Chapter 8: Training begins, and the proposals
An hour later, after the members of the Gremory House had gathered their things, they started hiking up the mountain to the villa where they would be training for the next ten days until the Rating Game against Riser and his peerage. Much to everyone's surprise, Issei, who had a much bigger bag than Koneko, was not even breathing hard as he ran up the mountain. "Come on, people, keep up. We have a lot of work to do before we face that fried chicken!" Issei shouted.
"How can Issei-kun move like that?" Kiba wiped the sweat off of his forehead. "He's carrying that pack like it's nothing. Whatever is in that bag he's carrying must be ridiculously heavy."
"Nevertheless, he is right," came Rias, who was walking in front of the others. "We have a lot of work to do and only a limited amount of time to do it in. Let's try to speed up our pace to the top of the mountain."
Within a few minutes, they eventually reached the top to find Issei meditating with his bag beside him. Rias watched as he stood up and turned around to see the others coming from behind. "Now that you all are here, we can get started. Let's get changed."
"Issei-san. . .can we at least. . .have a minute to catch our breaths?" Asia asked.
"Ufufufu, what kind of training did you do? You're not sweating, nor are you out of breath," enquired Akeno.
"Believe me, this is nothing but a warmup," he laughed, leaving the others at a loss of words. "But that's for another time. Right now, we need to focus on the here and now."
Rias agreed. "Since you have the most combat experience, would you mind taking over while we are here?"
"Sure thing. Everyone go get changed and put on some active clothes. Y'all are about to get the workout of your lives." They all went inside, with him and Kiba taking one room and the girls taking another.
"Hey, Issei-kun. Would you mind if I ask you something?" Kiba asked while the two were changing. Issei nodded his head. "Do you really think we have a chance at winning?" His voice was serious.
"Over the years, I've learned that anything is possible," Issei replied. "We do have a slim chance. But what I have planned for us will help significantly improve our odds."
"I hope you are right.
The brunette flashed his friend a smile. "I can promise you this, Kiba. By the end of these ten days, even you will be impressed by how far you've come."
When everyone was outside, Issei and Kiba were both in grey tracksuits. Rias had on something similar, though hers was red, while Akeno, Koneko, and Asia wore regular gym clothes. "All right, before we start training in earnest, I'm gonna need to get a better idea of what you all can do. We're gonna have a mock battle. All of you against me," he explained. "A word of warning, though: You will need to take this seriously and not hold back. Treat this like an actual combat assignment. You have ten minutes to strategize," whirling around, he went into the forest.
Not too long later, Issei, whose eyes were closed, quickly snapped open when he sensed someone coming up on his left. (Boost!) his Boosted Gear materialized and blocked the incoming sword. Seems like Kiba would be his first opponent. "Remember what I said, Kiba. Don't hold back."
"As you wish," with incredible speed, Kiba dashed toward Issei, swinging his sword. With every slash, Issei would dodge and parry before striking back. He had to admit that his friend's technique had gotten slightly better, noticing that his strikes and overall speed had improved since the last time they sparred together.
However, Issei noticed that Kiba's attack patterns were still predictable. When the blond-haired Knight tried to thrust his sword into Issei's chest, he caught it with his Boosted gear and crushed th blade before delivering a kick to his chest. Kiba managed to catch himself from skidding back any further, and just after he created a different sword, Issei delivered a few jabs to his stomach and a quick uppercut before cartwheeling away.
A minute after putting some distance between him and Kiba, Issei stopped backflipping and got ready for his next opponent. This particular opponent was Koneko-chan, who approached him from behind an axe kick. Yet his advanced sense of smell alerted him to her presence, and he rolled to the left, swept her legs out from under her, and kicked her away. True to her piece as a Rook, she immediately got back up and started attacking with a fury of kicks and punches. The white-haired Rook's fighting style seemed comprised of Boxing, Taekwondo, BJJ, and Muay Thai, and her small size made it somewhat difficult for Issei to attack her. Issei silently wondered why she wasn't using her senjutsu to enhance her strikes. The two continued trading blows, though Issei could tell she was growing tired, as she couldn't land a decisive blow against him.
From what he could tell, she was undoubtedly a power type, though that was to be expected since she's a Rook. But what got his attention was that even if her strikes were powerful. They were slow—too slow for a Rook. He would need to do something about that. Fending off a combination of punches and kicks, he quickly caught her left leg when she tried to do a roundhouse kick. Then, with a quick spin, Issei threw her into an approaching Kiba, who barely managed to catch her. The Knight and Rook looked at each other before assuming their combat stances.
"Please tell me this is not the limit of your abilities, as I have become bored," he mocked. "At the very least, try to make this more of a challenge or make me pull out my Balance Breaker."
Kiba tightened his grip on his sword and responded, "if that's what you want, Issei-kun, then so be it," charging right in with Koneko following behind.
Smirking, Issei raised his left hand into the air as Ddraig started increasing his power (Boost) (Boost) (Boost) (Boost) (Boost) (Boost) (Boost). A large red ball of demonic energy was shot into the air as Kiba slashed his sword at Issei. The brunette boy rolled under the incoming strike, appearing behind Kiba, then doing a back kick that knocked the blond boy down and jumped over what would have been a powerful punch from Koneko-chan.
