Here's our newest chapter. And we're going to meet someone else from Ben 10. And I'm going to explain why Ben doesn't use Alien X's power.
Enjoy.
Chapter 8: Clash of the Gods
He felt only pure bliss. His body was floating on air as he lay with Julie. Moans echoed as he and Ester became one, their passion becoming stronger until everything burned. His skin felt wonderful and slick as Kai and him finished the deed. It was heaven.
"I love you Julie." He whispered in her ear. She turned to face him, but she wasn't Julie anymore. She flashed into Ester, then Kai again, before ending up as Issei.
"And I love you, Bri." He replied as he grabbed her breasts. Her hips burned as Issei came closer and closer.
She wished so badly to scream.
(**/*\**)
"AAAAHHHHH!" He screamed in his high-pitched voice, a wave of sound cracking the wall in front of him. All the glass around him shattered into a million pieces as the sonic attack travelled through the house's foundations. It shook as though it was trapped in an earthquake. Car alarms sounded from outside as Ben took gasping breaths, his body shaking from lust and fear. Only then did he hear Issei's screams as the house grew silent. Without thinking, he rushed out the door, barely noticing as it fell off its hinges as he raced to Issei's room. When he smashed the door in, he saw him clutching his left arm like it was hurting him, taking deep breaths too.
"Are you ok Issei?" He asked him as he crouched down. Issei took a moment to look at him, still staring at his arm. Was something wrong with his Sacred Gear? Maybe it was harmful to him. But Rias said it was a part of him.
"I'm… I'm fine." He replied. "I just had this weird dream. It started off with me and Rias getting married." Ben's chest flared, but he shook that off. He could panic about that nightmare later. "Then a deep, familiar voice interrupted me. Everything was on fire, and this massive red dragon appeared. He started going on about meeting his 'new partner'. Or something." He looked around the room, finally noticing the cracks in the walls and the glass all missing. "Hey, what's going on? Did I do this?"
Ben bit his lip before sighing. "No. I think I did this."
"You did? But why?"
"You see… I… I uh…" Ben was at a loss for words. How could he explain it? How could he tell Issei that his nightmare was about him? About how he was a guy? He just couldn't. Thankfully, he was saved by everyone else rushing into the room. They all stared at them in shock. He was confused until he looked down at himself. One side of his collar had slipped down, bearing quite a bit of his shoulder. His boxers were rumpled as he crouched down by Issei, who also looked very rumpled. And they were both covered in sweat. Ben paled as he realized how it looked.
"Wha…What happened?" Mrs. Hyoudo shouted at them, her face pale. Although she might've just had sore ears. "Why is everything broken?" Issei and Ben froze for a moment, before shouting out different things. Burglars, earthquakes, magic, aliens, anything they could think of. They finally managed to bombard them with enough theories that Mr. and Mrs. Hyoudo just shrugged at each other. As they left the room though, they shouted a final embarrassment at them. "Make sure to use a condom the first time. You're far too young to have children."
"And keep it down." Mr. Hyoudo added. "We need our sleep." Ben groaned. He was never going to get rid of this stupid rumor. Only Asia stayed behind, walking closer to them.
"Are you both ok? Do you need healing?" She asked.
"We're fine Asia." Issei said, waving his hands. "At least I think we are. You're fine, right Bri?"
"Yeah." Ben decided to find a distraction again. Anything but talk about his nightmare. "Once your parents are asleep, I'll go around and fix the house. Hopefully, by morning they'll have shrugged this off as a weird dream." He rushed back to his room, using Upgrade's power to pick up all the pieces of glass he found on the ground.
Dammit. This'll take all night.
(**/*\**)
Issei yawned as he tried to stay awake. Last night had been bad, but this morning had been worse. Despite Bri's hopes, his parents still thought the two had slept together and nothing she said could shut them up. She had rushed out early, face bright red with embarrassment, leaving Issei to get 'The Talk'. It wouldn't have been so bad if his dad hadn't been asking how she was in the sack. He then went on about how good Mom was and he spent a while bashing the horrible image out of his head. When Asia healed him and they rushed to school, the whole place was abuzz about Bri. Everyone had their own theories on why she had missed two days of school, but none of them came close. He guessed that suddenly getting a sexier body one day wasn't something to normally be frightened of. He looked over at her. After having told everyone she just had felt unwell, she promptly fell asleep in class. The teacher might've told her off if Matsuda's hole wasn't barely patched up. And she still hadn't told him what her nightmare was about. He'd have to ask her later today.
"Hey man, what gives?" Matsuda said as he walked over, he had just gotten out of the hospital this morning, and was giving Bri a wide berth. "You up all night?"
"Yeah." He replied. "I had this weird dream that kept me up all night." His friends gasped and leaned in closer.
"If you're talking about a wet dream, then spill it." Motohama ordered, glasses fogged over with lust. He seemed to notice that Issei was still looking at Bri. "Dude, you had a dream about her? She'd rip you in half if she found out."
"I know, and it wasn't a wet dream or even about her. It was just weird."
"Oh I'm sorry." Asia apologized. "I would've helped if I had known. Although, that does explain why you slept in so late."
"Yeah. Thanks for coming in and waking me up this morning."
"What!?" Motohama cried out, slamming his hands on Issei's desk. "Your wake-up call is Asia?"
"Whoa. We live together, so it's no biggy. I mean, dude, we're in each other's rooms all the time."
"Issei's so funny." Asia smiled as Masuda and Motohama pulled off a double jaw drop. "He's always wandering in accidently while I'm changing."
"And what about Bri? Does she give you a 'special service' every night?"
Issei frowned. "I'd be careful what you say about her." A large dark-green spike stabbed into the wall between him and his friends. As they freaked out, he merely sighed. "Because she's not afraid to kick your butts again. And she's a bit of a light sleeper."
"I don't do any services." She growled, having just woken up again. She then flopped her head back on her arms and started snoring.
"Anyway." Motohama finally said, sweating like crazy. "Since you've got so many…lady friends, think you can spread the 'waffle'? You get to keep your 'significant other'."
"I don't know." Issei could exactly tell them the girls were Devils, and they hanged out with him because they were his colleagues.
"If you do this, you'll be greatly rewarded." That got his attention. These two were always getting their hands on fantastic porn.
"In what way?" He asked, his interest piqued. Motohama and Matsuda chuckled.
"Like, how about a VIP room?" VIP room was their slang for 'prime shot of poon'. They must've found a new hiding spot.
"We can work something out." He called out, whipping out his phone. He dialed a number he had gotten after making his Devil summons. Talking quickly, he asked her if she wanted to meet two friends of his. She said yes, before saying she needed to fight some evil monsters. As he hung up on her, he sighed. She was still crazy. "I know an…interesting lady who'd love to meet you two. And I can tell you she most definitely a virgin." Because no sane guy would sleep with her.
"You the man." Matsuda shouted. "What's her name?"
"Mil-tan."
