Flesh is Weak

The reunion long awaited and the bait is laid.

Ajuka immediately froze upon seeing the four of us. His eyes look at mine, and I see so many things there. Shame, fear and, finally, a huge desire to die. He stood frozen at his portal entrance, as we just looked at each other. Rias and the others squeezed my arms or hands under the table in support. That was the state of the room for ten minutes before Grayfia sighed and gently grabbed Ajuka's right hand. Before dragging him to the table. Seating him in the middle chair of the three and then taking a seat on his right. Ajuka kept staring at me with his blue eyes and didn't take them off me.

We all stayed silent before Grayfia pinched Ajuka on his leg, making the man jump slightly. He turned his eyes to Grayfia and glared at his friend while Grayfia pinched him again. Before gesturing to me with her head. Ajuka reluctantly looked back at me before he closed his eyes, looked down at the floor, and finally said something.

"I'm so very sorry."

That voice held so much self-hate that it made me recoil. He opened his eyes slightly and saw that. His eyes held the pain that action had caused. He looked ready to get up and run. He was halfway up out of the chair when Grayfia trapped him with chains and said not at all amused with Ajuka.

"No running Juka this needs to be sorted out for multiple reasons and can't be left to fester. Gregor didn't do that for the reason you think, Juka."

That touched a nerve because Ajuka got angry. He was about to say something there, but I surprised everyone.

"I'm sorry I recoiled."

Ajuka stopped his prepared rant for Grayfia and looked my way.

"You shouldn't be sorry. I failed you as your father and you have every right to despise me for how I left you alone in that car to die."

The self-hate was so apparent there. While still looking at the table, I said in a very small voice.

"I have never despised you and you didn't fail me. You just embraced a weakness of flesh and freaked at the wrong time. It's a human thing to do."

Ajuka was still angry leaking out his presence, making Rias, Ravel, and Kuroka shake. Grayfia snapped her fingers twice, which got Ajuka to stop the pressure before he said while still angry.

"I am a devil king and not a human. I am held to higher standards. I left you alone to die in that car with your mother. She and you should hate me for my failure as a father and as a husband because I didn't check on you or her!"

The certainty that I and Nomie hate him is almost lodged in Ajuka's mind. Alex and Nomie both looked at Ajuka in pity as Nomie poked me to do something. I don't know how to get Ajuka to stop that train. I put my right hand on the table, and Ajuka immediately looked at my ring. His face seemed to morph from angry to depressed, then to a calmer tone.

"I will do anything for you to forgive me. Give you whatever you want. I will never be able to get forgiveness for my actions. Tell me what you want!"

His voice was close to begging there and everyone was looking at the second strongest devil in the underworld say that with shock. My face instantly took on a frown.

"I want my father, who gave up part of his job for me, to accept that I have never hated him. I just want him to accept the person I am now. The son who wants to be like his father in being a great scientist and inventor, the son who wants to make the world's best dad not feel shame about something that was an accident. That's all I want."

Ajuka didn't know what to say there as he looked at me. Grayfia rolled her eyes before pinching her friend again.

"Everyone else but you, Juka, can see he means that. Nikola told you that, as have I. You're the only one who continues to insist that he hates you. You now have evidence of that here. Despite everything, he still wants something with you."

That made Ajuka ask in a tiny voice.

"How can he not hate me for this that is my greatest failure and fault?"

I closed my eyes for a second before reopening them.

"Because I never have. I could have focused on the crash, but I thought it out. I believed I was completely alone after the crash. When I learned of you, I realized that I wasn't. I thought long and hard about whether I should hate you for this. I finally decided that I couldn't hate you because despite the fact that I don't remember the past, we are still family, and I'd rather look at a bright future than dwell on anger."

That finally got something out of Ajuka than shame and self-hate. His face takes on a look of remembrance.

"You are so much like your mother. She always preferred to look at a bright future, too. I stopped doing that in the 1800s. I miss her so much as she was my Rising Sun."

The naked longing for Nomie in Ajuka's voice was heartbreaking to hear. The chains finally disappeared from the chair. He kept remembering whatever had struck him so hard. He looked at my ring again before he closed his eyes again. The shame was a little bit less, and he finally opened them again. The blue looked at my red, and Ajuka remained silent. I finally found a hint of courage.

"I want to know you again. I might be able to help you and mom."

Ajuka, Grayfia, and Ravel looked confused there while Rias and Kuroka looked at me in understanding. Ajuka voices that question.

"How can you?"

I interrupted him.

"You will see. Do you have a machine on you?"

Ajuka looked on in confusion while I looked at my dad and shared with him.

"I want to help my father, who gave me the opportunity to meet my amazing three. They understand me and are who I want for the rest of my life. I see that accident as the event that led me to them. I want my father to know me now and accept who I am and what I am. Do you have a machine on you?"

