Chapter 26: Open House


"...so this is what you look like outside your armor." Choosing to ignore that sentence he'd just spoken, Issei Hyoudou hummed as he looked over the foreign features. 'Definitely not Japanese. As for his aura...'

Issei's Observation writhed from the massive power he could feel just within reach. Still, Vali was probably just above his weight class. Unless Vali went for an instakill move, Issei still had a chance of winning-

"Did you just think you have a chance of beating me as you are?"

Issei choked at the feel of Vali's finger pressing against his forehead, never having seen the silver-haired Emperor move. "What?!"

Vali's smirk deepened. "You're just too slow without your Balance Breaker."

'Let's test that.' Issei's fist flew forward, already leaning back-

*SMACK!*

-correction, recoiling from Vali's fist sinking home into his cheek as he held himself from falling down.

"Oh?" Vali's eyes widened with some approval. "I actually hit you with the intent to knock you down. Looks like you're at least that durable... for a human."

Rage like never before filled Issei out of nowhere. There was no preemptive thought to either amplify or curb his strength. Not a single thought of restraint present as he reared up again, his cocked fist at the ready.

Apparently, Vali thought the same, as he was already mimicking Issei, his smirk a counter to his scowl.

They both swung at each other with all of their might, both with their teeth bared in smiles and snarls filled to the brim with reckless abandon. The fists collided with a fleshy surface, a thunderous shockwave spreading out from where the blows met.

But it was neither Issei nor Vali that had hit each other, as Genshirou Saji now stood between them with their fists caught in his palms.

"Dragon Emperors, this is neither the place nor time for you two to have your showdown." Saji growled without mockery, his slit glare of amethyst matching the sapphire sneer and the emerald glower he was caught between. He was neither their equals in draconic status, but he was still a King to their Emperors. "Cease it, or I will have to join in."

"You should calm down." Vali was the first to back off. "I can see your arms trembling. How close were they to breaking, Poison Dragon?"

While Saji let off a slight growl with a whiff of onyx sparks escaping his mouth, Issei stepped back himself. "I may be weaker than you both, but I can still tear a limb off regardless of whether we'll be dragons or not at the time."

"What the hell are you doing here, Vali?" Issei asked as Asia, Aika and a few others of the student council ran towards them, all drawn by the brief surge of draconic power.

"Recognizing a worthy opponent and the corresponding power gap is proof of strength." Vali answered, eyeing Asia curiously as she healed Saji's arms. "I didn't come to fight today. I accompanied Azazel to Japan and just felt like passing the time."

Reya Kusaka's eyes narrowed. "You've got quite a unique method for 'passing the time'."

"Issei Hyoudou, how high do you think you'd rank against the powers of the World?" Ignoring Reya, Vali returned his gaze to Issei. "As a mere human, I'd earlier thought you'd rank somewhere between 1,000th and 1,500th with your Balance Breaker, but with how well you were handling Kokabiel and our brief scuffle just now, somewhere around the 650s is more fitting."

"And your point is?" Issei asked. [650s?!]

[Over millions of billions, Partner.]

"My point is that even Maou Lucifer isn't ranked amongst the top ten strongest of the World." Vali stated. "But we both know who's right up there at Rank #1."

"Are you declaring such an idea as ridiculous as you claiming that spot?" Issei scoffed.

"Nah, not me, not yet. But you'll find out soon enough." Vali replied. "This is just a courtesy to my fellow dragons. Do you disagree, Sona Sitri?"

The other students turned to regard Sona as she approached them with Tsubaki in tow, her Peerage now all present. "White Dragon Emperor, what is your business in my territory? As someone with ties to the Grigori, if you make excessive contact-"

"The Two Heavenly Dragons and the Dragon Kings are great existences." Vali cut her off. "But nobody involved with our ilk have ever led a decent life. I wonder how it'll go for you all."

Sona gave no reply, simply glaring back at him.

"Relax, I didn't come here to fight." Vali chuckled as he walked past them and away from the school gate. "I'm too busy for that."

Sona and the others watched tepidly as he left before the bespectacled girl immediately went to Saji's side. "Are you hurt, Saji-kun?"

"I did overdo it a bit, but Asia-chan's fixed me up good as new." Saji flexed his freshly healed arms before his gaze turned towards Issei. "But still... Damn, Hyoudou! Even without your Sacred Gear, you still nearly broke my arm!"

