A swirling portal opened inside the warehouse storage room as Sho stepped out—finally back in the DxD world after his short trip to the Pokémon world.
Click!
As Sho pushed open the storage room door, his eyes widened. Boxes were scattered everywhere, and several holes marked the concrete floor—it looked like a battlefield.
"Boss, you're back!" Taro called out.
"I'm back… what happened here?" Sho asked, his eyes narrowing.
"About that, Boss…" Taro began.
…
All four—Goro, Taro, Jiro, and Baka—sat around the table with Sho as they explained what had happened earlier that morning.
A man with white hair, wearing clerical robes and carrying a cross, had shown up. He called himself a priest and tried to recruit them, saying he needed people who could use magic. But when they refused, he suddenly opened fire—shooting bullets like a madman and even pulling out a light sword, swinging it wildly.
Fortunately, the four of them had fought back and overpowered him. He barely escaped, shouting that he would return back and give them a pain that will be felt even after death.
Sho listened quietly, instantly realizing who it was—Freed Sellzen, the deranged exorcist priest.
"You guys weren't hurt, were you?" Sho asked.
"No, Boss," Goro replied. "We're all fine—except for Baka, who got grazed by a bullet. But we used healing magic, so he's completely fine now."
"Tell me, did you guys see where he went?" Sho asked, his tone calm but edged with irritation. Someone had dared to storm his place, cause chaos, and even injure his people—there was no way he'd let that slide.
"Why, Boss?" Goro asked cautiously.
"Why? Of course, to find him and beat the crap out of him!" Sho snapped.
"Actually, we already tried looking for that bastard," Goro said, scratching his head, "but God knows where he disappeared to…" His voice carried a hint of frustration for letting the man escape.
"I don't know if this'll work or not," Sho muttered as he stood up and stepped a few feet away from the table.
Swoosh!
In an instant, Sho activated Superman Mode—his body glowing faintly as he closed his eyes, focusing on the surrounding sounds. He knew the type of person Freed Sellzen was—a loudmouthed psychopath who'd probably be bragging somewhere. If he could just pick up that voice…
Meanwhile, Goro, Taro, Jiro, and Baka shielded their eyes from the sudden light.
"Whoaaa! Boss is so shiny!" Baka exclaimed, squinting dramatically.
Voices swirled in Sho's head—fragments of shouting, cursing.
"Hey, where are you going?"
"Stop there!"
"Hey you—"
"Bitch!"
That last word made Sho's ears perk up for a second—almost like a clue—then the noise slid into something else.
" Yes Bitch keep sucking "
Sho shaked his head getting the sound of 4k Quality out of his head which was in great detail and then another voice chimed in.
"Don't drink that, babe, that's dirty…"
' What in the world is going on ' Sho thought but then suddenly another voice a Manic laugh cut through.
"Did you like that? Don't worry, this is only the beginning. Next I'll—cut you into pieces. Imagine the thrill of watching you cry."
Sho's jaw tightened. The voice was ugly, full of bragging cruelty—exactly the sort of psychotic rant Freed Sellzen loved to make. He opened his eyes slowly and smiled, cold and certain.
Also the Voice wasn't far Away.
"Found him," Sho said.
"Baka — let's go." He switched off Superman Mode. Baka barreled over and eager.
"Where to, Boss?" Baka asked, out of curiosity
"To catch the chicken that ran away," Sho said with a grin, and activated a shimmering teleportation circle beneath them.
In an instant, both Sho and Baka vanished—and reappeared standing in front of a house, the same harsh laughter leaking from inside.
Sho stepped closer to the door, Baka following right behind, his fists already glowing faintly with ki.
Without hesitation, Sho lifted his leg and—BAM!—a solid kick shattered the door like a pile of weak wood blocks. Splinters scattered across the floor as both of them stepped inside.
Inside, the air was thick and smelled of blood and metal. A faint bulb flickered in the corner, barely illuminating a man writhing on the floor, clutching his bleeding leg.
Freed Sellzen, sitting nearby with a crazed grin, turned his head toward the noise.
"What the hell—what is that little bitch doing?" Freed muttered thinking the sound was made by his little Nun Partner, clearly annoyed as he waved his gun lazily. He crouched down again, staring at the wounded man begging at his feet.
"Somebody S-save me… please…" the man whimpered.
Freed chuckled darkly. "Save you? Oh sure… tell me, who's gonna come? Look around—there's no one he—"
He froze mid-sentence.
Two shadows stood in the doorway, the faint light casting their outlines long and dark across the blood-stained floor.
Sho's eyes glowed faintly red as he stepped forward.
Freed's voice broke the silence. "...Who's there?"
"Knock, knock, Mister Freed. You're under arrest… for messing with the wrong people," Sho said calmly, stepping into the room.
Freed's eyes narrowed as he watched the unfamiliar young man walk in, followed by another figure—Baka. Something about the second one felt oddly familiar to him, but he couldn't quite place it.
"Arrest me?" Freed sneered, breaking into a deranged laugh. "Heeheehee! Looks like some little bitch doesn't know who's the one passing judgment here!" he shouted, raising his gun toward Sho.
Sho only smirked. In his hand, a faint blue light shimmered before his Sacred Gear X materialized on his left hand, glowing with fluid energy. He raised his palm—and with a wave of his hand, a roaring gush of water burst forth, slamming into Freed with enough force to hurl him straight into the wall.
Freed crashed hard, coughing as he hit the floor losing his gun also which got thrown somewhere in the room. His grin twisted into a snarl as he fumbled inside his coat, pulling out a hilt. With a flick, a blade of light ignited.
"You'll regret that, you damn demon wannabe!" he screamed, charging forward.
Sho didn't even move. When the glowing blade came down, he casually caught it mid-swing with his bare hand ~ Armament Haki~ Sparks flew, but his skin didn't even burn.
Freed's eyes widened. "W-What the hell—"
"You really think that toy can hurt me?" Sho said flatly.
No matter how much Freed pushed or pulled, his sword wouldn't budge from Sho's grip. Then, before he could react—
WHAM!
Sho's left fist buried deep into Freed's gut. The impact sent shockwaves through the room.
"Gahhh!!" Freed coughed violently, stumbling backward as his body crumpled to the floor, both hands clutching his abdomen.
Sho crouched down, leaning close to his ear. His voice was cold.
"I told you… you messed with the wrong people."
Freed gasped for air, his body trembling. For a moment, he could swear the punch had knocked his very soul out of place.
— -------
To be continued...