Chapter 8

"" - Talking

'' - Thinking

{} - Sparda

[] - Ddraig

…

Ayato tossed and turned as dark memories sought to invade his dreams. Wishing he could just remove the memories from his mind as he was plunged into them.

"The sort of girl that I like…" a fourteen year old Ayato spoke, to himself, his friend, Yoshimori looking curiously at him as he waited for his answer as Ayato continued

"I like girls that are nice and kind hearted with Big Breasts"

Ayato sighed as he wiped the sweat from his forehead, sitting up in bed. He hated to be reminded of them but it was one of the few things that kept coming back at him. Since then he'd managed to develop a way to tell if someone was lying by their face, eyes and body movements. Hagun had been a new start for him but he'd found guys only wanted to be around him cause he seemed to draw attention of girls, while the girls only wanted to be with him for their own motives so he got away from it all by saying he wasn't looking for a girlfriend at the moment. Stretching his worn muscles he found the dull ache annoying as he started to get ready for the day.

…

The morning training turned into a long study period so that Ayato and Asia could learn things that Devils needed to know, the former feeling like his head was aching as Yuuto asked him a question

"Our greatest enemy are the angels led by God. What is the name given to the top angels? Also what are their names?"

"Umm, it's Seraphim, right? The members are Michael, Raphael, Gabriel and Uriel" Ayato answered

"Correct"

"Next is our "Maou-sama". What are the names of the "Yondai-Maou-sama"?"

"Lucifer-sama, Beelzebub-sama, Asmodeus-sama and Leviathan-sama" Ayato answered after stifling a small yawn.

"Correct"

"Then next, I will ask you to say the names of the leaders of the fallen-angels?"

"The main group is called "Grigori". The name of the Governor is "Azazel" and the name of the vice-governor is "Shemhaza." The names of the leaders are Benemue, Kokabiel and Shariel"

"Correct…"

The group then turned to Asia as she coughed into her hand before starting her lecture

"Then now, I, Asia Argento, will explain about the basics of exorcists. From the place I used to belong to, there were two types of exorcists…The first type is the ones that appear in films and novels. The father reads a section of the book then he uses holy water to get rid of the devil from the person's body. They are known as the "Usual exorcists". Then the "Other exorcists" would be the ones that are a threat to us."

Rias continued on from where Asia left off "Ayato, you also have met him before, but the greatest threat to devils' are either God or exorcists who received divine protection from the fallen-angels. We, the devils, have been fighting against them for a very long time. They come to destroy us with the power of light received from the angels, and with their physical bodies that they trained to the uttermost limits."

Ayato was reminded of the crazy exorcist, Freed, shuddering as he remembered some of the weird things he'd said to him. Coming back to his senses as he watched Asia take out a load of stuff from her bag, Rias picking up a small bottle with water inside it, holding it like it was something disgusting as Asia spoke

"Now I will talk about the traits of holy water and the Bible. First of all, holy water, it will be very terrible if a devil touches it."

"Yes, that's true. So you can't touch it as well, Asia. Your skin will get harmed." Rias commented, Asia looking shocked before she regained her senses as she added energetically

"I will tell you how to make one afterwards. I don't know if it will be useful but there are a couple of ways to make them."

"Next is the Bible. I have been reading it every day since I was a child, but I'm in trouble now because it gives me a pain in the head even if I only read a sentence of it."

"That's because you are a devil."

"You are a devil."

"...Devil."

"Ufufufu, devil's receive intense damage."

"You're a Reincarnated Devil, Ya Know"

"Sob... I can't read the Bible anymore!"

Asia started to have teary eyes after everyone pointed it out to her before she added

"But this is my favourite phrase... Oh God. Please forgive a sinful person like myself who can't read the Bible...Ouch!"

She received damage again by praying to God, Ayato unable to hide the small smile at the faith Asia still held in God despite becoming a devil as they finished up their study section and moved onto training.

…

Ayato's training seemed to move on well as he started to improve in martial arts and swordsmanship. His control also grew as he practiced his magic and reiatsu enough for Sparda to say that he could learn some new techniques from him during their nightly spar.

