"Work those legs!" Dante yelled out as he passed Issei as they climbed the hill to the manor they would be training at. Dante was carrying a massive bag six times the size of Issei's.
"Come on Sensei… what did they put in yours… feathers?" Issei said as he trudged on. He was quickly passed by Yuuto, Koneko, and finally Anthony who also had massive bags. Issei soon fell back and was struggling to get back, doing a great impression of a turtle on its back.
"This is just pitiful kid." Uberti said as he pulled Issei back up by his collar. Issei was just standing there for a few minutes trying to catch his breath.
"Um… Rias… is it okay if I help him?" Asia asked from the top of the hill where she, Akeno, Clio and Rias were waiting.
"If you do that then I'm telling Clio it will be fine for her to sleep with Issei." Dante said as he passed them. He had noticed what had been going on and rather than try to stop it he decided it would be a better use of energy using the situation. While he felt responsible for the pervert he wasn't going to hold his hand through life.
"Oh no that's fine I'm sure Issei can handle it." Asia backtracked quickly, Clio meanwhile just quietly chuckled as she planned on doing that regardless. Rias smiled as Dante performed his role well. but then frowned as the reality of why they were here sunk back in. they were here to train for the Ratings Game between her and Raiser. While she was outwardly optimistic on the inside she was doing everything she could to not panic. Her and Dante had planned out this event to the last detail even before they got together but now… it just felt so much more real.
But she had to believe in her friends. She trusted Akeno with her life and knew that she would work her hardest for her just as Raiser would for her. She knew that Yuuto wouldn't let her down, no he had to much pride in his skills for that. Rias couldn't see Her first Rook falling without taking more than half of the enemy down with her, though Rias would never let that happen. And now with her two newest additions, both Issei and Asia would become powerful Devils after these ten days, they were already strong but their power needed to be refined.
And there was of course Dante, she honestly felt sorry for Raiser. Even after all the things Raiser had and attempted to do, they paled compared to what Dante had in store for him. Dante had even made a list… and only getting through half made Rias realize just how vindictive Dante could get when it came to someone threatening their relationship.
The peerage soon reached the manor and the newer members of the group were awed by the beauty of both the land around the manor and the manor itself. But soon they noticed that two men stood outside the front doors of the manor. Rias was about to ask them who they were but Dante suddenly rushed to the older looking one and punched him right in the gut.
"You lying bastard! You knew you were going to live after you died!" Dante raged as the older man curled up around his gut.
"Nice to see you again my boy…" The man grunted out while the other man just ignored the whole thing. "I see you have… the strength of a Rook."
"Shut up! You have six years of foot rubs to make up for." Dante said as he kicked the downed man as the rest of the peerage made their way. Clio and Akeno and even Rias all did a slight double take at the other man standing next to the scene. He was thee most ruggedly handsome man they had ever seen. Short wavy blond hair flowed down from a brown cowboy hat while sparkling blue eyes captivated any that looked into them. Dante and Issei both noticed this reaction and instantly vowed to hurt this man someday.
"Can I ask who you two are and why you are on my family's property." Rias said with a slight blush of embarrassment.
"I can answer that Lady Gremory." The older man said as he stood back up as if he wasn't hurt at all. Something that made Dante a little mad. "I am Julio Alighieri and this is Jacob Doyle. We are from the Nergal House, I will be here to help in any way we can to ensure your victory in the coming Ratings Game."
"Wait… are you and Dante related by any chance?" Issei said like a complete idiot.
"He is my grandfather on my mother's side." Dante answered. "He's the one that taught me all about lord Death but he never mentioned that we were related to lord Death. By the way mom knows so when were you planning on telling me?"
"Never my boy, that duty was for your mother… while I love her so I will admit she can be… forgetful at times." Dante just rubbed his face in annoyance.
"I noticed you said you will be helping us but did not include him in that statement." Rias pointed out.
"That's because mam…" The Southern American ascent was something out of a movie. It wasn't too deep due to his apparent youth but still very moving to a select few present. "… I'm just here because the Nergal house would like us to start spending time together as soon as possible." Neither Rias or Dante liked what meant.
"Hold on… Jacob here is misleading you, unintentionally I'm sure." Dante's grandfather said causing Jacob to look confused then a look of realization hit him.
"Oh pardon me, I didn't mean anything by that. But truth needs to be told, if you win the game and chose the Nergal House for the contract, It will be me that you will be set to walk down the aisle to. But I'm just the place holder until Dante here joins the House proper." Rias and Dante both breathed a sigh of relief at that.
"Does that mean you are single?" Clio said as she slipped past Rias and Dante. "Because if so… hi… I'm Clio, daughter of the GOD Radegast." Clio said before staring daggers at elder Alighieri who was laughing behind Jacob.
"You can back off em' girl. Young master Jacob here may be currently planned to hold Dante's place but that doesn't mean he can just date anyone. The only reason why these two are even considered an approved match is because Rias is considered Good Breeding Stock." He said with a frown and air quotes. "The Grim Houses control just who is allowed in via marriage, only the best Devils are even considered. A demigod of a failing pantheon is not up to snuff." The way he spoke it was clear that these weren't his personal values. "But enough depressing nobility shit. Let us all get settled in and get ready for training. You still have to beat Raiser." He said as he pushed the doors open and lead the group of teens into the manor.
They separated by gender to change into more practical attire. Dante's grandfather, Jacob, and Uberti moved straight to outside to discuss training. Yuuto, Anthony and Issei had noticed that Dante had glared a few times out the window, it didn't take much thought to figure out what was wrong.
"Hey Sensei… what's wrong. You seem pissed for some reason?"
