Rise, Ye Tarnished Ch 6 [DxD/Elden Ring]

“Okay, this doesn’t feel ominous at all,” Issei deadpanned, fingers twitching at the sight of the decrepit house.

“I have to agree with you, this is giving me major Silent Hill vibes,” replied Motohama. “But look on the bright side! At least we’re not climbing into some rich guy’s backyard!”

“Shouldn’t we want to be in a rich guy’s house?”

“Not if you’re in Resident Evil.”

“Wha- those are two different games!”

“You’re a walking video game character! I’m allowed to mash game scenarios up!”

Issei shot him an incredulous stare, trying to find any semblance of logic in his friend’s words. “I have fantasy powers, not horror game protagonist powers!”

“It’s Elden Ring. Is there a difference?”

He opened his mouth to reply, but words failed him. Considering the two monsters he’d faced, along with the myriad of gruesome deaths his in-game Tarnished suffered at the hands of the patchwork monstrosity that was Godrick and virtually every enemy in the game that wasn’t human (and then some) …skewered, set on fire, squashed like a bug, devoured alive by rats…

“…nope. You’re right, and I hate you for it.” He sagged forward before shaking his head and inhaling. One crisis at a time, he reminded himself. He raised his head and gazed at the house again. Motohama had texted him that he’d gotten a hit and they should meet up after school. The afternoon sun was descending toward the horizon and the night sky had begun to creep over. Fireflies glowed in the distance, flitting behind trees and over the grass. “At least this spot doesn’t feel like a setup.”

“I triple-checked my sources,” Motohama said, adjusting his glasses. “They all agree that strange sightings have happened around this area. Giant shapes, weird whispers, there was even an image of what I’m 99% sure is a blood spatter on the sidewalk. The police haven’t found anything unusual, however, so chances are whatever’s behind those sightings hasn’t left.”

“Sources,” Issei repeated with skepticism. “What are those sources exactly?”

“I’m afraid I must keep that classified, my friend.” He tugged his shirt collar as though he was straightening a tie and adopted a mysterious look. “All I’m willing to reveal for now is that it took a great deal of trawling and digging through corners of ill-repute on the internet, and an even greater deal of effort to ensure those sources didn’t ask too many questions.”

“You paid them off?”

“Worse. I pretended I was a cryptid conspiracy theorist,” he shivered and waved his hand, grazing the gym bag hanging from his shoulder. “If you thought being a pervert at school was bad, you wouldn’t believe the treatment those nutjobs get on the forums. I’m not sure what’s worse, the condescension or the pity.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” Issei said flatly, never taking his gaze off the house. “Well, how should we go about this?”

“There should be a back door. It sounds better than waltzing in from the front.”

He nodded and mentally pulled at the odd pulse in his chest. His Confessor set manifested with its usual golden flash, draping him from head to toe, along with the Grafted Dragon and Godslayer Seal. “Stay behind me, and if something starts moving, get ready to run like hell.”

“Actually, I’ve got this one covered.” Motohama opened his gym bag and pulled out a pair of earphone walkie-talkies. “These work faster than our phones. I had to shell out half of my allowance for this, but it’ll be worth it.”

Accepting the one offered to him, Issei weighed the thing in his left hand. They looked durable enough, but he’d rather not test them in a dragon’s jaw. “I’ll pay you back, I promise.”

Motohama waved him off. “I can wait. A little pocket change is nothing compared to what we’ll be seeing. Now, turn it on and wait a moment, they…” He took a few steps back, placed the device in his ear, fiddled with the attached machine and gestured to Issei. The boy did the same, waiting until a frequency number appeared on the screen.

“krrt Akaton, Akaton, this is Hundred-Eyes. Do you copy? Over.”

Issei blinked and raised an eyebrow at his friend, who pressed the earphone’s side with the utmost seriousness of a secret agent. Still in disbelief, he plugged an earbud and did the same.

“Akaton? Really? You’re using my player name as a code name?”

“krrt Discretion is paramount, Akaton. We don’t want the government kicking down our doors, remember? Over.”

Ah. Good point. It felt cheesy as hell…but in a fun way, he had to admit. His lips curved upwards and he pressed the button again. “Copy that, Hundred-Eyes. I’m heading…heading into the nest, over.”

“krrt Roger.”

