"Seventy-one... Seventy-two... Seventy-three..."
The push-ups continued, each one harder than the last. My arms were trembling under the pressure—not just from my own weight but from the extra challenge that came in the form of Rias Gremory, my master and devil king, currently sitting calmly on my back like a queen on her throne.
Her soft weight was heavenly, and the way her thighs pressed against me through her short skirt was far from helping my focus. Her occasional shifts made it worse—each movement reminding me that her butt was dangerously close to the back of my head.
"You're getting faster," Rias remarked casually, brushing her long crimson hair behind her ear as she leaned forward slightly, which unfortunately (or fortunately?) pressed her chest lightly against the back of my neck.
I struggled to hold the push-up mid-air.
"Don't say things like that with your chest practically suffocating me, Buchou...!"
"Oh?" She smirked. "You don't seem to mind the view. Or the pressure."
I coughed and resumed the motion. "S-seventy-four... Seventy-five...! I-I'm enduring for the sake of justice!"
"For the sake of justice?" she repeated, clearly amused. "That's new."
I grinned through the pain. "The justice of thighs and curves...!"
Whack.
My poor butt was assaulted again by her hand. A sharp slap that echoed through the otherwise quiet morning park.
"You're supposed to be focusing on your basics, not fantasizing!"
"I'm doing both!" I protested. "Multitasking, Buchou! It's a valuable skill—Seventy-seven!"
Her giggle rang out in the cool morning air. "You really are hopeless."
After the battle with Raynare and the revelation about the Boosted Gear, Rias had taken a hands-on role in training me. It wasn't just Kiba anymore—I was now running marathons, sprinting across the track, lifting weights, and performing martial arts routines daily.
And, of course, doing push-ups with a beautiful red-haired devil princess riding my back like a smug queen.
It was torture. Glorious torture.
My body ached, my heart pounded, and my breath came in short gasps—but I pushed through. I had to. I couldn't afford to lose again. Not after what happened with Asia.
Speaking of Asia—
"Issei-san! Buchou!"
The familiar, sweet voice echoed through the park. I barely had time to lift my head before a blonde blur came jogging toward us, a neatly packed bento box in her hands. She was wearing her school uniform, but with a pink apron tied around her front. The way it fluttered in the wind made her look like a doting housewife.
Asia smiled radiantly. "I made breakfast for both of you!"
I collapsed flat on the grass.
"Asiaaaaaaa... You're my savior...!"
Rias gracefully slid off my back and onto the grass, smoothing her skirt with the poise of royalty. "Good morning, Asia. Did you make it yourself?"
"Yes!" Asia beamed, opening the bento. "I remembered Issei-san liked rice balls and sausage, so I tried making them cute this time!"
She held up a rice ball shaped like a heart.
I nearly cried.
"Asia... You're an angel...!"
"Um... I *was* one," she replied innocently.
Rias raised an eyebrow but chose not to correct her. Instead, she accepted one of the rice balls Asia offered with an appreciative nod.
"You're improving," Rias said after a bite. "This is quite delicious."
Asia's face lit up. "I'm so glad!"
I munched on a sausage shaped like a little octopus and immediately felt my energy being restored. The girl had magic in her fingers, I swear. Was it possible to gain stats from food? If so, Asia's cooking would definitely have an HP regeneration bonus.
Rias leaned back on the bench and sipped from the tea thermos Asia brought along.
"You've gotten quite devoted to this training, Issei," she said.
"Well," I muttered between bites, "after what happened... I realized just having power isn't enough. I need control. Strength. And to stop being a burden when it really matters."
Rias looked at me quietly for a moment, the teasing gone from her expression.
"You're already growing stronger," she said softly. "Even I can tell. And it's not just your body—it's your will."
Asia nodded quickly. "Yes! Issei-san… you're different than before. More focused."
I rubbed the back of my head, slightly embarrassed.
"It's thanks to both of you. Rias... for pushing me. And Asia… for always supporting me."
Asia's face turned pink, and she shyly twirled the edge of her apron.
"Um... If you keep saying things like that, I might..."
"Might what?" I teased, leaning forward.
Asia's blush deepened. "I-I might fall in love with you all over again..."
*Boom.*
Critical hit.
I reeled backward, clutching my heart. "You're too powerful, Asia!"
Rias simply rolled her eyes. "How many girls are you planning to make fall for you, Ise?"
I raised a finger dramatically. "As many as it takes to build a personal harem of justice!"
Another slap. This time from a chop to the head. Rias didn't hold back.
"Ow! I'm joking!"
"I wonder if you are," she muttered, though there was a smirk on her lips.
The three of us laughed together under the early morning sun. The tension of battle, the darkness of Raynare, even the weight of my newly evolved Sacred Gear—they all felt lighter when I was with them. Training was hard, but these moments made it worth it.
"Alright," Rias clapped her hands. "Break time is over. Back to training."
"Again?" I whined, flopping onto the grass.
"Yes. And this time, squats with Akeno on your shoulders."
"*EH!?*"
"Good luck, Issei-san!" Asia said cheerfully.
I wept internally.
So this was what it meant to walk the path of the Red Dragon Emperor… with gorgeous devils using you as workout equipment.
And yet, for some reason, I wouldn't trade it for anything.
~~~
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