Chapter 10
Naruto leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. Everyone was in the clubroom together getting ready for the Rating Game. Kiba was inspecting one of his swords. Koneko was munching on a sugar cookie. Asia was sitting beside Issei and holding his hand. Issei was unusually solemn, which was no surprise since it was the calm before his first organized battle. Akeno was sipping on some tea she'd prepared, and Rias sat behind her desk, folding her hands in front of her face.
Naruto looked at the clock on the wall. A few minutes left, he thought. He looked at Issei and saw his leg was shaking. Nerves. He'll be fine though. Butterflies will go once the fighting starts.
It was silent in the room, save the ticking of the clock. The night outside was dark and equally silent. The school buildings in the window had a dot or two of light across the floors.
Naruto eyed Rias. The room itself was tense. The kind of tense that you felt in a war room before the general walked in. Everyone was waiting for the meeting to start in earnest, but it wouldn't until the Game began. Rias had gathered everyone because they'd all be teleported to the Game zone together. Everyone had arrived a few moments ago. Rias had been the last one to arrive, and the room had gone deathly quiet once she'd walked in.
The clock struck midnight. The room went dark.
Naruto looked up and saw the giant azure magical circle appear. Now that he looked at it, he could see the Lucifuge family crest in the middle of it. He allowed a small prideful smile. He'd spent the past few days studying Devil culture, and the major families still alive had been the first thing he'd looked into. Akeno could be surprisingly helpful when she wasn't trying to torment you.
The magic circle descended on them all. Naruto closed his eyes. Teleportation, in his experience, came along with slight vertigo. Closing his eyes while teleporting prevented it. He felt the magic envelop him with a slight shiver. It felt like he'd been doused with a bucket of ice water, it was so cold. Even Kurama shivered in his mindscape. He opened his eyes.
And saw he hadn't gone anywhere.
"Huh?" Issei blinked dumbly. He looked around. "Why didn't we go anywhere?"
Naruto kept his same thoughts to himself. He'd felt the magic activate, so they couldn't still be at Kuoh Academy. He glanced out the window. He didn't let the shock show on his face. He looked back at everyone and waited for the explanation he knew was coming.
Akeno giggled. "Ara, ara, Issei-kun. We have arrived at the Game Board now."
It was then that Grayfia's voice came through seemingly everywhere. "Welcome to the Rating Game between Rias Gremory-sama and Riser Phenex-sama. The terms of the Rating Game are simple. Whichever King falls first loses. My name is Grayfia Lucifuge. I am the sole judge of this Game. I am a neutral party appointed by Sirzechs Lucifer-sama, and my decisions are final. All combat is permitted. All parties have now been transported to the Game zone. No participants may leave their side of the board until I announce 'Game Start'. There will be a period of one hour from now until the beginning of the game. Good luck to everyone."
"So them's the rules then," Naruto said. "Anything goes." He felt his fighting spirit rising.
"Not quite, Naruto-kun," Rias finally spoke up. "We cannot leave the Board, and we aren't permitted to purposefully kill our opponents. This is an exhibition Game after all. We're only playing for my future. Not status." There was a bitterness in her voice.
Akeno giggled once more. A few bolts of electricity sparked around her body. "Shall we get to it then?"
"Let's." Rias stood. "I know none of you are familiar with a Rating Game, so please let me explain. There are many types of Rating Games. Some prioritize strategy over strength. Some are little more than advertised brawls. This Game seems to be more of the latter, but not completely. I know onee-sama well. She chose this Game and this Board because, in her own way, she wants us to prevail.
"This Board is the Kuoh Academy grounds." Rias waved her hand and a small chessboard appeared in the air between them all. Slowly, buildings and landmarks started appearing across the board. "We are here in the Occult Research clubhouse. Riser and his peerage are on the other side here." She pointed to the Student Council building on the board. "Those are the two sides of the board, which means—"
"That's where Promotion happens," Naruto interrupted. She looked at him sharply. "Sorry, Rias-chan." He scratched the back of his head abashedly. This feels just like the old war room meetings in the war. Strange the things you miss.
"As I was saying," Rias said. She looked at Issei. "If we want you to Promote then you need to get to the Student Council building." She smirked. "Which is what Riser thinks we're going to do, so we're not going to. Issei-kun?"
"Hai!" He stood up sharply and gave a stiff salute. "I'm ready for action, Buchou!"
Rias smiled kindly. "I know you are." The boy blushed. Rias got serious again. "With the first two seals on your powers removed, you are more powerful than any of Riser's Pieces other than his Queen. You are the one that Riser will underestimate the most."
Issei grew a huge smile. Naruto had a proud one too. Issei had grown more than he could have ever expected in a mere ten days. He was well on his way to becoming the Harem King he dreamed of. Issei didn't know just how powerful he was yet, and tonight was his chance to see his growth for himself.
Rias continued. "And that doesn't count your Transfer ability. I will be honest with you all. Even excluding Naruto-kun, I believe we could win this."
"Then why don't we?"
Everyone looked at Issei in shock. Issei, however, looked more determined than anyone.
"Issei," Naruto said carefully. "I know you wanna' show off, but I can literally end this whole thing in a couple minutes."
"I know." Issei thought for a second on what to say. "Buchou?"