He shook his head and tucked the walkie-talkie device into an open pouch on his belt. They’d done a little more testing and discovered that he could store real objects in the pouches, and they’d reappear even if he dispelled the armor. The pouches were also bigger on the inside than their sizes initially suggested, so Issei had geeked out about a bottomless pouch…until he’d discovered it wasn’t bottomless at all.

The items had to actually fit through the pouch’s opening, and even then, the pouches could only fit twice the amount of their actual size.

Weirdly enough, none of his in-game items, like flasks, came from the pouches themselves.

Crouching low and treading carefully, he began to circle the building. It was raised on a hill, but the lack of bluffs and steep slopes made the circumvention easier. From the corner of his eye, he spotted Motohama ducking behind a nearby wide tree. He’d almost reached halfway around the building when he spotted, true to word, a rusted door.

“Hundred-Eyes, Akaton here. I’ve spotted a door. Looks locked. Moving in for a closer look.” He said into the earbud.

“krrt Copy that, Akaton. Bracing for knock.”

Issei approached the door, his Grafted Dragon’s jaws open and ready to belch fire. The handle looked like it hadn’t seen a polish in decades, and part of Issei shuddered at touching the reddish-brown metal until he saw the iron gauntlet on his hand.

Way better than a glove.

He grasped the door handle and gave it a light twist, but it didn’t budge. He twisted it a second time and jiggled it back and forth, but the door stayed in place. Noting how it was positioned against the frame, Issei clenched the handle and pushed a third time –

-Only for the door to fly open with a crack, sending the lock clattering into the darkness.

‘Right. I also have super-strength now. Funny, when I tried opening the bathroom door, I didn’t break it.’

He stood there for a couple of seconds, blinking at the opening. The walkie-talkie suddenly crackled through the silence, causing him to yelp. “Akaton, this is Hundred-Eyes. Any trouble?”

Exhaling in equal parts relief and irritation (because that was louder than he expected), he pressed the earbud and answered. “Just the door. I opened it, and the lock broke.” He squinted his eyes into the shadowed interior. “I can’t see anything. I’m heading inside.”

“krrt Copy that. I’m keeping watch, good luck, over.”

A stale odour assaulted Issei’s nose as he fully entered the abandoned house. The carpet he trode on had lost its colors, and the wallpaper was half-peeled off the walls. Broken chairs lay in corners, illuminated by the faint light streaming from the windows. The remnants of calligraphy scrolls hung limply behind a smashed desk, and the door at the end of the hall was half-opened, niggling at his curiosity and caution.

‘If we’re following video game rules to a T, then the boss is hiding right behind that door. Or maybe minions are waiting as a warmup.’ The Grafted Dragon’s jaw silently roared as Issei tiptoed further down the hall. ‘Why is it always an abandoned house or a creepy mansion? I mean, yeah, no innocents getting hurt, but…wait, they are hurting innocents. Okay, it’s starting to make sense and I’m thoroughly creeped out.’

He pushed open the door, only to wince as its creak echoed throughout the house. Sharply looking around, a few tense moments passed by as he braced himself, but nothing happened.

“This is Akaton. There’s nothing in the first room. I’m moving on,” he whispered.

“krrt copy that. Nothing special on this side, over.”

The other room was much of the same, except for a few more smashed pieces of furniture. Dirtied mirrors and empty frames hung on the wall. There was only one window, facing his left, and a shiver crawled up his spine as he watched the shadows. He crept along the wall, moving away from the light. When he passed by the faded beam of light, he noticed it shone on a large, dried stain. Too dark to be water. 

Who knew how many more were there in the house? And how many times did they spill?

His lips pressed, Issei tugged on his hood. ‘One way or another, this’ll stop tonight. I don’t give a crap if they’re some ugly-ass devil or monster. With these powers, I’ll finish ‘em off for good!’

Yet as his fist clenched, he paused. Monster or not, he was talking about killing. Something he’d been taught all his life was wrong, and he’d never thought he would ever do. Not for boobs, not for money, nothing was worth killing. But he did it twice. Once to save himself, the other to save himself and his friend. He should’ve puked, rolled over, curled up into a ball and locked himself in his room. Hell, after the attack on him and Motohama, he thought he’d throw away his computer!

But he didn’t.

