High School DxD: Inheritor of Malevolence

by dvdryms

There exist infinite universes, infinite possibilities. In one of them, an almost normal first-year high school student will discover that there is more to the world around him than meets the eye following a certain encounter. But where will his path lead him when the forbidden power sleeping within him awakens?

30. Conference

Chapter 30 – Conference

"Come on, Gasper-kun! Let's do this one more time!"

"Y-Yesssss, Senpai!"

Gasper shouted as several balls hovering around Takeshi were launched at him one after another from various directions. Gazing at them in rapid succession, he managed to freeze most of them in mid-air, but two of them sailed past him and a momentary loss of focus caused him to freeze Koneko's leg, who was observing from the side.

"I-I'm so sorryyyyyy, Koneko-chan!" Gasper wailed. "I didn't mean tooooo!"

"…It's alright. Accidents happen. Besides, you've made some good progress so far, Gya-kun."

Koneko remarked with a small smile. Currently, she, Takeshi and Gasper were in the small forest surrounding the old school building, continuing the young Dhampir's training with his Sacred Gear. Although it was a difficult endeavor, Gasper was finally starting to show signs of better controlling Forbidden Balor View to a degree. Genshirou's occasional help in regulating Gasper's power with his Absorption Line also helped matters on that front.

"What Koneko-chan said." Takeshi added from the side. "Don't worry about the small mishaps, Gasper-kun. That's par for the course. Focus on the positive side, like how you're no longer running away after stopping someone."

"T-That's plenty difficult already…" Gasper trembled. "B-But everyone in the club is giving it their all for an incomplete being like m-me. I…I have to at least stand my ground here…a-and face this challenge seriously…"

"That's a good attitude, Gasper-kun." Takeshi grinned. "Like they say, when there's a will, there's a way. You do your best, and we'll be right next to you as support. Now, what do you say? One more time?"

"Y-Yesssss!" Gasper said, clenching his fists. "B-Bring it on, Senpai!"

"Alright then." Takeshi said. "Koneko-chan, we're aiming from different positions and in uneven intervals. Let's see how well Gasper-kun can react."

"…Roger that."

Practice continued like this for a while until Gasper dropped on the ground, exhausted and panting. His eyes had also become even redder and swollen from the constant use of his powers.

"Let's stop here for today." Takeshi said. "If we take it any further than this, we might damage Gasper-kun's eyes."

"…T-Thank you…for your efforts and patience with the worthless me…S-Senpai…"

"Enough with the self-deprecating attitude." Takeshi said as he sat next to Gasper, flicking him on the forehead. "You have a wealth of potential within you that's simply untapped. That's far from being worthless. Plus, you have a goal of your own, don't you?"

"Y-Yes…" Gasper said, a small glint in his eyes. "One day…I will d-definitely bring Valerie out of that s-stuffy Vampire territory and show her the sun of this c-country…"

"…Oh?" Koneko raised an eyebrow, looking intrigued. "Who's that? Gya-kun's girlfriend?"

"N-Nothing like that!" Gasper yelled. "S-She's…an important childhood friend…whose presence and support really saved me back then. Since she's a D-Dhampir like me…I'm sure her life must be terrible in there. That's why…I will find a way to free her…probably…"

"…You could have done without the 'probably' there." Koneko said with a half-lidded stare before smiling. "Still, this is good. The Gya-kun I first met two years back wouldn't have been able to say even that much. I'm sure you'll become stronger…as long as you don't forget your daily dose of garlic."

"N-Nooooooo!" Gasper shrieked at the sight of Koneko holding garlic, running away from her at full speed in all fours. "Anything but garliccccccc!"

"…You won't escape."

Takeshi chuckled as he watched the first years' chase around the forest. Turning his head to the sky above, he frowned at the thought of the upcoming summit between the Three Factions.

"Tomorrow, eh…?" Takeshi muttered to himself. "Somehow, it feels so unreal…"

Takeshi returned his focus to Koneko and Gasper's chase, but could no longer derive any amusement from it, his mood clouded by a dark premonition.

---

The following night…

"Is everyone ready?"

Rias said as she looked around at her assembled servants, who nodded in response with tense expressions. The members of the Occult Research Club had gathered in their clubroom, waiting for the start of the conference. Despite all their attempts to make small talk or joke around so far, the oppressive atmosphere had made everyone nervous. After all, the summit that was set to start at midnight was likely to have a major impact on the world's affairs.

While Rias was busy going over the final details with Akeno, Takeshi turned his attention outside. The whole campus had been enveloped by a powerful barrier created by the leaders themselves, capable of withstanding even a direct attack from a God-class being. The point of origin seemed to be the new school building's lounge, where the higher-ups had already assembled. Outside the barrier, numerous Angel, Fallen Angel and Devil troops could be seen floating in the sky, eyeing each other with suspicion, and even hostility in some cases.

"If something goes wrong during tonight's summit and negotiations break down, this town might very well turn into a battlefield."

"For everyone's sake, let's hope it doesn't come to that." Takeshi responded to Yuuto. "Though I'm almost certain it won't. None of the bigshots seem willing to resume hostilities."

"True, but politics are a tricky subject." Akeno said. "If someone feels they're slighted during the talks, there's no telling how they might react or what consequences such a reaction will have."

"Let's not dwell on such negative thoughts, everyone." Rias said, clapping her hands. "All will go well, I'm sure. Now then, Gasper."

"Y-Yessssssssss!"

"I'm sorry, but we can't take you with us." Rias said with an apologetic expression. "Tonight's conference is really important, and we can't have your time-stopping Sacred Gear potentially disrupting it. That's why, you can't participate."

"I-I understand." Gasper, who was inside his cardboard box once again, nodded in a timid manner. "C-Causing more problems…I don't want that…"

"If you get hungry, we've left snacks in the clubroom." Takeshi said. "And if you're bored, I've left my portable game console and several Kamen Rider and Sentai series for you to watch as well. Feel free to enjoy them to your heart's content, Gasper-kun."

"Y-Yessss!" Gasper nodded with a small smile. "Thank you very m-much, Senpaiiiiiiii!"

Takeshi smiled as he rubbed the young boy's head before following after the rest of the Peerage. Exiting the old school building, they walked in silence into the new school building and headed towards the lounge. Once they arrived in front of the large door leading to it, Rias knocked once.

"Excuse us."

She said as she opened the door, with the Peerage stepping into the spacious lounge. Takeshi noticed that most of its furniture and decorations had been removed, with only a large, ornate table placed in the middle and several chairs to the side. Seated around the table were the prominent members of the Three Factions Takeshi had been introduced to over the past few days.

"Ah, you're here." Sirzechs said before turning to the others. "May I present my younger sister and her Peerage, everyone."

Rias and the others bowed to the assembled leaders. Representing the Devils' side were Sirzechs and Serafall, with Grayfia on standby next to a serving cart. This time, both of them were wearing attire appropriate for Devil Kings that gave off an aura of elegance and mystique. Next to them sat Michael, his twelve golden wings unfurled and his usual serene expression on his face. Standing a few steps behind him were Leon, Kaori and Dia, with the Welsh Dragon nodding at Takeshi. Representing the Fallen Angels was Azazel, wearing a formal outfit as well with his twelve pitch-black wings unfurled. Out of all participants, he seemed to be the most relaxed, leaning back on his chair with a small grin on his face. Standing behind him was Vali, who let out a smirk upon catching sight of Takeshi.

"As you all should know, they were active during Kokabiel's recent attack on Kuoh." Sirzechs continued. "Thanks to their efforts and those of the Church agents, the rogue Cadre and his group were successfully suppressed."

"Allow me to thank you once again for your contribution, Rias Gremory and everyone else." Michael said. "Words alone cannot express my gratitude for this incident not spiraling into something worse."

"We're grateful for your kind words, Michael-sama."

Rias said as she and everyone else bowed.

"Yeah, sorry the moron from our side caused you so much trouble. But all's well that ends well, right?"

Azazel said with a brazen expression. Rias pursed her lips, but said nothing in response to the Fallen Angel's flippant attitude.

"Please, sit on the seats over there until we call you."

Sirzechs pointed at the chairs placed in the side. Sitting there already were Sona and Tsubaki, who gave a curt nod to the members of Rias's Peerage before turning their attention to the leaders. Once Rias and the others were seated, Sirzechs spoke.

"Now that everyone has arrived, I call this meeting to order. First and foremost, the most important prerequisite before we begin is the collective acknowledgement of Deus Trinity's death from all parties involved in this summit."

Everybody nodded in affirmation. Glancing to the side, Takeshi noticed that neither Sona nor Tsubaki seemed surprised. He wasn't sure how they had found out about it, but assumed that either Rias or Serafall had informed them beforehand.

"Excellent." Sirzechs said. "We may proceed then. As you are all aware, the recent incident with the rogue Cadre Kokabiel almost turned into a major diplomatic issue that could have had severe ramifications for our respective factions. It has shown beyond a shadow of a doubt that the armistice we have maintained for almost six centuries now is no longer viable."

"There will always be dissidents in each of our factions." Michael said. "Individuals who are not content with the status quo and eager to resume hostilities. It pains me to admit that such individuals can be found not only in the upper echelons of the Church, but in Heaven itself as well. We can't keep putting out sparks forever. Eventually, a single unattended one will grow into a conflagration that will consume us all."

"There's a simple solution to that, no?" Azazel said with an almost bored look. "Let's declare peace and be done with it. That's what we've been aiming for so long, isn't it? No use skirting around it. It's what we all came here to propose to each other after all."

"Before we get into that and the conditions for it to happen, we need to set the record straight." Sirzechs said. "I would like to hear Rias and Inquisitor Leon's full account regarding the Kokabiel incident. It's a formality, yes, but we need to eliminate even the tiniest bit of suspicion towards Grigori before talking about peace."

"Come on, you can't possibly think I or the others had anything to do with that nutjob's idiotic plan?" Azazel said with an exasperated look. "Well, whatever. There's no issue with hearing what the kids have to say."

"Then, could you please describe the battle against Kokabiel's group in as much detail as you can, Rias, Sona?"

"Of course, Lucifer-sama."

"With pleasure."

