442Chapter 16...
"Hahaha, man you guys have had a rough few days, haven't ya?" Skreena bellowed in amusement. She and her fellow angels sat around the living room table in Issei's home. Issei just sat right in between Skreena and Kalawarner while Raynare sat on the opposite side of the table. They just got done catching her up on all the events that transpired from the week before. "You socked it to them pretty good, eh? I'd have loved to see the look on their faces after you flattened their slaves, hahaha!" The purpled-haired angel pointed out in praise. She was referring to when Issei beat Kiba and Riser's pawn.
"I got lucky." Issei shrugged. He didn't really consider it that big of a deal, but his hand was forced more or less in those situations.
"Lucky is good." She nodded in approval. "Keep that streak going. Being treated as a punk is the last thing you want." She forewarned. "Really easy to be taken advantage of if you are always trying to make everyone happy."
"Yeah..right." Issei cleared his throat.
"And then?" She asked curiously. "You just ice that stray? Go back to school and pretend that everything is gonna be fine?" Her hawk-like eyes were half-open. Expecting a satisfactory answer.
"..." Issei groaned while thinking hard on it. If he killed the devil that killed his parents that would be the end of it, right?
But would it really?
"I'm..not sure to be honest." He swallowed.
"Well, I guess it wouldn't be the most exciting thing. Though, I'm not so sure the three factions will get off your back anytime soon." She sighed. "You're on the dinner table, kid. Everyone is just eyeing each other until the other one makes a move. I'm sure at least these two laid it out for ya though." She eyed her twin and Raynare who were averting eye contact.
"Roughly," Issei answered with a frown.
"...booooring~! Man, I thought this was gonna be fun...hm?" Skreena dropped her head back and rolled her eyes. But then she widened them. Suddenly a mischievous grin worked its way to her glossy lips "Wait...may I make a suggestion~?" She sweetly advised.
"Huh?" Issei turned to her curiously.
"Why don't you work with us?" She simply put.
"I don't know-"
"Hear me out." She cut him off before he gave his repeated answer, by putting a finger to his lips. "You are far luckier than most individuals to run into us before you ran into the church or devils." She stated firmly. "Though the devils around here are a bit more reasonable, that won't change the fact they will not hesitate to take you out the second you pick a side. The truce that everyone has right now is uneasy, but it's prolonged a lot of lives from being lost over the years. But that all changes when someone gets their hands on you or something to that equivalent." She pointed out with a blank stare. "You got to think outside the box."
"So what do you suggest?" Issei shrugged. He didn't know what to do after finding the devil. Why did he have to? He even promised to return the power he was currently borrowing from the Hooded Man. But, the was a bridge he'd cross when he came to it.
"Since you don't want to commit to one side, you got two options." She held up her middle and index finger. "One, you can choose to offer your service to whoever you want, regardless of each faction. You'll get rewards, a reputation, and you won't have to deal with the political bullshit from all sides. But, the downside to that is you will be approached more often by multiple people from varying parties. And you may be forced into unsavory conflict with former employers." She described it in detail.
"You want him to be a mercenary?" Raynare tilted her head.
"If he doesn't want to pick a side, that's realistically the only way I could see this being one of two ways." Skreena waved her hand with a shrug.
"What about the second option?" Kalawarner asked reluctantly.
"The second option..." Skreena smiled a little. The others were listening in anticipation. "Make your OWN faction!" She announced happily.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Come again?" Issei thought he must have misheard her.
"Your own faction. Make your own group, make a club, I don't give a shit what you call it. But if you have more people on your side, the chances of anyone messing with you depending on who's in your group is minimal. And, you call the shots." She laid it out very simply for him. "Not a bad idea if I do say so myself."
"My own faction?" Issei tilted his head.
"Yeah." The tall seductive angel said with a smile.
"Wouldn't that just paint a bigger bullseye on my back?" He wasn't sure how making his presence known more than it already was would benefit him.
"You're the inheritor of the Red Dragon Emperor. The bullseye cannot get bigger, trust me." Skreena dismissed his worries like they were nothing. "If you're just wandering around with no backup, you're easy prey. You are every opportunist's wet dream." She labeled crudely. "What you need are allies. Even if you don't want to get involved, it is a good idea to have connections to bail you out of hairy situations."
