Chapter 13 - Phenex Falls

Disclaimer: I do not own anything, just the story concepts and ideas!

Raynare slammed her fist against the wall, cracks zigzagging across the cement, creating spider web-like fissures. Unable to muster attacks of sufficient firepower, she could only watch as her fellow servants clashed against the various, animated constructs.

"Haah!" Moka cocked her fist back and shattered the stone golem into various pieces, sending the fragments scattering along the immaculate, marble floor. "Not bad… To take 16 of my hits before giving out. However!" She slashed her hand diagonally, gathering a sphere of mist into the mage's face, effectively blinding him for the time being. "You probably can't even take one of my hits, can you?" The question hung in the air with the male magician quivering in fear and dropping to his knees, pitifully begging for mercy while doing his best to not empty his bladder.

A torrent of flames washed over the remaining golems, the white-hot fire inferno consuming everything in its path. "Weak…" Mark closed his eyes before turning to the de facto leader of their group. "Are you finished?"

Instead of hearing a response, he was greeted with the clanging of swords and the sight of Erza locked in a stalemate with the enemy leader. He blinked, surprised that there was someone who could match the fiery girl, before analyzing her late reactions, lax grip, and lack of strength. "She's holding back… But why? Is she testing the other swordsman?"

"Is anyone hurt?" Elizabeth called out, putting her hands together, not unlike that of a priest praying to God. She sprouted her wings and glided down to the floor, deftly avoiding the conflict between Erza and the opposing swordsman.

"Le Fay!" The blonde swordsman sheathed his sword and pushed up his glasses, dusting off stray debris on his business suit. "It's time to head back." The similarly blond-haired girl squeaked in reply, hurrying over to his side and glaring at anyone who dared to pose the slightest threat to them. "You… Erza, was it? You were holding back, weren't you?"

"Because you were doing the same." She answered simply, her armor disappearing in favor of more comfortable clothing. "I will not tolerate such blatant disrespect. If you wish to test my full might, then respond rightfully!" Erza narrowed her eyes before huffing in slight anger. "I shall let you go for now. Until next time, Arthur Pendragon."

With a sweep of Caliburn, Arthur and his sister made a quick escape, Erza not letting the two out of her sight the whole time. Taking in a deep breath, she reassessed the situation, taking in her comrades' status. "No one seems to be severely hurt, so we will continue." Erza turned to the frightened mage, who was trying his hardest to escape their line of attention. "You, of the Khaos Brigade. Am I right to assume that you were looking for the holy sword as well?"

He nodded at Mach speeds, fear fueling his quickness of responding. The red-haired knight walked towards him and promptly headbutted him in his head, knocking him out cold. "I sense the energy in the rooms up ahead. Be on guard, for we may not know what lies ahead."

They all nodded quickly, having been in similar situations in the past. Raynare, at the back of their group, screamed silently at the unfairness of it all but made no outward motion to interrupt their smooth cohesiveness.

"Good…" Erza took a deep breath before kicking down the double doors, announcing her entrance to anyone who resided up ahead. "Our mission continues!"

-Dxd-

She was very good at masking her emotions, Naruto noted.

The duo trudged through the forest, the dark clouds hanging over their heads and blocking off lunar lances from above. In comparison to their entrance, their exit was filled with a cacophony of noises: birds chirping, crickets creaking, and the branches swaying from side to side, its leaves fluttering against each other, emitting the barest of ruffles.

Naruto had taught Akeno to the best of his abilities, coaching her along during their short training session. It would've gone swimmingly if the sadomasochist relented and trained her Fallen blood, but she refused and he abided.

"Naruto…" She spoke up,

"Hmm?"

"Thank you… Thank you for training me on my terms." Akeno bowed her head shamefully, the bottom of her lip trembling ever so slightly. "You were right… It would be so much easier if I could just…" Her emotions slammed into each other, ricocheting off the walls of her mind and throwing her thoughts into disarray. It took a brief moment for her to recollect herself and fix the smiling mask she constantly donned. "Thank you." She finished lamely, looking straight ahead and refusing to grant her tears passage down her face.

