Chapter 22: Turning point part 6 Finale

If death had a voice, it would probably sound something like...

"Hachiman~"

Yeah, something like that.

Walking outside to the balcony for fresh air was a good decision. I knew this conversation wouldn't be easy, so I had put myself in a comfortable environment.

With the cold temperature outside and the illuminating Eiffel Tower shining in the background, I felt a sense of inner peace with the calm atmosphere. The sound of tree leaves rustling and the driving cars added to that experience.

"Hey Akeno-chan, I'm sure you're expecting some answers." My first plan of attack was to know what she knew beforehand. Did she know about Azazel or Baraquiel? Her timing also was worrying, as it happened just after the attack.

"I'm waiting~."

"Right, *sigh* Look, before we talk, I must make sure to clear up any sort of possible misunderstanding on your part. So, what do you know?" Nice, this was vague enough for her not to grow suspicious about anything.

"I heard from Rias, that you had some matters to attend to. A certain 'past issue' with someone." Her voice seemed to strain at that last part. She obviously knew something was up. "Now tell me, what type of issue would require you to be gone all night yesterday?"

Has it been that long already? Oh right, France was a few hours behind Japan, so if it was nighttime here then..."Sorry, Akeno-chan things came up and I had to stay for longer."

"You're not in Japan, are you?" She said it more like a statement than a question.

"No, no I'm not. Listen... It's an important mission I'm on. Something that will heavily affect me. I can't say for certain how much longer I'll have to remain here, but I'll definitely be back before the weekend."

"..." Her line was silent, I knew she was still on the call, so I waited.

From the corner of my eyes, I saw Azazel heading towards the door with his finger crossed gesturing to me 'good luck'. I just gave him a slight nod before he left the room, giving me a bit of privacy. For all his craziness, Azazel certainly knew how to read the mood.

"You really want to help whoever this is, huh?"

Yes, but not just Baraqiel, I wanted to help Jeanne in catching the monster as well and save the people. 'If my past self were to see me now, he would probably vomit.'

This was a stark contrast to the past me. Hiratsuka-sensei forced me to join the service club because she opposed my view of youth. Despite my utter dislike of my situation back then, my actions had shown otherwise.

I attempted to play the bad guy, I hurt the feelings of many, most of my methods not being healthy. But somehow it kept working as a mission failed successfully, people had their problem solved.

I was a socially awkward guy and a loner, I did everything to maintain that image, even if it hurt me. But looking back now, I could have been different.

The current me was more than willing to help others, to offer a helping hand when needed. Some of my quirks remained but I no longer tried my hardest to maintain an image.

I realised...

That I just didn't care anymore.

I just followed my heart, no longer afraid of falling, no longer caring for others. My past self may have said something like that but it would have been a lie.

Just like the rest, I used to always wear a mask as well.

I get rejected? No problem, I'll try again.

Everyone suddenly loves me? A bit hard to deal with but if I'm anything is adaptable.

I'll go out of my way to make sure someone is well, may they be strangers or friends. Because this was who the new Hikigaya Hachiman was, the real me.

A grown-up, Hikigaya Hachiman.

"And I'll always help out people in need," I answered Akeno, feeling my cheeks heat up at the statement.

Though I do feel embarrassed from time to time when I try to sound cool.

"I know, and I love that part of you. But I also hate it. In many cases you keep everything bottled up inside you, never asking for much help. I always knew you had some inner struggles, yet you never brought them up."

"You saved my life, my mother's life, Rias is doing a lot better than before, Koneko is happier, even your parents are living off their dream life. Yet never in our time together have I had the opportunity to truly help you, to share some of your burdens."

I was beginning to grasp on what she was going for. Akeno didn't want me to be left all alone with my own demons. It wasn't an easy topic to bring up, especially with my case.

"I will one day." That's all I could say.

"I'll keep you to your word, call us if you need help, we'll teleport to your side in an instant. Okay?" Seems like I at least had some backup if things hit the fan.

"Sure," I agreed, taking out the small pamphlet that Rias distributed everywhere to her customers.

"I love you." She replied like it was the most natural thing to say to him.

*Ba-bump*

This was the moment, say it.

"I..."

*Ba-bump*

The past is the past, I just had a long monologue on how I didn't care anymore and just followed my heart.

*Ba-bump*

"I..." So I should be able to do it.

*Ba-bump*

Say it.

*Ba-bump*

Come on!

*Ba-bump*

Don't act like a stupid Shounen protagonist!

*Ba-bump*

You're better than that!

*Ba-bump*

*Sigh* "I love you too."

A simple statement that held a lot of power.

Just like a dam breaking, I felt my body flood with a torrential flood of relief and acceptance. 'Sorry Yukino, I had to move on with my life. I can't keep being held down by the past.'

....

-Next day-

You know what? Waking up in the king-size luxurious bed with silk covers and embroidered curtains...isn't that shocking to me at this point.

What? You thought I would be amazed by the rich display?

Ha! Living with Rias was basically being exposed to all the riches the human world had to offer, and her understanding of money and how to spend it is vastly different from a regular person. But I'm not complaining about my manor house back in Japan.

