Draconis: Anyone seen Saji?
Ruruko: Down the hall, why?
Draconis: Need to have a chat with him.
Saji: (Down the hall) What do you mean no? !
Draconis: (walks down hall, Sees Saji talking to Kenshin)
Kenshin: I'm not nearly killing you so you can get the Malebolge Vritra Promotion again. It would piss Sona off too much and there's a chance I could accidentally kill you. Besides nearly getting killed for more power is my trope.
Saji: Oh come on! If I can't get that form, what the hell's the point of me being in this fight? It's seriously just Kenshin vs Issei featuring Saji.
Draconis: Saji, you're oddly daredevilish today. Don't worry there's a reason you're here.
Saji: (grumbles) Yeah yeah. (Walks away.)
Kenshin: (turns to Draconis) Come to think of it. Nothing against him, but why didn't you team Sairaorg with Issei instead of Saji.
Draconis: It'd be overkill. Issei and Sairaorg would curbstomp you at half strength before the fight could really start and I needed something for Saji to do in this arc other than help fight Ialda. Besides I have something else in mind for Sairaorg, a stronger opponent.
Sairaorg: Hm?
Draconis: Anyway let's get started.
Dragon of the Elements
Chapter 93
Devotion.
Draconis: Begin!
(start)
Saji was training on his own while Momo and Ruruko watched from a distance. "How is he doing?" They turned to find Sona approaching him.
"Well...he looks like he's doing fine, but..." Ruruko said.
"Vritra keeps saying that his body might not be able to handle going into that transformation so soon." Momo said.
"I can see why. It was effectively a week and a half ago." Sona said. "Damn, we've only got a week until the fight against Kenshin. If Saji can't get to that form. Kenshin could single Saji out and take him out first."
"..." Saji's eyes twitched as he faced away from them, but didn't say anything.
"Issei has the advantage in power though. Wouldn't Kenshin's hands be full taking on him?" Ruruko asked.
"That he does." Sona said. "However Kenshin has a steep advantage in skill and experience. Also, while Kenshin might not be a true strategist like myself or his little sister...I don't think I've seen anyone better at thinking on the fly in live battle before."
"..." Momo and Ruruko stared at Saji in worry.
Sona took off her glasses and started cleaning them. "But just because of that doesn't mean all hope is lost. Issei's probably been informed of this by Saji and they're planning accordingly. That would be the wise thing to do."
"Yeah." Ruruko nodded.
"Hrm..." Momo closed her eyes, letting out a sigh. "What is wrong with him? Why is he so deadset on this?"
"Kenshin?" Sona said. "Hmn..." She stroked her chin in thought. "I'd imagine it's devotion."
"Devotion?" Ruruko asked.
"When I was here last time. Kenshin said it wasn't the people of the world he hated, even though a great deal of them hated him. It was the people in charge he couldn't stand, obviously things have been mended on the Hellas end, but there's still this end to consider." Sona said. "I think he's devoted to not letting anyone else go through some of the same types of horrors he went through in his childhood."
"What do you mean?" Ruruko said tilting her head curiously.
"..." Sona let out a sigh. "I'll tell you and you can tell other people, but don't pity Kenshin over it. He's grown to become very annoyed with it."
A few minutes later after Sona had finished speaking both Momo and Ruruko were both wide eyed and the latter covered her mouth. "S-Seriously?" Momo asked.
"Yes. If you ever catch him with low mana to the point the illusion he's wearing comes off, you'll see the various scars he has." Sona said.
Meanwhile, Saji had been listening in. "So that's how it is, eh Kuroshi? To think someone that went through shit like that was still so calm and nice." He thought. "A bit of a sarcastic prick sure, but at least you were OK with it being thrown back at you, but it's time to stop running from your past and also stop running from what makes you happy just because you feel you have to. Hyoudou and I will make sure you see that you don't!" With that thought in mind Saji trained with a renewed vigor.
Meanwhile Kenshin was exiting the resort so he could reenter it when a magic circle appear next to his ear. "Who is this, I'm busy."
"Oh don't worry this won't take long." A voice on the other line said that made him freeze. "...Kenshin-Chan."
"...Fuck." Kenshin thought. "Oh, Serafall...what's the occasion?" He asked.
"I've been trying to get a hold of you for hours, what's the deal?" Serafall asked.
"Training in a time dialated area." Kenshin answered. "One day in there for one hour outside."
"Huh, sounds convenient." Serafall said. "...So, what's this I'm hearing about you leaving?"
"Oh? Who told you that?" Kenshin asked, trying to play dumb.
"So-tan." Serafall said.
"..." Kenshin resisted the urge to smash his head into the wall of the ship. "Damn! If it was Sona that told her, Serafall would believe it without a second thought!" He thought.
"Well?" Serafall asked.
Kenshin let out a gruff sigh and explained what had happened to Serafall. "So that's that." Kenshin said after he'd finished.
"Kenshin...you know we'd never let that happen right?" Serafall said.
"That's not the issue." Kenshin said. "The guy who is almost in charge of the Senate will do anything to see me killed." Kenshin said. "He will play on the fear the people have for me to get the support he needs and do whatever's necessary to see it done. Too many lives will end because of me."
"What about Issei's idea?" Serafall said.
"It's too damn risky and I won't let them put themselves in harms way. There's also no guarantee that it'll work." Kenshin said. "If they fail, they will basically be exposing me. I can't have that."
"So you're just going to leave everyone behind?" Serafall asked.
"Serafall, it's not like I want to." Kenshin said with his eyes closed. "...In a perfect world, I'd never do such a thing, but...that's just not the world we live in and this is how I pay for my past transgressions."
"What will you do?" Serafall said. "If you can't come back and you can't stay there, there has to be something."
"I still don't know yet. I haven't really thought about it because of the fight coming up." Kenshin said. "Because thinking about it would be pointless if Issei and Saji defeat me."
"...Please don't take offense to this, but...I hope you lose." Serafall said.
"Hmn." Kenshin let out a small chuckle. "None taken. I'd probably be doing the same in everyone else's position."
"OK...s-stay safe Kenshin-Chan." Serafall said ending the call.
"Haaa..." Kenshin let out a sigh. "This week in the resort can't pass by fast enough."
"Kenshin." He turned to find Theodora behind him.
"What is it?" Kenshin asked. Theodora held a recorder letter out to him.
"A month after you were expelled from the Nine Divisions and went off to join Rikudou. There was a meeting held in New Ostia. My mother and I attended, as did President Seras of the Ariadne Knights and the Praetor of Megalomesembria."
"Huh?" Kenshin said looking down at the letter. "There was a meeting like that called?"
"Yes." Theodora nodded. "With Ferdinand the First gone because of your actions. The Praetor wanted to use the occasion to try and push peace forward."
"What stopped him?" Kenshin asked.
"The War Council on our end, and the fear of an attack by Hottan and his Cosmo Entelecheia group made us have to schedule another meeting a while the road but it kept getting pushed back. The War Council wanted too much and Hottan, because...well it was fuckin' Hottan. By the second meeting, the new Senate officials had been elected and Ferdinand I's son Ferdinand II had been rising to power...honestly, what the hell were they thinking? Anyway he said he wanted your head and Mom and I refused by way of saying we were not currently tracking your whereabouts."
"I see." Kenshin nodded. "What's with the letter?"
"In the second meeting, The man the Praetor had sent to speak alongside Ferdinand II pulled us aside and handed us that letter. Asking us to give it to you when we thought you were ready to hear what was on it."
"Wait...this is from the previous Praetor?" Kenshin said.
"I can only assume so...for privacy's sake Mom and I never looked at it." Theodora said.
"I see." Kenshin nodded. "...I wonder why that old man wanted to leave me something like this."
"You knew him?" Theodora asked.
"Not exactly as the Praetor, but...I did witness his death." Kenshin said. "It was the only time I ever returned to Megalomesembria. He died of a stroke and cardiac arrest."
"Wait, why did you go back?" Theodora asked.
"The Rikudou Organization received an Assassination request on him shortly before I took my sabbatical from Rikudou to help Negi." Kenshin said. "...I'd long suspected that he was trying to send a message to me, but...died before he could give it."
"I see..." Theodora said. "Well...look at it whenever you wish."
Kenshin watched as the Empress walked away. He closed his eyes and put the recorder letter away. He reentered the resort, only to find Rias in front of him "..." He stared at her.
"Kenshin..." Rias said.
"..." Kenshin closed his eyes. "What?"
"..." Rias stared at him. "Don't leave." She said.
