers. Saji glanced at her but didn't do anything further to stop her.

Oh sure. He gets healed and nobody stops him. Leviathan-sensei is still watching us from her rock but isn't getting in the way. But if I lose an arm I'm still going to have Tiamat stop me from being treated!

Metatron-chan lowered her hands. She covered her smile as her eyes went wide. "I… I treated all wounds above his neck. There's nothing wrong with his mind. Perhaps… Perhaps it's something my Sacred Gear can't fix. Perhaps the Princess of Heaven will be able to assist us."

She stepped away and hurried towards the broken ice cream truck, where Azu-nee, Gabriel-chan, and Nameless Seraph-san (who was still bound and gagged) remained.

I should mention Valerie and Gasper were following Rolan-sensei like a pair of puppies. Well… Valerie was while she clutched Gasper like a Teddy bear.

"Saji-kun," Sona-kaichou raised a few fingers. Her eyes were full of worry. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

"Three," Saji answered simply.

She then asked him a few questions about how he was feeling as well as to perform a few exercises. Things like following her fingers without turning his head and looking a certain way while she conjured a sphere of light to shine in his eyes.

"I'm here, I'm here," Azu-nee announced as she was being pulled by Metatron-chan by the hand. She gave me a look that promised we'll be having a talk at some point— she was just as mad at me as Sona was at Saji. "Now, let's have a look. Genshirou-kun, can you please look my way?"

Saji complied. Azu-nee put her hands to his temples as she took in a deep breath. Her skin began to glow as she shut her eyes and focused. Her brows scrunched cutely as she put effort into whatever it was she was doing.

The display had gotten the attention of a few others. Leviathan-sensei had walked to stand beside her sister while Gabriel-chan moved near Saji's flank. Xenovia and Altry joined but stood towards the back. Azazel-sensei was still messing around with his weapon while Rolan-sensei was talking to everyone else near the ship.

Azu-nee didn't take long. She opened her eyes and lowered her hands. Her lips thinned in an expression I didn't understand but knew it couldn't be good.

"…Well?" Saji asked.

"Genshirou-kun…" Azu-nee brought her hands together with the fingertips touching each other. She had a thoughtful look. "Can you tell me the names of everyone in the Student Council?"

Saji looked like he didn't understand but he complied. He listed off everyone in his harem without a single pause.

He named them all. Even Sona-kaichou. But… the way he said it… something wasn't right.

"Can you tell me who the two overseers of Kuoh were?" she asked next.

He answered again. Gremory-sempai and Sona-kaichou.

Azu-nee had a frown this time, "Tell me who Sona Sitri is."

He scratched his head with his brows furrowed. But he answered, "She's Kuoh Academy's Student Council president and the second overseer— she deals with public affairs and tries to keep the supernatural side a secret. Other than that… she's Serafall's— I mean, Leviathan-sensei's little sister."

"…And you're not in love with this person?" Azu-nee concluded with a heavy voice.

"What? No," Saji blinked at her. "I'm in love with— T-That's not important! I've never even met Sitri-san. Leviathan-sensei talks about her all the time and I know she does a lot for the school. I think I'd remember meeting someone that important."

Um… Saji? What's going on? The person you're talking about is right behind you. This isn't funny. This is the person you've had a crush on forever. She was the reason why you joined our stupid club and why you want to fight in the Promised Time.

"…Saji," Sona-kaichou didn't take it so well. Her eyes were wide and searching. "That… It's okay. Once we get home, I'll make a few calls. The Sitri family has the best medical equipment and staff in all the Underworld. We'll be sure to treat you."

"Eh?" Saji spun around. He blinked and gawked at her. "W-Wait a minute. You mean you're Shitori-kaichou?! Ah… I-It's a pleasure to meet you."

As though meeting a stranger for the first time, he gave her a nervous smile and extended his hand. The sight was uncanny and frightening. It was understandable why Sona-kaichou didn't accept his offered hand.

"Genshirou-kun…" Azu-nee breathed out. "What did you do? This goes beyond brain damage. In fact, there isn't any memory loss whatsoever. I doubt even in my full glory could I redeem your memories of Sitri. You know who Sitri is but all of your connections to her have been ripped out of your being. It's as if your entire history with her has been deleted from your Quantum Identity Cortex. It's almost as if—"

"Underdog. It's a Defiant Work, a Sorcery to be exact. To directly defy the direct world."

The teachers moved while the rest of us froze. Those near us created a shield while the others in the far back readied themselves for battle. That voice. I knew that voice. There was no mistaking it.

