27 I've Got a Deal for You

Two and a half months have passed since James and Rias made up. In that time, Rias and Sona both had their fifteenth birthdays. At the beginning of April, Rias also received her [Evil Pieces] and she added Akeno and Koneko to her peerage as her [Queen] and a [Rook], respectively. Also, one of Rias' [Pieces], a [Bishop] was mutated. About two months after Rias, on June 7th, Sona also received her [Evil Pieces] and made Tsubaki her [Queen].

Between those two events, the two heiresses were given a piece of possibly good news. At the beginning of next year, they would jointly become the overseers of a town in the Human World as a way of gaining experience in territory management. The town in question, Kuoh, was originally overseen by a member of the Belial House, Cleria Belial. According to the reports, Cleria was killed because she was in a forbidden relationship with an exorcist from the Church. After reading the report, James mentioned that it sounded fishy. Also, the higher ups ordered James to accompany Rias and Sona during their stay in the Human World, as their guard. Although James was unbothered by the assignment, Cassiel, Leona, Venelana, and Rhea were greatly angered by the implications. Knowing the upper echelons as they do, they could read between the lines and see that the higher ups were placing James in a position subservient to Rias and Sona. The discrimination those high-born nobles have against half and reincarnated devils could not be more on display.

Deciding to make the best out of the situation, James, Rias, Sona, and their peerage members decided to take a look at the town in question. Kuoh was a quiet town. The most interesting thing they found in the town was an academy for well-off families, Kuoh Academy. The academy, formerly an all-girls school, went coed two years ago. With that information, James, Rias, and Sona decided on their cover for their stay in the Human World. On a side note, Cu Chulainn decided against becoming a high school student, stating it would be a waste of time.

Knowing that their movements would be restricted after the new year, James and Rias decided to journey through the Human world for as long as they could. Sona, on the other hand, had to deal with the arranged marriage she was forced into by the higher up's machinations. Like Rias, Sona was less than pleased with the arrangement. So, she challenged her betrothed to a game of chess. Claiming she would not marry anyone who could not best her in a game of chess. Due to devil traditions, her fiancé could not decline the challenge. However, if Sona lost, the marriage would take place immediately, giving her no more chances to cancel it. Lucky for her, Sona won the match. However, due to her declaration that she would only marry someone who could win against her in chess, she brought two pieces of unwelcome news upon herself. First, there would be suiters coming out of the woodwork to gain her hand in marriage by defeating her in a game of chess. Second, and the more upsetting of the two, James has never beaten her in chess.

Rias decided to journey around Europe in the time before the new year. In that period of less than half a year, she managed to pick up two new members for her peerage. The first, a human boy named Isaiah, who had been discarded by the church after a failed experiment to create artificial holy sword wielders. Once she reincarnated him, Rias gave him a new name, Kiba Yuuto, to signify that he has a new life. The irony in it all is that Yuuto had a [Sacred Gear]. His [Sacred Gear], [Sword Birth] allows its wielder to create demonic swords of any attribute, at will. The second, a dhampir named Gasper Vladi was killed by a vampire hunter after being banished by the Tepes Faction of vampires. Like devils, but to a stronger degree, vampires also discriminate against half breeds. Gasper also had a [Sacred Gear], [Forbidden Balor View], that gave the wielder the ability to freeze time temporarily. Because of this [Sacred Gear] Rias was required to use her mutated [Bishop]. Unfortunately, Gasper was unable to control it. The only bit of bad luck Rias came across during the two recruitments is that she came across the two boys shortly after they had lost their lives. Lucky for everyone involved, the reincarnation of the [Evil Pieces] was able to resurrect the recently deceased.

James, who had also decided to travel the Human World, and he spent his time traveling around the U.S.A. with Mizore, Cu Chulainn and Moka. Although, Moka was requested to return to the Underworld once Rias recruited Gasper, in order to assist in his training. Before heading to the States, a lot of diplomatic talks took place. As the U.S.A. is a region directly under Heaven's jurisdiction, devils showing up without permission would be considered an invasion. The result of the negotiations was that James, and his peerage, were allowed to hunt stray devils and arrest or eliminate devils causing harm to normal humans. They were also given permission to recruit any supernatural beings who had not been designated as criminals by Heaven.

After the negotiations, James and company were left with five months to explore the land of the free. Nothing to take note of happened for the first four months. However, shortly after Moka's presence was requested by Rias, the trio of James, Mizore, and Cu Chulainn came across something they could not ignore.

Human World, United States of America., Colorado, Outskirts of Colorado Springs.

James, Mizore, and Cu Chulainn were currently observing a white-haired young man, approximately eighteen years old, chase a stray devil out of the nearby city. As the two ran further from the city, James' group decided to follow. The young man was able to corner the stray about three and a half miles (approx. 5.6 km) away from the city in a wooded area. And after a short fight, he slew the stray using a pair of pistols and an oversized sword that he carried on his back without a sheath.

"There's no strap or sheath, right?" Mizore asked as she looked at the white-haired young man's sword. "How does it not fall?"