"...I have to." Kenshin said.
"Why? !" Rias shouted.
"..." Kenshin didn't respond.
"Because you're afraid we might get hurt or die to those who want your head? ! Do you have that little confidence in us? !" Rias shouted.
"Krh!" Kenshin growled. "It's not just you ALRIGHT? !" Kenshin shouted.
"!" Rias stepped back, shocked by his outburst.
"It's the fact that if this goes sideways like I think it will. I will have effectively started a war and drawn the Alliance into it, you think Rizevim wouldn't jump at the chance to get a mage army? All ready to be modified by that fucking grail of his? Thousands will die because of my failure to uphold the oath I swore in Rikudou to protect the fragile peace here." Kenshin said.
"But...Kenshin.." Rias said.
"I'm not doing this because I want to, but because...if anything did happens to you all in the ensuing war...I could never live with myself, because I will have now given Rizevim a magician army numbering in the hundreds of thousands. I could live with more of people who had nothing to do with this dying because of me...but..." Kenshin looked at Rias with tears in his eyes. "...I...I could never forgive myself if you and the others died because of something I know I could have stopped."
"..." Rias stared at Kenshin with tears in her eyes as he appeared before her. Without warning Rias pulled Kenshin down into a deep kiss.
"Mmmhrrn? !" Kenshin moaned against her lips.
"Kenshin...I don't care about any of that." Rias said. "..I...I can't live without you." She said kissing his lips again.
"..." Kenshin pushed her away.
"!" Rias' eyes widened as Kenshin turned away from her. "Kenshin...would you...continue to protect me, even then?" She asked.
"..." Kenshin stared at her. "...Always...I would always protect all of you..." He said. "A...As long as you all survived. I'm game." Kenshin said.
"...What am I to you?" Rias asked.
"Wh...Wha?" Kenshin said turned toward her
"You seem to be dominated by the thought of saving Negi-San, of protecting people...but...what...am I to you now?" Rias said.
"W...Well..." Kenshin said. "You're always going to be Rias..."
"Idiot!" Rias cried out as she ran away from Kenshin.
"!" Kenshin extended his hand toward her as she ran. "Aaah...aaaahh..." He said as tears started to slip down his face. He fell to his knees, his mind racing as his own thoughts ran with the thoughts of the women interested in him...or even people who cared about him, or rather what he thought they'd say.
"Kenshin-San! You're terrible!" Asia said.
"That was pretty bad just now Kenshin." Kiba said.
"Of course Rias would get angry." Akeno said.
"Even I think you're being pretty stupid Kenshin." Xenovia said.
"You're the worst..." Koneko said.
"Kenshin-Senpai...you are very much that pathetic..." Gasper said.
"Kenshin...is this going to be your answer to everything." Tamamo said.
"Maybe...I should have rethought who to have give me my heirs..." Alice said.
"Are you really so spineless?" Granberia said.
"Not even Luka was this cowardly." Alma said.
"...To think such a pathetic man saved our spring." Erubetie said.
"So...is this where your strength ends?" Yukari asked.
"Onii-Chan...you would give up now?" Miyuki asked.
"G...Ghhhh!" Kenshin bashed his fist against the bridge as more voices played in his head. "I...I knew...that it would hurt...but..." He trailed off.
(break)
Seven Days later.
Issei and Saji approached a landscaped field, almost as if it had been prepared for the coming conflict. They looked up and saw a massive rock floating high in the sky. They glanced over and saw the crowd consisting of Rias' peerage, Sona's peerage and Kenshin's peerage as well as Sextum, Tertium, Seekvaira, Sairaorg, Raynare, Gabriel and Alice watching.
"Where is he?" Issei said.
"Up here!" They heard from high above. Issei and Saji watched as a figure fell from high above, landing safely on the ground.
The dust cleared to reveal Kenshin standing up. "I combined the rocks I was using to train with into one." Kenshin said with an indifferent glare on his face as he slipped his hands into his pockets.
"You seem angry." Issei noted.
"..." Kenshin didn't respond.
"Finally realizing how pointless this all is?" Saji asked.
"Tell me." Kenshin said. "If you beat me...are you two ready to bear lives on your consciences?"
"..." Issei and Saji don't respond.
"Because, if this little idea of yours fails...and Ferdinand II gets his wish to declare war. I will no longer be shouldering the burden of allowing war to reign anymore. No, you'll be shouldering it right along with me." Kenshin said. "Are you two prepared to hold the lives of innocents on your consciences?"
"Are you?" Saji asked.
"That doesn't matter." Kenshin said with his eyes closed. "I dug my own grave, but you two shouldn't be subjected to this."
"Neither should you." Issei said.
Kenshin's eyes opened. "Nice of you to say, but you're wrong. This is the price I must pay. The oath I swore demands it."
"That's your reasoning for this? An oath?" Saji asked.
"A Kuroshi is nothing, if not a person of their word." Kenshin said as he knelt down and picked up a rock. "Now are we done talking? Because I am." Kenshin said tossing the rock upward.
"..." Issei and Saji never broke eye contact with Kenshin as the rock plummeted back to the earth. Except when Kenshin vanished right as the rock landed. "!"
"Where'd he go? !" Saji said.
"Behind!" Issei said turning and punching, but finding nothing.
"!" Saji's eyes widened. "Get down Hyoudou!" He said pushing Issei down only to receive a fist to the face for his troubles.
"Hm?" Kenshin looked down seeing a tendril on his forearm as Saji went flying backward. He jumped back as Issei drove his fist at Kenshin's stomach. "Did you really think that would work Saji?" He said slicing through the tendril like butter with Kuroi Jigoku.
"You're trying to finish this awful quickly." Issei said.
"Of course...I take no joy in this." Kenshin said. "Now I suppose to end this quickly, I'll cut right to the chase." Kenshin said as his aura began to strengthen. "I...who am about to awaken."
"? !" Issei's eyes widened as his head snapped toward Saji. The two nodded toward each other and Saji uncased his wings, flying away.
"Am the Dragon of the Elements who shall master the powers of Creation and Destruction. I shall stride down the path to peace with the power of my infinite will and unbreakable dream."
"He's using that this early?" Tamamo said from hers and the others viewing point.
"Of course he is." Miyuki said. "If he wants to end this quickly he has to, an extended battle plays to his disadvantage."
"..." Rias and the others all remained silent.
Alice watched Kenshin prepare himself. "Kenshin, I don't care what you say if you end up winning this fight I'm taking you back to Makai after you're finished here. Our children won't miss their father in their lives just because he had stubborn sense of duty." She thought.
"I will become the Abyssal Dragon of the Elements and I will navigate the Light and the Dark to guide you to your peaceful end"
"Abyssal Elemental Overdrive!"
"Balance Break!" Issei shouts.
"Welsh Dragon! Balance Breaker!"
"..." Kenshin glanced around. "Where did Saji run off to?"
"He's executing a plan." Issei said.
"A plan?" Kenshin said before looking up. "!"
"Haaaa! !" Saji roared, driving a massive pillar of rock onto him as Issei jumped into the air.
(boom!)
"!" Everyone shielded their eyes from the kicked up dust. "When did Saji-kun get that strong? !" Ruruko said.
"I think I saw Issei transferring boosts to him shortly before they arrived here!" Yura said
"That won't work though! If Kenshin could be defeated that easily a lot of people would be out of a job!" Yukari said.
"Nice plan so far Hyoudou!" Saji said.
"Yeah, if the goal was to piss him off!" Issei said.
(crack!)
"!" Saji backpedaled as the pillar he buried Kenshin under began to crack.
(boom!)
"Haaaaa! !" Kenshin roared out as the pillar exploded to pieces around him. "Hrgh!" He swung his free arm outward, shaping the destroyed rocks into earthen rods which in turn flew right at Issei.
"Shit!" Issei said taking off. "Promotion Knight!"
"Change Star Sonic!"
Kenshin turned to Saji. "Still don't have that promotion yet I take it? If not why are you here?"
"Right, like I'm going to tell you that!" Saji said sending multiple Absorption Lines at Kenshin.
"Hrm!" Kenshin called his naginata forth and spun it, slicing the tendrils to bits. "?" He looked around as the bits turned into black flames.
"Black Blaze Flare!" Saji said.
"..." Kenshin narrowed his eyes as the black flames spiraled around him, entrapping him.
"Gh!" Saji grunted as the flames began to expand, as if being forced away.
"Wind Shell!" Kenshin shouts.
