It was Saturday, but the school campus was far from empty. Luke, following a protocol he was quickly becoming accustomed to, wore his uniform as he walked toward the school building. The rules were clear: regardless of a holiday or weekend, the uniform was required for entry. His destination was the PE hall, where Riis had told him the battle would take place.
He spotted Kai waiting for him just outside the entrance. The blond boy looked as immaculate as ever, but something was different. Clipped to his waist were two swords. One was a pitch-black, longsword with a jagged, almost demonic feel, and the other a pristine white blade with a graceful, holy aura.
As they headed inside, Luke broke the silence. "So you're a swordsman?"
Kai nodded, a small, knowing smile on his face. "Yes. I do have experience with the sword. My black blade can create multiple swords, and the white one has holy abilities."
I might need him to forge me one later, Luke thought, filing the information away. Their conversation continued, a comfortable back-and-forth, until they reached the main hall.
Luke stopped dead in his tracks. This was not a normal gym. The space had been completely transformed. The basketball court was gone, replaced by a smooth, polished stone floor. The bleachers were replaced by tiered rows of seating that circled a central stage, giving the entire hall the grand appearance of a combat arena that, while fitting within the school, seemed to belong on a different planet.
"How did this happen?" Luke asked, his voice a low gasp.
Kai didn't even have to think about it. "It was Riis-sama's doing," he said simply.
Of course it was, Luke said to himself.
He saw her then, sitting in the front row. Riis, along with her peerage and Sora's, were all waiting. But Luke's eyes were drawn to the stage, where Jumonji stood. He was already in position, holding a massive spear, his face a mask of strict, focused intensity.
Luke headed to the seats, taking his place beside Riis. She looked at him with a hint of concern in her eyes. "You're still going to do this? Unlike you, he's a pure blood devil, mid-rank at that. You still won't back down?"
A calm smile settled on Luke's face. "Then I wouldn't be much of a servant if I didn't prove myself to you now. Besides," he added, his voice dropping to a near-whisper, "I'm curious."
Riis looked at him, a puzzled expression on her face, but she quickly smiled. "Okay then. Win for the Morningstar household."
Luke gave a slight, elegant bow of his head. "As you wish."
A small, genuine smile flickered on Riis's face, quickly noted by Akane. "My, Luke, you're quite a charmer," she said, her voice teasing.
Luke simply humbled himself. Before he walked down to the stage, he turned to Kai. "You said you can make swords with that black blade?"
Kai nodded. "Yes."
"If it's okay with you, can you forge me one that suits me?"
Kai's eyes widened slightly in wonder, but he didn't pry. He drew his black sword and stabbed the tip into the ground. A silver magic circle pulsed into existence around them. Kai uttered two words: "Sword Birth."
From the center of the circle, a long, finely crafted katana slowly emerged, its blade a stunning black and its hilt an elegant silver. It was sleek and deadly, with the simple but profound elegance of a true master's weapon. He handed the blade to Luke, who took it, his grip firm.
Luke headed down the tiered seating toward the stage. As he stepped onto the polished floor, a high-pitched, energetic voice rang out over the newly built arena.
"Announcing both combatants in the ring! For the Sitra household, the Mid-Rank Devil Ken Jumonji! And for the Morningstar household, the Eight-Pawn Pawn, Luke Akuma!"
The commentator's voice echoed through the vast hall, but the sound was already fading from Luke's consciousness. His world had narrowed to a single point: the man standing opposite him. Jumonji was a mountain of a man, his muscles thick and bulging even beneath the uniform, and the spear in his hands looked less like a weapon and more like a part of his body. He was a pure-blood devil, and his arrogance was palpable even from this distance.
Jumonji made the first move. He charged forward, the polished stone floor shaking with the force of his strides. The roar he let out was not human but a primal bellow of pure demonic energy. He swung the spear in a wide, powerful arc, a move meant to end the battle in a single blow. Luke didn't retreat. Instead, he moved forward, his movements a blur of practiced martial arts. He ducked under the swing, his katana a flash of silver as he deflected the shaft of the spear and slid past Jumonji's hulking frame.
Jumonji's eyes widened slightly in surprise. He spun, bringing the spear around in a series of lightning-fast jabs. Luke met each thrust with a block from his new blade, the clang of metal against metal echoing across the silent arena. His movements were fluid, his footwork a dance of precision and foresight. He wasn't relying on raw power; he was relying on years of discipline and the human brain's ability to calculate an opponent's movements and exploit their openings. He was a master tactician who had learned how to use a body, not just a brain.