"Dragon scattershot!" Issei raised his hand at the ball of demonic energy and clenched his fist. The large ball then broke off into several smaller balls of energy and rocketed toward the ground. Kiba and Koneko managed to get out of the way, but attacking them was not what Issei had in mind. Even though the two managed to avoid the scattered beams, they did create a large amount of smoke that blanketed the area when they impacted the ground. This was all a part of Issei's strategy.
After taking a couple seconds to do something clever, Issei nimbly moved out of the way of an incoming strike from Kiba. He backflipped in the opposite direction, avoiding a few more slashes, eliciting Kiba to follow him. When it seemed like Koneko was about to follow, the petite girl was quickly forced to block an incoming spinning tornado kick.
"What the—How are you here when you're fighting Kiba-senpai?" The normally expressionless Koneko was shocked to see Issei standing a few feet from her.
"That is not something you need to be concerned with at the moment," Issei clocked his tongue. "The only thing on your mind should be how you intend to contend with me," racing forward, he went to deliver a powerful combination of kicks, knees, elbows, and punches.
Koneko found herself being pushed back against Issei's assault as she was slowly losing ground. The petite girl could hardly predict his movements, but thanks to her enhanced defensive abilities, she could more or less defend herself. She didn't believe it at first, but Issei's skills in melee combat were indeed at a master's level. Then, suddenly, a handful of explosions were heard, meaning that Kiba was in trouble. However, since her hands were full, there was nothing she could do. When she tried to throw a punch at his chest, he caught it in a vice grip and kicked her in the stomach and the face before throwing her to the side. Incidentally, Kiba was thrown in the same direction, colliding hard against each other.
With both of them out cold, Issei looked up to see Asia running toward them. His clone snuck up behind her just as she started healing them. "Sorry, Asia, but I can't let you do that just yet."
Asia squeaked and, before she could speak or turn around, received a neck chop to the neck and was instantly out like a light. "Three down. Two to go," the real Issei said.
"This only leaves Buchou and Akeno-san," the clone added. The two then walked over to their unconscious companions. They quickly jumped away from the others as soon as they heard thunderclaps, and a huge bolt of lightning came crashing down, hitting the ground and causing a huge explosion. "Akeno-san!"
After looking from the big crater to the sky, the two merged back into one, where Akeno and Rias were hovering several feet in the air. Rias immediately sent a large wave of Destruction. Materializing his dragon wings, he ascended into the air and avoided the blast. "I'll have to admit that was a decent strategy. Let Kiba and Koneko-chan face me first to exhaust me of my strength, and then have Akeno attack me with a powerful blast of lightning," his lips formed a smile. "A good idea in theory. I was almost surprised."
"Glad you're impressed. But now you will face the both of us, and this time, your tricks won't work on us," said Rias. She and Akeno then used a combination attack in which Rias would create a large magic circle and Akeno another large blast of lightning that grew in both power and size when it passed through.
"Not bad," Issei grinned as he created a large magic circle and infused it with his demonic lightning. When the lightning-infused blast connected to his shield, he used his shield to grip hold of it and twisted a full 360, turning it back on both Rias and Akeno. The two created some magic shields to protect themselves and were pushed back a little. Luckily, their shields held, though it was a struggle for them. Issei's grin then went into a smirk, "color me impress. You two actually managed to defend against that. Well, now let's see how the two of you do against my attacks."
(Welsh Dragon! Balance Breaker!) Ddraig shouted. Issei was enveloped in a red demonic aura and was instantly in his scale mail armor. Rias stared at him in surprise. "Since when can he do a balance breaker?"
Kicking things off, Issei sent two dragon shots at them, which they barely managed to dodge. (Jets) (Boost) Boost) (Boost) (Boost) (Boost) they heard Ddraig say, and to their shock, Issei flew to them with great speed. Before either could react, Issei appeared behind Rias and sent her flying to Akeno when his tail hit her in the stomach. He then sent another demonic blast, but Akeno managed to shield the both of them.
The King and Queen knew this was about to get more difficult. Thus, they sent in their respective powers at Issei. All the while, he was evaluating their skills and how well they were using their powers. Issei could definitely feel their intentions as they were fighting with everything they had. Arguably, their teamwork was impressive as they could chain their attacks together. That and they were pretty good on their own, which was also a plus as the two of them proved that they could fight and defend themselves should they be separated.
The mock battle between them continued for a half-hour, with Issei finally putting some distance between them and him. He could tell they were extremely tired and were running on fumes as their magic reserves had been drained. Meanwhile, Issei was only panting a little bit. "I must say the two of you have done better than I thought you would. However, I believe it's time we bring this to a close."
"Ara, ara Issei-kun," Akeno began after getting her breathing under control. Her shrine maiden uniform was torn slightly in places. "You really are powerful. I'm nearly tapped out."
"Let's make it official then," he answered. (Boost) (Boost) (Boost) (Boost) (Boost) (Boost) (Boost). "Dragon Explosion!" He created a large demonic ball and fired it at the two, who put what little power they had into creating some magic shields. The ball of demonic energy exploded and blew away their shields like they were tissue papers. Another ball of demonic energy exploded behind them while they were completely drained and exhausted. The explosion would have sent them plummeting to the ground had it now been for Issei and another clone of his appearing out of the forest to catch them in time.
"I think that will be enough for now," the real Issei said as he sat Rias down next to Koneko-chan while Asia was tending to her. His clone put Akeno next to her, and the two merged back into one. He then reached into his dimension storage space and pulled the box full of phoenix tears. Then, using four vials, he dropped a tear on each of them to restore their individual strengths and heal them of any injuries. "All right, that should do it. Now that I know what you all can do, I can assign your training regimes. Here's some free advice: You people better take a breath because these next couple of days, you all belong to me."