I turned and saw God standing a few meters away from us. He dressed in a black suit that cost more than what my father could make in a year. His posture was casual with one hand in his pocket and the other adjusting the golden tie at his collar. His sapphire eyes disregarded the teachers while they phased through them to look at Saji. There wasn't a single sign of injury on him.

"Astounding," he breathed out with a delighted smile. "You bore witness to the Law of Potential just as I, Dalang, and less than a hundred others had. And yet, out of those rabble, you, Saint Genshirou, were able to create a Defiant Work."

"Father…" Azu-nee whispered. She bowed her head— no, more like she averted her stare. I remember her saying she wasn't supposed to be here.

"What do you mean?" Saji dared to ask. The hint of fear wasn't missed in his voice.

I gulped. I was probably too scared to shake. Here was the big man himself. Right when we were all exhausted after ruining his house and getting into a brawl with his best goons. He didn't look the least bit tired.

Especially when I was the one who hit him. I hope he doesn't take it out on me.

"All of existence is governed by a set of Laws," God answered Saji's question with a wave of his hand. He was having fun watching us panic where we stood. "They define what can and cannot be done. And these Laws have a consciousness of their own. They manifest as incarnate beings of scripture in order to enforce their authorities… or to ease their boredom.

"The one Traveling with Sir Rolan is one of them, disguised as the Issei Hyoudou of his World. When he battled against the Great Red, you saw his true form, did you not? You saw what he really was. The Law of Potential. It Can Happen. And by seeing and comprehending what his Law is… can something be made to break it."

Saji's eyes gradually widened as his hand went to rub a specific spot on his head. His fingers massaged the area as though something were latched on there. Something only he could feel.

"Underdog," God smacked his lips as though tasting the word. "It's an appropriate name for what you have been able to accomplish, Saint Genshirou. However… do not think breaking a Law does not come without a price. All Defiant Works come at a price. And Sorceries… they are the most expensive.

"In exchange for an immediate trigger, something equally as valuable must be paid upfront. Just as my adversary must surrender his sanity each time he uses his Sorceries. Do you know how much power you accumulated for both you and Saint Hyoudou in order to match my Uriel? And just think, such a glorious triumph only cost you your first love."

Saji… did that? I remember hearing the word right before we transformed. I didn't think much about it. I mean, we suddenly achieved our Balance Breaker without having to surrender something to our Dragons. Even Ddraig was surprised by it.

But then I remember something about Ddraig saying Saji had 'hacked' the planet. Was this was it meant? And the cost to do so meant… he had no feelings for Sona-kaichou at all?

What a terrible power. It's horrifying. What if… What if Saji had lost something else? What if he lost his love for Leviathan-sensei? Or his parents? Or me?

Or himself?

"You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream," Rolan-sensei barked as he moved through our pack to reach the front of the group. "Look, Peter, you don't need to frighten him with shit like that. Now that he's used it, all the information is there inside his head for him to access. Please don't tell me you're trying to fish for what exactly it does. That's really pathetic, even for you."

"…Sir Rolan," God regarded our short teacher with a wary look. Just as we were scared of God, he was afraid of Sir Rolan. However… that fear wasn't as big as it used to be. He was starting to get over it.

"What are you doing here?" Rolan-sensei asked as he scratched the ridge of his brow. "Shouldn't you be playing God and answering the prayers of your people? We shat on your doorstep and I'm pretty sure those Zyloristic zombies are running around screaming in a frenzy. Don't you have to resurrect some dead people, heal the wounded, and polish your statues before the day is done?"

God gave a dry chuckle, "All in due time. I am having Michael see to those matters in the meantime. For now… I am here to retrieve what is rightfully mine."

Everyone tensed. He was ready to throw down as divine power filled the air. Now I knew he wasn't fully afraid of Rolan-sensei any longer. He was openly challenging the man.

"Fuck off," Rolan-sensei was the only one unaffected. "You know what, Peter? What you're thinking is right. I don't have the thing that made me into the Black Sun anymore. But that doesn't mean I can't kick your ass. Especially when…"

He pulled out a sphere out of his pant pocket. It was no larger than a billiard ball. As he extended his palm, the sphere lit up brighter and floated. Flares of energy arched around it. It was like looking at a miniature sun.

A Sun Sphere. It was one of the objects that powered Satan's armor. It was the thing that girl impersonating Satan at the assembly had cursed Gremory-sempai's brother with.

God was silent. His eyes flared like a man who knew he lost but didn't know how or why.

