One-Punch DxD: NEO

Chapter 15: Phoenix Ascending

Akeno's and Koneko's behaviors grew peculiar on the sixth day, especially the latter.

Akeno's smile ever since Black's outburst became more plastic.

Her interaction with others, Issei included, wasn't impeded, but every time Issei tried to talk with her, she would make attempts to end their discussion as swiftly as possible, especially during training. At least she was still receptive.

As for Koneko, she was a different case.

She rose early in the morning to train herself to the point of skipping breakfast. Koneko's movements, her demeanour, degraded. There was a palpable tinge of frantic desperation in every swing of her fists, every twitch of her muscle, every breath that left her lips.

The combined strain of her self-intensive training and her sparring, beatings included, finally downed Koneko into a collapse by the end of the day. Closer inspection revealed signs of sleep deprivation, black bags under her eyes evidence of her skipping sleep the night before.

Issei found Koneko hobbling out the door. She looked like a mess, and her black eye bags did not help paint her in a picture of health.

"Koneko... What are you doing?" Issei asked.

The girl seemed nervous all of sudden as she looked away, thinking up an excuse. "I I'd like to catch up with the training I lost."

"In your condition?" Issei's face contorted into a small scowl upon seeing Koneko's half-recovered condition.

"...I have to." Koneko replied, avoiding eye contact with Issei, who kept staring at her for a couple of seconds before replying.

"Koneko, go back to your room. We can pick up where you left off tomorrow." Issei calmly advised.

"But I!" Koneko was about to protest, but found herself unable to finish as she grimaced.

Issei looked at her closely, taking notice of her minute body language - the twitching, the unnatural desire to move forward, the insensible disregard for her bodily health.

"Did Black's words bother you that much?"

Koneko's face fell even deeper as she could only look down in shame.

"...Well? Do you want to talk about it?" Issei offered.

Koneko looked up to see Issei was kneeling before her.

"I know it's eating away at you. Hiding this kind of stuff in your chest will only explode without warning." Issei offered a hand at her. "But before that, you wanna eat something?"

Koneko stared at the offered limb for a few seconds before she slightly looked away. However, before her mouth could open, her stomach had already replied for her in the form of a loud, gurgling noise.

The two fell into silence as Issei found himself amused at the scene, while Koneko's face gradually gained a healthy shade of red across her cheeks.

Then, slowly but surely, Koneko brought up her hand and clutched around Issei's fingers; albeit the girl herself was still refusing to meet him face to face.

Issei bit his lips in an attempt to hold himself from laughing, but Koneko could only glare from her teary, embarrassed eyes that the subtle shaking of Issei's frame said it all.

In the end, for the girl's sake, Issei refrained himself from saying anything as he simply led her to the kitchen.

In the viewing room, Issei and co. were watching the current state of the Rating Game between Rias and Riser.

"Hot-damn" Black gaped slightly at the screen before turning to Issei. "...She quoted Jotaro!" The creature pointed out.

Issei held down the urge to roll his eyes - Black is going to be insufferable for the next few minutes. "Yes, that she did, Black. That she did."

He glanced to the side and found Lord and Lady Gremory giving him questioning looks. "...Please don't ask anything, it would engage him." He whispered while shaking his head.

"Come on, you sure you wanna be like that? That girl might be your type." Black teased with an insufferable smile.

"...She doesn't even know who Jojo is." Issei merely retorted.

"Well, there's an easy solution for that" Black replied with a chuckle, rubbing his small palms together.

Issei could only sigh - Koneko was in for a party by the time she returned.

"Anyway" Venelana decided to change the subject. "I can see that Rias has improved a lot over the course of the match so far. I didn't know she could throw like that."

"Is that the result of your tutelage, young man?" Zeoticus asked with an interested tone.

"Not exactly." Issei had no hand in teaching her those skills, at least not directly. "I did suggest for her to cover the basics, though."

"Most impressive, still." Venelana said thoughtfully. "Many young devils these days believe their talent and demonic power are everything they need to thrive in Rating Games."

"Well, to me that is a one-way ticket to failure" Issei pursed his lips. "Is Riser strong at close combat?"

"No, it is more of his hobby to entertain himself, however, or so I heard." Zeoticus answered. "Most of the time, the main strengths he relies on are his pyromancy, aeromancy, and immortal regeneration."

"When you say 'immortal regeneration,' I see a glorified punching bag," Issei smiled a little as he glanced at Black. Black pointed at his two eyes before pointing his fingers at Issei. Issei subtly gave Black the middle finger in response.

"Ahahahaha!" Zeoticus laughed heartily with vigor. "My, you sound like you want a fight with the Phoenix. If you ask, I can arrange a duel in your stead with Riser. I have a hunch he might agree."

"I hmmm." Issei looked at Riser's screen, seeing the air of confidence swirling around his seated form. "Yeah, I can see Riser wanting the same. For now though, he has Rias to deal with."

oXo

Grayfia's announcing the loss over Riser's five pawns made Xuelan click her tongue. To think they would lose a chunk of their members this early in the game.

Xuelan leaned back away from Tsubasa's roundhouse kick and blocked her reverse elbow thrust before it reached her ribs. Xuelan was pushed away by that last attack, distance wide between the two rooks.

Xuelan assumed her usual flamingo posture while Tsubasa's frame bobbed up and down on her feet. She resumed their second round, dashing towards the bluenette first, dancing with her with her flying fists and thrusted kicks.

Xuelan's combat style was derived from traditional chinese martial-arts, but Tsubasa's style was derived from modern mixed styles. The former might have packed more power due to the discipline from each stance, but the latter trumped in terms of efficiency and adaptability.

Tsubasa was able to dodge every single strike as she maintained her footwork. Tsubasa exploited an opening as she ducked Xuelan's punch and slid a right look to her gut simultaneously.

