Chapter 15: Odd training method
When the final bell of the academy rang, Chris and Sona patiently waited at the entrance as the rest of the students headed home. Sona, though she didn't show it, was eager to witness Yukine-san's abilities with her Symphogear.
The power of an artifact undetectable by their senses, possessing immeasurable strength, powered only by music and singing, and holding a destructive force capable of challenging even the gods if she so desired.
However, on the other hand, Chris seemed more concerned about Issei Hyoudou's decision. She had accepted that if he chose to become a demon, she wouldn't judge him or try to stop him. Though Sona had also pointed out the most obvious disadvantages of becoming a demon at her request, which annoyed her to keep hidden, she ultimately decided to leave the final decision to Issei.
Yukine-san is more mature than she seems. She used to be more timid and fragile, but since last Thursday, she claims that her consciousness belongs to a girl who traveled to another world… maybe that's the reason she is now that strong.
After a moment, Chris let out a sigh and turned to Sona.
"Kaichou, do you have a place in mind where we can train in peace? Maybe it'll help me ease my frustration."
Sona nodded and pulled several paper talismans from her pocket, crafted by Tsubaki.
"There's an open space behind the academy. We can place some of these to soundproof the area."
"Alright. Let's go."
Just as they were about to leave, a voice called out behind them.
"HEY! WAIT FOR ME A MOMENT!"
Turning around, they saw Issei running toward them. Sona was about to scold him for running in the hallways, but what she sensed, or rather, what she didn't sense, left her puzzled.
"Issei…"
"Hyoudou-san, you aren't…"
Issei smirked in amusement at Sona's reaction.
"Ah, well, I guess I wouldn't be able to surprise you, Kaichou."
"Surprise? What do you mean?"
Chris was confused. Scratching the back of his neck with a smile, Issei responded:
"I decided to postpone my reincarnation. If my dream were that easy to achieve, then there's no rush for it. Instead, I think I want to make the most of what's left of my life as a human in a more meaningful way. That said, I asked for a flyer… just in case I don't make it. But in exchange for securing a place in her peerage to rise quickly to high-class status, I also agreed to join the Occult Research Club. From time to time, I'll have to help them with their tasks. So, for now, I'm still human."
Issei…
Chris was speechless. Sona adjusted her glasses before commenting:
"I suppose Rias didn't take it well…"
"Well… Buchou kept apologizing for what happened on Sunday, and yeah, she looked pretty down when I made my decision. But I promised her that if she ever needs help with anything, I'll be there, no matter what. You don't have to be a genius to see she needs help with something. Maybe you don't know this, but I take my promises very seriously."
Sona, who knew more than Chris about Issei's reaction upon learning of her critical condition after her confrontation, understood perfectly. Yes, Issei was the kind of person who would stand before the strongest and tell them to step aside. Certainly, someone almost worthy of the Red Dragon. She had previously thought he would accept Rias's proposal without hesitation, both out of concern and temptation. A shame for Rias.
I suppose she'll have to try harder. I just hope the situation doesn't escalate before she gathers enough pieces to 'face him'… At the very least, she's secured a powerful ally. I need to find a loophole in the rulebook for that assistance.
Chris, on the other hand, seemed somewhat relieved. Issei would remain human. When Sona explained the consequences of the soul-binding system, it unsettled her quite a bit, especially when considering the potential future repercussions involving Miki-oba-chan and Issei's father, Gorou. A name she had heard in her mother's conversations.
At the same time, she felt a bit guilty. Had she influenced him to think this way? After all, becoming a demon was the thing that would keep him safe from those who might come after him. But she also found it quite mature of him to set aside his lustful dream if it was too easy to achieve and instead choose to pursue something more challenging.
And, of course, another part of her, the more childish one, was laughing hysterically at her victory over the redhead, who had cornered her with an argument that she now realized she would have to dodge completely. In her mind, she imagined herself in a boxing ring, knocking out Kuoh's Madonna.
Yes! Hahahaha! Siren of Kuoh 1, Spoiled Princess 0!
Her mischievous grin was misinterpreted by both as simple joy for Issei, but Sona soon remembered something important.
"Hyoudou-san, do you realize what this means?"
"Ummm… That I'll live as a human… I think…"
"It means you'll be exposed to risks, and we can't let you go without an escort. Not until you're prepared or until we resolve the Fallen Angels' invasion in this area." Sona and Chris nodded firmly. "Therefore, you'll be joining us in this task. Besides, we can finally start your training."