"…As expected from the likes of you," he growled. "Your first move was a distraction of another distraction to hide the paramount objective which was but another distraction."

…My head hurts.

Rolan-sensei tossed the sphere up and down like a ball, "You're right. I sent Bitch 1 and Bitch 2 your way with an impossible task. So while they were flopping around trying to get near Metatron and getting your attention, I had your Champion of Heaven sneaking through the pearlies for the archives and treasure vaults. And while she stole your attention away from Earth, Tiamat and Sera were in charge of destroying your biggest factory of Seraphim production. Then, while you reacted to try and stop them my group moved to the Throne. We located every Longinus under your control, including the Holy Grail.

"Metatron, then the vaults, then your factories, and then the Holy Grail," Rolan-sensei caught the Sun Sphere before eyeing it with an appraising glance. "You kept chasing after the bigger fire you didn't even notice I had nabbed one of these things. To be honest, I didn't expect any of the other missions to be a success. Much less all of them. Especially the kidnapping of Metatron."

…Did you have to mention that last part?

"We'll be going now," Rolan-sensei announced. He snapped his finger a few times as he told everyone around him, "Everyone onto the Shooting Star. We're going back to Japan."

Nobody moved at first. It started slowly, hesitantly, but eventually the group started to move towards the ship. Some walked backwards, unwilling to take their eyes off of God.

Saji and I didn't move. Metatron hadn't shown any signs of coming with us.

God, who had been fuming at this theft, had his expression shift into a small victory. His smile turned smug as he looked at the both of us. "Oh. I suppose I could allow my Metatron to go along with you. I did promise you a love ever after, Saint Hyoudou, Saint Genshirou. Enjoy the few weeks you will have with her."

What he said bothered us.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I demanded.

"You don't know?" God asked with a raised brow. "My Seraphim are very delicate creatures. While most are expendable and can be easily replaced, the ones I put more effort into require greater sums of raw materials and maintenance. You see, without my supervision and an accessible source of godsair, they wither away or fall apart. In a manner of speaking, they fair no better than battery operated dolls."

We looked at Not Asia. She had her hands covered her mouth as she looked away.

"So what?" Saji demanded next. "You mean she'll die if she comes with us?"

"It is what shall happen," he said as though it bothered him greatly. "The Metatron will follow you, my most glorious Saints, to Satan's Citadel. However, surrounded by her enemies in a place I cannot reach her, she will suffer and perish. Though she has more power than most of the standard Seraphim, I suspect she will last no longer than… three weeks."

"Sorry if I don't believe you," Saji's eyes narrowed. "Zylor-san seems to be doing fine running off of the godsair Ise gives her—"

"The boy produces godsair?" God blinked with his eyes snapping at Azu-nee. She jerked at the sudden attention; her eyes flickering towards me before going back to her father. Her cheeks turned red and she gave a small nod. In return, God turned his attention towards me. He looked at me with eyes trying to decode me.

It felt like I was being stripped naked. Gross.

"It won't be enough," God stuffed both hands into his pockets. "Godsair is the byproduct of faith, prayer, belief, and hope that has accumulated through several groups of humans. One boy is not enough to sustain a single Seraph. By all means, see for yourself. Take her, and Jubriel too. You will return her to me in a matter of days once you see the signs."

Ah. So Nameless Seraph-san's name was Jubriel. Good to know.

He gave Metatron a nod as though granting her permission, like a father allowing his daughter to stay the night at a friend's. Metatron's smile lit up like a gushing girl who was promised the whole world.

I couldn't help but feel despair. I didn't believe God's words. In fact, if we take her back with us then there's a chance we could avoid it if it was true. Philips-san would have an answer. I mean, he was the guy's enemy forever. He should know how the Seraphim tick. Maybe he has a spare Evil Piece to transform her like he did with Gabriel-chan. Maybe Metatron-chan can run off of sunlight instead of godsair.

It was the look of Jubriel-chan that said otherwise. Her eyes were wide and terrified. She was looking at God with a pleading stare, begging him to retrieve her. Because, if his words were true, he was sending her off to die.

"You will have to leave eventually, Sir Rolan," God said to our teacher. "You can't protect them forever."

"I don't need to," Rolan-sensei said as he pocketed the Sun Sphere. "I've already wrecked enough of your shit to give them a fighting chance. Now your little Promised Time won't be so fucking unfair. So long, Peter. I don't think we'll meet again."

God had nothing else to say after that. He dipped his head at us in a departing gesture before vanishing. No flashing light or fanfare. We blinked and he was just gone.

Pat reon: Arrixam