Sure, he was shaken up and stayed away from the game for a few days… but every time he recalled the burning corpses of those devils, the most he felt was disgust, and not at himself. A part of him knew it wasn’t normal, and maybe he should’ve brought it up with Motohama. 

The other part, however, was far more callous.

Two of them tried to kill you and your friend. Hell, they said they wanted to eat you. You’re really gonna be broken up over them dying?

…feeling bad sounded stupid in the face of that. He shook his head. Maybe the guilt would sink in after the third time.

‘And yeah, there’ll be a third time.’

The darkness slowly cleared away as he advanced. This time, two doors marked the end of the hall, one on each side. Pausing, he pressed the earbud and whispered.

“Hundred-Eyes, there are two doors, one left, one right. I can’t make out where they lead to. Where should I go? Over.”

After a couple of seconds, Motohama’s voice blared to life. 

“krrt According to the pictures and from where you entered, the main hall is smack in the middle of the building. Was there only one door in the last room?”

“Yeah.”

“Hm, if I were a serial killer, I wouldn’t sleep in the biggest room in the place. I’d find somewhere cozy where I can come and go without anyone knowing. There’s a part of the building left of where I’m looking that’s away from the main gate. I’d say check that out first.”

“Will do. Going left.”

He tiptoed toward the left doorway, raising his hand to grasp the knob… when a blur in one of the mirrors caught his eye.

Was that a hand?

The air sliced.

Claws descended. 

Instincts screamed.

Brass Shield appearing in a flash of light, Issei grit his teeth as a swipe scraped the metal. He thrust the Grafted Dragon forward and shot a burst of flame, eliciting a shrill yelp from the attacker. Once the fire cleared, Issei looked around, but only the shadows remained.

“Ara ara~ what a strange new scent this is! A human boy, all alone, armed with some fancy toys.”

The devil’s voice was sultry and teasing, yet carried a dangerous edge. Unlike the acid freak from before, this was clearly a girl’s voice.

“Whoever you are, show yourself!” he cried out. “You’ve been killing humans coming here, haven’t you?”

“Ufufu~ and what if I am?” she replied. Crawling came from the ceiling, but Issei still couldn’t see a thing. “A figure like mine doesn’t retain its perfection on sewer water and instant food. I need nourishment. And humans are oh so tasty~” a wet sound made him wince, like something slimy was rubbing itself.

“Just ‘cause you think gym powder and diet food tastes like shit doesn’t mean you should choose humans as your protein,” he snarked. “The other devils thought the same thing, but they didn’t need their stomachs when I was done with ‘em.”

Another giggle erupted around him. 

“Ara ara~ so you’ve met my kindred then? Well, I’ll let you in on a secret, little one. I’m a step above whatever rabble you’ve scratched. So if you think you can come here and disturb my beauty sleep out of some heroic delusions…”

A figure stepped into the light. With narrowed eyes, a face that oozed smugness, and a chest bare to the world.

“Guess again.”

Oppai.

Bouncing oppai.

A sight worthy of the heavens.

And attached to another woman who wanted to kill him.

‘I’m cursed, I’ve gotta be,’ he lamented internally, even as he tried to maintain his composure.

“Don’t think I’ll take it easy on you just cause you’re hot!”

She smiled. “Well, for the compliment, I suppose I’ll have some fun with you before you die, at least.~”

Momentarily floored, Issei closed his eyes. The air rippled against his eyelids. He snapped them open.

“Yeah, how about no. Death by snu-snu isn’t on my bucket list.”

She sighed and placed a hand on her generous chest, and Issei clamped his jaw shut. “A pity. Then again, it’s not as though you can resist.”

The air screamed as it was split again, and this time Issei leapt to the side right as the talons struck the floor next to him and tore holes into it. A glance to his side made him gulp at the claws and the giant limb it was attached to, as thick as his waist, extending from underneath the woman’s body. Sliding from out of the shadows and into the dim light, her full body was revealed.

From the waist up, she seemed perfectly normal. But below, instead of a pair of normal legs, a massive ribcage was fused to her waist, marked by a coat of matted brown fur. The limb that nearly shredded him came from within the coat of fur and possessed sharp, manicured nails, rather than bestial talons.

The darkness hid the rest of her body, but based on the rumbling, Issei shivered at the thought of whatever else she had hidden. 

