บท 87: The battle of the devil youths finally begin! Team Gremory vs. Team Sitri! Part 4
The battle of the devil youths finally begin! Team Gremory vs. Team Sitri! Part 5
XXX
"…"- Speaking
'…'- Thoughts
[…]- Ddraig
{…}- Albion
(…)- Vritra
XXX
[One hour and thirty minutes have passed]
"Michael? Michael, do you copy? What's happening over there!?" Rias exclaimed through bated breath as sweat from every pore of her body was pouring out while under the intense heat of the flames that Tsubaki has been indirectly spreading around the desolated food court. Only compared to the blazing fires that the Sitri Queen transmuted before, these ones held an unsettling air about them with its most notable sign being that they took on an eerie jet-black shade.
*FWOOOOOOSH!*
"Hriyaaaaaaaah!" The ignition of black flames surrounding the once holy water covered naginata was drowned out by the violent screams of its wielder making a mad dash after Rias.
"Buchou!"
"…!" Stirred by the cries of her queen, Rias reacted to the frontal charge by placing up a sturdy barrier that barely holds itself for a second before its smashed apart by the enhanced naginata.
"Gugh!"
Raising her hand, Rias summoned up a large sphere of demonic power to fire at Tsubaki, but even then, Sona's [Queen] was hot on her heels already taking advantage of her sudden reaction.
"Mirror Al-!"
*BAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKA!*
"Holy Bolt!"
Thankfully, just before the [Queen] could finish materializing a large round mirror, Akeno assisted her [King] by channeling and unleashing an unyielding stream of Holy Lightning tunneling after Tsubaki.
"Grgh!" On the defensive, Tsubaki spun her black flamed naginata to disperse of the hazardous lightning, but the poisonous effects of light energy infused in the thunder left a searing sensation go through her body as the Gremory's charged stream only furthered its intensity.
Much to Rias' pleasure, she was given the chance to rush out of Tsubaki's range in order to avoid also getting affected by the crosshairs of Akeno's holy lightning.
With a click of her tongue, Tsubaki only spun her naginata even further using the [Knight] trait of her [Queen] piece to move the flaming weapon with blinding speed as the flames only grew. Not even the Holy lightning was able to penetrate through the thickened wall of black flames.
In mere moments to the Rias and Akeno, all they could see was an abyssal wheel of flames as the spiraling weapon picked up more heavy winds of heat to add to the blistering hot battlefield. The heat only added to both the [King] and [Queen]'s exhaustion, they were already giving it their all to outlast the stubborn Sitri [Queen], at this point they were on the back end of the literal burner after Tsubaki suddenly received a familiar surge of fierce power.
"Black Dragon Wheel!" Tsubaki screamed, adjusting her body just right to fling the fiery gyrating naginata after Akeno.
*SHING!*
The weapon was coming in too hot and so naturally Akeno ceased her attack and jumped right out of the way just the naginata was close to penetrating her chest, sadly though, she wasn't fast enough to dodge the attack in its entirety.
"Mmngh!" Akeno clutched the searing wound on her shoulder feeling the sheer burning sensation course through her whole body. It wasn't like the holy water enhanced flames, but it didn't change how mind numbing it was to endure it.
Just before the thrown naginata could meet the ground, the intense flames reduced the enhanced weapon to dust. A testament to the black flames' ferocious strength. Another testament being shown by Tsubaki summoning another naginata from her stockpile and imbuing it with more infernal flames than the last one.
Though Rias did notice the opposing [Queen] wince upon calling forth the flames.
"Akeno!" Rias cried out but immediately kept her focus on Tsubaki. The Queen's stance was more tense compared to before with the addition to her extra boost in strength and her sudden ability to use those black flames. The source of this conundrum obviously had to do with the partially camouflaged line connected to the back of her neck.
'One of Saji's lines? So, is she gaining this much power from him, but how? I realize he has a dragon sacred gear, but shouldn't most of this power be used in his fight against Michael?' She took pride in knowing that her [Pawn] wasn't a pushover especially after his month of training, which made her worry that this sudden surge of power that Tsubaki was experiencing could be happening for the Sitri [Pawn] as they speak.
In a burst of blinding speed, Tsubaki propelled herself at the [King] and heaved her Naginata back for the needed momentum to tear the crimson-haired women in two.
"…Tch!"
"…Hm?" Rias noticed Tsubaki's shoulder violently twitch.
*BAKABAKABAKA!*
One violent stream of holy-lightning from Akeno was able to blindside the Sitri [Queen] for a while much to her and Rias' surprise as she deftly avoided getting cut by the spear's blazing edge. The sheer heat it released still felt scalding on her being as even the sweat pouring off of her was evaporating into steam.
Backing away, Rias catches notice of Tsubaki straining herself to attempt the same spiraling spear trick to deflect the lightning pushing her back. It was only mid-way through taking the damage that the [Queen] employed such a defensive maneuver, it certainly was a strange move when compared to her earlier behavior before the black flames arose.
Pouring in more lightning to push back the enhanced bespectacled [Queen], Akeno succeeded in putting a manageable space between Tsubaki and Rias. Though this came at a cost as her exhaustion from the wound and blistering heat was clearly getting to her.
Seeing her servant in distress, Rias rushed to her side and applied a strong ice spell by hand to try and cool her off somewhat. The heat interfered with the effectiveness, but her [Queen]'s grateful smile quelled her worries.
The two best friends looked to their opponent as Tsubaki was breathing rather heavily for one who was just now gaining the upper hand.
"That's odd." Akeno muttered nursing her shoulder wound with some healing magic.
"…" Rias remained quiet as she watched the [Queen] take a few more deep breaths, unaware that her black flames were consuming yet another one of her naginatas, "She can't contain it. That line that she used to connect herself with Saji, she can't control the power he's giving her."
Let out a husky groan upon realizing it, Tsubaki replaced her now cindered weapon with not just one but with two naginata in each hand. Imbuing them with the flames, Tsubaki's shoulder began to grow slack as she took a moment to catch her breath. Thus, giving the two best friends some time to breath themselves.
"That explains why these flames are so potent. If her body can't handle it then she should have burnt out by now but I'm able to see how she's circumventing that…" Akeno looked to the ring of infernal flames that filled the area, "Its not enough to burn the whole mall down, but its close enough to relieve herself of the burden."
'Making it all the more dangerous to get even close to her.' Rias pondered, if it wasn't the flames that would retire them then the melting heat from their environment would. The thought of actually pushing the battle down the hall to where Michael was would sate her worries and move things more smoothly. Sadly, the risk of getting boxed with Tsubaki and a potentially powered Saji could force them to devastate the battlefield beyond repair and lose the match.
"Akeno how is that wound? Do you think you can keep up?" Rias asked with a smile.
"Ufufu, of course, Rias." Akeno wore her polite smile while releasing her grip on her semi-healed gashed shoulder.
"…Then follow my lead. She may have boosted herself in overall power, but now our wait to wear her down has been halved. Soon she'll collapse under the strain from Saji's excessive energy. Continue keeping your distance and no matter what happens do not let her touch you with those flames." An obvious warning but one that desperately needed to be cemented.
"Yes, Buchou." Akeno nodded with her same polite smile though there was a bit of twitch to it that Rias managed to catch.
'Tsubaki's not the only [Queen] pushing herself.' Rias frowned. Her best friend was finally starting to come to terms with her troubled heritage by using the same power that she loathed for years. Now she's struggling to even use its full output under these strict conditions.
'Plus, that attack from earlier, that graze did more damage than she thought. If one cut was enough to stagger her like this then things really getting more dire than I thought.' Suddenly the image of her rival popped into her head, 'Sona… Where have been through all of this…'
Rias was more than aware of when she's bested in a certain category, and she had to admit that Sona was the better tactician between the two. In a matter of moments, her peerage had retired most of her servants with ease. Their devotion to sacrifice themselves so willingly and her allowance to sacrifice them, played another important factor to the constant paradigm shifts in the match. Rias didn't doubt her own drive to wanting to win this game, but apparently, she underestimated just how much Sona wanted it.
But…there was one thing that particularly bothered her. The extra player that Koneko sensed on the field. Sadly, her precious [Rook] couldn't relay her findings before retiring. The whole thing definitely had Sona written all over it, and Rias wasn't about to let whatever was happening slide especially after ruthlessly losing her servants to her. Before every Rating Game Match, each team is given the basic information on the opposing peerage's members and that includes every servant that's participating. So, the arrival of an extra servant was borderline impossible.
'Unless…' Rias deliberated whether the potential of that "extra" player was an actual addition to Sona's side or something else entirely.
"…Buchou!"
With a quick push, Akeno managed to separate the pair from getting harmed by another one of the spiraling Naginata that Tsubaki swiftly threw at them.