"Ghhh! !" Saji grunted as the heavy strain of keeping Kenshin bound was becoming too much to bear. "H-Hyoudou! Quickly! I can't hold him much longer!"
"I'm coming!" Issei said flying toward them, the rods still in hot pursuit he landed behind Kenshin and rushed him. "Let him go!"
"Right!" Saji said dispersing the flames.
"? !" Kenshin felt Issei's arms slip under his before Issei's hands locked behind his neck. "Gh!" He started to force the hold off.
"Shit! Promotion Rook!" Issei shouts.
"Change Solid Impact!"
"Ghh!" Kenshin grunted as the hold strengthened exponentially. Issei jerked Kenshin around to face the rods that were still coming. "Shit, I won't be able to stop them in time!" He thought. "In that case." He closed his eyes focusing the elements internally. "Earth Guard!" He shouts.
The rods impacted Kenshin, but no damage was done. "Nngh? !" Issei said as Kenshin crouched down. "What do you think you're do-? !" His eyes widened as wind exploded out of the soles of Kenshin's feet sending them both airborne.
"Hrmn!" Kenshin pointed his hands forward once they were looking straight up and more wind shot out of his palms, sending them slamming into the ground.
"Gah!" Issei gasped out in pain, but didn't relinquish the hold. "You think that's gonna get me to let you go?"
"Maybe not immediately." Kenshin said as more wind shot out of Kenshin's hands, sending them crashing through the jungle, crashing through multiple tree. "Good thing I can do this all day!"
Try as though he might though. Issei's hold on Kenshin remained strong. "It won't work, Kenshin."
"Hrmn..." Kenshin looked ahead and saw Saji coming after them. "Very well." Kenshin said as he relaxed his hands, a white charm appearing in his right hand.
Seeing this from their vantage point Sextum shouted out. "COVER YOUR EYES!"
"Too Late." Kenshin said. "Eimei Issen!"
"Gulllaahhh! !" Issei cried out as a bright flash blinded him, the involuntary response to cover his eyes making him release his hold on Kenshin.
"Hrmn!" Kenshin turned and punched Issei in the stomach sending him flying away.
"!" Saji, having been far enough away to not get blinded stopped short, seeing Kenshin turn to him.
"With Issei indisposed right now, it's just you and me Saji." Kenshin said
"Yeah, well it's a good thing I planted this on you earlier." Saji said holding up his Absorption Line.
"Hrm?" Kenshin grunted, seeing it attached to his leg. "Clever, you managed to slap it on while I was bashing Issei through the jungle" Kenshin said slicing it off. "So which is it? Blood, mana or both?"
"Little column A, lot of column B." Saji said. "Though I'm curious, your power feels like it would before that transformation."
"Of course. I am at half strength. I'm using Touki to bridge it between Elemental Overdrive and the Abyssal Elemental Overdrive." Kenshin said. "But the bridge is woefully incomplete."
"And yet you still think you can beat us?" Saji said.
"It isn't arrogance to bet on yourself." Kenshin said.
"Right, and why weren't you blinded by that and if you were, why didn't you react?" Saji asked.
"Whose to say I wasn't? I just ignored the pain." Kenshin said with his right eye closed, the eye patch that Rossweisse gave him still over his left.
"This is my chance! I have to attack him while he can't see!" Saji thought, rushing Kenshin.
"..." Kenshin slipped out of the way and backpedaled after turning toward him.
"? !" Saji's eyes widened. "Wait, I thought he couldn't see? ! Was he lying to me?" He thought.
Kenshin weaved out of the way of Saji's attacks as he continued to try and hit him. "You're trying to exploit my blind spots. A smart move if it were anyone else, but Saji..." Kenshin paused to drive his knee into Saji's stomach, holding him there. "...I have no blind spots."
"Gul...aaaah..." Saji gasped out, before falling over.
"You're a good fighter, but woefully inexperienced to deal with the caliber of warrior I am." Kenshin said. "Even without all my power, with you unable to use all of yours. I have the clear advantage." He knelt down, raising Saji's head to look him in the eyes. "Now sleep." He said preparing to use the Serene Conqueror to incapacitate Saji when he saw a green light glowing bright behind him. He turned to find Issei facing him in his Bishop form.
"Heh, I might not be able to take you one on one, but..." Saji punched his fist toward the ground.
"!" Kenshin saw two Absorption Line tendrils tear through the earth at his feet and wrap tightly around them. He moved to slice them off from the source when he saw Saji being obscured in shadows.
"Shadow Prison! Black Blaze Flare! Delete Field!" Saji said.
"!" Kenshin's eyes widened. "My defensive magics!" He thought.
"Now Hyoudou!" Saji shouts.
"Dragon Blaster! !" Issei shouts.
"!" Kenshin crossed his arms as the attack engulfed him.
(boom!)
The attack impacted Kenshin into the jungle before exploding. Issei ran up to Saji and helped him up. "You OK?" He asked.
"Yeah, thanks to Vritra's Sacred Gears I didn't take any damage from the Dragon Blaster." Saji said. "That knee to the gut however..." Saji grimaced.
"Yeah, well there's more to come." Issei said. "There's no way that did him in. Kenshin's tougher than that."
"Then why aren't you using the Cardinal Crimson Full Drive?" Saji asked.
"Because he still has one more form after this." Issei said. "His strongest form."
"..." Saji nodded toward him. "The Vessel of the Elements. Costly, but a powerful form nonetheless. It's been his ace in a couple of battles before I saw him use it against Sairaorg-San. He even used it to beat a fellow Dragon of the Elements to death. If we have to face that...then I've got to find a way to get to the form I used in Auros." He thought.
The smoke exploded outward as Kenshin flew out of it, he was bleeding from the forehead and arms. "Interesting. That was an interesting ploy you used there. I commend you." He said "But the warm up is over."
"!" Issei and Saji felt an overwhelming presence exude from Kenshin.
Everyone watching felt it as well. "This power..." Xenovia said.
"Even from over here I can feel it." Koneko said.
"Did he unseal himself?" Raynare asked.
"No." Everyone turned to Sairaorg. "That is Kenshin's fighting spirit. This is what everyone who has been Kenshin's opponent has felt. He's showing what it feels like to go against him to you all."
"Yes, but not like this." Tertium said.
"He wasn't as strong when you fought him then." Sairaorg said.
"Well then, it's time I stopped playing too!" Issei said.
"Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost!"
"Transfer it like I said!" Issei thought.
"On it." Ddraig said.
"Transfer!"
"Come!" Kenshin shouts.
"Haa!" Issei shot toward Kenshin. "Ascalon!"
"Blade!"
Kenshin raised Kuroi Jigoku to block Issei's sword thrust as it drove him skyward. Meanwhile Saji took to the air to follow after them. Kenshin blocked the numerous stabs and slashes before kicking Issei away. Issei was undeterred and kept the assault up. Saji watched this with a confused look.
"He says the warm up is over then immediately goes on the defensive?" Saji said. "Hrm!" He shot a black fireball at Kenshin.
"..." Kenshin extended his free hand toward it and deflected it with a shot of water. He turned back toward Issei and began slashing at him. "Ninefold Rakshasa!"
"Tch!" Issei grunted as he tanked through the slashes and punched Kenshin in the chest. "Promotion Rook!"
"Ggh!" Kenshin grunted, spitting out blood as he was sent flying back. "Agh!" He gasped out feeling another Absorption Line stab into his side. "Son of a-? !"
"Not this time!" Saji said pulling on the Absorption Line.
"Gh!" Kenshin grunted as he was thrown into a stalagmite. Saji moved quickly, pulling Kenshin out of the stalagmite. Issei flew over Saji and right at Kenshin, extending his leg toward him. "Tch!" Kenshin mirrored this posture and the two kicked each other in the face. Kenshin backflipped and slashed Kuroi Jigoku outward. "Katensho!"
"!" Saji shielded his eyes from the explosion. "!" He felt himself being pulled.
"You know there's a very tricky drawback to this thing!" Kenshin said as he yanked Saji forward. "Sure your opponent is connected to you, and you can suck out his energy, but you're also connected to him, leading to this!" He said cocking his fist back as Saji flew right at him.
"I don't think so!" Kenshin was sent flying by a punch from Issei. "Release the line!"
"Right!" Saji said.
"!" Kenshin stopped himself and turned toward the two. "Interesting. My attacks aren't have the effect on you that I thought they would. You gathered sixteen boosts earlier, am I to assume you've used them to mimic the abilities the elements give me?"
"It's not perfect, and nowhere near as fluid as what you can do, but yes." Issei said.
