Issei had spent a good week away from home training with Riser, and he was very pleased with the fruits of his labor.
"I don't want to go home now," Issei said.
"Rias and the others aren't going to do anything to you," Qin replied.
"You swear??" Issei asked.
"Hell no! You're going to get wrecked," Qin mocked.
"Go to hell," Issei snapped.
"Respect me!!" Qin demanded.
"Earn it, and then I will," Issei countered.
Issei and Qin kept bickering until they reached his house. The man regained all his confidence when he opened the door, only to see a blonde and a redhead staring at him with pure anger.
"Look who finally showed up, Asia..." Rias said.
"Yes, the same man who went out with us and then vanished for almost two weeks, only leaving an explanation through his brother," Asia added.
"What a damn scoundrel we have here!" Rias exclaimed.
"Yes, we ended up with a smooth-talking scoundrel..." Asia agreed.
The two were beyond furious at the blindfolded man in front of them, but the young man didn't seem intimidated by their glare.
"What beautiful ladies I have here!" Issei remarked.
"Do you really think we're going to fall for your smooth talk??" Rias asked.
"Do you really think that??" Asia echoed.
Issei approached the two and scooped them up in his arms. Both were irate, blushing and hitting the smiling, blindfolded man.
"Put us down!!" Asia and Rias shouted.
Issei set them down on the bed, pampering and caressing the two pouting girls until their anger began to fade.
"What can I do so you'll forgive me??" Issei asked.
Asia and Rias had an idea, thinking of something that would please them—a very good way to make amends.
"Go out with us," they said in unison.
"Then we'll go out in a little while," Issei promised.
The two said goodbye with a kiss on the blindfolded man's cheek. He felt greatly relieved that nothing worse had happened.
"I thought I was going to get beaten up more," Issei thought.
"That's nothing compared to what you went through with Akeno," Qin reminded him.
Issei felt a shiver run down his spine as he remembered the torture he endured at Akeno's hands. He would much rather fight Riser a thousand times over than repeat that experience.
"Do you like being hit?" Akeno asked.
Akeno, dressed in a perverse and extremely erotic black outfit, was in the room. She looked down at the man whose hands and legs were tied.
"No," Issei replied.
Akeno slapped Issei's face with her hand as he spoke.
"And now??" Akeno asked.
"No," Issei said again.
Akeno slapped him again for saying he didn't like it.
"And now??"
"No!!" Issei shouted.
Akeno delivered a series of slaps when he denied it, doing so with great ease. The slaps weren't meant to cause serious injury, just enough to leave his cheeks red and make him feel humiliated.
"Let's electrocute those masculine nipples with my fingers and lightning magic," Akeno teased.
Issei was genuinely scared; he didn't want to know how that felt, but he had seen people being tortured like that in movies.
Issei went to school as usual. The classes proceeded as they always did, but he felt that something bad was about to happen.
"Did you go on vacation??" Motohama asked.
"Did you go to hell to take that long??" Matsuda added.
"Almost there, I went to Hawaii," Issei lied.
Issei showed some photos he took with Riser, Ravel, and Ruval. The Phoenix mansion was a beautiful place and actually looked like Hawaii.
"You went abroad??" Matsuda asked.
"I'm so jealous!!" Motohama cried.
"I do a lot of cool things," Issei boasted.
"Traitor!!" they both yelled.
Issei ducked to avoid their punches. He didn't hit them back because he was without his blindfold, and it would be the same as hitting himself.
"Come back here!!" Motohama and Matsuda shouted.
"No!!" Issei laughed as he ran from them. He enjoyed his two perverted friends; they were good people.
The club room was closed for some reason. Issei hadn't received the notice, but now there was an SMS on his phone saying the meeting would be at his house.
"What a drag..." Issei muttered.
"I think we should have stayed there a bit longer," Qin suggested.
"We really should have," Issei agreed.
"I'm looking forward to the others' reactions," Qin said.
"I'm not," Issei replied as he headed home, thinking about the others visiting his house after his unplanned vacation.
Issei entered his room and was greeted by a punch to the stomach from a loli with small hands.
"Don't ever do that again," Koneko said.
Koneko was clearly annoyed, while Akeno seemed eager to have a second night like the one before as a punishment.
"Should we repeat that night??" Akeno asked.
Issei was a brave and daring man, but at that moment, every hair on his body stood up as his instincts told him to run.
"N-no need," Issei stammered.
"Let's start the meeting," Rias announced.
