Third Person Point of View
…
Radelia Vaqirelle rank 10 of the Eradicators had been in a certain clinic on the main planet of the Phantasma. She had 'escaped' the Outer God's grasps just like the new Rank 7, Sekudia. She has recovered greatly since then as she had her right arm, left eye, part of her left stomach and right leg torn from her.
Upon finding out that rank 8 Aerendyl had perished during the mission, Caeda the other rank 8 was also called back to their main planet to discuss her being promoted as the single rank 8. The news became widespread and concern grew for the other factions that joined the Phantasma.
Some were aware of the existence of the outer gods, while some were not, but learned after being conquered. Aerendyl's planet, Seustea, were shocked by his sudden death—the invisible prince that was set to be the next king had died. There was immediate unrest and a small civil war broke out. The Phantasma—by the orders of Phumera did not intervene much to their shock.
To her, Aerendyl was the only one worthy of joining their ranks, while the others would be quite powerful in other worlds, plants and universe's eyes, to them, they were weak. On the other hand, Radelia's home planet, Sienerth were happy with the death of Aerendyl.
He was the reason they were afraid of starting a war, but once they found out a civil war had broken out in Seustea, they decided to let it run its course, and once it stopped, they would attack it, completely eliminating the planet and its race.
On the main planet of the Phantasma, Caeda and Radelia met by coincidence. Radelia remembered what Aaron told her and asked Caeda if they could speak privately, so they travelled to an abandoned planet much to Caeda's confusion.
"What did you want to talk about? We haven't really spoken before," asked Caeda as she looked around the planet she was brought to.
"…I'll be frank. Are you working for the Middleman and outer god?" asked Radelia. Caeda immediately stiffened after she heard that. She weighed her options, and was prepared to kill Radelia until—
"Sekudia, the new rank 7 is part of the resistance. He and the Middleman are working together to give it more power, and also bring some Eradicators they think that can change into the resistance. I again ask you, are you working for him?" she asked stunning Caeda even more.
'That much has already happened? I was preoccupied with helping Hirokazu and his team, and they hadn't contacted me for any missions, so I was beginning to worry but…' she thought and looked back at Radelia. "I am. If I can stay in that beautiful world, I'll work for him and become his subordinate," she told Radelia with unwavering confidence.
"Have you contacted them yet?" Radelia asked, but Caeda shook her head. "I have and inspected their base of operations not too long ago. I gave them the items that the Middleman provided me. Sekudia is the leader of the resistance along with two others. One of them is his lover, the other is someone they recruited a few years back."
This was the first time Caeda was hearing anything substantial about the resistance and she listened to her fellow Eradicator carefully.
"The ones they mentioned were ranks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 15. Not including you and I, 8 and 10. Seven out of the sixteen have a chance of changing sides, but I believe the first three will be hard to convince. Sekudia believes that we—or the Middleman needs to dive into their past and go from there," explained Radelia.
'That many?! I didn't think…no, we barely interact with each other, so not knowing each other's personalities is a given, but…I didn't think it was that much. At most I thought three, maybe even four or five, but seven…?' she thought and sighed.
"Come with me, we will go there and get acquainted with them," said Radelia as she offered her hand to Caeda.
"…No, tell me the coordinates of the base, going there together may raise suspicion. Tell me anything relevant I need to know to enter the place," added Caeda.
Radelia agreed and told her everything she knew. She chose this planet simply because there would be no eyes or ears here, it was one of the remotest in their universe, and it was so far away that Phumera, their leader, wasn't bothered in putting any type of security on it. For the simple fact that, if they pass a certain threshold of their universe, she would instantly detect them and kill them.
For Eradicators or other powerful beings, it wasn't strange for them to come to this planet. Secret duels and other 'illegal' events happen here and she didn't care, so she let it be. Phumera knew that these two were here, but she deemed it an appropriate meeting as Radelia was a survivor like Sekudia and Caeda was an undercover agent, so they must be exchanging information.
"I see. Thanks." Caeda thanked Radelia and was about to leave when she stopped her.
"Have you always been like this?" Radelia asked her.
"…Yes I have. When I was sent to that universe…I fell in love with it, and then I fell in love with a human there. I don't want to leave it, I want to be there forever," she told Radelia honestly.
Radelia was shocked but didn't show it to Caeda, but from the expression on Caeda's face, she believed every word of it. Radelia didn't answer but just nodded at her in the end and Caeda finally left the planet.
"I have my own reasons…but I don't understand yours. My father…he showed me that, but I can't remember it. Will I understand it if I go there? Or if I ask Sekudia?" she asked herself. Radelia had been confused since she met the Middleman. He was strange and not like Magnum Tenebrosum.
She had been curious about other inhabitants of other universes they conquered. However, any time she had been, they were either wiped out or they joined theirs, so she couldn't ever ask them about it. But now she could, someone who could oppose them, perhaps she would ask him in the future, or the other man named Sekudia.
…
"I could go in his steed, Yve," said a male.
"No. You and the Umbra are valuable, the Ueboros are replaceable, and he's also one of the weakest at rank 11," replied Yve dismissively.
"Huhu, I can assure you that his rank is a lie. He wishes to operate like Elanor. She's rank 16, but is more fitting to be of a higher rank, no?" replied the man.
"Infersos, what Lady Phumera says goes, do not question it further," Yve said with hostility.
Infersos put his hands up defensively. "I understand, Lady Yve. However, I would like to say that we will lose a valuable asset if we send him. But I will look for a replacement for him. I have a few candidates in mind," said Infersos as he left the hall.
Infersos was ranked 1 of the [Umbra], a group just below the Ueboros, but not because they're weak, but because Phumera wanted them to be unknown—a sort of secret organization within their rankings.
He had both brown and black hair on top of his head. He had red eyes, with a golden monocle in his right eye. He had a long mustache and a beard. Furthermore, he wore a white professional business suit, purple gloves and white shoes, and behind him a black and fluffy cape that resembled a black dog's fur.
Infersos himself could contest everyone up until rank 4 in the Eradicators, yet he chose to do this job instead. He himself liked playing with people's minds and hearts. To him, everyone, including Yve and their leader, Phumera were just tools. He didn't see Magnum Tenebrosum as a feared god either—to him, he had transcended the emotion of 'fear' and feared no one or anything.
Infersos opened a device and sent a message to Yve. He immediately got a response back that said 'Approved'. The message he sent was 'I will request some of Radelia's forces to back up rank 11, is that fine?'. Infersos grinned to himself. "Naïve…naïve…everyone is just so naïve, Sefer, your sacrifice won't be in vain, rest assured…" he mumbled to himself.
…
Universe – Evie Etoulde
Etoulde Faction
…
"How goes communication with the outer god?" Resetoras asked Chimune.
"…There have been many interferences in our communications with him. He has not used the powers of breast lately, and his perverted drive hasn't been as high. However, there was a spike recently, but it wasn't enough. We need…another spike in emotion from him to be able to communicate because of the interference," explained Chimune.
Chimune and her Breast Faction had been trying desperately to get back in communication with Aaron, but due to another god's interference, it had been difficult. However, they were confident that tonight, they would make contact and inquire more about their alliance.
"But we are confident in communication tonight. We will have help from Elphina. You know her history with me, so…"
"Very well, I will leave it to you, Chimune, but you must hurry, otherwise we won't last long. Several other worlds and universes are slowly falling to the 'Khaos Order' that they have partnered with," said Resetoras with concern.
"…Yes, of course," replied Chimune as she left the room. She left the building and made her way outside again. Once there she teleported away back to her faction's territory and immediately located her trusted companion Elphina.
"Chimune-sama, how can I help you?" asked Elphina.
"The two of us will be able to communicate tonight with your help, and Siphaenien will join us as well. He now knows that he needs to hurry when we communicate with us. We just need…to know how he'll help us, and then we will need to compensate him for it."
Elphina had a troubled look but Chimune patted her head. "Please…he's not a bad person. You saw his 'Oppai Dragon' show and heard the song."
"…I will try, Chimune, but I can't guarantee anything good will come out of it," replied Elphina. "I will go make some final preparations for tonight. I'll rejoin you later." Elphina walked away as Chimune watched her go.