Coughing spittle, Xuelan gritted her teeth in frustration as she exerted her muscles to move faster, attack faster, but Tsubasa retaliated with adeptly timed blows, striking her face, shoulder, torso, and arms.

There wasn't much strength imbued in Tsubasa's blows, allowing Xuelan to stand on her feet. However, Tsubasa did not need to defeat her foe as fast as possible. All she needed to do was to whittle Xuelan until she could fight no more, playing it safe until then.

On the other side of the gym - frustration plagued Ile and Nel, the more the tongue-rope of the sandy-haired Pawn remained unbroken the more annoying he became.

The boy was proven to be more than the twins had given him credit for; despite their coordinated movements and attacks, he could somehow dodge and intercepted every strike they threw at him.

"Ahahahaha! I've fought armies of demons, you twerps! You think a couple of midgets can get the drop on me?!" Saji boasted as he weaved his way through the twin chainsaws. Their weapons were starting to wear down, the teeth of their rotating blades abladed to bluntness as shards of blades started flying off the edges.

The twins gritted their teeth as their movements became more desperate to get their hands on Saji. However, the boy saw an opening with one of the girls.

As she pounced on him, Saji immediately circled around her and garroted her with Absorption Line, strangling the twin while the other watched Saji hold the gagging girl before him as his meat shield.

"Aha!" Saji exclaimed in triumph as Nie or Ile chokingly gasped as she wheezed, tugging at the tongue-rope tied around her neck.

"Let her go!" The other twin shouted as she attempted to attack, but Saji kept her sister in front of her as a make-shift shield. "You fiend! You dare to use my sister to protect yourself!? You coward!"

"It's two against one kid!" Saji shouted back. "A coward can't call me a coward with those odds!"

"Nel help" Ile wheezed as her eyes started to droop, the energy in her arms started to wilt as her arms slowly fell.

"Ile!" Nel shouted in horror as she watched her sister disappear in motes of light.

[A Pawn of Riser Phenex has retired.]

"YOU BASTARD!" Nel screamed in rage as she dashed towards Saji, only for Saji to exploit her moment of weakness as he landed a direct kick to her abdomen.

"Ackof!?" Nel coughed as she rolled over her shoulder back to her feet, but before she could stand, the same blasted tongue-rope tied around her neck and pulled her towards the Pawn.

"Get over here!" Saji shouted as he delivered a strong right hook into the girl's face, sending her flying and crashing into the wall.

The hook seemed to break something critical as Ile's body also soon disappeared into the light.

[A Pawn of Riser Phenex has retired.]

In the meantime, Mira could not help but feel apprehensive at the knowledge that she was the only Pawn left in the game. With Ile and Nel's retirement, their chances against the three servants of Rias Gremory had decreased significantly.

Albeit, her moment of distraction allowed Amanda an opportunity she would not waste.

"Gotcha!" Amanda secured her hold on Mira's staff with triumph.

The Pawn gasped, trying to free her weapon from Amanda's grasp, but Amanda's hold was strong, and she was overpowering the Pawn. Losing ground in the tug of war, Mira could only release her weapon and leap away some distance before Amanda overwhelmed her.

Upon landing, Mira watched as Amanda smashed the staff into her knee, breaking it in two and threw the sticks down with visible frustration.

"Need some help?"

Mira clicked her tongue upon seeing the sandy-haired Pawn of Gremory joining the Rook.

"I am fine." Amanda replied without leaving her gaze from Mira. "I believe I can handle the Pawn without her primary weapon alone. What about Tsubasa?"

Suddenly, Mira caught something from the corner of her eyes, forcing her to duck below Xuelan's body as it flew over her. The Chinese Rook's body crashed through the wall before she also disappeared in fading light.

[A Rook of Riser Phenex has retired.]

Saji and Amanda then turned to see Tsubasa jogging towards them - sweat was visible on her skin. "Huff, that was one tough cookie. What'd I miss?" The winning Rook asked with a cheeky grin.

Saji and Amanda only turned to Mira, who swallowed a lump and her face paled at the sight of three opponents staring down at her.

However, just when the trio were about to go after the lonely Pawn, they sensed their entire surrounding trembled for a brief moment, before everything went white.

[A Pawn of Riser Phenex has retired.]

A loud explosion erupted, the sound of the boom reaching all over the field, touching every ear in the Rating Game. A mushroom cloud of fire and smoke rose from what remained of the sports gym, fires dancing amongst the wreckage.

"What the-?!" Yuuto could not help but exclaim at the sight, as he locked blades with Siris.

Ravel, on the other hand, only narrowed her eyes at the development. If she recalled - her brother and her had sent Xuelan, Mira, Ile and Nel to the gym; however, so far, only the announcements of their member's retirement had been heard so far. It had been a minute passed, yet there was not a single announcement of any loss from Gremory group.

She then looked up to the sky, where she could spot a figure in elaborate robes holding a ceremonial staff floating above the smoking remains of the sports gym.

Yubelluna, the Queen of Riser Phenex, scowled as she inspected her handiwork. She felt bad for Mira, but considering how many losses they had counted after observing the fight in the gym, they had to pull off their emergency measures anyway.

What vexed her, however, was that she did not hear any announcement of the retirements other than their pawn. After all, she had channeled a significant portion of power into her explosion spell.

She descended to see better through the smoke and dust-cloud, and among the rubble inside the crater, she could make out three figures on the ground.

Tsubasa, Amanda and Saji were on their fours; hacking out dust and smoke from their system as their ears rang with the most piercing, deafening pitch.

"Agh! Did Rover just bomb us?!" Saji shouted, but his own voice could not pierce the deafening ringing; they were all deaf to the world as of this moment.

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Tsubasa barely replied with a groan while massaging her head.