"Vali didn't use his either." Issei replied as he stared at his own fist. "Plus, he was much faster. Even though I moved to attack first, I didn't manage to land a hit before him. But still..."

Issei regarded Saji with amazement. "I'm the one who should be amazed. I didn't know that you had a dragon-type Sacred Gear, too."

"Yup!" Saji puffed up. "You're looking at the host of the Black Dragon King, Vritra. I actually took up four of Kaichou's {Pawn} Evil Pieces when I got reincarnated."

"...{Pawn}?" Issei tried to hold back his smirk, albeit failing if Saji's frown was anything to go by. "So what's Vritra like? Can I speak to them?"

A black lizard-like gauntlet appeared over Saji's hand. "[I am here, Red One. It is an honor to be awake during this era, along with the White One.]"

"[Vritra, huh.]" Ddraig greeted as {Boosted Gear} materialized. "[Weren't you supposed to be split in four?]"

"[A misconception, Red One.]" Vritra spoke back. "[The Biblical God did split me apart into four, but placed me back together as a layered existence. For every level of strength my alter ego achieves, a bit more of me awakens.]"

"So I guess we're dragon buddies." Issei bumped his fist against Genshirou's chest. "You and me."

"Don't push your luck, Hyoudou." Genshirou lightly slapped the hand away. "As far as I'm concerned, we're dragon rivals. Ever since I became a Devil and awakened my Sacred Gear, I got stuck in a rut I didn't even know was there until you and Kokabiel happened."

"[Indeed. My alter ego has been brought face to face with his own weakness.]" Despite his lack of a physical face, nobody missed the smugness in Vritra's regal tone. "[He now recognizes just how much further he has to go, to excel and thrive. All thanks to the Red One's presence.]"

"Wait. I'm inspiring you?" Issei pointed to himself in disbelief. "For real?"

"Of course, you are!" Genshirou snapped back, his cheeks a little red. "When Kokabiel came here to mess with our home, do you know how much I wanted to be able to fight him off with you guys?! To smash my fist into his face like you did in your Balance Breaker?! Make no mistake, you're just my milestone. As soon as I achieve Balance Breaker like you guys, you'll be tasting my dust!"

Issei couldn't help the challenged grin the crossed his lips, feeling more at ease than ever since Vali's presence. "Go ahead and try."


"So in the end, who would win between you and that Vali guy?" Matsuda asked the next day at class. "You?"

"Don't screw with me." Issei replied as he checked his books. "At the moment, that guy will cream me. I swear it's like stronger enemies are starting to pop out of the woodwork like termites. My life shouldn't be so shonen when I need it to be an eroge! I've already got such a good thing going on with Asia, Rias-senpai and Raynare, damnit!"

"Bastard..." Motohama clapped a hand down on Issei's shoulder and gripped it hard. "Did the name of one of Kuoh's Two Great Ladies just pass your lips in a context I'm hoping was not what I'm hearing?"

With the countenance of a man who possessed constant access to nirvana, Issei gave a lazy smirk and gave his answer. "Of course you heard exactly what you're pretending not to hear. Jealous?"

"Oh, them fighting words!" Motohama smoothly yanked Issei up and flew him into a surprise suplex, smashing his leader's head into the ground. "Pray to Heaven, you bastard!"

"Repent!" Matsuda showed his support with an elbow drop upon Issei's groaning form, the two immediately ganging up on him. "Repent, I say!"

"Matsuda-san! Motohama-san! Please stop!" Asia cried at the two boys, causing them to stop forcing Issei into a submission hold. "Ise-kun isn't a bad guy. Please don't bully him."

"Issei." Xenovia approached just as he got himself free from the double submission hold.

"What's up?" Issei groaned as he popped some bones in his back.

"I'm sorry for the way I brought up the subject so suddenly yesterday." Xenovia bowed apologetically. "I acted rashly without considering your opinion."

"Damn right, you did." Issei pressed a finger against her forehead before gently flicking it. "But if you're apologizing, then I guess that I'll accept it."

"Thank goodness." Xenovia smiled in relief before starting to look for something in her pockets. "We should use these and pract-"

Suddenly struck by a strong urge to not let her bring out whatever she was about to bring out, Issei trusted his gut warning and grabbed Xenovia by her forearm, dragging her out of the class all the way to a nearby closet.

Only afterwards did he allow himself to see that obeying it had been the right call, for Xenovia's hand clutched four packaged condoms. "Xenovia, what the fuck?"

