It was late at night of the 10th day. Issei, clad in his school uniform, was lying on his bed, waiting for the time of the rating game, which was right at midnight. The reason he was wearing his school uniform because his master said that after all, they are the members of Occult Research Club. Rias herself had also ordered him to gather and meet up with the others in the clubroom 15 minutes before the game start. As our Red Dragon Emperor laid down and stared at the ceiling, he later closed his eyes as he attempted to focus, reading his own power signature to confirm his own condition, as well as reminiscing about days in the training camp.
"It's tonight, huh…" Issei thought as he tried to get a feel of his new powers he had obtained from the training. He clenched his fist, he tensed his muscles, and Issei could feel that his body was covered in his touki. The touki still fairly weak, because Issei in the end still had not fully understood about the base of life, but the aura was thicker than the first time as Issei felt his body was even stronger this time. He turned at his left arm.
"You ready, Ddraig?"
[Always. Let's show our opponents the might of the Red Dragon Emperor]
Issei smiled at the dragon's answer. Then he quickly woke up from his position when someone was knocking on his room's door. From beyond the door, a familiar meek voice was heard.
"Um… Ise-san? Can I come in?" it was Asia who was standing beyond the door.
"Yeah, sure. Come on in", Issei immediately replied. His eyes widened ever so slightly at the sight of the bishop wearing her old nun outfit. "Asia, isn't that…?"
"Ah, this?" knowing what Issei was implying, Asia moved around to show her clothes more. "Buchou-san told me that I can wear an outfit I'm most comfortable with… So I pick this one, albeit I'm a devil now... What do you think, Ise-san?"
Issei smiled then he nodded. "Hm. Yeah, it looks perfect on you", Issei finished with small grin.
"Um… Can sit next to you?" Asia meekly asked as her gaze darted on around the floor shyly.
Issei simply moved aside for a bit and he pat the spot next to him, prompting Asia to sit down. After the former nun sat down next to him, Asia scooted over even closer, her left side of the body was making a direct contact with Issei's side.
"Ise-san…" Asia said as she stared on her hand that clutching the hem of her clothes. "I'm scared…" she said as her hands tightening around her clothes.
Issei simply looked with neutral expression and he put his right arms across Asia's shoulders, pulling her even closer to him. "It will be fine, Asia… I will always protect you. Not just me, everyone, Kiba, Koneko-chan, Akeno-san, even Rias ojou-sama will protect you as well", Issei said as he looked at Asia, who looked at him as well. "So you don't need to worry. We, all of us will definitely protect you."
At Issei's words, Asia sighed in relieve as she finally smiled. "Ise-san… Can we stay like this until we leave?" Asia asked as she tried to feel Issei's warm body.
"Yeah, sure", Issei replied with a smile, and Asia closed her eyes to enjoy the warmth while she still can.
X
The whole members of the club gathered at the appointed time in the clubroom. When Issei and Asia entered the room, they spotted everyone was doing their own things to pass time. Yuuto, clad in his uniform with gauntlets protecting his both arms and shins, was inspecting his sword at a corner of the room. Koneko, with her uniform as well and a pair of fingerless gloves with a cat's paw on the back of each hand, was reading a book on one of the couches while eating her snacks from time to time. As Issei and Asia came in and took their own respective seats, they soon also spotted Rias with her school uniform as well was sitting with her legs crossed on one of the couches as well. The king was sipping the tea that was served by Akeno, who stood beside her. The queen herself was wearing a shrine-maiden outfit instead of school uniform. Issei stretched his body for a moment before finally sat down, while Asia sat down and she was still fidgeting slightly. Issei himself simply leaned back on the couch as he closed his eyes patiently. Then his eyes opened again when Issei remembered something. He turned towards Rias.
"Um, buchou?" Rias turned to Issei, prompting him to continue. "Where's your other bishop? You said before that he was doing another job, so where's he now? Come to think of it, I didn't see him during the training either…"
Rias simply smiled bitterly and replied, "Well… My other bishop has… complicated circumstances. So until I take care those issues I can't bring him out to a battle. You'll meet him soon enough, so don't worry about it."
Issei blinked several times at his master's reply. "Circumstances? What kind of circumstances? Is this bishop special? Whatever, it's not the time and place to think about those anyway. Besides, if I'll meet him soon then I guess I can wait", Issei thought and he fell back on his seat again, closing his eyes.
After few more minutes of waiting, a magic circle appeared inside the room and Grayfia came out from it. The maid looked over the room's occupants before she nodded in confirmation. "I see that everyone have arrived. The match will begin shortly. Are you all ready?"
Everyone looked up at the maid without saying anything. The looks in their eyes were enough for Grayfia to understand. "Very well. The match will take place in an artificial dimension that was established specifically for holding a rating game. The two households of 72 pillars, Gremory clan and Phenex clan will be watching this match along with their close allies and peerages. Maou Lucifer-sama will be watching as well. Please keep this in mind."
Issei took it quite well as he aware that since this match was regarding about his master's future, of course the families and the other parties that involved in this marriage setting would like to know the outcome. However, his eyes widened at Rias' mumbling.
"I see. Onii-sama is watching this match too."
"Wait, did she just said 'onii-sama' at the mention of the Maou (devil king)? Could it be…", Issei thought as he looked around his comrades if they knew something about it.
