italics - Thoughts
Bold underlined - Spells/Sword Skills
[Bold] - Ddraig
[Ddraig] - Ddraig mental speech
{Bold} - Albion speech
[Issei] - Issei mental speech with Ddraig
[Issei] - Issei speaking with Ddraig
Underlined - Timeskips/Flashbacks
"Bold" - Rating Game Announcement
Disclaimer: I do not own Highchool Dxd, Sword Art Online, or any of its characters. All rights belong to their creators.
Chapter 24:To Kyoto!
The entire Gremory Peerage were in the Underworld once more.
This time however, it was for a celebration instead of a formal gathering. A celebration for Rias managing to obtain and complete her entire team, which also doubled as a re-introduction of her Peerage to her parents.
And as such, the Gremory Peerage, plus Irina, were brought to the Gremory home for tea and dinner. And right now, they were just having a nice chat with the Gremory family while sipping some tea. Something that made Issei wonder if this was a hobby that was shared by the upper levels of society. Or am I feeling uneasy I never had the experience of sitting down and chatting with so many servants…over tea.
Issei pondered that bit of information for a moment, before he shrugged. Either way, he felt uneasy about all of this.
"–establish a Norse magic school in Gremory territory and start a business training new valkyries out of devil females." Rossweisse just finished describing her plans for the future.
"As an angel, I never thought I would visit the home of the upper class devils, what a supreme honour!" Irina bowed her head slightly, clasping her hands together as she did so. "This must be the grace of the Lord and…Maou-sama!"
Irina looks to be very happy about this as well… Issei had a small grin on his face as he sipped his cup of tea. Hard to think that a few months back, she would have most likely tried to kill us with her sword instead of talking it out with devils.
"Hahaha, Rossweisse-san seems very interested in devil industries." Rias's father laughed openly. "As the head of the Gremory family, I will look forward to your contributions."
As always, Buchou's dad seems be full of noble flair.
"By the way, Ise-san." Rias's mother took a small sip from her cup of tea before she sat it down and changed the subject. "You and all you second years will be going on the school trip soon, right? Are you going to Kyoto in Japan?"
"Yes, yes." Issei nodded his head. Since his girlfriend's mother was quite strict on manners, every sentence he spoke was had some apprehension. "According to plans, we will be leaving for Kyoto immediately."
"Last year, Rias brought back some Japanese pickles from Kyoto which were quite tasty."
Buchou's mother ate Japanese pickles? Issei thought in surprise. I mean, I knew Bucho-, Rias ate them all the tie back at my home, but it is a surprise to know that her mother also ate Japanese pickles. Rather, it's impossible to associate the noble Lady Gremory with Japanese pickles.
"I…your humble servant will bring some back from the trip."
"Ara… that's not what I meant…I apologise, you really don't have to do that, no?"
That was how the re-introduction proceeded until the end. And after the event, they would have gone straight back home.
…Had it not been for the sudden arrival for Sirzechs and his special guest.
"Thank you for your hospitality. Looking good, Rias and the Sekiryuutei." Appearing next to Sirzechs was Rias's cousin, Sairaog Bael, clad in a noble's attire. Even tough he was wearing that attire, and even though he was in this normal circumstance, an overwhelming presence could be felt from him. His violet eyes were shining full of spirit and determination.
"Yes, it is great that you came to greet us. You too, look wonderful. —But let me apologise for my delayed greeting. Onii-sama, salutations. We heard you returned home and came to greet you." Rias smiled as she saw her nephew run up to her brother.
"Don't sweat the formalities, it makes me uncomfortable." Sirzechs smiled as he picked up Millicas. "Thank you all for coming to greet us."
"…Onii-sama, if you don't mind me asking, Sairaorg came because…?"
"Yes, he came expressly to deliver some fruit, a specialty from Bael territory. How thoughtful of our cousin. We were talking about how Rias should visit the Bael household to express our gratitude some time."
Oh? Issei thought to himself. So, the Bael territory has some specialty fruit? Is it like the Kyoto Grapes from Kyoto? Or rather…is that the only reason? Was there any discussion about our match with Sairaorg?
"We were talking about a few things for the next match. Rias, he has no special requests about the rules, except that all complicated restrictions be lifted from the rules of combat."
…I thought so. In his mind, Issei sighed in sorrow. It seemed that everywhere he went, he would always be surrounded by people who had combat on their minds. That, or training.
"—"
Unlike Issei, Rias's face became surprised for just a single moment, before it turned into one of seriousness. "Sairaorg, that is to say, no matter how many uncertain elements there are on our side, you will accept them all, is that what you mean?"
In response, Sairaorg smiled fearlessly. "That is correct. Whether the vampire that stops time, or the Sekiryuutei who reads thoughts and blows girls' clothes away, I will take them all on.—If I cannot handle your all-out attacks, how can I call myself the heir of the Bael family?"
…What an amazing spirit and determination. This man really wanted all of us to put our all into it.
As Issei thought that, he could not help but shudder a little. Because Sairaorg's gaze shifted from Rias to Issei. His piercing eyes had a solemn presence that gave a chilling and frightening feeling, but utterly devoid of malevolence. There is not a single shred of evil felt.
Just pure battle spirit. Issei could tell that this guy was a pure battle maniac just like Vali, but similarly both did not carry any evil in their intentions. He would have added Kirito to that list as well, but...he did not look for fights, really. It was his training methods that made Issei want to place him in the same category as a battle-maniac.
"….So scary." Gasper quickly hid behind Issei's back, a scared expression on his face. "T-there actually exists someone who wants to take on my power so actively…This makes it even more scary!"
Gyasuke is right. After all, Sairaorg-san is taking on the powerful ability of stopping time. A-and my skills as well…which gives me some mixed feelings to be honest.
On one hand, Issei would be able to use the skills which had been banned from the Rating Games. Meaning Dress Breakand Billingual were available for his use!
But on the other hand…they were only useful against females, Billingual more so than Dress Break. And if he remembered right, Sairaorg's Peerage only had two females. So, unless they had another Peerage against Peerage match…there was a very low chance of him being able to use his skills to it's fullest potential.
At this moment, Sirzechs, who had been watching all of this, made a suggestion.
"Yes, there is no better opportunity than this chance encounter. Sairaorg once said you wanted to spar with the Sekiryuutei—Ise-kun right?"
"That's right, I did say that before…"
"Then just a friendly match. Don't you want to experience the fist of the heavenly dragon?"
… … …! Issei's mind was blank due to how sudden it was. But he quickly regained his wits.
W-w-whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!? Issei had to hold back the urge to run away at that moment. T-to have me fight Sairaorg-san right here right now!? Really! No no, even if you suddenly say so…!
Ignoring his wide eyes, Sairaorg turned to Rias. "So Rias, what do you say?"
Rias seemed to consider it for a moment, prompting Issei to hope against hope that he would be able to escape fighting or sparring against his well deserved holiday. But alas-
"…Since Onii-sama…No, Maou-sama says so, then naturally I have no reason to refuse. Ise, is that ok?"
…Buchou….why did you back me into this corner?! Issei was really struggling now. He had REALLY hoped he would not have had to fight against Sairaorg. This day, this ONE day, was the first time he had a proper break in weeks! No training regime to follow, no sparring against three sword wielders, no weird requests from his summoners. Nothing too stressful had happened to him! And yet…and yet…!
