"Start my training? Aren't I already training for these past five days?" Koneko asks Kisuke while they're walking back towards the place where Koneko would always meditate.
"Well yeah... But the way you are now, you won't be able to touch that Fried Chicken even if you caught him off guard. You can take a few hits from his 'Queen' but that's about it. You can't count on that master of yours. She might be able to strategize but she can't beat the Fried Chicken. Himejima-san might be able to do it with her holy power, but something is stopping her from using it and I doubt she'll be able to overcome her fear without a good catalyst. Issei is too weak to pull out the power of his Scared Gear. Kiba-san, although he has potential, he's a normal fighter right now. Lastly, Asia-san is a pure healer and can only be beside one of you, and that will be your master's side for sure. In other words, your group has no chance of winning as the trend goes." Kisuke didn't change his pace and explained the situation to Koneko.
"... Then what should I do?..." Koneko stopped walking and looked down biting her lips and clenching her fist.
"That's up to you... How much do you want to risk it?" Kisuke also stopped walking and faced her.
Koneko looked up and saw his serious expression without a trace of his former nonchalant attitude. She shook when she looked at his eyes which contains rare strictness, "... How much should I risk?"
"Haah... Koneko... Why are you asking me that? Didn't I tell you that it's up to you?" Kisuke let out a sigh but he continued to look at her.
"But-" Koneko started to shake under his stare as fear slowly surfaces.
"Koneko, I won't be here forever to decide for you. I'm giving you this chance now to do something you yourself decided without me pushing you to a choice." Kisuke interrupted her and continue speaking. He has to remind Koneko now that her future is hers and should not be easily given to others.
"..." Koneko is speechless. Since the beginning, even though she's trying to distance herself from the others, she's been looking for something or someone to lean on. But when she finally found it, she's being tossed away. Her thoughts halted into a full stop as she stares at Kisuke blankly.
Kisuke already expected this, but he didn't expect that she'll be this dependent on him which isn't good. "You'll be walking this path on your own in the future as even I don't know what lies ahead. All I can do is give you occasional guidance, but even that would certainly stop as you move beyond the realm that I can't understand."
"...Senpai..." Koneko called out to him be she still doesn't know what to say.
"Don't mistake me as your master. As I said since the start, Yoruichi and I started this out of a whim to see where you could go. I'm just someone who shamelessly meddled with your life and give you a startup push in a certain direction."
"..." Koneko now felt that he's getting farther away from where she couldn't reach him. Now he's even denying the relationship she thought they have. 'What is he saying!? What's happening!?' Aside from fear, doubt is also starting to take root on her mind. No matter how much she tries to resolve herself to continue what she's doing despite the chances of losing control of herself, it's still the trauma that shaped her childhood and couldn't discard it easily even after knowing the truth about her elder sister.
"Are you scared? Of which one? Are you are not mistaking it for being scared of losing control yourself to the fear of the unknown future?"
"...What...?" Just as she's about to lose grasp of reality, his words awaken her, 'Fear of the future?'
"Every time you look at Aika gritting her teeth to continue her training, what comes to your mind?"
"I'm jealous of how she could let go of her worries and do what she wants regardless of the consequences that might haunt her further in the future," Koneko answered blankly without thinking too much about his question.
"Right? You're jealous, but of what? Think about it again."
"Of how she let's go of her worries?"
"In other words, your jealous of that idiot's ability to forget about things and just do what she wants."
"..." Koneko stayed silent but she could now understand a little what he's trying to say.
"You never got jealous of her ability to overcome her training nor her luck for not losing control of herself even though you two are on the same boat that can sink anytime."
"I'm scared of the future?" Koneko muttered.
"It's true that it became your trauma when you thought that your elder sister became insane and killed you, former master. But what scared you the most is the fact that your sister suddenly left you and you didn't know what to do."
"Ah... I get it..." Koneko got a glimpse of light in the dark hallway, 'I'm just hiding behind the fact that I'm scared of hurting others when the truth is I just want someone to carry me and lead the way so that I wouldn't have to think about it again...'
