Chapter 18:

"They may not have had a training camp the way the Gremory Peerage did," Ajuka said after he was done explaining the abilities of the magical liquid, "but that does not mean that Riser is without tricks of his own up his sleeve."

The revelation made Minato frown. Phoenix Tears were something he had not been aware of, and this newfound knowledge served to remind him to keep learning of the strange world he found himself in. Even worse, he was troubled by what he heard. A substance capable of healing all but the most critical of wounds. That was quite difficult to face, and it did make Asia's job significantly more important now.

He thought about the implications of Phoenix Tears in Rating Games and said, "surely there must be some restriction of its use. What's to stop a particularly rich Devil, or the Phenexes themselves, from dominating the Rating Game scene by abusing it?"

"Pride," Sirzechs said immediately. "It's kind of like cheating. Most Devils look down on its usage, even if they have the means to procure it before a Game. It leaves a bad taste in everybody's mouth - cheapens the victory, and makes any defeat even more humiliating."

"There is that," Ajuka acknowledged his fellow Satan's statement. "But there are real regulations as well. There is a maximum quantity each Peerage is allowed to bring with them. Two vials."

Minato felt relief wash over him. "That is not so bad then."

"However, the rules do not state anything about producing more during the course of the Game itself."

"That... is quite skewed towards the Phenex's benefit," he said unhappily.

"That is not quite true," Ajuka countered. "Like Rias' Power of Destruction, producing Phoenix Tears is an intrinsic ability of the Phenexes. To deny them the chance to exercise that ability would be akin to forcing them to take a handicap."

Minato couldn't argue against that. Serafall's head suddenly popped into his vision from below, a beaming smile plastered below her sparkling eyes. "Mina-kun, isn't that great? Now both sides have healers! It's going to be so exciting!"

'Great' was not a word he would choose to describe the current situation. Nevertheless, he offered a polite smile at the bouncing Satan. "Yes, Serafall. It seems I may have miscalculated somewhat." Then turning to Ajuka, he asked, "So it is the norm? For Peerages that contain Phenex members to have a steady supply of Tears in Rating Games?"

"No." The Satan's curt answer made Minato arch an eyebrow. "It is common for Phenexes to bring Tears into the Game. Producing them, however, is a different story. It is a complicated and fragile process. Any Phenex capable of doing so under the stress and conditions of a Rating Game deserves the advantage that they are given."

"Riser?"

Sirzechs scoffed. "Unlikely. He is temperamental. Easily distracted. And while he is talented, his strength lies in his ability to manipulate his flames."

"So Ravel," Minato concluded.

Ajuka nodded. "Isn't that right, Lord Phenex?"

The sudden mention caused Minato to turn, where he discovered the blond man had been standing behind him for who-knew-how long. The man wore a look of innocence. "I have no idea what you are talking about, Lord Beelzebub."

"Really?" Ajuka didn't buy it one bit. Turning his tablet to face them, he pointed at the graph on the screen. "The production of Pheonix Tears has seen a sharp increase of a hundred-and-fifty percent in the last three months."

"A coincidence," said Lord Phenex dismissively.

"The Rating Game was confirmed three months ago. Someone's been practicing" continued Ajuka.

"Another coincidence," chuckled Lord Phenex.

Serafall waved the plastic toy wand in her hand, making a circle in the air. When the air began to shimmer, Minato realized that the pink and heart-shaped contraption in her hand was, in fact, not a toy.

"Look," she pointed at the mirage that was beginning to form, "it's Ravel-chan!"

Ajuka frowned. "Serafall, did you just break through my meticulously crafted wards around the Arena just to create that spatio-temporal hyperlink?"

"It's called a Peephole," Serafall pouted unhappily, followed by a very hesitant sounding "...and no?"

"Do you want me to check right now?"

"Fine!" Serafall stomped her foot, and Minato would have found her actions immature if he didn't know what lurked behind that childish mask. "I'll rebuild them after this, and I'll make them better and stronger!"