Uwuwuwu...Buchou...if you say so, then I can't refuse! And in front of everyone, I can't look weak before them as well! Especially you, Buchou! My girlfriend!
"...Yes, yes! If you don't mind!" Issei stepped forward as he spoke, determination now flowing through his veins. After all–
…sooner or later, I will have to face the attacks of the strongest young devil, Sairaorg Bael. Best I face him now to provide a useful reference in preparation for the match. Furthermore, if everyone else watched our fight, they would definitely be able to benefit from it.
As Sairaorg and Issei exchanged glances, Sirzechs nodded in agreement, as if he had expected such an outcome. "Then, the two of you. Show me the fists of the first amongst the new generation of devils and the current Sekiryuutei."
In the basement of the Gremory castle, there as a vast training hall, easily large enough to house the entire Kuoh Academy's stadium. The Gremory Peerage, along with Millicas, were watching from the sidelines, Grayfia watching over them.
Sairaorg took off his fancy noble attire, leaving just a grey shirt and his pants clad over his muscular body. Not surprisingly, he was also pretty good looking. And standing not too far from them was Sirzechs, watching the battle between them with a small smile on his face.
"Ddraig," Issei paid the Maou no mind, instead choosing to focus on the enemy right before him. "Let's go."
[Leave it to me.]
Immediately after summoning Boosted Gear, he activated the Balance Breaker countdown. However, he did not take out his sword, causing Sairaorg to raise an eyebrow at that. "You…will you not take out your Ascalon to fight? Or will you borrow another sword, seeing as Asclaon is a Holy blade?"
Issei shrugged, keeping an eye on his opponent as he spoke. "I am not too proficient with the sword. If I take it out, the most I will do is leave openings for you to exploit. Besides…my fighting style is more like a brawler anyway. Similar to Sairaorg-san, I guess."
"…Interesting…" Sairaorg, satisfied by Issei's answer, folded his arms as he waited for the boy's countdown to reach zero.
Is he that confident? Issei frowned lightly. He did not think that the devil before him was taking him lightly. No, it must be because he wants to see my full strength and doesn't want to do anything unnecessary.
All too quickly, the countdown ended.
[Welsh Dragon Balance Breaker!]
As the red aura shined around his body an took the form of the signature Scale Mail of the Red Dragon Emperor, Issei quickly shifted into a combat ready stance, with Sairaorg smoothly entering one as well.
No one moved at first. Then-
*Fwoom*
Firing up his back boosters to the max, as well as flapping his wings hard once, Issei flew straight forwards, his right fist thrust forwards and aimed straight at Sairaorg. His attack, was very fast, nearly reaching that of Kiba's speed when they first met. However…
*Thunk*
The red-gauntlet clad fist smashed straight into Sairaorgs face with a clear sound. Eh? Sairaorg-san, he did not dodge?! Not only that, that attack was a clean and perfect hit! He…does not seem to be hurt at all?!
A chill ran down Issei's spine
At that moment, Issei felt that something was very, very wrong. So, following his instincts, he chose to retreat several steps back.
And it was a good choice of his, too. For when Issei observed Sairaorg, his body showed hardly any signs of injury. In fact, said devil was smiling as he pointed at the part which he got hit. He is completely unhurt after taking a hit from me? Even though it was not Boosted, I put quite the amount of force into it…
"An excellent punch. Straight and to the point, a pure punch full of strong will. A normal devil would have lost to such a punch. But—"
Sairaorg vanished before Issei's eyes. No, he vanished before everyone's eyes, sans the Maou and his Queen. "—I am no ordinary devil."
Behind me! Turning, Issei quicklly brought his guard up, raising his arms to defend against the swift strike…only for said hit to smash into the red gauntlets. My armour…it got destroyed by that hit!?
Wincing from the heavy hit, Issei quickly retreated as his body completely lost its balance from the hit, demonic power shooting through his back boosters to push him away from Sairaorg and right himself.
…Too fast…Issei thought to himself grimly. I thought that my eyes were used to catching high speed motions from my training with Kiba and Kirito, but to think he vanished from my sight…I underestimated him a little too much.
Issei's thoughts, while not true, was also not false at the same time. It was true that he had underestimated Sairaorg's speed, vitality and strength, but at the same time, a part of him had expected that to happen. The reason? His arms were numb and had no feeling! For my arms to become like that from the impact of the gauntlets' destruction just now...at least I can move my fingers, so that means my bones are not broken! —I can still fight!
Ddraig, please regenerate the gauntlets.
[Understood, partner.] Red aura surrounded Issei's arms, regenerating the gauntlets. In seconds, it was if the damage that had been inflicted on it was but a mere illusion.
Sairaorg level an impressed look at his opponent. "Hoho. You didn't get sent flying. Well, that was just a hello punch."
A hello punch? W-what sort of 'hello punch' can destroy my armour?! Issei wanted to tsukkomi, but he held himself back.
Sairaorg cracked his neck. "I have three weapons. A strongly built body, fast legs and martial arts— So, here I come!"
Almost like before, Sairaorg vanished from Issei's sight once more! This time, instead of appearing behind him, he appeared beside him, fist already in motion-
–sHIT! On instinct, Issei shrank back to avoid the attack, eyes wide as they took in the fist that brushed against his body, winds whistling as they were forced out of the way of the brutally fast fis-
*crackle~*
…wa-wa-waaaaiiitt a minute! This has to be some sort of joke right? Issei used his boosters to flip into the air, creating even more space between them and allowing Issei to assess the damage that had been inflicted on him. Just brushing his fist close to me was enough to crack open the armour at my abdomen?!
*DANGER!*
Feeling that tingle on his spine, Issei quickly dropped down low, using his wings to propel him downwards, even if a little faster.
And just in time for Sairaorg to soar over his head, his kick missing his body-
-and smashing against the walls of the training hall, instantly creating a small crater at the impact area, and causing large cracks to run down and along not only the impacted walls, but the surrounding three ones as well!
…This guy is too strong! So much stronger than Diodora! How can this devil be in the same generation as Rias and that pretty, two-faced bastard? Issei thought to himself with no small amount of horror as he watched Sairaorg dislodge himself from the wall. If it wasn't clear before, with these few exchanges, it is now! How strong Rias's cousin is! If that kick had connected just now… Issei did not even want to imagine what would have happened to his poor body had that last attack connected.
[Ah, this really surprises me. This man from the Bael family has trained his power to the max. Using Rating Game types, this is a power type who has kept increasing offensive power again and again. How interesting. A man who pursues pure destructive power. Totally extreme. It makes me very interested.]
…and for Ddraig to show interest in someone apart from the Maou and other dragons… yeah, Sairaorg is someone that is to be watched out for. Issei steeled himself. He was not born with his family's bloodline power, the Power Of Destruction. Yet, he was much stronger than Rias. Maybe by tenfold. And to think this was all from the result of him training his body to successfully become the heir...this shows that he does not half-ass things, at the very least.
"Amazing." Issei allowed that praise to slip out. Sairaorg may have been a massive wall that was obstructing his master's dream. That was an even higher and steeper wall before Issei's own dreams. And yet…he could only feel respect and admiration for the devil. For like him, he was a devil that had no in-born talent. But unlike him, he was already very, very strong. So much so that his strength seemed to reach the skies. "So you can reach this level of strength completely through training?"
In response to that question, Sairaorg replied. "I just believed in my own body, that's all."
