The Author isn't writing this for financial benefits. All rights to High School DXD is reserved Ichiei Ishibumi and without doubt, he is very rich from it, while I'm still a piss-poor undergraduate student.
And I want to apologize for my drunk rant. That was inappropriate. Good thing about it though, turns out my writing is pretty coherent after morning evaluation. Haha. No.
So consider this my apology, both for the past chapters and because I'll take a break, I have a midterm and uh…. I want to pass.
Chapter 10: Stray Devil Hunt
"You absolutely have no common sense, do you?" Issei shakes his head while circling Asuka, who lowered her head, ashamed.
"You're a devil, she is a nun, do you think these are recipes of a beautiful friendship?" Issei shakes his head more. This is his over-protective mode, or what Matsuda says behind his back as siscon mode.
This is their old routine whenever she does something Issei deemed as stupid or reckless. But usually it happens in their house, either in his or her bedroom. This time, they are in the Occult Research Club. Rias too shares similar sentiments with Issei, while Yuuma, or Raynare, as Asuka found out while she and Issei talks without noticing Asuka, looks at her with an unreadable expression.
"I agree with Issei-san" Rias stands up from her chair.
"To us Devils, the Church is an enemy's territory. Just stepping into it can cause a rift between the Devils and God. Since it was an act of kindness by taking the nun to the Church, they didn't harm you, but the Angels are always on the lookout. You were in a situation where it wouldn't be strange for them to hit you with a spear of light."
'That serious huh…..' Asuka pondered on the reason why she felt fear in the first place. It was her instinct as a devil.
"Don't get involved with people from the Church. Especially the Exorcists who are our biggest enemy. They could easily eliminate us because their powers are supported by the prayer of God. More so if it is an Exorcist with a Sacred Gear. That would be the same as standing on the boundary of death, Asuka-chan." Rias looks at her directly in the eyes while waving her crimson hair. Her expression is dead serious, no room for joking.
"Y-Yes." Asuka found her to be scary whenever she is serious
"You could avoid death as a human by being resurrected as a Devil. But Devils who are exorcised become completely terminated. They return to nothing, Nothing." Rias glanced at Issei for a second before back to her.
"There is nothing left and you feel nothing. Do you know how serious that is?"
'To tell you the truth, Buchou, I don' that one, Buchou forgot to tell me.' Asuka doesn't tell her that. She is too afraid.
Rias only shakes her head at her servant's seemingly confused face.
"Sorry. I got too heated. Anyway, be careful from now on."
"Yes." The conversation ends there, but Issei still frown at Asuka.
'So now I have a big brother and big sister. Both of them scarily protective to me. Good, I think my survival is guaranteed. Hehehe.' Asuka tries to joke at her situation, to distract her from Issei's stares. It doesn't work.
"Ara ara, did you finish lecturing her?" Akeno-san is standing behind her, almost making her jump from surprise. She is still smiling like usual.
"Akeno, did something happen?" Akeno-san's expression changes after Rias asks her.
"We received an order for a hunt from the Arch Duke."
Stray Devil, means a servant devil who betrays or kill their master. These are rare cases. But it happens. Humans with greed changed into a devil. Their power tremendously increased from when they are humans. Little by little, their self-interest gets the best of them. Without their master's controlling their power, they cause mayhem and destruction in places where they set foot.
A stray dog. A rabid, dangerous, troublesome dogs.
The laws concerning this kind of cases is to eliminate them. Immediately. By their master or the other devils. Such is the law of the devils. Fallen angels and angels too hunt them down and eliminate them.
After all, a devil who no longer abides the rule become monsters.
For Issei, though, all of them are monsters
Asuka went with the rest of Occult Research Club, while Raynare and Issei went back home.
Speaking of home, Raynare failed in erasing the mind of Issei's parent about the embarrassing moment, since it counts as 'harming', as in harming minds. The magic bond is strict like that, much to Issei's dismay.
'Stray Devils' hearing the explanation of Rias along with Rias' claim that there are more devils in human society makes Issei wonder. All the killing in the news without resolution, are they the work of stray devils? Perhaps.
