Beta read by Shigiya and Paragon of Awesomeness
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-Kuoh Academy-
"I missed this place!"
Never in his life had Issei imagined those words would come out of his mouth while staring at a school building. Yet there he stood in front of Kuoh Academy, overcome with a ridiculous amount of happiness at the sight of slightly cracked pavement, familiar walls, and the school gates he had walked through hundreds of times before. Before he knew it, he had thrown his arms around a nearby tree and pressed his cheek against the rough bark like he had just reunited with a long-lost friend.
A group of girls passing by slowed down, staring at the scene.
"Look at that weirdo," one of them whispered before squinting at him. Then her expression changed completely. "Wait... that's the Perverted Creep!"
The reaction was immediate.
Several shrieks rang out as the group practically fled down the path. Their panic quickly attracted the attention of other students nearby, who began whispering amongst themselves while casting suspicious looks in his direction.
"The pervert has developed a thing for trees now?"
"That's so gross."
"I knew there was something wrong with him."
"Stay away from the trees, girls!"
Every single comment reached his ears and he initially ignored all of them. But they kept escalating so much in such a short span of time that in a matter of seconds he kept hearing something about the trees getting pregnant and him deflowering nature itself.
Not wanting for his image to get even worse than it already was, the boy released the tree, spun around dramatically, and pointed at the retreating girls. "Your words mean nothing to me!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. "I have seen hell and crawled my way back out! And for the record, there were way hotter girls over there than you, and they were a whole lot nicer too and even had bigger boobs!"
"Kya!"
The response only made them scream louder and run even faster.
Watching them disappear around a corner, he folded his arms and clicked his tongue. "Tch, they should really learn to mind their own business."
"Issei! It's been a while!"
Pa!
"Ah!" A hand slapped his back, making Issei yelp slightly, though mostly out of surprise. The brunet boy turned around to be met by a pair of familiar faces. "What the hell was that for, Matsuda, Motohama!" Seeing his two best friends standing there, a furious look formed on his face. On the inside, however, he was happy to see them again. After dealing with so many freakishly powerful entities, including vampires, fake heroes, and that infuriating White Dragon Emperor, seeing his two closest friends sure did raise his mood back up.
Matsuda wrapped his arm around Issei's neck. "You've been absent for quite a while these past few days. Always hanging out with those beautiful girls, living the high life and going on trips rather than spending time with us playing the new ero game!"
Motohama chimed in. "He most likely spends his time hanging around those hot girls from the Occult Research Club, trying to act like a gentleman while having them give him lap pillows or something!"
"As if that will ever happen!" Issei yelled, not genuinely angry because they said something like that, but because he knew such a thing could not happen. "None of those girls will do something like that to me! If anything they'll probably be trying to do that with a certain someone else." As Issei said this, his mind immediately flashed to Archer's face, especially when back on the train he saw him sleeping next to both Akeno and Rias! He was so jealous! If his blood was not already green at this point from pure envy, it sure as hell would be very soon!
His friends laughed at his misery. "It's your own fault for being in the same club as Kiba," Motohama said, adjusting his glasses. "Your face is no different to a street dog compared to the ikemen of a school prince. The girls all agree he's got a face straight out of a romance novel."
As Issei heard that, he scoffed. If only they knew the truth. But he did not say that out loud.
"By the way, I heard a rumor that a new history teacher was hired and apparently she's a hottie foreigner too!" Motohama exclaimed with excitement, getting both of his friends interested. "I asked around for a bit and apparently she was hired just yesterday due to our prior history teacher being forced to resign due to some family issues."
"What the hell, we've been getting a lot of new teachers lately and all of them are foreigners too... Isn't it kind of weird? Though I won't complain if she's even half as sexy as the new librarian." Matsuda couldn't help but comment, and as he said that, Issei suddenly had an odd sensation of familiarity. Like this had happened before.
But the more he thought about it, the less certain he became since he was pretty sure that no other Servants were summoned by either party. It could just be a regular teacher, was he genuinely becoming paranoid at this rate?
"When do we have history class again?"
"Damn it, it's tomorrow. But we might get a chance to see the new teacher around the school if you're lucky! If she's as beautiful as people say, then people will gather around her!"
The group started walking to class. Other girls continued to stay clear of them, given their collective reputation, but Issei and his friends paid no mind, having gotten used to it. As they arrived at their classroom, a brunette, spectacled girl with lightly messy hair tied into two braids approached them.
"My, how long has it been since I last saw all three members of the Perverted Trio gathered together again? What's the occasion, are you going to peek at the kendo girls' changing room today?"
As soon as she said that, several glares were focused on them. Issei quickly told her, "Shut the hell up with your fake accusations, Kiryuu! We were just having some normal guy talk, that's all."
Aika just rolled her eyes. "There is nothing normal about the conversations you three have. Even your nature most likely has to do with a woman's breasts."
"What's wrong with liking big boobs!?" Issei demanded, raising his voice, with his hand dramatically colliding against his chest with a resounding thud. "They are amongst humanity's greatest achievements! A symbol of beauty praised across cultures and generations! Kingdoms have risen and fallen, poets have written countless verses trying to adequately praise them, artists have spent entire lifetimes trying to capture even a fraction of their magnificence! They transcend borders, unite nations in peace, and bring joy to the hearts of men everywhere! You denying their greatness is to deny one of civilization's most universally appreciated treasures since the dawn of time itself!"
"..."
"..."
By the time he was finished, the brunet boy was pointing towards the sky as if delivering a speech that would be remembered by future generations. The surrounding students there that had heard it though, stood in horrified silence and a few even were already walking away in shame from just being within hearing range of what he'd said.
Others looked ready to pretend they had never met him, though Aika on the other hand simply laughed. "Glad to have you back, Issei. But if you continue acting like that, you'll never get a girlfriend."
That statement ended up affecting him more than he expected. His mind went blank, and for a moment there was nothing but silence, which confused his friends and Aika. "Are you alright?" they asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine," he said with a sigh.
School started. Issei just followed the classes, the teachers doing their job, and he just aimlessly looked at the ceiling or outside, not following the lessons. Aika's words echoed in his mind several times.
When class ended, he looked at Archer, who was arranging his papers and heading out with several students surrounding him. As usual, all of them were girls, clearly trying to play nice girls - or, in his eyes, flirt with him just to get close to Archer. The damn guy on the other hand just continued to answer them politely before leaving the classroom.
Issei turned his attention to Aika and asked her, "What part about me specifically makes it difficult for me to get a girlfriend?"
This question caught her off guard. "Eh? Where did that come from?"
