Ride 17: Re:Assess

29th of April, 2019 AD

"We're here, everyone!" Rias announced as she and the rest of ORC all teleported into the city of Saijō, Ehime Prefecture of the Shikoku Region. "Welcome to our training camp!"

Pandora blinked behind her shades as she looked around the city's coastline. "... Where's the camp?"

Rias then points her thumb towards the mountain at the city's border. "We're hoofing it, everyone."

A few groaned, mainly Takeshi and Pandora. "... Seriously?"

"Think of it as a warm-up before the real Hell begins," Akeno pointed out with a smile. "Teleportation is good and all, but keep in mind, we're technically in Yōkai territory, meaning that we can't do as we please while we're here."

"Not after Re:Live went out of their way to get the current Ryūjin of the Shikoku Yōkai Faction to lease a whole mountain for a week," Rias added as she pulled out her phone to show them the signed agreement. "They may be one of the smallest Factions in Japan, but there's a good reason why they stuck around. Best we don't look this gift horse in the mouth."

I can vouch for the Ryūjin's strength as the real deal, confirmed Grendel before he lets out a drumming chuckle. Half of Ryūgū Palace was leveled, and a third of its populace slaughtered by my hand!

Wait, you can swim?! Takeshi thought as he set down his duffel bags for a moment of rest.

Like I said before, brat, the Evil Dragon of Wrath replied. None shall deny my right.

What he means is that he can hold his breath underwater for over a month while retaining his flames even underneath abyssal depths, Nidhogg claimed. Bizarre, I know. But in this world, stranger things have happened.

I will simply take your word for it lest I vomit out my breakfast. Takeshi grumbles before picking up his luggage. "... So, I have a question. Why are we in the middle of an island region when there are countless other places in Japan where we can hold our training camp?"

"Rating Games tend to be vicious during its preliminary stages," Akeno explained as she picked up her own bags. "Spying, sabotage, the works. I once heard that half of the Peerage got poisoned before their scheduled performance by the other team."

"In a way, the distance helps," Koneko added. "Logistics tend to be a nightmare when you literally have to travel from one side of the country to another."

"Re:Live was very, very insistent on giving both sides their 'fair shake', so really, we're better off than the usual fare," Yuuto pointed out as he picked up his own duffel bag. "As much as we could use one of the President's many estates around this country as our training base, it's probably for the best that we're roughing it."

"Enough dawdling." Rias then walks ahead of everyone while carrying her backpack. "Let's go, everyone!"

The entire Peerage then makes their way towards the mountain at the city's borders, by first walking through the urban streets and bustle of the morning commute.

"... Shame that we can't have a vacation here while it's Golden Week," Koneko remarked as she carried her own supply of clothes for the week. "Maybe we could come back here after we win? Catching the Yosakoi Festival at Kōchi City around August sounds like a good idea. Not to mention the udon here is the best in Japan."

"Let's worry about beating that fuckboy and his harem first before we make any plans," Takeshi pointed out as he lugged two duffle bags around his back. "... Given that I was basically played by Re:Live, I get the feeling that they're not going to be as easy as I first... well, murdered them."

Good, Grendel's voice rumbled. I like prey that fights back. They draw out their own agony without my input.

It'll be an interesting diversion, at the minimum, chuckled Nidhogg. ... Looking forward to it, whelp. Put on a good show.

As soon as the Peerage made it to the foot of Mt. Ishizuchi, a sudden sensation of heaviness filled the ambiance, causing everyone's knees to buckle.

"What the shit?!" Takeshi grimaced as his luggage felt as if they were replaced with dumbbells.

"Alright everyone, this might be our first hurdle," Rias explained as she stamped her feet to get a read on their new environment. "... Gravity here increased threefold, so the rest of our trek here will be an ordeal."

Out of all the members of the Gremory Peerage that struggled under this weight, Pandora was especially having it hard.

"Hey, Pandora!" Takeshi struggled towards the other Knight with a concerned look. "... Shit, you're overburdened. Hold on, let me carry your stuff-"

"No...!" Pandora struggles back up to her feet before resuming her trek. "... I refuse... to drag everyone else down!"

"She's right," Rias, who was ahead of the pack, said out loud. "During the Rating Game, everyone's expected to pull their own weight, no matter how fresh off the boat they are."

Takeshi tries to argue, but then instantly recalls how his first day with ORC went (hint: it involved him nearly dying several times over), so really, he has no room to talk. "... Shit, you're right. My B, President!"

During their hellish trek uphill, the rest of the ORC began to slowly adjust their bodies to this crushing pressure weighing all of them down.

"So..." Takeshi grunted as he and Pandora were behind everyone else, "... Do the other High-Class Devils... have these training facilities... or is the President a rare exception... among her peers?"

"The latter," Akeno answered, being less strained than everyone else. "Most of the high-born High-Class Devils solely rely on their natural talent and whatever few combat experiences they get during their long, monotonous lives. That's why Riser himself was so reassured in his victory... until that happened."

Then [Cataclysm Zone] appears around Takeshi's waist heralded by Grendel's booming cackle, indicating that a dense field of magic was closing in towards them.

"I put the fear of God into that bastard's very heart!" the Evil Dragon of Wrath boasted. "He'll learn that his [Immortality] doesn't exempt him from suffering!"

Takeshi groans. "... Great," he grumbled at what he'd done (due to Re:Live suckering him into it). "Now we can't rely on his personality flaws... to our advantage. Especially if... cooler-me is the one... training him and his Peerage."

"Speaking of whom..." Pandora, still struggling, remarked. "... I wonder how they're all doing?"

Elsewhere...

From a massive gout of flames from a wilderness' clearing, Phenex and his Peerage found themselves in an evergreen forest.

"Dear sister," Riser spoke as he and the others looked around. "... Where the bloody Hell are we?"

Ravel then looks at the travel brochure given to them by Re:Live. "... Apparently, Hokkaido," she answered. "Specifically, near Lake Tōya."

"Good, you're all here on time."

Everyone then looks around sporadically to find where the voice had come from.

"Where are you?!" Mira cried out. "Show yourself-!"

"Boo."

As soon as Mira turned her head, a finger was poking into her right cheek, revealing the armored superhero behind her, startling everyone else present.

"Seriously?!" Mihae exclaimed. "Do you get off spooking other people?!"

"No, I'm just checking all of your perception skills," Re:Live explained. "My conclusion: I've seen old dishwater sharper than you lot. Clearly, making you all taste death once wasn't enough."

"By which was all your fault!" Ravel pointed out.

"Because you all chose to grow fat with your own power," the superhero rebuked, causing a few to take a step back. "... Follow me. This place is too cramped."

The entire Peerage then follows Re:Live through the densely-packed forest, the ambiance of dread permeating their minds as they trek through the wilderness.

"So," Re:Live began, "how are your injuries?"

"Seriously?!" Ravel balked. "... There are better ways to break the ice, you know!"

"Stimulating, I know," Re:Live answered, ignoring her entirely. "That feeling where your strength wasn't enough... it felt enlightening, didn't it?"

Re:Live then turns their head towards the Peerage walking behind them, seeing their expressions darken as each of them recalled how they died just yesterday.

Some clutched their necks, their limbs, their chests, their heads, any part that had been seared and carved off of them like kebab meat on an open-air vertical roaster at the hands of the rampaging Grendel.

They all remembered everything. How the flames scorched their bodies from skin to marrow, how their hearts beat like an insane person behind bars as their lives were on the cusp of death, and how despite everything, they ultimately fell short against the reawakened Evil Dragon of Wrath.

Their weakness was made plain as day ever since. Even Riser and Ravel, both among who were spared from the carnage, understood that the Gremory Peerage weren't meant to be taken lightly anymore.

"... Hold onto that feeling," advised the superhero. "Cultivate it into something greater. Something more meaningful than your dull lives that you have all lived up to now."

Once they reached the end of the greenery, all of them found themselves before a military-style base camp by the lakeside.

"... By the way, I've noticed that none of you packed clothes for the week," sighed Re:Live as they pulled out a Remington Model 870 (Marine Magnum-version) shotgun from their magic circle before pumping it. "... And after all that I went through to idiot-proof this... guess we're doing this the hard way."

Re:Live then points the shotgun at Mira before she could react.

*BANG*

"MIRA!" Riser cried out as the gunshot rang throughout the wilderness.

But rather than being shot full of holes, Mira instead was now wearing olive-green military fatigues and combat boots in place of her haori and kimono, the latter of which now lay scattered behind her. "... What the?!"

"Good thing I'm also providing for you morons." Re:Live then racks the pump once more single-handedly. "... All of you, line up. Training starts after you all change."

A few try to flee, but an unseen barrier then confines them from the inside, preventing their escape and allowing the superhero to change their wardrobe right then and there.

*BANG*

*BANG*

*BANG*

Soon enough, all of Riser Phenex's Pawns were forced to change into the same uniform that Mira was now wearing while their clothes were collected by the superhero's mechanical [Candroid] familiars before being dumped into the trunk, with the rest of the (unchanged) Peerage freezing up and their faces paling as Re:Live nonchalantly reloads the special shells with a speed loader tube before racking another round.

"Welcome to Hell, maggots."

At Mt. Ishizuchi...

"... Finally!" Takeshi gasped as he and Pandora were the last ones to make it up to the top, with the latter collapsing onto the dirt face-first. "... We made it!"

Everyone else from ORC now looked around their surroundings, finding a military-style base camp in the clearing.

"... I could've sworn I've seen this somewhere else before," Koneko commented as she spotted the portable shower stalls lined up next to each other. "... It's Mt. Bukō all over again."

"Welcome, Lady Rias and company." From one of the tents, Grayfia emerges before bowing with a curtsy. "I've been expecting all of you."

"And right on time too..." Takeshi grinned as he looked at his phone's clock, reading "9:00 AM". "... So, what do we do first?"

Grayfia then takes out a small storage box before opening the latch. "Everyone, your smart devices," she ordered. "Turn them off first."

Everyone complies (sans Pandora; she doesn't have one), placing their phones inside. Upon retrieval, the maid locks the box before putting it away into her magic circle.

"Now with all the distractions out of the way..." Grayfia then dusts her hands. "Please place your belongings in your respective tents and get dressed. You have five minutes."

"Guess I'm bunking with you," Takeshi remarked with a grin as he walked in with Yuuto.

"Pandora, do you need help?" Rias asked as Koneko walked in first.

"I'm fine...! I swear-!"

*thud*

Pandora falls face-first onto the dirt. Again.

"... On second thought, can someone help me up?"

Once changing back into their gym sweats, the Gremory Peerage assembles before Grayfia for their briefing, with some handling better than the others.

"Once more, welcome to your requisite boot camp courtesy of Re:Live, everyone," Grayfia began. "As you all might be aware, a special magical field has been placed around the entirety of Mt. Ishizuchi. Within its confines, the Earth's gravity has increased threefold, and the concentration of the oxygen has been lowered. These adverse conditions will aid you all in strengthening your bodies at a faster rate due to the imposed fight-or-flight adaptability that your bodies will be burdened with. I trust that it feels extremely uncomfortable, but rest assured, you'll all be used to it in a month's time."

