High School DxD
Volume 5 Chapter 5

Life 5: Buchou vs Kaichou: Second Half!

Several minutes after I started to fight with Saji.

He and I were still exchanging punches with each other. No matter how you looked at it, I had the advantage. Saji was already ragged. He was defending himself by using a bundled-up line on his arm as a shield, but he couldn’t offset every attack.

Sometimes he was knocked off his feet to the point that he crashed into the store behind him. Our hand-to-hand fighting was mostly equal. However, my offensive and defensive point was rising to the point where we couldn’t even be compared. I still hadn’t reached my true power, but...

I knocked him down many times. Even so, he still stood up. Even though his legs were trembling as he did so!

He was throwing punches at my armour. Saji’s fists were already broken. I could hear his fists’ wounds snapping, and they were covered with blood.

Though Saji had fired his line at me, the aura of the Sekiryuutei blew it off and didn’t allow it to connect itself to me.

However, the line that had been connected to my right arm when he first arrived wouldn’t come off even when I transformed into armour, and no matter how many times I tried to blow it off with my aura, it wouldn’t go away! Just where the heck was it connected to?

Maybe the Ascalon I had lent to Xenovia could cut it off, but there was no point in saying that now. I’ll have to cut it off when we join up later.

There was something else strange as well. Though my armour should be firm, every time Saji managed to hit me, my mind and body shook and resounded. It was gradually becoming distinct, and the pain I was receiving told me that I was surely swelling up beneath my armour. —I was also certainly receiving damage!

“...I’ll win...Today, I’ll defeat you...I’ll take the first step towards my dream...”

What was this person before me? While spitting out bloody vomit, what was he?

At that time, I recalled in my mind the words that Tannin-ossan had said to me during training.

[Kid. Listen carefully. The most fearful attack is a “heavy blow”[1].]

[A heavy blow?]

[Yeah, the Rating Games that you’ll be fighting in from now on will have various people fighting with various feelings. For the sake of one’s desire, for the sake of a hobby, for the sake of one’s family, for the sake of a woman, for the sake of wealth, and for the sake of a dream. Various thoughts and feelings mix together. Among these, there are even people who have invested their lives into the games. Among the participants in this hellish iron pot, there is an attack that must be feared the most. That is the “heavy blow”.]

[Is that a special final move? Or a Sacred Gear? A magic technique?]

[—No. Kid, grasp your fist. What is being grasped inside your hand there?]

[......I don’t know.]

[It is “filled” with something. A dream, or a soul. One’s life is “put into” that fist. This is, above all, dangerous. If one has time to prepare other attacks, this blow can be dealt with to a certain extent one way or another. But, just that is not enough. The “heavy blow” reaches to the core of the body. This is effective. It is frighteningly effective. Even in the Underworld with its magic and science, the damage of that blow can’t be expressed clearly. But, the ones who had been hit with this blow understand. Yeah, this is bad, they think. An opponent that can release this blow is an unmistakably, genuine strong enemy. You must never go easy against them. If an opponent can release that blow even if he is of a lower level than you, that is a different story. If you receive that blow, the battle situation will change completely. It pierces you. No matter what defence you use against it, it will reach the core of your body.]

I understand now, ossan. Saji’s blows were piercing me. They were passing through my armour and reaching my body!

[This spirit. Is the “Prison Dragon” that sleeps in his Sacred Gear responding to Saji’s feelings?]

Dragon-type Sacred Gears are scary, Ddraig. I couldn’t understand what was happening!

“Hyoudoooooooooooooooou!”

Even if his mind and body was tormented by the cruel reality, Saji didn’t stopping punching.

I also responded in kind, and a battle of blows began.

“Let me ask you one thing! What is it like!? Are your master’s breasts soft!? Is the rumour about them feeling like marshmallows true!? Is a woman’s body seriously like pudding that doesn’t collapse!?”

I was struck by the eyes of Saji that was burning with jealously and envy!