Rias, Kuroka, and Ravel smiled wide, hugging me, and Ajuka noticed that, as did Grayfia. Ajuka finally pulled a tablet from his pocket and set it on the table. Nomie understands what I want to do. She was reluctant but given this was a way to be with Ajuka again. She hesitated till Alex urged her to do it. Nomie finally found her courage and said yes. I gestured to the tablet, and Ajuka passed it over. I take it and silently bless the machine. Ravel felt it, and her eyes widened as Rias filled her in on my title. After I was done blessing the tablet, Nomie entered it. I passed the tablet back to Ajuka. He was still confused about this and took the machine.

He froze completely and looked at it in amazement. His blue eyes were tearing up, and he whispered in a tone that was pure hope.

"Nomie, is that you?"

Grayfia squinted at the tablet, and her eyes widened to saucers. She looked at it and then at me rapidly, as her head kept looking back and forth at the machine. Ajuka seemed lost in his own world, staring at the machine in pure love. He finally found his voice.

"You mean it. You don't hate me for this nor does she. I feared for nothing."

Ajuka kept touching the machine, and his eyes were far off. I reached out my hand to him. He shook his head and saw the gesture. He eagerly took his hand off the tablet and took my hand. Ajuka looked up from the tablet and looked at my face before he became stoic again, like myself.

"I would like an explanation for this along with why you recovered from injuries that should have crippled you forever."

I smile smirk slightly, and that prompts Ajuka to do the same out of reflex. Alex said that he and Ajuka did that a lot together pre-crash. We both share our signature thing before the waitress arrives and begins to take orders from us, and after she leaves, I begin the tale.

As the tale continues, food is brought in for everyone. However, Ajuka's plate remained completely packed with his lasagna. He considered everything he was learning while always having a hand on the tablet. His blue eyes continued to think and develop theories that were quickly dismissed or accepted. Grayfia is looking at me with a new look that had overcome her earlier amazement at my healing factor. The others, especially Rias don't like the new look. It's hard distrust as she eyes the symbol on my ring every so often in contempt. Having known the religion and the perpetual side, Ravel puts it together. Her blue eyes hold naked curiosity. Rias looked at Grayfia in a challenge for the suspicion that was being sent my way.

"I believe in it, too."

Grayfia turned her eyes on Rias, and her frown got deeper.

"You would abandon our maker, Rias."

That was an accusation made deadly by pressure. Rias continued showing her backbone and only shook a little.

"I would abandon our abuser. I have been accepted by a deity that pushes me, a weakling, to abandon the weaknesses of flesh, mind, and body. A deity that gave me Greg the man I will love forever. A deity that speaks of improvement of oneself and the world rather than domination over it. That's what I follow."

Grayfia's frown grew deeper as did the pressure.

"You deny him that made our civilization. He that brought us to the heights of glory we enjoy. He who has always been the one who accepted us when our arch-rival immediately demanded our extermination."

That revealed much about the religion of the Morning Star. No wonder there is resistance to the peace process from devils there. Ajuka finally spoke up while his blue eyes were still considering theories.

"I have long supported Sirzches in his desire to find us a better alternative to him Fia. My son's explanation explains many things that I and others I have postulated about deities for a long time. I want to run experiments on this with you."

Grayfia seemed more pissed now.

"You would deny our heritage, Juka, and run experiments on a very disturbing thing with horrible implications if it spreads into us."

Ajuka finally looked back fully and stared down Grayfia while tightening his grip on the tablet.

"I would like to learn this faith that has brought my son and wife back to me. As for discarding heritage, the cult of the Morning Star has done more harm than good for our civilization. We both know that by what the OSF did during the civil war firsthand. Every atrocity they did was done in his name gleefully. I don't plan to convert till I have a better understanding of the ideas of this, yet it clicks with me. A deity of science that combines it with faith to face the ever-evolving world. I can follow a faith like that eventually. Your father forced you and your brother into hard devotion, so I understand why you're thinking and acting like this."

Grayfia continues to distrust me, and it hurts. She and I seem to have been bonding well.

"Yet his religion has kept our society together after the civil war. It promotes order and stability and has helped us in the reconstruction process. If we let this continue, we will face upheaval in a society that is still reeling from the conflict."

Ajuka tilted his head.

"Yet, it has also become another rallying point for the GKF as they continue to oppose what we need to do to ensure that we continue recovering. This could be the key to pushing us forward for a new future. We need the Great War to come to an end so we can focus more resources on helping our civilization rebuild. We need military forces off of the DMZ with the fallen to destroy the remnants of the OSF completely. This faith could be used to help us fight against the OSF by discrediting them further, showing they fight for our abuser and the past. This could even be the first step towards getting Heaven to see we are not the old Satans. The commoners can quickly pick up and understand this faith's easier teachings. They would quickly gravitate towards a faith that actively encourages them to make improvements in their lives. There are millions more reasons why this faith could be an answer to so many of our problems. Before you say I'm crazy, you and I have seen the items captured in the Morning Star's castle. They spoke of the abuse and torture he put on many of our ancestors. The items broke my faith in him and led me to embrace science. Here is a faith that combines the strengths of science and religion to form something new that builds each side up."

