Chapter 16: Class Card Lancer
Hyoudou Issei is starting to miss Noire.
To be honest, this is the longest he had ever been separated from his best friend who is brother in all but blood. They are rarely apart from each other for more than two weeks at most, especially since Irina moved away. And now Noire has been absent for more than a year. Honestly, it's not fun. But at least he got to meet Irina from time to time and rekindle their old friendship. Their friendship is still as strong as the day it was made.
But Irina is currently on the other side of the world while he's in Japan. She is either training or on a mission while he is feeling bored as he wait for the lesson to end while listening to the teacher droning about classics. Still, being bored is much better than facing a Servant, especially when he's not ready. Unlike Ddraig who look forward to fight more Servants, Issei is not that keen on fighting such monsters, especially because this time he won't have the support of mystic codes like the Kaleidosticks or their magical girls.
That was one of his weirder adventures. But as weird as that Kaleid Liner world is, he'd appreciate having Miyu and Kaleidostick Sapphire with him right now. Even with Assassin class card, he'd still be at a large disadvantage, especially if the Servant contained in the card is a powerful one like Berserker Heracles or Saber King Arthur. It will only spell doom for him. Humans are not supposed to fight Servants, not even with magecraft. Fortunately, he has an advantage in the form of Boosted Gear.
While waiting for the lesson to end, Issei stare out the window beside his seat. He'd rather be with Irina right now doing at least something fun and thrilling and not as dangerous as fighting a Servant. He got lucky with Assassin since the Hassan of Serenity (Zelretch told him her identity) is a bad matchup to him. Also, Zelretch had said something interesting before he left about the class card. There are two ways to utilize the class card and what Zelretch said made him think.
"Hyoudou, please answer the question on the board!"
The teacher called out his name. He probably thought that Issei was not paying attention, which he didn't, so he told him to solve the mathematic equation on the board, expecting him to get it wrong and scold Issei and then reminding everyone that they should pay attention. It's typical classroom occurrence.
Issei stood up from his seat, not even hiding his bored look. He took the chalk from the teacher and with a single glance at the question proceeds to write the formula needed to solve the equation. Without even sparing a second to check his work, Issei put down the chalk once he had written the answer. The teacher is surprised that Issei managed to solve the equation easily.
Unfortunately for the teacher, Issei is a magus. Intelligence is a must-have if you want to become one. Issei is an accomplished magus. His intelligence is above average honed through continuous study forced on him by Zelretch. By this point, Issei won't have problem with high-school level math and science. Noire is even smarter than him in math and science since his magecraft requires a great amount of calculation.
"C-correct. You may go back to your seat."
Issei doesn't need to be told since he had already walk back to his seat. He knew his answer is right. If he can't solve something that simple, he'd have one of his fire blew up on his face long ago. In fact, that's actually the reason why he studied hard. He had had a spell blew up on his face once because of a small mistake and Zelretch laughed at him hard.
At least it's nothing compared to having a part of your body cut off because of a mistake in opening a 'door'. Noire lost three fingers once due to miscalculation and punctured a kidney because he came out wrong while using his magecraft. The worst he experienced is getting his whole hand burnt. Thankfully Zelretch could heal it or he would've lost his right arm forever.
To be a magus is to walk with death, truer words had never been said about their kind.
Elsewhere, while Issei is being bored at school, a group of fallen angels had just set up base in the abandoned church at the edge of town. They have infiltrated Kuoh by orders of their superior to observe a certain sacred gear user (Issei). After setting up their things in the basement, they began to clear the surrounding area. It was then that one of the four fallen angels present found something not far from the church ground.
"Raynare? Did you find something strange?"
One of the fallen angel, a man wearing a suit and fedora asked the female black haired fallen angel. The female fallen found a curious card lying on the ground that radiates magic power even if suppressed. On the card there is a picture of a man wielding a spear.
"Dohnaseek, I found a strange card here."
She told the male fallen. The other gather around her. If there is something magical left near their base then they have to treat it with suspicion. The black haired fallen angel picked up the card… and suddenly dropped it while screaming in pain."
"Aahhhh!"
"Raynare!"
The fallen angel's hand caught fire after touching the card, and not just any fire but a blue fire. The flame began to spread from her hand and before it could reach her shoulder, the male fallen with a fedora cut her arms. As the arm fell, it became ashes once it hits the ground.
"W-what was that?!"
A small blonde fallen angel asked. They then turn to the card that had dropped to the ground. By now stray exorcists that they had recruited had gathered round the fallen angels after hearing Raynare's scream. The card began to float and emit a large amount of magical energy. Then suddenly there is a burst of light.
When the light died down, what they're facing is no longer a card but a girl. Yes, a young girl with pale skin and yellow eyes and dark silver hair tied in a ponytail. She also wears a black kimono and wields a naginata. But the feature that told the fallen that she's not human is the horns protruding from her head.
"Is that a youkai?"
One of the fallens wondered.
"She appeared from a card so perhaps she's a tsukumogami."
