Chapter 16: Hidden Potential

Thus began Sona's intense training and Chris's calm routine for Issei, along with Chris working to get back in shape and wield Ichaival at full strength again.

The first two days of training were the hardest in terms of physical endurance. For both Chris and Issei, who hadn't done much strenuous exercise before this week, exhaustion quickly set in. They collapsed onto the grass, gasping for air. Jogging, balancing cups, boxing against the punching bag, jumping rope, and doing push-ups drained all their strength, yet they pushed forward. Their individual training: Issei lifting weights enhanced by his gear and Chris taking trips to karaoke, wasn't enough to keep up.

After all that intense effort came Chris's usual routine. The two would head to the movie store together, looking for an action film while grabbing energy drinks and popcorn. Issei would watch alone before getting a good night's rest, but the next morning, they'd discuss the movie before parting ways to avoid suspicion at school. The last thing they needed was for their friends to find out they were training together.

Unfortunately for Issei, a rumor about a forbidden romance started to spread, but not with Chris. Instead, people whispered about him and Kiba Yuuto. He was given the nickname "Beast of Kuoh," a play on Beauty and the Beast, with Kiba being the "beauty." To make matters worse, the rumor claimed Issei was aggressive in their supposed relationship, citing a mark on Kiba's neck as proof. This earned him the scorn of most of the academy's girls, even Chris's friends looked at him with disgust.

Chris took pity on him and decided not to bring it up. She thought the rumors might depress him, but instead, they only fueled his motivation to train harder. He swore that if he found the culprit behind the rumors, they would pay. Chris felt no sympathy for whoever started it. She had her suspicions but chose not to get involved, instead asking Sona to handle it if possible.

By the third and fourth day, Issei was visibly improving, handling the intensity of training much better.

Through these training sessions, Chris also started to know Issei as a person. Since she wasn't from this world, she didn't know the friendship that existed between him and the "Chris" of this world. This was a good opportunity to ask questions and improve her disguise, though she held back from prying too much for him. She found Issei to be kind and pleasant when he talked about their childhood antics, how they got into trouble, played pranks, ran around the park, and sang together at arcades. He also mentioned Shidou-san.

"He still thinks Shidou-san is a guy… He really is an idiot for not realizing…There were two girls with you"

Issei enjoyed talking about movies and school, but he was oddly careful not to mention anything erotic. Chris found it strange. Not that she minded, but… when he was with others, he was incredibly vocal about those topics. Yet, with her, he avoided them, not out of fear of angering her, but out of fear of… something else.

According to him, the "Chris" of this world had never approached him or spoken to him after she joined Kuoh, even though he had gotten in by chance.

"Then why do you have a picture of him on your phone, Chris? What did you want from him but couldn't bring yourself to do? Maybe I would never know unless I could remember the memories of a person I wasn't… but at the same time, I am."

Caught in that dilemma, she decided to drop the subject. Besides, Issei was amusing in many ways but terrible at lying.

After the fourth day, he started accompanying them to karaoke, though he was too embarrassed to sing. According to Miki-oba-chan, Issei had talent in many areas. He just needed the right push.

"Though I really didn't need to hear a sexy song out of all things if he ever wanted."

Aside from Issei, the student council member assigned to watch over them was always present. Sona was the most diligent and reserved, though she enjoyed seeing their progress and learning more about Chris's world. She still wanted to understand the benefits of the unusual training routine. Tsubaki was similar but more open, often chatting with them during training sessions and giving tips for Issei.

"At least Issei got plenty of help with his homework thanks to the vice president."

Momo and Reya practically became Chris's karaoke partners, singing duets or trios together. They also taught Issei exercises he could do while watching movies, which he appreciated. He enjoyed having more conversation topics with girls besides Chris and felt flattered when they invited him to karaoke and recommended movies for him.

By the fifth and sixth days, Issei was diligent in his training, and the results were evident. Meanwhile, Chris was still struggling with the weaknesses from the early days. It was around this time that Tsubasa Yura was introduced as Sona's new Rook. The name stirred nostalgia in Chris…. she wondered how her senpai was doing and hoped she wasn't sad after disappearing following her concert.

"I would have loved to see you on stage, senpai."

Tsubasa was surprised to see that Issei Hyoudou, the so-called "Beast of Kuoh," trained with such determination and intensity, pushing himself to exhaustion. She admitted she now understood why Momo and Reya laughed at her initial reluctance to watch over them.

