Last Day of Training

There was only a single day left before the rating game between Riser and Rias would begin. Issei gathered everyone on the field. Tiamat was located a bit far back from the group but still in view. He congratulated each and everyone on their progress.

"There is only a day left before your match against Riser Phoenix. I wanted to congratulate everyone for keeping up with your training until the very end. You have undoubtably become stronger than when we started and I am proud of all of you." Everyone appreciated the praise.

"After all the torture you and Tiamat put us through, there's no way we didn't" mumbled Matsuda however not low enough for Issei to not hear although he decided to ignore it.

"That said, I have one final test for you guys." Issei said with a smirk. The group then felt a cold sweat forming on the back of their necks when they saw the smirk but none were more fearful then Matsuda.

"WWHHAATT! What do you have planned! Noooooooooo, please no more torture" he exclaimed with a fearful expression.

"Don't worry. It's simply a final evaluation to see how far your training has brought you."

"W-What did you have in mind?" Rias asked hoping it's not what she thought it would be.

"All of you will have one final match against me and try to land a hit on me" Issei answered, trampling Rias hope altogether.

'I knew it' was the thought that came across her mind as she sighed in defeat.

None of the members of the ORC believed they even had a chance to graze him, let alone land a hit on him. Sure, they got a lot stronger over the course of this training but Issei was on another level entirely. He managed to defeat Tiamat, who is known to be the strongest dragon king, while holding back. There was no chance that they, who couldn't even land a single hit on Tiamat, would be able to even graze him, much less land a hand on him.

"Are you insane? How in Maou's name are WE supposed to fight you? You could destroy us in an instant without us doing anything. I have a better chance at landing a hit on Tiamat before I could even come close to you." Matsuda was crying anime tears.

"fat chance." Everyone heard Tiamat say from the back although no one cared at the present moment.

"Certainly. This doesn't seem like something we could do." Rias said in a calmer tone than what Matsuda had however there were small traces of fear present.

"Don't worry, I will not use my flames or any kind of magic against you all. All you need to do is land a hit on me and you will win." Issei tried to put their fears to rest; unfortunately, with no success.

'even with that, we don't stand a chance!'. Everyone thought the very same thing including Tiamat herself. Even if she joined in the 'exercise', they would most likely be able to land a hit on him but they would no doubt lose.

"Even with such a handicap, you would still trounce us, Issei-kun" Kiba said what all of them were thinking.

"too strong." Koneko added.

"I-I-I don't see us even coming close to Issei-san" Asia said nervously.

"ufufu, we are at a disadvantage Issei-kun~" responded Akeno who winked at him earning her a small blush from her boyfriend.

"I see." He quickly recuperated and decided to think. He understood their concern. It was true that even with these restrictions, he could easily handle them. He simply wanted to evaluate the power they gained through training but the last thing he wanted was to make them lose their confidence a day before their match. Taking a moment to ponder, his gaze soon shifted towards the forest when he had an idea.

"That's it" he snapped his fingers startling everyone before returning his attention Rias.

"If I remember correctly Rias, devising a crucial strategy is fundamental in the rating games. In that case, how about I give you guys 15 minutes to formulate a strategy before I come search for you. I'll even let you decide the location where our little test will take place." Issei suggested. Rias took a moment to ponder on Issei's suggestion and had to agree that it had merit. In a rating game, strength doesn't always determine the victor. A sound tactic and strategy can sometime become the critical factor that determines victory or defeat. It's what makes Rating games so entertaining to watch. The stronger team doesn't always win. Her team was in such a position as well. While she believes the strength of her team to not lose out to Riser's, the man himself was the worst match for her team. They were a team that focused mostly on raw power with the exception of her Knight Kiba Yuuto who focused mainly on his speed and technique. Unfortunately, their destructive power was useless against Riser due to his regenerative ability as a phoenix therefore their options for victory has been limited. That is why they require a precise strategy in order to take him down.

"I see what you mean. Very well, let's do it. Although do you mind if you gave me 30 minutes. I'm very ashamed to admit it but strategy has never been my strong point." Rias exclaimed. Even though she doubted that even after coming up with a strategy, there was still no way for them to defeat Issei but at the very least it will give her some practice in formulating strategies.

Issei nodded.