Sighing, Ajuka seemed to find that response satisfying enough and finally shifted to take a look at the 'Peephole' Serafall had conjured. Minato took this as an opportunity to crane his neck to get a closer look as well.

They had a bird's eye view of the Principal's office. The furniture inside had all been pushed against the walls, leaving a very large space in the center. The room was not empty, and a large and intricate magic circle had been vandalized onto the polished wooden floor.

There were two people - he couldn't identify their features well enough - guarding the door. The third was a blonde girl sitting cross-legged in the center of the circle. Her distinctive Phenex hair was tied into curly pig-tails that reached her shoulders. She was completely still, and even the movements of breathing could not be distinguished. Meditation. He was more than familiar with the practice and the calm, stoic expression on Ravel Phenex's face was something that could commonly be seen on his own.

And then he saw it. A tiny glint in the corner of the girl's closed eyes. A lone tear that rolled down her cheek and hung from her chin.

Drip

And then it fell, into an ornate chalice Minato had not seen earlier between her legs. The sigils that decorated the floor below her glowed with arcane power, and the liquid that was in the cup began to emit an orange glow. Within seconds, it was over, and everything returned back to normal. Throughout the whole process, Ravel Phenex had not moved, and even when she was done, she remained motionless. Instead, one of the guards, a petite green-haired girl, cautiously walked towards the center, making erratic strides to avoid stepping on any of the lines. She bent downwards, collecting the cup of Phoenix Tears and replacing it with a new one.

"She can repeat the process every three minutes," Lord Phenex said proudly. "Rias and her ragtag group of friends don't stand a chance."

With a wave of her hand, Serafall cancelled the link and the magical window disappeared. Ajuka paused for a moment, as if trying to recall every detail he had seen from the short glimpse. Then he began to type furiously into his computer.

Minato felt the need to defend the Gremory Peerage - they were his students after all, and he felt no small sense of pride in their progress. "Rias will win. Three minutes is more than enough time to defeat Riser's Peerage."

"Bold words, human. Let's see you back them up." Lord Phenex said in an almost-sneer.

He shrugged, then pointed at the screen that displayed the fight between Koneko and the Nekomata twins.

"Look."

Koneko cackled manically, then immediately stopped herself.

"Oops," she said in embarrassment, "I almost went overboard with the Senjutsu there."

"Almost went overboard," one of her opponents, the one with red hair and red gloves, panted exhaustively, "she's been throwing tree trunks at us and manipulating roots and branches to stab us, and only now she thinks she's gone a little overboard."

Her twin sister, a bluer version of her who wore an equally scandalous sailor outfit that exposed her midriff, nodded her head shakily. "Senjutsu is scary, nya!"

They were covered with wounds. Their revealing clothes were torn and ripped all over the place, causing more skin to be shown than hidden beneath the cloth. She could see Issei ogling at them as he wiped the drool from his chin.

Disgusting Pervert.

"After all that's happened, you still dare to use Senjutsu?"

Koneko looked up. The red Nekomata was shaking. Out of fear or anger, she did not know. She sharpened her focus towards her. The ability to read hearts was definitely useful. She took a step back when she realized it was neither fear nor anger.

"Out of all of us," the red-haired twin raised a unsteady finger. "I thought you would be the one to understand. You were there, weren't you? You're her sister!"

It was betrayal.

Koneko's heart skipped a beat.

"Do you even know what Kuroka did to the rest of us?"

Of course she knew. She'd been slated for execution, and it had only been the Gremorys' last minute intervention that she was still alive today. But till today, the death of a Pillar Head at the hands of a Senjutsu-wielding Nekomata was still a fresh wound on Devil Society.

"Our mother died because of your sister!"

Koneko flinched. She knew there was distrust. She knew there was discrimination. She even knew there were murders.

"If it weren't for Riser-sama's kindness..."

"The day we joined his Peerage, my sister and I made a vow. We swore that we would never touch the accursed power that is Senjutsu. Swore that we would never betray the trust Riser-sama gave us. Swore that we would never dishonor the Nekomata name."

"It seems you made no such vow, Toujou Koneko. You're just like your sister."

