Pretty soon after that, everyone returned from their assignments. It was decided that I would be partnered with Koneko-chan for this fight. Buchou would give us orders from the base. Koneko-chan and I would be going towards the gym. Kiba had her orders and Asia would be staying with Buchou. Akeno-san, according to Buchou was a key player in this fight.
"Now then, my adorable servants. Are you ready? We can't turn back now. Our enemy is Riser, who is said to be a genius from the immortal House of the Phenex with a promised career. Now then! Let's go and blow them away!"
Yes!
We, as in me, Koneko-chan and Kiba, headed off on our way.
"Everyone, do your best!" Asia cheered for us. We waved as we left and headed towards the gym
We ran towards the gym. During our journey towards the gym, Kiba left us to head in a different direction. This was still part of the plan After parting with her, Koneko-chan and I continued forth.
We came to back platform from the back door. Since the curtain wasn't down, the inside was visible, I tried to look to the court from our positions when Koneko-chan muttered something.
"... Presence, enemy."
"We know you are there, servants of Gremory! We watched you coming inside."
A voice of a woman! Riser's peerage! Koneko-chan and I showed ourselves to them by appearing at the platform boldly. There were four female Devils standing at the court.
A girl in a china dress. Also, there were loli twins…the girl in the china dress is a Rook, if I remembered correctly from Buchou, the others present were all Pawns. So three Pawns and one Rook.
"Oi! Pawn-kun of Rias-sama!" One of the loli twins said.
The sudden communication was unexpected.
"Before we cut you to ribbons—"
"Ravel-sama wanted some answers for some questions about Haruto-sama!"
"She wants to be prepared for when he becomes her servant!"
Something about that really pissed me off. It wasn't jealousy. More like the fact they already assumed we would lose!
I felt Devi-kun become heavier in my pocket.
"You can forget that! No way are we going to let Haruto join you! Boosted Gear, standby!"
[Boost!]
The doubling power began. Yeah! I'm going to do it!
"… Issei-senpai. I will leave the Pawn to you. I will take care of the Rook."
"Yeah!"
The loli twins pulled out some chainsaws! Hey hey! Is that allowed!? They shouldn't have chainsaws!
""Disassembling time.""
Saying something like that in that kind of voice!? I heard a fighting noise from the side of me! Koneko-chan and the china dress girl are having a fist fight! Damn, that looks really powerful. I noticed the girl, I think her name was Mira, she started swinging her staff around in a professional manner.
"Split, split, split, split, split!"
The twins came right at me while grinding their chainsaws to the floor! The chainsaws were making sparkles as they swung them at me!
They swung them at me. I was just able to dodge it, thanks to my training with Buchou!
I tackled one of the twins with my shoulder and put some distance between us. If it's a simple move like this, then the Boosted Gear won't reset. If I get too carried away and attack them, the power will return to the original state!
A sound of something being pointed at me from behind.
"Wow!"
I also dodged this attack by a margin as well. The stick passed through my armpit sharply! It's an attack from the girl called Mira! I dodged it!
[Boost!]
Yes! A power up! The girls however continued their attack on me, I dodged the attacks that are coming from above me by moving my body to the side, and I dodged the attacks coming from the side by jumping and ducking down! I guarded the attacks of the stick that is coming from the front by crossing my arms!
"Ah, geez! This is so frustrating!"
"Why isn't it hitting him!?"
The chainsaw twins seemed pissed so they start to step on the floor violently.
"… I can't break through his guard."
Looks like the stick girl is also irritated that her attacks weren't hitting me effectively.
Too bad. I also trained like hell as well. I wouldn't be able to face Buchou and the others if I lost instantly!
[Boost!]
Yes! I'm ready now!
"Let's do it, my Sacred Gear!"
[Explosion!]
I will fight them in this state! My whole body is getting overflowed with power!
"I will take care of you two first!"
I ran towards one of the twins. The opponents can't react to my movements for a slight moment. She swings her chainsaw after she realises the situation she is in, but my fist has already reached her!
"You! How dare you hit my Onee-chan!"