Seizing this opportunity, he fired the line, connected it to a bench behind me and swung it with all his strength, but I crossed my arms and protected myself. The bench broke into small pieces and scattered on the floor.

That was equal to the damage I didn’t receive just now!

“What were you thinking when you were rubbing her breasts!? Damn iiiiiiiiiiiiit!”

Wasn’t this somehow more intense than the blows when he was talking about his dream!?

Then, he extended several lines to the furniture store, and hauled out a ton of large furniture from there and drew an arc through the air with them as he brought them right above my head! So he intends to bring them all down on me like that!?

Gunn!

As all the large furniture fell down, I fired a Dragon Shot that I restrained to the minimum at the sky! The adjustment of power was too difficult! I couldn’t fire ones like this many times!

Doooon!

The wave blast of red magic power instantly erased the large furniture, but—.

Dogoh!

My back was hit by an impact! When I looked back, Saji had changed the trajectory of a single line and knocked a dresser into me! It didn’t give me any particularly great damage, but the impact was transmitted to my whole body.

Even if there wasn’t any damage, this kind of impact was bad for my body! If I kept getting hit like this, it seems like adverse effects will start to pop up!

“I also want to rub them! I want to rub theeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeem!”

Buwah! Saji was finally letting out tears of frustration!

“I haven’t even seen breasts yet! You don’t know how much I’ve prayed for nipples my entire life! And yet you get to see them as much as you liiiiiiiiiiiiike!”

Gonn!

I knocked Saji down, but he stood up immediately! Damn it! What fighting spirit he has!

“But, Hyoudou! It isn’t breasts that I want the most! It’s to be a teacher! A teacher! I will become a teacher! Can’t I become a teacher!? Why do we have to be laughed at!?”

And then—Saji cried out at me. No, it was to the many people watching this—.

“We didn’t declare our dream for the sake of being laughed at...!”

“I’m not laughing! It’s impossible to be able to laugh at you when you’re risking your life like this!”

Facing him, I—hit Saji! It wasn’t enough, so I hit him again!

Saji’s face quickly started swelling up, and he spit out broken teeth and blood from his mouth.

Even so, Saji stood back up, and faced me again and again. He was that foolishly honest.

“Today! I will! Surpass you!!”

Saji’s shout heavily resounded all the way through my armour and to my heart with a bang.

After that, I pounded tens of blows into him.

“Hyuh...Hyuh...”

Before I realised, the sounds of breath coming from Saji’s mouth began to sound faint.

He should be at his limit already. Since he had multiple cuts in his mouth now, the blood wouldn’t stop flowing out from his lips. He was already at the point where he couldn’t even speak.

His face was swollen and his left eye was completely shut.

His body was shaking, and his stance was also unsteady. Some of his fingers were bent in the wrong direction as well. Even so—. Even so, Saji faced me with only a strong glint in his eyes.

“Come, Saji. Come! Sajiiiiiiiiiiiii! You won’t let it end here, right!? You don’t intend to let it end like this, right!? Weren’t you going to do the things that aren’t possible for idiots like us and run swiftly forward!?”

He slowly moved forward, step by step.

Saji didn’t run away. Saji faced forward. Without shifting his gaze even an inch away from me, he advanced straight forward.

His appearance right now was similar to mine in the House of Phoenix battle. I had also seen myself then in the recorded video. Though I had been worn-out, I moved forward. In order to absolutely approach my opponent.

“You also trained desperately, right? I trained desperately as well.”

I could feel a dreadful pressure from Saji. Though I should clearly surpass him, I was seized with a terrible fear.

Even if I hit and hit, he wouldn’t fall—.

For there to be an opponent that I feel such great fear against...

Hey, Raiser Phoenix. You also felt like that when facing me, didn’t you? I understand it now. The reason why you kept knocking me down—.

“Saji, I’m going to beat you.”