He continued with genuine curiosity. "I've been thinking about what you said lately and I'm just curious. What could I do to become popular with girls?"
As he spoke, his mind wandered back to the beginning. He had thought it was about being strong enough, being cool enough. Yet despite having one of the coolest sounding and looking Sacred Gears, he honestly could not see himself reaching Archer's level-or worse yet, Vali's.
On top of recently seeing Lancer's power and that of many others, the difference between him and them seemed so vast that it almost crushed him to acknowledge it. Trying to bridge that gap would be a wasted endeavor, so he decided to focus on other things that could help him.
Not to mention he had not even achieved Balance Breaker. Even Ddraig told him that he was making a lot of progression, but he just couldn't see it. It felt like he hadn't moved and had stayed stagnant for quite a while.
Aika looked at him strangely. "Are you sick or something?"
"No, but it kinda feels like it." Issei grumbled. "It's just a simple question. If you don't want to answer then no need to be rude about it."
Aika quickly shook her head. "No, no, it's nothing like that. But if you're being serious, well, I'll give you a serious answer." She moved her table a bit so that it was right up to his table and took a seat. She looked at him with her arms crossed and pointed a finger at his face.
"You lack confidence!" she stated loudly, slapping his table and startling him.
"That's it? I have confidence!"
"I'm not talking about the kind of confidence that has you screaming 'boobs!' at the top of your lungs," Aika corrected. "You need to have a mixture of confidence, calm, and a quick wit. You need to know how to read women, how to understand them, and predict them. But the way you are now, you're like a monkey jumping around with a banana trying to gain their attention."
"That one hurt," Issei muttered, but he knew she was telling the truth.
"If you want to attract a girl, you need to find someone who feels she can genuinely rely on you," she continued. "You need to prove yourself to be both confident and someone who could be relied on. If that girl encounters any issues or trouble, you need to be there to fix it or prevent it. But in your case, you're the one causing trouble more often than not."
This made him ponder on her words without even trying to argue. "But how does one achieve that? By training and having a lot of muscles?"
"It wouldn't hurt, what girl doesn't like muscles?" Aika said with a perverted grin. "But I'd also suggest that you not try to copy Toujou-sensei." This surprised Issei, who looked at her wondering how she realized that, only to see her giving him a deadpan stare. "It was written all over your face. Besides, being envious of our English teacher is a common trait amongst most male students these days."
"It's only natural, what with him being so damn popular when he doesn't even seem to try," Issei grumbled.
"There are multiple ways of becoming popular," Aika said, pushing up her glasses as the sunlight reflected off of them. "Toujou-sensei is not the same as Kiba, yet both of them are popular. Trying to copy them is a doomed endeavor, because the most you'd achieve is looking like some desperate knock-off version of them. So, you should rely on things you are well-versed in and are already in your nature."
"And what would that be?" Issei asked.
"I'm not sure," Aika said. "You might want to just go ask other women who know him that you're also familiar with so they won't be creeped out by the question, like the girls from the Occult Research Club. Ask them honestly what part of him they think is good or admirable, or what they look for in a guy. The more you listen to them, the more you will get an answer. Who knows, you may find you have some traits of your own that overlap, or even an unlikely admirer."
That... actually sounded reasonable.
Issei looked at Aika with a strange expression. Was this truly the same perverted woman who kept analyzing people's dick size with just a look? "I honestly never imagined you of all people would be the one to give me such an insightful and genuine answer. Why can't you be like this all the time?"
"Because compared to teasing boys like you who are so desperate for even a flash of cleavage or a glimpse of thigh meat, it's no fun!" she replied with a smirk.
...
After finishing his conversation, Issei wandered through the school grounds with no particular destination in mind. The familiar sights of Kuoh Academy still felt strangely refreshing after everything he had recently been through. That pleasant mood lasted right up until he spotted two very familiar figures standing near the main entrance.
His expression immediately became one of disbelief.
One girl was holding a massive banner that advertised the newly rebuilt church and several upcoming events that would be hosted at it. The other stood beside her with a donation box, loudly reciting bible verses with so much energy that it sounded less like a sermon and more like the opening theme of a popular anime. The pair looked so bizarre and out of place that most students had collectively decided the safest option was to pretend they weren't there.
"Brothers and sisters!" Irina called out enthusiastically. "Donations are needed for the upkeep of our local church! Every contribution helps support the community and spread the Lord's blessings!"
Beside her, Xenovia held the donation box with complete seriousness. "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."
"And if you donate," Irina continued without missing a beat, "you may receive special perks! Including but not limited to a front-row seat for a special event featuring Lady Gabriel herself! The most beautiful woman in the world! One hundred percent not a scam!"
"Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward them for what they have done. Also, no refunds will ever be offered," Xenovia added flatly.
The contrast between their deliveries was so extreme that several students nearly walked into each other while staring.
Eventually, a small group of boys approached, clearly more interested in the girls than their message.
"Eh, are you two new here? I did hear that the church had been reopened not that long ago, but I didn't expect for a pair of cuties like you to be the sisters in charge. We'd be happy to donate," one of them said with a confident grin. "And maybe even attend. If, in return, we could spend a little time with the two of you."
Irina blinked.
Xenovia stared.
Neither seemed to immediately understand what the boy was actually implying. Their brief silence only encouraged the group, who exchanged smug looks with one another as though they had already succeeded.
Irina, completely missing their intent, beamed. "You'll donate? Amazing! If I have free time, I'd be happy-"
She was cut off as Xenovia moved between them, grabbing the boy by the collar. Her strength and intensity was enough to make him panic, his feet lifting slightly off the ground. "Servants of the Lord cannot ignore their duties to the church," she said, her glare cold enough to freeze water. "Thus, Irina will not be able to go along with you or your friends on your little playdate, and I find your pickup attempt to be very rude. Express your repentance in the form of charity and you will have my forgiveness."
The boys quickly shoved some money into the box and ran away as soon as Xenovia released their ringleader. Irina watched them go, her face a mask of confusion. "Why did you do that?"
Xenovia smacked her on the back of her head. "Stop getting fooled by people's lies! They're not even interested in the Lord or His teachings! They're just looking to take you out on a date! Hah, it seems that even as I commit myself to tolerance of this pagan society, I must still keep a vigilant eye out for lecherous wretches."
Issei watched this little byplay unfold with a look of disbelief. It looked like a scam no matter how one looked at it. A few people had initially been interested, but they were quickly put off by the way this was being presented.
Then, Irina noticed him, and her face instantly lit up. "Issei!" she called out before running towards him and greeting him passionately with a strong hug. "Glad to see you're back in Kuoh as well!"