"Mawp. Mawp!" Amanda, on the other hand, was blocking one of her ears with her finger, while muttering those words.

The Queen of Riser clicked her tongue as she watched them pick themselves up, scanning the surroundings.

"Hey! Guys, can you hear me?!" Saji shouted as he kept slapping his ears, trying to hit the ringing away.

"What!?" Tsubasa screamed in return as she pressed her palm on her ear - all she could hear was still ringing sound.

Amanda, meanwhile, was scanning her surroundings while muttering her 'mawping' noise.

Despite their impaired hearing, the three could vaguely make each other silhouettes through the smokes and slowly made their way to regroup.

However, when Amanda looked up, her eyes widened at the sight of a female witch pointing her staff at

oXo

Saji did not know what happened.

He was wobbling towards Tsubasa with his ears still recovering one second, the next he found Amanda suddenly pushing him aside.

As he fell behind, a magic circle sprung to life where he was before, at Amanda, before another explosion engulfed the borrowed Room, the knockback blasting both him and Tsubasa tumbling away.

[A Rook of Rias Gremory has retired.]

The first thing that Saji heard after his hearing had recovered was Grayfia's announcement.

Rage filled his mind as he looked around prone to find the bastard that took Amanda out. He looked up, seeing the condescending smile on Yubelluna's face.

"Finally. I must admit, you are surely resilient for a fractured peerage." The woman half-praised half-mocked as she looked down on them from the air.

Saji only growled at the Bomb Queen's floating form. "You bitch!"

The Pawn was about to rush at her, only to be stopped by a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Tsubasa mildly glaring at him.

"Saji! Don't know if you can hear me, but we have to go! Now!" Tsubasa shouted through the ringing noise in her ear as she pulled Saji away.

"But...!" Saji could hear her, albeit barely, as he let Tsubasa pull him away with bitter resentment.

Seeing the remaining two survivors, Yubelluna aimed her staff at the two fleeing survivors.

"Your escape attempt is futile!"

The tip of her staff glowed, another spell ready to fire. However, Yubelluna suddenly sensed magical energy flying towards her from the side, forcing her to cancel her spell as she backed away just when a ball of Power of Destruction grazed the front of her dress.

Seeing the skin of her stomach revealed through her torn dress, Yubelluna clicked her tongue as she looked in the direction of her attacker. She narrowed her eyes upon seeing Rias Gremory and her Queen floating afar side by side.

"Rias Gremory. Aren't you supposed to be nesting in your base?" Yubelluna asked with a narrowed look.

"Yubellena, the Bomb Queen. Shouldn't you be by Riser's side, tending to his needs?" Rias quipped back.

In return, Yubelluna merely scowled as Rias smirked with smugness.

"Saji, Tsubasa! We'll take it from here! Go join the others!" Rias shouted at her surviving teammates.

Saji could barely hear Rias' words despite her attempts. Instead, he gave her a thumbs up and shouted, "T-Thanks for the save! We'll leave it to you!"

Tsubasa was still recovering as she could only vaguely hear her surroundings, but she was receptive enough to reply with a wave of her hand.

Rias nodded and turned to her Queen. "Akeno, can you tend to them?"

Akeno nodded, but she asked first as she glanced at the enemy Queen, "What about her?"

Rias' smirk returned as she turned to glare at the woman in question.

"Leave her to me."

Akeno regarded her King, her best friend, for a moment, before she silently descended towards Saji and Tsubasa's location. Rias, on the other hand, approached Yubelluna mid-air.

"I am honored to have the Rias Gremory herself fighting me. Are you sure you don't want to have your Queen by your side?" Yubelluna said as she bowed with her hand over her chest mid-air.

"Your confidence is astounding for someone of your position." Rias replied with a confident posture. "But I am afraid that, at your level, even a dog can outperform your little display of fireworks."

Yubelluna's expression turned into a frown at Rias' insinuation.

"But we are not here to exchange banter, are we?" Rias then held her hands up, palms glowing with demonic power.

Yubelluna seemed to concur with her as she aimed her staff at the enemy King. She did not know what Rias Gremory was planning but this was an opportunity she could not waste; if she played her cards right, Yubelluna could end the Rating Game with Rias' defeat and subsequently their victory.

"Indeed. I am here to bring Lord Riser's victory, after I crush your pride."

"Hmmmm. No, I prefer to take yours."

The two Devils stood silent, fingers tensed either on their palms or the staff in one's hand. Akeno, Saji, and Tsubasa watched as the two entered a standoff, both waiting for the other to draw first. The tension was thick, overwhelming, the friction inspiring silence from the three onlookers that were waiting for the sparks to combust.

The tension thickened when Yubelluna quickly raised her staff, magical energy gathering in her weapon, her strongest explosion magic containing all of her demonic power.

"I am Yubellena! Queen of Riser and his most trusted servant! I will show you full might of my King and his Peerage!" Yubelluna shouted at the calm king as torrents of swirling power gathered around the tip of her staff, drowning the surroundings in a maelstrom, suffocating Saji and Tsubasa slightly.

However, near the end of Yubelluna's chanting (or ranting), Rias drew an unexpected reply to her display of magical might.

Yubelluna froze in a state of confused stupor when the Gremory's suddenly glided towards her instead of preparing her spell like usual. As the Gremory breached the Queen's comfort zone faster than the latter could fire her spell, time seemingly slowed as Yubellena widened her eyes too late when Rias cocked her fist. Glowing with demonic power, Rias' fist slammed it into Yubelluna's exposed stomach with bone-breaking impact as the air rippled with exploded magic, the loud impact knocking the air, and consciousness, out of the Queen from the surprise attack.

"Like I said." Rias whispered over the gasping Queen's ear. "Less than a dog, witch."

[The Queen of Riser Phenex has retired.]