Issei was surprised, but out of everything that impacted him, one thing stood out.
"Wait… You have a training regimen for me?"
"Of course. Even if you had accepted the offer to become a demon, I specifically demanded from Rias the exclusive right to be the one to train you. I was going to be patient and let you rest while you got used to being a demon, but since that's not the case… Follow us."
"When did you have time for that?"
"Last night…. Being a demon gets you more energy in the night."
Sounds like a demon is more like some vampire effect. Chris thought.
"W-Wait a minute, I already have plans… with… uhhh…"
Issei stammered nervously, avoiding their gazes. Something that made Sona roll her eyes while Chris developed a twitch in her eyebrow.
"Hyoudou-san, if those plans involve spying on the Kendo Club in the locker room while I'm not around, I highly recommend reconsidering."
"N-No. That's not it."
"Ohh. So the fact that the Kendo girls should be finishing their classes right about now and heading to the showers doesn't give you any motivation…?"
Issei turned as red as a tomato, sweating nervously at how scarily accurate Sona was. Chris, on the other hand, tilted her head toward the hallway.
"And from here, I can also see your friends at the end of the hallway, cheering you on. I doubt it's to leave through here."
His eyes widened at Chris's impossible revelation, but he wasn't the only one.
"Yukine-san, that's an incredible observation on your part. I'm surprised you noticed that too. You must have near-perfect aim with skills like those."
"Well, I also use a sniper rifle in the most desperate moments… Issei, just come with us for now. I'm going to blow some things up. Wanna watch?"
"Uh… Well…"
Chris sighed before smiling.
"It's not an order, Issei… I just don't like the idea of you going around unprotected and without an escort. As for the other matter, it's none of my business, though I would be angry on behalf of my classmates, just so you know. Getting caught already guarantees trouble for you. And…" Chris smirked confidently. "I think you'll want to come with us."
"Why?"
"Because… A man who trains has plenty of positive attributes, and it'll help a lot with your dream. Don't you think so, Kaichou?"
Sona was confused at first by Chris's wink, but once she understood her idea, she put more effort into convincing the pervert using the best argument: persuasion. Even if it made her uncomfortable.
"Of course. In our society, Hyoudou-san, the strong gain a lot of fame and influence, especially with girls. They seek someone strong to protect them… Don't you think it would be a shame to start as a weak low-class demon? If you were strong from the very beginning, just how many girls would flock to you as you fulfill that dream? Can't you picture it?"
Issei stood there, processing her words before blushing and drooling as his imagination likely filled with women surrounding him. Even though Chris was frustrated by his behavior, she could see that they were achieving their goal.
Issei glanced at Chris, then shook his head before making his decision.
"Ahem… I think you convinced me. Just give me a moment. I'll go let them know I'm being called for a club activity."
"Go do that…" Chris muttered as Issei headed back to the academy. "Idiot…"
Sona whispered to Chris.
"Excellent strategy. You clearly have a talent for leadership. Though… isn't this the same thing Rias was trying to do with him yesterday?"
"Not quite, Kaichou. I'm not convincing him for my own reasons, but for his own safety. And besides, I'm not leaving it to luck. I could already tell you weren't going to let him go without a punishment. Right?"
"I see. Yes. Tsubaki has already been notified, and an exemplary punishment will be given to those who peek at the Kendo club students."
"Ohhh… You can ask Tsubaki to put a little more pressure on the guy with the glasses. I hold grudges… and well, I have my reasons."
"Of course. You know, the worst part of having heightened senses is that they didn't save me from hearing his perverted reading either."
"Then we've succeeded in saving Issei and having revenge for both of us. Even better."
Sona smiled as well.
"I guess so."
Upon reaching the forest, Sona demonstrated how to use the talismans. When she placed one on a tree, the paper glowed, and Chris felt the same sensation she had when she was confronted by the student council.
The strong wind threatened to lift their skirts, the insects nearby fell silent, and no other sounds could be heard in the distance.
Chris was ready and recited the chant.
Killter Ichaival Tron.
The same powerful and catchy rock music from before played. To Sona, it felt like being at a concert, like Toujou told her.
Her body, wrapped in a glowing light, left Sona speechless as the armor formed around her. Issei, more than just awed by Chris's slender figure, suddenly felt an itch in his left hand. The same arm as his Sacred Gear. That had never happened before, not even when he first used it.