'How careless, I can think of that later! Right now, to get to Sona, we have to defeat Tsubaki.' Rias clenched her fist as she noticed the [Queen] looking just as stiff as before, but this didn't change the fact that her power was swelling by the second along with strange black snake markings slithering their way across her arms and legs.
"So close… Can't fail not after how resolved he was to take that risk. M-Must claim victory for Kaichou…for everyone who fell, and…to reward the effort of my p-precious hardworking kouhai…" Tsubaki grunted as she assumed her stance with her spear in hand as she menacingly stalked towards her enemies.
"Buchou, let me handle this."
Just as she prepared to fire another blast of demonic energy at Tsubaki, Rias paused once she saw Akeno approach the empowered [Queen].
"Akeno?"
"We can't afford to lose any more time with this, and you more than need all of the energy you have to face Sona." The ponytailed [Queen] winced as she rubbed her semi-healed shoulder wound, "I know my chances of retiring her aren't high, but if I could at least wear her out just enough, you'll be able to finish her after I…"
Akeno looked back to her friend with a solemn smile, she didn't deem to speak the word. Rias knew her true intentions, it was a sacrifice play, something she found incredibly unacceptable…but allowing herself to be fully swayed by emotion when given a chance to earn victory would disgraceful as her position as [King].
With a slight nod, Rias smiled, "Thank you."
"It's my pleasure to help you win, Buchou." Akeno strode towards Tsubaki after giving her best friend one last smile. The two [Queen]s locked eyes as while Tsubaki cloaked her entire body in black flames, Akeno proceeded to enshroud herself with her holy lightning, using the majority of her reserves to try and match the amount of power that Tsubaki had.
It was barely enough to be counted as half of what the bespectacled woman had. But even so, she'll make sure to give Tsubaki one of the roughest fights she'll ever have.
"…Fine…" Tsubaki grunted, "I'll deal with you one at a time. Without you interfering, I'll be able to retire Gremory-sama with no hindrances."
"Ara ara, don't be too sure of that, Tsubaki-san. Our Buchou's not as fragile as you think she is…" Akeno's smile widened as she gave her a dangerously sharp stare, "And neither am I, so I'd suggest you worry about the fellow [Queen] that's right in front of you."
Akeno tensed her palms, radiating a vicious stream of holy lightning off of them and her entire body.
Tsubaki tightened her grip on the scalding hot shaft of her flaming naginata as the infernal energy rushed out to flow around her being.
There was no turning back now, and to be honest, Akeno couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness.
'Michael-kun, I really wanted you to watch me…' Though her face was hardened as she faced Tsubaki, her heart sank at their unfulfilled promise, 'Would you have been proud to see my resolve to finally use that 'thin-' no 'my' power or would you have been disappointed to see how little using it has gotten.' She didn't care whether he would think bad of her if the former weren't true, all she wanted was for him to be by her side and express herself to him through her efforts.
Just before the two [Queen]s attacked each other in a blinding light that filled the desolated food court, Rias' eyes widened as she quirked an eyebrow while looking at Akeno's back. A red magic circle?
XXX
*SNAP!*
"You asshole!" Michael roared as he cocked back his fist as he propelled himself from above toward the armored Saji, who suspended himself in mid-air. The two threw their punches, Michael's bare fist meeting Saji's black armored and clawed fist. A surge of black and red sparks from their respective dragon auras picked up around them as neither side was pushing the other back.
The clash of power created a powerful wind around the elevator area, blowing debris and objects all over the place. With what was left of Michael's charred and smashed transceiver joining the mess. The dark skinned teen's best friend decided to get rid of his only line of communication with one of those clawed tentacles of his.
And Michael was not happy. One, because he was interrupted midway to trying to respond to Rias; two, because now he's completely worried about her and Akeno and three, because he was insanely jealous that Saji's Balance Breaker had those sick Doctor Octopus looking tentacles.
Amidst their clash, Michael sensed one of those awesome fiery clawed tentacles being lunged right at him.
Pulling back, Michael avoided the attack while examining his bruising fist still clad with his touki, 'He's able to keep up with me in my base form?' He thought in mild surprise.
[Michael!]
Heeding the dragon's call, Michael became aware that there was more than just one tentacle being thrown at him as two more were sent his way. Using his touki on his feet, the bursts that he released from them made him more agile in mid-air to slip through the heated grasp of each dangerously sharp claw. Though this effort was keeping him on his toes, he still hasn't mastered the concept of the "Sky Dance" so his bursts of Touki weren't adjusted just right to propel.
He would either place in too much force and send himself flying higher in the air which gave Saji more openings to attack him or…
*Riiiiiiiiiip~!* *FWOOOOOSH!*
He would think too long about it and get attacked. One of the clawed tentacles managed to graze his lower upper body.
"Kch!" Michael winced in pain as the stomach region of uniform was instantly burned into ash leaving a clear view to his muscular midriff and the bottom portion of his unsightly chest scar. The claws didn't leave any scarring, but the black flames left his skin burning as it verged on being first degree burns.
"That fire of his is stronger than before." Michael grunted in pain as he maneuvered himself around one claw trying to lunge itself through him while another succeeded in entrapping one of his arms while in the middle of dodging, "Gaaaaaah! Nrgh!" Michael grunted and struggled in the death grip of the claw while focusing most of his touki to defend against the black flames trying to devour his arm.
The teen raised his free arm to smash apart the claw but soon found that another claw had used the moment to entrap his remaining arm as they lifted him up in the air kept him dangling. Now Michael was gritting his teeth to dull the growing pain of the flames while cloaking his arms in touki. Strangely though, he was starting to feel that the output that he was releasing to protect himself was steadily decreasing.
"H-Have to win…" Saji huskily growled as the two remaining tentacles holding him up, set him down and dangerously tightened up into a tiger claw palm strike which were of course covered in a black raging inferno.
'Crap, he's using the Absorption Line with the flames!' Michael hissed in pain as he felt his touki steadily being drained, slowly leaving his arms to be defenseless against the scalding metaled claws. He looked to his Boosted Gear in contemplation, 'Can't risk boosting like this otherwise, I'd be fueling his flames. Hehehe, fueling his 'flames'. Even in rough times, I still got i-!'
*SLAAAAAAM!*
"FUCK!" Michael roared in agonizing pain as a powerful palm strike to the chest not only seared his uniform but also left a searing, resounding strike against his vulnerable scarred chest.
*SLAAAAAAAM!* *SLAAAAAAAAM!* *SLAAAAAAAAM!*
Saji didn't relent after the first strike as he kept brutally hammering the two clawed tentacles on the suspended teen's chest. The pain that wracked through Michael's body was beyond comprehension. Even though his energy was being drained, he still had enough leftover touki to defend his body. But before he could wonder how the flames were leaving that much damage, a plan came to mind.
'Let's see…' Michael breathed sharply through grit teeth as he placed his two feet together and bent his knees closer to his chest.
"…What?" Saji questioned before firing another one of his tentacles at Michael.
"How you like this!?" Putting all of his touki into his feet, Michael released just powerful enough to extend the two tentacles wrapped about him and dodge the third tentacle that missed its mark.
"Wha-?" Saji exhaustedly grunted as the sudden force of Michael's propulsion strained his control over the two tentacles wrapped around him.
"A technique from the book of Monkey D. Luffy himself, prepare for my-!" Michael clenched the fist of his Boosted gear and repositioned his legs to curl up to his chest. A red draconic aura flowing around his body as a vibrant green glow emitted from the Sacred Gear's gem, "Dragon Rocket!"
[Welsh Dragon Balance Breaker!]
[Jet!]
*THOOOM!* *CRAAAAASH!*
"Gooooough!"
Without word of a single countdown, Michael immediately donned his striking red dragon armor plated Balance Breaker just as the elasticity of the strained tentacles recoiled and sent him hurtling towards their origin point, Saji. Adding in an extra bit of oomph, he made use of his armor's jets to really dig his double kick jump into his friend's solar plexus and he was honestly satisfied with the results.
The Prison Dragon possessor was violently sent crashing to the ground with an unpleasant tumble to break his fall. Blood and bile spewed out from the cracks of his armor's helmet while pieces of his black chest plate shattered and crackled on the ground, leaving his bare chest open.
With their master in distress, the tentacles relinquished their hold on Michael's now protected arms and limply fell to the ground.
"Phew…" Michael sighed in relief.
'That was close. Saj going into his Balance Breaker was nearly enough to overwhelm me back there.' Michael thought.
[Expect the unexpected. Your friend forced himself to unlock his Balance Breaker and managed to contain Vritra's power at the same time. This sudden spike in power should've been expected, you of all people should know that.]
'Yeah…' He couldn't really refute that line of thinking since he was the first one to implement that crazy idea himself. But right now, he felt more in control over the situation. In his base form, he may have been an equal match for Saji's surprise Balance Breaker, but donned in his Scale Mail, he was more than leagues above Saji thanks to all of his training with Gramps to properly control its destructive energy.
