Ch. 8: New Devil
It's now early November. About two months have passed since Izuku and Ibara became devils. Both have been training hard for the U.A. Entrance Exam, which is now a little over three months away. "Come on, Izu-kun, you can do it!" Rias cheered from behind him.
Izuku nervously gulped as he looked down from the top of the building he was on. Rias had gone and asked permission for them to use one of U.A.'s training fields for the day. The building he was on wasn't the tallest, only about 10 stories, but that didn't mean he wasn't nervous. Hell, up until about a week ago, he wouldn't dare look down from the patio of his apartment.
Now? Rias was about to make him jump off a taller building to practice with his Dragon Force ability. He already was able to maintain that state for a few hours, now he just needed to learn how to fly with the wings it granted him. So, she had him practice by jumping off some trees at the club building. While he now has better control over his wings, he's still having trouble flying with them. Which is why they came here.
Having already summoned his Boosted Gear and activated Dragon Force, Izuku felt dizzy at seeing the empty cars on the ground, which resembled toys from his current perspective. "Uh… Is this really necessary?"
"It's how I learned," Rias calmly walked towards the building's edge, unfolding her wings. "Just follow me." She practically floated off the building, hovering in the air a couple of meters from the edge.
Izuku watched in slight awe at how graceful Rias was in the air. Though, his awe soon turned into embarrassment, his head burning up when the wind fluttered her skirt up, revealing her black lace panties for just the briefest moment.
Rias, not at all embarrassed, smiled at him. "Your turn."
Izuku shook off his embarrassment, suddenly remembering what he was about to do.
"Don't worry. I'll catch you if you fall," she reassured.
Izuku had the distinct feeling that she wasn't being that honest with him about that.
'No time like the present, Izuku.' He gulped and slowly walked towards the edge. A million thoughts were whirling through his head at once. 'Oh man, I'm going to have to do this again eventually. And when did the wind get this strong!?'
It was a massive drop all right. The familiar feeling of vertigo set in and the ground got further and further away. Looking back up at Rias, Izuku saw that she was still smiling, no doubt expecting him to jump off the edge at any moment.
'If I mess up here and Rias can't catch me in time…!'
The image of him becoming chunky salsa on the pavement flashed before his eyes. What was he thinking? This was too much. He couldn't do this… He… He…
[Just relax brat. And have faith.]
Izuku nearly shrieked upon hearing the voice. 'Who was that?'
Izuku didn't get his answer. Instead, the words 'have faith' echoed in his head. Those words reminded him that Heroes could be scared like anyone else, but they still kept going.
Izuku took a deep breath and spread his wings. Once he did, he felt his confidence returning with every passing second. 'This is just the first step of many. Besides, Kacchan did once tell me to jump off a building. Might as well listen to him for once.'
Izuku glanced at the miniature city below before gazing up at the skyline, gilded by the setting sun. His wings twitched in anticipation.
'Just have faith.'
Izuku leaped into the open air.
He allowed his body to flip as his feet left the platform. For a second, time seemed to slow and the world went silent. For a brief moment, Izuku didn't feel like he was plummeting to the ground.
He was rising.
Then reality set in and Izuku began to fall.
Well, not falling, more like gliding. When he began to flap his wings, he rose somewhat in the air and sped up.
He pulled up, rocketing upwards a second later, sailing past several glass-covered floors. He began to circle Rias, uncaring of the wind now.
Rias watched in a mix of pride and amusement. The grin spreading across Izuku's face could rival All Might's in her opinion.
Izuku himself felt so happy with the wind nipping at his face, the crisp, cool air seeping into his lungs, and the sun shining brightly in the distance. It all just felt… natural.
"WOOOHOOOO!" He cried out.
Rias giggled, following after her servant in his glee. Reaching out, Rias took hold of his hand. Izuku shrieked when she did so, but relaxed when he realized it was Rias. The two smiled at each other, uncaring of the world, as they continued to fly over the faux city.
After what felt like hours, they steered themselves back toward the rooftop where they started. Rias landed first, gracefully doing so without much effort. Izuku's landing… wasn't as graceful. When his feet hit the floor, he collapsed, landing face-first on the floor.
"Ow…" Izuku groaned, taking calming breaths. 'I need to work on my landings. But that sure was amazing…'
"You okay?" Rias asked, helping him up.
"Y-Yeah," Izuku took her hand and shakily got to his feet, the adrenaline running its course. "That was… Wow…"
Rias giggled. "It's always an experience, your first time."
His brain was too busy replaying the stunt he just pulled for him to comprehend what Rias said. It was electrifying and terrifying, horrible and wonderful all at the same time. It was so tempting to run back up and do it all over again. Being able to fly was simply so amazing.
As it grew dark the two left for home. The goofy smile on Izuku's face never left as he walked home. It was only when he entered the apartment that it gave way to a giant blush, finally realizing how long he and Rias were holding hands when they flew.
That night, Izuku and Ibara were having dinner with Inko, listening to the news as they enjoyed katsudon, Izuku's favorite, to celebrate what he did earlier today. As they continued to eat, Ibara's and Izuku's phones began ringing. "What is it?" Inko asked.
"It's some of our friends," Ibara answered.
Jiro: Yo! We're done!
Izuku gaped at what Kyoka had sent.
Midoriya: Really?! Already?
Buchou: There's no way.
That was Rias.
Yaoyorozu: Yes. Come see for yourself.
Uraraka: Come to the beach tomorrow? I'm in!
Ochako suddenly jumped into the conversation. Ibara then added.
Shiozaki: That sounds like a wonderful idea.
Jiro: Yeah :D! We can even have a beach party!
Midoriya: That actually sounds pretty fun, I'm ok with that.
Buchou: I wouldn't mind ;)
Koneko: I'll sit this one out.
Koneko never liked water for some reason.
Yaoyorozu: Just remember your promise, Rias.
Buchou: I'll have to see the beach with my own eyes first before that, Momo.
Jiro: Well, goodnight everyone. See you tomorrow.
Midoriya: Yeah. Good night guys. See you all tomorrow.
Ending the conversation, Izuku and Ibara put away their phones, continuing dinner. "So what was sit about?" Inko asked.
"Oh, that was Yaoyorozu-san and Jiro-san," Izuku answered. "They finished their training, and we're heading for the beach to help celebrate."
"Be careful, and don't forget to text me when you get there," Inko told her son and Ibara as they were about to leave the apartment. It was unusually warm today, making it perfect to go to the beach.
"We will," Izuku responded as he held a duffle bag that had his clothes and some sunscreen. He was wearing a light yellow t-shirt and dark green swim trunks. "Besides, we're just going to the beach with some friends, there's no need to worry."
"I know," Inko said quietly, smiling a bit. "I'm just so happy that you made some friends." Happy couldn't even begin to describe how she was feeling about Izuku becoming more social and getting more friends. "Ibara-chan, be sure to take care of him."
"I will, Inko oba-san," Ibara said, wearing a white one-piece swimsuit with semi-vertical green stripes.
Inko giggled a bit. She couldn't be happier with how things were going for her son now. Ever since he discovered his Quirk, Izuku has been working hard both physically and academically. And the fact that he was meeting new people. She only ever met Rias but was glad that Izuku had met Yuuto, Koneko, Kyoka, Momo, and Ochako. She was happy he was making new friends. Mostly girls as well. If she didn't know better, she would've thought Izuku was building a harem.
"Have fun you two! I'll be sure to have dinner done when you come back!" Inko waved goodbye as Izuku and Ibara left out the door.
When they arrived at the beach, they saw that it was completely clean. Not a single trace of garbage anywhere. "Oh wow," Izuku gasped.
"It looks so pretty!" Ibara said as she looked through the beach.