Issei was surprised, a large goofy grin spreading across his face as he felt her breasts push against his chest. "B-Boobs! Boobs! Boobs!" he stammered with a wide dumb grin.
Irina just chuckled. "You're being weird again, yet you're weirdly cute." Her expression then turned serious. "But are you really okay?"
"Cough! Cough! Um, y-yeah," Issei recovered quickly. "Yes, why wouldn't I be okay?"
"Given what happened in Romania, why wouldn't I be worried about you!? That whole battle that happened with those vampires and the heroes right as we all agreed to peace is still fresh in my mind, and apparently they've got lots of other factions allied with them. It was really dangerous, and might even be the start of a whole new war!"
This girl... Issei looked around before putting his hand in front of her mouth. "You shouldn't say that out loud!" he whispered, his eyes darting about, hoping no one had overheard. He then realized most people were already avoiding him anyway. With a moment of realization, his expression turned helpless before he shook his head and focused back on Irina.
"I'm fine, thankfully the Servants handled things pretty well. Sorry I couldn't see you again earlier, Buchou had to stay with her brother and the other devils for a bit longer to finish up some internal discussions. We returned just yesterday after being teleported back to the Occult Research Club." He then said with a big grin, "Oh, and I was given a little surprise that I'm sure you'll like!"
Irina's eyes went completely starstruck. "Really? Were you also given a hand-embroidered sweater of our lord and savior?"
Huh, so that was what Lancer gave to Michael's group? It made sense, though it also made him question who made it... Valerie maybe? He couldn't imagine who else in Bran Castle would have had the patience or inclination to learn such a skill, and she'd probably had a lot of free time before she summoned her Servant and suddenly became queen.
"No, not that. We were given a few things as gifts while in the castle, and I even got to take home an old painting."
"Is the painting one of a saint?" Irina wasted no time to ask something he already predicted would come out of her mouth.
A saint... he doubted the vampires would have something like that in their possession, and even if they did, no way could such a thing be handed over to a bunch of devils. Wouldn't that be seen as some sort of insult? So, he scratched his head with a bit of awkwardness. "I don't know. It's a guy being hanged on a pole, kind of gruesome honestly. But most of the paintings there did have a pretty brutal art style." He shuddered slightly. "It was so awkward to think that vampires from back then were only interested in painting such things, most of them being of their vanquished enemies."
"It sounds good nonetheless!" Irina declared. "I'll be happy to accept it! It will look good to add this as the first collected artifact in the church's vault!"
As for her partner, something else seemed to be going on in Xenovia's mind. "Hyoudou Issei, would you be able to tell me if you have any additional information on Saber? Archer was kind enough to tell us all her name and give a few points as to how strong she is, but I was wondering if you had any additional insights to offer."
This threw him off at first. "Sorry, I don't think so. Why are you interested?"
"Saber was the one responsible for the destruction of the Excalibur swords," Xenovia stated with a resolute look to her face. "It was our mission to recover them and, if unable to do so, destroy them. I accept that the end result is all the same to our superiors, but it was our duty to uphold, whereas Saber destroyed them for her own personal reasons. Such a person cannot be seen as an ally, and thus, I plan to confront that woman in the future when given the chance, and so I must be prepared."
Confront her? Confront Saber?
That crazed juggernaut!?
At first, he did not believe his own ears, for how crazy did one have to be to say such a thing? But with how the bluenette exorcist showed no change to her expression as Issei looked at her, then at Irina, his confusion shifted to bafflement as he rapidly shook his head in refusal.
"Are you crazy!? No way can you fight a Servant! Even Rider was barely able to keep up with her, and Archer had to keep her at a distance just to have any kind of advantage! If you try to fight her, you'll get destroyed! You saw how destructive she was with your own eyes back in Romania, and that was with four Servants protecting us all!"
Despite his warning, neither of them looked dissuaded. They just stood their ground. "Then we'll just have to get stronger," Xenovia said, her voice firm.
Issei found himself questioning if both of these girls were crazy or had a death wish. He shook his head. "I have to seriously ask the both of you to rethink this, but I have a feeling you won't listen."
"Yep!" Irina chirped.
"Xenovia! Irina! I'm back!" In the distance, a certain former nun came rushing holding onto a plastic bag filled with drinks. "Sorry it took so long! The line was huge at the convenience store, but thankfully several people let me cut in line when they heard I was in a rush! Such kind people..." She handed each one of them a can of soda. Then she spotted Issei and her face lit up.
"Eh, Issei-kun?" As soon as her gaze landed on him, first came confusion before soon to be replaced by excitement, "Are you also here to help the church gain more followers?"
"Actually, I was hoping to get home... um..."
While clearly not there for such a reason, saying so proved to be a great challenge. In the face of Asia's radiant expression and innocently joyful smile, he could not bring himself to say no.
.
.
.
"Hah, how long am I supposed to wear this thing?" Several minutes passed and he stood alongside Irina, Asia, and Xenovia while wearing the banner advertising the church. "This is a bit embarrassing," he said.
"It's strange," Irina replied. "We were getting at least a few people to come over and talk to us before, but now not a soul can be seen around."
Issei felt himself start to sweat as he realized it was because of him, most likely. People were keeping their distance from one of the school's big three perverts.
He then remembered Aika's question and with nothing else happening, asked the others out of the blue, "Hey, I know this is kind of coming out of nowhere, but what kind of boys do you three find attractive?"
Asia looked at him with uncertainty. "Why are you curious about that?"
Issei sighed. "I've been... doing some thinking lately. I like girls, but I realize I haven't exactly given them much of a reason to like me back, and so I'm trying to improve, to give off a better image of sorts, but I don't know where to start. I'm just curious what, in general, girls find attractive." He decided to be honest with them, no point trying to lie or make up a random story. Not to mention, he had no reason to do so. "So don't hold back... i-if you're okay answering the question."
Surprisingly, Asia was the first one to speak. Even though she became red and shy, stuttering with her words. "I-I like someone who is honest and wants to help others, who has a p-pure heart, a-and... and... um... k-kind..." She repeated that last part several times while glancing back at him before shifting her face.
He paid not much attention to that as he thought over her reply. It made sense why a girl like her would easily get flustered from such a question, and so instead he pondered what kind of guy she was probably talking about.
"Yeah, that sounds like Kiba. Tch, damn ikemen."
That surprised Asia, who quickly shook her head, about to deny it, but Irina spoke out first.
"It's the same for me!" Irina declared. "I like someone with a good heart who can match my energy and is just fun to be around." She said this while gently nudging Issei's side and giving him a smile.
