High School DxD: Return of the Crimson Dragon Emperor

[Kiba Side]

The hour arrived.

We gathered on the floor, awaiting the start. The store's announcement blared.

"The game begins now. This match adopts a three-hour blitz format for a short, decisive battle. Let the game start!"

A blitz meant a quick resolution. Unlike a drawn-out fight, we didn't need to conserve stamina—a relief.

"As discussed," Rias said, "we split into two teams: Yuto and Koneko for the store interior, Akeno and Xenovia for the parking garage. Gasper, start by transforming into bats to scout and report. Later, join either group on my orders. Depending on progress, Asia and I will advance. Understood?"

We nodded, fitting earpiece mics for communication.

"Sona knows our moves," Rias continued. "She's likely predicted our strategy to some extent. Even so, we'll win. Let's show them our strength!"

"Yes!" we roared, fired up.

We couldn't lose this game.

"Let's go, Xenovia-chan," Akeno said.

"On it, Vice-President," Xenovia replied.

Akeno and Xenovia dashed off toward the parking garage.

"Koneko-chan, shall we?" I said.

"Yes," she replied.

We left the base, moving through the store.

Everyone knew Koneko planned to use her Nekomata powers. With cat ears out, she scanned our surroundings cautiously.

We stepped lightly, muffling our footsteps. If the enemy sensed us, they could hide easily in this shopping mall, with countless cover spots. An ambush from an unexpected angle was a real risk.

"How's it looking, Koneko-chan?" I asked.

She pointed ahead. "…Movement. Two figures heading straight for us. I can't make out details…"

With her senjutsu partially unleashed, Koneko could sense ki flows, giving us a heads-up on approaching enemies.

"…How long until contact?"

"At this pace, maybe ten minutes," she said.

Ten minutes—not enough time to set a trap. Hide or confront them head-on?

As I weighed options, it happened.

"—!" Koneko and I leapt back instinctively.

"—Kiba! First strike!" Saji shouted, swinging down Tarzan-style on his Sacred Gear's line, launching a knee strike.

Someone rode his back.

How had they gotten so close undetected?

I blocked his knee with my sword's flat, the impact jolting through me. Using the recoil, I retreated, steadying my stance and raising my blade.

"Yo, Kiba," Saji said, landing with a girl—Nimura, a first-year student council member.

Black snakes coiled around Saji's right arm, their form different from before. His Sacred Gear had likely evolved through training.

"How'd you pull that off?" I asked. "Even Koneko didn't sense you until the last second."

Saji grinned. "Simple. The movement you sensed was a decoy. We used a spell to mask our presence and sprang the ambush. That's it."

Clever. No wonder we missed them. Issei might've caught the air shift, but we weren't at that level.

I whispered into my earpiece, out of their earshot. "…President, we've made contact. Saji and Nimura."

"Can you and Koneko handle them?" Rias asked.

Koneko responded. "…No issue. I narrowed my detection range and found no other presences. It's two-on-two. We'll take them."

"Got it. Take them down," Rias said.

"Understood," Koneko replied, cutting the comms.

She stepped forward, fists ready. "I'll take Nimura-san. Yuto-senpai, handle Saji-senpai."

"Got it," I said.

Still, unease gnawed at me. Issei's warning before the transfer echoed: "Saji's resolve for this game is no joke. He'll do anything to win."

Saji's body shimmered with a faint black aura. Sweat trickled down my cheek. This needed to end fast.

"Nimura, you've got Takanotsume," Saji said. "You good?"

"Yes!" Nimura replied.

"Here we go!" Saji roared.

[Kiba Side Out]

[Rias Side]

Five minutes since Yuto and Koneko engaged the enemy—Saji, a second-year, and Nimura, a first-year.

Saji's Sacred Gear, which drained power from connected targets, was a major concern. But Yuto and Koneko could handle it… hopefully.

"Gasper, how far have you scouted?" I asked.

"I'm near their base, at the food court," he replied.

"Anything unusual?"

"Um… something's happening at the vegetable section…"

Vegetables?

What could they be doing there?

I hesitated. Sona's traps worried me, and sending Gasper deeper felt risky.

"…Vegetables," Asia muttered beside me.

"What's wrong, Asia?" I asked.

"N-nothing major…" she said, shaking her head.

"Tell me," I urged. "Even small details could be crucial."

"Really? Well… before summer break, Xenovia, Koneko, Gasper, and I had a girls' night."

"Girls' night? When did you…?" I paused. Could Gasper count as a girl? He looked the part, at least.

"Anyway," Asia continued, "Koneko cooked for us—stir-fried vegetables, pasta, soup, all sorts. But… every dish had garlic, and Gasper collapsed after eating."

…Koneko. Still teasing Gasper, huh? As their master, I was glad they got along, but…

Something clicked. I replayed Asia's words. Stir-fried vegetables… garlic…

I contacted Gasper immediately. "Gasper, get out of there now."

"Huh? What's wrong?" he asked.

"You said something's happening at the vegetable section, right? If I'm correct, it's a trap for you."

"A trap?" he stammered.

"If this field perfectly replicates the real store, the garlic there is real too," I explained.

Asia gasped. "You mean President Sona's using garlic to take out Gasper?"

"Exactly," I said. "Sona knows our key weapons. She'd anticipate I'd send Gasper to scout early. We can't lose him this soon. Gasper, head to Akeno's group now. Sona's likely sending technical fighters their way. Use that if needed."

