Part 3

The three of us walk down the staircase under the altar.

It looks like the electricity works even in here.

With Kiba in front of us, we walk ahead.

After the stairs, there is a single passage. Sometimes there are doors in both side of the wall. So this is a basement huh.

Koneko-chan points to the far end by saying, "Possibly at the end of this passage... I can smell that person...".

So Asia is there. Then my spirit pumped up.

Wait for me, Asia. I'll be there soon!

When we went further in, a big door appears.

"Is that it?"

"Possibly. I'm sure there are groups of Exorcists and Fallen Angels inside. Are you ready?"

Koneko-chan and I nod at Kiba.

"Okay. Then we'll open the door—"

When Kiba and I were about to open the door, the door opens by itself.

While making a large noise, the inside of the ritual place becomes visible.

"Welcome. Devils."

The Fallen Angel, Raynare, spoke from the end of the room.

The room is full of priests. They all have a sword handle that makes the blade of light in their hands.

I looked at the girl who is attached to the cross and shout.

"Asiaaa!"

Asia noticed my voice and looks at me.

"...Ise-san?"

"Yeah! I've come to save you!"

I smile at her and a tear drops from her eye.

"It's a touching reunion, but it's too late. The ritual is about to finish now."

The ritual is finished?

What does she mean—

Suddenly, Asia's body starts to glow.

"...Aaah, iyaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

Asia screams. She looks very painfully.

"Asia!"

I tried to reach her, but the priests surround me.

"I won't let you interfere!"

"Damn Devils! I will destroy you!"

"Move! Shitty priests! I don't have time to bother with you all!"

BAN!

A big sound. When I looked, Koneko-chan punched one of the priests away.

"...Please don't touch me."

Kiba also draw his darkness-sword.

"Looks like I will have to go full throttle from the beginning. I hate Priests. If there are this many, then I won't hold back to devour your light."

Kiba's eyes become sharp and I can feel chills from him.

The darkness is showing a very dense killing intent. This will be an all-out war.

"Iyaaaaaa..."

At the same time, a large light comes out of Asia's body.

Raynare takes it to her hand.

"This is it! This is the power that I craved for a long time! Sacred Gear! With this, I will be loved!"

With an expression of ecstasy, Raynare hugs on to the light.

Then the bright light envelops the ritual room.

When the light stops, there is a Fallen Angel emitting green coloured light from her body.

"Ufufu. Ahahahahahaha! I finally have it! The supreme power! With this, I can become a supreme Fallen Angel! With this I can payback all those who were looking down on me!"

The Fallen Angel makes a big laugh.

I didn't pay attention to her and went straight to Asia.

The priests are trying to stop me, but Kiba and Koneko-chan support me by blowing them away.

Kiba's sword devours the light of the priest's sword, and Koneko-chan hit the priests who has lost their weapon with one mighty hit. The combination of these two is remarkable, and it's obvious that it isn't the type of combination possible with a few days of practice.

"Thanks, you two!"

Asia, who is attached to the cross. She looks lifeless.

No, she should still be okay!

I untied the things on her hands and legs, and hold her in my arms.

"...I-Ise-san..."

"Asia, I came to take you back."

"...Yes."

Her voice is very small when she replied, and it didn't sound lively.

Hey, hey!

She should still be fine, right? She won't...

"It's futile."

Raynare makes a smirk as if she is rejecting my thoughts once again.

"Possessors whose Sacred Gear is taken away from their body will die. That girl is going to die."

"—!Then give the Sacred Gear back!"

I shout at her, but she just laughs.

"There's no way that I will give it back. You know I even deceived my superiors to get my hands on this? I will kill all of you and erase all evidence."

"...Shit. You are nowhere close to the Yuuma-chan that I remember."

Hearing that, she starts to laugh out loudly.

"Fufufu, it was pretty fun. The time I dated you."

"...You were my first girlfriend."

"Yes, watching it was very cute. It's fun to play around with guys who have no experience with a woman."

"...I was serious about taking care of you."

"Ufufu, yes, you did take care of me. When I was in trouble you managed to take care of it right away and made sure I didn't get hurt. But did you know that I did all of that on purpose? Because it was funny to see your face when you were in panic."

"...I made sure I planned our first date carefully. To make sure it would become a great date."

"Ahahaha! Yeah! It was an ordinary date! Thanks to that, I was very bored!"

"...Yuuma-chan."

"Ufufu, I chose that name so I can kill you at Dawn. Wonderful, isn't it? Right, Ise-kun?"

My rage past its limit. I then shout my anger at her:

"Raynareeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!"

"Ahahahahaha! I don't want a rotten brat like you calling my name!"

Raynare makes a sneer.

I have so much hatred within me that my gut is turning black.

I don't know anyone who is a bigger scum than her.

She is truly the one who is fitting to be called a devil.

"Hyoudou-kun! Our formation is at a disadvantage while we are protecting that girl! So go upstairs at once! We'll make the path for you! Now, hurry!"

Kiba says it while taking down the priests.

He's right. There are still a great number of priests left, so there will be a limit to fighting this Fallen Angel here while protecting Asia.

I glared at Raynare, and then left the place carrying Asia.

"Koneko-chan, we will make an escape path for Hyoudou-kun!"

"...Affirmative."

The two of them starts to take down the priests who are trying to get in my way.

Thanks to their support, I'm able to get to the entrance of the ritual room right away.

"Kiba! Koneko-chan!"

"You go ahead! We will handle here!"

"...Please go quickly."

"But!"

"Just go!"

Damn! Kiba! Koneko-chan! Both of you are showing off too much!

But now I will have to rely on them. My senior Devils. There's no way they will die in a place like this!

"Kiba! Koneko-chan! When I get back, call me "Ise"! Definitely! We are comrades!"

That's what I said to them. It feels like the two of them smiled.

I left the place and went straight to the passage at once.