*THROBB!* *THROBB!*
"Hrck!" The pain from his chest began to swell and spread throughout his body. The flames must have been the cause, but it felt deeper than that. His touki was able to protect his chest from gaining any additional burns to add to his scarred upper body.
[Partner?]
-"N* Y***g**ng! *o* m***t s**c*mb t* it! "-
A distorted voiced echoed across his mind adding a headache on top of the chest pain.
'G-Gramps?' It was hard to make out what the voice was saying and if he'd have even heard the old dragon say anything close to it before at all.
*THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!*
"Arck! Tch!" Michael gritted his teeth as the throbbing pain in his chest didn't relent. So, loosening his tightened jaw and tightly shutting his eyes, he took a series of deep breaths and began chanting, "Focus…Focus…Focus…Focus…Guts…Focus…Repress…"
[Hold on, Partner, what was that last…?] Ddraig inquired at the sudden chant and especially that last one. His partner's tone of voice momentarily sounded a bit dark and for that split second, he noticed something ominous creepily shift in Michael's dragon energy.
'O-Okay, I think that worked…phew…talk about a close one…' Though there was bit of a pressure building up in his chest, the pain eventually subsided and that was good enough for him. As soon as he opened his eyes, he panicked and roughly smacked the side of his head. For a moment there, he saw pitch black.
'Weird, but not unlikely.' He's received more hits to the head that have left him with some serious concussions, so him fritzing out like this isn't uncommon, 'Oh, uh… What's up, Ddraig? You ask something?'
[…No…]
'Hm?'
Michael raised an eyebrow at the dragon's solemn tone but shook it off to focus on his opponent, who was giving him a peculiar sight. Watching Saji get back on his feet, Michael noticed the teen's shaking body. It was an apparent struggle for him to move just about any part of his body to even stand, 'Saj is already looking winded and his armor, its not as fast with its recovery.'
He noticed the purple light shining along the cracks of the regenerating black armor. Unlike how his restored itself, Saji's own Balance Breaker was rather slow.
[That's to be expected, he just now forced himself to achieve his Balance Breaker, so his body is obviously under a ton of strain.]
'But doesn't he have a ton of power now?' Michael asked.
[Yes, but that won't do him much good if his body gives out on him. Haven't you noticed that he hasn't used any other ability besides Absorption Line and Blaze Black Flare?]
"Yeah, that was strange…" Michael wondered aloud. Had Saji used more than those two abilities along with his tentacles then he would have had locked in his trap for sure. A single bead of sweat went down his cheek at the thought of having his abilities suppressed, being snared into place by a shadow and getting pummeled to a bloody pulp by those tentacles.
'Now I can see why they call that Vritra guy the "Prison Dragon".' Michael chuckled.
[I assume that using more than just those two abilities would overload him and push him closer to collapsing but considering how fragile his body must be from the stress of transforming there's a chance that he might d-.]
'Ddraig…' Michael frowned and interrupted the dragon in his noggin before he could finish.
[The likelihood of the "latter" happening should be low because of this Game's retiring system, but the probability of it occurring relies on just how much he wants it and how much you want to stop him, Partner.] Ddraig explained.
'…' Looking serious as he watched Saji finally pick himself up onto his feet, Michael clenched his fists and grew ready in his fighting stance. Taking slow breaths, he absconded himself in his draconic aura and touki. The powers he released didn't wildly flag about like in the past, it lamely covered his body as the two thick aura packed themselves up and released a dangerous pressure that had even broken Saji out of his pained stupor.
"H-Have to beat you, Mike. For Kaichou… I can't let her and the Fuka-Kaichou down…" Saji growled, not even deterred after realizing the huge gap in strength between them. His frustration before attaining his Balance Breaker resurfaced and worsened.
'Dammit, Mike, why are you so…amazing…' Saji bit his lip and dug the fingers of his fist into his palm to the point of drawing blood, 'Just when I finally thought that I could keep pace with you, you go and pull that on me.'
The sheer abundance of Michael's dragon aura was astounding and his touki potency was just as impressive, his Balance Breaker was on a whole other level when compared to Saji's. The Sitri [Pawn] was even surprised to see his best friend just enter his Balance Breaker without using a countdown a revelation to his progress. Saji could already tell that whatever limit of the odds that were stacked against him couldn't be surpassed anymore. He was left to deal with a bad hand, and the real kicker in all of this?
He could tell that what he was feeling wasn't even all that Michael had to offer.
There was still more energy that he wasn't using. The Rating Game penalty for destroying the battlefield was the cause. Confliction weighed heavily on Saji's heart, had that penalty not been implemented then things would have gotten ugly for him and the rest of the Sitri peerage making him grateful for the advantage, but on the other hand, he felt pissed that all of his efforts wasn't enough to force his opponent to use his full power.
'Okay, I have a Hanamura plan all revved up and raring to go, which involves plenty of Hanamura.'
[Sounds very legit…] Ddraig sarcastically remarked.
'I know, its in my own name and everything too.' Michael obliviously snickered.
Saji gasped as soon as Michael unclenched one fist to press his thumb against his middle finger. An action that he's seen numerous times upon his friend unveiling in it the Gremory vs. Phenex Rating Game.
"Dragon Break!"
*SNAP!*
A large red magic circle marked the reconstructing chestplate to Saji's armor while giving off a concerning white glow.
"When did you-!?" Saji paused once he recalled the painful kick to his chest.
'He was able to do that and focus on transforming at the same time?' Frankly that was only the beginning to Saji's worries.
[Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost!]
"Mike, what are you-!" Saji gasped.
Thrusting both his hands to the sky, Michael widened his legs and slowly breathed out, "Ka…Me…" His dragon aura spiked as he motionlessly brought his cupped hands beneath his shoulder.
"Are you serious? You're going to try to use that in the middle of a match again!?" Saji screamed, flabbergasted by his friend's insistence to use such an iconic move here of all times.
[Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost]
"Ha…Me…!" Michael's smile widened as his power flared out more intensely as a concentrated sphere of draconic energy the size of a beachball began to form in his hands.
The calls of the Boosted Gear mightily echoed out as its possessor's power signature immensely grew in size. Saji's body locked up after gathering himself up to put on a more defensive stance. He knew with that much power, he was sure to be eliminated from the match, but also questioned why Michael's making such a risky move. Even if his friend's training did help him learn control, that much energy was simply too much to maneuver in such an enclosed place and considerably too potent to suppress.
That much power felt as though it could destroy the whole mall thrice times over!
"HAAAAAAAAAAA!" Michael's bone chilling bellow commenced the release of the energy once he thrusted his palms out. The massive red wave of dragon energy was tunneling through the ground and blowing any obstacle in its path away with the sheer winds its growing pressure made. It was too much, the mall's ground quaked from the slung power.
Even when faced with imminent defeat, Saji stuck his hands out with all four of his clawed tentacles to catch the attack. In the end, victory would be Sona's since after he's retired, the attack would only continue its path and virtually destroy the mall in its entirety.
"Heh…!" Michael grinned as soon as the gem on his Boosted Gear brightly glowed a warmth green light, "First, Boosted Gear Gift!"
[Transfer!]
"What-!?" Saji shouted, eyes widened and jaw dropped as soon as the hostile red wave of energy took on a more welcoming greener color as continued careening towards the marker placed on his chest.
"Next, Dragon Rejection!" Both hands preoccupied, Michael mentally imagined a trigger in his mind and used his demonic energy to react to it as a loud snap resounded in his head.
The once shining red marker on Saji's chest died down and became pitch black, and the moment that the massive wave of energy was about to even graze Saji, it sharply veered off course in a roundabout fashion before shunting past him from behind even going past a concentrating Michael down the darkened hall.
What was once destroying the surrounding area, the green energy's nature was no longer offensive, but more gentle and passive.
'Almost and…' Michael breathed deeply as he tensed his hands, 'There…'
Releasing a comforting breath of air, Michael broke out of his stance and rolled his arms, "That ought to do it."
"What just happened!?" Saji exclaimed, he was at a loss for words.
"Oh, nothing, really. I just sort of unveiled one of my MANY amazing tricks that I learned from training is all." Forming his hand to act like a phone, Michael placed it near to his head and said, "Since you basically kept me from communicating with Buchou and Akeno-senpai by smashing my transceiver, I took a page out of your book."
"You mean you figured it out?"
"Kind of hard not to realize what's going on when I can literally sense two power signatures emitting the same kind of dragon aura." Michael explained while pointing over his shoulder in the direction of the food court, "I can't really see it, but you definitely have a line somewhere that's giving Tsubaki-senpai energy and that's giving Buchou and Senpai a hard time, so I decided to give them a hand."
