Ego Death

Nogi woke up in what seemed like an idyllic neighbourhood, and gazed around at a mass of peaceful gardens filled with short grass and the occasional block of flowers, and spacious, two-floor white houses with small verandahs. He almost felt relaxed here, until he heard the sound of frantic, staccato female screams from the house beside him.

Since he had woke up behind it, and saw no back door, he rounded the back of the building to try and find his way to the entrance. However, he was stopped by a vast wall of white Holy energy that rose in front of him, to the left side of the building. Seemingly, the priest had taken some precautions, and he would have to find another way.

He tried going around the house on the other side, but again a white wall blocked him. However, he saw that there was a small, peaceful-looking river winding its way across the right side of the building. This would be his best chance to get past the wall. He dove into the river, and was relieved as it flowed him past the white wall. However, as he tried to reach for the shore, his fingers scraped painfully against the stony bank as the surprisingly violent current picked up and pushed him forcefully further down the river.

He couldn't get a firm hold on the river bank, or pull himself out. Soon, it had taken him away from the building to what looked like a park, though it was difficult to tell because the air here was thick with fog.

It must have become evening, while he was still in Hell.

Nonetheless, the river seemed to slow slightly as it moved through this park, and a soaked Nogi finally managed to scrape his way onto the park's soil.

However, as he let out a relieved sigh, he was shocked to feel a scaly hand grab him by the nape and throw him to the ground.

Was this one of the priest's 'friends'?

He looked up in panic, but couldn't make out his assailant through the fog.

As he tried to scramble to his feet, finding it difficult with his soaked clothes, he saw a red shape bear down on him and shove his face deep into the soil.

"Who are you?" a voice whispered tensely behind him. "Are you Freed Sellzen?"

"No! I don't know who that is!" Nogi said.

"I see... So you haven't been sent to protect the priest from me?"

Out of breath, Nogi found it hard to reply.

"I - I came here to protect... Akeno... In danger, priest is trying to... To..."

He felt the weight lift from the back of his head, and the figure above him seemed to relax.

"I see. So he's in Akeno's house already? Darn. I did think that he was somewhere here. By the way, my name's Issei."

Nogi exhaustedly lifted himself from the ground, and saw a boy with brown, spiky hair and weird, beady eyes kneeling calmly next to him.

"Thank you, I'm Nogi... The priest... He traps girls, keeps them in cages... Does all sorts of terrible things..."

Issei sighed. "So that's what happened to Asia? I was beginning to fear that. What a fiend. Are you also trying to fight him?"

"Yes... Yes."

"I see. Alright, I know where Akeno's house is, but would you mind helping me out once we're there?"

Issei stood up, and offered Nogi a hand. Nogi nervously took it, and lifted himself to his feet. He felt bedraggled, and was glad that the fog might hide his fatigue. Although he recalled Issei's hand having something red on it, like a glove perhaps, he didn't notice any such thing now, and was slightly relieved.

Instead of waiting for him, Issei ran out of the park, towards Akeno's house. Nogi carefully followed Issei's steps, but soon Issei had gone out of sight. Nogi, who was shivering in his wet clothes, could only lug forwards slowly, but soon found his way to Akeno's house, where Issei was waiting by the door, using a crowbar to force it open. Where had he found that? Nogi didn't know, but ran over to help.

"Trying to get this thing open," Issei said. "I have the key, but he jammed it slightly, I think he's expecting visitors. But we don't have much choice, the windows tight shut."

Nogi walked up to the door, and drew his sword, slashing fiercely at the hinges until they gave way. While the door remained stuck in place somehow, Issei leaned against the crowbar with his knees and arms, and eventually the door fell out of place.

However, the priest had heard them, and walked up to the broken door.

"What a rude entrance," the priest said. "To break and enter like that... What are you, blacks?"

"We are here to stop your accursed ways!" Issei said.

"Fool! You are a Devil!" the priest said. "How dare you trespass and attack a priest of the Lord! But I shall punish you with the sacred power of the Lord, and his Holy Light."

Issei laughed. "Yeah, right. As if you would know anything about sacredness, the one who would is Asia... And what did you do to her?"

