After eliminating the stray devil, Issei emerged outside, only to hear Rias remind him of his contract. Without a word, he headed to the designated address, a nondescript single‑family home. He was about to ring the bell quietly when he noticed the front door ajar in the middle of the night. Instinct told him someone else had entered first. Without removing his shoes, Issei rushed inside. As he stepped into the living room, he quickly took in the scene. A corpse was pinned to the wall, upside down, body slashed in multiple places. Thick, large nails had been driven through the palms, legs, and torso, with entrails spilling from the wounds. Letters written in blood decorated the wall behind the man's body.
"...I don't know what kind of sick bastard did this... but it's twisted."
"It's a quote from a holy text: 'I shall deliver harsh punishment unto the wicked!'"
A man's voice spoke from behind him. Issei turned his head slightly. Standing there was a silver-haired man in priest's robes, looking to be in his late teens. The priest saw Issei and grinned wide.
"Mmmm, well, well, if it isn't a little devil-kun~" he cooed. He looked ecstatic. Issei stared back with pure disgust. The priest, finding this hilarious, broke into a sing-song.
"I'm a priest~♪ Ripping up devils for fun~♪ Watch me laugh, I'm so nihilistic~♪ When I take your devil head~, I get to eat my dinner~♪"
"..."
"My name is Freed Sellzen. I'm a grunt in an exorcist organization. Don't bother telling me your name just because I gave mine. I don't want to clutter my brain with the name of a devil. Don't worry, you'll die soon. I'll make sure. It might hurt at first, but then it'll feel so good you'll cry. You'll open a new door…"
"Hey. Are you the one who killed this man?"
"Yes, yes! I killed him. But~ he was a habitual devil summoner~, so I had no choice~."
"…Is that so?"
"Oh my? You're not surprised? Not running away? How weird~. Seriously though, trying to make a deal with a devil in the first place, what a piece of trash. A total garbage. Do you understand? Impossible? Ah~, right. You wouldn't understand because you're a trash devil…."
Thud!
In an instant, Issei's fist crashed into Freed's stomach. Freed doubled over, vomiting blood.
"Y‑you…"
Issei's heel smashed into Freed's head, slamming his skull through the floor. Blood spurted like a fountain. Issei hauled him up by the collar.
"Yeah… summoning a devil is trashy. But you didn't even try to save that trash. You're worse than trash. Priests are supposed to save people. Don't you dare call yourself a priest."
"W‑what are you… talking about…?"
"Get up. I deliberately hit you in a way that wouldn't kill you. You can still move."
Even as Issei finished speaking, a beam‑saber of light lashed toward him from the priest's hand, but Issei dodged quickly. In Freed's hand was a light sword and a pistol loaded with light bullets.
"Y‑you bastard! You're just a trash low‑level devil!!"
Freed charged at Issei, but Issei's fist slammed into him again and again. Freed's ribs shattered, his legs snapped so he couldn't stand, and his arms hung uselessly. Bones protruded through his skin. Looking at himself - motionless legs, dangling arms, and exposed bones - Freed found an enraged devil looming over him.
"What's wrong? This is just the beginning."
"H‑hey… aren't you… just… a trash low‑level… devil?!"
Crack!
With a crisp sound, Issei broke Freed's nose, slamming his face forward.
"There. Now that annoying mouth is finally a little quieter."
It's a lie! It has to be! Me... beaten by this trash devil!
"What's wrong? You're shaking. Still… no matter how you beg, I'll kill you. The life you took won't come back."
A crimson gauntlet appeared on Issei's left arm, the Boosted Gear. Freed tried to look up but had no strength. As Issei was about to behead him.
"STOP!!"
A girl grabbed Issei's shoulders. Issei turned, surprised.
"…Asia?"
"!! I‑Issei‑san?! What is…!! Kyahhh!!" Asia stared in horror at the corpse on the wall and collapsed, unable to bear the gruesome sight.
"How… how could this…"
"Wh‑what are you doing?! Kill that damned devil right there!!"
"!! Is‑Issei‑san… is a devil…?" Asia was speechless at the revelation. Issei said nothing, merely closed his eyes briefly and moved to finish Freed. Asia blocked his way.
"…What are you doing?"
