Interlude 2

Xenovia and Irina were out on the patrol and surveying the abandoned and unpopulated parts of the town first, because that's usually where the thieves would hide if they actually had a plan.

"Alex must think we are idiots." Xenovia said all of a sudden.

"Why would you say that?" Irina questioned with a confused frown.

"I am talking about the girl, Ophis." Xenovia pointed out, "She's obviously not the neighbour's girl. After all, which idiot dressed up thier girl in such a skimpy and dark outfit?"

"But she is so cute." Irina pouted, "And I am sure Alex had his reasons to not reveal her real identity to us. At least, she isn't a devil."

"That's the odd thing." Xenovia frowned seriously at her partner, "I couldn't even tell if she was a human or not. We found her in the house in Alex's absence and he had never mentioned about her to us."

"He must've forgotten?" Irina shrugged in response, "Honestly, you're doubting him too much."

"He's a good person, I admit." Xenovia remarked genuinely, "Maybe it's because he wasn't raised by Devils, I don't know. He acts like a normal person, but I can tell he's strong."

"I agree." Irina sighed, "He's the son of Maou, what do you expect?"

"I don't mean his demonic powers." Xenovia shook her head, "I mean his aura, he's physically strong and gives off a primal presence. I mean, I would be scared if I would have to face him as an enemy."

"Then be thankful, because he's not." Irina stated with a bright smile and patted Xenovia's back, "Cheer up, would you? Enough about Alex. We are on a mission."

"You're right." Xenovia nodded in agreement and focused on the task.

After few hours of search, they came across a small group of people dressed in priest robes. Xenovia and Irina was the one to notice them first, so they meaningfully nodded at one another and sneak attacked the Priests.

The reason the two Exorcists were attacking the people from their own Faction, was because Church had not informed them of any Priests operating in the town. If they were really Priests, then they were Stray. Hence, enemy.

Xenovia did not use her sword as she wanted them alive to get more information on the stolen swords. She simply kicked on the Priests down and held him hostage, while Irina covered for her by wielding her sword in case they chose to fight back.

"Wait, wait, wait!" One of them shouted and immediately took of his cloak, "Its me, Issei from earlier today!"

"Issei, that pervert?" Irina frowned in disgust, "What are you doing here?"

The rest of the Priests took off their cloaks as well and revealed their faces, "We are searching for Kiba-Senpai." Koneko replied, "Can you release Saji-san? We are not enemy."

"Then why are you guys dressed as Priests?" Xenovia frowned in question as she pushed the hostage to their side, "Where did you even get them?"

"At the Abandoned Church, where we fought the Fallen Angels before." Issei replied, "We are looking for Kiba-kun who has gone to search for the Excaliburs all by himself."

"And who is he?" Irina pointed her sword at the one called Saji, before she had not seen him before with the Gremory group.

"I am a Pawn of Sona Sitri's Peerage, Saji Genshirou." Saji replied for himself with a nervous smile, "I chose to help them out of my own violation, so it's only a matter of time before my Master finds out I am on a secret mission."

"We are low on time." Koneko stated in a meaningful tone and looked at Issei.

Issei nodded at Koneko and turned to the Exorcists, "Irina-san, Xenovia-san, is it late for us to ask for your help?" He requested sincerely, "I know we started on the wrong foot, but I am really worried about Kiba-kun right now."

Xenovia looked at Irina and they had silent conversation through an eye contact, "What areas have you looked at?" Xenovia asked by turning back to them, "We can cooperate, but we'll abandon you if you get in our way."

"We won't, I promise." Issei assured with a determined nod and they discussed the places they had searched until now.

"That leaves the area where we had fought the Stray Devil a while ago." Issei pointed out, "Don't you remember, Koneko-chan?"

"I do." Koneko nodded, "We should go there."

Everyone voiced in acknowledgment and immediately rushed to the area. Although, when they reached, they saw Kiba fighting against a Stray Exorcist that Issei and Koneko remembered very well.

"Freed." Issei growled in rage and activated his Boosted Gear.

"Oya, Oya, if its isn't the midget and the pervy Dragon." Freed stopped his fight with the Knight and leaped a distance away to get a good look of his new guests, "And it seems like you're not alone this time."

"Those are..." Irina's eyes went wide in shock.

"Excaliburs." Xenovia was astounded as well, but she was better composed. She looked at the Knight whom she had fought earlier today and saw him in a battered condition, 'He was already injured from our fight this afternoon, is he trying to get himself killed by fighting another opponent?'

Unknown to Xenovia, Yuuto's injuries from afternoon's duel were healed by Asia with the use of her sacred gear, Twilight Heal.

"The more opponents, the more Fun!" Freed laughed frantically and readied his sword to face his new opponents.

Xenovia and Irina got into the battle even if Yuuto did not like their intrusion in his duel. Not like he was in a good condition to fight the stray exorcist on his own anymore.

"You've got skills, I'll give you that." Freed complimented with a sick smile as the three of them clashed their holy swords in an intense fight.

'He's overpowering both of us.' Xenovia noted and pounced back to cover a safe distance, 'Is it the power of the Holy Swords he's wielding in his hands?'

"What even is that thing?" Irina frowned with a contemptful stare at the sword, "Its no longer a Holy Sword."

"It isn't." A new presence answered the question in a smug tone, "The Holy Sword you see is the combination of Four Excalibur Fragments that were stolen from the Church."

"Valper Galeli.." Yuuto gasped in horror when he saw the man from his nightmares present before him, alive.

"Freed, your task was to defeat the Exorcists sent by the Church." Valper reprimanded the Stray Priest, "What are you doing playing around with Devils?"

"I am just having some fun, old man!" Freed shouted and laughed joyously, "Don't see how amazing I am with the power of Excalibur?!"

"Whatever, we need to head back." Valper grumbled annoyingly, "It seems you're facing opponents that carry the power of Excalibur as well. We can't risk ourselves to lose here."

"Yes, yes, whatever you say." Freed jumped back towards the old Priest and used a smoke bomb on the surface they stood on, "See you later, losers!"

"Tch, they are gone." Irina annoyingly clicked her tongue and looked at Xenovia, "What are we supposed to do now?" They had not expected that the Four fragments would be fused into a single sword.

"We carry out the mission." Xenovia nodded firmly and looked at the Devils accompanying them, "You have found your friend, so it seems our cooperation ends here."

"N-No, wait." Yuuto grumbled and walked away from his friends, "Let me come with you." He could tell that the two of them were going to continue chasing Freed for the Holy Swords, "I have things to settle with Valper Galeli."

"Whatever, just don't get in our way." Xenovia replied and went to check the place with Irina, to find any clue for where they could've left.

The only reason she did not deny his participation in their mission was because Xenovia knew they needed all the help they could. There was obviously someone controlling the whole thing from the shadows and it made the matters much worse for them.

'This reminds me of what Alex said earlier today.' Xenovia thought with a deep frown, 'Are the Devils in this town the actual target?'

Kuoh was a Devil territory and their deaths by the hands of a Holy Sword user could easily reignite the war between Heaven and the Underworld.

"This is a research Lab." Irina stated as the rest of the group followed after her, "May I know why you're so obsessed with the Holy swords?" She questioned Yuuto while pitying his condition. He was clearly restless and tired, but he was still willing to go so far.

"Not Holy Swords, just the Excalibur." Yuuto replied with a hateful scowl, "It's the reason I lost everything I had, my friends, my home, my life." He continued explaining them history of his past and how he knows Valper Galeli, the church's mad scientist.