He remained silent, not wanting to upset the delicate balance of her mind, focusing on setting precautions for the inevitable battle against Estarossa, Kokabiel, and a potential army of Fallen. Speaking of which, he had once more forgotten to inform Towa of Kokabiel's presence. He would have to do that tonight…

With their long strides, it wasn't long before they finally arrived at the mansion to meet up with the others, relax, and have a good night's rest before the fateful day. Naruto lectured Akeno on the importance of letting her muscles take a break, nearly talking her ear off with his uninterrupted tirade.

A familiar voice called out from the side of the red-haired King. "Naruto!"

The King glanced back before waving his hand. "Meliodas, how was training Issei?"

"It was great." The youthful blonde winked, his eyes gleaming with the usual mischief and pervertedness. "We even came up with a couple of… enlightening moves, to say the least, isn't that right, Issei?"

The brown-haired boy nodded eagerly, his mind drifting to the possibilities of his mysterious technique in the Rating Game, seeing that Riser's Peerage was full of girls. "Hehehe~ Very enlightening…" His Sacred Gear responded to his lechery, the gauntlet materializing in his hand.

"Right…" Naruto deadpanned. He stopped momentarily, slapping Issei's biceps and chest. "Well, at least you had some common sense to train his muscles. He seems a bit stronger now, though his pitiful magic reserves are… well, pitiful. They haven't changed at all." Naruto huffed air from his nostrils, pitying Ddraig for having such a pitiful owner while simultaneously snickering at the dragon's predicament.

Most likely, the Welsh Dragon witnessed how fast Issei's hands could move up and down his… shaft… Naruto inwardly shuddered at the horrible, horrible thought his mind dared to conjure and quickened his pace out of stress.

The redhead pushed open the door, leading the three to the dining hall where the rest of the Peerage resided, waiting for them to gather to discuss their tactics. Out of all the members, Rias looked the most nervous, which was a given, seeing that the girl had the most on the line. Kiba was as composed as ever and Koneko was busy munching on some sweets. Asia was sweating feverishly, though her demeanor lightened upon seeing the Pawn. "Issei!"

"Asia! And Buchou!" Suddenly, a slight ebb of power trickled from Issei, his tongue now hanging out and blood streaming from both nostrils. Most likely, this was the technique Meliodas was referring too… "Meliodas-sama! I can… I can see it!" The mentioned blonde nodded sagely, putting one hand on his shoulder proudly.

"The fruits of his training… Issei is now able to use the little magic he has and use it as X-ray vision!" Meliodas announced triumphantly. "We are now harnessing his never-ending source of lust to our advantage. Of course, this isn't all he can do… With the slightest touch, he can rip all of your clothes off in an instant! I'm so proud of you, my protege…" Tears of joy snaked down the devil's cheeks.

"Such words grace my presence! It is my honor-" Koneko heard enough, realizing that the days that were supposed to be for training were squandered on encouraging his habits. A fist to his nose only added to his continuous river of blood.

"… Big pervert…"

"Please tell me you taught him other things, Meliodas." Naruto's eye twitched. Normally, Issei's pervertedness was amusing but Naruto took his business seriously. If he was asked and paid to do something, he would complete it to the best of his abilities, trusting his friends to do the same. After all, that was why Akatsuki had grown such quickly in a short time. "I know you trained his physical capabilities but anything else would be welcoming news, seeing that Rias is about to pass out." Indeed, his words hit the bullseye, the Maou's sister paling to unimaginable colors and tears beginning to well up in her eyes.

Meliodas noticed it too and acted quickly. "I taught him other things… Though we used his lust as motivation, he's also developed a new attack. [Dragon Shot], I think? Not to mention his training in the basics of martial arts. He should be able to fight with some style now, not just duking it out like a street brawler…" Rias calmed down, her blanching stopping upon hearing his words, though her worry of having to fight Riser was still there.

"Well!" Naruto put both hands behind his head. "Now that your training is all over, relax for now. It's important to get rid of your stress. You want to have confidence in every action, ya know. So for now, just relax. Take a bath. Sleep. Do whatever you need to do. Just remember to go out there with faith in yourselves and your teammates." He patted Akeno's shoulder before moving towards the stairs. "You'll do-"

"Wait!" Rias blurted out, her hand frantically waving at her brother. Within her short moment of hesitation, she looked back to Akame and the dark-haired girl gave a nigh imperceptible nod. Nodding back, Rias then took a deep breath, doing her best to ignore Naruto's cerulean eyes. "I-I need to tell you something… So do you have anywhere we can talk? In private?" The start was certainly shaky, but Rias did her best to recover her composure, finishing her plea smoothly.