"Even if I did, who'd wanna stick their neck out for me? Especially if everyone wants this thing in my arm?" Issei wasn't sure how he'd even get anyone on his side, considering the fact he had nothing to offer, except always being the center of attention among the three factions.
"That's what we're trying to get through your head." She knocked him over the head with two of her knuckles. "You're the next Red Dragon Emperor. That's enough to earn respect to at least hear you out." She made it as simple as she could. In her eyes, it was feasible, even if he was lacking in confidence. "So just focus on finding allies who will protect you. I'd say you're off to a great start if you got Lil K and Raynare the Deadbeat." She pointed to the two scantily dressed women. Raynare just wore her pink shirt that hugged her body and matching underwear. Kalawarner was just in her usual marron mini skirt and open-collar shirt.
"I'm not a deadbeat!" Raynare complained loudly.
"Yeah, I don't think that's accurate." Kalawarner bowed her head and closed her eyes.
"Really?" Raynare was surprised she said something positive about her-
"Dead-'weight' would be more appropriate."
"You bitch..!" Raynare had a vein nearly burst at the top of her head, as she stood up and pulled her fist back.
"Oh, I see what you mean." Issei nodded in understanding. "But, where else can I find people like you to help me out? If anything it was just a string of coincidences that led up to this point. " Issei raised a brow. He began to slowly like the idea. Even if he was not going to participate in the war, he'd at least have some friends to rely on. Plus, maybe he could get a better understanding of other species and races if he met them.
"That's easier than you think." Skreena scoffed and smiled. "And I got the perfect idea for your next best friend." She said as she stood up and stretched her arms. "But first, I'm gonna need to see what you can do. So sleep good tonight, meet me at the area you found Dohnaseek after school." She then began to head out.
"Uh, do I need to bring any...thing?" Issei said before she disappeared into the dark of night. Nothing but a breeze was heard before she took one step out the door. "Wow, she just comes and goes as she likes." He sweated a bit. He didn't get a chance to ask if he should have made any preparations.
"She's a free spirit." Kalawarner sighed. "Well, I'm gonna sleep now. I got to work early tomorrow, so I'll probably see you at the spot Skreena mentioned." She said and fell over onto Issei's lap, startling him. She had her hands behind her head while propping her back on the arm of the couch. "You wanna continue where we left off?" She smiled a little at him.
"I-I'm good. You need your rest." He blushed, but he couldn't move because she was firmly sitting on his lap.
"Get your fat ass off him already," Raynare growled.
"You shut your damn hole. A 'student' like you should be tucked away in bed at this hour." She retorted with a tired tone. "You can sleep here if you want. As I said, I don't really thrash around. So you'd wouldn't have to worry about me keeping you up...or unless...~" She slowly brushed down his shirt which sent shivers down his spine.
"Oh my god, my heart can't take this!" He was like putty in her hand. He would never in his wildest dreams have thought that a woman this attractive with long legs and a large chest would be treating him as if he was part of her furniture. Jace would probably have succumbed to this level of temptation long ago. And quite frankly, Issei felt like he was about to let his hormonal heart take control, the more he spent around these seductive fallen angels. His V card was definitely on the verge of getting lost if this continued.
"Hmhmhmhm~..hm?" Kalawarner stopped smiling playfully and then looked boringly at Raynare who looked like she was ready to erupt.
"You...!" Raynare clenched her fist. "Don't get ahead of yourself, you SLUT!" She had red light beaming from her figure and her eyes became more cat-like.
"HeyheyheyheyheyeheyHEY, STOP!" Issei tried to quell her annoyance but she seemed to be ignoring him. The entire house shook at the unseen calamity that was unleashed, along with a bright red flash.
The next day...
Issei hurried through the stairs of Kouh Academy. His meeting with Skreena was soon. His footsteps echoed as he rushed down the stairs brushing past multiple students. He turned the corner and then was about to grab his notebook out of his locker. He opened it and flipped through it and nodded, he then shut the locker door and was looking straight into the eyes of the right-hand of Rias's peerage.
Akeno Himejima.
"AHHh!" He jumped back out of reflex. The raven-haired devil sweetly stared at him with amused pink eyes. His startled reaction made her want to tease him more.
"Oh, my. I'm sorry, did I frighten you, Issei?" She sounded ashamed and apologetic.