Now on to serious stuff, analysing everything that happened last night.

"Vritra you awake?"

Since everyone in this huge manor was part of the supernatural and knew about my sacred gear, I didn't bother hiding my thoughts. "We need to talk about last night, especially that…monster." Calling it anything else would be wrong.

'I predict some of your questions, partner. As I myself wondered about them in my own spare time.' So he noticed it too, good this saved me some time. 'The monster's gear which was my own did not react to my presence.'

Yes, that was one of my biggest questions, according to Vritra previously, whenever a less compatible Vritra gear would come near me, it had a high possibility of being ripped out from its host's soul. Yet yesterday disproved that claim completely, the monster was fine and did not scream in pain from having its gear ripped out. Not like there was any sign of it even happening in the first place.

"Does it mean the monster was more compatible with his gear than me or were we about the same?"

'I believe I may have half an answer for that.' Vritra said, 'That thing we fought yesterday has completely fused with its gear, in some ways, we were fighting the gear rather than the person. So the question of compatibility no longer applies. Still, it was not natural, something or someone forced it in that state.'

And I may have an idea who that might be from that magic circle that attacked us.

The Nebiros clan, one of the devil's 72 pillars, were the ones who Koneko and Kuroka once served. That whole incident with Kuroka happened after the family head was killed off by her going insane with power, allegedly. From my research, they were a scientifically focused clan, doing research and experiments for 'the sake of devil kind'. For years they went into total darkness from the outside world, remaining hidden and silent.

I took it upon myself to memorise every single sigil of the devil houses and without a doubt, I was attacked by a member of the Nebiros clan experiments.

'The Nebiros clan' I was a bit shocked that Vritra knew them. 'For a dragon as old as me, I have fought against countless beings of all races. At this point, I have battled every member of the 72 pillars, even Lucifer himself at some point. I will never forget my enemies.'

"What are your thoughts about them?" Since they were related to the events with Koneko and Kuroka, I wanted to know more about this clan, aside from what's written in a book. "They were mentioned to be a reclusive and loyal house."

'Ha! Now that's funny, the people who won't hesitate to dissect their family members in the name of progress, are called loyal? They are nothing more than immoral backstabbing scums!' Now that's a big reaction from Vritra, guess his last encounter with them didn't go so well.

"You think I should contact Rias with this?"

'I can not answer that question, partner. The decision lies with you.' So in other words, you are not sure.

After leaving the bed and getting ready for the day, I left my room and made my way towards the dining hall. Courtesy from Baraqiel, he had given me high-end brand clothes that I would only see those fashion icons on the internet wear.

Just imagining the price tag made me feel like these clothes weighed more than all of the money in my bank account.

As I continued walking, I noticed the many stares from the maids and female passersby. It downright sent an uncomfortable chill down my back from their sheer intensity. I felt like prey being stalked by a predator in the woods, except this time it was in the open.

'At least they don't gossip like the girls from Kuoh'

Another thing I noticed that was a bit suspicious was their rather… well-endowed figure. Every single one of them was capable of passing off as Models and they all shared similar eye colours; violet.

'They're all fallens.'

Oh, no...

I don't know why, but I didn't feel safe around these people. It's the same dread I felt around some of the Kuoh girls but multiplied by a thousand. 'Don't you think they are staring at me a bit too intensely?' I asked Vritra.

'Hahahaha!' Vritra burst out laughing to my chagrin. 'Fallen, especially those who have sinned for lust, are very attracted to powerful individuals, like you.'

Am I gonna be tackled out of nowhere-No!

Nope! I just had a similar thought before and got jumped on by girls, there is no way I'm gonna jinx myself again!

I'm not even that strong yet!

"Hachiman-sama." A voice out of nowhere interrupted my thoughts.

"KYAAA!" I certainly did not jump in the air like a cat or scream like a girl.

I was cool and composed.

Cool…

The person who called me was a very tall and buxom woman with yellow eyes and long, navy blue hair that reached to her legs, while a portion of it obscured her right eye.

Her attire consisted of a maroon, trench coat-like top with a wide collar, a matching miniskirt, and black heeled shoes. The trenchcoat top was open at her chest, giving a view of her breasts and cleavage. She also wore a gold necklace around her neck. She appears to wear a white shirt underneath her top, but it was barely noticeable.

Just seeing her made me feel...uncomfortable in certain areas, my hormones were acting up. I already struggled daily around Rias and Akeno with their exhibitionist tendencies. But this person next to me just oozed that sexy secretary aura. ''This woman is dangerous!'

I can't say how she got so close to me, I could smell her fragrance, feel the heat and my arms were just inches away from touching her chest.

*Cough* "Oh, hey there, didn't see you, which surprised me." I tried playing off my previous embarrassing sight by acting nonchalant. "Need something?"

She gave me that 'I know what you did there' face, I ignored it and just looked her dead in the eyes. Her grin showed as she used her hand to push up her breasts in her already incredibly tight attire.

I had to try really hard to keep my eyes on her face, or else I might not survive if I look anywhere else.

"Baraqiel-sama has asked me to escort you to the dining hall and take care of all your needs." She told me with a purr in her tone as she approached me in a very Akeno manner, sending shivers down my spine.

