Chapter XX

"My, my staff…" She sat there looking at her staff slash club as she held the broken handle. She then looks up at Issei with fear as he stands over her with fury in his heart. He had become the very thing he was sent out to destroy.

"No, no wait...!" 

"I feel bad for you, I really do." Issei says as he then raises his hand and puts his finger in a snapping position. "But If I let you live out of pity, because I feel bad for your shitty conditions with Riser, then I'd be putting her at risk" Mira revolts. "Tch! You're crazy! Rias just uses you! You really think she loves you?!" Issei shakes his head a little. "Sounds like you know from experience." Mira looks away in shame as her past torments her mind. "He's delusional. And crazy, he'll make his fantasies a reality!" Mira thought. "WAIT WAIT! LOOK YOU CAN SPARE ME! I PROMISE ON MY SOUL I WON'T EVER BOTHER YOU AGAIN!" Issei shakes his head. "MIRA! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! WE HAVE TO FIGHT BACK!" Another girl on her team yells. Then a third one chimes in. "HURRY BEFORE HE SNAPS!" The two twins rev their chainsaws as Mira sets her broken drum sticks for a staff on fire. The three all find themselves charging at Issei from different angles as his devil wings violently spread out. He raises his hand as it glows green and releases his fingers causing a snap to echo. With a snap he glows a violent gold and green aura.

Koneko looks over at Issei as she puts Xuelan in a wrestling cradle. "Oh God...." she utters.

Meanwhile Sona and Shinra watch from their location as the battles all over the campus take place. "What the hell? Isn't he the pervo kid?" Shinra asks. "He is. His name is Issei Hyoudou. He's Rias's only pawn. I thought we had a strong one with four pieces, but he took eight" Sona then took a seat. "He's from God?" Shinra asks. "That's what they're saying. His strength is overwhelming and he's only begun to grow. I'd say he's in on it and he's about to reveal something major to us. Our war may be coming to an end, then again we were never fighting a war, but rather surviving. The three girls laid on the ground motionless as Koneko stepped on the head of Xuelan. She just laid there tired as all four were beaten. "Nice job Koneko. You beat her!" Koneko sighs as she pants. "Her power was of a queen's. She's one advanced rook I gotta say." Issei just smiles at her with his thumb up. "Well we'll report back to Rias!"Koneko nods her head as the two report to Rias. "I couldn't kill them? Why?" Issei thought.

What's wrong with me?

Why would I wanna kill them?

"Issei, we need to move. Akeno is in position!" Issei nods as the two run and they hear the four call out their names. "Hey come back here! Who runs away in the middle of a-?" Before the woman can finish, a giant yellow lighting bolt strikes the gym building down. She floated above the crater in her outfit as Sona announced the retired.

"Alright you guys! We may have won the battle but the war is not over". Sona begins to commentate at she watches more of the match. "I gotta say that's impressive. Most people would just give up from being overwhelmed." Shinra sighs. "That kid though. He makes me nervous. Like he's hiding something. Something tells me this match will be a close one…"

"Koneko, this isn't over. What now?" Issei yells. "Rias wants to use Akeno again!" Koneko yells. "Like an airstrike?" Issei asks. "Yeah, like an airstrike. Until then we'll need to buy some time for her. Rinse and repeat!" Rias chimes in. "They outnumber us so we'll need to keep planning and operating very precisely. We can't afford any direct attacks!" Issei nods. "Right, let's just hope Yuuto can hold his fight." However as they walk over they see a mirage fading in front of them. They suddenly look around confused as Yuuto walks out of the woods. "Hello ladies." He walks calmly with his hand on his blade ready to draw it as the three girls all stare him down. "You lovely ladies looking for some company?" He says as a giant red pentagram hovers over them. "Because you see if you're feeling lonely tonight I might just be the man for you." The three snicker as they look at the man with defiling intent. "I hate to burst your bubble cutie but I don't think you can take on all three of us. Tell you what you give up here and we can spend this night solo, you and I huh?"