Rias entered the room as everyone gathered in a small circle to talk.
"Akeno completed 11 contracts, Koneko ten, Yuuto eight, and Asia three," Rias reported.
Everyone nodded to mark their presence and acknowledge the contracts they had successfully fulfilled. Issei congratulated them all.
"The blindfolded bum completed none," Rias added.
Everyone burst out laughing when Rias called the brown-haired boy the "blindfolded bum," a very fitting nickname.
"Are you still mad??" Issei asked.
"You bet," Rias replied.
Rias was still pouting along with Asia and Koneko. However, things took a turn when Miki Hyoudou, Issei's mother, arrived with food and some photo albums.
"Kiba... burn those albums," Issei whispered.
"What??" Kiba asked, confused.
Kiba didn't understand why Issei was so irritated by the albums in the girls' and his mother's hands.
"You don't need to listen to him, he's just embarrassed," Rias said.
Issei groaned as his mother showed pictures of him as a naked child—the dark phase of his life.
"How cute!!" the girls squealed.
As Kiba looked through the album, he found something he didn't like. It was a sword, but not a normal one—it was a Holy Sword.
"Do you know who this is??" Kiba asked.
"A friend who moved to Europe, I miss them," Issei replied.
Issei remembered the time he played with his "friend" as a child; they were both very mischievous back then.
"I see..." Kiba said with an air of sadness and tragedy as he closed the album. This caught Issei's attention.
"What's up with him??" Issei thought.
"Who knows..." Qin replied.
Issei was in a more luxurious place now, a high-end hotel, and it was for a contract.
"Working is a pain," Issei grumbled.
"Work, or you'll be called a blindfolded bum again," Qin reminded him.
"Working is for my subjects," Issei argued.
"But you're not a king yet," Qin pointed out.
"True."
Issei knocked on the door and was promptly answered by a man who looked European; his hair was black mixed with blonde.
"You didn't come through a magic circle??" Azazel asked.
"I don't have the magic for that," Issei replied.
"What a fake devil," Azazel remarked.
"Right?!" Qin laughed in Issei's mind as the young man entered Azazel's apartment. The decoration was very luxurious.
"What are we doing??" Issei asked.
"Let's talk while I drink," Azazel said.
Azazel brought drinks and Issei accepted without hesitation. He didn't care if he was a minor; a king should drink regardless of his age.
"You look pretty cool with that blindfold and Chinese style of clothing," Azazel commented.
"I think I look pretty cool too," Issei agreed.
"Aren't you a show-off??" Azazel asked.
"I'm humble to a fault," Issei said.
Azazel and Issei engaged in small talk for a few hours until nightfall. The contract ended then.
"Do you want to take my soul??" Azazel asked.
"I don't do that kind of business," Issei replied.
"Want some cool clothes??"
"Now you're speaking my language," Issei said.
Issei left the house very happy after Azazel gave him some luxurious clothes that he liked very much. One set looked a lot like Qin's for some reason, but he figured it was just a coincidence.
The Gremory Group was gathered in a warehouse now. They were hunting something very dangerous that Issei knew nothing about.
"We're going to catch a Stray Devil, one who disobeyed and killed its master," Rias explained.
"A danger to both human and supernatural society," Akeno added.
The Gremory Group entered cautiously, but Issei noticed that one man was very distracted: the knight of the group.
The Stray Devil appeared to be a woman fused with a chimera. She seemed to have lost her sanity when she spotted them and attacked.
"This thing is ugly," Koneko said.
"Good thing I'm blindfolded, I don't have to see such things," Issei remarked.
Issei didn't consider the threat worthy of removing his blindfold; he could handle it as he was.
"It's flying. Yuuto-senpai, please," Koneko requested.
Koneko asked for Kiba's help as the Chimera Devil flew with its hideous insect wings, but the man ignored her, seemingly lost in his own world.
"Yuuto-senpai!" Koneko called out again.
Koneko was nearly hit by acid ejected from the devil, but the blindfolded man intervened. However, the acid hit part of Issei's clothes, and he was not happy about it.
"The fun is over!" Issei declared.
Issei surprised the Chimera with his speed and delivered a powerful kick, sending it flying toward Koneko. The white-haired loli caught the devil like a ball and threw it upward.
Akeno was waiting for this move; she summoned a magic circle of electricity and discharged it onto the woman.
"A disobedient creature that leaves its master and follows its own desires... such a sin deserves punishment. In the name of Lord Gremory, I must punish you," Rias declared.
