A little further from town, we came into view of the church, and a chill ran down my spine the moment I saw it.
"Um, are you okay?" she asked.
"Ah—!" I jolted, then hastily covered it up. "Sorry, it's nothing. And over there is the church."
I remembered going there as a kid with a boy from the neighborhood, until he moved away. Now that I'm a demon, I can never go back.
"Wow! This is wonderful. It really helped, Um, could I invite you into the church to thank you? I can only offer tea, though…"
Tea from a blonde beauty? I have to go in,
"You'd better not."
"Why, Ddraig? It's an invite from a beautiful girl!"
"Have you forgotten that chill you felt? That's a church, demon territory. If you go in unprepared, you could be killed."
She's right! Damn it, I have to give up!??
"Sorry, I just remembered something I need to do. Can we postpone the thank-you tea?"
"I, I understand. I'm Asia Argento. Please call me Asia!"
My heart sank from having to turn down her invitation, but she masked it with a bright smile as she introduced herself.
"Well, I'm Hyoudou Issei, please, call me Issei. I'll head back now, but see you later!"
"Yes! Mr. Issei! I look forward to seeing you again!"
She waved until I was out of sight… She really is amazing.
Demons aside, I wouldn't mind getting close to someone like her…
====================
"You must never go near that church again."
Rias scolded me. So the fact that Asia showed up, yes, I sensed four fallen angels in town, but I'd never met her. Outside the artifact, I know almost nothing about her.
"For a demon, a church is hostile territory. A spear of light could kill you at any moment."
"Yes… Ddraig told me the same."
"Exactly. If you went in unprepared, it could escalate into a demon–Divine conflict."
But now, I can tell her it's not that simple.
"Rias, why would it be Divine involvement? The church houses fallen angels, right?"
"Fallen angels… in a church? What are you talking about?"
"I detected them through my sacred arts. The church is under a barrier, so I can't see inside, but I sense four fallen angels slipping in and out, plus at least twenty humans. If anyone's holed up inside, I can't sense them yet…"
Rias immediately went tense, tapping her chin in thought.
"Fallen angels in a church… sounds like it's filled with renegade exorcists. And a sister carrying a sacred artifact stationed here? Something's off. Let me investigate further."
I couldn't help but attach myself to her.
"But, what about her? Isn't she in danger? Rias! Let me go rescue her now!"
"No, Issei! We haven't confirmed she's in danger, or that she's with the fallen angels. As I explained before, the three powers are in a delicate balance. Acting rashly could spark war."
I clenched my fists, frustration boiling in me. War? The mere suggestion hit me hard, though I've lived a normal life as a Japanese student until now.
"I'll investigate as soon as I can. Please trust me for today."
I nodded quietly.
"Ah, have you finished talking?" Senior Akeno arrived, her expression serious. "The Duke has ordered us to hunt down a rogue demon."
====================
The scene shifts to an abandoned building. At first, they told me, just an Occult Club member, not a familiar demon, to go home. But I insisted on staying to witness the strength of the Gremory familiars. "I've had real combat experience," I said, though in truth, only against fallen angels and earth spiders. The rest were simulations.
As we entered, Rias began explaining.
"Issei, do you understand chess?"
"A bit, I've played after school."
Smart move, it couldn't hurt to know. If we went to any of their houses, it always ended in "Enough with this, show me some boobs!"
"Then tell me: which chess piece did I use to reincarnate you, and what other pieces are there?"
"You used the Pawn. The others are King, Queen, Rook, Knight, and Bishop."
"Correct. High-ranking demons consider themselves the King, reincarnating their familiars with the roles and abilities of chess pieces. In the netherworld, they enjoy 'rating games' based on chess, noble demon contests."
"Wait, so demons fight each other?"
"It's not without risk, but they're monitored, like kendo or boxing matches in teams."
"I see…"
"It's a great opportunity for you, as a rookie demon, to witness how demons fight."
We heard a voice echo from deeper inside:
"It smells delicious… and awful. Is it sweet? Or bitter?"
A creature emerged, a twisted abomination: a giant serpent-headed humanoid with a woman's torso. But I've seen Youkai enough in Kyoto with Kunou.
