Alright, alright, I know that this chapter is so damn late, but those that have PM-ed me should know why. Suffice to say, I got sick, really sick. I'm a person that is really easy to get sick, especially when it's raining. Brrr, I just can't handle the cold. Like usual, I thank all of you that have followed and favorited this story, although it has such a random schedule. Before we get to the chapter though, I want to adress a guest review. They said that Chrome is weak, although he is supposed to be who all of you know who he is. My answer is, he changed. He is no longer the bloodthirsty self he is used to be. He now has a family, and for dragons, their family, or pack, is much more important than just personal pride. Besides Azazel was just joking with Chrome. I mean, c'mon, have you never seen that kind of dad jokes between your father and his friends? I always see them all the time, though it's probably because I'm also quite old now... *cough* Anyway, that's for this author note. Happy Reading.
P.S. I own nothing except the plot, and the new DxD anime art is not that good compared to the old ones.
Chapter X
The Gremory peerage could be seen standing on the foot of a mountain. All of them could be seen carrying large bags with weights. It could be seen that the one carrying the largest of them all was Koneko.
"Telling us to wait here and yet the ones who are late, just what are those guys thinking?" Koneko whispered in complain.
"Now, now, Koneko. Maybe they're still preparing the training equipment for us?" Yuuto tried to calm Koneko down.
Just as Yuuto finished his words, Astaroth teleportation circle appeared on the ground near them. From it appeared the two persons that proposed this entire training camp idea. Diodora was still in casual clothes similar to what he wore yesterday while Issei was also wearing his white armor. Both of them were carrying huge bags on them, much larger than the ones that the Gremory peerage carried.
"Dammit, Hakumen, why do I have to bring all of this thing with me? It's heavy," Diodora complained.
"Aren't you the one that is courting my sister, Astaroth? How can you date a dragoness if you aren't strong enough to protect her?" Issei countered. At that reply, Astaroth shut up.
"Oh yeah, hey, Kiba, here," Issei said as he threw another large bag at Yuuto.
Catching it, Yuuto couldn't even stand normally any longer due to the weight.
"W-wait, H-Hakumen-san, w-what is this?" Kiba said as he adjusted the new weight addition.
"You're a Knight, aren't you? That is to increase your speed and stamina. Now if there's no question, let's climb," Issei said and then began to climb with Diodora.
"W-wait, what about your bags? For what purposes are those?" Rias asked.
"Oh? These are for our own training. Didn't you hear? This guy is courting a dragoness, so it's only right that he at least has a physical strength comparable to a dragon," Issei answered.
Looking at the enormous size of the bags, it's obvious just how heavy those bags were. Rias and Akeno could sense how there's no lightening magic at all, while Yuuto and Koneko could sense how those bags were truly heavy. One can only guess how strong those guys were.
"That Diodora guy, I thought he was a long-ranged fighter like Akeno-senpai. Looks like I'm wrong," Koneko said in surprise.
"Strength comparable to a dragon, huh. I wonder how strong that is compared to devils," Yuuto laughed nervously at the end of his words.
"Ara are, what do you think, Buchou?" Akeno asked Rias.
"T-this is really surprising. The last time I saw Diodora, he's nowhere this strong. Even with Ajuka's help, I can only wonder what kind of training he does," Rias answered.
At the end of those words, Diodora could be seen sneezing really loud.
"Oi, don't just dawdle around there! We have to reach the summit before the sun is at the topmost position," Issei as he turned his head back.
"Coming!" the Gremory peerage said at the same time.
With that, the Gremory peerage also climbed the mountain behind the future-brothers-in-law duo.
"*whistle* Now that's what I call a big mansion," Issei remarked as the group reached the summit.
"Even I have to admit that this mansion of yours are nice, Rias," Diodora said.
"Alright, now all of you should put down your belongings first, then we will start our training," Issei said.
After the peerage dropped their things inside the mansion, they went back to the courtyard in front of the mansion where Issei and Diodora were waiting. Both of them also had dropped the huge bags they carried, probably sent back to their original places via teleportation magic.
"So, Hakumen-san, what are we going to do for training?" Rias asked the masked guy.
"Alright, so Gremory-san and Himejima-san are going to fight Astaroth. Kiba and Toujou-san will fight me. We're going to see how you fight first before planning the training schedule," Issei answered.