She sighed to herself and shook her head. 'Please…' she thought as she summoned a photo of Aaron when he was dressed as the 'Oppai Dragon'.
…
Jin Skyward's Soliloquy
…
The pressure was something close to killing intent, but not entirely. No…this was someone's fighting spirit on full display. When I glanced at Xenovia, her hand was trembling, not out of fear, but rather…excitement from feeling the pressure.
Everyone focused in one direction as they had located the location of the aura and fighting spirit.
Xenovia grasped her other hand that was trembling and muttered, "This feeling…this restlessness…is [Durandal] calling for me…?"
I looked in a certain direction as everyone else followed. The person I saw was…Vasco Strada, with white hair and he was draped in vestments.
"Buon giorno, young middleman, and his companions!" Vasco greeted us.
This person's face was covered with wrinkles. Only going by the appearance of his face, he should be a foreign old man over eighty years old. However, the body below his face contradicted this idea. An unimaginably thick neck, a thick chest, arms the size of tree trunks, legs which were probably the size of my waist. The most notable point was his height, which looked like it was roughly two meters. This was an ideal young body, which completely didn't match his elderly face.
He suddenly disappeared and I looked to my left. Our eyes met, and his eyes widened in surprise. The smile on his face only grew because of that. Not only that but everyone else here followed his movements making him even more impressed. He put a hand on my shoulder and patted it.
"I come from the Vatican; my name is Vasco Strada. It seems the rumors were true, that anyone associated with you…becomes strong, everyone here could follow my movements, very impressive," he said and praised all of us.
He turned to Xenovia and said, "Warrior Xenovia, it looks like you became a devil?"
"…Your Eminence Strada, it's been a long time since we saw each other," said Xenovia with a serious expression.
"Hmm. You have become stronger since we last saw each other," he told her with a delighted nod. He then turned to me and handed me something, and I accepted it. It was an envelope. "This is for you."
I opened it and read through it. It wasn't anything long or convoluted, it was just a letter of challenge.
"That is…?" Griselda asked.
Vasco Strada smiled at her and said, "It's a challenge letter. We want to formally make a challenge to all of you—the infamous Team [DxD]."
"D-do you have any idea of the situation you're putting everyone in the alliance on?" Rias asked, baffled by the situation.
"We do, though at least you aren't that naïve, young sister of Satan Lucifer," he said and smiled at her. Vasco Strada then disappeared and appeared a great distance away. "Very well, Your Eminence Legrenzi, please make your declaration."
After he finished speaking, a small figure appeared. It was a black-haired boy who appeared to be the size of a fifth or sixth grade elementary student. Although he had a childlike face, he had a majestic presence. Furthermore, he was clothed in the same vestments as Vasco Strada. The old man addressed him as 'Your Eminence'. From the looks of it, he's the one—the 'Miracle Child'.
"Teodoro Legrenzi, correct?" I asked and the boy nodded. The rest behind me were shocked by his young appearance and age.
The young Cardinal's body shook nervously, but he said, "I…I need to protect the rights and views of the exorcists! Although you are 'good' devils, there is also a need to eradicate the evil devils and vampires!"
"To unilaterally deprive them of judgement for their sins, I cannot accept this! Even if this goes against Archangel Michael-sama's will…only this…only this I cannot accept!"
Even though he was shaking a lot, his eyes held the determination of someone that was meant to be older. That kid, he was carrying a burden he couldn't possibly carry at that age. I felt pity for him.
As if in response to his words, we became surrounded by a myriad of warriors who emerged from nowhere and prevented our escape. My shadow soldiers were also ready but I told them not to interfere.
Upon closer inspection, there were male priests as well as female warriors who wore the same uniforms that Xenovia and Irina wore. There were also quite a lot of them.
They were definitely warriors who were following these people—the Cardinals in this rebellion. I also saw several white-haired priests; they were probably warriors who came from the same organization that Freed previously belonged to.
It doesn't matter where we go, whether it be here, another town, or even in Kuoh, an attack isn't far away. I glanced at Xenovia who had summoned [EX Durandal] and pointed it at Vasco Strada.
"Your Eminence Strada," she said.
"Warrior Xenovia, are you able to use Durandal to its full potential?" he asked her. However, unlike in Canon, Xenovia didn't charge in, she simply nodded.
"Then show me," he told her and his smile vanished. Right now, all of us were looking at a living legend—Vasco Strada, [The Limits of Humanity], not the kind old man just a few seconds ago.
Xenovia glanced at me as if asking for permission. I held my hand up and the warriors around us tensed up. I created a small barrier around us where she could unleash all her power. Noticing this—
An enormous aurora pillar burst from Xenovia's body as she brought [EX Durandal] to her side. All the church warriors were shocked by this. Even Vasco's eyes widened in surprise.
"Here I come, Your Eminence Strada!" she shouted and appeared in front of him and swung her sword down!
The ground and space were split apart. She had aimed at the area beside Vasco Strada. She had no intention of hitting him. The attack was so powerful that it blew away everyone else except Vasco Strada. However, it seemed he was using everything he had in him from being blown away.
From what I could tell, Xenovia used around 10% of her physical strength and it caused that much destruction. The buildings around us had been completely destroyed. Before I created the barrier, I put the people inside that shop to sleep and teleported them away.
The other church warriors got up in a panic and came back to us, worried about Vasco Strada. Xenovia withdrew her sword; both had their eyes closed. The young boy, Teodoro Legrenzi looked horrified at the scene.
"T-this is…the power of the current wielder of [Durandal]…?" he muttered in a trembling voice. Everyone else stood at a distance, waiting for whatever was to happen. They clearly saw that Vasco wasn't injured so they didn't jump in.
"…Hmm. Warrior Xenovia," he said and opened his eyes and looked at her. "It is clear that your power surpasses mine, even if I was in my prime…I doubt I could match this level of strength even when using my full power. However…you still lack 'something'. If you cannot find that, Durandal will never fully accept you," he told her and Xenovia gritted her teeth.
Xenovia jumped away and stood beside me, clearly frustrated by what he said. A middle-aged man with black hair and with the same vestments as Vasco walked beside him and then stood there.
"Ewald Cristaldi-sensei!" Irina shouted.
"The previous wielder of Excalibur…" muttered Yumi as she stared at the man.
Everyone was ready to charge in when I put my arm out, stopping them. They looked at me in confusion, but Vasco Strada appeared in front of me again, and with his smile, he stretched his arm out.
"It seems you understand this situation, Middleman…no, Jin Skyward, the Dual Dragon Emperor. I appreciate you indulging them," he told me in a whisper.
I shook his hand and said, "Hmm. I'm partially to blame for this, so I accept responsibility for it."
He nodded and looked at the rest of my group. "The challenge is in three days, please be prepared." He then reappeared beside Ewald Cristaldi and then all of them disappeared.
I turned around and said, "Let's go back. Let's inform everyone else that's participating in this."
They had many questions for me, but decided to trust in my judgement, so we left back for Kuoh and I repaired the damage done around the area. Xenovia seemed down.
…
That night, the leaders of each group in Team [DxD] gathered in the meeting room of my home, this also included Azazel as he was still in the town.
[I'm terribly sorry to have all of you repeatedly get involved in matters related to us,] Michael said through a magic communication circle. We just created that and those were his first words.
[Their request is to have a battle against Team [DxD], and they especially hope to fight you guys in Kuoh town,] added Michael.
"Why would they want it here?" Inaie asked.
Azazel replied to her question, "This is the birthplace of the alliance between the Three factions, and then the others. They most likely have very complicated feelings about this place. Then the man that started it all lives here, and he's also in various relationships with many others from each of those factions."
"Moreover, he and many of you are heavily involved in holy swords, as though your fates are tied to them. It's also a bit of revenge, but from their perspective, Team [DxD] is definitely an extremely complex and hated opponent," explained Azazel.
I added, "Meaning, that if there was no alliance, the jobs of the exorcists wouldn't be restricted. We were related to the incident with Azrael and Kokabiel, as well as the Peace Treaty between the Three Factions."
"More importantly, we're all members of Team [DxD] which stands as the symbol of this alliance. That's why they said that we're the most suitable enemy for the Church's rebellion. Although I will admit I'm partially to blame for this."