That squint-eyed, stone-faced, soon-to-be beardless, perverted bastard! Is he trying to test me?!

Jokes on you asshole! I had to deal with Rias and Akeno every day for years! Having to put up with them being naked in my bed, teasing me with their touches! Compared to all that, this is nothing! Even if this Onee-chan is almost on the same level as them, I won't fall so easily!

I laugh at this poor attempt!

"Lead the way." I intentionally put some distance between us, showing her how I wasn't affected by her tactics.

It worked as her smile fell for a bit before returning. "Then please follow me." She turned around and began walking through the halls with a slight sway to her hips.

I wouldn't lie and say that I didn't stare at it for a bit, but I wasn't a horndog about to lose control. It just happened to be in my field of vision.

No, really...

That's it… I promise...

Why does it feel like Yukino glaring at me with disgust and disappointment?

I followed her through this maze-like mansion, all corners looking the same as the last one. Every ten steps I would pass by a maid, it made me wonder why Baraqiel didn't just live with his wife here?

But then again, I wouldn't have met Akeno had he done so.

Our walk was short but it felt too long, with this woman trying to grab my attention. Vritra's laughter at my poor situation was not helping either.

Bastard…

Not too soon after we found ourselves in front of a large door. The woman got to the side and opened the door for me to pass through.

"Thanks…" I forgot to ask her name, focused on not staring at her, "miss…?"

"Fufufu, so you finally asked, I almost thought you would just keep staring at my ass without so much of an introduction." I felt my face heat up at being caught, before trying to regain my cool. Hey, I may be a jerk sometimes but I wasn't a complete douche. "My name is Kalawarna." She said with a beautiful smile, her hair parted slightly showing off both of her golden eyes, which seem to glitter with mischief.

"Nice to meet you Kalawarna-san, I'm Hikigaya Hachiman."

"Oh, I am well aware of who you are, everyone is as well." What's that supposed to mean? But then again, Azazel and Baraqiel didn't make it a secret when they brought me to their base.

While still lost at what she meant, I didn't notice the fallen getting close from behind. I stiffen when I felt her breasts press onto my back, her arms wrapping around, her soft hand cupping my cheek before feeling her breathing near my ear, whispering something that would have sounded ominous if I was in the right mind. Her actions began mirroring those of Akeno's when she is trying to get my attention.

"We'll keep in touch."

With that said, she gave the edge of my ear a slow lick before quickly letting me go and pushing me through the door when it opened.

The only thing that was going through my mind at that moment.

'Dangerous! That woman is really dangerous!'

…

Composing myself after dealing with that dangerous woman, I looked at the occupants that were in the room.

"Oh, hey kid! Hope your conversation last night went well." There seated near the dining table was none other than Azazel, eating the finest delicacies that the country can offer. Being served by maids, all who were certainly fallens like him. By his side, enjoying a cup of tea was Baraqiel, donning his vice governor attire, which looked like a mix of loose black robes, black leather, and black metal armour. He looked a bit tired and worn out, recognizing that face whenever I came out from a whole night doing a long training session.

He gave me a nod after seeing me. "Good morning, Hikigaya-kun. We have much to discuss about last night's monster situation." And boy, did we have a lot to unravel.

"I will share with you some of the Intel and information we have gathered from our discussion with the local powers. Though the local supernatural residents aren't so keen on foreign entities encroaching on their business, they had little to no choice but to request aid from us."

Wasn't that confidential or something?

Noticing my confusion, Azazel answered, "We want you to help us out with this problem, as we have been having trouble catching this beast for a while and it would be in our best interest to not have you go in blind or step on anyone's foot during your hunt."

I nodded at his explanation, not wanting to get another surprise like last time.

Baraqiel continued from where he left off, "We have gathered that for the last few years, several orphanages across the country have been attacked with all the local population forgetting the culprit's existence completely. Until now, a large number of people have gone missing in a short time since it first started. No children or adults from those establishments were ever found, they vanished in the night."

This disturbed me greatly, this wasn't a small number of people like I first thought, and for them to be gone all of sudden without a trace or lead? That's horrifying.

Azazel passed me some documents with all the identities of the missing people. Of course, most of them were children, some very young while others were near their adulthood. The gruesome scene from last night emerged in my head, I feared for the worst yet did not assume anything yet. "How does this relate to the monster?" I asked, shuffling through more of the files.

"Well, it's because similar sightings of such a creature were mentioned by the scouts near those orphanages." This time it was Azazel who spoke. "We do not believe it killed them, no traces of blood or any human remains. Our best conclusion is that the monster is under the control of someone else, who's using it to kidnap these children." I continued flipping through what seemed to me like a never-ending list of names, each picture making my heart grow heavier. 'These are just kids. Why would anyone need so many!?'

I didn't know if I wanted to know the answer to that or not.

"What's more concerning are the orphanages our mysterious monster owner targeted, take a look." This time, he handed me a list of the establishments mentioning who they belonged to. That is when I noticed their similarities. "You've noticed, haven't you?"