Rias and Sona said as they stood up. Takeshi could tell Rias was nervous, but was doing a good job at hiding it. She spoke in a steady and calm manner as she recounted Kokabiel's declaration and the battles against him and his servants. Apart from her hands shaking a bit, she was keeping herself composed. The leaders of the Three Factions were listening to her in an intent manner, their even expressions concealing whatever thoughts they might be having. Sona also added a couple of details here and there to give everyone the full picture.

"…That is all regarding my report about the events I, Rias Gremory, and my Peerage experienced."

"I, Sona Sitri, also confirm the veracity of this report as one of the participants."

"Good work, you two." Sirzechs nodded with a smile. "You may sit."

"Thanks, Rias-chan, Sona-chan~."

Rias and Sona bowed to the two Devil Kings as they sat down, with Takeshi rushing to grab Rias's shaking hand. She squeezed it, letting out a small sigh of relief as she smiled at him.

"What about you, Inquisitor Leon?" Michael said. "Do you have anything to add in Rias Gremory's report?"

"No, what she said is what happened, Michael-sama." Leon said. "For all intents and purposes, this was an act orchestrated by Kokabiel and his followers behind Grigori's back. There is not even a shred of proof that Azazel-sama or the other Cadres had any knowledge of this. In fact, thanks to the assistance of Slash Dog from Grigori's side, Kokabiel's device was dismantled before it had the chance to do any damage."

"It's as they say." Azazel said. "If the Red Dragon Emperor and the Evil Dragon User hadn't iced him, we'd have probably dumped Kokabiel in the deepest pits of Cocytus for all eternity. Heh, maybe dying served that idiot better in the end. I've already sent you the necessary reports regarding all that, haven't I?"

"You have, and as usual, your explanations are the worst of the worst…" Michael sighed. "However, I know full well that you don't desire war, so I never thought you were involved with this harebrained scheme. Still, I confess that your gathering of several Longinus possessors has left a lot of people uneasy about your true intent."

"Several people think you're attempting to increase Grigori's battle potential." Sirzechs said. "Sure, you haven't waged a war against us and have no intent to do so from the looks of it, but Slash Dog, Absolute Demise and Vanishing Dragon…these names are enough to send chills down some people's spines and make them question the Grigori's intentions as Michael said."

"Geez, can't a guy research in peace without everyone getting on his case…?" Azazel grumbled. "That's the main reason I brought these guys to Grigori, as well as for safeguarding them from those who would use them for evil. Like I've said time and time again, I have no interest in restarting the war or interfering with the human world more than necessary. I've even ordered my subordinates to stay out of Church and Devil affairs, and to not excessively meddle in human politics either. Am I the least trustworthy person in the Three Factions or something?"

"That's right."

"That's true."

"Sorry, but that's how it is~."

Sirzechs, Michael and Serafall responded as such, prompting Azazel to groan. Takeshi couldn't help but feel a little sorry for everyone ganging up on him.

"Humph, and here I thought you guys were a little more lenient compared to the previous generation Devil Kings and Deus Trinity." Azazel said. "In that case, you want me to share some of my research with your respective departments? Something to sweeten the whole peace treaty all of us wish to sign tonight?"

"That would be a step towards the right direction." Michael said. "But first things first. For peace to occur, the cessation of all hostilities between the Three Factions is imperative. That also includes our battles by proxy, where we use influential humans to encroach on each other's territory in the human world. If possible, I would appreciate it if the Devil side also stopped using contracts as a means to push humans into sin. Mundane ones are acceptable, but Heaven can't very well condone any more than that."

"That's a problem though~." Serafall said with a slight pout. "Contracts are one of the precious few ways our children have to rise in the ranks~. Restricting them even more will make promotion too difficult~."

"Forgive me if I am wrong, but promotion through contracts alone is an arduous and often unrewarding task." Michael pointed out. "From what I understand, performance in the Rating Games is usually the decisive factor, while contracts have become more of a custom as of late. But if it's still an issue, perhaps you could increase the value of the simpler contracts as a counterbalance."

"That could be arranged." Sirzechs said. "But the Assembly needs to be informed first. Still, I don't believe there will be much too trouble regarding that request."

"From our side, we don't have any particular demands for now." Azazel said. "As long as there are no more stupid wars being waged between us, we're content."

"Oh, does that mean we can request for unrestricted access to the demilitarized zone between our respective territories~?" Serafall suggested. "There are some precious resources there that would be very useful for the Underworld~. Of course, we wouldn't request that for free. Hm…how about we give full control of part of the Northern Wastes to the Fallen Angels? The land is rough and doesn't have strategic importance, but it's prime for development if Grigori wishes to expand at some point in the future. Plus, no Pillar has a stake on it, so it should be A-OK to give it away in exchange~!"

"Some extra land to develop wouldn't be a bad deal, especially considering Grigori's recent debates on the subject of reincarnation…" Azazel nodded to himself. "I think that can be arranged without too much fuss, Serafall."

"Yay~!" Serafall cheered. "Thanks, Azazel-chan~!"

The talks continued like this in a relaxed manner. Eventually, after some more minor issues had been brought on the table and resolved, Michael smiled.

"It seems we are all in agreement. Since the ones who started the war, Deus Trinity-sama and the Devil Kings of old, are no longer here…it falls to us to resolve ourselves, put an end to this festering hatred before it consumes us all and move forward as the leaders of this era's Three Factions."

"Oh, oh, that stubborn and rigid Michael is finally stepping out of Daddy's shadow!" Azazel clapped with an enthusiastic expression. "Even though you were all about 'all is as Father wills it' and stuff in the past!"

"…I can no longer afford to be subservient or look for guidance to someone who is no longer here." Michael said with a bitter smile. "For better or for worse, I am the leader of Heaven now, so I must decide on my own path and follow it to the bitter end. Wishing for days past to come back is a waste of time."

"All things considered, you haven't done a terrible job, brother." Azazel smirked. "The world is certainly much less stuffy compared to the time when we 'fell' and the System is working as well as it can even without Deus Trinity operating it. I think you can be proud of that."

"I have made a lot of mistakes though, several of which are weighing heavily upon me."

"Eh, that's par for the course." Azazel made a dismissive gesture. "Even Deus Trinity wasn't infallible, not to mention the other Gods. Learn from your failings and be better next time. That's all any of us can do."

"Indeed." Sirzechs said while smiling. "About the war, the Underworld has the same opinion as Heaven and Grigori do. A conflict between us would lead into mutually assured destruction. Even if it didn't, the ones that remained would be too weak to resist invasion from a foreign Pantheon."

"Yes, a war would be disastrous all things considered." Azazel said. "It's no use getting all hung up on pointless things like pride, vengeance and the like. We've all lost a lot of things during the war, but we only stand to lose more if it restarts. Even though Deus Trinity, our God, is dead, we are still healthily living like this."

Azazel's carefree attitude had vanished in the middle of his speech as he spread his arms with a serious expression on his face.

"Even without a God, the world still goes on." Azazel declared. "So how about we all do our best to keep it going for as long as possible?"

"That would be in everyone's best interests." Michael said. "The road ahead will be arduous and there will be plenty of complaints, but if we work together, I am certain we can surmount any and all difficulties."

"Then, it is decided." Sirzechs said, looking at both Michael and Azazel. "From this point on, the Three Factions stand together as one. No more infighting is allowed, and we shall deal with both internal and external threats together."

"Agreed."

"Yes~!"

"Sure thing."

Michael, Serafall and Azazel nodded in agreement. Takeshi was a bit surprised at how smoothly everything was proceeding, but he wasn't about to complain. Glancing around, he noticed that his fellow Devils had relieved expressions on their faces, while the warriors from Heaven were letting out small smiles. As for Vali, he was stifling a yawn, looking like he was ready to fall asleep at a moment's notice.

"With all that said, there are also other opinions and viewpoints we need to consider." Azazel said. "We have the renowned Two Heavenly Dragons and the infamous Evil Dragon User in this room, beings that can influence the world with their decisions due to their abnormal power. Their stance regarding the current world and their future aims should be made clear. With that said, Vali, what do you want to do in the current world?"

"As long as I can fight strong individuals and hone myself even further, I'll be satisfied." Vali shrugged. "There's also a certain person I'm targeting, but his death won't bring chaos to the world. Far from it."

Takeshi was curious about the second statement, but figured he could question Vali later. Azazel nodded, as if expecting such an answer, before turning to Leon.

"What about you, Red Dragon Emperor?" Azazel asked. "What are your goals? What do you seek?"

Leon seemed a little nervous, but took a deep breath to compose himself before he began speaking.

"Azazel-sama…you said before that the world goes on even without a God." Leon said. "That may be true…but that doesn't mean it's heading in the right direction. Neither is the Church for that matter."

"Oh?" Azazel raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"With apologies to Michael-sama here, the management of Heaven and the Church has been lacking in several aspects." Leon said, glancing at the Archangel. "We've lost sight of who we are and what we should do, what is acceptable and what is not. In the pursuit of greater military strength, we made compromises. When they weren't convenient, we sacrificed our morality, our values and our teachings. All for the sake of protecting the Church and our believers, the Great Seraphs say."

Leon let out a derisive laugh as he kept talking.

"Is it any wonder more and more humans are losing their faith nowadays when the Church is willing to condone inhumane practices and experiments?" Leon said. "How are we supposed to teach them to hold on to their morals and not treat them as something expendable when our moral compass swings at a moment's notice to better suit the occasion? We preach against greed when our own clergy drowns in material pleasures time and time again. The Seraphs focused so much on potential threats coming from outside when they should have turned their attention inwards, making sure to keep the Church as united and focused as possible. Instead, we've ended up with a mess of several denominations that are plagued by various levels of corruption."

Kaori and Dia looked somewhat uncomfortable following Leon's tirade, while Michael had a sorrowful expression on his face.

"Ouch." Azazel smirked. "Talk about relentless. Your kid doesn't hold back at all even in front of his superiors, does he, Michael? Seems like the apple fell rather far from the tree."

Takeshi noticed that Vali had perked up following Azazel's words, a sharp glint appearing in his eyes. However, it was gone as quickly as it came, his face returning to his former impassive expression.

"You are not wrong to criticize me for my choices and their end result." Michael said. "However, at the time of the war's end, we were left in a precarious situation. Focusing all our attention to external threats had to be the priority in order to ensure the continued existence of the Church. Perhaps there was a better way to handle this, one that would not compromise the Church and Heaven's values in the process, but I was unable to find one. I suppose…that is my limit as a leader."

