TheKaiSenpai doesn't own Highschool DxD or anything else used and/or referenced in this story. So, who's up for ramen?

XXXXX

Chapter Seven: Heart Of A Warrior

[Keito]

I remember the day that I became a Brave Saint. It wasn't too long ago, actually. Iaweh had approached me, and asked me if I wanted to become an Angel. I laughed, and turned her down. I was nothing like an Angel. Instead, she asked me to become an Exorcist. Someone who fought evil. I smiled. And accepted. I never realized just what it meant. Then, I awoke.

[Day Of The Rating Game] [Gremory Earthly Estate] [With Kai]

The man couldn't keep his eyes off of the woman standing at the head of the table. He, himself, was standing opposite of her, too excited and anxious to actually sit down. His eyes wandered over the young woman's body, unable to keep from picturing her writhing and moaning underneath him. He chuckled to himself as he, Rias, and Akeno waited for the rest of the peerage to arrive. The violet haired woman was giving the two uncomfortable looks, however. It was obvious that she had heard us the night before. I would have been surprised if she hadn't. Rias was a screamer.

Kiba was the next one to enter the dining room. As soon as he spotted his [King], his polite smile became forced. "Good morning, everyone," spoke the blonde with a stiff tone. He could still remember the loud cries that had woken him the night before. If there was any doubt in his mind on who held his [King's] heart before, there were none, now. "I trust you all had a restful night?"

"Slept like a baby," Kai grinned, giving the young man a teasing look. Kiba chuckled bitterly.

"I'm sure," replied the [Knight]. Rias simply laughed into her hand, enjoying the odd looks that were on her pieces' faces. She was going to be holding this over their heads for a long time. Koneko was the next to enter the room. While her face was impassive as always, one could see the annoyance burning in her eyes. She simply glared at both Kai and Rias, before sitting down beside Kiba. Issei and Asia entered together. They were both sporting deep red blushes, and refused to look at either the mutated [Knight], nor their [King]. Issei, however, was grumbling under his breath.

"Lucky bastard," was repeated over and over from the brown haired pervert. They both sat across from Kiba and Koneko. Rias looked over the table, with Akeno standing beside her. She sighed, trying to fight down the afterglow of the night before. Right now, she needed to focus on the Rating Game before them.

"The house of Phenex has no respect for us," Rias announced, looking each of her pieces in the eyes. "They think we're weak, and pushovers." She paused. "They think we don't stand a ghost of a chance against them."

"But, that's their dumbass mistake," Kai chuckled, walking around the table. He had a smirk on his face. He stood up straight, and his arms were resting behind his back. A firm expression of strength rested upon his face as he looked at his friends. "They think we can't fight back, but we'll prove to them just how strong Team Gremory is!"" Kai's smirk morphed into a wide grin. "They'll expect us to fight fair. To have a basic plan to fight them. Something traditional. Something belonging to noobs. But! But." Kai stopped, standing before the peerage like a commander addressing his soldiers. "We have a secret weapon." Kai held up his cell phone, and Issei groaned.

"Kai-san, your music is really fun and all, but we're not gonna sing them to death, are we?" complained the pervert. Kai grinned as the phone spoke.

"Tch, maybe if you wanted to," echoed a younger voice from the black rectangular device. "I'm sure if you sang then their heads would burst."

"Excuse me," Kiba spoke up. "But who is this?"

"This is Suzuki Keito-kun," Kai introduced. "He's an old friend, brilliant tactician, and one of the best swordsmen I've ever known." The older man sighed. "Kicked my ass more times than I can count."

"You'll get better, Kai-san," replied the man. "Just give it time."

"W-Wait!" Issei immediately recognized the guy's name. "He's… he's that famous StarCraft II player all those years ago! He got stuck inside of a game called Sword Art Online!" Rias shot Kai a look. She had heard about the deathgame. After all, who in Japan wouldn't have heard of over one-thousand people being trapped in cyberspace? Quite a few Devils had been trapped in said game. She knew that only a few months ago, people had started waking up. Just how did Kai know this Keito if the boy had been trapped in a game for several years? Keito chuckled over the phone.

"That's me," spoke the boy. "The champion of non-champions. Now, I hear you all have a Rating Game to win."

"He knows about Devils?" Kiba asked suspiciously. Kai nodded.

"He's an exorcist," spoke the man, getting several glares from around the table. "Before you all get hostile, know that Keito-kun is my best friend. He would never hurt a regular Devil if he can help it. He only goes for the nastiest of the nasty."

"Because nobody else can handle it," Keito sighed. "Anyway, back on track. I have a plan for you guys to use. Kai already knows it. We've got quite a few working battle strategies."

"Keito-kun," Kai spoke up. "Keep in mind that these guys aren't players. They aren't tireless and can only do so much." They heard the exorcist sigh on the other end.

"Fuck," grumbled the boy. "Alright, let's use… situation FB forty-three, sequences one through three." Kai chuckled.

"Oh man, we kicked ass back then," grinned the man as he shook his head. "Minor casualties on that one. Too bad it never worked apart from that [Boss]."

"Hey, I've gotta get to school," Keito spoke up. "I'll talk to you after the game. Kick some ass, alright?"