Something is fishy of course. He can't just believe that all stray devils are murderous bastards. Also, there is a chance that the rumor that stray devils becoming unstable without their masters is a political tool for the master to hunt their disobeying servants. After all, some birds are meant to fly and these pureblood devils might use underhanded tactic or just plain force to turn humans into their servant.
Either way, his plan to slowly separate Rias and Asuka is rendered moot by this information, which Raynare neglected to tell him before.
Although in her defense, Issei didn't ask.
"Issei" Raynare called him, Issei hummed in response.
"This day, the sacred gear user should have arrived by now" Raynare couldn't lie, part of her is nervous. She is a traitor, to a group that she is a leader. If she is to survive the aftermath, not one of her little group can be left alive. The nervousness increased even more when she heard from Asuka about the nun. The sacred gear effect is the exact same as her intel.
"Hmm…" He almost forgot about that. The powerful sacred gear user. The one he sacrificed for the sake of turning the devils into his pawns in destroying fallen angels. He rationalized that It is Raynare's idea in the first place so it is her sin to shoulder. But part of him always knows. He agreed with the proposal, he shook hands, he made a deal. In a way he is similar to Raynare. They are in the same boat now. Circle of traitors. Except Issei is essentially betraying his humanity for the sake of 'family' while Raynare already accept that in order to live.
Issei can only offer condolence and hopes the sacred gear user will like her life. Issei hardened his heart, regret won't get him anywhere. He tries to distract himself.
"How powerful is this sacred gear compared to Asuka's?"
"Your sister's sacred gear is a common one, [twice critical], which only double the power of the user" Raynare waved her hair before she manifested a necklace
"This is a prototype artificial sacred gear made by our great leader, Azazel-sama. This sacred gear is an attempt to copy the sacred gear our user has" She takes of the necklace off, holding it on her right hand, which ominously glows blue. Issei can feel the power radiating from it. Suddenly Raynare summon a light spear with her left hand and lightly cut her palm that hold the necklace.
The blue glow starts to spread around the palm. Slowly, but surely, the skin starts to close itself back to its previous state. It takes a full minute for her palm to go back the way it was, no scars or marks left.
"This one can heal slowly, depends on the type of injury, with all the pain of rearranged bones and reconnected flesh or skin. The real deal can heal almost instantaneously and painlessly"
"Wow…." Issei looks at the necklace in fascination. He heard from Asuka herself, but seeing it in action, even the watered down version, is amazing. Sacred gears has many diverse functions.
"Don't say that" said Raynare, frowning. Seeing Issei's confused face only serve to annoy her further.
"You have sacred gear that allows you to breath fire, regenerate holes on your vital organs instantaneously, Prowress beyond supernatural creatures, and not to mention enchantment. What would our group do just to gain that for ourselves"
Issei wants to object. His power seems different than the sacred gear's. There is no physical manifestation of it (although Raynare said some sacred gear doesn't have one), he can breath fire since his childhood, he doesn't know about magic, but he is sure he never learned that, and his greater feat of physical power and regeneration is recently attained. But, it is the only explanation that makes sense. The 'memories' must be his sacred gear's memory, since Raynare told him that some of the most powerful ones has beings sealed within.
Issei does the only reasonable thing one does in such situation: drop it. Maybe the answer will presents itself later. Maybe.
Asuka is with the rest of Occult Research Club tracking down a stray devil who reportedly fancies eating humans, while Raynare and Issei do their new routine, which consist of cuffing themselves together, despite Raynare swearing that she will never try to leave.
Like anybody can believe that, after pretending to be a friend and stab someone in the front?
Well…. At least it is not in the back, that's got to count for something, right?
Apparently not for Issei.
Back to the Occult Research Club, the stray devil's former master already give request to hunt them, as the devil is in Rias' territory. Well, for Asuka herself, Request or no request, she would have destroyed this being. Eating humans, unforgivable.
While investigating the whole area, Rias and the rest of ORC educate Asuka on the history of evil pieces and rating games. How pureblood devils recruits talented servants to elevate their status and increase their strength and about how the evil pieces are fashioned after a game of…. Chess.