"Perhaps, but this is something that can no longer continue, Michael-sama." Leon said with a determined expression. "That's why I've made my decision. One day in the near future, I will rise to the rank of Seraph and do my utmost to correct the Church's course and bring it back to the true righteous path. That's my goal as the Red Dragon Emperor."

"That is a wonderful goal indeed." Michael smiled. "Perhaps you will be able to correct my mistakes and bring true prosperity and change to Heaven and the Church."

"On my own, maybe that's a tall order." Leon said. "But with the aid of like-minded individuals and friends, I believe we can make an impactful change. No, I'm sure we will."

"OK, so the Welsh Dragon's goal will most likely have a positive influence on the world, and the Vanishing Dragon's battle mania will probably be neutral in terms of ramifications." Azazel said. "That brings us to you, Ryuugamine Takeshi. What does the fearsome Evil Dragon User, who's universally reviled and feared as an omen of calamity, have in mind when it comes to the world and its future?"

Takeshi grimaced as everyone focused on him. Talking about his future goals and aspirations in front of the leaders of the Three Factions wasn't something he expected from tonight's summit. He turned to the rest of his comrades, who nodded at him in an encouraging manner. Letting out a sigh, he stood up and addressed the leaders of the Three Factions.

"Honestly, you're putting me on the spot here while I wasn't prepared." Takeshi said. "So far, I've just being doing my damnedest to survive, both against the Evil Dragons within me and whatever nutjob wants to destroy us every other week for whatever reason. That's all I've been focusing on. But lately…I've been thinking that's not really enough, is it? Someone here told me before that I have to decide on a goal at some point."

Takeshi glanced at Grayfia briefly.

"In that case, what do you have in mind regarding your future?" Azazel pressed on. "Perhaps swear bloody vengeance against Heaven and its System that saddled you with Cataclysm Zone and launch a campaign to wipe us all off the face of the world? Some past users were like that before they met their end."

[Oh, I wish!] Nidhogg's voice echoed in Takeshi's head. [I would respect you a lot more if that was the case, whelp.]

[These guys knew their stuff!] Grendel laughed. [They threw themselves into epic fights that had even my soul shiver in delight!]

[But still, you doing your own thing can be kind of fun, partner.] Orochi said. [An unexpected destination might lead to more excitement down the line!]

"Please." Takeshi scoffed at Azazel, doing his best to tune out the Evil Dragons. "Do you take me for an idiot or something? What would the point of that be? I only pick fights I have a chance to win, and this one is as unwinnable as it gets."

"Just wanted to make sure." Azazel said. "The last thing we need in this delicate time period is yet another homicidal maniac on a rampage. Especially considering how much you've already grown."

"In that case, you don't have to worry." Takeshi said. "It's true I'm dissatisfied at how most beings in this world view me because of what I am. That's why I want to win against this unfairness in my own way and force the world to acknowledge that they were wrong about me. No, not just about me, but also for all of my predecessors who were never offered a helping hand."

Takeshi faced the leaders with a resolute expression as he kept speaking.

"More than just surviving, I will have the world recognize me as an invaluable existence." Takeshi said while grinning. "Proving once and for all that the Evil Dragon User can be a beneficial force will be my sweet vengeance, my victory over my destiny that will free me from this negative stigma. Hell, even if I end up dying in the end, I can at least set an example for my successors that might help them in some way."

[Bah, what the Hell is that, whelp!?] Nidhogg cried out as Cataclysm Zone materialized without Takeshi's consent. [You want to become some sort of positive inspiration, you say!? Ugh, it makes me want to vomit…]

[How disgusting indeed!] Grendel growled. [For the record, the whelp does not speak for us! Carnage and mayhem until the end of time! Your peace and harmony can go burrow themselves in the deepest pits of Hell, you gutless cowards!]

[Eh, peace sounds like an utter bore to be honest.] Orochi said. [So does playing the hero. A festival of blood and tender flesh, that's where the fun is at!]

"No talking!" Takeshi shouted, forcibly cutting the voices coming from Cataclysm Zone. "Your opinions are irrelevant, so shut up and follow my lead. That's all you need to do. So, yeah, that's my goal. It's kind of vague yet and I'm still unclear on the details, but I'm working on it."

"I see." Azazel smiled. "I don't think there will be any problems from your side either, Ryuugamine Takeshi. Well, I'll also do my best to help in that endeavor of yours. All in all, I'd say the almighty Dragons of this era don't seem to have any intent to disrupt the peace, which is good news."

"But others do not feel the same." Michael said with a serious expression. "That is what the report you forwarded to us indicated, Azazel. While this might not be the ideal time or place, I would have you tell us more about this secret organization you mentioned your agents were looking into, the one that seems to have ill intent towards us. I believed you called it…Khaos Brigade?"

"Khaos Brigade…?"

Takeshi muttered as he looked at Rias, who seemed just as confused as he was. The other young Devils also seemed perplexed, as did the young Church warriors. However, Sirzechs, Serafall and Grayfia's expressions hardened at the mention of that name while Azazel sighed.

"This isn't really a topic fit for a peace conference, but whatever." Azazel said. "The fact is—"

At that moment, Takeshi felt a tingling sensation in the back of his head. Driven by instinct, he grabbed Rias's hand as Cataclysm Zone let out a shine, while Xenovia, Yuuto and Kaori drew their blades. At the same time, Leon and Vali manifested Boosted Gear and Divine Dividing, while Dia enveloped herself in holy aura.

The next moment, a wave of energy that seemed to originate from the old school building engulfed the campus and its surroundings. The troops standing guard outside, Akeno, Pandora, Koneko, Sona and Tsubaki froze in place once the wave passed over them, while the rest remained unaffected.

"This effect…" Takeshi muttered as he looked around. "Don't tell me…Gasper-kun's time stop?"

"I thought that creeping feeling on my body was familiar…" Xenovia muttered. "Good thing I drew Durandal in time."

"Looks like our unique powers and equipment protected those of us who can move right now from the time-stopping field." Vali remarked. "My, my, could this be the long-awaited enemy attack?"

"Looks like it." Azazel said. "All of you, take a look outside."

Following Azazel's line of sight, everyone looked out the window. Several magic circles had appeared all around the school, with a large number of robed individuals materializing from them. At the same time, numerous magic circles appeared on the ground, with black humanoid creatures that had four arms growing from their bodies and a pulsating crimson orb embedded in their faces emerging from them. Said orbs shone as the monsters began letting out a barrage of light and darkness blasts, while magic circles appeared in front of the robed individuals' hands as they began bombarding the new school building as well with an assortment of attacks. Some of them even called out elementals, which added their own attacks to the mix.

"That's how it is." Azazel said as the enemy's attacks were scattered on the barrier that surrounded the new school building. "It seems the enemy is comprised of Magicians from some underground cabal associated with the aforementioned Khaos Brigade, as well as these strange monsters. From the looks of it…they are creations of Annihilation Maker, one of the strongest Longinus Gears. Damn, to think these guys have claimed this absurd Sacred Gear, it's sending chills down my spine."

"Annihilation Maker…" Michael grimaced. "It gives the possessor the ability to summon a large number of monsters, and even imbue them with special properties and abilties if they so wish. This is not good. If its possessor works for these terrorists, they have a one-man army at their disposal."

"The more pressing concern right now is the Dhampir." Azazel said. "My guess is they're using some sort of Sacred Gear or magic ritual to transfer power to Forbidden Balor View, forcing it into a pseudo Balance Breaker state. If he's able to stop people over a distance, the Dhampir's potential must be quite high indeed. Looks like us top people are safe for now though."

"For now?" Sirzechs frowned. "Does that mean there's a possibility the time stop will eventually affect us as well?"

"It's possible." Azazel said. "But there's also a big chance the Dhampir won't withstand the influx of power and self-destruct before the situation reaches that point. It's anyone's guess."

"Gasper…" Rias said through gritted teeth, her fists clenched hard enough to draw blood. "Not only did they turn him into a weapon against his will, they dare risk his life as well? Unforgivable… Treating my precious servant like this is unforgivable! No matter what, I swear I'll destroy them all!"

"Easy there, President." Takeshi said, placing a hand on Rias's shoulder. "We'll get Gasper-kun back for sure, but first things first. Can we escape from the school?"

"Doesn't look like it." Azazel said. "Our teleportation magic circles aren't working, and they've wrested control of the outside barrier's formula from us. They might not be able to penetrate our barrier here, but we can't get outside either, at least not without leaving ourselves open to an enemy attack."

"How could these terrorists accomplish all this?" Leon asked. "Not only were they able to invade the school grounds without us noticing it, they also had information about miss Rias's Bishop, whose condition was a sensitive matter to my understanding. Something doesn't add up."

"The simplest explanation is that there's a traitor from our side." Azazel said. "Someone who offered the necessary information to them and probably placed a transport magic circle in here that allowed the Magicians to teleport in unnoticed."

"A traitor?" Kaori scowled. "That makes sense unfortunately. But what kind of lowlife would dare betray the Three Factions? Could they be someone in here perhaps?"

"Maybe, but pointing fingers at each other isn't a productive use of our time, Kaori-san." Leon said. "We need to start planning our counterattack…is what I would say, but we have some of the most powerful members of the Three Factions present here. Even from here, I'm sure you could blow the Magicians away, right?"

Instead of answering, Azazel snapped his fingers. Numerous light spears appeared above Kuoh Academy in response and rained down on the Magicians and monsters. Despite the Magicians' attempts to shield themselves, the light spears tore through their barriers and impaled their bodies, with a cacophony of dying screams and explosions filling the area.

However, at that moment, even more magic circles appeared all over the sky, with a large number of Magicians emerging from them. More humanoid monsters also emerged from another magic circle array on the ground, resuming their bombardment.

"As you can see, even if we take them down, more will take their place." Azazel said. "While the Magicians' numbers might be limited, the monsters created by Annihilation Maker aren't. The wielder might have created thousands, or even millions of monsters in preparation for today's attack. Not to mention, if we go out there and attack without regard, there's always the possibility we might fall into the enemy's trap."