"Wait... a month?!" Takeshi pointed out. "Aren't we supposed to... you know, be here only for a week?!"

Grayfia then takes out a brass pocket watch before handing it to Takeshi, the latter seeing that the second arrow is ticking faster than usual.

"As you can see, time flows faster within this mountain," the maid demonstrated before Takeshi handed back her watch. "Thanks to Lord Beelzebub's formula, his agents' work, and Re:Live's speedy implementation of their own finishing touches, a day out there will be three days in here. That way, we'll be able to maximize our training time here together to ensure that no corners are cut."

"Wait, wait, wait... hold up..." Takeshi grumbled as he clutched his head. "Temporal dilation... increased gravity... Is Lord Beelzebub a fan of Dragon Ball or something?"

Grayfia nods without a word. "Oh, and one more thing."

She then extends her hand out before blasting a demonic energy blast towards the sky, triggering an explosion upon the barrier as the latter was left spotless despite the former being stronger than the President's own warhead-grade blasts.

"Don't worry about the magical field being compromised, since I am designated as this space's 'admin,' per se," she revealed. "With that said, don't be afraid to go all out. It won't break until the week has passed."

"... That... bring it up to 21 days in total," Pandora summarized. "... Guess we better make every second here count."

"Even better, let's go for the gold," Takeshi encouraged. "We'll beat them all with no continues! A perfect triumph! Sixteen to nothing! That way we'll show the rest of the Underworld that we're not to be fucked with!"

"I agree with the whelp," Nidhogg chimed in from the manifested Sacred Gear. "Enforce fear through power."

"As long as I am burrowing my fists into that flaming chicken's face, I have nothing else to say," Grendel growled with anticipation.

Akeno smiles. "... I agree," she replied. "... Personally, I very much despise the Phenex Peerage. So I look forward to utterly destroying them."

"Mm hm," Koneko nods. "They messed with us, so they're on my shit-list."

"For the President's and all of ORC's pride and honor, I concur, Ryuugamine!" Yuuto declared his consent.

Rias nods in approval. "Thank you, everyone," she replied. "We're ready for anything, Grayfia! Bring it on!"

The maid smiles with a nod. "I see that you're all motivated," she addressed as she then conjured another magic circle beneath her feet. "Very well, we shall begin right away..."

"Whatever it is, bring it on-!"

The magic circle then summons forth several podiums and a raised platform with a segmented board covered with panels behind Grayfia.

"... With a quiz show."

Everyone in ORC blinked stupidly before uttering the following. "HUH?!"

"THE FUCK?!"

Nor the Evil Dragons were too pleased about this shift in development either.

"This is an imperative as servants and future master of House Gremory," the maid explained. "The Underworld expects basic levels of literacy and education revolving around the happening of our side of the world. And I for one, as a loyal servant to this House, will not tolerate any of you making yourselves out as fools before the nobility, especially the Four Satans."

"Huh, guess she's serious." Takeshi then takes out a notepad with a ballpoint pen tethered to it before placing it behind the buzzer. "So, any conditions behind this event?"

"Questions will involve the Underworld's history, politics, geography, culture, and language. This is meant to be purely educational, so just do your best and take as many notes as you can." Grayfia then rings the bells, activating the quiz panels. "Twenty-five questions are present and twenty minutes to answer all of them. Press the buzzer if any one of you wishes to try your luck on any of them. Begin!"

Rias' podium then lights up after she rings the buzzer. "Politics, Level 4!"

Grayfia then takes the panel before reading it out loud. "Who are the Great Seraphim and who are its members?"

"The Great Seraphim are ten of Heaven's most strongest and faithful of Seraph," Rias answered. "Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel represent the world's fundamental elements and Heaven's main administrative body dubbed as the 'Four Great Seraphim.' Metatron and Sandalphon are Heaven's legislative branch, acting keepers and guardians of Heaven's archives, the [Akashic Records], giving them the title of 'Swords of Logos.' And finally, Raguel, Azrael, Remiel, and Raziel are Heaven's judicial branch, responsible for defending Heaven's faithful on the mortal plane while maintaining order among its worshippers, known collectively as 'Four Gentle Judges'."

"Correct," Grayfia confirms as Takeshi and Pandora take notes. "Next question!"

Yuuto rings his buzzer. "Politics, Level 5."

"Who are the Grigori and how were they first found?"

"The Grigori is a legislative organization founded by current Governor Azazel, with the intent purpose to establish a homeland settlement in the Underworld for their kind after the Great War," he answered. "To establish their presence, they've begun to scout and gather Sacred Gear Users to great power to either add them to their ranks as their enforcement arms... or terminate them if they're deemed a threat."

"Correct." Grayfia then stacks the panel before moving on. "Next question."

Akeno strikes the buzzer. "History, Level 5."

"What are the origins of us Devils and how does their founding influence the current makeup of the Underworld today?"

"It began with the dissidents among the Seraph who launched a rebellion against Deus Trinity to rule Heaven themselves before expanding their influence to the rest of the world," Akeno explained. "Ultimately, their rebellion failed, resulting in their exile to the place where we know as the Underworld today. Six of the lead perpetrators found themselves in a wasteland brimming with raw, primordial energy that would become the bedrock of all things classified as 'demonic' today. Taking in the alien energy into themselves, the six were then reborn as Lucifer, Beelzebub, Asmodeus, Belphegor, Mammon, and Leviathan, collectively known as the first 'Six Satans,' the founders of Hell."

"Correct," Grayfia confirmed. "Next question?"

Koneko strikes her buzzer. "History, Level 3."

"How were the 72 Pillars first founded and established?"

"The 72 Pillars were first created by Lucifer as an attempt to fill his ranks with his own loyal followers," Koneko answered. "Using the flesh of the fallen Mammon and Belphegor's body as a filter, the first attempt at replicating Deus Trinity's miracle failed, until Lucifer managed to seduce Eve's predecessor, Lilith, into bearing life for his kind, birthing the true first generation of Devils that each were born with their own unique powers that are the bloodline traits of the 72 Pillars today. Additionally, this process even reincarnated Mammon, Belphegor, Lucifuge, and Mephistopheles in the process, dubbing them as 'Extra Devils,' who elected to stay out of the Underworld's internal matters, and live their lives in seclusion.

"Full marks," Grayfia complimented. "I see that you've all been keeping top of knowledge that even Devil children know by heart. And for the uninitiated, I can also see that you're wasting naught a single second informing yourselves."

But as Takeshi and Pandora continued taking notes from the questions that they've yet to answer, the former had neglected to notice a certain Evil Dragon losing his patience over this info-dump bullcrap.

"THIS IS ASININE!" roared Grendel, causing Takeshi to mess up his notes. "WHAT IS THE POINT OF ALL THIS WORTHLESS TRIVIA?!"

"I knew you'd take umbrage to this, Grendel," Grayfia remarked. "But we live in civilized times. Your kind is no longer welcome here."

"BULLSHIT!" the Evil Dragon roared back as Takeshi struggled to hold onto his bearings. "I DON'T LET ANYONE HOLD THE DOOR FOR ME! I BREAK THEM DOWN! I KILL WHOEVER'S IN MY WAY! THAT'S MY SOLE PURPOSE, AND NOT EVEN GOD CAN STOP ME!"

"For the love of...!" growled Takeshi. "Will it kill you to be patient for just about another fifteen minutes or so?!"

"YOU BRING UP AN INTERESTING PARADOX, BRAT!" Grendel mocked. "I CANNOT DIE! PERIOD!"

"There's a difference between 'not dying' and 'not staying dead,' Grendel," Grayfia pointed out, catching the Evil Dragon's attention. "... You wish to know more? Then wait for your damn turn."

Takeshi lets out a sigh as Grendel dismissively growls in displeasure. "... Surely, the other Peerage must be having the time of their life right now."

Back at Lake Tōya...

"This is all you can do?" Re:Live said. "Pathetic."

Sprawled before them were the entire Phenex Peerage, all of them tasting dirt as some of them struggled to get back up to their feet.

"How...?" Riser grunted as he picked himself up. "... I know you're an Ultimate-Class... but that was too fast!"

"I couldn't even see them move..." Mira shuddered as she picked herself up by her staff, only for the oaken shaft to snap in two, causing her to face-plant back into the mud.

Ravel was catching her breath as she looked around the rest of her Peerage, seeing them in varying states of shock as they all tried to comprehend what had happened when Re:Live told them specifically to "come at them (Re:Live) all at once."

There were no signs of them unleashing some sort of shockwave or any repelling force... she thought as she then felt a tinge of pain coming from her throat. ... No. That guy literally and systematically took us out one by one in a short span of time! They even punched me in the throat to knock me out without triggering my [Immortality] trait!

"Rating Games win-loss record of 8-2 and this is all you have to show for it?" Re:Live pointed out as they walked back to the camp. "... Return to base camp. We need to hold an urgent briefing."

And thus, it took the entire Phenex Peerage a whole half-hour to crawl back to their base camp, staining their fatigues in mud as their bodies were sore from the amount of injuries inflicted onto them in a span of less than a few seconds.

"Welcome back," the superhero deadpanned as the 16-person Peerage returned after thirty minutes. "Took you all long enough."

Everyone groaned as they all took their seats before a whiteboard.

"So," Riser remarked as he crossed his arms. "What's your verdict? And I want constructive criticism, and not you lording over your superiority to the rest of us."

"Pot calling kettle black there, maggot," Re:Live shot back. "But here's the conclusion: all of your fighting styles are messy, incomplete, and rely solely too much on overwhelming your foes through power rather than any semblance of skill."

"That's not true!" Mihae protested. "I support my Peerage with my magic and so does Marion and Burnet with their aid in setting traps!"

"And that's the problem," Re:Live revealed. "Your overall lack of flexibility and adaptability outside of the Rating Game norms will be the death of all of you."

"Only because of the damned Evil Dragon that they have..." Ravel grumbled as Re:Live began scribbling on the whiteboard.

"Riser Phenex," they called out. "... Remind me, how many of your House's traits did you inherit?"

Riser clicked his tongue before answering. "... All three of them."

"So where are they?" Re:Live pointed out as they then drew two pie charts with their marker. "Aside from your [Immortality] and occasional gouts of [Hell Fire], I don't see you using your [Gale Wings] to stir up wind. That aside, your current strategy of using that favorite trait of yours is unsustainable in the long-term."

"Really now?" Riser then stood up before the superhero and stared down at their visored face defiantly. "How so-?"

*CRACK!*

"GARRRGH! WHAT THE SHITE?!" Riser then found himself on the dirt once more after Re:Live had kneed him in the balls.

"Your [Immortality] is only good at negating physical death," they answered. "To Grendel, you're nothing more than a toy that he can't break as easily. And like all traits of the 72 Pillars, it runs on your internal supply of demonic energy, to which I'm sure you're more than confident enough in its longevity... but honestly, it's more or less your crutch."

Riser slowly crawls back to his seat after nursing his balls, to which none of them were actually broken, but was hit just hard enough to make him feel like he was better off dead.

