Harbinger of Ruin: Ch.18

The moment we appeared from the teleportation crest, I frowned when I noticed a frowning Tsubaki and Akeno awaiting us, Rias shifting from the happy young woman to the co-leader of Kuoh Town as she spoke.

“Where are they?”

“Currently speaking with Lady Sona in the Student Council's Clubroom. She asked us to escort the two of you there when you arrive.”

“Are they anyone we heard of?” She asked as we began walking towards the main building, both Akeno and Tsubaki waving their hands and easily erasing the memories of any human that had caught us teleporting.

“Not in the slightest. One of them has a powerful holy weapon that exudes a potent holy presence, but there's nothing significant about them other than that.”

“Hmm, perhaps an Excalibur fragment? They could be here to track down Freed and the fragment he had.” I spoke and Rias frowned at that while looking at me, to which I smiled and shook my head.

“Don't worry. I know when to keep quiet and control myself.”

“I know, but…Okay~ Okay, I'll have some faith in you.”

“So, what you're saying is that you didn't have any before?”

“Not in the slightest.” Rias answered with a shrug as we ascended the stairs and I shook my head as we stopped in front of the office.

KNOCK KNOCK

“Come in.” Sona's voice came from behind the doors and I opened the door before letting them in, closing the door behind me while staring at the two ladies seated in chairs in front of Sona's desk.

Xenovia had a stoic look on her face as she turned her head to look at us, Irina doing the same while waving happily as she noticed us walking in.

“Hi~! You must be the devil heiress Rias Gremory, right?!” Irina asked with a smile, to which Rias simply responded with a smile as I leaned against the wall next to the door while the three ladies walked over to Sona's side.

“I am, indeed. May I ask what two exorcists are doing in devil territory?” Rias asked as she sat down on the chair next to Sona, both Queens taking their spots behind their King as Irina simply continued speaking while Xenovia kept her gaze on me.

“Well, we are here because a target that we are on the hunt of has been spotted in your town.”

“Hmm, and who would this target be?”

“Now, that would be telling~”

“Kokabiel, the Cadre of the Fallen Stars.” Xenovia spoke up before Irina could stop her, to which the brown-haired huffed while Rias and the others looked shocked.

“A-A Cadre? That's who you're hunting?” Sona asked with a slightly anxious look, frowning as Xenovia simply nodded while Irina grumbled.

“You know we're not supposed to tell anyone about it.”

“What use is this information going to be for them if they know it?” Xenovia asked and I watched as Irina rolled her eyes before shaking my head as they remembered that they were in the presence of potential enemies.

“I see. Am I right in assuming that you are here to ask for permission to search the city?”

“No, we're here to tell you we're searching the city.”

“Xenovia! Stop antagonizing the devils no matter how vile they are!” Irina exclaimed with a groan, Xenovia not caring as she looked directly at the devil heiresses who were both frowning back.

'Well, this just went tense, hasn't it?'

“If I may interject, are you also here for the Excalibur fragment?” I asked, watching as both girls looked at me while Rias gave me a warning look.

“Yuuto…”

“I understand. From their reaction, though, you got your answer.” I spoke with a smirk and she smirked as Irina's smile dimmed slightly while Xenovia frowned.

“What Excalibur fragment?”

“My Knight here was attacked by a rogue exorcists that goes by the name of Freed Sellzen. Do you perhaps know him?”

“We don't know him personally, but we have heard of him. Freed is a skilled exorcist who had went rogue because he found killing much more fun than fulfilling his missions.” Irina responded and Rias simply hummed before Sona spoke up.

“Well, Kiba here also noted the fact that Freed also had an Excalibur fragment in his possession.”

“It was the Rapidly fragment because Freed was far faster than he was in the first time Yuuto faced off against him and he also has extensive knowledge of the Excalibur fragments themselves.”

“Were you a member of one of the churches?” Xenovia asked with a frown as she turned to me and I smirked before nodding.

“I am the sole survivor of the Holy Sword Project.” That made their eyes widen before Xenovia frowned as Irina winced.

“Ah, you're him, huh? Wait, I thought your name was Isaiah?”

“That was my name before I was killed and revived by Lady Rias there. After that, I discarded my old name and took the one Yuuto.”

“Also, he's just being modest. I'm actually his girlfriend.” Rias spoke with a smile and Irina simply rolled her eyes as Xenovia snorted.

“Of course you are. Very well, we did not have anything to say other than leave us be as we search through the city so we shall be taking our leave.”

“But of course~ I hope you retrieve whatever you came here for as quickly as possible.”

'Well, they're not even trying to hide it this time.' I thought with a smirk as Xenovia and Rias exchanged words, watching as the bluenette simply narrowed her eyes before picking up the package besides her seat and slinging it over her shoulders.