"Hm. I see." Kenshin said as he sheathed his sword, before extending his hands toward a nearby stalagmite.
(crack!)
The earth cracked and broke apart collecting around his fists, forming gauntlets of stone slightly bigger than his hands. "What's his play here?" Saji said.
"I don't know but get ready." Issei said.
"!" Kenshin vanished and reappeared behind them. Issei and Saji both turned toward him only for Issei to get blasted away by Kenshin's right fist.
"Damn!" Saji said flying backward, forming numerous barriers with Black Blaze Flame that Kenshin easily broke out of. "Damn! That punch of his just now was so fucking fast!" He thought.
"You can't stall me with this level of power!" Kenshin shouts.
"Guh!" Saji was punched in the stomach, driving the wind out of him, before Kenshin punched him in the face sending him crashing toward the ground. He rushed downward and caught him with one hand, tossing him to the ground from a much lower point.
Issei watched as Kenshin flew back up to him. "Damn, what was that earlier?" He thought.
"Keep a close eye on how he attacks." Ddraig said.
"Hrgh!" Kenshin grunted as he drove his left elbow at Issei's chest, holding his left fist in his right hand.
"Ghh!" Issei grunted, blocking it with both arms. "It happened again!" He thought. "It got faster as he did it."
"When he did, the jewels on his shinguards lit up." Ddraig said.
"But those are green...is he using Sylph's magic?" Issei thought.
"How is he doing that?" Tsubaki said. "His fists get faster just before the point of impact, greatly enhancing the damage of the punch."
"It has something to do with those rock gauntlets he made." Alma said with a pondering look.
"Likely Kenshin-San made the gauntlets a bit bigger than his own hands, and is likely using short, intense bursts of wind magic to propel them forward." Chachamaru said.
"Tch, so it's just Kenshin showing more of his battle ingenuity." Evangeline said.
"But still, what he's doing takes a lot of magic control as well as muscle control, he slips up one time and he could rip his arm right out of socket." Hikari said.
At the same time Kenshin had beaten Issei toward a stalagmite. "Promotion Rook!"
"Change Solid Impact!"
"Hrmn!" Kenshin cocked both his fists back and launched them forward, slamming Issei into the stalagmite.
"Guah!" Issei gasped out.
"Krh." Kenshin growled. "Go down!" He said making the same move.
"Hrgh!" Issei raised his fists, catching Kenshin's fist. The percussion hammers on both arms falling, but the force from Kenshin's fists stalled them.
Meanwhile Saji pushed himself up and saw the two struggling against one another. "Gh...damn it...I'm not even in their league right now."
"Hrmn..." Vritra grunted. "My other self."
"What is it?" Saji said.
"If this truly means that much to you, to keep the Dragon of the Elements around, then let's do it." Vritra said.
"Vritra?" Saji said.
"Besides, I think it'd be a nice feather in your cap, giving him a beating and all." Vritra said. "Let your body adjust however, your power won't be in it's top form right away."
"Right, thanks Vritra." Saji said.
"Grrhhh...!" Issei growled, making no headway on his attack on Kenshin, or vice versa for Kenshin himself. "Damn! This wave of energy from Kenshin is so thick!"
"Damn it!" Kenshin thought. "Just give in and let me go!"
"Huuuurraaahh! !" Kenshin and Issei both roared as their energies built, until they could no longer be compressed and blew them away from each other, obliterating the stalagmite behind Issei as he crashed through it.
"Ghh!" Kenshin caught himself, but felt a hand grip his right shoulder tightly. "?" He turned his head to see Saji. "! !"
"Sorry to keep you waiting Kenshin, I have something for you!" Saji said as he rammed a ball of black flames into Kenshin's back.
(boom!)
The area around them exploded in black flames, Saji leaping backward out of it. "Wait, is that?" Momo said.
"It is! Saji's in his Balance Breaker!" Tsubaki said.
"..." Sona stared up at him.
"I'm not gonna let Kenshin up and leave Kaichou, count on it." She recalled something Saji said to her the night before.
"Whoa! Saji you did it!" Issei said flying up next to him.
"Yeah, but Hyoudou, I think it's time you tipped the scales in our favor. I need some time to adjust, but you're going to need some time to upgrade." Saji said.
"Right." Issei said. "I'll only need a minute."
"Consider it bought." Saji said. "!"
"That actually hurt! I'm impressed Saji!" Kenshin said shooting out from the smoke left by his attack. He flashed behind him and attacked Issei. "But if you think I'm letting you both power up, think again!" He said.
"Grh!" Issei raised his arms to block. "Rrghh!"
"Hrnmmm!" Kenshin growled out, letting loose a blistering barrage of punches at Issei.
"I don't think so!" Saji said wrapping two of his tentacles around Kenshin's wrists a piece. "Ghh!" He grunted immediately in strain.
"Fine! I'll take you on first!" Kenshin said using wind magic to create platforms to jump off of, going into a spin, heel kicking Saji in the face to break the hold.
"That's right! The one who's going to kick your pessimistic ass is me!" Saji shouts lunging toward Kenshin.
"Hrmn!" Kenshin drove his knee into Saji's stomach, his elbow into his neck and threw him backward. He turned, his sword raised over head as he lunged for Saji. "Heavenly Demon Revi-"
"I don't think so!" Issei said kicking Kenshin to the side.
"Grrh!" Kenshin growled and turned toward him, punching and stabbing Kuroi Jigoku at Issei.
"Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost!"
"Transfer!"
"Tch!" Kenshin grunted as his blows had little effect.
"..." Saji watched Kenshin's attacks.
"Crushing Flame Profusion!" Kenshin said driving his fist into Issei's stomach, knocking him back.
"Guoh!" Issei caught himself, spitting up a bit of bile. Kenshin appeared in front of him, driving his elbow into Issei's collarbone. Saji took Kenshin's back, but Kenshin sensed this and had Saji run into his outstretched fist. "Haa!" Issei tried to uppercut Kenshin, only to get booted away.
"Haa!" Saji kicked at him, only for Kenshin to move out of the way and grab his leg.
"Haa!" Kenshin shouted, tossing Saji away.
"What's going on? Saji's gotten his Balance Breaker, but it doesn't seem to be making a difference." Akeno said.
"No, trust me it is." Granberia said. "Kenshin may not be showing it, but he is being pressured quite a lot right now."
"Yes, the fruits of this constant attack will bear fruit." Tertium said.
"I'm not finished with you!" Saji said flying right at Kenshin.
"Such persistence." Kenshin grunted, using the same barrage of punches and stabs he used against Issei before.
"Heh." Saji smirked as he weaved out of harms way of each attack. "I can see through this attack, Kenshin!" He thought.
"Wait, what the hell?" Issei said with wide eyes.
"? !" Everyone's eyes widened as Saji's fist tore through Kenshin's armor and planted right into Kenshin's stomach.
"Saji? !" Issei said.
"Nngh...!" Kenshin stared down at Saji with a look of bewilderment as Saji smirked up at him.
"Heh...Hyoudou! Now's the time! Leave Kenshin to me!" Saji said.
"? !" Kenshin was driven back as Saji kept attacking him, not letting up for even a second. "What the hell is going on? He wasn't this good just a few moments ago!" He thought.
"See?" Granberia said. "Kenshin doesn't have time to think right now, he can only react."
"Is...he going to win?" Ruruko said.
"Sorry to burst your bubble, but not at this rate." Evangeline said. "Sure Saji might have Kenshin on the defensive right now, but Issei needs to hurry up and join him, or Kenshin WILL turn this back on them."
"What do you mean?" Seekvaira asked.
"Kenshin still has the seal to unbind...and one more form to use." Evangeline said.
"Partner, we need to make this quick. Vritra's host might have the upper hand now, but I can't help suspecting that Kenshin's merely defending himself right now to analyze his fighting pattern." Ddraig said.
"Gh!" Kenshin was knocked back by Saji's assault. He turned to back hand Saji away as the Vritra host appeared behind him, only for Saji to duck and bury his right foot into Kenshin's stomach. "Guoh!" He gasped out.
"You were faster and stronger than this when you fought Hyoudou!" Saji shouts.
"Grh!" Kenshin growled and slammed his fist into Saji's face, sending him backward.
"Haaa! !" Saji roared, sending a blast of black flames at Kenshin.
"Wind Shell!" Kenshin shouted as he flew forward, the flames still burning him, but doing little more than half the damage they would be doing. He shoulder charged into Saji, headbutted him and knocked him to the ground. "Eat this!" Kenshin shouted. "Crushing Flame Profusion!" He said as he appeared in front of him, and buried his fist into Saji's stomach, sending him flying backward.
