Asia's face was flushed crimson from Badr's words, but she still looked at him with hope in her eyes.
"Badr, do I look pretty?"
Badr smiled gently and replied, "Of course, you look beautiful. Even the saleswoman is praising you."
Inwardly, however, he found the situation rather amusing.
The saleswoman had called Asia an angel...
Well, considering her demeanor, appearance, and even personality, Asia did resemble Badr's image of an angel.
It was ironic, considering she was actually a Devil.
Badr suddenly smirked, thinking that angels might not necessarily be like Asia after all.
He recalled the Fallen Angels, who were angels that had fallen from grace. It was hard to say what they were like before their descent.
After helping Asia try on several more outfits, it was almost noon.
Walking down the street under the bright sunlight, Asia held Badr's arm, a sweet smile on her face. Both of them carried shopping bags in their hands.
As they strolled along, chatting and laughing, a sudden chill ran down their spines.
Their demonic instincts had been triggered!
Both Badr and Asia tensed up, exchanging glances before looking towards the source of the unsettling feeling.
Standing ahead of them were two young girls, seemingly around Badr's age.
Despite the hot weather, both girls wore white cloaks, which seemed rather odd.
One of the girls even carried an extravagant, cross-shaped weapon on her back, also wrapped in white cloth, concealing its true form.
Despite their strange attire, no one around them seemed to pay them any attention.
This immediately reminded Badr of the phenomenon of common sense alteration.
Moreover, the triggering of their demonic instincts indicated that these two girls were not ordinary individuals.
Fallen Angels?
They didn't seem quite like it. Their auras felt much purer, lacking the subtle malevolence that typically surrounded Fallen Angels.
The two girls also noticed Badr and Asia.
The girl with short blue hair and the cross-shaped weapon on her back spoke in a slightly cold tone, "I didn't expect to encounter Devils here."
Asia nervously clung to Badr's back. Badr calmly observed the two strange girls, and since he didn't sense any hostility, he replied casually, "Who are you? You don't seem familiar."
"Wahahaha, how interesting! We've encountered Devils as soon as we arrived. Could this be the moment for this angel to achieve greatness? Defeating you here would surely grant me the blessings of glory!"
The other girl exclaimed excitedly, her self-absorbed manner causing Badr to raise an eyebrow.
She had just called herself... an angel?
Was it true?
Badr pondered. Since arriving in this world, he had dealt with Fallen Angels and Stray Devils, but this was his first encounter with an angel.
They likely used holy power, similar to Fallen Angels.
The blue-haired girl suddenly turned to Asia and, after a moment of contemplation, said, "You're Asia Argento, aren't you?"
"Eh? Y-You are...?" Asia was startled, being addressed by name by a stranger.
"I'm Xenovia. It's normal that you wouldn't recognize me," the blue-haired girl replied flatly.
"Eh? So she's the former Saint who was exiled? What a shame, she's fallen so far, becoming a Devil..."
The other girl remarked, seemingly disdainful of Asia.
Asia lowered her head, the word "witch" echoing in her mind. Her body trembled slightly.
...
Seeing Asia being belittled, Badr couldn't stand it.
He stepped in front of her, his gaze fixed coldly on the two girls.
"You seem rather self-righteous. Even after being decimated, you still cling to your arrogance?"
Xenovia remained unfazed. "That's in the past. This is now. What's the point of bringing it up?"
"Well, Xenovia, she's already a Devil. What's the point of talking to her?"
"That's not true, Irina. Even among the traitors, there are those who feel guilt and cannot forget their faith. She has that feeling. I can sense it."
Hearing this, the girl named Irina looked surprised.
"Uh... Is that true? Even as a Devil, you still believe in God?"
A tear rolled down Asia's cheek. "I-I just can't abandon... I've always believed..."
"I see. Then die by my sword right now. That way, I can still punish you in the name of God. Even though you are steeped in sin, our God will still extend a hand of salvation."
Xenovia gripped the cross-shaped weapon on her back with a serious expression. According to her, it was a sword.
Hearing Xenovia's demand for her to atone for her sins with death, Asia's eyes widened in fear.
Badr's magic flared, the sharp surge of energy causing Xenovia's heart to skip a beat. She and Irina immediately distanced themselves from him.