"Oh, Maou, save me," Rias whispered, then looked up at him. "What do you have in store for us?" In response, he gave her a mischievous smile.
"We will get to that later," his voice was calm and neutral. "But for now, I want to give you a rundown of what I saw today. Starting with you, Kiba."
"What about me?" The group's Knight looked up.
"From what I saw today, the times we sparred and our encounter with that stray Devil Viser. I see that you're a technique fighter. You have great skills as a Knight; however, you must realize your biggest problems and learn how to reduce them. Overall, you have great speed, and your strikes are fast and sharp but far too linear and predictable. As long as a person can get the timing down fighting, you will be a piece of cake. Furthermore, they lack power. So we will be working on increasing your speed, strength, and stamina and making you less predictable," Issei explained but held up a hand when Kiba was about to speak.
"That is only the beginning of your weaknesses. Your next problem is your mentality, which will tell your enemy your intentions."
"What do you mean, Issei?" Rias asked.
"Buchou, he means that I act too much like a Knight, and therefore, it will be easy for my opponents to read me and see through my attacks and guess what I'm thinking," Kiba answered for Issei.
Nodding his head, Kiba summed it up right. "Indeed, and being predictable will make you vulnerable," Issei silently wondered if this was how his old mentors felt whenever they would lecture him. Shoving that in the back of his head, he continued, "We now come to your defensive skills. You may be a Knight, but your defensive skills are pretty good. However, I do recommend that you be more nimble and to use that power of yours. When you fought my clone, you made several swords appear out of the ground. I take it that is your Sacred Gear?"
"Yes, I have the ability to create swords at my will. It's called Sword Birth," Kiba explained. "In other words, I can make any type of magic sword I want."
"A handy type of Sacred Gear," Issei acknowledged. "Tell me, can you guide the swords you create?"
"I never tried it before. But if you think it will help us, then I'll practice."
Issei then looked at Asia. "All right, Asia, it's your turn."
"Yes," she seemed a little nervous.
"You are more of a support type, and as a Bishop, you have the potential to have a degree of magic. Since your Sacred Gear is Twilight Healing, that means you can heal us should we get injured. That makes you very important and puts you at a real risk."
"What do you mean?" Asia asked.
"As it is, your ability to heal people comes from how much stamina you have; right now, it's low. You will need to work on that as well as develop some skills in regular and elemental magic to be used in your arsenal. To why this puts you at risk aside from Akeno-san, you are the only other one who can do any kind of healing, and if you are taken out, then we will be in real trouble," he explained.
"Okay! I'll work hard," said Asia.
Issei then took a deep breath before moving to the next person. "As for you, Koneko-chan. Your hand-to-hand combat skills are impressive, and your small size will undoubtedly have a real impact. Some of the times when I failed to strike you were largely due to your small stature. So that is an advantage you have. Whenever I would knock you down or send you flying, you'd quickly rebound, showing that your skills as a Rook piece are hard and true. In a sense, you're a power type," Koneko nodded at the praise she received from him. "However, you are failing in two areas. One is that you are too slow. While you may be a Rook and have low speed, there is such a thing as being too slow. You and I will be working to increase your speed in both agility and how to deliver faster and sharper strikes."
Contemplating what he said, she nodded her head. She said. "You said I was lacking in two areas," she said in a monotone voice. "What is the second one?"
"I believe you already know what that is," he said like it was obvious. "Before we began, I specifically told everyone—including you to hold nothing back."
"What are you talking about? I fought with everything I had," Koneko defended.
Raising an eyebrow. "Who are you trying to fool here? I know you are a Nekomata. A Nekoshou, to be more exact," that seemed to crack her normally stoic face as she now looked scared. Rias and Akeno stared at him in disbelief, wondering how he knew. "Guess the cats out of the bag," he did a double-take when he saw the sadness in her eyes and that she began trembling a bit. "Right too soon. Sorry."
"How did you know?" She asked in a shaky voice.
Thinning his lips, ". . .I am a dragon and have heightened senses. No matter how hard you were trying to suppress it, I could sense something feline about you," he answered honestly. "Also, you demonstrated the qualities of a cat on a few occasions. The first was when you caught a whiff of my scent around the blood of the Fallen Angel Dohnaseek. Then there was the time you could smell the stench of blood from Viser's victims and Viser herself, and finally, you brought your familiar as you seemed particularly attached to him."
"Obviously, whatever happened has left you traumatized, so I won't press the issue," he placed a hand on her and gently rubbed her head. "No need to feel sad or ashamed. I can help you improve in other ways."
"Thank you, Issei-senpai," she bowed her head from where she was sitting.
Moving onto the Queen, "as for you, Akeno-san. Thanks to your exceptional skills as a magic user, you can be classified as a wizard type. If I had to make a guess, I'd say your skills are on par or maybe a little higher than Buchou's. This is likely due to your piece as a Queen, as you have amazing control over your magic. Where if you were to face Riser's Queen. There's a chance you could defeat her, given that your magical powers and skills are slightly better than hers."
"Ufufufu, that's nice to know," Akeno giggled and smiled at him. "But are there things that I need to improve on?"