Asuka sweatdropped at that. An ingenious and revolutionary technique to change species into another, and the creator chose to design it based on chess. The one who invented it must be the same one who created the portable game device. So far it points to a scientist. Old, evil-looking, crazy-mad scientist.
Besides that, Asuka feels excitement building up inside her, at least if she can't have kendo championship, she can win in this 'rating game'
'Wait….' "Buchou, then what is my piece?"
"Asuka-chan, you are…."
Before Rias can answer, Koneko warned the members.
"Blood….." Koneko covers her nose. Wiping it in disgust.
They had arrived at one of the unused buildings in the area, to Asuka nothing seems wrong with this place, but Koneko who has a sensitive nose notes the difference.
Then Asuka felt it, a wave of killing intent. She never sensed this before, except for two occasions, when the fallen angel kills her and when….. When Issei beat up a high school guy who makes a move on her on a street 4 years ago.
Asuka doesn't have time to ponder, however, as the killing intent seems getting stronger and stronger. Enough for her legs to shake and her breath a little uneven. She knows…. A monster resides in this building, and it has only one thing on its mind. To kill.
"Asuka-chan" Rias called her, and she stands up straight, the feeling disappeared when Rias called her. Part of her wonder if Rias use magic to calm her.
"Y-yes, buchou"
"You're not ready to fight, so today you will watch our fights. While you're watching, I'll explain the traits servants have" Rias made a mental note to keep Asuka closest to her, can't let her monster of a brother fussing at slight injury, after all.
Asuka only nods in return as she looks warily at the direction of killing intent.
Then it speaks. The source of killing intent.
"I can smell something disgusting. But I can also smell something delicious. Is it sweet? Or is it sour?" Its voice is low, with hints of teasing. Any other day, in other situation, Asuka would have thought it was erotic. But now…..
"Stray Devil Vaizor. We are here to eliminate you." Rias' infectious confidence helps Asuka stay on the reality around her, away from the crippling fear.
"Ketaketaketaketaketaketaketaketaketaketaketaketaketaketaketaketa…" Inhuman laughter echoes around the occult research club's member.
Asuka understands it then. The being who laughed in front of her is not a human, nor a devil. It is a monster. A bloodthirsty, insane monster.
A topless woman appears from the shadow, almost like she bleeds through it. It appears like it is floating, until Asuka realized that it isn't as heavy footsteps makes the ground below her vibrate. The lower part of its body is just that gigantic, she appears to be floating.
The monstrous being with upper woman's body, and lower body of four legged beast. Like a centaur, except this one has a snake tail like a chimera of greek mythology. The demonic being holds what looks like a spear on each of its hands and each of its four legs, which strangely looks more like hands than foot, has a really sharp claws. It is gigantic. Definitely taller than five meters.
Rias isn't deterred by the monster's obvious show of power.
"Leaving your master's side and rampaging as you please definitely deserve death. In the name of Duke Gremory, I will gladly eliminate you!" Rias tells the monster her verdict, whose human face twisted into sneer.
"You are cunning for a little girrrrrrl! I will rip your body, and colour it in red just like your haaaaaaair!" The monster threatened, no, promised. But Rias only laughed at it.
"Grunts sure do speak in a stylish manner. Yuuto!" Rias called her trusted knight.
"Yes!" Yuuto already disappeared from his spot and Asuka gasped at the speed, as she can't even respond to it.
"Asuka-chan, we will continue our lesson. We shall start with Yuuto's trait. As my [knight], his trait is speed. Those who become a [knight] will have their speed increased"
As if on cue, Kiba's speed increased to the point that Asuka can't follow his movement. The monster uses its spears to attack, but she is depressingly slower than Kiba, it is almost laughable.
"Yuuto's ultimate weapon is sword, perhaps you should learn something from him" Rias advised her. Asuka only nod absent-mindedly as she admired Kiba who keeps dodging the attack gracefully, missing the fact that Kiba doesn't have a sword.
Suddenly Kiba stopped and In his hand a European sword, which wasn't anywhere near his person before. When he takes the sword out of its scabbard, it glint with the light of the moon.