“Oooh, quick on your toes, aren’t you, human?” she teased. Fangs jutted from under her lip, and her eyes gleamed with a sinister bearing. “I haven’t had my prey run in a long time. Let’s see how long you can keep this up.”

Taking a deep breath, Issei dashed forward as the same giant arm rose to swipe at him. Keeping his shield high, he raised his Grafted Dragon and shot another gout of flame at the devil, the draconic head roaring furiously. She hissed as the flames lapped hungrily at her torso, before she twisted away in haste. Hearing the rumbling to his left, he immediately turned and spotted the other limb, rising from its resting place at her side. He cocked his arm back and punched the limb, a roar heralding another explosive burst of fire from the dragon’s maw.

To his surprise, he felt the limb sink under the burning blow, and even heard a crack!

“AAAARRRGGHH!!!”

Issei turned away and sprayed fire in the devil’s direction. Her agonised scream was even louder than the flames! He threw himself to the floor as the other limb careened and pierced through the floor where he once stood, sending splinters and rubble flying. The devil’s face twisted in agony and rage as she stared at her damaged arm. The sight made Issei gape at the damage he caused, a giant, scorched, and mangled welt left behind on the right-most giant arm.

‘Is this what Strength 20 really does?’

He didn’t have time to wonder too much, however, because the devil’s manic eyes narrowed in on him, murder in her eyes.

“You…y-you shitty human!” she screeched. “Look what you’ve done to my skin! Have you no shame!?”

“Shame? Lady, you tried to kill me!” he shouted back, bracing behind his shield while he prepared the Grafted Dragon, the draconic weapon growling. “In my opinion, anything’s fair game now!”

Her sneer deepened and she reared back, sending parts of the ceiling crumbling as she revealed her full body. A second, more monstrous torso started where her human one finished. Two muscular arms sat above thick legs with hands for feet, capped with black claws. The human part of her body was attached atop the entire grotesque sight, and not even the sight of her ample bosom was enough for Issei to overcome the sheer disgust at the sight.

“The hell…?” he whispered, eyes wide. After seeing the acid devil, he thought the rest of them couldn’t look any worse, but somehow he was proven wrong. ‘Is she like a centaur? With one of those ugly trolls from Stormveil glued to her waist? And…holy shit, is she touching herself?’

Two glowing circles shone in the dark and began spinning rapidly around her nipples. Unfortunately, Issei didn’t have any time to comprehend the sight before him before something immensely powerful drilled against his brass shield. He winced as he hit the wall, but used Barricade Shield just in time to repel the second wave of blasts that struck his shield. Sizzling rattled his ears, and looking down, he saw drops of a greenish liquid eating through the floor.

“Acid again?” he whispered, then peeked from behind his shield. The devil kept rubbing her chest and twisting her nipples, which were also dripping the same greenish liquid.

‘What kind of messed-up horror game is this?’

The circles surrounding her nipples spun again for another salvo. Issei shook his head at the sight before his eyes, took in the debris from the fight, and an idea formed in his head in that instant. ‘Gawk later, attack now!’

He ran and began to circle the devil as best he could, dodging the rubble their fight had left, being careful not to stumble lest he give her more of an advantage, and also to implement the plan as he scooped a mouthful of debris with the Grafted Dragon as it began to munch. She snarled, her face becoming as grotesque as her body, and swerved to aim at him with her boob-acid (a phrase Issei never thought he’d use outside of trashy h-games). Bending down, he broke into a sudden sprint, running up to her giant lower torso.

Her huge double arms cocked back for another blow, but Issei simply readied his dragon’s head. When he was right underneath her giant, he raised the smoking limb.

“Hey, chimera lady—BEAR WITNESS!”

Having eaten enough of the rubble around him, the dragon belched out a shower of molten rock. The burning projectiles collided with the devil’s misshapen form, and the cone of fire that carried them bathed her fur in a coat of immolating orange.

“YYYEEEEAAAEARRRRGHH!!!”

She stumbled back, arms flailing wildly as the flames traveled up her torso. Issei kept his shield up and dodged the thrashing limbs, a task easier said than done as it tore the surroundings and left him less room to maneuver. Finally, one of the massive fists grazed his shield and threw him head over heels as a pile of bruises. Using an Urgent Heal to remove the lingering pain from his body, he saw the devil was in the process of putting out his flames by rapidly patting herself down. 