"They did a good job," Izuku noted.
"I'll say!" Looking behind them, Ibara and Izuku saw Ochako, wearing a bright pink bikini and a short blue wrap. Izuku blushed upon seeing Ochako, getting a jealous glare from Ibara.
Ochako giggled at Izuku's reaction. "Are we the only ones here?"
"Uh, y-yeah. I-It l-looks l-l-like it." Izuku stuttered.
The three began to settle on the white sand, placing down towels and putting on sunscreen. Once they had finished, Ibara and Ochako began to chat while Izuku sat down, waiting for their friends to show up.
The distinct sound of rock music meant they didn't have to wait long. "Sorry, we're late. Momo couldn't find a good swimsuit." Kyoka called out, wearing a yellow bikini with a black choker. She was carrying a radio, playing American rock music. Behind her was Momo, dragging a cooler and wearing a red string bikini with black highlights, which highlighted her rather mature body.
Once again, Izuku blushed upon seeing them. "I-i-it's f-f-fine!" he stuttered, trying his best to ignore Momo's smooth, hourglass figure. It didn't help that her breasts were nearly the same size as Rias', if not a little bigger.
"You guys did an amazing job!" Ochako beamed, either oblivious or uncaring of Izuku's plight. "I barely recognized this place."
"Thanks, but Momo did most of it," Kyoka said. "I just helped."
"You did plenty, Kyoka," Momo said. "So, where's Rias-san?"
"She and Kiba-san said they would be late," Ibara answered. "They should be here soon."
Right on cue…
"Hey, guys!" The friendly voice of Yuuto called. He was wearing a white t-shirt and dark blue swim trunks.
"Kiba-kun, hello," Izuku greeted.
"Nice of you to make it, pretty boy," said Kyoka.
"Where's Rias-san?" Momo asked.
Yuuto looked around awkwardly before giving Izuku a concerned look. "She's coming. Just… brace yourself."
"What do you mean?" Izuku asked, confused by Yuuto's statement.
"Sorry for being late."
Izuku and the girls heard the familiar voice of Rias and turned… where Izuku and Kyoka went lava red. Heading towards them was Rias, wearing a very… revealing swimsuit. Both pieces were hot pink with darker highlights. She also had a small bag over her right shoulder and wore sunglasses.
"W-w-w-whoa." Kyoka muttered as her head turned dark red while steam escaped out of Izuku's ears.
Rias, upon seeing Izuku and Kyoka's reactions, smirked and struck a bit of a pose. "Like what you see?" She said, causing Izuku to release steam through his whole body and Kyoka to have a small stream of blood come out of her nose.
"Buchou! Stop!" Ibara yelled, placing her hands over Izuku's eyes.
Rias giggled at Ibara's protectiveness. "Oh, Ibara. I was just teasing. Izu-kun's reactions are so cute that I can't help myself." Rias looked throughout the beach, seeing nothing but clean sand and crystal blue water. "You two really did it."
Yuuto looked impressed too. "Wow, you and Yaoyorozu-san seriously did all this?"
"Yeah, it wasn't easy… at all," Kyoka said, remembering the experience entirely. Honestly, she couldn't recall a single day where they weren't sore and/or aching from head to toe.
"I can tell," Ochako poked Kyoka in the arm. "You and Yaoyorozu-san don't look like it, but you're both buffed."
Momo smiled proudly, "Thanks. So, does that mean…?"
Rias nodded. "We'll do the reincarnation later. Right now, let's enjoy the beach!"
"HAI!"
And so the group spent part of the day having fun at the beach. They didn't swim much though since the water was a little too cold. By the time afternoon rolled around, the group was picking up their things. Rias had brought her Evil Pieces, so there was no reason to delay the reincarnation in Momo's eyes. She was a little excited about becoming a devil, to Ibara, Izuku, and Ochako's… surprise.
"Now then, before we can begin, mind explaining your Quirk?" Rias asked.
"Why yes," a Russian matryoshka doll that had some resemblance to her grew out of Momo's hand. "My Quirk is Creation. I can use my lipids to create any nonliving thing I can imagine, so long as I know its molecular and chemical makeup. But I also have another Quirk," her hand was soon surrounded by sparks of electricity. "I can generate and control lightning."
Ochako, with wide eyes, gasped. "…Wow."
"So cool!" Izuku gasped.
Rias nodded. "I can tell that you're very powerful, even if you exaggerated a few details," Momo and Kyoka notably flinched. Reaching into her bag, Rias pulled out a red chest piece. "I say you're most suited as a Queen," she handed the piece to Momo, who graciously accepted it. Momo was then enveloped by a bright crimson glow. Once it died down, two devil wings appeared from her back.
"Whoa! They look good on you, Momo," Kyoka stated.
Momo seemed almost transfixed on her wings, to the point she didn't notice Kyoka's compliment. She snapped out of it when Rias spoke up. "What about you, Kyoka-chan? Interested in becoming a devil?"
"I think I'll pass for now," Kyoka replied. "I'll let you guys know if I change my mind."
"Very well," Rias nodded. The redhead then looked to Ochako. "What about you, Uraraka-san? Interested in becoming my servant?"
"Uh… I'll think about it?" Ochako replied, not really sure how else to answer.
"All right, then let's head over to the club room, Momo-chan. We'll discuss the full details about your abilities there."
"Yes, Buchou."
Later that night, Rias received an urgent message from one of the rulers of the Underworld, reporting that a stray devil had found refuge somewhere in her territory. She had called up everyone in her group to take care of the task at once. The group of young devils teleported in front of an abandoned manor on the outskirts of town. It was old, really old. Mold was covering the walls, windows were shattered, and paint was peeling off. Clearly, it hadn't been taken care of for years, and it was the perfect place for a stray devil to call home. This particular stray devil had been hiding out for several weeks and lured unsuspecting humans to feast on.
"Izu, Ibara, Momo, since this is your first time stray devil hunting, I need the three of you to observe carefully," Rias instructed as they entered the manor. "Watch how your senpai deals with the stray devil. We don't know how much power it's gained over this time so extra caution is needed."
"Right. Lead the way," Izuku nodded. Ibara, who only had the time to learn a couple of defensive spells, stuck close to Izuku.
Rias nodded before she looked at her Rook. "Koneko, if you would be so kind?"
The small girl nodded mutely before stepping forward to the building and opening the door. Well, it'd be more accurate to say she knocked the door down with one punch.
As the Gremory group moved inside Momo spoke up. "Stray devils are devils who've gone rogue, correct?" Momo asked, sticking close to Rias, being the most recent and inexperienced. "How come?"
"Devils, like everyone else, are all different," Rias explained, the group walking through a large living room with various broken furniture and equipment scattered about. "Therefore their reasons for turning rogue vary. Regardless, devils still do need to survive as humans do, and should they go drunk with power they often turn to humans for sustenance. This is bad for us in two ways; senseless loss of life and risking exposure to the supernatural."
Koneko, who was walking in front, suddenly came to a stop as something came into her nostrils. She sniffed the air quickly and narrowed her eyes. "It's here." At Koneko's words, everyone tensed and began smelling the strong scent of blood mixing into the air that was already filled with the stench of the rotting manor. They were also alerted by the presence of something very iniquitous waiting for them. Large footsteps thundered in the room.
A soft, yet deranged voice then spoke up. "I can smell something disgusting. But I can also smell something delicious. Is it sweet? Or is it sour?"
"Stray Devil Viser," Rias declared, hands on her hips, "You have abandoned your master, allowed your powers to corrupt you, and committed atrocities in the human world. These crimes cannot be overlooked. By order of the Duke of Gremory, surrender or be destroyed!"