Rias, Ravel, Kuroka, and I see a stumped Grayfia who can't easily discard many of his points. She was still stubborn about this, however, and I tried to extend an olive branch to her.

"The Machine God will only take a dedicated follower. He doesn't want to spread fast. Yes, Dad, it could do all that, but the faith shouldn't be forced on people. It doesn't click with everyone, and if we force it, we will dilute him if believers are not fully dedicated. He would be less powerful, and would be bad if we get attacked by one of the other religions."

My three don't get that at first. However, my dad does, as do Grayfia and then Ravel.

"That is interesting to know. Faith can be diluted. That might be why the churches and their people are starting to lose ground. They don't have many true believers, and it is weakening him. That is an incredible point. I would like to get with you more and have you explain this new field of research. I want to discuss that and several other things that I saw with you. The robot especially is interesting because it could, along with your mechadendrites, solve many of our numbers issues."

That it could.

"I would be happy to talk shop with you, Dad. I want to eventually make a business topside that will sell the things I can make in the underworld. One of my pawns is fascinated by robots, and she is currently learning how to build a second one. I'll have her teach people how to make future ones."

My dad was interested in that and immediately showed me that he and I had started repairing some of the pieces of our relationship.

"I will commit to this place and want no shares in the business as these are your inventions, not mine. I assume this plan you have will include your investment into our house?"

I nodded immediately.

"Yes. I have found a place where we will try to start up. I also want you to tell Grandfather when you see him to start sending me Civil War veterans with missing limbs from our territory. I have developed a prosthetic that will work for them, which will be done for those who have served free of charge. Warriors should be respected for what they gave up. A huge part of my future forges will be for those men and women."

My dad kept a blank face when he heard that. Grayfia was in shock, and Ajuka looked at Rias with both a little anger and understanding.

"I see you have developed a very good attitude toward that. I get why you did the deeds Sirzches told me about, but I had hoped to keep you from that until you were older. I'm sorry, Gregor."

I tightened my hand on Rias when she looked down in shame, thinking her father-in-law hated her.

"You can call me Alex, Dad. Keno and Nikola call me that, and while I prefer the other name, I'm just as much that. Please don't get angry with Rias. I chose to do them because I love her. I would do it again in a heartbeat for any of my three. The world isn't perfect despite everything."

Ajuka sighed sadly in agreement, as did Grayfia. My star mother finally looked at me, and instead of the distrust that had been evident before, she looked at me like she had before the revelation. I smiled back at her.

"I won't shove my faith down anyone's throat. I just can't accept him, who ruined my half that was thrown out of Eden. I'm sorry if that makes me an ultra-bad star son. I prize order, too, so I understand why I am a threat to society. I, however, want the commoners to have better lives, and they don't have that under this system we have."

Grayfia frowned again at me before she, too, sighed again.

"You must think me the same as the GKF. I do agree with many of their views. You, however, are correct that the commoners suffer under the system. I tone down the ideas of Sirzches for our proposed bills not because they are bad ideas but because they will never pass in their current forms. Watching the commoners suffer horribly at the hands of my faction during the Civil War made me realize their plight. Especially when I saw Sirzches save a school of children from eager levy soldiers of the OSF. Their screams of fear as the levy advanced towards them in their schoolhouse created my first doubt in the cause. That and knowing Juka was on the other side helped me realize what I fought for was wrong. I'm sorry for condemning you after you have been nothing but a good man for the NKF and Rias."

I looked at Grayfia with complete understanding.

"I realize that Fia and don't blame you for doing what good you can. I want the same, but I can't let them stay like that. What they did to Ria via schooling and Kuroka via plain cruelty hurts. The things that include the First Night and more are beyond wrong. All of that makes me sick. I won't tone down my ideas with the GKF because the commoners and reincarnated deserve better. I am a noble and will never not be what we are supposed to be for them."

Grayfia rolled her eyes at me but smiled wide, accepting me calling her that at last.

"You are the worst star son but a greater man. I don't want you to make the same mistakes Sirzches and the others made. That's why I'm giving that advice. I don't want history to repeat itself and for us to end up with the same problems again for a longer time. This is an excellent way of helping them without us being gouged by the price of Phenex tears."

Ravel looked at the table, ashamed of her family.

"I will talk with Ruval about lowering the price. Father primarily fed his sin that way, and I have never liked that. Especially with our huge stockpiles of them just gathering dust."

I take Ravel's hand and squeeze it in support.

"My prosthetics will be better than that. I have a way to give recipients the skin back above the metal. I can easily make bionics without hurting, and the machine for the top half is easy to make, too. My biggest fan has a metal leg, and, according to his mother, he loves it. I'll start making the limbs this weekend."

Rias brightened and knuckleheadly declared.

"I will apply and eventually make them too!"

That made Grayfia chuckle while Ajuka gave a small smile. I kissed Rias's hand there and got a blush from my redhead. Ravel looked worried for a second before remembering what we shared at the house. She looked at me in question. Rias understood it too and nodded her head answering it the same as me.