"Yesterday, you protested that we would not be ready to become parents." Xenovia answered, as if it was completely normal to offer condoms to a guy she wanted to impregnate her. "I thought these would allow us to still enjoy the act, while preventing procreation. My homeland has long disputed the morality of using these, but I understand Japan has deemed their use proper."

'...my god, even with a different personality, she's just as clueless as Asia!' Issei's jaw dropped. 'Even Rin knew better! ...I hope.' "Even if you're kinda on the right track, making a child is something that occurs... at the 'middle' of the journey. A journey that you're skipping. This may sound hypocritical from what you know of me, but even I want full romantic and familial relationships with my harem members. Before you think about making a child with me for farout reason, how about you try and fall for me instead? Believe me, there's no woman in existence who would prefer giving birth for a man they don't love if they had the choice."

"I see... Then I might have to rethink my opinions." Xenovia muttered. "Yes, it would be preferable if I did feel some emotional attachment to you, after all. Before considering the advantages of my child possessing your genes as a dragon, I clearly remember that you were my first choice solely because of your care for Irina. I'm sure that even though He's gone, God surely had a hand in this- Kuh!"

Xenovia winced, prompting Issei to chuckle and pat the Devil's head. "So do you understand now?"

"Yes, indeed." Xenovia stepped forward into his personal space, pressing her buxom figure against his. "That is why I shall endeavor to triumph in this crusade."

Issei blinked. "Eh?"

"Issei Hyoudou." Xenovia suddenly slammed her hands against the wall behind him, trapping Issei between and looking down on him when his knees suddenly went weak on him at her intense expression. "I shall make you fall for me."

"...what."

[HAHAHAHAHAHA! You just got made into an otome target without the girl probably even knowing about the genre!]

[No... No! No! No! No! No! No! This can't be happening! This kind of shit was only supposed to be happening to Kibaaaaaaa!]


"In today's English class, you'll all get to use the papier-mâché I just distributed to try and make anything you want." The teacher spoke to the students, Open House well in session with all the guardians standing at the back of the class. "Animals, people or houses. Anything goes. Let whatever comes to mind take shape in it's purest form. That, too, is a form of conversation."

'As if! I wanted to try and show off my English since I've now dropped the translation spells Asia and I used to need!' Issei growled down at the slab of wet papier-mâché before him, nervous sweat starting to form. 'I've got no artistic bone in me like Moto!'

A quick glance at the bespectacled logia showed that he was already halfway to forming... 'Is that a fucking tank?! And so detailed already?!'

"Th-This is pretty hard." If nothing else, Asia at least seemed to be enthusiastic as she molded the material about. "What do I even aim to make?"

"Turn around a little, Motohama." Natsumi Orifushi cheerily called out. "Let me see you strut your stuff!"

Motohama nearly crushed the Sherman M4A1 he'd been making. "Why aren't you going after Akina or Mafuyu?!"

"They were insistent for me to come here." Natsumi replied. "They told me that you didn't want to feel alone since your friends would also have their guardians here, too."

"Those traitors! I'll fucking kill them!"

Issei winced in sympathy, even as his own parents kept cheering for Asia instead of him, as well. He wasn't even annoyed, as it seemed that Asia seemed to be enjoying the attention.

'Still...' Issei made a note of getting back to his own work, when he noticed Asia's mold starting to resemble Raissei(Still embarrassing to have a Familiar named after him, even if it was a baby dragon). '[Oi, Ddraig. You think I could make a mold of you? Or maybe you've got an interesting image for me to use.]

[Then why don't you recreate my glorious self?]

Issei's fingers worked as his mind went over Ddraig's features. He'd only ever seen his Partner's form once, but the details had never left his memories.

Slithery scales, redder than blood and tougher than diamonds. A maw full of ivory fangs, each greater than he was tall. A bulk that dwarfed mountains. Burning breath with heat that rivalled suns.

He was power incarnate.

He was domination manifest.

He was Ddraig, and Ddraig was him.

He was...

He was...

"I.. who am about to awaken."

The Beast of Crimson Purgatory twitched-

"H-Hyoudou-kun?"

Hearing his teacher's surprised voice, Issei snapped out of his weird daze to see the entire class staring at him.

Or rather, the pro-level sculpture of Ddraig between his hands.

