Dear readers, I gotta be honest with you all... This chapter is ridiculous for me. I mean, it can be either in a good way or in a bad way, but it's ridiculous nonethless. I was watching some really old anime, and I must say, the cheesiness and the hammyness grew on me, and since this is the first serious fight, I might got a little too far in the action sequences. Despiteall of this rant, I hope you all like the absurds that're gonna happen in this chapter. And, as always, stay golden.
Highschool DxD does not belongs to me~.
As I ran through the replica of the school, I could already see the results of the battles from the other pieces that were around me. Grounds were leveled, the school's building were falling apart and the sky itself was ripping itself off. Something akin to lightning rain and Hollywood explosions was going on in one side and earthquakes on the other, while I was still lookin for my sword and the bastard whom took it away with his face...
I finally reached the place: the school gym, ironically the very first place I had my first serious battle against my friend, the ninja-vampire. I sighed, as I kicked the door open and used the switch beside the door to flick the lights on. Before I knew it, Rhongomiant shadowed it's way towards me, and ended up sticking itself on the ground.
"You forgot something." I heard that smooth, gentlemanly voice, by the other side of the gym, and tossing my glance there, I could see that brunette knight, Nero, smiling back at me, serene as ever, like if it wasn't really his problem, sitting on the stage floor. "Long time no see, Sekiryuutei-kun. Doing great?"
"Believe me, it can't go any worse." I moaned back, picking my sword from the ground and fusing it back with my Boosted Gear. He opened his eyes to look at me, and smiled even more, but this time, his black orbs turned a little dark.
"So... How's your eyes, now? Still clouded?" He said, as two greatswords, one black as night and another colored silver, both with a cross of the opposite color on their blade, appeared out of the ceiling and landed by each of his side. He stood up from the floor and reached for the handles of both of them. "How's the feeling to live without the thing that makes you who you are? Knowing that everything you do won't always go your way? That maybe your lif-...!"
"That's bullshit! That's pure bullshit and you know it since the beginning!" I said back, interrupting his little villainy speech of power. I can't really sense any ill-will coming from him, so I can assume that he's not doing this on purpose. I looked shocked when I said that. "There's nothing on this world that makes me either a hero or a villain! Or a monster or a savior! Or a destiny's pet! I don't know how your sacred gear works, but it can't be such bullshit as 'steal your character Essence' or whatever!"
"..." He looked comically surprised for a moment, like a kid who just got caught doing a prank, but soon enough, his expression soothed. Now, he was smiling like a true bro. No ill-intend, no malice, no anything, just a smile of pure bro-ism. "So... You figure it out. Truth to be told, not only humans, but demons and even angels and other supernatural beasts can be deceived by [Titles]. You know what a [title] is, right? One can be considered more important than other because of their [title], the food in two different restaurants can taste the same, yet one can be considered better because a [title] says so. [senior] is better than [veteran] because it sounds better despite meaning the same thing, right? As such, if people call you [main character] or [hero], you might think you're important, but if it's otherwise, like [supporting] or [extra], then people won't bat an eye at you, no matter how cool you are. Can you understand that?"
"..."
"My sacred gear has nothing to do with stealing such titles, but if I make someone believe this is possible, then they own mental breakdown can do the rest for me. In the end, Intelligence can makes us dumber than animals. Although I don't dislike my own nickname of the 'traitorous knight of the Crimson maiden'." That title is indeed badass. She shot his eyes back to me. "I see, your eyes are no longer clouded by doubt or uncertainness. You still can't see much further, but at least you're not blind anymore. I do want to apologize for making myself look bad in front of you all playing the villain while also messing Rina-chan's memories for my Sacred Gear, though. I Thought it was unnecessary, but Nemesis can be... Extreme."
"..."
"However..." And then he picked his swords off the ground and, in a blink of an eye, he appeared right in front of me! "I'm sorry, but I dont feel like losing even in a Mock Rating Game!"
And he appeared right in front of me, his swords ablaze, ready to deal the first blow as he held both his grandblades like they were nothing. Out of instinct and sheer force, I lifted my own Rhongomiant and stepped hard on the floor, narrowing my eyes to the imminent clash. However...
*STEP!*
"Huh...?!" *FLASH!* when I thought he was about to hit me, however, Nero just tapped the tip of his feet on the ground and in the next second, he was gone. I blinked twice with that, by before I could think of something, I felt a presence right behind me. In a nanosecond, I turned around, and there he is! He just flashstepped again right in front of me! "Fuc-...!"