"You got it," Kai grinned, and hung up the phone. Rias turned to her lover. She was about to speak up, but Akeno beat her to the punch.

"Kai-san?" asked the violet haired lady. "Where exactly do you know Keito-kun? You sounded familiar with him." Nobody missed the slight twitch in Kai's body as she asked the question.

"We met a few years ago," Kai sighed, speaking slowly. "I was travelling, and he was coming back from some tournament. He just approached me, and recommended some games to play."

"Just like that?" Rias asked, almost disbelieving of him. "That doesn't sound like a very Japanese thing to do."

"Keito-kun's always been a bit of an odd one," Kai laughed. "He doesn't fit into normal rules. He's one of the few people that can break God's plans if he so wished." The peerage blinked in surprise at that.

"How?" Asked Koneko. Kai smirked.

"He lives outside the boundaries of time and space," spoke the teacher cryptically. "Now then, let's prepare for this Rating Game. As soon as we arrive on the board, I'll go over the plan." Kai smirked. "They're going to be introduced to professional gaming tactics. My world!"

XXXXX

[Rating Game Board] [With Kai]

The man smirked as they all gathered around the replica of Rias' desk. He glanced at his red-haired lady. Ever since he'd been talking with Keito, he'd come up with all sorts of plans. All kinds of counters to each of Riser's peerage pieces. Everything that Keito suggested, Kai implemented. There was no way they could lose this! "Did you get what I asked?" asked the older man to his student. Rias nodded, opening the drawer and pulling out some earpieces. Kai turned to the peerage and handed them out. "These are little radios so we can keep in touch. They're voice activated, so as soon as you start talking, thee rest can hear what you have to say. There's also a mute button right above the microphone, so if something gets personal…" Kai trailed off, showing the small button. He wandered behind Rias' replica desk, and pulled down a large screen. A projector also lowered from the ceiling.

"W-Whoa…" Issei mumbled. "Are these all part of the Rating Game? I didn't know we had these in the clubroom!"

"They were all just recently installed to the club room," Rias told her peerage. "All for this single moment. When they chose this arena, they allowed me to put in a suggestion. I asked it to be of the Kuoh Academy campus."

"W-Wait, so all of these were just placed here in the real clubroom just for the games?" Issei asked. "Doesn't that seem a bit unfair?"

"I've never won a game by playing fair," Kai stated simply. He smirked as a layout of the campus appeared on the screen through the projector. Issei wasn't going to complain. He circled the ORC clubroom. "We're here. This is our base." Kai chuckled. "Now, since we're initiating FB forty-three, we won't be venturing very far from here. Not you guys, anyway."

"Wait, what!?" Issei protested. He wanted to kick some ass! Kai held up his hand, however, and continued.

"We draw them to us. They'll start here," Kai pointed just past the main schoolhouse. He created several lines from the schoolhouse to the club house. "We want them to attack all at once."

"That's crazy!" Kiba protested as well. "We'll be overrun in moments!" Kai shot the blonde a glare.

"Interrupt me again, boy!" he growled. "See what happens!" When nobody did, he continued. "Now, positioning. Akeno-san, Rias-chan, both of you on top of the clubhouse. You're the pivotal roles in this. As Riser's forces come closer, we need you to seal them off from one another using you magic. Lightning is preferred. You're on [Support]." Akeno giggled to herself, a devilish gleam appearing in her eyes. "Kiba-san, Koneko-san, you're both on [DPS], you'll be attacking these separated units at they're defenseless and double teaming them. Together they can work together and overpower us, but individually they're weaker than Issei before we began training." Kai grinned. "That leaves Issei, Asia, and myself." He turned to the two remaining pieces.

"What're we doing, Kai-san?" Issei asked excitedly. Kai was frowning, however.

"We have the most important and hardest job," Kai grumbled. "We're the [Tanks], Issei-kun. Asia-chan will be healing us as we take damage, but it's our job to keep anyone and everyone from getting to Akeno-san and Rias-chan." He paused. "Including Yubelluna and Riser." Issei's face paled. "As soon as they realize what we're doing, Akeno-san and Rias-chan will become the number one targets. While Kiba-san and Koneko-san will be eliminating the lesser pieces, they'll all still be gunning for us." Issei started to sweat.

"So we're in the suicide position…" Issei muttered to himself. "G-Great…"

"It'll be made even worse since all of Riser's pawns will be able to [Promote]," Rias added. "That's why they'll be the number one priority as soon as the game begins. Is that clear?" Kiba and Koneko both nodded, serious expressions on their faces. They were making this into a hard fight, but at least they'd be together. Asia could easily heal them if they got to injured. And with these earpieces, communication wouldn't be an issue at all. Kai smirked and tapped on his own piece. "Ready up, soldiers! We've got a Game to win!" The peerage cheered, leaving the clubhouse to set up.

As planned, Akeno and Rias both stood atop the clubhouse, looking over the expanse of forest around them. The trees would make it easier to chain lightning, and create cages around people. Kiba and Koneko both stood near the front entrance of the club house. The young girl was resting on Kiba's shoulders so she and he could both be wherever they needed to be in a flash. Issei, Asia, and Kai both flew above the forest, and could see Riser's pieces already making their way towards the clubhouse. They seemed to be confused at the lack of resistance, though.