You forgot something, I'm a devil. I don't wanna flatter my enemies but all three of you have something I like" Yuuto smiles like one as his sinister nature comes through.

Meanwhile as Yuuto draws his blade, Koneko and Issei rush over to help him when suddenly Issei is thrown back by an explosion. He tumbles on the dusty ground as Koneko gets taken down by the explosion. "Issei what happened to Koneko?!" Issei finds her knocked out as he starts to regain his vision. He looks over to see Koneko knocked out as a woman with a cloak and staff flew over her body. "NO! Koneko!" He screams with anger as he rushes over to her. "Oh give up Rias, no matter what you do Riser will win!" Issei looks over to see Riser himself walking on a roof. Riser feels himself shake in his seat as Issei's anger grows once more. Issei feels no control over his body, only it's will. Like he's commanding it to move rather than moving it himself. "When I get to you, I'm gonna-!" Riser cuts him off.

"You're gonna what?" Issei looks up to see Yubelluna floating over Koneko as she holds her staff. "You…" Issei says snickering. "What's the matter? Why so angry? You're gonna lose fair and square?" The woman asks. She held a staff in her hand with an ax blade on the edge. "That's one" she says as she emits a purple aura from her whole being." She says with a sick smile on her face. Issei held Koneko as she looked up into his eyes.

"Koneko?" Issei asks. "I just wanted to win. We're gonna win. Issei don't give up" Issei sniffles a little. "I WON'T! BUT YOU CAN'T EITHER!" Koneko feels herself turning into blue crystal particles as she tries to hold onto Issei. "Koneko! KONEKO STOP!" Issei feels himself lose control as he shakes Yubelluna with a shockwave of energy. He then gets up as Koneko's body fades into oblivion. "YOU KILLED KONEKO! YOU BITCH GET DOWN HERE!" Yubelluna laughs with delight. "Issei stop! You need to control yourself!" Issei looks over to Rias. "Koneko is alright, she's just in a more appropriate place. She's healing. This is only a ratings game!" However Issei just looks up at Yubelluna as the wind blows by him. The two standoff as the air grows thick with hatred. "Issei isn't it? Lord Riser has even heard your name. You've become quite the gossip back in Hell. They say you're one with God? Riser has taken interest and requested a place on his team, with you as his heir to the-"

"Shut up.."

Rias shook in her seat as she watched Issei stand up to the queen. "No matter how strong you'll become, none of that strength is here now is it? So you might as well give up, you'll never win against me!" Issei laughs. "It doesn't matter, living in a world where you guys win is not an option!" A sudden bolt of lighting strikes Yubelluna. "WHAT?!" Issei roars in shock to see Akeno standing. "Damn, and I thought she took you out!" Issei yelled. He looks back to see Akeno floating in front of Yubelluna ready to fight as her electricity sparkles all around her. "Issei, you go on. I'll take care of this trash!" Issei shakes his head. "NO! NOT AFTER EVERYTHING I'VE DONE AKENO! I CAN-" Akeno cuts her off. "This isn't the time for redemption. It's in the past now Issei. I understand where you were coming from. Your pain was great. You were a phoenix that rose from ashes but even they can't recover from mental damage." 

Akeno: Now go. 

Issei in his head: She's right, I gotta stop acting like some silly childhood protagonist. It's time to do my part, for Koneko, for Rias. "I'll make her pay…"

"Make me pay, how cute! I've been wanting to fight the priest of thunder for ages now!!!!" As the two stood off Yuuto dodges an attack from Shuriya, as he jumps off her he slashes at Burent and dodges an attack from Marion. Some more traps go off as knight armor forms around Yuuto. He takes some more blows unscratched as the armor morphs around. More taps go off at Yuuto's will, creating a manipulated battleground for Yuuto to work with as he uses his mobility to slash at each of them while taking their blows with his armor. He then lands on the ground as the three girls fall down knocked out from the beating they just took. Sona announces them as recovering as Issei rushes over to see Yuuto putting away his sword. "Guess we can't hang out after. They were sweet ladies." 