"Bravo!" The teacher praised. "I had no idea you had a talent for this, Hyoudou-kun!"

"For real?" Issei murmured in genuine surprise. "I was just moving my hands randomly..."

"Amazing, Hyoudou-buchou." Aika adjusted her glasses. "To think that an unredeemable pervert like you actually has talents like this, huh."

"O-Of course, I do." Issei huffed. "There's a lot you don't know about me, Kiryuu."

"Hey, my friend, Ise..." Matsuda held up his own piece, which looked a lot like some mascot character from a predecessor series of Fairy Tail. "I don't mind trading my masterpiece for that."

"Put that trash away, Matsu!" Motohama snapped. "I'll pay five thousand yen for it, Ise! Such a creation must properly acquired and trophied!"

[Your friend makes an excellent point. Even a mere replica of my magnificent form deserves that much.]

"Then I'll pay seven thousand yen for it!" One of the other boys spoke up, most of them gathering up to Issei's desk now. "It'll be perfect for my upcoming D&D campaign!"

"Screw you! Hyoudou, I'll pay you twenty thousand for three more of this!"

"It seems like I was misunderstanding things, Lady Asia." Xenovia commented as the two ex-Church members watched the impromptu bidding war escalate wildly.

"Please don't call me Lady." Asia replied exasperatedly. "Or Sister, either. Just Asia is fine."

Whether she heard the plea or not, Xenovia continued with her point. "Now I know that this Open House event is a cheery entertainment event where everyone goes wild."

"That's not quite right... I feel like this would happen around Ise-kun regardless of the day."


When it was finally time for lunch break, Issei sighed in relief as he managed to escape. Wandering the halls, Issei perked up at the sight of his kouhai. "Tomoki! Sohara!"

"Ise-senpai!" Tomoki Sakurai called back, the boy leaping into Issei's waist with tears in his eyes. "You gotta help me!"

"Woah, what's up?" Issei grabbed Tomoki's arms in some worry. "Something happen?"

"There you are!" A woman called out as she approached, bearing a strong resemblance to the boy clutching Issei. "It's no good to run away~"

"Well, you seem to be doing fine with Tomo-chan." Sohara shamelessly took her chance to run away. "Good luck~"

"See?! Even Sohara can't handle her!" Tomoki sobbed. "And Mom approved her to become my future wife!"

"H-Hey!" Issei called after the fleeing Angeloid, before directing his attention back to the adult.

"Oh! My son sure picked a handsome buchou to idolize!" The woman grinned... lewdly at the sight of him (Was this how babes felt when he leered at them? If so, he owed so many apologies).

*CHOP!*

"Excuse us." Lifting up the woman who had just been knocked unconscious by a karate chop even more powerful than Sohara's, the bespectacled man gave a quick nod to Issei and patted Tomoki's head before quickly walking away.

"Who was that?"

"My dad." Tomoki sighed in relief as he pulled away. "It'll probably be a while before I see them again, but for now... thank God- No, wait, He's dead..." Tomoki paused to think on it before shrugging. "Well, whatever. Later, senpai."

Issei watched his kouhai escape away in Sohara's general direction before walking forward again.

Unfortunately, he still hit another snag in getting something to eat.

A snag that was expected even less than the previous one.


"You know... I'd be enjoying this so much more if Saji didn't have such an obvious crush on you. Feels weird to NTR him of all people."

Taking the time to stomp on his foot, Sona Sitri frown's increased even more at their situation even as her cheeks reddened, given the tight space of the janitor's closet she'd dragged them into.

Yes, she'd been the cause of this situation and could not blame any othe- No, wait. She could blame another for this. 'Damn you, Onee-chan!'

How could this have happened?! Well, for starters, it began with her sister showing up... in her magica- acting uniform. Acting uniform.

Then she'd been embarrassed by her attitude before Genshirou and Rias's Peerage. Sure Rias was the one person she knew would understand, but what about the other students? What about Genshirou?! He hadn't been forewarned as the rest of her Peerage had been!

And to make things worse, she'd run into Hyoudou and squeaked in panic for him to hide her. At the moment, she'd just wanted to take advantage of his expertise as one of the Perverted Trio at avoiding females very determined in hunting them down, and in Hyoudou's defense, he'd done the smart thing by immediately pointing her towards a nearby closet with no questions asked.

So why did her sister's voice have to sound so close?! Why did she panic and draw Hyoudou inside with her?!