To Nogi's surprise, a glint of red appeared on Issei's hand, from what seemed to be a bracer. Issei surged forwards confidently to strike the priest.

However, the priest raised his hand calmly, and Issei was sent flying backwards until he screeched to a stop on the road.

Trying to take advantage of this distraction, Nogi had also rushed in with sword raised. However, the priest sent him skidding across the road as well with a simple wave of the hand.

"You wicked, perverted Devils shall not corrupt Akeno further!" the priest proclaimed.

He then walked into a door on the left side of the building, towards where Nogi could hear Akeno yelping weakly. The door slammed behind him.

"Shit," Issei said. "I don't have the key to that. He's stronger than I expected... But thanks for helping with the door. I'm sure he's booby-trapped the way to wherever he's keeping Akeno. We'll need to find some other way in."

"Alright. Any plans? Can we try to find an open window?"

"There's a small dormer on the left side of her house, I doubt that the priest would know of it. We can try to climb a tree and break our way in."

Issei led the way to a tall tree on the left side of the building. The two began to clamber up its branches, but Issei suddenly stopped and turned pale, looking towards the building.

Nogi was confused by this, but soon followed Issei's gaze and saw a window on the left side of the building. In it, a black-haired Japanese girl was lying on a bed, her upper-body tied in place with thick ropes and unmoving. Her mouth gaped open, as if in shock, but she could not seem to move. Looking closer, Nogi saw that she was almost suffocating, due to soft, thin pieces of cloth tightly constricting her neck. However, his gaze was distracted by her large breasts, which were perfectly still and pointed up at the roof. Her arms' white, firm skin was being strained and wounded by the ropes, and while there were signs of struggle like fallen furniture, scorch marks, and scrapes on the wall, she was by now helpless.

The priest was bending over her, molesting her, but she had no reaction except for her eyes seeming to widen in terror.

"Is she drugged?" Nogi said.

"Ugh. Yes, I think so," Issei said. "She said she was meeting a family friend for dinner... The priest must have come in disguise and drugged her. I didn't know that it would be him, but there was some suspicious activity here, so I knew he would be nearby. But she'd still put up a fight, just that she's tied in place like a rack."

Nogi was about to respond, but was distracted by Issei mentioning the word 'rack.' He instead gazed back towards Akeno.

He heard a loud groan from Issei, as the priest began to thrust his penis between Akeno's breasts. Looking up, he saw that Issei had shed a couple of tears, despite trying to keep his composure.

"How could he! HOW COULD HE!" Issei said.

"..."

Nogi followed Issei, who climbed quickly to the top of the tree.

"Alright, if this guy can take out Akeno, who's way stronger than me even if drugged," Issei said, "I'll need some help. Well, the other Devils are busied, and won't get here in time. Can you come along?"

Nogi looked nervously at the large gap between the rooftop and the tree, but nodded. It's not like he had much choice at this point.

"Alright, I'll go first. Hold the branch steady, so I can go as far as possible before jumping," Issei said. "After that, you come along, I'll catch you if you miss."

Issei leapt off the branch, and seemed to be suspended in the air for a few tense seconds before grabbing a hold of the roof and swinging a fist through the dormer, which broke easily. He crawled inside, but remained on the edge of the window.

Nogi gulped and jumped as well, though he couldn't get as far along the branch as Issei because nobody was holding it. However, he botched his jump, and panicked as he fell right past the window and saw a long descent below him.

This fall was interrupted by a red hand grabbing him effortlessly out of the air, pulling him by the chest into the dormer.

"Heh, close shave there," Issei said.

"Yes, thanks," Nogi said, realising that it was Issei who had plucked him out of thin air before a long fall.

"Alright, so we'll need to get down the stairs without alerting the priest. I can hear the priest down there, he seems to be leaving to the other side of the house. Maybe he's trying to steal from her, since she's a Devil and might have some valuable stuff that the church wouldn't. We should rush down, and take a look."

Following Issei's instructions, Nogi barrelled down the stairway, finding a few eerily silent floors.