Slowly, she began to expel the Senjutsu out of the system.

A snapped arm. Bruised ribs. Injuries she had not noticed earlier, but could see as clear as day now. Injuries that she had inflicted. Oh dear heavens, she didn't even know how far she'd gone. This was Kuroka all over again. She was going to end up just like her sister.

"Enough."

The twins stopped. Koneko felt a warm and reassuring presence wash over her as somebody placed an arm on her shoulder. She looked up. Crimson red hair cascaded down a gorgeous face. A dazzling smile accompanied by a pair of brilliant green eyes greeted her.

"Koneko-chan," her King's voice soothed her. "I trust you too, okay? So just keep doing whatever you feel you need to do. I'll always believe in you."

Rias trusted her. She had always known that. But there was a pang of hurt in her chest. Back when she was still training with Tamamo, when she'd stabbed Rias in her mind.

She couldn't bear to remember that. She didn't deserve Rias' trust. She wasn't worthy of her King's devotion. Even though she had embraced Senjutsu, a small part of her was still terrified of losing control.

And if she ever did go on a destructive rampage, it would only prove to the world that her species was not to be trusted.

Koneko looked up to Rias. At this point, she'd been with Rias longer than she had with Kuroka. It seemed like it was only yesterday when they first met, when Rias had loudly complained to her brother while pointing to her, "this isn't the pet I wanted!"

She resisted the urge to giggle at the memory. They'd grown up together, laughed and cried together, and it hurt her deeply that her anchor could not be her King.

Rias was her King. She was Rias' Piece. All she did, all she existed for, it was all for the girl called Rias Gremory. And Koneko would be damned if she didn't do all she could to protect her King.

Steadily she stood up, patting the dirt off her skirt. Maybe Ni and Li (she still didn't know who was who) were right. Maybe she was like her sister. Maybe she'd go on a murderous rampage some time in the future.

That didn't mean she, Toujou Koneko, was wrong.

Kuroka had done it to protect Shirone. She didn't know the specifics, but there was no doubt in her heart that it was true. And if it ever happened to Toujou Koneko, she could live with it.

As long as she did it to protect Rias.

The natural energy surged into her body.

The Nekomata twins immediately tensed. There was disappointment in their faces. "History will mark this day as the downfall of our species, Toujou Koneko."

"Maybe," she said. "but it'll also be the day I save Bucchou."

Sirzechs Lucifer winced. The sight of Rias' Rook, Toujou Koneko, in her Senjutsu State sent shivers down his spine, bringing up a memory he had almost forgotten.

"I hear you're all looking for me, nya."

He stops walking when he hears the feminine voice behind him. However, he doesn't turn. He can feel the sharp tip of Kuroka's nail digging into his skin. To think that the girl managed to get so close without him noticing. Her talent in Senjutsu is not to be estimated. Then again, he can hear the small tremble in her voice. It is slight, nearly unnoticeable. It is only because he has listened to the words of so many dying men he can recognize it.

Kuroka is scared. He wonders why.

"You killed Lord Naberius. That is a serious crime. Have you come to turn yourself in?" He asks calmly. She is no threat to him. She can decapitate him with that fingernail of hers, but at this point a physical body is a convenience for him, not a necessacity. And he can tell Kuroka knows it. No, she is not here to harm him.

"No." The pressure releases. The Nekoshou appears before him, her two tails flicking in the air. From out of her kimono, she pulls out a large envelope. Sirzechs Lucifer knows that there are no pockets in that outfit. So when she passes it to him, he gingerly holds it from the corners, knowing exactly where she was keeping it.

"What's this?" he asks.

"Naberius' research," she says.

He raises an eyebrow. He did not know Naberius was the scientist type. He unseals the envelope and flicks it to the ground, not wanting to touch it any longer than he has to. At first he just skims it. But when he sees the words "Super Devil," he immediately delves into it, paying meticulous attention to every word.

"This is disturbing," he finally says after minutes of reading.

"I did you a favor by killing him," Kuroka says quietly.

