Irina Shidou — High School DxD

While pursuing the stolen Excalibur fragments, Irina is gravely injured by Kokabiel. Asia’s healing helps her recover, but Excalibur Mimic is taken and combined with other stolen fragments before the fused sword is destroyed. Irina returns the recovered fragments to the Church. Xenovia, meanwhile, learns that the biblical God has died and chooses to remain in Kuoh as a reincarnated devil, a development that leaves Irina hurt and confused by the apparent break with their shared religious life.

Irina eventually learns about the death of the biblical God and comes to understand Xenovia’s choice, without abandoning her own faith. Archangel Michael then reincarnates her as an angel through Heaven’s Brave Saints system, appointing her his Ace of Spades. She returns to Kuoh Academy as Heaven’s representative and moves into the Hyoudou home, once again living close to Issei, Xenovia, and Asia despite the divisions that previously separated them.

As an angel she can wield weapons made of light, including blades and projectiles. This brings her into the uneasy cooperation among Heaven, devils, and fallen angels. When Issei loses control in Juggernaut Drive, Irina brings the familiar Oppai Dragon song to the effort to draw him back—an incongruous but recognizable appeal to something he cares about.

Irina’s service is no longer confined to the original Excalibur assignment. During the Kyoto conflict she faces Jeanne of the Hero Faction and is defeated. In a later confrontation with Jeanne, Irina fights alongside Xenovia and Akeno using a prototype Holy-Demonic Sword supplied by Heaven. She also participates in further rescue and defensive operations, including the struggle against enemies in Romania, as members of different supernatural factions increasingly fight on the same side.

By the events surrounding the seventeenth light novel, Irina has developed a second pair of angel wings. During the Christmas-season crisis in volume 18, she and her allies confront attacks on exorcists. Her father, Touji Shidou, is gravely wounded by Masaomi Yaegaki, whose weapon carries a corrupting dragon influence. The attack puts her own family in the path of a conflict that might otherwise have remained a Church assignment.

Touji entrusts her with the Holy Sword Hauteclere, which can purify what it strikes. Irina takes the weapon into the fighting involving Masaomi; with support from Issei and Xenovia, she helps strip away the corruption influencing his blade. Her father is transferred to Heaven for treatment. Hauteclere becomes an important part of her later fighting style, replacing the shape-shifting Excalibur Mimic as her characteristic Holy Sword.

Irina’s affection for Issei becomes increasingly open, even though she worries about the restrictions that govern an angel’s romantic life. She chooses to join his team for the Azazel Cup rather than compete on Heaven’s separate team. This decision does not erase her position as Michael’s Ace; it is a concrete expression of the friends and companions she wants to fight beside.

During the team’s contest against Dulio’s side, Xenovia asks Issei to accept her as a bride, and Irina joins her in making the request. Issei accepts both proposals. Irina and Xenovia thus become engaged to him in the light-novel storyline, although engagement must not be confused with an already completed wedding.

The sequel True High School DxD continues Irina’s story after her engagement. She accompanies Issei’s allies on operations against artificial devils and other threats, including confrontations connected with Kyoto and later events in England. Her fighting increasingly combines Hauteclere with light-based attacks and restraints, rather than relying solely on the swordsmanship of her first appearance.

Following the battles involving Hades in the fourth sequel volume, Irina is promoted to Ultimate-class angel and receives her own suit of Spades Brave Saints cards. The sequel has not concluded her individual story at this point.