"Score. Meet us around gym period. You'll get full access to our new VIP room." They rushed off, probably already thinking about sex again. As Issei sighed, he was surprised to see that Bri was looking at him. She must've woken up again.
"Mil-tan?" She asked. "You set those two up with a 'magical girl' that used to be a bodybuilder guy?"
"Well, she doesn't look like a bodybuilder now." He reasoned. "And what they don't know can't hurt them, right?"
Bri smiled. "You are so evil Issei."
(**/*\**)
Issei was in Heaven. Sure, he was stuck in a dark locker next to his friends, but look at all the poon they got access to. What better VIP room was there than the girl's locker room?
"We've had a lot of nip action, but today might be the beave day." Matsuda whispered as they stared at the girls undressing. Their eyes were nearly popping out from staring at all the flesh and titties and asses they could see.
"Tell me. How do you like the Ultra-VIP lounge I discovered Mr. Hyoudo?"
Issei couldn't lie. "It's literally the tits." His Heaven turned into Hell as he spotted Koneko enter the room. "Whoa. Koneko just got here." He nearly gasped as he saw who followed her. "And Bri's here too." His body was already aching as he imagined the punishment those two could do to him if they caught him. Even seeing them strip couldn't calm him down. His friends had no such problem.
"Whoa. Koneko's got a damn fine figure." Matsuda was nearly shouting in glee as she removed her bra, giving them a full view of her tits.
"Sure, but next to Bri, she's a kindergartener." Motohama challenged. And he did have a point. Bri was nearly twice as tall as Koneko, and with her curves she made her seem flatter than she already was. "And look at her boobs. I can't wait to suck them dry. Not to mention that her ass looks like it would swallow me whole."
"Uh, guys?" Issei was nearly panicking. "I think they can hear us."
"What makes you say that?"
"Because they're glaring at our locker." Not a moment later, an imprint of a fist appeared in the door. As Motohama and Matsuda panicked, Issei could see Bri move out of the way for Koneko. She punched the door again, getting his friends right in the stomachs. The door fell off as they curled up and groaned, leaving Issei on his own to face the music. "Hey there, Bri. Koneko." He chuckled. "Fancy seeing you both here."
Bri's arms split in two as Koneko cracked her knuckles. "Bout to wish you hadn't." She said.
Issei's scream echoed through the school grounds.
(**/*\**)
Rias sighed. "I don't understand how you can be such a boy." She scolded Issei as Asia healed him. Bri and Koneko had really given him a pounding. Both girls were glaring at him from the couch, though Koneko was sitting at the other end of the couch from Bri. She must still be afraid of her.
"What?" He asked. "My friends invited me along. I didn't want to be rude."
"I can help out." Asia cried out, starting to lift her skirt. "If it's that important for you to see nudity, then look at me."
"No wait, stop!" He shouted, waving his hands in his face. "It's not like that. You've got me all wrong."
"Really Issei?" Bri asked icily. Frost was actually forming around her as she spoke. "You mean that wasn't the 'VIP Room' you bartered for? Besides, I found your porn collection while I was cleaning up the house. I think I'm scarred for life."
"Asia's just trying to help." Rias said. "You know, all you have to do is ask and I'll show you anything." Bri started spluttering in shock as Issei smiled. "You've already seen me naked, a lot. What's one more between us?"
"Yeah, I know." Issei said. "But, it's not like it gets boring." He was interrupted as a green fist slammed him into the far wall.
"Am I the only girl in this whole club that understands the concept of decency? It's seriously getting annoying." Bri gritted out as her hand flew back to her and turned back to normal. She sighed. "I'm sorry for snapping. I guess I'm just distracted."
"Oh yeah. I was meaning to ask. What was your nightmare about?" Her face seemed to harden in a second.
"It was nothing."
"Bullshit. You nearly destroyed the house with your scream. You don't scream about 'nothing'. C'mon Bri. We're your friends."
"I said, it was nothing." Bri started stalking out of the room. "Just a bad dream. I get them sometimes. It's normal." She slammed the door behind her as she left.
Issei frowned. She really considered bad dreams normal? What had she been through to get them?
What kind of things did she deal with that a demon that made other demons was a 'B-list villain'?
(**/*\**)
At the end of the day, he was still thinking about her as he walked down to the bathroom to wash his sweat off. Bri was so complex. One day she'd be really happy and helpful, then the next she'd be sobbing and having flashes of anger. She'd tell them all kinds of things about herself, then clam up about other things. And she'd beat someone within an inch of their life, but never any further. Maybe she had PTSD or something from all that hero work. It can't be as easy as she makes it to save the Universe again and again. As he stripped off, he made up his mind. He was going to keep asking her until she told him about her nightmare. Even if it was embarrassing, she wasn't going to go through it alone. As he opened the door to the bath, that thought got smashed from his head.
Bri was inside, completely naked and baring everything for him to see. Her hair was filled with suds and her arms accentuated her breasts until they were ramrod straight. It was beautiful. She was beautiful. And she was going to be the last thing he'll ever see in this life or the next.
Issei screamed as he tried to cover himself and turn away from her. But a part of him reminded him of his decision. His choice to keep asking her about that nightmare. If only it wasn't reminding just when he was about to die. He took a deep breath, covering himself with a towel and closing the door. As he turned around, he saw that Bri was hiding behind big blue moth wings again. One hand was red armor, and was shooting a small stream of water at her hair, washing away the suds. She glared at him for a moment before speaking.
"There had better be a perfectly innocent reason for closing the door behind you, because so help me I will destroy you."
"There is." He said, sitting down next to her. She wrapped her wings tighter, her hands hugging around her breasts underneath. "You're not being honest with me Bri. That nightmare really bothered you. And we only want to help you."
She sighed. "I'm flattered that you guys would be willing to help. But I got this. It was a weird dream, and I can handle it on my own."
"Is that how you were back home? Leave everything to me, I don't need a sidekick?" He could tell that he said the wrong thing. Bri's eyes flooded with tears, and she gave a few sniffles.
"Don't go there Issei. If you value your life don't ever go there." A second set of wing-things rose from her neck, wrapping themselves around her head as she looked away.
Issei felt like a dick. He remembered that she had mentioned her allies before. Her cousin Gwen with magic. Her grandpa Max, the retired badass. Kevin, an old enemy-turned-friend. And her latest partner, Rook the Plumber agent. And she was so far away from any of them. He sighed, slapping himself on the head. "I know I'm not those guys Bri. But I'm still your friend. And friends help each other out when they're down. You just need to open up to us a bit more."
She didn't say anything for the longest time, before her wings folded away and she hugged him. Luckily, her body was still tilted in such a way that she didn't notice him getting a boner from her boobs. That would definitely kill the mood. And him along with it.
"I'm sorry Issei." She whispered into his chest. "I just miss them so much. I've already been here a week, and no one's come along to take me back. I don't even know what I'm supposed to stop, or fix, or anything. All I knew is that Rias is a part of it. And I'm not too sure she really is anymore. I think she was just a stepping stone to get me involved in all this magic crap." She looked up at him. He could see she was about to tell him all her problems. He just had to sit here long enough and be supportive until she finally told him. A few moments longer…
"Bri." His mom shouted as she walked in. "I've got your towels. I'm just going to leave them…right…here." She dropped them as she saw Bri and Issei hugging each other. And completely naked.