"So, are we just going to sit here and wait until they get bored and leave?" Xenovia asked with a frown. "Or until Gasper's time stop affects us all?"

"Oh, I'm sure the situation will change soon enough." Azazel said. "The mastermind in charge of this attack will show themselves once they see that not much progress is being made. Once they do, we'll counterattack and put an end to them."

"However, the priority right now is to recover Gasper-kun." Sirzechs said. "For his sake and everyone else's, we cannot allow them to misuse his power any longer."

"Leave this to us, brother." Rias said with a determined expression on her face. "Gasper is a member of my Peerage, so he's my responsibility. I swear I will save him for sure."

"I thought you would say something like that." Sirzechs smiled. "However, how do you intend to get to the old school building? The outside is filled with enemies, and teleportation isn't working. It would be one thing if you could use Castling, but both of your Rooks are here and one is frozen in time."

"If someone can distract the enemy long enough, my servants and I can force our way into the old school building by taking advantage of the ensuing chaos." Rias said. "I was thinking something along the lines of having Grayfia encase us in a spherical barrier and launch us towards the old school building from the roof."

"A bold plan." Sirzechs remarked. "But also quite risky."

"I'm aware, but it should catch the enemy by surprise if we move fast enough." Rias said. "I'm certain they won't be expecting such a brazen frontal assault."

"We could always blow up the old school building and be done with it." Vali suggested. "One sufficiently powerful attack and voila, problem solved. No more terrorists and no more troublesome time stop."

"That's our friend you're talking about, Vali." Takeshi glared at the silver-haired youth. "That means no explosions until he's rescued."

"Shame."

"Since you seem so restless, why don't you head out and attract the enemy's attention, Vali?" Azazel suggested. "If you rampage a bit, perhaps the leaders of this attack will decide to move as well."

"Sounds good to me." Vali smirked as he moved to the window. "While I hate wasting my power on gnats like them, this should be a decent way to pass the time."

"Inquisitor Leon, could you join him as well?" Michael said. "If both Heavenly Dragons are out there, the enemy will have no choice but to focus on you, therefore lowering the chances of Rias Gremory and her servants being intercepted."

"Of course, Michael-sama." Leon nodded. "I will do my best to have the enemy concentrate solely on us."

"It's a showdown then." Vali grinned. "Takeshi, Leon, how about we compete to see who can take down the most grunts? Winner gets bragging rights for a week."

"Interesting." Takeshi smirked. "You're on, but if we come across any leader-type enemies and take them down, they're worth…let's say, ten thousand points? It's only fair."

"Sounds good to me."

"You two…" Leon sighed in exasperation. "Why are you trying to make a competition out of a critical situation like this? Don't you have any sense of urgency?"

"It's rather hard to feel pressured when the opponents are only at this level." Vali said. "Now then, shall we make them rue the day they decided to oppose us?"

"Since they don't seem willing to negotiate, there's no other choice." Leon said, turning to Rias's Peerage. "We'll handle the troops outside. Good luck, you guys."

"Good hunting out there."

"Give them Hell, you two."

Rias and Takeshi said. Dia looked at Leon with a concerned expression, but nodded once. Then, Leon and Vali looked at each other and nodded as they shouted together.

" "Balance Break!" "

[Welsh Dragon Balance Breaker!]

[Vanishing Dragon Balance Breaker!]

Red and white aura enveloped Leon and Vali's body respectively. Once the radiance died down, the Dragon Emperors could be seen standing there, clad in their respective Scale Mails. Leon drew Fragarach and summoned the Shield of Evalach, while Vali pulled out an ornate wand with what appeared to be barbs wrapped around its main body from a magic circle. Both youths flew outside from an open window and threw themselves into the assembled enemies.

"Oh, oh, look at them go!"

Takeshi whistled at the sight of the two Dragon Emperors tearing through the Magicians and monsters with apparent ease.

"Now, it's showtime!"

Vali, who was moving so fast that he resembled a streak of white light, said as he swung his wand, with a light whip extending from it and slashing several Magicians and elementals in two. Several of them tried to bind him with a multitude of energy chains, but Vali was unperturbed. Pointing at the chains with his wand, he took control of the formulas and turned them against their users. The bound Magicians were left helpless as a barrage of crystal projectiles tore through their bodies, with Vali turning his attention to another group and sending a multitude of fireballs at them, turning them into cinders in a manner of seconds.

As for Leon, he was bisecting monster after monster with ease. The creatures had blades and claws protrude from their arms in an attempt to overwhelm the Red Dragon Emperor, but were unsuccessful so far. Leon would parry them with ease using his blade and shield before slashing them to pieces with a few rapid strokes of his wind-clad blade or obliterating them with the claw-shaped light spears hovering around him. Some monsters tried to attack him from behind, but Leon transformed his light spears into longswords with a mental command and had them intercept the creatures.

"Go!"

Moving as if they had a mind of their own, the light blades parried the monsters' slashes following Leon's shout before tearing through their bodies. An attempt from the monsters to blast him from afar with darkness beams coming from their eye was also unsuccessful due to Leon creating several holy barriers around him using the Shield of Evalach. A large number of monsters attempted to rush him and overwhelm him with sheer numbers next, but Leon unleashed a massive wave of holy power from his body that vaporized all monsters around him at once along with several Magicians that were hovering above him and were too slow to dodge.

"Looks like these two have got this covered." Azazel said before turning to Takeshi and tossing him a bracelet. "Take this with you and put it on the Dhampir once you've rescued him. It's something I made the other day that will help him regulate the output of his Sacred Gear's power."

"As expected of the foremost expert in Sacred Gears, I guess." Takeshi said as he put the bracelet in his pocket. "Thanks, Azazel."

"We're off, brother." Rias said. "We'll make sure to rescue Gasper and be back as soon as possible."

"Be careful out there, Rias." Sirzechs said. "We have no idea who or what might be lying in wait for you in the Occult Research Club."

Rias nodded as she and the others exited the lounge, accompanied by Grayfia. Upon arriving on the roof, Grayfia turned to them, raising her voice just enough so that she could be heard over the sounds of the battle raging around them.

"Rias-sama, everyone, please move close to one another." Grayfia said. "Once our 'round shot' so to speak is ready, I will create a small opening on the barrier and hurl you as fast as possible towards the clubroom. I'm adding a bit of extra power to it so that it can smash through any defensive measures in your path with ease."

"Understood." Rias said as she turned to the others while Grayfia was creating a spherical barrier around them. "We're only getting one shot at this, so let's make it count, everyone. Our priority is Gasper. Before the enemy realizes what happened, we will rescue him and take down anyone who stands in our way."

"Those bastards will pay dearly for messing with my Kouhai." Takeshi said with a scowl as he bumped his fists together. "By the time I'm done with them, they'll be wishing they were never born in this world."

"That's quite the killing intent you're letting out there, Takeshi-kun." Yuuto said with a cold smile. "However, I understand how you feel all too well. Laying a hand on our comrades is an unforgivable sin that's punishable by death."

"Agreed." Xenovia nodded, gripping Durandal with a severe expression on her face. "No matter the enemy, we will put an end to their schemes and their lives for sure."

"Everything is ready." Grayfia said, placing her hand on the spherical barrier enveloping the four Devils. "Good luck out there, everyone. I'm launching you in five, four, three, two, one…now!"

Grayfia released a large amount of demonic power that sent the sphere flying, passing through a small hole in the barrier surrounding the new school building and heading towards the old school building. Before they could even realize they were airborne, the sphere had torn through several barriers that had been erected around the old school building and had crashed into the Occult Research Club's clubroom, much to the shock of the assembled Magicians there.

"Enemy att—!"

Before the Magician even had time to scream, he was cut down by Yuuto's Holy Demonic Sword. Next to him, Xenovia bisected three Magicians, her Durandal going through their defensive magic circles like a hot knife through butter. Several Destruction arrows courtesy of Rias vaporized four more female Magicians, while Takeshi's Blight Current in its whip form took down another pair, who fell on the ground screaming and convulsing as the poison ravaged their bodies and claimed their lives. The remaining four were skewered to pieces by Yuuto's Holy Demonic Swords, which erupted from the floor below them.

"P-President… Everyone…"

Gasper, who had been bound with several energy chains and had been placed in the middle of a magic circle formation, said with a trembling voice, tears running down his face. Much to his anger, Takeshi noticed that blood was also dripping from the corners of his eyes. The Magicians had probably forced him to keep using his Sacred Gear despite the strain it placed on him.

"It's alright now, Gasper." Rias said with a smile after checking around to see if there were more enemies left. "I'm sure you were scared, but it's over now. We're getting you out of here."

As she said so, Rias's hand was surrounded by a crimson glow. Touching the edges of the formation, she used the Gremory clan's trait to forcibly dismantle it. After a couple of seconds, the formation broke apart, with the now freed Gasper falling on the ground. Rias rushed to embrace the trembling Bishop, stroking his head.

"I-I'm so sorryyyyyyyy!" Gasper wailed. "I-It's all my fault! I caused trouble for everyone again! I thought I could change…but it's impossible after allllllll! As I thought…it would be better for everyone if I were d-dead!"

"How many times do I have to say it, Gasper?" Rias said with a gentle expression. "You are my servant and part of my family. No much how much you trouble me, there's no way I'll turn my back on you. Even if the whole world becomes your enemy, I will still treasure and protect you."

"That's right, Gasper-kun." Takeshi said. "We look out for each other until the end of the line. That's the ironclad rule of the Gremory family. We will never abandon you."

"Besides, this incident is hardly your fault, Gasper-kun." Yuuto said. "The ones at fault here are the Magicians who used you. They are the ones who deserve to be punished."

"Everyone, be careful." Xenovia said all of a sudden. "There are reinforcements incoming."

Turning their attention outside, the group noticed that a large number of Magicians and monsters were making their way to the Occult Research Club. Leading from the back them were two female Devils wearing ornate armor. One of them had a petite build, long light pink hair, pure white skin and pale blue eyes, and the other had tanned skin, a voluptuous body, long blond hair and red eyes. Both of them also had a family crest engraved on their armor. Although Takeshi didn't recognize it, Rias scowled upon seeing it.

"The seal of the old Leviathan…" Rias muttered. "Does that mean the previous Devil King supporters are leading this raid?"

