Haru twisted out of the way of Akeno's lightning blast. The blast destroyed the houses behind him as he stared up at the demonized version of Akeno.
"Tch!" Haru flipped as Akeno threw another blast of lightning. Haru summoned the [Boosted Gear] and punched a lightning blast headed his way. Haru looked up at her.
"Ara, ara Haru-kun. Are you tired already?" "Akeno" asked in a demonic voice. Her grin was twisted as she stared at Haru with so much hatred that he wanted to puke.
"Not even. Besides, Koneko was more of a challenge than you and she only has Rook Strength. You have Rook Strength, Bishop Magic, and Knight Speed and you still haven't made me break a sweat," Haru taunted as he placed his hands behind his head in a relaxed manner.
"Akeno" growled as her eye twitched.
"You are nothing. Your parents don't even love you! Your sister only pretends to love you! Y—!" "Akeno" was silenced as Haru planted his foot in her solar plexus. "Akeno" let out a silent gasp as she was sent flying through the air.
Haru appeared above her and drove his elbow into her back, breaking her spine.
"Akeno" laid there in the pavement, in a crater created by her crash. She was unmoving and her face contorted in pain as she felt nothing in the lower half of her body.
Haru landed in front of her and began walking slowly.
"Haru, please… don't. I'm sorry," "Akeno" said as she reached out to him with her hand.
Haru sighed.
"Can't you pieces say anything original?" Haru asked as he began to Boost.
[Boost] [Boost] [Boost] [Boost] [Boost] [Boost] [Boost] [Boost] [Boost] [Boost] [Boost] [Boost] [Boost] [Boost] [Boost] [Boost] [Boost] [Boost] [Boost] [Boost]
Haru held his hand out and a small red sphere formed in front of him. The Demon Akeno's eyes widened as she let out a scream of agony when the red orb completely enveloped her, destroying her entire being.
A massive explosion shook the entire area, sending dust and debris everywhere. As the dust cleared, the piece lay at the beginning of a massive scorched trench that stretched on into the distance. Haru sighed as he grabbed the piece. This was piece number 6. He picked it up and performed the same thing he had done five times already.
Haru sat down to take a short break as he watched the piece dissolved into red lights.
"Just two more pieces. Woo! These pieces know where to hit," he laughed as he remembered when one of the pieces morphed into his parents.
"We never loved you! You could never compare to Asia or Naru!" a twisted mockery of his mother's voice echoed through his head as Haru recounted the battle. In the end, Haru just ignored them and finished his parents off with Ascalon.
"Hey Ddraig. You there?" Haru asked.
[Still here. The connection out here is great.] Ddraig said, laughing through their mental link.
"You mind checking up on my status?" Haru asked.
[Give me a second.] Ddraig said.
Haru waited, looking up the hazy sky of his soulscape, wondering who the next person he would fight would be. Would it be Asia? One of the boys? Vali? Rizevim even? As he thought about who his next foe would be, he noticed a pattern between the pieces.
"The first piece was Raynare. The second was Ravel. Then Koneko. Then my parents. Then Ddraig. Then Akeno. The pieces seem to be mimicking people who are close to me," Haru said. "Talk about kicking someone in the emotional genitals."
Haru looked around at the houses around him.
"Damn. Didn't think a single dragon shot could do this much damage?" as he observed the trench next to him.
[Haru. You there?]
"Yeah, I'm here. What's our status?" Haru asked.
[It seems that what we're doing is working. Your body is already beginning to kickstart a mass purge of the corrupted energy from your system. And your Miasma seems to be naturally repairing any holes left in your soul by the absence of your pieces.] Ddraig said.
"That's good. I have two more pieces left before I finish," Haru said.
[Be careful. You don't know how the pieces will react now that there's only two] Haru said.
"You know one of the pieces mimicked you?" Haru said.
[No. I didn't.] Ddraig replied.
"I had to go into Balance Breaker for that one. The copy was weak though. Only had your basic boost," Haru commented as he spread his wings and took off.
[Of course. No mere copy is going to be stronger than the actual thing.] Ddraig said, pride evident in his voice.
"Okay, calm down before your ego becomes bigger than your nonexistent di—!" Haru widened his eyes as he blocked the kick of a shadowy figure that appeared in front of him.
Haru dodged as the figure threw a right hook at his face and sent one of his own to its side. The figure stumbled back, allowing Haru enough time to land a roundhouse kick into the figure's neck, sending it crashing into one of the houses below.
Haru hovered above the ruined building as the figure walked out.
"Oh, my dear Haru. How can you hit me like that?" the figure said as it walked out.
Haru's eyes widened as he looked down at it. That familiar red hair. Those blue eyes. Even the sweep, supple curves that Haru had fallen in love with long ago. The figure smiled as it brushed some dust off before flipping its hair out of the way.