"But that's not why you killed him, is it?"

She shakes head. Sirzechs waits for an elaboration, but sighs when she doesn't provide one. Everybody has their secrets. Though some are more dangerous than others, he thinks as he looks down at the late Lord Naberius' scribbles. One thing is for certain. The Nekomata in front of him is not the psychotic mass murderer everyone makes her out to be. For a moment, he considers killing her. It would only take an instant, and would be more than justified given her rank SS status.

"You want something in return," he surmised.

She nods. Sirzechs makes up his mind. Her answer will determine if he kills her. The fewer the people that know about Naberius' work, the better.

"Save my sister."

Sirzechs blinks.

"What?" he asks.

"Save my sister. That's all I ask for."

That is right, he remembers. Kuroka has a sister. A young white-haired Nekomata called Shirone, who is awaiting execution. "What about your innocence?" he asks curiously.

"I killed him in cold blood. I deserve my fate. She does not. So save her. Save my precious younger sister."

The calm expression on Sirzechs' face cracks. All he can picture right now in his mind is Rias. And then he realizes that Kuroka is the same as him. Except while Rias is happy and playing with her dolls, Shirone is trapped behind bars, a noose tightening around her neck with every second.

He makes eye contact with the despondent Nekomata. He nods his head. "I will."

There were many decisions that Sirzechs Lucifer regretted making. Saving Toujou Koneko was not one of them.

"That's Senjutsu," a Devil near him remarked.

"Not only that," another one whispered controversially, "that's the sister of Lord Naberius' killer."

"Interesting, it seems she's taking in even more Senjutsu. She's preparing for a rather large attack," said Ajuka, switching his attention between his computer and the screen displaying the match.

Sirzechs threw a glance at the boy, Arisato Minato, who was staring at the screen with his usual impassive expression. A small portion of his mind told him to kill the enigmatic boy while he was distracted, but it was drowned out by logic and what little morals he had left. Arisato Minato's powers seemed to be as infinite as they were mysterious, but the boy had never once used it to cause unnecessary harm. Furthermore, he had helped Rias not once, but twice.

That same power can be used to hurt Rias. There it was. The irritating voice that sought only to destroy. Scowling, Sirzechs pushed it away into the deepest parts of his mind. He did not want to fight Minato, and more importantly, he didn't know if he could, nor was he willing to find out.

There was a pregnant silence in the room and Sirzechs looked up and saw Toujou Koneko had suddenly closed her eyes and was now kneeling, placing one hand on the ground.

"Sirzechs." Blinking, the Satan realized the very boy he was fretting over earlier was suddenly talking to him. "How exactly does the Rating Game retirement system work?"

Ajuka answered for him, "once the system registers a fatal wound, it immediately teleports the wounded party out in a state of stasis where medical treatment is immediately administered. There are some exceptions, such as the Phenex's regeneration ability. But the system takes account into all of this."

Sirzechs nodded in agreement. It was better for Ajuka to explain, given that the green-haired Satan was the one who designed the whole workings of it anyway. Minato did not seem satisfied. "And if there's an explosion? Or a sudden release of energy that could vaporize a participant in an instant?"

"Uh," Ajuka suddenly seemed on edge. "I suppose the system would teleport said participant away the instant it recognizes that the participant has no means of defense or escape."

Looking unconvinced, Minato nodded thoughtfully. Serafall smiled sweetly, "Mina-kun~, is there something you know that we should as well?"

He looked back at her. "Am I correct to assume that the Underworld was once uninhabitable? With brimstone and fire and lava? Like how it is portrayed in popular culture on Earth?"

"Correct," Sirzechs said when Serafall scrunched her nose up, clearly not knowing her history as well as she should. Though it was hardly her fault. The Underworld had not been that way for tens of millennia. The only Devil who might have remembered those days were Zekram.

Minato frowned. "Then I think it is best for those two Nekomatas to resign right now."

Ever since the start of the battle, Koneko realized there was something not quite right in the natural energy that permeated in the Underworld. It felt weakened, diluted, and perhaps even tainted. And so she came to the conclusion that the Underworld was not natural. Not just the Rating Game arena, but the whole Underworld itself.