…truly, Sairaorg-san is an amazing person. He must have conquered unimaginable obstacles and hardships to reach who he is today. Issei brought his hands up, guarding his head. Then, I too will attempt to give it my all and test my own limits! Time to test out that suggestion Beelzebub-sama gave me! "Promotion, Rook!"
"…" Smirking slightly, Sairaorg's figure vanished once more, before it appeared again, this time right before Issei.
[BoostBoostBoostBoostBoostBoostBoostBoostBoostBoostBoostBoos]
Here it comes! Already having expected this, Issei had already started to increase his defence, doubling it as much as possible before the truck-like hit that was Sairaorg's fist hit him. He hardened his muscles as much as possible behind his armour, his stance subtly shifting into a defensive one the moment Sairaorg had disappeared from his sight.
With howling winds akin to a foghorn, Sairaorg's fist smashed into Issei's guts, cracking the armour plating.
But not destroying it.
KRgh! Issei felt the attack flow through his body, even with the Boosted defence of his armour protecting him. Some blood leaked from his mouth. Damn it! That attack nearly broke through all of the Rook's heightened defences! But I have to hold on! To do it!
Gritting his teeth, Issei delivered a heavy counter hit against Sairaorg, converting most of the Boosted defence into offence at the last second the moment Sairaorg's fist had been stopped and his fist had contacted with the other's face.
*spurt*
Fresh blood leaked out of Sairaorg's face… along with a glob of blood that made its way from Issei's mouth.
Damn… Issei panted heavily, blood drippigg down his mouth. That attack… I nearly lost consciousness, and it dealt such a heavy toll on my body as well…but I endured! This means I can fight him!
Issei spat out another glob of blood, not minding the iron taste filling his mouth. Using this method of attacking is really interesting! It hurts like hell, but it would allow me to survive and give me some leeway when I am facing off against supermoves in the future, and counter them!
I can't defeat Sairagorg-san at this level, but I sure as hell won't try! At the very least, I am going to at least break his arm!
"A promotion to Rook, eh?" Sairaorg smiled as he wiped the blood that had leaked from his nose. "I was sure you were going to Promote to a Queen, but it seems that your Promotion to a Piece which specialises in offence and defence was a much better choice compared to the all-rounder Queen. I put quite the bit of power in that last hit, and your counter-attack of yours was excellent as well."
Then, he frowned. "…But you seemed to be hesitating. Why is that? You have a question about our fight?"
"No, that's not it!" Issei hesitantly continued. "How should I put it…umm, those upper class devils often look down on me…..But Sairaorg-san has been serious from the start…so, it is a little surprising."
"…I see." Sairaorg sighed, shaking his head lightly. "Do not worry. I will not underestimate you. I have no reason to look down on you. After all, to survive against a direct battle against the Maou Faction, and the Norse God of Evil and Trickery Loki, this means your strength is real."
He gave a fearless smile. "I am also enjoying this fight we are having. It has been a long time since I have been punched to a nosebleed. And that punch...I can tell it has been well-trained. I'm overjoyed at having the chance to fight against, and unleash my full might, against some like me!" Clenching his fist, Sairaorg to proceeded give off a slightly bloodthirsty aura. "So don't hold back, and come at me! Show me the power of the Sekiryuutei!"
This guy… Behind his mask, Issei smiled as well. A small hint of determination and fire entered his eyes. I take back my promise. I won't just break his arm! Even if I lose here, I will break both of them!
"After our match, let's have a long chat!"
"I agree. Let's have a long one!"
With that, the two clashed once more.
..
Timeskip
The match ended on an awkward note. Well, at least for Issei and Kiba.
After all, how does one respond when their Peerage members suddenly shout out that Issei should power up by touching someone's(specifically, Rias's) breasts? even if the offer was tempting as hell, Issei would not have been powered up by such a thing…at least, not yet…
…he hopes…
What made this even more embarrassing for Issei was when everyone was convinced of this power up method being the truth. Including his childhood friend, Gasper, Asia, Rias and Rossweisse.
….Issei was just thankful that Sirzechs did not seem to be too bothered by this method of powering up for Issei, nor did he seem to think it was true. Just that this was amusing, like Sairaorg and Kiba thought. Though, for a minute there, Sairaorg had worried Issei when he seemed to actually consider Issei groping Rias's chest as a way for him to power up.
Well, because of this, the match ended up being stopped halfway. So, Sairaorg decided that they should pick up their duel during their upcoming Rating Game.
You would think that after a stressful fight with one of the strongest, if not, THE strongest young devil from the Young Devil's Gathering, Issei would be allowed to have a restful night in the underworld. Right?
"Ufufu~"
"A-A-Akeno-san?!"
Nope, unfortunately for the boy, his body was not granted the sweet relief of rest. But fortunately for his mind, it was active, and most importantly, awake to see one Akeno Himejima walk into the room he was staying and climb onto the bed.
With her hair let down, and her skin still flushed from a shower, Akeno started to snuggle against the young Dragon Emperor.
"…Ise-kun is going to abandon me and have fun in Kyoto…"
Akeno mumbled in sadness, her face pressed against his arm as she pouted.
A-akeno-san… Issei gulped when he felt the ample bosom of his girlfriend's Queen press against his chest and arm. "How, how could that be, Akeno-san, it's just four days and three nights. We'll see each other again soon."
Issei said in a placating tone, hoping that the black-haired beauty would release his arm from her clutches(not that he did not enjoy the softness of her oppai, mind you.)
Instead, Akeno hugged Issei tighter, sounding as if she was about to cry. "…Two whole days, I won't be seeing you…? I could die of loneliness…"
Her yukata, which had been hung over her body loosely, was now sliding off her body, exposing her bare shoulders to the world! Already, Issei's mind was already struggling to not be blown away by the sheer appeal that Akeno was actively giving off, and as such he was struggling to prevent the massive nosebleed that was coming. N-no! Stay down, Issei! You can barely handle Rias, so don't go adding to your troubles! Especially since the next day is when we are going for a school trip!
If it was before, Issei would have been confused by the changes in how Akeno was interacting with him, especially when it was just the ORC club around.
Akeno displayed an even stronger desire to have him spoil her when they were alone together. She would always try to get Issei to follow her when she went shopping. if he said that he was busy, she would pout with a cute, angry expression. If he changed his answer and immediately agreed to go, she would revert back to a cute, smiling face brimming with happiness. In voice and attitude, she had already transformed into such a cute girl that one could easily mistake her for being the same year or even younger then Issei!
In many situations, she had managed to exceed his girlfriend, Rias Gremory, n terms of cuteness, or showing off her 'maiden in love' side. Although she maintained her usual 'Onee-sama' attitude when they were in school or surrounded by members of the school, everything changed when they were alone, or with members of the ORC club…
And all of this started after their fight with Loki…
Now, again, if it was before, Issei would have been confused by these changes.
But this time, Issei was much wiser than before! And more knowledgeable!
And as such, he knew that the reason why the girls, especially Akeno, had upped their desire to have Issei spoil them more!
For they were maidens in love…with him!
Ah, my dream of being a Harem King is not that far off anymore… Issei thought to himself happily. Sure, he may have a girlfriend, but at this rate, him getting a few more would not be impossible. Rias might be angry for a while, but she would accept it in the end. After all, in the Underworld, it was not unheard of for Kings to have harems. And if Issei wanted to serve Rias(and be her spouse), he had to be a King!