"Oh, uh, no! (Ahem). N-not at all. I just wasn't expecting to see you there." He was surprised to see Rias's Queen piece greeting him at the entrance of the school. It was like she appeared out of thin air...maybe she did. "I-I was just about to leave." He swallowed and tried to regain his composure. "Was there something you wanted to ask me, Akeno-senpai?"
"Nothing too serious. I was just curious if you were doing alright since the last time I saw you." She smiled gently and put her hands over one another. "I was concerned that maybe the fallen angels were bothering you lately. You seemed pretty quiet these past few days." She observed him throughout school whenever she caught him out of the corner of her eye. His mind seemed elsewhere whenever anyone tried to talk to him.
"Nothing has really happened. We're on good terms still." He answered honestly. "Oh, has there been any development with the devil I was looking for?" He decided to change the subject. The last thing he needed was to say he was meeting up with more fallen angels. That was what kept him on edge. He didn't quite understand the consequences of fraternizing with other races, but he figured that as long as he didn't say anything unnecessary, everything would be okay.
"I haven't heard anything about it yet. But the President and Student Council President are very resourceful. If that demon is still out and about, they'll find it." She confidently said.
"I see. Well, thanks for letting me know anyway." He said in conclusion. "Well, if you'll excuse me." He bowed and turned around.
"Actually..."
"Goddammit." Issei slumped his head over depressingly. He wasn't wanting to be late, but he mostly didn't want to stand up someone like Skreena. It just seemed like something bad would happen if he did.
"Would you mind accompanying me for a little? I promise I won't drag you on for much." She requested.
"Sure, I don't mind." He felt like his smile faltered for a second, but he was pretty good at acting. Being stuck in a loony bin gave him plenty of practice. Especially when he was in there for most of his life listening to the same boring lines repeated to him on a daily basis.
"Splendid! If you would, please follow me." She seemed happy that he accepted. He followed her out the entrance and towards the old school building. He thought she must be leading him back to the O.R.C. room. But they stopped just before they got close. Akeno turned around and maintained her smile of mystery and warm nature. "Say, Issei? I've been very curious as of late."
"About what?" Issei was confused.
"You've stated before that your goal is to take revenge on the devil that killed your parents, yes?"
"Yes." Issei nodded.
"Do you have any plans beyond that?" She seemed to be very inquisitive as to what he planned on doing after tracking down the devil.
"It's like she was right there last night." Issei felt chills down his spine at getting asked the very question that he thought about the night before. "I haven't really thought about it." He once again spoke his mind.
"I see." She bowed her head. "I hope I haven't put any unnecessary pressure on your shoulders. I was contemplating on whether or not to ask you this." She confessed.
"I think it's a...good question." Issei scratched the back of his head.
"Well, it is no small issue. It must be difficult to grasp this whole situation as of late." She smiled sadly and sighed. "But if you ever wish to know more, my president is always looking to guide her underclassmen. Whether it's in basic studies or knowledge of the three factions." She informed him. "I also take pleasure in seeing you visit. Especially after that last time you came in." She giggled softly when he encountered Riser in the midst of Rias. "You really put on quite an impressive display."
"I still don't think I should have done that." He sheepishly chuckled when he remembered he slammed Riser's pawn into the ground. But it was oddly satisfying to show he was not just a pushover. If he was in Oni that would have been a different story. Had he done that he would no longer be put in there for PTSD but spend the rest of his time in a straitjacket.
"Nonsense. Rias's family situation has been complicated. Though her family sees it as building bridges between families, Rias follows her own heart. Though she may act strong in front of everyone, I can tell she holds in quite a bit." She lamented.
"Sounds rough. And here I am not sure what to do with myself. Kinda pathetic when I think about it." He referred to himself poorly. He didn't know much about political marriages, but he knew that in the end, Rias was just like any other person having to go along with their family's plans.
"You shouldn't say that about yourself." Akeno came forth and put a comforting hand on his. He looked up and was locked in another stare of a pretty girl. "We all have our own battles. How we choose to fight them is never clear. But I know for certain that trying to find your place is never going to be easy or as obvious as we want it to be." She let go. "So chin up. I'm sure you'll figure out what you want." She smiled in a comforting manner.