Saji got back up from the attack, shaking himself off. "Damn..."
"Haaa...haa..haa...haa.." Kenshin panted softly, trying to catch his breath.
"He's starting to get winded." Saji thought. "Good."
Kenshin took a deep breath to calm himself. "You aren't going to beat me alone Saji. Our powers are about equal right now. You haven't trained enough with that form. With training you'll eventually get to the power I have when I'm unsealed, if that means anything."
"Heh, it would if not for the circumstances." Saji said. "Though I'd say I have the upper hand in power right now.
"I'd be inclined to agree." Kenshin said. "If it were possible right now I'd say you're at seventy five percent of my power in this form, or maybe a flat seventy. It's only because of my skill that I'm not getting wrecked right now. That and your hesitance to use Vritra's curses."
"That's high praise." Saji nodded. "That said I want to beat your ass, not kill you."
"And I've said before, if curses could kill me. I'd have died a long time ago." Kenshin said.
"Well no matter, because I'm not alone." Saji said.
"!" Kenshin jumped back as Issei punched the ground where he was standing, in his True Queen form. He bristled at this.
"With this Kenshin, we have the clear advantage." Issei said turning toward him, his wyvern fairies flying around him. "I'll give you one chance to yield now, and spare yourself the pain."
"..." Kenshin scowled. "Never...I told you Issei. It doesn't matter what I want anymore. All that matters is the mission."
"And I told you that I won't let you leave, I promised them I wouldn't let you walk away from us." Issei said.
"Then come!" Kenshin said. "Show me the strength of your resolve Issei! Saji!"
"GLADLY! !" Issei and Saji shout as they both rush Kenshin at once.
"Grh!" Kenshin growled, dodging Saji's punch and slipping Issei's before the two began a blistering assault on him.
"Haa! !" Issei and Saji both punched at Kenshin, who blocked, as he was sent flying back, crashing through the jungle.
"They're attacking him at once." Bennia said.
"I don't think even Kenshin can deal with that..." Rugal said.
Kenshin sprung up, cracking his neck to the side. "Their strikes are more powerful." Kenshin thought with narrowed eyes. He looked outward and saw a red wyvern fairy on Saji's shoulder. "Tch, so that explains it." Issei and Saji rushed Kenshin again, continuing the assault. "Grrhhh!" Kenshin growled and coated his fists with crimson flames and knocked them both back, but undeterred.
"Saji!" Issei said.
"Right!" Saji said.
"!" Kenshin watched as twin balls of red light and black flames rushed toward him. He knew he wouldn't be able to get out of the way in time. He ripped off his eyepatch. "Hrm!"
"Wait, that's-!" Yukari said.
"The Dream Barrier! Kenshin's eye his healed already? !" Erubetie said.
"This won't stall them for long partner." Yuurei said.
"It doesn't have to." Kenshin thought as he closed his right eye. "...I ask thee, eternal time. My body shackled by the powers of creation, I beseech thee! Return my true body to me!"
The Dream Barrier disappeared and Kenshin batted both attacks away. "..." Kenshin stared forward at them with a determined glare.
"!" "!" Issei's and Saji's eyes widened in shock, feeling the raw power rolling off the Kuroshi lord.
"The seal is lifted." Kenshin said. "Now you fight me at one hundred percent. To let you know, you have five minutes."
"Five minutes?" Issei said.
"I can only keep it lifted for five minutes. If you can outlast that, I will have no more answers to combat you." Kenshin said.
"I see." Issei said.
"Sounds simple enough." Saji said.
Suddenly, the green jewel on Kenshin's left leg began glowing with a dark green light. "? !" Kenshin's eyes snapped toward it.
"Guahahahahaha! You can't keep me bound like this!"
"What the? !" Issei said.
"That voice! Grendel? !" Saji said.
"Damn it!" Kenshin cursed and ripped the jewel out and threw it away before it exploded in a dark green light.
"Guahahahahahahaha! ! Finally I am free!"
"? !" Everyone's eyes widened. "Wait, that's Grendel!" Rossweisse said.
"How did he escape? !" Koneko said.
"It doesn't matter! This match is called off! Let's get in there!" Sairaorg shouts.
"Guahahahahaha! I told you Kenshin, without the sufficient willpower you couldn't keep me bound!" Grendel laughed, the green jewel in his chest. "You could never keep me bound with your mind and heart in such disarray!"
"..." Kenshin bowed his head.
"But don't worry, after I kill you, I'll send each and every one of these pathetic fools after you, so at least you won't be dead alo-gulh! !"
"? !" Everyone stopped cold as a giant flame spear tore through Grendel's chest, rooted where Kenshin was standing.
"Grendel..." Kenshin said. "I told you what would happen to you if you entertained any outlandish notions of breaking out of your seal." He said.
"And I said I didn't entertain idle threats!" Grendel said.
"...And I said...It wasn't idle." Kenshin said as a powerful, dark aura wrapped around him.
The temperature in the resort shot down at least ten degrees. Saji moved to attack Grendel when Issei held up his hand. "Hyoudou?" Saji said.
"We are still trying to win this fight." Issei said. "Let Kenshin handle him."
"But, that dragon alone gave us so much trouble." Saji said.
"He won't lose." Issei said. "But we need Kenshin to spend some of his power."
"Huuuuuaaaaahhh! !" Kenshin roared out after taking a stance and raising his hands up.
Everyone watched as two large arms made out of earth came out of the ground and grabbed Grendel's arms as Kenshin flew above and behind Grendel. "Ghhh..." Grendel grunted.
"Remind me Grendel, what was it I said I'd do to you?" Kenshin said.
"It won't work!" Grendel growled. "Guah!" He gasped out as another flame spear tore through his right shoulder.
"I said I'd rip you limb from limb." Kenshin said. "I'd have been fine Quadruple Giga-ing you into oblivion instead, but then you had to go and threaten their lives." Kenshin sneered. "And for that you've eschewed what little mercy I was willing to give...Time to die."
"G-Gggrrhhh! !" Grendel growled as the earth arms pulled his arms extremely hard.
"..." Kenshin held his hands out, making circling motions with his hands, the earth arms twisting both of Grendel's arms out of socket.
"A-Aaggh!" Grendel started to roar out in pain.
"You said before in Auros that you liked to torture helpless people, who could no longer defend themselves...how does it feel now?" Kenshin said as he kept circling Grendel's arms, ripping muscle and sinew and scale alike.
"S-Screw you! !" Grendel roared.
"I'd imagine it doesn't feel too fucking good does it? !" Kenshin shouts. "Filth like you deserve this! Not innocent people who can't defend themselves!"
Blood squirted out of Grendel's shoulders as his arms began to separate from his shoulders. "Guaaaahhh! !" Grendel roared out in agony as Kenshin kept ripping his arms off before Grendel's arms came clean off entirely
"..." Kenshin dropped the two limbs and looked down at Grendel. "Get back in your seal...or the head's next."
"F-Fuck...You." Grendel said with a venomous scowl.
"No, fuck you." Kenshin said as he flew forward, landing on the ground, before snapping his fingers. The massive fire spear glew brightly before exploding. When the dust settled, all the was left was the orb. He walked forward and grabbed it. He lobbed it back up toward the audience before turning to Issei. "...Now do you see me for what I am?" Kenshin said with a soulless scowl.
"No...I see you for what you feel you have to be." Issei said. "You think ripping the arms off a piece of shit like him is going to make me think you're the monster half this world wrongly thinks you are? He had that coming."
"You're only what your circumstances made you out to be. You're not that person anymore." Saji said.
"Clearly I am." Kenshin said.
"I don't think so, and neither do they." Issei said.
"Tch." Kenshin grunted as he powered up. "In any case. We still have a fight to finish. Doing that burned away half my time, so lucky you. Now you only have to last two minutes as we burned the first minute yapping."
"Fine." Issei said. "Stick to the plan Saji."
"Right." Saji said.
"..." Kenshin waited for them to make the first move.
"Hrm!" Saji shot a thick stream of black flames at Kenshin.
"Haa!" Kenshin shouted, slashing the flames apart with Kuroi Jigoku.
Issei was right behind them with his wyverns. Kenshin blocked Issei's punch and blew the wyvern fairies away before they could shoot him. Issei ducked under Kenshin's arm and punched Kenshin in the stomach, sending him back.
"Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost!"