It had been a week since they'd come to the mountains, Ayato was lying outside looking at the stars filled sky as he wandered over his training so far. It seemed that he was just short of being able to use Kurokamitsu on its own but that was due to not enough reiatsu which Sparda said he trained him to increase as well during their next training session.

Pulling himself to his feet, Ayato headed inside to get him a drink, jumping slightly as he heard Rias speak up from the living room.

"Ara? You're awake?" Ayato looked into the room to see her sitting where the table was as he spoke

"Hello Buchou…"

"Good timing, let's talk for a bit" she replied, Ayato noticing the faint light from the candle as he sat down opposite Rias, who was wearing a red negligee with a pair of glasses and her crimson hair tied up

"Do you have bad eyesight, Buchou?" Ayato asked curiously, although he suspected it was just for appearances given that she didn't wear them any other time.

"Oh this? It's just for looks. I can think more clearly while having my glasses on. Fufufu, this is proof that I have been in the human's world for so long." Rias replied with a chuckle, Ayato admitting to himself that she looked beautiful at the moment as he turned his gaze onto the table which was covered in loads of paper, Rias closing the strategy notebook as she spoke with a sigh

"...To tell you the truth, reading this won't help me at all."

"It's because we're facing a devil named after the phoenix, isn't it?" Ayato replied with knowing look

"Yes…A long time ago the mystical beast, Phoenix, was looked upon by humans as a bird that represents life. The tears of the phoenix can heal any wounds, and the blood that flows within its body can give eternal youth to those that drink it. It became a legend and that's how it's told in the human world. The humans gave a different name to the devils' phoenix to distinguish it from the mystical beast phoenix. They gave them the name "Phenex". But the mystical beast phoenix has the same ability as Riser's clan. In other words immortality. We need to fight someone like that. This is the record that Raiser has at the Rating Game. 8 wins and 2 losses. This is the official record of Raiser's Rating game results. He fought 10 times and won 8 matches. He lost 2 of the matches on purpose as a kindness to one of the households he is close to. In other words he won most of his games. He has already become a candidate to obtain a title in the official game."

"I felt something uneasy when I heard that Riser was chosen as my fiancé. Yes, I think Otou-sama and the others chose him in case something like this were to happen. They chose Riser so I will have no choice left. Even if it becomes a match between households, they knew that there was no way for me to win."

'So it's just an uphill battle…which we probably won't win' Ayato thought as Rias continued

"When the Rating Game became popular, the one who rose the most was the house of the Phenex. There weren't that many battles among devils until the game was introduced. In a game where the "King" also participates, the strength of Phenex becomes more clear. The house of Phenex is the leading group in the ultimate class. Immortal. Devils realised how terrifying this power was for the first time."

'Why would she even accept a Rating Game if Riser can keep recovering his own wounds during it all…' Ayato thought, being broken from it as Rias chuckled as she spoke

"You know, it's not like we can't defeat Riser?"

"Are you serious?" Yukio asked, arching an eyebrow at the comment

"Yes. There are two ways you can defeat him. One is to beat him down with incredible power and the other one is to keep on taking him down until he loses the will to fight. The first method requires the strength of a God. The second one is to save our stamina until Riser loses his will to fight. If we can crush the soul of Phenex, then it's our win. Then their resurrection will stop and they will fall. Well, the easiest way is to defeat him with a power that is on par with God that crushes him down with one strike."

"So I'm the key to your plan…I mean Boosted Gear, if mastered could kill a God so…" Ayato started as the pieces seemed to fall into place, Rias nodded and continued on

"Yes…if you could hold enough power then you could take down Riser no problem with both Boosted Gear & Kurokamitsu."

"Buchou…" Ayato started deciding he should at least ask the question that was bugging him given what he knew

"What is it?"

"Why are you against the marriage? Given your family's problems?"

"...I'm a''Gremory ``.''

"So…it's because it's what your family wants…?" Ayato asked

"No, the Gremory name will follow me wherever."

