Assault on the Church

Previously

"Asia" he called out to her and she turned her attention towards him.

"Yes, Issei-san" she smiled

"um, I know this may sound weird but"

.

.

.

"by any chance, are you"

.

.

.

"a dragon"

It felt as though, her world crumbled.

'H-How does he know… no no no it can't be'

Asia was panicking internally. She did not understand how he could have known the one secret she was desperately trying to hide. Before her untimely death, her caretaker made her promise to never reveal the fact that she was part dragon to anyone for fear what people would do to her. Dragons were feared by everyone especially by the church considering that their lord's hatred of serpents and dragons. Being none the wiser, Asia made the promise and to this very day had never revealed her identity as part dragon even when she was exiled. Yet, to her horror, the man in front her seemed to have figured out who she was. She was both frightened at this fact as well as heartbroken that she was unable to fulfill the promise she made to someone dear to her.

Issei saw that her body began trembling almost as if she was starting to have a panic attack.

"Please wait, we mean you no harm. I am a dragon myself." He tried to calm her down by letting her know that they were not going to cause any harm. It seemed as though she was trying to hide her identity as a dragon which Issei found understandable considering people viewed his race as beings of destruction and would not take lightly at having one roaming in their territory unchecked. Most of the time, it ends in conflict so its no wonder Asia is all agitated.

His little tactic seemed to work as Asia slowly got a hold of herself.

"R-really" she stuttered wondering if he was telling the truth. Issei looked around to make sure no one was looking and then made his eyes turn to slits, proving his statement. Asia went wide eyed that she met a dragon.

Meanwhile, Matsuda was shocked that Asia was a dragon like Issei. He simply couldn't imagine such a cutie being related to a race that cause widespread destruction.

"Really, you are a dragon?" That is all he could ask but he still found it pretty cool since he was carrying a dragon within him.

["He isn't wrong partner. Now that I focus hard, I can tell that she is in fact a dragon however from what I can tell, she is not a pure blooded one but rather a halfling"] Matsuda heard Ddraig commune with him in his mind.

"Yes… I-I am part dragon." Asia nodded to his question revealing that Ddraig was correct in his assumption.

"wow, that is pretty cool, Asia" he said excitingly, once again surprising Asia. She always assumed the worst if someone ever found out who she was.

"is that so… I was often warned during my childhood to never reveal the other half of my species and I always believed that people would hunt me down if they learned." She said with a frown.

"Well, it is not as if you were wrong. A lot of people fear our race and the overwhelming destruction we can cause so your worry is not misplaced. However, I can promise you that we will keep your secret safe." Issei reassured her with Matsuda nodding his head to support his claim. Luckily, she seemed to believe them as her body slowly began to ease off.

"I see. In that case, I thank you both from the bottom of my heart" Her smile returned on her face which let them know that she was fine.

"Alright, now that that has been settled, I remember you saying you got lost trying to reach some place?" Issei asked. Remembering her previous plight, she nodded.

"Yes, I was supposed to go to the church but because I'm new here, I had no idea how to get there and nobody understood me" she said, a disheartened expression on her face as she looked down on the ground. Issei smiled at her

"Well, in that case, its good that you bumped into us. If you have an address, we could probably tell or better yet accompany you to the place you are searching." This caused her to look up in disbelief.

"REALLY. Oh… I would greatly appreciate the help." She said, both her hands grasping together as if praying as she looked upon them excitingly causing both guys to giggle at her reaction.

"Yeah sure, it's no problem. I've lived here all my life so I pretty much know all there is about the city and I can tell you that there are two churches in our city and I know where they are. Let me see the address." Asia then proceeded to give Matsuda a piece of paper that contained the address of the church. Taking a look, he suddenly raised a brow in surprise because the address contained there was not of the two active churches but rather…

"huh, that is the address of the abandoned church. Are you sure this is the right address?" he asked Asia with a quizzical look, wanting to be sure but she simply nodded her head.

"Ah? Yes, that is the right one Matsuda-san." She said with a slightly nervous tone but it did not seem like she was lying so he simply shrugged it off.

"well, they must have decided to restart the place then. Anyways, let's get you there."

"Thank you very much. I'll be in your care" she said with a bow causing Matsuda to blush.

"Uwaaaaaah"

As they were about to head to the church, they then heard a child's yelp. Looking around, the sound seemed to have originated near them. They saw a boy who seemed to have fallen and scrapped his knee as he held onto it in pain. Both Issei and Matsuda's instinct kicked in as they wanted to help the boy. But, suddenly, Asia who was next to them swiftly passed them and headed towards the young kid.

"Hey." She knelt down beside him.

"Are you okay? Boys should not cry over a minor injury like this." She patted the boy's head gently. The boy probably did not understand what she was saying but she had a very kind expression so he didn't mind. She then put her palm where the boy injured himself.

