Issei stood frozen for a moment, his heart pounding in his chest. Asia, the gentle girl who had shown him nothing but kindness, was now helplessly trapped on a cross, her eyes filled with terror. Surrounding her were four Fallen Angels, each flaunting a single pair of dark wings. The sight alone would have been enough to shake any ordinary person to their core, but Issei wasn't just any ordinary person. He had Ddraig, the ancient Welsh Dragon, within him.
Issei swallowed hard, his throat dry. The situation was dire, but Ddraig's voice echoed in his mind with unwavering confidence.
"Let's go, partner. It's time for the Red Dragon Emperor to make his debut."
Issei's hesitation faded, replaced by a fiery determination. He felt the familiar rush of energy flooding his body, the viridian-colored orb of his Sacred Gear glowing ominously on his arm. He clenched his fists, the power doubling within him as he heard the commanding tone of Ddraig once again.
"Boost!"
With a fierce battle cry, Issei charged forward, his eyes blazing with resolve. The men of the church, all wielding lightsabers, formed a blockade in front of him. They sneered at his approach, clearly underestimating the young devil. But Issei wasn't about to let anyone stand in his way.
Despite his newfound strength, Issei was still inexperienced in combat, and it showed. He could feel the weight of the battle pressing down on him, the clashing swords ringing in his ears. Just as he began to falter, a sickeningly sweet voice filled the air, dripping with venomous amusement.
"Awww… My ex-boyfriend is here. How cute," Raynare's voice was laced with mockery. "You boys, have some mercy on him and give him a clean death."
Issei flinched at the word "death," but his fear quickly turned to rage. He glared at Raynare, his voice trembling with a mixture of anger and desperation.
"LET ASIA GO!"
His words echoed through the church, but they were met with nothing but cruel laughter. Ten seconds had passed, and another surge of power coursed through him. He felt the familiar boost in strength, and with a grunt of effort, he pushed back the henchman who had been pressing him hard.
"Ddraig, can this Sacred Gear be broken?" Issei had asked earlier, the doubt gnawing at the back of his mind.
Ddraig had answered with a confident, almost amused tone. "It's possible, but not by these weaklings. Fight without fear."
Issei took those words to heart as he clashed with the lightsaber-wielding zealots. The sound of metal against metal rang out as his Sacred Gear absorbed the blows. Raynare watched him with cold, calculating eyes, a cruel smile playing on her lips.
"It's a pity you died the first time, Issei. Your Twice Critical gear is pathetic. It's no threat to me. I'm thousands of times stronger than you. A simple two times multiplier? Useless." She laughed derisively, her dark wings flaring out behind her.
Issei gritted his teeth, anger boiling in his veins. 'So that's why she's letting me fight her henchmen. She doesn't see me as a threat. Fine, I'll keep fighting, keep stalling until my Boosted Gear reaches its peak. Then I'll save Asia.'
But his plan took a sudden, horrifying turn. A magic circle appeared on Asia's body, and the cross behind her began to glow with an eerie green light. The brightness was blinding, illuminating the entire church and chasing away the shadows of the night.
Issei's eyes widened in shock as the green light materialized into a pair of white jewelry treasures, glowing with an intense, otherworldly energy. Raynare's eyes lit up with greed as she snatched the treasures from the air, her grip tightening around them.
A primal fury exploded within Issei. Raynare had not only deceived him, but now she was taking Asia's Sacred Gear—the very thing that made her special. The thought of this cruel woman taking something so pure and innocent enraged him beyond reason.
Without thinking, he shoved the henchman aside, sending him crashing into the others. But just as he did, more of Raynare's lackeys rushed him from the opposite side, their lightsabers poised to strike.
Suddenly, the sound of clashing metal filled the air, and Issei turned to see Kiba standing beside him, his demonic sword locking with the enemy's weapons. Kiba's presence was a surprise, and Issei couldn't help but feel a surge of relief.
"Sorry we're late, Issei," Kiba said, glancing at him from the corner of his eye. "We didn't realize what the Fallen Angel was planning. We were waiting for Buchou and Izashi-sama."
Issei nodded, his relief growing. With Kiba here, and Rias and Izashi on the way, they had a chance to save Asia. But then his gaze returned to Asia, and his heart sank. Her wide-eyed expression, her still form—she wasn't breathing. She was dead.
