Chapter 182 — Pulled From Existence

Yuki

Rias and the others quickly came over to me.

“You have a way to free Asia?” Rias asked.

“Yes. If Issei-san uses [Transfer] on me to boost my power, I should be able to use Misstep to pull Asia free,” I replied.

“I thought you couldn’t bring other people with you?” Yuuto asked.

“I couldn’t before, but with another seal released and a boost from Issei-san, it should work.”

“Then let’s do it! We don’t have much time!” Issei said.

“Alright, do you need anything from the rest of us?” Rias asked. 

I nodded.

“When I was observing the device with my Veil Sight, I noticed that our attacks affect the device but are then negated almost instantaneously. But they still disrupt it. I want everyone to attack the chains on Asia right before I try to teleport us. It should weaken it enough for it to work.”

Rias turned to the others.

“You heard her! Get ready and wait for her signal.”

Everyone quickly moved into position.

Issei placed a hand on my shoulder. 

“Save her, please, Yuki-San.”

“I will. You’re not the only one who won’t accept going home without Asia coming with us.”

He nodded.

Then the jewel on his gauntlet lit up.

[Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost!]

[Transfer!]

I felt an overwhelming amount of power run through my body as my demonic power surged.

It was like being supercharged.

 I could feel power crackling around me.

I could understand why someone would think of themself as invincible like this.

I pushed those thighs away as I stepped forward and placed my hands on  Asia.

I gripped her shoulder.

“I’ll get you out of there, Asia. We won’t accept any alternative.”

“Thank you, Yuki. But if your plan doesn’t work, I wan—“

“No,” I said, cutting her off. That isn’t an option.”

I turned to Rias.

“I’m ready.”

“We are all in position, so just let us know before you start,” she replied.

The machine’s hum grew louder, and its light continued to brighten.

I turned back to Asia. 

“This is probably going to be very uncomfortable.”

Asia swallowed.

Then nodded.

I took a breath, then shouted to the others.

“Now!”

They all attacked.

Touki, holy lightning, demonic power, the power of destruction, Durandal, a holy demonic sword, and a gauntlet with the power of the Sekiryuutei behind it all struck the area around the chains attached to Asia.

As they did, I took a step.

The world disappeared around me as Asia and I moved.

Koneko

We were all watching Yuki-senpai and Asia-senpai as we attacked the device.

That was a mistake.

Yuki-senpai and Asia-senpai disappeared in a sudden shift of wrong movement.

I had watched Yuki-senpai use her Missteo ability before, and it always made my stomach twist from the wrongness of it.

It was normally manageable, 

But with her boost in power from Issei-senpai, it was much worse. 

I quickly looked away as I felt a wave of intense nausea.

I heard Issei-senpai let out a groan, and Gya-kun covered his mouth as he made an awful gagging sound.

“That was horrible…” Yuuto-senpai murmured, looking slightly pale.

“She should have warned us,” Akeno-senpai said, her usual smile missing.

I heard a grunt and looked to see Issei-senpai pushing Diodora onto his side to keep him from choking.

It seemed that he vomited from watching Yuki-senpai’s ability.

Seeing that made me feel better immediately.

“Where are Yuki-san and Asia?” Issei-senpai asked.

I looked around and saw they were nowhere in sight.

I kept myself from worrying immediately.

“Did she go further than expected?” Xenovia-senpai wondered aloud.

“Koneko, see if you can sense them with your Senjutsu,” Buchou ordered.

“…Yes, Buch—“

I stopped and turned as I heard the sound of bodies hitting the ground and a loud gasp for air.

A short distance away, Yuki-senpai and Asia-senpai had appeared, collapsed on the ground.

We all rushed towards them.

“T-T-Thank y-you, Y-Yuki. B-But please n-never do that again,” Asia-senpai said as she shakily sat up.

She looked deathly pale, like she was about to be ill.

“I couldn’t breathe while we were wherever that was. And I feel like I’m going to be sick…” Asia-senpai continued. 

Yuki-senpai slowly pushed herself up with her hands.