Someone had tampered with it.

It was not uncommon. The Satans had created an artificial Sun, introducing day-night cycles to help assimilate the Reincarnated Devils, but what she felt was a change far more fundamental than that. The Underworld spoke to her. The two Nekomata in front of her were obstacles to Rias' freedom. They needed to be eliminated. It could do it for her. In one fell swoop, they could be removed from her sight. All she needed to do, was pull.

And pull she did.

The earth creaked.

Koneko pulled harder, devoting her soul and mind into the task. She could feel the the core of the Underworld responding to her efforts, an uncontrollable miasma of passion and fury.

The earth groaned.

In her focused state, she did not see the ground begin to crack as it heated up. Did not notice her feet becoming warmer as glowing orange slits spilled out magma around her. Did not realize the tears of blood that rolled down her cheeks as she performed magic far beyond her.

All she could think of was pulling. Liberating the Underworld from its suppressed state.

And finally, the earth roared.

The ground rumbled and shook, disintegrating to become disjointed plates as geysers of lava exploded towards the sky. Dozens of them, erupting from the ground where the two Nekomata were standing. Flying would do them no good, for what followed was a rain of magma that threatened to melt anything in the air.

The air burned with a sulfuric taste, and it parched her throat. Koneko could feel her eyes begin to dry up as someone grabbed her by the collar before scooping her up and running away. When she tried to look up and see who it was, all she could see were dancing spots of darkness.

"Holy shit, Koneko-chan! Give us some warning if you're going to do something awesome like that!" That was Issei-senpai's voice. She was being carried by him.

Before sleep claimed her, all she heard were a stunned announcer's words.

"R-Riser Phenex's two Pawns have retired..."

Only then did she allow her eyes to close.

The stunned silence in the room was broken a few moments later, when a pair of hands began to clap slowly.

"Magnificent. Simply magnificent! That is a sight I have not seen in millennia!" An old man's voice chortled.

Minato's eyes were still glued to the screen. Devastating was not enough to describe what Koneko had just done. Catastrophic didn't do it justice. Koneko had unleashed an attack he could only classify as apocalyptic. It was exactly that, like watching the end of the world, the coming of the Rapture. A portion of the forest was completely missing, replaced with a scorched earth that oozed magma from the many crevices that scarred it. Every few seconds a miniature volcanic eruption would occur, and the ensuing shower of lava would set the surrounding trees ablaze. Already, a third of the forest was on fire. A tsunami of flames threatened to swallow the Gremory Peerage, who were doing their best to escape it, be it on wings or on foot. At the current rate, it would only be a matter of minutes before the whole arena was engulfed in flames.

"Serafall, if you could please," Sirzechs said calmly.

Somebody snapped their fingers, and Minato blinked when the raging inferno and burning wasteland was covered with a sheen of a silvery and white material.

Ice.

"Done," said Serafall, looking not at all tired after freezing an entire forest.

"Zekram," Ajuka nodded towards the aged man standing at the entrance. Minato realized this must have been the man who had been applauding and speaking earlier. "Nice of you to finally join us."

"Pardon these old bones," the man laughed as he made his way towards an available seat, "I am not as fast as I used to be. I would never miss the wedding of one of my great-grandnieces. Still, it seems I arrived at the perfect moment. Seeing that... it really makes an old man feel nostalgic."

"You... you mean that the Underworld actually used to look like that? How did you live?" asked a Devil.

Zekram burst into laughter. "That's the whole point! We didn't! Once the original four Satans came into power, the first thing they did was to suppress the... tantrums of the land. They were sick and tired of their brethren and their buildings being randomly vaporized. It took them a few years. But I am surprised a girl so young was able to reverse it, even if it was only a tiny plot of land."

"Yes," Zeoticus Gremory looked at him, "remarkable achievement for the Nekomata. She must have had a very skilled teacher."