"Spot on, and yes. . . To start, there is the issue of you not using your lightning to its fullest, and you will need to be more creative with it. I've noticed how you have been using lightning blasts and streaks. Powerful and effective they are. But it also drains you, thus leaving you vulnerable to a surprise attack. Anyone will be able to sneak up on you and attack you while you're recharging. To mitigate that, I suggest you try condensing the amount of lightning you're using and be more creative, like creating arrows or dragons made of lightning. That will really make you effective in battle, as you'll be able to conserve some magic while simultaneously launching destructive attacks. Think more strategically, and be more conservative."
"Another thing I want you to work on is your usage to the other pieces like your Bishop and Rook piece. Try using other magical elements in conjunction with your lightning. As for the Bishop part, you need to work on your defensive skills, and your lightning will be able to help you do that. Try to use your lightning to create a shield or infuse it into your magic shields and send your opponent's attack back at them."
Rias's eyes widened, "like you did with us. You turned our combined attack back at us. This will also help her conserve her magic power and launch a counterattack."
"Correct," Issei nodded his head. "And last, I want you to improve your stamina." Akeno nodded her head in determination. Then, lastly, he went to Rias. "Buchou, I hate to say this, but you have the biggest problems, so I will need to be extra hard on you."
He raised a hand when she was about to protest. "I am not saying this to hurt your feelings or make you feel inadequate. Just pointing out a fact. You're our King, and if you lose, we're done. As much as it pains me to admit to this, your nephew has better control over his Power of Destruction than you. And it's pretty obvious that you haven't been practicing your skills when using it!"
That hit home for the red-headed girl; it felt like Issei had fired a cannonball into her stomach. While she wanted to protest, she didn't because what he said was practically true. But that didn't mean it didn't hurt her pride. Moreover, she wanted to defeat Riser and protect the members of her household. "How can I improve?"
"You can start by improving your skills and usage in your Power of Destruction. I've noticed quite frequently that you've been sending out large waves of Destruction. Normally, that would work against most foes, but you will most certainly use it if we face someone extremely powerful. Remember, we're due to face someone from the House of Phenex and, therefore, will need every ounce of your strength to make it until the end. . . So, like Akeno, I suggest you stop trying to make a habit out of using large streams and be more conservative. You've seen Lucifer-sama use the Power of Destruction before, have you not? Both in and outside of the Rating Games?"
She fervently nodded her head. She had seen it in person and through recordings of how her onii-sama had used their family's inherent abilities.
"I am not saying you should fight like him, more like see how he uses it and get an idea of what could be used for yourself," he replied. "Try condensing your attacks into large and powerful balls of Destruction. If you create different techniques and refine your skills using your inherent Power of Destruction, you will become a real force to be reckoned with. And remember that you can use it for more than offensive purposes, right?"
Rias immediately caught onto what he was thinking and got a big smile on her face. "By that look on your face, I believe you know what I'm talking about. Good," commented Issei. "However, there is something else we need to go over before we start training. "You do not have that many pieces to work, and while Riser may have a full set, we can still win by making them fight on our terms rather than his. He may be an arrogant and egotistical pig, but he is not stupid. The best way to defeat your opponent is by knowing them. Their origins, how they operate, strengths, and weaknesses. Knowledge is power. Riser believes he has an advantage over you, so we will use that to our advantage."
"Take advantage of what he believes he knows about us and take him down." Kiba then started laughing, "Issei-kun, you really are a Devil."
Issei grinned at him before resuming. "What do you know about the House of Phenex? What is their greatest strength?"
Rias answered, "like the name of their House, they are phoenixes, and therefore they control fire wind, and are immortal."
"Two out of three, not bad," he explained when she gave him a questioning look. "While you're right that they are phoenixes that can control fire and wind, they are not immortal. Rather, it is their regenerative abilities. If you manage to cut off one of their limbs, they can use their fire to immediately regenerate the limb. That is their greatest strength. But it has its limits and will be one of Riser's biggest weaknesses."
"Then we have a lot of work to do," Rias and the others stood up. "Is there anything else we might need to know?"
"One thing. This is very important and could be a major problem for us. What is their hidden treasure? Something they will only be able to produce?"
Rias and Akeno's expressions dropped. "Phoenix tears," they said together. Rias then went on to say, "it is their House's exclusive product. Do you think they will likely use them during the Game?"
"Possibly, though I am not a hundred percent sure," Issei admitted. "I will, however, look into the matter more. All right, that's enough for now," bringing his hands together, "time for us to get started. Come with me."
He took them back to the villa, where he brought out the travel bag he had brought with him. Opening, he pulled out four separate weight vests and tossed them to the others. "Put those things. We will be using them for the duration of the time we are here."
"Um, Issei-san, what are these?" Asia asked.
"They're Beelzebub-sama's latest invention. As its name suggests, the weight vest will help increase your strength, speed, and stamina. Basically, they will be putting a lot of weight on you. You see that dial on the right strap? That's the control. The packs can put up to about six hundred and eighty pounds. You will each start off with a separate amount of weight. Kiba: 120, Koneko-chan: 230, Asia: 80, Akeno-san and Buchou: 150 each." They all turned the dial to his suggested setting and immediately felt heavy. "Let's get to work," grinning evilly.
(0^0)
For the next several hours, Issei had put them through their paces. He created four additional clones of himself and worked with them individually. Needless to say, the Gremories were exhausted. When the sun began to set, he told them to come in, as that would be enough for the day. Extremely relieved, they set their vests back down to zero and took them before sitting at the table while Issei brought out dinner.