Then Kiba disappeared again, and not a second later, a pained scream comes out of the monster's throat as both of its arms has been cleanly cut, blood gushing out of the open wound.
Asuka is dumbstruck at it, as she didn't even blink during his entire performance, and she still can't follow his movement aside from the occasional glint during the slashes.
Kiba retreat as Koneko takes his place, and Asuka can't help but calling out to her.
"This is Yuuto's power. Speed that you can't follow with your eyes, and sword skills of a professional. By combining these two, he becomes the fastest Knight." Rias pridefully announced it to Asuka, who wholeheartedly agree with her.
"Koneko-chan!" Old habits die hard, and Asuka almost move to Koneko's spot if not for Rias' left hand preventing her.
"Don't worry,Koneko-Chan is my [rook], and her trait is…."
"DAMN INSECT" The creature roared, rising up its legs and in a surprisingly fast movement, stomp the petite girl. The ground shook and for a few moments, it looks like the leg did its job flattening the girl. That is, until the dust settled and Asuka sees it. The tiny girl holds it with her two hands, not a single joint bent under pressure.
Asuka can only look at it dumbly. Until she remembers what her first client said,
"Koneko-chan has extreme strength, she lift me up like a princess~"
At the time Asuka was angry because the client makes the tiny girl lift him up, but seeing this….. A super-human, that is the only term that Asuka can give for her.
"Absolute Strength and Defense. For a monster of this calibre, it is impossible to stomp on Koneko, it can't crush her." Rias proudly declared to Asuka, who wholeheartedly agrees with her.
The creature quickly withdraws its legs, fear started to settle within its heart. After fear, rage. Its anger at the little girl starts to change the creature's upper body into something much more monstrous, befitting its lower body. The bones in his upper body rearranged itself, including its teeth growing long and sharp, turning the previously voluptuous and human figure into something resembling an oni.
"If I can't squash you like a little bug you are, then…. THEN I'LL EAT YOU!" The creature's lower body too starts transforming into a more hideous form. The primary one is how it starts splitting in the middle to reveal a mouth-looking organ with sharp fangs. Asuka is very unsettled with this transformation. It looks like a living incarnation of sexual disease.
The creature opens its lower body's maw and devour Koneko whole. For a while the creature looks pleased by its action, until Koneko forcibly opens it from the inside. Koneko's expression never changes during the fight.
"Disgusting…." Only a single comment from Koneko before she escaped from it and turn back to punch the offending organ, wholly crushing it, in addition to throwing her into one of the pillar.
"Lastly, Akeno"
"Hai, Buchou. Ara-ara, what should I do?" Akeno laugh as she walks towards the monster, who has trouble getting itself back to its legs.
"Akeno is a [Queen]. She's the one who is the strongest after me. She is the unbeatable Vice-president of our club who has all the traits of [Knight], [Bishop], and [Rook]."
"Grrauugghhh" The creature grunts filled the room as it finally stands on its legs. Even Asuka is impressed at the creature's tenacity.
The monster stares at Akeno, who only laughed at the monster's gaze
"Ara-ara, seems like you still have some energy left in you. Then how about this?"
Lightning starts dancing around Akeno's hands, then she rise her hands above her head.
A bolt of lightning fall down from the sky, piercing the roof of the building and electrifying the stray devil's body.
A nauseating burnt meat smell filled the air as smokes starting to come out of the stray devil's body. Yet it won't die.
"Ara-ara, looks like you can take much more."
This time, the lightning rains down from heavens. Yet, despite looking more intense than the previous one, It hasn't died. At this time, though, the monster knows that it isn't from Its own tenacity or durability, the woman before it just won't give the final attack. It isn't from mercy either, as Akeno keep smiling and even at one point start laughing at the creature's pitiful situation.
"Akeno excels at attacks using demonic-powers. She could use natural elements like lightning, ice, and fire. And most of all, she is the ultimate sadist." Rias speak to Asuka like it is just another normal day, all while Asuka jaw dropped. The most normal looking, in terms of personality, turns out to be the craziest.