Viser laughed and continued to do so as something landed next to the group with a thunk. It was the body of a young woman, or at least what was left of it. Only the head and upper torso remained, everything from the elbows down was gone.
"W-what the…?!" Momo gagged, placing a hand over her mouth to keep herself from throwing up. Ibara and Izuku fared somewhat better, after witnessing Freed's handiwork, though they too were still having a hard time not throwing up.
"My, my," purred Viser as she stepped into view. The upper body of a woman moved towards them from the shadows. Topless, the she-devil was floating well above them, her lower body still hidden in the darkness. In her hands were two spears, fresh blood dripping from them. "You sure do talk big, little girl. How about I dye this room blood red just like your hair?"
'Why is she naked?!' Izuku, Ibara, and Momo all thought, Ibara covering Izuku's eyes as they collectively blushed.
And that's when she showed the rest of her body from the darkness, and it was nowhere near as beautiful. From her hips downwards, she had the body of a lion, with the front legs ending in claw-like hands and a snake-like tail. Her upper body was the epitome of beauty and lust, but she was clearly a hideous monster.
Momo, Ibara, and Izuku bulged their eyes at the horrific sight. This woman was truly twisted, both inside and out. Yuuto, who took note of their faces, chuckled lightly, "This is what happens to a devil whenever they go out of control. Their bodies and minds get twisted and ugly."
"Twisted is right…" Izuku muttered, no longer blushing at the fact Viser was naked.
"Relax, this should be easy," Rias reassured him. "Yuuto." It was both an acknowledgment and an order simultaneously. With a nod, Yuuto blurred out of existence.
Momo gaped in shock. "Wha… Where did he-"
Yuuto reappeared in midair and, with two blades in his hands, dashed through Viser. The she-devil's arms were cut off with ease, and blood spewed out violently, causing her to scream and thrash both in pain and outrage.
"He's fast," Momo said.
"Momo, do you remember that explanation about Evil Pieces I told you about earlier?" Rias asked.
Momo nodded. "Yes. As your Knight, Kiba-san has unparalleled speed. Combine that with his mastery over bladed weapons and he becomes a skilled warrior, most capable in delivering precise, surgical strikes."
"Correct," as Rias said this, the two forelegs of Viser's beast half were neatly cut at the knees as Kiba reappeared before her, silver longsword clenched in his right hand. Viser stumbled before rearing up on her hind legs. She tottered unsteadily before rushing forward to stomp on him. Before she could, Koneko rushed forward. Lifting both hands above her as if to ward off the blow, the little girl easily halted Viser's advance.
"In contrast, Koneko is a Rook. Her traits include both high defensive capability and absolute strength. Because of that, she can shrug off the greatest of blows and then return them with equal force."
Koneko then pushed upwards, forcing the beast further back.
"…Fly."
She then jumped up and delivered an earth-shattering punch to the beastly stomach of the stray's lower half. With a bang, Viser was sent flying back into a wall, causing dust to start falling from the ceiling.
"Shiozaki-san is your Bishop, who has enhanced magical abilities," Momo continued. "Midoriya-san is your Pawn, who can promote himself to any other piece except for King when in enemy territory."
"And last but not least there's you, my Queen," Rias said. "As Queen, you are the strongest out of all the Evil Pieces and have the traits of the Rook, Knight, and Bishop all combined." Rias then stepped aside. "Would any of you care to have a shot?"
The three newest members all looked to Viser, who seemed to be on the verge of throwing up. "I'm not sure I have it in me," Ibara admitted.
"Me either," said Izuku.
Rias then looked at Momo. The Queen sighed. "I'll give it a shot." With a flick of her wrist, she summoned a bolt of lightning to strike down on Viser. The stray devil screeched in pain as the lightning scorched her body and burnt her flesh.
Momo suddenly blushed for some reason. "Is everything okay, Yaoyorozu-san?" Izuku asked.
"Uh I'm fine," Momo lied, not wanting to admit that she liked hearing Viser's screams. She didn't understand why but it… turned her on.
Rias walked over to the stray devil and stood before her, seeing the burns, cuts, and bruises covering her body. "Any last words?"
Viser slowly looked up at Rias with a glare, "Just… get it over with…"
Rias' eyes turned red as red and black mist engulfed her hands, "Ashes to ashes…" she shot out a stream of pure destruction, engulfing the stray devil on the spot. The blast quickly vanished, and all that remained of Viser was a trench of black soot. "…And dust to dust." The limbs that Yuuto hacked early also disappeared, melting away into icky black goo.
"Wow, so this is how devils do business," Ibara whispered in awe. Izuku couldn't help but nod in agreement. The things devils had to deal with to keep things from going out of control were nothing to scoff at.
"That's all for tonight. Good work everyone," Rias smiled, clapping her hands together. "You may all go home for the evening."
"Hai, Buchou!" everyone answered. A magic circle appeared underneath the group before teleporting all of them out of the room and disappearing.
Ch. 9: The Kaika Hero
The next day, Ochako asked Izuku to help her study for the written portion of the U.A. entrance exam. "Thanks again for coming," Ochako said as she led Izuku through the neighborhood she lived in. "But did you have to come with, Shiozaki-chan?"
Ibara, who was walking right behind Izuku, replied, "I need some help with the written portion as well." 'Besides, I don't like the idea of Izuku-san spending time with another girl alone.' She mentally added.
Soon they arrived at a rather modest apartment building, seemingly smaller than the apartments where Izuku and Ibara lived. "This is where you live?" Izuku asked, rather surprised.
"Yeah. The landlord is a friend of my dad's and he lets me stay here," Ochako said as they reached her apartment. "It's really cheap, so I don't have to worry too much about rent."
Ochako placed a key into her door's lock and turned.
"Huh?"
"Is something wrong, Uraraka-san?" Izuku asked.
"It's not locked."
They suddenly felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end, sensing something was off. "What's this weird feeling?" Ibara silently said as Ochako opened the door-
"OCHAKO!"
"KYA!" "EEK!" "GAH!"
The three clung to each other as soon as they heard the shouts and saw what appeared to be a couple of crazy individuals rushing over to them from within the apartment. A moment later, the unexpected newcomers stopped right in front of them, and as soon as the three of them calmed down, Ochako immediately noticed how familiar the pair looked. Recognizing the duo, she immediately gasped in pleasant surprise.
"Mom! Dad!" Ochako exclaimed. "What are you doing here?!"
"We came to check up on you," her mother answered.
"B-but what about work? Did you come on the bullet train? When? How!? I can't believe you're here!" Ochako ran and hugged her parents, who happily returned it.
"These are your parents, Uraraka-san?" Ibara asked.
"Yep! Did you guys really come all the way here just to check up on me?"
"Well, that, but I have my own reasons," the three teens looked into the apartment at the source of the new voice. It was a young woman, dressed in a light-blue haori with white snowflakes and red-orange hakama over a light blue and white tasuki. She's also wearing a long, white scarf with a light-blue snowflake pattern around her neck. Her dark green eyes contrasted with her light-pink hair, which was tied in a long ponytail, reaching down to below her waist, an orange ribbon keeping it in place. On her back was what looked like a katana, its silver guard shaped like a snowflake and its sheath was a dark blue.
'She looks familiar,' Izuku noted.
Ochako recognized her right away, her face beaming with excitement as her smile widened. "Mizu-oneechan!" with the excitement of a little girl on Christmas Morning, Ochako ran up and hugged the woman.
"Aha! You've gotten so big, Chako!" Mizu happily returned the hug. "I almost didn't recognize you."
"Excuse me, but Uraraka-san, who is this?" Ibara asked.
"This is my old babysitter," Ochako said, letting go of the older girl.