Issei just nodded. "Makes sense," he said, clearly not giving Irina the reaction she wanted. He then turned his attention to Xenovia. "How about you?"
The bluenette seemed to seriously ponder the question. "I am dedicated in my service to God and do not have time to spare for such things... At least, that's what I would have said a week ago," she began. "But circumstances have forced me to reconsider my views on devils, and others who do not share my beliefs. I have come to understand that perhaps having a person of such personal interest would... ahem, not be such a bad idea. Besides, I think I'll want to have kids at some point yet to be determined, and it would make sense to have already made preparations."
Issei sweatdropped, unsure how to react to the fact that she was already thinking so far ahead, but stayed silent nonetheless.
Xenovia continued. "Such a man... he would need to be someone powerful. I want the man who would plant his seed in my womb to be someone who possesses great power, so that his strength could be combined with my own and then passed on to the children, so they in turn would grow up strong. He would also need to be loyal, someone who can stave off any enemy and hold their ground no matter what he's up against. Who has a good moral character as well whom I can proudly admire and stand beside. Someone who is serious and does not joke around much and is able to get the job done."
Oi, that was way more detailed than he hoped to hear. This girl showed no shame saying out loud the first part! Not to mention, he realized that as Xenovia spoke, he found himself thinking of Archer. The next thing she said confirmed his suspicions.
"Maybe someone like Archer?"
The boy sighed exasperatedly. "Again with that guy!"
"But then again," Xenovia added, "I have seen that Lancer is also possessed of great strength, and has a spirit that I find admirable. I witnessed his power in battle and feel like someone like him is also a very good candidate as a father. He has a majesty to him that I cannot deny."
Issei was unable to say anything against that. He remembered how Lancer fought and spoke, and had to admit that the man had style. The guy frankly made him feel inadequate, and made Kiba look like a kid next to him. Almost like a grown-up version of Kiba with a more bougie accent.
"Why are you interested in what other guys that girls like in the first place?" Irina asked. "You're fine the way you are, Issei!"
Issei looked at Irina with wide eyes. "Do you really think so?"
Irina nodded. "You have your quirks, but I wouldn't have it any other way. You've been the same ever since we were kids! And I like that."
Issei blushed a bit and averted his eyes. "Th-Thanks."
"Unfortunately," Xenovia stated, "we can't take on a partner even if we found someone."
This confused Issei. "Why would that be?"
His question was answered the next second when two pairs of pure white wings filled his vision. Both Irina and Xenovia stood there with the wings of angels behind them and bright halos atop their heads for a brief moment until they disappeared again before anyone could see them.
Issei stood there with his jaw dropped, pointing at them. "You're... angels!? When did that happen!?"
"It actually happened just this morning," Irina answered with a wide smile. "Lady Gabriel and Lord Michael came over with their own reincarnation system for angels that they developed with Ajuka's help using his Evil Piece system as a base! It's called the Brave Saint system, and we were selected as the first humans to be reborn as angels!"
Xenovia nodded along proudly. "Indeed. Though so far, only the Seraphim have a set, so the Brave Saints are a long way off from solving the angels' population issues. It's one of the reasons I'm thinking about motherhood."
Asia, next to Issei, watched them with starstruck eyes. "They're so beautiful! Real angels..."
"It's amazing," Issei said, before feeling bad once again. Everyone around him was moving forward and improving at such a rate that he felt like he really couldn't keep up. There had to be a way for him to get stronger quickly. He looked at his hands and clenched his fists. "Alright. In either case, for me to get better means that I need to become stronger."
"We'll support you nonetheless, whatever you try!" Asia said.
"Yay!" Irina cheered alongside the blonde, these two were getting along quite well.
Xenovia nodded with a smile on her face. "It's a good goal for you to strive toward."
Issei jumped. "Yes! That's my goal! I won't stop until I'm strong enough to smack that Archer bastard in the face without him being able to block it! Payback for all those training sessions where he tortured me!"
As he said that, a voice in the distance yelled, "Watch out for the pervert!"
Issei turned and saw it was the Kendo girls, Murayama and Katase, standing there wearing their club outfits and pointing their shinai at him angrily. Murayama quickly came over to Xenovia's side. "Be careful, Xenovia, he cannot be trusted and is a huge pervert!"
"What the hell!" Issei got angry. "I was just having a nice conversation with them! Why does everyone keep accusing me of being up to something nefarious!?"
"You brought it upon yourself after all the times you harassed us!" Murayama retorted.
Now more determined than ever to change his image, Issei brushed past them and ran off. "You'll see! I'll prove you wrong!" As he ran to find a certain blond boy, he ended up spotting Kiba in the distance, but immediately froze upon seeing that the Knight was not alone. He was talking with someone.
Issei quickly hid behind a tree and took a look at the scene. Kiba was standing there having a conversation with a beautiful adult woman who was seated at a bench.
Issei thought that there was something going on between them, that either Kiba had a thing for mature ladies or she was a client of his.
Upon taking a closer look though, he realized exactly who she was and then nearly screamed at the top of his lungs, but managed to stop himself in time as to avoid getting spotted.
'What the fuck is going on!?'
{Break}
"Fufufu~ You have quite a lot of confidence, asking me of all people to meet with you." Assassin looked at Yuuto with amusement as the boy stood there with a neutral expression, neither reacting to her words nor showing any emotions. "Tell me, does whatever you wish to speak to me about perchance have anything to do with my former Master?"
The blond devil looked at her with surprise. "How did you know?"
She waved her hand dismissively. "People are quite easy to read, more often than not. Especially those like you who were once blinded by anger and vengeance. And once your goal is accomplished, you become no different to lost souls, without purpose. As a royal queen, I can clearly see that you are in search of that new purpose, boy."
"Actually... I-I suppose you can look at it like that." Yuuto went silent for a minute before continuing. "Recently, I've been trying to unlock my Balance Breaker. Archer said that I have advanced quite a lot in my swordsmanship many times above my prior level from before Archer was summoned. I can feel the difference. I can sense just how faster and stronger I am, and how much more efficient I am at creating my swords. But now, recently, I feel like there is some kind of barrier in front of me that's preventing me from advancing any further with Sword Birth. It's like an invisible wall. Whenever I try to push my Sacred Gear, even slightly, it rebounds. It feels like I'm lacking something."
