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He hadn't come up with it. He had merely seen a chance and seized it, and Riser had reacted. He could not take credit for something that had entirely been accident, even if it ended up benefiting them.
"Whatever it was, it worked," Issei said brightly, and then a wistful expression spread over his face, "I don't think I'll ever forget Grilled Chicken's face when you burned him. Though technically he would be Barbecued Chicken now, wouldn't he?"
"Roasted Chicken," Koneko amended, and shrugged when he turned to regard her in surprise, "Too much heat to be barbecued."
He supposed that was one way of looking at it.
"I am quite partial to Baked Chicken, myself," Kiba smiled, "less calories in the intake."
Why was he not surprised that it was the sword-user who was worried about something like that?
"Hmmm," Akeno hummed, "all these dishes are nice, but all of you forget just how heavenly Seared Chicken can taste."
Really, the only thing surprising about all this was that he was not surprised that it was happening at all.
"Umm… I don't know why we are all talking about chickens," Asia blushed and toyed shyly with her fingers, "but if it's cooked by Hyoudou-san and Arisato-san I think I will enjoy it."
His lips twitched. Rias must have noticed for she sent him a warm smile.
"Heads up," Issei said cheerfully, "The Barbecued Chicken and his desserts are coming."
He turned to look and saw that it was true. Distant figures were growing closer, and the bat-like wings that spread over their shoulders made no mistake of what they were.
"If the Baked Chicken is the main dish," Kiba wondered out loud, "wouldn't that make the rest of his peerage the appetizers?"
For a moment he wondered if he was the only sane one here. Then battle was joined and one's sanity became the last thing on his mind.
Perception faded, as it always did in combat, replaced with a series of flickering images that came instant by instant. Dimly he was aware of the fighting going on around him, but helpless to focus on one single thing. He traded fire with one of Riser's Bishops, noting absently that she somewhat resembled her master, pivoted on his heel to ward off a Pawn sneaking past his side with a blast of flame, then moved to support when Kiba was forced back. The fire that flared from his hands came in a continuous stream and he manipulated that to his whim, igniting the ground with streaks of wildfire, hurling beams of white heat that scorched all within vicinity, conjuring great waves of spitting flame and sending them crashing towards gathered throngs of enemies.
He was outmatched by their speed, but in sheer volume of firepower he outclassed them all.
He took note of the fact that even in the chaos Rias had still managed to arrange her pieces in an effective formation. Kiba and Issei roamed in the front, preventing Riser's superior numbers from concentrating in one place. Koneko stood further back, shielding Asia and protecting her from harm. Rias and Akeno hovered above them, where they could have a commanding view over the battlefield and exchange fire with their ranged counterparts with impunity.
It was against this formation that Riser threw his forces into, and it was against this formation that he was savagely hurled back.
One of his Pawns strayed too near. Kiba trapped her against the anvil that was Akeno's lightning and Koneko's defense. With nowhere to go, the girl turned, and the Knight took her to pieces.
His own labor eventually bore fruit as well. A plume of flame seared from his open palm and caught another Pawn in its path of carnage. The girl tumbled from the air, spiraling out of control, plummeting towards their midst, but instead of the ground, it was a crimson gauntlet bearing a gleaming green jewel that arrested her descent. And then she was sent flying in another direction entirely to land in an unmoving heap before disappearing.
"Issei with the kill!" the boy let out a whoop, "Arisato-san with the assist!"
Technically it should be the other way around, but he found that he did not mind.
Riser drew his forces back, and he saw that many of them bore lingering wounds that could only wear them down as the battle progressed. They had received injuries of their own, but Asia's Twilight Healing solved that particular nuisance before it could fully become a problem. The former priestess's features were alight with cautious optimism as the last of Riser's peerage retreated off into the distance.
"We really are going to win, aren't we?" she smiled at them all.
He saw the blur before anyone else did. The rapid approach of distorted color. The plume of flame that leapt from his hand was the warning, yet her speed prevented them from reacting in time. The Knight he had injured, her side still smoking, her face strangely resigned, dove into their midst, sword bared. Crimson droplets spilled into the air, and Asia disappeared, the smile still frozen onto her gentle features.
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