Mizu gave a light bow to the two devils. "Allow me to introduce myself: I'm Mizushima Akari, formerly the Pro Hero Ryūtō."
Izuku gasped, finally recognizing her. "I've heard about you! The Kaika Hero: Ryūtō! You were the youngest Pro Hero to start their agency in history at 19, second only to Hawks!"
Mizu giggled, "Yeah, I was. But then… certain things happen," Mizu grew somewhat nervous. "But enough about me, who are your new friends?"
"Oh, I'm M-Midoriya Izuku."
"I'm Shiozaki Ibara. A pleasure to meet you."
"The pleasure is ours, dear," Mrs. Uraraka said.
Mizu smiled, "You guys sure are friendly for devils," she said.
"Huh?" Ibara, Izuku, and Ochako exclaimed. 'How does she know?!'
"Guess you were right, Mizu," Mr. Uraraka gave a hearty laugh after seeing their reactions.
"Huh? Huh?" 'They know?!'
"I gotta admit, Chako, when I heard you made friends with the Gremory Princess, I was rather shocked."
"Huh? Huh? Huh?"
"Why don't we head in?" Mizu suggested. "I'm sure you have questions. As do I."
"I'm a witch?!" Ochako exclaimed. She, Ibara, Izuku, her family, and Mizu were in the kitchen, sitting at the chabudai, enjoying some sandwiches and tea. At least they were before Ochako's mother told her that bombshell.
"To put it more accurately, you're half-witch. But yes," Mrs. Uraraka said as she sipped some tea.
"I… But… HOW!?"
"Try to take it slow, Chako," Mizu finished her tea. A split second later, the cup refilled itself. "It was a bit much for me too, but you have the advantage of having a devil for a boyfriend."
The silence that settled over the apartment was nearly complete, except for Ochako and Ibara choking on their food.
"WHAT?" The three teens cried in unison.
"W-what g-g-gave you t-that i-idea!?" Izuku stuttered.
"Well, you did come here with Chako," Mizu stated. "Guess I just assumed-"
"IT'S FINE," yelped Ochako, face turning beet red. "We're not- really, I'm- it's totally fine that- really, we're just FRIENDS, I-"
"They're not- He's not- I-!" Ibara was unable to form a coherent response.
Mizu smiled, enjoying their reactions. 'Oh, so that's how it is?' Deciding to change the subject, Mizu added, "Anyway, you are a witch, Chako. You just haven't learned how to tap into your natural magic yet."
"But why tell me this now?" Ochako asked, having calmed down somewhat.
"You never really needed to know," Mr. Uraraka replied. "Your mother left her old group a couple of years before we met, and she wanted to make sure you didn't feel any different from everyone else."
"…I'm not gonna start riding a flying broomstick, am I?"
"No, that's more of a stylistic choice than anything really, though still a fairly popular one," Mrs. Uraraka said.
Uraraka looked down, staring at the tea she hadn't touched yet. "Why tell me this now, then?"
"It's like I said: You now know about the existence of the supernatural thanks to your friends here," Mizu gestured to Ibara and Izuku. "It was only a matter of time before you learned about your heritage, especially since you've made friends with the Devil King's little sister."
"Wait, hold on. Buchou has siblings?" Izuku asked.
"She didn't tell you?" Mizu asked. "Guess I shouldn't be surprised. From what I hear, Lucifer and the other Satans are a little… quirky. She probably didn't want to cause you or him any trouble."
"Anyway, is the reason why you came back just to tell me about my heritage?" Ochako asked.
"Not exactly," Mizu said. "I have other reasons for coming back. Which reminds me… Can you two give this to Rias Gremory for me?" She reached into her robe and pulled out a letter with four slashing curves arranged differently for a seal.
"Uh, sure," Izuku took the letter. "Can I ask why?"
"I just want to meet with her and the other high-class devils in the city."
"We should probably leave then," Ibara and Izuku stood up. "It was a pleasure to meet you."
That night, after Ochako's parents left for home, Ochako began making dinner, which consisted of two microwave cups of ramen and green tea. "Man, I missed cup ramen!" Mizu giddily slurped up the ramen. "And green tea is so much better than that stupid yak butter tea."
"Uh, yeah," Ochako nodded as she continued to eat. "So, how exactly did you become a wizard?"
"Sorcerer," Mizu corrected. "And it's a bit of a long story. Remember when you and your parents visited me at the hospital?"
Ochako nodded. "I remember the look you had in your eyes the most. You looked so… crushed…"
Mizu stopped eating for a moment, her head hung low. "My entire world came crashing down after what happened. But then your mother told me to head to Katmandu and find a place called Domagoj. She said that if they were willing to give me a chance they could help me walk again. So, using up what money I had, I went to Katmandu where I met the Doc."
"Doc?"
"Yeah," Mizu finished her cup of ramen. "I had to beg him to let me into Domagoj. When they did, he… Okay, I was a little skeptical. He showed me things you'd find at any gift shop, like chakra graphs or incense, and even a book about acupuncture. I was seriously close to burning his face off, when he, kinda… pushed my soul out of my body."
"He what?"
"I know, it was a total shock. Then he sent my soul through some dimensions… It honestly felt like some kind of drug and alcohol-induced hallucination. I even asked if they put something in that tea they gave me… It was just yak butter with honey, blah! Anyway, I began studying magic and training under the Doc, who taught me how to do things like this," she moved her fingers up and down in a circular motion, a dazzling orange energy sprouting from her fingertips and opening up in a rift… which Mizu calmly reached into, pulling out a bunch of bananas.
Ochako stared wide-eyed at the display. "That's awesome…"
"It took me about a year before I could walk again, and another to relearn how to run. Once I did I was taught some old-school martial arts like karate and judo. He even gave me this," she gestured to her swords, "the Yukinoha, the Blade of Infinite Winters."
"Why's it called that?"
Suddenly the sword unsheathed itself, the temperature of the room suddenly dropping as it did so. Ochako began to shiver, staring at the sword in fear.
"It's alive?!"
Mizu grabbed hold of the sword's handle, "Yeah, it's technically a living thing, one with a fiery temper, ironically." Mizu forcibly re-sheathed the blade. "Down girl."
"…So, am I gonna get something like that?"
"Maybe," Mizu was tapping the tip of Yukinoha's handle, having a look that made her resemble a mother scolding her child. "You first need to learn basic magic, like telekinesis and portal creation, but I'm willing to let you keep one of the relics when we recover them."
Ochako beamed at that. "Okay, so where do we start?"
The next day, Izuku and Ibara headed toward the clubroom after school like normal. Usually, it was to either train or do jobs, but today was slightly different. After giving Rias the letter, she seemed to freak out a little upon seeing the seal. After reading the letter, she asked him and the others to arrive early today, saying that some friends of hers would be attending the meeting today with Mizu. "What do you think that letter said?" He asked her once they reached U.A.'s campus.
"I'm not sure," Ibara replied. "It must be serious if Buchou-san is meeting with Mizu-san."
"Hey, you! With the freckles!"
A playful voice made Izuku and Ibara turn around. "Uh, yes?" He asked since he was the only one of the two with freckles. The person who called him was a girl around a year or two older than him. She wore the standard uniform for U.A. High with black thigh-high stockings with garters and black boots. She was rather tall, about 176 cm. She had a very cute face with red-violet eyes and pale blue-silver hair with a cowlick sticking out at the top. She was also wearing a pair of blood ruby earrings. Her skin was in a light cream-colored tone, and her figure was curvy and very luscious to look at.
"Uh, who are you?" Izuku asked, a light blush on his face.
The pale blue-silver-haired girl gave a small snicker as she gave a small two-fingered salute with a wink, "Kudelia Dantarion, second-year general studies student and president of the Newspaper Club, at your service."