"Yes?"
"Naruto isn't normally allowed to be a part of these things, right?"
Rias looked at him quizzically. "That's right. Naruto-kun, as a Unique Piece, is not an officially-recognized Evil Piece. Because of that, he's not permitted to take part in officially-sponsored Rating Games. This is an exception though."
Issei was being unusually careful with his words, which surprised Naruto. He feels inadequate next to you,Kurama said into his thoughts.
"Issei…" Naruto began.
"Naruto." Issei looked at him directly. There was a fire and fierceness Naruto recognized. He'd seen it in his own eyes when he was younger. It was a need to prove himself. "This is our first Rating Game. We're gonna' be in a lot of these going forward, and you won't get to fight with us. We should try to win this without you first."
Much as he wanted to, Naruto couldn't dispute a word he said. Naruto had even thought about the same thing. He knew that he was overkill in this situation. It could be great experience for the Occult Research Club to fight another peerage without him in a controlled setting.
Rias then spoke up. "Issei-kun may be right. With you as insurance, we are essentially guaranteed victory. This is, how they say, 'playing with house money'. This is an opportunity for us that few devils get. Usually, the first Rating Game for a devil is a loss because they're up against someone with far more experience. This is invaluable experience for us."
Naruto could see the wheels turning in Rias' head. Issei had likely just convinced her to keep Naruto on a leash tonight. He looked around the room. Everyone, oddly enough, seemed to side with Issei. He couldn't blame them. They all wanted to represent Rias and show off their growth too. Who was he to deny them?
So he didn't. "Alright." He held out his hands. "I see when I've lost the room. I'll just be insurance tonight."
Issei added, "Will you promise not to get involved unless everyone can't keep going?"
He really didn't want to, but he could see almost everyone wanted him to agree to that. He relented. "I promise. Rias-chan?"
"Hmm?" He'd pulled her out of her thoughts.
"We should get to strategizing then." He gestured at the floating, semi-solid game board. "What should we do?"
Rias gave him a half-grin. "I shall rely on your experience, Naruto-kun."
He smiled. "I'm here to help. Now. How do you want to tear this asshole a new one?"
Issei stared into the fog. He could feel the hair stand up on the back of his neck. He thought he saw a few ghosts in there.
Damn, Akeno-senpai, he thought. That fog's giving even me the heebie jeebies.
The strategy was relatively simple. Rias had taken over the clubroom with an excited fury that made his heart aflutter. She hadn't even really needed Naruto's advice, though she asked him for his thoughts almost every time she turned around.
Issei's chest clenched. He hated the jealousy he felt. Rias hadn't spent any personal time with Issei over their training trip. Yet she spent almost every second with Naruto after he came back from training on his own. Logically, he knew Rias spent her time where it would do the most good. She and Naruto were strategizing and getting ready for the Rating Game. Still...he really wished she'd found some time alone with him too.
He'd gotten over his brief spark of anger at his King. Ever since then, Rias had been the King he'd known before Asia. Kind. Caring. Even loving. Naruto had told him she'd had her reasons and that was enough for Naruto to move on. Asia had not even believed Rias had done anything she needed to forgive. Issei disagreed, but Asia had insisted so he'd relented and forgiven. His fury had died. And he was so happy it had. He saw the Rias that saved him and Naruto both again.
He'd spent every waking moment of the past ten days pushing himself beyond the point of exhaustion for her. No. That wouldn't be entirely right.
He looked back at the clubhouse. Where Rias, Asia, and Naruto had stayed behind. Again, there was that unpleasant twist in his gut.
Issei hadn't only been training while he was conscious. Even while sleeping, he trained with Ddraig. Ddraig had warned him that it wasn't healthy to do too much without risking his mental sanity. But Issei pushed through anyway. He needed every ounce of strength he could amass as fast as possible. He had trained against Naruto's clone the last few days. Kiba and Koneko had too. Yet not a one of them could even touch the clone. Issei had Boosted continuously for over five minutes, yet he still couldn't even grab the clone's clothes. It was a sobering reminder of just how powerful Naruto really was.
And how weak Issei was.
Issei summoned his Sacred Gear gauntlet. He looked at the synchronized watch on his other wrist. Everyone had one. Less than one minute until Game Start. Koneko was at his side. She had her arms at her side, but Issei saw she was tense too. She was eager to get started. Just like everyone else. Even Kiba had been itching to fight.
Issei closed his gauntleted fist. It let out a single 'BOOST' with a bright green glow from the jewel.
His watch went off, beeping loud. Grayfia's voice then rang in his ears. "Game Start!" He and Koneko sprinted off together through the fog.
"Phase One," Rias had told them, "is to immediately gain control of the middle of the Board. Tonight, that is the gym building. Issei, Koneko. The two of you will take it and defeat anyone Riser sends. It should be simple. Riser won't send much. Akeno and Kiba will run defense. Riser will undoubtedly try to sneak some Pawns through for an easy Promotion. Easy enough for these two."
Issei ran right alongside Koneko. Before the training trip, Koneko had been faster than him. Now, he ran with her without getting winded at all. He smiled proudly. A sign of his growth. It didn't take them long to get to the gym. In fact, he'd be shocked if anyone had arrived before them.