"G-got it!" Gasper replied.

I sighed. Nearly lost a peerage member to garlic, of all things. Not funny.

"Nice catch, Asia," I said.

"I'm glad I could help!" she beamed.

[Rias Side Out]

[Akeno Side]

Xenovia and I entered the parking garage. As Yuto reported, the weekday setting meant fewer cars than expected—a small mercy.

Xenovia took point, while I watched our rear, advancing cautiously.

As we moved from the second floor to the first, a figure appeared ahead—a black-haired woman with glasses, wielding a naginata: Tsubaki Shinra, Kuoh Academy's student council vice-president.

Her naginata skills were formidable.

"Greetings, Akeno Himejima, Xenovia," Tsubaki said calmly. "We expected you here."

Two others emerged: a tall woman, Yura Tsubasa, the "Rook," and a slender woman with a katana, Meguri Tomoe, the "Knight."

As expected, they'd predicted our approach.

"Xenovia-chan, be careful," I said. "Sona's peerage is full of technical fighters. They're likely aiming for counters."

"Got it," Xenovia replied. "I'll push through their defenses."

She drew two swords from her waist. Durandal was unusable here—its power too destructive for the rules. My attacks could be focused to minimize collateral damage, but Durandal's nature made that tricky.

"I'll support from the rear," I said. "Xenovia-chan, take the front."

"Three-on-one with restrained power is tough, but I'll manage," she said. "Also, Rias just informed me Gasper's joining us."

"Understood. Let's hold out until he arrives."

We closed the distance slowly. I gathered magic in my hands, ready for combat.

Then—

Clang!

Xenovia's swords clashed with Tsubaki's naginata and Meguri's katana, sparks flying with a piercing metallic ring.

Tsubaki and Meguri stepped back, eyeing Xenovia's weapons.

"Those swords… holy swords!?" Meguri asked.

Xenovia nodded. "Ascalon, borrowed from Issei, and a holy sword crafted by Kiba."

The enemy froze, shocked.

During training, Issei discovered Ascalon could detach from his gauntlet. Anticipating its value, he'd lent it for the game. While less powerful than Durandal, Ascalon was a legendary holy sword with ample strength. Kiba, having reached Balance Breaker, could now craft holy swords alongside demonic ones.

With our numbers disadvantaged, Rias suggested this to counter tough odds—and the moment had come. Though less potent than legendary blades, these holy swords dealt massive damage to demons.

"Tomoe! Tsubasa! Don't let those swords touch you!" Tsubaki warned.

"I know! One hit, and we're done!" Tsubasa replied.

A fierce swordfight erupted. I supported with ranged attacks, drawing on my training.

"Thunderbolt!" I called.

Crackle!

My pent-up power surged from my fingertips. Tsubaki's eyes widened.

"That's… holy lightning!?" she exclaimed. "Akeno, you've embraced your fallen angel powers?"

I nodded calmly. "Yes. I resisted this cursed power at first. But I can't move forward without facing it. So I decided to overcome it in this game, with him watching."

I formed a condensed orb of holy lightning, careful not to damage the surroundings—a tricky balance.

I fired. Tsubaki backstepped, infusing her naginata with magic to deflect the bolt.

"Both of you, use cover and attack!" she ordered. "Don't focus only on the holy swords, or you're done!"

"Got it!" Tsubasa and Meguri replied.

As Sona's right hand, Tsubaki's leadership was sharp. The location's cover made our attacks harder, but their caution against our holy swords and lightning slowed their offense. A stalemate—prolonging it risked their counter-trap.

I needed a plan. Then, a shadow approached.

"Akeno-san! Xenovia-senpai! I'm here!" Gasper called.

"Gasper! Right on time!" Xenovia cheered.

He'd made it.

"Gasper-kun, can you do it?" I asked.

"Yes!" he replied energetically.

The enemy looked puzzled.

"Gasper-kun… why is he here?" Tsubaki asked. "Did you spot the trap?"

"The garlic, you mean?" I said. "Rias caught it just in time to save him."

"…I see," Tsubaki said. "But his presence changes nothing. His time-stopping Sacred Gear, Forbidden Balor View, is banned."

"True," I said. "But his vampire powers aren't. Gasper-kun."

At my signal, he pulled a small vial from his pocket, filled with red liquid.

"This is Issei-kun's—Red Dragon Emperor's blood," he said.

"What!?" Tsubaki gasped, realizing too late.

She lunged at Gasper, but—

Thump.

Gasper's body pulsed, the garage's air shifting ominously. A chilling dread washed over me. He vanished.

Chitter.

Red-eyed bats swarmed the area.

"Sona thought our key players were Yuto or Xenovia," I said. "She was wrong. Gasper is our trump card."

The bats attacked. Tsubasa and Meguri tried to counter but staggered, pulled by countless black hands emerging from their shadows.

"This is Gasper's power!?" Tsubaki cried.

"Yes, a fraction of his true potential, unleashed by Issei's blood," I said.

Tsubaki, struggling against the hands, was caught. They had no counter.

The bats enveloped them, biting their limbs.

"You're draining our blood!?" Tsubaki shouted.

"Blood and magic," I corrected. "In a Rating Game, incapacitation triggers transfer to the medical room. Time to retire."

"…I'm sorry, President," Tsubaki whispered.

"Sona Sitri's 'Queen,' one 'Knight,' and one 'Rook' have retired," the announcement declared.

[Akeno Side Out]