Deducing what he meant, Saji shook his head in disbelief, "But that's not possible, its been confirmed through sources that you have to physically interact with someone in order to use that Sacred Gear's transference ability."
"I thought that way too, but when I was training with Gramps on the mountains, I kind of got sick with the idea of eventually going back and forth to give my friends power. So, I then thought 'Hey, what I could combine Boosted Gear Gift with a freaking Dragon Shot' and the rest was history."
Thankfully, Bova was strong enough to handle his mistakes when testing it out, he was a bit off put by the dragon's insistence to help him as his training dummy, but he appreciated the help, nonetheless. Though, he won't lie, his loss to dragon when he first arrived did leave him bitter, so he might not have been making as many "mistakes" when an ordinary Dragon Shot met the Ruffian Dragon's crotch.
"And that Dragon Break spell of yours-?"
"Well, I remembered Ero-Ossan talking to Asia…oh…right…"
*THROBB!*
It suddenly hit Michael that he had failed to protect his precious friend during this match, feeling a momentary pang of pain on his scarred chest, he shook it off.
'S-She's fine, just retired…just retired…' Michael repeated to himself, 'Still…' Before his mind could linger off, he snaps himself back to the fight in front of him, 'No, focus, Mike, you can feel terrible about it later.'
[…]
"Let's just say that Ero-Sensei's warning to someone else gave me the idea to put in some extra work." If Asia's Twilight Healing could hit a stray enemy and accidentally heal them, then so could his own Gift powered Dragon Shot, so he created Dragon Rejection just for the very purpose of avoiding that.
Also, it helped that he thought a bit ahead.
- "M-Michael-kun, if I bring out my power of light, would you watch me?" Akeno quietly asked.-
-"I'd still watch you regardless if you choose not to use it." Michael smiled as he gently rubbed her back, placing his trademark marker.-
'Akeno, do your best! I'll be there soon to see just how awesome you've become.' Michael grinned at the memory and what was to come.
"Now then Saji, lets finally end this." Michael declared standing tall and facing Saji, "I can't afford to lose any more time with this and neither can you." He gestured back to the food court where Rias and Akeno were fighting Tsubaki, "So let's give this everything we've got without holding back, okay?"
-"Saji, your contributions to devising strategies for the match have been fruitful and for that I must commend you for your support. However, taking advantage of Michael Hanamura's biological weaknesses won't be enough. We must make use of that temper of his and put him in enough emotional distress to gain the advantage and retire him. Making your personal connection to him all the more invaluable for this stratagem. After suggesting this plan to you, I won't hold it against you if you came to hate me…'-
With a heavy heart, a past memory not too long before the Rating Game match started popped into Saji's mind, 'After getting this far, I have to win, but should I really go that far and use that strategy.' Saji remembered back to the Dodgeball game and bitterly recalled Sona's advice for this game.
'I know we have to sue everything we can to utterly gain victory, but do I really want to go that far…' Saji guiltily looked to Michael.
"Mike, I…" Saji began to enact said plan, but found himself cut short by his friend/opponent.
"You have to beat me for the sake of you and Kaichou's dreams? I know. Your willing to go all the way to do that and I'm impressed Saji, yeah, you almost died doing it, but you were able to achieve Balance Breaker and completely control it all at once while it took me months to barely figure it out before coming to the Underworld." Michael chuckled, "That's only to be expected of my ranked one Best Friend, you really had me on the ropes, and I really believed that someone like you can do it too."
"R-Really?" Saji blinked a bit surprised at Michael's honesty.
"Of course if you could keep up with my daring pranks and schemes then this should've been nothing for you, but you also have to know that I'm also in it to win this for Rias and I too, so don't expect me to go down so easily Doctor Science because I'm not." Michael boisterously laughed after expressing his respect and belief in Saji, who earlier confliction with the plan was no longer present as he was absolute with what to do.
-"Dredge up any grudges and resentment that you might have held towards him during your years together as friends. Make him feel guilty, give him something to regret and if neither are enough. Cry out your own regret for ever befriending a person like him. Once he gives a big enough opening, seize it and use everything you. Not doing so would be utterly foolish."-
Sona's cold, brunt words echoed through Saji's mind as he lowered his head.
"…Mike…" Saji lowly growled.
"Yeah?"
"Hmhmhm! How many times do I have to say it? Don't ever call me that…" Saji groaned but couldn't stop himself from laughing either.
The two young men just laughed garbed in their armor and standing in their battle stances. The scene looked rather uncanny but considering these two's history together it certainly was more tamed to their other peculiar hijinks.
'I'm sorry, Kaichou. That plan is remarkable and it may result in Mike going berserk or disheartened enough for me to deal a glancing blow to him. The way I am now, it would be obvious to go that route in order to win. But even so I…'
Sure, there were a ton of things that Saji regretted doing once he and Michael first met and onwards during the whole of their friendship. The pain, the embarrassment, and complete failure to complete even the most simplest of Michael's hairbrained plans successfully together. He could rightfully say that he was regretful for enacting such deeds with the idiot.
But there was one thing he never regretted, doing it all with Michael.
Okay, he brought trouble whether that was through his plans or by just doing things on the fly, but it was always the beginning and end that most appealed him to his friendship. Whenever something was thought of between the two of them, they excitedly collaborated and were in total sync. Well about as in sync as a boastful idiot and know it all nerd could get, but it was still fun. And in the end, after the storm of their mess was cleared, they'd just laugh it off after the occasional bickering. Most people would have ended friendships if they'd went through the stuff they did.
There were even some good bits in the middle parts of maintaining things before they inevitably fall apart. From making sure that Michael doesn't go overboard, being caught up with what they needed, covering up for Michael whenever he went off script, having Michael step in for him whenever he got too carried away with making things too "exact" to a T.
And…and…as a matter of fact, the middle part was great too. Everything was great!
This scene right now was an example of the fruits of their friendship. It took Saji temporarily looking past their power gap to see that he's grown so much. He's done things that he would have never done had Michael not pushed him to and his desire to keep pace with him has made him realize what his dream should be along with activating his own Balance Breaker.
His progress looked at its own was astounding, and he wasn't going to deny his own effects on Michael either. Like best friend said, he was like a "Guardian" for him to ensure that he steers away from anything too disastrous. So disastrous that Mike would have been expelled from Middle School or Kuoh Academy had Saji not chosen to intervene all those times.
It was mutually beneficial friendship, and both sides were glad to experience.
So, when given the tactical option to deny all of that just for the win, Saji sadly smiled at the imminent disapproval that he would receive from Sona.
'I can never deny enjoying my time as Mike's friend even if I it is just to win. I may just be foolish, but I'll figure out another way to win even if he's stronger. I will win this for us.' Saji clenched his fist.
Soon the laughter between the two died down as a deafening silence weighed heavily over them. The air of hostility returned as they grew ready in their stances.
"But I'm gonna be honest when I say that this is kind of personal after you eliminated my adorable kouhai." Michael's legs spread apart with his hands up and tensed to put more emphasis and strength into his armored claw fingers. The red silhouette of a western dragon imperiously encompassed itself behind him in a thundering red aura.
"Glad to hear that we're on the same page. After failing to help my own cute underclassman, I can't afford not to get any results from her hard work and sacrifice." Saji shakily took his stance, which was wide enough for legs to be at the ready to accommodate for his Savate form of combat while his four clawed tentacles dangerously jutted their claws out to resemble black flamed lances. The black silhouette of a black-purple eastern dragon slithered and coiled itself around Saji in a blazing black aura.
Both young men glared at one another, slowly inching towards each other. The pressure exerted from the two was more than enough to rile up their respective partners to commence the burgeoning face down that's filling them with anticipation.
[Go!]/(Go!)
*CLASH!*
XXX
*BOOOOOOOOOM!*
"Haaaah…haaaah…" Exhausted and covered in burns, Akeno is pushed back after barely matching what little of her dwindling reserves of Holy Lightning against Tsubaki's raging black flames. She had been going hard the entire battle just to put a dent in her fellow [Queen]'s stamina and it was working, but she was fading much faster in comparison.
She had to be forceful with each blast of her magic to match Tsubaki, who's attacks and flames were constantly being pooled from her "other" comrade. It was inevitable that she would be wavering in front of such an opponent.
"Y-You…ngh…appear to be reaching your limit, Himejima-san." Tsubaki emerged from the smoky cloud from the aftermath of their clash of spells. Her breath was just as haggard as Akeno's but the black aura exuded from her still remained just as bursting as before. Her body still wasn't able to handle the straining constant transference of power, and her exhaustion came from having to keep launching more of it out before it overwhelmed her.
"You've seen much better days yourself, Tsubaki-san." Akeno tiredly smiled, her mind trying to keep focus whilst heavily struggling to supply herself with the much-needed oxygen that the infernal flames around them are burning.