"I just don't like that guy." Dante said glaring out to Jacob. "I mean come on, how can you trust a guy that attractive." Both Yuuto, Issei, and Anthony stared at Dante who just returned a blank unknowing look.
Back with the girls…
"Oh my dad! Is the Jacob guy hot or what!" Clio said as she undressed with the rest of the girls. "And that accent… I think it beats out Dante's on the sexiness scale." Rias and Akeno both felt a uncomfortable and irritated at Clio's choice of conversation topic. Both being in happy relationships, while the topic of Jacob's attractiveness wasn't necessarily taboo it was the way Clio seemed to imply that Jacob was superior to their boyfriends.
Meanwhile both Asia and Koneko picked up on the waves of not so much hate but dislike the two older devils were sending out the either brave or oblivious demigod. Asia was the only one who barely noticed Jacob and Koneko was more focused on him as in much the same way Dante did, as a threat.
An hour later everyone had been gathered out on the field to started training. Akeno and Asia were working on her magical ability. Issei was being yelled at by Uberti as he spared with Yuuto. Koneko was trying her hardest to hit Jacob who simply vanished in a gust of strong wind before any punch could be landed. Dante, Rias, and Dante's grandfather were absent from the main training as the elder Reaper had taken them up the mountainside.
"Okay… this outta be far enough." Julio said as he took a quick look around. "Dante, first off I would like to say I'm sorry for not telling you about your heritage earlier on. If I had done so you might have been speared the future of a Heartbreaker. But I'm happy to see you escaped that fate all on your own."
"Well it wasn't like I had anything to do with it. It was Rias that saved me, nothing else." Dante said this in such a truth and fact way that it made Rias blush slightly. It just reminded her how humble Dante could be. As she knew that it was only because he broke things off with Beatrice in the first place that even gave them the chance to meet.
"Yes yes…" Dante's grandfather said dismissively. "But I don't think you understand why you becoming a Reaper was so important. I'm sure that you've been visited by Lord Death's brothers correct." Both Dante and Rias snapped their full attention to the elder Reaper then. "Right… so they did." He said looking as though that wasn't expected but at the same time it was.
"Grandfather… what is going on?"
"When you meet Conquest, he told you the fate of Lord Death did he not. That Lord Death was banished from existence and now the power of the Horseman of Death is seeking a new host. Dante, you are that host. You are the Apostle of Death." Dante felt like he should be shocked but he was confused more than anything.
"Um… what?" Julio sighed at his grandson's ignorance.
"It means that you hold within you the power to end the world. But at the same time you are not yet destined to do so because Lord Death still lives in some way and as such it is Lord Death's destiny to end the world. But… he can't do that currently… do you see the cycle?"
"Yeah, I have the power but fate is not interested in me like it is Lord Death but Lord Death can't do anything because he doesn't have the power to do so." Dante said nodding in understanding.
"Right, you may have already have had contact with Lord Death, the two of you are bounded by this power. Try to think back to anything that might have felt like you meeting the incarnation of death itself."
"Well… there was that time when I gained my Sacred Gear… wait! That was Lord Death?! He looked like a homeless man with moving face tattoos." Dante said honestly shocked.
"Yes, for you are indeed his Apostle. But you are vastly different than the many who were born before. All others have been killed by the Housemen. But you are different and fooled them into thinking you weren't what you are. I don't know why you were able to do this though."
"Um, I might have the answer." Rias interjected. "The day before the Housemen came, I was visited by Lord Death in a dream." Both of the Grim Reapers stared at her wide eyed. "He had warned me of what was coming but he also told me that they were looking to see if Dante would run away or save us."
"Conquest did say something about wanting to see how I would react." Dante added on.
"All confirmed Apostles did try to save themselves rather quickly. So now we know what the Housemen look for but that's not exactly helpful now."
"So what does this mean for us going forward?" Rias asked concerned about a return of the Horsemen.
"It means that the Horsemen will be going through every single Reaper out there in search of the Apostle… that might sound like it would take a long time but our numbers have never been that high. Once the finish doing that… things will turn for the worse. They will either do one of two things. One they might start over and go after those they felt to be the most likely or… they might try to start the apocalypse before the Apostle can gain the strength to stand up to them."
"But they can't, the apocalypse can start without all Four Horsemen." Rias countered.
"Yes… in theory. But there are more world ending events than just Apocalypse. The Nordic Ragnarok for one example. And many other ways that aren't so widely known."
"So can we stop them, Conquest said that there must always be Four Horsemen. That's why I'm apparently getting Lord Death's power."
"While that is true, at the same time this generation of Horsemen are unlike the two that came before. This one actually is trying to cause the end of the world. You see the thing is, the Horsemen are the heralds and bringers of the Apocalypse but they are not supposed to be the cause of it. This all started with the first generation of Horsemen who came along with Heaven and Hell, God and the Devils. They were chosen from the old Sumerian Gods, Lord Death was Nergal. Famine was Ninhursag, War was Ninurta, and Conquest was Anu. Three of them died before the Great war, it is a mystery how they died as they all did so when they were separate. The next generation were collected by Lord Death, they were all humans that somehow had been touched by their Horsemen namesake. But then… the man that held title of Conquest died during the Great War. And his successor was the current Conquest… and this one is… well… to put it mildly bitter about the world. The new Conquest didn't get the job description or maybe he wanted to end the world who knows. But in the end it doesn't matter, Conquest made his move toward the end of the war. He leaked information to the Angels that War had begun to help all sides in an effort to keep the war going on longer than it could have been. And then tricked Famine into an ambush where she died. All of this was to kill them so that way he could find the new Horsemen and turn them from their duty to his way of thinking. It had worked, the current War and Famine were found by Conquest as Lord Death was unaware of his true intentions. But Conquest had miscalculated the power Lord Death had, Lord Death had many more advantages on the three younger Horsemen. But Lord Death made a mistake, he let them live. He hoped that by beating them he had taught them a lesson and they would fall in line."