Rias finished the extermination with her Power of Destruction. Not even ashes remained of the Chimera Devil.
The sound of a slap resonated through the area. Rias had slapped Kiba for his carelessness.
"Your carelessness could have killed someone," Rias scolded.
"It won't happen again," Kiba replied.
Kiba didn't even look Rias in the eye, and the smile he usually wore was gone. Sadness and anger were palpable in him.
"I won't ask him, but I'll always be ready if he wants to tell me," Issei thought. He cared about Kiba but knew that pushing him now would be useless given how closed off he was.
"What could have happened to Yuuto??" Rias wondered.
Rias was pensive while in Issei's room along with Asia and the owner himself. He had already taken off his blindfold and put on a sleeping mask.
"I don't know, but he got weird after seeing a sword in my album," Issei said.
Rias could guess why he was like that. His past had resurfaced when he saw that sword, which must have been a Holy Sword.
Issei completely ignored Rias when she talked about the church or holy swords. He didn't want to hear it from her; he wanted to hear it from the man himself.
Rias seemed to sense this and wasn't offended. She simply took off her clothes and went to sleep snuggled up to Hyoudou.
"I'm not going to lose!" Asia cried.
Asia repeated her master's action, took off her clothes, and went to sleep on the other side of Hyoudou. Both were in the same bed.
"My bed is too small for these two freeloaders..." Issei thought.
"Issei... one day you will have to fight the Emperor of the Dead," Qin said.
"Why the hell would I do that??" Issei asked.
"It's a rivalry and enmity we have as emperors," Qin explained.
"My master's debts are passed on to me??" Issei groaned.
"Yes!"
"What a jerk!" Issei retorted.
"This rivalry started when I wanted to create an empire strong enough to fight the supernatural and the Gods. He thought it was an affront and declared war on me. Our war almost destroyed the world, so we were killed and sealed in Sacred Gears," Qin explained.
"Killed for good reason!" Issei muttered.
"I can't wait for the day you get sealed in one too," Qin teased.
"I'm not going to be sealed!"
Issei and Qin were bickering in his dreams. The two seemed ready to come to blows right then and there.
Issei's day started well. He had Asia and Rias's help to get his food ready and wake him up. He wanted to ask them to help him bathe or dress, but that was another level of intimacy entirely.
School went by normally and even seemed boring, but the club was different. The room felt empty since Kiba was absent for some reason, and Issei had to go home early since there was nothing to do.
"Voices inside my house??" Issei noted.
Issei could hear voices in his house—his mother talking to someone. He felt two presences besides the usual ones.
"Issei started crying when the dog..." Miki was saying.
"Don't tell stories about me to strangers!" Issei interrupted.
Issei was irritated that his old stories were being shared. He couldn't see the two people in front of him because of his blindfold.
"Take off that blindfold and greet the guests properly," Miki commanded.
Issei didn't take it off, but he introduced himself to the guests. He felt like he knew one of them.
"Have we met before??" Issei asked.
"It's me, your childhood friend!" Irina exclaimed.
"Who are you trying to fool?? My childhood friend is just a bratty boy," Issei said.
Issei received a slap from his mother for saying that. The woman was embarrassed and apologized on his behalf.
Irina and the other woman stayed to talk for a while but left after raising an eyebrow for some reason. Issei got a scolding from his mother for being rude and almost got hit for disobeying the order to remove his blindfold, but he managed to avoid that fate.
"I'm glad you're okay," Rias said.
A very worried Rias arrived quickly. She seemed to be on high alert about something very bad.
"What were those church exorcists doing here??" Rias asked.
"One of them was my childhood friend," Issei replied.
"Something strange is happening, very strange," Rias noted.
Rias ended the conversation with a hug for Issei and Asia, relieved they hadn't been hurt by the exorcist.
Issei was now out fishing with Azazel. They were drinking as they fished, and the conversation was pleasant.
"Being a devil must be cool," Azazel remarked.
"Almost the same as being human, just minus the magic and other things," Issei replied.
"Humans are fragile," Azazel said.
"True... humans are fragile."
Issei and Azazel enjoyed each other's company. They seemed like drinking buddies, and it was one of the rare moments Issei didn't act like a king or a noble.
Issei arrived home and got scolded for drinking again. The first time he drank, it was noticed but let slide, but the second time was not tolerated. His parents gave him a long lecture.
"What a mess..." Issei sighed.
"That's what you get for drinking," Qin said.
"I don't even like it that much, but a good noble doesn't refuse a drink," Issei argued.