She didn't say anything. She didn't scream, or shout or anything else. She merely pointed to the cabinet where he knew they kept some condoms in, and walked out. The moment had been broken. Bri grabbed a towel and wrapped it around herself before grabbing her clothes.
"Issei." She said, not looking at him. "All I'll tell you is that my dream had someone I trust take advantage of me. That's all you need to know." And then she left him there.
As Issei stood up, he finally noticed that his dick was shriveled up and cold. Guess she had noticed after all.
(**/*\**)
Issei couldn't believe it. Barely moments after he went back to his room, Rias had stepped out of a portal and begged him to take her virginity. It was like the plot of a good porno. He was still reeling as she started stripping off her clothes. She really wanted her first time to be with him. It was probably because he was such a stud. Unless this was a test. Maybe he was to show that he had matured by saying no?
"Am I not good enough?" She asked him, almost as if she was reading his thoughts. She was wearing only her bra and panties – white this time – and didn't seem like her normal self. "Do you not want to?"
"No, no. You're great. You're amazing." He was afraid that if he said no, this moment would be gone forever.
"I've given this a lot of thought, and there's just no other way." She stepped closer.
"What do you mean, 'no other way'?"
"Once it becomes known that I am ruined, I'll finally be free." She wasn't making any sense. "You're seriously lacking in most areas, so I'm trusting in your potential." He'd feel more secure in his potential if Bri hadn't frozen it just now. "Besides, what I want won't take a lot of skill anyway." She crawled onto the bed, pushing at him until she was straddling him and he was lying down on his bed. He still wasn't sure if he was dreaming or not.
"Uh, this is kind of sudden, isn't it?" He was worried. Her tone and words implied that this wasn't entirely her choice. As if something was forcing her to go through with this.
"You too? I mean, you're a virgin too right?" She asked him as she undid her bra, her tits bouncing in his face.
"Uh huh."
"Neither of us may have much experience with it, but I'm sure we'll figure something out that works."
"It's ok." She consoled him. "All you have to do is put yours into mine, right there." She was pointing down at her pussy, forcing him to stare at it. She grabbed one of his hands and made it squeeze her breast. "Let's start here. I'm… I'm a little nervous about it myself."
Before either of them could continue, his bedroom door opened. "Issei, I've thought about what you said." Bri said as she walked in. "And I'll tell you my nightmare…" She stopped, finally seeing the two of them. Rias, nearly naked and on top of Issei. Him, with one hand squeezing her boob. He waited for the explosions to start.
"Uh. Um." She stuttered, a trickle of blood dripping from her nose. "I'll come back later?" Another portal formed on his floor. Honestly. He was about to finally have sex, and everyone chose now to interrupt him? God is a fickle bastard.
Rias sighed, before giving him a sad smile. "I had a feeling I'd get here too late." As the white sparkles condensed into a person, she got off him as Bri grabbed her shirt and wrapped it round her. The lady now standing in the room was dressed as a maid, with elaborate silver hair and massive tits.
"Really Rias?" She asked. "You're here with this lowborn? You realize Sirzechs is going to be terribly disappointed in you."
"Sirzechs? Who's that?" Bri asked, standing in front of the closed door. She must've shut it to stop his parents from noticing.
"She means my older brother." Rias answered, getting off the bed. "My virtue is mine to do with as I please." She told the maid-lady. "How is it wrong for me to give it to whoever I want? And another thing. I will not allow anyone to call one of my honored servants a 'lowborn'. I don't care if you're my brother's Queen or not."
"Noted." The maid said as she picked up Rias' abandoned clothes. "But you are the next head of Gremory. Have some respect for yourself." She turned so that she could face Issei and Bri at the same time. "Pardon the interruption. My name is Grayfia, and I am also in the service of the Gremory Family." She gave them both a short bow. "We'll get out of your way now, so that you two can have some quality time together." Issei saw that Bri's hands were trembling. She must really hate everyone thinking they were a couple.
"I'm so sorry Issei." Rias said. "I haven't been in my right mind tonight. Let's just forget about this?"
"Sure thing." He said. He didn't want Rias to do something she didn't want to do. He wanted it to be her choice. He remembered that Bri had entered to tell him about her nightmare. "So what happened in your dream, Bri?" He asked her.
She didn't look at them, gazing at the ground while clenching her fists. "Nothing." She said, and rushed out of the room. Dammit. He nearly got her to open up. Maybe tomorrow he'd have better luck.
"Issei? Bri?" Grayfia said. "Those these two are them?"
"Yes." Rias said. "Issei is my pawn, and Bri is my ally."
"So. The boy who bears the Boosted Gear and the Dragon Emperor, and the girl with the power to change form. They're really them?"
"I will continue this discussion at my headquarters." Rias interrupted her. "I'm sure you won't mind if Akeno joins us?"
"The Priestess of Thunder? Of course I don't mind. In fact, it's only proper for a Noble Devil to have her Queen by her side in times like these."
Rias turned to face Issei with a look of sorrow. "Forgive me for putting you out. Please."
"No problem. Don't worry." He replied before she kissed him on the cheek. His mind nearly short-circuited.
"Then I suppose I should excuse myself." With a look of longing, she stepped into the white portal at Grayfia's feet. They turned into sparkles of light before vanishing altogether. Issei could only sit there in wonder.
What was that all about?
(**/*\**)
He yawned as he walked to school. Asia had gone on ahead, saying that Bri looked very worried. Maybe she was having her period. Girls always went nuts on their periods in anime. If he gave her a few days, she might feel better. His thoughts were interrupted as a tall, blond-haired girl stepped in front of him. She was beautiful.
"Are you Issei Hyoudo?" She asked him. He instantly became more guarded. The last hot chick to ask him that had been Yuuma. He didn't want a repeat of that again.
"Yeah. Why do you want to know?" He asked.
"I heard that you're a friend of a girl called Tennyson. Is that right." He calmed down. Right. This girl was interested in Bri. She was probably too intimidated to talk to her.
"Sure I do. You want to meet her?"
"Actually I wanted to know how close you two are. Like, are you friends, rivals, enemies, lovers?"
"Just friends. I know what the rumors are like, but there's nothing more going on between us." He spotted Asia running towards him over her shoulder. Maybe something came up. "Hey Asia." He called out. "What's the problem?"
"Oh. Nothing really." She answered. "Bri said she just wanted to be alone for now. But who is this girl?"
"Oh right. She's uh… I never actually got your name." That was stupid. This girl knew him, but he didn't know her.
"Hope." She looked up from something in her hands. Issei looked closer and saw that she was holding two stone figures. She was nodding at them for some reason. Something didn't feel right. It was almost like…
Like she wasn't from around here.