Naruto stared at her, narrowing his blue orbs and seemingly peering into her soul. His piercing gaze seemed to last for an eternity when his gaze finally softened and he silently beckoned her to follow him. "My room should be fine…" The devil skipped up the stairs with elegant grace, each footstep making minimal noise. Compared to him, the normally dignified heiress stumbled over the steps with a clumsiness that only a toddler could match.

Now facing the hallway, the two entered a bedroom, Naruto quietly opening the door to his Spartan quarters. In it, there were orderly stacked books on the desk along with several parchments of notes of some sort. The only decoration he had was a picture of him and his Peerage. Rias smiled with melancholy, observing how happy her brother was in the photo, his smile seemingly brightening up the room. That same smile quickly faded, remembering what she came to do.

"You wanted to say something?" Naruto prodded with a thin smile plastered on his handsome face. He offered her a chair, which was quickly denied. Rias opted to put her hands behind her back and fix her gaze on the wooden floor. "Rias, remember it's your time you're wasting." He gently reminded her.

"A-ah…" Rias shifted her weight from one leg to the other. "I-I… wanted to apologize. Whether you forgive me or not, it doesn't matter because I… I need to say this. Before you arrived at the Gremory Estate, our, no my mother told me to avoid you and… I didn't want to suffer wrath so I did as she asked. Even so… It's no excuse for me acting arrogant and spoiled…" She laughed hollowly. "I was blind to it all when I was younger… It's only thanks to… a friend of yours that pointed all this out recently." Withholding a flinch from the severity of her brother's look, she steeled herself to finish strong. "I'm sorry, Naruto, for not being the older sister I was supposed to be." With her apologetic monologue over, she inched towards the door while awaiting his final verdict.

"It's awfully convenient, isn't it?" Naruto chuckled with not much humor behind it. "You apologize now when you're in desperate need of help… We'll talk more in the near future, sister of mine. Just win your battle for now. If you don't… Well, you don't need me to spell it out, right?" Rias nodded with a resigned expression, closing the door behind her as she regrouped with her Peerage.

"Interesting…" Naruto mused, holding his beloved picture frame and lightly blowing off the accumulating dust on it. "It always comes back to you, doesn't it, Venelana? What to do?" He rolled his neck around and carefully placed the frame back where it belonged.

"Honestly, if you weren't a mother of two, I'd have killed you long ago." Naruto sighed as he fell backward on his bed. "Not to mention Sirzechs would overpower me with ease… Honestly, you're too much trouble for me to deal with."

-Dxd-

Refreshed from crisp sheets, a mouth-watering breakfast, and a dreamless night, Rias and her Peerage had a healthy tinge on their cheeks and a sharp look on their eyes. For the most part, they looked read to take on Riser and his harem.

Again, they had gathered in the dining hall, finding it convenient to finish any leftovers while listening to their plans. Of course, Hawk was there to clean up any crumbs and stray morsels laying around on the floor. "Mmm! The cooking is so delicious! Not as good as Elizabeth's but it's still-"

The pink pig was subjected to a stare that promised death, one that belonged to none other than Akame. The red-eyed killer bopped the pig one more time for good measure, eliciting a squeak that resembled more of a mouse than a hawk.

"That huurrrt! How come Elizabeth isn't hereeee?" Hawk galloped out of the room, leaving a treacherous river of tears. "I'm telling my moooom!" Akame merely stared at him threateningly while the others sweatdropped at the sight.

"Ahem." Naruto cleared his throat, hiding his smile with much effort. Hawk's antics were always welcome but as of now, they were a distraction and a means of wasting their time. It did not mean, however, that the pig wasn't funny. Quite the opposite in fact, if Towa's snuffed out snickers were any indication.

"Now let's get down to business." Naruto put his hands behind his back. "Your Peerage is outnumbered since Riser has a full set. However, quantity isn't the biggest concern here. With traps and strategic maneuvering, you should be able to whittle his numbers down with ease. No, it's Riser's immortality that's worrying. You have two choices to make Riser submit: Either use overwhelming power to obliterate him at once or force him to deplete his stamina. Your best chance is the latter, so try preserving your power, everyone."