In the next moment, two little rings appeared on each hand as a green light orb appeared from Asia's palm and flashed onto the boy's knee and within seconds, the wound disappeared as though it was never there.

["Partner, she possesses a sacred gear"] Matsuda heard Ddraig say waking him up from his absent mindedness.

"Sacred gear" he murmured which was caught by Issei.

'thought so' That was his thoughts as well as he marveled at her ability.

"I didn't know there were one's that could heal like that." Matsuda remarked.

[Indeed, partner. The God of the bible created all manners of sacred gears. Those that heal, destroy, create, repair and many more. It seems that hers is one that can heal and a very strong one too]

After the boy's wound disappeared, he got up and noticed that nothing hurt. He even started jumping, amazed that he was okay.

"There, your wounds are healed. The pain should be gone now." Asia said, her smile still present on her face as she got up from her spot and patted the boy's head once again.

She made her way back to the two.

"I'm sorry but I had to." She giggles as she stinks her tongue out playfully at both of them. It was a gesture that they couldn't help but find cute, especially Matsuda who felt like an arrow stroke his heart when he saw that display.

"Thank you One-chan" they heard the boy say as he ran off with a happy smile, waving his arm at her.

"He said thank you" Issei translated for Asia who smiled happily in return.

Issei pointed towards her rings.

"So that power…"

"Yes, this is the power to heal. It's a wonderful power bestowed on me by the lord." Even though she was smiling, her expression held some sadness. There must have been some sorrow connected to her sacred gear Issei speculated. Most likely a dark past and he couldn't help but feel some sympathy for her. That was when Matsuda came in.

"Wow, so you have a sacred gear just like mine. That is wicked." Matsuda told Asia who covered her moth in astonishment at his announcement.

"Really! M-Matsuda-san has a power similar to my own? I-I have never gotten the opportunity to meet someone like me! T-T-This is an honor. Oh what a blessing this day has been. Not only have a met someone with a power similar to my own but I've also met someone of the same species as me. This is most definitely the divine intervention of the Lord. Praise his name."

Asia begun praying again in what seemed to be a comical manner but neither Issei nor matsuda stopped for. Heck, they laughed at her cute mannerisms.

"Yes, my sacred gear is called the boosted gear and inside resides one of the two heavenly dragons, Ddraig." He explained causing her to exhale in surprise.

"R-Really." Matsuda nodded as a green jewel appeared on his left arm.

["Greetings, little Asia. My name is Ddraig as my partner just mentioned. It I a pleasure to make your acquaintance."] Ddraig introduced himself to Asia who began to stutter now knowing what to say.

"oh-oh-oh my, um. It-it is an honor to meet um… you" she managed to squeeze those words out causing Ddraig to laugh.

["haha, you do not need to be so nervous. Although I have to say, in all my years, I've never met a dragon as charming and comfortable as you"]. He said causing Asia to blush.

"T-Thank you". This time it was Matsuda who was confused.

"I understand charming but what do you mean by comfortable Ddraig?"

["Hm, you probably can't understand because you are not a dragon but the aura emanating from Asia gives off a very serene and peaceful feeling. It makes you feel as though it is alright to let your guard down around her."] Ddraig tried to explain to his partner.

"He's not wrong. Her presence does give off a very warm and pleasant feeling" Issei backed Ddraig's statement

"Anyways, you've never met anyone with a sacred gear at the church you worked at?" Issei asked Asia curiously, considering that Heaven should possess many users that work as exorcists unless he was mistaken.

"Ah, no! Because of my power, I was seen as a very important figure and have been treated as a saint. Therefore, I did not get any opportunities to meet many types of people. I was usually kept away from people and didn't have any friends because the church deemed those things to be unnecessary since my purpose was to heal those in need."

Both Matsuda and Issei looked at one another after Asia finished her explanation, appalled at the church for treating Asia as a tool rather than her own person.

"Asia" Matsuda looked at her with a serious face.

"Yes?"

"You've… never had a friend?" She smiled weakly twiddling her fingers as if a bit shy to admit it.

"N-No… I have not."

At her confirmation, Matsuda made his decision without any hesitation. He stepped forward and grabbed both her hands with his making her a bit flustered as she was taken by surprise.

"In that case Asia, let's fix that issue right away. Would you allow me to become your friend? I'm pretty sure Issei here would also like to become your friend as well. You can never have too many friends." Matsuda asked her with a smile. Issei nodded as well confirming that he would also like to become her friend. Asia's eyes widened and her expression made it very clear how shocked she was to hear Matsuda's question. However, she smiled and nodded with teary eyes.

"Yes… Yes I would love that" she answered as she cleaned away her tears filled with nothing but happiness at this wonderful moment.

Seeing her reaction caused Issei to smile softly.