"Incoming units from the west, two [Pawns] and a [Knight]" Kai informed the others. "ETA, sixty seconds. Rias-chan, be ready. Several units appearing from the north, two [Rooks] and three [Pawns]. ETA ninety seconds. Multiple units in the east. One [Knight] and three [Pawns]. ETA seventy seconds. I can't see the [Bishops] but I know they're present. Be prepared."

"Understood," replied Rias. She was shaking with anticipation. They were about to create the first siege in a Rating Game in over two millennia.

"Are you alright, buchou?" asked Akeno. Rias nodded slowly, glaring out in the distance.

"[Queen] incoming!" Kai suddenly shouted through the radio. "I repeat, [Queen] is incoming above the trees! All units in position! Issei, get your damn Boosted Gear ready!" A massive explosion echoed through the arena, making Rias grit her teeth. She really hoped her idiot boyfriend knew what he was doing… Another explosion. "Fuck! Asia, take care of Issei, I can handle myself."

"We should help them," Akeno spoke worriedly. Kai sounded really hurt. Rias shook her head and frowned.

"Stick to the plan," said the redhead. The young lady glanced to her left and shot out a chain of lightning through the trees, creating cages around the Devils that had intruded on them. "Akeno-san, get ready for any more that come in!" The violet haired beauty nodded, unable to hold back her excitement. It was time to punish these fools for daring to stand against her [King]! Below them, Kiba noticed the lightning flashing off of the club house, and followed it to where several enemy pieces were trying to avoid getting shocked. Kiba grinned and set Koneko down. This would be easy.

Above them was a full scale warzone that Issei couldn't even begin to comprehend! Flashes of light rained in the sky, each one inches behind Kai as he flew around the battlefield. Yubelluna was completely focused on the cackling Thai, though her expression was not one of anger or frustration. "You're just too slow, Yu-chan!" Kai teased the girl, blocking her next explosion with his shield. He grunted, flying back a few feet from the force before grinning. "Ahhh, that was fun! Now, off to fry me some chicken!" He glanced at Issei. "Yo, Issei-kun! Take care of this lady, will ya?" Without even waiting for a response, Kai rushed off towards the school building. The purple haired woman glanced at the pervert, and the blonde girl standing nervously behind him.

"Uh… hi," Issei stammered before the woman shot fire at him. He screamed loudly before shoving his arms up in front of his face. "W-Wait! What are you doing!?" Issei cried after the black haired man. He was being left behind! The boy, however, had to focus on the violet haired woman trying to kill him, though! She was crazy! "Agh!" One of the fireballs exploded right beside the pervert, burning him and shooting him back a bit. Issei grit his teeth in pain as Asia flew over to heal him. She was going to do as Kai said and keep Issei safe! Still, she couldn't help but worry about the young man.

I'm going to face Riser alone, he had told her before the Game started. Keep Issei safe. He needs a girl like you in his life to protect him from getting hurt. I'll be fine, I've fought bigger.

"Your efforts are futile," Yubelluna spoke to them as Asia healed Issei's wounds. "Nobody can stand to Riser-sama. Not even your precious [Knight]." Below them, Koneko had started protecting Akeno and Rias from the pieces that were aiming to hit them. Akeno had since taken up the part for both Rias and herself to trap the other pieces, while Kiba was still knocking them out of the game, one by one.

"You don't know that…" Issei growled, staring down the impassive woman. "Kai-san is stronger than any of us! He's the one who's made all of us stronger!" Yubelluna didn't look impressed as she looked down at Rias desperately trying to fight off the pieces being thrown at her. While they were all relatively weak, it was their numbers that made them so valuable. Even the Bomb Queen knew that. "And he entrusted me to defeat you, so that's exactly what I'll do!"

Boost! Yubelluna shuddered. She had heard of the [Pawn] wielding the Boosted Gear, but to actually face him was something else! This wouldn't end well for her if she allowed him to last long, she had to finish this quickly. Immediately, she threw another fireball at the boy. And another. And another. Volley after volley they came. Issei, in turn, growled and started weaving around them, around the explosions. He took care to lead them away from Asia so she wouldn't be hit in the crossfire. The last thing he wanted was for her to get hurt. "I won't let myself become a burden!" Yubelluna shouted, firing off a particularly large fireball in her passion. Issei grunted. Boost! He couldn't just dodge this one. So then…

"Raaaaah!" screamed the boy as he held out his arm with the Boosted Gear attached to it. Boost! He could feel the heat of the magic and closed his eyes. "I won't fail! I can't!" He felt the fire impact his Sacred Gear. Though he was pushed back, it didn't hurt! Boost!

BOOM! The entire sky shook as the great blast of fire exploded. Yubelluna looked on sadly. She'd allowed herself to get carried away and depleted a large amount of her magical reserves. It would hinder her in the long run. Still, the announcement for the [Pawn's] retirement never came. "Ugah!" the woman was taken by surprise when she felt herself struck in the face. She managed to just see the brown haired boy, covered in soot, striking her with that accursed Sacred Gear! "H-How…?"