"Wow. She's a really nice person." Issei was impressed by how reassuring she made things. Here he was just moping over what he wanted to do, but she seemed like she had an insurmountable amount of wisdom to impart. He smiled slightly and bowed his head. "Mm. I'll definitely give you all an answer when I can. I promise." He nodded.
"My, my, that type of boldness makes it seem like a held-off confession does it not?" She teased. "A boy and girl all alone in the back of the school building, doesn't the setting seem just perfect?"
"Well...y-you know. I'm just making sure I'm being clear. And I am thinking about it...MY PLAN! Not the confessing part!" He quickly blushed in embarrassment. "Er, not that I planned on confessing...god, kill me." He felt like he just walked right into that one.
"Hmhmhmhm, you're such a good boy, Issei." She put a hand to her cheek in glee. "Although, if you really did plan on it...I wonder what I would say?~" She leaned forth and her chest bounced in front of him. He looked away, unable to look her in the eye any further. Rather, he wasn't sure if it was her "eyes" he'd be unable to take his own off of. But then his eyes suddenly fell upon Yuuma, who was standing behind the corner of the wall watching with ill intent seeping out of her body.
"Oh, crap. Is she watching me?" He could just HEAR her inner thoughts being transferred from beyond the school walls. Raynare was not happy with what she was watching. She bit the tip of her nail and was close to biting it off in annoyance.
"So she just goes and says a few honeyed words and you're already falling for her?! Is it her chest? Is it her deceivingly good looks? Is it because she's your upperclassman!? I thought you were better than that, but I'm very disappointed in your mental fortitude, Issei!" She seemed to be gritting her teeth in disgust. Issei was with her a lot longer and had been through so much ever since they met, and she just watches him smitten with another filthy devil woman. Whether it was some twisted sense of jealousy or irritation was anyone's guess. She looked like she could bite off a part of the wall with the grinding of her teeth.
"Uh, listen, I got to go. My curfew is calling me." He cleared his throat.
"Hm?" Akeno looked over at Raynare from beyond the wall and the two locked eyes. Akeno just smiled with eyes closed, but a hidden face of torment and pleasure seemed to be hiding behind her facade. Raynare wasn't even trying to hide her disgust. If looks could kill, she probably could bore a hole through Akeno's head. Issei began to leave and Akeno waved kindly at him until he left. She opened her eyes slightly and at Issei's back before he turned the corner. She thought about how he talked and his reaction to her teasing. She bowed her head and was in deep thought.
"If he gets along well with fallen angels and devils...he just looks at us as people. Just like Rias." She smiled and was glad to get a chance to talk with him. The more she spoke to him, the more she saw him in a better light. "I wonder...would it have been the same if he came to our side first?" She wondered what would happen if he had found them instead of Raynare if he would have treated them differently or not.
"He seems to be okay," Koneko revealed herself, stoically watching as the Rook piece walked to Akeno's side.
"Indeed. I wonder if he really is." She sighed a bit.
"Those fallen angels are still with him." She blankly said.
"Yes. But it would seem he's managing them well. Though I get the feeling he's probably worried we'd judge him too harshly. I should have made that clearer to him." She felt a bit ashamed she couldn't reassure him a bit more. Maybe he'd be more inclined to seek them out if he felt like he could be open with them. But this situation was played by the ear. Nothing was set in stone yet.
"Should we go inform President?" Koneko asked her.
"Mm." She nodded and the two went back into the O.R.C. building.
"..."
"..."
Issei and Raynare walked on past the school until they were in a discreet area to teleport to the spot where they were going to meet Skreena. While they walked, Issei could feel her negativity leaking out. He did his best to ignore it, but he felt like he had to say something before all the grass and plants died around her.
"I can hear you grinding your teeth from here." He sighed with hesitation.
"Don't know what you mean." She huffed, clearly bothered by something. "It's not like it's any of my business what you do after school."
"Just say it." He sighed once more. He'd rather her get it out of her system before she blew up on him later.
"Fine, you seemed awfully chummy with that devil before." She didn't even waste time getting to the point. Her hate for the devils was blaring obvious, but this time seemed a bit more personal. "Is that more your type?"
"I was just talking." Issei shrugged, not thinking it was that big of a deal.
"If you say so." She looked away.
"Are you...pouting?" Issei raised his brow.
"I'M NOT!" She growled angrily. "You think a mere devil can get under my skin that easily?! Well, I'll have you know right now I am perfectly in control of emotions!" She insisted strongly.