Enveloped in purplish-black demonic energy, Badr looked at the two girls with an impassive expression.
"Are you idiots? Or are you just incredibly foolish fanatics?"
"What are you trying to do? Fight us? Well, the Church wouldn't normally allow it, but if you attack first, we'll have no choice." Xenovia muttered to herself.
"I believe you just called Asia a 'witch,' correct?" Badr said coldly, the King Sword materializing in his hand.
In full view of the thousands of people on the street, his demonic power surged, the force of common sense alteration pushing the surrounding crowd away.
Xenovia didn't hesitate. "That's right. At least, that's what people call her now."
"Just because she can heal both Devils and Angels?"
Disgust flashed in Badr's eyes.
"If such astonishing kindness is considered heresy, then you angels are truly foolish. You drove away a true Saint."
"Your thinking is flawed. A Saint should only be loyal to God. It's outrageous for a Saint to help Devils. A Saint is compassionate and merciful, needing no friendship or love from others, only the love of God to survive."
Xenovia stated coldly, "Therefore, Asia Argento was never worthy of being a Saint from the very beginning."
She spoke as if it were the most obvious truth.
She didn't even seem to realize the flaws in her logic.
What utter nonsense!
Any rational person could understand how unfair these so-called principles were to Asia.
"You seem to view Asia as nothing more than a tool. Are all members of the Church this despicable? You preach about God's love for humanity, yet despite the suffering in the world, we've never seen God show any compassion."
Badr looked at the two girls with pity.
They were nothing more than ignorant fanatics, blinded by their beliefs and incapable of independent judgment.
And they weren't even aware of it.
Xenovia simply stated calmly, "God loves humanity. If no miracles have occurred, it only means that faith is insufficient or that it is false."
Badr: "..."
At this point, Badr truly believed that this girl had been thoroughly brainwashed by religious dogma.
"...I can only say that your current Saint is truly pitiful."
Badr slowly raised the King Sword, the tip pointing steadily at the two girls.
"Before I change my mind, get out of my sight. If you dare utter another insult towards Asia, I'll skin you alive."
"Oh? Are you challenging the Church? A low-class Devil, speak such bold words?"
Xenovia showed no fear, her gaze fixed on Badr. Irina Shidou, who stood beside her, tilted her head.
"The Church doesn't allow us to act rashly... We'll be reprimanded if they find out..."
"We can't ignore a challenge, can we? As long as we don't kill him, it should be fine. Besides, I'm curious to see what this Devil is capable of..."
Xenovia said seriously, her eyes scanning Badr. She was surprised by the immense demonic power she sensed emanating from him.
This Devil.....
Irina Shidou seemed convinced and let out a sigh.
"You're right. As long as the Church doesn't find out, it should be fine. Hehe. God will surely praise my good intentions. Amen~"
Badr felt mentally exhausted listening to her self-absorbed words.
"...I was wrong. Asia, these two are just plain stupid."
Asia: "..."
"Maybe... we should just let it go?"
Clearly, Asia didn't want to cause trouble, even after being wronged by these two fools.
After all, there were still many people watching, and even with the influence of common sense alteration, it was still too attention-grabbing.
"They need to face the consequences of their actions. I can't let you be treated unjustly."
Badr's expression remained calm, but he was exasperated by Xenovia and Irina Shidou's behavior.
Since he had already recognized them as fools, he didn't want to waste any more time on them, lest their stupidity drag him down.
Xenovia and Irina Shidou threw off their cloaks.
With a flourish, their cloaks fell to the ground, revealing their black, tight-fitting combat suits.
Although not much skin was exposed, the form-fitting suits still accentuated their figures.
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Chapter 81: The Defeat of Irina & Xenovia!
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...
Surprisingly well-endowed.
Badr stared at the two, sensing a dangerous aura emanating from them.
These girls were not weak.
Moreover, they possessed a terrifying presence that felt strangely familiar...
Then, Xenovia ripped off the white cloth covering her large sword, while Irina Shidou removed a bracelet-like object from her arm. The bracelet transformed into a long sword.
The familiar feeling in Badr's heart intensified.
This aura...
He remembered!
"...Holy Swords?"
...
He recalled the last time he encountered Holy Sword wielders; it was during the encounter with the Fallen Angel experimental group in the alternate dimension.