"You are my vice fabricator Ravel while Rias is our public relations person. Kuroka can sleep in and enjoy more time with her sister."

Kuroka purred and set her head on my shoulder.

"Damn right, I will, nya!"

Grayfia somehow teleported to our side and pulled Kuroka's ear getting a yelp.

"No cursing in my presence. It seems I will have to correct this in your wives, too. I do have some good news for you, Greg. We were done with general overview lessons. Geros will take over for manners and etiquette. He will start them in the fall before the main party season begins in winter."

That is good and frees up so much time. My dad seemed to settle on something and quietly said his thoughts.

"I know you're going to school for your mother's sake. I saw the records of your finances, and you managed them well, following the letter of the law. You were an adult in the underworld the moment you entered the game. I accept you don't need me anymore as your guardian."

He sounded highly reluctant to admit that, and Grayfia held his hand as I revealed my plan for the school.

"I plan to graduate early from school this year. I would like to spend time with you despite that. I don't want you to think we have to be apart completely. Just please let me know when you want to get together."

That made Ajuka close his eyes in relief, knowing he could still have new memories with me. He heard something from Nomie and seemed to consider whatever she said.

"I will be topside more to be close to you and to visit her resting place properly. I won't try to crowd you because you are still like me when it comes to being private. I want texts and or calls from you every two days. Please let me into the house as well. I want to meet my son's peerage and get to know my daughter in laws properly. I don't trust you cat but you helped us greatly and you seem to love him. Know, however, that if you ever hurt my son, I know a way to make your life miserable."

Kuroka shivered at the threat. I looked at my dad, and my hard expression made him back off slightly. I nodded my head at the part about entering the house. Grayfia smiled, seeing us getting back together.

"I will key you in, Juka. The question I have been sitting on needs to be answered. Where did you find the Red Dragon Emperor?"

I immediately went defensive, seeing the gleam in Grayfia's eyes.

"They and I bumped into each other randomly here in the city."

Grayfia didn't like that answer.

"They would make an excellent peerage member for you. You have pieces that would work well for them."

Rias and Kuroka joined the defense for our friend, and Ravel looked uncomfortable even though she agreed with Grayfia. Ajuka looked at me, being defensive, and he stepped in.

"This person must be close to my son Grayfia. Considering that they are his contracted magician, they are under his control. I don't see the issue."

Grayfia shook her head.

"The issue is that they are free and technically not leashed. The Boosted Gear is in the top bracket of the fourteen and should be helping our side. It would get the fallen to back off a little and make the churches lose morale, considering that it was with them last."

Ajuka, however, was unimpressed, as was I, and that shows me Grayfia is the militant one.

"They are like me we can't reincarnate, and yes, I have tested it. They and I are battle brothers, and our bond is steel. They will help me with anything if I ask them as I would them."

Ajuka went wide-eyed hearing that something his system couldn't reincarnate. Grayfia was also shocked, and Rias blushed. I asked my dad while staring down Grayfia in a warning.

"Does the system require the subject's heart to stop for a length of time?"

Ajuka looked wary here. He looked to my three to never reveal this information on the pain of death.

"It does are they also this perpetual thing? That means."

I finished that.

"They are the last one who will ever have the title and gear. They and I are like you and Sirzches dad. I trust them completely."

Ajuka immediately understood, and turned a blue eye to Grayfia.

"Drop it, Fia you know I would follow Sirzches anywhere and at any time. Despite being a pretty boy and my rival, he is my best friend, and I would die for him."

Grayfia sighed.

"I just want us to have more Longinus on our side. According to Fabium, it is rumored that Grigori has three, and the church has Zenith Tempest. The others have not shown themselves, and that worries me."

Ajuka replied to that with his frown still on full display.

"We have two now. The Red Dragon Emperor and my son will always be on our side. Bonds like that don't break easily. I understand why you're being cryptic about them and they have my support should they need it."

Ajuka eyed Grayfia, who backed off completely. My dad touched his tablet again and finally looked at the time before sighing.

"I have several months of paperwork to catch up on. I wish I could stay longer, Alex. I will have everyone get it together and move the majority of it topside."

I stood up from my seat and summoned my gear. Getting a raised eyebrow, I swung twice, making my mechadendrite combo, before handing over the items to my dad.

"Take these and do more science Dad. Paperwork is an eternal enemy. Do you think you can set up a meeting with Lady Leviathan?"

Ajuka studies both items before half smiling and thinking about how this could work.

"I will try to get Serafall to set aside time for you. She is currently filming the next season of her TV show, and she is prickly about being interrupted."

I took the answer and then helped Ajuka apply the MIU. He then took the pack and tablet while getting up from the table. He exchanged numbers with me and promised to never leave me again. The look he sent me before leaving showed the pure relief and joy that this had brought him. Before his portal opened and then he was gone.

Grayfia tisked at the leftover food from Ajuka.

