"Alright, time to show how much you've all improved, who wants to go first?"
"I'll go" Akeno volunteered.
"You better set the bar high, i'm expecting a lot"
Akeno began to charge her bolt, her beginning levels already surpassing day one.
Ten days passed quicker than any of them expected, a lot has changed since then.
For instance, Akeno's lighting was now a brilliant white instead of the normal yellow.
Around day six, Kiro confronted Akeno about her Fallen Angel half, she was in a similar state as Koneko was.
Except that her issues came from her trauma from the past, a few encouraging words, some promises, and a real kiss was all it took to help her.
Kiba increased his speed and tactical awareness, along with his ability to throw off ranged attackers.
He ran literal circles around both Rias and Akeno who were trying to hit him with spells, they failed.
Koneko managed to get the hang of her powers, increasing her speed and strength.
Asia could now heal multiple people at once at a faster pace from a limited distance, but that was all they needed.
And Rias...well, there wasn't much that she could improve upon, except her reserves and her aim.
Kiro discovered something about his mutation, it gave him a strange ability that doesn't seem to have any limits.
He can absorb energy around him and focus it into his fists, like charging up a punch to hit super hard.
The strength of his hit depended on how long he 'charged' it up for.
He discovered this when he was fighting Koneko, he wound up for a punch and noticed his fist was glowing orange and yellow.
His hit landed and sent Koneko across the estate, luckily she was only unconscious when they found her.
Kiro was brought out of his memories by Akeno's call of her spell, the bolt flew faster than he could blink.
And by every deity he knew did it hurt.
He was pushed back hard, but completely undamaged nonetheless.
The ground was scorched, for every inch he passed over, there was some fire.
They were all interrupted by a magic circle, it was Grayfia, she had come to take them to the field.
It was much earlier than anyone thought.
The field was an exact replica of Kuoh Academy, by Riser's suggestion, no less.
"What is our plan?" Kiba asked, everyone looked to Kiro.
"Well, the three of us could just go straight forward, take out anyone in the way. If you two get eliminated, i'll fall back here and we'll have to play defence" he looked at Rias and Asia. "you two, whatever you do, do not leave the clubroom, for any reason. Understand?"
Asia nodded, Rias looked slightly offended but nodded anyway.
"Good. Akeno, you stay here too, if we need you Kiba can come here to get you. Especially if Riser sends his Queen out. Otherwise, you watch for anyone who might go the long way around"
Kiro's first plan was to secure the gym, so when the match started, the Knight and two Rooks went there first.
They encountered a Rook and three Pawns, one of them was the one who attacked him in the clubroom.
"Well hey, we meet again, I see you've got another staff to break over my head"
"This one is stronger, this time you're going to be the one I break!"
"That's good, how about I take the three of you" he gestured to the three Pawns. "Koneko, you take that one" he pointed to the Rook.
"I guess i'll just wait here" Kiba spoke up from behind.
"Do you really think-"
*ZZAAPP*
A deep clap of thunder rang out, the ground shook a little.
[Riser Phenex; three Pawns, retired]
"What!?"
"Ah, I see you tried to send them around the long way, poor souls, I bet Akeno enjoyed that"
He got a nod from Kiba and Koneko.
"Anyway, come on, i'll let you three have a free hit"
The twins with blue hair both pulled out chainsaws from a pair of duffle bags, then charged at him.
"Wow, chainsaws, hey Kiba-*clangclang*-can you make a chainsaw sword?" Kiro casually turned to ask the Knight as the twin Pawns struck him.
Kiba gave him a deadpan but answered as well. "no...I dont think so…"
"Ah, thats a shame" Kiro looked back at the girls, now holding broken chainsaws, and grinned. "Aww, did you break 'em?"
They were both in some sort of shock, so Kiro took advantage and hit them both with a charged punch, sending them both crashing through the wall on the other side of the gym.
[Riser Phenex; two Pawns, and one Rook, retired]
Kiro looked over just as the Rook melted away, Koneko did not show mercy.