Issei, however, was faster, and quickly found the way to Akeno's room, which the priest had left unlocked. Nogi was cautious, since the priest knew by now that these two were after him, and would probably only leave that door open if he was comfortable with them entering.

"Oh, God," Issei exclaimed, stepping into the room. "What has he done? Akeno, can you hear me? Akeno?"

Nogi saw that Akeno was lying prostrate on the bed, barely conscious. She glanced lightly towards Issei, adn tried to force a smile, but couldn't. Issei walked up to her, and tried to remove the ropes, but they wouldn't budge.

"Hey, do you reckon your sword could help?" Issei said, his voice suddenly on edge.

"Sure, I'll try," Nogi said.

"Alright, but be careful with that thing. If you touch Akeno... Ahem, go on, cut the ropes."

Nogi lugged his sword upwards, and began sawing through the ropes. They were tougher than he expected, but soon he had made some sort of progress. Issei clapped him on the back, and told him to keep going.

Nogi, however, felt damp and tired, and could barely keep going. His arms were beginning to give out. Further, as he stared at the unnaturally still Akeno, her face and breasts locked upwards in an unmoving pose, he was almost tempted to just stop and stare, or maybe try to violate her himself. But he didn't dare to do that around Issei. However, as Issei walked away, inspecting the rest of the room and preparing in case the priest returned, Nogi gave in and began to press his desperate erection against Akeno's white skin.

Although he felt terrible, the firm pressure finally allowed him to ejaculate, and he unleashed in her mouth while Issei was hanging outside the room and listening for any sign of the priest's movements. Shocked by his sudden sexual ecstasy and seeming relief from exhaustion, Nogi began to jerk off to Akeno, admiring her face and breasts. While she had earlier seemed receptive to him, he now saw her eyes staring at him in disgust. He didn't care, and began carefully penetrating between her breasts until he ejaculated over her stiff, suffocated neck, causing her to flinch in pain.

While Nogi managed to hide the evidence before Issei barged back in, and had nearly cut through the ropes, he became concerned about this situation. Wouldn't Issei get mad if Akeno escaped and told on Nogi? But perhaps Akeno, in this position, would have a foggy memory. And, under Issei's watch, Nogi had little choice but to cut through Akeno's ropes. As he severed the last tight rope around her thin waist, she seemed to perk up slightly and could breathe more easily. However, her head and shoulders were still fixed in place, and she still seemed barely conscious.

"You know," Issei said, "I have always dreamed of being a harem King. But maybe I was wrong. To find out how much evil this priest does in the name of obtaining women... It's concerning." He looked down towards Akeno. "But on the other hand, breasts. So yeah. Is she nearly free?"

"Yes," Nogi said, attempting to look industrious as he cut through the last ties holding Akeno down. She still showed few signs of movement, and the effect of the drugs seemed to be growing with time. Perhaps, if Nogi hadn't got distracted, she would have already been free and they could all try to get out. After all, Issei said that she was strong, so surely the three of them could make their way out?

However, there was a loud noise from the door, and Issei froze.

The priest appeared, dragging two dead corpses which appeared to be Akeno's friends or relatives.

"Alas, the wicked sinners have not learned from God's wisdom!" the priest said. "If you were wise, you would have repented, and left the woman be. What compels you here? Alas, it must be base lust! Lust, and the sinful desires of the flesh! Repent, and begone!"

Issei angrily lunged towards the priest again, but the priest held up his staff and Issei crashed against a wall before crumpling to the ground.

Nogi had nearly cut Akeno free, but the priest pointed the staff forwards and Nogi froze, unmoving. The priest walked over to Akeno, who was beginning to stir, and Nogi could quietly hear her mumble, "No! Not this! Anything but this!"

The priest, however, placed his penis between her breasts, and stroked them until he was ready to ejaculate into her mouth. He thrusted into her fragile neck, filling it with cum until she was barely able to breathe and lost consciousness.

She would not be able to help fight off the priest.

However, as the priest dismounted her, he was suddenly sent firmly to the ground as Issei punched him in the back, although the priest's staff seemed to offer some protection and mitigated the blow. The priest fell to the ground beside Akeno.