Yuuto who noticed Issei's bewilderment whispered to him. "Buchou's elder brother is the Maou Lucifer himself."
While Issei was still surprised at the fact that his master is directly related with the devil king, Akeno also replied in addition, "Buchou's brother also known as the Crimson Satan. He's the strongest devil in the underworld during his generation, thus he was entrusted to rule as one of the leaders of the underworld."
Issei's fist clenched even tighter when he took in the information. "I see… So the Maou himself has come to watch us, eh? Let's try to give him a good show. What do you think about it, Ddraig?" Issei thought with an excited smirk.
[You bet 'cha]
"It is time now. Everyone, please step in into the circle", Issei and everyone quickly turned toward Grayfia again and they did as she told. Soon the light from the magic circle covered them as Rias' peerage was teleported away from the clubroom.
When Issei's view cleared up, he found himself and the others (minus Grayfia) were still in the clubroom… Or not.
"We're still in the clubroom? But I thought… Wait", Issei was thinking if the teleportation had foiled, but then he realised the sight beyond the window. He walked towards the window and took a good look at the outside. "I see… So that's how it is…" Issei realised as he found that the night sky outside the school was transformed into shade of green aurora, clearly that they were already in a different dimension.
Issei took a look more around the surroundings and he found that not only the clubroom was the same as the one back at home, the entire school grounds were also present in the artificial dimension. Contemplating about the school-grounds being the rating game field, Issei's suspicion was confirmed by Rias as the king huffed in disgust.
"This is just classic him. They're truly underestimating us…" Rias tone was clearly not amused.
Then, Grayfia's voice was heard through out the room.
"Hello, everyone. I'm Grayfia, a maid of Gremory household and I shall be the arbiter of this rating game between Rias Gremory-sama and Riser Phenex-sama. As per Rias Gremory-sama and Riser Phenex-sama's opinion, the battlefield will be the replica of Kuoh Academy, the school where Rias Gremory-sama attends in the human world. I shall observe this match in the name of my master, Sirzechs Lucifer-sama."
"Intentionally giving us advantage? Fine. That Phenex guy will get his favour returned… Definitely." Issei thought his fist tightened as he kept listening at Grayfia's de-briefing.
"Rias-sama's base is the Occult Researh Club in the old school building, while Riser-sama's base will be the student council room in the new school building. For pawns who'd like to be promoted, you need to reach your enemy's territory."
Issei looked at the direction of the new school building. To think about it, Issei never used a promotion before. This rating game would give him an experience about being promoted into a rook, bishop, knight, or even a queen.
"The match will begin in 10 minutes. I wish best of luck for both parties." Then Grayfia's voice was not heard anymore.
Everyone was now gathered at the table in the middle of the room, discussing strategies. Issei agreed inwardly when Rias wanted to eliminate the enemy's pawns first. Issei honestly confident that he would be enough to deal with all the pawns, but having 9 queens to fight was way too dangerous, especially for the others. With the strong assumption that Raiser's peerage will go straight to the old school building through the sport-field and the woods, Rias assigned Yuuto to set up traps inside the woods and Akeno to set up defensive barriers, as well as illusion spells around the old school building. The king also noted that the gym near the old school building could give them an easy access towards the new school building, so Rias ordered Koneko to secure their route. Rias herself would stay in the base as the commander for a while before giving supports to the others depends on how the game would go, with Asia beside her as the medical-aid. The plan was quite simple, take down all of Riser's servants, then regroup to gang-up on Riser later.
Issei, who was about to ask what his task would be, was told by Rias to stay with her to talk about something. The others were a bit curious about what Rias wanted to say to the pawn, but orders come first.
RING!
As soon as the school bell was rang, signing that the match had begun, those who had been given their respective tasks were bolting out immediately through the window. After watching his comrades left, Issei turned towards his master.
"So, ojou-sama… What do you want to talk with me?" Issei asked with his arms folded.
Rias had thought to address the issue about Issei's performance during the training camp later, but she realised that this was the perfect time to confirm her suspicion. She could not risk her victory and the others' safety just because her pawn was holding back.
"Ise… I'd like to ask you about your performance during the training…" Rias closed her eyes for a moment before snapped it back open. "Were you… holding back during the training camp?" there was a tint of doubt in her tone. Asia, who was darting her gaze between Rias and Issei at first, stopped her gaze at Issei when the question was asked.
"Huh?" Issei put on an incredulous expression before he replied back. "Wha- Of course not! I was giving my all in that training camp! I was the one who proposed that idea during training! What makes you think such a thing, ojou-sama?"
"Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but I was expecting you to do… better… Considering the feats you showed us back in the abandoned church and in the forest of familiars. So are you sure that you're holding nothing back in that training? Because that was an important training, Ise, and I can't have my pawn to slack-off behind while the others were working so hard to be stronger…" this time, Rias' tone was serious.
Issei simply sighed. "Ojou-sama… I did my best to keep up with the others, and what you saw in the training was simply how good everyone in the first place and how better they had become. I'd like you to believe that not only me, but all of us have given our all in that training to be stronger, for you, ojou-sama…"
"I… I also believe that Ise-san has worked so hard as well, buchou-san…." Asia voiced her opinion meekly.