That left the one Pawn who was attempting to run, she was severely outmatched.
"Kiba?"
"I'm on it" the blond haired boy vanished from his spot, and a scream rang out seemingly at the same time.
[Riser Phenex; one Pawn, retired]
Kiba was back to where he was a second later, like he never moved.
"Was getting hit by Akeno's lighting for the last ten days worth gaining that speed?"
"Heh, I guess it was"
The three stepped out of the gym, only for disaster to strike.
A powerful explosion enveloped all three of them.
[Rias Gremory; one Knight, and one Rook, retired]
"One Rook? But I got both…"
"Well, that kinda ruined my plan…"
The smoke cleared, revealing Kiro to be completely fine.
"What!? How are you still conscious?"
"Dont worry about that, why dont you come down here so we can fight?"
"Like I would-*ZZAAPP*
[Riser Phenex; one Queen, retired]
"Are you ok, darling?"
"Yes, Akeno. But my plan is ruined now"
"I think you and I could finish this together"
"With the Queen out of the way, the only one we need to worry about is Riser"
The two trekked forward, until someone flashed out of a bush and broke something over Kiro's head.
A Knight, with her now broken sword.
"Well hi there, nice introduction"
Kiro used the time she was stunned to apply a quick punch to her abdomen and throw her away far enough for Akeno to zap her.
"I'll go pay the bird a visit, you can handle the rest of them, right?"
"Of course"
"Good"
Kiro began to walk forward, shrugging off hits from the remaining pieces as Akeno struck them down.
"You go back to the club room, let Asia replenish your energy"
The Queen nodded and flew off.
Kiro was almost immediately struck by a wave of fire, not that it did anything.
"You!"
"Yeah, me. Your flames are pretty mild, you know? I barely felt the heat"
Kiro crossed his arms. "News flash: you can't hurt me, not being as weak as you are"
"I'm going to burn you to a crisp! They won't find your ashes!"
"Do it then"
Kiro stood still as a gargantuan wall of fire bore down on him, the wave seemed never ending.
It did eventually end, revealing Kiro to be completely fine.
"Is that the best you have?"
"That...that's not possible…"
"Oh it is, your little embers don't impress me, I'm going to rip you apart when I get over there"
It was a power scare, Kiro was successful in making Riser believe that he was stronger.
"W-wait! I give!"
"Aww, I was going to enjoy that"
The field melted away, he willed his transportation circle to take him to the recovery center, then made his way to where Koneko was.
"Senpai?"
"Hey, we won"
XXXX
'Holy Swords?'
(yeah, parts of the original Excalibur I think)
'And there are two somewhere in town?'
(yeah, thats not good)
'No shit' Kiro began to look around him, it was a small town, not too small, but not big enough to be called a city.
The chances of him finding these two would be-
(to your left, across the street)
Higher than he thought.
There were two figures in church robes, one of them had a large item wrapped in cloth, there is no way that wasn't a sword.
The other didn't have any weapons, but did have a similar aura around.
'Maybe I should talk to them?'
(that might not be a good idea)
'What's gonna happen? They break their swords over my head?'
(it would take more than your thick skull to break one of those)
'Well i'm going to say hi'
Kiro crossed the street, diverting from his original path to the local bakery.
He could get it later.
It looked like they were begging for money, with a fancy painting beside them.
Kiro flipped a coin into the little cup being held by one of them, catching their attention.
"O-oh, thank y-huh?" one of them, now identified as a female, was stopped by her partner by a hand.
"I didn't think you would find us so soon" the other spoke up, also a female. "We were planning to meet with your masters tomorrow"
"D-devil…?" the first whispered to herself.
"You want to meet my master while carrying that around, forgive me for being suspicious"
"We are not here to kill any of you, unless we must do so in self defense"
"Its my duty as a servant to protect my master from any possible threats, how about we go talk, and i'll relay your message"
"We were instructed to-*Grumble*-u-um-"
"If you agree to speak with me alone, i'll buy you both some food"
The two looked at each other, then back at him.