"Issei‑san… it's not too late. Even if you're a devil, if you ask the Lord for forgiveness, He will…"
"…Sorry, but the one who killed that man is Freed, the priest you're protecting."
"!! Is… is that true? Father Freed!!"
"Ha--aa-aaa~ah? Don't talk nonsense, you dumb bitch! I'm a priest! How could I do that?!"
Issei's expression twisted in anger, but Freed just grinned and continued.
"Devils are shit!! Didn't you learn that in church?! Do you have maggots in your brain? Huh?! It's all the devil's doing! I was trying to stop him from killing an innocent man!!"
Crack.
"…Is it true, Issei‑san?"
"Taking a life and pinning the blame on someone else… sounds just like a fallen angel. Tell me, who's your fallen angel superior?"
"Haa~aa~ah? You think I'd tell you…?"
"Raynare, right?"
At Issei's words, Freed's face stiffened. Seeing his reaction, Issei knew his boss was Raynare. He released an even stronger killing intent, pushed Asia aside, and grabbed Freed by the hair.
"I‑Issei‑san!!"
"Where is Raynare?"
"You think I'd tell you, bastard?!"
"If Asia's involved, it must be the church on that hill."
(Partner! Calm down! Azazel could be there.)
"I don't care. I won't feel better until I kill that woman with my own hands!"
(Partner!)
Issei dragged Freed by the hair, heading toward the cathedral on the hill. At that moment, a magic circle appeared on the ground in front of him, glowing. From the light stepped Yuuto, Akeno, and Koneko.
"…Hyoudou‑kun."
"…Issei."
"…Priest."
Their expressions hardened at the sight of an enraged Issei. Akeno, in particular, felt a pang. The boy in front of her was seething, and she could sense his heart weeping.
"What?"
"Hyoudou‑kun, storming the church now is suicide."
"…No matter how strong you are, senpai… don't go alone."
"I don't care. They're in there…"
"Issei, I'm sorry," Rias said, stepping from a magic circle behind him. Chains of red light wrapped around Issei, restraining him.
"Why are you stopping me?"
"Calm down. If you go on like this, you'll become like that stray devil."
Crack.
Issei ground his teeth and tightened his grip on Freed's hair, but the chains tightened and he dropped Freed. Rias walked toward the battered Freed.
"My servant did quite a number on you, huh?"
"Ha-aa-aa… Devils swarming like flies!! You shitholes!! Die, all of you!"
"And you made my servant this angry… I cannot stand a vulgar thing like you touching what is mine!"
Her killing intent chilled the very air. Even the angry Issei felt his rage subside slightly.
(She saved us)
…Hmph.
"President, I sense several fallen angels approaching. If we stay, we'll be at a disadvantage," Akeno said. Issei felt it too. Rias glared at the priest.
"…Akeno. As soon as we retrieve Issei, we're heading back to the base. Prepare the teleportation."
"Okay" Akeno began chanting a spell. At that moment, Issei saw Asia emerging from the house. Her Sacred Gear was likely an extremely rare type, and greedy Raynare would certainly try to claim it. If a Sacred Gear is removed, the host dies. Thinking Asia might die, Issei shouted without thinking.
"!! Hey!! Take her too!!"
"Impossible. Only devils can move through a magic circle. And this one can only teleport my peerage," Rias replied.
"Then leave me here… urgh."
The chains tightened again. Rias said sternly:
"No! I refuse to leave my servant where he's certain to die!"
"Don't… make me… laugh… You think I'd let a good person die right in front of me?"
[Boost!]
The Boosted Gear's gem cried out as Issei shattered the chains. He tried to step out of the circle.
(…Partner. I'm sorry.)
Light flared from the jewel as Ddraig suddenly drained his power. Issei felt his strength vanish.
'Damn it… Ddraig…'
(If you go now, you'll just repeat what happened last time. Cool your head.)
"Don't be ridiculous!!"
Even with much of his power drained, Issei stepped out of the circle. Ddraig then sapped ten times more, and Issei staggered. Akeno seized the chance to pull him back. In his fading vision, Issei faintly saw Asia smiling. Then he collapsed forward. Rias quickly gathered her peerage, and they jumped back to the clubroom via the magic circle.