You’re just like Ise.”
I gave a smile at those words. “That makes me happy. Because part of me also thinks that I’d like to become like him.”
That’s right, I wanted a spirit that would never give up like Ise-kun. He was amazing. Even though he knows that he’s weak, he still confronts the enemy. He belittles himself, but in fact, he understands himself more than anyone else and works hard. Most likely, I wouldn’t be a match for him anymore in terms of simply physical strength. His efforts and guts entered into the territory of deserving admiration. Advancing step by step with effort, his progress was nobler than anyone else. “Become like Ise? You mean become a pervert?”
“That is Ise-kun’s thing. —I want to obtain his guts and willpower.”
At those words, Xenovia let out a strained laugh. “…That doesn’t suit you best, though.”
I also thought that. “True. But, as long as I can move even a single finger, I won’t fall!”
“…I see. Are you telling someone like me to move since I can still move a single finger? What a cruel guy.”
“If I fall down, I’ll do what I have to do, even if I can move only a single millimetre or inch. Because otherwise—the regret of not doing anything would be so painful that I’d die!”
[Sona Sitri-sama’s first “Pawn”, retired.] An announcement. It seemed that someone had taken out one of the opponents. We also had to hold on. The sound on the enemies’ footsteps approached. —Xenovia. You’ll retire from here soon. But before that, I think that I’ll show it to you. I appeared in front of the three opponents. “Have you resolved yourself?”
Preparing to use her naginata, Shinra-senpai approached. A small tear in space appeared behind me. Xenovia was making it form. It couldn’t be seen like this, as it was in the enemies’ blind spot. Then, Durandal’s aura flowed into me. Now then, Xenovia. I’ll show it to you. This technique created by you and me, Rias Gremory’s two [Knights]! Zazazazan! Holy demonic swords sprang up everywhere within this parking lot. The holy demonic aura that covered them might have been little. But, if Durandal’s aura is also added to them, it’s another story entirely. “—Durandal Birth!”
That attack pierced through Yura-san and Meguri-san. Just as they began to shine, they disappeared from this place. Two down. Shinra-senpai—seemed to have escaped and left the parking lot. In my arms, Xenovia’s body began to shine. “Kiba. That was a nice attack.”
Her expression was covered with a smile as she was disappearing from here. So I also smiled and saw her off. “Yeah, when you and I work together again, we can make more holy swords bloom.”
Her weight had disappeared and then she herself disappeared as well. Pariiiiiiin. After making a short-lived noise, the holy swords that had bloomed all over the place crumbled and dissolved into nothingness. 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”.] [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!?