Issei's wyvern faires shot Dragon shots at Kenshin while Issei kept Kenshin's focus on him as they took to the sky. A series of loud, powerful clashes rang in the sky as the two kept meeting to attack each other. Kenshin grabbed one of Issei's Dragon Shots and punched it back at Issei himself.
Meanwhile Saji kept watch on him, waiting for his for his opportunity to strike. "Now!" He said shooting a pillar of black flames at Kenshin just as Issei backed away.
"Grrh!" Kenshin growled. "That's only going to work one time, and you wasted your chance earlier Saji!" Kenshin shouts as an intense burst of wind blasted the flames away. He called his naginata forth and put it under his feet, enchanting it with his wind magic to fly on it through the shots of black flame Saji sent at him. He kicked his naginata into a spin facing Saji, directing the flames safely away from him, while shredding his tentacles to bits. Kenshin looked up and saw Issei flying in at him. He jumped off his naginata, sending it into the opposite direction as Issei crashed into Saji instead.
"Tch! Get him!" Issei said.
"!" Kenshin looked around seeing all six of Issei's wyvern faires surrounded him, before they started peppering him with Dragon Shots from a distance. "Grrrgh! !" Kenshin growled as he erected his defensive magics to protect himself.
(crack!)
"!" Kenshin's eyes widened as one of Saji's tentacles wrapped around his right ankle after ripping up from the ground.
"You can't escape now!" Saji said.
"Hrrmmmmnnn!" Kenshin groaned from the strain as Saji drained the power from his defensive magic just as fast as he could restore it.
"Keep it going! !" Issei shouts.
"Hrrmmmnnnuuurrrrooooohhh! !" Kenshin roared.
"Shit he's getting stronger!" Issei shouts flying to assist his wyverns.
"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Saji shouts.
"Urrroooohhh! HAAAA! !" Kenshin roared out as a bright flash obscured him from view.
"Uuuaaahhh!" Issei shouted out as he was driven back from the force of the explosion of light.
"Agh!" Saji gasped out as his tentacle was burned off Kenshin's leg.
When the light settled Kenshin stood, wearing no armor, his pants being turned to shorts...and the jewels of his Balance Breaker were now fused into his skin.
"? !" Issei's eyes widened in shock.
"Oh...shit." Saji said.
"I told you to show me your resolve." Kenshin said. "I hardly think you'd be able to...if I were not going all out. There's just over one minute left before the seal regains power."
"..." Issei landed next to Saji, the front of his helmet coming off for a moment. "Heh. I was sort of feeling bad that we were having to fight you at half strength, but I see those worries no longer exist."
"Yeah, beating you doesn't really mean much if we don't beat you at your best." Saji said.
"..." Kenshin smirked. "I said I take no joy in this fight when we started, but you two are making it quite impossible to not enjoy this battle, but...I'm afraid this fight is over."
"!" "!" Issei and Saji turned to see Kenshin in between them.
"Haa!" Kenshin shouts as he started driving the two apart.
"It's like he's fighting them both at the same time, even as they get further away." Sextum said with wide eyes.
"Yes, in this form, Kenshin's moving so fast he can leave after images." Sairaorg said. "He's constantly dashing between the two of them."
"This is Kenshin's true power now." Evangeline said. "He's going all out to beat them."
"Grh!" Issei reached forward and grabbed Kenshin's wrists holding him there.
"Hrmn!" Kenshin reeled his head back and slammed it into Issei's forcing the hold off.
"I should let you know that draining your mana so often during this fight gave me some of your power!" Saji said appearing behind Kenshin and kicking him in the temple.
"And I should tell you that it doesn't mean much to me!" Kenshin shouts lunging toward Saji grabbing him by the face and launching him through the jungle before appearing in front of him, burying his fist into Saji's stomach. Saji caught himself, holding his stomach, but shot toward Kenshin, his fist colliding against Kenshin's.
"Do you really think things will get any better if you hide yourself away? !" Saji said.
(crack!)
Saji's armor began to fracture as he continued. "Do you really think the past will just go away? !"
"Tch!" Kenshin bristled and grabbed Saji's wrist, tossing him forward.
"Haaa! !" Issei kicked Kenshin away.
"Hrm? !" Kenshin saw Issei's armor glowing bright crimson red.
"Do it now Partner!" Ddraig shouts.
"Longinus Smasher! !"
"? !" Kenshin's eyes widened as Issei's ultimate attack screamed toward him. "No time to form the Quadruple Giga!" He thought. "Dream Barrier!" He shouted. "Grrhhhhh! !" He growled from the strain.
"Black Blaze Cannon! !"
"! !" Kenshin saw Saji's flames screaming toward him from his left. "Elemental Spica!" He shouts punching the attack toward the flames.
"Haaaa! !" Issei roared.
"Uuurraahhh! !" Saji roared.
"K...Kkhh..." Kenshin closed his right eye, his body creaking from the strain as the words he'd been hearing for the past two weeks replayed in his mind.
"Do you really think things will get any better if you hide yourself away? !" Saji said. "Do you really think the past will just go away? !"
"No...I see you for what you feel you have to be." Issei said. "You think ripping the arms off a piece of shit like him is going to make me think you're the monster half this world wrongly thinks you are? He had that coming."
"Kenshin...I don't care about any of that." Rias said. "..I...I can't live without you."
"Why do you care so much about what happens here...after all this world has put you through?" Akeno asked.
"I lost Serizawa...I lost Negi-Sensei and my friends...please don't make me lose you too." Mana said.
"For someone so ready to help others with their problems. You're strangely hesitant to let others help you with yours." Sona said.
These words...and the thoughts and feelings of everyone else who cared about him flowed through him. A tear rolled down his right cheek as he looked down at his right hand. It displayed a clock with twenty seconds remaining. "..." Kenshin's eyes both closed, his left fist unclenching, as both Issei's and Saji's attacks overtook him.
(Boom! !)
"? !" Issei's eyes widened in shock.
"Wait...what was that just now...it's like...his power just...vanished." Saji thought.
Out of the smoke, Kenshin plummeted to the ground, spiraling as the orbs of his Balance Breaker shattered. "He's not slowing down!" Issei said flying over to catch him, when another pair of figures made the save for him.
Issei and Saji flew to where he was landed to find Rias and Yukari were, the former holding him tightly with tears in her eyes while the latter held his hand. Saji dropped out of the Malebolge Vritra promotion and stared down at Kenshin. "...You let us win." He said.
"...You're half right..." Kenshin said before coughing. "I only had twenty seconds left...I'd have ran out of power before you two did. So I decided to make sure your attacks wouldn't kill me on accident."
"But still, you let that happen." Issei said. "You could have tried to escape and gave it one last shot...why the change of heart."
"Because I'm a right selfish bastard..." Kenshin said. "A damn fool who couldn't shelve his own personal wants and desires at the most crucial moment. Say what you will about Rikudou..but they were still my friends...and allies...and now they're gonna be turning in their graves."
"Stop that." Issei said. "It's not selfish to have wants and desires...it's what makes you a person...and not some unfeeling monster."
Kenshin looked up at the sky. "I...grew up feeling worthless, because that's what people always told me." He said. "The son of the murderous Ryuushin Kuroshi, who slaughtered an entire village, the Senators under the employ of that bastard Ferdinand I...always saying...that neither he or I deserved to live."
"!" Issei watched as tears rolled out from the corners of his eyes.
"I even believed it myself once and that's where these scars came from." Kenshin said pointing at his chest.
"Wait...you don't mean..." Saji said.
"Yeah...I tried to take my own life." Kenshin said. "Yukari here...and Miyuki made sure...I wouldn't die that day, but were unable to extract me."
Everyone watching through Kazumi's artifact from their vantage point were either in somber silence or completely stunned.
"You were just a kid..." Saji said.
"There...was something I always noticed however..." Kenshin said. "The townspeople of Megalomesembria...when it was just them...I always seemed to get away easier. It always...struck me as odd...looking back on it..."
"..." Yukari placed her hand on Kenshin's chest. "Kenshin...that's..."
"No...I have to say this now...or I never will." Kenshin said. "Since escaping...I was always looking for something...anything that would give my life meaning...I...didn't want to prove them right. I found that with Negi...and with Rikudou...Yes...what I did haunted me, but if it meant keeping the world from going through the hell of war...then I'd bear that burden gladly, but then they had to go and die...and leave me alone to uphold their mission...then Negi passed on...when I left this world with you all. I always afraid... that the last beast from my past would come back to bite me...and it has.."
"..." Yukari closed her eyes, pumping some of her mana into his chest.