"Not a smart move." Dante said before being shh'd.
"Don't interrupt my stories boy. Conquest did not learn a lesson or at least the one Lord Death wanted him to learn. Conquest began looking for any cracks in Lord Death's armor. And he found one… one that I don't have the privilege of speaking about." Julio said before grunting like something had hit him in the gut. "But I will say it was a person. A person that Lord Death cared for and so… Conquest captured them and called Lord Death out… and Lord Death ran away. He turned his back on this person… I want to believe it was because he knew it was a trap and chose duty before personal attachments but that is not exactly the prevailing opinion within Hell. The person died in Conquest's fit of anger at losing Lord Death but something that to this day baffles everyone… Conquest was able to banish Lord Death. No one know how he did this but it was done. And so now we have the current situation." Julio said looking quite pleased with himself over his story telling skills.
"You never answered my question." Dante said bluntly causing his grandfather to sip into pained embarrassment.
"I… suppose I didn't. All we need to do is kill the Horsemen and new ones will be made. We find these Horsemen and teach them that they are meant to wait for the signal to start the apocalypse."
"And that signal is?"
"Who knows…" Julio waved off as he began his walk back to the manor leaving the two teens slightly irritated.
Later that night Dante was seriously considering why he had agreed to let Issei and Asia handle dinner. They had prepared far to much food. And it was so oniony and almost everything had potatoes in it. To someone who considered food to his passion the whole thing felt like an insult. Almost, he had to at least give credit to Asia, she wasn't half bad. He assumed Issei just did what he was told.
"I then I wrapped my arm around his neck. He bucked back but I held on." Jacob said as he told a story of his time growing up on a farm. Clio, Issei, Asia and Yuuto were listening intently for various reasons. Rias, Akeno, Anthony, Uberti and Julio all paid enough attention to laugh at the appropriate times but little more. Meanwhile Dante and Koneko were ignoring Jacob and even sharing a glare at him now and then. The two Rooks still saw Jacob as a threat, Dante to his relationship with Rias and Koneko did so out of a sense of loyalty and admiration for her follow Rook. To Dante's credit he was able to keep his moods in check enough to keep the temperature from dropping to sub-zero. But Rias still noticed the change in her boyfriend and Koneko as well and knew that she needed to move the attention from Jacob to… anything else.
"So Issei, did you learn anything today?" Rias said trying to shift the topic to the training and away from Jacob. Unfortunately, Rias' question while it did take away the focus from Jacob it seemed to have depressed Issei.
"Not well… I learned I'm the weakest link on this team." Issei said hanging his head a little. Rias was about to say something to try to encourage him but Julio beat her to it.
"My dear boy, you have already finished half of the issue. If you know you are the weakest on the team then you have nowhere to but up. Every bit of training you do helps your team that mush more because you are the weakest." Rias smiled advice the elder Alighieri gave, she could see where Dante got his insight from as she remembered back to the time he met his mother she also seemed to be able to tell just what people were feeling… but she didn't exactly use this gift for the betterment of those around her.
"He's right Issei…" Rias started. "you shouldn't sell yourself short. And you certainly shouldn't feel useless. Between Asia's healing abilities and your Boosted Gear the two of you are great assets…" Everyone ignored Clio snickering at that word. "… but you need to be aware that you're opponent will also know this. You both need to gain enough power to escape from trouble you can't handle on your own." Issei and Asia both agreed and Issei in particular looked like he took this seriously. Rias smiled continued as she watched her Pawn grow as person. But now she felt like there was very little else she could do to keep things from turning the room into a winter wonderland. "Right, Asia and Issei that was a good meal but I think we will let Dante handle the cooking from now on." Everyone in the room minus the two newcomers all rapidly agreed and Dante looked as if a pressure had been lifted off him. "And now I think it would be a good idea if we head to the baths now." That made Issei have a kneejerk reaction that Dante had yet to… teach… out of him.
"You're all going to the baths together?!" Issei said excitedly as he stood up. Dante quickly pulled the Pawn down back into his chair.
"That was the plan. Yuuto could you show the boys where your side of the bath is." Rias said before walking out of the room with the females of the room following. The males all watched them leave with various thoughts all in their heads. They only snapped out of it when a blue Portal opened in the middle of the table.
"Hey guys!" Zeiveist announced as he stuck his head out of the Portal. "Did Issei get shot down to join them in the baths yet… AH!" Zeiveist screamed and retreated back in the Portal before Dante's scythe could decapitate him.
Later in the baths.
"Ah… this feels wonderful." Clio bubbled from beneath the water as she moved from one end to the next, the top half of her head sticking out. "It really washes away the pain."
"And what pain do you have?" Akeno asked with a smile but the tone was slightly cold. It wasn't that Akeno didn't like Clio, though on most days it was more like indifference, it was just the last day Clio had done little but gush over Jacob. Akeno wasn't in the mood to hear such things as her own boyfriend was unable to come along due to the trip taking them out of official Gremory Territory and as such Minamoto would be likely a target for the many hitmen standing by to try their luck on collecting the payday his family would provide.
"Lots." Clio said raising out of the water a little. She heard the venom in the words and didn't care. "Would it be so wrong to have the boys come on our side?" There was a slight thud from the other side of the marble wall… then another that sounded more like a well-placed hit to the head. "I know they would enjoy it."