"That's great. In that case, let's get you to the church. It's getting pretty late so we should hurry less you want to freeze." He joked a bit making everyone giggle. The three then proceeded to make their way to the church together. They continued their small talk and eventually reached the church. Asia took a moment to match the location to the address and saw that this was it.

"Yes, this is it." She jumped for joy having finally made it to her destination. Both the guys smiled at her joyful reactions but then froze for different reasons when they came near the entrance.

Matsuda started feeling chills simply being near the church as sweat could be seen coming out of his body. It was only naturel considering that he was a devil, a being of darkness and the church was a place which belongs to God and the Angels so of course he would feel really uncomfortable standing near such a place. In fact, he remembered his president strongly advising him that he should never get close to a church or even a shrine. Now he understands why.

Issei, on the other felt no such thing but rather could tell that there were supernatural entities inside and from their magical signatures, they seemed to be Fallen angels

"Fallen angels…" he said to himself. Asia, still ecstatic to have reached her destination did not hear him however Matsuda was a different story.

"D-did you say fallen angels!" Matsuda cringed when he heard Issei that. Looking towards him, Issei noticed Matsuda's body start trembling a bit and his expression was of dread. He must have had a very bad experience with fallen angels for him to react in such a way so his reaction is totally normal.

Asia was unaware of their turmoil as she turned around towards them.

"I can't thank you two enough for bringing me here. Can I invite you in for some tea… M-Matsuda-san, are you alright?" Asia wanted to invite them over for tea in gratitude for bringing her here when she noticed Matsuda's state and couldn't help but ask him how's he doing. Her expression showed nothing but genuine concern for his well-being. Truly, a caring and innocent woman.

Matsuda wanted to answer her but he didn't know what to say.

"Thank you very much for the offer Asia. Unfortunately, it is getting pretty late and we had a long day so may we take a rain check on your offer?" Issei politely decline her offer using the excuse that its late.

"Oh… I see" She seemed a bit sad. No doubt, wanting to show her gratitude by offering them tea.

"I'm sure we will meet again so you could invite us again next time. Isn't that right Matsuda-san" Issei looked to his classmate who finally seemed to snap out of his troubled state.

"Yeah… that's right. We are friends after all." He managed to utter those words.

This seemed to cheer her back up as her eyes seemed to fill with joy.

"yes, yes that would be wonderful. I would definitely come and see you". Asia bowed her head down as both of them left the premises waving their arms goodbye as Asia entered the church.

When they were out of sight, they started conversing once more.

"Are you sure it was alright to let her go?" asked a genuinely concerned Matsuda, not wanting anything bad to happen to Asia. Issei also wondered the same thing. Unfortunately, there were to many variables to consider. On one hand, he also didn't want Asia to come to harm and if push come to shove, he would defend her with all his might. On the other hand, he did not want to cause any unnecessary burden on Rias. This city is widely known to be devil territory and if he killed the fallen angels stationed here, it could spell trouble for Rias. His presence here is not known to the world so it would probably be seen as devils attacking fallen angels. This could serve as a catalyst for another great war. Without knowing where those fallen angels stood, their hands were tied. It was probably the reason why Rias hasn't already dealt with the situation already. It was simply too risky.

"Honestly, I don't know. There are simply to many unknowns in this situation. Plus, there is no way you could have entered that place, given your state of mind. Clearly, something happened between you and the fallen angels. I won't pry but for now, you should probably head back to Rias and tell her what we found." Issei explained, all the while thinking what his next course of action should be.

Although reluctant, Matsuda understood where Issei was coming from and nodded.

"Very well. In that case, I'll see you tomorrow Issei. Buchou might want to get your take on today's events so be ready just in case."

"I understand. See you tomorrow and have a good night Matsuda." Issei wished him a goodnight and Matsuda did the same as they both went their own paths. Matsuda went back to school to tell Rias what occurred while Issei headed back home. On his way back, he kept pondering what the best course of action would be to take at this point. He wasn't lying to Matsuda when he told him that he didn't know what to do. It's just that there were too many factors to consider however, when push come to shove, he will do whatever is necessary to protect his friends. That is the entire reason he became stronger in the first place. However, once he gets involved, no doubt his secret will be harder to hide. This was certainly becoming a massive headache so he decided to wait and ask his father for advice.

Arriving at home, he spotted the person he wanted to talk to.

"Hey dad, can I talk to you for a moment." Great-red looked back from the couch at his son.

"Sure son. What do you need?" Great asked while tapping the seat next to him, inciting Issei to it next to him which Issei gladly accepted.

"It's a long story so I need to tell you a few things beforehand." His father nodded showing he had his full attention so Issei began recounting the events from the time he met Asia to the time he left her at the church.

Great-red took in everything his son said and could see why his son was worried.