"I understand! I'll stay next to Tiamat and wait for 30 minutes to elapse before I head out in search for you. Although, a word of advice. Try to come up with as many back-up strategies as you can within the time frame. Most times, battles never go the way you expect so it is crucial to always plan ahead in case your main strategy fails. Victory comes to those who are able to adapt to any situation… At least that is what my sensei taught me." Advised Issei before leaving to give them time to come up with their strategy.

He suddenly felt his arm being envelop by a certain dragoness voluptuous breasts causing him to blush and making Tiamat smirk.

"my oh my, it never gets old to see such a strong dragon acting in such a manner but in a sense, it makes me fall in love with you even more" Tiamat said seductively before giving him a surprise kiss on the lips. After separating, Issei decided to share his thoughts with her.

"So, what do you think their odds are?" Tiamat's expression then turned into a serious one as she answered his question.

"If you are talking about this little exercise here then unfortunately, I doubt they will be able to even land a hand on you no matter how many different strategies they come up with. A few days of extensive training cannot overcome the gap in strength with you who has obviously trained for years with Tannin no less." Tiamat told her unbiased opinion, not mincing any words but she told the truth.

"However, if you are talking about their eventual match with the devil, then I would say that their chances of victory are slightly higher then before. Unfortunately, the opponent they are about to face is probably their worst matchup. They have undoubtably grown stronger during our training and would no doubt be a match for even seasoned high class devils. However, against the regenerative powers of the Phenix clan, that power will do them no good since he can simply recover. If the Gremory Princess had the same power as her brother then it would be an entirely different story but at her current level, her power of destruction is not enough to take down a Phoenix. As it stands, the only ones who stand a chance to damage him is the rook Nekoshou Koneko and your other mate Akeno's holy power. However, it seems Koneko can only apply her senjutsu in close quarter combat which means she has to be able to land a hit for it to be effective. It's to be expected since she only started using her senjutsu during our training. The problem now seems to be Akeno who seems reluctant to use her fallen angel powers. I assume you know more about this than I do, but it would be a huge advantage if she were to utilize her fallen angels' abilities considering they are up against devils. Even a simple graze from her light powers would be able to retire almost every single member of Riser's peerage and ultimately be able to take down Riser himself." He was impressed how Tiamat was able to accurately describe Rias's teams strength and weaknesses so clearly and he had to admit that she was right. At this point in time, the only 2 combatant that can damage that annoying chicken is Akeno and Koneko-chan but it comes with its own sets of complications. Bottom line, their chances of success is still little but he has confidence that they will be able to pull through.

If not… then he will take matters into his own hands. With matters regarding Akeno, he could do nothing but be patient. Her issue with her power stems from her emotional trauma that occurred in the past so until she is ready, he would not pressure her despite the fact that he desperately wants to be able to reunite both father and daughter together.

"You are right Tiamat but I still have faith that they can overcome such adversity and come back home with a win." Said issei with absolute confidence. Seeing this caused Tiamat to smile as she held his hand.

"Don't get me wrong. While they are at a disadvantage, I share your opinion that they can achieve victory. After all, they were trained by you and I. In addition, they also have another advantage. Riser is extremely arrogant and overconfident in his own ability. the typical pureblood attitude so he will no doubt underestimate everyone's power. He will probably hold back during the game and send out his peerage first rather than taking the stage himself. His arrogance could be his undoing. Like I previously said, all they need is for the Koneko and Akeno to land one clear shot and victory will be in their grasp." she said agreeing with him further outlying any advantages they hold over Riser.

"Thanks Tiamat. Oh, seems 30 minutes have elapsed and Rias and her team have gone and hidden themselves. I'll be off then." He separated himself from her embrace.

"Don't beat them up too badly" she chuckled.

Issei looked back at her.

"I'll do my best but no promises. This is supposed to be training after all" He gave a her a final wave of his hand before heading off into the woods, wondering what they had in store for him. Using his enhances senses, he was able to track the group by smell. He leisurely took a stroll through the woods, happily whistling, admiring what Mother Nature provided. A few minutes into his stroll, he started to sense a bit of magic scattered out in front of him.

'I see. This must be the site for their ambush. I got to hand it to Rias, she devised a decent strategy. Good cover, lots of hiding places, narrow paths for me to follow should they retreat. A shame she did not think to cover the traces of magic they used in their traps.' An opponent who is magically inclined would definitely be able to determine the locations of their trap based on the magical residue left behind. Being a dragon himself, he could easily identify where the traps have been set.

'However, overall this is an excellent strategy.' Issei finished his thoughts.

"Let's see what they got." He whispered as he made his way towards the ambush location.