They burst through the doors together. No one else was there. They'd arrived first.
Issei heard a revving sound from above. Crap. He'd forgotten most people could actually use teleportation magic. No matter how fast he ran, teleportation would be faster.
He pulled around his gauntlet and blocked the pair of chainsaws coming down at his head. There was a grating screech of metal as the saws tried to cut through his Sacred Gear, but he knew the Boosted Gear would hold even through a direct punch from Naruto. A couple chainsaws were child's play.
Koneko jumped up and kicked at the two girls wielding the chainsaws. They disengaged before her blow connected and jumped away. The two small girls landed with a pair of their allies on the other side of the gym. Issei counted four total enemies now. Where the other two came from, he didn't know.
Rias' voice buzzed in his ear through the earpiece he was wearing. "Xuelan, Mira, and Ile and Nel. Xuelan is one of Riser's Rooks. The rest are single-Piece Pawns. This should be fairly easy for the two of you now. Riser is underestimating us." He could hear her smile. "Show him how foolish he is, my cute servants!"
"Hai, Buchou!" both he and Koneko acknowledged their orders.
Issei quickly took stock of his opponents like Naruto had taught him. He hadn't paid much attention when Rias had been going over the abilities of Riser's servants. After all, he had a trump card against literally every single one of them. However, he could guess which ones went with which name.
Ile and Nel had to be the twins with the chainsaws. They looked around Koneko's age or even younger, as their breasts had barely developed yet. Issei loved breasts of all sizes though, so neither were less of a woman in his eyes. They had light greenish, short hair that went down to their jaws. They both wore a standard gym uniform sweater and a pair of dark leggings.
Xeulan had to be the tallest one. She had dark hair with a pair of Chinese-styled buns on top of her head. Her dress, much to Issei's pleasure, gave him a generous view of her large, unbound bosom. The dress was a modified Chinese qipao that was deep blue with gold trimming and a white sash. She also had a set of arm bracers over her forearms. And, to Issei's expert eyes, she wasn't wearing a stich of undergarments. If this Rating Game weren't so serious, he would've stopped to appreciate the sight.
Idly, he thought on how Matsuda and Motohoma would react to what he was seeing. They probably wouldn't believe him. They barely believed he was welcomed into the Occult Research Club.
That left the last girl, who had to be Mira. She was shorter than Xeulan but taller than the twins. She wielded a bo staff that was about as tall as she was. Her hair was a vivid blue styled in four ponytails, two pointed down and two pointing up in a way that looked like a pair of antennae. Her outfit consisted of a red obi over a white haori that extended down to mid-thigh. Her clothing was loose, but Issei spied a pair of firm, average-sized breasts she was hiding from the world.
Issei let out a single chuckle. "Oho. So Riser thinks he can beat me by throwing cute girls at me, does he?"
His four foes looked revolted.
"Issei-senpai," Koneko said, her voice dangerously neutral. "Be serious."
He hoped he sounded as confident as he was trying to look. He still had butterflies in his stomach. "Oh, but I am, my darling kouhai!" He flexed his gauntlet-covered fist as it cried out a 'BOOST'. "Koneko-chan, do you trust me?"
"No."
Issei hung his head. He whined, "But Koneko-chan! I have a super secret weapon I developed just for this! Please work with me so I can try it out!" He gave her his best begging face, trying to imitate her adorable pout as best he could.
Koneko's eye twitched. She wasn't used to someone else putting on a cute pouting face to her. She was the one who guilted people. Issei doing it must have felt a little weird to her.
Naruto finally chimed in through the communicator. "Koneko-chan. Please let him try it out at least. Worst case, it doesn't work and you pound them into the ground anyway. Best case, he ends the fight quick. The two of you can handle these four easily enough. What's the harm in trying?"
Koneko eyed Issei suspiciously. "Issei-senpai pervert. But fine."
Issei pumped his arm in the air. "Yosh! Thank you, Naruto! Now, let's get these girls!" He flexed his fingers lecherously. "All I need to do is touch them once."
Koneko nodded. She gave him a flat stare and flexed her fist in front of him. "Don't touch me."
He snorted. "I wouldn't dare." Internally, he sobbed.
Mira leaped across the gym, her staff engulfed in flames now. "You seem confident for a bunch of no-talent losers!" she cried.
Xuelan joined her. Fire burned around her fists and feet. "I'll handle the Rook. You three make quick work of Hyoudou."
"Hai!" the twins shouted together. Their chainsaws then sprouted flames around their blades. Ile and Nel sprinted behind Mira.
To Issei though, it was like they were moving in slow motion. He smirked internally. This'll be a piece of cake. None of you are anywhere near Yuuto's speed, and I can even keep up with him now!
He heard another 'BOOST' from his left hand and caught Mira's staff with it, much to her shock. He grinned at her. "That all you got?" he taunted her. She grit her teeth and tried to spin into a kick at his head. He ducked under and pat her on her rear. Mira let out a shocked yelp. Issei felt his magic activate.
He smirked. One down. He moved after the twins next. He fired a single Dragon Shot at them, using the power he'd built up so far. They brought up their chainsaws to cut through it. The Shot was more powerful than they expected though. They couldn't cut it. Instead, they were both being pushed back by his large red ball of energy.