"Akeno…" The clash of magics was so fierce that Rias had to erect a barrier to shield herself from the stray waves of attacks. She made peace with Akeno's decision, but still held onto hope that whatever Michael had planned by placing "it" on her queen, he'd do it before it's too late.
Tightly gripping her blazing naginata's shaft, Tsubaki prepared to lunge into the Gremory [Queen] once more. Akeno was worse off than she was and with no healer, there was no way for her to bounce back. Tsubaki had to play it careful just enough to avoid using her contingency plan too early.
Just as she was about to charge at the puffing [Queen], Tsubaki immediately stopped as soon as bright green light shined over her form from behind. Slowly turning back, her eyes widened at the sight of a massive wave of green energy being shot right at her. She wasn't alone too as Rias and Akeno were taken aback by the sight.
Raising her naginata to defend against the mysterious attack, Tsubaki prepared for the worst but detected no immediate threat from the wave. But just before she could inquire as to why that was, reality slammed her hard once she realized its true purpose once it angled itself around her and made a beeline for the exhaustive Akeno.
"N-No!" Tsubaki screamed and hurried to dispatch of the [Queen].
*THUMP-THUMP~!*
"I-Iyaaaaaaaaaa~!" Akeno moaned.
*WHOOOOOOOOSH!*
But Tsubaki was too late as the massive wave of green draconic aura calmly pour itself into Akeno's body. The flow of power created strong winds that actually pushed her back and extinguished the infernal winds surrounding the area.
*BAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKA!*
Eventually, the energy had finished transferring itself to her, replacing the exhausted, heavily breathing [Queen] with an elegantly, upright standing Akeno, who's entire body was releasing vast amounts of Holy Lightning that dramatically dwarfed Tsubaki's reserves of magic.
"Ufufufufufufufufufu!" Akeno had the most rapturous of smiles on her face as her soft laughter giddily matched the intense force of her stray white lightning cloaked aura. The joy that Akeno felt was immeasurable and didn't solely lie in the fact that her exhausted supply of magic was restored with added surplus.
'Michael-kun, you really were-!' Her heart fluttered; she had no doubt in her mind that he wouldn't hesitate to watch her back. He's stubborn to keep his word and that's what she loved about him, but she regrettably had to be realistic. This was a Rating Game, and anything could happen that would dash her hopes to finally show her resolve to the man, who completely accepted her.
She had already made peace of her imminent retiring with her being utterly exhausted with the fight. But the weight she once carried seemed to have vanished along with her doubts. The power pulsing through her was more than she could possibly handle, but more than enough to match Tsubaki and claim victory. The warmth that the power filled her with gave her hope.
Akeno looked back to Rias and gave her [King] a confident if not sly smile. She may now have reneged her previous offer of sacrificing herself to now self-assuredly handling Tsubaki which would alleviate the burden on the Crimson princess' shoulders, but even she wasn't above showing the satisfaction of getting explicitly chosen by Michael to garner his transferred power over Rias, his official girlfriend.
'…Michael, thank you…' Rias thought with a bright smile though the sides of her lips tightened in an irksome fashion, '…And Akeno, don't get ahead of yourself...'
'Ara ara, Miss First, could that be a bit of envy that I see on your face?' Akeno giggled to herself.
"Hyaaaaaaaaah!" A sudden cry of rage resounded behind Akeno, as the black flamed edge of a Tsubaki's naginata came close to cleaving through her arm.
*Zaaaaaaaap!*
Without moving a finger, the holy lightning aura surrounding Akeno released a bolt so powerful that it forced Tsubaki to repeat the same windmill spiraling defense trick with her spear, but unlike before, the shaft of her weapon was crumbling apart under the vamped up strength of lightning.
It wasn't until Akeno deemed to stop the attack that Tsubaki was able to catch her breath although she was now down a weapon as her naginata crumbled into dust in her hands.
"Ufufu, now then Tsubaki-san, shall we?" Akeno graced Tsubaki with her traditional lady like smile.
'I was so close…!' Tsubaki gritted her teeth, she couldn't believe that her efforts of almost retiring the opposing [Queen] were dashed by the Red Dragon Emperor.
The possibility of him learning new techniques was a given, but when they studied him in their meeting before the game, all of them even the Kaichou believed that he was only a Support type because of his Transfer ability that needed physical contact with others to work.
Considerably livid, Tsubaki impatiently summoned another magic circle to pull out another naginata from her seemingly endless supply.
"Rairyu." But Tsubaki paused once Akeno calmly pointed two fingers in her direction and fired from her vast aura, a thundering stream of holy lightning taking the shape of an Eastern Dragon came barreling in after the Bespectacled Beauty.
"Ngh!" Now with limited time, Tsubaki took a different course of action and summoned ten magic circles above her, each summoning forth her stored naginatas, and with more concentration, she imbued Saji's infernal flames into their blades, "Fire!"
Like cannons, the magical circles shunted the blazing naginatas with enough sheer force to momentarily push back the draconic blast of Holy Lightning only for the projectiles to utterly be decimated into nothing but ash. With no remaining opposition left, the blast continues on its set path.
'If its that powerful then I'll send it back!'
Materializing right in front of her, Tsubaki summoned a mystical glowing full body mirror, "Mirror Alice!"
"…!" Akeno strained her fingers to point in the other direction in just the moment that the blast was close to even touching the mirror.
"What?" Tsubaki gasped, looking over her shoulder to spot the blast going past her.
'There!' Akeno thought.
*ZAAAAAAAAAP!* *Riiiip~!*
Tsubaki was speechless, amidst it redirecting itself past her, the blast did again only this time straight for her back. Thankfully, she was able to cancel Mirror Alice just in time to dodge the attack as it loudly slammed into the scarred ground, creating a large crater in its wake.
Though unfortunately avoiding the attack so hastily came at a cost.
'The line…' Rias smiled.
'No…' The line Tsubaki had secretly placed on the back of her neck was cut. The magical circle which she placed so closely to her body in order to reduce the length of Saji's line was proven ineffective. Her body was no longer feeling the strain of power crushing her, but it was apparent that her strength was now reduced when compared to before.
"Missing my mark is saddening, but I'm more than satisfied with a happy accident." Akeno said, the tables have finally turned.
"…" Without speaking a word, Tsubaki summoned two naginata, one of them she imbued with black flames from the remaining dragon power within her, and the other she emblazoned with regular fire magic. Her supply of magical reserves were now limited and with Akeno so empowered, she was now left to play on the defensive.
'Its still too early to even consider defeat. Because she avoided striking Mirror Alice, I won't have to wait five minutes to use it again, so I'll have to wait until the moment is right.' Tsubaki looked to the large crated Akeno made and back to the Priestess of Lightning and her frightening amount of power.
'Though a lesser case, having all of that power must be too much for her to handle especially with the match's condition. Until she slips up by using too much, I'll use Mirror Alice to send it right back at her then finish her off while she's recovering.'
Akeno's eyes may have been set on Tsubaki right in front of her, but her thoughts happy lingered elsewhere down the dark halls of the mall.
'Michael-kun, just a little longer…a little longer until I can finally show you…!' The holy lightning veil around her only intensified as her passionate emotions only grew wilder.
XXX
'Tsubaki-senpai!?' Saji snapped his head back to look down the darkened halls of the mall, 'The line just now it-!'
(My other self, pay attention!)
"Dooogh!" Vritra's warning fell on ringing ears after a red gauntlet cladded drove itself into the Sitri pawn's face. The black helm to Dragon armor breaking apart mixed with the blood that he's incessantly coughing out.
"C'mon, Saj, give me your best shot!" Michael banged the knuckles of his two fists together before swiftly block a kick to the neck with his forearm.
The brawl between the pair was kicking up as neither Pawn was backing down from the other. Each blow was landing whether it be by surprise or it being guarded, the two wouldn't even dare to break free from close range combat. However, this mindset was obviously the wrong approach for Saji, who kept forcing himself to keep standing in the range of the stronger sacred gear user's attacks. Saji's Maleboge armor was durable but its hastened awakening and user's exhaustion reflected poorly in its regeneration each time it took a hit. His offensive capabilities weren't even able to leave as much damage on his opponent much less leave any worthwhile damage to the armor without it immediately repairing it.
He was getting overwhelmed in their hand to hand fight and despite Savate and sufficient touki being formidable, it paled in comparison to the sheer efficacy of Michael's learnt martial arts and his well tuned control over his life energy. Even the tentacles of his armor could no longer fully carry him throughout the fight as Michael kept bisecting them with Ascalon.
Saji was only able to grow back three of them but at a further cost to his stamina.
Michael held nothing back with each hit that he imbued with touki and was steadily leaving Saji a bloody, disheveled mess of flesh and broken armor. The teen wanted to show absolute respect to his friend by going all out but felt something unpleasant eating at the back of his mind every time he got a real good look at Saji's pain wracked frame and the amount of blood he was losing.