For every blow Jumonji unleashed, Luke had an answer. Jumonji's swings were meant to shatter, but Luke's blocks were meant to redirect. His footwork allowed him to dodge where others would have to absorb the blow, frustrating the mid-rank devil. With each successful parry and evade, a flicker of irritation crossed Jumonji's face, a small crack in his stoic facade. He was the one with overwhelming demonic power, and yet he couldn't land a single hit on a mere reincarnated devil.
Riis watched the fight from her seat, a faint smile playing on her lips. Sora, on the other hand, was watching with a growing look of surprise, her eyes locked on Luke's movements. Jumonji had always been one of her most reliable and powerful servants, and he was being stymied by an opponent he considered beneath him.
"This is getting annoying," Jumonji growled, his voice a low rumble. He put more force into his next attack, forcing Luke back with a powerful sweep. The ground beneath Luke's feet cracked and splintered.
Luke held his ground, his face calm and unreadable. He could feel the sheer power behind Jumonji's blows now, a raw demonic force that was barely being contained. This wasn't just physical strength; this was the power of a pure-blood devil. Jumonji's movements lost their grace, becoming all about brute force. He was getting desperate.
"You're nothing but a low-rank, reincarnated devil!" Jumonji roared, his frustration finally boiling over. He stomped the ground, and a wave of concentrated demonic energy radiated from his body, turning the air around him red. "I'll show you the difference between a mid-rank devil and a worthless pawn with a human's soul!"
The spear in Jumonji's hands began to glow with a dark, sinister energy. He was no longer holding back.
The air thickened with Jumonji's demonic power, turning the arena floor a sickly red. The spear in his hands pulsed with a malevolent light, and the very ground trembled under the weight of his renewed force. A raw, oppressive feeling of power pressed down on everyone in the room, but Luke was already moving. He ran, dodging and blocking, the blur of his form leaving afterimages across the arena. Each step was a measured calculation, his mind racing to find an answer to this new level of power.
So, that's the handicap I have, he thought, recalling Riis's words. I can only promote three times to use special promotions. He could feel the eight pawn pieces nestled deep in his soul, a silent well of power waiting to be tapped. But what will happen to me if I do it another way? It might be risky, he mused, a cold certainty setting in. He briefly tapped into his soul, and the sheer, raw power of the eight pieces made him flinch. He saw the pieces, eight pristine white pawns, and he knew he could channel their power directly without promoting, but he also didn't know the side effects. This will work, but it's a massive risk.
Luke then got his thoughts straight. He had been on the defensive for long enough, and Jumonji's relentless insults about his low rank continued to echo in the silent hall, a verbal backdrop to his brutal physical attacks. Luke's body, which had been in a posture of continuous evasion, suddenly went rigid. He planted his feet, and his shoulders squared. He stopped running.
"Okay then," Luke said, his voice quiet but filled with an intensity that made everyone in the stands flinch. The calm, composed boy was gone, replaced by a cold, calculating fighter. "Enough running."
In the stands, Ichirou's eyes were wide with pure panic. He half-stood, his hands gripping the railing with white-knuckled force. "Get out of there, Jumonji!" he yelled, his voice cracking with fear. "Before you get smoked!"
Sora turned to her pawn, her expression puzzled. "Ichirou, what are you talking about? Luke is barely a fighter."
Kuze, looking equally concerned, chimed in. "You don't understand, President. He's not a brute-force fighter. That was just him sizing up his opponent. Luke is a very serious fighter. He is near ruthless once he decides to stop hit-and-run tactics."
Riis and Sora looked at each other, their faces a mix of confusion and concern. They only knew Luke as a kind and calm person. They couldn't imagine the ruthless fighter Kuze was describing. The entire arena fell silent as they all wondered if what Kuze said was truly about the boy they all knew.
"How can he get to that point?" Riis asked, her voice low and filled with concern. Sora, her face a mask of intrigue, nodded in agreement.
Kuze sighed, watching Luke on the arena floor. "He may not like to fight, but if he sees fit to fight, he will do so and feed you trauma right after," he explained, his tone grim.
Ichirou chimed in, his energetic facade completely gone. "Yeah, we've trained with him since childhood under his grandfather. He knew all martial arts and made his own, the Dynast Arts." Ichirou's hands instinctively clenched as he recalled the memory. "We only learned three or four and some of the Dynast Arts, but Luke learned everything in that dojo and mastered it."