Issei leapt over his shot and landed directly behind Ile and Nel. The two of them let out a shocked gasp. Issei didn't turn around. He smacked them both on their butts, savoring the feeling as he did. They both let out an indignant squawk at his groping, and Issei felt his magic latch on again. Issei then left them to try and overpower his Dragon Shot.
He ducked under a swipe at his head from Mira. He grinned at her, making her furious. "You know," he said, "I'd really rather not hurt a cute girl if I can."
That only made her even more mad. "You think I'd let you go like that?!" she shrieked. "Only Riser-sama can touch me, you perverted, low-class, hack Gremory boy!" She jabbed her staff at him much faster than before.
Issei dodged with relative ease. Faster than earlier, she was, but still nowhere near Yuuto. It was starting to get kind of fun to him, so he started laughing a little, which infuriated Mira even more. He soon saw her overreach one of her staff thrusts at his gut. He side-stepped it, grabbed her wrist, spun around, and threw her at where the twins were still fighting against his Dragon Shot. Mira flew into both of the twins, breaking their concentration and letting his Dragon Shot overtake them. The three of them were sent flying in the resulting explosion. They landed in a smoking heap a few meters away. Issei checked his magic connection and confirmed it was still intact.
Mira and the twins struggled to get up. Mira was leaning heavily on her staff for balance. She was gritting her teeth so strong her neck was bulging. Ile and Nel were holding each other up, their chainsaws held limp and no longer burning. Issei admired his work for just a few seconds. It felt great to kick their asses, and grab them too, so easily.
He then moved after Xuelan and Koneko. Koneko's shirt was smoking in a couple places, but she had Xuelan on the ropes. Xuelan was probably the superior martial artist, but Koneko was overwhelmingly stronger. It wouldn't be long before Koneko landed the one shot she needed to knock her opponent out. There were some large holes in the gym floor from where Koneko's first had landed spaced randomly.
Issei sprinted over. Xuelan saw him and cursed. She tried to land a desperate punch on Koneko but she caught it. "Not going anywhere," Koneko said, her grip tight. She then got inside Xuelan's guard, grabbed her waist, lifted her off her feet, and threw her at Issei. "Here."
"Thanks!" Issei yelled back. Xuelan twisted in the air and tried to land a burning kick on him. Issei ducked under it, confirmed she wasn't wearing any underwear after all, and grabbed her other leg. She yelped and he threw her on top of the other three. Before he did, he felt his magic stick to her.
Xuelan and the other three slowly stood up. All four were much worse for wear. Their hair was frazzled, clothes hanging loosely or torn, and smoke was rising off of them. All of them staggered and glared at Issei and Koneko.
Issei didn't stop his nosebleed. This was his big moment. Thank you, Asia! You helped me perfect this! I wouldn't have this opportunity without you. He then declared dramatically, "Now for my super secret, sure-kill attack. Dress Break!" He spun down to one knee and snapped his finger.
The magic worked!
It was like an invisible set of shears attacked them. Every single piece of clothing on Xuelan, Mira, Ile, and Nel was shredded into nothing, leaving them nude as the day they were born. Issei leered with all his heart. Xuelan was the most shapely of them, with full hips to go with her large breasts. Mira, while younger, was quite attractive in her own right. And the twins were very petite, he noted. Small, but beautiful in their own way.
Briefly, he felt his envy spike towards Riser again for collecting so many beautiful women for his peerage.
The four Pieces shrieked in shock, their faces red. The twins hugged each other close to hide as much as they could from prying eyes. Mira squatted down, closing her legs and covering her breasts with her hands. Xuelan stayed standing, but she used both hands to try and hide her breasts and womanhood.
Blood sprayed from Issei's nose like a high-pressure faucet. He held his fist up in victory. "Yes! It works! No woman is safe from the all-powerful Dress Break! I am the master now!" He laughed like a cheesy villain whose plan had worked to perfection.
There was utter silence from his communicator. Koneko had the blankest look on her face that Issei had ever seen. But he didn't care. Akeno and Asia had told him magic will help him achieve what he desired, and he now had proof it did! The possibilities were endless! Now he could get back at all the people who called him scum and beat him for peeping.
"Scum," Koneko finally said, breaking him from his reverie.
"Pervert!" the twins cried accusingly.
"Freak!" Mira accused.
"Filthy demon," Xuelan finished.
Indeed he was all of those things. But he wouldn't be ashamed anymore. He posed heroically with his hands on his hips and chest puffed out. "And I—"
Rias interrupted him. "Koneko. Please...end it. Riser's an ass, but his servants don't deserve this. Issei, we will be having a long - long - talk about this Dress Break of yours." There was an unusual ice behind her words.
"Hai, Buchou." Koneko walked over, lazily stepped around Xuelan's pitiful kick, and punched her in the gut. Xuelan doubled over. Koneko then locked her fists together and hammered them into the other Rook's back. Xuelan fell and didn't move, her eyes blank. The other three didn't put up any resistance. All fell motionless with a single punch. "Done."
All four bodies were then enveloped in a bright green light. The four were then whisked away and disappeared. Grayfia's voice echoed. "Riser Phenex-sama. One Rook and three Pawns. Retired. No longer able to continue."