On the Boys side of the bath.
Dante didn't know who to be more disappointed in. Issei or his grandfather. Issei he expected but his grandfather? He was conflicted on that one, he had no idea that his own flesh and… well… neither of them had blood but still his own family was a pervert.
"Why do you abuses your grandfather so?" Julio whimpered mock tears as he rubbed the top of his head.
"Because I will not accept any disreputable behavior." Dante said sternly as he soaked in the large bath. Issei was still trying to see through the wall while Anthony and Yuuto also just soaked the stress of the day away. Jacob had dropped out of a shared bath and headed to his room early. It made Dante smile at the thought the man might be uncomfortable with his own body… unlike himself. But that had caused Dante to berate himself for pumping up his own ego, something his stepfather did at every turn so Dante had learned well to avoid that.
"My grandson… a prude… where did I fail." Julio comically cried. "Oh Lord Death, please forgive my son and his unfun ways."
Later that night.
Rias and Dante were sitting on a platform of ice Dante had made on top of the manor. They both wanted to stare up at the stares like that night on Dante and Minamoto's apartment building. Rias was on a lawn chair like las time but it was mostly due to the cold surface. Dante was perfectly fine on the ice and had made his own chair out of the platform.
"We really should learn their names." Dante chuckled as he pointed up the patterns of stars up in the sky. Rias joined him in a small laugh.
"We should… but I think it's more fun making up names and pretending what they mean." They continue to enjoy the starry night until Dante spoke again.
"Rias… have I been… a bit moody lately. Because I feel like I've been a lot more angry and pissed off lately." Rias thought the question over and to her surprise she found herself agreeing with the theory. Dante never got angry at her or any of their friends, she would even say he didn't actually get mad at Issei… it just looked like it. The two of them would have arguments but they would be over pity small things that neither of them really cared for and it was mostly their stubborn nature more than anything. But so much in the past few weeks had gotten under her boyfriend's skin. Raiser being the biggest. There had also been Zeiveist's meddling that while it did bring them together still felt like a massive invasion of their privacy but then again everything about Zeiveist Charon felt that way. And now there was Jacob that was a constant reminder of the issue that both Dante and Rias hated more than anything, Arranged Marriages.
"There has been a lot to be angry about." Rias sighed before pulling Dante over for a kiss. "But soon so much of those things will be behind us." And just like that, all of Dante's worries and fears melted away. That was the effect Rias had on him, even before they were officially a couple she could make everything about the world feel so right. The moment was ruined/enhanced by the sound of the song Can You Feel the Love Tonight from the Loin King movie, midway through the song. The two looked two to the ground and saw Zeiveist holding a boom box over his head. "He does try his hardest for us." Rias chuckled while Dante just sighed before throwing a snow ball at Zeiveist.
"He can try all he likes but he's still annoyingly into appearing when we are trying to have a private moment."
The ten days went by quickly, everyone worked their hardest to train and grow even the littlest stronger in preparation for the coming Rating Game. The training days were ended with Issei showing the most improvement with a blast that damaged the nearby mountain. A feat that left everyone's jaw dropped, some were able to catch themselves faster than others. And around noon the next day after they returned to the Occult Research Clubhouse they were all waiting for the arrival Grayfia. Yuuto was polishing his sword, Koneko putting on her fighting gear, Rias and Akeno calming themselves with tea, Asia was trying to be as patient as possible and Issei and Dante were off in the corner discussing a certain battle plan.
"I know what you were doing in the forest at night." Dante said darkly. Issei began sweating at the glare Dante was giving him but he knew lying was the wrong move.
"I'm so sorry Sensei! But this is what I'm good at! I now I should be better but…" Dante shhh'd Issei.
"As long as you use this power for good and not evil then I don't care. Do you know how you can use it for good?" Issei shook his head not knowing where Dante was going with this. "Using it on Raiser." Issei's face contorted in horror at the prospects of using his new power on Raiser. "Listen. The only thing keeping me from permanently cutting off the thing that makes Raiser a man is his tacky suit. My Blade of Finally only works on first contact, so unless Raiser has no clothes on… I can't cut the bastard."
"But but but but but… I named it Dress Break because I wanted to use it on dresses and stuff."
"Raiser is a immortal dumbass… my Sacred Gear is the only thing that will affect him and so I need that bastard bare." Seeing that Issei was still on the fence about the whole thing Dante had to pull out his trump card. "Issei… if you do this for me. I give you my blessing… to remember the morning you saw Rias naked."
"Really?"
"You have to ask her too… after the Rating Game. But she'll likely say yes." Dante wasn't sure on that part, he was going on how open Rias was with her body before they were together but he wasn't clear on her policy now. So he made sure to add on the whole you need to ask Rias first just to be safe.
Soon Grayfia arrived and informed them that everything had been set up and that she would be taking them to the battlefield. Once everyone was in the circle they were flashed with the normal light of a magic transport circle. But to Issei and Asia's surprise they were still in the Old Schoolhouse. Akeno explained to them that they were in a separate space molded after Kuoh Academy and since it wasn't real they could do as much damage as they wanted.
"Your attention please…" Grayfia's voice sounded around the peerage and the battle space. "… welcome everyone. My name is Grayfia and a servant in the service of the house of Gremory. I will be refereeing this Rating Game. To create the battlefield you will competing in, I took suggestions from both Lady Rias and Lord Raiser. You may recognize this place as an exact replica of Kuoh Academy, an educational institution in the human world."
"What does that mean?" Issei asked before being directed to the window to see the green sky, shocking both Issei and Asia.