"It doesn't matter either way." Xenovia said, brandishing Durandal. "They are getting blown away all the same!"

Swinging her blade, Xenovia unleashed a wave of holy aura that forced the incoming enemies to scurry out of the way. Several troops that were too slow to react were consumed by the wave, their dying shrieks echoing across the forest.

"We're taking them down at once." Xenovia said, glancing at Gasper. "Feel free to join us, Gasper. Your power is needed here, so show us your true mettle as a man."

"E-Eh…?"

Before Gasper could respond, Xenovia had jumped out of the building, heading towards the charging enemies, with Yuuto running behind her. Rias looked at Gasper once, nodding with an encouraging smile. She then spread her wings and flew outside, two spears of Destruction in her hands. As the members of the Occult Research Club began engaging the enemy, Takeshi turned to Gasper.

"What are you going to do, Gasper-kun?" Takeshi asked. "Will you fight? Or will you stay here?"

"I… C-Can I even do anything…?" Gasper said with a fearful look. "Won't I cause trouble for you again…? If something goes wrong, I…"

"We all believe in you and in your efforts so far." Takeshi said. "That's why, believe in yourself, Gasper-kun. Don't run away, and overcome your fear. How else will you find the strength to save your friend one day?"

Gasper lowered his head, a conflicted expression on his face. Then, as if having made his resolve, Gasper turned to Takeshi with a determined look in his eyes.

"I…I will f-fight!" Gasper declared. "That's why, p-please…give me your blood, Senpai!"

"My…blood?" Takeshi frowned. "Is that alright? You remember what Azazel said, right? There's no telling what sort of aftereffects it might have on you."

"I-It's alright…probably…" Gasper said, looking somewhat uncertain. "Everyone's has been risking their lives so far… As a m-man from the Gremory Peerage…as President's s-servant…I-I have to do this much at least!"

"That's a good resolve, Gasper-kun." Takeshi smiled, gathering demonic power at the tip of his finger and forming a small blade that he used to open a cut on his palm. "Then, take this, and show everyone your power!"

Gasper opened his mouth as Takeshi held his bleeding palm above him, with several drops of blood falling in it. Once Gasper had swallowed them, his aura suddenly swelled, with Takeshi feeling a chill go down his spine. The next moment, Gasper transformed into a swarm of bats that headed outside, aiming for a group of Magicians to the left. The Magicians aimed at him, shooting an assortment of elemental attacks from their magic circles. However, the bats' eyes shone, with the attacks stopping in mid-air.

"What the Hell!?" One of the Magicians shouted. "Our attacks were stopped!?"

[That's only the beginning!]

Gasper's voice echoed from the bat swarm as it enveloped the Magicians. They shrieked in agony as the bats started biting them all over, sucking their blood. Several Magicians from below tried to assist their comrades, only for malformed hands to emerge from their shadows and grab their bodies, dragging them down. As the bat swarm converged into the form of Gasper again, the young Bishop landed in the midst of the disoriented Magicians, using his eyes to stop them. Darkness surrounded his hands and took the form of several stakes that erupted outwards and pierced through the inert Magicians' bodies. Three monsters came at him from behind, their blades poised to skewer him, only for Gasper to transform into a swarm of bats again to evade them and use his Sacred Gear to freeze them. The frozen monsters were destroyed by Xenovia's slash, who grinned at Gasper.

"Nice of you to join us, Gasper!" Xenovia said. "Follow me!"

[Yes, Xenovia-senpai!]

Gasper's bats followed after Xenovia, whose slashes were taking down enemy after enemy. Anyone who tried to slip past her was stopped by Gasper, who used his Sacred Gear and shapeshifting abilties to make short work of them. Even those who evaded Xenovia's blade and attempted to aim at her directly were sent flying by her Rook-enhanced punches and kicks.

A few steps away, Yuuto was slashing through the Magicians and monsters, his movements almost like a blur to the casual observer. With Grudge Dent in one hand, he was tearing through the Magicians, while also using Earth Call to modify the terrain around him and make his opponents miss their attacks. He would also conjure Blast Ogre and Spiral Chaos blades around him and shoot them at his opponents, with the exploding blades forcing them to scatter and the drill-like blades skewering their bodies.

As for Rias, she had formed a scythe of Destruction and was using it to cleave through anyone standing in her path. Her spread wings had also been enveloped by Destruction aura and were vaporizing anyone who might escape her scythe, giving Rias a truly haunting appearance. The Magicians had fallen back, using the monsters as meat shields in order to open the distance. Rias was undeterred however, increasing the size of her scythe and extending it, slashing everyone in its path with it. Upon taking notice of a group of Magicians even further back that were constructing some sort of complex formation, Rias pointed at them, shooting a crimson aura from her hand. Her aim was true as the formation shattered once the aura struck her, with the stunned Magicians being taken down by Rias's Destruction arrows.

"The enemy bosses still aren't moving…" Takeshi remarked with a frown, having refrained from entering the battle yet in order to observe the enemy's movements. "Oh, and another large group is coming from the new school building's side. Guess I should deal with them first before going after the ladies over there. Orochi, it's our turn."

[Alright!] Orochi cheered. [It's my Balance Breaker's long-awaited first fight, so let's make it flashy by blowing these cretins away!]

"One of the few times we agree on something." Takeshi smirked as he jumped out of the ruined clubroom, raising his aura. "Balance Break!"

[Hazard Rise! Venom Blood Awakening!]

Following this announcement, eight dragon heads made out of navy-colored aura emerged from Cataclysm Zone and started wrapping themselves around Takeshi's body, enveloping it in its entirety. Then, the aura solidified into the form of a full-body navy-colored armor with a samurai motif, though the helmet was reminiscent of a Dragon's head as well. Dark blue gems were placed throughout the armor, while a pattern resembling Orochi's eight heads was engraved on the chest. Seven armored tails with stingers on their end were protruding from the back, while a stinger unit was attached to the left forearm.

"Phase Three, complete." Takeshi declared, turning his attention to the fast-approaching enemies as he did his best to ignore the burning sensation spreading throughout his body. "This will be Eight Branch Ethereal Surge's true debut. Now, let's eradicate them all without fail!"

[Right on!]

Orochi said as Takeshi jumped up and focused his aura, with a navy-colored chariot materializing beneath his feet. Said chariot, which was also part of his Balance Breaker, had four dragon heads protruding from each side and spikes coated with poison attached to its wheels. Giving a mental command, Takeshi had the chariot dash in the air and head for the approaching Magicians.

"Incoming!" One of the Magicians shouted upon catching sight of Takeshi. "Blow that bastard out of the sky!"

The Magicians spread out and conjured magic circles, with a barrage of light blasts, gravity-increasing spells and Dragon-slaying spells aiming at Takeshi. However, he was unperturbed as he shouted.

"Promotion, Knight!"

Using the extra boost in speed, Takeshi willed the chariot to weave through the enemy attacks. Before the Magicians could react, Takeshi was upon them, his chariot tearing through their ranks. Screams of agony echoed across the battlefield as the chariot's spikes shredded the Magicians and the Dragon heads shot fireballs from their mouths that incinerated them, sending their mangled bodies falling to the ground.

Not wishing to give them any quarter, Takeshi manipulated his tails, which started moving around as if they had a mind of their own. Each strike from them was lethal in one way or another, with even minor injuries resulting in death due to the potent poison coating the stingers. Arranging themselves in formation, the Magicians aimed several stake-like weapons at Takeshi. The stakes flew through the air at high speeds and struck Takeshi, with a large explosion engulfing him.

"Did we get him!?"

One of the Magicians shouted. His answer came in the form of a blur-like object that struck him in the abdomen. The Magician let out a shriek as he threw up copious amounts of blood, with his body shutting down in a manner of seconds due to the poison coursing through it. Everyone turned a fearful gaze at the stinger that had pierced the Magician's body, which retracted in the smoke cloud.

Once it dispersed, it revealed the unscathed Takeshi, whose tails were flicking in front of him in a lazy manner after having deflected all attacks. Wiping the blood from the stinger on his left hand, Takeshi turned his attention to the Magicians again. Without warning, his tails extended, piercing through several Magicians as the chariot dashed through the sky. The battlefield turned into utter chaos as more and more dead bodies were falling out of the sky as a result of Takeshi's attacks, with the Magicians losing their composure and scattering while firing spells in an unfocused manner.

"Damn it, don't cause me any more trouble than this…"

Takeshi said through gritted teeth, feeling as if his body was trying to tear itself apart.

[Oi, summon my Sacred Gear as well, whelp!] Grendel's voice echoed in Takeshi's head. [I want to feel all this delicious pain you're feeling right now in all its glory! Shit, I'm actually feeling a little envious of you right now, Orochi!]

Figures you'd say something like that, Grendel. Takeshi thought as his extending tails struck a pair of fleeing Magicians. But you'll stay where you are. I already have enough problems with my body being in constant, searing pain that only gets worse when I move too much. I don't need you to add to my problems.

[Don't you dare give me that attitude, whelp!] Grendel howled. [I'll—!]

Takeshi tuned out the complaining Grendel, turning his focus on a group of monsters coming towards him from below after they grew wings. He made a slashing motion, grunting as even this small movement felt like he had dislocated his arm, with a gust of black wind enveloping the monsters and trapping them. Black electrical charge coursed through his armor as Takeshi pointed at them, unleashing several pitch-black thunderbolts that vaporized the monsters.

Focusing on another group of Magicians near him, he aimed at them next, creating a large number of black clouds around them. Before they could react, they were pelted by poison rain that caused their skin to sizzle and start melting. Most of them were done in by the poison, and the few that were fast enough to conjure defensive magic circles were struck by bolts of black thunder that emerged from the clouds surrounding them, turning into smoking corpses in a manner of seconds.

"Looks like you're having fun." Rias said, flying next to Takeshi. "This time's Balance Breaker is also quite formidable, no?"

"You won't hear any complaints from me about its power." Takeshi said through gritted teeth as he shot a thunderbolt at another fleeing Magician. "If only there wasn't this constant pain that necessitates restricting my movements as much as possible…"

"I'm sorry that you have to go through this." Rias said with a pained expression. "I cannot even imagine how horrible you must be feeling right now. That's one more reason to end this battle sooner rather than later."