"Rias?" Haru asked.
"Hello, my dear Haru," "Rias" said, twisting the dear into a twisted hateful mockery of how the real Rias usually said it.
"Goddamnit," Haru said, ignoring the headache that just assaulted his brain.
"God's not here, Haru. He's dead. Remember?" Rias said as she appeared in front of him.
She's fast, Haru thought as he barely blocked a high jump kick from "Rias".
"Rias" smirked before coating her leg in the familiar black and red energy of the Power of Destruction. Haru screamed as he felt his skin being disintegrated. He gritted his teeth before glaring at Rias.
[Cardinal Crimson Full Drive!]
Haru was covered in a sleek, bulky scarlet armor. Two bony protrusions extended from the back of Haru's armor and energy like wings became projected from them.
"GO TO HELL!" Haru said, grabbing "Rias's" leg and spun around before throwing her. "Rias" crashed through several buildings.
"Rias" groaned as she shakily got to her feet and glared at Haru. Haru sped towards her with his fist cocked back. Rias let out an unholy scream before digging her feet into the ground and taking off towards Haru. She cocked her fist back and coated it in the Power of Destruction.
They met in the middle and the entire area was bathed in red light. A massive explosion destroyed every structure in the area. A massive mushroom cloud towered over Kuoh as a shockwave that emanated and shattered the glass of every window within the town.
Ddraig looked up as he felt a powerful wind wash over him. In the distance, he saw a large smoke cloud rising from the town.
[Be careful, Partner] Ddraig said.
Haru blocked another kick from Rias and countered with a punch to her stomach. Rias stumbled back before forming a swirling sphere of Power of Destruction in her left hand and slamming it into Haru's chest, grinding into the armor.
Shit! She's drilling away at my armor. Damnit! Haru threw a punch at Rias's shoulder, forcing her to take a step back.
[Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!]
[Crimson Blaster!]
" Rias's" eyes widened as the red beam enveloped her. The beam traveled across his soul's version of Kuoh, crashing into Kuoh Academy and then into the Old School Building.
Haru sped towards Rias before she could recover. He froze when Rias smirked. She pointed up, causing Haru to look at the sky. A massive red sphere was currently rocketing towards Haru.
"Shit…"
The sphere impacted the ground, destroying the entire Old School Building and vaporizing a large portion of the High School Area of Kuoh.
"Rias" hovered above the smoke, looking around for any signs of Haru.
After sensing nothing, "Rias" smirked and began to fly away.
When she turned, she was met with the gauntlet covered fist of Haru, sending her crashing into the ground. As she struggled to stand up, Haru slammed his foot from 50 feet in the air onto her torso, causing her to cough up a dark tar-like substance that Haru could only guess was her blood.
"Okay bitch. I know you're not Rias so you can cut the act and get the hell out of my body!" Haru roared as he drove the blade into her skull.
Her body spasmed and Haru brought the armored fist down on the pommel of Ascalon driving it deeper into the ground. Her body went limp and flickered a few times before disappearing. Ascalon was driven right through the pawn piece.
Haru removed Ascalon and picked up the piece, channeling his Miasma into it. The piece glowed brightly before disappearing in a stream of red particles like the others.
"One more left," Haru said. He looked up and saw the dark mist swirling together as red lightning arced across the sky. The clouds funneled together at the top of Kuoh Academy.
"I guess I don't have to look," Haru said.
The clouds formed a mouth and roared at Haru as thunder clapped across the sky.
"Come and get it you son of a bitch!" Haru yelled as he spread his wings and shot off towards the clouds. The clouds merged, forming an all too familiar foe. The beast had four stout arms and two legs, a large furry and scaly body that towered over the town itself, its seven tails, which differed in their shapes, extended well over a few hundred meters. The beast had seven heads each belonging to a different animal.
"Trihexa," Haru growled.
The beast roared, shaking Haru's entire soulscape and sending him flying back a little. He narrowed his eyes at the beast.
"You're not supposed to be here," Haru said.
The beast responded with words for the first time since Haru met Trihexa.
"So are you," the beast said.
"So you can talk," Haru said, summoning Ascalon.
The beast merely growled and grunted as its heads all looked down at Haru. The beast's form flickered before being engulfed in black and white energy swirling into a compressed white sphere. The sphere shone for a second before shattering. A man with white hair and two different colored eyes. His left eye was red with black sclera while his right eye was blue. The man wore a pure white robe with six pairs of wings extending from his back, belonging to an eagle's, a dragon's, a bat, a locust's, a wasp's, and a raven's.
Trihexa appeared in front of Haru, causing him to barely block its attacks. Haru's eyes narrowed when he felt something was off.
"You're not as strong as your original self. Even one of your cores required someone on Indra-sama's level to defeat," Haru said. He forced Trihexa back and delivered a devastating kick to his stomach.
