Chapter 67 - Dragon Heart
"Leo, why don't we go to Sanctuary Park? That's what Rias asked, right?" Asia looked at me and asked.
"Rias asked us to go there, but the likelihood of finding Kiba there is very small. He's smart. If he's still avoiding everyone, he wouldn't go to such an obvious place."
Asia frowned slightly. "So, where are we going? And why?"
I smiled, trying to ease the tension. "We're going to a place where we can meet two people who will probably help us find Kiba, they are: Irina and Xenovia. If we find them, the chances of finding Kiba right away are very high."
Asia's eyes widened slightly when she heard the names of the exorcists. "Irina and Xenovia... do you think they'll help us?"
"I'm not sure if they'll help us directly, but... Kiba is obsessed with the Excaliburs. If he doesn't find any clues about them, it's very likely that he'll hang around these two exorcists to take advantage of their investigation. If we find Irina and Xenovia, Kiba will be one step away."
Asia seemed to understand, and I could see that my words calmed her a little. Her face became charged, and she even offered a small smile in response to mine.
"I see. So where do we look for them?" She asked.
"There are a few places in the city that could serve as hiding places or bases for them," I explained, turning my attention to the city streets as we walked. "The most logical would be to start with the places that have some connection to the church or that offer some kind of sanctuary. There's the larger church where you stayed for a few days, but they probably won't go there knowing that the Fallen Angels are here and that Rias is after the Fallen Angels. Let's go to the central square. There's an old chapel that they've recently renovated. If we don't find them there, we can try the surrounding area."
We walked side by side through the streets of the city, which were beginning to fill with the end of the day's activity.
The central square was relatively quiet, with only a few people strolling around or resting on the benches.
In the center of the square stood the old chapel with its ancient stone facade.
As we approached the chapel, I felt a slight change in the atmosphere, an almost imperceptible sensation of divine energy, something familiar to a demon like me.
Asia and I shouldn't normally approach a place like this. But I knew that nothing would happen to us.
The chapel doors were open, and the soft candlelight was spilling out, casting flickering shadows on the stone steps. I reached for the door and Asia tugged at the fabric of my shirt.
"What are you doing, Leo? Demons aren't allowed in the house of God."
"Don't worry. My heart isn't that of a demon, I'll be fine. Just stay here."
"What?"
"Just stay here and watch over us. I'll explain later."
That last part, about my heart, was something only Rias Gremory knew. To most, I was just a demon of considerable power, a bearer of Boosted Gear who had managed to do the unthinkable: kill Raiser Phenex. But what most didn't know, not even my companions, was the price I paid for all that power.
I vividly remember the moment I made the pact with Ddraig, the Red Dragon Empress.
Even before I fought Raiser Phoenix, I knew I would lose, or if I won with holy water, I would keep Raiser Phenex's garbage alive.
I wasn't strong enough, fast enough, or even magically skilled enough to face an enemy as powerful and regenerative as he was. So I asked Ddraig to give me her powers, and she offered me an alternative.
"{You want my power, Leonard, is that it?" Her voice echoed in my mind, deep and resonant. "If you really want to defeat Raiser Phenex, you'll have to give me something in return. Power does not come without sacrifice.}"
I knew that any deal with Ddraig would come at a price.
"What do you want?"
"{A part of you.}"
"So, take my heart."
"{Your heart?}" Ddraig asked, a little hesitantly. "It is the source of your life. If you give me your heart, I can give you enough power to overcome any obstacle, but...}"
"I know! My life will be yours!"
It was a risky move, a pact that could very well mean my ruin in the future, but I needed power, a lot of power, not only to face Raiser but also for the future.
"{Well done, boy. Your heart is mine now!}"
I felt a sharp pain in my chest, as if something was being ripped out of me, and then everything went dark for a brief moment. When I regained consciousness, the power coursing through my veins was different.
My heart was no longer beating on its own. It belonged to Ddraig, and my life was bound to her will.
Why the heart? Because, as Ddraig explained, the more vital the organ, the more power it could grant. The heart was the logical choice because it kept my human essence intact, at least in part. The only other organ that could give me more power would be my brain, but that would make me something inhuman. It wouldn't be me. The heart, on the other hand, allowed me to remain myself, even if I was at the mercy of the dragon.
Luckily, I had a good relationship with Ddraig, and after the pact I got my first three hearts from her.
What's more, with a dragon's heart, I no longer had most of the disadvantages that a devil would have. I could even pray to God if I wanted to and touch holy objects, which was a bit confusing since my body was probably still that of a devil. Perhaps what really mattered for these things was the heart.
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NEXT CHAPTERS:
Chapter 87 - Demon of Lust (R-18)
Chapter 86 - Taking the Virginity of Rias Gremory (R-18)
Chapter 85 - The Depraved Innocence (R-18)
Chapter 84 - Jealousy
Chapter 83 - It's not that hard
Chapter 82 - Learning about Teleportation Circles
Chapter 81 - Sea Waves (R-18)
Chapter 80 - Hidden in the Rocks (R-18)
Chapter 79 - Bronzing Oil
Chapter 78 - Beach Volleyball
Chapter 77 - Juggernaut Drive
Chapter 76 - Against Kokabiel (Final Part)
Chapter 75 - Against Kokabiel (Part 2)
Chapter 74 - Against Kokabiel (Part 1)
Chapter 73 - Consequence of Evil Nature
Chapter 72 - My Battle against Raynare
Chapter 71 - Spear of Light
Chapter 69 - The Difference Between the Fallen Angels
Chapter 70 - The Return of Yumma
Chapter 68 - A Demon in a Church