Issei wiped his nose. "Good work, Koneko-chan!" He held out his hand for a high-five.
She gave him as harsh a glare he remembered ever receiving from anyone. "Issei-senpai. I'll crush you. Don't touch me." She made no move to get any closer to him.
He held his hands out in a placating gesture. He laughed nervously.
Rias' voice came to their ears. In the background, he could hear Naruto as well. "Issei," Rias' voice was solemn.
"—you did!" Naruto was shouting excitedly. "Asia-chan, you really are too pure! But, hell, it worked!"
"Hai!" Asia sounded so proud. "Issei-san wanted to do the kind of magic he always wanted. We finished it last night."
"Rias! Rias!" Naruto was yelling.
"What?!"
Naruto was trying to talk between his laughing fits. "Don't-Don't punish the boy. In his own way, he was - pfft - he's just trying to help."
Issei had a swell of pride. I knew Naruto would appreciate it!
Partner. Ddraig spoke into his mind again.
Yeah?
I'm sorry for laughing. Your Dress Break is one of the truly first unique uses of magic I've ever seen. Your ingenuity is intriguing. It's a...very entertaining ability.
He smiled at his Sacred Gear. Told you, he said smugly.
Ddraig laughed. Indeed you did.
You can just admit it. You're a pervert too.
Ddraig ignored his last statement. Now you need to see if it will work on men too!
Issei blanched. He shouted, "Don't you even joke like that! That's disgusting! Why would I want that!?" He then realized he'd said that out loud. He grinned sheepishly at Koneko's harsh stare. "Sorry. Talking with Ddraig."
"Issei." Rias' voice was still stern. "Koneko."
"Hai, Buchou," they both said. Koneko still eyed him suspiciously.
"Well done winning the gym. Even if the methods were...unconventional."
Naruto's voice could be heard in the background. "That's putting it mildly!"
Rias ignored him. "Akeno will arrive in a few minutes to secure the gym from above. She and Kiba just encountered a few of Riser's Pawns trying to sneak through for Promotion. They'll be through momentarily. For now, maintain your position but—"
"Partner!" Ddraig shouted through the Boosted Gear.
Issei felt his instincts screaming at him. He didn't think. He leaped over and pushed Koneko down under him.
"Wha—"
The roof exploded.
Issei didn't know what to do. Ddraig! Do something!
On it!
The Boosted Gear exclaimed 'EXPLOSION' and glowed bright, but the power didn't go into Issei like it usually did. Instead, it seemed to literally explode outward, forming around him and Koneko like a bubble between them and the falling rubble. A red dome of energy about ten feet in diameter surrounded them. Pieces of wood, glass, and metal bounced off the bubble like a rubber ball.
About a minute or two later, the debris stopped falling. The bubble popped. The jewel went dull. Issei slowly stood up off of Koneko. He looked around. The gym was destroyed. Where once there had been a large building, there was now rubble. He could see the sky and school grounds rather than ceiling and walls. Above them, Issei saw a single purple figure floating above them.
"Issei! Issei! Koneko!" Rias was frantic. "Report! Are you okay!? Are you there!? Akeno, get there now!"
Issei activated his communicator. "We're okay, Buchou." He looked at his Sacred Gear. "And I think I just found a new skill."
Rias sighed, relieved. "Thank the Original Four. How you survived isn't important now. You both need to get out of there. Riser is pissed. He sent Yubelluna out much sooner than expected. Leave her to Akeno."
Koneko stood up and wiped off some errant dust from her uniform. She still stood as far from Issei as possible. She glared at the figure above them. Her face was mostly stoic, but Issei saw a twitch of genuine anger. "...Hai, Buchou." She sounded almost reluctant to move.
A crack of thunder broke the brief silence in the air. Yubelluna flew up and out of the way of a sudden bolt of lightning.
Akeno flew into sight. Her devil-wings beating hard enough to send a gust of wind that blew Issei and Koneko's hair across their faces. She was dressed in her Thunder Priestess uniform that looked remarkably similar to a traditional hime-miko. From where Issei stood, it was hard to be sure, but Akeno looked furious.
Issei knew how dangerous a giggling Akeno could be. He didn't want to experience an enraged mistress of sadism. He shivered. "Let's go, Koneko-chan. Akeno-senpai can handle herself."
Koneko didn't look at him. She watched the two Queens floating imposingly across from each other. She suddenly leaped onto a large metal beam and ran down its length. Issei didn't have that kind of balance, so he had to be more careful as he clambered out. It didn't take him long to get out of the rubble and debris, but Koneko was waiting for him as he made the last jump out.
A giant thunderclap drew his attention. Akeno was surrounded in crackling electricity like a suit of armor. Yubelluna had a large purple aura coming off her body. The amount of power in the air gave him goosebumps. He shivered. He forced himself to turn away. He told himself that Akeno could handle herself.
Rias gave them their orders. "The two of you are to meet Kiba at the athletic fields. I imagine the rest of Riser's force is there. The three of you will engage them and do everything you can to beat them. Akeno will join you as soon as she's through with Yubelluna."
Grayfia's voice took over all sound in the air, even drowning out the constant thunderclaps. "Riser Phenex-sama. Three Pawns. Retired. Unable to continue."