Saji made a punch at me with his bent hand. It extended forward with seemingly slow speed, but I avoided it with the smallest movements. There, I exchanged a counter punch against him.

Dagan!

“—”

My punch perfectly hit Saji’s face. I also felt good feedback from it. It was a blow that completely cut off his consciousness.

Even so—. Even so, Saji grasped my right arm with both his hands. So strongly that he wouldn’t let go.

Saji had lost consciousness. But his hands wouldn’t let go of my right arm.

Then, he kept holding onto my right arm, his body was wrapped in light.

I—couldn’t take my eyes off from Saji until he disappeared.

Because I felt that, if I looked away, he may revive himself again.

[One of Sona Sitri-sama’s “Pawns”, retired.]

“Koneko-chan.”

I stowed away my armour’s mask on my helmet and showed my face.

“Could you hold my hand?”

“...Senpai?”

I spoke with a forced smile.

“This is the first time I knocked down a friend. I understand it. I understand it, but...”

Koneko-chan gently grasped my trembling fist while smiling. I could feel it even through my gauntlet.

“You were cool. A senpai to be proud of.”

Those words were enough to reach me.

Part 2

With my match against Saji over, I broke open the door of a nearby vending machine and gulped down a water bottle from inside. Koneko-chan also quenched her thirst.

Damn it. I couldn’t get rid of my body’s shakiness. Was it an effect of wearing the armour? Certainly, I had received a lot of damage in the battle against Saji, but it wasn’t to the extent that I couldn’t fight.

According to an announcement a short while ago, it seemed that one of our [Knights] had been taken out. Was it Kiba? Or Xenovia? I didn’t know which one it was. Whichever of them survived likely wasn’t critically wounded.

The opponent’s side had also lost one [Knight] and [Rook] apiece.

Our side had six people left. The other side had four. Those were numbers we still couldn’t be careless against. I also had less than 20 minutes left for remaining in this state. We have to settle this quickly.

“...Ise-senpai.”

Koneko-chan pointed at my right arm. That’s right, even though Saji had disappeared, the line attached to my right arm hadn’t. Even when I activated my armour, only this line hadn’t disappeared. This line definitely connected over to the Sitri base.

What was this for? It didn’t seem to be a very good thing, but since it hadn’t disappeared along with Saji, he must have put a lot of thought and feelings into this...Saji, what on earth did you put into this?

At that time, we were contacted through our communication devices.

[Offence team, can you hear? We’re now advancing towards the enemy base as well.]

A communication from Buchou. I see, so Buchou had finally started to move as well. The opening and middle stages were over, and we were heading to the last spurt all at once! After taking a big breath, I spoke to Koneko-chan.

“Let’s go.”

Koneko-chan nodded, and we proceeded towards the final decisive battle.

There was a place that looked like a central plaza in the centre of the shopping mall.

Surrounded by a circular bench, there was a clock pillar in the centre of it. Shoppers that got tired with shopping frequently sat down there. Once we had advanced that far, I stopped walking.

Naturally. —Since Sona-kaichou was right there before me!

“How do you do, Hyoudou Issei-kun, Toujou Koneko-san. I see, so that’s the appearance of the Sekiryuutei. I do feel a terrible wave of power from you. It’s only natural for everyone to consider it dangerous.”

She spoke in a calm and composed tone.

Kaichou was surrounded by a barrier. The ones generating the barrier were the two [Bishop] members of the student council. And the line that was attached to my right arm was connected to one of the [Bishops]?

It couldn’t be, was their plan to channel my power through the [Bishop] and into the barrier? It was bad if the power of the Sekiryuutei was being poured into it!

If Kiba or Xenovia joined up with us, we could just cut through it with a holy sword.

Soon, the vice-president of the student council, Shinra-senpai appeared. This girl was also beautiful! Moreover, she had a surprisingly glamorous body!

Running after her, Kiba appeared from the opposite direction from which we had come from. —So the one that was taken out was Xenovia, huh.