"A sadist!? That's not something you call a sadist!?" Asuka feels hair rising on the back of her neck. She is now aware of the two sides of Akeno. The calm and serene one she usually has, and the cruel mistress she displayed now.
"I…. I'm afraid of Akeno-senpai" Asuka murmured.
"You don't have to be afraid, Asuka-chan. Akeno is very kind to comrades, so it's not a problem. She even said that you were cute, like her little sister. Next time, get spoiled by her." Rias advised the shocked servant, who seems to be fascinated and repulsed by Akeno's sadism.
"Fufufufufufufu. How much of my lightning can you take, monster-san? Don't die just yet, okay? The one who finishes you off will be my master. Ohohohohohohoho!" Akeno laugh is getting louder and louder while the lightning mercilessly striking the dying creature for about ten minutes.
After Akeno calms down, Rias gives her command for her to stop. Which she complies as soon as possible, although she still sneaks in one last lightning, just for fun.
As Rias approach the monster, It is clear that the creature already lost all fight it has, leaving behind a shell of the once mighty and insane monster.
Rias puts her hands towards the monster, a finisher, as promised by Akeno earlier.
"Any last words?" Rias asks the stray devil.
"Just kill me"
"Then disappear" Rias' tone is cold, no mercy for traitors and deserters. She charges a gigantic mass of black-red energy between her hands, getting so big it can practically cover all of the monster's body, then she shot it towards the monstrous being. The energy violently devour the monster's body, leaving behind nothing in its wake.
As Rias promised before, the creature really disappears. Rias sighed.
"It is over, good job everyone" As soon as Rias congratulated their performance, the members turns back into their usual self. Meanwhile Asuka starts to remember that there is a question Rias left unanswered before they engage in battling the stray devil viser.
"Buchou"
"Yes, Asuka-chan?" Rias turns to Asuka with her usual smile.
"My piece… My role as your servant, what is it?" Asuka counted that there is still room for a [Rook], a [Bishop], a [Knight], or a [Pawn]. Since she is a sword-type fighter, despite her current sacred gear, she'll love it if her Buchou turns her into a [Knight]. Still, there is an unsettling feeling deep inside her. A voice that keeps saying the role she doesn't want the most.
"Asuka-chan, you are…."
Home (15 minutes after the stray devil hunt)
Issei and Raynare is chained together, yes. But Issei bought a longer one on the way home, despite the ashamed look he doesn't share with the seller as the seller starts whistling. That bastard. The longer chain also helps them sleep in different beds. Raynare on the futon, while Issei is on his repaired bed. Chivalry is dead, and Issei doesn't care.
Suddenly the door violently swings open, and Issei's eyes shot open, alarmed, as do Raynare, who was annoyed for being woken up in the middle of the night.
It is Asuka. Just Asuka, unharmed, albeit looking like she's about to cry.
"Issei-ni…." Asuka climbs the bed, hug his brother tightly, and starts crying. Awkwardly, Issei ruffles her head in an attempt to calm her down.
"Hush, don't cry. What is it, Do they treat you badly?" Asuka only cries more, but she shakes her head, smearing tears and snots on his shirt. The puzzled Issei asks more.
"Are you hurt during your job?" More shakes. Now Issei is even more confused, what is it that cause his little sister to cry this much?
"Then what is it?" Issei slowly push the girl away from him so he can see her face.
"I am… I'm only a pawn!" Asuka cries louder and this time she settles her face on Issei's chest. In a near future it will leave behind a face-print made of tears and snots.
"Oh…. Right"
Author's note
Issei's Episode 03 saving Rias doesn't happen in the LN, just so you know. In fact, many of Issei's 'heroic' or 'cool' stuff in episodes before he save Asia didn't happen in LN. They only serve to make it more enjoyable for the anime watchers, who have to go through 2-3 hours of world building and technical terms. So don't start with "Asuka is a wimp" in your review.
But, I do enjoy the hideous looking monster. I feel the LN's description just don't quite cut it. The Anime, however, Bravo. I decide to make a hybrid characteristic (LN and Anime reader/watchers should know which is which) for this one. Although I feel the nipple-acid-thing is just too much.