"None of them belong to the church. They are all privately owned orphanages built by...vampires!?" I nearly fell out of my chair while reading that part. A blood-sucking being owning an entire establishment filled with young kids!? Wasn't that a tragedy waiting to happen!?

"Now, I know what you may be thinking but remember this is their territory, and they don't just suck the blood out of every single human they see. As the rulers of France, it is their job to create a functioning society and they can't have thousands of orphans on the street. Not to mention that it would only allow the church to spread their control deeper into their land. They usually do a blood drive to get their food from them, while still going under the radar." So only their establishments were targeted while the orphanages owned by the church were left untouched.

And vampires doing a blood drive? Something I should come back to at a later date.

"There is also the matter of the monster having in possession a Vritra sacred gear. Our best option to catch it is to use you like a radar, like those Dragon Scouters from that anime." Azazel chimed in with a reference, but I was too preoccupied with my thoughts to care.

"Listen Hikigaya-kun, this mission is not without its dangers, we have taken measures to accomplish the task ourselves, we do not want to put you or anyone else unassociated with us in mortal peril. You can choose to back down, I have made enough mistakes in my life and I don't want to betray my daughter once more." Baraqiel came by my side and rested his hand on my shoulder. "It is not cowardly to back away, your life must be your top priority. You are young, filled with potential for greatness, so choose wisely."

I understood his concerns but whatever the Nebiros were up to, I had to put an end to it.

"So when are we starting?"

...

I was back on the rooftop waiting for Jeanne, I had told them about her, mentioning everything from her being a hero descendant to being a Hero faction member and her sacred gear.

Both had grown serious when I mentioned the hero faction. I had asked them if they knew about it, but was left with no answers aside, "We have a hunch on who they truly work for, but for now since she is helping you might as well not reject a helping hand. But watch your back around her."

I should feel kinda bad for ratting her out like that, but she never said it was a secret or anything, so my conscience is clear.

'Do you trust her, Vritra?'

'Believe it or not, I have met the maiden of Orleans, or at least one of my previous hosts did. Her bravery, combat prowess, magical gift, and loyalty were among the highest I have ever seen in a human before. Her devotion to Yahweh remained unbroken, even when burned alive.' Would you look at that, high praise from Vritra himself, that was something to be proud of, "But I can't say the same for that girl, I don't know her as well as I did with her ancestor."

We continued our small conversation, making jokes, talking about our past, and so on. Vritra had truly become an integral part of me, some may think that having a small voice in your head was the sign of a psychopath, but for me, it was like a sense of comfort knowing someone always had my back.

"-!"

Out of nowhere, I felt an ice-cold sensation on my neck, shocking my nerves for a split second. Jerking around, I saw it was none other than Jeanne with her same attire and armour, holding two cans of cold... Coffee?

"Bonjour mon ami! I brought some refreshments!" Always in her chipper mood, she offered me the can of coffee. I was a bit dazed that I may have potentially met a fellow sweet caffeine fan, but I was bothered by something else. 'How did she get behind me without me noticing? Is her stealth broken like in Skyrim?'

"Thanks." I accepted her gift, the taste was okay, not overly sweet like SUPER but sweet enough to hide all traces of any bitterness. She sat by my side at the edge of the building, someone with acrophobia would faint from the sight, but for someone like me with literal wings and a levitation spell for backup, this was a minor thing.

"It is a beautiful sight isn't it?" Jeanne was the first to initiate a conversation, I glanced at her, catching her gaze on me as she smiled.

"I guess so." Paris had its fair share of beauty, every part of the city had traces of ancient history. It's weird to imagine that this was all maintained by the vampires, for shut-ins they knew how to do their job. "Though it is a bit too crowded for me."

"My homeland is a jewel for many to marvel at, millions of tourists flock to this place alone every year." Jeanne seemed proud of her words, guess she had a reason to be proud of her birth country. "This is what humans are capable of when they aspire for greatness, too bad that most of it are now owned by those rotten vampires."

I was caught off guard by that slight venom in her tone, I didn't think she would dislike them that much. "You hate vampires?" Was she a victim?

"Not just vampires, but every other supernatural entity. They constantly drag innocent humans in their conflicts, use us as pawns and cannon fodders." Now I disagree with that notion, we humans drag innocent people as well in our petty conflicts. War was a good example of that. "They think of us as weak, incapable of even protecting ourselves, I dream of one day proving all of them wrong!"

I sense some hidden personal story behind that reasoning, I didn't comment on it of course.

"You should join our cause, Dragon-kun!" Oi! What's with the nickname you just gave? Also Dragon-kun? I'm not ready to burn down poor villages and take a princess to my man cave.

"Oi! That only happened one time! Those stupid villagers shouldn't have poked me in the eye when I was sleeping!"

Ignoring Vritra's complaint, how did this normal conversation turn into a recruitment process? "The hero faction will gladly welcome someone like you! We can help humanity so much with your help!"

Thanks but I'm already on the side of Hikigaya Hachiman and the devils to some extent...and the fallens... basically anyone who is minding their own business while seeking to help others. Your faction has yet to prove to me anything.