Meanwhile, the others stood in position, waiting for their target to come to them.

"Where is he?" whispered Rias. She was hiding in a brush waiting for Issei to show up.

"I don't know, he should be here by now" she heard Akeno communicate. All of them were positioned to encircle Issei once he steps into view. The plan was to herd him into one of the traps Kiba set up which was hidden by undergrowth. They had multiple traps set up hoping that at least one of them would catch him. Some traps were hidden swords that would fly at him when he stepped on the trigger while others were a sticky mixture of mud and water to slow him down enough for one of them to land a hit on him. They knew he would easily dodge a sneak attack if he had full manoeuvrability that is why they placed as many movement inhibiting traps as they could without making it obvious. They also did their best to narrow the path leaving Issei less space to dodge. And even if the traps didn't hit him, they hoped it would distract him long enough for all of them to launch an all-out assault against him. This was the only chance they had to land a blow on him.

Eventually, they started hearing a whistling sound and they immediately stood ready, knowing he was inbound. Soon they spotted him moving closer and closer towards their trap.

However, he stopped all of a sudden. This raised alarm bells for the others who wondered what he was doing. Issei then picked up a rock and then threw it on the ground a bit further ahead of him.

"Shit" Rias understood what he was doing.

The moment the rock hit the ground, all the traps they set activated hitting nothing but air, rendering their traps ineffective.

"I'm impressed you were able to set up a large number of traps with the time you had. Not only that but from what I see, your traps were designed specifically to impair my movements. Very well done." He complimented them even though their traps were useless.

[BOOST]

Hearing Ddraig's ability, Issei turned around to notice both Matsuda and Kiba coming straight at him. Issei sprouted his wings and flew up to dodge their assault.

"HEY, I thought you said you weren't going to use magic." Matsuda complained looking up at Issei who simply tilted his head.

"What do you mean? I'm not using magic, I'm merely using what I have at my disposal naturally. These wings are a part of me. But don't worry, I won't be using my flames." He quickly dodged an incoming lightning bolt that was heading towards his head.

"Attacking me when I'm distracted. Good job Akeno! Make sure to take any opportunity in battle with an opponent who is stronger than you are no matter how underhanded it might seem" Issei praised her. Akeno blushed at the compliment. Issei continued to dodge attacks while giving out advice when an attack backfired and complements for a good attempt at hitting him. Unfortunately, they had a harder time trying to hit him with him now flying all over the place.

"You forgot to take into account the fact that I am a dragon and capable of flight. You should have also placed several traps in the air to impede my maneuverability. Don't forget that your opponent is also a devil so being able to fly is a given and the fact that he is a phoenix as well means that it is guaranteed that he will take to the skies."

Issei then proceeded to land.

"Now, I believe it's my turn" he said cracking his knuckles causing everyone to feel a shiver on their spine.

"Crap, in that case… Ddraig DO IT."

["Right. Good luck partner"]

EXPLOSION

Feeling a burst of power surge inside him, he focused in in the palm of his hand.

"DRAGON SHOT" He fired a beam of energy, concentrating all the magical power he has into the shot hoping to at least be able to graze him. Issei whistled, impressed at how far Matsuda has gotten with his control over the boosted gear. Unfortunately, it was not enough. He simply glided aside and let the attack pass him. A huge explosion was heard when Matsuda's attack collided with a mountain. The top seems to have been obliterated illustrating how strong his attack was.

Reset.

The familiar voice was heard from the boosted gear as Matsuda felt all of his strength leave him.

"Impressive. You have truly grown stronger Matsuda and I know you will grow stronger still." Issei remarked.

"Damn… right… I will" It took all his strength to say those few words before he lost consciousness.

Issei then shifted his attention towards Kiba and Koneko. Koneko released her senjutsu infusing her fist with as much power as she could handle. Kiba assaulted Issei trying to make an opening for Koneko to take advantage off. In the back, Akeno, Rias and surprisingly Asia started launching attack after attack to create an opening but alas, Issei simply dodged each and everyone of their attempts. Eventually, he caught up to Kiba and delivered a body blow so fierce, Kiba was blasted meters away crashing into nearby tress and losing consciousness.

"Kiba" Koneko screamed which unfortunately left her wide open as Issei suddenly appeared behind her and struck the back of her neck, rendering her unconscious. Seeing their front line being taken down, Rias sighed as she decided their next course of action.