"He always forgets this too busy with his experiments. I'll get him his food. Thank you for trying with him and showing him he was wrong. I don't get much of that so it's going into my vault of I told you so with him. I only have four instances of that."

Considering he's the mega genius Grayfia I can understand why you have so few of those. The fact that he was thinking of massive social changes and how it could be dumbed down for the commoners to make that alternative was indicative of that. Grayfia was gathering up her and Ajuka's food, and she, once done, got up herself and then let us get our food together.

We slowly began to form up for our portal in the corner. Grayfia was silent for a moment before she opened the portal, and on the other side was the house. We stepped through, and upon reaching the foyer, we stepped towards the kitchen. Grayfia looked once again at my ring, and she seemed to debate something internally. She then waved a silent goodbye while considering whatever her debate was deeply, I was left alone with my three.

Ravel sighed a breath of relief, as did Rias and Kuroka. The three of them hugging me, as I accepted the hugs. Before I turned an eye to Ravel, who smiled and squeezed harder.

This was not the worst way for this to end. It was on the better side of the scale. I mentally check this off the list. The day was going ok and would possibly get a bit better. Rias seemed to be thinking the same thing, and she let go of me to poke Kuroka. The two began whispering together, dragging in Ravel. The three started whispering and slowly made their way to the living room, leaving me alone in the foyer. It was there my patron started talking to me.

"I learned an interesting thing while exploring inside Big G's system. The Brave Saint system was almost finished only missing a steady supply of Agreas crystals and a few minor parts that I can easily make. Your sneaker's card has a crystal that was captured during the Great War. The blueprints were, however, locked behind multiple walls that only a deity could get through. There was a note on the final wall."

That's good and bad news for Heaven. I asked what the note said.

"It said that I should finish it. He saw I would get this far and wants this done for them. I can start this whenever, and I am curious about perhaps using this to help design my own daemons. Yes, I could just create them via warp energy, but I would rather that this goes to those who completely embrace the strength and certainty of steel. My designs for potential greater and lesser daemons could be tinkered with to include this fact. Our followers should have something to aspire to and their remembering of mortal lives could help prevent possible arrogance from my daemons."

It's risky, yet it would give our followers a desire to achieve that, channeling ultra-zealous people while controlling the outcome. I hesitated there, but we need daemons eventually. This could also show Heaven we are serious about the peace process and quell doubts from the Seraphs. I finally agreed with him and my patron understands the reluctance.

"It could go wrong. However, the risks are outweighed by the benefits in the long run. I also have news on the Void Dragon. It is on Earth. By my look, its wielder is a hero descendent in Europe. Other than that, I know nothing else about them."

I'll have to ask Jeanne if there is a way to identify hero descendants. Maybe I can have her find them. We do have another base to clear today in an abandoned fire station.

As I peeked inside the living room, I saw Kuroka and Rias talking to Ravel about something. Ravel was considering the idea, and then she nodded, sending her drill hair jumping.

"He would look good with a goatee. I'll support you both with that."

That got a happy high five from Kuroka and Rias. The two were happy about that victory. I gently knocked on the wall, which got the three to look my way.

"We raiding another base together today?"

That got Rias excited again, and she pulled an amused Kuroka along, leaving me with Ravel. My grand planner got off the couch and came my way. She reached my side and took my hand before dragging me to the basement.

In the train station, Rias and Ravel were getting into their new power armor suits while Kuroka was preparing a portal spell for our raid. This raid would just be the four of us, as everyone else was busy or committed to other raids. Rias was now wearing her mechadendrites and practicing using her new sword arms. Ravel had pestered me for a pack, and I promised that I'd make her one when we got home.

As Kuroka opens our portal to the fire station Rias is ready to skip through but is stopped by Ravel going first. Rias pouted before she and I entered the portal, followed by Kuroka. The fire station was in another of Kuoh's suburb townships and was a likely meet-up point for more forces.

The landing point for that portal was on an alleyway behind the station. Most buildings in this part of the town were abandoned, so we didn't have to put illusions on our armor. I found a ward stone at the edge of the fire station property inside a small, well-worn box hidden behind a dumpster. That was quickly broken, and two skulls were deployed to scan the fire station. Their scans made me blanch. This base was filled with fifteen fallen. The majority of them were two wings or four wings. However, there were three six-winged fallen here.

Ravel saw that, and she, too, frowned. The four of us started talking strategically about how we would do this. We settled on a plan and then started it.

My lance cannon breacher was brought out again for the back door, and as soon as a silence bubble was placed by Kuroka, I fired the cannon, making the door fly off its hinges and into the main room where the fire trucks would have been kept. The flying door hit a fallen man who had been in the truck area and cut the man in half. The halves toppled to the floor, and that began the fight.

Rias and I heard feet stampeding to our entrance as we entered the garage. Five two-winged fallen pushed towards us with a curious set of weapons: a light spear and a hoplon shield. Feathers were thrown from their black wings towards us to try and pin us to the wall as they advanced. I extended a saw arm from my pack and cut through the majority of the feathers thrown, leaving only three feathers from the attack hitting my armor.