Riser's eyes shut open as soon as Grayfia's voice echoed throughout the principal room. He rose up from his seat and walked towards the window, looking outside.

That moment, the telepathic link he shared with Ravel came to life.

[Brother! Yubelluna-!]

"Yes, I've heard it, Ravel." Riser calmly interrupted his sister. "She has earned my surprise - and my attention. It appears that my dear Rias is living up to her words more than I anticipated. Are you well on your side?"

[I cannot say our situation isn't dire. The loss of our Queen combined with all of our Pawns can shake up the rest of our peerage's morale.]

Riser narrowed his eyes as he calmly opened the window.

"Stay on your side, Ravel. It is time for me to appraise Rias' mettle."

[Yes, Brother.]

oXo

Ravel grimaced as she watched her Knights and her Rook starting to lose, wear leaking out of their faces.

A diagonal swing, Siris grit her teeth only for Yuuto to skilfully jump aside her zweihander, avoiding the oversized steel as he swiftly kicked Siri's temple.

Staggered, disoriented, Siris growled as she leaned back and raised his blade upon seeing Yuuto's following assault, yet unable to completely defend against it as the male Knight danced around her guarding blade, nicking at her with his nimble swordsmanship.

Siris grimaced, unable to find room to react as she ducked under Yuuto's biting blade before it tore into her neck. Sheathing her sword on her back, she back-flipped several times until she was meters away from her opponent.

Once she had gained enough distance, Siris coated her blade in a wreath of fire, and, with a roar, she slammed her large sword down, enkindling a shockwave of flame towards Yuuto.

Rocks and debris flew, uprooted by the sheer force, threatening to end the male knight, but he merely smirked as he dashed into the flame as if he was the air - gliding over the fire as if he was riding the wind, and threw his blade in a forward thrust at the surprised Siris as it pierced through her chest.

Siris coughed a mouthful of blood as she stared between the blade piercing through her and the knight holding it, before her body disappeared.

[A knight of Riser Phenex has retired.]

On the other side of the battlefield, Karlamine attempted to end the fight as her sword was wreathed in flames. Catherine only took a deep breath to prepare herself for the final onslaught.

However, a spell fired into the battlefield toward Catherine's direction, flying from Mihae's hands. Thanks to the intensive training pounded into her, Catherine managed to deflect the spell with her blade on reflex.

Karlamine, however, was not amused at the intervention as she glared at the Bishop. "Mihae, what is the meaning of this?!"

"We have lost our Queen and all of our Pawns, Karlamine. Lady Ravel had deemed this was no longer affordable to entertain your sense of honor. This order comes from our King."

Karlamine's hold on her sword tightened as her face grew distasteful. She closed her eyes for a second and opened them again, her regret radiating through her eyes as she addressed her opponent.

"...My deepest apologies, lady Catherine, but I'm afraid our duel has come to an end. My King's decree comes above all."

Catherine replied with a small nod, "Apologies accepted, Lady Karlamine. For what it's worth, I am glad that I could regain my lost honor from crossing blades with you, as brief as it may." The once-disgraced knight prepared herself for the fight against two.

"I believe you can continue your private duel, milady."

Catherine's lips curved when Yuuto arrived from the corner of her eyes. His condition looked winded, but overall unharmed.

"I'll keep the Bishop from interfering while you fight." Yuuto pointed his blade at Mihae.

The Bishop only glanced at Karlamine, silently asking for help, but the female Knight only looked between her, Yuuto and Catherine. A few seconds later, Karlamine only smiled bitterly at Mihae with a shrug.

"Tsk. Sword fanatic." Ravel rolled her eyes as she checked on Isabella.

Koneko weaved through Isabella's powerful strikes by hair's breadth as the two danced through the field.

Isabela gritted her teeth as she noticed that Koneko was keeping her stance low, keeping herself in the one spot where she could not properly protect. With a grunt, the masked Rook swung her legs low at Koneko, intending to force Koneko to jump.

Much to Isabela's surprise, however, Koneko perfectly split her legs down, bringing her entire frame on the ground below Isabela's horizontal kick.

"What?!" Isabela did not anticipate the petite Rook to spin from her position and catapulted her feet upwards, driving her soles directly towards Isabela's unguarded chin.

The impact rang through her jaw and rattled her vision, sending her staggering back, and missed the extra set of ears on Koneko in her disorientation. Without wasting time, the smaller Rook threw several more strikes into Isabela's torso, forcing the wind and some spittle out of her.

Isabela growled in pain as she balanced herself with her hand nursing her throbbing gut. When her vision started to regain clarity, another startling sight greeted her.

On Koneko was a grown pair of white cat ears atop her head. From under her skirt was a white cat tail, swishing back and forth.

"You You're a Nekomata?" Isabela breathed out in a mild disbelief.

"...Not quite." Koneko simply replied before she suddenly darted with speed unbefitting a Rook and drove both of her palms towards Isabela as the taller rook barely raised her arms to interpose the incoming attack.

Once her attack connected, the force volatilely invaded her bones as Isabela skidded back on the ground. The taller Rook stood on her feet, her confidence bolstered, smirking at the Nekomata upon withstanding her attack.

Until the aftershocks followed.

Her stomach fluttered, tingled under a growing hum. The thrum exploded into a violent quake, vibrations upon vibrations dancing across her veins, her blood, muscles, and bones, the pain as if worms were eating her from the inside out, trying to escape from her stomach as it traveled to her throat.

The aftermath rendered Isabela falling on her fours, retching, as the contents of her stomach fled their home. Veins were bulged under her skin, her breathing hoarse and her pain robbing her of her strength.

"You.! What have you done to me!?" Isabella rasped before she rolled over, writhing in cracking pain, gasping and screaming helplessly.