…though, him having his entire Peerage be part of his harem was something he was still unsure about.
Speaking of Buchou…I never would have believed it if someone told me that one day, I would have a relationship with one of the two 'Onee-sama of Kuoh Academy'. Issei thought to himself as he absentmindedly hugged Akeno with his free hand, causing the girl to snuggle against him. But now that Buchou is my girlfriend, I have to be even more cautious! Rias is a great master, but sometimes, her desires leak through, even when we are in public! And I don't want to be lynched by all the males in Kuoh because Buchou accidently exposed our new relationship! And if we add Akeno to the mix…
Issei shivered slightly. He loved the Heiress of the Gremory clan with all his heart. He really did. But sometimes, that girl's poker face was…less than ideal. Especially when it involved him.
"Ise?" Akeno blinked at him when she felt his shiver. "Are you okay?"
"…I'm fine, Akeno-san." Issei reassured Akeno. "Just felt a little cold, that's all."
"Ara ara." Akeno giggled. "That is bad, no? Can't have you falling sick the night before your trip…on second thoughts, you should fall sick! That way, I can nurse you back to health! For. All. Four. Days~"
"B-but, Akeno-san…if that is the case, then wouldn't Rias get mad?" Issei tried to reason with the half Fallen. He was starting to wonder if Akeno and Rias did not have some sort of succubi blood in them. Not that he was complaining!
"Ara~ No honorifics during these times, Ise-kun~" Despite the seductive way that Akeno was saying these words, her eyes were dead serious.
"But, but, Akeno-san is my senior…" And I want us to stay in this type of relationship until a few months after Rias is settled as my girlfriend! I don't want to hurt her anymore. At least, not intentionally, anyway! Issei tried to protest, only for a single finger to press against his lips.
"There is no senior of junior in bed. Only man and woman. Do your best to remember that, okay~?" Akeno released Issei's arm and moved away from the boy, showing off her nearly nude body, her modesty only preserved by the fact that her yukata was STILL hiding her lower half and her oppai. Just barely. "Or you would be facing some-"
She leaned in close, allowing her chest to rest on his own.
"-Pun~Is~Ment~" At that moment, small arcs of lightning hit Issei's exposed nape, causing him to shudder. Whether from pain or from small pleasure, he did not know, too stunned was he by the amount of lewd appeal the girl before him was emitting.
"Y…yes." He gulped.
"For now~" Akeno leaned backwards, clasping her hands and intertwining her ten fingers with Issei's. "You can appease me by allowing me to refill four days and three nights worth of you."
"Re, refill…?" Issei felt like his brain was about to boil from the sheer amount of heat his brain was producing from the acts Akeno was purposefully doing, but he held himself back and questioned her. He would have been happy had this cute Akeno had her way with him, but he doubted Rias would have been happy. To quote someone from an eroge; Always keep the main wife happy!
"Yes, refill." Smiling seductively, Akeo's face slowly approached issei's as she spoke. "Caressing Ise-kun's skin, to be fondled by Ise-kun, to feel your manliness, I will be able to experience the true meaning of being a woman…"
"The t-true meaning o-of being a W-woman…" Issei could not help but swallow hard again from the hidden meanings that were behind Akeno's words.
As he watched Akeno's face slowly approach his, her lips pursing slightly, he could not help but think. Ah, but at times like this, the one most likely to appear is-
"…Akeno? What are you doing…?"
Feeling the demonic presence that was difficult to describe, Issei cautiously turned his head back to find his crimson-haired girlfriend staring at them, her cheek twitching in anger. ….As I thought, Rias is the best at sniffing out these type of situations…
"Ara ara, how scary—" Akeno cried out in faux fear as she spoke to her King. "Onee-sama is glaring at me and Ise-kun. Could it be, seeing us like this, you are jealous? Ufufu."
"I just went to take a bath and then you came to seduce Ise." Rias glared at Akeno. "You have become quite daring, haven't you?"
"I'm always this daring, all the time. Look—like this…" As she spoke, Akeno pressed her body against Issei even more. This time however, she started to grind her body against his, stimulating his entire body with her own, soft and supple one. So much so that Issei felt like his body's functions were going to halt!
"…Well said. Akeno-san is too sly."
Eh? A third voice? Issei's wits, which had been about to be lost due to Akeno's ministrations, returned to find someone hugging his head from behind. shifting his head to take a good look-
"Koneko-chan!? When, when did you…!"
-he was surprised to see a certain Nekoshou hugging his head tightly, a thin white robe covering her body. Her usual hidden cat ears and tail were also exposed for all to see.
Mmm~ Koneko-chan's smooth and soft body, and her sweet fragrance… Issei swooned a bit from the close proximity to his kouhai, but he quickly regained is bearings when he once again remembered his girlfriend was in the same room as he was at the moment. And at the fact that technically, he should not be touching the small girl behind him, else he might get arrested for being a pedophile, even though she was of legal age.
Then again…we are in the underworld, so things might be different?
"…I don't want to separate from senpai either…. Senpai, let's do several days worth of senjutsu treatment for tonight..."
As she spoke, Koneko pressed her body against Issei's back, a lonely expression appearing on her face. To appeal to him even more, her furry tail also wrapped around his free wrist. Ah, the fur on your tail feel so nice, Koneko-chan…Or rather, this kind of daring display used to be only between the two of us, wasn't it? So is it now okay to be seen by others? Or was it because I was leaving that you are acting like Akeno-san right now?!
"E-even Koneko…" Apparently, even Rias was taken aback by this behaviour the small girl was exuding. But she quickly recovered from it. She had to, after all, assert the pecking order, even if they were not part of his harem. Yet. "But Ise is clearly mine… He is my most adored Ise… You all are going too far!"
Honestly… Issei felt like this situation was getting even more incomprehensible.
In front of him was his girlfriend of two weeks, Rias Gremory, trembling and pouting in dissatisfaction and slight anger. Beside him, hugging his arm, was Akeno Himejima, who was also smiling coyly with a small blush on her face. And behind him was Koneko Tojou, clad in nearly see-through clothes, her cuteness being pushed to the max by her nekoshou features, her face also set in a pout.
All in all, he had three famed females of Kuoh Academy fighting over him. A sight that would have certainly invited bloodshed from both genders had there been any students seeing this. Can this situation get even more weird?
*bam*
As if to mock him, the door to the room opened up with a large sound, revealing Asia. Seeing the situation, she immediately pouted as well, her cheeks puffing out in dissatisfaction as she spoke. "How! How can this be... Not only Rias onee-sama, but even Akeno- san and Koneko-chan too! Ooh~, leaving out just me…? Unacceptable! I have to join in too! Ei—!"
Jumping onto the bed, Asia grabbed onto his right leg and hugged it with surprising strength. It was very apparent that she was determined not to let go. "I won't let go of Ise-san! We have to sleep together tonight!"
This proved to be the last straw, as Rias finally yelled out. "Really! You all! Why won't you listen to me, your master!"
Insead of obeying quietly, all three girls responded to their Master.
"""Because he is my—"""
"Ise-san!" Asia said with a small pout on her face.
"…Senpai!" Koneko hugged Issei tighter.
"Ise-kun!" Akeno instead pressed his arm further into her bosom, while nuzzling his chest.
"No! He's mine~~!" Rias tearfully screamed, her shouts echoing within the room.