When she joined their training on Sona's orders, she was shocked that Issei could only achieve half of what she could do now that she was a demon. But Chris knew he was saving his multipliers to catch up and by the end of the sixth day, he nearly matched her. That day, he also managed to triple his weights, and though he only fully lifted them by the seventh day, he was steadily improving in what he could already achieve.

For their final karaoke night, Momo, Reya, and Tsubasa were blown away by Chris's strong and elegant singing. Tsubasa admitted she was a fan of Chris's mother and was thrilled to hear Chris sing, leaving her flustered. After their last movie rental trip, Issei was eager to see what new challenge awaited him, as the Test.

After the end of the school day on the eighth day, Sona had decided to bring them to the gym. Not only was the student council watching expectantly from the stands, but the Occult Research Club had also been invited. Chris sat with Momo and Reya while Issei was directed by Sona.

Issei wore a school sports tracksuit and was positioned on one side of the court while stretching a little. He wasn't sure if this was going to be a fight, but the appearance of balls in the area seemed to rule out that idea.

—Hyoudou-san, I hope you're ready to give it your all. —Sona said, receiving a nod from the boy. —Good. In that case, Saji, get ready.

Issei's opponent took his place on the other side of the court: Saji Genshirou. He was a blond-haired, gray-eyed boy wearing the same sports uniform as Issei. He looked confident and composed while Issei continued his warm-up.

—Heh. When they told me my opponent would be Issei Hyoudou-san, I thought it was a joke, but seeing it and realizing it's true makes it even more pitiful that they underestimate me like this.

Issei, still jumping to keep his body warmed up, didn't like the comment, but he swallowed his pride and kept stretching. Chris, on the other hand, looked slightly offended by the remark.

—A bit arrogant, don't you think? I thought Saji was a more well-mannered person, according to Sona.

—Even after a week, his sin of pride hasn't faded, unlike me. —Tsubasa said.

—Sin? —Chris asked. Tsubaki stepped forward to answer.

—Those who are reincarnated usually experience sporadic changes in their most prominent personality traits. In that sense, we refer to them as sins. Of the seven cardinal sins, his is pride, though given his situation, we thought it would have been greed. It will dissipate in a few days, but it probably depends on the number of pieces required.

—... —Hearing that, Chris was suddenly concerned about a certain hypothetical situation. —Wait a second, does that mean that if Issei had been reincarnated…?

—It would be lust. —Yep, lust. —Definitely lust. —Lust because he's a pervert.

That was one of the comments thrown at that reality.

—The women of Kuoh just dodged a bullet there. —Chris muttered under her breath, though Rias heard it and was not pleased.

The other girls, however, nodded in relief.

On the court, both boys stepped toward the center as indicated by Sona, while two balls were placed in the middle, and the rest, enchanted with magic, were stored behind the football goal.

—The game will be a one-on-one dodgeball match.

—Dodgeball? —Both boys asked. It was clear that Sona had kept it a secret from both Issei and Saji.

—That's right. The game consists of a single elimination. The same rules as normal dodgeball apply, but elimination must be direct—there will be no victories by rebounds or by catching the opponent's ball. It must be a direct hit, not just contact. The balls are evenly divided and placed behind, while the ball in the center is just an extra—it doesn't mean anything other than whoever wants to take the risk of grabbing the first ball upfront. The objective is simple: whoever eliminates their opponent first wins.

—Understood, Kaichou. —Both responded in unison, looking at each other with rivalry in their smiles.

—Good. The rules will not be against the use of Sacred Gears, but opposing intervention is prohibited.

—Then I won't be able to use my Sacred Gear, Kaichou. —Saji protested.

—Yes, but you can still consider your demonic strength and speed as your advantage instead of your Sacred Gear.

—Ah, I see. Then I won't lose.

—Hyoudou-san…

—It's fine. —With a swift motion, he extended his hand, and the red gauntlet appeared. Saji was fascinated as he looked at it.

—Wow. That Gear is impressive. What does it do?

—It multiplies my abilities by two.

—That's it? Ha. You'll need to quadruple them to beat me. This will be easy, even without my Gear.

Both boys looked at each other with challenging expressions.

—Shake hands and take your positions at the center of your respective zones.