Rias sighed as she closed her eyes. "I see… Then I'm sorry about what I said, Ise, Asia. Of course you all have worked hard for this match…" Rias looked at Issei apologetically, which Issei simply replied with an accepting smile and nods.
"By the way, Ise. Are you sure that 'secret weapon' of yours will work against Riser?" Rias asked again. During the 9th night of training camp, when there was a sudden jolt of power from the villa's backyard, everyone only saw Issei, simply clad in his tracksuit, with a trace of powerful aura around his body. When they asked him about what happened, the pawn simply said with a wink that he just got himself a 'secret weapon'.
"You bet, ojou-sama. In fact, if you wish to, I can use it to defeat Riser Phenex and his entire peerage, right here, right now", Issei said with confident tone.
Rias only blinked twice before she smiled. "No, just safe it for later. This is basically a team-battle, Ise. Everyone had trained so hard too, so let's make their hard-work worth it, shall we?"
Issei simply smiled back and nodded in acknowledgement.
"Alright, now go! Show me the fruits of your training!" Rias commanded.
Issei nodded again with determined expression, then he jumped off through the window. Since he still flew awkwardly with his devil wings, Issei opted to use his devil-enhanced speed to trek his way to the enemy. After running for a while, he suddenly stopped. "Shit, what was I supposed to do again?" Issei smacked his forehead for forgetting to ask his master beforehand. Looking back, returning to the clubroom would be a waste of time while everyone else was probably fighting for their lives by now. Issei weighed his available options. Should he go to help Koneko securing the gym? Or should he go to help Yuuto in the woods and engaging enemies on the sport-field?
Koneko is tough, sure. But fighting multiple enemies in a closed space like a gym might be difficult even for her. Yuuto on the other hand, not only that he had a wider space for him to fight, he could just lured the enemy to the forest and let the traps to do the work if the knight were to be overwhelmed. Thus, Issei began his way to the gym to meet up with the rook.
X
As soon as he stepped inside the gym building, the pawn was met with a sight of Koneko facing four female hostiles. Issei remembered those Phenex girls from the clubroom earlier. One of them was a woman in a cheongsam, blue qipao with gold accents and his shoulder-length black hair was tied in two Chinese-style buns. The other girls are twin little girls with turquoise hair clad in gym uniforms, each of them were bringing blue and red gym bag, and there was also a girl with blue hair that was tied into four short pony-tails, clad in white haori and red obi under a red happi coat, her forearms and shins were wrapped in bandages and she wore a pair of zori as footwear. The blue-haired girl also had a wooden staff with her.
Looks like Issei had just arrived in time to join with Koneko when they were about to introduce themselves. The girl in Cheongsam was the one to speak first when all gym occupants noticed the Gremory pawn's arrival.
"I see, so you've come as well. Anyway, I'm Xuelan, Riser-sama's rook!" the girl identified as Xueland introduced herself. Her other comrades also followed suit.
"Ile and Nel, pawns!" this time it was the twins in gym attire who introduced their names together.
"I'm Mira… I'm a pawn as well", a girl with blue hair and a wooden staff said so.
Seeing that they should have returned the introduction as well, Koneko and Issei identified themselves.
"Toujou Koneko, a rook…"
"Hyoudou Issei, a pawn!"
After the introductions had been done and all, Xuelan stepped forward, cracking her knuckles.
"Now, with all said and done, let's just get this over and done with…" the Phenex rook said as she put on a kung-fu stance position.
Koneko stared at her rook opponent carefully, then she stepped forward, put up her fighting stance, and she said to Issei.
"Issei-senpai, I'll handle the rook… Can you please handle the other three pawns?"
Issei smirked as he cracked his right fingers with his right thumb, and his Boosted Gear formed on his left arm.
[DRAGON BOOSTER]
"Sure, leave them to me!"
[Boost]
The enemy's eyes were widened at the sight of Issei's Boosted Gear. "That gauntlet… I see, never thought that Rias Gremory has the Red Dragon Emperor on her side", Xuelan commented as she recognised the red gauntlet. "However, having a Longinus doesn't mean you know how to use it! Take him down, you three!" the rook told her other comrades.
Without saying anything, the enemy pawns, Mira, Ile and Nel also took their respective battle positions. The first prepared her staff pointing at Issei with her legs stood firm on the ground, while the twins put down their bags and pulled something from it after they unzipped them open.
GRRNGG-GRRNGG-GRRNGGG!
Issei's eyes widened in surprise as he did not expect that such petite girls would use chainsaws to fight.
"Disassembling time!"
"Split, split, split, split!"
The twins, with a chainsaw on each, shout in glee as they swung their chainsaws, now also clad in fire, successively towards Issei. Mira also followed behind them with her staff ready to strike. In the meantime, Xuelan and Koneko also had begun engaging each other.
"Haaat!"
Xuelan jumped to the air and sent a sharp drop kick towards Koneko, whom quickly dodged aside. Not only the strike was strong, considering the enemy possess the trait of a rook, Xuelan's fists and feet were covered in flames each time she attacked. The flames managed to burn and ripped a part Koneko's uniform with a sheer heat, but Koneko managed to dodge, blocked and retaliate Xuelan's attack as the two rooks exchanging blows to each other.
