The arrival of Kiba Yuuto and Akeno Himejima transformed the chaotic skirmish into a full-blown battle. The cramped basement chamber, dimly lit by flickering torches and the eerie glow of magical energies, became a whirlwind of clashing powers.
Kiba, with his incredible speed and swordsmanship, immediately engaged Dohnaseek, the brutish Fallen Angel. Their battle was a blur of motion, the clang of Kiba's demonic sword against Dohnaseek's crude but powerful light-construct weapons echoing through the chamber. Dohnaseek fought with raw strength and ferocity, his leathery wings beating the air, while Kiba moved like a dancer, his attacks precise and elegant, seeking openings in the larger Fallen's defense.
Akeno Himejima, her smile never wavering, unleashed her holy lightning upon Kalawarner. Golden bolts of sacred energy arced through the air, forcing the more composed Fallen Angel onto the defensive. Kalawarner met Akeno's attacks with her own spears of dark light, the two energies colliding with explosive force, illuminating the chamber in strobing flashes of gold and violet. It was a dazzling, deadly ballet of opposing elements.
Freed Sellzen, having recovered from Ren's flash-bang, cackled with renewed vigor and lunged back into the fray, his light-sword and pistol a chaotic storm of attacks. "More playmates! More fun for Freed!" he shrieked, targeting anyone within reach.
Rias Gremory, her Power of Destruction now fully charged, met Raynare head-on. Spheres of crimson energy, crackling with annihilating power, flew towards the Fallen Angel leader, who deflected them with her own dark light spear, her expression a mixture of arrogance and growing irritation. Their battle was one of raw power and regal fury, the two leaders clashing with an intensity that made the very stones of the church tremble.
This left Ren Takakura and Koneko Toujou with the crucial task of protecting and freeing Asia Argento. Koneko, her small face set in grim determination, resumed her assault on the heavy iron chains binding Asia to the altar. Ren stood guard over them, his Dying Will Flames flaring, trying to anticipate threats from the chaotic melee unfolding around them.
"Almost… got it…" Koneko grunted, a loud snap echoing as one of the thick chains finally gave way. Asia let out a small cry of relief, but there was still another chain securing her other wrist.
Freed, momentarily disengaging from a frustrated Kiba who was also dealing with Dohnaseek's relentless assault, spotted his "little bird" about to be freed. "Oh no, you don't!" he shrieked, and with a burst of speed, he charged towards the altar, his light-sword raised.
Ren saw him coming. There was no time for a complex attack, no time to channel his Flames properly. He reacted on pure instinct, throwing himself in front of Koneko and Asia, his arms outstretched, his body a desperate, human shield. He squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for the impact, for the searing pain of Freed's light-sword.
But the blow never landed.
Instead, there was a sharp thwack, followed by Freed's yelp of pain and surprise. Ren opened his eyes to see Reborn – no longer in his baby carrier, but standing on the altar itself, somehow having gotten there in the blink of an eye. Leon, the chameleon, was in his hand, transformed into a surprisingly large, green mallet, which Reborn had just brought down with considerable force on Freed's head.
"Clumsy oaf," Reborn said, his voice calm and utterly out of place coming from an infant, though only Ren could hear his true tone. To the others, if they even noticed in the heat of battle, it would have just been a baby making a sudden movement. Freed stumbled back, clutching his head, his eyes wide with disbelief that a baby had just clocked him.
"What the—?" Freed began, but he didn't get to finish. Koneko, seizing the opportunity, launched herself from the altar like a tiny, white-haired missile, her fist connecting squarely with Freed's jaw. The Stray Exorcist went down hard, his light-sword clattering to the stone floor. Koneko landed lightly, then immediately turned back to Asia's remaining chain.
"Thanks, Reborn," Ren breathed, a wave of relief washing over him.
"Don't thank me, Dame-Ren," Reborn's mental voice snapped. "You were about to get yourself skewered like a yakitori. Your defensive instincts are suicidal. Learn to dodge. Or better yet, learn to attack effectively before they get that close."
The battle raged on. Kiba was slowly but surely gaining the upper hand against Dohnaseek, his superior speed and skill forcing the brutish Fallen Angel into a desperate defense. Akeno and Kalawarner were locked in a stalemate, their elemental attacks canceling each other out in dazzling displays of destructive energy. Rias and Raynare, however, were a different story. Raynare was powerful, her dark light attacks swift and deadly, and Rias, while matching her in raw power, seemed to be struggling slightly against the Fallen Angel's relentless assault and cunning tactics.
"You fight well for a sheltered little Devil princess," Raynare taunted, parrying one of Rias's blasts with her spear. "But you lack true conviction, true ambition. You fight for… what? Territory? Pride? Such petty concerns."
"I fight to protect those who cannot protect themselves!" Rias retorted, her crimson aura flaring brighter. "And to punish those who would bring harm and chaos to my home!"
"Noble sentiments," Raynare sneered. "Let's see how noble you feel when I tear that pretty little Sacred Gear from your newest pet!" Her eyes flickered towards Asia, who was now only secured by one last, thick chain.
Koneko was struggling with the final lock; it was heavier, more complex than the others. "Can't… break this one…" she panted, her small hands raw.
Raynare saw her opportunity. With a sudden burst of speed, she disengaged from Rias and shot towards the altar, her dark light spear aimed directly at Asia's heart. "The Twilight Healing is MINE!"
Rias cried out a warning, but she was too far away to intercept. Kiba and Akeno were still locked in their own battles. Ren, closest to Asia, knew he couldn't block an attack of that power, not with his current control. Desperation clawed at him. He had to do something. Anything.
He remembered Reborn's earlier words: "Disrupt! Create chaos!" He didn't have another flash-bang. But he had his Flames. And he had an idea, a reckless, stupid idea, but it was the only one he had.
Focusing all his will, all his energy, not into a shield, not into a direct attack, but into a sudden, explosive outward pulse of raw Sky Flame, Ren roared, "GET AWAY FROM HER!"
The orange energy erupted from him, not as a beam, but as a concussive, disorienting wave, much like the one he'd accidentally unleashed during the gang standoff, but stronger now, more focused, fueled by his desperate resolve. It wasn't enough to harm Raynare directly, but it was enough to momentarily disrupt her charge, to throw off her aim, to create a split-second of unexpected interference.
Raynare stumbled, her spear going wide, an expression of surprised fury on her face. That split-second was all they needed.