"You're right Adwaita." She suddenly said. "This will be a great way to get back at her." She lashed out at Issei and Asia with a wave of purple energy. Everything started hurting so much. As he started passing out, he saw her appearance change. She now had long, flowing white hair, the very tips and her fringe dyed purple. She was wearing black tights and a long purple robe. As his vision faded, her heard her give a loud, unhinged cackle.
And then everything went dark.
(**/*\**)
Ben was worried. He still couldn't completely shake that nightmare off. It frightened him, like it was saying 'this is your life. Forever.' He had been avoiding Issei all morning, partly because of that and partly because of last night. He never got anyone offering to sleep with him, but Issei got it nearly every night. It was totally unfair.
"Everyone!" Asia shouted as she ran into the Club Room. "Issei's been taken!"
"What?" Rias asked, standing up. Ben felt annoyed. If he hadn't been so preoccupied, he could've been there. "Was it another Fallen Angel?"
"I…I don't know. She was a blond-haired girl called Hope. And she was speaking to stone figures." Ben's blood ran cold. It couldn't be. Not her. Anyone but her. "And one of them…"
"Was named Adwaita?" Ben interrupted, aware that everyone was staring at him. As Asia nodded, he nearly started swearing. "I know her. And, I know where they'll be. Akeno, link a portal to the name 'Yawahtacsip'." Akeno nodded and started making a portal. As her magic tried to lock onto its current name, Ben started talking. "I've fought Hope before, when she went under the name Charmcaster. She has incredible amounts of magic, especially with the Alpha Rune at her disposal."
"The Alpha Rune is a myth." Grayfia said, frowning at him.
"Here it might be, but it is definitely real. They probably treat it as a myth because of its power. Whoever wears it has complete control over the realm of Ledgerdomain, and over magic itself."
"She could alter our magic?" Rias asked.
"I don't know. All I know is that she can use any magic at incredible levels. However, it also causes the wearer to go mad with its power. If she's listening to Adwaita, then she's gone off the deep end. The plan is to sneak in, grab Issei and get out before she finds us."
"If she has complete control over this realm, won't she know we're there?" Yuuto asked.
Ben shook his head. "Adwaita need to use scouts to find us when he wore the Rune. But she can change the very landscape around us. If we're spotted, do not try to fight her unless I say otherwise. Just get moving and split up. As powerful as she is, she can't follow all of us. And her stone creatures are easier to smash."
"Got it." Akeno said, her portal glowing a deep purple. Ben took a deep breath as Devil wings bloomed from his back. Charmcaster was difficult enough in his territory. He remembered how she managed to rip his soul from him the last time they were there. He never mentioned it to anyone, but he had nightmares about that. All his power, all the times he managed to fight or trick his way out, and one girl using a lot of magic managed to do what every other nutjob in the Universe couldn't. As he stepped through the portal along with the others, he started getting worried.
He hoped that they'd all be coming back.
(**/*\**)
Issei groaned as he woke up. His head was killing him. Let's try to remember what happened. Rias had offered herself to him last night. Then Bri started acting cold to him. But after Asia ran after her, nothing. A big blank spot. Maybe if he looked around he might get a better idea what happened.
He was inside a large room with solid gray walls. Deep-red banners hung everywhere while he sat on a giant velvet bed with hangings all over it. There were trophies made from strange creatures he'd never seen before, with the largest being a dull-green monster with massive rectangular teeth and spikes. There were some windows dominating the walls, with purple sky beyond them. As he got up, he noticed that he was wearing some wizard robes with pointy shoulders. He managed to get the hem out from under his feet and went over to a window to see where he was. He gulped. He definitely wasn't on Earth. Long, looping paths curled into the sky as eyes floated in mid-air. Tendril spiraled from pulsating planets and went through doors that led elsewhere. It was crazy.
The door slammed opened, surprising Issei. He tripped as he turned round, falling flat on his face. When he sat up, he saw that a girl with white and purple hair had walked in. She seemed oddly familiar. Like they had met before. Then it all came back to him.
"You're that girl from this morning." He said, scrambling back up before she did something else to him. She merely looked at him before holding a small bag with a stitched face to her ear.
"I know I didn't need to give him a robe." She said to the bag. "But it'll make her angry." She seemed to listen to the bag a bit more before speaking again. "No I'm not interested in him. Although he is endowed." She listened again. "No. That's going too far. I'm not giving up my virginity to make her suffer."
Issei was worried. Even with everything he had seen this was definitely not normal. She was probably crazy and wanted to eat him or something creepy like that. On the other hand, she might throw her clothes off and dance naked. That'll be a good last sight. But if there was a chance he could escape, then it might help to learn why she came after him. She seemed interested in Bri for some reason. She might be one of her enemies.
"You seemed interested in Bri. You're probably like her… arch-nemesis or something."
"Indeed. Little Tennyson, getting everything so easily. Well the joke's on her now that I have the Alpha Rune."
"The Alpha Rune?" Issei wondered what that was. Everyone else knew cool things except him. Hope showed him her medallion, a piece of stone with a glowing purple rune on it.
"With this, I am a goddess here." She gave a crazy giggle. "But where are my manners? I am Charmcaster, Queen of Ledgerdomain and Goddess of Magic. And this is my bag. Inside it is Adwaita and Darkstar." She waved in his face. "Say hello."
"R-right." She must be completely insane to think of herself as a god. "Why am I here anyway?"
Charmcaster giggled. "Because of your girlfriend, of course. How many Tennysons are there anyway? Although I'll admit, I was surprised to hear that she left Kevin for you. It's not like your anything special." Issei bristled, but kept his temper in check. Lashing out now wasn't going to get him home. He had to keep her talking. "Then, once I've crushed her, I'll be able to focus all my efforts on her cousin Ben. I won't stop until I'm absolutely certain that he's dead." She listened to her bag again. "Yes, yes. I'll keep an eye out for a few years to make sure he's really dead."
"What, the Goddess of Magic can't deal with one guy all on his own? Maybe you could get your bag to help." He regretted saying that as she blasted him with a ray of magic. His whole body ached.
"Plenty of people have tried to kill Ben 10. And all of them, from two-bit crooks to intergalactic warlords have all failed. He always seems to pull out a new trick. Or some help. Or even a new form entirely. Everytime we think we've got him figured out, he pulls a new ability out of that stupid watch of his." She giggled again. "But without his allies, he'll be easier to deal with. But first, I need to kill your friend Gwen."
"Gwen? But she's Bri's cousin. And Bri's the one with the Omnitrix." Unless this Ben had a different watch, but he doubted it. How many shapeshifting watches could there be? Charmcaster wasn't really listening to him though. She was too busy talking to her bag. It finally got her attention though.
"What did he say?" She asked it before looking at him. "Hey. What did you say?"
