Chapter 10

At this moment, Black Jeanne has then carried on the liberation of her Noble Phantasm, lets resentment and curse emotions change into Flaming Karmic Fire, burns completely in all directions, while Jeanne is at the center of that said flame.

Facing this flame which full of hatred Noble Phantasm, even if Saint or Saintess. Is unable to withstand it for long.

Black - Combustion! Combustion! Combustion!

Black Jeanne shout recklessly, seemed like venting her own enmity which full of hatred. Making the flame ignition even stronger. Therefore the floor started to melt, the temperature rises even hotter, space started to twist. The entire room changes into a scalding hot sea of fire instantaneously, lets the entire area change into like a purgatory sea of fire, filling the air with black smokes.

In such purgatory sea of fire, only one spot maintains the previous state.

And that spot is where Jeanne's are.

Issei is standing far enough from their battle arena so he is not affected by it, not like that fire can hurt him anyway because he can easily take a bath inside lava without being worried of getting burnt. If anything he feels comfortable.

In the dim golden light, as if invisible wall barrier protect Jeanne to be the same, from the fluttering of the flag that emits such light. Covers all around her.

Jeanne - Lord, please protect me.

Jeanne closes her eyes tightly, facing this formidable flame that looks like it can burn down everything, on the face of this Saintess did not have a single sign of fear nor dread, she only reverently offering her prayer, to make the holy flag shines even brighter.

But even though Jeanne's Noble Phantasm defensive power is astonishing, but the flag itself if continually took damage will become unusable anymore if it passes a certain threshold.

While Black Jeanne's fire seems only going keep getting stronger and stronger like you can't see the bottom of her power.

Black - Combustion! Combustion! Combustion!

She screams once more but with more intensity this time, much crueler. In such case, the flames are getting even stronger.

Jeanne - Ugh... Guh!

The white Jeanne expression also gradually starting to become strained. The light on her flag also becomes dimmer, without a doubt if this continues. The flag will reach its limit eventually.

Black - Ahahahahaha!

Black Jeanne is recklessly laughing, watching the other 'her' struggling.

Until something happened... She saw a young man standing in front of the other 'her' and not getting burnt at all facing her flames and that made her eyes widen.

Jeanne also realized someone stood in front of her and the burden she feels is gone like it's never there in the first place. So she looks up and saw a handsome young man looking down at her, the look in his eyes are limpid like he's pitying her. Then she heard his voice

Issei - Is it worth it?

When she's confused with what he meant, he continues talking once more.

Issei - Is it worth it after you sacrificed everything for the things you love, but in the end, you're betrayed by them...? Knowing your demise is coming but you never fought back because you feel like that is your job, even though you have the power to fight back?

Then she realizes what he's asking of her so she answers with "Yes, Its all worth it... Even though they condemn me as a witch and burn me down at the stakes it's all worth it because the Lord gave me his revelation and I will do as he says". She stated with conviction just like a true Saintess which she is.

Issei only looks on quietly at her. His eyes never lost his pity for the young girl in front of her which baffles Jeanne's a bit why he's still looking at her like that. But their silence is broken by Black Jeanne's scream.

Black - Who are you!?

She screams with hatred because this newcomer blocked her flames and protect the other 'her'. She's confused and angry, how can he block her flames like its nothing.

But Issei never turns around to answer her and continued gazing at Jeanne.

Black - Answer me!?

She screams once more and tries to increase the intensity of her flame but to no avail because forgets even flinching. Even the corner of his clothes is not burnt and looks like he doesn't even feel the flame she emits like there was never any flame to begin with. She becomes more enraged and stopped using her flame and made a dash to him and tried to stab him with her flag. "HAH!!!"

Jeanne - Watch out!

Jeanne who saw this tries to warn him and tried to stand up to protect him, but because she's too exhausted to even stand properly after spending most of her power to defend herself previously. So she can only look on when Black Jeanne tries to stab him from his behind.