"Being with you all...gave my life a meaning I didn't know existed...and I never wanted to give that up." Kenshin said. "But...my desires collided with my duty and I figured...if I was going to lose everything either way...I might as well be the one to give it up, and placed my duty above my desires."
"You won't lose everything." Issei said.
"Can you promise that?" Kenshin said with a weak glare. "Can you be certain that this plan of yours will work? Because if not...you might as well drive Ascalon through my chest and end it...because that's what will need to be done if this goes sideways. To prevent that bastard's son from going to war. All he wants...is me dead. If he sees that he'll move on."
"..." Issei stared at him for a moment, remembering what Evangeline had said to him before. "..." He hardened his gaze. "I can. I promise you Kenshin, this will work, I swear it on my life."
"..." Kenshin closed his eyes. "Then go, I have been defeated...and will protest...no more."
"Kenshin?" Rias said as Kenshin's breathing became shallow
"He's just out cold." Yukari said. "He'll be fine after some healing." She raised her hand and called everyone else down.
"Is it over?" Asia asked.
"Yeah. We won." Issei said.
"Whew...man that was rough." Saji said letting out a sigh.
"So, we can execute this plan now?" Xenovia asked.
"Yeah." Yukari said.
"Still...that was a different side of Kenshin..." Tsubaki said.
"Yes..." Kiba nodded.
"Because he was desperate." Evangeline said crossing her arms. "Desperate and Scared."
"Huh?" Irina said.
Evangeline let out a sigh. "War is unpredictable...and honestly you all got lucky in the Youkai Revolution. He was desperate to keep you all from that...and scared of what might happen if the worst came...and honestly the worst might still come."
"And there's obligations to Rikudou to consider." Hikari said with her eyes closed.
"Honestly, he should have never joined them." Alice said.
"Well there's a certain bartender in Hellas who'd agree with you." Sona said.
"Well, it's up to us now." Issei said. "Let's get started soon, so we can give the worrisome idiot some much deserved rest!" He said pumping his fist in the air.
"Right!" Just about everyone said, mirroring his pose.
(break)
Hours later.
"..." Kenshin's face scrunched up as he opened his eyes. "Ugh..." He sat up. He noticed someone had dressed him while he was asleep and got out of bed. At the same time, someone entered the room. "Hrm?" He hummed curiously, seeing blonde locks and pure white clothing of the Archangel Gabriel.
"Oh, hello Sir Kenshin." Gabriel said with a smile.
"Please, just Kenshin." Kenshin said.
"Very well." Gabriel nodded.
"Pardon me for asking, but coming to retrieve me seems under your pay grade." Kenshin said.
"But we don't get paid." Gabriel said.
A bead of sweat rolled down Kenshin's right temple. "Right...but what I meant is that it seems like something that could just be left to Irina."
"Oh, but I didn't come to retrieve you." Gabriel said.
"...So honest." Kenshin said with a wry look.
"Oh, I didn't mean it like that." Gabriel said waving him off. "I just know my help isn't needed. I just came to check on the sword."
"Ah, I see." Kenshin said going over to the dresser in the room and pulling out the weapon box. "There you have it, safe and sound." He said showing her the Tsurugi no Kami.
"I am curious, what would you have done if you had won that fight?" Gabriel asked.
"Probably would have just handed it to you and left." Kenshin said.
"But He doesn't wish to return to Heaven yet." Gabriel said with a curious tilt of her head.
"Safer with you." Kenshin said. "That said. I now know why he doesn't wanna go back home."
"..." Gabriel went silent for a moment. "Do you now?" She said, losing her smile.
"..." Kenshin stared at her. "I do, he yanked me into the sword to show me something."
"And that would be?" Gabriel said.
"The reason why he's in the sword." Kenshin said crossing his arms.
"I see." Gabriel said.
"I take it you knew." Kenshin said.
"Yes." Gabriel said. "With the curse of corruption in him, Father knew his power was no longer in safe hands. He knew something had to be done."
"How did he get it?" Kenshin asked. "He said it was from sealing the Primordial of Corruption."
"From sealing Trihexa." Gabriel said. "It had to have been that moment. Just before the seal fully took effect."
"I see." Kenshin said with his eyes closed. "So you and Michael let Ragnarok and Yama walk out of Heaven unabated then?"
"It was his last order." Gabriel said. "But still..I..." She bowed her head forward.
"..." Kenshin walked up to her, wrapping her arms comfortingly around her. "It hurt, didn't it?"
"..." Gabriel nodded against him.
"I understand how it feels. I watched my father die too." Kenshin said.
"Mm..." Gabriel nodded, but pulled away.
"I'm sorry if I dredged up some bad memories." Kenshin said.
"No, it's OK." Gabriel said shaking her head with a smile.
"Well...now that you know of the sword's condition what will you do? With Mundus Magicus in this dimension now. It shouldn't be much for you to get back to Heaven."
"Oh, I was actually asked by the Sekiryuutei if I could help out with his idea." Gabriel said.
"..." Kenshin stared at her for a moment. "Huh...that could work...that clever Oppai Brain." He muttered.
"Hmhm..." Gabriel giggled innocently.
"Well, could you ask everyone to meet me in front of the resort?" Kenshin asked.
"What's the magic word." Gabriel said.
"...Are you kidding me right now?" Kenshin drawled.
"Kidding?" Gabriel said tilting her head to the side cutely.
"..." Kenshin slumped. "Please?"
"Of course." Gabriel said clapping her hands together with a wide smile before she left.
"Ugh..." Kenshin groaned. "By the way Irina you know you suck at hiding right?"
The Ace of Michael fell through the doorway. "Y-You talked to God? !" She said.
Kenshin facepalmed. "More like he talked to me." Kenshin said.
"What was he like? What did he look like? How did his aura feel." Irina said as she started to babble.
"..." Kenshin closed his eyes pinching the bridge of his nose. "Gnome...can you please come out here and lightly smack her?" Kenshin thought.
The Earth Spirit walked out of Kenshin's body and did as asked. "A-Aah!" Irina said as Gnome walked back into Kenshin's body.
"Sorry, but you were babbling." Kenshin said with a glower. "I can't exactly blame you given what you are, but calm down. There's a time and a place for this."
"O-OK, sorry." Irina said rubbing her sore cheek. "But...was it true?" She asked.
"...It was his own personal memory...I don't know why he'd lie." Kenshin said. "That and you heard Gabriel, she can back it up."
"I see..." Irina sighed. "...I wonder if I'm going to fall because I know this."
"Does it affect your faith?" Kenshin asked as they left the room. "Do you believe any less, knowing that The Almighty allowed his body to be destroyed?"
"Well it sounds like it was for a good reason, so no." Irina said shaking her head.
"Then no, I doubt you'll fall." Kenshin said.
"So why are you calling everyone to the front?" Irina asked.
"Well, if you all are going to do this. I just want to give some advice." Kenshin said. "Issei and Saji won fair and square, but I want to at least make sure you all don't get into trouble."
"Aahh." Irina nodded. "You know, I'm glad you're not leaving."
"Hm?" Kenshin arched his brow curiously.
"Well, a lot of people would be really sad if you left." Irina said. "Issei-kun, Xenovia, Asia, the entire Occult Research Club, Sairaorg-San..." She kept listing people off.
"..." Kenshin slumped.
"Oh...I'm making you feel bad about it aren't I?" Irina asked.
"I should feel bad about it." Kenshin said with a sigh.
"Still what you did in the middle." Irina said. "Have you always been able to do that?"
"To Grendel? No. I've been training relentlessly for the past two weeks so obviously I was stronger than last time, but Grendel was not at full power." Kenshin said. "If he was at full power I'd have been hard pressed to beat him. I had to neutralize him quickly before he could pull his full power out and completely break free. It won't work again on anyone else."
"But so violently?" Irina asked.
"It's not a good excuse, but I was in a very foul mood." Kenshin said. "That and I felt it was just to deal out the same sort of measure he'd dealt out to others. He did literally say he liked torturing helpless people back in Auros."
"You said the head was next after you tore off his arms." Irina said.
"I felt that was a little too much with you all watching." Kenshin said.
"I see." Irina said as they exited Evangeline's Resort's Castle. Everyone was waiting for them there.
"Irina?" Issei said with a curious look.
"I was in the area when Kenshin left his room so I thought I'd accompany him." Irina said waving her hands defensively.
"..." Kenshin moved his hands behind his back and held up a piece of paper.
"Thanks for that." It Read before it was sliced to bits by wind magic.