"I said 'Bri's Gwen's cousin. And she's the one with the Omnitrix. She never mentioned this Ben guy." Charmcaster just stared at him in puzzlement until the castle started ringing some bells. She opened a small vortex with a picture in it. She must have some remote viewing power. This was his best chance. He rushed forward to punch her, his Gear glowing as it formed. But she just waved one hand and he was tied up and dangling from the ceiling. So much for that attempt. With nothing else to do, he looked at the vortex, trying to see who was attacking. It was hard to tell. The picture moved quickly and whoever was in it was going just as fast. He nearly gave up until he finally caught a glimpse of a giant flying turtle. He smiled Bri was here to save him.
Charmcaster saw his smile. "Don't get cocky pal. Your friend will be mine soon enough." She stared at the picture a bit more before her face nearly split in two from a wide grin. "Oh course." She whispered. She stalked out of the room, stone creatures rising from the ground and forming armor around her. She slammed the door behind her with a boom, leaving Issei alone again.
At least he got a good view of her ass.
(**/*\**)
They managed to make good progress into Ledgerdomain, with Ben pointing out several no-go areas to the others. He had thought about attacking some scrutin before they could react, but decided to leave it as a last resort. Charmcaster might notice some of them missing.
It wasn't until they were nearly at the castle that they were spotted. They were climbing down a massive boulder that wasn't there last time, when Asia slipped. She nearly screamed but stifled herself, which was good. But she slammed into him and his arm stuck out enough to get spotted, which was bad.
"Stay here until I draw them off." He commanded them as bells started ringing from the castle. "Try to get to Issei while I keep her busy." He changed into Terraspin and flew off, smashing through plenty of the scrutin. Hopefully his immunity to mana should let him shrug off most of the spells they could use against him. He kept flying around until every last one of them was focused on him. As they fired lasers at him, he led them round a merry trail through the realm. Despite their smaller size, he was far more maneuverable than them. He gave little chuckles as he tricked them into shooting each other, or flying into stalagmites. He headed back to the castle with only a few left, and they peeled away behind him. He set himself down on a balcony, changing into ChamAlien. He was now a long purple lizard, with three triangular eyes. The left one was blue, the center green, and the right red. Quickly, he turned invisible and opened the doorway into the castle. He could find the others, but they were here to get Issei. And he'd have better luck finding him in the upper levels first.
He slithered his way down the halls, worried about how empty they were. Usually, this meant that he was heading for a trap. He opened all the doors he found as quietly as he could, giving them a quick peek before moving on. He cleared two levels like this without any sign of Issei. Where could he be?
As he stepped onto a circular junction, lightning arced towards him. He jumped up to the walls, activating Terraspin's magic immunity as he did. The bolts bounced around until they finally found him, only to fizzle out as they touched him. But he didn't realize that was what Charmcaster wanted. A powerful blast exploded in the circle, throwing him away and slamming him into the wall. Swampfire's powers instantly healed him, but they couldn't do anything for his pounding headache. He could only watch as she walked over to him, before he passed out back in his normal form.
But he could still hear her cackling.
(**/*\**)
Everything still ached, like she had given him another beating while he was out of it. His wrists felt the worst, rubbed raw by something tight. His feet barely reached the ground, only touching when he was on tippy-toes. His clothes felt both too tight in certain areas and drafty in others. He tried to open his eyes, but something was covering them. He could only stay there waiting for Charmcaster's gloating.
It didn't take long.
"I must say, I'm honestly surprised with you." She said, her steps ringing through the room. "I first believed you to be your dear cousin. And then maybe you were a counterpart from this dimension. But your knowledge of my kingdom proved who you really were, Ben Tennyson."
He smiled at where he thought she was. "And hello to you too, Charmcaster. You do realize how cliché a slave-girl outfit is. Kinda tight though. Don't tell me this is yours." She slapped him hard enough to rattle his teeth. He could've healed, but he wanted her to think he was helpless. So he settled for spitting some blood where she was standing. A shriek told him he scored. "Jokes aside, what do you want with Issei? He's no threat to you."
"When I thought you were Gwen, I just wanted your boy-toy. But now I know who you are? I'm not too sure." If Ben listened hard enough, he could hear whispers from her bag. "I think that maybe I'll control him. Make him take your most valuable treasure. That is if you still have it."
Ben tried to hide his fluttering heart and annoyance. If she knew he was afraid of that, she'd be only that much more determined to go through with it. He tried to shrug it off. "Wow. Real smart. Was that Adwaita's choice, or do you have someone else in there with him?"
"So what if it is? He obeys me."
"You have to know that won't last forever if you keep listening to him. One day, he'll tell you of a secret ritual that will grant you greater power. And obviously he's the only one that knows it. You'll follow his instructions, and next thing you know you're the stone figure and he's the one with the Alpha Rune."
"Shut up." She shouted, punching him in the stomach. He grunted as she did it again and again. "Shut up shut up SHUT UP! I'M IN CHARGE HERE! I'M THE GODDESS OF MAGIC. I. OBEY. NO ONE!"
He coughed up some more blood. If this went on, he'd have to break free pretty soon. "They why do you let figurines make choices for you?
Before she could answer – or punch him again, either or – a small 'boom' sounded and the room shook. Ben shook off the blindfold and saw that Charmcaster had him inside a dome room with paths crisscrossing over thin air. She was looking around wildly, trying to understand what was happening. "The master bedroom." She whispered. "You had allies." She grabbed her bag and glared at it. "Why didn't you tell me she had allies? Are you plotting behind my back? Are both of you?" She listened to them as they probably consoled her. "I don't trust you. Either of you. Especially you Adwaita. But once I've dealt with these interlopers, I'll have all the time in the world to punish you for your treachery." While she was distracted, Ben changed into Kickin Hawk. He was a tall humanoid hawk, with a cream plumage that hanged low like hair. His body was covered in brownish feathers, but his lower arms and legs were bright yellow claws. He wore black underwear that showed off his butt, and a green vest that covered a black top. His breasts were modest, but held in place by his clothing. He used his claws to slice free, before charging at Charmcaster and giving her a solid kick. He tried to reach for her bag and the rune, but she floated away from him firing magic blasts at him. Using his natural agility, he dodged them and got closer to her. But she kept teleporting away. He was ready for the next time, where he used XLR8's speed to rush her. She managed to get a shield up before he changed plans and started pounding her. It held out well until he drew on Fourarm's power to smash it open. But as he tried to reach it again, she gave a great yell and blasted him with a wave of force. The walls started cracking up as he skidded away. He nearly blacked out again, only stopping because of his healing. But it was long enough for him to change back, and for Charmcaster to hit him with a petrifying spells. He tried to think of a new form, but nothing was working.
And for the second time, everything blacked out.
(**/*\**)
"Man. Am I glad to see you guys." Issei sighed in relief as Koneko and Yuuto pulled him down. He wobbled a bit as they set him down, all the blood rushing from his head. "I'm guessing that Bri got all the attention so that you can sneak in."
Rias nodded. "I'm just glad you're safe. Although your wardrobe could do with some improvement."
"She had me like this so that she'd make Bri angry. But she keeps thinking she's her cousin, Gwen. And she mentions another cousin called Ben that uses an Omnitrix." He shrugged. "But then again, she talks to her bag so she can't be all that sane."