"This thing isn't just metal," Issei smirked, staring down the shocked woman. "It's made of dragon scales, too! That means it has a complete resistance to fire and anything that comes with it!" Yubelluna cursed under her breath. She didn't want to lose to this boy, but part of her wanted Riser to lose. To be treated nothing more than a sack of meat… She didn't want that anymore. But she wouldn't fight without pride!

"Then let's just see how well you can stand to me!" shouted the woman in return. Below them the fearsome battle raged as Kiba weaved between bolts and cages of lightning, quickly striking down anyone he could. While they went down easy, it was getting close enough to strike that was the problem. Most of the [Pawns] had [Promoted] to [Queen], and were much more durable than before. He cursed under his breath. While only three [Pawns] were left, there were also two [Bishops] that were hiding away in the trees. He grimaced as he entered the next cage and came face-to-face with another [Pawn]. He had to finish this quickly before Akeno became exhausted. Gritting his teeth, he lunged for another strike.

XXXXX

[Gremory Estate Lounge] [With Sirzechs]

"They're doing well," spoke the head of the Phenex household, Fiammo Phenex. "Surprisingly well." The man, along with the Gremory head, were both relaxing in a rather lush room with several monitors showing the Rating Game. They, along with their respective wives, children and several servants were observing the Game. Sirzechs had deigned to watch with his family. "In fact, you never once mentioned this new piece of hers, Zeoticus. The [Knight]." Said Gremory head had the audacity to feign a confused look on his face, but anyone would be able to see the amusement and mirth twinkling in his eyes. He smiled as his daughter once more trapped one of Riser's pieces in her magic, before her [Rook] made a finishing blow. While any other parent within the 72 Pillars would have been upset at the current ruining of this arranged marriage, he was one of the few who was relishing the fact.

"It seemed to have slipped my mind," replied the red haired man. "I am, after all, becoming old. Soon enough it will be my daughter's turn to take my place." While that was incredibly true, it was a widely known fact that it was primarily males who led Devil households. Since Riser had been third in line to become his family's heir, he'd been excited to gain another chance at leading his own family, albeit through the Gremory name. It would be her husband who led the Gremory family, not Rias, herself. "Though, this Kai, he is quite clever and quick to use whatever resources given to him. He's also made a number of friends, it seems."

Even Sirzechs didn't miss the underlying praise that Zeoticus was handing out. There was no doubt in anyone's mind who the Gremory head wanted to marry his daughter. "We should keep watching," spoke the Lucifer. "Things have no doubt become rather one-sided in favor of Rias, but Riser himself has yet to come into play."

"Nor has Kai," Zeoticus argued. "In fact, where is the boy? He suddenly flew off." Several eyes scoured the screens for the black haired man, but he was nowhere to be found. It seemed that even the broadcasters were trying to find the boy, panning over several empty forest and hallways of the school, but still there was no sign of the young man. Until something shimmered on the bottom left side of one of the hallway cameras.

"He's utilized an invisibility spell," Fiammo spoke with awe. "How long has he been a Devil?"

"Hardly four months," Sirzechs was also surprised at the sudden technique. "Though I also notice how slowly he's moving. I can understand why. His spell is based on light refraction and not true invisibility. He has to move slowly, or his own spell won't be able to keep up."

"So the piece isn't as strong as he boasts," Fiammo's voice held a hint of hope behind it. "I doubt he'll lay much of a scratch on my son." Zeoticus and Sirzechs said nothing. The truth was, it seemed like Kai was holding back.

"Why do you fight?" Asked Sirzechs once during training. The young man grunted, standing back up on his feet as the older man stood over him. "What's driving you to keep standing, even when it'd be easier to fall?"

"Because," grunted the newly reincarnated [Knight]. "If I fall, then it means my friends might fall with me." The redheaded Maou pursed his lips, nodding at the explanation. "I have to be as strong as I can or else nothing matters. After all, Devils respect power, right? So I'll have everyone respect me so none of my friends get put in the line of fire!"

"That's noble," Sirzechs complimented. "I can respect such a reason."

"But that's not all," Kai continued, surprising the man. "I fight because it's fun. Because I like testing myself, and pushing my limits." The young man stood, stretching. "If I'm ever in a fight where I completely outclass my enemy, I'll hold back." The Lucifer must have not hidden his surprise very well, because the [Knight] laughed. "It's no fun unless the fight is fair, ya know?"

"And what if someone takes advantage of that?" Asked the Maou. "You'll have enemies that'll kill you without any remorse, even if you want to 'fight fair'." Kai paused and sighed.

"Then I'll hit them with all of my power," the young man responded. "If I or my friends are ever threatened… Then I won't hold back. I'll give it everything I got. But until then…" Kai beamed towards his trainer. "I'll have fun with every fight I have!"

He doesn't seem to take Riser as a threat, thought the Maou. He chuckled inwardly, though kept the hard expression on his face. He grimaced as his little sister's blonde [Knight] took a particularly nasty hit, and was retired. He could see the exhaustion on their faces. While they were good, they still had two [Promoted] [Pawns] to take care of. They'd be in no shape to fight against Riser, himself. It was left to Kai, it seemed. Inwardly, Sirzechs cursed the boy. He had such a flair for drama that he disregarded everything else. If he'd stayed and fought with the rest of the peerage, they would all have been able to face the Phenex together. Now, though, he was resting everything on his own shoulders.