"That was good for your first day," filling his plate with food, while the other felt like they could barely move a muscle. "What's the matter with you people?"
"If I do one more sprint, I think my legs might fall off," Rias groaned. The others felt the same and were utterly exhausted. "Is this the kind of training you went through?"
Issei laughed, "believe me, if you received the same training I did, you would find standing up to be the least of your worries as your entire body would feel like it was made of jelly. What your feeling right now is only a fourth of what I went through at Dragons Mountain."
"Oh, Maou," Rias gasped as she could only imagine what he went through. "Anyway, would you mind if I ask you a couple of things?"
"Shoot."
"How do you know Riser and Ravel-chan so well?" Her question made everyone turn to Issei, who's eyes widened. "The way you interacted with them shows there's a history between you and them."
"As you already know, I did contract jobs for Azazel-sama and the four Maous, which meant I would work as a bodyguard, hunt down stray Devils, Stray Exorcists, and Rogue Fallen Angels, or work as a trainer. What you didn't know is that I would sometimes take jobs from some of the Devil Households. That includes the House of Phenex. You can say that I am rather familiar with the members of that particular House. Out of everyone from that clan, I'm more familiar with Riser, Ravel-chan, and Lady Phenex. From what you all saw earlier today; Riser and I have a mutual dislike for one another." He continued to explain the story of he and Riser hardly got along whenever he would be summoned to do jobs for Lord and Lady Phenex. Sometimes, he would have tea with Lady Phenex, and sometimes Ravel would join them.
Then he finally explained how the one time he and Riser fought, and the outcome. ". . .the match between us was close. But I ultimately won. This was three years ago."
"Well, that certainly explains a lot and why he despises you so much," commented Kiba. "You defeating him must have severely damaged his pride."
"Mmhm."
"But there was also something about what Ravel-chan said about you receiving offers to join other peerages. How many did you receive, and why did you turn them down?" Rias enquired, though she felt her heart clench in her chest.
"Nine. I turned them down because I didn't feel any attachments to them, didn't want to feel like a slave, nor did I want to serve under some stuck-up spoiled brat or those old and decrypted idiots on the council. But for me? It's mainly about where I feel like I belong. That's here. A House where loyalty to one another is highly valued."
"Ara ara, well, speaking for all of us, we're happy you turned down the other offers. Having with us will make things a lot more interesting," Akeno gave him a seductive smile and wink.
"I agree," Rias smiled at Issei after shooting a glare at Akeno that said do not even think about it. "But there's something else I like to ask. How is it that you were able to create clones of yourself?"
"In addition to being able to alter our size, a dragon can create a doppelganger of themselves to defend, attack, or confuse opponents."
"That's a handy skill. If you have that in your arsenal, then we'll have more of a chance at victory," Rias said with a big smile.
"There's a catch," he said, shaking his head. "Creating a clone or multiple clones comes with a price, as I have to split my focus and power. So it's best if I use it sparingly."
"That's a valid point, and in the Rating Game, we're going to need all the power we can to win," Rias acknowledged. Her lips formed a wide, devilish smile as an idea popped into her head. "Let's finish dinner, then go have a bath. Issei, would you like to join us?"
His eyes immediately went comically wide as he was coughing since the water he drank went down the wrong way. "O-one. . .more t-time. . .here."
"I asked if you wanted to take a bath with me and Akeno. What you don't want to?"
"I didn't say that. . . I just," he was having a hard time trying to find the right words as his cheeks went red.
"What about you, Akeno? Do you want Issei to take a bath with us?"
"That sounds like a splendid idea, Rias. After all, I would like to take a bath with a real man, ufufufu," a smiling Akeno said.
"Wait, I. . ."
"Asia-san, would you like to join Issei, Akeno, and me?" Rias cut him off while Kiba was trying to hold in his amusement, and Asia blushed heavily.
"S-since it wi-will. . .be with Issei-san, I-I. . wouldn't mind," she gave a timid answer while trying to hide her face in her hands.
"What about you, Koneko-chan?"
The snow white-haired petite Rook blushed a little. ". . . so as he doesn't try anything perverted with me, then I guess it will be alright."
"Would you look at that? Issei-kun is quite popular tonight. Better enjoy it while you can," Kiba was having a hard time trying to control his laughter.
By now, Issei's face was as red as Rias' hair.
Tonight's bath was something Issei would not soon forget as his dragon side and teenage hormones went into overdrive. They were practically screaming for him to do something. The poor boy couldn't tell if this was a gift or a punishment. Either way, it was something he wouldn't forget anytime soon.
(0^0)
Four days later, the Gremories were all sat inside at the table while Rias explained the history and rules of the Rating Games. Since Asia was still new to becoming a Devil, there was a lot she needed to know about how and why such a thing came to be. When done, she went over the ones Riser participated in. "Riser has a win-and-lose ratio of 8:2. Since the Rating Games were first introduced, the House of Phenex has dominated the game. The two losses were on purpose and out of respect for the Devil Houses allied with the House of Phenex. Aside from that, he has never lost a game."
"That is something we are going to change," commented Issei, who stood up. "As I said before, I would look to see if the use of phoenix tears would be allowed. Turns out they're allowed to use them twice per game."
"So we will need to be careful. We will not know who he will give them to," a wave of caution was laced in Kiba's voice.
"Not necessarily," Issei corrected. "Buchou, if you were Riser. Who would you give them to?"