"Do you hate it?" Ayato asked

"I'm proud of it. But it's also something that is a burden to me. Everyone looks at me as Rias from the Gremory. They don't look at me as Rias. That's why I'm enjoying my life in the human world. They don't know that I'm a devil from the Gremory. Everyone looks at me as Rias. I really like that feeling. I never felt something like that in the devils' society, and I never will. The only time I feel like myself is when I'm in the human world." Rias answered with a distant look along in her very sad eyes, the story she'd told Ayato found surprising as he'd never had his name being an important factor until he found out he was a descendant of Sparda & Ryouma Kurogane and then that really didn't affect things for him.

"I want to be with someone who will love me as Rias. That's my small dream... Unfortunately, Raiser only looks at me as Rias from the Gremory. And he loves me as Rias from Gremory. That's why I hate it. But still, the pride of being a Gremory is very important. It might be a complicated situation, but I want to cherish this small dream I have." Rias continued, Ayato smiled slightly although not sure what to say given Rias' complex life with both her house's problems and what she wanted to do herself on her mind.

"If it helps…I like you for the person you are not because of some title…"Ayato replied, some small part of his mind mentally berating him for that comment as Rias' cheeks started to turn red.

"Bu-Buchou? Did I say something weird?" Ayato asked, wondering if she'd taken his comment in the wrong vein as she shook her head

"No...nothing! It's nothing!" She spoke in a panic, Ayato noticing that she was lying as he decided to sweep it aside for the moment, rather then to embarrass her further as he spoke up

"But the opponent for the genius Buchou, someone like that, is a hard obstacle, isn't it?"

"Me & Stella don't actually like the word "genius"…" She answered Ayato, her face still red.

"Why is that?"

"A talent that is given by heaven... It seems like it's a gift given by God so I don't feel good. My talent is born from the roots of the Gremory that has been passed down to the generations. I & Stella inherited that trait as devils. We never thought that we received it as a gift from God, and that's power belongs to us and the house of Gremory. That's why I won't lose. I will win if I have to fight. I have to win."

Rias said it to Ayato as if she was saying it to smiled as he stood up and spoke with a chuckle

"I better get to bed…otherwise Sparda will try and make me train for weeks inside my head"

…

Ayato stood panting as he held Kurokamitsu in front of him, Sparda opposite him with his own weapon held ready as he spoke

{I will be teaching you another technique with your reiatsu…}

With just a faint sound of static he disappeared from where he stood before quickly reappearing in front of Ayato, who jumped back in surprise as Sparda chuckled

"What was that…?" Ayato asked surprised

{That was Sonido…a technique which allows you to move at high-speeds…You can use it by focusing your reiatsu into your legs}

Sparda explained, smirking as he added

{I will be fighting you at that speed from now on}

Ayato gulped nervously as Sparda disappeared from sight again, the silver haired teen looking around for his sparring partner only to feel the flat of Sparda's blade on his back. Ayato turned only to find Sparda had disappeared again.

…

The illusionary city of Hagun was covered in damage as flashes of weapons colliding filled the place, the two combatants disappearing from view only to reappear as they clashed again, shockwaves blasting out from where they clashed each time.

"How come you're so much faster than I am?" Ayato asked as he pushed against Sparda's blade.

{I have more experience with this then you do…with time you will increase in the speed you can achieve}

Sparda answered, flashing out of sight as he tried to attack Ayato from behind. Sparda swung only cutting through an afterimage of the teen, smirking at how the teen had picked up on the little extra trick as he spun to block the attack from above, his eyes widening as Yukio smirked as he declared "Getsuga Tensho Hyoryu Senbi !"

The red aura ice dragon exploded in the area, making a large crater around where Sparda stood. Ayato landed on the edge of it as he looked surprised at the small platform his ancestor was standing on, unharmed from the attack.

{Very creative Ayato…} Sparda spoke, wiping some dust from his clothes as he rested the cleaver sword on his shoulder.

"How did you…?" Ayato asked, shocked, pointing with his free hand at the pedestal that Sparda stood on at the moment before signalling to the large crater that was around him.

{I increased my reiatsu to a level that would make me unaffected by your attack} Sparda explained much to the surprise of Ayato, not expecting that his new mentor was that strong.