'O-Okay, the line might have been cut, but I still sense her on the field. That's good…that's good…' Saji reassured himself, 'But that only emphasizes how much I need to win this fight now!' Sooner or later, Tsubaki would be overwhelmed by the Gremory [King] and [Queen] especially now since Michael gave one of them a boost in power.
"Hyaaaaaaah!" Leaning back, Saji raised one of legs to emblazon them with black flames.
"Hup!" Michael raised his arms.
"Huuaaaaaaaaaah!"
*BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!*
Saji let loose an unrelenting fierce barrage of kicks at his best friend, each attack empowered by Vritra's black flames. The force from the attack entirely was enough to catch Michael by surprise, comparing Saji's from before to be love taps while guarding against the assault.
'Wow, something must have worked him up to get like this?' Michael gritted his teeth, feeling things out to notice the eventual end to the attack which took the shape of one last wind up kick to his chest.
*WHAAAAM!*
Thankfully, his guard was already up to block, but it still sent him reeling on his heels a few feet away.
"Not enough…?"
Taking deep breaths, Saji intently examined the gauntlets of Michael's Scale Mail to see a thick layer of touki enhancing its defense. Save for a few small cracks that chipped away at the red armor, he had barely done any damage.
*WHAAAAAAM!*
"My turn."
*BAM!* *BAM!* *WHAAM!*
In a burst of speed, Michael vanished and reappeared in front of Saji already digging his fist into the exhausted Saji's stomach. Knocking the air out of the Sitri's Pawn's grit teeth, Michael only continued his assault with a series of touki clad punches to the face, chest and stomach again with each hit rattling Saji from within the weakening armor.
"…Ergh!" Saji moaned out in pain.
"Hanamura Combo!" Cocking back his fist for one last attack, Michael imbued it with Ascalon's Dragon slayer aura and smashed it across Saji's face. The damage it did was spectacular as Saji had little to no choice but actually stagger back and vomit his own blood and much to Michael's discomfort, a molar.
Sputtering in a coughing fit, Saji found himself dizzily reeling back on shaky legs. His mouth was aching after the loss of his tooth but when compared to the amount of pain that his body was going through, he didn't even bother to nurse his jaw. He tensed the muscles in his legs and sent one of his three remaining tentacles to lunge its claws into Michael.
[Blade!]
*Shiing~!* *Thud!*
A swift arc of Ascalon's blade tore apart the tentacle.
"…Tch!" Saji clicked his tongue at his hasty decision, "Have to…win…" Clenching his fist, Saji charged at Michael but noticeably slower. The weight of his fists which connected with Michael's blocks were heavy but slow and predictable.
*BAAAM!*
"Uuuarck!" More blood expelled itself from Saji's mouth as Michael took the chance between the punches to dig a golden aura clad fist of dragon slayer energy into Saji's open stomach once more. He utterly smashed the armor guarding his torso apart, Saji's purple and black bruised gut open for many to see.
Momentarily stepping back, Saji stopped as though remembering something before leaning to throw another punch against the helmet of Michael's Scale Mail. The heavy blow connects but leaves no scratch.
*BAAAM!*
Another fist infused with Ascalon's power uppercuts Saji's chin. The young man growled out in pain as his head snaps back from the blow with parts of his armor's helmet breaking away. A few seconds pass before the Sitri Pawn pushes himself back to throw another punch at Michael.
*BAM!*
His fist connects with Michael's face once more.
*WHAAM!*
Michael retaliates with an elbow to the chest, smashing apart half of the black dragon armor's chestplate.
*Bam!*
Another of his fists hits Michael's shoulder.
*BAAAAM!*
Michael retaliates with an open palm strike to the chest.
*Tap!*
"…haaah…ha…haaaaah…" Utterly out of breath, Saji weakly threw another punch.
"…!" Raising his fist, Michael prepared to clobber him across the face once more but stopped. Saji was repeatedly throwing the same weak punch over and over again.
"Need to win…!" Saji spoke through haggard breaths.
*Tap!* *Tap!* *Tap!* *Tap!* *Tap!* *Tap!*
'Saj, your basically fumes at this point.' Michael thought, that nagging feeling from early was getting to him. He questioned why he was feeling so sad, he'd competed with Saji before the match, so it didn't make sense as to why this dreadful feeling was welling up in him now.
In that moment, Michael hesitated as he sadly watched his friend continuously throw each fist and occasional kick his way. Their fight was nearing its end, so now it was time for him to send his best friend off with one last attack.
*BAAAAAAM!* *Skriiiiiiiii-!*
Cloaking his fist with touki and Ascalon's aura, Michael drove his fist into Saji's gut one last time and sent the Sitri Pawn reeling back on his heels. His hesitation from early might have made him consciously hold back just a bit, but he was confident that it would be enough to end the fight.
*-iiiiiiiit~!*
The Gremory Pawn's eyes widened, his opponent was still standing after receiving one of hits. Coughing, Saji shakily stalked over back to Michael with his fists clenched.
"Win…Have to…" Saji hoarsely moaned out, the half of his helmet that was broken revealed his tiring eyes still containing within them the same determination from the start of the fight.
"…Guh!"
Gritting his teeth, Michael shook his head and met Saji halfway in the middle of his walk to throw another punch at him. It connects and sends Saji's head snapping back once more. Sadly, it did nothing to knock him off his feet as Saji stubbornly kept himself planted to the ground while achingly centering himself to throw another punch.
Readying to do just the same, Michael once again hesitates, biting his lower lip distastefully, "Ngh…"
[Michael?] Noticing this odd behavior, Ddraig called out to his partner but found that he went through with the punch that set up throw and slugged Saji right across the face.
Yet the Sitri Pawn still stood tall and still, repeating the same motion to try and hit Michael, and Michael in response prepares his attack, hesitates, then strikes Saji against the cheek. This repeats more than long enough until the call of Grayfia's voice echoed throughout the field.
[One hour and fifty-five minutes have passed.]
"…Win…" Saji mumbled, the cheek that Michael repeatedly strike was now swollen and bloody. He raised his fist in a vain attempt to hit Michael.
"…" Forcing himself, Michael washes and repeats, trying to following through with an attack before falling short by hesitating, "…Dammit…"
[Partner, are you…?]
'…Its not fair…'
[Hm?]
'What I'm doing its not fair at all…not to Saji, and not to me either… It sucks…' When competing or fighting with other people, he didn't feel such a heavy weight fall on his conscious and heart. Against Vali, he was more than thrilled to pummel that jerk into the ground to acknowledge and while fighting Shirou that one time, the both of them felt so elated to cut loose and get into a bloody fist fight.
But neither of them brought such a surprising bout of depression onto him than when fighting with Saji. He really was excited and took pride in his friend's progress and really wanted to blow him away with everything he had should he emerge with the upper hand. But each time he looked at him so beaten and bruised and that he inflict more pain onto him, Michael felt more disheartened.
[I see…] Sensing all of this, Ddraig sighed, [Your conflicted…]
'I don't want to hold back like this, but the thought of going all out to hit back…it hurts…' Michael's face sadly scrunched up.
[Michael, this feeling normal. This is the first time you've seriously fought against a "Friend" not a "Rival". *SIGH!* As always you didn't things through to see the differences between the two before the match. You approached this conflict with the mindset of a "Rival" but with the drive of a "Friend". As a rival, you want to show your opponent respect and give it everything you have to push each other, but as a friend, you recoil each time you consider that you may have gone too far to really hurt your friend.] Ddraig calmly explained,
["Friendly Rivalry" it's not a combination of the two. Its more along the lines of you two pushing each other under both of your considerable limits. This Rating Game, this fight that you're in is the antithesis of that, a pure Rivalry on both sides willing to do anything even to constantly surpass their own limits to win. You can trust my words due to millennia of being a prime example of that.]
'…' The explanation was insightful but still did not do much to stymie his confliction.
[Partner, look, whether the distinction was made or not doesn't matter at this point because right now you have fight that needs finishing, and if that look on your friend's face is any indicator, he would agree with me too.]
*Tap!*
"Huh?" Broken out of thought with a tap of Saji's fist against his chest, Michael looked to Saji.
For the first time amidst the many minutes of him, slowly slugging Saji, Michael examined the half helmeted face of his best friend to see his grey eye still burning with a fiery determination that not even the brutal beatings he's been forced to endure was enough to snuff it out.
"I…will…win…" Saji growled out.
'H-He's still going on strong…?' Michael thought, shocked.
[Of course, he's made peace with his own distinction between "Rival" and "Friend" and solely wishes to defeat you the Red Dragon Emperor. Kukuku, which is natural. Now shouldn't you repay that by sucking it and showing him the full extent of your Guts, Partner.] Ddraig lightly laughed.