[Boost]
Issei was able to dodge and blocked the three enemy pawns well-versed attacks without much difficulty. He knew that his Boosted Gear would not break or even damaged when he sometimes ended up blocking the chainsaws with it, and his touki might be able to protect him from direct hits, but for some reasons the pawn felt himself slightly reluctant to take those chainsaws head-on. Why not just evade an attack if you were able to do so?
Issei saw that the chainsaw-wielding twins were aiming for his legs, he automatically hop to avoid the chainsaws that was about to detach his legs. However, while his eyes were still on the chainsaws, Issei sensed another thing coming. He looked up, and he saw that Mira was already about to swing her staff, aiming for his head while Issei was still immobile in mid-air from jumping.
"Got you!" Mira exclaimed as she swung her staff horizontally towards Issei's right side of the head.
[Boost]
However, just when the wooden staff was almost making contact, Issei did not bother to raise his hand for a guard,
CRAUCK! CRACK!
As he simply bore his teeth and he literally bit off Mira's wooden staff, shattering it into pieces. The owner of the wooden staff as well as her two fellow pawns widened their eyes at Issei's action.
"Wha-!" Mira's shock was cut short as Issei caught her off-guard and his right fist connected at the girl's left cheek,
BAM! CRASH!
Sending the blue-haired pawn across the room and through the wall.
"Mira!" The twins, Ile and Nel shouted at their fellow pawn and Grayfia's voice was heard across the battlefield.
"Riser-sama's pawn has retired."
After hearing their comrade's defeat, the twins turned towards Issei who was spitting out some splinters that went inside his mouth.
"Why you-!" then suddenly their shouts of anger were interrupted by another announcement in the air.
"Riser-sama's 3 pawns have retired."
All combatants in the room widened their eyes in surprise albeit Issei's and Koneko's surprises were more pleasant. Issei grinned at the announcement.
[Boost]
"Heh, nice one, Kiba!"
On Koneko's side, the girl did not say anything but she smiled at announcement that meant that their group were currently on the lead. She turned her attention back to her rook opponent whose attention was still on the announcement earlier. The Gremory rook did not waste any chance as she quickly sprung to her enemy.
"You're open", Koneko said as she jumped and performed a round-house kick with her left leg.
Xuelan who was caught off-guard for a second managed to barely evade Koneko's left leg by ducking at the last second. However, when Xuelan raised her head again, thinking that she had dodged the kick, Koneko's right leg suddenly extended to hit her head's left side as soon as Koneko left leg had passed her.
DUAGH!
"Ugh!" Xuelan grunted in pain as Koneko's right leg managed to strike her left temple. Dazed for a moment, the Phenex rook could not dodge when Koneko quickly used that moment of weakness to go around her and wrapped her arms on her waist.
Issei who took a glance at Koneko's eyes widened his eyes slightly, knowing what Koneko was going to do. How could he not, he had tasted it first-hand as well during the training.
"Ei!" Koneko jerked her body backward as she used her German-suplex on Xuelan, resulting a loud cracking sound on the ground.
BRUAK!
Issei who was about to comment was interrupted at the twin pawns whom had returned their focus back to the battle, this time, their chainsaws were coated in flames, increasing their powers as the chainsaws letting out even a louder noise.
"Where are you looking!?" Ile yelled as she swung her flaming chainsaw together with her twin sister.
GRRRRRNNNNGGGG!
[Boost]
"Whoa!" Issei managed to dodge and blocked the chainsaws with his Boosted Gear at the last seconds. The Gremory pawn was still able to engage with the enemy's pawns with enough ease, as he was still able to steal a glance at Koneko's fight from time to time.
However, when Issei took a glance at Koneko again, he found that Koneko still remained at her position with her body bent backwards and her arms still wrapped firmly around Xuelan's waist, whom was still had her head planted on the ground. Koneko was well aware that one suplex like that would not be enough to incapacitate a devil rook.
"I'm not done yet…" Koneko said as she flipped her body around, restarting her position with her arms still remained around Xuelan's body, as the Gremory rook prepared for another suplex, then Koneko threw Xuelan's body again, flipped back, and threw her again. The cycle repeated for several times.
BRAK! BRAK! BRAK! BRAK! BRUAK!
"Kuh…" Xuelan was barely able to remain conscious as her head was repeatedly slammed to the ground with continuous German-suplex, then, when the rook thought that her enemy had finished her continuous suplex, she suddenly felt that her body was in the mid-air.
"Fly"
Koneko threw Xuelan upwards after she said that word. Then, when Xuelan's body was rolling around in the air, Koneko leapt off and caught Xuelan's body when the enemy rook's body was exactly up-side down, her head was pointing right to the ground. Xuelan herself could not break free, not only it was difficult to move in the mid-air, her head was painfully beating too hard right now from those suplexes earlier.
"Hei!" Koneko then used her center of gravity to bring herself down back to the ground, bringing Xuelan's body along with her, and the Phenex rook's head was smashed to the ground with devastating sound.
BRUAAAGHH! BAM!
The ground was destroyed from the sheer force from Koneko's slamming Xuelan's body head-first to it, creating a small crater and Koneko's simply climbed out from it.
"Riser-sama's rook has retired."
"Xuelan!" Ile and Nel shouted together when they heard that their only ally in the room had been taken out as well.