Before teleporting them to the Occult Research Building, Naruto gave one last piece of advice. "And Rias. The best King fights alongside his/her comrades. I'd suggest you partake in defeating the Pieces of Riser before moving on to the King himself. If you have more members remaining, it'll be favorable for you. Even if you have less power, it'll be easier to maneuver Riser into a favorable position with more members remaining."

Rias bit her lip, not used to the notion of her fighting with her servants. Sure, she cherished them like family but no once did the idea of fighting from the start occur to her. Her initial plan was to preserve her strength for the upcoming finale against Riser while her servants fought against Riser's Peerage. Rias juggled the idea back and forth, unsure of what to do but keeping the suggestion in the back of her mind. "Let's go…" Rias informed them but was interrupted by Issei's temporary mentor.

"Wait." Everyone turned to the blonde, his corrupted ideas of perversion equalling that of Issei's. His tone was serious, and jovial aura no longer existent. "This goes for all of you, but especially for Issei. Remember this: even if it looks like you might have the strength if you're lacking right here, you'll lose." He pointed to his chest and Issei scratched his head.

"Meliodas-sama, are you referring to oppai?"

Naruto, now back with them, facepalmed, while Meliodas settled for shaking of his head, not considering the sexualized organ of the womanly body for once, an oddity for certain. "No Issei. I mean your heart. Your will to win. Your spirit. That's what counts the most when in a fight."

Issei pondered on the idea, his beliefs coming into question. But before any of them had time to dwell upon his words, Naruto waved his hand, summoning a teleportation circle to send the devils to the Occult Research Building, where they would be teleported to a dimension to fight for Rias's freedom. "Good luck. And Akeno… I hope one day, you can come to terms with what you truly are." Naruto closed his eyes and inclined his head towards her in apology. "But for now, I suppose you'll have to make do. I'll see you soon…"

She looked away and with that, Rias and her Peerage disappeared.

"Do you think they'll win?" Meliodas asked his King, not looking away from the place where the magical circle previously was. His golden bangs shadowed his eyes, showing how serious he was for once.

"… Anything can happen." Naruto paused. "But it's very unlikely."

"What will you do if she loses?"

"… What I have to do…"

-Dxd-

"Ladies and Gentlemen, this is Grayfia of the Gremory Family. I have been tasked with the duty of refereeing this match. My master, Sirzechs Lucifer, will be observing this match. Today's field is a replica of Kuoh Academy. Both parties have been transferred to their respective strongholds. Rias-sama's team is in the Occult Research Club. Riser's team is in the Student Council Room. To promote pawns, please proceed to the opponent's stronghold perimeter. The time has come! Without further ado, let the games continue until daybreak!" Grayfia's cool voice resounded throughout the landscape, alerting both teams to her announcement.

"Let's see… First, we must destroy Riser's Pawns." Rias stroked her chin, now in business-mode. "It would be troublesome if they all got promoted to Queen so we'll have to take them out first. We have the advantage here since we're familiar with the layout…" Kiba, being the devoted Knight he was, already rolled out a bird's eye view of the school, Issei fuming at the boy "kissing up to Buchou". "The gymnasium… We should take control of that place before anything, to prevent the threat of a flank attack."

Kiba nodded in agreement. "We can also secure a route to the enemy base, Buchou. The gymnasium is our best bet. With your approval, Koneko and I will set up traps around the forest. Is that okay, Buchou?"

"Excellent work, Kiba!" Rias complemented, impressed with her Knight's strategic thinking. "You have my approval. Go ahead and give them hell."

The two exited the base, Kiba holding a bag while Koneko held a box full of what looked like grenades. Giving a farewell to their comrades, they walked off to the forest, determined to win for their King's sake.

"Akeno. Set up a mist barrier around the perimeter of the forest as well as the sky above. I don't want intruders coming in from the air and extra protection never hurts."

"Understood."

"Issei," She turned to her only Pawn, beckoning him to come towards her. With a tap of her finger, Issei felt power rushing through his body, invigorating him."I've unsealed the power of the Pawn pieces. It seems training with Meliodas paid off… Anyways, once promoted as Queen, you'll be the pivotal turn for our turn. I'll be accompanying you to the gymnasium, so don't worry, Issei…"

-Dxd-

A heavenly light shone on Erza, bathing her with beautiful memories of the past, all deeply cherished by the Knight. Her stony, business-like face cracked, the beginnings of a smile rooting itself on her lips.

