Chapter 25 Breaking Limits

"I'll tell you one thing, Rias was right when she said she was damn fast"

Akeno was speechless, she blinked for a few seconds and then closed her eyes, a smile appearing on her face. "Yeah, thanks for saving me, Kouki-kun.

I hope you don't mind but we have to defeat her. Then we can resume this little position of ours.

"

Shinji blinked a few times trying to get what she said, a blush appearing on his face as he jumped back away from his friend. "Y-yeah, sorry about it.

"

"Ufufu, I don't mind at all. "

"Well well, if it isn't our hero from before. Glad to sssee you are alive.

" A voice interrupted their talk. "I see that little scar wasn't enough for you.

"

"Can't make our encounter so short now, can I?" The teenager said as he stood up, standing in front of Akeno trying to protect her from the monster they were about to face. "Although I do believe we have a little score to settle between us.

"

"Oh? Quite confident aren't we? I can sense a different aura from you. " Perse rose again, lifted up by her long tail while looking at her prey from above.

She also watched how he was standing in front of the raven haired girl. "Hm? I thought I went right through you with that attack, a human cannot heal that fast.

So, she made you a devil after all. "

"Yeah, so what about it? I'm going to beat your ass one way or another. " The teen proclaimed while lifting his right arm.

"Devil or not it doesn't matter. " Her nails now grew to match the length of a small knife, although they were sharper.

"Even though you were saved by a miracle before I'll make sssure I end you now!"

She was fast, before Shinji could blink she was in front of him, ready to strike. As soon as she got close, he jumped back, way back to evade her attack, although his landing was not so elegant as he fell on his back.

"Woah! How did I do that!?" Was his exclamation as he realized what happened.

"Those are your devil traits showing up, Kouki-kun. " Akeno said as she also evaded Perse's attack.

"Even though you weren't fast enough to evade it on your own, your body reacted itself as a survival instinct. "

"Wait, you mean I can save my own ass even though I'm not paying attention?" Shinji looked at his hands, a gleaming smile appeared on his face as he chirped up. "Sweet! What else can I do?"

"You won't be so lucky this time!" A voice roared as a tail swung to smash the teenager, a thunder bolt struck it, making it fly to the opposite direction.

"Don't forget I'm also here to face you, Stray. " Akeno said as she stood next to Shinji.

"I contacted Rias to let her know we got her but we need to keep her busy until she comes with the others, Kouki-kun. "

"Ok, so we have to buy time. " The black haired teen said as he cleaned the dust on his shoulders.

"I'll just jump from one place to another to keep her busy if I must. "

"You insolent brats. " Exclaimed the monster as she got herself up, the bruise on her tail clear to see.

"I'll make sure you suffer before you die!"

Perse picked one of the debris caused when her tail pierced the floor and threw it to the pair, making them evade it and separating them respectively. Her plan was clear, separate them and take them one by one, the first one would be the girl since she was the strongest of them both.

As Akeno evaded the debris, the stray devil went head on to strike her. She conjured a shield to block but it was for none, the monster just smashed it with her speed tempo and went right through it.

Before the raven haired girl could even react she was slashed by the enemy's strong claw-like nails and sent flying to a nearby wall.

"Himejima-san!" Shinji shouted as ran to his friend's side, her clothes torn where the monster attacked, showing the deep wounds she caused.

"Now that she wont bother us I can take you out, Hero. " Perse licked the nails that pierced Akeno, enjoying the blood that was present on them.

"I'll enjoy your flesh as I rip you apart!"

There was nothing the teenager could do, his body again paralyzed as the stray was in front of him. 'Dammit! Why can't I move!? I need to do something or Akeno will die!' His legs shaking, his fists trembling as he felt the killing aura the enemy emitted.

"Don't fear-" his eyes snapped wide as he remembered one of his sensei's teachings, "-Fear is one of the limits we man put on ourselves, to fear means we can't reach true potential. As long as you have fear inside you, you won't be able to overcome yourself.

"

'Dammit Hagiwara, that's not useful now. ' He sighed.

"But-" Shinji prepared his fighting stance, firm in his position, "-If I don't face her now Akeno will die. "

"Talking to yourself, eh?" Perse was rising again, her eyes red as she watched her prey. "Looks like fear has finally drawn you crazy.

Don't worry, I'll end you now!"

She went head on, just like last time in the blink of an eye she was in front of him. Like before his devil instincts reacted and moved him away just in time to evade the attack.

"You won't get lucky again!" Was all the teenager heard as a hand caught his leg, Perse throwed him to a nearby pillar, breaking it apart from the sheer force.

Shinji felt bad, his sight faded for a second as his head spinned, he coughed blood as he tried to stand up. 'I don't think I'll be able to handle another one of those.

' He thought as blood trailed from his forehead.

"Oh? You still have strength in you?" The stray's grin grew wider each passing second.