[BOOST!]
"Dark double!" He said, as he cut the blades of both his swords in a straight parallel line and from there, a beam of demonic energy shot from both the edges. I turned around as fast as I could, but it was too late as one of the energy slashes hit me and the other snapped my sword away from my grasp! I flew for a few seconds before coming down to the ground. "I'm not a knight for nothing, Ichijou-kun. My speed cannot be matched even by high class devils in my primal form. even Lord Issei would have problems to keep up with me!"
[BOOST!]
"Damn it!" I said as I barrel-rolled to a side to pick my fallen sword back. I stood up and formed a battle stance, but in another blink, he disappeared from the other side of the gym to in front of me, his hands down and smile plasticized on his face. That alone pissed me off, as I lifted Rhongomiant and tried an ax-drop from it, and I did it, as I sliced him in two!
*VOOSH...!*
"What the... Afterimages?!" I screamed as the figure of the knight cut in half in front of me just vanished like dust. I felt a presence right beside me, and in that same pose, there he was. I wasted no time as I unleashed a barrage of cuts and slashes in his direction! "Whooooaah...!"
[BOOST!]
"Wow! Defensive and offensive at the same time. You did improve." But he just chuckled it off as he used only one of his grandswords to block all of my moves without even flinching. His own were at least the same size as Rhongomiant, if not longer, but the way he swings those makes it look he's just waving a pair of cardboard tubes.
*CLUTCH!*
"But you're still a long way to go." Suddenly, I felt another big presence behind me, and out of nowhere, a pair of strong arms locked my own by my back. I turned around, cursing for being so incautious and caught unguarded, only to see another Nero. I switched back and forth to the one in front of me and the one holding me back. This is impossible! Is he really that fast?! "Mach 3, at least. Thrice the speed of sound! Can you keep up with that... Sekiryuutei-kun?!"
"Ugh...!" I grunted, feeling his speed almost cut through my skin as he moved back and forth to maintain the clone. I tried to kick the one in front of me, but soon he only left the afterimage and turned into dust. I looked at my other side and another clone picked one of the falling swords and tried to cut me! My Boosted Gear announced another [BOOST!] as I jumped and made a backflip to behind the clone behind me, as Nero was now with his sword an inch to his clone's torso. However, the first one turned into dust and he sword was now aiming for me!
*TINK!*
I defended myself using the hard scales of my Boosted Gear, the sheer force of the shock enough to send me backwards against a wall. I clashed in there, and soon after, Rhongomiant was shot against me, sticking an inch beside my head. I looked forward one more time, and now there was only one Nero now.
"Come on, now. Aria didn't trained you for you to be beaten so easily." He said back, as I picked my own sword back and moved forward to him, looking directly at his feet to see any kind of weird thing. Big mistake, as when he stepped again, hard, he appeared with another six other clones in front of me, all in battle poses... Except one, doing the 'Wryyyyy!' Pose for some reason. "Beaten, yes. So easily, I doubt it."
"Don't get too cocky!" I roared back, using my sword to slash through several clones, and them all except one turned into dust, the last one bending his legs down to pass by under the blade of Rhongomiant, across my side and then tripod himself to trip me. I lost my balance, but when I was about to kiss the floor, a knee appeared in front of me to hit my face. I regained composure back on my feet, but now I found myself surrounded by Nero's clones. He first one just punched me right in the middle of my nose, and when I was about to counter, a second one tripped me again, as another simply kicked me in my shins to get me back for more punishment. Soon enough...
*PUNCH!* *KICK!* *ZOOM! ZOOM!* *BAM!*
I turned into a freaking pinball, clones and more clones kicking and punching me around as such! Back and forth, back and forth, left, right, punch!, kick!, punch!, kick! Not always in that sequence! In the end, as a final blow, one picked me by he collar and launched me to the skies, as the rest of them jumped up to me and, blades readied, practically stabbed me in the stomach, the five of them merging together to form a single, to finally crush me on the ground, opening a crater there. I spat a little of blood, as he jumped away, sighing.