That experience had left a lasting impression on him, showcasing power that surpassed even that of Ultimate-Class Devils.
"Eh? You recognize them as Holy Swords? Not bad, you're knowledgeable."
Irina Shidou revealed her small canines with a smug grin.
"Be careful, this is the Excalibur Mimic, specifically designed to counter Devils. By the way, Xenovia's is the Excalibur Destruction. Getting hit by either one will cause a Devil immense pain~"
The girl's tone carried a hint of pride, perhaps a characteristic of Irina Shidou's personality.
Badr was not afraid. He had already experienced the power of Holy Swords firsthand.
"Thanks for the heads-up, but you should be more worried about yourselves."
As his words fell, Badr launched a fierce attack, showing no hesitation despite facing two opponents.
"Irina, I'll handle him alone," Xenovia declared, seemingly unwilling to take advantage of their numbers.
She instantly vanished with her Holy Sword, meeting Badr's attack with unwavering resolve.
Clang!
Their figures flashed as the King Sword and the Excalibur Destruction clashed without any fancy maneuvers, producing a deafening sound wave.
Destructive energy erupted, forcing both Badr and Xenovia to stagger back from the sheer force of the impact.
"Huh? His weapon..."
Irina Shidou's eyes widened slightly, focusing on Badr's King Sword.
She vaguely sensed a majestic aura emanating from the sword, as if she were facing a valiant king.
Xenovia clashed with Badr once more, her curiosity piqued by the King Sword, which rivaled her own Holy Sword in both Power and Technique!
Unlike her Excalibur Destruction, which was essentially a flawed replica, Badr's sword seemed to be a genuine Holy Sword, a weapon surpassing ordinary sacred gears.
Badr had never feared Holy Swords, having learned about them from Rias.
The original Holy Sword of the Church was once a true King's sword, but it was shattered in a battle. The Church gathered the fragments and forged seven Holy Swords from them.
While they were all Holy Swords, their power paled in comparison to the original King's sword.
And Badr's weapon was also a King's sword!
In terms of prestige, the owner of the Sword and Shield of the King had fought countless battles, protecting millions of lives and ensuring peace and prosperity. He was revered by all and even admired by gods.
How could a sword and shield forged with the blessings of such a benevolent king be inferior to any other King's sword?
"I misjudge you."
Xenovia observed Badr's calm demeanor. The young man stood poised, his silver sword gleaming. Despite his stillness, his spirit and energy continued to rise.
He resembled a king commanding an army, embodying the collective will of the people, as if he had become the embodiment of faith.
Badr's mind remained tranquil. As his power grew, his mastery over the Sword and Shield of the Benevolent King increased, gradually unlocking the full potential of the sacred gear.
"Both of you should attack together."
Badr declared calmly, taking a step forward and vanishing from sight.
Xenovia, however, could keep pace with Badr's speed. Her strength was remarkable, making her a formidable opponent among Middle-Class Devils.
But Badr was not just any Middle-Class Devil. He was currently using only a fraction of his demonic power and had yet to unleash his full arsenal.
Xenovia was hesitant to gang up on him, but both she and Irina sensed a sudden surge in Badr's power.
The demonic energy emanating from the King Sword amplified several times over!
"What!"
Irina was shocked. Without hesitation, she joined the battle, working alongside Xenovia to counter Badr's attack.
Her judgment proved to be accurate.
With the Excalibur Destruction alone, Xenovia would have been unable to withstand Badr's strike.
The King Sword descended with unstoppable force, deflecting both the Excalibur Mimic and the Excalibur Destruction.
It wasn't that the Holy Swords were weak; rather, Irina and Xenovia had been caught off guard by Badr's sudden power boost.
The clash of the three swords unleashed a torrent of demonic energy, creating a whirlwind that swept through the small plaza where they fought.
Several nearby shops were damaged. Had Badr not used common sense alteration to disperse the crowd beforehand, the ensuing chaos would have been significant.
Caught unprepared, Irina Shidou and Xenovia were both sent flying, crashing to the ground in a rather undignified manner.
Badr did not pursue them, the King Sword disappearing in a flash of silver light.
The two girls coughed and slowly got to their feet, their holy power still unstable.