[Boost]
Issei who was sweat-dropped at Koneko's technique quickly used the chance when the enemy twins' attention was brought somewhere else. "Where are you looking now!?" Issei said as if he wanted to return those words right to their faces. He raised both of his fist and he brought them down right to the twins' head.
BAM! BAM!
"Kyah!"
Ile and Nel let out painful shrieks as their heads were forcefully brought down to the ground by Issei's hit, letting a loud 'thud' from the ground beneath them. To conclude, the twins were now knocked out, face-down with large bumps swelling on their heads. Soon, the twins' bodies were covered in light before disappearing completely from sight.
"Riser-sama's 2 pawns have retired."
Issei let out a breath as he finally managed to defeat the enemy pawns. He turned to Koneko who was now approaching him.
"Good work, Issei-senpai…" Koneko said nodding her head.
Issei held up a thumb to Koneko as he grinned, but he quickly looked the other way when he noticed the torn parts of Koneko's uniform. The rook herself also quickly covered her exposed parts when she realised her current condition, she glared at the pawn with pink hues on her face.
"Don't you dare to look…"
"No, no, I'm not gonna look", Issei said nervously with his face blushing as well. "Say, Koneko-chan… That move earlier, where did you learn to do that?" Issei asked to lightened up the awkward atmosphere, while still looking away.
Koneko's pink hue disappeared soon after and she held out a thumb with her right hand while her left still covering her body. "Street Fighter. I always play as Zangief in that game", was all Koneko said without hesitation and her usual impassive face.
[Boost]
The voice from the Boosted Gear filled up another awkward moment as Issei looked at Koneko, to her face to be precise, with half-lidded eyes. He sweat-dropped again as he realised why that move earlier looks awfully familiar.
The pawn sighed as he raised his arms. "You know what, let's just focus and go to…" Then Issei's eyes widened in alarm as his instinct sensed a danger, as well as a magic energy signature, not belong to any of his friends, came over the building. He quickly coated his body with touki, as he quickly lounged at Koneko with his Boosted Gear arm extended to the rook.
"Koneko-chan!"
The Boosted Gear's green jewel shone and let out an announcement as soon as Issei extended it.
[Transfer!]
Koneko was taken aback at Issei's sudden seriousness. The pawn suddenly yelled at her, as if wanting to warn her about something, then, when he extended his gauntlet, a green light was covering her body, and she felt her strength multiplied several times. Just when Issei's arm grabbed Koneko's hand and was pulling Koneko to him, the rook's vision was suddenly covered with bright light when Issei was running towards the nearest exit with Koneko in his arms.
X
(Meanwhile, with Rias and Asia)
Rias was still looking outside through the window of the clubroom, waiting for further developments. Asia still remained with her, sitting down on one of the couches with her hands clutched together in prayer, hoping for everyone's safety. So far, she was content with how things had gone so far. Riser had lost one of his rook and more than half of his entire pawns. However, the biggest threat, Riser's queen still had not made any move, or so she heard from Akeno so far. Rias was also a bit frustrated of how she could have forgotten to give her newest pawn his orders. But considering the results she heard this far, she assumed that Issei had made an initiative to assist either Koneko or Yuuto. Either way, her pawn seemed to be doing well as far as she concerned. Until…
KA-BOOM!
"What the…!"
A large-scale explosion was heard, alerting Rias and Asia, whom quickly stood up from her seat and walked towards the window by Rias' side.
"What… What was that explosion?" Asia asked in worried tone, her body trembled in fear.
The king's eyes widened in horror as she saw that the explosion had occurred at the direction of the gym, where her rook was assigned. She did not know if Issei was there as well, and as much as she worried for the safety of her servants, Rias could not afford to loose her rook and her only pawn so early in the battle. She quickly summoned a small magic circle for communication link on her ear and she tried to contact her servants.
"Koneko, do you hear me? Are you alright? Koneko!" Rias was getting worried even more when nobody answered after a while. "Akeno, can you go to the gym?" Rias then changed the comm-link towards her queen.
"Yes, I'm on my way!" Akeno's voice could be heard from the magic circle besides Rias' ear.
Rias could only curse herself as she and Asia could only stared outside and hoped for everyone's safety.
"Everone…"
X
Akeno was flying as fast as she could towards the place where the explosion occurred. When she arrived, the queen gasped from the sight of the gym building was replaced with a huge crater, smokes and dusts came out from it. She flew closer to inspect any survivors, then she spot a female figure was hovering above the crater.
The said figure was a busty woman with long, wavy purple hair that fell all the way down her back and matching eyes. At the front, the right side of her hair fell over her breast and covered her right eye, while the left side fell near the top of her skirt. Her attire was a dress consisting of a navy blue tunic top with gold accents and a pale blue skirt with open sides, and black shoes over matching thigh-high stockings with garter-belts. The top revealed much of her cleavage, and was held with a gold choker with blue and red jewels. Over this, she wore a white overcoat with black and gold accents and matching pauldrons. For accessories, she wore a black headband with a red-orange jewel over her forehead to keep her long hair in place, and wielded a staff-like sceptre in battle. For cosmetics, she wore purple lipstick, matching her eyes and hair.
Akeno immediately recognised the only person that was able to cause such an explosion. The person was Yubelluna, the queen of Riser Phenex's peerage as well as the strongest member with the title 'Bomb Queen'.