"Your first lesson tomorrow will be learning how to dodge," they revealed before filling out the two pie charts with different ratios. "And after that, we'll start learning how to use your [Hell Fire] and [Gale Wings] beyond mere flourishes. Am I clear?"

Riser lets out a pained groan before answering. "... Yes sir."

"Good enough." Re:Live then turns their attention towards the mature-looking woman. "As for you, Yubelluna, I have to ask you again, but what position in this Peerage are you?"

"I'm a Queen," she answered.

"Really?" Re:Live mockingly remarked. "Because I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me and thought that I saw a third Bishop."

She was taken aback by their criticism.

"Your explosion magic, while powerful, is terrible for mid-to-close range," Re:Live revealed. "I highly suspect that it's because up to this point, no one has ever made it past your explosion magic and assumed that was that, no?"

"... I am aware that I can tap into my other branches of power, but I don't see how I can incorporate my own specialty into fighting up close," she explained. "So I just settled for taking out my opposition in one shot and if not, several shots of explosion magic all at once."

"That's a Pawn's way of thinking." Re:Live then hands her a volume of My Hero Academia along with a Blu-Ray of the entirety of Season 1 of the anime. "You're a Queen. Use all three traits at once. I have a portable Blu-Ray Player with me. Look out for a character named Bakugou and see what he can do."

After the Queen was left absolutely befuddled at her new learning tools given to her, Re:Live then turns towards Ravel herself.

"Okay, I have to be honest, you're the least problematic of the lot," they revealed. "Judging by your combat behavior, it appears that you're well-studied on the Rating Games. Heck, you even have a good sense to dodge the attacks rather than solely relying on your [Immortality] trait like your brother... but that's the problem."

"In what regard?" she replied in a snippy tone.

"You're way too by the books," Re:Live revealed. "You suffer from a typical Bishop's problems. Mainly, you're low on options when caught up close. I say we fix that."

"How?!" Ravel exclaimed. "I don't know any martial arts-!"

Re:Live then hands her a collapsible baton before placing it on her lap. "Basic self-defense skills for women exist. I'm not saying that you have to fight as well as a Rook to be viable, but maybe have an option to catch your opponents by surprise," they revealed. "Also, as an added bonus, that baton also doubles as a wand to channel your [Hell Fire] trait into. I'll teach you how to use it later on, understand?"

"Yes, o-of course," she stammered for a moment before looking at her new tool as Re:Live made their way towards Mihae.

"As for you, you suffer the same issues as Ravel does, but a thousand times worse," they revealed. "Seriously, do you not have any offensive spells in your repertoire?!"

"... No," she answered hesitantly. "... I often find myself not having to fight on the front lines."

"Formations breaking are more constant than you think, so don't solely focus on playing support and at least learn how to throw a fireball," Re:Live addressed. "Remember, in a Rating Game, every member must contribute beyond a single role. That also means being able to be versatile enough to not count as your team's glaring weak spot. You got that?"

Mihae nods as she tries to keep herself composed before she is then handed a leather glove with tanto blades around its fingertips.

"It's better than having no options once your strengths are compromised," they pointed out as they then turned their attentions towards the Peerage's two Knights, Karlamine and Siris.

"What is it that I fall short of?" asked the chestnut-haired girl.

"If you are doubting my strength, then give it to me straight, stranger," the ponytailed woman stated coldly.

"I'll start with you." Re:Live then turned towards Karlamine. "... Tell me, what is that dagger for and why didn't I see you use it?"

"It's meant to be my backup, should I lose my sword," she answered. "I've had it with me long before I joined Lord Riser's Peerage."

"You're using it wrong if you think that your dagger only serves as a secondary," they pointed out. "That thing around your sheath? It's a parrying dagger. Use it. It serves as a shield that can both lock and stab your opponent when they get too cocky."

"But that's dishonorable!" Karlamine protested. "A true Knight shouldn't be forced to rely on such underhanded tactics!"

"Tell that to your opponent once they put a hole between your head before you could even draw your blade-oh wait, it happened before, didn't it?" Re:Live then jabs their finger onto the young Knight's bandaged forehead, causing her to flinch as she remembered how Grendel previously murdered her. "Get real. Even actual knights of the Middle Ages fought like beasts during times of war. I'm not saying to poison your opponent before the fight. I'm saying that you use everything you have on you against your opponent without holding back. After all, you don't consider your wind magic to be dishonorable, no? Or are you an adaptive hypocrite who deluded herself into thinking that you're some sort of knight in shining armor?"

Karlamine looks down at herself and realizes that she held herself back all this time for no apparent reason at all. "... No, I understand."

"The Knight's speed incentivizes quick thinking as fast as your movement," they revealed. "I'll be sure that you'll learn how to properly dual-wield. Until then, reflect on what you've been missing this whole time. Understood?"

As Re:Live walked away and left the young Knight deep in thought, they then confronted Siris.

"... Wipe that smirk off of your face," they ordered. "Just because you're validated doesn't mean that you're spared from criticism."

"Show me," she replied before Re:Live then took her sword from her sheath.

"What the Hell is this?" asked Re:Live.

"My claymore," answered the Knight. "It has served me well through countless battles!"

"Then I'm afraid that it's going to be retired."

"Wait, what-"

*SNAP*

In an instant, Re:Live breaks the claymore over their knees before Siris' eyes. "NO!"

"You suffer the opposite problem of a common issue within Peerage members," Re:Live explained. "Mainly, you're branching out too far and neglecting to utilize your Knight's speed in favor of fighting like a Rook."

"SO WHY DID YOU BREAK MY SWORD?!" Siris exclaimed as she threw herself off of her seat before she was handed a replacement.

"Powerful as that sword was, it was ill-suited for you."

Siris then reluctantly draws her new sword to reveal a two-handed flamberge with a dual-pronged catch placed just above the blade's cross guard.

"You're a pragmatist, I get it," Re:Live pointed out. "So, rather than focusing on sloppily fusing power and speed, how about a compromise? That sword was favored by landsknechts for a good reason. The long length of the blade makes the time of engagement shorter than an average weapon. The wavy pattern not only can inflict more crippling wounds, but makes it easier to pull out due to less surface area being caught in any potential wedges. The two prongs are carried over from the zweihänder, allowing it to serve as parrying points for anyone who wants to get smart. And not to mention, its thinner profile and longer handle makes it a more balanced, and less cumbersome weapon to wield, all without compromising structural integrity of a two-handed sword."

Siris then handles her new weapon, and compared to her old claymore, it felt as if she was lifting a feather. It was easier to turn her angles of slashes with it, and admittedly, it felt like she had to struggle significantly less while wielding it.

"Overhead swings are overrated and leave your torso open for reprisals. Not to mention, it runs into the problem of getting caught on something while fighting indoors, provided that it doesn't trigger another litany of problems should you attempt to brute force past it," Re:Live explained. "But with that said, your mentality is on the right track. I also sensed some traces of lightning magic within you, so we can work on that for supplementing your speed and power. Do you understand?"

Siris then looks down at her now-broken claymore, her heart now hurting a tad less from seeing it lay on the ground in a disgraced state. "... It has served me well," she admitted. "... But alas, I shall miss it as much as my family."

"Now onto you two..." Re:Live then turned their attention towards the Rooks, Isabela and Xuelan.

"Wait, wait, wait!" the masked woman raises her hand in protest. "... How are you able to accurately evaluate us when you didn't even give us a chance to fight back?!"

"Yeah!" the cheongsam-wearing girl agreed. "You can't gauge our strengths properly without knowing what we were about to do-!"

"You were about to start with a flicker jab before moving into a combo, keeping me locked down long enough for her to deliver a finishing kick."

Both Isabela and Xuelan's eyes widened as Re:Live accurately described what they were about to do during their "sparring" (read: curb-stomp). "... How?"

"Don't underestimate me. I didn't earn Ultimate-Class designation from my strength alone," they revealed before walking up towards the masked woman. "Starting with you, you have a good core foundation for a Rook, utilizing boxing as your fighting style, and judging by your posture, weight, and height, I suspect that you're an outfighter focusing on the speed of your strikes to promote your overall punching power."

"And what's wrong with it?" Isabela replied before Re:Live snatches her mask from her face. "Hey! What the-?!"

"Speed matters little if you advertise your blind spot to your opponents," said the superhero before handing her a pair of aviator's goggles. "Here. Anti-magic goggles. Same exact properties as your mask does, but is more durable for the rough and tumble of the battlefield. Maybe next time, wear something that doesn't look like something out of a visual kei band from the early 2000s."

"For the record, she's actually in a band," Xuelan pointed out. "Lead vocalist for an Underworld Punk Metal group called 'heroez'."

"Then keep your side-gig as such," Re:Live remarked before continuing. "As for your fighting style, it's one-note, and a common weakness for boxers is their lack of answers when they get grabbed. Switch to counter-grapple MMA to vary your melee options. Low kicks also help in getting a leg up on the competition, quite literally, I might add. Any objections?"

Isabela grumbles to herself before taking the goggles. "Fair enough," she replied before putting them on. "... Huh, suddenly I can see better with these."

"Proving my point right there." Re:Live then puts the opera-mask away into the trunk before turning to the Chinese girl. "As for you, I've noticed that your fighting style is based on contemporary Wushu, which while faster and more versatile than Isabela's boxing, suffers from an opposite problem."

"Which is?" Xuelan asked before the answer was given.

"It's sorely lacking in killing power," answered the superhero. "Your kicks are fast and powerful, yes, but Chinese Martial Arts isn't about prolonging the fight. It's about ending it as quickly as possible. In efforts to offset the Rook's lack of speed, you unwittingly traded in your Evil Piece's main strength, that being to punch really hard."

"So what? Are you going to force me to change my fighting style?" she remarked.

"No, you're going to add onto it," Re:Live answered. "Like Isabela, you have good bones. So instead, we're going to come up with 'finisher moves' that are rooted in your default specialty without compromising the Rook's strengths. I'm thinking Bajiquan, Leopard Style, and Dragon Style Kung Fu to add to your missing killing power while increasing your speed. Combined with your fire magic specialty, I say that you have a good thing going, provided that you're willing to put in the work. Does that sound acceptable?"

Xuelan looks at her hands before clenching it. "... Yeah, sounds great," she answered. "I look forward to becoming stronger."

"Moving on..." Re:Live then looks down at all of the Pawns presents before letting out a disappointed sigh. "... I must ask all of you. Why aren't any of you using your [Promotions]?"

"I mean, in the grand scheme of things..." Mira then looked to the side apprehensively. "... We're just fodder-"

"No, you are not," Re:Live rebuked. "Contrary to popular Rating Games belief and practice, the role of the Pawn isn't to be sent out to the field and be disposed of. Their roles are more sophisticated than that. They are the Peerage's vanguard, their point man to find and plan objectives for. All of you, get rid of that suicidal mentality that has been ingrained into you, right now."

All eight Pawns looked at each other as this was the first time besides Riser who has talked anything remotely positive about them.

"I'll go over you lot pair by pair." Re:Live then walked up to the twins with the chainsaws. "Ile and Nel, your usage of a motorized weapon is a good choice, especially when they're powered by your own internal supply of demonic energy. But the way you use them is too one-note."