"2 on 1? Aren't you gonna be overwhelmed, Hakumen-san?" Akeno asked.
"Don't worry about me. My draconic physique is strong enough to face two of you at the same time. And Astaroth doesn't deserve my sister if he can't even handle this. On that note though, can you please go all out and use your Fallen Angel powers, Himejima-san?" Issei replied. Astaroth let out an indignant shout at the statement where he didn't deserve Asia.
At Issei's words, the group's atmosphere suddenly went tense.
"How, how did you know?" Rias stuttered.
"Hmm? I have quite a few Fallen Angel acquaintances and know their smell, so I can know one from kilometers away," Issei nonchalantly said.
At the answer, the group relaxed a bit.
"Acquaintances? Who are they, Hakumen-san?" Akeno asked.
"Well, I met Azazel's daughter recently. And I also met the pervert once when I was a child. I don't remember it clearly though," Issei half-lied. He wasn't even conscious when his father and Azazel conversed.
"Well, alright, if that's what you want. But don't cry if you lose, alright?" Rias confidently said.
"We will see," Diodora smirked in response.
"We... lost...?" Rias said in disbelief as the Gremory peerage lied on the ground.
"You did," Issei confirmed as he dispelled his claws.
"B-but how? How can you use Fallen Angel's abilities?" Akeno asked Diodora, who somehow pulled a book out of nowhere and now was reading it, while his eyes still closed.
"I fought a Fallen Angel once. I copied his powers back then," Diodora answered while flipping a page.
"And you even copied Akeno's attacks, how?" Rias also asked.
"Her magics are just normal magic fused together to form complex new ones. Since it's not a clan ability like your Power of Destruction, I can easily copy it given enough time," Diodora answered.
"So, should you be the one to give out an explanation why they lost, or should I?" Issei asked.
"Hm... I think you should. I want to finish this book first," Diodora nonchalantly said.
"Alright, then we will start from the weakest one."
At Issei's words, the whole peerage tensed.
"The weakest is... Kiba," Issei turned to look at the blonde swordsman.
"M-me?!" the blonde said in surprise.
"You're fast, and your swordsmanship is something that I have to admit even I can't compare to right now, but that's where your advantage ends. Your body can't take a hit, and that will be a huge disadvantage since you're going to fight an enemy with more numbers than you. You're basically like a glass cannon. Once used, it breaks. And the last thing is, you're too damn noble. I know you're a Knight, and not that being noble is a bad thing, but I know what kind of guy the chicken is once I saw him. He will play dirty if he has to, and sometimes you have stoop to the same level if you want to win," Issei explained.
Yuuto looked like he was hit by bricks at Issei's explanation, but it's not like it's wrong. Maybe he had to swallow his pride and play dirty if he wanted to win against Riser's peerage.
"That's why for the next few days, you're going to wear weights on your body while fighting against me one-on-one. You can dodge, but you can't move. This's to increase your physical strength, stamina, and reflexes, and your speed to a lesser extent," Issei continued.
Kiba nodded in agreement at the training plan.
"And the next is, Rias."
The Gremory heiress just nodded in acknowledgement.
"To be honest, you have the firepower. What you lack is control. The Power of Destruction is strong sure, but you can't just throw it around like a bunch of flowers. What you really need right now is creativity, that and experience. You have to learn how to make your attacks more efficient and dangerous to your enemies. Remember, in wars, the winner lives, the loser dies," Issei said in a fatalistic tone.
"In this aspect, you will be guided by Diodora. Because honestly? I suck at magic, even with my draconic enhancement," Issei gestured towards Diodora, who nodded in acknowledgement. The group laughed at Issei's honesty, but then the situation turned serious once again.
"And... *sigh* Frankly, I don't know what I'm going to do with both of you right now, Toujou-san, Himejima-san. In terms of control, firepower, strength and et cetera, the two of you are the most balanced at this group. I know that you haven't give it your all yet," the two became tense at Issei's words, "but I know you have your own reasons for it. So, I won't pry and for now we can just focus on increasing you experiences in battles, understood?"
Both of them nodded in affirmative.
"Alright, then, get up. It's time to train," Issei said as he summoned his claws again. Diodora also closed his book and put it in some place.