Behind them, a young woman with vibrant green hair stood, watching the shimmering form of Rias' [Knight] with worry in her eyes. She had her hands clasped together in front of her, but said hands were pale as she squeezed them nervously. "Kai-sama…" she whispered under her breath. She felt a cold shiver run down her back, however, as she felt a presence behind her. The young maid turned, golden eyes meeting her own.

"Good evening, Devils," she spoke. "May I join you in watching this fine Game?"

XXXXX

[Rating Game Arena] [With Kai]

The [Knight] smirked, watching the increasingly frustrated face of Riser Phenex. His scowl deepened with every piece that was retired from his side, and only Kiba had been retired from Rias' peerage. Riser unfurled his great, fiery wings, and started to take off. Kai, however, wasn't going to let him leave without a bit of fun. The young man dropped his spell of invisibility and leapt into the air, grabbing Riser's leg. The blonde shot Kai a shocked look that morphed into anger.

"Rise from this, bitch!" Kai chuckled, spinning and throwing the Phenex to the ground. Riser growled and stopped himself before he hit the ground, rage burning in his eyes.

"You dare to touch Riser-sama!" the blonde roared. "You dirty low-born scum!" Kai chuckled and waggled his finger.

"Ah, ah, ah," taunted the young teacher. "No need to be hotheaded. You need to chill." Kai waved his hand, droplets of water forming in front of him. He shoved his hand forward and the water began to fly towards Riser. "Take a dip, bud!"

"Don't you dare think that this will be enough!" Riser yelled in return, unleashing flames upon the incoming water. Kai chuckled and dropped to the ground as the two attacks hit, creating bursts of steam. He smirked as the mist cleared, revealing the Phenex flying above him with his wings unfurled. "You low-born trash, did you think a little water would be enough?"

"Nope," Kai smiled. "I was just… testing the waters." There was silence as Kai sighed. "Meh, usually there are people around to laugh at my jokes." Riser seemed to be at a loss as he stared at the idiot in front of him.

"Riser-sama will wipe you off the face of the planet," mumbled the blonde man. Massive flames formed in the Phenex's hands only seconds before they were launched at Kai. The man stood there with a smile on his face, even having the audacity to tilt his head innocently. "Burn to the ground!"

"Huh," Kai pouted. "Weaker than I thought it would be." The massive fireball was twice the size of the young man. "Let's break some wind."

In the distance, Rias and her servants had eliminated the last of Riser's pieces. She, Akeno, Koneko, Asia, and Issei were all flying towards the school to face down Riser. Kai had yet to be seen, and it worried her. They all were too tired and drained to fight, especially Akeno, whose magical reserves were drained. All of a sudden, a massive fireball appeared in the distance. She could see that Riser was the one who was throwing it, and it descended upon something. Kai-kun… she thought worriedly. "Let's go, we have to help Kai-kun!" Issei grit his teeth.

"Buchou…" mumbled the boy. "I think Kai-san would rather fight this battle himself." Rias knew it was true. That was probably why he had left them all in the first place. While it hurt her to know that he'd planned it this way, she also knew that Kai was prideful and loved a good fight, and not even she would stop him from getting one. It still hurt, though.

Suddenly, interrupting her thoughts, a massive tornado appeared to stop the fire. Instead of continuing in the same direction as Kai, though, it headed back to Riser. Rias smiled, it had been the only large spell that she'd taught Kai. For some reason, wind based magic didn't drain him as heavily as the other elements. Lightning began to flash as the spinning inferno struck Riser's flying form. Rias and her peerage stood atop the roof of the replica school building as they watched Kai snap his fingers, several chunks of the pavement ripping off of the ground and flying into the fiery tornado, crumbling to dust inside, but still flying around inside the tornado. Then, Kai waved his hands and several globes of water flew into the tornado. Suddenly, it collapsed in on itself. A flurry of elements all coming down upon Riser, strengthened by the other elements around them. Riser fell to the ground, dead.

Kai sighed and rolled his shoulders, feeling a bit of drain from the multiple elements he'd used. "C'mon, buddy," growled the teacher. "Get back up and I'll just knock you down again." C'mon and come at me, boy." Kai sighed as flames erupted from Riser's body. He roared and, as the flames died down, there stood Riser, alive and pissed off. "You're easy to kill, but you're damn hard to keep down." Riser growled and glanced up, spotting Rias.

"Watch me burn your favorite piece, you whore!" shouted the man. "I'll kill him and piss on the ashes! Then I'll bring him back so he can watch us get married! I'll make him watch as I fuck you over and over!" A fist slammed into Riser's face, knocking him back a few steps. "Fuck!"

"Now that," Kai sighed, rubbing his knuckles. Damn, that hurt! "That's going too far. I was going to go easy on you, but now?" Kai's eyes plashed with rage. "Now I'm gonna enjoy killing you." Kai formed a sphere in his hand, and it swirled with power. "You see this? This is the creation of an old friend of mine. The Rasengan. Granted, it's not perfect without the use of chakra, but I don't have an ounce of the stuff in my body. It doesn't grind like it should." Kai smirked. "But it sure hurts like a son-of-a-bitch!" Kai rushed forward at unseen speeds, fast even compared to a noble Devil. Riser grunted, weaving to the side. Kai anticipated the move, however, and reached out. The Rasengan struck him in the chest. Riser could feel the magic twisting and turning his gut, and screamed as he felt the pressure build. Suddenly, the move vanished, and he felt himself sent flying backward as all the forced placed upon his body was released. Riser screamed as he was slammed against the Arena's wall.