"I mean..." Ile spoke.

"... What else are you supposed to do with a chainsaw?" asked Nel before the pair were handed an Xbox 360 and a video game titled Lollipop Chainsaw.

"I have a TV installed next to the generator," Re:Live revealed as they walked up to the catgirl twins. "Play it for a few hours when you have the time and you'll get what I mean."

"Okay!" both twins replied as the superhero confronted Ni and Li.

"And for you two, I have a question," they asked. "... Judging by your names and attributes... are you perhaps the Chinese cousins of the Japanese Nekomata, the Senri?"

Both revealed-Senri's ears perked up. "... What about it?"

"That means you have potential to utilize ki," Re:Live pointed out.

"B-But that's bad!" Ni, the blue-haired twin, replied.

"Yeah! Yeah! Everyone knows what happened with the Naberius Peerage!" Li, the red-haired twin, added.

"If you're afraid of going on a rampage, then may I remind you that Kuroka was a High-Class being compared to your neutered selves," Re:Live pointed out, causing the Senri twins to go into shock. "... You're both afraid of losing your minds. I understand. But if you keep fearing what will happen, then you'll stay weak. Do you want that to be your status quo? Remembered as nothing more than house pets for House Phenex?"

Ni and Li looked at each other for consultation before shaking their heads, both realizing that they were afraid to use their natural gifts.

"Don't worry, I have a ki-specialist as one of my contacts, and they're as formidable as me," Re:Live confirmed as they then turned to the maids, Marion and Burnet. "And for you two, I sense a latent magical potential within you both. But the way you two use it feels incomplete. As if you're solely reliant on using your magic in one particular way."

Marion grumbles before answering. "... Yes," she confessed. "I suppose that it's in our nature as House Phenex's servants since before Lord Riser's birth."

"A servant's duty is to support their master, not to outshine them," Burnet pointed out. "Even if they're the strongest of Pawns, there has to be a power balance."

"Then specialize," Re:Live added. "If you're going to act as support, then be prepared for situations that each of you can deal with comfortably and work from there. Are any of you better at healing and strengthening your allies? Or are you better at sabotaging and debilitating your enemies? Explore. Expand. Stop holding yourself back just because you're a pair of Low-Class Devils."

The maids looked down on their knees as they reflected on their unwittingly self-sabotaging mentality as Re:Live moved onto the Indian (or Pakistani) girl, Shuriya and Mira, the latter looking especially demoralized after getting beaten up twice in a row.

"... Just say it," Mira grumbled as her head was downcast. "... I know I'm the weakest link here."

"Mira!" the dancer girl exclaimed. "Don't sell yourself short just because you're a Pawn!"

"Thank you for saving me the time of having to say that," Re:Live pointed out, much to Mira's surprise. "But before I get to you, I'll cover Shuriya first."

The dancer girl in question listened.

"You're in a... very odd place, to say the least," they revealed. "Out of all the Pawns present, it appears that you have no single specialty to work towards. Rather, it's as if you have an untapped potential to become something of a popular theory among the Rating Game analysts."

Ravel blinks before realizing what they were talking about. "... You mean to say that Shuriya has the potential to become a Libero?"

"What's that mean?" asked Shuriya.

"In association football, the term 'libero' refers to a defensive specialist who can sweep up their team's defensive breach," Re:Live revealed. "In layman's terms, their job is to plug up any defensive gaps within a team's formation. In chess terms related to the Rating Game, the 'Queen's Indian Defense'."

"... I'm Pakistani, by the way," deadpanned the dancer.

"In any event, your unspecified role opens up an opportunity to fulfill a niche role," the superhero clarified. "Specifically, you're going to learn how to use [Promotion] in rapid succession and prolonged duration. And once we're done, you'll be able to play any role you could ever wish for, so at least that way, you'll avoid the trappings of the one-trick-pony you make yourself out to be."

"I mean... is it even possible?" Shuriya asked. "I have pretty low reserves. Using one [Promotion] is enough to tucker me out."

"Good. You helped me learn what we need to work on." Re:Live then turns to Mira. "And finally, the so-called 'weakest link,' Mira."

The girl shudders under pressure as her assessment was given.

*CLANG*

Slammed before her was a shakujō ringed staff with a pointed tip, much to her confusion.

"Your replacement," Re:Live said. "Judging by your prior attire, I suspect that you used to be a shrine maiden before your rebirth, no?"

"I... I mean, yes?" Mira stuttered out as she stared at her new staff. "... What does that have to do with how weak I am?"

"Stop holding yourself back, Mira," the superhero stated. "You only think of yourself as 'weak' because of a few bad days in the Peerage. In reality, out of all the Pawns here, you hold the most potential in terms of sheer power."

"In what regard?!" Mira exclaimed as she sprang up from her seat. "I TRIED EVERYTHING! I TRIED TO BE A CASTER, A FIGHTER, AND A RUNNER! I COULDN'T KEEP UP WITH EVERYONE ELSE NO MATTER HOW HARD I TRY! SO WHAT DO YOU SEE IN ME THAT EVEN I DON'T KNOW ABOUT?!"

"Ki."

Everyone freezes upon hearing that.

"The rest you'll have to figure it out for yourself tomorrow, because right now, your biggest flaw is your own crippling self-deprecation, of which I am more than happy to beat out of you," answered Re:Live as they walked towards another corner of the camp before coming back with a pipe wrench and an empty metal bucket. "Now with all of that out of the way, let's get to the next phase of your training."

The superhero then bangs the tool against the hollow tin, making a horrible clanging noise with it.

"What is with their infernal din...?" Ravel hissed as she covered her ears to spare herself from the displeasing sounds.

"H-Hey!" one of the Senri twins cried out as she and her twin pointed towards the lake. "There's something coming from underneath!"

*SPLASH!*

Shooting out of the lake's water were sixteen shark-men, all of them lining up in formation, with eight bronze-green shark-men resembling remoras (their ridged flat-tops on their scalps), two copper-brown hammerheads (literal definition of "hammerhead"), two silver sawsharks (their features being on one of their arms rather than on their heads), two golden whorl-tooth sharks (their heads resembled circular saws), one platinum basking shark (the "mouth" was the collar around their head), and one diamanté great white acting as their leader.

"... Brother," Ravel spoke out as her eyes observed the formation of these shark-men. "... Call me mad, but I assume that these mariners are bearing themselves as some sort of pseudo-Peerage."

"That saves me having to explain half of what's going on. Thank you, Lady Ravel," Re:Live remarked before resuming the rest of the information. "Now this leg of the training shall be 'Tactics Theorem,' where we'll be simulating an actual Rating Game-like situation to see whether your prior tactics are up to snuff. We'll go by contemporary Rating Game rules. The battlefield will be the surrounding 4 mile-radius away from here. First team to eliminate the King wins."

The shark-men snarl and hiss in anticipation, waiting for their master to give the command.

"And how will these beasts benefit us in any way-" Riser then reneges his reply upon Re:Live summoning their own chess board with shark-themed pieces before themselves. "... Never mind."

"You have five minutes to get to position." Re:Live then places his chess board on the table next to their sun chair before taking out their Beretta 92FS Inox and raising it to the sky. "Run."

*BANG*

Back at Mt. Ishizuchi...

"... And that's all for Lord Riser's Peerage," Grayfia said after the Gremory Peerage finished their quiz show and was informed of their Rating Games record.

"So basically, not only are they well-experienced, but they also have the benefit of coming from the sole provider of [Phoenix Tears] throughout the supernatural realm. Ergo, they benefit the most from the Rating Games' rules, especially when two of their members can easily produce their own," Pandora noted. "Meanwhile, no offense to President or her family, can barely afford a single vial... but somehow, Re:Live bought out the entire stock of the premium version of said panacea."

"How rich is that guy?!" Takeshi remarked out loud as he reviewed his notes. "And more importantly, how the fuck is that fair?!"

"You're right," Grendel commented. "I applaud them for not taking the easy way out. I swear that I will make their repeated deaths as agonizing as possible!"

The Ultimate-Class maid groaned at the Evil Dragon's sadism working too well with House Phenex's longevity. "... In any event, regardless of how strong Lord Riser and his Peerage may be, his greatest strength is stamina and defense, both talents which he uses to great effect and his signature 'Castling' technique."

"What the heck are you talking about?" Koneko pointed out.

Takeshi grumbles before figuring out what she meant. "Oh! It's when during chess, the player moves their King two spaces within their Rooks, meaning that the latter can easily swap places with the King should they find themselves in a tight spot."

"I keep forgetting that you were a member of Kuoh Chess Club during your First Year..." Yuuto commented on Takeshi's source of insight. "... In any event, I think the most imperative strategy is to whittle down the other Peerage's defenses before prioritizing their heavier hitters."

"Said heavier hitters will be prioritizing us, because they value their defensive plays that much," Akeno pointed out. "... We need a different strategy to cripple their formation."

"We'll talk tactics later," Rias stated before turning to Grayfia. "Shall we move onto the actual training?"

"This way." The maid then led the whole Peerage elsewhere.

"So," Takeshi said as he and the rest of ORC walked towards their training grounds, "I know that Grayfia-san is Ultimate-Class, but how strong are we talking about?"

"To put it into a perspective..." Yuuto then began thinking before coming up with an example. "... Did you know that she was once a candidate for the position of Leviathan?"

"Seriously?" Pandora reacted with awe and slight fear in her voice. "... So she's on the Four Satans' level of weight class?"

"She's pretty strong," Koneko pointed out as plainly as possible. "... I also heard that she's pretty ripped underneath that dress."

Takeshi then took note of her maid dress, to which he can sort of see a silhouette of someone who regularly hits the gym under her sleeves reaching down her wrists. "Shit, did the current Lucifer beat her into submission or something?"

"No, it was entirely her choice," Rias pointed out. "... My brother Sirzechs saw something in her, and I for one, can't wait to have her as my elder sister-in-law."

"Lady Rias, please...!" Grayfia begged in a flustered manner. "... You are aware that a humble servant cannot pursue a relationship with her own master."

"You're wasting your power, stelpa," Nidhogg commented. "... Then again, I'm no one to talk, given I am bound to this whelp."

"Says you!" The Evil Dragon of Wrath's fury flares up from within [Cataclysm Zone], causing everyone to feel uncomfortable for a moment. "The first chance I get, I'M GOING TO KILL EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU!"

"For the record, he does not speak for me!" Takeshi pointed out insistently as everyone reached their location, that being a clearing within the mountain's forest.

"Before we begin on covering your individual strengths, I first need to gauge your group's overall aptitude," Grayfia stated as she rolled up her sleeves, revealing a pair of forearms that were thin, yet brimming with muscle belonging to a hard worker, but doubtless of their owner's power. "A mock battle will suffice. And to give you all a sporting chance, I will make the request that you are all free to come at me however you want."

She just stood there, her whole body radiated with pure power before she began letting loose her demonic energy akin to a crushing tidal wave.

"Yeeesss...!" Grendel cackled in anticipation as everyone else flinched at her overwhelming presence. "NOW THAT'S MORE LIKE IT!"

"This is an Ultimate-Class when they're about to kill...!" Takeshi remarked as he readied his Sacred as everyone else readied to fight for their very lives.