"This modern era of yours is a pain," Qin grumbled.
"Things were much simpler in your time," Issei countered.
"And more violent."
"There's that too."
Issei went to sleep after talking to Qin. Asia and Rias were in bed with him again; it seemed to have become a habit.
"I think they'll move into my room soon," Issei thought.
Classes were as usual. Issei flirted with Asia and Katase when he had time, even getting scolded by the teacher for not letting them study. Other female students were jealous, and Matsuda and Motohama wanted to punch their friend.
"You lucky bastard!" Motohama cried.
"How did you turn into such an 'Ikemen'??" Matsuda asked.
"I'm not an Ikemen," Issei denied.
Everyone in the room looked at Issei as if he were being a hypocrite. He was an Ikemen now, part of the "handsome men" class.
"Who would have thought the perverted beast could turn into this??" Aika asked.
A girl with glasses, small breasts, and a cheeky smile approached with Asia. Issei couldn't help himself.
"How could a woman as naughty as you be so beautiful??" Issei asked.
Issei grabbed the chin of the brown-haired girl. Aika Kiryuu was left speechless for the first time, her face turning bright red. The girl fled when she realized he was flirting instead of insulting her; he looked like he was about to kiss her.
"There he goes again," Matsuda and Motohama sighed.
"Guys... I'm going to get you a girlfriend," Issei promised.
Issei arrived at the club and saw Rias sitting on the sofa. He didn't miss the opportunity and sat down beside her, though the blindfolded man hadn't forgotten the electricity magic present in the seat.
"I am Shidou Irina," Irina introduced herself.
"I am Xenovia Quarta, and we are exorcists from the church," Xenovia added.
Issei finally noticed their presence when they spoke. He chose to listen this time as it could be important.
"What do you want??" Rias asked.
"We want you not to interfere in our investigation and operation," Xenovia stated.
"And why would we interfere??" Rias questioned.
"Because it's about the Excaliburs. Three of them are in this city," Xenovia revealed.
Rias became curious upon learning that three of those powerful swords were in Kuoh Town. Something big must be happening.
"The Fallen Angels are in possession of them," Xenovia added.
Issei finally liked this news. The bastard behind the scenes seemed to be acting at last, and now he had come to the place of Issei's "death."
"The bastard behind Raynare is finally moving, it has to be him," Issei thought.
Issei's aura began to leak from his body as a smile bloomed on his face—a smile that radiated nothing but murderous fury.
"What's happening to Issei-kun??" Irina asked.
"Is he angry??" Xenovia wondered.
"Very angry, to tell you the truth," Rias confirmed.
Issei's aura seemed to be suffocating everyone in the room. He realized this and stopped instantly. Xenovia had her hands on her sword, thinking she would have to fight, but it was just a false alarm. Irina was in the same position, though she was much more afraid of fighting a childhood friend.
"What was that??" Xenovia asked.
"I'm just very happy. I'm very happy thanks to you," Issei replied.
The exorcists were surprised, but everyone in the Gremory group understood the reason for his joy.
"Could someone explain??" Xenovia demanded.
"A bastard was hunting Sacred Gears in humans, killing or kidnapping people for some reason. The ones behind it were Fallen Angels, but only low-ranking ones. The boss behind those acts is likely the same man behind this," Rias explained.
Xenovia and Irina were surprised by the events in Kuoh. The incidents seemed to affect both humans and devils.
"Issei was one of the victims of that scheme and was nearly killed, so you can guess what he's going to do now," Rias added.
Rias knew she couldn't control Issei when it came to this matter, nor did she want to. Her territory had to be defended, or the honor of the devils would be at stake.
"Control him," Xenovia ordered.
Xenovia frowned as she looked at the smiling, blindfolded man. Her instincts told her he was dangerous.
"I can't, and I don't want to," Rias said.
Xenovia pointed her large sword, Excalibur Destruction, at Issei. She was irritated by the smiling man.
"Fight me, and do not interfere if you lose!" Xenovia challenged.
"Just you??" Issei asked.
"I will join as well!" Irina declared.
Irina pointed her sword at Issei too. She knew she would need Xenovia's help to stand a chance against her childhood friend.
"And me too," Kiba added.
The blonde man arrived with a very angry expression. He looked resentfully at Xenovia and Irina, but his hatred was concentrated on the swords.
"Let's go then," Issei said.
Issei and the three others went out to the club's courtyard. The duel would be settled there, and the young man wasn't nervous at all as he faced the two of them.