"Asia, the fight is over. You will remain here and take care of healing Kiba, Koneko and Matsuda-kun. Alright?" Asia nodded to Rias.

"Issei, Asia is no longer part of the fight. Is that alright with you." Rias shouted asking Issei who simply nodded his head, understanding that the fight was pretty much over and Rias wanted Asia to heal her members.

"Very well, let's go Akeno."

"Right" Akeno replied. Akeno replied.

Deciding their only option is to move to a more open space the two retreated to a clearing near the lake. This clearing was atop a steep cliff that led to the water below. When they arrived, they opted to stand back-to-back thinking that this way Issei won't be able to sneak up on them from behind. Issei walked out of the forest and the girls tried to prepare themselves for his assault. Issei suddenly dashed towards them with unbelievable speed. Before Rias could react, she was hit in the stomach and passed out. Now only Akeno was left. She started slowly backing up in fear.

"H-Hey I-Issei can we talk about this" Akeno tried to save herself causing Issei to chuckle at the scene

"You think just because you are my mate you will get some sort of special treatment?" Issei asked while slowly advancing on her.

Akeno closed her eyes bracing herself for the hit that would render her unconscious. It never came. Soon she felt warm lips on hers and opened her eyes to see Issei kissing her. She quickly returned the kiss.

"I guess you do get special treatment" Issei said with a smile after he broke the kiss.

"Let's go and collect the rest and go to the mansion I think I've seen enough to know how much you improved" Issei said as he picked up Rias and started walking into the forest.

Issei and Akeno enjoyed their time alone before the rest of the group started joining. Issei made it clear that he would only reveal the results of the test after everyone was there because he didn't want to repeat himself. Once the last member joined them they all turned expectantly to Issei.

"Ok now that everyone is here I'll tell you the results. Even though you were unable to land a hit on me I am very impressed with the ambush you laid and if you were able to hide the magic from the traps I would have had a harder time dodging all your attacks, the location was also chosen well with it being cramped further limiting my movements. This showed me that you can come up with a good plan of action. I already commented on each of your attacks during the test. All in all I am very proud with the progress you all made." Issei explained.

"Tommorow is your first rating game so training is officially over. You have all grown stronger during the past 10 days and although your chances are slim, I have absolute faith that all of you will emerge victorious in tomorrow's fight." Everyone smiled at his confidence that they would win despite the odds.

"Hell yeah, we're going to win." Matsuda exclaimed raising both of his fists up. "No way we are going to let some oversized chicken get the best of us. We will protect Buchou."

["Damn right"] answered Ddraig inside his boosted gear.

"As Rias-Buchou's knight, it is my duty to defend her with my life and I will definitely fight with everything I have." Kiba included his thoughts.

"for sure" Koneko nodded.

"Y-Yes, I will do everything I can to help Rias-Buchou" Asia said.

"ufufu, I couldn't have said it better myself. We will fight to the bitter end for Rias." Akeno finished up. Seeing how everyone would fight for her brought a tear in her eye, as Rias smiled "Thank you! All of you. I know I've said this a million times already, but I'm truly happy and proud to have you all as members of my peerage, of my family." She wiped the dripping tear off her cheek as everyone smiled, including Issei.

"Well said! Go get some much-needed rest so you can be fully energized for tomorrow. You will need to be at full strength if you all hope to come out victorious." Issei dismissed them as they all left to their quarters wanting to get a good night's rest before their big fight that would determine their future. Everyone left, except of course for Akeno and Tiamat who wanted to sleep with their lover to which he gladly obliged.

The next day arrived just as fast as everyone prepared themselves mentally for battle. Kiba was doing a few practice swings which helped him calm his mind. Asia was talking to herself saying she would do her best for everyone. Although it was cute seeing her wear her nun outfit. When he asked why, she told him that Buchou asked her to wear something comfortable for her and her nun outfit was her answer. Despite no longer being able to pray to the lord, she still held on to her beliefs. Matsuda was a bundle of nerves and was being calmed down by Ddraig. Koneko was… well Koneko and eating her sweets but you could tell that she was nervous as well since she was eating her sweets faster than normal. Akeno was breathing in and out mentally preparing herself for what she was about to do. Finally, Rias also took a deep breath as she promised herself that she would free herself from the clutches of this arranged marriage and from that bastard Riser. Tiamat wasn't with them this morning since she was one of the hidden judges of the rating games but she did give Issei a morning kiss before leaving.

