Chapter 18: Playing Games
The scene Naruto, Gabriel, and Irina came upon was one of pure chaos. The central command at the Vatican had directed them to their most contested battlefield, it seemed. It was only proper when one considered the strength of the former two. Sadly, it also caused a great deal of annoyance.
"This is not how I wanted to visit Milan," griped Naruto.
Irina looked at him questioningly. She asked: "Is this really the time for such comments?"
"Any time is appropriate with the right mindset," said Naruto as he threw kunai knives in seemingly random directions.
"Please focus," said Gabriel. "People are dying."
"I'm already laying the groundwork," said Naruto. "Deploying seal."
Ink patterns spread from the kunai he had thrown. They quickly spread through the entire section of the city the three of them could see and covered everything except the trio. A pulse then emerged from each kunai. As soon as it touched any living being, they ceased all manner of movement and stayed wherever they were, even in the air. It rendered everyone incapable of attacking, but it also made them impervious to damage. Such was the intended effect of the seal matrix. There was nothing better to get a read on a chaotic situation than a temporal stasis field.
"We have thirty seconds to analyse the battlefield," said Naruto. "I only had one set of these on me."
That time was sorely needed. The chaos of battle was only one reason for it; for it seemed that someone had deliberately gone out of their way to make it worse. A lot of the attackers wore the same uniform and wielded the same weapons as the defenders. Friendly fire was practically guaranteed; from both sides. The conclusion was that every hostile here was expendable.
I could've guessed. They're all quite weak, thought Naruto.
"This is a distraction. Their strongest force is attacking somewhere more important," he said to the two Angels next to him.
"They are in the vault," said a familiar voice.
Naruto looked to his right, spotting Hinata easily. His "ghostly" wife had been mostly absent for the past week. She had gone scouting, according to what she had said. This had clearly not been a lie, it seemed.
"You're sure?" he asked her.
Hinata nodded.
"Then we shall head there," said Gabriel. "Irina, join our side here. The enemy elite is probably beyond you."
"Yes, Lady Gabriel!" replied the girl.
This left the three adults to bypass the temporal bubble and head for the vault. Their pace was fast, and their journey to the Duomo of Milan, below which the vaults apparently were, barely took a few seconds. There were near a hundred corpses, all of which belonged to exorcists and clerics. It was a picture of the enemy's strength, and all the more reason to hurry.
"The outer perimeter has already been overwhelmed," commented Gabriel with a frown. "We must hurry. The contents of the vault cannot be allowed to fall into enemy hands."
Naruto nodded in assent, yet the circumstances posed a question. He voiced it: "What even is in there that it would attract that kind of response? The enemy's gotta know that any troops they've sent here are basically dead, and they've sent thousands. Michael's not gonna let this fly."
Neither was he for that matter. He had already given the signal for five battalions to converge on Milan. There would be no escape for the enemy if they stayed longer than the hour it would take to get them here.
I'll have to deploy another division sooner than I'd thought. I might as well get both mobilised, he considered.
Gabriel answered his earlier question with some reluctance: "… The vault contains artefacts and research notes pertaining a… severely restricted practice."
"Is it necromancy?" asked Hinata.
Gabriel nearly fell out of her flight at that question.
"… Yes," she said with some hesitation. "How did you come to that conclusion?"
Hinata answered: "I'm dead and am friends with a Death God. I can sense such things if I'm near enough. Additionally, the Bible outright admits that God was a master of the art; Lazarus comes to mind. Resurrection is the pinnacle of necromancy, after all."
"Most people miss the implications of that passage," said Gabriel.
Naruto laughed. "We're Shinobi, and we're damn good at that. We don't miss things like that so easily."
They moved as they spoke. During their conversation, they had reached the entrance to a hidden underground complex and gone past it. The winding corridors of the facility were somewhat difficult to navigate – reminiscent of Orochimaru's old hideouts – but Gabriel knew her way around the place. Their fast-paced trek continued until they encountered a barrier.
"This not part of the defences," said Gabriel with a frown. "The enemy means to keep us out."
Naruto placed a hand on the barrier, only for his hand to slip through. "Huh. That's strange. Nothing's different on the other side."
Gabriel tried to imitate him, but her hand did not pass through. Instead, the barrier glowed gold, and she felt a small draw on her power. She retracted her hand immediately.
"This is a self-reinforcing barrier that absorbs the power of those it bars," she concluded. "There is a Sacred Gear with that effect, but for it to be this strong… They must have charged it with the battle above. All the Angels fighting there and the holy energy in the blessed weapons must have given it plenty of power."