"hmm… Devils, Fallen angels, dragons and now a half Dragon sister with a sacred gear and a healing one at that. Most interesting! Did you ask what type of dragon she was?" Great-red asked his son wondering what kind of dragon this Asia was. Issei thought back to their conversation and realized he never took the opportunity to ask so he shook his head negatively.

"No, I completely forgot to ask her. When we meet again, I'll ask her then." He told his father who nodded.

"Very well! Still, a lot of different factors are gathered in this town. I can see why you are very worried."

"Right, and now I'm not sure what to do. I need some advice and I was hoping you had some for me?" He looked to his father for advice praying beyond hope that he had the answers.

"Unfortunately, son I cannot give you the answer you seek for I do not know. Despite who I am, I'm not omniscient. I may be all powerful but I'm certainly not all-knowing. I don't know everything that occurs nor can I know what the future holds. Your birth is a prime example of that. The only advice I can offer you is to follow your own heart and do what you believe is the right thing. You don't need to concern yourself with unnecessary things like hiding your existence anymore. You have become strong enough to be able to deal with most enemies you encounter. We knew that eventually; your existence would come to light so, at the very least, you should control when it happens rather than let outside forces dictate it. Don't forget, no matter what happens, your mother and I are behind you all the way." Great-red reassured his son who took his words to heart.

"Thank you, dad" he answered with a smile with great red returning with his own.

"Anytime, hope it helped." Issei nodded his head.

"Yes, it did. Anyways, I'm tired so I'm going to bed. Have a good night dad."

"Sweet dreams, my boy." He gave him a wave of his hand as Issei went up the stairs and into his room feeling a bit more relieved. His father was right. He had no time to worry about the consequences in the matter of his existence. The only thing he could and should do is to do what he believes is right. After thinking over it, he slowly drifted to sleep.

The next day came by very fast for Issei as he got up, yawned and stretched, ready to start the day. Until he looked at the clock and it read 1:30 pm making his eyes blow out of his sockets

"Oh shit, I'm late for school." He panicked, not believing that he was able to oversleep for such a long time. Normally his alarm wakes him up at precisely 7 in the morning. It was only when he saw his calendar that he calmed down.

"Oh, thank god… it's a day off" In all his hysteria, he forgot that he had a day off today. Breathing a sigh of relief, he calmed himself down, thinking about what to do for the day. He decided to go outside and walk around the neighborhood and later on he could probably ask Akeno out on a date. With a plan in mind, he ate his breakfast, thanked his mother and left for a walk around the block. Issei enjoys walking. Feeling the outdoor breeze on his face always calms him down and it also reminds him of his time in the dragon territory when he soared across the sky in his dragon form. Flying is definitely one of the best experiences he had ever had. Thinking about his time over there caused him to think about how the younglings are doing. It hasn't even been a few weeks since he left but he still misses all of them. They all became a second family to him. His mother did say that they all asked for him so he should probably take some time and go visit them. He had no doubt that Bova would probably challenge him as soon as he sets foot in that place. Not that he minded, of course. It's heartening to see Bova constantly challenging him despite knowing that he would lose every single time. Issei can't help but marvel at Bova's will to never give up despite the odds, although that is a trait every dragon share.

While he was slowly losing himself down memory lane, he suddenly felt a chill crawl down his spine. He knew something was wrong when he noticed that there were less and less normal civilians as he walked down his path.

'A barrier?' That was the only logical conclusion he could think of that would fit the situation. Using his senses, he quickly pinpointed where the barrier was and made his way there. Arriving near the barrier, he noticed that the barrier was used to keep normal people away rather than keeping people in and out so he was able to enter quickly. This was when he felt two very familiar signatures alongside another

"Shit" he screamed as he bolted towards the center of the park. He arrived quickly only to see Matsuda kneeling over injured while Asia was being held by a raven-haired Fallen angel. Unfortunately, before he could save her, they teleported away, most likely back to their headquarters.

'dammit' thought a frustrated Issei as he arrived too little to late. Raynare had already left with Asia leaving an injured Matsuda who slammed his fist on the ground dejected at the fact that he could not save his friend

"Dammit, I couldn't save her. I'm supposed to be the fucking red dragon emperor but I was powerless to do anything. I I couldn't save her… why am I SO WEAK" Matsuda kept slamming his fist, constantly berating himself for not saving Asia, tears dropping down his face.

He then felt a hand on his shoulder looking over to see Issei looking at him with sympathy and concern.

"It's not your fault, Matsuda-san. She is a fallen angel and therefore is your weakness due to their light abilities. It doesn't matter whether or not you are the red dragon emperor. You may not believe me but I do understand what you are feeling right now. I've been there. The absolute feeling of helplessness from feeling powerless at not saving someone whom you care for." Issei looked towards the sky, reminiscing at his past but then looked back at Matsuda

"However, now it is not the time to be moping around. Are you going to keep wallowing in despair or are you going to get up and do something about it because right now Asia needs your help." He adamantly stated.