Griselda who stood beside me and held my hand said, "The people involved in this rebellion are mostly those whose families were killed by devils or vampires, or who have had their lives destroyed by those people."
"In the past, they wanted revenge or to prevent a reoccurrence of the tragedy that befell them, the Church's warriors. When the Three Factions formed an alliance, the greatest opposition to it was from them or the high-ranking officials of the Church who also supported them."
Those who saw the lives of their loved ones taken away by the Devils or Vampires, they couldn't accept the alliance. This rebellion was started with this sentiment at its core.
Irina added, "Although some of them have defected or joined other organizations, most of them are still devout followers of Christianity. Although they believe in God, they're still unsatisfied."
Azazel sighed and said, "To be blunt, this incident is an internal affair. Although I really want to call upon more members of [DxD], like Seekvaira Agares and Sairaorg Bael for assistance, protecting their own territory is their number one priority."
"The most appropriate time to ask for their help is if we act against the Khaos Order. However, if we recklessly ask for their help, those old bats from the upper echelons will complain."
Michael, who had a very serious look on him, added, [The fundamental reason for this is because our management is poor. I will use our power—]
"Hold on, don't act so rashly, Michael," Azazel interrupted him.
"Michael, you are the symbol of Heaven. Even if Altaria is the one managing it and doing the background work, you are the poster child, if I had to say it in modern slang. But giving strict orders is also the responsibility of a leader. But this is what you would call a conflict. Even if there are complicated reasons and feelings, using force to coerce people won't solve the problem. Since it's become like this, this incident should be handled carefully."
[But Azazel, handing this matter entirely to Team [DxD] is…]
"It's fine, as I said, I'm partially responsible, and I already accepted the challenge. Please trust me when I say that they don't plan on endangering or taking lives. However, if the Khaos Order appears, then it will be a different situation entirely," I told them.
I stood up and added, "As long as we live in this town, we'll have to accept that challenge. I also accepted it before speaking to the rest of Team [DxD] about it, but for once…please indulge in my selfishness."
They looked at me and smirked. Yeah, I'm pretty selfish, but it's usually just for myself and I don't involve most people—certainly not Team [DxD]. But this time around, I accepted it before I spoke with the rest of them.
"Azazel, what about the Vali Team? They didn't show up," Rias asked him.
"Couldn't be contacted. They're probably acting independently, so don't hold your breath on them. But Le Fay is here so we can probably contact Arthur through her."
He looked around at the current members. "Okay, let's summarize, in the upcoming battle, Rias' peerage, Sona's peerage, and [DxD]'s [Brave Saint], [Norse Group], [Irish Group], and Jin's own group is participating. Good, I'll head over to the Underworld and inform those two devil groups about the situation then," he told us and got up.
Everyone agreed and we began to disperse, I glanced at the trio of Xenovia, Irina and Yumi. They all had frowns on their faces, but they're probably bothered by the upcoming battle. Xenovia was upset with what Vasco said, and both Irina and Yumi about Ewald Cristaldi for different reasons.
…Well, it's come to this, and I'm playing a supporting role this time around. I'll go ahead with that plan of mine. I'll have two Electas helping them just in case and have several shadow soldiers on standby just in case things go south.
As I was about to leave the room when I felt someone grab my arm. When I glanced back, I saw Lavinia. "Is something wrong?" I asked.
"You're making that face again. Are you planning to do something… dangerous?" she asked worriedly.
"No…but it does concern the battle in three days, I'll be…playing the role of support, and also, I'm just preparing for certain people to show up. I'll have a few of my Electa to help out…do you wanna join?" I asked.
"Okay," she replied and we left for that destination.
…
Xenovia Quarta's Soliloquy
…
Once the meeting was done, I made my way to the [Training Facility]. The words that his Eminence Strada left for me kept repeating in my head. What did he mean by Durandal no accepting me fully?
I summoned [EX Durandal] and stared at it. I then swung it down and created a large shockwave. I wasn't the only one feeling strange since Yumi and Irina seemed off since meeting Ewald Cristaldi. Irina and I were both taught by Cristaldi-sensei, whereas Yumi's connection to him is through the Excalibur.
"You won't accept me?" I asked the sword. It didn't give me a response, so I swung [Durandal] around a few times, slowly getting into a rhythm and creating small shockwaves around me.
No one else was here to my surprise, though some evenings it's packed here while others it's sometimes empty. Usually, the Vali Team occupies this as much as they can, Vali is determined to 'surpass' Aaron eventually, though it's very highly unlikely.
"Hmm. Your movements are hesitant, Xenovia," said a familiar voice. I turned around and saw Aurelia Le Guin.
"Aurelia-sensei…"
She summoned her greatsword [Arcadia] and pointed it at me. "A sparring match should clear some of your doubts. Come," she said and we walked to the middle of the room.
We stood there for a few seconds staring at each other before she dashed towards me. She did several feints and swung her sword at me. I read through them and blocked her attack! Or so it seemed, but I quickly turned around and blocked the real attack as she had appeared behind me and swung her sword down. I barely managed to block it.
"Repetition, good. You remembered that I used this a lot," she told me with a grin.
"You defeated me too many times for me to forget about it!" I shouted back, but—
"…Yet you're still too naïve," she said and 'she' blinked out of existence.
'…?! An afterimage?! So that wasn't the real one…?!' I turned around but was immediately kicked in the back and I crashed to the ground further away. I quickly got up and faced her…calm down, I need to think rationally, don't let His Eminence's words make you hesitate!
"Good, let your instincts take over, but also keep a calm and composed mind!" she shouted at me and I dashed towards her.
We clashed in the middle as sparks flew from our swords. Today—no, it's always been like this, Aurelia-sensei's sword felt heavy. Each time our blades slammed against each other, it felt like she just barely put any power into it—just enough power so I would struggle.
We've never seen them use their full power—though, we rarely did too, the power we gain is more of a reassurance that Aaron wanted to give himself. He didn't want anything like Lavinia's situation to happen again, so he's powering us up, through here or his [Pocket Dimension].
"Your mind's wandering," she said casually and sent several slashes towards me. I countered with my own and they exploded in the middle.
I took the opportunity to dash through the smoke it created and when I arrived at the other side—she was gone. I was expecting her to be there—
"Naïve…!" I felt a dull sensation hit my back as I hurtled towards the ground, crashing into it. I got up but Aurelia-sensei unsheathed her sword. "It seems we need to go over the basics for tonight, Warrior Xenovia," she said with a dangerous glint in her eyes.
"E-eh? W-wait, Aurelia-sensei, I-I'm already—"
"No."
I was forced to do the basics for the rest of our time together. I believe Aaron sent her, or she came here of her own volition, but…I'm thankful either way. Aurelia Le Guin was a mentor to everyone, not just me. This is the same for Lianne and Scathach-Shishō.
…
Yumi Kira's Soliloquy
…
I lied to myself and to everyone. Well…not fully. The hatred for those swords never left me. They were heavily dulled, but they still remained. However, since I saw one of the previous wielders of Excalibur, I wanted to fight him, not kill him.
While I hated it, I wanted to prove…to myself? That I was stronger than it now—even back then, when four were merged together, I overcame it, but now…I'm stronger and I want to see how well I fare against its abilities.
Ewald Cristaldi, he could wield up to three of the Excalibur fragments, but I'm curious what he will use in the upcoming battle? …I won't put it past the Khaos Order is helping them. Maybe he may have several replicas of the Excalibur pieces or…even a replica of Excalibur itself. If so then I'll definitely…
"Your heart is in turmoil, Yuuto. No, I should refer to you as Yumi now, yes?"
I turned around and saw Lianne-sensei. "Lianne-sensei…what are you doing here?" I asked. I was in the back garden of Aaron-senpai's home, and I swung a wooden sword around lightly. I know Xenovia is in the [Training Facility], but I felt powerful clashes earlier that were from Aurelia-san too.
"Ah, yes please call me that. How can I help you?" I asked her and held my sword to my side.
"Is revenge still on your mind?" she asked. As she did the three other Stahlritters appeared behind her. They were in casual clothing, Ines-san, Ennea-san and Duvalie-san.