The twin of the girl I just hit aimed her chainsaw at me! I twisted my body and hit her instead! She also fell to the floor. Mira, the staff girl, thrusted her staff at me! I karate chopped the damned stick, breaking it in half! I took this chance to knock her to the ground!
"Ku!"
That came from the china dress woman, when I look, I see her on the floor while Koneko-chan is still standing. Wow, even I can tell she has the advantage.
"Geez! If we lose to a guy like him, Riser-sama will get mad at us!"
"We will definitely dissemble you into pieces!"
The twin turns on their chainsaws once again. However, they wont get very far, ufufu.
Haruto…You're with me in my thoughts even now, bro!
"Take this! Haruto's spirit is with me when I unleash this new attack! My new ultimate technique! Dress Break!"
Clicking my fingers, my opponents clothes got blown away! Yes, even their underclothes were blown to pieces! The white curvy bodies of the girls were exposed right in front of me.
N-Noooooooooooooooooo!
The collective screams of the girls echoed in the gym.
"Ahahahahaha! How's that!? This is my technique! And the name of it is Dress Break! I just kept on imaging the girl's clothing getting blown away into pieces! I spent all of the talent I had in making a technique that will make all of the girls naked!"
"You are really low! Enemy of every woman!"
"Beast! You sex fiend!"
I daresay that the loli twins are not fans of mine.
"… I misjudged you."
Koneko-chan's words were like a knife in my heart!
Ise, Koneko. Can you hear me? It's me.
Buchou's voice. It seemed like Koneko-chan had also heard it.
"Yes! Both Koneko-chan and I are safe! More like we are in a good situation right now!"
That's good to hear. But Akeno is also ready! I want you two to move according to the plan!
Koneko-chan and I exchanged a glance before we went to the central entrance while ignoring the girls who were down on the floor.
"Are you running away!? This location is supposed to be an important place!"
They say something but we ignore them as we make it out of the building.
FLASH
Then there was a huge lightning flash.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
A big lightning struck the gym with a big noise like that of an explosion. When the lightning stopped, the gym was totally wiped out.
"Take this." When I turned around, I saw Akeno-san wearing a smile on her face, flying through the air with her black wings spread. She had her right hand raised upwards and her hand was sparkling with electricity.
Riser Phenex's three Pawns and one Rook retires! Yahoo! Wait to go, Akeno! You too, Koneko-chan!
Haruto's voice was announcing again. Hey! I was in that fight! Where's my praise?!... Is Haruto upset about my new super awesome technique?
"We did it, Koneko-chan."
I tried putting my hand on her shoulder, but she gave me the coldest stare I've ever seen.
"… Please don't touch me."
She said it with a cold voice. She also had a funny expression. Auuuuu… that reaction saddened me. Well it couldn't be helped. Any girl would be alarmed at me if they saw a technique like that.
"Hahaha, don't worry. I won't use it on my comrades."
"… Even so, it is a very low technique."
Oh my. Looks like I'm totally hated by her….
Everyone, can you hear me? Akeno did a perfect attack and finished it. With this, the first phase of our plan is completed.
Buchou, your plan was successful!
That lightning takes time to charge it to use for the second time after she uses it. So using it continuously is impossible. Though the enemy still has a greater number than us. We will also head out as soon as Akeno's demonic power recovers, so I will leave the rest to each of you till then. So please move on to the next phase!
"Yes!"
The next part of Buchou's plan is going ahead! We start making our way to Kiba!
DON!
A sudden explosion! I look to the sound…Koneko-chan! A small distance from me, Koneko-chan has been badly damaged! I immediately ran over to her and held her in my arms.
"Fufufu. When you hunt a prey, the best time to take them down is when the prey accomplished something because that's the time when the prey is the most vulnerable. Your group has a small number of members to begin with. That alone will be enough to give a huge damage to your group, right? Even if you defeat us, you cannot defeat Riser-sama."
An unknown voice. When I looked up there was a shadow up in the air flying with its wings. It was a woman dressed up as a mage and wearing her hood. Raiser's servant! Did Riser's servant do this to Koneko-chan!? I was sure that was Raiser's Queen! The sudden appearance of the ultimate servant!