"Shut it. Let's get this started." Dante growled scaring Issei and Asia
"Each team has been given a area that will serve as a home base. Lady Rias will have the Occult Research Clubhouse in the old schoolhouse. While Lord Raiser will occupy the principle's office in the new schoolhouse. Pawns can be promoted once they have reached the enemy home base."
"All right! I'm going to get in there and get promoted to something awesome and beat the shit out of lord douche-nozzle." Issie said completely confident in his plan.
"Yeah… that's not happening." Dante said as he brought out his scythe through the palm of his hand. "You will be here waiting while Akeno sets traps for the incoming sluts and then coming with me and Koneko when we let out… our trump card." At that Dante grinned savagely.
"Yes Dante you can let Cerberus out. But make sure to keep its path of destruction away from Raiser's home base. Issei can't get promoted if the office is in ruins." Rias said as she handed out small magic beads to help with communication. "And if Raiser joins the fight to quickly then things are going to get difficult. We are still outnumbered and even though when have a way around Raiser's immortality we still need to get you and him in fair combat. And we can't do that if he has help."
"So our plan is for me to trap the surrounding area and have Yuuto finish off anyone caught in it." Akeno said before flying out of the room to start on her task.
"Issei." Dante called over. "I need you to lay on the table." Dante ordered with that dangerous look that Issei knew might that there wasn't any refusing what was asked. Issie quickly did as instructed and Rias followed by sitting behind Issei's head, Dante then walked over to Issei and held his hand over his stomach. Eight red ice shards appeared in Issei's body.
"What the shit?" Issei said as he looked down to the impaling frozen shards.
"When you became my pawn, I gave you eight pieces." Rias started. "But what I didn't tell you when this happened was the amount of power you received. But you had gained it all at once your body wouldn't have been able to take it. So me and Dante casted a blocker on this power."
"These shards block and weaken the power flowing through your body, this way we can unlock your power at a rate you can handle." At that Dante reached for the shard impaling his right leg and pulled it out. Issei expected it to hurt but he never even felt it and once it was out he felt like a weight he never noticed was lifted.
"Wow… that felt… weird… but good weird."
"This is only the start. You still have six more blockers to go through." Dante said as the shards sunk back into Issei's body. "The stronger your body is the more you can handle."
"So you guys have been running me ragged because it was good for me." Issei said with tears rolling down his face.
"Why do think we would do that. Now get up, we have destruction to bring upon." Dante said as he walked out of the room with Koneko following behind him. Issei quickly got up and started to follow them out.
"Issei." He stopped and looked back to Rias. "Make sure you keep him from dying out there."
"Sure… I'll do anything for you or Dante." Issei said giving a thumbs up before following the rooks out. When he walked out of the old schoolhouse his jaw dropped. In front of him was a three story turtle like monster with three worm like head coming out the front.
"Hey, get up here!" At that Issei was… eaten by the left head and then regurgitated on to the Glutton's rocky back. Issei was drenched in sticky saliva, he was unable to comprehend just what happened. "Hey." Dante said completely innocently.
"Raiser is displeased at what he is seeing." Raiser said as he watched the massive affront to his eyes crash into the gymnasium. Rias' two Rooks and her single Pawn stood on the three heads. He had planned on taking that area as a staging fake ground while three of his pawns went the long way from the rear. But now this… thing had ruined his plans.
"My lord… what it is it you wish to do?" His Queen asked.
"Proceed with the rear flank. And send both Rooks with the original three pawns. That boy can't possibly be worth any more than that. And you shall be on standby in case the Grim brat manages to pull some miracle and beat his opponent."
Dante watched as the gymnasium crumbled under Cerberus' feet. he wanted to move forward to the math classes, it would bring him no small amount of satisfaction from destroying them.
"Odd it's taking so long for the to counter attack?" Issei asked from the right head bringing Dante back from his thoughts. "I mean were not being that sneaky here."
"No arguing that!" The Gremory Devils looked down to the roof of the school and saw four women and two girls. Dante grunted at the sight of them, he still very much disagreed with what they appeared to be for Raiser.
"Issei… Gear now." Dante ordered as he formed a torrent of ice shards across the Devils. "Start boosting while we handle them." Dante said before raining down the frozen projectiles, the two Rooks behind the frozen storm. Dante moved to the Rook with the mask over half her face while Koneko the other Rook. The two free heads of Cerberus distracted the Pawns while Issei continued to Boost his power. "How nice that I find a barehanded fighter." Dante said as he pressed on with his attacks on the masked Rook. "Not only that…" Dante smirked as the ground around them grew frozen and frosted over. "But that want to be playboy has his lackeys wear so little… makes you just that much more weak to me." Dante smirked but in that moment of confidence was hit to the face sending him skidding back.
"If you think a little chill could bother me you'll be sadly mistaken." The Rook said as she walked toward Dante. "I am Isabella of the honorable Lord Raiser Phenex…" She said as she pulled Dante by his collar and prepared to finish him off with one last punch to the face. "And you are nothing compared to him!" She yelled out as she punched Dante only for the body to shatter in to millions of pieces of ice.
"Aw… to bad… but I'm fighting for a little more than a few extra hours in the sack." Dante said from behind the Rook before motioning to the shattered pieces that shot forward at the Rook. The Rook was saved a painful death by the Rating Game eliminating her.
"One of lord Raiser's Rooks have been eliminated." Grayfia announced. Dante turned to the near by fight, seeing Koneko holding her own against the other Rook and Issei starting his attack… yup… he just used his new power. Dante slid his hand over his face in embarrassment before ordering Cerberus to finish off the Pawns as they were unwilling to defend themselves while naked. Grayfia quickly announced the eliminations.