"Hmm," she thought to herself for a minute. "If it were me? I give one to my right hand. The Bomb Queen. Out of all the people in his peerage, she is the strongest and, therefore, most valuable piece. But the other I am not so sure. It could go to either one of his Pawns or Bishops. Akeno, what are your thoughts?"
"Aside from the Queen, I give it to someone I trust, and aside from me, Asia is the only person who can heal someone. I say one of his Bishops might have the last vial," seeming torn between sure and unsure.
"So there we have it," Issei finalized. "Other than the Bomb Queen, Riser will likely give a vial to his onee-chan or other Bishop. However, if we choose to spin it, we will need to be careful."
"You have a plan?" Rias asked after noticing the thoughtful look on his face.
"They involve me against Riser. Other than you, Buchou, he will be gunning for me," everyone looked at Issei with questioning expressions. "My first idea is to just simply kill him, but that will probably cause us some problems from the other higher-ups. Plus, for all his arrogance and idiocy, he is still Ravel-chan's Onii-sama and Lady Phenex's son. So that brings me to my second plan, which involves my proposal to Sirzechs-sama and Ddraig."
Rias eyed him with caution and worry. The tone in his voice suggested that he was going to do something risky. "Wait. I'm not going to like this, am I?"
"No," he bluntly stated.
Issei spent the next half-hour explaining what he was thinking and what he intended to do should everything go as planned. The Gremories just stared at him with both fear and concern. But no one was more concerned or against the idea than Rias. One look on her face told him exactly what she was thinking.
"No! Out of the question!" The red-head shook her head so much that it might have fallen off her shoulders. "I will not allow you to do that. I just got you back in my life and don't want to lose you again!" Rias's entire body shook as she stared at Issei with a mixture of anger and fear. Mostly fear. "How do you even know that will even work or that he will go for that?!"
Closing his eyes. "I don't! But I know Riser wants my head on a pike, and if there is one person that Riser fears above all: It's his own father. With the amount of information I have, Lord Phenex will agree to my terms." He walked to stand before. "Please, Buchou. You have to give me this one. And if—no, when we win, I will pay whatever compensation you deem necessary."
She gripped his shirt. "I do not want to lose you again," her voice shaking and barely audible.
"You won't!"
"Buchou," Kiba stood up. "I believe in him. Please give issei-kun your permission on this."
"Issei-kun has done much for us, and I believe he has earned the right to ask this." Akeno stood up.
"Issei-senpai has helped me improve in more ways than one," Koneko added. Asia stood up as well in support.
Looking at the members of her House, Rias found her conscious to be uneasy. Her brain was working overtime in considering his request. After what felt like forever, she looked deep into his eyes. "Promise me that you will be all right. Promise me!"
"I give you my word as a Dragon and servant that I will survive and defeat that overcooked fried chicken," Issei declared.
As if she was struggling in the inside, Rias finally let go of his shirt. ". . .Fine! But after the Rating Game, you will take me on a date for an entire day."
The brunette leaned in close until his face was mere centimeters away from hers, grabbed her hands, and brought them together. Brown eyes met blue-green eyes. "You will have your date." He then let go and took a couple steps back before using a magic circle to teleport away.
"Ara ara, Rias. You definitely got it bad for Issei-kun," Akeno giggled, much to Rias's embarrassment. "No sense in denying it! I saw the way you were looking into his eyes. Are you sure you don't want to share?"
"Akeno!" Rias cried both from her teenage girl embarrassment and frustration at her female best friend.
(0^0)
Issei appeared in Sirzechs' office with Grayfia standing at his right. Also in the room were Lord and Lady Gremory.
"Ah, Issei-kun. I'm relieved you could come today," Zeoticus looked exactly like his son and daughter with his crimson hair and light blue eyes. The man had a red beard and had the appearance of a young, middle-aged man. "My, you certainly have grown up from the last time I've seen you."
"It's good to see you again, Lord Gremory," then looked at Venelana. "You look as enchanting as ever, Lady Gremory," giving them both a respectful bow.
Venelana giggled at his greeting. "My, Issei-kun, you have grown up into quite the young man. Again, thank you for spending time with Millicas. He needed to get away from the mansion for a while."
"It was my pleasure," his expression then changed into one of neutrality mixed with seriousness. "When is the other party supposed to be here?" He looked at Sirzechs."
"Right about. . .now," answering as the door to his office opened to reveal Lord and Lady Phenex, and behind them were Riser and Ravel. He instantly went into Maou mode. "Thank you, all, for coming on such short notice today. As I am sure both parties are aware, this situation revolves around the agreement between the House of Gremory and the House of Phenex. The arranged marriage between the third son of the House of Phenex Riser and the heiress of the House of Gremory, Rias."
Riser scowled angrily at Issei the minute he saw. "What are you doing here, Hyoudou? Here to meddle in the affairs of your betters again?" He would have said more but received a sharp glare from his father.
Tearing his attention away from the arrogant swine, Issei looked at Lord Gremory. Similar to Riser and Ravel, he had blond hair and blue eyes, except he had a blond goatee, and his presence demanded respect. Standing beside him was his wife, a beautiful young woman who strongly resembled Ravel. The only exceptions were that her hair was longer and done up high with ornate hair decorations, and she had a more mature and curvaceous appearance. "Lord and Lady. I'm glad to see that the two of you are looking well," giving them a respectful bow.
"Hyoudou-san," Lord Phenex returned the gesture with an even look and a curt nod.
