"Happy New Year, Everyone ❤️💕😍"
...
Saying this, Diodora insistently squeezed Asia's hand.
"Um... But I'm sure such a time will never come?"
"Then that is fine too. Well then, Rias, I look forward to our game."
The magic circle flashed once more, and Diodora vanished.
THWACK!!
Immediately, a dull pain exploded in Issei's head.
"Gyaaaah?! What the hell, Kazuki-senpai?!"
He couldn't help but protest at Kazuki, who had just delivered a sharp knuckle strike to his head.
"You goddamn idiot! You could've just ignored the bastard's wager, but you had to go and give him your word so easily..."
"Ugh, I'm sorry..."
Getting yelled at was expected. His reckless action had landed them in this mess.
"Now that it's come to this, Issei, you'd better beat Diodora! We are not handing Asia over to that creep!?"
"YESSIR!!"
His fighting spirit ignited. 'That's right, Senpai can't participate in the game. This time, I'll fight for his sake too!!'
"Right, now that everyone's properly fired up, let's continue."
At Azazel's voice, everyone refocused on the monitor.
In the early stages of the match, it was Agares who held the advantage. But even so, Diodora's pieces... were all just cute girls! 'That harem-building bastard...! There's no way in hell I'm handing Asia over to him!'
However, Agares's advantage ended there. By the mid-game, when Diodora himself took to the field, the situation completely reversed. With overwhelming demonic power, Diodora crushed Agares's servants one after another, finally defeating even the bespectacled girl—Seekvaira herself.
"What the hell was that...?"
"What's going on? I never heard Diodora was that strong!?"
"Indeed... If he were that powerful, his pre-match evaluation should have been much higher."
"Did he power up through special training over the summer? But he doesn't seem the type for that..."
Kazuki, Rias, Akeno, and Irina were all stunned by Diodora's unexpected strength.
"Well, what he was like before is beside the point now. The crucial thing is figuring out how to beat him."
Issei knew Kazuki was right, but...! How the hell was he supposed to defeat Diodora, who had trampled Agares with demonic power surpassing even Rias's!?
They were all overwhelmed by Diodora's strength, unable to speak. Well, that was understandable. Even Azazel, who had seen it firsthand, had been at a loss for words.
"This is... For now, the rest of you are dismissed. I'll formulate a strategy tonight, and we'll discuss it again tomorrow. Akeno, Kazuki, Azazel, please stay."
Rias gave her orders. Following her instructions, everyone except the third-years left the clubroom.
As they filed out, Issei fell into step beside Kazuki.
"Azazel-sensei... How do you view Diodora's sudden power-up?"
Issei, behind Kazuki, asked while watching the underclassmen leave.
"...It's unnatural. That guy doesn't seem the type to secretly undergo special training. I can only think there's something behind it."
"I agree. In fact, I have a suspicion about what that 'something' might be..."
"What? Please tell me the details."
Issei urged Kazuki to continue.
"Diodora's rapid power-up... I recognize a phenomenon similar to that. Do you remember? Katerea Leviathan."
Hearing that name, Issei recalled the tanned female devil who belonged to the Old Satan faction. And then it clicked.
"Hey, Kazuki-senpai, you don't mean—"
"Yes. Back then, Katerea swallowed something and powered up drastically. If he's using the same method... then it's possible Diodora is also involved with the [Khaos Brigade]."
Issei couldn't help but gasp at Kazuki's hypothesis…
That night, unable to sleep, Issei lay on his bed deep in thought when he heard a knock at the door.
"Yes?"
Wondering who it could be at this hour, he answered. The door opened, and Asia entered, wearing a negligee.
"What's wrong, Asia?"
She entered but didn't take another step, standing frozen in place. After waiting a moment, Asia seemed to steel herself, gave a firm nod, and suddenly slipped the negligee off her shoulders, letting it pool at her feet, leaving her in nothing but her panties.
"Asia!!?"
Issei's mind short-circuited at the sudden development. Covering her breasts with her hands, Asia slowly approached him.
"Please... Issei-san, hold me."
As she said this, she let her hands fall away.
'Asia's breasts... they're so beautiful, every time I see them.'
They couldn't compare to Rias's in size, but her modest, shapely mounds were lovely, and Issei felt an immediate, undeniable swelling in his groin. ...Wait, 'hold'? Hold Asia?
"Uh, um... You want me to hold you while you sleep?"
He asked, trying to play dumb, but such platitudes were useless against the Asia standing before him tonight.
"That's not it! I... I want you to have sex with me, Issei-san! Oh no, I bit my tongue..."
Even stumbling over her words, Asia had said it clearly.
'...S-SEX!? What's gotten into Asia all of a sudden!?'
Looking into her eyes, she was dead serious. Having sex with Asia... of course, he wanted to! If they lost the game against Diodora, Asia would be taken away! Issei couldn't stand that! Asia's breasts, her ass, her thighs... they were all his.
"Asia!!"
"Issei-san...!"
As he placed his hands on her shoulders, Asia slowly closed her eyes. A kiss with Asia... until now, it had only ever been on the cheek, but this time! Filled with determination, he leaned in to bring his lips to hers—and then—!
['Why don't you just die?']
['Someone like you, who doesn't even try to confess his feelings to her, has no right to comment.']
"!!?"
The voices of Raynare and Diodora echoed in his mind, and Issei froze.
"Issei-san...?"
Asia called out to him, wondering why he wasn't kissing her even after waiting so long. Gently, Issei let his hands fall from her shoulders.
"...I'm sorry, Asia."
He couldn't hold Asia.
Whenever he tried to deepen his relationship with her, that scene would always resurface in his mind, and it had been happening more and more lately.
---A black-haired girl silhouetted against the sunset…
The girl's derisive laughter echoed through the park…
And then, those spoken words…
Until now, Issei had unconsciously avoided it. But it was time to admit it. It was the scene of being killed by Raynare. Whenever it surfaced, a sharp pain would pierce his chest, freezing him in place.
...
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