"We're going after the apparent leaders then?" Takeshi said while eyeing the two female Devils hovering a few meters behind their subordinates. "I'm game, but are the others going to be alright in the meantime?"

"Our enemies' numbers have dwindled, so the others should be able to handle them." Rias said. "Besides, the more the battle against the Magicians drags on, the more exhausted we'll be and the more information we'll be giving these two about our abilties. That's why, we're putting an end to them now. Since they seem to be around High to Ultimate-class in terms of strength, we should be able to handle them."

"In that case, hop in." Takeshi said. "It's going to be a cramped and bumpy ride, but I hope you'll forgive me for that, my dear master."

"I'll tolerate it for now." Rias smiled as she landed on the chariot. "I do hope you'll take me out on a proper drive date in the future though."

"Deal."

Takeshi said as he willed the chariot to dash towards the two female Devils. The monsters and Magicians hovering in front of them started blasting them upon taking notice of their approach. However, they were unable to hit the chariot due to its high speed and deft maneuvers, while they were shot down one after another by Rias's Destruction arrows and Takeshi's black wind blades. Takeshi willed his seven tails to extend and strike the two female Devils, but the pink-haired one stepped forward and raised her arm, with the tails slamming into what appeared to be an invisible barrier.

"Ara, looks like you've lost your patience at last." The pink-haired Devil smirked. "Perfect. I was getting tired of waiting too. If you want to fight, then this Cordelia Rosier, loyal servant of the true Leviathan, will be your opponent."

"Leviathan…" Rias grimaced. "Then, like we thought, it's the old Devil King supporters that are behind this attack."

"Don't call them old!" The dark-skinned woman next to Cordelia shouted while scowling. "Katerea-sama and the others are the true Devil Kings by birthright! Your pretender brother and the other traitors stole their thrones! As representatives of the Rosier and Carreau Extra Demon clans, servants of the Leviathan clan since the ancient times, we're here to correct the great injustice and restore the Devil King descendants to their rightful place as rulers of the Underworld!"

"What Valentina said." Cordelia smiled. "That's why, please die for the sake of our master."

"Hm, let's see…" Takeshi turned to Rias. "What do you say, President? Do you feel like dying for such a reason?"

"Not even as a joke." Rias said as she glared at their opponents. "These two and their vaunted master are enemies of the Underworld. That's why, we're taking them down with extreme prejudice, Takeshi!"

"Roger that, President!"

Rias released a volley of Destruction arrows and Takeshi shot several black thunderbolts at the two women, forcing them to separate. Takeshi headed for Cordelia, who landed in the forest below, while Rias aimed for Valentina, who flew towards the new school building.

"Come, my dear Evil Dragon User." Cordelia smirked while beckoning at Takeshi. "Let's have ourselves enjoy a nice, clean killing!"

"I don't know about clean, but there's definitely going to be a lot of killing involved!"

Takeshi shouted as his tails shot forward, aiming for Cordelia. However, she grinned as she sunk into the ground, with the stingers hitting nothing but air.

"OK, that's new…" Takeshi muttered as he looked around, his chariot hovering above ground. "Where is she?"

As if responding to his question, Cordelia surfaced from behind him, making a slashing motion. The ground beneath her suddenly became liquid-like and swelled, forming a tidal wave that headed straight for Takeshi. He summoned a violent black tempest to blow it away, only for the wave to solidify into a massive earth wall that blocked the wind blast.

Emerging from behind it, Cordelia made a grabbing motion, with wind gathering around her hand and solidifying into large spears. She began hurling them at Takeshi, who gave a mental command to his chariot to dodge them. However, the spears that missed him would return to their prior form, with the air explosions rocking Takeshi's chariot and disrupting his movements. As such, he was too slow to evade Cordelia's solidified wind whip that struck the side of the chariot and sent him crashing through several trees, with Takeshi barely stifling a cry of pain, feeling as if he had been tossed through several concrete walls without wearing his armor.

"I see…" Takeshi said through gritted teeth as he jumped on his chariot again, heading for Cordelia. "That ability of yours, it allows you to alter the state of matter you're channeling your demonic power into solid, gas or liquid, right?"

"Correct." Cordelia smirked. "But just because you know that doesn't mean you can defeat me!"

"We'll see about that!"

Takeshi said as he began spreading black clouds all over the area, aiming to trap Cordelia. She smirked as she channeled her demonic power to the clouds, turning them into solid matter. Takeshi was unperturbed as his tails dug into the solid clouds, lifted them and started hurling them at Cordelia from multiple directions as he circled her. However, she solidified the air around her, forming barriers on which the solid clouds broke into pieces. She then proceeded to turn the ground below her into vapor and direct it towards Takeshi, solidifying it into large chunks of rock above him. He destroyed them with several thunderbolts before turning his attention back to Cordelia, shooting out globules of venom at her from the tips of his stingers.

While these two exchanged attacks, Rias was facing Valentina several meters away from them.

"Come on, you pampered Princess!" Valentina laughed as she released beams of highly concentrated demonic power at Rias. "Weren't you going to kill me!? Is that really the best you can do!?"

"Shut up already!"

Rias shouted as she formed three Destruction spears around her, shooting them at Valentina. She snorted as her hand was enveloped by dense amounts of demonic power, dispersing the spears with a mere swipe. Jumping towards Rias, her entire body enveloped by large amounts of demonic power this time, she aimed a punch at her. Rias rolled out of the way, with Valentina's strike shattering the ground below. Rias aimed a crimson arrow at her in an attempt to lock her opponent's legs to the ground. Valentina avoided it by performing a backflip.

"Time for a refill!"

Valentina grinned as she dug her nails into the nearby trees, which withered and died in a manner of seconds. At the same time, her demonic power swelled. Snapping her fingers, she activated magic circles engraved on two Magicians close to the two women fighting. Pulling them to her, she grabbed their faces, ignoring their struggling and shrieks, and drained them as well, turning their bodies into withered husks.

"The ability to consume life and convert it to demonic power…" Rias grimaced. "It's just as disgusting as I've heard…"

"Now you're insulting me, princess!" Valentina laughed. "But it can't be helped, I suppose! After all, you will end up like those guys once I get my hands on you!"

Valentina pounced at Rias once again, with the Gremory heiress forming a shield of Destruction to keep her at bay. However, she tore through it, her fingers aimed at Rias's face. Crimson aura surrounded Rias's leg as she kicked the space between them and locked it, with Valentina slamming into the immovable barrier. Taking advantage and opening the distance, Rias conjured a bow and fired a volley of Destruction arrows at Valentina, who dodged or destroyed them.

"Pathetic!"

Valentina shouted as she formed a large cube of demonic power that broke apart into numerous smaller ones that chased after Rias. She scowled as she formed numerous defensive magic circles, shielding herself from the enemy's salvo. Forming an oversized orb of Destruction above her, Rias hurled it at Valentina. Her opponent let out a derisive laugh as she further condensed the demonic power enveloping her hand, smashing the sphere with ease.

"Damn monster woman…" Rias cursed as she shot several Destruction disks at Valentina. "If it keeps going like this…!"

"Finally feeling that sweet, sweet taste of despair, aren't we!?" Valentina let out a hearty laugh. "Good! Savor it, because soon enough, you'll be feeling nothing at all!"

Several explosions rocked the area as Valentina unleashed a bombardment of demonic power bullets at Rias. Meanwhile, a short distance away, Takeshi was aiming thunderbolt after thunderbolt at Cordelia, only for her to dive into the ground or create barriers of solidified air to block the attacks before countering with her own.

From what I can see, she can't use her ability on herself or me. Takeshi thought, doing his best to dodge Cordelia's attacks and ignore the searing pain wracking his body. Otherwise, she'd have already used her power on my armor, and she'd be shifting her body's state to evade my attacks. It also has no effect on energy. Moreover, she doesn't seem capable of remaining submerged in the ground for long. I've also grasped her range more or less. The question is, how do I bring her into checkmate? Perhaps, if I try this…

Takeshi urged his chariot to fly higher, creating dense clouds across its path. Once the sky was filled with them, Takeshi willed a large thunderstorm to erupt from them, with numerous thunderbolts aiming for Cordelia.

"Tch!"

Cordelia clicked her tongue as she dove into the ground once again to avoid the barrage. Smirking underneath his helmet, Takeshi jumped from his chariot and landed on the ground, grunting due to the magnified sense of pain.

"To think even such small actions are too much right now…" Takeshi grimaced as he placed his palm on the ground, while also mentally ordering the chariot to start circling the area around him. "Let's see…"

Using his demonic power to manipulate sound, Takeshi focused in order to grasp Cordelia's approximate position below ground, while also willing the thunderstorm to stop. While it was a powerful move, it was also quite taxing on his energy reserves, and he would need to expend a lot of energy for his next move.

"She should be surfacing right about…now!"

Takeshi swung his seven tails at Cordelia, who had surfaced about four meters to his left. Although startled, her reaction was almost instantaneous, forming a solid wind barrier in front of her to block the tails' attack.

"You really thought you could get me so easily?" Cordelia smirked. "Don't be so naïve, boy!"

"It wasn't my intention to get you." Takeshi also smirked under his helmet. "Just stop you for a few seconds."

Cordelia didn't have the chance to question Takeshi as a raging tempest suddenly erupted out of nowhere, with the two Devils at its epicenter. Looking around, Cordelia noticed that Takeshi's chariot was moving in a wide circle with the two combatants on the middle, forming a large tornado around them.

"This is!"

Cordelia paled as she attempted to shoot down the chariot. However, it picked up speed, with the tornado becoming even more violent in response. Before she had a chance to react, Cordelia was blown off her feet due to the raging tempest around her, struggling to breathe due to the sudden drop in pressure. She spread her wings in an attempt to steady herself, but with the wind buffeting her from random directions constantly, she was having a hard time to move.

"This is the end!"

Takeshi declared, having dug his tails into the ground to steady himself. Retracting them, he flew upwards by enveloping his tails with tornadoes of black wind and having them act as makeshift wings. As the chariot began making smaller and smaller circles, with the diameter of the tornado shrinking in response, Takeshi pressed the sides of his buckle once.

[Charge! Hazard Overflow!]