{Let's move on to another technique…}

Sparda spoke covering his free hand in a red aura before he shot the fist forward with the speed of a bullet, the wind from the attack ruffling Ayato's hair as he turned to see the explosion that had come from when the attack had hit a tree.

{That was Bala…It's twenty times faster then Cero but lacks the power Cero does…You build reiatsu up around your fist before firing it out} Sparda explained

"Did you have to blast it past my ear like that?" Ayato asked annoyed

{I had to break you out of your shock}

Sparda spoke with a shrug, Ayato's eyebrow twitched as he looked at him before having to jump out of the way of another Bala shot.

…

The next day of training saw Ayato standing across from Yuuto, both his Sacred Gears active as due to all the training he could hold Kurokamitsu with his Tenryuu Kori Gusoku, much to the surprise of the others and himself.

"You're opponent will be Yuuto" Rias spoke from off to the side, continuing

"Alright…" Ayato spoke not sure what the point was the point was as he declared

"Boost"

[BOOST!]

The red gauntlet made a sound after Ayato's words, the silver haired teen feeling the power going through his body.

[BOOST!]

His power doubled again, Ayato reminded back to when he'd first tried to see his limit which had been about only two or three minutes before he felt like he was going to faint, Rias had explained afterwards about what had happened

"For example, think that you are a truck. If you carry more packages than the truck can carry what would happen? It won't move right? That's how it is."

The jewel in the gauntlet made a sound

[Burst]

afterwards and then his body had felt heavier and it felt like all his senses froze which had made him realise that even if the Boosted Gear had no limits, the user, himself does have limits which meant he had to watch out for his own limit. It made the 20th power up after Rias ordered Ayato to power up then she ordered him to stop.

"Let's go Boosted Gear" Ayato spoke, the jewel glowing as it spoke

[Explosion!]

Ayato understood that that was when it would allow him to fight at a certain level for a certain time which was affected by movement, attacking and stamina. Boosting seemed to be unstable compared to when he stopped at a certain level to fight, making him think that if he moved around too much there would be risks that that Boosted Gear would change him back to his normal level.

'Probably better if I boost before I get into a fight or while dodging' Ayato thought at he turned his attention to Kurokamitsu, the power that was coming from it seemed surprisingly bigger even the reiatsu seemed that if he dropped it, the sealed weapon would just make a Large crater on its own.

"Ayato, I want you to fight Yuuto in that state, Yuuto, I will leave you to be his opponent."

"Yes Buchou" Yuuto replied as he made his stance towards Ayato, who also slipped into a stance against the knight.

"Then both of you start" Rias called, Yuuto movements still in Ayato's sight thanks to Sparda's training with Sonido & his insight as Yuuto closed in to attack. Yuuto's swing came down at him, but Ayato managed to guard it with his gauntlet. Yuuto looked shocked as his guard dropped, Ayato swinging Kurokamitsu towards him only to miss as Yuuto disappeared.

Ayato looked around in an attempt to find Yuuto, before he looked up surprised to see him coming down at him with his wooden sword aimed downwards, a small smirk appearing on Ayato's face as Yuuto's attack cut through an afterimage much to the surprise of the others.

"How can he move that fast…? He didn't promote himself to "Knight"." Rias spoke, sharing the same expression as she saw Ayato appear behind Yuuto swinging Kurokamitsu over his head only to miss as Yuuto disappeared, making a fissure in the ground.

"Yukio! Use your magic!" Rias shouted, Ayato using his Sonido again to dodge the head swipe that Yuuto had tried as Ayato took hold of Ryuuzutsu with both hands before raising the device sword above his head as the Ice wind-cladded Dragon Claw he called

"Kori Kusanagi'' as the Ice wind tornado was grinding away at the light pillar like a drill,Yuuto easily dodged it as the Savage ice gale attacked, carving into the ground before it exploded as it hit the mountain next to the one they were training on. Ayato gulped at the giant hole that now replaced most of the mountain his attack had hit, as he realised that the attack was way stronger then he was normally used to.