"We need to get out of here." Rias looked stern. "From what Bri told us, Charmcaster has access to the source of all magic. We can't fight her head-on. The best thing to do is to sneak out, find a secluded area, and get back home."
"Wait. What about Bri?" Rias seemed conflicted as she faced away from him.
"Bri's a big girl. And this is her rival. I'm sure she can get out of here just fine."
"I doubt it. This girl kept saying she was going to kill her. We can't just leave her here. We don't even know if she's still alive."
"And if you get captured, then this whole thing is for nothing." She countered. "You'd be making her sacrifice be in vain. I don't like it, but that's the facts."
Issei growled, before rushing out the open door. "Well then you'll just have to help me save her." He yelled back as he ran in a random direction. He wasn't too worried about facing Charmcaster again. His Gear had still been charging ever since he was tied up. Not a boost like normal, but a trickle. It should be strong enough to beat her in a single punch, Rune or no Rune. As he ran along, some instinct told him to turn at the next corner and open a massive door. He did so, with his friends just behind him. As he entered the room, he stopped in horror.
A statue of Bri stood in the center of the room. She was slightly crouched and wearing a slave girl outfit, the metal bra pinching her breasts and the long strip of cloth billowing between her legs. It might've been sexy if she didn't look like she was in pain.
"Bri!" He yelled, rushing over to her. No way could a statue be this realistic. Charmcaster must've turned her to stone. His odds looked a lot worse if she could beat Bri. He wanted to help, but he was afraid that she might shatter under his fingers. He was so useless.
"Asia." Rias commanded. "Try to use your Twilight Healing on her. It might be able to fix her." Asia nodded, her Sacred Gear all ready to be used. As she moved her hands over Bri, he saw her skin become normal again, and her limbs started moving. As the cloth started billowing again, she collapsed into his arms. She looked like she was in so much pain, sweat dripping down her sides and her face heating up. She opened her eye wearily, gazing at him before smiling.
"How…how was your first time…meeting her?" She whispered. Issei smiled down at her.
"This is probably the only way she could get a boyfriend." He joked. She gave a weak laugh before wincing in pain. The doors slammed shut behind them, causing them to notice that Charmcaster was now in the room with them.
"How touching." She said, magic glowing in her hands. "But I'm going to have to cut this reunion short. You actually saved me some trouble. I was going to bring you all here and make her watch you suffer." Issei was trembling in rage. How dare she threaten his friends. Goddess or not, she was going down. She seemed to shake her head and grabbed her bag, shaking it with rage. "How dare you! I give the orders here! I am not going to kill them, no matter what you say."
"Then die." Rias merely said, firing off her magic at her. Strangely, her circle was glowing even brighter with red lightning arcing from it. Where ever they touched exploded. But Charmcaster merely redirected it to smash through a wall. While she was distracted, Akeno fired off a bolt of lightning. It was now as thick as his arm, and left a trail of fire as it passed. Again, she deflected it elsewhere. But Rias fired again to keep her busy. While they did that, Asia was healing Bri and Yuuto and Koneko stood guard. One of Charmcaster's bolts got pass, but Koneko managed to punch it back at her. More stone creatures rose from around, but Yuuto moved faster than he could see, turning them all back into rubble. Seeing he wasn't needed at the moment, Issei rushed to Bri's side. She could tell him what to do.
"Bri, how do we defeat her? What are her weaknesses?"
She groaned as she sat up, giving him a perfect view down her cleavage. He kinda wanted her to wear it forever. "The Alpha Rune. We get that off her, and her power's diminished. She'll still be dangerous, but at least we could stand a chance. And I think she's too crazy to make decisions without her bag. Knock it away, and we'll limit what she can do. But the rune is more important."
"Right." He waited for a moment when Charmcaster was distracted. Then he took over from Yuuto, giving commands to him. "You think you could grab that necklace from her?"
"I don't' know. With Akeno and Rias' spells being supercharged I'm worried they might end up hitting me. But I could get that bag."
"Great. I've got an idea." Yuuto smiled before vanishing. Charmcaster gave a screech as he swiped the bag from her hip. She was distracted long enough for Rias to land a strike. But her armor managed to stave off the worst damage. Yuuto passed it over to him, and he started waving it. "Hey Charmcaster. Adwaita say to use a harmful spell. That'll work."
"I don't follow his orders!" She started throwing blossoms at them and squirting with fruit juice. As he suspected, she hated Adwaita so much she'd do the exact opposite. As a wave of juice flooded towards him, he jumped over while throwing the bag to Yuuto.
"He also says that that armor makes you look fat." Yuuto called out, rushing as she fired a lightning spell and throwing the bag to Koneko. Her armor fell off as she fired more spells, getting more and more erratic.
"Adwaita wants you to know that flying looks cool." Koneko threw a large block of rubble at her as she landed. Only her shield stopped her from being pancaked. Issei was now close enough to reach her. But she screamed, throwing everyone backwards before grabbing them with giant hands. They tried to break free, but she was too strong.
"I'll show you." She whispered, one eye twitching in anger. "I'll show you, Adwaita, my cutlery. I am a Goddess. And you can't stop me."
She was blasted away by a wave of force, dropping everyone as she slammed into the wall. Issei looked round to see that Bri held one arm out, her skin now as black as night. Stars glittered over it as she clenched her fist.
"Wanna bet on it?" She asked, before blasting her again. As Charmcaster was thrown out of the room, she soon smashed through the other side, firing a bigger blast than before. Bri merely waved her hand in a circle, blocking her spell. It vanished as though it wasn't really there, while Bri flew upwards. They started attacking each other, the room falling apart from the force of their attacks. But no matter how much force Charmcaster used, Bri always had more. She didn't suffer a single scratch, while Charmcaster had rips all over her clothes. They were going to win this.
But then Bri screamed as the black skin travelled down her body. Her right breast was now the night sky, laid bare for all to see. Another patch formed on her leg, covering her feet. As she screamed, more of the tower was destroyed by her power, causing Charmcaster to fall. She turned to face them, clearly planning on killing them. As she charged her attack, he saw his chance.
He charged in screaming, his Gear glowing with power. She formed a shield around herself, confident that he wouldn't punch through it. But as his fist slammed into it, he saw it facture into a million pieces as it travelled through at full speed. Her eyes widened until he punched her in the stomach. As she fell over, he grabbed the Alpha Rune and pulled away. She lay there, gasping for breath. He had stopped her.
"Bri!" Asia yelled. He looked up to see that she was now level with the floor. There was barely anything left of the castle. And Bri was nearly fully changed. It looked so painful. Without thinking of his own safety, he charged in to save her. As he got closer, he heard what she was screaming.
"Denied. Denied. Denied denieddenieddenied." It sounded like she was in so much pain. And he couldn't even get to her.
