Chapter 25: Rating Game battle. A difficult onslaught.
Opening 1: Sequentia - Asriel
Riser had his eyes closed with an arrogant smirk. He had his arms cross-linked, waiting for the teens to arrive.
"So, you all have arrived." Riser spoke.
"The damned were just cannon fodder for us to fight. That's nothing compared to anything we faced before." Aristides snarled.
"Aren't we all battle hungry? Now that you came here in this arena, I will be in glee to watch you and that other boy suffer as I make a fool out of you both." Riser taunted.
"You'll do well not to underestimate, fiery chicken." Aristides retorted.
The cocky retort in Riser's mind was offensive fo him. Aristides, Issei and Kunou noticed it.
'Seems like I/he touched a nerve...' The teens thought simultaneously.
"Choose your words carefully, human. I'll turn your body to ash so nothing of you will remain." Riser warned.
"We'll just see about that. I didn't come here for a verbal assault." Aristides retorted.
"Ah yes. The Rating Game. The unfortunate part is that there are three of you. I have fifteen members and including me, that makes 16." Riser boasted.
"Numbers don't dictate one's strength. Even the 300 Spartans were able to fight off the Persian Army, crippling it." Aristides countered.
"Yet, they died for nothing. Enough talk. Let's settle this." Riser said.
"Bring it on, flame breath." Aristides agreed.
Before an announcement was heard, Son Wukong appeared at the sitting arrangement. Near him, Cloud and the others arrived.
"The kid has grown up. I can sense he has become strong." Sun Wukong said.
"He does. Aristides even has the same sword as you, Cloud." Tifa said.
"I'm proud to see a fellow friend follow my late comrade's teachings. Without him, defeating Sephiroth would be difficult." Cloud admitted.
"He's always hardworking, risking his well-being for others he cares for. I wouldn't be surprised if he's going this far." Nanaki said.
"Yeah... He's always the risk taker, but he always make sure to fulfill his quest." Cait Sith commented.
"This match is against a Devil, someone whom Aristides hates. I don't blame him since I had my hate for that Shinra cooperation years ago. It's good to see some old fashion payback on a damn platter." Barret said.
"I'll admit, he was a numbskull, especially during the Geostigma crisis. Despite that, even though he was younger, he was a badass motherfucker, I'll give him that." Cid comically spoke, much to the ire of his friends.
"He helped me with my sins. I'm grateful for that so I'll help in return." Vincent said.
"He reminds me a lot of Cloud. I can also see he has two Materia gifted to him." Yuffie said.
Soon, Grayfia began to announce the beginning of the battle.
Issei and Kunou noticed Cloud and the others. They were shocked to noticed them.
"So this is what you meant back in Mount Olympus... You sly dog." Issei laughed.
"They're my friends from a different place called Gaia. Don't be mistaken, it's almost like Earth, but different in many ways. These people have been with me since the Geostigma crisis." Aristides explained.
Kunou knew the story while Issei recalled it. Needless to say, he was surprised.
"You called them here?" Kunou asked.
"Guilty as charged. I did mention 'a landslide will come.' To make it synonymous, Cloud's group is called AVALANCHE." Aristides explained.
"Hahahahaha. Good riddle there, Aristides. I'm glad to meet the friends you described in your journey in Gaia." Issei said.
Soon, the coliseum began to pulse. The three teens sensed the sudden shift of the area.
"Looks like the battle is beginning." Aristides noted.
"The Rating Game will commence. Riser Phenex of the Phenex household vs Aristides Miyamoto, demi-god of Olympus and protector of Kyoto. Everyone ready? BEGIN!" Grayfia announced.
Aristides, Issei and Kunou all equipped their swords. The battle began the moment Grayfia shouted.
"Much of this place feels like a maze. Probably intended to make ambushes and traps. Plus, the gravity feels slightly stronger." Issei said.
"I agree. This is probably preventing anyone from flying. I wonder if it's temporary." Kunou pondered.
"Everyone, this maze will continue to stay in place till the opponents face each other. By then, the maze will disappear." Grayfia announced.
"A mental battle, huh? It works in both ways." Aristides remarked.
"How so?" Issei asked.
"Combatants in a maze tend to lose their minds as they progress. Since Riser is a Phenex, his mind will suffer. Also, this maze must be enchanted by magic since I can feel something from within the walls." Aristides noted.
"Let's find Riser as we explore in this maze." Kunou said.
"I agree. However, don't stray too far. I don't want to lose you guys in the maze." Aristides said.
Kunou and Issei nodded in response. They followed the demi-god as he walked through the maze.
'This maze is affecting my mind if we stay away from Aristides... Better to stay close to him.' Issei thought.
After a grueling hour of wandering the maze, Aristides and Riser met. The maze suddenly collapsed.
(Play Final Fantasy VII OST - Let the battles begin)
"We meet at last... Too bad you will not win this fight." Riser proclaimed.
The majority of the walls for the maze collapsed, showing the whole arena. Some walls remained, acting as a blockade against ranged attacks.
"This battlefield is my domain, you insolent fool!" Riser shouted.