“I do too. Come, Irina.”

“Bye, everyone~! Nice to meet you all!” Irina waved with a smile as she followed after Irina and I held Xenovia's gaze as I opened the door, letting them walk out before closing it and looking at Rias as she took a deep breath.

“Need some time to recover?” I asked and chuckled as she looked at me with a deadpan stare before shaking her head as Sona spoke up.

“if what she says is true, then we have to prepare ourselves for the off-chance that Kokabiel is here for us and that Freed is potentially working for him.”

“That is true. The Excalibur fragments are some of the church's most coveted weapons and for a rogue exorcist to have one just like that, someone must have given it to him.”

“Tsubaki, tell Momo and Reya I want them to scan the city for any signs of holy energy residue left around the city by anyone that isn't those two.”

“Akeno, ask Raynare and the other two if they wouldn't mind assisting those two as well.”

“Will do./ As you command, Lady Sona.” Akeno and Tsubaki spoke respectively as they teleported away, leaving only the three of us in the room.

“You have something to say, don't you?” Rias spoke up as she looked at me and I scratched the back of my head while nodding.

“I think we should help them.”

“Firstly, they are our enemies. Secondly, even if we do wish to, how can we when they won't even accept our help?” Sona asked with a raised eyebrow and I shrugged as I crossed my arms.

“I didn't say we needed to provide help that was visible to them. Perhaps make an illusion to point them in the direction or leaving clues that we found here and there to make sure they get closer and closer to finishing their mission.”

“That…is not bad. However, my answer is the same as Sona's. We can't help them because they are people that would betray us the moment they get a chance.”

“Okay, then. What are you going to do if Kokabiel does come for us?”

“Why would we care for that when we'd be in the Underworld long before the Fallen could even find us?” Rias asked with a raised eyebrow and I hummed at that before shrugging.

“Fine, then. Just know that the moment we go back to the Underworld, your parents are going to refute every chance you want to come back to the Human Realm because it will always be too dangerous from then on.”

“No, they won't.”

“Rias, they were willing to marry you off to a bastard that wanted to make you marry him whether you like it or not. I think they would.”

“Hah, Yuuto has a point as much as I hated to admit it. If we don't help him and not only our parents but also our siblings get word of this, we can kiss Kuoh Town goodbye.” Sona spoke up and Rias groaned as she palmed her face.

“Urgh~ Fine, then! How are we supposed to help people that don't even want our help in the first place?” Rias asked with her arms crossed and an eyebrow raised and I smirked before winking as I walked towards the door.

“Leave that to me.”

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“Please spare some change~”

“The Lord will bless you for all eternity when you help out those not as privileged as you are.”

'Yep, in the same spot.' I thought with a smirk as I stood across the street, watching as Irina and Xenovia knelt on the pavement across the street while an oil painting rested on an easel behind them.

“Hey, you two need some help?” I called out as I walked across the street, Xenovia's gaze immediately snapping to my own with a frown while Irina scoffed.

“No, thank you. We may be struggling at this moment, but the Lord will provide for us.” On cue, her stomach growled and she blushed as I felt my migraine disappear before shrugging.

“Suit yourself. What about you? You want a burger or something?”

“…Extra pickles and chips.”

“What?! Xenovia, you are to be in cohorts with a devil?!” Irina asked with a scandalous expression and the bluenette simply shrugged while throwing the bundled package she had over her shoulder.

“I believe that the Lord has spoken to this blasphemer and told him to start his journey of salvation by helping us.”

'That would require the big Guy to be alive.' I thought with a raised eyebrow as I remembered how Big G of this universe was nothing more than a skeleton in a coffin before I shook my head as Irina looked to be in thought.

“Got it. Come on and we'll leave Ms. Beggar here to her own devices.”

“P-Please accept my apologies! I would like a burger as well!”

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“You two satisfied now?” I asked as I sat opposite of the two exorcists, sipping on a strawberry lemonade while watching as Irina nodded happily when she took a bite of her burger.

“Yesh! Thank yu!”

“You're welcome. You enjoying yourself?”

“It is…adequate, but I fear you have an ulterior motive here.” Xenovia spoke with a frown as she ate a chip and I shrugged while sitting back.

“Not really. I'm just a guy that felt bad when I walked past and I was coming for their signature lemonades so I decided to be a good Samaritan and help you guys out.”

“See? He's simply following the will of the Lord just like you said.”

“Urgh, would you mind not using his Name here? It kind of hurts.” I spoke with a smile and Irina's eyes widened at that before she nodded.

“R-Right! Hehehe~ sorry.”

“I still feel like you have another reason for doing all of this.”

“Would you believe me if I continue to say I don't?”

“Not in the slightest.” Xenovia said with a shake of her head and I smiled and nodded.

