Some time had passed since that incident, and Issei was sitting across from a very irritated Scathach.
"So... what the hell was that?" Scathach asked with a cold look that made it clear any lie would end badly.
—Boy, tell her the truth.— Vlad spoke in Issei's mind.
—Unfortunately, a lie won't work here.— Sátanta added.
"Uhh... they were Servants," Issei said in defeat.
"Servants, huh? You said the evil god had been dealt with," Scathach asked in an angelic tone.
"Well, the story is a little different." Issei made a gesture with his fingers. "Just a little."
"How little?" Scathach narrowed her eyes.
"Well, the Grail survived the Master's attack, but the god thought he was invincible and picked a fight with one of the big shots... Ophis or Great Red, I don't know which one. The old man didn't explain, and he got destroyed... or maybe not."
"Hmm, that evil god is really persistent then." Scathach looked genuinely surprised that it had survived one of them. "Now, about the thing you didn't explain. That card doesn't only contain Sátanta's echo, does it?"
Issei froze and widened his eyes. Just from that reaction, Scathach already had her answer, but she wanted to hear it from him.
—Don't tell her everything.— Sátanta said. —I don't want to deal with that old witch.
"No... it really is Sátanta's soul, but not inside the card. The real one is inside my soul." Issei shrank in his seat. "Sometimes he seems conscious and sometimes he doesn't. He shows me things through dreams and images. That's why I recognized you."
"Damn it..." Scathach growled and then sighed. "Let me ask you something. That Servant said Sátanta had a pathetic death. Was that true? Did he show you anything?"
"Yeah. Like I said, when the evil god realized he couldn't corrupt Sátanta, he bribed his Master by promising him priority in the war. Then the Master used a Command Seal to force Sátanta to kill himself."
Scathach's fist slammed into the table.
"Don't tell Morrigan about this. She might try to bring Sátanta back by killing your soul and letting his take over," Scathach muttered. "Never trust gods."
"Ummm..." Issei nodded nervously. "By the way... where's Asia?"
"Hmm? The nun? She just left."
"ASIAAAA!"
When Issei arrived at the church where Asia was supposed to be, he found a Fallen Angel standing guard at the entrance.
"You. Hand Asia over, and I'll let you live."
Issei summoned Gae Bolg and pointed it at the angel.
"What a terrifying weapon you have. Just its bloodlust is enough to make me nervous," the Fallen Angel said with a fearful voice. "Unfortunately, my boss didn't give me the option to retreat."
The Fallen Angel spread his wings.
Three pairs of black wings.
(Partner, that's a high-class Fallen Angel.) Ddraig warned. (Don't underestimate him.)
The six black wings spread completely.
"You. Hand Asia over, and I'll let you live."
The angel chuckled.
"What a frightening weapon... it really gives me chills. Unfortunately, I was given only one order."
He raised a spear of light.
"Do not let anyone enter."
Issei's eyes narrowed.
"So you really do have Asia."
"Yes."
A massive amount of holy light gathered around the Fallen Angel.
"Turn back, boy. There's still time to save your life."
"Open the door."
"No."
The pressure in the air increased.
Inside the church...
Asia was in danger.
Issei didn't have time for this.
BOOM!
The ground exploded as he charged forward.
Gae Bolg cut through the air in a deadly thrust.
The Fallen Angel's eyes widened, and he threw himself aside.
CRAAASH!
The church wall was pierced by the lance.
"What an absurd attack!"
The angel flapped his wings, and dozens of spears of light appeared around him.
"Stay right there!"
The spears fired.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Explosions covered the entrance.
But a shadow emerged from the smoke.
Issei.
His uniform was torn and blood ran down his face, but he kept advancing.
"Damn it!"
The angel created another spear and clashed with Gae Bolg.
CLANG!
The impact forced him to slide several meters backward.
"Is this kid a monster?"
(Partner, he's strong.) Ddraig warned. (Use Balance Breaker.)