"…Partially. I can't lie that it's not in my mind," I told her. Lying to Lianne-san would be pointless. She's like Aaron-senpai at times. She can see through it all.
"Then how about you take your mind off such things and spar with Duvalie?" she suggested. Duvalie was shocked but then stood in front of me and summoned her own wooden sword.
"I won't take no for an answer, Kira," Duvalie declared.
"…Very well, I wish to blow off some steam," I replied and we got into our positions. It seemed like Lianne-san was going to be the arbiter.
Duvalie-san, also known as Duvalie the Swift, she's confident in her speed, but like all of Aaron-senpai's [Electa], I don't know their full power, so I don't know how fast Duvalie-san can get. A few people referred to my own speed as 'God speed', but compared to them…
"Begin!" shouted Lianne-san. Duvalie-san didn't hesitate as she immediately appeared in front of me and thrust her sword towards my head.
She was moving at a speed I could follow, so I blocked the attack! But…I felt my shoulder and cheek be hit with something and I jumped away. 'She hit me even after I blocked it…? I know I could do the same thing, but I didn't see her change her movements…' then it hit me. 'Did she increase her speed for a very small fraction of a second to where I could see it…?!'
Duvalie-san smirked at me, maybe she saw how I came to the conclusion? She didn't stop there as she dashed towards me again and our wooden swords collided with each other. We held back, even though this place was reinforced by Aaron's powers, we didn't want to cause unnecessary damage to the pool and seating area.
Each time I blocked her attack, I would feel some of her attacks tap me on my body. She was definitely enjoying this, but I wasn't frustrated by it, strangely enough. I sent a slash towards her and Duvalie-san twirled around as it got closer to her, and to my surprise, using her sword she sent it back to me. I sent another one to cancel it, and she appeared in front of me.
But I was aiming for this, I saw her do the same move to many of us in the 100 years we spent with each other, so I used my speed to appear in front of her and sent a strike at her stomach. It wasn't anything power, but enough to make her feel it.
She looked at me in surprise, and her two teammates snickered at him.
"For all the teasing you gave Yumi-chan, you finally got hit~" Ennea said while stifling her laughter.
"…You shouldn't have become cocky, Duvalie," added Ines-san.
Duvalie-san's face turned red as she glared at me. Seeing as how her fighting spirit increased, I prepared for an outburst…and I was right. She disappeared from her spot and so did I. Our wooden swords struck each other and numerous cracks appeared on them.
The more we did, the more cracks appeared and we knew they were going to destroy themselves soon enough, but even though she was embarrassed, she didn't take it too far as she still kept her power and speed under control.
However, I heard her mumbling to herself, but I couldn't make out what.
"That's enough." Once we heard those words, we stopped. Duvalie-san turned her back on me and unsummoned her sword.
I fell down to the ground and sighed. I wasn't expecting to be pushed that far after being asked to do a short but casual sparring match. But it did work since my mind was taken off those thoughts and feelings, and I instead felt emotionally and mentally exhausted because I had to keep up—wait a minute…d-did she do that on purpose…?
"Duva—"
"Get your head out of your ass, Yumi Kira. I don't want you embarrassing my master's master," she said before leaving. Both Ines-san and Ennea-san laughed at Duvalie before they followed her inside.
Lianne-san walked over to me and crouched down. "How are you feeling now?" she asked.
"Fine…exhausted in more ways than one. But…Duvalie-san helped me in her own way, right? She's what you call a 'tsundere', isn't she?" I asked and Lianne-san smiled.
"Yes, I suppose you can call her that. However, please don't recklessly charge into the battle you're having in a few days. As you said before, you are Rias Gremory's sword [Knight] and ace. Don't throw away your life for the sake of revenge. It would also betray the promise you made to Aaron," she told me and got up. "I will leave you to your own devices then."
I sat there thinking about what she had just told me. I did promise those things to them, but old memories and feelings welled up once more. But I have to keep it, so until the day of the challenge comes…I'll just meditate and get rid of any and all doubts I have in me…
…
Irina Shidou's Soliloquy
…
Seeing Cristaldi-sensei again made me both happy and sad. I was happy to see him again after a long time, he did train both me and Xenovia, along with many others in the church. Like Dulio-san and Sister Griselda.
I know I have to fight him again, and we know that Xenovia will most likely face His Eminence Strada by herself since it's a personal battle—she needs his approval for his and for [Durandal] to accept her, whatever that means…
I know Yumi-chan wants to fight Cristaldi-sensei too since he was the previous wielder of three Excalibur fragments. I have [Hauteclere] and I plan on using it against him. Yumi might use his Holy-Demonic swords as well as [Ascalon] that Aaron gave her.
Sona-senpai's peerage will also be helping us along with Dulio-san and Sister Griselda. Aaron's group and Rias' group will be helping Xenovia fight His Eminence Strada. I feel like I'm both ready and not ready. A lot of things are going to happen but…
The interaction between His Eminence Strada and Aaron was strange. It seemed like they came to an understanding which left me and many others confused, but he has to have his reasons.
"Is something troubling you, Irina?"
I looked up to see Ayelet-san, one of Aaron's [Electa]. I think she was the one he rescued during one of the attacks on the Shinto realm. She was part of the Evie and was formally a human turned into a machine.
"Ayelet-san…um I was just thinking about the upcoming fight and how I'll deal with my former teacher," I told her.
She sat down beside me and nodded. We stayed like that for a few seconds before she said, "Before I became the Goddess of Swords in my universe and planet, I was just another person wanting to become stronger. I had a master too."
We didn't hear anything about Ayelet-san's past, so…I was very interested, so I listened carefully.
"I like duel-wielding and I have taught Yumi and Xenovia how to properly do so over the last few months and 50 years. Anyway, I mastered the way of the sword through my master. She was…a very powerful lady. She had the title of Goddess of Swords before I did."
"D-did you…?" I was hesitant to ask, but she laughed and shook her head.
"She died because of a disease and a duel. She had suffered from that disease for the majority of her life. She never told me until it was too late—on her deathbed. She had looked the same as ever, so there were no signs of it on the outside, so when she lost her duel that way, I was shocked."
"So that was when she revealed her illness to you?" I asked.
"Yes, that was when I found out. I was both heartbroken and angry at her. Sad that she was dying because she was a mother figure to me, but angry that she didn't trust me enough to tell me such a secret…I told her words that day I still regret even till now," she said in a sorrowful tone.
"I told her I hated her for not trusting me enough and that I would seek revenge. She tried to tell me otherwise, but I was young and emotional. So I buried her a few days later, and held a small funeral. I was the only one who attended since she was estranged from her family. For the next six years I trained and trained. I polished my technique and grew stronger." She looked up at the ceiling and sighed.
"Then I found the person who took my master's life and challenged them to a duel to the death. They accepted because they knew I was coming for them—they heard me declare that I would get revenge that day, and so…we dueled."
"It was a very difficult fight. I received many near-fatal wounds, but in the end I was victorious. Yet…the words they left me with haunted me for a long time. They said, 'Now that you got your revenge…what will you do with your life?' At the time I didn't have an answer. I just stared blankly at him."
I didn't think something like that would happen to her. "S-so what did you do after that?" I asked a bit hesitantly.
"I became a wanderer. Unlike before, I didn't have any goals in mind. I simply wandered from place to place, ate, slept and repeated this for at least two years. Until I came across one of his students, who also wanted revenge…"
"…But they were weak. They challenged me too early and I killed them. They begged me to save them, but I didn't. I think they were just 14 years old at that point. I took the life of a child so young, so…I began to think more about my situation."
"I knew I couldn't bring the dead back, so…I decided to become a master and atone that way. I set up a small dojo-like place and anyone who came to me for training, I would do my best to help them. For the first few years I did it out of obligation, but eventually I fell to love it. Part way through that, I started getting challenges from warriors all over my universe."
"I eventually became known throughout my planet and…eventually gained the title my master once held. But…then everything came crumbling down when the Evie came and slaughtered the organic life in our universe—they didn't spare anyone, not even children."