Her fox ears were flat against her head, and her tails were limp behind her. 

“…I’m sorry about that. It normally doesn’t take that long to appear…”

She then put a hand in front of her mouth and coughed violently.

When she pulled her hand away, there was blood on it.

That was when we reached them.

Issei-senpai and Xenovia-senpai rushed to Asia-senpai.

I moved to Yuki-senpai’s side. 

“I-Ise-san, Xenovia-san, I’m glad to see both of you, but please don’t squeeze me so hard. I’m not feeling very well,” Asia-senpai said from within the hug Issei-senpai and Xenovia-senpai were giving her.

“Are you alright, Yuki-senpai? I asked as I began to check her body with my Senjutsu. 

“I believe so. I think that I just overtaxed my body by using an ability with all of that extra power. I didn’t even know I could delay my return during my use of Misstep,” Yuki-senpai said.

As I used my Ki to check over her, I didn’t find any serious damage.

She would need some of Asia-senpai's or my healing, but she would be fine.

I let out a sigh of relief.

“…You’re right, you’ll need a bit of healing, but otherwise you’re fine, senpai.”

She nodded.

“Good. Could you help me up then?”

I took one of her hands and pulled her to her feet.

Yuuto-senpai and Akeno-senpai came closer to Yuki-senpai then.

“Good job, Yuki-san. Are you feeling well?” Yuuto-senpai asked.

“I’m alright. Koneko-chan checked me over and said I'm fine,” Yuki-senpai replied. 

I narrowed my eyes at her.

“…She needs healing, but nothing serious,” I corrected. 

“Ara, Yuki-chan. I thought we broke you out of your habit of ignoring your injuries,” Akeno-senpai said, her smile becoming more threatening as she looked at Yuki-senpai. 

“I am not ignoring it,” Yuki-senpai replied. “Koneko-chan said it wasn’t serious, and I think that Asia shouldn’t use her healing while we are still near that device.”

I glanced back where Asia had been restrained.

The device’s lights had died out, and it looked to be deactivated now that Asia-senpai wasn’t attached to it.

“That still sounds like a bit of an excuse, Yuki-san,” Yuuto-senpai said with a wry smile.

Yuki-senpai shot her a look.

“You’re not helping, Yuuto-san.”

Yuuto-senpai chuckled in response.

“Yuki-san, thank you for saving Asia. I… I can’t thank you enough,” Issei-senpai said, still hugging Asia-senpai.

“I was only able to help due to everyone else’s help and your transferred power. It wasn’t just my efforts that saved Asia,” Yuki-senpai said.

“Still. You’re the one who pulled her free.”

“He’s right, Yuki. If you hadn’t saved Asia, I… I don’t know what I would do if she disappeared from my life,” Xenovia-senpai added. 

“Thank you, Yuki. I believed that Ise-san and everyone would defeat that cruel man and save me,” Asia-senpai said with a warm smile. “Hearing what he said was painful, but I have you, Ise-san, Xenovia-san, and everyone else with me.”

“And we will always be here for you, Asia,” Buchou said with a smile. 

“A-A-And I’ll get stronger too! So that I can help protect you and e-everyone else, Asia-senpai!” Gya-kun said with an earnest expression.

He was fighting back tears as he spoke.

Yuki-senpai patted his head to comfort him.

“Thank you, Buchou-san and Gasper-kun. Thank you all for coming for me,” Asia said, bowing to us.

Buchou moved forward and hugged Asia-senpai.

“Asia, if you want, you can call me by my name when we are in private. I’d like it if you did. I think of you as a little sister, and you can view me as an older sister if you want,” she said with a warm smile.

Asia-senpai looked shocked, then hugged her tighter.

“I’d love to, Rias-oneesama!”

Everyone seemed to finally let the tension we had held since Asia-senpai was captured dissipate.

“Alright then, Asia. Let’s get out of here and then head home,” Issei-senpai said.

“Yes! But I’d like to pray quickly before we go,” Asia-senpai replied.

She moved a few steps away before bowing her head and clasping her hands together.