"You…" From inside of the temporary, sourceless spotlight, a voice spoke out, filling her with hope, confidence, and most of all, happiness. "What is your wish? Take heed of our warning from before. Those who walk a path of lies and shadows will not be welcome." For a second, the voice dropped a pitch, dread seeping into her soul before being purified with the voice's restoration to normality. "What is your wish?"

Erza didn't hesitate. "All I ask for is the strength to protect my comrades… My friends… That is all I will ever need." She bowed her head, thinking back to her King.

"You…" The blade was within her grasps. "Are worthy." A majestic, bronze sword fully glimmered into existence, no longer walking the line between reality and imagination. The voice faded into nothingness but the light remained. She reached out with one armored hand, grasping onto the handle and jerked back in shock, feeling some semblance of sentience in the sword.

"Are you fine?" Mark questioned, gazing at her with his warm, yellow eyes.

Erza merely nodded in return, breathing heavily while taking out a scroll to seal the sword in. "We have accomplished our mission. After a brief rest, we shall head back to our headquarters. Our meeting with the Khaos Brigade is important news indeed…" Her boots of steel clanked loudly against the floor as she led the rest of the Peerage back out.

"Erza… Become the perfect Knight for whomever you protect."

-Dxd-

"Not bad!" Naruto commented, spectating Rias's ongoing performance from a T.V. "Rias took my advice, huh… Those three Pawns and Rook were no match for her destruction powers. Bold move, Rias… Ooh~ That move saved her Rook. Riser's Queen entered the battle!"

Meliodas nodded. "Her very presence dissuaded the Queen from attacking, her anxiety affecting her performance. Rias and Akeno combined should be able to take her down easily…"

"What about the rest?" Naruto yawned, finding the action displayed boring. "Huh… Kiba must've handled another three Pawns. Impressive. And now what? Him, Issei, and Koneko are meeting up… Interesting… Rias might have a chance after all if she manages to take down Yubelluna with minimal damage and drain of her reserves."

"Eh?"

"Kiba…" Naruto sweatdropped. "He's actually responding to the challenge of the enemy Knight… He's taking the role of a Knight too seriously…"

"Nishishi~ I have faith in Issei to take out the Rook and the Bishop!"

-Dxd-

"Your sister is rather skilled for her age." A green-haired devil commented, his "mysterious" aura… well, mystifying those around him. "Her abilities are as destructive as ever. And her decision of fighting alongside her Queen against the opposing Queen… A bold play, if I do say so myself." Ajuka sighed, wondering if the choice was well-meant or not. "Usually, the King is supposed to participate in the climax, the final battle of the Rating Game… For her to do this from the start… Well, it's not like she doesn't have a choice. Riser has the numbers advantage after all…"

"Mou~ You're as serious ever, Juka-tan!" A childlike devil responded in her childish tone of hers, her breasts terribly disproportionate on her teen body. "I think Ria-tan is doing fine!"

"As expected of my sister!" Sirzechs comically cried, while his tears streamed down his face, creating a mini lake on the floor. "*sniff* She's growing up so fast! *sniff*"

Grayfia pulled on his cheek, not tolerating such behavior from Lucifer from himself, compelling him to act as the strongest devil of their faction. "Please, Sirzechs-sama. Behave yourself!"

"Awight! Cwan oo wet gwo of my chweek now!?"

-Dxd-

"Rias!"

"Right!"

The two girls released their respective powers, the bright lightning clashing with the dark, red of Rias's trademark bloodline, overwhelming Yubellana's fire with ease. "Argh!" The Queen miraculously survived the destruction powers, now laying on the ground after being blasted from the air. Her clothes were all blackened and Rias and Akeno floated down on their wings, looking down at the fallen Queen with triumph.

Akeno licked her lips, a blush on cheeks as she relished in the screams of agony the Queen put up during the fight. "Ara ara~ That was delicious so entertain me further-"

Rias was having none of her Queen's fetish, blasting the Bomb Queen with a wave of destruction, a yellow light signaling the retirement of the Queen. "Maybe we have a chance after all…" Rias noted, after realizing that Riser was still at his stronghold, not moving a muscle out of his arrogance.