"On what I thought was my deathbed, my thoughts went back to my master, and how I couldn't apologize to her, make amends, and tell them that they were a great influence on my life…Irina Shidou, whatever feelings you have towards your master, Ewald Cristaldi, don't let them consume you. I believe Ewald Cristaldi, Vasco Strada and Teodoro Legrenzi are doing this for a reason."
She sighed and patted my back hard. "Ahhh, but what do I know? The past is the past, don't let it get you so down, just like what Aaron-sama is doing, keep on moving forward with your life. Maybe through the clash of your blades…you might come to find out the real reason for this rebellion from him, hmm?"
She flashed me a smile before walking away while waving her hand at me. "Reasons…" I mumbled and looked at my hand.
…
????
Jin Skyward's Soliloquy
…
"…Mmm? Where the…oh, it's that place aga—"
"Aaron…where are we?"
"Eh? Lavinia, Aaron?"
"…?"
Alerted, I turned to my left and saw Lavinia, to my right was Suzaku and…I turned around and saw Velgrynd!
What the…those three…all three of the 'Fated Ones' were here. Well, I was missing one more and it seems like the final one wasn't here since I hadn't found them yet, or at least it hadn't been confirmed by Cúntóir. I shook my head and explained where this was and we had to hurry since we'd have a limited time here. I wanted to ask Velgrynd several questions, but decided to do that later.
We rushed towards the large tree protruding into the sky and once we arrive near it, we saw…three people this time. I knew two of them, Chimune Chipotle the Goddess of Breasts, and Siphaenien one of the Breast Fairies. The other one was…I used [Observe] on her and she was called Elphina, a Breast General from Chichigami's Breast Faction.
"It's been a while, Chichigami, Siphaenien, and…someone called Elphina?" I greeted them.
"…It's been a while, Oppai Dragon. I see that you brought three of your lovers," said Chimune.
Velgrynd frowned and turned away, though she sported a small blush.
"Yeah…so what did you come here for? Did something happen?" I asked her.
"We have been trying to contact you for quite some time now, however, tonight we finally managed to break through," she explained. "To put it simply…we have come across some trouble that is associated with the Evie faction. We're losing more and more of our armies and factions. If this keeps up, we will perish. We would like your help if possible…"
I wasn't expecting to go there until I evolved but…I nodded. "Alright, I can send three of my subordinates and a shadow soldier to help. After that, if you need more assistance, you can ask them to contact me," I told them.
Both Chichigami and Siphaenien looked relieved. However, the woman/elf called Elphina glared at me. Her hostility was quite apparent.
"Is something wrong?" I asked her, but got no response. I can assume she hates me, or men in general then…? I feel a bit of déjà vu since I saw a bit of Áine in her.
Chimune grabbed my arm and pulled me away. "She…has a bad past with the opposite sex, like many of the women in my faction. While they're not as extreme as hers, they have a distrust of men, but I have tried to ease them into meeting you."
"I see…but what about Siphaenien? She looked fine with me," I asked.
"She…is doing it for the betterment of the Etoulde faction," she said awkwardly.
…So she's doing it because she has to and not because she wants to. I feel like there's a lot more things going on behind the scenes. "I understand. Hopefully they'll be more okay with me once they start getting to know me the stronger our alliance is," I told her and walked back to them.
"Nice seeing you again, Siphaenien. I take it you're…well?" I asked and she happily nodded. I hadn't noticed from before, but she was a bit nervous being around me. Her acting really fooled me before.
I stared at her and thought about whom I might send there. First…the shadow soldier…the girls should be fine now and I've kept certain shadow soldiers in their shadows for months now doing nothing. I'll go with Igris then. He's been in Akeno's shadow for months. Next are the [Electa], I think Ayelet would want to go so she can get some revenge on the Evie. I'll send Yanuyo with her, then finally…Kei. This should be fine. I plan on sending her there eventually…
"Is something wrong?" she asked.
"Can I touch your ears?" I asked back and she blushed but agreed in the end. As I went to try touch her ears, Elphina's hand stopped me.
"You don't have the right to touch her," she told me.
"I-it's fine, Elphy, I gave him permission…" Siphaenien tried to deescalate the situation, but Elphina tried to crush my hand, while it didn't feel like anything since she grabbed the [Infinity] between her and I.
"Elphina, that's enough," Chimune said firmly, and the angry elf let go of my hand. Siphaenien looked at my hand and was surprised it wasn't injured. As she was about to ask me, I gently caressed her elf-ear making her yelp.
"I-I-I'm fine!" she shouted in a panic. "It just came as a surprise; I didn't think you'd keep trying after that happened…" she said and grabbed my wrist gently.
"Nah, it's fine. She didn't touch me directly…your ears are soft though. I saw some elves in my own universe, but never got to touch their ear…does that make me weird?" I asked. I did like elves; I mean I did freak out when I first went to the Faerie Kingdom.
As I caressed her ears, much to the jealousy of Lavinia and Suzaku, I turned to Chimune and asked, "Is there anything else you want help with, or do you want to tell my subordinates about it in person before telling me?"
"I—"
As she went to tell me, the same rumbling began, indicating that our time here was up. However, I was surprised that it was a lot shorter this time around.
"…I knew this would happen, the trouble we mentioned—another god is interfering, we don't know who but it made contacting you difficult. I will tell your subordinates…please take this, it's a vague estimation of our universe, hopefully they'll find it," Chimune told me and handed me a letter.
I had gotten a lot of these lately. "I see, thank you, and hopefully they will arrive relatively quickly. Ah, my subordinates' names are Igris, Ayelet, Yanuyo and…Kei," I told her and she nodded.
"Yes. Thank you again and we will try to contact you again if possible!" she shouted before disappearing.
"Vel—"
"Save it. I'm not done yet. I know you wouldn't like me randomly destroying things, so I haven't been doing that. Or if you're asking about Ivonos and Sveiva I didn't come across them or Lapis and Ghidorah," she said while putting her arms up.
I'll assume Cúntóir informed her of all that. "I see, well thanks and keep at it. We'll hopefully see you soon," I told her and put a hand on her head. To my surprise she didn't swat it away, she only looked away.
…
The next day arrived and both Lavinia and Suzaku asked me about it, so I told them about whom those were, and they understood. I also sent those four out into the multiverse. I had no idea how long they'd be away or how long it'd take them to reach the universe of Evie Etoulde.
However, that day nothing eventful happened. Everyone prepared for the upcoming battle in their own way, and another day passed. But this time, something happened. We had an unexpected visitor.
It was Tannin, the former Dragon King. He had teleported to the front entrance hallway and I was called by Risette.
"Dual Dragon Emperor, Rias Gremory…I came for a favor," he told us in his mini-dragon form.
"Shoot," I told him and he nodded.
"My role is mainly for the sake of the dragons that come from the human world seeking peace, and there's one in particular called the [Spectre Dragon] which is a rare species. It recently laid an egg," he explained.
"I heard Spectre Dragons are quite rare, aren't they?" I asked and Rias, who was beside me excitedly nodded in agreement.
"That's correct. That's why this egg that's been laid has brought a lot of hope. However, the incubation and hatching of [Spectre Dragon] eggs are very difficult. The Underworld's environment has very adverse effects on the egg of a [Spectre Dragon]. If this process continues on, the egg may decay before it's able to hatch."
"Then I can create a space beneath my home. It'll be safer than the rest of Kuoh. I can adjust its environment to be the most suitable for that egg," I told him.
Tannin looked surprised by this suggestion and asked, "Are you sure? I was originally going to ask Rias Gremory for permission to use Kuoh's underground for the egg."
"It's fine, this place is the safest place in Kuoh, maybe even in our universe. So I insist, you don't mind, right, Rias?" I asked and she agreed.
"Yes, it would be more suitable here. With the new room that Jin will make it would be even more ideal for the [Spectre Dragons] egg," she replied. "How long do you think it will hatch?"
"If it's in the human world, it should be faster than expected. The Spectre Dragon's egg has already been in a location which wasn't ideal prior to coming here."
"Yeah then I'll get right to it. Come with me."
"I'm sorry again and thank you in advance."
Rias and I took Tannin to an entirely different section of my home. It was a floor before the room that powered my entire household, so when we entered it… 'Ah, right…Crom Cruach insisted on using this place for the time being…'
"Crom Cruach? One of the Evil Dragons? Why is he down here?" Tannin asked. I awkwardly laughed and told him about Crom's strange preferences and he sighed. "I see. Hello there, Crom Cruach."