The fallen as one blinked at me, dumbfounded by the speed and my extra hand. I took the opening firing two rounds of my boltgun at them. A fallen raised his shield quickly to block the shot. The round drilled through the shield and into him before exploding. He showered his comrades in gore, and that shocked them into fear. The second shot hit another fallen, this time a woman who also exploded.

The second death made the two wingers run screaming in fear. They ran and slammed the door to the firehouse proper closed. Kuroka entered the building along with Ravel and I fired another bolt at the door blowing it open before throwing a frag grenade into the hallway. That exploded, and I heard a scream quickly silenced by a fireball from Ravel.

Kuroka used some of the metal from the first door to make a metal wolf that charged into the breach. The metal paws clunked as the wolf ran into the fray.

Snarls and more fighting noises broke out as we pushed towards the entrance. I noticed again that at the end of the hallway in a recreation room, a spear wall of fallen fending off the metal wolf. It was biting at the shields and would whine when a light spear hit it. Several light spears were sticking out of its body, slowing the wolf down. I took cover on the right side of the broken door with Ravel while Rias took the left side with Kuroka. I asked Ravel while Kuroka was preparing a spell.

"Why are they in a shield wall?"

Kuroka threw her spell, which hit her metal wolf in the back, turning it into an IED that rained fragmentation into the shield wall. Several fallen went down screaming as Ravel answered the question.

"Fallen and pure angel battle doctrine during the Great War was spear walls and phalanxes. That was to counter the old devil doctrine of massed wave attacks from our armies made up of commoners pushed forward by the old Satans."

Human wave attacks can work but are generally inefficient. However, given that Lilith was around then and being forced to pump out children like no tomorrow I can see where that battle doctrine formed for devils. Kuroka had thrown fireballs at the downed fallen, ending their screams. Rias prepared herself for combat and accidentally showed her shoulder plate in the doorway. Feathers and several light spears slammed into Rias's shoulder, sending her back a few steps away from me. She would have died then and there if it wasn't for her power armor, given the number of feathers I see. My worry hit a new level, as it did for Kuroka. Barriers went up, halting the stream of projectiles.

I moved fast, holstering my boltgun and moving through the one-way barriers with my axe roaring at full power. I throw a smoke grenade from one of my arms, and that covers my push. Ravel and I have synergy because she used a wind spell to blow the smoke into their eyes as I was almost on top of the fallen. That allowed me to enter the shield wall through a hole made from the IED. I make my first swing that cut an arm off a fallen man.

The man screamed and went down as I made a second swing that took off the head of a second fallen next to him. The remaining fallen were still trying to clear the smoke from their eyes while still being in formation. That was when Rias came up from behind me, joining the melee. She claimed a kill on a fallen with her chainsword by bisecting a woman. Kuroka was busy throwing spells at fallen and or making barriers for us. Ravel threw extra hot Phenex fireballs at the fallen when she could and scored several kills with those hit screaming and running around before curling up in a ball from the heat.

This and everything else we had done finally broke the shield wall. It split into two parts, with the remaining fallen going to the left and right of the common area, with the commanders for the two sides being the six-winged fallen. The third six-winger stayed in the middle, summoning a light morning star, and was about to swing it at Rias's head. I was ready to intercept the blow when that fallen took an electric ball head-on from Kuroka. The fallen jerked from the ball, and then the woman lost her head from a wind gust that was razor sharp. That body toppled, and that allowed us to focus on the sides.

Ravel was indeed a capable fighter. Kuroka and Ravel continued their spells as Rias and I fought on. The fallen were down to four people, with two on each side of the recreation room. I took the left two and Rias the right two. My fight began with my axe slicing off two black feathered wings from the first opponent, followed by another swipe slicing off a head. The body, head, and wings tumbled to the ground in a neat pile. Just as I was about to turn on the other fallen, I was pushed backward by a blow from a light warhammer to my chest making a slight dent. I turned my helm eyes on the fallen. The man using the weapon was getting ready for another swing. His face was filled with desperation to get out of this building. Just as he was about to make a push through me to get out through the door behind me, he was hit with a wind spell that sent him falling to the ground. That was when I made my next swipe and took his head. My axe whines as the teeth hit the floor after cutting through the fallen's neck.

I glanced from my foe to Rias's side and was surprised to see that Rias was fighting the six-winged fallen. The second fallen was already disappearing from the world from the power of destruction. Kuroka and Ravel were moving to help Rias with a fire and a poison ball. They, however, stopped when Rias did something.

She caught a light spear with her chainsword. The teeth whined making the fallen wince from the noise. That was the opening for Rias, who then riposted the spear to the right before a swing came on the now open fallen. The chainsword came across the guts of the fallen who groaned before toppling to the ground in a heap and began disappearing from Rias's power of destruction. That ended the battle. Rias was breathing heavily from her fight, and her sword stopped spinning when she turned the blade off. Kuroka made several clones to clean up bodies while I asked Rias over the vox.