More than a few eyes turned to stare at him. His lips curled slightly. Even he had been taken surprise, and he could hear Tamamo cheering for her student in his mind.

Unimpressed, Lord Phenex nudged his head towards the screen. "The girl spent all her energy on the attack. That is hardly worth it. A Rook for two pawns. She already had the upper hand earlier, didn't she?" An unconscious Koneko was being piggybacked by Issei as the Gremory Peerage huddled together to discuss their next course of action. "Seems like a Cadmean victory to me."

"Well, she is still a rookie at Senjutsu," Sirzechs shrugged. "A few weeks of training is hardly enough time to for a practitioner to distinguish between their own will and that of the land's. A diamond in the rough."

Diehauser Belial looked ponderous. "If she can do that after such a short amount of time... imagine what she can do once she has matured."

"Indeed," agreed Zekram, "it will be a glorious sight. Whole Devil cities set ablaze as towers of lava tear through our buildings and send our civilization crumbling back into the Stone Ages."

"Now is not the time for jokes," frowned Sirzechs.

"I am not. Once word of this gets out, and it will, any enemy of Devils will realize that Senjutsu has the ability to weaponize our very homeland against us. And there are only a few factions capable of using Senjutsu to such a degree. We must strike first."

"We are not attacking the Youkai or the Shintos, Zekram." Serafall said seriously, reverting back to what Minato had come to identify as her 'Satan' personality. "Nor are we going to China to fight the Taoists. Doing so will invite the attacks that we are trying to avoid in the first place."

Zekram shrugged. "Fine. Do as you wish, but do not say I did not warn you, my dear Satans."

Diehauser leveled a steady stare at Minato, who had managed to remain incognito up until the point. "Perhaps it is not the factions we should be worrying about, but the teacher. A Senjutsu user affiliated with humans, one able to bring out such great progress in such a short amount of time. That is more worrying, isn't it?"

"In my defense," Minato said, "she was never taught that. Even her teacher felt that communicating with the planet itself was slightly beyond her."

"Slightly beyond?" a Devil woman repeated mockingly, "This is exactly why we should have restricted the use of Senjutsu in the first place! It's far too dangerous!"

"Pathetic."

His, no everybody's, eyes snapped up when Zekram spoke venomously.

"That is the most pathetic thing I have heard in a long while." Minato took a step back at the sudden outburst from the aged Devil. "You fear the girl's ability, so you seek to restrain it. That is such a human thing to do. A weakling's choice of action. We are Devils, or have you forgotten that? When have we been cowed by the powers of others? When did we resort to laws and sanctions to punish those who harmed us? A century of peace, and this is what we get. Dull fangs and cowards. You have forgotten your pride as a Devil, so do us all a favor and leave."

The woman in question, a young blond Devil, gulped and hastily walked out, holding her head up as she did so. Nobody mentioned how her arms had been trembling.

"Zekram," Sirzechs warned.

"Oh?" Zekram raised an eyebrow. "Did my views strike too close to that of the Old Satan's Faction's for you? Rest assured I am not one of them. In fact, I am reassured by the presence of such talented Reincarnated Devils like that Nekomata. They give me hope in the future of Devilkind." Then the old man smiled at him. "You are her teacher, yes?" Slowly, Minato nodded. "Yet, you are not a Devil. Interesting." The man seemed to consider something for a moment. "Would you like to join my Peerage? You would be its very first member, you know?"

The offer seemed sincere enough. The man was simply asking, with no strings attached or malice behind it. Still, that was no reason to give up his humanity. "No, thank you," declined, shaking his head as he did so. "I would like to remain human."

Zekram blinked in surprise. "Human?"

"Yes?" the sheer amount of incredulity in Zekram's one-word response caused Minato to have sudden doubts in his own reply.

"Human you are not. I can assure you that."

"I am," he insisted.

"Child, I came into being only slightly after Creation itself. I watched the birth and extinction of trillions of species. I watched humans evolve from their tree-dwelling ancestors. I can tell you without a doubt, that you are not a mere human."

Suddenly, he remembered Xenovia's crazy request for him to create a religion. Why of all times was he remembering this now?