"Thanks but I'm good for now, I'll think about it in the future." I politely declined her offer, we just met so it would be unwise to join her side. "You know where to find it?"

As much as I wished to enjoy our moment together drinking coffee, the existence of the monster weighed heavily in my mind. It ruined any sort of enjoyment I felt, forcing me to get done with this. I also began missing Kuoh, Paris was beautiful and all, but I just didn't feel relaxed like I was at home.

Jeanne seemed to catch on with my mood and let go of her previous recruitment attempt. "Yes, with the help of some of my friends, I got to pinpoint the base of our enemy. Another abandoned house near the neighbourhood we fought the monster." She showed me a paper map of the area, where an area was circled red. From our location it was but a five minutes walk away.

"I'm ready to go whenever you are." I tightened the enchanted clothes, though it was essentially amour, gifted by Azazel around me.

"Then let's do this!"

...

Of all places to search for a crazy devil scientist that owns a monster, the very last place I would suspect them to hide is in a run-down fast-food joint. At least it's not your typical villain underground secret lair.

Malum Nebiros was the name of the mastermind according to Jeanne. A former member of the Nebiros clan, who went missing a few years ago. Some even claimed he had died in one of his experiments. From people who have interacted with him, he was a very goal-focused individual that went on to be obsessive in accomplishing his research. Little to no friends and contact aside from his family to get more funding for his research.

'Proceed with caution, I don't like the feeling of this place.' I heeded his words and surveyed the area for any traps or traces of that monster, and didn't want it to sneak attack me again.

"So what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Jeanne did not seem the least bit concerned by the place and its possible hidden dangers, may it be out of confidence or arrogance remained to be seen. Remembering her using [Blades blacksmith] made me think of the former.

[Delete Field]

A familiar transparent black dome covered the area, everything within would now have their powers suppressed, to a certain extent. I did not pour a lot of energy into it, since I wanted it to last longer. With my ever-increasing magical reserves and stamina, it would probably last a few hours.

"That's impressive," Jeanne said with a whistle at the end. "But won't it affect me as well?"

Good point.

'Vritra?'

'Just transfer some of your energy into her so that she doesn't get affected by my ability.' Convenient, though couldn't he have told me this earlier during training?

Nevertheless, I took her hand to her surprise and transferred a tiny bit of my energy. "Ahh~" I flinched at her moan, like seriously does everything have to be sexual in this world? I gave her the look, making her blush. "Sorry...I wasn't prepared for you to touch me like that." She said, embarrassed at me grabbing her hand, before looking a little bashful at me.

She looked pretty cute like this, having to stop myself from patting her head.

"That was my first time holding hands with a boy"

What kind of life has this girl been living? Is she another Ojou-sama with strict parents that control her actions and wanted to find some freedom from them? How do I keep attracting these types in my life?

Another headache for another time. Right now I need to focus on the task at hand.

"Now you can use your sacred gear without any hindrance."

"Sweet!" The moment she said that her stance widened a bit before she brought her arm up. "Get ready to marvel at my sacred gear, [Blade Blacksmith]!" A familiar rapier formed in her hands, made from gold and a shining blade of light. I could feel her using a larger portion of her power since this rapier gave me a stronger feeling like I could be pierced by it at any moment.

"Destroy all those who oppose justice, [Divine Judgement Blade]!" She thrust her arms forward when a beam of pure light shot from the sword's blade tip. Like seeing a version of the Kamehameha wave, the attack tore through the building, destroying everything in its path before exploding in bright white light. Creating a large shockwave of intense heat and force that uprooted the nearby trees, turned sand into glass and the wind nearly pushed me back a step.

'Impressive' I agreed. Not even my strongest [Magic Arrow] attack could cause such a big impact. This attack could one-shot every stray I met so far as well as other opponents aside from Vali. Though impressed, I wasn't scared of it, with my full sacred gear abilities and that extra armour I got recently, I was confident to survive such an attack and probably even continue fighting.

"SCREeeeEeeeEEEE!" A black shadow jumped out of the rubble, this time heavily injured from the attack, a barely attached arm, hanging by a literal strand of veins, oozing black blood. Its lower jaw was missing, letting his tongue hang down in the air. Some of its spear-whips survived, they began to wrap around its broken hind legs to keep it standing. All in all, it looked to be in a terrible state.

"Why hello there, time for round two." Calling out my [Prison Wings] I cleared the distance between us in a blink of an eye. Learning from my mistakes I did not give it time to react [Restrict!]. Caught up in a bind, I used my wings to slice away its remaining whips, making it lose control of its legs and fall. I shot my [Magic Arrow] through its other hand/claw, rendering it completely useless. The monster tried breaking free but had little to no strength left to spare.

"Now for the coup de grace!" Jeanne readied her regular rapier and immediately thrust it in the creature's head, killing it finally. She was sweating and looked tired as well, I guess that previous strike might have taken out more than I thought. "That was easy," Jeanne said, breathing heavily. "It wasn't as troublesome as last time."

It certainly wasn't.