"And that's Kiba now," Rias said. "Now, go!"
"Hai, Buchou!"
Issei started to move but noticed Koneko hadn't yet. He turned to her. "Koneko-chan. You okay?"
She still didn't look directly at him. She stared to her left. At last she said, "Thank you. For saving me."
He gave her a toothy smile. "As long as I can stand, I'll do everything I can to protect everyone." He told her the promise he'd made to himself while training with Naruto. "Now let's get going. Pretty boy's waiting on us."
"...Hai."
They both ran from the battling Queens and towards their next fight. As they ran, they could hear tremendous explosions and thunderclaps. The previous fight hadn't taken long, so they were still a ways from getting winded. About a minute later, the jewel in the Boosted Gear glowed again and shouted a 'BOOST'.
That reminds me. What happened back there, Ddraig? That bubble was new.
Remember what the nun and everyone else has told you? Sacred Gears react to the desires of their users. You want to protect people, so it gave you a way to do that.
Issei thought back to his lessons. How strong is it?
It will get stronger along with you. One of my past wielders was able to withstand Albion's attacks with that protective shield. Ddraig laughed merrily. I wish I could've seen his face when he realized he couldn't touch me!
Huh. Issei glanced at his gauntlet. This thing never fails to surprise me.
One thing you should know, Partner. Your power is theoretically infinite. If your body could withstand it, you could kill even gods. There's a reason I'm one of the Longinus-tier Sacred Gears. Ddraig seemed to preen as he spoke.
Infinite, huh?
Yes. The only limit is you. A beat passed. And the body of whoever you Transfer with, I guess. I should warn you about that. I've seen some allies of ours explode because they couldn't withstand the power we gave them. So...be careful, I guess?
A bead of sweat fell down the back of his head. Well that's good to know. He looked at Koneko, who studiously refused to even glance his way. Any way to find out how much they could take?
Ddraig mentally shrugged. I'm sure it's possible. But I don't really decide how the Boosted Gear acts.
Didn't you activate the bubble back there?
Nope. That was all you.
Issei was about to ask further, but his thoughts turned to the athletic fields as they approached. He saw the tennis courts first and then the baseball field. In the back was the soccer field. He looked around and spied Kiba Yuuto to the side waiting on them. He and Koneko ran over to him.
"I heard you did well," Kiba said as a greeting. "We've dealt a lot of damage so far and haven't lost anyone yet."
"You bet we kicked their asses!" Issei declared, throwing his fist in the air.
"Issei-senpai scum," Koneko intoned.
Kiba laughed nervously. "I...heard through Buchou how you did it. It's...very much a Hyoudou-kun thing, but it worked!"
Their communicators buzzed to life. "Good," Rias said. "The three of you are together. My familiar reported every remaining Piece of Riser's is just ahead. Riser himself hasn't left the Student Council building yet. They'll have you outnumbered, but I have faith you can do it. If they start to overwhelm you, retreat back to the clubhouse. Asia-chan can heal you as we prepare for our next offensive. Understood?"
"Hai, Buchou!"
Kiba asked, "Buchou, how's Akeno-san handling Yubelluna?"
There was a brief pause. "It's only a matter of time now. Akeno is pressing her advantage, but Yubelluna is no pushover. But we knew she was the most dangerous one. Akeno will beat her soon unless Riser joins the fight. Have faith in her."
"Understood." Kiba summoned one of his demonic swords. He addressed them. "Then let's do our jobs."
'BOOST!'
Issei bounced on the balls of his feet. "I'm ready, Yuuto. Let's go!" He sprinted off after the group of enemies on the other side of the athletic fields.
Kiba called after him, but he was already gone. He could finally feel it. The thrill of battle. Naruto had told him about it. A risen pulse, the euphoria of the fight. He also couldn't wait to use his Dress Break again. He knew it worked. And he knew every member of Riser's peerage was an attractive woman. His imagination ran wild at the possibilities, but he pulled it back enough so he could focus on the coming fight. It wasn't easy. However, using some of the meditation tricks Naruto had taught him, it worked.
Kiba caught up to him fast. He was unusually serious, Issei noted. It was rare when the pretty boy didn't have some kind of smile. It looked like Kiba also wanted to win without Naruto as much as Issei did. Naruto had humbled the Knight when they'd trained together. That must've hurt his pride more than anything. Issei felt a brief sense of vindictive joy, but he didn't revel in it long. He would need to work with Kiba as well as Koneko if they wanted to win.
Kiba and Issei stopped a short while later. Koneko caught up a moment later. The three of them stared across at their enemies. There were seven young women of varying ages, outfits, and modesty. A part of Issei wanted dearly to appreciate the group of attractive girls assembled before him. He tided himself over by reminding himself that his eventual harem would put Riser's to shame.
One of the younger girls walked forward. Her most distinguishing characteristic was her pair of blonde, drill-like twintails on either side of her head. She was likely the youngest one, Issei judged based on her breast size. She wore a pale purple dress with dark purple accents. At the small of her back were a few large feathers that made it look like the tail of a bird.