"What the hell man?!" Issei yelled at Dante with tears running down his face.
"This war, not a peep show. Know what we're fighting for. Rias' freedom." Dante said before starting off to Koneko and her fight. He waved his fellow Rook signaling her to send her opponent over to him. With a punch she sent the Phenex Rook towards Dante, Dante caught the flying girl on his scythe, the force of the impact eliminated her instantly. "And with that… we have won round one." Dante said as he watched the various holes in the roof for anyone hoping to catch them off guard. "We need to get moving, we still have two Knights, Bishops, five pawns, and a Queen." Dante had been a bit worried about the Queen, while Raiser would be over confident and likely not excepting his Blade to actually wound him, Dante could lose that if he showed his hand to quickly. And he didn't think he take on Raiser's Queen without it.
"So what do we do now." Koneko asked as she approached the two boys. Dante continued to watch for signs of attack from the roof but he neglected attack from the air. There was only a second of warning for Dante to raise a wall of ice between them and the coming explosion.
"And they have lost their Rook." Julio said as he and the other heads of the Nergal family watched the Rating Game. "And here I thought that we were going to get perfect game."
"Enough, we are not hear to listen to your jokes. We are here to judge your grandson." The man at the head of the table said, never taking his eyes off the screen while he rested his head on his crossed fingers. "He shows promise… but I would like to see him more in combat. Alone. Without the others."
"His mastery of Chill is impressive. He takes to it like it was as natural as breathing." Another said.
"I've heard when angered the surrounding temperature drops in response. A clear sign of his skill. Few reach such a level at a early age.
"I wish to see his Crown, Julio, have you seen it?"
"No I have not, but from the way he and his King are so confident I assume it is either End or Frost. Or the Gremory girl has something else planned."
"Did anyone notice the fact the other boy has the Boosted Gear?" A few looked closer at Issei while others nodded, a few grunted dismissively. "The Red Dragon Emperor could be a great Ally for one of our own."
"Regardless, as I said before this is to judge Dante Alighieri and no one else. It is his performance here that decides his standing with us." The man at the head of the table turned his eyes on Dante's grandfather. "He may be what you claim but should he join this House, he will up hold the name of Nergal." Julio forced himself to stop the gulp that was trying to sound from him. What he neglected to tell his grandson and Rias was that Jacob maybe a placeholder for Dante but that could change at the whim of the heads of house. Should Dante do anything that would disfavor himself to the house then they would keep the marriage contract between Rias and Jacob for simple spite.
Dante looked over the shattered edges of the shield he had made for him and Issei. His eyes looked around for any sign of Koneko. He then focused on her body under a slab of concrete before she disappeared in a blue flash.
"One of Lady Rias' Rooks has been eliminated." Dante teeth grinded as the announcement come over the battlefield. He quickly snapped out of the rage that had come and reinforced the shild all around him and Issei in case of another attack.
"Oh damn… looks like I hit the wrong one." Dante looked up to see Raiser's Queen flying above them. "Now come out little boys and give up the fight. You won't win, you can't win."
"Oh shut up!" Dante said from the dome of ice. "I can feel the sexual frustration from getting such piss poor performance from down here!" Dante baited. "Oh Raiser you're so good… said no one!" Dante continued to do this as the Queen Yubelluna rained down explosion after explosion at the dome. Dante and Issei had already dropped down into the school from a hole made by Dante through the roof.
"Is the fool dead yet?" Yubelluna growled out when she noticed the taunts had ceased.
"No, they survived… your aim needs improving." The Phenex Queen turned around to see the Gremory Queen flying a few feet behind her.
"I see, but that won't be the case for long. You all have no hope, lord Raiser will beat that repulsive Grim into the ground." Yubelluna smirked.
"My my… it seems Dante really does have me beat when it comes to getting under your peerage's skin." Akeno chuckled.
"On that we can agree…" She said before sending a blast of fire toward Akeno.
"Why are we watching this garbage brother?" Famine asked as he chucked a severed head across the room. "We already checked that piece of trash he's not… Ooo… there's that half-breed I played with."
"Be quiet! The Reaper caught my eye and I wish to watch him fight a Immortal." Conquest said as he watched the slightly damaged screen. The three Horsemen were in a small outpost at the very edges of Hell and caught the guards while they were distracted watching the Rating Game Though it wasn't like the three needed the advantage given who they were.
"Umm… Sensei? What's the plan now?" Issei asked as they took a small rest in one the classrooms. They were not far from the principal's office but neither of them knew exactly who might be guarding the room. It could be a single Pawn or Raiser himself. But to the two of them the latter would make things easier.
"We wait… Raiser still has too many pieces for us. We need to wait until we have gotten him down to as little many pieces as we can get. The less they have the less I have to deal with when I cut that jackass's manhood off." Dante growled out in such a way that sent chills down Issei's spine and made him reach for his crouch in defensive instinct.
"I hate that douche too but Sensei… I think you might be taking this a bit…" Issei shut up at the glare he got from Dante.
"You haven't see Rias cry over this. You haven't heard of what she would have to suffer through if we lose. I am not just beating Raiser, I'm making a statement to everyone in Hell. Rias has made her choice and no one has the power to change that." As if the world had decided to make sure that the conversion ended there.
"Three Pawns in the service of Lord Raiser have been eliminated."
"Good, that leaves him with only two Pawns left. So all we have to deal with is them and two Knights, the Bishops, and Raiser himself." I'm sure Akeno can handle that bitch." Dante said as he walked pass Issei and out into the hallway. "Come on!" Issei rushed to follow Dante after his command. The hallway seemed to be way more scary to Issei with it empty and dark. They rounded another corner and saw the door to the principle's office with a small light emanating from it.