"Is there something you want from us?" Ibara asked her.
"No. I just came to see you. Well, him specifically," Kudelia replied.
"Me?"
"Yeah, yeah. I was really hoping to see the person that Rias has her eyes on," she said, her eyes moving up and down his body. "She's a nice girl but catching her attention isn't very easy, ya know."
"I b-bet," Izuku said. "I mean, it's actually kinda surreal for me too."
"After that, I wanted to take the opportunity to sample some delicious-looking young boys…" Kudelia quickly said, licking her lips as she suddenly went into a daze. She blinked as she suddenly remembered who she was talking to. "Wait, maybe I shouldn't put it like that? Ignore what I just said."
"H-hai…" Izuku nervously nodded slowly.
Ibara, however, glared daggers at Kudelia.
"Hehehe! But seriously, I like you, kid! I can see why Rias is so taken by you!" Kudelia laughed. "You're cute but you've got something that a lot of people would love to have!"
"You're… talking like you and Buchou have known each other for a long time," Izuku said. "Not to sound insulting, but…"
"Hm, yeah," Kudelia answered, folding her arms behind her head as she turned around to pace a few steps. "Rias has a totally sexy bod and she's got nice tits so not a lot of people know that I'm associated with her." She turned her head to look over her shoulder. "But…"
At that moment, the meter of distance between Izuku and Kudelia vanished.
"Eh-"
Izuku only blinked before he realized that she had gotten so close to him. Kudelia had him pressed against a tree with her arms over his shoulders and gracefully flattened herself against his chest, and was now turning her eyes at him seductively. 'SO CLOSE!'
Ibara could only gape at what she was seeing. 'TOO CLOSE!' She internally screamed, jealousy raging within her.
"Maybe later tonight, we can both learn about each other," Kudelia smiled, enjoying the growing red on Izuku's face. "How about you come over to the newspaper club so we can-"
"What do you think you're doing, Kudelia?" A stern voice asked from over their heads.
"Wah!" Kudelia jumped comically before turning around. Standing before her was Sona, her arms folded and a look of displeasure on her face. "Holy shit, Sona! Don't sneak up on me like that!"
"Practice what you preach," Sona retorted, "Hitting on younger boys again I see, and not only that but Rias' Pawn no less. What do you think would happen if she found you were coming on to her Pawn, hm? And you were about to grope him just now, right?"
At that, Izuku quickly placed his hands over his crotch, while Ibara grabbed him by the arm and pulled him toward her in a protective manner.
"Ehehehe," Kudelia giggled as she bopped herself on the head. "I just wanted to see what Rias found so interesting about him."
"Wait, Shitori-senpai. You mean she's…" Izuku asked, clues starting to come together already.
"Yes. Kudelia here is like me and Rias, a devil from high society. She represents the Dantalion Household," Sona explained to them.
Kudelia gave a small bow, "My real name is Kudelia Dantalion. Nice to meet you in person, Pawn and Bishop of Rias Gremory."
Izuku and Ibara blinked, running Kudelia's family name and fake name through their heads. 'Dantarion… Dantalion… There's barely any difference!' They sweat-dropped inwardly.
"Anyway, I apologize for disturbing you like this, Midoriya, Shiozaki," Sona said to them ruefully, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I'll take this perv off your hands now."
"Humph! Stiff as a board as always, huh Sona? You really need to learn to loosen up or everyone will just look at you like some kinda sourpuss!" Kudelia scolded childishly, raising her hands as they groped invisible air, "I know, how about a nice relaxing chest massage to cool your jets? They might get bigger too! Squeezy, squeezy~!"
Sona immediately flushed as she covered her chest, "I like my chest the way it is and I get enough of that from my sister!"
"Oh, a little skinship between sisters? That sounds so juicy! Do tell!"
"ENOUGH ALREADY!" Sona yelled, stomping her foot with a blush as Kudelia laughed.
Ibara could only blush at the implications of what Kudelia said, covering Izuku's ears in a vain attempt to keep him from hearing.
Izuku, however, couldn't help but think. How many more students in U.A. were really devils? Did Kudelia have a peerage herself?
"Calm down, Sona. I'm just teasing. No need to drown me." Shrugged Kudelia before turning to Izuku. "And one more thing. Me, Rias, and Sona are the only high-class devils at U.A. You don't have to worry about any more popping up."
"Wait, how did know what I was-"
"CUZ I CAN READ MINDS!" Kudelia roared dramatically with arms raised over her head, making Izuku shrink to the ground. "Just screwing with you. It was written all over your face," she smirked, lowering her arms.
"Uh… right," Izuku said, slowly getting back to his feet. If Rias' club was a front for her peerage and Sona's student council was a front for hers, then it was possible that Kudelia's club also acted as a front for her own peerage.
"If you're quite finished, I believe we should be leaving now. See you tonight Midoriya, Shiozaki," Sona said, walking away.
"Catch you later~!" Kudelia waved as she followed Sona.
"…I don't like her," Ibara muttered.
"Uh, Ibara, can you let me go now?"
In the clubroom, Ochako and Mizu sat on one of the sofas, being served tea by Yuuto. Across from them were Koneko, Izuku, and Ibara. Rias sat at the desk, Momo standing by her side. Night had fallen and they were expecting the Sitri group and the newspaper club to arrive shortly. There was a rapid knock on the door, followed by a cheerful "We're here~!" The room's door opened up, and in stepped Kudelia, followed by a group of girls. "Hey, gang! Thanks for having us!" Kudelia smiled.
"Glad you could come at such short notice, Kudelia," Rias smiled, standing up from her desk.
"The pleasure's all mine Rias," Kudelia greeted back. "And you finally managed to increase your group's numbers a bit," she remarked, looking back and forth at the newest members of Rias' peerage. Her eyes landed on the newest male in particular and waved. "Hey Midoriya, happy to see you again."
"…Um, yeah. Hey, Dantarion-senpai," Izuku nodded, blushing slightly as the vivid memory of her brushing up against him came back.
Ibara just glared at Kudelia.
"Oh, I see you're already acquainted with my Pawn," Rias remarked.
"Miss Kudelia met with your Pawn and Bishop several hours before," the girl next to Kudelia spoke. She was rather tall, about 2 meters, and had a lean build. She was wearing the standard U.A. school uniform for girls. She had long black hair, an orange headband holding back her bangs, and her eyes were brown. She had dog tags around her neck and wore red sneakers. "I would've gone with her to make sure she didn't try anything, but she dumped a bunch of paperwork onto me before I had the chance."
"Oh, hush you," Kudelia retorted. "Anyway, this is Tye Longshadow. She's my Queen. A bit of a stuck-up, but she's also very reliable. And I think you already know another person in my group." As she said this, another step forward. Izuku quickly stood up in surprise, already recognizing her.
"Takamaki-san?" Izuku blinked. It was his classmate from middle school.
"Hello!" the glasses-wearing blunette smiled back at him. "Small world, huh?"
"Yeah, I guess so," Izuku replied. 'Is she the reason Dantarion-senpai knew about me?'
"Since you already know of my Pawn and Bishop, it should only be fair for you to know of my Queen," Rias said, gesturing at said Queen, "Yaoyorozu Momo."
"Pleased to meet you, senpai," Momo bowed.
"Hmm…" Kudelia analyzed her, rubbing her chin. "You really know where to pick 'em, Rias. And as a bonus, your Queen has a really hot bod."
"…Huh?" Momo muttered. The smirk the raven-haired King was giving her didn't help.
"Sexual harassment is not allowed, hot-blooded hentai-senpai," Koneko frowned in her direction.