Satandamnit!

"So, um, not that I don't enjoy feeling your ass pressed against me, but can I go?" Hyoudou spoke up again. "I really need to be on my best behavior today at least for the sake of my visiting parents."

Sona stilled as the bulge she'd been trying to ignore pressed harder against her butt, making her rue how much it secretly flattered her. Apparently, she'd grown too used to just Genshirou desiring her.

If only he'd wise up and notice Momo and Ruruko's feelings for him, they'd probably even be willing to share! At least Hyoudou was honest in just desiring her body. What did she do that Genshirou loved her?

It couldn't be her personality... she hoped. Genshirou had better not be a budding masochist, because she wasn't a sadist despite her Peerage's belief.

Really, that whip she had in her drawer was a weapon she'd been trained in by her sister's {Bishop}.

Do away with that look, (imaginary)Tsubaki.

Another slight hump from Hyoudou's hips snapped Sona from her reverie and earned him a much stronger heel upon his foot.

"OW!" Hyoudou flinched and curled forward, which unfortunately had the consequence of him moving his solid grip from the wall to her waist, which then had that consequence of pressing her closer against him.

...well, it looked like Rias hadn't been exaggerating on his apparent size last night.

Wow. She and Akeno got to have that frequently? Maybe Genshir- No. Madness laid on that path.

On another note:

"Guh!" Hyoudou made a nice sound as he was elbowed in the stomach hard enough to be sent through the closet door. "Why...?"

"Sorry, Hyoudou-kun." Sona adjusted her clothes and forced the red in her cheeks to fade away. "I'll be sure to make it up to you someday."

Free extra credit maybe? Despite Hyoudou and his friends attitudes, none of them were academic idiots, which unfortunately went a long way in protecting them from more severe consequences of their past perverted escapades.

"Whatever..." Hyoudou groaned as he stood up and dusted his pants, only to pause and look to the side curiously.

Sona unfortunately found out the reason why a second later.

"So-taaaan~~~!"

Sona froze as the owner of the hauntingly familiar voice slammed into her side, wrapping their unreasonably strong arms around her own and rubbing their cheek against hers.

"So-tan! So-tan! Found you!" Satan Serafall Leviathan, formerly Serafall Sitri, squealed in delight as she hugged her little sister tight. "I finally won your surprise game of hide 'n' seek!"

"O-Onee-sama!" Sona's calm was all but gone, as for once Hyoudou could now see his second ever Satan after Sirzechs Lucifer. "P-Please act in a proper manner! There's Hyoudou-kun over here and-"

"Oh?" At that, Serafall perked up, her violet eyes turning to Hyoudou as he dusted himself while standing back up. As perky as her sister usually was, Sona stilled when the woman's eyes darted between both their disheveled clothes and the closet with the damaged door barely hanging on, her ever-present smile growing sharper while the vibrant violet of her eyes slightly crystallized into cold amethyst.

Oh, shit. She was going to have to save Hyoudou before Sona's sister froze him alive.

"Hello. Are you So-tan's friend?" Serafall greeted. "My name Serafall Leviathan, one of the four Satans and So-tan's big sister."

To Sona's mortification, Serafall spun into one of her magical girl poses right there and there. "Call me Levi-tan, okay~?"

Hyoudou for his part stepped back in utter shock, his eyes wide before snapping into attention with a wide grin.

"Marvelous! Wonderful! Magnificent!" Hyoudou praised earnestly as he beheld her just as much as Serafall beheld him, oblivious to Sona's rising horror. "A true magical girl before me! Even if you're a Devil, I feel so blessed to make your acquaintance!"

Serafall blinked in surprise before grinning a smile that Sona only ever saw before the elder sister would do something 'fun', which she the younger sister would label 'ridiculous'.

"I like you!" Serafall declared, the woman taking Hyoudou's hands into hers and pumping it vigorously. "Become my comrade, young appreciator of Love and Justice!"

'Onee-chan, why are you straight-up recruiting him?!' Sona inwardly screamed. 'Forget him being a Devil, I can't handle him becoming a member of your Peerage!'

"Too bad, but I pursue a different path." Hyoudou dramatically pulled away, smirking and clapping his hands after checking the hallway for others(There thankfully weren't any).