As the night progressed into a battle, with the large bed turning into a battlefield with him as the prize, Issei decided to just knock himself out with a simple method to spare him the chaos and the treatment of him being used as a piece of meat(Well, he did want to be treated as a piece of meat in the future by his harem, among other things, but right now he just want to sleep!)
He allowed his imagination to overwhelm him, as well as the fact that he could feel and see the oppai of the people that he loved, and vice versa.
*spurt*
The last thing that Issei heard was the shouts between the girls as they fought over his slowly falling unconscious body, before he accepted the blissful embrace of the darkness surrounding him.
Timeskip
Pretty soon, the day of the school trip had arrived.
In the time leading up to it, many things had happened, both big and small.
The fight with Diodora.
Juggernaut Drive being unleashed.
The hidden fight between Kazuto and Argo, which resulted in her Peerage being inducted into Kazuto's.
Yuuna being resurrected as a techno-familiar, and the subsequent resurrection into a devil.
Issei's training to make him more proficient in his swordplay, and the use of the three Pieces he could Promote as: The Bishop, the Knight, and the Rook.
Kazuto's and his Peerage's gaming, plus their training in their preferred weaponry, and their further increased efficiency in the conversion of demonic energy into Sword Skills, or skills they preferred in their favoured games.
And now, it was time for them to go to a new place! It would be a good breather for everyone, Eiji included.
…well, Kazuto hoped so, anyway. The poor Pawn had to deal with fawning girls with their blatant attempts at getting him to favour them. Or maybe even…take things a step further…
…well, Yuuna would have stomped those girls flat had she been there. As it was, she was too busy hashing out information and details that would allow her to take the place of the virtual models that played as her, and thus give her a job, while also allowing her to do what she loved. At the moment, she was trying to incorporate herself into every single program that the company which had bought 'her' and condense them inside her, so that she was up to date about everything.
Confusing? A little, if Kazuto was being honest. If it weren't for the fact that Eiji was the one who had to give him some of the papers that he and Yuuna were dealing with, he would have been lost when they first explained it to the group when they asked them what they were doing.(*1*)
And right now, everyone was at the waiting area of the Tokyo bullet train station, gathered in a corner of the waiting area, out of earshot of others.
Of the ones staying behind, only Rias came to see them off. Akeno, Konkeo and Gasper of the Gremory group, and Suguha, Keiko, Shino, and Argo of the SAO group(that was their name. It worked.) had wanted to come and see them off as well, but they did not. For the Gremory Group, the two First-years had to stay in classes so that they would not fall behind. For the Sole third-year of their group, it was so that they would not attract any attention. Having one of the two 'Onee-sama's of Kuoh' here was enough to raise a few eyebrows. If both of them appeared and tried to see them off, it would have raised quite the ruckus.
As for the SAO group…
Keiko, Suguha and Argo needed to catch up on their schoolwork. As great as Argo was at information gathering, she was behind in the curriculum, having stayed out of the loop for a few years. Shino was in a different school, so even if she could, she would have nt been able to see the group off.
…Though, even if she was free, it was more likely she would have stayed at home to grind in GGO. It was her main method of income after all.
Thankfully for her, she was free from the nightmare that was the school festival, as her school did not have the budget for one. Not so thankfully for the ones who had to remain in Kuoh, because as this trip was a yearly thing, it meant that the first and third years would have to pick up the slack and cover the work the second years had to do for the next few days. And because the SAO group was also part of the Occult Research Club, they had to help out as well.
Kazuto felt a little bad about that for his Peerage members.
"Here, this is a pass for each of you."
Of course, this was not the only reason as to why Rias was meeting everyone, away from prying eyes.
"This is the legendary…?" Kiba trailed off as he received the card that Rias had handed out to everyone.
"Yes, this is required for devils to enjoy Kyoto." Rias nodded. "The so-called 'free bus pass'."
Because most of the sights that they were vising in Kyoto were temples, it also meant that those places would be heavy in spiritual power and thus, under the charge of the Yokai. Kazuto had not known this, but thanks to Issei and Rias, they now knew that these places were usually taboo for devils, and were banned from them.
Usually.
"We used the same kind of pass last year. As long as there is a legitimate reason, they will issue passes even to devils." Rias winked. "Gremory servants, Sitri servants, SAO gang and Heaven's messenger, do you realise how fortunate it is to have certain forces backing you all?"
"Banzai! Banzai!" Issei cheered. "Long Live Buchou! Long live the Gremory's! With this, we can visit the Kiyomizu-dera, Kinkaku-ji, Ginkaku-ji!"
"Hai, hai. Calm down, Issei." Rias smiled warmly at the sight of her boyfriend cheering. "Just keep the pass in your shirt or a pocket in your uniform, and Yes. Just keep it in your skirt or a pocket in your uniform and you will be free to enter those famous sights. —Enjoy your sightseeing there."
""Hai!"" The Gremory group responded, placing the cards into their pockets immediately as they did so.
"Oi! Kirigaya-kun! Yuuki-san!" At that moment, an adult voice called out their names. A familiar one. "Where are you?"
*dududu*
Asia's phone also started to ring.
"Ah!" Blinking in surprise, Asia picked up the call. "Hello. Kiryuu-san? Yes. Xenovia-san and Irina-san are together with me…yes…yes…"
"Nochizawa-sensei!" Kazuto had to hold back a snicker when he called out his Pawn's name. It was a little ironic after all, having the Master call the subordinate 'teacher'. Plus, the bitter expression when Eiji said it was entertaining. "We are here!"
Following his voice, Eiji came upon the small gathering.
"There you are." Eiji folded his arms across his chest as he looked over them. "I know that you guys are having a secret meeting and all that, but could you have at least made sure to keep track of the time? People noticed you were gone, so they had to get ME to look for you."
"Don't sweat it to much, Eiji." Kazuto smirked. Despite the past being put behind them, they still disliked each other. To the degree of frenemies. "Before we forget, take this pass from Rias-san. It'll help us access the temples in Kyoto without being banned for no apparent reason."
"…I was a little worried about that when I saw that most of the places we were visiting had temples and shrines, but it looks like I don't have to be worried too much any more." Eiji thanked Rias as he pocketed the card. "By the way, Asia-san, you should head back to your friends. They were looking for you."
"Hai, Nochizawa-sensei!" Bowing her head towards her teacher(technically) "Then, Rias onee-sama, we will be taking our leave!"
"We are going"
"Yes, take care!"
One by one, everyone dispersed heading back to their respective groups.
"Come on Asuna." Kazuto pulled on his girlfriend's hand lightly. "We should head back to our group."
As they walked away, the trio heard some murmuring from behind them, but they paid it no heed.
..
It did not take much time for the duo to find their seats, which, conveniently, were quite close to Issei's group. Kazuto say's 'conveniently' because one, it would allow Kazuto to sleep peacefully(or play ALO, whatever he feels like) without girls fawning over him, as the only girls near them would be Xenovia, Asia, Aika, and Asuna. And as they were quite a distance form the toilet, it would mean that hardly any of their fellow students would come by them.
But, as the train left the station, he recalled something. "Ah, right. Asuna, your family's main house is in Kyoto, right?"
"…ah, yeah…" Asuna made a hard-to-read expression when she thought about that.
"Eh? Really?" Aika, who overheard Kazuto's words, leaned closer to them. "Yuuki-san, are you from a well-off family?"
"…yeah…" Asuna gave a small smile. "My family is in the banking profession. Has been for the past two centuries, actually. So I have quite the number of cousins and distant relatives."