"Fuck!" the Phenex spat out, shakily standing to his feet. He didn't notice the sword slicing through his throat until he was already dead. Kai sighed, stepping back a few feet as he waited for the Phenex to revive himself. The blade he had used faded, and he felt the magic return to him. He formed another Rasengan in his hand as Riser formed once more in pillars of flames. As soon as Riser reformed, Kai slammed the attack into Riser once more, pinning him between the Rasengan and the Arena's boundary. "Gaaaaaaaack!" Kai glared at the man.

"You'll suffer," growled the teacher. Blood splattered onto Kai as his attack finally, slowly, drilled into his opponent. The Phenex screamed loudly as his body was ripped into shreds. While the Rasengan didn't immediately drill, it was like having your body ripped apart with a spoon instead of a knife. "You'll scream for mercy. But I-" The [Knight] stopped as Riser died for a third time. He took a few steps back and took a deep breath, before frowning. "Dammit, woman…"

XXXXX

[Gremory Estate] [With Sirzechs]

All members of both the Phenex and Gremory family watched the Rating Games, but the mood was different than it had been moments before. Instead of the lighthearted banter between the three men, there was tenseness and fear. Sitting in a simple dining room chair was a young, exotic woman. Iaweh. She calmly took a sip of the tea that had been prepared for her by one of the maids, Erisa. She smiled gently, feeling the affection from the maid for her boyfriend. As she watched the screen, she couldn't help but be proud of the young man. He was outgrowing all of her expectations.

"Excuse me, Iaweh," Sirzechs spoke up. She had given those present her true name to avoid them constantly getting headaches from addressing her. She was a nice person like that. "I must ask, why exactly have you come? It can't be as simple as watching the Rating Game. Surely you desire more?" She could hear the tenseness in his voice. It wasn't a surprise. The last time they had met, Iaweh had left him bleeding in a crater.

"On the contrary," replied the deity. "I have come simply to watch this Game." She smirked at his reaction to her statement. Her eyes lingered on the [Knight] on the screen. "After all, my lover is taking part in it." She motioned to the black haired man. Zeoticus tensed.

"Surely you don't mean Kai," he pleaded. "After all, he's my daughter's piece!" The exotic woman laughed, holding her hand up to her mouth as she did so.

"Oh dear, that's precious," she smiled easily. "I'm afraid you're mistaken, dear Devil. Kai was my piece long before he was anyone else's." Her smile, while gentle, had an underlying sense of challenge. Nobody in the room dared to stand against her, however. "He is mine, to do with as I please. Whether or not he knows this is not something anyone but I should be concerned with." The woman's eyes softened. "After all, I'm merely letting your daughter have my boyfriend. But make no mistake that he is mine." The woman watched as Riser once more revived himself. It seemed that Kai was becoming exhausted in beating the young man down over and over again. Use my gift, thought the woman as she stared at the boy on the screen. Don't let yourself tire any further. Sirzechs noticed the concerned expression on Iaweh's face, and furrowed his brows. This could be… potentially useful.

XXXXX

[With Kai]

[Play Vs Asgore]

[ watch?v=l99uLeEVqp8 ]

Kai grunted, feeling sweat building up on his skin. He held up his hand to stop anyone from rushing in to help him. It wouldn't do. No, he'd do this himself. He had to. To prove to himself that he wasn't weak. That he could become strong enough to protect everyone. To protect Rias. To protect her peerage. He chuckled. Maybe he shouldn't have taken it easy on Riser. Speaking of, the boy returned once more with a scowl on his face. "It seems we're on even ground, now," Kai muttered. "I'm exhausted, and your mind is starting to shut down." Riser growled.

"Don't you compare me to trash like you," the Phenex spoke roughly. "I'll never lose to you!" Kai chuckled and shook his head. He could feel the fires raging around them. He could see the hatred burning in Riser's eyes. Ad he could hear the cheers from Rias, and all of his friends. And he was filled with determination.

"Maybe," admitted the teacher. "Maybe you'll win. But that doesn't mean I won't stop trying." He stood back up and clenched his fists. He didn't have enough magic to draw his sword again, and any spells wouldn't affect Riser that much. It was time to bring the old fashioned beat-down. He grunted and rushed towards the Phenex, swinging his fist. The Phenex grabbed it and shoved his knee into the teacher's gut. "Guh!" Said Devil fell to the ground, only just barely rolling to the side to avoid Riser's food stomping down on him. Kai chuckled and grabbed the Phenex's leg, twisting to knock his own into the younger Devil's legs and throw him off balance.

Riser fell to the ground with a Thud! And was too late to get back on his feet before a spiraling orb was shoved in his face, impaling his head into the ground. The blonde screamed, grabbing the right hand of Kai and activating his flames. Kai roared in pain, shoving his arm further down to shove Riser even harder into the concrete ground. The Phenex bent his leg and kicked the older man off of him. The Thai grunted, landing on his back several feet away. The wind was knocked from his lungs, and he was shaky as he tried to get back up. His body was slammed into the ground when Riser, who was faster to recover, shoved his foot down onto the man.