The girl spoke to them. "How dare you mere Gremory servants harm 'Nii-sama's ladies! You'll regret it!" Issei got the feeling this girl had been born into money. She talked like an aristocrat who was full of themselves.
"Ravel?" Rias sounded puzzled. "He brought his little sisterinto this?" She sighed. "Of course he did." She paused. "The plan doesn't change. If she gets in the way, defeat her."
Sister? Issei looked at Ravel closely. Now that he focused he could see some family resemblance. Damn. Riser's just as much a perv as I am, isn't he? I can almost respect him.
Ravel then sprouted wings of fire and flew into the air. "Everyone, take care of them!"
A pair of women stepped forward, and Issei's heart stopped for a second. They were catgirls! Real life catgirls! They even had feline ears on top of their heads! They were both also wearing the kind of sailor uniform that would've been too risqué even for a porno. Their tops only covered half of their breasts and their skirts were so short it barely even qualified as a mini-skirt. Their entire midriffs and almost their entire legs were bare.
Issei wondered where he could find such wonderful uniforms.
"We'll take the chibi," the red-haired one said. "Leave her to Ni and Li!"
"...Chibi?" Koneko's face showed no expression, but Issei noticed the twitch. She cracked her knuckles. "Okay."
The pair of twins, Ni and Li, crouched as if to pounce. Their hands - Issei noticed they fought with cat-like gloves with claws - were coated in fire. The blue-haired one leapt forward first. Koneko dodged her and set her flying with a single fist. The other twin darted after her sister with a concerned yell, and Koneko chased after them.
"Hyoudou's mine."
Issei looked at his challenger. She was the tallest of the enemies he'd seen. The first thing Issei noticed was the blank white mask over half her face. She had short orange hair with a few red streaks near her forehead. She was wearing a wide-shoulder leather jacket with a few leather straps tightened on her arms. One of her jean's legs was cut off near her hip with a black legging up to her knee. Issei had to focus hard to not get distracted. Her jacket barely contained her large breasts.
"Isabela," she said simply. "I heard what you did to Xuelan." She cracked her knuckles. "I dare you to try with me."
He would take her up on the challenge. He tuned out his gauntlet's Boosting. He could tell Isabela wouldn't underestimate him. He'd need to focus, but that left Kiba facing the last three on his own. Kiba was good, but Issei doubted he could take them all without help.
Issei flexed his fingers. He looked at his Boosted Gear.
Then he moved.
Isabela slammed her fist down. It split the ground. Pieces of dirt flew past Issei's face. Strong! he thought. Must be the other Rook.
She didn't stop though. She sped after him, swinging her flame-encrusted fists at him and barely missing. The flames warmed Issei's face whenever they got close, and he could tell there was quite a bit of force behind them. She never let him get a footing. Everywhere he went, she was in his shadow.
Isabela was obviously more skilled than him. She was nowhere near as fast as Kiba, so he could follow her easily. But she was relentless. She refused to give him even a second's reprieve. It took all of Issei's concentration to just dodge her flurry of punches.
Just one opening, he thought. Just one opening is all I need.
But her guard was perfect. She never overreached, and she always kept one hand in close to guard should he try to counter. Issei wanted to check in on his friends, but Isabela required his full attention. Even glancing away could be a nearly fatal consequence. He knew how strong one of Koneko's fists were, and she was half the size of Isabela. He didn't want to find out if Isabela was indeed stronger or not.
Issei was so focused on dodging he forgot to stay aware of where he was. His back hit something solid. Idly, he recognized it as the storage facility close to the Student Council building.
Then he saw the fist.
Issei leaped into the air, summoned his wings, and hovered for a second. The wall he'd just been against turned into dust. He looked to his right. About two hundred feet away was the Student Council building. Promotion was right there.
Then he saw Kiba. Kiba was facing down two sword fighters. Issei guessed they must've been Riser's two Knights. Kiba was holding his own but he was on the defensive. He was wielding two blue-and-black swords against his foes, but they both used much larger swords than his. One of them was skillfully wielding a western longsword, and the other was fighting with a humongous buster sword.
His hesitation cost him. Isabela quickly joined him in the air. She placed herself directly between him and the Student Council building. He cursed to himself.
He then noticed his gauntlet had a rune on it. He looked and saw it was slightly different than the one that said he'd gathered enough power for himself. He immediately realized what it was.
He flew at top speed toward Kiba.
Isabela gave chase but, even without Promotion, he was faster. She wouldn't catch him.
The catgirl twins flew past him in a heap, colliding with Isabela in the air. Issei looked down and saw Koneko brushing her hands off. He smiled. Koneko had handled her opponents already.
"Yo! Yuuto!"
Kiba looked at him briefly, and the pure fury on his face took Issei aback. He'd never seen Kiba look so enraged before. The Knight then blocked both strikes by his opponents.
Issei stopped in the air and steadied himself so he didn't miss. Kiba saw him. He gave Issei a knowing nod. He pushed both of his enemies back with a shout and a rare show of strength. He then jumped into the air and called out, "Hyoudou-kun!"
"Boosted Gear Gift!" Issei shouted. He activated his Transfer ability. A jet of pure green energy shot out of the Boosted Gear towards Kiba. It found its mark. Issei wasn't sure how much energy he sent, but the energy was bright enough for him to guess it had been a lot. Kiba absorbed everything. Kiba fell to the ground and stood tall.