The moment he clapped his hands and spun about himself, a surge of crimson flames flaring over his form before disappearing to reveal him dressed in a gold-trimmed long-sleeved red overcoat with scale patterns, actual golden studs and a large roaring Ddraig on his back. His sleeves cut off at his wrists, and he wore this over a black muscle shirt. Underneath these were black pants.

"I am the one who shall dominate all before him! I am the one who shall become a Harem King and lead his Horde into the brilliant radiance of crimson!" Hyoudou pulled Serafall close, holding her up in one of those poses that had her leaning back with a leg raised up. "Draco Red, Issei Hyoudou at your pleasure~"

'Oh...' Sona's jaw would've cracked the ground if it were possible. 'Oh, Satan, is he flirting with my sister?!'

Judging by the increased flush in her cheeks, even Serafall was aware. "Issei Hyoudou? Ah, so you're the Red Dragon Emperor! Are you a Magical Warrior on your own?!"

"Magical Warrior?" Hyoudou tilted his head. "Well, I guess that's true in a manner of speaking. But still, I strive for ideals that differ from yours, Levi-tan."

Sona gurgled at the sight of Hyoudou leaning down to kiss the back of Serafall's hand, wishing fervently for a self-hypnosis spell powerful enough to erase this moment from her memory.

"Draco Red, say it isn't so." Serafall pleaded. "We could do so much together."

"I'm sorry, but I am an Ally of Perversion and Dominance." Hyoudou replied. "A 'villain' from your perspective, if I might say. So we must part until next time. I've still got places to go, parents to endure, babes to perv on... sayonara."

"[BOOST!]"

That was their only warning Hyoudou blurred away from Sona's sight, leaving a burst of displaced air in his wake.

"So-tan..." The eagerness in Serafall's voice did wonders to snap Sona out of her shock, only for the next sentence to hit with the force of a sledgehammer. "Which Evil Piece do you think would be most suiting for him? My {Knight} Pieces are full, but-"

"Onee-chan, please don't recruit him of all people!"


"Are we sure that the Guy Upstairs is gone?" Issei mumbled, facedown upon his home's dining table. "Because I feel like a lifetime's worth of karma's making it's presence known."

"This must be how sinners feel." Rias mumbled beside him, the redhead suffering from the exact same problem as him. "How could our parents meet and get along this well?"

Sitting between them, Asia gently patted their backs and watched their parents and elder brother cheerfully watch the recordings that had been taken earlier in the day during Open House. "It's not so bad."

Personally, Asia liked the parental affection that Issei's parents casually gave her and Raynare just as easily as they breathed. That was probably why the two Devils felt at ease here to revel in the embarrassed faces of their children on tape.

Raised and taken from an orphanage, Asia hadn't gotten such treatment that Issei and Rias had while being a Holy Maiden, which only made her love the Hyoudou parents even more.

"Well, if at least one of us can enjoy it, don't let me stop you." Issei raised his hand to pat Asia's head.

"Ise's right, Asia." Rias copied the motion, her hand joining Issei's atop her head. "Enjoy it as much as you want."

Had Asia ever mentioned how much she loved these two? Because she really did. Especially with the head pats that never failed to send jolts of delight that had her smiling and craving for more.

Even Raynare's bemused stare as she passed them with a fresh serving of dinner for the other adults did little to curb her bliss. "At this rate, you're gonna be developing a praise kink pretty soon."

Asia blinked while the two headpatters froze. "What's a kink?"


"So that's a kink..."

Later in Issei's room, Asia sat between the two on his bed, her face reddened immensely.

"You know, this is actually my first time describing such a thing like a teacher." Even with a little flush of her own, Rias looked a lot more composed than Issei felt. "So do you feel enlightened?"

"I-I think so?" Asia replied, still a little bit unsure.

"Hmm? Let's test that, then." Issei's jaw dropped when he saw Rias slowly wind her hand down Asia's body, her deft fingers exploring the trembling flesh beneath the school uniform. "Are you a good girl, Asia~?"

Asia whimpered as Issei watched the molestation with great interest, shuddering under both his gaze and her technique. "Y-Yes."

"Mm, such a cute reaction~" Rias giggled as Asia blushed harder at her words, her fingers slipping under her skirt and right past the panties to dip into her already moistening pussy.

Losing a little patience himself, Issei moved to join in, his hands already touching her chest-

"Dear me. If I'd happened to come up a minute later."

The throuple froze as Sirzechs opened the door to his room, Issei barely resisting the urge to snarl at the invader trespassing into his territory(room). ""Sirzechs-san/Onii-sama?!""

