It was another morning when Issei woke up from his sleep. "Hng…?" When he opened his eyes, the boy also realized that he was hugging something. It was not Rias or Akeno or Asia, because whatever he was hugging felt kind of small, comfortable to hug, even. He looked under the blanket and his eyes widened as he saw Koneko was snuggling in his arms. The girl had her cat features shown and she only covered her body in one layer of white shirt. Issei's face was flustered as he felt how soft the little girl's body against his own.
"…Unya…" Koneko yawned as she slowly opened her eyes, only to find out that she was being embraced by Issei. Her face felt hotter at the proximity between her and the boy, but she could not help but smile as she looked up at Issei and her cat-ears twitched. "…Nyan." She meowed with cute pose that made Issei became flustered even more, before she drifted away again to sleep.
Issei could not help it as he ran his hand on Koneko's head softly. His fingers touched a spot as Koneko softly purred in pleasure. Issei then gently pulled Koneko away from him and got up. The girls were usually waking up around this time, but the boy thought that they could have a bit more of rest. As Issei went to the kitchen to get something to drink before his morning training, Issei was expecting his mother to be there, making breakfast.
"Strange…. She's usually already up by now…" Issei checked the clock and it had already passed almost five minutes since the usual schedule.
When Issei went to his parents' room to have a quick check, Issei froze just before his hand was to knock on the door. He heard a noise from inside the room, and out of curiosity, and when he pressed his ear to the door, Issei could hear moans, gasps, and some shouting.
"Ha…! Ahn…! Hurry up…!" Issei heard his mother's voice. "Hurry up and come already, you bastard…! I'm supposed to… prepare breakfast by now…! Ahh….! And you're supposed to…. Supervise Ise's training…! Hahn..!"
Issei's expression went blank as his brain took in what he heard from beyond the door.
"Fuck….! What is wrong with you, woman!? Even if you say so…!" This time, it was his father's voice.
"You… Unbelievable…! Even though I should've wringed you dry last night…! Fuah….!" Haruka's voice was heard again with occasional gasps.
Issei on the other side only took several deep breaths to calm himself as he massaged the bridge of his nose.
[Well, your parents are quite energetic ones in the morning]
Ddraig gave his first comment in the morning. His comment made Issei's eyes twitched. "No, no…. It's just… a movie… Yeah, they're just watching porn."
[Really? Then, whoever in that porn sure has similar voice with your…]
"They're not doing anything! THEY'RE JUST WATCHING PORN!"
[…Okay, okay. You're right. Yes, nothing happened in there]
Ddraig let out a sigh as he finally chose to concede with his host's mind-set. Issei took another breath, convinced himself about whatever happened in his parents' room and decided to leave his parents and proceeded to his own activities. Issei still could not fathom how come he had a pair of bunnies as his parents.
In that morning, Saitama, looking ragged and dried, was completely ignored by Issei, who would occasionally send a look of disgust at him during the entire course of the morning exercise to the point that Issei refused Saitama's offer (despite his tardiness) to spar for a round.
Later as well, the girls found that breakfast felt very awkward between Issei and his parents. The boy would avoid looking at neither his father nor mother, and the said mother seemed so refreshed while the father looked so pale. When Rias was about to ask to Issei about the matter, the boy simply shook his head with exasperated sigh. Some of the girls who had more 'understanding' about Haruka and Saitama's condition thought better than brought it up on a dining table (although Akeno was actually amused), while those who did not were only looking around in confusion.
At Kuoh Academy, when the students were preparing and waiting for the class to start, Issei was sitting with Matsuda and Motohama hanging around him as usual.
"And that bastard Yoshida finally did it during the summer! With a woman from third year!"
"That fucker!"
Issei only listened while giving a dry stare at his two friends' jealous rambling.
"And you, Ise!"
The brown haired boy blinked when Motohama pointed his finger at him. "What?"