"Yuuto?!" Yuuto smiles and laughs at Issei. "Hey man, how's it going?" Issei sighs. "Shitty, we lost Koneko." "I know. I did get those three though but we can't get careless. It's you, me, Asia, Akeno, and Rias. So five left against nine!" The two then look to see themselves surrounded. "Yeah well, I don't care how bad it gets, we're gonna win this, or we're gonna cheat." Issei says. "Yeah. Damn right we are!" The two bump fists as they hide in a little storage building. "For some reason it's like your God connection is at play. How are we even this far in? Riser is gifted at rating games and a warrior, yet we stand a chance? What happened Issei?" Issei smiles. "When it comes to God you gotta think like Harrison Ford. "Don't tell me the odds". They won't mean shit once he's at play." "You humans are all the same."

"I just want to live in peace." Yuuto looks at Issei puzzled. "What?" "My life right now is all broken. I lost my best friends to that PSD group. Yuuto they'll be hunting people like us. My best friends." Yuuto nods as he turns his head to look forward. "It's alright man stay focused." Issei's eyes glow more intensely. "No it's not. I just saw Koneko die, even though she isn't dead it felt like she died right in my arms! If I don't do what I need to do then we'll all end up like that. And Rias, after Raynare betrayed me and all this shit went down, all those people who just kept going missing world wide. She was like a safe place. I always loved her Yuuto. Issei then puts his hands on Yuuto. "Even in my revengeful petty anger I knew deep down she was just what I needed. And now she's going too, because that's what happens when you spit on blessings, they're taken away to someone more appreciative of them. It's the case for my friends, and now her! She's gonna be ripped away from my life and it feels like there's nothing I can do about it!" Yuuto then puts his hands on Issei.

"Focus up because we have a battle to win. Look I understand what's going on here but we can still save Rias. We're all fighting for you! You understand that! We're not gonna quit now because they have nine and we only have five. You're not like us, you're not one of us! You're not a devil Issei! Issei sniffles as he wipes his tears and chuckles at Yuuto. "Yuuto, take your safety off, and start killing them." Yuuto's eyes widened in horror. "But it's a ratings game?! Issei, were you listening to me! We're gonna win dammit!" 

"I know, but they'll just come back. Even if it's not all of them, it'll lower their numbers for the next game." Yuuto shakes his head. "What are you talking about? There is no next game. Issei we're gonna win now come on!" 

"He's going insane. I need to do this quick or I'll have him going berserk and ruining the-" "Yuuto, Issei do you read me?" Rias says, interrupting Yuuto's thoughts. Issei snaps out of his fury and the two stop walking. "Loud and clear" Yuuto says. "Good, we're down to three foot soldiers left. I'm launching a sneak attack with Akeno. I need her to blast Riser and you two to lure all the remaining enemies out into the field. We'll capture the king that way!" "Is that safe?" Yuuto asks. "I have no other choice. I was hoping we could do this and have Akeno blast them like we did with the gym but it looks like we need a switch of plan." Issei nods "We'll get it done" he adds. "Isn't it risky though for you to leave the base?" Yuuto asks. "Riser will think the same thing so we'll hope he's in that state of mind so we can take him by surprise. With their queen out we need them to face each other so they don't do to us what we did to them. If we can hit hard and fast we can take the fight out of him. He may be immortal but his heart is far from it." The crashing and thundering of Akeno and Yubelluna fighting shakes the earth. The two run out onto a track as the wind blows through their hair from the shock waves of Akeno and Yubelluna. "ALRIGHT YOU COWARDS! COME OUT AND FIGHT ME!" Issei says as he pops out from cover with his ability active. He roars as he feels his ability starting to kick in. Suddenly a cloud of dust conceals a woman with a sword. As she breaks through the cloud of dust she aims her giant metal sword at the two with a red sphere in the middle of the hilt.