"Okay. No need to get angry." Issei eased up.
"I'm not angry!" She repeated.
"Okay, if you say so." Issei halfheartedly nodded. He didn't really care at this point. She got irritated by everything he did, so this was probably not that different.
"What did she want anyway?" She demanded an answer as her pink eyes narrowed.
"Just seeing how I was doing. I hadn't spoken with them for a couple of days so they probably wanted to keep in touch." Issei answered. They made it to an empty street and went behind a concrete wall where no one looked.
"I don't see how that is any of her business." She crossed her arms and closed her eyes.
"Just get over it. Alright, hold still." Issei said as he placed a hand on her shoulder and closed his eyes.
(VMMM!)
The two reappeared in a black flash at the campsite Issei discovered Dohnaseek and Mittelt. Issei opened his eyes and looked around until they fell upon Skreena who was sitting cross-legged on the ground. Her eyes snapped open and she floated up and casually stood on to her feet. "Right on time, kiddo. I'm glad to see you can be punctual." She commended. She was wearing black high-heeled boots, leather pants, with a matching jacket that showed off a large amount of her chest. She looked like the queen of her own biker gang. Her long dark purple hair and moon earing swayed in the wind.
"Well, teleporting makes it no problem." He shrugged.
"Well just don't jump into a wall or something. I've heard of demons and other types of beings being cut in half from that." She forewarned.
"I considered that at one point. But, I only use it when I remember my surroundings."
"You aren't stupid. Maybe this will be entertaining after all." The purple-haired beauty smiled.
"Geez, how far out here were you guys planning on going?" Kalawarner called from up top of them. She had soared down in her work clothes. Wearing a black skirt and an unbuttoned collared striped shirt. She was still in her work uniform from the looks of it. Her bust nearly popped out from how tight the shirt hugged around her chest. "I can hardly breathe in this thing." She aired out her cleavage while landing next to Raynare and Issei.
"How was work lil' K?" Skreena smirked.
"It was dumb. Everyone came through my register when there was clearly more than one cashier. This shirt is not big enough, and the buttons kept popping off till I just decided to leave it this way." She put her arm under her boobs while showing them off unintentionally.
"Nice tits." That was all Issei could say in a dumbfounded manner. She looked like a supermodel for a promoting ad. The sexy lady in the grocery ad holding up fruit that was comparable to the two well-endowed knockers on her person.
"Hahaha! You gonna be great Lil K! I'm amazed no one jumped you right then and there!" Skreena laughed at how her appearance showed off her body.
"Shut it, you meathead." Kalawarner just sighed. "So, what are we doing?"
"Righto. Our ultimate goal is to get cutie pie here enough backing that the devils and angels won't think twice to mess with him out in the open anymore." The angelic vixen said as she put her hands in her pockets. "I know the perfect candidate to get on your side, but I need to gauge your level." She stood firmly and just kept a blank smile while keeping an eye on Issei. "So, just throw everything you got at me as if your life depends on it."
"Everything I got?" Issei repeated.
"Don't worry. If you're worried about hurting me, don't. To put my abilities into perspective I beat those bat-wing bastards back to hell, with their pointy tails between their legs single-handedly." She quickly cleared up.
"Seriously?" Issei widened his eyes.
"Skreena's presence on the battlefield causes the opposition to flee." Raynare proudly highlighted. "They say she could take down a quarter of the population of one side if she wanted to."
"Well, I wouldn't say that...maybe like two-thirds." She shrugged arrogantly. "But talk is cheap, so show me." She stopped smiling and her eyes narrowed with slits in her eyes, a prominent feature that most fallen angels shared. Issei felt a cold sweat for some reason. It was like an aura of something ominous was blowing past him like an unfavorable wind.
"Y-yes ma'am." Issei swallowed while stepping forth to begin. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he felt a bit skittish and nervous when he stopped in front of her. "What the hell is going on? I feel like a centipede is crawling up my spine. This feeling...I felt it when I'm around Raynare and the others. But she's..." He couldn't describe what he was feeling, but the sense he got when a fallen angel or devil was around him seemed to be spiked at a moment's hesitation. Whether it was just a feeling, or he unconsciously knew. He decided to consult the Hooded Man.