"A mental block, perhaps?" she suggested. "I am familiar with your past thanks to Valper having been more than happy to openly talk about his past 'glories' with no prompting to speak of, even if they involved something as distasteful as killing children. And I know that you were the only one to escape. The mental attachment you must bear for those who were sacrificed to create the Holy Sword project is clear. I understand that your drive for my former Master's death had been to avenge your family. But since he has been destroyed by the hands of someone else, you lost your drive, and much more."
"..."
He did not immediately answer her. A few seconds later, he nodded his head in silence.
"I wanted to become stronger, especially when I felt and saw the combat between Archer, Saber, and Berserker in the Underworld."
The maddening effects of the tainted moonlight had shown him just how weak he was, and how unable he was to protect his King and his friends. He thought that would be a good enough motivator to push him beyond his limits, but nothing had changed.
Yuuto clenched his hands with frustration. "Is vengeance truly the only thing granting me strength? Am I so shallow that even the lives of my friends being in danger are not enough?"
Assassin leaned backwards on her bench, raising her hand to catch a falling leaf as she looked distantly into the sky. "Such emotions are remarkably simple at their cores, yet the stories behind them... those can be very complicated. Vengeance is a very useful emotion that not many people understand entirely. People think of it as a negative aspect, but in many ways, it does help someone reach a point they desire to accomplish difficult goals. It does have its negative aspects of course, but one cannot deny the results when it is properly harnessed."
She looked back at him. "But there is another emotional state of being you could attempt to reach. Or rather, a state of being that could help you truly achieve what he desires... You already know what it is, right?"
He nodded. "Yes. At least, I think I do. I've been thinking for a while and tried to find another explanation. I... I need some sort of closure."
"The only place to offer you that which hasn't been flattened by Saber by now would be Valper's last hideout. I have been there. Though I warn you, you might not be satisfied with the results."
Yuuto clenched his fists. "Anything will do. I just need to know. I want to see for myself and find something useful. Anything."
Just wandering around and trying to lie to himself that he could simply get over the trauma of his past had proven to be ineffective. Nothing had brought him any genuine form of long-lasting satisfaction over what happened when he was one of Valper Galilei's test subjects, or closure for that matter. It was never him that resolved things, always someone else that managed to resolve the matters tying him down.
Whether it be Rias, Archer, or even Saber.
"I don't mind bringing you there, but are you really willing to risk yourself following me? I am still in an opposing faction, technically. You could easily use this opportunity to try and get rid of me and claim it as an accident from a trap set in Valper's lair. Even if no one will believe you, the result would still be the same."
"Please don't patronize me by pretending I have any chance of killing you. And if you wanted me dead, then I would already be in the ground."
"Smart boy."
"And I was told by Archer that you have way worse methods to kill someone without anyone ever suspecting you were the culprit."
"That man again," Assassin clicked her tongue and cursed that man. "He has proven himself to be quite a mystery, and irritating. I know for a fact that he knows me somehow, but I am certain that I never met this man in my life. He is hiding something."
Yuuto chuckled. "He is like that, he gives off that sensation to many people."
Assassin shook her head. "No, it's more than that. I suspect he definitely knows me, and it is not from when I lived. The sensation of familiarity I have around him is not a mere afterthought or a figment of imagination, or the result of trickery. I trust my instincts, even if I do not fully understand them. He knows me somehow, and he is either a Heroic Spirit who is hiding his true identity, or he somehow retains his memories from prior summonings. Even back when we first met when I was still stuck with my original Master, he already knew the way I would seek to contain him. That is not normal."
Yuuto went silent. He knew the truth, that Archer had recognized Rider as soon as she was summoned, and then later on she had remembered who he was as well. But he felt like such information shouldn't be just given to Assassin of all people so easily. At the end of the day, she was not a close ally like Sona's Servant.
He changed the subject. "About this lab Valper had in Kuoh, when will we leave?"
Assassin looked at him with amusement. "Why should I help you in this endeavor? While our factions are now at peace, I have no reason to assist some random boy, nor has my Master given any such command."
Yuuto hesitated at first, then bowed his head slightly. "Before the events with Kokabiel, I thought I had my answer - but that turned out to be false. You are right. You have no reason to help me in this without compensation, and I know nothing of what you could want in return. I am not going to insult you by offering monetary compensation either. Even so, I believe that there is something you are interested in that I could provide, and I am at least willing to listen to what it might be."
"Heh," Assassin chuckled, "A smart boy indeed. You are correct, I do have something in mind that you can present as a worthy offering to a queen..."
{Break}
-Occult Research Club-
A certain redheaded heiress sat at a small table, her fingers moving a chess piece from one spot on the board to another. On the opposite end, rather than Akeno, her peerage's beast tamer had joined in on the fun. Kiyome held a pawn in between her fingers, observing her side with a helpless look. While Rias just calmly took a sip of her tea.
"It has been a while since I last played chess like this. I didn't know you were this skilled at the game, Kiyome."
"You call this good? I barely took out a handful of your pieces and my side only has a single rook, two pawns and the king left. Is Akeno just as good?"
Archer sat on the sofa, casually reviewing a stack of his students' homework. He had been watching over their game for the better part of an hour, this being the fifth time Kiyome ended up being pushed to a corner. "Skill wise, Akeno can be said to come in third among our little group, second being my Master, while first place goes to Rider's Master."
"Hey, I've beaten Sona before!" Rias protested, taking what he said almost as an insult.
"But you lost her more times than you wanted. From what she's told me, over the course of your friendship you've won against her fifty-one times, had ten draws, and lost nearly two hundred games to her."
"Damn it... I should have known she kept count."
Her current opponent seemed shocked by the sheer number alone. Seeing Kiyome's reaction, Rias paused, the piece she'd chosen to move hovering for a moment before she placed it down - checkmate. "Do you know why we like to play chess? To the point you'll even see Sona and I regularly playing chess with ourselves?"
Kiyome glanced up from her board. "I would guess it is to improve your skill?"
"In a way, that's correct. The full answer though, covers a broad spectrum. However, one of the main details is that playing chess with oneself forces one to improve their analytical mind. It requires changing perspective back and forth, allowing one to become more aware of their own blind spots."
Grabbing a few pieces on Kiyome's side, she replaced them on the board, recreating the same field from a few rounds ago and moved a pawn of Kiyome's forward, then a knight.
"Five turns ago, had you moved these pieces like this, I would have actually lost my last rook and been forced to rethink my strategy." She then slid a bishop across the board, diagonally, cutting off the enemy's path. Finally, she moved her queen to a central square. "Eventually, keeping up the momentum while denying my offensives could have led to a checkmate in your favor."
"Could, but your tactics would have changed and put me back to square one, Buchou," Kiyome answered while shaking her head, not even trying to hide her skepticism about being able to beat her King. "Still, I understand what you meant. Perhaps I should try this more often than not if I want to improve my own understanding of tactics."