"So you have taken measures to weaken the attacks of Devils?" Issei said. "Well, I have ways to strengthen myself."

He grabbed a hold of Akeno's right breast, and began masturbating furiously. "I can feel the power!" he roared mightily.

He seemed to get power from grasping breasts and being perverted.

As the priest got up, Issei jumped for him, but was deflected by a shield of Holy energy. However, with a punch, Issei broke through the shield. Nonetheless, while he was trying to find his way past it, the priest easily reached out a glowing hand to grasp Issei's chest. A bloody wound appeared where the priest's hand touched, and Issei gagged and backstepped in shock.

"Are you afraid of the Laying on of Hands?" the priest said. "Alas, foul Devil, you are lost to the ways of God!"

"Hmph, laying on of hands?" Issei said. "I can do much more than that."

He leapt onto Akeno, knowing that he needed more strength to face this priest. He began raping her between her breasts, squealing about how heavenly they were. As he began to ejaculate, he found a newfound might in his hands.

In the meantime, Nogi had surged forwards as a distraction, but the priest threw a fireball towards Nogi and he hustled to the ground to put out his burning clothes. Fortunately, since they were damp, it wasn't as bad as it could have been. But his skin began to weaken from the burns, and he was already exhausted.

As Issei surged at the priest, the priest repelled his blows, but couldn't find time to strike back. They fought back and forth for a while, until Issei finally surged forwards and tripped up the priest.

"Well, sometimes you have to be back-handed," Issei shrugged, smiling.

Nogi attempted to stab the priest, but the priest grabbed his ankles and flung him into Issei, throwing them both towards the doorway.

Nogi decided to hang back, and let Issei do most of the fighting.

Issei surged forwards again, and managed to lay a firm punch on the priest's shoulder, although the priest's arm burst into flame and managed to scorch Issei's chest painfully. However, Issei would not relent, and the two fought on.

Soon, the priest finally managed to slam Issei into a wall, since Issei had strayed next to one and the priest locked him in a small shield of Holy energy which he couldn't break through before the priest had shoved him fiercely into the wall.

This gave the priest time to walk up to Akeno, and place a white pill in her mouth.

However, she was still too weak to respond.

So the priest began raping her in the anus, until she seemed to wake up slightly, letting out a horrified cry.

Issei was still getting to his feet, so Nogi ran forwards, only to be thrown back by the priest effortlessly.

The priest then asked Akeno a question, "Now you will speak truly. What do you think of these two, why are they trying to save you? And is Issei a fitting harem king?"

"They're just two perverts," she cried, "They want to do... all kinds of things! Issei is a freak, he just cares about my tits, he's such a freak that he was, like, a famous pervert. I always said he was a budding rapist. And the other guy... even worse! And... a harem king?" She laughed, with a sweet voice but a hint of anger. "Issei could never be a harem king. He's just a lame pervert, he ogles us like it's all he can think of, if he had a harem they'd just kill him, they'd hate him."

Issei had stood up, but on hearing this he froze, with a shocked expression on his face. He tried to respond, but his body gave up and fell to the ground. He passed out.

"But I still need Issei, I can follow him to find out which other girls here are haunted by devils, and exorcise them," the priest said. "But you? You, I don't care about. Keep following me, silly Nogi, maybe someday you will have an inch of the charisma and godly fortitude that helps me to win over these females."

"You don't win them over, you just -" Nogi started.

However, he felt the priest press a staff to his neck, and a burst of Holy energy caused Nogi's body to burst into flame. This holy flame - cleansing the perversion of Nogi - briefly extinguished itself, and the perverted Nogi had been reduced to ash.

The priest grabbed Issei's body, which was deeply unconscious, and lifted it over Akeno's breasts without allowing it to come into contact with him. Even though unconscious, Issei still began screaming, screeching, and crying. Pain shot through his body.

Opening the window, the priest tossed Issei out onto the grass on the side. The tree on this side of the building was quite conspicuous, and the priest surmised that this is how the intruders had got in here. But the effort must have tired them out. Since Issei was still new to his powers, the injuries from his recent defenestration would probably mean that the priest would have an advantage in any encounters in the next few days, when the priest hoped to round up a few more Devils in order to secure righteousness and godliness in the region.