"…Dragon King Tannin," he replied and looked at us. "…Spectre Dragon egg?" he asked while looking at the egg Tannin carried.
We told him the situation and he nodded his head and began eating bananas again. Usually he's training in the [Training Facility], out somewhere else or down here. I guess he's done with the other two activities.
I expanded the room to accommodate for the egg and also Crom's own space. Once that was done, I added everything Tannin listed off for the best possible environment for this egg to hatch into.
"Since we have plenty of dragons here, I'll inform the others, so if they want to come take a look or even look after it…"
"That's fine, most dragons, and I even believe the Dragon God of Infinity will be gentle with it," explained Tannin. He turned to us and thanked us again. "Thank you again. I will take my leave then. I have other things to take care of, but I will visit from time to time."
"Sure thing, you know the way so you won't get lost."
He nodded again and teleported away. We glanced at Crom and saw him staring at the egg curiously while eating a banana. What surprised me about him was…that he hadn't asked me to fight him yet. I expected it to happen sooner or later, but so far…nothing.
…
Another day passed, one more day before the showdown with the Church's group that rebelled. I was currently at school, but decided to sneak into the other room where Xenovia was practicing her speech with Aika's help.
I turned myself invisible and snaked in. Once in the room I sat on a chair and undid my invisibility. "How's it going?" I asked.
"Uwwaaa?!" Aika jumped out of her seat and stared at me in shock. "…Ugh, Jin-senpai please don't do that. Even if I know about you guys already, magic and all that is still new to me, ah! Your foreign girlfriend is teaching me too!"
She's already learning magic, huh? She's learning a lot earlier than she should be, but…well, it's not like it matters too much…
"I know Lavinia's an excellent teacher so you and Mil-Tan are in good hands," I told her.
"Uwaa…look at that, so much trust in his lover!" she said and hugged herself.
Xenovia ignored us as she kept on repeating line after line in her speech. She was so focused that she didn't join in our antics. I got up from my seat and sat beside Aika who had become startled once again.
"S-senpai, you're not hitting on me, are you…?!" she asked shocked.
Ignoring her weird question, I asked, "What do you think of devils running the school?"
A school that had been mainly ran by the supernatural, from all kinds of factions have gathered here in this town. For Aika who was until recently still a normal girl…she's finally involved in it, albeit not that much, but she still is helping Xenovia who's a reincarnated devil.
She held her chin with her finger and looked to be thinking about it. She suddenly said, "You know, the existence of devils itself is something which defies common sense. Like seriously, all this stuff about magic and the supernatural is exhausting the more you think about it."
"But that stuff...there's no way Hanakai-san or Xenovia are evil, right? I mean even if they're trying to run for Student Council, they don't have plans for confining us and eating us. They're not dictating the school nor are they trying to lure us into darkness, right?"
"That being said, I don't see a difference between me, them or any other student. Humans and devils may be different species, but they fundamentally follow the same values and principles as human society."
"Maybe we should say that we need to get stronger, or that we should be thankful for not being killed. Anyway, maybe the devils that are powerful will come to protect us in a dire situation, or you can do it. I mean, you're a bigshot yourself, aren't you? Dual Dragon Emperor-sama~?" she asked teasingly and poked at my chest.
"In addition, I am friends with both Xenovia and Asia, both of whom are devils. Irina is an angel, the rest of the Occult Research Club are devils, and you are a dragon god! Even if I know all your identities, nothing has changed. At least I think so. Besides, none of you can be bad, especially those keep helping the students, like Former President Sona, Irina, Asia, Xenovia, and you."
I didn't think Aika had such a view on all of this only a few weeks after finding out about everyone. She may be a pervert, but…she means well. The fact that she still sees them as her friends, I'm thankful for it.
"Senpai, you're overthinking things. Devil or human, they can be good or evil. I mean I've certainly seen a lot of evil in humans too you know?" she asked and laughed.
I instinctively reached out and stroked her head which made her freeze up. "Thank you. Please keep being their friend, regardless of who or what they are. Also, Xenovia will be depending on you from now on."
She showed me a goofy smile and gave me a thumbs up. "Leave it to me, Jin-senpai! I'll do my best."
I nodded again and said goodbye to them. I left the clubroom and walked away. I, who was once a normal human from another universe, became a dragon god-human hybrid, then an outer god, and soon enough I'll be something else.
Maybe the 'peace' I sought was something 'false' because I only did it because I wanted to get a harem for myself. However, now that dream and desire for peace had become very real. I look forward to evolving if it means I can create that peace. Even if there are some casualties…I have to at least make some sacrifices, but if I don't have to, I'll take that too.
A peaceful and happy life with everyone I care about, that's all I want.
…
"…Phew…" I left the [Pocket Dimension] I created as I spent around 20 years in there training with another Sacred Gear of mine. Whether or not I keep it or dismiss it…I wasn't sure yet, but I'd like the future decide.
I looked around and sighed. I forgot I did this in the underground swimming pool. I didn't want to get in anyone's way, so this place was usually deserted at night, so I came here. It seemed like only around 10 minutes had passed, so those 20 years weren't wasteful.
[He's still sulking, even after you beat him,] said Elsha.
{Ignore them they're idiots at times,} added Amaris.
'Well, I am going to use an entirely separate Sacred Gear that isn't the [Boosted Gear], [Divine Dividing], [Abyss Extinction] or [Demon Armor: Incursio]. So I can understand why they're a bit upset with me,' I replied to the previous wielders.
I walked over to the other end of the pool and let my legs dangle into the water. I changed into some swimming trunks and closed my eyes. Tomorrow would be the showdown and everyone should be ready.
Aurelia along with Lianne will be participating, the Stahlritter will be patrolling Kuoh without her help. I plan on making a replica of Kuoh again and bring everyone in it just like I did with Darcel. At least with this, no normal human will be hurt.
I've been stumped about what final requirement I need for my last bit of my evolution. Cúntóir, after the Halloween operation told me I was at least 85% there, meaning I was 15% away from reaching it. At the same time, I remembered what Akeno had told me just before the Peace Conference. I had to apparently 'admit' something. I wasn't entirely sure of what though…
'As soon as I evolve, I can enact my plan and bring that peace I want,' I thought and sighed again.
[But you're already aware, because of this incident that not everyone will be happy because of the peace you're pursuing. Every person, no matter if they're a human, a devil, or even a dragon, will have a different upbringing, which will also influence their values and experiences. Naturally, there will be disagreements. You can only hope that the grudges between each faction won't grow larger because of what you're doing.]
'Yet there are still people and groups that just want destruction, regardless of what they think. The Khaos Order is my prime example. They simply want to rule with an iron thumb. They don't care about the weaker ones because they're simply weak,' I replied to Elsha.
But as I finished saying those words, Vali's words from a few months ago echoed in my mind.
'This might be what you call peace, but there are people who have suffered as a result.'
I looked up at the ceiling and sighed again. I feel like I've been sighing a lot. I'll deal with whoever is against this peace one person or group at a time. I've chosen this path for this universe and this version of the Draconic Deus. I can't start doubting it now. I have to keep pushing forward. If billions are happy and a few thousand or millions aren't…I'm fine with that.
I finally got up and decided to leave the pull. As I did, I came across a person…it was Xenovia wearing only a T-shirt.
"Huh? Aaron? What are you doing here?" she asked also confused.
"I was done with my own training and I was teleported here, what about you?" I replied and asked her back.
"I just came here for a swim. I do this from time to time," she replied and went up to one of the diving platforms. Once up there…she took her top off, proving to me she was fully naked. I did see a bit of hair earlier, but I was still skeptical.
Before I could say any more, she dove into the water in all of her naked glory. I didn't think Xenovia was into skinny dipping. She started to swim around the pool in a freestyle.
"Swimming nude feels very unrestrictive," she suddenly said and then swam around three extra laps as I watched on. She suddenly swam over to me and pulled herself halfway out of the water.
"Aaron…"
"Hmm?"