Matsuda replied as he clenched his fist, tears were gathering in his eyelids. "When we two were alone and struggling to lose our virginity during summer by going to the beach…. You had the gall to abandon us to join that summer camp with Occult Research Club…. Abroad, at Rias Gremory senpai's home country, nonetheless!" Motohama also nodded as he started to comically tear up.
"Well, I can't help it. Besides, it's not like I promised to hang out with you guys or anything… Rather, why would I spend my summer with two perverts like you?"
"Come on, man! Not only that you have the most decent face among us, your muscles and abs are definitely girls' eye-candy! Don't you remember that you once gained some of the girls' attention during P.E. class?! And look at you now!" Motohama said as he and Matsuda took another look at Issei's body. The latter's uniform was more pressing onto his body slightly, showing little outlines of his muscles. "And look around you! I know some of the girls had been eying you for a while now!" Matsuda screamed at the class.
"Eh?" Issei blinked, and now that he looked around, he caught the girls in his class just averted their gazed from him, while their faces were slightly flustered. Issei awkwardly scratched his cheek. "Well… I did work out a lot during summer…" Issei said as he recalled his summer training camp with his father. Then Issei scrunched his eyes as he turned to his friends again. "And wait a minute….. What you said earlier… Were you saying that I'm some sort of… chick magnet to you guys?"
Matsuda and Motohama only glanced at each other for a second before they answered with certainty. "…YES!"
"You guys are idiots, you know that?" Issei sighed as he held down the urge to deck the two perverts in the face, then he chose to slump to the desk and bury his face in his arms. Forget about attracting women, the incident during class observation day had shattered his good grace among the girls in the academy.
However, before the boys could argue anymore, a new voice came in. "Fufufu…. Smells like virgins around here…" The boys turned to see Aika Kiryuu with her smug smile.
"Kiryuu! Did you come to laugh at us!?"
Kiryuu nodded at Motohama's question. "Fufufu. Since it's you guys, I'm sure you guys spent a worthless summer."
"Shut up!"
"On a second thought, actually…" Kiryuu said as she glanced at Issei. "Say, Hyoudou… You went to summer camp with the girls from Occult Research Club, right?" Issei nodded and Kiryuu's smirk widened. "Hmm…. You sure had become more muscular than ever… Your eligibility had increased in terms of physical appearance." Kiryuu measured Issei's body with a faint pink tinged on her face. "But anyway, have you…. You know, done it with one of them?" the girl winked as she made a suggestive hand gesture.
Matsuda and Motohama froze and they looked back at Issei, who only blinked and rubbed his head awkwardly. "….Err… No…? That's actually none of your business, isn't it?"
The two perverts sighed in relief, while Kiryuu blinked with slight disbelief. "Wow, really? I thought a man like you would have scored with one of those ladies… Not to mention that during class visits, Rias Gremory-senpai…."
"Oh, come on!" Kiryuu's reminiscence about class visit's incident was interrupted by Issei. "It was all a misunderstanding! Or rather, stop bringing that up! Please, I'm begging you! It's so embarrassing that I wanna die!" Issei whined as he buried his face into his hands in despair.
"Sure it is, sure it is…" Kiryuu nodded sarcastically while Motohama and Matsuda only glared even more daggers at Issei. Fortunately for the latter, Kiryuu decided to listen to his plea. "Well, moving on. I heard that there will be a transfer student today… And it's a girl."
(Scene Break)
As the boys' expectations, the newly introduced transfer student was a beautiful young woman with long, chestnut hair tied into twintails and violet eyes. She was wearing a cross necklace as an accessory on top of her Kuoh Academy's uniform. Upon seeing the girl bowing down for introduction, Issei, Asia and Xenovia showed a pleasant surprise on their faces.
"My name is Shidou Irina. Everyone, let's get along!"
Later in the clubroom after school….
"Shidou Irina-san… I welcome you to our school."