{That was stronger than I expected even with your power being boosted to that level}

Sparda spoke up, bringing Ayato back to the moment as he turned to look at the others he noticed that they also had looks of shock and awe on there faces, Ayato sweat dropping at how the normally stoic Koneko also shared the look as his gauntlet called out

[Reset]

Ayato felt the power leave his body, Rias coming back to her senses at the sound from the gauntlet as she spoke up

"The spar is over." Yuuto put his sword down as Ayato sighed before dismissing his Sacred Gears as Rias came over to them.

"Good job you two. Now I will hear your impression, Yuuto. How was it?" Rias spoke up, Yuuto taking a few moments before answering

"Yes. To tell the truth I'm astonished. I tried to finish the spar with the first strike…but I couldn't break through Ayato-kun's Armor. I was focused on breaking through it. I also tried to knock him down in my second strike by hitting his head from above the air, but that failed as well. Hahahaha" Yuuto put his sword to the front ot show everyone that it was already broken

"Thank you Yuuto…" Rias spoke turning to Ayato as she continued

"I'm surprised you got that much faster in such a short time…"

"Sparda did a lot of teaching last night…I think he tweaked time inside my head so it felt like five Years" Ayato explained.

"That is amazing…" Rias spoke surprised as she moved to signal to the former mountain as she spoke with pride and confidence

"That attack is one of an Ultimate-class devil. If that hits, most beings will be blown away…Your body which went through basic training became a vessel that can handle a Sacred Gear that increases the power drastically. Even now, your body is strong enough to handle the power increase. See? I told you before, right? You can become the ultimate as long as you improve your basics. The higher your initial strength is, the more the power can increase. The basic stamina rises from "1" to "4". Even something like that would become a big factor for you to become strong."

"Like you said last night you are the key to the game,Ayato's attack becomes the factor that decides the outcome of the battle. If it was only you fighting, then it would be scary because you would have your guard down while powering up. But this battle is a team battle. There are those who will support you. Trust in us. Then, you will become strong"

"Let's show it to those that looked down on you. It doesn't matter if the opponent is Phenex or not. We need to show them how strong Rias Gremory and her servants are!"

"Yes!" Everyone replied with a strong voice.

…

The day of the decisive battle drew near quickly, it was ten o'clock, two hours before the battle would start, and Ayato was currently sitting in his room, preparing himself for the fight. The whole day had been rather lazy so he could continue training on himself for the battle. Rias had planned that they would meet up in the clubroom 30 minutes beforehand which left him 90 to calm himself. His mind was still going over what he'd been taught by Sparda during the training trip and even before then.

He was sitting there in his uniform, Rias having wanted to have them all have a uniform to avoid friendly fire during the match as he started to stretch his muscles, looking at the door as someone knocked on it

"Ayato-san, may I come in?" Asia called, Ayato picking himself up from the floor as he spoke

"Yeah, come in." Ayato seemed surprised that she was wearing her nun's outfit, obviously without her Rosario around her neck or her veil on her head, Asia blushed as she noticed his surprise before answering his unspoken question

"When I asked Buchou-san she told me to wear something that I feel most comfortable in. I thought about it a lot, and I found out that this outfit is the easiest for me to move around in…I'm not a Christian anymore, but I haven't forgotten my beliefs. Even though I'm a devil now…"

"Fair enough…you do look more natural in that than the school uniform" Ayato replied, Asia making a very happy face from Ayato's comment before becoming hesitant as she asked.

"Um..ummmm, Ayato-san…? Can I stay beside you?"

"Yeah, sure." Ayato replied as he sat down on the bed, Asia moving to sit down next to him before hugging his hand

"Nervous?" Ayato asked, feeling her shake, Asia nodding as she spoke

"...I can't stop shaking when I think there is a scary battle waiting for us. But if Ayato-san is with me, I will be okay."

"Asia..." Ayato spoke softly, smiling as she spoke "Ehehehe. I'm not scared if I'm with Ayato-san after all... Can I stay like this until we leave?"

"…Sure." Ayato answered, feeling like he should help her before being surprised by her next question

"...Can I stay with you forever from now on?"

"Yeah…we will always be together" Ayato replied, holding onto her hands gently to comfort her as they stayed like that till they left. Ayato smiled as Asia stopped shaking.

…