The sky was already dark, and the street lamps had flickered to life, casting long shadows on the deserted streets. Issey and I were crouched behind a row of bushes, examining the church from a distance where we had a clear view of the entrance.
There was no movement, no one entering or exiting the church. It appeared abandoned, but I knew better. The closer we got to the church, the more I could sense the presence of four individuals inside. From what Raynare had told me, they must be her companions, and one of them was undoubtedly Freed.
The reason Raynare wasn't with us was simple: she was hiding. I didn't want the devils to find out that I had a fallen angel subordinate, at least not yet. The timing wasn't right, and her presence could complicate things unnecessarily.
I turned to Issey, who was watching the church intently. "Issey," I whispered, breaking her concentration. "What do you know about your Sacred Gear?"
Issey looked at me, her expression serious. "Not much," she admitted. "Rias and the others have explained some things, but I'm still learning. I know it's called the Twice Critical, and it can double my power."
I couldn't help but chuckle softly, shaking my head. "Oh, Issey, dear, that's where you're wrong. The Sacred Gear you possess is called the Boosted Gear, not Twice Critical. It's far more powerful than you realize."
Her eyes widened in surprise. "Boosted Gear? But I thought—"
I interrupted her with a reassuring smile. "Yes, it's the Boosted Gear. It can double your power every ten seconds, making you exponentially stronger over time. It's one of the most powerful Sacred Gears out there."
Issey looked down at her gauntlet, which had appeared on her left arm, and nodded slowly. "I see. So, it can keep boosting my power as long as I need it to."
"If use it wisely then you can defeat anyone you want," Including me, I said the second half to myself.
"If you use it wisely, then you can defeat anyone you want," I said, but added the second half silently to myself, "Including me."
We crept closer to the church, using the shadows for cover. As we approached the entrance, I signaled for Issey to activate her Boosted Gear.
The red gauntlet with a green gem began to glow, and I could feel the power radiating from it.
"Boost!" The gem pulsed with light as Issey's power surged. That's cool, not going to lie, and it's a world-level item.
My collector's mind was whispering insidious suggestions: Snatch that gear for yourself. Imagine the power boost. You could become unstoppable.
But, of course, I knew better. Removing the Boosted Gear from Issey would kill her. Sure, I had resurrection magic at my disposal, but Death had warned me about the true pain of death, something Issey wouldn't be able to handle.
Her soul would shatter. A horrible way to die, that's what Death had said, and not something I wanted to subject her to.
So, as tempting as it was to claim the Boosted Gear for myself, I knew I had to resist the urge.
After all, I couldn't let my desire for power outweigh the well-being of my allies. Plus, Issey had proven herself to be a valuable asset, and I couldn't afford to lose her.
As these thoughts raced through my mind, I couldn't help but notice Freed observing us from the shadows. His eyes narrowed as he recognized Issey, but it was his first time seeing me.
I could practically see the gears turning in his head as he assessed the situation. Little did he know, he was about to face a force to be reckoned with.
I suppressed a smirk as I met Freed's gaze head-on. Let him underestimate me. It would only make our victory that much sweeter.
Freed stepped out of the shadows, his eyes glinting with a dangerous mix of insanity and sadistic pleasure. "Look who we have here, the trash devil who I nearly killed and her trashy friend," he sneered, his voice dripping with contempt.
I took a moment to assess Freed. He was exactly as Raynare had described: a psychopath and a battle maniac, who preferred violence over logic, spoke in a vulgar manner, and was undeniably insane.
He killed monsters and devils for his own twisted pleasure and had no qualms about murdering humans.
On top of all that, he was a pervert who once threatened to rape Asia for disobeying him. In other words, the epitome of scum.
Freed brandished his sword, a crazed grin spreading across his face. "This is gonna be fun! I've been itching for a good fight, and you two just made my day." His eyes flicked over to Issey, and his grin widened. "And look at you, back for more. How sweet. I thought I taught you a lesson last time."
I turned to Issey, my tone was calm and collected. "Issey, go find Asia. I'll handle Freed."
Issey nodded, her determination clear. "Be careful," she whispered before slipping away into the shadows.
"Running away, trash devil? Not that I mind. It'll be more fun with just you and me," Freed cackled, his voice dripping with sadistic glee. He brandished his sword, the holy energy crackling along its blade.
~~~
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