"If I knew I'd tell you." Cu Chulainn replied. "But that guy's pretty strong."

"Yea, his power is impressive." James said while thinking, 'Is that who I think it is?'

"You wanna recruit him?" Cu Chulainn asked.

"I'd love to. But before that, we'll have to make sure he survives."

As James finished, A group of fifteen church exorcists surrounded the white-haired young man. Seeing this, James and company moved closer to the altercation. Once they were in earshot, they were able to hear the conversation between the young man and the exorcists.

"Come on, are you guys serious." the young man asked. "You hire me to kill a devil you couldn't handle, then think of killing me 'cause your pride couldn't handle that?"

Slightly flushing at the young man's accurate assessment of the situation, the leader of the exorcists starts to open his mouth before being interrupted by the young man.

"Let me guess, you're doing this to get rid of another devil menace, right?"

"The people from the church are despicable." Mizore said with disgust. "This is why the youkai never signed a peace agreement with the church."

"I think only half of this is because of how despicable the church is." Cu chulainn analyzed.

Confused, Mizore asked, "Then what's the other half."

"That guy is as good at getting under people's skin as James is." Cu Chulainn said, raising his hand to point at James, who had his smartphone raised.

"James what are you doing?" Mizore asked in curiosity.

"Oh, I'm getting video evidence of police... I mean exorcist brutality." James said loud enough for the young man and the exorcists to hear.

Mizore and Cu Chulainn looked at James in blank amazement.

"Hey, you over there!" the leader of the exorcists shouted. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

"OH, little old us?" James said nonchalantly. "We're the travelers from the Underworld that your higher ups probably told you about."

While the leader stopped to think about what James said, the other fourteen exorcists felt they were being mocked and rushed at James group with their weapons drawn. Once a shot was fired from one of their standard issue exorcism pistols, James gave an order.

"Hostile intentions confirmed." James said in a serious tone while recording the whole situation. "You two, put them down. No deaths, though. We're only defending ourselves, after all."

"Understood." Mizore and Cu Chulainn answered in unison.

The white-haired young man was thoroughly confused.

'It feels like the kid with the phone is trying to help me. But at the same time, it feels like he's just fucking with the exorcists.' The young man thought to himself.

At the same time, the exorcists' leader snapped out of his thoughts once James gave the order to put his men down.

"You idiots, get back over here." the leader shouted.

He reacted too late, though. By the time his words fell, Mizore and Cu Chulainn had incapacitated all fourteen of his men.

James sucked in a breath of cold air then said, "You missed it by about that much." As he raised his hand with his thumb and index finger nearly touching to show the distance.

Because of James taunting, the exorcists' leader's entire face turned red in fury and his body began to tremble.

'I like this kid.' the white-haired young man thought.

"Well, now that this whole incident is over, I'd better send this video to his eminence Vasco Strada." James said with a shit eating grin on his face. "Wouldn't want to be falsely accused, now, would I?"

"James, are you the Devil?" Cu Chulainn asked in shock.

"Nah," James said dismissively. "He died millennia ago. Besides, I'm only half devil."

While responding to Cu Chulainn's clearly rhetorical question, James finished sending the video.

Not even two minutes later, James' smartphone rang with a catchy jingle.

"Good evening, Your Imminence Strada. I assume you received the video?"

"Ah, yes, he's still here."

"Sure, give me a second, I'll pass him the phone."

After that, James walked over to the exorcists' leader. Holding his smartphone in his outstretched hand he said, "It's for you," while handing it to the leader.

Accepting the smartphone, the exorcists' leader raised it to his ear.

"Your Eminence."

"Yes, it was all the truth."

Yes... Yes, sir... Of course, sir... Yes... Understood, sir..."

Meanwhile, James made his way over to the young man who had been watching from the side since James and his group showed up.

"Hey, Kid, pretty impressive." the young man said. "Not that I needed it."

"True." James said in response. "But I really like screwing with those kinds of people the most."

"Haha! I approve!" the young man said with laughter.

"Anyway, once this moron is done kissing ass, I'd like to discuss a deal with you, if you're interested." James said with a smile.

Raising an eyebrow, the young man replied. "You say that like you know who I am, Kid."

Most people in the supernatural world know the stray devil hunting mercenary, Tony Redgrave." James said with the same smile on his face. "Or should I call you, Dante, one of the twin sons of Sparda?"

Once James words ended, the young man or rather, Dante drew his large sword, aiming for James' neck. And as Dante's hand reached his hilt, James materialized his sword belt, now with two swords hanging on his left hip, he drew Mangetsu no Shita de and blocked Dante's strike.

"Who the hell are you?" Dante questioned aggressively.

"Now, now, now, even though I don't mind speaking with our blades," James said as he pushed Dante's sword away, then sheathed his own, to show he had no hostile intentions.

Seeing that, Dante lowered his blade. Though he didn't lower his guard completely.

"What do you want?" Dante asked.

"Like I said, I would like to discuss a deal." James said, he then looked over to see the exorcist still in the process of groveling. "Once that moron is done kissing ass, that is."