...The sky is already dark, and its already time for the street lamps to be on.
The three of us, Kiba, Koneko-chan, and I, are examining the Church from a place where we can see it.
There is no one entering or exiting the Church.
But the closer we got to the Church, the stronger I started to have a bad feeling. I'm sweating from all over my body.
"Here, look at this map."
Kiba spread out the map of the building on the road.
"Besides the sanctuary, there is also a dormitory. The sanctuary looks suspicious."
Kiba points at the sanctuary.
"So we can ignore the dormitory then?"
"Most likely. Most stray exorcist groups usually make some alteration to the sanctuary. They usually perform suspicious rituals under the sanctuary."
"Why?"
I told him my doubt. Kiba makes a bitter smile.
"It's the place they used to respect as a holy place, and by doing something that rejects God there, it makes them satisfied because it's an insult to God. Because they loved God, because they were rejected by God, they purposely cast evil spells under the sanctuary as a representation for their hatred."
They are insane. No, even the God who cast away his faithful believers is at fault.
"The sanctuary is located right behind the entrance. I think we can go straight in. The problem is to find the door to the basement once we get in the sanctuary, and also if we can defeat the assassins waiting for us."
Assassins...
We look at each other in front of the Church while the moonlight lit our face, and then we nod to each other.
We passed through the entrance and went straight for the sanctuary.
The Fallen Angels will have noticed our intrusion by this point.
So the enemy knows that we have entered their territory.
There's no going back. The only thing left is to head straight in!
We open the door, and stepped inside the sanctuary.
There is an altar and long chairs. It looks like an ordinary sanctuary. The candle lights and the interior lamps lit the sanctuary.
Then a clap echoes through the sanctuary. Someone who looks like a priest shows up from behind the pillar.
Seeing his face, I become disgusted.
"Meeting! It's a reunion! So emotional!"
It's that white haired shitty priest! What happened to him? He has a massive bruise on his face and that he has a bandage over his hand. It looks like he's been in a fight. Seeing me looking at the injuries he has, he makes a sneer.
"You see these!? Your bitch friend stabbed me in the hand, kneed me in the balls and whacked me with a pan when I went to get her!"
...Yeah, that does sound like Naruko-chan alright. If she's under attack, she will do anything to survive. She stabbed him in the hand, kneed him in the balls and hit him with a pan. Fucking hell Naruko-chan. Please don't ever become that pissed at me. Well, I'm glad she hurt the fucker! But...
"Where is she you bastard!?"
Kiba roared next to me.
"Ah, she is in her cage down there."
He pointed to a door beside the alter. In her cage? How dare he say things like that!? Since I know where Naruko-chan is, let's find out where Asia is.
"Hey! Where is Asia!?"
"Well, there is a hidden stairs under that altar. From there you can go to the place where they are doing the ritual. Then after her, it's that lovely redhead."
So, they are in different locations...who should I go for first? Who's in the most danger? I want to go to both… but I can't decide who to go for. Naruko-chan or Asia? I've known Naruko-chan longer and...
"Namikaze-kun, I will get Uzumaki-san. You get Asia-san."
That sounds like a plan! I'll leave Naruko-chan to Kiba! In that case...
"Right! Sacred Gear!"
Synchronised with my shout, a red gauntlet appears on my left arm.
Kiba draw his sword from the sheath and Koneko-chan...
Koneko-chan is lifting up the pews that are several times bigger than her.
"…Get smashed."
Koneko-chan throws the pews at the Priest! Super Girl that is totally an unexpected method of attack!
"Wow! Oh yeah!"
The priest did a small dance and cut the chair in half with his blade of light. The chair that is cut in half hits the ground.
"There."
When I thought Kiba went ahead, he has already disappeared. He's so fast that I can't see him!
—GIIN!
There are sparks between Kiba's sword and the priest's blade of light.
So its solid despite being made from light huh. After all, even if Kiba slashes straight at him, I can hear the sound of two metals colliding against each other.
"Hmmm! Hmmm! Such a pain! Why are you guys so noisy!? I'm super very bad! I'm sorry for talking in a death language! Forgive me after you die!"
Kiba dodges the soundless bullets with his legs he is proud of while continuing to attack his enemy.
Kiba who is dodging all of the priest's attack is amazing.
But the priest is also something because he can fight on par with a Devil.