Aristides, Kunou and Issei felt the ground was emitting heat. He likened it to the same feeling from the Abominable Sands.
"Setting the ground on fire... How petulant..." Aristides commented.
He commanded his divine light to extinguish the flames. Riser felt the divine aura, causing his skin to shiver, albeit slightly.
"You wield Divine Light... I know not to mess with that aura." Riser said.
Aristides leaped to him, hoisting his sword above his head to strike him down. Before his blade touched Riser, a woman suddenly appeared, holding a zweihänder enshrouded in fire.
"I won't allow you to go near him." The woman said.
"Who are you!?" Aristides snarled.
The woman was tall and young with long black hair with a dark blue tint and brown eyes. Her hair features five thin ponytails going around her head, which are held up by a golden hair accessory on top of her head. Her outfit consists of a white top with black accents that is modeled after a Chinese cheongsam, red shorts, and armored, knee-high boots with matching gauntlets. The top features a diamond shape on the chest area. She had a a giant Zweihänder that is mounted on her back. It features a black blade with silver edges, and has a black hilt with a red handle.
"I'm known as Siris, Knight of Riser. I shall be your opponent." The woman named Siris said.
Aristides began channeling his energy through his sword to fight Siris. He had a fierce expression on his face.
"You're just a nuisance, Knight. Begone!" Aristides said.
Using his divine power channeled through the sword, he swung with enough force to create a strong wave.
"Light of Judgment!"
The wave raced its way to Siris, whom attempted to counter it with a blast of heat. Despite the wave giving a challenge to her attack, she refused to stand down.
"Your attacks may hold on, but how long will you last?" Aristides asked.
Channeling his aura to the wave, the crescent beam cleaved through the blast of fire, injuring Siris. She was knocked back with a large gash on her body, causing blood to spout from her wound.
"You're just a blind Knight, whom doesn't realize her master is but a tyrant... Perish." Aristides coldly stated.
He attempted to plunge the blade to finish her, but Siris persisted. She swiped his legs, knocking Aristides down. She got her weapon and attempted to stab him. The demi-god merely smirked before defending himself against Siris's attacks. He barely wasted any stamina as he blocked them or knocked them aside.
"You Phenex members may have control over fire and wind, but that doesn't save you for what you will see." Aristides warned.
With the next clash of their blades about to occur, Aristides swung with all his might. His Fusion Sword shattered the zweihänder into fragments, shocking Siris.
'Now for the coup de grace...' Aristides thought.
He began performing numerous slash attacks that created the kanji for death (死). Siris stood as her very being disappeared in sparks of fire, never to be revived.
"One down..." Aristides said, his hair masking his expression.
Issei was soon confronted by two chainsaw wielding girls. They were twins, due to their identical appearance. They were two very young girls with turquoise hair, which they keep tied to one side of their head with a yellow ribbon. Notably, the ribbon is opposite to where they point. Their eyes had a soft blue color. Both of their outfits consist of gym uniforms, which consist of white t-shirts with blue accents, black leggings, and blue sneakers over knee-high socks, similar to the Kuoh Academy's girls' gym uniforms, albeit without the logo.
"Who are you two?" Issei asked.
The twins had different colored bags to differentiate each other.
"I'm Ile." The twin with the blue bag responded.
"And I'm Nel." The other with the red bag followed.
Both pulled what appeared to be a handle out of their bags. Once they pulled the item in question out, Issei was shocked. They were wielding chainsaws!
"We're gonna cut you up to ribbons!" The twins said.
Issei had to dodge them, lest he get caught by them. He quickly brought out his shape shifting sword, turning it into a katana.
"I won't be so easy to kill." He dictated.
"Let's make our toys hotter." Ile said.
Nel agreed. The chainsaws roared as fire engulfed the blades. They looked dangerous enough to make a normal person quiver in fear. However, Issei stood his ground.
'I won't allow them to take me down that easily... The Fallen Angels almost did the same thing, but I won't let the Devils take advantage!' Issei thought.
With a powerful swing, he not only managed to cut through the chainsaws. Issei managed to destroy them through his own power alone. Within the Sacred Gear, Ddraig was impressed of Issei's strength.
{Partner, focus your strength on the sword that demi-god kid gave you. It's responding to you well.} Ddraig said.
Issei soon looked at the now defenseless twins. Even though they tried to sway him by fake tears, Issei was no fool. He merely stepped forward and stabbed their hearts. The twin girls didn't scream as their throats were suddenly filled with blood. They looked like a human shish kebab. Issei twisted his katana out, causing blood from the twins to erupt. They finally began screaming, realizing the blade was not something normal.
"Divine aura!?" Ile said in shock.
"Aaaaahh!!! It hurts!" Nel said.
Both twins couldn't hope to stop the pain. They screamed loudly as their bodies disintegrated, never to come back.
"Two down..." Issei said.
Kunou was fighting against a female warrior. She was around her age with short, light brown hair and grey eyes. Her hair has three red highlights across, and wears a plain white mask which covers the right side of her face. Her outfit consists of a black jacket and matching jeans. The jacket has wide shoulders and a wide collar, and features three leather straps on both her arms. It is also slightly open, revealing her busty chest, and it is cut off at her midriff. Her jeans have a section at the right cut off, revealing her thigh and rear-end. She also features three leather straps on her calves, just below the ankles, and two extra straps on her right pant leg to keep it in place. She also wears black fighting gloves and boots.