The stinger on Takeshi's left arm extended and wrapped around his right leg, with the seven tails also curling forward and gathering their stinger-like ends in front of Takeshi's right leg as both black thunder and liquid venom enveloped them. Jumping towards the spinning chariot and kicking it, Takeshi bounced off it and aimed at Cordelia, striking her in the back. Not stopping there, he kept bouncing off his chariot and striking his opponent from multiple angles in a pinball-like manner.

"Victory was never an option for you!"

[Venom Blast Fever!]

Following that announcement, Takeshi's final kick struck Cordelia squarely in the abdomen and sent her mangled body crashing on the ground as the tornado abated, with the chariot coming to a stop next to him.

"C…Curses…" Cordelia muttered, spitting out blood. "My…deepest apologies…Katerea-sama… Your worthless servant…could only amount…to this…"

Cordelia coughed once more before breathing her last, her injuries and the poison coursing through her veins being too much to bear. Takeshi landed next to her corpse, panting due to the pain coming from his legs.

"That worthless whore!" Valentia cursed upon sensing her comrade's death while aiming a kick at Rias, who dodged her attack. "Getting herself offed by some brat with a fancy Sacred Gear! No matter! I'll return with everyone's heads on my own and receive Katerea-sama's praise!"

"Return?" Rias let out a derisive laugh as she landed a few steps away from Valentina. "Aren't you misunderstanding something? The only place you're going is wherever your deceased comrade ended up."

"Now who's the one who's misunderstanding things, you crimson-haired bitch!?" Valentina sneered. "You can't win! That should be plain as day!"

"Oh, I don't know about that." Rias let out a sly smirk. "I've got an ace or two up my sleeve after all. It just takes a little time for me to gather and condense my power for it."

"If you think I'll give you that time, you're even dumber than you look!"

Valentina bellowed as she raised her demonic power around her fists and legs, dashing towards Rias. She smirked as a torrent of crimson and black aura surrounded her, solidifying into the form of an oversized ribcage around her. Valentina tried to break through it, only to be shocked at the sight of the construct not budging. Moreover, the demonic power enveloping Valentina's fist was slowly being eroded by the construct's Power of Destruction, forcing her to jump back in alarm.

"What the Hell!?" Valentina cried out. "What sort of technique is that!?"

"I came up with this when something from one of my Knight's manga caught my eye." Rias grinned. "It took some time to gather a sufficient amount of demonic power to form the construct and use Lock Control on it to make it sturdier and further condense the power, but it paid off."

"Don't joke with me!" Valentina snorted. "You think you can beat me while cowering behind this construct!?"

"Oh my, I never said I was finished with it, did I?"

Rias grinned as four skeletal arms grew from the sides of the ribcage, followed by an oversized skull with six eye sockets on it that sprouted from the top of the ribcage. Valentina barely had the time to move out of the way as four fists came at her, erasing the ground she was standing on upon contact.

"That's a really messed-up appearance, princess!" Valentina grinned as she landed a few meters away from Rias, eyeing her with a wary look. "You look like a monster straight out of a horror story!"

"Why, thank you." Rias said while making a small bow. "As long as I can protect those important to me, I care little about my appearance or the methods I use. Now then, let's put an end to this, shall we!?"

Two of the skeletal arms opened their palms, unleashing myriads of Destruction bullets that bombarded the area. Valentina grimaced as the area around her turned into a barren landscape due to Rias's saturation attack. Furthermore, the few remaining Magicians still left on the area were either annihilated or chose to run away like their life depended on it.

"I can't replenish my power like this…!" Valentina spat out through gritted teeth. "Damn it! In that case, it can't be helped! I will consume some of my own life to blow you and that creepy skeleton away!"

Valentina raised her demonic power to the max by consuming some of her lifespan and gathered it in front of her in the form of an oversized orb. Rias didn't lose her composure as a large Destruction bow was formed in one of her construct's arms, while an oversized arrow of highly condensed Destruction aura was formed in another. Taking aim as crimson aura gathered in the arrow's tip, Rias released at the same as Valentina unleashed a massive demonic power beam. Both attacks clashed in midair, but Rias's arrow, which had been imbued with the concept of unlocking beforehand, tore through the beam and headed straight for Valentina.

"Eh…?"

Valentina had a dumbfounded expression on her face as the Destruction arrow struck her, vaporizing her body almost instantly.

"It's over…"

Rias let out a relieved sigh, dismissing her construct. Immediately afterwards, she collapsed on her knees, heaving and grimacing due to the pain she was feeling. Touching the corners of her mouth, she saw that blood had begun dripping from it.

"Looks like there's a lot of room for improvement…"

"Rias!"

Turning her head towards the sound of the voice, Rias saw Takeshi descending towards her, his armor no longer equipped.

"Ah, you're here, Takeshi." Rias let out a pained smile as he landed next to her, furling his wings. "Sorry for the disgraceful appearance, but my new technique took a bit more out of me than I anticipated."

"You don't need to apologize." Takeshi said as he helped Rias up. "We both took down our respective opponents, and that's all that matters. Speaking of which, that combat avatar of yours was pretty impressive from the little I saw. When did you come up with it?"

"I only finalized the basics of the technique a few days ago." Rias said. "Apart from Pandora's manga, the way the Fallen Angel Gadreel fought intrigued me. Hence, the combat avatar you saw just now."

"Nice." Takeshi said. "Does the technique have a name yet?"

"I'm still workshopping it." Rias said. "I'm alright, so let's get back to the others. I'm worried about them, especially Gasper."

"Right."

Takeshi nodded as he and Rias took flight, heading straight for the damaged old school building. Upon catching sight of Yuuto and Xenovia, who were standing next to an unconscious Gasper, Rias and Takeshi landed next to them in haste.

"You two are alright." Xenovia said upon taking notice of them. "I'm glad. I caught a glimpse of you going after the enemy's leaders, but I couldn't tell what happened after that."

"It's good to see that you two are alright as well, but what about Gasper?" Rias said with a concerned expression. "Why is he unconscious? Is he hurt?"

"I'm…not sure." Yuuto, who was touching Gasper's forehead, responded with a frown. "After we drove away the Magicians, Gasper-kun collapsed all of a sudden and lost consciousness. He seems to be running a fever as well, but I can't tell what's wrong with him."

"I can." Takeshi said with a dark expression as he placed the bracelet Azazel had given him on Gasper's arm. "It's probably my blood. He got a power boost from it, but it also had a negative effect on him. Damn it, I should have refused to give it to him after all…!"

"It's not your fault, Takeshi." Rias said. "This was Gasper's own choice. For now, we should take him with us. We can't risk leaving him into the clubroom when he's like this. Perhaps one of the leaders can—"

"Leaving so soon, young Devils? I must insist that you do not. After all, I made such a long journey to meet you all."

The four Devils flinched, turning towards the source of the voice. Standing a few meters away from them was a man with close-cropped jet-black hair, pale skin and heterochromatic eyes of red and gold, who was holding a blade that was letting out a sinister aura. For some reason, Takeshi felt chills going down his spine at the sight of the sword.

"That's…the Holy Sword Ascalon?" Xenovia said with a frown. "The design is the same, but the feeling coming from the blade…it feels like a Demonic Sword?"

"Ascalon?" Takeshi frowned. "I see. A Dragon-slaying blade. No wonder its mere sight is making me feel so uneasy…"

"Who are you!?" Rias addressed the unknown man. "Are you also an agent of Khaos Brigade!?"

"Indeed." The man said as he brandished his blade, focusing on Takeshi. "As for who I am…well, as an act of sympathy for a fellow damned man, I can disclose the identity of your executioner at least. My name is Vortigern."

After saying so, Vortigern raised his aura and focused his killing intent on the members of the Gremory Peerage, causing them to tense. Takeshi felt that the black aura surrounding Vortigern's body was familiar on some level, but he couldn't put his finger on why that was the case.

"Looks like we're fighting again." Rias said as she placed a barrier around Gasper before drawing herself to her full height. "Takeshi, Xenovia, you're taking point. Yuuto, you and I will support them from the back. We don't know what abilties he has, so be careful!"

[Understood!]

Takeshi, Yuuto and Xenovia said together. Then, Takeshi summoned Blight Current and shouted.

"Balance Break!"

[Hazard Rise! Venom Blood Awakening!]

The armor of Eight Branch Ethereal Surge manifested around Takeshi's body once again, with the chariot materializing next to him. Takeshi jumped on it and pressed one of the smaller gems on Cataclysm Zone.

[Add!]

Four tendrils of dark green-colored aura shot out of Cataclysm Zone, wrapping around Takeshi's limbs and forming the gauntlet and greaves of Berserk Devastator. Takeshi let out a sigh of relief as the constant pain inflicted by the Balance Breaker was dulled somewhat thanks to Grendel's Sacred Gear. Although Azazel's warning echoed in his mind, his instincts were warning him that not using everything he could against the man before him could prove disastrous. He also considered using Michael's gift, but refrained from doing so. If there were more enemies to fight, he would be left defenseless after using it.

[Aw, come on!] Orochi complained. [Why'd you bring out Grendel as well, partner? You think my power alone isn't enough? If so, I must protest! I'm far more useful than that brute Grendel!]

[Bite your tongues, you worthless bootlicker!] Grendel growled. [As if your power could match mine! Have you forgotten how many times I've sent you home crying in the past!?]

[Sounds to me like someone's memory is a bit spotty!] Orochi laughed. [Old age finally getting to you, Grendel?]

Shut your traps, you two. Takeshi thought. I've got enough trouble as is.

"Oh, how intriguing." Vortigern remarked. "I have come across some of your predecessors in the past, but I never witnessed anyone performing such a feat. Either way, it will not help you much here."

"We'll see about that!"

Takeshi shouted as he unleashed flame threads imbued with black thunder at Vortigern, with Xenovia following up with a slash from Durandal. Gathering his aura around Ascalon, Vortigern swung the blade, dispersing the attacks. However, the two Devils were already on the move, Xenovia aiming at his left side and Takeshi rushing towards the right, his tails poised to strike at his opponent. Vortigern attempted to move, only for a pair of Holy Demonic Swords to fall from the sky and strike his shadow, binding both it and Vortigern in place.