Issei was looking over them. He understood that they were nervous. Why wouldn't they be? This single fight will determine not only the future of Rias but their own as well. Should Rias lose, Riser will also gain possession of her peerage which is something he would never allow, consequences be damned. There was no way he would allow that chicken to lay a hand on his beloved Akeno. He had tremendous faith that they could win but heaven forbid, should they lose the fight then he will intervene. However, at the moment, he should try to at least help raise their morale.

"Guys!" Everyone turned to Issei.

"I know you are nervous for your upcoming fight but I believe that all of you will succeed in winning. You've trained alongside myself and Tiamat and have grown tremendously stronger in the past two weeks. All that is left is for you to take the stage and show the results of your training, not only to that bastard but to everyone who didn't believe you could win." He encouraged them, the best way he knew how. Luckily, it seemed to be working as they all managed to come down their nerves.

"Thank you Issei-kun."

All of a sudden, a Gremory magic circle spawned in the room and out from it came the beautiful silver haired maid from before. Grayfia Lucifuge, if Issei remembered correctly.

"Are you all ready? There's an hour left before the start of your match."

Everyone pays attention to Grayfia as she begins to explain the details of the match.

"When the time comes for your battle to start, you will be teleported to the battlefield through a magic circle. The location of this place is in a different dimension used for battles so you can fight with all your strength. It's a disposable place so feel free to fight to your satisfaction."

Issei looked impressed at the devils capabilities. A field dedicated for battles. That is amazing. At the same time, it made sense. If supernatural beings started fighting in the human world or in their own territory, there would be lots of destruction and innocent people would be caught in the crossfire.

"When there are 10 minutes remaining before the start of the match you will be teleported into the battlefield so take this time to strategize amongst yourselves." Grayfia finished.

Matsuda then asked Rias a question

"Buchou, what about the other Bishop you said you had. Won't he participate in the game with us?"

Rias, unfortunately shook her head.

"Unfortunately, he will not be able to participate with us Matsuda-kun. I don't know if you forgot but Gasper-kun is not able to control his powers which is why he was placed in a seal to begin with. And even if I wanted to bring him, I would need permission from oni-sama to undo the seal and he would not allow it until I have become strong enough." Rias explained. Matsuda understood and nodded.

"Speaking of Sirzechs-sama. The Rating game will be viewed by members of both household as well as other Maous from a different location through a broadcast"

Everyone was surprised to hear that their fight would be seen by the other Maous, especially Rias.

"I understand why Oni-sama would be watching but I didn't know the others Maou's were interested to see our fight." Grayfia nodded at Rias

"Serafall-sama is there as a support for Sirzechs-sama, as you know ojou-sama. And Ajuka-sama became interested when he heard that you were trained by Tiamat-sama as he is acquainted with her." Grayfia explained. Everyone did seem shocked to learn that Tiamat had connections to Beelzebub. Issei, on the other hand already knew because she already told him about it. The entire reason she is a Rating games judge is due to a favor for Beelzebub.

At this point, Issei wanted to ask something.

"um, Lucifuge-san, would it be possible for me to watch the game as well" he politely inquired. He really wanted to be able to see their match. Grayfia turned towards him.

"Of course, Issei-sama. In fact, I was asked by Sirzechs-sama to invite you to watch the fight alongside him and the others in the spectator room. He is very interested in meeting you, Issei-sama" she explained before waiting for an answer.

"Oni-sama has…" she asked, both in shock and a little bit of fear considering she knew who he was and was worried what would happen if her brother found out.

"I see." Issei responded thinking about the offer. From what he knew about the Maou Lucifer from Tannin, he was a very powerful, if not the most powerful, devil in the Underworld. He was also very well respected and cared very much about his fellow man. However, he also heard that he was extremely overprotective of his little sister. No doubt, Grayfia had let him know that he was a dragon so he probably wanted to meet him to determine if he was a threat or not. He would be lying if he said he was not interested in meeting the man that his sensei believed to be superior in strength. Besides, the man did offer him to see the match which is what he wanted in the first place so it would be impolite of him to refuse.

"Very well, I accept the invitation" he smiled which seemed to please Grayfia.

"Very well, if you would follow me then." Issei nodded as he moved near Grayfia and she activated a magic circle under them. Before he left, he looked at everyone

"Best of luck to all of you. I have faith in each of your abilities and I have no doubt that you will come out victorious" He wished them all good luck.

"Yes" They all responded before he was enveloped in light and disappeared from the room alongside Grayfia.