"Wait, the monster!" I heard Jeanne's surprised cry and immediately prepared for an attack, only to see the monster was still dead. What Jeanne screamed about was the peeling scales turning into dust, revealing who was the unfortunate person within it. "Oh, no…" I heard Jeanne mutter beside me but my mind was elsewhere. My heart stilled as I felt the strongest sense of vertigo and nausea when I identified the person.

One of the kids from the orphanage!

I remembered going through the long list Azazel gave me, and this monster was none other than one of those missing orphaned children!

'I just killed a child…' My guilt bubbled inside me, ready to drown me in regret and self-hatred. I felt like I was going to vomit from the constant swirl of feelings. All this time I sliced off parts of the monster, made it suffer an untold amount of pain, was it nothing more than a little kid? I began hyperventilating, my vision disoriented, my hands shaking, I couldn't stop sweating and was about to vomit.

'GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF, PARTNER!'

I was pulled violently from my thoughts by Vritra, disoriented for a bit, I tried getting a hold of myself. 'Vritra...what have I done…'

'You had no way of knowing the monster's identity. If you had not killed it, many would have continued being consumed and killed all around the country. The child was suffering and death was a mercy for him.'

I took some deep breaths, using my logical thinking for everything that happened. I knew Vritra was correct, but my conscience couldn't just accept it so easily. Even when I've killed strays before, none of them were even remotely young. But this time…

*Squish!*

I turned my head towards the sound and soon learned to regret it, Jeanne had crushed the child's skull with her boots. With no hint of remorse on her face.

"What are you doing!?" I screamed, outraged by her action. "Why would you do that!? Can't you see that was just a kid!?" I did not expect this type of behaviour from her.

She looked at me grimly, "Tobi, this 'child' was nothing more than a rabid monster who killed countless citizens in this country, I have to make sure it is dead so it doesn't hurt anyone else." Her tone was steady, devoid of any doubts. Like someone who is used to doing this on a daily basis.

"But still, you didn't need to-"

*Clap*

*Clap*

*Clap*

Our argument was interrupted by someone clapping their hands. Out of the wreckage of what was once the fast-food court, walked out a young-looking man with blonde hair that fell right behind his shoulders, with a piece falling between his blue eyes, with bags from lack of sleep. He wore a white lab coat with gold patterns with the sleeves covered in dried-up blood, rimless glasses that reflected the moonlight before showing, black pants that had seen better days, and long white gloves that look like he just finished an operation. Overall, he looks like a mad scientist.

"What a magnificent performance! Subject 16, performed admirably against two sacred gear holders, with one even being the host of a major Vritra gear!" He spoke dramatically, acting like a director judging the actor's performance. "I did not foresee the usage of concentrated light energy being so destructive from a [Blade Blacksmith] user. A miscalculation on my part."

Jeanne and I both put our guard up, ready for whatever this guy might throw against us. "Malum Nebiros, I presume?"

Yep, this guy is definitely fitting the bill of a mad scientist. Though I may not know of his exact powers, the guy was confident enough while standing in front of us, so he must either be very strong or have a backup plan or is just insane and overconfident.

I didn't like any of those possibilities.

"Why it seems my reputation precedes me, even the dog of the Gremorys knows it. Which honestly does not flatter me that much, I rather find it disgusting." Okay, I found a real douche. But at least my hunch was correct, this guy is responsible for this whole thing!

"Why are you doing all this!?"

"For progress of course! The devil kind has grown weak and few in numbers these last few centuries, our race of proud descendants of Lilith and Lucifer themselves have been tainted by that blasted Ajuka! A fake two-bit scientist who brought those cancers known as reincarnated devils to join our ranks!" His shouts became increasingly louder, his eyes were bloodshot from anger or maybe insanity. "It is a humiliation! With our prowess, it is our destiny to rule the supernatural world as our ancestors intended us to! Yet here we are, inviting and treating those fake devils like they were one of us."

His gaze locked onto me, his smile widening into a mad grin. "And those Gremory traitors...they are the ones responsible for all this mess, Sirzechs for all his power is nothing more than a delusional fool who believes in the notion of peace with the other factions! He could have easily conquered all of them, yet he remains acting like a toddler working behind a desk like those other worthless Satans!"

This guy is a nutcase. "You're mad, you know that? Then what were all these kidnappings for!?" This time I shouted as well, my anger creeping on me again.

"Humans are destined to be nothing more than lab rats for us devils. Since Sirzechs won't bring back the devils to their past glory and I am too weak to kill him… I decided to create weapons that would do the job for me."

The moment he said that a huge magical circle formed beneath our feet spanning the entire street, with other circles forming on rooftops as well.

"Dragon-kun! Look!"

"-!"

To my horror, from these circles rose hundreds of monsters similar to what we had just killed before. All locking as vicious and hungry as the last one. All had those spearheaded whips, black scales and violet eyes that reminded me of Vritra.

Clearly, I wasn't the only one shocked by this sight.

'Wha-what is this...this...these are all mine...I can feel it…'

*RRRRRRR….*

'WHAT…'

'WHAT HAS HE DONE TO MY SOUL!!!' I winced in pain as my sacred gear shone a bright purple colour overflowing from Vritra's rage.

"Vritra, calm down!"