"Senjutsu." Koneko merely replied, "I simply infused my own Ki into you through my strikes to entangle your internal energy flow. You are strong, but not enough to defend against my Ki."

Blood escaped her mouth after there was no more for her stomach to give.

"You damn it" She uttered her last words before her vision faded to black.

[A Rook of Riser Phenex has retired.]

Yuuto, Catherine, Karlamine and Mihae looked up to the sky at Grayfia's announcement.

"Are you messing with me?!" Ravel shouted in indignation. "Enough of this! If you want something done right"

Ravel spread her wings of fire, her scowl replacing her mask of condescending calm as she took flight. She aimed her hands at the two knights, wanting to even her team's losses with the defeat of Rias' Knights.

"MRRREOOOOOW!" Koneko lunged like a cat at the young Phenex, pouncing the bird back to the earth, stumbling with Koneko atop the Phenex.

"Get. Off. Me! You are going to ruin my dress!" Ravel shrieked as she was put under Koneko's mercy.

"HISSSSSSSSSSSS!" Koneko bore her fangs at Ravel in return as she started to claw at Ravel like a cat to a bird.

On the sidelines, Mihae stared in mild bewilderment at her mistress wrestling against the white-haired Nekomata. However, she was too preoccupied as she barely dodged the gliding sword, jumping back in time before the blade sank in her skin. Landing, she looked at the smiling swordsman, glaring at him.

"I apologize for my unseemly intrusion, but I cannot waste my time on chivalry." He spoke before he quickly dashed with his blade pointed forth.

At the new school building, Rias glided through one of the unlatched windows on the top floor, right into the principal office.

The tide of battle flowed into her favor far better than she hoped, though Amanda's fall was regrettable. However, in exchange, they took half of Riser's Peerage, his Queen included. Now, Rias only needed to lure Riser so Saji could infiltrate Riser's base and promote himself, then her remaining peerage would assist her in engaging the immortal man together.

When Rias walked only a few steps away from the window, however, the room flared to blinding brightness in front of her, briefly revealing Riser and a massive, radiantly hot fireball careening her way.

The brilliant flame burst into a wave of inferno, shattering the windows in their escape while washing over the room with burning tides. From the flames, Rias flew out the building's window - her hair and uniform were charred to reveal the burn marks on her beautiful skin.

Floating before her with a pair of fiery wings was Riser with his ever-present prideful smirk.

"My dear, Rias... To think you would incite me enough to come over to you myself. I am unsure whether I should commend you for your efforts or cut your little win streak short." Riser clapped as he flew over the burning ruins of his throne room.

"Oh? Did you actually expect an easy victory? My, my, how does it feel to be disproven so disgracefully?" Rias shot back, swallowing the hiss of pain in her throat.

"Refreshing. I admit, when I saw that the Red Dragon Emperor wasn't among you, I was assured in victory. Yet, here you are, with borrowed servants at your side, and you at the cusp of earning my ire." Riser calmly praised, not giving Rias the satisfaction of winning the verbal bout.

"...I seek to impress." Rias merely replied with a wry smirk.

"That you have succeeded, but I am afraid this is the scene where you fall from grace. We are not here for idle banter, so I will say this. I am done playing with you, Rias." Riser said as flames burned around his palm with noble brilliance, the fire dancing across the air to overwhelm the Gremory.

Rias clapped both her arms together, the Power of Destruction humming between her palms. Riser entertained Rias in the standoff. No matter what Rias can do, Riser was sure he could repair any and all manner of damages she could inflict. However, Riser found her smirk unsettling..

The third son of Phenex furrowed his brows. He heard the sounds of branches whipping the air, stealing his attention as he threw his head around, and saw Tsubasa soaring over him with an uprooted tree.

"Eat shit and die!"

The Rook shouted as she smashed the tree onto Riser's frame with all her might, just when a shroud of flame interposed the collision and burned through the wood that passed through. Tsubasa stared at the still flying Riser as she looked at her weapon, seeing a semicircle of the lower half burned through while the upper half fell off, her entire weapon burned into two.

"I see, so you want to play dirty." Riser casually summarized Rias' plot as he aimed his palm at Tsubasa.

However, Rias shot a bolt of crimson black at Riser as soon as he looked away, but Riser jerked his head aside, though his left ear and a part of his temple fell victim to disintegration as casualties. Riser frowned as his wounds instantly repaired, leaving him good as before, except it didn't repair the build-up of his irritation.

Rias giggled with mischief as she orbited Riser as Riser's attention returned to her.

However, before Riser could have directed his attack on Rias, he suddenly caught something at the corner of his eyes - something was coming from below him.

Riser jerked his body back in mid-flight, avoiding something that shot towards him from the ground. He looked down and saw a boy with a black reptilian-looking gauntlet aimed at him.

"What is this?" Riser flicked his eyes below, seeing the face of the Borrowed Pawn standing in the ruins of his throne room. "Ahhh, the Pawn. So you got your promotion and you think with that you can take me on?"

Saji stared at the very big mass of fire overhead Riser before he flicked it, letting it drop on him like a meteor.

"Uh-oh." Saji did not wait for the light to drown him and the ruined office in burning light as he jumped off the building through the broken wall. He did not look back as a wave of heat buffeted his back and the exploding brilliant flames bloomed behind him.

Riser's frown deepened as Saji fell with the Absorption Line still tied to his ankle.

Saji dangled in the air as he tried to drag Riser down, but the King did not budge. He merely hovered, albeit not without an anchor to his leg. The face Riser was making did not bode well for the Pawn.

In return, however, Saji only gave a fearless smirk as he tried to yank the line down for a few more times, trying to drag Riser, but Riser's brows creased with each tug.

"Congratulations. You have earned my attention." Riser threw an engulfing wave of fire at the Pawn, the flames swallowing his line and heading towards him.