"Surrender, kitsune. Raiser demands it." The woman said.
"I would NEVER go near that covetous tyrant, even if it was an arranged marriage. I'm already betrothed with my fiancé, whom is fighting your comrades." Kunou spat.
"So be it. I, Isabela, shall defeat you where you stand." The woman named Isabela said.
The woman was able to keep up with Kunou, forcing the kitsune girl to take on a defensive stance to avoid or block her blows.
'Judging by that strength, she's a Rook. I never did liked fighting them due to how persistent they are.' Kunou thought with a grunt.
She knew her strength was starting to weaken due to constant dodging. Kunou was thinking of a way to overwhelm Isabela.
[Kunou, let me channel some of my youki to you. It should fight on par with this Devil. The rest is up to you.] The kasha said within her sword.
Kunou felt the crimson flames lick across her hands, combining her strength. Her own flames were mixed, creating a magenta color. They began to converge, transforming Kunou. Her kimono began to shine in magenta, appearing as though it was made from the flames. Her nine tails emerged, all having the same colored flames at their tips. The surprising physical change was her eyes. Rather than being a soft gold yellow color, her eyes were now mixed in red with a evident slit of her pupils.
"I didn't think you would possess a different power, but it matters not. I will ensure victory is mine!" Isabela said, charging to Kunou.
Kunou, keeping her eyes closed, moved from Isabela's attack. Before Isabela could perceive what happened, she was suddenly assaulted by an intense heat.
'What is this heat...!? It's hotter than the Phenex flames!' Isabela thought.
Deciding to be on the defensive, Isabela moved back, preparing for any attacks. Kunou calmly walked to her. If anything, Isabela felt the stare from Kunou. Though she had a serious, yet calm expression, it was akin to looking at a beast unleashed from its cage.
"You Devils think you have the upper hand in a fight. I'm afraid that you're underestimating all of us." Kunou spoke in an evidently deeper tone.
"Don't screw around with me! I will defeat you!" Isabela shouted in defiance.
"So be it..." Kunou said.
In a flash, Kunou moved so quickly, her right arm was only shown extended. A sudden gust of wind blew till Isabela was seen being assaulted by a barrage of punches from the kitsune girl. Much to her sudden shock, she couldn't predict where they were hitting.
'She's moving so fast... Her strength is like mine...!' Isabela realized.
Kunou walked close to Isabela, whom conjured a fireball to hurl at her. It barely fazed Kunou, making her look at the Rook with amused pity.
"Funny... My flames were not this weak. Though I may be young, I'm by no means a weak being." Kunou said.
Raising her palm up to the sky, Kunou conjured a massive magenta fireball. The ball easily dwarfed Isabela's. The Rook couldn't help but look at it with fright.
'It's huge... I won't be able to survive this one, even with my natural attribute for defense!' She thought.
Kunou launched the fireball, which caught Isabela. It was sent flying into the sky before it exploded spectacularly. Isabela's body wasn't seen as the fireball destroyed her body to the molecular level.
Rias and Sona watched the match with their respective peerages. They were honestly scared after seeing the brutal display from Aristides and the others.
"They killed them... With no remorse..." Sona said with fright.
Rias couldn't say anything as she too felt scared of going against Aristides. Remembering Sona's words, she wisely decided not to aggravate the demi-god and his friends.
"Rias... We were warned from the start..." Akeno said.
"He's scary... Even his bride-to-be is also proving to be a frightful foe." Kiba said.
"That power..." Koneko quivered.
Rias and the others looked at the former Nekomata. She was shaking like a leaf, sensing the power from Kunou.
"She's not just using senjutsu... It's also the energy of a kasha..." She said.
"A kasha!? I heard of them! Their flames were said to be hot enough to melt rock in seconds. They are almost equivalent to being near the surface of the sun." Sona explained.
"That means Raiser would have a disadvantage... At his own game, no less." Rias realized.
"The flames are not demonic... They feel as though they can purify evil... Kunou is blessing the flames to destroy any impurities!" Sona realized.
Cloud and the members of AVALANCHE all watched the battle. Needless to say, he and his friends were impressed on how far Aristides has gone through.
"He has been training himself. Seems like he has become more like me without realizing it." Cloud remarked with a smile.
"He does favor swords, though I can also see he does know how to fight in hand-to-hand combat." Tifa complimented.
"A badass in my opinion. He even has a new sword that looks like yours, Cloud." Barrett observed.
"It seems that someone made the sword for him. It does look like mine, but it seems denser. Either way, I'm glad my friends within the Lifestream passed down their knowledge to him." Cloud remarked.
"Look, even his friends are fighting with their enemies." Cait Sith observed.
"His girlfriend has the looks and strength to fight. A real scary thing to mess with the lass. I wouldn't bet on my ass if she came and bet the hell out of me." Cod remarked.