"I know what you want to ask, but you have arrived at the answer."
"So she's hiding something terrifying." Issei felt himself faltering slightly.
"It's an intimidation tactic most powerful beings used. A pure angel's aura suppresses emotions, but a fallen angel's aura can incite them."
"So it's like a positive or negative thing?"
"Indeed. Feelings of lust, fear, hatred. They are all the negative aspects of emotion. A powerful fallen angel can utilize these traits in all living forms of life. Because it is how they fell, that corrupted their power to this extent."
"No kidding, I feel like I'll be obliterated if I move from this spot." Issei swallowed.
"This child is merely testing your reaction. She has seen hundreds of battlefields. This is probably how she adopted her reputation. Children these days...they seem so hot-blooded compared to their ancestors."
"You say that like they're kids playing on your front lawn." Issei's sweat dropped slightly. He sounded like an old man shaking his head at reckless children at the park.
"Interesting..."
"What?"
"This one is fallen, yet I sense it is not...a complete angel."
"She's what?"
"Hmmm...It matters not. Focus on her for now. She is suspecting of you."
"You seem to be distracted," Skreena spoke up to him as if on cue.
"Oh, sorry. Just trying to figure out how to start." Issei answered sheepishly.
"Oh, okay then." Skreena easily dropped it and resumed her composure.
"That was easy." Issei thought she was rather accepting of that rather too quickly. "I should just do what she said. Now that I think about it, she's pretty fast. Made Yuuto look like a slowpoke compared to her. Alright, let's see what I can do!" Issei mustered his resolve and took a deep breath. He stopped shaking and leaned forth a bit. Skreena smiled slightly.
"He stopped shaking. At least you're trying." She narrowed her eyes slightly at his form. She half expected him to not move from his spot out of intimidation, but he seemed to be holding his own. Now for the real reason, she wanted to face him...
What kind of power did he have?
"BOOST!" Issei shouted and the red gauntlet appeared on his arm.
((BOOST!))
"BOOST!" He repeated.
((BOOST!))
"Alright, let's do this!" He ran forth and clenched his fist. He threw out his punch with all his might, and a solid collision with the back of Skreen's outstretched hand let out an impact so loud it shook the air around them. Issei was shocked to see his sacred gear blocked by just the skin of her fingers. She didn't move and just kept smiling with amusement.
"Hmm...that was cute" She answered sweetly.
"Shit!" Issei backed off. "BOOST!"
((BOOST!))
"I'm at three! I got to at least scratch her before I hit ten!" Issei knew this going to be a pointless struggle, but if he was going to get acknowledgment, he'd have to try his best. He swung at her face again, but she stopped it with one finger this time. Another recoil of air blasted from the impact.
"C'mon. Don't stop." She said with composure. Issei backed off again, frustration written all over his face. "Fuck! Okay, I think it's clear that she's got me outmatched with physical strength!" He had deduced a slugfest was out of the question. If she could block his strength after three boosts of power, she could most likely take all ten with no issue. Issei then decided to switch his plan of attack. "Let's try this!" He said and held up his Boosted Gear. "BOOST!"
((BOOST!))
"BOOST!"
((BOOST!))
"BOOST!"
((BOOST!))
"That's six! This has got to make her blink at least!" Issei then held his arm out towards her and red energy formed into his palm.
"Ooh~?" Skreena eyed it with interest. "Looks like an energy blast. C'mon, hit me with it." She beckoned. But in the back of her mind another thought had surfaced. "Impressive stamina. I could have sworn that Azazel said this thing puts a massive burden on the body. But he's just a kid." Skreena had some prior knowledge of Issei's Sacred Gear, but seeing it in action seemed to contradict what she was told. A regular human withstanding the power that was being put out by one of the most powerful Longinus. This human child was just full of surprises.
"I plan to." He clenched the energy in his hand and then punched toward her.
((DRAGON SHOT!))
A red beam shot out of Issei's hand and widened out as it blasted toward Skreena.
"..." She just remained motionless. It engulfed her, and a significant portion of the forest was erased from the face of the earth in a wide trail of destruction. The thick brush and lined-up trees were replaced with a trail of smoking dirt. After the smoke cleared, Issei thought that might of at least made her twitch.
"(Pant)..." He breathed heavier after using that much power. Clearly dispelling the energy was a lot easier for him, but it left him exhausted. Another thing to take into account when fighting another opponent.