"Rogue demon Viser. You betrayed your master and rampaged to satisfy your greed. In the name of Duke Gremory, I'll obliterate you!"
As Rias spoke, Viser laughed and began groping herself.
Then magic circles formed on her nipples, and corrosive liquid shot out!
"T–tit-beam!" I blurted, and Akeno glared. A living legend like Rias elsewhere, but someone else wielding it?! Everyone dodged. I was shielded by Rias.
"Let's begin, Yuuto!"
"Right!" At Rias's command, Yuuto dashed, weaving around Viser's attacks, tantalizing her. He could've cut off her head with one strike, but he held back so I could learn.
"Issei, watch closely. Yuuto's piece is the Knight, and the knights are swift. And his weapon: the sword."
Yuuto leapt and struck, chopping both of Viser's thick arms from the serpent-like lower body.
"Gyaaaargh!!" her roar echoed, and he backed off. Then Akeno approached.
Viser reared her stony foot to stomp.
"Akeno's fine! Her piece: the Rook, overwhelming strength and resilience."
THUD!
Akeno stood firm, sending her into the ceiling with an uppercut. If she'd tried, she would've crushed ceiling tiles.
"Now, I will finish you off." Akeno's piece: the Queen, combines traits of all others except the King.
She summoned a bolt of magic lightning, calibrated it so Viser would survive long enough, but the scream echoed as she glanced back at us.
"But, Boss? I'm the strongest piece, but not the strongest familiar."
Rias wore a pained look. "That's true, even for me."
"Um… Boss? Akeno, what does that mean?"
Yuuto answered. "Actually, the strongest among your familiars, including you, is Akeno."
"Akeno?" I gasped.
"She's a Nekoshou, a higher form of Nekomata, adept in sacred arts like Issei's partner."
"About a year ago, her talent blossomed. Within six months, she surpassed both Rias and me."
Akeno, while varying her lightning bolts, added, "We've been training, but we haven't caught up."
"Ha! So have I," Yuuto chimed in.
"Re—Really?" I blinked. As expected, Akeno has grown strong. Nowadays, with her cat ears and tail revealed, she's in 'dual form.' And Kuroka-san learned time magic to reach 'triple form.' Even though they train during contracts, they've grown considerably.
She even used the original's "Cat Mode Level 2" to temporarily buff her powers. Probably stronger than during the vampire incident.
...I remember when she used Cat Mode Level 2 for the first time, tears ran down her face as she grabbed her chest in front of a mirror.
CRASH!
"Aah!!" Akeno hurled a chunk of debris, if it'd hit a normal person, they'd be dead!
"I thought you were thinking weird stuff…"
Rias asked me, "Issei, were you thinking anything weird?"
My mind went blank as she looked on, and she merely said, "Well, I suppose it can't be helped."
"Akeno, let's wrap it up," Rias commanded, turning to the screaming Viser.
"As much as I wanted to enjoy watching you suffer longer, I suppose it's time."
Having released her lightning, she spoke to Viser.
"Any last words?"
"P-Please… kill me…"
"Then vanish."
With that, Rias's "Disintegration Magic" snapped, and Viser was gone without a trace.
"…Oh, and I forgot to mention, Akeno is the ultimate sadist."
"Yes, I understand!" we chorused.
It feels like no one could defeat her now. But if Akeno unleashed her full sadistic side… I don't stand a chance.
"And Issei, starting tomorrow, I'll pick you up at your house before 5 a.m."
"Wha–?! Why?! And before 5?!!"
"In the demon world, might is everything. Frankly, you lack magical talent. To master your greatest weapon, the Red Dragon Emperor Gauntlet Boosted Gear, you must train your body."
So morning training starts now? I thought it would wait until after the Reina-… but clearly, the gauntlet's mastery comes first.
"Ugh… so I really lack magical talent?"
"Also, there have been ominous movements among the fallen angels in town. Power matters."
"Of course, so I can save Asia!"
"I haven't met her, so I can't be sure. But demons and churchgoers don't mix. Still, if she's in danger, and by defeating the fallen angels we accidentally rescue her… I won't complain."
"Understood! Thank you! I'll do my best!"
"Now then, let's adjourn for today. Akeno, Yuuto, Nekoshou, well done."
And so we disbanded for the day.
=============
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