As they moved toward the office Issei couldn't stop thinking about what Dante had said. He hadn't seen her cry or thought once about what might happen to her if they lost… to Issei's credit he didn't think they could lose. But the mare idea of Rias drying filled him with so much anger, it was because of her that Issei was where he was. It was because of Dante that he was the person he was. He owed so much to the two of them. If it wasn't for them he would most likely be at Matsuda's house watching some porno but no, he was a badass Devil on track to become king of the harems. (He's still Issei) So he was going to fight, he was going to fight with everything he had, because that is what Rias and Dante deserved out of him, that was the bare minimum what he could do for them.
"Do you think Raiser is in there?"
"Not sure… but I think someone is." Dante crouched down and tried his best to sneak over to the door. He leaned in closer to try and hear anything going on inside. Not hearing any feminine moans he assumed that either Raiser was alone or not in at all. He pushed the door open and saw a blond girl sitting on the desk wearing a very pink dress. But to Dante's luck she was facign the other way.
"Took you long enough." She said in an annoyed tone. "Brother is going to…" She stopped when Dante's blade touched her neck.
"So… you are Raiser's sister… that's disgusting." Dante said bluntly but he didn't actually believe what he implied, just said it as a tactic to throw her off balance or to possibly get insight on Raiser.
"Oh please get your mind out of the gutter you piece of trash." The girl said with what appered to be without fear of the very sharp blade against her neck. But Dante could see that see was nervous, likely she had yet to live through her first true death and rebirth. The whole Phenex family disgusted Dante, they shunned Lord Death so blatantly. Life only meant something if it could end, at least Devils could die from other means if not age but the Phenex family did not. He wasn't sure if he cut off one their heads with his Blade of Finality that they would actually die or if they would have a headless horsemen type of situation. "I simply wanted to be part of my brother's peerage because I was bored."
"Very well… but you are still an enemy. But maybe we could work something out…" That had caught the girl's attention. "Tell your brother to forfeit and I won't remove his ability to sire children." The girl laughed at Dante's threat.
"You! Threaten a Noble of the House of Phenex? How…" Her eyes widened at the sight of Dante's Crown of Death and then at the moving engravings on his blade as they tried to reach out to her flesh. The engraved skeletons reached out and began pulling at bands of light around her neck, and each one they ripped apart she felt like a piece of her feel… vulnerable. But then she remembered the weakness of this Blade of Bone. It could only work on first contact. And her brother had a full suit on. The Only reason this Grim had been able to reach her neck was because he sneaked up behind her. "You won't win, Raiser will win and you will be nothing but memory for Rias." She watched as the Grim Reaper removed his Crown of Death and pulled his blade away. "So you see…" She stopped talking once Dante smacked her upside the head with the back of his scythe.
"That's better… Issei!" Dante called out to the hallway. "Promote to Knight, we need the speed if your going to be able to land a hand on Raiser." At that Issei looked away trying to be as small as he could. He still had… issues with this plan. Issues that were still hard to overcome even with Dante's promise. But before Issei could voice this they heard another announcement from Grayfia.
"Lady Rias' Queen has been eliminated." That shocked both Dante and Issei.
"Damn… Raiser still has his Queen. I'm not liking our odds here." Dante said trying to think out a strategy. He remembered what Rias had told him of Raiser's Queen, Yubelluna the Bomb Queen, focuses on explosions and lived up to her nickname with her proficiency with them. Dante could likely handle her with any assistance from either Issei or Yuuto. The problem was there was still a uncounted for Bishop and Dante had no clue what she could do. And then the Knights, Dante was sure that either he our Yuuto could finish them off, Issei not so much. And lastly the Pawns, if they got to the Clubhouse then things were really in trouble. "I think we might need to regroup and figure out a new plan.
"Yeah… um… how?" At that Dante smiled again. the next thing Issei knew… everything was crashing down around him and then he rose up into the air. He looked down and saw that Cerberus had once again come out to play. The school lay in complete ruins as the massive monster crashed through the building like it wasn't even there. The three heads moved back and forth as if they were sniffing out where the closest meal was as they lick their faces with their elongated tongues. The Glutton then began moving towards the old schoolhouse. Its feet creating disk like imprints with each step. "Hey! over there!" Issei pointed to the track field where Yuuto was in combat with one of Raiser's knights. The rest of the Peerage watching the whole thing in a semi-circle around the fight. But they stopped watching when they heard the incoming footsteps. "Okay… now they've seen us… what now?"
"This." Dante said with the most evil smile Issei had ever seen on him. "Yuuto, I'm going to let Cerberus do that thing it did with the Ovinnik!" The second Dante yelled down that warning to Yuuto, the Knight's face went pale and he started running to the nearest tree to get to the top of it, momentarily forgetting that he could simply fly above the incoming nastiness. It was much to the dismay of the Phenex Knight who was calling Yuuto a coward and the confusion of the other Phenex girls. Their confusion was cleared up when they turned back around and to their horror saw a wave of Glutton vomit and digestive fluid come roaring toward them. Yuuto was saved from the horrible fate of the Phenex Devils as the flood of half disgusted sludge didn't reach the top of the tree he was holding on to… but the smell did.
"Lord Raiser's remaining Pawns, Knights, and one of his Bishops have been eliminated." Grayfia announced over the sound of Dante laughing at the misfortune of the fallen Devils.
"Well that certainly was one way to finish them off." Rias said as she touched down on the head Dante was standing on with Asia next to her. "All that is left is Raiser and his Queen and one more Bishop."