The entire peerage was flustered by the story. It felt out of place with the Luke they knew. Asuna, her voice soft and timid, spoke up. "But how is he going to get ruthless?"
Ichirou's demeanor grew even more serious. "He won't... because he already has a reason to get serious."
Harumi, Sora's Queen, looked doubtful. "But Jumonji has the power of Rahab, and it is the embodiment of chaos, so Luke can't actually win, can he?" she said, her tone condescending.
Kuze didn't respond out loud, but he thought to himself: Hopefully you're right, but if he decides to use those eyes, it won't matter if the power of Rahab is with him.
Sora and Riis just watched the fight, now filled with a mix of curiosity and unease. Ichirou being so serious had put them on edge, as they were used to his usual energetic, carefree nature. The question on everyone's mind was, "Could a low-rank reincarnated devil really beat a mid-rank devil?"
Kai then broke the tense silence. "Could he... kill him?"
Ichirou's eyes darted to Kai, and he shook his head with finality. "No. Luke might be able to ruthlessly beat you, but he is not a killer. And I don't wanna know what he'd be if he ever took a life."
A cold unease settled over everyone as they watched the battle unfold, their previous excitement replaced by a chilling sense of dread.
The battle raged on, but the momentum had shifted. Despite his immense power, Jumonji was getting pressed, finding his brute force ineffective against Luke's calculated precision. Each move Luke made was a quiet refutation of Jumonji's strength, a testament to pure skill over raw might. The mid-rank devil's frustration grew with every deflected blow.
How could a low-rank devil be this proficient in battle? Jumonji thought, the question echoing with disbelief in his mind. He looked at Luke, who stood firm with an unnerving calm. The pawn was not even breathing heavily.
"It appears you are very well-versed in battle," Jumonji said, his voice a low growl of grudging respect. His body began to swell with even more power, and a dark, chaotic energy began to swirl around him. "So, I think I have to get serious."
He roared the name of the entity he drew power from. "Rahab!"
A chaotic aura, black and red and full of raw, untamed malice, burst from his body, creating a shockwave that rattled the entire arena. The others watching in the stands, even the pure-bloods, began to look worried. This was a level of power that a pawn should never be able to face.
Luke simply watched, his face as calm as a still lake. He held his katana, its black blade reflecting the demonic light. "Very well," he said, his voice barely audible over the roaring energy. He was done running; it was time for the plan he had been preparing.
As Jumonji charged, Luke began to move. He dashed forward, meeting the oncoming force head-on. Just as their energies were about to collide, Luke uttered a single command: "Dissipate!"
With a flash of crimson light, all eight of Luke's pawn pieces expelled from his body. They weren't glowing with a faint aura, but with a vibrant, raw demonic energy that pulsed with life. The eight pieces floated in a perfect circle behind him, a celestial halo of power.
Luke raised his hand and with a focused will, commanded, "Promotion!"
One of the pawns burst with a flash of light and took the shape of a knight. Another followed, becoming a bishop. The third turned into a mighty rook, and the fourth swelled with power to become a majestic queen.
Luke then retracted the four promoted pieces, which sank back into his body, leaving the other four pawns still glowing and floating behind him. The raw, unfiltered power of the moment was so potent that it made the very ground vibrate.
Riis and the others were completely caught off guard. They had never seen a pawn do anything like this.
A grin spread across Ichirou's face as he instantly reverted to his energetic self. "Well," he said, the tension from before gone, "we might not have to worry about him being ruthless, but he's still beating the crap out of Jumonji!"
The four pawn pieces, now vibrant with Luke's power, positioned themselves in a perfect diamond formation around Jumonji. The mid-rank devil, his focus solely on the knight, bishop, rook, and queen that now floated behind Luke, didn't even notice the pieces surrounding him. He charged, a low growl of frustration rumbling in his chest.
In a flash, Luke was gone. Jumonji's eyes widened, scanning the space frantically, but before he could react, a precise cut appeared on his back. Then another, this time on his side. He spun, his powerful senses unable to pinpoint the source of the attacks. Luke was a blur, teleporting between the four pawn pieces in a frantic, relentless assault. He was everywhere at once, a phantom of razor-sharp cuts and precise strikes. Jumonji, for all his raw power, couldn't land a single hit. He couldn't even counter.
In the stands, Sora leaned forward, her eyes gleaming with admiration. "He used the other pawns as teleportation points to attack him from all directions," she said, a rare note of impressed wonder in her voice. "Impressive."