"Then how is it that I get through effortlessly?" asked Naruto.
"The barrier cannot stop humans," answered the Seraph.
Hinata hummed. "So Naruto and I can get through," she said.
Gabriel nodded and replied: "It seems so. Be quick, then, and protect the vault's contents."
Naruto and his spectral wife nodded and passed the barrier with no further comment.
A short sprint led them to an ongoing battle. On one side were exorcists trying to defend the vault. Their effort were not all that successful, seeing as the heavy vault doors were smashed to pieces. The exorcists themselves were also not doing too well. Dozens were dead, and only a handful were still standing. Their opponents, however, were faring a lot better. They were a group of young men, accompanied by one young woman. Most of them wielded swords or other weapons that emanated a surprising amount of power. None of them looked even winded.
Hinata glanced at Naruto before she disappeared through a wall. He deciphered her intention with no issue. She wanted to scout the vault while he distracted the attackers. That was fine with him. He could be very distracting. It was no bother for him to do so while his wife sifted through the records and artefacts of the necromantic studies conducted here.
"Looks like I arrived on time," he said, announcing his presence.
To emphasise the point, he flexed his four additional, golden arms and let the halo appear on his head. The action seemed to startle the attackers.
"Georg, I thought that subordinate of yours kept all the Angels out," said the one in the lead.
He bore a spear with a strong holy aura, which contrasted heavily with his outfit.
Why do people in this world go into combat wearing school uniforms? This is ridiculous, thought Naruto.
At least the jumpsuit he had worn as a kid had been sturdy and full of useful pockets. Since then, he had only upgraded. Metal mesh undershirts had been standard even in his youth, and now he wore state of the art armour, including a helmet. As far as he could tell, however, this sort of common sense was absent in his opponents.
"The barrier is unbroken. Whoever this man is, he is not an Angel," said one of the attackers in response to the first's statement.
Naruto laughed. "Got it in one. Anyone can be powerful with the right attitude and a bit of luck," he said. "That's beside the point though. You're not on the guest list here. I gotta ask you guys to leave."
"We'll have to decline," said the one with the spear.
The armoured Shinobi laughed and said: "I'm gonna evict you, then."
Taking a page out of Metatron's book, he quickly manifested kunai made of light and threw them at the group of attackers. He knew they were all human thanks to the unintentional slip-up of Spear Boy, so he knew that he did not require earth-shattering force to harm them. Only very few humans had reliable body reinforcement techniques in this world, after all. There was no need to come on stronger than with his initial barrage.
His opponents proved that they were at least quick enough to counter, however. The faster ones evaded; the stronger ones blocked. Spear Boy, a white-haired swordsman, the mage called Georg, and the blonde woman were among the latter. They blocked the kunai with their own weapons, shielding their comrades in turn. That much was to be expected from a group who had eliminated such a contingent of exorcists as the one lying defeated in this hall.
Spear Boy then countered. He swung the spear, unleashing a beam of concentrated holy light. It was carefully aimed so as not to damage the foundations of the Duomo in case Naruto proved capable of dodging, which he did. The blast missed and instead shot down a corrido before impacting against a wall out of sight.
Naruto retook the initiative by generating shuriken made of light. As he threw them, he flashed through hand signs.
"Mass Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu," he announced.
It was unnecessary to do so, but if the enemy were to believe that it was necessary, he would not be correcting them.
The Jutsu activated, multiplying the six thrown shuriken by a factor of a thousand. In this enclosed space, that equalled a veritable wall of light heading towards the group of attackers.
"Shit!" exclaimed one of them.
Spear Boy's spear released a much more intense glow now than before. He thrust his weapon forward, releasing another beam of light at the incoming shuriken. The beam hit.
Boom!
A massive explosion tore through the room. The air pressure blew up dust, obscuring the vision of everyone present.
Naruto made use of this distraction. He quickly summoned Shadow Clones, who then gathered up the fallen and wounded exorcists before evacuating them via teleportation seals.
Those were technically an evolved form of the Flying Thunder God Jutsu his father had used, but the name was not fitting for Naruto's invention due to the way it worked. His Jutsu required not only a seal at the target destination but also on the person or object which was to be transported. It allowed him to teleport objects other than himself without having to teleport himself as well. That made it the perfect tool for the evacuation of non-combatants.
He was not the only one to use the dust cover to move. When it cleared, the remaining few exorcists were next to him, and so was Hinata. Something was different about her as compared to before, but he ignored it for now. His senses did not deem it malicious, so it was a problem for later. More important was the reason for her and the exorcists' proximity.