Meanwhile, Lady Phenex gave the young man a genuine smile. "It's good to see you as well, Issei-san. My daughter, Ravel, mentioned that you are now part of Rias Gremory-san's peerage and have missed our tea sessions."
"That is true," Issei confirmed.
"Well, then, we will have to set aside some time for the next one."
"As good of an idea as that is. . .There is something I wish to discuss with you, Lord Phenex, and Lord and Lady Gremory."
"You have a grievance with our daughter's engagement to Riser-sama," Zeoticus said in an even tone. "This engagement is important to the future of all Devils. Surely you realize how important this is as we need to increase our numbers and ensure that the old Devil lines remain strong."
"I do," Issei acknowledged. "I also think you all are being too hasty about the matter and have not considered other factors. Especially you, Lord Gremory."
"Explain." Zeoticus raised an eyebrow.
"I have always respected you as both a man and your position in the Devil community. But the one thing I cannot figure out is how someone like you would sell his own daughter off like some cattle to an unworthy piece of filth."
"You believe someone from my House is unworthy of such an honor!" Lord Phenex demanded as his eyes narrowed dangerously at Issei. "My son is a High-ranking pureblooded Devil, and you are a Low-ranking Devil. You have got some real nerve speaking to us about what is right and wrong."
Sirzechs interjected when Lord Phenex was about to continue. "That is enough. Let Issei-kun finish what he has to say," ordering in a diplomatic voice. The occupants of the room went silent as Sirzechs gestured for Issei to resume. "Why do you believe Riser-sama is unworthy of my onee-chan's hand?"
"Because the way she described him shows a lot of hatred," Issei began. "But more than that, are you all not aware that Riser is in violation of one of the ancient laws?" That got everyone's attention. Riser looked murderous at Issei.
"That's a lie! Riser would never do anything to besmirch the House of Phenex or knowingly violate the laws. Clearly, this is a ploy to interfere with the future of the Devil race."
"I trust you have the evidence to prove your accusation, Issei-kun?" Zeoticus looked serious.
"I do, actually! Thanks for asking," opening a dimension storage space, he pulled out a briefcase and put it on Sirzechs desk, where he opened it. He then pulled out a folder containing the documents he brought with him. "I have right here unconditional proof that Riser is in illegal possession of two lands that rightfully belongs to Tannin-sama," handing the folder to Sirzechs so he could read it himself.
Lucifer-sama glared at Riser before accepting the folder and pulled out the documents, where he carefully read them one by one. Given by the way his hands were trembling and that his power began to flare showed, he was very angry. Twenty minutes later, he looked with his blue eyes becoming the same color as his hair. "It is as he says," there were gasps from everyone.
"What?! This is a joke. Riser would never knowingly—"
"You will be quiet, Riser," Lord Phenex ordered his son. Riser immediately went pale at the harshness in his father's voice.
"And now we get to you, Lord Gremory," Issei turned to the man. "While I understand that the Devil race has suffered and that we need to increase our numbers, and that my Master is the next Head of your House. You should have at least asked her what she wanted. Was your pride and status as a Lord more important to you than your daughter's happiness and health?"
"Nothing is more important than my daughter!" Zeoticus fiercely declared. "Rias would have had a trust fund and been well cared for! You will remember that she is my heiress and will do what is best for the Gremory clan. Her happiness and well-being are my top priorities."
"Yet you decided to marry her off to someone who'd turn her into a sex object and fuck her seven-way from Sunday. What kind of man. What kind of father would do that to his own daughter? Did you even do your diligence and look into Riser's past relationships?"
"Rias is my daughter as well as my heiress and will do what is best for her House," he said, though his voice harbored some doubt, but the fire in Issei's brown eyes burned.
"That did not answer my question," Issei returned. "Did you look into Riser's past relationships or not? It's a yes or no question." When Zeoticus' eyes looked down and his body tensed, Issei got his answer. Venelana glared angrily at her husband.
"Gremory Zeoticus," the cold edge in her voice showed she was angry. Her husband shakingly turned his head at her to see the dark look she was giving him and knew he was in trouble. "You assured me you looked into everything regarding Riser-sama's reputation."
Lord Gremory swallowed hard and went pale. Venelana then pulled his ear, causing him pain. "You and I are going to have a long talk later," she said, leaving no room for arguments.
Issei resumed when she let go of her husband's ear. "Furthermore, who am I speaking to? Am I speaking to a Lord or a Father? Would you do the same to Millicas? Your own grandson?"
Lord Gremory felt like he was in the lowest pits of hell. The fierce glare he got from his wife intensified and was only matched by the one Grayfia was sending him. Sirzechs is also furious. "What have I done," he looked down in shame.
Issei then turned around and looked directly at Riser. "You may be a High-class and Pureblooded Devil. But I'm more of a man than you will ever be."
"How do you figure that, Hyoudou?" Riser glared at him.
"Because you are an arrogant and overprivileged asshole. Since the day you were born, you had a silver spoon in your mouth and were handed everything on a silver platter. You never had to work hard for anything in your life as it was just handed to you. No one would have looked at you twice if you had not been born into the Phenex clan," The fire in his voice and resolve showed everyone in the room he meant business. "In addition to illegally possessing two plots of land that rightfully belong to an Ultimate-Class Devil like Tannin-sama. You threatened to take my Master back or kill her servants and had your Pawn Mira attack me. Before you try to deny my accusation, you might remember that Grayfia-san was a witness."