What was it that Motohama said?

‘I know it's cool in anime, but waiting for an enemy to recover for phase two isn’t a good idea. In all the blogs I’ve read - and some common sense - if your opponent does something stupid, give them another thing to worry about!’

He could do that.

Swapping out his shield for his Seal, black flames gathered in Issei’s palm. The sudden heat made him flinch, but he shoved it aside as he let it flare. The moment the devil glanced upward, alerted by the spell’s crackling, Issei lobbed the fireball at her, hitting her square in the blue gem on her chest.

Another shrilling scream erupted from her mouth, laden with so much agony it gave Issei pause. The black flames were slowly spreading across her body, and even though she tried to stamp them out, the flames continued to grow. 

“You…holy flames!” she screeched, her bloodshot eyes fixing him with a stare so full of hatred it practically bled as tears. “Accursed exorcist! How did you even find me!?”

Exorcist? Well, he was technically a Confessor…

“You kill a bunch of people and you didn’t think anyone would notice?” he asked, switching back to his shield and aiming his Grafted Dragon at her. “That’s sick, even for you. Why don’t you give up before my Black Flames mess up your skin even more?”

“AARRGGHH!!! GO TO HELL, HUMAN!”

She rushed forward, intent on tearing him to pieces-

But true to form, it was a stupid move. One that Issei was glad to capitalize on as his draconic weapon heated up and roared.

“Take this!”

A wide-ranged, sweeping flame blew up in her face, straight from the Grafted Dragon’s open jaws. The air boomed as the force of the blow, combined with her own lack of focus, was enough to send her rolling backward, all while the black flames melted her skin and devoured her body. A rancid odour began to permeate the air, and Issei gagged as the stench of burnt flesh assaulted his nostrils. He slapped his free hand over his mouth in an effort to block some of the stench, to little avail. In the end, he could only watch as the devil writhed on the floor, warbling with excruciating pain. 

“Shit…”

He saw what his fire spells did. He knew by then the sheer damage they inflicted. But the grotesque sight before him roiled his stomach something fierce, and he had to muster every ounce of willpower not to vomit.

Finally, after a few last heaves, the devil fell on the ground, silent as the black flames were reduced to mere flickers dancing on the remnants of her skin.

Issei didn’t dare move, his eyes wide and knees trembling. He kept aiming the Grafted Dragon at the mutilated devil, a faint numbness coursing through his body that had nothing to do with his healing spell.

“krrt Akaton. Akaton! This is Hundred-Eyes, what the hell is going on there!? The whole building shook!”

Motohama’s blaring voice made Issei yelp, snapping him out of his stupor. He blinked and rubbed the earbud, faintly surprised it remained in place. 

“...this is Akaton,” he said, wooziness in his voice. “I found the...the devil. It is…it was a girl.”

“Oh crap. Are you okay?” 

“Y-yeah,” Issei nodded. “She actually found me. Great pair of boobs, but everything below her waist is seriously messed up. Think centaur and mermaid, but not in a good way.”

A low whistle came from the earbud. “Damn. That ugly?”

“And nasty too. She shot acid from her nipples!”

“...bullshit. Double bullshit.”

“I swear on Marika’s tits and every magical girl in my collection that I’m not lying!” Though he didn’t blame Motohama; even when considering his new circumstances, ‘nipple acid’ was stretching the limits of disbelief. 

“Forgive me if I press X to doubt, but sure. Is she… y’know, dead?”

Issei paused. He eyed the flaming corpse again with equal parts disgust and caution. Her head was tucked away from him, and her long hair obscured her face, but light reflected off the growing puddle of drool and…other fluids pooling next to it.

“I think so. I mean, she certainly doesn’t look alive.”

“You think you should check? We don’t want her to come back for revenge.”

The thought of approaching and poking around a corpse didn’t sound appealing to Issei at all… but neither was the prospect of facing a monster hellbent on killing them. “You know, that’s a good idea, as much as I hate to say it. I’ll go check.”

He summoned back his shield and treaded closer to the fallen devil. The flickering shadows cast by his flames made it appear larger and more ominous. Its giant limbs, lying limply by its sides, didn’t help much either.