"This is…"

Vortigern grimaced as Xenovia brought down Durandal at him, with the older man parrying her blow with Ascalon. Takeshi's tornado-clad seven tails aimed at him next, but Vortigern raised his free hand, forming a barrier of dark aura that blocked Takeshi's attack. However, a crimson arrow struck Xenovia at that time, increasing her power. Unprepared for this, Vortigern was sent flying by Xenovia's empowered slash, with several Blast Ogres courtesy of Yuuto bombarding him at the same time. Although he wrapped a large amount of aura around him to mitigate the effects of the explosion, he was still sent tumbling on the ground. At the same time, several Gravity Nails protruded from the ground around him, creating an increased gravity field around him that stopped his movements.

"Blast him!"

Following Rias's command, Xenovia unleashed a massive wave of holy aura from Durandal, Takeshi called down numerous thunderbolts and mixed them with a barrage of fireballs, Rias threw an oversized spear of Destruction and Yuuto conjured a large number of Holy Demonic Swords above Vortigern, sending them towards the downed man. A massive explosion shook the entire area, further damaging the old school building and turning the ground around it into scorched earth. Having summoned several storm clouds already, Takeshi called down a rain of poison to saturate the area around Vortigern for good measure.

"He should be dead, or at the very least heavily wounded." Xenovia said while eyeing the smoke cloud before them with a wary gaze. "Maybe I should swing Durandal once more just to be sure."

"Perhaps you should." Rias said. "Either way, don't let your—"

Before Rias could finish her sentence, a blur flew out of the smoke cloud and aimed for Yuuto. The Knight barely had time to lift his sword up to guard, but it proved futile. Vortigern's aura-clad fist shattered the blade and struck Yuuto in the abdomen, knocking the air out of him and sending him crashing into one of the old school building's walls. Yuuto fell unconscious, blood dripping from his mouth and from a cut in the side of his head.

"Yuuto!" Rias cried out. "You bastard!"

Rias, Takeshi and Xenovia aimed for Vortigern, but the man vanished in a flash, evading their attacks. Releasing a storm of dark aura at Takeshi, he destroyed his chariot and sent him flying into the forest. Evading Rias's Destruction arrows, Vortigern turned to Xenovia next, engaging in a furious swordfight with her. The young Rook was doing her best to defend herself and counterattack, but Vortigern's sword was moving so fast it seemed like she was fighting four people at once. His parries would always stop her blade and his thrusts would more often than not go past her guard, opening small cuts on her body. Xenovia gritted her teeth in frustration as she doubled her focus, parrying Vortigern's downward thrust. However, her riposte hit nothing but air as her opponent ducked underneath her blade and struck her with an aura-clad fist sending her skidding backwards.

"There!"

Taking advantage of the fact that the two of them had finally separated, Rias summoned her Destruction bow and fired several arrows at Vortigern. Deflecting them with Ascalon and firing a wave of dark aura at Rias, who dodged in haste, Vortigern returned his attention to Xenovia, who was gathering large amounts of holy aura around Durandal.

"This is a bit risky…but I don't have time to play it safe…" Xenovia said through gritted teeth. "Take this!"

Xenovia swung Durandal, unleashing a wave of holy aura much larger than she had displayed so far. However, Vortigern smirked as he enveloped his arm in dense dark aura, swatting aside the wave with what appeared to be minimal effort.

"Impossible…"

Xenovia muttered with a shocked expression as Vortigern's smirk became wider. With a burst of speed, he appeared before Xenovia, knocking Durandal out of her hand and slashing at her with Ascalon, opening a large wound on her torso. Xenovia screamed as she collapsed on the ground, cradling her wound.

"Xenovia!"

Rias shouted as she fired multiple Destruction bullets at Vortigern. He evaded them with ease as he dashed at Rias, but frowned as he felt a presence coming at him from above. Bringing Ascalon around, he blocked Takeshi's wind-clad kick, which sent him skidding backwards.

"That was quite the nasty attack!" Takeshi said as he swung his tornado-clad tails at Vortigern. "I think I even lost consciousness for a few seconds or so!"

"You should have remained unconscious." Vortigern said as he parried the incoming tails with his blade. "You would have spared yourself quite a bit of pain!"

Takeshi waved his hand, summoning several black tornadoes that headed for his opponent. Vortigern struck them with a wave of black aura, causing them to disperse, but in the meantime, Rias had used her Lock Control on Takeshi, raising his power even further. She fell on her knees afterwards, exhausted from the continued use of her power.

"Promotion, Queen!"

Takeshi shouted, feeling his body burning up from the strain of another promotion in such a short amount of time. Ignoring his discomfort, he dashed at Vortigern, opening his mouth wide and let out a high-pitched aria. Vortigern winced and stumbled as his inner ear was affected, giving Takeshi the chance to pounce on him, pummeling him with his fire-clad gauntlets and his thunder-clad tails. However, the older man looked unphased, parrying his attacks with a relaxed attitude.

Damn it, what is this!? Takeshi thought. Why does it feel like I'm three or four moves behind compared to him!?

Takeshi had no time to ponder this further as Vortigern suddenly began counterattacking, Ascalon severing two of his tails with ease. Takeshi stomped his foot on the ground, channeling flames below it and having them erupt beneath Vortigern. As if having sensed the attack, Vortigern dodged with ease, severing another tail that attempted to trip him and almost severing Takeshi's left hand with Ascalon. Takeshi grimaced underneath his helmet as he released streams of poison from the stingers on his remaining tails and left arm. Vortigern was unperturbed as he enveloped himself in a sphere of dark aura, blocking the poison and severing the rest of Takeshi's tails with a few quick strokes before he had the chance to react, aiming for his neck.

"Not yet!"

Using his demonic power to anchor his feet to the ground, Takeshi leaned back as the blade went past him. At the same time, his thunder and fire-clad stinger shot forward from his left hand, aiming for Vortigern's right side. However, he merely chuckled as he grabbed the incoming whip, pulling Takeshi to him and headbutting him, with his helmet being shattered. He then tossed him over his shoulder and smashed him on the ground.

"Unfortunately, I'm not so easy to kill, boy." Vortigern said. "One of your 'friends' saw to that long ago."

Before Takeshi could say or do anything, Vortigern stabbed his right forearm with Ascalon, pinning him down. Takeshi screamed in pain, feeling like he was being torn apart. Moreover, he could feel a cold sensation spreading throughout his body, as if Ascalon was sapping his strength. Unable to sustain his Balance Breaker anymore, Takeshi was forced to release his armor, leaving him writhing on the ground as he tried in vain to reach for the blade and remove it.

"Takeshi!"

Rias cried out as she attempted to fire her Power of Destruction. However, she had already drained herself over the course of this fight and was only able to manage a few weak shots that Vortigern easily deflected. Appearing before her with a burst of speed, Vortigern kicked her in the abdomen hard, leaving her coughing and gasping for air on the ground.

"Not bad for a group of youngsters." Vortigern said as he grabbed Rias by her hair and started dragging her towards Takeshi. "You actually forced me to get somewhat serious here. You have my honest praise, and the promise of a swift death."

"Why…thanks…" Takeshi said through gritted teeth as he failed once again to remove Ascalon from his arm. "Though if we're…talking rewards…I'd rather…you removed…this thing…from me…"

"No can do, I'm afraid." Vortigern said as he grabbed the struggling Rias's head and lifted her up. "This girl is important to you, no? And yet, there you are, unable to do anything to protect her. It's a terrible feeling, being powerless to save anything, isn't it?"

Vortigern's expression hardened as he formed a lance of dark aura around his left hand.

"However, do you know what's worse than being powerless, boy?" Vortigern asked. "To devote all your efforts and sacrifice everything you have in order to acquire great power, and yet still being unable to protect anything. It is its own special kind of Hell, one that I will let you have a taste of as my parting gift!"

Vortigern aimed his lance at Rias's back. Takeshi's eyes opened wide as he thrashed on the ground, but only succeeded in making his condition worse.

"St…op… Stop!"

Takeshi screamed. But just as Vortigern was about to run Rias through, an orb of highly concentrated demonic power struck the side of his head, sending him flying and crashing through the old school building. Having being released from his grip, Rias fell on the ground, a stunned expression on her face at the fact that she was still alive.

"Grayfia…san…?"

Takeshi muttered the name of their savior, who was descending from above, with a trembling voice. Wasting no time, Grayfia grabbed Ascalon's hilt and removed the blade, with Takeshi letting out another scream. Taking out two vials, Grayfia poured their contents over the two youths, with their injuries vanishing almost instantly.

"Phoenix Tears…?" Rias said. "You were carrying them with you?"

"Part of our preparations in case of an enemy attack." Grayfia said as she handed two more vials to Rias. "Use these on the other injured members. Also, my apologies for not getting here sooner, but I was slow to notice your predicament due to the changing situation in the battlefield."

"Situation?" Takeshi said as he stood up. "What situation?"

"Join the others, and they will inform you." Grayfia said as she turned her attention to the direction she had sent Vortigern flying. "Leave that fellow to me. You may be healed, but you are in no condition for a rematch."

"Wait, Grayfia!"

Before Rias could say anything else, Grayfia had vanished with a burst of speed. A few seconds later, the sounds of combat could be heard coming from the forest.

"As much as I don't like admitting this…we'll only get in Grayfia-san's way." Takeshi said with a frown. "Let's tend to the others and go back. I've got a bad feeling about this."

"You and me both."

Rias said as she and Takeshi rushed to treat Yuuto and Xenovia, only now noticing that the flashes of light around the new school building had become more intense.

"What is going on over there…?"

Takeshi muttered with a concerned expression, feeling that tonight would only get more chaotic from this point on.

---

This concludes Chapter 30. Somehow, it ended up quite longer than I first anticipated. The peace conference has begun at last, along with Khaos Brigade's assault. Takeshi's third Balance Breaker has also made its official debut here. While the armor itself isn't based on anything particular so far, the stinger units are inspired from Kamen Rider Horobi's Acid Analyze and Destanalyze he uses in his base and Ark Scorpion forms, while the chariot is loosely inspired from Achilles' chariot in Fate/Apocrypha. Rias also has demonstrated a new technique because I couldn't resist the impulse to add a Susanoo-like technique somewhere here :)

Well, that's all for now. As always, please read, review, favorite, follow, but most of all, enjoy!

See you all next time!