Koneko wiped the tears that are accumulating in her eyes and looked straight to Kisuke's eyes, "Yes... senpai. I'm scared of what would happen in the future. I don't know if I can still be with Buchou and the rest the way I am. At the start, I thought that I'm just scared of hurting them if I use Senjutsu, but it looks like what you said is the truth, I'm afraid that they would turn their backs on me if I become like my sister... I don't want to be left alone again..." Even though she just wiped her tears, it started falling again.
Kisuke finally smiled and patted her head, "Now that you finally know and admitted it to yourself, that means you already started on something instead of running away from it. I'll be honest, I'm no psychiatrist, so I don't really know how to cure your trauma aside from pointing it out to and force you to face it."
Koneko wiped her tears again and shook her head, "No... I'm very thankful for what you've done. So please don't call involving with me shamelessly meddling with my life. If not for you I'll be running away all this time without me even knowing it. I just have a request, senpai."
"Hmm? Go ahead."
"Please don't ever turn your back at me."
"Hmmm... let's see... I guess I shouldn't do that if you're asking me." Kisuke pretended to be hesitating, but for Koneko, it's the most reassuring answer.
After a few moments of silence that calmed her down, Koneko once again faced Kisuke, "Senpai, please teach me how to beat up that Fried Chicken."
"It won't be easy~." Kisuke knew that Koneko would still depend on him but she already started moving forward which is already enough for him.
"Yes, I know... By the way, senpai. I want to experience losing control of myself once under your watch. If I can't run away from it, I'll just embrace it."
Alright~ Calm down~
I'm no psychiatrist so I don't know if I'm doing this right. So please don't throw any axes on me.
It might look like some forced character development, but please forgive this author.
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Anyways,
Enjoy~
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Last day of the ten-day training that Riser gave the Gremory Peerage. Koneko is standing in front of Kisuke, Yoruichi and the haggard Aika.
Koneko is currently in her nekomata form but with some difference from the usual. Her cat ears and tails have embers of white flames on their tips. Her eyes were surrounded by a blue pigment that looks like a thick eyeliner. And her pupils are shining with golden light and her irises are slit and jet-black in color.
In this form, Koneko has the physical abilities of a Middle to High-Class fully mature Devil. Her defensive level was also boosted to another level that even without her Rook piece, which is honestly just holding her back at this point, Koneko can stand still and let Yuuto Kiba hack at her and she would only get some rashes. She also got access to an ability to generate white flames that directly burns vitality or life force, though she couldn't use it repeatedly. Since this is the result of Senjutsu (Sage Techniques), Kisuke called this form Sage Mode.
Sage Mode is of course not all advantages, in its current stage, there are also some huge drawbacks. First is Koneko has to gather Natural Ki first before she can enter this form and while gathering, she wouldn't have much freedom. If she wanted to gather it faster then she would be to be completely still. Second is she can only gather Natural Ki that is the same amount as her Inner Ki at most or there would be a chance that she would lose control of herself if too much outside influence is gathered that would essentially affect her mind. The third is it gives a big burden on her immature body that she can only use it 10 minutes tops. Any further and she would damage her body.
As such, Koneko's Sage Mode could only be considered as a last resort if she wanted to end the fight quickly or if she wanted to catch her opponent off guard especially if they are not aware of her capabilities.
It's a skill that is not useful in a big battlefield, but in something like Rating Game, where you only have to take the King's head according to the rules, then this will be her sharpest weapon.
"You can rest now, Koneko-chan. The game is scheduled later this evening. Let's eat first before heading to the Academy." Kisuke reminded Koneko. In all truth, Kisuke was surprised at Koneko's progress. She also started to think and innovate on her own slowly modifying the Sage Mode to fit her more. Koneko doesn't take Kisuke's advice for granted anymore and would always test it herself and what she can do to further improve it which delighted both Kisuke and Yoruichi, though they didn't voice it out loud as they want Koneko to think that this is the most natural thing to do and not something worth putting attention to.
Koneko took a deep breath and she returned to her normal nekomata form.