"That boy... He may be human, but he also possesses a powerful force." Vincent observed.
"Let's keep watching the match. It's getting exciting." Yuffie said.
"I agree. I find this match amazing to see, since our friends are fighting for a purpose." Nanaki said.
Aristides regrouped with Issei and Kunou. Both boys remarked on her new appearance.
"Wow, Kunou. You synced with the kasha's power to form this new transformation." Aristides observed.
"Just a heads up. This new transformation is not long. I can hold it for so long." Kunou said.
"Got it. Let's use the time we have before it wears off. If push comes to shove, we'll fuse." Aristides reminded.
Kunou nodded as she got ready for the next enemies to come. Issei was also ready as well. A sudden wave of fire and wind rushed to them. Both laid flat on the ground to avoid getting cut.
"I have a feeling my technique is being used in different variants..." Aristides snarled.
From a distance, the teens noticed their attacker. It was a young woman with light brown hair and green eyes. Her outfit consists of a full set of silver armor with black accents that appears to be a cross between a European knight's (chest plate, gauntlets and greaves) and a Japanese Samurai (hip plates and shoulder guards), and wears a headband that goes across her hair and forehead. She was equipped with a broadsword and a dagger, both of which are held with brown belts slung across her hip. The broadsword was slung on her left hip, and features a red jewel on the pommel and has bandages across the handle for grip. The dagger, which was located behind her hip, featured a gold hilt with bandages on the handle.
"I'm Karlamine. I'm here to stop your progress under Lord Riaser's orders." Karlamine introduced.
"Another Knight... This one won't go down easily, seeing that she uses swords." Kunou observed.
"It seems that I'll have to play the honor route. Seeing that she is a sword user, I'll at least grace her in a warrior's salute before we fight." The demi-god remarked.
Kunou and Issei thought he had gotten rid of his hate for the Devils. However, they didn't expect to hear him say one following line.
"I still hate Devils though." Aristides said.
Issei and Kunou comically made a poker face as Aristides got into his sword stance. His Fusion Sword was in full display.
"Oh... That is a unique sword! I never seen anything like that!" Karlamine said, gleaming to the sword.
"I don't need to tell you what this sword does." Aristides remarked.
"It's made with multiple swords! How can you wield such a sword like that!?" Karlamine asked in shock.
"You're about to find out!" Aristides commented.
Both sword fighters clashed. Their blades made a loud metallic echo as their blades were locked in a competition of strength.
"Your sword is strong, no mistake of it..." Karlamine grunted.
"My strength doesn't just come from the sword..." Aristides said.
He shoved the sword forward, forcing Karlamine back. The sword woman realized her blade was nicked.
"That sword is also pretty sharp. It was a foolish idea to challenge you..." Karlamine spoke.
"I won't fall for that... You're not beaten yet." Aristides said, leaping into the air.
He swung his sword down with all his might. When Karlamine attempted to defend herself, the sword had multiple cracks echo on its surface before the blade ultimately shattered.
"Your blade is weak... Lack of maintenance to it must have been the cause." Aristides coldly stated.
"Don't you dare insult me of my swordsmanship!" Karlamine roared, showing a hidden dagger.
"Hn." Aristides grunted.
He pulled out one of the small blades from the Fusion Sword while placing the rest of it in a holster. Aristides flipped the blade handle like a butterfly knife. Karlamine, lost in rage, dashed at him, attempting to stab the demi-god. Aristides merely smirked before he knocked the dagger off of her hand and stabbing her arm.
"I won't be easily taken down...! Take this!" Karlamine shouted.
She began conjuring blades of fire. They soon began swinging creating waves of flames. Aristides, seeing that ordinary strength won't do the job, resorted to using a Limit Break. He channeled a decent amount of his power on his blade.
"Light of Judgement!"
Hurling a single wave of light energy in the form of a blade, Aristides caused the wave to impact on the first one aimed at him. His light wave soon split continuously, destroying all the waves of flames.
"Nice try. But I have refined control of my waves to make them target multiple enemies at once. You're just cannon fodder to it." Aristides said.
Aristides soon leaped up to the air, holding his sword over his head.
"Divine Horse cut!"
The demi-god swung his sword down with all his might. Karlamine could only watch in horror as the blade sliced clean through her body. She stood still for a moment before her body was suddenly split in half with blood rushing out of her body. Her fork disappeared in wisps of flame, signifying her death.
"You would have been an ally, had you not worked with the Devils. Since you also work with this scoundrel of a Devil family pillar, I will hold nothing back in killing them." Aristides said.
At the stands, the Devils cringed upon seeing Karlamine's death. It was a horrifying sight for them.
"He's scary..." Koneko said, shaking.
"Even I have to agree. That was brutal." Kiba followed.
"Even though I am S and M, even that kind of event wouldn't suit me well." Akeno said, holding her stomach back.
"We really triggered the awakening of a mad god." Rias said.
"It's fair to say. Not even my peerage or myself can handle the brutal display..." Sona agreed.
Cloud and the others watched and were equally surprised.
"He's getting brutal. Almost as much as you were when we journeyed around Gaia, Cloud." Barrett said.