Man, he stopped Kiba's slash again!
I can't catch Kiba's movements with my eyes, but the priest can.
So that shitty priest is not an opponent that I can take on by myself.
Kiba and the priest then start to battle head on. Both of them are glaring at each other.
"Impressive. You are quite strong."
"Ahaha! You too! A Knight, huh!? Not even a single blind spot! This is great! Yes yes, this is what I'm talking about. Lately, I haven't had an awesome battle like this! I was about to cry because of it! Hmmm! Hmmm! I'm going to kill you!"
"Then maybe I should also fight seriously for a bit then."
Kiba is going to fight seriously? What is he going to do?
"Eat this."
Low pitched voice. I can't believe it's Kiba's voice because it has some intensity in it.
Then, some black stuff comes out of Kiba's sword. It starts to cover the whole sword.
The darkness covers the sword.
No, it's more like the darkness is shaping into Kiba's sword.
The darkness sword that is clashing against the priest's blade of light starts to expand and is devouring the blade of light.
"Wha, what the hell is this!?"
The priest seems confused.
"Holy Eraser, a darkness sword that devours light."
"Y-You are also a Sacred Gear possessor!?"
Sacred Gear! Kiba too!?
Dammit! So good looking ones get a good looking weapon as well!?
The priest's blade of light is completely devoured by Kiba's sword, and it can't maintain its shape after having the lights devoured.
Now! This is my chance!
I went straight at him!
"Sacred Gear! Activate!"
[Boost!]
A sound comes out from the jewel and the power flows into my body.
My target is the shitty priest.
The priest becomes aware of me.
"I'm keeping on telling you! You are annoying!"
He points his gun that is loaded with bullets of light at me. The bullet is shot without making any sound.
"Promotion, Rook!"
—BASHIIN!
The bullet of light didn't pierce through me, and instead returns to nothing.
"Promotion!? A Pawn!?"
The Priest seems to be in shock.
Yeah, I'm a Pawn! The Pawn who is going to bash you!
"The traits of a Rook! Unreal defence and—!"
My left fist hit the priest's face. That's what I thought, but I felt something hard on my fist.
Even so, I punched as hard as I could!
The priest gets pushed far back!
"Ridiculous attack strength."
I laugh while breathing hard.
"That's for taking Naruko-chan and hitting Asia that time. I feel relieved that I hit you once."
The priest is on the ground, but gets up slowly and spits his blood onto the ground.
His right cheek is swollen. Matches bruise on the other side of his face.
Just that? I promoted to Rook, but it looks like I still don't have Koneko-chan's attacking power.
No, if I look carefully, his sword handle is smashed up.
Did he use that as a shield just before getting punched by me?
So that's the hard thing I felt. He has a fast reaction.
"…Hmm …Oh man, not only I got punched by a trashy Devil, but he's saying some weird crap to me… Don't fuck with me."
The Priest makes a howl.
"Don't fuck with me! You shiiiiiit! A mere Devil shouldn't act cocky with meeeeee! I'll kill you! Definitely! I'll definitely kill you! I'm going to cut you into pieces, you shiiiiit!"
The priest takes out his second sword which only has its handle.
But the three of us, me, Kiba, and Koneko-chan, surround the Priest.
The priest notices it, and he looks around. He begins to smirk.
"Wow, wow. Is this what you call a crisis? Hmm, for me, getting killed by a Devil is a no-no, so I feel like retreating. It's a shame that I can't exorcise you guys, but I also don't want to die!"
The Priest takes out something round and smashes it onto the floor.
Instantly, our eyes are blinded with a shining light.
When my eyes readjusted, he was gone! Damn bastard!
Then the priest's voice comes from somewhere.
"Hey. The grunt Devil over there…Menma-kun, was it? To tell you the truth, I have fallen in love with you. So I will definitely kill you. Definitely, ok? I won't forgive a shitty Devil who punched me and gave me a lecture, ok? Then, bye-bye."
I looked around again but I couldn't find him at all!
"Since he's gone, I'm going to go and rescue Uzumaki-san."
Kiba started walking off without looking back. He's really determined to save her huh. Well, so am I! I then shout to Kiba.
"Kiba! When you save her, tell her I'm worried!"
"Right."
He waved at me as he went through the door. Since he is rescuing Naruko-chan, I can focus on Asia.