'ROOOOAAAARRRRR!!!!' His roar and power were so strong that it could be heard from outside the gear. Jeanne's face grew pale from the realisation of our current situation and the anger of a dragon.

"Hahahaha! Is the Dragon King angered at my creation? My piece d'oeuvre?" He opened his arms wide open, showcasing his accomplishments. "Behold! For I have done something that not even Azazel nor Ajuka could ever dream to accomplish, I successfully managed to copy and reproduce sacred gears! Hahahaha, Senjutsu really is the perfect cure for a damaged soul!" He went on laughing like a maniac creeping both me and Jeanne, but Vritra's next words made me realize why he was a Great Dragon King.

'You shall pay for this transgression, insolent little devil.'

"Hurgh!" I landed on my knees, my heart began hurting like hell as if it was being pulled by something. Malum noticed my state and burst out into a bigger fit of laughter. "You are feeling it, right? That pull from inside your very own soul. Did you know that Senjutsu not only heals the soul of a sacred gear user but also improves their attunement? Hehehe, one minor gear even if perfectly attuned to its host would never bother someone like you, but what if there were hundreds? They pile up and create a greater effect!"

"Dragon-kun!" Jeanne came by my side, supporting me as I had difficulty breathing and standing up. "Are you okay? Can you keep moving?" She sent a barrage of questions, to which I replied with a nod. It hurts, but I can still move.

"Oho? I forgot about you, human girl." He returned to his calm state, which further disturbed me. "You know, I will kill only one of you at a time. The first one to be caught will be my be on my table, never hurts to have another army of sacred gears. And the other one will become… nourishment for my children, hehehehehe! I wonder who it will be first."

How do I get out of this? My exit was blocked, I couldn't fly up in the sky, their whips are locking us in like caged birds. I can't fight properly while fighting to keep my gear from getting ripped out.

'Why haven't Baraqiel and Azazel come yet!?' We had a plan that if I didn't report back after an hour they would fly over to help out.

"Are you wondering where your crow friends are perhaps?" I whipped my head around and saw the smug smile on Malum's face. "I knew they would interfere sooner or later if I didn't take some measures. Hopefully, my allies in the vampire faction will hold them off for long."

"You were allied with the fallens?" I heard Jeanne mutter both in surprise and disappointment.

"I-I will explain later, w-we need to find a way to escape from here first!" I did not want to deal with her apparent hatred of the supernatural species.

For if we ever hoped to leave this place alive, it would be through teamwork.

"..."

All of a sudden she went all quiet…

...I felt a chill travel down my spine.

"Jeanne?"

.

.

.

"..."

.

.

.

"Why are you so quiet all of a sudden?"

"..."

'Partner, behind you!'

*Psht!*

I felt a sharp pain running through my waist, but everything around me seemed to slow down to a halt. The approaching monsters, the laughing Malum, the smoke, everything went still. I ignored all of them and looked down…

...there in the middle of my stomach, was the tip of a blade...a rapier.

I turned my gaze and met her eyes as she held her weapon through my back. She was smiling, but it lacked her cheerful aura and was instead showing sadness.

"I'm sorry Dragon-kun…"

Was this a sick joke?

"...but I need to stay alive to accomplish my goal of saving humankind."

I trusted you…

"And for that...you'll have to take the fall for me here, so that I may escape and fight another day."

Yet…

She removed her sword as I fell down, a sick *squelch* from its exit entered my ears before I clutched my stomach at the open wound. I could feel the blood flowing out without stopping. Everything hurt, my heart, my body, and my trust was once again broken.

"Hahaha! This is the true nature of humankind, selfishness."

"Heed my words devil scum, I may have failed today to defeat you, but that won't be the case in the future. I promise you this in my honour as a hero. " With that said, she made a dash to the opposite direction, escaping from this situation while abandoning me to my death.

She betrayed me yet still called herself a hero and spouted bullshit about honour.

Where is the honour of backstabbing your comrades…

'Partner…'

The monsters all ignored her while they made their way towards me. "Hahaha! Now, dog of the Gremorys, experience what it is like to be devoured by your own sacred gear! Eat up my children, hahahaha!"

"Hey, Vritra...do you remember that talk we had a while ago?" I asked, my voice faint, nearly dying out, ignoring the monsters coming towards me.

"Trying to find a way to escape, aren't you human? Completely useless, you'll die like the waste you are." Malum said, disdainfully at his pitiful attempt at survival.

'This all my fault…'

No, it isn't.

'...by my very own soul...a part of me.'

It's not your fault Vritra...

I was the one who fucked everything up.

.

.

.

'Hachiman, do you trust me?'

What a stupid thing to say to me.

"I've always trusted you."

"SCREEEEEEE!" The Vritra gear monsters jumped into action. One of which decided to use its whips to piece my left lung. Another taking a hold of my heart and ripping it out, probably a gruesome sight of blood and gore for normal people to see.

"Heurg!" I vomited blood, bile, and even a part of my shredded lungs. My head hit the floor as I saw the sight of my still-beating heart still pumping before it slowly stopped. The monsters all piled up on top of each other trying to have a bite of it, shredding the muscle piece by piece and devouring it. Death was guaranteed yet I did not fear it…

For he always had my back, never to betray me.