"I'll say. I'm looking at a person who's almost like a mirror version of myself." Cloud admitted.
"I just hope they don't manipulate him of his weaknesses. Come to think of it, he didn't share his weaknesses to us." Tifa said.
"Now that I realized it, he hasn't. Then again, he was suffering from Geostigma at the time. Even during that time, he was still willing to fight." Nanaki said.
"He has the killing intent of Sephiroth, but he only targets Devils." Vincent said.
"Well, he has his reasons for why he hates them so severely." Son Wukong said with some disdain.
"What was the reason?" Cait Sith asked.
"Aristides was just like any child. He was curious but shy at the same time. The day he met his fiancé became the same time of grief." Son Wukong explained.
"What do you mean, Son Wukong?" Yuffie asked.
"It's generally not my permission to share it, but since he trusts you all, I can let this slide... He lost his mother from a Devil attack when he was 10. He wanted to grow strong, but his vendetta against the Devils grew strong as the years went by. At 14, he and his fiancé were attacked once more in Takamagahara. I don't know how they sneaked in, but they were targeting him. Though he killed them all, his right eye changed. He often covers it in an eyepatch to conceal it, but it became a constant reminder of his revenge against the Devils." Son Wukong explained.
"No wonder he hates them. He called us in to destroy a Devil family from one of the 72 pillars. He must have his reasons why." Yuffie replied.
"He does... He informed me of a heinous crime this particular family was involved in." Son Wukong continued.
"What sort of crime did these freaking fried chickens did?" Cid questioned.
"A genocide... They nearly drove one of the youkai species called the Nekomata to extinction. A handful of them now exist, fearing for their lives." The monkey youkai answered.
Everyone in AVALANCHE now had a reason to be angry. They gave the Devils a glare of punishment.
"Now I see why he hated them. I thought it was that bastard's mind that he would hate them. Now I would see no reason to deny it. I'm in it to teaching those fucktards a lesson." Cid said.
"Language, Cid..." Tifa scolded.
Kunou was starting to feel her transformation slowly dissipate.
'At this rate, I might lose this transformation before we reach to Riser... I'll have to use the best of my abilities while the form lasts.' Kunou thought.
Her thoughts were interrupted by two females. They were twins that sport similar appearances, with the major difference being one girl has red eyes and blue hair, in contrast to the other having blue eyes and red hair. Also, the blue haired girl tied her hair in a ponytail, while her twin had hers in a braid with a pink bow tied at the end. On their hands, they were wearing fighting gloves that matched their hair color. They were wearing a white, skimpy sailor uniform that revealed their stomach, shoulders and lower chest. They had piercings on their ears, with the red haired girl having gold on her left while the blue haired girl had blue piercings at her right. Both had a tooth sticking out with the red haired girl on her right, while her twin was at the left. Two unique features were their ears, hinting they were Nekomata. Kunou noted they were indeed former youkai after sending their energy. In motion of her sensing, she deduced they were mirroring each other.
"You two were former Nekomata? Why are you serving the same Devil whom almost driven your kind to extinction?" Kunou questioned.
"He gave us asylum when we told him where the Nekomata were." The red haired girl said.
Kunou showed an angered expression on her face. Hearing that these two former Nekomata willingly drove their race to near extinction, the notion made her blood boil.
"What are your names?" She asked in an icy tone, startling the former Nekomata girls.
"I'm Li." The red haired Nekomata said.
"I'm Ni." The blu haired Nekomata followed.
"Li... Ni... In the honor of the people of the Kyoto faction and of the Nekomata, I will ensure your demises by my hand!" Kunou bellowed.
Both Nekomata were ready to attack Kunou as they knew the fight would be serious. They leaped into the air with their claws fully shown. Kunou anticipated their attack and gracefully dodged them.
"For a bunch of former Nekomata, you have lack of control of your power. With that said..." Kunou paused.
She moved so quickly, no one couldn't see her move. Her left arm was outstretched. Ni and Li were soon standing still. Blood erupted from their stomachs.
"Perish like the swine you both are!" Kunou spat venomously.
Both Nekomata girls couldn't process what happened as their bodies were drained of their blood. They soon disappeared in a cloud of embers, leaving no physical evidence of their existence in life.
"So ends the betrayer of the Nekomata." Kunou said, transforming back to normal.
The kitsune girl was evidently exhausted from the fight. She could barely stand, let alone, move.
"Kunou! Are you alright?" Aristides asked, racing to her.
Before Aristides could reach her, a condensed fireball was dropped nearby. It soon destabilize before exploding in a violent torrent. Both he and Issei were hurled from the shockwave.
"Hahahaha. She perished in one of my explosion spells." A woman's voice echoed.
The boys looked at the woman in question. She was a voluptuous woman with long, wavy purple hair that falls all the way down her back and matching eyes. At the front, the right side of her hair falls over her chest and covers her right eye, while the left side falls near the top of her skirt. Her outfit consists of a navy blue tunic top with gold accents and a pale blue skirt with open sides, black shoes and over matching thigh-high stockings with garter belts. The top reveals much of her chest, and is held with a gold choker with blue and red jewels. Over this, she wears a white overcoat with black and gold accents and matching pauldrons. For accessories, she wears a black headband with a red-orange jewel over her forehead to keep her long hair in place, and wields a staff-like scepter in battle. For cosmetics, she wears purple lipstick and nail polish, matching her eyes and hair.