"Nah, the Bishop is out could somewhere in the ruins." Dante pointed to the mess that was the school. "I'm sure she's fine." Dante said sarcastically before turning serious. "And know we are left with Lord soon to be neutered and the eventual Queen of…" Dante stopped when he saw Asia staring at him, completely innocent and uncorrupted by the world. "Never mind."
"But where is Raiser?" And just like that, they were answered but a ball of fire hitting Asia and eliminating her from the game.
"Right here my beloved Rias." Raiser announced from above them. Rias, Dante, and Issei all turned up to see Raiser flying there with his Queen next to him. "Why don't we end this now and you forfeit, it would make things so much easier on you."
"Never, I will never marry you! I love Dante and no one else, and nothing you do can change that!"
"Boo! Get back to the fighting!" Famine yelled as he threw his drink at the screen.
"Shut up!" Conquest yelled.
"Even with that as it is my beloved Rias, that does not change the fact you will lose this match. And will remain betrothed to me. There is no one that can beat me. Not even…" Raiser stopped talking at being pushed a bit back by the three shards of ice impaling his shoulder. He looked back from the injury to see Dante flying toward him with his scythe mid-swing. Raiser's Queen moved to stop the Reaper but was soon preoccupied by Rias' own attacks. Raiser blocked Dante's swing with his hand, the blade cut into his skin but his healing powers were able to heal faster than the blade cutting into him could slice. "Ha, as I thought. You like all other lack the power to even truly wound Raiser."
"Quit talking like that!" Dante yelled as he covered his other hand in ice and stabbed Raiser in the gut. "Issei now!" Raiser looked behind him and saw Rias' Pawn move to touch him but before Issei could make contact both him and Dante were pushed back in a wave of fire and wind. It wasn't enough to eliminate either of them but enough to push them back. "Do you think Raiser a fool, Raiser is no fool and knows to do research on his opponents. Raiser know that you gutter trash Grim possess the God Mainer, the Blade of Finality. But your accursed Blade shall never touch Raiser's flawless skin. And Raiser saw that disgusting little power this urchin used on my servants, Raiser will never be defiled by such a perverted power." At that Raiser sent a stream of fire toward Issei, Dante was able to block the fire with a wall of Ice but unlike that time the fire was severely melting the wall.
"Issei… I don't the plan is going to work. This bastard is going to do everything in his power to avoid being touched by you." Dante said as he continued to pour in magical energy into the wall.
"Does that mean we can't beat this guy?!"
"No… just means that I'm going to have carve Raiser up until that suit of his opens up enough to where I can land a solid hit." Soon the flames died down and only because Yuuto had joined in and started attacking Raiser. "You stand back and try to Boost as much as you can." Dante said as he left to join Yuuto in attacking Raiser.
Issei looked down at his Boosted Gear, he was so useless. He knew that Dante was counting on his new power to give him an opening but he had shown it on those three Pawns and gave it away. Now Raiser was looking out for it.
"Hey… Red Dragon Emperor guy, if you can hear me at all then respond by lending me your power."
"Dragon Booster!" Issei felt a small increase to his overall power but not nearly enough.
"I need more than that! I ask you to fully connect with my emotions. Boosted Gear!"
"Dragon Booster, Second Liberation!" At that Issei was surrounded in a pillar of green energy that blasted the air around them throwing everyone off their balance a bit. They all turned to the new event and saw Issei come out of the pillar with his Boosted Gear having grown further. Raiser and Yubelluna were unconcerned and continued to fight but the Gremory Devils knew that when Issei's power increased like this it could only be good for them.
"Dante! Use your Sacred Gear on Raiser now!" Issei called out once Issei somehow understood what power gained. Dante looked suspiciously at Issei but brought out his Crown of the End anyways. He would trust his friend and student, as he knew that everyone in Rias' peerage understood what was at stake. The second Dante placed the band of metal around his head the blade on his scythe began glow a deep red and the engraving began moving out.
Raiser chuckled at the ploy. No matter what the Pawn thought he could do the Blade of Finality could only cut the first object it made contact with. After that it returned to a normal blade. Raiser then decided to make his point that they could not win and stood still as the attack came. The Grim swung his sword down, its destination was a slash across the chest.
"Transfer!" A green light shot from Issei's Boosted Gear and to Dante's scythe. And in the next few minutes everything seemed to stand still. Raiser was falling back, a gash across his chest and it wasn't healing back up in a flare of flames as per normal injuries. Everyone in the game and many watching were wide eyed as they watched the prince of the Phenex House fell from the sky with a grave injury. But soon Grayfia brought the moment back to the real world.
"Lord Raiser is no longer able to continue on, the game is here by called as a victory to Lady Rias of the Gremory House."
Author's notes
AND done… wow… that was a long to time coming. While I don't feel like I might have made the Raiser fight as long or intense as I would like it was how I think it would go down, with his arrogance being his downfall.
And at that we have hit the 100k mark. And I will be tabling this story for a while as I have seven other stories that need attention. I thank you all for your support and hope to hear from any of you in the reviews and remember that I am open to any PMs if you wish to know anything that might be coming up. It helps me work out the plot and details if I can talk about them. But until then… see you all next time.
Reviews
Ph0enix17 – Dante will get a second form move but just wait… sorry. But thank you very much for reviewing.
FluffySheepLion _ hey, welcome back and good bye… sorry. But thank you for keeping up with the story and I really thank you once again for Cerberus, it has become a great part of the story.
Superprime- doubt you will read this but thank you for taking the time to review. I understand that Dante is not exactly canon friendly. But I couldn't very well do anything like the canon, these are set in vastly different times and environments. Thank you for your take on my story.