“Fine, I do have something I wish to ask of you.”

“My body is off-limits, but Irina's is not.”

“X-Xenovia!” Irina hissed with a bright-red blush and I pinched the bridge of my nose as I saw Xenovia's confused look.

“I simply wish to save myself for my soulmate.”

“And you think I don't want to?!”

“You flirt with every boy we meet?”

“It's called being nice.”

“Nice is saying hello, not asking them everything about their family the moment you meet them.”

“You do that?” I asked with a smirk and Irina glared at me with a blush before huffing as she sat back down.

“I'm a nice person, okay?”

“I do not believe you. Anyway, back to what I was saying. I do have something to ask of you, but it's a simple request.”

“Very well.”

“I will help you two find the swords, but in return, I simply wish for the opportunity to destroy one of them.”

“…Destroy?” Xenovia looked as if she wanted to make sure I spoke right and I rolled my eyes before nodding.

“Yes, destroy. The swords have caused myself and my former family nothing but trouble and I simply wish to vent by destroying one as some sort of way to put them to rest.”

“…Very well. As long as the core is kept intact, you may destroy one sword.”

“One? Wait, how many does Kokabiel have?”

“Three.”

'Okay, just like in the anime.'

“…Is the security of the church that shit?” I asked with a raised eyebrow and Xenovia rolled her eyes as Irina frowned at me.

“It is not. We simply did not anticipate that a few of my exorcists would turn rogue and help Kokabiel steal the swords.”

“So, he's not acting alone? Apart from Freed, he potentially also has an army of rogue exorcists and Fallen Angels to help him battle. Are you sure you two weren't sent on a suicide mission?” I asked before narrowing my eyes slightly as Xenovia smirked and Irina giggled.

“We're not alone, silly. That would be a stupid thing to do.”

“I see. Then who is with you?”

“Me.” My eyes widened as I heard a voice speaking from besides me, slowly turning my eyes to look at the smirking man with spiky blonde hair besides me while he looked back with a pair of vibrant blue eyes.

He looked to be well-built even as he hid his body with the same cloak as Xenovia and Irina, but there was no hiding the potent holy energy rolling from his body as he nodded at the two girls.

'Who the hell is he? I can't recognize the face so he wasn't in what I've seen of the anime. I have to admit, though, the guy's got aura.' Even with the fact he appeared to be holding himself back, his energy was still stronger than that of Irina's and Xenovia's as he turned his gaze away from me and towards the two ladies.

“I see you guys couldn't wait to frolic with the devils. I expected this of Irina, but you of all people, Xenovia?”

“Don't start, Nero. He offered to buy us food after Irina lost all of our money and we simply saw to take the offer.”

“…I expected that. Hey, what's up? Nero Raimondi, close friend to the bluenette over there.”

“Yuuto Kiba, Knight of Rias Gremory.”

“Ah, did she send you?” He asked and I caught the gaze of Xenovia and Irina out the corner of my eye before shaking my head.

“No, this is simply because I wish to enact revenge on the Excalibur blades.”

“…Eh, can't blame a guy for that reason. So, what are you going to bring to the team, eh Yuuto?” He asked and I smirked before placing a hand on the table.

The next moment, a Gremory crest formed under my hand before I slowly pulled out a short sword, its blade a dark grey while the hilt had numerous engravings upon it that glowed periodically.

“This is Pursuing Eye, a sword made by my Sacred Gear that allows me to track the holy energy of any artifact and/ or person.”

“Wait, what?” Nero asked with a surprised blink of his eyes and I smirked before placing the sword on the table.

“Yes. Unfortunately, I would have need to clash this sword with Freed's Excalibur fragment to find them. That is until I added a secondary spell that lets it track any holy signature that feels similar to the one it clashed with. I also know…that the two of you have Excalibur fragments as well.”

“I see.” Irina muttered with a smirk as the scrunchy around her left wrist warped and formed into the shape of a dagger, the girl tapping it against it and turning the dagger back into a scrunchy while I picked up Pursuing Eye.

The moment I activated it, I squinted slightly as I stared at the trail of holy energy residue leading from the tip of the short sword to both Irina's arm and the package on Xenovia's back.

However, there was a third, fourth and fifth strands that let out of the restaurant and far into the city, to which I smirked before looking at the others.

“Alright, who's ready to go on a hunt?”

A/N: And we end this on a cliffhanger~!!

Also, like I said, there's going to be a lot of changes to the arcs from now on as I will be adding a few characters from later in the novels to make it sound more reasonable.

Also, Kiba has a lot of blades right now so I'm going to make maybe two or three more before I start focusing on making sure he masters each one BEFORE I make any more.

After all, I want him to have a blade for almost any scenario.

As always, read, enjoy, review and until the next one…

Ba-Bye~!!