Hinata spoke up: "The vault's contents have been evacuated."
"Good," said Naruto. "Then all we have to do is clean up."
"There is no need," said Spear Boy with a scowl. "If the vault is empty, there's nothing worth fighting for anymore. We're leaving. Georg, do your thing."
Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Do you think we'll let you?"
Spear Boy smirked as a strange mist enveloped him. "Do you think you can stop us?"
Then the mist was gone, and so was he. The rest of his group disappeared in the same manner.
"What a spoilsport," said Naruto. "Anyway, let's meet up with Gabriel and finish the battle up top."
"That would be a good idea," said Hinata.
Naruto then addressed her: "By the way, Hinata. What happened to you? You feel different."
"Oh, that," she answered, "I phased through the shards of a broken cup before I sent them away with your seal. It must have been some sort artefact. I feel tingly all over."
"D-did you just say a broken cup?" asked one of the exorcists.
"Yes. Why?" she asked back.
"Those were the remains of the original Holy Grail," said the exorcist. "Its powers are mystical. Anyone who drank from it would be miraculously healed of all wounds, illnesses, and ailments. Rumours said even the dead could return to life if they drank from it."
"Wait a second," said Naruto. "Isn't the Holy Grail Sephiroth Graal? I remember that being mentioned when I researched holy relics."
The exorcist shook his head and answered: "Sephiroth Graal first appeared decades after the original Holy Grail broke from wear and tear. It imitates the original's abilities and never breaks, but the user must instead bear the cost of the power, or so the records claim."
"Huh. Interesting," muttered Naruto.
He would devote some time to study the matter and how it affected Hinata, but that was for later. There was a battle to finish.
"I started it; I have to see it through," Koneko told herself.
She was hyping herself up for a conversation she was not looking forward to. It had been looming over her these past few days. While training had still continued, they had been winding down and finalising it near the mansion instead of going back to their training areas. That had put her in close proximity to the others, including Akeno.
The [Queen] of the peerage was the source of her current anxiety. Konko was well-aware that Akeno had been dropping extremely heavy hints that she was interested in a relationship with Issei. Now that Koneko had openly voiced her own interest to not only Rias but Issei as well, there was a potential spot of trouble she wanted to head off. She only hoped Akeno would be understanding.
I'm not backing out of it. Not the… the harem, and not this conversation, she thought to herself.
Finally, she gathered her resolve and knocked on Akeno's door.
"Come in," she heard Akeno say.
When Koneko entered the room, she came upon its sole occupant sitting on the bed in her sleepwear. It was a sheer nightgown that did little to hide the attractive body beneath it. She was not surprised that Akeno had chosen such a seductive thing to wear to bed; it fit her personality. Considering the time, sleepwear was normal too. Koneko had planned for this to be a late-night conversation.
As she saw the Nekoshou enter, Akeno said teasingly: "This is a surprise. What brings you to me, Koneko? Does my cute Kouhai want to cuddle with me?"
"I'm tempted," said Koneko in a deadpan voice. She schooled her features and continued: "But no. I have something to discuss with you. It's important."
Akeno's face turned serious as well. She asked: "What is it?"
Koneko struggled to find the right words, but she answered nonetheless: "… There's no easy way of saying this. I… think I've… accidentally stolen the third spot you wanted."
The dark-haired girl frowned. "What exactly do you mean?" she asked.
"Back on the train, you said that you wouldn't mind the third spot… with Ise," explained Koneko.
Akeno blinked. "Oh," she said. "Wait. Does that mean you-"
"Yes," said Koneko. "I… have come to realise that I like Ise. A lot. When Kuroka and Bikou showed up at that part, he and Rias came to defend me. That's when I figured it out, and… I might have told them I want to join the harem."
"Oh my," said Akeno in genuine surprise. "That was unexpectedly bold of you."
"… You're not upset?" asked Koneko worriedly.
Akeno shook her head. "Of course not."
"But that 'third spot' you were talking about seemed really important to you," said Koneko with some confusion.
Akeno laughed softly and replied: "I won't lie and say I wasn't looking forward to it, but it was never that important."
Koneko frowned. "Then why did you emphasise it so much on the train?"
"Let me tell you a secret," Akeno explained. "Rias loves being challenged. She's really competitive, and she tries all the harder when someone challenges her. So, when I challenge her relationship by getting close to Ise…"
She trailed off, and Koneko finished the train of thought: "… Rias jumps ahead to secure her lead."
Akeno nodded. "Exactly."