Sona Sitri said her piece as Shidou Irina reintroduced herself in front of the Student Council president, Occult Research Club and Azazel, as the representative from the Heaven.
"Yes! Everyone! Well, there are people I'm meeting for the first time but most of you I have met before. My name is Shidou Irina! Church…. No, I came here to Kuou academy as a messenger of the angels!"
Everyone clapped in welcoming their newest member, and Irina joyfully reunited with Xenovia and Asia. "I'm so glad that you're doing okay! Our positions may be different by I'm really happy!" Irina cheered as she hug the two girls.
Xenovia and Asia returned the hug but they felt something stung them. "Yeah, I'm also glad you're doing alright yourself. But your cross is stinging me and Asia here…." Said the former.
"Oh, sorry about that." Irina broke her hug and she turned to Asia. "Asia-san, I still haven't apologized for calling you a witch last time, please forgive me!"
"I don't mind, Irina-san. I'm hoping we can get along since we all love the same Lord." Asia accepted Irina's apology with serene smile. The three girls of the church (two of them formerly) then started praying as they said The Lord's name, garnering them title 'Church Trio', as Issei thought in his mind.
"So…" Azazel then said. "That Michael sent you here?"
"Yes, Azazel-sama. Michael-sama was troubled because not a single person from the Heaven's side is here. He said it's a problem if none of the staff is in this area." Irina provided the answer.
Azazel nodded in apprehension. "Oh yeah, Michael did say something like that. This location is active with the power of those from either Heaven or the Underworld, but the ones who are actually working here are Rias and Sona Sitri's group, and a small number of other people including myself. Well, it's functioning well enough with us but Michael said something so serious that he thinks someone from Heaven should also work here and said he would send someone. Heaven has already given a lot of support, which is more than we can ask for. I said we don't need anyone but he said that he won't accept that and the one he decided to send is her." The fallen finished with a sigh at the archangel's insistence.
Everyone nodded in understanding. Kuoh had been managed and guarded by devils from Gremory and Sitri clan, as well as Azazel from the fallen angel's side. It was not that strange to add an angel in the roster to even the numbers of representatives from each faction. In fact, the power combination between angels, fallen angels and devils would make a formidable force.
"Shidou Irina, correct?" Azazel confirmed Irina's name as the girl nodded, before he asked another question. "And I take that Heaven had completed that project? Something about reincarnating humans into angels?"
Without another word, Irina put up a prayer pose, then a pair of white wings appeared from her back. With a glowing halo appeared just above her head, Irina had transformed into an angel, much to everyone's surprise. "Yes! I have received Michael-sama's blessing and became a reincarnated angel. Thanks to the combined technologies between Heaven, Grigori and Underworld, such a thing is now possible!"
"Whoa…. Never thought this kind of thing can happen so soon…" Issei wondered in amazement.
"Four Great Seraphs and other Seraphs. The total of ten Seraphs decided to have twelve subordinates called Brave Saints, each with a position from an "Ace" to a "Queen" of the cards. The cards of King will be the position of the Angel leader who would be the master."
Everyone took in Irina's explanation and Azazel came with the whole picture. "I see…. The evil-pieces technologies. So they used the technology of the evil-pieces and the artificial Sacred Gears of the fallen angels, huh…. Man, Heaven sure did create an interesting thing right after we gave them our technology. If the devils are chess, then the angels are cards." The fallen nodded. "Well, cards also have the meaning of 'trump card' in them. After the Biblical God's death the increase of pure angels became impossible. So increasing the number of reincarnated angels would connect to strengthen their forces." Then Azazel made another hypothesis. "If you are using such a system, then I assume there will be something akin to a mutation piece…. A Joker? The other twelve cards represent the twelve apostles from the Bible." Irina only nodded at Azazel's conclusion, and the latter laughed in enjoyment.
"So what card are you, Irina-san?" Asia asked in curiosity.
