Omniscient POV
Natsume and Samejima escaped Toujou Sae's house, defeating several Utsusemi, and hid in an abandoned factory.
Natsume tried calling Tobio but only heard, [Out of signal area~.]
The magic communication in their ears had also failed, likely due to distance or the enemy's magic.
Natsume suspected Tobio and Lavinia had been transported. With Tobio's growing power and Lavinia's overwhelming abilities as the 'Ice Princess,' they could seriously injure even enemy leaders.
However, Lavinia's power was too destructive to use freely, especially in a residential area like Sae's house, where Tobio and others could have been harmed.
Frustrated by their separation, Samejima struck the ground.
"It was a trap, and we fell for it. My own naivety makes me want to puke."
He had gained confidence after his recent growth but was shaken by how easily the enemy had outmaneuvered them.
Natsume shared his frustration. But Samejima, despite his anger, reflected on his mistakes and retained a surprising level of maturity.
"...Either way, we have to decide—do we return to the house or go back to the condominium?"
Natsume deliberated their next move as they concealed themselves inside the factory. Suddenly, faint sounds came from outside.
Tension gripped them as they focused on remaining undetected.
After a moment, a small figure appeared at the factory entrance—a young girl, around nine or ten, with braided hair.
Natsume didn't recognize her, and the sight of a child in such a desolate place was suspicious. However, Samejima's expression shifted to one of shock. Rising cautiously, he moved toward the girl.
"...It can't be," Samejima muttered under his breath. Standing before her, he hesitated, then asked, "You, why are you here?"
Samejima's reaction surprised Natsume. Revealing herself, she questioned him formally, "...Who is she?"
"It's Nobu—Maeda's little sister," Samejima replied grimly.
Maeda Nobushige—Samejima's close friend and someone he was determined to save. The girl standing before them was his little sister.
"But why would you—"
Before Samejima could finish, the girl suddenly thrust a blade into his abdomen!
The sound of tearing flesh echoed as the blade pierced through his body, emerging from his back. The blade in the girl's hand shimmered unnaturally, resembling the grotesque tentacles of the Utsusemi.
"...!!!"
Samejima staggered, blood pouring from his mouth as he choked violently.
"SAMEJIMA-KUN!" Natsume screamed, rushing to his side.
Assessing his wound, she realized his heart hadn't been struck. The injury was severe but not immediately fatal.
Before she could act further, another figure emerged from the shadows—a young man. Natsume froze as Samejima's eyes widened in disbelief.
"...Nobu..." Samejima whispered, his voice weak as blood continued to seep from his wound.
The young man was indeed Maeda Nobushige, but his vacant eyes revealed he was under the enemy's control. A sinister grin spread across his face as a low chuckle escaped his lips.
"Kukuku…"
Then, the sinister laughter of a third party echoed through the desolate factory.
A new figure appeared—a man in his late twenties, dressed in a business suit. His gaudy smile radiated malice as he spoke.
"Yo, it's been a few days. Samejima Kouki of the 'Four Fiends.' And you must be Minagawa Natsume. A pleasure."
Natsume didn't recognize him, but upon seeing the man, Samejima's expression twisted with fury, despite his critical injuries.
"...Doumon."
This was Doumon Kazuhisa of the 'Utsusemi Agency.'
Doumon's grin widened as he observed Samejima's weakened state. His tone was almost cheerful as he continued.
"Why the hostility? Is it because Maeda Nobushige is with a monster mimicking his sister? The reason is simple. That girl is an Utsusemi—a creature imitating Maeda Nobushige's younger sister."
Natsume froze, her gaze darting to the girl standing beside Maeda. Her mind reeled.
Her voice trembled as she spoke. "An Utsusemi... imitating Maeda-kun's sister? How is that even possible!?"
It was a natural reaction. Until now, Utsusemi had only resembled grotesque variations of plants and animals.
But a creature that perfectly mimicked a human form was beyond their imagination.
Doumon laughed with delight at their shock.
"Did you really think creating monsters that mimic living beings was impossible? How narrow-minded. This... is my hobby."
"...Fiend!" Natsume spat, her voice dripping with disgust.
The very idea of creating Utsusemi to impersonate loved ones was abhorrent. It was a vile perversion of any ethical boundary, and yet it seemed Doumon reveled in their revulsion.
Doumon merely smirked. "Call me what you like. Now, with wounds like that, Samejima Kouki doesn't have long. And when he dies, the Sacred Gear within him will vanish until it finds a new host. Now, we can't let that happen, can we? Then, extracting it forcibly is our only option."
His words were laced with vulgar indifference, treating Sacred Gear users like disposable vessels. To Doumon and his ilk, the individuals meant nothing—it was only their power that mattered.