"Well, that was a decent shot." Skreena's voice sounded out which made him gasp. She was still in the same spot she was. But the grass beneath her feet was untouched by the draconic beam of destruction. She stood there waving the dust out of her face. "If I was one of Gremory's goons there, you'd definitely do some damage to them." Her calm demeanor was unsullied. She seemed to have blocked the beam with some type of barrier around her. But it did not change the fact she just stood there as if a spring breeze blew past her.
"You're a monster as always." Kalawarner scoffed and crossed her arms.
"It still surprises me every time I watch." Raynare shook her head in amazement. She knew Skreena was feared among the factions, but to witness it firsthand was mind-blowing.
"Oh, c'mon, anyone can do that with practice nowadays!" Skreena chuckled and waved it off as no big deal. "Even a person like you could do it, Ray. If you actually put in the work for once." She quipped with a smile.
"I-I have my ways of fighting too!" Raynare felt ashamed that her power was but peon level compared to Skreena's. She was a schemer and opportunist. She did not have the drive to become a behemoth like Skreena or Azazel.
"I'm starting to feel like I'm just throwing pebbles at a tiger." Issei sheepishly said. It was looking, nay, it WAS bleak. He wasn't even sure if she could be hurt by him.
"As I said, this is just to get a sense of where you're at. I don't really expect anything from you other than to try your best. So keep 'em coming." She motioned with her hand. "You can teleport, right? Try th-?" She then held her hand behind her and blocked another powerful strike from Issei's boosted gear. Again, the back of her hands was like a solid wall. "Ohoho, now that was sneaky. You got me rambling, you little tease." She turned her eye to his determined face and a flirtatious look filled her gaze.
"Crap!" Issei vanished in thin air and appeared away from her. She turned around with her hands in her pockets.
"Hm, pretty basic stuff. But for a first-timer, you take the initiative, so it's acceptable." Skreena shrugged her shoulders and downplayed him. She stroked her chin. "But this is no good. If all your damage is based on punching and blasting, you're gonna be short work for anyone who has seen actual combat." She determined. All in all, he was still a newbie at this. "Experience is the best teacher on the battlefield, but you'll understand it soon enough."
"Well, I guess I better just put my all into the next strike." He figured maybe if he was going out swinging, it was going to be the hardest he could swing. But right before he boosted to his limit, Kalawarner spoke out.
"Hey, Issei? Why don't you try that other ability?" She suggested.
"Other ability?" Skreena glanced in her direction.
"Yeah, you might as well use everything." Raynare supported. "He's got this weird dark manipulation ability that pulled through when we got into a scrape with one of the churches puppets" She recanted the odd darkness that he used to shatter the church's golem.
"Well, let's see it. You got me curious now." Skreena sounded interested and once again gestured for him to come at her.
"..." Issei was a bit hesitant.
"Cat got your tongue? What's the hold-up?" Skreena urged him to act.
"I just...it's just I don't really have any clue what this does to someone." He sounded concerned. "It's something I've had for a while, but I've never used it on anyone before."
"Well, I'll be your test dummy. Maybe I can give you some insight." She suggested. "Not many opportunities you get to use everything on a high-level opponent like myself."
"Alright...here it goes." He narrowed his eyes and the shadows cast by the branches seemed to veer towards him. Skreena noticed this and felt a tinge of interest. Issei then had a crackling black orb appear on his index finger. As it appeared the light around him dimmed slightly. Skreena then stopped smiling and her eyes seemed to flicker with recognition.
"..." Issei looked below her and his move was made. "...blast." He said under his breath.
"...?!"
"Hm?!"
"...!?"
(EXPLOSION)
It was like a bomb went off at Skreena's feet. It erupted so suddenly and expanded upward in a fraying arc of black energy. There were crackles and whips of black electricity as the smoke encompassed the area. Bewildered once again by this dark energy, Kalawarner and Raynare felt like their heart stopped for a moment. The ground trembled at the force of the explosion but eventually settled.
"Wh-wh-wh-What the HELLLLLlll~!?" Raynare was flabbergasted. She had no idea he could do that.
"What did you do!?" Kalawarner demanded an answer.
"I turned her shadow into a bomb." He simply explained.
"You can do that?!" Raynare was surprised at this new information.