Noticing Akeno's presence, Yubelluna turned towards the Gremory queen with an arrogant smirk. "The Priestess of Thunder… How pleasant it is to finally meet you in this battle…"
"YOU…!" Akeno hissed out with her voice filled with venom at the enemy's queen.
At Akeno's outrage, Yubelluna simply shrugged as she brandished her sceptre around and said, "Well, as you can see, thanks to our comrades' sacrifice, I managed to take out yours as well. The enemy's most vulnerable moment is when they were celebrating their accomplishments, after all…"
However, Yubelluna's moment was cut short when she sensed something was approaching her from above. The Bomb Queen quickly turned around and her eyes, as well as Akeno's, widened at the sight of Issei, his uniform was tattered and burned, his devil wings stretched, his slightly charred body was glowing faintly in white due to touki, and his left fist clad in Boosted Gear was cocked backwards, preparing to be launched in a form of a punch.
"Ise-kun!" Akeno was struck with awe and disbelief.
"What- Impossible!" Yubelluna could not believe that the pawn could survive her signature attack.
[EXPLOSION!]
"HAA!" Issei brought down his left fist right towards the surprised Bomb Queen.
Yubelluna quickly raised her staff and she formed a layer of defensive magic circle to defend herself. However, despite the stored boosted power was far less than the previous ones Issei had stored, which Issei had used all of them during the explosion, Issei's punch was still strong enough to shattered Yubelluna's magical shield as the Bomb Queen was forced to fall to the ground.
CRASH!
The ground caved in as Yubelluna crashed into it, leaving a pile of dust-smoke through the air.
After pushing away the enemy queen, Issei remained in the air as he tried to stabilise his position in the mid-air with his devil wings. He now could float and fly in a straight line, but still not able to make turns like the others. Akeno quickly flew over to Issei to have a closer look in his condition.
"Ise-kun, are you alright? Where's Koneko-chan?" Akeno asked, taking a look around Issei's body. The pawn's uniform was completely ragged from the explosion. His body covered in burns and charred marks but no bleeding whatsoever. Akeno was honestly surprised that the pawn managed to survive that kind of explosion and still managed to perform such a feat from earlier. However,
"What!? I can't hear you!" Akeno was taken aback slightly from Issei's yelling. "All I can hear are ringing sounds!" Issei yelled pointing at his ears, his head was cocked slightly. It seems that the explosion was putting quite a strain on Issei's eardrums. The pawn could even barely hear his own voice. Checking on Issei's ears, and seeing no blood came out of it, Akeno let out a relieved sigh as she knew that Issei's hearing would return soon enough.
Akeno soon spotted Koneko who also flew over them. A part of her clothes were ripped, though probably not from the explosion, the rook's body also covered with slight burns and dusts, but her condition was far better compared to Issei.
"Koneko-chan, are you okay?" Akeno was relieved at the first glance of Koneko but she still asked for a measure.
"Yes, thanks to Ise-senpai", Koneko said nodding with a small smile on her lips.
Dragon Booster Second Liberation: Boosted Gear Gift. Also known as the Gift from the Red Dragon Emperor, it is the final form and second ability of Boosted Gear in its gauntlet shape. It has the same appearance as the original Boosted Gear, except with a second jewel that grants the user the Transfer ability and that it covers more of the user's arm. The Transfer ability, allows Issei to transfer his stored power to his allies, increasing their parameter depending on how much boosts Issei had stored beforehand.
The Transfer had been used several times during the training camp. Thanks to this ability, Issei and Yuuto managed to make a combined attack between Boosted Gear and Sword Birth in engaging Koneko, Akeno and Rias. It made Yuuto can summoned more swords than his original capability to strike the opponents.
Back to the game, apparently, when the explosion occurred, Issei managed to envelope Koneko in a hug to protect Koneko from the blast. Thanks to Issei's power transfer as well, Koneko's enhanced strength and defence as a rook were multiplied until they were strong enough to protect her from the blast as well. While Koneko managed to covered her eyes and ears from the explosion, Issei was not so fortunate as his arms were too busy protecting Koneko. The pawn's touki was able to save him, but the blast still loud enough to affect Issei's exposed hearings.
Koneko turned towards her saviour, her smile still present as she gave a quick bow. "Thank you very much, senpai…"
"What!?" Issei yelled again, tilting his head closer to Koneko as he still could not make out what the girl's said, his ringing eardrums still had not died down.
Akeno giggled at Issei's predicament and Koneko simply snorted as she smiled in content. Akeno summoned her magic communication link to inform her king.
"Buchou, Ise-kun and Koneko-chan are fine. We're now engaging the enemy's queen", Akeno said looking at the spot where Issei had pushed her to earlier. She was aware that Yubelluna managed to avoid a direct-hit from Issei and was thrown only from the kinetic force, and that kind of fall would not do any actual damage to a queen.
It could be heard from Akeno's magic circle that, Rias, and Asia as well, on the other end let out a sigh which they did not know how long she had been holding in. After confirming their current status and receiving orders to proceed with cautious, Akeno turned her head towards Issei and Koneko. The pawn was mumbling some 'mob' words, trying to regain the feeling of his hearings, and the rook was trying to help, only to be replied by 'what' from the pawn.