They shook hands as a sign of respect, though Issei felt Saji gripping his hand tightly.

—A little preview of what you should expect. This will be a quick game.

—Heh… I guess there's no real difference in the end.

—You'll see soon enough, Beast of Kuoh.

With that, both took their positions. Saji looked extremely confident, while Issei bent his knees, preparing himself. Sona switched places with Tsubaki, who brought the whistle with her. In the stands, a barrier formed around the court, created by Akeno. Everyone was eager to see what would happen.

—Alright, with everything clear and both of you ready…

Sona and Rias nodded. Tsubaki blew the whistle.

—Begin!

Saji was the first to grab a ball. As Sona had predicted, he went straight for the one in the center. She assumed Issei would have done the same if he had been just as impulsive, but to everyone's surprise, he simply stepped back.

—Ha! Where did all that talk go? —Saji taunted as he prepared to throw. His shot, as expected, was monstrously powerful, and its speed was even worse. It barely missed Issei's face as he managed to dive to the ground just in time to dodge. Quickly, he got back on his feet. Saji smirked as if it didn't bother him at all.

—You sure hit the ground fast, Hyoudou.

Issei sprinted toward the balls at the back, but Saji had already reached his own despite the initial disadvantage, grabbing a second ball. He threw it, forcing Issei to spin quickly and dodge before reaching the goal. Finally, with a ball in hand, he barely managed to block a third shot before throwing his own.

But Saji caught it with one hand.

—Is that all? I expected more.

The match was completely one-sided. Everyone could see how Saji effortlessly dodged or caught the balls to throw them back. Meanwhile, Issei could only evade or barely defend himself. He looked cornered, but he was still holding his ground.

From the stands, the others watched with pity as the human barely managed to hold it. They already seemed convinced of the inevitable outcome.

—As it seems, Issei is at a major disadvantage. —Momo said.

Reya glanced at Chris, who was watching the match with a calm expression.

As soon as the balls left Saji's side of the field, he stood there with his arms crossed, showing no signs of exhaustion, barely sweating. Meanwhile, Issei was catching his breath, keeping the balls on his side of the court.

—Breathe slowly, Hyoudou. Don't tire yourself out too soon. Here's your chance, I won't catch a single one… Come on.

Issei took a deep breath before grabbing the balls and starting to throw them. As expected, Saji dodged them with ease. Each throw had different speeds, yet none came close to hitting him.

Sona and Rias began analyzing the situation.

—Impressive as it may be, Hyoudou-san has little chance of landing a hit.

—Well, that's what we expected. At least give him credit for surviving the first attack. But choosing not to use his multiplier for a counterattack… that's just wasting energy.

—Yes, perhaps we should have taught him how to use his energy.

—Then again, conserving energy wouldn't have done him any good without the power to hit or reserves needed to breath.

After the last ball was thrown, Issei was down on one knee. All the balls were now on Saji's side. He took a deep breath and chuckled.

—Nice throws. If you were playing against anyone else… someone who isn't a demon, you'd probably win. But that's not happening now. How about you give up?

—No. —Issei said, trying to push himself up from his kneeling position.

—Alright… I warned you.

—Saji has everything in his favor. There's no way Issei can dodge every throw without exhausting himself completely, leaving him exposed if Saji saves one. Right? —Momo said, worried for Issei.

—It seems that way… —Reya replied, sounding somewhat disheartened. Issei had put in so much effort.

As everyone accepted Issei's inevitable defeat, two pairs of eyes remained fixed on him. That's when Chris decided to speak up with a chuckle.

—Hey. Issei, I think you've analyzed your opponent long enough. Don't you think it's time to drop the act?

Her words echoed throughout the room. It took a few moments for anyone to react.

—…What?!

—An act?

—So he really was doing it on purpose, Hyoudou-san. —Tsubasa responded.

Even Saji stopped upon hearing that. Sona was left speechless.

—T-Tsubasa… W-What do you mean?

—Issei Hyoudou-san got tired way too fast for someone who managed to catch up to me on the sixth day and then went to a karaoke afterward like it was nothing. I thought he had used the multiplier you told me about, but he didn't… only in the end. He already has a little more than half of our strength, the strength of a new reincarnate. And besides, he hasn't been overexerting himself. He's just been watching for a pattern in Saji's actions. That's something a person trained in martial arts would do: observe their opponent and learn from them. Issei-san isn't even sweating.