The flames burned Saji's Absorption Line with contemptuous ease as the rope snapped, dropping the Pawn to the earth as the fires followed.

"...Uh-oh again." Upon landing, Saji leapt afar and rolled over his shoulder to avoid joining the scorched earth. Looking back, he could see the power of the flames from the large chunk of soil they burned.

"Never thought I would thank that damn dog," he mused. The days of hell with Issei's giant dog removed his fear of flaming death. He wasn't sure if he should be concerned or emboldened by his growing courage.

Flames gathered in Riser's palm, yet before he unleashed his fire, a hail of frozen spikes pierced his body, his shoulder, his head, knees, spine, and elbow.

Unfazed, Riser turned to his attacker, the ice in him dripping out of his wounds in his healing. Queen of Rias smirked at him from a flying distance as his eyes greeted hers.

"Oh? The Priestess of Thunder" Riser could not help but smirk with a lustful gaze at the enemy Queen - she indeed looked as seductive as the rumors said.

He would enjoy incinerating this one's confidence.

Wisps of inferno gathered around the Phenex King, dancing in the air like fireflies in the night, as they flew towards the Queen in a volley while she responded with numerous spells of the countering elements. The former was a high-class devil from a long-standing noble family with a power of a legendary creature on the palm of his hand, while the latter was a talented low-class devil with multitude of spells on her arsenal as fire clashed with ice and water - a clash of raw power against versatility.

The sky was littered with fireworks of magical might, as Riser and Akeno danced in the sky.

However, Riser's right abdomen suddenly disintegrated - he turned to see Rias Gremory was still floating on the sky where he was still busy battling Akeno, with her palm just firing her Power of Destruction at him.

Riser snarled in rage when a wave of freezing cold washed over him, encasing his left side in frost before it melted within his flames.

[A Bishop and a Knight of Riser Phenex have retired.]

Riser clicked his tongue.

He could not imagine his sister being the bishop aforementioned, thus only he and Ravel were left in the game. Ravel was not weak, but she was more of a tactician than a fighter.

Shortly after the announcement, two speeding forces were flanking his right. Riser propelled himself backwards with his wings, but not without suffering two cuts on his cheek and neck, and ice was creeping from them.

Riser's eyes honed at the sight of Yuuto and Catherine repositioning themselves with their swords brandished at him.

"If this was actual chess, I would say you have me checkmated." Riser summarized his situation.

"If this was chess, I would instantly win. I suggest you surrender to save yourself the embarrassment." Rias confidently countered.

"I admit. I have underestimated you." Riser calmly drank in his circumstances, the Knights, Rook, Pawn, Queen, and King surrounding him from all sides. "But I sincerely doubt that this is from your own power. If I recall, that Knight belongs to a certain Red Dragon Emperor."

Rias flicked a glance at Catherine for a moment.

"True, I'll admit that my peerage is not complete yet." Rias slightly grimaced at her own short-comings. "...But that's not enough to warrant my submission."

"This defiance of yours is what made our families believe that our union is the best course of action." Riser sneered. "I admit that you are of wonderful character and a good master, better than most I have fought against and met. But you are not a capable King."

Riser's comment deepened Rias' grimace, pulling her frown into a scowl.

"Honestly, if you do manage to reincarnate the Red Dragon Emperor, I can imagine myself handing over your position to him. A mere human I met shortly days ago. That is how low I think of your talents, so less that even a human can best you in those responsibilities."

"And you think you're any better?" Rias spat in return.

"We only conversed for less than twenty minutes." Riser retorted. "But even in those short minutes I can taste the potential of a King in him. It is a sense you can only acquire after years of experience."

Rias had no words to respond to that.

"Tell me. Whose unorthodox idea was it that you attempt to borrow other Servants from other Kings? What did you do in that grace period of yours, I wonder?"

"What does it matter?" Rias asked.

"More than you know, dear Rias. Everything depends on your answer." Riser responded with unexpected authoritative resonance in his tone. Rias felt his words more than she would've liked, a small ping of guilt panging inside.

"...It's Ise's idea." Rias bit out.

"Ah, so it was his idea." Riser mused. "You see, Rias." Riser chuckled as he shook his head at the Gremory. "...This only shows that the boy is more King than you. Do you know the quality that every king should have?" Riser asked.

Rias replied after a moment of thinking, "Charisma."

"Not quite." Riser denied. "The power to stand on their own and carry their subjects with them. Your borrowing strength from others proves your lacking, and your parents' lack of faith in you."

"Oh, as if looking for loyal and willing servants is a crime," Rias snarled.

"Fairly, it isn't, but I've been hearing rumors and stories of how you more like reincarnated them under very ultimatum circumstances. Is it true that you reincarnated all of them on the verge of death?"

Rias winced at the truth, unable to deny that she invited her servants when they were in dire straits.

"So what if I did?" Rias barked back, her voice wavering. "While it is true, I didn't instigate their misfortunes like Diodora. I am still a woman of honor and pride, Riser, and abandoning those who need aid the most is a crime, not as a person, but as well as a king."

"You may be much better. However, none of your servants had a choice. You have never given any of your servants a choice, and when you do, you would coerce them when nothing falls in your favor. Don't bark back at me this time, your efforts on the Red Dragon emperor is proof enough."

"I" Rias faltered in her words. Her eyes darted as she hung her head, a rising seed of panic taking away the words she wanted to say, a rebuke to explain herself, yet when her memory swam towards Issei, her throat clogged as her actions completely reflected Riser's accusations.

"You are but a spoiled girl, Rias. You are a King that cannot stand on her own feet. You are the kind that is carried by your subjects. Your greatest mistake ever since you took on the role is not relying on yourself. Did you not give yourself up the moment you heard the engagement?" Riser concluded.