The realization hit him like a sledgehammer, and Issei roared in fury. "RETURN THE SACRED GEAR BACK TO ASIA!"
With that, he charged at Raynare, his anger giving him strength. The other Fallen Angels watched with amusement as he lunged at their leader.
"Since he's someone you failed to kill the first time, Raynare, it's your responsibility to finish him off," one of them said, their tone mocking.
They didn't interfere, knowing full well that Raynare was more than capable of handling Issei. After all, she was their leader for a reason. And now, with Asia's Sacred Gear in her possession, her power had increased dramatically.
Raynare smiled wickedly, her wings now doubled in size as she gained another pair. "Oh, Issei, how sweet of you to come back for seconds. That date we had was pretty bland, wasn't it? I wasted so much time on you, and all you had was a Twice Critical gear? Such a disappointment."
Her face twisted into a maniacal grin, her eyes glinting with madness. "But this time, I'll make sure to kill you properly."
She raised her hand, summoning a Light Lance, the same weapon she had used to kill him before. Issei recognized it instantly, a shiver of fear running down his spine. But he couldn't back down, not now.
As he charged forward, Ddraig's voice filled his mind, urgent and commanding. "You idiot! Mission abort! Don't fight her now! You won't be able to beat her the way you are now!"
Issei knew Ddraig was right, but he couldn't stop. Not when Asia's life was on the line. He swallowed his fear and pressed on, feeling another boost in strength as his Sacred Gear activated again. Raynare, still adjusting to her newfound power, didn't notice the subtle changes in Issei's strength. She was too focused on herself, on the rush of power she felt from her new Sacred Gear.
Issei felt a grim determination settle over him. 'I can't give up now! I have to save Asia! Even if it means dying again, I'll do whatever it takes!'
Ddraig, sensing the change in Issei's resolve, remained silent. For the first time, the ancient dragon felt a glimmer of hope in his reckless, perverted host. Issei's determination was real, his heart set on saving Asia no matter the cost. Ddraig decided not to argue and instead continued to boost Issei's power every ten seconds, preparing him for the battle ahead.
While Issei and Raynare were locked in their deadly dance, the other Fallen Angels remained distracted, confident in their leader's abilities. This distraction gave Koneko the opportunity to enter the fray, her petite form almost unnoticed as she slipped into the church.
Koneko, with her cat-like agility and immense physical strength granted by her Rook piece, immediately targeted the remaining Fallen Angels. She launched herself at them, fists flying with terrifying force. But despite her strength and speed, she was outnumbered three to one, and the odds were not in her favor.
Each of the Fallen Angels had their own abilities, and together they formed a formidable team. They attacked Koneko in unison, their wings flaring as they dodged her blows and counterattacked with dark magic and light weapons. Koneko gritted her teeth, realizing that this fight was going to be much harder than she anticipated.
Despite the overwhelming odds, Koneko didn't falter. She knew she had to hold on, to keep these enemies at bay until Rias, Akeno, and Izashi arrived. She couldn't let them reach Issei or Asia, not when the situation was already so dire.
With a determined expression, Koneko threw herself back into the fight, her movements swift and precise. She ducked and weaved, avoiding the worst of their attacks while landing powerful blows of her own. But no matter how hard she fought, the numbers game was against her, and she knew she couldn't keep this up forever.
Kiba, meanwhile, was holding his own against the exorcist minions. His demonic sword cut through their lightsabers like butter, his skill and precision unmatched by the untrained zealots. But even with his prowess, the sheer number of enemies kept him occupied, preventing him from assisting Koneko or Issei.
In the midst of the chaos, a small, almost unnoticed figure watched from the shadows. A black cat, its eyes glowing eerily in the dim light of the church, observed the battle with a calculating gaze. Its tail flicked lazily as it watched Issei and Raynare clash, and then turned its attention to Koneko, who was struggling against the three Fallen Angels.
The cat's thoughts were almost playful, its eyes narrowing as it considered its options. 'So, my chance will appear here, nya~?'
~~
A/N: I hope you all are liking this story. If you are liking this fanfic, then please check out my original novels.
Villain: Manipulating the Heroes Into Hating the Protagonist