Akane turned to Riis, a confused expression on her face. "Are pawns even capable of doing that?" she asked.
Riis, her own expression a mix of surprise and pride, simply smiled. "I'm pretty sure it's just him."
The barrage of attacks continued until Luke, in a final blur of motion, disarmed Jumonji, sending his glowing spear clattering to the ground. The pieces returned to their positions behind Luke, and the two combatants now stood facing each other, unarmed.
Jumonji, a pure-blood devil of mid-rank, was utterly outmatched. His pride shattered, he clenched his fists and went to hand-to-hand combat. He was trained, but his movements were a far cry from Luke's. Luke moved with the quiet grace of a master, his every block and parry an effortless redirection of Jumonji's desperate blows. The power of a martial art passed down through generations was on full display. Luke was not just fighting; he was dancing, his every move a perfectly choreographed strike of skill against brute force.
Knowing he was completely outmatched, Jumonji went full power. His aura skyrocketed, a chaotic vortex of crimson and black that filled the hall with a crushing, demonic presence. He charged at Luke, aiming for a single, decisive punch.
Luke stood firm, a quiet calm on his face. He extended his right hand, and the pieces floating around him began to glow. With a thought, he expelled the four pieces he had used in the previous attack, turning all eight back into pawns. They began to move, forming a perfect, straight line that then started circling his open palm. Faster and faster they spun, until they condensed into a single sphere of pure, unadulterated demonic power. The crimson orb hummed with energy, a sound that filled the entire arena.
Jumonji reached him, his hand cocked back for a final punch. But Luke was already moving. He spun right above him, the sphere in his hand ready.
"Pawn Shot!" he roared, slamming the sphere of energy down onto Jumonji's back.
The blast was immense, a shockwave that shook the entire school to its foundations. Dust and debris filled the air, and a crimson light blinded everyone. As the dust settled, the arena was silent.
Riis was the first to move. She stepped onto the shattered floor, her heels clicking softly on the polished stone, and stopped a few feet from Luke. She was still, her regal composure breaking just enough to reveal a look of awe and deep relief. "Luke," she said softly, "that was a magnificent display."
"It was effective," Luke replied, his voice a bit strained. He could feel the raw power of the Pawn Shot draining from his body, a phantom ache that settled into his bones. He had won, but the cost of the technique was immense.
Sora followed Riis, her gaze fixed on the unconscious form of Jumonji embedded in the wall. She looked back at Luke, her expression no longer one of simple curiosity but of genuine, cautious respect. "To create a sphere of pure pawn energy... and to use the other pawns as teleportation points... I've never heard of a devil capable of such things. You truly are a unique piece."
Kuze and Ichirou rushed onto the floor, the latter letting out a whoop of triumph that echoed in the empty hall as he patted Luke on the back. "I told you!" Ichirou shouted, his normal energetic self completely restored. "I told you he wasn't going to lose!"
Kuze just offered a quiet, firm handshake. "You didn't have to go that far, you know. I was worried you were going to kill him."
"It was a mock battle, Kuze," Luke said, trying to force a smile. "I'm not a killer."
Riis then looked toward her bishop. "Asuna, if you please."
Asuna, still looking timid, nodded and approached Jumonji. She knelt beside him, placing a hand gently on his chest. A soft, green light enveloped his body, and a moment later, he was floating to his feet. He blinked, his eyes slowly focusing on the faces of his master and his peerage. His gaze then fell on Luke.
He moved forward, his steps slow and deliberate, until he was standing directly in front of Luke. His face, which was once a mask of unwavering pride, was now humbled.
"I was wrong," Jumonji said, his voice a low rumble. "I've never faced a pawn like you. You're more than just a reincarnated devil with a human's soul; you're a warrior of immense skill. I apologize for my words. I underestimated you."
Luke simply nodded, his face calm. "The battle was a test, nothing more. I hold no ill will."
Jumonji bowed his head in a show of respect. "Thank you for the lesson, Luke Akuma."
With the air between them cleared, Riis led the way out of the arena.
"You've proven your point, Luke," Riis said, her voice filled with quiet pride. "You've earned the respect of everyone here, and you've shown me that my instincts were right. Now, let's get you home. I can sense the strain that last technique put on you."
Luke nodded, grateful for the offer. As he walked out of the arena, his body was heavy, but his spirit was light. He had faced his first true test in this new world and had not only survived but had emerged victorious. He was no longer just a reincarnated human; he was a Pawn of the Morningstar household, and he had just shown everyone the true Weight of Eight Pawns.