"Okay. That explains some things, but I don't get your reason," commented Koneko.
"Another secret then," said Akeno. "Rias is important to me. Her happiness means much to me. She's my best friend, and I'll stay beside her for the rest of my life. I've known for years that this would mean we'd be in a harem together. She's found someone compatible in Ise; both for her and for me. It's in all our best interest to help that relationship along, even if I'm not ready yet."
"… What?" asked Koneko.
Akeno smirked slightly and answered: "Ufufufu, Rias won't admit it, at least not openly, but she likes the way Ise stares at her. It strokes her vanity and pride something fierce to have his lustful gaze fixated on her. He's not unique in that, but his personal adoration for her as Rias instead of the Gremory Princess is the small but important difference."
Koneko took a moment to process that information. She said: "That is good to know, but I was more curious about why you said you weren't ready. You usually seem… plenty ready around Ise."
"That's because I'm a horny pervert," said Akeno bluntly, surprising Koneko. "But I have issues. I have trouble dealing with them, but I'm not unaware. I don't think I'm ready for a relationship until they're resolved. That's why I'm not mad at you for jumping ahead of me. Well, so long as you keep a spot open."
"… I see," said Koneko with some relief.
"… You're on your way to their room, right?" asked Akeno.
Koneko blushed, but she did not deny it. "… Yes. How did you know?"
Akeno looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "It's just about bedtime; Ise, Rias and Asia are most likely in their room; and you're walking around the house in nothing but your panties and a bra under that bathrobe," she pointed out.
The Nekoshou blushed. "Am I that obvious?"
Akeno laughed and said: "You're adorable. Now go, or they'll start without you."
Koneko's blush intensified, but she followed Akeno's advice.
.
Some time later, she arrived at Asia's room, which the former nun shared with Rias and Issei. They were clearly already busy, as the muffled sounds indicated. And Koneko was about to enter. her heart beat like a drum as she steeled herself for the second anxiety-inducing conversation of the night.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained. It's only forward from here on out, she reminded herself.
Then, just as she had done at Akeno's room, she knocked.
This time, it was the hesitant voice of Asia that answered: "Y-yes?"
"It's me, Koneko. Can I come in?" asked the Nekoshou.
After a short pause, Asia answered with a nervous voice: "Y-yes. Feel f-free."
Her own nervousness mounting, Koneko entered. The interior was more or less what she had expected in terms of decoration, but that was not what held her focus. What she was interested in were the three distinct shapes in the bed. It was not just Asia in there but also Issei and Rias.
So I assumed correctly. Good. That makes this a bit easier, she thought to herself.
"What brings you here?" asked Rias.
Koneko took a deep breath, and then answered: "I'm here to get your answer."
Rias looked at her quizzically. "I'm not quite sure what you're speaking of."
"The harem," said Koneko, feeling her pulse quicken. "I told you I wanted to join."
A look of realisation came over the redhead. Asia looked surprised. Issei appeared much the same, but Koneko could feel excitement and happiness as well through a small application of Senjutsu. It was a precautionary measure on her part. She wanted to verify their responses. It would defeat the purpose of a relationship if they only agreed to avoid hurting her and not because they genuinely wanted her in.
"So I didn't dream that up!" said Issei excitedly. "I'd love to have you! It's not just my decision, though."
His response was honest to a fault as far as Koneko could say without entering Sage Mode. It suited him. That honesty was something she deeply appreciated about him. It was a good sign for her that he wanted her, and she felt anticipation build inside of her.
Asia spoke up next: "I don't mind. I've seen how you look at Ise."
Those words made Koneko blink in surprise. She had not thought she had been particularly obvious. Either she had been mistaken or Asia was far more perceptive than she had assumed.
"… You did?" she asked.
The blonde girl nodded. She said: "It was easy to see that you like him. That it went beyond that was less obvious until the hot spring."
She blushed hard at remembering that event. Koneko did so too.
The things I saw…, she thought.
She then turned to the one who had not said anything yet. "Rias?"
"There is something you should be aware of before I can answer you," began the redhead. "This relationship is not just Asia and I being with Ise. She and I are together as well."
To emphasise her point, she put a hand to the back of Asia's head and drew her in for a short but intense kiss.
Koneko studied it with intrigue. She bit her lip as a thought went through her: I want that too.
When Rias withdrew from the blonde girl's lips, she turned back to Koneko and said: "You won't have to indulge in that aspect of the relationship, but if you cannot accept this, I can't allow you to join us."