"Well, what did you want Kenshin?" Sairaorg asked.
"And could you not even be bothered to change out of the pajamas you were dressed in." Seekvaira glowered.
"Hey Seekvaira, I could have showed up naked." Kenshin replied snarkily. Almost all the women blushed at this remark. "Anyway, I'll change in a bit. Has anyone been out of the resort recently and I mean very recently." He asked.
"Uhm...I was." Asia said raising her hand.
"I was too." Koneko said.
"How close are we to Riot Peak, or did you ask?" Kenshin asked.
"Um..." Asia and Koneko both looked away.
"We're ahead of schedule actually." He turned to Kiba. "I was keeping tabs the whole two weeks. Seems Theodora-Sama and Somo-San want to get you there as fast as they could."
"I see." Kenshin said. "If the current trajectory is right, we'll be arriving there from the north. I'll be taking a party with me to Riot Peak. Mostly the fighters of our group."
"Who are you expecting up there anyway?" Sairaorg said.
"The Crimson Wings. The Heroes of the Schismatic War, the Ala Rubra. Missing a few obvious members of course, but each one of them are fearsome in their own right." Kenshin said. "I need the best fighters we got in that case because as I am now. I'm not gonna be able to take down even one of them. I'll also need two people with a lot of dark mana."
"That sounds like me." Tamamo said.
"Yes." Kenshin said.
"I'll come with as well." Alice said. Kenshin turned to her wide eyed. "Look, you need someone with a lot of dark mana and I'm technically a non combatant. The children aren't as developed yet that they'll be affected by me straining myself. Besides if anything serious should happen I can protect myself and if that fails you can lift your seal to protect me."
"Look if it makes you feel better I'll come too and keep her safe." Evangeline said. "Spreading good will about someone really isn't my thing."
"A...Alright." Kenshin said. "Now for the actual fighting party, Granberia and Alma Elma. You two will take on Eishun Konoe and Gateau Kagura Vandenberg."
"What about Takamichi?" Hikari asked.
"Hrm..." Kenshin turned to Miyuki. "You think you can take him?"
"I was able to hang with Rakan. I think I'll be fine." Miyuki said.
"Alright." Kenshin nodded. "That just leaves Albireo Imma, Filius Zect and Nagi Springfield himself."
"Wait...Filius Zect? !" Tamamo said.
"Yeah, why?" Kenshin said. "You seem shocked."
"Kenshin, Filius Zect was the name of the Fourteenth King of Demons! He was the man that started the Homunculus Project and was Shin Tatsu's opponent in the last war!" Tamamo said. "Screw this. I'm a part of the fighting team."
"No. I need you to help me and Alice break the seal, once the seal is broken then you can go nuts." He looked out, before his eyes landed on Saji. "How about it? You want the opportunity to tangle with a Demon King?"
"You'd count on me that much?" Saji asked.
"Yeah, come on I know how tough you are now." Kenshin said. "I could really use your help here. Vritra's power could prove a great boon here."
"..." Saji nodded with a resolute look. "Alright, you can count on me."
"Alright." Kenshin said with a nod. "Now that leaves..."
"Actually Kenshin-San..." Chachamaru said. "Kazumi and I have sent our feelers outward as we've gotten closer to Riot Peak, but we couldn't sense Albireo-San."
"You're certain of this? How long ago was your last scan?" Kenshin asked.
The last time we were out, which was a few hours ago." Chacahmaru said.
"I see." Kenshin said. "Well if Albireo does end up being there, I'll absorb him as long as I can." Kenshin said. "Now...there's the issue of Nagi Springfield himself."
"What about him?" Issei said.
"He's known as the Thousand Master here, in this world, a man who's supposed to have mastered a thousand spells. Though I've often argued that title is meant for the amount of times he can bullshit you." Kenshin said. "That said he is obscenely powerful. He was able to fight Jack Rakan off for thirteen hours, an opponent that took me going into the Vessel of the Elements to defeat." Kenshin said.
"..." Everyone went silent. "This guy is stronger than that, far stronger." Kenshin said. "Before Negi, he held back Hottan Ialda for ten years." Kenshin said. "Until Negi killed him."
"Then why wasn't she the host then?" Sona asked.
"I still don't know." Kenshin said. "Maybe because Hottan Ialda was a homunculus and chose to go back to a host body of his own creation, at least till Sirzechs came along."
"Who is his opponent?" Issei asked.
"..." He turned toward Sairaorg. "Sirzechs wasn't able to destroy Rakan outright though he wasn't using all his power, and this guy's stronger than Rakan. Nagi Springfield is basically Satan Class, when I get my power back I'll help you, but until then you're on your own, can you handle it?" (1 )
"Hrm." Sairaorg smirked. "I'll be fine, I've got Regulus with me if it goes south."
"Alright. That's what I want to hear." Kenshin said. "Alright, my party is decided. Tamamo, Alice, Evangeline, Granberia, Alma Elma, Miyuki, Saji and Sairaorg." He said. "Now. For the rest." He said holding out his hand. "If Issei's plan is really what you want to go with. Then I have some words of advice for you all." Kenshin said as a sigil appeared above his hand. "This is the Megalomesembrian sigil. Anyone bearing this sigil, especially wearing armor, you should avoid at all costs. They won't hesitate to arrest you." He said. "If they catch you talking about me, run. I can't stress this enough, especially run from the armored ones." Kenshin said. "You might be promoting my good will and all, but they don't care about that, there are differing factions, but at this point assume they're working for Ferdinand II and take off.
"We understand." Sona said
"Alright, if you do. Based on our current landing trajectory we will land near the city of Phoenix." Kenshin said. "That will be your first destination."
"Yes!" Everyone said.
"Alright! If that is all, spread out and prepare." Kenshin said. Everyone dispersed except for Rias, who stared at Kenshin.
"..." Rias said nothing.
"..." Kenshin closed his eyes. "I was quite the idiot, huh?"
"You were." Rias said.
"Heh, you know you could lie." Kenshin said with a wry smile.
"Why fight the truth?" Rias said with a shrug. "You have to be the biggest damn idiot I've ever met."
"I know." Kenshin said.
"But even then." Rias said. "I'd still take you."
"Hm?" Kenshin said with an arched brow.
"Even with all the baggage, all the..bullshit in your past. I'd rather have you than not." Rias said. "I'd rather help you through your problems than have you suffer in silence, but Kenshin...I don't care what you were in the past. Back home, you were finally able to let your guard down around people...and let them see the real you...and that the only one that matters to me." She said with a smile.
"..." Kenshin stared at her for a moment before closing his eyes with a smile. "Damn...that was...pretty heavy." He opened his eyes and walked up to her. "I'll try to be better about keeping you and the others in the loop about what's bothering me." He stopped in front of her and wrapped his arms around her. "Thank you for dealing with my poor attitude these past couple of weeks...and I'm sorry."
"..." Rias wrapped her arms around him, her face nuzzled against his collarbone. "You were in a bad place...and really needed some sense knocked into you. It's OK."
"Yeah...I'll make it up to you, to all of you...I promise." Kenshin said.
"Well, I'm not going to say no, but I probably shouldn't make you owe me a debt." Rias said.
"Who's making me owe a debt? I fucked up and now I have to make up for it." Kenshin said.
"Well...OK, if you put it that way." Rias said.
"...Hmn..." Kenshin closed his eyes. "One of the many benefits to my losing...is that...I never have to stop doing this." He said tightening his embrace on Rias.
"Mmn." Rias closed her eyes. "A view I share..." She opened her eyes, looking up into Kenshin's. "I love you." She said.
"Hm." Kenshin smiled. "I love you too Rias."
Their lips met in a heartfelt kiss, the pain, frustration and everything else from the past two weeks coming out of them at once. They parted and held each other tightly.
"I hope Issei's idea works..." Kenshin said. "...I...I never want to lose this."
"Hmn..." Rias closed her eyes. "It will...have a little faith in us."
"Alright..." Kenshin said smiling as they parted. "Come on, It's been almost a day since I last exited."
"Same here." Rias said as they walked toward the exit circle and left the resort, with something to hope for.
(Chapter end)
Kenshin: Are you sick?
Draconis: No? Hungover sure, but I'm fine.
Kenshin: You finished this in less than a week.
Draconis: What? I had some time to kill, also screw you.
Footnote
(1 ) Miyuki makes a statement earlier that she could hang with Rakan, a man Sirzechs couldn't destroy. I'll have a conversation with Kenshin, Miyuki and Sairaorg that will cover this.
Draconis678 out