Irina's eyes glittered and a symbol of 'Ace' appeared on her hand. "I'm an Ace! Fufufu, as Michael-sama's Ace, I received an honourable position! I can even die! Even if the Lord is gone, I can continue to live if I'm Michael-sama's Ace!" Irina said with confidence.
"I see… So the Archangel Michael is your new support of your life, huh?" Issei asked rhetorically and Xenovia added, "Well, it's better than losing yourself."
Irina then added another detail. "Another thing, Michael-sama said he can see a special Rating Game between evil-pieces and Brave Saints happening in the future! He also said due to the Brave Saint system is still a prototype, right now only the angels of Seraph has them but in the near future High-level angel-sama besides the Seraph would be given this system and is hoping for them to battle each other just like the Rating Games of the devils!"
Everyone responded with shock and interest, while Azazel was impressed. "There are those among angels and devils who are against the decision made by the top people. We had a relationship where we had wars against each other for a very long time, so there would be those who feel uneasy if we suddenly tell them to get along. But Michael sure has thought about it. Like that, he's preparing a representative war where they can make their arguments into battle techniques and they can release them. It's just like the World Cup or Olympics of the human world." The fallen quipped.
"Then would it be possible for us, the Gremory group, and the angels who are using this game system able to have a battle?" Rias asked her question.
Azazel only shrugged. "Perhaps in the future, yeah. Even so, I don't think it's anytime soon. At least 10 years… Or 20… Well, around then would be a good time for you devil rookies and you will be able to enjoy it."
"Seems we'll be able to enjoy it…" the male knight of the group said with interested tone.
"Churches are scary…" Gasper sounded troubled as usual. After all, since the new alliance had not made any contact with the vampire race, the Vatican were still continuing to hunt vampires.
"Well, then I'll have to take my leave. I'm sorry again that I can't join Shidou Irina-san's welcoming party later." Sona stood up and apologized to everyone in the room.
"Yes, it can't be helped since the Student Council has to organize the upcoming Sports Festival. Good luck with your work." Rias replied.
It was after school when Irina also announced that she would also move into Hyoudou Residence, thus everyone began to help preparing Irina's stay. Issei was in appointed to help to move Irina's belongings to her respective room, while Saitama was sent out to buy things for Irina's welcoming party. Asia happened to volunteer herself to help Saitama, much to Issei's initial objection. Currently, Saitama and Asia were walking side by side with shopping bags in their hands.
"Somehow, I'm not surprised to hear Irina moving into the house." Saitama absent-mindedly started a conversation.
"Yes, having Irina-san around can brighten up the mood in the house. I'm looking forward to know her more." Asia replied while smiling.
"No kidding. Haruka was ecstatic to have another girl in the house. But are you sure about this, Asia-chan?" Saitama turned to the girl. "It's gonna be even harder for you to hog Ise for yourself, y'know?"
Asia only whimpered with flustered face as she saw Saitama's point. The man only snorted in amusement and ruffled Asia's hair in return. "Don't worry, I kind of feel that things gonna be fine around you. And thanks again for coming along to help me, Asia-chan…" Saitama said as he kept walking through the shopping district. "And really, you didn't have to go out your way to help me, y'know? I thought you'd rather spending more time with Ise."
"W-well, I do like spending times with Ise-san and everyone…" Asia replied as she looked down with still flustered face. "But I think I should know you more, dear father. Since I've promised that I will help mending things between you and Ise-san." Asia finished with beaming smile.
"…. So bright!" Even Saitama had to avert his eyes away from such radiance emanating from the former nun. He really began to wish that he had a real daughter like Asia around. The formerly Holy Maiden was really one hell of a girl in Saitama's opinion.
As they walked further, the two stopped when a figure stood in their path. The figure was a gentle-looking, handsome young man with blonde hair in expensive clothing. Saitama only stared at the stranger while his body instinctively positioned itself as if like a shield between the man and Asia, while the said girl only blinked at the said man.