Her resolve started to crumble like her defiant mien. Riser's attacking criticism was the same as Issei's, an heiress that had never earned anything in her life - her talent, servants, resources, status, on a silver platter. When her golden world was threatened by reality, she could only fight back with an incomplete peerage and a haphazard plan to recruit no, coerce a strong candidate to save herself.

Like they said, Rias could not stand on her feet. Even the state of her and her Peerage now was because of another's plan and efforts.

However, before Riser could verbally lash at Rias more, a blast of lightning descended from the heavens and struck him.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHGggggggggghhhh?!" Riser shouted in pain - excruciating pain.

Riser's flames burned his wounds back to normalcy, but something was wrong. The burns and laceration were not closing instantly.

"No IMPOSSIBLE!"

Riser threw his widened gaze at Akeno - her finger poised at him, her features befouled by an enraged scowl.

"Rias does not need to hear you anymore." Akeno warned with an ominous, threatening tone.

"You. How could you perform holy-element magic!?" Riser shouted at Akeno, his calm, confident facade shattered in an instant by outrage and shock.

The Queen's expression did not shift, albeit she sent a brief smile at Rias before addressing Riser. "...Allow me to enlighten you."

The holy-element poisoning in his body continued to course through his veins as Riser calmly gave her his ear.

"I loath to admit. You are not wrong about Rias." Akeno began.

Riser flicked his gaze to his left, seeing the Pawn, the Rook, and the Knights starting to surround him.

"However, you are wrong about another thing." Akeno narrowed her eyes as her smile disappeared. "We may carry our King, but in return, she carries us. You are a powerful King yourself, Riser, but in return, you neglected your subjects the most."

"Oh?" Riser hummed with interest. "In what manner of speaking are you referring to?"

"You treat your Peerage well." Akeno's fingers crackled with holy lightning. "But you have denied their growth in your negligence. Your subjects are lacking because of your pride in yourself."

Yuuto and Catherine tightened their grips on their respective blades as Saji and Tsubasa readied to charge at the lone King. Riser closed his eyes, his lips curling into a smile despite the overwhelming odds.

"Well played." Riser praised her with genuine respect. "You have successfully won the argument. And your demonstration won my genuine shock. However" The moment Riser opened his eyes he instantly waved his arm at Yuuto's direction, firing a corona of inferno as the fires blanketed Yuuto's vision.

The Knight widened his eyes in surprise as he raised his sword to protect himself, but Riser's flame overwhelmed him, sword and all.

"YUUTO!" Rias cried as Grayfia's voice echoed the battlefield.

[One Knight of Rias Gremory has retired.]

"I will be sure to thoroughly discipline both my and your Peerage once I crush you here and now, Rias." Riser smiled as he cast his gaze and drank in Rias' shock and despair.

Another bolt of lightning flashed, the third son of Phenex swerving in the air as the crackling plasma struck where he once were. In retaliation, Riser threw another massive stream of flame towards Akeno. The sheer firepower forced the grimacing Queen to evade, yet the fires did not lick her, only scraping bits of her clothes in its hunger.

"And Priestess of Thunder" Riser turned to Akeno with eyes of calm rage. "What are you, really? No mere Devil can use the Holy Elements."

The Queen of Thunder closed her eyes briefly and revealed the determination in her lavender orbs to the world.

"I am the daughter of a human woman Shuri Himejima, and fallen angel Baraqiel"

Akeno's words caused every eye sans Rias to widen - Riser in particular, as a black wing belonged to a fallen angel manifested next to Akeno's devil wing.

"...As well as Rias Gremory's Queen, Akeno Himejima!" The newly-revealed Nephilim declared as the sparks of holy lightning danced around her body.

"I hope you don't mind reheated leftovers."

Issei offered dinner to Koneko at the dining table, some rice and the remaining side-dishes.

Koneko said not a word in response. Her hands reached for the chopsticks and picked a few bites. The atmosphere was awkward, if not downright uncomfortable as she silently ate her meal.

"So, about earlier"

Nervous was on her face as she kept staring at Issei, her eyes creased.

Running his hand through his brown locks, he sighed in a mild frustration for his inability to find the right words to say.

"Look, you and I both know I suck at this." Issei pursed his lips as he nodded his head in self-defeat. "But we both know if we don't get this out of the way, everyone suffers. So, answer me. What's eating you?"

In response, the girl only looked down in shame, her eyes trembling with the words seemingly clogged in her throat.

"Remember when we first met?" Issei asked as he leaned back in his chair, running his hand over his face.

The sudden change of topic perked her attention as she gave him her gaze.

"Properly met, of course. Right after you met my family's dog" Issei continued on as she grimaced a little at that recent memory. "I was trying to kill a monster on behalf of the neighborhood while you and everyone else mistook my dog for said monster's familiar. It was awkward tensions were ablaze and you were nearly dog food."

Issei leaned forward, placing both elbows down on the table with his back hunched.

"But we made up in the end. Well, not entirely between you and Rover. I told you everything I can about Rover despite that. I still feel guilty about not training Rover well enough to know better. But in the end, we pulled through, and Rover seemed to like you enough back there in the first training arc."

Koneko frowned as she narrowed her eyes, her cheeks puffed in pouting.

"What? He likes you now." Issei grinned. "But the point is, we resolved everything at least. Like I helped Rias with this and her wanting me in her Peerage. So why don't we talk about what's happening now?"

It took a good few minutes of silence for Koneko to eventually talk, "I. I do want to help President Rias. But"

When her face scrunched up in agony, Issei grimaced as he himself was at the wits end.

"You know what? Forget it." Issei sighed in resignation as he stood up, eliciting a startled look from Koneko. "I can't force you to talk or confess anything. Though I guess this is as far as you can go."

Issei rose from his seat, taking his leave. However, before he took his third step, Koneko raised her voice.

"There's no meaning if I end up a monster!"