"Yeah. I once blew up a bathroom when I tried this trick, so I figured I shouldn't use it careless-" He began to tell of his first time with the technique, but was cut off by a raving Raynare.
"WHY DIDN'T YOU USE THAT ON THE DEVIL SCUM?! YOU COULD HAVE BLOWN PRINCE CHARMING TO A MILLION BILLION PIECES!" She got up in his face and was talking him down about how underutilized he treated his power.
"Because I haven't tested it enough times to know how powerful it is-" He began to say in his defense, but she was having none of it.
"And that Gremory girl and black haired-oh, that bitch! YOU ARE BEING FAR TOO NICE TO THOSE DEVILS!"
"Okay I think you've made your point-" Issei was getting annoyed by her now, and his patience was running low.
"NEXT TIME YOU FIGHT A DEVIL, SHOW NO MERCY! THE FACT THEY PREY UPON YOUR IGNORANT INNOCENT MIND IS SOMETHING YOU NEED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WHEN YOU FIGHT THEM! YOU NEED TO MAKE AN EXAMPLE OUT OF-"
"SHUT UP!" Issei shouted at her which prompted her to clamp her mouth shut. "I'LL BLOW YOU, TO A MILLION BILLION PIECES SO HELP ME-...huh?" He turned to see Skreena who was standing motionlessly on the ground. They stopped talking and were wondering why she was silent. Her head was cocked back as if she was staring at the sky. She was smoking slightly, but there was no damage on her. But upon closer inspection, it seemed that the lower half of her pants were singed slightly.
"...ahahahahaha..."
"Skreena?" Issei furrowed his eyes.
"I see now..." She talked to herself. "NOW it makes sense why you wanted me to find him, Quillin." She had a rush of euphoria enter her system and a maniacally twisted grin worked its way to her calm facade. "Who knew the Red Dragon Emperor's wielder was also you, Far Fallen...I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS REMATCH FOREVER!" Her x shaped wings burst out her back and glowed black and white.
"What the-?" Issei didn't get the last word out before she suddenly vanished and reappeared in front of him with a clenched fist. He instinctually held his arm up, but suddenly the sacred gear did little more than bounce off her fist twisting his arm and knocking his body back a great distance, he got smashed against a tree and his eyes went white with blood coming out his mouth. Raynare and Kalawarner were horrified after what they saw.
"..huh?" Skreena snapped out of her battle-crazed trance and she suddenly realized that she had just struck him out of reflex. "Wait, I thought you...huh?" The opponent she THOUGHT she was faced with turned out to be non-existent.
"ISSEI!" Raynare screamed and flew over to check on him with Kalawarner.
"...oh...whoops." Was all Skreena could say like she just made a minor mistake. Issei twitched slightly but he felt like his entire skeletal structure was turned to dust. He was nearly paralyzed from the amount of pain he felt. How he wa snot dead was beyond him.
"I...can't...ow..." Issei wasn't quite sure what the damage was to his body, but he thought he now knew now what it was like to be a human ragdoll. "I thought...that stupid shadow was supposed to...keep me from dying...?"
"You are not in imminent danger. Though I would recommend you cease combat for now."
"Fuck...you, and your shadow...ow..."
"But, now it makes sense. I thought she was a Cadre, but turns out she was a Nephilim."
"A...fucking...what?" Issei felt pain just by thinking. He felt like a wrecking ball just smashed into his frail body. He could not move, only listen.
"A unique type of fallen angel. They have immense physical abilities and high resistance to magic, and holy powers. They are very rare though. She's probably the last of her kind."
"A...monster...angel...cool beans." Issei didn't really give a damn. In fact, he blanked out after hearing the Hooded Man's explanation. Skreena narrowed her eyes and seemed to be deep in thought.
"Huh. I was sure he was that old fellow. A student maybe?" She seemed to know what it was that Issei used to blow up the ground beneath her. But the origin of Issei's power seemed to elude her. One thing was for certain though.
It wasn't going to be boring after all.
I'm back, everyone! Had some financial problems and I couldn't sign in to Fanfiction for some odd reason, and that goddamn Covid variant made me sick for a little while, but I have now gotten back to writing! I rushed this chap a little because it's been a while, so apologies if it seems a bit short! Green Eyed Killer is next! Keep an eye out!
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