The Nekoshou's breath nearly hitched because of how nervous she was. She was embarrassed, but she would have to be honest; and considering what she planned to do this night, it was also necessary.
"Rias," began Koneko bluntly, "I'm bisexual."
"Oh," said Rias. "So you don't mind?"
"The only thing stopping me from jumping you right now is that I want to do it to Ise first," admitted Koneko.
Rias looked at her in genuine surprise, which the other two mirrored. It was enough to halt the [King's] thought processes for a few seconds, but she did eventually speak again. With a slowly forming smile, Rias said: "In that case, join in."
That was the cue Koneko had waited for.
She opened her bathrobe, discarding it to the floor in the same move. It revealed not only her recently acquired curves but also the toned muscles she had built up over the past few weeks of training. They were lean instead of bulky, and she was pleased to see that Issei's eyes regarded her body with approval.
As soon as his eyes met hers, she reached for the clasp of her bra and opened it. She threw the piece of underwear away uncaringly, baring her chest to the three watchers. Her breasts had grown to the size of Xenovia's by now and showed no signs of slowing down. It was a sign that she was destined to develop a body similar to her sister's. She was not there yet, but she was big enough to draw very appreciative looks from her soon-to-be lovers.
She hesitated for a second before she took the next step. She nervously hooked her thumbs into her panties and pulled them down. She then stepped out of them and approached the bed.
Both Issei and Asia seemed too stunned to do anything, but Rias smiled and threw the covers off. Koneko's steps faltered as she looked at their naked bodies. She saw Asia's growing curves, Rias' magnificent breasts, and Ise's defined muscles. Then she looked further down and licked her lips.
They're all turned on… and so am I, she realised.
Slowly, she mounted the bed on her hands and knees. She crawled forward, and before she knew it, her body was on top of Issei's. Her eyes gazed into his, and she knew that something was about to happen. Before that, however, there was something she had to say.
"For years I was afraid of what I am," she began. "Others have helped, but it was you who made me realise that my fear was unfounded. Thanks to you, I can be who and what am without worry; because I know that I have a place to belong, no matter what."
Her cat ears appeared on her head, and her tail sprouted from the bottom of her spine. Then she finished: "My place is with Rias and the Peerage… and with you, Ise. I love you."
She bent down without waiting for a response. Her lips met his. He responded to the kiss without delay, probably because he was used to it by now. One of his hands soon reached her head, which he softly patted. The other hand found its way to her chest, and he squeezed.
Their lips separated as she bent her head back and moaned.
"Nyaaaaaaaa~"
That feels way too good, she thought.
Without thinking, she sat up and took Issei's second hand off her head. She put it on her other breast instead.
"More, nya," she demanded, not noticing the her emerging speech pattern.
"Don't forget about us," said Rias. "Didn't you say you wanted to jump m-"
Even as Issei followed her demand and squeezed her breasts, Koneko reached for Rias' hair. She pulled the [King] towards her and smashed her lips on her mouth. She let go of Rias' hair, only to grope the older girl's chest with both hands.
Now I know why Ise loves boobs so much. They feel so good in my hands. I want more, she thought to herself.
After a few seconds, she withdrew and turned away from the dazed-looking Rias to Asia.
The blonde was quick on the uptake, though. With flushed cheeks, she began to enthusiastically kiss Koneko and let the Nekoshou play with her breasts.
The white-haired girl's mind was hazy from her arousal, and her thoughts continued their course in that direction: Smaller than Rias but still so good. By the Satans, I love it.
Faintly, she registered Rias saying: "Goodness, what's gotten into her?"
"I have no idea, but I love it," said Issei as he squeezed Koneko's breasts harder.
She moaned into the kiss she shared with Asia as he did so.
Rias sighed. "Well, it does not matter that much. It's just a side of her I've never seen before."
"That just means our cute Kouhai is full of surprises," said Issei.
"I guess so," said Rias. "Let's enjoy this new facet of hers for tonight. But we should still get some rest. We have a big day tomorrow."
It was the day of the Rating Game now. The Gremory Peerage were gathered in a waiting room within the arena. The match would take place in a special pocket dimension, of course, but projections would be shown in the arena. That made it a good spot to gather not just the audience but also the contestants, VIP guests, the media, and the commenters. As such, it was also the place where one wanted to be if they wanted to arrange a meeting.
Having called ahead earlier that morning, Naruto had asked to meet the Gremory Peerage before the Rating Game began. It was a welcome and convenient surprise for Koneko. She was quite happy to see her mentor again.
"You've grown a lot in the time I've been away," he said by way of greeting.