"Ah, as cold as ever Koneko," Kudelia snickered, completely unfazed by the glare. "You really have to learn to smile more. Ah, whatever," Kudelia then noticed Mizu and Ochako. "Who are these two?"
"The reason I've asked for you and Sona," Rias answered. "I'll explain everything once she and her peerage arrive. In the meantime, how about you introduce your peerage to my new members."
"Sure." She looked back over her shoulder at the rest of her peerage behind her. "All right people, go introduce yourselves to your new juniors."
Milia was the first to step forward. "Hai! Milia Takamaki, Kudelia-sama's Bishop. I'm happy to meet my new juniors today!" she said quickly before bowing.
The next girl stood forward after Milia did a light bow. "Halò. I'm Cammie MacCloud, Kudelia's other Bishop. Nice to meetcha!" She spoke with a Scottish accent. Cammie had long blonde hair, green eyes, and freckles. She is rather petite in stature, and her hair is held up in a ponytail by a device that resembles both a mechanical set of rabbit ears and a hair bow. Her attire consisted of a long-sleeved hooded top in shades of green, black, and white, accented by pink details. She's also wearing a pair of black goggles.
The next girl to step forward was a little taller than Momo, about 180 cm, though her bust size was half of that of Momo's. She had long gray hair tied in a sideways ponytail and gray eyes. She also has dark gray glasses. "…Hello. I'm Narukami Yuko, Kudelia-senpai's Knight. A pleasure to meet you." She said politely, though Izuku and the others couldn't help but notice the lack of emotion she seemed to have.
"My name is Alexandra Dumas, Miss Kudelia's other Knight. It's a pleasure." The next girl to step up was tall and curvy, about the same height as Yuuto. She looked incredibly athletic, yet at the same time had a unique finesse to her. She had long brown hair that went past her shoulders with deep red eyes. She wasn't as endowed as most of the other girls, being slightly bigger than Kyoka. Her light bronze skin showed some Latino heritage. She also spoke with a slight French accent.
"Hey! I'm Jessie James, Miss Kudelia's Rook." The next to introduce herself was slightly taller than Izuku. Her dark red hair was rather short, only reaching to the tips of her shoulders and her eyes were purple. She wore the girls' U.A. uniform, though with a vest instead of a blazer.
"I'm Nishino Nanase, Kudelia-sama's other Rook," the next to introduce themselves was a young girl with light brown hair in pigtails and green eyes. She wore a school uniform that consisted of a white shirt with a tan vest and a light green bow tie, a green miniskirt, and brown small ankle-combat boots with wings attached to them.
"Hi, I'm Celica A. Mercury, Miss Kudelia's Pawn of 5 Pieces. A pleasure to meet you!" This girl had long, auburn hair tied into a ponytail with a red ribbon, pale skin, and bright eyes that were a soft, reddish-brown color. Her chest was notably well developed, bigger than Ochako's.
"Ackerman Makoto. Kudelia-sama's Pawn, worth three." The last girl in the group showed even less emotion than Koneko. She had dark hair and gray eyes and wore a light brown hoodie, brown pants, and dark gray combat boots.
"So you got yourself a new Rook and found someone suitable for your Knight. Impressive, you've completed your set," Rias nodded, looking at Nanase and Yuko.
"Well, I do admit that I had a bit of trouble recruiting them, but it was well worth it in the end. I'm not as picky as you or Sona," Kudelia said, sounding a bit smug.
"Quality over quantity, Kudelia," Rias retorted, "You don't need to outnumber your enemies to overwhelm them."
"Since you're the Crimson-Haired Princess of Ruin, I'm sure that power is all you care about," Kudelia continued, her smile turning somewhat bitter. Before Rias could reply, there was another knock at the door.
It was the Sitri peerage. With three different devil peerages crammed in one room despite it being large, it was a full house, so some of them had to stand or sit on the floor. It was a good thing that there were some extra chairs around the room just in case.
Once everyone was settled, Rias spoke up. "Thank you for arriving everybody. I know this is sudden but this meeting was done at the request of our guest," she gestured toward Mizu. "This is Mizushima Akari, formerly the Pro Hero Ryūtō, and a representative from Kamar-Taj."
Suddenly, the room grew very quiet. But all of the younger devils were simply confused, in particular, Izuku, Ibara, Momo, and Saji. "Whoa! Are you serious?!" Kudelia asked.
"Uh, can someone explain why you're all freaking out?" Saji asked. "What's Kamar-Taj?"
"We're a group of sorcerers whose mission is to maintain peace across the supernatural world," Mizu answered, standing up. "We're sometimes called the Masters of the Mystic Arts, which is accurate since, thanks to our power and influence, some consider us the fourth faction to the devils, angels, and fallen angels."
That caused the eyes of the young devils to widen. "Seriously?!" Saji gaped.
"Indeed," said Sona. "I've even heard that their leader, the Sorcerer Supreme, is one of the ten most powerful beings in the world. It was partly because of Kamar-Taj that the war between the three factions ended when it did." She then looked at Mizu. "So what brings you here?" Sona asked.
"A few reasons, but I'll start with the most important. About two months ago, several relics were stolen from our Hong Kong Sanctum. I tracked the thieves here, but they covered their tracks too well, which suggests they may be supernatural in nature. I spent the last two months talking to everyone associated with the supernatural, even a few heroes about the theft. Then, a few nights ago, I finally got a lead. Some yokai told me that several black market deals will be happening tomorrow night, with several big names in Japan's underworld appearing. So…"
"You need our help looking for the relics at one of these deals?" Rias finished.
Mizu nodded. "There's going to be at least ten different deals, each held at a different location. And the relics could be at any of them. There's no guarantee that I'll find the relics if it's just me. Which is why I'm asking for your help."
The three Kings looked at each other, each of them very worried about what might happen if they stepped in. But the fear of what might happen if they don't step in influenced their decision. "Very well," Rias nodded. "As this city is under my protection, I'll aid you in retrieving these relics. Sona, Kudelia, will you help?"
Sona nodded. "We'll provide whatever aid we can."
"Count me and my group in!" Kudelia said.
The next few minutes were spent planning. It was decided that the three peerages would be split into teams, each staking out a different location. When a deal was taking place, they would observe from a distance. If they see any of the relics, they'll notify the others.
"This is… kinda scary," Ochako admitted. She was currently sitting next to Izuku and Ibara. "Mizu offered to teach me magic, and that this would be a good first experience… I'm mean, sure, I helped you guys save Shiozaki-chan, but I only made a few of those stray priests float in the air. I'm not sure I can do this…"
"I'm sure you can, Uraraka-san," said Ibara. "You were really brave to help Izuku-san and the others save me."
"Ibara-san's right," Izuku added. "We'll be there for you."
"Thanks, guys." Ochako smiled, scooting and moving closer to Izuku, "It's comforting that we'll be on a team together."
"Ahem," the two looked to Ibara, who was sending a subtle glare at Ochako. Both of them looked between themselves to where her eyes were looking. Ochako seemed to have unknowingly grabbed Izuku's hand into hers.
Blushing, Ochako quickly pulled her hand away. "A-anyway, we should get going," she stuttered.
"Ye-Yeah. Let's do that," Izuku stuttered back.
Ch. 10: Wardens of the Night
The next night, Izuku, Ibara, Ochako, and Milia waited atop the rooftop of a warehouse, looking down upon the dark alleys below. "How long do you think we'll have to wait?" Ochako asked.
"Hard to say… All we know is that the deal taking place here will happen after midnight," Izuku pointed out. "That was about five minutes ago, so we need to keep an eye out."
And waited they did. Each of them took turns watching the road while the others took quick naps, changing shifts every ten minutes. It was currently Izuku's second turn at watch, the girls playing a game of "I Spy" to pass the time.