"Who the hell are you?" Issei asks, letting his thoughts slip. "I am Karlamine. A knight for the royal house of Phenex. Something tells me you are suicidal if you want to fight me" the woman responds. "Psh, Yuuto go!" Issei yells as Yuuto forms his metal knight suit, drawing his blade. "Let me make this easy for you two then. I suggest you hold still" Karlamine suggests. "On second thought, why don't I do this in my natural form!" His suit goes away as Issei watches the two charge at each other at lighting speed.

 Karlamine's sword lights in flames as hers clashes with Yuuto's. The two match each other perfectly as they duel each other. All that was seen was orange streaks of flames and Yuuto's blur of a body as the two duked it out. 

A woman with orange hair suddenly approaches Issei. She wore a mask across half her face and walked towards Issei with half a pant leg and some short skin tight clothes. Her mask resembled the metal of an endoskeleton as one eye glows red. Her orange hair bleeds red streaks resembling small red patches on her leather jacket, which reveal her bust. "That Karlamine is always so obsessed with swords. Not even caring about how the battle is going. And right when I find a cute boy too" Ravel Phenex adds. She goes on like a middle school girl rambling about Issei while Isabela and Mihae, two more of Phenex's soldiers walk towards Issei. Mihae wore a robe of some kind and was Riser's bishop.

"Crap, once again outnumbered. I don't know if I have the strength to keep going!" Issei thought as he watched Yuuto dueling with Karlamine. 

"Though I suppose you're a good second place. Maybe after my brother gets married we can have our own little celebration" She says, smiling evilly. "THAT'S IT!" Issei finds a hidden anger that fuels what's left of his energy. "I CAN'T WAIT TO KICK YOUR ASS!" Ravel only giggles as she looks at Issei. She then holds out her hand as her little girl's smile turns into a wicked witch as her pride takes over in the form of her authority. 

"Take him alive" She says as two more behind her emerge from the forest. One named Siris, another knight, though more samurai looking. And the others were two twins wearing neko outfits. One was blue, the other pink, both perverted cats.

"Not more twins dammit! This is weird!" Issei says as he laughs, putting his hands slightly up in the air. He looks around to find himself surrounded. "Now now come on ladies we all can get along. How about we all just hang out instead! Tell you what, you leave my Rias alone and we can go out, you get me all to yourselves. I'm sure she won't mind, she'll understand that! It's for her after all! You'll all benefit!" Ravel and the others smile devilishly as she shakes her head. "Oh we don't like that" she says. Ni and Li, the two twin pawns speak up. "We want to hurt you first!" "Oh that'll be the best!" The others degrade Issei's looks as they talk fantasies involving his humiliation and ruin. "How about you all fight to the death? Winner gets me!" Issei says with a cheerful smile on his face. Yuuto looks back as he duels Karlamine. Blocking her strike with his sword as he struggles on how to handle the situation next. "Damn, Issei's all tied up. They brought out all their forces. This is it then!" Yuuto thought.

"If Rias's plan is going alright then she's acting as the airstrike with Asia as her support. Come on Rias, don't let us down!" Rias snuck bush to bush with Asia on her tail as Issei felt himself looking around at each of his fighters like a superhero out of a video game. "I have no intention of fighting you dear. Isabela!" Ravel yelled.

The woman with orange hair and half an outfit walked towards Issei. As she introduces herself in the most generic way Issei dodges a punch from her. He then dodges more of her punches as she strikes one after another, each swing closer and closer to Issei's body. Issei finds himself able to predict her attack patterns as he leaps around dodging some more of her attacks. She throws a leg sweep, causing Issei to jump in the air and kick her face, breaking a part of her mask and causing her to bleed. He then looks around as he breathes heavily, finding himself growing weak as he just stands there. "Dammit, one against five. I'm growing weaker, and thinking about Rias won't do it at this point. I can't just rely on my adrenaline. What can I do? I'm getting weaker by the second.

"I think I may be able to help Issei" a voice spoke.

To be Continued.....