Koneko blandly replied: "You expected that much, didn't you?"
He smiled and said: "Yes. I did run into your sister some time ago. While siblings don't always end up with similar body types, I thought you'd go the same way as her. Looks like I was right."
Rias shot the man a sharp look, which he ignored.
Leave it to Sensei to not care who hears him spout sensitive information, thought Koneko. She said: "Was that something you were supposed to say? Meeting criminals is pretty shady."
Naruto snorted. "Like it's my fault the idiots forgot to convict her. She's technically not a criminal at all."
Koneko's reply choked in her throat at that statement. It took her a few seconds to come to terms with his… technically correct mental gymnastics. "… I'm not even going to bother."
"Heh, you've got a lot left to learn," he said with a smirk.
"But speaking of meeting Kuroka," continued Koneko, "we had a run-in with her."
"I've heard," replied Naruto.
"She told me to give you this," said Koneko. She handed him her cat-themed clip. "It was given to me by my mother. According to Big Sister, it's a data storage device."
Naruto gained a predatory glint in his eyes as he looked at it. "The missing piece… Yeah, I'm gonna nail those bastards to the wall," he said with a grin.
"Who?" asked Koneko warily.
"A bunch of well-connected morons are about to have a really bad week if this is what I think it is. That's all I'll say for now," answered Naruto. "You have different things to worry about right now anyway."
"That is correct," said Rias. "We have a Rating Game to prepare for."
"That you do, and so do I," said Naruto. "I've been invited to the commenters' booth. Do me proud out there, Little One. You too, Pervy Kid."
.
Some time later, the Peerage were already within the Rating Game dimension, and Koneko was indeed determined to make her mentor proud. She would show him what she had learned. The match was a perfect opportunity to do so, after all.
She was already in the midst of her preparations. The size-adjusting seals on the combat clothes she had received from her Sensei had done their job, and so she wore then. They were surprisingly comfortable for protective equipment. She could barely even feel the metal mesh in them. It was a welcome surprise, and it helped her by not adding distractions to her mental preparations.
This was going to be her debut in the official Rating Games. Her performance during the battle against Riser had been a disappointment. She would tolerate no such failure this time.
Her ruminations were disrupted by an announcement.
[Welcome to the first round of the Rating Games of this year's Gathering of Young Devils. I am Grayfia Lucifuge representing the Lucifer group. I shall be the arbitrator of this match.
This game's venue is a replica of a convenience store near Kuoh Academy, a school which the Ladies Sitri and Gremory attend. As such, they are both familiar with their surroundings. The Gremory Peerage's base is located on the east side of the second floor while the Sitri Peerage's base is located on the first floor of the west side. Pawns may be promoted in the opponent's base.
Furthermore, there are special rules and restrictions in place. Both teams have been handed a list of those which apply to them.
The Rating Game shall begin in thirty minutes. Strategising and positioning may take place during this time. Contact between the teams is strictly forbidden until the time is up.]
Koneko spied Rias reading a piece of paper. She assumed that this must have been the information about the rules and restrictions Grayfia had mentioned.
"How badly are we being curtailed?" she asked.
She was under no illusions in that regard. The organisers knew that Sona's Peerage was not suited for combat beyond Stray Devil extermination missions. By comparison, the Gremory Peerage contained a lot of heavy hitters. In a straight match, they would wipe the floor with their opponents. Koneko thus expected the organisers to have levelled the playing field somehow.
Rias answered her question: "It could be worse, but it is quite bad. Here, have a look."
"Yes, that is quite bad," said Koneko as she overlooked the paper.
The conditions of the game clearly ran counter to the Gremory Peerage's strengths. Their newest asset, Gasper, was essentially cripples for one; the use of his Sacred Gear and enhancement via Issei's Blood were forbidden. The other big hitters, which meant Rias, Akeno, and Issei, were also hindered by the special defeat condition. Said condition was the destruction of the building. Considering that the whole Peerage apart from Kiba were known to be brute force types, it seemed that the rules had been tailor-made to negate the majority of their advantages over Sona's group.
Rias sighed. "At least it's good practice for the future. There may be times when we must capture buildings intact. Additionally, we do have a few things on our side. The vial of Phoenix Tears-"
"-is something our opponents also have," interjected Yuuto. "It is not much of an advantage at all."
"You are not wrong," conceded Rias. "This will be tough. All we can do is to deal with it to the best of our abilities. I think it is best if we scout the area a bit and then come up with a fitting strategy."
.