"You're nothing!" Riser screamed, exploding. Massive walls of flames surrounded the [King] and [Knight], keeping everyone else from reaching them. "You're nothing but low-born trash! A glorified slave!" With every sentence, Riser stomped on the man below him. The teacher, coughed, blood spurting from his lips. "I'll abuse you once I win, then I'll make you watch as I fuck Rias, Akeno, Asia, Koneko, all of them! I'll make you watch as Iscrape every inch of skin from Kiba and Issei, and make them suffer before I slit their throats! Their bodies will belong to me! Not you!" Kai could feel his muscles screaming at him. He'd exhausted his magical reserves to numb his own pain. Still, he took each kick with a smile.

"Their bodies…" mumbled the man. "Aren't what's important… It's their hearts…" Riser growled, stepping back to look at his broken enemy. "Their memories… Their lives, and what they stand for… What's important… Is that they have the will to keep living… Fighting… Because even if I fail… Even if I die… I know they'll keep fighting…" Hollow chuckles escaped from the [Knight's] lips. "Because… Family… sticks together…" Riser sneered, and slammed his foot against Kai's head. And the teacher knew blackness.

XXXXX

I failed… thought the man as he drifted in the neverending darkness. I failed them. Just like I failed everyone else. I guess this life was too good to be true… He sighed, the sound echoing around him. I'm sorry, Rias. I really fucked up this time. Sorry, Issei… I can't help you protect Asia. I guess, in the end, I've never been strong enough…

"Why do you fight?" asked the redheaded man. Kai was at a loss. Why did he fight? What did he mean by that? "What's driving you to keep standing, even when it'd be easier to fall?"

My friends, thought the teacher. I fight for my friends. But I've failed them. Why should I fight when I know it'll just be a failure? I'm not strong.

"Then make your own strength!" shouted a blonde woman with violet eyes. "I'm not going to give up just because my body isn't up to par with everyone else's! I'm a thrill seeker and a fighter, through and through! I don't care if you keep coming at me, I'll just push you back twice as hard!"

Right… I fight because it's fun, too, Kai thought to himself. But… when did the fun end? When Riser pissed me off. Kai sighed once more. I'm sorry… I've lost sight of myself again. But even still… Even if you end up with trash like me, you still believe in me, don't you Rias? Heh, I guess I still have a lot to learn. The [Knight] smirked as he saw a beam of light ahead of him. Ah, Iaweh. I guess it's been too long since we last talked, but I need your help right now, more than ever. Please… Give me the strength to help my friends. After all, I want to have more good times with them, ya know? And I know I'll see you soon. So until then… please answer this one request of mine. Kai smiled, feeling a warmth spread over his body.

XXXXX

[Play: I Burn]

[ watch?v=P9mQTmXxU8E ]

Riser smirked as he stared out at the terrified forms of his fiancé and her peerage. He'd just struck down their strongest piece, and in a matter of moments he'd be retired. It was over. He was taken by surprise, however, when the man exploded instead of disappeared. He had to shield his face at the sudden burst of light.

Kai was feeling great! He was still tired, but he could feel himself brimming with power! On the outside. On the inside, however, he was burning up! It felt like something was eating him alive! He grunted, standing up on his two feet. His aura was exploding with energy, a bright sunny golden color. He stared down the Phenex, who was now glaring at him. "Time for round two, bud!" Kai chuckled. He felt two pieces of metal spread across his hands and arms. While they burned, they also felt powerful and warm. The man smirked and let himself feel the power coursing through him. He roared and burst towards Riser, a grin on his face. "I feel alive!" BAM! Kai's fist exploded as the golden gauntlet made contact with the Phenex's face, sending him flying. "Whooo!" In an instant, he vanished and appeared beside the [King], grabbing him before he flew out of the wall of flames. Kai chuckled.

"W-What are you!?" Riser screamed, unable to feel his wounds being healed. The black haired man grinned cheekily and tilted his head.

"Just a thrill-seeking Hunter with a passion for action!" boasted the man tossing Riser up into the air. With two punches, the gauntlets released several bolts of magic at the fiery Devil. They exploded in midair, just above Riser to send him plummeting to the ground. Kai walked forward a few steps and wound up a punch, before slamming his fist against Riser's gut. "Heh, guess I burn too, huh?" Kai grinned and approached the man slowly. Outside the wall of fire, Rias could hardly believe her eyes. Her [Knight] was moments away from being killed, and yet now he seemed stronger than ever! It's as if every hit he had taken only worked to make his strikes even more powerful than before! It was incredible! He was tossing the Phenex around like a ragdoll, now!

"He's hurting," Koneko pointed out, motioning to the massive burns spreading across his arms. "Holy magic." Rias grimaced.

"Kai-kun!" she yelled to the man. He turned to face her. For a moment, the flames wavered and cut her vision. When she could see him again, she saw a blonde woman with bright red eyes and a smile like the sun on her face. However, with another wave of heat, the vision was gone. "Finish it quickly!"