“...Sona, you’re quite bold. To have come right to the centre.”

Buchou’s voice! When I looked back, I saw that Buchou had also arrived here.

“Haven’t you yourself, the [King], also moved personally as well, Rias?”

“Yeah, since we’ve already reached the final stage either way. Though it seems to have turned out quite differently from what I expected...”

Buchou wore a rigid expression. Certainly, the plan’s goal was for Kiba and Xenovia to take down Kaichou. I was supposed to be the bait for the sake of that, but...She seemed to have completely read us!

Was Kaichou one step higher than us? No, I believed in Buchou!

—.

Suddenly, my consciousness became distant...A-re......A-rere?

I staggered in place...A-rere? The muddiness of my mind was becoming stronger little by little...?

Finally, I fell to my knees where I stood.

“...Ise?”

Buchou noticed the change in me and Asia activated her healing Sacred Gear over me. While giving off a pale green colour, it wrapped my body with a gentle light, —the pain disappeared, but the distantness of my consciousness didn’t go away!

Buchou tried taking out the [Phoenix Tears], but stopped. She judged that, if something couldn’t be completely cured by Asia’s Sacred Gear, the tears would also have little effect.

All the other group members had noticed the change in me, and became bewildered. Among them, only Kaichou was giving a small smile.

“Neither Asia-san’s Sacred Gear nor the [Phoenix Tears] will have any effect. Rias, I saw the video records of how the battle with Raiser was finished. What I understood from that was that Hyoudou-kun is a boy that won’t give up in battle, to the point of being frightening. For the sake of his comrades, for himself, and above all for Rias—”

Kaichou continued further.

“We may not be able to defeat him with just damage. No matter how many times we knock him down, he’ll just get back up. To us, your so-called “guts and spirit” is just as astounding as the power of the Sekiryuutei. Yes, if you don’t give up and keep on standing up, you believe that you’ll eventually defeat your enemy. That willpower connects directly to the power of the Sekiryuutei and increases your power by several times as well. That is the greatest weapon for Hyoudou-kun.”

T-That’s because guts and spirit are my only redeeming feature...

“That’s why we had no choice but to beat you with a different method.”

From a bag that was being held by one of the [Bishops]—a pack was taken out.

The interior of the pack was red. Like blood. The line was connected to the pack and—it couldn’t be, inside the pack was...Kaichou confirmed the contents of the pack.

“—It’s your blood. You are a reincarnated devil that is a human at your base. It’s lethal if a human loses half of the blood coursing through their body. You know that, right? The rule of the Rating Game. When a devil reaches the point of being unable to fight during the game, they are forcibly transported to the medical room.”

—Saji! You! This is what you were aiming for from the beginning!

Gakun! I suddenly lost all strength in my body!

Hyuh!

Kiba threw a holy demonic dagger and cut off the line that was connected to me, but—. Red blood rushed out from the cut line onto the floor. Ah, so my blood was drawn out through the line.

“It’s too late. You’ve already lost enough blood to be transported to the medical room.”

Those were Kaichou’s cold words!

“—Sona. You—!”

Buchou ran up to me. Her expression was wrapped in impatience.

Buchou and us had been completely outsmarted...

“That’s right, I used Saji’s Sacred Gear to suck out Hyoudou-kun’s blood little by little. —Until he entered a dangerous state. In order to continuously use a Sacred Gear, whose original ability is to suck out the energy of the target, to suck out their blood instead, considerable training and precise control was necessary. But, Saji managed to accomplish it.”

So he kept hitting me even while in that state not only because of his guts and spirit, but also to stall for time! Since he could only suck out my blood little by little, he sacrificed his own body back then in order to buy more time!

He could have stalled for time just by running away from me but, he confronted me face to face instead. —Saji! You!

—So everything was for the sake of beating me face to face!