Thinking about this, the priest walked back to Akeno, and began to lie over her, having sex with her. He wondered what would happen if he, a holy representative of God, impregnated a Devil. So he would have to keep her around. But it would be dangerous to stay here, since Issei would call others to the location, and it would also be dangerous to try and keep Akeno in a cage, because she was a fairly powerful young Devil. He would have to make sure that she could not wake, but use her to incubate his seed. Once this was done, he could kill her.

The priest sighed. He hated these blurred lines. But he knew that Akeno, being a curious young girl, would no doubt approve of his experimentation.

After forcing her to orally ingest some sleeping pills and drugs, he turned and looked at the window, pleased to see that Issei was still unmoving.

The priest carried Akeno's body while stepping over Nogi's ashes, and soon had exited the building, walking back to his car. He was pleased to see that the intruders hadn't thought to sabotage his car, which was still in fine shape.

As Nogi awoke in Hell, he felt a sharp pain as the priest stepped over his ashes.

His screams brought the attention of Satan, who had seemingly neglected to welcome Nogi back this time.

"Sorry, bro, we were just watching replays of that!" Satan said. "Really funny. OMG, the way that Issei just fell on the floor like that. Ugh, he should have taken up football instead of bothering us devils. If he had played for Argentina in the World Cup finals, they might have won on penalties during the game, rather than only after the game. But never mind, the priest escapes again. What a glorious bugger, I'm rooting for the guy by now. Still, you deserve another chance, I suppose."

"If Issei's a devil, then is he from here?" Nogi said. "Why don't you speak of him more respectfully?"

"Nah, I've never met him," Satan said. "He's not, like, a real Devil. He's like - do you know how sometimes high school girls will posture about being Satanic and shit, or like Lillith, that kind of thing? It's to try and appear different from the others, even though in truth women are all the same. Like, if you've lived for as long as I have, soon you can barely tell one woman from another, it becomes sort of like distinguishing between black people, you know? But yeah, those Devils are just a bunch of pervs and people with too many hormones having some sort of dumb sex cult. Like, if they were as classy as the priest, we'd probably let them chill out in Hell if they wanted. But sadly not."

"So you're not a Devil?" Nogi said.

"I am the Devil," Satan huffed.

He threw a ball of fire at Nogi, and laughed as Nogi was set on fire and tried to put it out.

"Anyway," Satan said, "now that we're clear on the matter, here's the next situation you'd probably be interested in. Asia Argento was on her way towards Issei, searching nearby, when she was intercepted by Freed Sellzen, a rogue exorcist. He was tipped off by the priest that she had escaped, and would probably look for Issei. Now he has locked her up in an abandoned church, but Issei is searching for her, and has a bunch of allies closing in. Since you're quite fond of Asia, I'm sure you'd like to lead the charge, so we can leave you outside the building she's currently being held in, and you can show the others the way. That way, you will gain their trust... Although I'm sure that sooner or later you will lose it somehow."

Nogi was in too much pain from the fire to reply, but realised that this was a good opportunity. He especially looked forwards to the idea that he might be able to take responsibility for saving Asia, and might impress her.

He did not realise that she would probably still prefer Issei.

Satan tossed a sword at Nogi, but as Nogi tried to pick it up, it burst into flames and seared Nogi's hands. Nogi was still on fire, since apparently in Hell the fire would just hang on indefinitely. This sword brought him a new burst of agony, and as he screamed, Satan clapped and handed him another sword.

This one worked, but it took a while before Nogi worked up the confidence to even try picking it up. It was impossible for him to practice here, because he was on fire.

It was Satan's intention that Nogi not practice. He was concerned that Freed Sellzen might be a vulnerable target, compared to the priest, and was already facing several Devils, so it seemed reasonable to not give Nogi any further advantages. It was too much fun seeing Nogi die repeatedly.

As Satan flew away, Nogi began rolling around in the void of Hell, trying in vain to put out the fire.