Yuuto readied [Fire Brand] and [Frost Bite]. Koneko instantly transforms into her Nekomata form as her ki ebbed and flowed around her. Rias readied her own [Power of Destruction]. Akeno's body crackled with lightning. And Pandora, while looking the worst out of the lot, was wary and conscious enough to will four elemental orbs of light around her.

"Let's go, everyone!" ordered Rias.

"HENSHIN!" As soon as Takeshi transformed into his armored form, all of ORC converged towards Grayfia all at once.

The first volley was Rias and Akeno shooting their spells at the maid, their [Power of Destruction] and thunderbolts pelting at where she stood, followed up by Pandora sending a wave of sharpened earth spires to her.

Grayfia punches the ground around her, unleashing a demonic energy-infused shockwave that dissipates the opening barrage as Takeshi, Yuuto, and Koneko close in for their melee.

"Too slow." The maid easily sidesteps Koneko's attack, catches both of Yuuto's blades before clapping both of them together, the opposing reacting triggering a steam explosion that sent the Knight flying and blinded Takeshi, to which Grayfia exploits the opening by delivering a low uppercut-

"[Malice Rise]!"

Takeshi catches the Ultimate-Class's fist with both of his hands supported by ashen tendrils acting as exoskeleton over his Balance Breaker.

"[Abyss Rage Awakening]!" Takeshi's strength then jumps to High-Class as he pushes for the offensive against Grayfia.

"TAKESHI! MOVE!" Rias cried out as she tried to aim her next barrage, but the Pawn was sticking too close to her target, locking his own arms around Grayfia to limit her options.

Akeno then summons a katana made of her own lightning to separate the two as she and Yuuto tried to pincer Grayfia, but Grayfia then blasts a wave of her own demonic energy out of her body that repelled them back, forcing Nidhogg to compact his ashes into a second layer of armor to prevent it from disintegrating.

"So you've reneged on using your ashes as a form of offense and stuck to defensive support for structural integrity," Grayfia observed as her arms locked against Takeshi's. "Smart move."

"Well, you know what they say," Takeshi remarked as he kept focus as both combatants clashed demonic and draconic energies against one another in this stand-off. "If you can dodge a wrench, then you can dodge a ball."

Grayfia chuckles. "... Then it's a pity on what I'll have to do next."

In the next moment, she then unleashes an even larger wave of demonic energy that blasts off the ashen exoskeleton around [Dead Shore Advent]'s form, allowing Grayfia to overwhelm him in an instant before pushing him down onto his back and into the dirt, pinning him down before knocking him out with a single punch to his jaw, dismissing his Balance Breaker form.

But as soon as she finished her attack, she was suddenly weighed down by Yuuto's [Full Release: Gravity Nail] that increased her local gravity sixfold (on top of the increased gravity of the magical space) as he and Koneko moved in for a pincer attack to allow enough time for everyone else to ready the next volley.

"Admirable, but no dice."

Grayfia then proceeds to rip out all six [Gravity Nails] planted around her with her mere fingers before throwing them at both Yuuto and Koneko at the same time like oversized throwing knives.

Yuuto was immediately dragged by his own swords' gravitational pulls and was pinned to the trees like a bug (fret not, he was not stabbed) while Koneko managed to parry the thrown swords with her burst of Touki, but this immediately leaves her open for a demonic energy shot that struck her chest and sent her crashing through several trees, taking her out of the fight.

"NOW!"

At Rias' command and her eyes glowing red, she, Akeno, and Pandora all unleash a combined volley of [Power of Destruction], rain of elemental swords, and a massive sandstorm combining the Charmed earth and wind spirits, all of them boosted by their King's [Lock Control] undoing their natural limiters, pushing them to High-to-Ultimate-Class-levels of raw power.

Grayfia stoically cancels out her young Lady's sphere of power with her own blast of demonic energy, causing it to explode before it could reach her, then dodged Akeno's fusillade before catching one of the swords and throwing it back after imbuing them with her own demonic energy, turning it into an unstable bomb that Pandora tried to stabilize, but ultimately takes out both Akeno and Pandora from the same blast, the sandstorm to instantly petering it out after its caster was rendered unconscious.

"That is enough," the maid sighed. "... The Peerage is no longer in a state of continuing this fight any further."

"Damn it!" cursed Rias before she fell to her knees as her eyes returned to normal. "... You're ruthless as usual, Grayfia."

"I am merely performing my due diligence, Lady Rias," she replied with a small bow. "Although, I have to admit, that Pawn of yours forced me to stop holding back-"

*WHAM!*

Now Playing: "Spinnin' Around" by Takashi Hagino (from Kamen Rider Ryuki)

In a flash, [Berserk Devastator] wakes up around Takeshi's body, striking Grayfia's chin like a bullet, the latter keeling back a few steps from the impact.

This was the only time during the mock battle where someone had managed to push her back.

"Who says that we are done?" Grendel's voice spoke from Takeshi's lips, cracking the host's neck back in place. "... Like I said before, no one is going to deny my right!"

The maid sighs before tearing the rest of her sleeves off and loosening her collar. "... Milady," she said, "take the others and run."

Rias would protest, but Grendel's snarl and the leaking streams of rage coming from the belt that was already causing her head to feel fuzzy was more than enough of a sign to book it. "... Please, whatever you do, do not kill him!"

Grayfia nodded as the rest of the Peerage were evacuated on short notice, leaving the whole clearing to themselves with no one to get in their way.

"So you finally answer my challenge, wench?" the Evil Dragon of Wrath asked.

"Normally, I'd have no reservations about killing you here and now," Grayfia replied with a glower. "But my Lady's orders are absolute. That and Re:Live has briefed me on how much of a petulant child you are."

Grendel snarls in fury at that last statement. "... Don't get coy with me, you bitch."

Immediately, Grendel then unleashes his infectious rage throughout the whole forest as Grayfia casted wards around herself, but none of them worked as they all began to fizzle out.

... I see, the maid thought as her mind was being slowly overridden with the Evil Dragon's rage. It's not magic nor is it any curse that can be analyzed and broken down by contemporary law...! It's pure instinct... something so fundamental to the concept of sentience that is taken to its logical extreme! He's not merely spreading violence... he's violence itself-!

The pain of resisting the anger felt unbearable, even for Grayfia. But as soon as she began to loosen up, the agony subsided, something that Grendel took notice of.

"Oh?" the Evil Dragon of Wrath remarked with curiosity."... So you're finally choosing to let go."

Grayfia chuckles as she then tosses aside her hairband. "... Oh no, it's nothing grandiose as that, Grendel."

The earth cracked beneath her feet as the last vestiges of her sanity flicked away like candles in the wind.

"... I'm just cutting loose after work, that's all."

The two combatants both disappear into a blur as they begin clashing fists and kicks blow by blow.

Grayfia messily unleashed her demonic energy throughout her whole body, covering herself in pure anathema as she unleashed blows strong enough to level the whole mountain that they were standing on. Grendel however, wasn't easily as cowed, flaring both his [Berserk Devastator]'s thrusters at maximum output while instilling his own draconic energy throughout his host's whole body, parrying the strikes with equal amounts of force.

Normally, a Devil like this maid would be easily able to use her knowledge of magic to shut her opposition down as efficiently as possible, but Grendel's rage had clouded her mind so densely that all she (and the Evil Dragon) could think about (if at all) was simply killing each other with their bare hands, rationality be damned.

Grayfia then gets on top of the Evil Dragon User, wailing at him with her barrage of punches that struck against the basic armor.

"NOW THIS IS WHAT A REAL FIGHT SHOULD BE LIKE!" The serrated disk around [Berserk Devastator]'s heel spun its infernal axle before he delivered a buzzsaw-like kick into Grayfia's stomach, the disc shredding the midsection of her dress and revealing her sculpted abs underneath before knocking her off of himself before mounting her in return.

Rather than punches, Grendel begins bashing his head into the maid's face like hammer, smashing the armored grill visor into her nose and eyes to concuss her, but Grayfia headbutts back, sending the Evil Dragon flying before the Sacred Gear's thrusters flare up to stabilize the impact recoil.

Both the Devil and Dragon let out a furious roar before charging at each other, resuming their bloody melee puppeteered by nothing but their primal instincts.

The thrusters flare up around the Sacred Gear's gauntlets and grieves, but the flames did not deter Grayfia from keeping herself close to her opponent as she then grabbed both of the Evil Dragon's arms before smashing her own head into Takeshi's before the latter did the same to the former.

Grayfia successfully mounts Grendel as she resumes beating his face in, but the latter knees her posterior to perform a reversal to mount her instead. Once gaining the high ground, the Evil Dragon then opens its fanged mask to take a large bite out of her head.

The maid narrowly dodges the vice, only losing her left cheek and exposing her teeth out into the open, but not before headbutting him off of herself before kicking the Evil Dragon away from her.

She then sprints towards her opponent from a low stance to go for a low sweep to knock Grendel off-balance, but the latter's heel disk spun to parry the attack before recovered their balances by grabbing each others' shoulders before pulling themselves into each others' heads for another head-on-head collision.

"HEY! THAT ACTUALLY HURT!" Grendel then cackles as he and the maid wrestled over each other before they both wound their fists back against each other.

They then punched each other in their faces before being separated, to which Grendel then grabbed a fallen tree before setting it ablaze, breaking the burning bludgeon against Grayfia's head as the latter then rips a massive chunk of the earth from the ground before smashing the rock against Grendel's head.

As the Evil Dragon was left momentarily stunned, the maid charges for the killing blow, but Grendel then spins both of his heel axles to propel his own lower half towards Grayfia's stomach for a scorching dropkick into her pelvis.

Once she was keeling forward from the impact, Grendel then grabs her by her head and pulls his own weight down onto the gravity propelled by his thrusters, performing the Backpack Stunner. However, as soon as Grendel's butt touched the ground, Grayfia then immediately lifted the Evil Dragon up by his waist before flipping him around his own head and dropping it and herself back on the ground, unleashing her own Brainbuster technique to finish off Grendel.

It was nowhere near enough, as Grendel recovers with a roar, seizing the Ultimate-Class Devil by her own neck and begins strangling her with a Guillotine Choke. Grayfia, now utterly lost of her mind, picks up Grendel while being choked out by his heated and serrated gauntlets garroting her neck, and taking advantage of her opponent still seeing red, proceeds to take off towards the skies with her wings, speed through the air sporadically, and then at the last moment of clarity, ram both of their heads into the ground as hard as she could into a mutual Piledriver.

*BOOM*

Upon both of them knocking each other out, the infectious rage emitting from Takeshi's [Cataclysm Zone] now ceasing entirely.

"TAKESHI!" Rias then ran towards where they've landed, finding the two Devils inside the same crater.

Then a dry groan was heard coming from the maid before slowly getting back up, nursing her head before looking up where she could spot her Lady. "... Ah," she remarked before instantly recovering her bearings. "Apologizes, Milady. And yes, Re:Live did brief me on how to deal with Grendel in case he, and I quote, 'gets pissy'."