For Koneko, this scouting consisted of her wandering around for a bit to gauge the differences between reality and the facsimile of the convenience store. As far as she could tell, the replica was remarkably close to the original, which meant lots of obstacles and little in terms of clear line of sight. It was not all that surprising, really. The Peerage would have to adapt.
There was not much she could accomplish by continuing, however. She could not go beyond the Gremory side of the building, and there was still the small planning session to be had. Koneko instead decided to use the remaining time to seek out Issei. He was not much of a thinker, so getting a plan from him was out of the question, but he was great at giving moral support.
Among other things…, she thought to herself with a blush.
She shook her head and cleared her thoughts. That kind of thing could wait for later. All she wanted right now was encouragement from her boyfriend.
She found him in the replica of the book store. Unsurprisingly, he was in the erotica section. Also unsurprisingly, Akeno was there as well. The dark-haired was as much of a pervert as Issei, if not more so, and she had a serious romantic interest in him. The way she hugged him from behind communicated as much; even if she had not told Koneko, it would have been quite obvious. The Nekoshou refrained from announcing her presence to them just yet; they seemed to be having a moment, and it would have been rude to ruin it.
"W-what are you doing, Akeno?" she heard him ask.
Akeno answered: "I'm getting courage from you," she said. "I've decided to take the big step. Will you be watching when I release the power I have despised for so long?"
Issei replied without hesitation: "Of course I will. That's a very small price to pay for your peace of mind."
Akeno tightened her embrace. "I'm happy to hear that."
At this point, Koneko decided she could intrude, and so she did. She approached the two of them, and, like Akeno, she wrapped her arms around Issei.
"Koneko?" he asked with some confusion.
"Please give me some courage too, Ise," she said. "I will be displaying my Nekoshou features in public today. I've trained with them, but this is different."
"I see," said the boy.
Akeno chuckled slightly and said: "Koneko and I are in the same boat."
Koneko decided to tease the older girl for once. "Not quite the same."
She then kissed Issei, surprising both him and Akeno.
"Oh my," said the latter of the two.
Koneko looked her in the eyes and told her: "There's more than enough space for you too whenever you're ready to get in that 'boat.'"
Akeno laughed. "The little kitten is growing up, I see. Ufufufu."
The white-haired girl nodded, her face turning serious. "Yes. All fun aside, I'm a bit nervous, but I will be ready. I don't want to turn out like my sister, but I will show everyone that I'm strong now."
"I believe in you," said Issei. "You'll be our Hell Cat out there."
"Hell Cat?" asked Koneko in askance.
Issei defended himself: "I'm not great with names, okay?"
A soft snort from Akeno and a headshake from Koneko answered him. "It's alright. I like it," said the latter. "Let's meet up with the others. Maybe we can come up with a strategy before the Rating Game starts."
"The Gremory team's strategy is… subpar, I gotta admit," said Naruto from the commenters' box.
The Rating Game had just begun. Both teams had launched their plans of action. Sadly for Rias and her Peerage, however, it was not looking good for them.
"Why do you say that?" asked another commenter. He was a Devil of little renown who worked for the broadcasting station which televised the match.
Instead of answering directly, Naruto asked back: "Have you ever fought in a war?"
The Devil shook his head and said: "I have not. I was born some years after the Civil War. Why do you ask?"
"Because what we're seeing here is a tactical error typical for novices," answered Naruto. "A scout you send alone is a scout you lose. Sending Gasper Vladi without support was a mistake that's gonna bite the Gremory group in the ass."
"I see. So you are saying that the Gremory group might lose?" asked the commenter.
Naruto shook his head and replied: "No. Their individual members are far too strong for that. If they didn't hilariously outclass the Sitri Peerage in firepower, though, they'd lose awfully fast. Their tactics are garbage, I'm sad to say."
The commented blinked. "I was under the impression that you trained them personally. Are you not confident in their skills?"
"The only one I trained in any real capacity was Koneko Toujou. I guess Issei Hyoudou would also just barely fit that description. That training was limited to power and fighting ability, though. The instructor that should have given them strategy lessons was Azazel, although that was not strictly his task," answered the Shinobi.
"I see," muttered the commenter. "You mentioned that the Gremory group's tactics are lacking. There has been no fighting as of yet, so how did you reach this conclusion?"
"There are a few reasons," began Naruto. "The one that leads to the others is that Miss Gremory is trying to outwit a person she knows is smarter than her. Miss Sitri is a pretty brainy girl who knows her strengths and weaknesses. Intel and tactics are her biggest weapons, and her opponent is acting in a predictable manner. The Gremory Peerage have separated into groups that can't support each other on short notice. The smart thing to do in Miss Sitri' shoes now is to send in a distraction or two and then dogpile each group separately; and, as I said, Miss Sitri is very smart."