"Now that fox girl is out of the way, I'll have my time taking you boys down." The woman said.
"Who are you...?" Aristides questioned.
"I'm Yubelluna, also known as the Bomb Queen." The woman named Yubelluna introduced.
Aristides kept a calm gaze, but his mind was surging with a silent fury. Unable to hold his ever increasing rage, white flames of Amaterasu were jaggedly flowing up to his wrists.
(Play Devil May Cry 3 OST - Divine Hate (Dante)
The demi-god slowly walked to where Kunou was at from the explosion. She was unconscious, but she had scorched marks all over her body. Aristides held her hand, which allowed Kunou to briefly wake up and kiss him. A rainbow flash illuminated the area, only to show Aristides become a kitsune. His eyes were slitted, but they showed inner rage.
"Now you really crossed the line..." Aristides coldly spoke.
He outstretched his right hand and summoned his bow. Yubelluna noticed he was taking aim at her.
"You think archery can defeat me? How naive." She taunted.
"You should be more worried about what I'm going to do..." Aristides retorted.
He fired an arrow of light, which caused Yubelluna to stop taunting. The arrow soon split into a salvo, causing her to be on guard.
"Fool... Never anger a demi-god from the Olympian faction..." Aristides said.
The salvo of arrows suddenly grew to the size of a ballista bolt. Yubelluna had no chance of surviving the onslaught. The large arrows pierced her.
"Perish..." Aristides spoke in a cold tone.
He brutally stabbed Yubelluna with his Fusion Sword to the heart. The Bomb Queen could only look at Aristides in horror, now realizing the repercussions of her actions.
'What have I done...?' Yubelluna thought.
She couldn't process what was happening as she felt fiery burns all over her body. It was due to an onslaught of punches from her opponent, whose hands were burning with white flames. Aristides quickly sliced her body vertically from head to waist, killing her instantly. All could watch as the demi-God's rage surged throughout the battlefield.
Issei was now scared of seeing his friend succumbed into his inner rage.
'If I had my loved one suddenly get hurt from them, I would have done the same...' Issei thought.
"Now is not the time to worry about trivial matters, Partner. You still have to fight a few more opponents before fighting the King directly." Ddraig said.
Issei clenched his left hand in response. Soon, a woman came in appearance, ready to fight. She was a well-endowed young woman of Chinese descent with shoulder-length black hair and blue-green eyes. Her hair has two Chinese-style buns on both sides of her head, while the front features bangs that form a slight V-shape across her forehead. Her outfit consists of a navy blue qipao with gold accents, a white sash around her stomach, and black, low-heeled shoes. The qipao is open at the chest area, giving view to her chest. She also wears black armguards over her forearms.
"I'll commend you for lasting this long. When Riser is done with this battle, he will find a particular nun he found within your home to add be with." The woman said.
"And you are?" Issei snarled, now realizing that Riser intends to have Asia.
"Xuelan, Rook of Riser." The woman named Xuelan said.
She charged forward, lacing her feet in fire. Issei knee that taking the attacks will be detrimental. He dodge them, seemingly without Ddraig's assistance.
"How are you able to avoid my attacks!? Stand still!" Xuelan said.
Issei waited as Xuelan kept attacking him, even using surprise attacks that almost nicked him. This surprised the Rook, who was trying to land a hit on him. Issei showed an angered expression after catching Xuelan's right leg.
"I know this martial arts style... It's the same kung-fu that killed one of my friends from overseas..." He said coldly.
Xuelan tried to break free from his grip, but to no avail. Issei kept a firm hold on her before he twisted her leg, creating a sickening crack. Xuelan screamed in pain as she felt her leg being twisted.
"Aaaauuughhh! Damn you!" Xuelan screamed.
"I'm...not finished." Issei said.
With Xuelan incapacitated, Issei through a powerful lunge kick, knocking her down on the ground. This took Xuelan's breath away, only for her to realize Issei flipped in the air to land on her body. Issei began pommeling Xuelan with multiple punches. The ground was shaken by the immense power each punch had, causing rock and stone to fly with each punch.
'Ddraig...' Issei thought.
Right back at you, Partner. I'll help provide you with my strength.Ddraig understood.
Ddraig kept flooding Issei with his power as he pommeled Xuelan to death. The quick punches soon became brutal hooks, which made the ground crack under the pressure. The hooks left nasty gashes on Xuelan as she was beaten with an inch of her life left.
"You Devils are just as my friend described. Now perish forever." Issei coldly spat.
He raised his fists to perform a hammer blow. Xuelan could only watch in horror as Issei send his armored left hand on her head, splattering it.
If the gore wasn't obvious from the previous battles, the recent ones showed the increasing brutality. All sides showed discomfort after seeing Aristides and Issei dispatching their foes. Rias and Sona were shown with shaking knees. They both felt the ever increasing killing intent.