"We finally meet, Asia Argento." The young man greeted with his ever-present smile.
oXo
SLAM!
"She's WHAT?!" Issei yelled as he slammed the table of the living room after he got the wind of what happened during Saitama and Asia's shopping. The boy then proceeded to pull his father by the collar and started to shake him. "WHEN!? WHERE!? WHO DID!? WHY DIDN'T YOU DO ANYTHING? SHE'S STILL TOO YOUNG!"
Saitama then brushed his son off him. "Whoa, geez! Stop putting your boxers in a bunch, man!" Saitama said as he patted himself off. "It's not like it's the end of the world or anything!"
"Are you friggin' kidding me!? This is serious!" Issei then moved to pull Asia into his embrace while wailing. "No, no, no! I will never accept this!"
Everyone present sweat-dropped at the events unfolding before them. The proposal towards Asia was the biggest bomb of the day, as apparently the devil whose life Asia saved in the past, and ended up making Asia being excommunicated from the Church in the first place, had come to visit and asked for her hand in marriage; and seeing someone like Issei, who was always standing strong and unbending before any adversaries, to sob while hugging Asia felt so weird and amusing at the same time. The girl in question only return Issei's hug as she also patted his head. "There, there, Ise-san… I'm not going to leave you."
Issei sniffed as he looked at Asia in the eye. "…Really?"
"Yes. I don't intend to marry anytime soon. After all, I want to be with Ise-san and everyone else." Asia replied with her signature smile.
"Okay, good…" Issei took a deep breath to recompose himself before he turned to his father again. "Pops… Did you get the name of this…. Jackass?" Everyone could have sworn that Issei's body was emitting something dark.
"Hmm…. His name was something like…. Err… D…D…. Deodorant Kakarot…?" Saitama replied uncertainly.
Issei tilted his head and everyone else narrowed their eyes at the name. "….Who?"
"Dear father, I believe his name was Diodora Astaroth." Asia corrected.
The girls then showed apprehension on their faces while Issei's face still remained clueless. "….Yeah, again… Who the hell is that?"
"He's one of the young devils attending the meeting, Ise." Rias provided the information.
"Err…." Issei still tried to rack his brain. He kind of remembered the name, but he still could not recall the face.
"The creep who was smiling the whole time." Koneko provided this time.
"Ah…. Ooooh!" Issei's brain finally clicked as the boy placed his knuckles on his palm. "That guy… Yeah, I remember now. Please tell me that you decked him in the face?" Issei asked to his father again.
Saitama only blinked before retorting, "Why me? If anything, it should be you who deck him in the face by the time you meet him." Saitama said as he poked his finger on Issei's chest.
Issei blinked couple of times before conceding with his father's point as he silently chuckled and muttered something about promise of pain, nails, etc; and his attitude crept everyone out a little.
"Now, now." Haruka decided to put her own two-cents. "The man who fell for Asia's charm here is probably a decent man. He's tenacious, I give him that, but I feel sorry that whoever it is doesn't stand a chance. Isn't that right, Asia-chan?" the woman finished with a wink towards Asia who only flushed and looked down in embarrassment.
"Asia!" Issei's shout caused Asia to jump and squeaked.
"Y-yes?"
"There's nothing for you to worry about! Everyone here will definitely protect you from this…. This…! Dude!" Issei surprisingly ran out of things to say. "And at the very least, I'm gonna make sure that you'll never end up with a wrong guy! Your big brother here will take care of everything!" the boy ended with a proud pat on the chest.
Everyone showed various amused reactions at Issei 'sister-zoning' Asia as the latter whimpered while Haruka and Saitama gave a silent prayer that their son would be more adept in reading women's feelings.
"Yes, yes! I will do the item borrowing race!" Irina raised her hand up high during a class discussion on the following day at school. Her energetic attitude made her easily getting along with everyone in her new class.