"Really~" Aika grinned. "Then, would you happen to know any single guys that us girls can talk to?"
"…yeah, I do." Asuna's smile became strained. "But… …I recommend that you don't talk to them. They are very stuffy and uptight. All of them look at your educational achievements first and your personal goals and feelings fourth."
"…I see…." Aika gave an awkward smile, seeing Asuna's own strained one. "Well, Asuna-san, if you have been to Kyoto a number of times since you were young, would you know any good places for us to visit during our free times?"
"Good places, huh…" Asuna frowned, humming. "I...did not really get out that much when we were in Kyoto, since it was mainly for family gatherings, but I do remember visiting some of the local specialties and some other hidden shops last year. If you would like, I can guide us there if our groups' free time are at the same time."
"AH~, that's right!" Aika sighed. "We are in different groups, aren't we?"
"Well," Asuna smiled lightly. "If our times overlap, let's visit these places together, okay? For now, I will give you a list for those places I visited before."
"Thank you, Yuuki-chan~" Aika would have hugged the chestnut-haired girl, had they not been in separate seats. "I want us to visit these places together, so let's go when our free times cross, okay~?"
"Alright, Kiryuu-san."
"…Were you worried about your family?"
Asuna kept quiet at Kazuto's question. At least, until she was sure that no one was paying attention to them. Then, she decided to respond. "…Yeah. How did you know?"
"We have been together for nearly a year now. And spent nearly two years fighting with each other." Kazuto clasped his girlfriend's hand. "If I could not tell that you were feeling uncomfortable or down, the I would be a bad boyfriend. Especially since you complained about them when…she was still there."
Kazuto knew that Asuna still felt their friend's death.
Konno Yuuki. A bright, outgoing girl that meshed with Asuna. Someone that Asuna got along with very well, and vice versa. But unfortunately for them, she had passed nearly 10 months ago. Her death was not as painful for them now, as the couple had come to terms with it. But Kazuto still avoided saying Yuuki's name. Because...
If we knew about our nature as devils beforehand, would we have been able to save Yuuki?
"Stop that." Kazuto was knocked out of his thoughts by his girlfriend smacking his head.
"Ow…" Kazuto rubbed the back of his head. Asuna had not really put a lot of strength into the hit, but he had uttered that response out of reflex. "Asuna…" He whined.
"Stop it." She glared at him.
"Stop what?"
"Don't blame yourself for Yuuki leaving us, Kazuto-kun." Asuna told him sternly. This time, Kazuto was paying extra attention, since she called him by his real name. His birth name, not his usual game name. "None of us would have thought that we would become devils a few months after her death and funeral. And even if we did find out earlier, then what? Yuuki-chan would not have wanted to reincarnate into a devil. She would have wanted to be reunited with her sister."
"…If you say so…" Kazuto gave a small sigh. Between the two of them, Yuuki had spent more time with his girlfriend then him. And most of that time was spent with the two of them having some secret chats and fights. Not that he minded it. He had known about her condition ever since they first crossed blades(it was actually a guess, but it was a reasonable and plausible guess), and their subsequent fights, duels and sparring never became that quick to end. If there was one thing he regretted…
"Kirito-kun…" Asuna leaned towards him, her hair tickling his cheek as she leaned in close to peck him on the lips. "Thank you."
"What for?" Despite the way he asked that question, he smiled. He wanted to hear Asuna say it.
"…Mou~" Puffing out her cheeks in mock anger, Asuna grinned again before she whispered in his ear.
"Baka Kirito-kun~ Thank you for taking my mind of my family. I was worrying that they would have forced me into some sort of relationship with them, but it's fine now. Because I know you would do your best to protect me when it comes~"
Meanwhile...
A few seats over from this couple, a certain boy was washing his face, a dopey gin on his face as he absentmindedly splashed his face with water.
Flashback
Hmm, do I have everything? Issei thought to himself as he rummaged through his bag. Tissues, some extra change, healing balm in case Kirito wants to spar with him…as unlikely as that would be…and lastly…
"Here." Issei was broken out of his thoughts when Rias moved in, her hands reaching for his neck. "Your collar. Ise, you have to take care of your appearance. Please remember that, okay? Even in Kyoto, don't forget you are a student of Kuoh Academy. And also, remember to keep your perverted tendencies in check, okay?"
"Yes, Buc-, I mean, Rias-san."
Rias smiled. "…You remembered this time. But don't force yourself too much, okay?"
"I'll try, Rias." Issei scratched his head with one hand, the other seeking out Rias, who took it happily. "We want to keep our relationship a secret from the rest of the school until you graduate, right? That means I will have to call Rias 'Buchou' in public. Until then, I'll make up for all the times I hurt you by calling your name when it is peaceful, or when we are in private."
"…Mou, Ise-kun, you sure know how to spoil a girl." Rias's face flushed red. "And you're right. I do want to keep our relationship a secret. I don't want people coming to spy on us on dates. Although….you have other reasons for keeping this quiet, don't you?"
"Aha ha…" Issei chuckled sheepishly, his mind going to the other members of the 'Perverted Trio'. "You got me there."
Rias leaned in close, her face pressing against his shoulder. "… …I don't have to say this out loud, but you know that I will be very lonely during the days you are gone, right?"
"… know that, Rias." Hesitantly, Issei patted his girlfriend's head. More so because he was afraid that some student would wander into their midst. "Make do with Koneko-chan and Gasper until I return, okay? And you improved, right? Last time, you would not want me to be out of your sight. But now, you can barely allow me to be away from you for a short period of time."
"…You noticed?" Although Issei could not see it, he wagered that the redhead in his arms had her face matching her hair colour.
"Yeah. I thought it was just the Gremory family affection, but now that we are dating, your actions make a bit more…sense."
Rias gave a small giggle. Then–
–Issei found his sight covered by red, along with a searing hot kiss being pushed onto his lips. Take by surprise, Issei only stood still, allowing his girlfriend to kiss him, until she pulled away, panting slightly.
"Bu-bu-bu-buchou!" Issei stuttered, reverting back to his old way of calling his girlfriend.
Rias chose to smile cutely, sticking out her tongue at him and winking one at him. "This is just a goodbye kiss. What are you panicking for? It's not even the first time we kissed. And besides...you can allow me this much right? Since I won't be able to see you for a few days. But with that, I'll now be able to endure until you come back from Kyoto."
"E-even if you say that, i-it is still surprising…" Issei trailed off. The train whistle had blown, indicating it was about to go soon.
"Go on." Issei felt small hand push his chest lightly. "Have fun!"
"I will!" Acting in the moment, Issei leaned in close to peck Rias on the cheek. "Bye, Buchou! I'll come back to you as soon as possible!"
As he ran into train doors, he turned around to smile at his girlfriend, before he got in, the doors closing right behind him as he did so.
Flashback end
Oh man, Buchou's face was so cute at that time! Issei's thought to himself.
That was why Issei's face had a dopey grin on it. In fact, he was so out of it that he did not notice the two soft mounds pressing into his shoulder and back, nor the slender, yet muscular arms draping themselves over his chest, someone blew air softly into his ear, speaking as she did so.
"I require your sword."
"Eh?!" Issei jumped up in surprise, before his eyes landed on Xenovia's form. "Ah, so it was you, Xenovia. Was there a need for you to do that?"