“It’s probably dead, it’s probably dead…” he whispered to himself. “Come on, Issei, just one quick check and you’re outta here.”

He reached the head, his boots treading in the puddle he’d glimpsed earlier. He dared not look down, afraid he’d finally lose his lunch. Steeling himself and inhaling, he gave the devil’s head a swift kick.

…

…

“...Hundred-Eyes. I’m pretty sure it’s dead. I’m heading back out, so meet-”

An eye opened.

“RRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!”

His feet no longer touched the ground.

Pressure squeezed around him as the wall slammed into his back - or was it the other way around? 

The grip shook him and tightened. He forced himself to open his eyes, only to gag as the incensed, burnt face of the devil, teeth bared and eyes overflowing with pure hatred.

“Fucking human…” she hissed, not a single trace of seduction left in her tone. “You think you can walk away from me!? I am Viser, former lieutenant of the Berith legions!”

Issei gulped as the stench made his eyes water. ‘Great, she has a name.’

“You’re nothing more than a worm crawling in the dung heap! Thinking he can spit in my face ‘cause he can light some kindling!” Her normal arms crackled with red circles and a green steam began to emanate from them. “I’ve slaughtered hundreds of your worthless kind and forced them to watch as I feasted on their flesh! When I’m done with you, your church buddies won’t need a coffin to bury your remains!”

Issei tried to attack, but her monstrous limb pinned his arms to the side. The Grafted Dragon hissed uselessly, and he couldn’t cast spells. Viser leaned back as she slowly aimed her scorched arms right in his face.

If that acid was as bad as the last one…

‘Move, damn it, move!’

But no matter how much he struggled, the arm kept him pinned.

“Die, you shitty exorcist!”

Tears prickled at the corners of his eyes, but a snarl broke through his lips. 

No.

‘I’ve been strangled to death and almost eaten. Like hell I’m gonna let this chick do the same! I just need one chance, but what can I do to-’

One chance.

One spell.

One spell he hadn’t used yet.

One spell that could fuck everything up. Including him.

But what else was left?

Without thinking, he mentally switched to his third slot. Reaching for that familiar tug of magic, he found it and pulled.

O dragon, trueborn heir.

Power and majesty unbridled.

Scourge and abhorrent.

Thy rage shall no longer torment me.

Thy power, used for terror, shall be my sword.

Thy might, my sword. Thy scales, my shield.

Thy flames…

My will, unbridled.

Die, wretched beast.

Burn, as they had. 

Burn to ash, until only screams remain.

-x-

“Buchou, what’s going on?”

Rias Gremory glanced at her knight as the teleportation circle faded. “One of our markers was pinged. A large concentration of demonic power was released nearby.” She turned her gaze toward the house atop the hill, where a faint glow bloomed behind it. She’d had her suspicions about the place, and there were several rumors regarding strange sightings in the area. Akeno had placed several talismans designed to alert her if a certain amount of demonic power touched them.

“Sitri-san didn’t say anything about a team exercise nearby, so…what are we looking at?” he asked, summoning a sword to his hand.

“Most likely a stray devil,” commented Koneko. The petite, white-haired girl stared stoically at the house before her. “We would’ve noticed if it was anything stronger.”

Rias nodded. “Good thinking, Koneko. The question, though, is why would a stray do something so overt?” She rubbed her chin in thought. “All the strays we’ve hunted down have done their best to hide their presence. For one to do the equivalent of announcing themselves on a megaphone doesn’t add up.”

“Ara ara, then let’s go ask them, shall we?” asked Akeno, her black hair swaying in the wind and her expression as serene as ever.

“Exactly what I was thinking.” She turned around and placed her hands on her hips. “Be on your guard. We don’t know what else is in there, especially one that could set off a stray like-”

RRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHH!

All eyes snapped to the house, courtesy of the bestial roar that tore through the twilight. An explosion burst through the back end of the house, sending rubble flying into the woods surrounding it. Her heart skipped a beat as the roar shook her body, and even Akeno’s serene visage tightened. 

“What was that?” Kiba’s grip on his sword tightened, and already Rias could spot a drop of sweat forming on his brow.

“That pressure…it’s huge.” Koneko clenched her fists as she immediately bent her knees and settled into a combat stance. 