"Never thought you would be so tough. 'Don't get too cocky' is a rather bold remark for someone who's clearly outmatched." He said, as I used my sword to stand myself up. Despite my rapid punishment, it didn't hurt that much, but my pride, or at least what remained of it, shattered in pieces. Not that it wouldn't change that much. He looked at me, and smiled. "But you're really brave. Or just too sensitive."
"Why people keep saying that? Is some kind of devilish slang? Well, whatever..." I said, as I stomped hard with one foot on the ground and used the weight of my upper body to stand up by pulling it backwards while my legs were pointed forward, my Sword hanging from the grip of my sacred Gear. Well, I guess it's the time. "Hey, Nero-San, can I ask you something? How much is a queen worth in a peerage?"
"So suddenly? A queen is worth nine pawns, if my mind serves me right. Except if the piece in question is a mutation piece. I, as a knight, am worth three pawns. At least in Nemesis's power level." He said, using the tip of the handle of his stuck grandsword to support his bored expression. "In theory, Aria is three times stronger than me. Sorry to say that, but you have a bigger threat coming for you. If you want, I can finish you off right here, right now."
"Tch..." I spat, looking at his eyes, as he gleamed a look of true concern for me. So much for an ex-holy knight, he does care. I smirked in a challenging way. He's weaker than Aria, so she was holding back. Damn it... I was planning to use this card when facing her, but apparently, I won't reach even that if I don't pull some strings up. "Sorry, but I think I'll pass. Instead, let me show something a certain Phenex told me while pretty much insulting my favorite manga branch!"
"Huh...?" He put himself straight as he picked back his grandswords and looked at me with a mix of curiosity and uneasiness. I picked my own sword and lifted my Boosted Gear. Like Rei-chan said...
.
'Crimson Cardinal promotion, using the pawn's promotion move to chance the scale mail armor... That's insane!'
'Uh-huh. Kinda unfair, I mean, not many Previous users were either devils or pawns. Moreover, our dear Lord Ajuka Beelzebub handled his help to modify Lord Issei's own pieces.'
'I wonder... If I am able to do that someday.'
'Pfff... You're so small minded. No wonder you like Jump!'
'What's that suppose to mean, you damn yakitori?!'
'And unoriginal too. My, oh my...'
.
"Senpai... Was a pawn! He could morph his own Power to any other piece as long as he's on enemy territory! Even a Queen's!" I said, as a bright green aura began to leaked out of my Boosted Gear and encircle me in a show of lights. "If a simple pawn... I mean, an amalgamation of eight pawns was enough to shake this universe... LET'S SEE WHAT A QUEEN BOOSTED GEAR USER IS CAPABLE OF!"
"Oh, impressive." He looked at me oh so curiously and impressed, supporting his chin on his hand and holding just one sword maybe just in case. "What are gonna do? Enter Balance Breaker? Or maybe even reach Cardinal Crimson Promotion? I expect a lot from you, but maybe I'm hoping too much."
"I'm not a pawn for that... But y'know, there's not only one way to play chess!" I said, as suddenly the green aura engulfed my left arm whole, to then turn into red, smooth scales like the rest of my boosted Gear, now looking more like a smooth medieval gauntlet and arm shield with a small dragon wing sprouting from the upper shoulder armor. Just like that, sollerets with dragonic designs and claws appeared on my feet, and soon after, Rhongomiant became thinner and smaller, also adopting the red design to match the rest of my new gears. "This is the power born from the legendary Cardinal Crimson Promotion move! The power beyond of a pawn's!The power of the queen!"
[WELSH DRAGON! ALTER BOOSTER!]
"[CHAOS BRINGER: CRIMSON QUEEN GEAR DRIVE!]" I screamed together with the voice coming from my Boosted Gear, as now a Crimson cape appeared from the armor in my left shoulder-blade. The crater I was on grew deeper, Nero laughed in excitement.
"Oh, so you discovered a sub-Balance Breaker. That's good. Nemesis wouldn't be worrying about Rina-chan anymore with you around." He chuckled, like some kind of cool gramps, but soon enough, his eyes narrowed in a challenging way, but before he could do something else, I was the one whom stepped harder and, in a second later, brought my sword to his face. In a blink of an eye, he lifted his grandsword and tried to block my own. The shock was amazingly powerful. "Huh, not bad. You're a lot more faster now, however, how powerful you're n-...?"
[CHANGE: SONIC BUSTER EMPRESS!] [BOOST!]