The male fallen with a fedora supplied. There's an oppressive and burning aura coming from the girl. It's not wise to underestimate her. All the exorcists prepare their weapons for combat, one particular white haired exorcist with crazed look seems particularly excited.
But the exorcist never got the fight he wanted because for them, it had already ended before it began when the girl uttered the name that would spell their doom with a wicked smile.
"Tenshin Kashou Zanmai."
And then their world is engulfed in a blue flame that consumes everything.
School is finally over. Just like usual, there's nothing fun happening even if the school is filled with devils.
Ahh yes, Kuoh academy is a school made and run by devils, literally. There are two major devil groups that are in control of Kuoh. One is from the house of Sitri and the other is from the house of Gremory. Both are prominent houses in Devil society and are two of the seventy two demons of Ars Goetia.
Not only devils though but the school also have several other people related to the supernatural world. He did not remember who is what though since none of them are those he should watch out for. In fact, he is probably one of the supernatural top dog that resides in Kuoh being the Sekiryuutei and all. The only one stronger than him in Kuoh is Noire's sister.
For a school that has those kind of people attending, there's not much interesting things happening. Then again, that's a sign that everything is in peace.
'Maybe I should go visit Irina?'
[You're willing to go halfway across the world to see your friend?]
Ddraig questioned. Issei mentally shook his head… however that works. That would be too much even if teleportation or balance breaker could cover such distance easily. Besides, he doesn't even know if Irina is free. For all he knows, she could be in Africa or South America on a mission for the church.
[You should really get yourself a friend, partner.]
'Well, Noire will come back by the end of the Grail War.'
[I mean a friend other than the Shijou boy.]
'It's not my fault that normal people seem to avoid me. I blame you for that.'
While Issei is talking with Ddraig, he heard a high pitched scream coming from two people. He peeked out from the window closest to him and saw two male students being chased by a group of girls, the kendo club girls to be precise, with two of his classmates he recognize by name in the lead, Katase and Murayama. The boys are Matsuda and Motohama, collectively known as the perverted duo.
Issei sighed. The duo must've been peeking on the kendo girls again. They never learn their lesson. He also shuddered after remembering that those two approached him during his freshman year. He told Zelretch about them when he asked about his first day of school and he showed him an alternate version of him being friends with Matsuda and Motohama, making them the perverted trio instead. Damn kaleidoscope gave him a trauma after seeing his perverted alternate self.
'…I'm glad I'm not friends with them."
[I'm glad you're not like that version of you who's a pervert.]
'Ddraig, we swear to not talk about that anymore.'
[True. Hmm, maybe you should start looking for the class cards seriously.]
Ddraig suggested. Issei had reached the lockers and put on his shoes.
Ddraig is right. It's been more than a year since then and he had not found any class cards. It could be dangerous to leave it around and could be disastrous. Servants are not ordinary beings after all.
'I'll think about it.'
[Please do partner.]
Issei then went home like every other day. In another world, a fallen angel would've approached him with a fake confession around this time which will lead to a series of events that would've eventually led him to become a devil. But not in this world. As the Sekiryuutei walk out from the school, he got a bad feeling that something will happen soon and he would be cursing Zelretch.
Unnoticed by him, a certain girl with long red hair had been watching him as he left the school ground.
Not as long as it should be but I really have nothing much to write for this chapter which is the prelude to Issei facing the Lancer class card.
Speaking of the Lancer class card, I've had a lot of trouble deciding which Lancer to use. Cu Cuhllainn is too frequently used so I wanted to use someone else. Brynhildr is already in the Great Grail War (or Clusterfuck Grail War) with the Red faction. I've almost decided on Karna but choosing him somehow led me to a scenario where Rias' whole peerage will perish in this arc. Obviously because they found Karna and he easily kill them all. This is Karna after all. Rias and her peerage will have no chance against him, and neither will Issei so I decided not to use him. Vlad is already the Berserker of Red so he's out. Then I found an interesting choice. Thanks to the summer event, a certain Berserker Servant that I frequently used when I was still playing FGO got a Lancer version. So I thought 'why not?' and made my decision to use Kiyohime as the Lancer for this arc. Although she's a Lancer, she can use her Berserker and Lancer class NP.
Next chapter will be Asia's arrival and Issei's first encounter with Kiyohime.
Now for the revs.
Judgement of the Arbiter: Believe me when I say I'm also waiting for that shit to end. I got an awesome plan for the final battle that will end everything in a blast, figuratively speaking but possibly also literally. With the kinds of players on the board for this one, nothing less than epic would suffice. Not just High Servants and DAA but True Magic will also come in play.
Yoga Pratama: Issei's Servants will be the class cards he defeated.
fg7dragon: Nope. Valerie won't appreciate that after all.
Dragon Rider 66: Yeah, too bad for MHX. But Hassan of Serenity also needs some love. As for how the class cards will be used, it depends. You'll see how Issei will use it in this arc.
FanNasuVerse93: From Ddraig's perspective huh? That's interesting. I'll try to work on that, possibly in a chapter that I will use for technical development.