"...I won't let you."
Natsume stepped between Doumon and the fallen Samejima, her stance defiant.
At the same time, she noticed Samejima's sacred gear's avatar, Byakusa, pressing its tail against his wound.
The white cat's efforts seemed to be stabilizing him, though it was unclear if it could fully heal the damage. For now, all Natsume could do was buy time.
Doumon sighed dramatically, motioning his hands and body in mock gesture. "Such bravery. Admirable, but futile."
He pulled several talismans from his pocket, releasing them into the air. As he chanted, they formed a glowing pentagram, summoning five towering clay dolls. Standing beside his creations, Doumon sneered.
"Let's see how long your little courage lasts."
With a wave of his hand, two of the clay dolls lunged forward.
"Do it, Griffon!" Natsume commanded.
Her falcon partner, flying high above, dove at one of the clay dolls. Its wings sliced through the air, managing to chip a small piece from the doll's tough exterior. But it wasn't enough to destroy the massive construct.
Doumon laughed. "Pathetic! My dolls won't crumble so easily."
Natsume, undeterred, gestured silently to Griffon. The falcon soared higher, feinting and circling before diving at full speed. This time, its reinforced wings severed one of the doll's arms.
'Yes!'
But the victory was short-lived. The clay doll retaliated with its other arm, striking Griffon mid-air and sending it hurtling into a pile of scrap.
"Griffon!" Natsume cried out, panic seizing her chest.
The doll reached into the debris and pulled Griffon from the wreckage. The falcon hung limp in its grasp, blood dripping from its body.
Doumon's laughter echoed cruelly through the factory. "What a pitiful sight. And now—"
He gestured again. The clay doll tightened its grip.
*Gush*
A sickening sound filled the air as blood gushed from the falcon's crushed body.
"GRIFFOooOON!" Natsume's scream tore through the factory, her entire body trembling with grief and rage.
Doumon's eyes gleamed with twisted delight as he basked in her despair.
"FUHAHAHAHAHAHA! Both your Sacred Gear and your partner are destroyed. What now? Are you going to fight me with your own body? Without those Gears, you're just ordinary humans!"
The clay dolls closed in. Natsume, with her falcon partner lost, was overcome with frustration, sorrow, and rage. But even as tears streamed down her face, she stood protectively over Samejima.
"...Ruu...un..." Samejima whispered weakly, but Natsume couldn't abandon him.
She had decided: for victory, for everyone to survive, she couldn't give up. Not Samejima, nor Tobio, nor Lavinia, nor Griffon—none could be left behind. She would rescue them all, no matter the odds.
"I won't be defeated by you! We'll all make it out of this, and I'll defeat you, no matter your twisted reasons!" Natsume screamed, her heart pounding.
Suddenly, Doumon's smile faltered as he noticed something behind her. Natsume turned to see Byakusa, sparking with electricity, and Samejima's chest throbbing.
"...Byakusa-chan?" Natsume asked, confused, but another strange phenomenon occurred.
A powerful wind began to swirl, gathering around one of the clay dolls.
"...Griffon?" Natsume muttered, realizing something was changing.
From the chaos, light exploded from Byakusa and Griffon. Natsume shielded her eyes as the light faded, revealing two massive creatures. A giant, electrified white cat and a winged, lion-headed griffon. Byakusa and Griffon had transformed.
Doumon was stunned. "The 'Four Fiends'... their original forms?!"
A whirlwind tore through the factory, the white beast's tails striking a clay doll, destroying it with a burst of electricity.
Griffon's wings flapped, sending debris flying and even ripping the factory roof off. Samejima was secured by one of Byakusa's tails, and another clay doll was quickly obliterated by wind blades.
"This is Qióngqí (mythological name of Griffon in DxD)!? How could they both...?!"
Doumon shrieked in pain as Griffon's wind blades severed his arm. He collapsed, clutching the stump in agony.
"These are Griffon and Byakusa's true forms...?" Natsume whispered in awe.
The creatures had grown immensely in power.
Griffon landed before her, and Natsume smiled in relief. Despite the changes, the spirit was the same.
Just then, a voice echoed through the factory. "What's this, he is still alive? I thought it would've been over by now."
"VALERICA!?" Natsume exclaimed. The silver-haired youth stood casually amidst the chaos.
"Yo, Minagawa Natsume. Sorry I'm late, but I've come to meet up."
Valerica's gaze fell on Doumon, who, now missing an arm, tried to flee. She blocked his path effortlessly, her wings glowing with pressure so intense that even Natsume and the transformed beasts felt it. Doumon shook in fear, dropping his severed arm.