"If I use it, I'll reveal my trump card and they might escape," Issei muttered. "This guy is much stronger than that exorcist."
He tried to pass by the angel, but the Fallen Angel moved and blocked his path again.
"I won't let you in!"
The angel created several spears of light and attacked.
Issei slammed Gae Bolg into the ground.
Several stakes burst from the earth and blocked most of the spears of light, but not all of them.
Blood splattered.
Even so...
he didn't stop.
"Get out of my way!"
Issei slammed the lance into the ground again, and the stakes that had once been shields flew toward the angel, forcing him to dodge.
"What the hell is this power?!"
The angel flew upward, but didn't notice that Issei was already in front of him.
BOOOM!
A punch struck the angel's face, launching him into a tree.
The Fallen Angel stood up, wiping blood from his mouth.
"You're insane! You're hurting yourself just to get in there!"
"Asia is in there."
"..."
"So I'm going in."
The angel clenched his teeth.
Inside the church, they must already be starting the ritual.
He needed to buy more time.
He spread his wings again.
"Then I'll break your legs, boy."
An enormous amount of holy light gathered in his hands.
Issei tightened his grip on Gae Bolg.
His eyes slowly turned red.
The shadows at his feet moved.
—Boy...— Vlad's voice echoed in his mind.
—You're getting angry.—
'Of course I am!'
—Then stop holding back.
Issei's aura became heavier.
The high-class Fallen Angel swallowed hard.
For some reason...
the presence before him had changed.
Issei looked directly into the angel's eyes and raised his hand.
All of his wounds opened.
Then he closed his hand.
"What are you— AAAAAAHHH!"
Hundreds of stakes burst out from inside the Fallen Angel's body.
"What a broken ability..."
The angel collapsed and dissolved into particles of light.
"ASIA!"
Issei ran inside the church.
When he entered, he saw Raynare and Melt lying on the ground, both protecting Asia.
Standing before them was a Fallen Angel with three pairs of wings, holding a spear of light and looking at the two unconscious women with disappointment.
"What else could I expect from half-humans?" she muttered before looking at Issei.
"Oohh, it seems you killed Ezequiel."
The woman clapped her hands with an amused expression.
"Congratulations, congratulations, little vampire. You're strong. Want to join me?"
In her hand shone a small green jewel.
Twilight Healing.
Asia's Sacred Gear.
Issei didn't answer.
His eyes were fixed on Asia.
"Give back the Sacred Gear."
"No."
Neri raised her spear of light.
"It belongs to Grigori now."
BOOOM!
She disappeared.
CLANG!
Her spear met Gae Bolg.
The force of the impact cracked the floor.
She was strong.
Very strong.
Stronger than any enemy Issei had fought so far.
Neri smiled.
"Not bad."
BAM!
Her knee struck Issei's stomach.
CRASH!
He smashed through two pews.
But he was already standing again.
"Kazikli Bey."
Several black stakes appeared behind him.
Long, dark stakes.
With a wave of his hand, they shot forward.
Neri spread her wings.
Dozens of spears of light appeared.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The stakes and spears collided in the air.
Explosions echoed throughout the church.
The Fallen Angel raised an eyebrow.
"You create weapons?"
Another rain of spears came.
Issei answered with more stakes.
For several moments, the battle became a bombardment.
Spears of light.
Black stakes.
Explosions.
Dust.
Pieces of stone flying everywhere.
Then Neri charged.
CLANG!
Their weapons collided.
BAM!
She struck his face.
CRASH!
He was thrown into a pillar.
Blood ran down his cheek.
But the wound was already healing.
Neri smiled.
"Vampiric regeneration."
She attacked again.
And again.
And again.
She pressured him without stopping.
Issei responded by creating more stakes, forcing her to dodge.
Little by little...
he led her toward one side of the church.
Neri didn't notice.
To her, the boy was simply being cornered.
"Finished?"
She created dozens of spears of light.
They fired.
"Kazikli Bey!"