Suddenly, Akeno sensed a magical energy hurdling towards them and she quickly put on a defensive spell, protecting them all from a massive fireball that exploded upon contact.
BOOM!
From where the fireball was thrown from, Akeno, Issei and Koneko saw Yubelluna with hostile expression, was back flying and her sceptre was pointed to them. Issei who was starting to regain his hearings as he massaged his ears prepared himself to fight again, but Akeno's hand suddenly blocked him.
Issei's eyebrows furrowed and he looked at his queen. "Akeno-san?"
"Leave her to me, Ise-kun… You and Koneko-chan should just go and help Yuuto-kun…" Akeno said without taking her eyes off Yubelluna.
"But-!" Issei was cut off by Koneko whom tugged on his sleeve. As the pawn turned to the rook, the said rook shook her head, with her eyes firm. "Let's go, Ise-senpai. Let's believe in Akeno-senpai here."
Issei weighed his options again. Should he back-up Akeno fighting the enemy's strongest member? His Boosted Gear's ability would be a big help to her. Or should he go to Yuuto, who was probably being outnumbered by now? Closing his eyes for a while, Issei opened them as he had made up his mind.
He descended together with Koneko to the ground and they started to head towards the woods where Yuuto was supposed to be. "We'll definitely come back for you, Akeno-san! Until then, good luck!" Issei yelled over his shoulder as he kept running with Koneko.
Akeno smiled at Issei's words, then she focused back at the enemy queen before her. The said enemy queen was still flying as she approached Akeno.
"That pawn and little rook were just lucky to be able to survive… But putting that aside, letting your comrades to escape while you stay to fight me… Admirable, but quite foolish of you, Priestess of Thunder."
Akeno simply put on her sadistic smile as thunder and lightning danced between her fingers. "Ara ,ara … My pride as a queen simply wants to have a fair fight against the infamous Bomb Queen, fufufufu…"
"Please drop that nickname. I don't really like it, you know", Yubelluna said with distasteful tone.
The two queens then stopped talking and soon after, they immediately prepared several magic circles of their signature spells.
BOOM! BLAAR!
X
Meanwhile, Issei and Koneko were running across the trees. Issei, with his Boosted Gear started to charge his power again, looked over his shoulder for a moment when they heard sounds of explosions and thunder from behind. He tried his best to stay focus on the choice he had made, as he told himself again to return to support Akeno as soon as possible. While they were still looking for Yuuto, the dragon inside himself decided to bring up a topic as this was the proper time to bring it up.
[Boost]
[Say, partner…]
"Hm?"
[I get your reason of transferring your stored power to that rook, but back during that explosion, why didn't you use 'that'? Instead you only used your touki, and your touki still far from perfect]
"…. What!? I can't hear you!"
[Pssh. No need to play dumb, partner. And even if your eardrums were still ringing, I know you can still hear me from here just fine. So, why?]
"…. Well… I, err… just want to keep it for later use, you know, for surprise…"
Ddraig only sweat-dropped on his host's reasoning, then he sighed [Dumbass]
"Shut up…"
[Boost]
X
After trekking through woods and trees several minutes later, Issei and Koneko finally met with Yuuto. The knight was hiding inside a nearby bush, and when he spotted Issei and Koneko approaching him from the side, he gave them a brief nod. Issei and Koneko quickly lowered their bodies and crouched beside the knight.
"How's it going?" Issei asked to Yuuto while looking at the sport-field beyond the woods.
"The first three pawns were careless enough to fall into my traps. However…" Yuuto did not finish his sentence as Issei and Koneko quickly caught on that the rest of enemy troops were getting cautious themselves as they had lost several members of their team. "And what about you two? I heard an explosion earlier, and you looked kind of in a bad shape…" Yuuto asked as he took in Issei's and Koneko's condition.
"Meh, I'll manage. Koneko-chan's condition here is better than mine", Issei shrugged as he gave a quick massage to his ear again.
"What about Akeno-san? I also heard another explosions earlier… Buchou and Asia-chan?" Yuuto asked again.
Issei's expression turned sour. "Akeno-san is engaging the enemy's queen right now. And as for ojou-sama and Asia… I think they're still in the clubroom."
Yuuto looked down for a moment, "I see. Then let's take care the rest of enemy troops before we go back to help Akeno-san", Yuuto said after he looked to Issei and Koneko again.
"Yeah", Issei said and Koneko nodded. However, Issei noticed Yuuto's hands were trembling.
"You alright?" Yuuto turned to Issei again, then he realised what the pawn was implying.
"I can't say I am", Yuuto forced a smile. "I'm really nervous now… This is my very first rating game, Issei-kun… Not only this match is a serious battle between devils, buchou's future and our future as well are being put on the line here. We can't let the enemy to notice even a slightest openings in us."
Issei gave a knowing smile, then he pat Yuuto's shoulder. "Yeah, I was nervous too. But strangely enough, thanks to that explosion earlier, somehow my tensed muscles were managed to calm down after I blew off some steam back there."
Yuuto chuckled at Issei's words of encouragement. Then he felt a bit calmer. "Well, let's win this!" and Issei and Koneko nodded resolutely.
Right at that moment, a voice was heard from the sport-field.
"I know you're there, servants of Gremory! Stop hiding and come out! I, Karlamine, Riser Phenex-sama's knight, challenge you, knight of Gremory to a duel!"