*CRACK!*
"What?!" Suddenly, his face changed of expressions, now looking more surprised than ever. It would: Rhongomiant just clashed with his black sword and as a result, the former simply broke in a million pieces, the shiny holy core falling to the ground. I didn't stop there! With the remaining forces, I hit Nero right in the stomach, and sent him flying to the other side of the gym. "WOOOOOOOOH...!"
*DOOON...!*
"How's that for an extra character, mr. Genre savvy?!" I said back while supporting my Crimson sword on my left shoulder. Huh... It actually worked... Holy shit, it actually WORKED! That was just a plan I created based on Rei-chan's stories, but this is just insane! I did it! I reached something like Cardinal Crimson Promotion!
"Ugh... So, using lord's Ajuka's bugged system code to unlock something like that..." I looked at the other side and, as I was expecting, Nero was ascending from the floor, using the wall there for support, and picking his sword back, spitting a little and coming back to normal. He smiled at me once again, and then changed it to a smirk. "You Sekiryuuteis are so clever sometimes. But, of course, let's see how much you can keep up with me!"
And again, he stepped hard on the floor, now twelve clones appearing before me. I used my Empress (Rook+knight) move to backed up a bit and again screamed [CHANGE!] in my head. The voice from the sacred gear soon announced...
[CHANGE: FAIRY BLASTER PRINCESS!]
"How cute." He mocked, as he tried to slice me. And he succeeded... Only with the clone I did. However, when it did, it exploded in a true ball of dancing flames! Faster as only him, Nero escaped the hellfire with only a small burn, as he searched around the gym only to lock on me. My Boosted Gear also changed with that one: now, it looked more like beautiful Crimson silk shining like stars wrapped around my hand with magic runes written on it, the ones wrapped in the tip of my fingers in a way that resembled claws, and the jewels and spikes morphed now as magic hex shields orbiting around my arm. I still got my boots, though. He looked very impressed. "Uh, always full of surprises, isn't you?"
"Huh... That one also worked. Let's see..." And in the next second, I disappeared, and like he was doing before me, I created several, no, hundreds upon hundreds of afterimage clones, as he gasped in surprise. So many images, I bet he won't even think in a direct attack right in the face...!
*ZING!*
*TINK!*
"What...?!"
"Going somewhere, Ichijou-kun?" He said back, as he sighed and morphed his grimace of surprise to his typical serene smile. Did he just stopped me when I was running in a speed possibly faster than his?! And still with that smile, he grabbed me by the wrist and tossed me to a wall, as I opened a hole in there and fell flat on my ass. I still had energy for more, but that one hurt like hell! "Curious? I was able to see you, y'know? Let me tell you the truth power of my [Role playin' Game]!"
And as he spoke, I stood up again and tried another attack! Using my super speed, I sneaked from behind him and punched the red scale floating around my left arm, releasing a burst of red flames from it! However, when I looked again, he wasn't there anymore!
*POKE!*
"How cute. Your magic scales are actually magic runes." I turned around and, yes, there he was, mockingly poking my cheek while that shit-eating grin was still on his face. Instead of just answering, I gripped on my sword tightly and began a barrage of slashes against him! However, none of them at least touched him! I'm in blank point, yet I can't hit him!
"Hyaaaah...!"
"Right there." And when I did another attack, he simply sneaked his sword and hit me in a blind point in my stomach, the force of it making me back up a little and cough. "That's the power of my true Sacred Gear. I can hear, see, feel and smell everything around me. As long as you're in my zone of vision, you can't escape my eyes, ears, nerves or nose!"
"What the hell?!" I said back, as I jumped to him and tried to hit his head. He picked his remaining grandsword and block it, but that one was a decoy! Faster as I could, I simply changed my sword to the another hand and hit him own on the sides, keeping it away from any chance for him to counter my upcoming attack: I used my remaining forces to chose a push spell and then punched the scale with the rune on it right in front of him...!
*DODGE!*
"And... That!" Unbelievable! He was at blank point! The only thing between my fist and his face was the rune, and yet he dodged the attack like it was nothing, and in another second, just tucked me in the stomach with the tip of the handle of his sword, with enough force to send me flying backwards and then rolling in the ground. "What did I say? I can see and hear even the tinniest detail and sound of your body! Your muscles, your moves, the clenching of your bones and the flow of your blood, any detail of yours can't escape me!"