Eventually, Ibara walked up to him. "Izuku-san, your turn is over."
"Oh, right. Thanks, Ibara-san," getting up, Izuku walked over toward Milia and Ochako as Ibara took her turn to watch.
"Anything yet?" Milia asked.
"No, just some pigeons," Izuku sat down. "I wonder how everyone else is doing?"
"Hey, uh, Izu-kun?" Ochako spoke up. "Is there anything going on between you and… Shiozaki-san?" She asked, hoping she wasn't blushing as she said it. Izuku, however, did blush a little.
"W-What? M-Me and Ib-Ibara? N-No, th-there's nothing going on between us… Why?"
It was Ochako's turn to blush now, albeit lightly. "No reason!" She exclaimed.
Unnoticed by the two, Milia gave Ochako a jealous stare.
A middle-aged man leaned against a wooden crate near the center of the warehouse and took a drag from his cigarette. He watched as the front entrance opened and three figures walked in. "I was wonderin' when you'd show," he said in a slimy, casual voice. "I didn't know you were bringin' back-up. Should I be worried?" he coyly asked.
"All Might has been hanging out in the city more and more often," a woman wearing a white and black outfit said. "It's dangerous for groups like us to walk out in the streets alone."
He could tell instantly that her words were hollow. 'They aren't for her protection per se,' he reasoned. 'She can take care of herself easily. She's just being smart by having people watch her back.' He flicked his cigarette into a puddle of muddy water and approached his client.
"That's far enough," a young man wearing a bowler hat with a fringe sticking out from the side warned. The look in his eyes was like a snake's — he was being cautious, but ready for a fight at a moment's notice. "Don't get too close to the boss all casual-like."
"Down, boy," the woman said. "Sorry about Brandon. He… just hasn't had a good fight in a while."
"It's no problem," he assured her. "I can talk from here." His eyes drifted from the eager younger man to the armored man. His armor resembled medieval European knight armor. It looked to be some kind of carbon fiber titanium mix with yellow glowing lines and a dark raspberry-colored cape. "And who's he?"
"Who I am doesn't matter to you," the knight replied, his voice having an electronic tone, likely to disguise it. "What matters is if you have the information we need."
"All right. Then let's get down to business."
"That man…" Mizu whispered to herself. She, Yuuto, Koneko, Saji, and Alexandra were peering down from a window on the roof, making sure they were out of sight.
"You know him?" Saji asked.
"If I remember right, he's an underworld broker for support items," Mizu said. "I believe he's called Giran."
"You think he's here for those relics?" Alexandra asked.
"I doubt it. Even if he knew what the relics were, not many would buy them," Mizu stated. "Besides, you heard what they said. This isn't the deal we're looking for. We should leave, but first…" Mizu pulled out her phone and began texting someone.
"What are you doing?" Yuuto asked.
"Just telling an old police friend about a big fish," Mizu smiled as she put the phone away. "Let's get going. Maybe Chako and her boyfriend are having better luck."
"Do you mean Midoriya-senpai?" Koneko asked.
Mizu nodded. "Chako definitely likes the guy."
"And so does Shiozaki-senpai," Koneko pointed out.
"Are you serious?!" Saji gasped. "Damnit! How the hell is that guy so lucky when all I ever get is a sore ass?!"
"Not being a pervert probably helps," Koneko deadpanned.
Ochako suddenly sneezed.
"Are you catching a cold, Uraraka-san?" Ibara asked.
"I'm fine," Ochako replied. "I just wish this deal would happen already."
The last two hours and ten minutes were spent with the four teens taking turns keeping watch. "I hope they show up soon," Ibara said. "If Inko-obasan notices that we're gone, she's gonna be so worried."
"Yeah," Izuku nodded.
"I just got a message from Kudelia-sama," said Milia. "The deal she, Gremory-senpai, and Sitri-senpai watched over didn't have any of the relics."
Izuku nodded. "Counting the one Kiba-san and Koneko-chan watched, that's two. Now we just have to wait for ours," Izuku said.
Ochako looked out again and saw several vehicles approaching. "Guys! I think they're here."
They watched in silence as several black vans and a truck approached from the ports while some dark gray commercial Humvees led by a dark red Humvee approached from the city. They all stopped within feet of each other, their occupants stepping out. The drivers of the vans had old, ragged-looking clothing, while most of the Humvee occupants wore black suits and sunglasses.
From the lead Humvee, three people strode out. The first was a young man, likely not much older than them. He was shorter than most of them but taller than Ochako. His eyes were grey and he had striking orange hair that framed his face, with a longer section that fell just past his left shoulder. He wore a black hat with a red hatband and a thin silver chain that hung over the brim.
His outfit consists of a white button-up shirt under a dark red vest, a black choker in the style of a pet collar, a black ribbon bolo tie held together with a small silver buckle, an open black cropped jacket with the sleeves rolled up at the elbows, black slacks, a black belt hanging off his right hip and black low-arch shoes, and black gloves. He also has a long black coat with light-colored lining and lapels with a light red undercoat, wearing it around his shoulders like a cape.
The other two were young women. One was tall and slender with cherry red eyes and red hair tied into a traditional Japanese bun that was held by three long golden clips and another hair clip on the right side of her head, composed of a light pink furry hair clip and red ribbon which forms a five-petal flower, and violet eyes. Her kimono was pink overlapped by a dark purple one with bellflower motifs, tied neatly with a maroon bow that has white borders, and a light pink mantle that goes darker in color from her elbow to her feet. She wore red eye shadow and light pink lipstick. She's also carrying a red Japanese umbrella.
The other had long, raven dark hair, violet eyes, fair skin, and a figure that could rival Rias'. She wore a black sleeveless jacket that had golden trimmings, a light gray-colored undershirt, dark-colored pants, and shoes. Izuku, Ibara, and Ochako recognized her right away.
"Raynare?!"
"You know her?" Milia asked.
Izuku nodded. "Yeah. She tried to kill me because of my Sacred Gear, and she tried to steal Ibara's. We would've been dead if it wasn't for Buchou."
Milia's eyes narrowed. "She tried that?"
As the teens looked over the scene from above, the kimono-wearing woman sighed as she pretended to be unaware of their presence. "Raynare, go take care of those spies. Chuuya, I know you're usually not the type to pass up a good fight, but can you do this? I'm going to make sure we don't get any other uninvited guests."
"Sure, Ane-nee," the man called Chuuya sighed. The older woman gave the fallen angel a nod as if to indicate what she intended. Understanding fully, Raynare casually walked behind a pillar alongside the waterfront and disappeared from sight while the kimono woman walked down an alley.
"Where'd she go?" Ochako asked.
"I don't know, but I got a bad feeling I know why," Izuku muttered.
"Show them," Chuuya ordered one of the suits, who was carrying a briefcase. He opened it, showing the smugglers a large amount of Japanese yen.
"Money's here," one smuggler, likely the leader, said to the others.
One nodded and opened the back of a van, carting out several wooden crates. They opened one of the crates, revealing items like staffs, necklaces, and other trinkets that looked like they belonged in a museum.
"You think those are the relics Mizu-san talked about?" Ibara asked.
"What else could they be?" Ochako said.
"We need to tell the others," said Izuku.
"I'll notify Kudelia-sama and the others," Milia said, a small magic circle next to her ear.
"Yes, please do."
The teens all froze. Slowly, they turned around, seeing Raynare, with a wicked smile, standing some feet behind them.
"R-Raynare!" Izuku and Ibara both gasped.
"When Big Sis Kouyou asked me to take care of some spies, I never expected one of them to be you, Welsh Dragon," she formed a spear of light. "I've been looking forward to paying you back. And you even brought Ibara and that one girl too, and some devil friend as well. And here I thought this was gonna be a dull night!"