Grayfia took that as her cue to speak once eyes were on her. "What Issei-san said is the truth. As a living witness, I can attest to what he says." Sirzechs beckoned her to continue. ". . .Words were said between the two, and the atmosphere in the room was filled with their mutual dislike and powers." She explained what happened in the ORC that day; they gathered in the clubroom.
Lord Phenex was shaking with absolute fury as he looked at his youngest son. "I will deal with you later, Riser! Your mother and I taught you better! Yet you not only disgrace yourself and embarrass our House. You failed to report that the lands you have are supposed to be transferred to Tannin-sama. When he became an Ultimate-Class Devil, he demanded that all the locations capable of producing Dragon Apples be his territory. Failing to have it transferred would have caused a conflict with our clan members and the entire Dragons race," scolding his son. "Those two plots of land will be transferred to Tannin-sama without hesitation."
"That may solve part of your problem but not mine," Issei sharply retorted.
"Talk," Lord Phenex glared at Issei.
"Tannin-sama is furious and is moments away from declaring a war between members of his tribe and the House of Phenex. Believe me that is the last thing either of us wants. So, I have a proposal."
Go on," Sirzechs inclined his head.
"I would like to add another clause to the marriage agreement made by both Houses. As what has been discussed and agreed upon, the matter of Buchou's and Riser's engagement will be settled through a Rating Game. Therefore, I am offering an additional prize to the victor," Issei's voice was firm and showed no weakness. "If my Master and her Peerage win, Riser will pay whatever compensation Lord and Lady Gremory—more likely Lady Gremory and Buchou demand and issue a sincere written apology toward my Master and comrades. The former because she likely runs the family more than her husband."
"That's for damn sure," Zeoticus muttered, though quickly went silent after receiving a glare from Venelana. Sirzechs and Grayfia looked momentarily amused.
"And what if my son and his team win?" Lord Phenex enquired.
"Then the House of Phenex will be allowed to keep the two plots of land in question and get me!"
"One more time here," Lady Phenex spoke.
"I meant what I said," the brunette replied. "If Riser wins the Rating Game, then the House of Phenex will have the Red Dragon Emperor as their servant."
"Issei-kun!" Sirzechs sharp voice echoed throughout the room as he stood up at full height. "Do you know what you're saying?!"
Issei raised a hand at his friend/ former mentor while locking eye contact with Lord Phenex. "Imagine it. The Red Dragon Emperor is in your service, under your control. Whatever you say. Think about how that can greatly benefit your House! You will be the envy of the entire Devil community and among the other High-Ranking House."
"Whatever I say?" the man questioned.
"Yes!"
"The noble House of Phenex does not need the Red Dragon filth," Riser spat.
His father sent him a withering glare. "Riser," his voice made his son shudder. "After everything you've done, you're going to give orders?"
Riser fervently shook his head no and bowed. "No, father. Please forgive me."
"Lord Phenex," Issei regained the man's attention along with Riser's. "If your son wins, you can still prove your House's strength and get me. Whatever your orders are will be accepted with argument."
Ravel was literally bouncing up and down with delight on her face. Lord Phenex pulled his wife away to discuss the matter more thoroughly behind a magic shield. The two did not reappear until forty-five minutes later. "The terms are accepted."
Issei then turned to Zeoticus-sama and Venelana-sama. "What say the two of you?"
Both were shocked at what he was proposing. Sirzechs had to forcefully be restrained in his seat by Grayfia. Zeoticus soon responded. "You're willing to go through all this trouble just for my daughter, even though she hardly has a chance at victory?"
"How about you look into my eyes and tell me for yourself," Issei returned and stood directly before Lord Gremory.
Zeoticus silently admitted to being impressed with the fire in Issei's eyes and his resolve. The two stood there for a long minute, unwilling to break the stare off.
Then finally, Lord Gremory said, "so be it, Issei-kun. As the Head of the House of Gremory, I, Gremory Zeoticus, agree to his proposal."
"Then I believe our business here is concluded. Lord, Lady Gremory, Lucifer-sama," he and his wife gave them with respectful bows along with their son and daughter repeating the same process before taking their leave.
"You got balls, Issei-kun. I hope you are aware of what you just did," Zeoticus showed concern behind his serious expression.
"I do," taking a couple steps back. "Lord and Lady Gremory," then turned to Sirzechs and Grayfia. "Sirzechs-sama, Grayfia-san," giving them a respectful bow before using a magic circle to teleport away.
"You have to admire his passion," commented Sirzechs. He then added, "he is as stubborn as ever."
"I'll say," Zeoticus agreed. "He is willing to risk everything to protect my daughter, even at the cost of his own life. It takes a strong man to do that."
"Speaking of man," Venelana stepped in and placed a hand on her husband's shoulder. "I know a certain man who will be in the dog house later."
"Why am I getting the feeling that being on the couch will be the beginning of my punishment," feeling a cold shiver run down his spine.
"Oh, you will get yours," Venelana promised. An evil smile appeared on her beautiful face. "Come along!" She ordered, leading him out of their son's office.
A/N: The members of the Gremory House are at the villa training for their upcoming Rating Game against Riser. It makes sense that Issei would be in charge since he has the most battle experience and can help them improve. His being able to create clones himself is something I got from Tien Shinhan from Dragon Ball Super and a few other High School DxD fanfictions I've read. What do you all think of his proposals?
Next Chapter: Training is over. The Rating Game Part 1