Silence fell over the crowd as Issei stood up straight, almost as if he hadn't been desperately dodging and attacking moments ago. He let out a fake breath, a smirk forming on his face.

—I guess that's true.

—You were playing with me?!

—Not at all… All of your throws were precise, and if I hadn't dodged them, you probably would have hit me. But after a while, your throws became predictable. They all followed the same pattern. I decided to keep pretending, and when it was my turn, I realized I still didn't know how well you could dodge. So, I threw at you using different patterns. But in every one of them, you always left an opening. Still, I didn't want to go in until you got confident enough for me to find everything. And even now that you know, if you change your approach, you'll only open up other gaps.

—What? How?

—By watching movies… But more importantly, your shots were always aimed at my face. My stomach was more open than you expected, but… that won't happen anymore.

Issei's body trembled as a faint, momentary white aura surrounded him. He shifted into a boxer's guard, leaving three specific people stunned by the glow aura: Rias, Sona, and Koneko.

—That's…

—It can't be.

—T-T-Tou-

The others looked at them in confusion.

—Buchou?

—Kaichou?

—It's weak, but there's no doubt…

—Touki… —Koneko whispered.

Saji felt intimidated but swallowed hard, still confident.

—Even with an act… there's no way you'll be able to catch one of my balls. I'll take advantage of any opening you leave.

—That's true, you'll find one. But I don't think I was the only one not looking at our feet, Saji.

—What?

Saji looked down and paled. In the center of the court lay the one ball that hadn't moved the entire round, on Issei's side.

—The ball from the beginning…

—If he gets it, this won't be just a game anymore…

—Time to Boost.

Issei took a sprinter's stance, and the sound of him launching forward echoed.

BOOST!

10 seconds.

Saji started throwing. This time, Issei dodged in the same way Saji had earlier.

9

Every throw Saji made was ignored as Issei moved closer to the last ball.

8… 7… 6…

Everyone watched in awe at what seemed impossible. Chris smiled proudly, but it wasn't just the speed. Issei's movements resembled those of a certain light-brown-haired girl with a high spirit.

5… 4… 3…

—I'm not going to lose! —Saji shouted, hurling the second-to-last ball—he missed.

—Even so. Neither will I.

Issei had the last ball in his hand. Saji held his. They were face to face.

2… 1…

A loud blast erupted as their feet hit the ground, sending up a cloud of dust. Two impacts echoed through the court. Their silhouettes were barely visible through the haze, both sent flying with incredible force.

The sound of stretched cords filled the air, like a giant ball being launched from a bow.

As the smoke cleared, Issei and Saji were both at the very edge of the court. The goalposts were gone, destroyed by the force of their clash.

But while Issei had crashed into the scattered dodgeballs…

Saji had slammed into solid concrete.

The match ended in a draw, but even Tsubaki was too shocked to blow the whistle. And on this day, the devils were left speechless by the terrifying hidden potential of Issei Hyoudou.

Elsewhere...

At Tokyo Airport.

After her trip from Italy, a blonde-haired girl had been ignored by more taxis than the hours she had spent waiting for one to take her to her destination. The woman beside her watched with sympathy at how clumsy she was. It was better to take pity on the poor girl, who had been chatting with her about all sorts of things for one day.

She had helped her with her luggage and even assisted one of her guards in recovering, leaving her feeling indebted to the small nun.

—A-Asia-chan… my personal transport is arriving soon. Why don't you come with me?

The girl in question looked sad, though it was clear she needed the help. She didn't want to be a burden.

—I just… I wanted to do this on my own.

—Come on, let me take care of it. Besides, taking you to Kuoh wouldn't be a problem for me.

—Are you sure?

—Believe me, that's exactly where I'm headed. And I'd love to hear more about that gift God has given you. You don't have to feel shy about it. Even I have a very special gift.

—If you could… I'd be really happy. Thank you so much. May God bless… Ryo- Ryo- Hmmm…

The girl struggled to say her name. The woman in the black hat corrected her with a smile just as the limousine pulled up.

—Ryoko-chan. Thank you for the blessing, Asia. Now, let's head to our destination together.

The woman's golden eyes flickered as she glanced at the device marking the location of her target.

Ichaival.

Her next destination: Kuoh.