“Hyoudou-kun. You are close to retiring. You should only be able to do one or two attacks now. The reason is blood loss. Your armour is solid. Your offensive power is great. However, when I searched for ways to defeat you, there were many. Even if we can’t physically defeat you, the game rules will consider you unable to fight.”

I—didn’t have the strength left to stand up anymore. I had completely lost...

So there was such a method...So Kaichou’s plans were superior to ours!? Kaichou questioned Buchou.

“Rias, what are you willing to bet on this battle? I’m willing to risk my life. My dream is a very difficult one. If I don’t destroy the obstacles one by one, I can’t cut open a path of solution.”

Kaichou spoke to Buchou from right in front of her!

“Rias, I will destroy your pride and estimation.”

At Kaichou’s words, Buchou had a sour expression as if she had eaten a bitter bug. She must have been completely mortified! Certainly, Buchou had had the advantage in this battle. The advantage had seemed so great that it was only natural for us to win.

While in that situation, this had happened. If Buchou was simply defeated by an enemy who had taken measures against her, her estimation would lower accordingly! Kaichou had also aimed at that!

Sona Sitri! Just how far did you calculate things!

Kaichou’s gaze shifted to me.

“Saji—. He was always saying that he would surpass you. To Saji, you are a fellow [Pawn], a friend, and a rival he wants to surpass.”

—.

I was satisfied with Kaichou’s words. Saji’s fighting spirit and aspirations when facing me. Those had clearly been of high density.

He—was aiming for me from the start, huh.

“However, you have a legendary dragon inside you. With just that, he possessed an inferiority complex towards you. I wanted to convey to that child that he could fight while crying over such a thing. And that was conveyed to him. The line didn’t disappear even when Saji was worn out. He filled it with that much intense feelings. I’ll say this to you who is about to disappear from this battlefield soon. Just as you were aiming only for the top, Saji was running towards the objective of defeating you. —You aren’t the only [Pawn] that has a dream and lives earnestly! The one who beat you was Saji Genshirou!”

—Today! I will! Surpass you!!

I recalled Saji’s words in my mind.

Saji—. So you...trained for the sake of defeating me!

...Damn it. Saji. Saji. You’re amazing. Even when I kept hitting and hitting you, you only thought of beating me. Even if you couldn’t beat me directly, you believed that your comrades could beat me if you left just a scratch—.

But, you didn’t need to worry. It seems I was sunk by just your attack.

However, I don’t want to disappear without showing my new special technique!

I mustered the last of my power and stood up! I stepped just a little distance away. I stood in a place where everyone present, both Gremory and Sitri, were caught!

If I’m going to fall, I want to fall down after doing some naughtiness! I placed both hands in front of me and set my sights on Buchou’s breasts!

“Before I retire...I think I’ll disappear after I’ve fulfilled my worldly desires...”

That’s right, I was going to disappear either way. In that case, I might as well reveal everything I have in my last moments and then leave! I poured all the power left inside me into my brain. Flash, my delusions!!

The last of my aura wrapped around my entire body! It wasn’t concentrated into power! It was concentrated into my head!

“Rise, my lust! Unleash, my worldly desires!”

Using the power of the Sekiryuutei, I aimed at a greater height once again! Hold on a little longer, my body! I will surpass the me of just before! This will be an unrivalled technique depending on how it’s used!

“Spread out, the world of my dreams!”

Instantly, a mysterious space expanded and unfolded with me at the centre. Feeling it on their skin—the females of both the Gremory and Sitri groups protected and covered their bodies.

However, please be relieved. My new special technique doesn’t deal direct damage. Its flashiness couldn’t be compared to that of Dress Break.

Then, I cast a voice on Buchou—on Buchou’s breasts.

“Please let me hear your voice!”

[Ise, are you okay...? If you do such a strange thing, it’ll affect your health...]

I heard a cute-sounding voice from her breasts.

I see, I see. Fufufufu. I can hear it. I can hear it! Excellent!