Once it was over, Kiba seemed to almost glow. He acknowledged Issei with a grateful nod. He then turned to his dual dueling partners. "Now, Karlamine-san, Siris-san. Let me show you why I am better than a mere Holy Sword wielder." He pointed his sword down and plunged it into the ground. With that, he shouted, "Sword Birth!"
Thousands of steel swords suddenly came into existence. It was like the very ground and trees were now made up of pure sharpened steel. A literal wave of blades thirty feet high engulfed both enemy Knights. "Riser Phenex-sama. Two Knights. Retired. Unable to continue." Grayfia told everyone of their end in the Game.
"Yosh!" Issei landed next to Kiba. "That was pretty cool, pretty boy!"
The thousands of swords didn't disappear. Kiba turned and gave Issei a strained smile, like he was trying to smile through pain. He was sweating. His match had obviously taken a lot out of him. "T-Thank you, Issei-kun. I… Thank you."
"...Not over yet," Koneko reminded them as she walked over. "Still three others."
"Then let's take care of 'em!" Issei shouted. He could almost taste victory now.
Isabela and the two catgirl twins flew over a few seconds later. Ni and Li were enraged. Isabela's face was as expressionless as her mask.
Koneko stepped forward. She cracked her knuckles. "Want more?" she asked.
Ni and Li didn't wait. They dived right after her. Issei started to move to help but quickly saw there was no need. They couldn't touch Koneko no matter how hard they tried. It was like she knew what they'd try before they even did.
After dodging for a few moments, Koneko sunk into a stance Issei didn't recognize. She pounced.
The twins didn't last very long. Koneko moved with a swiftness Issei hadn't seen from her. She was agile as a cat, jumping around and swiping at her enemies. One of them tried to block her strike. Instead, the force behind the blow sent her flying into the other one. Koneko went in for the kill immediately. Before they could react, she brought down an axe-kick atop their heads.
Ni and Li didn't stand back up. The green light teleported them away and Grayfia announced the last two of Riser's Pawns had retired.
Isabela hesitated. Issei couldn't really blame her. In short order, they'd flipped the script. Now the Gremory side had the overwhelming numbers advantage.
Kiba didn't wait though. He quickly closed the divide and landed four cuts. He stabbed down into her shoulder with a thin blade he summoned, staggering her, and Issei then moved to take advantage of it. He charged and fired a Dragon Shot at her. He then trailed in its shadow, concealing himself from her line of sight.
Isabela punched away the Dragon Shot, but it left her open to an immediate counter. Issei didn't miss. He brought his gauntlet down on her head, sending her spiraling out of the sky to the ground below. Koneko was there waiting for her. She kicked Isabela to the side, and she flew through the concrete walls of the Student Council building.
Grayfia then reported Riser's last Rook had retired too.
Pure elation filled Issei. They'd nearly done it. Just a few Pieces were left. And they hadn't lost anyone! All that was left was for Akeno to win and then—
"Rias Gremory-sama. Queen. Retired. Unable to continue."
Issei, Kiba, and Koneko all froze. "Akeno-senpai...lost?" Issei couldn't believe it. Akeno was the Queen. She was the one Issei was certain wouldn't lose. He clenched his fists. They had to have used some kind of trick.
Rias's voice crackled to life in their ears. "Akeno...has...lost." She seemed to not believe it as she said it. She cursed. "Phoenix Tears, of course! Yubelluna must have healed herself. Damn it! She'll be heading for you three now. Quickly finish up there and retreat back. We'll heal and re-group."
Issei said through gritted teeth, "Hai, Buchou." He turned and looked at the last two of Riser's servants left.
They had to be his Bishops. Ravel was one, and the other one was a few years her senior. The other girl was wearing a purple kimono with a mixture of red, yellow, and white patterns on it. The girl in the kimono looked calm, but Issei could see her hands shaking. And Ravel looked genuinely terrified of them.
Issei's brief flame of fury died out. Shame washed over him. In that moment, he saw Asia's scared face as Reynare had come after her. How could he do something like that?
Kiba and Koneko didn't say a word. Kiba sprinted after the two Bishops first with his wave of swords following behind him. Koneko followed shortly after. Issei moved before he thought. He didn't know where the speed came from, but he was thankful for it all the same. He caught Kiba's sword as it was coming down towards a cowering Ravel.
"Yuuto!" he screamed. "Can't you see they're scared?!" His arm shook as it held back Kiba's blade. "There's no need to fight them!"
A flash of shame crossed Kiba's face. He looked at the girls behind Issei. He dropped the sword, it and the thousands of others following in his wake evaporating into thin air. "You're right, Hyoudou-kun." He looked at Koneko, who'd stopped when he had. "We should retreat and regroup now."
Issei let out a relieved breath. He looked back at Ravel and the other girl. "You're safe."
Ravel had a flash of red on her face. The other girl grabbed her and ran towards their home base.
Issei then joined Kiba and Koneko. They all summoned their wings and made to fly back to the clubhouse.
A giant wall of flame blocked their retreat.
"YOU WOULD DARE TRY AND HARM RAVEL?!"
Riser Phenex had arrived at last.