Rias connects the dots by herself to notice how Grendel was pacified every time. "... So knock him out every time he goes on a rampage?"

"Evidently, rage isn't worth much when its user is out like a light." Grayfia then checks Takeshi's pulse before confirming that he was still alive. "... And thank the boy's parents for birthing such a resilient child. Even if it were against his will, his body still managed to survive about 20% of my overall strength."

"... Oh right," Rias chuckled mirthlessly as her maid then carried Takeshi over her shoulder. "... Grendel hates magic in all forms. So much for him wanting to fight you at your best."

Grayfia shrugs before she and Rias return to camp, where everyone else from ORC was waiting for him.

"Ow..." grunted Takeshi as his eyes flickered open as soon as he saw everyone looking down upon him as he laid on the bench. "... Goddammit. Again?!"

"Get a thicker skull, whelp," Nidhogg complained. "Even my regenerative properties aren't enough to rebuild your bones harder every time they break. Oh and you have 96,000 years left in your warranty. It's nothing short of a miracle that there's enough of a body left for you to recover."

"... I had my fun," scoffed Grendel before the gem turned back to black.

"That said..." Takeshi then looked around the gathered members of ORC. "... Sorry about that, everyone."

"It can't be helped," Koneko remarked. "Silver lining, you woke up faster than before."

Grayfia then clapped her hands together, bringing ORC's attention to her.

"Everyone, after the mock battle, I have now properly gauged all of your overall prowess, and suffice to say, aside from a few hiccups, I am surprised by your performance," the maid announced as she repaired her torn dress and face with her magic. "At least compared to the other young nobility in the Underworld, your Peerage shows promise."

"Of course," Rias agreed. "A good King raises her subordinates with them, not drag them down."

"Hear, hear," Takeshi concurred.

"Still, as strong as each of you are, there are major flaws regarding your abilities and how well they coordinate with each other," Grayfia pointed out, with everyone's expression becoming more serious. "The rest of this training camp will be focused on how to best overcome these shortcomings, and by the end of it, you will achieve an evolution to your overall methodologies."

"Question..." Takeshi then raised his hand. "... In a word, what weight class of strength are we at right now? I'm asking this mainly because depending on the situation, our strengths tend to... fluctuate. I figured that the knowledge of our baseline would serve as reassurance."

Grayfia composes herself before answering. "My estimate is that all of you on average are on the upper-tier of Middle-Class in terms of raw strength," she said. "But with the inclusion of Lady Rias' [Lock Control] and Sir Ryuugamine's Balance Breakers rooted from seven of the most dangerous Evil Dragons... it could hypothetically reach upper High-Class. And no, Grendel withstanding my might does not make any of you reach Ultimate-Class. It just makes you a harder nut to crack, per se."

"Sore loser," taunted Grendel.

"Pot calling the kettle there, meathead," sneered Nidhogg.

"CAN IT, CORPSE-BREATH!"

"If it weren't for Nidhogg keeping track of how many years I have left in my life or for the fact that Re:Live donated a 100k years into my body without any ill-effects, I'd probably would've gone insane ages ago," Takeshi replied as he tuned out the Evil Dragon's petty squabbles, forcing everyone else to talk over the pair, much to their chagrin.

"And if you're curious about reaching a higher class of strength..." Grayfia continued. "... Then all I ask of all of you is to keep putting in the hard work and be patient. Because you all exhibit a trait that is considered a rarity among our kind. The will to put in the hard work for self-improvement. But that is enough about that. Let us begin with our individual overviews, starting with Lady Rias."

"I'm listening," the red-haired Devil replied as the maid gave her report.

"Your overall performance with both [Power of Destruction] and [Lock Control] has improved significantly, but it is still unrefined in some aspects, mainly the energy consumption rate and focus," she revealed. "The way you use both traits right now can be considered wasteful, resulting in a power runoff that hinders its potential effectiveness."

"Admittedly, my [Power of Destruction] is still like trying to ride a wild horse, and not to mention, every time I use my [Lock Control], I feel like it's actively trying to kill me from the inside-out," Rias pointed out. "... What do you suggest?"

"A few pointers from Lord Sirzechs' own skills would aid you in your path," Grayfia answered. "By learning to compress your [Power of Destruction] into smaller and more manageable sizes, you'll be able to mold it to serve other purposes beyond just destroying everything within a massive stream or a sphere. Put in the work, and you'll be able to mold the [Power of Destruction] itself like clay. As for your [Lock Control], you still need to grow into using it, given that its manifestation is fairly recent, but I've seen records of you being able to affect your enemies with your trait during the fight with the Fallen Angels, albeit at an increased cost and backlash."

Takeshi resists the urge to ask where they got the footage from (possibly Re:Live, because they bugged their phones) as Rias responds to Grayfia's observations.

"Pity that I'm neither like Lord Father or my elder brother," she sighed with a cramped look. "They make it look so easy..."

"No one said it would be easy, Lady Rias. If anything, were either of them in your position while at your age, they would also suffer as much as you," the maid pointed out. "Out of your House's storied history, you are in a unique position, which requires a new way forward for your development. Using two traits at once is like trying to write with both hands. It is not common for one to be born ambidextrous, nor is it impossible for someone to learn how."

"I suspect that my training will revolve around how to use my powers more efficiently?" Rias pointed out.

"I am glad that you are aware of that much, but that is merely scratching the surface." Then Grayfia conjures a magic circle before pulling out several grimoires stacked atop of each other. "A King shouldn't solely rely on strength. They should also pursue intelligence, tactics, and the ability to think on their feet. Your commands will decide your Peerage's fate during the Rating Game. Here are several records of past Rating Games supplied by House Gremory's archives. I trust that you'll study them cover to cover while you're not training your powers."

"I will," Rias nodded.

"Good luck, stelpa," Nidhogg chimed in. "... I admit, seeing someone else grow in power makes me want to try harder."

The atmosphere suddenly becomes awkward as everyone hears an Evil Dragon give someone else besides his host a genuine compliment.

"... Moving on, Dame Himejima." The maid then turned her attention towards the Queen. "Judging by your current performance compared to last time, I've seen that you've become more accustomed to using the Queen's abilities to their fullest, but like Lady Rias, you have only begun growing into your full potential. As of now, you seem to favor the Bishop-like traits while only integrating aspects of Knight and Rook's traits in your general combat skills. My suggestion is that you keep at it while developing your newfound skills, move them out of 'last resort' to 'second nature.' After all, as a Queen myself, I seek balance in my own strengths to fit into any situation, just like a good maid."

"That... makes a lot of sense," Akeno remarked as she clearly sees the parallels of being a Queen and an attentive maid like Grayfia.

"With that said..." the maid sighed, causing Akeno's expression to tighten in anticipation, as if she already knew what she's about to say. "... Your demonic powers alone will not be enough to make a difference. You can only hold yourself back out of pride and resentment for so long, Dame Himejima. It is time for you to stop acting like a child."

Everyone but Pandora had sympathetic looks on their faces. Even Takeshi, who knew the least among those in the know, could easily connect the dots from her prior testimony, Riser's comment about her being a 'filthy half-breed,' and Grayfia's statement.

"... Please, Grayfia-san," begged Takeshi. "She still needs time to heal."

"The world waits for no one, Sir Ryuugamine," the maid bluntly pointed out. "... I suspect you know that much, no?"

Akeno sighs, realizing that she has to come out sooner rather than later. "... I'll try," she answered. "... But right now... my heart feels like it's so full of trash that I just want to rip it out, set it on fire, and stomp on its ashes until there's naught a single trace of dust left underneath my heel."

Takeshi then looked towards the maid. "... Quick question, but are you also responsible for dealing with our possibly-psychological issues?"

"On paper, yes, it is in my contract," the maid answered. "However, I must confess that I am not what the mortal plane considers 'qualified.' Although in my defense, psychology is still a soft science, meaning that as long as there's no standard variable for everyone to work off of, I am afraid that the only advice I can give to Dame Himejima is 'get over it'."

"... Maybe we can, but with some help," Takeshi added as he then faced Akeno. "... Look senpai, I... only know what you've told me about yourself, but Grayfia-san might have a point, but at the same time, I also don't want you to see you crash and burn from you pushing yourself too hard. Let's reach that point where you can at least be proud of who you are, one step at a time. Ease it in, like going into a gimp suit-what did I just say?"

Akeno then chuckles before giving him a hug. "... I needed that, but I see what you mean," she remarked. "... Alright, Grayfia-san. I'll do it. I'll get into that gimp suit. One leg at a time."

The maid grumbles to herself as Koneko elbows Takeshi in his ribs out of envy.

"Analogy aside... I am glad that you are receptive to change," Grayfia sighed in relief before turning her attention towards Yuuto. "Now for your assessment, Sir Kiba."

"I'm listening," the blond Knight replied.

"As a Knight, there's nothing fundamentally wrong with you. Both your speed and technique are first-rate," the maid revealed. "Sir Okita has done splendid work training you since your adoption into the House."

"I should be the one thanking him," Yuuto replied with a bow. "He's a spartan teacher, but one that I am grateful for."

"However, you do still have some flaws that you need to address." Grayfia then begins to go over what the Knight needs to work on. "For starters, while I did see your footage with the fight against the Fallen Angel, your durability, while above average for a Knight, is still something that you shouldn't lean on. Changing your physique would be impossible in a scant amount of time we're given, so instead, we'll double down on your Evil Piece's specialty and make it work better with your own Sacred Gear."

"Any suggestions?" he asked.

"For starters, I recommend you start getting used to maneuvering on anomalous terrain," the maid suggested. "Flat terrains and open spaces will not be a guarantee, but luckily, there are plenty of caves, forests, and grottoes around Mt. Ishizuchi to aid you in building your speed and stamina. A Knight's speed is not about speed alone. It is how well they can move in any position, how long they can keep moving, and how fast they can react to their ever-changing surroundings."

"Doable," Yuuto nodded. "And for my Sacred Gear?"

"I have to say, I am glad to see you using your [Sword Birth]'s products as projectiles after I have reviewed your previous footage," Grayfia praised. "However, merely throwing them will not be enough. After all, you only have two hands, Sir Kiba. There's nothing stopping you from summoning swords anywhere besides in your hands."

It took two seconds for him to figure out what she was implying. "... What blunder," he groaned in embarrassment as he facepalmed. "To think that I only used such a simple application only in my [Full Release] techniques..."

"So going from EMIYA to Gilgamesh?" Takeshi grinned at that prospect. "Not gonna lie, but I look forward to seeing your own iteration of the [Gate of Babylon] sometime in the future."

"You are still young, so there is nothing to be ashamed of for you overlooking such a simple fact," Grayfia reassured. "The way you use your Sacred Gear is only limited to your imagination, Sir Kiba. Keep that in mind."

"I will try," Yuuto replied.

"Next up, Dame Othrys."

Pandora lets out a deep sigh as she adjusts her shades. "... Please keep it brief."

"In all honesty, I have no idea on how to approach your training due to the esoteric nature of your powers and... I mean no offense, but also existence," Grayfia confessed. "So dare I may be so bold to ask, can you explain to me and possibly everyone else how your powers work in detail?"