Or could he? He placed the Alpha Rune round his neck. If this thing made Charmcaster a Goddess, then it might just let him get near. The ground formed by his feet as a barrier appeared on his skin. It was so exhilarating. He was all powerful. Why ask for women when he could just take them? Why be nice, when he could do whatever he wanted with them. Everything he could ever want, now within his reach. Nothing could stop him.
He gasped. This must be why Charmcaster was so messed up. This thing was corrupting her, driving her insane with power. He had to save Bri and get this off before he became a monster. He moved closer, but something was blocking him. It wasn't a barrier or a shield. It was like an undeniable fact of the Universe, saying that he couldn't be with her any more than he could fly without wings. As he stared at Bri, he saw two green faces hovering over her shoulders.
One was undoubtedly male, with lots of wrinkles and lines. He was staring around with disgust and anger all over his face. The other was feminine, curved and smiling at everything. They must be behind this.
"Hey." He yelled. "Let her go. Who the hell do you think you are?"
"I am Bellicus." The man said.
"And I am Serena." The woman answered. "Bri has become us. She simply must help us with our problems."
"She's in pain. Stop it. Stop it right now."
"Hmph." Bellicus grunted. "She wouldn't be in so much pain if she'd just stop resisting. We'll let her change back sometime in the next… 50 million years.
50 million? That was when they'd let her turn back? It was insane. She'd have to leave everything behind. Her friends, her family. He wouldn't let that happen.
"No." He said, staring them down. They gave him their undivided attention. "You can't do that. I won't let you."
"What you want has nothing to do with it." Bellicus said. "We are Celestialsapian. Even with the Alpha Rune, you are no match for us."
"I don't care. Bri is my friend. And friends never give up saving each other. I don't care how often you knock me down. I'll just get back up and try again. Because I won't lose!" He started punching the barrier around her. He charged himself and tried to break through. They merely watched him, Bellicus looking on with contempt. But Serena looked so heartbroken, watching him try to fight the inevitable. A tear rolled down her cheek.
"Motion to let Bri go?" She asked, looking at Bellicus. Issei gasped in surprise. They were going to leave her? But what if they didn't? He watch in anticipation as Bri nodded from where she stood. Bellicus looked at the women before sighing.
"Motion carried." He grunted as they faded away. Bri's skin returned to normal as she stopped screaming. She nearly collapsed, but the barrier fell and allowed him to catch her again. He held her close as she sobbed. He didn't mind his own eyes were brimming with tears.
He just kept whispering to her that it would be alright.
(**/*\**)
They left Charmcaster lying there amongst the rubble. Rias wanted to kill her, but Bri didn't want that. She said that Adwaita killed off her people and her father, chasing her and her evil uncle to her dimension. And he could vouch for how corrupting the Alpha Rune was. They decided to leave it there in Ledgerdomain. If they brought it back, someone worse might get his hands on it. And at least Charmcaster won't follow them.
Hopefully.
"That form was Alien X." Bri was telling them all about what happened on their way back to safety. "Whenever I'm in that form, I am a god. No, I am God Himself. Nothing is beyond me. I could destroy all evil everywhere with just a wave of my hand and a thought. Nothing can harm me and I would know everything."
"Holy shit." Issei whispered. Rias thought of Bri as a god and it turned out she could be one. That is scary.
"The problem is that every Celestialsapian has multiple minds, and they can't do anything until the majority agree. All of them have apparently spent eons debating before coming to a decision. And that's the lucky ones with an odd number of minds. Celestialsapiens like Serena and Bellicus have only two minds, and argue forever without coming to a conclusion. As I become one of the minds of Alien X, I'm the tiebreaker in their debates. They don't want me to go until I help them solve all their arguments. The first time I used that form, Bellicus wanted to go back and save the dinosaurs. And that was debate number 8,000,003."
"No wonder you don't use that form. You'd be lucky to get them to focus on this millennia, much less your current enemies."
"Exactly. Alien X is a last resort only. I just hope I never have to use that again. In fact, I'm going to put up a block on Alien X's powers. I just can't risk it."
"I understand. The Alpha Rune was powerful, but it wanted me to just take whatever I wanted." Bri shivered. She must've been cold wearing that outfit. He wished he had a jacket to give her. But their clothes were probably destroyed during the fight. They walked on in silence for a bit before Bri spoke again.
"It was about you." She said.
"Huh?"
"My nightmare. You took my virginity away from me."
Jesus. That was what scared her? "Am I really that bad to you.?"
"No. No you're not. And in the dream it was consensual. But it's just… I was afraid. Afraid that I'm going to be stuck like this forever. That I'll never see home again. And that really scares me." She gave a shaky laugh. "The fact I'll look like a slut and never go home scares me more than anything. God, it sounds so stupid."
He pulled her closer, hugging her with one arm. "It's not stupid. You've got your whole life back home. People who love you, who depend on you. And you're worried about them. I'd be terrified if I couldn't go home. But you don't have to deal with this alone. You've got us. We're your friends away from home."
She smiled, giving him a playful punch in the arm. They laughed as reached Akeno's portal. As they went back to the club room, he felt as if all their troubles were over.
But as Issei said before, God is a fickle bastard.
(**/*\**)
"Welcome back Lady Gremory." Grayfia said. "While you were gone, someone arrived to see you." They looked over to the couches to see a young man sat drinking tea. He was dressed in a fine burgundy suit that probably cost more than Issei's family made in a year. He had blond, feathery hair that showed off his chiseled features and his blue eyes. What was he doing here?
"Well, well." He said. "It is impolite to leave Riser Phenex waiting. My beloved Rias."
"Ok, who's this douche?" Issei asked.
"This 'gentleman' is Lord Riser Phenex." Grayfia answered. "He is a pure-blooded Devil of noble birth, third heir-in-line to the House of Phenex."
"Which means he's important?" Bri spoke up, trying to cover herself with her arms. Issei watched as Phenex stared hungrily at her, but she refused to squirm. She just glared at him until he grew bored.
"Correct Ms. Tennyson. He is also the fiancé to the next head of the House of Gremory."
"Wait what?" This guy was Rias' fiancé? "You're joking right?"
"I'm not. They have been engaged for quite some time now."
"They're getting married?" Issei shouted.
(**/*\**)
Ben instantly disliked this Phenex guy. Part of it was because he was lusting over him, but that would be normal in this outfit. It always felt like it was going to snap if he took too deep a breath. What irked him was the fact that Rias was willing to deflower herself just to get this guy to leave. He wasn't too sure about how it worked with nobles, but he was pretty sure they didn't want to marry off someone that wasn't a virgin. Plus, he could almost always get a good read on people. Everything about this guy made his skin crawl.
They were all sitting down now, with Rias explaining why they had been gone when Riser arrived. He listened without a word, but every now and then he gave Issei a smirk, as though laughing at how they had to rescue him. Jerk. If it wasn't for Issei, Charmcaster would've killed his friends and he'd be stuck helping Serena and Bellicus with their debates for all eternity. Even Paradox couldn't save him, as he wasn't allowed within 500 light-years of any Celestialsapian. The decision to kill him was the only thing he ever saw them agree on instantly.
