Hello everybody. This is the first part of this little interlude. Because of my mistake with the poll and a bit of laziness I decided to cut the chapter into two parts.
Anyways I hope you like it and I will see... well you will read of me at the end again.
"Some of you may die but this is a sacrifice I am willing to make." = Talking
"Crap. CRAP. I need to go on a toilet." = Yelling
´Ah he is a man of culture.´ = Thinking
In front of the student council room… (Issei POV)
It has been one and a half week since Akeno-chan left. In that time, one cannot say that I was lazy.
For starters I trained much with Arondight in order to get a better understanding and control of it. By now I manage to use it much faster and "shoot", for a lack of a better word, Arondight´s energy attack. This however cost more energy and is a bit weaker but it gives me a range attack which is useful.
I also do not to need to call out Arondight´s name for the attack. ´I really need to think of a name instead of calling it "the attack" all the time. Maybe "Overkill"? Ne it doesn´t sounds cool and is too edgy.´ There are some advantages beside not warning the enemy about the incoming attack with this method. It actually cost less energy and less focus but in return it is also quite a bit weaker. ´Is that why people in shows yell out their attack name? It would make sense but how would the writers know… Wait are those writers connected with the mystical world? That would actually explain quite a bit.´
Another thing that happened was that Sona-kaichou asked me if I would be interested in training with her Peerage and her. I of course accepted. It was great training and I got to know the member of the student council better. I get along the best with Sona-kaichou, Gen-san and surprisingly Tsubasa-san. Sona-kaichou isn´t really that surprising as is Gen-san. ´After all, he is a man of culture. I really wish him the best of luck to get together with Sona-kaichou.´
Tsubasa-san was a surprise but a welcomed one. She is what I would call a tomboy who doesn´t mind getting dirty. ´… Okay maybe I spent to much time with Matsuda and Motohama.´ Anyways we bonded over our training. While the others were already tired we continued to spar and man is she tough. It is not only because she is a Rook but her skills as a martial artist and her ability to infuse demonic energy into her punches and kicks makes her a force to be cautious about. Even if the latter took a bit of ass kicking for her to use that ability.
´I mean I kind of get it. But yes I am a human but I am also a gods dammed warrior. At least by now they should know not to hold back. Still a shame that I cannot use Arondight in fear to hurt them. I wonder why the holly aura and the demonic aura aren´t neutralizing each other? Oh well it is something I probably wouldn´t understand even if someone explained it.´
I also got along with the other member in the training but not as much as those three. What also was interesting was Sona-kaichou asking me if I would accompany them on a Stray Devil Hunt. I wanted to understand Stray Devils better anyways so I accepted and it was an interesting experience.
Flashback
Near an old mansion…
"Hey Hyoudou-kun. What took you so long?" Yura-san called out to me as I arrive with my bike. "You are almost late and what is with that backpack?"
"Sorry Yura-san. When my mom heard that I would be going with you hunting a Stray Devil. She went all mother mode and pack the backpack with clothes to change, something to drink, some snakes for us and some other thinks she thought would be useful. Took me and my dad some time to convince her that not all the things she packed was necessary and that the weight could be inconvenient for me."
"First call me Tsubasa. Second your mom seems nice." Yur- Tsubasa-san tells me.
"You can call me Issei, Tsubasa-san."
"Oh already on first name Hyoudou-san? Well we are going to fight together so it seems fair to do so. You can call me Gen then, Issei-san. It is shorter then my full first name." Gen-san says as he came over to us. "Come on you two. Kaichou wants to get the hunt started."
With that the three of us make our way to the others.
"Good evening Hyoudou-san. Now that you have arrived let us begin." Shitori-kaichou tells us. "First the information we managed to gather. The Stray Devil has been in the area for almost a week and killed in that time around 30 humans."
"Ehm Shitori-kaichou? Not to seem rude or anything but why wasn´t he already dealt with?" I ask because if 30 people already died someone should have taken action.
"That would be because of the fallen angel incident, Issei-kun." Tsubasa-san answers for Shitori-kaichou. "While the deaths of those 30 is extremely sad and it annoys me to no end that we didn´t do anything before now. However the risk of starting up the war between the three Fractions is unfortunately more important than the Stray Devil."