Issei still doesn't turn around but he extends his hands backward and make a grabbing motion towards the attack which is coming his way and stopped it effortlessly with just one hand. And stopped Black Jeanne's advances just like that.

This alarmed her greatly because she puts everything she has against that strike but here it is stopped like it's nothing by the man in front of her. Jeanne also becomes stupefied by this but she stopped her thoughts when he speaks once more.

Issei - I truly pity both of you...

Issei finally turns around to look at Black Jeanne in the eyes but he still has that pitying look he has when he's looking at Jeanne. And his look made Black Jeanne furious because she doesn't need pity from anyone, when she tried to say something he continues saying

Issei - You both sacrificed everything you have... Your body, your blood, your time, and even your life just to protect something you both loved just because of some 'revelation' from something unclear...

And his words anger both of them because even though Black Jeanne wanted revenge she still believes in the Lord deep inside her. They both screamed, "Don't you dare says the revelation from God as something unclear!" Even though Jeanne is a Saintess she will still become angry if someone insulted her Lord, she won't mind if anyone scorns her but she won't allow anyone scorns her believes. The same goes for Black Jeanne.

Issei responds to their outburst with the same calm look and tone.

Issei - Then I asked you both this... Have you ever seen your so called Lord?

They both tried to argue but they have to admit they never saw their Lord in the flesh before, but they believe they can feel Him. And they clearly heard the voice of their Lord before, so they told him just that. But what he said next completely took them by surprise.

Issei - Really? How about if I told you both that your so-called "God" is already dead long before you even born?

Jeanne & Black - What!? You're lying! Don't you dare blaspheme him even more than you do!

Issei - I'm not lying, I don't have the reason to lie to both of you... 'God' is already dead during the great war between the 3 factions a long time ago, the ones who took his place is 1 of his Archangel. Archangel Michael, and if you still think I'm lying then here I shall show you.

Then Issei put both of his hands on top of their heads and make them 'see' from his own memory about finding 'God's Death.

Then they both saw the revelation from Michael and how God is already dead even before they were born and heard the fact that Michael took over his place to act like one, now they know the truth behind their so-called 'Revelation'. Its orchestrated by Michael, not God himself. He has to sacrifice both of them because he needs humanity to stand on their own, he can't interfere directly because humans tend to become afraid of the unknown. (Just making some bs story here please don't be mad guys I believe in God myself and in dxd universe, God is portrayed as dead already so I only use its setting, Peace)

Jeanne - No no no no no....

She collapses into the floor once more and tears stream down from her eyes and her eyes have lost the light like she can't believe everything is true. She kept mumbling 'No' or 'This must be lies'. While Black Jeanne.

Black - "Isn't this sweet?" She says as she looked at the other Jeanne "We fought for f*cking nothing, Jeanne! We have been burned in the name of a f*cking corpse! I knew it that there was no God!" her words are cruel but Issei know behind those words of her there was a deep sadness "Nothing! Nothing! F*cking Nothing!!!" All her hatred burst out like a broken dam, "Everything... Everything was a f*cking lie!" She kept saying that as tears also fell from her eyes. Then she also collapsed on the floor holding her face with both her hands.

Issei just looked on when both of them pour their sadness out after finding about the truth, he knows what he did is cruel but they need to find out about the truth... Because he doesn't want them to sacrifice their lives for nothing.

After a while, he finally spoke once more.

Issei - So was everything still worth it?

They both lift their heads and stare angrily at him with tears still in their eyes because they know the cruel truth from him.

Issei - You want to blame me for telling you the truth then go ahead, if you won't have revenge against me then be my guest. I don't mind taking both of your hatred if that makes you feel better, but I won't take back anything I've done even if I could because you both need to knows the truth.