"A lowly human like you..." Valerica said, smiling wickedly, but before she could act, Samejima spoke.
"...Wait."
Samejima, despite his injuries, struggled to his feet. Trembling, he took slow, determined steps toward Doumon.
"...That guy's mine to beat up!"
Samejima, gazing at the unconscious Maeda Nobushige, clenched his fist after a deep breath.
Doumon, shaking from Valerica's overwhelming presence, had dropped to the floor, unable to move. Samejima grabbed him by the neck and forced him to stand.
"Hiiiiii!! Forgive me, please!!" Doumon screamed in terror.
[A/N: This guy's nuts and a freaking scaredy-cat. It's canon btw. 🤣]
With his face twisted in fury, Samejima punched Doumon hard, sending him sprawling to the ground.
After the blow, Samejima looked toward Maeda and muttered, "Nobu, for now, I'll let him off with just one blow."
That was all he said before collapsing, unconscious. Valerica swiftly caught him.
Cradling Samejima in her arms, Valerica chuckled. "He revived that much? How amusing."
Natsume asked, "Valerica, how is Samejima-kun?"
Valerica examined the wound. "His Sacred Gear seems to have applied lifesaving treatment to protect him. The bleeding's stopped, but he'll need blood replenishment."
"...The bleeding has stopped? Even though there's an open wound in his chest?" Natsume asked, confused.
"Yeah, look at his back. The white cat's tail has plugged it. The 'Four Fiend' is mending the body of its master," Valerica explained.
Indeed, as Valerica pointed out, the fatal wound that ran from Samejima's chest to his back had been sealed by Byakusa's tail, which had dissolved and integrated into Samejima's body.
Valerica continued, "Originally, the Sacred Gear was something generated by the body. So it's not surprising that the body of the independent avatar type is compatible with its master."
Natsume marveled once again at the unexpected capabilities of the Sacred Gear and Samejima's condition.
While supporting Samejima, Valerica conjured a magic circle beneath their feet. The silver-haired youth, also proficient in magic, demonstrated her skill.
"I'm opening a teleportation magic circle. Samejima will be transferred to the Grigori Research Institute. If we get him there, he should survive this wound," Valerica said, efficiently handling the aftermath.
With Akatsuki's enhanced potions in the facility, Samejima would be easily healed there. Azazel would also be happy to exa—meet him in person.
Natsume noted the unexpected kindness from this child. Valerica, though often grumbling, was undeniably capable and kind.
Samejima, now accompanied by Byakusa in her large beast form and the captured Doumon Kazuhisa was transferred to the Grigori research institute through Valerica's magic circle.
The Utsusemi that Maeda Nobushige had used vanished without a trace, but the syrup-like substance left behind was collected by Valerica in a vial for further investigation.
Afterward, Valerica spoke to Natsume, explaining the current situation. Natsume was taken aback upon hearing the news.
"The Five Principal Clans are moving!?"
Valerica nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, someone leaked the location of the Utsusemi Agency's hidden facility to them. It looks like a large purge team will be heading there soon."
Natsume, piecing things together, asked, "So, the task Azazel gave you was to inform the Five Principal Clans of the location of their hideout?"
Valerica grumbled in response. "Yeah, that's all. Azazel uses me like an errand boy (girl). Doesn't he realize how valuable I am…?"
Valerica slouched as she voiced her complaints.
Thinking back, when they were heading to Toujou Sae's house, Valerica had already forfeited crucial information about the hideout's location—the very foundation of the Utsusemi Agency's operations.
While one might expect the Utsusemi Agency to apologize, with the Five Principal Clans now aware of the hideout's location, it wouldn't be surprising if they attacked immediately.
However, Natsume found one aspect perplexing—why hadn't the Governor General passed this information directly to the Five Principal Families themselves? And why release it now? Could it be a test? Was the Governor General evaluating the power of the Four Fiends, Ikuse Tobio, and Natsume's group? Or perhaps he intended to move them into action, observing their response?
Valerica broke Natsume's thoughts with her question, "So, I'm heading out now. What about you, Minagawa Natsume?"
"Where to?" Natsume asked.
Valerica's response was filled with anticipation. "To the 'Dog's' location. It seems they've been taken to the Utsusemi Agency's hideout. We'll retrieve them before the Five Principal Families' agents arrive. That's my new mission. Are you coming?"
It was the kind of invitation one couldn't refuse.
Natsume's resolve hardened. "I'll proceed to Ikuse-kun and Lavinia's location! And then, I'll put an end to the Utsusemi Agency!"
Natsume, nodding her head, accompanied Valerica together with the transformed Griffon.