Trihexa rocketed back and landed on the roof of a house. He looked up and his eyes glowed. Several blue spears of light manifested in the air and fired in rapid succession at Haru.
Haru shot towards Trihexa, swinging Ascalon at the incoming spears. He disappeared in a burst of speed and appeared behind the Beast.
Trihexa's eyes widened as a large wound appeared on his chest and left shoulder, spraying blood everywhere.
The Beast roared, falling to one knee. It furiously turned and stretched its palm, firing a massive blast of fire at Haru.
[Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!]
[Crimson Blaster!]
A scarlet beam of energy was fired from Haru's wings punching straight through the fireball.
Haru quickly turned when Trihexa appeared behind him with two spears made of blue light in his hands. He used his sword to deflect the spears and severed Trihexa's left arm.
Trihexa roared and released a powerful telekinetic blast that leveled the building they were on and sent Haru flying and crashing into Kuoh Academy University. A black and white mist poured from the stump that was Trihexa's arm, solidifying and forming another arm.
Haru shakily got to his feet and glared intensely at the Beast.
"GET. THE. HELL. OUT. OF. MY. BODY!" Haru yelled as his sclera bled black and his pupils began to glow green. Four pairs of black wispy raven-like wings erupted and from under his [Cardinal Crimson Promotion] wings.
Haru thrust his hand forward for a [Dragon Shot] but mistakenly called upon another energy. A green bolt of energy surrounded by a black aura appeared in front of Haru and fired at Trihexa.
Trihexa merely roared in response and fired a black and white beam of energy that collided with Haru's beam.
The beams clashed for dominance, darkening the sky in their brilliant display of light. The ground shook as a massive crater began to form on the Academy grounds.
"GRAOOOOO!" Trihexa roared, baring his fangs and his eyes glowing with power.
"GO TO HELLL!" Haru shouted as he began [Boosting] .
Trihexa's eyes widened when he felt himself being pushed back. Haru's energy beam punched through Trihexa's beam. The beam pierced through the Beast, leaving a gaping hole in his torso.
Trihexa fell to the ground and Haru appeared above him and drove Ascalon through his chest.
Trihexa gasped for air as blood flowed from his mouth. He looked at Haru, who was now pulling Ascalon from the Beast's chest. He sat up surprising Haru and grasped his forearm.
"Thank you… and tell my children, I'm sorry. You remind me of her," Trihexa said as the red faded from his eye. His body began to glow and faded into red particles of light, leaving behind the final pawn piece.
Haru looked at the piece in confusion as Trihexa's words replayed over and over in his mind.
"Children? That thing had children? Sucks to be them," Haru said as he poured his Miasma into the pawn piece. A burst of power exuded from the pawn piece as it faded into red particles of light. The dark clouds above faded as light slowly began to creep into Haru's soul.
"Ddraig?" Haru asked.
[I'm here.] Ddraig responded.
" Hehehe… HAHAHA! I'M FREE! I'M FUCKING FREE!" Haru shouted, cheering.
Ddraig laughed over their connection as Haru fell flat on his back and smiled at the bright sky of his soul.
"Where have you been all my life Mr. Sun?" Haru asked as his vision swam and faded into black.
Haru's eyes slowly fluttered open as he saw Irina's beautiful worried face above his own. His face slowly turned red at the distance between them.
"Um, hey?" Haru said quietly.
Irina finally noticed how close she was to Haru and moved back, her face resembling a tomato. Haru sat up, equally red-faced.
"Nii-san!" Asia glomped Haru, causing him to fall back down.
"Asia," Haru said, softly petting her hair.
"I'm so glad you're okay!" Asia said happily, crying into his shoulder.
"What will you do now? Now that you're no longer a devil. In fact, what are you?" Irina asked.
"I honestly don't know anymore. Ddraig said that the energy running through my body changed my composition to something similar to a Fallen Angel yet also similar to a Devil," Haru said.
"So what now?" Irina asked.
"I was thinking of going back and finishing high school and then maybe travel around for a bit. Maybe go to school abroad and distance myself from all… this," Haru said. "The Supernatural is what got me into this mess. I might as well take a short break from it. Don't get me wrong. I'll still train and participate in the tournament but as far as devils go or any involvement with the factions, I'll avoid them for now," Haru said.
[You can't keep away forever. Sooner or later, people will notice that you're missing] Ddraig said as an emerald light pulsated from Haru's left hand.
"But I can try, right? Maybe we can even solve some problems of our own. Like a certain blue dragon that might come to kill me sooner or later?" Haru said.
[Don't tempt Fate, Haru] Ddraig said.
"Let's go home guys," Haru said. Irina and Asia nodded as Asia formed a red magic circle with the crest of the Gremory Family on it and disappeared in a flash of red light.