As the Sports Festival was approaching, all students had to decide which people would represent their classes in the activities of the festival. Issei did not pay much attention with the discussion as he only rested his head on his hand and sighed every now and then. His mind was still occupied about the idea of Asia getting married to someone else. Sure, Issei would be glad if Asia could live a happy life, but marriage? While most of people would think that women's ultimate happiness were to be a bride, the whole idea about Asia marrying some random people Issei did not know about just irked the boy to no end, and Issei was still not sure why.
"Um… Excuse me." Issei suddenly caught Xenovia raised her hand as everyone else turned to her.
"Yes, Xenovia-san?" asked Kiryuu, the moderator of the discussion.
"For this festival… Why are we keeping Ise as one of reserve members? Shouldn't we have him as our main representative?" everyone caught Xenovia's point as some of the girls and boys took glances at Issei's athletic figure.
"Ah… Come to think of it, Asia-chan Xenovia-san and Irina-san just transferred in this year, right? I guess they don't know about the last year festival."
"Err… What happened last year?" Irina curiously inquired.
"Well, you see… Hyoudou-kun basically dominated the entire competition last year." One of the students replied.
"Eh?" Xenovia, Asia and Irina blinked then the three turned to look at Issei who was slightly flustered as he scratched his cheek.
"Ise's been pretty much stronger than most people since his enrolment, you know. Last year, he practically won every single individual match in the festival, he even outclassed all senior students." Motohama explained. "And during the club recruitment during our first years, every single sport clubs were hell-bent on having him. And it took half a year until everyone decided to give up on him. Even so, before Ise had officially joined the Occult Research Club, he had ended up being a ghost member for most of the school's sport clubs."
"Waa… Ise-san, that's amazing!" Asia clapped her hands.
"Hmm… As expected of Ise…" Xenovia concurred with a nod.
"Ise-kun was indeed super strong during our reunion…." Irina commented with thoughtful expression.
"So, ever since last year… In order to make the competition fair to everyone, Issei was… kind of banned to be an active participant…. Hyoudou, do you mind to be reserve, this year?"
Issei only sighed, but he conceded. "Well, I guess we still have to make this year's festival to be fun for everyone… So, yeah. I don't mind."
"Glad to hear it. Then, we need a pair to participate in three-legged race." Kiryuu then proceeded with the discussion.
oXo
It was decided that Asia would do the three-legged race with Xenovia. Currently, the students were now practicing for the festival on the sports field with Xenovia and Irina having a quick foot-race, which was supposed to be a warming-up session.
"I challenge you, Xenovia!"
"Bring it on Irina!"
"Hey, Irina! Xenovia! Don't burn yourselves out already from a warm-up session!" Issei shouted, but seemed to be ignored by the two competitive girls.
The two former humans, one a devil and the other an angel, were trying to outrun each other as they ran side-by-side. Asia and the others had warmed up enough as they were now chatting cheerfully with each other. Soon enough, Asia and Xenovia started to practice for their three-legged race; with Issei as their coach after the girls asked him personally.
"Okay, you two. The key of this race is harmony and compatibility, so let's start to get the feeling by walking first."
The two former church associates complied as they walked together with one of their feet tied with one another, as they moved on steady pace and matched each other's movement. "One-two, one-two…"
"Alright, that's good. Keep it up, you two!" Issei cheered, causing the girls to feel more motivated and increased their pace bit by bit. Issei nodded approvingly at the two before his eyes glanced at one corner and shouted with annoyed tone. "And you two! Matsuda! Motohama! Stop ogling at the girls!"
The aforementioned perverts grunted as Murayama and Katase immediately apprehended them. The perverted duo yelled at Issei as they were taken away by a mob of girls. "Damn you, Ise! You're lucky you got to enjoy the juicy parts for your own!"
"Like hell I am! I'm legitimately training them!"
"'Sup, Hyoudou."