"Wait, like, right now?" Rias asked.
"Yes, right now," Issei nodded.
And so Gremory peerage knew the training hell from the brothers-in-law duo.
At night, the group, except Issei, could be seen resting in a room in the mansion. Except for Diodora that was normally flipping the pages of his book, everyone else was breathing heavily.
"T-this's truly a training camp from Hell. I'm so exhausted," Yuuto said.
"U-un," Koneko agreed.
"Be prepared then, because it seems tomorrow will be worse than this," Diodora cruelly added as he flipped another page. At that comment, everyone groaned in displeasure.
The silence was then broken by the ORC President.
"Hey, Diodora," Rias said.
"What?"
"Why did you and Hakumen-san carry those large bags? I mean, I know about your reason, but I don't think that Hakumen-san needed to do that. Except that he's also in training," Rias asked in curiosity.
After showing an annoyed expression to what happened that morning for an instant, Diodora schooled his expression and answered, "Well, I can't say I know anything about my 'beloved' brother-in-law, but if I have to guess..."
"If you have to guess...?" the Gremory peerage droned in curiosity at the same time.
"I think his reason is similar to mine. At least, I don't think our reasons aren't that dissimilar," Diodora let out a wistful smile while the Gremory peerage just tilting their heads in confusion.
"*cough* Don't think too much about it, alright? Just focus on resting so that you can focus on your training tomorrow," Diodora said. At that the peerage let out another groan.
Outside the mansion, Issei could be seen sitting atop the grasses while looking upwards at the moon. His mask lying beside him.
[Thinking about someone, Issei?] Albion's voice suddenly appeared.
"Albion? Why did you just appear now? And I don't know what you're talking about," Issei answered.
[*snort* I just slept. Even a bodiless dragon like me need one, you know. And we know where this's going to lead to, Issei. Just be honest,] Albion said.
"... *sigh* I guess you're right, Albion. It's just... It's been 10 years since I last saw her. *chuckle* I'm sure she's become more beautiful woman now 10 years have passed," Issei said wistfully.
[Ah, thinking about your mate.]
"For the last time, she's not my mate, Albion," Issei denied exasperatedly.
[*snort* Say what you will, Issei. I know it. Your father knows it. Your mother knows it. And hell, I'm pretty sure that perv, Azazel, knows it too,] Albion said sarcastically.
"... Even if that's true, she might not like me back, you know," Issei whispered.
[You admit that you like her then?]
"And I'm not going to answer that one."
[Whatever makes you sleep at night, Issei. Whatever makes you sleep at night. We all know you fell in love with her at the first sight,] Albion once again said in sarcastic tone.
As the silence descended once more, Albion decided to speak a little bit more.
[Or... did your feelings to protect her change after all of this time?]
"*snort* They aren't, and you know it. Its's just, for all this time I wanted to become strong just so that I can protect her you know, but then my memory came back, and I realize the stake is higher than I realized before," Issei admitted.
[... Rizevim, huh.]
"Yeah, Rizevim..."
At the name, Issei's gaze sharpened. If someone that knew his father saw that him, they would recognize that gaze. That's the gaze that his father had back in his younger days, back when he hadn't settled down yet, back when he was also known as the "Dragon of Slaughter". A gaze full of hatred, rage, and madness that's worthy to belong to the so called "Evil Dragon of Evil Dragon'.
'Rizevim...,' as Issei repeated the name in his mind, he gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.
'You will pay.'
Okay, so you have read the training chapter. I know some of you are eager to see Ana back into the picture, so I will give you huys two choices. We can go the usual way, with the battle against Chicken and all. Or we can just skip that to the reunion with Ana and where Issei fights Chicken's peerage all by himself. Anyway, tell me your choice via PM or review. Once again, I'm sorry for the really late chapter and if there's any mistakes in the writings .I won't give you guys false hope that the next chapter will be up next week, but please, cross your fingers. And if any of you have questions, feel free to ask me via PM or review.
May We Meet Again.
P.S. Once again, if any of you is interested in my upcoming RWBY or Persona 3 fics that I write as side projects, just PM me. And I'm also working on an additional Date A Live side project right now. Don't worry I will focus on them after I finished PDE's first season.