"…I'm sorry… I wanted to be of more use to Buchou and everyone…"
"Y-You don't have to apologize! We were doing our job! It's not a problem! Just wait. Once Asia arrives, she can heal you…"
Her body was enveloped in light before disappearing.
Rias Gremory-sama's Rook retires.
This time it was Grayfia-san who made the announcement.
I felt my anger began to grow, burning powerfully within my chest as I turned to face Riser's Queen.
"Come down heeeeeere! I'll be your opponent!"
"Fufufu. What a noisy Pawn boy. Do you want to explode like that girl from before?" The enemy Queen taunted me as she pointed a finger at me. I braced myself, readying myself for the attack I expected to come.
"Ara ara. I will be your opponent. Riser Phenex-sama's Queen, Yubelluna-san. Or should I call you the Bomb Queen?" Akeno-san interrupted, coming in between us.
"I don't like that name because of its bad taste, Priestess of Thunder. Though I was hoping I can fight you." The Bomb Queen admitted.
"Issei-kun, meet up with Yuuki-chan. I will take care of here."
"B-But!" I tried to convinced Akeno-san otherwise, but she showed me a serious face.
"Issei-kun. You have your own role, correct? Go then. This matter here is my job. It's okay. I will avenge Koneko-chan. I will defeat this Queen with everything I have!"
A golden aura covered her body. Her determination burned as brightly as my own.
I nodded. "Akeno-san! I will leave this place to you!" Then I ran off to go find Kiba. I was almost at the meeting point when I heard a new announcement.
Riser Phenex's three Pawns have retired! Way to go, Yuuki-chan!
So apparently Kiba took out more of Riser's servants. With that, the Pawns will begin to be less of a threat as the game continues just as long as they don't reach our base. I made my way towards the sports court as per the plan to meet up with Kiba. She wasn't there, so I took the chance to rest a little for the next part of the fight. I sat against the wall, reaching into my pocket for Devi-kun to make sure I hadn't lost him in he fighting. Haruto would kick my ass if I lost his important "treasure".
After a little bit longer, Kiba finally showed up.
"Oh, it's you." I said upon noticing her.
"Yup."
"Sorry, Kiba. Koneko-chan is…" I hung my head, feeling further shame for having done nothing to prevent our friend from being hurt.
"I know it since I heard the announcement as well. She must be feeling regrets. I never knew what she was always thinking about, but she was really pumped for this match. She was working hard when we were setting the traps in the forest."
"... Let's win."
"Of course, Issei-kun."
We hit our knuckles together. We were the Pawn-Knight duo of the Gremory group. Of course, Buchou wasn't the only one Kiba was fighting for. She also deeply cared for Haruto. Everyone's noticed it. It's no big secret. Like every single one of us, Kiba's motivation is doubled with Haruto's fate on the line as well.
Kiba went on to tell me how she defeated Riser's Pawns, pointing out Riser's (admittedly unnecessary and cruel) strategy of sacrificing his pieces. Then she went on to explain the area ahead.
"The enemies who are in charge of here are one Knight, one Rook, and one Bishop. Three pieces in total."
"… That's a severe defense."
"Well, that's how much they are keeping up their guard for this place. Against our intrusion here, that is. Since we eliminated the gym, they will put more strength here."
"It looks like we'll have to give an extra push to penetrate that area." I noted.
Kiba blushed, placing a hand on the side of her face. "Oh, Issei, how bold of you!"
"E-Eh?! H-Hold on now!"
"I really am flattered by how strong you're coming on to me, but I'm sorry to say that my body is reserved for Haruto!"
Then I processed the words I was saying before. "O-Oi! Don't purposely misunderstand my words!" I was blushing a deep scarlet red color.
We went back and forth like that for a while. And oddly, I felt my heart, which had been beating roughly against my chest, calmed somewhat. Just joking around like this made me feel less uneasy.
But we couldn't rest for long. The battle would soon continue.