Kai chuckled and looked at the hapless boy beneath him, shrugging. "A funny thing about chess, bud." Kai raised his fist, magical energy forming at the end. "The [King] is always the weakest piece." With a single strike, it was over. A massive hole was left in Riser's stomach from the magical explosion.

"Riser's [King] has been retired," Grayfia's voice echoed through the arena. Kai chuckled, closing his eyes. He didn't realize that even at that moment, the ground came up to rush towards his face.

XXXXX

[The Next Evening] [Kai's Apartment] [With Rias]

Rias was silent. Riser had slinked away wordlessly after his defeat, not even sparing the Gremory a second glance. In all honesty, it was probably for the best. She didn't want to have any words with him after what he'd said and done to her [Knight]. Still, after the games had finished and Kiba had recovered, they were sent home. Immediately, Rias, Asia, and Issei had taken Kai home. It had been madness. The holy energy that he'd used was gone, as were the gauntlets. In their place, however, were third degree burns reaching from the tips of his fingers, to his shoulders. The gauntlets had corroded at Kai's very soul with their usage. She never wanted to see them again, for as long as she lived. Not if it meant losing her [Knight].

Rias had slept with him that night, tending to his wounds with her own magic. Issei and Asia had headed home, along with Yuuma. They went to school the next morning, and when they came back to the apartment, they found Rias on Kai's laptop, going over Youtube videos by some guy named DaTa, who was on Kai's Subscribed list. It was upon closer inspection, and Issei's keen sense for remembering useless information, that they found out it was Keito, the Exorcist. Still, at least they knew what he looked like, now. Keito apparently was a rather short Japanese male with messy brown hair, and dark brown eyes. He had pale, creamy skin and rather plain features, though most of the girls at Kuoh would have regarded him on the more handsome side. He seemed fairly laid back and in control, though.

Still, it led them to this moment, with Rias sitting on Kai's bed beside the teacher, and Asia doing her best to purge the holy energy from Kai's wounds to help it heal. The effect was minimal, but still enough to encourage further treatment. "Don't be worried, buchou!" Issei tried to comfort the redheaded beauty. "Kai-san's gotten up from worse than this! After all, he's a badass just like he told us!" Rias smiled, but it was a bitter smile.

"Yes, I know, Issei-kun," spoke the ORC president. "I'm simply concerned for my [Knight] is all." Issei grumbled with jealousy. They were interrupted when a large magical circle appeared on the ground. It was a crimson red, and bore the mark of Lucifer. Rias stood as her brother appeared in the room, a serious expression on his face. The expression made the younger redhead flinch. "Onii-sama," Rias greeted her brother respectfully. The Lucifer looked down at her. He was dressed in a business suit with a forest green tie, and held a rather expensive leather briefcase. Though it seemed to be more for show than anything else.

"Rias-chan," Sirzechs replied. "I must speak to you in private." Rias was concerned about the firmness in her brother's voice. He turned to leave the apartment through the front door, and his sister followed her. As soon as they had exited the room, the Maou leaned against the railing of the apartment. He looked over the rural town in the evening light, as if seeing it for the very first time. "Do you know how much of an uproar your Game caused, yesterday?" Rias flinched once more.

"No, I do not, Onii-sama," replied the younger sister. Sirzechs closed his eyes thoughtfully.

"I was able to silence the situation before it spread, but your [Knight] is in grave danger," replied the older brother. "He utilized holy magic, and holy armor as a Devil. Something once thought to be almost impossible for one newly reincarnated such as him. It has many questioning his loyalties."

"With all due respect, Onii-sama," Rias interjected. "Using said abilities did have a heavy price on his health."

"That isn't the point, Rias," the Lucifer spoke firmly, silencing his little sister. "The armor that he used wasn't just some random holy armor. It was specific. The only of its kind." Sirzechs growled between his teeth. "He summoned upon himself the Gauntlets of Prayer. One of the seven pieces of armor used by God herself."

"What!?" Rias shouted, completely shocked. "How!? How isn't he dead!?"

"Because the Lord herself blessed him with them," Sirzechs grumbled. "During your game, Iaweh came and watched. She explained to us how she was using Kai to… do something that involved every Faction in existence." The older redhead grit his teeth. "I don't know what she's planning, but I don't think it's good for us Devils. I want you to keep Kai on a tight leash, just until I can ease my own concerns." Rias stood conflicted. On one hand, Iaweh seemed like a really nice person. At least, that was what she gathered from her interactions with the deity. Her brother also made it sound like Iaweh was referring to her [Knight] as nothing more than a piece, when the Queen of Destruction knew for a fact that the woman loved Kai as much as she did.

"I'll do it," Rias sighed reluctantly. "But… I have a stipulation." Sirzechs couldn't help but smile widely.

"Anything for my precious little Rias-chan!" cooed the man. Rias forced a smile on her face. It wouldn't hurt to let the man coddle her a bit, so long as she got this one thing that she wanted. She felt bad to play her brother like this, but it would keep Kai safe from the Devil world.

XXXXX

A/N: That's a wrap! Man, I had trouble with this. Fighting scenes still suck for me. Oh well, I'm just glad it's over. So, the next arc won't be the Excalibur Arc. It'll actually be something a little different. I hope you like it, because here comes the first original Arc! I'll see you guys there!