"No human," the old Devil said gravely, "has so much darkness in their heart."

Akeno finally signaled for the Peerage to stop. Even after the whole forest had somehow frozen, which she suspected was the interference of a certain Satan, she did not take the risk and allow them to rest immediately. Whatever it was Koneko had done, it was sure to attract the rest of Riser's Peerage. They had cleared the forest and beyond before she allowed them to take a break and calm their nerves.

What in the world just happened? She could see that they were shaken up. It had called out to her in that instant, all the destruction, and for some strange reason she found herself at home despite being so close to death.

"Asia," she said, "please check up on Koneko-chan."

As the former nun activated Twilight Healing and began to inspect Koneko's body, Akeno felt a twinge of envy in her heart. Koneko could raze a forest. Kiba could create a sword capable of cutting a Satan. Rias could destroy a small mountain (according to her, at least). Meanwhile, she'd seen no visible improvement in herself. Sun Tze had been right, every Peerage needed a strategist, but why did it have to be her? She was the Queen, the strongest piece, but now she could only gape as she watched her teammates do the fighting for her.

"She is alright," Asia said, "just exhausted from magical exertion. She will be unconscious for a while. Either way, she is in no shape to fight after this."

"Akeno-senpai," Issei suddenly asked, "what do we do now?"

Akeno bit her lip. Koneko's state was equivalent to a resignation. If the Rook couldn't fight, what use did Koneko even have?

"Do not think of your Peerage as mere Pieces. That only limits their potential."

She suddenly recalled Sun Tze's words. She mentally berated herself for casting out Koneko so fast. And herself, she realized. "A General must fight while he leads. That is the only way for his soldiers to follow." She could always resort to using it . She detested using anything her father gave her. Just learning to use Holy Lightning itself had left a bad taste in her mouth. But for Rias... she was willing to descend into the deepest pits of Hell. Utilizing more of her Fallen Angel heritage would be painful, but she would bear with it.

Hopefully, it would not ever come to pass.

"Akeno?" Her King asked in concern. "Are you alright?"

She broke out from her trance and looked up, realizing that everyone was now staring at her. They were waiting, she realized. Waiting for her announce their next step. They needed her here and now, so she chucked whatever it was she had been thinking earlier to the back of her mind.

Riser's Peerage was down two pawns. However, they probably knew the rough whereabouts of their location already, and were probably all on their way. That was how Riser's Peerage fought. The pawns would lure and herd their enemies together. Once that had been achieved, Riser would appear, drawing their attention and fire while his Queen would unleash a bombardment of explosions while they were distracted, wiping them out.

A simple but effective strategy that was helping Riser climb his way to the top of the rankings in the junior division.

The one advantage they had was surprise. Riser didn't know the full extent of their abilities, while Akeno had a general gist of theirs. More importantly, Riser was the one coming to them.

And then, before she could formulate a strategy, a spike of magical energy in the air made her scream one lone command.

"SCATTER!"

By the time the first explosion rocked the Earth, the Gremory Peerage were already in the air, with Issei carrying Koneko.

How? Akeno wondered. How could Riser's Peerage be so fast? Then through the smoke, she finally appeared. Her skin was raw and bleeding. Her clothes were torn and burnt. And Akeno realized their foe had chased them through the hellish landscape the Forest had been earlier. A foolish course of action. Sacrificing one's own body just to catch up to a fleeing opponent. That was Akeno's first thought. Until she realized the Gremory Peerage was now split up, and the ringing explosions prevented any kind of communication.

Akeno gulped. She was not prepared for this at all.

Yubelluna. The Bomb Queen.

A/N: A rather short chapter, but I felt this was a good place to end it. Do check out my Naruto and new Harry Potter fics! Updates for Fallen Messiah can be expected to be slower, since I want to bring the other two stories up to speed. Also, I don't intend on playing Persona, but since DxD has somehow managed to get four seasons, I'll try to actually find out what's going on in canon before I publish the next chapt!

Review, Fav & Follow, thanks all!