"You are making good points. I can see how their current formation makes the Gremory Peerage prone to ambushes. With the advantages you have outlined, a Gremory victory seems unlikely," commented the Devil.
"I wouldn't say that," said Naruto as he shook his head. "At least half of them have the brute force to push through an ambush, even with the limits imposed by the rules of this game. Without that overwhelming difference in power, they'd be lost, though."
The commenter hummed and then asked: "As a war veteran, you seem to know quite a bit. You mentioned previously that Lady Sitri is intellectually superior to Lady Gremory and commented on her chosen tactics. What is your recommendation for dealing with a smarter opponent?"
"Limit their options," said Naruto. "In this case, if I were in Miss Gremory's position, I would've straight-up abandoned my own base and headed straight for the Sitri base as one force. A big lead group with two smaller ones following not far behind them ensures cover and makes enemy ambushes more difficult. From there on it, I'd expect to be surrounded and attacked. Standard counter-tactics to break encirclements would apply."
"Indeed? Fascinating,2 said the commenter.
Naruto's mind was very much on encirclements at the moment, but they had nothing to do with the Rating Game. His presence here was, as was nearly everything these days, a distraction. The earpiece he wore received several frequencies, not just the one from within the artificial dimension of the Rating Game. It was one of these other frequencies that held his focus now.
[Second and Third Divisions have taken up position. Operation will commence within the minute] he heard via the earpiece.
The operation in question had been prepared for some time. It was conducted by both the Uzumaki troops as well as Ajuka Beelzebub's own forces. Both were disguised as members of the Special Counterinsurgency Task Force, a militarised police organisation under the joint command of Sirzechs Lucifer (Satan of Internal Affairs) and Falbium Asmodeus (Satan of Military Affairs). Some wore the guises of the Secret Service, which was under Lucifer's command alone. That they belonged to the actual Secret Service, which operated under Satan Beelzebub's authority, was a well-kept secret. Naturally, such forces did not move merely at Naruto's say-so. The impetus had come from a much more recent cause.
The hair pin Koneko had given to Naruto barely an hour ago was the crucial piece which had ensured the operation. As soon as he had received it, Naruto had sent it off to the cryptology unit of his forces, who were currently analysis every scrap of data they could find. The results of the analysis were livestreamed to Ajuka as they came in. Two minutes into the still ongoing process, Ajuka had greenlit the operation.
Whatever's on there must have really pissed him off, thought Naruto.
The commenter beside him knew nothing of his ruminations. The man was still engrossed by the Rating Game, which was just now starting to pick up speed.
"The two Peerages have finally met," he said. "Will Lord Uzumaki's predictions come true or not? We shall have to see. All I can say is that this is going to be an exciting game! Do you not agree, Lord Uzumaki?"
Naruto smiled softly, saying in reply: "Yeah, it's gonna be exciting. I'm looking forward to seeing my student put my lessons to the test. Let's leam back and enjoy the show. The game has begun."
And the winner is me, he finished in his head. I get to take down arrogant bastards and watch Koneko kick ass. I should play these sorts of 'games' more often.
AN: Hello there, dear readers! I have returned from the accursed realms of recuperation! From here on out, it's back to the regular schedule.
Things happened this time.
With the Church rebellion ending prematurely, there was time to respond to the Khaos Brigade. They finally revealed their hand. It's the first meeting with the Hero Faction, even if they beat a hasty retreat. Meanwhile, Naruto and Gabriel spend some quality time, though it's not exactly a romantic picnic. On top of it, Hinata comes into contact with a broken cup. What shall the consequences be?
On a side note: DxD canon makes it very clear that the original Holy Grail is most definitely not Sephiroth Graal.
In further news, there has been relationship development! Koneko has stopped lying to herself and courageously jumped into the harem. She's surprised by her amorous wild side too, believe me. There was even time for a small heart-to-heart with Akeno beforehand.
And finally, both the Rating Game and a clean-up operation have begun. Next chapter will, as I envision it, focus mostly on the Rating Game. The raid and the Diodora situation might be involved as well, but that is scheduled for chapter 20 at this point.
At this point, I would like to thank everyone has so far stuck with my story. Special thanks to the followers, those who have favourited, and the reviewers. Thanks to you, this story has passed the milestone of 1'000 favourites.
That was all for now. Until next time. Stay happy and healthy, everyone!