"Tch...!" I stood up again, using my sword as a supporter, as my legs felt numb after that one. Damn it! No more super speed, my legs won't hear the pain. Nero stepped in my direction again, but unlike the other times, this time, all of clones practically filled all of the parts of my vision! From the floor to the ceiling, to each of the walls was filled with afterimage clones! And they're coming closer! Shit! It looks like I'm doing that again! I picked Rhongomiant, and took a battle stance, pulling the sword backwards and readying myself for the upcoming clash! "[DIVING WYVERN...!]"
[BOOST!] *SLASH!*
"[... FAIRY!]" and like last time, a white slash came from the edge of my sword and created a barrier of translucid light in front of me. Nero was caught unguarded, and soon him and his clones came clashing on the barrier, as the former went forward and clashed on the clones like a bug-net. In the end, there was only one Nero left, landing incredibly on his feet and with his sword in his hand, despite being also tired and out of breath. I wasted no time, and rushed towards him! I thought [CHANGE!] one more time, and again, the Boosted Gear morphed now to a giant cannon-like barrel with a bulkier shoulder, jewels and spikes arranged in a way that it look futuristic and with a giant club-like knuckle shield with an orb in it! I jumped to him, and when he finally noticed, it was too late, as he could only lift his sword to the upcoming attack!
[CHANGE: DRAGON SMASHER QUEEN!]
*PUNCH!*
*BREAK!*
*DOOOOOOOOOOOON...!*
"dragon... CANNOOOOOOOON...!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, as I punched that sword with all of my might! It wasn't enough to stop it, as the orb in the gauntlet broke the blade and landed straight into Nero's stomach, sinking itself in there! And it didn't stopped, as the orb broke and released from Inside of it a true pillar of Crimson flames, sending my opponent to the ceiling and crushing it so that he could reach the skies!
"Gaaaah...!" I heard from the skies, as his body went limp for a second, and then my pillar of fire ceased, also stopping his launch to the heavens. His body float for a second and then came down straight to the gym again, opening another hole in there, and landing right in front of me, lifting a curtain of smoke. When that one calmed down, there he was, his face on the crater he created, immobile. I wonder if... That means I win.
*BOOOM!*
I heard from a distance. Oh, right. There are other battles happening around! I must help the others! I morphed my sacred gear back to the primal form, and walked to the exit, to maybe regain my strength after that battle in the way. However...
"Well, well, well, please don't look away from me, Ichijou. It's really disrespectful." I heard from behind me. Oh, no. I turned around and, yes, there he was, Nero Gladius, standing up with his bloodied and burned suit and with both his swords broken, but still smiling nonetheless. "Our battle... Isn't over yet."
"H-How...?!" I asked him, but instead of an answer, he simply opened his shirt wide, revealing from inside a strange vest, similar to a priest's, with an upside-down red cross and colored white. His smile turned into a grin.
"Don't think that I didn't take any souvenirs when I abandoned the church. This one is special for me. Consider yourself lucky!" He said, as suddenly his whole body was engulfed in while flames, burning and shining like a star.
"Ugh...!" The light of that white flame was too much for me, so I blocked part of it with my hands. After a while, the light ceased, and when I turned back to Nero to see what happened, I almost had a heart-attack: the thing before me wasn't Nero, but a large, bulky and colossal white armor with black details, standing tall with relatively small feet but enormous torso and large shoulders, the helmet with a visor shaped like a inverse green cross, and two enormous bat wings sprouting from the back. "What the hell is that?!"
"BEHOLD, RED DRAGON! THE ULTIMATE MANMADE FORCE AGAINST THE SINFUL CREATURES OF THIS UNIVERSE!" A voice coming from inside that ridiculously large armor said. Nero's voice. Damn, now this! Well, whatever! I'll beat that shit again, and then hit Gremory RIGHT IN HER GODDAMN FACE! "THIS IS THE FINAL CREATION OF THE CHURCH AGAINST DEVILS! NOT HOLY SWORDS, NOT BLESSED OBJECTS OR WATER, NOT EVEN THE NAME OF OUR LORD IN PAPER, BUT THIS!"
[DIVINE ANTI-DRAGON HOLY ARMOR: STARDUST CRUSADER!]
I... Got nothing more to say. This chapter speaks for itself. Well, I hope you all enjoiy it, stay golden and until the next time~.