I do not reply to that. Afterall it is the logical decision. ´But just because something is logical doesn´t mean that need to like it or that it is the morally correct decision. But it also isn´t right to complain to them. They aren´t happy about what happened ever.´
"Anyways the Stray Devil shouldn´t be that strong but that doesn´t mean we should get overconfident. We will surround the mansion with three teams of three. The first team will be Tsubasa-san, Tomoe-san and Momo-san, team two is Reya-san, Ruruko-san and Hyoudou-san and the last team is Tsubaki, Gen-kun and me." Shitori-kaichou tells us. "Team 1, you guys will take the front entrance. Team 2, will enter over the right side. And my team will enter through the left side. Everyone get ready, we will enter on the signal. Gen-san, Ruruko-san, I declare this enemy territory."
"Yes Kaichou." Everyone of Shitori-kaichou´s Peerage yells. I simply summon Arondight and go to my team.
"So how do we wanna go in?" I ask the two girls.
"Well I am more of a ranged fighter and supporter with my magic, while you are a close combatant. Ruruko-chan can do both but not as good as either of us in our respective rolls. So I would say you take point followed with Ruruko-chan and me last." Kusaka-san suggests.
"I am fine with this Kusaka-san. What about you Nimura-san?"
"I´m also fine with this but Issei-san call me Ruruko. Okay?" Ruruko-san says.
"You can also call me Reya if you want, Hyoudou-san."
"I will and you two can call me Issei."
With that we make our way toward our point of entrance. When we arrived there we waited for the signal and upon receiving entered.
As I am the first to enter the building of my team I do a quick scan of the corridor. Upon seeing nothing suspicious I let the others in.
"Issei-san, you do know that you do not need to be so… protective? Professional? Anyways we can protect ourself and have more experience than you so calm down." Ruruko-san tells me and flexes her arm to "prove" her point jokingly.
"While I agree that you should be less tensed, Issei-san, I also think you should take the situation a bit more serious, Ruruko-chan."
"What? Kaichou said that the Stray Devil is weak. I really think we do not all of us here."
The two devils keep on their little discussion as we go through the corridor and check every room we find.
"Well this is the last room here. Anybody wanna bet that the Stray is here?" I ask jokingly the other two.
As we go through the door I notice two things. The first is that it isn´t a door toward a room but toward another part of the building. The second thing is movement. I immediately signal the other two to look in the direction of the movement.
"Well it seems like we found the Stray first." Ruruko-san says.
"What smells here so good?" Asks the Stray Devil as it reveals itself completely. Well "it" is probably not completely correct since she has the upper body of a voluptuous women with long black hair. She would be considered a beauty with few comparisons if not for her lower body.
´Gods I don´t know where to look. On the one hand, those claws and mouth of the lower body seem to be her main weapons. On the other hand… naked boobs.´ I think to myself. My eyes looking up and down.
"Is it you girls who smell so good?" The Stray asks before sniffing the air. "No you smell horrible. Then it most be you, boy." She continues. A smile of a maniac grows on her faces and she starts to rub her breasts. "Mhm I can already imaging the taste of your flesh." She moans.
"You first need to kill all of us. Promote to Queen." Says Ruruko-san and goes into a fighting stand.
With that the fight starts. I ran at the Stray but need to defend against the claws. I am unable to get a good hit in but a few cuts on the Stray´s front legs. As I deflect the claws yet again Ruruko-san jumps over me and delivers a powerful kick. This send the Stray flying and on landing she was pierced through several icicles.
The Stray screams in pain but didn´t died. She stands up and her face changes. Where before she had a beautiful face she now has a face of a monster with glowing red eyes and piranha like teeth. With here new look she charges us.
Ruruko-san stands herself in the way of the Stray and grabs the claws effectively locking her in place. I take the opportunity and try to attack her but before I manage to hit my instincts roar at me to jump away. I do so and moments later some kind of liquid sprays out of her breasts and upon making contact with the ground begin to corrode it.
"What the hell is that?" I exclaim at seeing the acid trying not to imaging what would have happened if it hit me.
"This is…" The Stray starts to say and grabs Ruruko-san before she stands up on her hindlegs lifting up Ruruko-san in the process. "…one of the things that will be your doom." And with that she stuffs Ruruko-san in her lower mouth. ´Hehe… wait concentrate on the fight.´ And tries to close it. Keyword on try.
Ruruko-san manage to grab one tooth in one hand and stops the closing mouth through her clothes got some cuts especially her shirt.
"Why won´t you give up!" Screams the Stray.
"Issei-san, here is a speed boost." Reya-san calls out to me as a magic circle appears where I stand.
"Thanks." And with that I run toward the Stray. ´Wow, it feels like I can fly.´ I can´t help but think as I move around the Stray and attack her from the back.