“Buchou, you’re worried about me right now, aren’t you? That I’ll hurt my body by doing something strange...”

At my words, Buchou had an astonished expression on her face.

“Ise! H-How do you know that...?”

I then questioned Kaichou’s—Kaichou’s breasts.

“What are you thinking about right now?”

[Could he have developed a technique to hear the voice of people’s hearts☆? Sona, that’s troubling☆]

I see, so Sona-kaichou’s breasts arrived at that conclusion.

The character of the breasts weren’t always the same as their owners. Buchou’s breasts sounded like a little girl. Kaichou’s breasts sounded similar to her older sister, Serafall Leviathan.

“Sona-kaichou, you thought that my new special technique could let me hear the voices of people’s hearts, right?”

Kaichou was seriously surprised by my confession.

“Fufufu, that’s not it. It’s close, but that’s not it. I wanted to hear it. The voice of chests! No! The voice of breasts!”

Taking a pose, I magnificently called out the name of my new special technique!

“My new technique, [Bilingual][2]! My new technique lets me hear the voice of breasts from women only! ...Haa, haa. When I question them, the breasts tell the answer to only me without lies! ...Haa, haa. It’s the strongest technique that lets me understand the heart of the opponent! Ugh, I don’t have enough blood...”

I had decided! I had already decided! I may die while dizzy because I had nowhere near enough blood, but I was satisfied! The voices only I could hear! I wanted to hear them!

When I was secluded on the mountain, my sexual desire was also refused. As a result, I longed for breasts to the point of feeling overwhelmed.

—I want to see them.

But, there weren’t even any porno books on the mountain. Of course, there weren’t any women there either, just a huge dragon.

Every single day, while living a survival lifestyle, I was chased by the dragon. What happened to me, a modern-day child in a sensitive period of his life, by going to such an environment?

Starting from wanting to talk and meet with girls, the end result was—I groped for something close to an erotic state of mind.

I knew of famous priests who had secluded themselves on mountains for training and pursued the state of mind that opened up enlightenment. They faced a state that abandoned worldly desires, but then, what happened when I did the reverse and entered training while only pursuing worldly desires?

—My heart arrived at searching for erotic things and their source.

Nights on the mountain. While wrapping myself in big leaves, I looked at the sky and endlessly thought of breasts.

I also sometimes sat in Zen mediation stance. I even sat under a waterfall in a natural state, my head filled with only worldly desires.

I want to rub them. Touch them. Inhale them. Poke them. Go between them.

After thinking of various things for many days, I suddenly came to a realisation.

—I want to talk with breasts.

When I realised my deep gratitude and blessings toward breasts, I wanted to talk with breasts. What did breasts think and say? I wanted to know.

At that time, I couldn’t reach those thoughts and feelings with my lack of power, but with the power of the Sekiryuutei, the possibilities multiplied! And at last, I have completed it!

“Hey! Breasts of the [Bishop] onee-san over there, what are you thinking!?”

“No, don’t listen!”

The Bishop onee-san felt danger to her body and covered her breasts, but—too slow!

[Kiba-kyun! I’m so happy to be standing on the same battlefield as Kiba-kyun!”

“What’s with that!? It’s only Kiba that’s popular! The breasts of the other [Bishop] onee-san, what are you thinking!?”

With just the turn of my gaze towards her, the opponent crouched down with her head between her knees!

“Please stop it! It’s disgusting!”

[Hyoudou is scary...Even though he has such a strong-looking armour, why can I only see him as an ordinary pervert...?]

......As a result of those two in a row, I collapsed where I stood. Uu, so my body was also at its limits...

Damn it! So there were also things that shouldn’t be heard! So it was like that!

When I suddenly looked around—everyone’s eyes were twitching.

...A-re? Hey, why weren’t you all surprised at this strongest technique of mine!

Kaichou’s eyes twitched, and Buchou put a hand to her forehead and sighed.

“Rias...This is a little...”

“I’m sorry...”