…

-Third POV-

"Tch, what a waste of time this day has been," Malum watched as his creations start to feast on the former gear holder, "At least I can experiment on him with whatever is left over."

*Ba-bump*

As Malum was about to leave, a grave feeling just washed over him. "What!?"

*Whoosh!*

A giant pillar of dark power appeared around Hachiman's dead body.

[Delete Field!] [Balance Breaker!]

[Error!]

[Reset!]

The once fallen Hachiman now awoke once again, a giant pressure suddenly bursting forth from his body! "SCREEEEE!" The surrounding monsters were thrown back with such force that some even got vaporized by the sheer power.

"N-no, i-it cannot be! H-how is he releasing a power similar to an ultimate-class devil!? He should only be a low high-class devil!" Malum grew frightened by this new unforeseen development.

[Balance Breaker!]

[Error!]

[Reset!]

Black miasma poured out from his skin, forming what looked like a hazy black armour that formed around him. That constantly broke down and kept reforming stubbornly.

[MA**BOL*E VRITRA *RO**TION]

[Error!] [Error!] [Error!]

[Reset!]

"Do you feel fear?" A voice that did not belong to Hachiman sounded out from him, his iris no longer those black dots, instead were now shining in a bright violet light that glowed with power and dominance. His smile was savage and bloodthirsty that starkly opposed his previous behaviour.

"You…are not the boy from before!" Malum instantly came to a conclusion which baffled even himself, "The Dragon King?"

No, how could that be possible? He never heard of something like this ever happening in history.

"A fine judgment, little devil." Vritra moved around in Hachiman's body, inspecting every limb and action of his host. "It has been thousands of years since I last felt the sense of touch or smell. For this body belongs to my host, I am forever grateful for the trust he has bestowed upon me."

Even with a gaping hole in Hachiman's chest, Vritra could still move fluidly as if the damage was minimal. His movements were fluid, elegant, carrying a sense of strength, of power beyond his own.

[Balance Breaker!]

[Error!] [Error!] [Error!] [Error!] [Error!] [Error!]

[Reset!]

"I thought myself incapable of feeling such emotions once again." His aura kept increasing with every step he took, this time even by just being close to him some of the monsters just collapsed from where they stood, their corpses turning to dust in his presence. "Have some pride for you are facing a true Dragon King."

Space rippled like a drop of water in a pond. Distorting from what was about to happen

"Rage courses through my soul once again."

Orbs of black condensed energy formed around his being. Those eyes shone with malice and fury.

"My brethren of the Asura clan sing my name from the fiery Vatarani rivers of Naraka."

The black miasma grew increasingly unstable, with armour forming and dissipating at a higher rate! The helmet is now partially formed with six violet slits.

[MA**BOL*E VRITRA *RO**TION]

[Error!] [Error!] [Error!] [Error!] [Error!] [Error!] [Error!] [Error!] [Error!] [Error!] [Error!]

[Reset!]

"For I have risen beyond the grasps of death, devoid of power yet searching for dream."

His [Prison Wings] began cracking and repairing at the same time, their size growing larger with real dragon scales slowly forming and replacing the mechanical parts.

"Devoid of love yet searching for infinity."

Malum knew he had to end whatever was happening soon or else he might be in serious trouble. "What are you all looking at!? Subject 7 to 789, GO KILL HIM!!!!!"

The once frozen Vritra gear monsters sprang into action, with a more frenzied state. "SCREeeeEeeeEEEE!" They all jumped towards Hachiman, their claws ready to tear him up into pieces and their jaws opened to devour his flesh once again.

"I shall seal you in the myriad spaces of reality, suffering for all of eternity."

With a simple swipe of his arms, black flames emerged from thin air, easily burning away the majority of the monsters, not even leaving behind ashes.

[MA**BOL*E VRITRA *RO**TION]

[Error!] [Error!] [Error!] [Error!] [Error!] [Error!] [Error!] [Error!] [Error!] [Error!] [Error!] [Error!] [Error!] [Error!] [Error!] [Error!] [Error!] [Error!] [Error!] [Error!] [Error!] [Error!]

[Reset!]

"Noooooo, this cannot be happening, Rizevim promised me! I nearly completed my research on the creation of super devils!" Malum kept shooting magical attacks after attacks, none even reaching Hachiman/Vritra. The pressure alone was enough to crush his attacks out of existence.

"No no nononononoNONONO!!!!" He tried teleporting away, but it was useless.

"This is for you, partner."

[Vritra!]

[Absolute Delete Field!]

"RIIIZZZEEvviiim-!" And so Malum the once highly acclaimed scientist of the devil's world vanished into thin air. His soul was not destroyed but returned to the void of nothingness, cursed for all eternity.

On that night, a major catastrophe took place in the city of Paris, for the entirety of its slums was absorbed in a large dome of darkness that devoured everything in its path leaving behind nothing but silence.

…

-Khaos Brigade HQ-

"..."

A little girl looked up at the sky, awoken from her thoughts of returning home.

"Vritra…?"

The Dragon of Infinity sensed her silence in the Enveloper.