Before Issei and Koneko could think of a respond, Yuuto stood up from his crouching position and he tightened his grip on his sword.
Issei turned to Yuuto with slightly worried look. "Um… Kiba? What are you doing?"
Yuuto simply smirked at Issei. "A knight just challenged me to a one-on-one duel, Issei-kun. As a fellow knight, it's my duty to respond in kind", then Yuuto proceeded towards the enemy knight identified as Karlamine.
Koneko turned to Issei. "Ise-senpai, shouldn't we stop him?" the rook asked regarding their knight comrade.
Issei shrugged before replying, "Nah, it's not everyday we can see a sword-fight between two honourable knights. And here I thought that I could only see this in the TV! Man, I'm getting excited myself!" then he grinned.
Koneko only sighed at the boys' antics, then she and Issei stood up and went out from their hiding to follow Yuuto as well. When they arrived at the sport-field, the rest of enemy's troops had also arrived. The enemy forces consisted seven girls including the one that just challenged Yuuto to a duel.
"I, Kiba Yuuto, Rias Gremory-sama's knight, have come to answer your challenge!" Yuuto said out loud as he stood right in front of Karlamine.
Feeling that they should introduce themselves as well, Issei and Koneko followed-suit.
"Hyoudou Issei, a pawn!"
"Toujou Koneko, a rook…"
"Well said! I'm glad that I'm still able to have an honourable fight with a fellow knight", Karlamine replied. The female knight was a young woman with light brown hair and green eyes. Her outfit consisted of a full set of silver armour with black accents that appeared to be a cross between a European knight's (chest plate, gauntlets and geaves) and a Japanese Samurai (hip plates and shoulder guards), and wore a headband that goes across her hair and forehead. She was equipped with a broadsword and a dagger, both of which were held with brown belts slung across her hip. The broadsword was slung on her left hip, and featured a red jewel on the pommel and had bandages across the handle for grip. The dagger, which was located behind her hip, featured a golden hilt with bandages on the handle.
"Geez, that Karlamine… Getting excited and ruined my plan… Seriously, she should got over with her obsession towards swords!"
Issei turned towards the source of the complain. The one who complained was the princess-like young girl that Issei noticed during the meeting in the clubroom. She was a beautiful young girl with dark blue eyes. She had long blonde hair and was tied into twin-tails with large, drill-like curls, and blue ribbons keeping them in place. The front of her hair had several bangs hanging over her forehead, with a V-shaped fringe hanging over the bridge of her nose. She was also wearing a frilly long pink dress.
"Well, whatever. Since it has come to this… Isabela, Siris, Ni, and Li! You girls go after the pawn and the rook while that sword maniac (Karlamine) is fighting the Gremory knight! Mihae, you stay back as rear support!"
The girls mentioned shouted in unison, """""Yes, Ravel-sama!"""""
The blonde girl in dress, now identified as Ravel, told her other comrades to engage Issei and Koneko. It seems that this Ravel girl somewhat had more authority over her allies.
The girls took their positions and they introduced themselves as well.
"I'm Isabela, a rook." said a girl with short brown hair, three red highlights and a white mask covering half of her face and dressed in delinquent outfit. Her outfit consisted of a black jacket and matching jeans. The jacket had wide shoulders and a wide collar, and featured three leather straps on both her arms. It was also slightly opened, revealing her rather-large breasts and cleavage, and it was cut off at her midriff. Her jeans had a section (on her right pantleg) cut off, revealing some of her thighs and butt, and also featured three leather straps on her calves, just below the ankles, and two extra straps on her right pantleg to keep it in place. She also wore black fighting gloves and boots.
A girl dismounting a large Zweihander from her back introduced herself, "I'm Siris, a knight". She was a tall young woman with long black hair with a dark blue tint and brown eyes. Her hair featured five thin ponytails going around her head, which were held up by a golden hair accessory on top of her head. Her outfit consisted of a white top with black accents that was modeled after a Chinese cheongsam, red shorts, and armored, knee-high boots with matching gauntlets. The top featured a diamond shape on the chest area, giving view of her breasts and cleavage.
"Ni and Li, we're pawns!" this time twin cat-girls, equipped with close-combat gear and skimpy sailor uniform introduced themselves.
Issei and Koneko took their battle positions with Issei crack his right fingers.
"Ise-senpai… This time, I'll engage the pawns. Can you please handle to rook and the knight?" Koneko asked to Issei. The latter simply smirked in return as he cracked his middle finger this time. "Leave them to me…"
[Boost]
Koneko immediately lounged at the duo Ni and Li, and soon they were starting to exchange blows one after another. Koneko, being a rook, did not have much trouble in defending herself against two pawns that had yet to promote.
Issei on the other hand, stared at the enemy rook and the knight in front of him. He also noticed that a girl in purple kimono, who was likely known as Mihae, was standing behind Isabela and Siris, but not too far from Ravel. Ravel herself was standing at the most behind, observing the battle. Without wasting anymore time, Isabela and Siris quickly lounged towards Issei, and Mihae also prepared to cast a spell at the moment's notice. Issei simply stared at the incoming attack of his two opponents with impassive, yet serious expression.
CUT IN HALF BECAUSE WEBNOVEL WONT ACCEPT MORE THAN 20000 WORDS