Issei blinked and turned around to see Saji Genshirou with bunch of tools and equipment on his hands. "Ah, Saji."
Then Issei noticed a bandage wrapped around Saji's arm. "Your arm…. Was it injured that bad?"
Saji blinked and realise Issei was pointing at his bandaged arm. "Oh, this. No, no… It's actually…." Saji unwrapped the bandage, revealing marks resembling black snakes on his skin.
"Oh, shit…!" Issei's eyes widened slightly and he quickly re-wrapped the bandage while looking around cautiously, before he turned to Saji again. "The hell, man? You should've known that kaichou would rip you a new one if she finds out that you got a tattoo!" Issei whispered.
"What… No!" Saji scowled as he denied. "This ain't a tattoo!"
"…It's not?"
"No, this mark appeared few days after the Rating Game with you guys." Saji explained. "Beside, kaichou is already aware of it. She told me to cover it because it's a bad example for other students."
"I see… Well? Do you have any idea where it came from?" Issei asked.
"Sort of. When Azazel-sensei took a look at it, he said that this mark appeared due to me using Absorption Line on you. Apparently, connecting myself with you, the Red Dragon Emperor who has reached Balance Breaker gave an influence to my body after I had absorbed your power and blood. This mark reflects the information I got from you."
Issei nodded. "Hm… I see… Well, did it do anything to you so far?"
"Well… Nothing except of this." Saji pointed at the small jewel that also appeared along the black snake markings.
Issei poked lightly at the jewel. "Does it hurt?"
"No, it feels weird indeed, but it doesn't hurt at all. Anyway, what event are you doing this year? I'm gonna do the bread-eating race."
"Nah… I'm a reserve member this year." Issei replied.
Saji only blinked couple of times until his expression showed that he caught something. "Oh… Right… The festival last year, isn't it? I almost forgot about that. You practically kicked my class' ass that time."
Issei scratched his cheek sheepishly. "Yeah, sorry about that… So I agreed with everyone to make a fair competition this year."
"Well, I wouldn't go that far if you're in my class… But as long as you're fine with it."
Saji's comment was interrupted by Sona Sitri and Shinra Tsubaki's voice.
"Saji, what are you doing? We will be checking the setting of each of the tents, so follow us quickly."
"We're lacking manpower as it is, so please get back to work."
"Y-yes, kaichou! Fuku-kaichou!" Saji answered. "I'll see you around, Hyoudou!"
Issei nodded as he saw Saji went back to his business.
[Vritra has begun to awaken…]
Issei turned to his left hand. "Hm? What's that again, Ddraig?"
[I'm saying that the kid's connection with Vritra has become stronger. Him achieving the peak of his power won't be long from now.]
Then Issei remembered that he was still in the middle of coaching Asia and Xenovia. He looked back to the field and he found Kiryuu was teasing the blonde girl.
"Asia! Did your boobs develop during the summer holiday?" Kiryuu asked with funny grin as she fondled Asia's mounds.
"Kyaaah! Kiryuu-san! Please don't grope them!" Asia cried as she tried to break free.
"Hmm…. Asia's girl power sure is impressive." Instead of helping, Xenovia was simply observing Asia's breasts being groped around.
"Seriously, I can't catch a break…" Issei rolled his eyes and he proceeded to the 'rescue'.
oXo
When Issei, Asia and Xenovia went to the clubroom after school that day, they found the other members had arrived and were sitting with serious expression on their faces.
"Um… Did something happen?" Issei asked as he noticed the tense atmosphere.
Everyone turned to look at the newcomers and Rias welcomed them. "Yes, our next opponent for the Youth Devil Rating Game has been decided."
Issei, Xenovia and Asia widened their eyes slightly at the new opponent they were going to face in the next Rating Game. However, the words that came out next made Issei's expression turned grim and Asia contorting a worried expression.
"Our next opponent is….Diodora Astaroth."
To be Continued….