"Guess we don't have any other choice," Izuku summoned his Boosted Gear, activating Dragon Force.
"Do you have a plan, Midoriya-kun?" Ochako asked.
"Not yet, I'm afraid."
Raynare began to laugh. "Good! Once I'll kill you, your friends and masters will be next!"
"Like hell, we'll let you!" Milia fired off a dark beam of magic.
Raynare, caught off guard, could only rein her spear in an attempt to block the attack. The attack shattered her spear, leaving her open to Izuku landing a forward punch into Raynare's chest. The force of the blow sent her skidding several feet back. She started to cough from the blow and little flecks of saliva came up from the force of the blow. Sucking up the hit, she glared at Izuku with an angry look.
"Why the hell are you trying to cop a feel for?!" she snapped, trying to go for head games. "Who do you think you are fondling me anyway?!"
The devils and witch all had different reactions. Izuku began stammering like an idiot trying to apologize. Ibara blushed a furious red. Milia looked almost jealous. And Ochako looked mortified.
"H-hey! Don't accuse Midoriya-san of being a pervert! Besides, those two balls are probably fakes," Milia retorted. 'Oh shit!' Milia sweat-dropped inwardly, having now realized what she said, 'I think I made a mistake.'
Ibara and Ochako all began to blush bright red, while Izuku could only stare at Milia in shock.
"Oh, you're gonna get it now kid," Raynare hissed dangerously as two swords of light appeared in her hands, her feminine pride screaming for retribution.
Having just received Milia's message, Mizu created a portal. "Let's get going!" Mizu yelled. Before anyone could react, an explosion cracked the roof.
"Oh shit!" Saji yelped.
Mizu wasn't able to react in time, the explosion forcing her through the portal as it closed. From below, the armored man jumped up and landed on the roof, Brandon next to it. "Kids?" Brandon blinked. "And here I thought it was a Pro Hero. How disappointing."
"You're not much older than us, pal," Alexandra shot back.
"Oh, shut it, flat chest."
Alexandra's eye twitched. "That's it!" She drew out a rapier.
Brandon smiled and drew a gun that had a long blade attached to the underside of the barrel. "Let's dance!"
"Remember to keep focus, Brandon," the knight warned, a yellow globing shield appearing on his left arm. In his left hand was something that made the devil's skin crawl.
"That's a sword of light!" Yuuto gaped.
Somewhere else in the city, three figures with a pair of bat-like wings flew through the cityscape, just high enough that they could easily be mistaken for birds.
In reality, they were Rias, Sona, and Kudelia, flying as fast as they could to where Izuku and the others were fighting. "I should've finished that fallen angel off when I had the chance," Rias hissed.
"It's not your fault, Rias," Sona said. "You showed that low-ranked fallen angel mercy at the request of your servants. There was always a risk involved."
"And Mizu already went ahead to help," Kudelia added. "We just need to make sure this Raynare doesn't cause any more trouble for us."
Rias nodded. "Right. Hopefully, Izu and the others are all right."
However, as they neared the site, a phantom of some sort, looking like a gold-glowing mix between a samurai and a geisha, appeared before them.
"A Demon Phantom!?" Rias gasped as the phantom approached, blade ready. She was barely able to avoid the blade, a few strands of her red hair not as lucky. The phantom then went after Kudelia and Sona, eventually forcing the three devil heirs to a rooftop.
"What the hell was that?!" Kudelia demanded.
"That would've been me," the devil heirs turned and saw the phantom had landed next to a woman wearing a pink kimono. "I must say, I never expected devils to appear here tonight."
"Who are you?" Rias demanded.
"I'm Ozaki Kouyou, an Executive of the Port Mafia, and you and your servants are interfering in our business," she said. "Golden Demon! Rid me of these devils!"
Ozaki Kouyou, Sacred Gear: Golden Demon. A subspecies of Demon Phantom, Golden Demon is an avatar-type Gear that follows the commands of Kouyou.
Izuku was hopping left and right, avoiding the swings of the light blades. Having already Promoted himself to Knight, Izuku had to stay on the defensive, as Raynare used her swords of light to attack viciously. Suddenly, Ibara's vines raced down and encircled Raynare, holding one of her arms to her sides. Raynare grunted as she tried to free herself. "You think these can hold me?!"
"No," a voice from above answered. "Just long enough for me to do this."
Above her, Milia was floating with her devil wings, lightning sparking out from her hands. A tower of lightning shined. The shockwave forced Izuku back. Milia shielded herself as the force almost knocked her out of the air.
Raynare, charred from the attack, some of her clothes torn and burnt, glared at the teenage devils. "Damn you!" She tried to move, but Ibara's vines prevented her from doing so.
"Raynare, just stop," Izuku sighed. "This has gone off long enough. Just leave."
"Don't you dare look down on me!" Raynare hissed, concentrated light glowing in her hands, "You can take that pity of yours, and shove it right up your-!"
Suddenly, ice froze over nearly every part of the roof, except for the area Izuku and the others were standing on. Raynare, ice encasing half of her body, could only shiver in shock. "What…?"
"So you're Raynare," stepping out from behind the fallen angel, Mizu walked to her side. "For a fallen angel, you sure aren't that pretty."
Raynare, despite being half-frozen, gave a terse growl.
"Mizu-san!"
"We don't have much time, so I'll make this quick," Mizu stood in front of the half-frozen fallen angel. "I'm sure you know why I'm here," showing Raynare a necklace with the Kamar-Taj symbol. "So tell me what I want to know, and-"
Before Mizu could continue, something slammed into her torso, sending her crashing into an adjacent building. "Mizu-oneechan!" Ochako cried out.
Before anyone else could go check on the sorcerer, a new voice called out. "You just have a knack for finding trouble, huh Raynare?" Chuuya now stood where Mizu was.
"Mister Chuuya!" Raynare gasped. "Why are you here, sir?"
"Well, since most of the items disappeared into portals not long before I saw that gigantic light show, I went to investigate. And what do I find?" The man identified as Chuuya looked at the group, his focus on Izuku. "This fun little scene." He tossed his coat aside, cracking his knuckles.
"Wait, Chuuya sir! That's-"
"Yes, I'm aware of your grudge against the Welsh Dragon," Chuuya began to glow a faint red. "But the Port Mafia's needs come first. You and the grunts get the remaining items and fall back." In a swift move, Chuuya kicked the ice holding Raynare, destroying it while keeping her unharmed. "I'll deal with them."
Raynare nodded. Spreading her wings, she flew off toward where the deal was taking place.
"I don't suppose you have it in your heart to just give up?" Ochako said to the Port Mafia executive.
"No, I don't," Chuuya responded, his eyes betraying an eager look. "I've been having a hard time trying to rein in Raynare's disobeying habit, so I need to let off the steam. And I intend to finish this in a single blow." Charging forward, Chuuya flew with incredible speed at Izuku, who instinctively lifted his Boosted Gear in an attempt to block the hit…
[DON'T LET HIM TOUCH YOU!]
Only to duck at the last second, delivering a kick into Chuuya's gut.
"You call that a kick!?" Chuuya retaliated by grabbing Izuku's arm and throwing him at the girls. Izuku's body glowed red. He felt his weight increase as he crashed into the roof, going through it and falling into the warehouse below.
"IZUKU-SAN/MIDORIYA-KUN!" The girls cried.
"Izuku-san! Are you okay?!" Ibara called out.
"I'm fine… But I… Can't move… My body… So heavy…" he grunted.
"That would be my Sacred Gear at work," Chuuya clarified with a smile on his face. "Now then, who's next?"