"Let's regroup with the rest of the Peerage, Akeno!" Once we regroup altogether, we'll box Riser in!"

"Yes!"

-Dxd-

"[Dress Break]?" Naruto facepalmed, a mammoth bead of sweat splashing on the floor, exasperated with Meliodas's inspiration. "I… This is… Let's just move on… He got the job done, beating that Rook with that [Dragon Shot] you mentioned, so I suppose that makes up for that… move…"

"Nishishi~" Meliodas put one finger up, visibly pleased with the fruits of his training. "It serves as a distraction and doubles as a pleasing sight!"

"Right… Kiba performed satisfactorily, his [Sword Birth] saving him from certain defeat. Though they're now faced with two Pawns, a Bishop, and a Knight. Not to mention Ravel is still in the game… She's already a high-class devil and even with no training, she'll be a force to reckon with, at least to them. The Bishop piece she took in isn't exactly reassuring…" Naruto cracked his neck, leaning his face against his propped up arm. "And Riser is still fresh… Akeno and Rias wasted a significant portion of their powers on Yubelluna, seeing that she used the Phenex tears to temporarily put herself back in the game. Rias is in a delicate position right now… She can choose to ignore Ravel and go for Riser, but they'll have to make it quick since his Peerage won't be lazing around."

"Captain?"

"Yo boss!"

Naruto already felt a headache forming. "You two… Don't even come close to the T.V, you hear me?" He threatened. "I wanna see the rest of the Rating Game so keep your rivalry to yourself!"

"Alright, alright… So grumpy, Boss."

"He can't help it, since he has to deal with your dumbass all the time."

"You! Shut up you! I'll beat your ass, right here right now!"

"No!" Naruto slammed both of them into the floor, taking part in their quarrel. "Not right here and not right now! Go to the basement if you have to fight, you idiots!" The redhead growled, desperately wishing Erza or Moka would pop out to save him, but alas, they were searching down a lead on a holy sword as of now. Raynare was forced to come along with them, seeing her presence would only amount to more tension between the two Peerages. Moka had requested a free day, wanting to escape the hectic atmosphere. Esdeath and Akame were the only other members remaining in the mansion since Mark had trailed the two, eager to avoid the predictable noise and fighting.

Smart man.

-Dxd-

"Dammit!" Glances were thrown at the Maou, the red-haired Lucifer showing favoritism, even though the laws explicitly said not to. It was anticipated, as Sirzechs was widely known as a siscon to his close circle of friends and relatives. It was embarrassing for the Gremory heiress but she often got what she wanted as a result of it. "I mean… What an excellent performance from Riser's Bishop, Ravel Phenex! Her incredible manipulation of flames taking out Rias's Rook, Koneko!" He fake laughed, nervously darting his eyes from devil to devil.

"Right…" Ajuka rolled his eyes, not understanding why his best friend had to put up such an act. As long as he didn't act upon his affection, Sirzechs wasn't technically breaking the rules. "Well, Rias is in a bit of a predicament now. Riser still has a few pieces left and has not yet joined the battle. Rias's Knight and Pawn have succeeded in taking down the remaining Pawns but are steadily being overwhelmed with the opposing forces. The two Bishops and the Knight… Oh! Rias has arrived…"

"Go Ria-tan!" The bubbly Leviathan threw popcorn to the electronic screen, waking the sleeping Falbium for a second before he closed his eyelids, dropping back into the land of dreams with little difficulty. "Kick the chicken's butt!"

Ajuka winced at the unrefined words, feeling Grayfia drill a hole into Serafall with looks alone, the Strongest Queen disapproving of such behavior. "Rias's Queen and Rias make a good team, although they both heavily rely on spells." Feeling Grayfia's anger die down, he continued, focused on melting the ice-cold glare back to its liquid state with his analysis. "Normally, the best duos are formed with a close-range fighter and a long-distance fighter, the melee attacker occupying the enemy while the mage throws spell after spell. However, this is a remarkable display of cooperation, the two devils coordinating each attack, leaving Ravel no chances to respond. At the same time, the duo is steadily losing energy, Ravel's regeneration kicking in and saving her from retirement… At this rate, Rias will have to rely on her Pawn and Knight to buy her time to recover, seeing that her Bishop is primarily a healer, not participating in a fight this entire time."