Clenching his fists, Michael smacked both of his cheeks as hard as he could and took in a deep lungful of air before calmly breathing it out, "It didn't do much after all…" The heavy feeling still weighed on his chest, "But at least I'm amped up to what comes next!"
*STOMP!*
Taking one big step back, Michael grasps onto his fist and tensed his biceps, "Alright, Saj! Time to end this! I'm going to beat you and earn Buchou a win this match! Up until now you've shown me your guts, so allow me to whip mine out right now!" First surrounding his fist in touki, he decided to added in an extra layer of draconic energy and lastly Ascalon's dragon slayer aura. All of the powers converged into one single point.
In response, Saji raised his own fist and had even imbued it with black flames, shocking Michael.
'He still has enough energy for that?' Shaking it off, Michael slowly leaned with his fist at the ready to send Saji packing.
"GUUUUUUUUUTS!"
"…"
The two teens leaned into each other throwing their attacks at one another. With Saji's weakly coming right at Michael's chest, and following suit Michael's fist dangerously pursued to smash its unrestrained self into Saji's face one last time. If it ain't broke don't fix it, he always said. Compared to his own abundance of power, the flames Saji created were barely enough to actually harm him.
'…Hold on, what?' Michael paused as that stray thought came to mind.
"Vritra…now!"
(Yes, my other self!)
*CLANK!* *CLANK!*
The two remaining tentacles of Saji's armor urgently secured themselves onto the corners of the doorway leading down the dark hallway.
"What?" Michael gasped, his fist already close to making contact with Saji only for him to completely miss his swing once the tentacles pulled him a bit further away from the punch but not too far. As the reason for that was soon explained when the force of his missed punched sent him soaring through the air down the hallway.
"What!?" Michael exclaimed, his voice echoed down the hallway.
[…Looks like you were right, he's still going strong with apparently more strength…]
'B-B-But he was close to retiring, and his power should be exhausted after the beating he received!' Michael stammered.
[True but running low on power is a bit of a stretch. At best it should have been his stamina that fell, but even that is questionable at this point.]
'Explain please!'
[Michael, if he was really out of energy then why was he still in his Balance Breaker?]
"Oh, uh…"
[And why did Vritra stop regenerating the armor?]
"Erh…because…um…"
[Because he still has enough reserves of dragon energy which was already abundant after achieving his Balance Breaker. He must have used the majority in the middle of your fight while maintaining just enough for something extra.]
"Right…right…" Michael rubbed his chin, "But wait what about the stamina part? How does still have enough to pull that off?"
[That…well, remember your confliction causing you to hesitate with each pu-?]
"Say no more…" Michael sweatdropped. He inadvertently gave Saji a window of rest between each delayed punch for what seemed like over ten minutes.
*FWOOOOOOOOOOSH!*
"…!" Both sensing and hearing a roaring power down the dark hallway, "That doesn't sound too good."
Whatever Saji had planned must be something big if it could make the teen feel this uneasy. Ddraig did mention the guy holding some reserves of his power left, but he could've sworn that he felt something about it strangely spike itself up. Not to mention a gale of scalding wind shunting out of the hallway and directly at him, even under the Scale Mail, he was beginning to sweat like a pig.
[He's preparing a big one.]
*WHOOOOOOOOSH!*
"Yup." Adjusting himself to stand in front of the hallway, Michael picked up a large wind as he widened his stance and raised up a large field of his touki to harden around his armor.
[What are you going to do?]
"Take it." Michael slowly breathed in and out.
[*SIGH!* Even if his strength is much lesser than your own, an attack formed of desperation shouldn't be dealt with so nonchalantly. Simply taking it head on is foolish and could hold serious ramifications. The smart thing to do is move to the side and finish him off when he charges at you.]
"Yeah, I know. That's why I'm going to be foolish and take it head on." Michael explained, "I brought this on myself by hesitating so much, so the least I can do is show some actual respect and take all of what's left of Saji's last attack."
[…]
"Don't worry, I'm not giving him a free shot to cripple me. I'm still going to defend against the attack with everything I got! If Saj really thinks that he'll take me down with this then he'll have another thing coming when I show him my guts." Michael's touki spiked up and further thickened in response to the distension of the planted tentacles finally straining itself.
He's coming.
'Show me what you got, Saj!' Michael took a deep breath and gritted his teeth as every muscle in his body tensed up in anticipation.
*THROBB!*
'Shit don't do that now…!' Michael winced in pain as the aching in his chest suddenly returned.
*THUUUUUUUUNK~!* *CRUSH-CRUSH!*
But he couldn't linger on it for too long as the clamped clawed tentacles attached to the sides of the hallways entrance violently trembled, rapidly aiming their master right after him like a sling shot. The hot winds from earlier only grew as it overwhelmingly batted at Michael's body, and the encroaching energy that followed only grew with each passing breath he made to cool off.
*FWOOOOOOOOOSH!*
"Huuuuuuraaaaaaaaah!"
And low and behold, emerging from the darkness in a black blur, Saji appeared with his entire body aiming to land an arrow kick to Michael's chest while submerging his entire body in Vritra's infernal flames. The sheer heat that the Sitri Pawn emitted melted the walls and flooring of the hallways leading up to Michael's location.
"GUUUUUUUUUUUUTS!" Michael bellowed out, tightening his guard even further in anticipation for the blow, but his eyes widened as soon as he catches a glimpse of something.
'Wait, that line, and his touki is…Saji did you-!' Michael gasped.
"Black Dragon Rocket!"
*CRAAAAAAAAAASH!* *SHATTER!* *CRACKLE!*
*SNAP!*
"OOOUGH!" Michael screamed out in pain as Saji's kick not only landed but tore through his armor but landed a scorching heated heel to his scarred chest. Blood spurted through Michael's teeth as he was sent reeling back, but this time falling on a single knee to clutch his aching chest.
*THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!*
"Auuuuugh!" Michael only continued to cough in a vain attempt to gather air, but each breath he attempted to take grew more heated and the pain he had tried to suppress only got worse.
*THUD!*
"How'd you like that, Mike?" After executing his attack, Saji limply landed on his back, "I gave you everything I had and more." Saji received no answer to that only more of Michael incessant fit of coughing. Eventually the Maleboge Dragon Armor vanished, leaving Saji's battered body left open for the world to see. The blond teen couldn't feel much of anything anymore after pushing himself too far, which he was thankful for otherwise he might have passed out from leg breaking under the force of his attack.
"I noticed that scar of yours before you went into Balance Breaker, you've been nursing it this entire time so it was prime target to really knock the wind right out of your sails. I'd ask how you got it, but that's for later…" Saji weakly laughed, "Now without Asia-san to heal you, you'll have to deal with that pain for the entirety of the match. At least with this much, Kaichou and Tsubaki-senpai have a chance. I'm fine with this."
"Saji…" Michael quietly groaned, "Why?"
"Because in the end, I'm satisfied despite not winning." Saji shook his head.
"Not that…I mean why did you have to use your own life force just to power that kick!" Michael morosely glanced at the line connected to Saji's heart. The blond's touki was ebbing away when he noticed and he knew the extra oomph behind his friend's dragon energy came from somewhere, but he didn't imagine that the opposing Pawn would pay such a cost to do it.
'I was absolutely serious when I held up my guard, so how much of your lifespan did you have to give up to attain that much power?' Michael worriedly looked over to his friend who blissfully smiling.
"…I just wanted to win." Saji shakily breathed out, "To defeat you and earn Kaichou a victory against Gremory-sama. To prove our resolve and that her dream and mine do have merit, especially her's."
'…I can relate but…' If he were in Saji's shoes, he would have gladly used his own life energy for Master, but the fact of the matter was that he wasn't in his shoes and that he had to watch his own friend critically damage himself. Then that brought up something that he's been meaning to ask.
"Saji. Kaichou's dream, is there something more to it than just making that type of school?" A Rating Game School for anyone even of low status, such an idea was fantastic all on its own, but that begged to question what brought up such a dream in the first place.
"All I can say is that compared to our dreams of becoming Maou, Kaichou's dream is much more virtuous than ours. She's willing to put everything on the line just to end someone's suffering." Saji joyously explained, his vision growing bleary, "After knowing all of that how could I not use everything I have just to make the person I love absolutely succeed."
With nothing more to say, Michael sadly looked down, knowing what was to come next.
Soon Saji's vision was beginning to be overwhelmed by a green light, closing his eyes, the pawn happily smiled in acceptance and said, "Mike…thanks for the good fight."
Forcing himself to dredge up a smile, Michael chucked, "No problem, Doctor Science…"
"…" Saji's smile momentarily fell before quirking it back up as the warm green glow enveloped him, "You get a pass…"
[Sona Sitri's [Pawn] has retired.]