Taking a moment, Matsuda made his decision as he stood up.

"You are right… sorry for the pathetic display." He said, feeling a bit better after Issei's assertion.

"Very well then. The first we got to do is notify Rias of current events. I'm sure you don't want your king and your teammates to worry about you. Now hold on to me! I'll teleport us both to the clubroom." Matsuda nodded as he clutched Issei's shoulder. They then both disappeared in a pillar of flames as Issei teleported them to their aforementioned destination.

In the clubroom, Rias was busy writing a report while having Akeno standing next to her. Kiba and Koneko could be seen doing their own thing. All of them were startled when Issei suddenly teleported in but they were even more shocked when they Matsuda with him and he was clearly injured.

"What happened" Rias shouted as Akeno stepped forward to heal Matsuda as best as possible.

"Kind of a long story, so you should probably take a seat." Her pawn stated. He then proceeded to tell her everything that happened, from his time spending with Asia, taking her to eat at a restaurant, bringing her to the arcade all the way until the time they encountered Raynare again and she explained how she needed Asia for a ritual all the way to the present. All the while Rias listened attentively to everything right until the point Matsuda claimed he was going to rescue her.

"I'm sorry but I cannot allow you to save that Sister." Matsuda was honestly extremely shocked at Rias,

"huuh… why Buchou" he asked clearly feeling lost. Issei simply continued to listen patiently wanting to see where this goes.

"The simple reason being that your friend is affiliated with the fallen angels who are our enemies."

"Asia isn't our enemy. She is my friend and I will never abandon my friend" Matsuda interrupted Rias who let it go

"That is a wonderful thing and it's amazing that you can boldly claim that face to face however this is entirely a separate issue. The relationship between Devils and Fallen angels is not as simple as you think. We may have a ceasefire currently but if you show them a single gap of weakness, they will kill us. They are our enemy" she tried to reason with her pawn

"Wasn't blowing away the enemy the Gremory's way of doing things" sadly, it did not seem to work as Matsuda rebutted her once more. They were now both glaring at each other, neither one of them backing off. Honestly, Issei was surprised that Matsuda had the courage to deny Rias considering how he likes her. But it seems some things are just worth fighting for.

"Even so, I cannot allow it. Your actions would not only affect me but also every other member. You are a member of the Gremory peerage and you need to be aware of that." Rias said calmly but stated it as if warning him.

"Then, I will go myself if I have too. I don't know what they are planning with this ritual but I know it spells bad news for Asia and I will not allow it."

"Listen, I understand how you feel but you need to think rationally. By now, the fallen angels have no doubt retreated back to the church and bolstered their defenses. That place is effectively the enemy's headquarter. You will definitely get killed if you go and, as I explained to you before, I will not be able to revive you again meaning you would truly die this time." Once again, she tried to warn him of the potential consequences but he refused to listen.

"It doesn't matter if I die as long as I can save her. Asia is my friend and I won't abandon my friend!" he stated before bolting from the clubroom.

"huuh" sighed Rias before sitting back down placing a hand on her head.

"You must think me heartless for throwing away the sister's life, don't you Issei?" she inquired him thinking she made a bad impression based on the earlier conversation and considering that the sister was also his friend. But, to her surprised he shook his head negatively.

"No, I don't. I understand your reasons for not being able to save her. Both of your factions are still enemies despite the ceasefire and even the simplest action can result in another war. You are simply doing the best you can to prevent the worst-case scenario and I cannot fault you for that. Without the permission from your Maou's, you are restricted in the actions you can make. I'm sure that deep down, Matsuda understands why you can't get involved but it seems his stubbornness knows no bounds." He said causing a chuckle to rise from Rias.

"Ufu, yes indeed. However, his determination and loyalty to protect his friends is one of the qualities I really admire about him." She said. Everyone else nodded, agreeing with their king. Matsuda might be a pervert but he was one who would risk his own life to ensure his friends safety.

"In any case, while you cannot intervene due to the conflict between your factions, I am an entirely different matter since I hold no allegiance to any factions so there will be no chance for any repercussion to fall unto you. I should go ahead and catch up to him before he does anything more reckless." He stopped before smiling at Rias "Plus, despite everything that you said, I know that you tried to give Matsuda every bit of support you could to save Asia." Issei said making his way out.

"Oh, is that so!" she remarked causing Issei smile to turn into a smirk.

"Oh yes, I heard you loud and clear. You told your pawn that the church is the 'enemy headquarters'. Now, it's time I show them why you should never anger a dragon." Issei said before flaming out, likely teleporting to catch up to Matsuda.