“We also need to deal with Diodora Astaroth before we go,” Yuki-senpai added.

Issei-senpai frowned.

“What do you mean? I already beat him.”

“Yes, but we shouldn’t just leave him here,” Yuki-senpai replied.

“S-So you want to t-take him, prisoner?” Gya-kun asked.

“I am saying that we should kill him before we leave,” Yuki-senpai said bluntly.

“Good. I was worried that we weren’t going to punish him for what he’s done,” Xenovia-senpai said with a nod. 

Diodora began to tremble on the ground nearby.

He was too injured to try and escape.

Even if he did try, we were all right next to him.

“Whoa! He’s already lost any will to fight! Ddraig already confirmed it!” Issei-senpai quickly said. “Plus, he’s a relative of one of the current Maou. Even if he joined the Kahos Brigade and is working with terrorists, if we kill him, it could cause political issues for Buchou.”

Yuki-senpai frowned.

“We are in the middle of a terrorist attack currently. If we leave him behind, he may group up with his allies and attack us again, or lead them to us. Even if he’s related to a Maou, he will likely face severe punishments or even be executed for betraying the Underworld. At most, Rias-Buchou gets a slap on the wrist. In the best case, we are praised for taking out a traitor.”

“Buchou should be the one to determine what we should do with him,” Yuuto-senpai said, cutting in.

The group’s attention turned to Buchou. 

But Asia-senpai called out before Buchou could say anything.

“I’m done… Is something wrong?”

“We are just deciding what to do with Diodora before we go,” Buchou replied. 

Asia-senpai frowned.

“I see… I think it’s best if the decision is left to Rias-oneesama.” She said hesitantly and then began to jog over.

“Well, you were the one he—“

Buchou was cut off as pillars of light appeared around Asia-senpai.

It happened so quickly that none of us were able to react.

Asia-senpai only had time for a look of shock to appear on her face.

Then the pillars expanded before disappearing.

And Asia-senpai was gone. 

It was silent for a moment.

Issei-senpai quietly muttered in confusion.

“…Asia?”

Yuuto

No one moved after Asia-san disappeared.

One moment she had been coming over to join us after finishing her prayer.

The next, she was gone in a flash of light.

Everyone was still staring in shock at the spot she had been moments ago. 

A voice spoke out from above us. 

“So, the device made by one Longinus was rendered useless by the supporting ability of another. With that avenue blocked, we will need to alter the plan accordingly. I’m certain this is that mist-user’s fault. He must not have created that barrier device well enough.”

I looked up to see an unfamiliar man dressed in light armor floating in the air above us.

The moment I saw him, I froze.

The amount of demonic power emanating from him was absurd.

His gaze traveled over each of us, and when his eyes landed on me, the pressure he was giving off seemed to increase until he looked to the next person.

“Who are you?” Buchou asked the floating man.

“Greetings, sister of the fake Maou. My name is Shelia Beezlebub, true successor of the Maou Beezlebub,” He said before turning to Diodora. “Diodora Astaroth. Even after borrowing power from Ophis, you still were defeated by these lowly reincarnated Devils. You also decided to use your borrowed power in your match against the Agares heir without my approval. While this meant that more of our enemies would be present for our trap due to predicting our plan to attack, it also meant that our enemies were ready for a fight. And now the trap with the Gremory [Bishop] has been ruined. On your watch. Your foolishness is astounding, to say the least.”

Another descendant of the Old Maou, like Kataera Leviathan.

He must be one of the masterminds behind this attack that Azazel-sensei had mentioned.

Having one of the enemy leaders here was bad.

The amount of power he was radiating was terrifying, and I don’t think that we would stand much of a chance at all in a fight against him.

“Shalba!” Diodora called out desperately as he pushed himself to a knee. “Now that you’re here, we can join forces and kill the Sekiryuutei! You need to help me! Together we—“

A beam of light crossed the room too fast to track.

It pierced straight through Diodora’s chest, silencing him mid-sentence. 

His body jerked and collapsed back to the ground. 