“I think it’s a scary technique, but with this violation of privacy, won’t female devils no longer fight him from now on?”

“Yeah, we’ll have to be severely careful now...”

A-rerere!? What was with these reactions!? I think it’s definitely a useful ability! Rather, like this, it’s as if I’m—.

“...a true pervert!”

[You ARE a pervert!]

I received a full-blown tsukkomi from both the Gremory and Sitri sides!

“—”

I...was speechless! Impossible...I just heard the voice of everyone’s breasts in my ear.

Look! This technique was perfect, see!

“Asia’s breasts, what are you thinking right now!?”

[Stupid Ise, how can you do such a thing while injured! B-But, I’ll definitely cure you!]

Ah, what a thing. So Asia’s breasts were tsundere[3]!

So the breasts expressed what the target was thinking like this!?

“...Even though you were cool before...Lewd Sekiryuutei. The worst.”

Au! Koneko-chan’s scathing words!

Ugh! ...It’s no good. My dizzy consciousness was at its limit. I didn’t have enough blood...

...Alright, then I’ll at least read Kaichou’s strategy at the end.

“Kaichou’s breasts-san! Please tell me what kind of strategy you intend to use now!”

[This special barrier made by the two [Bishops] is a decoy☆. Only my spirit has been placed in the barrier, and my body is just a holographic image☆. Since my spirit has come here, it’s possible to make the presence of my body disappear and to make it look like my aura is inside the barrier☆. My true body is on the roof☆. It’s a strategy to make you attack the me inside the barrier and weaken you guys even a little☆.]

I see, I see. So that is just an image. But, only her spirit had come here.

In any case, I told everyone about what Kaichou’s breasts had said,

“Everyone, the Kaichou in that barrier...is a decoy. She’s just a holographic image created by the two [Bishops] inside the barrier...Their strategy is to make us wastefully attack the barrier here and weaken us even a little...The real Kaichou is on the roof! It seems that only her spirit has been moved into the hologram...That’s also why Koneko-chan’s enemy detection couldn’t replace the Kaichou on the roof. But, because her spirit came here, Bilingual also worked and let me hear the holographic breasts, is that it...?”

After communicating just that, I collapsed.

“Ise-san!”

Asia tried running over to me, but Kaichou’s [Queen] didn’t let her go to me.

Asia then struck a pose of prayer where she was, and her body began to shine faintly, trying to spread out to her surroundings. Was this the area expansion of Asia’s healing ability? This was the fruits of her training!

She should have understood that healing would not have any effect on me at this point. Even so, her natural gentleness made her worry for me. Asia, you really are a good kid. With tsundere breasts as well, you’re unmatched!

“I was waiting for that!”

One of the [Bishops] undid Kaichou’s holographic image. Both the barrier and Kaichou’s hologram disappeared, but without paying any heed to that, the opposing [Bishop] set foot into Asia’s healing area.

“Reverse!”

Don! The pale green light changed instantly and emitted something red and dangerous instead.

“—Ah.”

In that instant, Asia’s body shined and was disappearing...!?

“...The reverse of healing is damage...Argento-san’s healing ability is immense...If that is reversed...”

The opposing [Bishop] that had entered Asia’s healing area had a satisfied-looking expression on her face, even as she vomited blood. What! What had happened!?

“...I beat the Gremory’s healer...Kaichou...”

Kaichou’s [Bishop] then disappeared at the same time as Asia.

...Damn it. They took out Asia...I-I too...

My body was wrapped in light. I was already done for...I wanted to promote to [Queen] by entering the enemy’s base...To lose without even doing that...was pitiful!

But, I was satisfied with being able to use [Bilingual]...

...Saji. I—.

[One of Rias Gremory-sama’s “Bishop”, retired.]

[One of Sona Sitri-sama’s “Bishop”, retired.]

[Rias Gremory-sama’s “Pawn”, retired.]

Translator’s notes and references