[Issei POV]
A few days after defending Kuoh Academy, our first official "D×D" mission since Khaos Brigade's founding ended in considerable success.
Although Agreas was taken from us, there were zero casualties. We managed to seal Grendel, neutralize Euclid, and even seize the Holy Grail said to play a role in unsealing Trihexa.
Maybe because of that, the overall mood among us was noticeably brighter.
With Euclid captured, Grayfia-san also seemed to have been released from complete house arrest—though she was still under supervision.
By the way, as punishment for making Shirone and Ravel worry like crazy during that battle, I ended up "spoiling" them quite a lot.
Shirone, especially, had been so shaken thinking I had died that her instincts kicked in—like she suddenly wanted to leave behind my descendants. She basically entered heat mode, so to calm her down…
Since none of us had any reason to hold back after crossing that line for the first time, we'd been having "night exercises" (you know what I mean) here and there…
But reaching the point of total physical and mental exhaustion? That hadn't happened since the first day.
I'm not complaining—it's technically a perk.
But honestly, we're giving in to youthful impulses a bit too much.
At the very least, next time I'll try going the route of gifts or dates.
If I don't rein it in somewhere, I might end up completely corrupted.
All three of them are truly dangerous women—literally, by species.
…Well, Kuroka is dangerous in a more serious way.
Anyway, with all that going on, we second-years headed to the Occult Research Club after school as usual.
It seemed the first- and third-years had already finished homeroom and were waiting in the clubroom.
Inside, Rias and Ravel were seated across a large table, studying what looked like a segmented map of the academy while exchanging opinions.
"If it were me, I'd take an aggressive approach pushing the front lines forward all at once. Right now, Issei-san can promote freely, and Rias-sama only has him as her 'Pawn.' In that case, the standard tactic of fortifying the base and preventing enemy promotion is practically meaningless. Traps wouldn't be effective either Shirone could easily detect them. Since we're inferior in individual quality, we should create as many opportunities as possible to utilize our own promotions… though, of course, simply charging in would get us crushed without proper countermeasures."
"I agree. Where I place my pieces and how well you can predict that will greatly affect the battle. If it were me, I'd assign Shirone to guard the base due to her detection abilities. Back then, she was essentially the only one who could counter a Phoenix, but now we also have Akeno, Yuuto, and Xenovia. Even Issei has the holy sword Ascalon—"
"…Rias-sama's peerage is far too advantageous in terms of attributes for Rating Games."
Yeah… I think I get what they're talking about now.
"Good work, everyone. Is this a hypothetical discussion about your Rating Game with Riser?"
"That's right, Ikki. We were talking about how things might have played out if I had my current peerage back then. We're exchanging ideas. After all, my team is finally complete now—and back then, your opening move completely shattered the game's flow."
Well, yeah.
I did fire off a Bible-level attack right at the start.
Xenovia leaned over the table, looking intrigued by the map.
"I see. I'd heard about it, but that was a battle with President Rias's engagement on the line, wasn't it? I'm quite interested. At the time, I was still a Exorcist and hadn't even come to Japan."
"If we're talking about that, I was still serving Lord Odin back then… fufufufu—one day, I'll burn that long beard and punch him right in the face!!"
Rossweisse's unhinged laughter at anything Odin-related was pretty much routine, so everyone just let it slide.
"And that was when Gya-kun was still a shut-in."
"Ugh… don't remind me, Shirone-chan. We won in the end, but I still regret not even suggesting I join the battle for Buchou's sake… Back then, the devils didn't even have tools to suppress Sacred Gears, so I probably would've been rejected anyway…"
"Yeah, that was before the peace treaty. I remember Azazel-sensei lamenting how the devils hadn't progressed much in Sacred Gear research when we first met."
Back then, he just gave Gasper some advice and left.
"Oh my, if we're talking about regrets, I was in a position to fight, yet I sealed away my lightning powers… I'd like to scold my past self for hesitating to use my strength for my master and best friend."
Akeno-senpai smiled as she spoke, but her tone dipped slightly.
"I'm not bothered by it anymore. Facing your trauma isn't something you can do lightly—or just because you're cornered. The fact that all of you have confronted your past and are now looking toward the future… that's more than enough."
For some reason, Issei and Asia—who weren't directly involved—were the ones most moved by Rias's heartfelt words.
"But still, the more I hear about it, the more fascinating that match sounds. Depending on how things went, Rias might have already been married when we first met, right?"
At Irina's comment, Yuuto gave a wry smile and imagined that alternate future.
"If that had happened, Riser-san would've had it rough. The Cocytus incident, the peace conference terrorist attack, the Old Satan faction's terrorism, Loki's assault… He'd never get a break."
"Hmm, I'm not so sure. Riser usually stays in the Underworld, and even the Maou's forces didn't arrive in time during the Cocytus incident. He probably wouldn't have made it. And he wouldn't be involved in the peace conference incident just because he's a fiancé. As for the Old Satan faction, the battlefield was covered by the Dimension Lost barrier—without wide-area detection like mine or Kuroka's, he wouldn't even reach it. If anything, his first real fight would be Loki and Fenrir… and if it were the arrogant Riser from back then, he might've been killed outright—his Phoenix immortality crushed by the God-slaying fangs."
Yeah…
Facing Fenrir as your first major opponent?
Even immortality wouldn't save you.
"Yup. President Rias, I think even if you had won or lost back then, you wouldn't have ended up marrying Riser!"
Wait—wasn't there talk of an immediate wedding?
Then that'd be a two-month marriage followed by instant widowhood.
…Who benefits from that kind of future?
"That's… a rather unpleasant outcome…"
"For the first time, I'm truly glad my brother lost to Rias-sama…"
Both Rias and Ravel looked like they had headaches.
"Hm. I see. Seems like everyone has their own thoughts about that Rating Game with Riser Phenex."
Azazel-sensei suddenly cut into the conversation—he'd been silently listening for a while.
Shirone and I noticed him, but Yuuto had too.
Not surprising—his senses are sharp.
Still, the others could stand to improve a bit.
Issei might technically be the strongest in the Gremory peerage now, but his power fluctuates too much to be a reliable benchmark.
It'll still take time before he can detect Azazel-sensei's presence naturally.
"I've only seen that match through recordings myself… though my abs were destroyed within the first minute."
Well, yeah.
That was before Issei reached Balance Breaker.
"So, Rias… how about a rematch?"
After a moment of thought, Azazel made his proposal.
"Are you serious!?"
"Dead serious. Back then, Ikki was still hiding his strength, but looking back, it was basically a one-man carry. Sure, Shirone was your trump card against the Phoenix, so I won't say you had no chance—but your win rate was probably below fifty percent. Now, though? Both sides are nearly full-strength. Wouldn't it be interesting to fight head-on this time? Though Ikki's sitting this one out—otherwise it'd just be a massacre."
…His wording is a bit harsh, but he's not wrong.
Even without me, the Gremory peerage might steamroll.
"…You're right. Adding Ikki would be excessive. And… it does sound interesting."
Hearing Rias's enthusiasm, Azazel grinned.
"Alright! It's settled. I'll handle negotiations with both the Gremory and Phoenix families. Make sure you give it everything you've got!—Except you, Ikki!"
"Yeah!!"
Their energy is great and all…
But do they secretly hate me or something?
I'm gonna cry, damn it!!
And then, after returning home, I received a message from a certain someone.
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100 Power Stones = Bonus Chapter
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