His body began to disintegrate, starting from around his wound.

Shalba chuckled.

“Pathetic. You failed one time too many. You were aware of how important that girl’s Sacred Gear was to our plan, and yet you still failed your one role. You truly were useless.”

Diodora’s body fully turned to dust. 

That attack had been made of holy light.

It was similar to the power Angels and Fallen Angels could wield. 

I noticed that the gauntlet on Shalba’s arm had technical-looking components attached to it and was giving off holy energy.

I had missed it before due to being alarmed by his massive presence.

Holy light was like poison to Devils.

It was our antithesis. 

That device must be how he was able to summon holy light.

But if that device really let him use holy light, then that means that those pillars of light around Asia-san had destroyed her.

It seemed like I wasn’t the only one to realize it. 

Xenovia was glaring up at Shalba, her body trembling with rage.

Yuki-san’s eyes were coldly glaring at him as well, her tails angrily thrashing behind her.

Buchou’s nails were digging into her palms as her grit her teeth in anger. 

“And now, I will be ending you, sister of Sirzechs. I will kill every blood relative of the fake Maou before I eventually destroy the current Maou,” Shalba continued, ignoring the glares he was receiving. 

“So you wish to add me to those you’ve murdered now that you’ve already killed Astaroth and Glasya-Labolas, is that it?” Buchou asked

“Correct,” Shalba said while narrowing his eyes in disgust. “We, the true successors of the Maou, are thought of as a relic of the past by you people. The current Maou being from random pillar Camila’s rather than those who descended from the first Maou is a disgrace.”

“So you mean to kill Glasya-Labolas, Astaroth, and us, the Gremory,” Buchou said.

Shalba narrowed his eyes.

“That is correct. It is simply displeasing. We, the true successors, to be called the ‘Old’ by you people, the relatives of the current Maou, and it is something very hard to endure.”

He sighed to himself before continuing.

“But our plan to strike a heavy blow on the leadership of the Three Great Factions ends here. Sadly, we will have to retreat. I failed to anticipate that a high-tier Longinus, [Dimension Lost], would be rendered useless by an ability of a mid-tier Longinus, like the [Boosted Gear]. The Sacred Gear truly are strange and impossible to predict how they will perform sometimes. Though we did not record any major losses besides Creuserey Asmodeus. Though he chose to go after Azazel and Sirzechs on his own, so his loss is understandable. With his loss, only the Beelzebub house is still active in the Khaos Brigade. Though as long as I am still present, the true Maou faction will continue. But enough of that. It is time for me to retreat,” Shalba’s eyes moved to Buchou. “But first, I will kill the sister of Sirzechs before I go.”

“What cowardice!” Buchou shouted. “You don’t dare to challenge the current Maou yourself, and instead choose to murder their relatives. At least Katerea Leviathan and Creuserey Asmodeus chose to fight head-on.”

“They both put themselves into fights they couldn't win. I will not be making the same mistake. I will kill the Maou first to drive them into despair. Then I will kill them and take my rightful place,” Shalba replied

“You’re nothing but scum!” Buchou shouted. “And what’s more, you killed Asia! You’re a vile, pathetic coward, and I cannot forgive you for this!”

Buchou’s demonic power spread violently around her as the red aura around her grew.

Akeno-san’s smile was missing from her face as she looked furious.

Holy lightning crackled across her whole body.

My knuckles turned white as I gripped my swords tighter in anger.

Yuki-san formed spells in each hand as her demonic power began to leak out around her.

Then Ise-kun moved.

“Asia? Asia?” He called out weakly, while staggering forward. “Asia? Where did you go? Hey, let’s go. We are going home. Dad and Mum are waiting. You need to stop hiding so we can head home.”

He was looking around the shrine instead of up at the enemy above us.

He kept calling out.

“Asia? Let’s go home. I already beat up the guy who was bullying you. And if anyone else tries, I’ll beat them up too. Let's go home, Asia. We need to get ready for the sports festival.”

We had all lost Asia-san, and it seemed like it had broken Ise-kun.