"And me~!" Serafall popped up from behind the red-haired man, now dressed in casual clothes. "Hey, Issei~"

"Serafall-san." Issei replied, a lot more amicable with her. He knew that she'd earlier asked him to call her by her Magical Girl name, but seeing as she was dressed differently, she didn't seem to mind the change of addressing. "What are you two doing here?"

"Because I came here to give you my gratitude once more, Issei Hyoudou." Sirzechs replied. "Both as her big brother and as a Maou."

Issei blinked. "Huh?"

"What do you mean, Onii-sama?" Rias seemed to be just as confused. "What did Ise do?"

"He changed you." Sirzechs easily answered, stunning Rias into silence. "Until the time you met, you never really had much interest in pushing forward as a Devil. Even your engagement to Riser was barely enough to make you serious until Issei's presence into your life. Now, even after it's all over, you still reached out to me and my Peerage for more training, not wanting to be left behind by the man you admire."

Issei didn't disagree with Sirzechs on this. From what he knew of them, Rias may have been the proactive to Sona's reactive, but both heiresses completely ignored training beyond enough to stay in shape while 'handling other matters'. Issei was quite sure that without the Riser Phenex problem, Rias would be a lot... weaker? Lazier?

"O-Onii-sama!" Rias got off the bed to pout at Sirzechs. "Don't go spilling everything!"

"But I have to, Rias." Sirzechs gently shook his head, his pride evident. "Issei Hyoudou needs to be aware of just how much he has influenced you. Show him your wings."

"Wings?" Issei asked of Rias, who blushed at his stare before letting three pairs of jet-black bat wings out for a moment. "Whoa!"

"I didn't know you'd Ascended again." Asia beamed. "Congratulations."

Issei himself was more speechless at the sight. The last time he'd seen Rias with multiple wings had heralded {Gamory}'s activation, but for her now to possess enough power for six wings in just her base form... "You're amazing, Rias-senpai."

Despite her red her cheeks got, Rias clearly preened from the praise. "W-Well, of course I am! The battle with Kokabiel had pushed me forward a lot more than I thought."

"It's the same for So-tan, Issei-kun!" Serafall cheered as well, a proud grin on her face. "Once she finally stopped running away from me today, she actually asked for me and my Peerage to train her, too! That dragon {Pawn} of hers was super pumped up to go when I agreed~!"

'So Saji and Kaichou are gearing up as well?' Issei smiled in approval. 'Way to go!'

"So I guess that brings up the favors I owe you now, seeing as Rias now has enough potential to reach Ultimate-class." Sirzechs smiled. "Have you yet chosen what to use them for?"

"Sorry, but I'm still thinking!" Issei grabbed his head, having honestly forgotten all about it. "I swear, I'll think up something worthy."

"Very well, then." Sirzechs turned his attention back to Rias, while Serafall sat on Issei's bed and started to pat his head while chatting with Asia. "As for you, Rias, don't you think you're now ready to set your {Bishop} free?"

"Eh?" Rias blinked.

"Wait, a {Bishop}?" Issei snapped out of his thoughts. "Rias, your Peerage is missing a member?"

"They were sealed away because their ability was deemed too dangerous for me to handle." Rias explained. "That was your decision, Onii-sama."

"Indeed, it was." Sirzechs agreed. "But like I just said, your recent accomplishments in your battles against Riser Phenex and Kokabiel have clearly shown results. As you and your Peerage have grown in power and experience, they can't be left behind. Release them, Rias."

Rias blinked before sighing and standing more rigidly. "As you wish, Onii- no, Maou Lucifer."

"I got it!" Issei snapped his fingers. "Sirzechs-san, I know exactly what I'd like my first favor to be!"

"Of course, you only need name it." Sirzechs answered. "What do you desire, Issei Hyoudou?"


"Check it out, guys!" The next day, Issei stood before Matsuda and Motohama, relishing their gobsmacked faces. "Never say that I don't pull strings for you guys, you hear me?!"

Behind him were three Rebel 300 motorcycles as he'd requested, already delivered and fully fueled before he'd even woken up. 'Damn, the Maou sure works fast.' "Now, then, who's ready to finally use the motorcycling licenses we suffered to gain last year?!"

""YEAAAAAAH!""


KingVessel: Have I mentioned how much I like Badass Rias? 'cause I do~ Please leave a review!