Rias looked up, her eyes meeting Kiyome's. "Indeed. Unfortunately, all of this cannot be translated well enough into real-life battles. I was of the same opinion in the past but reality has proven otherwise, especially in recent weeks. It's a good way to keep yourself sharp, but that's about it. We still need to be ready to expect the unexpected."
Archer didn't look up from the papers, but decided to add his own little piece. "While there is some truth to it, and chess does help, I don't think it helps to the extent many believe; including Sona."
Rias chuckled. "I remembered how blank my mind became during Assassin's attack on the school with the dragon tooth warriors. In such moments, everything one would believe to be something we've trained for is completely thrown out the window. I doubt I could bring the same level of focus and knowledge I have when playing chess to the battlefield."
"I believe you may be undermining yourself, Buchou." Kiyome said, momentarily getting lost on the pawn piece she was fidgeting with. "At the end of the day, you still managed to get us all out of that debacle alive, just like how you yourself out of your cage of an engagement with the Phenex boy."
Riser Phenex, it had been a while since he heard that name, and the same reaction came from his Master when she heard it from her Pawn.
The redhead sighed. "It wasn't easy. Archer here showed us that what we lacked most was not planning, but just raw strength and the skill to properly use it. No matter how clever I might have been, if I did not have the right firepower backing me then it would have gone in a completely different direction."
"...Right. Firepower, huh."
"Is everything alright, Kiyome?" Rias asked, noticing the girl behaving a bit strangely.
"Mmm, it's... it's nothing. Just something unpleasant came to mind."
Rias' eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms. "Has your clan approached you again?"
"Fufufu~ I really can't hide anything from you. Yes, I got contacted right after we returned from Romania yesterday."
The Gremory heiress immediately began to massage her temples with frustration. "Hah, I should have known they wouldn't give up so easily. My parents were the same even back when it was agreed I'd get to finish college before I had to get married, but they just ignored it after a few months of me getting to Kuoh. You should really let me speak to them, Kiyome."
The latter shook her head, "I appreciate the gesture, but this is not a simple matter that can be resolved so easily. And I fear that my father might not take it well if you went to talk to him, and that it will end with even more pressure being put on."
"What is going on?" Listening to the conversation, Archer couldn't help but feel a bit lost as to what they were talking about. "Clearly I am missing a lot of context here.."
"Ah, that's right. I never mentioned it to you, mostly by Kiyome's request, as she wished to keep this matter private."
"Yes, but... I guess it's not an issue if the others know. They're going to find out eventually."
Rias squeezed her hand before turning to Archer. "Before the whole incident with Kokabiel and the stolen holy swords, Kiyome approached me asking for advice on a matter that has been hounding her for years. An issue both she and I share... or rather, have shared. The Abe clan are a prominent line of beast tamers, their history goes back for several centuries, and they have been known to be amongst the best in their field. Of course, such a prestigious clan with that kind of history can place certain expectations on its members; including those stating they have to secure the next generation, especially for those of the main family line."
He understood the picture she was painting all too well. "Another issue regarding an arranged marriage?"
"..."
The silence from both girls served as confirmation, enough to make his head throb. Hopefully it wasn't a Riser situation, while the arrogant man was not that hard to deal with, his clan's influence sure did make things very inconvenient. He knew little about the Abe clan, even Rias' explanation just mentioned the basics; so he could not be sure just how much they would interfere.
"Hold on, is this why you agreed to become a Devil?"
"Kinda, not the main reason but it would be a lie to say that this did not play a role. I hoped that seeing this, they would get off my back but it actually only emboldened them." Kiyome answered with frustration leaking out of her voice. "In fact, it's gotten worse with my father believing that I got forced into this and is expecting this marriage would force the Gremory to 'release' me."
Rias immediately scoffed, "As if anyone from my family would force someone to become a devil against their will, or keep them prisoner for that matter. Forgive me if this sounds derogatory, Kiyome, but they clearly are quite ignorant about us."
Archer gave her a look. He could not blame the girl's father for holding such beliefs. Cases like these were not exactly rare amongst devilkind, and not everyone was so kind to their indentured servants as the Gremory clan.
"I take it that a Rating Game is out of the question since they wouldn't have such a system to settle matters," he stated more than asked.
"Actually, we do have something kind of similar to that, Archer," Kiyome said, immediately looking at him. "There is... a third reason why I consented to become a devil. You mentioned before how despite being a Servant or Heroic Spirit, the ghost of a human who died years ago, you still count as a familiar, right?"
Oh? He could see the gears in her mind spinning and began to piece her intentions together. "Yes, I am basically a superpowered familiar. I can be summoned by my Master's side, let her see through my eyes, and communicate mentally through our connection. I cannot exist in the physical plane without a constant feed of Magical Energy. Typical requirements to be considered a familiar, though perhaps a fake one in some people's eyes."
The girl went quiet while Rias kept looking between them, most likely having not picked up on Kiyome's true plan all along.
Soon, Kiyome got up from her seat, "Sorry, Buchou, but I'll need to excuse myself for a bit and check some matters with my clan. If it works out... I hope you can lend me a helping hand then, it will be the only way to break off this engagement for good."
"But of course, I would never turn a blind eye to someone going through the same hardship as I did. And you are my precious Pawn, I will do everything in my power to save you from this matter if it makes you unhappy. You can count on me." She wasted no time in agreeing with her, something which made the brunette smile genuinely for once.
"Thank you both so much!"
With that, only the two of them were left in the room. With Rias putting on a pondering expression. "I am curious to see what plan she has. But I'll leave this matter to her since she looks quite confident. That said, we still have a major issue to deal with."
"Oh? Still thinking about what Sirzechs mentioned about the local faction who did not attend the summit?"
Rias turned around in her chair to face him. "Yes, I still can't figure out what the next move of the Youkai Faction could be. I doubt Sona has any idea either, and no amount of sharpening one's mind seems like it's going to lead to a definitive answer. I don't want to end up facing another situation like we did against the Hero Faction; to get caught off guard like that again."
The Servant of the Bow set the stack of papers down on the table. "You are a bit too focused on them. Not without good reason I'll admit, but focusing too much on that will give you tunnel vision. At the end of the day, we managed to push them back, and Lancer even killed the member who would have been able to steal Command Seals. That should be good enough for now."
"Even if they were pushed back, that's all there is to it," Rias countered. "Pushed back, not gotten rid of. So it stands to reason that they will eventually return one day."