"ufu, it really is a shame that I could not reincarnate him into my peerage." Rias chuckled as she marveled at the fact that Issei was able to figure out the true meaning behind her statement and once more regretting the fact that he rejected becoming a member of her peerage. It was then that Rias received the call that she had been waiting for.

"It's time. Is everyone, ready?" All of them nodded.

Matsuda hurried along his way to make it to the church in order to save Asia. There is nothing that will stop him from saving his friend and he was not lying to his master when he said he would go at it alone. Which is why it was a good thing that somebody had his back.

All of a sudden Matsuda felt himself being raised off the ground as someone grabbed his shirt and literally lifted him off the ground preventing him from proceeding. At first, Matsuda thought that it was the enemy that caught him but upon closer inspection, he saw that it was in fact Issei who stopped him.

"Hey man, why the hell are you manhandling me? Let me go." Shouted a frustrated Matsuda, trying to wrangle himself out of Issei's grasp to no avail. He did not have a single moment to spare.

"I'm trying to save your life, you idiot. What the heck do you think you will accomplish storming the place all by yourself." Asked Issei.

"Obviously, I'm trying to save our friend whose been abducted by our enemies." He placed the emphasis on the word 'our' trying to remind Issei that Asia is also his friend.

"I know that but you need to calm down and think rationally" Issei tried to calm his friend down.

"YOUR TELLING ME TO CALM DOWN WHEN EVERY SECOND WE SPEND IS A SECOND MORE THEY HAVE TO FINISH THEIR RITUAL ON ASIA!" Matsuda screamed in anger but it did not affect Issei the he thought it would, although you could tell from his expression that he was beginning to become a bit irritated but tried to remain composed.

"I understand that but what do you think charging in recklessly is going to accomplish by yourself. All you'll end up doing is getting yourself killed pointlessly just like Rias explained. How do you think Asia is going to feel when she finds out you died trying to save her. It would devastate her. You need to think before you act. There is a difference between courage and just plain recklessness. Please don't forget that you have people who are waiting for you to come back. Despite what you may think, Rias Gremory is definitely worried about you and was also trying to look out for you." Issei pointed out how affected everyone else would be should he die.

Letting the words sink in allowed Matsuda to finally calm down.

"I… um… you… your right. I wasn't thinking straight. Thanks" he sighed thanking Issei for his help. Seeing Matsuda calm down, Issei released him from his grasp and smiled.

"Besides, while you may think Rias did not want to help you, nothing could be further from the truth." He mentioned causing Matsuda to wonder what he meant

"What do you mean?"

"You didn't notice due to your rage but Rias gave you as much support as she could with the limited amount of authority she possessed. She clearly told 'you' her pawn, that the church was the enemy headquarters. Now why do you think she would tell you that?" he let Matsuda think on it, hoping he would understand the meaning behind her words until it clicked in his mind remembering what she taught him about pawns. Now he felt like crap for the having lashed out at her and calling her heartless.

"I… really am an idiot." He looked dejected.

"Don't worry about it. She does not blame you for it. If anything, she really admires your dedication to your friends and is very proud of you." He tried to reassure as best as he could. It seemed to success as Matsuda seemed more elated.

"Good now that this is settled, we still have to save Asia so let's go" he said shocking Matsuda since he thought he came to stop him. Realizing his thoughts Issei clarified

"I only stopped you from doing something reckless, I never said I'd stop you from saving her. I'm also going along with you since… Asia is also my friend so let's go, we don't have a moment to lose." They both then made their way to their intended destination.

Now outside the church, Issei began plotting their next move.

"Out of curiosity, what were you intending to do once you got here. Just bust in the front door and demand they release Asia?" he asked Matsuda.

"hehe, now that I think about, that is indeed a dumb move huh" he said looking down in shame and embarrassment, now seeing how stupid his strategy was.

"Don't worry about it. You were not thinking clearly back then with only your determination to drive you. It's a good thing to have mind you but that does not mean you should throw rationality out of the window especially if you are going to face opponents who outnumbered and overpower you." Advised Issei recounting all the lessons he'd been taught. He never thought he'd be the one teaching it to someone else since he never saw himself as a teacher. His uncle would be so proud of him.

'Oops, now is not the time to wonder' Issei thought to himself as he recomposed himself.

"Alright then, let's see what we are up against. Give me a moment." He told Matsuda, as he closed his eyes and focused his senses entirely on the church in order to scout how many enemies they were dealing with.

Looking at Issei, Matsuda did not understand what he was doing until a voice interrupted him.

[He is currently using his senses to scour the building to find out how enemies you are dealing with.] Ddraig said.