"You ok, Ria?"

Rias gave a slight nod of her head toward me. I moved to her, and she continued taking deep breaths before becoming excited about her victory. The fact that she was growing fast made Rias proud of her accomplishments. She began eagerly proclaiming her victory while bodies were burned.

The base was indeed a gathering point for Kokabiel's people. That was confirmed by two papers that bore the cadre's symbol. It also had a more detailed description of the number of exorcists in Kokabiel's cadre. I pocketed those for Conner to look at while Ravel and I debated whether we would keep this place. The verdict was a no because this township was on the other side of Kuoh to our new base and would be a bad place to set up shop. Especially with how easily we had operated in the open. Thus, we abandoned the building after cleaning up bodies and breaking the remaining wards on the property.

Once we got home, Rias was in such a good mood that she had a massive smile on her face. Kuroka was smirking, too, and her face hinted at something new. My queen pulled Rias up the stairs towards the library. Ravel was a bit more pensive before she asked me.

"Please teach me swords when you have time. Just in case."

I smiled, getting it.

"I'll show you the hypno machine. It's how Rias and I started. I'll practice this with you till you feel comfortable. Can you teach me some wind spells?"

Ravel smiled at my affirmation before the two of us went down the stairs. I showed Ravel the machine and explained what a space marine was. The transhuman nature of the Astartes interested Ravel greatly, and she was deeply thinking about their capabilities. After her first session with the machine, which took ten minutes, Ravel showed which style she was leaning towards, the Ultramarines. The blonde gave me a chaste kiss as she headed upstairs.

The day was turning out great. A base gone, and Rias getting better made my day wonderful. That was broken by a shrill scream from the teleporter.

"Sari, give me that thing now!"

I turned towards the teleporter, and sweat dropped, seeing knuckleheads brawling with each other. While that was happening, Hetvia stood next to Mr. Cuddles, who had multiple scratches and dents on his body. The robot was carrying something in its claws. Kiryuu was watching it warily, as were Akeno and Thoron. I widened my eyes, seeing that thing. Oh fucking shit, that's an Excalibur fragment blade! I immediately ran past the knuckleheads as the brawl turned into a smoke cloud, and I looked at Akeno to explain. Seeing me, my cousin leaned on her staff and brightened her guarded face.

"Lex, look what we have found in the base under heavy guard. I got to electrocute three six-wing fallen who were trying to extract it as we continued the attack. Their dance was amazing."

Akeno licked her lips and she was enjoying the memories of those fallen. I looked at the Excalibur fragment to identify it but couldn't do it easily. I turned to Hetvia, cursing that it was the same plan in a new skin.

"Please get the blue-haired rook from Rias's peerage."

Hetvia nodded and then moved to get Xenovia. Mr Cuddles tweeted something to me, and I took his report. Thoron watched the knuckleheads fighting and gave Issari several tips on how to kick better before he turned my way. He was well-fed from his battle today, and he smiled wide. I looked at him and gave a silent dismissal, which he took and pulled out a rag to polish his spear. Kiryuu has a bad opinion of Irina because she immediately left, muttering that she was going to read a book on more complex ice spells. To freeze a knucklehead solid. I looked at Akeno and finally spoke to her.

"Have they been fighting ever since the discovery?"

Akeno shrugged in a you know the answer so why ask? I sighed before I quickly started looking for a way to identify this Excalibur. That was when Hetvia returned with Xenovia, who immediately gasped upon seeing the blade. Her eyes went wide, and I looked at her to name it. Xenovia came closer and finally named the blade.

"It's Excalibur Mimic."

Oh shit, that's a bad one. Well, they are all bad, but if you have a very creative mind, this blade is at the top of the worst. I looked at Xenovia and asked her while the fight between the knuckleheads continued.

"Was this one of the ones stolen by Siegfried Reborn?"

Xenovia shook her head.

"That was Destruction and Blessing. I heard that Rapidly was stolen from the Protestants at the beginning of the year. Mimic was with the Orthodox Church and went missing just before we were excommunicated."

Fuck that's not good. I realized something, however, that isn't the worst. I'm now on the list of potential targets if Kokabeil learns of me. That could work. I need to get his attention on me and off Rias and Sona. I'm considering how to get Kokabeil to target me. Akeno watched me carefully, and Hetvia went to the robot station to get the tools to try fixing Mr Cuddles immediately. The half-built second robot standing idle in the builder. The fight between Issari and Irina finally ends with Issari on top of her friend dragon roaring and Irina in a headlock. They were facing me, and Irina got her tic mark snarling at me angrily.

"You give me that blade grasshead! I can get it back to the churches easily!"

I gave Irina a look that showed how much her plan sucks, and Issari deadpanned her own opinion there.

"Yes, do that, and on the way there, get attacked by Grigori. That's an 'amazing' plan, Iri. Why didn't I think of that."