He pauses for a bit before continues saying:

Issei - I have also experienced the same thing as you two, I have sacrificed everything for the ones I once loved. But in the end, they betrayed me, at first I also feel devastated and just want to end it all by letting myself die from the cold hard truth. But my trusted partner pull me back from the despair I felt and made me realize the word called "Freedom". Freedom to not act for anyone else, freedom to choose the path that lies before me, freedom to finally act for myself, not just for others. And I find it funny how just that one word can bring me so much joy, "Freedom cannot be bestowed - it must be achieved." that sayings are quite true... "The great revolution in the history of man, past, present, and future, is the revolution of those determined to be free." You can sacrifice as much as you want but if you cannot free yourself then how can you free other people? Sometimes sacrificing yourself for others is not a good thing, that way they won't ever truly be free if you keep saving them.

They need to strive for freedom themselves. Michael's way is not wrong but also not right, he is right for thinking the best for human so they can stand on their own but he is wrong when he choose to sacrifice both of you just to achieve his objectives. So here's where my favorite sayings come in "Everything is permitted, Nothing is true." You can be called a saintess, you can be called a witch, but in the end what defines your true self are not someone else, not even God himself. It's you yourself who decide what you want to be, as long you believe in who you truly are, and do not pay any heed to what other people call you. You shall find your own "Freedom", "Freedom" to become whatever you want.

At that moment both Jeanne's see the light, the light they thought have lost after knowing the cold hard truth.

Issei - So tell me... Will you achieve your own rights, rights to be happy, rights to be yourself. The rights to finally attain your own true "Freedom" or will you just look away and ignore what should be truthfully yours in the first place? And if you are afraid of moving forward then I shall offer you my back to lean on until you are ready to move forward on your own.

He says while looking at both of them with the sincerest smile he can muster, and his eyes are filled with gentleness and caring warmth seeing they finally see the light once more. Something he thought he can't achieve anytime soon but at least he can save the two Jeanne's in front of him, saving them from the never-ending cycle of acting as a sacrificial lamb. And finally started looking for their own "Freedom".

When the two Jeanne's saw his sincere smile and his gentle caring eyes, they thought they saw God and for the first time in their life they feel an emotion that they thought they throw away just to serve the supposed Lord, Love. Not love like what they felt for their country, but the love between a man and a woman. They have stopped their tears and both have a red tinge on their cheek.

Black Jeanne still emit a bit of distrust because that's what her core are. Distrust against everything, so she asked him

Black Jeanne - And why should we believe you? You might just betray us just like the others are when you have the chance!

She spat at him because she's indeed afraid of trusting him even though she has favorable feelings against him. The white Jeanne also feel a bit of distrust after what happened but they both become stupefied by what he says next

Issei emit his Dragon 'Aura' to the fullest and says

"Hereby I swear on my Soul and my Name Issei Hyoudou. If I ever betray the two women before me then shall my soul be destroyed and never to be reincarnated!"

Then both girls feel there's a connection between their souls connected with his very own soul. And know that they are now bound by a contract, if he by chance ever betray them then his soul will cease to exist and this contract is absolute and lasts for all eternity.

They become wide-eyed and can't believe he just swore an oath that binds their souls just like that, they can end him anytime they want if by chance he ever betrays them.

Of course, he only cannot betray them first. That doesn't mean he should do anything to please them.

He could relate with them a bit of being betrayed by the people they loved hence why he swore an oath.

Issei thought he will never interact with them anymore after this so he doesn't really mind.

Besides, the contract itself is not really absolute... If by chance they try to betray him first then he could retaliate as well.

Issei - Is that enough to gain the trust from both of you?

He says with the same smile he has from before, and there is not a tiny bit of hesitation nor regret when he said his oath. And they can feel their heart thump wildly inside their chest when they saw his smile once more, even Black Jeanne feels the emotion she never thought will feel again from all the hatred she harbors inside her, trust and love... For the first time, she feels other emotion rather than just pure hatred, and she like this new feeling.

While White Jeanne put her hands together like she's praying but her face is anything but holy now, her face is red like tomatoes and her eyes hold nothing but love and faith for the man before her. Like she finally sees her true Lord.