"Can I also watch?" Aika asks. These past 10 days, she trained even harder than Koneko due to Yoruichi's arrangements. Her dormant Reiryoku didn't improve much but her technical skills improved to another level that she can go toe on toe with Yuuto Kiba if they have the same specs. She's even better than him at some skills like detection and movement. What she needs now are some real-life battle experiences that Yoruichi kept giving her.
"Not on the venue. I'll set some viewing platform in the house so that you and Mom can also enjoy the show." Kisuke replied to her.
Koneko bowed in front of them and expressed her gratitude, "Kisuke-senpai, Yoruichi-san. Thank you for everything you've done for me. I'll be sure to return the favor one day."
"Just don't disappoint me. Give that Fried Chicken a good beating." Yoruichi patted her head. Although in her and Kisuke's calculation, she wouldn't be able to defeat Riser even if she uses her Sage Mode... Unless she does something reckless. They won't tell her that though. It'll be up to her whether she'll go for it regardless of the dangers.
Kisuke helped her teleport to the school and she left the secret training ground.
After the last motes of light from the teleportation circle disappeared, Aika voiced out her concern, "Can she really defeat that Fried Chicken guy?"
'As expected, she has some strong intuition regarding these matters.' Kisuke thought before replying, "If she does not do something stupid, she won't win."
"Something stupid? Do you mean overloading her Sage Mode? How is that stupid if that's the only way to win?" Aika faced Kisuke in curiosity.
"Koneko is very careful unlike you. Of course in a normal person's perspective, discarding your sanity just to defeat your opponent is a stupid move. You don't know if you'll only hurt your enemy or you might end up hurting those who are important to you. This will be an important decision for her."
"You're trying to say I don't think like a normal person?" She retorted.
Kisuke didn't respond but for Aika, that's an affirmative.
"Whose fault do think that is?" Aika felt dismayed.
"Your eccentric behavior."
"I don't want to hear that from you!!!"
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The same day, 11:30 PM. Riser is having a good time with his 'Queen' Yubelluna when his sister Ravel Phenex interrupted their fun, "The game to decide the fate of your engagement is about to begin, and yet... here you are, laid back as always, Onii-sama." She sighed in resignation.
Ravel is a beautiful young girl with dark blue eyes. She has long blonde hair tied into twintails with large, drill-like curls and blue ribbons keeping them in place. The front of her hair has several bangs hanging over her forehead, with a V-shaped fringe hanging over the bridge of her nose.
Her outfit consists of a light purple dress with dark purple accents and a blue bow at the front. At the back, three feather-like extensions mimicking a bird's tail protruding from the dress.
"Tch, it was just getting good." Riser muttered as he faces his sister, "Of course, Ravel. Our victory is assured, after all."
"I've heard that they're not wasting their ten days. They're getting stronger." Ravel continues to remind Riser, "And they have that wild card Sacred Gear on their side. If we get careless, they might just..."
Riser didn't let her continue and said, "There is no 'might'." He gave his sister a glare which sent Ravel a chill, 'I guess I don't have to worry much.' "Haah... Don't turn your anger on me."
"Kuhkuhkuh... No matter. I feel sorry for Rias, but we won't be holding back. This won't be all fun and games." Riser chuckles at his sister's reaction.
Ravel knew that she doesn't have to say more, but just as she turned around to leave the room, she suddenly remembered something, "Oh right... I also investigated that Human who humiliated you."
Riser is about to continue his fun with Yubelluna but Ravel's words caught his attention and soured his mood, "What about him?"
"Nothing much... Which is honestly strange. Up until now, he poses as a normal human and only became close to Sona Sitri and Rias' Rook recently. He's also the childhood and best friend of the Boosted Gear user, which explains his actions last time. It seems that he's helping Rias' Rook these past ten days to train. So she might know how to do that instant acceleration technique that he exhibited that day."
"Hmmph! Still a weakling. No matter how fast she becomes, she won't be able to hurt me or even you."
"In any case, please take note of her once you're in the game." Ravel finally left him alone, 'I can't say to him that this information is giving me some bad feelings...'
Probably no chapter tomorrow.
Too tired... Wanna rest for a day or two.
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ZZZzzzz....