Although he didn't fully understand what the gauntlet was for, he had wanted to test it out ever since he got it yesterday. Besides staying up late with adult magazines and videos, he had been summoning his Sacred Gear repeatedly, throwing punches in the air.
It was the coolest thing he had seen since Chris's transformation. He felt powerful, as if the gear had always been a part of him. But now, looking at Chris's armor, that itch turned into discomfort. Something to ask Sona about when he got the chance.
Sona generated some strange scarecrow-like dummies using a mysterious blue circle. With a gesture, she signaled Chris to begin. Chris took a deep breath before moving to the next verse.
Her armored hands shifted, no longer crossbows but small pistols, revolvers.
She fired each shot with perfect accuracy, hitting the heads of the dummies. Then, the revolvers changed into submachine guns, and with the same precision, the heads were blown apart.
Next came the bow. She loosed multiple arrows, one after another, all striking the legs. Then, with the crossbows, she fired five bolts from each hand, piercing the dummies' torsos.
Issei watched, slack-jawed in amazement, while Sona silently analyzed both the targets and Chris.
As she reached the final verse, Chris's voice carried the weight of exhaustion. She tried to change her crossbows into what Issei recognized as the miniguns, but her body gave out, and she collapsed to her knees.
Without hesitation, Sona and Issei rushed to her side.
"Yukine-san!"
"Chris!"
The glow faded, returning her to her student uniform. She held up a hand to stop them from grabbing her. To their relief, she didn't look as drained as before, no blood.
"I'm Okay… hah… I'm fine. It's been a long time since I felt like this. I'll have to work on my throat and lungs… Clearly, I'm not ready for high-caliber weapons without suffering damage. My training won't be easy."
"What's your training plan?" Asked Sona.
"Well, that means more karaoke to strengthen my vocal cords and physical stretching to get more flexible. My body feels like it's creaking. I can take a bullet in my transformed state, but the armor is also heavy, so I won't be able to skip endurance and balance training. Damn it, I'm not good with that."
Sona finds it confusing, but she figured it could be how Symphogear trains. Chris let out a sigh before turning to Issei.
"Sorry, Issei. Looks like you won't get to see the missiles until I'm at a hundred percent."
Issei paused for a moment before responding. Chris was more worried about not disappointing them than understanding her own limits.
"Ah… It doesn't matter. It's still awesome to see you in action. Though it's kind of strange that you didn't use something lighter, like low-caliber rifles. You'd use fewer bullets than a minigun, and they'd work well for both long-range and close-range combat without putting you at risk. Or maybe a shotgun. That will be good."
Chris tilted her head in confusion, but the idea wasn't bad. If they ran into trouble and she wasn't at full strength, lighter weapons could provide extra firepower without worsening her condition.
Sona, intrigued, asked him.
"Hyoudou-san. How do you know that?"
"Uh… Movies."
Sona gave him a skeptical look, clearly not believing he had learned that from adult films. Embarrassed, Issei quickly clarified.
"Not those kinds of movies, pure action movies, really, when I was a kid."
Chris found it amusing.
"Pffff, of course. Did you train last night? Well then, let's see what you can do. Sona, if you would."
"Certainly."
As Sona's blue circles reappeared, the scarecrows vanished, replaced by two weights of different sizes. Are they expecting me to warm up with the small one before trying the big one?
"Issei."
"Ah… Yeah, Chris?"
"Can you summon your Sacred Gear? If you remember what they told you at the meeting, I think it would be difficult for you, right, Sona?"
"That's correct. The way you manifest your Sacred Gear follows the same method each time. Take as long as you need."
"Actually…" Issei stood up, clenched his left fist, and struck it with his right. In an instant, his Sacred Gear manifested with a green glow. "I wasn't kidding about what I've been doing."
Chris glanced at Sona, who observed the situation closely. The first time he had struggled to summon it, but now, seeing him do it so effortlessly, with such calm… Issei Hyoudou was already more advanced than she had expected him to be.
"So you weren't bluffing. Alright, I think an explanation is in order. We'll tell you what your Sacred Gear can do. But we'll only do it once. Now, step up to the big weight."
"The big one?"
"Yeah, we want you to try lifting it." Chris said, giving him a light pat on the back.
Following their instructions, Issei tried. But as he attempted to lift it, his arm trembled, this was clearly beyond his current strength. He barely managed to raise it to waist height, and only with the help of his other hand.
"It's too much… Too heavy."
Sona adjusted her glasses before explaining.