"Wow he can do that. Amazing" he was awed at Issei's ability making Ddraig chuckle

[Of course, partner. Dragons have always possessed the sharpest senses compared to other races. Even you can do this with enough training since you possess me.] Ddraig explained to his partner although even he was surprised that Issei was able to master such an advanced technique at such a young age. From what Ddraig could see, not only was Issei focusing on the church but also all the surrounding environment around the church, most likely to see if any enemies were patrolling around them. It was amazing to say the least.

Meanwhile, Issei was entirely focused on his task. He could feel the presences of many people residing in the church and from their auras he could tell which races they belonged to. However, there was something that worried him. Of the enemies he could sense, there were a few who felt like humans yet there was something off about their aura that felt inhumane. He had never felt such a presence in his life. Opening his eyes, he let Matsuda know of his findings.

"Alright, based on what I could tell, there are 2 floors in that building. Asia is located in the basement floor accompanied by 4 fallen angels, one of them being that Raynare chick that took her. Luckily, there are no abnormalities with her aura meaning they have not done anything to her yet but it appears that she is most likely unconscious. There are also several exorcists located inside. I counted at least 100 as well as a few other soldiers that quite frankly I have no idea what they are. Now aren't you glad that I stopped from heading off to your doom" he smirked at Matsuda when he told him the last part.

"Ha ha ha, very funny. I get it. I was an idiot for going at it alone. You don't need to rub it in." he said sarcastically.

"Sorry, couldn't help it. Anyways, shall we go through the front entrance. There is no doubt that the fallen angels have anticipated our arrival which is why there are so many signatures inside so there is no point in being subtle." Issei insinuated

"Alright, now you are speaking my language. You ready Ddraig." Matsuda slammed both his fists together ready to strike while his boosted gear manifested on his arm

["Always, partner"]

BOOST

"Alright, let's start by introducing ourselves." Issei said as he formed an orb of fire and used it to blast away the front doors of the sanctuary.

At this point, there is no going back but that was never an option for the both of them as they head straight in. As the dust started to settle, their surrounding started to become much clearer. Matsuda then spotted several stray exorcists throughout the room. He counted maybe around 30. That is a big number but he would not let that defeat him. He would beat them all in order to proceed further to save Asia. Issei had already identified how many exorcists lied in wait on the current floor. He was simply thinking on how to deal with the situation as effectively as possible. He obviously couldn't go all out less he attract some unwanted attention towards himself but also he didn't want to reduce the city he lived in to rubble. Just as he was pondering to himself, he suddenly felt more signatures heading their way which made him unintentionally smirked. His thought were interrupted when he heard the sound of clapping echoing throughout the sanctuary. Someone who looked like a priest showed up behind the pillar.

Seeing his face, Matsuda became disgusted which was an indicator to Issei that he had met this person before.

"Oya oya, you are the devil from before. What a meeting, this is a reunion. Ha ha ha I'm feeling so emotional" he said sporting an insane smile.

"You know this freak?" Issei asked.

"Unfortunately! That insane asshole killed an innocent man and also almost killed Koneko-chan as well as myself." He said in disgust never looking away from the insane priest who simply laughed after hearing the devil speak.

"Of course, I killed him. He was a criminal who had been summoning devils, so I had to kill him. I just did what any other exorcists would do, rid the world of evil. I mean, humans who make pact with devils are nothing but scum." He said with all the other stray exorcists nodding agreeing with their comrades view.

"You guys came to rescue little Asia, right? Hahaha! How it warms my bleeding heart that Devils-samas are big hearted for coming here to save a bitch like that who can heal devils. Well, you are too late though. She will die soon enough." He mocked them but his statement worried both of them.

"Die, what the fuck do you mean?" shouted an enraged Matsuda.

"Oh… hahahaha, you guys don't know anything, well allow Freed-sama here to enlighten you. The ritual about to take place will apparently extract the sacred gear currently hosted by little Asia. Apparently Raynare and the others acquired a tool that allows the extraction of sacred gears. Amazing, isn't it!" he exclaimed shocking both of them since it seemed impossible.

"Is that even possible Ddraig?" Matsuda asked his partner.

["hmm, I've never heard of such a thing but removing a Sacred Gear which is tied to someone soul – it would surely end in death"]. His statement shook their cores as the urgency of their shot way up. Issei's face was shadowed by his hair as anger slowly started to rise up and his power slowly leaked out from causing the atmosphere around them to shiver yet the exorcists payed no attention.

"Forget about that. There is another problem I'm currently facing. I have never met the same devil twice before! You know it's because I am super strong, I cut devils into pieces when I first meet them! That's how I always lived but you… you guys ruined my style. I hate people who have the audacity to interfere with my style~! That's why ~ you all piss me off! That is why I have tinsy winsy favor to ask. DIE you trashy Deeeeeeeevils" he shouted in rage taking out his gun and one handed light sword. That seemed to mark the start of the fight as the other exorcists began to surround them causing Matsuda to heighten his guard ready to strike and counter at a moments notice.