Issei stopped in his tracks on the words.

"...Excuse me?" Issei turned around, raising a brow at Koneko.

Koneko widened her eyes at her outburst as she hung her head again, blushing furiously.

"...Define 'monster'." Issei asked as he took his seat again.

"I it is not easy to explain."

"Do you have unexpected cravings for human flesh?" Issei asked.

"I huh?" Koneko raised her head, her head tilting confused.

"Do you have any volatile tendencies to break and kill things just for the hell of it?" Issei continued.

Koneko remained confused. No, she was even more confused more question marks popped above her head.

"Do you suddenly have an inrush of adrenaline and drug-like euphoria rushing through you removing any and all moral inhibitions?"

Issei's words were growing scientific with each question, making Koneko sweat as she remained there helpless, unable to find the words to respond.

"What? You said 'monster,' so I am curious. Black told me a lot about monsters back in his day, and I gotta say, it is quite educational." Issei explained. "So, a quick question. Did you sacrifice your humanity to become a monster? Well, technically you sacrificed whatever race you were to become a devil honestly, but you get the point."

Koneko blinked as she slowly digested the question. She slowly shook her head in denial. Her powers were more natural from birth.

"So what you're saying is that your latent abilities are completely natural?"

Koneko slowly nodded.

"Then I am confident you're not a monster. Or a struggling one." Issei leaned back in his chair.

"How can you say that?!" Koneko immediately shouted in an outburst. "My sister turned into a monster the moment she-!"

She closed her lips before she could continue. It was too late, however.

"...Koneko." Issei leaned forward and laid his arms on the table. "Look me in the eyes and tell me this. Do you know how she turned into a monster?"

Koneko looked away, her cheeks blushing in embarrassment.

"I.. it's our n-nekomata powers."

"Koneko." Issei sighed. "...I have no idea what you're afraid of."

Koneko raised her head.

"My family dog can grow big and breath atomic barks, my pseudo-big brother is an alien asshole with a tentacle growing out of his head, and I have an uncle that knows how to burn several city blocks with a flick of his wrist. So what makes you think I cannot take on whatever you think you might become?"

Koneko sheepishly fidgeted in her seat. No matter what she could conjure, she could not find the right words to refute or hide behind. There was no way she could considering his estranged family. That and she couldn't argue against the giant six-eyed dog.

"I" Koneko looked up. Her eyes were still trembling, but she slowly pouted at Issei. "...It isn't fair."

"What is?" Issei asked with a smile.

"Everything. You are using Black and your dog."

Issei snickered. "Yeah, I know. So, what do you think?" Issei asked. "You want to talk about it now?"

A few moments later, Koneko closed her eyes and exhaled in acceptance.

"Can I tell you a story?"

"Go ahead. We have all night."

Issei smiled as Koneko finally opened up on her story.

It was the story of two cat sisters, one that managed to fall under the service of a certain Devil master.

In the beginning, the sisters were orphaned - both of their parents died when they were young. Their life on the streets was harsh and they spent their days scraping enough to survive each day, but they were happy with each other.

One day, a passing devil offered them shelter in exchange for joining his Peerage, and the elder sister accepted the offer on their behalf.

However, their new life did not last long when the older sister tapped into their hereditary as Nekoshou - Senjutsu. The story ended with the elder sister killing their Devil master in cold blood, standing above the bleeding corpse of their former King.

Issei listened in stride as he nodded.

"...So" Issei pursed his lips. "In short you're afraid you'll do something similar and kill Rias, don't you?"

Koneko nodded, "My sister. She didn't just kill her previous master, but those who attempted to stop her as well. She She just changed."

Issei hummed. There was something fishy with that story. As far as he knew, he had never heard of any youkai going berserk unless they somehow learned how to achieve monsterfication as Black described.

"Can you show me? Your true form."

Koneko looked up to see Issei's soft gaze regarding her. After a brief of hesitation, Koneko then grew a pair of cat ears on top of her head, as well as a white tail coming out from her lower back.

At the sight of Koneko's new form, Issei looked at the ears with a pleasant surprise.

"Huh so that is what you really look like."

"This is what I truly am, Ise-senpai." Koneko said with a resigned tone. "...Are you scared of me now?"

Issei smiled as he broke down in snickers, eliciting a bewildered look from the girl.

"Koneko." Issei looked up, seeing her confused face. "You are looking at a boy whose best friend is a giant dog that breathes atomic death. I am, by far, the last person on Earth you should ask."

Koneko's ears drooped down, her tail started to swish back and forth as her blushing face grew redder with embarrassment.

"If you want my honest opinion, I find your cat ears cute. They definitely suit you." Issei gave her an encouraging thumbs up.

"E-Eh?" Koneko's blush grew redder as she reflexively covered her cat ears, though her tail swished back and forth faster, a sign of happiness amongst cats.

"Yeah, you're cuter this way." Issei then got up to walk around the table until he stood before Koneko, and reached out to place his hand softly on top of her head. "And to answer your question - no, I am not scared of you."

Under Issei's words and treatment, the girl found herself biting her lip lightly as she looked down, obscuring her eyes with her bangs. Then, Koneko timidly muttered, "Can you say it again? That you're not scared of me?"

Keeping his hand on Koneko's crown, Issei complied, "I'm not scared of you."

Koneko's bitten lip slowly stretched into a smile, as Issei could see a few tears leaking out from her obscured eyes. "Say it again, please?"

"I'm not scared of you." Issei complied without missing a beat.

Koneko's tail kept swinging back and forth as she asked, "Then, will you please keep me in line? I don't want to become a monster."

Issei replied with an absolute conviction, "Even if you become a monster, I'll definitely save you. You can count on me."

Koneko then strode forward, pushed her face into Issei's torso while wrapping her arms around him.

As usual, review! XD