"Not really." She admitted. "I could have waited until you were done, or I could have just tapped your shoulder to get your attention, but this way it more fun. And…I can display my affection for you as well."
And she said all that without a change in her smug expression… Issei did not know how he should have felt about that. Instead, he decided to focus on what Xenovia had told him. "You said you needed to borrow my sword?"
"Yeah." She nodded her head. "I left Durandal behind. I think it's with the alchemists belonging to the Orthodox Church. They discovered a technique to suppress Durandal's offensive aura. Hence, Durandal has been sent over to them via channels belonging to Heaven."
I heard that that faction in the Church did not help much in the Excalibur affair though...
Xenovia laughed. "You must be thinking that it is a little crazy that that faction of the Church is coming out to help, even though they did not help much in the Excalibur recovery affair, right? It's written all over your face."
"I don't think I am that easy to read though…" Issei muttered.
Xenovia shook her head. "No no, Ise is easy to read for me, since we have been spending so much time together. Anyway, if the Even the Orthodox Church is coming out to help, it must be due to the efforts of the Seraphim under Michael's leadership. However, it is still a rare opportunity to have those alchemists reforge the sword."
"….Then, the conflicts in the Church between the Christian factions had lessened?"
"Somewhat, I guess. I never payed attention to the politics in the Church anyway." Xenovia shrugged, but there was a bitter smile on her face. "To suppress Durandal's offensive aura without diminishing its power as a holy sword. This is really something that caught my interest. However, it is truly shameful for me to be unable to control it properly despite being the owner of Durandal… How can I call myself a Knight? Am I better off dead….? Oh Lord…"
"…I understand. If anything happens, just borrow Ascalon from me." Issei quickly attempted to do damage control to prevent the Knight before him from spiralling into depression.
"Much appreciated. But, how about yourself? I know that you have been practising with the sword." Xenovia asked Issei, a glimmer of worry in her eyes.
"It's fine." Issei waved off Xenovia's concerns. "Kirito is holding onto a spare sword, along with that special sheath Lisbeth made for me. I can use that. It is the same length and weight as Ascalon, and I am not that great at using Ascalon's holy aura yet. You are better off using it, since you have more experience manipulating holy aura."
"Thank you again, Ise." With that, Xenovia smiled before she walked off, back to her seat.
..
When Issei returned, he immediately got questioned by his friends.
…Or would have, had they been awake. Instead, they were snoozing away.
Then, he heard some high-pitched screams, originating from the front of the car. When he looked for the source of the disturbance, he was a little surprised to see that Kiba had came to their train car.
After some chatting, which included the going through of their itineraries for the next two days, their talk shifted towards the purchase of gifts and what they were going to buy for their King and her family. Mainly so that there would not be any duplicates of the same item. And after that, the Knight left to head back to his seat.
All the while, his two friends did not even wake up from their nap.
Acha… Issei winced when he heard the number of girls fawning over Kiba as he went back to his seat. Kiba sure has it rough, huh…
When Issei turned his attention back to his surroundings, everyone was occupied in some way or form.
Matsuda and Motohama, his friends and fellow idiots, were fast asleep(somehow, even after all the shrieking the girls did). Asia's group was happily chatting away, not a care in the world.
Kirito and Asuna were whispering, and had taken out some Amuspheres. Ah, so do that mean they are going to play ALO? Hmm….maybe I should start playing again. I still have the old console and headset somewhere back home…Ah, but since everyone is busy, maybe I should talk to my seniors again?
With that in mind, Issei closed his eyes, entrusted his consciousness to Ddraig, and dived into the depths of his Boosted Gear once more.
When Issei opened his eyes, he had arrived in a white space. A vast, pure white space he had visited many times.
Sitting along various round tables and chairs, Issei's senpais, the past Sekiryuutei, were sitting with their heads high with blank expressions on their faces.
"Greetings everyone. It's me again."
"…"
No use again, huh… Issei sighed. He had been doing this ever since he had entered Juggernaut Drive, diving into the Boosted Gear to talk to the previous wielders of his Sacred Gear whenever he had free time.
As Issei walked along the long line of past wielders, he stopped before a youth that was similar in build and age as him. …No response either, huh…
[Oh?] Ddraig's voice echoed from above Isei's head. [So this one intrigues you, Partner?]
"Yeah. Who's he?"
[This one…amongst the past Sekiryuutei, he is closest to your age. A real genius who awakened Juggernaut very early. However, he was drunk on power and was carelessly killed by another Longinus wielder.]
"Not the Hakuryuukou?" Issei asked. "Wasn't it destined for the wielders of the Heavenly Dragons to fight each other and lose their life against them?"
[When drunk on power, they will rampage even if the opponent is not the Hakuryuukou.] Ddraig sighed. [There are also others like that amongst the Hakuryuukou, so it also means that others would kill the past users of the Boosted Gear or the Divine Dividing when the need arose. Juggernaut Drive can allow a person to become a tyrant for a period of time… But no matter what era, tyrants will not prosper for long, it is something that cannot last. This is the truth.]
Near the end, Ddraig's tone gained a hint of wistfulness, like he was talking about himself, once upon a time. Well, that is not too far from the truth. After all, he got sealed in the end because he got too drunk on power.
"…Still, didn't they have things they treasured?" Issei asked, more to himself then Ddraig. "Juggernaut Drive only activated when I felt like I was losing something precious. So, the same must have been true for them, right?"
And…"…I who am about to awaken, The Two Heavenly Dragons that were taken the reason of ambition by God?"
[Partner…] Ddraig's voice held a warning tone in it.
"I'm not going to chant it all. It's too much for me." Issei assured the red dragon. "I was just wondering about the chant. What is the Infinite? And the Dream? And also, why the sneering and despising?"
["Infinite refers to Ophis, while Dream means Great Red. Sneering at Ophis and despising Great Red who is also a red dragon. It's a mystery who came up with this chant. I wonder if it was God himself?"]
-! Surprised by someone else's voice responding to his question, Issei turned his head around to face a young woman with long wavy blonde hair and a slim and trim body.
Unlike the others in there with him, who were only clad in brown robes that covered their head, she was wearing a full body dress with a high slit. But that was not caught his attention.
….facial expressions… Issei thought in slight shock as the blonde smiled at him warmly. This woman actually has an expression on her face instead of the dull looks the other past Sekiryuutei have!
[Elsha?]
["Yes Ddraig~ Hello to you again. I would say it has been a while, but that would be false."] The blond lady casually greeted Ddraig.
[ Partner, this is Elsha, foremost amongst the past Sekiryuutei.] Ddraig introduced Issei to the newcomer. [Of all the female wielders, she is definitely the strongest. ]
The strongest female Sekiryuutei! Issei thought to himself. Come to think of it, I've never seen her before…where did she come from?
["You seem confused. Well, that's understandable."] Elsha shrugged. ["Amongst all the lingering memories there are only two exceptions. I am one of them. Well, even within the Sacred Gear I am hidden very deep, so usually I don't come out here much."]
[To be honest, even I thought you and Belzard were never coming out again.]
["Oh don't say something like that, Ddraig. Belzard and I are always going to be silently supporting you from the depths. We used to be your partners, after all"] Elsha gave a soft smile, but it was on a lonely looking face. ["…But Belzard….his consciousness is waning…it's going to be lost soon…and he has taken some interest in the current Sekiryuutei, so I came instead."]