He nodded. "Most definitely."
"If that is the case, then we should prepare, and see to it we aren't caught off guard like last time."
"I appreciate your mentality and desire to be more prepared for future threats . But we should at least have a plan first."
Rias shook her head. "The plan hasn't changed. We will go along with what my brother mentioned. We will first check out the Youkai Faction and see whether they are enemies, allies, or a neutral party."
"And what if, for the sake of covering all our bases, they end up being enemies?" He asked.
"If that is the case, then I will not attempt to change their mind or risk our lives. We will leave Kyoto as soon as possible and inform my brother, then wait for further instruction."
This surprised Archer, the latter looking at her with a fair amount of surprise and amusement. "You're not going to try to resolve the situation by yourself, Master? That is quite the mature mindset, I must say."
Rias shifted in her seat. "Oh hush you, I don't go diving in head first to get involved with everything I see. While I don't think it will go that far, we cannot take any risks. The Youkai Faction is very powerful. Unlike the biblical factions, they never had the majority of their population wiped out, nor were they weakened because of the Great War. Not to mention, we currently stand on their territory. Even if this land itself was granted to the devils as a diplomatic gift, in a way, it is still theirs."
"Master, you shouldn't be ashamed of noticing and admitting your own limits. That is a mark of a great leader, one who is not blinded by arrogance and can admit that victory is not always guaranteed."
Rias chuckled and shook her head. "Your praise is appreciated, but I still have a lot to work towards."
"Like what?"
She stared at the pawn before a sphere of destruction appeared and disappeared as she clenched her hand. "To improve my own natural abilities that I was born with. To become a worthy user of the Power of Destruction."
A faint chuckle sounded in the room. "This day keeps throwing one surprise after another, to the point that I find myself wondering if my dear Master is sick. For you to raise so many points I agree with so casually and without hesitation. What brought about this change?"
Rias pouted, but did not argue against him. "It's nothing special. I just want to be more careful from here on out. It is my duty as a King to also look out for everyone in my peerage, just as much as they are always looking out for me. I can't always be the damsel in distress. In the past, my powers were more than sufficient against stray devils and low-level enemies, but now, I doubt I could even hit our current opponents. And even if I did, most would just be able to shrug off my powers, even if my control over the Power of Destruction is quite potent according to my brother."
She sighed. "But truthfully, I do not believe his words."
Archer raised an eyebrow. "How so? Do you feel he lied to you?"
"Not... how I'd phrase it. Even though I haven't really ever seen my brother go all out, I have seen glimpses of his powers in the past. And that small glimpse alone surpasses by far anything I could ever produce, even if I used every bit of magic I have. I found it so ridiculous that for a week I was truly angry at him because I felt like he'd lied to me. Potent? If I'm potent, then what the hell was he producing to create such a large-scale attack? It was like the difference between night and day."
"Your brother could have just meant you had more affinity. Affinity does not immediately make you stronger than him. Your brother grew up in an era where war was a constant factor, and he had to get that strong just to stay alive from the barrage of enemies all around him. You grew up in a relatively peaceful period and never truly trained your powers. You may have tremendous talent, but without actually taking advantage of that, you will always remain behind him."
"You told me that you did not have any talent for magecraft, but despite saying that, you still reached such a level," she mentioned, thinking back to the conversation they had during the first few days of his arrival in this world, when he'd shown her the few spells he was capable of.
"All of it was only possible through sheer stupidity, stubbornness, and hard work. Pushing one's mind and body to the point that no sane person would even think about. Just because I did it does not mean you need to do it too. I had my reasons to push myself so far, and while not all of it was for the reason you might think, I still had something that was pushing me to go this far. And so did your brother. As for you, Master, you need to find that motivation, the desire, and the reason that will enable you to become that strong. If you try to do it just for the sake of being compared to your brother and becoming better than him, then you will fail before you even start."
Rias let out a breath. "You're probably right." She then turned her attention to the door when a knock came. Sona walked in, followed by Momo and Tsubasa.
"Hey there, Teach!" Tsubasa greeted. "How did I do in my English exams?"
"Unfortunately, I can't tell you how you did, nor hint at anything, as such a thing is not allowed."
"Oh, come on, you're being too strict!" Tsubasa pleaded. "Can't you at least just give me a hint? At least tell me if you're disappointed or proud of my performance?"
Archer gave her a deadpan look. "You did adequately. For you."
Tsubasa baki clicked her tongue. "Fine, whatever."
Archer noticed that Sona seemed distracted and had a serious expression on her face. Rias noticed too. "What's wrong, Sona?"
Sighin, Sona answered. "I contacted the youkai in Kyoto about our upcoming visitation, and something seems strange."
This made Rias frown. "Did they ignore us?"
Sona took a seat where Kiyome had previously been seated, swiftly arranging the pieces on the board almost instinctively with the redhead doing nothing to stop her. "No, they didn't. In fact, they were quite cordial and polite, and even responded to my initial queries in a matter of minutes."
"Strange, given they usually take a day or two before answering, but that in itself shouldn't be something that raises any flags." Rias added while she moved her white knight piece first.
"It's not the timing that caught my attention, but rather that the person that delivered the message had been changed. When I tried to ask about why that happened and what could have led to such a thing, I got a rather vague answer about there being a lot of rearrangement from within the faction recently, and they have been stretched a bit thin of late, but I was assured they remained capable."
"Could there have been some conflict in the region that we are not aware of?"
To which Sona answered, "Such things are not uncommon, truthfully, but for it to happen now and to such an extent that they even have to change their messengers is quite odd... Perhaps they really do have a Servant."
"That alone is hardly enough to support such a conclusion," Rias replied, folding her hands neatly on the desk, "but it certainly does not help dispel that suspicion."
The response earned a thoughtful hum. After a brief pause, the red-clad Servant shifted the conversation elsewhere.
"When are we leaving for Kyoto?"
"In three days," the student council president answered without hesitation. "That should give us enough time to prepare, handle the remaining arrangements, and finish dealing with the administrative work left behind by the summit. There are still quite a few matters that need to be sorted out before anyone can simply leave."
"Good. Let Rider or myself know if there's anything we can do."
While speaking, he casually raised an arm and pushed Tsubasa's face away before she could get a proper look at the documents in his hands. The student council member immediately protested, trying once again to lean around his shoulder.
"Come on, Teach. You're supposed to be cool."
"I'm also supposed to be responsible."
The answer came so quickly and without emotion that it made her shoulders slump.
"That's not very cool of you."
"I wasn't aware that was a requirement." A look of defeat spread across her face while Momo struggled not to laugh at the exchange. Before the conversation could continue, a knock sounded from the door.