She suddenly asked seriously, "…I can surpass them, right? I can surpass President Sona and His Eminence Strada, right?"
The two opponents that Xenovia had to beat soon, both of them were formidable opponents. In more ways than one.
She continued. "…I always thought that if I had to do it, then I had to do it in a way that surpasses the predecessors. You even told us to do so. Whether it's as a warrior or as a student of Kuoh Academy."
She sounded uneasy, yet her eyes held strong unwavering determination. She was definitely the 'If I'm going to do it, I'm going to win' type of mentality...oh, right. I already know the answer, but I may as well ask her.
"That reminds me, I haven't asked the reason why you want to become the Student Council President," I said to her. Xenovia became silent for a while as she looked at the water below her. She then gave me an answer.
"…This is the first school that I've attended since I was born. Since I started attending school here, I've never felt bored. Chatting with classmates during class, in breaks, club activities, class activities, school trips, all of them were very new and exciting to me. I'm truly very happy."
"Aaron, I really like this school. I truly think that it's possible to have such a meaningful place in this world. So I…want to give something back in return. No, I want to leave something behind at this school. That's why I naturally thought about becoming the Student Council President, to give my all for this school," she told me quite earnestly.
I…see…she really liked this school, huh? Though if I did looked at her circumstances, it made sense. A girl raised to be a warrior, got entangled in my mess and started attending this school. She finally got to act like a girl her age, make normal friends, and live a normal life for the most part.
She was always so active after all. Helping out clubs, doing all sorts of things to liven her day, and the people around her. No wonder she has a lot of support and fans from the first years. They're basically the new 'sheep' of the place and she helped them in all sorts of ways.
I never felt anything for school, well, I don't think I did. With the limited things I knew about my previous life, I probably hated it after a certain point. But…I can understand Xenovia's sentiment. I also love Kuoh Academy and everyone in it.
My normal school days were very enjoyable thanks to everyone in them, especially those in my own classroom. The guys even if they were a bit extreme at times, and especially my two friends Higuro and Kikijo.
Xenovia seemed to have come to a conclusion. "…Oh, now I get it. It would be an excellent idea to say this to everyone. There's basically nothing difficult to understand in this so-called speech. Regardless of what's said, there's still the battle—"
She then extended her hand to me and said, "Pull me up, Aaron."
I played along and stretched my hand out, but at that instant, Xenovia grabbed my hand and forcibly pulled me into the pool. I could have stopped it, but I didn't. We both emerged from the water, but we had already started kissing at that point. Xenovia was the one who initiated it.
She pulled away and laughed. "Is that my…twentieth or twenty-first kiss from you?" she asked.
"I dunno, I lost count of the number of times we kissed while in the [Pocket Dimension]," I replied as we kept on hugging while in the swimming pool.
She closed her eyes and bumped her forehead against mine and said, "…I'm serious about you now. I may have wanted just babies from you at the start, but…whether it's about being Student Council President or being in love—I'm serious!"
She looked at me and with tear-filled eyes and added, "The reason I was able to have this current way of life…was all thanks to Former President Rias, Asia, Irina, as well as my other friends and...you. But there are still so many things that I want to do, and all of them will be possible because you're by my side, Aaron."
"I never thought I would have such happiness in my life prior to meeting you. But with you and everyone in it…I just love it. You're the first and will definitely be the last man to give me such things in life. Please make me immortal. I want to be with you for the rest of my life. I'll follow you and want to be there when you become the next 'Ruler'."
I was about to say, 'Are you sure?' but seeing how serious she was…I agreed with her, kissed her again and turned her immortal.
She suddenly held my cheeks with both her hands. It felt like what Griselda did with her a lot. "You have found your path, and I need to find my own. Many others already did too with a bit of your help, so please support me too."
She gave me one last kiss before letting go and turning around. "Now I'm motivated! I'm going to do a few more laps! You can go ahead and leave, sorry for pulling you in," she said and swam away.
I chuckled to myself and floated back up to the side of the pool. I wanted to say a few things to her, but seeing her this happy and having her own perspective being widened like that. But then Vali's words echoed in my mind again, but—
'Vali, there are people that also feel happiness as a result of the peace that I pursue you know? Xenovia is one of the examples…I also want you to be part of that happiness in the future.'
I walked away from the spot before telling her to go to sleep soon because we had a battle to attend tomorrow.
…
The day of the battle finally arrived. We skipped school today so we could prepare. I also got into contact with Vasco Strada along with Michael and Azazel, and we decided to set this up a certain way. Vasco also slyly told me that the Khaos Order may appear, so I was able to prepare for that too.
In the meeting room of my home, all the groups that were going to participate in this battle were ready. Azazel then approached us.
"Listen up, this time you're going up against the Church's rebellion group. The location was built by Jin in advance, the place was designed after the Rating Games, and it's also a replica of Kuoh. You'll be transported there via a magic circle. The other side has accepted this due to Jin, Michael and I approached them. Don't underestimate them, this battle will be intense."
Sona added, "It's scheduled to start at midnight. Our opponents will be using a magic circle drawn up by Jin, so they'll be transported to the same place—the replica of Kuoh."
"Normally I would be skeptical about this, but since it was made by Jin-senpai, then I'm okay with it…though it's strange that they would accept it like this. Couldn't Jin-senpai set it up for them to teleport straight to prison?" asked Saji.
"Hmm. Even if we did that, the other side wouldn't have been satisfied, the opposite would have happened, and they would have become even more enraged if we did such a thing—the rebellion would probably erupt into them attacking anyone from the alliance indiscriminately. Michael and I considered it, but in the end, we decided to trust in Jin's decision," explained Azazel.
The only choice we had was to accept, and I did that in advance knowing how it would…partially work out. I got the heads-up from Vasco that the Khaos Order was definitely involved, and I already planned accordingly. I had Rossweisse implant her new sealing technique into this replica of Kuoh, so escape was impossible when combined with my own sealing technique. If not, I'll just brute force it and cut out their powers from them.
"The opponent will be splitting up their forces into two squadrons. Ewald Cristaldi and Vasco Strada will lead each squad," I told them. "Dulio the [Joker] will be leader for squad one on our side. He'll be accompanied by Griselda, Irina, the [Brave Saints] and the Sitri group."
I glanced at Saji. Originally, he'd fight with the Gremory group against Vasco, but they'll be fine on their own. Aurelia's going with them, so I'll have him stay with his peerage this time around.
"So, the Gremory peerage, my group, the Norse group, the Irish group and Aurelia will be facing against Vasco Strada. Ah, Lianne will also accompany Dulio's group," I added, but Saji raised his hand.
"What about you, Jin-senpai?" he asked a few shared a few nods at his question.
"My group will accompany you, that's Raynare, Inaie, Grayfia, Ingvild, Valerie, Raiko and Rose. I'll be acting as support this time around, so Lavinia, Le Fay and Kuroka will be with me," I replied.
The Slash/Dog Team along with the Pleiades and Elyscia will be on standby in the real Kuoh, and the Stahlritter will be patrolling the entire city during this battle.
"…May I go to Former President Sona's side?" Yumi asked with her hand raised.
"Because of Excalibur, right?" Azazel asked and Yumi nodded.
"Vasco Strada has a replica of Durandal that he received from an unknown source, while Ewald Cristaldi received a replica of the complete Excalibur, although according to him, it's not as powerful as the original," said Azazel as he stared at me.
I shrugged. "It must have been created by the Khaos Order and given to them…"
"Or it could have been made by the Church. I heard that after they gathered all seven fragments, they had been trying to create a replica of the original Excalibur. Although its power is less than a fifth of the original," said Rias.
"Yes. In that case, His Eminence Strada should have received a replica of Durandal. I don't believe the Khaos Order or Jin was responsible for providing them with those weapons," explained Griselda.
"…Please let me fight him. This isn't for revenge, but to prove to myself that I can surpass a completed Excalibur, even if it's just a replica!" Yumi said with strong determination.
"Why not let her do so?" said a voice to my other side. The one who showed up was…Arthur Pendragon. I guess Vali couldn't say no to him since he was also the former user of Excalibur Ruler and he was also from the Pendragon family.