"…By the way, who is Belzard?" Issei asked.
[He ranks up there with Elsha. Belzard is the strongest male Sekiryuutei. Truly a strong one, he even defeated the Hakuryuukou twice.]
"Twice! That's super amazing!" Issei exclaimed. So something like this can happen….to defeat the Hakuryuukou twice in a single lifetime…he must be super strong! Hope I can get some tips form him!
["Anyway, I would like you to have this."] As Elsha spoke, she took out a box, with a simple keyhole set in the middle. ["You already received a 'key' from the current Beelzebub, right?"]
Eh? A key? Just as Issei thought this, a small key appeared in Issei's hand with a small flash of light. Eh? What?
["The key isn't literal, Issei-chan."] Elsha smiled. ["The key and box are just metaphors to make things easier for you to understand. What's inside this box is the delicate possibilities of the Sekiryuutei."]
Elsha frowned. ["Normally, this is something that is not opened or recklessly faced. But Belzard believes that you can do it. The first one in a long time. Although, a part of the reason we think you can do it is because you received the Evil Pieces."]
Suddenly, without reason, Elsha began to giggle.
["Oppai Dragon! Chichiryutei! I watched it with Belzard together. After coming to this place, it was the first time he and I were able to laugh to our hearts' content."]
Issei blushed. My seniors saw everything….how embarrassing!
["Aw, don't be shy. And Ddraig please don't get depressed. Lighten up a bit. There has never been a Sekiryuutei this fun - to blow apart that ominous Juggernaut chant, the Oppai Dragon song really made Belzard and me happy. Since whether it was Belzard or I, neither of us came to a proper end…and, well done on getting over your trauma."]
Issei flinched when he was reminded of the trauma. He was getting better thanks to Rias and the girls, but…the wound he is trying to heal is a little too sore to be poked at for the moment. Wait…they knew?
As if she could read his mind, Elsha hugged Issei, smothering him in warmth. ["Never doubt a women's intuition, little Kouhai. Maybe…just maybe, you would have a happy ending at the end of this…"]
"Elsha-san…" Issei's voice was muffled, but he did not are about that. He was more distracted by the sombre tone Elsha had spoken in. Perhaps...she had to face something similar? A love not returned?
["Anyway, Belzard and I have decided to believe in you."] Elsha released Issei from her embrace, a soft smile on her face. As if the earlier sadness she held in her was naught but an illusion.
Taking the box, Issei inserted the key into the box.
["You and the current Hakuryuukou are unique existences. Not only competing between the two of you, but each having your own set of targets. How should I put it, it makes the rest of us look like fools. - Please open it. But remember to take responsibility and not give up halfway. No matter what happens, you must accept joyfully."]
Nodding his head, Issei twisted his hand.
It opened without a single sound.
And then-
When Issei opened his eyes, he found himself back on the bullet train. Ddraig, was that…a dream?
[No, you did receive the box from Elsha, and opened it.]
…Is that so? Then what was in the box?
[No idea.]
Hmm…then, any changes in the Sacred Gear? Nothing feels different about my body.
[No change either… However, I noticed something flying out from the box…]
…Whaaaaaaat!?
Eyes widening in shock, Issei frantically searched around(without looking suspicious towards the students who were still awake, anyway)
… …But in the end, he found nothing.
What the heck! Did my possibilities just fly away! If it disappeared like this that is no joking matter! Not only have I failed Elsha-san, but I would be too ashamed to face Azazel-sensei and Beelzebub-sama again! This was such a rare opportunity to receive aid!
[Don't worry. It is something that belongs to you, it will surely come back to you. Your fate is in your hands.]
Even if you say that…
"Mmm, oh oh oh! Oppai!"
"Oooaah! Matsuda! What are you doing! This is mine! What is so fun about a male chest!"
When Issei returned to his seat, he was met with the sight of Matsuda and Motohama were wrestling with each other. …Oi. What the heck is going on!
"Ha! What on earth am I doing…This sudden urge for breasts… and then…" Frowning, Matsuda scratched his head, a confused and pensive look on his face.
"Matsuda, has your breast deficiency reached such a level…Ok, tonight we will be holding an ecchi DVD festival in the hotel room! All the equipment is packed in the luggage!"
"Really!" Upon hearing this, Issei could not help but lean closer to the du in interest.
"Oh, Ise! That's right! OK! Let us watch the titles I bought specifically for this trip: 'Peachy Bursting Breast Scenery: Kinkaku-ji' and 'Fleshy Gigantic Busty Flavours: Ginkaku-ji'!"
""Oh oh!""
Although Matsuda and Issei cheered when they heard Motohama's announcement, Issei's was more subdued.
Why? Because he had a girlfriend that loved him, and vice versa. Meaning they could do all sorts of ecchi things whenever they wanted! Actually, if I join Motohama, this would feel like I am cheating on Rias…
"Go die ecchi trio!"
"So disgusting on the train!"
For now…I guess I'll just ignore my classmate's voices…
(*1*) – In layman terms, Yuuna was splitting herself up and replacing the older versions of 'Yuna the Black Idol' with her, the new version called 'Yuuna the Idol'. In this way, she would subtly influence the company in charge of her that she was actually a live person, and would slowly but surely get a portion of the money the company makes off of her. The information that each of these copies of her would also be incorporated into her mind as they meld together, allowing her to be up-to-date with the necessary information.
AN
Hoooly water! I Need Water!
Sorry for the super late update. I had exams to do, plus studying is a pain. Also, catching up on animes I have been sleeping on for 3 YEARS.
…Yeah, why I did not watch them sooner, I have no clue…
Anyway, this chapter was relatively simple, lacking in the action department. Although now, we are seeing some differences from canon thanks to Issei getting Rias as his GF much earlier, and Kazuto's training!
Issei is now a bit more analytical(which is much more apparent here. He was already pretty good in canon. This makes it more apparent.) and less prone to doing ecchi things, since he is using his brain and not his base instincts for once!
In canon, Issei's Dress Break is pretty powerful. Boosted, even more so. Yet, we don't see it as anything but a gag joke. This is because outside of combat, Issei see's this as more of a way to fulfil his base desire of seeing oppai. But with Kazuto hammering into him fighting methods, along with Koneko, Kiba and Argo, he is now more or less forced to think about combat applications to actually save his hide! Fear training with the Black Swordsman! Fear it~!
Anyway, the poll is going to close soon. And right now….Strea is winning! Which now begs a problem for me…
…I have absolutely nothing on Strea. Like, zilch. I don't play any of the games related to SAO besides the mobile ones, and even then, my knowledge on her is low since I go for the other characters when scouting(Eydis, Asuna, Administrator). So, it would help loads if you guys PM me some info. Anything works as long as it is related to canon. Likes, dislikes, personality. Favoured weapon, background, history.
And now, I have to address something that was brought up. About Kazuto's Peerage members.
To put it simply, Kazuto's Peerage would have lower stats compared to Argo due to a level difference(in this case, the handicap that Kazuto has until he makes a full Peerage). But in terms of growth and skill proficiency, they would have a boost due to how superior Kazuto's Pieces are compared to the average Evil Piece, nearing that of a Mutated Piece.
Another way of saying it is that Kazuto's Pieces are S-Rank, but are at level 3, while Argo's Pieces are at A-rank, but at level 10. There is an obvious stats difference, but in the long run, Kazutot's is better.
And with that,
Anime Is Life, and Please Review!