"They say it isnt wise to make deals with Devils…"
"If anything, I'm more at risk by isolating myself alone with two Church Exorcists, what have you to fear?"
"we-*grumble*...f-fine"
XXXX
'Damn...these two must have been starving…'
Kiro sat and watched in slight awe as the two girls practically ate the entire restaurant out of business, they were now sitting in embarrassment at having been seen doing so.
"...thank you...maybe you Devils aren't all bad"
"I would ask why you two are in this situation in the first place, but it seems we are out of time to be alone"
Rias, along with everyone else, approached their table.
"I believe a place like this is none to talk business, if you wouldn't mind, i've got a better one in mind"
"Are you the one that owns this town?"
"Indeed I am"
XXXXX
"I see, and think we are allied with the ones stealing them?"
"Its not out of the question, these blades are very dangerous to you Devils"
"I can assure you that I would never tarnish the Gremory name by allying with any Fallen Angels"
"That is what we were hoping to hear, we will be taking our leave now"
"Wait...are you Asia Argento?"
"U-um, yes"
"You're the Holy Maiden that became a Witch?"
"I-i-"
"Tell me, do you still believe in our Lord?"
'I dont like where this is going…' Kiro thought as he subtly moved closer behind Asia.
"i..I could never lose faith…"
"If that is so, then you wouldn't mind if we sent you to him"
"Hold it, no one is going to die, you should just leave while you can"
"Do you really think you could stop us?"
"I know I can stop you" Kiro stepped in front of Asia.
"You are delusional if you think you could win a fight against us"
Kiro had noticed Kiba where he usually stood, but he had a dangerous aura around him, he had some sort of beef with them he assumed.
"Maybe not alone, but i'm sure Kiba wouldn't mind helping me"
"I wouldn't mind at all" The Knight responded immediately, a small 'thanks' was passed through their brief eye contact.
"Are you two serious right now?"
""Completly"" both of them spoke.
"And you are ok with this?" the one asked Rias.
"Not completely but I have faith in my Knight and Rook" Rias responded, clearly the only one proud of her play on words.
"We wont take responsibility for their deaths…"
"You say that like you have the ability to kill us"
That did it.
"Fine, lets have a spar…"
Once everyone was out in the yard, the pairings were made.
Kiro was matched up with the one with the large sword, while Kiba had the other.
Both girls threw off their robes, revealing the one called Xenovia to have short blue hair with a tinge of green, and the other, Irina, to have chestnut hair in twintails.
Irina also pulled off a bracelet that turned into a full Katana.
'What the hell?'
(Excalibur mimic, it can change into any shape the wielder desires)
Xenovia pulled off the cloth on her sword, she had a confident grin on her face.
(Excalibur Destruction, it's one purpose is to destroy anything it touches)
'It's a good thing Kiba didn't get matched up with her…'
"I'll give you a chance to back down, Devil"
"Why? Afraid you might lose?"
"This sword could kill you upon contact if I really pushed myself"
"Hah, that blade won't even scratch me, not with a wielder as weak as you"
"You really are delusional…"
"Maybe I am, I Might even be crazy, but we won't know which until you stop stalling and hit me"
"Just remember, you asked for this" the girl dashed forward, swinging straight down.
This was most likely a move that she expected him to dodge out of 'realization'
Poor fool.
*CLANG*
…
"WHAT!?"
"Hmh, I think I almost felt that" Kiro held up a hand, stopping the Sword dead in its tracks.
With a finger.
The destructive energy flowed right through him like a conductor and into the ground, cracking the earth at his feet.
It also knocked everyone who was standing off of their feet.
'Son of a bitch! That really hurt…'
(since your bones cant be broken it's only going to feel like they are)
'I can see that'
Kiro peeked around the blade at the girl who was in a state of shock. "This, will be fun"