"Rias..." Sona said.
"Yes?" Rias responded.
"Riser truly underestimated them..." Sona followed.
"I don't want to find out what will happen now." Rias concluded.
The people of AVALANCHE all felt his killing intent and were surprised on how intense it was.
"This is...Aristides?" Vincent asked.
"It's the same feeling I got from Sephiroth... That killing intent is not one to scoff..." Cloud remarked.
"That kid is making this feeling? Jeezus, I wouldn't want to be his enemy..." Barrett replied.
"It's scary..." Yuffie agreed.
"Aristides..." Tifa said.
"That kid really knows how to scare an adult... Now I don't think I would face him." Cid said, surprisingly keeping his usual speech toned down.
"That pressure from his aura... He was telling the truth in being a demi-god..." Nanaki said.
"It's scary to feel this sensation..." Cait Sith said.
In Olympus, all the gods felt Aristides's killing intent from watching the Rating Game in their realm. All felt his rage surge within and none of them protested.
"Go, Aristides... Show these Devils what happens when you anger us." Zeus said.
"My son... You have every right to take them down. Show them your gift from me." Apollo followed.
Ares showed a maddened glee, seeing the demi-god in his bloodthirsty rage.
"That's the way! Spill their blood and bathe yourself in Chaos!" He cheered.
Everyone glared at Ares but none more so than Persephone. She, in a surprising action, slapped Ares hard. The god of war was flung from his throne.
"Don't you dare talk of my Aristides for being your champion, Ares!" She spat venomously.
Ares felt the slap on his face. He glared at Persephone, only to meet the angered the expression of his father. Zeus made sure Ares was not about to go rogue.
"He's becoming more like a Spartan Warrior than a normal boy. One can't blame him after what he has been through." Athena surmised.
"It's sad on how much pain he has in his soul... Not even my life would be as tragic as his." Aphrodite commented somberly.
Artemis could feel the rage of Aristides while watching the battle against Riser. She sympathized his sudden anger when Kunou was seen burnt from one of the Devils.
'It was just like that time when I lost Orion... I went on a rampage and killed the First Scorpio. However, its descendants have lived on. Aristides... Why is it that a warrior's life is full of tragedy? Can any god not go without a dark time in their life?' The goddess thought.
Persephone was silently crying as she saw Kunou being attacked by Yubelluna. Upon seeing Aristides turn into rage, it proved too much for her.
"Aristides... If only I could help..." She said somberly.
Hestia and Prometheus both had somber expressions, seeing Aristides become consumed in rage. They offered silent sympathy and wished the Devils everlasting torment for their transgressions. Even Hades felt awful along with his new wife, Izanami. Both saw the events that followed and were justifiably angry of the Devils.
"I won't allow them to come near my realm. Their region is their own. If they have a dispute of territory, death will be their punishment." He snarled.
Poseidon and Hera liked the demi-god for his calm manner. Seeing him succumb to rage made them angry in response to the Devils. Both wanted blood for what they have done.
"Settle down, everyone." Zeus commanded with authority.
Hermes also watched and felt angered as well. In an act of surprise, he requested Zeus to join the fight.
"I'm afraid I cannot do so, Hermes. You'll have to watch the battle from here. My grandson will ensure their demise." Zeus said.
Helios arrived with the chariot. Apollo quietly took the chariot and provided his part.
"Zeus, I've saw what happened... Is Aristides... Oh Gaia..." The sun titan said in shock.
"Yes... He is already succumbed to anger. When his fiancé from Japan was nearly burned alive, it snapped Aristides.
Back in the battle, Aristides encountered six females waiting for them. The first one was a beautiful young girl with dark blue eyes. She has long blonde hair tied into twintails with large, drill-like curls and blue ribbons keeping them in place. The front of her hair has several bangs hanging over her forehead, with a V-shaped fringe hanging over the bridge of her nose. She was wearing a long, pink dress with white frills and a magenta bow in the front
"You have the same aura as that phoenix wannabe." Aristides coldly stated.
"Perceptive, aren't we? I'm Ravel Phenex, sister of Riser." The girl named Ravel said.
The second girl was a young girl with blue hair and light brown eyes. Her hair is styled with four short ponytails, with two of the four pointed up and the remaining two pointed down. The front of her hair features split bangs going across her forehead, with side bangs framing her face. Her outfit consists of a white haori with a red obi, which is worn under a red happi coat. She wears bandages on her forearms and shins, and wears black guards over her hands. For footwear, she wears a pair of zōri. There was a staff she was wielding, indicating she has experiencing in bōjutsu.
"I'm Mira, Pawn of Riser." The second girl named Mira said.
The third girl was a young girl who is seen wearing a kimono with a color pattern of purple, orange and pink with her hair tied on opposite side.
"My name is Mihae. I wish we could have gotten along." The third girl named Mihae followed.
The fourth girl was a young woman with long pale blue hair and amber eyes. She has tanned skin and is seen wearing a bikini made up of a metallic underwire brassier and a silk loincloth that exposes her sides. She also wears a silver colored tiara and neck rings with a ruby and blue gem respectively. Other accessories that she wears include ruby orb earrings, a snake themed bracelet on her upper arm and a transparent pink veil across both her arms. She, notably, has purple highlights around her eyes.