Everyone turned, only to find a familiar blond Knight stepping inside, who paused upon seeing the gathered group.
"Um... did I come at a bad time?"
.
.
.
(A few minutes later)
"You're accompanying Assassin somewhere off of school grounds?"
The question from Rias drew every eye in the room toward Yuuto. Seated across from her, the young Knight gave a small nod.
"Yes. It's one of Valper Galilei's abandoned laboratories."
That single statement changed several expressions.
"All his laboratories were cleared out by the Church years ago," the crimson-haired devil pointed out. A slight frown appeared as old memories resurfaced. "After we found you, Project Holy Sword didn't last long before being shut down in its entirety, and everything there was investigated and cleaned up beyond what Valper was able to escape with. If I remember correctly, the building itself was eventually demolished. By now it's probably nothing but overgrown ruins."
"Not that one. There was another facility. One he used after escaping. Assassin knows where it is and has agreed to take me there." A brief hesitation followed before he continued. "I was hoping Archer could come as well."
That part earned a noticeably stronger reaction. Rias leaned forward slightly, concern becoming much easier to read on her face. "What is this really about?"
The request clearly bothered her, and truthfully, it was understandable. Ever since returning from Romania, the blond swordsman had seemed distracted. Looking back, the signs had been there even before then. Recently, however, the issue had become difficult to ignore. Even during training sessions, brief lapses of absent-mindedness had started slipping through. Tsubaki had certainly noticed it, and judging from the room's silence, everyone present had as well.
Rather than answer immediately, the Knight lowered his gaze for a moment, searching for the right words. "It's nothing major... Just something personal. I'd rather deal with it now than keep putting it off."
Unfortunately, that explanation did little to reassure anyone. "Do you feel you have unresolved business with Project Holy Sword?" asked Archer.
The question landed with uncomfortable accuracy. A slight tension settled over the room as Rias continued looking directly at him. "I thought we were finished with that. Why would you want to go back there?"
A quiet sigh escaped him.
"I know it probably isn't a good idea. Honestly, it may even be a complete waste of time. But lately..." His gaze lowered briefly. "I've felt stuck. Like I've reached a dead end somewhere with my Sacred Gear. I tried to improve but nothing is proving to be satisfactory, and I fear that at this rate I'll even start becoming worse. I can't really explain it properly, but part of me feels like there might be answers waiting there. And if I'm to finally leave my past behind me... I need to confront it."
Silence settled over the room for a few moments.
Rias slowly shook her head.
"I still don't like it. More importantly, I don't trust Assassin. She may be on our side, but something about her just does not sit well with me." Her attention shifted toward her precious Servant. "What do you think? Is she planning something?"
The question earned a thoughtful hum.
"Planning something? Most likely." Amusement briefly crossed his face. "That woman rarely does anything without a reason. The difference is that she's also intelligent enough to understand that causing trouble with us would accomplish nothing. We're allies now, and she knows it." Leaning back slightly, he folded his arms. "If I had to guess, she's pursuing something that benefits her personally in that location. I'm not sure what that may be or why she believes bringing Yuuto around would help. But it would indeed be safer if I join them."
His eyes then shifted toward the Knight. "When were you planning to leave?"
"I'd like to get this done as soon as possible. Definitely before we leave for Kyoto."
That answer immediately caught Rias off guard. "You knew about that?"
"I heard it from Tsubaki." A small shrug followed. "It's not exactly a closely guarded secret. If everyone agrees, we could even go today."
The redhead devil fell silent again, clearly weighing the risks. Her fingers tapped lightly against the armrest before she finally turned back toward the Servant. "And your opinion?"
The response came without hesitation. "I understand why he wants to do it. Is the way he's going about it unusual? Certainly. But I don't think it's a bad idea." His gaze drifted toward the blond swordsman. "Some things can't simply be left behind because people tell you they should be. If there's something still bothering him, then confronting it directly is probably better than letting him wonder about it forever. Besides, with both Assassin and myself present, I doubt anything serious will happen."
Then his expression became slightly more curious.
"What interests me more is what exactly you said to convince Assassin to agree so quickly. She doesn't exactly come across as the charitable type."
That earned him a small shake of the head from Yuuto.
"It wasn't just for me. She has something she wants to investigate there as well." The Knight paused before adding, "Apparently there are a few questions she wants answered, and she actually asked for you to accompany us."
"Me?"
"Yes, you."
A fourth voice echoed across the room, one that belonged to no one who had participated in the conversation up to that point.
"-!?"
Sitting on Rias' office chair with a book in hand, wearing a long sleeved sweater and a short skirt along with some dark stockings that fully enveloped her legs, was Assassin.
"Hey, what are you doing in my chair!" Paying no attention to the angered redhead, she just closed the book and placed it back on the nearby bookshelf.
"Azazel has agreed to teleport us there. So the journey should be a short one, a few hours at most. Of course, I will also bring my Master along. Gods know she needs to grow a spine with how she's been behaving lately. Oh, but you can also join the group as well, Master of Archer. Though I doubt you'll be of much assistance. If you are not satisfied with my reasoning, think of this as my way of saying thank you for giving me a better Master than Valper."
A few mere words were more than enough to bring his Master to the brink of her patience. Thankfully she kept her calm, but the twitching eyebrow sure did little to hide her true feelings. Archer on the other hand, knew better than anyone else not to believe Assassin's words.
'What is this woman really after...'
Bam!
Out of nowhere, the door to the club got kicked open as a certain Pawn came rushing in.
"Buchou! That damned Kiba is hooking up with Assassi-eh?" Issei stopped as soon as he saw that the two people he came to warn them about were already present. With Assassin herself looking none too pleased upon hearing his words.
The sound of chains rattling was already making Issei shiver.
"Care to repeat that sentence, boy? I'm sure I must have misheard you."
"A-Ah... haha... I-It's nothing. I'll... just be leaving now. Forget I was even here!"
He quickly mumbled before closing back the door and running back to his house in order to avoid getting poisoned by the incredibly sexy yet terrifyingly deadly Servant.
"You do that."
--------------------
The next 5 chapters of Snafu, and my other Fate fics (Fate Coiling Sword with 3 chapters, A Fake Familiar Reborn with 3 chapters, Steel Eyed Faker soon to be 3 chapters, Taimanin with 3, Hound having 3 and To love a sword having 4 chapters) are already available on my P@treon. With 4 more Broly chapters at /NimtheWriter. Also, I post commissioned arts on each story, already posted a few on an Archer's Promise, Broly and Snafu.