Grayfia's call rang throughout the field and to be honest it didn't make Michael feel any better about felling his friend that brutally. He could only find give a sigh of relief knowing that it was over.
"See you later, Saj…" As he got back up onto his feet, Michael slowly made his way to the dark hallway. The pain in his chest being too much, he tried nursing it but found that his Scale Mail was still in the way as the throbbing only grew worse.
'Okay, Rias, Akeno, I'mma coming! I'mma-!'
*THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!*
"Gaaugh!" Michael did his best to suppress screaming in agony.
[Partner?]
"It's cool! It's cool! Everything's fine…!" Michael hoarsely laughed through the pain, well, he was trying.
'Dear Maou, this hurts more than that time I read Dragon Ball Minus! Oogh! Never mind this hurts way more! F-Focus…Focus…F-F-F' He attempted to concentrate and chant it away.
*THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!*
But unlike before it had no effect.
"Aaaaaaaaaaugh!" It was like his whole body was on fire. His breathing wasn't alleviating the issue either as his breaths grew choppier, and his every nerve in him was telling him to stop moving.
'Gotta keep moving…Need to…help…' He couldn't waste anymore time, he failed to protect Koneko and couldn't be there to prevent Asia from getting harmed. He NEEDED to keep going.
-"NO! Y*ung*ing! *ou mus**t s*cc*mb t* it!"-
The same voice from earlier echoed through his mind, more comprehensible than earlier.
'Gramps' voice again…?'
*THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!*
The aching only worsened.
'Focus…Focus…Focus…Focus…!'
-"Y*u m*st *** let y**rself b* c****umed b* **e powe* *f Domination!"-
*THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!*
Each time his head tried to make sense of the voice, the aching only magnified its effects on him. His body was growing heavy and mind was wracked with headaches beyond belief. Barely making into the hallway, Michael covered in sweat, leaned himself against the wall before fully entering the dark corridor.
[Michael, you're in no shape to rush right now. Just take a couple of minutes to catch your breath and-!]
"Buchou and Akeno don't have minutes. I could be resting and either one of them would retire." Michael groaned.
[You make a fair point, but there won't be a need to rush if you end passing out yourself!]
"Dude, I said I'm FINE!" Michael snapped, the intensity from his outburst triggering an image to flash in his mind.
It was the Dragon Mountains and in the sky was a gigantic fireball the size of a meteor coming right at him.
Gasping, Michael quickly shook it off, zeroing in on the next fight just at the end of the hall.
[Michael?]
"I'm fine…I-I'm…"
'Focus…Focus…Focus…Focus…!' He chanted in his head, vainly trying to soothe the ache.
-"NO! Youngling! You mustn't succumb to it!"-
Now he was seeing a flash of Gramps looking concerned, but everything in his sight was completely red.
*THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!*
'Focus…Focus…Focus…!' He was able to hear the voice, but he couldn't listen. The pain was too much to grit to even process what Tannin's word meant or why he was even trying to process them in the first place.
-"You must-!-
*THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!* *THROBB!*
*BAAAAAAM!*
[Michael!?]
"Please…make it stop! I-I-!" Michael cried as he slammed punched a big hole in the wall and clawed at his plated chest. The words, he didn't care anymore, each time they played in his mind, the throbbing of his scarred chest only grew.
'Focus… Focus… Focus…!'
-"You must n-!"-
'Focus… Focus-!'
-"You must no-!"-
'Focus…Fo-!'
'Repress.'
-"You must [***] let yourself be consumed by the power of Domination!"-
"…I…" Slowly dying in his throat, Michael cries grew to become dull and dry, "I…" His tone of voice no longer holding within it, it's usual vibrancy. Now only keeping a low monotonous tone with a growing edge.
[Mich-!]
'Repress.'
Ddraig's calls to him fell on deaf ears. All that was left for him was the complete silence within the darkness of the hallway and the chorus of voices that slipped past his lips.
"I, who shall awaken…"
XXX
Wasting yet another one of her naginata, Tsubaki was able to transfer enough of Saji's remaining black flames to momentarily push back another one of Akeno's ferocious lightning strikes. She was finding herself in the exact same position that her opponents found themselves to be in. The amount of energy that Akeno possessed wasn't going down as much as Tsubaki had wanted.
Akeno had found an equilibrium amount of energy to fire at her, which would still do considerable damage without going overboard to demolish the whole mall. All Tsubaki could do was scrounge up as much of Saji's transferred power as she could but even that wasn't going to be enough.
At the rate she was in, she'd be too exhausted before the opposing [Queen] would even start to break a sweat.
[Sona Sitri's [Pawn] has retired.]
"…No…"
"Ufufu!"
"Thank goodness."
The announcement received mixed reactions from the three combatants. Akeno was absolutely thrilled, Rias was relieved and Tsubaki was bitterly speechless.
"Saji, you…!" Tsubaki's stone faced exterior gradually gave away to tranquil fury as her eyes held a dangerous sharpness to themselves as she glared at the enemy [King] and [Queen]. Her naginata now blazing with ordinary and infernal flames alike.
"Ara ara, you seem to be wound up, Tsubaki-san." Akeno laughed into her hand, "That announcement only confirms who you were talking about, doesn't-?"
*FWOOOOOOOSH!* *BAKABAKABAKABAKABAKA!*
Mid-sentence, Akeno fired a lance of holy lightning to destroy the flung scorching naginata about to impale her.
"Pardon me for touching a nerve…" Akeno apologized but Tsubaki only continued to angrily summon to her side another naginata and attempt to throw one right at her.
Except in the last second, the Sitri [Queen] redirected the bladed staff at Rias.
*DOOON!* *BAKABAKABAKABAKA!*
A combination of a demonic blast and holy lightning yet again reduced another one of the Bespectacled Beauty's weapons into ash.
"Tsubaki-san, I believe your opponent here was me. Why the rush?" Akeno teased, sadistically licking her lips.
'You know why…' Tsubaki venomously thought.
"Tch!" Summoning two more spears to her side, Tsubaki took on a more impatient stance while looking to her two opponents. The self-assured look on their faces were beginning to frustrate her. Any moment now Michael Hanamura was going to show up right behind her, and she couldn't afford to get boxed in.
'Escape won't be possible through the hallway, and I can forget going through the set of stairs that the mall security uses.' Both Saji and her had to do away with them and the Security room after burying Kiba with the upper floors of the parking lot. There wasn't an announcement of the [Knight] retiring so they had to make sure he didn't have an easy path back to regroup with his peerage.
With either option of self-preservation gone, Tsubaki took a deep breath and steeled herself for the only plan that she could think of.
'Kaichou, I know that you'll be able to win this. Saji, don't worry about your Senior being burden by the job that you weren't able to complete. This time, I'll gladly spoil you and handle everything for you. In return, I only request that you be the one to serve me tea after this.' Tsubaki momentarily smiled before hardening her gaze at Akeno.
The lightning surrounding Akeno escalated once the thought of Michael actually coming graced her thoughts. Her hopes were finally being answered to, she could barely contain the warmth of happiness radiating within her as her smile only grew.
'Michael-kun…'
Just a bit longer, he'll be storming his way down here in that same obnoxiously loud, manly fashion he always had. She just knew it.
Frankly that should happened, but what echoed throughout the field caused her upturned lips to sink and her eyes to widen and lusterlessly darken in despondency.
[Rias Gremory's [Pawn] has retired.]
ความคิดของผู้สร้าง 
Retribrutus
Retribrutus Next Chapter- The battle of the devil youths finally begin! Team Gremory vs. Team Sitri! Part 6
Hello, my fellow Shut-Ins how are you all doing during this whole freaking COVID-19 Quarantine? Me? Well, I finished all of my Finals so now I'm packing up to go back to Southern California and since my school's five hours away from home, I have a lot to prepare for. So, I decided to buckle down and finish this chapter this week instead of multitasking with both my Dragon Ball fic and this one.
Also, this is a shameless hint to check out Dragon Ball Z: The Tales of Universe 6! No, seriously go check it out, the recent chapter just introduced Caulifla, and she's already wreaking more shit than Koneko.
AHEM! Anyways…
So, guys, that happened… Apparently, there was a lot that was going on atop the Dragon Mountains. Now I might get flack for the few who might get peeved off at the ending there because they think Saji retired Michael. And all I have to say is…eh…the guy was indirectly responsible for his retiring which will be expanded more later after the next chapter which is finally the CLIMAX of the Gremory vs Sitri Rating Game match!
Woohoo! I've been on limbo with this arc and really need to get back into the swing of things.
Well, I'll see you all in the next chapter!
I'm out so Peace Out and have a lovely day!
AHEM! Go read Dragon Ball Z: Tales of Universe VI! AHEM! Oh my where did that come from?
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