My attack caused a huge cut on her back and apparent by the scream also a lot of pain. It is enough to let Ruruko-san escape. With her free I decide to retreat too and regroup with the others.
"This starts to get annoying." Ruruko-san says.
"Hey, I am able to kill her with my next attack but I do need a moment to prepare. Could you two distract her for a bit?" I ask the two.
"Sure shouldn´t be so hard." Ruruko-san says as Reya-san simply nods.
With our plan decided we start our respective rolls. Ruruko-san sprints in the direction of the Stray and taunts her while evading her attacks. Reya-san meanwhile fires of some weak spells as annoyances.
I, on the other hand, am gathering energy. When I feel that I have enough I call toward the others: "Alright. I am ready."
"Good. Then show us what you got." And with that Ruruko-san punches one of the claws to give me an opening.
She does not need to tell me this twice as I run toward the Stray. I use the opening and call out: "Arondight". With that one attack I sent the Stray flying. She crushes through at least one wall but I couldn´t see how many because of the dust.
"Well. That was impressive, Issei-san." Ruruko-san says with her mouth slightly aghast.
"What the hell happened here?" Gen-san says as he and the other members of the student council enter.
´Of course. Now that the fight is over their arriving. Haah well I guess I can´t really blame them. The fight only lasted around four minutes.´
"We kicked the Stray Devil´s ass. That what happened." Ruruko-san says a bit too proud.
"Hm is that so. Let us check if it is dead and then return to the council room. There you can give us a full report." Shitori-kaichou tells us.
Later after the report in the council room…
"I understand. You three did a good job." Shitori-kaichou tells us.
"Thank you." We tell her.
"Alright I think that is all for today. Hyoudou-san, I would like to talk with you for a moment so if you could stay a moment. Everyone else is dismissed." Shitori-kaichou says.
"Yes Kaichou." And with some goodbyes the remaining people in the room are Shitori-kaichou and me.
"First, Hyoudou-san, I want to thank you for helping us today."
"It was no problem. It was a good experience for me too so there is no need to worry, Shitori-kaichou."
"Sona."
"Eh? What did you say?" I ask not entirely sure I heard her correctly.
"I said you can call me Sona."
"Ah I see. Then you can call me Issei too."
´Wow, I would never have thought that I get to call Kuoh´s Onee-chan by her first name.´ I think to myself.
"Alright. Now then Issei-san. There are some other things I want to talk about with you. The first is payment. Normally I would simply divide the payment evenly between my Peerage but I forgot to ask you what you would like as payment."
"Payment? You do not need to pay me. Like I said it was a good experience for me and also live combat training."
"Issei-san, please just accept payment and tell me what you want. It would hurt my pride as a devil if you do not accept." Sona-kaichou sighs.
"Okay if it means so much to you then I accept. Hm the payment doesn´t need to be money, correct?" I ask. An idea already forming in my head.
"Yes, that is correct. It can be simply be jewels, information or something completely different. If you do not yet have an idea then we could also say that I owe you a small favor and leave it at that."
"No, I have an idea. I just wanted to make sure that it is a possibility. Would it be possible for you guys to teach me a bit of magic?"
"Magic? That is surprising. I never thought you would be really interested in that." Sona-kaichou says in surprise and curiosity.
"Yeah. My father doesn´t know how to use magic and ever since Akeno-chan told me I could use magic I was curious about it. I know that I won´t be a great mage but it still might be useful."
"Ah I see. That will be no problem. Tsubaki, Momo and I could teach you but I think the best to teach you would be Reya."
"Oh really? Why? I mean I know that she knows many types of magic but is there a specific reason?"
"Well not to go too deep in her personal family history but her grandmother was a magician."
"Ah I see. Alright then. What next?"
"Well one of the things I wanted to ask you may be more useful for you now than I thought. I want to ask you if you would like to accompany me and some of my Peerage to the Familiar Forest next week. Maybe you can get a familiar of your own there."
"Oh that sounds interesting. If you would have me than I would love to accompany you guys."
"Great. I will tell you when to meet us at our next training session. I have nothing to say. So if you have nothing else I wish you a goodnight."
Flashback ends…
So this is it for now. You guys still can vote for the familiar but only today and maybe a bit tomorrow so be quick. The next part will come out the next few days.
Anyways I wish you guys a good day and goodbye with my best regards.
PS. I was about to upload this when I saw this story has over 1000 views. Maybe not impressive to some but for me who thought nobody would read this crap still a great feeling.