Sirzechs anxiously stared into the screen, willing for some miraculous entity to grant his sister strength. "You can do this… I believe in you."

-Dxd-

"And there goes the Knight." Naruto shook his head, disappointed at Kiba losing to Riser's burst of flames, his Knight qualities being his downfall. "Though Ravel retired… She couldn't take any more hits, even though she had excess stamina."

"She's a high-class devil, pampered by the comforts of a lavish lifestyle." Leon scoffed, propping his feet on the table in front of him. "She probably hasn't trained even for a second… Talking about how it's all so unladylike and unbefitting of someone her status…. Pathetic."

"Like you?"

Naruto didn't have to flare his power as a warning, feeling Esdeath's power rush over their skin, even from the basement. The slight drop of temperature was an impressive feat, seeing that there were numerous seals and barrier spells around their training ground. "To do something on this level… I'm glad you're my friend and not my enemy… Esdeath."

The others had felt it too, Leon ignoring the jab and glancing at the basement door. Meliodas whistled and Towa jumped to his feet. "I'll challenge her to a spar! This kind of power…" He proclaimed before rushing off, Leon complaining how he was his rival, not Esdeath's.

Naruto stifled a laugh, focusing back to the screen, seeing Riser finally confront his fiance while Issei took on the weakened Bishop and Knight, wiping them both with two of his [Dragon Shot]. "He's nearly out of energy…" Naruto sighed, noticing the heavy breathing and Issei's unseemly collapse on the ground, unable to get up and fight for his Queen. "His transfer of power was certainly impressive, from the fight before, taking out those Pawns and injuring Ravel… You ran him into the ground with your training, eh, Meliodas?"

Meliodas didn't respond, silently willing his trainee to get up and walk to the promotion area. "If he can be promoted to [Queen], he'll be able to increase his powers for the time being and contribute to the upcoming battle."

Naruto sighed, shaking his head. "The battle is over. It was over when Rias let Yubelluna heal herself with the Phenex tears. That drained her reserves, having to chase her down and retire her for good. Now that she's here with her Queen, Rias doesn't have much energy. That Ravel put up a fight, even when she declared it was below someone of her status. Rias only dug a deeper grave by picking a fight with another high-class devil. She should've avoided her completely and left Issei and Kiba behind, confronting Riser herself while she still had substantial reserves. Now…" Naruto massaged his forehead. "Riser is completely brimming with demonic energy. Not participating in the battle sacrificed his entire Peerage but Rias, Akeno, and Issei are completely wiped out. It's over."

"Asia?" Meliodas suggested weakly, knowing the timid girl was anything but a fighter.

"She certainly has a talent for magic, but her area is fully locked around healing." Naruto stood up, intending on walking out of the house to brush up on his skills. "Confirm the results for me, will ya? You never know what can happen in Rating Games… Never mind." Riser had grown impatient with Rias's multiple rejections coming in the form of bolts of destruction, his immortality taking care of the damage with ease. With a wave of a hand, he swallowed the King, Queen, Bishop, and Pawn in one large attack, the flames hungrily licking at their vulnerable bodies.

Checkmate.

A/N: Sorry for the late update. I completely forgot about this story because of school. Honestly, I'm drowning in school with stupid daily quizzes and homework. I really hate school. Like I really do. I didn't change too much, just enough to imply a couple of things. Sorry for the lack of action, but I couldn't be bothered to write out the Rating Game so I just described it from other devils' perspectives.

Any guesses on what kind of sword Erza got? The clue is the last line of Erza's interaction with the sword.

I'll try and update more often but I can't make any promises.

Now, I have a couple of other ideas on Fate, but I am completely and utterly confused about their power system so if anyone has a good idea of Fate and Naruto, please PM me. I really want to do a Naruto Fate crossover, but I don't know how the characters stack up. I watched UBW, Fate: Zero, and Apocrypha, so my knowledge is pretty lacking. Still, I'd like to give it a shot.

For anyone complaining about the lack of changes in the plot, the ripples will be known in the next chapter. I have the basics of the plot outlined.

Peace out.