Rias’s eyes narrowed as she honed in on the house. If that was the stray, it didn’t sound happy in the slightest. Not to mention what it could do to the humans if allowed to rampage. “Keep your guard up, we’re heading inside!”

“Yes, buchou!”

The four rushed up the steps leading to the house. A wave of magic blew open the doors and Kiba took point, darting inside and scanning the desolate and ruined room. 

“Nothing here.”

Rias nodded. The explosion had come from the back of the house, but it didn’t hurt to check.

She and her peerage climbed the creaking stairs, following the sounds of crackling wood and crumbling rubble. The staircase led to a small atrium where several doors stood. Smoke poured out from behind one of them, faintly obscuring the glow of orange.

If that wasn’t where the stray was lurking, then she would throw her anime figurine collection into the deepest pit in the Underworld.

Koneko sniffed the air, only to recoil. “Burnt flesh. Lots of it.”

“Akeno.”

Her Queen raised her hand and a bolt of lightning destroyed the door. Another wave, and a gust of wind blew away the smoke. Her demonic power at the ready, Rias entered the room-

And felt the blood leave her face.

The burnt mass of flesh and pus was splattered all across the room. Where once vibrant or homey colors dominated were now forever stained with black and glowing embers. Fires danced across patches of fur, burning every stray hair caught in their grasp. Picture frames lay strewn on the floor, the glass shard reflecting off the light of moon and flame that shone from the shattered wall. A heap of molten muscle dominated the room, fused and mashed up together in a scene that no horror movie could replicate. 

Rias violently swallowed and calmed her trembling arms. She was no stranger to gore and blood. Her previous encounters with strays and enemies were never clean. But she always endeavored to make it quick and precise. Her Power of Destruction helped, never leaving any trace of a body or even ashes. A fast kill also meant a smaller chance of a screw-up or a call for reinforcements. 

This?

This wasn’t efficient. Or even swift.

This was anger and desperation’s bastard child.

Akeno’s smile slanted. Covering her nose, she approached the mass of flesh and inspected it. Rias followed her every step, and both stopped when she reached a bulbous mass topped with a mush of what was once hair.

“Kiba-kun,” she said. “Remind me, which is the most recent stray nii-sama assigned to us?”

Her Knight poked a trunk of burnt muscle with his sword. “Viser. A former lieutenant of the Berith pillar’s legions. A classic case of dissatisfaction with her master, resulting in her exile. Willingly subjected herself to chimerization procedures.” He eyed the body, trailing over the burning fur. “Minotaur blood was highlighted in the file.”

She sighed. “That eliminates the need for a guessing game, then. A former lieutenant…even after a long period in exile, she wouldn’t have been a pushover. What could cause this much damage?”

“I’m not sniffing that,” Koneko chimed, doing her best not to inhale. 

“You won’t need to, Koneko-chan. These wounds look familiar enough for me to test,” Kiba said. He summoned another sword, radiant and gleaming, and stabbed Viser’s corpse. The sword’s light flashed brighter, bathing the room, before it shattered. 

She blinked. “That was-”

“Holy power. Very potent at that,” Akeno finished. She eyed the steel fragments lying on the floor moments before they dissipated into golden dust. “Enough to overwhelm Kiba-kun’s holy absorption sword.”

Rias frowned and rubbed her chin. “A fallen angel? A territorial feud or egos clashing? Strays have been known to work with Girgori forces.”

“It doesn’t feel like that,” she replied. “Fallen Angel and regular Angel holy power aren’t too dissimilar. This feels…wilder. Uncontrolled.”

“An exorcist then?” Kiba chimed in. “But I don’t recall any missives from the church.”

“There weren’t any.” And that was worrying. Both options were, on the off-chance Akeno was wrong. “Regardless, we can’t find anything in this mess. Find any clues you can from the body and then I’ll clean it up. Hopefully, we’ll find something useful without…” she waved at the pandemonic scene.

Her peerage nodded and began searching the room. Rias kept staring at the corpse, fighting the urge to erase it. Though she didn’t voice it, a strange unease had wormed her way into her stomach. 

‘To do this much damage to a stray…what kind of power can do that? Is it a Sacred Gear? A magician’s spell?’

And thoughts began to brew. Of a smirking blond devil, lying on a couch with a woman in each arm, eyeing her with hunger and dismissal.

‘And if it’s not a threat…can I use it?’