"A swordsman's dedication can only be matched by another swordsman. Isn't that right, Kiba Yuuto-kun? No, should I refer to you as Yumi Kira?" he asked. He then turned to me and Rias. "If Kira is going to the Sitri side, then allow me to participate and face Vasco Strada. I don't plan on replacing you, mind you.
Rias sighed and turned to Sona. "Do you mind, Sona?" she asked.
Sona nodded and said, "Yumi, we'll allow it for this time only. Please settle your feelings regarding Excalibur."
Yumi immediately knelt down to Rias and Sona. "Yes, thank you very much."
Her expression was not only that of gratefulness, I also felt the determination of a warrior from it. Anyone that was looking at Yumi right now could see how serious she was.
However, since she's my friend, I already noticed. Once that conversation concluded, all we had to do was wait until midnight. It was around 11:50 P.M. right now and everyone started talking about certain strategies for certain situations.
Yumi went to lean against a wall as she waited, but I also joined her. "Yumi, can I talk to you for a second?" I asked.
She opened her eyes and looked at me. "…Yes, I don't mind. What is it?"
"I'll be blunt. You're not reverting, are you?" I asked again and stared at her seriously.
She half-heartedly smiled at me and said, "…No. I know that I'm the [Knight] of Rias Gremory and the sword of the Occult Research Club."
I didn't even need my powers to know that she didn't really mean what she said just now. It kind of annoyed me. I breathed in and sighed.
"…Hmm, right. You're definitely the sword…but do you have a scabbard for that sword?" She seemed stunned at what I asked as she stared at me unblinkingly. "You better remember that, alright? You're Rias' [Knight] along with Xenovia. You two can't be replaced."
As I began to turn away, she grabbed my hand, squeezed it tight and placed it on top of her heart (chest). "I already have that scabbard…he's right in front of me. You're an irreplaceable person in my life…I mean, I did become a woman for you…"
"…Let me ask you one more time, are you serious and are you sure?"
"I defi—"
"What if I told you that I found one of your comrades not too long ago, and she would like to meet you in the future," I told her, stunning her yet again.
When Azazel, Michael and I met up with Vasco Strada and Ewald Cristaldi regarding how this was going to be set up…after the meeting Vasco pulled me aside and told me a few things, that he had found Tosca not too long ago. Apparently, he felt powerful auras coming his way, so he broke the Sacred Gear trapping her and fled the scene.
Meaning that both Silva and Zeno were very close to finding her. But it was a relief since he practically gave her to me. She's in one of the unoccupied rooms in my home, I decided to keep this a secret from everyone else for now. I did the same thing to her like what I did to Valerie months ago. I delved into her mind and soul and spoke to her.
She was excited to meet 'Isaiah', but I told her of everything that happened, and also showed her any memories pertaining to Kira. In the end…she was supportive of her decision and would like to get to know the new 'Yumi Kira'. Right now, she's still asleep but she would wake up soon.
"…Yes. I won't change back. My life is dedicated to Rias Gremory and you," she said firmly. "I'd like to meet her in the future too. I'm glad one of my comrades is alive…"
I sighed and scratched the back of my head. "…Fine. I can feel your determination. Don't lose yourself and surpass the Excalibur then…after that, I'll give you a reward. How does that sound?" I asked.
She silently blushed and nodded. I have no idea what she thinks the reward is, but it's just me bringing her to Tosca…
I left Yumi to herself and walked over to Asia who was silently praying with a rosemary out. Ahin, was on her shoulder in his smaller form.
"We'll be fighting against the people from the Church, the rebels…I was just wondering if you…"
She shook her head. "I'll be fine, Aaron. If I can help them overcome this, then I am more than willing to put myself out there and fight."
Two people joined us and it was Shirone and Le Fay. Shirone then said, "I'll have President Asia's back, Aaron."
Le Fay also bowed and added, "Please look after my brother."
Shirone and Asia nodded and said that they'd look out for him. However, they added that he may not need too much help since he's a skilled swordsman.
"I know, but he can be reckless at times when his fighting spirit is drawn out. If he faces Vasco Strada-sama, then there's a chance he won't be too concerned about his own body," explained Le Fay and she bowed again.
I left the three of them as they started speaking to one another. I noticed that Le Fay had started to speak more to everyone in a more casual manner, she stopped using the 'sama' honorific with most of us, but still does for a few. As I walked away, I spotted Xenovia and Irina with their swords.
"Although I don't really want to fight against our comrades, but it can't be helped. I'm going into with the thought of surpassing our former teacher and the holy swords they wield, Xenovia," Irina said enthusiastically.
Xenovia agreed and said, "Right. We need to become worthy wielders and live up to people like Roland who wielded [Durandal] and Oliver who wielded [Hauteclere]."
Both of them appeared to be rather cheerful about the whole thing. After all, they had the honor of being chosen to be the wielders of holy swords. Then Griselda moved towards Xenovia, and suddenly grabbed her cheeks with both hands. Xenovia and I both thought that she had come to say a few words before the battle. However—
"Xenovia, your opponent is His Eminence Strada. You understand this, right?" she asked.
She nodded her head nervously. "Uh-huh. Of course. I-I will fight with respect. I a-absolutely won't be disrespectful," she replied nervously.
Born in the same facility, Griselda was like a sister to Xenovia and someone she had to obey. The sudden question seemed to have puzzled her. As the opponents were related to the Church, she felt some disrespect, and Xenovia could only apologize. Then, Griselda hugged Xenovia in her arms.
"I had to say that first, Xenovia. Do you understand? A woman's power is not in her physical strength as a girl, but it's in her abilities and skills in the household," Griselda told Xenovia.
W-what kind of advice is that? It sounds pretty traditional, although Griselda herself is a bit traditional with all the books she reads about being a good wife…
Xenovia rapidly nodded her head. "O-of course! I-I already know that, I have never once showed the boys in Kuoh academy my trained biceps, only Aaron has seen them! A-also, after I find the true meaning after this battle, I'll improve more as a woman!"
Again, what the hell kind of response is that…?!
"Hmm-hmm, that's slow of you, Xenovia. I already found this ou—"
"You only got fingered a few days ago. I sucked Aaron's thing with Aurelia-sensei and Lianne-sensei before. I think I win, Irina," Xenovia deadpanned and got smacked by Griselda.
"Wha—wai—what the heck are you saying all of a sudden…?!" Irina looked mortified at her friend. Griselda blushed as she recalled what had happened. They then turned to me and I awkwardly looked away.
I don't want any part of this…so I walked away, but I didn't get far as Ravel came to my side.
"Aaron-sama. I have everything ready," she said and handed me a clipboard. When I looked at it they were calculated guesses on where everyone's positions would be in the replica of Kuoh, as well as who would face who at certain points in time.
Ravel had simulated the upcoming battle in her head for the past few days and wrote down every possible scenario that would potentially happen tonight. She had told me she would do this, at the time I was shocked, and tried to persuade her on not doing it, but she ended up doing it regardless. I did, however, give her a cut-off point, so she wouldn't exhaust herself.
"If I had some extra time, I could have added around fifty or sixty more scenarios," she said tiredly.
Jesus Christ, Ravel… I sighed and patted her head while using a soothing technique on her. "This is fine, and thank you for the hard work."
"Ah…yes…thank you…" she said tiredly.
"Go to sleep, leave the rest to us. I'll speak to Latia about the rest," I told her and she immediately fell limp, so I caught her. "…She didn't get that much rest, huh? I really need to be stricter with some of them…"
Around ten minutes later, everyone was ready, and the clock struck midnight. Azazel, Michael, Le Fay, Latia, Lavinia, Kuroka and I would stay back here while the rest of the group would go to the replica.
"That time has arrived…good luck," I told them. "Dulio, I leave them to you as a sub-leader." I fist bumped with him and then clicked my fingers and they were teleported away.
"What are you planning to do?" asked Azazel.
"We'll wait. I'll leave Le Fay, Lavinia and Latia to monitor the entire space I made with Rossweisse. When the time is right, Kuroka and I will join the fight—although I suspect that it'll be nearly done at that point, meaning…"
"The Khaos Order may appear," said Michael.
"Yeah…" I summoned a magic circle in front of us that showed what was happening inside the replica of Kuoh.
…
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