Pandora sighs as she takes off her shades, revealing her eyes, trying to suppress her Charm with her own demonic energy to her best effort. "My Charm allows me to beguile people and ambient spirits alike," she began. "Depending on the environment, there may be different kinds of elemental spirits that have 'awakened.' For example, this mountain is mostly active with awakened earth and wind spirits whereas water spirits are 'stirring' in their 'sleep' while the fire spirits are 'comatose,' per say."

Takeshi scratches his chin before adding his own two cents. "... So if we were to start a campfire here, then would it 'awaken' the ambient fire spirits?"

"Not as much as you think, but yes, you have the basic principles down," Pandora confirmed. "And also yes, there's no cost to me having to use elemental powers besides my Charm to keep them bound to my wiles. But once I get put out of commission, the Charm is immediately dispelled, and the rest is obvious."

"Fascinating," the maid remarked. "Given that the Rating Games take place within a pocket dimension where everything is artificially created, do you think that your elemental powers can work in there?"

"If it burns, it's fire. If we can breathe it, it's air. If it makes things wet, then it's water. And if we can walk on it, then it's earth," Pandora answered. "The spirits are more universal than you think. Where it can sustain life, there will be spirits. Even if the modern cities are constructed with processed materials, spirits adapt and live on. How else did you expect that I took down that dam a few weeks back besides being coerced into it by a bunch of terrorists?"

"... Oh right," Rias remarked. "Come to think of it, the dam looks as if it had crumbled from the inside-out."

"That aside, what can you tell us about your curse and how does it correlate with your Charm?" asked Grayfia.

Pandora sighs as she puts her shades back on, allowing her to ease her tension around her demonic energy reservoirs. "... It's hard to describe, but if I have to say anything about it... it's like something was trapped within me, trying to break out and reach out towards everything within its proximity," she explained before turning towards Takeshi. "... At least, until he came along and made me realize that my so-called 'curse' is nothing compared to the Hell he's going through, and can realistically kill more people at a faster rate. We're balancing each other out, for some reason."

"She shows us respect," Nidhogg commented. "We are fear and death incarnate. And nothing will supplant us."

"What is the point of calling getting innocents killed a 'curse'?!" Grendel pointed out. "That shit happens every day around this world, with or without me! AND I FUCKING HATE THE FACT THAT I'M MISSING OUT ON MOST OF THE KILLING!"

The Evil Dragon of Wrath's personal grievances aside, he actually makes a decent point.

"... Thankfully, Re:Live being Re:Live, provided me with this." Grayfia then produces an ancient scroll before handing it to Pandora. "They have procured this text from Cyprus, and within it, are recounts of the basics of Spirit Charming. Outside of that, I recommend you join Sir Kiba in his training, given that as a Knight, you'll have to train in your speed as well."

Pandora sighs, actively fighting back her doubt, of which she has no doubt will come back every time she quashes it. "... I understand," she answered. "I swear, I won't let your generosity go to waste."

"I have no doubt that you will make a good effort," Grayfia reassured. "Now onto you, Dame Toujou."

"Hit me," she replied.

"As you are aware, Senjutsu and Yōjutsu are not my areas of expertise," the maid confessed. "However, Re:Live did contact with experts that will help you aiding your developing gifts-"

"INCOMING!"

Suddenly, everyone heard a pair of screaming coming from above as Pandora felt the number of active fire spirits rise around her.

*KABOOM!*

Landing like a meteorite next to where ORC and the maid were holding their meeting , a pair of silhouettes could be seen from within the dust cloud.

"Ah," Grayfia dryly remarked, barely fazed by the crash. "You're both just in time."

"Seriously..." a yowl was heard before she revealed herself as the Kasha, Kikuchiyo, rolling up on her blazing axel. "... You really need to stop squirming so much, Chiharu-san. Almost fell off my ride because of you."

"Well excuse me, having only one arm does wonders for an Oni!" Another person then revealed herself, the Oni, Chiharu, now dressed in a beige kimono with a massive, deep-dark-blue Showa Era-gakuen jacket hanging over her shoulders while her left eye was now covered in a tsuba serving as her eyepatch, and her left sleeve flopping in the wind as if nothing was underneath it. Her now-snow white-hair was tied up in a rough ponytail, her brows sporting a misshapen pair of horns akin to Kataki's, her back carried a shichishitō with its serrated blade wrapped in bandages, the gaps barely leaking residual traces of kegare, and her feet clacked with the wooden geta slippers with each step she took.

"Huh," Takeshi remarked. "... Haven't seen them in a while."

"Chiharu-san?!" Rias exclaimed as she looked at the Oni that had changed drastically between the time period where they first met her and their current reunion. "You're okay?!"

The Oni smirks, but her demeanor no longer holds any traces of arrogance and contempt she held previously towards the Devils of Kuoh Town. She looked almost relaxed, humbled, as if the whole world that she was born and raised in had shattered and now has found her own inner peace.

"Greetings, Gremory Peerage." Chiharu then bowed her head. "... I am here to return the favor ever since I've been exiled from the Kantō Yōkai Faction's Guardians as a Stray."

"Technically, I shouldn't even be associated with her, but to be fair, we of the Tōhoku Faction don't give a crap about who we can associate with," Kikuchiyo pointed out. "Although I'm gonna have to give Re:Live some shit about making the whole 'first week of May' tidbit being so vague... Oh, and my boss sends his regards."

"In any event, these two will be your instructors on Senjutsu and Yōjutsu for the duration of the training camp, Dame Toujou," Grayfia confirmed. "Both will also be your sparring partners to improve upon your close-combat specialties. That said, I approve of your decision to frequent your school's Wrestling and Judo Clubs to better aid in your technical moves, but there is still room for improvement on how you can conduct yourself. Any objections?"

"None whatsoever," Koneko complied as she then turned to face her fellow Yōkai. "I look forward to working with you two."

"Likewise, Toujou-san," Chiharu replied humbly.

"Us cat Yōkai gotta look out for each other," Kikuchiyo added as she shook Koneko's hand firmly. "... No offense to your older sister, but she sounds like a total cunt for leaving you to die."

"I have some choice words for her should I run into her."

"Finally," Grayfia announced. "Sir Ryuugamine."

"Oh boy."

"For a Devil with only about a month and a half's worth of experience, you've proven yourself to be exceptionally strong thanks to your aptitude with [Cataclysm Zone] that has unlocked a new feature never seen before in its recorded history of its previous users," Grayfia pointed out. "However, you seem to have a very hard time coordinating with the rest of your Peerage. While you have shown elements of being capable of improvised teamwork during your recorded forays, overall, your compatibility with the rest of the Peerage... I have no way to sugarcoat this, but please, stop acting like a second King."

"Got a problem with how we fight?" Nidhogg chimed in, causing Chiharu to shudder at the sound of his voice as everyone else listened. "If anything, we're the strongest here."

"AND PLANS AREN'T WORTH SHIT WHEN I ENTER THE FRAY!" Grendel roared, causing the traumatized Oni to double back at this new presence radiating with pure bloodlust. "LIKE IT OR NOT, WE EVIL DRAGONS DICTATE DEATH EVERYWHERE WE GO! YOUR MINDS ARE YOUR WEAK SPOTS THAT I CAN EASILY EXPLOIT WITH MY RAGE!"

"... Hate to say it, but Grendel might have a point there," Takeshi confirmed. "... I think the adage of 'the first casualty of war is the plan of attack' is valid when Grendel's infectious rage turns the whole Rating Game into a literal blood pit."

"And I suppose you are aware of what happens that becomes reality?" the maid asked, causing Takeshi to groan in agreement. "... Good. At least you are aware to not repeat what you have done to Lord Riser's Peerage just yesterday at an official Rating Game."

"What happened, exactly?" Kikuchiyo was then whispered of what had happened by Koneko. "... Holy shit."

"In less than a minute too..." Chiharu mirthlessly chuckled. "... I think they were better off dead."

"In any event, because of you easily falling for Re:Live's gambit, to which, I don't blame you in the slightest, but I must address it as so, you have basically given away your ace in the hole," Grayfia confirmed. "Now, they're going to take all of you seriously, to which you may be aware of given the severity of your expression."

"All the more reason why I can't afford to lose," Takeshi replied. "... I ain't gonna hand over the President to that fuckboy just because he's entitled to her."

"Then I hope that your words aren't mere boasts, unlike Grendel's."

Then the whole area goes ice-cold.

"... Excuse me?"

"I need context," requested Takeshi. "Please."

"Grendel, despite his ferocious reputation, actually lost more fights then he prevailed," revealed the maid, much to everyone's shock. "... Granted, he picked a lot of fights with varying kinds of opponents, and killed a lot of people in his wake, but sometimes, he picks the wrong kinds of fights due to his inclination to never retreat from any fights he comes across."

Takeshi looks down at the green gem around his [Cataclysm Zone], feeling as if this was a sore spot for the Evil Dragon of Wrath. "... Seriously?"

"As a heart attack," the maid answered. "Special mention goes when Grendel picked a fight with Zeus of all gods. It ended up turning into a pay-per-view Pankration match where it ended with Zeus choking Grendel out before a crowd of thousands that cheered for him."

Suddenly, the fact that everyone besides him, the Evil Dragons, and the rest of ORC underestimating him made sense. "... So you guys are a bunch of jobbers?!"

"I did not lose, nor I will ever lose," growled the Evil Dragon of Wrath, his seething rage being eerily calm. "As long as I don't die, as long as I can go for another round, I cannot be defeated. Not God, not Beowulf, and certainly not some jumped-up wannabes who think they can take me on, can ever defeat me."

Takeshi sighs as he now better understood Grendel, in that he was starting to pity him in a sense, but sort of sympathized with his plight to be taken seriously by others. "... Well, thanks for letting me know."

"You're welcome, but I am not done." Grayfia then pulls out a stack of papers with Takeshi's schematics printed on the sheets, "I've also acquired Re:Live's notes on your [Cataclysm Zone], and comparing them to Lord Beelzebub's observations, it appears the your base armor serves to offset the penalties that usually come with any Balance Breaker forms, but at the cost of the whole Sacred Gear, that being the [Cataclysm Zone] itself, starting out terribly weak. That said, should you achieve a Balance Breaker status with [Berserk Devastator], your mind would be dead... but then the aspect of 'Synchronization' comes in, which even Lord Beelzebub is baffled by."

"... Curious, but what's your opinion on me reaching a state of mutual understanding with an Evil Dragon?" asked Takeshi.

"In a word, ludicrous," she bluntly answered. "But I am seeing living proof that is proving mine and everyone else's assumptions wrong, so I now have to reassess my prior opinion. The possibility of you utilizing the prior's Users' methods, that being taming, is still an option, but I suppose that given that you have struck upon an epiphany after bonding with Nidhogg, you understand that taking the 'easy way out' is crass, no?"

"... I... I thought at first, I had to reject all forms of evil because I thought I was 'normal'," Takeshi confessed. "... But... then it hit me. I was never 'normal.' I had these guys with me and I didn't know about them until they awakened inside of me. At first, I thought they were mere obstacles to 'overcome,' but then I realized the harder I push back against them, the easier they can overwhelm me, blind me, make me arrogant to think that I overcame a great evil... when they're a part of who I am."