Five of the exorcists shot forward at the same time wanting to strike first and be done with them. All of them believed that this would be an easy fight.

.

.

Boy how wrong they would turn out to be.

In an instant, the five exorcists were blown backwards by Issei who striked faster than they could even see. All of them crashed on the walls, breaking their bones. 3 of them instantly died upon collision while the others were rendered unconscious. This surprised Freed and the others who had no idea what had happened. One moment, their comrades were on the offense and the next they were easily incapacitated or worse killed. What occurred was very simple, Issei, with a wave of his arm blew them away but he moved so fast to the point that none of them even realized they were hit.

"You will all pay very dearly for toying with my friend's life you miserable vermin." Everyone suddenly heard Issei speak in a much deeper voice, clearly very angry at the moment. However, the moment he lifted his head, all the exorcists shuttered in fear when they looked upon Issei's face. His eyes were replaced with crimson glowing eyes with a vertical black slit promising them nothing but death and despair. Even Freed could do nothing shake in terror at the sight of those eyes.

"W-What are you?" he tried to save face yet clearly failed. Issei turned his attention towards him as silence ensued.

.

.

"Your worst nightmare" was all they heard when a sudden pressure forced them to kneel. That pressure was coming from Issei who release his killing intent. Never in their life had they felt death looming over them as close as right now. No one could move a single muscle and were at the mercy of this abomination in front of them.

However, all of the sudden, the pressure seemed to have vanished as quickly as it appeared. They looked up to see that Issei had disappeared from his spot.

"Unfortunately, I do not have the time to play around with you. Which is why… Matsuda, I'm leaving you and the others to take care of this trash." They all heard a voice coming from behind. Looking around, Issei had somehow materialized near the pillar, his back to looking human and no one noticed a thing. He then pushed the pillar side revealing a staircase leading to the bottom floor as he made his way down.

No one followed after him, still stunned by everything that happened.

"Hey, I want to save Asia too and… what do you mean by others, I'm the only one here" shouted Matsuda, not understanding what Issei meant until he heard a very familiar voice.

"Oh my, it seems we arrived a bit late. The party has already started"

"ara ara, it seems Issei went ahead. I may have to punish him for leaving us behind, ufu ufu"

"It can't be helped fuku-buchou, he most likely went ahead to save the sister."

"Yes."

"Buchou… everyone" Matsuda looked on in shock not believing his eyes.

"But… I thought you weren't going to get involved." Was all Matsuda could say still not believing that everyone came considering how Rias was very adamant in not getting involved in this matter.

Rias smiled

"I never said I wasn't going to get involved. I just didn't want you to go by yourself but that does not mean I was going to let fallen angels have their way in my town. Just recently, I finally received a call from my brother who told me that Azazel, the fallen angel leader, has stated that the fallen angels currently here are not under any orders from him, meaning they are to be considered rogue fallen so my brother gave me the go ahead to take them down." Rias explained. Matsuda could do nothing but stare wide eyed at his king.

He then looked down in shame, not believing that he doubted this woman for a second.

"I'm sorry Buchou… I shouldn't have doubted you… It's just that I…" Matsuda faltered as the words came out of his mouth

"It's okay, I understand. You were only trying to save a friend. I wouldn't expect anything less from my pawn." Not only did Rias understand him but he noticed that she seemed to beam with pride when she told him that.

"Anyways, this is not the time or the place for such banter. We have opponents to deal with. So everyone, let's do what the Gremory peerage does best and blow our opponents away"

"Yes, Buchou" Everyone nodded at Rias command and took their positions.

Freed finally took this moment to recover, shaking his head wildly to regain his composure from his previous state.

"Well, well, well. It seems we have more devils coming to intrude on our little party. Seems we are being graced with the princess of all scums" Freed turned his attention towards the devils, his insane smirk, present once more on his face.

"You aren't exactly a sight for sore eyes but at the same time, this is perfect. I have yet to pay you back for injuring Koneko-chan as well as Matsuda-kun. Please allow me to rectify that this moment." Rias answered him back with a very angry stare.

"tch, alright guys, let's kill these devil scums once and for all. The people below will be able to take care of that filthy abomination so we can just enjoy slaughtering these devils." Freed shouted trying to rile up the others which seemed to work as they encircled the newly arrived Gremory peerage.

"It seems we are being underestimated here. No matter, let's take care of this and go help Issei-kun to save the sister. Kiba, you take care of Freed and everyone else will deal with the other exorcists." She said while an orb of destruction appeared on the palm of her hands. Meanwhile Akeno switched to her shrine outfit as lightning seem to crackle around her.

"Yes." Immediately Kiba sprinted towards Freed as they crossed swords and that was the signal to begin the battle as the other exorcists rushed in.