That pissed off Irina as she tried to get free from Issari and make a break for the sword. She failed as Issari started to beat down her friend again. I don't know how we are going to store this sword. I wanted to forge a deep vault in the underworld for the armor and other things like that. I was about to consider something when suddenly, my patron hit me with a bolt of holy energy. I yelped at it as it felt incredibly weird, and that noise made Mr Cuddles jump, letting loose the sword. It was flying fast towards Akeno, and I immediately grabbed it with my right hand and got ready for pain and a nasty burn. I'm shocked when I'm not hurting. As is Xenovia and a thankful-looking Akeno. The blade immediately changed from a long sword into a power axe. The axe head hums to life. I widened my eyes and heard a new song coming from the blade in my head. Tsuda entered the axe, and she commented that this axe was better than the old one. She wants to live here permanently. Said it was like being held by her family again. Mimic seemed to like me as the song grew louder and louder. Before it shot a spark of energy into my body that left a relaxing tingling. I looked at the ceiling in shock, and my patron smiled wide at me.

"Here's the bait draw him in this way. I did say more boons would come, and thanks to you and the others, I had extra faith stored up. Enjoy your new axe, my champion."

I looked at the ceiling then the axe and I have to admit that is devious. This would help draw Kokabeil into a trap of our making rather than let him attack the school with people in it. Xenovia looked at me openly, panting in lust now. Her eyes hold a super-depraved promise for me. Akeno was now fufufuing in glee at my new power-up and problem.

"Thank you again for being my hero, Lex. Now I'm going to start some training on a knucklehead because she has been so bad. Why don't you help me with that, my brave Skitarii Alpha Prime."

Issari had beaten down her friend again, and she beams thinking of being on the other side of the training regimen. She nods her head fast before she looks at me in question for that rank. I sighed and nodded my head yes.

"Congratulations, Skitarii Alpha Prime Issari Hoyoudou. You and Jeanne were the next on the list by seniority. Today was your battlefield promotion, and seeing as you got this and the base is gone. I agree that you deserve this."

That made Issari proud and she began her purrs of victory. Irina finally shook her head rapidly and then focused again on where Excalibur Mimic had been. Seeing the new axe, she growled and dropped her mouth to the floor.

"How are you holding a holy sword, grasshead!"

I smile smirk and then answered that.

"Through faith, you knucklehead. With this, the Angel of the Stars will suffer. I plan to make him into something that will keep him in pain for eternity."

Akeno licked her lips, thinking of our captured fallen's fate, along with Kokabiel's. She then giggled sadistically.

"I want to learn that."

Of course, you want that sadistic cousin. Issari embraced her sadistic side and hauled Irina up while keeping her in a headlock. The two mood kindred then dragged a now terrified Irina away. The knucklehead started begging me for help with her brown eyes. I shake my head no and tell Akeno with glee.

"Have fun training you two."

Irina began openly begging for help as she was dragged up the stairs by the two sadistic kin. I tuned the pleas out and was surprised when Xenovia smiled seductively at me while taking a few steps forward.

"I will get the strongest man. I will win your heart and get my babies!"

The look of pure determination on Xenovia's face and how she said that made me gulp. Xenovia skipped off towards the stairs, thinking of her plan to 'win' me over. I sweat dropped badly. The Xenovia problem was set aside for now when I heard a beep on my phone. The message was from Mittelt, who said that Conner and Jeanne were trying to get a hold of me. That sent me up the stairs towards my room.

Kokabeil opened the new detailed report from his second about all of his bases in Japan that were attacked this month. The report both angered him and intrigued him. These foes were extremely brutal, and the fact that this unknown group had done such devastating damage to their operations made the wrath in Kokabiel grow. What sent the Angel of the Stars over the edge finally was learning that the unknowns had captured Excalibur Mimic. That got the desk in his office broken in thirds and the unleashing of ten black wings that threw dozens of feathers into the walls. Oh, this pissed him off royally. That blade had required him to send twenty of his personal kill squad to capture it. The Orthodox exorcists had made them bleed horribly, trying to get close to the sword. Only two had survived bringing the blade back. Kokabiel had a very low opinion of humans, but even he could admit that the Orthodox Church exorcists were stronger than most of the corps that the churches used. He had been planning to attack them in a series of raids that would claim thirty exorcists per perfect fallen killed and fifteen each for the two wounded ones that had returned.

Those needed to be called off, and people moved around to reinforce existing points. He hated the unknowns and Azazel for barely surviving the coup attempt. He was so certain that Bariqiel would have voted for him on the council, given the past. He will get vengeance on that traitor. The war was so close, and he would not let one damn man stop him from getting the Great War again! He will get his war party to start assembling their people. The war just needed that damn spark to make it a burning bond fire!

His rage was so intense that he broke everything in his office. Destroying a report from one of his worthless human operatives that would have helped answer the question of who this attacking group was. Delaying the discovery for now. Just as a deity had planned. The Machine God smiles as that report would have destroyed the chance for a better trap. He could now do more thanks to his followers, and he will start herding the crows into the meat grinder his champion plotted to make.