Grayfia and everyone else listened to his self-actualization.

"I have evil in my heart right now. That is my reality," Takeshi confirmed. "... So now, I have to take responsibility... by understanding them fully. To reject them is to be no different from them."

"Understand me?" Grendel growled. "Don't get cocky, you damn brat. You and I will never reach an understanding. I will ensure that you die screaming before you can even try."

"I'll die either way, Grendel," Takeshi replied without a hint of fear or irony. "I'll go down swinging."

The Evil Dragon of Wrath, rather than being excited at this upcoming bout, only grows even more angry at Takeshi's apathy to his own life in the grand scheme of things.

"... Whelp, I think you broke him," Nidhogg commented. "Again."

"In any event, we will have to focus on you trying to 'Synchronize' with Grendel, or you'll be declared a Stray should you go on another rampage," Grayfia stated. "We will begin by training your body to become stronger with your [Cataclysm Zone] first before thinking about confronting Grendel himself. Is that acceptable?"

"No pressure," Takeshi half-sarcastically remarked before standing up. "... But really, thanks for letting me know about that. Now I can learn how to become stronger with everyone else at ORC."

The maid nods before making another announcement. "With all of your individual assessments out of the way, I will now give you all the training camp's curriculum," she began. "All of you will wake up at 4:30 AM for morning exercises across the mountains to strengthen your bodies with the rougher terrain. 7:00 AM will be breakfast. 8:30 AM is when your individual training begins, with each of your being assigned your individual locations throughout Mt. Ishizuchi. 1:00 PM will be lunch. 2:30 PM will be a small 2 hour break. 4:30 PM will be a team exercise through the mountains and sparring. 7:00 PM will be dinner. And I expect all of you to be washed up and asleep by 10:00 PM. Have I made it clear to you all?"

"Yes ma'am!" Everyone from ORC replied, knowing that their days spent in the time-displaced bubble will be hard, but worth it.

"Good." Then the maid conjures several orbs of demonic energy around her. "Now all of you will be running ten laps around the whole mountain while I pelt explosive blasts behind your heels as incentive."

"Yep, saw that coming a mile away..." Takeshi grumbled as he limbered up as quickly as possible.

Grayfia then checks her pocket watch. "... 10 seconds before we start."

"No way I'm getting caught in this," Chiharu remarked.

"Save a seat for me," Kikuchiyo added.

Both Yōkai then clear out from the potential blast zone as ORC was preparing to run for their lives.

"Go."

*KABOOM!*

With that starting fire, everyone ran for their lives as the "Strongest Queen" floated behind them like a ghost as she maintained her steady volley of her own warhead-grade demonic energy blasts that made Rias' look like firecrackers in comparison.

"THIS IS INSANE!" Pandora screeched as she ran for her life, the increased gravity feeling pleasant compared to what other fate was waiting for her. "THOSE THINGS WILL SEND US TO ELYSIUM IF WE GET CAUGHT!"

"LESS SCREAMING! MORE RUNNING!"

*KABOOM!*

Takeshi was sent careening across the air, but taking notes from all the Vin Diesel movies he'd watched during Junior High, he flails his arms and legs around into a proper orientation before performing a roll-landing to minimize the area of impact without compromising his current speed.

"I SWEAR TO THE SATANS, THAT FUCKBOY CANNOT BE HAVING IT AS BAD AS US!"

Back at Lake Tōya...

"ARRRGGGHHH! OH MY FUCK! I'M SHITTING OUT MY OWN ENTRAILS THROUGH MY OWN DICK!"

"KILL ME! SOMEONE END MY MISERABLE EXISTENCE!"

Everyone from the Phenex Peerage gawked in horror as they all watched both Lord Riser and Lady Ravel be eaten alive piece by piece by Re:Live's shark-men familiars, with the former being devoured by the eight bronze-green remoras Pawns in a feeding frenzy while the latter was being pulled by her limbs in all directions by the hammerhead Rooks and whorl-tooth shark Bishops in a gruesome display of tug-of-war by their teeth, with the saw shark Knights trying to cut her in two with their blades to get them to share, but failing.

Both of their [Immortality] traits were the only things that kept the Phenex siblings alive. But it was also the only thing prolonging their agony of being eaten alive like an infinite food glitch from a buggy video game.

If they were not pissing herself at this horrible sight, then they were vomiting their guts out, leaving them open for the basking shark Queen to approach them from behind.

Screams were heard from the evergreen forest as Re:Live, on their sun chair next to the table with the shark pieces, groaned in disappointment at their lack of progress.

"Amateurs."

They then licked their tally counter to "17" before picking up a beer can out of their icebox before pulling the tab open.

Days Remaining Until the Rating Game: 7/21 Days

To Be Continued...

And with that comes the end of the reboot's "Chapter 17."

I gotta be honest, this chapter was HARD.

Mainly due to the lore dump that is the exam, which I adapted into a quiz show for a few reasons:

- They're out in the wilderness, unlike in the original, where they're at a manor estate.

- Re:Live being Re:Live. Let them have fun.

And as for the lore, I was AGONIZING over how I should make it after the original author "dvdryms" came back and changed the context revolving around the Monotheistic Christianity (changed into the Illumina Faith), I ultimately decided on my approach: keep it open-ended while incorporating the original iteration's terminology of Deus Trinity while changing around a few cast members.

As for why I did this, this is a bit of a personal take, but I have to say it, so here it goes:

I don't get along with organized religion. At first, I assumed it's because I was naturally antisocial, but as I entered High School, I started to internalize that my relationship with the Church I go to was parasitic, so I left to stop mooching off of them. Then I stopped going to Church for the entire college 4-year period before I returned after I graduated, but after trying it out for a few months, I grew disgusted with their message and I left soon after.

So after that... epiphany, I decided to look up why I wasn't fitting in with organized religion and used my own status as an Autistic to get a look at what was bugging me and suddenly, my last 6 years of my life made sense.

As an Autistic person, I don't take it very well when other people tell me what I should believe in, but rather, I am more attuned to come up with my own personal belief system that is the best for me and while I still haven't settled down on what I should believe in solely for myself, but I think the best part of my own life without organized religion is that I have free reign on what I can choose to believe in.

This helps me feel at peace while protecting me from charlatans using the name of God for their own gain.

All that aside, ultimately, the point of this reboot is NOT to copy-paste the original story in its entirety, and I'll say nothing beyond that.

Anyway, this chapter is the introduction of ORC (and the Phenex Peerage's) "Training Arc," with both sides separated to opposite sides of the country to prevent any preliminary foul play and to give both sides a fair chance to improve upon their shortcomings.

The main issue with the Gremory Peerage is that while they're well-trained in the context of having extensive field experience and power gained to show for it, their power sets don't translate well into the rules of the Rating Game, especially Takeshi, who, disregarding the Evil Dragons aside, kinda treated his fights like a Tokusatsu choreography (one-on-one, flashy explosions, and back-and-forths, etc.) and sort of acts like a second King at the worst of times.

The latter can be somewhat excused due to the Evil Dragons insisting (read: demanding) that they be central billing. They know that they're bad, and wants everyone else to know it and make it their problem. Nidhogg can temper himself somewhat, but Grendel's not exactly cooperative, for which there's a reason why:

Grendel is a massive deconstruction of the whole "Blood Knight"-trope. While he's strong and is a genuine threat, his propensity to fight everyone that he sees gets him killed more often than one assumes, with his bout against Zeus being an especially egregious example. And the worst part is that he'd internalized his own immortal nature as a sign of him "not losing," being that the only "losers" in his eyes are the ones who are dead. Ergo, he can't comprehend any "victories" that don't involve death or beating your opponents to submission.

And to further drive in the screws, as much as Grendel wants to fight people at their strongest, his infectious rage shutting down all magic in favor of pure melee is a massive case of hypocrisy, since for him, true strength is physical, and completely disregards all forms of magic as "strength." For reference, Grendel's akin to Barbatos Goetia from Tales of Destiny 2 (aka. Mr. NO ITEMS EVER).

That just proves that Grendel's just a puffed-up jock who considers all things mental a weakness, "making up" for his shortcomings by making everyone dumb as him with his infectious rage (and yes, it targets the being on an instinctual level, meaning that nothing can stop it unless they lack a soul or are a robot), which doesn't make him smart, just spiteful in a brilliant way.

Moving on from that lengthy rant, his fight with Grayfia not only serves to highlight Grendel's hypocrisy even further, but it's also a love letter to Season 3 of Vox Machina, Episode 5, "The Frigid Doom."

Dragon VS Demon. 'Nuff said.

And for the Gremory Peerage's training, due to my unintentional "Adaptational Early Appearance" for some of their skills (Yuuto using his swords as throwing weapons, Koneko's faster Yōkai and Senjutsu acceptance, and Akeno being more willing to open up), their training menus have been altered to fit the changes. And I also compiled Pandora's elemental affinity and Charms as one as the same while removing the restrictions by making the nature of elemental spirits hardier. And speaking of Koneko, Kikuchiyo from the Tōhoku Yōkai Faction shows up with Chiharu as her trainers. Like she said, cat Yōkai need to look out for each other.

Speaking of Chiharu, I based her new design off of Guilty Gear's Baiken, specifically her Xrd/STRIVE incarnation with the inclusion of the gakuen-coat cape over her kimono. The tsuba-eyepatch is also a reference to the historical Yagyū Jūbei Mitsuyoshi, and Azusa's shichishitō being carried around her back is her way of remembering her late sister. More on her in the later chapters.

And as for the Phenex Peerage's training... yeah, they're in Hell.

Re:Live wastes no time tearing them down in order to build them back up. From corporal punishments, to breaking their old weapons and equipment before issuing replacements, and making them play video games, read manga and, watch anime as teaching tools. They suffer the opposite problem of the Gremory Peerage, in that while they're used to playing by the Rating Game rules and specialized their skills and tactics to fit in, it's not going to work with a team of wild cards like ORC, so they need to get overhauled to be more individually versatile.

And yes, Re:Live enjoys making them die repeatedly. But at the same time, they basically encourage the Pawns to stop treating themselves as cannon fodder and get stronger despite their status as Pawns. Harsh Re:Live may be with their methods, they don't waste time with meaningless torture, and the whole shark-men fiasco is to prove a point that their usual tactics are no longer going to work, which will be addressed in the following chapter.

And with that, I will see you all next time, where the real training begins as both Peerages will be pushed to their absolute limit under two spartan instructors.

Toku References:

- Metatron and Sandalphon's shared title of "Swords of Logos" is both a reference to the mythological Logos (mind of God) and Kamen Rider Saber's organization, Sword of Logos.

- Isabela's mentioned side-gig/Underworld Punk Metal Band, "heroez" is named after the video game, KAMEN RIDER: memory of heroez.

- Re:Live's training familiars/pseudo-Peerage are based off Kamen Rider Abyss' [Abyss-] Mirror Monsters.

Addendum Note (3rd of October, 2024): I switched Re:Live's suggestion from Tiger Style to Dragon Style Kung Fu since Tiger and Leopard overlap too much.