"Riser finds it troubling that you did not bring the Alpha Rune back with you. It would've made a wonderful wedding gift." Did this guy really have to speak in third-person? It wasn't cool, it was just stupid. Ben decided to ignore the fact that Rath did it too. He kicked butt enough to make up for it.
"We didn't want all the attention it would get us." Rias responded. She looked annoyed with having to sit next to Riser. But Grayfia made it impossible for her to switch seats. She just had to bear him playing with her hair, and stroking her thighs. Issei looked like he was going to have a heart attack.
"That's enough." Rias ordered, brushing off Riser and Grayfia as she stood up. "Let it go. I have no intention of ever marrying you."
"But my darling. Riser believes that your family's 'circumstances' are still such that you cannot afford to be so selfish."
"I will not bring my family to ruin. I have no intention of denying you your right to our name. But let me be clear, my husband will be my choice."
"Remember, it is imperative for Devils to remain pure-blood. We're still recovering our numbers from the last war. Both your father and Sirzechs decided on this arrangement with the future of Devils in mind."
Ben snorted, causing Rias, Riser and Grayfia to look at him. "Sure it will now. But give it a few millennia, and your people will become sterile. Then you'll probably decide to take as many other races with you when you die out. I've seen this before."
"You dare to mock us, woman?" He went to grab her chin, but Issei stood in his way. "You dare to mock Riser? Riser's family has remained strong because we are pure. And you are nothing but a worm."
"If I had a quarter everytime I heard that…" Ben shook his head.
"Leave her alone." Rias ordered. She didn't change her tone, but Riser wisely sat back down. "I thought I have made myself clear. For the final time, I will not marry you."
"And for the final time, I have the reputation of the House of Phenex. Such an act would besmirch our good name." He stood up again, towering over Rias. "Riser doesn't care if he has to incinerate everyone in this room. You will return to the Underworld with me." They both started glowing from their auras.
"I'd like to see you try." Ben shouted as he got ready to fight. If this guy was going to use fire, then Heatblast would stop his plan cold.
"There's no need for incineration." Grayfia interrupted. "I am here under orders from Sirzechs. As such, there will be no disruption of peace."
Riser smiled. "When told such an ominous thing from one who is known as 'The Ultimate Queen', even Riser can feel somewhat fearful."
"My master knew there would be a conflict of some sort. As such, he has assigned me a last resort. Should Rias put her own personal desires over that of the house, this will be resolved with a Rating game."
"Souna mentioned something like that before." Issei said. "What is it anyway?"
"It is a game Noble Devils play with each other." Yuuto answered. "Long story short, they and their servants compete in battles to determine who wins."
"So it's a big game of chess." Ben spoke up. "We're the chess pieces and we fight until the king is in checkmate."
"Pretty much." Akeno replied.
Riser scoffed. "Riser has played through numerous rating games, and has scored several wins for himself. Unfortunately, my inexperienced bride has never qualified for an official game."
"So we're the underdogs." Bri summed up. "Well, it wouldn't be the first time."
"Is this adorable group the extent of your servants? They're all you have?"
Rias frowned. "And so what if they are?" Riser started laughing before snapping his fingers. An orange circle formed and burst into flame. As they faded away, they saw that there were 15 women standing around a chaise lounge. "Riser has a complete set of servants."
"And they're all hot as hell." Issei was grinding his teeth before starting to blubber. "Issei hates this guy so much. Why can't I be him?"
"You want to be a smarmy asshole that treats Rias like a thing and speaks in third-person?" Ben asked him. "Even Mil-tan could do better than him."
"Why is your servant looking at me and weeping?" Riser seemed honestly confused.
Rias sighed. "He wants to have a Devil Harem."
One of Riser's servants – blond-haired girl in a pink Lolita outfit blanched. "Eww. What a barbarian." This was coming from a girl in another harem. Devil Nobles must be complete morons.
Riser smirked. "Yubelluna." He called out. Come over here."
The oldest woman with massive breast and wavy blue hair nodded. "Yes my lord." She said as she walked over. Once she was close enough, Riser pulled her into a passionate kiss. So this guy had a harem and he still wanted Rias. Ben hated him with every moment. He turned around so that they were both facing everyone else, where he started stroking her hair and fondling her breast.
"No matter how long you live, you'll never have what Riser has. You're nothing more than a lower-class Devil."
"Shut up!" Issei yelled, his face red with anger and envy. "Once I stop sucking at all this Devil shit, I'll have all the ladies I want you stupid Phenex Breath. Or should I say Penix Breath." Ben started laughing. It might not have been that funny, but it certainly took away Riser's charm.
"How dare you. You should remember your place when you speak to Riser."
"Screw you. The only person I want to impress is Rias." She seemed surprised at that. Like she didn't realize that Issei liked her. His Gear formed over his hand as he got ready to fight. "I don't give a shit what you think of me. We don't need to play some damn game. I'll kick your ass right here right now!" He rushed in, probably still confident from his fight against Charmcaster.
"Mira." Riser called out with a look of boredom. A little girl with blue hair and a short robe jumped in front of Issei. Without a word, she smashed her staff into his stomach, before throwing him into the ceiling. He gasped as all the breath got knocked out of him. He fell back down in a crumpled heap.
"Issei!" Asia and Rias cried out, rushing to his side. Ben wasn't far behind them. He opened his eyes and looked blearily at them.
"I'm fine." He groaned. "Don't worry about me." He then fainted.
"Hah." Riser laughed. "Imagine. The bearer of the Boosted Gear being so unbelievably worthless. What a tragedy for you darling." He stalked over, grabbing Ben by the chin and breathing lustily onto his face. "And you, my dear. Once you've curbed your tongue Riser will gladly accept you into his harem. That is, if you can prove yourself worthy."
Ben remembered a lesson from his past. From when he and Kevin were forced to work together in an arena. Back when he was a monster. XLR8 speed, plus Diamondhead invulnerability, plus Fourarms strength…
Equals one mean punch.
"Is this good enough for you?" He yelled, slamming his fist into Riser's stomach. He ducked as Riser puked over his shoulder, before he slammed into the ceiling hard enough to break right through it. The room lit up as he went straight through the whole thing before smashing another hole over by his servants. He lay there, gasping for breath as his harem crowded around him.
"Grayfia." Rias said with a smile of her face. "When he finally regains consciousness, Please inform him that I accept his challenge."
"And we will annihilate him."
And so the chapter ends. As far as I can tell, a lot of people have been waiting for this moment, when Ben knocks Riser off his high horse. His invincibility doesn't make him unstoppable. It just means you have to hit him harder.
And yeah, Charmcaster. I decided to play up her craziness after seeing 'Charmed, I'm Sure'. And I know that Issei's Gear can't boost multiple times right now. But he's in a realm of magic and the Gear got enhanced by it. And as for leaving the Alpha rune with Charmcaster, as the old saying goes 'better the Devil you know'. At least they can work out her motives most of the time.
Stay tuned for next week, when we see the Occult Club's training regime.