"I'm called Shuriya and we will beat you." The fourth girl named Shuriya said.
The fifth girl was a young girl with shoulder length brown hair, dressed in a sleeveless French maid uniform that exposes her cleavage with a white laced design on the edges, as well as a maid headpiece, half-apron, and forearm length finger-less gloves.
"I'm Burent, combat maid and Pawn of Riser." The fifth girl, Burent introduced.
The sixth and final girl was a young girl with shoulder length light brown hair and dark brown eyes, dressed in a buttoned, sleeveless, French maid uniform with a white laced design, along with a standard maid head piece, cuffs, and a white half-apron to go with the set. She also wears light grey tights.
"I'm Marion, maid and Pawn of Riser." The last girl named Marion introduced.
Aristides and Issei had one thought in their minds.
'Are they so cocky they had to introduce themselves?' They questioned mentally.
Aristides, shaking his head, had enough of the banter with the Devils. He flew up to the air and held out a familiar hand sized orb. Kunou, having been energized within Aristides, knew what it was.
'He's going to summon him...! Now I feel bad for them...' She thought.
Soon, an intricate array of symbols surged to Aristides.
Rias and Sona felt the same sensation back in their school. They were curious as to what they were witnessing. However, Cloud and the people of AVALANCHE knew what Aristides was about to do.
"Oh boy... I think the kid is at his breaking point..." Son Wukong said.
"I have a feeling so. To think he is willing to help him." Vincent said.
"Is that...!? It can't be!" Yuffie said.
"I'm afraid so... An advent of the being said to pierce the heavens..." Cloud cryptically spoke.
Aristides focused on the red Materia. Soon, he outstretched his hand up to the sky before uttering a simple phrase.
"Divine Mega Flare."
Upon hearing the phrase, Issei had to move far at the coliseum's edge. Aristides quickly flew down to get Issei out of the way by taking him up to the air with a platform made of light. Both watched as a figure suddenly phased into existence. It was Bahamut, who now sported angelic-like wings.
"You have summoned me, Aristides... What do you need my help for?" Bahamut asked.
"I request your aid in destroying my enemies in front of me. These Devils have been in league with the one I'm facing whom drove a race to extinction. I want them to suffer for their crimes." Aristides answered.
"Very well. I shall assist. Combine your power to mine so I shall provide the coup de grace." Bahamut spoke.
All the members of AVALANCHE were surprised to hear the summon talking to Aristides.
"Bahamut can speak!?" Cloud asked in surprise.
"He can... We never noticed the summons talking back when we first used them." Vincent said.
Bahamut roared loudly before charging up his attack. Soon, he fired a beam of divine light. The six girls could only watch as the beam hit at their location. Only Ravel managed to survive through the use of a barrier, but the rest were consumed and killed.
"I've done my part, Aristides. You'll have to take care of the rest. Also, I can sense your mate's life slowly recovering. Use the Materia I gifted you to heal her." Bahamut said.
"Thank you, Bahamut. I may have to call you back for something else. For now, rest and take some of my energy." Aristides said, feeling his power being taken.
"You're welcome. I'll be there to help you when needed. I also like the new look I have since your power affected my appearance." Bahamut replies.
"Glad to see that. I think a new title for your appearance should come. I think, Bahamut -HEAVEN- should be a good one." Aristides said.
The dragon growled in acceptance before disappearing. Aristides and Issei went back to the ground, now being molten from Bahamut's attack. It was though a laser glasses the whole area. They soon found Ravel, cowering in fright.
"Leave this arena and don't come back to fight us." Aristides warned.
Ravel nodded, surrendering in response. Issei was surprised in the demi-God's actions.
"You spared her for what purpose?" Issei asked.
"You'll see soon." Aristides said.
Soon, Aristides flashed and Kunou appeared, looking fatigued. Her wounds didn't heal, despite being in Aristides's godly essence. Issei has to look away since she was nude. The demi-god quickly created a shroud of light to obscure her body completely. Aristides had to bite back from blushing after seeing her injured. He held a green Materia and began to focus.
"Materia... Please hear my call... Grant me your wisdom to help my fiancé. Please hear my request... Cure!" Aristides said.
A green aura suddenly enshrouded Kunou. Her burns began to heal at a rapid pace. She felt good as new, now having her strength back.
"Thank you, Aristides-kun. Did you get my clothes when we fused?" Kunou asked.
"I haven't forgotten. Though some parts of it were charred, I had to restore them using my power." Aristides said, showing her outfit appearing brand new.
She quickly put her clothes on and joined the fight. All three teens looked at Raiser, who was livid after seeing his Peerage getting slaughtered by the three teens.
"Raiser..." Aristides snarled.
Ending 1: (Gundam Seed Destiny OST - Kimi wa Boku ni Niteiru)
Sorry it took me so long. Work and thinking of ways to make the battle proved to be time consuming. I'm ending this chapter here so the fated clash against Raiser happens next.