More stakes appeared.
The techniques collided.
Another explosion.
More smoke.
More destruction.
And another step backward from Issei.
Another.
And another.
Until his back touched the wall.
Neri smiled.
"No room left to run."
She raised her spear.
"You've lost."
Even then...
Issei smiled.
She frowned.
"Why are you smiling?"
"Because..."
He raised his hand.
"...you're finally where I wanted you."
Neri blinked.
"What?"
Then—
CRACK.
A stake burst from her leg.
Her eyes widened.
Another pierced her shoulder.
Another her arm.
Another her back.
"AAAAAAAH!"
More.
More.
More.
Dozens of stakes erupted from inside her body.
This wasn't the external use of Kazikli Bey.
This was its true power.
Impaling the enemy from within.
Neri fell to her knees.
"W-what... is this power..."
Blood flowed from her mouth.
She was on the verge of death.
Issei breathed heavily.
He had hidden this effect the entire fight.
He made it seem as though the stakes were only projectiles.
Made it seem as though everything was a trap.
All so she wouldn't prepare a countermeasure.
Neri trembled.
Then...
the green jewel in her hand glowed.
A gentle light enveloped her.
The stakes disappeared.
Her wounds began to heal.
Issei's eyes widened.
Asia's Sacred Gear.
She was using Twilight Healing to save herself.
A few moments later...
Neri stood again.
Breathing heavily.
But alive.
She laughed.
"I almost died..."
Her hand tightened around the jewel.
"What a monstrous ability."
Then her eyes turned cold.
"But now I know your trump card."
She raised her spear.
"You've lost."
Silence.
Then...
Issei raised Gae Bolg.
The atmosphere inside the church changed.
Neri's expression froze.
For some reason...
every instinct she had screamed.
Danger.
Death.
Absolute death.
The crimson aura of the lance spread throughout the church.
"That weapon..."
For the first time...
Neri felt fear.
Issei pointed Gae Bolg at her.
"You're right."
His voice was cold.
"My trump card has been revealed."
He took a step forward.
"But yours has too."
Neri's eyes widened.
She looked at the jewel in her hand.
Then she understood.
She had already used her healing.
There would be no second chance.
BOOOM!
She charged.
Hundreds of spears of light appeared.
Issei charged as well.
For a moment, both disappeared.
Then—
CRACK!
Gae Bolg pierced Neri's chest.
Her spear of light stopped only inches from Issei's face.
The woman's eyes widened.
She looked at the wound.
Then at Issei.
"...Impossible..."
The curse of Gae Bolg had reached her heart.
Her strength faded.
The spear of light fell from her hand.
Asia's Sacred Gear slipped from her fingers.
Issei caught it before it touched the ground.
Neri took a step back.
Then another.
Her body began to dissolve into particles of light.
She looked at Issei one last time.
"...What a monster..."
Then she disappeared.
Silence filled the church.
Only Issei's heavy breathing remained.
He looked at the green jewel in his hand.
Then at Asia.
At Melt.
At Raynare.
The three girls were still unconscious.
He walked to Asia and knelt beside her.
"...I got it back."
His vision blurred.
His entire body hurt.
But for the first time since entering the church...
he could breathe in relief.
Then he fell to his knees beside Asia, still holding her Sacred Gear.
"What do I do?" Issei asked Ddraig. "What do I do?"
(Partner... her Sacred Gear was removed. She's going to die.) Ddraig muttered sadly. (I'm sorry, partner.)
"I'm a vampire, Vlad. Can I turn her?" Issei asked. "In the legends, vampires can do that, right?"
—I don't know if she'd become an Apostle directly.— Vlad replied in his mind. —She might simply become one of the dead.
"Damn it... damn it... damn it..."
Issei slammed his fist against the floor and looked up.
"Rias. I know you're there."
"Save Asia..." Issei almost cried. "Please."
"Issei..."
A crimson light appeared, and Rias stepped forward with a gentle smile.
"I'll save her."