"That's correct. Based on calculations, that weight is twice what an average human of your approximate weight should theoretically be able to lift. In fact, the smaller weight on the other side is just enough for you to do some simple training sessions and gain a bit of strength."
"Wait a minute… Then how do you expect me to lift it? And… were you measuring something?"
"Actually, yes."
"You see, Issei, your Sacred Gear has the ability to multiply strength and power. But based on calculations of your magic potential and overall capabilities… they're awful. To put it bluntly, terrible."
Issei dropped to his knees, groaning as the girls listened to him complain.
"You just had to say it… So I'm garbage, huh? Mediocre at magic. I'll have to train, and I won't improve in just a day. And if this is my strength, then what—
"Ah… Issei… You haven't multiplied anything yet."
"Wait. What?"
"Hyoudou-san, you managed to summon your Sacred Gear, but it's not a passive ability you have all the time, like in a video game. You have to activate it using a trigger."
Issei jumped up, eager.
"And… How do I do that?"
"Just like when you summon it, you have to focus on an impulse, something that makes you feel the drive to push further. It would be something like—"
"I WANT TO BE THE KING OF HAREMS!"
Boost
Sona and Chris were left speechless that that was enough to activate it. Chris burst out laughing at Issei's shameless desperation to get stronger, while Sona pinched the bridge of her nose, muttering under her breath.
"Ah… Lucifer… give me patience."
Sona pulled a pocket watch from her coat and pressed it.
"I'll stop it at eight. Yukine-san Now!"
"Hahaha… R-Right… Issei! Now lift the weight!"
"Okay!"
This time, within five seconds, Issei lifted the weight effortlessly with one hand, raising it high into the air. He was so stunned that he almost didn't hear Chris shouting for him to put it down. Luckily, before the eight-second mark, he lowered it back to the ground. Where it landed with a heavy thud.
"Whoa… I did it. Chris, Kaichou… I DID IT! Woohoo!"
Issei celebrated while Sona and Chris smiled, happy for him.
He collapsed to the ground, exhausted, as Sona approached to explain.
"And that's how your strength will double, Hyoudou-san. With just a few minutes of rest, you won't be able to do much yet, but those first ten seconds will be enough to complete a session with your newfound strength. You'll repeat the process until those weights start feeling lighter even with your normal strength. Then, we'll see if we can triple that number."
Chris crouched down beside him, hands on her hips, Issei was looking excited.
"Well, Issei? What do you think? This was just a test, but look. You've got two happy girls because of what you're doing. Admit it, you're on a path now."
"A path? Yeah. I admit it. I want to keep trying, Chris, Kaichou. I want to push myself further this way. It just feels… good. Taking a step forward, even if it's just in strength, made me feel free somehow. If I had become a demon, it would've been way too easy."
Issei's words made Sona smirk challengingly.
"Ohhhh… In that case, we'll put you to the test. How about one week?"
"One week?"
"One week to train with weights, running, boxing and whatever else Yukine-san has planned. The challenge is that by the end of the week, you'll face a test of our choosing, using everything you've trained for. It's not about winning or failing. It's about showing us the best version of yourself against an opponent of our choice."
"I accept. I'll give it my all, Kaichou."
"I hope so. By the way, Yukine-san, what exactly is this training you have planned?"
Chris grinned at that.
"Alright, Issei. After finishing karaoke at the end of each day, we'll do something that no one would ever expect to work. But according to what Sona told me, it's an extra step you can take even while you're at home."
"And what's that?"
"You're going to follow the craziest routine." Issei gulped, suddenly nervous, until Chris confidently revealed it. "You'll eat well, watch only action movies, and sleep properly. You can keep your usual hobbies, but you cannot skip this routine. What do you think?"
Issei and Sona stared at her, speechless. Isn't that way too simple?
"Y-Yukine-san… How does that even work? As a Training?"
"It's the best plan ever, trust me. But you'll have to keep your Sacred Gear active. You'll need to be subtle about it, but you'll use it at all times."
"T-That doesn't sound too hard…"
"I'm confused. It sounds way too easy—no, more like ridiculous. Yukine-san…"
"Then if you think it's so easy, you'll try it, right, Issei?"
"W-Well… I guess…?"
What is Yukine-san planning with such a ridiculous training routine?
Sona found herself deep in thought, analyzing how this seemingly simple routine could actually improve Issei. After all, it was based on something she had said. But what exactly had given Yukine-san the idea to assign Issei Hyoudou such an odd training method?